The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame and
and report
Saint Mary’s
it accurately
Volume 46, Issue 36 | Tuesday, October 9, 2012 | ndsmcobserver.com
Psycholog y professor Nicole McNei l ha s been nat iona l ly recog n i zed i n her f ield a f ter ea r n i ng t he A mer ica n Psycholog ica l A ssociat ion’s (APA) 2013 Boyd McCa nd less Awa rd for d ist i ng u ished cont r ibut ion to psycholog y. McNei l sa id she wa s su rpr ised to be selected by t he APA’s Div ision 7 for t he prest ig ious awa rd. “I wa s shocked,” she sa id. “T he prev ious w i n ners of t he awa rd a re a l l wel l k now n, h ig h ly i n f luent ia l psycholog ist s. It is a g reat honor to receive t he awa rd a nd be l isted a mong t hem.” T he APA Div ision 7 is t he a ssociat ion’s subg roup focused on psycholog ist s specia l i zed in hu ma n
psychology professor
News Writer
development. T he g roup’s awa rd “recog n i zes a n ea rly ca reer scient ist … who ha s made a d ist i ng u ished t heoret ica l cont r ibut ion to developmenta l psycholog y, ha s conducted pro-
Nicole McNeil
By CHARITHA ISANAKA
g ra m mat ic resea rch of d ist i nct ion, or ha s made a d ist i ng u ished cont r ibut ion to t he d issem i nat ion of developmenta l science,” accord i ng to t he APA website. McNei l at t r ibuted her success i n t he f ield to her
Group offers weekend activities By JILLIAN BARWICK Saint Mary’s Editor
Saint Mary’s Student Activities Board (SAB) has begun offering weekend programming this semester in an effort to expand students’ social and entertainment options on campus, SAB president Liz Kraig said. “SAB has always discussed different weekend options throughout the year,” she said. “This fall we decided to finally make those ideas a reality. SAB wants Saint Mary’s students to have alternative options for weekend activities on campus.” SAB traditional co-chair Liz Robbins said the group did not want the College’s students to have to rely on Notre Dame for weekend activities. “We want to provide the students with an option [for programming] here instead of always having to travel to Notre Dame’s campus,” she said. “We want the students to feel like SMC is alive and active on
news PAGE 3
weekends.” So far, SAB has hosted a bowmaking event, a showing of “Snow White and the Hunstman” and “Sundaes on Sunday.” Kraig said she was pleased with the turnout at the events. “We have had an extremely successful outcome thus far,” Kraig said. “SAB has some great weekend programming events for the rest of the semester, so students should be on the lookout.” SAB weekend and weekday programming will resume shortly after fall break, Kraig said. “Oct. 28 is ‘Belle-a-Boo!’ This day of Halloween fun will include pumpkin painting, a 1920s Murder Mystery Dinner and a showing of the ‘Halloweentown’ Trilogy,” she said. “All of the events will take place in the Student Center.” SAB will also host a ‘Twilight’ Baby Shower on Nov. 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Spes Unica see SAB PAGE 3
viewpoint PAGE 6
pa st teachers a nd peers. “It’s a n awa rd ba sed on my ent i re body of resea rch to date, so ever yone I’ve lea r ned f rom a nd worked w it h ha s helped me w i n t he awa rd — a l l of my mentors, col laborator a nd st udent s,” she sa id. McNei l sa id her for mer adv isor at t he Un iversit y of W isconsi n–Mad ison wa s most i n f luent ia l to her academ ic a nd professiona l development. “My most i mpor ta nt teacher, mentor a nd collaborator is [psycholog y professor] Ma r t ha A l iba l i. She is t he f i rst person who got me i nterested i n cog n it ive developmenta l resea rch when I wa s a n u nderg raduate a nd she wa s my adv isor i n g raduate school.” W h i le McNei l is bei ng
recog n i zed for her resea rch, she is deeply i nvolved i n ot her a spect s of academ ia at Not re Da me, teach i ng cog n it ive development, developmenta l psycholog y a nd lea r n i ng a nd i nst r uct ion for t he A l l ia nce for Cat hol ic Educat ion. McNei l sa id her work a s d i rector of t he Un iversit y ’s Cog n it ion L ea r n i ng a nd Development L aborator y ha s a l lowed her to br i ng toget her her i nterest s i n psycholog y, educat ion a nd resea rch. “One of ou r goa ls is to ident i f y t he best ways for pa rent s a nd teachers to st r uct u re ch i ld ren’s env i ron ment s to help t hem lea r n i mpor ta nt mat h concept s,” she sa id. Contact Charitha Isanaka at cisanaka@nd.edu
Observer Staff Report
Notre Dame has appointed David Bailey as the new head of the Office of Strategic Planning vice president office of strategic planning
McNeil recognized by national association for career of distinguished research
Bailey to head strategic planning
David Bailey
Professor receives psychology award
and Institutional Research, according to a University press see BAILEY PAGE 5
Student runs marathon to raise disease awareness By CAILIN CROWE News Writer
While much of the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s communities spent Sunday recovering from this weekend’s gameday festivities in Chicago and preparing for midterms, Saint Mary’s senior Emily Pearl revved up for the Chicago Marathon. Pearl ran the marathon to raise money for Steps for Doug, an organization advocating research and awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. She said the cause was personal for her, as the organization was established in honor of a friend’s father diagnosed with the disease. Pearl, who does not consider herself an avid runner, encourages everyone to take part in a marathon. “I think anyone who has ever thought about doing a
scene PAGE 8
Photo courtesy of Emily Pearl
Saint Mary’s senior Emily Pearl shows her enthusiasm during the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 7.
marathon should. It was one of the best experiences of my life,” she said. “I’m not even a runner, but it was still something I would consider doing again and again. As long as you put your mind to it, anyone can do it.” After struggling in last year’s
men’s soccer PAGE 16
marathon, Pearl came better prepared to this year’s race. “Last year was my first time running [a marathon], so I didn’t know what to expect. I started t he race too fast see MARATHON PAGE 5
women’s soccer PAGE 16