Raffi Berberian | The Bucknellian Members of one of Bucknell’s co-ed a cappella groups, Beyond Unison, perform their set at Christy’s.
Ali Napoli Writer
The University held its annual Christy’s A Cappella concert in Rooke Chapel as a part of Parent’s Weekend on Sept. 21 and 22. The concert has been taking place for 22 years, and it began as a more casual “coffeehouse” type event. This year, the five a cappella groups on campus participated: The Offbeats, Beyond Unison, Two Past Midnight, The Silhouettes and The Bison Chips.
“We were especially looking forward to Christy’s this year. We really wanted to show our families and friends the great deal of work that we’ve put in over the past few months. Because we’re such a new group, this was the first year that we’ve done a full set and a skit at the concert, so it was really exciting for the Offbeats. It was definitely a lot of fun and we’re already looking forward to next year!” Jessica Isgro ’15, Musical Director of The Offbeats, said.
Each group preformed four to five pieces, ranging from Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young” to Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend.” Rooke Chapel was packed with family, friends, students and alumni appreciating the talent of those on stage.
“Christy’s is always a really fun event. I love being able to perform at a concert with all of the other a cappella groups, and I think it is really fun for the audience to have a concert with such variety. It was a lot of work to learn all of the music in only one short month, but I think the hard work paid off,” Beyond Unison’s Annie Schulenburg ’13 said.
Although most recognize it as a fun event, for some it was a more sentimental experience. Jenny Rosen ’13, a member of the Silhouettes, had her last Christy’s performance this year.
“I could not be more ecstatic to be sharing the stage with this amazing group of girls. The Sils love performing at Christy’s and it is a very special concert for all of us,” Rosen said.
Both nights were close to sold out, drawing a huge crowd for the performers.
Courtesy of Bucknell.edu Jeffrey Evans, professor of civil and environmental engineering, was recently awarded a Cambridge Fellowship for fall 2012/spring 2013.
Dr. Jeffrey Evans, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University, has been awarded a Fellowship at Churchill College, Cambridge University, for the fall 2012 and spring 2013 terms. He will be in residence there for six months during his sabbatical from the University.
What kind of process did you have to go through to get this fellowship?
“First, Professor Kenichi Soga of the University of Cambridge nominated me. He is a fellow in Churchill College. I then needed to secure letters of reference. Professor Soga suggested Professor Andrew Whittle, chair of civil engineering at MIT, and Professor Thomas O’Rourke, Thomas R. Briggs professor in engineering at Cornell University. Both are members of the National Academy of Engineering and both were previously Overseas Fellows at Churchill. The Fellowship Electors then considered the nomination and references letters and I was elected to an Overseas Fellowship.”
What are the terms of the fellowship? What are you required to do?
“As per my award letter, ‘It is expected Overseas Fellows will take part in the activities of the college and that they will have associations with appropriate [Cambridge] University departments.’ In this regard, I also have been invited by the Engineering Department of the University of Cambridge to join them as an official ‘academic visitor.’ Thus, there are no specific requirements for me to fulfill, but rather my participation in the enterprise of [Cambridge] University is expected. Mostly, I will be working on research and working with graduate students in engineering.
The Fellowship also provides me access to on-campus Fellows accommodations for which I would be otherwise ineligible. It also includes, free of charge, all of my meals including dining at the High Table.”
How is the British style of teaching different than the American style? Will you have to make modifications to your teaching style?
“Since I will not be in the classroom in what might be considered the normal ‘teaching’ environment, teaching at Cambridge will be similar to teaching at Bucknell. That is, I will be meeting one-on-one with students to discuss their work, guide their thinking and answer questions as appropriate.”
How do you think your teaching career at the University has prepared you for this fellowship?
“While teaching at Bucknell University, I generally have an open door policy and often meet with students one-on-one to discuss coursework as well as broader topics such as employment opportunities, research and professional issues. This will be similar to my role at the University of Cambridge.
It is worth noting that the scholar part of the teacher-scholar model at Bucknell University was an essential component to my election as an Overseas Fellow. I’ve been fortunate working with good students and faculty colleagues as well as in securing NSF grants during my time at Bucknell University. Without this scholarly productivity, an appointment at a university such as Cambridge would be highly unlikely.”
What do you think the biggest adjustment will be in terms of living in England?
“Having lived in England during two previous sabbaticals, I’m rather familiar with most aspects of life in Britain. Of course, everything is more expensive here so that is always a consideration. Also, I do not plan to have a car, so there will be considerably more walking and biking than in Lewisburg. I certainly won’t miss the many committee meetings and administrative duties I had at Bucknell, but I’m sure I’ll quickly adjust to their absences.”
What are you most excited about in regards to being at Cambridge?
“The city of Cambridge is one of the most beautiful cities in England and the walk from Churchill College to the engineering building is delightful. The University [of Cambridge] is consistently rated one of the top five in the world and the opportunity to work in such an environment is exciting. After work, the cultural opportunities for concerts, plays, music and the like are seemingly never-ending. As Bucknell’s Professor Howard Smith (originally from Wales) stated to me this summer, ‘Cambridge; it doesn’t get any better that that.'”
Do you think this experience will change how you approach engineering at the University?
“I certainly believe it will bring fresh ideas and approaches to the classroom and to the research I carry out with our students. There is a lot happening in civil engineering in the UK and Europe, and undoubtedly I’ll be sharing this with our students when I return.”
Ally Boni | The Bucknellian Sign advertising the Loop, a feature of the Coop that informs farmers and members on prices of local goods.
Elizabeth Bacharach Senior Writer
In an effort to expand its horizons in terms of members, volunteers, etc., the Lewisburg COOP held an Open House on Sept 24. In a recently refurbished garage on Cherry Alley, the members of the COOP welcomed passersby and potential members, illustrating what has been termed as the LOOP’s initiative, processes and partnerships.
The LOOP has been operating since May 2005, and it started with the goal of simplifying food shopping and consolidating peoples’ access to healthy and local options.
Ally Boni | The Bucknellian Food on display at the Lewisburg Coop. Visitors were able to learn about the different services the Coop offers.
“It doesn’t make sense to have to drive to nine different stores to get your groceries,” member Sam Pearson said.
“The LOOP was formed to fill a niche in the community, working in a sustainable and green way,” member Phoebe Faden said.
Membership begins with a $50 deposit that is refundable, in addition to four to 12 volunteer hours per year depending on the scale of purchases or a cash out at $15 an hour instead of labor. Orders are made at each delivery, which vary depending on interest. Members can order cases of groceries, produce from Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), local dairy and eggs or local meat and fish sources.
The LOOP prides itself on ordering and providing members with the ultimate local goods at manageable prices.
“The prices for packaged foods are comparable with grocery stores, but more connected to the local economy. We cannot compete on price with discount big box stores,” Pearson said.
Nevertheless, members still embrace the LOOP as it connects them to “farmers they would otherwise only be able to access at intermittent farmers’ markets,” Pearson said.
“It appears to me that the LOOP does a great job connecting the Lewisburg community to local farmers, enabling the society to work together positively,” Ali Lafferty ’16 said.
Although students like Lafferty find the LOOP enticing, it’s fairly difficult for University students to contribute in membership. A majority of members are those, as Faden states simply, “with a pantry.” The LOOP requires buying in bulk; orders are by the case, but members can mutually split and share cases at the time of ordering.
According to “Bucknell Facts 2011-2012”, 85 percent of undergraduate students live on campus. This means that a majority of students do not have access to his or her proper kitchen, or rather a pantry. Furthermore, most students are on a meal plan, thus their daily eating is taken care of.
“I would order food as long as it was an easy process and they offered types of food I like and would consume on a generally daily basis,” Julie Hendrickson ’14 said.
“It is pertinent that we, the community or students that are able to, work with the LOOP, as local farmers work hard at what they do and buying from them is an easy convenience to eat healthier and stimulate the local economy,” Lafferty said.
The LOOP has made it far since its beginning seven years ago. The Open House took place in a garage, which, according to Faden was quite the improvement.
“The LOOP is moving forward, becoming more centric, concentrated to one place,” Faden said.
This isn’t to say that the LOOP team is not looking towards the future.
“The pie in the sky is a storefront. Operating as a full service store with staple goods as well as local foods,” Pearson said.
However, this is premature, as the LOOP needs more members to generate a larger team as well as an increase in capital. Thus, with the hopes of “getting their name out there,” as Pearson put it, the Open House was hosted.
“The Open Houses seem to be a good option because the idea of the COOP is hard to grasp without seeing the site,” Pearson said. “In addition to such events, we mostly rely on word of mouth to publicize.”
The future is not possible without the volunteer work of the existing members of the LOOP and others.
“[Students] can just get involved by volunteering to help out either with deliveries or the upkeep of the facility,” Pearson said.
“Students will be more enticed to contribute if there are possibilities of volunteer experience or internship positions,” Phuong Nguyen ’15 said.
“Greek members should work with the COOP for community service hours,” Hendrickson said.
In addition to the understood volunteer experience and positions, Pearson welcomes anyone that “could help create a WordPress or Blogger site for us [the COOP]” as they no longer have a website.
In Pearson’s eyes, being a member of the LOOP is all about eating in season and caring about fuel, energy and the environment.
“Students can make a point of learning about the region and finding out what the area and local climate produce, as well as supplement their book learning with lessons in practical arts like canning and preserving–something the Craft Center does offer,” Pearson said.
The University lost a powerful professor and figure in music on Sept. 13 to pancreatic cancer. William Duckworth, 69, was a pioneer in both postminimalist and Internet interactive music. Duckworth wrote about 200 compositions, working to fuse influences of bluegrass, medieval music, Satie, Messian and jazz. Also an author, known for his book of composer interviews, “Talking Music,”and a study of interactive music, “Virtual Music: How the Web Got Wired for Sound,” Duckworth proved multifaceted. Duckworth was a professor of music at the University for 38 years until taking a medical leave in 2011. Many national news organizations such as NPR have aired and published tributes to Duckworth. He is survived by his third wife Nora, his children, Will, Katherine and Alison and his eternal impact on the University and the world of music.
On Sept. 13, the University hosted a topping out ceremony for Academic West that focused on the school’s tradition of dedication to progress. President John Bravman highlighted this tradition of progress through a brief history of the University. He reminded the audience that years ago, a group of people decided to “build something special,” and that Academic West is just the newest addition to this rich legacy of achievement.
This was the first “topping out” ceremony in University history, and it commemorated the last beam that was placed in the new structure. Bravman first invited members of Bucknell Student Government (BSG) to sign the orange steel beam. He then encouraged the rest of the audience to share in the University history through signing the beam. Members of the faculty, staff, students and trustees eagerly signed the beam before it was placed at the top of Academic West.
“I think the new academic building signifies the commitment Bucknell is making to its students and faculty. Not being here to enjoy the building is a little sad, but seeing the direction the University is going is encouraging,” BSG President Dotun Odewale ’13 said.
“Working with the University was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” architect Alex Wing said. He also admired that the University was rooted in a precedent that is looking forward. Wing commended this commitment to both tradition and progress, in terms of architectural design features and the broader philosophical aims of the University.
Board of Trustees representative Ellen Bush ’79 also commented on how Academic West fits into the rich tradition and legacy of the University.
“This is not just a structure … this is a statement,” Bush said.
Bush believes the building is linked to the core mission of the University: to provide the best undergraduate experience in the nation. She said she was proud of the new project as both a trustee and alumna.
“The University is about people. But you can’t bring great people together to do great things unless you also have great places for them to work and build together. This is what we’re doing today. It is the legacy of the next, best version of Bucknell,” Bravman said.
Academic West is one building within the nexus of the new quad. It will be home to the social sciences, including the economics, environmental studies, geography, international relations, Latin American studies, political science, sociology and anthropology departments. The building will have an auditorium and hearth spaces for students overlooking the Susquehanna. It will be opened and dedicated in the fall of 2013.
A Teach for America educator-turned-author offered his story about how writing slowly crept into–and later took over–his life.
Jordan Sonnenblick, author of the best-selling book “Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie,” discussed his motivation for becoming an author on Sept. 19 in the Gallery Theatre.
“I tried to find the kid who needed a book in his or her hand that didn’t exist. Every book I’ve written has been that: some way I could hand a kid that book,” Sonnenblick said.
Sonnenblick’s first book was inspired by Emily, one of his eighth-grade English students, who disguised her sorrow over her brother’s cancer diagnosis by giggling her way through every class. He credits teaching as an experience that helped him understand kids and how to write.
“Teaching both as an English teacher and through the Teach for America program led me to have a tremendous compassion for kids. It also made me understand the dynamic of family more. Through teaching I experienced humility from seeing how wrong about a certain kid I was,” Sonnenblick said.
These humbling experiences led Sonnenblick to write not one, but eight novels about kids and teenagers. His writing process for these novels is unlike other authors.
“There’s an element of randomness in my thought process … I write at weird, inopportune times; I’m the least disciplined writer in America,” Sonnenblick said. “If I don’t write 1,000 words in a day, I’m dissatisfied.”
He also discussed how having a plan will not always lead you the right way.
“Even though you think you have a road map, you find out stuff through character interaction while writing,” Sonnenblick said.
Sonnenblick credits his high school creative writing teacher and Pulitzer Prize winner Frank McCourt for kindling his interest in authorship.
However, Sonnenblick’s interest didn’t exactly start there. He spoke of a childhood friend named BJ that asked Sonnenblick at age three what he wanted to be when he grew up, to which Sonnenblick responded that he wanted to write a book.
“At first, I felt elated and horrified about becoming a professional writer. I feared that the next idea wouldn’t come,” Sonnenblick said.
When “Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie” was published, Emily’s mother called Sonnenblick to give him her thoughts on his book.
“She called me and told me ‘you got it right.’ That’s when I found my purpose in life,” Sonnenblick said.
A big part of Sonnenblick’s authorship is utilizing humor in his books, and his sense of humor was evident throughout the speech.
“My wife has to talk to me like I’m a brain-damaged toddler the week after I write a book; she even stoops down a little bit to get my attention,” Sonnenblick said.
“Sonnenblick’s speech was interesting. He’s very personal, which I liked. I’m interested in reading his other books,” Morgan Houchins ’16 said.
Whether you plan on teaching or curing cancer, Sonnenblick’s advice is gold: be ready, because you never know where the path may lead you.
Edward Louie | The Bucknellian Gloriana on stage at Fall Fest.
Caroline Schaeffer Writer
On Sept. 15, Campus Activities & Programs (CAP) hosted a school-wide “countrified” Fall Fest on the Sojka Lawn, featuring performances by Tyler Hilton, Gloriana and Jack Ingram. Fall Fest was held from 1 to 6 p.m. and included a variety of different events, such as old time photos, a ferris wheel, a mechanical bull and an obstacle course. A southern dinner with mac ‘n cheese and sloppy joes was also included.
“Fall Fest is a really nice opportunity for the whole school to bond as a community with cool and fun activities offered that students can actually enjoy, and some good food,” Amelia Romero ’16 said.
It was cloudy and breezy when the crowds started to gather at the festival around 1:30 p.m., and many were wearing their most “countrified” cowboy boots, jeans and plaid shirts. Musical entertainment was provided by student band “Colin and the Hassels,” who performed popular country songs like “Wagon Wheel” and “Shake It For Me” for the early crowd.
Booths were set up all around the lawn, and students had a variety of different options when it came to entertainment. The mechanical bull and “Rattlesnake Run” obstacle course provided more physical forms of entertainment for students, while the old time photos, bracelet-making station and tie-dyeing station offered students a creative and fun way to bring home a souvenir from the festival.
The sun came out around the same time as the day’s first performer, Tyler Hilton. Hilton, 28, who is known for his role as Chris Keller on “One Tree Hill,” engaged the crowd in some playful banter and performed many of his most popular songs, including “Jenny Turn Around” and “Prince of Nothing Charming.” Hilton concluded his performance around 3:15 p.m., but stuck around afterwards to take photos with fans.
A large crowd began to gather around the stage at about 3:30 p.m., when Gloriana, a country music group from Tennessee, was set to perform. They opened with one of their main hits, “Wild at Heart.” The lead singer Rachel Reinert, encouraged cheering from the crowd throughout the band’s performance. They ended with their highest charting single “Kissed You Goodnight,” which has now sold over 800,000 copies.
A lot of students seemed to enjoy this year’s change in music for Fall Fest.
“I like the choice of country music for the festival’s theme. It was a fun idea,” Xander Vining ’14 said.
The festival began to wind down around 5 p.m. when country rock singer Jack Ingram performed to finish the day off. Ingram performed a number of upbeat country rock songs for the crowd. During his performance, students lounged on the grass and enjoyed the day’s weather with friends. The festival ended at 6 p.m., and with the kickoff of fall already under their belts, students were ready to return to their daily lives, perhaps a little more countrified than they had been before.
As of April 2012, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instituted a new voter ID law requiring voters to present a valid photo ID with an expiration date every time they vote. As University IDs do not have an expiration date on them, this was potentially problematic for students without a Pennsylvania license, passport or any other form of photo identification. The University, therefore, took action.
Starting Monday, Sept. 17, the Campus Activities & Programs (CAP) Center and the Switchboard began distributing free expiration stickers to affix to University IDs, an option under the new law. The CAP center will be giving out the stickers Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and the Switchboard, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.
“Everything the University is doing in response to the state’s new voter ID law is about making sure students who wish to exercise their right to vote this November are able to do so,” Andy Hirsch, director of media communications, said. “[That is why we] continue to publicize both the impact the new law will have and the steps the University is taking to make sure student IDs will be accepted as valid forms of photo ID.”
New stories are constantly updated and posted to the University homepage and social media channels, and campus-wide announcements have been sent out. A website has also been created focusing on voter registration that can help students understand the new law and voting this November: http://www.bucknell.edu/x79070.xml.
Upon his arrival at the University, David Rapp-Kirshner ’15 couldn’t help getting involved. He is currently trying to form a Green Party club, which is in its beginning stages and is probing for interest and support on campus.
His interest in this club comes from his desire to “give a voice” to the Green Party. During this 2012 presidential election, it has become clear to him that progressives, whose political views he identifies with, are underrepresented. He feels he has to settle because his political views aren’t fully represented by either of the two major political parties.
The key to the Green Party agenda is that they are “the only political party that is truly progressive on all aspects of its platform: marriage equality, universal single-payer healthcare, ecological sustainability, cannabis legalization, national debt reduction, international peace and disarmament, civil rights and human rights,” Rapp-Kirshner said.
He believes the policies of the Green Party are “the way to the brightest future for America.”
His goals for the club on campus are to raise awareness of the Green Party and its ideals by facilitating discussions and debates on topical issues where they would express their progressive viewpoints. Students from other political parties would be encouraged to come and express theirs as well. He believes a diversity of views and beliefs is important, and is something America’s current system does not allow for. He hopes the club will not only raise awareness for the Green Party on campus, but also bring scrutiny to America’s two-party system.
We already have a Democrats Club and Conservatives Club on campus. Kamran Khan ’14, president of College Democrats (College Dems) said their main goal for this semester is “to get as many students registered to vote on campus as possible.”
They have taken several initiatives, including successfully working with the University to place stickers on University IDs so students can vote in Pennsylvania. Khan is planning a watch party for the two main debates with a follow-up discussion for students and faculty. He also hopes to schedule a debate with the Conservatives Club.
Richie Pisano ’15 of the Conservatives Club (BUCC) describes their weekly club meetings as “lively” and “encompassing of a range of political ideologies, all based in freedom and liberty.” The club has its own publication, “The Counterweight,” and it brings speakers to campus. The BUCC will be hosting Dinesh D’Souza, who will speak on multiculturalism and “The Roots of Obama’s Rage” on Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Trout Auditorium.
Rapp-Kirshner is open to any input and is hopeful that the Green Party can have the same legitimacy on campus as College Dems and the BUCC.
Students gathered on the Roberts, Trax and Kress (RTK) Quad at 10 a.m. on Sept. 16 for the first KATS Making Tracks 5k run and walk. Kappa Alpha Theta sorority (KAT) hosted this event for their national philanthropy: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). The event had 318 participants.
“This year we decided to switch from our normal event, Kicks for CASA, which is a kickball tournament to a 5k,” Sarah Dubow ’13 said.
The 5k trail began at the RTK Quad, went to Strohecker Farm Lane, past Moore Avenue to 7th Street, onto St. Louis and 3rd Street, to Loomis and back to Marts Hall.
“We ended up having over 300 people sign up for the event, which is unprecedented for our fall philanthropy,” Dubow said. “I truly attribute it to the amazing work of our philanthropy chair, Lizzie Kirshenbaum ’14, and the fact that people could just sign up individually and didn’t have to make teams like kickball. While kickball has always been a great event, the 5k was a new and exciting idea that meshes well with the athleticism and large number of runners on this campus.”
“I was thrilled to see the number of people who came out on a Sunday morning to support KAT and their cause,” Kate Albertini ’14 said. “I also always enjoy that thrill that you only get from racing.”
The Delta Upsilon fraternity (DU) brothers had the highest attendance at the event. As a result, 10 percent of the event’s proceeds will be donated to Global Service Initiative, their main philanthropy.
“All of DU ran the race and all of [Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity]’s pledge class ran it as well,” Dubow said. “My favorite part of the race was the finish line where the DU brothers cheered on each other until the last one finished, Sig Ep cheered and stuck together the whole race and friends screamed words of encouragement as each runner crossed that finish line.”
Registration prior to the event was $10, but cost $15 at the event.
“The money that we give [CASA] goes towards training advocates to help children through the court system and serve not only as a support system, but a voice for them when they are often overlooked in the trial process,” Dubow said.
Participant feedback has been positive.
“I had a lot of fun at the 5k,” Jon Drouin ’15 said. “I was really surprised by the huge turnout, and the course was solid, too.”
“The energy KAT put into the event was contagious and it was so much fun being able to support all of their hard work, plus CASA is an amazing cause,” Meaghan Foster ’14 said.
