Mansfield University Blog

I had coffee in Jazzman’s with Chris McGann, who earned two degrees at MU before being accepted at American University in Washington, DC where he’s also assistant director of the Campaign Management Institute.  Chris , a former reporter for the Wellsboro Gazette, will get his master’s this spring and plans to shoot straight into the PhD program.  Earlier this year his class was featured on C-span.  Fast forward to 22:50 to see our Mountie Man in Washington.

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Joyce Tice was a recent guest on Conversations, talking about the mid-19th century diaries of Rosina Smith, who lived a few miles up the road from Mansfield.   Life back then was very different in many ways and not so different in others.  It’s a candid look at local life in the mid 1800s.

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Art prof Paul Bozzo is taking full advantage of social media with his blog, Bozzo Art, displaying works of his and others with photo stills and video.  His latest is Faculty Choice Student Art Show.  Take a tour and see what our students are doing and what our faculty like.

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I interviewed retired professor emeritus Dr. Verne Lapps a couple years ago about his college days with actor James Earl Jones at the University of Michigan.    Verne gives some fascinating insights into the times and a young, shy pre-med student who went on to become one of the great actors of our time — and the voice of Darth Vader.  Here’s In College with Darth Part 1 and Part 2.

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I rummaged through our archives to find this shot of Jones at a press conference during his visit to MU in 1997.  Adoring media members came with their copies of Star Wars to be autographed.

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Speaking of Black History Month, the  NBC cafeteria served a special lunch of fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread.  I’m guessing employees partaking of the special had to sit at the back of the cafeteria.

The PA State System of Higher Education has established the  Haiti Relief Fund to help coordinate donation efforts from organizations and individuals in the 14 state system schools.

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Bill Gates believes in the potential of online learning, as well as publishing course materials free online.   Sounds like there are grant money possibilities for those in synch with the Microsoft Man’s vision.  In his annual letter he says his foundation has “made a few grants to drive online learning, but we are just at the start of this work.”

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Remember the Dutch Pantry? which later morphed into the University Club?  Some great meals and memories.  The building was razed recently to make way for a new borough hall.  More as it progresses.

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Debra Marbaker of Troy is working in the Legislative Office for Research Liaison as part of a 15-week Harrisburg Intership Semester sponsored by the PA State System of Higher Education.  Marbaker is a senior mass communications major with a minor in women’s studies.

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Chester Bailey’s wife, Mary, passed away on January 23.  The Baileys have been involved in the community and the county for decades.  Until a couple years ago, Mary was Chester’s right-hand person in the Museum Tent at the 1890s Weekend.  You can send Chester, a 1935 MU grad,  a card  at: 413 Valley Rd., Mansfield, PA 16933.

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Groundhog Day is coming up February 2.  While the winter hasn’t been that bad, I’m hoping the fat little rodent doesn’t see his shadow, which supposedly means an early spring.  The annual tradition, located in Punxsutawney, PA, (a Delaware Indian name), has its roots in the Pagan festival of Imbolc.  Now that’s diversity.

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Here’s one woman’s take on the name of  Jobs’ new baby, the iPad, which seemed to create as much buzz as the President’s State-of-the-Union address.

(Oh, Rush Limbaugh says the controversial name is Obama’s fault).

Home for the Holidays, sponsored by the Greater Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce is Saturday, Dec. 12.  The event, which gets a little bigger each year, includes Santa’s appearance, a day of activities and a vendor fair sponsored by our own MAEOP group.

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The North Hall Christmas Tree is up for its 14th year of exuding holiday spirit.  The 16-ft tree was donated  by Elaine and Tony DiBiase in 1996, the year the renovated North Hall opened.  Elaine was a librarian here until her retirement.  To complete the festive feel,  Larry Nesbit, library director at the time, on his way to Harrisburg, stopped in every WalMart on the way and bought up all the pink and white poinsettias.

Thanks to Bob Bertsche for putting up the tree and the library staff  and students for  decorating it each year.

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The MU Art department is featured in the Nov. 29 issue of the Sun Gazette in its story about the Tioga Central Railroad’s Santa Express which travels to an elaborate village scene created by our art students under the direction of professor Darryl Abraham.

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CJA Professor Scott Thornsley’s op-ed piece on prisons, We Need To Be Smart, Not Just Tough, On Crime appears in the Nov. 29, 2009 edition of The Patriot- News in Harrisburg.  Thornsley, a former legislative director for the state Department of Corrections,  offers  solutions to prison overcrowding without building another prison.

Note: nothing is local in the speedy cyber world.  The website of Sunnydale, CA based company  Allied Lock and Safes carries a two-paragraph pitch for its products, followed by Scott Thornsley’s op-ed piece as it appears in the Patriot.

Clever.

And quick.

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Did You Know is the latest in a series of viral videos that condense into  4:46 minutes  how our lives are changing and speeding up with the new technologies and social media.  (Um, 2 million TVs are in our bathrooms?)

Click here and hang on to your brain cells.

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Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. Mark Twain

Poet Judith Sornberger, professor of English and Women’s Studies, was contacted by composer/performer Lori Laitman who asked if she could set Judith’s poem “Pioneer Child’s Doll” to music and include it on her CD Within These Spaces. The CD is now nominated for a Grammy in five different categories.  I interviewed Judith about her poetry and the poem that was set to music in this podcast.

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PASSHE Chancellor John Cavanaugh was on campus last Friday to talk about the economy and the challenges for the System over the next three years.  After his presentation, he spent time answering questions from students and faculty concerned about the French and German programs.  To listen to the two-part podcast  of the event, click here.

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The students, carrying protest signs, were models of political activism.  They were energetic in making their feelings known outside.  Inside they asked thoughtful questions in a mature,  respectful way.

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Beyond The Obvious, a photographic journey presented by the Photo Keller Group is on display in the North Hall Gallery, first floor.  This is one of the most colorful, dynamic and accessible photo exhibits in the area in a long time.  The gallery is open five days a week.  Here’s another sample of the  photos on display.

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Between gas drilling, windmills and new retail outlets, this region is going to be growing fast.  It’s a good time to listen to franchise expert Lou Lavetan, Thursday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. in Allen Hall to see how to get in on the economic boom.  For details, click here.  It’s free & open to the public.

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I’ll bet you take that cell phone in your pocket for granted.  At the very least, most of us don’t realize what a lightning fast evolution this ubiquitous device has experienced since the first cell phone call was made in 1983.  Here’s the cell’s  lively history in less than three minutes.

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Saint: n. A dead sinner revised and edited.  Ambrose Bierce

Nobody loves Halloween like Kathy Rumsey.  Here’s a video tour of the fifth floor decorations and the office of the  kindest witch on campus.

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Mark Polonia has produced 32  independent films over the past 25 years, most with his late brother John.  They developed a loyal following around the country (See Happy Polonia Day).  Mark talks about his campy classics in this episode of Conversations. There’s also a four-part podcast in which he talks in more depth about his avocation.

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Ken Sarch teamed up with Ben Franklin a couple years ago to arrange the restless genius’ music. Now Ken dons a derby and has composed a  music score for a clip from  Charlie Chaplin’s The Rink.  His concert, including the MU String Chamber Orchestra debut performance of this music will be Friday, Oct. 30   at 7:30 p.m. in Steadman.  It’s free and open to the public.  I saw a sneak preview of the clip  and the music and it’s brilliant.    For complete information, click here.

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The first Steinway piano was dedicated Thursday, Oct. 22.  The piano was bought by former trustee Marcella and MU Foundation Board member Marcella Hyde-Smith ‘56.  For history, the first song played on the Steinway was the last movement of Beethoven’s “Appassionata Sonato (Op. 57)”  played by student Tyler Wetherbee.

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MU grad and retired art teacher Paul Bozzo is teaching a drawing course at MU.  His blog records student works as they’re created through the semester.  Check out the site. There’s an amazing variety of drawing and techniques.  Not to be missed: drawing done with shaving cream, ink and a toothpick.

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And, finally,  a Halloween gift to the president’s house from an Alpha Kappa Lambda student.

The 17th Annual Fabulous 1890s Weekend ended a bit soggy but the rain did hold off for the parade which saw the debut of the stage coach built by two local men, Ed Roupp and Larry Wilson.  The 1890s and Sesquicentennial Committees commissioned the stage coach  to commemorate the university’s and borough’s  150th anniversary in 2007.  President Loeschke and husband Dick Gillespie walked in the parade so she could display the dress made for her by retired MU employee Liv Mitcheltree.  The museum tent with Joyce Tice’s display and 97-year-old curator Chester Bailey, was a big hit.  We’ll post more 1890s photos on our website and a couple videos on YouTube soon.

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News item: Our fall 2009 enrollment is 3569, making it the largest enrollment in MU history. The freshmen class is up 5.7%, the largest class in 20 years. Freshmen to sophomore retention rate this year is 74%; up from 70.6% last year.

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In another corner of the universe, Hugh Schintzius, has published his book, Get It Yet?  Everyday Rules for the Game of Life.  “Schintz,” who led the women’s volleyball team to 5 national playoffs, started the book years ago, then was sidelined with overseeing the design and construction of the Kelchner Fitness Center. He’ll be on campus Oct. 6-10.   Buy his book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble and he’ll be happy to sign it.

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Last year a group of wildly energetic students created the MU Crew to raise school spirit at football games.  The red/black painted crew  enter their second year.  I mean, wouldn’t your spirits lift after experiencing this group?

There are two times of the school year for me that underscore what college is all about.

The first is May graduation when seniors march across the stage and into their future.  I’ve been to dozens of commencements and each one is still new to me.

The second time of the year is coming up –the beginning of the fall semester.  Summer is nice.  It gives us, faculty and staff, a time to get caught up and prepare for the coming year.  But there’s nothing like the excitement of tons of parents unloading cars and waving their kids into a new tomorrow.

The freshmen are easy to spot.  Most of them have a slightly bewildered look.  Fortunately, we have a pretty informal and really friendly campus.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen an upperclassman stop and ask a shell shocked freshman if he or she can help.

Within a week or two the freshmen are navigating their way around like seasoned pros.  It’s an amazing transformation.

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Speaking of freshmen, Admissions Director Brian Barden says that we’re seeing a 7.2% increase over last year. That’s 756 freshmen, the largest entering class in MU’s 152 year history.

A total of 276 transfer students are coming to MU, which is an 11.3% increase.

Our new online Master’s in Organizational Leadership program which debuts this fall, has 34 students signed on, more than triple the number than was originally projected.

Our total enrollment is 3,610, a 3.8% increase over last year.  According to admissions, this is the highest total enrollment ever.

The reason for the increase?  I’m sure the economy has a lot to do with it, but I also think students and alumni are spreading the word that MU is a beautiful rural campus (despite an occasional long winter) where people truly care about each other.

More details on enrollment in an upcoming news release.