Over the weekend of March 15th, “Hacklemore”, a team of 10 undergraduate Computer Science students from the University of Rochester traveled to Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada to participate in the CS Games. The team, led by captains Julian Lunger ’14 and Emily Danchik ’13, took 7th place out of 22 teams, thanks to strong showings by the team of Charlie Lehner ’15 and  David Bang ’14 who took 2nd place in Web Development,  and the team of Dan Hassin ’16 and Joe Brunner  ’14 who took 3rd place in Extreme Programming.

The CS Games, an annual competition held by Canadian universities, is attended by over 300 students. Although most of the student participants are Canadian, both the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology have sent teams in recent years. In 2011, the University of Rochester team won the competition. This year, the University of Rochester was the only American university to send a team to the event.

Teams consist of a maximum of 10 people, and compete in 15 to 20 different competitions from Friday to Sunday. These competitions are in different programming areas which range from programming theory, which deals with designing algorithms,  to embedded programming, which deals with writing programs which run on small devices. In addition to the programming competitions, there also are competitions in a few unrelated areas, such as sporting competitions and even a campus-wide scavenger hunt.

Throughout the games, teams must also be on the lookout for “Puzzle Hero” challenges, which are timed “mini-games” that cover a variety of topics and are emailed to the teams at random times. During this year’s games, Team “Hacklemore” had to do everything from solving chess puzzles to identifying pictures and diagrams of obscure plugs and wires. “One challenge even had us listen to a highly modified soundfile and figure out what it meant. The file sounded like a short, high-pitched blip–but we eventually figured out that it was three consecutive Iron Maiden song outtakes,” says Captain Julian Lunger. The team also had the opportunity to participate in “Hacking Questions,” where team members were given a limited amount of time to access websites designed for the competition.

In addition to the challenges, the event also featured large social gatherings for all of the participants.”The social aspect is an important and sometimes surprising one at the Games. Some people typically think of CS majors as unsocial; however, the exact opposite is true at the CS Games,” says Captain Julian Lunger. “The teams of computer geeks there are fun, they are wild, and they stay up til 2, 3, 4 a.m. every night.” The Rochester team also had the opportunity to interact with Computer Science students from different backgrounds. “Meeting French-Canadian students was really cool because they have a different culture and think about things in a different way– it’s almost like they are Europeans in North America,” says Lunger.

This years roster included Emily Danchik (leader) ’13, Julian Lunger (leader, captain) ’14, Thomas Swift ’13, Emily Ansley ’14, Joe Brunner ’14, Nate Book ’14, Shuopeng Deng ’14, Dan Hassin ’16, Charlie Lehner ’15, and David Bang ’14.

The Rochester team already has next year’s competition in mind. Captain Julian Lunger encourages any interested students to contact him through email at JLunger@u.rochester.edu.

Have you seen a campus tree decked out in a school-spirited scarf? This is called “yarn bombing,” and it is the work of the Society of Crocheting & Knitting Students (SOCKS), a club that is new to Rochester.

With around 20 active members, SOCKS brings out the social aspects of crocheting and knitting by giving students a time and place where they can practice these crafts with other students, learn new skills, and work on group projects. By holding weekly meetings and other social and community events, SOCKS aims to spread the benefits of knitting and crocheting–including relaxation, accomplishment, and community–to students at Rochester.

Group members include beginner to experienced crocheters and knitters. “Most people pick one [crocheting or knitting] and then they might start learning the other,” says SOCKS President Bonnie Nortz ’15.

At every meeting the group does a “show-and-tell” to feature individual projects and help group members get to know each other. In addition to “yarn bombing” tree scarves during Meliora Weekend and Spirit Week, the group has several collaborative community-service projects in the works, such as the creation of a rainbow-colored quilt, stuffed animals, and baby items for Golisano Children’s Hospital, as well as shawls for St. John’s Retirement Home.

For Nortz, who has been knitting for seven years, the activity is more about just the finished product. “I knit in class because it keeps me awake,” she says. “For class lectures I pick projects that allow me to still pay attention to the teacher. It takes some practice.”

The group currently meets on Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. in Harper Lounge on the first floor of Susan B. Anthony. Email ursocks@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to be on the mailing list.

Last year, Oladoyin Oladeru ’13 mentored middle school students about the benefits of nonviolence during in-school suspension hours and decided he wanted to create an after school program of a similar nature.  With help from the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and fellow University of Rochester undergraduates, Oladeru established the Young Men at Peace program last fall.  The program allows 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade male students at Dr. Charles Lunsford School #19 the unique opportunity to explore a wide range of important issues related to nonviolence.

Oladeru is one of five students chosen to be a 2012-20130 Meliora Leader, a new community service initiative through the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL). Meliora Leaders create individualized service projects, allowing them to exercise intensive leadership in the Rochester community for an extended period of time. The program benefits organizations and individuals in need while providing a substantial learning experience for the students involved.

The topics addressed in Young Men at Peace are meant to inform the middle schoolers about the power of nonviolent self-transformation to overcome physical and mental obstacles. This includes awareness of positive lifestyle choices and social interactions, how to become better advocates against community and school violence, and learning about social justice heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.

In addition to Oladeru, other Young Men at Peace undergraduate mentors include Milan Byrdwell ’14, Reginald Hooks ’15, Shaquill McCullers ’14, Michael Mobarak ’15, Carl Parker ’13, and Taurean Parker ’13. All six undergraduates, whom Oladeru gathered before the start of the program last fall, serve as a source of inspiration for the students.

“We want to make the dream of obtaining a college education more attainable by showing them young men from the U of R who are living proof,” says Oladeru.

George Payne, who works at the Gandhi Institute as a Peace and Justice Educator and helps oversee the program, applauds Oladeru’s “vision and dedication,” for allowing the students involved to form “meaningful bonds with mentors in college who know about their challenges and believe in their potential.”  Echoing Payne’s praise is Principal Eva Thomas, who has called the Young Men at Peace program a “blessing” to her school.

Oladeru exercises his own life experiences while serving as a nonviolence ambassador to the young males of School # 19.  Oladeru moved from Lagos, Nigeria to the United States when he was nine years old and lived in the Bronx until college.  Around the age of the students he now mentors, Oladeru was bullied for being foreign, African, and studious. A personal “turning point” that alerted him to the importance of nonviolence occurred in 6th grade when his friend got shot on his way home after school.

“Mentorship is really important, especially at a young age,” says Oladeru. “I remember giving into peer pressure when I came to this country and I think this is an issue most prevalent with young males at that age.  It’s not enough to have two parents at home because they can’t relate and there’s only so much they can understand.”

Oladeru, who is set to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in epidemiology this May, is a McNair Scholar, a Ronald McDonald scholar, a Gilman Scholar, and a Gates Millennium Scholar.  In addition to being a Meliora Leader, he works at Carlson Library and is a Resident Advisor.  He hopes to get a master’s and doctoral degree in epidemiology and conduct population-based research in cardiovascular disease.

Oladeru has high hopes for the future of the program because the young male participants have noticeably progressed as a result of the efforts of Oladeru, his fellow UR mentors, and the Gandhi Institute.  The number of attendees has been steadily increasing and Oladeru aims for a total of 15 boys that come on a regular basis. He also hopes to plan field trips to the U of R campus, Foodlink, and Darien Lake to teach them about rules in different social settings and inspire them to be respectful no matter where you are.

“To see someone with a similar background having made it goes a long way,” says Oladeru. “The greatest joy for me is that I got people interested in volunteering who really care. We go back every week and it makes a difference.”

This article is part two of a series that features the Meliora Leaders of 2012-2013. Undergraduates interested in participating in the program should look for information on the RCCL page in the coming months. Information about the program can be found on the RCCL page at http://rochester.edu/college/rccl/meliora.html.

In the photos: Photo 1: Oladoyin Oladeru with one of the young men in his program. Photo 2: Oladoyin Oladeru and a group of University of Rochester undergraduate mentors teach male students from Dr. Charles Lunsford School #19 about the benefits of nonviolence.

Though only a sophomore, Samantha Whalen ’15 has managed to effectively find a  real-world application for her majors in anthropology and health, behavior & society and complement her interests in peer health advocacy and community outreach. As a participant in the Meliora Leaders Program, Whalen was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Sojourner House, a transitional housing program for homeless women and children located in the 19th ward community. There, she helps residents plan and cook healthy, nutritious meals.

For the 2012-2013 academic year, five Rochester students, including Whalen, were selected as inaugural participants in the Meliora Leaders program. Designed to support and incentivize community-based leadership among Rochester students, the new initiative is a part of the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL).

In addition to serving as publicity chair of the Refugee Student Alliance on campus and volunteering as a part of community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, Whalen will spend the year running a local community service project, embodying the University motto by “seeking to ameliorate the Rochester community.”

In exchange for 300 hours of service throughout the academic year, leaders receive supplemental funding through AmeriCorps, which is matched by the University of Rochester. Participants undergo leadership training, keep in contact with a member of the host organization where the service is performed, and receive regular advisement by faculty or staff at the College.

“The program benefits organizations and individuals in need in Rochester, but also provides a substantive learning experience for our students,” says Glenn Cerosaletti, director of Rochester Center for Community Leadership. “Students stand to gain a keener understanding of the Rochester community—both its needs and assets—and make lasting connections with particular individuals in the community. At the same time, I hope they will gain an understanding of project management and how to enact social change.”

Whalen’s host organization, the Sojourner House, provides shelter for roughly 16 women at a time and any children they may have. The women living in the house must complete assigned chores, attend life skills programs that help them find jobs, and sometimes undergo counseling and therapy for issues like drug and alcohol addiction. Women and their families usually stay around six months, which is preferred to secure living arrangements, although stays vary from one month to more than a year.

At the house, Whalen noticed that women usually pooled their food stamps and resources to prepare ‘comfort’ foods, which were often unhealthy. She has been working with the life skills coordinator at the house to plan healthy meals, make shopping lists, organize the kitchen so the women have better access to adequate cooking supplies, and provide advice on healthy portion sizes. She also suggests simple recipes with varied and interesting ingredients and tries to make them as healthy and nutritious as possible while staying within budget.

“The women go back to the same things that they grew up making, which is fine every once in awhile, but it’s about teaching them and their children how to live a healthier lifestyle,” Whalen explains.

Examples of healthy meals that Whalen helped plan include chicken pasta primavera, chicken stir fry, smoked pork chops with corn and okra, chicken asparagus crepes, turkey meatloaf, and chicken quesadillas.

Whalen especially appreciates her interactions with the children who live in the Sojourner House. In addition to biweekly visits to the house to help plan meals and improve overall nutrition, Whalen hosts a “study buddy” program on Tuesday nights, where she provides homework help to the kids who live there. The kids also participate in “Dream Seeds,” an arts enrichment program that has activities, including drumming and tap dancing. She says that talking and interacting with the children has given her a new perspective on Rochester outside of the microcosm of the River Campus.

“It’s eye-opening to interact with a different socioeconomic group. It helps me to understand Rochester more as a community,” Whalen explains. “There are two little girls that told me they aren’t allowed to play outside because there’s a criminal who lives on their street. Sojourner House is a place to go to feel safe and to do fun activities.”

A native of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Whalen pursued this opportunity after hearing about it through Alpha Phi Omega and was in charge of finding her own project and contacts. Whalen posts monthly reflections on Blackboard so that RCCL staff can monitor her progress and make sure she stays on track.  She remains focused on maintaining a nutrition program and committed to helping the residents of the Sojourner House in any way that she can.

This article is part one of a series that will feature the Meliora Leaders of 2012-2013. Undergraduates interested in participating in the program should look for information on the RCCL page in Spring 2013. Information about the program can be found on the RCCL page at http://rochester.edu/college/rccl/meliora.html.

Last month, 16 new students were accepted into Compass to Personal Success (CPS), a three year leadership development program for Rochester undergraduates coordinated by the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL).

The program is founded in the Social Change Model of Leadership, which empowers students as agents of positive social change by engaging them in community service, leadership, and civic engagement opportunities. The CPS program emphasizes experiential learning and personal development as a means to enhance leadership skills and capabilities.

During their three years in the program, students will participate in workshops, engage in peer-to-peer mentoring, reflect formally on their participation in leadership activities, coordinate and complete a service project, internship, or on campus program, and more. From these activities, the CPS program will support these students in discovering their purpose and passion, increasing their self-efficacy, reflecting on and celebrating their community and creating meaningful connections within it.

The students accepted into this year’s program are:

Naba Ali ’15

Gabrielle Ansani ’15

Alena Comella ’16

Robert Dowd ’15

Joo (Jenny) Hee ’16

Meng Huang ’15

Suparerk (Joe) Kamaranon ’15

Yunjie (Kelly) Liang ’15

Samantha Lish ’16

Mark Mullock ’15

Matthew Ning ’15

Angela Remus ’16

Ruben Anthony Salazar ’16

Wayne Wu ’16

Ni Zheng ’15

Huiqi Zhong ’14

To learn more about the program, visit CPS’s website or email Molly Sarubbi at msarubbi@admin.rochester.edu.

One democrat, one republican. One sophomore, one senior. Two internships with competing congressional election campaigns.  Cohabiting in student association government.  Bitter rivals?  Hardly.

Rishi Sharma ’15, an applied mathematics and history major who has an interest in education policy, and Alina Czekai ’13, a health policy major and legal studies minor, have dedicated their time this election season to local congressional campaigns.  Sharma, communications co-chair of the Students’ Association, is currently working as an intern on Congresswoman Louise Slaughter’s campaign, while Czekai, Students’ Association vice president, volunteers with County Executive Maggie Brooks. Republican Brooks and Democrat Slaughter are running competing campaigns for New York’s 25th District seat in the House of Representatives.

“It didn’t take a lot of encouragement for me to get involved. Just looking up what Louise had done, I knew she was someone I actually believed in and someone I wanted to get involved with,” said Sharma.

Specific aspects of Brooks’ style of campaigning stood out to Czekai.

“One thing that I really admire from Maggie’s campaign is her emphasis on positive campaigning, campaigning with the truth,” said Czekai.

While on opposite side of the campaign trails, Sharma and Czekai have both been interning on a regular basis since September.

“Alina and I do similar things, just on opposite ends,” said Sharma. “It’s not a consistent thing I do every single day because the campaign moves so fast.  I get exposure to a lot of different things.”

“I’ve been lucky to see a full perspective and view of what it is like to run a campaign,” said Czekai. “It’s all about seeing what your constituents need, what their problems are, and figuring out problem-solving strategies. Going to the people and saying ‘I know these are your concerns, I actually feel them too.  Let’s work together and figure out what we can do.’”

This personal focus of campaigning is pervasive on both sides of the race.

“Something that I know Louise’s staff does really well is campaign to people in a very personal way.  It’s taught me the importance of listening, really reaching out to your constituency well and making sure that their voices are heard,” said Sharma.

“It’s all about outreach, no matter what level of government you’re involved in, whether it’s student government or congressional,” said Czekai.

As a Co-Chair of Communications in SA Government, Sharma has experienced many things in Congresswoman Slaughter’s office that are applicable to his role in student government.

“If you want to be successful in politics, whether it’s in student government or in Congress like Louise is doing, you have to make sure you have a personal relationship with your constituents. She values that, I value that, a lot of student government leaders value that. It’s my job to think of creative ways and techniques about how to get the message out,” said Sharma.

Before serving as SA vice president, Czekai worked as executive historian and deputy speaker.

“All of these roles have taught me how to be comfortable in my leadership style.  Maggie really has a focus on keeping things positive and keeping things forward-looking and optimistic.  I think that definitely applies to my student government leadership role. If there’s a problem, we’re going to get through it together and we’re going to move forward,” said Czekai.

Sharma and Czekai are unusual not only because they are working on competing election campaigns, but because at the end of the day, they both come home to student government.

“Our roles work really closely together. Student government is nothing without strong communications,” said Czekai, noting the importance of reaching out to students about upcoming changes or new initiatives, and collecting information that will be helpful to the senate and executive branch.

Sharma and Czekai take their campaign internships for what they are, and leave their differences at the door.

“We use it as a point to joke about within our friendship. It doesn’t conflict with anything we have to do. We still work really well together, we are still great friends, in fact, probably even better friends,” said Sharma. “It’s funny how Maggie and Louise are competing and Alina and I are competing, but you know, it’s a healthy competition.”

Amid the good humored teasing, the two are careful to respect the integrity of each campaign.

“We don’t want to be the one that reveals any information that might give the other a competitive advantage,” said Sharma.

“I’m excited to talk to him after the race.  I think it will be really cool to see his perspective,” said Czekai.

The combination of roles possessed by both Sharma and Czekai has undoubtedly made their experiences uniquely valuable.  But on a more universal level, any motivated Rochester student can take advantage of these types of political experiences, and many have.

“I really encourage students who consider themselves to be politically minded or interested in politics to volunteer on a campaign.  I thought I understood politics and political issues, but you really don’t until you learn about it from that perspective,” said Czekai. “Whatever political side students are on, I definitely encourage them to get involved.”

French: Kriti Thapa ’14, Emma Alperin ’15, Rebecca Herlich ’14, Christopher Nishimura ’15

Japanese: Jonathan Budnik ’14, Cameron La Point ’13, Valerie Mueller ’14

German: Kathryn Conheady ’15, Leslie Gordon ’13, Veronica Price ’13

Comparative Literature: Hannah Chute ’14, Laura Dolan ’13, Olivia Earle ’13

Russian Studies: Kathleen Dickson ’14, Eric Hand ’14

Italian: Philip Sutera ’14, Ke Xiang ’14, Simone Zehren ’14

Chinese: Carolyn Magri ’13, Quinlan Mitchell ’13, Cihangir Okuyan ’12, Emily Slack ’12

Russian: Zhao Li ’14 May Zhee Lim ’14, Yiyang Zhu ’14

Spanish: Samuel Beckwith ’14, Amelia Engel ’14, Marjorie Grace Van der Ven ’14, Victoria Zhou ’14

Article and photo courtesy of Yick Chong Lam ’13. In the Photo: Kriti Thapa ’14 is given a 2012 Book Award

This year, the awards, also known as the Rockys, were presented to 18 students and four organizations.  “I think the winners represent a large demographic that follows their passions and give back to others in all sorts of ways,” said Ed Feldman, associate director of leadership programs at the Rochester Center for Community Leadership and chair of the selection committee.  He added that he felt inspired by the winners whose “values center around an inherent desire to better themselves and in return make a positive social change in the campus and Rochester community.”

Friends, family, and colleagues of the honorees were invited to an intimate awards reception, which was also attended by University administrators and campus leaders. All the winning students and organizations received engraved glass trophies and certificates.

Awards ranged from recognizing leadership in the freshman class, athletics, Greek life, and student government. There also was an award given to an outstanding transfer student.  New this year was the Communal Principles Award, recognizing a student for the promotion of fairness, freedom, honesty, inclusion, respect, and responsibility on campus.  One of these six principles will be highlighted annually. This year’s recipient, Jay Liriano ’12 was selected for demonstrating qualities that exemplify the Communal Principle of Respect in his leadership as president of the Lambda Upsilon Lambda fraternity.

The Ballet Performance Group was honored as the Outstanding Student Organization.  The 90-member dance group was nominated by Lydia Crews and Wilson Commons Student Activities. Among its performances and programs this year were the Uncommon nights during orientation, a benefit show for Golisano Children’s Hospital, and an alumni reunion performance. BPG, who took first place at the DU Dance for Charity, also collaborated with the Eastman musicians, incorporating live music in its performances. During Meliora Weekend, BPG usually performs with two other dance groups, but they enhanced this year’s program and collaborated with six other dance groups for the “Diversity of Dance” production. In addition, BPG started a new community outreach program called “Dare to Dance.” Members went to Rochester’ Francis Parker School 23 to teach different styles of dance as an after school program.  At the end of the semester, the elementary school students had the opportunity to perform on stage in Strong Auditorium at BPG’s show.

“The award is reflective of the culmination of efforts from the group’s recent history,” said Laura Chess ’12, BPG’s president and a biomedical engineering major. “It was of course a fantastic surprise, though I believe the group was more than deserving.”  With all of its new programs, Chess hopes that BPG will continue to be a vibrant and inclusive community on campus. The group strives to give all students who are passionate about dance a chance to participate and help shape the programming.  “I’m excited to return and see how the group continues to develop after I’m gone,” Chess added.

Another student honored was economics and political science major Nathan Novosel ’12. As the recipient of the Seth H. & Harriet Terry Prize, he was recognized for his “industry, character and honorable conduct, having done the most for the life and character of the undergraduate community.”  Novosel, who received the Award for Athletic Leadership last year, has been one of the three captains for the Men’s Basketball Team for the past two years.  Novosel also is the vice president of the College Democrats, head captain of the Saint Sebastian Society (a community service group of varsity student athletes which is part of the Catholic Newman organization), a member of the Varsity Student Advisory Committee, the Alexander Hamilton Institute, and associate justice for the All Campus Judicial Council.

“One of my lifetime goals is to get involved in politics and work with public policy and some way,” said Novosel. “So, especially with the AHI and the College Democrats, I’ve really tried to just inform students and to get people more politically active. And that’s not necessarily going out and campaigning, more of just reading a newspaper every day or having a professor panel where we go in and talk about an issue.”

Novosel has started an inequality seminar with the AHI which engages students in discussion and analysis of socioeconomic problems in America.  He will participate in the Teach for America program in Washington, D.C. after graduation, before preparing to apply to law school.

Sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students and organized by the Rochester Center for Community Leadership, the 2012 Student Life Award recipients are:

Andrew Fried Prize: Mehr Kashyap  ’15
Established by frienda and family in 1961 in memory of Andrew Norman Fried, class of 1961. This prize is awarded to the man who, upon completion of his freshman year, has shown outstanding qualities of character, superior moral judgment, and interest in serving his fellow students.

Delno Sisson Prize: Taylor Watson ’15
In 1957, this award was established by a gift from Delno Sisson, class of 1966. This prize is awarded annually to the freshman who has shown the most improvement not only in academic work, but also in adjusting to college life and the student body.

Award for Freshman Leadership: Humma Sheikh ’15
This award recognizes an exceptional man or woman of the freshman class who has motivated his or her fellow classmates to become actively involved in the campus community.

Eli & Mildred Sokol Prize: Kelly Scull ’14
This award was established in 1985 by a gift from Eli and Mildred Sokol, class of 1933. This prize is awarded to a sophomore who has emerged as a leader who can be expected to contribute significantly to the welfare of his or her fellow students in the next two years.

Award for Campus Contributions: Kyle Coapman ’13 and Lucas Piazza ’12
Two awards, one each presented to a junior and senior class member who has made significant contributions to the University community, including, but not limited to, campus life, academic achievement and leadership, and community service. The award winner will have promoted and demonstrated excellence in all aspects of their college experience.

Seth H. & Harriet Terry Prize: Nathan Novosel ’12
Established in 1928 as a gift from Seth H. Terry, class of 1883 in memory of his parents. This award is given to the male member of the senior class who, by his industry, character and honorable conduct, has done the most for the life and character of the undergraduate community.

Percy Dutton Prize: Trevor Baisden ’12
This prize was established in 1946 as a gift from Percy Dutton. This award is given to the male member of the graduating class who has excelled in “wholesome, unselfish and helpful influence” among his fellow students.

Transfer Student Award: Ahmed Faisal ’12
This award, recognizing the unique role of transfer students to the campus community, is given to a student who transferred with sophomore standing or above, and has completed a full year of study at the University. The recipient will have demonstrated a quick, successful, and seamless transition to the institution and will have taken full advantage of his or her time spent at the University.

Award for Outstanding Fraternity and Sorority Leadership: Neftali Morales ’12
This award recognizes the positive contributions fraternities and sororities make to the campus community. It is awarded to a fraternity or sorority member who has led with integrity within their fraternal organization while also making significant contributions to the greater campus community.

Simeon Cheatham Award: Brittany Lewis ’12
Established in the 1970s by the Office of the Dean of Students to recognize outstanding University of Rochester students. This award is given to a student who has outstanding qualities in devotion to community service and to growth and development of children.

Logan Hazen Award for Outstanding Contributions to Residential Life : Becky  Donnelly ’12
This Award is given annually to the student who has “made significant contributions to the community and experience of students living in undergraduate residence halls. This student, through his or her actions, leadership, and innovation has promoted community through respect, fairness, and inclusion.”

Award for Athletic Leadership: Jamie Bow ’12
This award recognizes the positive contributions athletes make to the campus community. It is awarded to a student athlete who has demonstrated leadership within their club or varsity sport while also making significant contributions to other aspects of campus life.

Presidential Award for Community Service: Emily Hart ’12 and Garrett Rubin ’12
Established by the Dean of Students in 1990 to recognize University students who are committed to community service. Given to a senior for outstanding participation and leadership in service to the community beyond the campus, this award recognizes a student who has worked selflessly and effectively in addressing social causes.  Areas of focus include, but are not limited to, improving literacy, reducing hunger and hopelessness, providing legal or medical assistance to the needy, and serving as a mentor.

Entrepreneurship Award: David Bendes ’11/KEY
The award for entrepreneurship is given to a student, or group of students, who has turned an idea into a venture that benefited others. The recipient will have demonstrated individual initiative and knowledge through awareness of markets and attention to the needs of others.

Michael Lowenstein Memorial Award: Alykhan Alani ’12
This award, named for Michael Lowenstein, class of 1960 is presented to the University of Rochester River Campus undergraduate who deepens student, faculty and community awareness of existing social, racial, or political inequities. This undergraduate through his/her words and actions has endeavored to promote the ideals which Michael cherished. Michael sought to give a fresh view of things around us, to focus upon issues, to probe deeply using fact and objectivity and to open a dialogue with the community to find some answers.

The Communal Principles Award: Jonell Liriano ’12
Established by the Office of the Dean of Students during the 2011-2012 academic year, this award is given annually to the student(s) or organization that best promote(s) the Communal Principals, as adopted by The College. These principles include Fairness, Freedom, Honesty, Inclusion, Respect, and Responsibility. One of these six principles will be highlighted annually and the recipient will have demonstrated qualities that exemplify the principles and/or created programming and activities related to this year’s Communal Principle - Respect.

Student Organization and Programming Awards

Excellence in Programming: Program: “Rochester’s Yellowjacket Invitational Mock Trial Tournament” Organization: Mock Trial
This Excellence in Programming Award recognizes a student organization or group, either formal or informal, for its exceptional creativity, planning, and execution of a University program. Criteria upon which decisions are based include appeal to a broad cross-section of the University community, originality, and participation by members of the organization during all phases of the effort.

Outstanding Student Organization Award: Ballet Performance Group
Awarded to a student organization that has gone beyond the bounds of their membership by helping to create a positive campus environment for all students.

Award for Excellence in Creative Co-sponsorship: Program: ”Rock Out for Leukemia Research” Organizations: Vocal Point & Renaissance Scholars
This award recognizes a program that was co-sponsored by a minimum of two organizations or groups. The cosponsored program should have been a new effort, one that brought together different facets of campus, and which served to build and strengthen the campus community.

Article written by Maya Dukmasova, a Take 5 Scholar at the University of Rochester and an intern at University Communications. She majored in philosophy and religion and focused her Take 5 year on researching the way American media covers current events in the Muslim world. An aspiring journalist, Dukmasova has freelanced for Rochester Magazine, the Phoenix New Times, and the Daily News Egypt in Cairo. She also maintains two blogs, one devoted to culture and society in Russia (www.out-of-russia.com) and the other to photography (www.myorientalism.com).

Photos courtesy of J. Adam Fenster, University Communications.

In the drill competition, the freshman class earned a 3rd place finish in Platoon Inspection under the command of RIT sophomore Conor Kelley. The Midshipmen did even better in the military excellence portion of the competition, earning a 1st or 2nd place finish in almost every event and a 2nd place finish overall. Among the more celebrated victories were the grueling Recon Challenge, the Distance Medley Relay, and the 4×400 Relay.

In the Recon Challenge, the toughest physical event Villanova has to offer, RIT sophomore Ryan Baptiste and RIT junior Abe McAndrew fought their way to a well-earned 2nd place finish. The challenge is conducted as a two-man team in camouflage utility uniforms, and consists of an alternating rope climb, a 5¼-mile run with various weighted packs, a stretcher carry, a combat-carry, and a 1000m fin swim. In the Distance Medley Relay, RIT freshman Daniel Palmiter, UR sophomores Anthony Paschke and David Delong, and UR junior Edmond Boulliane took the top spot.  The 4×400 team took 1st place as well.  This event included UR sophomore Anthony Paschke, UR juniors Ben Desch, Jake Godbolt, and Andrew Smith, and the captain, RIT junior Kunle Akinpelu.

Article written by MIDN 3/C Andrew Myers, a sophomore at Rochester Institute of Technology. Photo courtesy of Ross Spinelli, also a student at Rochester Institute of Technology. Both Myers and Spinelli are members of the NROTC Rochester unit.

The weekend before Spring Break, 10 dance students, along with program director Missy Pfohl Smith and dance instructor Courtney World, traveled to Penn State University for the annual American College Dance Festival Association’s Northeast regional conference.  The enthusiastic students kept a blog chronicling their experiences of conference, which consisted of workshops on different dance techniques and principles of motion. There were also performances by dance ensembles from various colleges, including Rochester.

“Since we all come from very different backgrounds in regard to styles of dance and amount of experience, the conference gave us a chance to come together and grow as dancers individually and as a group,” said Emily Hart ’12, a chemistry major and psychology minor. “Keeping the blog was a way to remember the little moments we loved and to stay connected with everyone on the trip and the members of our groups back in Rochester.”

Dance workshops ranged from more traditional jazz and tap instruction to contemporary styles such as house and hip-hop. The students were free to choose which classes to attend and they enthusiastically recounted their social and educational experiences through blog posts.  The instructors also had an opportunity to partake in the workshops as students.   The weekend was “a whirlwind of information, inspiration and connection,” blogged Smith.

The Rochester students gave two performances, one informal called Alien Nation and a formal performance titled Time/Save/Loss/Return. Afterward, Smith wrote: “I just want to share how proud I am of Alaina, Nichole, Lauren, Sydney and Robert, who performed with conviction, honesty and intention today. The fullness of their movement and their connection to one another was very moving and many colleagues; both those I know and those I met this weekend sought me out to congratulate me on what a meaningful and impressive commitment they showed in the work.”

Since their return the student participants have been eager to implement the new techniques they learned into their personal dance and performances with groups like Indulgence, Louvre Performance Ensemble, and Ballet Performance Group. “I’m incredibly thankful that the administration at UR is supporting the dance community on campus. There are a lot of students with plenty of passion for dance,” said Hart, who is a member of both Louvre and BPG. “Dance has been the biggest factor in making my undergraduate experience as fulfilling as it has been,”

“The weekend literally felt like one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ moments for me. I never had the chance to experience so much dancing and actually [be] able to watch live performances,” blogged Octavia Rhim ’15, a member of Sihir Bellydancing Ensemble and Indulgence, at the end of the weekend. “I think that any college student passionate about dance or even just interested, should have the opportunity to go to ACDFA.”

Article written by Maya Dukmasova, a Take 5 Scholar at the University of Rochester and an intern at University Communications. She majored in philosophy and religion and focused her Take 5 year on researching the way American media covers current events in the Muslim world. An aspiring journalist, Dukmasova has freelanced for Rochester Magazine, the Phoenix New Times, and the Daily News Egypt in Cairo. She also maintains two blogs, one devoted to culture and society in Russia (www.out-of-russia.com) and the other to photography (www.myorientalism.com).

In The First Photo: From left to right are students Sierrah Grigsby ’13, Sydney Robinson ’14, Robert Chen ’11, Nicole Zizzi ’14, Octavia Rhim’15, and Emily Hart’12. Photos courtesy of the student participants.