Posted on Apr 14, 2010

Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin will speak Wednesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in the Nott Memorial.

The hearing-impaired Matlin, a leading advocate for the deaf community, will discuss, "Nobody's Perfect: Achieving Inclusion, Diversity and Access." The talk, part of the Presidential Forum on Diversity series, is free and open to the public.

In 1986, when she was 21, Matlin became the youngest winner of the Best Actress Oscar for her leading role in “Children of a Lesser God.” She is one of only four actresses to receive that honor for a film debut.

Matlin has starred in numerous feature films, including “Walker,” “The Player” and “Hear No Evil.” She also has appeared in many television series, including “The West Wing,” “Reasonable Doubts,” Showtime’s “The L Word” and “Dancing with the Stars.”

She recently launched a reality series on YouTube, “The Deaf Family,” which features a California family whose members are all deaf, except for the oldest son, Jared (the show’s narrator), and the youngest, Elijah. She hopes the show will eventually get picked up by the networks.

“Deaf and hard of hearing people make up one of the largest minority groups,” Matlin said in a recent Los Angeles Times interview through her interpreter, Jack Jason, “and yet there has never been a show, a reality documentary series that features what life is like for them.”

A year ago, Matlin, who lost most of her hearing when she was 18-months-old, released her autobiography, “I’ll Scream Later.” Her previous books include a novel, “Deaf Child Crossing,” and the young people's stories “Leading Ladies” and “Nobody's Perfect.”

Matlin lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Kevin Grandalski, and their four children.

Posted on Apr 14, 2010

A new ranking says Union students are among the happiest on college campuses.

The College came in at No. 98 on a list of the 100 Happiest Colleges by The Daily Beast.

The rankings were created by looking at campus housing, nightlife, graduate indebtedness, average freshman retention rate, campus dining, the number of student clubs and the number of sunny daylight hours.

To read the story, including the complete list, click here.

Posted on Apr 13, 2010

The arts are not only alive but they’re thriving at Union, as seen in a new video now highlighted on the College’s home page.

Members of the Office of Communications worked with professional video partners Creative Advantage of Schenectady over several months to highlight the array of strong arts programs at Union, including theater, dance, music and the visuals arts.

Students and faculty are shown in classrooms; studios and galleries; performing at the Nott Memorial, Yulman Theater, Memorial Chapel and Taylor Music Center; and speaking in various campus buildings and hot spots.

Students include Jonathan Campbell ’12, Stefanie Charles ’12, Heidi Ching ’10, Alexis Deeb ’12, Alex Handin ’10, Jared Gourrier ’10 and Kira Moldow ’10. Two young alumni also speak of their arts experience at Union: arts major Peter MacDonald ’09 and Claire Hendry Foster ’08, who majored in biology and classics and is now a sculptor working in steel, stone and wood.

Faculty and staff members featured are Chris Duncan (sculpture), William Finlay (theater), Walter Hatke (painting), Tim Olsen (music), Fernando Orellana (digital arts), Miryam Moutillet (dance), Rachel Seligman (Mandeville Gallery), Hilary Tann (music) and Sandy Wimer (printmaking).

The project was organized by Charlie Casey, senior editor of News and Publications, with assistance from Tina Lincer, associate director of Communications. They scouted locations, coordinated with faculty and students, shadowed the video team through many days and several rehearsals and performances, and organized and edited content.

In addition to the Union Web site, the video is featured on Union’s YouTube channel.

Click here to view.

Posted on Apr 13, 2010

What movies do Union faculty and staff prefer to watch? Find out at a new program hosted by Breazzano House.

The Criterion Collection: A Film and Food Series, organized by Ian Clemente ’10, invites the Union community for an evening that’s both cinematic and gastronomic – a winning combination – Wednesday evenings through the end of May.

“Each week, our host will select a film they believe you need to see, and Breazzano House will provide food to match the theme. After the film, there will be a discussion led by the host,” said Clemente. Specific times will be determined weekly, he noted.  

The series kicked off this week with the documentary, “Religulous,” the pick of Professor of English Peter Heinegg. Coming up: Films chosen by Stephen Berk, the Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust and Jewish Studies (April 21); Professor of Theater and Senior Artist-in-Residence Patricia Culbert (April 28); Dean of Students Stephen Leavitt (May 5); Director of Greek Affairs Timothy Dunn (May 12); and Director of Student Activities Matt Milless (May 19). For exact times, e-mail Clemente at clementi@union.edu.  

Posted on Apr 13, 2010

What movies do Union faculty and staff prefer to watch? Find out at a new program hosted by Breazzano House.

The Criterion Collection: A Film and Food Series, organized by Ian Clemente ’10, invites the Union community for an evening that’s both cinematic and gastronomic – a winning combination – Wednesday evenings through the end of May.

“Each week, our host will select a film they believe you need to see, and Breazzano House will provide food to match the theme. After the film, there will be a discussion led by the host,” said Clemente. Specific times will be determined weekly, he noted.  

The series kicks off Wednesday at 7 p.m. with “Religulous,” the pick of professor of English Peter Heinegg. The 2008 documentary by director Larry Charles examines and satirizes organized religion and religious belief. It stars political comedian Bill Maher.

Coming up: Films chosen by Stephen Berk, the Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust & Jewish Studies (April 21); Professor of Theater and Senior Artist-in-Residence Patricia Culbert (April 28); Dean of Students Stephen Leavitt (May 5); Director of Greek Affairs Timothy Dunn (May 12); and Director of Student Activities Matt Milless (May 19).