WC Students in Free Enterprise Launch Kent County’s Biggest-Ever Food Drive

CHESTERTOWN, MD—The Washington College chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) has launched what it hopes will be the biggest food drive in Kent County’s history. Organizers of the “Let’s Can Hunger” drive have set a goal of collecting at least 5,000 cans (about 5,000 pounds) of food for the Kent County Community Food Pantry.

The food drive, which will continue through April 11, will involve students, faculty and local businesses. Each Washington College class has a goal of 500 cans of food, and faculty members are being challenged to collect another 1,000 cans. Professor Susan Vowels, the advisor for the College SIFE chapter, says an important part of the Let’s Can Hunger campaign, which is sponsored by SIFE donor company Campbell’s Soup, is to spread awareness of the growing number of people facing food insecurity on a regular basis.

Christian Tateo, a Washington College sophomore who is the project leader for the food drive, says signs showing goal thermometers will be posted in Hodson Hall to track how each class and the faculty are doing. “We will be delivering food to the Food Pantry each week, and the Food Pantry will weigh the food and tell me how we are doing,” says Tateo. Students will be reaching out to local businesses, too, offering promotion on campus in exchange for their donations of cash or canned goods.

Jim Fouss, chairman of the Food Pantry, says the students’ efforts will make a tremendous difference to struggling Kent County families. “Increases in gasoline and utility costs have really strained families, and the number of persons that we service continues to increase,” he notes.

For more information on the Let’s Can Hunger food drive and how to help the Washington College students reach their goal, email Christian Tateo at ctateo2@washcoll.edu.

DuPont Executive’s Talk on Innovation Launches WC’s Celebration of Chemistry

CHESTERTOWN—A senior executive at chemical giant DuPont will deliver the J. C. Jones Seminar in American Business on Friday, February 18 as Washington College opens its year-long celebration of the 2011 International Year of Chemistry. Thomas M. Connelly, Jr., Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of E. I. duPont de Nemours and Company, will lecture on “Hard Facts and Soft Skills for the Innovator of Tomorrow,” beginning at 5 p.m. in the Decker Theatre of Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts on the College campus, 300 Washington Avenue.

Dr. Connelly graduated with highest honors from Princeton University with degrees in chemical engineering and economics. As a Winston Churchill Scholar, he received his doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Cambridge.

At DuPont, Connelly has responsibility for Applied BioSciences, Nutrition & Health, Performance Polymers, Packaging & Industrial Polymers businesses, and Science & Technology. He also oversees the company’s business in geographic regions outside the United States and serves in advisory roles to the U.S. Government and the Republic of Singapore.

The International Year of Chemistry (IYC-2011) was proclaimed by the United Nations to increase public appreciation of chemistry and chemical engineering in meeting the world’s needs; to encourage interest in chemistry and chemical engineering among young people; to generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry and chemical engineering; and to celebrate the achievements of Marie Curie and the contributions of women to chemistry and chemical engineering. Washington College IYC-2011 events will focus on the interactions, integration, and involvement of chemistry with business, medicine, energy needs, and the environment. It will conclude with a special ceremony on November 3, 2011 at which 1995 Chemistry Nobel Prize winner Mario Molina will receive an honorary doctor of science degree and deliver an address on “The Science and Policy of Climate Change.”

The J. C. Jones Seminar in American Business was established in honor of the late James C. Jones, Jr., a Baltimore businessman and 1947 graduate of Washington College who remained active in alumni affairs and served on the Board of Visitors and Governors of the College.

Admission to the February 18 Jones Seminar, cosponsored by the Departments of Business Management and Chemistry and SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) is free and open to the public. A reception will follow in the Underwood Gallery.