November 27th, 2013

Dear Gentlemen,

It's good to finally be back home, but I plan to still work hard during this break. I encourage all of you to also have safe, enjoyable, but productive breaks as well.

Inspiration: Yesterday I flew into Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. It was the first time I have flown alone and as an adult so I decided to dress up and look professional. This small action had a very surprising effect as to how people treated me. First of all everyone, flight attendants, TSA officers, and other passengers addressed me as sir. Also when I was waiting to board my flight, I was also asked twice if I was flying business class. I'm saying this not to brag but to remind you guys people ARE watching us. Remember when some of us were asked that Thursday last school year at Panda Express what company we worked for? That was solely because we looked the part. If you pay attention to how you dress people will pay attention to you. 

Encouragement: I want all of you to enjoy your breaks as well but don't waste the time you have now and wish you had used it better later. I had a dream that I was returning to Pitt having done no work since I had flown home. Now that was a dream I had nearly 3 days ago, but it still troubles me and I know the only way I can calm myself is to work very hard this break and prevent that dream from becoming a reality. Remember, there are many people who have worked very hard only to miss out due to not finishing strong. Napoleon, Hitler, Alexander the Great. All these men whether hated or loved came close to their goals, but did not finish strong. Do not settle, go out, get what you're worth, and live knowing you put your best foot forward.

Testimonial: This Thanksgiving Break will not be wasted. I will study hard. I will adequately prepare myself for all my finals, and I will preform well. I will write my Drivers before I go to bed so I no longer forget or release them late.

Furthermore: Ethan's idea of writing out goals, and steps toward those goals so we can help keep each other on track is outstanding. I for one am all for it and plan to send you guys a list of my goals shortly. Again sorry for the late Driver and happy Thanksgiving.

Time to kick Gentlemen,

Chukwuemeka K. Ukaga

November 19th, 2013

-Missed Due to Mis-Communication-

November 11th, 2013

Good Morning Gentlemen,

I hope you are all doing well. this will seem to be sent very early, as I sent it before going to bed tonight (Eastern Time).

*Inspiration:* This weekend, from Friday afternoon Sunday morning, I was in Charlotte, North Carolina for a National Society of Black Engineers Conference. It was very exciting and I got to network with individuals and meet with companies. However the places I learned the most this weekend were at the workshops. Keith Humphrey, the National Professional Chair of NSBE talked in one of the workshops I attended about networking. What really inspired me was his ending quote from one the Vice Presidents of of the Trump Organization. George H. Ross's quote was:

"To be successful, you have to be able to relate to people; they have to be satisfied with your personality to be able to do business with you and to build a relationship with mutual trust."

This quote alone has begun to gear my thought process in life toward an entirely new direction. Yes gentlemen, we must strive to improve ourselves as individuals, but we must also cultivate personalities that will draw (and keep) talented acquaintances in our circles.

*Encouragement:* This week I was reading through a lot of inspirational material, and watching a lot of inspirational movies etc. I came across what used to be my favorite Shakespeare quote, but one that I had forgotten for a while.

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

If you guys know much about Shakespeare you might know that the context of this quote is not one of honorable distinction, it actually is a play on irony, however the implications of the quote hold true. Some are born into situations where no matter their choices in life they will be great. Others achieve great things through their actions, choices, or hard work. And lastly, some are thrown into positions where greatness is knocking on their door. I truly believe we have been blessed collectively. We may have worked hard, and focused in school, but none of you can deny the fact that we have surrounded ourselves with a solid group of hardworking like-minded individuals pushing us to our best each and every day. Many people would dream of a situation like this. We have had greatness thrown upon us, and it is up to us to ensure that we make the most of it.

*Testimonial:* This weekend I had a revelation during the closing party that NSBE had for the collegiate students. I have no idea if it was divine inspiration or whatever, but midway through the party I felt unhappy. Not sad, just out of place, and not satisfied. All the dancing and music around me just seemed all of a sudden irrelevant, and so I left. I walked out of the ballroom without alerting my friends and kept walking till I found myself in the hotel parking lot. I kept walking, exploring downtown Charlotte at night, circling the blocks of around the hotel and thinking to myself, "why am I unsatisfied"? I started receiving texts from my Pitt friends asking where I was, but I ignored them. I was frustrated at this point, because I felt there was some underlying emotion I was searching for. I had felt this way before, and I decided that I would figure out why before I left Charlotte. As I started walking back to my hotel room, I passed by the lounge the had reserved for students who wished to do homework, or study while at the conference. That's when it hit me. I always worked in high school because I knew I needed good grades for college. I always went to practice for sports so I could compete come race/game day. I've always done things because I've wanted things. From here on out, I have decided I will only do things if I want to do them. I shouldn't see Chemistry or Physics as tasks to complete to become an engineer. They should be classes I take to learn the material. Because I know that I won't succeed if I continue to see classes, relationships, homework, etc. as obstacles and not tools. I challenge the rest of you to try my new approach if you already aren't.

*Furthermore:* I wish all of you the best of luck in the coming weeks. I ask that you guys continue to remind me to study for my finals as the week does get busy and I know that if I read it everyday I will eventually start. And lastly I hope that I have helped provide you with some inspiration help you grow, and to improve some aspect of your life. I look forward to hearing from Kris tomorrow and Ethan will be formally in charge of the twitter this week.

Seize your greatness Gentlemen,

Chukwuemeka K. Ukaga

November 1st, 2013

Good Morning Gentlemen,

I would like to give you all a good old East Coast greeting! This will seem to be quite a bit early but keep in mind I am one time zone ahead of you. I just finished studying for a quiz I have tomorrow morning and decided to send this out so I won't have to worry about it in the morning. Keep up the hard work brothers, this is the start of something great.

Inspiration: This Wednesday I attended a conference at Pitt where the winners of last years Nobel Peace Prize in Physics were speaking about their research.. I was amazed that I was in the presence of some spectacular individuals that have already changed the world in such an amazing way, and that I was part of such an important moment in history. Though these individuals were Nobel Peace Prize winners, they were willing to answer questions regarding their experiments and research to all of us students and professors with less experience. We should all take this as a lesson for when we do become successful in life. We must remember to take time to give back to those who don't know as much as us, or don't have the opportunities we have. Also, during the presentation the professors who were conducting research mentioned that multiple "UNDERGRADUATE" students participated in their ground breaking research! That means that many students like us are now going down in history as participating in Nobel Prize winning research. Sadly the information was too advanced for me so I could not fully understand what they were talking about, though their research on the Higgs Boson was tremendously inspiring. More relevantly though, this should help inspire us to reach for the stars in our respective fields, and aim to achieve the greater reward.

Encouragement: Today I read that Syria has had many of its chemical weapon facilities shutdown. Since the Arab spring that erupted during our sophomore year, rebel fighters have been fighting for the liberties that we take for granted everyday. These men, women, and children have been given a glimmer of hope today as the U.N, U.S, and other countries/coalitions take steps to make Syria accountable for what it has been doing for the past 2.5 years. We should remember that we are given the opportunity to express ourselves, do what we want, and pursue our dreams. Don't forget that. Whenever I feel tired, beat down, or stressed out by life, I remember that I am one village, one family, one sibling away from remaining in Africa. If my parents hadn't come over to the U.S., I wouldn't have the education I am receiving now. Remember brothers that we are given an opportunity that others dream of. If you can't put in the work for yourself, or your ambitions, do it for those who would. Do it for those who don't have the option to. Do it so someday, you can ensure that everyone who has something to give to the world has a just opportunity to refine his/her talents.

Testimonial: This week I plan to participate in more conferences, seminars, and workshops. I plan to contribute to all my organizations, but most importantly I plan to put in the work to succeed in all my subjects by studying more for my upcoming tests and attending office hours like I have this week. By managing my time successfully, and making the most of the many opportunities I have been graced with, I plan to excel in all I do for myself, my family, and the League as a whole...so help me God. Furthermore: During my one-on-one with one of my counselors today I was told something very important. Mr. Saunders told me, "Emeka, everyone is called to do something in life...but some are also chosen...I can tell by how you carry yourself, and how you lead others that your are special. I can tell that you have been chosen to do something great, I can't tell what yet, but I can tell you are chosen." I swear to you guys as he was saying this to me, I couldn't help but start thinking of all of you, and of the League. Ethan was right, people are noticing, people are starting to realize that we as individuals strive for something more than above average. We want to achieve things that others fear undertaking. However the truth is, I fear what the future may hold. I plan to enroll in a dual-degree program, participate in study abroad, co-ops, internships, research, and many other things in my undergraduate career. Many would look at me and say it is impossible, some will say it will overwhelm me, but I will not waver. I know I have 5 brothers out there who are sacrificing just as much to achieve similar things in life as me. Will you all continue to choose the greater reward ? I know I will.


Till next time Gentlemen,

Chukwuemeka K. Ukaga
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Sorry I forgot to add that Kris Singh will be addressing us tomorrow.

Stay driven,

Chukwuemeka K. Ukaga

Summer Updates

Summer is finally here! I made it successfully through my first year of engineering (well as close to successful as a freshman engineer can get). No retakes, and I kept my scholarship, so everything I would say that everything is looking pretty great.

I'm right now I am focusing on doing well in my 3 classes this first 6-week session. I knew that coursework would be heavy, but when they say accelerated term they really do mean ACCELERATED. Regardless I am 1/3 of the way through Foundations Drawing, Foundations Design, and Calc 3 and am doing really good so far. As long as I can keep up my work ethic, and stay on top of my studies I think I should be good.

I've started my work with the Student Civic Engagement Council. It's supposed to be more of an official job position, with me acting as an official member of the University's Office of PittServes. Despite all of this, it is looking like this year will actually be fun. The other council members are chill, and my "bosses" are really lax, but helpful and understanding. Hopefully we are able to do great things, and help increase the service opportunities and impact by Pitt students in the coming year.

I've been doing a lot of personal research and discovery between now and my last blog post. I read up a lot on Leonardo da Vinci, Frank Lloyd Wright, and some stuff about Ancient African Philosophy, Cultures, and Civilizations. When I get time, I am going to start posting some of my African "Apotheosis" research on here, as I delve more into the philosophy, culture, political structure, and history of many of the great ancient cultures.

All in all this is shaping up to be a great summer. Make sure you stay tuned, and share this blog with those you think would be interested.

Generation Great, stay rising...

C.K. Ukaga

Pre-Summer Reflection

So as I near the end if my freshman year I am in a funk. The estatic eagerness that filled me with dreams and aspirations first term has been greatly shaken by the strong hand of reality. Second term was REAL. I am looking to drop my GPA a considerable amount due to my sub-par performance during the last half if my freshman year.

Don't get me wrong, life is good, door continue to open, and I am running into various opportunities left and right. I have held beneficial leadership positions, and have learned a lot more from school and life in general over these last 4 months...I just wish my GPA wasn't going to be hurt. 

I had to drop studying abroad in China due to the cost of it, and I am not doing research with EXCEL's SRI program. However, there is a silver lining in all of this. My GPA first of all is still pretty solid for a freshman engineer. Along with that I will be taking 18 credits worth of credit this summer, the majority going towards my Architecture Degree. I hope that those that count as electives for my Civil Engineerjng degree can help pull my GPA up as well. Along with this, I may be able to land a couple internships/job opportunities this summer. This along with a potential Fall CO-OP has manged to lift my spirits a bit.

All in all, my focus now shifts to actively preparing for my finals, doing well on them, and preparing to succeed this summer. The grind won't stop!

C.K. Ukaga

Raising Capital

Today was an interesting day for me. I calculated the cost of all the programs and classes I plan to take up to the end of Summer 2014 and that final cost came out to be $16,900! I realized that I would have to spend the next few months applying for as many scholarships as I possibly could to chip away at this cost. The fifteen grand price tag factors in my current student loans from the fall, and those I will incur during the spring. It also calculates the cost for studying abroad in China for three weeks in May, and the cost of taking 6 credits worth of classes during the summer. This all seems like a lot, however if I want to remain on track for my Dual-Degree program, I must take those credits this summer which end up totaling more than $6,500 without factoring in room & board. Needless to say, I felt overwhelmed.

I simply could have taken this sitting down but I decided that I will need to take an active role in ensuring I stay away from as much debt as I possibly can. That is why I am making the goal of acquiring $15,000 worth of scholarships by this summer to pay for my normal room & board college costs, as well as my Plus 3 study abroad trip, and my Summer term credits. I began doing research into the stages of getting a book published, and determining how much money one could expect to make off a decently selling book. While I did spend a decent amount of time researching and gained a lot of insight into the publishing world, I do not feel confidently that selling my book would be the best way to fund my college education.

I also remembered that I plan to apply for SRI this summer and that could help change up the direction of  my thinking. If I am selected to participate in the Pitt EXCEL Summer Research Initiative, I can participate in research this summer with a Pitt professor while ensuring room & board expenses will be paid. The $2,000 stipend could also help offset some of my summer credit expenses as well. More importantly I would gain valuable experience researching a subject I find interesting. I feel that scholarships along with the SRI stipend would be the best way to fund my activities till the end of Summer 2014.

In conclusion, while calculating the cost of my activities may have been surprising to me at first it has instilled a new sense of pressure to make sure I do the right things to finance my college lifestyle. Hopefully today is a springboard toward my financial success in the months to come. With January through May left for me to acquire funds, I should be more than able to raise the desired capital for my summer plans.

C.K. Ukaga