SUMMER 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
Greetings from the Dean
Closing Information
2011 Commencement
Summer Internships
Spring Athletic Highlights
Congratulations to the Scholarship & Community Award Recipients
Macalester Civic Forum
Relay for Life
Calendar Highlights

Greetings from the Dean

From The Dean of Students

Hello,

Last weekend marked the annual Springfest, a major campus-wide celebration with bands and activities that brings the campus community together on the south lawns. The opportunity to rejoice at the (almost) end of winter is a signal that the semester is coming to an end. Surely the fact that we have had snow twice in the past five days will not dampen our enthusiasm!

This is also the time of year when we honor the achievements and successes of the past year. I’m sure I do not have to tell you that we have an extraordinarily talented group of students at Macalester.

With each successive awards presentation, I’m in awe of the many talents and contributions our students bring to the campus, the Twin Cities and beyond. A perfect example is the group Macalester First Aid.

Just over a year ago, three students met in my office to discuss the need for first response medical services on campus and the desire to create a student-lead team. Twelve months later they have created an organization of more than 50 active members that provide first aid and CPR training to the campus community. This January, they sponsored an Emergency Medical Technician certification course for 25 students. The group has forged partnerships with medical staff at local hospitals and the American Red Cross and now frequently provides emergency first aid at club sporting events and activities such as this weekend’s Springfest.

Not satisfied with having an impact on our own campus, two graduating seniors in the group have forged a partnership with a hospital in Venezuela, and this summer they will journey to Caracas to help develop a standard curriculum for ambulance drivers in that city. (You can learn more at www.atulado.org).

All in a day’s work for a co-curricular organization at Macalester. Amazing things happen here, and they seem to occur on an almost daily basis.

—Jim Hoppe

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Closing Information

Residence Halls close to all non-graduating seniors and students without an approved exception on Tuesday, May 10 at 12 p.m. Graduates and students with an exception to stay will need to check-out by 12 p.m. on Sunday, May 15. For more information on who qualifies for an exception, see our website. Information detailing May check-out, storage hours and options, quiet hours, recycling/donation/trash options of belongings, and other helpful closing tips are listed on the Residence Life website posted on student floors, and sent via student campus mail.

 

2011 Commencement - Saturday, May 14

For family members of graduating seniors, remember that commencement will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2011. Review the commencement website for the latest updates for information about commencement activities.

Lois Quam will speak at Commencement
Macalester will be streaming commencement at www.macalester.edu/commencement

 

Summer Internships

Many students are engaged in internships over the summer that they can do for academic credit. More information about internships can be found on the Macalester Internship Program website.

Here are some examples of where students are interning:

• Jan Cervenka ’12, Jeff Anderson and Associates (law firm in St. Paul)
• Slavisa Mijatovic ’11, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC
• Lisa Barnes ’11, Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Roseville, MN
• Doriyush Ubaydi, ‘13, YMCA Youth Camp, Manitowish, WI
• Katie Agnew ’11, Best Buy, Richfield, MN
• Kwame Fynn ’12, Goldman-Sachs, New York
• Divine Miho ’13, General Re New England Asset Management, Hartford, CT
• Jade Johnson ’11, Bratkins Consulting Psychologists, Golden Valley, MN (African Diaspora Center
• Melinda Schmidt ’11, Minneapolis Institute of Arts
  

Spring Athletic Highlights

Macalester teams are in the middle of a busy spring sports campaign and appear en route to successful seasons.

Leading the way as we approach May is the Mac baseball team, which has jumped to the top of the early-season Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) standings with a 7-1 record. The Scots are coming off a sweep over nationally-ranked St. Olaf and their overall record is 15-9. Senior pitching aces Alex Ingram ’11 and Eric Robinson ’11 are both a perfect 4-0 on the season and Robinson boasts a very low 0.60 earned run average. Second baseball Mitch Glasser ’12 is batting .425 and outfielder Will Chen ’11 is hitting.392.

Macalester’s men’s tennis team, led by No. 1 singles player Michael Coleman ’11, is 7-5 on the season and looking to get into the MIAC post-season tournament. The women’s tennis squad has put together a 7-7 record up to this point.

The outdoor track & field season is getting into full swing. The Macalester women boast a couple of the top 800-meter runners in the conference in Tara McCoy ’11 and Robin Major ’11.

WEB FEATURES

AROUND CAMPUS

Congratulations to the Scholarship & Community Award Recipients

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS

COMMUNITY AWARDS

This year’s awardees include:

• Jamila Humphrie,
• Needham Hurst,
• Matt Kazinka,
• Taren Kingser,
• Emily Schorr Lesnick,
• Roman Raymundo,
• Shelle Shimizu (pictured),
• Véra Sídlová,
• Kyera Singleton,
• Julia Smith,
• Owen Truesdell, and
• Jeff Yamashita.

The Dean of Students Award
Honors students who live out the mission of the college by promoting one or more of the stated values and demonstrating genuine love of the community through service to the college. Awarded to:

• Adam Van der Sluis ’11,
• Eric Engstrom ’11,
• Sarah Mueller ’12,
• Yeukai Mudzi ’12,
• Rose Glenn-Finer ’13,
• Rebecca Jackson ’13, and
• Audrey Kohout ’14.

The Servant-Leader Award - Needham Hurst ’11
Recognizes students whose actions are congruent with their values, and who thus inspire others to develop their own leadership potential. Awarded to Needham Hurst ’11.

The Ann Bolger Vision Award - Sarah O’Connor ’13 and Marichel Mejia ’11
Applauds a student leader’s abilities to initiate positive organizational change or creative endeavors to contribute to the educational experience of students in a thoughtful, collaborative, and informed fashion.

The Civil Discourse Award - Clara Younge ’12
Is given to an individual who has promoted civil discourse on campus on issues related to difference and inclusivity, and who has thus increased understanding and dialogue among members of the Macalester community.

Outstanding Sophomore of Color Award - Rebecca Jackson and Olivia Nichols
Each year, the American Can Company awards a cash prize to an outstanding sophomore of color at Macalester College. This award is given to a student who has made a positive contribution to the Macalester College community and achieved an excellent academic standing.

Latina Award for Excellence - Luisa Paredes (pictured) and Gabriela Santiago
Since 1987, a cash award, endowed by an anonymous Mac alumnus, is given to a Latina senior woman who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement throughout her four years at Macalester. There are two recipients of this award this year: Luisa Paredes and Gabriela Santiago.

The Civil Discourse Award - Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA)
Given to a student organization that has promoted civil discourse on campus on issues related to difference and inclusivity. Through programming, education and negotiation, they have worked to increase understanding and dialogue among Macalester community members.

The Collaboration Award - MESA and Afrika!
Recognizes two or more organizations that have worked together effectively by utilizing each others strengths to accomplish a common goal. Awarded to MESA and Afrika!

The Community Service Award - Mac First Aid
Presented to a student organization that has made a significant contribution to Macalester or the community outside of the College. The contribution not only provided service to the community but created opportunities for growth and development to those who participated.

The Education Award - Adelante
Given to an organization in honor of its successful efforts to generate campus awareness of a particular issue. The organization’s efforts fostered dialogues, debates and learning within the campus community. Awarded to Adelante.

The Organizational Growth Award - Medicinal Melodies
Recognizes a student organization’s significant accomplishments in key areas such as planning, goal setting, evaluation of programs, and member involvement.

Macalester Civic Forum

Each spring the Institute for Global Citizenship sponsors the Macalester Civic Forum. The Civic Forum provides the Macalester community an opportunity to explore the “big” normative issues related to civic life, leadership, and engagement in early 21st century America. The focus for this year’s forum was:

New American Citizens: Opportunities and Obligations for Somalis

Immigration and refugee resettlement were and still arecentral factors in the making of American society. Yet unlike earlier ages when the people of Europe were the predominant arrivals, our epoch is characterized by many from Africa, Mexico, Central and South America, and Asia who have sought opportunities to make new lives in these United States. The phenomenal arrival of tens of thousands of Somalis within the past two decades is a slice of this latest trend in the continuous reshaping of America. Among others, Somali-Americans add to this demographic change: foreign-born Americans and their children now compose at least a fifth of our population. The consequences of these shifts are already visible in many communities and states.

Thursday evening included three paper presentations:

Owen Truesdell ’11 (pictured), “E Pluribus Unum: 21st Century Citizenship and the Somali-American Experience.”

Louise Dickson ’11, “Revival of the Civic Spirit: Contradictions in Somali-American Citizenship.”

Keynote address on “The Newest African-Americans? Somali Struggles for Belonging” by University of Minnesota Sociology Professor Cawo Mohamed Abdi.

Friday and Saturday included an interview with Dean Ahmed I. Samatar followed by a celebration of music with members of the Somali community.

Relay for Life

Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States and 19 other countries gather to take part in a global phenomenon called Relay For Life. This is a walking event that brings people together to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and fight back and raise money to put an end to cancer.

Students Brittany Liebhard, Lorenza Pellicioli, Beth Moretzsky and Adam Freeman organized the event. more

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)

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.