News Archive
Fifteen ¾¨Ó㴫ý students are studying in the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh during the spring semester.
 "Study abroad is the best opportunity our students have for learning about the larger world that's out there," said Dr. Jeffrey Bersett, director of off-campus study and assistant professor of Spanish. "Going overseas shows them more than just new places. They return to ¾¨Ó㴫ý with new ways of looking at things, and with a new understanding of how everything fits together."
As a part of their educational program, ¾¨Ó㴫ý students can spend as little as a month, or as much as a year, living and studying in an international or domestic program. Students who study off-campus are able to earn not only credits towards graduation, but also credit towards their major or minor, or towards fulfilling part of the Liberal Studies requirements.
For more information, contact Bersett at (724) 946-7259 or e-mail bersetjt@westminster.edu.
Dr. Charlene Endrizzi, associate professor of education at ¾¨Ó㴫ý, will present "What Can Our Government Learn About Literacy from Teachers and Parents?" Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 11:45 a.m. in the Sebastian Mueller Theater located in the McKelvey Campus Center.
"This presentation evolves from my recent Watto Award in the Fall of 2004," Endrizzi said. "With the faculty development monies, I created a teacher researcher writing group, consisting of five classroom teachers, who responded to drafts of my current book manuscript, "No Family Left Behind: Sharing the Responsibility for Literacy Learning."
Data from Endrizzi's book, which is aimed at helping teachers develop literacy partnerships with parents, came from two research projects at regional elementary schools. Findings from these two research projects indicate how willing parents are to join teachers as literacy partners, if teachers are willing to initiate a partnership.
"Recent legislation evolving from No Child Left Behind has created antagonism between teachers and parents," Endrizzi said. "Currently teachers are blamed for low literacy test scores, when in reality teachers and parents are equally responsible for promoting literacy growth."
Endrizzi, who has been with ¾¨Ó㴫ý since 1993, earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from Fresno Pacific College, and her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona.
Endrizzi's presentation is part of the weekly Faculty Forum. Established in 1990, Faculty Forum serves as a venue for the exchange of ideas and information among ¾¨Ó㴫ý faculty. Speakers present their research, teaching ideas, lectures, performances, special programs, and uses of technology to keep faculty informed about the work of colleagues from many disciplines.
Contact Endrizzi at (724) 946-7189 or e-mail endrizck@westminster.edu for more information.
More than 335 students earned diplomas during the 152nd annual ¾¨Ó㴫ý commencement ceremonies Saturday.
The ceremony began with baccalaureate service at 10:30 a.m. in Orr Auditorium. The Rev. Daniel B. Merry, associate pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery and 1977 ¾¨Ó㴫ý graduate, spoke about "Is God Fair?" The service included music by Kathryn Miller, adjunct instructor, a welcome from ¾¨Ó㴫ý President R. Thomas Williamson, and prayers and scripture readings by the Rev. James Mohr II, college chaplain.
While waiting for the graduates to appear, parents and friends were treated to music by the ¾¨Ó㴫ý Faculty Brass Quintet. Bagpiper Richard Hosie, 1981 ¾¨Ó㴫ý graduate, and drummer Adam Smith, led the grand march and Dr. Nancy Zipay DeSalvo, assistant professor of music, played "Pomp and Circumstance."
Welcoming remarks were made by George Berlin, chair of the ¾¨Ó㴫ý Board of Trustees, and ¾¨Ó㴫ý President R. Thomas Williamson.
After receiving honorary doctor of public service degree, Charles Burke, ¾¨Ó㴫ý Trustee Emeritus, and Chairman Emeritus of The Grable Foundation, delivered "words of wisdom" to the class of 2006.
¾¨Ó㴫ý's commencement would not be complete without recognizing its faculty.
Distinguished Faculty Award
Dr. James Perkins, professor of English at ¾¨Ó㴫ý since 1973, was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Award. He earned his undergraduate degree from Centre College, his master's from Miami University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. During the fall term of 1998, he was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at Seoul National University in Korea. He has also been honored as a Henderson Lecturer and McCandless Fellow. His publications include three chapbooks of poetry, "For the Record: A Robert Drake Reader (a collection edited with Randy Hendricks), and collections of short stories, and "Southern Writers at Centuries End," (a collection of essays co-edited with Jeffrey Folks).
The Distinguished Faculty Award is given to the faculty member who has, over a sustained period of time, demonstrated characteristics of the most outstanding faculty – intellectual vitality, effective communication skills, the ability to motivate of inspire, compassion and concern for student success, collegiality, and leadership.
One Professors Honored with Emeriti Status
Dr. James Hall, who has been with ¾¨Ó㴫ý since 1984, was awarded emeritus status. He earned his undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University, his master's from Harvard University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. His professional interests include differential equations, teaching with computer technology, and the history of mathematics. Hall was the 1989 Henderson lecturer at ¾¨Ó㴫ý with the presentation of "Tilings in Science and Art."
Senior class speaker Nawal G. Rajeh, a political science major from Youngstown, Ohio, delivered the senior class remarks. "Take the ordinary things you learned here at ¾¨Ó㴫ý and use them to do something extraordinary. Use them to bridge the gaps in this world.
Stephanie Nicholson, a senior music performance major from Medina, Ohio, sang the ¾¨Ó㴫ý Alma Mater to end the ceremony.
The ¾¨Ó㴫ý Jazz Ensemble will give its first performance of the year Friday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Orr Auditorium.
Dr. James A. Perkins, professor of English and chair of the Department of English and Public Relations at ¾¨Ó㴫ý, has co-edited For the Record: A Robert Drake Reader, which is scheduled for release in February 2001.
Twenty six ¾¨Ó㴫ý students were recently inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education.
Family and friends gathered to hear Sally Huey, director of the learning center at ¾¨Ó㴫ý, deliver the keynote speech, and Ashley Rexrode, a sophomore music education major from Farmington, provide the special music.
The Rev. John Tong Puk, moderator of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC), will speak at a chapel service Monday, Nov. 27, at 11:40 a.m. in ¾¨Ó㴫ý's Wallace Memorial Chapel.
Shawn Reynolds, ¾¨Ó㴫ý adjunct music professor, recently presented a lecture, "Scraping the Surface of Reed Knife Sharpening," at the International Double Reed Society at Ithaca College.
Kathy Koop, ¾¨Ó㴫ý professor of art, has ceramic pieces in two Pittsburgh exhibits. The shows are in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) convention March 19-21.
The fall choral concert of the ¾¨Ó㴫ý Women's Chorus and Men's Chorus is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Wallace Memorial Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.
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