Alicia Pakusch a “Tremendous Asset” to Two Divisions
By Amanda Harrison ’12
Editor’s Note: This is the sixth of six profiles of nominees for the 2012 Student Employee of the Year award that will be presented at the Annual Student Employment Awards Luncheon April 16.
Alicia Pakusch, a senior adolescent education major, has received numerous awards and recognitions during her four years at Keuka.
Now, she’s being nominated for another: Student Employee of the Year.
Pakusch, who works for the education and social work divisions, was nominated for the award by her supervisor, Paulette Willemsen, secretary in the education division.
According to Willemsen, Pakusch is “a tremendous asset to the education and social work divisons,” and said she is “dependable, reliable, hard-working, and [comes] to work on time and with a positive attitude. She has excellent communication skills, is extremely organized, reliable, and computer literate.” (more…)
Fort Drum Delivery an “Eye-Opening” Experience
College Chaplain Rev. Eric Detar had mixed emotions when the last of the College’s three shipments to the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) in Afghanistan was “returned to sender.”
“I was disappointed that our Keuka College t-shirts and various supplies didn’t get to the soldiers but on the other hand, ‘return to sender’ meant that they had returned home and I was happy for them,” said Detar.
Detar’s emotions turned to all-out joy when he, Resident Director Tim White and three students presented the t-shirts to their adopted platoon in person at Fort Drum Nov. 18.
“We were invited to attend the CAB’s uncasing ceremony,” said Detar, who was accompanied by Samantha Chesnut, a freshman sociology major from Mexico, N.Y.; Kathryrn Drueschler, a freshman childhood education major from East Aurora; and Amanda Collins, a sophomore early childhoodASL major from Manchester, Conn.
When CAB deployed to Afghanistan two years ago, its colors were cased—taken down, rolled up, and placed into a protective case. Upon its return to Fort Drum, where it is part of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division, the colors were uncased, unfurled, and flown.
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Wall of Hate Meant to Empower
Members of the Peace Club include, from left to right: Amanda Johnson, Stephen Funk, Caitlin Metz, Devin Filipiak, Deanna Metzger, Tyler Kroon, and Holly Nodzo.
On the surface it seems ironic that Keuka College’s Peace Club would construct a Wall of Hate.
However, it makes perfect sense when the goal is to “empower each other to create a more positive environment in which all us can live, work and learn,” said Chevanne DeVaney, director of multicultural affairs.
By highlighting words, symbols, and phrases that people use to hurt, devalue, and dehumanize others, club members hoped to inspire others to get involved in taking action against hate, discrimination, and oppression.
Members of the campus community were invited to “contribute” to the 6 by 8-foot wall, which was erected in the Phillips Lunge of the Dahlstrom Student Center, beginning Dec. 5 and then return Dec. 9 to watch it be dismantled.
“We acknowledged that many found the words, images and symbols that appeared on the wall offensive, but that is exactly the point of the project,” said DeVaney. “Through construction of this display, the Peace Club wishes the community to understand the impact of these behaviors on the individual and on the community.”
Waye to Go!
Joanne Drewno '88 (l) and Kathy Waye, executive director of alumni and family relations.
Executive Director of Alumni and Family Relations Kathy Waye was one of six area residents to receive the Rotary Club of Penn Yan’s Service Above Self award.
Waye and the other recipients, including 1988 Keuka graduate Joanne Drewno of Keuka Comfort Care Home, were honored at a dinner Oct. 25 at the Dresden Hotel.
Keuka College Rotaract Club members Steve Stout (l) and Janelle Davidson (far right) flank award winner Kathy Waye and her daughter, Keuka senior Allie Waye-Walker.
The award “celebrates those who excel at serving others and aspire to high ethical standards.” Those honored make “outstanding” contributions on the job and are “valuable members of the community.”
The other recipients of the first annual award were Kelly Smith (Community Bank N.A.), Sandy Mashewske (Silgan Plastics), Michele Swarthout (Lyons National Bank), and Lisa Conley (5-Star Bank).
I (Heart) Me Club Debuts at Keuka
You don’t have to be a beauty queen to believe in yourself and your dreams.
Nguyen models a dress for Keuka's spring fashion show, sponsored by BAKU (Bearers of Ancient Kultures United)
That’s what Ngoc “Ruby” Nguyen, 21, of Hanoi, Vietnam believes. In her home country, Nguyen has modeled fashions for online magazines. She was also a student at Keuka’s partner school, the International School – Vietnam National University, Hanoi, choosing to study in Keuka Park about a year ago. Her modeling skills served her well last spring as coordinator of Keuka’s annual multicultural fashion show, sponsored by BAKU (Bearers of Ancient Kultures United). Yet while she certainly loves beautiful clothes, shoes and accessories, Nguyen says she is about much more than shiny hair, perfect skin or a fan club following.
That’s why she helped form the “I (Heart)* Me” Club at Keuka early this year. So far, some 34 people, including one man, have attended meetings where Nguyen and other members work together to build self-confidence, self-esteem and a positive mental image. Indeed, “Embrace Self-Esteem” is the motto for the club.
“So many girls don’t think they are beautiful. They have problems with image: not pretty enough, not thin enough, not good skin, not good hair,” she explains. “I think the media says, ‘You’re not good enough. You have to use this product or something to be beautiful.’ Why put yourself under such pressure?”
Nguyen says each meeting has a dual focus: tips on outer beauty are a part, yes, but a connection is always made to inner beauty, self-confidence and strength of character. (more…)
SIFE Team Again in Top 10% Nationwide
After delivering a 24-minute multimedia presentation – from memory – to the business executives judging a national competition, sweating it out in the corporate boardroom won’t be nearly so intimidating to Keuka College students.
Good thing too, because a number of corporate recruiters were paying close attention this past week as members of Keuka’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team returned to Minneapolis, Minn., to compete for the title in SIFE’s two-day national competition, which runs concurrent with a job and career fair. Despite the pressure, Keuka’s team finished third of eight teams in its league, one of 20 leagues competing for recognition in professional presentation skills as well as success achieved operating in-depth community projects.
SIFE is an international, non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. There are 1,500 SIFE teams in 40 countries. Participating students form teams on their campuses and apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.
In Minnesota, Keuka team members showcased the range of projects they completed during the 2010-11 academic year. Highlighted projects included a program to help the campus “go green,” a canned goods drive for a local food pantry, a game show curriculum to teach elementary kids financial skills, and donor marketing for the Finger Lakes Natural History and Cultural Museum Project, a local non-profit museum in development, to be built five miles from campus.
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Mazella Finds Purpose from Field Period
Editor’s Note: This is the ninth in a 10-part series on the 2011 Experiential Learner of the Year Award nominees. Nominees for the upperclass and freshman awards will be honored at a luncheon May 6; the winners will be revealed at Honors Convocation May 7.
The Keuka Field Period often confirms a student’s choice of major and future career. But sometimes, the opportunity to garner hands-on experience in a particular field can send a student in a different direction.
Four years ago, Chris Mazella was enrolled in the organizational communication program and hoped to try his hand at journalism. But a struggle to find an internship with a newspaper led him instead to his high school, where a former teacher suggested he observe how communication plays into teaching. After observing her 9th grade social studies classes for a couple weeks, Mazella asked if he could try teaching a lesson himself. Not only did Mazella enjoy it, but his supervising teacher told him he was a natural and could do well in the classroom.
Back on campus, Teri Spoor, who manages the IKON print shop at Keuka and supervised Mazella for four years as a work-study employee, remembers well the difference she noticed.
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On-Campus or Off, Spina Shines
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a 10-part series on the 2011 Experiential Learner of the Year Award nominees. Nominees for the upperclass and freshman awards will be honored at a luncheon May 6; the winners will be revealed at Honors Convocation May 7.
As the winner of the High School Experiential Learner of the Year fellowship, Francesca Spina of Rochester came into her freshman year of college with some background experience in hands-on learning.
According to multiple staff and faculty who work with her, Spina’s dedication to excellence has shown both in and out of the classroom. Spina has garnered praise for her enthusiasm, friendliness, maturity and natural leadership qualities, and has already been nominated for future leadership positions next year, including a writing tutor in the Academic Success at Keuka (ASK) office, and a new student orientation mentor to first-year students.
Spina conducted her January Field Period at Child Time Learning Center of Rochester, working with each age level from infants to toddlers to three- and four-year-olds, and even an afternoon with school-age children when bad weather forced schools to close. Spina, an adolescent social studies and special education major, impressed supervisor Wendy Dettmer such that Dettmer asked her to return for a summer job.
Young Builds Bridges With Youngsters
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a 10-part series on the 2011 Experiential Learner of the Year Award nominees. Nominees for the upperclass and freshman awards will be honored at a luncheon May 6; the winners will be revealed at Honors Convocation May 7.
Given the impact her former grade-school teacher had on steering her toward a career in education, it may come as no surprise that Keuka freshman Colleen Young sought out that same teacher as a prospective supervisor for her first Field Period.
Indeed, fourth-grade teacher Deb Catalano of Northside Elementary School in Fairport was happy to welcome Young back to the classroom. This enabled the unified childhood education major, also a Fairport resident, to get a taste of life leading a classroom, not just sitting behind a desk.
According to Young, the hands-on experience helped her see how much work goes in behind the scenes to prepare for daily lessons.
Bouncin’ for an Easter Basket
With giggles and cheers, 15 boys and girls from the Dundee Head Start program delighted in the delivery of Easter Baskets from Keuka students today (April 15).
No bunny was necessary as senior Jennifer Bush and junior Jessica VanDerPoel accompanied Valerie Webster from Keuka’s Center for Experiential Learning to bring each child an individual basket plus deliver two giant baskets of goodies for the whole class to share. Other students serving in Keuka’s Community Service Resource Center had delivered similar Easter baskets to the Penn Yan Head Start program Thursday afternoon.
Each spring, students, faculty and staff donate a variety of candy, toys, books, and other goodies to be made into Easter baskets for each student in the Head Start classes.
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