February 2014 News Archive

Who would dare to dismiss George Frideric Handel from his position? It is all part of political intrigue. Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar and musicologist Ellen Harris will explore this and other aspects of Handel’s career in a lecture on Monday, March 3 at 5:00 in Taylor Music Center’s Emerson Auditorium. Harris is also known for her work as a soprano, having sung the National Anthem at Fenway Park and performed with John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra.

The Kenney Community Center is recognizing the members of Phi Iota Alpha as its Volunteers of the Week.

The organization is dedicated to promoting cultures as well as helping impoverished communities in need. Members include:

Ralph Cueva '14 (Queens, N.Y., mechanical engineering)

During the long cold spell of winter, things have been heating up inside the Henle Dance Pavilion, where dozens of students have been practicing for “The City,” this year’s Winter Dance Concert.

Assistant swim coach Michelle Patrick will be participating in a 4,713-mile and 76-day journey from Providence, R.I. to San Francisco, Calif. to raise money for affordable housing organizations nationwide.

Patrick will join Bike & Build, a non-profit organization where bikers travel across country, stopping along the route to help build homes with other organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together.

As a young ophthalmologist in the 1970s and early 1980s, Alfred Sommer ’63 discovered that four cents of vitamin A could save the sight and lives of more than a million children each year.

Good afternoon!

I am pleased to add my greetings on this very special occasion, the 219th anniversary of our charter being granted by the New York Board of Regents.

Christopher Chabris, associate professor of psychology, is quoted in an article for Bloomberg News about Google Glass and whether it's a distraction for drivers.

The article appeared in more than a dozen media outlets, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Hartford Courant and Orlando Sentinel.

Mary O’Keeffe stopped at a local food place recently for a snack.

“I know you,” the man behind the counter told O’Keeffe, who teaches economics at Union. “Your students used to do my taxes.”

After some small talk, the man called another worker over to meet O’Keeffe.

“You should go to Union to have them do your taxes for free,” said the man. “So then you can save your money, and some day you can be a small business owner like me!”

The College's observance of Black History Month continues with a visit on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from the Black History 101 Mobile Museum 3M exhibit to Schaffer Library. 

The exhibit focuses on a wide range of topics, including Martin Luther King Jr., Motown and Michael Jackson. Over 200 original artifacts will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a multimedia presentation is scheduled for 4 p.m. 

The Biology Club hosted its second annual a bio-building competition. Open to all students, individuals or teams had 35 minutes to build a bio-related structure using LEGOs. Projects were judged on three criteria: relevance to biology, aesthetics and the quality of the student/team explanation.

To read more and to view a photo gallery in the Daily Gazette, click here.