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The Power of One

Jonah Weiss ᾿21 volunteered at the Saint Mary’s Center after school program, where he tutored children of Somali Bantu refugees in Buffalo as part of his service-learning project for Philosophy 101. He says the experience provided him with a deeper perspective on how he viewed the world and also gave him the skills to think critically and thoughtfully. Wanting to share this experience with his family, Weiss suggested that his mother, local community activist Kristin Heltman-Weiss, get involved. He could not predict the chain of events that followed. Kristin solicited additional volunteers from her activist groups and donations to fulfill some of the Somali Bantu’s greatest needs. The response was so great that it led to the founding of the Somali Bantu Community Farm, which is now a place where generations of families, immigrant and native born, urban and rural, work side-by-side toward a common goal. Last summer, the farm located in East Aurora, fed more than 100 families.

“Getting involved in your community creates invaluable experiences that can lead to things bigger than yourself,” says Jonah Weiss. “I had no idea the change my volunteering could cause. Canisius is truly a unique institution that builds opportunities to further social endeavors with life-changing experiences and outcomes.”

 

Photo above: Kristin Heltman-Weiss and her son, Jonah Weiss ᾿21

Submitted by: College Communications

Fire Inspector On Campus This Month

The New York State Fire Inspector will be on campus from Wednesday, April 11 – Friday, April 27. The fire inspector will check the common areas, stairways, offices, utility rooms, and storage rooms for safety issues including:

Improper Storage – in electrical and sprinkler rooms, such as combustibles piled under, around or in front of electrical panels or sprinkler systems.

Items permanently placed in corridors and hallways – such as equipment, cabinets, desks or chairs. Hallways must allow full passage to fire exits.

Storage placed too close to sprinkler heads – The Fire Code requires an 18” distance from the sprinkler head to the closest item.

Fire doors being propped or wedged open – Fire doors are fundamental to the integrity of fire barriers throughout the building. Fire doors may be held open with automatic releases that close the door when the fire alarm sounds.

Improper storage of flammable fluids and liquids – Flammable fluid storage is limited to quantity, classification and flammability rating. A flame-proof cabinet is essential!

Electrical extension cords being used as permanent wiring – Electrical extension cords are strictly prohibited from use inside Canisius buildings as permanent wiring. Do not run chords under rugs or piles of clothing. Overloading a wall receptacle may cause a fire.

Non-compliant upholstered furniture – Canisius is required to comply with furniture Fire Code Standards.  Furniture that does not comply must be removed!

Non- approved space heaters – Space heaters supplied by the Canisius Facilities Department are approved for use. Please remove all other space heaters!

If you have any questions, please contact Joe Roetter, safety director at  roetterj@canisius.edu.  You may also contact the Human Resources Department at Ext. 2240.

Submitted by: Mary Braun, human resources assistant, Human Resources

EVENTS

Women’s Lacrosse Home Today

Team faces Marist

Your women’s lacrosse team will look to get back on the winning track this afternoon, Wednesday, April 11, when Marist pays a visit to Buffalo. Face-off for the game at the Demske Sports Complex is slated for 4 p.m. For game information, visit www.GoGriffs.com

Submitted by: John Maddock, associate athletic director, External Affairs

Canisius Zoological Society Presents Speaker on Rhino Conservation

McMurtrie to discuss on environmental legislation

The Canisius Zoological Society is hosting environmental officer Alan McMurtrie for a talk today, Wednesday April 11 from 7 – 8 p.m. in the Regis Room. McMurtrie has 24 years of experience working in environmental legislation and conservation in South Africa, and will share his experience in rhino conservation and rhino management. The talk is free and open to all.

Submitted by: Sue Margulis, PhD, associate professor, ABEC and Biology

Digital Humanities Speaker Series

Kelly Carpenter, Albright-Knox Art Gallery

The Canisius College Digital Humanities Speaker Series concludes its 2017 ‒ 18 series by welcoming Kelly Carpenter, digital assets manager at Albright-Knox Art Gallery, to campus.  Carpenter’s presentation is entitled “Digital Technologies are Transforming the Museum Experience.”  The event takes place on Thursday, April 12 at 4:00 p.m. in Lyons Hall 418.

Museums are, to a certain respect, inherently constraining. Visitors are invited into the space but are kept at a physical distance from cultural objects and artworks. Over the last decade, museums, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, incorporated innovative digital approaches, both onsite and online, in order to remove the barrier between the public and their collections. Museums are in a unique position to become leaders in the realm of digital culture.

Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Canisius College and master’s degrees in art history and museum studies from Richmond, The American International University in London.

Please join Carpenter as she discusses several examples of how various digital technologies are transforming the physical and online museum experience.

Submitted by: Mark Gallimore, instructional designer, Center for Online Learning & Innovation

Canisius Welcomes Acclaimed Poet Bao Phi

Part of Contemporary Writers Series

Canisius presents award-winning poet Bao Phi, who will read from his works on Thursday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center. The event, which is free and open to the public, will include a book-signing, question and answer period, and reception.   Phi’s visit is made possible by the Contemporary Writers Series.

Bao Phi was born in Vietnam, grew up in Minneapolis, MN, and graduated from Macalester College with a degree in English. He is a poet, spoken-word artist, community activist, a two-time Minnesota Grand Slam champion and a National Poetry Slam finalist. Phi is the author of two collections of poetry, Sông I Sing and Thousand Star Hotel, and a children’s book, A Different Pond, winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a picture book. He is program director at The Loft Literary Center, where he coordinates a number of programs including the Equilibrium series, which was awarded an Anti-Racism Initiative Award.

For more information, call Mick Cochrane, chair and professor of English, at Ext. 2662.

Submitted by: College Communications

 

 

Moriviví Unveiling and Open House

Faculty and staff are welcome to attend

Sharon Nicole González Colón, a member of the Moriviví Collective, puts the finishing touches on the mural in Old Main 314.

The Spanish Program in the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures hosts an unveiling of a mural by the Puerto Rican Moriviví Collective on Friday, April 13 from 6 – 7 p.m. in OM 314. Canisius Spanish students painted the mural on the wall in the Old Main classroom under the direction of Sharon Nicole González Colón, a member of the Moriviví Collective. The permanent mural is of Santurce, a neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Moriviví is a group of young female artists based in Puerto Rico. Its mission is to use art to promote social justice and display the human condition.

The unveiling coincides with an open house where students and faculty will learn about unique opportunities such as study abroad and study tours, dual immersion programs and tertulias (conversations in Spanish)  led by international students from Spain. Also scheduled for the evening is a screening of the exciting new promotional video of the Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures program.  Enjoy light refreshments.

Submitted by: Margaret Stefanski, PhD, associate professor, Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Shoes for the Shelter 5K is this Sunday

20th anniversary of popular race

The 20th annual Shoes for the Shelter 5K is this coming Sunday, April 15. The race starts at 10 a.m. from the corner of Main and Delavan.

There is a pre-race Mass set for 8:30 a.m. with a post-race celebration at approximately 10:20 a.m. (both held in the Patrick Lee Center). Awards will be distributed at 11 a.m. for age groups, male and female, from under 10 to over the age of 90. Awards will also be given to male and female top three finishers for faculty/staff, students and alumni.

Donations of shoes will be accepted for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Register in person in Room 181 in the KAC  throughout the week or on-line at Go Griffs.com. Packet pickups are slated for Friday and Saturday afternoon in the Koessler.  For more information, call Ext. 2977.

Submitted by: John Maddock, associate athletic director, External Affairs

ArtsCanisius Events

Enjoy the final Meet-the-Faculty Recital

Please make note that the Chorale Spectacular originally scheduled for Sunday, April 15, 2018, is cancelled.

However, the final Meet-the-Faculty Recital of the year scheduled for Monday, April 16 at noon in the Montante Cultural Center is still a go!  This recital features Karen Schmid, adjunct professor of fine arts/music on piano, along with guest artists in a delightful program of the music of Franz Schubert.  Featured works include Schubert’s Impromptu in G-flat Major for solo piano; Lebensstürme, op.144 for piano-4 hands with pianist Margraet Evans; The Shepherd on the Rock, D.965, for voice, clarinet and piano with soprano Holly Bewlay and Rosann Deni, clarinet; and a movement of the Trio in E flat Major, D. 929, for violin, cello and piano with Rebecca Torres, violin; and Gail Bauser, cello.  This event is free and open to the public.

Submitted by: Ellen Barnum, director, ArtsCanisius

Fire Drills

Scheduled for Friday, April 20, 2018

Fire drills will be held on Friday, April 20, 2018 beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at approximately 3 p.m. The buildings included are:

  • 23 Agassiz
  • Bagen Hall
  • Bouwhuis Library
  • Christ the King Chapel
  • Churchill Tower
  • Demerly Hall Health Science
  • Horan O’Donnell
  • Loyola Hall
  • Lyons Hall
  • Koessler Athletic Center
  • Montante Cultural Center
  • Old Main
  • Palisano Pavilion
  • Richard E. Winter ᾿42 Student Center
  • Science Hall

Regulations forbid announcing the exact times of fire drills. When the alarm sounds, please leave buildings by the nearest exits as shown on the posted emergency exit routes. Generally, a drill lasts no more than six or seven minutes. Everyone must leave the building they are in when the alarm sounds. One person may remain in each office or suite to answer phones. Elevators may not be used.

Please note: If you are involved in an event, which cannot be interrupted without serious complications, please notify Lt. Rick Miller in the Public Safety Office at Ext. 2330 or rmiller@canisius.edu.

Submitted by: Kathy Peter, executive associate, Academic Affairs