Professional Activities
Dr. Marianne Salcetti, Journalism, attended an invite-only premiere of the HBO documentary, “Capitvated: The Trials of Pam Smart” August 13 at the Paley Center in New York City. She is credited in the film as Project Advisor after providing research and analysis for the film, which examines whether or not Pam Smart received a fair trial due to media coverage and prosecutorial actions. Smart was convicted in the murder of her husband Greg Smart and sentenced to life in prison without parole. “Captivated” was selected for this year’s Sundance Festival and has received national coverage. It was shown on HBO the week of Aug. 18.
Patricia Pedroza González, Women’s and Gender Studies and American Studies, presented her paper “Our Ways of Knowing, Our Ways of Learning: The Term Indigenous Itself is Research Methodology” at the 2014 MALCS Summer Institute: Mapping Geographies of Self: Woman as First Environment. The institute was held at Northern New Mexico College, El Rito campus, July 30- August 2. Presenters from the U.S, Canada, and Mexico had conversations about Indigeneity, epistemologies and research methodologies which are relevant to northern New Mexico, to the Southwest, or to the Americas and are critical components of the academic lives of Chicanas, Native Americans, Afro-Latinas, Asian Latinas, and Indigenous scholars. This presentation was possible by the support provided by the American Studies Program.
Jose Lezcano, Music, performed chamber music concerts with the Wisteria Chamber Music Society in Plainfield, Mass., (July 28), with pianist Virgina Eskin and soprano Heather O’Connor, a KSC alumna, in works from Spain and Latin America; with the Claremont Center for Music and the Arts (August 10) featuring works for guitar and string quartet by Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Boccherini, and the New England premiere of Lezcano’s “Mojito” for flute, guitar and strings. Dr. Lezcano has also been invited to perform Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez” with the Portsmouth Symphony, conducted by John Page, on November 9. The concerto’s famous Adagio has been interpreted by artists such as Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and featured in films such as “Brassed Off.”
Margaret Walsh, Sociology, has received a $30,999 grant from Massachusetts Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. This research project will assess how the Jump$tart Teacher Training Alliance Model affects teachers’ ability to instruct students on personal finance topics and concepts.
Tim Garland (Physical Plant – Electrical Services Supervisor) was asked to serve on a team of educational facilities professionals from across the nation, evaluating the Association of Physical Plant Administrators’ (APPA) Institute for Facilities Management. He recently traveled to Orlando, FL, to survey and interview the Institute’s deans, faculty, and participants, as well as performing classroom evaluations. The group has been gathering data to determine the effectiveness of the Institute’s current programming and format as well as what changes will help the Institute continue to provide excellence in training facilities personnel for years to come. The evaluation team anticipates presenting its final report to the APPA board of directors early in 2015. In February of this year, Tim graduated from the Institute and, upon passing an exam, earned the professional credential EFP (Educational Facilities Professional). APPA provides research, support, training, and networking to educational facilities personnel.
Lara Bryant has received a $27,500 grant from the National Geographic Society Education Foundation. This award provides continuing support for KSC’s leadership of the New Hampshire Geographic Alliance.
Sharon Fantl, Redfern Arts Center, has received a $15,000 grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) National Theater Project. This award provides additional support for Redfern’s presentation of City Council Meeting, a project that blends participatory democracy and civic engagement through the structure of a local government meeting to explore the various ways that people participate or not in their civic life. The project includes a formal public presentation at Heberton Hall of the Keene Public Library and related public programming—book discussions as well as public talks and exhibits. The artists have been in residence at Keene State to research local issues within Keene; meet with city councilors, planning officials, citizens, faculty, and students; and assemble a working group of “staffers” who will co-develop and run the performance.
Dr. Skye Stephenson, Director of the Global Education Office, was invited by the Washington Center (recently approved for study away) to visit their program in July. Skye spent two days meeting with key individuals, attending classes, speaking with students, and viewing the facilities. The Washington Center offers full time internship placements in the Greater Washington D.C. area in a wide variety of organizations and agencies, accompanied by an academic courses - both semester and summer options are available.
Cohen Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies James Waller will be the primary speaker and workshop leader at two programs presented by the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation and the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City at the end of October. Dr. Waller will lead a workshop for educators, “Memory, Remembrance, & Memorials,” on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 1–4:30 p.m. at the National Museum of the American Indian. The second workshop, “Representing and Interpreting Traumatic History,” will take place on Friday, Oct. 30, from 9:30 a.m.–noon, and is intended for Lower Manhattan museums and cultural organizations.
