Faculty News & Notes
Letter from the Editor
Dear Faculty:
I figure it’s about time I sent out a wide hello. For those of you who don’t know me—and there are many of you—I stepped into the role of communications associate/magazine editor on November 18, 2015. This is my 5th edition of Inside Moravian (IM), and I’m still finding my footing, but I want to reach out and tell you a little bit about me and my approach to IM, starting with my conviction that one of the superpowers of written communication is building relationships.
That belief underlies my work. It is my intent and hope for IM that it not only informs all of you, as well as students, parents, staff, and alumni, about what’s going on around campus but that it helps to strengthen the Moravian University community. If that sounds a little pie-in-the-sky naïve, I can tell you that I saw it in action when I was an editor at Runner’s World and as the editor of a custom magazine for the members of Curves (women’s fitness center).
If you want to know more about my work experience, go to LinkedIn. To start to know Claire, here are a few random shares that I hope tell you a little bit about me and inform our relationship as I work for the benefit of you and the entire Moravian University community (yes, I am that earnest; go ahead and roll your eyes):
- The most important resource in any educational setting is faculty. I have met with some of you, and it is my intention to schedule meaningful face time with each and every one of you. Of course, that will take some months.
- Collaboration is key. My best work isn’t mine at all. It is informed by the people around me. Please do not hesitate to send me an idea for a story or tell me how I might have approached a piece in a more interesting way.
- Publications evolve. I hope the Inside Moravian you read three months from now will be different than the one you are reading today, which brings me back to bullet #2: I welcome your creative input.
- “Without contraries is no progression.” That’s one of my favorite quotes from William Blake. It’s not always easy to live up to, but it is a principle by which relationships and communities can grow, thrive, excel and develop closeness.
And here are a few requests that I hope you will take to heart.
- Please read the faculty and student spotlights. This campus is full of remarkable and inspiring teachers and students. Michael Bertucci, assistant professor of chemistry, gave a fabulous presentation at last week’s faculty luncheon. Be sure to read about it and him in this issue of IM.
- Please send me recommendations for student spotlights and a heads up on any event you think I should cover.
- Please indulge me. I would like Inside Moravian to be a place where we can share ideas, tips, book suggestions, jokes, photos, whatever.... So from time to time, I’m going to pose a question to which I’d like you to respond; then I’ll publish your responses anonymously in the following issue of IM. For our first share—inspired by Michael Bertucci (did you read the faculty spotlight?)—what teaching tip or method have you found to be particularly effective in helping students learn the material you deliver? It might be something from technology or classroom setup or the frequency with which you administer quizzes. Think about it and let me know by March 11.
Write to me at kowalchik@moravian.edu or call me at X 7765.
I look forward to hearing from you, meeting you and getting to know you and your good work.
All best,
Claire
Husic Speaks on Climate Change at Albright College
With the proceedings from last November’s UN Climate Change Conference still top of mind, Diane Husic, Dean of the School of Natural and Health Sciences, was invited to speak at Albright College on February 24. Her remarks covered the events surrounding the historic climate change agreement as they unfolded in Paris as well as an analysis of the agreement. But she also reflected back to discuss the history and the intersection of climate science and policy in the U.N. processes, as well as the economic, cultural and political factors that make multilateral policy consensus so challenging to achieve.
Dunn Featured at Rehabilitation Psychology Conference
Professor of Psychology, Dana S. Dunn, was recently the discussant for a symposium on "Foundations of Rehabilitation Psychology: Applications in the 21st Century," which was held at the 18th Annual Conference on Rehabilitation Psychology in Atlanta, GA.
Rounding out his recent travels, Dunn recently conducted an external review of the Department of Psychology at St. Mary's College. He was one of three reviewers invited to the South Bend, IN, campus to make recommendations regarding the psychology curriculum, assessment practices, senior capstone projects, the department's contributions to general education, and related issues.
Making a Splash at the Sustainability Conference
Moravian University was well represented at the LVAIC Sustainability Conference on Saturday, February 20. Check it out:
- Paige Malewski, Laura McBride, Audrey McSain and Stephen Stoddard facilitated an extremely interesting and interactive workshop entitled: "Standing on the Brink: The World We Want and the Action We Need" for which Diane Husic, Dean of the School of Natural and Health Sciences, was the faculty mentor. “But the students really took the lead,” emphasizes Husic.
- Frank Kuserk, professor of biology; Randy Haffling, General Services Manager, FMP&C; and Husic co-authored a poster: "Close Cooperation and Collaboration are the Keys to Utilizing and Managing Campus Natural Areas."
- Haffling was a co-presenter for a talk entitled: "Moravian University Rain Garden"--a project that he and Husic have worked on with ECO and which is part of the Lehigh Gap Nature Center's Landscaping for Communities and Wildlife project, which is funded by a grant from the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation.
- And, Kuserk was a session moderator.
Let’s thank all of them for their excellent work for the environment and our college!
Batter Up!
It was standing room only on the evening of February 25 at the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse in New City, where Joel Nathan Rosen, associate professor of sociology and co-author Roberta Newman fielded questions from a very knowledgeable audience during a discussion of their book Black Baseball, Black Business (University of Missouri Press, 2014), about how desegregation in the sport led to the dissolution of the Negro Leagues and a rippling economic impact throughout the black business world. Jay Goldberg, proprietor of the Clubhouse noted that the authors brought in one of the largest crowds ever for a book event.
To listen to a podcast of the discussion, go here:
http://berginobaseballclubhouse.podbean.com/category/black-baseball-black-business/
Notes from Beyond
"Professor Wingard's Conversion from Loyalty to Secession, or My Story of Acquiring Literacy in Writing Studies" has been accepted for publication at the Digital Archives of Literacy Narratives (DALN): http://daln.osu.edu/, a website maintained by Ohio State University.
“My ‘Introduction to Writing Studies’ class at Penn State-Abington this semester was assigned to write literacy narratives. I thought I should do what I was asking my students to do, so I wrote an essay, made a page for it on my ePortfolio (sites.psu.edu/joelwpf1), and submitted it for publication to the DALN,” says Professor Emeritus Joel Wingard. “I got word yesterday of its acceptance.”
In the Media
Colleges step in when students face financial surprises -The Salem News
Colleges step in when students face financial surprises -Reading Eagle
List of 40 news sources that ran the Washington Post AP Story
Can apartments bring burned-out silk mill back to life? - lehighvalleylive.com
A developer wants to give the fire-ravaged Bethlehem silk mill a new life as an apartment complex that targets Moravian University grad students and ...
A career spent inspiring kids with classical music -lehighvalleylive.com
Bidlack will be feted at a gala from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at Foy Hall and Payne Gallery at Moravian University.
Keeping the business in the family -Philly.com
Clay Wagner, 38, a 2000 graduate of Moravian University, majored in economics and elementary education and pursued a teaching career before ...
Wyomissing man turning 72 poised to celebrate his 18th birthday -Reading Eagle
"I also was in the Navy Reserves when I was a student at Moravian University during the Vietnam War period, and went on active duty in 1968," he said
Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil -Huffington Post
Thankfully, the contributors represent a variety of theological traditions: ... Moravian Theological Seminary, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of ...
Storm dumps nearly three inches of rain on Lehigh Valley; two tornadoes reported in Pa. - Morning Call Eighth Avenue and Mauch Chunk Road by Moravian University also flooded. Those streets were temporarily closed because of the flooding, but ...
Theater: DeSales' Act 1 presents new adaptation of 'Elektra' -Allentown Morning Call
Moravian University Theatre Company presents Paul Zindel's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds," ...
Lewisburg's rising star in physics published on Huffington Post - Sunbury Daily Item
... College in March and at the Central Pennsylvania Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers at Moravian University in Bethlehem in ...