All News

How does what you do connect to the College's mission? To an outsider, the stratified layers of employees at Hamilton may make this connection difficult to distinguish, but to Tracy Knofla, who travels around the country doing training for corporations, higher education and non-profit organizations, the structure isn't what matters - what matters are the individuals.

Zhiqun Zhu, visiting assistant professor of government, was interviewed by Cybercast News Service for an article about Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the U.S.  Zhu, a former U.S. diplomatic official in Shanghai, said, "If Wen does not return home with  U.S. promise to rein in the Taiwanese independence movement," Beijing will consider his visit a failure.

Cheng Li, the William R. Kenan Professor of Government, comments on Premier Wen Jiabao's U.S. visit live on BBC Radio World Service. (Between 3:30 and 4 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8 on the BBC World Service. Click on "Audio: Newshour" to listen with Real Player.) Wen is on a four-day visit to the U.S. that will include a meeting with President George Bush at the White House on Tuesday.  Topics to be discussed include Taiwan, North Korea and trade issues.

Zhiqun Zhu, visiting assistant professor of government, was interviewed on BBC "The World Today" on Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's current visit to the U.S. and U.S.-China relations. Zhu said Taiwan and trade will be two distinct issues on the Prime Minister's agenda. Zhu expected Wen to ask President Bush to issue a clear-cut statement opposing Taiwanese independence. Failing that, Wen would press the American government to curb Taiwan's movement toward formal independence from China. On the trade issue, he said, "Prime Minister Wen is expected to explain China's positions. Wen may argue that trade is global and trade imbalance between China and the U.S. is structural."

The Class of 2007 hosted the first HamJam showcase, a student-run show displaying the many talents of Hamilton students. Hilary Gamble, president of the class of ’07, said that the class “wanted to put a night together that would allow students to mingle and just take a step back from their busy week.” By giving students a break from schoolwork in the last two weeks of class, as well as allowing Hamilton performers to show off their talent in a very low-key, comfortable setting, the first Ham-Jam was a hit! Café Opus provided the event’s venue, as well as goodies and drinks for all who attended.

The final Kirkland Project Brown Bag talk of the semester will feature Judy Owens-Manley, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at noon in the Emerson Hall (E.L.S.) living room. Owens-Manley, associate director for community research at the Levitt Public Affairs Center, will discuss "New communities, new cultures:  How are Bosnians faring 5 - 10 years after arrival?"

Zhiqun Zhu, visiting assistant professor of government, was interviewed on BBC "The World Today" about Taiwanese president Chen Shuibian's decision to hold a referendum on China's missiles in March 2004.  Zhu pointed out that though this particular topic may not evoke an immediate military response from Chinese mainland, it is unnecessarily provocative.  He said it opens the door for future, more dangerous referendums and suggested that the Chinese mainland may simply ask, what can you offer in return if we withdraw the missiles?  "The United States will probably not oppose this specific Taiwanese referendum since at various times, the U.S. has also asked the PRC to reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait by reducing the number of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan, said Zhu.  "But the dilemma is, pro-independence politicians in Taiwan will interpret U.S. inaction to rein in further provocations as America's tacit support for their dangerous policy," he explained.

The last Think Tank of the semester will take place on Friday, Dec. 5 at noon in KJ 221, featuring Chaplain Jeff McArn. He will discuss the figure of Jesus, focusing on the popularization of the Jesus figure (in such films as Godspell and Jesus Christ, Superstar) and the Jesus movements of the late 1960's/ early 1970's. Discussion will revolve around Jesus as a Christian figure, American figure and pop culture figure. McArn will also discuss the perception of Jesus in today's culture. All members of the Hamilton community are welcome to come, discuss, listen, and enjoy a tasty bag lunch. Think Tank is sponsored by the Levitt Center.

Five Hamilton students, Bill Chenevert ’05, Antique-Marie Carbados ’07, Scott Huntington ’05, Maria Mendez ’06, and Emily Colbert ’06, were recently selected as recipients for the Class of 1979 Student Travel Award.  The award, established by the alumni of Hamilton’s class of 1979, allows Hamilton students to pursue academic endeavors that would not be possible without additional financial assistance. Chenevert, a writer and editor for “The Spectator,” plans to use the grant to examine journalism in San Francisco and Austin, visiting the offices of the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, Rolling Stone Magazine, Texas Monthly, and the Austin Chronicle. Chenevert aspires to work for a large journal upon graduation, and hopes that by watching the editorial process first-hand he will have a better idea of what it is truly like to work in such an environment. Cabardos recently traveled to Paris with her grant money, conducting research for one academic project, and aiding a Hamilton professor with another.  While in Paris, Cabardos examined structures within the Pere Lachaise cemetery for an independent project for her French class.  She also aided Hamilton College Professor George Shields while visiting Paris; serving as his interpreter, as he traveled to Paris at the same time for his own academic project, Cabardos believed this would help develop her French communication skills. Additionally, Cabardos spoke with French students, promoting Hamilton College and the opportunities available at a liberal arts institution.  Huntington’s own personal interest in medical care public policy inspired him to travel to a third world country and examine the nation’s underdeveloped medical assistance. Huntington will travel to Costa Rica for seven nights in March, visiting two public hospitals and two private hospitals in San Jose over four days. For the remaining time in Costa Rica, Huntington will travel to Corcovado National Park in Cortes, where he will visit and examine a rural health clinic. Maria Mendez and Emily Colbert devised a joint project. They plan to use the grant money to travel to Mumbai, India, to attend the World Social Forum in January. As members of Hamilton College’s Inter-Cultural Women’s Empowerment Series, both Mendez and Colbert believe that by attending “one of the most dynamic movements in India” (according to the World Social Forum) they would be able to expand and develop Hamilton’s relations among women students at Hamilton.  

An interview with Associate Professor of English Catherine Gunther Kodat will air on WIBX 950AM on Thursday and Friday, December 4 and 5. Kodat was interviewed about The Nutcracker ballet, which will be performed locally on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7, at the Stanley Theatre in Utica. Kodat's interview is scheduled to air on Thursday, Dec. 4 during the 5 p.m. news hour, and again on Friday, Dec. 5, during the morning news. Kodat, a former dance critic for The Baltimore Sun and Dance Magazine, has conducted research on 20th-century American ballet and modern dance.