The Increase of Illicit Stimulant Use on College Campuses Free Essays

The Increase of Illicit Stimulant Use on College Campuses Stephanie Lobe Upper Iowa University December 5, 2011 ABSTRACT Numerous studies are finding that college students in the United States are relying on stimulant medications prescribed for ADHD without a prescription and for nonmedical reasons, most commonly because students believe these medications can enhance their cognitive performance. Research finds that students report these stimulants have become a part of the college culture and are easier to obtain than alcohol. This paper will discuss the prevalence of use on college campuses in the United States and both the academic and nonacademic motivations these students use prescription stimulants illicitly. We will write a custom essay sample on The Increase of Illicit Stimulant Use on College Campuses or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the United States, the domestic sales for prescription stimulant ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine are increasing at significant rates. Between 1991 and 1999, sales of these prescription stimulants increased over 500 percent. As the rate of legal use increases, so does the rate of illegal or nonmedical use, especially on our college campuses. Data shows that these drugs have high abuse potentials and produce effects very similar to cocaine. Because of the potential for physical and psychological dependency and risk of abuse, the US Drug Enforcement Administration classifies these stimulants as Schedule II substances (Woodworth, 2000). Unfortunately, most students consider these drugs safe and do not realize the potential side effects and risk for abuse. There is a perception that nonmedical use of these drugs is morally acceptable if used for academic rather than recreational purposes (DeSantis, 2008). In, 2002, there had not yet been a lot of research conducted on illicit stimulant use on campus. At this time, Graf Low and A. E. Gendaszak surveyed undergraduates at a small college in the United States to gather information on the legal and illegal use of stimulants on the college campus. The authors also wanted to explore how perfectionism and sensation seeking behavior contributed to abuse of both legal and illegal stimulants. Low and Gendaszak hypothesized that students influenced by perfectionism would be likely to abuse prescription stimulants (i. e. Ritalin, Adderall) and sensation seeking students would be more likely to abuse both prescription stimulants and illegal stimulants (i. e. methamphetamines, cocaine). Of 160 questionnaires distributed to students in an undergraduate psychology course, 150 questionnaires were returned. The questionnaires assessed selected demographic variables and the abuse of prescription and illegal stimulants during the previous 12 months. It is important to note that for this study, illicit stimulant use is defined as taking prescription stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin, etc) without a prescription. Illegal stimulant use is defined as taking the illegal â€Å"street† stimulants cocaine or MDMA (ecstasy). Participants were also questioned about their reasons for using stimulants. Two measures that have demonstrated reliability and validity with college students were administered to assess possible correlates of use: the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Sensation Seeking Scale. Ten percent of the students participating were prescribed stimulants by a medical professional and researchers automatically categorized them as non-abusers. In this journal article, the authors do not report the total number or percent of participants that were considered illicit users. They do report that analysis of the illicit users showed that 10% abused stimulants monthly and 8% weekly. There were a significantly higher number of men than women reporting illicit use, but no difference in their motivations for use. The common motivations for use were: to improve intellectual performance, to be more efficient and to use in combination with alcohol. Of the total of students participating, 34% reported taking cocaine, MDMA or both within the last 12 months. It was found that illegal stimulant use was highly correlated with illicit use of prescription stimulants. Researchers also found there was a correlation between having a prescription for stimulants and using illegal stimulants. Eighty-eight percent of the illegal users reported using MDMA vs. cocaine with men reporting greater use than women. Almost always, the motivation for illegal stimulant use was for recreational purposes. Sensation seeking and perfectionism were dichotomized based on a median split to produce categorical variables for analysis of variance. A two by two analysis of variance was carried out (high or low perfectionism by high or low sensation seeking) with the illicit use of prescription drugs as the dependent variable and gender as a covariate. The main effect for sensation seeking was significant, but perfectionism was not associated with self-reported use. However, the two-way interaction between sensation seeking and perfectionism was significant. High sensation seeking perfectionists had the greatest self-reported abuse of prescription stimulants (Low, 2002). In the research study, Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: a Multimethodical Approach, both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted to collect data on college students’ perceptions of illicit prescription stimulant use and the prevalence of use. With the combined methods, 1,811 undergraduate students from a large, public, southeastern research university participated. Seventy-eight of these students had a prescription to treat ADHD and were removed from the study, leaving a total of 1,733 participants. This study found that of those participants, 34 % of used prescription stimulants illegally and for nonmedical reasons. The results suggested that illicit use of the stimulants was more common in Caucasians, men, upperclassmen, and students belonging to Greek organizations. Interviews with students allowed researchers to gather detailed information about their perceptions of stimulant prescription drugs, the circumstances of the first time they used a stimulant and what their motives were. During the interviews, it was discovered how prevalent illicit use of these medications are as well as how casually this use was discussed on campus with many students stating, â€Å"it’s no big deal†. Of the illegal users in the study, 63% used stimulants for the first time in college and for most the first time of use was at a time of high academic stress. For more than two-thirds of these users, this occurred during finals or when they had multiple tests in one day. First time users had little knowledge about the side effects of stimulant medication, the appropriate doses, or the legal consequences of using these drugs illicitly. Of illegal users, 72% reported using the drugs to stay awake and study longer or to concentrate on work. Many students claimed they could be more productive and reported being able to study for up to 3-5 hours straight without getting distracted or taking a break. Others reported the stimulants made them â€Å"smarter† because they were able to memorize retain information, grasp ideas and recall information better. One participant’s description of the drug Adderall was, â€Å"the stuff is like an academic anabolic steroid†. There were a few students that reported use of the stimulants for nonacademic purposes. Some these reasons included that the drugs gave them the ability to stay up all night for parties, be more talkative and social at parties and feel the effects of alcohol quicker. Students also reported that when crushed and snorted, the drugs produced a high similar to cocaine (DeSantis, 2008). In the study, Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulant Medication Among College Students, authors also investigate how prevalent illicit use is at a Midwestern campus as well as why students are abusing these drugs. Three different methods were used to recruit students for the study. A list of randomly selected students residing in residence halls, 500 female and 500 male, was obtained from the university’s registrar office. A cover letter and questionnaire were sent to these students and then a second questionnaire was mailed to those who had not responded within two weeks. The researchers also held three sessions that were open to introductory psychology students who would receive credit for completing the questionnaire. The last effort to recruit students included researchers going door to door on men’s wings in residence halls. The combined total of responses was 552. The survey completed consisted of 85 items with the first section including questions about demographics and personal information. The questions on the remainder of the survey used a Likert-type scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree). Questions were separated into two sections for statistical analysis. The second section obtained specific information from individuals who reported they had illicitly taken stimulant medication. Results from the survey found that 17% of the men surveyed and 11% of the women surveyed had used prescription stimulants for non-medical reasons. Forty-four percent of the students surveyed reported that they knew someone who had used prescribed stimulant medication illicitly for academic or recreational reasons. Authors found that the main reason for use was to increase alertness and energy and use was associated with experiencing time and academic pressures of college life (Hall, 2005). The purpose of a study published in the Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy was to explore illicit use of specific prescription stimulants among college students and the reasons and routes of administration associated with illicit use of these drugs. The study was conducted at a large Midwestern university in 2005. A random sample of 5,389 full-time, undergraduate students were selected from the total population of 20, 138 full-time students. In order to produce reliable prevalence estimates for minority racial and ethnic groups, researchers oversampled 652 Hispanic, 634 African American and 244 Asian students. Students in the sample were mailed a letter describing the study and inviting students to self-administer a confidential web survey. Participants were eligible for a sweepstakes that included cash prizes, travel vouchers and other prizes. The final response rate exceeded the average rate for national college based studies of alcohol and other drugs with a 66% response rate. The final sample closely resembled the demographics of the overall student population and consisted of 4,580 undergraduate students. The results from the survey indicated that 8. 3% of the participants had used illicit prescription stimulants in their lifetime and 5. 9% had used them in the past year. Three out of four of the illicit users reported taking Adderall and one out of four illicit users reported taking Ritalin. Unlike other studies of this nature, the authors report there were no differences in past year illicit prescription stimulant use between men and women. They did find statistically significant ethnic-racial differences in past year use with 8. % of Hispanics having used illicit prescription stimulants, 7% of Caucasians, 3. 4% of Asians, 1. 9% of African Americans and 3. 6% of those categorized as other. Sixty-five percent of the lifetime users began using illicit prescription stimulants during college rather than before starting college. Logistic regression showed students who began using prescription stimulants illicitly before entering college were three times as likely to use these drugs durin g college compared to those who had not used them before entering college. When looking at the motivations of students using illicit prescription stimulants, researchers found significant differences between gender and ethnic-racial groups. Men were more likely than women to report using these drugs to experiment, get high, and counteract the effects of other drugs. Women were more likely than men to report using prescription stimulants to lose weight, to help study, and to increase alertness. There was not a difference between sexes regarding the most frequently cited motive which was to help with concentration. There were no African Americans that reported using illicit prescription stimulants to get high, but over 20% of Caucasians, Hispanics, Asians, and others reported this as a motive. The results for experimenting as a motive were similar. Most African American students who reported using prescription stimulants illicitly listed the motives to help concentrate or to help study. Students who reported using prescription stimulants illicitly before entering college were more likely to use these drugs during the past year to get high, lose weight or experiment. Students who did not start using prescription stimulants until enrolled in college were more likely to report the motive to help study. The results of this study also revealed findings about the routes in which students administered illicit prescription stimulants. Ninety-five percent of illicit users reported oral administration. Thirty-eight percent reported snorting the prescription stimulants and a very small percentage reported smoking, inhaling or injecting these drugs. Neither gender nor race-ethnicity were associated with routes of administration. However, students who began using illicit prescription stimulants before college were more likely to report snorting the drugs than those who started using during college. The authors report their study is the first to empirically document the claim that use of Adderall is the primary prescription stimulant used illicitly by college students. Hypothesizes to why the use of Adderall may be growing relative to other stimulants such as Ritlan, generally fall into three categories: availability, pharmacokinetic differences between stimulant drugs, and pharmacologic differences. In another study cited by the authors, college students reported Adderall was used more frequently because it was easily accessible, caused fewer emotional ups and downs, and was believed to work better overall. The authors explain that there are differences in the mechanism of action of Adderall that may result in this drug being more appealing to college students. The effects of the drug will last longer and may generate higher dopamine levels in the brain than occur when taking Ritalin (Teter, 2006). A study done by Rachel Judson Susan W Langdon investigated illicit use of stimulant medications on college campuses considering the theory of planned behavior. This theory states that attitudes, beliefs about social norms, and perceived control work together to create intentions which predict health related behavior. The study included a total of 333 participants from two small competitive New England college campuses. Two survey forms were distributed – one for current stimulant prescription holders and one for non-prescription holders. The surveys were self-administered online. The study found that 20% of all participants reported illicit use of stimulants. Of the prescription holders, 46% reported illicit use (using for reasons other than prescribed or at increased doses) and of the non-prescription holders, 18. 3% reported illicit use. The two most predominant motives were to improve concentration and to increase alertness or stay awake. This indicates that academic reasons were more prevalent than recreational reasons for taking the medication. For non-prescription holders, the results were consistent with the theory of planned behavior. Attitudes, perceived norms and a sense of low control held by illicit users may act as rationalizations for their illicit use of stimulant medication (Judson, 2009). Many studies have been done investigating how perceived harmfulness influences nonmedical drug use and there have also been separate studies done investigating the association between nonmedical drug use and high sensation-seeking characteristics. This study takes both variables into consideration and explores whether the association between perceived harmfulness and nonmedical drug use vary by level of sensation-seeking. Participants included 1, 253 first year college students from a large, publicly-funded university in the mid-Atlantic region with an ethnically diverse student body. Personal interviews were conducted with participants and then participants were followed up with twice at six month intervals. Researchers examined the association between the two variables of perceived harmfulness and level of sensation-seeking characteristics because they believed it was important to consider the possibility that sensation-seeking characteristics can influence risk perception. Results from this study indicated that one in four students perceived a great risk of harm from occasional nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and analgesics. Low perceived harmfulness and high sensation-seeking were independently associated with increased risk of nonmedical use. At most levels of sensation-seeking, high perceived harmfulness did affect nonmedical prescription drug use; however, among high sensation-seekers, perceived harmfulness was not related to nonmedical use of prescription analgesics. This study found that individuals with low perceived harmfulness were approximately 10 times more likely to use prescription drugs for both stimulants and analgesics, as compared to those individuals with high perceived harmfulness. Another important finding was that individuals with low or moderate sensation-seeking tendencies were especially susceptible to the influence of perceived harmfulness (Arria, 2008). An article published online, New Findings on the Misuse of ADHD Medications by College Students, reviews one of the largest studies conducted regarding nonmedical use of stimulants on college campuses. In 2001, nearly 11,000 students attending 119 nationally representative, 4-year colleges in the United States were surveyed about their nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. The involvement of such a high number of universities across the country overcomes one of the major limitations of other studies done on this topic. Because most studies collect data from only one college, the results cannot be accurately generalized to college populations outside of that type of institution or region. This study found that the average rate for nonmedical use of stimulants during the participant’s lifetime was 6. %; during the last year was 4. 1% and during the last month was 2. 1%. The rate of use of stimulants varied dramatically across the campuses surveyed with rates ranging from 0% to as high as 25%. Findings from this study indicate that the highest rates of nonmedical use of prescription stimulants are highest at colleges with competitive admission standards. More than 80% of s chools with a past year prevalence rate higher than 10% had highly competitive admission standards and were located in the Northeast or Southern United States. Results of the motives for illicit stimulant use were comparable to other studies with the three top motivations being to help with concentration, to help with alertness and to get high (Ashley Children’s Psychology Center, n. d. ). Most research studies regarding the illicit use of prescription stimulants on college campuses use a randomly selected sample size of over 1,000 participants. In the study, Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimethodological Approach, students participating in part I of the research, a quantitative survey, are recruited through a large introductory communications course. This course is a social science requirement and was selected to represent students from different majors across the campus. To ensure the upperclassmen were also represented in the study, additional surveys were distributed in an upper division communications course as well as the general student body. The second part of the study included qualitative interviews with 175 full-time, undergraduate students. The authors fail to report how these students were recruited. It is not know if these students were randomly selected from the general student population or if they were selected from the group of students who completed the survey. This research was done at a large, southeastern research university in the United States (DeSantis, 2008). Studies relating to the illicit use of stimulants on college campuses have found a significant variance in the prevalence of usage depending on factors such as admission standards and location of the university (Ashley Children’s Psychology Center. (n. . ). Due to this, the study done at this southeastern research university cannot be generalized to the college population as a whole. This study used both quantitative and qualitative studies. Data was collected from surveys administered in the classroom as well as from scripted, in-depth interviews with students. The authors designed and pretested the 25-item survey for this study by conducting a pilot study of 94 students. After receiving feedback from th e students, question wording and survey structure were revised. The interviews were conducted by students who had all completed an upper-division research methods course and were certified by the university’s institutional review board. Interviewers were assigned specific demographic groups to facilitate the comfort and trust levels of interviewees. Interviews with students allowed researchers to gather detailed information about their perceptions of stimulant prescription drugs, the circumstances of the first time they used a stimulant and what their motives were. Interviews revealed that many students viewed illicit prescription stimulant use as part of the culture of ampus life (DeSantis, 2008). This study showed that 34% of the students who participated in the study had used prescription stimulant medications for nonmedical purposes. This rate is significantly higher than most published studies about stimulant use on college campuses; however, studies have found that rates vary greatly depending on demographic factors (Teter, 2006). Th e authors offer three explanations as to the reason their study reported a significantly higher prevalence rate of use on campuses: 1. ADHD stimulant use may be rising nationwide and as time passes, this phenomenon continues to grow; 2. Rates of use may vary on different college campuses and this campus may have a higher prevalence of use; and 3. The relatively high proportion of Greek students in the student body may have contributed to the higher prevalence rate. In relation to explanation 2, it was also noted that this study took place in a state that has been ranked as one of the top three states in the nation for ADHD diagnosis. To estimate the proportion of individuals who used illicit stimulants by demographic category, the number of users in each category was divided by the total number surveyed in each category. Using results displayed by demographic category use and non-stimulant use, data was cross tabulated by the same demographics factors and a chi-square analysis was conducted to examine statistically significant differences. The resulting data suggested that illicit prescription stimulant use was more common in men, white students, upperclassmen, and members of Greek organizations. Most other studies have published similar results (DeSantis, 2008). The study, Illicit Use of Specific Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Prevalence, Motives and Routes of Administration found that there is a significantly higher prevalence of use in Caucasian and Hispanic students. These two ethnic groups reported rates of use at 8. 5% and 7%, respectively. Use for African Americans students was only 1. 9%. Another notable difference related to ethnicity was that while over 20% of Hispanic and Caucasian students reported one of the motives of using prescription stimulants was to get high; 0% of African American students reported that motivation (Teter, 2006). Quantitative data showed students’ primary motive for taking ADHD medication was to earn better grades in school. With the augmentation o the qualitative data, researchers discovered a myriad of more subtle motives defining when and why these students took stimulants. Researchers found that most students used prescription stimulants during finals week or periods of high academic stress. They also discovered some what some of the non-academic motives were such as staying up all night for parties, getting drunk quicker, and to be more social (DeSantis, 2008). Other studies have revealed similar findings with other non-academic motives being to help with losing weight, to get high, to experiment and to counteract the effects of other drugs (Teter, 2006). As discussed, the possible biases of this study were the fact that there was a high number of students in Greek organizations in the student body and that the study focuses on one campus noting the prevalence of use can vary greatly depending on the region the university is located in as well as other factors such as the competiveness of the school. The authors did not attempt to control these biases in their study, but in future studies an oversampling of students not involved in Greek organizations as well as a sample from several schools across the country could help control these biases (DeSantis, 2008). Each of these studies identifies the prevalent, increasing illicit use of stimulant medications for nonmedical uses, primarily motivated by academic reasons. It is apparent that most students do not know the dangers or risks of taking these medications and prescription stimulants are more socially acceptable than other drugs. Many students appear rationalize their use because it is for academic reasons rather than recreational reasons. This is a terrifying trend that can result in many unwanted outcomes, the worst being death. References: Arria, A. M. , Calderia, K. M. , Vincent, K. B. , O’Grady, K. E. , Wish, E. D. (2008, July 17). Perceived harmfulness predicts nonmedical use of prescription drugs among college students: Interactions with sensation-seeking. In National Institutes of Health. Retrieved November 10, 2011, from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2574828/ Ashley Children’s Psychology Center. (n. d. . New Findings on the Misuse of ADHD Medications by College Students. In Ashley Psychology. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://ashleypsychology. com/Articles/010608. html [pic] DeSantis, A. D. , Webb, E. M. , Noar, S. M. (2008, November). Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimethodological Approach. Journal of American College H ealth, 51(3), 315-325. Retrieved November 12, 2011, from EBSCOhost. Hall, K. M. , Irwin, M. M. , Bowman, K. A. , Frankenberger, W. , Jewett, D. C. (2005, January). Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulant Medication Among College Students. Journal of American College Health, 53(4), 167-174. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from EBSCOhost. Judson, R. , Langdon, S. W. (2009, January). Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Prescription Status, Motives, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Knowledge and Self Diagnostic Tendencies. Psychology, Health Medicine, 14(1), 97-104. doi:10. 1080/13548500802126723. Low, G. K. , Gendaszek, A. E. (2002, August 1). Illicit Use of Psychostimulants Among College Students: A Preliminary Study. Psychology of Health and Medicine, 7(3), 283-287. doi:10. 1080/13548500220139386 Teter, C. J. , McCabe, S. , LaGrange, K. , Cranford, J. A. , Boyd, C. J. (2006, October 26). Illicit Use of Specific Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Prevalence, Motives and Routes of Administration. The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, 26(10), 1501-1510. doi:10. 1592/phco. 26. 10. 1501 Woodworth, T. (2000, May 16). DEA Congressional Testimony. Presented to the Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families. Retrieved November 13, 2011 from http://www. dea. gov/pubs/cngrtest/ct051600. htm. How to cite The Increase of Illicit Stimulant Use on College Campuses, Papers

Understanding Cultural Diversity in the United States free essay sample

The United States of America is a perfect example of cultural diversity. Starting with the Mayflower landing in Massachusetts Bay in 1620, to the Great Migration from 1915 to 1930, to the continual immigration into our country today this country has seen its culture grow and reshape itself over the years. The culture of the United States is diverse but understanding and appreciating various cultures does not always exist within today’s classroom or in today’s society. Understanding or even defining cultural diversity , identifying the challenges cultural diversity brings, or how to face cultural diversity are all issues educators face in today’s classroom. If different people were asked to define cultural diversity there would be a varying degree of answers provided. One formal definition is: n ethnic, gender, racial, and socioeconomic variety in a situation, institution, or group; the coexistence of different ethnic, gender, racial, and socioeconomic groups within one social unit (Lexicon, ). We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Cultural Diversity in the United States or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another formal definition is: the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole (Wikipedia, Cultural diversity, 2009). One of the main commonalities between the two definitions is the variety of society. To simply define cultural diversity would be variety. Whether that variety is language, skin color, gender, economic situation, or even ethnicity the basic breakdown is variety. The United States started with variety. When the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower they had variety. There were 35 members who were members of the English Separatist Church and approximately two-thirds of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, hired to protect the company’s interests; these included John Alden and Myles Standish (Britannica, 2009). Pilgrims met the Native Americans and soon found there to be several different Native American tribes. The Great Migration was the movement of 1. 3 million African-Americans out of the Southern United States to the North, Midwest and West from 1915 to 1930 (Wikipedia, Great Migration (African American), 2009). The North, Midwest, and the West all experienced a new ethnic migration which created a larger variety within their population. Today the nation experiences immigration of new citizens from all over the world. The United States is a more culturally diverse environment that does not mean it is a culturally tolerant environment. As the United States become more culturally diverse the challenges it faces builds dramatically. One of the major challenges felt in the United States are the language barriers. This challenge has been a struggle for the United States since as far back as the Pilgrims not understanding the languages of the Native Americans. But this challenge turned into a movement in the 1980’s. Suddenly there were legislative campaigns to give English official status, an idea never proposed at the federal level before 1981, and to restrict the public use of minority languages (Crawford, 2000). This movement was given credence by 23 states and in 1996 Congress designated English as the Federal Government’s official business language. This movement created a whole new challenge, the challenge of keeping cultural language intact. The threat to linguistic resources is now recognized as a worldwide crisis (Crawford, 2000). The term moribund means languages only spoken by adults and are not taught to the next generation. â€Å"An additional 40 percent may soon be threatened because the number of children learning them is declining measurably. In other words, 90 percent of existing languages today are likely to die or become seriously embattled within the next century† (Crawford, 2000). If the languages are suffering then it is safe to conclude so are unique cultural traditions. The challenges are not limited to languages or traditions either. Other challenges may include cultural divides caused by lack of education, violence against other cultures due to fear of change, violence within a culture due to socioeconomic struggles, unrealistic stigmas, unfair stereotypes, as well as several disabling instances of war induced panic. After the attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese Americans were unjustly jailed and their rights were violated due to fear. More recently in history, after September 11, 2001, several Middle Eastern Americans have become more scrutinized in the United States and some were even victims of hate crimes. Since September 11, 2001, accountability has become an everyday reality for Middle Eastern Americans in light of official policies that systematically demand that they explain their every action (Amir, 2005). These challenges do not have to become common practice amongst the citizens of the United States. There are ways to combat the challenges of cultural diversity. The United States elected an African-American president in 2009. This election has been touted as the biggest leap for African-Americans and their place in society. There are others in the United States who dislikes President Obama solely or his skin color. The election did not solve the cultural diversity issues in the United States. The election did, however, open the door much wider to some of its citizens by making it socially acceptable to have an African American in a leadership role. Education can play the strongest role in combating cultural diversity. The United States is a melting pot of cultures from around th e world. â€Å"The concept of a â€Å"melting-pot† America, a work-in-progress that will eventually yield a population of homogeneous citizens, is nothing more than an illusion. Once Americans accept this, they need to engage in a new discussion. † (Dicker, 2003). That new discussion is education on all levels. The United States has come a long way in working through some of its cultural diversities through television, music, art, media, and now politics. There is much more to be done through formal education starting in preschool classes and always being a factor in formal education. Through education stereotypes and stigmas can be dispelled and an era of open communication can begin. http://academic.eb.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cultural_diversityoldid=299344953 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cultural+diversity

Guide on Writing a Remarkable Statement of Purpose

Guide on Writing a Remarkable Statement of Purpose Statement of Purpose: Guidelines and Examples Education plays a crucial role in our lives. It gives information on the world, society and changes us. Being a student, you constantly learn how to apply knowledge and achieve all of the goals, succeeding in professional and personal life. Although there are multiple academic levels, which greatly differ, there is a thing, which unites all of them. To take it to the next level, you will need to provide the admission committee with a whole set of papers, including a statement of purpose. Go on reading to find out what the assignment is about and how to get noticed by the admission board. Definition To impress the admission board, your statement of purpose should be completely outstanding. You not only need to follow a required format and rules but also to make it free from any mistakes and meet the required academic level. Unfortunately, editing a statement of purpose (further SoP) is a very challenging task, and you need to possess solid skills to find mistakes in your own paper. Students always doubt whether they did everything properly. That is why they feel pressure and prefer entrusting the assignment to professionals. If you also don’t want to leave anything to the chance, turn to us and get writing, editing and proofreading assistance in no time! Statement of Purpose types Every college or university has specific requirements when it comes to applications. That is why your SoP must follow all the guidelines if you want it to be accepted with the committee. Of course, you should start with a proper word count and appropriate formatting style, but it is also crucial to understand what type of Statement of Purpose you are asked to deliver. The SoP can be divided into various categories, depending on the goal of conducting such an assignment and the program you are willing to enter. Statement of Interest for the Graduate School Writing personal statements for a graduate level is completely different from writing essays for college. Students still lack experience and grades, because they are just starting college. That is why their essay mainly concentrates on personal attitude and vision of the surrounding world. This is what makes graduate school essays so complicated. When writing such a paper, a student needs to explain why he or she is willing to enter the chosen program and how he or she is prepared for the study. Students should also write about their career plans, interests and other background information, which will help the board to evaluate whether the applicant is a right fit for the program. Letter/Statement of Intent Statement of intent is the assignment, which covers a particular subject. For example, MA in Chemistry or Ph.D. in Philosophy. Some students think that statement of intent is just another personal statement, but in reality it is a mixture of your career aspirations and ideas for future research. Through such a paper you explain what your interest is and why you need the chosen program for your research. Personal statement can be quite similar because it helps the board to understand why the candidate is a perfect fit for the program by reading about his or her personal values. PhD SoP Statement of purpose for a Ph.D. level must contain multiple details and information: your academic experience, an explanation why you are willing to conduct research and of course your background. PhD is the highest academic level, so once you reach it, you have all the necessary skills to make your SoP bright, interesting and catchy. PhD SoP is quite similar to the one of Graduate School but should contain more information on your projects and explain why your future research is important. Writing Grad School Statement of Purpose You probably know how important it is to make a good first impression and you SoP is the first step you make towards the admission board. We know how scared students become thinking about the importance of such assignment. However, the tips below will surely help you. Stay away from irrelevant information and unnecessary details of your personal life; When you enumerate facts, don’t place them in a row and dilute with a story, interesting description or a joke. Help the board see how intelligent you are; Instead of simply writing about your achievements, quantify them. This will save the board’s time and give them a clearer picture of the results you have reached; Always avoid watery texts and stick to the point of the statement; Your tone should be formal and professional but still contain conversational elements; Remain who you are even if you are tempted to exaggerate any details; Highlight your strong sides; Make a list of the things you want to include and stick to that plan; Try to write a new statement every time you want to apply; Never explain why you failed to achieve something; Don’t use words you can’t understand; Explain why you are a proper fit for the program instead of pleading the board to accept you; Show how your skills and personality grew though educational stages and explain how you are planning to achieve new heights; Always revise and proofread your statement, even if it seems flawless at first. What a Statement of Purpose should contain Your personal motivation to become a part of the chosen program; Experience, which influenced your interests and career in a chosen field; Internship, research, volunteer work and other activities, which can relate to the chosen program; Information on the course you have taken to improve your skills and knowledge; Description of your short-term and long-term goals; Explaining how the chosen program can help you with achieving academic or career aspirations. Starting a SoP Often writing the first line is the hardest step, so many students postpone the process. However, once you get started, it becomes much easier to complete the assignment. Here are the tips, which will help you to start: You should have a clear understanding of your future education and career. Before getting started you must understand what you are willing to achieve with the help of a chosen program. Without a clear goal you won’t be able to write an impressive application; Make a list of the reasons why you are applying for the program. Just take a paper and write down all of the reasons and motivation why you are willing to become a part of the selected program. Think why it can help you in achieving your academic goals. It is important to write everything down to always remember your aspirations. Once you have defined all of your goals, you can proceed with the research; Research is a great tool for generating new ideas and for writing a highly-academic paper. You can research the university, the chosen program, field of studies, professors and much more; Start the writing process. It may be a piece of paper or a MC Word document. Don’t pay too much attention to the structure of your sentences and formatting. Simply write down anything, which enters your mind. Once the first draft is ready, reread it and edit in order to make it meet all of the requirements; Write a strong introduction to catch and hold the attention of the reader. Size of a SoP The length of your Statement of Purpose greatly depends on the college or university you are planning to enter. Usually, your SoP should be 5001000 words. To be on a safe side, you need to get familiar with the guidelines in order to know what formatting style to use and what font size to apply. It is crucial to follow all of the recommendations and check whether the word count of your statement meets the requirements. Examples of SoP Certain institutions provide applicants with specific questions, which you need to answer in your SoP instead of having the freedom to discuss any topic you want. For some students a necessity of choosing the topic on their own is additional stress, so assigning a topic becomes pure salvation. Examples of SoP for Grad School Why do you want to continue education at Grad School? Why did you decide to choose this particular program? Why did you decide to choose this college? Do you have any experience in the chosen field? How you are planning to use your degree in the future? What do you expect from the program and the college? Letter of Interest What are you planning to do with the degree in a professional field? Why are you willing to enter this program? Do you have enough experience and skills for the program? Statement of Intent Goals of your future research; Goals for your future career; How can the program assist you in achieving professional goals? Describe your previous projects and their influence on the choice of a particular program; How can the chosen program help you in solving the problems you have faced in your previous projects? Statement of Purpose: example I became interested in branding many years ago and such interest bloomed due to all of my college studies, experience and love to travel. People assume that brand can only be applied to companies, while it is a broader term, which can express a personality, a message and any other issue. I have examined the importance of brands in multiple companies and seen how the same brand has a completely different impact depending on the culture and location. Brands are more than companies’ strategies to sell their goods and services. Brand is about giving a name to everything, to be noticed and to have a positive impact on the surrounding. Unfortunately, branding is treated wrongly and I want to examine every part of it, which is possible with your outstanding program. I want to become a part of it because of my passion for branding and management, which can impact the lives and success of many individuals and companies. I have experience working in marketing and brand development fields, which gave me an outstanding foundation for better understanding of the market and buyers’ psychology. I decided to apply to this program because of many reasons. First of all, it is one of the best schools in the country with the latest achievements and teaching approaches. Your school is well-known for helping graduates with entering the business world with solid knowledge and achievements. Another reason is that your program is constantly improved and helps students to challenge themselves, thinking outside the box and pushing the limits. I am ready for any challenges of joining your course. I have worked at a college and have also been an Assistant Manager in one of the biggest companies in New York. My main responsibilities were tracking how good the employees were in meeting the company’s requirements, checking how optimal their marketing strategy was and completing reports on a weekly basis. The environment was vibrant and fast moving, filled with multiple challenges and new experience. It helped me to become independent, gain new skills and knowledge, follow the latest marketing trends and meet people, who were also passionate about marketing. Our world is moving so fast that it is crucial to learn quickly and always follow the market. I think that marketing is the same as branding. I want to enter this field because I am a creative person and willing to work hard to achieve my goals. Once I complete a master’s degree, I want to use all the gained experience to help various brands with being recognized on the market. I also want to help people in achieving all of their goals by reinventing themselves. Assistance with writing a Statement of Purpose If you want to impress the admission committee, you need to make sure that your SoP is flawless and stands out from the rest. You should not only follow the required formatting rules and the number of words but also to make sure there are no mistakes in the text. Editing is a very challenging task and even the most experienced students often fail to complete it, because it is difficult to give the paper a fresh eye if you have been working on it for weeks. Statement of Purpose is a very important stage in your academic and professional career, so it is better to entrust the assignment to professionals. We are a company you can rely on. Our excellent writers, proofreaders and editors are there for you to work on every line of your Statement of Purpose any time of the day. Here are only some of the benefits you get, when working with us: Outstanding quality of the paper, meeting the required academic level; Your SoP will meet all of the requirements of the college or university you are applying to; Round the clock assistance, which will help you to control the process on every stage; Flawless grammar and absence of typos; Unlimited revisions if you have some comments.

Quines pueden ajustar su estatus y sacar green card

Quines pueden ajustar su estatus y sacar green card El  ajuste de estatus  es un trmite migratorio muy ventajoso que permite a una persona que se encuentra ya en Estados Unidos sacar la tarjeta de residencia permanente (green card) sin necesidad de salir del paà ­s. Lamentablemente no todos los migrantes pueden solicitarlo. Por la importancia del ajuste migratorio, tambià ©n conocido por sus siglas en inglà ©s de AOS, en este artà ­culo se explican cules son sus ventajas, quià ©nes pueden solicitarlo, cà ³mo se tramita la solicitud y cul es la alternativa para los casos en los que no es posible. Ventajas de sacar la green card por ajuste de estatus El AOS brinda dos grandes beneficios: Evita los costes de viajar fuera de Estados Unidos para completar la tramitacià ³n de una solicitud de green card.Y, sobre todo, evita que aplique el castigo de los 3 y de los 10 aà ±os. Es importante tener en consideracià ³n que esta penalidad sà ³lo aplica a las personas que se encuentran fuera de Estados Unidos y desean regresar con una visa de inmigrante o una de no inmigrante. Migrantes que pueden pedir ajuste de estatus por familia o trabajo Pueden hacerlo los migrantes que se encuentran en alguna de las siguientes categorà ­as: Los familiares inmediatos de un ciudadano americano: esposo, mujer, padres, madres e hijos menores solteros de 21 aà ±os si estn legalmente en USA o si, estando ilegalmente, su ingreso fue legal y ahora estn ilegales porque se quedaron en el paà ­s ms all del plazo autorizado de estadà ­a. Sin embargo, no se puede solicitar  si han ingresado al paà ­s ilegalmente sin pasar por un control de inmigracià ³n en una aduana.  Esto es muy importante porque impide sacar la green card sin salir de Estados Unidos a cà ³nyuges, hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os y padres de ciudadanos americanos que llegaron al paà ­s cruzando ilegalmente la frontera. En este caso hay excepciones limitadas, como el caso de familiares de militares por aplicacià ³n del programa Parole in Place (PIP). Por otra parte, los hijos casados, los hijos solteros mayores de 21 aà ±os y los hermanos de ciudadanos americanos y los cà ³nyuges e hijos de cualquier edad de residentes permanentes sà ³lo pueden ajustar su estatus en USA si estn legalmente en el paà ­s, y debido a los tiempos de demora sà ³lo en casos excepcionales ser posible. Finalmente, los  prometidos de  ciudadanos americanos y los hijos de aquellos que hayan entrado a Estados Unidos con visas K-1 y K-2 respectivamente. Se requiere que el matrimonio se contraiga en los 90 dà ­as siguientes a haber ingresado al paà ­s. Es muy importante tener en cuenta que la boda se tiene que celebrar entre la persona pedida y el que la pide. No se puede cambiar de novio/a. Otro ejemplo de posibilidad de sacar la green card por ajuste de estatus tiene lugar cuando empresas y otras instituciones americanas como por ejemplo ONGs o universidades solicitar tarjetas de residencia para trabajadores y profesionales extranjeros. Si la peticià ³n es aprobada se proceder a solicitar su ajuste de estatus, siempre y cuando està ©n en el paà ­s legalmente. En otras palabras, ninguna empresa puede patrocinar una green card por razones de trabajo a un migrante que est en Estados Unidos con estatus de indocumentado, tanto si esa situacià ³n es porque entrà ³ ilegalmente o porque no salià ³ a tiempo del paà ­s. Ajuste de estatus con carcter derivado En ciertos casos se permite que cuando se tramita un ajuste de estatus para una persona que se pueda extender la peticià ³n a su cà ³nyuge e hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os.   Asilo polà ­tico, refugiados y ajuste de estatus Las personas a las que se le ha aprobado la condicià ³n de asilado  podrn al cumplir el aà ±o a contar desde esa fecha solicitar por sà ­ mismas el ajuste de estatus. Es necesario que se cumplan los siguientes requisitos: Presencia fà ­sica en Estados Unidos por al menos 365 dà ­as tras la concesià ³n de la condicià ³n de asilado.Y que las circunstancias por las que se le concedià ³ la solicitud de asilo no hayan cambiado.Podrn, asimismo, solicitar el ajuste sus cà ³nyuges e hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os. Asimismo, podrn solicitar este beneficio migratorio tras residir en Estados Unidos por un aà ±o tras haber ingresado al paà ­s como refugiados. Cubanos y su rà ©gimen migratorio especial Para las personas con pasaporte cubano aplica la ley conocida de Ajuste Cubano. Pero tener en cuenta que ya no est en aplicacià ³n la polà ­tica de  pies secos, pies mojados. Con Ajuste Cubano se puede solicitar el ajuste de estatus tras pasar un aà ±o y un dà ­a viviendo en Estados Unidos pero se tiene que haber ingresado legalmente. Los cà ³nyuges y los hijos solteros de cualquier edad de un cubano pero que tengan otra nacionalidad podrn tambià ©n pedir el ajuste de estatus tras pasar 365 dà ­as en Estados Unidos si ingresaron legalmente. Ajuste de estatus por residencia continuada en Estados Unidos Los extranjeros que han  vivido en Estados Unidos de manera continua desde el 1 de enero de 1972 y pueden demostrarlo podrn solicitar un ajuste de estatus. Es lo que se conoce como residencia por el registry. Casos humanitarios y ajuste de estatus Tambià ©n pueden solicitar el ajuste de estatus los migrantes que han recibido una visa U por và ­ctima de violencia o una visa T por trfico humano si han vivido en los Estados Unidos por al menos por 3 aà ±os desde que recibieron esa visa. En el caso de và ­ctimas de violencia domà ©stica que se han regularizado mediante el programa VAWA y tienen una peticià ³n I-360 aprobada, pueden pedir el ajuste de estatus inmediatamente si son cà ³nyuges de ciudadanos. Por el contrario, si son cà ³nyuges de residentes deben esperar que llegue su fecha de prioridad. Esta puede ser la del I-360 o, si su cà ³nyuge les habà ­a pedido previamente, la del I-130. Decisià ³n judicial En casos de deportacià ³n un juez de inmigracià ³n puede decidir conceder un ajuste de estatus a un inmigrante extranjero. Esta es una de las formas de alivio con las que se puede luchar frente a la deportacià ³n. Casos especiales de menores migrantes En ocasiones, una corte americana puede decidir que un menor extranjero no puede vivir con sus padres por razones de abuso, negligencia o abandono y establece que es en interà ©s del muchacho permanecer en Estados Unidos. Estos casos se conocen como inmigrantes juveniles especiales (SIJ, siglas en inglà ©s) y se permite que estos menores soliciten un ajuste de estatus para sà ­ mismos. Casos especiales de inmigrantes militares Siempre en los tà ©rminos que disponga la ley, los extranjeros que colaboren con los Ejà ©rcitos americanos podrn, en ciertas circunstancias, solicitar un ajuste de estatus. En estos momentos se concede este beneficio a traductores e intà ©rpretes afganos e iraquà ­es. Beneficios sociales para las personas tramitando un ajuste de estatus En algunos estados las personas en trmites para ajustar su estatus son consideradas PRUCOL y se les reconoce algunos beneficios sociales. Los requisitos varà ­an segà ºn el estado y segà ºn el tipo de beneficio. Cà ³mo se pide el ajuste de estatus La planilla a llenar es la I-485. Hay que enviarla debidamente cumplimentada, con el pago de la tarifa y documentacià ³n adicional necesaria. En cuanto al momento, depende del caso. Por ejemplo, si se trata de familiares inmediatos (cà ³nyuges, hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os y padres) de ciudadanos americanos se puede enviar junto con la peticià ³n cuando se llena el I-130. Pero en los casos en los que existe un tope anual por categorà ­a hay que esperar a lo que se conoce como fecha al corriente. Para eso hay que consultar todos los meses el boletà ­n de visas. Viajar con peticià ³n pendiente y quà © hacer con retrasos y negaciones Es posible que el USCIS no apruebe la solicitud de ajuste de estatus. En estos casos, chequea si puedes apelar su decisià ³n. Asimismo, si se retrasa en dar una respuesta ms all de lo que es habitual para este tipo de trmite, consultar con un abogado si procede demandar mediante un writ of mandamus. Tambià ©n es muy importante tener en cuenta que si se inicia un proceso de ajuste de estatus no se debe salir de Estados Unidos sin pedir previamente una autorizacià ³n conocida como advance parole. El procedimiento consular como opcià ³n al ajuste de estatus Cuando  no se pueda ajustar el estatus  la opcià ³n es salir de Estados Unidos e ir a travà ©s de lo que se conoce procedimiento consular. El gran problema con esto surge cuando se ha estado ilegalmente en los Estados Unidos por ms de 180 dà ­as porque aplica el castigo de los 3 y de los 10 aà ±os, si bien hay casos de excepciones. Es cierto que en algunos casos es posible solicitar un perdà ³n, tambià ©n conocido como waiver o permiso. Pero las estadà ­sticas muestran que no es fcil obtenerlo. Por esta razà ³n es muy importante conocer cules son las opciones para el caso de cada uno y si hay un riesgo real de quedarse fuera de Estados Unidos por muchos aà ±os.

Oil and Gas Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oil and Gas Management - Essay Example However things are not as simple as they might look. According to various examples and researches it is believed that countries that enjoy abundance in resources are on average less likely to attain economic development in comparison with countries that do not (Heum, Kasande, Ekern, and Nyombi, 2011). Porter (1985) has explored the progressions of various combinations of actions or activities that are performed in order to come up with the final product for the customers. The process involved different actions and services carried out on the specific product from beginning till the end i.e. from extracting the product till the product is manufactured and later distributed to the final customers. However the analysis of Porter can be significantly applied to separate entity or firm (single firm) and can also be applied on number of firms or organizations keeping one thing under consideration i.e. their interconnections amongst each other in the supply chain context or in simple words the link among manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and customers in a specific area or globally (Tordo, Tracy, and Arfaa, 2011). Meanwhile the value chain supply system of the oil and gas industry with reference to social value creation has been highlighted below Oil and gas sector value chain comprises of various procedures initiating from development, processing, transporting and marketing of the product (oil) to the end user or consumers. The process of value chain in the oil and gas sector begins from allocating areas in order to later search or explore those areas for oil and gas. However soon after the basic search for oil or gas, evaluations are carried out on the grounds or fields; development and production are the other two things that are carried out later. The overall procedure is also known as Exploration and Production (E&P) or in other words it is also known as

Bibliography on Human Impact on Global Warming Annotated

On Human Impact on Global Warming - Annotated Bibliography Example By observing various communities in the ‘Land Down Under,’ the researchers came to draw the conclusion that the practices of the people are pro-environment, and in fact these people organize activities that aim to instill environmentalism in their neighborhoods. Bradshaw, C. J., Sodhi, N. S., & Brook, B. W. (2008). Tropical turmoil: a biodiversity tragedy in progress. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, (7) 2, 79-87. Retrieved from http://www.frontiersinecology.org/current_issue/bradshaw.pdf The review explained how the world has lost the battle of preserving its tropical forests. It further denoted the habitat loss and the potentiality of disaster it has on biodiversity and human health. The locales of the study were the rain forests, savannas and mangroves in select regions across the globe. It inferred that the loss and degradation of essential ecosystem functions (e.g. pollination, carbon sequestration, water cycling) and services (eg. flood mitigation, topsoil retention, non-timber forest products) are harming billions of people living in tropical countries, and that poor governance and corruption are some of the key socioeconomic threats to tropical biodiversity conservation Butler, R. A., & Laurance, W. F. (2008). New strategies for conserving tropical forests. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, (23) 9, 469-472. Retrieved from http://www.ecology.ethz.ch/ education/Resilience_Stuff/Butler_and_Laurance_2008.pdf The scholarly work focused on how to combat the rapid deforestation rates by setting as an example the practices of large transnational corporations. Utilizing the data provided by the United Nations Population Division, it noted the severe conditions of the tropical forests in Latin America, Africa and Asia and... This study elucidated how poor nations contribute to the worldwide degradation of the environment and pollution. It remarked that while wealthy nations have relatively large industries, some countries in the Third World also operate manufacturing sites that are hazardous to the environment and deplete finite resources, which can be considered as exemplifications of capitalism. The authors also included the everyday practices of the rural folks in destroying forests and polluting the rivers and other bodies of water. The collaborative venture of these environmentalists underscored how the population and wealth of nations positively correlated with the level of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. They concluded that rich nations, where industrialization and urbanization are concentrated, have tremendous impacts to the natural environment than that of the poor ones. The output of the study was a stochastic version of the Impact = Population-Affluence-Technology (IPAT) model to accurately estimate the effects of population, affluence, and technology on national CO2 emissions.Their research surveyed a sample of more than one thousand people across the United States and found out that 75% of them considers themselves as ‘environmentalists.’ They purported the role of popular culture in the advent of Environmental America that has begun since the 1960’s. The book outlined the various human activities that gradually altered the face of the planet. It also implicated the society on its role in environmental degradation.

Love in If Thou Must Love Me, Let it be for Naught, To His Lady, and The Taxi :: To His Lady The Taxi poems

Love in "If Thou Must Love Me, Let it be for Naught", "To His Lady", and "The Taxi" "when a man loves a woman he'd give up all his comfort, sleep out in the rain, if she said that's the way it ought to be" (Percy Sledge). No truer words have ever been spoken when it comes to relationships between man and woman. For when a man and a woman come together for a relationship it should be for the right reason, and that reason is love. Love is much more than just a word though, it is a feeling and emotion that cannot be duplicated, imitated, or simulated. Love is, as described in "If Thou Must Love Me, Let it be for Naught", "To His Lady", and "The Taxi", the emotions of joy, happiness, caring, passion, commitment, pleasure, and even pain all rolled into one, which is shared between two people. The only love is true love. This means that when one loves another, the love that they are feeling should encompass all attributes of the person they are loving. If one were to say that they loved another for their beautiful eyes, this would not be true love. In order for it to be love, one would not just see the beautiful eyes, they would see everything about that person as beautiful. Elizabeth Barrett Browning agrees when she says to not love for a smile or a look, instead one should love for loves sake. ?Thou mayst love on, through love?s eternity? (206 14). True love is also a love that is eternal; true love is never ending. Henry Howard also believed that love should be everlasting. Wedding vows have become, to a certain extent, things of the past. People are getting married only to be divorced with in the first couple years of marriage. Till death do us part no longerholds meaning in the holy union of two souls. This is not true love. Luckily Howard helps us to see what true love is when he paints us a picture in words in ?To "His Lady?. ?In the long night, or in the shortest day/ In lofty youth, or when my hairs gray/ Set me in earth, in heaven, or yet in hell/ Sick, or in health, in ill fame, or in good/ Yours will I be? (277 lines 6, 8-9, 11-12). Through thick and thin, no matter what happens the man in this poem will stick by his lady.