Ursinus Magazine March 2015 by Ursinus College

URSINUS MARCH 2015

MAGAZINE

the

ties that bind battling ebola

wordsmith

phi psi sorority

Dr. Lisa Injaian Hoover 2006 studies the disease at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.

Poet-in-residence and associate professor of English Dr. Nzadi Keita mentors many Ursinus writers.

Sisterhood is powerful. The Phi Alpha Psi sorority is the oldest Greek organization on campus and its members stay connected.

in this issue URSINUS MAGAZINE / MARCH 2015

Love Is Complicated Dr. Brent Mattingly, Assistant Professor of Psychology, talks about the intersection of romantic relationships and the self. Page 46.

03 33

Search for New President Trustee Michael Marcon 1986 is chair of a presidential search committee that consists of ten members of the Board of Trustees, four

Battling Ebola Dr. Lisa Injaian Hoover 2006 is researching Ebola at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of

The Ties That Bind The sisters of Phi Alpha Psi sorority continue to uphold the standards of Personality,

faculty members, three staff members and

Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick, Md.

Ambition, Loyalty and

three students. “Our most important priority,

Hoover, who majored in biochemistry

Scholarship (PALS), set back

our number one objective, is to make sure

at Ursinus, says since the outbreak

in 1907. This story explores

the committee reflects the college’s DNA,”

people are eager to hear about

friendships and connections

says Marcon.

her work.

that have lasted lifetimes.

CLASS NOTES Ryan Costello 1999 became the first Ursinus graduate to serve in the U.S. Congress when he

MELROSE MEMORIAM The Ursinus Community mourns the loss of Hon. Joseph H. Melrose

FIELD NOTES "Relationships are filled with emotion and passion

took the oath of office on Jan. 6, 2015. He was

Jr. 1966, Ambassador-in-Residence

and consume many aspects

elected in November 2014 to the U.S. House of

and Professor of International

of our lives,” says Professor

Representatives and will represent Pennsylva-

Relations, who died on Nov. 8, 2014.

Brent Mattingly. He talks

nia’s 6th Congressional District, which includes

A memorial service was held

about his research in

portions of Berks, Chester, Lebanon, and Mont-

in Bomberger Auditorium on

Field Notes.

gomery counties, including Ursinus College.

Nov. 16, 2014.

Facebook ...where 4,648 friends like the Ursinus page. www.facebook.com/ursinuscollege

Twitter ...where Ursinus has 2,109 followers. www.twitter.com/ursinuscollege Instagram ...where Ursinus has 926 followers. www.instagram.com/ursinuscollege

Official Ursinus Social Media Directory can be found on news.ursinus.edu/social or directly here news.ursinus.edu/ college-communications/social-directory

dear readers, I traveled this past month with four Ursinus College colleagues to the annual conference of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), held in our nation’s capitol. The conference is a clearinghouse of higher education ideas for college administrators, policymakers and academics. I find this diverse collection of thought leaders a stimulating environment – a forum to challenge assumptions and, advance the cause of liberal education. In short, this was my kind of crowd. Most of the talk was about how to prepare students for successful lives. According to the Department of Labor, AACU’s College Learning for a New Century and the Lumina Foundation, today’s students will have 10-14 jobs by the time they are 38, and most of these jobs do not exist today. So, fittingly, the need for a college education to prepare graduates for a lifetime of success is a hot topic among AAC&U participants. Lifelong learning and the liberal arts are compatible and, more importantly

URSINUSMAGAZINE Volume CXVI NO. 2 MARCH 2015

Third class postage paid at Lansdale, Pa. Ursinus Magazine is published seasonally three times a year. Copyright 2015 by Ursinus College. Editorial correspondence and submissions: Ursinus Magazine, P.O. Box 1000, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000. 610.409.3300 or e-mail: ucmag@ursinus.edu Editor Kathryn Campbell kcampbell@ursinus.edu Chief Communications Officer Thomas Yencho tyencho@ursinus.edu Director of Communications Wendy Greenberg wgreenberg@ursinus.edu

for this conversation, intertwined. The folks gathered at AAC&U like to call it integrative learning. We here at Ursinus like to call it our curriculum! Integrative learning is exactly the sort of education we do very well here at Ursinus. I think it’s safe to assume it was your education here in Collegeville. Integrative learning is a way of making connections across the disciplines. An AAC&U conference speaker made the point that faculty members need to understand integrative learning in order to put it into practice. But we can be proud that our Ursinus faculty already understands this well. I know that as our faculty mentor students on majors and careers, collaborate with them on research, and advise them on internships and independent learning experiences, they are making connections across disciplines and helping students to increasingly make those connections for themselves. Through their discussions with one another and with students, our faculty use the knowledge at cross-disciplinary intersections to help students learn to think critically. In fact, our Pennsylvania Professor of the Year Richard Wallace was selected because of his classroom emphasis on integrative problem-solving.* Ursinus also highlights its emphasis on integrative learning through our two interdisciplinary centers, the Center for Science and the Common Good, and the U-imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies. The impact of the U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies across disciplines is

Senior Writer Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995 elabrecque@ursinus.edu Class Notes Editor Jennifer Meininger Wolfe jwolfe1@ursinus.edu Contributing to this Issue Joan Fairman Kanes, Lashinda Clark, Steve Falk, Jim Roese, Erin Hovey 1996, Brian Garfinkel, Carolyn Weigel Design Jeffrey Morgan / JDM Creative Advertising www.jdmcreative.com Chair, Board of Trustees Alan P. Novak 1971 Interim President Dr. Lucien “Terry” Winegar

why it was recognized in January by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) as an exemplary program among emerging entrepreneurship programs. Employers agree that what graduates need for their first job, according to surveys by AAC&U, are applied learning experiences. The latest of several surveys confirms that employers want graduates who have done

Senior Vice President for Advancement Jill A. Leauber Marsteller 1978 Vice President for Enrollment Richard DiFeliciantonio

personal and independent projects that demonstrate dedication and tenacity, and experiences that develop problem-solving and analytical thinking. That is the Ursinus education. Here, over four critical years in the development of our young adult students, we address complex problems in a complex world. Our 2012 commencement speaker, AACU President Carol Geary Schneider, made the point here that employers have said that “integrative learning – integrator thinking as they put it – is one of the keys to success in their

Vice President for Finance and Administration Jonathan C. Ivec Vice President for Student Affairs Deborah Nolan

organizations.” On a regular basis, and particularly as I visit alumni across the U.S. in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach, Senior Vice President for Advancement Jill Marsteller and I are talking about integrative learning and other initiatives. I do love an academic conference like AAC&U and

Chief Information Officer Gene Spencer The mission of Ursinus College is to enable students to become independent, responsible, and thoughtful individuals through

its opportunities for keeping in touch with my colleagues. But I know that it is you, the Ursinus alumni

a program of liberal education. That education prepares them to

scattered in these far-flung places, who can talk about how your Ursinus education has influenced the course

live creatively and usefully, and to provide leadership for their

of your life. That influence is what we want to hear. Let us know. We want to hear from you. Go, Bears! Terry Winegar Interim President

*The award for Pennsylvania Professor of the Year was given by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and Carnegie Foundation. Comments can be addressed to ucmag@usinus.edu

URSINUS MAGAZINE

society in an interdependent world.

gateway the

U R S I N U S

C A M P U S

Presidential Search Pfahler Rocks New UC Website Launches Richard Wallace, Professor of the Year Office Space, Jimena Talavera 2012 Homecoming 2014

N E W S

Setting a High Standard

Presidential Search Is Underway

Ursinus College has embarked on its presidential search, announcing the members of the search committee as well as the consultant who will conduct the comprehensive search. Alan Novak 1971, chair of the Board of Trustees, shared the news with the college community on Friday, November 21. “We are about to embark on a search that coincides with an important juncture in our College’s history,” Novak said in the announcement. “This decision will define our path forward. It will also allow us to recommit ourselves to the objectives and goals that have already been clearly outlined in our strategic plan.”

committee, evaluated a number of search firms before selecting Storbeck/ Pimentel & Associates.

Novak named Trustee Michael Marcon 1986 as chair of a presidential search committee that consists of ten members of the Board of Trustees, four faculty members, three staff members and three students. Trustees Carol Haas 1970 and Nina Stryker 1978 will serve as co-chairs.

“This is going to be a very engaged and deliberative group. We demand that of ourselves,” Marcon says of the search committee. “After all, this is arguably the single most important decision for the future of the college, particularly given the unexpected circumstances around which it developed.”

“Our most important priority, our number one objective, is to make sure the committee reflects the college’s DNA,” says Marcon. “We wanted to be certain that we had all the constituencies that have a stake in the college’s future well represented. And within those constituencies, we sought to include multiple voices to ensure as collaborative and thorough a process as possible.”

When President Bobby Fong passed away on September 8 after just three years in office, Marcon says he left behind a culture that is highly collaborative, open and respectful. “That culture permeates the campus. Bobby created a high standard that we, as a large committee, are committed to upholding.”

Novak also announced that Shelly Weiss Storbeck, co-founder and managing partner of the firm of Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, will manage the search process. Storbeck is recognized as one of the most highly regarded search consultants in the country, having led over 500 successful searches in the education and non-profit sectors. “It was a very, very difficult decision because the firms were excellent and all highly credentialed,” says Marcon, who, with Novak and the Board’s executive

“Shelly was the only person who was prepared to talk about our long-term focus,” Marcon added. “Clearly, the firms all indicated that Ursinus College is on the rise. But Shelly was able to specifically address our vision and where we’re heading over the next 10-15 years. It was a focus that resonated among members of the executive committee.”

Marcon says he plans to be transparent and engage the community throughout the process. “We want to inform everyone with an interest in what’s going on,” he says, adding that he sees committee members as campus liaisons who will share developments and solicit feedback during the search. The team of 20 individuals will define the candidate description, review the qualifications of many of the candidates, interview the final candidates and, ultimately, make a recommendation to the board. Along with Marcon, Haas and Stryker, the committee is comprised of the following individuals:

Faculty

Staff

Students

Trustees

Beth Bailey, Associate Professor

Missy Bryant, Assistant Dean

Uli Luxem 2016, Business

Will Abele 1961, David Bloom 1987, Robert Brant

of Biology; Rebecca Evans, Chair

of Students and Director of the

and Economics; Nina

1977, Patricia Clark 1973, Jef Corson, Michael Lewis

and Associate Professor of Politics;

Center for Academic Support;

Petry 2016, English; and

1967 and Harold Smith 1955. Additionally, several board

April Kontostathis, Associate

Charles Rice, Chaplain and

Rachel Philip 2015,

members will serve as ex-officio members of the commit-

Professor of Mathematics and Com-

Visiting Assistant Professor of

Neuroscience.

tee, including Alan Novak 1971, Chair of the Board of

puter Science; and Nathan Rein,

Philosophy and Religion; and

Trustees; Joseph DeSimone 1986, Vice-Chair of the Board

Chair and Associate Professor of

Kevin Small, Head Coach,

of Trustees; Patricia Cosgrave, trustee emeritus; Nancy

Religious Studies.

Men’s Basketball.

Opalack 1971; and Bradley Brewster 1974.

MARCH 2015

Pfahler Rocks Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Leah Joseph and Tristan Ashcroft, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Geology and Environmental Studies, worked with others to put the collection on display.

Newly categorized rocks and minerals are now part of an extensive collection showcased in Pfahler Hall. More than 500 of the samples already on display belonged to Dr. E. Lee Porter 1935 and consist of rocks, minerals, fossils, and artifacts that Porter had gathered or purchased throughout his life. Over the course of several years, Ursinus Environmental Studies Department faculty members, with the help of many students, have inventoried, transported, cleaned, and labeled the collection. In addition to Porter’s specimens, Lee Tori 1948, with his wife, Marilyn, helped coordinate the more recent mineral donation of over 1,100 samples from the Paul J. Lazar estate. The Toris were close with Lazar, who joined the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society in the early 1980s. Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Leah Joseph has worked to expand the display to include the Lazar collection. Joseph, Tristan Ashcroft, adjunct Assistant Professor of Geology and Environmental Studies, and Mary Kobor 2014 spent many long hours unpacking and cataloging the minerals

New Website Launches

and organizing them into the new display cases. Sally Willig, who was an adjunct Assistant Professor of Geology and Environmental Studies, had done the bulk of the work in obtaining the original Porter collection years ago after the original connection was made with Professor Jim Sidie. “Mary did a really great job in helping make the overall collection look even more professional by obtaining consistent data for the information cards to standardize both collections,” says Joseph. “In addition to Mary, I’ve been lucky to have had a number of students work with me on the collection throughout the years, all of whom are now Ursinus alumni: Jesse Jones, Rebecca Lamhut Jones, Sara Lee, Jessie Mack, Maryanne Berthel, and Brendon Satmary. Most helped by working their way through boxes of rocks, typing in the data from the information cards, correlating samples and numbers, and putting I.D. numbers on the Lazar minerals. A few of the students helped clean the Porter/ Lazar collection that was already on display and ensured that the information cards didn’t fade beyond recognition.” A formal opening of the newly expanded collection is planned for this spring. n By Kathryn Campbell

A redesigned version of the main Ursinus website was launched in early November. The new site focuses on prospective students as the primary audience while also serving as a source of information for students, staff, faculty and alumni.

The home page features a large photo of a campus scene as well as profiles of Ursinus students. Additional profiles of students, faculty, staff and alumni appear throughout the site. This emphasis on community highlights the sense of involvement that is one of Ursinus’s key strengths. The visual design is a clean, contemporary look. The site uses responsive design features to adapt for display on smaller devices such as smartphones and tablets. These smaller screens account for an increasing share of traffic to the Ursinus website. “We wanted a design that worked well with the different types of technology used by our audiences today,” says web director Paul Dempsey, who led the project. The redesign project began at the end of the 2013 spring semester. An advisory committee of faculty and staff developed requirements and identified potential design firms. After reviewing proposals, the committee selected White Whale Web Services. A web design firm with a focus on higher education, White Whale has worked with many liberal arts colleges, including Washington College, Middlebury, Colorado College and Wheaton College. In addition to a creative concept and visual design, White Whale’s efforts included development of an information architecture and content strategy. This work took place throughout the 2013 fall semester. During the 2014 spring semester, faculty and staff from all departments became involved, developing content for the new site. More than 80 department editors created pages, uploaded images, entered events and now regularly update content and stories for the new site.

URSINUS MAGAZINE

Lost & Found Alumna Erin Burke Hovey 1996, the web content editor at Ursinus, came across this battered suitcase in an antique shop. Tucked inside the charming bag was the diploma and yearbook of Donald MacKenzie 1951. The store in Hammonton, N.J., likely purchased the heirlooms from the estate of MacKenzie, who died in 2012. We would like to hear from our readers about the treasures and keepsakes from their Ursinus years. It can be sentimental or silly. Send us the story (and an image) of your “Found” treasure; tell us when and where you found it, what it means to you and where you keep it now. Even if it is an item that you stumbled across in a thrift shop, we’d like to hear about it. Write to ucmag@ursinus.edu

MARCH 2015

Professor of the Year

Rich Wallace was named Pennsylvania Professor of the Year for 2014 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Charged with building a department in 2002, Wallace adopted an interdisciplinary problem-oriented approach that empowers students to tackle complex problems.

Rich Wallace can find nature almost anywhere. As a boy in Brooklyn, N.Y., he learned to love the outdoors from his father, Stanley, a physician, who would take him birding at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Growing up in the city, Wallace found nature in the grass of a small yard, under flagstones, and in window boxes with flowers that brought hummingbirds. Time spent on Cape Cod and in the Adirondack Mountains were a feast. Wallace, a professor of environmental studies, is never far from nature. His scholarly habit of practicing what he teaches is part of why he was named Pennsylvania Professor of the Year for 2014 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The Environmental Studies Department has been a leader in showcasing the mastery of theory combined with its application in problemsolving. This approach is something Wallace learned from his mother, Eleanor, also a physician, who devoted most of her career to improving medical education at the institutional, state, and national levels. Her passion for teaching and building educational programs rubbed off on her youngest son. “She was an activist at heart,” says Wallace.

“Fostering problem-oriented, interdisciplinary critical thinking is the most important work we can do with our undergraduates,” Wallace says. “If you feel strongly about something on a personal level, you shouldn’t check it at the classroom door,” he says. “The crossover between life lived and subjects taught is important. To keep who you are outside the classroom separate from what you teach is an unnecessary fragmentation. I feel really deeply about what I teach, and so the lines between my pedagogy and the rest of my life become blurred – but in a good way. That’s who I am.”

URSINUS MAGAZINE

Wallace arrived at Ursinus in 2002 as the first Environmental Studies faculty member, and the first interdisciplinary tenure-track faculty member. Charged with building a department, he adopted an interdisciplinary problem-oriented approach that empowers students to tackle complex problems. “Fostering problem-oriented, interdisciplinary critical thinking is the most important work we can do with our undergraduates,” he says. “Four years on campus may not be long enough to develop topical expertise about the great diversity of environmental challenges, but we intersect with our students’ lives at exactly the right time to help them develop methods of integrative analysis that will prepare them to be strong and functional critical thinkers.” This has much to do with the success that Ursinus Environmental Studies students experience after college. As new Collegeville residents in 2002, Rich and his wife, Shannon Spencer, who is Campus Sustainability Planner, reached out to area farmers. Their goal was to join a community-supported agriculture farm so that they could share the experience of growing local food with their two sons. At about the same time, Wallace offered the first food and agriculture course in the Environmental Studies curriculum. Today, students in the Community and Sustainable Food Systems class consider how they can influence the food system as consumers and producers. The college’s organic farm, which began as a Summer Fellows research project, is looking toward its 11th growing season. The new Whittaker Environmental Research Station, which Wallace co-directs with associate professors Patrick Hurley (Environmental Studies) and Cory Straub (Biology), also will reflect the college’s growing interest in community food systems and agriculture. “We’ve worked very hard to establish the department as one of the most innovative Environmental Studies academic programs in the Philadelphia area,

and we have designed and implemented curricular and co-curricular programming that is nationally competitive,” he says. In addition to sustaining community food and agricultural systems, Wallace asks students to apply theory to problems such as wildlife and ecosystem conservation and land stewardship. He engages them with projects that have included designing and overseeing construction of the College’s naturalized storm water basin, and (with Professor Hurley) participating in a partnership to restore a local 27-acre natural area, Hunsberger Woods. The department has grown to three full-time faculty members and some 50 majors (approximately 6 percent of juniors and seniors). In addition to Wallace and geographer and political ecologist Hurley, the department features a climate scientist, Leah Joseph. Their success is reflected in multiple students who have won the most prestigious national undergraduate awards, including the EPA Greater Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Fellowship and the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship. The department also contributed to the creation of the Ursinus Office of Sustainability, and helped energize campus participation in sustainability efforts. Wallace’s scholarship and research include his students when possible. He is co-author with a student on a 2010 Conservation Biology article, Social and institutional challenges in species and ecosystem conservation: An appraisal

2015 Externships After a whirlwind week in and around two major business and biotech incubators in Florida, senior Joshua Williams brought his observations back to the Ursinus U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies. At the University of Florida’s Innovation Hub with alumnus Sean C. McCoy 1999, an exercise sports science major turned science and technology innovator and entrepreneur, Williams learned strategies that contribute to a successful start-up. “The thing that has most impressed me is the city of Gainesville’s and the University of Florida’s interest in entrepreneurship,” Williams says. “The city itself and in conjunction with the university provide so many opportunities for entrepreneurs, and the city really fosters entrepreneurial spirit.” Williams is one of 37 “externs” who fanned out during the last week of winter break to Ursinus mentors matched by the Career and Professional Development staff. In its second year, the externship program launched last year with 17 students and has since more than doubled. Williams’ externship inside the renowned business incubator is supported by the U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies. The University of Florida Innovation Hub provides its resident companies with office space, laboratories, conference rooms and other resources to improve the likelihood of success, enabling its tenants to devote limited initial resources to advancing their technology and market strategies. The Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator has recently won awards as the top-ranked biotechnology incubator in the nation and internationally. The U-Imagine Center, in its early stages, supports entrepreneurship and integration as a way of thinking and acting in various contexts. “This year's program grew in both number of participants and enthusiasm,”

of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. He is working with a student on a current project to assess the “wicked problem” effect in marine mammal recovery efforts by U.S. federal agencies. His other area of research focuses on the nature of interdisciplinary and problem-based learning in American higher education, and with research partner Susan Clark of Yale, has published several recent papers on the topic. Wallace received his BA from the University of Vermont and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Yale University – all three degrees are in Environmental Studies. Before joining the Ursinus faculty, he was on staff at the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, where he analyzed federal wildlife policies and programs, and was an assistant professor and co-coordinator of Environmental Studies at Eckerd College. Wallace also has played a key role in developing the Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences and the Society of Policy Scientists, the leading professional organizations in the fields. At Ursinus, he received the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2007 and the H. Lloyd Jones Jr. Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising in 2012. He continues to be an advocate for an interdisciplinary education that teaches problem-solving. “Environmental Studies education, by its design,” he says, “must be in the classroom, and outside of the classroom. Love of nature must play a role.” n By Wendy Greenberg

says Carla Mollins Rinde, Director of Career and Professional Development. “Alumni and friends of the college provided outstanding opportunities and exposure to a variety of work environments. We are confident this kind of introduction to career options will help current students make thoughtful and purposeful choices as they move forward.” Since the goal of the INSPIRE program of U-Imagine is to connect students with entrepreneurial thinkers both on and off campus, says Carol Cirka, a faculty center director with Rebecca Jaroff and April Kontostathis, “we thought it would be a perfect fit, making it possible for a student to have an inspiring experience that likely would not have been possible without the financial support of the Center, and forge a partnership with enthusiastic alums like Sean who were working on entrepreneurial projects in science and technology.” Williams, a football player from Jamison, Pa., is looking toward graduate school for physical therapy or nutrition. His externship allowed him to attend networking events with Gainesville, Fla., entrepreneurs, view the new VITAL telehealth tablet coupled with the FDA-cleared Jintronix rehabilitation software being piloted at the Veterans Health Administration for future deployment of telerehabilitation services to rural veterans, review clinical demonstration projects under the Office of Rural Health, and visit with start-up companies at the Innovation Hub incubator. McCoy, who was a Summer Fellow and swimmer at Ursinus, is a good example of someone whose undergraduate degree led him to branch out. He received his Ph.D. in 2011 from the University of Florida and worked as a research scientist for the Veterans Health Administration. Currently he is vice president of uBrand Partners, a nutritional branding company; and an Assistant Professor at the University of Florida with research in animal and human health through therapeutics focused on bone mineral density, and accretion of muscle mass. He recently submitted a joint UF/VA patent for utilizing electrical stimulation to reduce the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in patients with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurologic or neurodegenerative disorders. n By Wendy Greenberg

MARCH 2015

Jimena Talavera 2012 Majored in: Biology and Spanish

URSINUS MAGAZINE

Photo: Lashinda Clark

A tennis player at Ursinus, Talavera now uses sports to engage her students in math. A fifth grade teacher in inner city Chicago, this 2012 grad is serving up aces as she changes one young life at a time.

When Jimena Talavera was a student at Walter Johnson High School in Rockville, Md., she was a member of an organization called the Minority Scholars Program. The organization worked to get more minorities into honors and Advanced Placement classes. As an Ursinus student, she tutored the campus cleaning staff in English as well as helped Norristown, Pa. elementary students with homework. After graduation, she thought about teaching in Peru. Talavera’s father, Manuel Gerardo Talavera Espinar, is a Peruvian diplomat. Talavera was born in the United States, and grew up in Peru until she moved back for high school. But she decided to work with Teach For America. Teach For America recruits, trains and develops professionals and outstanding college graduates to teach in high-need urban and rural schools. According to Teach For America, just eight percent of students from low-income communities will graduate from college by age 24, compared with 80 percent of kids from more affluent areas. Talavera began teaching at Pilsen Elementary Community Academy in Chicago, Ill., a school where 82 percent of the student population qualifies for free lunches and 92 percent of the Pilsen students are also of Hispanic descent. Now in her third year at Pilsen, Talavera is currently teaching 35 fifth graders.

What drew you to Teach For America? I really liked Teach For America’s ideology that everybody deserves to have a good education. At Ursinus, I was a tutor through ACLAMO (Accion Comunal Latinoamericana de Montgomery County), where Ursinus students tutor elementary-age students in Norristown. The Norristown kids have similar backgrounds to the kids I teach now. Participating in ACLAMO really gave me a head start in learning how to teach.

How would you describe your classroom? I am not artistic at all so setting up my classroom is something I had to learn. I would call it classroom decorating, and people would say it isn’t decorating – it is creating classroom culture! My classroom theme is T.E.A.M. The T stands for tenacious, we never give up. E is for efficient, we don’t waste time. A is for admirable, we are role models for the rest of the school. And M is for mindful, we are always mindful of what we are doing.

What is your favorite time during the teaching day? I really enjoy teaching math and making the problems more relevant for my kids. A lot of the standardized tests have baseball problems and my students don’t know that sport very well. So I switched these problems to be about soccer, and they get hooked. A lot of my students are from Mexican heritage, so I incorporate a lot of Mexican teams in their math work.

What is one tool that you could not teach without? I’m very old school. I use my whiteboard a lot. I write, I draw, I do everything on my whiteboard.

Is there a skill that you have now, that you didn’t have when you started teaching? I am more articulate for sure. I also have much better classroom management

skills. I narrate positively about what is going on in the classroom instead of giving consequences right away. If I want all my students to sit down quietly, I walk into the classroom and I say, ‘I see Destiny sitting down quietly, I see Amare sitting down quietly.’ It really works.

Where did you learn this technique? I learned positive narration in Teach For America training. I do a lot of incentives, too. I have my students divided in college groups – one of them is Ursinus – so each table has a college name and they get points for good behavior and lose points for bad behavior. At the end of the week, whatever college has the most points gets a privilege pass which they can use for things such as homework passes.

What do you think is the most important part of your job? I wouldn’t be able to do as well as I am doing if my students did not know that I truly care for them. It is also very important to my success that the parents of my students know we are on the same page.

What has been the most challenging part of your job? I work for Chicago Public Schools, so there are high stakes in how my students perform. I taught for one week and then we went on strike, then 54 schools were shut down. At first, my school was one of the schools on the list. But, we fought to stay open and won. We are still being monitored closely every day. Our students have to perform at their best.

Do you plan to continue teaching throughout your career? I love teaching. I also want to go back and get my master’s in public policy, or educational policy. I think I can make an even bigger difference in this way. n MARCH 2015

2014 homecoming Homecoming Weekend 2014 included over 200 people at the Grizzly Gala and over 700 at Bearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brews and Bites. Alumni, students, faculty and staff danced the night away, reconnected with their friends, cheered on our sports teams and celebrated their Ursinus spirit.

URSINUS MAGAZINE

2. 3. 6.

5. 1. Abbie Cichowski 2010, Maura Brookes, Elizabeth Burns 2012 and Taylor Manferdini 2013. 2. Ursinus field hockey won 6-0 over Dickinson on Homecoming at Eleanor Frost Snell field. 3. Yes, these three alumni â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let the Good Times Roar.â&#x20AC;? 4. Singing the national anthem is Shawntaye Williams 2015. 5. Celebrating and reconnecting with old friends. 6. Class of 2004 flag. 7. Alumni register at the center of campus.

MARCH 2015

8. 11.

10. 9. 12

URSINUS MAGAZINE

12. 8. Suzanne Fong stands with the Bears football team. 9. Conversation and reconnecting under the tents at Homecoming. 10. Rosie DavisAubrey and Adebayo Adeyemo. 11. Alumnae and one adorable future Bear gather under the tent. 12. Cheering on the Bears football team. 13. Wrestling Alumni gather for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Back to the Matâ&#x20AC;? at Homecoming, a celebration for a reunion sport. 14. The jazz concert brought fans indoors. 15. Sorority sisters share a laugh. 16. Ursinus College Hall of Fame for Athletes honorees: John E.F. Corson P2004, Dean Lent 1987, Laurie Holmes Sutherland 1981, Kyle Goldwater 2000, Christina Ng-Watson 2002, Dennis Stanton 2004, Kathryn Polgar Schalleur 1996, Michael Vecchio 2000.

13.

15.

14. 16.

MARCH 2015

Photo: MSU Athletic Media Relations

Mullen Named Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year Dan Mullen 1994, head coach of the Mississippi State football team, was featured in two Philadelphia-area newspapers in October 2014. His success at Mississippi State and his connection to Ursinus (where he played football) earned him spots on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the sports cover of the Philadelphia Daily News. After guiding Mississippi State to its first 10-win regular season and first appearance in the Orange Bowl since 1941, Mullen was named the Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year. He is the first coach in the 115-year history of MSU football to claim a National Coach of the Year award. Another Bear responsible for Mississippi State’s success is Scott Sallach 1994. Sallach, who has been on coaching staffs at Princeton University (2003-08), Dartmouth College (1998-2002), Monmouth College (1995-97) and Hamilton College (1994), has been coaching tight ends for Mississippi State since 2009 when he was hired by former teammate Mullen. n By Jennifer Meininger Wolfe

Rebecca E. Kohn Named Associate Dean Dr. Kohn in her lab in Thomas Hall.

Dr. Kohn, a Professor of Biology who has been a key part of several academic initiatives at Ursinus, was named Associate Dean of Ursinus College in December. She will provide vision, leadership and management for objectives such as increasing student retention, advancing academic assessment, and furthering student engagement and achievement. “Becky brings significant experience to the Dean’s Office,” says Lucien “Terry” Winegar, Ursinus Interim President and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Her demonstrated mentorship of students, scholarly work in biology, and considerable work with signature programs such as our Common Intellectual Experience, Center for Science and the Common Good, and Summer Fellows undergraduate research program, make her an excellent choice for this position.” She will report to Interim Dean Peter F. Small, and joins Associate Dean Jay Miller and Assistant Dean Kneia DaCosta in the Office of Academic Affairs. Dr. Kohn plays a key role in leading the review of the core curriculum as co-coordinator of the Core Curriculum Task Force. She was Chair of the Ursinus Working Group on Undergraduate Research that provided students with opportunities for summer and academic-year research, creative work and travel to professional conferences, and she coordinated the Celebration of Student Achievement (CoSA). Dr. Kohn was also instrumental in recreating this group as the newly approved Student Achievement in Research and Creativity Committee.

As program director of a four-year, ongoing Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant, Dr. Kohn helped develop the Center for Science and the Common Good’s FUTURE (Fellowships in the Ursinus Transition to the Undergraduate Research Experience) Summer Research Program to encourage underserved students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields to begin research early in college, even before their first semester. Participants are encouraged to complete majors in science and stay on track for scientific careers. “Through my work with students in research, I have seen how immersion in an intellectual community connects students to the campus and helps them succeed in terms of retention as well as their success post graduation,” says Dr. Kohn. “Through my role in the Dean’s Office, I will be able to work on programs that reach students across our campus toward these same goals.” n By Wendy Greenberg

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A Boost for UC Bikeshare Connor Murphy recently downsized from four wheels, to two. “I’ve always relied on my skateboard to get around everywhere,” says Murphy, a junior. That changed this summer when he spent one month in Holland and began using a bicycle to get to and from class every day. “I became addicted to riding my bike,” says Murphy, an Ursinus College Green Fellow. “I came back here and jumped right into the Bikeshare program.” Murphy’s passion for cycling led him to ride from campus to Frenchtown, N.J., this fall. The trip was a total of 45 miles. His backpack was filled with two days change of clothes, a laptop, charger, toiletries, and books. “It only took 3 and-a-half hours to get there,” says Murphy who is majoring in philosophy and environmental studies with a minor in applied ethics. The gear added about 25 extra pounds. “That made a significant difference going over bumps at high speeds,” he says. “I also brought two Cliff bars along with over a liter of water, a raincoat, glasses, helmet and gloves. I had a bike pump, a spare tire tube, tools for removing tires, and an Allen key set.” Murphy also had a very generous friend. “The bike I used was not my own,” he says. James Giebel, a freshman at Ursinus, lent him his mountain bike. Murphy has always wanted to do a long-distance ride. “I have never done anything longer than 30 miles, but I was up for the challenge,” he says. Though he doesn’t own a bike, he maintains the UC Bikeshare fleet and works on the bikes needing repairs. “I do it for free, but when people insist on giving me something I only accept food,” says Murphy, who also is the project coordinator for the Wellness and Outdoor Recreation house. He learned maintenance in high school working at a gas station. He bought a small engine with his first paycheck, then took it apart and rebuilt it to working condition. “I learned everything about fixing bikes here either by simply taking it apart and seeing how the pieces fit together, or comparing it with a functioning bike of the same make and model,” says Murphy. He also finds repair tips on the Internet. “I love getting my hands dirty and cannot resist the temptation to undo a few more bolts and screws to see a little deeper into the workings of a machine,” he says. “Bikes are pretty simple.” At first-year orientation and throughout the semester, Murphy has worked hard to engage students with the Bikeshare program, says Brandon Hoover, Sustainability Program Coordinator. “His efforts have resulted in a boost to Bikeshare membership for this time of year,” he says. “Connor also works with a small group of students interested in bike mechanics to keep UC’s fleet of bikes running smoothly.” There are just under 140 members in the UC Bikeshare program. "Every Monday I host mechanic Mondays in the Ursinus bikeshop and teach people how to fix bikes and or help them fix their own bikes," says Murphy. "I'm planning a couple of community rides." In addition to students, faculty and staff are taking part in the program, too. In 2008, Ray Clarke 2011 and Laura Ng 2009, created the UC Bikeshare, the second in the country at the time. Ursinus students embraced it: some 200 signed up, making it one of the largest clubs on campus. n By Kathryn Campbell

Reaching Out, Warming Up

Connor Murphy has worked hard to engage students with the Bikeshare program. There are close to 140 members, with 50 people signing up in the first month of school.

Winter weather brought out the best in Ursinus students who set up drop-off boxes across campus this fall to collect clothing and blankets for needy families in neighboring Norristown, Pa. The items are in high demand for families living temporarily in a Norristown shelter. Decorated drop-off boxes across campus were placed there throughout the fall by Ursinus students leading an outreach effort to keep families in need warm this winter.

“I wanted to do something more for Catholic Social Services this semester than just go there and volunteer each Thursday,” says Kelly Johnson 2017, a Spanish and Peace & Social Justice double major and a student in the Bonner Leader Program. “We thought that a coat drive might be a helpful projThamden Wangyal 2016 and Kelly Johnson 2017 led a ect that we can pursue.” Johnson and fellow student, Thamden Wangyal 2016, voluncampus coat donation drive. teer for UCARE, The Ursinus Center for Advocacy, Responsibility, and Engagement. UCARE serves as the focal point for community service and civic engagement at Ursinus College. Its goal is to expose students from all walks of life to the needs of their communities. Christian Rice 1998, Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion and Assistant Dean for Civic Engagement, says UCARE students also invited about 70 youngsters from ACLAMO, a Latino community center in the heart of Norristown that provides tutoring opportunities for kids, to campus this fall for a sports day. Students Maureen "Libby" Lannon 2017 and Tabi Rudzinski 2016 coordinated the event which included pizza for the kids donated by Marzellas. n By Kathryn Campbell MARCH 2015

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Dr. Lisa Injaian Hoover 2006 is investigating how to develop new methods to analyze early signs of protection.

BATTLING By Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995

MARCH 2015

hen Dr. Lisa Injaian Hoover started working at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick, Md., she was greeted with blank stares when she told people the disease she was researching.

Ebola. “Nobody knew what I was talking about,” says Dr. Hoover, who majored in biochemistry at Ursinus. “Since the outbreak, though, that has totally changed. People can’t wait to talk with me about what I’m doing.” Dr. Hoover is working on a vaccine for this highly contagious and infectious disease that has dominated the news media for months after the most recent outbreak in West Africa that began in May 2014. Ebola is an extremely dangerous disease, says Hoover, and it was originally thought if people came in contact with the virus there was a 90 percent chance they would die. But more recently, the belief is about 50 percent of those infected will die.

“It's so important that scientists like Lisa are investigating emerging infections, because the microbes that cause them – the pathogens – are an airline flight away from almost any spot on the planet,” says Anthony Lobo, Associate Professor of Biology. Hoover was a student in his microbiology and molecular biology courses.

During the time that an Ebola patient is highly infectious, the patient will hemorrhage, cough up blood and secrete bodily fluids. These symptoms make it extremely dangerous for patients to be around healthy people. And though some well-publicized cases have shown patients can recover, there is no vaccine yet.

shifting to research, and she obtained a great job as a Research Technician with the United States Department of Agriculture. Her career began from there.” In 2006, Hoover worked for the USDA, where she studied strains of E. coli – the same pathogen that caused an outbreak through contaminated spinach and lettuce consumption. After a year at the USDA, Hoover went to graduate school at the University of Maryland, where she earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences this past May. During her graduate school career, Hoover’s work revolved around innate immunity research on West Nile virus. More specifically, Hoover wanted to find out what initially happens when a person is infected with West Nile and what the body’s natural defense system is against the viral infection. “Researching infectious diseases is amazing because the research I am doing could potentially protect millions of people,” she explains. “Not many other professions can say that about their job.” Despite the seriousness of her work, Hoover has a wonderfully easy-going demeanor. At Ursinus, she played saxophone and clarinet all four years and was also a tour guide and an orientation assistant. “Lisa was a shining star in our music program,” says Holly Hubbs, Director of the Wind and Jazz ensembles. “She provided a model for other students that you can, indeed, balance academic excellence with participation in other activities.” Being involved in so many different organizations at Ursinus taught her about collaboration, she says. “These basic skills are truly what are going to help scientists eradicate diseases,” says Dr. Hoover. “Coming up with vaccinations are huge projects with so many moving parts. If you can’t work with people effectively, there is no chance of success.” n

“Researching infectious diseases is amazing because the research I am doing could potentially protect millions of people,” says Hoover.

Hoover’s research, which she began working on in June 2014, involves developing new methods to analyze early signs of protection from filovirus infection following vaccination. “There are two vaccines for Ebola that are in clinical trials right now,” Hoover says. “But it’s hard to know when and if ever they’ll be available to the general public.” Anthony Lobo, Associate Professor of Biology, taught Hoover at Ursinus. She was a member of his Microbiology course in 2004 and Molecular Biology in 2006. “She was great in the lab, not just because she was skilled, but she would just crack people up with her funny side,” says Lobo. “I noticed that she really gravitated toward topics related to infectious disease, so it's neat to see where she’s ended up. She’s made a career so far of studying these emerging pathogens – Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, West Nile virus, and now Ebola. It's so important that scientists like Lisa are investigating emerging infections, because the microbes that cause them – the pathogens – are an airline flight away from almost any spot on the planet.” Hoover originally planned to attend medical school after graduation. But a conversation with Carla Rinde, Director of Career and Professional Development, during her senior year sent her in a different direction. “Lisa was one of those students who was into a variety of things, so our conversations were always interesting,” says Rinde. “I remember talking to her about her interests

URSINUS MAGAZINE

Hoover married Jarrod Hoover, a software developer, in April 2012. Hoover’s father, Michael Injaian 1975, sister, Allison 2010 and three cousins, all attended Ursinus and majored in the sciences.

things you should

know about

EBOLA ...but probably don't

{3}

{2}

People infected with Ebola virus can only spread the virus to others after they become ill.

{1}

Individuals who are healthy prior to Ebola virus exposure and seek treatment quickly have a higher likelihood of recovery.

Less than 1% of Liberia's population has been infected with Ebola virus.

{4}

Ebola virus cannot be transmitted through unbroken skin.

{5}

On average, 350,000 people die from influenza virus each year, and the current Ebola virus outbreak has caused the death of approximately 5,000 individuals.

MARCH 2015

Dr. Nzadi Keita has mentored poets and writers for almost two decades. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My primary concern is with helping young people realize what their gifts are, taking any step they can and daring to look a bit beyond that step,â&#x20AC;? says Keita.

By Dr. Rachel Jessica Daniel 2006

URSINUS MAGAZINE

r. Nzadi Keita and I first met in 2002 when I was a freshman. Of these things I was certain: I would major in Media and Communications and become the next Barbara Walters. I wasn’t quite prepared to have those ideas challenged in the first few minutes of meeting with my college adviser. I scoffed when she suggested I pursue a degree in English, but in my first semester, fell in love with American Literature.

discover themselves and potentially redefine their ideologies.

Dr. Keita’s wisdom illuminated a path that was, perhaps, already mapped out for me. Her mentoring approach was not unique to me, however: Dr. Keita taught creative writing courses and advised students for the past 17 years at Ursinus College.

Sara Sherr 2013 was also a student of Dr. Keita. “Taking The Spoken Word [course] with Dr. Keita was the catalyzing event for so many other things in my life, including all the bravery I carry daily,” she says. “She’s the one who gave me the confidence in my work to pursue my poetry...she is responsible for so much of who I am today.”

For her, poetry was not a choice, but a calling. Dr. Keita was a teenager in the late 1960s when the country, then embroiled in the Civil Rights Movement, was in a state of upheaval. “I wasn’t into poetry until the late 1960s, when I heard black poets doing something different,” she says. Dr. Keita was first introduced to the “new black poetry” on WDAS, when the radio station played The Last Poets’ “On the Subway” in between hit songs. When she saw the Philadelphia poet and writer, Sonia Sanchez, perform the poem, “summer words of a sistuh addict” on public television, Dr. Keita was hooked.

“College is the transitional experience to adulthood for those who are privileged enough to get an education at that level,” says Dr. Keita. “It is a human experience of transition, a ground of reinvention, of questioning realities. Poetry has a great role to play in helping young people raise questions about themselves.”

At a time when the value of a liberal arts education is constantly questioned, Dr. Keita’s creative writing courses are full of students who question their identities away from “the specter of their homes.” Even outside the classroom, Dr. Keita continues to help students discover their potential. “My primary concern,” she says, “is with helping young people realize what their gifts are, taking any step they can and daring to look a bit beyond that step.”

In February 2014, the Moonstone Arts Center invited Dr. Keita, Sinnea Douglas “This wasn’t the poetry of my parents’ gen2015 and Tracey Ferdinand 2007 to be eration,” she says. “These poets were “writa part of their “Mentor and Mentored ing about black life in a way I could identify Series.” The program, which aired on with.” The poetry of the Black Arts MovePhillyCAM, focused on Dr. Keita’s stratDr. Keita received her B.A. from Temple University, her M.A. from Vermont College, and her Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is ment, which articulated the complicated egies for keeping students engaged currently a Poet-in-Residence, Associate Professor of English and the experiences of African Americans, quickly with creative writing. Although Dr. Keita Coordinator of the African American/Africana Studies program. became the soundtrack for Dr. Keita’s own enjoys helping students, her goal is to experiences with segregation in Philadelphia. “I was inspired to contribute to foster their own sense of independence. that conversation,” she says. She says, “mentoring includes urging students to consider hard but ‘usable Shortly after her introduction to Black Arts Movement poetry, Dr. Keita began truths’ to quote [the author] Toni Cade Bambara. To recognize which boundwriting. Her first published poem, “Freedom” was written in response to an aries are societal, self-imposed, and surmountable. It works best when stuEnglish assignment she received as a ninth grader. Since then, Dr. Keita has dents are willing to work with me on considering what education means to examined the intersections of race, womanhood, and injustice in her poetry their whole selves.” and academic scholarship. I asked Dr. Keita what legacy she wanted to leave at Ursinus College as a Her first book of poetry, Birthmarks, considers the experiences of African poet, teacher, and mentor. “Hopefully,” she says, “people [will be] willing to Americans during the Great Migration. Dr. Keita’s forthcoming book is a colembrace life, across boundaries, slow down, take each other seriously, regard lection of persona poems that centers on Anna Douglass, the first wife of the each other positively and with respect. I hope that people will be more intelfamous abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. For years, Dr. Keita conducted hislectually curious about language and its ability to teach us about life.” n torical research on Anna Douglass, a free black woman who financed Frederick Douglass’ escape from slavery, was married to him for 44 years, and Dr. Rachel Jessica Daniel graduated from Ursinus actively participated in the Underground Railroad. In Brief Evidence of Heaven, with a B.A. in English and a minor in Media and which was released in December (2014) by Whirlwind Press, Dr. Keita writes Communication Studies in 2006. In September 2014, poems from the perspective of Anna and Frederick Douglass, their children, she received her Ph.D. in English, concentration and other historical figures in the midst of a politically turbulent time. American Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Feminist Studies from the University of Dr. Keita’s journey from a teenager absorbing a new and emerging poetic Massachusetts Amherst. She is a writer and educator form, to accomplished poet and professor informs her pedagogy. For her, crewho can now admit that Dr. Keita was right. ative writing enhances liberal arts education by offering students a space to MARCH 2015

Berman Museum

MUSEUM STUDIES January 27 through April 3, 2015 Museum Studies brings together the artwork of twelve internationally renowned contemporary artists where the vocabulary, procedures, and conventions of the museum predominate. The artists are Joe Amrhein, Richard Artschwager, Don Celender, Thomas Demand, David Diao, Alicia Framis, Elliott Erwitt, Louise Lawler, Glenn Ligon, Julian Montague, Vik Muniz, and David Shapiro. These artists have taken as their cue seemingly routine machinations from the realm of art handlers, conservators, critics, curators, and registrars to explore the essential and often mundane aspects of the museum’s functionality: the day-to-day practices that generally remain out-of-sight or unacknowledged. The wooden shipping crate, the salient information affixed to the backs of paintings, the often obtuse language used in art magazines, and the conservation of artworks are as essential to the museum as the more public facets of its galleries. The artists’ works find an “aesthetics of administration” within the museum experience, resulting in pieces that together form a “how-to-guide” for running a first-rate art museum. The artists represented are all celebrated and influential contemporary artists. Vik Muniz is the subject of the 2010 film Waste Land directed by Lucy Walker, which was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Feature category. Thomas Demand is an artist who first meticulously recreates

URSINUS MAGAZINE

images as three-dimensional scenes in paper, later rephotographing the constructions to make uncanny new images. His Presidency Series, depicting the Oval Office, appeared on the cover of the New York Times Magazine. Throughout her career, Louise Lawler has produced an ongoing series of photographs that critique the often-odd placement of famous artwork in collectors’ homes, such as Jeff Koon’s iconic “Bunny” in close proximity to a kitchen refrigerator. Two artists, Richard Artschwager and Glenn Ligon, were recently honored with major retrospective exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Other artists featured in Museum Studies have had works presented at the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; the Tate Modern, London; and other prestigious galleries and museums around the world.

The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission to the Berman Museum is always free. It is accessible to visitors with disabilities.

DEVELOPING CHARACTER

PURSUING KNOWLEDGE

REDEFINING LEADERSHIP

UPHOLDING VALUES

THINKING CRITICALLY

Ursinus Strong. For nearly 150 years, Ursinus College has built an impressive legacy. Our alumni have amassed records of accomplishments that match up against the best. And though we may not shout it from the rooftops – that’s just not our style – we know that a little unconventional thinking has taken us a long way. That’s because we have a history of never settling for the status quo. Since our founding, Ursinus has laid the groundwork that has allowed students to pursue lives of purpose … and as graduates, you’ve delivered, time and again. Thank you for taking our mission to heart. And thank you for being Ursinus Strong.

For more info visit the new website

www.ursinus.edu

Office of College Communications MARCH 2015

URSINUS MAGAZINE

the

That Founded in 1907, the Phi Alpha Psi sorority is the oldest organization on campus. With over 850 tightly knit members in this alumnae affinity group, these sisters continue to support and help each other long past graduation.

very March, the sisters of Phi Alpha Psi hold a luncheon on campus. The tradition began in the early 1950s when sisters met – white glove style – for lunch at Gimbel’s Department Store in Philadelphia. These early meetings were just about staying in touch with each other. Now, the luncheon serves a much larger purpose: It welcomes the upcoming graduates into the alumnae group and encourages cross-generational friendships between sisters. Perhaps most importantly, these connections lead to many networking opportunities within the sorority, which has graduates living all over the world as doctors, teachers, newscasters and other professionals.

“The sisters in attendance at the luncheon, usually around 75 or so, share what they have been doing the past year,” says Kimberly Haslip 2005, President of the Phi Alpha Psi Alumnae Association. “We try to provide any advice we can to our younger sisters, as well as receive advice from our older ones.” “Making personal and professional connections have been beneficial for the Phi Alpha Psi alumnae. One of my sisters, Heather Lang (2001) introduced me into a career within the Pharmaceutical industry,” says Haslip, who is a clinical research associate at UBC, an Express Scripts Company in Philadelphia, where Lang is the Senior Project Manager. MARCH 2015

The Sisters of Phi Alpha Psi continue to uphold the standards of P.A.L.S – Personality, Ambition, Loyalty and Scholarship – set back in 1907. This is achieved through campus activities, community service on and off campus, and their high academic standards set forth in sorority records.

Chloe Morroni 1998 is an Emmy Award-winning journalist. Morroni is a weekend anchor and reporter for ABC-7 in Fort Myers, Fla. She has worked in broadcasting since she graduated from Ursinus including behind-the-scenes and on-air reporting for local stations in Knoxville, Tenn., Milwaukee, Wisc., and Rock Island, Ill. A communications and English major, Morroni interviewed President Barack Obama during his re-election campaign and went behind the scenes with Dr. Oz for a taping of his show. She has won numerous awards for her reporting, including two Emmy awards, most recently one for reporting a story about two children who went missing from their mobile home. And although her busy career keeps Morroni from making most Phi Alpha Psi events, she feels a Chloe Morroni 1998 strong connection to the sorority. “I’m in a competitive and hard business,” says Morroni, who is married to Jim Spiewak, also a television reporter. “But being in a Phi Psi helped me be more outgoing and ready to engage with all kinds of people. I certainly use those skills on a daily basis today.” Judy Spagnola Turner 1976 is an assistant principal at North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pa., and attends the luncheon every year. She spent many years in the corporate world before switching to teaching in 1989. She first taught history in Easton, Pa., for several years before becoming the assistant principal in 2001. Turner was drawn to Phi Alpha Psi as a first-year student when she saw the girls drinking coffee and enjoying themselves in Wismer Dining Hall. Now, Turner’s best friends are still these “girls” and she regularly has coffee dates with them, as well as attends Phi Alpha Psi events where she builds relationships with younger sisters and offers them mentoring and support in any way she can. “What’s great about our group is that when most seniors graduate, they think it is a goodbye to their school, their group, their sorority,” explains Turner. “But with Phi Psi, our sisters understand that once they graduate, their relationship with us is really just beginning.” Christy Barilotti 2001, a certified financial planner, runs her own Philadelphiabased business, Barilotti Wealth Strategies, LLC. When Barilotti began her career at New York Life Insurance Company, first as an intern in 1999 then, as a full time agent until 2008. Several of her Phi Psi sisters worked with her. “We all make an effort to stay close and stay friends,” she says. “We all have different lives going in different directions, but it comes down to effort. We

URSINUS MAGAZINE

choose to stay together throughout this craziness.”

Christy Barilotti 2001

Some of the sisters have really stayed together through the long haul. Marjorie Shaffer Krug 1938, who at age 97 is the oldest living sister, Mary Lou Henry 1953, and Jane Reifsnyder1946 all live at Brittany Pointe Estates, a retirement community in Lansdale, Pa. Adelle Michels Bedrossian 1952 lives nearby, also in Lansdale. Henry always tries to attend the luncheon and additionally has lunch with Haslip on a regular basis. “It means so much to all of us that we stay in touch with sisters of all different ages,” says Henry. The women of Phi Alpha Psi stay connected decades after leaving Ursinus. “All the young girls are so gracious as friends.” In addition to the annual luncheon, Phi Psi runs at least three other gettogethers each year, publishes a quarterly newsletter – their personal version of the alumni magazine – and has a Sunshine Committee, which sends out cards, white roses (the sorority flower) and warm wishes to sisters who are going through a hard time. Another way the sisters stay close is through dimes. “All of the Phi Psi girls have unique dime stories,” explains Haslip. “It’s a cool bond we have. When we see one randomly, we know Teri is thinking of us, looking over all of us.” Teresa 'Teri' Urban 1993 was a beloved Phi Psi sister who passed away suddenly from natural causes in the spring semester of her senior year. After she died, her mother, Carol Urban, joined a bereavement support group of parents who had lost children. One of the stories told by a parent was about “Dimes From Heaven.” When people who have lost loved ones find a dime in an unexpected place, they feel like it is a sign from their deceased loved one. Mrs. Urban shared this comforting story with Phi Alpha Psi and the sisters have been finding dimes ever since. “I even found a dime on my wedding day,” says Beth Buckenmyer Clausnitzer 1993, a good friend of Teri’s who still keeps in touch with Mrs. Urban. “Teri was the kind of lighthearted person who brought everybody together in college, and she is still doing it today.” Most notably, in the form of a scholarship for future Ursinus students through the Teri Urban Scholarship Fund, which was started by family and friends soon after Teri's death.

7 Sara Jacobson, 1994, Director of Trial Advocacy Programs and Associate Professor at Temple University, recently spearheaded an effort through the sorority’s Facebook page to continue to raise funds for a Teri Urban Scholarship Fund. Jacobson and other sisters pledged to match gifts to the fund made this past November and December. More than 30 gifts totaling upwards of $4,000 had been received as of mid-February, with matching gifts still arriving. “We love Teri, and miss her to this day,” says Jacobson. “Hopefully our effort to build up the fund in Teri’s memory will inspire others to do the same.”

them to the 49th state, they fell in love with the gorgeous landscape and the kind people, and never wanted to leave. Their two children, Todd, 1991, and Lisa, 1994, both live in Alaska as well. “We love Alaska, but I still feel close to my Phi Psi sisters,” says Lorie, who is battling multiple sclerosis. “We try not to talk about our closeness, because the other sororities may not like it,” she says teasingly. “But it is definitely true.” One of the sisters Luck remains the closest to is Carole (Smith) Hoyer 1962, who lives in Arlington, Texas. Despite the physical distance between the two, Hoyer offers Luck her love and support through regular phone and email correspondence. “I can still talk to Lorie like we’re undergrads,” Hoyer explains. “Really, when I head back to Ursinus, I am really going to back to Phi Psi,” continues Hoyer, who was on campus for her 50th reunion. “Phi Psi will always be a part of me in the best possible way.” n By Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995

Phi Psi has sisters living as far as Australia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Alaska. Despite these distances, these women still feel a strong connection to the sorority. Lorie (Hartman) Luck 1963, is a former English teacher who lives in Ketchikan, Alaska with her husband, Karl 1963. Karl’s job with the Coast Guard brought

Greek Life Remains Strong on Campus Ursinus is home to five sororities and eight fraternities, representing 20 percent of the student population (roughly 320 students). In 2014, the Student Activities Office implemented a standards program within the Greek population. The program consists of five different areas where each organization can bring positive contributions to the Ursinus community. “Many of the Greek organizations were already doing many great things, but they weren’t being recognized for it,” says Angela Cuva, Assistant Director of Leadership Development and Student Activities at Ursinus. “Unfortunately, Greek life can get a lot of negative stigma because of stories in the media and on TV. But by implementing a standard policy, it is now more public what our Greeks are doing, and they can be recognized for their good works.”

The five different areas of the

New Standard Policy 1

Organizational Development This area encourages leadership within the organization, as well as encourages members to take part in other organizations on campus. At least 75 percent of the organization members must belong to another organization in addition to their own. “For example, a lot of current Phi Alpha Psi members are involved with the Bonner Program as well as UCare,” says Cuva.

Scholarship

Risk Management

Each fraternity or sorority member must have at least a 2.33 Grade Point Average in order to be considered an active member of his/her group.

The purpose of this area is to promote healthy lifestyles on campus. Members of the organization have to attend at least one wellness program each semester, such as a stress management event or a healthy eating seminar.

New Member Development

Community Service

Each year, Greek organizations must invite at least five new members to join their group. “This isn’t a hard one for these groups to do at all,” says Cuva. “Our Greek Organizations are very welcoming to the students who want to join them.”

This includes service to campus life as well as to the surrounding community. Greek organizations have to participate in at least four service events throughout the year.

Check out more about Greek life at Ursinus on the Student Life section of the college’s new website. Tell Ursinus Magazine about your Greek organization civic activities, interesting work or outstanding achievements. We want to hear more! UCmag@ursinus.edu MARCH 2015

A fresh start and a new business model for box lacrosse

URSINUS MAGAZINE

Brad Brewster graduated from Ursinus in 1974. He is now a member of the Board of Trustees. As an owner of a professional box lacrosse team, Brewster balances his passion for the sport with the business prowess necessary to keep the franchise thriving. Moving it to a new town was the next step in keeping the sport â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the team â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vital.

By Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995

MARCH 2015

n a perfect world, the Philadelphia Wings would have opened their 29th season inside the Wells Fargo Center this January. Instead, the franchise will open in a new city, with a new identity: The New England Black Wolves. “Philadelphia is a very competitive sports market, and we weren’t filling the seats as much as we needed to,” says Brad Brewster. The longtime Philadelphia sports fan and former college athlete has been a team owner since 2011. “Bottom line, we weren’t the Philadelphia Eagles. We weren’t the Phillies.”

with Brewster. “There is a payroll to be met, there is talent to be assessed, and there is internal accountability that has to be addressed. You have to have people, like Brad, in the front office who are enthusiastic about the sport and know they have to run it like a business.” Box lacrosse is similar to college lacrosse, but it is played indoors in a space the size of a hockey rink. The tighter space forces additional contact between players. It also means players must possess more precise stick skills than the outdoor game necessitates. Off the field, says Brewster, it is run more like a minor league baseball team than a major pro team. “Just like minor league Although the decision wasn’t made public until this past summer, discussion baseball teams, we try to make the game as entertaining as possible to enover whether to move the Wings to a different city had been ongoing for years. courage fans to come,” says Brewster. “We play music the entire time. We have The Wings had not had a winning season since 2008 in the National Lacrosse contests for fans, we shoot T-shirts into the crowd . . . the whole bit.” League, a nine-team men’s indoor professional league in North America. Plus, they were losing fans. The Minor league baseball Wings were down 10 perteams are typically locatcent in average crowd size ed in mid-size cities with in recent seasons. no other major league sports teams (think TrenOn July 11, the announceton Thunder or Durham ment came: The Wings Bulls). This way, they don’t were leaving the city of have to compete for fans Brotherly Love after 28 or media attention. The years. Two months later city closest to the Black it was announced that Wolves is Hartford, which the rebranded team will has no major league play in Connecticut’s franchises. This means world class Mohegan Sun more exclusive fans and Arena, which began with more exclusive media their season opener on coverage. January 2. “When we held a press “The toughest part of conference in Philly, we leaving Philadelphia was might have gotten a blogleaving our dedicated ger or two to show up,” fans,” says Brewster, who says Brewster, who grew made the decision to up in Westfield, New move the team along with Jersey. “But when we anPresident Michael French nounced our new Black and Ted Goldthrope, an Wolves logo at a press active partner. “We had conference in Connecti2,100 season ticket holdcut, a half dozen reporters ers and many of them had and three television stabeen with us for 20 some tions came out.” years. We didn’t take leav ing them lightly.” Another big advantage of the new franchise is the But Brewster realized they nature of the partnership didn’t have enough of with the Mohegan Sun. these fans to stay, either. While in Philadelphia, the Wings were strictly ten“There are considerants in the Wells Fargo “When we held a press conference in Philly, we might have able challenges of keepArena. This meant they gotten a blogger or two to show up,” says Brewster, who grew ing a particular sports didn’t receive any of the entity afloat,” says Ellen revenue streams from the up in Westfield, New Jersey. “But when we announced our Staurowsky 1977, Profesfood and beverages sold new Black Wolves logo at a press conference sor of Sports Manageat games. Now, the Black in Connecticut, a half dozen reporters and three ment at Drexel University, Wolves are partners with television stations came out.” who also serves on the the Sun and share all profUrsinus Board of Trustees its from concession sales.

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“We can generate more revenue on this side of the business than we can in ticket sales,” says Brewster. Despite his business acumen, Brewster still calls his ownership of the Black Wolves more of a passion than a profession. His fulltime career is as a lawyer and partner with the Princeton Public Affairs group, one of the largest state based lobbying firms in the country. He is also the former Executive Director and General Counsel to the N.J. General Assembly, and founder of Winning Strategies Washington (WSW), a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs consulting company. Brewster fell in love with lacrosse when his children took up the sport at young ages in their hometown of Hopewell, N.J. His daughters, Abby and Paige, at Bucknell, and his son, Tyler, at Bowdoin, all played the sport in college. Brewster, who played football and ran track at Ursinus, is a member of the Ursinus

College Hall of Fame for Athletes. He began playing club lacrosse about 20 years ago and still plays today. (When Brewster and his wife, Jeanmarie Grubb 1975, were students, Ursinus did not have a men’s lacrosse team.) Yet, when business decisions have to be made, Brewster put his passion aside and went back to the numbers. “Financially, it was a no-brainer to move the team to New England,” Brewster says. “The real upside, though, is that I know this area shares my passion for the sport, too. This passion is something we didn’t have in Philly, no matter how much I wanted it to be there,” he says. “This move is exactly what we needed – a fresh start and a new business model for this franchise. The championship titles will hopefully be the next thing to come.” n

One goal. That’s all it takes. Philadelphia might not have a professional lacrosse team anymore. But this spring, the Ursinus men’s lacrosse team should make plenty of headlines in their own right. The men’s lacrosse team lost three games last season to three nationally ranked schools in the country by just one goal, including a 9–8 overtime loss to NCAA semifinalist, Washington College. “If we beat Washington College, we would have had a completely different season,” explains Head Coach Jamie Steele, who is heading into his sixth season at Ursinus. Instead, the Bears finished the season 9–6 overall and just missed making the Centennial Conference playoffs. The upside for this upcoming season? “My guys fully understand more than ever that every game matters, every game is important,” Steele says. Ursinus will enter this season with nine of their team’s 11 seniors having been starters since their freshman year. They also have four returning players who were named to the 2014 All-Centennial team, including AllAmerican junior goalie Brian Neff. And, more significantly to Steele, every season since these seniors were freshman, they have statistically improved. They went 2–6 in the Conference in 2012, 3–5 in 2013, and 5–3 last season. And, according to LaxPower.com, a site that generates computer rankings for college and high school teams based on statistical analysis, the Bears ranked 46th of 214 Division III teams in the country in 2012, 35th in 2013, and 26th in 2014. “This is a way for me to show the guys how much they have improved, and just how much more they can this season,” says Steele. “We have a real opportunity to do something special this year – whether to win the conference or make the NCAA tournament – whatever that may be. My guys are finally truly ready.” The Bears opened their season on February 28th on the road at Mary Washington College. They host Kenyon College in their home opener on March 7.

MARCH 2015

events 2015 Museum Studies Exhibit at the Berman Museum of Art January 29 - April 3 Berman Museum of Art Museum Studies brings together the work of 11 internationally renowned contemporary artists including Richard Artschwager, Thomas Demand, Louise Lawler, Vik Muniz and others who use the vocabulary, procedures and conventions of the museum as the basis for their works.

Alumni Weekend 2015 Thursday, April 23 - Saturday, April 25 Ursinus Campus The Classes of 1970, 1965, 1960 and 1955 are invited to enjoy a weekend on campus in celebration of their milestone reunions. Reminisce with classmates, experience campus life today and rekindle your lifelong connection to Ursinus. For more information, visit www.ursinus.edu/AlumniWeekend.

Moving the Ursinus Vision Forward: Promises to Keep Naples Event Sunday, March 8 • Noon - 2 p.m. M Waterfront Grille, Venetian Village / 4300 Gulf Shore Blvd., Naples, FL 34103 Reception and conversation with Interim President Lucien (Terry) Winegar and Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78.

UCDC Dance Concert Thursday, April 23 - Saturday, April 25 • 7:30 p.m. Blackbox Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center

Moving the Ursinus Vision Forward: Promises to Keep Orlando Event Tuesday, March 10 • 5-8 p.m. Orlando Museum of Art / 2416 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803 Docent tour of Maya Lin’s “A History of Water,” reception and conversation with Interim President Lucien (Terry) Winegar and Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78. Ursinus College Jazz Ensemble Friday, March 20 • 7:30 p.m. Lenfest Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center

Bears Give Back to the Organic Farm May 2 • 9 a.m. - Noon A day of service on the UC Organic Farm with the Philly National Council, Young Alumni Council, and current students. UC Organic Farm, Collegeville, PA Moving the Ursinus Vision Forward: Promises to Keep Chicago Event Thursday, May 7 Union League of Chicago / 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604 Reception and conversation with Interim President Lucien (Terry) Winegar and Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78.

Moving the Ursinus Vision Forward: Promises to Keep Central Pennsylvania Event Sunday, March 22 • 2-4 p.m. John J. Jeffries at the Lancaster Arts Hotel / 300 Harrisburg Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603 Reception and conversation with Interim President Lucien (Terry) Winegar and Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78.

Alumni Induction Ceremony Friday, May 8 • 5:30 p.m. Bomberger Auditorium As the Class of 2015 prepares for graduation, we will be hosting the second annual Alumni Induction Ceremony. Joined by our Young Alumni Council and others, seniors will be welcomed into the alumni community through a formal induction and reception.

Reception on the Baltimore Waterfront Thursday, March 26 • 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wit and Wisdom Tavern at the Four Seasons / 200 International Dr.., Baltimore, MD 21202 Senior Vice President for Advancement, Jill Leauber Marsteller '78, will be on hand to greet our community, and answer your questions.

Bears’ Night Out at the Phillies Saturday, May 16 • 5 p.m. McFadden’s at the BallPark, Citizen’s Bank Park Again this year, the Philly National Council and Young Alumni Council are excited to host a pre-game gathering at McFadden’s in the Ballpark.

Meistersingers Concert Saturday, March 28 • 7:30 p.m. Bomberger Auditorium

Events are frequently added to the calendar. Please check the Ursinus web site for the most current schedule of events - events.ursinus.edu

Moving the Ursinus Vision Forward: Promises to Keep Philadelphia Event Thursday, April 26 Date and location to be announced Reception and conversation with Interim President Lucien (Terry) Winegar and Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78.

MARCH 2015

field notes 46

URSINUS MAGAZINE

Ursinus student Anna Kozitzky 2016 has helped with research since August 2014. She started as a research assistant, but has transitioned into a lab manager role. In these roles, she has become familiar with previous research on various topics, has helped design experiments conducted in the lab, assisted in scheduling participants' sessions, assisted in data collection and data analysis, and served as a mentor for the other lab members. Kale Drost 2015 has taken Mattingly's class.

Don’t Go Changing, or Do! Professor Brent Mattingly says that being in a relationship can alter us for better, and, for worse. We should nurture our own individual identities as well as the whole relationship. By Kathryn Campbell

What is the focus of your research on relationships and what has surprised you about your research? I examine how relationships – primarily romantic relationships – are capable of influencing our sense of who we are as people. Relationships can alter our identities, perspectives, and capabilities in a way that we would consider ourselves a “changed person” because of the relationship. For example, by being with my wife, I have had the opportunity to visit places I had never been, I have experienced new things (new cuisines, new cultural events), and I have generally become more open-minded. Scientifically speaking, my relationship with my wife has led me to add positive attributes to my self-concept. Ultimately, I have become a better person by being with her. My research shows that relationships can lead us to gain or lose aspects of our self-concepts, and these aspects can be positive or negative. As a result, there are four ways in which relationships alter who we are: we can gain positive aspects, we can lose positive aspects, we can gain negative aspects, and we can lose negative aspects. When we gain positive aspects, we call this self-expansion; when we lose positive aspects, we call this self-contraction. When we gain negative aspects, we call this self-adulteration; when we lose negative aspects, we call this self-pruning. In general, self-expansion and self-pruning are beneficial for relationships, whereas self-contraction and self-adulteration are harmful. When individuals experience self-expansion or self-pruning, their relationships tend to be of higher quality, more stable, and filled with greater love. However, when individuals experience self-contraction or self-adulteration, their relationships

are of poorer quality and more prone to negative relationship behaviors like infidelity. The thing that has surprised me the most is that the ability for our relationships to alter our sense of self is not limited to the early stages of the relationship like one might suspect. In one study, my colleagues and I followed individuals in well-established relationships over a six-week span – in fact, about half of the people in our study were married. We found that over that span, individuals who experienced self-expansion or self-pruning actually perceived their relationships improving, whereas those who experienced self-contraction or self-adulteration perceived their relationships weakening somewhat. These results really speak to the constant influence our relationships have in affecting who we are, and reinforce the importance of attending to and maintaining our relationships on a continual basis.

Will you be publishing the results of your research on relationships and how couples affect one another’s growth – or lack of growth? I have already published two peer-reviewed articles on my research in 2014 – one in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, and the other in the journal Personal Relationships – and I have more research “in the works” that I plan on publishing. Thus far, there seems to be a lot of interest in this research, as several outlets have publicized the research on their websites, such as msn.com, Self magazine, and Glamour magazine. MARCH 2015

What aspect of your research do you find the most exciting or interesting? What I find most fascinating about my research is that the stability of our relationships is partially determined by who we have become in that relationship. A relationship may flourish or falter because of how we have individually changed as a result of that relationship, and perhaps less so because the inherent quality of the relationship itself. In other words, the “me” part of the relationship may be just as important as the “we” part. This isn’t to say that we should only focus on ourselves in relationships, but rather that we should not neglect our own identities.

What is the most frustrating or challenging aspect of your work? Perhaps the most frustrating part of being a relationship scientist is that many people I meet like to play “armchair researcher.” Some have a difficult time thinking relationship processes can be quantified, whereas others want to believe that their relationship is always the exception to the rule. I often encounter the situation where some people will try to reinterpret the science in a way that validates their own relationship. For example, I may have just explained that gaining positive aspects to your self-concept strengthens the relationship, yet individuals will interpret that as me saying “all you need is love.” In this sense, people sometimes confuse the cause and the effect. But I get it – relationships are filled with emotion and passion and consume many aspects of our lives, and it seems cold to try to reduce everything down to its basic components. However, by reducing it down this way, we can actually better understand all of the intricacies, which ultimately may allow us to help people strengthen their relationships long-term.

You encourage couples to do new things together – new hobbies or experiences – in order to broaden their horizons and have a “joint experience of growth.” What are some examples? Absolutely. Couples who do new and interesting things together jointly help one another gain positive aspects to their sense of self – that is, they help one another self-expand. The great thing about doing new things together is that it need not be elaborate activities. Sure, traveling to foreign countries, going skydiving, and becoming helicopter pilots are all elaborate things couples could do together that would lead them to self-expand. However, simply trying a new restaurant, taking a short road trip, or even redecorating a room in the house can all be selfexpanding. The important thing is that the activities are done together. This is because the positive psychological consequences of new experiences get linked to the romantic partner, and thus individuals perceive that the partner is the cause for the positivity.

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“These results really speak to the constant influence our relationships have in affecting who we are, and reinforce the importance of attending to and maintaining our relationships on a continual basis,” says Mattingly.

So, do your friends ask you for advice on relationships because they know that’s your area of study? How do you respond? Thankfully, my friends and family know better than that! But yes, whenever people hear that I am a relationship scientist, they think I am a relationship counselor or therapist. I can’t even count the number of times people have asked if I was going to be like Dr. Phil! I have never been interested in being a relationship advisor, for two primary reasons. First, it may sound very cold and distant, but I would rather be the one doing the science than putting it into practice. I don’t think I have the personality to offer advice or counsel people in troubled relationships. Second, because I am a scientist, I know that there

are limitations to some of the research. I am actually very uncomfortable with taking the results of one or two research studies and giving someone life advice that may or may not be valid. In many instances, we do not have enough knowledge to be able to accurately predict what the best course of action will be for any one individual. Sure, I think it’s important for individuals to do new and interesting things together, but it comes with several caveats – you have to want to do these things and the activities have to be mutually beneficial, just to name two. There are many cases when these relationship processes depend on other factors, and because we don’t know what all of those other factors are quite yet, I am hesitant to act as if we can perfectly foretell the future of any one relationship. n

MARCH 2015

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