Faculty-Staff Achievements, May 9, 2011

Award

Rosie Manley, who retired from the Department of Education Studies in 2001 but currently teaches/coordinates the "1000 Books" program, will receive a National Community Action Award on Friday, May 27. Nominated for the honor by the Saratoga County Economic Council, Manley will be recognized at a community action breakfast hosted by the EOC at the New England Congregational Presbyterian Church.

With a focus on emerging literacy, the "1,000 Books" program was originally part of Skidmore's Expanding Horizons partnership with the Schuylerville Central School District and is now a service-learning course under the direction of the College's Community Service Office. The goal is to introduce beginning readers, who come from families with limited means, to the beauty of reading. Young readers typically come from the Saratoga County Head Start Program. They are matched with college students for weekly sessions. The college students can meet the children at their homes or in a public venue, and read to them from a bag of books that they take to the children. During a semester, the younger readers have access to dozens of books and stories and, it is hoped, begin to develop a love of reading.

Manley, who says, "I'm flunking retirement!" has been in charge of the program since 2002 and reports that she has had 99 college students and one high school student working with her over the years.  It is not required that students be education majors. Manley says they come from all disciplines, including biology, art, theater, and dance.   She says "that's the beauty of the program."

She proudly points out that "1,000 Books" has a good collection of bilingual books and that many Spanish-speaking families participate in the program. Some of the books originally available for the program are still in use but some have disappeared, left behind with young readers, which is the point, according to Manley.

Activities

David C. Howson, visiting associate professor and Arthur Zankel Director of Arts Administration, was part of a panel on "Teaching Arts Advocacy" at the annual conference of the Association of Arts Administration Educators in Boston last month. Others on the panel included Maria Guralnik, director of arts management at SUNY Purchase, and Leah Frelinghuysen, director of public affairs for the Association of Performing Arts Presenters in Washington, D.C.

Pushkala Prasad, Zankel Professor in Management, will (with Anshuman Prasad) conduct a research methods workshop for doctoral students from the Canadian Atlantic and Maritime Business Schools at St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June

Publications, Exhibitions 

Deb Hall, associate professor of art, has a solo exhibition titled "Habit+Habitat" opening Thursday, May 12, at the Tom Myott Gallery, 71 Lawrence St., Glens Falls. Work featured in the exhibition includes digital prints and original mixed-media works. This is the first showing for a new series by Hall. 

During an extended three-month trip in the fall Hall returned, after 30 years, to the Columbia River Basin - her homeland as well as a major natural resource. Her exploration began on the Columbia River at the Bonneville Dam and ended at the Columbia IceFields in British Columbia. An archive of more than 9,000 photographs taken during this period is being used to create a large body of work. Possession, consumption, and the impact of our habits on our natural resources and wildlife are the focus of this series.

An opening reception featuring live music by Nancy Walker is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. May 12. Hall will lead a gallery discussion on environmental impact at 4 p.m. Friday, May 20.A complimentary limited-edition print by Hall will go to the first eight people to attend the discussion. The exhibition is open from May 12 to May 22.

Pushkala Prasad, Zankel Professor in Management, is co-author (with A. Prasad, and R. Mir) of "One Mirror in Another: Managing Diversity and the Discourse of Fashion," published in Human Relations, Vol. 64, 2010.