ROCK bytes Dance majors experience, share India SRU’s innovative Dance in India Initiative enables dance majors to learn Classical Indian dance with a master teacher in Chennai, India. Those who can’t go get the next best thing: a performance by the students who studied in India. Lindsay Armstrong of Corry, Amie Davis of Carrolltown and Patricia Robinson of East Aurora, N.Y. recently worked with Revathi Ramachandran for a month. When they returned from India, they donned Indian attire and performed for the campus community. Srinivasa Mani, SRU professor of professional studies, and Nola Nolen-Holland, assistant professor of dance, coordinated the international opportunity. Those interested in contributing to the Dance in India Initiative may send contributions to the SRU dance department (724.738.2036). Tax deductible contributions should be payable to the Slippery Rock University Foundation, Inc.
SRU builds bridges between Americans, Japanese More Japanese exchange students will be enrolled at SRU beginning fall 2008, following approval of SRU’s first partnership with a Japanese high school, Jissen Joshi Gakuen. The allgirls school in Tokyo sent principal Yukiko Matsuda to campus recently to sign the historic agreement. The school, originally founded to provide an education for Japan’s princess, expanded its international experience program. SRU is its exclusive Pennsylvania partner. “International students foster mutual understandUtako Shimoda (1854-1936) founded Jissen Joshi Gakuen, ing and respect for the all-girls high school in diversity,” said Pam Toyko that is partnering Frigot, SRU direcwith SRU. tor of international services. “Instead of saying there are 3,000 schools in the U.S. for them to consider, Slippery Rock University will be recommended most highly!”
Web site marks North Hall fire anniversary Bailey Library has launched a Web site chronicling a significant event in University history – the fire that destroyed the original North Hall 70 years ago. The site (http://academics.sru.edu/ library/learnmore/depts/archives/northhallfire.htm) features original photographs, footage and newspaper articles. Judy Silva and Melba Tomeo, assistant professors of library, created the Web site to mark the anniversary and because “students do research on the history of the University and this is a really big event in our history,” Silva said. The all-girls residence hall burned to the ground, although everyone escaped unharmed. Authorities blamed the tragedy on a bonfire. For more SRU history, open http://www.sru.edu/archives.
Geology duo collects fossil treasures in Ural Mountains
Fossils from the Ural Mountains will provide students learning opportunities for years to come thanks to Tamra Schiappa, geology faculty, and geology major Nanje Eastman, a junior from Havre de Grace, Md. The duo collected several boxes of fossils during their participation in an international field conference in Russia. “I am a changed person because of this experience, it was incredible,” Eastman said. “I got to work with brilliant people in their fields. Dr. Schiappa taught me how to correctly excavate fossils. It was like a treasure hunt.” The purpose of the fieldwork was to investigate the evolution of life during the Permian period 295 million years ago. The geologists collected ammonoids, an externally shelled cephalopod, as well as pollen and other fossils. www.SRU.edu www.SRU.edu
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