Gaudeamus

James Barnes, associate professor of music, was session monitor for three presentations at the first conference of the College Orchestra Directors Association, February 2-4 at Florida State University. At the same meeting, he was elected secretary/treasurer of CODA’s Northeast Division (Ohio through Maine).

Lori Hoffman and Pam Adamshick, associate and assistant professor of nursing, respectively, attended the 19th annual convention of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, November 2-5 in Nashville.

Lori and Doris Vallone, associate professor in mental-health nursing at Widener University, presented their study on “Pregnancy denial and neonaticide: Understanding the concepts and preventing the tragedy.”

Pam, a specialist in psychiatric nursing, gave a poster-presentation on the RICHES program that she and Sharon Weidner of St. Luke’s School of Nursing developed in collaboration with the Bethlehem Partnership for a Healthy Community. The acronym stands for relationships, identity, communication, health, esteem, and support—focus topics in their weekly discussion-sessions with girls at Liberty High School. Her poster was called “Intervening with angry and aggressive adolescent girls.”

Media Darlings

President Rokke was a guest January 20 of Bruce Davis on the WGPA radio program “The Lehigh Valley Means Business.”

Gary Olson, professor of political science, wrote an op-ed, headlined “Silence only helps bigotry to flourish in society,” that ran in the January 22 Morning Call. He used the film Brokeback Mountain as a starting point for a discussion of our usual reaction to intolerance, which is inarticulate discomfort. On February 9, his op-ed on the Prophet Mohammed cartoon controversy was published in the Express-Times.

And Shalahudin Kafrawi, assistant professor of philosophy and religion, was interviewed for an article on the cartoon controversy in the February 11 Morning Call.

Transfer student Allyson Mitchell was pictured in front of Colonial Hall on the front page of the January 30 Philadelphia Inquirer. Her photo accompanied an article about students who transfer after their freshman year. Allyson came here from Bard College in upstate New York.

Dave Roth ’85 and Paul Rostock, artist-lecturers in music (jazz piano and bass), were interviewed live January 31 on WDIY’s jazz show, “Doodlin’.” The show featured recordings by the Dave Roth Quintet and promoted its February 10 concert with trumpeter Terell Stafford.

Farewells and Hails

Brynn Saltzer Buskirk ’04 leaves Institutional Advancement this week to become marketing coordinator at Hunterdon Medical Center in New Jersey.

She will be succeeded by our current Blue & Grey Club intern, Mark Bentz, who becomes assistant director of annual giving and assumes responsibility for direct mail, phonathon, GOLD (young alum giving), the senior class gift, and lead Blue & Grey gifts. Mark’s undergraduate degree is from Elizabethtown College, and he is working on a Moravian M.B.A.

Adieu, too, to April Vari, associate dean of student development and one of the two guiding spirits of the Leadership Center. April will leave March 7 to become dean of students at her alma mater, Dickinson College. Her successor is Warren Hilton, director of career development since 2003.

Child Care

We welcome two new members to the Moravian family: a daughter, Isabel, for Paula Ring Zerkle, associate professor of music, director of choral activities, and chair of the Music Department, and her husband, Tim Falconer; and a son, Elijah, for admissions counselor Amy Weiss and her husband, Justin. Elijah was born February 1.

Down the Aisle

A belated congratulations to James Gold ’98, director of development for Moravian Theological Seminary, and Kelley J. Dando, who were married at the Old Chapel of Central Moravian Church on July 17. His brother Doug ’01 was best man.

Anniversary Waltz

These staff members will celebrate service anniversaries in the first quarter of 2006. Each star stands for five years.

* Bernie Benko, Facilities
* Sylvia Muller Doyle, Development
* Brian Reese, Registrar
** Steve Cassel, Financial Aid
** Linda Hassay, Admissions
** Ben Jacoby, Facilities
** Kathy Shear, CIT