Seahawks headed to Super Bowl XLIX

Good Afternoon Fellow Bloggers & Readers -

I AM BEYOND EXCITED! My team, the Seattle Seahawks are headed to Super Bowl XLIX which is to be played right here in Arizona! If anyone was watching the Seahawks vs. Packers playoff game, then you know just how CRAZY it truly was! If I have to be honest with you, I did not think the Seahawks were going to pull out a win. I even found myself at half-time getting a little bit upset at the way an outcome was appearing to be.

As a team, the Seattle Seahawks are truly incredible and every time I watch them I am amazed at how  passionate of a team they are and how they strive together to reach goals. Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Seahawks is a standout guy and for those who even don't enjoy watching football, he is someone that is easily admirable. Wilson thanks God and knows the playoff win was improbable, but shows that with determination and belief, and a lot of not giving up, you can achieve success even when you least expect it. To me, Russell Wilson is a leader, to those on and off the field. Especially for an NFL player, he remains humble and respectable. Watch his speech in the link below and see for yourself!

Always remember to be a leader to those around you...you never know who is looking up to you! God is good!

Renee

Watch Russell Wilson's post game speech here!

Watch the game highlights here!

(Blog 4 Freewrite)

Setting Goals

Hello again fellow Bloggers & Readers -


Last week, I decided to join Devils X (a workout program) with my friend, and work out 3-4 times a week steadily! I guess you could say that working out became my news years resolution for 2015. I have done two classes through Devils X so far and loved both of them! My first class was "grind", a hip-hop dance class and the second class I participated in was "lift, a weights based aerobics class. What I enjoy most about this program is how many different classes are offered almost all throughout the day! I prefer this because as a college student, my schedule is constantly changing on a daily basis and new things arise that may have not been planned for. Going to a class at 8 a.m on one day and 6 p.m another is so convenient because you can really adapt the workout program to your schedule.

The cost of Devils X was $60 for the ENTIRE semester! Can you say cheap!? When you break it down thats about $11-12 a month! If you go to Devils X more than 12 times during that month, thats like paying a dollar for your workout session! I wanted to share the program with you because it has made me such a happier person and I feel better about myself! Along with that, I have also started eating healthier and more organic. This hasn't been the easiest lifestyle change for me, but I have to lose that "freshman 15" somehow before graduation. My goal is to lose 10-15 pounds to get back to the weight I entered college with - that was when I felt my healthiest.

Settings goals for yourself is a smart idea. It doesn't even have to be a New Years Resolution. Everyday I wake up and tell myself "you deserve to feel good". Starting a workout program with a friend is also very helpful when reaching a goal like such. Everyday we text each other and encourage each other. We send each other pictures of our meals when we are proud of what we are eating or we text each other when we workout at our apartment gym, instead of Devils X for that day. This is one of the things I am most excited about for 2015 - getting back to feeling healthy and graduating feeling better than ever!

Click here to find out more information on Devils X!

Best wishes for all the goals you have set in 2015! 

Renee

(Blog 3 Freewrite)

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Good Afternoon fellow Bloggers & Readers - 

In my first blog I talked briefly about the organization I have been interning for: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters. I want to take some time and share more in depth about who the Teamsters are and what they strive to achieve. 

The Teamsters Union is the largest union across North America and organize workers in both the private and public sector. Overall, they organize workers who want to bargain collectively and negotiate a contract. The Union then works to enforce said contract and invokes contract grievance procedures if a management chooses not to. When comparing union and non-union jobs, benefits and wages under Teamster contracts are significantly better than non-union employees in a similiar career. Teamsters are actively working to secure their members job security, decent wages, health coverage, fair promotion, paid time-of and retirement income. 

More specifically, I was interning for Local 763 of the Teamsters. My father who is currently Secretary-Treasurer of this local is one of my biggest role models. The saying "you tend to follow in your families footsteps" seriously applies to me when becoming interested in a career field. My mother also works for the Teamsters Life with Dues, which is a program provided to full dues-paying Teamsters. Along with that, my Uncle works for Teamsters Local 174 representing UPS workers. My family history with the Teamsters goes way way back and my interest in this career field grew bigger and bigger from when I was a small child. 

James P. Hoffa is the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and has been recognized for his leadership and accomplishments throughout his Teamster history. 

My father (left) and I pictured with General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, James P. Hoffa

If you are interested in reading more about the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, click here!

Thanks for taking the time to ready my blog! Enjoy your day!

Renee

(Blog 2)

A Look Into My Life

Hello Fellow Bloggers & Readers -

My name is Renee Sullivan and I am currently a senior attending Arizona State University pursuing a degree in Public Service and Public Policy with a Film and Media Studies minor. I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and am an only child raised by a loving mother and father who have given me the gift to pursue my dream of obtaining a college degree. With four short months until graduation day, one of the things I am truly thankful for is being the first person in my ENTIRE family to receive a college degree. This comes with it's challenge, but it is such an honor and my family has been so supportive every step of the way. It feels good knowing you are not only doing something for yourself, but also making others proud along the way!

My internship which took place mostly during November and December was through the Teamsters Union. The Teamsters as a whole strive to "organize and educate workers towards a higher standard of living". To this day, the Teamsters are the strongest and most diverse labor union. Growing up, most of my family worked for (or with) the Teamsters Union, and because of this I had the ability to meet a lot of people and make connections with those people early on in life. The union that I specifically worked with was Teamsters Local 763, which serves both public and private sectors. Local 763 represents several government agencies and fights for good benefits, fair wages and safe working conditions.

Before beginning my internship I had many goals and specific areas I wanted to learn more about.  One of my goals was to assist in the representation process for members concerning grievances or potential grievances. This included areas regarding layoffs/reduction in hours, warning notices, verbal warnings, suspensions, terminations, etc. Another goal of mine was to become familiar with analyzing data and preparing that data for collective bargaining. With this, I assisted in costing proposals that were concerned with health insurance, retirement benefits, wages, and terms and conditions of employment. My last goal was to balance and prioritize work on a daily basis. For many instances in my internship, there were deadlines that had to be met, scheduled bargaining sessions, and other unpredictable activities that could arise. This internship helped me learn a lot about scheduling conflicts and prioritizing work!

Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog! I am excited to share this journey and experience with you! Have a great day!

Renee

(Blog 1)