ROADS LESS TRAVELED. BDIC Students in Action. A Newsletter for BDIC Alumni and Friends Fall 2012 JOURNALIST FOR LIONS

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1 ROADS LESS TRAVELED A Newsletter for BDIC Alumni and Friends Fall 2012 BDIC Students in Action JOURNALIST FOR LIONS W HEN JED WINER (Animal and Environmental Journalism) wrote his BDIC proposal two years ago he said, As the African prophecy states, Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter. I want to be a journalist for the lions. Since that time Jed has taken a series of classes at UMass and the other four colleges in animal science, journalism, and legal studies, as well as going on exchange at the University of Montana and an internship at National Geographic. Currently Jed is interning at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, an experience that is partly funded by BDIC alumni donations. He is working on a farm, Eland s Joy, that includes a state-of-the-art research and education center. The site also houses rescued and wild cheetahs. While there, Jed is working on a documentary film for his honors capstone project. The film will tell the story of the Cheetah Conservation Fund and local cheetah conservation efforts. Jed is well on his way to fulfilling his dreams as a writer and photographer for a major wildlife publication. He will graduate this fall upon completion of his capstone. TWO COMMONWEALTH HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO CHOSE BDIC A RAM BEDROSIAN, A BDIC SENIOR, works as a Commonwealth Honors College Orientation Supervisor. Aram s BDIC concentration of Health Care: From the Cell to the Community allows him to analyze the fierce battle between the human race and disease. Aram combines biology, microbiology, public health, and psychology to study both the physiological aspects of diseases and how these diseases affect us as a community. As with many BDIC majors Aram is passionate about what he studies. While completing a psychology major on the neuroscience track, Aram says he is drawn to BDIC by the opportunity to follow his interests even further. He now sees the program as one of the best opportunities of his life, a networking and learning experience that contributes immensely to his UMass (continued on following page)

2 (continued) TWO COMMONWEALTH HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO CHOSE BDIC Amherst experience. Aram is currently completing an application for a Fulbright scholarship. He is hoping to study on the Fulbright in Armenia, the country of his ancestral roots. KURT SCHULTZ IS ENROLLED in the BDIC proposal class this fall to develop a second major that he will call Cross-Section of Science and Spirituality. As he completes the requirements for the biochemistry major, Kurt decided to build on that foundation to study neuroscience and consciousness. In his application to the BDIC proposal writing class, Kurt wrote, I want to study consciousness. s. But I do not want to look at it through only one lens. I want to pull in knowledge from several different departments: neuroscience, religion, philosophy, etc. Insight gained from exploring the conscious mind can be applied to any field since the internal world is a commonality among all humans regardless of profession. New BDIC Director M New Courses in BDIC ICHAEL SUGERMAN BEGAN in September as the new BDIC director. Michael is a lecturer in the Anthropology department specializing in the archaeology of the Middle East. He has also taught in the departments of Classics and Judaic and Near Eastern Studies at UMass, and in each of the other schools in the Five Colleges. He has a highly interdisciplinary background with degrees in both religious studies and anthropology. Michael is looking forward to bringing his interdisciplinary experience to BDIC. He plans to build on our recent successes, and to develop fresh ideas for future BDIC initiatives. The BDIC faculty and staff are looking forward to working with Michael. We know he will usher in even more of the positive change in BDIC that we have seen in the past few years. Welcome Michael! BDIC IS OFFERING A NEW CLASS this fall just for freshmen. The course, BDIC 197A, How to Design Your Own Major, was created in a response to a demand from incoming students who attended the new student information meetings. The class will give freshmen a perspective on how to design a major and what possibilities are available to them other than the traditional majors at the university. We have hired Susan Ware to teach the class. Susan has a PhD in theology, ogy, and has been on the faculty of Yale University, Springfield College, e, and the Commonwealth Honors College. Her diverse and impressive background includes being the co-founder of a socially responsible investment firm. Susan brings a great set of experiences to BDIC and we look forward to working with her on this and future projects. The BDIC Innovation and Integration class, formerly BDIC 397C, will again be offered both semesters this year. The class, partially funded by a generous donation from BDIC alumnus Peter F. DiGiammarino was approved to meet the university s new Integrative Experience requirement. The class is designed for juniors and seniors to give them an opportunity to evaluate and unify their college educational experience. Gary Bernhard, retired e University Without Walls director and faculty member, will continue to teach the class.

3 Scholarships G made it possi possible ibl b e this year to fund a record number of research h an andd travel scholarsh hips for deserving students. Eighteen n awards were given to BDIC students to fund ssummer um mmer proje ects scholarships projects adddit itio ion n to o others during the course of the year. in addition ENEROUS A ALUMNI DONATIONS Aviv Celine (Civic Engagement, Service Learning and International Justice) used her scholarship to help fund her summer abroad in the Netherlands. Through the Brandeis study abroad program Brandeis at the Hague Aviv was able to study the international justice system in one of the primary centers of international law. Lily Strassberg (Animal Behavior and Pre-Veterinary Science) used her scholarship to help with the costs of living in North Carolina while she was an intern in the Duke University Canine Cognition Lab. Lily was stationed in Pinehurst, NC doing field research at a K-2 Canine Research Facility. Her work involved testing bomb detection dogs just before military deployment with the goal of choosing appropriate temperaments of dogs for going into military service versus therapy work. Lindsay Deschenes s (Ancient Culture and Archeology) scholarship helped fund a six week session in Belize where she participated in the archaeological excavations of the Mayan Research Program. She was able to engage in active fieldwork and further her knowledge of Mayan ceramics. Lindsay will use the information gathered over the summer to write her senior Honors thesis in the fall. Lindsay hopes, after graduation, to study archeology at the graduate level. Tosca Drum s BDIC concentration is Global Awareness Through Media. Her BDIC award helped fund a study of media influence and culture in South America. This included a four-week intensive Spanish program at the Via Principal School in Montanita, Ecuador, as well as a series of volunteer experiences in South America with the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms organization (WWOOF). To complete the project, Tosca will write a research paper on her experiences.

4 BDIC Annual Report We would like to recognize and thank our donors who contributed to the program during the past three fiscal years. We apologize if we have missed anyone. Your donations are very important to us. Please let us know if we inadvertently missed your name. FY 2010 Catherine Durkin Diane Lanoue David Pitlik Teri Anderson Thomas Anderson Cornelius Andres Nicholas Apostola Amber Archambeault Peter Arnow Sabina Aurilio Babson Capital Management LLC Yvette Baez-Goss Fifine Ball Paul & Terri Barron Timothy Bartos Steven Batchelor Nathan Bedrick Rev. Thomas Bentley Marilyn Berman Rachel Besserman James Blihar F.W. Byron, Jr. Gary Callahan Annie Tiberio Cameron Mark Carlson Katharine Clift Carolyn Colby James Counihan Susan Cowles John Dempsey Arthur Deupilsea Frederick Dickson Thomas Dolan Craig Donnelly James Eade Robert Earnest Timothy Edwards Labrot Essie Wendy Etkind Susan & William Farr John Federman Carmina Fernandes Jeanne Fidler Zoe & Michael Fogarty Peter Fries Charlene Galarneau Kathleen & Kevin Garganta Wade Geller Carol Giaquinto-Wojnarowski William Glucksman Stephen & Elizabeth Greeley Christina Groves Margaret Haigis David Hatch Jr. Katherine Hawes Karen Hayden David Hazeltine Caitlin Hirschman Joseph Holland Robert Hyers Stefanie Jacobowitz Paul & Margaret Jean Kathryn Johnian Catherin Kealey Holly Bandoni Kesin Marla & Richard Killough Bill & Louise Lampe Melanie Lawrence Jay & Christine Leonard Jon Levy Kara Lingley Carol Lipman Lynne Lockhart Thomas Maguire Peter Manseau Gary Marchese Richard Martin Robert Martin Siobhan Masterson Lauren McCormack Wayne Millas Gary Minsky Barry Moir Jack Monaco Sabra Mont Lila Montalto Jeanine Montgomery Robert Nahabedian Jennifer & Michael Neenan Aiko Nomura Karen Nuckols Daniel Nugent Robert Nylander Kevin O Hare Oracle Corporation Theresa Oxley Barbara Paglierani Jan Passion Kathleen Perry Marvyn Petrucci Joanne Potter Sandra Power Skye Przystas Malcolm Quint Nessa Richman Diane Brooks Ring Gary Roth Anne Ryan Lawrence Rybacki Shawn Ryder Linda Sambel Lisa Sammett Christopher Saphinos Kimberly Sarkin Jeannie Scheinin Stephen Schipani Joan Scovill Lawrence Shane Richard Sherman Jodi Sleeper-Triplett Nastya Sokolova Martha Sullivan David Swanson Marcia Tessier Elizabeth Trakimas Dina Alison & James Traniello Charles Vatalaro Erin Weaver James Weiner Patricia & Joseph Welch Carolyn Wheeler Gwen Whelan

5 Judith Zagoren White Jeffrey & Tobi Whitney John Wilson Brett Woitunski Deidra Zarrella Nancy Zoulalian FY 2011 Teri Anderson Cheryl Anton Alik Apelian Claudia Apfelbaum Nicholas Apostola James Armenti Peter Arnow Sabina Aurilio Babson Capital Management LLC Fifine Ball Craig Barnes Richard Benchley Elizabeth Bishop James Blihar Christine & Thomas Bonci Martin & Marian Broder Linda Brown Rhonda Burnim Matthew Burns Annie Tiberio Cameron Brittany Castiglione Katharine Cohn Carolyn Colby Shar Coleman Maegan Conway James Counihan John & Eveleth Cowles Ellie Daniels Patrick Davis Steven De Felice Arthur Deuplisea, Jr. Frederick Dickson Catherine Durkin Robert Earnest Wendy Etkind Bernadette Ferguson Jeanne Fidler Richard Fingerman Matthew Frontino Charlene Galarneau Thomas & Virginia Garrett Eric Gershman Raymond Giles William Glucksman Shelly Goldman & Ray McDermott Susan Goncarovs Andrew Gordon Daniel Gordon Donna Grant Stephen & Elizabeth Greeley John Green, Jr. Christina Groves David Guido Robin Harmatz Rhonda Harrison David & Deirdre Hatch Katherine Hawes Erin Heinold Marcia Heronemus-Pate Emily Hicks David Hilowitz Matthew Hirschberg Caitlin Hirschman Ian Hollingsworth Rahul Hore Robbin Hutchins Robert Hyers IBM International Jazzaik s Dance School John Hancock Kenneth & Joan Kaiser Susan Kane Marla & Richard Killough Anita Kopel Essie Labrot Stacey & Steward Lanier Melanie Lawrence Jay & Christine Leonard Roger & Carol Lewenberg Jerry Lipsky Thomas & Nicole Lloyd Lockheed Martin Thomas Maguire Joy Malone Sandra Mandel Gary Marchese Helaine Mario Richard Martin BDIC ALUMNI PROFILE Daniel Gabel, 2012, A Study of Jazz History Dan began a graduate program in Jazz Trombone Performance at New England Conservatory of Music this fall. Dan was awarded a full scholarship. While still an undergraduate, Dan founded a big band group called the Abletones and went on a world performance tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He has recently been elected President and CEO of the American Big Band Preservation Society, Inc. Mass Histology Services, Inc. Siobhan Masterson Brian Maurer Kimberly Mayo-Correal Lauren McCormack Lori & Brian McDermott Virginia McDermott & William Schleuse John & Patricia McDermott Michele McDermott & Thomas Chandler Julie & David Medeiros Margaret & Thomas Merzbacher Jeffrey & Lynn Miller Barry Moir Terry Mollner Jeanine Montgomery Laurie & Joel Moore Robert Nahabedian Bonnie Nectow NLJW, LLC

6 BDIC ALUMNI PROFILE NIKKI TISHLER, 2011, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Nikki was accepted into every graduate school to which she applied, including the public policy program at Brown University. Nikki chose to attend the Heller School at Brandeis where she began a joint Master s of Public Policy in Social Policy/ Master s in Women and Gender Studies this fall. Daniel & Marilyn Nugent Lawrence Rybacki Robert Nylander Shawn Ryder Lori & Jeffrey Oura Linda Sambel Barbara Paglierani Jeannie Scheinin Lynda Pandolfo Stephen Schipani Marvyn Petrucci Paul Schleuse Eydie Pines Penny Schwartz Jordan Pinsky Elizabeth Sedlak Ellen & Francesco Poles Kathryn Simpson Caroline Pooler Jodi Sleeper-Triplett Sandra Power William & Karen Sprague Naomi Prendergast Jackee & Neil Stigliano Skye Przystas Linda & John Sullivan Malcolm Quint Susan Sullivan Nessa Richman Marcia & Richard Tessier Diane Brooks Ring Robert Thayer Sean Robbins Meri & Bill Thomason Gary Roth Arlon Tibbetts Anne Ryan Ilana Toeplitz Julie Tratnyek Charles Vatalaro Patricia & Joseph Welch Gwen Whelan Marc & Jeanne Whipple Patricia White Jeffrey & Tobi Whitney Barbara Wicks Hannah Wolff Susan Woskie Victor Yepez Deidra Zarrella FY 2012 BethAnn Albro-Fisher Ronald Alexander Teri Anderson Alik Apelian Nicholas Apostola Peter Arnow Sabina Aurilio Babson Capital David Bear Susan Gordon Bell Richard Benchley Marilyn Berman Mitchel Bernstein Elizabeth Bishop James Blihar Elizabeth Brown Linda Brown Matthew Burns Eleanor Burt Gary Callahan Annie Tiberio Cameron Michael Cappucci Danielle Centi Margaret Chase John & Eveleth Cowles Thomas Creavin Ellie Daniels Patrick Davis Ronald Davis Frederick Dickson Gail & Laurence Dolan Craig Donnelly Elizabeth Dunn Catherine Durkin Robert Earnest Wendy Etkind Bernadette Ferguson Marsha Ferrante Jeanne Fidler Rike Franklin Charlene Galarneau Laura Gewurz & Gil Danieli Susan Goncarovs Andrew Gordon Alisa Greco Stephen & Elizabeth Greeley John Green, Jr. Hope & Louis Grenzer Sam Hahn Robin Harmatz Katherine Hawes Caitlin Hirschman Matthew Hirshberg Robbin Hutchins Jesse Jacobs Amy Jacobson Susan Kane Allison Kaplan Aditi Kapur Marla & Richard Killough

7 Laura Krouch Melanie Lawrence Jay & Christine Leonard Daniella Liebling Lynne Lockhart Manuel Lopez Thomas Maguire Joy Malone Sandra Mandel Gary Marchese Mira Nan Marshall Mass Histology Services, Inc Adin Maynard Brian & Lori McDermott Virginia McDermott & William Schleuse Thomas & Margaret Merzbacher Stephen Messner Michael Miklavic Barry Moir Lila Montalto Jeanine Montgomery Brian Mulcare Robert Nahabedian Cherese Nelson NLJW, LLC Aiko Nomura & Adam Lavine Robert Nylander Barbara Paglierani Jan Passion Marvyn Petrucci Sandra Power Surya Prakash Naomi Prendergast Malcolm Quint Nessa Richman Nina Rosenberg Erika Ross Gary Roth Anne Ryan Lawrence Rybacki Linda Sambel Jeannie Scheinin Stephen Schipani Marguerite Schneider Susi Segal Lisa Simon Scott Solomon Karen Spangler Debra Starr Howard Steinman Marilyn Taylor BDIC ALUMNI PROFILE SEAN TOLAND, 2012, INTELLECTUAL HISTORY Sean joined the Ph.D. program in German at Princeton University. Only a few highly motivated students each year are admitted to the department, which is one of the leading German programs in the country. Sean was awarded a full scholarship for the program. Richard & Marcia Tessier Robert Thayer Meri & Bill Thomason Martha Sullivan Thornton Marketing Melisa Whelden Marc & Jeanne Whipple Patricia White Kristina & Morris Yankell Deidra Zarrella BDIC ALUMNI PROFILE DAVID BRUMEL, 2010, ENTERTAINMENT MANAGEMENT, MARKETING AND LAW David was recently accepted to the NYU graduate program for Sports Business. David said that his goal is to continue to succeed in the sports rights television distribution field and to be a pioneer in the digital multiplatform distribution age. David credits the BDIC major as helping propel him forward in his career. David says in a recent , The program has elevated my career in a variety of ways, but above all, I find myself continually pushing to be the best I can. The trait is priceless.

8 BDIC UMass Amherst 607 Goodell 140 Hicks Way Amherst, MA Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 2 Amherst, MA Alumni, please tell us what you re doing so that we can share it with the rest of the BDIC community. Just go to the BDIC website (bdic.umass.edu) and roll over the Alumni tab on the right. There you can select Send an Alumni Update and type away! The current majors love to hear stories from the other side so take a moment and let us know. Please Consider Giving to BDIC IN TODAY S ECONOMY, YOUR DONATION is more important than ever. Your donation will help to support student research projects and travel opportunities, career advising forums with alumni, senior celebrations, and of course this newsletter. Please consider investing in our students and their future goals. You can donate online at: If paying by check, please make check payable to the UMass Amherst with BDIC specified in the memo line of the check and mail to: Linda Roney BDIC, 607 Goodell 140 Hicks Way University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003