MALS Newsletter December 2012

MASTER OF ARTS IN LIBERAL STUDIES 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430 mals@ramapo.edu 201.684.7709

Volume VI, Number 3

MALS Newsletter Fall 2012

MALS Fall & Spring Presentation Nights April 2012

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ight students spoke about their theses at the Spring, 2012 MALS Presentation Night. As usual, their presentations showcased the wide scope of the MALS program.

Roberta Bierman

MALS Faculty Anthony Padovano, Director

Bernard Langer

Lisa Cassidy

Jennefer Mazza

Rosetta D’Angelo

James Morley

Ellen Dolgin

Hassan Nejad

Martha Ecker

Stephen Rice

Kay Fowler

Ellen Ross

Donald Fucci

Bernard Roy

Shalom Gorewitz

Edward Shannon

Howard Horowitz

Jeremy Teigen

Karl Johnson

Elaine Winshell

MALS Academic Committee Dr. Anthony T. Padovano Dr. Lisa Cassidy Dr. Donald Fucci

Roberta Bierman is an art teacher who expanded her interest in Venetian maskmaking on a trip to Venice, where she met experts to learn the details of the process and adapt these techniques to art projects for her classes of special needs students. The creative results were displayed in a colorful installation on view at presentation night. Each member of the audience also received a mask that Roberta had made for the presentation.

British men and Indian women, which was seen as a dilution of British culture. Her faculty mentor was Dr. James Morley.

Carolyn Cardaci-Miron As a long-time sales rep for a healthcare company, Carolyn Cardaci-Miron came to MALS to stimulate her interest in the world around her and foster personal growth. Her thesis is titled “Forgiveness is Possible for Anything.” She explores what forgiveness is, how it is achieved and shares what she learned in a personal interview with Eva Kor about her experience in a Nazi concentration camp and the death of her twin sister as a result of experiments on her by Dr. Mengele. Her faculty mentor was Dr. James Morley.

From the Director: Success By Dr. Anthony T. Padovano Distinguished Professor, Literature & Philosophy

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t is no easy thing to be a human being. Yet people shoulder the burden and grace of their humanity with remarkable success. We give this insufficient attention. We tend to focus myopically on flaws and failings, false starts and fragmented attempts. Of course, it does us no good to discount the ways we diminish others and ourselves. We miss the mark and drift into bad behaviors, self-destructive actions, cruel intentions. To be human is to lose our way.

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Elizabeth Browne Elizabeth Browne came to MALS at the enthusiastic urging of a fellow teacher. She attended the Oxford University Summer Programmes in 2009 and 2010 for MALS credit. Her longtime interest in India and Women’s studies produced her thesis, titled “Domestic Angels in Queens’ Gardens: Changing Women’s Identities in British India and Victorian England,” focused on the introduction of British women to India to discourage intermarriage between Masks made by students of Roberta Bierman, a MALS graduate and art teacher.

continued on pg. 2

Ann Chambers

MALS Welcomes Dr. Karl E. Johnson He says that it “fits well with my 25 years of research and scholarship on the issue of race contact, conflict, accommodation, and assimilation. Thus I am quite comfortable discussing past and present issues concerning race with our most advanced students here at Ramapo College. The new aspects of race relations will feature the many caveats concerning race with our now very diverse society, breaking away further from our old dominant Black/White paradigm. However, the most influential force on race going forward will be generational. Those 25 years or younger, due to education and a popular culture that promotes an acceptance of diversity, will continue to progress, and this will impact public thought positively in the near future. However, there is an older generation that continues to by and large carry the baggage of race from their forefathers, and their ideas and beliefs are

Ann Chambers has been a special education teacher for almost 20 years. Her major concentration in the last 12 years has been transition planning and overseeing a structured learning experience for her students. Her thesis, “Special Needs Students Who Have a High Quality Transition Program Achieve Greater Success and are More Prepared after High School, in College, Vocational Schools and Career Choices.” She was mentored by Dr. Jennefer Mazza.

Andreanne Holmes Andreanne Holmes is a seasoned world traveler and life-long learner who came to MALS when she was past the usual retirement age. Her interest in the Navajo culture was inspired by a MALS course taught by Dr. Howard Horowitz, who was also her MALS mentor. Her thesis, “The Difficult Trail in the Struggle for Survival of the Navajo Culture” resulted from research and a visit to a Navajo reservation in Arizona’s Monument Valley.

Paul Mast The MALS program was the impetus for Paul Mast to finally write the memoir he had been considering for over 15 years. Mentored by Dr. Kay Fowler, Dr. Carol Bowman and Dr. Maya Poran, he wrote Necessary Scars. He calls it “the lens through which I chronicle the struggle and advancement for LGBT rights in America in my lifetime.” Accompanied by journalistquality black and white photos, Necessary Scars is an artfully written account of one man’s childhood, adolescence and adulthood and the love, loss and recovery that shapes his experience.

M MALS May 2012 graduates, left to right: Elizabeth Browne, Kristin Potanka, Ann Chambers, Andreanna Holmes, Paul Mast, Carolyn Cordaci-Miron, Frank Seehan, Roberta Bierman

Frank Sheehan A film buff and attorney, Frank Sheehan wrote a thesis titled “The Intersection of Law and Popular Culture: What the Courtroom Drama of Movies Can Teach Us About the ‘Disappearing American Trial.’” Frank has participated in the National MALS Conference at Georgetown University twice, giving papers each time. His combined the interdisciplinary principles of the MALS program with his interest in film featuring courtroom drama to write his thesis. A hand out of particularly compelling movies with such scenes was handed out to the audience.

Kristin Potanka Kristin Potanka wrote a thesis on “Grief and Children with Art as Therapy.” She gained an interest in non-traditional grief counseling methods when her father passed away after a 20 year battle with cancer. Growing up, Kristin used art, music, dance and cooking therapy to help her deal with her father’s illness. She has a passion for helping cancer patients and their families, and hopes to work in the non-profit sector aiding those who are going through experiences similar to hers. 2

Roberta Bierman joins SSAIS Dean Hassan Nejad and MALS Director Dr. Anthony Padovano to view her installation of the masks made by her students, including information about the history and creative process involved in Venetian mask-making.

Frank Sheehan Attends National MALS Conference

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rank Sheehan is a long-time attorney in Bergen County who came to MALS to broaden his background and pursue his love of learning and discussion. He attended the Annual Graduate Liberal Studies Conference at Georgetown University for the second time in June, 2012, to present a paper based on his MALS thesis of the same title, “The Intersection of Law and Popular Culture: What the Courtroom Drama of the Movies Can Teach Us about the Disappearing American Trial.” The conference divided presenters into eleven panels, each with a moderator. Frank discussed the decreasing incidence of cases going to trial in the American court system, an occurrence that “can have a negative impact on the vitality of democracy.” This is contrasted with the depiction of courtroom trials in film, which “has been notably vigorous and perennially successful.” He concludes that if the trial is alive and well in film, this may “enhance civic literacy regarding the trial process.” Congratulations to Frank for being chosen to deliver a paper at this national conference for a second time, and for his exemplary representation of Ramapo College.

ALS is pleased to welcome Dr. Karl Ellis Johnson to the faculty. He has worked at Ramapo College since 2002, and is currently an Associate Professor of African American Studies and the Convener of the Africana Studies Major. Dr. Johnson was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. He has a BA in History and Economics from Rutgers College, a MA in History from Rutgers UniversityNewark, and a PhD in History from Temple University. His doctoral dissertation was titled: “Black Philadelphia in Transition: The African-American Struggle on the Homefront During World War II and the Cold War, 1941-1963” (Ph.D. diss., Temple University, 2000). Dr. Johnson is teaching the MALS course “Does Race Matter?” this Fall.

still evident in our present public discourse. Thus we have today a dichotomy on race mainly based on generational differences. However, we must all continue to be vigilant against extremism. As one race in our near past begins to escape the scapegoating, we have to work together to make sure another group is not found to take its place, perpetuating an unwanted cycle. This course fits well with the interdisciplinary mission of MALS. The concept of race cannot be studied thoroughly in any other way. As a trained historian, I use history as a base, but many of the readings on race rely on data and theory from the disciplines of sociology and psychology, as well as others.” We welcome Dr. Johnson to the MALS faculty and value his contribution to the program.

MALS Class Schedule for Spring and Fall 2012 MALS COURSES SPRING 2013 Search for Meaning

LIBS 60201

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A108

6 - 8:30 p.m.

Padovano/Cass.

21262

European Cinema

LIBS 65301

M

A108

6 - 8:30 p.m.

D’Angelo

21264

Redefining Gender

LIBS 66101

T

A108

6 - 8:30 p.m.

Dolgin

21265

Thesis Research Tutorial

LIBS 710

Ind. Sec., CRNs

Thesis Writing Tutorial

LIBS 711

Ind. Sec., CRNs

Thesis Continuation

LIBS 712

Ind. Sec., CRNS

MALS COURSES FALL 2013 U.S. in Changing World (Core)

LIBS 60401

6 - 8:30 p.m.

Ross

Sexuality, Society, & Feminism

LIBS 65101

6 - 8:30 p.m.

Harth

Shakespeare’s Strangers

LIBS 62701

6 - 8:30 p.m.

Barnes

Thesis Research Tutorial

LIBS 710

Ind. Sec., CRNs

Thesis Writing Tutorial

LIBS 711

Ind. Sec., CRNs

Thesis Continuation

LIBS 712

Ind. Sec., CRNS

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Michael Kassan Michael Kassan teaches eighth grade social studies in Ramsey, NJ. He says that the MALS program greatly augmented the content knowledge he has used in his world cultures curriculum. Michael studied in Urbino, Italy under MALS professor Rosetta D’Angelo in preparation for his Master’s thesis, titled “An Analysis of Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy.” Professor D’Angelo praised his insights and original research, and stated that his work has changed her approach to teaching Machiavelli in her classes. Michael has addressed whether Machiavelli’s theories on republican government, originating during the Italian Renaissance, are still valid. Krista Vancophsky, Michael Kassan and Natalie Vazquez presented their masters theses at MALS Presentation Night in December, 2011.

MALS Presentation Night, Dec. 2011

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t the MALS Presentation Night in early December, 2011, Michael Kassan, Krista Vancophsky and Natalie Vazquez demonstrated, through their varied theses, the breadth and depth of the program.

Krista Vancophsky Drawn by the unique curriculum in the MALS program, and the opportunity to do a creative project as her capstone, Krista Vancophsky returned to Ramapo

to continue her graduate studies. Her creative project is the culmination of years of interest in detective stories fused with a fascination with the Victorian era. Krista wrote and illustrated an original novel titled Intrigue and Innuendo: The Case File of a Victorian Lady Detective. Written for a young adult audience, features female detectives, switches from past to present, and explores the evolving social and cultural climate in Victorian England. Krista’s mentor was Dr. Ellen Dolgin, Adjunct Professor of Literature.

Natalie Vazquez As a career high school English teacher, Natalie Vazquez wants to motivate her students in the most effective way. Her thesis analyzes motivation theory and is meant to aid teachers in understanding the role of motivation to promote the progress and love of learning in their students. Both Dr. Kay Fowler and Dr. Jennefer Mazza mentored her thesis, titled “Student Motivation: Motivation Theory and Pedagogy for the Practical Teacher,” which analyzes the overlapping concepts in four motivational theories to encourage use of more than one approach to motivating students.

MALS Student Robin Robinson Values Education plied Sociology at William Paterson University, to which she has already been accepted; writing a book about her life to help others with similar challenges; raising the youngest of her three sons, an honor student in high school; advocating for education, especially for young black males; and keeping up with several part time jobs.

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obin Robinson will graduate from the MALS program in January, 2013. That is only her latest achievement. She has a long list of goals to complete: a Master’s program in Ap3

Robin’s life was struck by tragedy when she was very young. When she was two, her father drowned on a family outing to the beach. A few years later, years of verbal and sexual abuse began. In Robin’s case, these harsh experiences left her determined to succeed academically but wounded in spirit and unable to stand up for herself. That changed once she gave

birth to her first son. She graduated from Ramapo College in 1993 with a degree in accounting. Jobs in that field lost her interest and she applied to MALS, writing her thesis on educating young black men in the United States, mentored by MALS faculty member Dr. Karl Johnson. In the spring 2013 semester, Robin begins a new academic experience in Applied Sociology as a pathway to her goal to help young black males succeed in academic life. She has already demonstrated this in raising her own boys; the eldest graduated from Princeton and earned an MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Her middle continued on next page

From the Director continued from pg. 1

Nonetheless, the recognition of this negativity and the eagerness to be free of it testify to the courage of which we are capable and the vision which moves in this direction. In measuring the success of human life, four elements must be factored into the equation. Surprisingly, all four were expressed succinctly in this nation’s founding documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. So, what are the four elements that define success in human living? The first of these is life itself. The labor and magnitude of being alive are wrapped in mystery and revealed as gift. Life is received rather than constructed. The appropriate response to the sheer generosity of what we receive unearned is gratitude. A nation, a people, a religion, which are authentic, safeguard life and work on its behalf. To live, simply to live, is an experience which exceeds all the achievements of our lifetime. The second element is liberty. Life does not flourish if it is oppressed; it becomes twisted when it is controlled. We are not helped by ideologies or other peoples’ agendas in finding the proper boundaries of liberty, boundaries which limit its drift into self-indulgence. It is service to others which achieves this. We shall explore that element later. The symbols of happiness we cherish derive from that moment when life is liberated to pursue its own course, whether it be a toddler’s first step

or a child’s first words or a bird’s first flight or a person’s first love. Systems built on control are essentially corrupt. No system is useful unless it leads people to function beyond it or without it or even against it, if need be. The third element is happiness. No testimony to a life is more compelling than the affirmation that one is happy. Happiness is an elusive term which we experience far more effectively than we define it. No parent worthy of the name wishes more for a child than its happiness. No lover wants to hear more than this: “You made me happy. I wanted more than anything else to make you happy.” The Declaration of Independence is not a great document because it created new categories but because it expressed so well the categories we sensed were right. Life, liberty and happiness capture the reasons being alive holds such promise. There is a fourth element. It is expressed in the preamble to the Constitution, written more than a decade after the Declaration. It addresses the need for community. Life, liberty and happiness are noble and irreplaceable, but insufficient. The Constitution seeks the promotion of the general welfare. Service to others gives life direction, liberty focus, and happiness purpose. In compassionate concern, in the creation of community, in the endeavor to give a future to the next generations, we find the boundaries, build the bridges and nurture the environment which make the world a better place.

choices but enrich our lives. Then the giving of our lives is as great a gift as was the receiving of them. If these four elements are found in any life, that life has been a success. If these elements are missing then one may have achievements and affluence, respect and resourcefulness, power and persuasiveness, without ever having been truly and humanly alive. We do not wish to be derelict with the only life we have. It is possible to live impressively in the public forum and find in our own silence and solitude that we lost something we should never have missed. Anthony T. Padovano Director, MALS

Robinson, cont’d son has a degree from Susquehanna University and is a coach and personal trainer for young basketball players in Manhattan. Her youngest son was taken on a comprehensive tour of colleges by his older brother this summer, and is preparing to take the SAT exams this year. Of her experience in MALS, Robin says “The MALS program has revitalized my academic career. The coursework in the program has allowed me to advance my communication skills both written and verbal. It has also improved my abilities in critical and analytical thinking. I have developed lasting friendships at Ramapo, and feel confident that I am prepared for my next steps.” Our best wishes for continued success go with Robin as she pursues her educational and career goals.

The point of freedom is not achieved in a plethora or choices, but in the commitments that may restrict our

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