College holds annual symposium to showcase first-year seminars

Ithaca College will be holding the second annual Ithaca Seminar Symposium for freshman students from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 12 in Emerson Suites. Nearly 400 students will present traditional poster sessions, give
individual readings and share their group or individual presentations.

Students in more than 20 first-year seminar sections have been working on individual or group projects throughout the semester. This is their first opportunity to showcase their work and talents to the college community
at large. 

Students will use this symposium to gain experience in communication, public speaking and information sharing.

Last year, many students went on to present their projects at the Whalen Symposium.

Art displayed in Handwerker Gallery explores human-animal interactions

Carla Stetson, associate professor and chair in the Department of Art, will be sharing her research and the processes behind her work in her exhibition Human Nature at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Handwerker Gallery.

Human Nature explores the ideas behind human and animal interdependence, how humans imagine animals to be and what animals mean to humans in the context of natural, cultural and societal issues of the world. The exhibition of her art began in the gallery Oct. 31 and continues until Dec. 16. Stetson’s compositions depict wild animals within domestic interior spaces where they do not belong.

Politics department to show film on US arms transfers to Mexico

A public showing of the documentary “Where The Guns Go: U.S. Policy and Human Rights in Mexico” will be held 6–7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 in Textor 101 and will be sponsored by the Department of Politics, Latin American Studies at Ithaca College and the Tompkins County Immigrant Rights Coalition. The documentary is about U.S. arms transfers to Mexico in a context of deepened corruption and human rights violations.

This documentary brings together the testimonies of human rights activists, journalists and people in Mexico directly affected by the violence carried by both government forces and organized crime in Mexico with
U.S. support.

There will be discussion led by sophomore Daniela Rivero and Ute Ritz-Deutch, professor at SUNY Cortland and Tompkins County Community College, following the documentary. The discussion will be about human rights and arms transfers to Mexico.

Professor and alum publish study on Semester at Sea experiences

Gordon Rowland, professor and program director of strategic communication, and Ali Kitchner-Meyer ’15 published their study on the learning experiences students gain from the Sea Education Association’s Semester at Sea
Marine Biodiversity and Conservation program. In the program, students conduct scientific studies while sailing. The study focused on why and how these experiences happen through interviews, data analysis and observation.

The study found that common themes of benefits and takeaways in the program were the learning of authenticity, openness, personal relationships and engagement. The relationship among these themes was found to point toward complexity and systemic design of the learning experience.

Associate professor writes paper on educational karaoke application

Doug Turnbull, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, published a paper in collaboration with three other authors titled SLIONS: A Karaoke Application to Enhance Foreign Language Learning.

The paper focuses on the use of a mobile karaoke app to help students learn foreign languages. Turnbull worked on the paper while on sabbatical at the National University
of Singapore.

Social worker leads event in chapel with students of Muslims and Allies

The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Muslims and Allies will be hosting a storytelling and discussion event Dec. 8.

Sara Bawany, clinical social worker in the Dallas area and author of the organization (W)holehearted, will lead the event. Her work touches on a variety of social justice issues. The event will be held at 7 p.m. in Muller Chapel. It is open to the campus community.

Mock trial club receives awards at annual Rochester tournament

Ithaca College’s student-led mock trial team competed at the annual Yellowjacket Invitational tournament Oct. 26–28 at the University of Rochester.

Senior Dozier Gardner won the Best Attorney Award and sophomore Kate Wolfel won the Best Witness Award. The college’s teams competed in four trials at the competition.