Dear Readers,
Welcome to the first edition of the Scriminal
brought to you by Scrim Club. We are a
group of sociology and criminology students
devoted to helping the community around us
and expanding our knowledge of Sociology
and Criminology. Our goal is to create a
network of students, faculty and community
members committed to furthering our
discipline. We put our best efforts into
assisting students with their future goals and
promoting educational opportunities. Anyone
is welcome to attend Scrim Club meetings
and help scrim members volunteer at various
social service organizations around Duluth.
Our meeting times are flexible and we are
open to new suggestions. We hope you enjoy
the first edition of the Scriminal.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Swalboski
SANDSTONE NEEDS YOUR HELP
By Jacquie Hartman
During these hard economic times, food
shelves have been feeling the pinch. The
Sandstone Food Shelf has been no exception.
Due to lack of donations, they were forced to
close their doors to the public. In efforts to
help the Sandstone Food Shelf, the Scrim
club held a food drive the week of November
10th through the 16th. Our goal was to collect
enough food to re-open the food shelf by the
holidays. Food was collected door to door
throughout the Duluth community, drop
boxes were placed around the UMD campus,
on November 15th the women’s bulldog
basketball team collected donations at their
game and a table was set up in Kirby to
inform individuals about the condition of
Sandstone. As a result of efforts by the Scrim
Club and the Duluth community the food
drive was a success. The Sandstone Food
Shelf was extremely grateful for the
donations. However, efforts still need to be
made. We must not forget that food shelves
need a constant supply of donations to keep
their doors open. If you were unable to make
a donation during this food drive, another
food drive will be underway next semester. If
you would like to make a donation or receive
more information about Sandstone, you can
contact a Scrim member or call Sandstone at
320-245-2485.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
By Courtney Rolfe
It is quite difficult to
sum up John Arthur in a
few short paragraphs.
After speaking with him
one walks away with an
overwhelming amount
of information. His
passion for teaching and
learning make him a
great source of knowledge. In 2008 he
received the Albert Tezla Award for
Teaching and Research. John is involved in
his community through mentoring minority
children, his church choir, and serves as an
advocate for the immigrant community in the
Twin Cities.
He arrived at our campus in the fall of
1993 to teach criminology courses. His most
recent interest has been in international
migration. Students taking this course can
expect to gain knowledge on immigrants and
the changing American landscape. He
believes that immigrants enrich the
“American ethnic quilt.” His hope is for
students to bring their perspectives to class
and leave with a new understanding of how
impactful international migration is on our
world and human development.
Along with teaching, John enjoys
research and writing. He has written four
books on the immigrant diaspora (migration
from one country) in the United States with
particular attention to African and Caribbean
immigrants. He has conducted ethnographic
focus group interviews along with using
census data as research sources. The goal
behind his research is to find the effect of
“brain drain” on the development processes
in Africa and the Caribbean. He has found
being an immigrant himself to be a great asset
in his research since he understands “the
pulse of the immigrant community.” His
research has shown immigrants to be “young,
vibrant, hardworking people who believe in
the promise of America”. A promise he still
believes in and hopes for its renewal once
again.
Immigrants in the United States, he finds,
must straddle different cultures and societies.
They adopt a transnational globalized
identity. It can become difficult to find a
balance between becoming a part of the
culture in the United States without losing
your own cultural roots in the process. Also,
these immigrants can become “change
agents” leading a quest to bring about social,
cultural, political, and economic changes in
their respective home countries. However,
many immigrants make the permanent
transition into the United States. John
migrated from Ghana and is now a U.S.
citizen. Even though he is a U.S. citizen, he
has plans on returning to Ghana someday.
So what is driving people in Africa and
the Caribbean to the United States? The
research John is conducting attempts to shed
some light on that question. Perhaps people
come for the American promise or like John,
for the progressive political, social, and
cultural climate present in Minnesota. To
learn of the conclusions John Arthur is
finding, stop by his office and pick his brain.
This may be an eye opening experience plus
John will even serve you a hot cup of
imported British tea.
To find out more information on John
Arthur’s research you can pick up of copy of
one of his books:
 The Invisible Sojourners
 The African Diaspora in the United
States and Europe
 The New African Diaspora in North
America
 African Women in the United States:
Crossing Trans National Borders -
Coming Soon in December!
WHAT TO DO WITH THAT CRAZY
SOCIOLOGY/CRIMINOLOGY
DEGREE
By Samantha Hicks
 Family Guidance Clinic Worker
 Adoption Agent
 Legal Assistant
 Fund-raiser/Development Officer
 Probation / Parole Officer
 Congressional Aid
 Executive Director of the NAACP
(Example Roy Wilkins)
 Jessie Jackson
MASTERS INFORMATIONAL SESSION
REVIEW
By Samantha Hicks
In November an informational session was
given about three masters programs offered
through UMD. For those of you who were
unable to attend, here is just a short recap of
some important information.
Masters in Criminology
This program will be tailored to your needs.
You can be selective about the topic that you
wish to further study. If you are looking for a
small program, this is the one for you. Class
sizes run on average of six to seven students.
The GRE is not required for admission
into the Masters in Criminology. However,
the minimum GPA is a 3.00. If you do qualify
for the admission requirements, the
application process can be a little complex.
For any information about the application
process or additional information about the
masters program, a website will be up and
running in the next month. An email will be
sent out to Criminology and Sociology
majors. To talk to an individual directly you
may contact the Director of Graduate
Students Jeff Maahs at 218-726-7395.
Masters of Advocacy & Political Leadership
The MAPL program is for anyone who wants
to change the world through political action.
There is no other program in the United
States. Duluth was chosen to be the hub for
this program. You will be taught by people
who are involved in the field itself. Through
MAPL, you can create a network of people to
help you advance your academic and political
careers.
This is a two year program that operates
twenty two weeks out of the year. Classes
will be held on Friday and Saturday. If you
live in the Twin Cites a shuttle bus will be
provided and hotel rooms wills be paid for.
Similar to the Criminology program, the GRE
is not required for MAPL. What is required is
an essay on why advocacy and political
leadership matters, a transcript, and a resume.
After this program you will be qualified to
work for non profits, labor organizations,
environmental activism, elective officials,
and much more. For additional information
please contact Associate Director Jennifer
Imsande at 218-831-9408.
Masters of Social Work Program
This program is a small student centered
program with one-on-one faculty and student
interaction. The core curriculum takes a look
at issues of discrimination and special needs
of American Indians, women, and other
underserved populations. You can be a full
time or part time student with late afternoon
and evening classes. There are four admission SCRIMINAL OF THE MONTH
requirements for this program. The first is a By Jenny Wine
bachelor’s degree from a regionally One of the on-going features of The
accredited college or university. The second Scriminal is Scriminal of the Month, where
requirement is the completion of at least we dub one of the Soc/Crim majors the title
eighteen semester credits in two or more and then do a
social science disciplines. The third is a short interview to
minimum GPA of 3.00; however, a 3.30 -3.40 provide insight to
range is best. The last requirement is for the their career
potential student to contribute to the social aspirations and
work profession. Preference is given to life. This month
applicants who have experience in the human our Scriminal is
service field. For more information please Samantha Hicks,
contact Student Support Specialist Rita the editor-in-chief of The Scriminal.
Ohman at rohman@d.umn.edu or at 218-726- Q: How will you use your new title?
8497. A: I plan to use my new title to motivate
others to get involved in
These are just three masters programs to sociology/criminology interests. Students are
choose from. There are many more masters so used to writing for a grade- not because of
programs available at UMD and other an interest. I plan to have The Scriminal be a
universities. There were two main themes that forum for students to share ideas about
ran through the informational meeting. The different topics.
first was to really take time when choosing a
master’s program. I believe Dennis Falk, Q: Why should everyone join Scrim Club?
who spoke about the masters of social work A: Everyone should join Scrim Club not only
program, said it very nicely, “First you need to make your resume look better, but you
to figure out who you are, then look for should join because it would help create an
graduate school programs, and finally look organization that could bring about true and
for which one fits.” The second theme was to effective change. Sociology and Criminology
get involved in organizations and to get to Majors have learned an abundance of
know your professors while pursuing your information over their college careers, but
undergraduate degree. Letters of have little ways of enacting what they have
recommendation are needed for most learned. Scrim Club gives you a chance to
admission requirements. Admissions express what is important to you and act on it.
individuals know when letters of
recommendation are real and when they are Q: Who is your favorite sociologist or what
just fluff. is your favorite theory?
A: My favorite theory is conflict theory.
UPCOMING EVENTS Conflict brings about social change and
certain individuals and groups have the power
Watch for these upcoming events! to influence these changes in society. It’s
 UROP Informational Meeting time for our generation to have influence and
 Social with Pizza power over the changes that society will be
facing. Plus I think Marx is an "interesting"
 Scrim Bake Sale
individual.
 Scrim Spring Food Drive (Feb)
Q: What are your career aspirations?
If you would like to join or participate in any A: I truly aspire to be a counselor. I have
event please email scrimclub@d.umn.edu for learned so much of social injustices and
more information. how they affect individuals, I would like to
help people overcome some of these
The Scriminal challenges in society.
Editor in Chief: Sam Hicks hicks076
Layout & Design: Tim Picha pich0066 Q: How can we all be better Scriminals?
A: I believe that we can all be better
Scrim Club Contact Info Scriminals by getting involved. Get involved
President J. Swalboski swalb003 with a social issue that you feel strongly
VP C. Wentzloff wentz041 about. Things will never change if you stay
Treasurer J. Adams adams491 quiet.
Volunteer Chair C. Rolfe rolfe015
Fundraising Chair L. Miller mill4112 Q: Why did the Chicken cross the road?
Website Design J. Wine winex004 A: To escape Colonel Sanders.
scrimclub@d.umn.edu Website in progress