Today, employers question whether a typical college degree equips students with the soft skills needed in the workplace—problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork.

We asked graduating students within the University of Guam, to share their opinions on the struggles of seeking employment opportunities.

Many undergraduates are beginning their transition from youth dependence to adult independence—and for the vast majority, this involves finding work to help them stay afloat. 

Has the university equipped them well enough to comfortably seek and secure employment?

“With both the junior and senior internship courses I have taken, I have been able to network with many different people from various fields of work. Therefore, I definitely think UOG has prepared me for the next chapter of my life in finding a career,” said Brandon Phillippe Cruz, a communication major at the university.

This is not the case for everyone. Mikaylla Nicole M. Alcairo, a psychology and communication major at the University of Guam, shares her perspective.

“To find a job, I would say that UOG has equipped me well enough, but I feel that if I apply for a job I would not be the best candidate,” said Alcairo. “I think that a lot of times employers rely on experience and I feel like I am somewhat lacking,” said Alcairo.

Competitiveness in a student’s major can hinder a potential undergraduate’s opportunity to attain a position once they graduate.

“I believe my major is competitive to a degree when looking at essential roles in society,” said Breanah Francisco, a communication Major at the University of Guam.  

“There are many employers and organizations that rely heavily on communication which affects every aspect of our lives,” continued Francisco.

Nathaniel Dulla, a communication major, under the public relations track, shares how he feels about competition within a major.

“I feel like because of these different routes students could take in their career in the future, there is competition. But I would say that there is always going to be competition in any field of work you want to get into,” said Dulla.

To get a head start in seeking employment opportunities, these students shared tools and resources that they use for networking and job searching.

“I use job websites like USAjobs.com and indeed.com to look for jobs. They have great features that can help individuals create a resume and offer assessments that they can put on their resume. I also have a LinkedIn account so that helps me to network as well,” recommended Alcairo.

While most recommend the use of social media applications, Cruz shares a different approach.

“The skills of public speaking and human interaction are just a few things I have developed over time throughout the courses I have taken within my program,” mentioned Cruz. “I find myself more comfortable speaking to and in front of people in a much more confident approach.”

Fighting through the last few weeks of the semester, these undergraduates share the same tenacity to finish the semester strong and look forward to graduating in May 2023. 

The post Ain’t It Fun? Living In The Real World: The Struggle Of Communication Undergraduates Seeking Employment Opportunities appeared first on The Triton's Call.

If you are in need of some tried-and-true music blasting through your speakers, look no further than the UOG Summer Playlist 2023 to get you in the summer mood. 

Thanks to University of Guam students, the Tritons Call staff was able to generate a playlist based on their feedback.

To kick things off, students hand-picked songs that they enjoy listening to when they feel the warmth of the sun beaming down on them.

“The song that I want to play when I feel the warmth of the sun beaming on me is “Champagne Dial” by Col3trane,” said Marian Salenga, a major in psychology at the University of Guam. “It has a beat that makes me bump my head left right up and down.” 

Lorenzo Jorolan, a bio-medical major, recommended another banger.  

““Feels” by Calvin Harris, even though it’s a bit of an older song, stays as a staple in my summer playlist because of its “electropical” feel and catchy pre-chorus and chorus,” said Jorolan.

“Nothing but good vibrations when listening and singing along to this song with friends or family.”

Speaking of good vibrations, Kyra Perez, communication and philosophy major at the University of Guam, suggested “Island Under the Sun” by Weezer.

However, If you are feeling romantic this summer, then look no further than Salenga’s pick.

““Superlove” by Whethan ft. Oh Wonder, as the title suggests, enhances the feelings of summer love,” said Salenga. “The beautiful tune of Oh Wonder and the intricate drop created by Whethan just concocts absolute love waves in your brain.”

If you are not already feeling the summer love, take a listen to the next pick by Perez that will guarantee that you will fall in love this summer. 

“No summer lover, but “Closer” by The Chainsmokers has always had a summer love vibe,” said Perez.

Are you worried that the playlist will not have popular songs you can jam to? Jorolan has got you with his pick.

“Let us face it, whether you are into K-pop or not, “Cupid” by Fifty-Fifty is a song that when played everyone will sing along to and would be stuck in people’s heads for the next four days. There is no debate on that,” said Jorolan.

As if we were done with the conversation of summer love, Salenga drops another great recommendation that we guarantee all of you will know the lyrics to.

“One song I can guarantee my people would know is “LOVE” by Keyshia Cole. It is a timeless song that we can sing at any moment of life L-O-L,” said Salenga.

Perez suggests a more of a punk-rock tune that will surely get you screaming at the top of your lungs this summer.

““Sugar We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy is a classic pop-rock anthem,” said Perez.

Wrapping up our summer picks are songs that will make you want to roll down your windows and blast them through your speakers.

““Jaime All Over” by Mayday Parade, is a classic summer pop-rock song about going on adventures and just being in the moment,” said Perez.

Once you are done with pop-rocking, take a quick listen to Jorolan’s pick.

““Pepas” by Farruko is a song that my cousins and I listen to on road trips,” mentioned Jorolan. “It might sound like more of a meme when we listen to this song, but the feeling is just unmatched when the windows are down. Everyone is screaming and the inside of the car is just completely rowdy.”

Finally, we top the playlist off with Salenga’s personal favorite.

“A song that I just wanna blast with my windows down and belt out is “Jaded” by Miley Cyrus,” said Salenga.

Now that you are equipped with new summer bangers, do you feel ready to start your 2023 summer? Tune in to the playlist available on Spotify and DM to our Instagram, @tritonscall to get your music featured and added to the summer mix.

Link to the playlist:

The post DJ, Blow My Speakers Up: Tritons Make A Summer Playlist To Kick Off The Summer appeared first on The Triton's Call.

We asked three University of Guam students on how they are feeling during midterms and the ways they manage their stress.

Waynuel Caraig, a Secondary Education Major and English Minor at the University of Guam shares his experience with midterms. 

“I would say the main cause of it is just the sheer amount of things I have to do on top of midterms. With six classes at school plus extra hours at work, it feels like I have so little time to really put as much effort as I would like into studying,” said Caraig.

“Personally, stress feels like an unbearable weight on my chest with a mix of panic,” said Raianne Quichocho, an Integrative Biology major at the University of Guam. “Sometimes it affects my abilities to complete daily tasks because I am so worried about the thing I am stressing about.”

Caraig and Quichocho  agree that attempting to balance their classes while studying for midterms causes them to experience immense amounts of stress, which is why it is important for students to take care of their mental health, especially after these challenging times.

“I really just sit back and enjoy the time I have before the next thing. Whether that be going out with friends, playing video games, skateboarding, or even just sitting down doing nothing. Once I press that last submit button, I just go back to life as normal,” says Caraig.

Though some students get to relax after midterms, others like Alyssa Dela Cruz, a Communications Major at the University of Guam are forced to utilize their time to prepare for the final half of the semester. 

“Ideally I sleep or do things I usually do not have time for, but there are usually things to prepare for the second half of the semester that could take up my time,” said Dela Cruz.

Caraig, Quichocho, and Dela Cruz shared a few insights into how other students can relax and unwind after the end of their midterms.

Quichocho suggests, “To take lots of breaks and make time to do what you love. Even if it’s only a few minutes a day, that short amount of time can really alter your mood. For example, going on a short walk can be a great stress reliever.”

“The best thing someone can do for themselves is just to build a really solid support system. Whether that be friends, family, co-workers, a significant other, etc. Other people can make a huge difference in helping you not go insane when you’re overwhelmed. While you should not rely on everyone else to solve your problems, it is nice to have a little help sometimes,” says Caraig.

Dela Cruz leaves students with an important message, “Make sure you’re making time for things that make you happy. Treat managing your mental health like it is a responsibility because it is.”

The post But Now We’re Stressed Out! Stress-Relieving Tips from Students appeared first on The Triton's Call.

ChatGPT is an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) system built to understand and generate natural language text in a way that closely resembles human communication.

We interviewed three University of Guam students to get their thoughts and opinions on the rise of AI and its implementation in the education system.

A Communications and Media major stated, “I typically use it on simple assignments that require extended responses, as well as assignments that I consider to be “busywork”. What would normally take me 1-2 hours to complete will only take me 30 minutes now if I use ChatGPT,” the student explained.

“I typically use them in essays where I sometimes need to paraphrase or try and re-word my sentences,” a Computer Science major commented.

The implementation of AI tools into students’ academic careers has proven itself to be beneficial not only for them, but professors as well.

“I think it should be implemented into students’ academic journeys because, like other online resources, it helps individuals to be more efficient and effective with their work,” said the Communication student.

“I think it can be used effectively in academics. I think teachers or professors would be able to use it for brainstorming or even to help draft discussion questions,” a Criminal Justice major added.

Students believe that these tools will be the future in one’s academic career. 

Another Computer Science major stated that “AI will be shaping the future of the education system by supplying answers to the teacher or students. It can create a whole lesson plan on one specific topic and it can be used to help aid in simple and complex research,” said the student.

These students go as far as to recommend the usage of AI tools in one’s academic career.

“I would recommend the usage of AI tools to students. AI tools can now help summarize paragraphs and write an essay for you as a starting guide,” the Computer Science student shared.

“It can be useful for brainstorming for things like a topic for a paper. Someone could type in an abstract, broken thought and get back a whole picture to help them get started,” the Criminal Justice student added.

AI tools will not only save you time and energy creating a starting foundation for you, but ensure you make time for yourself and others.

“I still do my homework on things I need to learn to pass, I just use AI to handle the things I don’t want to do or find meaningless, which allows me to spend more time focusing on the more important activities and people in my life,” the Communication student said.

Though OpenAI’s new chatbot, ChatGPT, raises concerns for the future of academia, its potential as an educational tool outweighs its risks and should therefore be incorporated into the education system.

The post My Dirty Little Secret: The Future of AI in the Education System appeared first on The Triton's Call.

However, there is a noticeable lack of campus pride at the University. We interviewed three University of Guam (UOG) students to figure out the importance of campus pride and whether or not it is beneficial to us as students.

“Campus pride matters to me because it’s where we (students) spend most of our time. We should like how our campus looks and be able to enjoy what our campus has to offer,” says Loreal Quichocho, a social work major at UOG.

Christian Gyles Ramos, Student Government Association (SGA) Treasure at the University shares a similar testament. “Campus pride matters because the special thing about it is that we all come from different majors, interests, backgrounds, and communities, but we are all Tritons… This goes on even after one graduates,” says Ramos.

“… it enhanced my student life on campus and virtual settings,” said Muturwan Choay, a graduate student and Outreach Coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences(CLASS) Dean’s Office at the University. 

“Through my undergraduate years and during the pandemic, being a Triton connected me to resources that helped me network and find opportunities that matched my interests and skills…” said Choay.

Benefits of Campus Pride

Students are aware of the benefits a campus enriched with school spirit can entail.

“…it means students are happy,” says Quichocho. “The well-being of students are important because they’ll have the motivation to participate at events, engage in classes, and more.”

Others believe that it can increase enrollment rates and create a strong bond with the community beyond the campus.

“Campus pride will definitely benefit the university as it will increase enrollment and motivate students to choose their local university,” said Ramos.

“…By enhancing student life with inclusive events and accessible tools/technology, campus pride will result from a satisfied student population,” said Choay.

In addition to a satisfied population, Choay believes that it will take a community within the University to greatly impact students interested in attending a college.

“Improving the efforts to attract more students to go to college and complete their degrees takes the whole university to achieve,” Choay believes. “Our presence in the local community and the region of Micronesia is important to uplift our image as a campus filled with Triton pride.”

The post Green and Gold but Student’s Fold?: Looking At Fraying Ties of Student Pride appeared first on The Triton's Call.

However, finding the appropriate approach or simply the time to study can be just as challenging as taking that midterm. We polled three UOG students on their study methods to determine what is effective.

“I like to use the Pomodoro studying technique, which is 25 minutes of studying and then a five-minute break after each. I typically do this for two hours or more depending on the amount of work I need done,” says Alyanna Bantugan, a Communications major at the University.

Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, setting a timer for 25 minutes and taking a five-minute break afterward can be an effective studying technique for some students.

This differs from Devin Santos, a Computer Science major at the University who prefers a more direct approach. “At least an hour of study, no interruptions. I perform adequately, usually B’s or low A,” said Santos.

It is a discipline that produces results for Santos, “It ensures I get seven hours of study time if done in a week,” says Santos.

Students frequently struggle with procrastination, which can hinder their progress and result in extremely poor scores.

“I often procrastinate more than I study because of my short attention span. I find it hard to focus on one thing at once,” said Alexandra Lekites, a Public Health major at the University. “There would be times when I can’t strictly focus on just studying, and it leads to me procrastinating.” 

In addition to procrastination, learning to manage time effectively is something else Lekites plans on working on, “I also need to work on time management because I find it difficult to find time in the day, when I’m not tired, to study,” said Lekites.

“It makes me feel like I’ve been set back because of how unproductive I am,” said Bantugan.

“It would also cause me to have a bad grade when I know I could’ve done better than I did.” 

Students have multiple methods and tools that help them attain passing grades in their classes, determining what study method is effective is left for the student to discover themselves.

The post I Can’t Be Sitting and Relaxing: Study Habit Tips From Students appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Southern Mountain Gear is a company founded by Daniel and Aaron Holmes, providing quality hiking and adventure gear for long time or beginner hikers. 

An event that began 14 months ago has prospered through the pandemic, despite the condition of the island and the social distancing rules mandated by the government.

“Really just a sense of community and get fit kinda exercising,” Aaron said. 

This event is geared towards the individuals who feel trapped at home and are looking for a sense of escape to focus their minds on other things.

“I think that sense of community is super helpful for people right now.” Aaron said. “We really wanted to do everything we could to still proceed with that.”

After the 5k, runners socialized and drank cold beverages near the Guam Museum, in front of their shop, while they followed social distancing protocols. To stay up to date with their latest announcements and events, you can visit their Instagram page @southernmountaingear or visit their website at https://www.southernmountaingear.com/.

The post Get Ready, Get Set, Go!: 5k Run Night appeared first on The Triton's Call.

The organization received self-care products such as :

• Shampoo
• Toothpaste
• Diapers
• Wipes 
• Toothbrushes
• Body lotion and 
• Toilet tissue

The goal of the event was to support families that are not able to afford the necessities during these times. The organization receives many requests for various types of supplies, but hygienic supplies were the most requested.

One of the biggest challenges include the collective’s volunteer size. They receive about 200 calls from individuals who were impacted by the pandemic seeking assistance. They currently lack volunteers and are unable to provide the help needed to these individuals.

Para Todus Hit is a mutual aid collective, with community members coming together to meet the needs of the community. Throughout the collective runs the values of the Chamorro principles, such as Inafa’maolek and Chenchule’. 

Families in need may contact them at 482-8950 or message them on Instagram at @para.todus.hit.

The post Help For Families In Need; A Collective Hosts Donation Drive appeared first on The Triton's Call.

The idea of her business sparked from her persistence to sell digital goods on the e-commerce website, Etsy. Part of her aim was to create a business that prioritized fashion and elegance. She started researching eCom babes price to learn the basics of eCommerce and with support and encouragement from fellow peers, she began her journey of crafting silk satin masks. 

Hannah attributes her success to good marketing, planning, and establishing a niche that was unsaturated. 

While Hannah continues to maintain her business, she also balances her school. She provided tips on how she manages to stay afloat during these unprecedented times.

“Two things: do not procrastinate and always do first things first”, said Hannah.

She keeps multiple track recording systems in order to ensure that she stays on top of things, noting that management is a mindset.

The challenges she currently faces include focusing on school and managing her time running Accentuate.

The post Reap What You Sew: Marzan Hannah, owner of Accentuate.gu appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Organized by Gretchen Andres, a former English teacher from Tiyan High School, the program began in 2017.  

Kimberly Casta, curriculum resource teacher at Tiyan High School, is now spearheading the program to guide students towards a better future.

Through the program, volunteer teachers hold private lunch tutoring sessions to students who plan to take the English and math placement test for the University of Guam.

According to Casta, the main goal of Titan Bridge is to offer eligible 12^th graders the opportunity for advancement, college exposure and college courses at a reduced rate.

“It may not seem like it at the time, but even if you take one class that’s almost $2,000 in savings,” Casta said. “If you are eligible for two then that’s almost $3,000 to $4,000 in savings and that makes a difference.”

Students can expect to pay for their application form, placement tests and other fees. Casta has been helping students to try and cover their costs.

Students would write a letter to a company of their choice asking for partial or full assistance. 

The program is also looking into other ways to try and cover student funds.

“They even considered asking if we make it a club and do fundraising, but it all depends on the busy schedule of a senior and the one lady running the program,” Casta said.

Water Under the Bridge

While covering costs is one challenge, the program has also had a difficult time getting students to qualify to actually enroll in its courses. 

Patrick Borja, a math instructor at Tiyan High School, hosts tutor lunch sessions to help students reach a passing score or higher in the math placement test. Recently, students have not been attaining a passing score in order to qualify in the program’s course.

“It does sadden me because it is a free-tuition college class that high schoolers could take at Tiyan instead of having to commute to UOG,” Borja said. “But what’s more important is helping students place into college-level math.”

Casta and Borja are working together to find a way for students to attain the passing score. One of the solutions proposed was for students to skip practice and to instead attend after school tutoring in order to become fully prepared for the placement test. 

High hopes for the program are at large because according to Sharlene Santos-Bamba, Ph.D., the associate dean of UOG’s College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, there are possibilities to expand course offerings in the program.

“UOG has had conversations with GDOE about expanding offerings. There is a process and criteria that have to be followed,” Bamba said.

The Bridge to Success

Former 2019 Titan Bridge student Desarie Mallari commented on how the program helped her through her college journey.

“The Titan Bridge program has helped me by giving me a taste of how college classes really are while in high school,” Mallari said. “Because I was able to get EN110 out of the way in my senior year, I got to add one more class in my schedule for my first semester in college.”

Casta said many students who have gone through the program are now attending the University of Guam. For those who have applied for colleges off-island, the program has gotten them to where they wanted. The program overall helped improve their reading, writing and math skills.

The post A Titan Bridge to Success appeared first on The Triton's Call.