More than 250 students and their mentors for both the undergraduate education, and the Accelerated Certificate for Teaching programs, attended to gain insight into their chosen profession.

(Center) Ms. Danielson is given a warm welcome by the CSE Education Department. (Photo by Mary Ann Matlock) 

Ms. Danielson is the author of more than 20 books on education, including, Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, Teacher Leadership that Strengthens Professional Practice, and Enhancing Student Achievement.

The event highlighted the honor bestowed on Dr. Laura Winters, CSE Professor of English, at the CSE Faculty Recognition Ceremony held on April 22, 2008. Dr. Winters received The Kelligar Medal, which is awarded to those who have honored the vision and inspiration of the College’s first president, Sister Mary Pauline Kelligar and who also devoted 25 or more years of their lives to continuing the mission of the College of Saint Elizabeth.

(l - r) Sister Patricia Flynn, S.C. (30 years of service); Sister Francis Raftery, CSE president; Mary Alvey (30 years of service); and Dr. Laura Winters (25 years).  (Photo by Donna Lindemeyer)

The ceremony also featured a welcome by Maria Cammarata, CSE vice president, Finance & Administration; opening remarks by Sister Francis Raftery, CSE president; Celebratory Toast by Carol Jaworski, CSE special assistant to president, Mission and Values; presentation of awards by members of the CSE Cabinet; food, various service awards, and the presentation of gift certificates to CSE Fire Marshals.

The “INSIDE & OUT” exhibit, scheduled to open May 16 and continue through June 28, with an opening reception on Friday, May 16 at 4:30 p.m., will showcase the works of 36 artists from New Jersey: Mona Brody, Vincent Buchinsky, Jean Burdick, Elsa Carbone, John Carey, Helen Cole, Alice McEnerney Cook, Laura Cuevas, Doug DePice, Anne Dushanko Dobek, Amy Evans, Emily Feinsod, Olivia Gabriel, Annora Happe-Conway, Neal Korn, Judi Lewis, So Yoon Lym, Carolyn McGrath, Kathleen McGuckin, Leonard Merlo, Arlene Gale Milgram, Robert John O’Boyle, Harold Olejarz, Joan-Marie Permison, Linda Pochesci, Orville Rose, Jay Seldin, Fausto Sevila, Don Standing, Cathleen Thole-Daniels, Nette Fornée Thomas, Toni Thomas, Peter Tilgner, Michael Wolf, David Gary Wright, and Barry Zawacki.

Joan-Marie Permison’s Giraffe Lady will be one of several art works at the exhibition. (Photo by Unknown) 

Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 1 – 7 p.m.; Saturday from 1 – 4 p.m., or by appointment. A catalogue of the exhibition with full-color illustrations of each art work and an essay by Director of CSE Art Gallery and Curator of this exhibition Dr. Virginia Fabbri Butera is available. For more information, contact Dr. Butera at (973) 290-4314 or at artgallery@cse.edu.

According to Dr. Butera, the exhibition focuses on “how artists express the duality of inside and out – whether intentionally or inadvertently through function, composition, subject matter, materials, psychological or emotional atmosphere, or ironic juxtaposition of figures, objects and metaphors in their art,” she said.

The exhibition of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, photographs, prints and quilts was chosen by Dr. Butera, “based on the quality of the art and how each work added a new dimension to the concept of Inside & Out.”

Working in concert with the Foundation, Dr. Butera studied submissions by 63 artists who are also New Jersey public school art teachers that have received grants through the Dodge Foundation’s Visual Artist/Educator Initiative.

The Initiative, conceived in 1992 by the Foundation’s Trustees, is based upon a deceptively simple assumption. In order to ensure a vibrant future for the Visual Arts in New Jersey, why not support the ability of art teachers to pursue their own artmaking?  These re-invigorated instructors might then bring that freshness back into the classroom where they reach countless children and guarantee another generation of artmakers.

It worked. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded 147 Artist/Educator Fellowships to public school art teachers throughout New Jersey. Although their individual artwork is frequently exhibited at many of New Jersey’s and the region’s art venues, Inside & Out represents the first collective exhibition of their efforts around one theme. 

Students line-up at CSE Commencement. (Photo by Courtney Smolen)

The sun broke through on Saturday, May 10, 2008, as 478 men and women received their degrees at the College of Saint Elizabeth’s (CSE) 106th Commencement – making this year graduating class the largest in the College’s history.

The majority of CSE students were from New Jersey. Forty-five international students came from 25 different countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Cape Verde Islands, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, Taiwan, Vietnam and Zambia.

Founder and Artistic Director of the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped (NTWH) Brother Rick Curry, was this year’s Commencement speaker and honorary recipient of the Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa.

Brother Rick is a vowed Jesuit brother for nearly five decades. Born with a challenging physical disability, Brother Rick founded NTWH in 1977, a non-profit organization that provides theatrical training for adults with physical disabilities to help them to use their creative talents in the fields of the arts. Trained in food preparation, Brother Rick has authored two successful cookbooks: The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking and The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking, and opened a professional bakery where he imparts life skills and career opportunities to persons with disabilities. Book royalties and bakery proceeds all go to benefit NTWH.

A graduate of New York and Villanova Universities, Brother Rick has been the recipient of several awards including the Distinguished Service Award of the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities and the President’s Award of the National Council on Culture and Arts, among others.

In addition to Brother Rick, two students spoke at this year’s ceremony: CSE Women’s College student Odette Barraque, ’08, of Pompton Plains, N.J., who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and Spanish, spoke about “Who Am I Today?,” while CSE School of Graduate and Continuing Studies’ student Lisa H. Gerardi, ’08, of Randolph, N.J., who earned her Master of Arts degree in Theology, delivered her speech entitled, “Our Created Path.”

Honorary degrees were also bestowed upon the following:

• Joseph F. Duffy of West Milford, N.J., executive director of Catholic Family & Community Services and executive secretary of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Paterson received a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa.
• Sr. Jacqueline Burns of Morristown, N.J., chairperson of the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph’s Healthcare System and President Emerita of the College of Saint Elizabeth, who received a Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa.

For more information about this year’s Commencement: its speakers, honorary recipients and speeches, click here.

To view snap shot photos of the day’s festivities click here.

Margaret Wheatley speaks at CSE, July 14 

Ms. Wheatley’s visit to the College is sponsored by the CSE Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, which has “servant leadership” as its central theme, a theme that resonates throughout her writings. “Meg Wheatley’s work forms much of the philosophical basis of both our Master’s and Doctoral Programs in Educational Leadership,” said Dr. John Crews, the Associate Director of Graduate Education at the College. “Her view of schools and other human institutions as ‘ecosystems’, rather than ‘machines’ offers a major paradigm shift that promises to revitalize the way we lead. Our students are thrilled to have this opportunity, as will be the public,” said Dr. Crews.

A teacher by background, Ms. Wheatley has traveled the globe as a consultant and researcher since 1973, studying and writing about human endeavors and organizational behavior. In her book, Leadership and the New Science, which is the basis for the July 14 lecture, she writes, “The world has changed…Chaos and global interconnectedness are part of our daily lives…No matter what we do, stability and lasting solutions elude us. It’s time to realize that we will never cope with this new world using our old maps. It is our fundamental way of interpreting the world – our worldview – that must change.”

A question and answer period and book signing will follow the lecture.

Other books/works by Margaret Wheatley:

• Finding Our Way, Leadership for an Uncertain Time, offers a new worldview to help restore order to the world.
• It’s About Time, gives examples of how the increasing speed of life is influencing work, relationships and families. Available also in DVD.
• Turning to One Another, offers hope that the world can be changed through simple, honest, human conversation.
• A Simpler Way, stresses the value of diversity, passion, humanity and the role of information and ethics in today’s world.

Ashley Graf, left, and Alison Grunfelder, CSE Women’s College seniors, flank Glen Johnstone of the Florham Park Police Department, where both are interning this semester.

Ms. Graf, a justice studies and sociology major from Whitehouse Station, N.J., will work part-time as a police dispatcher with the department following graduating next month. She is fulfilling her father’s dream of becoming a police officer.

Ms. Grunfelder, a psychology and victim services major, is from Florham Park, N.J.

The College offers nearly 30 courses in justice studies, and Dr. James F. Ford, Jr., a retired lieutenant in the Chatham Township Police Department, is an assistant professor in the department.

(Photo by Det. Scott Bartell of the Florham Park Police Department)

For more information on this year’s CSE 106th Commencement exercises, visit www.cse.edu/commencement. 

Founder and Artistic Director of the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped Brother Rick Curry: Speaks, Receives CSE Honorary Degree

CSE welcomes Founder and Artistic Director of the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped (NTWH) Brother Rick Curry to campus to speak at this year’s Commencement exercises. A vowed Jesuit brother for nearly five decades, Brother Rick’s religious life and professional career express unwavering dedication and creative commitment to enriching the lives of persons with disabilities through artistic expression.

Brother Rick Curry is this year’s CSE Commencement speaker. 

Born with a challenging physical disability, Brother Rick decided early in life that an imperfect body could not hinder him from realizing his dreams. In 1977, he founded the NTWH, a non-profit organization that provides theatrical training for adults with physical disabilities to help them to use their creative talents in the fields of the arts.

As a tireless advocate and a leading authority on the disabled and theatre, Brother Rick is a guest lecturer and published author invited often to national and international educational seminars and events. Trained in food preparation to serve his Jesuit confreres, Brother Rick has authored two successful cookbooks: The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking and The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking, and opened a professional bakery where he imparts life skills and career opportunities to persons with disabilities. Book royalties and bakery proceeds all go to benefit NTWH.

A graduate of New York and Villanova Universities, Brother Rick has been the recipient of several awards. He was honored by former President George H. W. Bush with the Distinguished Service Award of the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities and also received the President’s Award of the National Council on Culture and Arts. He was named one of the top 100 Irish-Americans of 2003 by Irish America Magazine, and in 2005 he was awarded the New York Post Liberty Medal for Lifetime Achievement.

In addition to being this year’s Commencement speaker, Brother Rick will also receive a Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa from the College in recognition of his personal and professional accomplishments and in appreciation of his devotion and commitment to improving the quality of life for the physically disabled.

Duffy, Burns Receive Honorary Degrees

In addition to Brother Rick, Joseph Duffy of West Milford, N.J., Executive Director of Catholic Family & Community Services and executive secretary of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Paterson, and Sister Jacqueline Burns, of Morristown, N.J., Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph’s Healthcare System and President Emerita of the College of Saint Elizabeth, will both receive CSE Honorary Degrees on Saturday, May 10 on campus. Mr. Duffy will receive a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa and Sister Jacqueline is to receive a Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa.

Mr. Duffy, a graduate of Seton Hall University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a graduate of William Paterson University with a Master of Arts in Special Education with a concentration in Mental Retardation, has improved the quality of life for thousands of disadvantaged persons. Mr. Duffy has managed a Catholic Charities system of 81 locations, more than 900 employees and 1,000 volunteers. His charge includes the Paterson Diocese’s Departments of Disaster Response, Migrant Ministry, Parish Nursing, Catholic Relief Services, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, five incorporated agencies including the Department for Person with Disabilities, the Father English Community Center, the Hispanic Information Center, Hope House, and Straight and Narrow, Inc.

He has been affiliated with the College as adjunct faculty member in the departments of Business Administration and Sociology, and he was a member of the faculty from 1998 to 2001 in the Graduate Program in Health Care Management.

Seen by many as a visionary leader, Sister Jacqueline Burns is respected both for her intellectual acumen and for her compassion and devotion to the poor. In 2000, Sister Jacqueline took over the reins of St. Joseph’s, overseeing the successful integration of five distinct facilities and programs in Paterson, Wayne, Cedar Grove and Totowa into a prominent and vibrant health care network, headquartered at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson.

She served as the fifth president of CSE for 16 years, during which a number of new majors were developed, the Center for Theological and Spiritual Development was established, the Adult Undergraduate Degree was expanded, and the Graduate Degree Program was launched.

Sister Jacqueline has served on the New Jersey State Board of Higher Education and was appointed in 1995 to the Governor’s Task Force on Restructuring Higher Education. She has held elected office on the Boards of Directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of New Jersey. She is a founding member and first chairperson of the New Jersey College and University Coalition on Women’s Education, and has served on the Board of Trustees of Chestnut Hill College, Saint Michael’s College and Good Samaritan Hospital.

Student Speakers Featured; Student Award Given

Two students will speak at this year’s Commencement. Odette Barraque, ’08, of Pompton Plains, N.J., B.A. in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and Spanish, will represent the Women’s College with her speech entitled, “Who Am I Today?”  Lisa H. Gerardi, ’08, of Randolph, N.J., M.A. in Theology, will represent the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies with her speech entitled, “Our Created Path.”

Another annual highlight of Commencement will be the presentation of the Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney Award for General Excellence to a student who will be named during the ceremonies. The award recognizes high moral character and leadership excellence. It is named for one of CSE’s most distinguished alumnae who served as president of the College from 1952 to 1971. The name of this year’s recipient will be announced at Commencement.

*as of April 21, 2008.

Garbed in Greek robes and sandals, the students practiced their lines amongst the ruins of Troy – its columns strewn across the stage of the College’s Greek Theatre. 

(l – r) CSE student Melissa Mills, ’08, who plays Athena – goddess of wisdom and warfare, speaks with Poseidon, god of waters and earthquakes, performed by Rebecca Nelson, ’09. (Photo by Courtney Smolen)

Tickets are $10 for non-students, $5 for students. Show times are noon on Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24, and 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. For details, contact Dr. John Marlin, professor of English and producer of this year’s play, at CSE at (973) 290-4316.

(l – r), Dr. Baratte, welcomes Dr. Griffth and Mr. Allen with CSE President Sr. Francis Raftery to this year’s annual Spirituality Convocation,

Saturday, April 12, 2008. (Photo by Rob Kneller)

This year’s Convocation, “Gateways to the Fullness of Life,” welcomed well-known keynote speakers John L. Allen, Jr., senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and senior Vatican analyst for CNN; Dr. Coleen Griffith, faculty director of Spirituality Studies at Boston College’s Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, and adjunct associate professor of Theology; and Edgard R. Beltrán, noted scholar and pastoral ministry educator to campus for the day’s festivities.

Both keynote presentations and individual workshops were offered in both English and in Spanish as a way of “reach[ing] out to a community that still holds Spanish as a language of the heart,” said Dr. Linda Baratte, director of the Center for Theological and Spiritual Development at CSE.

On Saturday, April 12, The College welcomed 560 to this year’s 16th Annual Spirituality Convocation. (Photo by Rob Kneller)

Participants were able to choose two English-speaking workshops from a menu of 18, focusing on various aspects of prayer, worship, ministry and spirituality, and one of five breakout workshops in Spanish.

CSE Women’s College student Sade Green, ’11, had a wonderful time at this year’s event. “It was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the Catholic faith,” she said. “I also enjoyed meeting new people. The workshops were extremely interesting as were the day’s speakers.”

Prior to the College’s annual Convocation, the Center hosted a concert featuring renowned composer and pastoral musician Jaime Cortez on Friday, April 11 in Annunciation Center. The concert celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Center in providing special events and academic training for church leadership.

The Center is known nationwide for its annual Spirituality Convocation and Summer Institute programs that draw theologians and people of all faiths to the campus in celebration of spirituality and cultural diversity. The Center also offers certificate programs in Religious Education, Parish Life Ministry, Pastoral Administration, Diaconal Ministry, and Youth and Young Adult Ministry, with courses in both English and Spanish.

Story written by CSE Women’s College student Carolyn D’Andrea and edited by CSE Office of Communications & Marketing. Article appeared in the April 18, 2008 issue of The Station – the College’s student newspaper.

Sponsored by CSE students and faculty members of the undergraduate education programs, the day’s symposium welcomed more than 150 people on Thursday, April 17, 2008 in the Dolan Performance Hall in Annunciation Center on campus.

(l – r) CSE Women’s College students and Elizabethan Education Association (EEA) Co-Presidents Laura Kufta, ’09 (left) and Kristin Berg, ’09 (right), greet CSE alumna and keynote speaker Phyllis Alpaugh, M.A., principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Rockaway, N.J., at this year’s annual CSE EEA Spring Conference, Thursday, April 17, 2008. (Photo by Courtney Smolen)

The Conference, which has been a tradition at CSE for almost three decades, welcomed CSE alumna and keynote speaker Phyllis Alpaugh, M.A.,’05, principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Rockaway, N.J., onto campus. Ms. Alpaugh spoke about the vision that is needed to be a successful teacher in today’s schools in working with students, families and communities.

In addition, the day also honored Dr. David Perkins, CSE associate professor of Psychology with this year’s Partner in Education Award. CSE bestows the award upon a person who exemplifies great leadership in education and who enriches the experience of pre-service teachers in the undergraduate education programs. According to Dr. Deborah Tulloch, associate professor of Education at the College, Dr. Perkins’ courses in Psychology, including Education Psychology, have been enjoyed by generations of CSE students in the undergraduate education programs for almost 20 years.

After the lecture, students attended interactive workshops that included a symposium on challenges in schools that go beyond the curriculum, how to engage and inspire elementary and middle level students, making sense of multi-sensory language arts instruction, preparation for PRAXIS exams, and the realities of teaching in high school.

To learn more about CSE Education and other academic Women’s College degrees, visit www.cse.edu/academics.

Both speakers held nothing back as they recounted with vivid detail about the endless bombings and raids of their home and neighboring villages; the deaths of family and friends; and their ultimate escape from the country.

(l - r) Darfuri refugees Suad Mansour and Abu Asal Abu Asal answer questions from audience members on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at CSE.

(Photo by Courtney Smolen) 

“The government of Sudan is a very tricky government and they’ve been playing a lot of games in order to get away with genocide and they have proven to be very successful,” said Mr. Abu Asal. “The Darfur people, although they are very far away from here, are just people like everyone else. I believe we are all humans who are all one big family. As part of this big family, we should go there and save their lives, stop the genocide. That is my message.”

According to www.SaveDarfur.org, as many as 400,000 people in Darfur have been killed and as many as 2.5 million people have fled, living in camps for internally displaced persons in Sudan or in refugee camps in neighboring Chad.

(left) CSE Women’s College student Emelia Kpinpuo, ‘08, of Aswan, Egypt intently listens to keynote speaker Abu Asal Abu Asal’s life story of living in western Sudan. (Photo by Courtney Smolen)

For Aswan native and CSE Women’s College student Emelia Kpinpuo, ’08, the evening discussion hits home in a personal way. “Aswan is close to Darfur,” Ms. Kpinpuo explains. “I can relate to what Mr. Abu Asal and Ms. Mansour had to say, since our area has had similar problems in the past with ethnic cleansing and minor conflicts.” Upon graduation this May, Ms. Kpinpuo plans on getting involved in social justice issues like those in Darfur.

Randolph High School student Zachary Beecher is one of several audience members interested in ending the genocide in Darfur.

(Photo by Courtney Smolen) 

The spark of advocacy was certainly contagious within the audience as Zachary Beecher, a student attending Randolph High School was also eager to find out what he could do about getting involved. Wearing a green t-shirt with the words “Save Darfur” written on his back, Mr. Beecher plans on hosting a Save Darfur rally in his school, hopefully this June. When asked what he would like to do career-wise, Mr. Beecher smiled and said “I really want to go into politics and change the world.”

Producer Henrietta S. Parker and the crew of NJN’s television program “Due Process” came to cover the evening’s event. The show airs Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and on Tuesdays at 11:30 p.m. Check out www.NJN.net for more details.

The purpose of the journal is to publish undergraduate and graduate student research in the fields of Psychology, Sociology and other related social and behavioral sciences. The research publication is managed and reviewed by both CSE students and faculty, and is accessible to the general public.

CSE Psychology Chair and Associate Professor Herman Huber depicts that the journal “provides a venue for students to publish the excellent work that they do in various classes, especially senior research seminar,” he said.  “There are very few journals for student research.  Now we have one here at the College.” 

Two of the articles included in Vol. 1, Fall 2007 are “The Relationship Between Being in a Committed Relationship and Academic Performance in College Females” written by  Tania Jimenez, ’05, and Ashley Tatem, ’05, and “Aggressive Play: Contributing Factors of Parental Roles on 3-6 Year Old Boys” written by Maria McCusker, ’05, and Stacy Van Doren, ’05.

According Dr. Huber, a contest is in the works for high school students in New Jersey to submit articles.  Articles must be submitted in APA format. The winning article will be published in the Vol. 2, Fall 2008 edition of the College’s journal.

For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief and CSE Psychology professor, Dr. Patricia Heindel, at (973) 290-4105 or pheindel@cse.edu.

Story written by Valerie Martin for The Station newspaper.

Mark Doty (Photo by Margaretta Mitchell) 

Approximately 50 students and faculty members attended the master class session held in the Mahoney Library, Octagon. Mr. Doty shared with participants that poetry is more than one thing happening at once.  “Poetry wants to honor the complexity of feeling,” he explains.  Speaking as a writer but communicating as a teacher, Mr. Doty described that a poem comes from a secret place. In addressing revisions of a poet’s work, he received laughs from the students when he told them that “revision gets a bad rap with young writers,” he jokes, “let yourself keep changing, keep playing.”

CSE English professor Beatrice Kingston commented, “I thought Mark Doty was both engaging and inspiring as he guided the audience through the workings of his own mind in composing the poem ‘Signal,’ and then responded to questions from writers among us. I felt we were in the company of a master teacher and only wished we could have continued through other poems.”

The visit continued into the evening with CSE President Sister Francis Raftery welcoming 200 people in Dolan Performance Hall in Annunciation Center. In her introduction of Mr. Doty, CSE Professor of English Laura Winters said, “I find in Mark Doty’s work a mature wisdom about human suffering, personal responsibility, enchantment, glamour, beauty and the glory of the natural world.” The author of poems, memoirs and essays, Mr. Doty is the only American poet honored with the T. S. Eliot Prize from Great Britain.

Mr. Doty shared the mature wisdom of his work by serenely introducing, passionately reading, and eloquently commenting on each piece at the event’s conclusion.  The magnitude of his work includes beauty, suffering, death, courage and compassion.

CSE Women’s College English major Katy Hume, ’11, stated the evening’s affair was “absolutely beautiful.”  One of the several poems Mr. Doty read was “Charlie Howard’s Descent;” a poem about a homosexual boy thrown off a bridge and murdered by three teenagers.  Ms. Hume said, “There was so much emotion when he used the words ‘blesses his killers in a way that only the dead can afford to forgive.’” 

Mr. Doty’s work is obviously read, studied and appreciated by very young readers also.  Rose Porpora, English teacher at Chatham High School, brought 17 freshmen students to hear Mr. Doty because they are currently studying this particular poem.
When asked if he has a favorite work of his own, Mr. Doty commented that it is the one he is currently working on.

Story written by Valerie Martin for The Station newspaper.

 Mark Stampfle, Systems Administrator, Network Operations (Photo by Courtney Smolen)

 Elizabeth M. Wood, Media Services Specialist, Media Services (Photo by Courtney Smolen)

Agnes A. Manalo, Secretary, Business Admisinistration/Economics

(Photo by Courtney Smolen)

General admission tickets are $10 each and student tickets are $5 each. For more information or to order your tickets, contact Dr. John Marlin, professor of English at CSE and producer of this year’s play, at (973) 290-4316 or e-mail at jmarlin@cse.edu. In the event of rain, the performance will be held in the Dolan Performance Hall in Annunciation Center on campus.

Euripides’ The Trojan Women is a play about the consequences of war and the fate of both those defeated in war and their victors. Though many are familiar with the story of the Trojan War (most recently presented in the 2004 movie blockbuster “Troy”), the play picks up after the war is over when audiences are introduced to a band of women waiting to hear their future – a future without husbands or children, a future of slavery to the Greeks.

Dr. Marlin points out theater-goers will recognize parallels between contemporary society and the decisions made by each character. “The play gives us a view of war from the perspective of its victims, and offers a poignant vision of those victims struggling to hold on to their human dignity while undergoing great suffering,” he said. “Since the play empathetically shows the plight of the people the Greeks defeated in the Trojan War, it reminds us of the common humanity we share with those we call our enemies.”

Adjunct Instructor of the CSE English Department John DeBenedetto directs this year’s theatrical production which has been performed five times in nearly eight decades in the College’s outdoor Dionysian theater, an acoustically sound, authentically Greek amphitheater believed to be the only genuine one of its type in the United States.

The College of Saint Elizabeth features a cast of 14, and includes Sarah Vanderbok, ’11, Hamburg, as Hecuba, Queen of Troy; Katy Hume, ’10, Hamilton, as Cassandra, her daughter; Elli Lima, ’09, West Orange, as Andromache, the wife of Hector; Amanda Drewes, ’09, Maplewood, as Helen; Seton Hall student Angelo DeFazio, as Helen’s husband, Menelaus and the god Poseidon; Michael Zimmerman, a junior attending Somerville High School, as the Greek herald Talthybius; David Scholl of Somerville, as Hector’s son, Astyanax; and Melissa Mills, ’08, Toms River, as the goddess, Athena.

Members of the chorus include Jacqueline Agzigian, ’11, Intervale; Susanna Fernandes, ’11, North Brunswick; Michelle Morel, ’10, Weehawkin; Dana Solis, ’11, Wayne; and Alison Williams, ’11, Dayton. Angelica Goodman, ’10, Orange; and Laura Nicolette, ’09, Cedar Grove are soldiers.

Serving as stage manager is Alison Mary Dowling, ’09, Byram. Lauren La France, ’09, Neptune is the chorus leader.

Held in Dolan Performance Hall in the College’s Arts and Education building, Annunciation Center, the visit welcomed CSE students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the general public to sit-in on the conversation between Mr. Newton and CSE Art Department Chair Dr. Virginia Fabbri Butera.

Using a PowerPoint slide presentation as a means of showcasing his artworks, Mr. Newton describes his paintings as a form of prayer or meditation that speaks to the prophetic in art.

He said, “I am making paintings that psychologically deconstruct the Diaspora for me, producing imagery that appears fractured as well as frenetic.”

One art piece in particular that audience members were eager to ask questions about was his painting, “Yo Mary” (2000), a modern-day rendition of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear Jesus, the Son of God. The eight-by-12-foot oil on campus painting was originally displayed in the College’s first art exhibition, “Annunciation in Contemporary Art,” housed in the CSE Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery in Annunciation Center back in September 2007. Today, the painting is on long-term loan by owner David King of Basking Ridge, N.J.

(l - r) Basking Ridge resident David King meets Chattanooga artist Charlie Newton at CSE on Tuesday, March 25 in Annunciation Center on campus. Mr. King is the proud owner of Mr. Newton’s oil painting “Yo Mary” (in background) which is currently on long-term loan to the College.

(Photo by Courtney Smolen) 

“We are excited that the painting will hang in the lobby of the Annunciation Center over the entrance to the Art Wing, so that everyone can enjoy this beautifully painted contemporary rendition of a traditional subject,” Dr. Butera said.

“We have streamlined and compressed our summer schedule to better accommodate the students’ needs,” said Dr. James Dlugos, vice president and dean of Academic Affairs at CSE. “Most of our classes are now offered in four-week sessions: June 2-June 27, and July 7-August 1.  And, for those with Internet access, we also offer more than 30 on-line courses which can be completed whether you’re sitting at a coffee house in California, or on the beaches of Cape May.”

Courses range from biology and business to justice studies and psychology, to name a few. For full course listings, log onto www.cse.edu/summer. For more information contact CSE School of Graduate and Continuing Studies at 973-290-4600 or e-mail theschool@cse.edu. 

Although a long established program at CSE, the trip moved outside the country for the first time this year at the suggestion of Sister Pat Dotzauer, director of Volunteer Programs and Vocations for the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. She approached the program’s organizers, CSE Campus Minister Tim Mulligan and Paula Fernandes, director of the CSE Center for Volunteerism and Service Learning, to collaborate on a joint project.

“I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity in keeping with the Sisters of Charity and the College’s missions of service and responsibility for others,” said Sr. Dotzauer. “It was also a good opportunity for students in serving the poor to learn about the important concerns of immigration and border issues.”

Added Ms. Fernandes, “It was a chance for students to be immersed in other cultures and to learn something new. Many begin to question their belief system. We hope the experience broadens their awareness and they begin to see that few things are black and white. There are a lot of levels and complexities to most things. The exposure is very transformative for a lot of them.”

In Juarez, the group worked at the AIDS center La Tena Di Cristo (The Tent of Christ) and a women’s support center called Centro Santa Catalina. In El Paso, the students visited Opportunity Center, a homeless shelter, and Annunciation House, a hospitality house for migrant workers.

The students’ reasons for joining the trip were as diverse as their personalities. Some like Business major Emma Cai, ’11 of China, saw the trip as a chance to continue service work and to learn about other cultures. All seem to return with a new outlook and a dedication to helping others.

(l - r) CSE Women’s College students Ting Zhang, ‘10, and Ruixian Wang, ‘12 package foods for residents at Tenda de Cristo during CSE Alternative Spring Break. Each week, 100 residents are chosen by lottery and receive a bag of food— fruits, vegetables, rice and beans. (Photo by Tim Mulligan)

Said Chemistry major Laura Kufta,’09, “Before I went on this trip, I had the stereotypical ideas about immigration and border issues that most people have. These are hot topics in this election. I wanted to get rid of those ideas once and for all and I did. Now I want to help anyway I can.”
 

For Psychology major Laura Munoz, ’10, of Columbia; Marceline Pepe,’09 of Haiti; and Sociology major Aracely Tagliaventi,’10, of Antigua, the experience hit closer to home and had a familiar feel. All come from other countries and know first hand how it feels to be a newcomer in a different culture.
 

“I decided to come because I am an immigrant from Columbia and I can relate to topics like adaptation and language barriers,” said Ms. Munoz, “They cross the border despite the dangers to have a better life.”
 

Added Ms. Pepe, “I saw three people trying to cross the border and the guards swooped down. I thought, ‘Wow! Those people could be me.’ I know that they were trying to have a better life for themselves, their spouses and their children.”
 

All the students cited the people they met as providing their most indelible experiences and memories.
 

For Bio-chemistry major Ting Zhang, ’10, of China, it was the dedication of the people working there that made the greatest impression. “The Sisters of Charity worked there for a long time. We were there only one week, but they were there for 35 years. They are amazing people and they inspired me. I want to be like them. I can’t be as pure of heart, but I want to be something like them.”
 

Perhaps, the most important lesson was what they learned about themselves and the bond they formed with each other. As a group, they have become a strong, cohesive unit based on their shared experiences.
 

Said Biology and Education major Jasmine Griffin, ’11, “We knew each other, but we didn’t know each other. I learned the most in the reflections that we did at the end of each day. I got to see everyone’s perspective and hear what went on during the course of the day.”
 

Observed Mr. Mulligan, “I was most impressed by the level of reflection. There were a lot of different emotions expressed and a lot of critical analysis. They had a willingness to be open, to changing their ideas and to seeing things differently.”
 

Said Sr. Dotzauer, “Meeting these students was the most memorable for me. I saw what I believed in become alive in the lives of these young women who will go to be leaders and to change the world.”
 

The last word belongs to the students whose lives are now forever altered. The group, which also included Psychology major Stephanie Kirby, ’08; Theology major Gina Persico,’10; and Business major Rachel Wang, ’11 of China, gathered recently in the large, comfortable reception room of O’Connor Hall on campus to share their thoughts about the lessons learned. The sights, sounds and the people they met will stay with them for a long time to come.
 

Said Ms. Kufta, “If I had to describe the experience in just one word, it would be indescribable.”

(l – r) College of Saint Elizabeth President Sr. Francis Raftery welcomes Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter, along with Dr. Harriet Sepinwall, CSE professor of Education and co-director of the CSE Holocaust Education Resource Center, and Pablo Gonzalez from Parsippany High School.

Mr. Gutter was one of two Holocaust survivors to be interviewed by Danish filmmaker Jon Bang Carlson in his film, “Purity Beats Everything,” which was shown at the College of Saint Elizabeth on Wednesday and Thursday, March 12 & 13, 2008. The film delves deep into the layers underlying Nazism’s purity ideals, traces of which, the filmmaker contends, still exist today. (Photo by Courtney Smolen)