Campus Spotlight

First regional and then national recognition. In May The Gatepost campus newspaper, the voice of students for 76 years, was named one of two national finalists for editorial writing in the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ 2007) national “Mark of Excellence” competition.

The names of the national winners and finalists are posted on the SPJ Web site. They will be honored at the SJP’s annual conference in Atlanta in September.

The national award followed The Gatepost’s selection as the winner of a first-place SPJ “Mark of Excellence” award for editorial writing in Region I (the New England and mid-Atlantic states), presented in April at the University of Southern Maine.

Above, 2008 graduating Gatepost editors, from left to right: Assistant Living Arts Editor Stephanie McNulty, Associate Editor Alex Smith, Editor-in-Chief Brad Petrishen, and Staff Writer Heather Maconochie. Not present, Sports Editor Chris Calzolaio.

The editorials were written by Petrishen with the assistance and support of the editorial staff.

“We are the only state college in the country to be recognized by the SPJ this year in any of its national award categories for college newspapers, magazines, and radio, television, and on-line reporting,” says Dr. Desmond McCarthy, ’81, professor of English and advisor to The Gatepost.

“To receive first place in our region is an honor, and to be recognized nationally is an even greater achievement,” says Smith. “It is great to know that our hard work has paid off and that we do stand among the best.”

Petrishen is proud to bring the award home “not to the journalism building at an Ivy League university but to College Center 410, Framingham State College.”

Communication Arts
Dr. Derrick TePaske has an exhibition of his archival photographs of the Walter E. Fernald State School featured at the opening of the gallery in a newly renovated mill on the Mumford River in the Blackstone Valley. The organization located in the mill, “Alternatives, Unlimited,” provides an array of services to mentally handicapped adults.

Education Department
Dr. Diane Lowe attended the Massachusetts Reading Association conference in Sturbridge April 10 and 11. The theme of the conference was “Literacy is the Connection!” The MRA Exemplary Reading Program Award was presented to the Hemenway School in Framingham. Sheila Harper, literacy specialist at the Hemenway School, completed the Literacy and Language program at FSC in 1998. Amy Ball and Maggie Dabrush, current Literacy and Language students about to receive their FSC M.Ed. degrees, served as student ambassadors.

English Department
Bernard Horn was scholar-in-residence on May 4 and 5 at the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel at Tifereth Israel Congregation in New Bedford. The subject of his lectures was the poetry of Yehuda Amichai. Horn’s translations of Amichai’s poetry have appeared in The New Yorker, Moment Magazine, and the Manhattan Review.

Office of Institutional Research
John Macuga served on a panel at the 14th Annual Massachusetts Statewide Undergraduate Conference held in Amherst May 3. He discussed public speaking and presentation skills with the undergraduate attendees, sharing lessons learned from his experience as an administrator and as an officer in the Army National Guard. While an undergraduate at UMass-Amherst in 1999, Macuga presented his honors thesis at the 5th Annual Undergraduate Conference.

“Once again, we were reminded of the consistent high quality of our students’ writing at the 2008 Literary Awards ceremony,” said Dr. Evelyn Perry, English Department, coordinator of the annual event which took place Thursday, April 24. “From academic essay to poetry to prose, the winning pieces were thoughtful, sophisticated, articulate and artistic.”

Three of the winning pieces were produced by Kristen Gridley, ’10, who won first place for the Sparrow Award and first and third places for the Hirt Award. Brad Petrishen, ’08, won the the Chartier Award. Sara L. Fortin, ’10, was the second place winner of both the Hirt and Sparrow Awards. Emily L. Harvey, ’09, and Sarah Sarlitto, ’10, were the second and third place winners respectively of the Sparrow Award.

These talented student writers are seen above with Perry: from the left, Fortin, Petrishen, Gridley, Perry, Sarlitto, and Harvey.  Harvey is an art major and the  other four students are English majors.

“FSC’s professors–the English department in particular–have been a tremendous influence on my academic career thus far,” said Gridley. “The faculty here is extremely encouraging to students both in and out of the classroom. I couldn’t have asked for a better collection of professors than what I have found here at FSC.”

“We are indeed lucky to have such excellent young writers at work at Framingham State College,” said Perry. “We’re pleased to have the opportunity to showcase their talents.”

Many emeriti faculty and administrators returned to campus Tuesday, April 29, to enjoy a luncheon in their honor with former colleagues.

Dr. Margaret Carroll, chair of the biology department, third from left above, welcomed past faculty members of the biology department Dr. Paul Cotter, far left, and, center to far right, Drs. Dana Jost, Judy Klaas, formerly academic vice president, Willard (Bill) Spence, Rene LeBlanc, and Joseph Previte.

Mr. Ralph Eddy, ’96, second from left, is an alumnus of the biology department and director of FSC dining services. Together with his staff, he deserves credit for the success of this lively reunion. The event was coordinated by the office of college advancement.

“Jim Eng . . . fostered the creative development of hundreds of students throughout his long tenure at the college,” says Art Department Chair Marc Cote. Now Eng is retiring after 32 years as a member of the art department faculty.

The All-Student Juried Show, in the Mazmanian Gallery from April 28 to May 9, is dedicated to him. Eng is seen above April 29 at the exhibition reception with Elizabeth Sousa, ’10, who won the Best of Show award with “Grit,” her brush and ink drawing (on right).

In retirement Eng looks forward to traveling, plein air painting, spending quality time with grandchildren, and working in his studio. “It is amazing to think I have spent half my life so far teaching at the college,” he says. “I leave with unbelievably wonderful memories and I hope that I have contributed in positive ways to the lives of my many students. I certainly have gained much from them.”