FUSE STAFF
gives you a firsthand glimpse of the Ithaca College experience through
ENTS D It’s your choice—and we hope this makes it easier.
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contributors to this issue
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BY STU
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—Fuse staff
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stories and photography by current IC students. Is Ithaca right for you?
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Having done our own college searches, we know how hard it is to make the right choice, especially when all the information you get sounds so similar. That’s why we’ve created Fuse magazine, a publication that
Writer/Editors Courtney Clemente ’09 Candace Edwards ’09 Meredith Farley ’09 Alyssa Figueora ’12 Shanan Glandz ’09 Maggie Hibma ’09 Alyssa Letsch ’11 Allison Musante ’10 Katherine R. Slifer ’09 Meghan Swope ’11 Photo Editor Jeff Goodwin ’10 Photographers Caylena Cahill ’10 Nick Deel ’09 Mike Grippi ’10 Nicole McAdoo ’11 Heather Newberger ’10 Allison Usavage ’12 Matt Watkajtys ’11
Adam Butalewicz, M.M.’09 I’m a second-year graduate student in clarinet performance from Mechanicsville, Virginia. I have performed as a soloist with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, at the 15th annual Festival of Winds and Percussion in Richmond, Virginia, and with the Greater Richmond Youth Wind Ensemble. I am currently writing a book on the clarinet’s role in chamber music, and applying to doctoral programs to further my studies in music pedagogy and performance.
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The Ithaca College Experience | spring 2009
Alice Pak ’09 I'm a double major in journalism and politics from Round Rock, Texas, a suburb of Austin. I enjoy keeping up on and delivering the news, especially on the air. I hope to be a reporter after I graduate, be it in broadcasting, online, in print, or all three.
Videographers Laura Caccavo ’10 Kyle Kelley ’10 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Interim Dean of Enrollment Planning Rit Fuller ’73 Director of Admission Gerard Turbide Executive Director of Marketing Communications Tom Torello ’87 Executive Editor Bonny Georgia Griffith ’92 Managing Editor Lisa N. Maresca Web Editor Elise Nicol ’83 Copy Editor Nancy J. Jacoby
Taryn Michelitch, M.S. ’09 I’m an occupational therapy major from Arlington, Virginia. I earned my bachelor's degree in occupational science in May 2008 and am completing the master's degree portion of the five-year program this year. I'm currently involved in my final months of academic coursework and preparing for fieldwork.
Print Manager Peter M. Kilcoyne ’05
contents
› 2 CAMPUS SCOOP • • • • • • • • • • • •
14 Making Cool Music A budding musician reflects on life-changing performances in Russia. By Adam Butalewicz, M.M. ’09
4
Follow these tips to avoid the most common roommate friction points.
of Fashion It’s not all glitz and glamour at an internship at Tommy Hilfiger.
ON THE COVER:
Roommate Rules
20 The Business By Alyssa Letsch ’10
17 Yuk It Up
21 Dishing Dirt with
Laugh out loud with the members of IC Comedy Club and IC Stand Up.
Ithaca’s Gossip Girl Amanda Setton ’07 rockets from IC to one of TV’s hottest shows.
By Shanan Glandz ’09
By Meredith Farley ’09
18 International Insight
6 Healing Hands An OT major tests her treatment skills at the Ithaca Free Clinic.
Professor Asma Barlas challenges her students to think differently. By Heather Karschner ’10
By Taryn Michelitch, M.S. ’09
10 Documentary Workshop: A Reel World Challenge Get an inside look at one of the Park School’s most difficult classes. By Alice Pak ’09
8 A Real Scream John Clisham ’03 creates a horror film hit for Xbox Live. By Allison Musante ’10
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23 SPORTS REPORT 28 THE REAL DEAL Got questions about IC? Our students have the answers.
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Fuse Online Extras Did you know the Fuse website has fresh news, features, photo galleries, videos, and more? Don’t miss out on these hot web exclusives.
Visit fuse.ithaca.edu today! Volume 3, Issue 1. Spring 2009 Copyright 2009 by Fuse, Ithaca College. All rights reserved. Ithaca College Fuse (USPS 24143) is published four times a year, quarterly (winter, spring, summer, and fall) by Ithaca College, Office of Admission, Ithaca, NY 14850-7000. Periodicals postage paid at Ithaca, New York, and additional entry offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Fuse, Ithaca College, Office of Admission, Ithaca, NY 14850-7000.
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CAMPUS C O O P IC Radio Wins Definitive College Music Award WICB, Ithaca College’s student-run radio station won the mtvU Woodie Award this year for best college radio station. The award ceremony was held in November in New York City. The mtvU Woodie Awards are the self-proclaimed definitive college music awards. IC was up against Sacramento State University, Auburn University, DePauw University, Emerson College, and Seton Hall University. Voting was completed online. WICB is an affiliate of both ABC Radio and the Associated Press. It features news and sports departments, discussion segments, and of course, IC’s favorite tunes. You can stream WICB live anytime, anywhere, from www.wicb.org.
Students Show Off Their Work at National Conference Photos from www.ncur.org
Ithaca College will send 25 students to the 2009 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in April at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse to present research they’ve completed throughout the academic year. This annual conference, designed to promote undergraduate research across all disciplines, draws nearly 2,500 students and faculty from hundreds of colleges and universities across the nation. Special Assistant to the Provost Marian Brown said that the conference is unique because students with research from different academic areas—science, humanities, communications, and health—present at a single conference. Communication management and design major Janelle Mackereth ’09 says she is excited to present: “It will be a great opportunity to share my own findings and to see what other students across the country have been working on.” In 2011, Ithaca College will have the honor of hosting NCUR. Brown says that she and her colleagues are delighted that Ithaca will have a chance to welcome this prestigious event and its participants.
New Language and Culture Communities Coming This Fall Students who want to experience global culture right where they live on campus will soon have more opportunities to do so. Starting this fall, three new language and culture communities are coming to Ithaca College. Joining Vecinos, the Spanish language and culture housing, is Amici, the Italian language house. Amici lets students immerse themselves in Italian culture and practice the language. The living community will hold regular events such as film nights, cooking programs, music nights, guest speakers, and conversation groups. Quartier Francais is the new French language residential learning community that will offer programming to expose students to French culture and language. A new German language and culture community will also be offered this fall. These residential learning communities are a great way to learn or practice a foreign language, meet new people, and experience a little taste of Europe right in Ithaca!
STUDENTS ATTEND UN CONFERENCE Last December 19 Ithaca College students accompanied faculty to the annual United Nations Forum Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Pozan, Poland. The students went as part of the College’s International Environmental Policy course. The conference aims to create consensus regarding the implementation of an international agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol. Students were given observer status at the convention, which granted them conference-wide access, and they had the opportunity to witness firsthand the negotiations between world leaders to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The conference called for a green energy revolution and urged each participant to promote investment in alternative energies such as solar, wind, and wave power in his or her own country. Equipped with information from the UNFCCC and facts about the crisis of global warming, the students committed themselves to spreading awareness on campus and in their personal lives to reduce human impact on the planet. A firsthand account of the conference and other student commitments and experiences can be found at icpoznanclimateconference.blogspot.com.
Photo courtesy of Adam Peruta
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ITHACA’S IRON MAN While most of us spent Thanksgiving break catching up on lost sleep and enjoying leftovers, Adam Peruta, assistant professor of strategic communication, was in Tempe, Arizona, competing in the Ironman, a triathlon that comprises a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run—a total of 140.6 miles. Athletes have 17 hours to complete the event. The competition was the culmination of months of training for Peruta; he biked, swam, and ran for up to 25 hours a week, racking up a whopping 5,000 miles in preparation for the big day. “It was very overwhelming,” Professor Peruta recalls. “I trained for nearly 10 months. You really have to change your lifestyle for a commitment like this. Training in addition to a working a full-time job was not easy. I chose to do the Ironman because I knew it would be hard—it takes a lot of mental determination as well as physical endurance.” His goal for the competition was to finish in 12 hours, and he finished in an impressive 11 hours and 57 minutes—in 82-degree weather! Professor Peruta attributes his success to excellent preparation, determination, and his thirst for a challenge. “I wanted to push myself and see how much I could handle, and I put in the proper time training, so I was well prepared,” he says. “The Ironman is everything I've always wanted to do. It is everything I represent—hard work, discipline, setting high goals.” Congrats to IC’s man of steel, Professor Peruta! fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 3
Photos by Jeff Goodwin '10 and Mike Grippi '10
feature | ROOMMATE RULES
ROOMMATE
RULES by ALLISON MUSANTE ’10
It doesn’t matter whether you grew up as an only child or shared a bedroom with your siblings. Living in a small space with someone you hardly know can induce culture shock. Although many roomies bond and become fast friends, others don’t, and conflicts can arise in even the best of relationships. Here are five of the most common roommate friction points and some helpful tips on how to deal with them.
STUDY HABITS
SHARING
You like to study in silence; she needs noise.
You’d never borrow something without asking; she doesn’t respect your things or your space.
Take time to talk about when and how you like to study before classes (and the related stress) start. You should both be able to study in your room, but it helps to be flexible. Taking your books to the library or Campus Center—both of which have wireless Internet access—while your roommate studies in the room is a good compromise. You may even discover that you prefer studying outside your room!
It’s sad but true: some roommates may eat your food, borrow clothes and other items without asking, or invite guests without first consulting you. There’s nothing worse than being uncomfortable in your own space, so set clear expectations and boundaries right from the start.
CLEANLINESS You’re a total neat-freak; he’s a slob. You can’t really force your roommate to pick up after himself, but you shouldn’t have to live in a smelly or messy room either. Try to set a standard for overall room neatness that you can both agree on, and alternate turns taking out the trash, cleaning out the fridge, and getting the vacuum from the resident assistant (RA). After all, those cookie crumbs may be on his side, but you can bet those ants will be all over the room!
your roommate will return the favor by not blasting music or the TV until 2:00 a.m. You both deserve to get your much-needed rest, but this area is one that may take lots of compromise.
SOCIAL LIFE You’re here to study; she’s here to party. Some students take the freedom of college life to extremes. If your roommate’s after-hours behavior becomes an issue for you, confront him or her immediately. If you can’t work this one out on your own, you may need help from your RA or the counseling center, especially if your roommate’s partying becomes a health or safety concern.
Learn more about dorm living at www.ithaca.edu/reslife.
SLEEP PATTERNS You’re an early bird; he’s a night owl. If you get up early for classes and your roommate likes to sleep until noon, be courteous—try not to let your alarm clock ring for too long, and try not to make too much noise in the morning. Hopefully
Here’s the cardinal rule about roommates: never simmer in silence. Always talk through issues that come up. During the first few days of school your RA will give you a roommate contract so you can discuss all the details of living together, from who takes out the trash to how late guests can stay at night. Of course you can change the rules of the contract as the year progresses, but if your roommate breaks a rule, speak up! Little annoyances can become big issues later on if you don’t make your voice heard.
Here’s the cardinal rule about roommates: never simmer in silence. Most roommates find some way to coexist even if they don’t become lifelong friends, but what happens when two people just can’t make it work? STEP 1
Get help from your RA. He or she can lend a sympathetic ear and help you find ways to compromise.
STEP 2
For more serious conflicts that your RA can’t resolve, visit Ithaca’s counseling center. It’s another great campus resource for mediating conflict between roommates.
STEP 3
The Office of Residential Life allows you to make a room switch after the first two weeks of classes. You fill out a form requesting the kind of room you’d like to move into, but you’re limited to what’s available, and you could wind up with another unpleasant roommate.
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 5
feature | HEALING HANDS
Healing HA NDS My Experience at the Ithaca Free Clinic by TARYN MICHELITCH, M.S. ’09
ast spring an invitation went out to senior occupational therapy majors to join a unique research opportunity. Julie Dorsey, assistant professor of occupational therapy, was looking for students to help conduct a needs assessment for the Ithaca Free Clinic. I had often wondered about the clinic, and I jumped at the chance to be involved with this research. The Ithaca Free Clinic is a holistic health care center offering a variety services to people who have little or no medical insurance. All the clinicians are volunteers from the community, and they provide basic medical care, nutrition consultation, acupuncture, herbalist appointments, and chiropractic services. The assessment team comprised Professor Dorsey, Rebecca Palmese, M.S. ’09, Jenessa Fisk, M.S. ’09, and me. Our first step was to survey community members and the patients and staff at the clinic to find out how the occupational therapy department could best partner with the clinic. Our team was excited to be involved in something new and different, and after a
Beyond treating patients, we were involved in education and publicity. We gave an informal presentation for other clinic doctors to describe the occupational therapy services we could offer and answer questions about patients who might be appropriate for referral for occupational therapy. We sent information to other organizations in the community that serve populations similar to the clinic clientele. Last, we traveled to the annual conferences of the New York Occupational Therapy Association and the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professionals and gave poster presentations about our work. We felt empowered networking and exchanging program ideas with other students and professionals in our field. These experiences have been invaluable to me and my classmates. I gained unique research and treatment experience, and had to solve problems and adjust plans quickly. I gave professional presentations and watched a program
The Ithaca Free Clinic gave us experience with a population that few of us had worked with before. We had to be conscious of special issues that affected our low-income clients. semester of collecting surveys, the results showed that clinic clients would be likely to use a variety of direct occupational therapy services. We presented our findings in a proposal to Steve Siconolfi, the dean of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance. After reviewing the proposal, he approved a budget and we began offering services to the clinic as part of a pilot class. We were joined by classmate Anna Yahner, M.S. ’09 as we performed our first evaluations, treated our first clients, and led an in-service presentation for the clinic doctors. The Ithaca Free Clinic gave us experience with a population that few of us had worked with before. We had to be conscious of special issues that affected our low-income clients. For example, many clients relied on public transportation, making it difficult and timeconsuming for them to make appointments. Others did not have consistently working phones to confirm appointments. We also had to modify our home programs to fit the equipment that our clients had—for example, figuring out a way for clients to warm heating packs without a microwave. The most significant difference for me was the need to work without a conclusive diagnosis. Most of our clients could not afford diagnostic tests such as X-ray or MRI, so we had to use our evaluation skills and shift our treatment plans as changes arose.
What is occupational therapy? Occupational therapy is a clinical profession that focuses on helping people regain, maintain, or develop skills they need to function in their everyday lives. Occupational therapists address physical, cognitive, and mental abilities and work with people of all ages and in all locations, including hospitals, schools, clinics, and private residences.
grow from proposal to reality, and as a result, I continue to have bigger and better hopes for the Ithaca Free Clinic partnership with IC occupational therapy students. The class will run again next semester with more student and faculty involvement. I hope that there will be more program planning and more integration into the occupational therapy coursework because the partnership with the clinic is such a rich learning environment. Working with the Ithaca Free Clinic has reaffirmed one of the main reasons I chose Ithaca’s occupational therapy program—its vast and diverse clinical opportunities for students. I’ve been involved with the on-campus pediatric clinic every semester since my sophomore year, and I spent two semesters with the Center for Life Skills, an interdisciplinary treatment program for clients who have had strokes. The opportunities I’ve had at the Ithaca Free Clinic and on-campus clinics have provided incredible hands-on learning experiences. I hope that the students who follow in our footsteps not only benefit from the chance to work at the Ithaca Free Clinic but also know that it’s possible for them to develop new programs, just like we did.
Learn more about IC’s clinics at
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The author works with a patient at the clinic.
www.ithaca.edu/ hshp/clinics. fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 7
feature | A REAL SCREAM
A RE A L
by ALLISON MUSANTE ’10
SCREAM Photos courtesy of John Clisham '03
John Clisham ’03 Brings His Horror Film to Xbox Live
John Clisham ’03 is a self-proclaimed computer geek who graduated from Ithaca College with the dream of being a writer and film director. Clisham is living that dream today, watching his short horror film Janitor skyrocket in popularity to become the number one download on Xbox Live. Xbox Live is an online community for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 users that allows them to download purchased or promotional content such as games and movies.
A cinema and photography major at IC, Clisham is finding that his love of horror has put him in the company of blockbuster horror film directors Leigh Whannell and James Wan of Saw and Andrew Douglas of The Amityville Horror remake. This group of directors is pioneering the first short films on Xbox Live. Clisham’s fascination with horror movies goes back to his days as a young boy growing up in a small town in Maine.
the Santa Monica production company of director James Cameron, through Ithaca College’s Los Angeles program in 2002. While interning for the Oscarwinning director, Clisham says his experience using the audio-video equipment accessible to students at the Park Portable Equipment Center proved to be a tremendous advantage. He helped shoot the final episode of the television show Dark Angel when no one else on
It was during his work at Lightstorm that Clisham was discovered. Executives from Microsoft passing through his office noticed horror shorts that Clisham was producing for his website on nights and weekends. Microsoft was getting ready to test the idea of delivering films on Xbox Live, and the executives told Clisham to pitch his ideas to the company, which he did. The horror clips paved the way to producing Janitor.
“I read about and studied these great directors and their work at school, and now I’m making my own stuff. It doesn’t get any better than this!” “I don’t know what it is about horror; I never get sick of it,” he says. “I just can’t take my eyes off it, even though most of the stories are formulaic. Saw VI is coming out next fall, and I’m going to be there opening night. I don’t know why, but I just love it.” As an undergraduate, Clisham built a résumé for success by mixing and matching skills from his work and internship experiences, student film production, and writing classes. He worked on campus for Information Technology Services (ITS) as a technology instructor, teaching faculty how to use web design and video editing software. Clisham applied his technology skills from ITS and class film projects to get his foot in the door of the moviemaking industry. He scored an internship at Lightstorm Entertainment,
the production team knew how to use the camera for a particular special effect. “I already knew how to use it,” he says. “And they were all amazed!” Clisham continued working for ITS after graduation, producing video and photos for the Ithaca College website. He credits the job as being one of his first learning experiences in job interviewing and professionalism. Two years into that job he packed his bags for Santa Monica to work on Avatar, James Cameron’s new feature film (currently in production) at Lightstorm. “They told me this is going to be the most advanced movie ever made,” he says. “It’s going to take a long time, so they needed people for the long haul, and I said ‘Yeah! Count me in!’” He worked hard as a member of Cameron’s Sector 5, which Clisham describes as Cameron’s right-hand team of go-to guys for completing small tasks at the drop of a hat.
Now, just six years out of college, he says that seeing his films distributed on this exciting new medium made him realize that he’s living his dream of being a director. “I read about and studied these great directors and their work at school, and now I’m making my own stuff,” he says. “It doesn’t get any better than this!”
Cover your eyes! Janitor clips can be viewed at
fuse.ithaca.edu.
Janitor debuted on Xbox Live on October 27. The story is about a young student who is in detention when the school janitor goes on a bloody rampage. Clisham says Janitor pays homage to the style of 1980s slasher flicks. The cast includes Jenna Dewan, who played the lead role in the dance movie Step Up and had a supporting role in The Grudge 2.
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 9
feature | A REEL WORLD CHALLENGE
y r a t n e m u c Do : p o h s k r o W
Matt Lesko '10 and Erin Ozmat '09 get footage at a farmers market.
Photos courtesy of Alice Pak '09
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by ALICE PAK ’09
Documentary Workshop Students:
If you walk into the Park School of Communications and ask students to respond to the words “documentary workshop,” I can guarantee some amusing responses— whimpers, alarm (“Are you taking that class? Why are you taking that class?!”), and sighs of relief if the student has survived this difficult course. Many of the students attribute that difficulty to one man: Ben Crane, associate professor of television and radio. An Emmy award–winning documentarian himself, Crane makes it no secret that by the end of the semester he expects to see quality work, projects that could be seen on PBS or the Discovery Channel. I was one of 11 students braving Crane’s class last fall. I was nervous going in as the only journalism major in the class because the longest video I had ever produced was a two-minute package for the news. The class was immediately hit with a 30-page syllabus outlining our assignments for the semester, and we learned that we’d be treated as though we worked for a real-world documentary production company and were seeking professional
funding for our projects. This approach meant that we’d be required to develop and present a 13-minute speech pitching the pilot, a 15-minute video pilot, and a comprehensive research book of at least 100 pages describing all the information we had gathered on our topics—all by the end of the semester. The three-prong project would be presented to a panel of judges consisting of faculty and students from past documentary classes.
Where Are They Now? Jeremy Levine ’06 Landon Van Soest ’04 Jeremy and Landon’s film Walking the Line was started in the Documentary Workshop class and has since has received the following recognition: • Official selection of over 25 film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival, Leeds International Film Festival, and Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival • Winner of the top prize in the human rights/human dignity category at the Ohne Kohle International Film Festival in Austria/Germany • Winner of the jury and audience award, best student documentary, New England Film and Video Festival • 2005 Angelus Awards finalist • 2005 Student Academy Award regional finalist For more info about Jeremy and Landon’s production company, visit www.transientpictures.com.
Jacqueline Willemsen ’06 Chris Lavigne ’06 Colleen Evanson ’06 Jacqueline, Chris, and Colleen worked together in the class on their documentary Strongest Ever and later created a production company called Big Deal Productions to complete the film, which profiles Becca Swanson, the strongest woman in the world.
Matt Lesko '10, Lauren Brauchli '11, and Erin Ozmat '09 talk to a representative of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey about the influx of people they are serving owing to the recession.
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For more info about the film, go to www.strongestever.com.
Erin Ozmat '09, Matt Lesko '10, and Lauren Brauchli '11 interview one of the workers at Eva's Village, a soup kitchen in New Jersey.
View clips from the Documentary Workshop projects at
fuse.ithaca.edu. fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 11
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feature | A REEL WORLD CHALLENGE
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Erin Ozmat '09 and Bryan Shay '10 interview Tony di Ionno, the main subject of their second documentary. At 84 years old, Tony hasn't been unemployed since he was 11.
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Erin Ozmat '09 catches footage of Rob, the main subject of a documentary project, describing the anatomy of a lobster.
On Thanksgiving morning, Matt Lesko '10 and Lauren Brauchli '11 set up their equipment to get footage of the long line in front of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.
Our first task was to divide into groups and pick a topic to research. My team pitched hundreds of ideas to Professor Crane over several weeks with no luck. In desperation I finally pitched the last idea on the list—a feature on lobstermen in Massachusetts. I told Crane that the recession was forcing lobster prices to plummet, and with people less likely to spend their dollars on “celebratory food” like a lobster dinner, the lobstermen were losing their livelihood. Crane said that creating a successful documentary on this topic would ride on our abilities to find great characters and show the crisis visually, but he approved it. We got right down to business, planning two shoots in Cape Cod on weekends. While there, we woke up at 4:00 a.m. to follow our subject, a lobsterman named Rob, for a day out on his boat. We shot footage of Rob’s family, customers from his lobster truck where his catch is sold directly to people, and a lobster dealer who sold Rob’s catch to restaurants. After screening a 12-minute rough cut, Professor Crane told us that we had shot “a very well-produced home movie about Rob.” He didn’t find our character convincing, and the importance of the story wasn’t being shown visually. The group made the tough decision that our near-finished project was not up to Crane’s standards, and we said goodbye to the lobsters, all of our contacts, two critical weekends, and more than 20 hours of footage. Thanksgiving break was only a few days away, so we scrambled to select a new topic and plan our first— and undoubtedly only—shoot. We decided on an anthological piece on the failing economy, with different chapters focusing on foreclosures, homelessness, unemployment, and food pantries. Dozens of phone calls were made, and we chose to film in New Jersey, as it was one of the first states to declare a record rise in unemployment. The group shot over most of Thanksgiving break, including Thanksgiving morning at a soup kitchen.
Once back from break, we had to edit 18 hours of footage down to a 15-minute sequence. I was in charge of the speech and the book, so I narrowed down the research and started writing. Despite our earlier setback, we found ourselves in the Park Hall Auditorium on December 11, ready to present our project. It wasn’t easy; a couple of the group members hadn’t slept in three days because they had been working overtime to get the work ready to present. The presentation is a big deal, and I was nervous. Friends and families often come for the viewing, and the panel of judges was there to critique our work. The dean was also present. We hoped that our sweat and tears hadn’t been shed in vain. In the end we not only survived the night but also got some amazing feedback on the importance of our topic and the quality of our work. Park School Dean Dianne Lynch told us she was so moved by our piece that she had shed a few tears.
Creating a successful documentary on this topic would ride on our abilities to find great characters and show the economic crisis visually. Looking back, I learned an important lesson about perseverance. I pushed myself further than I ever thought possible. And I managed to juggle this enormous project on top of my other schoolwork. Although hesitant at first about being in the class because I was not a film major, I discovered that my journalism skills were an asset, as my research background proved indispensable when it came to finding characters and their stories. This class was truly one of the most challenging I have ever taken, and I can’t wait to be asked about it so that I, too, can let out the melodramatic sigh of relief of a Documentary Workshop survivor.
ICircus performs at the 2008 Capture the Dream fashion show. By Samantha Constant ’09
For more cool images of Ithaca visit fuse.ithaca.edu/gallery.
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 13
Photo by Steven Gorgos '08
feature | MAKING COOL MUSIC
Music Making Cool
by ADAM BUTALEWICZ, M.M. ’09
C
ollege students often hear that they’ll never be anything more than a face in the crowd on campus and never transcend the separation between teacher and student. I was determined that this not be true for me when choosing a graduate school, and that’s why I chose Ithaca College.
During my time here, I’ve learned that IC excels at developing a hands-on learning environment for students and fostering strong unity between students and professors. I experienced both for myself this past November. Over Thanksgiving, I and my fellow students in IC’s Kulmusik Contemporary Ensemble had the chance to work on a peer level with some of our professors. Even better, the setting for our collaboration was in another country— St. Petersburg, Russia! Kulmusik, composed of eight students and six faculty members, was afforded the amazing opportunity to perform in the 20th International New Music Festival, Sound Ways, in the beautiful and historic Glinka Hall. The concert program included works by Arnold Schoenberg, Stephen Mackey, György Ligeti, Anton Webern, Leonid Rezetdinov, and Elliot Carter, and a piece composed specifically for this trip by one of our own faculty composers, Sally Lamb, assistant professor of music theory, history, and composition. Preparing for the festival was interesting to say the least. The first obstacle to overcome was coordinating a schedule for 14 extremely busy students and faculty. We rehearsed with the faculty three or four days a week and at least two more times during the week as part of the student ensemble. We also clocked countless hours of individual preparation and practice. It was tough, but it’s not every day that you get to work with such amazing professional musicians. That opportunity made our extra efforts worthwhile.
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 15
feature | MAKING COOL MUSIC
Collaborating and performing with musicians outside of the United States taught me more than any book ever could.
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(Left) Church of the Savior on Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg, Russia, and (right) Kulmusik practicing in Glinka Hall.
I may be a graduate student, but I still have lots to learn, and the faculty members in the ensemble were excellent resources. At first I was hesitant to ask questions, and I wasn’t sure whether I could contribute my musical creativity. But as the group worked together more and more, the student-faculty boundary dissipated. We shed our everyday roles as students and instructors to create amazing music together. Professor Lamb says it best when describing the rich experience we shared: “The trip provided Kulmusik with numerous opportunities: to grow as an ensemble, to contribute a
substantial program to a prominent international festival, to connect with musicians from Russia and other countries represented at the festival, and to foster the cultural literacy that’s so critical to a harmonious global society.” The travel experience itself wasn’t easy—we endured flight delays and a blizzard—but it was well worth it in the end. Walking on stage, I didn’t know what to expect: would I be nervous, excited, scared? To my surprise, the nerves never came. I felt only my own excitement and that of my fellow musicians. The audience was more enthusiastic than I could have asked for, welcom-
ing us with open arms and ears, and rewarding us with waves of applause and a long standing ovation at the conclusion of the concert. I remember standing there in awe, chills running up and down my spine, not really knowing whether to laugh with excitement or cry with joy. I vaguely remember wanting to clap back to thank them! But the trip didn’t end there. The students of the ensemble also performed with the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, an orchestra native to St. Petersburg and directed by Ithaca College’s own Jeff Meyer, assistant professor of music performance. Working with the orchestra
wasn’t easy owing to the language barrier. Initially I wondered how I would communicate with my fellow musicians as we rehearsed and prepared for the performance. It turns out that my professors were right about that old adage—music really is a universal language. Our conversations took place through the music we played rather than through words. The performance was a hit, and I had a life-changing experience working with many amazing and talented musicians. As I reflect on the entire trip, I find that there are some highlights that I cherish the most. Performing with the St. Petersburg Chamber
Kulmusik Contemporary Ensemble The Kulmusik Contemporary Ensemble uniquely comprises faculty and students who are dedicated to the study and performance of contemporary and new music. The ensemble performs two or three concerts per year in the Hockett Family Recital Hall. The members of Kulmusik are Sally Lamb, artistic director; Jeffery Meyer and Richard Faria, conductors; Jacqueline Christen ’09, flute; Paige Morgan, oboe; Richard Faria, Adam Butalewicz, M.M. ’09, clarinet; Tyler Ogilvie, M.M. ’10, horn; Alicia Aubin ’10, trombone; Susan Waterbury and Kate Goldstein ’09, violin; Lauren Buono ’08, viola; Heidi Hoffman and TJ Borden ’11, cello; Nicholas Walker, bass; Diane Birr and Nathan Gulla ’09, keyboards.
Learn more about IC music ensembles and the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic at fuse.ithaca.edu.
Photo by Heather Newberger '10
Photos by Adam Butalewicz M.M. '09
Philharmonic was an experience I’ll never forget. Collaborating and performing with musicians outside of the United States—communicating and sharing ideas without the aid of words—taught me more than any book ever could. Working on such an intimate level with my professors was eye-opening. Discovering that they’ve had the same concerns and worries as students made me realize that they were in my shoes once upon a time. Playing side-by-side with these talented faculty gives me the confidence I need to pursue my own dreams and goals as a professional musician.
up Yuk it
by SHANAN GLANDZ ’09
G
ot a funny bone? How about a favorite joke? Do you yearn for the yuks, live for the laughs? If you’re a comedian (or comedienne) at heart, Ithaca College offers not one, but two creative outlets for your comic talent. IC Stand Up and IC Comedy Club focus on different parts of the schtick spectrum, but their members are all hard at work bringing the hilarity to Ithaca College. What is the difference between the two clubs? “The idea behind IC Stand Up is to really focus on the art of stand-up comedy—the delivery, the stage presence, and the formation of jokes,” says graduate student Aaron Arm ’09, the club’s president. IC Comedy Club copresident Michael Garrison ’10 says that while the club does some stand-up, “it also performs short-form improv games, like what you’d see on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Also, this semester we’re starting to focus more on sketch comedy similar to Saturday Night Live.” The College even has a built-in venue to promote its funnymen (and women)—the IC Square stage in the Campus Center, a hub for student activity at IC.
feat ur e | YUK IT UP
Whether on stage or in meetings, hilarity reigns supreme in this community. “Some of the best routines I’ve seen are at our meetings,” says Arm of IC Stand Up. “At one meeting, a student performed an improvised set of non sequiturs for five minutes with a podium over his head.” Garrison and Arm agree that clubs are a nice item for the résumé. “Performing stand-up is like public speaking to the tenth degree,” Arm says. “Not only do you have to stand in front of an audience but you also have to make people laugh.” “When you can feel comfortable coming up with jokes and telling them to people who may or may not laugh, that’s really good,” Garrison points out. “I think that good humor is reliant on good perspective and intelligence,” Arm says and dryly adds, “I believe we also have dental.” Influences for Ithaca College’s comedians range from comics Louis C.K. to Jim Gaffigan to Brian Posehn. But if you really want to get a taste of the humor scene on campus, Arm says, look no further than the late comedian Mitch Hedberg. “He saw the world in a way that few people will ever see it. I wish I could see the humor in everything the way he did,” says Arm.
“Good humor is reliant on good perspective and intelligence.” Do you want to test your funny bone on campus? There’s one catch—both clubs require students to audition. But don’t worry, says Garrison. “We know that performing is totally nerve-racking, so we understand that people get shy and nervous about it.” “I believe that most comedy people are social misfits in some way,” says John Ungaro ’10, copresident of IC Comedy Club. “If you can get people laughing, you’re in the center of it all instead of being in the back of the room.” He adds, “I was so nervous about stand-up, but I finally did it. I ended up really liking it.” New comedians should just give it a shot, Garrison advises. “I think people would be surprised about how funny they are.” So test your comic skill at Ithaca College. The stage is waiting.
“IC Stand Up likes to hold performances in IC Square because students are already eating there. It’s like a sneak attack of comedy for people who didn’t come to see us,” Arm says. IC Square plays host to both clubs several times a year. In addition to stand-up, IC Comedy Club does sketch performances open to all students on campus. Both clubs host several shows each semester, and IC Comedy Club also does a sketch show at the end of the academic year. “We haven’t decided on the theme, but last year’s was ‘how to be an American,’” Garrison says.
Conquer the stage with these tips for a successful stand-up comedy act at
fuse.ithaca.edu. fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 17
feature | INTERNATIONAL INSIGHT
by HEATHER KARSCHNER ’10
INSIGHT T
he international background of politics professor Asma Barlas does more than just contribute to her teaching style—it’s a big part of what she teaches. In and out of the classroom, Barlas challenges her Ithaca College counterparts to examine their beliefs and assumptions and view the world through a global lens.
Photo courtesy of Asma Barlas
Photo by Nick Deel '09
INTERNATIONAL
Barlas grew up in Pakistan and studied English literature and philosophy before becoming a career diplomat in the Pakistani Foreign Service. Only the 13th woman to join, she was later fired for criticizing a military leader. She then worked for a leading opposition newspaper until she came to the United States to attend graduate school. She now has political asylum in the United States. A professor at the College for over 15 years, Barlas teaches a variety of politics courses, many of which focus on the Middle East, colonialism, and
third-world politics. She emphasizes discussion rather than lecture in her classes and criticizes the idea that students are empty banks into which teachers make deposits of knowledge. “We engage in a process of dialogue with each other,” she explains. Willyann King ’09 took Politics and Identity with Professor Barlas and recommends her classes to other students who want to be challenged and open their minds. “It’s useful for students to have teachers who can bring a different perspective,” King says, observing that
Barlas doesn’t seem held back by what other people think. “I think she’s sort of fearless in a way.” Fellow politics professor Naeem Inayatullah has known Barlas since graduate school and describes her as an interesting mix of opposite traits. “She’s a very social, warm, inviting person, but she won’t let you get away with an inch in any argument. She will challenge you on every last thing, every last assumption,” he says. “I think it’s important not to underestimate the incredible obstacles that she has overcome.”
PUBLISHED WORKS OF PROFE SSOR BARLAS
“She’s a very social, warm, inviting person, but she won’t let you get away with an inch in any argument. She will challenge you on every last assumption.” Islam, Muslims, and the U.S.: Essays on Religion and Politics
A passionate and often controversial scholar of Islam, Barlas has presented her work in countries including India, Indonesia, Egypt, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. Her trip to Indonesia to promote her book “Believing Women” in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur’an was especially gratifying for her because so many Muslims there were open to her ideas. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any country, but most Americans associate Muslims only with the Middle East. Professor Barlas continues to travel to promote her reinterpretation of the Qur’an. She proposes a reading that supports gender equality— a reading that has been controversial especially among Muslim men, who gain power from the current understanding of the text. But Barlas believes all people should be able to analyze the Qur’an. “No text has only one possible meaning,” she explains. This bold work has impressed students like Marah Nudel ’08. “Addressing the topic of sexist Muslim practice requires knowledge and drive that many either do not possess or are afraid to show,” Nudel observes. “It seems as though Professor Barlas may be doing a lot to help people who are otherwise unspoken for.” In addition to publishing numerous books and articles, Professor Barlas founded the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity at Ithaca College in 1999. The center functions as a department within the College and supports the study of racial and ethnic groups that have traditionally been marginalized, underrepresented, or misrepresented in our society. “I would like to see issues of race become more mainstream,” Professor Barlas says. Work at the center aims
to incorporate these issues into the IC experience through academic activities, an annual lecture series, and two minors in the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies—African diaspora and Latina/o studies.
Professor Barlas discusses the widening gap between Muslims and the West, arguing that the United States has taken advantage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to bring war to the Middle East.
Farther from home, the University of Amsterdam named Professor Barlas as its Spinoza Chair last summer, making her the first Muslim to receive this honor. While in Amsterdam as a distinguished visiting scholar, Barlas taught a graduate class, gave two public lectures, and participated in a debate with a male Qur’an scholar who disagrees with her views on women’s rights. “It was a very rich, complex experience,” she says. Professor Barlas is a role model who shows students how to challenge conventional viewpoints and speak passionately about equality and tolerance. As a scholar and teacher, her international experience brings a global consciousness to her students and helps them realize the ramifications of living on a planet with many cultures. As the world’s citizens become more like neighbors, these lessons couldn’t be more valuable or timely.
“Believing Women” in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur’an Professor Barlas presents a historical analysis of how discrimination against women has become justified and accepted among Muslims, and she provides a reinterpretation of the Qur’an to show that the holy text supports equality of the sexes.
Democracy, Nationalism, and Communalism: The Colonial Legacy in South Asia
Learn more about the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity at
www.ithaca.edu/cscre.
Professor Barlas examines contemporary politics in South Asia through the lens of its history of British colonialism, with special focus on military rule in Pakistan and electoral democracy in India.
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 19
feature | THE BUSINESS OF FASHION
THE BUSINESS OF
FASHION: by ALYSSA LETSCH ’10
A N I N T E R N S H I P AT T O M M Y H I L F I G E R
L
ectures and seminars can introduce you to the business world, but there’s nothing like an internship to show you the inner workings of a real company. Ithaca College student Christie Parlamas ’09 got her taste of business merchandising during a demanding internship at Tommy Hilfiger last summer.
CHRISTIE SHARES HER TIPS FOR LANDING YOUR DREAM JOB AT
Photo by Heather Newberger ’10
fuse.ithaca.edu.
Parlamas, a business administration major, has always wanted to work in the fashion industry. She got her start in high school, working for the stores Limited Too and Abercrombie and Fitch. She was eventually promoted to store manager at Abercrombie—the first person without a college degree to hold the position at that store. As her undergraduate years at Ithaca progressed, she felt an increasing desire to get an internship and gain field experience before graduation. “My dream was to land an internship with Dolce & Gabbana, and I had an opportunity to interview there,” Parlamas says. “The interviewer gave me two minutes to blurt out everything I knew about the company and tell her why she should hire me. It was very intimidating and not at all what I expected.” Although she didn’t land that dream internship, her perseverance paid off with an opportunity at Tommy Hilfiger headquarters in Manhattan. “Someone telling you no is just an opportunity for someone else to say yes,” Parlamas explains.
The internship was a full-time, unpaid summer commitment, four days a week for 10–12 hours each day. To afford the unpaid experience, Parlamas endured a three-hour commute to the city and back from her home in New Jersey. As an intern for the senior vice president of corporate communications she was responsible for many important tasks. Her main project throughout the summer was putting together a portfolio
“I am really glad I did this internship,” Parlamas says. “I met a lot of people and learned how the corporation’s departments are connected to one another.” Parlamas attributes much of her success in the internship to what she learned at IC’s business school. “The professionalism of the business school— and especially what I learned in my marketing classes—helped me prepare for the pace of the business world,” she explains.
“Someone telling you no is just an opportunity for someone else to say yes.” called “Tommy in the News.” She looked through major publications to find anything associated with the Tommy Hilfiger brand: photographs, logos, quotes, features, and stories. Every brief mention of the brand had to be clipped and put into the portfolio. In the fast-paced fashion world of Tommy Hilfiger, anything can happen at any time, and Parlamas was expected to respond accordingly, whether that meant running through the city grabbing clothing for models or helping prepare for the next big marketing event. The internship was hectic, but Parlamas says it solidified her career goals, making it worth every hour on the train, every demand from a supervisor, and every yawn after long hours in the office.
Parlamas plans to go to fashion school after graduation and hopes to someday become a buyer, the person who researches marketing trends and sales reports, decides which clothes are sold where, and makes important decisions about fabrics, pricing, placement, and distribution. Her experiences both in class and on the job in the big city are sure to bring her more success in years to come.
GOSSIPGIRL
feat ur e | GOSSIP GIRL
Dishing Dirt
Dishing Dirt
with Ithaca’s
Photo courtesy of Cornerstone Talent
with Ithaca’s On every episode of the CW’s hit show Gossip Girl, plots are twisted, partners are changed, and some killer outfits are donned as Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen compete for the place of queen bee. Among the actors portraying these classy, well-dressed high school students is Ithaca College alumna Amanda Setton ’07.
by MEREDITH FARLEY ’09
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 21
feature | DISHING DIRT WITH ITHACA’S GOSSIP GIRL
Setton has gone from student films to the small screen in the blink of an eye. She has been making a name for herself on the big screen, too. On Gossip Girl the beautiful brunette can now be seen playing the high-society vixen, Penelope Shafai. Setton’s looks and poise make her a believable child of the Upper East Side, and her time on Ithaca’s South Hill has polished her obvious talent. Growing up in the Long Island town of Great Neck, Setton and her friends searched for creative outlets in the seaside town by heading to thrift stores and making their own jewelry. When Setton developed an interest in acting, she jumped right in and eventually became the president of her high school’s theater club. After visiting Ithaca College, she decided it was a place where she could be herself and explore her individuality. Despite being bitten by the acting bug, Setton started out as a student in IC’s exploratory program. She immersed herself in a liberal arts education and took classes on anything that piqued her interest— from storytelling to poetry analysis. Film in particular became a true passion; she took as many seminars and production classes as possible in the Park School of Communications and attended virtually every film screening.
Photo courtesy of the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca
As Setton participated in more and more student projects, she began to get a feel for the medium. She was able to explore different camera angles and lighting techniques and learn which ones
worked best for her. Setton soon became comfortable in front of the camera. She loved working with other students to create a tangible product, and she realized that film was the direction she wanted to take her career. “Having that kind of collaborative experience is important and a lot different than a live performance,” she explains. That time in front of the camera prepared Setton for her roles after graduation, in films and television shows including What Happens in Vegas, Sex and the City: The Movie, and, of course, Gossip Girl.
Setton eventually majored in drama and devoted much of her time to acting. But committing to her craft and working on student films didn’t stop her from studying other areas of interest—she took on a double minor in speech communication and art history. Setton credits her eclectic mix of classes with giving her better insight into her own skills. “I got a better understanding of emotional life and what it takes for an artist to move people,” she adds.
“It’s such a pleasure and a blessing to be working on a successful show in New York.” In an effort to gain more experience and versatility, the actress also studied at the Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca, a studio that teaches the Meisner acting technique. The technique teaches actors to focus on reacting honestly to their environment and other actors. It was a perfect fit for Setton, and she bloomed as an actor while studying at the workshop. Setton describes it as “focusing on the idea of living truthfully in imaginary circumstances.” She also enjoyed the safe, noncompetitive environment. “You feel your emotions become more honest because you’re coming from a more real place,” she explains. “Each semester I gained more and more tools that helped with scene study and other aspects of acting.” Setton attended the workshop for several semesters and graduated from the program.
Setton still has an appreciation for live theater and would love to work on the stage one day, but for now her experience and passion for television and film are most prominent. “The Gossip Girl set is such a wonderful, fun environment,” says Setton. “It's such a pleasure and a blessing to be working on a successful show in New York.” Her character appeared in several episodes, and it’s clear that great things are in store for this aspiring young actress. Setton has been photographed at New York’s fashion week and at benefits all around the city. As she approaches New York it-girl status, her talent and drive set her head and shoulders above the crowd.
Eliza Van Court, director of the Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca, had an instant connection with Setton. “She’s breathtakingly beautiful and very talented,” says Van Court. “She really worked hard to contribute to a collaborative learning environment, and she brought a wonderful, supabout IC’s drama program at portive energy to the class.” www.ithaca.edu/hs/programs/drama.
Learn more
NOTABLE ALUMNI Did you know that Amanda isn’t the only IC grad who’s made it big as an actor? Others in the spotlight include David Boreanaz ’91, of Bones, Angel, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; CCH Pounder ’75, of The Shield and ER; Kerry Butler ’92, star of Broadway shows including Little Shop of Horrors and Xanadu, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award; and Matt Cavenaugh ’01, of the Broadway rendition of Urban Cowboy.
WOMEN’S S CCER
IC Bombers indoor track and field teams are Empire 8 Conference champions! Contributing to the teams’ victories were Cory Petermann ’09 and Lauren Koppel ’09. The women’s team has won five of six Empire 8 titles. The men’s team has won three of the six titles.
Two IC women’s soccer players have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America AllAmerica Team. Forward Chelsey Feldman ’09 earned second-team honors and midfielder Amy Scheffer ’10 was named to the third team. Feldman is the Bombers’ career leader in points and goals and has been named a first-team Empire 8 all-star four times. Scheffer was a first-team all-conference and all-state pick as a sophomore. She has also won Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week honors twice and set a school record with seven game-winning goals.
T
his past March, the College hosted the Sport, Sexuality, and Culture Conference. Eric Anderson, an internationally known expert in the area of masculinity, sport, and sexuality and a lecturer at the University of Bath, opened the conference with a keynote address. Former NBA player, author, and entrepreneur John Amaechi also delivered a lecture.
The conference featured the work of more than 125 scholars from Brazil, Canada, England, Japan, Korea, and the United States. Fifty-six presentations from established scholars as well as panel discussions on topics such as sexual orientation discrimination, media, and gender and race rounded out the conference.
W R E S T L I N G
Chris Carabello ’12 was the highest placing freshman at the New York State Wrestling Championships, placing fourth. He was the only wrestler to beat a top-two seed on the first day. One of Ithaca's record nine all-state wrestlers, he helped the Bombers to their highest finish (fourth) in 18 years. The seventh ranked team recently clinched their 22nd straight victory.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
SPORTSREPORT TRACK & FIELD
Sport and Sexuality Converge at Conference
Assistant wrestling coach Mike Fusilli ’91 was inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Hall of Fame in early March. The ceremony took place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in conjunction with the NCAA Wrestling Championships. A former heavyweight, Fusilli became the first IC inductee into the hall of fame.
fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | spring 2009 • 23
› Real the
Q&As with the Fuse staff
Deal
Q: I'm unable to study abroad for a full semester. What short-term study-abroad options are available?
A:
Short-term study-abroad programs generally take place over breaks or during the summer and are led by IC faculty. The programs, which last one to six weeks, may change year to year and are taken for credit. Certain majors and courses offer specialized study-abroad options, and some include opportunities to do hands-on research abroad. Short-term study-abroad destinations include China, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, and many more. For more information contact the Office of International Programs at www.ithaca.edu/oip. COURTNEY CLEMENTE ’09
Q: At nearly $40,000 a year, Ithaca Q: How can the Office of Career Services help me in my job preparation and search?
A:
The Office of Career Services is a resource for all students who want help with résumés, cover letters, internships, and job searches. The staff is available by appointment or during drop-in hours to help students define career goals, choose a major, and learn about postgraduate opportunities. The office also sets up mock interviews and hosts career fairs and consortiums for all majors across campus. The staff can show you how to use tools such as eRecruiting to explore options for internships and jobs. Learn more about what the Office of Career Services can do for you at www.ithaca.edu/sacl/careers.
seems a little expensive.What financial aid opportunities can I expect?
A:
Ithaca College provides a variety of financial aid opportunities. In addition to need-based aid and grants, there are numerous merit-based scholarships such as President's and ALANA scholarships, the Flora Brown award, and other school-specific scholarships. Ithaca Access Grants are awarded to students based on their demonstrated financial need. Endowed scholarships, awarded based on criteria established by donors, are generally given to students who have attended the College for at least a year. Scholarships and grants can range in aid from $2,000 all the way up to the cost of tuition. For more on financial aid opportunities, check out www.ithaca.edu/finaid. NICK DEEL ’09
MAGGIE HIBMA ’09
› GOT QUESTIONS
YOU’D LIKE TO SEE ANSWERED IN A FUTURE ISSUE OF FUSE ? LET US KNOW AT FUSE.ITHACA.EDU/TALKBACK!
Q: What is ID Express and what can it be used for?
A:
ID Express is a debit account that can be accessed using your Ithaca College ID card. It can be used at any concession stand, box office, store, or vending machine on campus, as well as at various locations off-campus that display the ID Express logo. For a complete list of locations that accept ID Express visit www.ithaca.edu/sacl/id_office/idexpress/wheretouse. CANDACE EDWARDS ’09
Q: What community service opportunities are available and how can I get involved?
A:
There are plenty of opportunities for students to get involved in community service at IC, whether it’s working with a local organization or taking a service-learning course to develop and apply your skills in a real-world setting. The College’s Center for Student Leadership and Involvement recently started Service Saturdays, a program devoted to giving IC students opportunities and guidance to volunteer successfully in and around the Ithaca community. Annual events like the AIDS Ride for Life and Alternative Spring Break are also popular choices for students. MEREDITH FARLEY ’09
Ithaca at a Glance Ithaca offers a first-rate education on a first-name basis. Learn what you love from stellar faculty; start a club, intern at your dream job, or spend a semester halfway around the world—whatever course you set, you’ll love what you do. At Ithaca you’ll have lots of choices and plenty of opportunities to find your passion in life. LOCATION In the center of the Finger Lakes region of New York State, our modern campus is 60 miles north of Binghamton and 60 miles south of Syracuse. The city of Ithaca is home to about 47,000 residents and neighboring Cornell University. STUDENT BODY 6,000 undergraduates and 400 graduate students from 48 states, 3 U.S. territories, and 78 countries. Over 70 percent of students live on Ithaca’s hilltop campus, which overlooks Cayuga Lake.
›
FACULTY 463 full-time faculty and 216 part-time faculty STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO 12 to 1 ACADEMIC PROFILE 49 percent of current freshmen rank in the top 15 percent of their high school class. The high school average of most admitted students ranges from B+ to A.
PROGRAMS OF STUDY With more than 100 degree programs to choose from, Ithaca has something for everyone. To learn more about each school and the majors it offers, visit the websites below. A complete list of majors can be found on the admission website at www.ithaca.edu/admission/programs/index.php. SCHOOL
School of Business
STUDENT ENROLLMENT
700
SCHOOL HOMEPAGE
www.ithaca.edu/business
Roy H. Park School of Communications
1,300
www.ithaca.edu/rhp
School of Health Sciences and Human Performance
1,200
www.ithaca.edu/hshp
School of Humanities and Sciences
2,200
www.ithaca.edu/hs
School of Music
500
www.ithaca.edu/music
Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies
100
www.ithaca.edu/diis
For details about Ithaca’s application process, financial aid, tuition, and more, please visit www.ithaca.edu/admission.
›
DID YOU KNOW? THERE ARE OVER 150 WATERFALLS WITHIN A 10-MILE RADIUS OF THE CITY OF ITHACA.
Ithaca College Office of Admission 953 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850-7000 P: (800) 429-4274 or (607) 274-3124 www.ithaca.edu
Office of Admission Ithaca College 953 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850-7000 (800) 429-4274 (607) 274-3124 www.ithaca.edu
Get the inside scoop on Ithaca. CHECK OUT: www.ithaca.edu CHECK IN: my.ithaca.edu
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