Posted on May 12, 2009

Thursday, May 14, 4:30 p.m. / Schaffer Library, Phi Beta Kappa Room / Philosophy Speaker Series presents Rachel Cohon of the University at Albany on “Hume’s Indirect Passions and the Motives of Virtuous Actions”

Thursday, May 14, 5-7 p.m. / Blue House / Asian Awareness and Pacific Islander Awareness discussion series

Thursday, May 14, 7-9 p.m. / Beuth (outside) / Film: "Darfur Now," presented by Campus Action in conjunction with Darfur Awareness Week 

Friday, May 15, 5–9 p.m. / Mandeville Gallery and various downtown Schenectady establishments / Art Night Schenectady

Friday, May 15, 5-8 p.m. / The Nott / Golub and Sigma Phi present "Art for Progress"

Friday, May 15 – Monday, May 18, 8 and 10 p.m. / Reamer Campus Center Auditorium / Film: “He’s Just Not That into You”

Friday, May 15-Saturday, May  16, 7 p.m.-7 a.m. / Bailey Field and track / Relay for Life

Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. / Octopus’s Garden (between Wells and McKean houses) / Garden planting: set plants in soil, install watering system, and add signage and stakes; food to be donated to Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and used at campus eateries, including Ozone Café and 0³ Marketplace. Contact: Connie Schmitz at octopusgarden@union.edu

Saturday, May 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m. / Memorial Chapel / Shakti Spring Show

Sunday, May 17, noon / Memorial Field House / U-Care Day Carnival

Monday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. / Visual Arts Building, Room 215 / Matthew Bondurant reads from "The Wettest County in the World, " his novel about bootlegging and general misbehavior in rural Virginia in the early part of the last century, with main characters based on members of his family. Green House will host a dinner with him for Green House faculty and students.

Monday May 18, 3-4:30 p.m. / Golub House / Informal conversation with filmmakers Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno of Bongiorno Productions, about their award-winning film, “Revolution ’67,” depicting the summer 1967 Newark, N.J., race riots
 

Monday, May 18, 7 p.m. / F.W.Olin Auditorium / Film screening: “Revolution ’67,” which has won a number of international film festival awards; Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno of Bongiorno Productions will screen the film

Tuesday, May 19, 12:45 p.m. / Rapaport Ethics Across the Curriculum Luncheon Workshop with Rosamond Rhodes, professor of philosophy, CUYNY, and director of Bioethics Education,Mount Sinai School of Medicine; RSVP to Marianne Snowden (snowdenm@union.edu)

Tuesday, May 19, 6 p.m. / Taylor Music Center, Emerson Auditorium / “A Celebration of Spring” concert featuring the Taiko Ensemble; sponsored by Department of Music and East Asian Studies program

Wednesday, May 20, 5 p.m. / Becker Career Center / “Graduating Without a Job, Now What?”

Thursday, May 21, 7:30 p.m. / Taylor Music Center, Emerson Auditorium / Tim Olsen Trio + 1, final program in the Department of Music’s “A Trio of Trios.” Features Professor Olsen on piano, Eric Walentowicz on sax, John Menegon on bass and Dave Ratajczak on drums performing originals and jazz standards; free and open to the public

Friday, May 22, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. / Hale House / Faculty forum on "Improving Student Outcomes in Gateway Introductory Courses," addressing why talented students of color struggle with introductory courses, especially in the sciences and engineering. Features speakers from Barnard, Carleton, Grinnell, Hamilton, Mt. Holyoke, Olin and Wellesley colleges and Columbia University, and Union Dean of Engineering Cherrice Traver, the David Falk and Elynor Rudnick-Falk Professor of Computer Engineering. Sponsored by Consortium on High Achievement and Success (CHAS); free for Union faculty and staff. To register, click here.  

Friday, May 22, 3:30-5:30 p.m. / AUM Hindu Association and the Kenney Community Center 's annual Holi event

Friday, May 22 – Monday, May 25, 8 and 10 p.m. / Reamer Campus Center Auditorium / Film: “Coraline”

Posted on May 12, 2009

Dozens of people packed the Nott Monday afternoon, listening as Union’s first class of Minerva Fellows shared the successes, embarrassments, hardships and happiness they experienced helping the poor in developing countries.

The eight members of the Class of 2008 participated in a panel discussion and presented a multimedia show of the last 11 months they spent in Southern Uganda, Cambodia, India, South Africa or Southern Malawi. The event was part of their commitment to spend the month of May on campus, giving guest lectures in classes, hosting public discussions and raising awareness of the situations they encountered abroad.

The fellows – Rebecca Broadwin, Stephen Po-Chedley, Jonathan Hill, Robert Flick, Alex Butts, Emily Laing, David Shulman, and Lara Levine – learned about more than just the enormous need for education, food, shelter and medical services, though. They said they also discovered how resilient and wonderful human beings can be.

“There were these children living on the streets with no parents, who had basically nothing, and they still got up everyday for class,” said Flick, who worked in Cambodia. “You do learn a lot about the strength of the human spirit from something like this.”

All eight fellows will present a similar program in the Nott Friday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m. during ReUnion weekend. This event will also feature food from the regions each student visited.

For more on the Minerva Fellows, click here.

Posted on May 11, 2009

“I was shocked,” said Vincent Chau, this year’s winner of the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize for the greatest service to the College in any field.

An interdepartmental history and economics major from Manhattan, Chau began perking up when “President Ainlay started talking about someone with economics and history backgrounds.”

Chau is a resident advisor, former class president and Minerva mentor, and an active Asian Student Union member. He also has worked as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistant, and he and a friend created Proteus House, a theme house for math and science students.

“Having my name up there on the plaque is significant,” said Chau, who has requested his middle name, Ka-wing, be included. “It’s not as common as a lot of Western names, and maybe someone someday will see it and realize they, too, can make a difference.”

Tom Perry also said he wasn’t expecting much when he went to Memorial Chapel for Prize Day ceremonies Saturday, May 2. He planned to offer support to friends who would be taking home prizes and scholarships.

It was he who garnered one of the day’s top distinctions, the Josephine Daggett Prize for exemplary conduct and character.

A physics major and astrophysics minor from Schenectady, Perry has been active as president of the Environmental Club and of the Society of Physics Students, with which he has performed science demonstrations in local schools. He also volunteers as a coach with the Science Bowl through the Kenney Community Center.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said of winning the Daggett, “but there are other people in the Union community who deserve this, too.”  

Shanique Kerr, also a senior, received the 7th annual Student Diversity Leadership Award from UNITAS.

A political science major from Brooklyn with minors in economics and classics, Kerr was cited for devoting “much of her effort to creating an equitable experience on campus for all students.” UNITAS is dedicated to fostering community and diversity at Union.

“You can get a lot done on this campus,” Kerr said. “Union is a breeding ground for leaders.”

Kerr has held elected office on the Student Forum, served as co-president of the Black Student Union and co-chair of UNITAS and was elected to the College Board of Trustees. She was a resident advisor for three years.

She is thankful for the support of her classmates and of faculty, staff and trustees.

“They’re equally passionate about the issues that students care about, and their support is key to helping students become leaders,” she said.

Nearly 100 awards were given at Prize Day for achievements in academics, research, service, governance and athletics.

For a complete list of winners, click here. 

Posted on May 8, 2009

Rose Foley ’09 might be the Outstanding Greek Woman of the Year, but that’s not why she couldn’t stop smiling Thursday afternoon in Memorial Chapel. She was overflowing with excitement during the second annual Greek Awards ceremony because she was so proud of everyone else.

“This event is special to me,” said Foley, a Gamma Phi Beta sister who received her award for exemplary contributions to the College’s sorority system. “It’s our only opportunity of the year to fully embrace, recognize and celebrate the many successes and positive contributions of Union’s Greek community.”

This year, the awards committee received more than 45 applications for the 15 honors, some of which are given to more than one student or chapter.

Recipients this year include: 

• Sigma Phi :Fraternity of the Year award for notable strength and a high level of accomplishment in many areas
• Gamma Phi Beta: Sorority of the Year award for notable strength and a high level of accomplishment in many areas
• Michael Topka ’09, Phi Delta Theta: Frederick B. Hawley Jr. Memorial award for commendable scholastic and student activities contributions
• Kevin McKenzie ’09, Sigma Phi: President’s Recognition Cup for chapter president who has fully upheld Greek ideals and honor
• Katie Loeb ’09, Sigma Delta Tau: President’s Recognition Cup for chapter president who has fully upheld Greek ideals and honor
• Alpha Epsilon Pi: Philanthropy/Community Service award for model efforts to support charitable causes or service to the local community 

College President Stephen Ainlay recognized the Greeks for their dedication to Union and the surrounding community.

“I really think you all are remarkable, thank you for the things you’ve done to strengthen Union,” he said. “Greek organizations are one of the most important pieces of our volunteerism efforts, and I know well that this service commitment doesn’t come without you sincerely wanting to make a difference.”

Greeks have been making a difference at Union and in Schenectady since 1825, when several national chapters were founded here. Today, the College’s five sororities and 12 fraternities continue to be an integral part of campus life and outreach.

The awards ceremony was part of Greek Week, which kicked off Saturday and concludes today.

Posted on May 7, 2009

Dylan Ratigan '94, has joined MSNBC as the anchor of his own weekday show beginning June 29.

To read the press release, click here.

Posted on May 7, 2009

Jennifer Lawless '97, a Brown University professor, is leaving to become director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University in Washington, D.C.

Edward Fitzpatrick of  the Providence Journal, wrote about Lawless and her new gig, and her battle to unseat a popular incumbent in the Democratic primary for Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional district seat in 2006.

One of her senior policy advisers for the campaign was Richard Fox, a former political science professor at Union. The two co-authored a book, "It Takes a Candidate: Why Women Don't Run for Office."

Lawless was a political science major at Union and salutatorian of her class.

To read the column, click here (registration may be required).