December 2010 the Magazine of Muhlenberg College
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Homecoming/Reunion 2010 • Diversity at Muhlenberg College • Just Like Old Times DECEMBER 2010 THE MAGAZINE OF MUHLENBERG COLLEGE Inside! Talents Entrusted to Our Care Report President’s Message THE MAGAZINE OF MUHLENBERG COLLEGE DECEMBER 2010 Dealing with Difference 12 I was nine years old when I first heard logical, irrational, delicious, inedible, normal Muhlenberg magazine is published about Hell – from my neighbor and playmate and perverse. These perceptions have been three times a year by the Johnny Lumpkin who told me I was going fundamental coping mechanisms, enabling Public Relations Office there because I wasn’t a Baptist. It didn’t us to live within the norms of our “tribes.” Muhlenberg College trouble me too much. First, the Lumpkins But just because prejudice is human 2400 West Chew Street (and therefore, I assumed, all Baptists) put nature doesn’t make it helpful. Perhaps Allentown, PA 18104 chopped nuts in their brownies – to my mind several hundred thousand years ago natural a revolting habit. Second, I was an Episcopa- selection favored those who could detect www.muhlenberg.edu lian and even at nine knew that God was too. (and eliminate) “others.” (Some say that our phone: 484-664-3230 Human beings don’t deal well with diversi- Homo sapiens ancestors exterminated ty. Suspicion of those who are different Neanderthal man.) Today? When global concepts like, for example, “stereotype fax: 484-664-3477 seem to be hardwired into our brains. From communications constantly thrust us into threat,” and “white privilege” and the revela- e-mail: [email protected] the beginning of recorded history mankind contact with other cultures and belief tions of Implicit Association Tests (IATs) has noted the differences among tribes, systems; an interdependent global economy discussed by Malcolm Gladwell in Blink. Why should colleges care at all? Isn’t this Credits villages and nations – and inevitably found binds us all together; and we have weapons “obsession” with diversity simply a politically Dr. Peyton R. Helm something to despise about other groups. that can deliver lethal payloads around the The historian John Balsdon collected Roman world? In these circumstances an inability correct fad distracting us from the real busi- PRESIDENT ethnic slurs directed at Sardinians, to understand our differences seems likely to ness of higher education? I don’t think so. Michael Bruckner Pannonians, Thracians, Phrygians, Carians, result in catastrophe. Here are three good reasons why it’s impor- VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS Cappadocians, Paphlagonians, Syrians, Jews, American society has probably struggled tant for Muhlenberg both to be diverse and to thrive with diversity: Jillian Lowery ’00 Arabs and Egyptians. The Roman officer and harder to accommodate diversity than any writer Velleius Paterculus, who served on the other modern culture – probably because we 1. Keeping the American Promise. Our EDITOR Rhine around 9 A.D., opined that Germans have welcomed more diverse groups and are democracy promises equal opportunity to DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COMMUNICATIONS Features were not really human beings at all. more ethnically and racially complex than those who have talent and are willing to Mike Falk 10 Homecoming/Reunion 2010 Research by anthropologists, behavioral most other countries. And while we can work. Today, opportunity means access to SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR and developmental psychologists and other congratulate ourselves that we espouse higher education. If we fail to recruit and Almost 1,000 alumni and friends of the College flocked to campus for Homecoming/ scientists has demonstrated that human tolerance as a virtue (unlike, say, those perpe- educate students who are representative of Tanya Trinkle Reunion weekend. Were you, or someone you know, caught on film? beings are quick to form groups and that trating the genocides in Rwanda, Darfur and the diversity of our society, we are breaking DESIGN this promise. Our society will squander 12 Diversity at Muhlenberg College groups, once formed, are inclined to be elsewhere), we also have a fairly dismal exclusionary (if not openly hostile) toward record in achieving equality and a long way human capital and become even more polar- Of the 604 students in the current freshman class, about 12 percent fall into ethnicities All professional photography by non-group-members. Some researchers have to go before we can say, in the words of the ized by race and class – a formula for that include African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian or otherwise of color. It’s not Amico Studios, Jesse Dunn and cited linguistic evidence from various tribes old hymn “Earth shall be fair and all her peo- economic and political instability. Paul Pearson Photography exactly the United Nations, but it’s much more diverse than it ever was. For a small, whose word for “human being” is synony- ple one.” 2. Appreciating the Richness of the unless otherwise noted. private, liberal arts institution, it’s a quantum leap. Nobody denies, however, that there mous with members of the tribe, while the Colleges play a crucial role in teaching Human Experience. One of the things that is plenty more to be done. word for non-tribe members is synonymous the next generation how to engage construc- I value most about teaching and learning at © 2010 Muhlenberg College® with the words for “prey” or “food.” tively with difference. The issues are more a Lutheran College is the conviction that 18 Just Like Old Times Departments Inevitably each of us has grown up think- complex than most people imagine. none of us has a monopoly on wisdom. After an outstanding regular season in which ing of ourselves as a member of one or more “Teaching diversity” goes far beyond Each of us can glimpse a piece of the truth, 2 Door to Door they lost only once and a double-overtime loss large groups. Some of these groups we chose exposing students to the ethnic cuisines and but we accept that others also have valuable in the Centennial Conference championship 6 Alumni News consciously and these affiliations may music of other cultures. Such multicultural insights to share. You might think I’m likely game, the men’s soccer team received an at- change as our tastes and interests evolve. “festivals” are harmless, but are about as to write a book entitled Everything I need to WANT MORE MUHLENBERG NEWS? 8 State of the Arts If you want to see more news about large berth to the NCAAs. Two wins away from But some of them – particularly those linked sophisticated an introduction to the issue of Know I Learned from Homeric Epic, but you Muhlenberg College, please follow us on 20 Class Notes to our gender, culture, ethnicity and family ethnic differences as “Chopsticks” is to a would be wrong. Our students learn impor- Twitter at www.twitter.com/muhlenberg home put them in the “Sweet 16,” and a couple of background – shape us profoundly, molding Chopin Polonaise. To grapple successfully tant truths from Spanish courses where they and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ fortunate circumstances allowed them to host. 28 The Last Word muhlenbergcollege. our perceptions of what is beautiful, disgust- with ethnic tensions requires us to under- serve as hospital translators; from study trips 29 Meet the Press ing, profane, sacred, flattering, insulting, stand uncomfortable and non-obvious continued on page 27 December 2010 MUHLENBERG.EDU 1 Door to Door expansion of the Hillel House (opens 2011), experience at Muhlenberg. He always strives New Campus President Helm’s the conversion of a former fraternity house to know the students, and is invested in our Restaurant Named Contract Renewed into rehearsal space (see feature story on future.” page 8) and another major renovation of In addition to the construction projects, uhlenberg College President uhlenberg College has named its Seegers Union, which includes an updated the College added a film studies major along Peyton R. Helm has received a new new campus restaurant the “Ilene servery, a spectacular campus restaurant with minors in African-American studies and five-year contract. The announce- Mand Robert Wood Dining Com- M with a Kosher meal plan, offices, and greatly public health. Eight new faculty positions ment was made following the summer meet- mons.” The name honors long-time friends and enhanced student space. The Union space were also added. The College has continued ing of the College’s Board of Trustees. benefactors, Bob and Ilene Wood of Allentown. was completed in September. to have tremendous success on the admis- In making the announcement, “Bob and Ilene are great friends of the “President Helm has been instrumental in sions front, receiving more than 4,300 Muhlenberg College’s Chair of the Board College,” said President Randy Helm. “The the development of our College,” says applications for admission in each of the of Trustees Richard F. Brueckner ’71, P’04, College has been associated with the Wood Samuel Landman ’11, President of the past five years, and enjoying increases in all P’10 stated that “Randy Helm has provided family over a period spanning eight decades. Student Government Association. “He has academic quality indicators. outstanding leadership to Muhlenberg Any other name for this beautiful space is always been open with students and is acces- “Under Dr. Helm’s leadership the College College over the past seven years. This simply inconceivable.” In announcing the sible on a regular basis. All the decisions that has expanded students’ options for majors action recognizes the tremendous strides the naming of the new Wood Commons, Helm he makes for Muhlenberg are always with and minors,” says Dr. Laura Edelman, pro- College has made during his tenure, the remarked that the decision to honor the the students in mind and he has always been fessor and chair of the psychology Woods recognized not only the long relation- great momentum we have heading into the and beyond,” said Helm, “you find Bob and Services grew into a corporation that a strong advocate for the College.” department.