january 23 marked the start of the chinese lunar new year! the
TRANSCRIPT
Newsletter Staff:
Mosammad Rahman
Sierra Chandler
Jordan Jhamb
Julia Yeung
Ariel Love
Contributors:
Lauren Flack
Daniel Giordano
Jacqlyn Lovejoy
Monique Booker
In This Issue:
Chinatown Food &
Walking Tour
The Corner will Bill and
Dr. Ida Dupont
Chinese Lunar New
Year Parade!
Daniel Giordano:
Growth
Pace’s Got Knowledge:
Dr. Emily Welty
Art Retrospective at
The Bronx
Documentary Center
Pace’s Dramatic
“Master Plan”
What’s on Your
Graduation Wish List?
Poetry & Photography
Submit to the
Newsletter and E-
Journal!
Honors College One Pace Plaza – Suite W 207G
New York, New York 10038 Telephone: 212-346-1697
Dr. Ida Dupont Director [email protected], x11146 Dr. Bill Offutt Faculty Advisor [email protected], x10399 IM: BillOffutt Charissa Che Advisor, Editor [email protected] Aydde Martinez Program Coordinator [email protected], x10398
Annamaria Santamaria, Noor Fatima, Andrea Carlson Student Assistants x 10397 & x10395
January 23 marked the start of the
Chinese Lunar New Year! The Year
of the Dragon symbolizes a time of
good fortune and happiness. In
celebration, we were given a private
tour of Chinatown by the folks at
Free Tours by Foot that was both
scrumptious and informative.
Try a wasabi or lychee scoop! Having opened in 1978, CICF is Editor, Charissa Che with Dr. Ida Dupont often regarded as an unofficial NYC landmark.
Simply named, “Fried Dumpling,” this hidden gem serves up the imperative New Year’s dish for cheap: a dollar
for four!
Aji Ichiban: A munchies paradise for sesame-flavored
marshmallows, Durian candy, and mini crabs
When searching for inspiration, I tend to rely on old “geezer” rock, like this:
When illusion spin her net
I'm never where I want to be And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free. Watched by empty silhouettes
Who close their eyes but still can see No one taught them etiquette
I will show another me. Today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
they've come to take me home."
--Peter Gabriel, “Solsbury Hill”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMwn_hnoS5Y
Honors tries to give you an enormous number of things to do. How many of you look at my e-
mail address and say, “Oh, no, not another something to do—delete”? So many choices, so many
things; many of them only vaguely connected to you. It’s very hard to sort through all the stuff, let
alone deal with the choices.
There is a growing body of literature, in economics and sociology, suggesting that more choices
among things do not equal more happiness; that we in fact get less satisfaction when there are 40
choices of desserts than when there are 5. Too many things often leave people worried—did I make the
best choice; should I wait until I get more info; is that one over there better—but having no choice
leaves people feeling trapped, dictated to, unappreciated. I believe that “liberty she pirouette” when
you think that you can find happiness by choosing things—then you are not free.
The liberty of your college years is therefore about creating “another me,” where you can say
with a smile, “Keep my things, they’ve come to take me home.” So I ask you to remember, as you plow
through all the choices thrown at you, that people are more important than things, and that Honors
will always take you home.
This is written in memory of Samantha Kwek, Honors 2011 graduate, while hearing Jackson
Browne’s “Song for Adam” in my head-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUnIDTEwxWo
Hi Honors students,
I hope you are all having a great semester so far. The following are a few friendly reminders about upcoming events and deadlines.
Senior Thesis deadlines for students graduating in May:
o Sign up for a time slot for your thesis
presentation by April 16 by emailing me at [email protected]
o Drafts of the thesis must be handed in to your thesis advisor AND the Honors Office no
later than April 18th
o Mandatory thesis presentations will be held on April 25th or 26th
o Final bound copy due in the Honors Office by May 3rd
If you want to be granted a research stipend of up to $1000, now is the time to apply for the
Pforzheimer Honors College Research Grant.
The Pforzheimer Honors College Research Grants are designed to support and encourage
Honors College students in research for projects that will produce exemplary senior theses.
The stipend, up to $1000, may be used on or off campus and can support study or travel abroad
related to the student’s research interest.
This grant is open to student-faculty teams from all fields of study:
You must be a currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at Pace University who joined the Honors College in Fall 2005 or later.
You must have completed at least 90 credits at the end of Spring 2012; maintained an overall grade point average of at least 3.3; and had some prior experience either in completing a significant research or writing project, participating in an internship, or engaging in community service or occupational involvement relevant to the proposed research.
The deadline is April 15. You can find the application on the Honors College NYC website
under “Forms,” or pick up the application in the Honors office.
If you are interested in taking part in Study Abroad, email Chris Hoffmann, Assistant Director of Study
Abroad. You can email him at [email protected] or visit him in his office, W207 in 1 Pace Plaza
(right next to the Honors College offices)
Review the “Fellowships and Scholarships” section of the Honors College NYC website. There are many
exciting grants for research and study abroad. If you have questions about any of them, please contact
me at [email protected] or Bill Offutt at [email protected].
And join us for cultural, intellectual and social events hosted by the Honors College! I will keep you
posted about upcoming events. I especially encourage you to attend our bi-monthly Pace’s Got
Knowledge lunchtime lectures:
“Technocratic Responses to the Politicization of Risk: Underwater Munitions in New York City’s
Gravesend Bay and Narrows”
Dr. Matthew Bolton, Political Science Department
Wednesday, February 15, 12:20-1:15, Meeting Room A, Student Union
“Q: Can You Control Domestic Violence Like Other Crimes? A: We Think So”
Professor Susan Herman, Criminal Justice Department
Wednesday, March 7, 12:20-1:15, Lecture Hall South, 2nd floor of 1 Pace Plaza
Cultural Mythology and Global Leadership”
Dr. Eric Kessler, Lubin School of Business Management & Management Science
Wednesday, March 21, 12:20-1:15, Meeting Room A, Student Union
"Money and Monotheism: Religion and Economics in the Abrahamic Traditions"
Dr. Eddis Miller, Philosophy and Religious Studies Department
Wednesday, April 4, 12:20-1:15, Meeting Room A, Student Union
“Childfree by Choice: Stereotypes and Stigma Management”
Dr. Ida Dupont, Sociology and Anthropology Department
Wednesday, April 18, 12:20-1:15, Lecture Hall North, 2nd floor of 1 Pace Plaza
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or
come by my office in the Honors College (W207I).
Best,
Dr. Ida Dupont
After spending quite a bit of time squeezing through crowds of people leaning over
metal barricades (and each other) in anticipation, searching for just the right viewing spot, I
was able to witness my first Chinese New Year Parade in New York City. This year, the Chinese
Lunar New Year celebrates the Year of the Dragon and marks the end of the winter season
based on the Chinese calendar. It begins on the first day of the year, which this year landed on
January 23rd. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, meaning it is based both on moon phase and the
solar year, which is why the date differs with each year. As this occasion is considered one of the
most important holidays in China–where it is called the “Spring Festival”–it was only natural
that the parade was held in
Chinatown, with an amazing
spectacle of floats, bands, and of
course, dragons.
Though it was a chilly Sunday afternoon, the turnout was huge:
families, friends, and neighbors lined up along the streets to catch a glimpse of
the show. If you were within a block of the parade, chances are you found
yourself stuck in a sea of people. Moving through to get a good view was
difficult. After some effort, I was able to get to a good spot along the side of the
street. When I finally was able to see everything, I began to understand why this
is such an immensely popular and celebrated event.
The floats, many of which were sponsored by local organizations and
businesses, were unique and colorful; showers of glittery confetti came along with each one that passed by. Some floats had singers or played
music; others carried children smiling and waving. Members of the parade threw candy
and red envelopes into the crowds, and when the cheering was loudest, I knew that it
meant that the stars of the parade were headed down the street. The dragons were by
far my favorite. Varying in size and displaying shiny colors of red, green, and blue, they
floated through the streets, moving side to side and up and down, and occasionally
looking into the crowd of spectators. This realistic movement was achieved through
children being lifted and lowered beneath the dragon, a skill that is sure to have
required much synchronicity and timing.
By the end of the parade, my legs were sore from standing, I had been hit and
slapped multiple times by people trying to catch candy or envelopes, and a stranger had
used my head as a camera stand without my permission. Despite this, I had a great time.
Standing there and watching the parade, I had felt as if I was a kid. I don’t think I was
the only one, either. All around me, adults had reached and grabbed for candy or to
catch confetti, rushed to take pictures with the dragons, laughed with Mickey Mouse, and waved at the marching bands. Everyone, no matter
their age, was having fun. And after seeing for myself this awe-inspiring and colorful celebration of culture, I wasn’t surprised.
Photo Credit: Monique Booker
(From Panspermia to Butoh dance, an emphasis on flesh)
By Daniel Giordano
As part of the Sea-Change Something Rich and Strange Project Studio Exhibition
Pace University’s Peter Fingesten Gallery
December 6th
-17th
, 2011
Contact Daniel: [email protected]
Visit his blog: www.atrophi.blogspot.com
Through sculpture, collage and
drawing, I hope to establish a link
between spirituality and science by
constructing my vision of a deity. By
depicting the act of growth, I build a
bridge between concrete, archetypal
imagery sourced from belief systems
and the enigmatic grotesqueness and
peculiarity of flesh.
–Daniel Giordano
I have confined myself to uniformly-sized and aged paper for the collaged and
drawn images. The collages were made mainly from found items, including butterfly wings and shed snakeskin,
with some traces of pencil and ink drawn in my own hand.
The sculptures are a playful juxtaposition of the human form from the waist down, which serves as a planter or host to organic
growth spurting from inner flesh. In a way, I inflated and exemplified each person I photographed as an
extension of their personality. I'm interested in epiphyte; also
known as an aerial plant that grows upon another plant. They
can be found abundantly in places such as rainforests. Also, it’s
the connection between human growth and plant growth, and
how internally, humans are remarkably similar to plants.
By Mosammad Rahman
By Sierra Chandler
On the December 9, a small group of Honors College students, led by Professor Ida Dupont, went to the Bronx
Documentary Center to view an exhibit on the life and work of photojournalist Tim Hetherington. The exhibit is the first to display Tim’s final photos, taken in Libya in the days before he was killed in combat on April 20, 2011.
We were immediately taken by Tim’s unique style of using various photography methods to produce more than just a picture. He believed there was a theatricality to war and would use that concept as a structure to his photos. The situation in Libya was no exception, especially considering that most of the rebels would not have had any military training. Instead they would have
had to reenact what they saw in movies. In several of his photos, he would leave the flash on, even in the daytime, to create that theater-like style.
The high point of the visit was when we gathered around one particular picture and each described what it meant to us. The picture was of an older man holding a large, live bomb in his hands with his two sons or grandsons on either side, each holding their own miniature bomb. All of us had very different reactions to this photo. To me, I didn’t see the context of the war in Libya, but instead thought it was sweet in a familial way. The first thing I thought of when seeing the photo was when I was around 6 years old and my father taught me how to shoot a gun. As terrible as the image was, it was somehow also a completely beautiful photo.
During our visit, there were several points brought up from Tim’s photos that we discussed and debated. For example, should we be allowed to show pictures of dead soldiers in the media? What should the rules be? Of course, we all had different answers to these questions, but it was a testament to Tim’s photos that such issues could shine through a visual medium.
Also on display was Restrepo, the stirring documentary that Tim had filmed. We were shown 10 minutes of it and were completely captivated. You may view the whole documentary at the gallery or on Netflix Instant.
I highly recommend that you to look up Tim’s work through the years as he
was quite fantastic at what he did. My personal favorite project of his was called “Sleeping Soldiers,” which is not as creepy as it sounds. Every photo is literally a picture of an active soldier sleeping. I promise that you have never seen a soldier look so peaceful or innocent as in this work.
The Bronx Documentary Center is free to everyone and is located at 614 Courtlandt Avenue on 151st Street.
By Julia Yeung
Pace University’s Pleasantville and New York City campuses are undergoing renovations to further the school’s academic mission and
improve students’ overall campus experiences. The goal is to accommodate the increasing amount of academic programs being offered and
support the growing student residential population. Changes are already underway and will span the next five to ten years.
Changes for the Pleasantville campus involve improving the atmosphere of the 200-acre campus. All of the Briarcliff Campus buildings
are being moved to Pleasantville to form a joint community. Three new dormitories, including a renovated Martin Hall and three new
townhouse-style residence halls, will increase the number of student residencies
from 690 to 1,400. Parking facilities will be rearranged for an aesthetically-appealing
quad and student walkways at the center of the campus. The football and baseball
fields will also be improved with added facilities.
The Master Plan in New York City involves bringing students within
walking distance to One Pace Plaza and improving Pace’s function as an urban
campus: “Several important projects are already underway, including a new 600-bed
residence hall being built at 180 Broadway, exciting renovations to the Pace Plaza
courtyard, and a dedicated laboratory and classroom facility for the College of
Health Professions,” said William McGrath, the Sr. VP and Chief Administrative
Officer at the University. “And we continue to introduce state-of-the-art classroom
technology campus-wide. These, along with the many other projects shown in the
plan, will improve student life while providing an atmosphere that will allow our students and academic programs to thrive.”
As Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at
the University, Dr. Harriet R. Feldman added, “I am very enthusiastic about the
NYC Master Plan as I think it will provide a more enriched living-learning
experience for all Pace students.” Feldman added that there will be the addition of a
new performing arts building.
A Student Welcoming Center will also be constructed on the first floor of
One Pace Plaza and will have admissions services, registrar, and bursar offices all in
one location. The Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and the Lubin School of
Business will have separate identities: Dyson will be relocated to 41 Park Row and
Lubin will occupy the East building of One Pace Plaza. The schools’ respective
lobbies and entrances will feature aesthetic adjustments that will improve their
overall look and flow. The creation of entryways, walkways, and courtyards from
common spaces will give students the ability to engage easily with peers.
In addition to bringing about positive gains for Pace students academically and socially, the renovations are expected to increase the
University’s imprint in Manhattan to boost internship and job opportunities for students.
Graduation Wish List By Jacqlyn Lovejoy
If you could have anything in the world for graduation, what would it be? This is what I asked a random
sample of 153 Pace University students. Using an online survey, I asked respondents to answer four simple
questions about their gender, grade, residence, and their gift choice.
The questionnaire was mostly taken by girls (with a number of 123 females to 28 males). Sophomores
and juniors had the highest number of takers followed by freshmen. Surprisingly, most of the students who
completed the study live in New York City but do not dorm. Finally, the most popular gift chosen was money
followed by a year’s worth of rent for an apartment. The following graphs and charts show the results of each
question.
The options for graduation presents included money, a dream vacation, a year’s worth of rent for an
apartment, a car, expensive clothing or jewelry, and other. For dream vacation and other, students were
allowed to fill add more information. The most popular and interesting ones are listed below:
81.46%
18.54%
Gender
Female
Male
0
10
20
30
40
50
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate Student
34
43 43
28
5
Grade
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Maria's Tower Dorms
John Street Dorms
Fulton Dorms
Brooklyn Dorms
Commute from within
NYC
Commute from
outside NYC
19 19
11 17
65
22
Location
50
27
35
19
4
18
Graduation Gift
Sophomores and juniors wanted money the most
while seniors wanted a dream vacation. Freshman
made up the majority of those who wanted
expensive clothing or jewelry.
Commuters and those living in Maria’s Tower and
Fulton wanted money the most while students
living in John Street and Brooklyn wanted rent for
an apartment.
The majority of females wanted money as a
graduation gift trailed by a year’s worth of rent for
an apartment. The thing that men wanted the
most was a car followed closely by money.
Dream Vacation Other
Caribbean Significant Other
Fiji Great Paying/Dream Job
Europe Dream Wedding (Completely Paid For)
India Full Scholarship to Grad School
Thailand Student Loan Forgiveness
World Tour Money to Pay off College Debt
Cruise House
Volunteering in South/Southeast/East Asia Unending Happiness and Contentment
Hitchhiking Across America
While analyzing a cross tabulation of the data, I noticed some interesting statistics:
0 2 4 6 8
10 12 14 16
Grade and Graduation Gift
Freshman Sophomores Juniors Seniors Graduate Students
0
5
10
15
20
25
Maria's Tower Dorms
John Street Dorms
Fulton Dorms
Brooklyn Dorms
Commute from within
NYC
Commute from outside
NYC
Location and Graduation Gift
Money Dream Vacation Apartment (A year's rent) Car Expensive Clothing/Jewelry Other
43
23 29
11
3
14 7
4 5 8
0 4
Gender and Graduation Gift
Female Male
Lights and Limbs
Possibility breathes breath Here alone. It is boundless, courageous— Unafraid of unknown My head spins as all Lights and limbs Dance around I now dance too, To infinite sound.
—Ariel Love
Nocturnal Wanderings
I vowed to always lock away my heart to let it heal from the horrible despair; That comes with being at the very start Of gathering all its cracks to repair. Yet life always seems to be a surprise. With hollow promises that are to be Wrapped in extremely convincing disguise, Intentionally binding me to thee. You catch me in your sparkling pools of blue Tricking my heart to feel safe once again. Under the multicolored lights I knew, A truer love was about to begin. Alas all dreams have to come to an end. Another night I will not let you win.
—Lauren Flack
Ours to Defend
At Full Speed
A Way Out
See
The Honors Newsletter is a monthly online publication that features work
by Honors students ranging from art work, to Op/Ed pieces, to essays, to news
stories. Additionally, each Newsletter will cover some special Honors and Non-
Honors events that took place that month. If you are interested in submitting art,
poetry, photography, music, commentary on important social/political issues, or
any topic you feel strongly about—or, if you simply plan on attending any of our
future events and reporting on them—this may be the outlet for you!
The Pforzheimer Honors College E-Journal is an interdisciplinary
publication produced online each semester, and includes a selection of both
literary and academic works. You are encouraged to submit a piece of work that
you have completed during your undergraduate years. Works published in the E-
Journal may cover a wide range of subjects, including poetry, memoirs, theater
arts, women and gender studies, biology, politics, and history.
If you are interested in submitting to The Honors Newsletter and/or The Honors
E-Journal, please email me at [email protected].
I look forward to perusing your work!
Charissa Che
Advisor Editor of Honors Newsletter and E-Journal