Student Leadership Conference 2003

High school girls learn leadership skills this summer

For the past ten summers, Wells College has hosted the Student Leadership Conference to encourage the development of leadership potential of select high school girls.  This summer’s conference took place during three consecutive weeks in June and July.  Students who attended were nominated by their high school guidance counselors, sent a letter of invitation, and, once accepted, chose one of three sessions to attend.  Each session lasted for three days and two nights on the college’s beautiful campus overlooking Cayuga Lake.

Conference attendees spent their time learning the basic principles of leadership.  The students were first introduced to collaborative leadership styles.  They spent their first night getting to know one another, as well as themselves, by taking a personal social style inventory, learning the language of communication, and participating in a team adventure.  During the following days, the girls attended sessions on goal setting, conflict resolution, Power Point, and communication.  They also took part in a ropes course to create bonding amongst the students.

During their stay, the young leaders formed groups to work on a final presentation which focused on a problem affecting their high schools.  The students were expected to use knowledge gained during the conference to agree on the issue, define the problem, create goals, and produce an action plan to achieve these goals, thus resolving the challenge.  Some past topics have included drug and alcohol abuse, limited funding for the arts, problems with cliques, teen pregnancy, racism, and cultural awareness.

Upon completion of the conference, these young women have an entire action plan ready to bring back to their school, plus more confidence in themselves so they can start making necessary changes within their high schools.  According to feedback from previous years, many of the attendees take advantage of what they learned at the conference to facilitate impressive changes in their high schools and communities. 

August, 2003

Aurora Inn Reopens on June 4 After Year-Long Renovation

New Village Market, Pizzaurora and Fargo Bar & Grill also Open

As part of the revitalization of this tiny, heritage village on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, a sparkling new Village Market also was built in a handsome mahogany  storefront next door to the Inn, the Fargo Bar & Grill across the street has had a major renovation and a new pizzeria called Pizzaurora recently opened in a renovated 1940s garage adjoining the Fargo building.

Built in 1833 in the Federal style, the Aurora Inn was refurbished from top to bottom to create 10 luxurious guest rooms, a charming new restaurant with lakeside veranda dining, and banquet room for weddings, private parties and meetings. A stone terrace, lawn and gardens that roll down to the water also are planned.

“Today is the dawn of a new day for Aurora,” said Aurora’s mayor Tom Gunderson at an official ribbon-cutting ceremony held here on May 29. “Our village now has the focal point that it has been missing since the inn closed nearly three years ago. The Aurora Inn and its commercial neighbors are vital to the economic strength of our village and their refurbishment signals a bright future for our community.”

The Aurora Foundation, a partnership of Wells College and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, undertook the renovation of the Inn and other properties to support the college’s mission through economic development in Aurora. A 1962 graduate of Wells College, Pleasant Rowland created American Girl^® dolls and has become a committed philanthropist since selling her Wisconsin-based Pleasant Company to Mattel in 1998.

The Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation contributed all funding required to renovate the commercial buildings.  The Aurora Foundation will help manage the operation of the Inn, Village Market and Pizzaurora.  Jim Orman will remain proprietor of  Fargo Bar & Grill.  Income from the businesses will benefit Wells College, which will continue to own the buildings.

“We are very fortunate to have Pleasant Rowland as a benefactor,” Ryerson noted at the ribbon cutting.  “Her belief in Aurora’s value as a historic American village, her experience as an entrepreneur and her unwavering support of Wells will make an enormous difference to the college and the community.”

Inn to Become Focal Point in the Finger Lakes

“I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make today possible,” commented Pleasant Rowland at the ceremony. “Our aim was to help breathe new life into Aurora by creating a comfortable country inn and neighboring businesses that will be warm and welcoming to both locals and visitors from afar. Through the efforts of countless people and the patience of the community, I think we have succeeded in restoring the inn as a true focal point in the Finger Lakes and the centerpiece of Aurora.”

The Inn renovation team included Holt Architects of Ithaca, McGlynn Interiors of Skaneateles and Northeast Construction Services of Syracuse. Original fireplaces, woodwork and other architectural details were reused as much as possible or were reproduced.  Historic photographs and etchings informed the exterior alterations, returning the Inn to its original appearance.  Inside, the Inn was remodeled to appeal to today’s travelers and to meet current code requirements. 

The public rooms are decorated in an eclectic mix of antiques and Oriental rugs with designer fabrics, comfortable furnishings and wall coverings in hues of caramel, red and charcoal. The Inn also features an unusually fine collection of historic and contemporary art.

Restaurant Offers Rare Find In Finger Lakes: Outdoor Lakeside Dining

The restaurant, which will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, has a bank of windows and French doors that open onto a porch and tree-shaded veranda offering outdoor dining during warmer months. “The Aurora Inn has one of the only restaurants in the Finger Lakes where one can dine outdoors right on the water,” Rowland remarked, adding that she believes that will make the Inn a “don’t-miss destination” for visitors to the Finger Lakes.

Inside the restaurant, there is an appealing mix of banquettes, intimate booths and tables that offer fireside dining.   The menu will feature traditional, American country food prepared with fresh regional products.  The bar, which also has a fireplace, will serve spirits from around the world, including a selection of wines from the Finger Lakes.

The guest rooms blend charm and comfort with high-tech amenities such as high-speed Internet access and flat-panel televisions.  The eight rooms on the second and third 
floors all have private marble bathrooms and deep balcony porches furnished with rocking chairs, benches and swings that overlook the lake or village. Four of the rooms have gas fireplaces.  The two large suites on the fourth floor have cozy seating areas, well-equipped kitchenettes and marble bathrooms with deep-soak whirlpool baths. Rates range from $125 to $225, depending on the room and season.

The banquet room features a restored 1958 mural showing scenes of the village and Wells College as they appeared in the 19th century. Designed with special events in mind, the room can accommodate up to 90 guests for a sit-down dinner or 125 for a cocktail reception. French doors extend the space out to a stone terrace with sweeping views of the lake.  The Inn also offers lawn weddings for up to 200 guests under pristine white tents. In addition, the room is equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems for business meetings, seminars and corporate retreats.

Sue Edinger, who has more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and holds a degree in hotel administration from Cornell University, has been appointed as general manager of the Aurora Inn.   Holly Zoba, who also has worked in the hotel business for more than two decades, has been named director of marketing for the Inn, as well as other village establishments managed by the Aurora Foundation.

A Little Bit of History

The Aurora Inn was built by Colonel E. B. Morgan, a native of Aurora and co-founder of The New York Times. In the mid-19th century, Aurora became a major stop on the Erie Canal for boats carrying agricultural products from area farmers to New York City.  Henry Wells, of Wells Fargo stagecoach fame and the founder of American Express, established Wells College in Aurora in 1868. 

During its colorful past, the Inn was a favored overnight destination for travelers borne by barge, stagecoach and rail, and it has long been a popular spot for students from Wells, Cornell University and other nearby colleges. The inn was deeded to Wells College in 1943 and despite several additions and renovations, it struggled financially until it closed in 2000 in need of major restoration. 

For more information on the Aurora Inn., please call (315) 364-8888 or visit www.Aurora-Inn.com.

June, 2003

Earlier Articles in Wells College News:
 

September, 2003
Summer, 2003
May, 2003	Sept.,2000.-May.,2001	May,1998	May - June,1997
April, 2003	Sept. 1999-Aug.,2000	April,1998	March - April,1997
March, 2003	August,1999	March,1998	February,1997
Jan.-Feb., 2003	May,1999	February,1998	Nov. - Dec.,1996
December, 2002	April,1999	January,1998	October,1996
November, 2002	Feb. - March, 1999	December,1997	September,1996
October, 2002	January,1999	November,1997	June - Aug.,1996
September, 2002	Fall,1998	October,1997	May,1996
August, 2002	August,1998	September,1997	April,1996
Sept.,2001.-May.,2002	June -July, 1998	July - August, 1997	Feb - March, 1996

Last updated 11/03/2003