Posted on May 31, 2002

Mark Hoffman '03 dreams of one day heading a
performance team for a car manufacturer.

So, when the mechanical engineering major isn't busy
in the materials testing lab modeling the growth of
three-dimensional cracks near bimaterial
interfaces, he is applying his manufacturing and design skills to produce a
rear suspension for the College's 2003 entry in the Society for
Automotive Engineers Mini Baja car competition.

Hoffman, a native of Petersburgh, N.Y., was
recently named a Barry Goldwater Scholar, one of 309
students selected from a nationwide pool of 1,155 nominees. It carries
a $7,500 stipend toward Hoffman's senior year.

A Union Scholar, Hoffman last year designed and built
a large-scale model of a medieval trebuchet, analyzing the
components to maximize throwing distance.

Hoffman studied on a mini-term in New Zealand last
year, recently presenting with Dennis Quandt '03 at the
Steinmetz Symposium on issues in hydroelectric energy, a case study of
the Manapouri Power Station.

Since last summer, he has been involved in research
with Prof. William Keat to determine crack growth direction
near bimaterial interfaces.

He is a member of Pi Tau Sigma, the mechanical
engineering honor society; Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering
honor society; American Society for Mechanical Engineers, the
rugby club and Dutch Pipers.

His brother, Jeff Hoffman, graduates this year.

Mark Hoffman says he plans to pursue graduate school at
an institution that has an automotive engineering program.

Posted on May 31, 2002

Justin Sievert '03 took All-American honors with a
fourth place finish in the shot put at the NCAA national meet
last weekend at Macalester College. His throw, a
career best, was 16.52 meters.

The track and football athlete was twice named UCAA “Field Athlete of
the Week” this season.

Posted on May 31, 2002

It might have seemed strange to hear a male voice
– that of senior Fred Papali – promoting the
Women's Health Fair through a campus-wide voice mail last week.

Papali and fellow senior Bobby Ndu, also a male,
saw an important need: to promote the health programs
available to women on- and off-campus.

So, the pre-meds who are also Obenzinger
Scholars, decided to organize the fair that may have drawn as
many as 250 participants by Papali's estimate.

“We were really surprised at the level of interest,”
said Papali, who intends to go to medical school next
year toward a career in public health. He will graduate with
a major in political science and minors in biology and
chemistry.

Ndu, a biology major, has just been accepted at
Yale Medical School.

Each year, recipients of the Ronald M. Obenzinger
'61 Memorial Premedical Scholarship are encouraged
to organize programs that serve public health awareness.

Among the organizations represented were Get
Aware, Safe Space, Union health services, YWCA,
Planned Parenthood, St. Clare's Hospital and First
Teachers Credit Union.

Ndu and Papali organized a diabetes screening last fall.

“The only weird part was dealing with people's
reactions to us as we – two males – told them the idea we had
and tried to get them involved,” said Ndu. “They seemed
a little suspicious,” he quipped, “but that is to be expected.”

Posted on May 27, 2002

Union's student-athletes climb from 216th (in 1999-2000) to 171st (in 2000-2001) to 52nd this year in the Sears Directors' Cup. A solid 2001-02 campaign gives the Dutchmen and Dutchwomen their best standing ever among the nation's Division III intercollegiate athletic programs.

Posted on May 27, 2002

The College's Annual Prize Day ceremonies, which took place on May 11, brought together some of the student bodies biggest accomplishments for the academic year 2001-02. Between Prize Day and the Athletic Department's Annual Senior Awards Banquet, which was held on May 22, several of Union's student-athletes were honored for their accomplishments.