Student Life
Eastman Students Showcased at Kennedy Center
One of the founding partners of the Conservatory Project at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Eastman School joins a handful of other elite music schools in sending a few of its most outstanding students to Washington, D.C., each year to perform at the prestigious venue. Representing the Eastman School in 2010 were (from left to right) pianist Zhang Zuo, saxophonist Doug O’Connor, percussionist Tomasz Arnold, Markiyan Melnychenko, soprano Rebecca Farley, and Lyndon Meyer.
The Conservatory Project, launched in 2004, presents some of the most promising young musicians in classical music, jazz, musical theater, and opera from
READ MORE: Kennedy Center Concert Showcases Eastman Students Feb. 8, 2010
Rochester Becomes Regional Progamming Champs
From left: Xiaoqing Tang ’12, Joel Seligman, Ian Christopher ’10, Dennis Huo ’10, and Daniel Stefankovic (faculty advisor)
In November 2009, Rochester became the first school in six years to beat MIT in the regional finals of the oldest, largest, and most prestigious computer programming competition in the world.
Coached by Daniel Stefankovic, assistant professor of computer science, the team prevailed in the grueling contest that required writing computer code to solve eight distinct problems. Rochester and MIT were the only teams to solve all eight correctly, and Rochester beat MIT on speed, finishing in 16 hours and 10 minutes to MIT’s 18 hours and 51 minutes.
READ MORE: University of Rochester Dethrones MIT by Winning Regional Finals of World's Most Prestigious Computer Programming Contest Nov. 3, 2009
Record Seasons for Squash and Women’s Basketball Teams
Both the squash team and the women’s basketball team ended their seasons with trips to the national finals—the second time in a row for the squash team and the first time since 2003–04 for the women’s basketball team.
The all-male squash team followed up on its 10-4 season with a victory over Cornell in the quarterfinals before falling short against Yale in the semifinals and Princeton in the third-place playoff game.
The women’s basketball team finished the season with a 23-8 record, then went 4-2 in the Division III tournament on their way to a fourth-place finish.
READ MORE: Squash Claims Fourth Straight Liberty Crown Nov. 22, 2010
READ MORE: Women Are Fourth After Amherst Wins Conso Game March 20, 2010
Graduate Students Get Rooms of Their Own
A gift from Martin E. Messinger ’49, the senior trustee of the University who funded the renovation of the Martin E. Messinger Periodical Reading Room in 1998, underwrote the creation of two study rooms designed especially for graduate students. Messinger Graduate Study Room North opened in August 2009, and Messinger Graduate Study Room South opened in May 2010 after two years of interviews, anthropological studies, and focus groups with graduate students to assess their needs.
The rooms feature warm maroon tones that combine homey wing-backed chairs and a coffee table with the more traditional trappings of a library: reading tables and carrels. Seven large windows, including one in stained glass given by the Friends of the University of Rochester Libraries, flood the room with natural light. White marker boards, several computers, and a printer offer the functionality of an office; 48 wooden lockers provide secure storage; and top-ofthe- line ergonomic desk chairs guarantee comfort during long study sessions.
PHOTOS: Room by Room: Dedication of the third piece of Messinger family’s project completes an effort to restore historic spaces for students. Rochester Review, September–October 2010
Mock Trial Team in Top 20
The University of Rochester Mock Trial Team placed 17th among the almost 50 qualifying teams in the American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament in Memphis, Tenn., in April 2010. Jason Scheff ’10 and Dinisha Fernando ’10 received All American Witness honors for their performances.
READ MORE: Rochester's Mock Trial Team Earns Bid to National Championship March 30, 2010
Rochester a Top School for Veterans
The University of Rochester ranked fourth on the list of the 30 best private universities in the nation for veterans, according to GI Bill Hub, a resource for veterans pursuing higher education.
The 2010 ranking considered the amount of tuition assistance provided to veterans as well as the school’s overall prestige. The Rochester Pledge Scholarship, named in honor of alumnus Francis Bellamy, who penned the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892, was created in the fall of 2008 to guarantee full tuition and fees support for qualified veterans pursuing undergraduate studies at the College and the Eastman School.
READ MORE: UR Ranked Among Top Schools in the Nation for Veterans Apr. 22, 2010
Biodiesel Project Wins National Honor
UR Biodiesel, a project of several Rochester undergraduates to convert excess vegetable oil from dining service centers into biodiesel to fuel shuttle buses, was honored in March by the Association of College Unions International, a nearly 100-year-old organization of campus community builders.
The brainchild of Chris Babcock ’07, David Borrelli ’09, Dan Fink ’09, and Eric Weissmann ’10, UR Biodiesel, which was launched on Earth Day 2009 with the inaugural ride of the biodiesel shuttle bus, received the organization’s Excellence in Innovations for Sustainability Award. The award is given to one project each year that marks a major new contribution to sustainability and that delivers benefits to the entire community.
READ MORE: UR Biodiesel Project Wins National Award from Collegiate Association March 3, 2010
VIDEO: Biodiesel at the U of R
Simon School Ranks Highly for Programs and Graduate Satisfaction
The Financial Times of London ranked the Simon Graduate School of Business 5th in the world in finance and managerial economics, 6th in the world for accountancy, and 24th overall out of 100 business schools in the United States.
Meanwhile, Forbes magazine ranked the Simon School 8th in the nation among business schools with the most satisfied MBA graduates.
Rochester students across divisions of the University earned a national spotlight for performances in the arts, athletics, and in the classroom. From the basketball and squash courts, to some of the greatest musical performance halls in the nation, Rochester students demonstrated the combination of talent, drive, and persistence that is at the heart of Meliora.
Yet fun and humor are also important parts of the mix. A favorite River Campus tradition is the annual pillow fight on Eastman Quad.