The College nearly doubled its population for three days in April when 1,800 students and advisors from colleges across the country arrived for the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
The College had to turn away about 250 applications, a reflection of the growing popularity of undergraduate scholarly activity. Those who came represented 277 colleges and universities from as far west as Cal Tech, as far north as the University of Minnesota, and as far south as the University of Puerto Rico.
For the most part, the presentation titles were appropriately scholarly-“Discourse as Destroyer: Incongruity in the Lineage of Michel Foucault's Theory of the History of Knowledge” and “Ancient Mayan Artifact Imagery and Iconography,” to name a couple.
But there were a few titles with a different tone-“The Effect of Egg Temperature on Angel Cakes” and “The Cat's Orienting Response to Sounds,” for example.
A special feature of the conference was an unusual display of scholarly undergraduate work and reflections on its value. Contributing to the exhibit were Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and others.
John Brademas, for example, the former president of New York University, sent a copy of his honors thesis on a Mexican peasant movement; composer William Bascom sent his first violin sonata, written while he was a student at the University of Washington; and Armand Feigenbaum '42, widely considered the pioneer of total quality management, described his undergraduate research at Union on quality control.
The exhibit was organized by several students, who wrote to more than 200 prominent individuals. The display even included a friendly letter from one composer who said he would like to participate but that the scores he composed during his undergraduate days “represent some sort of low point within the history of Western civilization.”
An innovation this year was a Friday night Artsfeast-a celebration of the visual and performing arts combined with a savory variety of international food. The evening went so well that similar activities will be held at future NCURs.
At the annual Prize Day ceremony in May, a number of students received recognition for their academic achievement, community and college service, and athletics. Altogether, more than 100 prizes were awarded. Some of the students who received multiple awards were: -Deanne M. Dixon '95, a biology/chemistry major from Pownal, Vt., who received the Frank Bailey Prize for service to the College and the Dr. Reuben Sorkin Award for proficiency in premedical studies;
David F. Levine '95, of New York City, an economics major, the Joseph Daggett Prize for conduct and character and the Horatio G. Warner Prize for high personal character combined with the highest academic standing in the B.A. program;
Tricia L. Nelson '95, a mechanical engineering major from Kingston, N.Y., the Daniel F. Pullman Prize for high academic standing in engineering, the outstanding Greek woman award, the Mortimer F. Sayre Prize as the senior with the best potential of furthering the ideals of the mechanical engineering profession, and the Warner King Prize to the engineering senior who has contributed most to the traditions and ideals of the College;
Nathan K. Coffin '95, a psychology major from Rutland, Vt., the Joel A. Halpern Prize for outstanding commitment and service to the community and a Meritorious Service Award voted by the Student Affairs Council;
Hallie L. Heller '95, a psychology major from New York City, the Alan Lake Chidsey Citizenship Award for her contribution to the advancement of responsible government in student affairs and a Meritorious Service Award as voted by the Student Affairs Council;
Maximillian L. Heinegg '95, an English major from Schenectady, the Daniel Shocket Prize in Creative Writing and the Academy of American Poets Prize;
Eric J. Belson '95, an English/classics major from Hatboro, Pa., the William F. Allen Essay Prize for a nonfiction essay, the David Brind Memorial Prize to an outstanding English student, the Daniel F. Pullman Prize for high scholastic standing in the humanities, and the George H. Catlin Prize for the liberal arts senior with the highest scholastic record deemed most promising for graduate study and eventual service in college teaching;
Wendy L. Pfaffenbach, an English major from Schenectady, the David Brind Memorial Prize to an outstanding student in English and the President's Commission Prize for Senior Scholarly Activity.
Also honored were two high school teachers, who received the College's Gideon Hawley Award recognizing their continuing positive influence on the academic life of Union students. The winners were Joseph Burke, a physics teacher at Massena (N.Y.) High School, who was nominated by Carol Case '97, and Edward Gagnon, a history teacher at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, Mass., who was nominated by Katherine Goldman '97.
Prize Day was a highlight of the expanded, two-day Steinmetz Symposium, which celebrated student creative, scholarly, and research achievements. More than 240 students took part, presenting research on topics as diverse as dating patterns to the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the post Cold War era.
The symposium saw oral presentations, dance performances, a concert, poster sessions, and more, including a banquet for presenters and their parents in Old Chapel.
The event is named for Charles P. Steinmetz, professor and head of electrical engineering and physics at Union from 1902 to 1923 and the “Electrical Wizard” of the General Electric Co.