Short Takes . . .

President Peggy R. Williams has been an invited speaker at several programs near and far in recent months. She was a panelist at the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents, spoke at naturalization proceedings for new U.S. citizens at the Tompkins County Courthouse, and was the keynote speaker at Cornell University’s Administrative Management Institute — a weeklong seminar for higher education administrators. She gave the keynote speeches at the meeting of the Ithaca chapter of Business and Professional Women and at the presentation of the Graceful Giving Awards, sponsored by Community Development Professionals. She was also a guest in two Ithaca College classes — Reaching out to Audiences, taught by Paige Morgan, at which she spoke about the importance of college/community involvement; and Sandra Herndon’s graduate class Communication and Organization Theory, discussing social systems theory and organizational communication.

In November Ithaca College hosted the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic regional chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. Speakers included representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the Harvard University School of Public Health.

The internationally renowned Ying Quartet came to campus in November for a lecture and recital. The string ensemble collaborated on both with faculty members Debra Moree, violist, and cellist Elizabeth Simkin. At left, David Ying holding a master class.

As the second offering in this year’s Racial Awareness Series, the Office of Multicultural Affairs hosted Cherokee storyteller Gayle Ross for an evening of traditional Native American Stories in November. Ross is a descendent of John Ross, the principal chief of the Cherokee nation during the infamous Trail of Tears. She is one of the best-loved and most respected practitioners of the timeless art form of Native American storytelling. "By telling the legends and myths of the native people of this continent," she says, "I hope to convey some of the sacred feelings, love, and respect those people held for the land and its inhabitants."

Project Look Sharp, the media literacy initiative run by Ithaca College and partners, the Ithaca and Trumansburg school districts, held its annual meeting in November. The keynote speaker was David Considine, who gave a public multimedia presentation he called "Media Literacy: From Television to Telling-Vision." Considine is the author of several textbooks, including Visual Messages: Integrating Imagery into Instruction and Imagine That: Critical Viewing and Thinking Skills through Children’s Literature.

The campus is hoping for a big celebration of Earth Day 2000, with a kickoff concert tentatively scheduled for Sunday, April 16, and other events throughout the following week. Alumni, parents, and friends of the College who work or volunteer in environmental sciences or related fields are invited to find out more and get involved by calling the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life.