Burkholder to Address Pfiesteria and Coastal Water Quality Issues

Chestertown, MD, November 30, 2001 — The McLain Program in Environmental Studies and the Washington College Chapter of Sigma Xi, as part of the Women In Science Lecture Series, present PFIESTERIA AND OTHER COASTAL WATER QUALITY ISSUES, a lecture by Joann M. Burkholder, Ph.D., on Wednesday, December 5, 2001, at 5 p.m. in the Hynson Lounge. The event is free at the public is invited to attend.

Burkholder is a professor of botany and director of North Carolina State University's Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology. Her research focuses on the nutritional ecology of algae, dinoflagellates, and aquatic angiosperms in relation to the impact that harmful algal blooms have on freshwater and marine coastal ecosystem functioning.

Through the Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology, Burkholder has studied the toxic dinoflagellate, Pfiesteria piscicida, which has been implicated as the primary causative agent of major fish kills and fish disease events in North Carolina estuaries, coastal areas and aquaculture operations. Pfiesteria and closely related toxic species have also been confirmed in fish kill/disease areas and aquaculture facilities outside North Carolina, from the Chesapeake Bay to the Gulf Coast. According to research Pfiesteria has been in this region for thousands of years as a nontoxic predator on other organisms (bacteria, algae, small animals), but experiments in the lab and the field indicate that human influences such as animal waste and nutrient run-off from farming have slowly shifted the environment to encourage Pfiesteria's fish-killing activity.

Founded in 1886, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, is a non-profit membership society of more than 80,000 scientists and engineers elected to the Society because of their research achievements or potential. Sigma Xi awards annual grants to promising young researchers, holds forums on critical issues at the intersection of science and society, and sponsors a variety of programs supporting honor in science and engineering, science education, science policy and the public understanding of science. This affiliation allows Washington College faculty and students to advance scientific education and research through grants, travel awards, conferences, and visiting scientists.

Gospel Choir Hosts Christmas Concert December 6

Chestertown, MD, November 27, 2001 — The Washington College Gospel Choir, directed by Reverend Eric Scott, presents "O, COME ALL YE FAITHFUL," an annual Christmas Concert on Thursday, December 6, 2001, in the Norman James Theatre, William Smith hall, at 6:30 p.m. The concert is open to the public. Tickets are $1 for adults and children 12 and under are FREE.

The Washington College Gospel Choir, now in its fifth year, is a vibrant and exciting Christian group, formed by two students in 1997. The group meets once per week for rehearsals, prayer, bible readings, praise, and interdenominational fellowship. Under the direction of Rev. Scott, the choir performs numerous concerts throughout the academic year in various locations, bringing both traditional and contemporary gospel music to the campus and surrounding communities. The choir has a membership of 30 to 40 voices.

Membership is open to students, faculty, staff and community members. The choir consists of members from many states including Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts, Arizona, Louisiana, and Colorado. The choir also has members from as far away as Alaska and Japan. For further information, contact advisor Sara Dadds at 410-778-2800.

Goodfellow Lecture to Explore the Friendship of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

Chestertown, MD, November 26, 2001 — Washington College and the Goodfellow Lecture Series present "A Curtain of Separation: The Friendship of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams," a lecture by Professor Barbara Oberg of Princeton University. The talk will be held Wednesday, November 28, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. in the College's Miller Library, Sophie Kerr Room. The public is invited to attend.

Oberg (Ph.D. University of California, Santa Barbara, 1974) is a lecturer with the rank of professor at Princeton and specializes in eighteenth-century Anglo-American history and the political and intellectual history of the American Revolution and early republic. She is the co-author of Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Edwards and the Representation of American Culture (1993) and Federalists Reconsidered (1998), and she is the general editor of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson project at Princeton.

With the publication of the recent best-selling biographies of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, how should we look back on these compatriots? What common vision did they share and where did they differ? Has the pendulum swung too far away from Jefferson and has his reputation been undermined in light of recent research? Oberg's lecture will address these questions.

The Guy F. Goodfellow Memorial Lecture Series was established upon Goodfellow's death in 1989 to honor the memory of the history professor who had taught at Washington College for 30 years. The intent of the endowed lecture series is to bring a distinguished historian to campus each year to lecture and spend time with students in emulation of Dr. Goodfellow's vibrant teaching style.

College Announces Recipients of 2001-2002 Fine Arts Scholarships

Chestertown, MD, November 14, 2001 — Washington College is proud to announce the 2001-2002 recipients of the Mary Martin Drama Scholarship, the Elizabeth Tate Westbrook Scholarship, the Mrs. John Campbell White Scholarship and the Friends of the Arts Scholarship.

The Mary Martin Drama Scholarship—established in 1992 by College alumnus Matthew T. Weir '90 in memory of his grandmother, actress Mary Martin—is awarded to a student majoring in drama who demonstrates great dedication to the field. This year's recipient is Andrew P. Rendo, Jr. '02, the son of Paul and Tammy Rendo of Ballston Spa, NY. He is a senior at Washington College double majoring in drama and philosophy.

The Elizabeth Tate Westbrook Scholarship was established by Leslie Westbrook Frigerio in memory of her mother, the late Elizabeth Tate Westbrook. The scholarship is awarded to a student who shows exceptional interest in or talent for the visual and studio arts offered by Washington College. This year's recipient is Annette G. Bangert '03, a junior double majoring in art and the humanities. Originally from Germany, Bangert is active in a wide variety of campus activities and clubs. Her parents, Dr. Volkhard and Mrs. Margot Bangert, reside in Duan, Germany.

The 2001-2002 Mrs. John Campbell White Scholarship has been awarded to Kathryn M. Ellis '02, the daughter of Theresa and Joe Ellis of Baltimore, MD. The Mrs. John Campbell White Scholarship, established by the late Mrs. John Campbell White, is an endowed scholarship awarded to an upperclassman who demonstrates exceptional artistic promise, financial need and is in good academic standing. Ellis, a senior, is a double major in art and business. She is planning a career in graphic design or a related field after graduation.

Sophomore Gregory S. Adams '04 is the recipient of the 2001-2002 Friends of the Arts Scholarship. Established in 1992 by the late Constance Stuart Larrabee, the Friends of the Arts Scholarship is awarded to a student majoring in the performing arts who possesses outstanding artistic abilities and demonstrates financial need. Adams, who is from California, MD, is double majoring in music and history. He plays the flute and intends to concentrate in music composition.

Dr. Wayne Bell Emphasizes the Environment in Science Education at International Coastal Seas Conference

Chestertown, MD, November 9, 2001 — Dr. Wayne Bell, director of the Washington CollegeCenter for the Environment and Society, and Andrew Stein '99, program manager for the Center, will present on the topic "Coastal Seas as a Context for Science Teaching: A Lesson from the Chesapeake Bay," at the Fifth International Conference on the Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS), to be held November 19-23, 2001 in Kobe, Japan. Bell, Stein, and senior Michael Scozzafava '02 will accompany a larger Maryland delegation to the conference.

The presentation, co-authored with student Erin Fowler '01, promotes the use of environmental studies as a comprehensive method to teach science, mathematics and technology to primary and secondary school students. Stein also will be exhibiting at the EMECS Environmental Fair on November 18.

"We in this field have witnessed how environmental studies engenders stewardship," says Bell, "but it is also a great way to teach science."

Bell believes that by using authentic environmental data gathering and analysis techniques in the classroom, environmental studies does not need to remain a "soft" part of science education. Rather, students understanding of fundamental scientific and technological concepts will be enhanced as see "science in action" through environmental projects involving sophisticated instrumentation, compilation of measurements and statistics, and interpretation of data using graphs and satellite imagery.

"Unfortunately, these resources are seldom interpreted for use by K-12 educators, but they need to be," says Bell. "Together with Andrew Stein and Erin Fowler, I have developed an example that uses the Chesapeake Bay as a paradigm to demonstrate how such interpretation can assist educators in teaching important principles in physical oceanography and marine ecology."

Bell also hopes his EMECS contacts will foster more university exchanges for Washington College and promote a greater spirit of cooperation between nations.

"As a nation, we have to begin thinking about other people in the world and be open to their concerns--sharing instead of telling," says Bell. "The EMECS conferences set a tone for approaching the world's environmental problems this way."

The conference is organized by the International EMECS Center in Kobe, Japan, established to promote the preservation of Japan's Seto Inland Sea and the world's enclosed coastal seas through international cooperation and information exchange. The EMECS concept developed in the mid-1980s when environmentalists, researchers and policymakers involved with the Chesapeake Bay realized the Bay restoration program was being implemented with little knowledge of the information, methods and results gained by other estuarine and enclosed coastal sea programs in the U.S. and abroad. Concurrently, Governor Toshitami Kaihara of Japan's Hyogo Prefecture had similar concerns while concluding a successful agreement among 17 Japanese jurisdictions for the environmental restoration of the Seto Inland Sea. EMECS now supports a worldwide network concerned with preserving the health and environmental quality of the planet's enclosed coastal seas. The theme of EMECS 2001 is Toward Coastal Zone Management that Ensures Coexistence Between People and Nature in the 21st Century.

Washington College Hosts Conversation with NAACP President Kweisi Mfume November 29

Chestertown, MD, November 8, 2001 — Washington College's Goldstein Program in Public Affairs presents A CONVERSATION WITH KWEISI MFUME, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), on Thursday, November 29, 2001, at 7 p.m. in the Tawes Theatre, Gibson Performing Arts Center. The event is free and the public is invited to attend an evening of open political and social discussion.

Long known in Maryland politics and media, Mfume became president and chief executive officer of the NAACP in 1996, after a 10-year career in the United States Congress, where he represented Maryland's 7th Congressional District. Mfume, whose West African name means, "conquering son of kings," was born, raised and educated in Baltimore. As a freshman at Morgan State University, he became more politically and socially active, and served as editor of the school's newspaper and head of the Black Student Union. He graduated magna cum laude and later returned to Morgan State to teach courses in political science and communications. In 1984, he earned a masters degree in liberal arts, with a concentration in international studies, from Johns Hopkins University.

As Mfume's community involvement grew, so did his popularity as an activist, organizer, and radio commentator. He translated that approval into a grassroots election victory for a seat on the Baltimore City Council in 1979. During seven years of service in local government, Mfume led efforts to diversify city government, improve community safety, enhance minority business development and divest city funds from the apartheid government of South Africa.

In 1986, he was elected to the Congressional seat that he was to hold for the next decade. As a Member of Congress, Mfume was active with broad committee obligations and served on the Banking and Financial Services Committee, the General Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, the Committee on Education and the Small Business Committee. While in his third term, the Speaker of the House chose him to serve on the Ethics Committee and the Joint Economic Committee of the House and Senate where he later became chair. As a member of the House of Representatives, Mfume consistently advocated landmark minority business and civil rights legislation.

He successfully co-sponsored and helped to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, authorized the minority contracting and employment amendments to the Financial Institutions Reform and Recovery Act, strengthened Equal Credit Opportunity Law, and amended the Community Reinvestment Act in the interest of minority financial institutions. He co-authored and successfully amended the Civil Rights Bill of 1991 to apply the act to U.S. citizens working abroad for American-based companies. He also sponsored legislative initiatives banning assault weapons and establishing stalking as a federal crime.

Mfume has served as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and later as the Caucus' Chair of the Task Force on Affirmative Action. During his last term in Congress, he was appointed by the House Democratic Caucus as the Vice-Chairman for Communications.

Since assuming the position of president and CEO of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, Mfume has raised the standards and expectations of NAACP branches nationwide, and has worked with NAACP volunteers across the country to help usher in a whole new generation of civil rights advocacy. His six-point action agenda—encompassing civil rights, political empowerment, educational excellence, economic development, health and youth outreach—has given the NAACP a clear and compelling blueprint for the 21st century.

With a long background in broadcasting, including 13 years in radio, Mfume continues to host the award-winning television show, "The Bottom Line," seen Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WBAL-TV in Baltimore. His best selling autobiography is entitled, "No Free Ride."

Mfume's visit is sponsored by Washington College's Goldstein Program in Public Affairs, established in honor of the late Louis L. Goldstein, a 1935 alumnus and Maryland's longest-serving elected official. The Goldstein Program sponsors lectures, symposia, visiting fellows, travel and other projects that bring students and faculty together with leaders in public policy.

See the Chesapeake through Ebony Eyes: Chantey Singers Share the Black Heritage of the Bay

Chestertown, MD, November 7, 2001 — Washington College's Center for the Environment and Society and Center for Black Studies present "Ebony Eyes and Voices on the Chesapeake," Thursday, November 15, 2001, at 8 p.m. in the College's Norman James Theatre, William Smith Hall. The event is free and the public is invited to enjoy an evening of song and history of the African Americans on the Chesapeake Bay.

Although a little known tradition today, much like gandy dancers on American railroads, singing was used by the black fishermen of the Chesapeake to coordinate their work on the Bay's menhaden boats. In the early 1990s, a group of retired menhaden fishermen from Virginia formed the Northern Neck Chantey Singers to preserve this musical tradition and to recreate for public audiences the traditional worksongs that the all-black menhaden crews sang. The Singers met with immediate acclaim from area residents of the Northern Neck of Virginia for whom chanteys were a distinctive regional tradition.

The Singers' performances generated public demand for a recording of these songs, so in 1993 they recorded "See You When the Sun Goes Down: Traditional Worksongs of Virginia Menhaden Fishermen." Revenues from sale of the cassette are divided equally by the Reedville (VA) Fishermen's Museum and the Northern Neck Chantey Singers. For more information on the Singers, visit www.virginia.edu/vfh/vfp/chanteys.html online.

The Singers will be joined by Vincent O. Leggett, president of the Blacks on the Chesapeake Foundation and author of two books, Blacks on the Chesapeake and The Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes. Since 1984, Mr. Leggett has worked to document and to preserve the history of African Americans living and working in the Chesapeake Bay's maritime and seafood industries, and has organized exhibits and delivered lectures throughout the region.

The Singers also will appear Wednesday, November 14, 2001, at 7:30 p.m. in the Historic Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD, as part of the 2001 Eastern Shore Lecture Series "Journeys Home: People, Nature and Sense of Place," a subscription series co-sponsored by the Center for the Environment and Society, the Adkins Arboretum, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, the Horsehead Wetlands Center, and the Maryland Center for Agroecology. To learn more about this or other events sponsored by the Center for the Environment and Society, visit the center online at http://ces.washcoll.edu or call 410-810-7151.

Chemistry Meets Art during National Chemistry Week

Chestertown, MD, November 6, 2001 — Washington College's Department of Chemistry, as part of its National Chemistry Week celebration, presents "Chemistry Meets Art: The Case of the Early Christian Sculptures at Cleveland," a lecture by Donald McColl, chair of the Department of Art. The talk will be held Thursday, November 8, 2001, at 7:30 p.m., in Goldstein Hall, Room 100, Wingate Lecture Hall. Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. Please note, this talk has been rescheduled from November 7.

McColl traveled to Turkey in 1988 to conduct archaeological work on the question of the origins and authenticity of several early Christian sculptures from the 3rd century held in the Cleveland Museum's collection. Known as "The Jonah Marbles," this sculptural ensemble astonished the art world when it was introduced to the public in 1965, not only for its superb quality and condition, but also for its very survival. These controversial sculptures conformed to a language of symbols developed by early Christians, but appeared Roman in execution--unlike most Christian art from that era.

In order to authenticate this amazing discovery, McColl convinced the Cleveland Museum to carry out stable signature isotopic marble analyses, a chemical process that showed that the Roman Imperial quarries at Docimium in Ancient Phrygia (now Central Turkey) were the source for the marble from which the sculptures were carved. His talk will reveal how the humanities and sciences can work together to find answers to questions of great cultural significance.

"This cross-disciplinary approach is an important lesson for our students," said McColl. "Scientific knowledge and methods can greatly enhance our understanding of art history."