Cedar Crest College

Daritza Rosario, Amanda Connell, Nyla Ngegba, Amy Beltz, Brenda Moreno, and Haley Krueger all participated in a different kind of spring break March 3rd - March 9th, 2019. During the week of service, the students had the opportunity to work with the Robeson County Church and Community Center in Lumberton, NC. RCCCC is a multifaceted social service agency with a mission to push back against poverty and fight inequality in Robeson County, NC. Students worked with the Center's Home Store to create a more open and functional space through painting, floor merchandise display updates, updated merchandise floor plan, and processing donations. In 2016, Lumberton, NC was hit by Hurricane Florence that displaced many residents and caused significant damage to homes, business, and community lands. As many described the hurricane "it was a once in a lifetime damaging experience". In Fall of 2018, Lumberton, NC was hit by Hurricane Matthew, which caused the town to be split in half due to the flooding and damage. Another "once in a life time experience" that happened only two years after the first one.

NYFLC is a three-day summit that brings together hundreds of students and young feminist activists from across the country. Rubi Garcia, Kathleen Mallari, and Parisa Bradshaw all attended the conference in D.C. At the conference, discussions take place on critical feminist issues such as anti-violence work, abortion access, racial justice, immigrant rights, queer liberation, health justice and so much more. NYFLC is more than an issue-based conference - it's an activist training that strives to teach students skills and organizing strategies as well such as how to communicate with the media, how to plan an action, etc.). The panels vary from detailed discussions on specific policies to conversations on the organizing tactics behind specific wins to strategies of resistance, such as storytelling. At the conference, students could participate in an Action Room, where they could engage in direct actions and gather to meet one another and build community as well. And, on the last day, the conference hosted a Congressional Advocacy Day, where students are first trained on how to effectively hold their elected officials accountable and then engage in lobbying on the Hill.

Cedar Crest College's Alpha Phi Omega Chapter was awarded the 2019 Alpha Phi Omega Youth Service Grant for programming that the organization will be doing with local children and youth during the month of April. Projects will include working with the Campus Earth Day Celebration and the local Cherry Blossom Festival in Cedar Beach park. According to the International Alpha Phi Omega website, "the goal of the Youth Service Grant is to provide funding for Alpha Phi Omega chapters for programming that will encourage, inspire, and make an impact on children and young people in a socially positive manner."

Get people excited about chemistry by doing outreach, celebrating national chemistry week, and fundraisers. President - Jessica Miller, VP - Jade Sodon, Secretary - Alexandra Kuchinos, Treasurer - Kirsten Replogle

To help spread cheer and school spirit with activities, attending games, and participating in school organized events. President - Emily Thomson, VP - Kaylyn Brindisi, Secretary - Alicen Conteh, Treasurer - Jihnai Johnson

A theatre society for the whole campus whether tech, performer, or audience member, to promote the performing arts President - Emma Gerstein, VP - Grace Hurd, Secretary - Andrea Abdale, Treasurer - Rebecca Dolan

The Black Student Union strives to represent the interests of African-Americans and people of African descent in all Cedar Crest College activities. Even though we offer a safe space for those of color, we are not against love, togetherness, and peace with people who understand, care and share the same values/views as us. President - Sarafina Woolridge-Burns, VP - Cache Davis, Secretary - Tahirrah Steele, Treasurer - Vivia Marshall

Theta Psi chapter of the National Biology Honors Society. President - Julianna Marcotta, VP - Fernanda Culichia, Secretary - Magdalena Dammer, Treasurer - Haley Krueger

To provide a space for students from all academic disciplines to create art in a collaborate, fun, and supportive environment, promote art-related community outreach programs and explore opportunities to engage in the studio arts locally through museum visits and other celebratory art experiences and field trips. President - Haley Smith, VP - Liz Donowski, Secretary - Christina Steigerwalt, Treasurer - Isabel Pichardo

Anime Club shall be a place of relaxation for any students interested in expanding their exposure to animated media. President - Amanda Mann, VP - Ashley Lewry, Secretary - Taylor Marshall, Treasurer - Erin Wind

Amnesty International advocates for the human rights of all people. President - Jenny Garcia, VP - Cynthia Sanchez, Secretary - Jessica Fiore, Treasurer - Helena Chernyak

Community Service Fraternity President - Haley Krueger, Vice President - Nyla Ngeba, Secretary - Alicen Conteh, Teasurer - Yousif Al Ageel

The Accounting Club provides networking opportunities for accounting students and discusses current events in the field of accounting. President - Kiersten Clay, Secretary - Anna Holva, Treasurer - Ashley Lewry

Saleh Abuzaid presented a poster entitled, "Should Celebrities Make Political Statements on Global Issues?" Saleh is a first year international student in the Performing Arts program. His exploratory research focused on this debate and he reported the findings at the LVAIC Global Student Conference. His contribution concentrated on how global concerns do not just affect the United States, but also Saudi Arabia and the entire world.

The nurse anesthesia program (NAP) traveled to Harrisburg today to participate in Lobby Day to help pass a bill to recognize certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) as advanced practice nurses in the state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is just one of two states, New York is the other one, that fail to recognize CRNAs in some form. CRNAs are only recognized as registered nurses, not CRNAs. With 3,700 CRNAs and 13 NAPs, the state of PA ranks nationally for CRNA students. 150 CRNAs and students attended this political event.

Ravneet Sandhu presented "Consequences of Locus of Control on Free Will Belief and Personal Meaning: If They Can Do It, So Can I." She is a senior at Cedar Crest College where she is majoring in English Literature and Psychology. She grew up in India and believes it was a privilege to be able to conduct research there.

Sophia Eckroth, a junior nursing major, along with Jennie Fritz, contributed her perspective to the LVAIC Global Student Conference by presenting "Life Changing Experiences of Tanzania". This was based on the study abroad trip through the Nursing Department. This trip in January left a special impact on her life personally and resulted in an eye-opening experience.

Jamie Kahn, English and Writing major, has had her short story "Macaroni" accepted for publication in Rag Queen Periodical, https://www.ragqueenperiodical.com/single-post/2019/03/14/Macaroni

A play about women searching for answers is up next March 21 to 23 at Cedar Crest College in Allentown.

Kathleen Mallari presented "Inter-Korean Relations and U.S. Interests" at the LVAIC Global Student Conference. Kat is a junior Global Studies student with a dual-concentration in Religion, Culture, Society, and Economics and International Business. She has a passion for travel and the priceless realizations that come with it. She has traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a service-learning trip through the Carmen Twillie Ambar Sophomore Expedition. She has also participated in a study abroad program to Seoul, South Korea, where she is using her experiences and observations as the primary basis for her research and topic of interest for her poster.

On March 20th, Miranda Fetchen (Junior Environmental Conservation and Math double major) and Leslie Abreu (Sophomore Biology major) gave a joint talk with Dr. Allison Cornell (Assistant Professor of Biology) at Luther Crest Retirement Community on their spotted lanternfly research. The talk, entitled "Tiny Pest, Big Problem" was very well received by an audience of over 50 community members, including retired Biology Professor Dr. Marion Kayhart. Luther Crest also broadcast a video of the talk in the rooms of residents. Leslie and Miranda will continue to present the research they have completed with Dr. Cornell and the USDA at the Pennsylvania Academy of Science Conference hosted at Cedar Crest next weekend, and will be special guest speakers in Dr. Cornell's Institute for Learning and Retirement course on lanternflies in April. Congratulations to Leslie and Miranda!

Rubi Garcia presented a poster entitled "Examining Belgium's Rivalry with...Itself?" at the LVAIC Global Student Conference held at Cedar Crest College. Rubi is currently a senior at Cedar Crest College with a double major in Global Studies and Political Science. She has previously studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea and in Brussels, Belgium. Studying abroad in both countries helped her grow as a global citizen. Now she supports other students through the process of study abroad as an International Ambassador at Cedar Crest College and as a former delegate to the United Nations Youth Assembly.

Ravneet Sandhu, a senior majoring in Psychology and English, made two poster presentations at the 2019 Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) Conference in New York, NY on March 1 and 2 with her supervisor Dr. Kerrie Baker. The titles of her presentations were: The Effect of Status and Power on Altruism, Self-Esteem, and Belief in a Just World, and Queering the Marriage Plot. Both posters were well-received.

Jennie Fritz and Sophia Eckroth presented a poster at the Global Conference hosted at Cedar Crest College on Saturday, February 23, 2019. Their presentation focused on their travel trip to Tanzania in January, 2019.

The Sophomore Expedition is a guaranteed study abroad program. In the spring semester of their sophomore year, students participate in a series of classes to prepare them for the trip. Then they spend 8-10 days traveling as a class to an international destination where they participate in a number of service activites. This year they traveled to Athens, Greece.

On February 27, 2019 the Society for Human Resources Management Club (SHRM), advised by Christine Lombardo-Zaun, Esq., MBA, hosted an Excel Workshop that was taught by Dr. Michael Zalot, Assistant Professor in the Department of Business, Management, and Economics. Two 75-minutes sessions were held in the computer lab allowing students to actively participate in learning more about Excel. This was open to all students on campus and the feedback was very positive. The SHRM club officers, Meredith Vandegrift, Kelly Fenstermaker, Fesal Aldoghtir, Kaniz Kashem, and Ashley Ross along with the members of the club developed the idea and implemented it. Certificates of participation were awarded to all students who attended the event. Based upon student demand more sessions will be offered in the future.

Dr. K. Joy Karnas, Professor of Biology, and Julianna Marotta ('19) presented their research findings at the Annual Meeting of The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington, DC. Dr. Karnas' presentation "A Novel PCR-RFLP Assay to Assess a Spontaneous FabI Mutation in Enterobacteriaceae" was presented as a 10 minute talk with an ePoster display. Julianna's ePoster presentation "Genetic Characterization of Novel Multidrug Resistant Enterobacter cloacae Strains" was part of the undergraduate and graduate student competition and showcased her latest findings derived from her four years of research in the Karnas laboratory. Julianna and three other students, Kassaundra Blodgett ('19), Ellen Sherman ('19), and Rachael Supinski ('19) also served as session aides at the conference, helping facilitate the technical aspects of the meeting, and Dr. Karnas served as a poster judge, evaluating student presentations.

Faculty juried paintings and prints by Cedar Crest College students Marianna Castro, Stacey Dolgos, Maeve McGrath, Ashleigh Nagy and Katrina Nehmeh are part of an exhibition on display in the gallery of Capital Blue Cross at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley. Works will be on display March 5 - April 5, 2019.

Cedar Crest College's performing arts department presents the Tony Award-winning musical "Cabaret" Thursday through Sunday in Samuels Theatre.

Rubi Garcia ('19), a double major in Political Science and Global Studies, participated in a roundtable discussion with Rep. Susan Wild (D-7th) on the effects of the 2018 PA congressional redistricting at the Redistricting Town Hall at Muhlenberg College on February 21. Dr. Christine Carpino, Assistant Professor in Political Science, moderated the roundtable. The event was live streamed across the state and will be rebroadcast on PCN Saturday, February 23 at 2:00pm https://pcntv.com/schedule/?d=1 .