May 2011 News Archive

Union will continue the national conversation on integrating engineering, technology and the traditional liberal arts when it hosts its fourth annual “Symposium on Engineering & Liberal Education.”

Leaders from nearly two dozen schools will attend this year’s conference, which will be held June 3 and 4. Among the participants: Princeton, Dartmouth, Binghamton, Lafayette, Smith, Trinity and MIT.

Rayana Johnson ’11 got her first taste Friday of the Steinmetz Symposium, a staple of the Union experience.

And the chemistry major from Staten Island was happy she did.

“It’s a good experience,” said Johnson as she discussed her project, “Culinary Chemistry: The Chemistry of Flavor,” during a poster session in the atrium of the Peter Irving Wold Center. “You learn a little about public speaking, and you get to show your passion for what you have been working on.”

Anthony Perez '11 is this week’s Volunteer of the Week at the Kenney Community Center. 

Perez is the co-chair of the Union-Schenectady Alliance, an organization that works to bring together the College and the city. The group facilitates deals and incentives with the business community, and promotes community service through the neighborhood associations. 

Kristin Bidoshi, dean of studies and associate professor of Russian, is the author of a book review on the monograph “Organizing for Student Success: The University College Model (No. 53)” for the Journal of the National Academic Advising Association. Bidoshi also recently presented a paper, “Teaching Russian Verbs of Motion Online: Uncle Ivan meets the Avatar” at the Kentucky Foreign Language Conference.

Curator and exhibitions specialist Marie Costello of the Robert Lehman Art Center at the Brooks School, in North Andover, Mass., has joined Union as interim director of the Mandeville Gallery at the Nott Memorial.

In her new role, Costello also will oversee the Wikoff Student Gallery and serve as interim curator of the Union College Permanent Collection. 

An award and recognition ceremony recently honored fraternities and sororities on campus for their individual and chapter accomplishments.

“The Greek Awards Ceremony is our opportunity to recognize those members of the Greek community who have been extraordinary in their various roles,” said Tim Dunn, director of Greek Affairs. “This was by far the most competitive year for the awards, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with this year's winners.”

Still haven’t finished your Personal Health Assessment? You now have until May 31.

And if more than 100 employees take it, prizes double.

The College’s Wellness Committee has extended the deadline by nearly a week for employees to take the free, confidential online Personal Health Assessment offered through CDPHP.

Jeffrey Schick, IBM Vice President of Social Software and one of the corporate world’s foremost social media experts, visited campus today to discuss how social networking technologies can facilitate community-building within colleges and universities.

Schick was invited by Gary Cohen ’78, IBM General Manager of Global Communications and a member of Union’s President’s Council, a group of alumni advisers who help advance Union’s educational mission.

Below are award winners honored at the Alumni Convocation and the Engineering Awards Reception during ReUnion '11. The citations printed below are excerpted from the Convocation program.

Alumni Gold Medals recognize alumni and faculty who have demonstrated distinguished service to the College.

Donald S. Feigenbaum, Ph.D. `46

BM is donating one of its Intelligent Cluster computing solutions to Union College, providing the school with the greatest computing capability of any undergraduate liberal arts college in the nation.