Posted on May 8, 2002

Schenectady, N.Y. (May 8, 2002) – Astronomer Alex Filippenko will speak on “Einstein's Biggest Blunder?” on Wednesday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Nott Memorial at Union College.

His talk, part of the College's “Perspectives at the Nott” lecture series, is free and open to the public.

A professor of astronomy at the University of California at Berkeley, Filippenko researches exploding stars, active galaxies, and black holes.

He is renowned for presenting complex, exciting astrophysics to nonscientists.

His research team recently found evidence that expansion of the universe is speeding up, a discovery that resurrects the idea of the “antigravity” effect first proposed by Einstein and later renounced as his “biggest blunder.”

A reception will follow.

Posted on May 3, 2002

Schenectady, N.Y. (May 3, 2002) – FleetBoston Financial Group has contributed $20,000 to the Union College Becker Career Center, to fund six student internships with non-profit organizations, Union President Roger Hull announced. The gift, in addition to three previous donations made to the College by FleetBoston in 1998, 1999 and 2000, totals $75,000 in support over the last four years.

“FleetBoston's on-going support demonstrates its commitment to community service, and to the belief that individuals and institutions alike have an obligation to make a difference in the communities in which they are a part,” Hull said.

Internships with Capital District non-profit organizations were made available to Union sophomores and juniors. Once chosen they commit to working full-time for 10 weeks and will receive a total of $3,300 distributed throughout the summer.

Michelle Arcuri, a Union College junior majoring in Economics, has been selected for an internship with Bethesda House, a day shelter for the homeless and mentally ill, in Schenectady. “I want to push my comfort limit while I still have the chance to,” said Arcuri. “After graduation an opportunity to volunteer at an organization like (Bethesda House) would not be feasible, if for no other reason than financial.”

Michelle will assist the staff of Bethesda House with their monthly newsletter, sort through clothing donations, assist in development of their website, and run a budgeting workshop for the guests, whose average yearly income is $10,000.

Union students will also give their time over the summer months at Girls, Inc.; the Schenectady Museum; the Citizen's Environmental Coalition; Schenectady Day Nursery; and the Nathan Littauer Hospital, as a result of the FleetBoston grant.

“Union College has a unique leadership role in Schenectady,” said Hermes Ames, President of Fleet Bank Upstate New York. “We are pleased to support their efforts to provide local non-profits with the benefit of their students' knowledge and expertise. This type of collaborative effort will benefit all of the participants as well as the entire community.

Posted on May 3, 2002

Schenectady, NY (May 3, 2002) – Derek Mebus and Dave Ward, co-principals of Tree Top Solutions, a new business in the Union College U-Start Incubator, aim to fill the “tremendous technology need” in Schenectady County, and, while they're at it, graduate from Union this year.

On Monday, March 6, the pair will launch their latest product, Schenectadyi.com, a comprehensive community website designed to, according to Ward, “bring the Internet to Schenectady County.” Among the vast array of
Schenectadyi.com features are ePages!, the first online Schenectady County business directory, and Online!, a powerful local web community, which enables a single website to serve the needs of local website visitors and members of the Schenectady business community.

“ePages! offers more than what you'd find in the local Yellow Pages,” Ward said. “In addition to listing phone numbers, addresses, and hours, it offers features such as driving directions, printable coupons, restaurant menus and reviews, and job opportunities. We've designed it to be the only website needed to find information and get services from Schenectady County-based businesses.”

Additionally, Online!, according to Mebus, ” Is the only local website personalized to serve all the needs of Schenectady County.” Like AOL and Yahoo!, Online! “It's packed with local content and services like chat rooms, instant messaging, classified and personal ads, discussion forums, local events, news and weather, helpful articles, and more. We see this as both a great business opportunity and a chance to do something positive for the County.”

Ward, a Wisconsin native and Mebus, from Westchester County, NY, opened Tree Top Solutions last year. In addition to
Schenectadyi.com, the firm offers web design and graphic design, custom programming, databases, E-Commerce, site hosting, and computer networking.

“We realize that many area businesses are not ready to commit to thousand dollar websites until they know they'll benefit from being online. That's why we offer sites at a very low introductory price,” Mebus added. “We see a tremendous opportunity here in Schenectady County, it has great potential for economic and technological growth. The successes of Schenectady Metroplex, the Downtown Business Improvement District, and other revitalization activities mean business opportunities are on the rise.”

Posted on May 3, 2002

Events

Friday, May 3, through
Monday, May 6, 8 and 10 p.m.
Reamer Auditorium
Film: A Beautiful Mind

Saturday, May 4, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Achilles Rink
UCARE Day, fun and games for local children ages 12 and
under. Sponsored by Kenney Community Center and organized
by student groups.

Wednesday, May 8, 4:45 p.m.
Humanities 019
“Choosing the Student Body: MCATs, Gender, Race,
and Admission to Medical School, 1920-70” by Charlotte Borst,
dean of arts and sciences. Talk is the second in the “Wednesday
Works in Progress” series sponsored by the Union College Center
for Bioethics and Clinical Leadership.

Thursday, May 9, 1:30 p.m.
Arts 215
Artist talk by John Houck, director of the
Franconia Sculpture Park. Call ext. 6714.

Thursday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.
Humanities 019
Fiction writer John Fulton, author of
Retribution, a collection of stories, and of a
forthcoming novel, More Than Enough, will speak and read from his work.
A reception will follow in the second-floor Humanities
Lounge. Sponsored by the English department.

Friday, May 10
Throughout campus
12th annual Steinmetz Symposium, a showcase of
student scholarly and creative achievement. (Full schedule in
next week's issue.)

Friday, May 10, through Monday, May 13, 8 and 10 p.m.
Reamer Auditorium
Film: Orange County

Exhibits

Through May 4
Arts Atrium Gallery
“`Ocean's Eleven' and Other Works,” an exhibit of oil
paintings by senior honors thesis candidate Leah McLeod. The 15
works depict abstract room interiors, a study of Japanese animation
and “Ocean's Eleven,” a series of original characters that are
hybrid human-sea creatures.

Friday, May 10, through Saturday, May 11
Arts Atrium Gallery
Steinmetz Symposium Arts Exhibition

Through May 19
Mandeville Gallery, Nott Memorial
“Orchestrated Objects” a joint exhibition of works by
photographers Jed Devine and Abelardo Morell.

Through June 7
Social Sciences Faculty Lounge Art Gallery
Exhibit of baseball memorabilia collected by Union faculty
and staff
Includes Union College trophies and game programs from
the 1920's, souvenirs from Japanese baseball, a fan letter to
Hank Aaron (and his response), Pirates memorabilia, a Yankees chess
set and lots of autographed baseballs, hats and banners.
Gallery hours are weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Posted on May 3, 2002

Fiction writer John Fulton, author of
Retribution, a collection of stories, and a
forthcoming novel, More Than Enough, will speak and read from his works
on Thursday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Humanities 019 at Union College.

Fulton received his M.F.A. in fiction writing from the
University of Michigan, where he is teaching. His short stories have appeared
in Zoetrope, The Oxford American, and
The Southern Review, and have been mentioned on the
short list for the O'Henry Award.

A reception will follow in the second-floor Humanities Lounge.