Living Learning: Spring/Fall 2004 Programs
Spring 2004
Catholicism: Where the Bible Hits the Real World. Richard Malloy, SJ, and Ian Mitchell, n.S.J., Campus Ministry. Monday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m.
What does the Catholic Church teach about sex . . . and money? The Jesuits are Catholic, aren’t they? This program will allow participants to explore questions like these--everything else they always wanted to know about Catholicism but were afraid to ask. This program is open to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Romance, Love and Dating. Dr. Thomas Kane, Political Science. Thursday, February 12 at 7:00 p.m. Have romance, love and dating gone “out of date”? Some recent research concludes that, on campus, dating is virtually extinct, and romance and love have been replaced by one-night affairs. What does this mean for the social interaction that once led to marriage? This program will put forth some of the many virtues of romance and dating and look at the many real dimensions of sustaining a relationship.
Teacher/Writer in Residence: Andrea A. Lunsford Discusses Intellectual Integrity and Plagiarism. Thursday, February 19 at 4:00 p.m. McShain Haub Center. This Dean's Lecture will examine writing from the perspective of authority, arguing that writers should take responsibility for their ideas, even as they consider how those ideas are shaped and mediated in the context of others. Against this backdrop, the presenter will examine the increasingly prevalent issue of plagiarism and the ethical obligation writers have to avoid it.
Spring Break Survival Series. The two programs below are designed to provide students with information needed for an enjoyable and safe spring break. These programs likewise offer some excellent skills and information that can be used for a lifetime. There is an incentive for attending both programs. One male and one female each will be eligible to receive a $200 King of Prussia Mall shopping spree for attending both programs. If more than one male and one female attend all three programs, a drawing of names will determine the winners.
College Students, Spring Break and Alcohol. Mr. Ron Chance, Sociology. Tuesday, February 24 from Noon to 12:50 p.m. Sourin Lounge. Students typically hear about on-campus alcohol use and abuse from posters, from advertisements, from Resident Assistants and from administrators. But how will you use alcohol during spring break when you are on your own? Mr. Chance will draw on his decades of experience in law enforcement and, most recently, in higher education, to offer a practical and informative look at alcohol. The program will include some legal and physiological information that most students don’t hear in the typical anti-alcohol programs.
Preventing a Sexual Assault on Spring Break. Dr. Raquel Kennedy-Bergen, Department of Sociology, and REPP (Rape Education and Prevention). Thursday, February 26 from Noon to 12:50 p.m. Sourin Lounge. Dr. Kennedy-Bergen and students from REPP will talk about the possibility of date rape and sexual assault during spring break and here on campus. The program will address date rape drugs, offer tips for preventing sexual assault and provide information about what to do should a sexual assault occur.
Sex and the UniverCITY. Dr. Beverly Cutler, Counseling and Personal Development; Dr. Todd Krug, Residence Life; A Jesuit to be named. Monday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. McShain Haub Center. Much research shows that college students are a sexually active group. If you have seen or heard about the sexual activity of college students, you might want an opportunity to ask any question you ever wanted to have answered about sex and sexual activity. This program will provide the opportunity to ask difficult and sensitive questions anonymously and to get honest, non-judgmental responses to them.
Getting Behind Miss Manners: Why Being Polite is Good Politics[or] Minding Manners and Morals: Etiquette and “Little Ethics.” Dr. Frank Bernt, Faith Justice Institute. Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. Merion Gardens Lounge. A popular book in the seventies asked the question, “What do you say after you say hello?” as though the greeting were superfluous and what follows were more important. Indeed, there is a long list of such words we say--excuse me, thank you, please, sorry, good bye, and the like—that are very frequently used but not taken terribly seriously. The sociologist Ervin Goffman noted that most of us think of good manners or etiquette as “ the dust of social activity, empty and trivial.” The real question becomes “why say hello in the first place?” In fact, good manners have a long history which runs back to our pre-human and even non-human ancestors. More survival tools than senseless rules, they served and continue to serve a valuable function. Using video clips, findings from empirical research, and pointed demonstration and reflection, this session will aim to explain what good manners are, where they came from, how they work, and why we so desperately need them.
Managing Money and Finances Effectively. Dr. Christopher Coyne, Finance. Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. Sourin Lounge. Personal finance often is not at the forefront of college students’ concerns. However, credit card use, student loans and other financial realities of college life can have longer implications than students sometimes realize. This program will look at these issues as well as at credit reports, personal loans and other matters of personal finance.
The Psychology of Men and Women. Lynn Zubernis, Ph.D., Counselor, and Matthew Whitehead, B.S., Practicum Counselor, Counseling and Personal Development. Monday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. McShain Haub Center. This program will look at the ways men and women think, interpret the world around them, make and sustain relationships, solve conflict and so on. The goal is for men and women to learn more about their own gender as well as to learn about the opposite gender.
Poetry Slam and Creative Writing Forum. The English Department. Thursday, April 15 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. St. Mary’s Living Room. Have some poetry or creative writing you’d like to share? Would you like to hear the poetry and creative writing efforts of your peers? This evening will show the creative talents of student and faculty writers as they read their original, creative works. A pizza dinner will follow this event.
Political Science/International Affairs Hall Faculty-Student Ice Cream Reception. Tuesday, August 31. Political Science Department. This event is offered for students and faculty to interact and to get to know one another. This is a great way to develop relationships with faculty and to initiate important mentoring relationships.
Business Hall Faculty/Student Reception. September 14. Sourin Lounge. This event is designed to allow students on the Business Halls to interact informally with faculty from the Haub School of Business. This is a great way to get to know faculty and to establish very important faculty mentoring relationships. Appropriate dress required.
English Hall Faculty/Student Reception and Poetry reading with visiting writer/poet, Don Bogen. September 16. Reception: 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Poetry reading: 7:00 p.m. in the North Lounge. This event is offered for students and faculty to interact and to get to know one another. This is a great way to initiate important mentoring relationships. Students and faculty will adjourn to the poetry reading following the reception.
Resume Writing Workshop. Thursday, September 16 at Noon. Sourin Lounge. Lunch will be provided compliments of the Career Development Center. The first step to securing an internship or a good job is to write an effective resume. The sophomore year is the time to begin this process. Bring your resume for an individual review at the close of this program. Offered by the Career Development Center.
SJU “Til 2—Sophomore Style. Hawk Rock and Crimson Café. Friday, September 17 from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. This evening of activity is a special invitation to sophomores to come out and reconnect with friends from freshman year. The evening will be highlighted by hourly prize give-aways at the top of each hour (10:00 until 1:00) for sophomores: 10:00—a sweatshirt blanket; 11:00—a sweatshirt blanket; midnight—a $50 King of Prussia Mall gift certificate; 1:00 a.m.—a $100 King of Prussia Mall gift certificate.
Political Science/International Affairs Trip to Washington, DC. Saturday, September 18. Join faculty from Political Science and International Affairs on this trip to experience first-hand some of the buildings and locations and people who are at the forefront of politics, law and international affairs.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Catholicism but Were Afraid to Ask-Until Now. Tuesday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m. LaFarge Lounge. Rick Malloy, SJ, Interim Director of Campus Ministry. What does the Catholic Church teach about sex . . . and politics... and money? What does it mean to "become partakers of divine nature" (II Peter 1-4)? The Jesuits are Catholic, aren't they? What is Catholic Social Teaching? This program will allow participants to explore questions like these-- and anything and everything else they always wanted to know about Catholicism but were afraid to ask. This program is open to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Fitness Training Workshop. Kelly Halpin, Fitness Instructor and Trainer. Wednesday, September 22 at 4:00 p.m. in the LaFarge Fitness Center. Bring your workout and nutrition questions to this session. Participants will receive an overview of how to maximize the LaFarge Fitness Center and get tips on developing a good exercise plan to meet their fitness and health goals.
A Career and Internship Overview for Political Science and International Affairs Majors. Wednesday, September 22 at 5:00 p.m. in the LaFarge Lounge. Rhonda Cohen from the Career Development Office will provide insight into the types of internships and career opportunities open to Political Science and International Affairs majors. This program will be an excellent way to link your course work and course discussions with your professional objectives.
Movie Viewing and Discussion: About Baghdad. Monday. September 27, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the Campion Forum Theatre. Dr. Bassam Haddad, Political Science Department. About Baghdad is the first film made about Iraq after the fall of the Ba’ath regime in July 2003. It is also perhaps the first effort to privilege the voices of the Iraqi people, from all walks of life as well as social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. While many have talked about and for the Iraqi people, few media outlets have sought to probe beyond the simplistic binary of pro-US/pro-Saddam perspective so often found in Western and Arab media portrayals of Iraq. About Baghdad presents Iraqis who describe the pain, complexity and suffering of living under decades of tyranny, oppression, wars, sanctions and now occupation. Silenced for so long by a regime that sought to replace the people with the image of just one man, and re-silenced by the bombs and occupation forces, the Iraqi people long to speak out and to claim their future. About Baghdad is a small step forward towards that goal in presenting audiences with their first opportunity to hear unadulterated Iraqi voices that should be privileged regardless of one’s perspective on the war and the justifications given for it.
Movie Discussion: Out of Africa. Tuesday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Milica Bookman. Join Dr. Milica Bookman for an engaging discussion of this movie (available for you to view on Hawk Vision/Channel 99). The discussion will focus on economic development in Africa—a topic on which Dr. Bookman has conducted research. Pizza and drinks will accompany this event.
Preparing to Study Abroad. Wednesday, September 29 at 4:00 p.m. in the City Avenue Residence Hall; 7:00 p.m. in Merion Gardens. If you think you want to study abroad, the sophomore year is the time to begin to lay the groundwork for your international experience. This information session will let you know what you need to do and when. It also will offer brief reflections on study abroad from students who have gone.
Communication Skills Workshop. Wednesday, October 6 at 3:00 p.m. LaFarge Study Lounge. Communicating effectively is paramount in any field. This workshop will offer specific ways to improve your communication skills, both oral and written.
Sabermetrics: The Mathematics of Baseball Science. Thursday, October 7 at 7:00 p.m. LaFarge Lounge. Dr. Sean Forman, Department of Mathematics. With the publication of Michael Lewis's bestseller "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game," the Oakland A's unique, scientific approach to winning baseball games was presented to a wide audience for the first time. However, sabermetrics, loosely defined as the scientific analysis of baseball, predates Oakland General Manager Billy Beane. Baseball insiders and outsiders like Orioles manager Earl Weaver, Dodgers dynasty builder Branch Rickey, and authors Bill James and Pete Palmer have for decades been asking hard questions and coming up with answers that contradict conventional wisdom.
*Is batting average really important?
*Does good pitching beat good hitting?
*Is walking the #8 batter to get to the pitcher a good move?
* and many others.
We'll look at some of these issues and more in this talk. This program’s presenter, Dr. Sean Forman, is an assistant professor of mathematics and computer science. His baseball writings have appeared in the Big Bad Baseball Annual and BaseballPrimer.com. He also runs the on-line baseball encyclopedia, Baseball-Reference.com.
Managing Money and Finances Effectively. Thursday, October 14 at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Christopher Coyne, Finance. Campion Forum Theatre. Personal finance often is not at the forefront of college students’ concerns. However, credit card use, student loans and other financial realities of college life can have longer implications than students sometimes realize. This program will look at these issues as well as at credit reports, personal loans and other matters of personal finance. Food and beverage will accompany this program since it is during the dinner hour.
Working in Groups. Tuesday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. City Avenue Residence Hall. Presented by Carolyn Zaccagni of the Learning Resource Center. Working in groups can be quite frustrating; it also can be very rewarding if you know the process for making groups work well. This program will offer concrete ways to make groups work well and it likewise will offer tips for re-orienting groups that begin to degenerate.
Business Hall Road Trip to New York City. Tour of the Manhattan Financial District and inside tour of the New York Stock Exchange. Tuesday, October 26. New York is the work destination of many Saint Joseph’s students, and this trip will offer a look at many of the most significant corporate locations in Manhattan. The day is capped off by a trip inside the New York Stock Exchange in the afternoon (Note: national security concerns at the time may prevent an inside tour of the Stock Exchange; all faculty, staff and students who want to enter the Stock Exchange must provide their full name, date of birth and social security number for a federal background check one month prior to the New York trip.)
A “Town Meeting” on The Presidential Candidates and the College Student. Wednesday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m. Sourin Lounge. Moderated by Matthew Pellish, Student Body President. Opening remarks by members of the College Democrats and College Republicans. The candidate who is elected president will be in office when most Saint Joseph’s students graduate. How will this man shape our country and our world ? Where do George W. Bush and John Kerry stand on issues important to you, the college voter—and eventually the college graduate? This event is designed to be guided by students’ thoughts, opinions, concerns and questions.
Government, Law and Political Science Networking Night. Thursday, October 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Presidents’ Lounge. Organized by the Career Development Center. This night is a great opportunity to meet companies, agencies, groups and organizations that will be among those offering internships and jobs to Saint Joseph’s students. Appropriate dress required.
Alcohol, Drugs and Your Career. Wednesday, November 3 at 8:00 p.m. McShain Haub Center. Dr. William McDevitt, Management and Information Systems; Dr. Linda Lellii, Vice President for Student Life and Academic Development; Mr. Matthew Brink, Director of the Career Development Center. Alcohol and drug violations on or off campus can bring with them an encounter with the University’s judicial system. However, once the judicial is over, is the mistake really in the past? How can potential employers find out about your use of alcohol and drugs? What occupations (and graduate programs) are the most interested in violations involving alcohol and drugs? What can you do to lessen the impact of a violation as you prepare for your career?
Internship Workshop. Wednesday, November 3 at Noon. Presidents’ Lounge. Presented by Rhonda Cohen of the Career Development Center. Those thinking of a summer internship need to put plans in place now. This workshop will offer information on what to do to prepare for the internship hunt—and when to do it.
Choosing Your Major. Thursday, November 4 at Noon. Sourin Lounge. Presented by the Career Development Center. A pizza lunch will be provided compliments of Living Learning. What if you are not happy with your major? This program will provide specific steps to take to move from one major to the next. This program is ideally timed just before course selection for the second semester.
Dinner and Discussion of A Lesson Before Dying. Thursday, November 4 at 5:00 p.m. in the LaFarge Lounge. Evelyn Minick, Director of the Library. This forum will provide students with an opportunity to discuss A Lesson Before Dying, the book selected for this semester’s SJU-Reads. This event is designed to be a lively discussion in itself—and one that certainly will tie into the Ray Krone presentation scheduled for Monday, November 15.
Finance and Banking Networking Night. Tuesday, November 9 at 5:30 p.m. Campion North Lounge. This event is an excellent opportunity to meet and greet representatives from companies offering internships and jobs to Saint Joseph’s students. Appropriate dress required.
Presentation Skills Workshop. Wednesday, November 10 at 3:00 p.m. in the LaFarge Study Lounge. Making effective presentations is an ongoing requirement in college and an expectation for professionals. This workshop will offer specific tips for developing and making powerful and memorable presentations.
Can We Talk? Thursday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m. Campion Presidents’ Lounge. Dr. Arnold Farr, Department of Philosophy; Richard Malloy, SJ, Interim Director of Campus Ministry; Dr. Lucille W. Ijoy, Motivation Institute of Philadelphia. Why is a disagreement between two like people typically just a disagreement whereas the same disagreement between two people of different backgrounds can be alarmingly considered racist, sexist, classist or homophobic? Is it possible for people of different backgrounds to disagree without the “-ist” baggage? If it is not—or until it is—how can people of different backgrounds have meaningful, enriching and personally and intellectually challenging conversations? This program will look at this fundamental issue. The panelists will offer opening remarks on the topic and take questions and engage audience members in dialogue about this issue.
Innocent on Death Row: a Conversation with Ray Krone. Monday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m. McShain Haub Center. Ray Krone, a middle-class Pennsylvania native, was arrested in an Arizona bar while playing darts. The bartender was murdered and Ray Krone was fingered for the crime—which he did not commit. Ray spent ten years on death row in Arizona before being proven innocent and released. This program will offer the opportunity for Ray to tell his story in detail and to take questions from the audience. This event complements the programming efforts of SJU-Reads: A Lesson Before Dying.
Getting Behind Miss Manners: Why Being Polite is Good Politics[or] Minding Manners and Morals: Etiquette and “Little Ethics.” Tuesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. Sourin Lounge. Dr. Frank Bernt, Faith Justice Institute. A popular book in the seventies asked the question, “What do you say after you say hello?” as though the greeting were superfluous and what follows were more important. Indeed, there is a long list of such words we say--excuse me, thank you, please, sorry, good bye, and the like—that are very frequently used but not taken terribly seriously. The sociologist Ervin Goffman noted that most of us think of good manners or etiquette as “ the dust of social activity, empty and trivial.” The real question becomes “why say hello in the first place?” In fact, good manners have a long history that runs back to our pre-human and even non-human ancestors. More survival tools than senseless rules, they served and continue to serve a valuable function. Using video clips, findings from empirical research, and pointed demonstration and reflection, this session will aim to explain what good manners are, where they came from, how they work, and why we so desperately need them.
Poetry Forum. Thursday, November 18 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. LaFarge Lounge. Have some poetry you have written and would like to share? Would you like to hear creative writing efforts of friends and peers? This event will showcase the excellent poetic talent at Saint Joseph’s and conclude with a pizza dinner/social.
Hollywood vs. History. Monday, December at 7:00 p.m. 5320 City Avenue Residence Hall. Dr. Jeff Hyson, History and American Studies. What happens when history goes to the movies? Can historical feature films help us to learn about the past, or do they only distort our historical understanding? After a group outing to see Oliver Stone's "Alexander," we'll gather to discuss the impact and importance of Hollywoodized histories and to try to separate fact from fiction.