Sustainable Saratoga Will Launch Centennial Trees Project

 

Update: The event has been postponed. Check back for more updates.

Sustainable Saratoga will soon be kicking off its Centennial Trees project with a hands-on, participatory brainstorming session for the public.   The public is invited to share ideas about where and how we can best leave a towering, leafy legacy for our kids and grandkids.

Centennial Trees is Sustainable Saratoga’s way of celebrating the City’s 2015 Centennial. They will facilitate a public-private planting campaign of large-species specimen trees (such as oaks, tulip poplars, American elms & maples) in 100 prominent, high-impact locations. Sustainable Saratoga is looking for highly visible public and private sites—sites where large-species trees, as they mature over future decades, will become valued assets that define how we experience the City.

Centennial-worthy, transformative locations could include prominent corners, gateways, and other high-profile streets. Or locations that shape our view of historic and prominent buildings, parks, cemeteries, plazas, etc.

Sustainable Saratoga wants your help in identifying these locations. At Saturday’s brainstorming session, Tom Denny, retired Skidmore Professor of Music History and Department Chair, will open with a brief illustrated presentation about the transformative potential of the Centennial Trees project.   After that, the public will be asked to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Using maps and photos of the City, participants will work together and individually to generate ideas about where towering trees will have the most beneficial lasting impact. Tech-savvy participants are invited to bring their own laptops or tablets or phones to use while exploring the city, but everyone will be able to participate, with or without such gear.

The Centennial Trees workshop will take place soon. For more information and updates, go to www.sustainablesaratoga.org/centennialtrees. Send suggestions or questions to trees@sustainablesaratoga.org.

What to Expect from the Tang: Spring 2015

 

By Janine Kritschgau '18

A new exhibit, titled Realms of Earth and Sky, is coming to the Tang Teaching Museum. The exhibit will feature Indian paintings created between the 15th and 19th centuries and is intended to inspire conversations of religion, culture, and beauty. The official opening reception will be held in the museum on Feb. 7, which will unveil not only this exhibit but also two others: Elevator Music 28: Morton Subotnick- Silver Apples of the Moon, and Nicholas Krushenick: Electric Soup.

At 7-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 25, Skidmore Professor of Religion Eliza Kent will lecture students about Hindu medicine to add background to the themes of the exhibit. On Feb. 28 there will also be an Indian festival where music, art, dance, and food will be available. The Hayat club is an organizer of this event.

At 7 p.m. on April 2 Skidmore will host guest lecturers Molly Aiken and Dipti Khera, experts in Rajput painting. They will speak to students about pleasure in South Asian paintings. On April 14 at noon, Skidmore’s own Rachel Silgman, Tang assistant director of curatorial affairs, and Saleema Waraich, assistant professor of art history, will be guiding a tour of the exhibit.

For students who feel inspired to create artwork themselves, there will be a Miniature Painting Workshop on Friday, April 17, noon–2 p.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m. Reservations are required for this workshop, and can be made by calling 518-580-8080.

To learn more about the exhibit, download the free app, Realms of Earth and Sky, or pick up a catalog of the exhibit that contains essays, notes, and information put together by the curators.

The Tang Hours:

Tuesday noon-5

Wednesday noon-5

Thursday noon-9

Friday noon-5

Saturday noon-5

Sunday noon-5

Skidmore continues Beethoven String Quartet Cycle project

 

The following is a press release from the Office of Communication.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The Meccore String Quartet is the next group to participate in Skidmore’s ambitious Beethoven String Quartet Cycle project, which features six internationally renowned guest artists performing the full cycle of Beethoven’s 16 string quartets over the course of the next two years. The Meccore Quartet will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, in Skidmore’s Arthur Zankel Music Center.

The program features the Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2, and the Quartet in A minor, Op. 132. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and the Skidmore community, free for students and children. To purchase tickets online, please visit http://www.skidmore.edu/zankel/

Quartet members are Wojciech Koprowski and Jarosław Nadrzycki, violin; Michał Bryła, viola; and Karol Marianowski, cello. The group has performed at major European music festivals—the Ludwig van Beethoven Spring Festival, Budapest Spring, Heidelberg Frühling, Kissinger Sommer, Festival Radio France Montpellier, Bregenzer Festspiele, and in concert halls around the world, including Beethovenhaus in Bonn, Wigmore Hall in London, and Musikverein in Vienna.

Critics have praised the quartet for its technical perfection, intensity, and lyricism.

Established in 2007, Meccore String Quartet is considered one of the top quartets of their generation. In 2012 the group was awarded the first prize and an annual scholarship by the Irene Steels-Wilsing Stiftung, which resulted in the quartet’s debut CD released in 2013 featuring string quartets of Mozart and Beethoven.

Additional recognition includes second prize at the 2012 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition in London, the finalist award and the special award at the 2011 ninth International String Quartet Competition Premio Paolo Borciani in Reggio Emilia, first prize at the 2010 International Chamber Music Competition in Weiden, and first prize at the 2009 Max Reger International Chamber Music Competition in Sondershausen.

Last year the ensemble had the honor to perform as the first Polish string quartet during the ceremony on Holocaust Remembrance Day in German Bundestag.

Meccore String Quartet was at first tutored by members of the Camerata Quartet; since 2009, they have been studying with the Artemis Quartet at the Universität der Künste in Berlin. Since 2012 they have been able to study at Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel thanks to a full scholarship. The quartet, as well as each of the members individually, received the scholarship from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as well as from the "Young Poland" program.

Violinist Michael Emery, senior artist-in-residence at Skidmore, is coordinator of the Beethoven string quartet project as part of Skidmore’s ELM Chamber Music Residency. The project will feature six internationally renowned guest artists who will present the full cycle of Beethoven’s 16 string quartets over the course of two years in the college’s Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Sedentary Students: The Dangers of Sitting and What to do About It

By Brittany Dingler

During weeks like these especially - blustery, cold ones forcing us inside - the tendency to sit inside extends far past class and meeting times. This propensity to constantly sit is often driven by a desire for comfort, making us tremendously more likely to find a good chair and a blanket for homework or televsion time rather than find ways to stay on our feet during these stagnant activities. At college age, we seem hard-wired to believe that inactivity, coupled with the consequences that ensue, is a plague of our elders. However, a lack of exercise wreak physiological havoc on our young, nimble bodies.

            However, recent scientific research in sedentarism may push you to think twice about spending hours a day sitting. A new study conducted by the Cancer Prevention Research Center in Queensland, Australia, for example, found that adults who sat more, even when they met their daily exercise goals, were more likely to suffer from a myriad of physiological consequences due to the harsh impact of sitting on metabolic health (Owen, Genevieve, Matthews, and Dunstan, 2012). In the long term, these researchers found that sedentary adults were more likely to die prematurely. In the short-term, however, adults who sat for just a two-hour period (about the time it takes to watch a movie or complete a class reading) were found to have abnormal glucose metabolism (an inability to properly break down consumed sugar which, in the long term, is a risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes). The study also showed that women who exercised at least 150 minutes per week, but spent time watching TV at night, were more likely to have abnormal glucose metabolism and higher levels of triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol - both of which increase one’s risk for heart disease. The high triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels were determined to occur during sitting because the absence of contractile stimulation (i.e. significant movement) impedes activity of LPL, which helps regulate triglyceride and HDL production. Additionally, the study cites the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association as stating that getting in daily exercise is not a pass to sit nor is being consistently active during the day a good substitute for exercise. Rather, to give ourselves the best chance of staving off these aforementioned consequences, we must find a comfortable combination of both. But how can we change our sedentary habits? First of all, we should acknowledge that it is not entirely our fault. The more I look around, the more I see our environment has been designed for sitting. Every coffee shop (including Burgess) is filled with some combination of stools, chairs, and couches, as though to suggest we could not possibly be relaxed and standing at the same time. To stand while doing homework in the library - I’ve learned from experience - gleans strange looks from fellow scholars. The only one who has the privilege to stand in class is the professor. Even the gym at our Williamson Sports Center has comfortable, cushy benches within ten feet of the exit of the cardio room. With all these signs to sit constantly, though implicitly, bombarding us, no wonder it seems strange to take a stand against sitting. However, in recent months, I’ve done my best to do just that. As a recent investor in a fitbit bracelet, I’m aware now, more than ever, how little activity I get during the day outside of a scheduled workout. I find myself doing laps in my room just to meet the default goal of 5,000 steps per day, probably set for the average middle-aged adult, rather than a twenty-something college student. Studying at my standing desk, a new challenge this year, feels unfamiliar and uncomfortable when compared to my prior study sessions in my window seat or the big comfy chairs on the second floor of the library. However, I’ve found it makes me more likely to pace while I read and generally helps me to be more alert and productive. If your schedule is tight, as it is for most Skidmore students, there are ways to combine activities so you can save time while staying active. Lots of reading to do for class? Download the audiobook instead and go for a walk. Don’t want to miss your favorite show? Bring your smartphone or iPad to the gym and catch up on the perils of Pookie in Meerkat Manor while you break a sweat on the elliptical. And once the sidewalks are paved again, try walking into town rather than taking the bus or a car - it burns calories and saves gas too! However you choose to get up and moving is the right way. Challenge yourself and you’ll see both short term and long-term benefits.

Thodos Dance Chicago to perform Feb. 7 at Skidmore College

Photo by Cheryl Mann

The following is a press release from the Office of Communication.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. —Thodos Dance Chicago (TDC) will perform at Skidmore College at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, in the Skidmore Dance Theater. The performance will highlight two Skidmore graduates and renowned choreographers: Melissa Thodos and Sybil Shearer.

The program includes a contemporary dance about Helen Keller and mixed repertoire that celebrates Chicago voices past and present. Named one of the top 10 dance events of 2013 by the Chicago Sun-Times and nominated for an Emmy Award, A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, is a one-act story ballet about Helen Keller, the extraordinary woman who was deaf and blind yet went on to become a world-famous writer, political activist, and inspiration to all, and her teacher Anne Sullivan, who led Helen into a world of education, activism and intellectual celebrity. Bruce Wolosoff created an original score exclusively for the work, which was a collaboration between company founder and artistic director Melissa Thodos and Tony Award-winning choreographer Ann Reinking. The company premiered A Light in the Dark in January 2013. The second act of the Skidmore performance includes Near Light, choreographed by Thodos, the recreation of Chicago modern dance legend Sybil Shearer’s 1956 dance suite Salute to Old Friends, and TDC ensemble member John Cartwright’s Flawed and Lullaby by independent choreographer Brian Enos, both created via the company’s New Dances choreography project and series. Tickets for the Skidmore performance are $15 adults, $10 Skidmore community, $5 students. Tickets are sold 45 minutes prior to the performance and early arrival enhances seat selection. Contact the Dance Theater box office at 518-580-5392 for more information.

*** Thodos graduated in 1984 from Skidmore with a degree in dance, and performed throughout the world with the Chicago Repertory Dance Ensemble. She founded her company in 1992. Today, TDC performs dances by Thodos, those of company members, and works by acclaimed choreographers.

Thodos has presented her works throughout America, in Paris on numerous occasions, Edinburgh, South Korea, Australia and Turkey. Her choreography has won awards at such competitions as the Concours Internationale de Dance de Paris and Dance under the Stars Choreography Festival in Palm Desert, Calif., a leading competition for dance choreography in the U.S. She is a member of the dance faculty of the Broadway Theatre Project, hailed by Playbill as “the world’s most prestigious musical theater arts education program for high school and college students.”

Photo by Cheryl Mann

In 1941 Sybil Shearer (1912-2005) burst upon the modern dance scene, setting a radical new direction with her solo debut, garnering rave reviews and critic John Martin’s accolade as the year’s most promising solo choreographer.

She left New York in 1942 for the soon-to-be Roosevelt College in Chicago, where she was given freedom to work close to nature, in her own unorthodox way. Within a month she met photographer Helen Balfour Morrison, who became her artistic collaborator for the next 40 years. Over the next decade Shearer returned to New York annually for a solo concert, sometimes on 10 days’ notice.

Shearer graduated from Skidmore in 1934 with a degree in English literature. She attended the Bennington College Summer School of the Dance in its first years, studying with Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, and Hanya Holm. From 1935 to 1941 she was a soloist with the Humphrey-Weidman group and with Agnes de Mille.

In 1951 she built a studio/residence in Northbrook, left Roosevelt, and began choreographing group performances of her students. In 1959 she started the Sybil Shearer Company and in 1962 became artist-in-residence at the National College of Education in Evanston, where the company’s infrequent performances drew critics from around the country. Their last program was at Arie Crown Theater in 1972.

In later years Shearer wrote for Ballet Review, supported the Joffrey Ballet, an

Rise in Visual Literacy Across Campus

By Billie Kanfer '16, Features Editor

Skidmore College has seen an increase in the study of media at Skidmore in media studies within the last year. From the media and film studies minor, to Project VIS, and the John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative (MDOCS), Skidmore has broadened its scope of what they include in academic and extracurricular studies. Recently, Library room 113 has become devoted to  Visual Literacy, housing both the Visual Literacy Forum and the MDOCS studies program. Led by Professor Jordana Dym, Interim Director, the newly inaugurated program is in full swing as many classes have been and will continue to be offered. After two years of faculty and staff meeting to discuss adding documentary programming as a Skidmore resource, it was made possible by donor Jim Towne, who is related to Skidmore's second President, Henry T. Moore (1925-1957) and John B. Moore, after whom the MDOCS program is named. Towne hoped that students would use practical skills and local history to become proficient documentarians.

Professor Dym says that MDOCS originated from a culmination of ideas drawn fromvarious humanities and social sciences departments. Faculty and staff were separately talking about the concept of documenting history and finally, through the accessibility of this donation, were able to make documentary studies come to life.

When speaking to Professor Dym, I asked her why this program will not be offered as a major or minor. She answered that, “its purpose is to serve everyone’s students. Everyone can tell their own story, no matter what department they claim to be their major/minor.” This reflects the mission of MDOCS: “presenting the stories of the human experience in documentary media and technologies” where anyone can participate and the studies are not limited to a particular subject matter.

Students are encouraged to take these doc studies classes and even research alongside faculty to pursue these methods of documenting. There are currently several projects in the making, including documenting the 60^th Anniversary of the Saratoga Springs Senior center, an exhibit created by Skidmore history students that is going to be displayed at the Saratoga Springs History Museum. Also in the making is an oral history of retired Skidmore faculty and staff. These projects are all-inclusive and strive to engage the student body. On the MDOCS website, one can find other students who have immersed themselves in this new program and are pursuing their own documentary studies.

MDOCS is part of an overarching theme at Skidmore—a theme of Visual Literacy. Professor Dym says that these initiatives make us “better at living in a visual world.” Between these new programs being offered, it is apparent that Skidmore is striving to cater towards a much more contemporary world, while continuing the storytelling aspect of our history though MDOCS. “We want to encourage evidence-based storytelling creatively, compellingly, and clearly” concludes Professor Dym as she asks that students partake in these new initiatives and take advantage of the various new courses.

Click here to find out more about MDOCS: http://www.skidmore.edu/mdocs and Project VIS http://www.skidmore.edu/project-vis/

Club Profile: Democracy Matters

By Billie Kanfer '16, Features Editor 

It has been brought up time and again that Skidmore students do not care about politics. After this past midterm election, the data showed that (although absentee ballots were not accounted for) approximately 20 percent of the study body voted at Skidmore on election day. The total percentage is certainly higher considering absentee ballots(This statistic for which could not be found). Still, a club at Skidmore has taken the initiative to change this ambivalence for politics. Democracy Matters is a club that began last year and currently has seven avid members. Meeting every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. in Bolton 282, the club strives to “make the campus more politically engaged and interested in money and politics," secretary James Rider ’16 said. Democracy Matters is led by Cara Cancelmo ’16, Rachel Castellano ’16, and Elena Veatch ’16.

Rider finds that the club is “small but strong.” They are a non-partisan club and don’t care what side you sway towards. They want to increase membership and hope to do so by informing the student body that they aren't exclusive solely to those active in politics. As Rider states, “the E-Board wants to teach but they’re also learning alongside each other.”

Democracy Matters recently participated in ConsentFest where they distributed politics-related condoms that read, “don’t get screwed by politicians.” Recently they have also put up posters around campus to promote awareness of their club and the notion that they are open to anyone on campus who has the urge to make a difference. Democracy Matters wants students to become involved because, where money influences politics so heavily, only the collective voice can create change. As Rider quotes the line perhaps made famous by the West Wing, “decisions are made by those who show up.” When asked what he thinks of the student involvement with politics on campus, Rider answered, “people are disengaged because they don’t think what they say matters.” However, He begs to differ, believing that “students need to care.”

Democracy Matters encouraged voter registration this past election and made short video clips which are posted on the Government department's website and Facebook. They will host a movie screening of Pay 2 Play on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in Emerson Auditorium. The documentary follows filmmaker John Ennis on his quest to find a way out from under the Pay 2 Play System (a system where Politicians reward their donors with large sums from the public treasury). They encourage any and everyone to attend, as there will be refreshments and a great movie to watch!

Keep Your Elf in Shape: How to Stay Active Over Winter Break

By Brittany Dingler '15, PHE 

As the days get shorter and colder, it naturally becomes increasingly hard to find the time and energy to remain active.  For those of us who loved our autumn jogs after class, the transition to the harshly lit-room at the Sports Center with its various, hard plastic cardio equipment is not at all desirable.  Perhaps even more difficult is the fate of exercise once we get home and find that baking, preparing for the holidays, or visiting with friends and family just feels so much better than renewing our gym membership, huffing out on the road for an icy jog, or futzing around with Wii fit. 

However, even if weather does not pose a threat to our workouts (for those lucky Floridians), the change in schedule certainly might.  The transition from structured class days to whatever your winter schedule might be likely also affects your "normal" workout time.  As a result, whether in Florida or Alaska, you may very well be at risk of feeling the effects of inactivity this winter break.  For some, this inactivity may serve to exacerbate an impending dangerous dip in overall energy levels.  For others, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) poses a real threat during the winter months as it brings on symptoms of depression, irritability, fatigue, and a greater need for sleep. 

So how do we avoid the looming sedentary lifestyle of winter break?  Try out the following fun ways to break a sweat!

1.  No need to join a gym!  Choose from one of many apps that helps you find a fun indoor workout for anything from yoga to burpees (yes, everyone's favorite).  I personally recommend the Johnson & Johnson 7 Minute Workout App or Yogify (both free!).

2.  Bundle up and get outside! Grab a friend, relative, dog, or all three and head out on a trail walk. This is a great option if you're feeling a bit under the weather and don't feel quite up to a full-body workout. Whether you’re home or visiting family, you can find a nice trail by going to USA Track & Field (http://www.usatf.org/routes/). Feeling a bit more competitive? Try out Running in the USA (http://runningintheusa.com/Race/) for 5K, trail races, half marathons and any other feat you might want to tackle. 

3.  Don't have the time to devote to scheduled workout? Here are some suggestions for fitting in activity into your normal day. Whether shopping, exchanging Meema’s cat sweater, or window shopping, try to make a game of creating the longest possible distance between stores so you can get some extra steps into your shopping adventures.  If you'll be in a snowy area, volunteer to get out that snow shovel and burn about 400 calories per hour! If you celebrate Christmas, Time Healthland says you can burn 85 calories decorating the Christmas tree or 48 calories wrapping presents in just half an hour!

Regardless of how you choose to break a sweat this winter break, studies show that short-term benefits of exercise include elevated mood, productivity, and relaxation.  So do your best to get up, get moving, and have fun!

The FACT Internship: A Reflection

By Jordan Grapel '16, Contributing Writer 

My name is Jordan Grapel and this summer I was in New Haven as part of the FACT internship (Furthering Awareness Community and Technology). The FACT internship is funded by Skidmore Academic Services (SAS), a program that allows students to spend the summer studying a particular disability or assistive technology. SAS will provide a participating student with a $4000 stipend if he or she can find a facility that is researching their topic of choice and plans to work there for a total of 250 hours over the course of 8-12 weeks.

In my case, I chose to study Autism Spectrum Disorder, I then spent the summer at the Yale Child Study Center. I worked under Dr. Fred Volkmar, Director of the Yale Child Study Center, Chief of Psychiatry at the Yale New Haven Hospital, and the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Together we spent the summer working on a study regarding sensitivity in people diagnosed with Autism. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V) lists hyper or hypo-sensitivity to sensory stimuli as a diagnostic criteria for Autism. Dr. Volkmar and I compared measures of hyper and hypo-sensitivity in subjects with Autism with measures of hyper and hypo-sensitivity in subjects with other mental disorders. Dr. Volkmar tasked me with locating all of the subjects’ information through a Yale database while using chi-squares to compare the data. The results of our study are going to be published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Dr. Volkmar also put me in charge of reviewing the book, Puzzled: 100 Pieces of Autism, by Nilla Childs. Puzzled is an autobiography about the life of a woman whose son had undiagnosed Autism for most of his life. The review I wrote for that book was published and is currently in the Journal of Autism.

Dr. Volkmar knew this internship was supposed to be a learning experience for me, so he took it upon himself to make sure I spent as much time reading about Autism as I did researching it. He enrolled me in his online Autism class, where several Yale students and I learned everything there is to know about Autism.  Dr. Volkmar assigned the class several readings, and had us watch many lectures by him and several other leading professionals in the field of Autism research. That class went over everything from the genetics of autism, to the philosophy of treating and educating people with Autism. I also attended several lectures and panels in Yale’s auditorium. Dr. Volkmar and I visited an elementary school for children with disabilities and a facility for adults with Autism to see first hand how this disorder treated.

My favorite part of the internship was that every Tuesday morning I got to sit in on a case review. Dr. Volkmar and several other trained professionals would get together and discuss a young child. They would talk about his/her diagnosis, what his/her parents and teachers had to say about him/her, and what medication, if any he/she was on. Then one of the professionals would sit in a room with the boy or girl and give him/her some sort of test (it varied from child to child) while the rest of us watched via Skype. I enjoyed this because it reflects the exact kind of work I hope to do myself some day therefore it was exhilarating to actually see it right before my eyes.

The FACT internship was an enriching experience that not only allowed me to study Autism, something I wish to do for a career, but it also enabled me to be a published writer. If you are interested in spending the summer researching the disability of your choice, you should definitely consider applying for the FACT internship. To do so contact Jamin Totino in the Starbuck Center. It is a very fulfilling and rewarding experience.

Don't Be Blue, Get the Flu Shot

Flu season is creeping around the corner. If you want to avoid a sudden bout of sickness in the middle of finals week, or if you have a sibling at home that you’d rather not see coughing, then take some time to get the 2014 Flu Vaccine if you haven’t already. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) online reference guide to influenza, January is prime time for that unwelcomed bug. In fact, there is more than one strain of influenza that you should watch out for.

Health Services at Skidmore is offering the standard-dose trivalent shot (IIV3), which protects against three different strains of influenza. Get it as soon as you can, because it takes approximately two weeks to become effective.  IIV3 contains gelatin and eggs, so people with corresponding allergies should talk to a doctor about other available options. You should also avoid the generally available flu vaccine if you have Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), have had an allergic reaction to previous flu vaccines, or are currently suffering from a serious illness.

Health Services is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted every day. Call (518) 580- 5550 to make an appointment for a weekday if you’re in a rush and want to be seen quickly.

Health Services will be closed on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Break and will be open on the following Monday  during regular hours.

Thanksgiving Break is a good time to see your doctor to make sure everything is functioning properly after a long, exhausting semester. If you can’t make it to Health Services, see your doctor back home for a flu shot and a quick check up.

For those convenience junkies, select CVS pharmacies nationwide provide flu vaccines at Minute Clinics. Check to see if your area has one at http://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/clinic-locator.

For a more comprehensive guide to understanding seasonal influenza and what you can do to prevent it from infecting you and those loved ones around you, check out

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm#flu-shot.

A Tradition of Thanks

By Brittany Dingler '15, PHE 

Nearly four-hundred years after what we consider the “First Thanksgiving” in 1621 at Plymouth Colony, the average American embraces this adapted tradition with friends and family around a dinner table, passing stuffing until stuffed.  Whether Thanksgiving appears as a festive feast or simply a time to step back from the Skidmore bubble and breathe before the wave of finals hits, most of us would agree that thanks, or the gentle concept of gratitude, pokes its head up on the third Thursday of each November, even if it’s fated to become a thing of the distant past once we arrive back on campus.

How is gratitude perceived during Thanksgiving?  According to Professor Mark Rye in the Psychology department who has done research in the field of positive psychology and gratitude, “Thanksgiving provides us with a wonderful opportunity to spend time with loved ones and to consider what we are grateful for. Some people make it a regular practice to count their blessings every day, and there is evidence that this can have a positive impact on their lives.”  Two students, however, admit that they could use a bit more “gratitude gravy” on their Thanksgiving turkey. Tori Eldridge ‘16, believes that “gratitude has a much smaller role in thanksgiving than its roots might imply” and worries that “a few nice words might be shared but Turkey Day is a much more commercialized holiday than it seems.”  Sam Skott ’15, believes that this tradition of “thanks” not only holds for her big family, but is also important in “reminding us there are many things in our everyday lives to be grateful for, even if you think that your luck has been less than stellar lately.”  Skott admits that she, like many of us, “takes for granted many aspects of her that other people would be extremely thankful for.” 

If you’re looking to incorporate gratitude into your daily lives and not just during Thanksgiving or whatever holidays in which you choose to partake, follow the lead of Professor Mark Rye. Professor Rye states that, “keeping a gratitude journal involves spending 10 to 15 minutes each day to write about what you are grateful for.”

According to Professor Rye, the gratitude letter is recommended by Positive Psychology guru Martin Seligman who suggests “writing gratitude letters to people you are thankful for” or, for a more intimate experience, having a “face to face meeting where you read the letter aloud” even if that means over Skype.  The third gratitude intervention Professor Rye recommends, is a gratitude partner, “just as having an exercise partner can keep you motivated to achieve your workout goals, a gratitude partner can help you stay motivated to focus on your blessings.”

So why should anyone do this?  Why should we consider implementing this positive psychology concept into post-holiday life?  According to Professor Rye, “psychologists have found that gratitude interventions can have beneficial effects for both your physical and mental well-being.”  Specifically, according to the Greater Good program at UC Berkley, those who practice gratitude on a regular basis are more likely to have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, and higher levels of joy, optimism, and happiness. 

For some, incorporating gratitude consistently may seem daunting.  Perhaps it could be made less so, however, by incorporating just one of the methods above and by following the lead of Eldridge who finds daily gratitude “in the little moments or interactions: the crisp breeze when I step outside, the sun shining through my curtains in the morning, a friend going out of their way to say hi. These moments make me feel happy and grateful to be alive and well enough to be experiencing them.”  To end with the most basic kind of gratitude, a nice start to being thankful for even the little things, students were asked to think about the Thanksgiving foods and traditions for which they are most grateful.  Skott looks forward to eating stuffing and simply getting to see her whole family.  Eldridge looks forward to her dad’s pies and hearing what her family is thankful for as they go around that table and reflect on the past year before we eat.  In the true spirit of modern-day Thanksgiving, however, she also admits that she’s thankful for the end of this sharing time so she can finally eat. 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Peer Health Educators  - be safe, be healthy, and be thankful.    

Raab Visiting Artist: Richard Sennett

By Billie Kanfer '16, Features Editor

Skidmore College presents the 2014 Raab Visiting Artist, Richard Sennett to campus Friday, Nov. 21 in Gannett Auditorium at 6 p.m. Sennett, author of the critically acclaimed book, The Craftsman, has written extensively on class, cities, and culture. He currently teaches sociology at New York University and the London School of Economics. The lecture is sponsored by Skidmore alumna Rosanne Brody Raab and the college's Department of Art. Sennett is the 20th lecturer in the Raab Visiting Artist Lecture Series.

Craft Matters, on exhibit through Dec. 19, 2014 at Skidmore's Schick Art Gallery, features work by the previous 19 internationally known fine craft artists who have also delivered the Raab lecture at Skidmore. Admission to the Nov. 21 lecture, as well as the Craft Matters exhibition, is free and open to the public.

VOX Presents Sara Alcid

By Billie Kanfer '16, Features Editor 

Many events regarding sexuality, sexual assault and gender equality have surfaced over the years. Within the last year, it featured most prominently in the Supreme Court case known as Hobby Lobby. These various themes are becoming increasingly visible in in everyday life. The Skidmore chapter of Vox: Voices for Planned Parenthood, is presenting a lecturer Tuesday, November 18th at 7 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium. Her name is Sara Alcid and she is a queer feminist activist and writer. She hails from the D.C area and is knowledgeable on these topics as well as the politics behind the fight for equality. Alcid has an academic background in Gender and Sexuality Studies where she brings together her strong knowledge of the subject with the practical modern perspective. Her work spans from the intersection of environmental health and reproductive health to dating as a feminist.

Alcid will be joining the Skidmore campus for an evening discussion titled, “The Politics of Sex and Reproductive Justice.” The description is as follows: “Where are today’s unprecedented attacks on birth control and abortion coming from? Join Skidmore Vox and feminist writer and activist, Sara Alcid, to explore the roots and nuances of the “war on women” through a reproductive justice and positive sexuality lens. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby, we must examine the stigma surrounding birth control, why it exists, how it relates to America’s campus sexual assault epidemic and impacts the LGBTQ equality movement. Attendees will leave this interactive presentation with a deep and intersectional understanding of the politics of sex and reproductive justice, plus the ability to apply it to other areas of feminist activism.”

Vox wanted to address these issues because of their current relevance and because of multiple incidents that  have involved the Skidmore community including the off-duty Campus Safety Officer.  At the end of last year, the club discussed bringing in a lecturer (Sara Alcid will be their first) to promote Vox’s mission of mobilizing student advocates and promoting healthy sexual lives.

This lecture will not just be geared towards female equality, but gender equality as a whole, which is in line with Vox's mission statement that focuses on gender equality and healthy sexual lives. Alcid, in accordance with Vox, has structured her discussion to involve talk about the treatment of women, Hobby Lobby decision, birth control accessibility and the stigma over reproductive rights.

The event will not just inform the students but will also educate Vox on these matters so that they may enhance their own discussion on  on Skidmore’s campus.

Check around for posters regarding the event!

Club Profile: Feedmore

By Jessica Kong '17, Staff Writer 

Matthew Weale ‘16 and Alexandra Hagney ‘16 are bringing relief to the local homeless population with help from Skidmore College. Feedmore is a local  hunger relief program that collects uneaten, yet perfectly edible food from the Skidmore College dining hall in order to supply vulnerable populations with a hot meal and a gesture of compassion.

Weale, a Mathematics major and Computer Science minor, explained what drove him to bring Feedmore to our campus: “When I first came to Skidmore, I was overwhelmed by the number of homeless people living in the streets, especially given the climate that we live in. It’s pretty treacherous. Also, working in the Dining Services really exposed me to the amount of food waste that was going on in the Dining Services.”

Weale was scrolling through Twitter one day when he came across a post about a similar program. Combined with his observations of the disheartening number of homeless people in Saratoga and his experience of working with Dining Services, he took the steps to assuage a  problem that had been troubling him for over two years. He contacted Hagney, a Business and Dance major, who was also having qualms about the amount of food being thrown away on campus.

Hagney says her interest in joining Weale were for the same reasons that inspired Weale to initiate the program. “Over two years in and out of classes, I’ve had peers do projects about issues on campus, one being food waste - but no one has really done anything about it. So once we started looking into other schools that were doing exactly what we wanted to do, we realized how easy it was. It was just about getting the right amount of people together, talking to the right people, and so we took on the initiative to do it. Coming from my background at home, I've always been involved with the community and Saratoga has been great to me so far, so why not give back a little bit?”

Every Tuesday and Friday morning at 9 a.m., the Feedmore club meets at the Atrium to work with Dining Hall staff members to collect the excess food into containers and drive it to the Saratoga Soup Kitchen on Circular Street.

Hagney says they have received a heartwarming response from student volunteers so far, but hopes for an expansion of the effort. “We had a lot of kids come that were just as passionate about it. There were freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors. We don’t necessarily know them, but we were able to connect with them on this common issue that we want addressed. It’s open to anyone. If you want to come down once, great! You made a difference. If you want to come down every Tuesday and Friday, that’s even better. We take as many people as we can, whoever wants to help. It’s definitely open to the entire community, so hopefully once we start going more, we’ll get more donations and more colleges involved.”

Weale says moving forward will require publicizing their work to the student body. “Going forward, I hope to open the eyes of the college community in realizing how much food is going to waste, whether it’s just the Dining Services planning to throw it away and Feedmore saving it before it’s thrown away, or it’s people just taking way too much food and then not touching it - which I think is another problem, but that’s something we can’t do anything about. I would like to ask more people to get involved. It's a really easy cause and its helping so many, and as we get into the winter and get to sleep in our warm dorms and go to the dining hall and eat great food, there’s still people out there five to ten minutes away who are struggling to get a hot meal on their plate or even a bed to sleep in. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for people to give back and to realize how lucky they are here at Skidmore as well as the things that we could do through our college to help out the community. Don’t be afraid to get involved!”

Check out the Feedmore Skidmore Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FeedMoreSkidmore?fref=ts) for more information.

Inside the Mansion

By Noa Maltzman '18  and Janine Kristchgau '18, Staff Writers

Having traveled to 70 countries in her lifetime, Michele Riggi can assert with total confidence “there’s not one city in all those places like Saratoga.” Fresh off of a 17-day adventure around the world, including visits to Nepal, China, and Hawaii, Riggi returned home for another special adventure—Halloween at her own home.

For the past 11 years, Riggi and her husband have hosted incredible Halloween festivities, which include cash hidden in chocolate bars, free donuts and cider, petting ponies, a pumpkin weight guessing contest, and incredible decorations. Riggi cannot be missed during the festivities, as she wears an ornate custom-made Cinderella gown. To go along with the Cinderella theme, she also borrows a carriage from the Great Escape amusement park which she places outside her home.

Although Halloween is their trademark event, the Riggi Family is involved in Saratoga life throughout the year. Michele, a former ballerina herself, is the President of the Museum of Dance here in Saratoga Springs. Her son-in-law, David Zecchini, is the owner of various popular restaurants including Forno and Boca Bistro. The family has very generously supported the community, and recently made a donation of one million dollars to the local YMCA to expand their facility.

But what the family is most well-known for is their home on North Broadway. The home has become a hallmark of the upscale residential area that borders downtown. Cars frequently pull over to take pictures of one of the most elaborate properties in the area. The Pallazzo Riggi is home to Michele, her husband Ron, and their famous pets. The interior of the home is equally manicured as the exterior—flowers cover tables, chandeliers hang in various different rooms, and the foyer hosts incredible fresco walls. The Riggis did not build the house for themselves; instead, they built the house with the love of their dogs in mind. At the time that they moved in they only had 13 dogs, a pack that has more than tripled in size since. 

The Riggi’s pack of dogs has now grown to 41, given the recent addition of Boo, a deaf rescue chihuahua. Taking care of this many dogs is very time-consuming, so the Riggis have a special housekeeper who spends the day looking after them. “These dogs are kept better than most people,” Riggi says as she explains how it is particularly hard to take care of a group this large. “They [are like potato chip]—you can’t just have one.”

At the start of each day, the dog bedding is changed and each of the four dog bedrooms are cleaned. Then it is time for them to be fed. The feeding of all 41 dogs takes about an hour-and-a-half, as each dog gets fed individually to prevent any fighting for food. The Pallazzo Riggi orders and cooks 100 pounds of organic meat every three weeks. The broth from the meat is mixed with grains before each portion is frozen. This food diet is satisfactory for most dogs, and even helped some lose weight. After the feeding is done, it is time to give some of the older dogs their medications. Keeping track of all the medications and making sure that they always have some left is one of the hardest parts for Michele Riggi about having this many dogs.

The Riggis go to great lengths to ensure the happiness of each and every one of their dogs. One of the eldest dogs, for example, refuses to eat the chicken based meals and instead will only eat McDonald's cheeseburger patties. Every other day, Riggi goes to McDonald's to get eight cheeseburgers for him.

Keep an eye out at the Riggi house as she is now  installing her Christmas decorations. For those who  missed all the pumpkins in the yard and Halloween decorations, do not worry because she plans on bringing them back next year. She even has ideas on how she can make Halloween at the Riggi’s even better and bigger for the following years.

Michele dreams of a Halloween Block Party, in which the entire block be closed to traffic, to make the festivities even bigger. In addition, she is considering changing her iconic costume: from Cinderella to something new. Although she is not sure what that costume will be, there is no doubt it will be lavish-just like everything else Riggi.

Career & Internship Connections 2015

By The Career Development Center

Career & Internship Connections 2015

CIC events are located in New York City (January 6), Washington DC (January 7) , Los Angeles (January 8), and Boston (January 9).

Students!  Please be sure to check out this year’s Career & Internship Connections Program on The Career Development Center’s website.

Deadline to Apply: December 1

Come in and get your resume and cover letter reviewed by a Career Coach between 12 – 4 PM Monday thru Friday in the Career Development Center.

This is an opportunity to be pre-selected for interviews with major companies in New York City, Boston, DC and LA taking place during winter break.  The deadline to apply for pre-select interviews is Monday, December 1; but all students looking for opportunities in one of these four cities are encourage to attend the Open Forum in the morning (9:30 – 11:30 am). Token: cic2015

Over 250 employers combined will be participating in one or more locations. If you are selected for an interview you will go online and select an interview time. Even if you are not pre-selected it is worth the time to attend the Open Forum in the morning.  In the past over 30% of students attending the morning sessions were invited back to interview in the afternoon.

For more information, please contact The Career Development Center, (518) 580-5790/CDC@skidmore.edu.

 A Sampling of Employer Participants (by location):

New York City

AIG

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

AllianceBernstein

Americares

APPRISE

AXA Advisors, LLC

Washington DC

Advantage Sales & Marketing

Alliance Bernstein

Anti-Defamation League

Atlantic Media

Bursun-Marsteller

Los Angeles

Authors Marketing Pro

Beach Cities Health District

Chocolate Sundaes Comedy Show Production

FDIC

Front Row Media

Boston

AIG

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Fund for Public Interest

Harvard Orthopedic Trauma Initiative

United Planet

Seeing Stress Differently

By Brittany Dingler '15, PHE

Stress and chaos do not have to compromise our happiness and well-being. In fact, much research in the emerging field of Positive Psychology suggests that changing our perspective of stress allows us to feel the stress differently.

Unfortunately, eliminating stress entirely is pretty unrealistic, but also not entirely helpful.  Yes, high levels of chronic stress can suppress our immune systems—increasing our vulnerability to colds—or, over time, heart disease and cancer. However, most people have stressful responsibilities in their lives but aren’t getting sick from them. In other words, the key to staying healthy and productive may be in the realization that workload and illness is not a one-to-one correlation. For example, if we were to observe a large group of individuals with a heavy workload, strict deadlines, and a host of responsibilities (say, college students?), there would be apparent reactions to stress. Some individuals shuffle around with blood-shot eyes, hunched shoulders, ready to attack, while others bounce along, with wide eyes and straight backs, ready to tackle the next challenge. The answer to this variance appears to be in the perception of these challenges. 

To explain, the degree of stress is a product of how we evaluate our experiences:  is this helping me? Is this hurting me? Could this continue to hurt me in the future? The most important question we must ask ourselves is, do I have the resources to deal with this?  If the answer is yes, then overall health, well-being, and even productivity appear to increase as stress deflates to a manageable, even helpful, level.  If the answer is no, then our nervous system recruits a stress cocktail of Norepinephrine and Epinephrine (together, known as Adrenaline) with a Cortisol chaser if we continue to feel unable to surmount the challenge. 

So how can we change our attitude towards stress to stay happy, healthy, and in control? Positive Psychology gurus offer three steps. First, acknowledge the presence of the stress—it’s here, it’s happening, and I’m feeling it in my chest/head/shoulders. Second, determine the cause of the stress—I’m behind in Biology and I have a test next week. Third, and this is key, reevaluate the stress and use it to motivate you—I might want to be a Veterinarian so this next test is an opportunity for me to get closer to vet school so that I can help puppies. Once we train ourselves to see challenges as opportunities for growth, we will be able to make our future and present selves happy. 

This learned happiness, generated by overriding our initial stress response, helps to boost our health and productivity, sparking a cycle of challenge and success.

Halloweekend Review

By Billie Kanfer '16, Features Editor

Halloween has come and gone, and after weeks of students preparing themselves for the “Halloweekend,” November has come in full force and the events of the former weekend  are a thing of the past. After the cancellation of Moorebid, many students were in an upheaval about the decision, claiming that a Skidmore tradition had been taken away. Year after year, Moorebid presented itself to be a booze-filled, out of control “tradition” that caused many to reflect on its harm to the Skidmore community.

After speaking to fellow students around campus and other leaders, it was clear that the weekend was still a success and that Halloween was just as great as ever. Megan Schachter ’17, VP for Club Affairs, said that the weekend “went extremely well! Many groups on campus did their own events… all well attended, and did not encourage reckless drinking.” The clubs definitely did their part as both Friday and Saturday nights were filled with events to occupy students. From performances by Awkward Kids Talking, Breakbeats, the Accents and more, to sports games on both days, Halloween weekend wasn’t a let-down and encouraged on-campus fun within the Skidmore community.

In past years, the amount of hospitalizations sky-rocketed come Halloween weekend—last year the number of hospital visits was in the double digits, yet this year the number of ambulances decreased to three. I spoke to Brittany Dingler ’15, who works with SCEMS and said that while on-call Halloween night, there were much fewer SCEMS visits than there have been.

Skidmore has been aiming at making the community a much safer environment through programs such as the Social Norms Campaign, the First Six Weeks program, and the cancellation of Moorebid. Their efforts have so far seemed successful.

Social Justice Month 2014 Events

Saturday, November 1

Kickoff: Social Justice Month Showcase

9:30PM Spa

Social Justice Month is having a kickoff event to officially start the month-long movement. Skidaiko, Ujima STEP, and various individuals will be performing interspersed with presentations of the three main themes of the month: Education, Human Rights, and Hunger & Homelessness. There will also be free Plum Dandy Cookies and Chipotle.

Monday, November 3

Environmental Justice: Brown Bag Dialogue - Energy, Exploitation, and Solutions

8PM ICL - Office of Student Diversity Affairs & Skidmore Unplugged

Ever thought about the impact of energy production on communities of color? Are campaigns such as Skidmore Unplugged effective? What are possible solutions to make a difference? Come join OSDP and Skidmore Unplugged in raising awareness on the implications of energy production in marginalized communities. Dinner will be provided.

Tuesday, November 4

Educational Equality: Film Screening of “To Educate a Girl”

8PM Emerson Auditorium - UNICEF

Sponsored by Skidmore's UNICEF Chapter, "To Educate a Girl" is a documentary highlighting the stories of several girls in Nepal and Uganda to investigate the barriers to equal access to education for girls.

Wednesday, Saturday 5

Fracking: Film Screening of "Triple Divide"

6PM I Emerson Auditorium - Skidmore Unplugged

Shale gas extraction has inevitable impacts. Public Herald’s documentary “Triple Divide” investigates how these impacts are being handled by the state and industry. The story highlights the need for more investigative journalism and detailed discussion. A discussion led by a Skidmore faculty member will be followed.

Saturday, November 8

Educational Outreach: Cultural Night Market

9PM Spa - Asian Cultural Awareness Club

Come learn about various cultures with performances, food, and gifts from a variety of clubs such as ACA, Skidaiko, NihonGo!, HAYAT, African Culture Club, and Chinese Culture Club. All proceeds will be donated to the Franklin Community Center, which supports at-risk children with afterschool programs.

Monday, November 10

Geoengineering: Film Screening of “What In The World Are They Spraying”

8PM Davis Auditorium – United Minds

This documentary investigates the phenomenon known as geoengineering. It pictures the story of a rapidly developing industry called geoengineering, driven by scientists, corporations, and governments intent on changing global climate, controlling the weather, and altering the chemical composition of soil and water – all supposedly for the betterment of mankind, but the effect has been devastating to crops, wildlife, and human health.

Tuesday, November 11

Settler Colonialism: Brown Bag Dialogue & Workshop: Kat Yang-Stevens and Settler Colonialism

12:30PM ICC, 4:30PM ICC - Office of Student Diversity Programs

Kat Yang-Stevens is a cisgender queer woman and first generation Asian American of Chinese ancestry living on occupied Cayuga nation territories, they center the needs of communities living on the front-lines of environmental racism and degradation and work to address intra-movement racism and the barriers that it presents to creating meaningful multicultural alliances. The Brown Bag Dialogue and workshop on settler colonialism will focus on what settler colonialism is and the connections between settler colonialism and the oppression of indigenous communities.

Tuesday, November 11

Political Conflict: Discussion about ISIS with Professor Ocakli

7PM Davis Auditorium – Hayat & International Student Union

Professor Ocakli from the Government Department will provide an informative lecture about the current state of the issue regarding to ISIS. The talk will be followed by an open disucssion and Q&A session.

Wednesday, November 12

Community Organizations: Presentations from The Giving Circle & Seeds For Peace

8PM Emerson Auditorium – Benef-Action

Mark Bertrand, a local Saratogian, will be giving a presentation regarding his volunteer work through his founding of The Giving Circle, an organization with a mission to connect communities in need locally, nationally, and internationally with those with the resources to help. Additionally, Sue Johnson, who founded Seeds For Peace, an organization that provides garden tools to war- and weather- ravaged people in many nations will also give a talk.

Monday, November 17

Undocumented Students and Education: Brown Bag Dialogue - A Dreamer’s Nightmare: The Lack of Access to Education for Undocumented Students

5PM ICC - Office of Student Diversity Programs & Melvin Alvarez-Ortez ‘15

Ever wondered about the role that liberal arts institutions such as Skidmore play in accommodating undocumented students? Do you think that the Dream Act is effective? Are we violating human rights for DREAMERS? Come join the conversation for this special Brown Bag brought to you by OSDP and Melvin Alvarez-Ortez ‘15. Dinner will be provided.

Monday, November 17

Food Insecurity: Film Screening of “A Place at the Table”

7PM Library Viewing Room – SkidEats

50 Million Americans—1 in 4 children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from. This documentary highlights the stories of three such Americans. A Place at the Table shows how the issue could be solved forever, once the American public decides that ending hunger is in the best interests of us all.

Tuesday, November 18

Reproductive Justice: The Politics of Sex and Reproductive Justice - Lecture by Sara Alcid

7PM Gannett Auditorium - VOX

Sara Alcid from Everyday Feminism is a reproductive health and justice advocate based in Washington, DC. As a queer feminist with an academic background in Gender and Sexuality Studies, Sara bridges her strong theoretical and historical understanding of feminism with a modern practice of radical everyday feminism. Her work and writing ranges from the intersection of environmental health and reproductive health to dating as a feminist. While at Skidmore, she is going to discuss sexual assault on college campuses and how this social problem directly impacts reproductive right.

Wednesday, November 19

Microloans and Poverty: Film Screening of “Bonsai People”

7:30PM Emerson Auditorium - FeelGood

FeelGood believes in partnership, not charity. This philosophy is embodied in Bonsai People, a documentary about different individuals and communities that end their own hunger and rise out of poverty through the use of microcredit loans. Small loans of money can be used to spark an individual business, which in turn can create an economy between multiple communities.

Thursday, November 20

World Hunger: Hunger Banquet

7PM Tang Teaching Museum – Carmen Lin ’16 & Josh Saunders ‘15

The Hunger Banquet is an interactive event that allows participants to experience how our decisions affect others in the world. The banquet will help participants visualize and understand the current global hunger problem. Professor Nurcan Atalan-Helicke from the Environmental Studies Program will lead a discussion about food insecurity and food distribution. RSVP at skidmoresjm@gmail.com

Thursday, November 20

Climate Refugees: Film Screening of “The Island President”

7PM - 9PM 2nd Floor Dining Hall - International Student Union

The Island President is a documentary about the efforts of then-President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed to tackle rising sea levels resulting from climate change. It follows his first year of office, and shows a rare and candid glimpse into the politics of environmental issues, and lets us see what life is like in the Maldives, the lowest lying nation on earth. The movie screening will be followed by a Q&A/discussion panel.

Friday, November 21

Homelessness and LGBTQ People of Color: Screening of “Pier Kids: The Life”

5PM  ICC - Queer Lives In Color

Pier Kids: The Life follows three gay and transgender youth of color over the course of three years who, after being kicked out of their home for their sexuality, have become homeless on the same NYC street the Gay Rights Movement began on so long ago.

Co­-sponsored by:

American Studies Program, Art Department, Art History Department, Asian Cultural Awareness Club, Benef-Action, Chemistry Department, Christian Fellowship, Classics Department, Dance Department, Economics Department, Education Studies Department, English Department, Environmental Studies Program, FeelGood, Foreign Language and Literature Department, Government Department, Hayat, Health & Exercise Science Department, History Department, Intercultural Studies, Intergroup Relations, International Affairs Program, International Student Union, Late-Night, Latin American Studies Program, Lively Lucys, Management & Business Department, Neuroscience Program,  Office of Student Diversity Programs, Physics Department, Queer Lives In Color, Skidaiko, Skid-Eats, Skidmore Unplugged, Sociology Department, Social Work Department, Tang Teaching Museum, Ujima, UNICEF, United Minds, VOX

Professor Profile: Yelena Biberman-Ocakli

By Janine Kritschgau, Staff Writer Professor Yelena Biberman-Ocakli has had a journalistic instinct since she was nine years old. Reporting came naturally for this Belorussian native, who by this young age she was already making observations about mafia members in her neighborhood, assuming that some day Soviet Officials would come knocking for information. “If I hadn’t left, I probably wouldn’t be alive right now,” she explains, reflecting on various close encounters with kidnapping and child predators.

The former Soviet world of respect and equality had disintegrated into an unsafe community rampant with alcoholism and violence. It had come time for her family to leave.

They traveled from Moscow to Albany, New York, where Biberman-Ocakli began the fifth grade. Biberman-Ocakli hurled herself into her academics. “School became my refuge,” she says as she reflects on her transition to American culture.

Considering her extensive résumé, her commitment to scholarship is not at all that surprising. Biberman-Ocakli’s early endeavors were mostly centered around journalism. After graduating from Wellesley College and Harvard University, she spent a year as a Fulbright research scholar in Russia, and then stayed on as a journalist for a Russian publication.

“I had such a nostalgia for Russian culture,” she explains, noting a curiosity for the region where she spent her childhood. Although she had the opportunity to continue working in Moscow, she declined the offer due to her accurate prediction that her work might eventually be censored in the Russian media. Instead, she returned to America to complete a Doctoral Program at Brown University, while simultaneously being a Teaching Assistant.

Currently, her research focuses on unorthodox militant groups used by governments in South Asia. She has begun crafting her first book, after years of fieldwork, explaining when and why governments make the unusual decisions to hire groups of rebels or civilians to fight. She is simultaneously teaching three courses at Skidmore; States, Rebels, and Warlords, Politics of Modern South Asia, and Intro to International and Comparative Politics.

Despite being immersed in both research and teaching, she emphasizes that working with students is her priority. Teaching makes her feel “energetic and happy,” she explains, because for her, teaching is an experience one “gets addicted to.” Although she is relatively new to the Skidmore College community, her enthusiasm for teaching has already garnered positive feedback from students, who note how valuable her energy is in the classroom.

As I interviewed Biberman-Ocakli, it dawned on me that not only is she an accomplished researcher and professor, but also something akin to a life coach. She urges students to use their undergraduate years to develop fundamental skills such as writing and quantitative reasoning. She also encourages students to step outside of their comfort zones, a skill she was forced to acquire while traveling for research as this research often required interviewing dangerous people.

The hallmark skill that she attributes a great deal of her own success to is the ability to adapt and be self-sufficient. One must learn new skills quickly, and “become [one’s] own best teacher” while tackling weaknesses. Only through this uncomfortable process, she believes, will students grow past their barriers and be successful in an unpredictable world.

Biberman-Ocakli will be teaching a 200 level International Politics course centered around the rise of the BRICS, as well as a 300 level Modern Warfare course next semester.