Fulbright scholars spark educational exchange

Fulbright Scholar and Associate Professor of geography Jennifer Rogalsky is in Ghana this semester, teaching and conducting research on the role of gender in the developing world.

Rogalsky is part of a new collaborative partnership between Geneseo and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, where she is teaching "Gender and Development" in the geography and rural development department.

Her research focuses on how women in Kumasa and Accra cope in the informal economy in urban markets. She is collaborating with her new colleagues and students on the project.

"I expect to find that national policies such as the Ghana poverty reduction strategy, and growth and poverty reduction strategy are not ‘trickling down,'" says Rogalsky. "My findings could have policy implications to help women and their children address barriers to economic and educational success."

In a true exchange, the vice dean of the faculty of social science at KNUST, Eva Tagoe-Darko, is spending the 2009-2010 academic year at Geneseo in the geography department.

Last semester, Tagoe-Darko taught a course on maternal education and child health. In addition to teaching geography of Africa this spring, she is continuing research on identifying effective preventive health practices for children and adolescents.

"My experience here at Geneseo has been wonderful and I see this as the beginning of more collaboration between our institutions," said Tagoe-Darko. "There is great potential for more exchanges, not only with faculty but also students."

Rogalsky gives credit to the dean of Geneseo's School of Education, Osman Alawiye, for initiating the partnership between Geneseo and KNUST, which encouraged Rogalsky and Tagoe-Darko to apply for the Fulbright award. Livingston County officials also are pursuing trade opportunities with Ghana.

"This is a true academic and cultural exchange that will benefit students in Ghana and Geneseo," said Rogalsky. "I feel very honored and lucky to be a part of this program." This week, Daniel Buor, provost of the College of Arts and Sciences at KNUST, is at Geneseo discussing joint research interests and interest in student and faculty and staff exhcanges between Geneseo and KNUST.

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IN OTHER NEWS

Longtime emeritus dies 

Myron (Ron) B. Shaw, associate professor emeritus of communication, died Feb. 13, 2010. He was 79. He was a member of the Geneseo faculty from 1964 to 1990. A service was held today, Wed., Feb. 17, at Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home in Livonia, followed by burial at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Geneseo.

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KUDOS

• Geneseo’s new bystander training program, “Stand Up for One Another,” is the winner of the Collaborative Program of the Year award from the Association of College Unions International. The program, which was implemented last fall, will be recognized at the organization’s Community Builders Awards Ceremony at its annual convention.
  
  “Stand Up for One Another” was created by Chip Matthews, director of College Union activities, in collaboration with Kim Harvey, coordinator of residential living, and Wendi Kinney, coordinator of Greek affairs.
  
  

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UPCOMING EVENTS     

• Today, Wed., Feb. 17, at 2:15 p.m and 3 p.m., in the College Union Lobby, the Shaolin Lion Dancers from the Rochester Shaolin Training Academy will perform the lion dance. The dance has been a New Year’s tradition in China for more than a thousand years.
  
  
• On Thursday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m. in the College Union Ballroom, Hasan Kwame Jeffries will talk about “Freedom Politics: From the Black Panthers to Barack Obama,” with a book signing following the lecture. The presentation is based on Jeffries’ new book, “Bloody  Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in the Alabama Black Belt.” He is an associate professor of history at Ohio State University and holds a joint appointment with the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. The event is sponsored by Democracy Matters and the Africana/Black Studies program, with support from College Auxiliary Service and is partially funded by mandatory student activity fees.
  
  
• On Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. in Newton 204, the film "4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days" will be shown as part of The Alan Lutkus International Film Series. Set in 1987, the story centers around a woman trying to arrange an abortion for her friend, in a time when the government had made the procedure illegal in an effort to increase the country's population. More than 500,000 women died as a result of botched abortions during that time. Associate Professor Cynthia Klima of foreign languages and literatures will lead a discussion.
  
  
• On Saturday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. in the College Union Ballroom, there is a square dance with The Geneseo String Band, directed by School of the Arts Lecturer Jim Kimball. Tickets are available at the door and are $3 for the public, $1 for students and 12 and under is free. It is sponsored by the Geneseo School of Arts.
  
  
• On Sunday, Feb. 28, at 3 p.m., in Wadsworth Auditorium, the Geneseo Symphony Orchestra will perform, conducted by James Walker, distinguished service professor. School of the Arts Dean Jonathan Gonder will play piano. The event is free, open to the public and sponsored by the Geneseo School of the Arts.

PHOTO GALLERY

 Photo of the week ....

• Fulbright scholars spark educational exchange

IN OTHER NEWS:

• Longtime emeritus dies 

• Kudos
  
  
• Upcoming events
  
  
• Photo gallery

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