NEWS @ COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE

Announcements & Activities

  1. Commonwealth College Office Will Be Closed, May 2
  2. Statewide Undergraduate Research Conference, May 2
  3. Commonwealth College Leadership Opportunity
  4. Alumni Workshops at the Undergraduate Conference, May 2
  5. 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. Upward Bound, Holyoke Community College, Summer Positions
  2. Commonwealth College Summer Position Available
  3. Paid Summer Research Positions in Provincetown, MA
  4. Researcher Positions Open with Building Justice Campaign

Academic Opportunities

  1. Intensive Elementary German, Fall '08

Campus & Community Events

  1. Graduating Senior, Be a Commencement Leader!
  2. Applying To Law School? Get Some Tips, May 1
  3. “Racism among the Well-Intentioned,” May 1
  4. Writer's Work with Mira Bartók, May 2
  5. Assassination as Sacrifice: A Conference, May 3
  6. Visiting Writers Series Presents James Tate, May 8

— ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTIVITIES —

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED, MAY 2
ComCol administrative and advising offices will close for the day on May 2 because of the Undergraduate Research Conference.

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.

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Do you have an interest in assisting incoming Commonwealth College students during our Welcome Weekend Orientation (formerly Labor Day Orientation) and enhancing your leadership skills? Welcome Weekend Orientation Leaders assist Commonwealth College first year students with their transition to Commonwealth College and UMass. Leaders will have the opportunity to gain group facilitation, teambuilding and other leadership skills while serving as a role model to first year students. Applications still being accepted and due Tuesday, May 6th. Job description and application form are available online.

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 —

UPWARD BOUND, HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Summer employment is available through the Holyoke Community College Upward Bound Program. The Upward Bound Program is currently seeking highly motivated and qualified college students to work during their six week summer academic program. They are looking for both male and female students to fill open Residential Assistant positions and graduate students to fill Teaching positions.
     The Upward Bound Program is a federally funded initiative to assist low income, first generation high school students from the surrounding area to achieve a post secondary education. The program offers academic support, summer classes, tutoring as well as leadership and cultural development workshops to assist students with obtaining acceptance to an institution of high learning.
     The Summer Program tentative date of operation is from July - August 2008 and will be held at the Amherst College campus. This is a six week live-in and overnight position that requires responsibility and good judgment. The application deadline is May 15, 2008. You may contact Denise Salgado at Holyoke Community College 413-552-2044 for further information. See attached documents for Residential Assistant job description, RA application form, and Teaching position description.

COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE SUMMER POSITION AVAILABLE
Commonwealth College is looking for a Welcome Weekend Orientation Coordinator/Program Assistant. This student will work closely with the Assistant Director of Student Programs in the planning and implementation of the orientation program. The Coordinator will assist in leading the Orientation leaders, planning leadership training as well as planning programs for the Fall semester. This position pays $11.50 an hour with a possibility to work 30-40 hours per week, but flexible with a class schedule. Students with an interest in program planning should apply. No previous orientation experience needed as training will be provided.
Apply before Tuesday, May 6th. Job description and application form available online.

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.

— 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.

— 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.

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.

ASSASSINATION AS SACRIFICE: A CONFERENCE, MAY 3
Time: 2:00-5:00pm
Place: Herter 601
   • The Assassination: A Heinous or a Heroic Act?
   • The Assassins: Murderers or Martyrs? Fanatics or Idealists?
      Criminals or Saviors?
   • The Assassinated: Scapegoats or Fallen Tyrants? Victims or
      Criminals?
The Conference on “Assassination as Sacrifice” at the University of Massachusetts Amherst provides a forum for discussing the motivations, planning, execution, and aftermath of assassination within the context of three cultural realms – Ancient Rome, the Middle East, and Bakumatsu Japan.  The presenters will address the socio-political, religious, and ethical ramifications of assassination as sacrifice.

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.