Posted on Apr 29, 2009

Ashraf Ghaly, professor of engineering, has authored two articles for “Concrete Today,” the monthly magazine of the Pre-Cast Concrete Association of America. “Concrete Barriers: De-Nile of the Sea” appeared in the February issue and “Olivenhain Dam Sets World Record” was published in March.

Melinda Lawson, history lecturer, recently delivered a paper titled "Imagining Slavery: Representations of the Peculiar Institution in the Antebellum North" at the Organization of American Historians Annual Conference in Seattle.

Phil Wajda, director of media and public relations, recently wrote a story updating a 1988 murder in southern N.J. that attracted national headlines. Wajda had covered the murder and subsequent trial as a reporter. The story appeared on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. To read the story, click here.

The Alpha of New York Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Union, established in 1817, has admitted 45 new members. Thirty-nine members of the Class of 2009 were elected this year. They are: Lisa Angotti, Lorraine Ater, Christopher Backlund, Daniel Bailey, Anne Benfield, Stephanie Berlind, Laura Castellano, Gina Chiuminatto, Samantha Cohen, Sarah Coleman, Matthew Cook, Heather Cunningham, Alexandra Dubodel, Rose Foley, Charles Fontana, Cara Gallivan, Alexandra Giromini, Bradley Goldberg, Adrienne Hart, Andrew Kehl, Margaret Licht, Andrew Mackenzie, Mallory Mason, Lacey Morgan, Sarah Mueller, Sean Mulkerne, Lauren Obst, Jacqueline Ostrofsky, Katie Pandolfo, Thomas Perry, Maria-Claire Pietak, Fariha Ramay, Linah Rusere, Nozomi Sakata, Marie Schubert, Henry Sire, Michael Topka, Monica Vielkind and Ursala Williams. They join classmates Cathryn Cook and Steven Herron, who were elected last year. Six members were inducted from the Class of 2010: Brandon Bartell, Emily Feld, Rivka Fidel, Paul Hebert, Ann Keller and Jamie Luguri.

Posted on Apr 29, 2009

The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics recently published its third edition since the chapter was started at Union. Faculty Advisor Zoe Oxley, co-editors John Nobrega ’09 and Kevin Rautenstrauch ’09, and a student editorial board chose to feature four of the 63 essays submitted.

The essays are titled: “Technology and Intelligence: A Strategic and Tactical Analysis,” “Too Much Cleavage? Regional Implications for Democratic Consolidation in Post-Communist Ukraine,” “Manly Women: A Look at the Effects of Masculine Qualities on Women’s Political Success” and “The Politics of Pharmaceutical Crops.”

For a journal subscription, or to purchase an issue separately, contact psajournal@union.edu.          

The June 2008 version of Ephemeris, Union’s undergraduate journal of philosophy, has recently been published. Volume VIII was prepared by a student editorial board along with various student paper reviewers and faculty advisor Felmon Davis.

More than 50 submissions were received from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Pakistan and other countries.

Chosen papers include, “Coming to Terms with Dualism or Calling Unity Across the Epistemic Divide,” “Death and Discourse: an Inquiry into Meaning and Disruption,” “New Hope for True Grounds,” “Towards a Revised Goodmanian Account of Musical Works,” “Functionalism and The Chinese Room Thought-Experiment,” “Schelling and the Presence of Evil” and “Response to Don Marquis: Abortion and the Lack of a Future,” by Union student and Ephemeris editorial board member, Greg Mitchell ’10.

Submissions for the journal’s next edition and requests for copies can be sent to ephemeris.uc@gmail.com.

Posted on Apr 29, 2009

Using only old copies of Concordiensis and some tape, the 40 Schenectady High School juniors who gathered at Old Chapel last Thursday scrambled to erect tall towers of newsprint. Their project, which had to be completed in 15 minutes, was part of a presentation by Union’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.

The visiting students, all members of their high school’s Math, Science and Technology House, also heard from Union’s Biology Club, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Physics Students and the Chemistry Club.

The event was part of the Science and Technology Entry Program’s Day of Service activities.

“For the past three years we’ve increased awareness of STEP, and science, math, engineering and technology professions, by going to local schools,” said Angela Tatem, Kenney Community Center Director.“This is the first year we’ve invited students to campus for this event.”

Kelly Pearson ’11, a member of the Society of Women Engineers, was happy to share her knowledge with the students.

“This will introduce them to what we do here at Union and maybe spark their interest in engineering,” Pearson said. “Engineering isn’t that strong in a lot of high schools, so this might give them a useful perspective on the subject.”

While Aaron Paige, a Schenectady High junior, admitted he was more into computers than engineering, he enjoyed hearing from the different clubs, touring campus and learning about the college admissions process from Director of Multicultural Recruitment James Luciano.

“It’s cool here,” Paige said. “I like the diversity of programs, and it’s one of the nicest colleges I’ve seen.”

Posted on Apr 29, 2009

Brenda Wineapple, the Doris Zemurray Stone and Washington Irving Professor of Modern Literary and Historical Studies, is one of two winners of the third annual National Award for Arts Writing.

Sponsored by the Arts Club of Washington, the award recognizes an outstanding nonfiction book about the arts.

Wineapple was honored for “White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2008). Beginning in 1862, the poet and the Boston minister/essayist/abolitionist corresponded through letters for a quarter of a century.

Wineapple shares honors with Baltimore Sun film critic Michael Sragow, who wrote “Victor Fleming: An American Movie Master” (Pantheon Books, 2008).  The two will take part in an awards dinner and public readings in Washington, D.C., in May.

“The idea of the passionate but chaste Emily Dickinson on a blind date with Byronic, swashbuckling Victor Fleming, if only for one night, encompasses precisely the breadth of inspiration that these awards exist to honor,” said noted book and film critic David Kipen, one of three judges for the prestigious award.

The others were National Book Award winner and former Poet Laureate of Maryland Linda Pastan, and National Book Critics Circle Award winner Reynolds Price.

Earlier this year, Wineapple was named a National Book Critics Circle finalist in biography for “White Heat.”

On the Union faculty since 1976, she also is the author of “Genêt: A Biography of Janet Flanner," “Sister Brother: Gertrude and Leo Stein" and “Hawthorne: A Life,” which received the Ambassador Award of the English-speaking Union for the best biography of 2003 and the Julia Ward Howe Prize from the Boston Book Club.

Wineapple is teaching a junior seminar on Dickinson and a course on modern poetry this term.

Posted on Apr 29, 2009

Students who made Union’s recent national community service award possible will be recognized at the first Volunteer Appreciation Banquet on Monday, May 4 at 6 p.m. in Old Chapel.

In February, the College was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a school can receive for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement.

“When we compiled our report for the Community Service Honor Roll, we were astounded at what we saw, and we wanted to bring the students together so they could see how much they’ve really accomplished,” said Angela Tatem, Kenney Community Center director. “It’s important to do this because volunteering is often a thankless job, and we need our volunteers.”

In 2007-08, 762 Union students participated in a range of community service projects, representing more than 7,700 hours of service. Volunteers at the Kenney Center tutored and read to local children, acted as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and participated in the state Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Program (VITA).

College President Stephen Ainlay will be the keynote speaker at the banquet. An award for outstanding volunteer of the year will also be given.

For more about the Honor Roll, click here.

Posted on Apr 28, 2009

Through May 4
Burns Arts Atrium
Visual Arts Building
Steinmetz Student Exhibition

Features 121 works in a variety of media by 57 studio arts students; installed by the department’s Frank Rapant. Faculty members sponsoring works are Martin Benjamin (traditional and digital photography), Chris Duncan (sculpture and 3-D design), Walter Hatke (painting), Fernando Orellana (digital and electronic art), and Sandy Wimer (2-D design, printmaking and drawing). 

Through May 10
Mandeville Gallery
Nott Memorial
Dynamic Equilibrium

Show explores the intersection of art and science and features artists who explore science and scientists who explore art.

Through May 10
Wikoff Student Gallery
Nott Memorial
LGBTQ: A Union Perspective

Show broadly explores issues that surround the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at Union and beyond. 

Through June 14
Burns Arts Atrium
Visual Arts Building
Senior Shows

May 4-10: Jessie Korner, Tobias Leeger
May 11-17: Justin Blau, Russell Goldenberg
May 18-24: Sarah Mueller, Brace Thompson
May 25-31: Brandon McArdle, Ellie Hazelett
June 1-7: Alexandra Lindsey, Patrick Wilson
June 8-14: Megan Sesil, Katherine Cissel

Through September 2009
Schaffer Library Atrium
Union Notables

A rotating show of extraordinary people from the College; features U.S. President Chester Alan Arthur, Class of 1848; hospice leader and advocate Philip DiSorbo, Class of 1971; and Robert Holland Jr., Class of 1962, who has made valuable contributions to sustainability in businesses.