William Paterson student Jennifer Bauer, third from right, at CGI University with (from left) Nikki Henderson, research fellow, Green for All; Peggy Liu, founder and chairperson, Joint U.S.-China Co-operation on Clean Energy; G.P. “Bud” Peterson, chancellor, University of Colorado at Boulder; Jigar Shah, chief strategy officer and founder, SunEdison; and Christine Elbs Singer, deputy executive director, E+Co.

Jennifer Bauer, a sophomore majoring in political science, and Mahmoud Mahmoud, a junior majoring in sociology, were among 700 students chosen to attend the inaugural meeting of Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) University, held March 14 to 16 at Tulane University. 

The youth-focused meeting brought together students, academics, and social, political, and cultural leaders to discuss pressing issues and ways to bring about global action to solve them. Each participant makes a commitment in order to be chosen to attend the global conference and Bauer’s commitment to action, which focuses on transportation, was one of 33 chosen to be featured at the conference.  Bauer, whose project was included in a session on “Climate Change: Seizing the Economic Opportunity,” plans to continue working with Commuter Services, NJ Transit, and the SGA to enhance the current public transportation system on campus to mitigate the growing energy crisis and emphasize ways in which to “go green.” Bauer is a member of the Honors College and is currently executive vice president of the SGA.  Mahmoud is vice president of the SGA, and is currently working as an intern for the Bill Clinton Foundation in Harlem.

Jungle Tangle

Ming Fay, Art, will exhibit his work in the 183rd Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art sponsored by the National Academy Museum. The exhibit, to be held at the museum in New York City, runs from May 29 to September 7.  His work is a mobile, called “Jungle Tangle,” which is one piece of a series called “Jungle.” Fay is one of more than 125 artists selected to participate from a field of 400 recommended artists in this biennial exhibition which offers works by new, emerging, and established artists.

The University’s Music Education Club received a Collegiate Chapter of Excellence Award from the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) at the MENC’s bi-annual national conference held in Milwaukee April 9-13.  Music Education Club officers Melanie Lipman, president, and Emmanuel Coloma, vice president, attended the conference to accept the award on behalf of the club, which was honored for its work with Habitat of Humanity Musicians Village Project in New Orleans, which provides housing for musicians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  Ten William Paterson students, accompanied by Carol Frierson-Campbell, assistant professor of music, and Stephen Marcone, interim dean of the College of Arts and Communication, traveled to New Orleans during spring break in March 2007 to assist in constructing houses there.  They raised money to fund their trip by performing with faculty in a café-style concert, and donated $3,000 to Habitat for Humanity.

Philip Cioffari, English, was invited to serve as a highlighted author at the inaugural writer’s conference, “A Vision Quest: Tapping into Your Native Spirit,” held at the Village at Indian Spring. The conference was held in Flovilla, Georgia from April 25 to 27. It is designed to help budding writers and new authors.