During the recent May 10, 2008 commencement ceremonies, 32 students graduated with a degree in International Studies.  This number includes both International Studies majors as well as those students with an interdisciplinary (or “bridge”) major that includes International Studies, such as I.S.-Economics, I.S.-Political Science, I.S.-French, etc.

After nineteen terrific years of service to the College, our wonderful (and irreplaceable) Departmental Assistant, Brenda Somes, has decided to retire.  Brenda assures us that she will not be far and is only a phone call or email away.  (You’ll hear from Brenda elsewhere in this newsletter.)

The Department is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Jennifer Sciubba as the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Studies.  Jennifer is now in the process of completing her Ph.D. degree at the University of Maryland.  In her new capacity as a member of the I.S. Department, Jennifer will help the College develop its new program in Environmental Studies while teaching at least one environmentally-related course per semester.

The Department is also pleased to report that Professors Shadrack Nasong’o and Amy Risley have successfully completed the third year review process.  This review involves an intensive examination of the teaching, scholarship, and service performance of all tenure-track faculty members completing their third year of work at the College.  These positive evaluations reflect both the fine work and numerous achievements of these two assistant professors over the past three years.

Graduating senior Megan Colnar was awarded a prestigious Watson Fellowship for the 2008-09 academic year.  Megan’s project, entitled “In Peaces: Nonviolence and Reconciliation Movements,” will take her to Chile, India, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, and South Africa over the next year.

Senior Ellie Hahn (’08) and junior Heather Houser (’09) delivered presentations at the College’s annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium (URCAS).  Ellie, who studied in Gabarone, Botswana in fall as a Buckman Scholar, gave a presentation on the nature and impact of social class structure in Botswana.  Heather, who spent a semester studying in southern Uganda in the fall, discussed the impact of culture and development on the plight of the Batwa people in southwestern Uganda.

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