Congratulations, grads!

Congratulations, 2012 graduates!!!

Congrats to Brian Clements

Dr. Brian Clements, coordinator of the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing, was a featured essayist on the National Poetry Month blog: 

http://npmdaily.tumblr.com/,  Congratulations, Brian!

Visit to Onassis Cultural Center in NYC

Forty-eight members of the WestConn and greater Danbury communities traveled yesterday to the Onassis Cultural Center for a private tour of the "Transition to Christianity: Art of Late Antiquity, 3rd – 7th Century AD" exhibit.  The trip was organized by Dr. Galina Bakhtiarova, chair of World Languages and of the WCSU Center for Cultures and Values committee, and funded by a grant from the Macricostas Family Foundation.

Chemistry Club attends American Chemical Society conference in San Diego

The Chemistry Club recently returned from The American Chemical Society Meeting in San Diego, CA. The students in the picture are (from left to right): Drilon Toska, Anisa Barolli, Yinnet Espinal, Peter Maruzzella and Amy Dougherty.  Anisa, Yinnet and Amy presented research they completed at WCSU in the labs of Chemistry Club advisor Dr. Nicholas Greco and Dr. Annie Roberts.  This meeting was attended by more than 15,000 chemists from around the world.

WestConn hosts first 10-Minute Play & Webisode Festival

Kudos to Prof. Louisa Burns-Bisogno for organizing WCSU's first "10-Minute Play & Webisode Festival" on 14 April 2011.  An accomplished screenwriter, Prof. Burns-Bisogno worked collaboratively with colleagues from ECSU and CCSU to attract more than 24 webisodes and/or 10-minute plays for viewing at the festival.  Way to go, Louisa! 

Dr. Mitch Wagener to lecture on "Climate and Human Civilization"

Dr. Stephen "Mitch" Wagener, chair and professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences, will give a lecture on "Climate and Human Civilization" at noon tomorrow (Wednesday, April 11th ) in Alumni Hall.  Dr. Wagener's lecture is part of the ongoing brown-bag lecture series on "What is Human?" sponsored by Student Affairs.

Congrats to COM 394 students!

Dr. JC Barone, assistant professor of Communication, shares the following wonderful news:

"Dear COM 394- Live News & Broadcasting Team,

"Congratulations! We've won a prestigious Telly Award for an episode of Good Evening Connecticut, a live, 30-minute magazine show produced by the innovative COM 394 Live News & Broadcasting course. After our exhausting and historic, live election show coverage, we pushed on and produced two more shows in COM 394 at the end of last semester. The award winning episode of Good Evening Connecticut aired from Charter and featured guests Phyllis Cortese and Louisa Burns-Bisogno. Students, this award and professional recognition will enhance your resume and it's something to be very proud of!

"According to the Tellys, 'The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring the finest film and video productions, groundbreaking web commercials, videos and films, and outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs. Our mission has been to strengthen the visual arts community by inspiring, promoting, and supporting creativity. The 32nd Annual Telly Awards received over 11,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.'  Only ~15% of all applicants receive recognition."

Great work!  We're proud of all of you!

Daniel Mendelson to lecture

Daniel Mendelson will be on campus this evening to present "Antigone in Krakow:  Reflections on Classics Lost and Found:  A Reading from a Work in Progress" as part of the Macricostas Family Foundation Annual Lecture Series.

Mendelson is an award-winning author and critic, who earned a doctorate in Classics at Princeton University. He is the author of several books, including The Elusive Embrace and The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million.

He will speak at 7:30 pm. in Science Building 125.  A reception and book signing will follow.  The public is invited to attend.

Congrats to Dr. Kevin Gutzman!

Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Gutzman, Professor of History!   Dr. Gutzman just published James Madison and the Making of America (St. Martin's) to wide critical acclaim and was a featured guest blogger with "Santorum and Madison on Church and State" on the  Washington Post web site on March 5th.  James Madison and the Making of American also was chosen as a February 2012 History Book Club Main Selection.

Roger Sherman Debate Society

Rashad Evans, director of the Roger Sherman Debate Society, sends this update of the RSDS's latest successes:

"I would like to congratulate the sophomore team of Taylor Pasquence and Taylor Wolff for making it all the way to the final round of the CSU-Fullerton national debate tournament.  'Team Taylor' beat teams from UNLV, CSU-Chico, San Diego State University and CSU-Northridge before losing a hard fought final debate round to Cornell on a split decision .  In one semester, Team Taylor has successfully made the jump from novice to junior varsity debate, which has coined them the name 'super novices' around the country.  With a tournament win at James Madison University, a finals appearance at CSU-Fullerton and a semi-finals appearance at SUNY-Binghampton, Team Taylor has been successful from east to west and from north to south.  They are well on their way to being nationally competitive in the open division.  They will next compete at UT-Austin where they will face their strongest competition to date.  They are both already hard at work!

"Next month (February 25-26), RSDS will host the Hat City Debate Tournament, where for the first time in team history Western Connecticut State University will compete in the District 8 qualifying tournament in hopes of gaining one of the limited 78 spots at the prestigious National Debate Tournament (NDT) to be hosted by Emory University in Atlanta this March."

Way to go, Team Taylor and RSDS. 

Dr. Mel, 1945-2012

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Dr. Mel Goldstein, who founded the Meteorology Program (still offering the only bachelor's degree in Meteorology in Connecticut) and Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University.   Dr. Mel was an important and beloved member of the Arts and Sciences family, and his dedication to WestConn and our students continued long after his retirement as a faculty member.  During his career with WTNH, Dr. Mel mentored countless WestConn broadcast meteorology students who have gone on to have outstanding careers.  Many of us admired Dr. Mel for his energy, quick wit, and commitment to students and for the grace with which he faced his long battle with cancer.  His was a life well lived, as few can say that they have made as big a difference on an institution and a region as Dr. Mel did.  (See Robert Miller's "Meteorolgist 'Dr. Mel' Dies" in the News-Times and Maryellen Fillo's "Dr. Mel Loses His Battle with Cancer" in the Hartford Courant.) Our thoughts are with Dr. Mel's family, friends, and former students, as they mourn his passing and celebrate his incredible life.

Dalai Lama to visit in October 2012

The Dalai Lama will visit Western Connecticut State University on Oct. 18-99, 2012.  Details about the Dalai Lama's visit and plans for events leading up to his visit are available in Robert Miller's "Dalai Lama to Speak in Danbury" and "WestConn Delves into Tibetan Programs."  Dr.  John Briggs, CSU Professor of Writing, has been instrumental in bringing the Dalai Lama to campus and in organzing events leading up to his visit. 

Intersession in Italy

WCSU students in their palazzo classroom.

WCSU students taking an Italian cooking class with a professional chef.

Dr. Patrizia Farina and a group of WCSU students spent Intersession 2012 in Florence, Italy.  The program included intensive Italian language courses and several field trips, including an Italian cooking class.  Dr. Galina Bakhtiarova, chair of  the Department of World Languages and Literature, joined the group for part of the session.

Kevin Gaughan, Fulbright scholar

Alumnus Kevin Gaughan sends this reflection about how WestConn helped to prepare him to be a Fulbright scholar in Estonia :

"About a week ago, an old friend contacted me to say congratulations on receiving the Fulbright scholarship to Estonia. We both grew up in New Fairfield, so when he realized that the last four years of my life were spent at Western Connecticut State University he was stunned that such a prestigious award was granted to one of its students. He was even more surprised when I told him that I was the third student in three years to receive the award. After all, WestConn had always been perceived as the token 'fallback' option among our high school class. It turns out that my buddy failed to realize something, though—something that I only came to understand after becoming a student at the university: WestConn is Connecticut’s best-kept secret.

"So what exactly is it that makes WCSU 'Connecticut’s best-kept secret?' The answer lies in WestConn’s commitment to a principle that many universities have long since forgotten--that higher education should first and foremost be student-focused. Whereas an overwhelming amount of universities continue to clinch firmly to the idea that producing 'scholarly research' is the primary function of higher education, WestConn has repeatedly challenged those norms. It has recognized that equal importance needs to be placed on helping students develop the interpersonal and analytical skills necessary to become contributing members of society.

"When I reflect upon my years as both an undergraduate in Political Science and a graduate student in History, I feel fortunate to have been part of a university that espouses such a student-focused philosophy. For instance, I remember when Dr. Kukk and Dr. Wilcox championed the benefits of an interdisciplinary education and sought to give their students the opportunity to realize these benefits. With the support of President Schmotter and Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Abbey Zink, they allowed students to tailor their own curriculums to meet their various needs and interests. As such, they opened the door for students to take a more active role in their education.

"Giving students the flexibility to create their own educational experience seems like a rather simple idea, doesn’t it? Not only is it simple, it’s empowering, for it implicitly tells students that they have control over what they choose to learn. And yet even today, some of the world’s leading universities resist this structural change.

"Another notable example of WestConn’s commitment to its students is the Roger Sherman Debate Society. Eight years ago, a group of students wanted to prove to both themselves and the university that they could compete intellectually with some of the best schools in the country. In pursuit of this goal, they launched WCSU’s first debate team. After being given financial and administrative support from two professors at the university, the newly formed debate team has since been generously funded by the School of Arts and Sciences and, as a result, it has grown into a nationally recognized program. During the Spring 2011 semester, for instance, two members of the team, Ben Allen and Ben Townsend, placed among the top 20 speakers in the country at the JV/Novice National Tournament in Towson, Maryland. This marked a significant milestone not just for the debate team but also for the university as a whole, since it highlighted the level of academic talent that WestConn students can demonstrate.

"WCSU’s student-focused philosophy goes beyond the classroom in other ways as well. For example, my classmates and I were frequently given the opportunity to participate in educational trips to New York City, where we met with prominent United Nations officials and discussed important global concerns. I can only speak for myself, but these experiences were invaluable to my academic development, for they not only gave me multiple perspectives on a given issue, they also further instilled in me the idea that WestConn students were smart enough to take part in such important international discussions.

"While the examples above provide a glimpse into the myriad opportunities for academic and personal development that WestConn students have at their disposal, they are remiss in capturing the premier quality of professors that the university has to offer. For instance, Dr. Kukk is a former research fellow at Harvard University; Dr. Wilcox received his PhD from Cornell; Dr. Duffy graduated with a PhD in history from New York University; and Dr. Knudsen recently graduated with a PhD from Yale. There are many others who contribute to WestConn’s long list of accomplished faculty as well, which makes me feel as though I received an education far more valuable than what most other small state universities can provide.

"Therefore, I just wanted to thank the School of Arts of Sciences, and Western Connecticut State University as a whole, for such a wonderful educational experience during the last four years. When I look back on my time at WCSU, I feel as though I have been given the opportunity to be part of something truly great--something that people are going to look back upon and say with admiration, 'wow, I really wish I was a part of that.' I will forever be one of the university’s biggest fans, and I look forward to the day when I no longer have to describe Western as 'Connecticut’s best kept secret' but rather as the definition it truly deserves: An Ivy League education within the walls of a state university."

Thanks, Kevin, for sharing your experiences with us.  We're all very proud of you.

Congrats to Michael Fraser

Congrats to Michael Fraser who has been elected as a student representative on the new Board of Regents.  Mike was profiled in "WCSU Student Joins Board of Regents" on Danbury Patch.  Way to go, Mike! 

Wor(l)ds of Poetry

More than 40 students participated this afternoon in this year's "Wor(l)d of Poetry" event sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Literature.  Students read poems in French, Italian, Spanish, and Tagalog.  A special thanks goes to Dr. Alba Skar, associate professor of Spanish, for organizing the event.

Update: Kevin Gaughan, Fulbright

Recent WCSU grad Kevin Gaughan is currently on a Fulbright at the University of Tartu in Estonia.  Kevin is featured in "WCSU student awarded Fulbright scholarship:  Graduate student says Western put him on the right track" on the WCSU web site.  Way to go, Kevin!

Welcome, NEPCA!

WestConn is hosting the 2011 Northeast Popular Culture Association (NEPCA) conference this weekend.  Welcome, NEPCA members!

Congratulations to CHE major Anthony DiDomenico

Drs. Yuan Mei-Ratliff and Russ Selzer, co-chairs of the Chemistry Department, share this terrific news:

"[O]ne of our students, Anthony DiDomenico, recently took 1^st place at the 14^th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County for outstanding research.  He offered the paragraph below to give a synopsis about this award.

"On Saturday, October 22^nd, 2011 the University of Maryland at Baltimore County hosted the  symposium in which undergraduates could present their research. This symposium was available to selected schools from around the Maryland area. The University of Maryland is an honors college and has an excellent reputation for academics and research. The symposium consisted of two poster sessions and a workshop concerning the importance of Mass Spectroscopy followed by a tour of the facilities.

"To wrap up the day’s events, an awards ceremony was held to announce 1^st and 2^nd place winners for outstanding poster presentations. The awards were given out to outstanding presenters in chemical, biological, and biochemical & molecular chemistries independently.

"Out of over 200 presenters, Anthony DiDomenico, an undergraduate chemistry major at WCSU, took home 1^st place for his research conducted during a summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) at James Madison University during the summer of 2011. REU programs are competitive summer programs that allow undergraduates to get a feel for what research is like at the graduate level. Accepted students are expected to complete a 10 week program involving in-depth research followed by a presentation to sum up their findings. These research experiences provide an excellent way for students to network as well as promote their educational resume for possible admission to graduate school.

"Taking home 1^st place during this event is not only a personal achievement, but also brings up WCSU’s name at an event where most participating schools are more nationally known. This means that WCSU’s chemistry program is not only successful at producing students ready for grad school, but also has a competitive program that allows students to excel in chemistry. Contending recipients came from universities such as: John Hopkins, Penn State, University of Delaware, Georgetown, University of Maryland, James Madison, and Villanova. "

Way to go, Anthony! 

Dr. Jean Twenge to speak about "Narcissim Epidemic" tonight

Dr. Jean M. Twenge, author of The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement (with W. Keith Campbell) and Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable than Ever Before, will give this year's President's Lecture on "The Narcissism Epidemic: Implications for Education & the Workplace" tonight (Wed., Nov. 9th) at 7:30 p.m. in the Ives Concert Hall.