Faculty News

Faculty News

Students in Assistant Professor of Psychology Jennifer Nepper Fiebig's psychology classes videoconferenced with a psychology class at the University of Munich in May. Fiebig developed the idea through her work with the Colleges of the Fenway Global Education Opportunities (GEO) Center and her desire to "internationalize" her classroom. The event took place at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Graduate and Professional Programs Adjunct Professor Ray Guillette recently earned his doctorate in higher education leadership from Johnson & Wales University. The subject of his dissertation was "Benchmarking: A Tool for Continuous Improvement and Strategic Planning for Graduate and Continuing Education Programs."

Fr. Thomas L. Leclerc, M.S. of the Religious Studies Department has completed a four-part series of talks for the Voice of the Faithful (North Shore, Lynn and Seacoast chapters) in collaboration with the Theology Department of Boston College. The four talks addressed the topic "Jesus' Gospel of Love." The first talk on October 15th focused on the Gospels according to Mark and Matthew, while the second, on November 5th, dealt with the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. During the third lecture on December 10th, Fr. Leclerc discussed the Gospel according to John and the Johannine Letters, followed by a talk on the Letters of Paul on February 11th. The format consisted of a two-hour presentation with questions and discussions.

Associate Professor of History Melanie Murphy and Assistant Professor of English and Performance Arts Scott Gagnon served as judges in the Greater Boston Regional section of the National History Day competition on March 3rd at Winchester High School in Winchester, MA. Students addressed the theme "Triumph and Tragedy" in history through exhibits, performances and documentaries. Murphy judged exhibits while Gagnon judged performances. Winners at the district level went on to compete in the statewide contest on March 31st. The National History Day program is a yearlong educational program that culminates in a national contest every June.

The third edition of Professor of Political Science Marie Natoli's textbook Understanding American Government has been released. Natoli also delivered a lecture last December in Nuremberg, Germany on the topic of "9/11, Civil Liberties, and the Imperial Presidency."

Assistant Professor of Performance Arts Thomas Schnauber's ungrand opera "With Such Friends..." was premiered by the New York City Opera and the opera department of New York University in early May. The revised version of his concerto for string bass and orchestra called Alba and Ostinato was also premiered on April 27th and 28th by the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra with bass soloist Jeffrey Weisner of the National Symphony Orchestra. Schnauber's composition for treble choir, piano, and flute called Three Cummings recently won the New York Treble Singers 2007 Composition Competition and was performed by the Treble Singers in New York on March 2nd. Also, his article entitled "Who Was Antonio Bertali and Why Might a Modern Composer Care," which he wrote over winter recess, appears in the March issue of the NACUSA Bulletin, the journal of the National Association of Composers USA.

Associate Professor of Psychology Kimberly Smirles presented two posters at the Association for Psychological Science Convention held in Washington, D.C. in May. The first, entitled "Addressing the IRB 'Fear Factor'," involved a classroom activity that reflected a question-based approach to understanding research ethics and the IRB review process. "Sex Sells: Content Analysis of Primetime Television Advertisements" examined inequalities in television advertisements via differences in narratives featuring males versus females.

Associate Professor of English Lisa Stepanski will join a number of prominent speakers at the 2007 Summer Conversational Series and Teacher Institute in Bronson Alcott's Concord School of Philosophy in July. Stepanski, author of an upcoming book on the Alcotts will present on "Influence is Better Than Precept': Abby May Alcott as Mother-Teacher" on July 17th.