Elizabethtown College CampusNewsExtra News 
Back to top 10/29/2008 Sandeep Savaliya ’09: Studying at Harvard 
For six weeks last summer, Dr. Khristy Thompson and Sandeep Savaliya ’09 partnered in support of an environmental health investigation being conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The experience provided Savaliya with an opportunity to learn cutting-edge research techniques, while gaining valuable insights about his future medical career. As a postdoctoral researcher at HSPH, Assistant Professor of Biology Khristy Thompson investigated the health effects of exposure to manganese in the laboratory of Dr. Joseph Brain, professor and endowed chair of environmental health studies at the institution. Manganese is a naturally occurring metal that is used in the production of iron and steel. The research – which is being funded through a multi-year grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research – is focused on determining whether Parkinson’s-like neurological symptoms being experienced by a group of children on an Indian reservation in Tar Creek, Okla., can be linked to the children’s exposure to manganese in the waste from local tin mining. In fall 2007, Dr. Thompson left HSPH to accept her current position at Elizabethtown. Before her departure, Dr. Brain – a strong supporter of undergraduate research opportunities – suggested that Dr. Thompson invite a promising Elizabethtown College student to accompany her when she returned to HSPH to continue her work with his team during summer 2008. As the 2007-2008 academic year progressed, Dr. Thompson considered students who might benefit from the experience. She increasingly was impressed by the energy and enthusiasm with which first-year student Sandeep Savaliya pursued his studies at Elizabethtown. A native of India, Savaliya arrived in the United States in 2006. The student – who had earned a degree in chemical engineering in his homeland – had applied to Elizabethtown College because he says that it was “the one good choice” for a degree in BioTechnology, which he hoped would prepare him for medical school. Dr. Thompson felt that Savaliya’s background in chemistry and biology would make him an excellent candidate for the HSPH team. And Savaliya jumped at the opportunity to join Dr. Thompson for this summer experience. Funded Dr. Brain’s grant and Elizabethtown College, Savaliya partnered with Dr. Thompson on research that examined the mechanism by which manganese is transported to the brain through the cells in the nervous system that process input from the body’s olfactory (sense of smell) system. “The manganese that is part of our diets does not pose a threat to our health because it enters the digestive system and is quickly removed from the blood by the liver,” explains Dr. Thompson. “Inhaled manganese, though, is thought to be transported directly to the brain through the olfactory receptor neurons that reside in our olfactory epithelium. “ To test if the olfactory receptor neurons are a component of the transport pathway, Dr. Thompson and Savaliya used an experimental process first published just a decade ago by Tufts University, called methyl bromide treatment. This treatment temporarily destroys nasal epithelium. As the epithelium naturally regenerates, researchers can isolate the pathways of transport of a chemical. Through this process, the Elizabethtown team confirmed that the olfactory receptor neurons indeed were the transport mechanism of the manganese. In addition to this cutting-edge research, Savaliya was offered other research opportunities at HSPH. For example, the Elizabethtown student designed his own study using the methyl bromide treatment to look at inflammation on the nasal region following instillation of a high dose of manganese. He also had the opportunity to contribute to ongoing studies examining the toxicity of zinc nanoparticles to the lung. While at Harvard, Savaliya participated in several seminars – covering topics ranging from tutorials on writing scientific papers and guidance on applying to medical school, to seminars on infectious diseases and symmetric mutation. He also spent invaluable time shadowing Dr. Christopher Thompson, director of therapeutic endoscopy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, learning about a variety of unique endoscopic techniques. For Savaliya, the time at Harvard provided an exciting glimpse into his future career. “Every day was a new experience. The six weeks passed by, and I didn’t even realize it,” says Savaliya. “I’m grateful for this opportunity that has strengthened my interest in going to medical school.”
Back to top 10/28/2008 Winners of Float Building Contest Announced This year’s Homecoming Parade was filled with fun and games … board games, that is! Celebrating the theme of “Board Games,” several campus groups elected to join in the fun and construct floats for this year’s parade. From a collection of outstanding entries, the judges – including Elizabethtown Borough Manager Peter Whipple, Major Gifts Officer Bernadette Schoch, and Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Community Relations David Beidleman – selected the following winners: First Place ($150 prize): Class of 2009 “The Game of Life” Second Place ($125 prize): Class of 2010 “Candyland” Third Place ($100 prize): Emotion “Twister” Extra special thanks to all of the Facilities Management staff for their assistance and expertise in the design and construction of this year’s floats. They couldn’t have been built without you! Back to top 10/28/2008 Lauren Wells ’09: Experiencing a Summer Renaissance Perhaps professional writing major Lauren Wells ’09 should have taken a horsemanship course to prepare herself for her summer internship with the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Among the many tasks she performed as part of the organization’s Marketing Department, Wells spent an afternoon babysitting Thor, the double for Heath Ledger’s side kick in “A Knight’s Tale,” during a commercial shoot. “Basically, imagine a monster of a war horse dragging a 110-pound, little girl around by a rope, and you've got an accurate picture,” says Wells, describing the Although her Elizabethtown College education didn’t include instruction on horse management, Wells believes that the English Department’s Professional Writing program prepared her for most of what was expected of her. Her duties included many writing projects. “Press releases, memos, work on feasibility and cost studies … all of these we covered in class,” she says. With the guidance of the Renaissance Faire’s professional staff, she, Kristen Ebersole ’09 and another student intern learned a great deal, while supporting the organization in its marketing efforts. During the experience, Wells gained an appreciation of the merit of investing oneself in a company. Prior to this experience Wells’ resume only had featured part-time jobs. As the summer progressed, so did her personal attachment to her work. “I had a degree of responsibility I've never had before,” she reflects. “It felt good to be able to step up to that.” And from that increased responsibility, Wells realized the value of motivation. “I learned how important it is to just be ready for anything and be willing to do anything asked of me,” she explains. Even babysitting a horse. Back to top 10/28/2008 First-Year Seminar Makes a Difference For some orphans around the world, the word “homecoming” has little meaning. To make a difference for them, students in the “Global Child Welfare and Well-Being” First-Year Seminar took time out of Elizabethtown’s 2008 Homecoming celebration to raise money for Brittany’s Hope, a local nonprofit organization that strives to create homecomings for special needs children around the world by working with adoption agencies to find these children their “forever families.” The students – along with their instructor, Assistant Professor of Social Work Susan Mapp – held a silent auction of donated art, much of which was contributed by According to Dr. Mapp, the silent auction allowed students to see the difference they could make. “I hoped that through this project the students would realize that they have the power to make an impact in the life of a child, even if that child lives on the other side of the world,” she explains. “It also gave them experience in coordinating an event and working as a team, which will benefit them regardless of their major.” Ashley Huttenstine – a first-year chemistry and secondary education major – says that she valued the experience. “After watching videos in class about unfortunate children throughout the world, I felt a need to help,” she says. “Every little effort that I put into the auction, along with my classmates and professor, made a difference in someone's life.” The group raised approximately $700 through the effort. Back to top 10/24/2008 President Long Named to Leadership Coalition Elizabethtown College President Theodore E. Long has been named to a Leadership Coalition of university and college presidents who are committing their educational institutions to become national models for liberal education. The Coalition – which is comprised of 45 prominent leaders in higher education – will launch its work at a President’s Symposium, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in November 2008. Generously supported by the S. Engelhard Center, the Charles Engelhard Foundation, the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation, and the Lumina Foundation, this project was launched to encourage and support the creation of effective liberal education models. Over the next two In addition to receiving grant support, the participating institutions agree to:
A retrieval and dissemination conference will be held in 2010. In addition, the campus projects will constitute the examples that will become the central features of a nationally distributed publication. The Leadership Coalition is an initiative of The Bringing Theory to Practice Project, which explores and advocates the academic community's support of engaged learning and the relationship of such learning to student health and civic development. The Bringing Theory to Practice Project is sponsored by the Charles Engelhard Foundation of New York City and developed in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities. In addition to Dr. Long, the Leadership Coalition includes the presidents of the following institutions: Allegheny College; Bates College; Bennington College; Bryn Mawr College; Butler University; California State University – Chico; Clark University; Colorado College; Concordia College – Moorhead; Dickinson College; Drury University; Elon University; European College of Liberal Arts, Berlin; Franklin and Marshall College; Franklin College; Georgetown University; Georgia Gwinnett College; Hampshire College; Hendrix College; Heritage University; Lebanon Valley College; Long Island University; Marlboro College; McDaniel College; Montclair State University; New England College; Pitzer College; Ripon College; Sarah Lawrence College; School of the Art Institute of Chicago; St. Edward's University; State University of New York at Geneseo; State University of New York – Purchase College; The Evergreen State College; The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; University of Maine at Farmington; University of North Florida; University of Southern Maine; Ursinus College; Wagner College; Wartburg College; Washington & Jefferson College; Washington and Lee University; Westminster College; and Wheelock College. Back to top 10/24/2008 Elizabethtown Grad Pens House Episode On Tuesday, September 30 at 8 p.m., Class of 1994 alumnus Dustin Paddock’s dream of making it to the small screen as a Hollywood writer became a reality as the House episode, titled “Adverse Events,” that he co-authored with Carol Green was broadcast nationwide. In September 1994, only a few months after earning his bachelor’s degree in communications at Elizabethtown, Dustin Paddock got into his hatchback and drove solo across the United States to Los Angeles. His goal was to land a job in television. While at Elizabethtown, Paddock was inspired by Associate Professor of Theater Emeritus Michael Sevareid, the son of renowned CBS correspondent Eric Sevareid. Television was in the Sevareid family genes, and Michael had worked in Hollywood as an actor and writer, including crafting scripts for the Dukes of Hazzard TV show. While in Prof. Sevareid’s screenwriting class, Paddock put together a team of students to create the first scripted series for ECTV. “It wasn’t very good, but it taught me a lot,” reflects Paddock on his earliest effort for writing for the small screen. When he arrived in Los Angeles, Paddock knew just one person, a guy he had met only once. But there’s a bond among Elizabethtown alumni and Brian Carroll, a 1981 alumnus, invited Paddock to crash on his couch for the next few weeks. Carroll worked at Dick Clark Productions and helped Paddock get an interview. Paddock got the job, working as a production assistant for $50 a day. Paddock moved from job to job over the years, including a stint at The Drew Carey Show during its first season. He worked his way up to being a writer's assistant and then a script coordinator. “It’s a good job to work with writers, learn the craft, and be ready should an opportunity arrive,” Paddock says. Paddock’s big opportunity came five years ago, when he landed a job on the House series as it was about to premiere on the Fox Network. The head writer, Emmy winner David Shore, mentored Paddock and his writing partner, Carol Green. Last year, Shore gave Paddock and Green a chance to pitch a story for the show. They suggested three ideas. Shore liked one of them, and give the writers the go-ahead to craft a script. And what does Paddock think about his adventures at Elizabethtown College and Hollywood that led to this achievement? Paddock answers by quoting the Roman philosopher Seneca, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” About the photograph: Shown above during the 100-day-long Writers Guild of America strike in 2007, Dustin Paddock '94 participated in a rally in front of 20th Century Fox Studios, where House is produced. Back to top 10/24/2008 Amanda Cioban Places Second in Statewide Academic Competition Senior accounting major Amanda Cioban recently took second place in the 2008 Student Writing Competition sponsored by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). The competition is designed to encourage students to research and write about As a student member of PICPA, Cioban was notified about the writing competition. Interested in pursuing the opportunity, she approached her Accounting Information Systems professor, Dr. Susan Sadowski, about using the writing competition topic as the subject for her capstone project for the class. Dr. Sadowski agreed and Cioban quickly got to work on her winning essay, titled “XBRL: A Revolutionary Advancement in Financial Reporting,” which explains the impact of Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) on the accounting profession. XBRL is a programming language designed specifically for financial reporting. Although confident in the quality of her effort, Cioban is surprised and humbled by her second-place finish. “I am very blessed to have been chosen second out of 80 applicants for the writing competition. I never imagined that my article would rank above so many other accounting students,” Cioban reflects. “I am grateful for the help and encouragement of Professor Sadowski throughout this process.” With her award, Cioban received a $1,200 check on behalf of PICPA and the Pennsylvania CPA Journal Editorial Board. She also received a multi-year scholarship from the PICPA. The scholarships are given on a competitive basis to candidates that best meet the requirements of high intellectual capacity and leadership potential. Additionally, Elizabethtown College’s accounting department received a $600 check to recognize Cioban’s achievement. Back to top 10/24/2008 International Business Day Features Derek Hathaway H’07 as Keynote Speaker On Wednesday, October 22, Elizabethtown College’s Department of Business hosted its annual International Business Day, which brought a number of esteemed executives to campus to advise the Department on its International Business Hathaway has served for more than 40 years on numerous boards of public corporations, charitable institutions and government advisory councils in both the United Kingdom and the United States. In 1998, he was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is presented annually to individuals of foreign heritage for extraordinary service to the United States and international community. Additionally in 2008, Her Majesty The Queen of England presented to him the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, one of the highest civil service honors bestowed on a native of the British Empire. Hathaway also received honorary degrees from Elizabethtown College, The Dickinson School of Law and Messiah College. About the photograph: Above, Derek Hathaway addresses Elizabethtown College's Class of 2007 at the 104th annual Commencement ceremony. He returned to campus Wednesday, October 22 to share his business insights with our students, faculty and staff as part of International Business Day. Back to top 10/24/2008 Honors Program Recognizes Achievement During Homecoming and Family Weekend 2008, the Elizabethtown College Honors Program recognized 16 Honors students with its Award of Academic Achievement. According to Honors Program Director Dana Mead, the award celebrates Honors Program students who demonstrate superior academic performance, exceptional leadership and committed service to the program, the College and the larger community. “It is Shown left to right in the photograph below are award recipients John Mackey ’10, Leighanne Spitzer ’10, Stacey Lehman ’09, Jeremy Matula ’09, Brooke Travers ’10, Tyler Loeb ’10, Shannon Moore ’11, Kristen Ebersole ’09, Elizabeth Sodomin ’11 and Laura Getz ’09, along with Dr. Mead. Award recipients Shayna Clancy ’11, Nick Diaduk ’09, Emily Grove ’10, Kate Johnson ’09, Samantha Quisgard ’10 and Sarah Yarger ’09 unfortunately could not attend the ceremony. The Elizabethtown College Honors Program is made possible through the generous sponsorship of The Hershey Company. Back to top 10/24/2008 Ryan Kasyan ’09: Finding a Summer Internship Worth Treasuring Last summer, senior business major Ryan Kasyan gained valuable marketing experience as an intern for Cape May County’s (N.J.) Department of Tourism.
Throughout the internship experience, Kasyan applied what he learned from his business classes to develop and implement his own ideas. Helping him along the way was Assistant Professor of Marketing Bryan Greenberg, from whom Kasyan derives his passion for marketing. “As soon as I found out what I would be doing for the internship, I e-mailed Dr. Greenberg,” Kasyan recalls. “He has been inspirational to me.” For example, using formats provided by his Elizabethtown College mentor, Kasyan was able to produce customized radio spots for each town in the county, and, as a result, earned a great reputation with the manager of one of the larger stations. “He told me I was the best intern that the department has had and was really happy with the work I did,” he says. Culminating his experience, Kasyan was tasked with analyzing the results of the department’s marketing efforts and presenting his findings to the freeholders of Cape May County. The department officials were so impressed by Kasyan’s work that they are still using his presentation today. |
experience.
Elizabethtown students and their families, and faculty and staff. Shown in the below photo (left to right) are the following members of the seminar: Rebecca Wisner, Ashley Huttenstine, Danielle Michael, Amanda Knights, Dr. Mapp, Paige Thornton and Lauryn Krissinger. Other students not shown, but who were fully involved in the effort, include David Folino, Chelsea Cornwell, Jessica Sentell, Jonathan van den Ende, Lauren Viguers, Amanda Vaine, Jade Buffenmyer, Jenna Maiorella and Amber Petruccy.
years, the Leadership Coalition will demonstrate that making a priority of creating and sustaining a campus culture for learning elevates expectations, involves greater faculty and student interaction, broadens reward structures, and results in greater attainment of the academic, well-being and civic development of students.
subjects that affect the business environment. It was open to accounting and business majors attending Pennsylvania colleges and universities, as well as Pennsylvania residents who attend college out-of-state.
Program and to mentor students as they prepare for diverse careers in the field. Highlighting the day, Derek Hathaway H’07 – retired chairman and chief executive officer of Harsco Corporation – offered a keynote address on current domestic and global economic issues. 
designed to recognize a major milestone in the student’s path through the Honors Program,” she explains. “Award recipients have completed 16 honors credits while maintaining a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average, exemplifying leadership and exhibiting an impulse to share their many gifts with others. A very elite group of high achievers in multiple areas, these students represent only 10 percent of the membership of the Honors Program.” 
In addition to being responsible for implementing more traditional promotional tactics – like radio advertising, e-mail campaigns and newsletters, Kasyan helped introduce geocaching to the department’s marketing mix. Geocaching is an innovative game during which players search online for the coordinates of “treasure” and use their GPS system to find it. For the hunt, Kasyan stashed discount tickets for tourist locations, such as the county’s beaches and historical attractions, at treasure sites throughout the area. “We were glad to see that [businesses] were really excited about it,” Kasyan notes. “It’s definitely going to direct more traffic to their locations.”Back to News Index
