Thursday, October 31, 2013

Five Gender Studies Students to Present Research in Andruss Library

Five students minoring in Gender Studies will present their research projects to the university community on Tuesday, November 5, at 10 a.m. in the Andruss Library's Schweiker Room.

Michelle Mattar will present “Digging Deeper: Why Does Archaeology Continue to Struggle With Gender?” The purpose of this research is to investigate the reasons for the field of archaeology to continue struggling with the topic of gender equality. When compared to the other sub-fields of anthropology, it is obvious that archaeology remains unsettled in the acceptance and acknowledgment of gender.

Venyamína McIvor will discuss "Transmisogyny: the Assumptions We Make about Female Bodies, And How They Subjugate Our Sisterhood" which describes the vitriolic misogyny that transgendered women experience and how essentialist notions of gender have a caustic effect on the wellbeing of all women.

Karli Miller's presentation, "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: The Progression of LGBTQ* Rights in the World," will explore the progression of rights of LGBTQ people all over the world, including the most current events regarding law.

Katelyn Shoemaker's presentation, entitled “Women in Politics,” focuses on the central question, if Americans are open and willing to elect a woman as president. The project looks into the gender gap in voting that exists in the United States and how that affects women's ability based on gender to be elected to the executive office.

Albra Wheeler will present "The Wonderbra: Oppression vs. Liberation in Capitalistic Patriarchal Society" which examines the rhetorical implications of the Wonderbra. The critique offers a polysemic reading of the bra through diverse feminist lenses. The project seeks to determine whether the Wonderbra functions rhetorically as a form of bondage to, or as a form of liberation from, a patriarchal society.


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

What We Did Over Summer "Break": Piano Professor Performs for Foreign Diplomats

Dr. Charisse Baldoria, assistant professor of piano, gave three piano recitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina this summer. All performances were very enthusiastically received, with ambassadors, Argentine government officials, and important musicians in the audience.

At the Universidad de Buenos Aires Law School rehearsing for the concert,
courtesy of Baldoria
At a concert at the University of Buenos Aires Law School’s Ciclo de grandes conciertos concert series, Dr. Baldoria played a solo recital, also performing Filipino and Argentine pieces with Argentine cellist Nestor Tedesco. The audience gave a standing ovation and asked for an encore.


On June 17, Dr. Baldoria gave another solo recital at the Foreign Ministry’s Auditorio Belgrano, also with Nestor Tedesco as special guest. It was an audience of luminaries which included diplomats, government officials, and famous Argentine musicians such as Rodolfo Mederos.

At the Auditorio Manuel Belgrano with Argentine cellist Nestor Tedescoon,
courtesy of Baldoria
Dr. Baldoria presented a lecture-recital titled “Gong-Chime Music of Southeast Asia:  Pianistic Interpretations” at the Centro Cultural Borges on June 20. Along with piano demonstrations and a brief recital, Dr. Baldoria gave an animated digital presentation using audio, video, photographs, maps, scores, and diagrams to illustrate and clarify concepts related to these rarely performed piano pieces and the unique Southeast Asian music that inspired them.

After the concert, with the legendary tango composer Rodolfo Mederos
and Philippine Ambassador Rey Carandang,
courtesy of Baldoria
The conference also featured numerous presentations about Hispanic, Latin, tango, Asian, and piano music, as well as concerts of modern music. Dr. Baldoria attended various cultural and educational events and met Argentine musicians.

Dr. Baldoria also acquired various tango and Argentine piano scores which her students will use in their upcoming spring recital. Stay tuned!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

2012 Graduate Makes a Difference Through Teach for America

“It was not that long ago that I was sitting right where you are,” said Adrienne Lombaerde. 

A 2012 Liberal Arts graduate, Lombaerde visited Bloomsburg on Monday, Oct. 14 to speak with education majors about her experience with Teach for America, a nonprofit organization that places recent college graduates in teaching positions in low-income areas to eliminate educational inequality throughout the country.
Lombaerde in her 5th grade classroom at Monroe Elementary School,
courtesy of Adrienne Lombaerde

It was clear that her opening statement was true as she chatted enthusiastically with students before her presentation, subconsciously reminding everyone in attendance of her youth despite her mature composure. 

A political science major from Milford, PA, Lombaerde was never sure she wanted to teach. “I knew that I liked working for youth efforts but I always thought it would be done at a conservation policy level. Then, just through random Google searches and friends, I heard about Teach for America,” said Lombaerde. 

After a series of phone and in-person interviews, Lombaerde was one of the 5,800 incoming corps members selected out of almost 50,000 applicants in 2012. Once accepted, she was able to choose either what grade level she would like to teach or her top 10 location preferences for her assignment. She selected a high school teaching assignment but was placed in 2nd grade in Oklahoma City. “I know, why couldn’t I have gotten Hawaii?” she joked. 
Lombaerde with two of her former 2nd grade students,
courtesy of Adrienne Lombaerde
After persevering through her first year in the program, which Lombaerde says was “literally the most difficult thing I've ever done,” she was moved to 5th grade with 34 students in one classroom. While she wasn't thrilled about her initial assignment, she admitted that “sometimes it’s good to be pushed to that uncomfortable limit and you get to see where you really can be effective.”

Halfway through her presentation, you would have never known Lombaerde never took an education class in college. Rattling off jargon and using her “teacher voice,” she could have been a seasoned professional. Her passion was undeniable as she became emotional talking about her students, the adversities they've overcome and the bonds they have with each other. 

Lombaerde acknowledges that her presence in her students’ daily lives may be the only consistency they experience, asking her students frequently “how are you going to make your parents proud today?” It is this sense of responsibility that keeps Lombaerde in the teaching or education system once her TFA duties are fulfilled.
Lombaerde with her students,
courtesy of Adrienne Lombaerde

Comparing her current status to her senior year of college, Lombaerde is faced with endless opportunities. When asked if she would rather transfer to a more middle-class district, she confessed to thinking about it. “It’s definitely crossed my mind but it comes down to ‘would I still be effective?’ My students are growing in ways I couldn’t even imagine and when I see a higher-income school district, it’s just so surface level,” said Lombaerde.

Recently offered a job to be an education specialist, Lombaerde can definitely see herself staying in the education world, though it might be more in the policy realm rather than being in a classroom.

Her advice for current Bloomsburg students is simple. “Take advantage of the small class sizes. Take advantage of the relationships you have with professors because that really helps your personal skills. That has really transcended into my classroom with things like building relationships with my kids and greeting them with a handshake,” said Lombaerde.

Though she faces many choices after this academic year, there is no doubt that Lombaerde finds her work rewarding: “I’m actually making a difference. I’m actually changing lives.”

Monday, October 21, 2013

Anthropology Students, Interns and Alumni brought Camp Aspen back for Summer 2013

Dr. Susan Dauria of the Anthropology department and Quest teamed up with the town of Bloomsburg again this past summer to offer an archaeology program known as Camp Aspen.

Anthropology interns Laurel Downs, Michael Grevera, and Natalie Wagner
created and developed curriculum and programming for the archaeology camp in 2012
This innovative program is an educational anthropological and archaeological experience developed using land owned by the town of Bloomsburg and equipment and facilities provided by Bloomsburg University. The purpose of the program has been to involve college students in the preparation, planning and execution of an archaeological and anthropological learning program for children by showing area youth how to do archaeological fieldwork, cultural resource management and anthropological analysis.

The locations for the camp included several archaeological sites along Fishing Creek in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

The children enjoy combining outdoor adventure with archaeology through the annual Camp Aspen, making each child feel like a real life "Indiana Jones." Over the years the artifacts found have included several lithic cores, arrowheads (lithic biface tools), sinkers, grinding tools, historic and prehistoric features, colonial pottery, metal tools and many flakes left from someone making stone tools thousands of years ago.

Support for this program has come from multiple offices including the College of Liberal Arts, the Anthropology department, the Quest office, URSCA grant funding and a grant from the Presidential Strategic Planning  intended to support key initiatives in the Bloomsburg University Strategic Plan, Impact 2015.

For more photos of the camp's activities, visit Bloomsburg's Facebook page.
For more information about Quest, visit their website.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Spanish Students Translate Texts to Benefit Community and Military Families

BU Spanish students Avery Bingaman and Matthew Sullivan were sought out to help translate texts from English to Spanish to serve their communities and military families.

Avery Bingaman,
courtesy of Dr. Dórame-Holoviak
Ms. Rose Stolz, Education Manager at Columbia Sullivan Head Start in Bloomsburg PA., contacted the Department of Languages and Cultures seeking help to translate documents into Spanish to better the opportunities for Spanish-speaking families in the community. Dr. Patricia Dórame-Holoviak invited Avery Bingaman, a double major in Spanish and Biology, to translate several forms including questionnaires, welcoming letters, and technical documents (child assessment rubrics). 

“We believe we were able to successfully serve the community making state and federal government opportunities available to Spanish-speakers,” said Dr. Dórame-Holoviak.

Matthew Sullivan,
courtesy of Dr. Dórame-Holoviak
While serving in the Army, Matthew Sullivan did an internship in Washington, D.C. last summer under COL Stephen Bowles, Associate Professor of Behavioral Science at the Eisenhower School, National Defense Institute in Washington D.C. When COL Bowles asked him to translate "Building Resilience in the Military Family During Deployment," chapter 7 of the book When the Warrior Returns: Making the Transition Home (edited by Nathan D, Aispan and Walter Penk, and published by the Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland, 2012), Mathew contacted Dr. Dórame-Holoviak and invited her to translate the chapter with him.

“After couple of months of intense work and multiple correspondences, we completed and reviewed the chapter (17,126 words) and he submitted it to COL Bowles,” said Dr. Dórame-Holoviak.  

Both Sullivan and Dórame-Holoviak’s names were included as a collaborative translation. The chapter will be published individually in the near future.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Music Professor's Arrangements Chosen for Publication

Dr. Stephen Clickard, professor of music, has had three of his "little big band" arrangements chosen for publication by Walrus Music Publishers. Based out of Pismo Beach, California, Walrus publishes some of the most prestigious composer/arrangers in the jazz world. Walrus recently began a project to arrange classic songs from the American songbook that have moved into the public domain.
Dr. Clickard rehearses with the BU Jazz Ensemble
Dr. Clickard was asked to contribute to the project. His newest arrangements are of "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," which he set as an up-tempo swing, and "There'll Be Some Changes Made," which is done in a funk feel.

In addition to those arrangements, Walrus has also recently selected to publish his original composition, "Strollin' With Miss J," a tribute to his wife Janel.

To listen to Dr. Clickard's arrangements, visit Walrus Music Publishing.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Anthropology Students Present Research at Women's Consortium Conference

Anthropology students in Dr. Faith Warner’s Methods in Cultural Anthropology course presented original ethnographic research at the 2013 PASSHE Women's Consortium Conference at Mansfield University on September 21. The theme of this year’s conference was “Women as Heroes."

Katelyn Shoemaker presented the poster "Women and Politics in the United States" based on research addressing American college student attitudes towards women political leaders, and in particular, the possibility of woman president of the United States.

from left to right: Mattar, Warner, Shoemaker, and Downs
courtesy of Dr. Faith Warner
Laurel Downs presented "Women and Fracking in Pennsylvania: Risks, Perception, and Power," revealing data that demonstrates how women and men differ in their attitudes relating to energy use and the environment in terms of risk, perception and power, with an emphasis on differences of opinion on fracking, climate change, and conservation.

Michelle Mattar presented "The Future of Women Who Define Our Past" based on an investigation of the gender distribution among today’s archaeologists and an exploration of the reasons for the gender gap in this subfield of anthropology.

Congratulations to all who participated!