The university?s first Meliora Weekend is months away, but organizers have already booked actor and entertainer Bill Cosby to speak at the festivities.
?Bill Cosby was chosen because he appeals to the broad audience of students, parents and alumni that will be here for Meliora Weekend,? said senior and Meliora Weekend student programming co-chair Mindy Fountain. ?He?s a man who is not only a great entertainer, but also a very positive figure in American society. I look forward to two wonderful comedic performances.?
Cosby dropped out of high school and joined the Navy in the ?50s. Years later, he went to college on a football scholarship.
After college, Cosby started performing stand-up routines, which were a nightclub draw in the ?60s. Cosby continued to press the frontier with television and comedy successes. His comedy albums were frequent Grammy honorees.
In the ?70s, Cosby returned to school to get his doctorate in education and has remained involved in the cause, frequently donating large sums to educational institutions.
Cosby will speak twice Friday, Oct. 12. The performance will be co-sponsored by Alumni Relations and Campus Activities Board.
Tynan named finalist for IT woman of the year
Vice Provost for Technology Mely Tynan has been nominated for the honor of ?IT Woman of the Year,? an award created by the Women?s Council of the Greater Rochester Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Tynan will compete against 15 others for the award, which highlights women?s achievements in information technology, a field dominated by men.
?As a relatively new member of the Rochester community, I was pleasantly surprised at the acknowledgment,? Tynan said. ?I am very excited about the progress my team is making on campus. The key to this is continuing collaboration and coaching, which this award is about. I love coaching, mentoring and helping others realize potential they often do not realize they have.?
?Women?s Council is proud to present this award program to the Rochester area. It is essential that women continue to pursue the career opportunities in information technology,? Women?s Council President Dawn Tobin said in a press release.
The winner will be announced at a reception Friday, April 27 at 5 p.m. at Bob Hastings Oldsmobile-Buick-GMC, located at 800 Panorama Trail in Penfield.
Students thank 19th Ward with bridge brunch
Students have yet another opportunity to get to know their neighbors across the bridge with the seventh annual bridge brunch.
Since 1994, members of the 19th Ward have invited UR students to their homes for dinner to bring the two communities together. Each year, UR reciprocates by holding a brunch for the host families.
?The brunch is a thank you, but it is also a celebration of community and university relationships,? bruch coordinatorJody Asbury said.
This year?s brunch will take place in Danforth Dining Center Sunday, April 22 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Danforth will serve lunch entrees, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, sliced fruit and pastries. All are welcome.
After the meal, the Community Learning Center will hold an open house to further improve community relations. The event will introduce 19th Ward residents to the resources of CLC and inform UR students of community service opportunities across the bridge.
In honor of Earth Day, CLC members will plant daffodils around the center with the help of children attending the brunch.
5K run supports women in Afghanistan
Women?s Caucus will hold a 5K run Saturday to help end gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
Money raised will benefit the Feminist Majority Foundation, which works with women and children refugees in camps just outside Afghanistan?s borders. It provides scholarships for women to be educated outside Afghanistan.
The race begins at the Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center at 11 a.m. Participants can register at the door. The entry fee is $10.
Reporting by Pranav Chandra and Cecilia Le.
