Alumni 2004
Arranged Alphabetically
12/8/04
Laura Book (formerly Laura Keil)
Class of 2004
My sociology skills have only come through so far by editing my husband's sociology papers for his classes:) Basically, I have been working odd jobs since graduation. I was married July 3, and I moved to Indiana so that Thadd could complete his Valpo education. I work at a chocolate cafe on Saturdays, and I work at a preschool and clean apartment complexes during the week. I also try to babysit whenever possible. I only have to pay the bills by myself for another six months until Thadd graduates:) Then we'll be moving to Ohio to hopefully start seminary. During my little free time, I work on seminary applications for next fall, and we have been meeting with the assistant to the bishop for the Indiana-Kentucky synod to get started with a four year candidacy process to go into ministry. Life is never boring, and I enjoy the challenge of being married. Unfortunately, my egalitarian philosophies are still not fully practiced in real life, but I guess we must do what we're good at, right? ;) I also joined the church handbell choir and the adult choir to keep music in my life. Well, I hope that you're having fun this semester! I miss you and the whole department!!E-mail: laurabook11@yahoo.com
11/30/04
Sarah Burridge
Class of 2004
I'm living in Bloomington and working the stereotypical after college bears-no-relevance-to-my-degree-whatsoever kind of job. I don't really like it. I've spent the majority of the past few months struggling with this emotionally, because I really wish I could be doing something I enjoyed, but finding a job was difficult, and this is what was offered to me. I think I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that sometimes you have to spend time doing things you don't like in order to get by, and it's not forever so it's not the end of the world.
The good news is that I'm still planning on going back to Bangladesh next summer. I got a gig photographing the wedding of a fellow Ole grad next July, so I'll be leaving shortly after that. My icky job pays slightly more than I was expecting to make, so I'm going to use the extra money to spend a month in Japan and China on my way to Bangladesh (with a friend who is from China), and then another month in Europe with a few friends on my way back. Right now it's looking like I'll be teaching English at a university part time and volunteering for an NGO part time while I'm in Bangladesh. I'll be staying for a year.
I'm starting to look into a couple grad programs, but I still have no idea what I want to do so I'm basically just exploring at this point.
Email: burridge@gmail.com
12/13/04
Stuart Butcher
Class of 2004
Currently I am living in an apartment with Michael Shoemaker and Miss Anna Deschampe in the Linden Hills Neighborhood of Minneapolis. After pursuing my dream of becoming a race car driver, and failing, I decided to return to the beautiful state of Minnesota to work in the exciting and happening field of... coffee. I work at the Dunn Brothers Coffee Shop in Linden Hills as a coffee roaster, and then spend the rest of my time working across the street, at the Linden Hills Co-op. If you are in the neighborhood, please order something uncomplicated, as I do not like making medium half-caf soy mocha lattes (with light whipped cream). E-mail: n0thing2doubt@yahoo.com
1/20/05
Deanna Schuette
Class of 2004
I arrived here in Australia on the 1st of December following 40 hours of travel. I flew via London, and while it is true that that particular direction was much easier on the pocketbook, by the time we had a lay-over in Singapore I was nearing states of madness! I got into Sydney airport and could only think of how much I just wanted the feel of fresh, clean water! Day number two here (read: continuing delirium) Daniel and his father and I took a six hour trip to the country. His dad has a high school mate that lives on an 1,800 acre sheep farm. We helped herd a small part of the 800-head flock, vaccinated and sterilized (a very interesting form of castration-inquire if curious) the lambs, went kangaroo hunting for the farmdogs' dinners, and proceeded to come back to the house and kill a sheep to bring home; probably a good thing that jet-lag left me incredibly numb! It truly was an amazing few days of learning about very different ways of life, and I believe it was a good time to make the journey.
We (Daniel and extended family) headed up the coast a few hours for Christmas, and spent a week at a holiday house on the beach, followed by New Years camping further up the coast. I was in the water nearly every day and while I have almost mastered catching waves on a surf board, I have yet to move from belly to feet...I have looked every bit as ridiculous as it sounds! Culture here suggests that by the age of eight you should understand something as basic as riding a surf board...well??? A week ago we hit 110 degrees, but a few days later it was in the low-60s. Since then the temperature has gradually been climbing and I imagine that on a day not too far off, summer will be here to stay! The bush fires have ravaged an area in South Australia, and are continuing to devastate a huge area in Perth (western Oz), but have not yet come to the eastern shore-thankfully. We have had several days of rain since I've been here, a welcomed treat considering it has been three years of drought. However the Sydney dam still is settled at 39% of what should be?!
Jobless, but currently seeking, I have been applying to non-profit organizations working with intellectually or physically disabled people. I actually worked one day at an institution, but found that there are many job experiences that would enhance and better prepare me for that incredibly full-on position...it was an eye-opener to make the biggest understatement of my life! I would not know where to begin....
I have also been applying to a handful of corporate-type positions, and have been offered a two-week temporary position at a company in the heart of the city. It is called Colonial First State and works in correlation with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. While only a short stint, I will perhaps be provided access to making contacts with other employment opportunities-if that should be the direction I choose to take???
Other than searching through internet sites and paging through the paper for jobs, I have been keeping busy going on a few camping trips with friends, venturing a couple nights into the city, or just having down time reading or kicking the soccer ball around with Daniel and their dog Inca. There is much normalcy here too but I am often homesick, longing to see a snowflake or of course a real familiar face! :)
Email: deannaschuette@yahoo.com
11/29/04
Mike Shoemaker
Class of 2004
Since graduating last spring I’ve been in Mpls/St. Paul, working and interning at a community mediation program. I will be heading to Bogota, Colombia on January 4th. As a Fulbright scholar in Colombia, I will be studying the role of social development in trying to establish peace in Colombia. Any lasting peace requires that individual members of society, not just political leaders, learn to cooperate and live together. Therefore, I would like to investigate strategies for reconciliation and reintegration of armed combatants in Colombia, as well as ways in which grassroots dialogue construction and bridging social capital might be used to push the country in the direction of a peace agreement.
While in Colombia, I'll be studying at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota and will be enrolled in a one-year graduate program focusing on Theory and Experiences in the Resolution of Armed Conflict. The grant period lasts 12 months and the academic year spans about 9 of those. In the remaining time, I hope to intern at an organization specializing in conflict resolution and/or dialogue construction or carry out research on the nature and impact of peace communities in Colombia.
Email address: shoemakermjs@yahoo.com. Note from the Soc/Anthro department: Mike arrived in Bogota, Colombia on January 4, 2005 and he is documenting his experience there via a personal blog located at: http://colombiajournal.blogspot.com/
