New Page 2

Frances Richey, a highly acclaimed poet and mother of an Iraq war veteran, will read from her latest work during an appearance at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, in the Thomas Merton Center on the St. Bonaventure University campus.

Richey will read from her latest book of verse, “The Warrior: A Mother’s Story of a Son at War.” The event, co-sponsored by St. Bonaventure’s Department of Political Science, Franciscan Center for Social Concern and the Olean Public Library, is free and open to the public. It will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

Richey’s book “The Warrior” is a powerful memoir in narrative verse of a mother struggling with the reality of her son at war in Iraq. After raising her son Ben as a single mother, Richey watched from home as he went for two tours of duty in Iraq as a Green Beret — on missions so secret he often had to remain incommunicado from everyone, including her.

The book is an urgent exploration of the daily feelings a mother endures while her child is away at war, as she says goodbye to him, misses him and prays for him.

It also addresses a family’s struggle to overcome ideological differences in the face of a greater cause – for although Richey does not support the war in Iraq, she knows she must accept the choices her son has made.

A two-page spread in last November’s issue of “O, the Oprah Magazine,” was devoted to poems from “The Warrior,” and Richey’s work was published in the Lives column of The New York Times Magazine and Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times column on Iraq War poetry, where he said, “more than 500 poems poured in, and the one that moved me most was from Frances Richey of New York.”

Richey grew up in Charleston, W.Va., and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. After working in business world for almost two decades, she left to teach yoga and write. She is the author of one previous collection of poetry, “The Burning Point,” which won the White Pine Press Poetry Prize in 2004. She lives in New York City.

The author will sign copies of her book the same evening as her presentation. It is also currently available at the SBU Bookstore.

This event is made possible with funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. For further information, call Thomas Krampf at the Olean Public Library, (716) 372-0200, or Mary Rose Kubal, Department of Political Science, St. Bonaventure University, (716) 375-2271.

Human rights, social justice and health issues have emerged from the shadows in the media, classroom and political world over the last 30 years.

In keeping with its Franciscan traditions, St. Bonaventure University will host “Health, Human Rights and Social Justice in Latin America: A Case Study in Peru” with Harvard University instructor and fellow Alicia Ely Yamin.

The lecture, sponsored by the University’s new international studies major, will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 at The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

“Last year (we) brought to campus an FBI expert on international terrorism and I wanted to bring another speaker this year who would focus on another aspect of the world’s problems,” said Dr. Joel Horowitz, director of the new international studies program and Yamin’s professor at Harvard in the 1980s.

“I almost immediately thought of Alicia and her long record in fighting for human rights. By looking at different problems that the world faces, we hope to focus the University’s attention on growing globalization. Whether that globalization is good or bad, we are unlikely to escape its impacts.

Yamin is the Joseph H. Flom Fellow on Global Health and Human Rights at Harvard Law School and an instructor at the Harvard School of Public Health. She plans to discuss the proliferation of rights-based approaches to development and health.

Only 15 years ago, human rights were seen as largely separate from, if not irrelevant, to development and health programs. More recently, rights-based approaches have begun to emerge at different local and international levels. Yamin will discuss what bringing human rights to bear on development and health programs meant during her work on safe motherhood in Peru, a region that stands out for its income disparities and inequalities.

Before beginning her fellowship in September 2007, Yamin served as the director of research and investigations at Physicians for Human Rights, where she oversaw all of the organization’s field investigations.

Yamin has conducted human rights documentation and advocacy with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Latin America and the U.S. for more than 15 years. She is internationally recognized as the leader in conceptualization and implementation of rights-based approaches to health, and has published dozens of articles and several books relating to health and human rights in both English and Spanish.

Yamin serves as the executive director of the journal Health and Human Rights; co-chair of the International Human Rights Committee of the Boston Bar Association; member of the board of directors of Mental Disability Rights International; and as a member of the advisory committee for the Center for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health. She is also sits on several national and international professional review boards, including the editorial review board of Human Rights Quarterly and Human Rights and the Global Economy.

Yamin graduated summa cum laude from Harvard in 1987 with a bachelor’s in sociology and Latin American literature, cum laude in 1991 from Harvard Law School, and in 1996 from the Harvard School of Public Health.

“Flattered by the invitation,” outgoing U.S. Rep. James T. Walsh will donate his collection of official and political papers, tapes and photos to his alma mater.

The 1970 St. Bonaventure graduate is retiring in January after 20 years in the House of Representatives and more than 30 years in politics. Rep. Walsh was on campus Aug. 27 to dedicate the new William F. Walsh Science Center, named after his father, a 1934 alumnus of SBU. Rep. Walsh helped secure federal funding for the project.

“We’re delighted and honored to accept his collection,” said Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., University president. “The Walshes have meant so much to this University and we’re grateful that Jim decided to leave us this invaluable resource.”

Walsh (R-Syracuse) has served as congressman to the 25th District of New York since 1988.

“It’s with great pleasure and humility that I accept this honor,” Rep. Walsh said of the University’s request for his collection. “I know that my 30-plus-year collection … will have a safe and secure home in Friedsam Library.”

Rep. Walsh said his time spent at St. Bonaventure, both as a student and an alumnus, “only confirmed my belief that St. Bonaventure provides a strong foundation for lifelong learning, molding young men and women into leaders of tomorrow.”

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15) is a nationally recognized commemoration of the history and contributions of Hispanic-Americans.

This year’s celebration kicks off with a week of Hispanic-inspired programs and events.

• Dominican Dinner, 5 p.m., Doyle Dining Room; an authentic meal will be prepared by students.

• “The Changing Faces of Power In Latin America” by Dr. Mary Rose Kubal, assistant professor of political science, 7 .m., Walsh Auditorium

• Spanish Dance Classes {Round 1}, 8-10 p.m., Richter Center. Students will teach the following dances at the times indicated below:

8-8:30 p.m. — Cha Cha instructed by Pooja Desai (sophomore)
9-9:30 p.m. — Salsa instructed by Gizzel Edmund (senior)
8:30-9:30 p.m. — Bachata instructed by Carlos Gomez (sophomore)
9:30-10 p.m. — Merengue instructed by Ana Matos (senior)
Music and general assistance will be provided by Andria Cuello (senior).

• “A Hero’s Journey,” 4 p.m., Dresser Auditorium C, Murphy Professional Building. St. Bonaventure ROTC instructor Master Sergeant Francisco Morales holds the Silver Star, the third-highest medal awarded for valor — the highest medal of bravery earned by any military officer to teach at the University. The Mexican-American hero will talk about his family and cultural values, being a product of his socioeconomic background, growing up with and facing stereotypes, decision-making and contributions to society by Hispanics.

• Spanish Dance Classes {Round 2}, 8-10 p.m., Richter Center
* See previously listed times

• Fiesta Dance Party, 10 p.m.- 2 a.m., Rathskeller; the Spanish-themed dance party will feature DJ Andria Cuello’s dance contest with many opportunities to win iTunes, Applebee’s and Wal-Mart gift cards.

Quick Center booking school, group tours for performances and exhibitions

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University is ready to begin its 2008-09 season of museum exhibition tours and young people’s performances.

Three exhibitions opened to the public on Thursday, Sept. 4. They include:

Art of Sky, Art of Earth: Maya Cosmic Imagery, featuring The Quick Center’s collection of ancient Maya pottery.
A special Anniversary Year Reinstallation of The University’s Permanent Collection, featuring art and historical artifacts dating to the beginning of Western Civilization.
African Odyssey, last season’s popular exhibition of the art and material culture of Africa.
Information about school and group tours, bus grants, upcoming concerts and exhibitions, and special performances for young audiences is available by visiting the Quick Center for the Arts Web site at www.sbu.edu/quickcenter.

Visitors to the Web site will find links to a number of resources, including student workbooks, educational Web sites, children’s literature, worksheets and lesson plans.

For those who can’t get to The Quick Center, arts education may come to them. The Quick Center is unveiling the Artmobile this year, a new mobile education program that will bring the museum experience to local schools.

To book tours for your classroom, group or club, visit www.sbu.edu/quickcenter or call The Quick Center at (716) 375-2494.

Click here to return to the top of the page

_____________________

Fr. Michael Calabria, O.F.M., in the Department of Modern Languages, spoke at Neumann College in Aston, Pa., on Sept. 5, 2008. The title of his talk was “Christian-Muslim Relations: Challenging Negative Stereotypes in Light of Francis of Assisi.” He also had a weekend program at the Franciscan Spiritual Center in Aston titled “And the Word Became Book: a Journey to the Heart of the Qur'an.” Drs. Zahid and Durriya Khairullah also participated in the weekend program.

Rebecca Misenheimer, assistant professor of theater, received a Keenan Grant and attended a weeklong scene painting teacher workshop and seminar at Cobalt Scenic Studios. She will use the experience to update and expand the curriculum of her scene painting class (THTR 379) to be offered this spring.

In May, Dr. John Mulryan, Board of Trustees Professor, gave a talk on Boccaccio and Mythography at the international medieval conference held at Kalamazoo, Mich. In July, he gave a talk on numismatics at the international emblem conference, held at Winchester College, in Winchester, England.

Dr. Ed. Simone, professor of theater, completed his ninth season as host of Public Radio International’s series “Music from Chautauqua” this past summer. He also co-hosted (with Jim Cunningham of WQED-Pittsburgh) a live broadcast of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra as part of Public Radio Day at the Chautauqua Institution. The all-Beethoven program was aired by both WQED and Classical 94.5/WNED Buffalo-Toronto. In July, Simone attended the Association of Theater in Higher Education (ATHE) international conference in Denver, where he was a panelist for “iGen Live: Performance, Pedagogy and the Millennial Generation.”

Career Center News ...

The Career Center’s recruiting season is well under way. Resume submission deadlines for companies including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and Deloitte & Touche are fast approaching. To view the current recruiting calendar, click here.

Additional information related to upcoming resume open hours, as well as the graduate school search and the Greater WNY Law School Fair, is available in the September issue of the Center’s monthly newsletter, Directions.

All SBU faculty, staff and administrators are welcome to Friday Forums.

Date: Friday, Sept. 12, 2008
Speaker: Mike Chiariello
Time: Lunch starts at noon, Forum goes from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., including Q&A
Place: University Club - Above Hickey
Title: Study Abroad in Italy: New Opportunities for Students and Faculty
Cost: $3