12/11/2006

Where did the semester go? So many highlights. All of our sophomores read the modern classic A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki as part of their Sophomore Seminar, and a couple of weeks ago we brought professor Takaki to campus for three wonderful days. His brilliant lecture to a packed Recital Hall was one of the students' favorite moments of the semester, and he met as well with individual classes and groups of students. What a generous and insightful man. He also told us he'd just decided on the title of his newest book, but I promised not to spill the beans.

Our own journalism professor John Jenks appeared recently on public radio's Worldview show to discuss his fascinating new book British Propaganda and News Media in the Cold War in a segment called "Information Wars—Propaganda vs. Public Diplomacy." You can click here to listen (select the Nov. 27th program) or here to buy the book, you last minute shoppers!

Probably the best musical our extraordinarily talented students have staged in my five years at Dominican also happened this semester: a rousing, inspiring rendition of Fiddler on the Roof. Huge crowds in the Lund Auditorium gave it rave reviews. Ask anybody who saw it. Right? Of course right.

I'm very excited to note that we're launching a new program to start next semester: The Rosary College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Assistant Program. Here, students get paid to help faculty with research or creative projects. This way, our students get to learn from faculty about research and creative activity within and across arts and sciences disciplines, and to support our faculty in their scholarship. Here's a sampling of some of the wonderful student-faculty partnerships that will be happening next semester:

• Student Victoria Correa and professor Robert Faltynek (chemistry) will be using infrared spectrophotometry to measure the composition of aqueous solutions containing two similar ionic solutes in order to test a methodology that could possibly replace more expensive and error-prone procedures currently in place for aqueous solution analysis.
• Student Alana Devine and professor Tracy Jennings (apparel design) will collaborate on a design-based project that investigates the use of non-traditional media in art-to-wear apparel design, constructing a line of five or more pieces made predominantly from trimming.
• Student Araseli Barajas and professor Christina Perez (sociology) will engage in an ethnographic study of a Venezuelan government health care program called Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood).
• Student Stephanie Majkowicz and professor Marion Weedermann (mathematics) will conduct a mathematical modeling study of the Asian carp population in the Mississippi River, which represents a substantial threat to the ecosystem and native fish species.
• Student Allison Quinn and professor Joseph Heinenger (English) will study fiction, poetry, drama, history and cultural criticism dealing with Irish emigration to America and Irish-American returns to Ireland from 1960-present.
• Student Ryan Sylverne and professor Liesl Orenic (history and American studies) will investigate labor relations in the airline industry from its inception in the 1930s through deregulation (1978) focusing on the alliances between "unskilled" (baggage handlers) and "skilled" (aircraft mechanics) workers.

Meanwhile, theology professor Clodagh Weldon's exciting new book Fr. Victor White, O.P.: The Story of Jung's "White Raven" is about to appear and political science professor Chris Colmo's Breaking with Athens: Alfarabi as Founder (Christmas shopping theme continued) just got a tremendous reception at a panel devoted to it at the Northeastern Political Science Association in Boston.

Other faculty made scholarly presentations recently, including:

• Aly Dramé (history), "(Re) Thinking Africa and the World: Internal Reflections, External Responses" at the African Studies Association conference in San Francisco.
• Tracy Jennings (apparel design) had a garment accepted in a juried, live gallery exhibition held in conjunction with the International Textile and Apparel Association annual conference in San Antonio. Susan Strawn presented "Social Cohesion among Textile Artisans Across Cultures" at the same meeting.
• Ellen McManus (English) presented "Teaching Literature to the Animaniacs Generation" at the Midwest Modern Language Association meeting in Chicago.
• Kim Theriault (art history) presented "Unhealthy Obsession?: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a Catalyst for Witnessed Mourning" at the WAPACC (Women Art Patrons and Collectors Conference) in New Jersey.
• Joseph Heininger (English) presented "Re-Casting Tradition: Leavetaking, Emigration, and Epithalamion in Sean Dunne's Poetry" at the American Conference for Irish Studies in Dekalb.
• Javier Carmona (photography) gave a visiting artist lecture, "Leaving Aztlan," at the Wignall Museum at Chaffey College in California.

Again, just a sampling! Busy very busy but, as I've said before, it's all good. I just wrote to my department chairs in order, sadly for them, to announce all our meetings for (yes) next semester. I did close by saying, "I wish you peace, joy, and Sleep—not necessarily in that order." Same to you!