Fall 2010

by chathamscholars

Allie Reznik

President, Alpha Delta Lambda chapter, Chatham University

Carson Academic and Creative Writing Conference, September 25, 2010, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Chatham University Shady Side Campus

Early on Saturday morning, Sept. 25, attendees of the Carson Academic and Creative Writing Conference at Chatham University were asked to silently read this…

jfashl ekspretions and hed moovmints

can yu tel how sumwun feals abowt yu bu reding boddi langwij? authoryteas klame yu can, frum thu luuk uv skorne, however phleting, too thu suttle nods and brite ize that sae sumwun iz reesepyv too yor thauts…

As Becky Carpenter, Director of Special Projects at the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, watched each participant she noticed that students and professors alike read with confusion and frustration. I repressed my English major reflexes of wanting to snatch a pen and revise the text. We were informed that the text is written by someone just below the official level “low literate.” She then pressed all of us to think about what restrictions someone would face if they were not literate. Responses from not being able to most likely not being able to find a well-paying job to not knowing what type of service you receive at the doctor’s office to not being able to take care of finances were daunting. During a day of intellectual vigor, it was humble yet refreshing to recall our opportunities as members of Sigma Tau Delta.

This was an eye-opening moment for all of us, as everyone was nervous for their own panels that included reading Toni Morrison from an eco-critical lens to discussing realist theories of international politics. In that instance, we were all reminded of our privilege to have the ability to revise. The first session was an amazing opportunity for participants from Chatham University’s undergraduate and graduate program, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, University of Pittsburgh Main, Duquesne University, Ohio Wesleyan University and Westminster College to network with the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council and learn more about making a direct influence in the community by corresponding with a student through email to teaching a mini- class.

Imagine a space and time where your professors speak about their personal experiences and life-changing moments. Not your necessarily average day in class, right? During the second session, “Moments of Revision” Chatham University professors offered their own anecdotes of when their perceptions of the world were changed in academia. Dr. Lynne Bruckner, Associate Professor of English, talked about her experiences digging in the dirt paired with work on ecocritical Shakespeare. While Greg Garrard, author of Ecocriticism rejected the idea of eco-criticism at a conference panel she was on, his mea culpa lead to his realization that eco-criticism is Shakespearean.” Here, students realized the peculiar character of scholarship: to be relevant it must always be questioned and in flux rather than accepted as “Truth.” Dr. Alice Julier, Program Director and Associate Professor of Food Studies, emphasized the importance of having a “holistic way of seeing” as an academic who personally went from studying sociology to being passionate about the politics of food. Dr. Heather McNaugher, Assistant Professor of English, emphasized the imperative academic goal of exposing the term and perception of “natural” as troubling. It is the goal of academics, in any discipline, to realize the chronic cultural maintenance to uphold the façade of natural, especially in terms of gender binaries. Professor Sandy Sterner, Senior Lecturer, recalled when John Gardner came to Chatham and told the creative writing students that “you must learn the tricks.” Her own perception of creative writing was changed from then on, perceived more a craft “like being a bricklayer” in which the skill must be honed and revised. Finally, Dr. Prajna Parasher, Program Director and Associate Professor of Film and Digital Technology shared her ritual of academic work: “I sit by the window, close my eyes and see.” It is in this moment of self reflection that we can begin to create our visions and “revisions” of the world. She cited Nietzsche in order to once again remind us as our goals of aspiring and established academics. She said “Truths are illusions that one has forgotten.” Being able to understand what is established can lead to deconstructing and revising it. Literacy must be established in order for everyone to analyze and effectively change their world.

Students participated in lively conversations on panels such as “Revisioning Creativity,” “Revisioning American History through Literature,” “Revisioning Politics and Literature” and “Revisioning Environmental Systems.” All of these panels discussed threads of environmentalism, international awareness and women’s leadership.

While planning an entire conference from start to finish can be immensely stressful, it is essential to look beyond the incessant button making, set up requests to facilities and changing peoples’ titles in the program days before and keep the important goal in mind- in this case revising the world around us.  Dr. William Lenz, faculty adviser of the Alpha Delta Lambda chapter, asked all of us to keep in mind the work of alumna Rachel Carson, after who the Carson Conference is named. He said “to have the courage to challenge and revise the world around us is what we must aspire to.” The Carson Academic and Creative Writing Conference was an inspiring opportunity to share each others’ vision in order to collaborate and instigate change.

Chatham Maymester Abroad in Belize

by chathamscholars

As I write this, the Chatham Apartments are about as hot and muggy as the weather I experienced during my time in Belize and Guatemala. Here, I have five fans of various sizes trained on me. The sounds of 5th Avenue fill the room while my roommate and I trudge through homework. In Belize and Guatemala, there sometimes was no electricity at all. Bugs were louder than city construction and lizards, ants, and the odd tarantula were my bedfellows. Needless to say, things were a bit different for me a couple of months ago. Still, the Chatham Abroad trip to Belize and Guatemala was utterly amazing. I hand fed banana to a wild Howler Monkey. I witnessed a dissatisfied citizenship riot against unfair treatment. I snorkeled in crystal clear waters along side barracudas. My peers ate termites, which tasted like wood—or so I was told. We visited the sites of Mayan ruins, tubed down rivers, and came to know and love our guides. Some went horseback riding and others practiced Spanish. The trip allowed me to personally encounter history, culture, and the environment. Not only did I play, but I learned through the physical places and cultural inheritors of history. Furthermore, I formed bonds with my classmates: nothing like not having running water for a few days to reveal peoples’ true colors. Without this trip, I feel as though I would have missed not only a college experience but a life experience. I’ve gained cultural knowledge as well as unique connections and friendships. I feel attuned to these places now and willing to learn more and spread this knowledge. I look forward to going back, although this time I’ll inundate myself with water and coat myself with sunscreen.

Chatham Abroad May 2010 Rome

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Recipe for a Perfect Chatham Abroad
Begin with an enthusiastic group of 22 students and professors. Add an exciting semester filled with theory analysis, film discussions, daily food presentations and fieldtrips to the Strip District of Pittsburgh and Eden Hall Farm. Top it off with a Roman holiday, adorned with trips to Vatican City, Florence, farms and fisheries at the Mediterranean Sea.
In good taste, the Chatham students on the Rome Abroad trip had the opportunity to experience culture through taste. Favorites of mine included fava beans and piccorino cheese, a traditionally May treat Romans indulge in among other cuisine. The most interesting aspect of consumption in Italy that kept resurfacing during the trip was the presence of fresh foods being readily available. I was amazed, as an American, that even at the grocery stores, fish was not sold in saran wrapped, Styrofoam dishes, but sold whole in order to better gauge freshness. Artichokes were in season during our trip, overwhelming the markets with the vibrant green and purple vegetables that could be prepared baked, Roman style or fried, Jewish style.
As an English and cultural studies major, travelling to Rome with Chatham’s study abroad program was a perfect fit. I had so many life changing opportunities such as getting to visit the Colosseum, travel through underground frescoes from the fourth century and enjoy the best pizza ever from Buffetto’s. While we had so many unique experiences as a group, the most important lesson I absorbed was the notion of rispetto, or respect, surrounding consumption of everything from art to artichokes.
Taking the Producing Food, Producing Difference class with Dr. Alice Julier before the trip, along with my other cultural studies and English classes, lead me to analyze culture based on different artifacts and values, specifically in this case Italian culture, which became apparent to me during the trip. During a wine tasting with the Sommelier (a trained and knowledgeable wine professional), I couldn’t help but notice his repetition of the phrase “you must respect…” while discussing consuming the order of vintages from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the type of glass shape for specific types of wine.
This rhetoric was also apparent in our Italian breakfast tutorial with Sergio, the bar waiter at the GustoLab café. Throughout his presentation he described coffee and tea preparation in terms of “respecting” the appropriate, specific temperature of the water when making tea as well as saying that “you must respect” the espresso machine by always having it meticulously heated. This respect most definitely transposed to Italian culture as a whole, from walking through the Vatican museum and “respecting” the ancient tapestries by not taking flash photographs of them, to quietly travelling through the Jewish Ghetto on Sunday afternoon to see the famous Fontana delle Tartarughe, or Turtle Fountain, to not requesting pineapple on pizza. To do so would not “fare una bella figura!”

Allie

Chatham Abroad May 2010 Belize

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Scholar’s Blog: Belize 2010

When I sat down to write about Belize, I found myself staring at a blank word document for over an hour. Not because of a lack of experiences, but an overabundance of memories and wonder. What could I possibly write about that could covey my unexpected love of this beautiful country and its culture?
Any thing I tried to write about sounded meaningless – the jungles enveloping us with vines and calls from unseen animals, the people ready to embrace us with open arms willing to allow us into their homes and families including our guide Fermin. The words barely even scratched the surface on how I felt.
There are too many indescribable experiences and too few fitting adjectives to properly explain what Belize was to me. The one thing that comes close is Big Rock. Dr. Lenz had told me that our group might not be making the trip there with our substitute faculty, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Michelmore, due to the dangerous trail down to the waterfall, but the professors decided to make the trip with us.
When we began the trek, I saw why Dr. Lenz had questioned whether we would be going to Big Rock without his guidance. There wasn’t a path with manmade and therefore secure stairs; it was essentially a cliff with worn rocks and tree roots as footholds. Towards the bottom there was a rope as a guiderail, but still it was perilous and difficult after a day of canoeing and exploring. However, when I turned the corner at the base of the tree line, it was well worth it. I was greeted with the most awe-inspiring vision I’ve seen to this day.
Even at a distance, the waterfall commands attention. There are two natural pools formed at the base connected by a sort of rock waterslide. Once I finally caught the breath in my chest again, I ran straight toward the water. It was an inescapable pull, as if a magnetic force dragged me to it. Before I knew it, I was in the pool, battling the current created by the waterfall. Stroke after stroke, I inched my way closer. Clinging to the algae-covered rocks, I pulled myself forward until I was seated directly under the falls, water cascading over my head.
In that moment, I felt a part of the world around me. A part of nature, of water and jungle. A part of the strong women surrounding me. A part of something bigger than myself. Whether you believe it or not, in that moment, at Big Rock in Belize with those women, the pieces of the world came together to form a puzzle that wasn’t a puzzle anymore. The world made sense. I was baptized that day with a newfound appreciation for life
The truth is, in Belize, I found myself.

Midsummer Night’s Dream

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This past Sunday, the scholars had the incredible opportunity to see the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s final performance of William Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” And what a performance! The stage was similar to the type of stage that the original production would have been performed on in that there was little separation between the actors and the audience. The stage was almost level with the floor and actors joined the stage not only from backstage, but also from hallways and once even through the rows of audience seating. The acting was also absolutely superb, and the play was simply a joy to watch. However, it was not just an enjoyable experience and a much needed break from studying for midterms and writing papers, but also a thought provoking play fit for the Chatham Scholars. “Midsummer Night’s Dream” includes a complex play within a play and an ending which on the surface looks like a comedic happily-ever-after, but has undertones of remaining conflict. I was left thinking about the intricacies as well as the beautiful performance long after I left, and I even got to keep one of the props, a leaf, for my own scrapbook



Warhol Museum Visit 2009 – Dinner and the Warhol

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Rachel Bane

Who knew you could have so much fun at a museum? When it’s a Chatham Scholars’ field trip to Aladdin’s Restaurant and the Andy Warhol Museum, it’s a guarantee. From the multiple rounds of dessert passing at Aladdin’s, to observing wacky (and beautiful) wall sculptures by Ludovica Gioscia, and even taking advantage of a few photo-ops, this Scholars’ field trip was a memorable one that allowed both current and upperclassmen scholars to bond while introducing many of us to the bold and bright world of modern art.

Thanksgiving Dinner

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Thanksgiving dinner is a beloved tradition at Chatham. The week before “real” Thanksgiving, students, faculty, and staff gather together for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey, stuffing, lots of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and as many pieces of pumpkin pie as you can eat. For vegetarians, there is spaghetti squash and vegetarian stuffing. Yum-o! Different groups form tables including the Swim Team, the Soccer Team, Student Affairs, and of course, three tables for Chatham Scholars! President Esther Barazzone hosted the Academic Affairs table which included students Jasmine Davis (see photo, President of Chatham Student Government and Chatham Scholar) and Abigael Brennan (President of the First Year Class and Chatham Scholar). This is an opportunity for the students to come together as a community and to connect informally in a relaxed and festive setting. The photos were taken by Dr. Lenz, Professor of English and Director of the Scholars Program, and Senior Scholar Tierney Manning, who will be graduating with a degree in Environmental Science in May 2010.

Sefi Atta: Year of Africa All Campus Author

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Sefi Atta, award winning Nigerian author, gave a reading to the Chatham community in the Welker room on November 5th. She was very down to earth beginning by telling the audience how long the walk was to the podium and that her trousers were falling down. Then Sefi Atta proceeded to read excerpts from her novel, Everything Good will Come. I thoroughly enjoyed the passages about her Nigerian character, and also her personal anecdotes. I was fascinated that she did not necessarily have an agenda and did not intend to send a message. “That is a prophet’s job,” Atta said. This is surprising considering the  issues which she confronts in her work, such as conflict between different cultures, Muslim women, and feminism. Instead of “preaching,” she finds herself writing about issues that she herself wants to discover. For example, being raised in a multi-religious family, she is tolerant, yet confused by religion. Through writing about characters who feel similarly, she hopes to gain some sort of understanding. Although Atta misses the regular paycheck and respect of having a “normal” job, we, at Chatham, are thankful that she quit her Accounting job in order to turn her daydreams into beautiful and eye opening stories.

Welcome Back First Year Mentor Program

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In the blink of an eye, summer is gone, and it is three weeks in to school. While the break was an appreciated and well-needed opportunity to relax with friends from home and work, and actually get paid for the work I did (because face it, we need all the help we can get with those school loans), I was not disappointed to be back. I was excited to return to the faces and places I learned to love last year, particularly from the scholars program. Last year the scholars program allowed me to have classes with other people who wanted to learn just as much as I did. It provided me with the opportunity to see Marjane Satrapi and try food I never would have tried in my lifetime at Aladdin’s.

With a school as small as Chatham and a program as intimate as the scholars program, it is easy to get to know everyone in your year. However, the boundaries between classes seemed a visible barrier. This year, the scholars are breaking down that wall. The First Year Scholars Mentor Program began this year. Upperclassmen mentors were matched with their first-year mentees allowing for a mixing of the classes. This provided an opportunity for even more unity within the scholars program.

Personally, it gives me the opportunity to share my experiences (and yes my mistakes) and really the opportunity to create lifelong friendships. My “mentee,” Shelly, and I like to just have coffee and chat on Tuesdays. Having a mentor takes some of the confusion and worrying out of the first year and it creates time to relax and blow off steam. On Sunday the 20th of September, we are having the scholars’ ice cream social which is another great opportunity to make friends, create unity – and let’s be honest – who can resist ice cream!