It was a busy week on campus with a variety of programs and events taking place along with several campaigns to collect food and money to feed the needy during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Student Government is still a couple thousand dollars away from its goal of providing 500 turkeys to the poor in Bridgeport, and those who attend any of the performances of I Remember Mama in the Edgerton this weekend will receive discounted tickets with the donation of nonperishable food items. In addition, we are beginning our annual Adopt a Family program where we provide Christmas gifts and food to local families. Thanks to all of you who so generously support these programs.
Last weekend’s Gala celebrating the 375th anniversary of the Town of Fairfield, which was hosted by SHU and took place here on campus, was a great event for all who attended. It was nice to relax and celebrate with our friends from the surrounding community as well as have a chance to show off the exciting things that are happening here.
This was International Education Week, and the Office of Global Affairs planned a number of events throughout the week to bring attention to the importance of having a global perspective in today’s world. The celebration kicked off Monday with a colloquia entitled “Go Global!” Stacie Nevadomski Berden, a seasoned global executive, international careers expert and award-winning author on how to succeed in the global marketplace shared her experiences and offered advice to students hoping to acquire the international skills needed to succeed. The week’s events also included an art show, music, dancing, henna tattoos and more.
On Wednesday, the Green SHUs Environmental Group presented a series of short video skits that showed 10 changes we can make during our daily lives on campus to help “greenify” the environment. A discussion took place after each of the videos. Some of the suggestions included riding a bike to campus, using the hydration stations on campus rather than buying bottled water, bringing a mug to Outtakes for a 50-cent cup of coffee and making double-sided copies—all great ideas.
Also on Wednesday, students heard from David McCallum who was wrongfully convicted of kidnapping and homicide at the age of 16. His conviction was recently overturned after he spent nearly 30 years in prison. He was accompanied by his attorney, Oscar Michelen, who was instrumental in getting David out of prison. University Commons was overflowing with students who turned out to hear from David who has only been free for a little over a month. He shared his experiences in the New York State prison system and his relentless efforts to secure his freedom. He also talked about the police brutality that caused him to make the false videotape confession that led to his conviction. Attendees may have been most surprised by his lack of bitterness and his desire simply to get on with his life. He received a spontaneous standing ovation at the end of his presentation.
Our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service took place yesterday. Prayers were led by folks representing several different religions. In addition, there was beautiful music from SHU L.O.V.E. and the SHUpermen. Many thanks to Campus Ministry and all who participated in the program as well as those who contributed to the food drive organized by the Office of Volunteer Programs & Service Learning.
I’m wondering how many readers of this blog participated in Volleyball Bingo this past season. The brainstorm of Bobby Valentine, Volleyball Bingo was an electronic game that allowed student fans of the SHU women’s volleyball team to play Bingo on their phones or other electronic devices while watching the game. The numbers were related to the action in the game, which gave fans a reason to stay involved and root for more aces, kills and, of course, points. The hope is to expand this unique and fun program to other SHU sports.
I recently received an email from an alumnus, Chris Mastrocola ’13, ’14 MAT, who wanted to share a video that he and a friend had created for the #CrashtheSuperbowl contest hosted by Doritos. I’m always happy to hear what former students are up to. If you would like to see their video, click here.
We are expecting our largest undergraduate admissions open house thus far to take place on Sunday—800 families or approximately 2,400 visitors. Along with a tour of the campus, they will hear about our Career Development Center, student life and athletics programs, residential life and financial aid. As always, all members of the SHU community are welcome to join us in welcoming these future Pioneers.
I want to remind everyone that the annual Faculty Art & Design exhibit opens Monday in the gallery adjacent to the Edgerton. A reception will take place at 4 p.m., and the artists will be on hand to chat about their work over a glass of wine. We have some very talented faculty, so you won’t want to miss this show.
I also want to remind you that the FCS tournament selection will take place on Sunday at 11 a.m. and will air on ESPNU. We wish our football Pioneers the best of luck in the draw. We are hoping the game will be close enough that we can have a big contingent at the game to cheer them on.
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, the Faculty Brass Quintet is performing a selection of American music this evening in the Schine. They are suggesting a $10 donation toward the food drive. There is also the performances of I Remember Mama that I mentioned earlier. This is the only weekend that show is running. If you’re in the mood for sports, the wrestling team has a home match against Franklin & Marshall at the Pitt Center at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Head over early for Pioneer Palooza where you can win an iPhone6, compete for prizes in a boxing arcade game, chat with MMA star Nick Newell and more.
However you decide to spend the weekend, have a great time!