CLASS Notes, July 11, 2018
Welcome from Interim Dean Sean Quinlan
Dear alumni, colleagues and friends,
While it may sound counterintuitive, July is an exciting and busy month at the University of Idaho and in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. Campus is abuzz with an exciting mix of current students taking summer classes, prospective students joining us for recruitment events and future Vandals visiting as part of various camps. The Theatre Department’s Summer Drama Camp started this week and runs until July 27. This year’s camp was filled to the capacity of 26 students. These 7-16 year olds are learning the art of innovative and participatory theatre including acting, constructing sets and building props. Be sure to catch the campers’ performance of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” on Saturday, July 28 at 4 p.m. at the East City Park stage.
In addition, the Administration Building has construction projects running on all floors right now. (Thank you for your patience if you’ve tried to visit our offices this summer!). One of those – the renovation of a computer lab for the School of Journalism and Mass Media – was an initiative from Vandal Giving Day in the spring and is only in progress because of the generosity of our donors. So, thank you once again for supporting our students! The space will provide much needed tools and training to our students.
July is also exciting because it is the start of the U of I’s official calendar, and thus, represents the start of a new year for us all. Already, our major college events are being planned, and we are busy readying ourselves for the arrival of students in approximately five weeks. Part of this includes welcoming our new staff and faculty members and saying goodbye to those who are retiring. I extend a deep thank you to those who are retiring after serving U of I for many years and my personal welcome to our newest CLASS hires.
I hope that you are enjoying your summer and that you will join us for what should be an exciting 2018-19 academic year.
All the best –
Sean M. Quinlan
Interim Dean
Around the College
- The Grace V. Nixon Institute, administered by the Department of English, ran during June 2018 at a maximum capacity of 15 students. Junior high and high school teachers throughout Idaho took part in two courses – “Literature of the American West” and “The Victorian Uncanny.”
- Eight history students – Abbygale Deleon, August Nelson-Alpert, Caitlin Beesley, Bruce Berry, Hunter Diehl, Sean Hyde, John Williams and Chloe O’Neill – represented U of I at the 2018 Phi Alpha Theta Northwest Regional Conference in April. The students each presented their research on topics varying from the Enlightenment’s influence on architecture to a defense of the Crusades.
- Check it out: The spring 2018 issue of “Idaho Archaeologist,” the publication of the Idaho Archaeology Society, is a thematic issue surrounding Idaho archaeology and all the contributors to the edition are either current U of I students or graduates of the anthropology master’s program.
- Catch up on all the latest news from our CLASSy faculty, students and staff on the CLASS News page.
During the academic year, July is a time of transitions as we say goodbye to retiring faculty and staff and prepare to welcome the new. Here is a recap of all the CLASS employees that are moving in, up and on in 2018.
Moving In
Welcome to the following new faculty and staff!
- Ana Isabel Alcocer Arreguin, instructor faculty, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
- Jon Anderson, piano technician, Lionel Hampton School of Music
- Alec Caldwell, financial technician, Lionel Hampton School of Music
- Luis Castro-Ramirez, instructor faculty, Lionel Hampton School of Music
- Elizabeth Conway, temporary faculty, Department of English
- Katrina Eichner, clinical faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
- Joshua Howerton, clinical faculty, School of Journalism and Mass Media
- Robin Johnson, director, School of Journalism and Mass Media
- Susan Kuzminsky, temporary faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
- Chian-Ann Lu, clinical faculty, Department of Theatre Arts
- Jamal Lyksett, instructor faculty, Department of Politics and Philosophy
- Craig Miller, regular faculty, Department of Theatre Arts
- Jodie Nicotra, chair, Department of English
- Alyson Roy, regular faculty, Department of History
- Joshua Skinner, manager, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
Moving Up
Congratulations (again) to the CLASS faculty who were promoted earlier this year!
- Leontina Hormel, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, promoted to professor (full)
- Denise Bennett, School of Journalism and Mass Media, promoted to associate professor
- Marta Boris Tarre, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, promoted to associate professor with tenure
- Rajal Cohen, Department of Psychology and Communication Studies, promoted to associate professor with tenure
- Jesse Dreikosen, Department of Theatre Arts, promoted to associate professor with tenure
- Kristine Levan, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, promoted to associate professor with tenure
- Tara MacDonald, Department of English, promoted to associate professor with tenure
- Spencer Martin, Lionel Hampton School of Music, promoted to clinical associate professor
- Steven Smith, School of Journalism and Mass Media, promoted to clinical associate professor
Moving On
Wishing the following faculty and staff a fond farewell and a happy retirement. Thank you for your years of service!
- Everett Cline, Lionel Hampton School of Music
- Rodney Frey, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
- Ronald McFarland, Department of English
- Hildegard Priest, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
- Donald Tyler, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Teaching in the Bay
University of Idaho student Abigail Dunn found a passion for English during her summer breaks teaching underserved children in her hometown in California.
When Abigail Dunn was 12 her father quit his job and went back to school to become a history teacher.
“My dad taught me the importance of doing what you love, of embracing challenges and to view teaching as a continual learning process,” Dunn said.
Inspired by her dad’s passion for education, Dunn, a junior studying English in the University of Idaho’s College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, has spent the last two summers teaching underserved middle schoolers in the Bay Area near her hometown of Larkspur, California.
Dates & Deadlines
- July 9 – 27 – Summer Drama Camp, open to youth ages 7-16, Moscow
- July 17 – Boise Vandal Summer Send-off, Big Al’s in Meridian, 6 p.m.
- July 19 – UIRA Summer Picnic, Ghormley Park, Moscow, 6 p.m.
- July 21 – Vandal Rafting Day, Riggins, 8 a.m.
- July 21 – Puget Sound Summer Send-off, Lynnwood, 12 p.m.
- July 25 – Coeur d’Alene Summer Send-off, U of I Cd’A, 6 p.m.
- July 28 – Portland Vandal Summer Send-off, Washington Park, 6 p.m.
See the complete list of upcoming events and academic deadlines.