Gaudeamus

Jim Skalnik, assistant dean for academic advising, has published a monograph on Peter Ramus, a 16th-century French educational reformer who was killed in the St. Bartho-lomew’s Day massacre. The book was published by the Association of 16th-Century Studies. Before deaning, Jim taught medieval history at DeSales University and the U.S. Naval Academy.

Jim Tyler, adjunct instructor of Latin, translated a newly discovered short text by Comenius, which was published in the December 2002 bulletin of the Canadian Society of Comenian Studies.

Joyce Hinnefeld, assistant professor of English, was selected to receive a fellowship in literature by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Also, her short story, “A Better Law of Gravity,” has been accepted for publication by the journal Arts & Letters. 

Rita Berk, director of Reeves Library, attended a seminar for new academic library directors, January 21-24 in Philadelphia. It was conducted by the college division of American College and Research Libraries.

Susan DeSanto-Madeya, assistant professor of nursing, was named Advisor of the Year for 2002-03 by the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania. She received the award at its convention November 20-22 in Lancaster.

Moravian has been awarded a place in the University of Pennsylvania’s 2003 curriculum development seminar on Japan. The Moravian team—Jean-Pierre Lalande, professor of French, Ros Remer, associate professor of history, and Paula Zerkle, associate professor of music—attended an orientation session January 11-12 in Philadelphia. There they learned how much they’ll be reading about Japan in the first half of the year. (A lot.) In July, they’ll spend three weeks in Japan. All this will lead to new courses at the College.

Student Affairs

Matthew Cavoto ’04, Norristown, and Caress Prince ’04, Lackawaxen, performed a joint piano recital February 2 at Moravian Hall Square in Nazareth. The free-will donation went to Moravian music scholarships.

Soprano Evelyn Stewart, DCGS, Bethlehem, performed a recital in honor of Black History Month, February 9 at Old First Reformed Church in Philadelphia.

For the past four years, Ed Roeder, professor of physics, tells us, Moravian’s chapter of the Society for Physics Students has been taking science experiments to local elementary schools, where our students demonstrate science at work for first- through fifth-graders. Chapter president Aaron Buckner ’03, Newark, Delaware, submitted the project to the national SPS, and it won a Marsh White Award in the amount of $300. This will enable the chapter to buy a portable pressure/vacuum pump, which will permit additional types of experiments and demonstrations.

Candy Geary ’06, Falls, won the Lebensfeld Prize for best Writing 100 essay of the fall term for “The Music Ex,” written for Ros Remer’s “Biography and Autobiography” course. Honorable mention went to Chris R. Morgan ’06, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, for “No Sugar Coating, No Second Chance,” written for Chris Jones’ “That Way Madness Lies” course. Both will be published in The Best Writing 100 Essays, 2002-2003, which will be available this coming fall. Candy also will receive $75.

At the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania’s 50th annual convention, November 20-22 in Lancaster, Moravian’s Baccalaureate Program Student Nurses Association chapter received the state membership award.  

Patrick St. John ’05, Bethlehem, son of Don St. John, professor of religion, was awarded a grant to attend the Students Against Sweatshops national conference, February 1-2 in Los Angeles.

Anniversary Waltz

These faculty and staff members celebrate milestone anniversaries in the first quarter of 2003.

* Michael Seidl, President’s office
* Christine Prickler, Facilities Services
** Ed Bolcar Jr., Facilities Services
** Ronald Kline, Counseling Center
** Carol Traupman-Carr, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
**** Bonnie Falla, Reeves Library
***** Charles Hargis, Professor of Doctrinal Theology, Seminary

Each star * represents five years.

A Death in the Family

Eric Rhodin, professor emeritus of English, died February 16 after a brief illness. He was 87. A member of the English Department for almost 20 years, he retired in 1981. He founded the journalism major, which has been incorporated into the English major. George Diamond, professor of English, remembers him as “personality, raconteur, and good friend.”

For a memorial, his obituary asks that people “stand up for what they believe.” His family, which includes Anthony Rhodin ’79, assistant managing editor of the Express-Times, plans a memorial service next month.