Honors Students Hitting the Laptops Alexandra Holmes ' Every Other Wednesday 'Jssues of the Day and of History

THE, . CURRENT FOCUS' VOLUME 7, NUMBER 3 A student publication of Emmanuel College, Boston FEBRUARY / MARCH 1997 Honors Students Hitting the Laptops Alexandra Holmes ' Every other Wednesday 'jssues of the day and of history. Emmanuel College, the chosen Marie Gutty, who is in night, a group of fifteen freshmen Dr. Claire Lang comment few who were asked to be a part of charge of the technical end of the and sophomores meet for two ed that students have gotten excit the first ever Honors Colloquium Honors Colloquium, noticed by hours and listen to a speaker. They ed over the Colloquium and she are lucky because they were given ' observing meetings that "through discuss material read since their said, "It is a good sign when stu a laptop computer. Furthermore, it the use of e-mail, students have last meeting and the content of the dents ask how 'they carl become a was thought that the students asked already been' conversing before lecture given by that week's speak part of the Colloquium_'" Members to be part of the Colloquium only they' even come to the meeting." er. These fifteen women and sev of the Col~oquium have also agreed because Of the incentive She explained, "There is no awk eral faculty members willingly expressed,how much they like this offered regarding the laptops. ward time when students have choose to meet for two hours every experience. Kristina Haeussler However, ask any member of the nothing to say because they Jiave other week because they want to. said, "I want to be a part of the Honors Colloquium program and already been talking through e It is a simple notion, really: they Colloquium for as long as they will they will praise the new program, mail." Gurry also commented that want to learn more and become let me." , not just because of the computers. ~-mail takes away from the uneasi more academically challenged. Both students and faculty There is no denying that ness that students feel in a large They want to be a part of a special believe that the Honors the technological aspect of the lap- discussion.- Many students who group known as the Honors Colloquium has been so popular top computers has made students would not regularly speak out in - Colloquium. - and beneficial because students more involved in the Colloquium class took advantage of the oppor The Honors Colloquium, actually learn information in the and it has made the intended pur- tunity in the Honors Colloquium. which was implemented just this meeting that they might never pose even more successful. By Dr. Lisa Stepanski of the year, has been a successful pro learn in the classroom. Melissa providing students with their own English ' Department has also gram for highly motivated stu Eckhardt remarked that "it was personal computers which are noticed in some of her classes, that dents. The Colloquium has given school outside of the classroom." hooked up to the internet in their students whom she knew to be students who want more of a chal The information that the members dorm rooms, they have no excuse members of the Honors lenge in their studies a place to of the Colloquium have learned for not reading and responding to Colloquium program who did not explore their 'desires. It has been made more of an impact on the stu their e-mail. It was discovered, as speak out in class at the beginning said by students and faculty alike dents because it was material that the meetings progressed, that the of the year became more vocal in that the Honors Colloquium has pertained to issues of the 21 st cen- frequent use of e-mail contributed class discussion throughout the provided students the opportunity _tury , which is quickly approaching. to the student participation and semester. "I think that the to explore cultural and personal To any student at overall class participation. Colloquium gave students a sense Please see Colloquium, page. 4 ) - Music DepartlDent's Prayers Are Answered Jenna Wilkinson Last semester in "The Sound of Music," she has seen ~ince her first year here, in the Rissmeyer remarked, "[The positive publicity] Rebecca Consentino, who played the role of Auditorium. brought by the Emmanuel Singers may help to Maria, added an extra, prayer .to the _evening Another stride for the Music Department increase enrollment for the school." prayer in the script. With Consentino's addition, was the Emmanuel Singers? first concert under Janessa Hoyt, a high school senior who plans to attend Emmanuel next fall, played die Maria said, "God bless everybody at Nonnberg the direction of/ Choral Director John S. Abbey ... and Sr. Janet Eisner, that she may Haeussler. Since Haeussler took over the chorus role of Sister Margaretta in "The Sound of grant us a new auditorium." The applauding last fall, the exposure of the Emmanuel Singers Music." , Hoyt said that her participation in that audience members can rest assured that Maria's has increased tremendously. Previously, the production and the chance to be a ,part of future prayer will not go unanswered. Singers were only seen twice a year at their Fall productions and the chorus is what helped her Sr. Janet has already begun ,to move forward and Spring semester concerts, and occasionally decide to come to Emmanuel. with plans to remodel the auditorium so that it at Campus Ministry events, such as Founder's Haeussler 'has even more plans for the will be more conducive to use by the Music and Day. In addition, there have been fewer and Singers this semester. Since their Founder's Day Speech Communication/ Theatre Arts fewer members in the chorus in the past two appearance, the women of the Emmanuel Departments, the English Department, and the years. Commitment to the Singers and enroll Singers have begun preparing for two more land outside organizations that rent our facilities for ment in the Music Department have been low in mark events on their calendars: a trip to New their conventions. Eisner said that the college recent years due to budget cuts and lack of inter York City on the weekend of April 18th, with will eventually see a total renovation of the audi est. This year enrollment increased significantly plans for a concert somewhere in the city; and a torium, and that we "may well begin to see pre in the Emmanuel Singers, with eighteen women joint concert on the Emmanuel campus with the liminary work and improvements soon." appearing at the Winter Concert. Coast Guard Cadets of New London, Hopefully, fmalized plans ~ill soon be made With the energy of Haeussler, who is in his Connecticut on April 25th. , available to the Emmanuel Community. second semester here, Emmanuel has begun to At these two major events, the Singers will In fact, the musical was a huge stride for realize the potential of its Music Department, be seen wearing their new choral robes of bl'ue Emmanuel 's small Music Department. "The and the Emmanuel Singers. Eisner said she feels with gold trim, an important improvement Sound of Music," directed by John Haeussler, that John H ae u s~ ler has brought enthusiasm and authorized by Dr. Rissmeyer, Sr. Janet Eisner, was the first musical performed here in ten expertise to the Music Department, and that she and Moll y Hackett. The purchase of the robes years. Consentino, a junior, noted that the musi can see the students' enthusiasm about the was aided by Judy of the Emmanuel College cal was performed to the three largest audiences changes in the program _as well . As Dr. Bookstore. When asked, Dr. Ri ssmeyer, the Please see Music, page 4 , I I I ., I I / j . ' I PAGE 2 THE CURRENT FOCUS - FEBRUARY I MARCH 1997 OPINION - . "Do "the demonstrators know what they are protesting? . Dolores Tranquillino issue with this story is that a priest sage of the film. However, none gay lover. His parish and his bish- commits perjury to save two condemned it. op condemn him. As a pariah, Recently, the movie industry friends from prison. The negative The film told the story of a Father Greg has to leave and live in has been criticized for the value depiction of priests in both these young British priest, Father Greg virtual seclusion with a berating system it represents. Parents, film films have created anger among (Linus Roache) who is new to -a priest who speaks only in Latin to critics, and even presidential can some Catholics. poor parish. There, he meets the him. After an invitation from didates have spoken against the The film Priest opened in outspoken Father Matthew (Tom Father Matthew, he returns to his glamorizing of violence, drugs, April 1995 with its controversy Wilkinson), who is secretly sleep- parish and the two say Mass and "loveless" sex that have per acting as the a9 campaign. The ing with the housekeeper. Once together. Many parishioners are va~ed many films. Perhaps the poster showed a picture of a young Father Greg discovers this relation- outraged by the return of this non most vehement of criticism occurs priest next to words saying, "He's ship, he expresses instant disap- celibate gay priest, and some in the form of protest against the about to challenge one thousand proval. However, a few scenes leave. However, those who remain portrayal of Roman Catholic years of tradition." This ad, along later, Father Greg is seen riding his refuse to go to Father Greg for priests in recent movies. The fIlm with new reports deeming the film bike to a gay bar 'and has a fling communion - all except Lisa.

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