Students from Canada, Haiti and 12 U.S. universities and colleges joined Professor of Theatre Arthur Beer for three weeks of classes and rehearsals this past summer on the Greek island of Spetses, followed by a week touring famous theatres and archaeological sites, and presenting their updated version of Lysistrata by Aristophanes. Artemis Zenetou, chair of the Greek Fulbright Committee, expressed her delight with the production at the American College in Athens.

As 2007 program chair of the Groves Conference on Marriage and Family, UDM Professor of Psychology Libby Balter Blume brought the annual conference to Detroit and Windsor with the theme of "Social, Economic and Environmental Justice for all Communities: Standing Up and Speaking Out for Families." Blume is currently co-editing a book based on the conference. Invited speakers from UDM included:

• Religious Studies Professors Gloria Albrecht and Jane Schaberg
• Professor of Theatre Arthur Beer
• Assistant Professor of Communication Studies Barbara Bolz
• Assistant Professor of Counseling/Addiction Studies Nancy Calley
• Associate Professor of Education Isaiah McKinnon
• Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry Prasad Venugopal
• Architecture Dean Stephen Vogel and Associate Professor Dan Pitera 

Adjunct Professor of English Randy DeVita’s short story "Riding the Doghouse," has been selected by Stephen King for inclusion in the 2007 Best American Short Stories.

Professor of English John Freeman's article, "Engine Nearing Perfection: Utopia.com(mons) and Steorn-Power, UnLtd.," has been accepted for publication in CTheory.

Heather Hill-Vasquez, associate professor of English, was presented with the University's 2007 Faculty Achievement Award on November 2 during the Faculty Excellence dinner. Read more about Hill-Vasquez and her achievements at UDM.

Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice Daniel Kennedy completed two intensive training programs during May and June. He graduated from the FBI Citizens Academy at the Combined Regional Emergency Services Training facility in Oakland County, and also completed the training program, "Forensic Science and Grave Excavation," at the Oakland Police Academy.

Associate Professor of Philosophy David Koukal contributed the article, "Logic will save our students from the media," to the Fall 2007 issue of Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, a special issue on philosophy and theology in Jesuit education.  Download the article (PDF) from marquette.edu.

Isaiah McKinnon, associate professor of Education, has been appointed by Cardinal Maida to the Archdiocesan Advisory Board of Catholic Education to assist the Archbishop of Detroit. As a board member he will recommend policy, guidelines and strategic planning for all Catholic Education, which includes Adult Faith Formation, Catechetis, Catholic Schools, Family Life, Campus Young Adult Ministry and Youth Ministry. He will serve a three-year term.  

Assistant Professors of Counseling/Addiction Studies Sheri Pickover and Dan Lawrence gave the presentation, "Membership in MCA: Where Have All the Counselors Gone?" at the annual Michigan Counseling Association conference, Nov. 10.  Pickover also presented "A Developmental Approach to Anger Management: The Emotional Skills Building Curriculum."

Gregory Sumner, professor of History, presented the paper, "Transatlantic Perspectives on America Culture since 1945," at the biannual conference of the Associazione Italiana di Studi Nord-Americani, Oct. 4-6 in Macerata, Italy. Sumner was also featured in the History Channel's Our Generation, a TV series about the people, places and events that helped define the Baby Boomer generation. 

Associate Professor of Social Work Aloha VanCamp presented the paper, "Building International Social Work Partnerships Through the Social Welfare Policy Course," to the 76th Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences - Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, May 29. The paper was presented in collaboration with the University of Windsor, School of Social Work.

Associate Professor of Sociology & Criminal Justice Michael Witkowski was invited to the ASIS Academic/ Practitioner Symposium, held August 1-3 at the University of Maryland - University College, to discuss the global challenges facing security professionals and educators.

Associate Professor of Psychology Kathleen Zimmerman-Oster has been appointed Senior Fellow at the National Forum for Higher Education for the Public Good and Visiting Scholar in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, School of Education, University of Michigan. The appointment is for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Faculty promotions

The following CLAE faculty were awarded promotion and/or tenure effective August 16:

• Nancy Calley, promoted to associate professor, Counseling & Addiction Studies, and granted tenure
• Heather Hill-Vasquez, promoted to associate professor, English, and granted tenure
• Gail Presbey, promoted to full professor, Philosophy
• Diane Robinson-Dunn, promoted to associate professor, History, and granted tenure