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Expressing How We See the World: Smith Hall’s Peace Gallery |
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A historic US presidential election. A global financial crisis. The ongoing worldwide challenges of poverty, hunger, war, climate change, and more. The fall of 2008 was the perfect time to open Smith Hall’s new Peace Gallery. The brainchild of Smith’s hall director and Education PhD student Taras Ferencevych, the gallery in Smith’s common lounge is meant to “inspire students, faculty and staff alike to learn about ‘Others’: their cultures, their traditions, their successes and their struggles.” A campus-wide call for photographs taken by students while studying or traveling abroad resulted in over 250 submissions. A campus committee selected the final 50 photographs, which were taken by 17 students. The gallery was supported by a UNH Parents Association grant. |
Why photography - and why a focus on travel abroad? Explains Laura Loy, a rising senior who took her photograph of a ballerina in Patagonia, Argentina, while studying dance, “Art is the expression of how people see the world, and photography is accessible to people. It’s natural to want to document what you see. [Traveling abroad] you can see the disparity between standards of living and how you can affect the world. If the world is changing, art expresses that.” Adds rising senior Margarite Bechis, whose photograph was taken from her time in Greece, “Art is motivation. You need new ideas for sustainability, and art can be a medium for protecting the environment.” The gallery has been so successful that Smith Hall amended its constitution to create a council representative responsible for managing the gallery’s changing exhibits. Next year’s theme is now being chosen, and the call for submissions will come out in September. |
Did You Know?This year’s exhibit was turned into a book, which UNH President Mark Huddleston presented to Marcy Carsey (‘66), a former Smith Hall resident who in 2002 made a generous gift to the university establishing the Carsey Institute for Effective Families and Communities. |
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All photographs and a book of this year’s featured photographers are for sale! Framed and matted prints are $50, just prints $25. Checks should be made out to the University of New Hampshire. All proceeds are re-invested in the Smith Hall Peace Gallery for future exhibits and events. To order, contact Taras Ferencevych at 603.862.1123 or tarasf@unh.edu. |
June 1 Grappone Center, Concord, NH Contact: www.nhbsrconference.org |
June 3 11:45 AM checkin, 12 noon walk Whittemore Center, UNH Durham Contact: unh.edu/hr/walkNH2009.html |
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June 4 Clean Energy Workforce Development Forum 9:30 AM—2:00 PM University of Massachusetts Lowell Contact: Madeline Snow, (978) 934-4682, or David Turcotte, (617) 817-5111 |
June 24 15th Annual Taste of the Nation Strawberry Banke, Portsmouth, NH Contact: Share Our Strength |
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July 8-11 The Democracy Imperative and the Deliberative Democracy Consortium UNH Durham Contact: The Democracy Imperative |
June - September Great Bay or Isles of Shoals Discovery Cruises with the UNH Marine Docents UNH pier in New Castle, NH Contact: UNH Marine Docents |
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Since 1997, the University Office of Sustainability -- the oldest endowed sustainability program in higher education in the U.S. -- has been transforming UNH into a Sustainable Learning Community: A land grant, sea grant, and space grant university that unites the spirit of discovery with the challenge of sustainability across its curriculum, operations, research and engagement (CORE) through four initiatives designed around four key systems that underpin our ability to define and pursue quality of life -- biodiversity, climate, food, and culture. Discover sustainability at UNH.UNH University Office of Sustainability 107 Nesmith Hall, 131 Main Street Durham, NH 03824 USA 603.862.4088 phone 603.862.0785 fax |
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Rebecca Lehr Graduating Senior, Environmental Science (Ecosystems) |
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How have you helped UNH's Energy Task Force (ETF) develop WildCAP, the University's Climate Action Plan? I have sat on the ETF for the last year and have taken two independent study courses with Dr. Cameron Wake working on WildCAP. For my senior capstone course I did an in-depth analysis of eight projects or policies for the plan, gathering and researching decision-relevant information. I also helped set up a template for WildCAP action write-ups to ensure organized research and a uniform style across the plan. What do you hope to do with your UNH degree after graduation? I hope to get into the environmental field either in a lab position or possibly in environmental education. I am very interested in continuing with climate action plans and with climate change and sustainability research and education. What motivates you personally to be involved in sustainability? My grandfather started the recycling transfer station in my hometown, and my family has always considered practices for a more efficient home and recycling, so it’s something that |
I've been involved in but didn't put the name sustainability to until college. It really makes sense to me to use our resources efficiently and wisely for less impact today and tomorrow. Learn more about WildCAP, UNH's Climate Acton Plan. Learn more about how the 2009 UNH Commencement celebrated sustainability. -------------------------------- Download the Sustainability Speaker Series Podcasts!This year, UNH hosted over 20 distinguished speakers from UNH and institutions like Harvard, Tufts, Boston University, the Netherlands Environmental Agency, Seacoast-area businesses, and more as part of a new Sustainability Speaker Series. The series was sponsored by the NRESS Ph.D. Program, the Class of 1954 Fund, the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, the Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space, the Environmental Research Group, the University Office of Sustainability, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the Department of Earth Sciences. |
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