Medaille Magazine Fall 2006

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meDAILLE CAMPUS KUDOS ALUMNI PROFILE BRANCH CAMPUSES LEARNING COMMUNITIES NEWS & NOTES

MEDAILLE FACULTY MEMBER

Courtney Grim

TRAVELLED TO SOUTH AMERICA TO CAPTURE CONTENT FOR USE IN VISUAL AND DIGITAL ARTS COURSES

MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE

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MESSAGE from the PRESIDENT

The recent years have been times of change and growth at Medaille College. As I write to you this fall, Medaille is now the third-largest private college in the Buffalo area. While the Medaille community is happy with this growth, it comes with more changes and challenges. In order to meet the needs of our growing student population, we are faced with a number of projects related to educational facilities, resident housing and athletic facilities. As these are immediate priorities for Medaille, the College is also faced with the challenge to raise funds to complete the projects on the horizon. Since the College entered the fall semester, it has become clear that the next era of Medaille will be marked with an emphasis on fund-raising. In addition to the Medaille Fund and the regular year-to-year fund-raising initiatives, Medaille is preparing the early stages of a major capital campaign. As you are probably aware, Dr. Joseph Bascuas has resigned his position as President of Medaille College. College capital campaigns require a long-term commitment from a number of people, primarily the President. Because of this commitment, Dr. Bascuas felt that it would be in the best interest of the college to step aside at this time. This will allow the College an opportunity to search for a President who will be committed to a long term capital campaign. I also want to take a moment to highlight the progress of some of our current initiatives. This fall we held the 3rd Annual Medaille College Golf Classic at the Transit Valley Country Club. Once again this event was a success for the College, raising $63,000 towards student scholarships. The College is also conducting a successful faculty and staff fund-raising appeal, which saw an increase of 50% in giving and an increase of 13% in participation from the Medaille community. In addition, the College recently received a $250,000 grant from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation for the renovation project in the Main Building. The College also received a $6,000 grant from the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation which will be used to assist in the upgrade of the studios used by our Communication department. This month you will see information regarding the annual Medaille Fund campaign. Your participation in the Medaille Fund is important for two reasons. First, the funds donated allow us to continue to meet the needs of our students. Secondly, many foundations use the participation rate as a barometer when deciding to fund specific projects. Thus, your gift of any amount increases our rate and provides us a better opportunity to seek grants from any number of foundations. The other fund-raising project that we are in the process of initiating is our planned giving program. While this program is in its early stages, in a very short time you will receive information about the launch of this appeal. These fund-raising initiatives will be very important to Medaille College and will allow us to continue to meet the College’s mission of providing excellence in teaching with a focus on personal attention. On behalf of the Medaille community, I would like to wish you and your family a very happy and safe holiday season. Sincerely,

Richard K. Davis Interim President

“SINCE THE COLLEGE ENTERED THE FALL SEMESTER, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT THE NEXT ERA OF MEDAILLE WILL BE MARKED WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FUND-RAISING.”


FACULTY PROFILE:

COURTNEY GRIM TRAVELS TO SOUTH AMERICA PAGE 26

CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 3 NEWS AND NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 4 LEARNING COMMUNITIES . . . . . . . .PAGE 7 SPORTS RECAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 8 MEET DR. FRAN MURPHY . . . . . . .PAGE 12

FEATURE: RESIDENCE LIFE . . . . . . .PAGE 14

HOME SWEET HOME RESIDENCE LIFE AT MEDAILLE PGS 14-18

FEATURE STORY:

MEDAILLE ARCHIVES . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 20 MEDAILLE GOLF CLASSIC

. . . . . . .PAGE 21

CAMPUS KUDOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 22 MEDAILLE PERSPECTIVE

. . . . . . . .PAGE 25

FACULTY PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 26

HONORS CONVOCATION AND COMMENCEMENT . . . . . . . . .PAGE 28 ALUMNI PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 30 DR. FRAN MURPHY PAGE 12

FALL SPORTS REVIEW 2006 PAGE 8

CAMPUS KUDOS PAGE 22

BRANCH CAMPUS UPDATE . . . . . .PAGE 32

M E DA I L L E COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006 The Medaille College magazine is published for alumni, students, and friends of Medaille College. Address changes, comments, article and photo submissions, and class briefs should be directed to the Editor, c/o the Office of Institutional Advancement. Medaille College, Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, NY 14214 716.880.2000 716.880.2978 fax www.medaille.edu

Editor: Jonathan Gill, Director of Editorial Services, jgill@medaille.edu Design: sansSerif design Contributors: Dr. Ted Pelton, Associate Professor, Humanities; Tom Burns, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement; Lisa Murphy, Special Assistant for Publications; Jeff Brouse, Freelance Photographer Student Photographers: Courtney Pellett ‘09, Greg Wlosinski ‘07, Joe Hrycych ‘08

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It’s your school. Your faculty. Your computers. Your classrooms, dorms, and teams.

As we grow, so does the need for your support. Medaille College is one of the fastest growing colleges in Buffalo/Niagara. By contributing to the Medaille College Fund, you are making an investment not only in the future of the College, but also in the future of our community. Your support allows Medaille the flexibility necessary to compete in a rapidly changing higher education marketplace and to adapt to the ever-changing needs of students. It also demonstrates the loyalty and commitment of our graduates, a very important factor considered by foundations and government agencies when awarding grant money. Please make a donation today by filling in the coupon below, and mailing or faxing (716-880-2978) to: Office of Institutional Advancement, 18 Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, NY 14214. Or, use the envelope inserted in this magazine. For more information please contact Troy Schneider at 716-880-2207 or e-mail to: tschneider@medaille.edu.

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GIFT LEVELS Donors of $1,000 or more earn membership in the President’s Circle

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■ My company has a matching gift program. ■ Please contact me about including Medaille in my estate planning.

■ AGASSIZ CIRCLE CLUB $250 ■ MEDALLION CLUB $100


CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

Main Building Makeover The 1922 Main Building is undergoing a makeover, funded in part by a grant from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. Phase 1 of the project included replacing the building’s roof, as well as cleaning and repairing the exterior brick.

Medaille to Receive $250,000 Award from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation Medaille College is the recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. The grant will be used during Phase I of the College’s Main Building renovation project, which began this past summer.

CREWS WORKED ON THE SURFACE AND ROOF OF THE MAIN BUILDING

The Main Building of Medaille College, located at 18 Agassiz Circle in Buffalo, was opened in October of 1922. The major renovation project to the Main Building will include infrastructure upgrades and repairs, as well as technological upgrades to enhance student learning. Phase I of the project included replacing the building’s roof, as well as cleaning and repairing the exterior brick. The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation is located in Buffalo and focuses its grant making on education, the arts, and social services; support also for churches and religious organizations, health organizations, public interest organizations, and youth agencies.

MAIN BUILDING EXTERIOR AFTER CLEANING AND REPAIR

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

Downing Scholarship Golf Tournament a Success On August 16, 2006, two dozen golfers gathered for a beautiful day at Westwood st County Club for the 1 Annual Allen Lee Downing Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament was organized by Robert Cole ’05 BA, ’06 MBA, a friend of former Medaille MBA student Allen Lee Downing,

who passed away in a motorcycle accident in 2005. Key sponsors of the event included Scheff Investment Group, Twin City Ambulance, Fidelity Investments, the Buffalo Sabres, Battistoni Golf, and NanoDynamics. The first-annual tournament raised more than $2,000 for the Allen Lee Downing Memorial Scholarship, established to provide scholarships for students interested in Medaille College’s Business programs. In the past year, more than $25,000 has been raised to support the scholarship fund, and the organizers are already looking towards next year’s tournament. “We are hoping to double our results next year,” Cole says. “We expect to have more than 50 golfers and raise over $5,000. It is such a worthy cause and I am so glad that we are able to raise funds in Allen’s name to help students who share the same academic interests.” The date for next year’s event is set for Wednesday, August 8, 2007, again at

Westwood Country Club, and tournament organizers are looking for a lead sponsor. For information on sponsorship opportunities or to register, visit http://riccistreet.net/dwares/ or Battistonigolf.com. To learn more or to contribute to the Allen Lee Downing Memorial Scholarship Fund, please contact Troy Schneider, Assistant Vice President for Development at Medaille College, at tschneider@medaille.edu or (716) 880-2207. Throughout his shortened life, Allen exhibited a strong commitment to excellence in education and community service. An excellent student in the Medaille College MBA program, a superior design engineer at Northrop Grumman, and a proud Eagle Scout, Allen lived life to its fullest. He was driven and motivated to be the best he could be, and continuing his education was very important to him. The Allen Lee Downing Memorial Scholarship has been established to ensure that Allen’s passion for higher education can help others do the same.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY WAS HAD BY ALL AT THE 1st ANNUAL ALLEN LEE DOWNING MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

New Hires 2006-07 Steven Ansell Multimedia Technician

Patricia Heffernan Visiting Assistant Professor, Education

Ronald Pugh Public Safety Officer, Part-time

Andrea Belis Academic Enhancement Coordinator

Craig Hovey Clinical Associate Professor, ALP Amherst Campus

Jane Scura Visiting Assistant Professor, School of Education

Vincenzo Isaia Assistant Professor, Mathematics & Sciences

Debra Steckler Part-time Librarian

Daniel Kotzin Assistant Professor, General Education Department

Virginia Stolarski Associate Professor, School of Education

Michael MacDonald Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Sarah Whitehead Visiting Instructor, Media Communications

Joseph Bess Graduate Assistant for Residence Life William Boatwright Visiting Instructor, School of Education Christopher Bogden Visiting Assistant Professor, School of Education Michelle Cefaratti Visiting Instructor, Education

CAMPUS NEWS AND NOTES

Jeffrey Faunce Visiting Instructor, Education Sarah Frank Graduate Assistant, Academic Services, Amherst Campus James Garrity Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Sciences Felecia Hanesworth Visiting Instructor, Education Denise Harris Career Consultant

Kathy Meder Assistant Coach, Women’s Basketball Aimee Miloro Associate Registrar Yolanda Morris Graduate Assistant for Special Programs Dr. Fran Murphy Founding Dean, School of Education Lisa Murphy Special Assistant for College Publications Benjamin Parker Graduate Assistant, Amherst Campus Financial Aid

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Desiree Williams Graduate Assistant for Student Activities

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CAMPUS NEWS AND NOTES

AMHERST MBA COHORT

Sees Business Plan Come to Life The students in the Adult Learning Program’s MBA curriculum complete their course work with MBA 660, which is an integrated research project. They create a business concept, develop a feasibility plan, and produce a complete business plan, all in a rigorous seven week timeframe. Amherst Campus Cohort MBA 017 member Deidre Whiteside saw Rocco Termini’s name in the Buffalo press several times in conjunction with his development of loft apartments in the downtown Buffalo area. Termini, in one of the articles written about his interests in developing downtown for residents, stated he was interested in creating an infrastructure necessary to keep people living in the downtown area. Whiteside contacted him and explained that her MBA study group was creating a business plan for a vegetarian restaurant, and asked if he would be interested in such a restaurant in one of his downtown properties. Termini was not interested in a restaurant, but was interested in having the group develop a business plan for a men’s/women’s retail shop on one of his properties.

Termini and his friend, Mike Attardo, owner of Get Dressed men’s shop on Elmwood Avenue, had discussed the possibility of a new store downtown and were looking for a business plan. Whiteside and fellow group members Todd Boci, Sonia Burgin, Jason Wolf, and Wendy Chomaniec met with Termini and Attardo and the three parties agreed for the group to go ahead and create a business plan for a new enterprise – Get Dressed, Downtown. The group went to work and developed a business plan that was presented to the class as the final part of their integrated research project. Termini and Attardo expressed their approval and appreciation for the great work the group had done, and the Cohort was invited to present the business plan to the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation (BERC). The request for funding is still pending, but the feedback has been positive as the BERC said it was the best business plan that it has received to date to substantiate a request for funding.

In addition to the experience of making a formal business presentation, the students were able to see the results of their hard work when they joined Termini and Attardo for the store’s grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting on October 10, 2006. In addition to the owners and the Cohort, attendees included City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who bought the first suit, and former Mayor Anthony Masiello. Television stations WGRZ-TV 2 and WIVB-TV 4 covered the grand opening for the evening news. The Adult Learning Program is looking to develop long term relationships with individuals like Termini and Attardo who have expressed real interest in being associates of the MBA program. This is a win-win situation, as Medaille students experience real life projects that they may see in actual operation, and Buffalo businesses can benefit from the great academic work that happens on a daily basis in Medaille College classrooms.

From Left to Right: Jason Wolf ‘06 MBA, Deidre Whiteside ’06 MBA, Rocco Termini, Mike Attardo, and Sonia Burgin ’06 MBA at the grand opening of Get Dressed.

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

LONERGAN CAMP

From July 10-13, 2006, close to 50 girls took part in the 3rd Annual Pete Lonergan Basketball Summer Camp for Girls. The camp is designed to provide an enjoyable and challenging learning opportunity for girls ages 8-16. Instruction, stations, and lectures on fundamental skills of the game help each camper leave with the tools to become a better player, as well as the fond memories of a positive, fun-filled experience.

Springing into a Career On April 19, 2006, close to 60 employers were on campus at Medaille College's Career Fair to meet with students, recent graduates, and alumni. The Career Planning and Placement office made a concerted effort to attract a large variety of employers, which included Citadel Broadcasting, Geico, Greater Buffalo Savings Bank, Ingram Micro, People Inc., and US Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Patrol.

CAMPUS NEWS AND NOTES

Bringing this many employers to campus speaks well of our programs, students and reputation in the employment community.

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Employers commented on student participation and their preparedness, including resumes and professional dress. The event was a success with employers and students discussing professional opportunities and internship programs.

COUNSELOR

Connection On Wednesday, June 28, 2006, Bridget Marinaccio, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences, and Erika Schwegler, Assistant Director of SAGE Admissions, hosted “Counselor Connection,” in the Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center. The event included a panel of guest speakers and community mental health counselors. Ron Beiter, Employer Relations Coordinator, and Keith Koch ‘00 LS, ’05 MBA, Director of Alumni Relations, also welcomed guests and facilitated an evening of networking, and information sharing about the field of counseling and employment possibilities.

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CAMPUS NEWS AND NOTES

learning communities

First-year Learning Communities to help incoming freshmen adjust to college academic life This past spring and summer, the offices of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs worked together to revamp the Student Success Program in an effort to create a better learning environment for these students and to improve retention rates. This is consistent with the College’s Mission Statement, which says that the College will challenge students to the highest possible standards of achievement, but that that challenge will be balanced by support for every individual student and a concern that each one succeeds. The result is a series of First-Year Learning Communities for incoming freshmen. Learning Communities provide a variety of approaches that link or cluster classes during a given term, often around an interdisciplinary theme, and enroll a common cohort of students. This represents an intentional restructuring of students’ time, credits, and learning experiences to build community and foster more explicit connections among students, among students and faculty, and among courses and disciplines. “We believe that if we accept a student, they can make it at Medaille, with the proper scaffolding,” Mary Ellen Mulvey, Director of Academic Skills Center, says. “This program reflects a commitment by the institution to this scaffolding, to building the kind of environment that will encourage and enhance both the cognitive and affective development of the student population.” The First-Year Learning Communities have a maximum of 15 students, and these students take four courses together during their first semester. This builds a support structure that helps the students feel more comfortable in their first exposure to college-level work.

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. “Rather than just talking about study skills, we are practicing them,” DeKay says. “As we are reading, we are demonstrating study skills by applying note taking and outlining techniques.” “As students begin to get more to work with, they start to apply it across courses and build their confidence and start to use academic discourse,” Mulvey adds. “We see them learning skills in one course and applying them to another.” Students get to pick which community they want to be in. For example, in one community the students might take psychology, while another one takes speech. Students can also pick their community based on their theme interests. Themes include “Am I Free? Are We Equal?”, “Knowing Myself and My World,” and “Free Your Mind, Find Your Voice.” “The collaboration between the students has been outstanding with all the assignments,” says Lou Pozantides ’86 MC, Clinical Assistant Professor, Media/ Communications. “As a faculty member in the Learning Community, I have never found teaching to be such a rewarding experience as this because we together understand what our world is made of and what’s important to each of us through open lines of communications.” Another aspect of Learning Communities is Supplemental Instruction. The Supplemental Instruction program offers additional support, once a week for an hour, where students can go to the Academic Skills Center to get assistance in their writing course, in a group setting. Individual and group tutoring is also available for other subjects.

“Today’s higher education literature speaks of how satisfaction with the college experience is positively correlated with direct interaction with faculty and peers on academic subjects,” Mulvey says. “From that standpoint, we are building a program that provides opportunities for students to spend time with their fellow students and faculty.” Outside of the classroom, Learning Communities offer a very strong advisement program. In each community, the INT 101 instructor advises the students they have in class. “There are benefits to the students, as it is more hands-on,” DeKay says. “I see each student every two weeks to discuss personal goals, long and short term goals, academic progress, and such. I meet with their instructors regularly to discuss how they are doing, and then I am able to address their needs when I meet with them. It is really focused on student development.” Measurement will be based on how students perform during the Learning Community semester and the following semester, specifically looking at their grades and how many are retained. Embedded in the new advising system are assessments that give advisors a pretty good picture of how the pilot program is going. “This program is really the embodiment of the institution’s commitment and it speaks volumes, I think,” Mulvey concludes. “It is a program that is based on a developmental philosophy a belief that the students we accept can succeed here, that we can work with them to develop their potential.”

“I think learning communities are ideal for colleges like Medaille, which provide individual attention to students, in small class sizes, truly focusing on the students’ goals and academic progress,” Amy DeKay, Associate Dean of Students, says. “This new initiative combines the efforts of Student and Academic Affairs working collaboratively to educate the whole student, in and out of the classroom.” In addition to support, the courses are designed to maximize points of connection across the curriculum. DeKay teaches INT 101, Learning in College, which is about developing study skills with real world applications. Her class is reading LEARNING COMMUNITY STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

men’s SOCCER Medaille Makes Second Straight NCAA Tournament Appearance Mavericks 1st in the Nation in Scoring The Medaille College Men's Soccer Team finished the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference regular season undefeated at 9-0, and alone atop the conference standings for the second consecutive year. The Mavericks entered the AMCC Playoffs riding a 16-game winning streak, one of the longest in the nation. The Mavericks led the AMCC in shots, goals, assists, points, total goals against, goals against average, save percentage, and shutouts. The Team also ranked in the Top 10 nationally in several categories (see below). The Mavericks continued their hot play by winning their 18th straight game and the AMCC Tournament. They blanked Penn State-Behrend 5-0 in the semifinals on November 1, 2006, and shutout Penn State-Altoona 1-0 in the AMCC Championship game on November 4, 2006. The victory secured the Team's second straight NCAA Tournament bid.

NATIONAL RANKINGS

(AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2006)

WINS - #1 WITH 19 GOALS SCORED - #1 WITH 107 IN 20 GAMES GOALS PER GAME - #1 AT 5.368 GOALS PER GAME WINNING PERCENTAGE - #2 AT 19-1 WITH A .950 WINNING PERCENTAGE SHUTOUTS - #2 WITH 14 SHUTOUTS LOSSES - #6 WITH 1 LOSS IN 20 MATCHES GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE - #10 WITH A 0.45 GAA GOALS ALLOWED - #13 WITH 9 ALLOWED IN 20 GAMES RANKED 21ST IN THE NATION BY D3KICKS (WWW.D3KICKS.COM/TOP25.PHP) AND #1 IN THE NORTHEAST REGION BY THE NCAA

SPORTS

Because of their strong regular season, the Mavericks earned a first-round bye in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament, and were matched up against Nazareth College of Rochester, NY, in the second round in a game played at the University at Buffalo. After finishing regulation and overtime tied 2-2, the game was finally decided when Nazareth won a marathon shootout 16-15 in the 20th round. The Mavericks finish the season at 20-1-1.

IN NEW BLUE AND GOLD UNIFORMS, THE MEN’S SOCCER TEAM CONTINUED ITS WINNING WAYS.

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SPORTS

women’s SOCCER The Medaille College Women's Soccer team finished with an overall record of 10-8-1, 5-3-1 in the AMCC, and made the AMCC Playoffs for the third year in a row. The Lady Mavs faced local rivals Hilbert College at Sahlen's Sports Park on October 28, 2006, in an AMCC quarterfinal match. The Lady Mavs had won 7 of 8 coming into the game, but met a spirited Hawk team that dropped Medaille with a goal early in the second half on their way to a 1-0 victory.

MEDAILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER RETURNED TO PLAYOFFS

women’s VOLLEYBALL

The Medaille College Women’s Volleyball Team made great strides under first-year Coach Keith Koch. The team nearly doubled their win total from last year, but fell short of their goal of making the AMCC playoffs. Overall, the team finished 9-20, 2-7 in the AMCC. “Our effort and attitude were terrific all year, but we were not able to come through at critical times during the

As a Team, the Lady Mavs outscored opponents 57-24 and outshot them 190-112, for a 2.95 goals per game average and a 16.8 shots per game average. Leading goal scorer Danielle Radlich '10 had 59 points coming on 24 goals and 11 assists. Kerri Clarkson '07 (25 pts, 11 goals, 3 assists) and Ashlee Deeds '10 (25 points, 8 goals, 9 assists) also contributed significantly to the team's offense. Defensively, the Lady Mavs were led by sweeper Tiffany Azzarito '08 and goaltenders Mattea Haessner '09 (1.29 goals against average in 17 games) and Bridget McNaughton '09 (1.12 goals against average in 8 games).

matches,” explains Coach Koch. “I believe this is something that will improve and will help us win more games next year.” The team said goodbye to two seniors this year, Lauren Smith ’07 and Michelle Peruzzini ‘07. Smith was a very good all-around player, leading the team in kills and digs, while Peruzzini provided solid defense and also led the team in service aces. The team will look to Rachel Boice ‘08 and Catherine Viola ‘10 to lead the offense next year. Significant contributions will also be made by returning players Dana Metz ‘08, Amy Frazita ‘08, Nicole Schuth ‘08, Melissa Carter ‘09, and Heather Belmont ‘09.

men’s GOLF

JANTZI ‘09 PRACTICING HIS SWING IN THE QUAD

The Men’s Golf Team had their most successful season as a squad in 2006. The Mavericks got their first-ever win this season as they defeated Daemen College. The Team was once again led by Aaron Jantzi ’09, last year’s AMCC Champion, who was the low scorer in six of nine competitive rounds. Jantzi also set a new school mark by shooting a 70 at the Penn State-Behrend Invitational, in which the Mavericks finished 3rd of 13 teams in the competition.

THE LADY MAVS SHOWED IMPROVEMENT IN 2006

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

SPORTS review & preview

men’s BASKETBALL MacDonald to Coach Men’s Basketball Team On June 29, 2006, Mike MacDonald was announced as the new coach of the Medaille College Men’s Basketball Team. In addition to coaching, MacDonald will also have responsibilities within the athletic department. MacDonald was the head coach at Canisius College for the previous nine seasons. The 2000-01 Golden Griffins

men’s

VOLLEYBALL The Men’s Volleyball Team comes into 2006-07 motivated to get back to the top of Division III volleyball. Last year, injuries and inconsistent play prevented the Mavericks from reaching the Molten National Final Four for a third consecutive year. This year’s team will consist of experienced upper classmen and a very talented freshman class. “There is going to be a lot of competition among the players for playing time,” explains Head Coach Keith Koch. “They will certainly push each other, which will make us a stronger team and should produce outstanding results.”

In addition to MacDonald’s success on the court, he has played a key role in development of the basketball program and the academic development of student-athletes while at Canisius. Under his leadership, two of the last five MAAC Scholar Athletes of the Year have been from Canisius. MacDonald’s tenure at Canisius also saw renovations to the Koessler Athletic Center and upgrades to the men’s basketball schedule. In 2001 MacDonald was named to the Business First 40 Under Forty list of outstanding young leaders in Western New York. The 2006-07 Medaille College Men's Basketball Team enters the season with great optimism and anticipation. New head coach Mike MacDonald brings with him 19 years of Division I experience. The Mavericks return all five starters from last year’s team, including leading scorer guard James McNeil '08, who averaged over 24 points per game last season. Sharp shooting guard Scott Hack '08

NEW MEDAILLE COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH MIKE MACDONALD

returns to the Mavericks lineup after making 59 three-point field goals last season. Forward Bill Gersitz '09 looks to improve on a very successful freshman season, where he led the team in field goal percentage and was second on the team in rebounding. The other returning starters are forward Dennis Milford '08 (6.1 rebounds per game) and point guard Brandon Beers '08 (70 assists). In addition to the returning veterans, the Mavericks will introduce nine new players to this year's roster.

CROSSCountry The Men’s Cross Country Team competed for the first time in 2006 and was led by David Bennett ’09 and Marc Pollinger ’09, who finished either 1st or 2nd for their team in each race. The women’s team was led by Amanda Walling ’08, who was her team’s top finisher in each race in which she competed. The Medaille cross country teams finished more races in 2006 than in any other year of competition.

SPORTS

Jake Beiter ‘07 is coming off a junior season in which a knee injury prevented him from playing in a majority of the team’s matches, including the conference playoffs. This year, Beiter intends to return to the form that earned him 2nd Team All-American status as a sophomore. Also returning for 2006-07 are Brett Wood ‘07 (2nd Team All-American), Mark Steinel ‘07 (Division All-Star), and Drew Lewandowski ‘08 (Division All-Star). Freshmen who are looking to make an immediate impact include Ryan Murdie ‘10, Ryan Metz ’10, and Sam Beiter ‘10.

reached the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship game under MacDonald. For his work that season, MacDonald was named the Basketball Coaches Association of New York Co-Coach of the Year. MacDonald has also coached the Western Region Open Squad in the Empire State Games for six seasons, leading his teams to three gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal.

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AMANDA WALLING ‘08 PACED THE WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

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SPORTS

women’s BASKETBALL The Lady Mavs will be looking to improve on the best season in school history. Last year's team finished the 2005-06 season with a school record 26 wins and only two losses. The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Tournament Champions (in only their second year in the conference) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the second round. The Lady Mavs had an incredible eighteen consecutive victories spanning from January 13 to March 3, 2006. Postseason recognition went to Amanda Baker, who was named Honorable Mention All-American and AMCC Player of the Year for the second straight year, and was joined by teammate Marisa Clark on the First Team All-Conference. With all five starters returning, the team will look to surpass last year’s run to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Amanda Baker '08 looks to pass the 1,000 point mark, as she has led the team in points and rebounds the past two years. Marisa Clark '08 has led the team in assists and steals the past two years and already holds the school record for steals. Co-Captain and two year starter Amanda Walling '08 returns as a great shooter and relentless defender. Rounding out the starters are Kim Sendlak '08, a good post presence who can finish around the basket, and Carissa Ferrucci '09, a great ball handler and defender. Lauren Smith '07 returns as the team's lone senior. Lauren contributes points and rebounds off the bench. The Lady

THE LADY MAVS EARNED SIGNIFICANT REGONITION IN 2005-06

Mavs will look for additional offensive contributions from Sara Bukas '08, and Janessa Vandegriff '09, Heather Belmont '09 and Claire Davies '09, as well as incoming junior-transfer Tiffany Collins. Incoming freshmen include guard Noelle Keller '10, who will contribute shooting and ball handling, and forward Heather Delpriore '10 will add tough defense and rebounding. New additions to the coaching staff include assistant coach Kathy Meder, who

re-joins the team after one year as an assistant coach at Genesee Community College. Kathy was previously the Graduate Assistant Coach at Medaille from 2002-2004. Sally Shuster will serve as the team's graduate assistant coach this season. Shuster is a 2005 graduate and four-year standout player from Oswego State. Head Coach Pete Lonergan returns for his fourth season. Also assisting will be third-year assistant Ron Stepien, and Stephanie Menth will begin her second season as a part-time assistant coach, in addition to her admissions office work.

Meder Named Assistant Coach for the Lady Mavericks Kathy Meder returns to Medaille College as the Assistant Coach for the Lady Mavericks. Meder worked at Medaille as a graduate assistant from 2003-2005 and served as an assistant coach for the Lady Mavs basketball and softball teams. Last season, Meder was an assistant women’s basketball coach at Genesee Community College. Meder played basketball for four seasons at Niagara University, 1999-2003, and served as the team captain for three seasons. THE 2006-07 SQUAD HOPES STRONG TEAMWORK WILL TAKE THE LADY MAVS EVEN FURTHER

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

A Foundation for Excellence

profile: DR. FRANCIS MURPHY Medaille College, in its ongoing effort to provide the most relevant and current curriculum, recently made changes to the College’s Department of Education. With the June 1, 2006, appointment of Dr. Francis Murphy as the Founding Dean, Medaille College introduced a new School of Education to help us train the next generation of teachers. The School of Education will be built on a dual foundation: the College’s long history of preparing the area’s finest educators, and the expertise and skills that Dr. Murphy brings to Medaille. Dr. Murphy described the need to move to the new educational model. “The department probably should have been a school for a while, as we have 1,100-plus students,” Murphy states. “We represent a very significant part of the graduate and undergraduate population at the institution. Our Canadian program alone has over 475 graduate students.” “This College has always been associated with education – that’s how it was founded,” Murphy continued. “As a department gets more complex, or administratively complicated, it needs a different kind of governance. The department had asked to become a school, and the President decided that it was a good idea.”

ADMINISTRATOR PROFILE

The timing and the situation worked well for both Medaille and Dr. Murphy. “Rather than take the time for the search that would require the full faculty, search committees, etc., the College decided to be expedient,” Murphy commented. “So I have come in to found a School of Education, make it administratively efficient, and provide strategic direction. Then I intend to leave and have a new Dean appointed through a more traditional search process. My belief is that will be in three years.”

As the College moves forward with the Teachers Educational Accreditation Council (TEAC) accreditation effort for the Education programs, it is specifically required that the College demonstrate the Education program’s “fiscal and administrative capacity” to ensure program quality. This means, among other things, that the Education program must have an administrative unit appropriate to the scale of its offerings and student numbers. At present, about one-third of Medaille’s students are in the Education programs. The College will be able to better demonstrate its administrative “capacity” to manage such large numbers of students and programs with this newly established School of Education as a separate academic unit. While changes will make the Education program stronger, it is not a negative reflection on the past. “Let me brag about the Department of Education, which is what it was called before I came here,” Murphy says. “Our students are very pleased with our programs. Furthermore, the principals that employ our students are very pleased with our programs, and the teachers who receive our student teachers are very pleased with our programs. On state testing requirements, our students outperform almost everybody. So when you look at the whole picture of the School of Education, the data supports that our students do very well.” As the College, and the Education Program, grows, Murphy sees two distinct challenges. “It is going to be a challenge as we grow and become more diverse and comprehensive, to retain two things – our sense of intimacy that a lot of our students enjoy, and the objective measures of quality that distinguish us from other institutions,” Murphy says.

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Dr. Murphy’s family values assure that our School of Education will remain a tight-knit community.

In terms of intimacy, Murphy sees Medaille thriving behind the strength of the people who work here. “I love it here at Medaille, the people are phenomenal,” Murphy comments. “One thing I have been impressed by is that there doesn’t appear to be a lot of egos clashing. You have people who are committed to the mission of the institution and are most interested in plugging ahead and moving forward. That is really quite impressive.” With regards to quality, Murphy believes Medaille is already ahead of the curve. “I think when you look at Medaille, you see a college that is looking at the changing demographics of our broader community and looking for a delivery model that makes sense for today,” Murphy says. “There’s a lot of people who do that. They’re delivering an alternative education model, but they have thrown


ADMINISTRATOR PROFILE

out quality. I think what Medaille is struggling with, successfully, is holding onto the quality while implementing an alternative delivery method.” ”In our School of Education, can we develop a world-class faculty, a world-class curriculum, yet provide the educational system in a way that everyone who wants to participate, can participate?” Murphy asks. “So, I think it is the intersection between an alternative delivery system and quality that may turn out to be Medaille’s niche. That may be its place in the sun. It is something that colleges all around the country are wrestling with, and Medaille has done a particularly good job.” MURPHY REGULARLY MEETS WITH FACULTY AND STAFF TO DISCUSS CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMMING ISSUES.

Further growth will help the College maintain that high level of quality. “If you are going to be a school of education, you probably should consider having a doctoral program,” Murphy says. “You need to look at Library Science and a whole variety of other programs, both at the bachelor’s and master’s level. This would make Medaille a place where students would come for education, almost regardless of sub-discipline. We start to look at new curriculum, new approaches, and new specialists. We ask these questions, and investigating the answers will take up a lot of my time over the next three years.” “This fall, we started a Secondary Education major and a Special Education major,” Murphy continues. “And rest assured that it won’t stop there.” Prior to coming to Medaille, Dr. Murphy was an Associate Professor of Education and Director of the highly successful Master’s in Educational Administration program at St. John Fisher College. Previously, Murphy served as superintendent of schools in the Rome, Scarsdale, and Williamsville Central

districts, among others. Long an advocate of internationalization in American education, Dr. Murphy was also Director of the International School of Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia from 1979-1982. Dr. Murphy is also recognized for his fundraising abilities, as he has garnered over $1,250,000 for educational projects in the last five years. “The one I am proudest of was for developmentally disabled adults,” Murphy recalls. “We were involved in providing technical assistance to develop a pilot program to teach healthy behavior to developmentally disabled adults. We had enormous success in the four locations state-wide in terms of weight reduction and exercise behavior. The Developmentally Disabled Planning Council called it their most successful grant.” Dr. Murphy’s interests off campus are varied. He enjoys going to the theater with his wife, Lisa, who also works at Medaille College, as well as skiing, taking walks, gardening, and reading. But his real passion is sailing.

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“Sailing is really my main event,” Murphy says. “We have a 47-foot ketch and we sail whenever we can. Even in the winter, we take a vacation to the Caribbean and we rent an identical boat down there. I dream of sailing 365 days of the year.” Dr. Murphy and his wife live in North Tonawanda. During their time together, they have been blessed by a large family. “I have one biological child,” Murphy says. “But as a school superintendent, I always came across kids in complicated situations who needed a home. We use the number 20 but that is not exact. We created a place where children could thrive and we have had a lot of them come through our home.” Dr. Murphy’s family values assure that our School of Education will remain a tight-knit community. And his expertise will ensure the School gets off the ground with the highest level of quality. That combination lays a foundation that will allow Medaille College to grow as a premier institution for the study of Education.


FEATURE STORY

homeSWEEThome

residence life

AT MEDAILLE Move-in day is often a family affair. But where family leaves off, the extended Medaille family picks right up. Let’s take a look at Residence Life at Medaille College and the people who make our campus a home.

MOVE-IN DAY IS A FAMILY AFFAIR AT MEDAILLE

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

meet the directors offer this at Medaille and that I am a part of it.” While they both love their job, both agreed being here all the time makes students think they are always working. “My least favorite part might be that I am too accessible,” Smith says. “Like when someone comes to my room at midnight looking for nail polish remover. Sometimes people forget that my apartment is my home and that I have a life besides my work.” As the Co-Director for Student Programming, Smith’s responsibilities range from designing and implementing student programming, to room changes, to being the advisor for Resident Student Council. “We work a lot of night hours, with all the programs we do,” Smith says. “That’s what I focus on. So there may be a night where we have three programs going on and I work until midnight.” Benson spends more time on the business side of things, working more with Facilities Management and handling the Residence Life budget. Of course, she and her staff also make sure her customers have what they need.

TRESSA L. SMITH AND SHAYLA BENSON LEAD A STRONG RESIDENCE LIFE TEAM

Medaille College is very fortunate to have a talented and strong team in charge of Residence Life. Tressa L. Smith and Shayla Benson are Co-Directors of Residence Life. Smith is the Co-Director for Student Programming, and Benson is the Co-Director for Housing Operations. Together, they oversee the most resident students in Medaille’s history, along with a record number of student programs.

with a concentration in Counseling, also from Buffalo State College. She enjoys the role she plays with students here at Medaille.

“Tressa and I work together managing our RAs and our work study students,” Benson says. “It works well – I can say I am good at what I do, and she is very good at what she does. I call her the programming guru. She does things I can’t do and she says the same about me. We compliment each other well.”

Benson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, from the University at Buffalo. She also received her Master of Education in Student Affairs Administration from the University at Buffalo in 2004. She appreciates the impact she has on the Medaille community.

Smith, who married Witness Smith on June 24, 2006, earned her Bachelor of Science in Art Education and Art Therapy from Buffalo State College in 2002, and went on to get her Master of Science in Student Personnel,

“I love the students – that’s my passion,” Smith says. “I love teaching and I love the whole experience of being here, all the interaction. My favorite part is the learning moments, where you see the light go on.”

“I like the fact that everything I learned in school, and all my experiences as a resident student, I bring to my job everyday to create an environment for these students to make more of themselves beyond their academic career,” Benson says. “I like the fact that we

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“No day is the same for me,” Benson says. “I have definitely learned to be more service oriented towards the students, because that is what this generation expects. You have to be prepared for unexpected things, such as student questions and staff needs. You have to be flexible.” Both are excited about new initiatives for this year. “This year, we started a new program that is a combination of the Celebrity Fit Club and The Biggest Loser, called the Res Hall Fit Club,” Smith says. “There are about 15 of us and we meet weekly to talk about fitness and nutrition. Students have been working out together, and we weigh in at the Health Office every Friday. At the end, there will be prizes for people who meet their fitness goals.” “I plan to revamp our RA selection process,” Benson says. “We are going to update a


RESIDENCE LIFE AT MEDAILLE

selection process that has been the same for years. With some more publicity and advertising, I want to see some fresh faces and get a larger number of people to apply - to expand the opportunity to new students who may be interested.” Residing in the City of Buffalo, and in the crescent of Frederick Law Olmsted’s park system, makes for a fantastic residential setting. “I’m a fan of Buffalo,” Smith says. “There are so many venues we can feed off of

here, like the Albright Knox, movies in Delaware Park, sporting events; it gives us a lot of different things to offer the students.” Smith and Benson understand the importance of their role in the lives of Medaille students and the campus. “We deal with a lot of different issues, like mental health,” Smith says. “For some of these kids, it is their first time away from home. We want to make sure everyone is OK and try to help them enjoy the experience. If a student is homesick and

starts to hate it here, they will leave and go home. We ask what did we miss or where did we not connect to keep this student here.” “More students want to combine the academic experience with residential living,” Benson adds. “It is booming and I look forward to watching opportunities grow for incoming students. It is good to know that my department has such a big impact on campus.”

SOUTH RESIDENCE HALL COMPLEX Medaille College's 258-bed Residence Hall Complex offers double occupancy student rooms with a private bath per room, cable television and computer/Internet access per student bed, and local telephone service. The first floor offers a lounge/snack bar and restrooms. Floors 2-5 offer ample lounge space, community microwaves, computer stations, and laundry facilities per floor.

NORTH RESIDENCE HALL/APARTMENT COMPLEX Medaille College's 144-bed Residence Hall/Apartment Complex offers two 2-bed suites with an adjoining bathroom, as well as one bedroom, two bedroom, and three bedroom apartments, complete with living rooms and full service kitchens. The first floor offers a central lounge, vending, laundry area, rest rooms, and a computer/study room complete with internet service. You will find a comfortable, spacious student lounge equipped with television, VCR/DVD used for socializing, programs, and studying. Each bed in the complex is equipped with telephone and computer/Internet access.

COMMUNITY RESIDENCES Medaille College also offers small group living (6-12 students) in residential homes and apartments adjacent to the College’s main quadrangle. Each residence is unique and provides space, comfort, convenience, and a sense of warmth related to small group living. Full-service kitchens and living rooms are available at all these homes.

DINING FACILITIES

FEATURE STORY

Residents dine in the Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center, where meals are provided by Chartwells Dining Services. In addition, there is a snack bar located on the first floor of the South Residence Hall that students have access to after the Sullivan Center dining facilities have closed.

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

meet the resident assistants Brittany Burchett ‘08 MC Silver Creek, NY North Hall RA

Megan Koscielniak ‘09 ED Lancaster, NY South Hall RA

In speaking with Resident Assistants at Medaille College, it is apparent that they enjoy interacting with the student body, working with each other, and the opportunity to make an impact. What do you like most about being a Resident Assistant at Medaille? Brittany - “I like working with the rest of the staff and of course my residents.” Megan - “The people I get to meet, and the opportunity to work with a great staff.” Jennifer - “I love interacting with people my age and guiding them in the right direction.” Kayla - “I like being involved on campus and also with my residents. I feel like I make a difference and help shape the Medaille campus. “ Resident Assistants enjoy different things about Medaille, but activities are right at the top for most. What do you like most about Residence Life at Medaille College? Brittany - “If you live on campus, Medaille is your home away from home. Everyone is real genuine and makes you feel welcome.”

Andrew Yestrebi ‘09 VT Gates, NY South Hall RA

Jennifer Piersa ‘09 MC Lancaster, NY 95 Humboldt Parkway RA

Kayla - “The nice set-up allows you to meet a lot of people. And there are no community bathrooms!” Risha - “All the fun activities we plan for the students.” Andrew - “We really try to get students involved.” What is your favorite Medaille or Residence Life tradition or activity? Brittany - “I really enjoy Little Siblings Weekend. Seeing all of the kids here with their siblings is fun.” Megan - “The Winter Dance.” Kayla - “Un-Birthday parties and Midnight Breakfast.” Andrew - “White water rafting at Letchworth.” Resident Assistants are students too, and they appreciate the Medaille Campus and the personal attention students receive in the classroom. What do you like most about Medaille College? Brittany - “I like the size the most. At Medaille, people know people by name. Your teachers get to know you by a name and not a number.”

Kayla Richardson ‘09 VT/BIO Rochester, NY North Hall RA

Risha Munoz ‘08 PSY Manhattan, NY South Hall RA

Jennifer - “The small campus and friendly atmosphere. It's my family away from home.” Kayla - “I like the small class sizes as well as the small campus. You are more than a number here at Medaille.” Andrew - “I enjoy the bountiful events we have, and the ability to establish relationships with teachers and fellow students.” Resident Assistants enforce College policies, but they also act as a guide to help students adjust to Resident Life and the transition to College. Their top suggestion is to get involved. What advice would you have for new resident students? Brittany - “Come to college with an open mind. It is what you make of it, so get involved.” Risha - “Come to Medaille and be willing to try new things. Come with an open mind and get ready to have fun.” Kayla - “Be yourself and let your true colors shine!” Andrew - “Get involved and be a part of things. Make the college your college.”

RESIDENCE LIFE/RESIDENT STUDENT COUNCIL ACTIVITIES Halloween Bash Jewelry Making Buffalo Sabres Game Paint Ball Little Siblings Weekend Make Your Own Fleece Blanket Laser Tag Open Week BBQ Funny Fotos Six Flags Darien Lake Excursion Butterfly Conservatory

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Tifft Nature Farm Super Bowl Party World AIDS Day Medieval Times Drive-In Movie Un-Birthday Party Wacky Olympics Shea's Performing Arts Theatre Excursions National Residence Hall Month Corn Maize (Halloween Event)


FEATURE STORY

meet the residents Andrea Ditch ‘08, CJ Syracuse, NY

Sarah Ross ‘10, VT Tonawanda, NY

Megan Maciejewski ‘08, PSY Cheektowaga, NY

NORTH HALL RESIDENT

HUMBOLDT RESIDENT

SOUTH HALL RESIDENT

Are you employed? Yes, I am a work study, working the desk at North Hall.

What do you like most about Residence Life at Medaille College? Everyone knows everyone and people are friendly.

Where do you hang out when you are on campus? Off campus? On campus, I hang out in either the Sullivan Center or in the dorms. Off campus, I hang out at the Galleria Mall or wherever my friends want to go.

What do you like most about Medaille College? Small campus, friendly people. There is fun stuff to do a lot of the time. What other activities are you involved with at Medaille? Cheerleading, Vet Tech Club, and Lifescience Club

What is your favorite Medaille or Residence Life tradition or activity? Little Siblings Weekend gives me an excuse to spend time with my brother and show him where I spend eight months out of 12. What advice would you have for new residents? Involve yourself, get to know people, and keep an open mind. Most of all, have fun.

Kyle J. Skoney (a.k.a. Skoney) ‘08, MC Hilton, NY

Shawn Arrajj ‘10, MC Rochester, NY

What other activities are you involved with at Medaille? I work in the Advisement Center. I am President of the Resident Student Council and am involved with the Helping Hands Club. What advice would you have for new residents? Try to stay on campus as much as possible because the more you go home, the more homesick you get.

David Bennett ‘09, MC Macedon, NY

NORTH HALL RESIDENT

NORTH HALL RESIDENT

NORTH HALL RESIDENT

What do you like most about Residence Life at Medaille College? The dorm rooms. When I first saw them, I was amazed at how much bigger they are than at a SUNY school. I thought that the rooms they showed me on my first visit to Medaille were senior rooms, but they were the same type I moved into in the fall of my first year here.

What do you like most about Medaille College? I like its size and how having a small amount of students generates an overall sense of community. You get to know just about everyone.

What do you like most about Medaille College? I like the small class sizes and how easy it is to get involved.

What is your favorite Medaille or Residence Life tradition or activity? I’ve never played basketball for a team, but a couple of friends who are as bad as I am and I go to the gym once a week at about 10 p.m. and play horse or pig, or a quick game of 2 on 2. It’s something I never considered or thought I’d be doing, but it’s just something that my friends and I enjoy doing. We’d probably never have gotten the chance without the gym being open until about midnight everyday.

What do you like most about Residence Life at Medaille College? Being on my own and without any parental supervision or guidelines. What advice would you have for new residents? I am somewhat of a new resident, but the advice I can offer so far is to try to get to know the people who live near you so you have people to hang out with when you’re bored and are looking for something to do. Make new friendships and let them develop over the course of your stay at this college.

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What advice would you have for new residents? I would try to get involved with as many on-campus activities as possible. Also, work hard to get along with your roommate. It will make your life easier. What other activities are you involved with at Medaille? I run cross country and play lacrosse. I also am in the Leadership program, the Honors program, and I write for the student newspaper.


Promotion? New job? Marriage? Let us know and we’ll you let your classmates know. Fill us in by filling this out. MAIL Medaille College Magazine, 18 Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, NY 14214 FAX to 716.880.2978 EMAIL jgill@medaille.edu WEB medaille.edu/alumni and link to the Alumni Affairs Inquiry Form. ■ WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT

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■ BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

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■ NEW POSITION AT WORK

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TITLE COMPANY

Submit this card and be entered to win a Medaille gift basket! One winner per issue.

BUSINESS ADDRESS

Kathleen Warren ‘03 VT is the Fall-issue winner of a Medaille gift basket for submitting class notes.

BUSINESS PHONE

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FROM THE PAST

archives

MEDAILLE

Medaille College traces its roots to 1875, when it was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph as an Institute to prepare teachers. In 1937, the Institute received an absolute charter from New York State and was named Mount St. Joseph Teachers College and was chartered to grant baccalaureate degrees in Education.

■ ■ ■

In 1968, the Sisters of St.

Joseph, led by College President Alice Huber, SSJ, Ph.D., seen here in this late 1960’s photo holding office hours, initiated a change in the charter, which would create a new college, accessible to all men and women. New York State granted this charter and Medaille College was born.

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NEWS AND NOTES

MEDAILLE COLLEGE

GOLF CLASSIC  On September 25, 2006, more than 120 golfers enjoyed a sunshine-filled day at Transit Valley Country Club for the 3rd Annual Medaille College Golf Classic. The event was a huge success, raising almost $65,000 for student scholarships. Golfers enjoyed participating in the longest drive and closest to the pin contests, bidding on items at the silent auction, and enjoying the food and hospitality of Transit Valley. Special thanks go out to Golf Classic Chairman Larry Quinn, Managing Partner of the Buffalo Sabres, and the entire Golf Classic Committee. The Office of Institutional Advancement would also like to thank all of our contributors listed below, especially Merchants Insurance for serving as the Event Sponsor, and ICS Telecom/Mitel, Cannon Design, and Roosevelt and Cross, Inc., for participating as Title Sponsors. Absolute Marketing Ad Pro Team Sports AdWorks AirTran Airways Albright-Knox Art Gallery Alpha Graphics Anderson’s Frozen Custard Aramark Facility Services - Education Bally Total Fitness Corporation Boncraft Printing Group Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Buffalo Bisons Buffalo Brew Pub Buffalo Museum of Science Buffalo News Buffalo Office Interiors, Inc. Buffalo Sabres Cannon Design Carmine’s Catering, Inc. Carnegie Communications Catholic Health System AthletiCare Certo Brothers, Inc. Chartwells Ciminelli Development Company Cingular Wireless Citadel Broadcasting Company Classic Cue Billiards Corvette Cleaners Crystal Rock Bottled Water Dave & Buster’s of Buffalo Delaware North Companies, Inc. Eastman Machine Company Easy Living Interiors Entercom Radio Gambino Liquor & Wine, Inc.

LEFT TO RIGHT: ED MURPHY, ROB FAGERBURG, CHRISTEEN KANOWSKI, AND MARGARET KAFKA ‘90 BA, FROM MERCHANTS INSURANCE GROUP, EVENT SPONSOR OF THE MEDAILLE COLLEGE GOLF CLASSIC

Gerster-Trane Energy Services Tom Greenauer Dev., Inc. G.W. Hauer Enterprises HealthNow New York, Inc. Holiday Valley Resort Dr. Brad E. Hollingshead Hunt Real Estate Hunter Search and Placement Professionals Hutch’s Hyatt-Regency Buffalo ICS Telecom, Inc. Ikon Office Solutions, Inc. Ilio DiPaolo’s Restaurant Industrial Power & Lighting Corp. Infinity Broadcasting Corporation Mr. Greg Lane Liberty Mutual Insurance Group Linda Batycki Direct Marketing Mr. Peter Lonergan Loose Ends Vending & Food Service, Inc. Lumsden & McCormick LLP M&T Bank The M&T Charitable Foundation Mr. Mike MacDonald Maid of the Mist Steamboat Company, LTD Marketing Technologies Marsh USA, Inc. Martin Services of WNY, Inc. Merchants Insurance Group Mr. Matthew Mitchell Mitel Networks, Inc. MOCHA-Health Awareness Project Mr. Edward M. Murphy, Jr. N Choops Painting, Inc. NFTA

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Niagara Scenic Tours NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Old Fort Niagara Oliver’s Restaurant Otis Elevator Pepe Construction Co., Inc. Pepsi Bottling Group Phillips Lytle LLP Priority Embroidery Progressive Direct Marketing Rapid Ray’s Regal Entertainment Group Roosevelt & Cross, Inc. SanSerif Design Mr. Troy A. Schneider Shatter I.T. Shaw Festival The Sherwin-Williams Company SimplexGrinnell Sonitrol Security Systems St. John Baptist Church Statewide Laundry Services, LLC Sterling Sommer, Inc. Susie Specialties T.L. Cannon Management Corporation Theatre of Youth Transit Valley Country Club Travers Collins & Company Try-It Distributing Co., Inc. University at Buffalo Division of Athletics Verizon Wireless Walsh Insurance Group Wargo Enterprises West Herr Zebb’s Deluxe Grill & Bar


kudos

CAMPUS

Dr. Virginia Batchelor, Associate Professor, Education, was awarded promotion to the rank of Associate Professor in the Education Department during the 2005-06 academic year. Dr. Terri K. Borchers, Assistant Professor, Humanities, presented her paper entitled, “Elizabeth Bishop and the Unhomely: Questions of Travel, Geography III, and the Problematics of We,” at the New Directions in the Humanities conference in Tunis, Tunisia (July 2006). Three of Dr. Borchers’s poems, “Aubade,” “Instinct,” and “When.” were accepted for publication in Not Just Air. Dr. Borchers’s book of poems, Coming and Going, was short-listed for First Book Award for Poetry sponsored by Zone 3, a literary journal published by the Center for the Creative Arts in Tennessee (September 2006).

Dr. Luis Borges, Assistant Professor, Business, was trained to be a member of the Empire State Advantage Board of Reviewers. Jadwiga Domino, Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Sciences, has continued her work on a research project entitled, “Experiences in Previous Mathematics Classes of Future Elementary Teachers of Mathematics,” which deals with how attitudes towards mathematics were shaped due to prior experiences in mathematics classes. She also has continued her work on a research project entitled, “Teaching Effectiveness in a Mathematics Classroom,” which deals with students’ perceptions of good and bad practices by mathematics teachers. Dr. Timothy R. Dzierba, Professor, Social Sciences, attended the Oxford Round Table at the Harris Manchester College in the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, in August, 2006, where he presented a paper entitled “History as a Guide to the New International Order.”

Paquin Book Due for Spring Release

CAMPUS KUDOS

The fourth book of poetry by Ethan Paquin, Assistant Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing, will be released in March 2007 by Salt, the well-regarded independent literary publishing house based in Cambridge, UK. Titled My Thieves, the book is a study of the relationships between the visual and literary arts, and is also a meditation on the nature of creativity and artistic authenticity. Salt previously released Paquin’s second book, Accumulus, in 2003, and his 2005 book, The Violence (Ahsahta Press), was runner-up for the prestigious Poetry Society of America William Carlos Williams Award in May 2006. Ethan Paquin is a native of New Hampshire and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State College (NH) and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. His books have been reviewed in publications including The Times Literary Supplement, Publishers Weekly, PN Review, Poetry Review, Jacket, and elsewhere. He is the editor of Slope and the small poetry press, Slope Editions. Paquin’s teaching interests and research areas include modern and postmodern American and international (European and Australian) poetry, and film and popular culture studies. He is co-coordinator of the Medaille PAQUIN PHOTO BY JOSE BELLO College’s Write Thing Reading Series.

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Dr. Gerald J. Erion, Assistant Professor, Humanities, presented at the 33rd Conference on Value Inquiry at Molloy College in April, 2006. His topic was “Relativism and the Teaching of Value Inquiry.” In addition, he served as session chair for the presentation “Change and Value.”

Dr. Brenda Fredette, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Sciences, received a Faculty Development Award in order to participate in the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She also received a Faculty Development Award to participate in the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference in Washington, DC in 2006. Dr. Fredette was awarded promotion to the rank of Associate Professor in the Mathematics and Science Department during the 2005-06 academic year.

John Fronckowiak, Clinical Assistant Professor, Computer Information Systems, was awarded promotion to the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor in the CIS Department during the 2005-06 academic year. Dr. Brad Hollingshead, Associate Professor, Humanities, was awarded tenure during the 2004-05 academic year. Hollingshead also presented “Arbitrary Power: Language, Politics, and Culture” at the April 2006 Faculty Forum.

Dr. Judith M. Horowitz, Associate Professor, Social Sciences, was awarded $247,500 for a three-year grant entitled “A mouse mutant as a model of schizophrenia” by the National Institute of Health/National Institute of Mental Health (NIH/NIMH). Dr. Horowitz also attended the Society for Neuroscience’s 35th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, where she presented two posters: Horowitz JM, et al. “Preliminary evidence for reduced social interactions in chakragati mutants modeling certain symptoms of schizophrenia” and “Distribution of constitutively expressed MEF-2A in adult rat and human nervous systems.”


CAMPUS KUDOS

Dr. Robert Johnson, Associate

Dr. Elizabeth Lucyszyn, Professor,

Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, Mathematics and Sciences, was awarded tenure during the 2005-06 academic year. He presented a poster to the Society for the Study of Evolution at the June, 2006, annual meeting held at Stony Brook, NY. Johnson submitted several articles, including one to Biochemical Systematics and Ecology entitled “Testing the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability Hypothesis: Foliar Terpenes of Native versus Invasive Solidago gigantean,” one to the Journal of Chemical Ecology entitled “Evaluation of the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA) Hypothesis using Solidago gigantea: Secondary Chemistry and Insect Performance,” and another to The Journal of Chemical Ecology entitled “Intraspecific Polyploidy of Solidago gigantea on Two Continents.” Johnson also gave oral presentations to the Society for the Study of Evolution in June, 2006.

Mathematics and Sciences, was promoted to the rank of Professor in the Mathematics and Sciences Department during the 2005-06 academic year.

Pamela R. Jones, Assistant Professor, Library, was involved in the creation and publication of The Western New York Regional Digitization Plan. This Plan provides the libraries in the Western New York Region with a framework to apply to the process of digitization. She also served as chair of the Subcommittee responsible for this Plan, the Regional Digital Heritage Advisory Subcommittee of the Regional Automation Committee of the Western New York Library Resources Council, since June 2005. The plan may be viewed at: http://www.wnylrc.org/digitalheritage/DigitizationPlan_2005.pdf. Jones serves as Chair of the Western New York Library Resources Council’s Regional Automation Committee.

Dr. Adam R. Kaul, Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, published the following articles: “The Limits of Commodification in Traditional Irish Music Sessions” (2007, forthcoming) and “On Tradition: Between the Local and the Global in a Traditional Irish Music Scene” (2007, in press, with Robert Layton).

Valerie Macer, Associate Professor, Veterinary Technology, was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in the Veterinary Technology Department and awarded tenure during the 2005-06 academic year.

Ilona Middleton, Professor, Library, served as a member of a Middle States Evaluation Team, assigned to evaluate Sojourner-Douglass College in Baltimore, Maryland. Her responsibility was to determine the effectiveness of the library in meeting the needs of the students and the faculty as well as reflecting the standards of the Middle States Commission and the American Library Association/Association of College and Research Libraries. She was also involved in the evaluation of the President of the College, the Finance Department, and Student Services in April of 2006. Professor Middleton was awarded a Faculty Development funds in order to attend the American Library Association Conference in New Orleans in June, 2006. While there, she gathered stories and pictures of the devastation still to be seen in Orleans Parish. On July 23, 2006, Prof. Middleton presented her findings on the radio program “The Real Deal”, 1270AM, a subsidiary of the “Voice of Reason” national network. Middleton received a grant from the Faculty Development Committee in order to attend “Nutritional Anthropology,” in June, 2006, and included all aspects of food and culture. She also researched the history of chicken wings for the next edition of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food.

Dr. Theodore Pelton, Associate Professor, Humanities, during 2006 delivered readings of his fiction at: Night&Day, Brooklyn, NY; South Street Seaport Museum, New York; Associated Writing Programs conference, Austin, TX;

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Buffalo State College; &Now Festival, Chicago; Colorado University, Boulder; St. Marks Poetry Project, New York; Florida State University, Tallahassee; Grosse Pointe Artists Association, Grosse Pointe, MI; College of St. Rose, Albany, NY; Syracuse YMCA, Syracuse, NY; and Small Press Traffic, San Francisco. Dr. Pelton served as a panelist at the following conferences: Small Press Publishing, Grosse Pointe Artists Association (October, 2006); Small Press Festival, University of Colorado, Boulder (April 2006); “Small Press Publishing,” University of Illinois, Chicago (April 2006); and “The Next New Thing; or, Why Some People Don’t Like Experimental Fiction.” Associated Writing Programs conference, (March 2006). Dr. Pelton also co-founded NowWhat: A Collaborative Blog by Alternative Writers and Publishers (http://nowwhatblog.blogspot.com) with Lance Olson in May, 2006.

Dr. Todd Riniolo, Associate Professor, Social Sciences, was awarded tenure during the 2004-05 academic year. Dr. Ross T. Runfola, Professor, Social Sciences, attended the Oxford Round Table at the Harris Manchester College in the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK in August, 2006, where he presented a paper entitled, “The Sociology of Labeling: Muslim and Arab Americans after 9/11” to its forum on terrorism. He was also declared a member of the Oxford Round Table. Dr. Runfola also participated in the following poetry readings: Screening Room Poetry Series—Featured Poet (March 2006) and Just Buffalo Literary Center—Featured Poet (July 2006).

Dr. Haydar Sadig, Associate Professor, Communication, served as a Core Planning Committee member for the Annual Peace Conferences at Buffalo State College held in October 2006. Dr. Sadig serves as a senior member of Sudanese Online, an electronic forum dedicated to advocating democracy and human rights in the Sudan. He continues to publish in “Middle East Transparent,” a leading electronic magazine in the Arab World. He also is active as member of


kudos

CAMPUS

Assaloon and Paltalk (real time voice and text media), both interactive electronic forums. Dr. Sadig served as the main organizer of, and panelist on, a Roundtable Panel Discussion on “Prophet Muhammad Cartoons: Colliding Perspectives” at Medaille College (March 2006). He also presented a paper entitled “Identity and the Genesis of Peace in the Sudan: How the Republicans Succeeded Where Others Failed,” at the Annual Conference of the Sudanese Studies Association (August 2006), Rhode Island College, Providence, RI.

Mary Beth Scumaci, Clinical Instructor, Education, co-authored the Teacher Evaluation Accreditation Council Brief for Medaille’s School of Education accreditation review.

Marcia Swiatek, Clinical Assistant Professor, Education, was the recipient of a Certificate of Recognition awarded to her as a member of the 2006 National Planning Committee of the Association of Teacher Educators (February 2006). She also participated at the Display/Exhibits of the Spring Seminar and Executive Board meeting of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International - Pi State (May 2006).

CAMPUS KUDOS

Professor Swiatek was inducted as President for the 2006-2008 Biennium Alpha Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization made up of Key Women Educators, in June, 2006. Swiatek served as a Group Facilitator at the Pi (New York) State Leadership Training Clinic held in Newburg, New York (June 2006). She also participated in a poster display of “Communication in Pi State,” which took place in San Diego at the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Conference. Professor Swiatek authored the advertisement of the 2012 International Conference which will be held in New York and which was presented at a General Session of the Conference. Swiatek was selected as Chair of the Northwestern Area Council of Delta Kappa Gamma Society, and she represented the State Chapter as President at the Executive Board meeting of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International - Pi State. She also

Medaille College Faculty Awards 2005-06 Madison Who's Who of Executives and Professionals, 2006 Dr. Virginia Batchelor, Associate Professor, Education Dr. Illana R. Lane, Assistant Professor, Education Department Who's Who Among American Teachers, 2006 Dr. Brenda Fredette, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Sciences Buffalo Spree Magazine Best of Western NY: Best Fiction Writer Dr. Theodore Pelton, Associate Professor, Humanities Medaille College Faculty Scholarship Award Dr. Theodore Pelton, Associate Professor, Humanities Student Government Professor of the Year Award, 2006 Prof. Louis Pozantides, Clinical Assistant Professor, Media Communications Medaille College Alumni Association 2006 Distinguished Faculty Award Prof. Marcia Swiatek, Clinical Assistant Professor, Education

participated in the Informational Fair featuring poster boards highlighting Pi (New York) State’s examplar newsletters and their features as well as a presentation of samples and documents and programs that promote the organization in New York State (September, 2006). Prof. Swiatek was contacted by the President Elect of the National ATE (Association of Teacher Educators) for acceptance of an appointment to the National Planning Committee for the National Summer ATE Conference to be held in Quebec in July/August of 2008 (September, 2006.)

Dr. Robert Guang Tian, Associate Professor, Business, presented a paper entitled, “Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Its Role in Economic Cooperation in Greater Central Asia” at MEAC International Conference, University of Utah, Lake City (September 2006). He also presented a paper entitled, “Searching Cultural Meanings of Food Consumption: An Interpretive Study of Consumer Behavior at Ethnic Restaurants” at Business Research Consortium of Western New York, First Annual Conference, Canisius College in April, 2006. Dr. Tian served as a member of Undergraduate Education Standard Committee in the academic year of 2005-06 and as a member of the ad hoc committee of International Initials for the spring term in 2006.

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Lisa VanValkinburgh, Clinical Assistant Professor, Communication, marked fifteen years of production of Medaille’s student television talk show, Medaille Magazine, which is hosted and produced by our Media students and airs on Wednesday evenings at 8:05 p.m. on Time Warner Cable’s local access channel.

Dr. Stephanie Westerman, Assistant Professor, Veterinary Technology, was the Assistant Chairperson of the Vet Tech Dept in 200506, Program Director of the A.S. Degree Vet Tech program for 2006-07, and will be Acting Chairperson in Spring 2007. Dr. Westerman also served as the Chairperson of the Educational Policies Committee, and an alternate on the Grievance Committee. Dr. Westerman’s community service included: the Ethics Committee of the Board of the Western New York Veterinary Medical Society, and the Board for the Buffalo Academy, a professional organization that arranges monthly continuing education for approximately 100 area veterinarians. Dr. Westerman is also on the faculty of University of Buffalo’s Mini-Vet School, a community service educational outreach for local pet owners. She will speak at the Mini-Vet School this fall.


MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

perspective

MEDAILLE

a new perspective The Medaille Perspective, the Medaille College student newspaper, underwent a major overhaul this past summer. The College made a significant investment in the paper to provide print journalism students with the same opportunities broadcast journalism students have with the College’s television studio and radio station. The newspaper no longer is a student club, but a College-funded activity that is being integrated into the Media/Communications curriculum. Offices for the newspaper were constructed in the former conference center at 73 Humboldt Parkway, and were outfitted with new Macintosh Computers, independent work stations, and an overhead projection system. The College hired Lisa Murphy, Special Assistant for Publications, to oversee the changes to the newspaper. Murphy joins Medaille from St. John Fisher College, where she was instrumental in guiding the Cardinal Courier student newspaper to award-winning status.

BEFORE

The Medaille Perspective now has its largest staff ever, is printing in color, and has begun publishing every two weeks. For more information or to learn about advertising opportunities, e-mail perspective@medaille.edu.

SPORTS

Coach Lou Viterllo and Cory Cwiklinski answer questions about the season.

PAGE 13

REVIEWS

NEWS

Four of this seasons shows get a closer look.

SGA hold elections for upper-classman and freshmen senators.

PAGE 11

PAGE 5

Re EST. 2006

Medaille Perspective

AFTER

Volume 4, Issue 2 October 10, 2006

Major Joe Hrycych photo The facade of the main building shows damage from strike.

Lightning strikes main building

By Summer Gemmati News Editor The morning of October 4th, 2006, lightning struck the main building of Medaille. “Lightning actually hit the top of the main building, fourth floor above our storage room near the outside by the top roof level,” said Director of Operations Nathan Marton. Libby Reif, a sophomore at Medaille saw the lightning strike the main building. “I saw the lightning that hit the building and the stuff [brick] that went flying everywhere. “As a result of the hit the power behind the strike blew out part of a brick off the wall, which fell on the campus. Harmlessly [it] didn’t hit anybody. There are a couple of other bricks as well where you can see the [place] lightning struck,” explains Marton. “The brick that fell from the building did strike the top of our delivery van, again no one was hurt,” Marton added. Also, a power outage occurred at Medaille, but not as a result of the lightning. “Later that morning, one of the fuses around the back of the camps actually blew out. NiMo came to make an emergency call to replace that fuse. So, we had an intentional power shut down while they were fixing the fuse,” said Marton. Luckily enough, the main building has lightning protection on it. “Lightning protection on the building is what helps the building when lightning does strike. It dissipates it down to the ground as oppose to starting anything on fire or any weird explosion. The lightning protection helped to limit it to just the brick popping out,” explained Martin. The lightning that struck the main building on October 4th did not result in anyone being injured.

ABOVE: STAFF WRITER DAVID BENNETT ‘09 MC PROOFREADS AN UPCOMING EDITION. RIGHT: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA CIALFI ‘09 MC REVIEWS ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS ON ONE OF THE NEWSPAPER’S NEW LAPTOPS.

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Medaille College Buffalo NY

medailleperspective@yahoo.com

“Our first interest in making decisions like this is always academic.” -Dr. Douglas Howard

Academic changes are being considered

Courtney Pellett photo Reginald Johnson takes part in the family weekend events. Johnson participated in the psychic show that was on campus. Above, he is seen showing a red card to the audience.

Psychic’s know-all, surprises students

Review Greg Wlosinski photo Lisa Ellsworth (left) and Lily Peterson (middle) seek instruction from Professor Jim Brace in class .

By Courtney Pellett Features Editor

Medaille College has put two programs on hiatus: Health and Human Services (HHS) and Computer Information Systems (CIS) within the last year and has eliminated one Child and Youth Services (CYS). Seniors and juniors don’t have to worry because the school will work with them to allow them to graduate in their majors. As for sophomores, “[they will] have the greatest discontent if they’re really committed to the majors, but those are the folks that we’re working with and advising to see what we can do for them,” said Dr. Doug Howard, Vice President for Academic Affairs. According to Howard, the Admissions office has worked with entering freshmen to help them figure out a different course of action before the school year started. Returning students were informed about HHS and CIS this year, CYS students were told last year. “My professor [told me] on the last day of drop/add,” said Brenna McQueen, HHS.

The programs were dropped from the list of offered majors because of the number of students. Studies have shown that in higher education student’s benefit from interaction with their peers. It wouldn’t be fair to incoming freshmen to put them in majors that have such low enrollment. “Our first interest in making decisions like this is always academic,” said Howard. Last year there was an intensive program review. Although the three have already been choosen there are more that are being watched and changed without a timeframe. One of the majors under the microscope is Visual and Digital Arts; it is a resource intense program with a small enrollment that should have more appeal then it does. Howard believes that the program is important for the school’s overall mission. The rumors about Veterinarian Technician program can be put to rest. With the Vet Tech program being the strongest signature program, the school isn’t looking. The only problem with a two year program in a four year institution is that it’s hard to compete with the community colleges, but the professors Continued on page 7

By Melissa Carter Calendar Editor Family Weekend at Medaille kicked off early Friday evening in the Kevin I. Sullivan Center on September 23rd. The facility’s windows were decorated with the artwork of Medaille students in celebration of World Peace Day. On Saturday, families not only were able to enjoy a brunch, but also got a chance to see the young artists around the school. The dining area was full of hungry families; both parents and players needed their strength as there would be three exciting Medaille sporting events throughout the day. The women’s soccer team started off with a game against La Roche on their home field in West Seneca. Danielle Radlich scored the only goal in the game and the girls ended up tying 1-1. Back at Medaille, there was also another hard fought battle happening in the gym against the Lady Mavericks and Frostburg State in volleyball. The Lady Mavs, despite a disappointing loss, kept the crowd on the edge of their seats by going for four sets. Leading the team with 12 kills was co-captain Lauren Smith, followed by middle hitter Heather Belmont with seven. Finally, to end the long day of sports, the men’s soccer team dominated against La Roche winning with a score of 4-2. Freshman Kendall McFayden led the team with three goals, his first hat trick of the season. The team was also aided by Ryan Mangano’s goal


MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

profile: COURTNEY GRIM

FACULTY

A MODERN VIEW “It was an amazing opportunity because people were so friendly,” Grim said. “I had never been to a third world country, and I wanted to bring back video and sound and still images that students could work with and integrate into their class assignments this semester.”

Today’s world of multimedia art and imaging is very different than it was twenty years ago, when the field was in its infancy and no rules existed. Today, copyright issues and technology changes mean that students must have access to the latest information, the brightest teachers, and the tools needed to be competitive.

Specifically, students will take these historic landscapes and remove all elements of human kind. They will then integrate new images to create a new, modern landscape. Students are conducting research on the Incan Empire to determine where they might be today – to bring Machu Picchu into the 21st Century.

“The Visual and Digital Arts program at Medaille is very progressive because it incorporates traditional elements such as design, aesthetics, and color theory, and utilizes new tools to create work and portfolios,” says Courtney Grim, Associate Professor in the Visual and Digital Arts program. “We do a lot of analysis and critical thinking, which makes our students much more marketable.” In several courses in the Visual and Digital Arts program, Grim’s students utilize materials created by others in various ways. However, in order for students to work with digital images, video, and sound, copyright issues can not be ignored. “Copyright is a serious issue now, but it wasn’t a problem when I started because it was so new, there were no rules,” Grim recalls. “Now we have laws that affect it and copyright is a serious problem for multimedia. The best way to avoid it is to use copyright free work, or collaborate with someone who allows you to use their work.” And Courtney Grim went to great lengths this past summer to create work for her students to use, copyright free.

FACULTY PROFILE

“I was inspired by a seminar that several Medaille faculty went to last year on Integrated Student Learning at Niagara

COURTNEY GRIM, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

University, which had breakout sessions on student collaboration,” Grim says. “So I wrote a grant called Integrated Student Learning Using a Multicultural Approach that Medaille partially funded. Integration makes student learning more dynamic and more progressive so the students can absorb the material better.” The project involved going to South America to document festivals, specifically the Inti Raymi Festival, the Festival of the Sun. Students are now working on a project called Then and Now, which uses still photographs that Grim took in the Peruvian deserts, cities, rainforests and on the coast, as well as pictures of Machu Picchu, which is a very famous, vacant Incan monument.

“I am expecting to see that the students create better landscapes using my work than they would with the low-resolution images they find on the Internet,” Grim says. “It is a complete multicultural experience for them which should result in great work.”

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Last year, Grim assigned a similar project called Art Juxtaposed, in which students used classic works of art. They picked their favorite piece and digitally removed all aspects except the raw landscape. After dissecting it down to the basic background level, they inserted new images to show what it might look like if the artists were still around today (see call-out box). Grim will present her results at the 2007 Integrated Student Learning Conference to see if Then and Now was stronger than Art Juxtaposed to close the assessment loop. “I am expecting to see that the students create better landscapes using my work than they would with the low-resolution images they find on the Internet,” Grim says. “It is a complete multicultural experience for them which should result in great work.” Grim was born in Washington, DC and traveled extensively with her family. Her father was a Navy Pilot and did contract work for the government. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography with minors in Ceramics and Art History from Ohio University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Imaging Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology. She moved to Upstate New York to attend school, and quickly found living here a unique experience. “I moved to Rochester and it snowed on Halloween,” Grim recalls. “Everybody was in their costumes and covered in snow. I thought ‘This is kind of weird.’ The next

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FACULTY PROFILE

year I started noticing that the fire hydrants are excessively large because of the snowdrifts, and I thought that this is a factor to look at when picking a state to live in.” Grim has been involved with digital imaging since its inception. “My love of working with all things digital started in 1984 when the first Macintosh came out,” Grim recalls. “Before that, we were using our tab functions to move into different fields. The idea of using a mouse and seeing the excellent graphics was exciting.” “I got involved with Adobe Photoshop 1.0 because I was taking a photography course, and for some reason my film didn’t turn out when I had an assignment to turn

in,” she continues. “A fellow student showed me how I could scan some of my old photos and do some stuff with them in Photoshop and I thought ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ And that’s where my love of digital imaging came from.” Grim’s passion for travel and her love for imaging intersect in the Visual and Digital Arts Program. “I love to travel,” Grim says. “It really surprises me that I get so many students who say they have never been out of Buffalo. I don’t get that. So I try to take my students somewhere every semester, like Toronto, Rochester, or Pittsburgh, to see new things and inspire them. This year, I am trying to organize a trip to New York City.”

Art Juxtaposed Project – November 2006 Thunder Road, By Thomas Terzian ‘07 Gray Scale, Digital Print This piece was created from an original by Peggy Bacon called “Antique Beauty.” Terzian removed all elements but the basic background, and added parts of his own life including his dogs, girlfriend and father, and his future self.

Outside of the classroom, Grim spends time creating her own work. In Peru, she created a series of structural landscapes and filmed them. This was screened in larger-than-life format, with a band, at this year’s Curtain Up! event. She also is an Artist-In-Residence at Squeaky Wheel, and has another screening of her work planned for March 2, 2007. Grim sees great academic value in the Visual and Digital Arts program, but also hopes for a little more from it. “The program itself is written around academic discourse,” Grim says. “Students have to write papers and do research on the materials they work with. We encourage the students to express themselves through art and writing. My hope is that the students will make work that is better than mine, which will in turn inspire me, so I can inspire future generations.”

ONE OF GRIM’S LANDSCAPES TAKEN AT MACHU PICCHU

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

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HONORS CONVOCATION & COMMENCEMENT 2006 HONORS CONVOCATION The Medaille College Honors Convocation ceremony took place on Friday, September 22, 2006, in the Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center. The address was given by William Boatwright, M.S.Ed., Visiting Instructor in the School of Education. The evening included the announcement of Dean’s and Merit List students, presentation of awards including Medaille Medals, the awarding of scholarships, and inductions into academic achievement societies.

COMMENCEMENT On Friday, May 19, 2006, at Kleinhans Music Hall, Medaille College graduated its largest class ever, conferring 964 degrees, including 486 Master’s degrees and 478 undergraduate degrees. The graduate ceremony, held in the afternoon, featured keynote speaker Dr. Francis Murphy, the new Founding Dean of the School of Education – appropriate considering 291 of the 486 degrees awarded were Master’s degrees in Education.

COMMENCEMENT 2006 & HONORS CONVOCATION

The evening ceremony for undergraduates featured the Honorable Byron W. Brown, Mayor of the City of Buffalo, as the keynote speaker. Tara Tetzlaff ’06 gave the Student Address to the packed auditorium.

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COMMEMNCEMENT 2006 & HONORS CONVOCATION

COMMENCEMENT2006

Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown gave the Undergraduate commencement address

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

profile

ALUMNI

The Sweet Life Ross Thomas Runfola, Jr., ‘94 BA When Ross Runfola, Jr.,’94 BA chose to come to Medaille, he had a family reputation to live up to. After all, his father Ross, Sr., had been one of the most well-known instructors at the College for most of its current history. “He was going on his 20th year at the time, and it was easier than I thought because so many people enjoyed and liked my dad,” Runfola explains. “He was their favorite teacher. I think if he was disliked or taught a boring subject, things might be different. There were students of his that became my friends because they wanted to get to know me as well.” While his Dad’s popularity helped smooth his transition to college, he was on his own in the classroom. “I had my father for criminal justice,” Runfola says. “It was interesting because sometimes I would talk to him as a father, and other conversations were about whether I had done my reading or worked on my paper. People thought I was going to get an easy A, but he was tougher on me by pressuring me to do all my reading.” Being close to his family, however, was one of the reasons he chose to attend Medaille.

ALUMNI PROFILE

“It strengthened my relationship with my dad because it gave us something else in common,” Runfola says. “He loved

Medaille and I ended up loving it as well. I had always heard how unique and special the school was, and I was able to see it myself as a student.” Today, Runfola is the proud owner of La Dolce Vita Caffe and Bistro, located at 1472 Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo. He purchased the existing restaurant a year ago, right in his North Buffalo backyard. His most popular dishes include panini sandwiches and pizzas for lunch, and pasta concetta for dinner. One of their specialties is a dinner appetizer called sfogliatelle, which is filo dough filled with sautéed spinach, red roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella, served with a combination of pesto cream and red roasted pepper couli sauce. It can be an appetizer or a dinner and appeals to people who like vegetarian foods as well. Runfola chalks up his interest in the restaurant to three things – childhood dreams, family, and Medaille. “When I was young, I wanted to open an Italian restaurant,” Runfola recalls. “I remember spending time on the weekends planning what I wanted my restaurant to be. When I was at Medaille, I waited tables and I managed restaurants, but I grew a little tired of it. Ten years later, I missed it and wanted to get back into it, but I didn’t have the culinary skills to start my own restaurant.”

RUNFOLA SHOWS OFF HIS SPECIALTY PASTRY OFFERINGS

“To buy a restaurant that was already established, that I already loved and was in my neighborhood, made it an easy transition for me,” Runfola continued. “This place had a coffee bar where you could get espresso and a pastry, plus lunch and dinner services, and the menu was in Italian – all things I wanted and thought of as kid. I also love the location in North Buffalo. There are a lot of Italian families, and I have friends that I grew up with who own businesses on Hertel as well.” Runfola’s family also played a big part in supporting his entrepreneurial spirit. “My family is very supportive of me,” Runfola says. “My dad comes in several times a week and it is always nice to see him – often a chance to catch up. This is my family’s favorite restaurant and they don’t just come here for me; this was their favorite restaurant before I became involved.” “Ross wanted to open an Italian restaurant since he was a little boy, and even knew that he wanted to have pictures of his family, especially his

“This is my family’s favorite restaurant and they don’t just come here for me; this was their favorite restaurant before I became involved.” Ross Runfola, Jr., ‘94 BA 3o

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ALUMNI PROFILE

“Ross wanted to open an Italian restaurant since he was a little boy, and even knew that he wanted to have pictures of his family, especially his grandmother and grandfather throughout, as well as play a variety of Italian music in the background,” says his father, Dr. Ross T. Runfola.

grandmother and grandfather throughout, as well as play a variety of Italian music in the background,” says his father, Dr. Ross T. Runfola, Sr., Professor in Medaille College’s Social Sciences Department. “The decision solidified years ago when he saw the famous Italian cafés and bistros in the North Beach section of San Francisco. He was smart enough to wait until the perfect opportunity came in terms of location, ambiance, and a four-star chef. Ross has always been a hard worker and is the first Runfola in the history of the family to have expertise in business.”

“On the positive side, though, this is something of my own, something I can say is mine,” Runfola continues. “I get to make the decisions about the business plan and future. It also has allowed me to test myself, to see how far I can take it. After a fairly successful year, it has given me the confidence to consider another location in the suburbs in the next two years.”

“I want to be here running the day to day operations because I’ve always enjoyed being involved with people,” Runfola says. “I am able to see my customers when they come in, to greet and seat them, to check on their meal, and to say goodbye as they are leaving. I know many of my regular customers by first name and I get satisfaction from seeing them enjoy a good meal and leaving full.”

Runfola has found entrepreneurship fits him well, and that he made the right decision to open his own business.

http://www.iloveladolcevita.com/

Medaille’s influence was also important in his professional aspirations and development. “Medaille prepared me by teaching me how to deal with people,” Runfola says. “Getting to know everybody, from students to teachers to the people working in the offices, it taught me how to relate and communicate with people. Being the SGA President helped me learn how to manage and delegate others.” Following college, Runfola spent time working in customer service as a manager of several call centers in the health care and banking industry. While these experiences helped prepare him to run a business, business ownership was a bit different. “If you haven’t run a business before, it is a lot harder than you would imagine,” Runfola explains. “I thought I could come in when I wanted to and would answer to no one. But it is sink or swim depending on my effort. In a normal job, I worked 40 hours and went home in the evening. Now I put in 70 hours a week, even working when the restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday.”

RUNFOLA SERVES SANDWICHES TO CUSTOMERS ENJOYING OUTDOOR DINING ON THE PATIO

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MEDAILLE COLLEGE MAGAZINE FALL 2006

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campusUPDATE

BRANCH

TOP BUSINESS STUDENTS INVITED TO JOIN INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY The Medaille College chapter of Sigma Beta Delta International Business Honor Society, formally installed in January, 2006, inducted its first charter members on Friday, October 13, 2006. Medaille College had 88 students from the Buffalo, Amherst, and Rochester campuses earn invitations to membership in 2006.

BRANCH CAMPUS UPDATE

Candidates for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the business programs who rank in the upper 20% of their class at the time of invitation to membership may be inducted to membership following completion of at least one-half of the degree program in which they are enrolled. While almost 300,000 students receive bachelor’s or master’s degrees in business each year, only about 4,000 are inducted into lifetime membership in Sigma Beta Delta. Invitations to join Sigma Beta Delta will be sent to those who qualify.

Approximately ten years ago, Sigma Beta Delta was created as a business honor society for institutions with regional accreditation. Sigma Beta Delta has now established over 225 chapters in 45 states, with one international institution. Sigma Beta Delta provides an opportunity for the faculty to confer on students at Medaille College international recognition for their outstanding academic achievements in the School of Business. The purposes of the society shall be to encourage and recognize scholarship and accomplishment among students in the business programs and to encourage and promote aspirations toward personal and professional improvement and a life distinguished by honorable service to humankind.

Amherst Update

Rochester graduations: BBA March 2006 BBA April 2006 MOL May 2006 BBA (2) June 2006 BBA July 2006 MBA July 2006

During 2005-06, Medaille Accelerated Learning Program awarded: 33 MBA Degrees 53 MOL Degrees 45 BBA Degrees 8 Associate’s Degrees

The Rochester Fall Faculty Development Meeting, held on September 29, 2006, featured record attendance of over 40 participants.

BUSINESS Dr. Richard Jacob (Acting Chair) COMMUNICATION Lisa Van Valkinburgh (Chair) COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS John Michaels (Acting Chair) EDUCATION (undergraduate) Dr. Karen Selby (Chair) HUMANITIES Dr. Brad Hollingshead (Chair) INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Dr. Norman Muir (Acting Chair)

Rochester Update

Jeffrey Shepard, ‘04 MBA has begun a Ph.D. program in Interdisciplinary Studies at Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ann Horn-Jeddy ‘99 BA, ‘06 MOL received the Academic Achievement Departmental Award for a Master’s in Organizational Leadership student at graduation in May 2006. Lauren Silveri ‘06 AS received the Academic Achievement Departmental Award for an Associate’s student at commencement in May 2006.

Medaille College is pleased to announce the academic department chairs for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Currently, the Medaille Accelerated Learning Program has 120 students in 8 Cohorts: 2 AS, 2 BBA, 2 MBA and 2 MOL.

Ann Marie Straight received the MBA Department Award for Academic Achievement, as decided by the MBA Faculty. Ian Sterling received the BBA Department Award for Academic Achievement, as decided by the BBA Faculty. BBA – Bachelor of Business Administration MOL – Master in Organizational Leadership MBA – Master in Business Administration

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCES Dr. Elizabeth Lucyszyn (Chair) SOCIAL SCIENCES Dr. Bridget Marinaccio (Acting Chair) VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY Dr. Joseph Savarese (Chair) Dr. Stephanie Westerman (Acting Chair, spring 2007) EDUCATION Graduate is being supervised by Dr. Fran Murphy, Founding Dean, School of Education. ADULT LEARNING PROGRAMS Undergraduate and Graduate, Amherst and Rochester are being supervised by Dr. Judy Horowitz, Dean, School of Adult and Graduate Education.


What will be your legacy? Through donating gifts of assets, life-income, retirement plans, life insurance, or by naming Medaille in your will, you can help generations of Medaille students by:

   ■    ■    ■      ■   ■   ■   

Allow Medaille to be part of your legacy. At the same time, you may reduce your own income taxes, avoid capital gains tax, increase your spendable income, retain payments-for-life, and achieve no-cost, worry-free asset management, depending upon your arrangements. We can facilitate your decision to maintain your Medaille connection and benefit future generations. Please call Troy Schneider, Medaille Fund Officer at .. or email tschneider@medaille.edu. Don’t put this off. Get the financial benefits in the present, help students in the future.

 Agassiz Circle

| Buffalo, NY  | .. | .. | fax .. | www.medaille.edu


UPCOMING EVENTS REINDEER RUN December 2, 2006, 10 a.m. Post race party and massages, ChampionChip timing, T-Shirt and backpack to the first 500 runners. For more information, contact Laura Edholm at 716.880.2130.

MEN’S BASKETBALL HOME OPENER VS. LAKE ERIE COLLEGE Wednesday, December 6, 2006, 8 p.m.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL HOME OPENER VS. MERCYHURST COLLEGE Tuesday, January 16, 2007, 7 p.m.

ALUMNI NIGHT AT THE THEATER Sunday, March 25, 2006 Studio Arena Mystery of Irma Vep 7 p.m. performance, 5:45 p.m. reception, Stage Left Lounge. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Gwyn Beyer at 716.880.2475 or alumni@medaille.edu.

JOIN THE MEDAILLE COLLEGE

MAVERICK BOOSTER CLUB TO ENCOURAGE and SUPPORT the ACADEMIC and ATHLETIC ENDEAVORS of the MAVERICK STUDENT-ATHLETES The Maverick Booster Club plays a vital role in achieving our goal of athletic excellence. With your support, we can expand our funding base to meet the many challenges ahead and turn more dreams of our teams into realities. We encourage you to visit one of the many athletic events taking place throughout the year. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Medaille College Associate Director of Athletics, Laura Edholm at ₍₎ -.

Agassiz Circle Buffalo, NY 14214


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