SouthernLife
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 501 NEW HAVEN, CONN.
a newspaper for the campus community
Southern Connecticut State University
JUne 2014 • Vol.17 No. 6
inside:
4 Barnard Scholars Shine Brightly 5 Grads Overcome Life’s Obstacles
One of the Nation’s Greenest Institutions Southern named to Princeton Review’s Colleges Guide Southern is one of the 332 most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company profiles Southern in the fifth annual edition of its free downloadable book, “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 332 Green Colleges.” The Princeton Review chose the schools based on a survey it conducted in 2013 of administrators at hundreds of four-year colleges to measure the schools’ commitment to the environment and to sustainability. The institutional survey included questions on the schools’ course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The 216-page guide is the only free comprehensive resource of its kind: it can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/ green-guide and www.centerforgreenschools. org/greenguide. The guide was created in partnership with the Center for Green Schools (www.
usgbc.org) at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The school profiles in the guide feature essential information for applicants – facts and stats on school demographics, admission, financial aid – plus write-ups on the schools’ sustainability initiatives. A “Green Facts” sidebar reports on a wide range of topics from the school’s use of renewable energy sources, recycling and conservation programs to the availability of environmental studies and career guidance for green jobs. In the guide’s profile on Southern, The Princeton Review highlights that at Southern “Sustainability is integrated into everyday life on campus. SCSU’s Dining Services has become more environmentally friendly through trayless dining, cage-free eggs, and a commitment to buying locally-grown produce. What’s more, the campus bookstore has championed recent initiatives such as selling a large line of recyclable products Green continued on page 6.
Faculty Honors
Efforts to save energy in the residence halls have contributed to Southern’s status as a ‘green’ university.
Phoenix Rising
Creativity and Caring
project for the master’s degree. She serves as a student teaching supervisor and an English Department honors thesis adviser, and is coordinator of the Secondary English Education Program. Talhelm has impressed her colleagues with her creative pedagogy, and she has developed a reputation for pushing her students out of their comfort zones. Talhelm received strong support for the award from students, who wrote letters describing her Melissa Talhelm Allison Bass as “a consummate, accomplished professional motivated by her students.” They They are colleagues who share a love also spoke of her “encouragement of collaboof literature and writing, but what really ration” and her “excellent,” “challenging” and makes them shine in the classroom are their “amazing” classes. innovative approaches to their material and She received a CSU Research Grant for their dedication to the success of each of their spring 2014 and was also nominated for the students. Board of Regents Teaching Award and the Melissa Talhelm, associate professor of Outstanding Academic Advisor Award. English, and Allison Bass, adjunct professor of Bass, chosen as the adjunct faculty award English, were recently selected as this year’s winner, began teaching at Southern in 2011. recipients of the J. Philip Smith Award for Bass teaches Fundamentals of College WritOutstanding Teaching. They were recognized ing, Writing Arguments, and Creative and at Southern’s undergraduate commencement Intellectual Inquiry courses. She also serves as ceremony on May 16 at Webster Bank Arena co-director of Bridges, a program that targets in Bridgeport. juniors from New Haven’s Wilbur Cross High “This award is one of the university’s highSchool with the goal of developing college est honors,” said President Mary A. Papazian, readiness skills. “because we as an institution value teachHer colleagues were particularly impressed ing, and believe in recognizing those faculty with Bass’s dedication to and advocacy for members who excel at helping their students first-year students. Students’ written course succeed. evaluations overwhelmingly point to a high “Melissa and Allison are skilled at chalquality learning experience characterized by lenging their students, while also letting them professionalism, caring, and support. Students know they care about them. This is what great and colleagues described her as “a delightful teaching is all about.” person who bonds with her students and Talhelm, selected as the full-time faculty motivates them to excel” and spoke of her member recipient, began teaching at Southern “dedication to students not only inside, but in 2006. She designs and teaches courses to outside the classroom.” undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates She previously received an award for “Profesin the Secondary English Education program; sor With a Profound Impact” on National Student first-year students in the First-Year Experience Athlete Day. She engages in several community program; and English majors. In addition, she service activities in Greater New Haven. advises graduate students through the special
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Stephen Amerman’s work on the history of American I ndians and the U.S.
In Amerman’s case, the writing of his book, “Urban Indians in Phoenix Schools, 1940exploration of the western 2000,” earned him the award. half of the continent has been It focuses on how schools in on the frontier of research in Phoenix tried to educate and his field. assimilate Native American Amerman, associate profeschildren during that time period. sor of history, recently received It looks at how the children, as Southern’s Faculty Scholar well as their parents and the Award – presented annually to American Indian community a faculty member with a single in general, responded to the exceptional scholarly work that effort. His book indicates that has appeared in a public forum while there were struggles, Stephen Amerman during the previous five years. many children were able to get Criteria for selection also include the peer an “urban education” while maintaining their recognition of a nominee’s work, its social Indian identity. merit and the extent of its advancement of His work has generated widespread praise knowledge and/or its creative contribution, all by critics and historians. The book was named Phoenix continued on page 6. of which are established by outside evaluators.
Nobel Occasion
Fellows from Southern’s Institute for Science Instruction & Study – a sixth-year program in the Department of Science Education and Environmental Studies -- enjoy a moment with James Rothman, who won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The students attended a presentation by Rothman in the Yale University Medical Library and spoke with him at the reception following the event. Pictured (from left to right) are: Megan Weingart, Debbie O’Brien, Rothman, Steven Anderson, Tracey O’Neill and Gerry Frumento, an adjunct faculty member in science education.