Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Columbia's Musick Plays "The World of George Washington," November 11

Chestertown, MD, October 30, 2006 — The Washington College 2006-2007 Concert Series Season continues with a performance by Columbia's Musick, "The World of George Washington," Saturday, November 11, 2006, at 8 p.m. in the College's Norman James Theatre, William Smith Hall.

Perfectly complementing Chestertown's 300th anniversary celebration, Columbia's Musick will perform "The World of George Washington," a dramatic and engaging musical portrait of our first president. Featuring stirring marches, celebratory songs, and chamber music from the collection of Washington's stepdaughter, Nelly Custis, their program promises to transform audiences to the eighteenth century. They will also delight with dance and theatrical tunes treasured by our founding father as well as songs lamenting his death in 1799 and festive music from later commemorations of Washington's birthday.

Columbia's Musick is one of the few groups in the country devoted to the seldom-heard music of early America. The ensemble has toured widely, performing their Washington concert at venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and Boston's historic King's Chapel, where the group is Ensemble-in-Residence. Columbia's Musick is a member of the New England States Touring Roster, the New Hampshire Arts Council's Artist Roster, and the South Carolina Arts Commission's Artists-in Education Roster. The ensemble members include D'Anna Fortunato, mezzo-soprano; Thomas Gregg, tenor; Peter H. Bloom, baroque flute; Judy Bedford, baroque bassoon; and Richard C. Spicer, harpsichord and director.

For ticket information and a free 2006-2007 season brochure, call 410-778-7839 or 800-422-1782, ext. 7839, or e-mail kbennett2@washcoll.edu. Individual tax-deductible patron memberships begin at $75.00. Contributing patron memberships begin at $150.00, supporting at $250.00, and sustaining at $500.00. All membership packages include two tickets, and all donations over the price of the tickets are tax-deductible. Season tickets are available at the box office on performance nights.

Season tickets and memberships can be purchased by check or money order from the Washington College Concert Series, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620-1197.

Peter Pan Syndrome on Stage: WC Drama Department Presents Boys' Life, November 2, 3, and 4

Chestertown, MD, October 30, 2006— Washington College's Drama Department presents Boys' Life, a senior thesis directed by Greg Schaefer, written by Howard Korder, November 2, 3, and 4, at 8 p.m., in the College's Reid Basement. Reservations are required. For show information, call 410-778-7835 or e-mail drama_tickets@washcoll.edu.

Why do men do what they do? Will they ever grow up? Howard Korder's Pulitzer Prize nominated Boys' Life explores these questions and themes of love and friendship as it follows the lives of friends, Jack, played by senior Harry Wright; Don, portrayed by junior Tim Helmer; and Phil, depicted by junior Phil Doccolo. Through a variety of hilarious, fast-paced scenes, the twenty something college buddies struggle through life, love, and, of course, the relationships with their female counterparts. Rounding out the cast in a variety of comic roles, the ensemble includes: junior Juliana Schoettler, freshman Liz Murphy, sophomore Mary Lide, senior Keighty McClallen, freshman Annabelle Shore, and sophomore Mike Golze.

"People my age will really be able to relate to this story and these characters," says Director Greg Schaefer, "As college students, we are at a very intimidating time in our lives, and this play allows us to sit back and watch characters going through these very real, very personal struggles, that so many of us are about to face. Anyone who's ever been a man, or ever had a relationship with a man, will definitely identify."

Celebrate GIS Day at Washington College, November 15 and 16

Chestertown, MD, October 30, 2006 — Washington College's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Lab will be celebrating GIS Day 2006 on Wednesday, November 15, and Thursday, November 16. The two-day celebration will introduce the Washington College and Chestertown community to GIS and will commence with a GIS Lab open house, Wednesday, November 15, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., in room 206 of Goldstein Hall, followed by GIS Program Coordinator, Dr. Wendy Miller, presenting "So, What is GIS?" Wednesday, November 15, at 7 p.m., in room 100 of Goldstein Hall.

On Thursday, November 16, activities will include a hands-on GIS workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the computer room of the Casey Academic Center, and a Geocaching workshop (GPS), from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., to be held outside. If you would like to attend these workshops, please call 410-810-7177 or email wmiller3@washcoll.edu to register. All events are open to the public, faculty, and staff, and students are encouraged to attend.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a computerized mapping system that stores, displays, and analyzes any type of data that has a geographic location. A GIS takes data from a table, spreadsheet, or database and creates a map. It allows for the ability to view, understand, and visualize data in ways that are simply not possible using rows and columns. Visit the open house to investigate all that the Washington College GIS Lab has to offer and to ask any burning questions. Dr. Wendy Miller's lecture will additionally shed light on GIS as a discipline and its specific projects. Thursday's hands-on GIS workshops will allow participants to create their own map, join a scavenger hunt utilizing GPS units, and gain practical experience in the field of GIS.

Washington College's GIS Day is part of a global event whose motto is "Discovering the world though GIS." On November 15, hundreds of organizations, schools, and towns will celebrate GIS Day, proving once again that geography does matter. To learn more about these global events, visit the website, http://www.gisday.com, or to learn more about GIS at Washington College and its GIS Day, visit the website, http://gis.washcoll.edu.

Lost Culture: Scholar to Examine the Middle East in Two Lectures, November 8

Chestertown, MD, October 30, 2006 — Washington College's Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, the Department of Art, the Campus Events and Visitors Committee, and the Arabic/Middle East Club present two lectures by Dr. Hashim Al-Tawil, Professor of Art History at Henry Ford Community College, November 8, in the College's Hynson Lounge. Both talks are free and open to the public.

"Lost Culture of Iraq: The Looting of Iraqi Antiquities, Artworks, and other Cultural Materials" will be presented Wednesday, November 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the College's Hynson Lounge. The lecture will address the looting of Iraqi culture after the 2003 invasion, including the damage inflicted on and to museums, libraries, galleries, art collections, public monuments, and other cultural institutions.

"The Arab People and the Middle East: History, Art, and Culture of the Lands and the People," will be presented Wednesday, November 8, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., in the College's Hynson Lounge. Dr. Hashim Al-Tawil will trace the history of the Arab people in the region of the Middle East from its earliest records to the present, with close connection to the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, through the Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic civilizations. Additionally, his lecture will explore the characteristics of the Arab people through examination of their diverse ethnic groups, religions, and cultures from the pre-Islamic time to the present time.

Hashim Al-Tawil, Professor of Art History at Henry Ford Community College, specializes in the research of the history of Arab and Islamic art and culture. He was on the faculty of the University of Baghdad and active in the Iraqi art scene during the 1970's and 1980's. He is also a lecturer at the University of Michigan and the Detroit Institute of Art and is a frequent guest speaker at local and national universities in the United States and abroad.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Student Programmers Score High in ACM Contest

Chestertown, MD, October 28, 2006 — Teams from Washington College participated in the Mid-Atlantic regional playoffs of an international programming contest run by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) October 28. One of the teams, the WC Wildcats, placed 17th out of 135 teams, higher than opponents from Johns Hopkins and UMBC, and just below a team from Maryland at College Park. A second team, the WC Wolves, placed 100th overall.

The Wildcats were also awarded a plaque for being the top team at the local site—after placing above Delaware, Drexel, Rowan, and Temple.

These results are the strongest showing of any Washington College programming team since they started competing in 1998. Professor Shaun Ramsey of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science coached the teams. The Wildcats consisted of sophomores Samuel Evans and Ben Kozlowski, and senior Lucas Gerber. The Wolves, playing with one member absent, consisted of senior Jeremy Alexander and freshman Timothy Gelner.

The contest, sponsored by the IBM Corporation and Google, is a five-hour marathon where teams of three persons are given a single computer and a set of 8 problems to solve. Solutions are submitted electronically and judged at a location in Virginia. Scoring is done by awarding points for the number of minutes taken until a correct solution is submitted. If a submitted solution is incorrect, the team is sent a cryptic message on the lines of "wrong output," and may resubmit with further penalties. At the end of the contest the team with the lowest total points and highest number of solved problems wins. The prize for solving a problem is a much-coveted, helium-filled, colored balloon. A sense of the difficulty of the problem-set is obtained by the sobering fact that only one team in the mid-Atlantic solved 5 problems, and thirty-six solved none. Washington College solved two, and that was good enough to be the leader among the ten teams at this site.

Washington College was one of nine sites that hosted the contest. Running a site is a carefully choreographed operation. The site-directors were Louise Amick and Austin Lobo who were assisted by Michael McLendon and Jennifer Whitehead. The contest was held in the Goldstein 100 classroom with top-of-the-line IBM laptop computers. Keeping the networks functioning, monitoring the flow of data, were engineers Cal Coursey and David DeMarsi. The laptops were connected to a central computing server named Albert, after a respected former professor, which in turn linked up with the contest server in Virginia. Responsible for all the underlying software was the Systems Administrator, Ted Knab. Hardware and software rested on the computing infrastructure set up by CIO Billie Dodge. Under site-judge Martin Suydam, the contest started at noon and ran smoothly to completion.

The success of the teams and the site stems from a long-term commitment to computing science and technology by the College's administration. Washington College has offered a minor in computer science for nearly four decades. The computer science major was established in 2000 within the Department of Mathematics, with two graduates emerging in 2001. The first person to receive the degree was a woman.

Computer Science at Washington College stays true to the sprit of a liberal education. Students are put through a rigorous curriculum balanced between theory and practice that prepares them for careers and graduate school. Many take second majors in areas like mathematics, art, philosophy, and biology.

Computer programming is taught under the Windows and Linux operating systems and the students learn industry-standard programming techniques in the C++ and Java languages. Beyond the core courses, the students study the theory of computation and algorithm design, databases and networks, and round off their training with a capstone course in software engineering that emphasizes teamwork and the management of large programming projects.

Students have learning opportunities outside the class, such as in the Computing Club. They also do internships, independent study, and guided research projects. In the summer of 2006, Kozlowski worked on a challenging problem in computer graphics under Ramsey, and Evans implemented a major component of a code-breaking algorithm under Lobo. Three past leaders of the programming teams have become PhD candidates, with one already finished and the other two in progress. A fourth went on to do biomedical engineering and now designs prostheses.

Four team members will return next year, supplemented by promising first-year students. A proposal is in the works to host an NSF sponsored conference in computer science, and next year there will be a new computer server nicknamed Sampson for its power and in honor of a former president of the college.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Ships Ahoy! C.V. Starr Center Lectures Scheduled for Chestertown's Downrigging Weekend, November 5

Chestertown, MD, October 27, 2006— Washington College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience presents "History on the High Seas," in conjunction with Sultana Projects, Inc.'s Sixth Annual Downrigging Weekend, Sunday, November 5. The event is free and open to the public. Join us in a heated tent behind the Custom House for two hearty maritime lectures, with free hot beverages supplied courtesy of Washington College. On Saturday, November 4, the college will provide water for visitors to the waterfront, where eleven tall ships includingKalmar Nyckel and Pride of Baltimore II will be moored for the entire weekend.

At 1:30 p.m., John Donoghue, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, will present "Pirates in the Court of King Death: Three Tales of Justice Under the Jolly Roger." Donoghue will discuss pirates and their alternative society, which featured a unique code of justice that was radically democratic for its time. Then, at 2:30 p.m., Kees de Mooy, Program Manager at the C.V. Starr Center, will present "Following in Schooner Sultana's Wake: Uncovering the History of an 18th Century Naval Vessel." While a student at Washington College, Kees de Mooy researched the history of the Schooner Sultana, a Royal Navy vessel that was used to patrol for smugglers along the American coastline prior to the Revolution.

"History on the High Seas" is sponsored by Washington College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. Established in 2000 with a grant from the New York-based Starr Foundation, the Starr Center draws on the special historical strengths of Washington College and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Through educational programs, scholarship, and public outreach, the Starr Center explores the early republic, the rise of democracy, and the manifold ways in which the founding era continues to shape American culture. In partnership with other institutions and with leading scholars and writers, the Center works to promote innovative approaches to the study of history, and to bridge the gaps between historians, contemporary policymakers, and the general public.

For more information about the C.V. Starr Center, visit http://starrcenter.washcoll.edu/ , and for details on Downrigging Weekend, November 3-5, visithttp://www.sultanaprojects.org/downrigging.htm.

An Abbess and Her Garden of Delight: Medieval Historian Investigates Gender and Spirituality, November 9

Chestertown, MD, October 27, 2006 — Washington College's Conrad M. Wingate Lecture in History presents "Garden of Delights: A Twelfth Century Abbess and Her Book," a talk by Dr. Fiona Griffiths, Assistant Professor of History, New York University, on Thursday, November 9, at 4:30 p.m. in the College's Casey Academic Center Forum. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Dr. Fiona Griffiths is a medieval historian whose work focuses on the intersection of gender and spirituality. Her book, The 'Garden of Delights': Reform and Renaissance for Women in the Twelfth Century (The University of Pennsylvania Press, November 2006) explores the involvement of monastic women in the spiritual and intellectual developments of twelfth-century Europe, overturning the assumption that women were largely excluded from the "renaissance" and "reform" of this period. Focusing on the 'Hortus deliciarum' (Garden of Delights), a magnificently illuminated manuscript of theology, biblical history, and canon law written both by and explicitly for women at the end of the twelfth century, Griffiths offers a persuasive new reading of female monastic culture, arguing for women's engagement with the spiritual and intellectual vitality of the period on a level previously thought unimaginable.

Griffiths has taught at New York University and Smith College. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of Medieval History, Viator, and such collections as Listen, Daughter: The Speculum Virginum and the Formation of Religious Women in the Middle Ages, Medieval Memories: Men, Women and the Past, 700-1300 and Women Writing in Latin. She is currently writing a book on pastoral care in the monastic relationships between nuns and their priests, that is, pastoral care, within the contexts of medieval reform movements.

The Conrad M. Wingate Memorial Lecture in History is held in honor of the late Conrad Meade Wingate '23, brother of late Washington College Visitor Emeritus Phillip J. Wingate '33 and the late Carolyn Wingate Todd. He was principal of Henderson (MD) High School at the time of his death from cerebrospinal meningitis at age 27. At Washington College, he was president of the Dramatic Association, president of the Adelphia Literary Society, and vice president of the Student Council in 1922-23.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Newsday's James Pinkerton and Election 2006, November 27

Chestertown, MD, October 23, 2006 — Washington College's Goldstein Program in Public Affairs presents "Election 2006: A Fair and Balanced Analysis," a lecture by Newsday'sJames P. Pinkerton, Monday, November 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the College's Hynson Lounge. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

As a leading columnist for Newsday and a contributing editor to the American Conservative, James Pinkerton is at the pulse of the political world. He contributes to the Fox News Channel and appears regularly as a panelist on the Fox "News Watch" show, the highest-rated media-critique show on television. He will offer an analysis of the 2006 Election and foresight into the politics of the day. In addition to his media involvement, he worked in the White House domestic policy offices of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and in the 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1992 presidential campaigns. He has also been a member of the board of contributors to USA Today and a lecturer at the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University.

He is the author of the widely acclaimed book, What Comes Next: The End of Big Government and the New Paradigm Ahead (Hyperion, 1995). His writings have appeared inThe New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Fortune, The New Republic, National Review, and Slate, among other publications.

Pinkerton is a fellow at the New America Foundation and also at the Free Enterprise Fund, both in Washington, DC, and serves an adviser to the Herbert Quandt Stiftung, the foundation of BMW. He graduated from Stanford University.

The talk is sponsored by Washington College's Goldstein Program in Public Affairs, established in honor of the late Louis L. Goldstein, 1935 alumnus and Maryland's longest serving elected official. The Goldstein Program sponsors lectures, symposia, visiting fellows, travel and other projects that bring students and faculty together with leaders in public policy and the media.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Ben Folds Breaks out the Beats at Washington College's Lifetime Fitness Center, November 18

Chestertown, MD, October 20, 2006 — Washington College welcomes Ben Folds/Band, with special guest Corn Mo, to its Benjamin A. Johnson Lifetime Fitness Center, Saturday, November 18, 2006, at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Washington College students, faculty, and staff can purchase tickets for $15 each (with a five ticket maximum) from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the Office of Student Affairs starting October 30.

General Admission tickets are $25 per person and are available starting October 30 through all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com, or by calling 410-547-SEAT. Tickets purchased the day of the show cost $30 at the door.

For further information, contact the College's Director of Student Activities, Robert Hooey, at 410-810-7146 or by e-mail at bhooey2@washcoll.edu.

Best-known as the powerhouse leader of Ben Folds Five, Ben Folds launched his solo career in 2000 after the band's breakup. Since then, he has released four solo LPs, including his most recent solo album entitled Songs for Silverman. With this striking and intricately crafted album, Ben Folds shows his maturity as a powerful artist through tricky time signatures and delicate ballads on tracks such as "Jesusland" and "Late." He also contributed to William Shatner's most recent album Has Been and will release a compilation featuring remastered and reworked songs from his EP's by the end of 2006.

Ben Folds' solo act creates quite the buzz on the road. Renowned as "Ben Folds and a piano," he's not shy of inviting audience members on stage to break out the beats, often asking them to sing trumpet and saxophone melodies or provide backing vocals. With a little audience assistance and Folds' improvisational skills, riotous renditions of pop tunes take the crowd by storm.

Learn more about Ben Folds at http://www.benfolds.com.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Centenary Celebration of Beckett Continues with MLA's Marjorie Perloff, October 30

Chestertown, MD, October 19, 2006 — In the third of a series of four events celebrating the centenary of the birth of Irish writer Samuel Beckett, Washington College's Sophie Kerr Committee presents "In Love with Hiding: Samuel Beckett's War, " a lecture by Marjorie Perloff, President of the Modern Language Association, Monday, October 30, at 4:30 p.m. in the Sophie Kerr Room of the Miller Library. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

Unlike the many critics who approach Beckett as primarily a philosophical writer whose principal subject is "alienation" or "the human condition," Marjorie Perloff insists on the importance of his precarious life as a member of the resistance in Nazi-occupied France—even though he never wrote about them directly—as a key to understanding his work. She will illustrate this point by discussing, among other texts, Beckett's most famous play, Waiting for Godot.

Marjorie Perloff has long been recognized as one of the most energetic and innovative of contemporary literary critics. A champion of avant-garde poetry, she has authored hundreds of articles and a dozen books, including The Poetics of Indeterminacy: Rimbaud to Cage, Radical Artifice: Writing Poetry in the Age of Media, and Poetry On and Off the Page: Essays for Emergent Occasions. In addition to her books of literary criticism, Perloff has written theVienna Paradox, which recounts her childhood in Austria, from which her family fled in 1938.

The reading is sponsored by the Sophie Kerr Committee, which works to carry on the legacy of the late Sophie Kerr, a writer from Denton, Md., whose generosity has done so much to enrich Washington College's literary culture. When she died in 1965, Kerr left the bulk of her estate to the College, specifying that one half of the income from her bequest be awarded every year to the senior showing the most "ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor" and the other half be used to bring visiting writers to campus, to fund scholarships, and to help defray the costs of student publications.

Mirth, Innocence, and a Dash of Life—Scholar and Novelist Maureen Howard Reads from Her Works, October 24

Chestertown, MD, October 19, 2006 — Washington College's Sophie Kerr Committee presents Maureen Howard, reading from her works, October 24, at 4:30 p.m. in the Sophie Kerr Room of the Miller Library. The event is free and open to the public.

A scholar as well as a novelist, Maureen Howard creates a rich backdrop of history and ideas in her fiction and is often called upon to write introductions to new publications of classics, such as Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway and Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. Three of Howard's seven previously published novels have been nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award, and her 1978 memoir, The Facts of Life, was the winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.

"A grand writer of English prose; she's witty and (a rarer quality in novelists) she's intelligent as well," declared Peter S. Prescott in Newsweek. Often compared to the works of Henry James and Virginia Woolf, her writing receives praise for its brilliant, sensitive commentary on contemporary society.

In addition to her own fiction writing, Howard has just edited the two-volume Edith Wharton: Collected Stories, spanning the American writer's career from 1891 to 1937. The Library of America approached Howard for this project based on her previous scholarship on Wharton's novel, The House of Mirth.

The reading is sponsored by the Sophie Kerr Committee, which works to carry on the legacy of the late Sophie Kerr, a writer from Denton, Md., whose generosity has done so much to enrich Washington College's literary culture. When she died in 1965, Kerr left the bulk of her estate to the College, specifying that one half of the income from her bequest be awarded every year to the senior showing the most "ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor" and the other half be used to bring visiting writers to campus, to fund scholarships, and to help defray the costs of student publications.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

WC Drama Department's Production of Metamorphoses Transforms, October 20 and 21

Chestertown, MD, October 17, 2006 — Washington College's Drama Department presents Metamorphoses,based on the myths of Ovid, a senior thesis directed by Rachel Loose, written and originally directed by Mary Zimmerman, October 20 and 21, at 8 p.m., in the College's Tawes Theatre. Reservations are required. For show information, call 410-778-7835 or e-mail drama_tickets@washcoll.edu.

Everything Midas touched turned to gold; Orpheus lost Eurydice to the underworld.Metamorphoses breathes life into these and Ovid's most memorable myths, drifting seamlessly from past to present and exploring the age-old themes of love, lust, greed, and the loss of a loved one. Staged around a pool, the play utilizes the talent of ten actors to portray more than 60 characters to a twenty-first century audience. Actors include: seniors Liam Daley, Ken Dolch, David Hosey, and Val Larson; junior Kevin Reagan; sophomores Bethany Creel, Dorothy Johnson, Hester Sachse, and Ryan Stiffler; and freshman Lauren Davenport.

"The show is about the endurance of the human spirit—the challenges we face, and how we change and adapt as a result of our experiences," notes Director Rachel Loose. "These myths resonate, and I knew I had to direct such a challenging and provoking piece."

Friday, October 13, 2006

College Calls for Nominations for President's Medal and Distinguished Service Awards

Deadline for Nominations: November 30, 2006

Chestertown, MD, October 12, 2006 — Baird Tipson, President of Washington College, today called for nominations for the annual President's Medal and the President's Distinguished Service Awards, which recognize employees, as well as community members and organizations, for meritorious service to Washington College and/or Chestertown and the greater Kent County community. The College is accepting nominations until Thursday, November 30, 2006. The award recipients will be honored at the College's George Washington's Birthday Convocation on February 23, 2007.

The President's Medal recognizes the accomplishments of an individual or an organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of Washington College and/or the region. Last year's recipients were Ruth Briscoe, Nancy Dick, Jim Siemen, the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department, and the Kent Family Center.

The President's Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership, and service by faculty and staff of Washington College. Last year's recipients were Louis Saunders, Joachim Scholz, and Laura Johnstone Wilson.

Nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by the President's Awards Advisory Committee. Please review the rules and criteria below before submitting nominations.

Nomination Rules & Criteria

Individuals may be nominated in either or both award categories. Nominees will be considered for an award only in the category for which they have been nominated. Individuals serving on the Awards

Advisory Committee are not eligible for nomination. Nominations in both categories are due by November 30, 2006. Nominations should include a cover sheet with the following information: (1) the name of the nominee; (2) the award for which the individual or organization is being nominated; and (3) the name of the nominator.

The President's Medal

The recipient of the President's Medal will be an individual or organization with an exemplary record of sustained and acknowledged contribution to the quality of life in Chestertown, Kent County, and/or at Washington College. The candidate's career or organization's work should be distinguished by a dedication to the fulfillment of the ideals represented in the Washington College mission statement and by service to their fellow human beings. Particular emphasis will be placed on contributions that have had a wide-ranging positive influence on Chestertown and the Washington College community.

Eligibility: Any individual or organization may be nominated for the President's Medal. A nominee should have at least five years of demonstrated service.

Nomination Materials: A letter of nomination should be submitted, clearly indicating why the individual or organization should be so honored and how the individual or organization exemplifies the criteria for this award. A résumé, curriculum vitae, or brief background sketch of the nominee should accompany the nomination letter. At least two, but no more than three, seconding letters of nomination may accompany the nomination or may be sent under separate cover. In subsequent years, nominations submitted in the past two years will automatically be reconsidered; however, updated information is encouraged.

President's Distinguished Service Awards

The President's Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership, and service by an employee of Washington College. The recipient of this award will have a record of exemplary performance and distinctive contributions to the operation of an administrative, academic, research, or service unit on campus. He or she will have clearly demonstrated initiative toward the improvement of the College's programs or campus activities and will have shown commitment to the campus community as a whole.

Eligibility: Any member of the faculty or staff who has been employed by Washington College for at least five years (in any of one or more capacities) may be nominated for a President's Distinguished Service Award. No more than five awards will be given annually. The awards will be distributed equitably between salaried and hourly employees.

Nomination Materials: A letter of nomination should be submitted, clearly indicating why this individual should be so honored and how the individual exemplifies the criteria for this award. A résumé, curriculum vitae, or brief biographical sketch of the nominee should accompany the nomination letter. At least two, but no more than three, seconding letters of nomination may accompany the nomination or may be sent under separate cover. In subsequent years, nominations submitted in the past two years will automatically be reconsidered; however, updated information is encouraged.

Deadline for Nominations: The deadline for the receipt of nominations and supporting materials for both the President's Medal and President's Distinguished Service Awards is Thursday, November 30, 2006. Nominations or supporting materials received after that date will not be considered.

Nominations should be sent to President's Awards Advisory Committee, c/o President's Office, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Washington College's Ducks Unlimited Chapter Holds Second Annual Benefit Banquet, October 28

Chestertown, MD, October 10, 2006 — Washington College's chapter of Ducks Unlimited—the first collegiate chapter in Maryland—invites the public to its second annual banquet, Saturday, October 28, 2006, at 6 p.m. in the college's Casey Academic Center Forum. Banquet tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door for $30 per person, $50 per couple, and $20 per student.

Along with a delicious selection of pulled pork, sliced top round of beef, and assorted desserts served by Amuse-Bouche Catering, banquet tickets entitle guests to a one-year membership in Ducks Unlimited and to participate in the evening's live and silent auctions for decoys, limited edition prints, jackets, a Charles Daly 12-gauge shotgun, blind bags, and other accessories donated through the generosity of local businesses. All proceeds support the wetland and waterfowl conservation efforts of Ducks Unlimited.

Ducks Unlimited works to conserve, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. In addition to supporting these efforts, the Washington College chapter hosts fundraising activities and workshops, such as an annual decoy carving class.

For more information and advance ticket reservations, contact David Brooks, chairman of Washington College Ducks Unlimited, at 410-299-1200, or via e-mail:dbrooks2@washcoll.edu.

Saturday, October 7, 2006

Who's Really on First? Gay MLB Umpire Talks about the Issues of Sexual Orientation in Public and Private Life, October 10

Chestertown, MD, October 6, 2006 — Washington College presents "Who's Really on First? The Experiences of a Gay Umpire Who Changed the Face of Major League Baseball," a talk by former MLB umpire Dave Pallone, Tuesday, October 10, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. in the Tawes Theatre. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. A book signing will follow.

Pallone worked for 18 years as a professional umpire, ten with the National Baseball league. His 1990 best selling autobiography, Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball, explored his life as a gay man in professional sports. As the third youngest umpire in the game's history, Pallone demonstrated courage and professionalism amidst the adversities, enmities and controversies of Major League Baseball. He has shared his unique perspectives on professional sports and the issues of sexual orientation through numerous television and radio programs, including Larry King Live, The Today Show, Phil Donahue and CBS Morning.

In 1995, Pallone appeared on stage with tennis great Martina Navritilova at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, for a candid conversation about their personal and professional lives—the first time two prominent, openly gay people in professional sports appeared on stage. Pallone was also featured in ESPN's 1998 documentary, "Homophobia in Sports," and was recently named as one of the 100 Men of the Century by Genre Magazine. He has brought his program "Who's on First?" to dozens of colleges and universities and, through his work, has made a significant contribution to society by educating and enlightening people to the not-so-openly-discussed realities and issues of sexual orientation.

The talk is sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs, Student-Athlete Mentors, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Campus Visitors and Speakers Committee, Student Government Association, Interfraternity Council, and Panhellenic Council.

Iran and the Balance of Power in the Middle East, Panel Discussion October 18

Chestertown, MD, October 6, 2006 — What is Iran's political agenda? How will a nuclear Iran tip the balance of power in the Middle East? Washington College's Goldstein Program in Public Affairs will address these questions and more in the discussion, "Iran: Dealing with a New Regional Power," featuring panelists Dr. Trita Parsi and Afshin Molavi, Wednesday, October 18, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. in the college's Hynson Lounge. The event is free and open to the public.

Trita Parsi, Ph.D., is the author of Treacherous Triangle: The Secret Dealings of Iran, Israel and the United States (Yale University Press, 2007). He has followed Middle East politics for more than a decade, both through work in the field and through extensive experience on Capitol Hill and the United Nations. His articles on Middle East affairs have been published inThe Financial Times, Jane's Intelligence Review, The Globalist, The Jerusalem Post, The Forward,BitterLemons.org, TomPaine.com, and The Daily Star.He is a frequent commentator on U.S.-Iranian relations and Middle Eastern affairs, and has appeared on BBC World News, PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CNN, Al Jazeera, C-SPAN, NPR, and MSNBC. He is a co-founder and current president of the National Iranian-American Council (www.niacouncil.org), a non-partisan, non-profit organization promoting Iranian-American participation in American civic life.

Parsi was born in Iran and grew up in Sweden. He earned a master's degree in international relations at Uppsala University, a second master's in Economics at Stockholm School of Economics, and a Ph.D. in international relations from Johns Hopkins University.

Recently nominated by the World Economic Forum as one of 200 young global leaders for the 21st century, Afshin Molavi is the author of the critically acclaimed book Persian Pilgrimages: Journeys Across Iran, which was nominated for the Thomas Cook literary travel book of the year award. Foreign Affairscalled Persian Pilgrimages, "a brilliant tableau of today's Iran," and The Washington Post wrote, "Culturally fluent messengers like Molavi are invaluable, now more than ever."

Born in Iran, but raised and educated in the West, Molavi has written widely on the Middle East, the Muslim world, and the United States—and the links between the three—as a journalist and scholar for more than ten years, with postings in Riyadh, Dubai, Jeddah, Washington, DC, and Tehran, and assignments across the region. He is currently a fellow at the New America Foundation, a non-partisan, Washington-based think tank devoted to pragmatic solutions to global problems.

At New America, Molavi writes on U.S foreign policy, globalization, global economic development, and Middle East affairs. He also advocates for economic dignity as a basic human right and the strengthening of global middle classes—two themes he is exploring for his next book on economic development in the Middle East. A recipient of a Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Public Policy Fellowship and the Joe Alex Morris Jr. National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations/Los Angeles Times Journalism Fellowship, Molavi holds a master's in Middle East history and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He lives in Washington, D.C.

The panel is sponsored by Washington College's Goldstein Program in Public Affairs, established in honor of the late Louis L. Goldstein, 1935 alumnus and Maryland's longest serving elected official. The Goldstein Program sponsors lectures, symposia, visiting fellows, travel, and other projects that bring students and faculty together with leaders in public policy and the media.

Thursday, October 5, 2006

A Fairytale with a Trailer Park Twist: Drama Department Stages Cinderella Waltz, October 6, 7 and 8

Chestertown, MD, October 4, 2006 — Washington College's Drama Department presents the comedy Cinderella Waltz, a senior thesis directed by Sarah Byrne and written by Don Nigro, October 6 and 7, at 5 p.m. and October 8, at 2 p.m.

Performances will be held outside by Washington College's Kudner Bridge. No reservations are required and the public is invited to attend.

Set out to a faraway forest on the outskirts of Cinderville, where the Snow family trailer becomes the scene of a modern tale of magic. Cinderella Waltz is an adult fairytale meant to shatter stereotypes and expectations. The Cinderella character, portrayed by senior Alaina Anderson, discovers what really matters with a little help from an eccentric Fairy Godmother, portrayed by senior Greg Schaefer, and the unexpected wisdom of the village idiot, performed by junior Oliver Barnyak. Hilarious and offbeat, adults will revel in this farcical retelling.

"This isn't your typical fairytale, so expect the unexpected," warns director Sarah Byrne. "The play is incredibly funny with very adult humor."

For show information, call 410-778-7835 or e-mail drama_tickets@washcoll.edu.

Distinguished Scholar Discusses Poetry and the Call for the Abolition of Slavery, October 9

Chestertown, MD, October 4, 2006 — Washington College's Sophie Kerr Committee and the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience present "Why Literature Matters: Poets and the Abolition of Slavery," a lecture by James Basker, Ann Whitney Olin Professor of English, Barnard College, and President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The talk will be held Monday, October 9, at 4:30 p.m. in the college's Casey Academic Center Forum. The event is free and open to the public.

An eighteenth century scholar and expert on anti-slavery movements, Basker will explore the influence of poetry on the abolition of slavery, drawing on excerpts from his book, Amazing Grace: An Anthology of Poems About Slavery, 1660-1810 (Yale University Press, 2005). Acclaimed by critics as "an astounding literary and editorial achievement," Amazing Graceanthologizes more than 400 poems and poetic excerpts by writers, both famous and unknown, and traces the emergence of slavery and its injustices in the collective consciousness of the English-speaking world.

In addition to his interest in slavery and abolition, Basker specializes in the life and works of Samuel Johnson, the history of print culture, and women writers. His publications include Tobias Smollett, Critic and Journalist, winner of a 1989 Choice Award;Tradition in Transition: Women Writers, Marginal Texts, and the Eighteenth-Century Canon, with Alvaro Ribeiro, S.J.; Samuel Johnson in the Mind of Thomas Jefferson; and a modern edition of The Critical Review, or Annals of Literature 1756-1763. Before his professorship at Barnard College, he taught at Harvard and Columbia. He became president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in 1997. Currently, he serves on the editorial board of The Age of Johnson and is an elected fellow of the Pierpont Morgan Library and the Society of American Historians.

The talk is sponsored by Washington College's Sophie Kerr Committee, which carries on the work of Sophie Kerr's literary legacy to the college, and the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. Established in 2000 with a grant from the New York-based Starr Foundation, the Starr Center draws on the special historical strengths of Washington College and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Through educational programs, scholarship, and public outreach, the Starr Center explores the early republic, the rise of democracy, and the manifold ways in which the founding era continues to shape American culture. In partnership with other institutions and with leading scholars and writers, the Center works to promote innovative approaches to the study of history, and to bridge the gaps between historians, contemporary policymakers, and the general public.

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Centenary Celebration: Renowned Actor Barry McGovern Reads Beckett, October 16

Chestertown, MD, October 3, 2006 — In the second of its four-event series celebrating the centenary of the birth of the Nobel Prize-winning author and playwright Samuel Beckett, the Sophie Kerr Committee of Washington College presents "McGovern Reads Beckett, " a reading from Beckett's work by the renowned Irish actor Barry McGovern.

During his long association with Dublin's Gate Theatre McGovern has established himself as the preeminent Beckett actor in the English-speaking world. Along with performing in landmark productions of Beckett's major plays, including Waiting for Godot andEndgame, McGovern has been acclaimed by critics and theater-goers alike for his one-man shows featuring Beckett's poetry and prose.

This event, which will take place on Monday, October 16, at 4:30 p.m. in the Norman James Theater, is free and open to the public.