News briefs and announcements
Richmond Quest seeks proposals
The Richmond Quest invites innovative proposals for new and revised courses, student research, guest speakers and special events as well as other curricular and professional development projects that respond to the new Quest V theme: “How is it connected?,” which begins in fall 2007. For further information and application forms please go to the Richmond Quest Web site at quest.richmond.edu.
Since its inception, the Richmond Quest has inspired and supported the creation of more than 70 new and revised courses, more than 130 special events and more than 100 independent student research projects.
Two students win Projects for Peace funding
Two international students each will receive $10,000 grants from 100 Projects for Peace. Students from 76 universities submitted ideas for grassroots projects to be implemented in their home countries during the summer of 2007. The 100 projects judged to be the most promising were funded. The objective is “to encourage and support today’s motivated youth to create and try out their own ideas for building peace in the 21st century,” according to project officials.
Dereje Gudeta, ’09, a business major, won for his project addressing the conflict between Muslims and Christians in the city of Kemissie in his home country of Ethiopia. Agatha Mushi, ’09, an economics major, won for her project to work with Good Hope Trust to construct a facility for HIV/AIDS counseling and education in the village of Kibosho in her home country of Tanzania.
Eight students to conduct advanced research in biology-chemistry program
With support from a prestigious grant by the Merck Institute for Science Education and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), eight University students have been selected as the first group of Richmond students to participate in advanced research projects led by paired biology and chemistry faculty. The projects range from an analysis of genes important in the development of the eye to studies of the impact of expected temperature increases in the Chesapeake Bay.
The $60,000 grant will fund four joint research projects over the next three years. A total of 24 students—half supported by the University—will work on the projects, dividing their time between labs in the two departments to become equally familiar with the techniques of both.
The grant program was created by Merck/AAAS to foster interaction between the two departments and to encourage students to pursue graduate education in chemistry and the life sciences. It is the third such grant that has been awarded to University of Richmond.
The following faculty members and students will be participating in the program this summer:
Team 1: Natural Product Chemistry of Sponge: Microbial Symbioses
Faculty members: Jonathan Dattelbaum (chemistry) and Malcolm Hill (biology)
Students: Bryan Der, ’08, biochemistry-molecular biology major, Colonial Heights, Va.; Giles Thomson, ’09, biology major/ anthropology minor, Danville, Va.
Team 2: Disrupting Kinesin—Cargo Interaction
Faculty members: Carol Parish (chemistry) and Joe Ginhardt (biology)
Students: Jeffrey Emrich, ’08, chemistry major, Voorhees, N.J.; Shana Middelton, ’08, chemistry and criminal justice major, York, Pa.
Team 3: Binding Interactions of Conserved Transcription Factors
Faculty members: Lisa Gentile (chemistry) and April Hill (biology)
Students: Max Bloom, ’08, political science major, Raleigh, N.C.; Brandon Cieniewicz, ’09, biology major, Durham, Conn.
Team 4: Ultrastructural, Bioinformatic and Proteomic Approaches to Biomineralization
Faculty members: Ellis Bell (chemistry) and Roni Kingsley (biology)
Students: Hilbert Billones, ’09, biochemistry-molecular biology and math major, Philippines; Sayed Abdi, ’09, biochemistry-molecular biology major, Arlington, Va.
Richmond businessman honored
An alumnus and Richmond entrepreneur was named Business Leader of the Year at the Beta Gamma Sigma induction ceremony and honors convocation April 17. Beta Gamma Sigma is a business honor society.
Jim Brady, R ’85, president of Payerpath, A Misys Company, was honored at the ceremony. Brady founded Payerpath, a health information services company, in 1998. The company uses the Internet to electronically file medical insurance claims, providing quicker processing and improved cash flow for hospitals and physician practices. Brady is active with the Robins School of Business as a member of the Executive Advisory Council for the Dean and the Advisory Board of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
University Dancers performs with band Rattlemouth
University Dancers perform at festival gala
University Dancers, under the direction of Myra Daleng, director of dance, performed in an adjudicated concert at the Mid-Atlantic Region American College Dance Festival at Radford University in March. Of 20 universities and 35 pieces of choreography, Richmond’s group was one of 10 chosen to perform at the Saturday night gala. They performed “Boxed” by guest choreographer Robert Battle. Daleng served as rehearsal director for the work. University Dancers was the only group of non-majors in the gala program. The professional adjudicators called Richmond’s dancers “strong, relentless and spectacular” and “vibrant ensemble dancers.”
USAC elects officers
The University Staff Advisory Council has elected Kerri Chapman as chair for 2007–08. Chapman is Banner trainer/ process analyst in Information Services. Elected vice chair was Eric Beatty, an officer with University Police. The University of Richmond’s Strategic Plan, launched in May 2000, called for the creation of a staff advisory council to serve as a representative voice for staff members throughout the University. To make a suggestion to USAC, go to oncampus.richmond.edu/staff/usac/request/request.html.
Cannaday speaks at leadership breakfast
Dr. Billy Cannaday, state superintendent of public instruction, spoke at the Chesterfield County Issues in Leadership breakfast April 3. This was the final breakfast in the 2006–07 series, sponsored by the Jepson School of Leadership Studies’ Center for Leadership in Education. Cannaday spoke on “Leadership at the Top: First Year Summary.” Cannaday is the former superintendent of schools for Chesterfield County who became state superintendent a year ago.
Music student wins international competition
Heather Stebbins, ’09, a music major from Baltimore, has won the Ellen Taaffe Zwillich Prize for a composition she wrote and entered in a search for new music. The competition was sponsored by the International Alliance for Women in Music.
Stebbins wrote “Confessions, Reactions,” a piece for chamber ensemble in the general “art music” style. She said the instrumentation is “that of the new music ensemble eighth blackbird, consisting of violin, cello, flute, clarinet, piano and percussion.” Stebbins spent about a month writing and refining the composition.
Student speakers selected
Three seniors will speak at events related to commencement 2007. Diana Naidoo of Edison, N.J. will speak at the candlelight ceremony; Jessica Scrimale of Warners, N.Y., will speak at baccalaureate; and Sean Hudock of Old Greenwich, Conn., will speak at commencement.
Naidoo is a biology and journalism major who has served as a resident assistant and head resident assistant as well as an assistant for the Jepson Leadership Forum. Scrimale is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and is double majoring in leadership studies and rhetoric and communication studies. Hudock is a theatre major who has won four “Excellence in Acting in a Leading Role” awards. He is vice president of University Players and a member of Alpha Psi Omega dramatic honor society and Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society.
A Richmond student reads to a Northside child during the campus-community fair
Build It holds community fair
More than 100 University volunteers and 300 people from the Northside community of Highland Park participated in a campus-community fair March 31 at Hotchkiss Community Center. In addition to food and children’s games, vendors provided information on health and wellness, taxes and other topics for adults. The event was sponsored by Build It, the University’s largest community engagement initiative designed to connect students, staff and faculty to each other and the residents of metropolitan Richmond through service, education and other community involvement. Build It participants develop and implement collaborative projects that address pressing needs in at-risk neighborhoods in the greater Richmond area.
Award named for, presented to senior
The Department of Rhetoric and Communications Studies has created the Brittany Robertson Loyalty Award, to be presented to a student who has demonstrated outstanding service, commitment and dedication to the Speech Center. Robertson, ’07, received the first award.
Relay for Life raises $40,000
Thirty-nine teams from the University raised approximately $40,000 for the American Cancer Society during a Relay for Life event April 14. Lindsay Rowen, ’07, said the event was held at Sportsbacker’s Stadium in Richmond. Teams circled the track and held a ceremony that included lighting of luminarias to honor cancer survivors. The relay was part of a nationwide effort sponsored by the society. Jessica Nitsche, ’08, led an all-student committee that planned the event and raised the money.