��Ƶ News - Dec. 23, 2020 - University Relations & Marketing

��Ƶ News - Dec. 23, 2020

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

2020: A Year in Review

As ��Ƶ we will remember it as a year where we adapted to challenges with creativity, and supported each other and the community. In spite of the pandemic, and sometimes even because of it, Ospreys continued to soar.

Trustees Award Distinguished Student Fellowships

Five students have received Board of Trustees Fellowships for Distinguished Student Awards for the Winter/Spring 2021 semester. The recipients at the Dec. 9 Board of Trustees meeting, and are Alize Thompson, Taylor Ketcham, Yesenia Pacheco, Brian Odhiambo and Caroline Sparacino.

Center Shares Stories of Alliance Colony

The Alliance Colony, founded in 1882 in rural Salem County, was the first successful Jewish farming colony in America.

As part of its efforts to preserve the colony’s history, the new Alliance Heritage Center at ��Ƶ has begun from the founders’ descendants to create a digital collection in the ��Ƶ Special Collections Library.

Center research fellow Raymond Dudo, working with Professor of Literature and Center Director Thomas Kinsella, recently gave a Zoom presentation about two families and a group that were instrumental in the colony’s success.

🎵 A Holiday Concert from Bay Atlantic Symphony

Need some holiday cheer, right in your very own home? Here’s a fun of holiday music to brighten your day.

The Winter Wonderland concert is the Bay Atlantic Symphony's free holiday gift, no paywall or any sort of password required! Its purpose is to bring warmth and cheer just for the holidays, reflecting many traditions (Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah).

WE'RE HERE TO HELP

🔴 The University’s alternate staffing plan has been extended through March 31 in certain areas where operational needs allow. Your divisional executive will provide additional details and instructions to confirm specific office and individual schedules. The expectation remains that all offices will be open to students and staff and that phone calls will be answered. Depending on the needs of your office, staff should be in-person minimally 40-60% of the time (unless they have an existing 100% work modification). Further, staff are expected to be available to come to campus any day an operational need arises. Anyone requesting a new or extended 100% work modification should apply through the Office of Human Resources.

The Centers for Disease Control has information on how to safely celebrate upcoming holidays.

There are many resources and best practices being made available to staff and faculty working remotely that can be found by visiting Information Technology’s .

In addition to assistance with technology available from ITS, ��Ƶ provides faculty and teaching staff with professional development, training, teaching ideas, resources and individual consultations via the .

��Ƶ is compiling notices of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in a on the Coronavirus home page. The dashboard is updated on regular work days.

SPOTLIGHT ON:

Reid-Merritt Inducted into University of Pennsylvania Alumni Hall of Fame

Pat Reid-Merritt, distinguished professor of Africana Studies and Social Work, was recently inducted into the 2020 University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice Alumni Hall of Fame.

This recognition honors the achievements of outstanding change agents and practitioners who took up the calling to elevate social justice and equity, according to Sara S. Bachman, the School’s dean.

"It was quite an honor and I was very appreciative. I was nominated by a former classmate and provided a letter of recommendation by Professor Emeritus Dr. Diane Falk," Reid-Merritt said. "The virtual ceremony highlighted all of my achievements post-Penn doctorate, all of which have occurred during my tenure at ��Ƶ."

FRAME-WORTHY

Lunch Club Prevails Despite Pandemic

Dennis Fotia, assistant director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Design, shared the following:

“The group of individuals in these photos have been eating lunch in the campus cafeteria for many, many years. When G-Wing closed in 2011, we had a farewell to G-Wing luncheons. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to eat lunch together, via Zoom. Some of us were able to meet in person today. I set up a laptop for our other colleagues to join remotely. During phase one of the quarantine, I must say that our lunch meetings together were the highlight of my day. We have found a way to continue our fellowship, friendship, and lunch meetings despite the pandemic.”

Pictured in the Zoom screenshot from left to right, (seated in-person) are: Laura Zucconi, professor of History; Fotia, Michael Lague, associate professor of Biology; Margaret Lewis, professor of Biology; Zooming with Dick Colby, Professor Emeritus of Biology; David Lechner, assistant professor in the Library; and Manish Madan, associate professor of Criminal Justice.

Pictured from left to right in G-Wing photo are: Zucconi, Lague, Lechner, Fotia, Kerri Chang-Fitzgibbon, assistant professor in the Library; Colby, and Lewis.