Green Graduation Pledge

I am really excited to be a part of this!

The Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility states, “I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work.” Students define for themselves what it means to be socially and environmentally responsible.

Students at over a hundred colleges and universities are using the pledge at some level. Graduates who voluntarily signed the pledge have turned down jobs with which they did not feel comfortable and have worked to make changes once on the job. For example, they have promoted recycling at their organization, removed racist language from a training manual, worked for gender parity in high school athletics, and helped to convince an employer to refuse a chemical weapons-related contract.

http://www.graduationpledge.org/new/

Cap and Gown

Today after my social worlds of children class, I went to the grad finale to pick up my CAP AND GOWN!!! now it is real and I am so excited!

Dinner with Dad

I love that my dad works so close to the city, he is at Genesis right by SF state university, and he came and picked me up. We drove around a little bit and Dad took me to his favorite spots in the city (he lived there for a number of years in the early 80s which is where he met my mom). We went to the pet cemetery, Dad's favorite place in the city. It is right under the freeway that takes you to the GGbridge and there is a beautiful view over the mission style presidio houses to the bay. I love you Dad, but you have to be kinda twisted to have your fav spot be the pet cemetery... Then we drove to Fort Point, where I had never been before, which is right under the GGbridge. We had a great early dinner at Pris a Vis a great "global" restaurant in the Presidio by the Letterman Hospital. I asked Dad to show me where he lived in Presidio Heights around Colombus and Broderick. I would love to live in the area like right on Divisadero and Clay street...ahh I love the city!!!

Thanks Dad, you rock!

Congrats Mariana!!

Mariana was my program coordinator in Nicaragua last summer for the internship program with the Foundation for Sustainable Development I did through USF. She just won a fullbright and I am soo happy for her!! Yay development work!

"Mariana Giusti-Rodríguez has been awarded a Fulbright Grant for a research project on indigenous movements. She will be spending time in Peru and Bolivia researching whether it is possible for a social movement to reach power and remain united and efficient or whether it is better off and most successful remaining in the opposition".

Here is me and Mariana having fun in Nica!

American Idol

I tell you it is soo hard to focus in a dorm room when it is soo warm! I take two hour naps when I am supposed to be writing about the Cultural Revolution and the devastating effects on Chinese society Mao had and watching American Idol and eating pizza from the cafeteria...but hey, I can only do it for one more months so I am milking the student life all I can! I have to give a shout out to Kris Allen by the by, he is hot...also look at Lena's blog she has a full update on all the contestants. Lena is a good friend of John and I...www.lenareem.blogspot.com.

Also, I feel bad in the dorms when all my neighbors can hear all the contestants on American Idol and are watching it through the walls even if they don't want to be...sorry Jordan, Vanessa, Emily, and Ashley!!

Congrats Mary and Heff!

Mare, I am so happy for you and excited for your life with two beautiful girls!

It's a GIRL!!

We are thrilled to announce....

MaryMarjorie Sheehy Heffernan aka "Maisie"

Born Saturday April 18, 2009 at 10:30am

7 pounds 1 ounce - 19 inches

Pictures of Arkansas

From little kids and their momma goats to gross slobbery camels to group pics here is evidence that I was in Arkansas!

Heifer in arkansas

This is the program I did with my residents last weekend over Easter in Arkansas....it was awesome


Global Passport – 401 at Heifer Ranch
Four Night Program; 9th Grade – College Age

Global Passport participants, in a safe simulation, experience what it is like when someone in your community loses everything and they must rely on the generosity of their neighbors. Will the community come together and provide the needed relief?

After people’s immediate need for food, water and other necessities have been met, the need for relief work ends and development work begins. Heifer works to empower communities by supplying them with the means – including livestock, training and other resources – to strengthen their families, their communities and their hope for a sustainable future. All Global Passport “families” are challenged to improve their circumstances by adopting a variety of methods Heifer uses in the field, including adding livestock, improved animal management and finding a unique market to sell goods.

Throughout the program, participants must provide for their “family” by tending gardens and livestock, working in the village community, buying supplies from the international market and cooking cultural meals using appropriate technology. Each night the family will come together and sleep in representative housing, such as Tibetan yurt.