College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter

Volume 1, Number 1, November 2013

Au Revoir, Professor Cheyne

Michelle Cheyne, Associate Professor of French with the Department of Foreign Literature & Languages is on sabbatical in Paris, France for the academic year 2013-2014 doing research for a monograph on artistic ambition and 19th century French Theater. She will be giving a public lecture on November 27, 2013 at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Parigi. 

Her talk, "Pixerécourt, le « Federici »  des boulevards? Du Giudice del proprio delitto au Coffre de few" is part of a the year-long seminar, "Corps à corps : Récits de théâtre italien".

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CAS Provides an Educational Path

The College of Arts & Sciences opened a new, innovative advising center this fall in LARTS-114. Under the direction of Associate Dean Shari Evans, the Student Transition and Achievement Resource Center offers transitional and informational advising for students who are:

•  Considering a major or minor
•  Transitioning to a different major
•  Contemplating a double major
•  Looking to study abroad
•  Interested in the Honors program

The heart of this initiative is to provide early intervention for students and to help them map out their academic careers thoughtfully and thoroughly so they can get the most from their education.  
 
Students can visit the Center for weekly office hours with a professional academic advisor, peer mentors, and faculty advisors from most CAS majors and minors. It is also an excellent resource for students seeking enrichment activities like Study Abroad, Internship, or Experience Learning. 

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Switching Roles: From Student to Political Leader

On the campaign trail

As a UMass Darmouth political science student, I've received a foundation in political thought and a general interest in the policy-making field.  

When I started my honors thesis, my professors gave me a lot of freedom to research New Bedford Public Schools-an underperforming school district that I graduated from. During my research, I saw that changes needed to be made in the school district, and I wanted to be the agent of that change.
 
So I took advantage of UMass Dartmouth's internship program and started attending school committee meetings and volunteering in the schools. As the election came closer, I had established my project thesis, which doubled as a starter campaign platform. I decided to run for office and further develop my ideas.
 
Ironically, the actual completion of my thesis project has taken a back seat to the campaign. However, I'm very enthusiastic about my thesis because I see a need for more youth in politics, especially regarding schools. Even as a young candidate, I've been taken seriously. And that's because of UMass Dartmouth's Political Science program.
 
Josh Amaral
New Bedford School Commitee
Class of 2014