PO Box 6000 Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
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HEADLINES
>>Record number--3,351 students--to receive degrees in Sunday Commencement
>>Grant to enhance Korean studies program
>>Four to receive honorary degrees at Binghamton University Commencement
>>Meet some of the class of 2003
>>Mother-daughter duos make Commencement a family affair
>>Busy graduates made the most of their college experience
>>SOM announces case competition winners
>>Inventive Binghamton faculty recognized
>>Ahh spring...
>>Call to war--Service means time in Kuwait, Iraq
>>Heat, sand and poverty part of experiences in Iraq
>>Winning golf coach's retirement marks end of era
>>Best and brightest honored at annual sports banquet
>>Tilting at Windmills--Teaching Don Quixote is Fajardo's personal quest |
Commencement SCHEDULE
Recognition ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 17, as follows:
School of Education and Human Development
Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 9 a.m., East Gym, graduates, families and guests
Harpur College of Arts and Sciences Division of Humanities, 9:30 a.m., West Gym, graduates, families and guests
Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 10 a.m., Anderson Center Concert Theater, graduates, families and guests
Harpur College Division of Science and Mathematics, noon, West Gym, graduates, families and guests
School of Management Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 1 p.m. (reception), 2 p.m. (ceremony), East Gym, graduates, families and guests
Decker School of Nursing Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 2 p.m., Anderson Center Concert Theater, graduates, families and guests
Harpur College Division of Social Sciences, 2:30 p.m., West Gym, graduates, families and guests
Educational Opportunity Program Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 4 p.m., Watters Theater, graduates, families and guests
College-in-the-Woods Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 4:30 p.m., CIW Dining Hall, graduates, families and guests
Dickinson Community Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 4:30 p.m., Dickinson Dining Hall, graduates, families and guests
Hillside Community Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 4:30 p.m., Hillside Commons, graduates, families and guests
Hinman College Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 4:30 p.m., Susquehanna Room, graduates, families and guests
Newing College Recognition Ceremony and Reception, 4:30 p.m., Newing Dining Hall, graduates, families and guests
Susquehanna Community Reception, 4:30 p.m., Susquehanna Coffeehouse, Graduates, families and guests
Commencement ceremonies will be held Sunday, May 18, at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena:
Harpur College of Arts and Sciences, 9 a.m.
Graduate and professional schools, 12:30 p.m.
For more, visit www.binghamton.edu.
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Distinguished Dissertation
Award winners announced
The winners of the Distinguished Dissertation Awards for 2003 are:
Humanities
Tony Medina, Department of English
My Old Man Was Always On The Lam
Principal Dissertation Supervisor: Maria Mazziotti Gillan
Social Sciences, Management, Education and Nursing
Risa L. Faussette, Department of History
Race, Migration, and Port City Radicalism: New York’s Black Longshoremen and the Politics of Maritime Protest 1900-1920
Principal Dissertation Supervisor: Tiffany Patterson
Laurie E. Miroff, Department of Anthropology
Building A Village One Household At A Time: Patterning At The Thomas/Luckey Site, New York
Principal Dissertation Supervisor: Albert Dekin Jr.
Engineering and Applied Science
Dmitry V. Ponomarev, Department of Computer Science
Dynamic Optimizations of Superscalar Processors for Energy Efficiency
Principal Dissertation Supervisor: Kanad Ghose
Science and Mathematics
David M. Sarno, Department of Chemistry
Molecular Design of Ordered Transition Metal Thin Film Interfaces by Coordination Chemistry and Self-Assembly
Principal Dissertation Supervisor: Wayne Jones
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Published weekly during the academic year by the Office of Communications and Marketing.
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Approximately 3,351 students will receive bachelor’s (2,587), master’s (681) and doctoral degrees (83) at Commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 18. The graduates are as diverse as their interests, but each has a special story of achievment. We can’t tell them all, but we have asked nine students to share their stories here as a way of appreciating the breadth and depth of the Class of 2003. The profiles were written by Katie Ellis, Gail Glover and Susanne Thiel. Photography by Evangelos Dousmanis.
Student Speakers:
>>Duker will speak at Harpur ceremony
>>Finance major to speak to professional schools
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PROFILES:
>>Harpur college of Arts & Sciences |
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>>School of Education and Human Development |
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>>Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science |
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>>School of Management |
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>>Decker School of Nursing |
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>> Commencement 2003 |
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Harpur College of Arts and Sciences
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Student celebrates both Italian and American heritage
Name: Josephine Cetta
Degree: BA in Italian and Spanish
Plans: Teach English to high school students in Verona, Italy; pursue graduate studies in education
Josephine Cetta considers herself an all-American girl, but there’s a part of her heart that belongs to her Italian heritage. And with career plans that involve teaching in the United States and Italy, Cetta is hoping she can share her love of both cultures in the classroom.
The daughter of Italian immigrants, Cetta grew up in Deer Park, but spent summer vacations working on her grandparents’ farm in Avellino, Italy. Being part of two very rich but different cultures has urged Cetta to act as a sort of ambassador for each, sharing her linguistic skills and cultural experiences on both sides of the globe.
It began in high school when she tutored the neighborhood kids in math, Italian and Spanish. When she came to Binghamton University, she continued her efforts, leading discussion groups and volunteering as a language resources specialist with the Languages Across the Curriculum (LxC) program.
“As Americans, I think it is so important we understand other people’s cultures,” said Cetta. “Each person has an identity, and being aware of our differences allows us to be more accepting of one other.”
At BU, Cetta expanded her passion for teaching and sharing by serving as an assistant teacher and leader of the Italian Table, a weekly conversation group. She participated in study abroad, spending two semesters at Trento University in Italy. She also founded an Italian Club, serving as its first president. The group meets regularly to learn and talk about Italian culture while practicing speaking skills.
“I felt that there was something missing on this campus that perhaps a social group might fill,” said Cetta. “Starting the club was just something I felt I had to do, and it has been very successful. It has allowed people with a common interest to get together and share ideas. And in some respects, it will be my gift to the campus.”
For Cetta, the catalyst for her accomplishments has been the support of the staff and faculty in the Romance Languages Department. “They have made my whole BU experience,” said Cetta. “They have helped me realize who I am and, more importantly, accept who I am. Although I’m of Italian descent, I consider myself 100 percent American.”
Cetta’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. She received the University Student Excellence Award and the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. She was also inducted to Phi Sigma Iota’s International Honor Society and Phi Beta Kappa, where she was recognized for outstanding academic achievement.
But for Dana Stewart, associate professor of romance languages and literature, Josephine’s generosity and leadership abilities made her stand out from the crowd.
“Josephine has worked tirelessly and successfully to enhance the learning experience of her fellow students at Binghamton University,” said Stewart. “Through her outstanding enthusiasm, initiative and leadership, she has enriched the academic experience of her fellow students, both in and out of the classroom, more than any other undergraduate I know. She exhibits the qualities of a true leader by knowing when she needs to serve as a more active presence and also understanding when it is appropriate to stand back and let others be at the center of activity.”
“I’ve learned so much at BU,” said Cetta. “It was my first and only choice and has hit all the right spots for me — both academically and personally. From the hills surrounding the campus that remind me so much of Italy to all the people I’ve come to know, I can only say ‘Grazie per queste esperienze!’ (Thanks for these experiences).”
 Bridges program opens new horizons for student
Name: Robert Quispe
Degree: BS in biology
Plans: Post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Rochester, additional graduate studies to follow.
Robert Quispe’s college years have been a period of discovery — not only in the classroom, but also on a cultural level.
Born in Bolivia, Quispe and his family immigrated to the United States in 1994. At 13, he took to America like a duck to water. He quickly learned to speak English and threw himself into his studies. By the time he reached high school, a career in medicine seemed to be in the cards. But after a summer studying on the Binghamton campus as part of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, his focus changed.
“Bridges opened my eyes to research,” said Quispe. “I worked with Professor Kathleen Horwath on antifreeze proteins and I was hooked. The program gave me the experience I was looking for and allowed me to find my true calling.”
Transferring from Westchester Community College, Quispe made the adjustment from the two-year college environment to BU’s upper-level science courses with flying colors. Don Blake, associate dean of Harpur College and Bridges program director, noted: “Most transfer students suffer some transfer shock and on average this appears in lower grades. Not so with Robert. His work ethic is superb.”
Quispe’s interest in research blossomed. Armed with a strong sense of resourcefulness and commitment to science, he applied for and participated in a summer 2002 research program at Brown University’s medical school. “BU encouraged my spirit of pursuing the unknown,” said Quispe. “There are still so many things out there that we don’t know the answers to. But the more complicated the questions, the more I like it, which is why I find research and science so interesting — I get to figure things out.”
But discovering his love for research wasn’t the only thing Quispe found on the BU campus. “BU is such a diverse campus that it allowed me to meet people from all over the world,” said Quispe. “And these interactions have given me an appreciation and the opportunity to learn about other cultures.”
It also spurred Quispe to rediscover his own heritage — a heritage he hadn’t given much thought to since coming to America. “My grandmother and my family back in Bolivia are all part of a culture known as Aymara,” said Quispe. “Since being in America, I have kind of lost touch with it all. But being here at BU and going through this self-discovery phase, I have a renewed interest in where I come from and the great tradition I am part of.”
The next phase of Quispe’s journey to discovery will be to pursue post-baccalaureate studies at the University of Rochester, with additional graduate work to follow. For Don Blake, Quispe’s quiet, unassuming personality and ready smile will be sorely missed. “This is a guy who cooks pizza at the Dickinson dining hall to help pay for his education,” said Blake. “He studies to learn, is very intelligent, and embodies all the qualities that I admire in students. He will earn a PhD and he will teach and do outstanding research. You can bet on it!”
In his reserved style, Quispe merely says, “I want to use my skills to discover something that will impact society. I just want to make a difference.”
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Overachieving comes naturally
for political science major
Name: Matthew Tubin
Degree: BA in political science and economics
Plans: Attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall to pursue his PhD
He may have been called “Dad” by fellow students who couldn’t understand why he wanted them to quiet down so he could study, but Matthew Tubin already has a string of accomplishments that reflect his academic prowess.
Honored this year with the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, Tubin has shown a thirst to learn that would be difficult to match, according to Robert Ostergard, associate director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies and assistant professor of political science and Africana studies. “He was never satisfied with where he was intellectually. He came to me looking for reading lists and suggestions for books and articles. I kept telling him that he was like a virus that wouldn’t go away.”
“I was always fascinated with politics,” said Tubin. “I was reading Karl Marx in the eighth grade. Some people have called it an obsession.”
Tubin led a research team that helped Ostergard put together a million-dollar HIV/AIDS prevention program for a group in rural Uganda and served as the lead teaching assistant for Ostergard’s 500-student terrorism course last spring. He is co-author of two professional publications and has presented research at one regional and one major international conference.
Tubin says it has all been an incredible learning experience. “I learned more doing these projects than in any class I ever took,” he said. His only problem? “It’s sometimes kind of hard to squeeze everything into a day.”
Tubin was asked to complete an honors thesis by both the political science and economics departments, but chose to complete one in political science. He will work with Ostergard again this summer, adapting the thesis into a book.
“It’s about a new theory on international industrial-political competition,” he said. “Basically, it says that if you have an economic dispute between governments, one country can leverage its position by fostering political competition between industries.”
Throughout his time at Binghamton, Tubin has also given back, says Ostergard. “He’s never stopped trying to improve himself at a personal and professional level, and even more remarkable is that, given all that he has achieved for himself, he has given back to others,” he said.
“I’ve seen him spend time with friends and even students he doesn’t know to help them through hard times they are having in courses, to give them a hand with their research or to even just listen sometimes. His heart is in the right place — honest and straightforward, while compassionate when needed.”
Tubin will attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall to pursue his doctorate in political science. He’s been awarded the William Penn Fellowship, which guarantees him four years of full funding. After he’s completed his studies, his goal is two-fold.
“I want to be in the classroom, and do serious research,” he said. “The relationship between business and government is my research interest, but I can take that anywhere. The idea of being an educator — that can happen in a corporate board room, a situation room in the White House or in a classroom.”
 Music, a dream that just
wouldn’t go away
Name: Judy Yan Zhu ’01
Degree: BA in music
Plans: Graduate studies in music at Binghamton University next fall
Judy Zhu has always loved music. So much so that, beginning at age seven, she taught herself how to play on a borrowed piano at her school in Beijing. Within a few years her parents had acquired a piano at home and she was taking formal music lessons, but her parents did not encourage her to think of music as a potential career. Still, she said, “I dreamed about it, a career — but I never thought it could come true.”
Upon graduation from high school, Zhu entered Peking University to major in informational science.
“In China there are very, very few music schools to apply to — and it’s very expensive,” she said. Zhu met her husband, Jiaping Wang, in a class at the university. The couple moved to Binghamton four years ago to continue their studies: Zhu to pursue her master’s degree in anthropology (her father is a professor of anthropology in Beijing), and Wang to complete his bachelor’s degree in computer science and math. The couple worked part-time jobs to help pay for their education and living expenses.
Zhu and her husband soon faced a difficult choice. Zhu enjoyed her studies, and a career in anthropology would please her family — but something was missing.
“I had to make the decision for myself,” she said, “whether to graduate soon and start earning money, or just dedicate myself to music, where my heart really is. I thought to myself a thousand times: I should do what I really love. I may not make as much money, but I will feel very happy and satisfied.”
After receiving her master’s degree in 2001, Zhu re-enrolled at Binghamton — as an undergraduate this time, majoring in music. She worked hard to fulfill the course requirements and practiced diligently. Faculty members, including adjunct professor Michael Salmirs, encouraged and inspired her. She won a Samuel Reiser Scholarship, endowed by Paul Reiser ’77 for music students of academic merit and financial need.
“Having set the highest standards for herself, Judy has continued to achieve them, developing her wonderful innate talent and making her dreams a reality,” Salmirs said. “Throughout her musical studies Judy has also maintained a commitment to academic excellence. While finishing a graduate degree in anthropology, she practiced five to six hours daily. Her achievements and integrity serve as a model and an inspiration to others to follow their dreams.”
“Judy is an excellent student, but shy,” said Colleen Reardon, associate professor of music. “And then you see her play the piano! From this quiet little body comes such power and expression.”
Next week, Zhu will receive her bachelor’s degree in music from Binghamton University, having maintained a 3.97 GPA. But the dream isn’t over yet — she will begin her graduate studies here next fall, working as a teaching assistant to cover her tuition. Her goal is to earn a PhD and teach piano at a university or music institute while performing professionally.
“I have really enjoyed my time here,” said Zhu. “Binghamton has given me the opportunity to study what I really love.”
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 Duker will speak at
Harpur ceremony
Ariella Duker, an art history major with a 3.9 GPA, will speak at the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences Commencement at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 18.
From Teaneck, N.J., Duker is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and Golden Key honor societies and a Phi Beta Kappa scholar who worked as a teaching assistant in Yiddish language classes for the Department of Judaic Studies.
While excelling academically, Duker also found time to balance her coursework as a member of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority, where she held several leadership roles. Sigma Delta Tau supports national efforts to prevent child abuse, and locally has been involved in fundraisers to aid breast cancer research.
Last summer, Duker attended the Fashion Institute of Technology summer course, “Fashion Styling in Italy,” as one of only three non-FIT students selected to participate. She hopes to work in the fashion industry following graduation. |
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 Finance major to speak to professional schools
James Mack, a finance major from Walton, will address graduates from the University’s professional schools and the Graduate School at the afternoon commencement ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18.
Mack served as a teaching assistant for both introductory and senior-level corporate finance courses and worked for Merrill Lynch last summer in its global markets and investment banking office.
A member of the international business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, Mack also served as chapter president for a year and helped move the local chapter’s national ranking from 60th to 14th.
Mack worked on the re-election campaign for Sen. Thomas Libous last year and is vice president of landlord relations and business development for www.buoffcampus.com, a company that sells business solutions to landlords.
Mack has accepted a position in marketing for Bloomberg, LLP and will begin his new duties at the end of June.
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