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Dina Nagdimunova admits that much of what she learns in her finance textbooks at Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore, is forgotten soon after exams. That’s why she thinks it’s important to apply what she studies in class in real-world situations. Ms. Nagdimunova, a 21-year-old senior who was born in Russia, serves as a paid intern with Safenet Corporation in Belcamp, an information security company. She found her internship through a career Web site offered by Loyola College.

In the April 12 issue, a book review reprinted from Catholic News Service praised “An Inconvenient Truth,” Al Gore’s book that accompanies his movie of the same name. A central theme of Gore’s efforts is to assert that we have a moral obligation to take action against carbon dioxide emissions. We read “The final 15 pages at the conclusion of the text are a composite of individual and collective action responses ….” The connection to morality gets the attention of religious-minded readers; and indeed, “global warming” is becoming something of a secular “religion” all by itself.

When St. Ursula, Parkville, parishioner Susan Livingston graduates from College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Baltimore, in May and enters the workforce, she will suddenly be responsible for her own finances. The 22-year-old Parkville resident has had a few job interviews, but no concrete offers for when she earns her bachelor’s degree in history with a concentration in pre-museum studies, but is hopeful she will secure an entry-level position in a museum before the end of the summer. “I’m starting to get a little anxious just because I don’t have a job lined up yet,” Ms. Livingston said. “I know my parents will be there for me if I need them, so that takes some of the stress out of it.” Though her parents have pledged their financial support if she absolutely needs it, the 2003 Institute of Notre Dame, Baltimore, graduate is looking forward to becoming economically independent.

In his book “Dumbing Down Our Kids,” author Charles Sykes wrote, “If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He doesn’t have tenure.” When entering a new workplace, whether just out of college or not, it is important to know proper office etiquette, dining etiquette and dress attire. Natalie Kauffman, director for the Center of Career and Service Learning at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Baltimore, said an individual should spend some time observing how the office is run and try to adapt accordingly.

WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s Catholic bishops criticized legislators’ rejection of proposed constitutional amendments that would have protected life from the moment of conception. “Arbitrary parliamentary arithmetic has won the upper hand over each person’s elementary right to life,” said the bishops in a statement April 13. “The church in Poland will go on supporting actions by all people of good will to care for the most defenseless,” they said. The “negative result” of the vote should not weaken “efforts to obtain agreement in the Polish parliament on such a fundamental question for our nation’s future as the inviolability of human life.”

COLOGNE, Germany – Pope Benedict XVI has said that he sees no conflict between faith and science in the exploration of the universe’s development, but he has criticized those who see evolution as an explanation for everything. The remarks, made in a discussion he hosted at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, with some of his former students in September last year, have been published in a German book titled “Schoepfung und Evolution” (“Creation and Evolution”). The book was published April 11 by the Sankt Ulrich Verlag publishing house.

JERUSALEM – In a reversal of an earlier decision, the papal nuncio to Israel attended a Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial ceremony after receiving a personal letter from the memorial’s chairman. Archbishop Antonio Franco said he decided to attend the ceremony April 15, the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, after receiving assurances from Chairman Avner Shalev regarding the memorial’s willingness to review any new documentation regarding Pope Pius XII’s actions during the Holocaust.

The St. Matthew, Northwood, Immigration Center is holding a fundraiser April 23 at Gertrude’s Restaurant at the Baltimore Museum of Art in Charles Village called “Savor the World,” and it will celebrate a menagerie of cultures.

When Tonya Watts was growing up, her father sold drugs and her home was never a very responsible place to be. She became addicted to drugs and it wasn’t until years later that she realized she needed help to get her life back together. “I started to feel like I was losing my spirit,” said Ms. Watts, 35. “I thought there was something bigger in life for me.”