- Professor Emeritus Stanley Madan Dies
- Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Donald Blake to Retire
- The Speech & Debate Team Having a Year to Remember
- Student Profile: Gina Kim '07
- Harpur College to Host Screenings of The Rape of Europa
- Harpur Palate Literary Journal Participates in Annual Writers' Conference
- Harpur Friends and Family
- Shop Harpur Online
- Back Issues of the Harpur Hotline
Emeritus Professor Stanley Madan Dies
Stanley Madan, 84, professor emeritus of chemistry, died early Friday, March 9. Madan, who came to Binghamton in 1960, earned his bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from Forman Christian College in India and an additional master’s degree and his doctorate from the University of Illinois. An inorganic chemist, Madan was a National Science Foundation Fellow at Indiana University, the University of Tennessee, Ohio State and Tufts. He was also a visiting professor at Cornell University. He retired from Binghamton in 1988, returning to teach again until 1992. He is survived by his wife, Carol, and his son, John. Donations in his memory may be made to the Stanley K. Madan Award in Inorganic Chemistry, account #20834502400.For further information, click here.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Blake to Retire
Don Blake, who has served as Harpur College’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs since 1990 has announced plans to retire effective July, 2007.
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| Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs, Donald Blake |
Blake earned a doctoral degree in English Literature from Binghamton University in 1975. At about the same time, he joined the staff of the Harpur College Academic Advising Office as a Senior Advisor. Four years later he was named director of the office, and then Assistant Dean for New Student Programs. Blake transitioned from the Academic Advising Office to the Harpur College Dean’s Office in 1990. He was named Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in 1994, and currently holds that title.
On his decision to retire, Blake explains, “The decision did not come easily because I love the liberal arts and I consider it a privilege to work with Harpur students and Binghamton faculty and staff. But, retirement will allow me to spend more time with our children and grandchildren and spread the gospel of the liberal arts in other ways.”
During his tenure at the University, Blake has served on and chaired hundreds of standing committees, ad hoc committees, task forces, quality teams, self-study committees, and search committees. As Chair of both the Harpur College Curriculum Committee and the Educational Planning and Policies Committee, he has initiated or directed most of the curricular changes in the college over the past 15 years. He was a staunch proponent of the long-standing Harpur divisional requirement that ensured each student, regardless of major, experienced the breadth of the liberal arts.
Beyond his formal responsibilities as Associate Dean, among many activities, he has served as a Faculty Fellow of Newing College; taught a freshman-level course each fall for the English Department, attended innumerable functions to welcome/honor/acknowledge students and student groups on-campus, frequently in the evening or on weekends; served as an outside reviewer of liberal arts programs; and presented talks on campus and across the state to prospective students and their families. “Some of my fondest memories revolve around students who flourished in the liberal arts curriculum and who met and even exceeded their educational goals. And around faculty and staff who taught me so much and who do so much to inspire others,” he said.
Blake’s University contributions also include a successful application for the federally-funded National Institutes of Health “Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program” grant in 1998, which was submitted collaboratively with several science faculty members. The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program encourages underrepresented minority students at two-year colleges to complete their undergraduate degrees in the sciences at Binghamton University. Many of this highly successful program’s 130 graduates have gone on to graduate degrees.
Blake has served Harpur College and Binghamton University in an exemplary fashion as an academic advisor, Director of Academic Advising, Assistant Dean, Adjunct Assistant Professor in the English Department, Director of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs of Harpur College. He received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service in 1983 and has been inducted into the Chi Alpha Epsilon and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies. On hopes for Harpur College’s future, he stated, “that its wonderful past and present serve as a prologue to a future filled with wonders.”
Blake’s 33 years of achievement and service to Binghamton University’s faculty and staff and, most especially, the students, has not gone unnoticed. To honor Dean Blake’s dedication and commitment to Harpur College and its mission, the Donald D. Blake Award has been established for a graduating senior from the English Department who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship and who has been accepted to a graduate program in English.
For more information or to honor Dean Blake by contributing to the Donald
D. Blake Award fund, please contact Jaclyn Boushie, Assistant Director
of Development for Harpur College at 607-777-6285 or click HERE
to make your gift on line. Please be sure to reference account # 10480
50.
The Speech and Debate Team is Having a Year to Remember
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Speech and Debate
Team Members with Peter Mileur |
Binghamton University’s award-winning Speech and Debate Team is having a year to remember. Recently, the team held its first annual dinner showcase featuring performances by freshmen Randal Jirsa, Conan Ju and Amanda Jaret; juniors Fang Fang Fu, Jake Gartman, Matt Malia, Sebastian Rodriguez and Dana Stecker; and senior Steve Ni.
“This was one of the most successful and important events our organization has had,” noted Stecker, who served as coordinator and master of ceremonies of the evening, in addition to her usual roles as the organization’s president and speech coach. “This is our way of showing the University what we’re about, and demonstrating what continued support of speech and debate has allowed us to accomplish.”
Friday night’s dinner showcase, attended by University administrators, faculty, alumni and students, was followed by a weekend debate tournament hosted on campus. Termed a huge success, the tournament brought in teams from the U.S. Military Academy, the University of Vermont and Cornell University, among others.
Binghamton’s debaters also qualified for the National Debate Tournament (featured on CBS’ College Sport’s Network) for the third year in a row and now heads into the final tournaments of the season ranked third in the nation -- an enormous achievement owed to a number of star performers: Corey Casabarro and Sebastian Rodriguez, who won tournaments at King’s College, Baruch and the United States Naval Academy; and varsity team members Jake Gartman and Matt Malia, champions competitions hosted by the United States Military Academy and Cornell University.
Binghamton’s novice debaters have played a large part in the team’s success this year as well. Team members Tansy Woan and Maryam Belly won their division at Cornell, closing out finals with teammates Ting Ting Tam and Andrea Passantino. In addition, the same novices made it to finals tournaments at Marist College and the University of Southern California. "These are remarkable feats, considering that Binghamton’s competition consists of teams boasting two to four times the number of coaches that Binghamton has and half-million dollar travel budgets that are more than 20 times what Binghamton has to work with," explained Joe Schatz, director of debate at Binghamton. Indeed, Binghamton’s outstanding level of achievement received recognition from the national circuit by being chosen over New York University as the site for the 2008 National Debate Tournament District 8 Qualifier for the first time in history. The qualifier will take place in February 2008, and it promises to bring in this region’s top varsity programs, including schools such as Harvard, Boston College, Dartmouth and Cornell, among many others.
“We make a little go a long way,” Schatz commented. “Perhaps that’s why Binghamton is consistently ranked as one of the best Universities for education relative to cost.”
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From
Left to Right: Andrea Passantino, Sebastian Rodriguez, Corey Casbarro,
and Maryam Belly |
On a similar note, BU’s speech division has continued to prove itself as one of the most successful student run programs of its kind. During its fall semester, the team recruited a large number of novice speakers-freshmen Lauren Cameron, Lorraine Harper, Randal Jirsa, Conan Ju, Amanda Jaret, Charles Kenworthy, and sophomore Fanny Lam-each of which brought enormous talent to this year’s squad. Without the luxury of a single hired faculty member specializing in speech events (which a majority of teams have) Binghamton University’s Speech team members have nevertheless put forth a magnitude of effort typically unseen by most team on the national circuit (let alone student run teams) in their preparation and practices this season. As a result, they have been highly successful in developing and honing their competitive edge. Attesting to their praiseworthy level of commitment, several novice speakers (such as Amanda Jaret, and Lorraine Harper) entered in multiple competition categories at only their first and second tournaments (on Long Island and at New York University, respectively), and received several scores extremely impressive of novice level speakers. These are clear indications that the team is highly capable of and possesses motivation for achieving the same high caliber results as those of last spring: winning 5 out of 10 State Champion titles, and qualifying several team members for national competition at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Championship.
Overall, it is clear that Binghamton’s Speech and Debate Team is well on its way towards making this year an unforgettable one. With such top notch speakers and debaters working tirelessly, there’s no doubt that BU will continue to shine.
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As a senior majoring in English with a concentration in rhetoric, Gina Kim has been taking advantage of what Binghamton University has to offer by being an active participant on campus and advancing her professional skills through internships.
Kim’s decided to attend Binghamton University because of its high-quality education, opportunities for growth and financial aid.
Throughout her college career, Kim has been part of several volunteer-based student groups on campus, such as SUNY Kids, Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. She has drawn on this passion for volunteer work and community service to get more involved in her sorority, Kappa Phi Lambda, as its community service chair.
Last summer, Kim took classes at Georgetown University on Philanthropy and Ethics while interning with the development/communications department at DC Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization. The experience left a lasting impact and Kim hopes to one day work for an organization with a humanitarian purpose.
Kim is currently interning with the Harpur College Development Team.
An Interview with Gina Kim:
- How did you choose Binghamton University?
I actually came to Binghamton University because of the financial aid that I received and the level of education that Binghamton had to offer. I applied and was accepted to various universities, but was not offered a quality education for a reasonable price at the other schools.
- How would you describe your educational experience so far?
My educational experiences have been varied and dynamic. I came to the University undecided, and taking a variety of classes helped me discover my academic strengths and helped reveal what my interests were. I switched my major a few times and took up a few minors to explore my other academic interests. I took everything from anthropology to medieval literature and discovered that my interests lay mainly in English literature.
- How have you benefited from your time here?
Being involved in student groups on campus and actively participating in my classes has allowed me to take advantage of everything that Binghamton has to offer – many more resources than I initially thought; it really is a matter of taking advantage of all that the University has to offer and actively involving oneself in campus life.
- What do you want to do after you obtain your degree? Career goals?
As of right now, I have an interest in marketing and public relations and hope to pursue a career in those fields. As an English major, I’m not specifically tied to one occupation or field of work, so I am trying to be open-minded about my career options. After working for a few years, I plan on attending graduate school. I also hope to work for a non-profit organization and for an organization that strives for positive change in today's society.
- Do you associate yourself more with Binghamton University or Harpur College? Why?
I associate myself more with Binghamton University. I am a part of Harpur College, but I have not felt a tie or distinction between the entire University and Harpur College. The only time I felt like I was part of Harpur was when I was taking classes in different schools on campus, like in the School of Management.
- Who have been the most influential people in your life to date?
My parents have been the most influential people in my life so far. I have always admired their hard work ethic and their willingness to sacrifice their time and efforts for our family. They understand the value of hard work and determination, which is reflected in the establishment of their own business. I hope to use those same ethics and virtues and apply them to my life.
- What experiences have impacted your life?
My volunteer experiences have really impacted my life, especially around campus. There are numerous volunteer opportunities on campus and in the Binghamton area. Helping out the community I live in has had a lasting effect. Especially being a college student, I feel that students get caught up in their own microcosm of being in college, and sometimes forget the world and community around them. It is always important to be involved and play a significant role in the community.
- Please tell me more about your internship experiences.
Last summer I was part of a summer internship program in Washington, D.C. with the Institute of Philanthropy and Voluntary Service through the Fund for American Studies. I was able to take classes at Georgetown University while interning at a non-profit organization, DC Central Kitchen. It was an unforgettable experience to live, learn and intern in the nation’s capitol. I was able to learn about the underpinnings of a non-profit organization, to be an active participant in a different educational environment and to also explore more about myself. I met students from all over the United States and the world; it was definitely a worthwhile experience.
- What are you involved in on campus? What do you think Binghamton has to offer?
I have been involved in various organizations on campus. I enjoy doing volunteer work, so I have been involved in organizations like SUNY Kids, Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross and also the English Conversational Pairs Program. I was also able to be more involved in volunteer work by being the community service chair for my sorority. My involvement in an Asian-interest cultural sorority, Kappa Phi Lambda, allows me to bring more Asian awareness onto campus while educating me and my peers on Asian cultures.
Binghamton has a lot to offer its students with the numerous organizations on campus. From my experience, I did not find it hard to find a group or a place where I felt comfortable, which allowed me to learn and expand as a student and as an individual.
Harpur College to Host Screenings of The Rape of Europa
Harpur College, in collaboration with the Alumni Association, will host a series of screenings of the film The Rape of Europa.
The Rape of Europa is a feature documentary based on the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning history by Lynn H. Nicholas. The film tells the epic story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction, and miraculous survival of Europe's art treasures during the Third Reich and Second World War. The Rape of Europa interweaves the history of Nazi art looting with the stories of contemporary restitution cases. The film also tells the dramatic story of the unprecedented heroic efforts of the U.S. Monuments Men who were sent to Europe to safeguard and return displaced art at the end of the war.
This critically acclaimed documentary features Harpur College Professor Emeritus Kenneth Lindsay who, as a 25-year-old art history graduate and unranked soldier, helped locate, sort, identify, catalogue and return thousands of looted artworks from his checkpoint in Wiesbaden, Germany.
For more information on this film, please visit www.rapeofeuropa.com.
UPCOMING SCREENINGS:
Binghamton University: Monday, March 26th at 6:45PM in the Watters Theater, Fine Arts Building
For more information on screening events, please contact Lisa Court at 607-777-4277or email at lcourt@binghamton.edu.
Harpur Palate Literary Participates in Annual Writers' Conference
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In March Harpur
Palate traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to participate in the annual AWP Writers’
Conference. Organized by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs,
this event boasts over 4,500 attendees composed of students, writers,
educators, editors, publishers, and patrons of the literary arts. Harpur
Palate was also one of 400 publishers hosting a table at the Bookfair.
Visitors to Harpur Palate’s table had the chance to peruse our most
recent issues and receive a preliminary taste of HP's special recipe edible
poetry, which will feature as an insert in the upcoming summer 2007 themed
issue on Food, Hunger, and Appetite. The edible poem insert will give
readers the chance to Eat Our Words (literally!).
Established by BU creative writing graduate students in 2000, Harpur Palate
is a semiannual, international literary journal publishing works of fiction,
creative nonfiction, and poetry that demonstrate attention to craft, structure,
language, and the story well told. Since its inception, the journal has
grown to 170 pages, added a visual art portfolio, begun distributing
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nationwide, and published some of the most respected names in creative writing, including Lee K. Abbott, Marvin Bell, Lydia Davis, Viet Dinh, B.H. Fairchild, Sascha Feinstein, Jack Ridl, and Ruth Stone, to name a few.
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Clay
Matthews |
Harpur Palate also sponsors two writing contests annually, the John Gardner Memorial Prize for Fiction and the Milton Kessler Memorial Prize for Poetry, and participates in the growing graduate creative writing conference, Writing By Degrees, held in Binghamton every fall. Harpur Palate is an active participant in the Binghamton area arts community as members of Gorgeous Washington Street Association and the Broome County Arts Council.
For subscription information and to read some sample prose and poetry from past issues, the editors encourage you to visit them online at http://harpurpalate.binghamton.edu.
In response to your much-appreciated feedback, the Harpur Hotline has developed a regular feature of alumni news. Please send us anything you want: publications, promotions, marriages, babies, graduations, retirements, etc. Many thanks to everyone who shared their stories! Here's what some of your fellow Harpur alumni and friends are doing:
| FRIENDS
& FAMILY |
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1985: Jane Nelson '85 married Patrick Cavlin on August 6, 2005. Jane is now the stepmother of 15 year old Patrick III. They live in Westbury, LI. Alumni attending the wedding: Barbara Cutuli Kruper ('84), Lisa ('84) and Bob ('82) Stosch and Kelly ('84) and Matt Fairweather. Jane is the Director of Materials Management for KeySpan Energy. In her own words: I would love to hear from friends that I have lost touch with and you can email me at ADKBOUND@JUNO.COM |
| 1988: Deborah A. Levine, M.D. graduated in 1988. Levine and her family (Michael Levine '88) decided to host a pink lemonade stand to raise money for a breast cancer charity. In her own words: This was inspired by the diagnosis of
my close cousin at age 36, four years ago. We started with one stand
on Halloween three years ago and last October (breast cancer awareness
month), 21 stands in NY, VA, CA, TX participated in the event, raising
$7,000 for the Young Survival Coalition, a non-profit organization
dedicated to young women with breast cancer. We hope to make "Pink
Lemonade Stands Across America" a national event with corporate
sponsorship. |
1993: Felicia Monticelli is a 1993 alumna majoring in English. This May, an essay she wrote will be published in a book titled The Voices of Lung Cancer. It is being published through a non-profit called The Healing Project. In her own words: I was diagnosed with stage IV non-small
cell lung cancer in August 2005. Considering my condition, I've
done very well (thanks to new therapies). I would like to remind
readers that lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer. The incidence
of lung cancer for women has risen by something like 600% and non-smokers
(like me) are not free from getting this disease. |
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Shop the campus bookstore from the comfort of your PC or Mac. Want to pick up a copy of the new Harpur history book The Cornerstone? Visit The Campus Bookstore.
For more Harpur College merchandise, such as hats, shirts and window stickers, contact the bookstore at 607-777-2745.
Back Issues of the Harpur Hotline
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