Dean David Fedo calls it “one of the most important bodies on campus, bringing to life critical issues teaching faculty deal with everyday.” It is the Excellence in Teaching Committee (ET).

The ET committee promotes faculty development and excellence in teaching across the campus by providing a forum for faculty to discuss topics such as:

• creating a positive classroom environment
• enhancing classroom discussions
• appropriate grading practices
• writing across the curriculum
• issues involving academic honesty
• teaching critical thinking

Riddle: What takes at least 60 hands, covers 90 heads, can be fuzzy, in wild colors and has a warm, caring heart?

The answer: Curry Charity Knitting’s contribution of 90 chemo caps for teens at Children’s Hospital.

Nursing Professor Harlene Caroline started the Curry Charity Knitting group to create an opportunity for staff, faculty and students to connect outside their normal roles and to share. An avid knitter, Harlene came across a call in a knitting blog for chemo caps for Boston’s Children’s Hospital. She saw this as the perfect opportunity to kick off a knitting group at Curry.

“Knitting (or crocheting) is peaceful and meditative," says Professor Caroline. "Those are experiences we all need in our busy lives. When that peace is also directed toward making something for others in need, everyone feels good.”

Some members of the group are able to meet once a week for an hour to knit their projects. Due to commitments, others knit on their own. Besides faculty, staff and students, other contributors included students’ family members, the Knitting Guild of Fuller Village, and seniors who come to lunch at Curry College and saw the signs about the project.

The group’s present charity focus is creating blankets for Project Linus which gives blankets and handmade toys to children who have been traumatized and need to snuggle with a blanket. The group welcomes knitters of all abilities. If you would like to participate in any way, please contact Harlene Caroline to get started.

First impressions are everything. As Curry’s main receptionist for almost five years, Maryam Khiyaty is making hundreds of first impressions everyday. With a smile in her voice and vast knowledge of the Curry campus, she not only answers a variety of calls and questions, she goes the extra mile to make sure callers get what they need. Whether she is playing detective to locate someone when a caller only knows a first name, track down someone to help a student who is locked out of their room, or help calm an upset parent before transferring them, Maryam represents the personal, attentive nature of our College.

Answering upwards of 500 calls a day on a busy day, she is not easily frazzled. Maybe that has to do with her experience in raising six kids! “I love getting up in the morning and coming to work, I really do. I get to interact with students, parents, faculty and staff. I get to know people by voice when they call. It makes it quite personal. My grandmother always said, 'You get a lot farther with sugar than you do with vinegar.' I take that to heart everyday.”

When asked the one thing she would like to share with the Curry community, Maryam offered, “For me, knowing what is going on around campus on a daily basis is so important in helping project a good image of Curry.” If you have events or meetings on campus, or if you are expecting a number of calls in response to a deadline, letter or advertisement, please let Maryam know the details so she can appropriately help callers and maintain that positive first impression.

On a personal note, Maryam adds, “I am a devoted wife to my wonderful husband Mustapha and loving mother of six children ages 29-10.” She is a teacher of Women’s Islamic studies and an avid gourmet cook.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield now offers a comprehensive wellness program called Blue Ribbon Personal Edge. Curry College is pleased to offer this program.

The Personal Health Assessment (PHA) is a major component of this program. This is a confidential survey that assesses each participant’s health status and provides participants with a customized health report. It shows how changes in lifestyle can lead to future health benefits. In addition, participants can enroll in lifestyle management programs that are custom designed. These programs contain personal advice and tools to help you make healthy changes.

The PHA only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. Go to www.bluecrossma.com and click on Member Self Service (and register if you haven’t already). Log in to Member Self Service, click on the MyBlueHealth apple icon and then click on the PHA link. If you would prefer to fill out the paper version, please contact Dawn Flannery in Human Resources.

As an added incentive, upon completing the PHA prior to April 30, primary subscribers who agree to share their information with BC/BS of Massachusetts (necessary in order to be enrolled in the custom programs) will receive a $25 gift certificate.

No matter how healthy you are, you can benefit from learning more about how to stay well.

Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities – A presentation of a new report from the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University that finds half of college students binge drink and/or abuse prescription and illegal drugs – and nearly one in four meet medical criteria for alcohol or drug dependency, two and one half times the percent of the general population who meet these same criteria. April 5, 1:00-2:00 p.m. in the Drapkin Study Lounge.

Typing Toward Clarity: The Education of a Curious Man - A lecture with author and journalist Charles P. Pierce, April 11, 7:00 pm in the Parents' Lounge.

ET Presents, The Choices Program: A meta-cognitive response to student behaviors – presented by Professor Patty Kean, April 12, 12:00- 2:00 p.m. in the Parents’ Lounge. RSVP to Jack Kahn.

Imperialism and Idealism: Two Traditions in US Foreign Relations – A presentation by Curry Fellow Dr. John Hill, this lecture is an overview of the United States foreign policy from the founding to the present. April 17, 7:00 p.m. in the President’s Dining Room.

Final Exposure: Portraits from Death Row – Lou Jones, photographer, will describe the tremendous effort his project required to gain access to death row and even more to take photographs and tape recordings of 27 inmates in more than a dozen different prisons. Visit www.fotojones.com for more information. It is a gripping photo essay about those prisoners, those whose lives were taken, and the death penalty. This is an extraordinary opportunity for learning and discussion relevant to many academic disciplines. The event is presented by the departments of Sociology/Criminal Justice, Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, and Fine and Applied Arts and the Diversity Committee. April 18, 6:30 p.m. in the Science Lecture Hall.

Millennials Go To College: Strategies for a New Generation on Campus - an ISA Committee Book Conversation, April 18, 8:00-10:00 a.m. in the President’s Dining Room.

David Van Someren Researchers’ Dinner - April 26, 5:00-9:00 p.m. in the Parents’ Lounge. RSVP to Jack Kahn.

Madwoman of Chaillot – A Curry Theater performance, April 29 through May 1, 7:30 p.m. (plus April 29, 2:00 p.m. matinee) in the Keith Auditorium.

Excellence in Teaching Open Forum, May 3, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the President’s Dining Room.

Annual Staff Retreat, "Balance Works," and Staff and Faculty Barbeque- June 1. Stay tuned for more details.