Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
Happy Sunday, y'all. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the capstone. And we are in the throes of March, my friend.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: March Madness.
[00:00:18] Speaker A: You know, it really is. It's so. I don't know, you know, and I was thinking about what we should talk about in this first segment, because you know me, I'm always taking us on this really rogue kind of situation before we get into the meat and potatoes of what we're actually talking about today with our guest. But I was trying to prepare, and I was going to mention so in our staff meetings in health promotion and wellness, one of our team members, she originates from Texas A and M. She was a grad assistant there, and so she's been trying to bring over some of their team's traditions to our teams. And so we've been kicking off the staff meeting with a question of the day. And so one of the recent questions of the day, I was like, oh, Nika. And I could talk about this on air. So I am curious, Nika, what would you want as your final meal? Should you have to choose your final meal for whatever kind of scenario? I didn't want to paint this picture of, like, oh, you're on death row and whatever. But, you know, what would be your final perfect meal?
[00:01:24] Speaker B: Oh, my word.
[00:01:25] Speaker A: I know. Because honestly, I. In terms of the food front, I feel like I know some things about you, but probably the primary thing that I know is that you are a fellow lover of candy. But as far as, like, actual savory foods, I was like, what. What is Nika's aesthetic? Like, what's. What's the vibe there, food wise?
[00:01:45] Speaker B: I think I would probably want my mom's home cooking. Like, I want. I would want, like, her Mac and cheese and turnip greens and cornbread and green bean casserole.
[00:01:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:01:57] Speaker B: Just those kinds of fun things.
[00:01:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:01:59] Speaker B: But that's kind of sad to think about. What. What was your last meal? I don't know.
[00:02:04] Speaker A: It's like a hodgepodge of things. Dessert would definitely be involved, and it's one of those things. Where do I go with some nostalgic favorites that are things that my grandmother used to make that are traditional Filipino foods? Like, I used to always generalize. It would be like, oh, like a really good steak and a potato, and then my favorite dessert. And the dessert would either be some form of ice cream or creme brulee. I do like those desserts. But then food Wise, like, am I somebody going to judge me if I say like a really, really good slice of pizza? It's like, and you know, it's like, do you want to waste your last meal on pizza? Well, if it's the right kind of pizza, maybe.
[00:02:45] Speaker B: Well, I mean, you hit the nail on the head when you said, I'm a candy lover. I really just love sugar because I think my last dessert, I would want cotton candy in circus peanuts.
[00:02:54] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:02:55] Speaker B: What does that say about I. Cheesecake.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: Creme brulee. But just, you know, go, go down to the good old Dollar General and get me some circus peanuts, you know.
[00:03:04] Speaker A: I mean, which you are probably. I can only count maybe three humans in my life that like circus peanuts, and you are one of them.
[00:03:12] Speaker B: I keep them in business. I do. I'm just, if people look and go, how are they still in business? It's probably because of me.
[00:03:19] Speaker A: Yeah. Now, I mean, like there, I, I know people that have similar sentiments about things like candy corn.
[00:03:25] Speaker B: I, I, I love some candy corn.
[00:03:27] Speaker A: I do love some candy corn too.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: So I like Twizzlers. People say, you know, it's like ch DMI cords, but I love Twizzlers.
[00:03:35] Speaker A: We, we do love Twizzlers in our household too. So. Okay. So it's good to know there's going to be some candy there. There would be some mom's home cooking, like all that kind of good stuff. Okay. Okay, that's good to know. Cuz that lets me like, think for the future if I ever need to like bring you a meal when you're sick, I'll know that you want some like down home favorites.
[00:03:54] Speaker B: Yeah. And then I'll know that I'm probably close to death if you're bringing me my last meal.
[00:03:59] Speaker A: I know you're like, wait a second, what is happening here? Well, if you are joining us and you're. What in the world are they talking about? Is this what today's episode is going to be about? Let me tell you, listeners, absolutely not. So the great thing about today, as always, we have been really bringing it this year with our guests, which we do every year. You know, we've had a really great mix, particularly this semester, of a lot of student guests, which I think has been nice. You know, we haven't gotten to do that all the time, just with student schedules for some of the different student organizations that we have invited. But we've been really lucky to do that this spring. But today we're going to pivot back to our roots with having Some of our different campus partners on the show today with some of our professional staff. But we're going to leave that there as a teaser. I will say that it is a department within the division of student life, so we'll put that out there. But you guys, we are going to take a quick break. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7, the Capstone.
WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:05:15] Speaker B: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to FIT to be tied with Sheena and Na on 90.7, the capstone.
[00:05:21] Speaker A: You absolutely are. And if you have been joining us since the first segment, you're probably thinking, okay, they are about to make the pivot from the candy talk and the last meal talk. And I know before the break, I was kind of teasing that we have a guest on today that is actually one of our campus partners. I will just cut to the chase and welcome Mr. Sadaris Williams, who is director for the center for service and Leadership on Campus, Sudaris. Thanks for coming today.
[00:05:51] Speaker C: Thank you for having me. Sheena and Nika, I'm glad to be here today with you guys.
[00:05:55] Speaker A: Yes. And I know that as we were kind of in break mode before we started this segment, you started pondering yourself what would be your last meal. So talk that out with us for just a second. What could at least be on the table for you?
[00:06:11] Speaker C: On the table? Everything. All right, so. So here's the thing about me. I am very a mood eater.
So my girlfriend gets mad at me all the time because, like, you know, she doesn't ever. She never knows what she wants to eat. And hers is always as long as not McDonald's. So mine is like, all right, so what am I in the mood for today?
So it is depending on the day if I'm in the mood for. And what I really hate is when we're in the mood for something and then I go there and it's either clothes or it's just disgusting. Yes. So then I'm upset. So now, like, I've wasted a meal. What could be on the table? Pizza could be on the table.
[00:06:51] Speaker A: Okay, okay.
[00:06:52] Speaker C: Fried chicken could really be on the table.
[00:06:55] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:06:55] Speaker B: From a particular place.
[00:06:58] Speaker C: I mean, like, if it's mom's fried chicken, if it's like sometimes, you know, Popeyes is like the movement a hamburger. There's some good places I've had with some really good hamburgers that I would say, like, oh, that would be a really good.
[00:07:12] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah.
[00:07:14] Speaker C: There's some restaurants on the table, too. So, like, it's just. Just all depends on the day. So it may be like. It may be like, some. I would really love mom's home cooked meals and like, some green. Like a Thanksgiving meal would be perfect. Like, oh, my gosh, like a Thanksgiving meal. I'm sorry, but you can leave the Mac and cheese out for me.
That is not a I'm. That is always a no for me.
[00:07:35] Speaker B: You and my stepdad. My stepdad does not like Mike and J either.
[00:07:39] Speaker A: I can respect that. Like, I have to be in the mood for it, but I don't. I don't think I'm like, all about it in the same way that other people are. It's very. It's kind of like me going to TJ Maxx. Like, I have to be in the mood to go or to eat it, so.
[00:07:55] Speaker C: Well, I just don't like cheese, so. Which is. That's like. Yeah, so I do not like cheese. And then most people like. Well, how do you not like cheese? But you like pizza. It has to be a good bread sauce cheese ratio for pizza with toppings on it. If it's too cheesy the pizza, I won't like it.
So we went to. She went to Chicago one time and we got a deep dish. We got like a Chicago deep dish. And it was so cheesy, I just had to fight through it because I spent too much money on it. But I mean, it was. Yeah, so it doesn't. Yeah, it's never.
[00:08:26] Speaker A: Man. Listeners, if there were ever a time that I wish that you could watch this recording and not just listen to it. All of the facial expressions that Nika has had during this commentary about cheese. I love it so much.
[00:08:40] Speaker B: That was what I just had before I came over here. I went to the refrigerator in the office and got me a little slice of cheddar cheese.
[00:08:47] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:08:47] Speaker B: Hey, I'm a little mouse.
[00:08:49] Speaker C: No, I mean, everybody gives me the same look. So, like, when I. The look you gave me, I've been experiencing for 41 years of my life.
[00:08:55] Speaker A: I was in shock.
[00:08:56] Speaker C: So it's like everybody's in shock. But I mean, it's serious. Like rotel dip, macaroni and cheese.
[00:09:02] Speaker B: Like, there's my face again.
[00:09:03] Speaker A: I can't hide it.
[00:09:04] Speaker C: I mean, like, the smell of it makes me like.
Yeah, so it's not my jam.
[00:09:10] Speaker A: Well, since we did not bring you on, thankfully, as the connoisseur of cheese.
[00:09:15] Speaker C: Nope, that's not me.
[00:09:17] Speaker A: We'll loop back into kind of our original agenda. And so you have already shared so Much about you just now in terms of food preferences. But we'll go with our traditional, like Sedars. Tell us hometown, academic background, professional background prior to coming to ua. You know, we always like to use this segment to really get to know our guests. And you've already set the stage for that with the food preferences. So now we'll go to the basics of the hometown, academics and professional background.
[00:09:47] Speaker C: So great. I am from.
Okay, so from. From.
This is how I explain this. I'm from Birmingham, but like neighborhood kind of city wise. I'm from Tarrant, which is a very small, like, I think it's the weirdest thing in the world. It's a very small city that is surrounded by Birmingham on kind of like the east northeast side over by the airport. You drive through Tarrant, you get. You're back in Birmingham. You drive on the other side where you're back in Birmingham. Across the street from my high school was Inglenook, which is a neighborhood in Birmingham. So it's like very similar. Surrounded by Birmingham. I went to Tarrant High school, graduated in 2001, and then I matriculated Detroit University.
[00:10:32] Speaker B: Very nice.
[00:10:33] Speaker C: When I first got there, it was Troy State University. So I was there doing a name change to become Troy University.
Graduated with a degree in athletic training.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:10:43] Speaker C: Then decided to go back to go to school.
Originally I thought I was gonna go like be athletic trainer in a high school. So I was starting to get my education degree that did. I had some little hurdles in that situation. Now I said, you know what? I love higher ed. I started like trying to do a little work study in higher ed and then like part time job. And I just got a degree in sport and fitness management as with my master's and then I'm currently in the EDD program, executive cohort program, higher ed here at the university.
[00:11:17] Speaker B: Very cool. When are you going to finish that up?
[00:11:20] Speaker C: When I finish my dissertation. So that's. Yeah, yeah. It's the pain in my side right now.
[00:11:26] Speaker A: Yeah. Now can you on air tell us what your dissertation topic is or what it is set as?
[00:11:33] Speaker C: Yeah, which it kind of. I can.
In which it kind of goes back into my background of like who I am.
So I am looking to study, look into the black males who are in like predominantly white student organizations and like how they got there and their leadership positions in which. So for a long time I worked at Troy University in our student involvement office. So I worked with like our student government, our. I mean, first reform, which is another version of our student government, Greek Life, University Activities Council, student organizations. So just getting students overall involved. So I did that for about 12 years and also involved some student organizations too, as well. And one thing I noticed is that a lot of our black males were not highly involved, like, in a lot of our student organizations. It's not really an sga. They struggled to get involved in SGA or didn't want to also, like, in your ambassador's programs and, like, student organizations. So trying to, like, talk to students who were involved in those, like, why they get involved in those and, like, how they were beneficial to them.
[00:12:39] Speaker A: Okay, I love that. And I think not only your dissertation topic, but also you talking about your academic background. Because I think that for a lot of our listeners, especially those that might be considering a role in higher ed in the future, especially in student affairs, student life and comparable divisions, that there's not necessarily this, like, one perfect mold of what that academic background is or should be. I feel like across the division of student life, because we offer so many different types of services, people have so many different types of backgrounds. Like, you know, I think about for myself having a bachelor's and master's in Human nutrition, you know, and so I appreciate you sharing that. And, you know, thinking now about your role, Sudaris, as director for the center of Service and Leadership. I know that you are newer to the capstone, having just started your role last year.
Kind of tell us a little bit about your role and what drew you to this opportunity and just making the change to try to be here in Tuscaloosa.
[00:13:47] Speaker C: Great question.
So once again, it goes back to my cohort. So there was a young man in my cohort who just felt like I just need to be at ua. And he continues to tell me that over and over again.
And now I went blank on his name. And I know what his name is, too.
[00:14:07] Speaker A: Hey, that's okay.
It'll pop up.
[00:14:10] Speaker C: It'll pop up. It'll pop up a little bit.
And so.
So. Which caused me to get here. So. And I was. I was. I was in the transition period for a long time. I served as assistant director. I was looking to move up and like, in job and roles, UA has always been the.
The university that I wanted to look at. I was. I felt like that working at a small university for a long time. You always. I always wonder, am I good at my job because I'm at a small place? I just. I went to school here, and I know everything about this institution, or am I good at my job because the fact I know students I care about students, and I, like, understand the process of what we're trying to do. And so I just took the leap of faith and to apply and came here, and it just. Everything happened at the right time of transition wise of, like, looking for something. And it's also something I care about. I care about the community. I care about being involved in the community.
And also, like, a lot of our programs, I've done similar stuff too. So it was kind of like a perfect transition to what I feel like would be next for me in my profession as well.
[00:15:18] Speaker A: Well, I can already tell that Nika and I have been enlightened from your past experiences, your interests, the things that you've done at Troy. You know, it's time for us to take a break. But I don't know about you, Neeka, but I'm ready. Dive in. More conversation.
[00:15:32] Speaker B: Yeah, me too.
[00:15:33] Speaker A: Yeah. So, guys, we gotta take a break. Grab a sip of water, run to the restroom. Do what you gotta do. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7, the capstone.
WVUAFM Tuscaloosa.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7, the capstone. And today we have Sedaris Williams, who is the director of the center for Service and Leadership here at the Capstone. And I have a question that kind of. I was wanting to ask before we had to take a break, but you've only been here for about a year or so.
[00:16:18] Speaker C: Oh, no. Like, really, like five months, maybe.
[00:16:21] Speaker A: Five months.
[00:16:22] Speaker C: I got here November 4th, so that was my first day.
[00:16:24] Speaker A: Oh, okay.
[00:16:25] Speaker C: Yeah. So what's that? November, like part of December, January, February, or three and a half, four months. Yeah.
[00:16:32] Speaker B: Okay. Well, welcome.
[00:16:33] Speaker C: Well, I appreciate that.
[00:16:36] Speaker B: So far, what is the most favorite thing about working at the capstone for you?
[00:16:43] Speaker C: This is going to sound kind of, like, kind of weird.
I have thoroughly enjoyed our divisional meetings for student student life. Our monthly means that we have for, like, the entire division. I love that.
And I love it because the fact, like, I get to learn about every other division possibly. And also, like, the little class we take for professional development.
I thoroughly have enjoyed that. Because the fact, like, you don't. Not every institution does that. And everybody thinks about, like, hey, how can we continue to build and work together and get people to meet and know each other? So that's kind of like a very weird first thing I've loved, but that's where it kind of has been.
[00:17:21] Speaker A: Yeah. Now I will Say just in reference to those meetings and us having breakout sessions. One of the topics for the breakout session is Nico. We always try to do a like health and wellness enhancement type kind of session. And Sudars actually came to my sleep and nutrition breakout one time. So I'm glad that you enjoyed that.
[00:17:45] Speaker C: I did enjoy it because I am a. I am a person who doesn't sleep a lot, so.
[00:17:50] Speaker B: Yeah, so I've heard that cheese helps. I'm just kidding.
[00:17:53] Speaker A: I'm just kidding.
[00:17:54] Speaker C: It probably does. But I would say, Sheena, I did get a lot of sleep this weekend. Oh yeah, probably. I mean maybe because I went out, was up pretty late on Friday night, woke up pretty early and then I was asleep by 8:15 Saturday.
[00:18:10] Speaker A: So.
[00:18:11] Speaker C: Which is not normal for me.
[00:18:13] Speaker A: But you know, it happens. You do what you gotta do. Now, you know, we mentioned the title so much of area center for service and Leadership and I'm sure we have listeners that are like okay, y'all keep saying that, but what is that? So what do you, how do you describe your department?
[00:18:30] Speaker C: So I try to describe our department is that we are the university's not liaison, but universities like liaison to get students involved in the volunteer services in the community for in Tuscaloosa. So like we strive to enhance students experiential learning experience by getting them involved fully into the community. Understanding that being involved in the community overall helps the student in every aspect of their life.
So we have, I say about seven or eight programs in which students can join that can essentially provide that experience for them. Some of those programs are Al's Pals, which is a mentoring program here at the university. They go to the local elementary schools and mentor students one day a week. We have another group called Beat Auburn B Hunger, which a lot of people have heard of.
Its main purpose is a seven week food drive that supports the West Alabama Food bank and which also like I said, they have to be. We're trying to be Auburn during that time. So it's leading up to the Iron Bowl. Another great one is Serving Bama which is a weekly serving sites that we go to. So we have we five days a week we go to different little nonprofits throughout the community in Tuscaloosa. Students can serve about two hours there. We take students to those places. And also another one is our serve Big, which is our big day of service which we had one this past Saturday called Hands on Tuscaloosa in which for like four hours we send students out to different places in the community also to do direct service. On a Saturday. And also, like, UA Miracle, which is a philanthropy, which raises money for the children's hospital out of Birmingham.
[00:20:15] Speaker B: Okay. I love that.
[00:20:17] Speaker A: I know there is so much stuff. And when I was preparing for you being on our show and I was going back to the center for service and leadership website, there's so much for students to be involved in. Like, Nika, I was looking through and I just saw tabs and tabs of things, and I was like, oh, my goodness, how are we going to talk about all of this? But, you know, as I think about all of these opportunities, I'm kind of curious. How do most students hear about y'all and how to get involved? Like, what are kind of like the big ticket items for how students learn about involvement opportunities with y'all?
[00:20:51] Speaker C: Which is. That's a great question. So I'm still trying to learn myself, so.
And I think we're the, like, the biggest hidden secret on campus. You let me tell it. Because we're located in the bottom of the student center. You have to walk through the soup store to find our office, which is very, very, like, hidden spot. So. So we're trying to, like, improve, like, how students can find us. But I believe students find out, like, a lot of get on board day when they're looking for different activities through Bama Bound. We're talking to students all the time about Bama Pulse. Bama Pulse is one of our driving platforms because the fact that is the platform that we use. That way, students can store their community service hours throughout the time frame. And also they can be able to find different student. Different organizations in the community that are offering community service or volunteer hours. So we go to student classrooms, we do presentations in student classes for first year students. We just have a variety of different. Different ways that we're trying to get out to the students to inform them of what we do.
[00:21:55] Speaker B: Well, you can add me to that list because as an advisor, every. Every day I have someone ask me, hey, how can I get engaged in some volunteering hours? Now I know.
[00:22:06] Speaker C: Yep. Now you know. So. So that's the one thing that we want to be. We want to be able to be the. We want to continue to be the premier place that students go to for community, being involved in the community.
And so, like, we're always looking to find out different ways to, like, get in front of students, get in front of faculty to inform them of, like, what we offer and how and what. And what's best fit for them too, as well.
[00:22:29] Speaker A: I mean, I'm already Like, and you know, I'm probably thinking these should be conversations that we have like during the breaks. But I'm just even thinking logistics, like Nika, with you as faculty and an advisor and then sudaris, what your team has to offer. I'm like, oh my gosh, they could get scheduled for like the big like campus advisor meetings or you know, or even just going to like each of the respective colleges and talking to those advisors. Because I'm sure you are not the only advisor that gets asked that question by a student of like, how do I get involved?
[00:23:02] Speaker B: How do I do?
[00:23:03] Speaker A: How do I do all of the things.
[00:23:05] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:23:05] Speaker A: Yeah. And you know, so Doris, I think that you have a really great perspective as someone who's been at another institution and then you're on the team as, as a newer staff member where, you know, you're starting to like intuitively think of these questions that a newbie to campus would be thinking of because you're also a newbie. And you could think, how would me, as a new person if I were a student? Like, how would. What would make most sense to get exposed to what the CSL does?
[00:23:36] Speaker C: Yeah, that's, that's kind of like what I've thought about too as well as, like, as a newbie, like, how do I see. And I ask students all the time, like, hey, have you ever heard of the center for Service and Leadership? Like, no. What is that?
And then I go into my spiel and just trying to get them to where we are. I know a lot of our class, a lot of the professors do require students to get community service hours through their classes and so that helps us out a lot too as well. And so we partner with a number of different campus departments and also university departments to also help students get involved as well.
[00:24:13] Speaker A: Man.
[00:24:13] Speaker B: Wow. About to be coming over to mine.
[00:24:16] Speaker C: Good luck. I love that.
I think Sheena brought up a good perspective too as well, is that I've been trying to figure out, like, how do we get into the colleges to like inform them of Bama Pulse, to inform them of like our. What we do and how to get students involved. But I think that having these being in advisors meetings would be helpful. I do know the university is moving to the experiential learning program and track and so I know that will be big in trying to help them provide students to inform faculty of those things too as well there man.
[00:24:51] Speaker B: Yeah, I know like as an advisor, you know, they. It's a one stop shop for them to ask their questions. You know, I'll have students ask me, hey, where do I get my cap and gown for graduation? Where do I, you know, find research projects going on on campus? It's just kind of. I am that one person that I guess they see as like the information desk.
[00:25:13] Speaker A: Oh, you're. You're in person Google.
[00:25:15] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
[00:25:16] Speaker A: You're the search on the UA website for them.
[00:25:19] Speaker B: And so this is going to help me so much, and I am so sad that I didn't know about it before today. But, hey, hey, now I do.
[00:25:26] Speaker C: Now you do. So now you know what it is. Yeah. And you know our location, which is another big thing too.
[00:25:32] Speaker B: Yeah, that is true.
[00:25:33] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:33] Speaker B: I'm excited to have you here today just for so many reasons. But that alone is going to help our students so much for sure.
[00:25:39] Speaker A: Because. So hidden gem, both physical location and just conceptually too. But. But y'all, we gotta take a quick break. We're gonna continue these conversations with Sedars. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 to Capstone WVUAFM, Tuscaloosa.
[00:26:09] Speaker B: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7, the capstone. And we are here today with our guest, the director of the center for service and Leadership, Sedaris Williams. And we have a really cool question for you. I think it is because I've never heard of it before. So I'm so excited to learn about a thing called beyond Bama, alternative breaks. Can you explain that to me?
[00:26:35] Speaker C: Yeah. So beyond Bama is our version of Sprint. Any type of breaks for students. It can be fall break or it can be spring break, where we provide alternative breaks for students to go out and serve in a community outside of Tuscaloosa. And so that is kind of what we is built around.
And so we have domestic trips and international trips. So beyond Bama has not been around since COVID So 2019 was our last time we took a trip or fall of 2020, actually. And then the world stopped in Covid.
And so, like, this is our first time getting it back off the ground. And so in four years. And so this year, we're sending two different group of students.
One group is going to Gulf Shores from Saturday of March 8 to Wednesday. Another group is going to Memphis. And I'm actually gonna be the not a team lead, but I'm actually taking students to about nine students to Memphis from Saturday to Saturday.
And when we do, when we go on these trips, the point is for us to our students to learn about the community like throughout, through and through.
So this year, Memphis we're going to.
We're staying in a place called Serve901. Serve901. And there's kind of like a bunk house where students can say, but they serve the community of Memphis in a variety of different ways. And so we want our students to know as much about Memphis as we can in a possible week.
So we'll be doing service projects every day. We'll also go and visit the National Museum of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King was killed. And we also have some different people inside of Memphis to come and talk to our students to let them know what Memphis is and what Memphis serves and how they can serve Memphis as well.
[00:28:30] Speaker B: Okay, so how do students sign up for this experience? Or is it already closed?
[00:28:34] Speaker C: So this one is already closed for this year. And so. And it's. And these trips are very affordable too as well. I think the cost for this trip for this year was 690 to go to Memphis. And it includes your stay, your meals too as well throughout the time and some snacks as well. So like students are. We're paying a very low cost to do a spring break and actually being involved in the community.
So students have the ability to sign up for them. And we send out information out to students throughout the entire year about these trips. We have not started working on our fall trips yet, but hopefully next spring we will be going on an international trip too as well.
[00:29:12] Speaker A: So with these trips and you know, as students hear about these opportunities, is this a highly competitive opportunity? I didn't know if students have to go through an interview process or is it just first come, first serve?
[00:29:25] Speaker C: First come, first serve and sign up. Up.
[00:29:26] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:29:27] Speaker C: So yeah. So anybody can go on. It's not an interview process. It's first come, first serve. You sign up for how many spot, how many ever slots we have, then you, you pay your deposit, you pay your money and then you're able to go on a trip.
[00:29:38] Speaker B: Okay, so what are they doing in Gulf Shores? It's the same thing.
[00:29:43] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:29:43] Speaker B: So just in Gulf.
[00:29:45] Speaker C: Same thing as Memphis, but just in Gulf Shores? I think so because I'm not going on Gulf shores trip. I didn't ask all the questions about Gulf Shores, but I do know they're going to a. They're going to the beach. Beach. They're going to go do some cleanups on the beach. They go into I think a biology lab to area too as well. They're also be doing some stuff inside of mobile. And so it's kind of pretty much similar, but not just a little different though. So it is all based around service.
[00:30:13] Speaker B: Service.
[00:30:13] Speaker C: So service. And also learning about those different, those different areas and how to like be able to be beneficial to those two as well.
[00:30:22] Speaker A: Well, you know, I know earlier you mentioned something about international trips and those kind of coming back the docket in the future. I was telling you, Sedars, before we started the show today that I had a co worker that has gone on one or two of the international trips and Nika, they actually went to Costa Rica.
So. And, and now for a faculty staff member who is signing up to be a chaperone, all of their costs are paid for you.
[00:30:52] Speaker C: And we call them, we call them learning partners. So we faculty and staff members can sign to be a learning partner on any of our trips. And so like we. And it's faculty staff. I know it's kind of hard and like, oh my gosh, I'm giving up my week of spring break to go take students to this area. But when you, when you think about the, the idea of sending faculty and staff there, they have an opportunity to like meet with those students and be where they are, to actually like to pour in their lives in a different way. And so that's the great thing about it is like the relationship that you build with those students who may be in your classes, who may not be in your classes, you may never know. And they are there will be your lifelong friends forever. So it goes back to the conversation we were having earlier about as being an advisor, like I went on some, in my previous institution, I've gone on some international trips with some students. And you become that in that week time span, the week you spend with them, that you're now their best friend. So they come to you for every, every, anything about all the random and crazy questions they have. Like, you might not be able to solve them, but they feel like you can because the fact you've built that relationship with them and that's kind of what we want for our students.
Great way for our faculty staff to build a relationship with students outside of the classroom and outside of the way they see them on an everyday basis too, as well.
[00:32:14] Speaker B: Right. I love that.
[00:32:16] Speaker A: Yeah. And I just, you know, I had to make mention of that because I want people to have that on their radar because I think it's an incredible opportunity for our UA community as a whole, both students and faculty staff. And so I think, you know, we're just grateful for all of the different opportunities that you've shared today with how students can serve others.
[00:32:37] Speaker C: Right? Yeah.
[00:32:38] Speaker B: And I was going to ask is, do y'all do any work with Habitat?
[00:32:42] Speaker C: Yes, we do actually. So we have, we do Habitat bills. So we have a Habitat group on our campus and they do Habitat bills on most Thursdays and Fridays. Okay. And so like that is, that was actually my first service project I did here on campus last November. I went to Habitat on our bills. And so they do, they do Thursdays and Fridays normally like two four hour shifts that they ask their students sign up for through our. They can sign up through Babel Pulse and also go there. If there's any student organization who wants to their self, they can, they can contact our local habitat group and they can help them set up any type of service projects for them to have as well.
[00:33:24] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:33:26] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean I'm just like, like all the things like, because I'm even thinking about like other student organizations that I'm involved with as an advisor or otherwise, I'm like, oh man, like how can we get connected? But you know, Sudars through the experience that you have in your current role at UA and then obviously the way that you've served students similarly at your previous institution. How do you believe serving others affects a student's health and well being and connectedness to a campus community when they're kind of, you know, when that's a pivotal part of their campus experience is getting to serve others.
[00:34:01] Speaker C: John Wingard, the name I was supposed to remember, John Wingard is the person who has continued to get me to apply for UA jobs and segment tomorrow. So I have to thank John for getting me here.
[00:34:14] Speaker A: I'm so glad we were able to mention that name on here.
[00:34:18] Speaker C: Yeah. So, but to answer your question, so I would say this service is a direct is directly related to your health and wellness. Because the fact like if, if we go back to the good book that a lot of us believe in or any way you want to believe in a book or a person or entities that you want to give back to people of yourself. And so when you give back to people, no matter how you get back to people, it makes you feel good. It's that, it's that feeling you get inside once you do something for somebody else that you didn't, that you weren't expecting to do. And like we just, we just went away in our.
Well, Bama. Well Bama. Right? Bama Wellness, Alabama Wellness for faculty staff.
[00:35:05] Speaker B: Yeah, well, Bama.
[00:35:06] Speaker C: Well, Bama. All Right. So at will Bama, we just had like the kindest days. Like, being kind to somebody gives you a good feeling as sort of the same thing as being involved in the community. I like to think that when students are like, when they find their place here on campus as like their. What they're going to give to. They're going. They're going to give that for the rest of their life.
And it's like finding that place for you to give to. For you to give to. For you to give your time to. For the rest of your life, because that's going to benefit you.
The great thing about the things we do in our office, it connected to me personally because the fact that there's so many things that we've done in our office that I've. If it wasn't myself who's going through it, I've had friends or family members who've gone through it.
Food insecurities. Like, at one point in time, my family was on food stamps. So I understand the purpose of, like, food insecurities.
If it's like Children's Hospital, I don't have kids myself, but I know directly how important the children's Hospital is because in fact, I've had two friends who've had kids who actually three friends who've had kids who've done extension is like a lot. Spend a lot of time at Children's Hospital.
If it's habitat, like, no understanding. Like, I've helped like, build homes in the house, and I was an undergrad, but also, like when I was at my previous institution, I helped out, like, find families to like, to. To like, build a house for. And like, and hearing those stories and hearing, Hearing what they go through, it makes. It gives you that impact, gives you that part, that piece of empathy that we should have in our lives. And that's why I think that, like, being involved in service is really important now. Cause you find that moment of empathy. You find that moment of like, okay, life is bigger than me. And that's what we want all our students to understand. Like, life is bigger than my first world. Problems I have because of the fact that I tried to go to the caf and they were serving pizza today and not fried chicken. And so I think we students, I have the ability to find in what areas in life they understand that something is more important than is bigger to do.
[00:37:08] Speaker B: Right. I've always told my students, pay it forward or pay it back.
[00:37:13] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:13] Speaker B: You know, you. However you want to. Like you said, you've not had kids, but you could pay it forward.
[00:37:18] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:19] Speaker B: But then with the. The food insecurity. Pay it back.
[00:37:22] Speaker C: Pay it back.
[00:37:22] Speaker B: There's always an opportunity to look at it either way and. And just give of yourself.
[00:37:28] Speaker C: Yeah, it's always an opportunity for you to give up yourself. And when you do give up yourself, you. You understand that? Then you're like, oh, okay, I get it. Yeah, I get it.
[00:37:37] Speaker A: Yeah. No, I mean, I think even just when you were using the phrase first world problems, I was thinking about that, too. Like, it gets us to think outside of our bubble and giving these students a sense of purpose, and you just feel more fulfilled when you're on campus. But with that said, we gotta take another break. We've had such wonderful conversation with you Sudars. I'm hoping that you're okay with staying on with us during our closing segment.
[00:38:01] Speaker C: I'm here.
[00:38:02] Speaker A: Okay, well, you guys, we got to take a quick break. You were listening to Fit to be Tied with Sheena and Na on 90.7 the Capstone, WVUA FM, Tuscaloosa.
[00:38:22] Speaker B: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and NA on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:38:28] Speaker A: That's right. And this afternoon, we have had the best time with Sadaris Williams, who is director for the center for Service and Leadership. And if you're just now joining us, I highly recommend that you go back and listen to our earlier parts of the show just to hear Sedaris talk about his passion for service, his previous roles, just everything that the center for Service and Leadership does. We've had a really great time today, and, you know, we're at the point in the show where we kind of go a little off topic.
[00:38:58] Speaker B: Yeah. So since I just realized I have been pronouncing r our guest's name incorrectly, and I am mortified. My mystery question for. Well, I have two, but the first one is, okay, what is the worst mispronounce pronunciation of your name you've ever heard?
[00:39:16] Speaker C: It had to be like an.
So, Nika, you understand this. In elementary school and middle school, always have a substitute teacher. They would just look at me. They would just look in the room, and I'd be like, cigars. That's me. You know, I just knew it was always me. I mean, like, I knew, like, my last name is William. So I KN exactly where I was at all time. And I was just like, oh, it's the dar. It's just me.
So it had to be like, Sedarius is a lot with IUs, but I don't know how to get IUs. I've had some people in my class whose name Tavares, I guess that's. But so I got two things for that. One would be. It would probably be like, Saddam somebody said one time. And I don't know how they. Yeah.
And then. So one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. Name is Doc Anderson. He was like athletic training teacher at Troy. And he would intentionally. He would say. He was saying my name in the Latin derivative. So he would say Saturday.
And he would go through that, and he would do that all the time. And so that is one of the most creative ways I think I stand it.
[00:40:24] Speaker A: I like that.
[00:40:25] Speaker C: And it's kind of like saying. He was saying it in different. Different. Different forms of light and that he could think of.
[00:40:29] Speaker B: I love that. Now, Sheena, your last name, your maiden name.
[00:40:33] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:40:33] Speaker B: Would you like to tell this?
[00:40:35] Speaker A: Yes. So my maiden name is Kizon, spelled Q, U, I, Z, O, N. So I have been on just high school announcements from the staff students. I've been. I've been Sheena Quizno. I have been Sheena Quasant. Like, you know, there's just a lot, you know, the letter Q, for whatever reason, unless it's the word qu, it just really throws people off. And so when I got the last name Greg, now if you ask my husband, he actually wishes that he had taken my last name because he's like. He's like, I feel like I'm like an honorary Filipino. I eat more Filipino food than you do. Which I agree. But I was so happy to get a one syllable, like, very basic name.
But, you know, I like the keys on for.
To showcase my Filipino roots. But I think the one thing that I've always noticed, especially when I was in high school and middle school, if the teachers had written on the whiteboard or the blackboard, like, quiz on chapter, whatever, well, sometimes they would erase the chapter whatever, and it would just say quiz on. And so I'd ask teachers, why is my last name on the whiteboard? And they're like, oh, my gosh, that's hilarious. And I'm like, I'm not trying to be funny, but I realize, like, quinoa. Yeah.
[00:41:57] Speaker C: Oh, see, but see, but quinoa wasn't big. It wasn't out big then.
[00:42:01] Speaker A: So, yeah, quinoa was not a thing in the late 90s and early 2000s. But had it been on the rise, that could have been a nickname for me. Now, Nike.
I did it. Okay, but Anisha, you told us during.
[00:42:16] Speaker B: The break that somebody second grade, you know, in my hometown, at the. The cheerleaders put on a fundraiser where you did a cheer camp for a day. And I was so excited to be 8 years old and awarded by the high school cheerleaders that I looked up to for the most spirit award, and they presented it to Nike.
[00:42:38] Speaker C: So where's your hometown?
[00:42:40] Speaker B: I'm na. But I was Nike for the day. My hometown is Russell, Alabama. I know Russellville in North Alabama.
[00:42:47] Speaker C: North Alabama.
Y'all both are North Alabama girls.
[00:42:50] Speaker A: We are.
[00:42:52] Speaker B: But you can't hate on them. And, you know, it was the late 80s. They didn't know. But I have never been called Nike since. But that is a core memory.
[00:43:02] Speaker C: Yeah, that would be a core memory for me, too.
[00:43:04] Speaker A: Yeah. And obviously, it's stuck in my head as I'm like, so, Nike, tell us what was going on.
[00:43:10] Speaker C: Yeah, that was.
[00:43:11] Speaker A: Oh, man. Well, y'all, we had, like. Clearly, we have had a good time today.
[00:43:16] Speaker C: She had two questions.
[00:43:16] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah.
[00:43:18] Speaker C: Let's.
[00:43:19] Speaker A: Let's add it in.
[00:43:20] Speaker B: It'll be a little.
[00:43:20] Speaker A: Real quick one. Yeah.
[00:43:21] Speaker B: We're talking about food.
[00:43:23] Speaker C: Since.
[00:43:23] Speaker B: We're talking about food. What? On the shelves since it's hit the stores is your favorite Easter candy.
Okay, I'll start. Cadbury Eggs.
[00:43:33] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:43:34] Speaker C: No jelly beans? Nope.
[00:43:37] Speaker A: No, I would say jelly beans and then the Reese's Eggs. Like, something about the ratio of the chocolate to peanut butter that. That hits really well.
[00:43:47] Speaker C: I just.
[00:43:47] Speaker B: Hollow chocolate rabbit.
[00:43:49] Speaker A: Are you.
[00:43:50] Speaker B: You don't.
[00:43:50] Speaker A: You don't spring me as a candy person.
[00:43:53] Speaker C: No, I love chocolate. So, like. But just mine's just, like, always just normal chocolate stuff. Like M M's, Snickers.
[00:43:59] Speaker B: Like pastel M&M's. Do they taste different to you?
[00:44:01] Speaker C: No, they all taste the same. Okay. Like, I'm, like, one of the type of people. Like, there's. The only type of M M's there are is peanut M M's.
[00:44:09] Speaker A: Yeah, so I don't.
[00:44:10] Speaker C: Yeah, so. But yeah, so.
[00:44:12] Speaker B: So there's not seasonal candy.
[00:44:14] Speaker C: There's not seasonal candy that I prefer and, like. But. Because the fact, like, my little five or six of them, I like. I just like them all the time.
[00:44:20] Speaker A: Hey, we'll take it. Well, on that note, you know, we. We all like candy here. Um, y'all, we have had a good time. We just cannot wait until the next time we get to be with you all. We've had a fabulous guest. We'll have a fabulous guest next time. You have been listening to Fit to Be Tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the Capstone WVUA FM Tuscaloosa.
