Around Campus

A Trio of Campus Additions

Three major construction and renovation projects are under way at Utica College. Science Center Expansion

Construction is nearly complete on the $14 million, 25,000 square foot science center annex featuring state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom space as well as common space for students and faculty to interact outside of the classroom. The new facility will connect Gordon Science Center and Romano Hall. The addition will be formally dedicated during Homecoming, Alumni and Family Weekend in September.

Outdoor Athletic Field and Track and Field Complex

Crews broke ground in April 2021 on a multipurpose, synthetic turf athletic field and outdoor track. The new facility, located behind the Clark Athletic Center adjacent to Gaetano Stadium, will include lighting for evening events and bleacher seating. The facility will provide a critically needed practice venue for field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and track and field, as well as a complementary competition venue to Gaetano Stadium. The synthetic turf will allow athletes to train and compete regardless of weather conditions.

Intercultural and Student Organization Center

The Francis A. Wilcox Intercultural and Student Organization Center, located in the transformed space that formerly housed the Newman Center, will also open in Fall 2021. The facility will feature four common meeting rooms for student groups and organizations, two multipurpose rooms for events and activities, office space for two Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion staff members as well as the K. Della Ferguson Women’s Resource Center, a lounge with a gas fireplace, an outdoor socializing and activities space, all-gender restrooms, and a kitchen area. The project was fully funded through an estate gift.

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AROUND CAMPUS

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Lights, Camera, Live Stream (1)

UC’s theatre department adapted to the restrictions of COVID-19 by replacing their live audience with a virtual one. The spring production of Something Rotten was live-streamed on the ShowTix4U virtual platform April 22-25. Clear face masks, designed and constructed by adjunct instructor Kristin Palazzoli, allowed performers to stay safe while also expressing their emotions on stage. “It was so important for our theatre students to have the ability to perform, and I’m proud that we’ve devised a way to do it in a COVID-safe environment,” says assistant director for college engagement and Something Rotten director Jason Francey.

Mask On, Still Smiling (2)

While masks prevent the spread of COVID-19, they also hide friendly smiles. “Smiling Eyes” is campus-wide initiative created by Stacey Webb G ’21 and Erin Taylor ’24 to encourage Pioneers to “smile with their eyes” and spread positivity from behind their masks. “Smiling is one of the small things we can do as individuals to immediately make ourselves and others feel better,” says Webb. As part of the campaign, lighthearted reminders to smile are scattered throughout campus in an effort to alleviate what Taylor calls the “COVID blues.”

Hard Evidence (3)

Students in Professor Shanna Van Slyke’s CRJ 222 Criminal Justice Communications class had the chance to examine clues and document a staged crime scene complete with dummy victims and fake weapons. “This investigation stage is critical in that it serves as a foundation for the preservation of evidence in documenting through video, photographic images, and composition the state of the crime scene when it was discovered,” said Van Slyke. “Detailed descriptions are crucial, as this information is forwarded to prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and juries who need to understand the crime scene’s condition in court.”

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“We the students, faculty, and staff of Utica College state unequivocally that no person’s civil liberties, rights, nor freedoms should ever be compromised due to the color of their skin, ethnic heritage, religious belief, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, ability, geography, political stance or any other aspect of their identity that influences how we see and experience the world.”

From Utica College’s Stance Statement, created by the Office for Diversity Equity and Inclusion; the President’s Student Cabinet for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Social Justice; the Board of Trustees; the Faculty Senate; and the Student Government Association. Read the full statement at utica.edu/stance

PIONEER PAST

The Tangerine met the Big Apple in 1997, when UC’s Media Club, including many Tangerine staffers, visited New York City. The group toured The New York Times offices, recalls Cory Lavalette ’99 (pictured peeking out in the back row, center) who shared the photo on Facebook. “I remember we took the ferry past the Statue of Liberty together and stayed right near Madison Square Garden.”

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Faculty Achievement

Donald Rebovich, distinguished professor of criminal justice, director of financial crime programs and executive director of CIMIP, was guest editor for the journal Victims and Offenders for the issue “The Changing Face of Financial Crime: New Technologies, New Offenders, New Victims, and New Strategies for Prevention and Control,” in February. The journal also included an article co-written by Rebovich and Leslie Corbo, associate professor and director of cybersecurity programs, titled, “The Distillation of National Crime Data into a Plan for Elderly Fraud Prevention.” Amy Lindsey, associate professor of psychology, was invited to serve on the Board of Advisors for the Vision Science Society Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Douglas Edwards, assistant professor of philosophy, was featured in the American Philosophical Quarterly with his piece “Can pluralism account for the normativity of truth?”

Zhaodan (Jordan) Huang

(1), professor of finance, was awarded the Harold T. Clark Jr. Endowed Professorship for a five-year term. Awarded best paper at the World Finance Conference for his paper, “Momentum, Reversal and the Firm Fundamental Cycle,” Huang’s research focuses on areas of investments, asset pricing, and emerging financial markets. Melissa Racioppa, assistant professor of psychology-child life, was invited to complete a year-long program with the Association of Child Life Professionals to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Samantha Marocco, assistant professor of physical therapy, and Sibyl Edward, adjunct lecturer of physical therapy, served as reviewers for Global Healthcare Issues and Policies, (4th ed.) by Carol Holtz, to be published in 2022. Molly Hickey, associate professor of physical therapy, collaborated with Jenna Mazza ’21, and Amanda Lane ’19, to present their research “Implementation of Telemedicine as a Mode of Delivery in a Student Run Pro Bono Clinic in Utica, NY” at the National Pro Bono Network Conference in November 2020. Frank Bergmann, Walter D. Edmonds distinguished professor emeritus of English and German, has chronicled his journey to America in his new book, The Inevitable Immigrant. Gary Leising, professor of English, has had his poems published in the James Dickey Review, Asheville Poetry Review, and Ghost City Review. Sara Scanga (2), professor of biology, was named the 2021 recipient of the Harold T. Clark Jr. Award. Since arriving at Utica College in 2010, she has published 12 papers and helped author two awarded grants, totaling almost $750,000. Her field of research and expertise is plant ecology.

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