SUMMER 2010
IN THIS ISSUE
Dean's Message
Spring Photo Album
Country Spotlights
City of St. Paul Social Host Ordinance
Study Abroad Application Changes
You're Invited: Conference Call with President Rosenberg
Congratulations to the Scholarship & Community Award Recipients
2010 Commencement
Calendar Highlights
Common Student Issues

From the Dean of Students

Spring has sprung in St. Paul. Quite quickly too, I might add. Piles of snow have been replaced by students scattered throughout the lawns, finding any excuse to be outside. Whether students are studying, sunbathing, playing Frisbee, or some other outdoor activity, they give spring at Mac its own unique vibe. If you listen as you walk around campus, the chatter is filled with debates on the latest movements of the World Bank, the situation in Haiti, or the upcoming Minnesota gubernatorial race. Blending is everything.

As another year comes to a close, we want to thank you for engaging in this partnership with us. I wish you the best for a great summer as many of you welcome your student home. We’ll look forward to seeing some of you at commencement. For the rest, it’s about 120 days till the start of fall term!

—Jim Hoppe

STUDENT AFFAIRS NEWS

SPRING PHOTO ALBUM
VIEW ALL PHOTOS

Country Spotlights

Sponsored by the International Student Programs Office, Country Spotlights are opportunities for participants to learn, ask questions, and engage in conversations about an international student’s home country.

This fall’s presentations included Taiwan, Palestine, Albania, and Paraguay. This spring the focus has been on first-year students’ home countries. Presentations have included Norway, Italy, Honduras, Malaysia, and Ghana.

To get a sense of these presentations and the amazing students we have at Mac, here’s Kwame Fynn’s presentation on his home country, Ghana Flash movie» | Download Power Point»

City of St. Paul Social Host Ordinance

A more difficult aspect of the nicer weather is the accompanying increase in complaints from our neighbors. As the weather warms and windows stay open, groups of students attending off-campus gatherings draw more attention. Terms such as “late,” “large,” “noisy,” and “party” have a different meaning for neighbors with small children than they do for most college students fresh from hours spent studying in the library.

This fall the St. Paul City Council passed a social host ordinance, making it a misdemeanor to provide a space where underage individuals are consuming alcohol. The penalty can include fines and jail time for hosts, as well as for party attendees.

Overall we are fortunate that our students do not often create nuisances or find themselves in trouble off campus. The vast majority of relationships off campus are strong and positive. The consequences for those few who are cited, however, can be stressful and can certainly be avoided.

Talk to your student about the risks involved in letting off steam late at night, particularly when there is alcohol involved. It would be better for all involved not to learn this lesson the hard way.

Study Abroad Application Changes

Students in the class of 2013 (and beyond) who want to study abroad should be aware of new policies and procedures. Starting next academic year, there will be a single annual deadline—March 4, 2011—for submitting study abroad proposals. This deadline will apply to all students who want to study abroad (or off-campus in the U.S.) during the 2011-12 academic year, whether fall, spring, or yearlong.

Students are required to declare a major before submitting a study abroad proposal. Thus, the new deadline will mean students planning to apply to study abroad will need to plan for and declare a major earlier than previously.

Parents are encouraged to discuss study abroad planning with their student, particularly rising sophomores and rising juniors who want to study away next spring. Encourage students to contact the International Center and their faculty advisor.

For more information on the single application deadline, or to contact International Center staff,
go to the International Center website»

AROUND CAMPUS

You're Invited: Conference call with President Rosenberg

There's still time to register for the first Old Main Forum, an informational conference call with Macalester President Brian Rosenberg happening noon to 12:45 p.m. CDT on Thursday, April 29. President Rosenberg will share design drawings and floor plans for the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center renovation and expansion project. He'll also provide an update on the college and take your questions. The call is open to all parents and alumni. There will be no charge for U.S. participants and no charge in most international locations. If you are living internationally, please contact us to determine if a minimal per minute toll applies to your location. Questions? Contact the communications office at communications@macalester.edu or 651-696-6203.

To participate, register here by Tuesday, April 27

Congratulations to the Scholarship & Community Award Recipients

Community Recognition Awards

Davis Projects for Peace Prize – Michael Manansala ’12, Rochester, Minn., and Cecilia Angela Martinez-Miranda ’13, Manila, Philippines

Davis Projects for Peace is an initiative for all students at Davis United World College Scholars Program partner schools—including Macalester—to design grassroots projects for peace that they will implement anywhere in the world during the summer of 2010. Through a competition including students from 90 campuses, projects selected for funding will receive $10,000 each.

George Stanley Arthur Prize for Community Service – Hannah Rivenburgh ’10, Woodinville, Wash., and Robert Jentsch ’10, Durham, N.C.

Awarded to a graduating senior who is in good academic standing best exemplifies Macalester College’s tradition of service to the community. The student's community service may take many different forms; their a grade point average (GPA) should be 3.7 or higher.

Global Citizenship Award – Westenley Alcenat ’10, Minneapolis, Minn.

Presented annually by Macalester College and the Institute for Global Citizenship to the graduating senior who best demonstrates a commitment to the ideals and practice of high academic performance, internationalism, multiculturalism, and civic engagement.

Mollie & Frank Steudle Prize for Community Service – MaryBeth Grewe ’10, Eau Claire, Wis.

A cash prize awarded to a senior with distinguished work in interdisciplinary studies in physical, mental, and emotional wellness, active in community service, working with the elderly, and planning a career dedicated to helping others.

Student Employee of the Year – Sue Xiong ’10, Columbia Heights, Minn.

Additional award recipients can be found on the campus life website

Academic Scholarships

Beinecke Scholarship - Kyera Singleton '11, Cherry Hill, N.J.

A Beinecke Scholarship is worth $34,000 and seeks to encourage and enable highly motivated students to pursue a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation - Shelle Shimizu ’11, Mililani, Hawaii

Macalester may nominate up to four juniors for these merit-based awards that fund graduate school in preparation for careers in government or public service. Students must have a demonstrated commitment to public service, must be planning a career in public service, and must have outstanding leadership potential. www.truman.gov

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program - Allison Jacobel ’11, Northfield, Minn.

Goldwater awards are made on the basis of merit to sophomores or juniors who have outstanding potential and intend to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. The scholarship pays a yearly stipend to help students complete their undergraduate education. www.act.org/goldwater

Morris K. Udall Scholarship Program - Matt Kazinka ’11, Hurleyville, N.Y.

This program was created to encourage current sophomores and juniors to pursue careers related to environmental policy. The scholarship pays a yearly stipend to help students complete their undergraduate education. www.udall.gov

Commencement: 1:30 p.m. CDT Saturday, May 15

The Commencement Ceremony will take place Saturday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m. CDT Chief Justice Michael J. Davis ’69 will be this year’s commencement speaker. Westently Alcenat '10 is the student speaker.

Details about the Chief Justice and the other speakers»

For the first time, Macalester will be streaming commencement at www.macalester.edu

Watch for the details on the commencement website»

Calendar Highlights

Keep up-to-date with campus events by viewing the campus events calendar (you can also add events to your online calendar from here)

Key dates this semester:

• Thursday, April 22 - Friday, April 30
  Fall 2010 Registration
• Tuesday, May 4
  Classes End
• Wednesday, May 5
  Study Day
• Thursday, May 6 -Monday, May 10
  Final Examinations
• Thursday, May 13
  Final Grades Due
• Friday, May 14
  Baccalaureate and Commencement Activities
• Saturday, May 15
  Baccalaureate and Commencement Program

COMMON STUDENT ISSUES

What’s Happening with Your Student:

What’s Happening with Your Student:

• Students get spring fever as weather warms up, and they’ll find concentrating on academics harder than ever. There are also more distractions on campus, as students go outside to play Frisbee, go bike riding, or enjoy a stroll around campus.
• Stress and pressure mounts about finishing up the semester, final exams, and summer plans.
• They must plan for moving out of the residence halls.
• For some, leaving their college friends for the summer will be the biggest concern of all.
• Many students will return home for the summer. Others will stay on campus and stay involved in employment, research, or internships. Those staying on campus may have the opportunity to stay in a residence hall or choose to sublet an apartment or room near campus.
• Students who lined up summer employment ahead of time will begin their summer jobs. Others will still need to find work.
• Students who return home may have anxiety about losing their independence, and be concerned about adjusting to life under their parents’ roofs again.

What Parents Can Do:

• Be supportive through this stressful time, and send care packages to help her/him get through final exams.
• Remind him/her to take care of himself with a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and enough sleep.
• Communicate with her/him about end-of-term plans for moving out of the residence hall.
• Discuss with your student what your expectations are for her/his behavior, roles, and responsibilities during the summer months if she/he will be moving home. Students may not be expecting to take on household-related tasks, especially if they have job and social commitments for the summer. This is a time to renegotiate the responsibilities as one grown up to another. Will you expect her/him to eat at family meals? Be home by a certain time? Call if coming home late? Or something else? These are all restrictions that she/he has not had for nine months. Be sure to talk about what you expect, and be willing to compromise before problems occur.
• Respect and appreciate the independent, self-reliant, mature person who has returned home, even if she/he seems nothing like the student you dropped off at Macalester last fall.
• Use this summer to openly communicate with her/him as a grown up, and to discover and appreciate the intellectual growth that she/he has developed in the past few months.