Growing up in a suburb of Washington DC, in the Tacoma Park area, and having their dad leave at the age of ten is not an ideal way to start a life. Repeating times teetering on the poverty line and a jobless mother does not help much either. Not know what I wanted to do or where to go for school made life challenging because pressure from family made the choice to go to college very easy. Paying for college was not so easy. After three years at a community college, finally getting to the University of Maryland was a great feeling. The obstacle of paying tuition made life very stressful. Keeping two jobs and taking on fifteen credits at a major university is a recipe for disaster. Failing to meet standards at the University of Maryland called for immediate dismissal for transfer students. After a year off and a great experience coach high school boys lacrosse gave incite to a great career path, physical education. Finish an Associate of Arts made an application to Towson University more tempting. Finally being admitted to this university made more struggles for making payment, but balancing two jobs and school is a little easier this time.

Becoming a teacher benefits society by education the youth and trying to keep them in shape. Teaching children about being healthy and the benefits of eating right will serve the children I get through to by giving them a longer life. I hope to use sports to educate children not only about the rules and regulation but also use this opportunity to show them valuable life lesson that could possible change their life. Taking a position of power and influence comes with certain responsibilities. A line from the movie Spiderman speaks the truth, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Using power and influence to obtain money or endorsements is all well and in the nature of capitalism, but not speaking out against injustices and question people with more power is plain wrong.

My journey to Towson University was actually a very eventful one. When I began to look into colleges my junior year of High School, I had an idea that I was going to stay home. I think I just was not ready to take care of myself and handle the responsibilities of being on your own. Sure the social life and being away from home feeling is great but I had other ideas on my plate at the time. My best sport in High School was golf and I wanted to play at the next level in college. I had a couple of schools to choose from that were on Long Island where I live that I could play golf for. It really worked out perfectly for me and I had my school picked out and I was ready to play golf. My freshman year of college was very fast and I did concentrate on school 10 times more then I ever did in High school and was playing the best golf of my career. I ended up finishing off my freshman year with a 3.8 grade point average and I earned First team in my conference for golf. Things were looking great and even though I was not having the fun you are suppose to have in college, I was doing quite all right.
My sophomore year was where my life became what it is and changed my life. The previous summer I began to hang out with some friends who I had not seen for a couple of years and golf was not my priority anymore. I began to party more and just have fun. So getting back into staying at home and concentrating on a sport and school was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to transfer with my boys and Towson was where they were. I fell in love with the school and atmosphere of the community. I ended up having a tough choice to either stay home and continue with the golf or go away and enjoy the social life of being away at college with my boys. I took the Towson route and I have loved every second of my decision. I had to overcome a lot to get to where I am today. Giving up on a sport, especially one in which you are great at is tough and the thought crosses my mind every day that I should have stuck with it. But deep down, I know that I was destined to be at this University and the only thing I can say is that life is a funny thing, you never know where you will end up.
There is no one I would rather be like then Tiger Woods. I am not even saying this because of his dominance in the sport of golf or his celebrity nature he has developed but rather because he is a genuine human being and a well respected man. Tiger Woods does not get himself involved in situations that could affect his image because he knows he has a high reputation that needs to stay that way. He knows how to represent himself and how to be a class act. As far as myself being put in the situation to speak out to society or what not, if money was on the line, I still would not put myself into the media world and an icon for something. We have leaders who should be the ones saying these things. People believe athletes are higher up then government officials because of their stardom but guess what, they are not, they are just like every other citizen with a job, only they perform their job on ESPN maybe.

Andrew Schwartz

Like stated before I come from a middle class society that is deep routed with success stories and feelings of accomplishments. Coming from a town such as this I was presented with many opportunities as a child that others less fortunate that myself may not have been presented with. Like anyone else I have had to overcome some obstacles to get to where I am now and openly take on these challenges as an opportunity to better myself. That being said, I am aware that the hardships I have faced fail to compare to what some of my peers at Towson University have been forced to go through. The hardest thing to overcome in my life so far is my ability to excel.
Many of my friends in high school were listed as gifted at a young age , for them school just always came naturally. For me it never worked this way. In order to pass classes and earn grades that would one day get me into college I had to work extra hard to keep up with my peers. For a while there was a time where I considered the idea of not going to college. For many people around the world the next step after high school does not have to be college, however in my town things were different. My town was a place where after you graduated high school the socially accepted next step was to attend and graduate college. This was expressed and instilled in me at a young age that going to college was a must. I feel that this pressure led to my initial struggles in high school. Knowing that I was expected to college and feeling that anything less would disgust my parents I pushed myself extra hard to earn my way into college.
My dream of going to college included a fantasy where I would be playing basketball in the gym and consequently be discovered by a basketball coach and go on to fulfill my dream of becoming an NBA superstar. My hope was to become an iconic symbol, one that both children and adults would look up to and respect. In many ways my dream was to become Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is in my own opinion the greatest basketball player to ever live, however that alone does not make him perfect. To get where he is today he has made many decisions that have to play an effect on his conscience behind closed doors. As a way of making profit Michael Jordan has been endorsed by Nike for many years. As it is well documented Nike uses recourses to produce their product that are both civilly and morally wrong. It is hard to believe that Michael has heard nothing to this affect so it is my interpretation that he has just turned a blind eye. If I were someone in his position I would use my status to make a difference in the world. Being a global icon it would be important to express my concerns with the world and do my part to help fix it. To have a social status such as Michael Jordan and not use it to better the world would be crime in itself.
Back to reality, I have no shame in saying my situation fails to compare to what others have gone through. By no means am I comparing my life to someone less fortunate then myself. I have been very blessed in my life to have great friends and family present to help overcome the challenges present in my life. Being well aware that I am still young and am still in for many to opportunities to challenge myself I look forward to what tomorrow brings and the knowledge that whatever life throws at me I will be able to face and overcome.
Strickman

This is a funny topic in itself. I have learned two major things about America and “free speech”. For one there is no true free speech as everything we do and say is twisted to fit a certain mold. Censorship is commonplace in the land of the free. As for the second part, you must ALWAYS know your source. Your source changes everything. In a perfect world my celebrity would be an activist for change, specifically political change. We can already see how this would be an immediate problem. As long as you don't mess with the higher ups everything will be just fine. Everything is money today. Sport is a business. I cannot say that the aforementioned celebrities that choose to not use their platform for a larger voice are in the wrong. Celebrities and athletes are business partners with a lot of groups that are connected to main media outlets. For example, Michael Phelps. Here he stands before us as the greatest swimmer of all time and he is silent to all events around him. No one asked Phelps about his stance on the presidential election. Why? Because he probably would not have one. He represents too many different outlets. Phelps is not just Phelps. When he parts his lips he speaks for the US swim team, NBC, VISA, Speedo, etc. His views may not reflect theirs. Maybe it does all come down to money, but unfortunately that is what runs our world. Celebrities are better in action than in words. They will not speak poorly of their business partners, and if they do it may be transposed to fit another molded perspective. You will never see ESPN go against Disney, or Bravo against NBC. Everyone is “in bed” with one another so to speak. I think overall celebrity actually takes your voice away. You are solely a marketing vehicle; at least in sports.

I disagrew with tigerfrank. his story to towson is unique. Not too many people go to school where their Pops is the head soccer coach!. But i am glad hinch is finally seeing the light and agreeing with. What Yankee 1127 didnt tell everyone is that he rode a tidal wave to towson...surfs up brah!

I agree with jgardnerzona22. you have to look at what you say ina business way. You wouldnt do aything that would stop you from making money.

I don't have my own celebrity story. I grew up a regular old American kid in the Baltimore suburbs just trying to make a life for myself. I hated high school with a passion and made it my goal to walk out during lunch every day to smoke a cigarette down by the bleachers. I figured life had thrown me a curve ball by tearing my ACL, I pretty much didn't give a shit anymore. As far as political issues in the world, I dropped out from caring, and decided not to waste my time on caring whether or not presidents wanted to get our men killed or not. I did not know anyone in the war so it did not affect me. Now, 4 and a half years into college, I have found out that many of my old friends from high school have decided to go to war. I never pictured anyone I knew from Suburbia, USA going to war for our president. But this ended up changing my views and opinions about the war. I found myself reading more carefully about each troop, each person, and what really was happening over in Iraq. The article by Douglas Kellner reinforces the ideas we originally went to war, which were to "shut down Iraq's 'weapons of mass destruction' and thus enforce UN resolutions (Kellner)". I discovered that the media censors the shit out of what is really happening over there. I think that the media and the government do a great job of keeping you completely out of the loop of things that they don't want you to know much about. I think it is our duty as citizens of the United States to find out as much as we can about what is going on in the world and do something about it.

Since i was a little kid, i have always loved the game of lacrosse. The first sport that i ever played was soccer, i made it through one year of it before i decided i needed a more exciting game. I instantly begged my parents to let me try out lacrosse instead. After my first lacrosse game i was hooked, i was playing year round lacrosse before i was out of elementary school. I continued my lacrosse career throughout middle school and then joined the team at my high school. During my four years of high school i put up great stats and was looked at by many schools in North Carolina. THe problem was that i wanted to stay local for college. I have had a good job since i was in high school and didn't want to leave that or my friends to go off to school. Also i have always wanted to go to work for my Dad's company and begin to work there while i was in college. I ended up deciding to attend Towson and just play in a bunch of club leagues. When it all came down to it, i sold out. I have wondered throughout my college career if i made the right decision. In the end, i decided that the money was worth more than going off and doing a good thing in playing college lacrosse. I do believe though that i can do a lot for myself by getting such a good headstart on my career. When I leave college i will be making more money than any other college student I know, which was an opportunity i just couldn't pass up on. I guess if i had to compare myself to one of the two groups of people that you were talking about, i would have to position myself with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. While lacrosse was something very important to me and i will never know how i would have of done at the college level, i have to side with P-diddy and Biggie and agree that it is all about the benjamins.

I agree with Hinch47 on the fact that in the end it ultimately comes down to money. If what I say is going to prevent me from making as much as possible then I'm not going to say it.

In order to get into Towson I overcame many obstacles to make it. Starting in High School I made decent grades and had a solid enough SAT score to get me into the University of Maryland's engineering program. It was here for one and a half years that I struggled mightily with grades until midway through my sophomore year they decided to fully kick me out of the school. That is where I reached my all time low in my collegiate career. After I cam home for my winter break I was faced with some tough decisions about what I wanted to do with my life. I decided that I wanted to stay in school and follow the path of Sports Management. I did some research and found that Towson was a school that had a strong Sports Management program. However deadlines for attending in the spring were already passed so I had to attend community college for a semester. There I really got my act together and actually made the Deans List. This allowed me to then gain entrance into Towson University which is where I stand today. If I had the opportunities that Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan had then I would probably keep my mouth shut about key hot topic political events, especially the War. I feel like even though I would be able to influence many people's opinions on different matters, the opportunity to be that wealthy would be far more tempting then being able to change people's minds.

in response to btrott2 i agree that some athletes just might not have any political opinions.

I think this could go either way. I agree that jordan and woods seem to mean nothing more than the prospering of a few individual black men, who prove that they can be equals and all that. But would their voice mean anything? At least at this point i would have to say absolutely not. After being idle for so long i dont think it would have an impact, or at least any positive one. I think people would laugh if MJ came out and said vote for this or lets pass this, but when you have people like Eddie Vetter in pearl jam, who is known for speaking his mind in public forums, people would be more inclined to listen because they feel as though he knows more just because he frequently discusses issues. Im sure putting MJ or Tiger's face on a going green commercial would have a postivie impact for that company.. but that just proves the point that they are only about money and their face means more than their words, which is pathetic.

My story is not one of from rags to riches, however many decisions were made regarding where I am today. In high school I played football and lacrosse, but was not anything spectacular. I also found myself getting in a lot of trouble outside of school and at times in school, both of which had an effect on my academics. By senior year, school was not really a priority and I did what was needed to continue to play sports and have as much fun as possible. Because school was not important to me at the time, I ended up going to community college my first year. The next step was to transfer to WVU because friends were going there and the college education was attainable while continuing the party life.
This plan did not work out so well and the house I lived in first semester was condemned and we were forced to move out. I moved to the dorm second semester and because my parents were not particularly happy with me, we all "decided" it was best to transfer somewhere else. Towson University became my new school of choice. It had always been a dream to act and even though I did not do plays in high school I did take acting classes. Upon coming to Towson, my parents thought it might be better to major in something reliable but I decided it was best to go for my dream, and did. I am now going to graduate with a degree in Theatre and have learned more than I could have imagined and have been cast in plays and bit roles in film.

Towson University was the last school I ever thought I would go to. In high school I was a big athlete, I played three 3 sports and I figured I would go to college to play sports. After college I played Volleyball and lacrosse at a community college. When I was finished playing there I had a few offers and I even went and talked to a few coaches. I decided I did not like any of the Division III schools around here and I was too scared to go try and walk on to a division II school in Pennsylvania. Towson was close to home and I was accepted as a transfer so I thought it would be the easiest thing to do. I really did not overcome anything to come to Towson, if anything I am here because I did not overcome my lack of confidence. The crazy thing is i got really lucky here at Towson. I used to be a Physical education major so we had to take tons one 1 credit gym classes. This semester I took track and field and about a week ago I was asked to be on the Track and Field team here at Towson University. I could not believe it! Evidently I was good at throwing it in class and the teacher (who is also the track coach) saw some potential in me. Now I am an exercise science major and I have hopes of becoming a teacher. I am either going to get a job in a private school (where an actual teaching certification is not necessary, or I am going to start my master degree right away.
In the world of celebrities it seems to me there is no happy medium. There are either people like MJ who clearly only cares about money, or people like Matt Damon who made himself look like an idiot promoting Obama. I really hate it when celebrities discuss politics and make people feel stupid for their opinions. With politics there is no right or wrong answer. Obviously people think their views are right but when a country is pretty much split right down the center how can you say that is true. I do believe there is a time and place to speak up, like when someone is openly racist or sexist, not when you think taxes should or should not be raised. Celebrities have a lot of pull on people, especially young people. It is not fair to be registering 18 and 19 year old kids to vote and pretty much telling them who to vote for at a concert. I love the “Rock the vote” and the “Vote or Die” campaigns but as long as they say do research and you decide. People are very easily persuaded.

I agree with Kharri22. In the media world there is no happy medium for celebrities. They are always very one sided and very outspoken about certain issues, and it does raise a question do they really know what they are campaigning for or against? Or are they just using their status to influence people and making donations for tax write-offs? The "Rock the Vote" and "Vote or Die" campaigns are great for getting young people to vote, but I agree with the fact that if these young people are going to vote, go do personal research and form your own opinions. In the 2004 election, I had a female friend who decided to tell people she was voting for George Bush because she thought he was cute ... seriously. I do not care who you vote for as long as you know why you are doing so.

I have a fairly normal story when it comes to ending up at Towson. Much like most of my friends I have talked to while going to school here, Towson wasn't my first choice. My first plan was to go to University of Maryland take on life at a large college with a good football and basketball team. But when I got only accepted in the spring I decided to come to Towson for the fall then to transfer back to College Park in the spring. Something happen during the fall semester and I started to enjoy life at Towson. I had started to really enjoy the fact that I knew a lot of people around the campus. Also choosing physical education as a major had a large role in me starting to enjoy campus. Physical education would not have been a major I would have pursued at College Park. As I find myself in the last year and a half at Towson I'm thankful that for ending up here at Towson.
I think that even though athletes have a great pedestal in which to speak up for or against problems in the country it doesn't mean they have to or even should. I feel that what athletes know are sports, what musicians know is music, and what politicians know is politics. I think that when celebrities begin to talk about things they don't know about it is no different than you or I speaking for something. Celebrities are usually no different than any normal person; they just have a single skill better than most. I think its great when celebrities speak up for a cause such as voting or donating but I don't usually care for their personal opinions.

Jeremy caruso

My celebrity story starts out my senior year of high school. I went into my senior year thinking that Senior year was time to take off and take it easy in school. I would take easy classes and get the easy grades. Then I found out to get to college I really couldn't do that, so I had to turn it around and work my butt off. I came to Towson thinking that I was going here if UMCP or UMBC weren't any good. Then when I realized that life would suck going to those schools, I decided to and got the most money from Towson. I didn't enjoy life my freshman year, but my sophomore year became a lot better and I can see the next couple years going real good.
If I was to become famous I think that I would be like Tiger Woods. Personally I think that its really dumb when you go to a concert and the band decides that they need to take time out of the concert to tell you what they think. My thing is if I wanted to hear their opinion I would read or listen to their interview on the subject, I don't want to pay to listen to their opinion, I paid to hear their music. I mean I think that I would stand up for things I didn't like but I would never force my opinion on people unless they wanted to hear it.

The last college I ever thought I would go to was Towson. I got accepted into all my other schools, VT, JMU, UVA, but for some odd reason I decided to go to Towson, my last choice. When I went to high school, I played multiple sports year round. I played volleyball for the school and a club team year round. I also ran indoor and outdoor track for my school. Once I got to Towson, I continued playing volleyball on the club team here at Towson. I never got any offers from colleges to play for them. If I talked to any coaches, they always told me that I was too short to play for their team and that I would just have to walk on in the beginning of the year if I wanted to. I should've tried to walk onto some of those other schools teams, but I had no confidence in myself to do that. Falling back on Towson was the only thing I could do and I dissapointed myself over all not even trying to see if I could make any of those teams. I feel like I made a huge mistake coming to Towson, and not giving myself a shot at the other schools.
I'll be graduating Towson here in another year and half with a teaching degree in physical education. I'm very excited that I chose this major and the people here in this major make it worth the while. I'm hoping once I graduate that I will be teaching somewhere other than Maryland. I just really don't want to be around this area once I'm graduated. I'm hoping whatever school I do begin teaching at that they cover me getting a Masters in teaching.
Being a celebrity there seems to be no happy medium for them. I really hate it when celebrities discuss politics and make people feel stupid for their opinions, when in turn most of the times the celebrities have no clue what is going on in politics. I believe that when it comes to politics there is no right or wrong answer. Most people think their views are right and others are wrong, but when a country is split right down the center, how can you determine what is right and what is wrong?
When it comes to controversial topics, I believe there is a time and place to speak up. Celebrities have a lot of pull on people, especially young people. It is not fair to be registering 18 and 19 year old kids to vote and pretty much telling them who to vote for at a concert. The “Rock the vote” and the “Vote or Die” campaigns can potentially be very beneficial towards the American public, but unless they enforce doing your own research and not just voting for who your favorite actor is, than I believe they are more hurtful than helpful. People are very easily persuaded and need to be informed correctly and unbiasedly.


Kasi Harris

I think qbert737's response made some valid points about how celebrities should use their influential power. " When it comes to politics, celebrities should not jump behind a candidate because it destroys the nature of democracy." Like I said, many fans will follow the lead of their icons without even knowing what they are really supporting. Qbert737 says, "Advertising is for products not politics." If these celebrities and sport icons do choose to support something political it should be very specific and they should make their rationale clear as to why they support such decisions.

Of course i would do any and everything just like Tiger Woods if i could, but let me tell you how i go to this great university first. When I was in High School i had no idea what my major in college would be or what I wanted to do when i got out of college. So when i was picking a college to attend i was more worried about golfing for them than learning from them. After a fairling succesful junior golfing career my stock was pretty high heading into my senior year. I had several top 20 finished on the AJGA, which is the premeir national junior golfing stage and even had a top 5! I was flattered by all offers as the feeling of being wanted is pretty awesome. The first to make me an offer and to pack it with the most money was from the University of Delaware. After a visit to Delaware i wasn't very impressed, my mom liked the school way more than I did. Then my best friend, who went to Mount Saint Joe with me told me Towson was recruiting him really hard. I immediately got in contact with Brian Yaniger from Towson and decided to make Towson my home for the next 4 years. As things would turn out my best friend and I are no longer best friends and i had a tough time during that freshman year. The only other freshman had gotten kicked off the team for a Gay Hate Crime so i was left alone to survive as the only traveling freshman with 4 seniors. There were many of times when i wasnt sure if Towson was the right place for me. Then freshman year turned into sophomore and it was like night and day. I feel in love with Towson and my teammates. Patrick Hinch, Chris Scialo, Brent Davis and Frank O made me one happy camper. I am sure everyones parents told them you get out of something what you put into it. Well i decided to put everything i had in Towson and its Athletic department. I became captain of the golf team and treasure of P.A.W.S.(proud athletes who serve) and it has really made Towson a great experience!

On the other hand I see my self more like Tiger Woods than some idiot that speaks out and looks like a fool. I dont like confrontation or making people mad at me. For the most part my goal is please as many people as possible. With that being sad that doesnt mean I wont stand up for what i believe! Its just I understand this world is a business and that I must be careful in my words. If saying something will lose all my money odds are against me, i will take the high road aka the Tiger Woods Way!

My celebrity story starts at the end of the summer of my sophmore year of college. I didn't have many obstacles on my way to college, or in college up to this point. I was at a Karate camp, talking to the instructors and they all told me in one way or another that it was time for me to move up from brown to black belt. Over that year, I dedicated all my time to karate and school, going to classes in several counties around the state at night and coming back to towson every day for class. It was a struggle, but it was worth it.
If I was to get famous because of karate, I think it would be easier to speak out against or support something and be heard. People respect a black belt like they respect a diploma in many associations. That being said, I would support the idea of individual decision. When it comes to politics, celebrities should not jump behind a candidate because it destroys the nature of democracy. Advertising is for products not politics. If anything, celebrities should support a policy and fight for that, using the facts to support or refute, and not throwing around their celebrity like it is of any value.

amg

To get into Towson, I overcame a few obsticles. Out of highschool I figured that i would go somewhere to play golf. I was being rectuited by a couple school including Libetry, Towson and USC Aiken. I really wanted to come to Towson but wasn't accepted because of my SAT scores. So I decided that I would go to school down in Florida for a year and either transfer to Towson or West Floirda to play golf. After a couple months of living there I realized that it wasn't for me. So i moved back to Maryland and went to community college for a year. After my second semester I talked to with the golf coach here at Towson to see what was needed for me to transfer. Little did i realize that i need to take 4 more classes over the summer so i was able to transfer. So finally after which seemed like the longest year of my life I was playing golf for a college team. Even after I got into Towson I still wasnt able to play golf. My high school had messed up something on my transcripts, so didnt get cleared by the NCAA clearing house until the end of the semester. After four semesters I was finally playing golf here at Towson. Though it was hell going through all of this it was well worth it to be playing golf on the team. The coach is awesome and I couldn't have better teamates. Not having used any eligibility still gives me seven more semesters here to play golf and I will have a degree in sports management. After grauation I have no idea what I will do with my life but hopefully it will be something with sports whether it be a coach or trying to make it on a mini tour.

If I were ever to become a famous athlete I would probably be like Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan. I hate when famous go and endourse people especially in politics. When it comes to politics people should vote for who they think is the best candidate not because there favorite athlete or movie star endorses them. If making money were on the line I definatly would not speak out about my social views. Yes, I would already have money if I were a famous athlete, but as everyone has come to know it is also a business and if I were to offend someone it could make them stop buying my products.

I have to agree with zzz when he says people need to stop relying on celebrities to live their lives. MJ and Tiger are celebrities because of wha they have done in the heat of competition, not because of their political views. So in that sense of things, it would be best if they didnt give advice about the country in which they most likely do not understand all of the issues. Just because they are celebrities with money and 'power' does not mean that we should listen to Tiger's political views because he can make a 6 footer almost 100% of the time.

I have to agree with Yankee1127 when he says that the potential harm for Tiger Woods far outweighs the potential good he may cause if he spoke out about issues. Tiger has multi-million dollar contracts with many different companies and his values should not matter to the American public. People should like him for who he is and that is the greatest golfer in the world. It should matter if he is voting for McCain or Obama or if he is for or against the war. If Tiger comes out and says he is for the war does that mean that our president should say Hey if Tiger Woods thinks it is good then lets stay in Iraq. Of course not, which is why I believe that celebrities should be able to act the way that feel is appropriate for them. Frank Olszewski

The way I came to Towson University was not a very unique story. I had pretty much known since I was a little kid that Towson would be my school of choice. In fact it was the only school I even applied to when applying for colleges. My dad has been the soccer coach here at Towson since 1978. He was assistant coach from 1978 until 1982, when the head coach died from leukemia. He then took over the duties of head coach and he been the coach ever since. I guess I came to Towson more because of my dad instead of for my dad. I had been hanging around Towson's campus ever since I was just born and I developed a familiarity and comfort with the campus. Since coming to Towson I have noticed more and more that I see people that have seen me grow up and have known me for almost my whole life. I have had teachers that have worked with my dad for most of my dad's tenure. The transition from high school to college was made much easier because of this. The main reason I chose Towson was because of familiarity and comfort and that was very true and evident when I first started at this school. Throughout my high school golf career I definitely wanted to play Division I golf and I knew Towson would be the place. Coach had already known me through my dad and it made it easier for me to be offered a spot on the team. I did not need a scholarship because tuition is covered when your father works for the university so it made coach's decision even easier. I did not have as much skill as most of the members of the team but I was not wasting any of coach's money and I worked very hard at the game.

I think that if I ever became famous in a sport I would more likely be a Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan type. In my opinion I think a person should be able to act or think however they want to and just because I am a celebrity I should change their opinion. People's opinions are their own and if I made mine apparent in the media I would feel like I was forcing someone to listen to me because I am famous or because they were fans of mine. Also if I was a popular athlete I would want people to like or dislike me because of my skills on the field, court, course, etc. not because of my political or social views.
Frank Olszewski

I agree with Gincel when she says, "whos to say that celebrities/athletes are educated enough to make" suggestions and statements about political views? Shes right, many athletes are viewed as celebrities based solely on their appearance, so who are they to publicly persude people to challenge social ills.
Erin Ragan

To comment on 1141 Charles View Way statements, I agree that some celebrities feel that just because they have money and are in the spot light then they feel the need to start talking about politics even though they're clearly illinformed or just plain moronic. Hah Sarah Palin didn't know what countries were in the NAFTA agreement, funny Canadians.

I personally have wanted to be a Towson Tiger ever since the University held Camp Bravo during the summer months. We were allowed to use the collegiate sized swimming pool and the video arcade which is now known as “the den”. I vividly remember the fun times and the great friends that were made, and from that summer on I knew that this was the campus for me to spend my college years at. High school was a rough time for me. I was kind of an outcast because of my shy personality. School to me was an institution for learning and so the social scene was a trade-off I was willing to make in order to enhance my educational experience. Socially, I talked with people during school but that never transferred over after school. The conditions that I have are classified as separation anxiety, panic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder and these are the factors that I had to overcome not only to get into Towson but just to get my life back in general. My senior year summer is where I broke out of the shell that had contained me for so long. I can safely say now in my junior year at Towson that it was a great decision to come here. The University is 25 minutes away from my house, the buildings are so close to each other, and the school is still small enough that you can get the one on one personal time with a professor if you need it.
After college I plan on working for the Baltimore Ravens front office as the Vice president of Football Operations making draft day signings and block buster free agent trades. In order to get in this high ranking position law school is a must and the ability to speak up and speak out on society ills is in my job title. After viewing the comments and actions by African American figureheads Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan I find their activity to be ignorant and nauseating. The almighty dollar has muted and fixated these sport icons into believing that only more money will make them happier in life. Maybe we should not blame them I mean they are just sporting hardbodies that are defining American rugged individualism (King-White-2008-I, Slide 51). Jordan and Woods are just going off the notion of American egalitarianism and individualism, that “we all start off on an equal footing, and it is up to us-as individual's-to make the most of the opportunity to realize our potential” (King-White-2008-H, Slide 46). Both icons realized their potential, profited off of it, exploited themselves in the process, and have decided not to focus on a greater cause. Albeit their choice, in my opinion I have lost respect for these athletes for the actions, or lack thereof, who choose to be selfish at the expense of the greater good of humanity. The freedom of expression is the most precious and most uncultivated tool that we as Americans citizens have. No amount of money will ever sway my personal views, morals, or beliefs because I have too much pride and dignity.

Overcoming the injury in my legs to be able to still play competitive soccer at Towson University is, in the long run, my celebrity story. I was diagnosed with compartment syndrome which is a painful injury in the calf muscles. I reached points where I would collapse after races and games. The injury came down to surgery that would only be 60% or less successful. I immediately wanted the surgery but later realized it was best for me to simply continue to play sports competitively while focusing on my academics above anything else. So here I am, excelling in college and pursuing my degree, all while travelling and playing soccer, doing what I love to do.
I agree with the fact that being a celebrity has an extremely influential effect on society in America, even on a global scale. However, I think it is a tricky situation for celebrity icons to take their fame and use it to influence the minds of Americans on a political level. Who's to say that those celebrities/athletes are educated enough to make those suggestions and statements? According to the lecture, aren't many athletes viewed as celebrities based on simply their appearance? Aren't many music entertainers idolized because of the way they look? Yes, their voice is easily heard among many fans and the public. But, how do we know that these “good-looking” people even know what they're talking about? Knowing how today's society works, it is clear to say that many people will follow the lead of their favorite celebrity icons, even if they may not necessarily agree with those ways. Eventually, if this trend continues to grow on a political level, the views of society will be distorted. People lose their individual beliefs with how they really think America should be run. Overall, if I were a celebrity, I would personally not involve myself in politics unless it was something I was absolutely passionate about. -Gincel

Kasi Harris
The last college I ever thought I would go to was Towson. I got accepted into all my other schools, VT, JMU, UVA, but for some odd reason I decided to go to Towson, my last choice. When I went to high school, I played multiple sports year round. I played volleyball for the school and a club team year round. I also ran indoor and outdoor track for my school. Once I got to Towson, I continued playing volleyball on the club team here at Towson. I never got any offers from colleges to play for them. If I talked to any coaches, they always told me that I was too short to play for their team and that I would just have to walk on in the beginning of the year if I wanted to. I should've tried to walk onto some of those other schools teams, but I had no confidence in myself to do that. Falling back on Towson was the only thing I could do and I dissapointed myself over all not even trying to see if I could make any of those teams. I feel like I made a huge mistake coming to Towson, and not giving myself a shot at the other schools.
I'll be graduating Towson here in another year and half with a teaching degree in physical education. I'm very excited that I chose this major and the people here in this major make it worth the while. I'm hoping once I graduate that I will be teaching somewhere other than Maryland. I just really don't want to be around this area once I'm graduated. I'm hoping whatever school I do begin teaching at that they cover me getting a Masters in teaching.
Being a celebrity there seems to be no happy medium for them. I really hate it when celebrities discuss politics and make people feel stupid for their opinions, when in turn most of the times the celebrities have no clue what is going on in politics. I believe that when it comes to politics there is no right or wrong answer. Most people think their views are right and others are wrong, but when a country is split right down the center, how can you determine what is right and what is wrong?
When it comes to controversial topics, Ibelieve there is a time and place to speak up. Celebrities have a lot of pull on people, especially young people. It is not fair to be registering 18 and 19 year old kids to vote and pretty much telling them who to vote for at a concert. I love the “Rock the vote” and the “Vote or Die” campaigns but as long as they say do research and you decide. People are very easily persuaded.

im responding to zzz, I agree whole completely. You couldnt have said it any better in my opinion. Thank you.

So my life has been very easy, I don't have any sob stories or anything that I can even think of that has a chance at being considered a sob story. I grew up in a rural area of Maryland. I had a normal “American life” I played sports, did alright in school but never gave more that fifty percentage in any class. I had a loving family who did more that enough to provide for me. I was lucky enough to have any choice of college, and was lucky enough to get into my first choice West Virginia University, where I spent two amazing years there. Then transferred to Towson because I knew if I stayed at West Virginia I would graduate college in 8 years if I was lucky and I would probably have a drinking problem. I was smart enough to know it was time to leave and get focused on the future so I left and came to Towson, where I could really focus.
As for all this talk about celebrities speaking their minds about political views.(I have to warn you, I am not going to agree with you) I think they should keep their mouth shut and play their respected sports/sing their songs and tell their jokes. I can not stand it when somebody gets on TV and starts preaching about something they don't know about, let the political analyst deal with politics. You can take a look at certain celebrities such as Kayne West or Bill Maher, who really have no idea about anything concerning politics and they are on TV making dumb moronic statements such as “bush hates black people” If celebrities want to say something they should do stuff that actually helps, like when MTV did the “Rock The Vote” this in my eyes, is ok, because they are trying to get people to vote not telling them how to vote. There is a difference. Celebrities need to watch what they say on TV or to the media as a whole because the entire world can see and hear it and it will look poorly on America as a whole.

In response to kfbangura, I think you are correct in speaking your mind and hit the nail on the head with saying that money talks. I think that sometimes people rely too much on celebrities and people of high societal status though. Celebrities that just talk don't really help besides causing controversy with their sponsors and/or sports affiliates. Its true money talks, but it is not known enough around the world.

My story is pretty normal; I really did not have too many obstacles to overcome throughout my life. I was a three-sport athlete with a 3.5 grade average throughout high school. One thing that I did overcome though was the separation of my parents. My parents divorced when I was seven years old, and my mom moved over thirty minutes away. The traveling back and forth between my parents made my life very busy and hectic. I was forced to balance my school work with the traveling time and spending equivalent time with each. Luckily both showed support for me in school work and sports and I was able to excel enough to get accepted to Towson from my grades.
Once I graduate from Towson University, I plan to have my degree in Computer Information Systems and become a part of the National Security Agency. Hopefully I can help the NSA with any security problems that arise. If I became a big part of the NSA and was able to speak my mind about things going on in America, I would. I do believe someone with a voice than can be heard, should be heard. Unlike others though, I believe they should also be careful with what they say. I agree important issues should be talked about, but speaking your full mind on National Television is sometimes not the proper place to do so. I do not agree with how the musician Kanye West said on national television that “George Bush does not like black people.” On the other hand I do believe that the issue of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy should be addressed, but as with many other subjects and problems in the world, there is a certain way to talk and deal with them.

I agree with zzz. I think it it sad and frankly a bit pathetic how much people rely on celebrities. How people are more concerned with Britney Spears than our new president. I think people need to hear opinions and such in order to form their own opinions, but celebrities for example, how many of them are considered educated? I mean educated like went to college. Half of them were lucky to be home schooled. Our idols and the people we look up to is backwards.

I grew up in South Baltimore which was literally three minutes from the county line. My mother made sure I had better opportunities than my brothers. My brothers and I went to the same elementary school which was also a middle school, but instead of my mother keeping me into that middle she sent me to Francis Scott Key Technology/Magnet School where technology was the key aspect to our curriculum. Attending to Francis Scott Key guaranteed me a spot in one of the citywide college preparatory high schools. I had all these opportunities because my mother earned a promotion when I was in Kindergarten in the Baltimore City Public Schools. Yet, it still was not enough to take care of two boys in high school and a little girl in elementary school so I wore my brother's hand me downs until I was in middle school where we were in uniforms. The main obstacle I had to go through to get to Towson University was in my 10th grade year in high school my uncle died very suddenly from a stroke at the age of 40. After that my mother and other members of my family were severely depressed so I moved away from South Baltimore to help out at my grandparents house in East Baltimore (which I still live there at this moment). My mother's cars windows have been shot out. There were times I could not enter my street because someone got stabbed across the street. After my 10th grade my grades slipped where they were still good but I know I could have done better. I did not really prepare for the SATs like I were supposed to. I did not get into my top choice college but I got into Towson University but I did not get a scholarship because I missed the deadline for the scholarships because I thought that my college adviser sent my SAT scores and she did not. Then after I was accepted to Towson University my father told me that he did not want to me stay on campus and he would not sign the Financial Aid Package unless I stayed home. This really angered me because I want to get away from my neighborhood and my father was just being selfish and now my father and I do not even speak.
Well, I want to be a sports agent and I know for a fact I would speak out against any social issue that could be surrounding my clients or my fans. Either though I might receive scrutiny for my comments I believe that being mute and choosing money over saying what is right and wrong would only make me seem like a capitalist monster.

Kierra Palmer

I agree that music is an escape for people. It talks about real issues a lot of the time but people do not want to hear I HATE GEORGE BUSH at a concert. If you agree with the artist than you might like it but what if you don't. For me I got real tired of hearing about politics all day every day so the last thing i would want at a concert is more political crap. I went to the counting crows concert this summer and the lead singer did a great job. At the end of the concert he said I don't care who you vote for but please just go out and vote! This is the way celebrities should use there control over people

Getting to Towson University was a struggle with me. My Father died from cancer when i was in fifth grade, making my mother a single parent rasing two kids. I had men in my family but i never had a mentor. In some ways it was like I was mine own mentor. The only thing that kept me on the right path was my mom and my religion. We lived in the inner city of Baltimore. The area we lived in was park heights. Which wasn't the best area in Baltimore. There was drugs, theft, and etc in my neighborhood. The High School I attended wasn't that great either. My mother instilled it in me to be different from others. She provided me with everything that was needed for me to make it to college. She brought me memberships to local gyms, basketball goal, and the latest entertainment to stay away from the streets. I can recall one time hanging out with the people on my block, and that day I realized I gotta lot going for me and the streets arent really offering me anything positive so why hang out on the block. My friends would always ask why dont you come outdside. I would come out with excuse after excuse. But graduating(top 8 in class) for me really wasnt that big of deal. But there a lot of people such as family and others who were very proud of me. Its just high school. Being considered African American Male, making out of horriable neighborhood without a father all odds are stacked against me. I made it out without ever being arrested, getting killed, and getting caught with any other distractions. The statistic's for black males in jail are very high in our country. If i was a celebrity First I would help single mothers in city neighborhoods. I would create some sort of program. I would also build gyms to help mentor children all across our nation. But when it come to society. I would speak about anything. If I thought it was wrong I would speak about. Yeah i would lose some fans but I never been the person to not speak whats on my mind. Looking at Kanye West which is a well known music artist has made several comments about President bush and his latest cd is selling pretty well. Clearly this wont always happen but I think its phony when celebrities change up just because they dont wanna lose money.

To get to Towson University, I did not overcome any obstacles academically persay but I did take one of the biggest gambles of my life. After graduating high school I had planned on playing golf at Methodist University- a very small school in the south which I had many doubts about and did not like much about it. The problem was that I had gone to that school for the wrong reason-to play golf, and did not think about the 'what if' aspect of not making the team since it was Division III college and cannot offer any athletic scholarships. I remember after tryouts and missing the cut by a few shots sitting on a bench outside the clubhouse gazing into the settin sun thinking to myself, "now what?" For the first time in my life I was literally lost. I was now stuck in a place I hated for the next four months and kicking myself for not thinking my college career through. I still want to blame my parents for not stepping in but it was my choice to go there not theirs. After that semester was finally over I packed up my things and came home to the university in my home town to think about was really important in what I wanted (needed) from college. I still had some desire deep, deep down in me that still wanted to play golf but where? I was not as good as I used to be and no one had ever heard of me-EVER. However, one of my close friends went to Towson University and I came up to visit as well as meet with the golf coach. I felt that Towson was not too far from home, had plenty of things going on, and gave me that last shot to tryout for the team. I turned down two acceptance letters to Virginia Tech- a school I absolutely love- to gamble the last time on my golfing career, or what was left of it. Long story short I made the team and was put on the roster the following spring. After almost two years I had been through hell to reach my goal-play a division I sport in college.

After going through what I did to get where I am today, I would like to speak to youth athletes from any age all the way up to seniors in high school about college sport and how it can break you down from being the best around to what it feels like to be a has been before you reach the age of 20. College and high school are two completely different things not just athletically, but maturity, and intellectually. This needs to be expressed to incoming college freshman about what to expect for the potential next four plus years of their lives. I personally feel that Tiger Woods has no obligation to speak out against society and the things he disagrees with just because he is a very wealthy role model. In addition, because he is so famous he is most likely rightfully afraid to speak out against society, rubbing many fans and others around him in the wrong way. The benefits of speaking out against societal ills-which I certainly agree we have- are far overweighed by the potential costs socially for Tiger Woods. I do not know what the man is like behind closed doors but he seems to mean well with his Target foundation for kids and fundraisers he does for terminally ill and disabled children. If Tiger wants to say something and be listened to because he has money, then let him run for office, there are no laws against that are there? A perfect example is Arnold Schwarzenger or however you spell it. From meat head, movie star, iron pumping, terminator dude to Governor of California! Whether he is a good politician or not is not the point here; what is the point is that no one would have cared if Arnie said during one his body building 'movies' that the government is in trouble, the unemployment rates are too high, or society is unfair. If Tiger wants to say something, by all means say something; but do it where someone will actually take him seriously. As I referred to before, money making is not the issue, the issue is saving face in terms of society. Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan, and Tiger all have enough money to blow their noses with hundred dollar bills but they do not have enough money to pay people to like them again if they go say something publicly that they will regret. Whats money without friends? I personally would rather be dead broke with people around me that make me happy than just Mr. Benjamin Franklin as my only friend.

I grew up in a nice neighborhood that was, unfortunately, nearing bad neighborhoods in the same school district. Where I went to middle school, it was hard to focus on education. We had metal detectors, clear backpacks, and lots of rules to keep us safe. Since most of the kids came from the bad neighborhoods, they were bad kids. Anything valuable that I brought to school was stolen, there was at least one fight a day and about 15% of the school was white, so I was a minority. My mom took me out of school midway through the 7th grade to home school me, but that was hard because my mom works at a hospital 12 hr shifts a day. After a few years we moved so that I could go to high school in a different district. Once I started high school at South River, a blue ribbon high school, it was smooth sailing. I always knew I was going to go to college, it was never a question. I got honor roll or principals honor role every semester. The other kids I went to school with didn't know how easy they had it by going to a good school and getting a good education. They just see the kids on TV shows like ‘Laguna Beach' or ‘My Super Sweet 16' and wish they had more. My senior year I was taking courses at the community college to get a jump start on college. I only wanted to go to one school, and there is only one I applied to, Towson. Not just for an education, but for the dance team. I've been dancing most of my life and I have always known that the Towson dance team is the #1 dance team in D1 schools.
When I finish college I know I'm going to help many people with my skills. I want to be a physical therapist but I also want to continue dancing. I love to teach. If I become a famous choreographer or dancer and go on to make a lot of money, I will still always speak my mind. Even if there is money on the line, I will speak out against social ills that I feel strongly against. Most of the time, when you have a chance to share your views with others, it is beneficial to many people. Well, not in the case of Pearl Jam speaking out against the war and being un-American. That's not really beneficial to anyone it's just moronic. For the most part, I think that Jordan and Woods have the right idea by not getting involved with all the politics. A lot of people probably disagree with me. I would most likely do the same thing. You never realize what kind of pressure people are under unless you put yourself in the same shoes. When I say I will always speak of my views, I don't necessarily mean getting involved with politics. There are other social ills you can illustrate with out dealing with political views. Maybe people say that they would do things differently from Jordan and Woods, but they might not be honestly thinking hard about it.
Erin Ragan

Towson University was not the first college of attendance. The University of Richmond offered me a full athletic scholarship to play lacrosse for them, which I agreed to receive. However, lacrosse at Richmond was not all it was cracked up to be. The coach was very degrading toward her players, and some of the things she would say were absolutely appalling. I decided to leave after my third semester. Since UR was very limited in what they offered academically, I needed to catch up to par with Towson's academics, especially if I wanted to become a double major. I attended my local community college and worked hard starting in the winter and ending in the summer until I started at Towson.
After graduation from Towson, I would like to become very successful in my career. I want to help people lead healthy live and make smart decisions when it comes to nutrition and fitness. There are many things that I believe in a there are many things in today's society that I think could be changed. However, I would not be the one to speak out or against societal ills, especially if I was a celebrity. As far as celebrities are concerned, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but people have to keep in mind they are responsible for what they say and have to be accountable for their actions. Celebrity athletes like Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods should not be politically involved; they should play basketball or golf like they get paid to do.
My father was an active duty officer for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for over 29 years and my mother has been working for the USCG for close to 30 years. My family and I have the utmost respect for the United States Armed Forces. The Pat Tillman story was very interesting to hear, especially since I did not know the entire truth behind it, and when he was killed, it brought my father to tears. It has been said that Tillman was killed by a “friendly fire” but in my opinion, it does not matter how he was killed. It matters that he scarified what he had with the NFL to fight for his country; just so American citizens could continue to live free. People should be grateful and appreciative for what he has done, because if it were not for him or the other service men and women who sacrificed their lives, we would not be able to watch sports live or on television such as the NFL. In my opinion, Pat Tillman was considered an unsung hero. Honestly, I had no idea who he was in the NFL, but after I read what he had done for his country, I can never forget him.

After getting my associate's degree the question was asked of what college to transfer to now. I finally had my opportunity to go to a “real college” where I want to go but once again I was disappointed. The college that I would be transferring to was already decided for me. The school that was decided for me was Towson University. I guess I should've seen this coming since my older brother finished his schooling there and my mom got her master's degree from there. But it wasn't that simple because I still needed to get into the school. Not long after I applied I got a letter in the mail saying that I made the waitlist and I would be notified soon as to whether or not I got in. this was the worst time for me living at home. My parents were angry at me for only making the waitlist. The way they were acting you would think that I didn't get into the school. I was angry at them for not letting me choose or at least have more of a say as to what college to attend. At that point I felt like I was wasting time and I just wanted an answer to if I would be going to college or not. After what seemed like forever I got another letter in the mail that included a packet on the school and enclosed was my acceptance letter. As much as I hate to admit it I'm glad I was pushed to go here because it was really the best decision for me (even though I didn't get to make it).
I agree that Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods only stand for making money. For celebrities as well as anyone else it's much easier to keep your mouth shut and go along with the more convenient side for you than to speak your mind and subject yourself to criticism. That's why it's always easier to be a corporate celebrity than a political voice. Honestly I don't think anyone who's not rich can say what kind of celebrity they would be. I don't know what kind I would be but if I didn't change which I don't think I would then I would always speak my mind and stand up for what I feel is right. But I wouldn't know for sure because I've never been in the situation of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. They have two things that I don't, money and fame. Those are two strong influences that can and have changed people whether it is for better or worse. Michael Jordan could have been the most outspoken, political and direct person you'd ever meet back before he became rich and famous. You never really know. Money and fame are very powerful things that people tend to underestimate. It has the power to change what you do, say and how people see you as a person. It wouldn't make everyone like that but it would change those who would sacrifice expressing their beliefs for financial gain.

Jared Edmonds

Growing up i have always been out spoken about how i feel. I got phone calls home every year from k-12 from teachers whom i disagreed with. If i wanted to do something or say something in class, id analyze the real harm and then act accordingly to how i felt. Though sometimes it landed me a detention or two, i still spoke or acted out to what i thougt or felt. If i were to be a celebrity i feel i would act the same. I would say what i wanted and how i felt, with no sensor. If it supported a certain issue, so be it. I wouldnt try to be some fake morally perfect role model that is expected to be an example to fallow for peoples kids. I would be me. If it landed me less endorsements, thats fine. Im sure that there would be plenty of companies down the road that would be intrested with offers.

People need to stop relying on celebrities to live their life. Celebrities give people drive, hope, and a sense of success. This is sad. People should want to think on their own and not what someone else is doing. If you like Gatorade, drink it. Dont drink it because Derek Jeter does. Dont buy Hanes because Jordan wears Hanes. Dont vote a certain way because a celebrity influences you too. People need to take in there own analysis and make their decisions based off that. Celebrities are held to a too high standard, they are just another human being, its not their fault that the general public obsesses over their lives and careers.

Before college I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to 12th grade. I was able to get a good education and gain many friends. (Although wearing a uniform everyday got old) Upon graduating high school my parents decided that it was my turn to pay for school since they paid for it for so long. I was set to go to Frostburg State until I learned this news. I wasn't sure exactly how scholarships or student loans worked just yet so instead of Frostburg I went to community college. My freshman year there actually turned out to be a good experience because I learned how to manage my finances and my high grade point average allowed me to transfer to Towson for my sophomore year.

If I were to become a celebrity I think I would use my relative power carefully when it came to speaking out on issues. I believe there is a particular time and place for everything. Most celebrities pick inopportune times to let their voices be heard. (Example: Michael Moore at any awards show) If I really felt strongly about an issue I would support the people and foundations that actually know what their talking about and can do things to help. For example, I am a big supporter of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and protecting Maryland's famous watershed. If I were a celebrity I would donate money to the foundation and participate in cleaning up the bay in any way I could. I believe this type of support is better suited for the cause then if I got in front of an audience and said that the farmers in Maryland that continually allow runoff into the bay need to be put out of work. Basically my point is that celebrities are not experts or leaders. They are people that can use their position to voice their opinion but I firmly believe that actions speak louder than words.

Bill Reem

I think that it is unfair for celebrities to state their opinions about their personal beliefs. For instance in the case of the elections, Carrie Underwood said "There is someone I do support, but I don't support publicly. I lose all respect for celebrities when they back a candidate. It's saying that the American public isn't smart enough to make their own decisions ... music is where you go to get away from all the BS." (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/category?blogid=7&cat=1121). I think this is true because if some people like Carrie for her music and respect her for it, then she makes an open statement about her beliefs those people may follow her beliefs because they like her. I think those two things should be kept separate, as should war talk with Pearl Jam. I think it is especially disrespectful when people who have never spent any time defending our country or fighting overseas make a negative comment or statment about their beliefs. How can an uneducated person who has never experienced what those men and women experience have a real foot to even stand on. They do not know what it's like over there, what those men and women go through, and how they feel. Personally, I think Pearl Jam should concentrate more on their music and less on having their "voice" heard.

I really did not overcome much to go to Towson university. It was expected, something I knew, that after high school I went to college. I am in the process of applying to dental school, just waiting to hear back from schools that I applied. I had a very strong positive female role model that influenced me into pursueing a career in that field. I hope to do the same for a young person one day. I plan on being more of a Tiger Woods of society, maybe since I am a female planning to become a dentist. I would not voice my opinions because I think when you earn peoples respect you earn it from your hard work and your inner beauty, for lack of a better word. Not for talking about your beliefs especially when they are controversial topics. Leave it to the president or the pope.

All throughout high school I have always been much evolved with activities. I ran track, as well as was a part of multiple clubs, and played in a band. The one thing that I did not have going for me was a 4.0 GPA, or basically anything close to that. I guess the one mistake that I made was becoming too involved in activities my freshman and sophomore year, and not concentrating on my school work as much. When I started looking at colleges, I realized that I really needed to turn myself around or else I would not be going anywhere except my local community college. So junior and senior year, I focused more on my school work, and less on getting involved in everything possible. Yes, I'm sure that being involved in clubs and activities did help me get into Towson, but for the most part I would accredit it to my grades. If after graduating Towson, I was given the opportunity to become a celebrity then I would try to better my community, and then after that, move on to more of a national level. I would want to work with other big name celebrities and athletes to try to help a cause. The reason I wouldn't want to work alone is because I would not want to be singled out and be criticized. Even if making money was on the line, depending on my situation, I would more or less put my morals ahead of making money.
Scott Rappaport

basically i have played a sport for 12 years , organized, to get where im at. when i was in the 8th grade i suffered from an injury that kept me from playing for about a year, and then i had to heal but it was hard because sometimes my knee would really hurt. i was pushed to the breaking point mentally, emotionally, and physically. but i perservered and played well enough to be provided with the opportunity to play in front of hundreds of college coaches. i went through the recruiting process and choose towson because it felt like i belonged here.
the great things im going to do for society include representing myself. i can prove that no matter what you can do anything, and you can also be yourself and be respected. i am minoriy in the truest sense of the word. in every way shape and form. so i will speak out on rights and issues i believe in. one being the environment, i think more should be put into finding alternate forms of fuel as well as recycling. another issue i would tackle is the war, i don't believe nor support it but i won't belittle the supporters who do. i think the most challenging task i would like to take on would be civil rights. now my biggest issue is having the admendment ban a right that a human being has because of the color of their skin or their sexual orientation. just because an individual doesn't believe in what the other individual does with their personally life. i don't agree with that.
i wouldn't be like MJ. i would speak out, even if money was on the line because i would have influence. it would be my duty to society to do so. i also think that the type of person i am wouldn't allow me to sit and say nothing. i would want to speak my mind and if i didn't i would feel guilty and ashamed.

Neither of my parents graduated from college, and no body on my father's side graduated from college so it was mentioned to me all throughout high school how i would be the first, especially since my older brother chose to get into a trade. School was also easy to me ever since elementary school so I never actually gave my best effort in high school even though I graduated with a 3.7 GPA. However, my SAT score was lower than I had liked because I did not prepare myself like I should have so I did not get into UMD which was my first choice of school. I did get into TU but chose not to go because my family was having some problems and I wanted to live at home for a year or two to help out. I went to community college and when I reapplied to TU, they did not let me in until they saw my final spring semester grades at community college so it was an up and down roller coaster for me in school until I got to TU. I've had to pay for all of my school and boarding and bills since I got out of high school so that has been difficult but it has also made me stronger and helped me grow up. If I were a celebrity, I am not completely sure how I would be. Obviously, I have my own views about different things but I am not one to speak out a lot, especially when it comes to politics. I have a little brother in the Navy and support him 100 percent. If I had the opportunity, I would probably speak out for the war because he supports it and hes one of the ones thats fighting it. If hes in the military and thinks it is right, then who am I to judge and hate because I do not have a direct reason. If as a celebrity, the company paid me millions of dollars to wear their clothing line and they had different views as a company, then I would not speak of my personal beliefs in public while wearing their product. However, that does not mean I have to be completely quiet because they do not own me and tell me what to think. I think celebrities do not speak out for different reasons, especially because there are plenty of celebrities that speak their mind about eveything but we do not always talk about them, we talk about the ones that do not speak their mind. Maybe they are like me and aren't outgoing about politics or the war!

Not coming to college was never really an option for me. My father is a high school drop out and has always preached to my brother and myself the importance of an education so we did have to deal with the same hardships that he has. My family is not extremely wealthy so putting 2 children through college at the same time would be nearly impossible, so to attend college I have had to acquire a good about of debt through student-loans. That being my only true obstacle in getting to where I am now. Much of the ease in getting here I would have to contribute to my family, from day one they were willing to do anything and everything to assistance my brother and myself. They were supportive through the good times and the bad which I am extremely thankful for. If I were a celebrity I;m not sure what great things I could do for this society. Maybe having this celebrity status may enable someone to open the doors to issues, but what can you really do besides this. You don't make laws, or run the country in anyway. I suppose you could donate money or something along financial lines, but if you speak out against the mass or against the people who pay you, you wont have any money to donate. It may sound terrible but i think if i had to make the decision I would side with the MJ's and Tiger's of the celebrity world, cause when it comes down to it, it is their job to do what is best for themselves and their family. In this instance bitting their tongue and just going about their business is whats best for them and their families. When people do speak out they usually are accompanied by criticism for the media, and what is the purpose of putting yourself through that.
And lastly to comment on the Pat Tillman story, i think what he did was truly heroic, leaving a life of fame and fortune to fight for his country, even if he didn't agree with the fight, is exactly what the American values are based upon. Yes, it is unfortunate that this young man lost his life but remember that he signed up for the armed forces. I believe the friendly fire aspect of the tragedy is not played out in the media because for once the media is trying to honor him and the sacrifice that he made.
- Justin Short