AUTUMN 2010 Alumni, Students college of & Friends mount saint vincentnews Mount students and staff in Guatemala INSIDE The Culture of Service: COVER Dr. Natalia Smirnova Brings More International Flavor to the Mount: PAGES 2 & 3 Dr. Joseph Skelly Explores Reform for the Middle East in his New Book: paGE 4 Kevin Garlan Presents at the National Conference for the American Anthropological Association: PAGE 5 The 2010 Scholarship The Mount’s Culture of Service: Tribute Dinner Breaks the Records. Over “…let us love one another, for charity is of God.” $550,000 Raised for Scholarships: paGE 6 For students attending the College of Mount espouses the teachings of Saint Vincent de Saint Vincent, an undergraduate education Paul, the 18th-century French priest who Jessica Abejar ’11 Earns Kudos in C200 consists of much more than mere courses, championed aid to the sick, the reviled Summer Internship: lectures, and lab work. For the College is, and the poor. Among Saint Vincent’s famous PAGE 8 as Dianna Dale, Vice President for Student sayings: “It is only for your love alone that Athletics Top Ten: Affairs puts it, “mission driven.” The College the poor will forgive you the bread you give paGE 9 aspires to develop a whole person: young to them,” and “Dearly beloved, let us love Renowned Alumna men and women who appreciate the fact one another, for charity is of God.” Rosemary T. Berkery that what one individual does inevitably has The College also celebrates the good Inspires the Class an effect on the lives of others. works of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first of 2010 with her Commencement Mount Saint Vincent was founded by American to be canonized by the Roman Address: the Sisters of Charity of New York and it Catholic Church. Working in 19th-century paGE 10 continued on page 21 Alumnae/i News and Notes: 6301 Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale, New York 10471 paGES 12-20 Phone: (800) 665-CMSV, (718) 405-3267 Web: www.mountsaintvincent.edu Dr. Natalia Smirnova Brings More International Flavor to the Mount Dr. Natalia Smirnova is ambitious. The energy efficiency of the Russian Far Information Sector. Assistant Professor of Economics at East in an attempt to discover ways to The second part of the project was the Mount is ambitious in her field attract U.S. businesses and investors a more specialized study on women’s of work, ambitious in her studies, to the Russian Far East region. participation in the labor force in even ambitious in her personal Dr. Smirnova feels it is imperative to Russia. Dr. Smirnova studied the dreams. Yet, in many senses, it is how promote cooperation between the two factors affecting women’s labor market nontraditional her accomplishments, countries, and that doing so will help outcomes, especially in foreign firms. experiences, and aspirations are that strengthen each country economically. One of her research methods was make describing her as ambitious an Still, how does one person go about interviewing local business women on understatement. In a shaky economic handling such a large task? While in their opinion of her research and the climate both globally and domestically, Russia, Dr. Smirnova gathered a wide current status of women in the labor she worked relentlessly in researching array of information and research on force. This topic has been a long– economic improvements that would the different aspects of the country’s term interest for Dr. Smirnova. At the mutually benefit the United States, economy. Her goal was to accumulate College her course “Women in the Russia, and even our own Mount enough evidence to support her idea Labor Market,” explores this topic and community. From conducting research promotes research on the positions of with the U.S. Consulate in Russia to women around the world. drafting and eventually receiving a In addition to research, Dr. Smirnova Title VI grant dedicated to funding widely promoted her findings, the undergraduate International Studies Mount, and also opportunities for curriculum, Dr. Smirnova is truly a Russian students to study in New York “go–getter.” City. She did so by visiting the Far Dr. Smirnova spent this past spring Eastern National University, where she semester working with the U.S. spoke to students of a Global Econo- Consulate in Vladivostok, Russia, my class. She also organized and par- researching the current and future ticipated in an economic roundtable states of economic development in on April 6th, discussing the “Problems Dr. Natalia Smirnova and students in Russia the Russian Far East, which is an and Perspectives of Russian-American important regional power, both within that investing in Russia would be Business.” This event proved to be Russia and within the Pacific Rim. She beneficial for both countries. After very successful with participants of also dedicated herself to searching achieving the goal, she used this data varying backgrounds, including the for opportunities to improve the to write Scholar Research Brief titled, diplomatic community, regional and labor market participation of Russian “Opportunities for American Business local government and the business women. Her work, which was made in the Russian Far East.” Dr. Smirnova sector and received Russian news possible by grant funding and is says, “I wanted to find less apparent coverage. coordinated through the International and more diverse solutions for the While Dr. Smirnova works to Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), economic development challenges improve the economy abroad, she was part of a program that supports of the Russian Far East, that appeal is also making waves here at the U.S. embassies and consulates to investors of various asset and Mount. Armed with her passion overseas by providing policy commitment levels, allowing them for Russian studies and devotion specialists-in-residence. During this to find a suitable opportunity.” to improving economic well being assignment, Dr. Smirnova conducted Dr. Smirnova highlights five key around the globe, Dr. Smirnova’s an economic analysis of policies and areas that are potentially the most most recent accomplishment is projects of the infrastructure, economic attractive for investors and include receiving grant funding for a Title VI diversification, competitiveness, Alternative Energy, the Food Industry, grant this academic year. This grant entrepreneurship, environment and Pharmaceuticals, Tourism and the will help improve the undergraduate 2 • COLLEGE OF MOUNT SAINT VINCENT NEWS INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL college of mount saint vincent CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES Fall 2010 Semester Schedule of Events International Studies Symposium “Let’s Go International!” Keynote speaker: Mr. Tom Armbruster, US Department of State Tuesday, October 19 education 4pm–6pm, Smith Hall, Administration Faculty Cultural Seminar: “Russian Far East: Women and Work” presented by Dr. Natalia Smirnova, Department of Business and Economics Tuesday, November 9 4:30pm–6pm, Science Hall, Room 101 Distinguished Guest Lecture: “Migrants for Export: How the Philippine State Brokers Labor to the World” presented by Dr. Robyn M. Rodriguez, Rutgers University Tuesday, November 30 4pm–6pm, Smith Hall, Administration Center for International Studies: 6301 Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale, New York 10471 phone: (718) 405-3369 web: mountsaintvincent.edu These events are sponsored by the Title VI grant of the US Department of Education. Events are free and open to the public. International Studies curriculum and foreign courses in Economics, History, Sociology, languages instruction by supporting course Communication and Fine Arts. The College developmentinternational ad 3.indd and 1 providing opportunities will also improve the Filipino Language9/27/10 1:09:06 PM for faculty growth. Title VI is a federally offerings by incorporating methodology for funded grant awarded for the purpose of non-native speakers, hiring new faculty and educational advancement. Dr. Smirnova strengthening an existing summer study believes that “having an education abroad program by offering Russian area well rooted in international affairs can studies. enable the students at the Mount to Dr. Smirnova can now take even bigger make well-rounded and better informed steps to combining other areas of the world decisions in business endeavors and other with a newer approach to education, one various aspects of their educational and which includes a more diverse and global occupational lives.” outlook. To Dr. Smirnova and the rest of Under this grant, the Mount will add the Mount community, this is the first of international components to six courses many strides towards a deeper and more and develop 10 new international comprehensive international program. AUTUMN 2010 • 3 Dr. Joseph Skelly Explores Reform for the Middle East in his new book Political Islam from Muhammad to Ahmadinejad Never has there been more worldwide across a wide sequential time frame. In attention focused on understanding the editing the book, Dr. Skelly says that his Middle East. With wars in both Iraq and objective is to help others, “understand Afghanistan and constant terrorist threats what drives militant Muslims and how NEW PUBLICATION NEW and attacks, curiosity about Islam has we may engage with them and hopefully continued to rise. The need to understand point them in a new direction.” The book the historical, political, religious, and contains what Dr. Skelly believes to be an cultural dynamics at play in the region ideal balance, with chapters on both Islamic are more important than ever. In response reformists and investigations into Islamism, to this interest, Dr. Joseph M. Skelly, a term which he defines as, “the propensity Professor of History at the Mount, released of radical adherents of Islam to transform his fourth book titled Political Islam from their religion into a political ideology.” Muhammad to Ahmadinejad in the spring The complex reflections inPolitical Islam of 2010, published by Praeger Security from Muhammad to Ahmadinejad answer International. This volume is a compilation to the worldwide interest in the subject of of over 15 essays presented at the first Islamism.