Folks are still talking about the ice sculptures that George Ferro, a manager in dining services, created for the College's holiday party last month.
Ferro, who became interested in the art form over the last few years, carved out a striking ensemble – a bear, a tree, a snowman, a penguin and a fish — that added an artistic elegance to the event. The sculptures also drew appreciative looks in the Olin courtyard, where they took up residence after the party.
Each took between two and four hours to create with tools ranging from an electric chainsaw to a set of chisels designed especially for ice carving. Ice carvers use a special “clarified” ice that has been frozen with a minimum of air bubbles, and know that ice is most workable at or above freezing, Ferro said.
For his work, Ferro received a “U Are a Treasure” award and donated his gift certificate at B.J.'s Wholesale Club to Bethesda House, which provides meals for the needy.
Typically modest, Ferro said, “My efforts were only a small part of the staff's team effort that went into the party.” Having the event in Upperclass Dining (instead of the usual Dutch Hollow) allowed Dining Services staff “extra time to strut our stuff and express our creativity,” he added.
Until a few years ago, Dining Services contracted ice carvers for about a half dozen events per year, said Steve Pearse, director. Ferro would watch the carvers and began to absorb some of tricks of the trade. Now, Pearse says, it's nice to have someone on staff who has become so proficient. “Sometimes, I wish I had paid attention too,” Pearse said.
Next week, as part of Winter Carnival, students will turn a “Stonehenge” of ice blocks around the Nott into ice sculptures of their own. The best design will be placed at the center table at the dance. On the judging panel: George Ferro, of course.
The men's hockey team will “Skate for Cancer” on Monday, February 12 at 5 p.m. at Achilles Rink. The Skating Dutchmen, who are dating their practice time, raised $3,500 last year. Those interested in contributing to this cause should contact a player and make a pledge. The public is invited to skate with the Dutchmen. Autographed team pictures will also be given away.
Helena DiGiuseppe, Sports Information Assistant Cassie Lawton, Sports Information Director George Cuttita and Ben Clayman (from left to right) participated in the national Groundhog Job Shadow Day through the College's Community Outreach Program at the
Jason Ralph and Clark Jones were both named to the ECAC honor roll for their respective performances against Dartmouth and Vermont…The annual men's basketball game Alumni Game will be held this Saturday at 11 a.m. in Memorial Field House…The women's team will honor the four members of its senior class, Beth Perry, Erin McNamara, Sara D'Arcangelo and Kathleen Furlong, in a ceremony prior to Saturday's UCAA game with Hamilton.
Helena DiGiuseppe is interested in a career in communications.
The Union College Sports Information Department was among those members of the College's administration, faculty and staff that participated in the national Groundhog Job Shadow Day. Junior High students from Mont Pleasant were paired up with Union employees to by their individual interests and spent time on the job. Following the “shadow” opportunity, the students were given a tour of the College, had lunch at Hale House and were given a chance to talk about their experience.
The Groundhog Job Shadow Day is an annual event held nation-wide. This is the first year that Union, which opened the Kenny Community Center earlier this year, has been involved.
Ben Clayman, plays defense for the Junior Mohawks hockey team.
My name is Helena DiGiuseppe. I'm in 8th grade at Mont Pleasant Middle School. I found out about “Shadow Day” from my Home and Careers teacher Ms. Zema. She presented this as an educational opportunity at a location away from school, in this case to spend a morning at Union College. I signed up for it, not really sure what exactly it was, but I am glad that I did, I found it to be an educational experience.
Hi, my name is Ben Clayman and I go to Mont Pleasant Middle School. During my home and careers class we were presented with this field trip opportunity. The chance was the opportunity to shadow a Union College employee for the day to learn more about their career. I've learned a lot about the career of sports information.
Track and field is one of those sports that do not get a lot of media attention. However, the men and women who are competing on this year's indoor squad have enjoyed a successful season so far and are looking to put make a mark for themselves at the upcoming (February 10) Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Championships.
Amy Slabich
In last weekend's Wesleyan Invitational, a total of 15 student-athletes finished among the top 10 in 22 events. The men's 400 and 800 relay teams each took fifth while the women's 200 and 800 teams were fourth with the 400 team capturing eighth.
Dennis Sanabia
Led by senior tri-captains Jeff Morse (Westford, MA/Westford ), Amy Slabich (Paxton, MA/Wachusett) and Dennis Sanabia (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville), the Dutchmen finished fourth of 16 teams while the Dutchwomen took ninth of the 16 competiting schools.
Nicole Encarnacao and Justin Sievert combine to give Union solid point production in the weight events.
Sophomore Justin Sievert (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) won the shot put at the Wesleyan Invy with a throw of 14.42 meters. For Sievert it was his third trip to the winner's circle this season. Sievert captured the 35-pound weight throw and the shot put in the opening dual meet against Hamilton. He also took second in the shot at the Capital District Invitational on January 20.
Katie Higley (Raymond, ME/Westbrook) finished in the top 10 in two events at Wesleyan. The sophomore placed sixth in the 400 and eighth in the 800. She also ran the second leg of the 200 meter relay and the opening leg of the 800. Highley was among the winners in the Hamilton meet as she captured the 400 meter dash and placed second in the 500 meter at the Capital District Meet.
Katie Higley
The women's side of the Capital District Meet, which did not have team scoring, saw sophomore Katie Round (Foster, RI/LaSalle) bring home Union's only title as she captured the 45 meter race. Meanwhile, four Dutchwomen took home second place honors. Besides Higley, sophomore Sarah Peach (Cranston, RI/LaSalle), classmate Nicole Encarnacao (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield) and Slabich finished as runner-up in the weight throw, the shot, the 500 meter and the 1000, respectively.
All four women won their individual events against Hamilton and were joined in the winner's circle by Kaity Elias (Williamstown, MA/Mt. Greylock)-who won both the long jump and the 50 meter hurdles-and freshman Lisa Capomaccio (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield).
Katie Elias
The Wesleyan Invitational saw Slabich take third in the 1000 meter and ninth in the 3000 meter, Elias take fourth in the 55 hurdles and seventh in the triple jump and Encarnacao place fifth in the shot.
Sophomore Ashley Rinear (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown) also finished in the top 10 at Wesleyan by capturing eighth in the high jump.
Union's men got off to a solid start in the Hamilton meet and have maintained that momentum. Junior Kris Darlington (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem) captured first place honors in both the high and triple jumps against the Continentals while freshman Mark Sollohub (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) won the pole vault and junior Jerald Whittington (Chicago, IL/Hales Franscian) took home the gold in the 50 meter hurdles.
Kris Darlington
Sophomore Steve Erickson (Braintree, MA/Braintree) was the Dutchmen's lone winner at the Capital District Meet as he cleared six feet in the high jump. Whittington (50 hurdles), Sievert (shot) and sophomore Joe Kelanovich (Seldon, NY/Newfield)-in the 5000 meter-all placed second. Darlington, Sanabia and Sievert all placed in the top 10 at Wesleyan in two events. Darlington was second in the triple jump and fourth in the high jump while Sanabia took seventh in the 55 meter and ninth in the 200 meter. Besides winning the shot, Sievert was sixth in the weight throw. Union's other top 10 finishes at last weekend's invitational included Whittington's third place in the 55 high hurdles, sophomore Frank Filliciotto's (S. Huntington, NY/St. Anthony's) second place in the 800, sophomore Matt Weber's (Cumberland, ME/Greeley) eighth place in the 800 meter, senior Morse's seventh place in the 1500 meter, Erickson's second place in the high jump, sophomore Matt Lallier's (Amesbury, MA/St. John's Prep) ninth place in the high jump and Sollohub's fourth place in the pole vault.
Human Resources is coordinating two New York City bus trips, one for sightseeing and shopping on May 5, the other for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular on Dec. 1.
Cost is $20 for the former, $60 for the latter.
Payment for the May 5 trip is due Feb. 28.
A $35 deposit for the Dec. 1 trip is due Feb. 23.
For more information, contact George Schiller at ext. 6108.
Engineering faculty are considering changes in the curriculum that will increase the diversity of engineering students, expand the foreign experience, create a larger core of courses for all engineering majors, offer a liberal arts minor for engineers and improve professional activity among faculty, said Robert Balmer, dean of engineering.
“If engineering is to flourish at Union, it must become much more than a set of traditional engineering programs,” said Balmer. “We have come a long way toward this goal over the past six years with the GE Foundation's curriculum development grant, and now we are in the final phase of this project.”
Balmer said he hopes the work will culminate in a theme called “Converging Technologies for a Changing World.” The concept, most frequently used in reference to telecommunications, also refers to a wide variety of industries and technologies that are joining to create new products and solve new problems. Examples are bioengineering, mechatronics, intelligent systems and smart structures, Balmer said.
“Students will be introduced to converging technology concepts used in industry today, culminating in a senior capstone course where students work on converging technology problems,” Balmer said. “Our graduates will not only be familiar with the concept of converging technologies, they will also have classroom and laboratory experience in several leading areas.”
