Cedar Crest College

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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 .

Junior Forward Venus Cabrera was selected to the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Association's Team of the Year at the organization's final luncheon of the 2018-19 season. The LVSCBA is made up of the six small colleges and universities in the Lehigh Valley, including East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, DeSales University, Moravian College, Muhlenberg College and Cedar Crest.

The Fall 2018 Bridging the Gap Conference titled,THIS IS EQUITY: BELONGING, UNPACKING AND CLAIMING.

The vision of the council is to create a space where diverse student leaders can collaborate and communicate with each other and the CDI.

Inclusion Advocates help to provide support for the retention and success of historically underrepresented students through services and programs that will enhance their learning experiences, build new relationships, and prepare them to successfully interact in a multicultural world. Inclusion Advocates create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for diverse students to achieve academic and personal success by organizing cultural programs and serving as mentors.

The Diversity and Inclusion Council advocates for a living, learning, and working campus environment that values diversity, inclusive excellence, and equity-mindedness so as to better enable Cedar Crest College to educate the next generation of leaders.

Inclusion Advocates help to provide support for the retention and success of historically underrepresented students through services and programs that will enhance their learning experiences, build new relationships, and prepare them to successfully interact in a multicultural world. Inclusion Advocates create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for diverse students to achieve academic and personal success by organizing cultural programs and serving as mentors.

Being a FYE Mentor is a dynamic and challenging role for students with leadership skills and desire to work with new students. It is an opportunity to create a positive Cedar Crest college experience and assist with the transition that students face when entering college. Responsibilities include leading new students through the transition to college by helping them understand the challenges of college; connecting them with students, faculty and staff; educating them about academic and co-educational program and services; and exposing them to our rich heritage and traditions centered in women's leadership. FYE Mentors facilitate small groups, assist with resident student move-in, organize programs and schedules and co-teach a College Life course in the fall semester and the Exploring Your Future course in the spring semester.

The following students worked to increase voter turnout on our campus during the fall election: Rubi Garcia, Hannah Alacorn, Carlie Gausch, and Francisca Sepulveda. Together, they created flyers, went to classes, and collected pledges to vote to remind students about their unalienable rights leading up to the election. They also partnered with both the Lutz Center and the Political Science Club for the party at the polls event. Both the Lutz Center and the Political Science/History Club did an amazing job of registering student voters.

Admissions Ambassadors are responsible for assisting the Office of Admissions in its recruitment efforts. Ambassadors are a prospective students first impression of the student body and the college as a whole. Students who are selected for the Ambassador position are professional, reliable, a well-spoken member of the Cedar Crest community, and exemplify what it means to be a Cedar Crest student. Responsibilities include providing engaging and informative campus tours, clerical office duties during weekly office hours, assisting at all on-campus Admissions events, and attending all trainings. Ambassadors represent the institution at the highest level and are inspiring leaders who want to make an impact on a prospective students college decision.

From January 3-5, 2019, Dr. Megan Monahan, Assistant Professor of History, and Ms. Brittney Bonser, a senior double-major in history and secondary education, attended and presented papers at the 8th annual Hawaii University International Conference for Arts, Humanities, Social Science and Education at the Prince Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. Monahan's paper, "'Pop Goes Hawaii' The Impact of U.S. Pop Culture on Women in the Islands of Aloha," is the basis for her upcoming book on women in the postwar labor movement in Hawaii, which is due out next year from the University of Hawaii Press. Ms. Bonser's paper, which was also her senior capstone project in history, was entitled: "Patriotutes of Hotel Street: The Untold Story of Jean O'Hara." Both papers were also published in the respective conference proceedings publication. Dr. Monahan and Ms. Bonser also toured the iconic, historic I'olani Palace during their visit to Oahu.

Daniel Eastman, a senior English Major, was recently awarded the SI Newhouse School Prize for Creative Nonfiction for his travel-writing piece, "The Anomaly of West Virginia," a humorous late-blooming tale of discovery that merges an analysis of West Virginian literary icon Breece Pancake with his own experiences as an outsider. The story will be featured in the literary journal Stone Canoe, in Issue 13, this coming March.

Delphi is the college's honor society for undergraduate students. Students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 at the end of their junior year or their senior year are recognized as members.

The Dean's List recognizes students who have earned a grade point average of 3.65 or higher in the academic semester.