News @ Commonwealth College

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE NOTICES

SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS & OTHER SUPPORT

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EVENTS

STUDENT LIFE

 

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE NOTICES

HONORS ADVISING BEFORE PRE-REGISTRATION

Pre-reg is right around the corner – April 10. Now is a good time to meet with an honors advisor to discuss honors course requirements for the fall. You may call 545-2483 to make an appointment.

BE AN ACADEMIC PEER ADVISOR IN ORCHARD HILL

Live with and mentor a wing of Commonwealth College learning community students. Work with the designated faculty members of the learning community. Be a source of information and answer questions for students. You and your roommate will have a guaranteed room in Orchard Hill, and you’ll receive $1000 per semester.
   Click here for complete information, or contact Melissa Beesley with questions (mbeesley@comcol.umass.edu). Interviews will be held April 10-13, and decisions will be made by April 14.

CSL DEAN'S BOOK COURSE OPEN FOR FALL '06, APPLY NOW

Want to give back to your community? Want to finish your Dean’s Book requirements in 1 semester? Apply for Dean’s Book CSL!
   The Dean’s Book Community Service Learning class is a 3-credit course that combines 291, 391, and a community service component. You must have junior status or above by Fall 2006 to be eligible for the class. This fall, there will be two books, Aquariums of Pyongyang, by Chol-Hwan Kang and another chosen by the instructor. Students then do 20 hours of community service based on the themes from the book. It should be a really exciting semester. If you would like to apply for the course, either stop by 610 Goodell to pick up an application, download an application here, or contact the community service coordinator, Meghan Henry, at mehenry@student.umass.edu. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling admission basis so the sooner you apply the better your chances are of getting into the class. Thanks!

FILM SERIES: BLACK ORPHEUS, APRIL 4

Come join us and watch a critically acclaimed classic as we continue with our 'Rebel With a Cause' Film Series on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 in the Goodell Lounge. Snacks and refreshments provided! Check out the summary below!

Camus' winner of the Palme d'Or winner at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival is a modern reinterpretation of the myth of Orpheus which simultaneously celebrates the beauty, music and people of Brazil. In this version of the ages-old tale, Orpheus is a streetcar conductor and star Carnival dancer who is in betrothed to the determined Mira but is in love with Eurydice. As Mira and Death himself pursue the doomed Orpheus and his lover through the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Carnival literally brings the streets to life. Lush photography and the timeless and brilliant bossa nova sounds of Jobim give the film a distinct power and beauty. (www.rottentomatoes.com)

WWWORKSHOP: STAYING ON TRACK, APRIL 5

You’re invited to attend this week’s workshop about the Capstone Experience. This workshop is devoted to covering things you should have done, and things you should be thinking about. The workshop will be separated by class year. Workshops run from 6-7pm in the Goodell Lounge, and include sandwiches from the Loose Goose. Please RSVP to peers@comcol.umass.edu if you plan on attending!

WILLIAMSON LECTURE: GOD, DESIGN, AND DARWIN: EVOLUTION & THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA'S SOUL, APRIL 19

Fine Arts Center Concert Hall
UMass Amherst Campus
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Free Admission
Kenneth R. Miller, Professor of Biology, Brown University, and one of the leading opponents of the intelligent design movement will give the 6th annual Kathryn and Paul Williamson Commonwealth College Lecture on "God, Design, and Darwin: Evolution and the Battle for America's Soul." A practicing Roman Catholic, Professor Miller is well known for his defense of evolution in the evolution-intelligent design debate. He has appeared as an expert witness in court cases and has frequently debated proponents of intelligent design. Recently, he was the lead expert witness for the evolution side in the federal court case brought against the Dover, Pennsylvania, school board that had mandated the incorporation of intelligent design into the school curriculum. Professor Miller promises to offer interesting counterpoint to Dr. Michael Behe’s February lecture challenging Darwin’s theories of evolution. Click here for more information.

SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS & OTHER SUPPORT

NEWS OFFICE STUDENT ASSISTANT POSITION, FALL 2006

The Office of News and Information is seeking candidates for a Student Assistant for the 2006-07 academic year. Learn how to create and distribute news and feature stories for the news media and the campus community. Write, edit, proofread and help manage the hometown news program. Provide telephone and clerical support in fast-paced office. Computer skills a big plus. Up to 20 hours per week, $8 per hour. Outstanding opportunity for students considering a career in public relations or journalism. Orientation period will begin soon. CONTACT: Christine Davies, Office of News and Information, 200 Munson Hall. Call 545-0444, or e-mail davics@urd.umass.edu.

PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY WITH TEACH FOR AMERICA

Teach for America is currently hiring Campus Campaign Managers to work with Teach For America's recruitment team to create and implement an ambitious recruitment campaign to recruit talented and diverse college seniors for the 2007 corps. Campus Campaign Managers work on campus to network with faculty, present in classrooms, and engage in strategic marketing plans in order to inspire future leaders to join the movement to end educational inequity. Interested? Visit our website to learn more.

UMASS CITIZEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM & SCHOLARSHIPS

Are you interested in . . .
** Service ** Activism ** Organizing ** Leadership ** Learning ** Justice ** Politics **?
Apply to the UMASS CITIZEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM!
In this two-year academic service learning program, you develop knowledge and skills needed to be an effective community leader—-one who can work collaboratively with others to devise and implement strategies for social change. Connecting real experiences in the community to your classes brings your learning to life!
  This program is open to all majors, and scholarships are available for participants.
  Eligible students have:
• at least four semesters remaining on campus
• a strong academic record (typically demonstrated by a cumulative GPA
of 3.2)
• a commitment to community engagement and social justice
  Learn more at the Office of Community Service Learning, 610 Goodell, 545-2015, or email servelearn@acad.umass.edu. Applications due: April 3, 2006. (Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed as long as space in the program is still available.)

FALL WORK-STUDY & INTERNSHIPS AT EVERYWOMAN'S CENTER

Everywoman's Center is now hiring new staff for next fall. We offer work-study, volunteer, and internship positions. Serve your campus and community women while gaining valuable skills. Click here for full information.

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EVENTS

GET INVOLVED WITH RELAY FOR LIFE!

The Five College Relay For Life is an annual event put on by the American Cancer Society, and is being held April 21-22 this year. It is a terrific event where teams pledge to spend 18 hours walking around the track at Amherst College to raise money and awareness about cancer research. Teams from all five colleges will be involved, making a great opportunity to meet people and make new friends! The night will be filled with many fun events, including live music, contests, games and prizes! If you're interested in joining a team or forming one of your own, please email UMassRelay@hotmail.com or check out the Relay For Life website. Let's join together in the fight against cancer!

FILMS BY PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI WOMEN DIRECTORS, MARCH 28 & 30

The UMass Amherst Office of Jewish Affairs is proud to present two films by Palestinian and Israeli women directors, exploring their search for identity in a fractured society:
PARADISE LOST by Palestinian director Ebtisam Mara’ana (2003, 56 minutes, color; Arabic & Hebrew with English subtitles) Tuesday, March 28, 7:30 p.m. in Thompson 102.
ANOTHER ROAD HOME by Israeli director Danae Elon (2005, 89 minutes, color) Thursday, March 30, 7:45 p.m. in Flavin Family Auditorium,Isenberg School of Management, Room 137.
Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.umass.edu/jewish/.

OBIE WINNER DEB MARGOLIN AT UMASS, MARCH 31

Deb Margolin – playwright, performance artist, Obie Award winner, and founding member of the Split Britches theater company – will perform at the Curtain Theatre in the Fine Arts Center of UMass Amherst on Friday, March 31, at 8:00 p.m. A thought-provoking and inspirational talkback will follow.
  Ms. Margolin recently received the 2005 Kesselring Prize for Playwriting from the National Arts Club and is the author of seven full-length solo performance pieces.  She has lectured extensively at universities throughout the country, has been an artist in residence at Hampshire College and the University of Hawaii, and is currently an Assistant Professor in Yale University's Theater Studies Program. A book of Ms. Margolin's performance pieces and plays, titled Of All The Nerve: Deb Margolin SOLO, was published in 1999 by Cassell/Continuum Press.
  This event has been funded in part by a grant from the UMass Arts Council and is being presented by the Commonwealth College Capstone Courageous Chaos, assisted by the UMass Theatre Department and Performance Studies. Directions to the Curtain Theater may be found at www.umass.edu/theater/directions.html. This event is free and open to the public.

JUBILAT/JONES POETRY READING AND SWAP, APRIL 2

Reading by jubilat editors Jen Bervin and Terrance Hayes begins at 3:00. Poetry Swap at 2:00pm hosted by Dara Wier, Andrew Michael Roberts and guests—bring a poem, yours or someone else's. Events will take place in the Robert Frost Room at the Jones Library, 43 Amity Street in Amherst, and will be followed by a Q & A session with both guest poets. All events are free and open to the public. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Jones Library, jubilat, and the Juniper Initiative of the UMass MFA Program for Poets and Writers. This program is also supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council.

CAMPUS TO CAREER PROGRAMS: INTERVIEWING STRATEGIES, APRIL 4

4:00 p.m., Memorial Hall
Free admission, pizza and soda provided
Learn How to Get Noticed:
   Alumni guest speaker, Sara Coady ’02, will discuss what employers look for when identifying the best candidate for a position. Sara is a senior recruiter for Keane, Inc., a Boston-based business and IT services firm that delivers strategy consulting, application, and business process services to clients. In her position as recruiter, she works with clients to qualify their hiring needs, and then conducts research to identify the best candidate. She also reviews resumes, conducts interviews and negotiates pay. Register at www.UMassAlumni.com/students. For more information, contact Melanie Corbeil at 545-9705 or mcorbeil@admin.umass.edu.

WRITERS WORK WITH LORI SHINE, APRIL 4

4:00-5:00pm
Bartlett Hall, Room 456
    Lori Shine is Managing Editor of poetry publisher Wave Books, formerly Verse Press. A graduate of the UMass MFA Program for Poets and Writers, her poems have appeared in Boston Review, The Canary, Conduit, New American Writing, and other magazines, and in Isn't It Romantic: 100 Love Poems by Younger American Poets. Join us as Lori discusses her experience helping to get a new independent press off the ground, establishing it as a national force, and transforming it from a not-for-profit to a for-profit poetry press.

EDITOR OF TIKKUN MAGAZINE TO SPEAK, APRIL 6

Editor of TIKKUN magazine Rabbi Michael Lerner will speak about his new book, The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right, on Thursday, April 6, at 7:30pm in Flavin Family Auditorium, Isenberg School of Management, Room 137.In this his latest book, Rabbi Lerner argues that the Religious Right has gained power by speaking to the real spiritual hunger of many Americans but channeled that hunger into support for war and militarism, cuts to programs for the poor, tax breaks for the rich, and environmental irresponsibility. For more information, visit http://www.umass.edu/jewish/.

“VIOLENCE IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS,” APRIL 6

4:00pm–5:00pm --- Lecture
5:00pm-6:00pm ---Book Signing
Campus Center Room 1009
Admission: Free
The School of Public Health & Health Sciences presents “Violence in Adolescent Girls” by Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith. Dr. Prothrow-Stith is a nationally recognized public health leader, and she was appointed as the first woman commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1987. She has authored and /or co-authored over 80 publications on medical and public health issues.For more information please contact Kathern F. Perreault at Kathern@nursing.umass.edu or 413-545-2526.

LOBBY DAY FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS, APRIL 26

Info Meeting, April 4
Have you ever thought of running for office, but couldn't afford it? Do you know anyone who would make a great State Senator but they don't have the funds? Do you ever get the feeling that all legislators are starting to look alike?
   Basically, campaigns have become incredibly expensive. The only people who can afford to run for office are the wealthiest people. Everyday people (firefighters, teachers..) are left out of the system.
   Well, now's our chance to change all that.
We're organizing a Lobby Day in Boston. We are going to be advocating for fair election systems which provide state funding for political candidates. With your help, Massachusetts will have a better election system that would allow virtually anyone to step up to the plate and run for office!
   The Lobby Day will be held on Wednesday, April 26th at the State House in Boston. Transportation will be provided! This is a great opportunity to meet and feel comfortable interacting with your elected officials.
   Don't know how to lobby? Not a problem! There will be trainings during the week of Tent State University here at UMass.

If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then I need you to attend an important meeting next Tuesday, April 4th. Time and location are TBA. The meeting will be very brief. I will have a lot more information and instructions on how to notify your state rep and senator that you're coming to talk to them! If you are interested or have any questions please contact Kate Baldacci at kate.baldacci@gmail.com.

STUDENT LIFE

LAST CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SENIOR PHOTO TAKEN!

Hey Seniors: This is your last chance to have your senior photo taken! The yearbook photographer will be on campus April 4-13 to take your picture. Go to www.ouryear.com, or call 1-800-OUR-YEAR to register today. The school code for UMass is 147. It's your yearbook, why wouldn't you want to be in it?!

BOWL WEEKEND: OPEN MIC TALENT REVIEW!

The long awaited Bowl Weekend is coming up rather quickly and we need you! If you have any talent such as singing, dancing, telling jokes, juggling, or can swallow fireballs then you’re perfect for Bowl Weekend’s Open Mic Talent Review! During Bowl Weekend’s Bowl Day/Country Fair, held May 13th from 11am-4pm, we will be giving you the chance to strut your stuff and show the entire campus what you’ve got. Invite friends, have fun, and join! We'll need entries in by May 4th at 8pm. If you enter then, you will be guaranteed a spot, if you’re late we will be accepting you the day of Open Mic. Come by the Orchard Hill Area Government (OHAG) office located in 112 Field right next to Sweets N’ More from 8-10pm Monday-Thursday or e-mail us at orchardhillag@gmail.com and please title your entry as “Open Mic."

SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO mOthertongue

Do you write? Do you write in more than one language? Then submit and be published in this year's mOthertongue! mOthertongue is a multilingual literary journal for the Five College community, based out of UMass. To submit, simply email your writing in a foreign tongue, along with an English translation, to mothertongue.complit@gmail.com. We'd also be happy to answer any questions you might have.
    mOthertongue is a fantastic opportunity to publish in a unique medium -- we encourage native speakers to submit in their tongue, and English speakers to submit in another language they have learned; plus it's not just for undergrads -- grad students, too!