SHORTCUTS:
• News
• Noteworthy
• Around Campus
• Announcements
• In the News

NEWS:

WSU to Host: "Art Works: A Public Forum
on Creative Economies in Central Massachusetts"

Top of Page

NOTEWORTHY:

Dirk Baker (Baseball, Athletics) was interviewed for an article in Coaching Management about the 375-question exam he created to test his players' baseball knowledge of the game. "For years, my assistant and I have been saying the kids play the game, but they don't know the game," says Baker.
"I finally did something about it to help my players get ready for baseball over the winter." To read the full article, click here.



Lisa Krissoff Boehm (Urban Studies) was appointed to the board of the Urban History Association, the national body representing urban historians,
in September. In late May, Boehm presented a brown bag lunch talk at the Schlesinger Library, Harvard University, where she has deposited the oral histories for her 2009 book, Making a Way out of No Way: African
American Women and the Second Great Migration (Mississippi)
for use by other scholars.



Barbara Zang (Communication) has been awarded a James H. Ottaway fellowship to participate in the "Digital Delivery" seminar at the American Press Institute in Reston, Virginia, in early November. This seminar covers content, business and cutting edge approaches for the digital transition of news and news organization. The Ottaway fellowship covers tuition, travel, hotel and meals.

Top of Page

AROUND CAMPUS:

Recovering Skinhead Tells his
Story at Diversity Lecture

Frank Meeink, author of the book, Autobiography of a recovering Skinhead: The Frank Meeink Story as told to Jody M. Roy, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Wurtzel, told a rapt crowd of students, faculty and staff his story from inside a white supremacist movement and his ultimate transformation as part of the Worcester State University (WSU) Diversity Lecture Series last Tuesday.

Meeink told of growing up poor and fatherless in south Philadelphia. Frequently subjected to beatings at home by his mother's boyfriend and looking to belong and for protection, he ultimately--at age 14-- turned to his cousin in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during a summer visit. His cousin had a picture of Hitler and a swastika in his room and introduced him to his inner circle who talked to him about white supremacy. Later, he started a cable access program called "The Reich," and ultimately was incarcerated. It was there that he began to question his beliefs. He began playing football in prison and befriended "G," an Africa American inmate who was one of the few people he found he could talk to about the birth of his daughter. The closeness of this friendship made him question his white supremacist beliefs.

After his release, he was able to land job moving furniture. Again his beliefs were called in to question when the Jewish owner of the company, and his boss, taught him a powerful lesson through mentoring him and telling him that he thought he was a smart young man.

After the Oklahoma City Bombing, Meeink was deeply affected by the news photograph of the firefighter carrying a child killed in the blast. He was moved to call the FBI and offer his story to use in profiling.

He now says he is a work in progress and is working to raise his four children, speak on his experiences through lectures and his book and with Harmony through Hockey, an organization he founded to bring culturally diverse American communities together by promoting racial harmony through team building and athletic competition.

The Diversity Lecture Series is sponsored by the Student Center/Student Activities Office, Disability Services Office, WSU Pride Alliance, Third World Alliance and People's United Bank. For more information on the entire series, visit: www.worcester.edu/diversitylectures.

SAVE THE DATE: Bullying and Cyberbullying
Wed., October 27 @ 4 p.m., Student Center, Blue Lounge

Bullying is widespread in American schools today. The Department of Education reports that 25 percent of American students say they are bullied at least once a day. Children who bully are at risk for engaging in more serious violent and criminal behaviors. Victims of bullying are at risk of thinking about or attempting suicide. Bullying is not a rite of passage. It is a school safety issue that must be resolved. A safe school environment is critical to our children's academic success.

Presentation topics include:

Defining Bullying and Cyberbullying
Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law
Emerging and Existing Technology

Bullying and Cyberbullying is a presentation by the Office of District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. Community and School Outreach Program and sponsored by the Worcester State University Education Department.

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC


Communication Department to Host Internship Fair - October 21
Dr. Julie Frechette

For over the past 30 years, the Communication Department at Worcester State University has been offering a successful internship program to assist students with their professional advancement. Each year, the department sponsors an internship fair featuring area businesses and non-profit organizations that are recruiting student interns for a variety of communication related areas.

On Thursday, October 21 from 12-2 p.m. in the North/South Auditorium of the Student Center, the Communication Department will host its Annual Internship Fair for students at Worcester State University. Businesses and non-profit organizations will be on site to recruit energetic and skilled students trained in TV/video production, advertising/public relations, photography, and other communication skills. Students in their junior and senior year who have a GPA of 2.7 or higher are eligible to earn academic credit for their internship experience, thereby helping them advance in their studies while developing professional experience.

In a competitive employment market, students with internship experience are better poised to develop the necessary skills and networks for professional employment and advancement. Internships assist students by providing experiences and knowledge in a variety of areas of interest that can lead to viable career paths, and help them develop the confidence they need to secure their first job or graduate school opportunity.

The event is open to all who are interested. For more information, contact Julie Frechette: jfrechette@worcester.edu

Top of Page

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Chorale Trip to Germany
The WSU Chorale will once again be going on concert tour on May 16 to 24, 2011, this time to Germany. The Chorale is excited about this location because of the rich musical tradition of Germany, the home of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and so many others. As always, the Chorale loves to have non-singers along to share in the wonderful experiences. All WSU faculty, staff, students, administration and friends are welcome.

On this trip you will visit several cities formerly behind the Iron Curtain, such as Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden and Leipzig and also the western city of Munich in Bavaria. The cost of the trip is $2399 per person plus airline taxes and includes meals, airfare, hotel, sight-seeing, tour guide and luxury motor coach. The only costs not covered are lunches and a few dinners and tips. There is a payment plan available. The deadline for registration is November 1, 2010. If you would like to see an itinerary, please contact: cnigro@worcester.edu or call 508-929-8824. Those who have traveled with the Chorale in the past have had a marvelous time, and many have participated over and over with this fun-loving and talented group.

This Week - 25% off at Borders Bookstores
Borders will be hosting Educator Appreciation Week this fall -- Wednesday, October 6 through Sunday, October 10. All current and retired educators, as well as school administrators, will enjoy 25% off their personal and classroom purchases of list priced books, CDs, DVDs, cafe items, gifts & stationery and more when you bring in a current Classroom or Educator Discount Card, school ID or pay stub. Educators who are Borders Rewards Plus members will save 32.5% off purchases. For more information, please visit www.borders.com/teaching. Don't miss the Special Reception, Saturday, October 9 from 2-6 p.m. at Borders stores nationwide, including the store in Shrewsbury.

Barbara Pilon Poetry Contest
Monday, October 18 is the deadline for entering WSU's Barbara Pilon Poetry Contest. The contest is open to all full and part time undergraduate students at the college. Prizes: $300 for first prize; $150 for second; and $100 for third prize. Guidelines for entering the contest can be found in the English Dept. in S-303 or pinned to bulletin boards on campus. An awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 28 from 3-5 p.m. All from the campus community are invited to celebrate the winners. An open mic reading will precede the winner's reading. Refreshments will be served.

Diversity Workshops for WSU Employees
A series of workshops are being offered by the Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action to address key diversity/harassment issues across campus. All workshops take place at noon in the Student Center Fallon Room (third floor). The campus community is invited to participate in these dialogues.

Workshop #2: Affirmative Action: Taking a Closer Look
Wednesday, October 20
This workshop explores the history and psychology of Affirmative Action.

Workshop #3: Prevention of Sexual Harassment
Wednesday, November 17
This workshop will help attendees recognize common workplace occurrences of sexual harassment and provide participants with tools to maintain a harassment free environment.

BYOL - Bring your own lunch, cookies and soft drinks will be provided. Registration is required, so if you are interested, please contact the Office of Diversity and Affirmative Action at 508-929-8117.

EAP Monthly Newsletter
The ESI Employee Assistance Group, a service/benefit accessible to all WSU employees, produces a monthly newsletter. Click here for their October issue or visit www.theeap.com to learn more about what services they provide and/or previous newsletters.

Top of Page

WSU IN THE NEWS:

Age no barrier in enjoying life to the fullest
Fifty Plus Advocate
She was inspired to return to school to fill in gaps in her knowledge of elder issues after listening to a talk by Maureen Powers, executive director of the Intergenerational Urban Institute (IUI) at Worcester State College at an awards ceremony at the Worcester Senior Center. **Note - Article author, Brian Goslow, is a Class of 1989 WSC Graduate (English & Urban Studies)


Colleges review security plans after stabbings
NECN.com
After the stabbings at Regis College and Boston College, campuses in Worcester are taking a closer look at their security plans. Reporter Katie Daly talked to officials at Assumption College and Worcester State College.

Top of Page