Nikki Meseguer ’08

I’m a recent Ithaca alumna from Wayne,New Jersey. I graduated with a B.A. in writing and a minor in art history. Right now I’m working at Where New York and IN New York magazines in Manhattan and loving it!

John-Severin Napolillo ’08

I’m a recent television-radio graduate fromBrooklyn, New York, who’s pursuing a careerin the music or radio industries. I’m alsoperforming in two bands in New York City:John-Severin and the Quiet Ones and theBrooklyn What. Both bands will be releas-ing debut albums later this year.

Lee Small ’09

I’m a senior sport media major and jour-nalism minor from Manlius, New York, and the current sports director for WICB,one of IC’s radio stations. I’ve interned at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games and WSYR-TV Syracuse, and I will be pursuing a career in televisionsports broadcasting after graduation.

cont

ribu

tors

toth

isis

sue

›

The Ithaca College Experience | winter 2008

Having done our own college searches, we know how hard it is to makethe right choice, especially when all the information you get sounds sosimilar. That’s why we’ve created Fuse magazine, a publication thatgives you a firsthand glimpse of the Ithaca College experience throughstories and photography by current IC students. Is Ithaca right for you?It’s your choice—and we hope this makes it easier.

—Fuse staff

FUSE

STA

FF

BYST

UDENTSFOR

STUDENTS

Writer/EditorsCourtney M. Clemente ’09Candace Edwards ’09Meredith Farley ’09Shanan Glandz ’09Maggie Hibma ’09Heather Karschner ’10Alyssa Letsch ’11Allison Musante ’10Katherine R. Slifer ’09Meghan Swope ’11

Photo EditorsSamantha Constant ’09Jeff Goodwin ’10

PhotographersCaylena Cahill ’10Nick Deel ’09Steven Gorgos ’09Kyle Kelley ’10 Nicole McAdoo ’11Heather Newberger ’10

VideographerLaura Caccavo ’10

Interim Dean of Enrollment PlanningRit Fuller ’73

Director of AdmissionGerard Turbide

Executive Director of MarketingCommunications

Tom Torello ’87

Executive EditorBonny Georgia Griffith ’92

Managing EditorLisa N. Maresca

Web EditorElise Nicol ’83

Copy EditorNancy J. Jacoby

Print ManagerPeter M. Kilcoyne ’05

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

ON THE COVER:

4Fourty-four IC students put their mediaskills to the test as interns for the 2008Summer Games.

Ithaca at theOlympics

2 CAMPUS SCOOP• • • • • • • • • • • •

8 Adventures inCollege RadioGetting involved in college radio can open doors across the country.

By John-Severin Napolillo ’08

10 Finding(Virtual) ReligionWhat’s the role of religion in virtualworlds? An experi-mental class asks thisinteresting question.By Allison Musante ’10

12 Two Continents,One Message of JusticeAn MLK scholar reflects on her social justice trip to Spainand Morocco.

By Courtney M. Clemente ’09

14 Ithaca, New York:Hollywood of the EastIthaca’s movie scene is rich withindie options—and some surpris-ing history.

By Nikki Meseguer ’08

16 Out of Harm’s WayFollow these tips to stay safe andsound on campus.

By Shanan Glandz ’09

18 OperationCrossroads AfricaA student photographer docu-ments his life-changing summerof community service in Africa.

By Jeff Goodwin ’10

20 Fine TuningA student brass ensemble performs in Germany.

By Meredith Farley ’09

24 Master of the MarketFinance students get downto business with professor Abe Mulugetta.

By Alyssa Letsch ’11

26 Disc FeverGet into the Spirit of the Gamewith the Ultimate Frisbee team.

By Maggie Hibma ’09

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

28 THE REAL DEALGot questions about IC? Our students have the answers.

›Volume 2, Issue 4. Winter 2008Copyright 2008 by Fuse, Ithaca College. All rights reserved. Ithaca College Fuse (USPS 24143) is published four times a year, quarterly (winter, spring, summer, and fall) by Ithaca College, Office of Admission, Ithaca, NY 14850-7000. Periodicals postage paid at Ithaca, New York, and additional entry offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Fuse, Ithaca College, Office of Admission, Ithaca, NY 14850-7000.

Fuse Online ExtrasDid you know the Fuse website has fresh news,features, photo galleries, videos, and more?Don’t miss out on these hot web exclusives.

Visit fuse.ithaca.edu today!

››

22 Oh, the Horror!Saw producer Dan Heffner ’78 carves out time to mentor students at IC.By Meghan Swope ’11

contents

E S S A Y

CAMPUSCOOP

›Ithaca ReceivesSustainability Grant

This fall, HSBC Bank’s philanthropic division, HSBC inthe Community (USA) Inc. Foundation awarded IthacaCollege a $500,000 grant that will support the develop-ment of a new sustainability major and minor at theCollege. In addition to these new academic programs(tentatively scheduled to begin in fall 2009), the grant will subsidize scholarships and fellowships, an internship and research fund for projects, and ascholar-in-residence program, and allow IC to offermore study-abroad opportunities like trips to the UN Climate Change Convention.

“This grant is an acknowledgment and affirmation of Ithaca College’s status as a frontrunner in the areasof environmental studies and sustainability,” saysPresident Thomas R. Rochon. “It will allow us to take some important steps to enhance the academic component of these programs and further develop our partnerships and other outreach efforts with like-minded organizations and institutions locally, regionally,and nationally.”

The College was also recently recognized by theAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability inHigher Education by winning a campus sustainabilityleadership award. For more, visit fuse.ithaca.edu.

President Thomas R. Rochon (left) accepts thegrant from David L. Brooks, HSBC senior vicepresident of commercial banking.

Hands-On Healing at the Ithaca Free ClinicLast fall Ithaca College occupational therapy students and faculty began volunteering their skills to uninsured members of the Ithaca community at the Ithaca Free Clinic. Among the services offered are range-of-motion exercises to increasefunctional abilities, customized splints, community reentry skills training, and other meaningful support in areas such aspatient education, home management, and self-care.

“By partnering with the Ithaca Free Clinic, Ithaca College and the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance aretaking part in a win-win situation,” says Julie Dorsey, assistant professor of occupational therapy. “Our students get hands-on experience to develop and use their skills, and the clients at the clinic get much-needed rehabilitative service.”

Ithaca Is the Place to Be!It’s been a good year for Ithaca College.For the 12th year in a row, U.S. News &World Report ranked IC among the top10 master’s universities in the north. But the accolades don’t stop there. Themagazine’s America’s Best Colleges reportplaced Ithaca as the highest-rankingschool in its category in New York State.

The city of Ithaca is also raking in the praise. Ithaca ranked thirdamong America’s smartest cities in a recent issue of Forbes magazine, third in Relocate America’s top 100places to live in 2007, and second in bestgreen places to live by Country Homemagazine. Since 2001, Ithaca has beenfeatured in at least 30 best cities lists. For even more Ithaca-related kudosvisit fuse.ithaca.edu.

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 3

Faculty and students are hard at workpreparing for the 2009 Finger LakesEnvironmental Film Festival (FLEFF)to be held March 30 to April 5. FLEFFis a weeklong multimedia event thatputs environmentalism and sustain-ability into larger global contextsrelating to labor, war, health, music,technology, economics, literature, andhuman rights.

This year’s programming themes are spice, syncopation, and toxins andtrade. As always, the event will highlightthe works of dozens of filmmakers,artists, scholars, and musicians. FLEFFstudent interns get valuable hands-onexperience working in event management,marketing, blogging, and hospitality in aprofessional atmosphere.

Sponsored by the Division of Interdisci-plinary and International Studies andthe Park Foundation, FLEFF engagesthe Ithaca community with performances,lectures, and film screenings at IthacaCollege and local independent theatersCinemapolis and Fall Creek Pictures.Learn more at www.ithaca.edu/fleff.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ICTV!Ithaca College Television (ICTV) celebratedits 50th anniversary on October 18th, making it the oldest student-run college televisionstation in the world. Nearly 200 students, faculty, and alumni celebrated this milestoneachievement. The day’s events included a tailgate barbeque, tours of the television studios and facilities, a Bombers footballgame, and displays of ICTV video clips fromeach of the five decades. The celebration concluded with a gala dinner and a live 50thanniversary broadcast. “The 50th anniversarycelebration was a great gift to every one ofthe people who attended, to the Park School,and to Ithaca College,” says Park School DeanDianne Lynch.

Nationally recognized for broadcasting excellence, ICTV reaches not only IC students but also26,000 Tompkins County cable households with its community- and college-oriented programming.Sample original programming and find out more about ICTV’s awards at www.ictv.org.

FLEFFGEARS UP FOR 2009

feature | LESSONS IN JOURNALISM FROM THE GAMES

ast summer I went to the Beijing Olympic Games. Okay, so I wasn’t competing in any events, but I did experience

the games firsthand—as an intern for the Olympic News Service (ONS). As a journalism minor, I was excited by the

opportunity. I looked forward to learning more about the journalistic process and was eager to apply what I’d learned in class

to this experience. I had never studied abroad and thought that spending two months in Beijing working for the Olympics

would be the next best thing—if not better. I quickly found out that all is not equal in journalism in different countries, and I left

China with a sense of pride in my country’s news reporting system.

L

Lessons inJournalism from

the Games

›Two water polo teams battle for victory.

by LEE SMALL ’09

Pho

tos

byA

dam

Ber

g'0

8,Je

ffG

oodw

in'1

0,an

dLe

eSm

all'

09

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 5

LOST IN TRANSLATIONSometimes things just don’t translatewell into English. I certainly appreciatedthese signs, but many ended up uninten-tionally hilarious. Here are a few of thebest (or worst, depending how you look at it) signs that we saw in Beijing:

CELL PHONES PROHIBITED DURING THUNDERSTORMS

I don’t know about you, but I have usedmy cell phone more than a handful oftimes in the States while it was rainingand never had any problems.

NOTICE FOR PLEASURE BOAT TOURS

’Nuff said.

NO FOOD/DRINK FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD

A group of us came across this sign while at lunch one afternoon, reminding us thatwe truly were halfway around the world.

AUTOMATIC GUIDE 40 RMB: IT’S AUTO-MATIC. YOU NEEDN’T ANY WORK WHENYOU GET THE EVERY PLACE

Um, in English, please. I saw this signwhile at the Beijing Zoo, which, like most things in China, was huge. This sign is truly one of a kind and perfectly represents the difficulty in translatingMandarin to English.

The process of being selected for the ONS programtook more than a year. It included applying for theinternship, organizing our group, and finalizing thedetails of our trip. In the end, 21 Ithaca College studentswere accepted as ONS flash quoters (flash quotes aresound bites from athletes), and each of us was assignedto a specific sport at the games. I was assigned to coverwater polo, and although I had no prior knowledge ofthe sport, I learned to enjoy it for the physicality, endur-ance, and sheer talent of the competitors.

During the first month of our 51-day trip, we spenttime at famous landmarks like the Great Wall of China,the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square and becamefamiliar with our surroundings. I was surprised by manythings in China. The food was unique to say the least,the streets and buildings were jammed with residents,and driving rules were basically nonexistent. But thething that shocked me the most was the differencebetween American and Chinese journalism.

During the games I spent most of my time watchingwater polo matches and interviewing athletes andcoaches to gather quotes. The ONS essentially served as the Associated Press for the Olympic Games. AsAmericans, we take for granted the wide array of infor-mation American media provide to the public. Thesame cannot be said for Chinese media. There is onlyone television outlet, which is state run, and the solenewspaper is also state run. As you’d probably guess,radio is also run by the state. While state regulation ofmedia came as a shock to me, I was also surprised to

find that my Chinese friends did not think twiceabout the media services in their country.

Some Americans may not like Fox News, but we forget that we are allowed to listen to different viewpoints. Others are not so lucky.Rather than getting news from objective sources,Chinese citizens receive their news directlyfrom the state without an interpreter. What is said goes, and people don’t question thelegitimacy of the claim.

Take for example the controversy surround-ing the real age of several Chinese gymnastsat the games. While in China, I didn’t see orhear anything about officials from other coun-tries questioning the age of the gymnasts. Yetin America, this story was being reported fromall angles—the views of the Chinese team andthose of other teams. In China, it was as if thecontroversy didn’t exist. This story is a perfect exampleof how the Chinese government regulates the flow ofinformation to the public.

When I enter the field of journalism after graduation,I will relish the ability to investigate claims without beingspoon-fed the news. It is true that news serves a differ-ent function in China than it does in the States, but thatdoesn’t mean that we can’t be proud of our system. The experiences I had in China helped give me a betterunderstanding of what makes good journalism. I’ve seentwo different cultures reporting the news, giving me anunderstanding of what people want, need, and crave.

More than anything, stepping off that plane inWashington, D.C., meant a return to hard-nosed report-ing. Yes, our country may have experienced the StephenGlass and Jayson Blair scandals, but you must think ofthem as the exception, not the rule. In the end, younever appreciate the news until you don’t have it. Iwent without it this summer for 51 days and am thank-ful for the reminder that, as the New York Times says,Americans receive “all the news that’s fit to print.”

I quickly found out that all is notequal in journalism in differentcountries, and I left China with a sense of pride in my country’snews reporting system.

‹

Park student interns worked on websitesas well as on print stories.

›The Unites States men'swater polo team receives the bronze medal.

See more photos from the gamesat fuse.ithaca.edu.

feature | ONE WORLD, ONE DREAM

July 10, 2008After three days in China I amexperiencing mind-blowing culture shock. I have such newrespect for people who pack upand move to a different countrywithout speaking the language.

China is interesting. I willdefinitely say that. And dininghall food is dining hall food nomatter where you go. I cannotbelieve, however, how differentour American idea of Chinesefood is from the actual foodpeople eat over here. And eating with chopsticks? Forget it! I am about ready to give upand buy silverware. But I willpersevere, as long as my hands stop cramping up halfwaythrough a meal.

We found the Super WalMartnear us today. There are actuallythree of them in Beijing. Talkabout cross-cultural influence. I couldn’t believe how weird itwas to be in an Americanizedstore that was so different fromwhat I was used to. We almostcried when we were finally ableto buy (and eat) peanut butter.The first real protein I haveeaten in three days!

The weirdest thing I have ex-perienced thus far is the publicbathroom situation. They don’thave real toilets, just a “fancy”hole in the ground and no toiletpaper! It is without a doubt theweirdest thing ever!

Jules Ellison ‘09, television-radio major

August 6, 2008The feeling is in the air. Excite-ment, anxiety, and uncertainty asa city, nation, and world preparesfor the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It seems that everyone in thecity cannot wait for the show tostart. Around the Olympic Green,I’ve been stopped by local Beijingresidents asking to pose for pic-tures with them. On the subway,I’ve been interrogated by otherriders about what exactly I’mdoing for the games, where I amfrom, and how long I am staying.

Every single day no matterwhat time it is there are hordesof people outside the fencestaking photos of the venues. It’sall anyone ever talks about. It’salmost as if the Beijing we arrivedin a month ago has disappearedand it is turning into a hugetheme park that could be called“Olympic Land.”

It’s an exciting time to be here,as China is looking to fully breakout as a major world power andmake a big splash on the world’sstage. Hopefully a smooth Olym-pics will give them the boost theyneed. This Olympics is really oneof the most important games inrecent times, and it’s unbelievablysurreal to actually be a part of it.But for now, life goes on as usualin Olympic Land.

Cory Francer ‘10, sport studies major

August 12, 2008Two days into the fencing compe-tition and I am hooked! I havelearned so much about fencing inthe last six months it is astound-ing. I have actually been able tohelp several American journalistsin both the press tribunes andmixed zones. It doesn’t seem likemany of the American journalistsare fencing experts.

I got a chance to interviewTeam USA women’s foil coachMike Pederson yesterday, and ithas been the highlight of thefencing hall as of yet. Not onlywas he more than willing to talkwith me, but he was also extreme-ly excited to share his knowledgeand expectations for the sport.

Ithaca College at the Summer Olympics

Last summer, 44 IthacaCollege students had theexperience of a lifetime as interns with the 2008Summer Olympic Games.Eleven students worked forNBC Sports in China whileanother 12 worked at NBCheadquarters in New YorkCity. A third group of 21students were selected to intern with the OlympicNews Service in Beijing.Ithaca was one of onlyseven American collegesand universities from which students wererecruited to intern for these two programs.

When the studentsweren’t hard at work covering water polo, handball, fencing, andother key events, theyshared an insider’s view of the event by blogging.Here are a few editedexcerpts from their posts.

ONEWORLD

ONEDREAM

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 7

I have been able to speak withso many world-class athletes itmakes my head spin. I honestlycannot believe I am here at theOlympic Games. What an oppor-tunity! All the hard work, training,flying, and jet lag has paid off.Watching the opening ceremoniesthe other night we all just keptrepeating how shocked we werethat we were there. I am lookingforward to more fencing andmore fun.Jules Ellison ‘09, television-radio major

August 19, 2008Since starting as a flash quotereporter, I developed an im-mense amount of respect for thesport of fencing. These fencersare not only outstanding athletes,but their personalities rangefrom down to earth and politeto overconfident.

As a flash quote reporter I hadto remain impartial to any onecountry’s fencers so my ques-tions would be fair and unbiased.This standard of professionalismhad me resisting the urge tochant “U-S-A” with the U.S. fansin each bout, even though I wouldhave loved to support my coun-try’s fencers, who impressivelywon six medals and were tiedwith the Italians on the fencingmedal count.

Being a flash quoter has also given me an understandingof journalism even though weweren’t the ones writing articles.After talking to many of thejournalists in the mixed zoneand seeing how my quotes wereused in articles and daily eventreviews, I now better understandthe process. After all, gettingthe quotes to use in your articleis half the battle.

Chris Lee ‘10, sport management major

August 25, 2008After years of planning, hardwork, and dedication, the OlympicGames are over. It has been sucha journey and adventure for me.I’ve learned so much about myown strengths and weaknesses.I came here one person, and Iam leaving another.

Knowing that I am only 21years old and have alreadyworked at one of the most influ-ential and important events inthe world is astonishing. Thistrip is only the jumping-offpoint for me and everyone elsehere. I know that no matterwhat I do with my life, career-wise and personally, I will uselessons I learned while here in

Beijing. I am so thankful to havehad the opportunity to come andexperience the Olympic Gamesand I can only thank those whohelped me get here.

Jules Ellison ‘09, television-radio major

August 26, 2008“This is the greatest moment of my life.”

I heard that sentence countlesstimes during my time workingas a flash quote reporter forhandball, and no matter howmany times I heard it, it nevergot old. The first time an athletesaid that to me was when JungSuyoung of team Korea scoreda tying goal with seconds tick-ing off the clock to end the game.When I spoke to him after thegame, he could not stop smiling,and the joy on his face was enoughto make me smile as well.

My fondest memory wouldhave to be speaking withIceland’s Sigfus Sigurdssonafter Iceland won the silvermedal. Iceland was not ex-pected to win a medal in thistournament. (The last medalwon at a summer games wasin 1956.) Before Sigurdssoncame through the mixed zone,

the president of Iceland told us that this was the greatestsporting achievement inIceland’s history. When I toldSigurdsson this, his face lit up.We also shared a laugh whenhe exclaimed, “Today, I am thehappiest man in Asia!”

For a journalist, capturing the emotion of a moment is oneof the most important things.Being able to share the greatestmoment of someone’s life withothers is an amazing feeling.Seeing the joy on these athletes’faces as they achieved their ownform of glory has proved to methat the Olympic dream is stillalive. These athletes will neverforget these moments, and hav-ing the honor of sharing themis a memory that will stay withme forever.

Cory Francer ‘10, sport studies major

August 31, 2008I had a blast working for NBC’sOlympic Highlight Factory.That’s as obvious as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh winninggold in beach volleyball—youknew it would happen. What Ididn’t expect was the responsi-bility I was given. I worked on theset of Saturday Night Live as ashot selector. I edited footagefrom the Beijing games into high-light reels and encore footagefor www.nbcolympics.com. Oneof my videos received 2.2 millionhits in less than 24 hours! Theinterns here were certainly giventheir fair share of responsibility.Our videos were seen by millionsof people. What interns at otherplaces can say that?

Brendan O’Keefe ‘10, communication management anddesign major

For more detailsand reflections on Beijing check outwww.ithaca.edu/olympics08.

From left to right: Cory Frances '10, and Stephen Keller'09 take notes at the Olympic handball gold medal match;Drew Appleton '08 roots for the United States inside theBird's Nest; the United States women's gymnastics teamreceives the silver medal for the team final; ChristopherLee '10 at the Great Wall of China.

›

ost six-year-old boys spend their time playingwith toy airplanes and trucks. But not me.

When I was six, I was holding a microphone pluggedinto my father’s stereo system, recording my ownradio show. Years later, as an Ithaca College fresh-man, I found myself sitting in the Park auditoriumlistening to the executive staff of WICB, the College’sradio station, describe all the opportunities availableto students. I was itching to get involved.

feature | ADVENTURES IN COLLEGE RADIO

WICB is consistently ranked as one ofthe top five college stations in the coun-try by the Princeton Review. The stationis student operated and broadcasts 24hours a day, 365 days a year. It can beheard from Lake Ontario all the way to northern Pennsylvania, potentiallyreaching more than 250,000 people—and that doesn’t even count all the people who listen online. Students canperform a variety of tasks at the station:disc jockeying, sports broadcasting, newsreporting, PSA programming, and spon-sorship, among a host of others.

The music director told us that nightthat he was looking for an assistant. Thejob would entail picking all the music forthe modern rock format, which makesup most of the programming on the sta-tion. The assistant also serves as a repre-sentative for the station in the greatermusic industry, a world I was hoping tobreak into. As a voracious consumer ofmusic myself, not to mention a musi-cian, this job sounded perfect for me.

I interviewed but didn’t get the posi-tion. As one of the runners-up, however,I was offered other projects here andthere. Foremost was recording “musicbuzz” segments that DJs would air dur-ing their shifts.

I eagerly fulfilled my duties and alsotook the opportunity to become a DJ.Through disc jockeying I met scores ofpeople, including my closest friends, not to mention a couple of girlfriends.

As the end of the semester approachedand the weather got colder, the othermusic buzz producers dropped off oneby one. By December, I was doing thejob single-handedly.

Impressed by my hard work, the music director offered me the assistantmusic director’s position for the follow-ing semester, which I gladly accepted. As assistant I hosted a weekly show premiering new music. I picked andmonitored the new music that wasplayed and reported it to the CollegeMusic Journal as a contributor to theirweekly charts. I attended concerts for

Adventuresin College Radio

The author at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York.

by JOHN-SEVERIN NAPOLILLO ’08

‹

M

Pho

toco

urte

syof

John

-Sev

erin

Nap

olill

o’0

8

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 9

free and got tointerview the bands.

I had to pinch myself halfwaythrough sophomore year when I foundmyself hanging out backstage with the Walkmen, one of my favorite bands.I also talked to radio promoters acrossthe country on a weekly basis, track-ing the success of hot new bands notonly on WICB but at stations across the country.

I left the position after a year and a half to spend a semester as part ofthe Park School’s Los Angeles program.Riding the elevator to the eighth floorof the iconic Capitol Records buildingfor my interview, I ran into CapitolRecords’ college radio promoter, whomI knew from my music director work.Surprised and excited to see me, heshowed me around the floor, telling any-one who would listen what a valuableasset I would be. I got the internship atCapitol, where I applied my knowledgefrom WICB in the real world, promot-ing the new LCD Soundsystem record,Sound of Silver.

While in Los Angeles, I was acceptedinto the Bayliss Intern Program, whichawards students in college radio paidinternships at stations across the coun-try. The program placed me at WLTWNew York, the station with the largestlistenership in the entire country. Duringthe summer before senior year, I tried

my hand at everything from marketingto producing the morning show.

One morning, the director of ClearChannel Chicago came in to record a public service message only to findthat the audio director was busy withother projects. I remember hearing the assistant programmer say, “Don’tworry. John can do it.”

I thought there might have beensome other John around, but no, hemeant me! My momentary trepidationgave way to confidence. I knew I couldhandle it.

The session went flawlessly. Look-ing back, it’s still amazing to thinkthat I engineered a spot with one ofthe most important people in the radiobusiness. As a recent graduate I'm currently pursuing a career in radiowhile performing with my bands.When I look back on the great experi-ences I’ve had in the entertainmentindustry I’m reminded of the doorsthat college radio has opened for me.I’m sure they will continue to open for years to come.

Recent WICB Awards and Accolades

WICB is known for its strong programs and outgoing DJs andreporters. It comes as no surprisethat the station has steadily wonawards for its programming and hosts.Here are just a few of the mostrecent honors awarded to WICB.

April 2008

Society of Professional Journalists(SPJ) Mark of Excellence awards inSPJ’s region 1:

• First place: Best news reporting

• Second place:Radio sports reporting

June 2008

New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association(NYSAPBA) college competition:

• First place: Best interview

• Special mention for reporting

New York State BroadcastersAssociation competition:

• Best sportscast

I talked to radio promoters acrossthe country on a weekly basis,tracking the success of hot new

bands not only on WICB but atstations across the country.

Listen to theCollege's originalprogramming atwww.wicb.org.

To see a detailed list of award recipients, and to see other nominations,visit fuse.ithaca.edu.

Pho

tos

byH

eath

erN

ewbe

rger

'10

ReligionFinding(Virtual)

feature | FINDING (VIRTUAL) RELIGION

got to play video games for 15 weeks one semester—and I got credit for it!

But the course I took was a bit more sophisticated than a round of

Mario Kart—and that’s an understatement. It was actually a fascinating, mind-

boggling class called Religion, Ritual, and Virtual Reality. In every class we

explored the digital universe—for example, by playing in the world of Second

Life—and discussed how those experiences overlap and interconnect with our

real-life experiences in religion and ritual. The study of virtual reality is another

platform on which to understand religion and to answer the most basic ques-

tions about human existence, the importance of community, our ideas about

life and death, and our notions of what is real.

by ALLISON MUSANTE ’10

I

“The experience of games allows us to imagine what’spossible,” philosophy and religion professor Rachel Wagnersays. “We can think of it as a safe way to visualize theideal—we don’t want to think about heaven, but we canthink about the virtual as heaven.”

The study of religion and virtual reality is largelyuncharted academic territory. Many scholars are writingabout religion as observed in popular culture and themedia, and some even touch on religion’s relationship totechnology, but Professor Wagner says very few are bring-ing all these elements together.

This topic truly is a vast, interdisciplinary one. To helpstudents sort through the mess of tangled questions,Professor Wagner had the class read passages from videogame theorists (ludology is the fancy word for this study),religion scholars, and others about ritual, and then it wasour job to make connections among the different theories.In one class, we examined a scene in the game Resistance:Fall of Man in which players kill monsters in ManchesterCathedral in England. As members of our class of 12 tookturns playing, we debated whether committing violencein a virtual church was as sacrilegious as it would be in real life. Can the virtual world have sacred space? If it does, can it be desecrated?

As we struggled to answer these very complex ques-tions about space and identity, Professor Wager kept thecourse relevant to the class by equipping us with a criticaleye for media consumption and insights about the daunt-ing future of new technologies—important topics for us as students and young adults alike.

“We watch what’s going on around us with this newmedia, and it’s sort of reflecting back on us as humanbeings,” she says. “We’re asking, what’s our relationshipwith one another and what does it means to be an em-bodied person. And I also think it’s fun!”

Professor Wagner used an educational initiative grantfrom the School of Humanities and Sciences to purchase a Sony PlayStation for classroom use. We played gameswith explicit religious themes, such as the Bible Game andLeft Behind; we explored church communities and trav-eled to virtual Mecca in Second Life; we also examinedonline social advocacy games, such as Darfur is Dying,and other games that mimic real world events, such asKuma War, a online multiplayer simulation of actualmissions in the Iraq war.

With every game we played, we always returned tobasic issues of identity and community. In cyberspace,human beings are represented by pixels and code, textand images. What does a player’s avatar in Second Liferepresent? How does the anonymity of the virtual envi-ronment influence our behavior? What choices are wemaking when we represent ourselves on networking siteslike Facebook? Does cyberspace present the opportunityto create the ideal self, as envisioned in heaven?

Although the class is over, Professor Wagner continuesto search for answers. She is currently writing a compre-hensive book on the study of virtual reality and religion,and in it, she will give credit to all of her students fortheir insights during this course.

“I’m really grateful for our conversations in class,” shesays. “The connections we’ve made through the variousresearch everyone’s been doing are really amazing.”

‹Professor Rachel Wagner lectures during class.

“The experience of games allows us to imagine what’spossible.We can think of it as a safe way to visualizethe ideal—we don’t want to think about heaven,but we can think about the virtual as heaven.”

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 11

Our ConclusionThe study of religion and virtual reality raised more questions than we were able to answer. When thinkingabout things like religious identity online, virtual sacredspace, and what happens to rituals when they are digitized, we found that the conclusions depend on individual experience. This is likely because religion and virtual reality are especially personal experiences. Still, there's little doubt that when religion and virtual reality meet, we are prompted to ask questions that are extremely relevant to our lives as students, media consumers, andhuman beings.

Create your virtual worldat www.secondlife.com.

Pho

toby

Bill

Trus

low

feature | TWO CONTINENTS, ONE MESSAGE OF JUSTICE

Since the terrorist attacks ofSeptember 11, 2001, a culture of fear has been created in the U.S., causing even well-educatedAmericans to associate Muslims with terrorism. As MLK scholars, wehave spent years studying the racialoppression of African-Americans,Latinos, and other racial minorities,and we were quickly forced to faceour own prejudices and stereotypeswhen traveling in a Muslim country.

Each January, the MLK scholarsparticipate in an international traveltrip to research issues of social jus-tice and perform service work. Lastyear, we went to Granada, Spain,and then to Rabat, Morocco. Beforetraveling, we prepared by participat-ing in a course that focused on socialjustice and racial issues surroundingimmigration from Morocco to Spain.Then each scholar chose a social jus-tice issue to research in the countrieswe would visit.

We began our trip in Granada,where we focused on the history andcurrent political and cultural situa-tion of Moroccan immigration intoSpain. While there we had the honorof listening to Esperanza Fornieles, a worker for the immigration groupFUTURO, discuss politics, women’sissues, race, and immigration in Spain.We visited the Mesquita de Granada,the largest mosque in Spain, andmet a Muslim man and woman wholive in Granada and work at themosque. They discussed their strug-gles and the prejudices they enduredas Muslims in a Christian country.

Our trip from Spain to Moroccoprovided us perspectives into howthese different cultures merge on

the issue of immigration. We werealso able to compare the politicaland social issues we learned aboutin Spain and Morocco to our ownsociety in the United States. Many of us found similarities between theracial and economic issues raised in Moroccan immigration to Spainand Mexican immigration to theUnited States. Because the borderto Spain is so close to Morocco manyMoroccans immigrate to Spain tofind work. Just as Americans strug-gle with the identity and culturalissues that accompany the influx ofMexican workers, Spaniards alsodeal with the issues that arise whena different racial, religious, and cul-tural group enters their country.

In the end, it’s the people we metwho brought our research to life andmade these international experiencesenriching. A highlight of the trip for me was the chance to eat dinnerin the home of a Moroccan family.Walking into the house, I was amazedby the intricate Muslim architectureand design that surrounded me. Asfellow scholar Jaylene Clark ’10 andI waited to be served, we sat in a

itting inside the Center for Cross Cultural Learningin Rabat, Morocco, Ithaca’s Martin Luther King Jr.scholars were immersed in a new, exciting, and

radically different culture. During this service-learningtrip, we carried ourselves as the global citizens and agentsfor social change that we strive to be as MLK scholars. Yet at times culture shock set in, and we were forced toclosely examine our perceptions and preconceived notionsof such a different way of life. During a question and an-swer session with students from Mohammed V Universityin Rabat, one Moroccan student asked us if, as Americans,we felt any fear coming to a Muslim country. Our answer,while shameful and uncomfortable, was yes.

One MessageTwo Continents,

of Justiceby COURTNEY M. CLEMENTE ’09

SP

hoto

sco

urte

syof

Cou

rtne

yM

.Cle

men

te'0

9

Traditional Moroccan CuisineMoroccan food is a mix of Berber, Spanish, Corsican, Portuguese,Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and African cuisines.Sitting down to dinner together as a family is an important social ritual in Morocco. Food is served from a communal bowl and eaten with the right hand.

A traditional pastry that is made in three layers.The first layer consists of chicken that is coveredwith eggs that are curdled in a lemony onionsauce and topped with sweetened almonds.The dish is enclosed in tissue-thin pastry calledwarka and topped with a layer of cinnamonand sugar.

The most famous Moroccan dish, couscous isfine semolina pasta. The finished pasta is about 1 mm in diameter before cooking. Couscous isserved as the last dish of a meal.

Moroccan tea is generally served with everymeal. The green tea is steeped, and lumps ofsugar and fresh spearmint are added, giving itan intensely minty, sweet taste.

BISTEEYA

COUSCOUS

TEA

large parlor eating Moroccan cookiesthat are traditionally served before themeal. The main dish was eaten with ourbare hands. As we ate, we attempted tochat with our six hosts, only one of whomspoke English. The kindness and hospi-tality with which we were welcomedtranscended the language barrier be-tween us, however, and their warmsmiles communicated a sense of under-standing and friendship.

Researching and studying other cultures is important, but it simply can’t compare to hearing firsthand

accounts of life in Spain or Morocco. We now have a better understanding of the racial and religious struggles that Muslims face in Spain, Morocco, and even our own country. Throughthese travel experiences, my fellowscholars and I examined not only external prejudice but also the ways inwhich our own preconceived notions, especially as Americans, must be challenged. This perspective makes the world a smaller place and takes us one step closer to fulfilling MartinLuther King Jr.’s dream.

The kindness and hospitality with which wewere welcomed transcended the languagebarrier between us.

From left to right: Danielle Harrison '09 and Jared Azuma '09 at a historical mosque in Rabat,Morocco; the author at La Alhambra in Granada, Spain; MLK scholars visiting a cemetery along the coast of Rabat; a live Andalusian music performance in the Center for Cross CulturalLearning in Rabat; and MLK scholars on a guided tour of a historical mosque in Rabat.

Learn more about the Martin LutherKing Jr. Scholar Program at www.ithaca.edu/mlk.

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 13

feature | ITHACA, NEW YORK: HOLLYWOOD OF THE EAST

thaca is best known as a college town, but did youknow it also has a rich filmmak-

ing history? From 1910 to 1920, twoindependent producers, theWharton brothers, opened theirown movie studio in town andhelped to make Ithaca the home of the silent film industry. Thoughthe cameras are no longer rolling,film buffs and indie enthusiastswon’t be disappointed by Ithaca’seclectic moviegoing options.

Ithaca currently has three movie theaters that showcase independent, international, and experi-mental films—Cinemapolis, Fall Creek Pictures, and Cornell Cinema.

Cinemapolis opened in 1986, a few years after film lovers Lynn Cohen and Richard Szanyi arrived in

Ithaca. “We wanted to start a business and we wantedto bring in some of the movies we’ve seen in New YorkCity,” Cohen says.

Tucked away in a side alley off of the Commons,Cinemapolis can seem a bit out of the way. But haveno fear; this theater is warm and inviting once youstep inside.

Shortly after opening Cinemapolis, Cohen andSzanyi bought Fall Creek Pictures from its previousowner and began running both as sister theaters.Hidden among the foliage of a residential area, FallCreek Pictures is only one mile north of the Commonson Tioga Street.

Going to either theater on a snowy evening in thedepths of winter is like having a big cup of cocoa andsnuggling up in front of a fire, only the warmth isemanating from the movie screen instead of burninglogs. All of the food is homemade—yes, that meansreal butter on the popcorn—and the viewing roomscomfortably fit 50–150 people.

In 2000, the 7th Art Corporation, a nonprofit organ-ization, took ownership and now operates both FallCreek Pictures and Cinemapolis. A new theater—expected to open in early 2009—that will combinethe two cinemas is currently under construction.

Ithaca, New York:

of the Eastby NIKKI MESEGUER ’08

I

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 15

Jodi Cohen, Ithaca College professor of speech communicationand president of the 7th Art board of directors, says the move toa bigger and better theater will benefit Ithaca’s community.

The new theater is going to have larger screens, stadium seat-ing, and a better sound system. But Cohen says they’re going totry their best to keep the homey feel of the old theaters.

“We promise we’re going to be funky,” she says. “No bins ofM&M’s—just the cheapest movies and the best treats. The build-ing won’t be mall-like.”

Another one of Ithaca’s authentic theaters stands on the otherhill in town. Originally established in 1970 as a university filmsociety, Cornell Cinema is a refreshing flashback to the classicmovie theater. Featuring a film or video seven nights a week,Cornell Cinema, located on the Cornell University campus, shows classic Hollywood and foreign films, independent titles,documentaries, experimental work, recent international cinema,silent films, cult classics, and recent Hollywood and art househits. Two of the best features of the theater are the wooden seatsand the old-fashioned popcorn machine. It’s the perfect place toimpress your date.

What if you’re dying to see the latest Hollywood hit? Don’tworry. If you’re looking for a more mainstream movie experi-ence, Ithaca’s got you covered. The Shops at Ithaca Mall houses Regal Cinemas and shows all the major first-run block-busters. The recently renovated theater now features stadiumseating and a surround-sound system to accompany the bigger movie screens.

Just remember, you won’t find any homemade snacks or cheapticket prices at Regal, so check out one of Ithaca's unique local theaters at least once. You won’t regret it.

Going to either theater on a snowy eveningin the depths of winter is like having a bigcup of cocoa and snuggling up in front of afire, only the warmth is emanating from themovie screen instead of burning logs.

Learn more aboutlocal efforts to restore Ithaca's

original silent movie theater at

fuse.ithaca.edu.

CINEMAPOLISwww.cinemapolis.org

TICKETS:$8.50 general admission $7.00 for students with I.D.(except Fridays and Saturdays)$7.00 Saturday and Sunday matinees

FALL CREEK PICTURESwww.cinemapolis.org/fallcreek.asp

TICKETS:$8.50 general admission $7.00 for students with I.D.(except Fridays and Saturdays)$7.00 Saturday and Sunday matinees

CORNELL CINEMAwww.cinema.cornell.edu

TICKETS:$4.00 anytime for students$6.50 general admission

REGAL CINEMASwww.regalcinemas.com

TICKETS:$7.00 before 6:00 p.m. $7.50 for students Sunday – Thursday $9.50 general admission

feature | OUT OF HARM’S WAY

Outof Harm’s WayTips to keep you safe andsound on campus

From Big Ten athletics to breakthrough

discoveries in science, college students

make headlines all the time. Unfortunately,

the news also contains embarrassing,

sometimes tragic, and usually preventable

accidents. When it comes to campus safety,

it’s probably better to stay off the front

page. One of the best ways to do that is to

take advantage of Ithaca College’s Student

Auxiliary Safety Patrol (SASP). Employing

30 to 40 student workers who patrol the

campus in pairs every night from 9:00 p.m.

to 3:00 a.m. whenever the College is in

session, SASP provides support to the

College’s Office of Public Safety. For some

safety tips, Fuse turned to Steve Gleason ’09,

the executive director of SASP.

Go to thephones.

Get to know the on-campusemergency phone system. Thecampus is equipped with a bluelight phone system—a series offree public phones directly con-nected to the Office of PublicSafety. These phones, whichcan be used in case of anyemergency, are marked bybright yellow lampposts andblue lamp lights. You neverknow when you’ll be caughtwithout your cell phone andneed assistance.

Know whereyou’re going.

Safe traveling strategies, suchas avoiding unlit or overgrownwalkways, traveling in groupswhen you’re out late, and carry-ing your cell phone at all times,can maximize fun and minimizerisk. Students can also requesta SASP escort to walk themback to their dorm if they feelunsafe walking alone.

Relying on a network of peerscan keep you from getting lost,injured, or worse, says Gleason.“The most important thing forstudents new to college life todo is to always have a friend orresident assistant (RA) that theycan turn to. Devastating incidentshave a better chance of beingavoided if someone has an ideaof where you are.”

Call for backup.

The city of Ithaca has several cabcompanies that run at all hours. If you’re out and your ride homehas left you high and dry, Ithacataxi dispatchers are always thereto help.

“I personally have three differentcab company numbers stored inmy phone so that I always havethat as a backup,” Gleason says.“If you have no one else to turn to, call public safety and ask for aride,” he adds. “We’d much rathersee you get home safely than havesomething happen to you.”

Planning ahead can keep youfrom having to pay for a taxi orcalling public safety. Gleason says,“Go out with people you know andtrust, and always have some ideaas to how you’ll be getting back toyour dorm. And if your plan goesawry, have someone you can callor turn to in an emergency.”

by SHANAN GLANDZ ’09

1 2 3

Pho

to b

y St

even

Gor

gos

'09

Pho

to b

y To

m W

atso

n

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 17

Moderation is key.

For some students, drinkingcan lead to some embarrassingstories. And while drinking-related incidents can seemfunny and harmless, the fact isthat drinking often contributesto thefts, fights, sexual assaults,and even fatalities.

If you are of legal drinking age, responsible alcohol con-sumption is essential to keep you safe and out of harm’s way—even if that means having togive up the car keys or waking

up your roommate because youdon’t think you can make it safe-ly to your dorm or apartment.Taking these steps is better thanhaving the unexpected or theunthinkable happen. Gleasonrecalls the story of an intoxi-cated student who attemptedto ride a broken bike that waschained to a post.

“Needless to say, the studentdid not stay on the bike for longand ended up with a head injury.By the time public safety officersarrived, the student had no rec-ollection of the incident anddidn’t realize the extent of the

injury.” But who can you turn to if you do find yourself orsomeone else in a potentiallydangerous situation?

When all else fails, call public safety. “People thinkpublic safety officers are look-ing to ruin a good time,” hecontinues. “But I can assureyou, our primary concern isthe well-being of IC students.”

Staying safe at school doesn’t have to limit your

choices—or your fun. In fact, making the right

choices or helping someone else make them can

save reputations and lives. According to Gleason,

the best preventative measures to take to avoid col-

lege dangers are all based on common sense. “I

just can’t emphasize enough how important it is for

students to make responsible decisions,” he says.

“Go out with people you know and trust,and always have some idea as to howyou’ll be getting back to your dorm.”

4

1. The College is installing a swipe key card system on all main residence hall doors. In the meantime, the entrance doors to all residence halls are locked 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

2. Public safety officers patrol the campus by car and on foot 24-7. The office is open 365 days a year.

3. SASP officers are available for late-night escorting.

4. Approximately 95 blue light phones are scattered across campus. SASP officers also make weekly checks ofthe phones to make sure that they are in working condition.

5. The College recently initiated an emergency notification system. When an emergency occurs on campus, students and staff can be notified of the situation via phone, text message, and e-mail. The College has alsoinstalled an outdoor warning system that alerts the campus of an urgent situation.

How IC KeepsStudents SafeThese are just some of the preventative and emergency safety and security measures IC has in place to ensure the safety of its students.

Addicted toFacebook? Learn the dos and don’tsof social networking atfuse.ithaca.edu.

Oper

atio

n Cr

ossr

oads

Afr

ica

Last summer I traveled to Gambia in West Africa as one of the two students selected for Ithaca College’s Reginald Simmons MemorialAward. I spent the summer working with Operation Crossroads Africa (OCA), a program established by Bob Iger ’73, president and CEO ofWalt Disney Company, in Simmons’s honor. Simmons ’75 devoted his career to improving the lives of the African people. OCA is a cross-culturalexchange program designed to promote understanding of Africa and its culture. I lived in the small town of Jambanjelly and helped completethe construction of a local library.

I debated whether I should apply for this scholarship, but I soon realized that this could be one of the greatest opportunities of my life. I had no idea what I was getting into or what I could expect from this trip, but needless to say, it turned out to be an absolutely incredibleexperience. This photo gallery and blog are my attempts to convey my experience in West Africa.

feature | OPERATION CROSSROADS AFRICA

Clockwise from top left: My fellow volunteers and I celebrate after the dedication ceremony.

To celebrate the completion of a workweek we had a bonfire at the local beach.

Fridays are a holy day for Muslims, which meantthat all work stopped at 1:00 p.m. and we had theafternoon off. Sometimes we rode our bikes to thecoast and relaxed until sunset or a thunderstormmoved in, whichever came first. With the excep-

tion of the occasional cattleherd there was usually noone to be seen for miles.

To celebrate the success of one year of marriage thewomen and girls of the village come out to dance to traditional drumming.The locals loved any excuseto dress up and celebrate.The festivities would oftenlast late into the night.

Rob Lloyd, a junior at Conn-ecticut College, works onthe interior painting. Mostof the building was paintedwith whitewash, whichoften left us covered inpaint at the end of the day.

›

by J

EFF

GO

OD

WIN

’10

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 19

Clockwise from top left: Many of the local workers, including thismason, could barely speak anyEnglish, which made communicatinghow to spackle a wall entertaining.Despite the language barrier theworkers were incredibly patient,regardless of how many times theyhad to show us what to do.

Learning the local language, Mandika,by candlelight. Although English isthe official language of the Gambia it is rarely spoken, especially amongolder generations.

The completed library.

Me with Mass Mbye. Mass lived nextto the library and would often visitthe work site.

Katie Connelly teaches Heidi Sambahow to paint her fingernails. Duringour seven-week stay we lived onHeidi's family compound along withmore than 25 other members of herextended family.

‹

Read Jeff’s blogat jgafrica.blogspot.com.

feature | FINE TUNING

Five Cents Sharp founder JonStewart ’10 (trumpet) and his fellowmembers Mike Drennan ’10 (Frenchhorn), Christopher Tolbert ’09(trumpet), Dan Troiano ’10 (tuba),and J.C. VonHoltz ’10 (trombone)are all music majors.

Kim Dunnick, professor of trum-pet, first approached the quintetabout the prestigious festival duringits first year. A former festival per-former, Professor Dunnick was ableto use some of his connections inthe music world to arrange an invi-tation for Five Cents Sharp. “Playinginternationally allows you to heargreat musicians and styles you’renot used to,” says Dunnick.

The festival serves as a weeklongcourse in which international studentsreceive master classes and privatelessons, rehearse, and perform musicfor brass instruments. The featuredmentor this year was Wolfgang Gaag,a French hornist for the ensembleGerman Brass.

At first Five Cents Sharp was a littleintimidated by the other experiencedmusicians and the cultural divide,but the quintet members soon hittheir stride and ended up playingmore cohesively than ever before. In the end the group was gratefulfor the opportunity to learn amongother talented players. “I can’t imag-ine a group of individuals, especially

musicians, refusing an opportunityto play in Europe,” says Stewart.“You experience things, and some-how it helps you congeal into a better sounding, tighter group.”

The festival may be the capstoneexperience for the group so far, butthe quintet has been going strongfor three years now. Unlike otherensembles whose members may perform only a few times duringtheir undergraduate education, FiveCents Sharp has made it a point toperform in the music school at leastonce every semester. This keeps thequintet motivated and in practice. “I don’t recall any other group everhaving done that, and I’ve been here28 years,” says Dunnick.

The group takes a break from performing(from left) Mike Drennan '10, Chris Tolbert '09,Dan Troiano '10, Jon Stewart '10, J.C. VonHoltz '10.

‹TuningFine

Brass Ensemble Takes Its Music to Germanyby MEREDITH FARLEY ’09

Students walking past the School of Music often hear rhythmic drumbeats or classical solos drifting through the windows and over the quads. This past summer, the students in the brass quintet Five Cents Sharp spread their sound even farther when they traveled to Brass im Frankenwald, an international festival held at the Haus Marteau, a retreat for music in Lichtenberg, Germany.

Read more about Five Cents Sharp's trip to Germany,and learn more about ensemble groups at IC at fuse.ithaca.edu.

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 21

Playing internationally was a thrill for the group, but theywere also able to see firsthandhow Europeans experience and appreciate classical musiccompared to Americans. In general, they found the crowdsmore responsive to their musicin Europe than in the UnitedStates. “When we played on the streets, especially in Hof,

hundreds of people stopped to listen to us,” says Stewart.

“In America, street performancesare almost frowned upon,” addsTroiano. “Germany was truly a mov-ing experience. It was great to seeall the support people had for musicand how many people truly wantedto come and listen.”

One obstacle the group had toovercome was the language barrier.German and Russian—not English—were the main languages spoken. Attimes it was difficult to communicate,

but in the end the group saw it as an integral part of their experience.“At times it was hard to understandsome of the German and Russianspeakers, but we communicatedwith our music in such a way thatwe became friends almost instantly,”says Troiano.

Of course all work and no play isno way to experience a trip to Europe,so the group scheduled some extradays in Germany to take in the sights.“We traveled a lot,” says Stewart.

“We bought German rail passesbefore we left the States and usedthose as our primary form of city-to-city transportation.” In 14 days, thegroup visited Hof, Berlin, Lichtenberg,Nüremberg, Munich, and Frankfurt.The guys took in the local foods and culture and historical sites likethe Berlin Wall, staying in bed andbreakfasts in the smaller towns andyouth hostels in the cities.

They were glad to make someinternational connections—Stewartsays the friendships they forged over-seas might come in handy someday.“Everyone in the music world agreesthat you should try to be nice to allthe musicians you meet, because it’s only a matter of time until yousee them again. I think we did a fine job with that.”

The guys visit with former IC piano faculty member Jairo Geronimo, who now lives in Nüremberg, Germany.

‹“Germany was truly amoving experience. Itwas great to see all thesupport people had formusic and how manypeople truly wanted to come and listen.”

Performing in Ithacaand WorldwideFive Cents Sharp isn’t the onlygroup that had the opportunity toperform abroad. IC’s ensembleshave made several trips to Ireland,including the wind ensemble (2007),women’s chorale (2005), chamberorchestra (2003), and choir (2002).

Last April, the Ithaca CollegeSymphony Orchestra and the IthacaCollege Choral Union (composed ofthe choir, women’s chorale, andchorus) performed Verdi’s Requiemat Lincoln Center.

feature | OH, THE HORROR!

This screening is a direct result of a previousvisit to campus to talk about his career and theSaw franchise. During that event Heffner showed a small clip of Repo, sparking interest in his newfilm. “Everybody was excited, and as the nightwore on I started getting more questions aboutRepo,” he says. The students urged him to bringthe film, which is a limited theatrical release, toIC. Heffner decided to take it one step further by bringing the film to Ithaca as a sneak previewscreening—one of the first in the country—beforeits official release.

Screenings like this are not the only thingHeffner does for IC students. Next spring, for thethird year in a row, he will sponsor a postproductionseminar for a group of select students chosen by the Park School faculty. Heffner pays for the students to stay in Toronto for a two-daywhirlwind look at Saw's postproduction process.

“The experience is really valuable because it’s one area that no film school can give you the full story on because it’s so technically difficult,”he explains. “Last year, it happened the weekbefore we started shooting Saw V, so I gave thema tour of our stage. I think next year it may actu-ally happen while we’re filming Saw VI.”

To Heffner, giving back and mentoring studentsis incredibly important. “Throughout my career,there’s always been somebody out there who gaveme that little extra—a production manager whospent a little extra time teaching me, somebodywho, when I was young and made a mistake, wouldoverlook it and help me get past it, even here at Ithaca with [former professor] Skip Landen’ssupport and help. I’ve been very fortunate in my career and in my life to have many good people go that extra step for me, so for me this is my payback.”

OH, THE

HORROR!Saw Producer Dan Heffner ’78 Screens His New Film at IC

t’s 4:30 p.m. on a gorgeous Friday afternoon, yet the auditorium in the Park School of Communications is packed with students, some of whom have been waiting anxiously in their seats for over three hours. Why? Because Dan Heffner ’78,best known for his work as the producer of the Saw horror film franchise, has returned to campus to host a special

sneak preview screening of his latest film, Repo! The Genetic Opera, a rock opera horror that Heffner describes as RockyHorror Picture Show meets Blade Runner, with an eclectic cast ranging from Sarah Brightman to Paris Hilton.

I by MEGHAN SWOPE ’11

Dan Heffner '78 (right) and director Darren Bousman takea break from filming Saw IV in Toronto.

‹

Pho

tos

cour

tesy

of D

an H

effn

er '7

8 an

d D

iann

e Ly

nch

The common bond formed between Ithaca Collegestudents, regardless of their class year, is also some-thing Heffner appreciates. Fellow IC alumni MarkBerg ’81 and Carl Mazzocone ’81 are two of Heffner’scolleagues at the production company Twisted Pictures.In fact, it was Mazzocone who helped Heffner recon-nect with the College. “When my mentor and guidinglight Skip Landen retired, I kind of lost touch with theschool. Carl had been in touch with Park School Dean

Dianne Lynch because there was an event coming uphonoring Skip in Los Angeles,” recalls Heffner. “I wasin Toronto working on Saw III, and he invited DeanLynch to come to our set. That was the first time I mether, and she did her amazing pitch of the school andwhere it was today. We became close and she invitedme to Ithaca, so when we finished Saw I made my

first trip down here in some time. I’ve been here fiveor six times since then.”

Heffner has also taught a weekend-long productioncourse in the Park School, an experience he hopes torepeat in the future. “I always find that coming backhere—whether it’s teaching a mini-course, lecturingfor a couple of hours, talking in a couple of classes, or even bringing one of my movies here—is just so invigorating to me, just seeing everybody and howenthused they are, whether they’re freshmen or seniors. It’s just so exciting to be able to share myexperiences and keep that enthusiasm alive.”

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 23

Dan Heffner (far right) discusses a scene on the set of Saw IIwith (from right to left) director James Wan, producer GregHoffman, and director Darren Bousman.

There’s No Business Like Show BusinessAlthough education is important in preparing for a career in the film industry, it’s

not a substitute for real-world experience. “I don’t think you could walk into anyother university or any school anywhere in the country that’s better equipped

than Ithaca is to give you that firsthand experience, but it’s still a school,”explains Heffner. “The nice thing about internships is that you get to

see what it’s like to face the pressure; you get to see what people go through. Then you’re going to come back to school and bring

that with you.”

How can you obtain the real-world experiences Dan Heffneris referring to? The Ithaca College Los Angeles Program is

a great place to start. As an extension of the Park School,the program provides 75 students each semester with

internship-based experiences in a variety of fieldsincluding film and television production, radio,

music, advertising, public relations, and print and broadcast journalism. Students also take

industry-related courses taught by our LosAngeles-based faculty and industry pro-

fessionals for credit at the James B.Pendleton Center, just minutes away

from Burbank and Hollywood.

Learn more about IC’s program in LA atwww.ithaca.edu/rhp/laprog.

‹“I always find that coming back toIthaca is just so invigorating to me,just seeing everybody and howenthused they are, whether they’refreshmen or seniors. It’s just so excit-ing to be able to share my experiencesand keep that enthusiasm alive.”

Dean Dianne Lynch sits in Saw'sfamous bathroom set of Saw III.

‹

feature | MASTER OF THE MARKET

hile stock market crashes and prob-lems on Wall Street have created agreat deal of uncertainty in theworld of finance, Ithaca College’s

business programs continue to run strong. Withextraordinary faculty, new state-of-the-art facilities, and a nationally renowned sustainabil-ity initiative, students now more than ever appreciate the operations of the Dorothy D. andRoy H. Park Center for Business and SustainableEnterprise, which houses the School of Business.Business majors also appreciate the dedication of faculty like Abraham Mulugetta, professor offinance and international business.

Professor Mulugetta joined Ithaca’s faculty in1984. His devotion to teaching, trading, research-ing, and inspiring has only strengthened over theyears, and his students have benefited tremendouslyfrom his commitment and enthusiasm.

Originally from Ethiopia, Professor Mulugettacame to the United States for many reasons—among them, freedom. “You learn what freedomreally means,” he explains, “coming from a placewhere people cannot speak out.” Freedom isparamount in business, where having the abilityto make decisions and take risks is essential.Professor Mulugetta emphasizes these opportuni-ties for his students through real-world examplesand experiences.

For example, this semester Professor Mulugettagave his classes $1 million in virtual funds toinvest in the stock market. Working in the Centerfor Trading and Analysis of Financial Instruments—IC’s real-time trading room that Mulugetta spentfour years planning and designing—studentssimulate the buying and selling of stock usingsome of the same software used on Wall Street.Mulugetta has been directing the trading roomsince 1994. Recently reopened in the school’snew building, the current room has the largestnumber of workstations of any comparable under-graduate trading room in the United States.

“The trading room reflects my commitment to IC,”Mulugetta says. “We have created an environmentwhere students can interact with each other, andwe’ve created a very conducive atmosphere forstudents to challenge themselves and learn fromeach other.” He emphasizes that despite his role indirecting the trading room, the students themselvesare the ones who manage it and reap its benefits.

MarketMaster of theby ALYSSA LETSCH ’11

W

One example is the Investment Challenge, asemester-long competition sponsored by Ithaca’sCore Trading Consultants in which participants use $100,000 in virtual money to invest in stocks(see sidebar for more). The club’s co-president Ken Beebe ’09 says, “The Investment Challenge isgreat because we have two objectives—to learnand to teach each other about the markets.”

The current financial crisis has definitelyplayed into lessons in the classroom. ProfessorMulugetta encourages his students to follow the activity of the market and apply it to theirown investments. This strategy allows them tosee where errors can be made and how theycould have foreseen them. The crisis, he says,has helped students make connections and draw conclusions—a great learning experience for the future. “Professor Mulugetta encouragesstudents to read and learn beyond the textbookmaterial,” says Iskra Kallogjerovic '09. “He alwaysincorporates the most current information inthe classroom discussions and helps us analyze and understand current events.”

Professor Mulugetta’s experience in the business world extends far beyond teaching. He worked for both the minister of finance and the minister of housing in Ethiopia and served as the deputy general manager for Ethiopianworkers with disabilities. He also worked as asmall business adviser in Wisconsin, where heearned a master’s degree in finance and inter-national business and a doctorate in business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Even with these advanced degrees, ProfessorMulugetta is still adding to his knowledge base.He is constantly studying, writing, and conduct-ing finance research. His findings have been published in dozens of scholarly business jour-nals, books, and cases. In fact, he estimates that at least 25 percent of his time is devoted toresearch. Over the years he has studied topicssuch as risk management, Internet banking,exchange rates, and currency crises to name afew, and he frequently conducts research with

his students. A recent collaborative research project on the derivatives of risk management in the banking industry will soon be published in the Journal of Banking and Finance.

Professor Mulugetta spends a great deal of hisfree time trading. Students can find him followingthe hourly activities of the stock market in his office.

When asked what led him to begin teaching,Professor Mulugetta cites his own thirst for know-ledge. “I was brought up to be curious, which was confined in Ethiopia. I like to satisfy my owncuriosity, which I do by teaching and explaining.I also learn a lot from my students—the energylevel of young people is amazing.” ProfessorMulugetta's students would likely say that he has no trouble keeping pace.

Risky Business:The IC Investment ChallengeEvery semester, a club called the Core Trading Consultants sponsors theInvestment Challenge, a semester-longcompetition in which students of anymajor try to turn $100,000 in virtualmoney into virtual millions using actualmarket data. Students get real-timequotes and, using that information,submit a trading form to take part inthe virtual stock exchange.

Throughout the semester, studentstrack their investments in the tradingroom using an interactive portfolio and investment tools such as ThomsonOne and MarketLink, Wall Street applications that allow them to viewtheir changing gains and losses andresearch stock information.

At the end of each semester anawards ceremony is held to honor thethree top performers and top perform-ing first-year student. The prizes areshares in a mutual fund called theIthaca College Investment Club, whichhas more than $25,000 in real assets.

“I was brought up to be curious, whichwas confined in Ethiopia. I like to sat-isfy my own curiosity, which I can doby teaching and explaining. I also learnfrom my students—the energy level ofyoung people is amazing.”

For more informationabout the trading room, Core Trading Consultants, or the Investment Challenge, visitwww.ithaca.edu/business.

Professor Mulugetta conducts class in the trading room.

‹

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 25

feature | FLYING DISC FEVER

The Ultimate Game of Frisbee

“I WILL BE PLAYING FRISBEEUNTIL I CAN’T WALK ANYMORE.IT’S SOMETHING I LOVE TO DO.”

by MAGGIE HIBMA ’09

Pho

toby

Bill

Trus

low

fuse | fuse.ithaca.edu | winter 2008 • 27

n those long, hot summerdays, throwing a Frisbeearound can be a great way

to enjoy the day and pass the time.But for a growing number of playersall over the world, Ultimate Frisbee has become more than just a game—it’s become their way of life.

“I will be playing Frisbee until Ican’t walk anymore,” says AllisonWalker ’10, a business administra-tion major and captain of the women’sUltimate Frisbee team, Kweezy. “It’s something I love to do.”

Ultimate Frisbee combines the continuous movement and enduranceof soccer with the passing skills offootball, and it has been gainingpopularity all over the world. “Thereare about 800,000 people who joinedthe Ultimate Player’s Associationthis past year,” says Walker. “So it’scoming up in the ranks.”

Walker joined the team her fresh-man year, and despite her hecticschedule of classes, an on-campusjob, and other college activities, she continues to make time in herschedule for Frisbee because shecan’t get enough of it.

“It’s something I really enjoy, andit really serves as my escape frommy life,” Allison says.

The game is played by throwingthe Frisbee between players whoattempt to score in their end zones.Positions are divided into two differ-ent types—handlers, who are incharge of throwing, and cutters,who do most of the running. Theobject of the game is to score bycatching a pass in the opponent’send zone. Games are played until 15 points are earned; halftimeoccurs when one team scores eightpoints. For Ultimate Frisbee players,though, it’s all about what they call the Spirit of the Game.

Spirit of the Game places theresponsibility for fair play on theplayers rather than on officials orreferees. Spirit refers to the fact thatno one governs the game but theplayers themselves. In Ultimate, it’sall about the honor system. “Sincethere are no referees, it’s up to theplayers to rely on their own prideand honor. It’s up to you to call your own foul,” Walker explains.

Because of the lack of referees,the aggression level is far less thanthat in a soccer or football game

where there is lots of yelling andscreaming. Instead, players playwith a mutual love of the game.

“You get to enjoy a lot more silliness,” says Walker. One of thefun things the team does is dress up in costumes during their Hallo-ween tournaments. Last year, theydressed up as characters from themovie Braveheart.

Ricky Meyer ’09, a cinema andphotography major, is cocaptain of the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team,Nawshus. He says that like anyother sport, Ultimate Frisbee can get really competitive, but theemphasis on good sportsmanship is what sets it apart.

“Players try to keep spirit as muchas possible when fouls are calledand are expected to admit whenthey commit a foul,” explains Meyer.“It makes it really fun to play.”

Walker and Meyer both say thattheir teams are very close. Goingaway for tournaments on the week-ends, sharing pasta dinners, andattending three-hour practices threetimes a week are all team-buildingactivities on their own.

“All of us sleeping on the floor insomeone’s house for two nights dur-ing a weekend, getting team food,and literally spending the weekendin each other’s company really bondsus as a team. We become so close it’sscary,” Meyer says.

Ultimate Frisbee is one of 21 competitive club sports that areactive at IC. Walker says that clubslike Ultimate Frisbee are a goodoption for people who want to stayactive but don’t want the restrictionof playing a varsity sport.

“It’s a mix of fun and athleticism,”Walker says. “You get to do somethings that are kind of outside a varsity sports setting.”

Even though the players' time atIthaca will eventually come to anend, they will take away somethingin addition to their degrees—a loveof Ultimate Frisbee.

“Ultimate is probably the best thingI’ve done in college,” says Meyer. “I will continue to play for as long as I can.”

Learn more about IC sports clubs at fuse.ithaca.edu.

O

GET IN THE SPIRITThe official rules of Ultimate Frisbee state that “the integrity of Ultimate depends on each player’s responsibility to uphold the Spirit of the Game, and this responsibility should remain paramount.” Spirit of the Game is what makes Ultimate Frisbee special. There are no referees and sometimes not even coaches, so it is up to those on the field to do what’s right—even if that means calling a foul on themselves. To adhere to these rules, players must avoid “taunting opposing players, dangerous aggression, belligerent intimidation, intentional infractions, or other win-at-all-costs behavior.” Can’t believe it? This spirit has been in Ultimate Frisbee for over 30 years. Interested in learning more about this awesome sport? Check out the Ultimate Player’s Association website at www.upa.org.

Igor’s Egg, a local Ithaca band.›GOT QUESTIONSYOU’D LIKE TO SEE ANSWERED IN A FUTURE ISSUE OF FUSE ?LET US KNOW AT FUSE.ITHACA.EDU/TALKBACK!

›

Q: What is the local music scene likein Ithaca?

A: Although it’s no New York City, Ithaca still has a very charged music scene. There are weeklyconcerts of local musicians at places likeCastaways, the Haunt, the Nines, and No RadioRecords (which often partners with students to put on concerts). A few times each semester,some of these venues as well as Cornell Universityand Ithaca College bring bigger artists to town.These shows are usually pretty cheap and draw agreat crowd. Last year Cornell Concerts broughtBroken Social Scene and Yo La Tengo to Ithaca,while Castaways brought Girl Talk to play.

HEATHER NEWBERGER ’10

theReal Q&As with the Fuse staff›

Q: What kind of religious services and organizations are found at Ithaca?

A: IC’s beautiful Muller Chapel hosts various religious services weekly. Activegroups include the Catholic Community,Hillel, the Protestant Community, and the Interfaith Council, which promotescooperation, respect, and goodwill among all the religious communities on campus.There are also various faith-centered clubsand organizations on campus, includingHabitat for Humanity, which participate in community service in Ithaca and beyond. You can learn more at www.ithaca.edu/sacl/religious_communities.php.

MAGGIE HIBMA ’09

DealQ: How long does it take to

walk from one end of campus to the other?

A: Most students can walk from one end of campusto the other in under 15 minutes. The longest hikewould be from the Terraces residence halls to thePark School of Communications. Even though thewalk is hilly at times, it is usually quick and easyto get from one place to another on campus.

SAM CONSTANT ’09

Q: I have a disability. Can Ithaca College accommodate my needs?

A: If you have a documented disability, IC’s Office of Academic Support Services offers manyresources to make classes and other parts ofcampus life more accessible. Accommodationsare based on your specific disability; servicesoffered include extended and optimized testingservices, tutoring, special housing accommoda-tions, and advocacy. All disability information iskept confidential unless you choose to disclose it. To find out more, visit www.ithaca.edu/acssd.

SHANAN GLANDZ ’09

Q: How do I find a job on campus?

A: There are a few ways to find jobs on campus.First, current students can look online atJobShop, an online database of student jobs. Thissite provides information for students who seekcampus employment or qualify for federal workstudy. You can also check with specific offices. So if you really want a job at the Fitness Centeror the library, check their websites or give thema call to see if a position is available. For moreinformation visit www.ithaca.edu/hr/jobshop.

KAT SLIFER ’09

Ithaca at a GlanceIthaca offers a first-rate education on a first-name basis. Learn what you love fromstellar faculty; start a club, intern at your dream job, or spend a semester halfwayaround the world—whatever course you set, you’ll love what you do. At Ithaca you’llhave lots of choices and plenty of opportunities to find your passion in life.

LOCATIONIn the center of the Finger Lakesregion of New York State, ourmodern campus is 60 miles northof Binghamton and 60 milessouth of Syracuse. The city ofIthaca is home to about 47,000residents and neighboring CornellUniversity.

STUDENT BODY6,000 undergraduates and 400graduate students from 48 states,3 U.S. territories, and 78 coun-tries. Over 70 percent of studentslive on Ithaca’s hilltop campus,which overlooks Cayuga Lake.

FACULTY461 full-time faculty and 212 part-time faculty

STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO12 to 1

ACADEMIC PROFILE49 percent of current freshmenrank in the top 15 percent of theirhigh school class. The highschool average of most admittedstudents ranges from B+ to A.

PROGRAMS OF STUDYWith more than 100 degree programs to choose from, Ithaca has something for everyone. To learn more about each school and the majors it offers, visit the websites below. A complete list of majors can be found on the admission website at www.ithaca.edu/admission/programs/index.php.

SCHOOL STUDENT ENROLLMENT SCHOOL HOMEPAGE

School of Business 700 www.ithaca.edu/business

Roy H. Park School of Communications 1,300 www.ithaca.edu/rhp

School of Health Sciences and Human Performance 1,200 www.ithaca.edu/hshp

School of Humanities and Sciences 2,200 www.ithaca.edu/hs

School of Music 500 www.ithaca.edu/music

Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies 100 www.ithaca.edu/diis

For details about Ithaca’s application process, financial aid, tuition, and more, please visit www.ithaca.edu/admission. ›

Ithaca CollegeOffice of Admission953 Danby RoadIthaca, NY 14850-7000P: (800) 429-4274 or

(607) 274-3124 www.ithaca.edu

DID YOUKNOW?OVER 90 PERCENT OFITHACA’S FULL-TIMEFACULTY MEMBERSHOLD A PH.D. OR THEHIGHEST TERMINALDEGREE IN THEIR FIELD.

›

Fuse is a green publication. Read it and recycle it. Or better yet—share it with a friend!Fuse uses 23,169 lbs of paper which has a postconsumer recycled percentage of 25 percent: 48.65 trees preserved for the future • 140.5 lbs waterborne waste not created • 20,667 gallons wastewater flow saved • 2,287 lbs solid waste not generated • 4,503 lbs netgreenhouse gases prevented • 34,463,888 BTU’s energy not consumed. The use of 100 percent wind power equates to these environmen-tal savings: 3,991 lbs lbs of CO

2emissions not generated • 2,714 miles of automobile travel saved • The equivalent of 213 trees planted.

Ithaca CollegeOffice of Admission953 Danby RoadIthaca, NY 14850-7000(800) 429-4274(607) 274-3124www.ithaca.edu

Get the inside scoop on Ithaca.CHECK OUT: www.ithaca.edu

CHECK IN: my.ithaca.edu