By the time-traveling power of art, visit Renaissance Florence with Catherine Chandler!
Join your faithful Program Officer on a journey through through humanism and art at the National Gallery with a personal tour of the special exhibition “Piero di Cosimo: The Poetry of Painting in Renaissance Florence.” Witness the rebirth of classical learning in Italy through portraiture, allegory, and religious art by one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. Though Piero never achieved Ninja Turtle status, he was regarded by contemporaries as a singular talent and an eccentric personality.
Piero di Cosimo’s work encapsulates Renaissance painting: the tension between pagan classicism and Christian dogma; the artistic debate that pits line against color; and an urge to place the most august figures in a human context. Many of these objects are rarely exhibited outside of Italy, making this a rare opportunity to appreciate a pivotal moment in intellectual history and art history.
Sunday, April 26, meet at the Honors Townhouse (714 21st Street) at 1pm before hopping onto Metro to Smithsonian station.
To join the tour, contact Catherine directly at cbrady@gwu.edu.
Tag: AY1415
Economics Student-Faculty Panel
Dear Economics Enthusiasts,
On behalf of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, the Undergraduate Economics Association, the Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity, and the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Fraternity, we formally invite you to participate in the 2015, GW Economics Student-Faculty Panel.
About the event:
Please join the undergraduate body for a conversation between faculty and students on academic advice, current research climate, and professional development for current and prospective Economics undergraduate students. The panel will begin with a structured discussion, supplemented by student-submitted questions, and it will end with an open Q+A session.
Confirmed speakers to date include Joann Weiner, a Washington Post Columnist; Tara Sinclair, an Economist at Indeed.com; James Foster, a leading Development Economist; and Irene Foster, an Undergraduate Economics professor with an expansive background in Marketing.
The event will be held on Thursday, April 23 in Funger—Room 103, from 7:15-8:15pm. The attire is business casual.
We sincerely hope you can join us for the discussion; we have reached out to you because we recognize your student involvement in the Economics Department.
Please RSVP to the event here, indicating that you will be attending the event. There is also an option to submit a question for the department to answer. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any additional questions at gweconomicspanel@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing you at the event; thank you so much for your continued dedication in promoting academic excellence and leadership on campus.
Sincerely,
Jack Keenan
Jack Keenan is a Junior in CCAS and is a member of the University Honors Program.
Elliott School UG Scholars Presentations THIS THURSDAY
Don’t miss the Final Presentations of the Elliott School Undergraduate Scholars this Thursday, April 16, 2015 in the Lindner Family Commons (1957 E Street NW, Room 602). The full schedule is below, with Team UHP representin’ in bold.
10:00 to 10:55 am
Civil Societies in Transition: Building Social Cohesion in the Wake of Conflict and Disaster
- Spogmay Ahmed, Feminism Along the Frontier: Using Religion and Tribal Customs to Promote Pashtun Women’s Rights (Faculty Advisor: Professor Robert Shepherd)
- Sarah Freeman-Woolpert, Shared Grievances, Divided Response: The Impact of Ethno-National Discourse on Youth Civic Engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Faculty Advisors: Professors Robert Shepherd and Sarah Wagner)
- Hailey Pulman, Rebuilding Society: The Exploration of Ethno-Religious Peacebuilding in Post-Civil War Sri Lanka (Faculty Advisor: Professor Melani McAlister)
- Avani Singh, The Impact of Language on Haitian Society (Faculty Advisor: Professor Robert Maguire)
11:00 to 11:40 am
Security Challenges and Responsible Management: Chinese Cyber Threats, Mexican Vigilante Violence, and Pentagon Budget Battles
- Samuel Klein, Beyond Capabilities: Investigating China’s Military Strategy and Objectives in Cyberspace (Faculty Advisor: Professor C. Dianne Martin)
- Ryan Melcher, A Geospatial Analysis of Overlooked Authors: Understanding the Vigilante Outbreak and Federal Efforts to Quell Cartel Violence Michoacán, Mexico (Faculty Advisor: Professor Joseph Dymond)
- Michelle Shevin-Coetzee, Learning to Share the Pie: Civil-Military Negotiation over the Defense Budget (Faculty Advisor: Professor Stephen Biddle)
11:45 am to 12:55 pm
Framing the Conversation: Examining International and Domestic Political Engagement
- Anna Boadwee, KDU-ČSL in the Czech Republic: The Rise of a Christian Party in a Secular Nation (Faculty Advisor: Professor Ingrid Creppell)
- Jennifer Hamilton, The Impact of Popular Definitions of Democracy on Democratic Legitimacy in Select African Countries (Faculty Advisor: Professor Eric Kramon)
- Rosa Kim, Civil Society in Japan-Republic of Korea Relations: Roles and Potential in Facilitating Reconciliation (Faculty Advisor: Professor Daqing Yang)
- Paul McKinney, What We Talk About When We Talk About Iraq: Identifying Dominant US Narratives and Their Impact on Sectarianism (Faculty Advisor: Professor Dina Khoury)
- Nicolás Pedreira, An American Embassy in Iran (Faculty Advisor: Professor Henry Nau)
1:00 to 2:00 pm
Land and Labor: Implications of Social Roles on Quality of Life, Public Health, Social Change, and Political Access
- Pamela Levy, Pay to Play? The Impact of Russian Policy-Making on Uzbek Labor Migration (Faculty Advisor: Professor Marlene Laruelle)
- Samah Mcgona, Perceptions of Gender Roles and Property Rights: Analyzing Policy as a Mechanism for Safeguarding Women’s Land Rights in Liberia (Faculty Advisor: Professor Nemata Blyden)
- Sarah Sawyer, Occupational Health Risk Factors for Schistosomiasis: Systematic Review and Analysis (Faculty Advisor: Professor Amira Roess)
- Julia Wagner, Construction of the Sustainable Waste-Picker in Buenos Aires (Faculty Advisor: Professor Lisa Benton-Short)
You've Got Your Head in the Clouds [Sherpa]
Dear Sherpa,
It was 75° on Tuesday and it’s getting to be that time of the year where I spend all my time in the classroom staring out the window and longing for the beautiful outdoors. I pray that a professor will hold class outside and frankly can’t stand to spend more than five minutes working in the library. Spring fever has set in and I have completely lost focus. How can I get back on track?
Sincerely,
I Gotta Fever
Dear IGF,
This is a very real concern. It’s easy to get distracted by the beautiful weather and find your mind wandering, but it’s important to not give in to the temptation of the great outdoors.
I myself wrestled with this exact challenge my senior year of high school, driven delirious by Spring Fever on a beautiful April day. My best friend and I stole his father’s car and we picked up my girlfriend from school while I pretended to be her father (the principal even watched us make out. You’d think there would have been some follow up there…). We wandered, traipsed, even galavanted throughout Chicago, visiting the skydeck at the Sears Tower (not to be confused with that time I climbed the Washington Monument), eating at Chez Quis, and doing something with stocks that I still don’t really understand. We caught a baseball game, went to a museum, and tried not to think too hard about how I could afford all this stuff as a 17 year old. Things got a little out of control and long story short my sister started dating a drug dealer now and if my best friend had any sense at all he’d have never spoken to me again.
Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Remember the importance of moderation. Don’t completely suppress your urges for nature (natural urges?), but don’t lose your sense of responsibility either. If the distraction will inhibit your productivity, it’s better to spend an hour sitting in the grass than to spend it staring at a book, feeling like you’re reading the same lines over and over without making any progress staring at a book, feeling like you’re reading the same lines over and over without making any progress staring at a book, feeling like you’re reading the same lines over and over without making any progress.
If it works for you, try to negotiate with yourself. Finish one class reading and reward yourself with some fun in the sun. Also, don’t forget to keep your eyes on the finish line. It’ll help you stay motivated! The end of the semester is just around the corner, and if you power through the next few weeks you’ll be able to enjoy those May flowers all the more. And always always ALWAYS remember, driving a car backwards will not remove miles from the odometer. That’s idiotic. Who would ever think that would work?
Upcoming Fulbright Info Sessions [Recommended Event]
Have you ever thought about applying for a Fulbright? Fulbright Study or Teaching Fellowship awardees pursue graduate or professional study, advanced research, or English teaching in elementary or secondary schools or universities.
During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think.
Find out if Fulbright is right for you at an information session hosted by the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships & Research!
Tuesday 4/7 at 12pm in Marvin 526
Wednesday 4/8 at 12pm in Marvin 538
Tuesday 4/14 at 5pm in Marvin Center 538
Wednesday 4/15 at 5pm in Marvin 538
Thursday 4/16 at 12pm in Marvin 538
If you can’t attend an information session, please make an appointment with the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships & Research.
Remembering the Holocaust: A Story of Loss, Love and Survival [Recommended Event]
You are invited to the opening of an exhibition created by the George Washington University’s class on “Holocaust Memory” titled
Remembering the Holocaust: A Story of Loss, Love and Survival
Date: April 14, 2015
Location: The Dr. Yehuda Nir and Dr. Bonnie Maslin Special Exhibition Gallery, Gelman Library, The George Washington University, 2130 H St NW, Washington, DC 20052, 7th Floor.
Time:
Reception and Viewing of Exhibition: 5:00 PM
Opening Ceremony: 6:00 PM
This exhibition is based on the experiences of two extraordinary young Polish Jews, Norman and Amalie Petranker Salsitz, most of whose relatives were murdered in the Holocaust but who, by their courage and wits, survived, met each other, got married, came to America, raised a family and wrote a gripping memoir, Against All Odds. The many photographs and documents they saved, and their utter devotion to memory, enabled them to amass and document a collection that is utterly unique and that forms the basis of this exhibition. It tells their story as well as the story of a world that was and is no more.
The opening ceremony will be addressed by Esther Dezube, the daughter of the Salsitzes; Steven Lerman, the Provost of George Washington University; the students who created the exhibition; and the course’s instructor, Walter Reich, GW’s Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Professor, who is a former Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. These presentations will be followed by a general discussion.
An appreciation of Norman Salsitz, written in 2006 shortly after his death, is at http://forward.com/articles/9541/shoah-survivor-kept-memories-alive/.
See also http://library.gwu.edu/news-events/posts/remembering-holocaust-story-loss-love-and-survival.
Please RSVP to Rebecca Lee at rebeccalee@gwu.edu or 202-994-0312.
Elliott School Undergraduate Scholars Program
The following blog post was written by Jenny Hamilton, a senior in the Elliott School of International Affairs and an Elliott Undergraduate Scholar.
Would you like the opportunity to spend winter break in Haiti or Bosnia? Do you want to probe the minds of top US diplomats on the potential for an embassy in Iran? Would you jump at the chance to present original research at a conference in Chicago or on Capitol Hill?
If you answered yes to any of these questions (and are going to be an Elliott junior or senior spending all of next year here in Foggy Bottom), you might be a good candidate for the Elliott Undergraduate Scholars Program.
The Elliott Undergraduate Scholars Program provides extensive support to a small cohort of students pursuing independent, original research every year. Through the program, you will have the opportunity to:
- Work with a faculty adviser and graduate student mentor.
- Receive a $500 research stipend with the opportunity to apply for additional funding
- Learn about research methodology and the writing process from top GW faculty
- Provide and receive intensive peer review of paper drafts
- Present and publish your research through the Elliott School
Participating in the Elliott Undergraduate Scholars Program was one of the best decisions I made during my four years at GW. Through the program, I am studying the impact of popular definitions of democracy on democratic legitimacy using African public survey data – in plain terms, I’m investigating whether citizens’ varying conceptions of democracy affects whether or not they believe it is the best form of government. If democratic consolidation isn’t your cup of tea, that’s okay. This year, scholars are studying topics from Liberian land reform to Chinese cybersecurity threats, from Argentinian waste management to Russian immigration policy. Every week, I learn from them as they unveil amazing discoveries and make substantial contributions to their field of international affairs.
If you are considering the Elliott Undergraduate Scholars Program, a few things to keep in mind:
- Although it counts for your honors thesis, this program is NOT your typical senior thesis. It is a substantial time commitment, so with that being said…
- Make sure to choose a topic you love! If you are passionate about your topic, your year will be amazing. If you are not, it will be miserable.
- Put time into your proposal! If you do not have considerable previous experience with the topic, you will need to take time to do research.
- Make sure you find a faculty advisor with whom you can work well.
The application is due April 13 and has several components, so make sure to start it soon! You can find more information about the application process and the program on the Elliott website here. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jham93@gwmail.gwu.edu. Best of luck!
UHP Young Alumni Panel
The UHP is excited to announce our upcoming Young Alumni Panel, “What’s Up Alum- One Year Out”! UHP alum, like our current students, are pretty awesome. They have a host of experiences, wisdom, and career expertise to share, and just recently confronted the post-grad “What am I doing” dilemma that many juniors and seniors face when it comes time to make career decisions. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and network with some amazing alums and celebrate what makes our UHP community so special. So join us on Thursday, April 23 at 6 PM in the Club Room. Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP here.
Wonder who’s going to be there?
Below are the names, photos and bios of each panelist:
Shailly Gaur: BS in Biology ’14, Doctor of Medicine ’19, from Sayre, Pennsylvania. Shailly is currently an Emergency Department Scribe at Children’s National Medical Center. While at GW she served as Volunteer Coordinator for Camp Kesem GW and External Affairs Co-Chair for the UHP’s Student Peer Advising Program. She has worked at GW’s Gelman Library, GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences as a Research Assistant under Dr. Sally Moody, and GW’s Department of Biology as an Undergraduate TA for Dr. Randall Packer.
Rio Hart: BA in Political Science ’14, from Minneapolis, Minnesota. At GW, he was in the Honors Program (surprise!), was involved in the GW Radio, and studied abroad in Istanbul. Before graduating, he had internships with Senator Amy Klobuchar, Strategic Social (media monitoring in the Middle East), National Association of Conservation Districts, and Congressional Digest. He currently works at the Brookings Institution in the Center for Health Policy.
Andrew Hori: BA in Political Science, minor in Philosophy ’14 from Boston, Massachusetts. Cook. While at GW, he was involved in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, as well as a number of community service programs and organizations such as the Alternative Breaks Program, Community Building Community, and Alpha Phi Omega—the co-ed community service fraternity. Through his internship at World Central Kitchen–Chef Jose Andres’ humanitarian organization–he gained experience in sustainable international development, but also found a passion for cooking. You can now find him cooking full-time at two restaurants in D.C.
Rachel Weiss: BA in International Affairs ’14, from Highland Park, IL. Strategy and Operations Analyst at Deloitte Consulting LLP. While at GW she served as President of Balance: The GW Ballet Group. She has worked at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, the Democratic National Committee, Obama for America, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Don’t forget to RSVP!
Religion in Contemporary China feat. Prof. Aviv [Recommended Event]
Spring 2015 Hike with Prof. Ralkowski
Join Professor Mark Ralkowski and GW TRAiLS for a day-long hike in Shenandoah National Park!
Saturday, April 18, 2015 – Leave from the UHP Townhouse at 7:45am, return at 6pm.
Old Rag Day Hike
Trip Leaders: GWTRAiLS
Trip Leaders: GWTRAiLS
Cost: Free to UHP Students!!
Destination:
Located in Shenandoah National Park, Old Rag is one of the most popular hikes in the region. It is a circuit hike with some beautiful panoramic views and some cool rock scrambles. The total loop is 8 miles, so this would definitely be a trip that takes an entire day. We’ll provide lunch — sandwich assortments from the GW Deli!
