February 2011 News Archive

President Ainlay, members of the faculty, trustees, alumni, family members and other guests. On this Founders Day, we are here to celebrate a college with a unique history and distinctive values.

The Heavenly Voices Choir will host a gospel choir performance Saturday at 3 p.m. in Memorial Chapel. The concert will include local gospel choirs and dance groups.

Among those participating are The Church Of God of Prophecy Choir, Schenectady County Community College Gospel Choir, First Reformed Church of Schenectady, The Albany Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Hip Hop Community Praise Dancers and more.

Ballet legend Jacques d’Amboise, former New York City Ballet principal dancer, will visit campus next week to work with dance students, have afternoon tea at the President’s House and sign copies of his new book.

“I Was a Dancer: A Memoir” (Knopf) recounts his 35 years with the company as a protégé of founder and choreographer George Balanchine, one the 20th century’s iconic artists.

Kenneth G. DeBono, the Gilbert R. Livingston Professor of Behavioral Science, and Sarah Serbun '06 were recently published in the North American Journal of Psychology. Their article, "On Appreciating the Music of Our Parents: The Role of the Parent-Child Bond," demonstrates that the stronger bond between parent and child, the more likely a child is to evaluate favorably their parent's musical preferences.

The College celebrated Founders Day Thursday with an emphasis on preserving its role as a leader and innovator at a time when the value of a liberal arts education is under attack.

Trevor Martin '14 was named this week's Volunteer of the Week at the Kenney Community Center.

Martin, from Catskill, N.Y.  participated in the Community Experience pre-orientation program for incoming first-year students. During fall term, he volunteered as a tutor at the Kenney Center and served as both a science judge and photographer for the STEP Regional Science Bowl hosted by Union.

To the pulsating rhythms of Busta Rhymes, Tri Trang ’12 spins wildly on the floor on his back. Holding one foot, he turns and flips gracefully back to his feet, ending the move with a spin.

One of the hottest new activities on campus may not be so new. In a throwback to the dancing battles on the streets of New York City in the ‘70s and ‘80s, a new club is introducing novice and experienced dancers to the hip-shaking, head-spinning world of breaking.

More than a dozen faculty members met in Everest Lounge this week for a “Report from the Trenches” on their involvement in the College’s Ethics Across the Curriculum program. Also in attendance was a reporter from The Chronicle of Higher Education, who is working on an upcoming story that will feature the College’s program. The session was moderated by Robert Baker, chair of the Rapaport Ethics Across the Curriculum Initiative.

Dr. Janice Thies of Cornell University will be the final speaker at Union’s 2011 Environmental Science, Policy and Engineering Winter Seminar Series at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22.

With a cast of 30, original choreography and live, electronic music, “A Day in Motion,” this year’s Winter Dance Concert, takes a pulsating look at the habits, activities and routines of a 24-hour period, from wake-up calls to working, studying, cooking and going out.