Fall 2017: In Brief

New degree: BFA in musical theatre

The departments of music and theatre and dance are on track to offer a new degree, the bachelor of fine arts in musical theatre. Modeled after the college’s bachelor of music degree program, the BFA degree will offer an innovative approach to the study of theatre in a liberal arts environment.

Spurred by a 2012 Curricular Enhancement Grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the BFA is the result of a joint exploration by faculty in the departments of music and theatre and dance. The new degree is commensurate with other BFA programs, yet offers the benefit of pre-professional arts training in a supportive educational environment while avoiding the selective elimination typical of conservatory programs. The new degree program has been approved by the Cornell faculty and Board of Trustees.  After review from the Higher Learning Commission, the college’s accreditor, the program will be launched in fall 2018.

The BFA in musical theatre provides a distinction between Cornell and peer institutions in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. In addition, the departments will be offering a new minor in musical theatre.

Ways Cornell impacted Mount Vernon-Lisbon in 2016-17

1. Economic: 7,087 prospective students, families, and alumni visited

2. Volunteering: 600 Cornell students volunteered 15,200 hours

3. Public library: City residents made up 46% of Cole Library’s active users

4. Mentoring: 67 Cornell students are paired with elementary students

5. Census: Students add 1,000 to the census count, and a lot of diversity

6. Educational: 50 free guest lectures

7. Cultural: 33 music concerts, 4 mainstage theatre productions, and nearly 20 art exhibits

8. Athletic: 150 home Cornell athletic events

9. Sharing: The Rams share the college’s baseball field, soccer field, tennis courts, indoor track, and outdoor track with the Mount Vernon Mustangs

10. Ag support: Bon Appétit paid local farmers nearly $220,000 for products

Hackett takes helm of athletics

Keith Hackett came 2,700 miles to take the position of Cornell College’s Director of Athletics. Prior to coming to Mount Vernon, Hackett had
been athletic director at the NCAA Division II University of Alaska Anchorage, where the teams captured 18 conference titles during his four years.

Hackett has 30 years of experience in higher education and college athletics. His background includes coaching, donor relations, admissions, student life, risk management, directing construction projects, and creating budgets.

“Keith completely embraces the role athletics plays in academics, particularly within the context of a distinguished Division III college, and he will surely help us to continue the forward momentum we have enjoyed in athletics,” said President Jonathan Brand.

One century ago

Dorothy Marsh arrived at Cornell 100 years ago this fall, and by the looks of her scrapbook, which arrived exactly a century later, she had a great time on the Hilltop. Her photos and chronicles of the Class of 1921 capture a far different time and place. There are images of the World War I Cornell College Student Army Training Corps, programs from literary society “publics” and girls “grex,” and intercollegiate debate programs. Other treasures include programs from the movie theatres and an opera house in Cedar Rapids, including a program for “Mme. Sarah Bernhardt (herself).”

Sprinkled throughout are pictures of her friends, often in long dresses or suits and ties, with humorous captions. A glimpse of life for women is contained in the house rules for approved rooming houses for young women, including Rule #4: “Doors are closed at 9 p.m. every night excepting Friday and Saturday nights, when the closing hour is 10 o’clock. After entertainments 20 minutes are allowed for getting home.”

Do you have Cornell memorabilia you no longer need? Find out if the college archives has interest in it by contacting archives@cornellcollege.edu

One Course classes for high schoolers
Now that the inaugural One Course Summer Institute is complete, plans are underway for expanded offerings in the summer of 2018.

During the Summer Institute, high school juniors and seniors from around the country spend 17 days on campus taking a course that allows them to immerse themselves in a One Course-type schedule while earning college credit. Participants stay in the residence halls and eat in the Hilltop Café. During the day, they spend their time on the course they’ve selected. Evenings are spent in group activities. They also learn about the resources available at Cole Library and the Berry Career Institute. Weekends are reserved for group excursions and activities.

Next summer students will be able to choose from five course topics: Theatre and Dance Performance Intensive, The Fiction Laboratory, Virtual Reality Tools & Design Processes, DNA: It’s in Your Genes, and Peak Performance: Applied Sport and Performance Psychology. For details see crnl.co/summer-institute

 New faculty diversify

In an effort to bring greater diversity to Cornell’s faculty, the college utilized an Associated Colleges of the Midwest Faculty Fellows grant to place an emphasis on attracting candidates from diverse backgrounds. The college welcomes seven faculty members for the 2017-18 school year.

• Cynthia Bradley is the lecturer in business analytics. She has over 25 years of professional experience in business intelligence, information technology, and program management.
• Jill Davis is a visiting fellow in sociology. She specializes in culture, bodies, and identity, with a research focus on drag kings and queens in the U.S.
• Chris Hoklotubbe is assistant professor of religion. He teaches courses in New Testament, the history of Christianity, and comparative religion, with attention given to the intersection of religion, politics, ethics, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
• Niloofar Kamran is assistant professor of engineering. She teaches introductory physics and engineering courses, as well as Fluid Dynamics, Heat Transfer, and Signals and Systems.
• LaTanya McQueen is the Robert P. Dana Emerging Writer Fellow for the Cornell Center for the Literary Arts.
• Brandi Shanata ’05 is the lecturer in statistics. Shanata has been serving as adjunct lecturer in the department.
• Elmira Shekari Namin is visiting assistant professor of finance. She specializes in finance, with interests in empirical asset pricing, market microstructure, and fixed income securities.

Cornell forms partnerships

Cornell has expanded its educational offerings through partnership agreements with four other institutions of higher education. The partners include the University of Iowa for a graduate program in public health, Coe College for languages, and Kirkwood Community College and Harper College, two-year schools that will now have a seamless transfer program to Cornell.

The dual degree program in public health with the University of Iowa enables students to complete their Cornell B.A. and a master’s in public health from Iowa in five years.

A $50,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supports the development of a collaborative foreign language partnership with Coe. Professors from both institutions are rethinking the language-learning experience, incorporating ways to meet the needs of refugees and immigrants in Linn County.

Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, now have dual degree programs with Cornell to make the transition from their institutions to Cornell simple.

‘Scodella da Impagliata’

This past fall Art Professor Susannah Biondo-Gemmell exhibited 40 five-piece ceramic sets reconsidering the Renaissance childbirth vessel. She explored fertility, pregnancy, birth, and early childrearing through the use of contemporary text and historical imagery on the vessels. Her show, “Scodella da Impagliata,” was displayed in Peter Paul Luce Gallery.