Feature Stories

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences announced recipients of the 2012 Excellence in Service and Scholarship Awards at its fall faculty meeting on Dec. 4. The 2012 LA&S Excellence in Service Award went to Professor Kristine Harris (History), for her exemplary service as director of the Asian Studies Program for the past 12 years. Harris joined the faculty in the Department of History in 1996. One of her most noteworthy accomplishments is the expansion of the number of Asian Studies participating faculty and the establishment of new study abroad programs with colleges and universities in Asia, two recent...

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The latest food and convenience option on campus has been unveiled on the concourse outside the Student Union Building: Shop24, a vending machine that carries snacks, beverages, sundries, and frozen meals. It accepts several methods of payment, including cash, credit cards and Hawk Dollars. “Shop24 offers an extensive array of items for students on the run, and will certainly satisfy those late night cravings,” said Steve Deutsch, executive director of Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS). “It will also serve our campus community when classes are not in session, a time when our retail and resident dining operations are limited.” He...

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Head field hockey coach Shanna Vitale was named the 2012 Synapse Sports NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year. In addition, junior goalkeeper Antonija Pjetri ’15 (Psychology) was tabbed to the 2012 Synapse Sports NCAA Division III All-America Third Team. With Vitale at the helm this season, the Hawks went 16-5 overall and 5-1 in conference play en route to winning their first-ever State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title. Prior to this year, the New Paltz field hockey program had never experienced a winning season in its history. Not only were the Hawks well above...

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Professor Myra Mimlitsch-Gray (Metal) is the recipient of the 2012 United States Artists (USA) Fellowship. The honor carries with an award of $50,000 in unrestricted grant funds. USA selects 50 artist fellows each year in the disciplines of architecture and design; crafts and traditional arts; dance; literature; media; music; theater arts; and visual arts. Selections are based on the artists’ skills, education or training, income-based application of skills, and history of engaging creatively with the public. Mimlitsch-Gray received the award in the category of Crafts and Traditional Arts. Mary Hafeli, dean of the School of Fine and Performing Arts,...

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Professor Nkeiru Okoye (Music) has been commissioned by American Opera Projects to develop and present her opera, Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed the Line to Freedom. American Opera Projects, based in Brooklyn, NY, received a grant in the amount of $15,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in support of the project. The grant will fund creation, development, and presentation of the opera. Harriet Tubman is a two act theatrical work that tells of how a young girl born in slavery grows to become Harriet Tubman, the legendary Underground Railroad “conductor.” The opera will commemorate the centennial of Tubman’s death as...

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