WEB EXTRA: Bosnia and Beyond

Research? By undergraduates? By all means!
Spanish for the Service Professions
Move over Lance Armstrong
His Light is Always On
Designing Professionals
Meet a student
The Year in Sports
College Planning 101
Mark your calendar

Bosnia and Beyond

Many students study abroad during their college career, but most do not travel to a region recently torn apart by war.

Pam Frontino, a senior political science major from Brookville, Pa., is not most students. In the fall semester of her junior year, Frontino studied conflict resolution through the Washington Semester Program at American University and took a three-week field practicum to the eastern European countries of Bosnia , Serbia and Croatia .

“It was life-changing to meet people who had been through this. They had seen their neighbors and friends killed,” Frontino says.

Frontino spent eight weeks taking classes in Washington , D.C. , and interning at The Protection Project, a human rights organization dedicated to the elimination of human trafficking. In class, she learned about the Balkans and its peace negotiations by attending seminars and guest lectures by ambassadors and diplomats. Her class also conducted a simulation of a Kosovo peace agreement and visited the U.S Department of State.

The semester culminated with a trip to the Balkans, Frontino's first trip to Europe . After a week in Sarajevo , the group traveled to smaller cities in Bosnia , as well as parts of Serbia and Croatia . By visiting historic sites and meeting with people affected by region's strife, Frontino was able to put a human face on the conflicts most people have only heard about on the news.

During the three-week practicum, Frontino met the president of Croatia and visited Sarajevo , host of the 1984 Winter Olympic Games. “You couldn't go off the trail because there are still land mines,” she says.

And although the fighting has stopped, rebuilding has been a slow process. “The city is gutted. They don't have the money to repair it,” she says.

One of the most moving experiences for Frontino was visiting Srebrenica, where 7,000 Muslim men were killed in three days in July 1995, despite the area being declared a United Nations Safe Zone. While there, she met the Mothers of Srebrenica, a group of women who lost everyone and everything during the war.

Frontino says the women gave her faith in people's ability to overcome adversity. “While there is a lot of selfishness and evil in society, there are also many strong people who realize that no matter what has happened in the past, at some point there has to be peace in order to rebuild, and people need to come together to achieve this,” she says.

Frontino believes her political science courses at Susquehanna helped prepare her for the program. In her World Affairs class, taught by Associate Professor of Political Science Andrea Lopez, Frontino learned about the United Nations and different theories of war, topics at the center of her studies in Washington .

Now, Frontino is considering graduate school or law school after graduation. And although she is not yet certain where life will take her, she says she does know two things: “I am interested in a career in international development, and I want to travel.”

-- Jennifer Sprauge '06

Research? By undergraduates? By all means!

More than two dozen Susquehanna University students undertook research projects with faculty mentors over the summer. Much of this collaborative research is continuing through the new academic year.

One such project is being conducted by Ahmed Alkhateeb, a senior from Hebron, Palestine, and involves DNA analysis of microbes found at an active mine fire in nearby Centralia, Pa. Funded by an undergraduate research fellowship from the American Society for Microbiology, the project expands on research performed by his advisor Tammy Tobin-Janzen, associate professor of biology.

Alkhateeb says the experience is helpful in preparing him for his future plans. “My research requires me to repeat certain procedures over and over again with strict precision, while giving great care to sterile conditions. Such early understanding of the scientific process will help me adapt more easily to whatever program I decide to undergo after graduation,” Alkhateeb says.

Another research project begun in the summer and continuing into the fall is being conducted by Amanda Janicki, a junior from Pittsford, N.Y., and her research advisor Carlos Iudica, assistant professor of biology. Their research is part of a long-term monitoring program of terrestrial vertebrate communities at nearby Shikellamy State Park .

“Skills I have acquired during my research experience include learning to set baited traps, handling wild mammals, recording important measurements, along with writing grant proposals, summarizing results in scientific journal articles, and presenting research findings at scientific conferences,” Janicki says.

Upon his return to campus, Erik Hosler, a senior from Thompsontown , Pa. , who spent the summer performing nanotechnology research at Rice Quantum Institute in Texas , resumed research he had been conducting with his advisor Balwant Chohan, assistant professor of chemistry. Funded in part by a Grant-in-Aid-of-Research from Sigma Xi (The Scientific Research Society), the collaboration seeks to create inorganic-organic hybrid “nanomaterials.”

“Working on the same level as your professor can be somewhat daunting at first, but through the course of our research, I have begun to regard Dr. Chohan as not just my professor, but also as a senior colleague and friend,” Hosler says.

-- Victoria Kidd

News & Editorial Manager

Spanish for the Service Professions

Danielle Quigg, a 2006 graduate from Oak Ridge, N.J., takes care of a "little sister" during Family Night Out for Hispanic parents and children of a local school district. Quigg served as SU's coordinator for ESL activities in the district.

It's not a course for the faint of heart. But if you're interested in making a difference in the community and learning something along the way, it might be the perfect course for you.

This service-learning class requires 20 hours of contact with Spanish speakers in community-based situations requiring significant service activity. Upper-level students with a strong command of Spanish often enroll in the course, but that is as far as the commonality extends. Students who take the course represent a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from business and sociology to communications, education and the sciences. Last spring, students in the class:

• volunteered in a local school district's English as a Second Language (ESL) program;
• coordinated Family Night Out sessions designed to help Hispanic families understand the school system and the ESL program;
• translated workmen's compensation documents and presented information sessions on the topic to Hispanic families;
• visited migrant camps and medical clinics for migrant workers
• traveled to El Barrio in New York City to connect Susquehanna University with schools and social agencies there;
• organized a dinner honoring Latino and Anglo leaders in the region.

Lindsay Carpenter, a junior from Manasquan, N.J., who worked on reading and writing activities with a kindergarten ESL student named Stecha, says the class changed her professional goals. "After doing this ESL program, I am not only thankful that I am a Spanish and elementary education double major, but I am now thinking about becoming an ESL teacher. I really love the language and enjoy working with these students," Carpenter says.

In 2003, Spanish for the Service Professions and SU's other Latino outreach projects received national recognition from the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese for outstanding civic engagement and "university-community partnerships."

-- VK

Move over Lance Armstrong

Matthew Caretti after winning the Tour d'Afrique.

Matthew Caretti, a 1991 graduate from Reading, Pa., recently stood in the winners circle for a race that is perhaps more challenging than the Tour de France. The Tour d'Afrique, a 12,000-kilometer transcontinental bicycle race from Cairo , Egypt , to Cape Town, South Africa, is considered by many the most gruelling bicycle race on the planet.

An English and German teacher who worked in South Africa for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer before embarking on the Tour d'Afrique, Caretti led 63 cyclists from 12 countries over the finish line in Cape Town's V&A Waterfront. “I had hoped that I would finish in the Top 10, but never expected to be one of the top three riders, let alone the winner,” Caretti said.

In preparation for the race, Caretti cycled coast to coast across America .

And if crossing two continents by bicycle in under a year isn't enough, Caretti returned to Tanzania after his Tour d'Afrique victory to take on yet another personal challenge - climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain.

Caretti's next challenge will take him to South Korea where he will teach at Yeungnam University , where he previously taught as a Princeton-in-Asia Fellow and as a lecturer at the Foreign Language Institute. 

His Light is Always On

Steve Wilkerson Lecturer in Management Recepient of the 2006 Susquehanna University Teaching Award

One of the primary courses you teach is Business Statistics, a pretty challenging course. How do you make a course like this "fun" for students?

SW: I tell real life stories, sometimes personal, that relate to the material. I also show video clips relating to statistics, anything from the Andy Griffith Show to the Ohio State/Penn State football game and West Virginia history.

In nominating you for the teaching award, the Student Government Association said your door is always open and you are always willing to answer students' questions, even if that means "the glow of his office light is often visible into the wee hours of the morning." How long is a typical day for you ?

SW: I really don’t have a typical schedule. My father used to bring work home on the weekends. I learned from him that you stay until the work is finished. For example, in the fall I teach a full day on Mondays plus a night class, so things pile up and I often don’t get home until 1 or 2 A.M.

Why is it important to you to maintain such a demanding schedule?

SW: I set high expectations for my students that demand a strong work ethic and for this reason I should set an example by demanding the same from myself.

What was it like being the founding advisor for SU’s nationally recognized Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)?

SW: I have always been a competitive person both as an individual running cross country in college and later as a high school track and cross country coach, so it was a great personal honor when the students asked me to be their advisor. In return, I think my competitive spirit combined with the group’s hard work and dedication to make us successful from the beginning.

What is your favorite thing about working at SU?

SW: Without a doubt, the students.

Designing Professionals

It has been just three year since Susquehanna University introduced the graphic design major, but in that short amount of time, its reputation and successes have grown by leaps and bounds.

Under the leadership of Department of Art chair Mark Fertig, graphic design students are consistently placing in the country's foremost design competitions, including the ADDY Awards, American Corporate Identity (ACID) competition, and the annual Real Show, sponsored by the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington (ADCMW). Their winning entries have been shown in an exhibition at the Art Institute of Washington and published by Harper Collins in a full-color hardbound reference volume purchased annually by advertising agencies and graphic design firms in Europe, Asia and the United States .

“There is an extreme sense of positive validation when the time and effort put into the poster, or cd, or stationary package you've created is recognized by a professional in the field. It is also important, in such a competitive field, to know and understand what people outside of Susquehanna University are looking for in design work,” says Amanda Lenig, a senior from Liverpool, Pa.

Awards aren't the only thing the graphic design program is wracking up, though. Students are earning highly coveted internships and landing jobs in some of the top markets in the country. One example is Isaac Johnson, a senior from Rockton , Pa. , who spent the summer in Washington , D.C. interning at The Kennedy Center. Another is Taylor Buckholz, a 2006 graduate from Verona, N.J., who graduated in May and moved to Washington for a full-time position as a graphic designer with the up and coming firm of Design Army.

He attributes his success in finding a job so readily to Fertig's teaching methods.

“Our classes, projects and learning stresses real-life applications. I have not felt overwhelmed by the professional design world, and I attribute that to the way the graphic design major is run,” Buckholz says.

-- VK

Senior Isaac Johnson works on a design for the National Symphony Orchestra during his summer internship at The Kennedy Center in Washington , D.C.

Meet a student

Stephanie Schadel

Class of 2007

Major: Sociology

Hometown: Wayne, New Jersey

Activities and Honors: President of the Student Activities Committee (SAC), student advisor, Leaders Inc. student mentor, Sociology/Anthropology Club, Human Resource Management Club, Pi Gamma Mu, head resident, dean's list.

Favorite SU event: Spring weekend; it's a great day of fun, listening to bands and being outside at the end of the year.

Most meaningful interaction with faculty: Several of my professors have invited classes to their homes for dinner. I always enjoy those dinners because they really allow students and faculty to build a relationship and foster discussions outside of the classroom. Some really valuable learning happens during those dinners.

My best learning experience: One of the greatest experiences I’ve had at SU was being involved in planning the student social space, TRAX. I was a part of the initial steering committee that went to other schools to get ideas about the space and was able to meet with the architects on several occasions. It was awesome to work with them and serve as a student voice in planning the building and the concept behind the space.

To see more student profiles, including the new day-in-the-life videos, click HERE.

The Year in Sports

The 2005-2006 athletics season at Susquehanna was highlighted by the accomplishments of track and field standout Emily Lepley, a senior who earned All-American honors three times – in the 55-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships and in both 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles at the Outdoor Championships. She also was named Division III Mideast Regional Women’s Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association of America.

In addition to Lepley, 2006 graduate Sean Capkin was named second-team Academic All-American in men's track and field after graduating with a 3.98 cumulative grade point average with a double major in elementary education and Spanish. He was also honored by the Middle Atlantic Conference as its Senior Scholar-Athlete recipient in men's indoor track and field and received the Blair Heaton Award as the outstanding senior male scholar-athlete at Susquehanna University.

Other individual standouts included 2006 graduate Danielle Dormer and senior Sarah Shaffer, who were named Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year in women's tennis and softball, respectively, while Denny Bowers (baseball) and Kathy Kroupa (softball) took Coach of the Year honors.

Shaffer was also named third-team All-Region in softball, and 2006 graduates Caitlin Meara (first team) and Shelley Reppert (second team) were All-Region selections in field hockey.

Five student-athletes were named Academic All-District in 2005-2006: Shaffer (first team, softball), Capkin (first team, track and field), and 2006 graduates Ben Gibboney (second team, football), Trisha Noel (third team, women's soccer) and Cheryl Smith (third team, volleyball).

In all, 39 Susquehanna athletes were named first-team All-Conference during 2005-2006, and 110 student-athletes were selected to the MAC Academic Honor Roll for maintaining cumulative grade point averages above 3.20.

-- Jim Miller
Sports Information Director

College Planning 101

College planning is tough. Here are some important questions you should ask yourself as you embark on a college search.

What are my goals and what type of college will best meet them?

The possibilities are endless and no two students will answer this question the same way. But the first step in finding the right college is a family discussion about what is important to them in a higher education. Certainly, you want an institution that offers your desired course of study. And, of course, financial considerations will be part of this discussion, but experts warn against making a decision based solely on cost. “While it is a good idea to have an affordable ‘back up' school,” says Chris Markle, director of admissions at Susquehanna University, “this place should be one the student can imagine attending. No matter what the cost, it isn't a bargain if the student does not want to attend that college.”

How do I narrow the pool of colleges so that I'm left with a manageable number to consider?

Once a family has a finely tuned set of goals, the next, and perhaps most crucial, step in the college search process is the campus visit. “Campus visits are very important, and you should begin visiting colleges before applying so that you can figure out what you want in a school,” Markle says.

Experts suggest high school students begin visiting colleges during their junior year. One way of doing this is by taking advantage of the many learning opportunities colleges offer high school students. For example, Susquehanna's Writers' Institute and Leadership Institute for Entrepreneurship (LIFE) offer week-long summer workshops for high school students interested in creative writing and business. The university also hosts five different Actions Days, during which high school students can spend the day in faculty-led sessions on the arts, science, writing, business or liberal arts.

How do I construct a compelling application?

Set the bar high for yourself. If possible, take honors and AP classes in high school, and keep your grades up.

SAT scores, or at some schools like Susquehanna, the Write Option, are also factors in the selection process. “Our Write Option policy allows applicants to submit two graded writing samples instead of standardized test scores,” explains Markle, adding that the National Center for Fair and Open Testing lists more than 730 colleges as being SAT optional.

In addition to strong academic standing, sports participation, community service and other extracurricular activities can also play an important role in a school's decision to admit you.

I've been accepted. What additional research is going to be important to help me figure our whether this is the right place for me?

There are many things to consider when making the final decision on a college. Cost and financial aid are big factors, but ultimately, your decision has to be based on what kind of educational atmosphere and opportunities a school will offer you. In higher education circles, the level of “academic rigor” is frequently discussed.

However, George Kuh, director of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and Chancellor's Professor of Higher Education at Indiana University Bloomington, says: “Academic rigor does not mean a lot of work. It means enough challenging work that stretches students by setting high expectations for performance.”

Ultimately, the decision comes down to “right fit” – that intuitive feeling of belonging at one institution over another. The challenge is finding a school where you can get a great overall experience. When considering a school, ask yourself: “What type of student does well here, and how would I fit into that?” 

-- VK

Mark your calendar

Spend the day at Susquehanna exploring the academic area that is of interest to you.  In addition to a workshop with SU faculty and students, enjoy a complimentary lunch and tour the campus.  Web registration is now available.

Action Days 2006

Business Action Day – Monday, October 9

Science Action Day – Friday, October 20

Writing Action Day – Monday, October 23

Arts Action Day – Monday, October 30

Liberal Arts Action Day – Monday, November 6

For additional information contact: Wendy Mull, Action Day coordinator, at 1-800-326-9672 or e-mail her at mullw@susqu.edu.

Fall Open House

Open houses offer prospective students a wonderful opportunity to become acquainted with Susquehanna University. The Fall Open House for prospective students will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2006. This open house will include the opportunity to speak with Susquehanna faculty, students, and admissions staff. A student activities fair will be held, as will academic open houses and supplemental information sessions. Campus tours will also be provided.