Grant will aid in creation of entrepreneurial internships

Wells is the recipient of a grant from the 1999 Kauffman Entrepreneur Internship Program provided by the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. The $18,000 grant will help the college establish paid, credit-bearing internships with smaller companies, according to Christine Franquemont, director of corporate and foundation support at Wells.

Through these internships, any interested Wells student who successfully applies and regardless of her major, can learn firsthand about the rewards and risks of entrepreneurship.

Placements will be made in companies with fewer than 200 employees and less than $25 million in annual revenue. The Kauffman Center grant, along with additional financial contributions from Wells and the host businesses, will fund five interns during the summer of 1999 and another five during the January 2000 intersession.

Additionally, the college plans to bring an outstanding business leader to campus as an entrepreneur-in-residence during the fall 1999 semester who will meet with students, visit classes, and present a public lecture.

With headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership is the largest organization solely focused on entrepreneurial success at all levels - from elementary school students to high-growth entrepreneurs.

Companies interested in participating or learning more about entrepreneurial studies at Wells are encouraged to call the college's Career Development Services Office at 315.364.3225 or email careers@wells.edu

April, 1999

Wells College president will join strategic effort to advance economic growth in central New York

President Lisa Marsh Ryerson has been named a member of the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York Inc. With a membership comprising CEOs of the most prominent businesses in Central New York, the MDA is the region's principal economic development, planning, and research organization and primary private-sector vehicle for implementation of key development projects.

President Ryerson is a vocal advocate for the development of partnerships in the business, education, and government sectors that will promote economic expansion. She said, "I am pleased to have this opportunity to contribute to the good work the MDA is doing. New York State is undergoing profound economic and social changes. As we enter the new century, we will maintain our historic reputation as one of the most prosperous and innovative regions in the nation. Indeed, we will grow - if we work together to assess our strengths and build upon them."

Among its many initiatives, the MDA is currently working on major redevelopment efforts in Electronics Park and Hancock Airpark, the $8.4 million renovation of the Regional Market, and a cooperative effort with the city of Syracuse to redevelop 800 acres separating downtown from the Onondaga Lake waterfront. The MDA is also a principal partner in Advance Upstate New York, an alliance of the business leadership organizations in Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo that will work together to push business friendly reform through the state legislature.

The MDA has also initiated Vision 2010, a blueprint for regional economic development. The plan balances programs for strategic growth in eight industry clusters with concerted efforts to reduce regulatory costs on business. Over the next 11 years, those industry clusters have the potential to bring the region more than 50,000 jobs, a 15% growth in wages, and an annual one percent growth in population while enhancing the quality of life in central New York. According to the New York State Department of Labor, the region comprising Onondaga, Cayuga, Madison, Oswego, and Cortland counties has seen the addition of 7,100 jobs and a 2.4% growth in real wages over the first two years of the Vision 2010 program.

April, 1999

The Wells College Press will publish a recently rediscovered manuscript

A children's story, The Magic Key, by noted scholar, author, and former Wells faculty member Else Fleissner, will be published later this year by the Wells College Press, according to Book Arts Center Director and Professor of English Bruce Bennett.

The manuscript was found in the Fleissner family home in Aurora by the author's son, Robert F. Fleissner of Springfield, Ohio. The revival of the Wells College Press and its growing list of literary publications caught his attention, and he showed the manuscript to Bennett. Fleissner and his brother, Erwin J. Fleissner, have written a preface; Wells Printer-in-Residence Robert Doherty is the book's designer.

The Magic Key, probably written circa 1943, is a short novel which tells the story of two young children, a boy and girl, who have wonderland-like adventures involving a magic key the boy obtains from a magician. They meet a number of well-known characters from children's literature classics, get the opportunity to make mistakes and be brave, and learn much about themselves as well as their friends and enemies.

"I would describe the book as well-written and entertaining and the style as charming. Love of traditional children's literature shines from every page," said Bennett.

For 44 years, Professors Otto and Else Fleissner helped build Wells' strong German and European literature programs. They co-authored many college texts. According to the preface, "She also composed a book on the great inflation (1923) in Germany, a short biography of Hermann Hesse, and numerous articles."

The Magic Key is expected to be released for the 1999 holiday season. A special price is available for those who subscribe before September 1, 1999. To learn more contact: Jocelyn Webb, Book Arts Center, Wells College, Aurora, New York 13026.

Wells College has an incomparable resource in the Book Arts Center which consists of the Wells College Press and the Class of 1932 Bindery. The center offers classes, exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations, workshops, and symposia in the fine arts, literary arts, bookbinding, printing, publishing, and related fields.

Facsimile reproduction of the opening page of The Magic Key. 

April, 1999

Nine students present research findings at national conference

Nine students from Wells College have been selected to present the findings of their original research at the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) which will be held Thursday through Saturday, April 8 through 10 at the University of Rochester. The following are descriptions of the student projects, excerpted from research abstracts, including the names of faculty advisers:

"Movements Towards Rebuilding Jewish Life in Post-Cold War Poland" by Alexandra V. Collier '00 (adviser: Associate Professor of History Cynthia J. Koepp): After the Holocaust and 50 years of anti-Semitic communist rule nearly destroyed Polish Jewry, Jewish life is emerging again in Poland. Ms. Collier's paper is based on oral interviews, observations, and archival research she conducted in both Poland and the United States. She analyzes the resurgence of interest in Jewish culture and the effects this movement may have on the future of Jewish communities in Poland.

"The Role of Dance in the Diaspora: Its Impact on the Perceptions of Dis-ease in the Afro-Brazilian Religion Candomble and in Haitian Voodoo" by Laurephile Desrosiers '99, Disha Mookherjee '99, and Leslie St. George '00 (adviser: Visiting Instructor of Dance Augusto Soledade): An analysis of the relationship between dance and religion in Brazil and Haiti leads the authors to conclude that dance in these cultures serves as a vehicle for understanding complex concepts such as self, spirituality, body, and health. In contrast, Western medical culture often fails to even acknowledge the personal and spiritual factors. Utilizing HIV as an example, the researchers have designed literature and other resources which have a culturally relevant focus in an effort to bridge the gap between these viewpoints in the conceptualization of dis-ease.

"Three Strikes and You're Out' Sentencing": The Politics of Policy Formation by Rebecca R. Good '99 (adviser: Assistant Professor of Political Science Nan DiBello): In an attempt to target habitual offenders, Congress passed the Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which requires mandatory sentences for felons convicted of a third violent crime. The adoption of "three strikes and you're out" as federal policy is a prime example of policy formulated at the state level becoming national policy. Ms. Good argues for the repeal of "three strikes and you're" out laws which, she contends, have negative impacts on state and local courts and correctional systems.

"Urban Greenways and Corridors as Tools for Habitat Conservation and Preservation of Species" by Sarah Hatfield '99 (adviser: Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Niamh O' Leary): Loss of biodiversity and habitat are problems that have grown in magnitude over the past century due to expansion of suburban and urban areas. Urban greenways have been suggested as a means to allow species dispersal through these unsuitable habitats. Using EcoBeaker 1.0 software, the author designed various scenarios for wildlife corridor systems through urban and suburban areas using birds and small mammals as indicators and referred to past studies. She concludes that wildlife corridors are an effective means to slow or combat habitat loss, genetic isolation, and species extinction.

"Investigating the Relationship Between Canine Abuse and Canine Behavior" by JoAnne L. Johnson '00 (advisers: Professor of Biology Margaret Flowers and Professor of Chemistry Linda Schwab): Implications of canine abuse were studied through post-traumatic evaluation. Owners who adopted dogs (previously abused) answered questionnaires concerning canine background, behaviors, and treatments. Preliminary analysis indicated that both genders had similar occurrences of abnormal eating habits (females: 35% and males: 34%) and abnormal drinking habits (17% and 14%, respectively). There was more variance for snarling, growling, or hackle-raising (females: 56% and males: 49%) and hiding, whining, or whimpering (65% and 55%, respectively). Strangers, loud noises, and other animals were primary behavioral triggers for both sexes. Eighty-six percent of owners who worked with their animal saw improvement in behavior, regardless of gender.

"The Ecosystem Management Planning Model: An Implement to Aid Sustainable Development and Conserve Biodiversity" by Carolyn J. Meier '99 (adviser: Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Niamh O'Leary): This research examines an Ecosystem Management Planning Model (EMPM), which was constructed as a conceptual system to aid in multi-variable, non-linear decision making. EMPM is based partially on the Holistic Resource Management (HRM) model developed by Allan Savory. The HRM has several shortcomings which were corrected in the EMPM by the addition of new ecosystem growth tools, new management and testing guidelines for these tools, and an interface which emphasizes the cyclic nature of all ecosystem processes. The EMPM allows better management of public lands by reducing errors in the application of tools and misidentification of problems.

"The Susceptibility of Nocardia Species to Trovafloxacin and Linezolid" by Disha Mookherjee '99 (advisers: Michael Cynamon and Linda S. Schwab): Pulmonary nocardiosis causes a tuberculosis-like infection in immunocompromised patients. New agents are continually sought to treat this condition because of the development of resistant strains of Nocardia. The susceptibility of 24 strains of Nocardia spp. to trovafloxacin, a fluoroquinolone, and linezolid (PNU100-766), an oxazolidinone, was determined by an agar dilution assay. While both drugs were active against Nocardia, linezolid was more active, inhibiting 20 out of 24 strains at less than or equal to 2 micrograms per milliliter.

"Discovering Why: Understanding Domestic Violence through Non-traditional Battering Situations" by Lynn Sawicki '99 (adviser: Professor of Sociology Leslie Miller-Bernal): The gender role socialization theory of domestic violence attributes battering to behavior based on social conceptions of masculinity and femininity, finding men more likely to batter. The power inequality theory attributes violence to power imbalances caused by the different resources each partner brings into the relationship. This paper tests these theories by applying them to available research on two types of non-traditional battering: battering in homosexual relationships and in adolescent children's abuse of parents. The author's findings support power inequality more than gender role socialization theory.

"Beyond Pharmacology: The Psychological Management of Insomnia" by Shelly L. Larson '99 (Assistant Professor of Psychology Victoria Munoz): This study provides a compelling argument for a multicomponent psychological approach rather than pharmacological intervention when treating insomnia. The research focuses on case studies and analyzes current psychological treatments; the results indicate these treatments produce enhancement of both sleep patterns and subjective experience of sleep, with stimulus control techniques being more effective. Compared to pharmacological agents, psychological management produces fewer side effects and is more effective on a long-term basis.

Through its annual conference, NCUR creates a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student achievement, provides models of exemplary research and scholarship, and helps to improve the state of the undergraduate education.

Established in 1987, NCUR seeks to enrich undergraduate teaching and learning by providing opportunities for students to experience firsthand the processes of scholarly exploration and discovery that characterize academic life, to assist the professional development of faculty and others in these areas, and to understand and appreciate the goals, methods, and results of diverse areas of inquiry and ways of knowing.

April, 1999

Other Articles in Wells College News:

September, 2002	September, 2000. - May.,2001	May,1998	May - June,1997
August, 2002	September, 1999 - August, 2000	April,1998	March - April,1997
September, 2001. - May.,2002	August,1999	March,1998	February,1997
	May,1999	February,1998	November - December,1996
	April,1999	January,1998	October,1996
	February -March, 1999	December,1997	September,1996
	January,1999	November,1997	June - Aug.,1996
	Fall,1998	October,1997	May,1996
	August,1998	September,1997	April,1996
	June -July, 1998	July - August, 1997	February - March, 1996