School of Liberal Arts
Highlights
Academic Year 2011-2012
Dr. Duane Matcha , Professor of Sociology, was selected as the recipient of the Siena College
Raymond C. Kennedy Excellence in Scholarship Award for this past Academic Year.
Dr. Leonard Cutler , Professor of Political Science, was selected as the recipient of Siena
College’s Father Matthew T. Conlin, O.F.M. Distinguished Service Award for this past
Academic Year.
Matthew Grimes ’12 has been selected for a Fulbright Award for Academic Year 2012- 2013 to Argentina . Matt will serve as a Teaching Assistant. Matt, a native of Troy, has completed a major in Spanish and minors in Globalization and Multicultural Studies. He studied abroad for two semesters – one in Spain and one in Ecuador. He participated twice on the “alternative spring break” volunteer trip to the Dominican Republic; has served as a volunteer mentor in a
Catholic Charities afterschool program in Troy; and has worked in the Mayor’s Office in Troy doing outreach to the Hispanic community. The award letter from the Fulbright Commission to
Matt stated: “As a representative in Argentina you will help fulfill the principal purpose of the
Fulbright Program: to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of Argentina." We congratulate Matt on having been selected for such a prestigious award!
The School of Liberal Arts is on schedule to begin construction of a new building for the
Departments of Education, Social Work, and Sociology. With state-of-the-art classrooms and computer labs, it will be a model of the student-faculty interaction that Siena College values.
The building is scheduled to open for the Fall Semester 2013.
Siena’s Spanish and French Education Programs have been re-accredited by the National
Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
The Siena College Moot Court / Mock Trial Team competed in the American Mock Trial
Association Regional Competition at Yale University in New Haven and placed third overall in the competition. The Siena Team defeated schools such as Brown, Yale, Fordham, and
Princeton, earning a bid to compete in the National Competition held at Pace Law School. Two students earned Regional Honors: Stephen Procopio ’15 as “Best Regional Witness for the
Prosecution” and Christine Armstrong ’13 as “Best Regional Witness for the Defense.”
The Honorable Patrick Monserratte has been named the Siena College Distinguished Jurist in
Residence . The Jurist-in-Residence works with students in our Pre-Law Program and mentors the Moot Court / Mock Trial teams.

The Center for the Study of Government and Politics hosted the annual “Constitution Day
Lecture” in September. The Honorable Mae D’Agostino ’77, United States District Judge for the
Northern District of New York, lectured on “The Right to Keep and Bear Arms: Recent
Developments in Second Amendment Jurisprudence.”
Dr. Leonard Cutler, Professor of Political Science, has been appointed to a Merit Selection
Panel, responsible for screening candidates, regarding the selection of a full-time United States
Magistrate Judge in Albany, under the United States District Court for the Northern District of
New York. Dr. Cutler is the only non- attorney on this seven member panel.
Dr. Mathew Johnson, Associate Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies /
Director, Office of Academic Community Engagement has been appointed by Governor
Andrew Cuomo to the New York State Commission on National and Community Service.
Sixteen students were invited to present at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre
Festival. Kierian Cochran ’12 received a Festival Award for Excellence for her costume design for the Siena student production of The Shape of Things. She was advised by Professor Denise
Massman.
Will Frenzel ’12 had his original play, 5 Against The Wall, produced as part of the Theatre
Program's Fall Season.
Marah Chabot ’12 and Catherine Santino’13 performed as actor “interns” in Cohoes Music
Hall's production of The Pirates of Penzance
Paul Ricciardi, Assistant Professor of Theatre , performed his award winning solo show,
Moving Vehicles , at Club Helsinki in the Hudson Valley of NY. Professor Ricciardi is Vice
Chair for Region One of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival . He was selected for a nationally competitive residency to study with voice specialist, Kristin Linklater, at
Columbia University in Fall 2011.
Works from three digital photography students were accepted as part of a prestigious art show for college students. Emily Merritt ’12 and Kellie Scullin ’12 and Brittany Danko ’14 had work accepted to the Annual College Student Show at The Photo Center of the Capital District in
Troy, New York. The juried show attracts student artists throughout the Northeast Region.
Assistant Professor of Creative Arts Scott Foster had his work selected for a number of exhibits this year, including at the Historic Albany Foundation; the Utah State University Studio
102 Gallery; and the Carrie Haddad Gallery of Hudson, New York.
Adjunct Journalism Instructor Mark Grimm’s analysis of the crisis communication involving
Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim was featured in more than 150 media outlets in the U.S. and Canada. They included NBC and CBS Sports, ESPN.com, The Washington Times , and TSN in Canada.
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Professor of Religious Studies Father Dennis Tamburello was an invited presenter at the 25th
Annual Calvin Symposium on Worship in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His essay on "The Protestant
Reformers and Mysticism" will be published in Fall 2012.
The School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science collaborated and were awarded a 1.2 million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to support the training of future
Science and Mathematics teachers to teach in “high-need schools.” Collaborating faculty members on the grant are Mark Jury from Education; Jim Matthews from Mathematics; Larry
Medsker from Computer Science; Lucas Tucker from Chemistry; and Michele McColgan from
Physics. They will begin working with the Schenectady City School System in May 2012.
Sociology major Cheryl Posillico ’12 presented her paper, “Attitudes towards People with
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities” at the annual meeting of the New York State
Sociological Association in October 2011. Her paper received the award for” Outstanding Paper
Presented by an Undergraduate Student.”
Sociology majors, Jonathan Judge ’12, Calvin Lewis ’12, April Risley ’12, and Junior
Psychology major Melissa Alexander ’13 all presented their work at the annual meeting of the
Eastern Sociological Society in February 2012.
Sociology major Jahnna Rymer ’13 was awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International
Scholarship . These scholarships are presented by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education, to support students’ international educational experiences. Jahnna spent the Spring 2012 semester studying in Brazil.
Last May , Sociology Professor Paul Murray led a group of five Siena students and seven students from Albany High School on a “study tour course” to Alabama and Mississippi, retracing the route of the original Freedom Riders and participated in the 50 th Anniversary
Celebration of the Freedom Rides.
History major Laura Dugan ’12 presented a paper, “Taylor v. New Rochelle: The Aftermath,” co-authored with Professor Paul Murray, at the Researching New York Conference at the
University at Albany in November.
Elizabeth Dignum-Birch ’12 , a Spanish major, will have her article “Language: A Bridge or A
Border?” published in the Journal for Service-Learning, Leadership, and Social Change.
The Philosophy Department hosted the fourth Symposium on Living Philosophers
. This year’s
Symposium focused on the work of Princeton University Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah, who has made significant contributions to our understanding of the nature of language, racial identity, and moral relationships. The Symposium included a residency by Professor Appiah and concluded with a panel discussion at which Symposium students discussed their research projects with Professor Appiah.
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Joshua Alexander published the first book-length treatment of Experimental Philosophy with Polity Press.
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Assistant Philosophy Professor Fanny Söderbäck completed work on her second edited volume on Feminist Philosophy titled, Undutiful Daughters: New Directions in Feminist
Thought and Practice.
On March 20 th
, Seniors in the Social Work Department led teams of students and faculty members at the State Legislature as part of the annual New York State Social Work Education
Association Legislative Action Day . Professor Donna McIntosh served as the organizer of this event, which hosts almost 200 students from colleges and universities across New York
State. This year's advocacy focused on pending / needed legislation dealing with veterans’ health, anti-bullying laws, and services for sexually exploited youth.
Social Work Major Alexandra Georgieva ’12 received the “BSW Student of the Year Award” from the New York State Social Work Education Association at its annual conference in October
2011.
Faculty members in the Social Work Department hold or have held a variety of significant board positions in their discipline. Professor Donna McIntosh serves as the President of the
Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services. Associate Professor and Chair Carla
Sofka has most recently served as President of the Association for Death Education and
Counseling . Visiting Assistant Professor Kevin O’Connor was recently elected President of the
Board of Directors of CARES, a local AIDS housing and homeless services assistance program.
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