SouthernLife
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 501 NEW HAVEN, CONN.
A NEWSPAPER FOR THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Southern Connecticut State University
MAY 2013 • Vol.16 No. 6
inside:
4 Romancing the Stones 5 Grace Under Pressure
An International Perspective: Graduate Student Wins Prestigious Fulbright Award
Brendan Walsh, a student in the M aster of F ine A rts in C reative Writing program, has been selected for a Fulbright U.S. Student Award for 2013-2014 to Laos, where he will teach English at Ventiane University, assisting an English professor. Walsh, who will graduate from the M.F.A. program this month, is also an administrative assistant in the Office of International Education. He had previously taught ESL (English As a Second Language) for a year in South Korea, as well as at Hartwick College, where he received his undergraduate degree, graduating magna cum laude and with departmental distinction in English. Walsh has received a number of accolades for his writing, including the Anna Sonder Poetry Prize of the Academy of American Poets and the Leslie Leeds Poetry Prize for the Connecticut State University System, and was a featured reader at the New American Writing Festival in Oneonta, N.Y. A poet with several of his poems published in literary journals, Walsh has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and since 2011 has been poetry editor of Noctua Review, Southern’s graduate art and literary magazine.
Michael Schindel, associate coordinator and risk management liaison in the Office of International Education, is the Fulbright program advisor for SCSU. He helps students with Fulbright applications, coordinates the campus Fulbright committee review — which in this case was performed by Schindel, Erin Heidkamp, Elena Schmitt, Ilene Crawford and Gregory Paveza — and handles outreach efforts relating to Fulbright. Schindel says of Walsh, “It was a real pleasure working with Brendan on his Fulbright application. He is someone who believes wholeheartedly in the benefits of travel and is truly excited when helping our SCSU students begin their own adventures. Brendan is someone who devotes himself completely to achieving whatever goal he sets out to accomplish.“ When Walsh had the idea of pursing a
Brendan Walsh is the second Southern student in the history of the university to earn a Fulbright U.S. Student Award.
Fulbright award after completing his M.F.A., he began researching potential placements and realized this would be his opportunity to live in Laos. “Once he had that in mind, there was really no stopping him. He was quick and thorough in his application responses,” Schin-
del says. “He worked extensively on draft after draft of his personal statement. He also began thinking of ways to work in Laos during his non-teaching hours, finding orphanages and schools where he could volunteer his time.” In his proposal for the Fulbright award, Fulbright
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6.
An Unconventional Success Story Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder to Address Class of 2013
J e r ry G r e e n f i e l d ,
entrepreneur,
advocate for socially responsible
and co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 17. The ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. with an academic procession at Bridgeport’s Webster Bank Arena. Greenfield and his long-time friend and business partner Ben Cohen are the men behind one of the most talked about and least conventional success stories in American business. Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, business
Inc., Greenfield helped to build a storefront venture into a $300 million ice cream empire by making strengths of social responsibility and creative management. With his best seller, "Ben & Jerry’s DoubleDip: Lead with Your Values and Make Money, Too," co-authored with Cohen, Greenfield created both a nuts-and-bolts guidebook to the promise and pitfalls of “values-led” business, and an inspiring wake-up call about the growing international influence of the “socially conscious” or “mission driven” corporation. Greenfield was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., four days before his future business partner. Greenfield grew up and went to school in Merrick, Long Island, where he first met Cohen in junior high school. The two have remained close friends ever since. Greenfield graduated from high school with a National Merit Scholarship under his belt and enrolled at Oberlin College to study pre-med. At Oberlin, Greenfield got his first taste of the ice cream industry when he took a job as a scooper in the college cafeteria. After graduation, he worked as a lab technician in New York and lived with Cohen in an apartment on East 10th Street. In 1977, with Greenfield tired of his occupation as lab tech, the two friends decided to fulfill a dream they shared: running a food business together. The two eventually settled on ice cream as their product, and, after a bit of research (and a $5 Penn State correspondence course in
ice cream making), opened Ben & Jerry’s Homemade ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vt., in May 1978. Both men soon became known throughout Vermont for their rich, unusual flavors and community-oriented approach to business. They sponsored a Fall Down Festival and a
free outdoor movie festival, and celebrated the company’s anniversaries with a Free Cone Day. Greenfield began by making all the ice cream, but as the company expanded into new markets, he soon found himself handling everything from distribution to orientation to Success
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Remembering the Heroes of Sandy Hook Elementary This year’s graduate commencement will have a special poignance. Four educators with Southern ties – three Southern alumnae and one student taking graduate courses at Southern – all died in the Dec. 14, 2012, shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. Their lives will be remembered at the 7 p.m. ceremony for students of the School of Education. Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, M.S. ’97, 6th Yr. ’98; teacher Anne Marie Murphy, M.S. ’08; school counselor Mary J. Sherlach, M.S. ’90, 6th Yr. ’92; and teacher and current master’s degree student Victoria Soto, will all be honored with the SCSU Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Soto’s family will accept a posthumous master’s degree in education for her. “The care and compassion
shown by these educators demonstrates their strength of character, their total dedication to their students, and also their high moral fiber,” says President Mary A. Papazian. “Indeed Dawn, Mary, Anne Marie, and Victoria showed themselves to be true heroes, for their last actions were attempts to protect the children in their care without concern for their personal well-being. And so we honor their memory; we mourn their loss; and we continue to hold all who were impacted by these terrible events in our hearts and prayers.” Both the 7 p.m. commencement ceremony and the 2 p.m. ceremony (for students in the schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Health and Human Services) will b e held in the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts.
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A Message from the President
President Mary A. Papazian
Dear Colleagues, I know that all of us were deeply affected by the harrowing recent events in Boston. The sincere sympathy and prayers of our campus community go out to those who were killed or injured in the Boston Marathon bombings, and to their families and friends. We also send our best thoughts to the thousands whose daily lives were disrupted by fear and apprehension during the lockdown that accompanied the tense manhunt through Boston's suburbs. I am sure that for many, the images from Boston engendered similar emotions to those felt in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shootings last December. As I said at that time, when tragedy strikes, it is important for all of us to offer our support where we can and to reach out to those we treasure the most.
President Mary A. Papazian shares a moment with Alan Alda before the recent Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture. Alda is perhaps best known for his acting role as Hawkeye Pierce in the 1970s and ’80s TV series M*A*S*H. He also has served as host of television's Scientific American Frontiers.
Recently, I spoke about the importance of sharing our message with leaders in the offcampus community, so that Southern is viewed favorably as a continued source for public investment and community partnerships. In recent weeks, I and members of my Cabinet have held very productive discussions with area legislators – at a legislative breakfast on campus – and neighboring aldermen, some of whom had never visited campus before. I also spoke with legislative leaders during the recent ConnSCU day at the state Capitol and addressed area business leaders during the 219th annual meeting of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce and as the keynote speaker at the Business and Civic Awards reception hosted by Business New Haven magazine. On each of these occasions, my Cabinet members and I have emphasized Southern’s contribution to the state’s knowledge-based workforce and our special mission as a public institution to connect actively with the community-at-large. We have detailed how we are pursuing this course through innovative offerings in in-demand fields such as business and the sciences, more accelerated programs that meet the practical needs of non-traditional learners, and our ongoing commitment to excellence, access and affordability. This will be a continuing discussion – and I believe, a vital one. We must tell our story clearly and often if we are to compete successfully for limited state funding in an economic climate that continues to be challenging. We have successfully concluded another search to fill a leadership position with the appointment of Dr. Pablo Molina as the university’s new chief information officer. Pablo brings with him a track record of success as a multina-
tional technology leader outside the United States and an academic technology executive at some of the most prestigious universities in the country. Pablo’s most recent position in higher education was as associate vice president of information technology and CIO of the Law Center campus at Georgetown University where he led distancelearning initiatives, and pioneered the use of academic systems including Web conferencing, digital class recordings, electronic books, research repositories and exam management. His experience has given Pablo a broad perspective of the ways that technology is transforming higher education, and I believe that he has the skills and leadership to move the university forward in this critically important area. This summer, interim Provost Marianne Kennedy will lead a working group to prepare the launch of our new strategic planning initiative. As was the case with the preceding plan, the development of a new document charting the university’s course for the next decade will be an inclusive effort. This will allow us to align our goals and objectives with other major initiatives, including the revision of our Master Plan and the university’s first major capital campaign. During my first year as president, I was impressed with this university’s commitment to informed, strategic decision-making and I am confident that the skills and talents of our campus community will again be put to best use as we plan Southern’s future growth and enhance its mission. Sincerely,
Mary Papazian, Ph.D. President
News from the Vice Presidents’ Offices ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
SouthernLife
Published by the Southern Connecticut State University Office of Public Affairs Patrick Dilger, Director EDITOR
Patrick Dilger WRITERS
Betsy Beacom Joe Musante Villia Struyk Jasmine Wilborne DESIGNER
Janelle Finch PHOTOGRAPHER
Isabel Chenoweth Alisha Martindale SouthernLife is published monthly when classes are in session, from September through June, by the Southern Connecticut State University Office of Public Affairs, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1355. News and calendar inquiries should be addressed to Wintergreen 162, campus mail, or call 392-6586. Story ideas, news items and comments can also be e-mailed to the editor at DILGERP1. The editor reserves the right to consider all submissions for timeliness, space availability, and content.
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SouthernLife • MAY 2013
The university paid tribute to about 260 students – mostly seniors – at the recent Honors Convocation. In addition to a variety of departmental and other honors, four prestigious university-wide awards were presented during the ceremony at the Lyman Center: Sarah Green earned the President’s Award, given to the student who represents the values and mission of Southern through an exemplary record of scholarship, leadership and service to the institution. Erin McGuckin was selected for the University Leadership Award, presented to an honest, forward-looking, inspiring and competent student with a demonstrated record of involvement in university-sponsored events and activities. Duaah Galal received the University Service Award, given to the student who has performed acts of courage, vision, dedication and tenacity that have had a measurable impact on the university and the local community. Jaclyn Sullivan won the Scholar-Athlete Award, presented for achievement of academic excellence while upholding the principles of integrity, athletic achievement and sportsmanship. “It is a wonderful event to honor the outstanding achievements by our best students,” said Kathy Yalof, chairwoman of the Committee for the Honors Convocation.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
The new parking garage next to Moore Fieldhouse is scheduled to be opened July 1, Executive Vice President James E. Blake has announced. The four-level, 1,200-space garage will provide the university with a net gain of about 800 parking spaces, compared to the 400 spaces it held when the area was used as a parking lot. “The garage will be a modern facility with LED lighting, a heated lobby and security
cameras,” Blake said. “It will certainly help us with campus parking at a time when we will be losing about 400 existing spaces because of upcoming construction related to Buley Library and the future Academic Science and Laboratory Building.” Meanwhile, Blake said the renovation of the older portion of Buley Library could start by July, as well. The ground floor and first floor of the building will be renovated completely, while the second, third and fourth floors will only have limited work done as part of this phase of the project. Blake is hopeful that the interior can be completed on those floors in the future, but those floors will not be occupied initially. Blake also said that work on the Academic Science and Laboratory Building is likely to begin in June.
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
The Class of 2013 has captured the spirit of philanthropy with 307 members contributing thus far to the Senior Class Campaign. The campaign, which has a “Lucky 13” theme, asks seniors to make a gift of $20.13. Philanthropic support from current Southern parents also remains strong. A total of 834 parents have pledged support or asked to receive a pledge card in response to the student-conducted spring phonathon. Members of the campus community have contributed as well, with 255 making a gift to the Faculty and Staff Campaign for Student Success to date. For more information or to make a gift, go to employeegiving.SouthernCt.edu or call Jaime Toth at (203) 392-6514. In related news, Southern honored leadership-level donors at a Celebration of Philanthropy on April 21. The event gives students, faculty and deans the opportunity to personally thank donors for their support. Senior nursing major and scholarship recipient Angela Read spoke at the event. “These scholarships really do make a world of difference. My inner motivation may have started with my
mom passing away, but the possibility of living up to such high standards in all dimensions of my life became a reality with your donations,” Read said. “They allow students to maximize their true potential which is often otherwise masked by financial constraints.” Read has received numerous honors, including the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award and Southern’s Nursing Excellence Award.
STUDENT AFFAIRS
Student Rose D’Amico, chairwoman of Southern’s Service Team and the SGA service commissioner for the past year, recently received the 2011-2012 award for Outstanding Commitment to Community Service by a Student, one of the Connecticut Higher Education Community Service Awards. This awards program presents an annual opportunity for Connecticut colleges and universities to recognize individual students, student groups and a faculty or staff member for outstanding volunteering and service to the community. Under D’Amico’s guidance, said Sal Rizza, associate director of student life, the Service Team sponsored and/or participated in more than 15 projects that totaled over 3,000 service hours. Examples of major projects coordinated by the team are the annual Big Event, in which students volunteer at local agencies in the local community, and the annual Day of Service, a collaborative effort with the New Haven Police Department, in which students go into the neighborhoods of New Haven to clean, paint and assist the local community with small and large projects. Peter Troiano, interim vice president for student affairs, said that this is the second year a Southern student has received this award and noted that the service team, while relatively new to Southern, is already making its mark at the state level.
New Admissions Director Eyes Enrollment Alexis Haakonsen
doesn’t claim to
have all the answers.
She’s not inclined to make decisions in a vacuum. And she doesn’t plan to make major changes without at least first learning the intricacies of what makes Southern tick. But the newly hired director of admissions is excited about the opportunity to help bolster the quantity and quality of students attending Southern. And she is confident that the recent declines in enrollment can be reversed in the years ahead. “The Admissions Department has done a good job over the years,” she says. “We have a dedicated staff that cares about the university and the students we serve. I believe that with some refinements and tweaking, as well as a few new initiatives, we can really take off.” One new strategy that Haakonsen hopes to employ within the next year is to hire alumni volunteers to help with recruitment. “Alumni who can attend some of the college fairs, or who can host an out-of-state, or even in-state event, can really help us with recruitment of students. Who is better to talk about Southern than people who went through the various programs themselves and are now successful in their careers?” She also believes that Southern’s location in New Haven – with its proximity to New York City – can be leveraged to be a bigger selling point to international students. “Students from outside the country may not be familiar with much of the United States,
but they usually have each other in trying heard of the big cities to recruit graduate – like New York and students in these Los Angeles. I think programs.” our location so close Haakonsen spent to New York can help 16 years at S H U, us even more.” where she honed Haakonsen also her recruitment skills says that firming and strategies. Previup the university’s ously, she worked presence in the local in the undergradumarket, as well as an ate admissions increased outreach to office at the Colpart-time and transfer lege of Wooster in students, can help Ohio, where she had Southern’s enrollearned a Bachelor of ment numbers. Arts degree in EngKimberly Crone, lish. She would later Alexis Haakonsen associate vice presiearn a Master of Arts dent for academic student services, says degree in learning (education) from SHU. Haakonsen has a successful track record in “I actually worked in the admissions office the areas of admission marketing, recruitwhile I was a student,” she says. “Little did I ment, staff supervision, budget management know that I would fall in love with that line and department operations. “Alexis brings of work and make a career out of it. I know passion, vision and leadership to the important role of director of admissions,” Crone says. As the former executive director of graduate admissions at Sacred Heart University (SHU), Haakonsen says she became quite familiar with Southern as a competitor. “In particular, I remember Southern having a strong reputation in teacher preparaSouthern has received the Power of tion because we went head to head with Change Top Building Award -- a state-
Actor Alan Alda mixed storytelling with his brand of humor during the recent Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture. Among the topics covered was the need for scientists to communicate more effectively with the public. An enthusiastic sold-out crowd at the Lyman Center welcomed the former star of M*A*S*H.
SouthernBrief ly
Patricia Nicol, director of athletics, has received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. She was recognized in a ceremony at the Rhode Island State House in Providence on April 29. Nicol earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from URI and, as a student-athlete, was a five-time NCAA qualifier in track and field. She was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990. She is now in her ninth year as director of athletics and 14th overall as an athletic administrator at Southern. Before joining the staff at Southern, Nicol served as assistant director of athletics at the University of Maryland
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Southern Lauded for Innovation in Energy Efficiency
A SMASHing Success
Registration for Summer Session is under way with three sessions offered during May, June, July and August. Session A runs from May 20-June 23; Session B from June 24-July 28 and Session C from July 29-August 18. Students from other colleges and universities are welcome to register, and a wide range of courses is available, including study abroad opportunities and graduate courses. The university offers air-conditioned on-campus housing for Summer Session students, as well as moderate tuition, discounted rates for qualified schedules and payment plans. For more information, visit www.southernct.edu/summer.
the admissions process can be pretty scary for students and their families and I like to help make it a less frightening experience.” As the supervisor of the Admissions Department, Haakonsen sees herself as a team leader. “I value the experience and thoughts of our staff,” she says. “They are on the front lines, so to speak. Sure, as the department director, ultimately I’ll be making decisions. But whenever possible, I plan to discuss ideas as a team first.” Haakonsen is the first admissions director at Southern since the retirement of Sharon Brennan in 2006. Jim Williams had succeeded Brennan in an interim capacity for a few years. Paula Kennedy has helped coordinate the operations of the admissions office since the retirement of Williams. Haakonsen grew up in Chattanooga, Tenn. She is married to Erik Haakonsen, son of the late Harry O. Haakonsen, who had been a professor of chemistry at Southern. They have two children, ages 7 and 11, and reside in Trumbull.
wide recognition -- for its team-based effort to reduce electricity use in nine residence halls. The university took First Honors in the Innovation Award category for its energy reduction during the College Conservation Nationals (CCN), the largest nationwide electricity and water reduction competition on college and university campuses, now in its third year. Seven state energy efficiency projects were celebrated as models at the first-ever Power of Change Award ceremony, which was sponsored by the Common Sense Fund, the Hampshire Foundation and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. The awards were presented during a ceremony held April 9 at the State Capitol. “These seven Power of Change Award winners demonstrate the innovative ways Connecticut is meeting aggressive energy efficiency goals and are a promising example of how our state is taking an active role in driving a clean energy economy forward,” says Stewart Hudson of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, one of the three organizations funding and supporting the initiative. “We believe it’s important to celebrate success where it occurs -- in this case good
and six years as associate director of athletics at Providence College. The New Student Orientation (NSO) staff is gearing up to welcome new students to campus at five sessions in May and June. New Student Orientation is mandatory for first-time college students – freshmen -- who will begin attending the university in the fall. These students must attend one of the following five NSO sessions held in May and June as well as New Student Welcome Weekend, held on Aug. 25 (mandatory), Aug. 26 (mandatory) and Aug. 27 (encouraged). The NSO sessions will be as follows: Session I - May 29-30; Session II - June 4-5; Session III - June 12-13; Session IV - June 17-18; Session V - June 20-21. The university will continue to offer shuttle service to New Haven’s Union Station during the summer. This is a free service available to all faculty, staff and students riding the Metro North or Shore Line East trains for their daily commute. An SCSU ID must be presented to ride the shuttle. Shuttles will pick up and drop off passengers outside of Union Station and at the campus shuttle stop outside of Morrill and Jennings Hall (Lot #2). This service will begin on May 20 and run through Aug. 16. The shuttle will operate Monday through Friday between the hours of 7-10 a.m. and
government practices that protect human health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and in the process help the Connecticut economy and save taxpayer dollar,” Hudson says. State agencies, facility managers and stakeholders entered projects in three award categories: the Innovation Award, designed to recognize new and effective ideas and approaches to achieve energy reduction through efficiency; the Fast Track Award, recognizing the agencies that got out front by aiming for higher levels of efficiency; and Most Energy-Efficient Building Awards for buildings associated with Connecticut-owned educational institutions and courthouses. “The award is based on Southern’s success in developing our collaborative network for sustainability engagement and our success in coordinating efforts in many departments -- Facilities, Res Life, Science Ed and Environmental Studies, Public Affairs, FYE -- to develop more sustainable practices," says Suzanne Huminski, acting coordinator of the university’s Office of Sustainability. “The energy conservation contest was the case study for the award, but our application made it clear that CCN is one of many projects we work on together.”
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3-6 p.m., making the loop at these times between campus and Union Station. This schedule is subject to change, pending ridership evaluation and operational needs. There will be no service on Memorial Day, May 27, or Independence Day, July 4. The schedule for the summer can be found at www.southernct.edu/student-life/safety/shuttle-services/offcampus/summer-schedule.html Goodwill Industries will be on campus until May 16 to collect your clothing, household items, outdated computers and books. Not only gently used clothing but any clothing is now acceptable. What Goodwill cannot sell will be recycled into new materials. Last year, the Southern community donated more than 5.8 tons of reusable items to Goodwill. About 84 percent of the sales from these donations help fund job training and other career services that help people become successful at work. Collection bins will be located in the following areas: Engleman Hall parking lot, Schwartz Hall, Brownell Hall, North Residence Complex, the area between Hickerson and Neff halls and the area between Wilkinson and Chase halls. For more information, contact Heather Stearns, recycling coordinator, at (203) 392-6931.
SouthernLife • MAY 2013
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Romancing the Stones Ethiopia is home to the oldest and some of the most significant archaeological sites in the world.
M
ichael J. Rogers, professor of anthropology, and three Southern seniors — Jeff Banks, Travis Rohrer and Patrick Whitney — traveled to the Afar region of the country recently to join a scientific expedition at the Gona Palaeoanthropological Research Project. Working through early March, they joined a group of about 30 scientists, local crew and Afars. The accompanying photos capture their journey — a quest to uncover fossils, artifacts and clues to mankind’s evolutionary history. “I don’t know of any other research project in East Africa that incorporates undergraduates to this extent. Usually, graduate students are lucky to be able to work at one of these famous paleoanthropological sites.” Rogers says. Rohrer, an anthropology major, says the experience was
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SouthernLife • MAY 2013
one he’ll never forget. “Not only did it help me fulfill my anthropology internship requirement, it also gave me the opportunity to work in a completely unique archaeological context, “ he says. The group also worked at the Ethiopian National Museum in Addis Ababa with the Gona collection. While in the field, they split time between surveying and excavation, during the course of which they uncovered two artifact horizons (an area that yields a high density of artifacts) and associated fossil bones. “While surveying, we saw archaeological sites spanning almost the entire Lower and Middle Paleolithic — from 2.6 million years ago to around 150,000 years ago,” Rohrer says. We also had the pleasure of working with the local Afar tribesmen who served as our guides, but also became our good friends.”
Rogers has been bringing undergraduate students to Gona since 2007, working alongside his friend and colleague Sileshi Semaw, a scientist at the Spanish National Research Centre for Human Evolution (CENIEH) who directs the project. Rogers brings extensive experience to the task, having conducted fieldwork in East Africa since 1990 and working specifically at the Gona Project since 1999. “I never know how a student will react to the heat, dust, rustic conditions (tent camping, no bathrooms, no electricity, “bag” showers), remoteness, etc., until they actually get there,” he says. “But all the Southern students who have gone with me over the years adjusted well, and perhaps learned a bit about themselves and what they are capable of.”
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SouthernProfiles Grace Under Pressure
Bring Your Manners to the (Business) Dinner Table
You
can find plenty of warnings and admoni-
tions against mixing business with pleasure. But combining
business with meals also can be a cocktail that leaves people with a hangover – figuratively and literally, if you aren’t careful. So warns Ellen Durnin, dean of the School of Business, who recently coordinated a business etiquette dinner to give students an opportunity to practice good manners and prudence before going out into the working world. The program included a talk by Karen Hinds, a consultant who is CEO of Workplace Success Group LLC. “You want to create a positive impression during a business meal – whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner,” Durnin says. “While eating is certainly part of a business meal, your primary objective is usually business-related. It is better to leave the encounter with a half-empty stomach than create a half-baked impression.” In fact, Durnin says eating something before a business meal can be a good strategy to help keep your focus on the business part of the meeting. This is especially important if the meeting is a job interview and you are the interviewee, or if you are meeting with a potential client. “You can always eat until your heart’s content after the meeting, either at home or at another restaurant,” Durnin says. Durnin recommends the following do’s and don’ts to make a good impression at a business meeting that involves food. • Arrive on time. (It sounds simple, but you would be amazed at how many people fail this first test.) • Be prepared for the lunch or dinner meeting, just as you would for any other type of meeting. • Demonstrate good table manners. (Your napkin should be on your lap; don’t reach across the table; and break off only as much bread as you can eat at one time.) • Use silverware appropriately and place cutlery on the plate (never on the tablecloth) once it has been used.
• Focus mealtime conversation on non-controversial topics, especially avoiding politics and religion. • If you issued the invitation, be sure to pay the bill. • Remember B-M-W for identifying your place setting: from left to right – bread, meal, water. (This avoids the inevitable, “is that my bread plate or yours?”) • Avoid ordering difficult-toeat, messy or sticky foods. This includes pasta, cherry tomatoes, meat on the bone, and crispy desserts, such as a Napoleon, which will shatter upon contact. • Select a meal from the Students practice proper etiquette at the business dinner table. menu that is in the middle price range of options. • Do not order an alcoholic beverage, even if your dinner Durnin suggests moving on with the conversation at the partner does so. Many firms look down on drinking at a table. “The other person does not want to focus on their business meeting, and you may be subjected to a “test” stained clothing for the rest of the meeting, but will apprecito see if you order an alcoholic drink. don't do so. ate you returning to the conversation at hand.” One of the nightmare scenarios, of course, is spilling food or drink on yourself, or worse yet, on someone else. While adhering to the suggestions offered by Durnin can minimize the chances of such a situation, accidents can still happen. What can a person do if food or drink is spilled on one of your tablemates? “Your response should be quick and sincere,” Durnin says. “Do NOT attempt to wipe the offending substance from their clothes. Instead, say, ‘I apologize. Please send your dry cleaning bill to me.’”
She also suggests following up with a message to their office the next business day to request the bill. This shows that the offer from the previous day was not an empty gesture. Finally, she recommends that if you were the guest at the meal, follow up with a thank-you note (email is fine), mentioning one of the topics of discussion that interested you. This will remind your tablemate of the good conversation you had, and hopefully motivate them to want to get to know you better.
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A New Focus on Cybersecurity In
Lisa Lancor, graduate coordinator of the Computer Science Department, is excited about the new opportunities offered to students in cybersecurity and software development.
an effort to better meet the needs
of students and the demands of the chang-
ing Connecticut workforce, the Computer Science Department has restructured its Master of Science degree program. The department has replaced the two previous tracks with those having more relevance in today’s ever-evolving technological landscape — network and information security (cybersecurity), and software development. “Previously, the M.S. program was designed primarily for students who had earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science,” says Lisa Lancor, graduate coordinator for the department. “But we had been getting increased interest from individuals who had bachelor’s degrees in other disciplines and wanted to move into the computer field. We have students who majored in music, political science and other disciplines not closely related to computer science. So, we revamped the program to make it more flexible.” Among the changes enacted is the establishment of a single prerequisite course, instead of three such courses. The new prerequisite is a 4-credit course on computer programming and data structures. Students then take 12 core credits, as well as 18 credits in either of the two tracks. Students are then required to pass a capstone, typically a 6-credit thesis. One of the new courses offered for those engaged in the cybersecurity track is “Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing.” In this course, students learn how to test whether networks are secure and how to enhance that security. “There is a huge need for individuals who have an expertise in this area,” Lancor says. “The number of companies and organizations whose websites are hacked is growing all
the time. These companies want to hire individuals who can detect and fix these security issues, but there really is a shortage of such people.” Lancor says that many companies actually hire individuals to try to break into their network system (without causing any damage). The idea is that if they can hack into it, the system needs to be upgraded and fixed. If it can’t be hacked,
it indicates the system is probably secure, at least at that time. She notes that cyber attacks are occurring more frequently these days and the hackers are becoming more sophisticated at cybercrime. “As cyber attacks become more sophisticated, demand will increase for workers with security skills.” Lancor points to U.S. Department of Labor projections that indicate employment of network and computer systems administrators (which includes security specialists) is expected to increase by 23 percent from 2008 to 2018. Similarly, the department projects that the number of computer software engineers and computer programmers will rise by 21 percent in that same time period. She also says that in addition to individual hackers, foreign governments hostile to the United States are more inclined these days to try to wreak havoc with U.S. networks. In fact, The U.S. Department of Defense has increased its allocation for cyber operations by 20 percent in its 2014 budget. Many experts are predicting that future wars and hostilities among nations will include cyber warfare.
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SouthernLife • MAY 2013
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Mathematics: Her ‘Field’ of Dreams Nearly 2,000 undergraduates sit for
trying to solve 12 complex math problems for the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition – considered by many to be the most prestigious university-level math exam in the world. They compete for a little bit of money, a few moments of fame and even for the “fun” of it. For the last two years, Elizabeth Field has been one of those students. Last winter, Field earned 10 out of a possible 120 points on the Putnam exam. A year earlier, she scored but a single point. Those may not seem like particularly impressive scores – that is, until you discover that more than half of the participants – which include many of the best young math minds in the United States and Canada -- fail to tally a single point. And only about a third of the students reach the 10-point mark. Field, who is majoring in elementary/ special education and mathematics, will finish her student-teaching certification next fall. And while Field says she’s always liked math, she never envisioned herself majoring in that discipline, let alone contemplating a career in it. But all that changed when she transferred to Southern three years ago. “As an education student, I had to choose a second major and I just happened to pick six hours each winter
math,” Field says. “I ended up loving it. It was fascinating.” Her impressive 4.0 GPA in her math classes and participation in multiple math research opportunities and conference panel presentations demonstrate her fondness for the subject. She is also breaking traditional gender barriers seen in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, where women hold a disproportionately low portion of undergraduate degrees in those fields. Field’s success has been recognized by Raymond Mugno, an associate professor of mathematics, who has been one of her teachers. Mugno says Field’s intelligence, drive and extraordinary work ethic are an integral part of her success, but he adds that her creativity sets her apart. Field has traveled throughout the country to attend a variety of math conferences and workshops. Last summer, she was one of 10 students to take part in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she studied for eight weeks. The program culminated in a paper, which she presented with her peers, at the 2013 Joint
Elizabeth Field’s passion for math is adding up to a successful academic career.
Mathematics Meeting in San Diego. “In math class, you sit there and the answers are in the back of the book,” Field says. “But in the world of mathematics, there are real questions and the answers are just waiting to be discovered.” Field has participated in workshops that have engaged her in theoretical studies, such as issues related to climate change.
Although she originally envisioned herself teaching in an elementary school, she has shifted her focus to research, graduate school and perhaps a career as a university professor. Nevertheless, Field remains connected to one of her passions -- youth development. She works with the children at her church’s youth group in an effort to help them become better people and leaders.
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Student’s Compassion Earns Service Award E tienne H older ’ s
tional Health Field Study in Guatemala, in which Holder participated, Faraclas says he noticed her sense of adventure and compassion for the indigenous people of Guatemala. These qualities motivated Faraclas to nominate Holder for the award, which is presented by the Connecticut Public Health Association. “To be acknowledged for my accomplishments was an amazing honor,” Holder says. “I was at a loss for words.” The reception was held at the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate in Middletown. Holder says she always had an affinity for health-related subjects. When she was a child, she aspired to be a cardiac surgeon because she liked the way the heart worked. She would eventually attend the University of Virginia, where she majored in medical anthropology. Holder credits the Guatemala trip with solidifying her interests in global health, chronic disease and epidemiology: “The nomination (for the Perlin award) reinforced that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” Faraclas says Holder is an outstanding student who he believes will someday help change the field of public health through innovation, dedication and passion. “I have so much more to do and prove,” she says. “I want to be remembered for my love for people, health and cultures and the things I have done to make great strides in public health. I want to influence younger generations to push the limits and be all that they can be.”
warm smile and easygoing
personality make her easy to like. But for those who know
Etienne Holder is the inaugural recipient of the Michael J. Perlin Student Award.
While visiting the village of Santiago Zamora, Guatemala, Etienne learns how to weave on a back strap loom.
Fulbright
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Walsh wrote that he applied “to Laos specifically because it preserves the East Asian culture that many have come to romanticize but not truly experience, and though romanticizing a people and culture can result in misunderstanding and disappointment, my time in Korea taught me to separate individuals from cultural preconceptions. “Rather than limit myself to the standard backpacker’s experience of Laos, the ETA grants me the opportunity to form solid, trusting relationships with fellow instructors, students, and citizens. Through these relationships, I hope to create a cross-cultural dialogue between two cultures which have been at odds in recent history.” Walsh says he is particularly interested in Laos because it is “sort of the last bastion of Asia, unexplained by Westerners.” He found Southeast Asia captivating when he traveled
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SouthernLife • MAY 2013
her personally, these character traits simply underscore her compassion for others. William Faraclas, chairman of the university’s Public Health Department, says he is impressed by Holder's record of volunteer service. This includes working as a patient liaison in the Pediatric Emergency Department of Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, and contributing to a community health assessment for the Quinnipiac Valley Health District as a Connecticut-Rhode Island Public Health Training Center Fellow. “She is the student every professor dreams of having in class,” Faraclas says of Holder, a graduate student in the M.P.H. program, who has compiled a 3.7 GPA. For her accomplishments in the areas of volunteerism, leadership and academics, Holder was recently selected as the recipient of the first-ever Michael J. Perlin Student Award, which recognizes a current graduate or undergraduate student enrolled in a public health program. Perlin earned the title of professor emeritus of public health at Southern after retiring in 2009. His career in academia spanned four decades and he co-authored the state’s original pre-trial alcohol education system curriculum in 1981. Perlin died in 2011. During the annual summer Interna-
there previously, he says, but “Laos gave this possibility of new discovery” he finds compelling. Walsh says he will use journaling and poetry writing with his students in Laos as ways to improve their communication skills. In addition to teaching, Walsh plans to continue his study of Theravada Buddhism, work on a new collection of poetry inspired by his experiences in Laos, and volunteer at a local orphanage. According to the Fulbright Award program website, the English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) is one of five types of awards for which students are eligible. An ETA, says the website, “places a Fulbrighter in a classroom abroad to provide assistance to teachers of English to non-native English-speakers. English Teaching Assistants help teach English language while serving as a cultural ambassador for U.S. culture. The age and academic level of
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classroom students varies by country, ranging from kindergarten to university level.” Schindel says that Walsh “will be a great representative for SCSU in Laos and we are all very proud of him.”
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Success
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employee motivation. During the summer of 1986, he and Cohen traveled across the country together in the Ben & Jerry’s “Cowmobile,” serving up free samples of their ice cream in what they termed a “cross-country marketing drive.” Unfortunately, the Cowmobile caught fire and burned to the ground outside Cleveland; luckily neither was hurt, but Cohen was quoted in news stories across the country, claiming the burning Cowmobile “looked like a giant baked Alaska.” Today, Greenfield’s official titles at the company include vice-chair of the board
and director of mobile promotions. He often joins Cohen at speaking engagements and, along with Cohen, is very active in Businesses For Social Responsibility, a group that works to promote an alternative business model based on socially responsible business practices. Greenfield also concocted the idea for the Ben & Jerry’s Joy Gang, a group of employees dedicated to bringing more joy into the workplace through fun activities. Greenfield and Cohen have been recognized for fostering their company’s commitment to social responsibility by the Council on Economic Priorities — for donating 7.5 percent of their pre-tax profits to nonprofit organizations through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation — and by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which named them U.S. Small Business Persons of the Year in 1988.
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SouthernLife • MAY 2013
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SouthernFocus
The Big Event
a photo essay by alisha martindale
Jail 'n' Bail
Honors Convocation
Students are playing Students are giving Students are graduating HAPPY SPRING! 8
SouthernLife • MAY 2013