on stagnant unemployment figures, noting: “A very large portion of the population doesn’t have the skills that are now needed in our labor market, not only here in Rhode Island but also elsewhere in the region.” Tebaldi is the author of the “Rhode Island Economic Indicator Briefing,” a quarterly published by the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University. Thom Bassett, MFA, legal studies lecturer, had his byline appear five times in 2012 on The New York Times’ “Disunion” Civil War blog. The most recent, “Van Dorn’s Wild Ride,” describes “how an under-defended Union supply depot gave a lecherous rebel general a shot at redemption.” A Reuters article about disinheritance included remarks from Ron Washburn, J.D., lecturer of legal studies. The article discusses the difficulties of excluding a spouse or family member from a will. “It happens more frequently than people think,” Washburn told Reuters, noting that if a will mentions a rift with a family member: “That statement is going to reverberate.” The story appeared in newspapers and on websites worldwide. Reuters’ online readers are estimated at 5.1 million per month. Washburn also participated in a recent entertainment law panel at Suffolk Law School in Boston.
Kristen Berkos, Ph.D., associate
professor of communication, discussed Facebook-influenced “friendships” in a USA Today article on proposed legislation in Arizona that would make online impersonation illegal. “There’s a perception that you know a person because you have information [photos, status updates] about them, but you don’t have intimacy,” Berkos told the publication. “In early childhood, we got to know people; we were invested. But now, there’s no give-and-take.” That superficial relationship, facilitated by social media, is called the hyperpersonal theory, Berkos said. She suggested putting away the smartphone and making eye contact to encourage communication. Professor of History Judy Barrett Litoff, Ph.D., a renowned historian and expert on World War II, recently presented at two invited lectures. She spoke to 130 Foreign Fulbright Scholars from more than 60 countries at an event in Providence. The event was featured in a front-page story in the Providence Journal titled, “Scholars get lesson on U.S.,” which included quotes and commentary from Litoff. She presented the “Life and Times of Charles S. Barrett” at the annual convention of the National Farmers Union in Springfield, MA . Barrett, Professor Litoff’s grandfather, was the first activist president of the organization, serving from 1906 to 1928.
WE’RE NOT ALL BUSINESS The liberal arts have played a strategic role at Bryant, where Business Administration was once the only degree option. Courses in psychology and public speaking helped students prepare for careers as high school business teachers, while English classes provided students with sought-after writing skills. “Our strong liberal arts program has set us apart,” says Professor of Mathematics Phyllis Schumacher, Ph.D. “In the ’70s, we began offering minors in subjects such as math to hone students’ analytical skills and improve their marketability.” Today, this tradition continues. Business students have the unique advantage of earning a liberal arts minor; Bryant now offers majors in eight arts and sciences disciplines. There are two math majors: actuarial mathematics, and applied mathematics and statistics. “Then, as now, we prepared students to make an impact in their chosen fields,” says Schumacher. A strong alumni network also distinguishes Bryant from its peers, according to Schumacher. “Professional relationships among former students are plentiful, and they quickly ‘scoop up’ our [math] graduates.”
Phyllis Schumacher, Ph.D. Professor of Mathematics Teaching at Bryant since 1971 Recipient of 1996 Distinguished Faculty Award
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