NEWS @ COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE

Announcements & Activities

  1. Statewide Undergraduate Research Conference, May 2
  2. Alumni Committee Meeting
  3. Graduating ComCol Seniors, Want to Address Your Peers?
  4. Leadership Opportunities for Commonwealth College
  5. Dinner and a Movie: A Day without a Mexican, April 28
  6. Alumni Workshops at the Undergraduate Conference, May 2
  7. Commonwealth College End of the Year BBQ, May 8

Achievements, Awards & Accolades

  1. Tim Howd & Jennifer Reddish Share First in Declamation Contest

Internships & Employment

  1. Paid Summer Research Positions in Provincetown, MA
  2. Researcher Positions Open with Building Justice Campaign
  3. Photo Assistants Needed at Commencement

Academic Opportunities

  1. Intensive Elementary German, Fall '08
  2. Do Research in Europe as a UMass Student!
  3. 3 Fall '08 Courses to Help You Get Involved with the Community
  4. Community Service Learning Independent Studies

Campus & Community Events

  1. Graduating Senior, Be a Commencement Leader!
  2. Food Drive to Benefit Amherst Survival Center
  3. CHFA Career Connections Networking Reception, April 24
  4. 8th Annual Juniper Literary Festival, April 25 & 26
  5. UMass Founders Day Celebration, April 29
  6. Applying To Law School? Get Some Tips, May 1
  7. “Racism among the Well-Intentioned,” May 1
  8. Writer's Work with Mira Bartók, May 2
  9. Visiting Writers Series Presents James Tate, May 8

— ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTIVITIES —

STATEWIDE UNDERGRAD RESEARCH CONFERENCE, MAY 2
Location: Lincoln Campus Center
Time: 8am-5pm
The 14th Annual Massachusetts Statewide Undergraduate Research Conference, which includes students from 28 Massachusetts undergraduate institutions of public higher education, will be held May 2nd at UMass Amherst. More than 500 students will be presenting the results of their thesis research, community service projects, creative work, independent study, and study abroad experiences.
    Students, faculty, and department staff are urged to attend the conference and support the fine work of conference presenters. For more information, including a schedule of the day's events, visit our website at www.comcol.umass.edu/conference.

ALUMNI COMMITTEE MEETING
The student run Alumni Committee will meet this Thursday at 7:30pm in 406A Goodell. Any ComCol student is welcome to join in the planning for alumni visits for the upcoming fall semester. Being a part of this committee is a great chance to network with ComCol alum and see what types of opportunities are out there for ComCol graduates. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP to peers@comcol.umass.edu if you would like to attend.

GRADUATING COMCOL SENIORS, WANT TO ADDRESS YOUR PEERS?
We’re looking for a student speaker for the Celebration of Excellence (Saturday, May 24, at 9am in the Mullins Center). If you’re interested, please send a 3-4 page (double spaced) sample of what you’d like to speak about. Speaking time at the ceremony will be 3-5 minutes total. Send submissions to Jennifer Bennett at jdb@comcol.umass.edu by May 4.  Please call Jennifer Bennett if you have any questions (545-2483).

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE
Do you have an interest in assisting incoming Commonwealth College students during our Welcome Weekend Orientation (formally Labor Day Orientation) and enhancing your leadership skills? Find out more and apply to be a Welcome Weekend Orientation Leader.

DINNER & A MOVIE: A DAY WITHOUT A MEXICAN, APRIL 28
Directed by Sergio Arau, this 2004 mockumentary provides a comedic look at what California would be like if Latinos disappeared.
    Show starts at 7:00pm in 504 Goodell and dinner is served at 6:45pm. Please RSVP to peers@comcol.umass.edu for dinner by theFriday before if you plan to attend.

ALUMNI WORKSHOPS AT THE UNDERGRAD CONFERENCE, MAY 2
Commonwealth College invites you to participate in alumni-run workshops as Part of the 14th Annual Undergraduate Conference on Friday, May 2nd in the Campus Center.  More than 400 students will be presenting the results of their research, creative, community service, and study abroad experiences.  Check out their projects, and join us for workshops put on by UMass Amherst honors alumni.
    UMass Amherst honors alumni will offer several workshops for conference participants and Commonwealth College students:

• Research Skills in the Real World – alumni from a wide variety of fields will address the topic: “How Skills Developed During Undergraduate Research Can be Useful After Graduation.”  This will be run in two sessions, at 10:10 a.m., with a particular focus on preparation for graduate level research, and at 1:30 p.m. with a focus on research in careers.

• Public Speaking and Presentation Skills – alumni share tricks of the trade and the value of particularly good presentations.  One session at 10:10 a.m.

• Careers in Community Service – hear from alumni who have turned their interest in community service into careers.  Who knew there were so many options?  One session at 1:30 p.m.

• Marketing Yourself – alumni offer insights on what they look for in job applicants, and how they found their first jobs.  One session at 1:30 p.m.

Seating is limited for these workshops, so please RSVP by April 24 to umcur@comcol.umass.edu to hold your spot.

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE END-OF-YEAR BBQ, MAY 8
Celebrate the completion of a successful year in Commonwealth College by connecting with students, faculty, and staff. Each ComCol student will be receiving a postcard invite through campus mail. Bring this to the event for a FREE ComCol Nalgene bottle! FREE to all Commonwealth College students, faculty and staff RSVP to peers@comcol.umass.edu by May 5. Include any dietary needs and look for your invite.
Date: Thursday, May 8th
Time: 5:30pm-7pm
Location: Lawn in front of Goodell Building Rain site: Goodell Lounge

—ACHIEVEMENTS, AWARDS & ACCOLADES—

TIM HOWD & JENNIFER REDDISH SHARE FIRST PLACE IN CHFA DECLAMATION DAY CONTEST
Commonwealth College's Tim Howd and Jennifer Reddish shared first place with UMass student Alexis Reid in the CHFA-sponsored Declamation Day contest held on April 16. Tim recited Mark Twain's "The Weather"; Jennifer, Louis MacNeice's "Autumn Journal." Fourteen undergraduates participated in the event, organized by Professors Milen Dragicevich (Theater) and Elizabeth Keitel (Classics) and judged by Mr. Thomas Bezanson, Professor Emeritus Peter Elbow (English), and Prof. Julie Nelson (Theater). Joel Martin, Dean of CHFA, presented the prizes.

— INTERNSHIPS & EMPLOYMENT —

PAID SUMMER RESEARCH POSITIONS IN PROVINCETOWN
The University of Massachusetts Medical School has several opportunities available for seasonal Research Assistants in Provincetown, Massachusetts. For more information, see online announcement.

RESEARCHER POSITIONS OPEN WITH BUILDING JUSTICE CAMPAIGN
The Building Justice campaign, a joint effort of the AFL-CIO and several building trades unions, is changing the face of construction work in the Southwest. Building Justice has three openings for an entry-level researcher position with three to six month apprenticeship.  The Researcher compiles information on companies, industries and issues, as well as assisting the campaign in other capacities such as worker and community outreach and helping plan worksite actions.  S/he also assists in campaign strategy development. The Researcher works under the supervision of senior campaign staff and works day to day with lead researchers and organizers to accomplish assignments. Openings are in Las Vegas, Nevada or Phoenix, Arizona.
   Please send a cover letter and resume to Margot Veranes, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 15, at dc15margot@msn.com. For more information, see the full Building Justice campaign announcement or contact Margot Veranes at 602-373-3586.

PHOTO ASSISTANTS NEEDED AT COMMENCEMENT
The Commencement Office is looking for students (non-graduating seniors), staff or community members to assist the professional photographers during undergraduate Commencement. [See flyer for complete information.]

— ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES —

INTENSIVE ELEMENTARY GERMAN, FALL 2008
German and Scandinavian Studies is pleased to offer German 126H, "Intensive Elementary German," in the fall 2008 semester. This is an accelerated, one-semester language course for students who want intensive practice in grammar and acquiring basic speaking skills and who have had no previous training in German.  This is the equivalent of German 110 and 120 and prepares students for German 230: Intermediate German. See on-line flyer for days and times, or contact Kyle Frackman (frackman@german.umass.edu) with questions.

DO RESEARCH IN EUROPE AS A UMASS STUDENT!
Commonwealth College students from across the social sciences, history, and cultural studies are invited to participate in the 2008-2009 round of the European Field Studies (EFS) Program. This three-course program (Fall-Spring-Fall) is ideal for undergraduates preparing an honors thesis. By launching themselves early and intensively into guided field research, students gain international research experience as well as valuable grant-writing skills that make them more successful in advanced graduate research in the social sciences. Working closely with a faculty advisor, EFS participants develop and carry out independent, ethnographic research projects in Europe (including Turkey and the former Soviet Union). Past participants in the program have published their research in peer-reviewed journals and presented at major conferences. Further information is available online or contact the EFS program director, Prof. Krista Harper at <kharper@anthro.umass.edu>.

COURSES TO HELP YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY
Honors 292S, Engaging with the Community: An Introduction to Community Service Learning, introduces you to the practice of Community Service Learning—including how to engage effectively with a community through its people and organizations and how to learn deeply from that experience. In this course you will encounter and learn from people who have different experiences, opinions, racial and ethnic and class backgrounds from yourself -- and you will get to know yourself better. You will develop skills for experiential learning and for taking charge of your own education -- including observation, journaling, and learning circles -- that you can use in your UMass education and beyond. This course fulfills the Interdisciplinary and U.S. Diversity Gen. Ed. Requirements. This Fall, Engaging with the Community will have three sections. [See flyer for full information.]

COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING INDEPENDENT STUDIES
Are you interested in designing your own service-learning independent study? The Community Service Learning Honors Independent Study (CSLHIS) program, offered through the Office of Community Service Learning, gives you the opportunity to link service with a community organization to course work.
    This program enables you to earn up to two additional credits by integrating a service-learning experience with one of your UMass courses of three credits or more (from this semester or last semester).  You will need to find a service placement that relates to your course content and also ask your course instructor to sponsor you.  If you need assistance finding a placement, visit Community Service Links at www.umass.edu/csl or speak with the CSLHIS Coordinator. CSLHIS is open to all UMass students. For more information, visit www.umass.edu/csl/CSLHIS, or contact the Office of Community Service Learning, 610 Goodell, 545-2015, servelearn@acad.umass.edu. Applications will be accepted during pre-registration through September 29th.

— CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EVENTS —

GRADUATING SENIOR, BE A COMMENCEMENT LEADER!
Are you good at taking and giving direction?  Want to be a leader at Commencement? We Need You…About 400 of you, to be exact, at Commencement on Saturday, May 24, 2008 to help with the processional into the stadium and the UMass Amherst medal presentation during the ceremony. Interested? Sign up now.

FOOD DRIVE TO BENEFIT AMHERST SURVIVAL CENTER
The OCSL at 610 Goodell Building is a drop-off site for the UMass Amherst Alumni Association food drive to benefit the Amherst Survival Center. We will be accepting donations now until April 30th. There is also an opportunity for students and staff to help out by taking donated goods from the OCSL to the main UMass collection site at 37 Mather. See the on-line flyer from the Alumni Association for a list of what items are most needed, and also what not to donate.

CHFA CAREER CONNECTIONS NETWORKING RECEPTION, APRIL 24
Fine Arts Center Lobby, 3:00-6:00pm
The College of Humanities and Fine Arts Career Connections connects current students with successful CHFA graduates. Alumni/ae from CHFA departments will be available to discuss their current professions and how their education in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts relates to their careers. Refreshments provided and raffle for an IPOD Touch!

8th ANNUAL JUNIPER LITERARY FESTIVAL, APRIL 25 & 26
The 8th annual Juniper Festival, The World & the Word, will explore the confluence of environmental science and literary art.  Poets, essayists, fiction writers, activists, publishers, and scientists will gather to investigate the many ways environmental science and literary art need and nourish one another.  [See flyer for full information and events calendar.]

UMASS FOUNDERS DAY CELELBRATION, APRIL 29
Governor Deval Patrick will join us on Tuesday, April 29, to help celebrate UMass Amherst's first Founders Day, and to honor the commitment to public service that has guided our growth since 1863. The celebration will begin at 10 a.m. in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall with music and dance performances by campus talent, then move outside to the Haigis Mall area for more celebratory activities. See Chancellor Cole's announcement for complete information.

APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOL? GET SOME TIPS, MAY 1
3:00 to 5:00pm
Campus Center 803
The Nuts and Bolts of the Process: A Workshop with Pre-law Advisor Matthew Light will cover such topics as
.     LSAC, the LSAT, and the LSDAS
.     Application procedures and deadlines
.     Required forms and documents
.     Mistakes to avoid
Rising seniors are especially encouraged to attend! The workshop is free and open to all UMass, Five College students and alumni. Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by the UMass Pre-Law Advising Office.  For more information, email prelaw@acad.umass.edu.

“RACISM AMONG THE WELL-INTENTIONED,” MAY 1
4:00pm in Herter 231
The Psychology Department, ONSA, and Psi Chi Honor Society welcome Yale University Professor Dr. John Dovidio, who will speak on “Racism among the Well-Intentioned: From Interpersonal Processes to Intergroup Bias.”
    This presentation will discuss how one form of contemporary bias, aversive racism, can subtly shape Whites interactions with Blacks in ways that disadvantage Blacks. Aversive racism adversely affects the ways that Whites evaluate Blacks in making judgments about them, and it influences interracial interactions in ways that produce miscommunication and intergroup distrust. Thus, even bias that is subtle and unintentional can systematically contribute to racial disparities and tensions. Understanding the nature and consequences of subtle bias, however, can inform interventions that can combat its effects.

WRITER'S WORK WITH MIRA BARTÓK, MAY 2
2:00pm
Bartlett 256
An expert on artists' fellowships, grants, and awards, Bartók will share her extensive experience with researching and pursuing funding and residency opportunities for writers and other artists. See flyer for complete information.

VISITING WRITERS SERIES PRESENTS JAMES TATE, MAY 8
The Visiting Writers Series at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is pleased to announce a poetry reading by James Tate on Thursday, May 8 at 8 PM in Memorial Hall. Tate was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His works include The Worshipful Company of Fletchers, which won the National Book Award, and Selected Poems, which won the Pulitzer Prize. His awards include a National Institute of Arts and Letters Award, the Wallace Stevens Award, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. James Tate’s latest book of poetry, The Ghost Soldiers, was recently released by Ecco.
   The reading will be followed by a reception and book signing. All Visiting Writers Series events are free, open to the public, and wheelchair accessible.