Student Success: Brookline Students Named to Dean's Lists – May 27

The following press releases are via the readMedia Newswire, sent in the last week.

The following students graduated from the University of New Hampshire during the Commencement Ceremony held Saturday, May 19, 2012, in Durham, N.H.

Students who received the honor of Summa Cum Laude graduated with a GPA of 3.7-4.0; students who received the honor of Magna Cum Laude graduated with a GPA of 3.50-3.69; and students who received the honor of Cum Laude graduated with a GPA of 3.2-3.49.

• David Jonas of Brookline earned a BSME degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Shira Warren of Chestnut Hill earned a BA degree in Psychology Cum Laude

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

The following students graduated from Fisher College on May 12, 2012. The ceremony was held at the John Hancock Hall in Boston, MA:

• Mayuka Hayashi from Brookline, MA
• Guillermo Fernandez-Velasco Bou from Brookline, MA

Located in the historic Back Bay of Boston, Fisher College is an accredited four-year college providing affordable, real-world educations that prepares students to achieve their career goals and compete in today's challenging economy. Fisher believes that college is more than just an education-it's a life-changing experience. For over a century, Fisher has been changing lives by providing opportunities to students focused on the three most important aspects of a college experience: education, dedication, and life. Small classes deliver personalized educational instruction, and Fisher's dedicated faculty and staff work collaboratively to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed during college and through the college-to-career transition.

Nicky Soane of Chestnut Hill is participating in the National Student Steel Bridge Competition May 25 and 26 at Clemson University. Soane is a member of MIT's steel bridge team.

More than 500 students from 47 universities are participating in the competition.

The teams are from schools around the U.S., Canada, Mexico and China. They have designed bridges that are more than 22 feet long and must be able to hold 2,500 pounds, span an imaginary river and designed to minimize the amount of steel and the time to assemble the bridge.

"There are 47 teams coming and there will be 47 unique solutions to the design of the bridge even though all teams were given the same problem statement and requirements," said Clemson professor Scott Schiff, who is working with a Creative Inquiry team of students majoring in civil engineering or Parks, Recreation Tourism Management to host the competition with the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering.

The team from MIT won or placed in its regional competition to qualify for the national event.

The teams begin the competition on Friday, May 25, and will showcase their assembled bridges in the display portion of the competition. They also will compete in an "Fe" Quiz Bowl, named after the periodic table symbol for iron and playing off of the name of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam taken but nearly all civil engineering students.

The construction and load competition begins at 8 a.m. Saturday when the teams bring their bridges pieces and tools to the Fike Recreation Center on the Clemson campus.

Up to six members of each team will build the bridges one piece at a time and are timed to see how efficiently they can assemble their bridges. Other team members bring the pieces to them one at a time from a separate staging area. Schiff said it's important that the pieces are delivered in the order they are needed because no piece can be left on the floor.

"It's not just designing a bridge that can hold 2,500 pounds – that's easy," he said. "It's designing a bridge that's easy to build, meets all of the design requirements and construction rules and can hold 2,500 pounds."

Teams are scored based on how long it takes to assemble their bridges multiplied by the number of team members building them, how much their bridges weigh to measure how much material they use, how little their bridges deflect when weight is added and if they can hold the 2,500 pounds. Aesthetics also can affect the final scores.

Schiff said steel bridge teams begin planning their bridges after each year's national competition and spend months designing and fabricating them.

"I wouldn't want to add up how many hours they devote to this project," he said.

Nadim Aziz, chairman of the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering and Clemson's associate provost for faculty development and support, called the annual steel bridge competition "a great student engagement opportunity."

He added, "These students not only solve engineering problems, but they learn about leadership, team-building and communication. Employers like that they're involved in these teams because of the skills they learn."

The American Institute of Steel Construction is the primary sponsor of the National Student Steel Bridge Competition's with American Society of Civil Engineers the primary co-sponsor.

The list of participating universities is online at: http://www.clemson.edu/media-relations/4276

Follow the competition on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/2012NSSBC

For more about the competition, go to: http://www.clemson.edu/ces/steel-bridge/

Ranked No. 25 among national public universities, Clemson University is a major, land-grant, science- and engineering-oriented research university that maintains a strong commitment to teaching and student success. Clemson is an inclusive, student-centered community characterized by high academic standards, a culture of collaboration, school spirit, and a competitive drive to excel.

The following local residents made the Dean's List at DePaul University for the winter quarter of 2012:

• Laurie Katz of Brookline
• Sara Stone of Brookline

In order to qualify for the Dean's List at DePaul, students must earn above a 3.0 grade point average on a four point scale.

With more than 25,000 students, DePaul University is the largest Catholic university in the United States and the largest private, nonprofit university in the Midwest. The university offers 275 graduate and undergraduate programs of study in ten colleges and schools on three Chicago campuses and three suburban campuses.

Skidmore College Celebrates 101st Commencement May 19

Skidmore's Class of 2012, totaling 627 baccalaureate candidates, participated in the College's 101st Commencement Saturday, May 19, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

Grace Burton, associate professor of Spanish, was chosen by the graduates to deliver the commencement remarks. A Skidmore faculty member since 1987, she was the recipient this year of the college's Ralph Ciancio Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Whether leading classes in introductory Spanish and intermediate language and literature, or working with advanced independent students, "language and literature come to life through Grace," noted a recent Skidmore graduate.

The following local students received a degree:

• Rochelle Katz of Brookline received a BS degree .
• Willa Mayo of Brookline received a BA degree .

Others congratulating the graduates during the program were Skidmore President Philip Glotzbach, Janet Lucas Whitman '59, chair of the board of trustees, and Melvis Langyintuo, president of the Class of 2012.

Some 2,552 students were awarded a variety of bachelor's degrees during the University of Vermont's 209th Commencement ceremonies on May 20. There were some 536 advanced degrees and certificates awarded by the UVM Graduate College and approximately 114 women and men took the oath of Hippocrates following the awarding of their M.D. degrees at ceremonies of the UVM College of Medicine. A list of local students and the degree earned by each follows:

• Julia L. Bateman of Brookline, MA, received a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies.
• Martha B. Henry of Brookline, MA, received a Bachelor of Science in Community Entrepreneurship.
• Hannah C. Hutton of Chestnut Hill, MA, received a Bachelor of Science in Public Communication.
• Sophia P. Isaak of Chestnut Hill, MA, received a Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude in English.
• Louisa P. Smith of Chestnut Hill, MA, received a Bachelor of Science in Public Communication.
• Justin S. Wong of Chestnut Hill, MA, received a Bachelor of Arts in Global and Regional Studies-Asia.

Chartered in 1791, UVM was the first college or university in the United States that did not give preference to a religious sect in its charter. UVM now has nearly 10,460 undergraduates in eight schools and colleges, 1,550 graduate students and 450 medical students. As a small, comprehensive university, it blends the academic heritage of a private university with services missions in the land-grant tradition.

Alexandra Wolf of Brookline was awarded a bachelor of arts degree from Connecticut College at the 94th commencement ceremony on May 20.

Wolf majored in Slavic studies.

Keynote speaker, Louis B. Susman, the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James in London and father of Sally Susman, a 1984 graduate, urged the 437 members of Connecticut College's Class of 2012 to leverage their technological savvy to make their mark on the world.

"Half a century ago, in his famous inaugural speech, President Kennedy declared that the 'torch has been passed to a new generation,'" Susman said. "I believe we are now at a similar moment. And nothing inspires my generation more than knowing that young people like you are ready to receive that torch. For as globalization and modern technology make the world increasingly inter-connected, you simply cannot be bystanders."

The college awarded Susman an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

About Connecticut College

Situated on the coast of southern New England, Connecticut College is a highly selective private liberal arts college with 1900 students from all across the country and throughout the world. On the college's 750-acre arboretum campus overlooking Long Island Sound, students and faculty create a vibrant social, cultural and intellectual community enriched by diverse perspectives. The college, founded in 1911, is known for its unique combination of interdisciplinary studies, international programs, funded internships, student-faculty research and service learning. For more information, visit www.connecticutcollege.edu.

Lucas Reckling of Brookline graduated cum laude from Lycoming College on May 6, 2012. Reckling earned a Bachelor of Arts in archaeology and religion .

Approximately 290 students participated in the commencement ceremonies, which took place Sunday afternoon on the College's quad. The commencement speaker was Dr. David Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Founded in 1812 and celebrating its bicentennial during the 2011-12 academic year, Lycoming College is a national liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. It offers 35 academic majors and is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News & World Report. Located near the banks of the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation. For more information, visitwww.lycoming.edu.

Keene State College has released the Dean's List for the spring semester 2012. Among the 1,390 students named to the Dean's List is Kate Lee Cordner of Brookline, MA.

The Dean's List designation is bestowed to those Keene State College undergraduates enrolled in a degree program who have completed a minimum of six credit hours in the semester, receiving no failing or incomplete grades. A 3.5 or higher grade point average on a 4.0 scale is required to earn the Dean's List honor.

About Keene State College

Keene State College is a preeminent public liberal arts college that ensures student access to world-class academic programs. Integrating academics with real-world application and active community and civic engagement, Keene State College prepares graduates to meet society's challenges by thinking critically, acting creatively, and serving the greater good. To learn more about Keene State College, visit www.keene.edu.