Longtime Allen Memorial Art Museum Director Andria Derstine Announces Departure</h1> <article> <h1>Longtime Allen Memorial Art Museum Director Andria Derstine Announces Departure</h1> <p>elutes — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 15:47:08 +0000</p> <span>Longtime Allen Memorial Art Museum Director Andria Derstine Announces Departure</span> <span><span>elutes</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-14T11:47:08-04:00" title="Monday, October 14, 2024 - 11:47">Mon, 10/14/2024 - 11:47</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>After more than a decade of exemplary leadership, Andria Derstine is leaving her post as the John G. W. Cowles Director of the Allen Memorial Art Museum (AMAM) at 91ֱ�� College, recognized as one of the best academic art museums in the nation. 91ֱ�� is pleased to name Katherine Solender as interim director during the search for a new leader. Derstine will begin her role as deputy director and chief curator of the Cleveland Museum of Art in December. </p> <h2>A Legacy of Achievement</h2> <p>Derstine, who has been the Allen’s director since 2012, having joined the museum as a curator in 2006, leaves behind an impressive legacy of growth, collaboration, and institutional advancement, marked by key accomplishments in expanding the museum’s endowments, collection, and facilities. Throughout her tenure, Derstine led significant initiatives to secure the museum's future. Working with colleagues, she played an instrumental role in raising and securing endowments to support curatorial positions, art acquisitions, and museum programming. </p> <p>Derstine also worked to preserve the museum’s historic buildings and infrastructure. Notably, she oversaw the conservation of Frederick Wiley’s ceiling and clerestory paintings in the King Sculpture Court, partnered to secure a new roof for the museum’s flagship Cass Gilbert building, supported efforts to maintain the Weltzheimer-Johnson Frank Lloyd Wright House, programming at which the museum oversees, and laid the groundwork for a future museum expansion.</p> <p>Building the museum's collection was another highlight of Derstine’s directorship. Under her leadership, the AMAM made significant acquisitions, particularly of works by women and artists from diverse backgrounds. In addition, she championed numerous exhibitions and public programs featuring acclaimed artists such as Dawoud Bey, Audrey Flack, Mary Miss, Pat Steir, and Fred Wilson.</p> <p>“I am proud of completing a new strategic plan for the Allen, overseeing the museum's reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, and finding ways to connect 91ֱ�� students with the public through our work,” says Derstine. “The Allen has an unparalleled collection for an academic museum of its size, encompassing works that span six millennia and representing cultures from around the world. It has been an honor to lead such an extraordinary institution."</p> <p>David Kamitsuka, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at 91ֱ�� College, praised Derstine’s leadership: “Andria’s tenure has transformed the museum in countless ways. Her success in securing financial resources, her stewardship of our collection and historic buildings, and her commitment to enhancing the museum’s role in public and academic life have cemented her legacy. Under her direction, the Allen has become a national model for how a college art museum can serve students, faculty, and the broader community.”</p> <h2>Welcoming Katherine Solender as Interim Director</h2> <p>91ֱ�� alum Katherine Solender is the ideal leader to take the reins of the AMAM as the museum searches for a permanent successor. Solender is a highly respected museum professional with more than 40 years of experience, including prior service as interim director of the AMAM in 2003-2004 and again in 2011-2012.</p> <p>“We are thrilled to have Katie return to lead the Allen during this transition,” says Kamitsuka. “Her extensive experience, both with the Allen and the Cleveland Museum of Art, and her expertise in museum operations make her the ideal person to ensure the museum's continued success.”</p> <p>Solender expressed her enthusiasm about stepping into her new role: “I’m looking forward to serving 91ֱ�� once again as interim director of its extraordinary museum. Every time I enter the Allen, I’m impressed by how its collections and programs bring the world to 91ֱ�� and engage students and faculty. My primary goal will be to ensure stability and continuity for our staff and community partners as we prepare for the museum’s next chapter."</p> <p>Solender has long been a consultant for the AMAM, working on various projects since 2006, and served as acting director during Andria Derstine’s sabbatical in 2018-2019. Her distinguished career includes leadership roles at the Cleveland Museum of Art and other institutions, where she oversaw exhibitions and major projects.</p> <p>“I believe academic museums like the Allen can be effective forums for experimentation and discussion, providing access to diverse ideas and encouraging visitors to think critically about complex issues,” added Solender. “I’m honored to help continue this mission as we search for a new director.”</p> <h2>About the Allen Memorial Art Museum</h2> <p>Founded in 1917, the Allen Memorial Art Museum at 91ֱ�� College is one of the finest academic art museums in the United States. Its collection includes more than 16,000 works spanning 6,000 years and representing a broad range of cultures. Free and open to the public, the museum serves as a vital resource for 91ֱ�� students, faculty, and the wider community, promoting public education, interdisciplinary learning, and cultural engagement.</p> <p>For more information, please visit <a class="go" href="http://amam.oberlin.edu">amam.oberlin.edu</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Katherine Solender Named Interim Director</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-10-14T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/14/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2378">Allen Memorial Art Museum</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2597">Faculty and Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Bearing Witness</h1> <p>azaleski — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 16:54:18 +0000</p> <span>Bearing Witness</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-09-26T12:54:18-04:00" title="Tuesday, September 26, 2023 - 12:54">Tue, 09/26/2023 - 12:54</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In the mid-2000s, she curated and produced content for the memorial exhibition at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. For the last eight years, she’s been the curator of Kennesaw State University’s Museum of History and Holocaust Education. Founded in 2006, the Georgia museum has produced more than 18 traveling exhibitions that visit schools, libraries, community centers, and houses of worship. </p> <p>Langer says her time at 91ֱ�� nurtured her intellectual curiosity. It also connected her with Sheena Ramirez ’06, a soprano who studied <a href="/voice" target="_blank">voice performance</a>. In fact, the pair met when both were first-years living in Dascomb Hall. </p> <p>“Some of what we did at 91ֱ�� collaboratively involved engaging deeply with poetry that Sheena would be performing as art songs,” Langer explains. “As a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" target="_blank">creative writing</a> major, that was a love of mine, and it related to my concentration in poetry. We always enjoyed doing that and have kept it up over the years.” </p> <p>In 2020, Langer and Ramirez started working on a large-scale project that resulted in a museum exhibition, <em>Words, Music, Memory: (Re)presenting Voices of the Holocaust</em>, that will be on display at 91ֱ�� starting September 29. The 10-panel traveling exhibition memorializes the poetry and diary excerpts of people who experienced the Holocaust—some who survived and others who perished—through music, composition, and performance. </p> <p>"It highlights the idea of witness and then of translating that experience into art," Langer says. "It connects the past and the present, and it connects the people who are trying to interpret and understand the past to really bring it to life."</p> <p><em>Words, Music, Memory</em> features eight witnesses to the Holocaust whose written works are interpreted in varying ways. <em>[see below, "The Exhibition's Voices"]</em> Each panel showcases a different witness and explains how their words were preserved, archived, or translated and then ultimately adapted into some form of performance art, including music, film, and plays. A digital gallery guide that accompanies the exhibition delves deeper into the biography of each writer, plus interviews with the modern-day composers, lyricists, performers, and commissioners who interpreted their words. </p> <p>“The goal is to highlight the entire commemorative process,” says Langer. “We wanted to show how you first engage with poetry, then select a piece of work to focus on, and then turn it into something that can then be accessed by an artist who wants to adapt it and perform it.” </p> <p><em>Words, Music, Memory</em> reflects the combined expertise of Langer and Ramirez. After 91ֱ��, Ramirez earned a master’s in music at the New England Conservatory of Music and a DMA in vocal performance, pedagogy, and literature from James Madison University. For the latter, she wrote her dissertation on four soprano song cycles based on Holocaust poetry, pairing this research with a lecture recital that accompanies <em>Words, Music, Memory</em>.</p> <p>Langer says she “caught the research bug” during her sophomore year at 91ֱ��, when she and two friends took a road trip to Georgia. They stopped in Cades Cove, an abandoned town in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where Langer became immediately fascinated by the history of the area. A year later, she returned to pore through scrapbooks, oral history transcripts, and other documents that both provided answers and served as the basis of her honors thesis on National Parks. </p> <p>After earning a bachelor’s degree in history and creative writing, Langer earned a master’s in archives and public history at New York University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in public history from Georgia State University.</p> <p>In spring 2023, Langer had the opportunity to work closely with students in professor Renee Romano’s Intro to Public Humanities course, a cornerstone of the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/public-humanities" target="_blank">Public Humanities integrative concentration</a>. The students identified potential promotional avenues for the <em>Words, Music, Memory</em> exhibition at 91ֱ��, even creating a supplemental zine on the topic of memory.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Sheena Ramirez '06 (left) and Adina Langer '06</figcaption> </figure> <p>“The students learned that so much of public humanities work is about making connections, building relationships, and trying to forge collaborations,” Romano says. “They saw what needs to be done to actually execute a project to go from A to Z.”</p> <p>For Langer, though, this time wasn’t just about practicalities and marketing. Working with students gave her an opportunity to pass on knowledge and experience in the same ways alumni once did for her. </p> <p>"As a student, I remember how powerful it was to have conversations with people who had been in my shoes only a few years before. I could see these students making connections about what it means to be out in the world, carrying forward your intellectual passions and interests."</p> <p>After its time at 91ֱ��, <em>Words, Music, Memory</em> will be on display at Wake Forest University’s Lam Museum of Anthropology starting in December, followed by Elon University in March 2024. However, Langer and Ramirez say they feel particularly honored to bring their shared project to their alma mater, where both their friendship and their career paths began. </p> <p>“This is something we’ve been doing for more than 20 years, where I’ve been coming to Adina and saying, ‘Let’s talk about poetry and how music enhances it,” Ramirez says. “This project looks at how music and other forms of commemoration can honor the words of people who have experienced the darkest chapters of our history.”</p> <p><a href="/events/words_music_memory_representing_voices_of_the_holocaust_exhibit" target="_blank">Words, Music, Memory: (Re)presenting Voices of the Holocaust</a> <em>opens September 29 in the first floor gallery of the Mary Church Terrell Main Library, and is open daily through Saturday, November 18. The exhibition culminates with a <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/words_music_memory_representing_voices_from_the_holocaust" target="_blank">lecture performance on November 16</a>, featuring soprano Sheena Ramirez, oboist Courtney Miller, and pianist Daniel Michalak. Curator Adina Langer will provide commentary during the performance and discuss Holocaust commemoration and curating traumatic histories. Langer will also be <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/curating_histories_of_violence_and_resilience_a_conversation_with_adina_langer06" target="_blank">in conversation with Professor Renee Romano</a> on November 16. </em></p> <p><strong>The Exhibition's Voices </strong><br> The individuals whose words are featured in <em>Words, Music, Memory</em> were carefully selected to represent a diversity of Jewish witnesses to the Holocaust, including (but not limited to) recognizable voices like Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel.</p> <p>“We really wanted to bring both lesser-known and very well-known people into this space,” says Langer. “The exhibit is presented from younger to older and from those who perished to those who survived.” </p> <ul> <li><strong>Franta Bass </strong>wrote poems in the Theresienstadt Ghetto before dying at Auschwitz at age 14. His poems were included in the Czech children’s anthology<em> I Never Saw Another Butterfly</em>, which inspired commemorative works by composers and playwrights alike.</li> <li><strong>Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger</strong> was a teenager who died at Michailowka labor camp, though her boyfriend managed to keep her poetry notebook throughout his own incarceration. Her poetry inspired a soprano song cycle titled “In Sleep, the World Is Yours" by composer Lori Laitman.</li> <li><strong>Anne Frank</strong>, a German-Jewish teenager who died at Bergen-Belsen, became posthumously famous after the publication of her diary. Her story has been adapted many times, as in the play <em>The Diary of Anne Frank</em> and the 1995 Japanese animated film <em>Anne No Nikki</em>, both featured in the exhibition.</li> <li><strong>Éva Heyman</strong> died in Auschwitz at age 13, but her mother published her<em> Diary of Éva Heyman</em> in 1947. In 2018, the Instagram account @Eva.Stories won a prestigious Webby Award for its poignant presentation of the late teen’s words. </li> <li><strong>Krystyna Żywulska</strong> was a Polish-Jewish political prisoner who penned the memoir <em>I Survived Auschwitz</em>, which, along with openly gay German-Jewish survivor Gad Beck’s memoir, inspired two short operas. </li> <li><strong>Shmerke Kaczerginski</strong> was a radical activist and Yiddish poet whose “Yid Du Partizaner” was turned into a sonata for cello and piano, composed by Laurence Sherr.</li> <li><strong>Nelly Sachs</strong>, a poet who escaped Berlin for Sweden, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Many of her poems have been turned into choral and instrumental arrangements.</li> <li><strong>Elie Wiese</strong>l, who spent time in both Auschwitz and the labor camp Buna, became a renowned speaker and writer on the topic of memory. His memoir <em>Night </em>is the basis of performances featuring the music of composer Leib Glantz. </li> </ul> <ul></ul></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Two alums collaborate on a powerful museum exhibition.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-09-28T12:00:00Z">Thu, 09/28/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Kate Kaput</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As a public historian, Adina Langer ’06 knows a thing or two about commemoration.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2390">Events</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3449">91ֱ�� College Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/public-humanities" hreflang="und">Public Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The Words, Music, Memory: (Re)presenting Voices of the Holocaust exhibition is on display from September 29-November 18.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Adina Langer</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Found in Translation</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 25 May 2023 15:41:27 +0000</p> <span>Found in Translation</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-25T11:41:27-04:00" title="Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 11:41">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 11:41</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Theo Canter will enrich his Greek identity while strengthening his language skills with a Fulbright teaching fellowship based in Athens, Greece. </p> <p>On top of his desire to teach and live abroad, Canter was drawn to this particular Fulbright program because of his personal connection to Athens. His grandfather was born and raised in Athens, and in 1956 graduated as valedictorian of his class at Athens College—the same high school where Canter will teach English. </p> <p>“Such a full-circle moment is incredibly meaningful,” says Canter, a May 2023 91ֱ�� graduate with majors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies">cinema studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-literature">comparative literature</a> and a minor in <a href="/middle-east-and-north-africa-studies">Middle East and North African studies</a>. A native of New York City, Canter feels a great level of familiarity with Greece and its people. “Here in 91ֱ��, I've been proud to connect with other Greek students. There is something strong and unifying in our shared culture, food, and language.” </p> <p>Canter’s fellowship begins in September, and he will remain there through July 2024 to help with a school-run English-language summer camp. In addition to classroom responsibilities, the fellowship includes supplementary work teaching debate, theater, and public speaking in both Greek and English. “This combination of disciplines, as well as the chance to spend extended time in a city I love but have only ever visited for brief intervals, all led me nicely to this Fulbright opportunity.”</p> <p>Last fall at 91ֱ��, Canter taught poetry to Langston Middle School students as part of creative writing professor Lynne Powell’s Writers in the Schools residency program. His final semester, he taught an introductory Hebrew course through 91ֱ��’s Experimental College (<a href="https://exco.oberlincollege.net/">ExCo</a>) program. “I've enjoyed both of these opportunities as a chance to share things I'm passionate about—namely writing, language, and music,” he says. “I find that teaching pairs nicely with my experiences of performance: putting that level of commitment to the 'act' and sharing how much I love what I'm teaching.”</p> <p>Canter has enjoyed several study-away experiences since his gap year between high school and college, when he studied Hebrew, Arabic, and history on Kivunim, a program based in Jerusalem with travels around the Balkans and Middle East. For his first Winter Term, he lived in Warsaw and worked for a magazine called <em>Culture-PL</em>—likened to the '<em>New York Magazine</em>' of Warsaw—where he led a production team for a history podcast and contributed articles to the site's English section. </p> <p>For the months he was home during the pandemic in 2020, Canter participated in an online artist symposium through the Onassis Center, a visual and performing arts center based in Athens, where he produced Nostos, a short performance art piece featuring music, poetry, and family history. </p> <p>This year, he returned to Jerusalem to produce an audio documentary for the podcast Israel Story, which has been compared to This American Life. For his capstone in comparative literature, he translated the novel <em>Kastoria</em> by Benjamin Shvili from Hebrew. “This book is of particular relevance to me as it is a poetic reflection on the author's journey to Greece. Both the author and I come from the small Jewish community of Greece, and so I relished this challenge to translate a work that draws on multiple cultural maps I've been raised in.”</p> <p>Canter says 91ֱ�� has provided many opportunities to learn and grow. A variety of rigorous courses have “challenged me and pushed me to produce some of my best work.” </p> <p>“I wrote some of my best songs in the class Song and Book with [English professor] <a href="/desales-harrison">DeSales Harrison</a> and wrote my first short story in <a href="/claire-solomon">Claire Solomon</a>'s comparative literature course Love and Death. And the classroom is just part of it,” Canter says. “For me, what makes 91ֱ�� special is the chance to be around so many creative and kind people just looking to collaborate. I'm quite excited for my adventures in Athens to come, carrying with me the memories and bonds with friends and teachers.”</p> <p>Outside of the classroom, Canter spent four years on the leadership board of Chabad, the Jewish student group; was a resident of Keep Cottage co-op as a head cook, granola maker, bread maker, and historian; and hosted several radio shows on <a href="https://wobc-fm.org/">WOBC</a>. He also played bouzouki and accordion in the klezmer band Shtick & Poke with friends from the college and the conservatory. </p> <p>Canter plans to pursue a career in creative storytelling and media production, which may include documentary filmmaking, screenwriting, and radio journalism.</p> <p>“As a musician, I am also interested in the way music tells stories,” he says. Building on the music shows I’ve hosted on 91ֱ�� radio and independently, and the articles I’ve written, I’d like to eventually have my own dedicated presence on the radio or film, to be something like NPR’s Rough Translation, conveying simple stories from faraway places. In a similar vein, I’d hope to be able to both perform and educate. It is my goal that I can pursue a career combining my talent for languages and passion for music.</p> <p>“Whenever I look around in Greece, I laugh to myself how everyone looks like they could be my cousins—and many in fact are! It's one thing to be Greek in the diaspora, something else to be in the center of it all.” </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Theo Canter’s deep ties to Greece get a boost through a Fulbright teaching assistantship in Athens.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-25T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25446">Middle East and North Africa Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25316">Comparative Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-literature" hreflang="und">Comparative Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Theo Canter '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Ana María Díaz Burgos Earns Excellence in Teaching Award</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 18 May 2023 15:30:23 +0000</p> <span>Ana María Díaz Burgos Earns Excellence in Teaching Award</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-18T11:30:23-04:00" title="Thursday, May 18, 2023 - 11:30">Thu, 05/18/2023 - 11:30</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> 91ֱ�� has recognized six faculty members with <a href="/news/six-faculty-receive-2021-2022-excellence-teaching-honors">Excellence in Teaching Awards</a> for the 2021-22 academic year. The annual Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes faculty in the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in their teaching at the college and conservatory.</p> <p>Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies <a href="/ana-maria-diaz-burgos">Ana María Díaz Burgos</a> specializes in Spanish and Spanish American early modern literature and culture with an emphasis on gender studies and social history. Her research explores the impact of institutional practices and legal systems on the creation of female subjectivities in Hispanic territories. Her work has appeared in a variety of academic journals and edited volumes.</p> <p>Most recently she published the chapter “Marital Pains, Heterodox Cures: Alternative Economies of Sorcery and Witchcraft in the Inquisition of Cartagena de Indias” in <em>Women Facing the Inquisition</em> (2021) and co-edited the dossier “Yo llana estoy’: jerarquías, transgresiones y despliegues de género en América hispana colonial (1492-1898)” for Revista de Estudios de Género y Sexualidades (2022). Her book <em>Tráfico de saberes: Agencia femenina, hechicería e inquisición en Cartagena de Indias 1610-1614</em> (Iberoamericana-Vervuert 2020) studies the first inquisitorial prosecution of female sorcery in early seventeenth-century Cartagena de Indias. </p> <p>“Associate Professor Ana María Díaz Burgos brings her superb pedagogical skills to a wide range of language, literature, culture, film and history courses in Hispanic Studies, while making the most of our extraordinary Special Collections and Allen Memorial Art Museum resources,” says Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka. “Ana has a rare talent for highlighting the contemporary relevance and significance of centuries and cultures often far removed from our students’ present-day experiences.”</p> <p>Díaz Burgos teaches Spanish language classes and early modern literature and culture courses in the Department of <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies">Hispanic Studies</a>, some of which are cross-referenced with the Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies Program. Collaborating with the Special Collections and the Allen Memorial Art Museum has played an essential role in her courses to increase students' opportunities to engage with class material. For instance, students in her classes this spring have written bilingual labels and are planning public programming initiatives for the exhibition “What is in a Spell?: Love Magic, Healing and Punishment in the Early Modern Hispanic World,” which she and Hannah Kinney, Curator of Academic Programs, are curating.</p> <p>"I am truly honored to receive this award along with this amazing group of peers, Díaz Burgos says. “I am thankful to my students' curiosity and willingness to explore topics that at times seem completely foreign to them. I am inspired by the generosity and openness of my colleagues inside and outside my department and from the Special Collections and the Allen Memorial Art Museum, from whom I continuously learn how to create spaces for conversation and debate with and for students. This recognition is a motivation to continue building bridges that go beyond the classroom."</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Díaz Burgos teaches Spanish language classes and early modern literature and culture courses in the Department of Hispanic Studies.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-18T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/18/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2576">Excellence in Teaching Award</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3501">Teaching & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">Hispanic Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25361">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/ana-maria-diaz-burgos" hreflang="und">Ana María Díaz Burgos</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">Hispanic Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jennifer Manna</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Renee Romano Earns Excellence in Teaching Award</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 18 May 2023 15:03:04 +0000</p> <span>Renee Romano Earns Excellence in Teaching Award</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-18T11:03:04-04:00" title="Thursday, May 18, 2023 - 11:03">Thu, 05/18/2023 - 11:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> 91ֱ�� has recognized six faculty members with <a href="/news/six-faculty-receive-2021-2022-excellence-teaching-honors">Excellence in Teaching Awards</a> for the 2021-22 academic year. The annual Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes faculty in the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in their teaching at the college and conservatory.</p> <p><a href="/renee-romano">Renee C. Romano</a> is the Robert S. Danforth Professor of History and Professor of Comparative American Studies and Africana Studies. A specialist in 20th- and 21st-century American cultural and political history and in the field of historical memory, she is the author of <em>Racial Reckoning: Reopening America’s Civil Rights Trials</em> (Harvard University Press, 2014) and <em>Race Mixing: Black-White Marriage in Postwar America</em> (Harvard University Press, 2003.) She has also co-edited three collections: <em>Historians on Hamilton: How a Blockbuster Musical Is Restaging America’s Past</em> (Rutgers University Press, 2018); <em>Doing Recent History: On Privacy, Copyright, Video Games, Institutional Review Boards, Activist Scholarship, and History that Talks Back</em> (University of Georgia Press, 2012); and <em>The Civil Rights Movement in American Memory</em> (University of Georgia Press, 2006).</p> <p>“Professor Renee Romano has been at the forefront of deeply important curricular, pedagogical, and mentoring initiatives in undergraduate education, including the formal establishment of curricular pathways in Public Humanites at 91ֱ��,” says David Kamitsuka, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Renee trains her students not only how to grapple with the most challenging social, political, and institutional issues in American history, but also to share their learning for the benefit of the broader public.”</p> <p>Romano teaches courses on a variety of topics related to political, cultural, and racial history in the modern United States, including the History of Museums, Race and Sexuality in U.S. History, and Deconstructing Disney. She is also committed to the practice of public history. She is a founder and co-director of the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/public-humanities">Public Humanities Integrative Concentration</a> at 91ֱ��, and she has been involved in numerous public humanities projects, including consulting for the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, directing the 91ֱ�� visit of “Courage and Compassion: Our Shared Story of the Japanese American World War II Experience,” and serving as a scholarly advisor for the Kent State May 4th Walking Tour and Visitor's Center, the Brooklyn Historical Society, Eyes on the Prize Revisited, and Radio Diaries. From 2016 to 2019, Romano was a member of the Executive Board of the Organization of American Historians, and she is currently on the board of National History Day. She has also served as an 91ֱ�� campus mentor for the Posse Leadership Program.</p> <p>“I am humbled and gratified to be recognized with this award, especially given how many wonderful and dedicated teachers there are at 91ֱ��,” says Romano. “I feel extraordinarily lucky to have the opportunity to work with 91ֱ�� students, whose energy, intellect, and curiosity constantly push me to experiment with new pedagogies, to create new courses, and to keep working to improve my teaching.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">A specialist in 20th- and 21st-century American cultural and political history, Romano is instrumental in establishing a public humanities concentration.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-18T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/18/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2576">Excellence in Teaching Award</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3501">Teaching & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25311">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/public-humanities" hreflang="und">Public Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jennifer Manna</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Paintbrush Empowerment</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 15 May 2023 22:56:45 +0000</p> <span>Paintbrush Empowerment</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-15T18:56:45-04:00" title="Monday, May 15, 2023 - 18:56">Mon, 05/15/2023 - 18:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Mufalo Mufalo speaks to his homeland with a paintbrush instead of a megaphone.</p> <p>The first-year 91ֱ�� student learned to paint from his late father back in their homeland of Zambia, a landlocked nation in southern Africa. Before long, Mufalo was painting at a nationally recognized art school, winning awards at festivals, participating in a national exhibition—even presenting an oil portrait to Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda. </p> <p>He has painted murals promoting public safety messages during the pandemic. He even fashioned his passion into a homegrown initiative: In 2019—<em>at age 15</em>—he founded Our Art Africa, a nonprofit that focuses on community outreach through art.</p> <p>“I started Our Art Africa to help inspire young people in my community to use art to express themselves,” Mufalo said in 2020. “Through the initiative, I provide art supplies to schools and orphanages and conduct painting workshops. In these workshops, I encourage participants to follow their own individuality.”</p> <p>Beginning this summer, Mufalo will do more of the same—this time with the support of a Projects for Peace grant secured with help from 91ֱ��’s <a href="/node/4526">Office of Fellowships and Awards</a>, part of the <a href="/node/396216">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts</a>, or CELA.</p> <p>“A simple mural that highlights a social issue in a society can have more impact than a protest,” Mufalo wrote in his successful application for the highly competitive grant, which provides $10,000 for innovative community projects pursued mostly during the summer.</p> <p></p> <p>Mufalo headlined his application “African Graffiti as a Driver for Change.” He recounted the way news of his pandemic mural quickly spread on social media, and how many people photographed it. “I realized that, for some people, it was more than just about the subject; it was about bringing aesthetics into the neighborhood.”</p> <p>Mufalo dedicated his first Winter Term at 91ֱ�� to painting yet another mural near his hometown of Mongu, Zambia. He was encouraged to apply for the Projects for Peace grant by <a href="/node/175641">Deanna Bergdorf</a>, director of 91ֱ��’s <a href="/winter-term">Office of Winter Term</a>, which is also part of CELA.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Paintings by Mufalo Mufalo</figcaption> </figure> <p>Projects for Peace grants were endowed in 2007 at Middlebury College by the late investor, artist, and activist Kathryn Wasserman Davis, who challenged recipients “to bring about a mind-set of preparing for peace instead of preparing for war.”</p> <p>Mufalo’s project will involve collaboration with other artists to paint murals in three Zambian towns: Lusaka, Mongu, and Livingstone, featuring subjects yet to be determined. He also plans to distribute more supplies. “I hope to inspire young people who want to make a difference in their communities,” he says. He expects to complete his project from June through August, finishing in time for fall semester of his sophomore year.</p> <p>Prior to attending 91ֱ��, Mufalo was invited to take up high school studies at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, many hundreds of miles from his home. His education there revolved around the school’s mission to prepare young people from throughout Africa for lives of ethical and entrepreneurial leadership.</p> <p>Although he had never left Africa before coming to 91ֱ��, Mufalo met many American students at the academy, and they prepared him for life in Ohio—even the weather. “It gets a bit too cold sometimes compared to where I’m from,” he says, “but I prefer cold to hot.”</p> <p>With plans to pursue studies in both art and neuroscience, Mufalo currently takes two drawing classes, an introduction to narrative art, an introduction to Africana studies, and a neuroscience lab. In only his first year on campus, he quickly fell into a role that deftly combines his two passions: designing covers for the campus neuroscience publication <a href="https://synapsemagazine.org/"><em>The Synapse</em></a>.</p> <p>He is also a Bonner Scholar, a program of <a href="/node/4416">91ֱ��’s Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Research</a>. Bonner Scholars engage in community-service initiatives throughout their 91ֱ�� experience; Mufalo volunteers as an assistant at the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts in downtown 91ֱ��.</p> <p>He credits neuroscience professor <a href="/node/50471">Chris Howard</a> and Bonner Scholars director <a href="/node/29791">Brittnei Sherrod</a> for helping him map out his future. After graduation, he hopes to pursue animation and create works with African characters.</p> <p>A self-described introvert who tends to stick to his easel, Mufalo likes 91ֱ��’s small size. But he has gotten involved in numerous ways: He plays club soccer on campus and designs advertisements for African Student Association events.</p> <p>“It’s the right place for me,” he says. “91ֱ�� has provided me with financial support and exposure to other opportunities as an artist.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Mufalo Mufalo inspires expression through art across his native Africa.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-15T12:00:00Z">Mon, 05/15/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Grant Segall</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25436">Studio Art</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/christopher-howard" hreflang="und">Christopher Howard</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Mufalo Mufalo</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>A Voice for the Voiceless</h1> <p>anagy — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 19:19:26 +0000</p> <span>A Voice for the Voiceless</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-04-07T15:19:26-04:00" title="Friday, April 7, 2023 - 15:19">Fri, 04/07/2023 - 15:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Sydney Allen graduated from 91ֱ�� in 2019 with a major in English and minors in rhetoric and history. She worked at the <em>91ֱ�� Review</em> for four years, serving as editor-in-chief her senior year. A student-athlete, Allen was a member of the varsity women’s lacrosse team. She was also a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/pal">Peer Advising Leader</a> (PAL), Peer Listener in the Peer Support Center, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/soar">Sophomore Opportunities and Resources Program</a> Facilitator, and worked with the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap">Writing Associates Program</a>. </p> <p>A native of Indianapolis, Allen has held internships with <em>Indianapolis Monthly</em>, the <em>Chronicle-Telegram</em> in Northeast Ohio, and her hometown congressional representative in Washington, D.C. In 2019, she was selected as a two-year <a href="https://www.shansi.org">91ֱ�� Shansi Fellow</a>, which took her to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to teach writing and introductory journalism courses at Universitas Gadjah Mada. In June 2021, she began a position as an associate editor and Green Voices coordinator at Global Voices Online. </p> <p>We caught up with Allen to learn more about her path in journalism.</p> <p><strong>What was it like traveling across the world after graduation and immersing yourself in Indonesian culture as a Shansi Fellow?</strong></p> <p>Shansi does a great job at preparing the fellows, letting people know what to expect, and sharing tips on how to get acclimated. It was definitely a challenge, but I clearly loved it because I’m still in Asia now. When I first moved to Indonesia, I studied Bahasa (a language in Indonesia) for two months, which was excellent. That really gave me the foundation I needed to continue learning Bahasa. </p> <p><strong>How did working in leadership and mentorship roles at 91ֱ�� prepare you for teaching students at an Indonesian university?</strong></p> <p>The Writing Associates Program helped me communicate more effectively and give feedback in ways that are kind and compassionate. There’s a pretty clear trajectory between my roles at 91ֱ�� and how my career has progressed so far. I see a very direct link between the skills I learned as a writing associate and the work I’ve done. Also, PAL was helpful in establishing connections with students who are interested in different subject areas, as well as learning how to mentor younger students. The Writing Associate program and PAL gives students a different side of 91ֱ�� and provides a lot of value. </p> <p><strong>Tell us about how you found work as an associate editor and Green Voices coordinator at Global Voices Online in Indonesia.</strong></p> <p>Shansi Executive Director <a href="https://www.shansi.org/executive-director">Gavin Tritt</a> informed me of this remote position that matched my interest in advocacy-related journalism. It’s turned out to be incredibly fulfilling and an endless supply of perspectives. Green Voices is a collective of journalists and researchers who mainly write about the Global South—a region that’s been overlooked by mainstream media. Most writers are volunteers, citizen journalists, and people who have been overlooked by larger outlets. We have 40 languages that we translate to bridge linguistic silos, so many people have accessible information. </p> <p><strong>What kinds of stories have you worked on at Global Voices Online?</strong> </p> <p>I’m editing and writing news stories about Indonesia, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Central Asia. I’m also coordinating Green Voices, which is a group of environmental journalists around the world. This is a support mechanism to meet once a month and discuss the heavy topic of environmental issues while also forging connections. Mutual understanding and support between journalists can be really uplifting.</p> <p><strong>Can you provide some advice for 91ֱ�� students interested in journalism after graduation?</strong></p> <p>Get involved in as many things as you possibly can. It’s worth it to take advantage of many opportunities and go outside your comfort zone. See what appeals to you and push yourself to try new things. Getting into college is only a quarter of the battle. Finding out what’s important to you is a major part of your career journey. Find out what you like, and learn how to talk about it. I got this job through Shansi because I have always been vocal about what I’m interested in. Getting people to know about your interests and being able to talk about what you want in a way that is clear, concise, and confident is important.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Advocacy journalist Sydney Allen shines a spotlight on underrepresented regions.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-04-07T12:00:00Z">Fri, 04/07/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Ava Miller '25</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Since graduating, Sydney Allen has worked remotely for a global news outlet while traveling around Southeast Asia. Read more about Allen in this After 91ֱ�� Q&A.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2397">Shansi</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3887">SOAR</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2771">Athletics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2418">Student-Athlete</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25451">Writing and Communication</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/english" hreflang="und">English</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Sydney Allen '19 is an associate editor and Green Voices coordinator at Global Voices Online.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Sydney Allen</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Students Lead Reproductive Justice Symposium March 10-11</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 20:29:11 +0000</p> <span>Students Lead Reproductive Justice Symposium March 10-11</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-03-09T15:29:11-05:00" title="Thursday, March 9, 2023 - 15:29">Thu, 03/09/2023 - 15:29</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Visiting scholars and 91ֱ�� student researchers will generate discussions on reproductive health and justice in the post-Roe era during a symposium hosted by the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/gsfs">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a> (GSFS) Department on March 10 and 11. </p> <p>The symposium follows GSFS programming that has included two course modules exploring the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade. The campus community has an opportunity to attend a series of workshops led by invited experts whose work addresses sexual and reproductive health and justice from a variety of multidisciplinary perspectives. </p> <p>On Friday, March 10, students will present individual and group research projects from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the <a href="/center-engaged-liberal-arts">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts</a> (A-level of Mudd Center). The exhibits will highlight research and creative work that centers on reproductive justice. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., symposium experts will participate in a roundtable discussion in Craig Lecture Hall. </p> <p>On Saturday, March 11, students can choose from seven different pop-up classes that cover a range of topics. Based on seating and demand, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PKwR9Q1CqZ66UnsDf9ExmaZ9uco47YmCatY6_CM9ydc/edit">participants may sign up</a> for more than one class. The deadline to sign up is March 10. All classes will be held in CELA.</p> <p>Beginning at 10 a.m., Ash Williams will lead “Increasing Abortion Access 101.” A reproductive justice organizer, Williams advocates for abortion access by funding abortions and training abortion doulas.</p> <p>Three concurrent workshops will be offered at 11 a.m.:</p> <ul> <li>Chris Barcelos will lead “Mobilizing Coalitional Politics to Fight Back Against Banning Abortion, Criminalizing Trans Healthcare, and Maintaining White Supremacy.” The workshop will help participants to make connections between the Dobbs decision, anti-trans legislation, and bans on critical race theory in schools. Barcelos is Assistant Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the author of Distributing Condoms and Hope: The Racialized Politics of Sexual Health.<br> </li> <li><a href="/news/sparking-interest-sexual-health-education">Tory Sparks ’17</a> will ask “What is the role of sex education post-Dobbs?” and will cover the basics of the career path to becoming a professional sex educator. Sparks is a Michigan-based independent sex educator, facilitator, consultant, and trainer, and a student at Widener University in the dual degree MSW/ MEd in Human Sexuality Program.<br> </li> <li>From the <a href="/mrc">Multicultural Resource Commons</a>, staff members Katie Graham and NiK Peavy will teach “Parenting with Pride: An Unconventional Guide to Having Children.” The workshop will explore the ways in which different family structures can be formed, such as queer or otherwise “unconventional” ways to become parents, the inequities that may come with the process, and how to navigate them. </li> </ul> <p>Three workshops will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m.:</p> <ul> <li>“So you want to be an advocate?” Led by Jordyn Close and Anastasia (Ana) Martinez, the class will cover different kinds of advocacy. Close is deputy director with Ohio Women's Alliance (OWA) and board president of Abortion Fund Of Ohio, Ohio’s only statewide abortion fund, providing practical support across the Midwest. Martinez is senior campaign manager for OWA.<br> </li> <li>91ֱ�� Doula Collective and the Reproductive Justice Alliance present “Understanding Abortion Doula Work: History and Reproductive Justice.” The 91ֱ�� Doula Collective is a student, community, and volunteer-run organization based in 91ֱ�� (not affiliated with 91ֱ�� College). The group is dedicated to providing free and compassionate support to people who are terminating their pregnancies.<br> </li> <li>Margaret Velto ’22, an outreach coordinator for the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, will lead “Not All Religions: An Interfaith Lens on Reproductive Justice.” Velto will discuss how different faith traditions, including Christianity, protect and support access to choice and freedom of decisions.</li> </ul></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-03-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/09/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2390">Events</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2413">Social Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2392">Social Justice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25361">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/gsfs" hreflang="und">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies department is hosting a reproductive justice symposium March 10-11.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Alice Koeninger</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Jewish Studies Program Celebrates 50 Years</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 17:36:45 +0000</p> <span>Jewish Studies Program Celebrates 50 Years</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-10-20T13:36:45-04:00" title="Thursday, October 20, 2022 - 13:36">Thu, 10/20/2022 - 13:36</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This month, 91ֱ��’s <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/jewish-studies">Jewish Studies Program</a> celebrates its 50th anniversary with public events held over two days and offered in-person and remotely. </p> <p>The <a href="/events/50th_anniversary_of_jewish_studies_at_oberlin">celebration</a> will be held October 30 and 31, and includes an alumni panel presentation, faculty presentation, a photo and documentary exhibition of the program’s 50-year history, an opportunity to attend a Jewish studies class, and an open house at Johnson House, 91ֱ��’s Hebrew heritage residence hall. </p> <p>On Sunday, October 30, Jewish Studies alumni David Eaton '71, Amalia Haas '91, and Kendell Pinkney '09 will host a panel discussion in the 91ֱ�� Center for Convergence, which will also be streamed via Zoom, followed by a performance by the student klezmer band Shtick-and-Poke.</p> <p>On Monday, October 31, the Allen Memorial Art Museum will present a session on "Judaism in Modern and Contemporary Art" led by curator Sam Adams. The Terrell Main Library will hold an open house on its exhibition <em>To Find It Again: The Quest for Jewish Life and Jewish Studies at 91ֱ�� College</em>, on display through the end of the semester. </p> <p>The program concludes in Johnson House with a faculty talk: “The Present and Future of Jewish Studies at 91ֱ��,” followed by a reception and open house.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Associate Professor Shari Rabin. Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</figcaption> </figure> <p>Associate Professor <a href="/shari-rabin">Shari Rabin</a>, a scholar of modern Judaism and American religions and chair of Jewish studies, says the program began because of student activism, and it has continued to flourish because of the ongoing enthusiasm of students, faculty, staff, and community organizations.</p> <p>“In the last few years, Jewish studies has gained three new faculty members and passed a new curriculum,” says Rabin, who is currently writing a history of Jews, religion, and race in the U.S. South from the 17th century to the present day. “As we enter this exciting new era, it is the perfect time to reflect on the history of the program and what it has meant to generations of 91ֱ�� students.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Faculty and alumni come together for program commemorating milestone anniversary.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-10-20T12:00:00Z">Thu, 10/20/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2390">Events</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25386">Jewish Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/shari-rabin" hreflang="und">Shari Rabin</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/jewish-studies" hreflang="und">Jewish Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">A Jewish studies class led by Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature and Jewish Studies Sheera Talpaz in the King courtyard.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Raavi Asdar Receives Fulbright to Tajikistan</h1> <p>anagy — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 20:17:35 +0000</p> <span>Raavi Asdar Receives Fulbright to Tajikistan</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-08-16T16:17:35-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 16, 2022 - 16:17">Tue, 08/16/2022 - 16:17</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Recent graduate Raavi Asdar is part of a cohort that will spend 10 months in Tajikistan providing free English language instruction to Tajiki residents through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) program.</p> <p>Unlike most Fulbright ETA programs which place teaching assistants in schools, Asdar’s cohort will be posted in an American Space, one of several cultural centers throughout the country funded by the United States government. Sponsored jointly by a U.S. embassy and a host country organization, an American Space serves as an information outpost similar to a public library. In Tajikistan, American Spaces function to provide free-of-cost English language instruction in after-school clubs.</p> <p>A <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history">history</a> major with minors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/russian/curriculumussian%20and%20eastern%20European%20studies">Russian and Eastern European studies</a> and <a href="/middle-east-and-north-africa-studies">Middle East and North African studies</a>, Asdar explored courses focusing on South Asian, Middle East, and American History in an attempt to understand his own identity and family history. For his first Winter Term experience, he challenged himself to take the Russian language intensive, which led to two years of learning Russian.</p> <p>“Over time, these two academic trajectories coalesced into an interest in Central Asian history,” says Asdar, a resident of Austin, Texas, who graduated in September 2021. “In my last semester, I took a private reading with Visiting Assistant Professor Nicholas Bujalski on Central Asian history, and I left with an intense desire to learn more about the region.” </p> <p>Asdar will draw on his experiences in language acquisition, teaching, and learning abroad. A study away program in Edinburgh, Scotland, was cut short due to the pandemic in spring 2020, but Asdar says he had enough time to learn about establishing himself in a new context and cultivating community. For his last two years of high school, he received a scholarship to attend a boarding school in rural Norway, where he was joined by peers from more than 100 different countries. </p> <p>“I was one of four Americans on campus, and it was my first exposure to being a minority as an American. I also developed many meaningful friendships with peers from all over the world, including my friend Amina from Tajikistan,” Asdar says. “When I was deciding to apply to be an ETA, I reached out to Amina and she shared with me that she would go to the American Space in Dushanbe to practice her English growing up, which cemented my desire to go forward with my Fulbright application.”</p> <p>At 91ֱ��, Asdar was involved in the Pottery Co-op and taught an Ex-Co on beginner pottery. “Through teaching an Ex-Co, I began learning how to adapt to different learning styles and student expectations. Some of my students wanted a lot of individual attention and affirmation, while other students desired a more hands-off approach and would seek me out for help. I hope to continue developing these sorts of classroom management skills while in Tajikistan.”</p> <p>While in Tajikistan, Asdar says he intends to work on his Russian skills while learning Tajiki. “I am really looking forward to getting to know the students I will be working with and developing relationships in a new, to me, cultural context. Tajikistan is known for its mountains and beautiful natural landscapes, which I am eager to explore.”</p> <p>Asdar was awarded a <a href="/news/critical-language-scholarship-recipient-boosts-his-sense-identity">Critical Language Scholarship</a> to study Urdu in 2021, as well as a Humanity in Action Fellowship to Amsterdam in 2020.</p> <p>At 91ֱ��, Asdar was a member of the 91ֱ�� Student Cooperative Association, the South Asian Student Association, the Muslim Student Association, and the Pottery Co-op. He was also involved in <a href="/religious-and-spiritual-life/pastoral-care-and-counsel">Barefoot Dialogues</a> as a participant, facilitator, and student leadership team member, and dedicated his time working on mental health advocacy on campus. After graduation, Asdar worked at Denison University in the Center for Global Programs (a combined international student support and study abroad office), where he gained experience advising and mentoring students, organizing programming, and managing student workers.</p> <p>“I feel very grateful to be heading into a Fulbright after almost a year of working, which has allowed me to develop various professional skills and transition out of seeing myself as just a student,” Asdar says. “I hope to draw from all of these experiences and more as an ETA.</p> <p>Asdar notes that he was accepted as an alternate when he applied for the Fulbright ETA the previous year, and he encourages other students to reapply.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Asdar will provide English language instruction to Tajiki residents through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship program.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-08-16T12:00:00Z">Tue, 08/16/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25446">Middle East and North Africa Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25426">Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/nicholas-bujalski" hreflang="und">Nicholas Bujalski</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Raavi Asdar is a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Tajikistan.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Asdar</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>