The Heart That Never Stops Beating
iPulse Faculty & Students Share Experiences & Advice for Alumni
By Gretchen Lembcke-Pena, Editor-in-Chief
On May 4, iPulse had to bid farewell to some of its integrants who were moving on from college into the real world.
What started out as a small spark in 2005 has evolved into an era of major developments. From iPulse Live, the broadcast of news hosted by iPulse, to integrating new members in the print section, iPulse as a concept never stops moving.
Members of the organization come and go, but watching them move on to bigger things in life is what makes iPulse proud. After interviewing a couple graduating students, it shows that being a part of this organization has been a tremendous benefit.
Cecilia Diaz, Social Media Editor for iPulse print, wrote tips and tricks to tackle life struggles or improve certain experiences. Mental health, preparing for music festivals and how to enjoy spring break are some of the many topics she touched on through her writing. She shared some advice for future members of iPulse.
“No matter where life takes you, always remember the skills and lessons that you have been taught,” said Diaz, a senior. “Take the risks and be your authentic self, because you never know where it might lead you.”
Dr. Stefanie Powers, the faculty advisor for iPulse, has been a part of the organization since its humble beginnings. From encouraging students to do their very best to being an example of journalistic experience, Powers has been not only a great advisor and mentor, but also an inspiration for those in and outside of the newsroom.
“Throughout my years in iPulse, I have learned that empowering students to take ownership of their work leads to personal and professional growth,” said Powers. “iPulse is a gateway to expression and creativity. Through my own experiences, students who actively engage with iPulse’s offerings often reap the rewards of their involvement post-graduation.”
Last but not least, Dr. Timea Varga has recently become a faculty advisor for iPulse print during Fall 2022. Although Varga is new to this position, she has learned a lot from Powers and Professor Martin Phillips and assisted iPulse since her early days as a staff member at Lynn University. Her resilience, kindness and hard work are what have helped iPulse flourish this past academic year.
“To succeed in iPulse and beyond, I encourage students to strive to make the best of each experience and opportunity by getting out of their comfort zone and to learn to work collectively as a team for a common goal,” said Varga. “It takes a dedicated and passionate team to produce a quality campus-wide publication, show or podcast and an understanding of service, inclusion and collaboration that make them a true success.”
As the academic year comes to end, we wholeheartedly celebrate our iPulse graduates and thank Dean Cesar Santalo, Associate Deans Dr. Stefanie Powers and Mike Arsenault and Professor Gary Carlin for their endless support, the Lynn faculty including Professors Martin Phillips and Roberto Echevarria, for their fierce leadership of iPulse Live and iPulse podcast, and Lynn staff members Andrew Hirst, Jordan Chussler, Jahzeel Ramos, Lea Iadarola and Lynn’s Office of Marketing and Communication team, whose contributions to iPulse have been invaluable.
iPulse, as an organization, has taught students about themselves, but most of all, it has taught them the skills to transition into their professional field after graduation. It is the heartbeat of Lynn University and even if students leave the nest, they are a part of the heart that never stops beating.
