by Walter Fowler '06

Students take to the stage for an enthusiastic performance of On the Town, Susquehanna's 2003 fall musical.

Students onstage, backstage, and in the audience will help celebrate a milestone in the university’s vibrant theatre program this year. Though Susquehanna performances date back to 1869, the 2003-2004 academic year marks the centennial for the academic program, which complements pre-professional and liberal arts offerings at SU.

Susquehanna offers a theatre arts emphasis in the communications major with tracks in performance/acting as well as technical theater. Students may also choose a musical theatre track, or a minor in theatre arts. “Advantages of studying theatre at Susquehanna are the opportunities in both the type and number of plays staged,” said Communications and Theatre Arts Department Head Professor Larry Augustine.

The university’s ongoing series of productions begins each year with a pull-out-all-the stops fall musical at family weekend. Recent productions have included Chicago, Guys and Dolls, and On the Town. A winter presentation focuses on students demonstrating advanced dramatic acting techniques with productions such as The Seagull or Waiting for Godot. Each spring, a tragedy, comedy, or farce is selected from world literature. An annual one-act play festival provides a chance for student directors to practice their art. The 2004 productions featured works by Tennessee Williams.

Faculty include Augustine, who is also executive director of the Pennsylvania High School Speech League, and Assistant Professor of Theatre Douglas Powers, who guide the acting/directing program. Assistant Professor Andrew Rich serves as sceneographer and Assistant Professor Erik Viker serves as technical director. Venues include the 1,500-seat Weber Chapel Auditorium, the 450-seat Degenstein Center Theater, expressly designed for the speaking voice, and the smaller Studio Theatre.

Susquehanna has an active chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the national theatre honor society, along with a variety of co- and extracurricular opportunities for students to gain experience onstage and backstage. The theatre arts program welcomes all Susquehanna students, regardless of year or major, to participate in productions.

by Erin Markel ’07

Associate Professor of Spanish Wanda Cordero-Ponce conducts a classroom exercise.

You don’t have to be a globe trotter to take advantage of foreign language skills. They can also be vital in everyday professions, whether you are a doctor treating a family of recent immigrants or a businessperson negotiating with overseas customers.

The modern languages at Susquehanna can prepare you for life in a multicultural world with majors in German, Spanish, and French and increasingly popular courses in Italian and Chinese.

“I think this is a department of great vitality,” explains department head and Associate Professor of Spanish Leona Martin. Most of those majoring in a language are double majors who are “looking for ways to connect to other disciplines to help them be more effective in their professional lives.”

Courses include Spanish for the Service Professions, Pennsylvania German Culture, and French Poetry and Drama. Video portfolios help track student progress in the program, which stresses proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

There is also a minor in international business and foreign language and an applied second language option for students interested in using language skills across the curriculum and additional credit for completing assignments in a language other than English.

All modern language majors must study abroad for at least a semester. Popular destinations include Seville, Vienna, Aix-en-Provence, and Chile, as well as many others offered by affiliated universities. When studying abroad, students pay normal tuition to Susquehanna and continue to receive any financial aid and scholarships.

Community outreach is another central aspect of modern language study at Susquehanna. The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese recently honored the SU modern language department for its long-standing commitment to providing strong links between the university and the region's Hispanic community. An annual Latino Symposium is just one strong outreach component. Students are also involved with the descendants of French immigrants in northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Dutch population. A China Club offers instruction in culture and language to Chinese families and those who have adopted Chinese children.

by Suzanne Picciano ’06

Thinking about a major in communications? It’s a great choice to explore how messages are used within various contexts, cultures, performances, channels and media.

One of the most versatile programs of study at Susquehanna, the communications major offers emphases ranging from corporate communications to broadcasting and includes communication studies, journalism, mass communications, public relations, and speech communication, in addition to musical theatre and theatre arts. Students can also earn teaching certification in communications.

Key to each of the emphases are activities that enable students to have hands-on experience, says Lara Cressman ’05, journalism major. “What I really like is that SU has WQSU radio, The Crusader newspaper and The Lanthorn yearbook,” as well as groups like the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and Sterling Communications, the student-run public relations firm. “Students can actually apply the things they learn in the classroom.”

by Ann Barrett ’06

Students work behind the scenes to prepare sets for a Susquehanna theatrical performance.

Got rhythm? Love music? An emphasis in musical theatre is just one of the options for Susquehanna students interested in music performance and studies.

Offered through the communications department in collaboration with the Department of Music, the emphasis focuses on the impact of music and its ability to further express the mood of a theatrical work.

“It's an extremely special and intimate way of communicating,” said senior Cari Chrisostomou ’04. “Musical theatre is a way of singing, acting, dancing, entertaining, performing and bringing some of me to the art onstage.”

Music, of course, extends beyond the stage. “The emotional quality of music plays a major role in television production and radio broadcasting,” explained Larry Augustine, department head.

The university’s Department of Music also offers a bachelor of arts degree in music; bachelor of music degrees in music performance, church music and music education; and minors in music technology, music theory/literature, and music performance.

by Victoria Kidd, News Services Manager

Susquehanna University may not be as big, and it may not be as well-known, but it’s a squirrel’s head above such prestigious schools as Notre Dame, John Hopkins, Yale and Temple, according to a Web site that ranks universities by their squirrel population.

Based on field reports from students and alumni, Susquehanna rates at the top of the one-to-five squirrel system, created in 1995 by California resident Jonathan Gottshall, a long-time enthusiast of the bushy-tailed rodents.

The interim baseball coach, Matt Karchner, formerly pitched for the Cubs and the White Sox.

Former major league relief pitcher Matt Karchner has been appointed interim baseball coach for the 2004 season at Susquehanna.

“I am excited about the opportunity to begin a new phase of my baseball career here at Susquehanna,” said Karchner. “My goal is to maximize the potential of this team and contend for a spot in the conference playoffs.”

Karchner, 36, pitched six seasons in the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs from 1995 to 2000, compiling a record of 21-13 with 27 saves and a 4.21 earned run average in 223 relief appearances.

His best season came with the White Sox in 1997, when he went 3-1 with 15 saves and a 2.91 earned run average in 52 games. Karchner’s final major league appearance was on June 14, 2000, as a member of the Cubs.

by Erin Markel ’07

Students at Susquehanna will have the option of a new interdepartmental major in ecology beginning in the fall of 2004. Offered jointly by the biology and geological and environmental science departments, the new major will focus on the mechanisms and makings of ecosystems, and how organisms interact with their environments.

“I am very optimistic that this will become an important contributor to the sciences at SU and ultimately will truly bridge the disciplines,” says Associate Professor David Richard, head of the biology department.

The new major reflects department capabilities and students interests: at least seven students have created similar programs previously through Susquehanna’s self-designed major option.

The major will include the new courses such as Ecosystems and Introduction to Ecology, as well as established classes like Systematic Biology, Limnology, Animal Behavior, Field Botany, Wetlands Analysis, Geographic Information Systems, and Sedimentology. The major also requires two semesters of student research.

As with all of Susquehanna’s science programs, the ecology major will emphasize hands-on work with faculty. Students will gain experience at two field stations -- a new ecology research area adjacent to campus and the Camp Karoondinha station in Union County -- in addition to studying several wetlands, marshes, and state parks. It is also likely that majors will contribute to the university’s ongoing research at the Centralia mine fire.

The choice of four week-long workshops offers high school students the opportunity to work directly with Susquehanna faculty and outside experts.

The Leadership Institute for Entrepreneurship (LIFE), June 26 through July 2, 2004, is open to students entering grades 9 through 12. This is a “hands on” introduction to business featuring an interactive computer simulation. Students will work in small teams to create and run a company in a competitive environment. The week will also include speakers and field trips. Successful applicants will receive a scholarship of $400, underwritten by Toyota USA. The remaining cost to each student will be $200.

The Summer Ecology Institute, June 27 through July 3, 2004, will offer an introduction to interactions between living and non-living components of the environment from streams and wetlands to fields and forests. Participants will explore environments at a range of scales from bacteria to biomes and observe the impacts of farming, mining, industry and urbanization on the region’s ecology. For students entering grades 10 through 12. The tuition per student is $560.

The Advanced Writers Workshop, June 27-July 3, is for experienced student writers entering grades 11 and 12. It provides intensive workshops and individual conferencing in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction with widely published Susquehanna creative writing faculty. Nationally recognized visiting writers will also conduct workshops and give readings. A portfolio of six to eight pages of fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction is required from each applicant. The cost per person is $500.

Stalking the Wild: As Writer, Reader and Explorer, June 27 through July 3, for students grades 11 and 12. This workshop draws on the thought that the wilderness has always called forth the creative and adventurous nature of people. It assumes, in fact, that creativity and a sense of adventure are necessary equipment for writers and readers as well as explorers. This program will offer participants an opportunity to be introduced to college writing in an informal, comfortable environment while learning about the Susquehanna River and the Pennsylvania woods. Participants will sample some if the world’s best wilderness writing and get detailed feedback on their own. Limited to 20 members to afford close supervision and individual attention. The cost per person is $500.

1. Figure out your “short list.” Identify the colleges that best meet your academic, extracurricular and geographic criteria. Investigate schools that represent a range of costs. Don’t let a higher cost keep you from seeking admission. Some schools, including Susquehanna, offer significant financial aid programs which often equalize your cost among several schools. The chance that more of your financial need will be met is actually greater at a private college or university.
2. Know what you must do to apply for financial aid. Find out what types of aid are available at the schools you like best. Also find out which aid application forms are required and what each school’s deadline is. College and university catalogs, financial aid brochures and Web sites, and admissions and financial aid staff are your best resources for this kind of information.
3. Know the difference between scholarships and need based financial aid. Merit based scholarship aid may be awarded to students with exceptional abilities in academic, music or other areas. Need based aid is available to students whose families need help in meeting college costs. Not all schools offer both types of financial aid, but many of them do.
4. Know the deadlines you must meet. Apply for all the types of aid you want to be considered for. Try not to rely on the advice of helpful friends. Everyone's situation is different and everyone's financial aid experience is too. Don't exclude yourself from the process because your neighbor didn't qualify for scholarships or other forms of financial aid.
5. Know how to compare the aid packages (the combination of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study awards) you receive from different schools. Be sure that in each case you understand:
   -your family's bottom line cost for the year,
   -the amount that you are being asked to borrow, and
   - the amount that you are being asked to provide through student employment.
   Consider the final cost to you rather than the listed price of the school. Understand how much of your expense can be met through financial aid programs. At every school, many students pay less than the listed price thanks to financial aid.
6. Has there been a recent change in your family's financial status? The financial aid office can consider special circumstances only if you provide the updated information. A financial aid package can even be adjusted after the academic year begins. It's important to keep the lines of communication open.
7. Do you know about other kinds of long term, low interest loans and monthly payment plans? There are a number of opportunities for your parents to borrow or to spread their payments out over the course of the year. The interest on some loans is now tax-deductible. Be sure to check out this feature.
8. Be a saver. It’s never too late to start saving. Put aside a portion of every paycheck, graduation gift, or other funds that come your way. It’s important to have a nest egg for unexpected needs at school and saving is also an important lifetime habit to develop.
9. Line up that summer job. Now is the time to be thinking about your earnings and savings power for summer. Most new high school grads can easily earn upwards of $2500 working a 40 hour work week throughout the summer, providing spending and loan money for the coming school year.
10. Discuss having a credit card with your parents. If you use it carefully, a credit card can be a great tool when you’re away from home! It’s a great opportunity to learn financial discipline by managing your own account. For example, with a credit card, you can use online resources to buy and sell your textbooks and really save money. Paying off the balance each month is an important lesson to learn before you go away.

Your goal is to select the college that offers you the best long term value for the price and where your educational needs will best be met.

Bottom Line Advice: Do your homework to be sure you have the tools to reach your goal.

“Choosing the Right College” will provide prospective students with general information about the college search process, including suggestions for application essay writing, admission interviewing, and campus visits. Parents can attend panel discussions on meeting college expenses and conducting effective college searches. Student-led campus tours will be offered and there will be a chance for prospective students to meet current SU faculty and students.

"Susquehanna's 'Choosing the Right College' program will be especially valuable for first-generation college families, as well as others considering college options," said Chris Markle, director of admissions. "The day will be full of useful information and handy college search tips to benefit high school students and their parents."

For more information, please call the admissions office at (570) 372-4260 or 1-800-326-9672.