The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 2, 1996 Page: 4 of 6
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October 2,1996
The Rambler
Fresh faces change the look of Wesleyan
Comptroller says
special attention
is the secret to
attract and keep .
students
Francesca Barajas
Staff writer
Patrick Monaghan joined Texas
Wesleyan as comptroller in the busi-
ness office in March. Mis duties
consist of collecting tuition and lees
and paying hills.
Monaghan is from Battlecreek,
Mich., where he attented two years
of college before transfering to the
University of North Texas for his
bachelor's degree. Monaghan
received his master's at the
University of Texas at Tyler.
"I really like ii here. There are
so many good-hearted people," he
said. His biggest challenge,
Monaghan said, was coming in and
learning a new computer system. He
said he had only two months to pre-
pare the year-end audits.
"I'm still trying to recover," he
said jokingly.
As for his goals for this year,
Monaghan said he wants to stay
with the 'Wesleyan family' for as
long as he can. He said he wants to
take part in the university master
plan, helping as much as possible to
reach the goals of the plan.
He said his prime concern,
along with the school's, is to be stu-
dent-oriented.
"We are here to serve the stu-
dents We are trying to meet their
needs and do our part to help them,"
he said. Another of his goals is to
make the students' time enjoyable
and beneficial, he said.
Monaghan said he is enjoying
himself tremendously. "The staff are
extremelv nice.
"They made me feel very wel-
come," he said. "There is such a.
pleasant atmosphere here at the uni-
versity.
"Students have a choice to be
here. There are so many other uni-
versities to choose from, and they
chose us," he said. "We must give
them special attention, which is
what attracts them and keeps them."
—
IVI
p
■ Off-' '
' -
Photo by Rachael Stevens
Pat Monaghan is climbing the ladder of Wesleyan success
as the new comptroller.
Coordinator of
residential living
says she enjoys
being involved
in campus life
Amber Causey
Stqff writer
Who would think that after
working as a lifeguard one summer
at Wesleyan more than eight years
ago, Christy Ratzlaff would end up
working here full time?
Ratzlaff began her new job as
coordiriatior of residential living
June 3. Her responsibilities consist
Of coordinating the residence halls,
supervision and training of resident
assistants (RAs) and resident direc-
tors (RDs).
"1 like being in a student envi-
ronment without the academic
pressure that 1 had when I was a stu-
dent," Ratzlaff said. She said that
environment is what attracted her to
working in student development.
She enjoys being involved in
the life of the campus, she said. The
things Ratzlaff said she enjoys least'
about her work is are the paper and
the computer aspects.
Ratzlaff said she has three
goals.' The first is to build a team of
the RD and RA staff, she said. The
second is to continue work on her
master's degree in education at
Dallas Baptist University, she said.
"My third goal 'is to improve,
and become consistent with the ser-
vice side of student development so
that we can turn more time and ener-
gy toward the development side,"
Rat/latf vikl
She attended John Brown
University in Siloam Springs. Ark.
and received her bachelor's degree
in biology in 1994.
Ratzlaff was resident director at
John Brown and at Indiana
Wesleyan University in Marion.
"1 really feel like for me, this
has been the best environment pro-
fessionally, to make the transition
from the resident director position to
a more administrative position. This
has been an incredibly supportive
environment," Ratzlaff said.
I1
Photo by Rachael Stevens
Christy Raztliff keeps her desk full as the Wesleyan's new
coordinator of residential living.
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L
Russian coed examines
American lifestyle
Svetlana Blank
Staff writer
I am Svetlana, an MBA student at Wesleyan. We
are alike. I have two arms, two legs, the same clothes
and a haircut. But there is something different about
me. I am from Russia.
Before this crazy dream, called
'America,' I used to succeed in whatev-
er I did. I used to be the best. Making
my dream come true, I was taught how
to lose by my frustrations encountered trying to get
here. Wait, that is wrong. 1 learned how to achieve in
spite of circumstances and all obstacles.
Why is the Russian girl, Svetlana Blank, here?
The most obvious answer is to get my degree. That's
true.
More precisely, that-is just a small part. The key
word is 'development.' I want to develop myself, to
learn more, to know more and to speak this wonderful
language better.
In general, what is so special about these strange
Americans, that attracts other nations throughout the
world? 1$ it the thinking style? Mode of life? Way to
act? I arh here to find an answer.
Preparing for the journey. 1 was ready to get into
an unfamiliar, even hostile environment. From what I
have read or heard, Americans were supposed to be
extremely arrogant, determined to achieve only their
goals and not care about others.
For some reason, they turned out to be anything
but that. By now I have met a lot Of very nice, friend
ly and helpful people.
However, there are specific Americans, people you
deal with, and there is the nation as a whole. 1 still
believe my anticipations about America as a nation
were mostly true
For instance, at a wall in Six Flags theme park,
one can notice statements about outstanding pilots,
astronauts, etc Reading through the lines. 1 was ready
to find cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's name Instead. I
found something like "first American spaceman.**
Who cares? Sorry. 1 did not mean to"offend you.
Probably, you do care But is not the first human in
cosmos incomparably more important than the first
American astronaut^ This is an example of the atti-
tude
But I was not the only one with anticipations. I
discovered Americans have some stereotypes about
Russians, too. First of all. a Russian is supposed to
drink vodka in large quantities.
I do not consume vodka at all. Sorry for breaking
your conceptions. Second, a Russian girl is supposed
to be huge and have big muscles. 1 am tiny.
Finally, do you seriously think Russians are not
able to.choose their own careers, places to live and
lifestyles? The Russian government tells people what
to do? 1 am here, at the opposite side of
L/IFF COLUMN the world. It was my own choice. Is it
7 convincing enough?
Believe me, Russia is an amazing
country at the moment. Things have been changing
surprisingly fast. Everything in Russia is more or less
different, too: Language, culture, habits, food ... the
list is endless. Because of the differences at the begin-
ning'of my stay at Wesleyan, I time and again went
through funny, astonishing or embarrassing situations.
For example, have you ever thought about how to
make your bed before you actually made it? No, defi-
nitely not. You just make it. It's natural.
It cannot be in any other way, can it? Imagine,
Russians make their beds differently,
Another episode comes to my mind. First I should
say, in Russia there are no restrictions on the age of
those who want to drink or buy alcohol. Sometimes
people would not let too young lads buy alcohol. But
there is no rigid common rule.
Before we went to Longhorn Saloon (a nightclub
in the Stockyards) one night, I was told I was very
lucky Why? I was over 21. So what? "You are
allowed to drink," was the answer.
Thank you. There was no time I was not allowed.
Once again I had to listen to a patient explanation.
"Svetlana, you are in the United States, not in Russia."
Finally, 1 agreed. At least I was old enough; there
was no reason to argue. >•
Reluctantly. I presented my passport to a girl at
the door. She took .my arm and stamped it. NO!!!
Why should I bear this ugly, dirty mark? , Am I not a
free person in a free country?
But these arc emotions. To tell the truth, I basical-
ly agree with the rule. One of the reasons is too many
kids driving cars.
In Russia you cannot drive a car until you are 18.
Still, not a lot Of young people have cars. For exam-
ple. 1 am the only one with a vehicle among my
girlfriends. Not all of my male friends drive a car.
Utokfor another installment of Blank's experi-
ences in a future issue.
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Wood, Allison E. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 2, 1996, newspaper, October 2, 1996; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth287667/m1/4/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.