Stained Glass Window Memorial Remembers Villanovans Lost on 9/11

This year will mark the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. For Villanova University, it will be a time to remember the 15 alumni – and countless others – who lost their lives in the attacks of 9/11.

A unique stained glass window memorial in Villanova University’s Corr Hall Chapel, installed in Nov. 2006, offers a loving tribute to those who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The memorial was designed by the Rev. Richard G. Cannuli, O.S.A., ’73, an Augustinian priest, artist and University professor, who serves as curator and director of the Villanova University Art Gallery. Learn more here.

St. Thomas of Villanova Lecture Features 2004 Nobel Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, Ph.D.

Each year, the St. Thomas of Villanova Celebration begins with an academic symposium or lecture examining an important issue in today's society. In keeping with the purpose of celebrating the legacy of St. Thomas of Villanova, Catholic Social Teaching is a featured perspective.

The 2011 lecture will feature as our distinguished guest, Wangari Maathai, Ph.D., 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate, Founder of The Green Belt Movement, and Visiting Fellow at Yale University’s Global Institute for Sustainable Forestry. She will speak about "Sustainable Development, Democracy, and Peace," on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connelly.  Learn more here.

Ignite Change. Go Nova: University Unveils New Logo, Tag Line, and Brand Guidelines

Submit your story or others today!

As part of the University's strategic plan and branding efforts to better tell the University Story, Villanova has published brand and editorial guidelines on the University Communication Web site.

Be sure to review them, and if you need any assistance, please contact Kate Szumanski, director of communications in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The IgniteChangeGoNova.com Web site went live on Wednesday, August 24. It celebrates the people and programs that prove Villanova is a place that attracts and forges world changers. The site also enables you to submit your own stories. Everyone is encouraged to do so! Faculty, staff, students, and alumni can submit text or upload a short video about their Villanova achievements or the accomplishments of other Villanovans.

Joseph DeSimone, Ph.D., Named 2011 Mendel Medalist

Joseph M. DeSimone, Ph.D., the Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, has been named the 2011 Mendel medalist. DeSimone also is an adjunct member at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. DeSimone has published over 270 scientific articles and has over 115 issued patents in his name with more than 120 patents pending.

Dr. DeSimone will deliver the annual Mendel Medal Lecture, "Co-opting Moore's Law: Vaccines and Medicines Made From a Wafer," on Friday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connely Center. All are welcome to attend.

Learn more here. 

Biology Professor Receives $457,000 NSF Grant

Dennis Wykoff, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biology, has received a $457,000 three-year grant (2011-2014) from the National Science Foundation (NSF) entitled, “Evolution of the phosphate starvation response in yeasts.”

This grant funds Dr. Wykoff’s laboratory in its investigations of how a simple response to phosphate starvation has changed in yeast species that last shared a common ancestor more than 100 million years ago.

Utilizing the model yeast brewer’s yeast and other yeasts, his laboratory, with both graduate and undergraduate students, is determining which genes are required for an efficient genetic response. This basic research should help us to understand how different species tailor their genetic composition to their specific environment.  

The College Welcomes Financial Manager Colleen Hinds

Colleen Hinds joins the College’s staff as the new Financial Manager. Colleen has a strong background in financial analysis with a focus on budgeting, expense management, financial reporting, and trend analysis. She has worked for the corporate sector, private consulting firms, as well as non-profit institutions. Colleen, a Philadelphia native, is a graduate of the University of Delaware, majoring in Finance and Marketing with a minor in Spanish. She received her MBA from the George Washington University in May 2008.

Augustinian Institute Co-sponsors International Colloquium in Paris

The Augustinian Institute is co-sponsoring an international colloquium, “Augustin philosophe et prédicateur Hommage à Goulven Madec,” at the Institut d’Études Augustiniennes located at Le colloque se tiendra au Palais abbatial 5, rue de l’Abbaye 75006 Paris, on Sept. 8 and 9.

Rev. Allan Fitzgerald, O.S.A. director of the Augustinian Institute, will speak on Sept. 8. The title of his talk: Goulven Madec, « le tâcheron du Bulletin Augustinien ».

All co-sponsors include: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sorbonne, École Pratique des Hautes Études (Ve section), Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Augustinus Forschung (Würzburg, Allemagne), Augustinian Historical Institute (Heverlee, Belgique), Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum  (Rome, Italie) And Augustins de l’Assomption.

For more information please click here.

Professor Robert Styer Named New Director of Comprehensive Science Program

Robert Styer, Ph.D., an associate professor of mathematics, has been named the new director of the Comprehensive Science Program.

The program allows students interested in the physical and life sciences to obtain a broad based and thorough exposure to a full spectrum of scientific concerns and practices.

It encourages students to pursue a broad education in science, equipping them with analytical, interpretive and explanatory skills, which will enrich their understanding of the world and enable them to become responsible scientists and decision-makers.

Psychology Department Welcomes New Faculty

The Graduate Programs in Human Resource Development and the Department of Psychology are proud to announce the recent hire of Ms. Katina Sawyer, M.S., who will be serving as Visiting Assistant Professor.

Ms. Sawyer is a doctoral candidate at Pennsylvania State University in Industrial Organizations and Women’s Studies. Her research interests include work-life balance, the LGBT community, and leadership. Ms. Sawyer received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Villanova in 2004. She has three years of HR consulting experience with Previsor-SHL and will be teaching courses starting this fall for both the graduate Psychology and HRD programs. Ms. Sawyer will be the advisor for students with the following letters of the alphabet – Q-Z. 

Erica Slotter, Ph.D., is joining the faculty in the Psychology Department at Villanova after completing her Ph.D. at Northwestern University in spring 2011. Dr. Slotter is an experimental social psychologist whose primary research interests focus on how individuals’ relationships with other people aid them in constructing and maintaining their sense of identity. Specifically, how do individuals’ self-knowledge and self-perceptions change -- or stay the same -- as a function of the experiences they have and motivations they possess in their close interpersonal relationships.

Additionally, she is interested in this question from the reverse perspective: how do individuals’ self-knowledge and self-perceptions influence how they think, feel, and behave in their relationships?

In addition to her research, Dr. Slotter truly enjoys teaching and mentoring students. This fall, she is teaching an undergraduate course on the psychology of emotions and a graduate course on close relationships.  

In her spare time, Dr. Slotter enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, riding horses (a hobby of hers since age 10), and cooking.

The College Welcomes Peter Wicks to the Ethics Program

Peter Wicks is a new faculty member in the College's Ethics Program. He received a B.A. from Oxford University, a MPhil from Cambridge University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.

Before coming to Villanova, he was a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University. His areas of specialty are ethical theory and political philosophy, and he also has interests in the history of philosophy, especially ancient philosophy, and applied ethics, especially medical ethics.

His dissertation argued that contemporary work in ethical theory has been marred by a tendency to misrepresent our moral beliefs by translating them into a sparser, and hence more easily theorized, conceptual vocabulary. Peter is currently working on a book about the sources of the appeal of consequentialist approaches to ethics and an article surveying recent work by moral philosophers on the concept of evil.

Find the Office for Undergraduate Students on Facebook

The Office for Undergraduate Students has a new Facebook page. “Like” us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information from OUS, including information for students regarding academic advising, professional development opportunities, and other events and resources available through OUS.

Celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

Come celebrate the Mid-Autumn Chinese Festival with the Chinese Program, Chinese Cultural Society, CSSA, and GIS in Garey Hall's Courtyard on Monday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Win prizes, enjoy free Chinese food, and discover a different culture.

This event also is ACS-approved.This event is sponsored by GIS and the Chinese Program, CCS, and CSSA. Rain location will be Garey Hall cafe.

New for 2011: "The Global Smackdown"

GSD is a 25-minute multi-media look at what is happening around the world. This is a concise weekly forum for students to poke their heads out of the "bubble" to see what is going on in the world of international events. Topics for discussion can be spontaneous (Thanks, Twitter!), or driven by student interest, or decided by the faculty moderator, which for the moment is Dr. Tim Horner.

Every session is different and discussion based. Students can follow our Twitter feed @GlobalSmackDown (which is also linked to CPJE facebook). Tweets will give you the topic for the week and also periodic updates and information. No preparation is needed, and the time limit (2:30 to 2:55 p.m.) will be honored. All students welcome.

Follow us on Twitter, make us your status on FB, link us, share us, like us, make the smackdown a part of your week.

College Welcomes News Students and Families to Campus

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences welcomed its new students and their families to Villanova on Saturday, August 20, on the first day of New Student Orientation. Dean Jean Ann Linney, Ph.D.; Helen K. Lafferty, Ph.D., College Professor of the Liberal Arts and Sciences; and students Sarah McNally and Nathan Ober presented to the College's new students and their families in the Pavilion. The newest members of the Villanova community learned about the many academic and intellectual opportunities available at the University. The day culminated in a special celebratory Mass and family picnic. 

College Increasingly Engaged in Social Media Outreach

Social media is gaining a foothold in strategic communications as more and more people get there news and information from an array of social media Web sites. Moreover, social media enables conversation and interaction in ways that one-way communication does not. Click here for a comprehensive list of the College's social media activities. Log on, connect, and join the conversation today.

Professor William Fleischman Serving as a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility at De Montfort University

During September 2011, as part of his fall 2011 sabbatical activities, Dr. William Fleischman, professor of computing and mathematical sciences, will be a visiting scholar at the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility (CCSR) at De Montfort University in Leicester, United Kingdom. Learn more here.

College Hosts Welcome Breakfast for Dean Linney and A&S Staff

Staff from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Jean Ann Linney, Ph.D., dean of the College, gathered in the first floor lobby of the St. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts for a casual breakfast to welcome Dean Linney to the College. Staff had the opportunity to meet Dean Linney and share some coffee, croissant, and conversation.

Many College faculty and staff attended the annual Welcome Back Reception on Wednesday, August 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Villanova Room of Connelly Center. This provided another ideal opportunity to welcome Dean Linney to the College.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Middle East Region Director to Participate in Villanova Town Hall

Mark Schnellbaecher, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Middle East Region director, stationed in Beruit, will spend Tuesday, October 25, at Villanova. Schnellbaecher will share his experience and perspective on the complex, changing reality in the Middle East and North Africa, and CRS' thinking on an appropriate response for a U.S. Catholic NGO operating in the region.      

At 8:45 a.m. in Driscoll Hall Auditorium, there will be a Town Hall where Villanova students (and students from other universities, via YouTube), participating in the CRS Global Solidarity Network (GSN), will engage Schnellbaecher in conversation. Villanova Political Science Professor Catherine Warrick will join him. (All students and faculty are welcome.)

For information on the Fall GSN, "The Arab Spring: New Reality, New Response," and to register your class, click here. go to:

From 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. in Connelly Center's Villanova Room, Schnellbacher will be the featured speaker in a symposium, open to the public, on "The Arab Spring: Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa." Villanova Professors Hibba Abugideiri, Maghan Keita, and Catherine Warrick will address the topic from their areas of expertise.   

A Faculty Workshop on "Teaching the Arab Spring: Critical Considerations and Resources," will follow the symposium from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the Connelly Center Presidents' Lounge. After brief remarks by Schnellbaecher, Professors Frank Galgano, Silvia Nagy-Zekmi, and Sayed Omran, the floor will be open for discussion. Recommended resources for further study and teaching will be identified. Refreshments will be served.  To register for the 4 p.m. Faculty Workshop, contact Margaret Kowalsky. 

These events are sponsored by the Villanova University Partnership with CRS.  For more information, contact Margaret Kowalsky. 

Fall 2011 GSN Sessions Focus on Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa

The GSN is a web-based learning community made possible by Villanova University's institutional partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). It connects Villanova classes with others across the country and with CRS overseas and policy staff working on the front lines of humanitarian relief and development.

Drawing on pertinent articles, blogs, Web sites, and videos, selected by CRS staff andfaculty experts, students engage the issues through a discussion board, YouTube, and a Town Hall Meeting. The YouTube and Town Hall Meetings are recorded. 

The focus of this Fall's GSN is "The Arab Spring."  Faculty can select from the following topics:

• Sept. 19-23: "The Power of Youth in Building a Peaceful Society"
• Oct. 3-7: "The Plight of Refugees"
• Oct. 17-28: "CRS Reporting From the Field: Emerging Realities & Responses" 
• Nov. 7-11: "How You Can Respond"

For more information and registration, please click here. 

Celebrate Constitution Day With the Matthew J. Ryan Center on Sept. 16

The Matthew J. Ryan Center invites you to join in our traditional celebration of Constitution Day. This year's lecturer is Professor Philip Hamburger, Maurice and Hilda Friedman Professor of Law from Columbia Law School. Professor Hamburger is an expert on constitutional law and its history. Professor Amy Wax, Robert Mundheim Professor of Law from University of Pennsylvania Law School, will be the respondent. Her research focuses upon issues in social welfare law and policy and the relationship of the family, the workplace, and labor markets. 

The lecture will take place on Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 at 3 p.m., and will be held in room 102 of Villanova University School of Law. All are welcome.

Daniel Kutner, Consul General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, Visits Villanova Sept. 13

Daniel Kutner, Consul General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, which is based in Philadelphia, will visit campus on Thursday, September 13, at 4 p.m. The event will take place in Driscoll Auditorium 132 and is sponsored by the Arab and Islamic Studies Program.

In September 2008, Daniel Kutner assumed the position of Consul General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. He is the official representative of the State of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia and Southern New Jersey.

Prior to assuming his post as Consul General of Israel in Philadelphia, Mr. Kutner headed the Bureau for Economic and Strategic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Center for Political Research.

Mr. Kutner joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 1983. His first post abroad was as Deputy Chief of Mission in Bolivia from 1986 to 1988. From 1988 to 1990, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Venezuela and as Consul for Academic Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in New York from 1996 to 1999.

Mr. Kutner has held different positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Center for political research, including Director for Palestinian and Jordanian Affairs, Director of the Division for Egypt and North Africa, acting director of the Division for Syrian and Lebanese Affairs, and Senior Analyst for North Africa and Syria.

Mr. Kutner holds an M.A. cum laude in History of the Muslim Countries (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1986) an M.A. cum laude in Political Science/National Security Studies (University of Haifa, 2005), and a dual-major B.A. in European History and Middle Eastern Studies (Hebrew University, 1977). He is a graduate of the National Security College (2005), the Senior Inter-Service Intelligence Course (2002) and other specialized programs.

Mr. Kutner was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and immigrated to Israel in 1973. He is married to Shirley and has two daughters, Maia and Adi.

Arab and Islamic Studies Welcomes Political Columnist and Book Author Rami George Khouri

Arab and Islamic Studies proudly welcomes political columnist and book author Rami George Khouri, who will speak on campus Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m., in Bartley 1011 about "Understanding the Arab Awakening."

Rami George Khouri, 62, is a Palestinian-Jordanian and U.S. citizen whose family resides in Beirut and Nazareth. An internationally syndicated political columnist and book author, he is the first director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, and also serves as a non-resident senior fellow at the  Kennedy School of Harvard University and the Dubai School of Government. He is editor at large, and former executive editor, of the Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper, and was awarded the Pax Christi International Peace Prize for 2006.

He teaches or lectures annually at the American University of Beirut, University of Chicago, and Northeastern University. He has been a  fellow and visiting scholar at Harvard University, Mount Holyoke College, Syracuse University, The Fletcher School at Tufts University, Northeastern University, and Stanford University, and is a member of the Brookings Institution Task Force on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World. He is a Fellow of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (Arab East Jerusalem), and a member of the Leadership Council of the Harvard University Divinity School and the International Advisory Council of the Nieman Journalism Foundation at Harvard University. He also serves on the board of the  Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University, the Joint Advisory Board of the Northwestern University Journalism School in Doha, Qatar, and the International Advisory Council of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He was editor-in-chief of the Jordan Times for seven years and for 18 years was general manager of Al Kutba, Publishers, in Amman, Jordan,where he also served as a consultant to the Jordanian tourism ministry on biblical archaeological sites. He has hosted programs on archaeology, history and current public affairs on Jordan Television and Radio Jordan, and often comments on Mideast issues in the international media.

He has BA and MSc degrees, respectively, in political science and mass communications from Syracuse University.

Joan D. Lynch Discusses Her Novel, Women of the Passion

On Tuesday, Sept. 20, join Joan D. Lynch, Ph. D., former professor of communication and founder of the Villanova Cultural Film Series at Villanova University, as she discusses her novel, Women of the Passion, in Falvey Memorial Library’s first floor lounge. This novel places readers squarely in the middle of the dramatic days after the crucifixion through the eyes of the women who had walked with Jesus. A book sale and signing will follow the talk. For more information about the book, please click here.

Arab and Islamic Studies Welcomes Raslan Abu Rukun, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region on September 26

Raslan Abu Rukun assumed the post of Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic region, which serves Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Southern New Jersey, in June 2009. He will speak on campus on Monday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m. in Driscoll Auditorium 132.

Deputy Consul General Abu Rukun was born in Osfia, Israel, and is from Israel’s Druze community. In 2003, Deputy Consul General Abu Rukun graduated from Haifa University with a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Political Science.

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diplomat Training Program in 2006. After completing the program, he worked in the Division for International Cooperation in Jerusalem. His first post abroad took him to the Embassy of Israel in Katmandu, Nepal, from April 2007 to May 2009, where he served as Deputy Chief of Mission.

Mr. Abu Rukun is fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. He is married to Dalle. They have three children, twins Enbal and Sharif, and Yareen.

Gender and Women's Studies Hosts Welcome Back Luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 14

Make plans to attend the Gender and Women's Studies Welcome Back Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 12:45 p.m. in the Radnor-St. David's Room in Connelly Center. Sally J. Scholz, Ph.D., a professor of philosophy, will speak to the group.

Attend the Open House for GIS, Romance Languages and Literatures, Latin American Studies, and Cultural Studies on Wednesday, Sept. 14

Students are invited to attend an Open House in the Garey Hall Courtyard for GIS, Romance Languages and Literatures, Latin American Studies, and Cultural Studies on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 3 to 6 p.m. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about these programs, study abraod programs, and interdisciplinary cultural programs. Enjoy music and taste food from around the world.

2011 Adela Dwyer-St. Thomas of Villanova Peace Award Presentation and Lecture

Leymah Gbowee will be awarded the 2011 Adela Dwyer-St. Thomas of Villanova Peace Award on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m., in Driscoll Auditorium. Gbowee also will deliver a lecture at the event. She is responsible for organizing women of Liberia, including both Christians and Muslims, to carry out peaceful protests that ultimately helped end the Liberian Civil War. Learn more about Leymah Gbowee here.

In 2008, the critically-acclaimed and award-winning documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell (which will have its television premiere this Fall on PBS) featured a group of brave and visionary women who demanded peace for Liberia. Their demonstrations culminated in the exile of Charles Taylor and the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first female head of state.

One particularly charismatic woman among them was Leymah Gbowee (who, Bob Herbert of The New York Times has said, “should be a lesson to all of us”). Gbowee helped organize and then lead the Liberian Mass Action for Peace, a coalition of Christian and Muslim women who sat in public protest, confronting Liberia’s ruthless president and rebel warlords, and even held a sex strike. Gbowee emerged as an international leader who changed history, marking the vanguard of a new wave of women taking control of their political destiny around the world.

MIGHTY BE OUR POWERS: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War by Leymah Gbowee with Carol Mithers (Beast Books; Publication date: September 13, 2011; $25.99) is Gbowee’s full story in her own words. Gbowee is based in Accra, Ghana, where she is executive director of the Women Peace and Security Network-Africa. She will be in the United States on book tour this Fall.

Latin American Studies Welcomes Behavioral Scientist Michael Sharpe

Latin American Studies welcomes behavioral scientist Michael Sharpe, Ph.D., an assistant professor of political science at York College of the City University of New York, who will speak on campus on Thursday, Sept., 29, at 4 p.m. in the Radnor-St. David's Room of Connelly Center. The title of his talk is: “Is Blood Thicker Than Water?"

"Peace Through Health: The Balkans Case": Russian Area Studies Welcomes Merck Executive Fabio Lievano

Dr. Fabio Lievano, M.D., an executive with Merck, will visit campus on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m., to discuss "Peace Through Health: The Balkans Case," in Bartley 1011. In the 1990s, Dr. Lievano was the Director of the World Health Organization in Bosnia during the war. The event is sposnored by Russian Area Studies.

"In Search of Self": ACS Fall 2011 Film Series

Be sure to mark your calendar for these four film screenings, all of which begin at 7:30 p.m. in Tolentine 215:

(Th) Sept. 15, Crimes and Misdemeanors
(T) Oct. 4, Encounters at the End of the World
(Th) Oct. 27, The Seventh Seal
(T) Nov. 15, The Last Temptation of Christ

Journey of the Universe (9/12) and "Big History and the Future of Humanity (9/15)

What is the genesis of the 100 billion or more galaxies in our universe, of our solar system, of earth, and of life? What does the future hold for us? See the film (9/12) and/or attend the lecture by Dr. Fred Spier, senior lecturer, University of Amsterdam, and vice president of the International Big History Association. Dr. Spier is author of the book, Big History and the Future of Humanity. The film, Journey of the Universe, will be screened on Sept. 12 at 4:30 p.m. in the Connelly Center Cinema, and the lecture will take place on Sept. 15 at 4:30 p.m. in Bartley 1011. Both events are ACS-approved cultural programs.

"Contested Space in the Holy Land"

Join Villanova Associate Professor Frank Galgano, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Geography and the Environment, who will discuss "Contested Space in the Holy Land" on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 4:30 p.m. in the Connelly Center Cinema.

"High Holiday Themes in the Prayers of Early Modern and Contemporary Jewish Women"

The Office of Mission and Ministry, in co-sponsorship with Gender and Women's Studies, and Theology and Department of Religious Studies welcomes Chava Weissler, Philip and Muriel Professor of Jewish Civilization in the Department of Religious Studies at Lehigh University, who will discuss, "High Holiday Themes in the Prayers of Early Modern and Contemporary Jewish Women," on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Driscoll Auditorium.

Faculty Focus on Research Event Features English Professor Ellen Bonds

At this Faculty Focus on Research event onTuesday, Sept. 27, join Ellen Bonds, Ph.D., a professor of English, as she discusses, "Toni Morrison's War Stories: Intersections of Gender and War. The event takes place at noon in Falvey Memorial Library. Lunch will be served!

2011 Young Alum Environmental Leadership Award

Kelly Doyle (VU 2006, MIT 2008), environmental services professional/water resources engineer, and a major force in revitalizing the Villanova Environmental Group (VEG) and in giving Villanova students a voice in University environmental decision-making processses, will be awarded the 2011 Young Alum Environmental Leadership Award on Monday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m., in Room 300 of the St. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts. Learn more about Kelly Doyle here.

Special Olympics Hosts Disabilities Panel

Join Villanovans Frankie Kineavy and Greg Hannah, Special Olympics representatives Liz Smith and Susanne Smith, and representatives from Autism Speaks, discussing and taking questions on the spectrum of disabilities, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m., in Connelly Center.

"Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus"

Victoria Conte from the Philadelphia Museum of Art will speak on the museum's historic Rembrandt exhibition, in Philadelphia from August 3 to October 30, on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 4 p.m., in Driscoll Auditorium.

Africana Studies Welcomes Christiana M. Russell From Auburn University

On Wednesday, October 19, join Dr. Christiana M. Russell, outreach coordinator at Auburn University, at 4:30 p.m. in SAC 300. All are welcome.

Russell is a native of Columbus, Ohio, where she attended The Ohio State University and obtained her bachelor of arts in psychology. She later went on to attend Georgia State University where she obtained her bachelor of science in criminal justice while working for Clayton County Juvenile Services. She then returned to The Ohio State University for graduate school where she obtained her master’s in social work and culminated her graduate education with her Ph.D. in human development and family studies in 2006.

Russell’s area of specialization is educational risk and marginalized youth populations. Her most recent contributions to the field include publications in the Journal of Negro Education and Journal of Adolescent Health. Russell has also been a part of the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative and projects sponsored by The Alabama Children’s Trust Fund.

Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies at Villanova Hosts 36th Annual PMR Conference

Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies at Villanova will host the 36th annual PMR conference Oct. 21-23. The plenary theme is "Natura: The spendor of these created things...." Guests featured at the conference include Richard A. Schenk, OP, professor of philosophy and theology at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, and Bruce D. Marshall, Ph.D., Lehman Chair in Christian Doctrine at Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University. 

Villanova has established a national reputation through its Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Conference (PMR) for more than 30 years.  Finding its natural center in philosophy, theology, and intellectual history, but keeping the door open to the breadth of study in the field, the PMR has maintained a solid place in the academic community. Read more here.

Lauren Shohet, Ph.D., Named First Holder of the Luckow Endowed Chair in English

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Villanova University is pleased to announce that Lauren E. Shohet, Ph.D., a professor of English at Villanova, has been appointed the first holder of the Luckow Family Endowed Chair in English. The Chair is designed to support a nationally recognized scholar and highly-regarded teacher, enhancing the scholarly reputation of the department, college, and university, as well as advancing the education of Villanova literature students, both undergraduate and graduate. Dr. Shohet will hold the chair for five years. Learn more here.

Congratulations to Faculty Awarded Tenure and Promoted

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences congratulates those professors on their recent promotions.

Villanova Alum Kelly J. Stoner Receives Fulbright Award To Study Carnivores in Botswana

Kelly J. Stoner, a 2008 graduate of Villanova University, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Fellowship to Botswana in environmental studies, the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced recently. Stoner is one of more than 1,500 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2011-2012 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Learn more here.

Save the Date: Seventh Annual Senghor-Damas-Césaire Lecture in Africana Studies Features Dr. Tess Onwueme

The Africana Studies Program proudly welcomes internationally renowned playwright and performer, Dr. Tess Onwueme, who will deliver the seventh annual Senghor-Damas-Césaire Lecture in Africana Studies on Monday, Nov. 14, at 4 p.m. in Connelly Cinema.

The esteemed University Professor of Global Letters at the University of Wisconsin is the author of more than 20 plays. Productions of her work have been featured at the National Theatre in Lagos, the BBC World Drama Service, and off Broadway at the New Federal Theatre. 

The winner of numerous awards and grants, Dr. Onwueme was appointed to the U.S. State Department's Public Diplomacy Specialist/Speaker Program for North, East, and West India in 2007 with the mandate to "win friends for America."

Vivian J. Lamb Lecture Series on Augustinian Thought and the Sciences Features Guy J. Consolmagno, S.J.

The Vivian J. Lamb Lecture Series on Augustinian Thought and the Sciences will feature Guy J. Consolmagno, S.J., from Specola Vaticana, Vatican City State, on November 9, 2011, at 4:30 p.m., in the Driscoll Auditorium. Learn more here.

Raka Shome, Ph.D., Named the Inaugural, 2011-2012 Margaret E. and Paul F. Harron Endowed Chair in Communication

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Communication, at Villanova University are pleased to announce that Dr. Raka Shome has been named the inaugural, 2011-2012 Margaret E. and Paul F. Harron Endowed Chair in Communication. Her pioneering, nationally- and internationally-recognized scholarship has marked her as one of the leading voices in critical/cultural studies in the Communication discipline. Learn more here.

Villanova Theatre Presents "The Comedy of Errors"

Villanova Theatre proudly presents "The Comedy of Errors," from Sept. 27 to Oct. 9, 2011. Performances run Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Faculty and staff tickets are $11 and FREE on Tuesdays. Learn more here.

College Welcomes New Department Chairs

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences welcomes three new department chairpersons.

David Cregan, O.S.A., Ph.D., has been named chair of the Theatre Department.

Edward Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., has been named chair of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Maurice Hall, Ph.D., has been named chair of the Communication Department.

Kathryn Getek Soltis, S.T.L., Ph.D., Named Director of Center for Peace and Justice Education

Kathryn Getek Soltis, S.T.L., Ph.D., has been named the new director of Center for Peace and Justice Education. Getek Soltis holds a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Boston College, a master's degree and a License in Sacred Theology from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, as well as an undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Princeton University. Her areas of scholarship include virtue ethics, social ethics, and fundamental moral theology, with a special focus on justice, punishment, and the U.S. criminal justice system. Getek Soltis is a former executive committee member of the Society of Christian Ethics and was the U.S. representative for new scholars at the 2010 gathering of Catholic Theological Ethicists in the World Church. Since arriving at Villanova in 2008, she has taught for the Ethics Program, including coursework for the Service Learning Community and the Graterford Prison-Villanova Partnership. This spring, Getek Soltis was nominated as a semi-finalist for the 2010 Lindback Teaching Award. Recognizing the Center’s continued and expanding capacity to serve the Villanova community – and ultimately, the poor and the marginalized – Getek Soltis seeks to deepen existing offerings and shape the Center as a dynamic community within the life of Villanova, drawing on our University’s unique ingenuity to confront the challenges of widespread marginalization and conflict.

Department Name Change: Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Courtesy of Douglas Norton, Ph.D. The Department of Mathematical Sciences is now the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Its curricular offerings include undergraduate courses in both areas as well as master's programs in Mathematics and Applied Statistics. Department faculty members publish in a variety of areas in pure and applied mathematics and statistics and serve the local, regional, and national statistical and mathematical communities. The name more accurately reflects the department's educational mission and its commitment to exemplary teaching and learning, scholarship, and service.

CRS and Villanova Partnership Sponsor a Series of Fall 2011 Events

The Villanova University and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) partnership is sponsoring a series of events during the fall 2011 semester. Be sure to mark your calendar now to attend the events. Learn more about them here.

• Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Middle East Region Director to Participate in Villanova Town Hall ... October 25

• Fall 2011 GSN Sessions Focus on Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa

Save the Date: 2011 Anthony J. and Heand Johns Silvestri Lectureship: 10/25

The Department of Chemistry is hosting the 2011 Anthony J. & Heand Johns Silvestri Lectureship on Tuesday, October 25. Our guest speaker is Dr. Erik J. Sorensen, Arthur Allan Patchett Professor in Organic Chemistry at Princeton University. More information to come.

One Book Villanova 2011-2012

The One Book Villanova Committee is pleased to announce that the selection for the 2011-2012 academic year is Jamie Ford’s acclaimed and moving first novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Set in Seattle, the novel tells the story of a young Chinese boy, Henry, and Keiko, a Japanese girl, who forge a relationship during the World War II era of Japanese internment camps. Ford's novel will provide an opportunity for the Villanova community to examine a significant and painful moment in 20th century American history while also opening up questions of ethnic identify, intercultural understanding, the power of family relationships, and the power of forgiveness. Learn more here.

Save the Date: Undergraduate Research Poster Session on Sept. 20

The 2011 Villanova Undergraduate Research Poster Session will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the Villanova Room of the Connelly Center. This event is sponsored by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF), the College of Liberal Arts  and Sciences, and the College of Engineering. This important event highlights research accomplishments of our undergraduate students and their faculty mentors over the past year. Click here for a recap from last year's undergraduate research poster session.

Save the Date: Office for Undergraduate Students Hosts Majors Fair on Friday, October 28

The Office for Undergraduate Students (OUS) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will sponsor an Undergraduate Academic Majors Fair on Friday, Oct. 28, from 1 to 4 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connelly Center. The purpose of the event is to showcase the College's many academic majors, minors, and concentrations, and help first- and second-year students in particular make informed decisions about their courses of study. Learn more here.

Hispanic Studies Hosts Conference to Celebrate the Life and Work of Famous Peruvian Writer

The Hispanic Studies Program in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures will host an international conference in celebration of the centenary of the birth of José María Arguedas, the famous 20th century Peruvian writer, on October 28-29, 2011, in Connelly Center on the campus of Villanova University. Learn more here.

Open House: Learn More About Graduate-level Programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on Oct. 18

Make plans to attend the next Open House for Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, from 3:30 to 7 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connelly Center on Villanova's campus. Learn more here. 

Harvard Historian Jill Lepore to Deliver the Third Annual Kephart Lecture

Jill Lepore, Ph.D., David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History, Harvard University, will deliver the third annual Lore Kephart '86 Distinguished Historians Lecture on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connelly. The title of the lecture is "Poor Jane's Almanac: The Life and Opinions of Benjamin Franklin's Sister." Lepore also is a staff writer at The New Yorker. Learn more about Dr. Lepore here.

Villanova Marine Scientist Nathaniel Weston Featured on National Science Foundation’s Science Video Series, “Science Nation”

Courtesy of the National Science Foundation

Marshes and Seal Level Rise

How climate change is impacting marshes

It is a very muddy trek from the small boat to the field site along Raccoon Creek near Bridgeport, N.J. Villanova University marine scientist Nathaniel Weston and his team are all carrying ladders and equipment as they slosh through ankle deep mud toward their experiments."

The whole reason I got into this line of research is because I like being outside, I like coastal estuaries and marsh systems, I like getting muddy, so I have fun with it," says Weston enthusiastically.

Read more here, and click here to view the video, too.

Villanovans Receive Prestigious Nationally Competitive Scholarships, Fellowships

Many Villanovans have received prestigious awards or honorable mention status in several nationally competitive scholarship programs. Click here to learn more.

New Graduate Certificate in Peace and Justice Studies

The Dean of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Liberal Studies program are pleased to announce the creation of a new Graduate Certificate in Peace and Justice Studies. This certificate helps to prepare students for careers in social justice, advocacy, peacemaking, conflict resolution, journalism, teaching, and activism. Learn more here.

College Presents "A Day in the Life": A New Short Film About the College

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is proud to present the short video documentary, A Day in the Life, featuring the lives of three Villanova students majoring in the liberal arts and sciences. The video was first screened during Candidates' Day on Saturday, April 16, 2011.