venus williams education

November 6, 2007 Vol. 3 No. 3 the cupola A thunderous ovation rippled through the standing-room-only crowd at First Presbyterian Church October 23 to welcome tennis superstar Venus Williams. Mary Baldwin College’s 11th annual Smyth Leadership Lecturer soaked in the applause and began by humbly thanking the community and benefactors Gordon and Mary Beth Smyth ’47 for the opportunity to expand her new venture into public speaking. “Playing tennis is my destiny, but being in a sport in the international arena gives me the platform to speak to you and to others, to host clinics, whatever I did, so I had to watch myself or I would see my bad behavior mirrored by her.” Williams, who has her sights on winning more Grand Slam tournament titles, kept her address conversational and insightful. A story about an amateur golfer who watched her pre-match regimen and implemented it to help his game related another lesson in leadership: “You may not know who’s watching you, learning from what you’re doing and looking up to you.” Williams admired students in the audience, adding that she is working n e w s F O R M A R Y B A L D W I N C O L L E G E F A C U LT Y, S T A F F, A N D S T U D E N T S Venus Williams Thrills Hundreds as 11th Annual Smyth Leadership Lecturer “Identify your dreams and go after them. When those dreams become reality, go for more.” — VENUS WILLIAMS and to make a difference,” said the four-time Wimbledon champion. “Doing everything I can outside the sport is even more rewarding than what I do on the court.” The athletic Williams towered over the podium — she’s 6’4’’ in her heels — but she was on the audience’s level as she shared personal anecdotes, advice, and stories about training and family — especially about younger sibling Serena, with whom she shares the tennis spotlight. As the second youngest in a family of four, Venus’ first taste of leadership was created by Serena. “She was a classic younger sister,” Venus told the star-struck audience. “She wanted to do on her associates degree. “It has taken me about eight years — so I should be a doctor by now,” she laughed. “I will graduate this fall, and I’m so excited. I’m going to throw that cap so high.” Creating a partnership between UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization] and the Women’s Tennis Association [WTA] is one of Williams’ biggest accomplishments this year, she said. She was named global ambassador for gender equality issues in spring 2007, and works to raise money and awareness for women’s issues around the world. “Identify your dreams and go after them,” she said. “When those dreams become reality, go for more”. Grand Engagement: MBC Invites Community to Civic and Global Center Music and energy swelled from Page Terrace October 11, welcoming students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the opening of the college’s Samuel and Ava Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement on the chilly campus hillside. The sounds of strings, accordion, and drums pulsed through the crowd. Student groups wound down hillside steps from different directions to unite in listening to Center namesake Samuel Spencer and other noted guests. MBC President Pamela Fox wore a striking gold-and-orange-hued Indian robe and Interim Dean of the College Edward Scott was garbed in African cloth. The community celebrated not just a building renovation, but a transformation. See more pictures and quotes from distinguished guests, including namesake Samuel R. Spencer Jr., on page 10. PHOTO BY WOODS PIERCE “We look forward to making the Center an active and key part of our lives here, said Ashley Graves ’08, Student ” Government Association President. Pictured here (l-r), Louise McNamee ’70, Ava Spencer, President Pamela Fox, Samuel R. Spencer Jr., and Interim Dean Edward Scott applaud the ribbon-cutting outside the Center. PHOTO BY WOODS PIERCE 2 November 6, 2007 The Cupola NEWS Local, Global Poverty More Than a Minor Concern at Mary Baldwin College What are the root causes of poverty? Can it be eradicated? What role do economists, scientists, sociologists, psychologists, and ethicists play in defining, analyzing, and reducing or eliminating poverty? Students who follow the tracks of two recently approved interdisciplinary minors at MBC will be rewarded with possible answers — or at least thought-provoking discussion — to these pressing questions. As the college’s most recent endeavor to place learning in civic and global contexts, minors in U.S. poverty analysis and global poverty and development draw on MBC’s existing courses and resources to produce fields of study with local and international relevance. Students can declare either minor as early as fall 2007, said Amy Diduch, associate professor of economics. Students will learn the tools of economic and data analysis in either track and select courses in political science, sociology, psychology, Pervasive Poverty: Poverty thresholds in the United States: family of four $20,614 family of three $16,079 family of two $13,167 individual $10,294 ▲ 7 million families in the U.S. (9.8 percent) live in poverty .7 ▲ Half of the world’s population — 3 billion people — live on less than $2 a day *Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau and The World Bank, figures from 2006 philosophy, religion, or economics to broaden their understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and its possible solutions. “Poverty in the developing world is much more severe and likely to be longer in duration than poverty in the United States,” said Diduch, explaining the reasons for two distinct minors. “Poverty in the developing world is caused by many of the same problems as it is in the United States, but is also more frequently due to lack of political voice, lack of property rights, and large gender inequalities.” A minor in U.S. poverty analysis will constitute 18 to 21 credit hours, including a service learning project that can be combined with the required course Poverty, Inequality, and Welfare Analysis or another service-oriented class. A focus on global poverty and development also has its foundation in economics and political science courses. Electives in several other disciplines generate a minor of 21 to 24 credit hours. Students on the global track are strongly encouraged to undertake an international service learning experience as well. Both minors rely heavily on the resources of the newly opened Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement, located in Consuelo Slaughter Wenger Hall. In addition to offering a place for personal interaction with MBC directors of civic engagement and international programs, the Center will soon house searchable databases for local outreach and international travel and books and brochures on specific places and topics related to community engagement. “Mary Baldwin’s renewed emphasis on civic and global engagement and the support provided by directors at the Spencer Center, make this an opportune time to provide these options for minors to students,” Diduch said. Doenges Scholar Examines Female Jewish Identity in Theatre, Society women’s history to focus on Jewish women in Renaissance drama and real women who converted to Christianity. Female characters in Christopher Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta and Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice as well as the real-life conversion of Eve Cohan described in a 17th-century pamphlet will serve as some of Levin’s case studies. “I look at why there is such interest in conversion of young Jewish women and how that leads to their isolation,” Levin explained. “There is intrigue not only in the history of Jews, but also the attitudes of the dominant culture toward those who are different.” Levin earned her undergraduate degree at Southern Illinois University and her master’s degree and PhD in history from Tufts University. Her academic specializations combine with an unmistakable passion for teaching to create bridges between her scholarship and students. “Questions that students have asked me have opened up new topics for class lectures and discussions; they have also led to research and public talks,” she said. Levin has published numerous articles on Shakespeare’s characters and works, and edited several books. Her expertise has led to interviews on National Public Radio and televised segments on CNN. Levin has been a visiting scholar at Middle Tennessee State University, a fellow at the Newberry Library, a distinguished professor at University of North Carolina in Asheville, and a National Endowment for the Humanities fellow at University of Virginia. Your Chance to Revise the U.S. Constitution University of North Carolina (UNC) Professor of Sociology Judith Blau’s recent public talk, “Human Rights and the U.S. Constitution,” was the first of two acts for her at MBC as one of the college’s Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Doenges Visiting Artist/Scholars for 2007–08. Sociology major Trisha Vaughan ’08 was intrigued by Blau’s comparison of the United States Constitution with similar documents from countries around the world, particularly the U.S.’s shortcomings in terms of human rights provisions. “Blau believes a country’s constitution should be the vision of a utopian society, and that citizens should be able to look to that document to continually improve the country’s social solidarity,” said Susannah Via, MBC donor relations coordinator and lecture attendee. Blau encouraged her audience to read constitutions from around the globe at http://confinder.richmond.edu. Students who envision themselves re-writers of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights are invited to join Blau in her May Term 2008 course, The U.S. Constitution Revisited, during her next visit. “In wave after wave, countries are revising their constitutions to include human rights. At MBC we will expand and develop the Bill of Rights to accomplish that goal,” Blau wrote in her course description. Two blogs maintained through Blau’s courses at UNC offer her students the opportunity to add amendments to the U.S. Constitution that address human rights. Carole Levin, Willa Cather professor of history at University of Nebraska, delivered MBC’s 165th commencement address. Having addressed a large audience as Mary Baldwin’s 2007 Commencement speaker, Carole Levin will return to campus November 8 as one of MBC’s Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Doenges Visiting Artist/Scholars for 2007. Her visit includes a public address, “Converting the Daughter: Gender, Power, and Jewish Identity in the English Renaissance.” The talk will meld Levin’s specialties in late medieval and early modern England and Europe and in MBC ARCHIVES The Cupola November 6, 2007 3 Invest and Innovate: A Call for Collective Creativity I have been truly inspired by the crucible of creative thinking taking place on campus. The sociology department submitted a proposal for enhancement of the Social Work program. Discussions are bubbling about how to augment our excellent track record of preparing teachers in areas such as special education, history, math, science, and environment-based learning. We are exploring ways to build upon our graduate programs (MAT and MLitt/MFA) in partnership with the undergraduate curriculum, including 3+2 or 4+1 options that would allow students to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. Student Life is talking about how to increase student engagement and retention. Other conversations are advancing ideas about the sciences, preparation for medical careers, the arts, recruitment of talented women of color, global studies, business, civic engagement, and many others. I encourage the entire Mary Baldwin College community — faculty, staff, and students — to join this lively conversation. I invite the campus community to propose programmatic innovations to meet our enrollment goals of 1,000 women in the Residential College and 25 percent growth in adult and graduate programs. A $1,000,000 gift from Anna Kate and Hayne Hipp will provide the investment funding to develop and launch program enhancements. The Hipp funds are already helping with aggressive new national recruiting strategies for PEG and VWIL. A call for proposals for the Innovation Fund has been issued to faculty and staff. My recent call to the entire college community to build on the advantageous position we’ve created in Phase I of our 10-year strategic plan, Composing Our Future: Mary Baldwin College 2014, is being answered. We must seize the urgency of the opportunity before us and continue to advance our vision of national recognition for personalized, transforming liberal education by instituting a new cycle of innovation. I reiterate my deep belief that our creativity drives our institutional achievement historically, and it will in the future. Our creativity fosters distinction. Dr. Pamela Fox, president edge written on the word Bruce Joffe, associate professor of communication, an essay “Sapphic Subtexts in Ladies’ Magazines, Harvard ” Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, September/October 2007 . Bob Klonoski, assistant professor of business administration, an article “How and Why Do Consumers Choose Art, ” ArtBusiness.com. Daniel Métraux, professor of Asian studies, a chapter “The farce of the great Russian salvation tour: The legacy of Aum Shinrikyo in mother Russia, Japanese ” Religions in and beyond the Japanese Diaspora, Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California; and articles “The Industrialization of Korea” and “Ministry of Industry and International Trade, Japan, Oxford World Encyclopedia. ” Adrian Riskin, associate professor of mathematics, an article “A Note on Heterogeneous Decompositions into Spanning Trees, Bulletin of the Institute ” for Combinatorics and its Applications, September 2007 . Sign Up Now for College Emergency Alert Messages Mary Baldwin College leaders have been working for several months to increase security measures for the campus community as a result of the unthinkable shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007 and a general need to periodically reassess campus security. In August, a letter was emailed to parents of current MBC students encouraging them to have their daughters fill out a new online Contact Information Form when directed to do so, and that time is now. This month, we ask every member of the MBC community (faculty, staff, and students) to sign up for the new emergency communication system. It is vital that you do so. The new alert system will only be used for true emergency communications. To distinguish the emergency-only messages from all others, they will be called Baldwin Alert Messages, or BAMs. Like other colleges and universities, Mary Baldwin College is implementing a system to enhance our ability to communicate emergency information quickly and clearly. The system gives us the ability to send information immediately via phone, email, and text messaging to everyone who signs up. Our plan is to make the messages straightforward, with a goal of answering four questions: ▲ What is the emergency? ▲ Where should I go or not go? ▲ What should I do when I reach the location? ▲ When and via what means can I expect more information? Emergency alert messages are one element of our multi-pronged safety and emergency initiative. Concurrent with the implementation of alerts, the college will offer emergency response training, perform scenario simulations, and initiate campuswide tests of emergency preparedness. We will share more information about those parts of the plan in coming months. All of us must be part of the emergency preparedness process, and it is essential that each of us takes the first step by signing up to receive BAMs. The sign-up process will be quick and easy — just a few clicks on a Web page. The new MBC emergency alert system is one list you definitely want to be part of. David Mowen, vice president for business and finance spoken word Judy Klein, professor of economics, papers, “Modeling the Optimizing Properties of the Observed Two-bin Inventory Policy for the U.S. Military, 1940-1961, at History of Economics ” Society meeting, George Mason University; “Rules of Action for War and Recursive Optimization, at History of ” Economics as History of Science Workshop, Cachan, France; and “Cold War, dynamic programming, and the science of economizing, at History of ” Recent Economics conference, University of Paris X. Lowell Lemons, associate professor of education, a presentation, “Coach Your School to Success: Collaborating for Effectiveness, Virginia Association of ” Supervision and Curriculum Development Southwest Virginia Regional Conference. notable achievements (See EDGE, Page 5) Paul Deeble, assistant professor of biology, was included in the 2007 edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Just Sign Up! www.mbc.edu/security YOUR information is critical to MBC’s enhanced emergency communication system. 4 November 6, 2007 The Cupola Join Us Online! Emergency Alert Sign-Up www.mbc.edu/security International Constitutions confinder.richmond.edu Lumina Foundation www.luminafoundation.org National Survey of Student Engagement nsse.iub.edu/index.cfm Richmond Regional Center www.mbc.edu/adp/richmond Spencer Center www.mbc.edu/spencer Student News SGA Gavel: New Center, Venus Williams Inspire Students By Ashley Graves ’08 Student Government Association President October was full of fun and celebration. The Mary Baldwin College family and Staunton community joined in a celebration of unity and diversity for the grand opening of the Samuel and Ava Spencer Center, a new resource for community and global engagement perched on MBC’s hillside. We give special thanks to the Spencers, the Board of Trustees, and to all those who made the center — and the event — possible. We want to remind all students that our Student Government Association is committed to the community service pledge initiated by the Executive Committee (EC) in 2005–06, and the center will be the focal point to rally students. We look forward to making the center an active and key part of our lives. The EC collaborated with Colleges Against Cancer to sponsor a Breast Cancer Walk-a-Thon, which will be rescheduled due to rain, and Women’s Health Awareness Day during Squirrel Spirit Week. The event demonstrated the student body’s commitment to service as second nature. Smyth Lecturer Venus Williams, an icon of athletics and wellness, has inspired many students to get involved in sports and fitness. One student said Williams’ influence on female athletes was strengthened by her stand for equal pay for equal play for women in ▲ At Your Service! Bookstore (in Pannill Student Center) Monday–Friday: 9am–4pm Weekends for special events Career Center (in Kable House) Monday, Friday: 8:30am–4:30pm Grafton Library Monday–Thursday: 8am–midnight Friday–Saturday: 8am–6pm Sunday: 12pm–midnight Hunt Dining Hall Monday–Friday: 7:30–9am, 11–1:30pm, 4:30-6:30pm Saturday–Sunday: 11am–1pm, 4:30–6pm Nuthouse (in Hunt Dining Hall) Monday–Thursday: 8am–2pm, 4-10pm Friday: 8am–2pm, 4-11pm Saturday: 7-11pm Physical Activities Center Monday–Thursday: 6am–9pm Friday: 7am–5pm Saturday: 12–5pm Sunday: 5–9pm Post Office (in Pannill Student Center) Monday–Friday: 9am–4pm Saturday: 9am–12pm Pub (in Pannill Student Center) Food Service: Monday–Thursday: 11am–2pm, 4-8pm Friday: 4–8pm Building Hours: Monday–Friday: 6am–midnight Saturday–Sunday: 7am–midnight Wenger Computer Labs Every day 7am–midnight tennis. After spending time with her personally, I can say she is truly a people-oriented woman, focused on changing the world one step (or serve) at a time. End-of-semester papers and exams are fast approaching, but SGA wants you to remember that there are ways to relax and unwind during the next month, too. One such event is the annual Christmas Cheer celebration at First Presbyterian Church December 2. Carols and festive songs led by student vocal groups and scriptures read by members of the college community will inspire and reward you for the hard work of the fall semester. EC encourages all students to participate in this tradition and others, and to serve Mary Baldwin as student leaders and community liaisons. Students in Motion ▲ the cupola www.mbc.edu/cupola November 6, 2007 Vol. 3 No. 3 VWIL cadet Rebecca Burke ’08 was awarded the Aubrey Jackson Community Service Prize, a $350 stipend to purchase college textbooks, from the Augusta Lions Club for demonstrating competence, character, and service. Abby Turner ’08 received the award for Excellence in LibraryBased Research for her paper “An Obstinate Heretic: The Eventful History of Anne Askew.” Katharine Newman ’10 was runner-up. Michelle Binger ’08 was elected Residence Hall Association chairwoman. The Class of 2011 elected Ann Philip, president; Candace Klementowicz, vice president; and Naianka Rigaud, secretary. Katrina Litchford ’11 was recognized and awarded the Outstanding Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet in Virginia. Litchford was also recognized as the top physical fitness PT Challenge cadet in the state and received the Commander’s Commendation letter as a colonel in the Civil Air Patrol. She will compete for the outstanding CAP cadet in the nation. PEG Voices Help Program Evolve As one of several new initiatives instituted by the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG) this academic year, elections were held in September for PEG Steering Committee members. Two student representatives were elected for each class. Senior class representatives are Leia Atwell and Grace McAlexander; juniors are Alison Oelke-McCaul and Samantha Smith; sophomores are Devon Chenette and Ashley Graham; and freshmen are Alison Presswood and Frances Webber. The new committee will meet monthly with PEG Director Stephanie Ferguson to discuss policies and procedures, program maintenance and growth, and new initiatives, as well as issues and concerns raised by PEG students and staff. The committee provides PEG students the opportunity to voice their opinions and offer innovative solutions in order to shape the future of the PEG program. In addition to the leadership opportunity the steering committee offers, Ferguson said that she cannot imagine implementing changes or growing PEG without input from the students who would be affected. “The consideration of their unique outlook as program participants is essential both prior to and during the process of implementing changes as well as after any changes are made in order to evaluate the effectiveness of new endeavors,” she said. ▲ ▲ To submit items for On The Edge and Movers & Shakers, e-mail malberts@mbc.edu. To submit ideas for news stories and briefs, e-mail dmedley@mbc.edu. Deadlines for submissions are the 15th of each month. The Cupola can also be reached at 540-887-7009. The editor reserves the right to select representative submissions and edit material according to AP and MBC style and available space. Editor Dawn Medley Assistant Editor Morgan Alberts Smith ’99 Design Pamela Dixon The Cupola is published on the first Tuesday of each month, September to May, for the faculty, staff, and students of Mary Baldwin College by the Office of Communication, Marketing, and Public Affairs. For more news about Mary Baldwin, visit MBC News online at mbc.edu/news. Mary Baldwin College does not discriminate on the basis of sex (except that men are admitted only as graduate and ADP students), race, national origin, color, age, disability, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, admissions, or co-curricular or other activities, and employment practices. Inquiries may be directed to the Director of Human Resources, P.O. Box 1500, Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, Virginia 24402; phone 540-887-7367. Juniors Really, Really Represent at Spencer Center Opening The parade of classes from all corners of MBC’s historic campus was an energetic and symbolic welcome for the opening of the Samuel and Ava Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement in October. Led by a banner proclaiming its class year, each class gathered dozens to emerge from the top of the hillside and converge on Page Terrace, but there could be only one class with the highest participation. That winner was the junior class, which was rewarded with a prize as well as its strong presence at one of the college’s most engaging ceremonies. Which class will be best represented at the next campus event? PHOTO BY MORGAN ALBERTS SMITH ’99 The Cupola November 6, 2007 5 NEWS MBC Adult Degree Program Celebrates 25 Years of Transforming Lives in Richmond Richmond’s student hub of Mary Baldwin College adult, graduate, and teacher certification programs moved to a new location last month — but that’s only the most recent chapter of an important story for so many adults in the area. The first adult degree program in Virginia was launched by Mary Baldwin College at its Staunton campus in 1977. Opened in 1983, the Richmond regional center was the first in a series of outreach locations that now number five — with a sixth set to open soon. The Richmond center offers adult degree and graduate studies, as well as post baccalaureate teacher licensure. The public was invited to celebrate a legacy of transforming lives in Richmond and the surrounding area for a quarter century with an open house October 26. The center will add a continuing education program in spring 2008. The Ham & Jam Club will welcome students for non-credit courses in personal finances, American art, yoga, conversational Spanish, Southern women writers, theatrical history, and personal health and wellness. Following Mary Baldwin College’s precedent-setting idea for adult students, many colleges and universities have recognized Richmond as an ideal location for satellite offices and classrooms. In the face of increasing competition, Mary Baldwin has continued to be successful by doing what it does best: provide adult students with the same kind of support and exposure to creative thinking that residential undergraduates receive in Staunton. MBC has been confident in its personalized, liberal arts approach for adults for decades, and a recent study — this one by the Lumina Foundation for Education based in Indianapolis — supports what the college has practiced all along. Offering a customized education for each student that includes an on-site faculty adviser, the MBC Adult Degree Program succeeds in Lumina’s measures of adult programs: providing a clear “map” toward a degree; affordability and convenience; student support, including academic advising; and access to information. Find out more about the Lumina Foundation at www.luminafoundation.org. edge notable on the achievements Bruce Dorries, assistant professor of communication, served as communication consultant for the Lewis Creek Advisory Committee and provided public relations advice for the Shenandoah Valley Pure Water Forum. Michael Gentry, associate professor of mathematics, served as judge for mathematics and statistics section of Virginia Junior Academy of Science, James Madison University. Melissa Malabad, assistant professor of business administration and marketing, appointed to a second term on the Business Editorial Board of Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching, recognizing her peer review of digital scholarship. news Coverage of Apple Day “Mary Baldwin Students Welcome Freshmen with Apples, WVIR-TV29, ” Charlottesville, Virginia, 10/3/07 . “Fall Traditions, The News Virginian, ” Waynesboro, Virginia, 10/4/07 . “Apple Day, WVIR-TV29, ” Charlottesville, Virginia, 10/6/07 . Coverage of Spencer Center Opening “The Mary Baldwin Push for Global Engagement, Insight, WMRA, ” Harrisonburg, Virginia, 9/26/07 . “New Building Opens at Mary Baldwin College, WHSV-TV3, ” Harrisonburg, Virginia, 10/11/07 . “MBC Unveils New Center, WSVA, ” Staunton, Virginia, 10/10/07-10/12/07 . Promo coverage of opening, WVTFNPR, Roanoke, Virginia, 10/10/07-10/11/07 . “New center gives Mary Baldwin global reach, WVIR-TV29, ” Charlottesville, Virginia, 10/11/07 . “Mary Baldwin welcomes civic engagement center, The News ” Virginian, Waynesboro, Virginia, 10/12/07 . “Center links MBC to wider world, ” The News Leader, Staunton, Virginia, 10/12/07 The article was picked up . and ran in several newspapers statewide, including The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia). “Grand Engagement: MBC Opens New Civic and Global Center, ” Campus Happenings, a publication of Colleges of Distinction, 10/17/07 . (See EDGE, Page 9) in the New Address for the Richmond Center Forest Office Park 1504 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 202 Richmond, VA 23229. Phone: 804-282-9111 Fax: 804-282-9138 richadp@mbc.edu Wanted: Your Best Campus Photos Snap the shutter, send an e-mail. How much easier could it be to enter to win a prize and have your photography published in The Cupola? Share your camera’s-eye view of campus with the MBC community by entering the newspaper’s fall semester photo contest. The deadline for entries is drawing close: they must be received by 5 p.m. November 21 for judging and publication in the January issue. The contest is open to students, faculty, and staff — we see many of you toting cameras at college events and around campus snapping scenery on gorgeous afternoons. Many people likely already have a collection of photos that are contestworthy. Simply sort through to find five (or fewer) of the best ones. A few ideas for those still waiting to take the perfect shot: fall foliage is at its peak; the Spencer Center’s interior offers visual interest and activity; sports contests at the PAC are a chance to capture excitement and emotion; look at an object or place you pass every day from a different angle; stage a portrait shot of your favorite professor, staff member, or student. Dare we say the possibilities are endless! A refresher of the details: ▲ Photos must be related to Mary Baldwin College (i.e. people or places on campus, a trip as part of a course, a connection with MBC in the Staunton community, etc.) ▲ Photos must be original, current, and not previously published ▲ Three awards (grand award, award of excellence, and honorable mention) will be ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ given in each of three categories: people, places/landscape, and artistic shots Color and black and white photos are eligible (although they will be printed in black and white). Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi at 4x6 inches; print photos must be at least 4x6 inches (print photos will be returned if correct contact information is provided) Limit five entries per person; please include name, context of picture, and contact information for each entry The office of Communication, Marketing, and Public Affairs reserves the right to disqualify any photo that is explicit or offensive By entering, you agree for your photo to be published on the Mary Baldwin College Web site and in college publications with proper credit to the photographer Submit entries to cupola@mbc.edu or Dawn Medley, Office of Communication, Marketing, and Public Affairs; must be received by 5 p.m. November 21 6 November 6, 2007 The Cupola NEWS Junior Dads, Christmas Cheer Prep Creates Event Success It’s a common phenomenon: Months of preparation goes into planning an event that becomes a memory in the blink of an eye. Junior Dads and Family Weekend and Christmas Cheer — two longstanding traditions in MBC’s eventful winter holiday lineup — are no exceptions. The students and staff involved behindthe-scenes explain what creates a weekend of glamorous Junior Dads and Family activities and a festive Christmas Cheer service, illuminating details that make the ensuing merriment even more meaningful. Just weeks before the event, Howard is confident that most aspects are under control, but a few details will come together at the last minute, as anticipated. Juniors are reminded to submit their pictures now for a slide show shown during the ball if they haven’t already done so, but O’Connell knows the project will still be one of the last to be finalized. “We want to give people as much time as possible to get their photos in, but we also need to keep the show in sync with music and looking professional.” PHOTO BY WOODS PIERCE A Family Affair “I begin planning the next year’s Junior Dads events as soon as the current one is finished,” said Marie Mainard O’Connell, coordinator of student engagement and sophomore and junior class advisor at MBC since 2005. “You could honestly say I’m working on it even before then because I constantly scan the sophomore class looking for potential junior leaders who will carry out the planning the next year. The space at the Stonewall Jackson [Hotel and Conference Center] is reserved at least a year in advance.” Imagining and executing Junior Dads and Family Weekend is one of the major draws of being a junior class officer, and O’Connell’s challenge is to get new officers together as quickly as possible after their election in the spring. Class leaders pour over feedback forms from the previous junior class and survey their classmates in the spring to plant seeds for ideas for the following fall. Organizing a brunch, directing people from out of town to hotels and attractions, and hosting a formal ceremony and dance complete with music, decorations, food, flowers, and more — the weekend closely mirrors planning a wedding. Last year the event name was changed from Junior Dads to Junior Dads and Family, opening the celebration to blended and nontraditional families … and more family members and guests are sending their RSVPs, O’Connell said. “I just got a call for a party of 10!” she said. Junior Class President Ariel Howard said collaboration and compromise have been key to the class’ ability to add a few events surrounding Junior Dads and Family Weekend and organize more fundraising this year. “You have to Members of the Mary Baldwin College Choir, dressed in their trademark black gowns, perform at the annual Christmas Cheer celebration. In recent years, Baldwin Charm, Madrigal Singers, Anointed Voices of Praise, and Greater Things Dance Ministry have joined in the ceremony. Holiday ‘Cheer’ College Chaplain Patricia Hunt can’t be sure that the way she plans Mary Baldwin’s annual Christmas celebration is the same as it was done when the event was first given the name Christmas Cheer in 1977. In fact, she detailed many changes in the ceremony since she started helping organize it in 1985 (before that it was under the direction of then-MBC Choir Director Robert Allen). Hunt has found a method that works for her and for the audience that packs into First Presbyterian Church in early December for carols, hymns, and readings. Corralling several performance groups and lining up half a dozen or more readers, an organist, sound technicians, and ushers is not something that happens overnight. “I want those who participate and those in the audience to have a joyful experience, and I want people to leave with renewed hope. ‘Behold, I bring you good news of great joy,’” Hunt said. Originally, the Mary Baldwin College Choir was the sole musical entertainment, but as the popularity of Cheer and the diversity of vocal groups on campus grew, so did the service’s program. “We have tried to accommodate the desire of all groups to participate,” said Hunt, who is challenged to fit all the groups into a ceremony that takes about one hour and 15 minutes. There is no dress rehearsal for Christmas Cheer, so Hunt does her best to schedule a service that avoids “dead time” between performers and flows from lessons to music to meditation, without actually seeing it in action beforehand. “I hope Christmas Cheer reconnects people to the bedrock of the holiday season,” Hunt said. think about absolutely everything,” said Howard, who worked on smaller dinners and events as president of the drama club at her high school. “There’s no way to know how much work it involves until you really get into it.” One of the biggest changes for Junior Dads and Family is the addition of Junior Spirit Week November 12–16, a week for all students to celebrate MBC. Monday is twin day, Tuesday students will flashback by dressing in outfits from the 1960s and 70’s, Wednesday is dubbed “wacky tacky,” Thursday is for pajamas, and Friday is class spirit day to highlight class colors. The week will also feature another of the junior class’ inventive fundraisers called Junior Dares — you might remember its “car crunch” on Apple Day, too. Members of the junior class will try to raise donations at lunch on November 14 to avoid participating in an embarrassing dare, such as donning a plastic suit and being doused with spaghetti. From class members’ surveys, officers discovered that the class wanted to have more events to pump up the weekend, and they planned a lunch on Saturday, November 17, in Hunt Dining Hall that will feature junior class colors, decorations, and live music. Howard used the lunch event as an example of the team’s ability to problem-solve: “Some people suggested lunch at an offcampus location, others lobbied for a picnic at the PAC, so our compromise was to do something in Hunt that would be accessible and inexpensive,” she said. The Class of 2007 shows off recently received rings during Junior Dads and Family Weekend in 2006. Originally named Junior Dads when it began in 1968, the tradition has evolved to include many family members and themed events. PHOTO BY JON GOLDEN The Cupola November 6, 2007 7 Features Voices MBC 2007-08 John Ong, associate professor of mathematics, told The Cupola this month that he had been thinking about “how a person navigates from hopelessness to power” when he suggested this year’s co-curricular theme, Voices. “The voices of women who spoke to me and provoked me resonated, from human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma to Mother Theresa, from the Mothers of the Plaza in Argentina to the quiet, courageous ways of my own mother in Malaysia. I proposed the theme in the hope that the women of Mary Baldwin College would reflect on the power of their own voices. As the fall semester hits its ” stride, we learn more about Ong’s classroom and the applications of Voices college-wide. ▲ Las posadas On the timeline of Mary Baldwin College traditions, Las Posadas is just an infant. The 12-year-old practice of Las Posadas is finding its niche among MBC’s established events, such as Apple Day that finds its roots in the 1940s, Founders Day celebrating its 109th year, and many other traditions with decades-long histories. Las Posadas is quickly making a name for itself as a venue for uniting and enriching our community in celebration of seasonal holidays from around the world. Las Posadas began at MBC in 1996, when student Angela Mendoza ’98, president of the newly formed Latinas Unidas student cultural organization, invited the campus and community via an article in Campus Comments to participate in “a Mexican Christmas celebration … to help ease end-of-semester stress.” The name of the holiday roughly translates to “shelter,” and it is based around a re-enactment of the Bible story of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter for the birth of Jesus. MBC’s adaptation involves following a luminaria-lined path to several locations on campus, each featuring a different cultural holiday celebration. After a few years on hiatus due to scheduling conflicts, Las Posadas reemerged with strong attendance in 2004 with stops around campus for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas in the U.S., Italy, Africa, and the Caribbean. The event has since become a regular in the MBC holiday lineup, and this year’s (7 p.m. November 30) will feature Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Chinese New Year, Ramadan, and Christmas in America, Cyprus, the Caribbean, and Africa. IN OUR WORDS: Students in precalculus with Bruce Hemp, adjunct instructor of mathematics, used a microphone to record themselves humming, then graphed the data points to find a line of best fit. The resulting graph was a sine wave and they determined the pitch of the hum by analyzing the frequency of the graph. The voices of Staunton Mayor Lacy King, Virginia Delegate Chris Saxman, MBC Board of Trustees Chair Louise MacNamee ’70, President Pamela Fox, Interim Dean of the College Edward Scott, and SGA President Ashley Graves joined that of guest of honor and center namesake Samuel R. Spencer Jr. in celebrating the opening of the new campus center devoted to civic and global outreach and learning. song for its first public appearance of the academic year, performing How Can I Keep from Singing? and A Hymn for Mary Baldwin College at Founders Day. ▲ ▲ John Ong is preparing for an upper-level exploration of Voices in his spring 2008 course The Addition of Difference: Voices of Women in Mathematics. The class will study the lives and mathematical interests of contemporary female math role models in the U.S., including MacArthur Foundation Genius Award winner from Princeton, an African-American mathematician from Howard University, and a devoted Jewish Zen Buddhist who was one of his early professors at Kansas University. The voices of Fighting Squirrels’ supporters helped propel sports teams to victories at home, including soccer’s 3-0 win over Averett University and volleyball’s 3-0 rout of Meredith College and 3-1 win over Shenandoah University. “The celebration of Las Posadas is the perfect way for the Mary Baldwin community to celebrate the winter holidays because it is an inclusive festivity. Everyone is welcome and students share with us ways of welcoming Christmas and other joyful holidays that are close to their hearts and part of their lives.” — IVY ARBULÚ, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPANISH ▲ ▲ “The campus is diverse, and it is important for people from all backgrounds to work together on an event and understand the cultures of people they learn and live with during their college experience and beyond. Through cultural traditions we can glimpse the lives and histories of our sisters that we may not see on a daily basis.” — MAIZE JACOBS-BRITCHFOD ’06, PARTICIPANT IN THE CHANUKAH CELEBRATION OF LAS POSADAS Structured classroom debates (and impromptu ones, too) encourage students to find their voices in many disciplines The Mary Baldwin College Choir elevated its collective voice in ▲ “Las Posadas taught me there are similarities in our traditions. It prepared me for a career where I interact with people from other ethic groups and cultures.” — SHEYMA BAUTISTA ’02 Students in Professor of Education Jim Harrington’s courses Meaning and Purpose in Education and Public Policy in Education engage in debate as a way of developing “the rhetorical skills necessary to engage persuasively and honorably in discourse based on cases they’ve studied, he explains. ” Amy Tillerson, assistant professor of history, assigns in-class debates to her students as they explore racial and gender identity in African American History to 1865. Adjunct Assistant Professor of History Rick Potter, also encourages student participation in debates about how the nation was founded and developed in Survey of U.S. History to 1877 Alice Araujo’s . Public Speaking students get to practice debate as she approaches the topic with an invitational style that welcomes diverse perspectives. “This exercise is critically important at a time when simplistic, adversarial rhetoric passes for public debate on many mainstream media outlets, says Araujo, ” associate professor of communication. Undoubtedly these are only a few examples of how debate harnesses the power of Voices. “The thing that stood out for me during the first year I participated in the Las Posadas pilgrimage at MBC is that — although the emphasis is on exploring holidays in many cultures — I saw the threads of similarity. People around the world celebrate with food, music, and family.” — CHRISTI DAVIDSON ’08 8 November 6, 2007 The Cupola Fall celebrations “I had been thinking for a while about having art on the windows here when we were contacted by Mary Baldwin about the project, said James Burris, co-owner ” and manager of Black Dog Bikes on Lewis Street, as he watched MBC students paint his front window with a fall scene that included a squirrel. Across the street, students also worked at Sunspots and Bittersweet Bakery. “I just asked them to include a bike and let their creativity take it from there. I think this might continue into a seasonal thing with different window scenes. ” “Community service is part of our commitment as nULLs [new cadets] in the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership. This is a fun way to take part in volunteering, getting out into the city on a sunny morning and talking to people, said Jasmin Bailey ’11, painting ” pumpkins with funky hair cuts on the windows with sister nULL Stephanie Bennett ’11 at Equal Parts hair salon on New Street. Students painted windows at 16 Staunton businesses as part of Apple Day’s focus on students’ community service. “I volunteered at the YMCA in a program for elementary school children as a freshman, and community service has continued to be part of my education at MBC, said Aja Harvey ’09. ” Harvey, chair of the Inter Club Council, was one of about 90 students who traveled to an orchard in Bedford County on Apple Day morning to glean — picking up healthy fallen apples — a tradition that began more than 60 years ago. Honor Council member Christi Davidson ’08, who worked with Harvey at a table for the Student Government Association at the afternoon Apple Day carnival, said apple gleaning was something she hadn’t done before. “The ride to the orchard was scenic, and it was invigorating to be part of something good with fellow MBC students, she said. ” “The true impetus for the Clinton Global Initiative lies in three small syllables: ubuntu. The South African philosophy of ubuntu can be translated most readily as “I am, because you are. The interdependent nature of all human relationships encapsulated in one ” simple word … The trick is to understand that the true meaning of community is only realized within the ties that bind it together: each individual relationship. Think basically: I am because you are. What have others done to help you? What is one thing that you can do to help one other person? The act of your listening to this speech is not enough. It is not enough to talk about how one could hypothetically exist in a global community. Your commitment has to be to yourselves, and to one another to take action. What is your commitment?” Mary Morrison ’95, director of membership for the Clinton Global Initiative and Founders Day 2007 keynote speaker, above left, with President Pamela Fox. PHOTOS BY LYNN GILLILAND ’80, DAWN MEDLEY, AND GRETCHEN NEWMAN The Cupola November 6, 2007 9 NEWS National Survey Shows MBC Students Are ‘Active and Engaged’ Results from the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) — MBC’s first year of participation — delivered intriguing findings beyond expectations. Approximately 120 Mary Baldwin College students were polled in spring 2007 for NSSE. Some highlights were hard to miss. First and most broadly, women’s colleges scored substantially higher than NSSE respondents overall (610 colleges and universities nationwide) on all five benchmarks of an engaged student body measured by the survey. On one of those benchmarks, Enriching Educational Experiences, MBC reached the top 10 percent in the nation and outperformed other schools in both of its peer groups, the high-performing cohort of women’s colleges and also within small master’s-level colleges and universities (defined by NSSE as “Carnegie Peers”). In addition, MBC scored in the top 50 percent in the nation in all but one of the five benchmarks. Further investigation of NSSE data revealed that MBC seniors have a marked increase in level of engagement from MBC freshmen compared to seniors and freshmen at peer institutions. In other words, as President Pamela Fox noted in her State of the College opening address, “This is what we strive for; this is personal transformation.” We also learned that, within the section on Enriching Educational Experiences, MBC clearly excels on questions that indicate diverse experiences and exposure to women’s issues and perspectives. Continuing to mine the information will no doubt produce more connections and comparisons to guide MBC’s academic and co-curricular future. First administered in 2000, NSSE surveys seniors and freshmen to provide an estimate of how undergraduates spend their time and what NSSE Benchmarks ▲ Level of Academic Challenge ▲ Active and Collaborative edge Learning Coverage of Venus Williams as Smyth Leadership Lecturer “Venus Williams encourages Mary Baldwin College crowd to reach for goals, The News Leader, Staunton, ” Virginia, 10/24/07 . “A message from Venus, The News ” . Virginian, Waynesboro, Virginia, 10/24/07 “In Staunton, Venus talks of reaching for stars, Richmond Times-Dispatch, ” Richmond, Virginia, 10/24/07 . “Venus Williams in Staunton, WHSV” TV, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 10/23/07 . Andrea Cornett-Scott, associate vice president for student affairs, “Big Brothers moving, The News Virginian, Waynesboro, ” Virginia, 9/15/07 . Bruce Dorries, assistant professor of communication, “Peak to Peak: Food foliage and signage highlight Route 250 from Afton to Shenandoah, eightyone, ” Staunton, Virginia, October 2007 . Bruce Joffe, associate professor of communication, “Taking the ‘Hint,’ Former George Mason professor chronicles gayfriendly marketing in new book on advertising, Washington Blade, ” Washington DC, 9/21/07 and “More than a , hint, New book chronicles subtext when gay marketing wasn’t cool, David Atlanta, ” Atlanta, Georgia, 9/26/07 . Virginia Francisco ’64, professor of theatre, Kylene Henry ’09, and Meggan Mercer ’10, discussed MBC’s production ” of Lysistrata, “On Stage, Insight, WMRA, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 10/3/07 . Daniel Métraux, professor of Asian studies, “Crisis in Burma, Voice of ” . America, Asia, 10/2/07 “Mary Baldwin College marks its Founders Day, featuring guest speaker Mary ” Morrison ’95, The News Leader, Staunton, Virginia, 10/5/07 . Kathy Rivers ’10, “Proudly cheering for her teams, The News Leader, Staunton, ” Virginia, 9/16/07 . Irene Sarnelle, associate professor of health and physical education, and her Global Nutrition course, “Farmer touts food from home roost, The News Leader, ” Staunton, Virginia, 10/18/07 . Edward Scott, interim dean of the college, coverage of Doenges Visiting Artist/Scholar Judith Blau, “Human rights activist/sociologist to visit MBC, 10/17/07 ” . Tamra Willis, assistant professor of education, “The Covington High School Story: Linking different communities through environmental stewardship, ” Virginia Wildlife Magazine, September 2007 . on the ▲ Student-Faculty Interaction ▲ Enriching Educational Experiences ▲ Supportive Campus Environment they gain in knowledge and personal development by attending college. The concept is based on data indicating that students who put more time and energy into activities that matter to their education — inside and outside the classroom — take away more from their college experience than those who are not as involved. The National Survey of Student Engagement gave MBC data, but it also gave the college much more: that “Aha!” moment when people can see in numbers and on graphs what the college community translates to growth, engagement, and personal transformation. FALL 2007 MLITT THESIS PROJECT FESTIVAL The public is cordially invited to join MBC graduate students for two evenings of creative research and performance at the Blackfriars Playhouse. The festival will include five Master of Letters thesis presentations, which combine scholarship and stagecraft to explore the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, and one 90-minute play directed by an MFA candidate. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18 BLACKFRIARS PLAYHOUSE, OPEN TO PUBLIC. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19 FREE. BLACKFRIARS PLAYHOUSE, OPEN TO PUBLIC. FREE. MASTER OF 6:00 PM FINE ARTS PRODUCTION MASTER OF 6:00 PM LETTERS PRESENTATIONS The Roaring Girl by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker, directed by Noah McBrayer Jones “Costuming Character on the Early Modern Stage,” by Katherine Hermes “A Mathematical Analysis of Genre, Season and Earnings as Recorded in Henslowe’s Diary,” by Megan Bayonet 7:30 8:00 MASTER OF PM 30-Minute Reception with Refreshments PM 7:30 PM LETTERS PRESENTATIONS 30-Minute Reception with Refreshments “’Believe as you List’ by Philip Massinger: A Performance Edition,” by Anna Gonzalez “Boys Will Be Boys: An Investigation Into Elizabethan Boy Company Acting Training and Styles with an Acting Demonstration,” by Lauren Marie Mignogno “Angry Fathers, Froward Daughters,” by Christine Parker MASTER OF 8:00 PM FINE ARTS PRODUCTION The Roaring Girl by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker, directed by Noah McBrayer Jones a partnership between 10 November 6, 2007 The Cupola NEWS SAMUEL AND AVA SPENCER CENTER FOR CIVIC AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT “With global rhythms coursing the convergence of our inclusive student contingents from the four corners of our campus, we open this celebration of community. Today, by our collective presence and united purpose, we visibly affirm our intention to live out purposeful lives in connection to other people driven by deep recognition of our interdependence with others. ” — Dr. Pamela Fox, president of Mary Baldwin College “I tell this story about my mother to illustrate that the outer limits of her world were the limits of her small hometown. The limits of your world has expanded by unimaginable proportions, and it continues to expand. The Spencer Center is an academic gift to all students. ” —Dr. Samuel R. Spencer Jr., MBC president emeritus and Center namesake “Indeed, [the Spencer Center] is a place where the citizen sets free the student and the student refines her citizenship. It is also true that the promise of this space upon the hill grants to all a sacred call to hear and heed, to hear the cry of the world and serve its need ... ” — Dr. Edward Scott, interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college “The world is flat and shrinking, and Mary Baldwin College, with this Center, is going to draw the world even closer to Staunton and the Shenandoah Valley. ” — Del. Chris Saxman, R-Staunton “The dedication of this new Center sends a signal to the community about the very real scope and promise of local and global community involvement that will be fostered right here. ” — Lacy King, mayor of Staunton and graduate of MBC’s Adult Degree Program. PHOTOS BY WOODS PIERCE AND MORGAN ALBERTS SMITH ’99 The Cupola November 6, 2007 11 college NOVEMBER ’07 S M T 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 W TH 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29 F 2 9 16 23 30 S 3 10 17 24 calendar November 14–18 ▲ MBC Theatre: The Vic, WednesdayFriday, 7:30pm. Saturday, 7pm. Sunday, 2pm. $5 for students, faculty, and staff. More info. and to order tickets: x7189. November 15 ▲ Diversity Dialogues: Coming Out in College. 4:30-6:30pm, Hunt West. ▲ Performing Dance Group: Fall Dance Extravaganza. 7pm, PAC Dance Studio. ▲ Broman Concert: Donna Ellen, soprano. 8pm, Francis Auditorium. More info: x7294. November 16–18 ▲ Junior Dads and Family Weekend ▼ November 16: Junior Dessert Reception, 7:30pm, Hunt West ▼ November 17: Dance Lesson, 10am, PAC Dance Studio ▼ November 17: Ball and Ring Ceremony, 7:30pm, Stonewall Jackson Hotel Ballroom ▼ November 18: Brunch, 11am, Hunt Dining Hall November 17 ▲ BPB Event: Spa Day. 10am-4pm, Pannill Center. ▲ Staunton Contra Dance: 7:30pm, beginners’ workshop, 8-11pm, dance. PAC Dance Studio. November 20 ▲ Basketball Game: 7pm, vs. Randolph College. PAC Gym. November 20–25 ▲ Thanksgiving Break: Residence halls close 10am Nov. 21 and reopen 8am Nov. 25. November 21 ▲ Anthem Health Representative on campus: 11am, SAC loft conference room. No appointment necessary. November 22–23 ▲ College closed for holiday November 26 ▲ Classes resume ▲ Staunton Christmas Parade featuring VWIL and band. 7pm, downtown Staunton. November 27 ▲ Basketball Game: 7pm, vs. Washington and Lee. PAC Gym. November 28 ▲ Help “sculpt” a peace tower from cans donated during the canned food drive Nov. 12-28, all day, Spencer Center. ▲ Canned Food Drive wrap-up and reception, 6:30pm, Spencer Center. November 29 ▲ Blood Drive, Time TBA, SAC. November 30 ▲ Term II ends ▲ President’s Advisory Team meeting: Campus Master Plan Phase III and The Campaign for Mary Baldwin College. 3pm, King 107. ▲ Las Posadas holiday celebration featuring Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Chinese New Year, Ramadan, and Christmas. 7pm, starting location TBA. December 1 ▲ Class of 2011 Event: Green Valley Book Fair. 1-4pm, Mt. Crawford. More info: x7287. ▲ Lexington Christmas Parade featuring VWIL and band. 5pm, Lexington. ▲ Big Sister/Little Sister Event: Holiday Party and Staunton Lights Tour. 7-10pm, Meet in SAC parking lot. More info: x7287. December 2 ▲ Christmas Cheer December 3–7 ▲ Exams for on-campus classes December 4–7 ▲ Art Exhibit: Senior projects in studio art. Opening reception, December 4, 4:30-6pm. Regular hours 9am-5pm, Hunt Gallery in Hunt Dining Hall. November 5–30 ▲ Art Exhibit: Episode Painting, Vaughn Garland. Regular hours 9am-5pm, Hunt Gallery in Hunt Dining Hall. November 7 ▲ Student Event: Senior Transitions Program, Networking. 1-1:50pm, Sena Center conference room. ▲ Community Service Speaker Series: Lee Warren, Rebuilding Together: Greater Augusta and Sandy Greene, Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation. 1-1:50pm, Miller Chapel. November 8 ▲ Student Event: Senior Transitions Program, Networking. 12:15-1pm, Sena Center conference room. ▲ Doenges Lecture: Carole Levin, “Converting the Daughter: Gender, Power, and Jewish Identity in the English Renaissance.” 5pm, Hunt Gallery. ▲ BPB Fall Coffeehouse Series: The 5th L. 8-10pm, Nuthouse in Hunt Dining Hall. November 9 ▲ BPB Event: Speed Dating Mixer and Karaoke. 9pm-1am, Hunt West. November 10 ▲ Class of 2011 Event: Shopping trip. 10am-5pm, Charlottesville. More info: x7287. ▲ Staunton Veteran’s Day Parade: featuring Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership. 11am, Beverley Street, Staunton. ▲ VWIL Veteran’s Day Parade: 3pm, Upper Athletic Field. November 11 ▲ VWIL Honor Ceremony: 4pm, Kable Residence Hall Courtyard. November 11–12 ▲ VWIL Overnight: Prospective students on campus. November 12–16 ▲ Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week ▼ All week: Canned food drive, offering of letters, volunteer at Valley Mission. ▼ November 12: Homeless to Harvard movie night, 7pm, Spencer Center ▼ November 13: Faces of Homelessness panel, 7pm, Spencer Center. ▼ November 14: Hunger Banquet, 6pm, Hunt West. ▼ November 15: Speak Out About Hunger, 11am-1:30pm, Hunt East. Thanksgiving Dinner, Time TBA, Valley Mission on West Beverley Street, contact Assistant Professor of Sociology Carey Usher. “One Night Without a Home” sleep-out, 7pm-sunrise, President’s House lawn. November 13 ▲ Student Event Career Development Seminar, Internships, 3-3:50pm, Sena Center conference room. November 14 ▲ Community Service Speaker Series: Heather Ward, international service, Tamara Hinton, the Peace Corps, and Lael Adams ’08, service in India. 1-1:50pm, Miller Chapel. How Many Are Hungry and Homeless? The new Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement will be the epicenter of a weeklong slate of activities at MBC focused on increasing awareness of hunger and homelessness November 12–16. In addition to daily events listed in the calendar, all week long faculty, staff, and students are invited to the Center to pick up materials to write their hometown U.S. Senator about an upcoming farm bill legislation that affects poor and hungry people in this country and around the world. While you’re there, drop off a few canned goods for the college’s canned food drive, which continues until November 28. The organization that collects the most cans will earn $50. MBC community members are also encouraged to volunteer at Valley Mission in Staunton to help serve lunch or work in the second-hand store. Contact Director Helen Burke. Unless otherwise noted, all phone numbers begin with 540-887▲ Need a campus map? www.mbc.edu/college/mbcmap.asp 12 November 6, 2007 The Cupola the third degree ballooning in Massachusetts. Also, some of my life dreams have actually come true. As a child growing up in Massachusetts, I was overwhelmed when, as a Girl Scout, our future President, John F. Kennedy singled me out, hugged me, and shook my hand. It took some time before I was prepared to wash that hand. In my adult life, I had a personal conversation with a woman I greatly admire, Queen Noor of Jordan. I also had an opportunity to have a recent small birthday luncheon in the private dining room of the West Wing of the White House. Two years ago, when my husband and I were presenting a paper in Beijing, I was able to fulfill two of my greatest childhood dreams: to walk part of the Great Wall of China and to float down the Yangtze River. What is your favorite word? My love for words relates to my basic interest and love for language itself, a passion my daughter shares. My favorite word is probably her first word: book. I love it for its actual and symbolic significance, and I was overjoyed when I realized that she was actually talking to me. Lesley Novack, professor of psychology How does Lesley Novack maintain her passion for teaching after more than 20 years as a psychology professor at Mary Baldwin College? “How much more blessed and fortunate could a person be than to be in a classroom teaching and learning in a discipline that is central to her greatest interests, while simultaneously being surrounded by young and eager minds?” she said. Novack earned her bachelor’s degree from University of Massachusetts, master’s degrees from New York University and University of Virginia, and a doctorate from UVA, and she has “never stopped being a student” and still feels in tune with their needs, she said. “Every so often, shared experiences in the classroom involve an electricity, a vibrancy that I can feel, and I know my students can feel the power of learning.” As someone who holds a master’s degree in speech pathology and audiology and has a deep interest in psycholinguistics, the college-wide theme this year, Voices, spoke to Novack (yes, the pun is intended). “As a psychologist and a speech pathologist who has worked with adults who suffered from aphasia [lack of language ability as a result of injury or disease] and with children who were unable to use language effectively, the topic has profound implications for me and for my courses,” she said. Despite Novack’s enthusiasm for teaching and learning, all good things come to an end, and this lifelong professor is currently on phased retirement. She recently found time to share her passion and personality, in plenty of time before her departure from MBC. What I do: I teach psychology. It is a task I take very seriously, and a job I truly love. I never forget that I am always learning, and I express that to my students. I believe each course should have a central core in hopes that the diverse aspects of the class come together as a unified whole. In Child Psychology, for example, information can be brought to life through meaningful observations. Students do not merely observe, they create important opportunities from the text, developing meaningful tasks they design themselves — for example, they can actually perform some of Piaget’s original tests and have their own “eureka!” moments of discovery. I also enjoy helping students learn specific course content and helping to foster growth in students’ overall ability to learn more effectively. For me, teaching extends beyond the classroom and also beyond a student’s four years at MBC. I am fortunate to have these relationships in my life. Who’d play you in a movie? I had a lot of difficulty with this question, so I imagined a hypothetical person: a sensitive actress interested in life issues who chooses to play meaningful, rather than superficial, roles. What is in your home CD/tape player? Our CD player has a variety of music including classical, opera (excerpts from Russell Watson and Pavarotti), and 1960s music — we bought a special series of tapes for an older classic car we once had, and it was great fun to ride in that car and listen to “oldies.” Bette Midler, Roger Whittaker, and a combination of other artists are also in the rotation. People would be surprised to know: I think people would be surprised to know that I have an adventurous side: I have loved kayaking in Alaska, white water rafting in West Virginia, and the source. I literally feel the pain in another’s tears, reinforced by the actual sound itself. What profession, other than yours, would you like to participate in? I love psychology and I always think of the saying, “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.” That said, I can also imagine being a museum curator because of my love for antiques and culture. A career in political science intrigues me as well (my daughter’s PhD is in international relations, and my brother is a professor of political science). I can also imagine a career that would take me to many different destinations. What is your favorite MBC tradition and why? My absolute favorite is graduation, particularly as it exists at Mary Baldwin. Graduation represents great achievement for our students and for faculty and staff as well. I love that it is typically outdoors, and, often, I feel as though we are in a gigantic Renoir painting with children playing on the hill, families seated and spread out on blankets, and faculty parting their ranks for students to pass through. What is your least favorite word? Those that express defeat and negativity. I believe that words and language have a life of their own: words can truly empower and guide our actions, and they can also lead to destructive thoughts and actions. What sound or noise do you love? The sound of my husband’s voice during the day when I am at my office, or my daughter, son-in-law, father-in-law, or brother calling me just makes my day! What sound or noise do you hate? I hate the sound of crying, regardless of Have a favorite person on campus who needs a little nudge into the spotlight? The Cupola will accept nominations for Third Degree profile subjects throughout the year at cupola@mbc.edu. Please send along their name and why you think it would be great to read about them here! Several of the above questions are courtesy of the questionnaire invented by Bernard Pivot, used on Bravo’s Inside the Actors Studio. NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID P.O. Box 1500 Staunton, VA 24402 PERMIT NO. 106 STAUNTON, VA