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Katrina Relief On and Off Campus
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Susquehanna community united to provide victims with relief. Katrina provoked a response both off and on campus, with some students dedicating their winter and spring breaks to the relief efforts in the Gulf Coast. Sponsored by Susquehanna University and funded in part by alumni, those who participated in the trips pitched in to clean houses, paint, build volunteer housing and sort donated goods. Several students on the winter-break trip served as after-school mentors and tutors. For detailed information on student, faculty and community contributions during the fall 2005 semester, click here. Take the Plunge
Beginning their Susquehanna career one month early, 20 first-year students kicked off the 2005-2006 school year by participating in the week-long First-Year Student Summer Service Plunge. Guided by faculty and upper-class mentors, students spent five days volunteering. Three days of the Plunge were spent in Washington, D.C., where the group volunteered at the world’s largest homeless shelter and distributed bagged lunches around the city. The first and last days of the Plunge were spent closer to home, where students volunteered with local nonprofits. The Plunge was funded in part by a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. TOPS.E.R.V.E. and G.I.V.E.
As part of first-year student orientation, the Class of 2009 immersed themselves in Susquehanna’s rich tradition of community service by participating in SU S.E.R.V.E., a program designed to introduce first-year students to the community. More than 500 incoming students, faculty and staff volunteered their time at different sites. A spin-off of S.E.R.V.E., Susquehannans also participated in a spring service day dubbed G.I.V.E. The program allows the entire Susquehanna community to participate, unlike S.E.R.V.E, a program exclusively for freshmen. In April 2006, G.I.V.E. participants volunteered at local organizations, such as Geisinger Medical Center and Haven Ministries. TOPSU CASATwenty students sacrificed their New Year’s 2006 plans to embark on the SU Central America Service Adventure (SU CASA), a two-week service-learning course and mission trip to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The team split their time between the two countries living, learning, working, playing and praying with members of local communities. Students volunteered with church congregations, hospitals and an orphanage, while others undertook construction projects and taught Vacation Bible School. An annual tradition since 1999, SU CASA is headed by the Rev. Mark Wm. Radecke, university chaplain. TOPGreeks as Philanthropists
Establishing themselves as philanthropists, Susquehanna Greeks raised money for various causes in 2005. Kicking off the year, Alpha Delta Pi sorority raised $3,000 for the Ronald McDonald House at their annual Ron-A-Thon, an event which included face-painting and crafts at the Susquehanna Valley Mall. Later in the semester, Kappa Delta sorority raised $700 for Prevent Child Abuse in America during a basketball tourney, while Sigma Kappa sorority held their annual walk-a-thon to benefit Alzheimer’s research. Dubbed “Walk a Mile Sigma Kappa Style,” the sorority raised $2,100. In addition, Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity raised $1,000 for the Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Research organization. TOPA Susquehanna Education Receives National RecognitionSusquehanna University continues to receive national recognition as a top college in some of the most popular guides to selective colleges. Peterson’s Competitive Colleges includes Susquehanna as one of 440 colleges which routinely “attract and admit an above-average share of the nation’s high-achieving students.” The Fiske Guide to Colleges cites Susquehanna as one of only 37 small colleges and universities having an unusually strong business program. In U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges, Susquehanna moved up to 104th place among national liberal arts colleges, known as the best schools for undergraduate learning in the U.S. Its freshman retention rate of 88 percent and graduation rate of 80 percent especially stood out as key indicators of quality. The university is also profiled in Barron’s Best Buys in College Education, The Princeton Review’s The Best Northeastern Colleges and The Best 361 Colleges, in addition to Yale Daily News’s The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges. TOPDistinguished Guests Enhance Learning
Each year, Susquehanna University welcomes a wide array of distinguished guests to campus for public lectures, classroom visits with students and scholarly engagement with faculty. During the 2005-2006 academic year, that list included the following individuals:
• World-renowned flutist Sir James Galway, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of England for his music services (sponsored by the Stella Freeman Weis Cultural Endowment) • Carlos Imaz, Mexican professor and politician (delivering a lecture in conjunction with the 2005-2006 University Theme, “Latin American Mosaic: Nations and Cultures.”) • Gov. Mark W. Olson, a former member of Federal Reserve Board (presented by the Sigmund Weis School of Business)
• Eduardo Bonilla Silva, a research professor of sociology at Duke University (delivering a lecture in conjunction with Susquehanna University’s Theme, “Latin American Mosaic: Nations and Cultures.”) • The Honorable Alan K. Simpson, former United States Senator from Wyoming (participating in the Arlin M. Adams Center for Law and Society’s fifth annual dialogue)
• Murray Sperber, acclaimed author of several books on college sports, including Beer & Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education (delivering the Edward S. and A. Rita Schmidt Lecture in Ethics) The university hosted a number of cultural and arts events during the 2005-2006 academic year. The Lore Degenstein Gallery and programs such as the Artist Series and the Visiting Writers Series bring to campus master artists, dancers, musicians and writers. Artist Series Lore Degenstein Gallery Exhibits Visiting Writers Series Student Achievement Celebrated at Senior Scholars Day
In topics as diverse as sea urchins and the religion of Michelangelo, students presented their research to the Susquehanna community at Senior Scholars Day on April 20. Susquehanna has recognized senior students’ scholarly and creative endeavors for nearly 30 years through this annual event. Recognitions for Susquehanna Student AthletesThe 2005-2006 athletics season at Susquehanna was highlighted by the accomplishments of track and field standout Emily Lepley ’07, 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.
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