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ROBERT KENT RECEIVES SECOND FULBRIGHT AWARD
Robert Kent, chair of the Department of Geography and Planning, will be spending part of May at the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Francisco Morazán in Honduras, thanks to a Fulbright Senior Specialists grant.
Kent, who joined UA in 1983, is among the first to participate in the new grant program, which offers two- to six-week grants to American academics and professionals to support curricular and faculty development and institutional planning at academic institutions in 140 countries around the world.
Created to complement the 55-year-old traditional Fulbright Scholar Program, the Senior Specialists Program aims at increasing the number of faculty and professionals who have the opportunity to go abroad on a Fulbright.
This is the second time that Kent has been a Fulbright recipient. An award in 1993 gave him the opportunity to lecture during the fall semester at the National University of San Juan in San Juan, Argentina.
During a three-week stay this time around, Kent will be teaching a graduate course in the master’s degree program. Universidad Pedagogica is interested in training secondary school teachers in areas that are considered relevant to the ecological problems of Honduras.
“I’m very pleased about this new opportunity,” says Kent, who will be teaching a course in thematic cartography — which is the mapping of physical, cultural and economic characteristics of a region.
“I hope it will be a positive experience for the folks down there and that I’ll be able to share some of my knowledge with them,” Kent continues. “But this is an opportunity that will help us, too. I will learn so much by going and hearing other viewpoints and learning about other ways of teaching. And Latin American geography is the area in which I am most interested.”
This Fulbright is just the latest honor to come Kent’s way. He was recently elected to a two-year term as treasurer of the Association of American Geographers — which is the nation’s largest group of its type. Kent is now a member of the association’s executive committee as well.
The Fulbright Scholar Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and managed by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
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2002 SPRING COMMENCEMENT SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
The University of Akron Board of Trustees approved approximately 2,243 undergraduate and graduate degree candidates for spring commencement ceremonies at its April 24 meeting.
Commencement ceremonies will be held at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall on May 11 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and May 12 at 2 p.m. University President Luis Proenza will be the guest speaker. The School of Law commencement will be held on May 19 at E.J. Thomas Hall at 2 p.m. for 157 graduates. W. Louis Sands, chief U.S. district judge for the Middle District of Georgia, will speak and receive an honorary doctorate.
On May 11, the morning ceremony will include graduates in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, and the Community and Technical College. The afternoon ceremony will include graduates in the College of Engineering, College of Education and College of Nursing.
Gradfest a celebration for graduates of both ceremonies, as well as their families and friends, will begin about noon.
The ceremony on May 12 is for graduates of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business Administration and Wayne College. A Gradfest celebration will follow.
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BOARD MEMBER HONORED FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
Philip Kaufmann, the newest member of The University of Akron’s Board of Trustees, is the recipient of two important local honors.
On April 13, Kaufmann, was honored as “Citizen of the Year” at the Fairlawn Area Chamber of Commerce’s 34th annual “United We Stand” Spring Gala and Citizen of the Year event. On May 3, he will receive the 2002 Sir Thomas More Award at St. Bernard Church in Akron.
Kaufmann, the managing partner of the law firm of Kaufmann & Kaufmann, was recognized by the chamber for his civic involvement and volunteerism. The Diocese of Cleveland and St. Bernard Church sponsor the Sir Thomas More Award each year, which is given in recognition of the legal profession and its role in furthering justice and humanity.
His many contributions to the community include having served on the Summit County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities for 10 years, including two as chair. Kaufmann also has been a sponsor for Special Olympics. He is a trustee and chairman of the Village at St. Edward Foundation, and a trustee of the Catholic Charities Corporation. A member of the United Way Tocqueville Cabinet, Kaufmann also serves on the board of directors for the Summit County Salvation Army and North Coast Community Homes in Cleveland.
Appointed to UA’s Board of Trustees in 2001, Kaufmann serves on the Facilities Planning and Oversight, Finance and Fiscal Policy, and Strategic Issues, Governance and Compliance committees. He is the Board’s liaison to the National Board of Directors for The University of Akron Alumni Association and is a trustee emeritus of the University of Akron Foundation. He earned a B.S. at Loyola University and a Juris Doctor at The University of Akron. In 2000, Kaufmann was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus of the School of Law.
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MUSIC PROFESSOR GETS BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUNG FRIENDS
“Collaboration” could well be the theme when the Akron Youth Symphony presents the world premiere of “Five Songs From the Summit” on May 5 at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall at 3 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
The work was commissioned from Daniel McCarthy, associate professor of music, to celebrate the symphony’s 50th anniversary season. The composition incorporates music written by several Akron Public School students from Goodrich, Innes, Riedinger and Miller South middle schools.
These original inspirations range from live, digital recordings to computerized music. Douglas Hicks, associate professor of music, assisted in the recording process at each school and offered the participating students instruction in music.
The educational composition project was funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
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INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL POLICY HONORED
The Institute for Health and Social Policy enjoyed a moment in the national spotlight through a recent proclamation signed by President George W. Bush.
The institute, which is part of the University's Department of Sociology, was prominently mentioned in an April 10 proclamation declaring National D.A.R.E. Day.
“The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) curriculum plays an important role in helping our young people understand the many reasons to avoid drugs,” President Bush said. “According to The University of Akron Institute for Health and Social Policy, the program operates in 80 percent of our school districts, reaching 26 million young people in America each year.”
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RETIREES TO HOST LOBSTER AND SUDS PARTY
The Association of University of Akron Retirees is once again sponsoring its popular Lobster & Suds Party for all UA retirees and their guests. This year’s event is planned May 17 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Heisman Lodge, next to the Rubber Bowl.
The menu will feature Maine whole lobster (cooked on site) or breast of chicken, a salad buffet, dessert bar, beer, wine, soft drinks and coffee. The cost is $17 per person for lobster or $9 per person for chicken. Please bring a salad, dessert or a covered dish to share with others.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact Diane Vukovich at 330-733-4608 or diane@uakron.edu . Reservations are due by May 8.
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VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE
“The Political, Economic and Cultural Impacts of the 2000 Elections in Mexico, Canada and the United States,” a virtual roundtable held on April 12 that connected the campuses of The University of Akron, the University of Windsor and Universidad de las Americas-Puebla, has been archived on the Web.
To access the conference, go to http://www.uakron.edu/bliss . PowerPoint outlines of the individual papers also are available for viewing.
The conference was coordinated by the Canadian Studies programs at UA and Bowling Green State University, and by the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics. It was partially funded by a conference grant from the Canadian Embassy and the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office.
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MARATHON MEN ON CAMPUS
The April 15 running of the 106th Boston Marathon featured some familiar faces. Both Joe Phillips, a building maintenance assistant superintendent in the UA Paint Shop, and Adam Wytko, a member of the UA rifle team, placed in the top third of the more than 16,000 competitors in the 26.2 mile run.
For Wytko, a junior, this was his first Boston run. He covered the course in 3 hours, 26 minutes, 36 seconds (4,289th place). Wytko, a mechanical engineering major, says he hopes to run a marathon in all 50 states before the age of 30.
Phillips, a veteran with seven Boston Marathons in the record books, ran his second best in the race, at 3 hours, 14 minutes, 29 seconds (3,100th place).
“I’m pretty proud of myself,” says Phillips, who took up running a decade ago after overcoming a serious knee injury. His next big race is the Cleveland CVS Marathon, but he’s already looking ahead to next spring.
“I’ll keep doing the Boston Marathon as long as I can.”
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MORE LAND ACQUIRED FOR BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
The University has acquired property bordering the Bath Nature Preserve for biological research.
UA acquired the 23-acre property owned by Homer and Rosalie Steiner through an intricate pact that includes the Steiners, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the city of Massillon, Old Trail School and the Trust for Public Land.
The Steiner Woods land was acquired through a $725,000 grant from the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit organization that protects and conserves land for public use.
The grant was obtained through the city of Massillon. Massillon acted as the University’s sponsor for the purchase as a public service in conjunction with a $32 million loan from the Trust for Public Land. The city is using its loan to improve its wastewater treatment facilities.
UA will maintain the property as a natural area to preserve the natural water resources on the property and to comply with requirements that promote those goals. Meanwhile, the Steiners will continue to occupy the house and garage on the property, and will be responsible for taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance and repair for it.
“The right resources are coming together to help us advance biological research and to help us reach out to surrounding communities with educational programs,” says Roger Creel, dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.
Peter Niewiarowski, an associate professor of biology, says several University programs will advance with the Steiner Woods property.
“We have a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation that gives us the ability to do extensive biological research and outreach to students in grades kindergarten through 12,” Niewiarowski says.
UA graduate students in biology will join teachers from Bath Elementary School, Cuyahoga Environmental Education Center and Akron Public Schools in professional development activities for teachers and in the development of curricular materials for K-12 classrooms. The activities will be based on the local biological research of the graduate students, says Niewiarowski.
The K-12 curricula will include fieldwork to involve students in environmental, biological and related studies, Creel says.
“There is great potential for students in our local schools and for the University in this property. The implications go far beyond the boundaries of this 23-acre parcel,” Creel says.
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MAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE PLAYED AT FIRESTONE
Historic Firestone Stadium will be the site of the 2002 Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament May 9-11. At stake is the MAC’s automatic berth for the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship softball tournament.
Six universities are invited for the three-day, double-elimination tourney. Game times for May 9 and 10 are 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. On May 11, times are 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets are priced at $6 for each two-game session. For tickets, call Firestone Stadium at 330-376-8188.
Former UA softball coach Joey Arrietta is the director of facilities at Firestone Stadium and will coordinate the tournament.
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MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS HONORED
Mechanical engineering students once again were honored as tops in a multi-state region at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ 2002 regional student conference.
UA’s ASME student section tied for first place in the Region V Ingersoll-Rand Contest, a competition that looks at the activity level of the various student sections. The 2002 competition marks the 13th time in 14 years that UA has won or tied for first place in the regional event.
Jerry Drummond, associate professor of mechanical engineering and adviser to the UA chapter, received the 2002 Region V Student Section Adviser Award at the event — held March 21-23 at the Radisson Hotel Akron City Center.
More than 250 students and 26 faculty members from the 48 universities in ASME Region V, which encompasses five states as well as Ontario, Canada, were on hand for the events. Conference activities included design competitions, technical presentations, social activities, a leadership seminar and a career fair.
Senior Dan Basch won the Old Guard Oral Presentation competition, receiving a cash prize and a trip to New Orleans in November to compete in the national ASME contest. Aaron Yingling, also a senior, placed fifth in the event. Senior Jason Barr placed second in the Old Guard Poster Competition.
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UA FOOTBALL PLAYERS GOING PRO
The Zips are gaining quite a presence in the National Football League. The latest to join the pro ranks is offensive lineman Konrad Dean, who signed a free-agent contract on April 24 with the Cleveland Browns.
Dean, a 6-4, 297-pounder, played tackle for the Zips, but is projected as a guard or possibly center in the National Football League. He started 22 games for Akron during the 2000 and 2001 seasons, earning unanimous pre-season and post-season first-team All-Mid-American Conference honors last year. Dean was the only MAC player in 2001 to be listed on both the Rotary Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy “Watch Lists.” He played his first two seasons of college football at Temple University.
On April 21, wide receiver Jake Schifino was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round. Other former Zips in the NFL include Victor Green, Jason Taylor, Jamie Reader and Dwight Smith.
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