Randolph College is joining with four other Virginia higher education institutions to provide 100 percent renewable energy to their campuses. This move will cut the colleges’ greenhouse gas emissions and save money as well.
Randolph has entered an agreement with Emory & Henry College, Hollins University, Lynchburg College, Sweet Briar College, and Collegiate Clean Energy (CCE), a company which provides colleges, universities, and businesses with renewable energy products.
CCE is an affiliate of Ingenco, Virginia’s largest landfill gas (LFG) to energy operator. The company generates electricity using methane that is emitted from landfills. Landfills account for 35 percent of all man-made methane emissions in the United States, and by capturing those emissions, LFG to energy projects preserve the environment while reducing the need for fossil fuel.
“LFG is 21 times more destructive to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide,” explained Thomas Loehr, president of CCE. “By converting LFG, we all enjoy a dual benefit of reducing greenhouse gases and at the same time producing renewable energy.
“Emory & Henry, Hollins, Lynchburg, Randolph, and Sweet Briar are showing they are leaders in environmental sustainability by taking action to make a real difference,” he said.
The schools are the first colleges in Virginia to commit to providing 100 percent renewable energy to their campuses.
As a result, the independent colleges are offsetting between 50 and 70 percent of their total carbon footprints and establishing a new standard for sustainability at colleges and universities in the Commonwealth. The colleges estimate a combined savings of between $3.2 million and $6.4 million over the next 12 years.
Electricity generated from LFG will be delivered to each college through the distribution system owned by Appalachian Power Company.
The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV) coordinated the sustainability initiative. Robert Perrow, a partner with the Richmond law firm of Williams Mullen, represented CICV in negotiating and preparing the agreements.
“Virginia’s private colleges have always been interested in being at the forefront of sustainability and protection of the environment,” said CICV President Robert Lambeth. “Our members were open to investigating the opportunity to purchase 100 percent renewable energy produced in Virginia, and CICV was happy to provide the help needed to make these agreements a reality.”
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Maier exhibitions feature work of student curators and art professor's paintings
This spring, the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College features two exhibitions created by the Randolph community.
Five students curated The Modern Woman: Roles or Reality?, an exhibition that explores how women are depicted in art. The exhibition Fear and Wonder includes 19 works that art professor Jim Muehlemann painted during the 2012-2013 academic year.
Both exhibitions will open to the public with a reception from 6–8 p.m. on Friday.
Last semester, art professor Leanne Zalewski taught a curatorial seminar designed to teach students how to curate an exhibition, from selecting a theme to hanging the paintings. Monica Varner ’14, Ainsley Hoglund ’14, Thea Ezinga ’15, Katie Vance ’14, and Hannah Neifert ’14 took the class and decided to explore artistic depictions of women and think about whether the art is true to women’s psychological and physical reality.
“I hope that we can create a discussion with our exhibition and get people thinking about how women are represented in art,” said Neifert.
Each student found several paintings and drawings from the College’s art collection that relate to the theme. Together, they chose which works to include in the exhibition, wrote wall text, and hung the paintings.
The students appreciated getting to practice curating rather than only reading about it. “I was very excited to be able to work in a curation class, since this is the field I want to go into,” said Ezinga. “To get to do this, and get hands-on experience while still an undergraduate, is really amazing.”
The paintings in Muehlemann’s Fear and Wonder exhibition were inspired by Japanese art that often portrays striking beauty intertwined with fearful, violent images. Most of the paintings juxtapose graceful birds flying on alarming backdrops such as burning skyscrapers or flying arrows.
“While the birds in his paintings may evoke fear and wonder, they also appear hopeful,” Zalewski said in an essay she wrote in the catalog for Muehlemann’s exhibition.
The Modern Woman: Roles or Reality? and Fear and Wonder will be on view at the Maier through April 13.
Five students curated The Modern Woman: Roles or Reality?, an exhibition that explores how women are depicted in art. The exhibition Fear and Wonder includes 19 works that art professor Jim Muehlemann painted during the 2012-2013 academic year.
Both exhibitions will open to the public with a reception from 6–8 p.m. on Friday.
“I hope that we can create a discussion with our exhibition and get people thinking about how women are represented in art,” said Neifert.
Each student found several paintings and drawings from the College’s art collection that relate to the theme. Together, they chose which works to include in the exhibition, wrote wall text, and hung the paintings.
+Angels.JPG) |
| "Angels" is one painting in the exhibition Fear and Wonder. |
The paintings in Muehlemann’s Fear and Wonder exhibition were inspired by Japanese art that often portrays striking beauty intertwined with fearful, violent images. Most of the paintings juxtapose graceful birds flying on alarming backdrops such as burning skyscrapers or flying arrows.
“While the birds in his paintings may evoke fear and wonder, they also appear hopeful,” Zalewski said in an essay she wrote in the catalog for Muehlemann’s exhibition.
The Modern Woman: Roles or Reality? and Fear and Wonder will be on view at the Maier through April 13.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Randolph holds Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration scheduled
The service will be held from 12:50 to 1:50 p.m. in Houston Memorial Chapel. It is free and open to the public.
“This hour is a time for all of us in the community to come together in a peaceful way and remind ourselves about the importance of making a difference in the world as well as to really understand why Martin Luther King, Jr. was significant,” said Hermina Hendricks, Randolph’s director of multicultural services. “We all are part of Martin Luther King’s dream.”
Hendricks said Bateman’s first Convocation speech prompted his invitation to present the keynote at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Service. “His demeanor and philosophy reminded me of how Martin Luther King tried to bring about change, through his wisdom, words, and actions,” she said. “He reminded all of us that there is a place for everyone, and that we need to respect and treat everyone right, and we always have to make a difference.”
Music will be provided by Songshine and Voices, Randolph’s student a cappella groups.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Faculty and students present research at national physics teacher conference
Three Randolph College students and one faculty member recently presented research at the American Association of Physics Teachers national meeting in Orlando, Florida.
Chris Hollingsworth ’15 presented research he conducted with Zahra Adahman ’14, Alex Kwakye ’15, and physics professor Katrin Schenk. Their work delved into understanding communication deficits in mice as a way of understanding human communication disorders.
Jim Kwon ’14 presented research done with professor Evan Goulding at Northwestern University, in conjunction with a project involving other Randolph students and Schenk. His presentation, "Behavioral Analysis Techniques for Mobile Phone Collected Data," explores ways of using cell phone accelerometer data to determine the physical activity level of the person carrying the phone.
Kwon also presented research done by students Sydney Henson ’14 and Katherine Lesnak ’15, along with physics professor Peter Sheldon, education professor Peggy Schimmoeller, and biology instructor Amanda Rumore, "Science and Math Links: Research-Based Teaching Institute," is an annual project that looks at the impact of hands-on science teaching on learning.
Tim Slesinger ’14 presented "Investigating Traditional Methods of Inertial Navigation versus Using a Smartphone," research he conducted with Alex Tran '15, Kacey Meaker '08, and Sheldon.
Sheldon gave a presentation about Step Up to Physical Science and Engineering at Randolph (SUPER), a Randolph program that is helping to increase enrollment of students committed to careers in science, mathematics, and engineering. Funded with a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, SUPER provides some scholarships and additional educational activities for Randolph science students.
 |
| Tim Slesinger '14, Chris Holingsworth '15, physics professor Peter Sheldon, and Jim Kwon '14 |
Chris Hollingsworth ’15 presented research he conducted with Zahra Adahman ’14, Alex Kwakye ’15, and physics professor Katrin Schenk. Their work delved into understanding communication deficits in mice as a way of understanding human communication disorders.
Jim Kwon ’14 presented research done with professor Evan Goulding at Northwestern University, in conjunction with a project involving other Randolph students and Schenk. His presentation, "Behavioral Analysis Techniques for Mobile Phone Collected Data," explores ways of using cell phone accelerometer data to determine the physical activity level of the person carrying the phone.
Kwon also presented research done by students Sydney Henson ’14 and Katherine Lesnak ’15, along with physics professor Peter Sheldon, education professor Peggy Schimmoeller, and biology instructor Amanda Rumore, "Science and Math Links: Research-Based Teaching Institute," is an annual project that looks at the impact of hands-on science teaching on learning.
Tim Slesinger ’14 presented "Investigating Traditional Methods of Inertial Navigation versus Using a Smartphone," research he conducted with Alex Tran '15, Kacey Meaker '08, and Sheldon.
Sheldon gave a presentation about Step Up to Physical Science and Engineering at Randolph (SUPER), a Randolph program that is helping to increase enrollment of students committed to careers in science, mathematics, and engineering. Funded with a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, SUPER provides some scholarships and additional educational activities for Randolph science students.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Maria Karos ’86 leads law firm Women's Forum
An international law firm has appointed an alumna to lead a program designed to help welcome more women to the firm and to the legal profession.
Sedgwick LLP named Maria “Kiki” Karos ’86, a partner in the firm’s Dallas, Texas, office as the chair of the Sedgwick Women’s Forum. She previously served as the Dallas office representative to the Women’s Forum. She will lead the forum along with Laura Markovich, a partner from the firm’s New York office.
“I am confident that our new Women’s Forum leaders will continue to raise the bar through their dedication to the cause and demonstrated ability to effect change within the firm,” said Sedgwick Chair Michael Tanenbaum.
Karos, who majored in economics at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, focuses her practice on high-stakes catastrophic injury cases and complex business litigation matters.
“The Sedgwick Women’s Forum was designed to revolutionize the way gender is addressed in the firm, and potentially within the legal industry,” said a news release from Sedgwick LLP.
 |
| Maria Karos ’86 |
“I am confident that our new Women’s Forum leaders will continue to raise the bar through their dedication to the cause and demonstrated ability to effect change within the firm,” said Sedgwick Chair Michael Tanenbaum.
Karos, who majored in economics at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, focuses her practice on high-stakes catastrophic injury cases and complex business litigation matters.
“The Sedgwick Women’s Forum was designed to revolutionize the way gender is addressed in the firm, and potentially within the legal industry,” said a news release from Sedgwick LLP.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Former astronaut, Lynchburg native Leland Melvin to speak at Science Festival 2014
Drone races, poetry and photography competitions, and a former astronaut, Lynchburg’s own Leland Melvin, will highlight the 6th annual Randolph College Science Festival.
The Science Festival is an annual series of free, public events that allow the public to discover and celebrate the beauty of science and its connection to many aspects of life. The multi-day event has grown significantly since it first began in 2009.
This year, the festival gets off to an early start with a 3.14 mile Pi Run at 6:30 p.m. on March 14 at WildCat Stadium.
The main series of events begins Thursday, March 27, when Melvin will deliver the keynote address at 7:30 p.m. in Smith Hall Theatre. Melvin is an engineer, educator, and a former two-time space shuttle astronaut who serves as the associate administrator for education for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A graduate of Heritage High School, he also played professional football before joining NASA.
“We are really excited to have Lynchburg native Leland Melvin as our keynote speaker,” said Peter Sheldon, director of the Science Festival. “We are so lucky to have this hometown hero come back to speak on our campus.”
Science Day, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary, is scheduled for March 29. The popular event features an afternoon of activities for students in grades 3-6. Registration for Science Day opens on January 18. The Randolph College Nursery School also will host Science Day for Little Scientists, for children ages 3-7, for the second year.
Other highlights of the 2014 Science Festival include:
• The return of the popular science poetry contest, and a new photography contest, for K-12 students; Entries must be submitted by February 14
• A screening of the film Gravity with commentary about its scientific accuracy
• The opportunity to race remote-control drones during the Drop-In Science Activities on Sunday, March 30
• A regional Cub Scout Pinewood Derby
Visit www.randolphscience.org for a full schedule of events and rules for the poetry and photography competitions.
The Randolph College Science Festival grew from Science Day, which was started by students in 2005. The popularity of Science Day, which routinely fills its registration early, led to the creation of an even bigger festival that would allow Randolph to share the beauty, fun, and relevance of science to all ages. The event has grown to encompass multiple days. It is organized and operated by the Randolph College Society of Physics Students and other student, staff, and faculty volunteers around campus.
The Science Festival is an annual series of free, public events that allow the public to discover and celebrate the beauty of science and its connection to many aspects of life. The multi-day event has grown significantly since it first began in 2009.
 |
| Leland Melvin |
The main series of events begins Thursday, March 27, when Melvin will deliver the keynote address at 7:30 p.m. in Smith Hall Theatre. Melvin is an engineer, educator, and a former two-time space shuttle astronaut who serves as the associate administrator for education for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A graduate of Heritage High School, he also played professional football before joining NASA.
“We are really excited to have Lynchburg native Leland Melvin as our keynote speaker,” said Peter Sheldon, director of the Science Festival. “We are so lucky to have this hometown hero come back to speak on our campus.”
Science Day, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary, is scheduled for March 29. The popular event features an afternoon of activities for students in grades 3-6. Registration for Science Day opens on January 18. The Randolph College Nursery School also will host Science Day for Little Scientists, for children ages 3-7, for the second year.
 |
| Science Day provides an afternoon of science- based activities for students in grades 3-6 |
• The return of the popular science poetry contest, and a new photography contest, for K-12 students; Entries must be submitted by February 14
• A screening of the film Gravity with commentary about its scientific accuracy
• The opportunity to race remote-control drones during the Drop-In Science Activities on Sunday, March 30
• A regional Cub Scout Pinewood Derby
Visit www.randolphscience.org for a full schedule of events and rules for the poetry and photography competitions.
The Randolph College Science Festival grew from Science Day, which was started by students in 2005. The popularity of Science Day, which routinely fills its registration early, led to the creation of an even bigger festival that would allow Randolph to share the beauty, fun, and relevance of science to all ages. The event has grown to encompass multiple days. It is organized and operated by the Randolph College Society of Physics Students and other student, staff, and faculty volunteers around campus.
Monday, January 6, 2014
New Year 2014 message from Randolph College president
Randolph President Bradley W. Bateman recently sat down to look back on 2013, reflect on all of the good news about Randolph College, and share his thoughts looking forward to 2014. We hope you enjoy this message from him.
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