Macaulay Connections

With tales of her humble origins, New York Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch inspired a roomful of Macaulay Honors College students, almunae, and friends of Macaulay at a networking dinner during Women's History Month in March. The students, representing each of the seven senior colleges that are part of the Macaulay program, did some inspiring of their own as they introduced themselves, describing pivotal experiences and opportunities at Macaulay Honors College and speaking about their own rise to academic excellence.

Merryl H. Tisch, Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, at Macaulay Women's Forum March 23.

Jung Yeon (Christina) Lee '10 (City) listens to Meryl Tisch's words of encouragement.

Dean Ann Kirschner

Linda Macaulay addresses students, alums, friends of Macaulay at the Women's Forum.

Olga Barskaya '10 (Baruch) introduces herself.

The CUNY Nobel Science Challenge was the brainchild of Vice Chancellor for Research, Gillian Small, who wanted CUNY's students to contribute to science literacy in New York City. The challenge was to write an essay describing the work that went into the 2010 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Economics, Physics, and Physiology/Medicine.

Each essay had to communicate the science in a way that could be understood by the general public. More than 100 essays were submitted from undergraduates across the CUNY system.

Among the 2010 Winners were three women and one man from Macaulay.

First place, Physics

Rakefet Ben-Ari '11 (Hunter) worked in Dr. Steve Greenbaum’s NMR lab researching batteries as an alternative energy. Rakefet is currently studying abroad for the year at Ben-Gurion University where she has been able to intern in an electrical engineering laboratory and hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in physics and career in physics research.

Find her winning essay here.

First place, Chemistry

Hyeondo “Luke” Hwang '13 (City) intends to major in biochemistry or chemistry. He graduated from Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, New Jersey. During high school, Luke conducted an independent study on a plasticizer/xenoestrogen known as bisphenol-A. He also interned at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s cell biology lab under the mentorship of Dr. Neena Philips. At City College, he has joined Dr. George John’s organic synthesis lab after taking a course in organic chemistry. He hopes to go into research in a chemistry-related field. As a Edward Koch Scholar for public service, Luke volunteers at a local church shelter every week.

Find his winning essay here.

Second place, Chemistry

Karishma Chawla '10 (Brooklyn) spent the last fours years pursuing a double major in Biology and Health and Nutrition Sciences with a minor in English. With an emphasis on pre-medical studies, Karishma’s academic career has been complemented with internship opportunities at New York Hospital Queens and various child health clinics in Brooklyn. Karishma has done research as an Academic Associate in SUNY Downstate’s Emergency Department, volunteered at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine’s ECHO Clinic in the Bronx and worked as a research assistant on a clinical study pertaining to Pediatric Asthma at the University Hospital of Brooklyn. Aside from her interests in medicine, Karishma also has ample experience in volunteer work- as a Conversation Partner with the Adult Literacy Program at Brooklyn College, a mentor for the Hour Children Program, and as an intern at The Council of Peoples’ Organization.

Currently, Karishma is also a fellow at the CUNY Leadership Academy, a tutor for the College Now Program, and has been the recipient of several academic and extracurricular distinctions such as the James Mantiband Scholarship (’07), Anne and Herbert Newman Scholarship (’09), and the Making a Difference in Human Rights Award (’09). Last January, Karishma had the opportunity to study Evolution and Ecology in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and just returned from another study abroad experience in Florence, Italy. She is well into the process of applying to medical school for the Fall 2010 term, and looks forward to her future career as a well-rounded and successful physician.

Find her essay here.

Third place, Chemistry

Anam Ahmed '11 (Queens) is the first in her family to attend college in the United States. She is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor is Sociology and plans to attend medical school beginning in 2011. Ms. Ahmed feels that her choice of major and minor will make her a well-informed doctor who can understand science and at the same time, take into account the values and beliefs of patients. She has been volunteering at a disadvantaged children's center in Manhattan for over a year. This past summer, Anam volunteered to teach English to 6th graders in Thailand. These two experiences have motivated her to want to work specifically with children. For the past three semesters, Ms. Ahmed has been conducting biochemistry research concerning DNA repair. Anam is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, Beta Delta Chi (Chemistry Honor Society) and has consistently been on the Dean's List.

Find her essay here.

–Daniel Blondell ’10, Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, Selected as Senior Orator–

–Paul and Daisy Soros to Be Awarded Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degrees at Ceremony in Alice Tully Hall May 26, 2010, Introduced by N.J.Nicholas–

Ann Kirschner, University Dean of Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, announced that Robert Lawrence (R.L.) Stine, one of the best-selling children’s authors of all time, will be the Class of 2010’s Convocation speaker. The ceremony will be held from 5pm to 7pm on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall.

At the same ceremony, Macaulay will honor Paul and Daisy Soros with honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees. The distinction salutes their leadership of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, providing opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields. They will be introduced by N.J. Nicholas, Jr., investor and former President of Time Inc.

“This will be one of our most exciting and important Convocation ceremonies ever,” said Kirschner. “We have so much to celebrate. Leading our procession into majestic Alice Tully Hall will be our first-ever 5th-reunion class, the Class of 2005, who began at Macaulay when it was still named ‘CUNY Honors College.’ This spring, we admitted our tenth class, the Class of 2014, and that means we are kicking off our tenth-anniversary celebration as well. We will have a brief ceremony, introduced by graduating senior Penny Phillips of Queens College, to mark this wonderful moment in our history.”

R.L. Stine, beloved author, to speak at Macaulay Convocation May 26

R.L. Stine is one of the best-selling children's authors in history. His Goosebumps, Fear Street, and other book series have sold over 350 million copies around the world. Bob was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1943 to a homemaker and shipping clerk. When Bob was nine, he found an old typewriter up in the attic, which subsequently changed his life. After graduating from Ohio State University in 1965, he headed to New York City to become a writer. He wrote dozens of joke books and humor books for kids and created Bananas, a zany humor magazine which he wrote and edited for ten years. Fear Street was his first horror series, aimed at teenagers. Goosebumps began in 1992 and the book series quickly became a hit around the world. Translated into 32 different languages, it made Bob a worldwide publishing celebrity. Stine's book creations include: The Nightmare Room (also a TV series), Mostly Ghostly, a series about a boy whose house is inhabited by ghosts that only he can see; Rotten School, a humor series; and Beware!, a collection of his favorite stories, poems, comics and illustrations. These days, R.L. Stine is hard at work on a new Goosebumps series, called Goosebumps Horrorland. He lives in New York City with his wife Jane and King Charles Spaniel, Minnie. Click here to post a memory or message for R.L. Stine.

Daisy Soros grew up in Hungary and graduated from Ecole Hotelier in Lausanne, Switzerland. She came to the U.S. to study at Columbia University, attended New York School of Interior Design, studied at NYU School of Social Work, and worked extensively as a counselor to terminally ill patients and their families. She has been the recipient of the Fulbright Award, Lincoln Center Laureate Aware, Ellis Island Medial of Honor, International House Harry Edmonds Award, Casita Maria Gold Medal of Honor and The National Immigration Forum’s “Keepers of the American Dream Award.” Paul Soros, also born in Hungary, studied mechanical engineering in Budapest, but began looking for a chance to escape when a Communist government came to power, and in 1948, as a member of the Hungarian Olympic ski team in Switzerland, he defected. He took a master’s degree in engineering from Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, and in 1956, he founded Soros Associates, an international engineering firm with projects in over 90 countries. His is now active in Paul Soros Investments, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is a board member of several corporations and non-profit organizations.

N.J. Nicholas, Jr., who joined Time Inc. in 1964, held a number of executive positions during his 30-year career with the company. He was named president of Time Inc. in 1986 and served as co-chief executive officer of Time Warner Inc. until February 1992. Nicholas is a director of the Boston Scientific Corporation, Xerox Corporation, and Time Warner Cable. He has served as a member of the boards of Turner Broadcasting, Bankers Trust Company, and Priceline; as member of the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations and the President’s Commission on Environmental Quality; and as chairman of the Advisory Board of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Nicholas is also chairman of the board of trustees of Environmental Defense Fund and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He attended Phillips Academy at Andover, Massachusetts, and received an AB degree magna cum laude in Economics from Princeton University in 1962 and an MBA degree from the Harvard Business School in 1964.

Distinguished Fellowship Program Grooms Freshmen and Sophomores for Professional and Personal Leadership

Two Macaulay Honors College students, Patrycja Ajdukiewicz and Renelle Lawrence from Baruch College, have been awarded 2010 Jeannette K. Watson Fellowships. The three-year Fellowship program offers paid summer internships, mentoring, and enhanced educational opportunities to New York City undergraduates who demonstrate exceptional promise, outstanding leadership skills, and commitment to the common good.

Established by the Thomas J. Watson Foundation in 1999, the Fellowship operates on the principle that “talent is broadly distributed but only selectively developed.”  Watson Fellows have their pick of coveted job placements (“work they can learn from”) over three consecutive summers in non-profit agencies, business organizations, and government service that give them a chance to grow and develop interpersonal skills and gain self-confidence in a variety of professional settings.  In the third summer, Watson Fellows can apply for an international assignment through partnerships with the Institute of International Education, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Save the Children, and many other organizations.

A summer series of weekly seminars further enhances the learning experience by encouraging debate and interaction and also by providing an opportunity for Watson Fellows to share learning from their work experiences.  Visits to cultural institutions like Shakespeare in the Park, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Museum of Natural History enable students to discover New York City’s free summer offerings.  Every Watson Fellow receives a generous stipend as compensation and support for summer employment and continuing Fellowship obligations.

Patrycja Ajdukiewicz

A first-year student at Baruch College, Patrycja Ajdukiewicz is majoring in Public Affairs with an interdisciplinary minor combining NYC Studies, French and Photography.  She emigrated from her native Poland only five years ago.  Patrycja has explored her interest in social activism as a volunteer at a Native American Navajo reservation in Arizona where she assisted in the building of a playground for children of single mothers.  Later, she worked with the Social Activism program at the Museum of Modern Art.  She is currently a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.  Patrycia is an avid Francophile, and spent a year studying at Lycée Charles de Gaulle in Paris in 2008-09. In addition to French, she is also fluent in Polish and Spanish.

Renelle Lawrence.

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Renelle Lawrence is a second-year student at Baruch College.  She is pursuing a degree in psychology with a double minor in Japanese and interdisciplinary New York studies.  Renelle has volunteered her time to assist children improve literacy through the Book Buddies program at her local library, the Change for Kids pro

gram at P.S. 160 and as a tutor at the Champion Learning Center.  She has also worked with the Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Program in New York City teaching healthy eating and exercise habits.  Active in community service, Renelle has also participated in the Lend-A-Hand program and It’s My Park Day.  She has honed her skills in leadership and organization as a stage manager for productions from plays and musicals to fashion shows and concerts.

These two JK Watson Fellows are about to begin the process of interviewing for their first Watson summer internships. In the past, recipients have spent their first summer at such organizations as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, DonorsChoose, Echoing Green, and the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo.

Twelve colleges in all, including the seven  senior CUNY colleges with which Macaulay works – Baruch College, Brooklyn College, theCity College of New York, the College of Staten Island, Hunter College, Lehman College, and Queens College – compete annually for fifteen Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship openings; at least one college from each borough is included in the group of eligible schools. Each school may nominate up to four candidates to send to the citywide selection panels.  Campus representatives are responsible for spreading the word about the Fellowship and navigating students through the entire process.  Only the most determined candidates complete the rigorous application process.

Twenty-eight previous Macaulay Honors College students were or are currently active Jeannette K. Watson Fellows: (2002) Priya Suryanarayanan, Anja Vojvodic, and Roberta Winters; (2003) Claudio Simpkins; (2004) Frank Copeli, Ron Kagan, Katherine McCarthy, Melody Messina, and Khadija Rentas; (2005) Shahriar Ashraf, Sara Butler, Christine Curella, and Lik Chee Sim; (2006) Nicholas Copeli, Kunchok Dolma, and Catherine Zinnel; (2007) Mikaela Chase, Talia Krevsky, Valerio Russo, and Long Tran; (2008) Joseph Eastman and Michael Young; and (2009) Tyler Alterman, Brian Kateman, Ilyra Ryvin, Bing Shao, Jocelyne Jeannot and Sushanta Singha.