Holi - The Festival of Colors

Randolph students gathered in Bell Quad to dance and smear each other with color in recognition of Holi - the Hindu Festival of Color.

Participants decorated themselves and others with brightly colored powders and danced in the sun to music provided by WWRM deejays. Passersby and observers were invited to join in the fun. Those who did not want to get too messy often settled for a couple of small dashes of color on the forehead and cheeks.

Said one student who was unsuspectingly roped in on the way back from class, "I'm not really sure what's going on here... but I like it!"

Celebrated all over India since ancient times, Holi was originally an agricultural festival celebrating the arrival of spring. Holi is a time when people and nature alike throw off the gloom of winter and rejoice in the colors and liveliness of spring. It is a time to let loose.

Snowmageddon

Just when the snow had melted from December's blizzard, central Virginia was pummelled with another 10 inches of snowfall as part of one of the biggest snowstorms to hit the East Coast in years. They called it Snowmageddon. The following photos were contributed by Justin DeSmith '12, Brenda Edson, strategic communications manager, and Victor Gosnell, director of information technology.

2010 Thayer Lecture: Theater of War

Bryan Doerries will present "The Theater of War: Greek Tragedies for Combat Veterans", the 2010 Philip Thayer Memorial Lecture, on March 1 in the Smith Hall Auditorium at Randolph College.

Doerries is a New York-based writer, translator, director, and educator. He is the founder of Theater of War, a project that presents readings of ancient Greek plays to service members, veterans, caregivers and families as a catalyst for town hall discussions about the challenges faced by combat veterans today.

During the past year, Doerries has directed film and stage actors such as Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Lili Taylor, Michael Ealy, and Jesse Eisenberg in readings of his translations of Sophocles’ “Ajax and Philoctetes” for the U.S. Marine Corps, West Point cadets, homeless veterans, the Department of Defense, and many other military communities.

His other recent theatrical projects include “Prometheus in Prison,” which presents Aeschylus’ “Prometheus Bound” to corrections professionals to engage them in conversations about custody and reentry, and “End of Life,” which presents Sophocles’ “Women of Trachis” to palliative care and hospice workers to engage them in dialogue with other medical professionals about medical ethics and pain management.

In addition to his work in the theater, Doerries serves as program adviser for the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and lectures on his work.

Visit the Theater of War web site > > >

Green Businessman Ray Anderson to Visit Randolph

Radical industrialist Ray Anderson will speak at Randolph College on Monday, February 1, 2010 in Smith Hall Auditorium. A book signing follows in the Ribble Lounge of Smith Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

During his visit, he will also meet privately with environmental studies majors, student leaders and faculty to discuss environmental issues and his quest to create a sustainable manufacturing company.

Anderson is the founder and chairman of Interface, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet for commercial and residential applications and a leading producer of commercial broadloom and commercial fabrics. He is “known in environmental circles for his advanced and progressive stance on industrial ecology and sustainability. Since 1995, he has reduced Interface’s waste by a third, and he plans to make the company sustainable by 2020.”

Anderson is also one of Time Magazine’s Heroes of the Environment. Anderson is a sought-after speaker for most large environmental forums and conferences. He has also helped put together a "100-Day Action Plan for the Environment" for President Obama.

Anderson is featured in the documentaries The Corporation and Leonardo DiCaprio’s The 11th Hour. He is also the author of Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: The Interface Model.

Sustainable Living at Randolph College

Anderson's visit is part of a year-long celebration of environmental sustainability and a college-wide effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the entire Randolph community.

Learn more at Sustainable Living @ Randolph College > > >

RISE Grant Helps Senior Attend National Design Competion

Senior theatre major Melissa Gilbert was nominated for a national design award for her costumes (see note below) from a campus production of “The Rocky Horror Show,” but to present her designs in competition this February, she must finance travel costs to Tennessee.

Instead of footing the bill herself, Gilbert tapped into a new grant program at Randolph College called RISE — Randolph’s Innovative Student Experience — which awards up to $2,000 to fund scholarship, research and creative pursuits to students during their junior or senior years. After submitting a proposal, she was awarded $300 to cover travel expenses to the conference.

“It made it a lot more accessible for me, because otherwise it would have been a real big stretch,” she said.

“I think that the school getting behind the students and helping them apply what they learn is fantastic. Often times it is difficult to do that extra research or travel to that conference because of finances.”

Read the rest of this story in the Lynchburg News & Advance > > >

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Melissa Gilbert was nominated for a Barbizon Costume Design Award for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival: Region IV in recognition of her costumes for the fall 2009 Randolph College production of The Rocky Horror Show. Gilbert is pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree in theatre and British literature and will graduate in spring 2010. You can view her design portfolio at her website.

The Blizzard of 2009

In the waning days of fall semester 2009, as the last exams were being taken, central Virginia was hit with 13 inches of snow. The following photos were contributed by Katherine Turner '13, Lee Nutter '13, and Terry Bodine, director of residence life.