“It was the most enlightening and educational crash course into this industry,” senior David McRorie said of the program last year.

McRorie took the Assistant Directing course and learned the practical/logistics of film production such as paper work, pre-production/production process, and scheduling. This allowed him to learn class theory as well as first-hand skills on set.

“I learned more during that month than I ever did during school about the logistics and workings of the film industry,” he said. “It was intense, but worth it.”

The Film Industry Training Program is a one-month course that runs from June 7 to July 2. It trains people from ages 18-60 how to work on a film in a specific field. The 10 departments include Assistant Directors, Producing Office Coordinator, Script Supervision, Set Construction, Props and Dressing, Locations Management, Lighting and Grip, Camera, Sound, and Wardrobe.

In the last two years, the training has taken place at Norwalk and Middlesex Community Colleges, but this year it’s making its way to Quinnipiac University. Only one hundred applicants will be accepted to the program this year.

“This is one of the best things we do at Quinnipiac,” said Liam O’Brien, chair of the Film, Video and Interactive Media department. “There is nothing like this in the U.S. It’s the only one of its kind.”

Not only do students get hands-on experience from the program, but also the opportunity to build relationships with the motion picture professionals in the field.

“What is amazing about the program is that the trainers are real professionals,” O’Brien said. “The actors are Connecticut residents.”

McRorie came into the program with an open mind and said he participated in any opportunity he had.

“Go in with an open mind. Be willing to learn every little detail you can, even if it is someone else’s department or job, because it will always come in use in the future,” McRorie said.

To find out more information, contact Professor Liam O’Brien. Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 23.

Since Jan. 1, 100 percent of Quinnipiac’s electricity requirements have come from renewable energy credits.

The University has decided to “go green” to advance its environmental position in the community and in the realm of higher education, according to Associate Director of Facilities Keith Woodward, leader of Quinnipiac’s Sustainability Interest Group.

“We have been talking for three to four months about wanting to make all of the electricity green,” Woodward said.

Through Quinnipiac’s electric supplier, Trans Canada, the University obtained Connecticut Class II Renewable Energy Credits, converting garbage, certain hydropower and bio mass supplies to energy.

“We needed to work through the renewable energy credits with our supplier and in the end we could provide Quinnipiac with 100 percent green electricity as defined by the state of Connecticut,” Woodward said.

Laboratory Instructor Kristen Richardson, organizer for Quinnipiac’s Sustainability Interest Group, is also aware that more can be done for the environment.

According to the American Coal Foundation, nine out of every 10 tons of coal mined in the United States today is used to generate electricity, and more than half of the electricity used in the U.S. is coal-generated.

“I feel electricity can be the dirtiest form of energy,” Richardson said.

Most electricity is generated by coal because it is the cheapest fossil fuel. When coal is burned, it creates steam that pollutes the air.

The University has also made other environmentally-friendly changes to improve the school. Approximately 40 percent of its chemicals are Green Seal certified.

“All of our paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels meet or exceed EPA standards for recycled paper content,” Woodward said.

Quinnipiac has replaced 383 toilets this past summer. This will decrease the water usage by about 2 million gallons on the Mount Carmel campus.

A hydration station was also installed on campus to decrease the use of water and to try to persuade the community to reuse their water bottle.  The first location is in Tator Hall next to a water fountain by the Computer Help Desk.

“It’s important for everyone to try being more environmental-conscious,” Woodward said. “I think anything we can do to help our environment is a step in the right direction.”

Quinnipiac recently received a $11,130 check for installing environmentally-friendly lights in the Facilities building.

First-year law students Ryan Cleckner and Brian Gregorio decided to form a student organization that took an active interest in helping these veterans.

Cleckner and Gregorio, who are veterans themselves, formed the Veteran’s Advocacy Group. They brought awareness to the campus by helping students learn about civil-military legal relations, military legal careers, combatting post-traumatic stress disorder and other related issues. They also felt it was important that law students participate in community service.

More than a dozen law students have joined this group in just three short weeks. They have already helped many veterans in the local area.

“We have received an amazing amount of support from the students and faculty in the law school community,” Gregorio said.

This organization has an special meaning to these two law students. Gregorio is a former U.S. Army Military Intelligence interrogator/linguist and the group’s Vice president. He returned from three years of service this past spring.

Cleckner is a former sniper in the First Ranger Battalion and he is the group’s president.

“I think it’s a great group that addresses a phenomenal issue,” Cleckner said. “A classroom is very far removed from a battlefield, and it is important to remember there are men and women serving in harm’s way for us.”

There are many veterans who live in Connecticut, and Cleckner and Gregorio want to expand the Veteran’s Advocacy Group to help as many as possible. They know firsthand how difficult it is to return to civilian life after being away for a long period of time.

“We felt that as veterans and law students, we had a unique opportunity to assist our fellow service members who may be experiencing difficulties in transitioning back to civilian life,” Gregorio said.

They want to make this adjustment as easy as possible and make the community aware of the difficulties many veterans face.

“Our primary goal is to reach out to these individuals and let them know that their service is not forgotten and there are those who want to help,” Gregorio said.

“You have to have desire,” Franco said. “Passion is the main feeling you have to have in order to be part of ESPN.”

ESPN headquarters, located in Bristol, Conn., produces more than 50,000 live shows a year and also distributes sports content across 18 platforms.

Quinnipiac University alumnus Evan Collins started working for the company right out of college. Collins graduated from Quinnipiac in 2004. He is now in charge of production and produces live games.

“There are so many great opportunities here and this is a job to enjoy,” Collins said. “It takes a lot of hard work and passion.”

Franco noted the importance of standing out from the crowd.

“Looking for a job or internship with our sports network is about what you can bring to the table, what can you do for ESPN,” Franco said.

“A student, who was applying for the job with us, handed me his résumé attached with a pair of glasses,” Franco said. “I didn’t have a clue what the glasses were for. The student actually made his résumé in 3-D.”

Applicants sent ESPN 9,500 résumés to ESPN last summer. However, only 55 of those applicants were accepted.

Quinnipiac University student Kristen Swartz interned for ESPN in the department of International Communications. She updated stories on the Web site and kept people informed on current events. The people working at ESPN welcomed Swartz and made her feel like she was at home.

“It was a blast,” Swartz said. “I had lots of respect from ESPN workers for my editing and had the opportunity to meet a lot of nice people.

“They treated me as a professional and not as an intern, which was great.”

If a position at ESPN interests you, go to ESPNcareers.com and upload your résumé.

Franco said that an internship was a pivotal part of education.

“Be a sponge; acknowledge as much experience as you can,” he said.

The group began when Colleen Driscoll, visiting assistant professor of political science, received an invitation from the Harvard University Model UN program. Since Quinnipiac has never had a Model UN program before, she thought it was a perfect opportunity to start one.

When Driscoll spread the word to students about trying to form this new group, she only thought about 10 people would be interested. However, there was a bigger turnout than she expected, with about 30 student joining.

Junior Adam Horgan said he joined Model UN because he loved politics and, “this will be an exceptional way to gain team work skills in the political arena.”

Ashley Fry, another junior member, said she joined because, “It is great way to learn about how the U.N works, as well as learn about other’s countries cultures, especially cultures that are less known.”

Since this is a student-run group, students will meet and discuss what they want to do in regards to the country they are representing. Because Model UN was new to Quinnipiac, Driscoll wanted countries that were easier to work with.

Driscoll didn’t expect to hear from Harvard until the beginning of December about which countries and committees the students at Quinnipiac would represent. However, because Harvard had many colleges interested, they released the countries immediately. They were Cote d’Ivoire and Monaco.

“They gave us two countries because of the size of our delegation based on the number of students interested in participating,” Driscoll said.

The students representing each country will be further broken down into committees of one or two students. Each country will have 16 committees.

The Harvard Model UN session will be held from Feb. 11-14. There will also be other events besides the Model UN discussions.

“Besides having the Model UN meetings at Harvard, there will also be speeches, career building and dances,” Driscoll said.

Professor Sean Duffy, who is also involved new Model UN group, said, “A lot of students get interested in international affairs and Model UN is interested in doing that.”

Duffy wants the Model UN program to continue its quick growth.

“Eventually I want to represent Model UN with student government and have a student leader for the group,” Duffy said.

But a new student business organization, Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs, is hoping to make it a little easier. The new group aims to help students who are interested in starting their own businesses.

Eric Byrd of Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs is using everything he has in order to help this student-run group become officially recognized. He believes this will help the students receive the confidence they need in order to start their own businesses.

“I hope to bring to Quinnipiac something that will give all of our students the resources and confidence to start their own business as well as the edge our business school needs in the competitive business environment,” Byrd said.

Entrepreneurs will focus mainly on individual projects and focus on creating or analyzing businesses in and around Hamden. Students will have to determine how to make these businesses more efficient. Students can pick and choose projects. They will have their consultant group work with local businesses and students that need help getting their business off the ground.

“We don’t want to take out business plans, we just want to help them,” Byrd said.

Initial profits for this group would be to begin internships and new micro-funds. The non-profit would include finding staffing and new business start-ups. The non-profit would also be sending the student consultants abroad on internships to work with entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Also, besides reaching out to businesses, Entrepreneurs will have their consultant group work with the Learning Center. Marketing majors in the consultant group will tutor students.

“Our goal is to create a consultant group,” Byrd said. “In order to guide, consultants will be there to point students in the right direction and create awareness.”

Byrd hopes in the future to combine Students In Free Enterprise, another business group here at Quinnipiac, and Entrepreneurs together into one group. Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs would partner with SIFE to help run businesses.

Students and faculty interested in joining Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs can e-mail QEGmembership@gmail.com.

“Entrepreneurship means to undertake,” Byrd said. “What better way to teach leadership through that. Being a leader, take something on yourself.”