Saunterer
THE
Like Thoreau in Walden, we will record our sauntering here, remembering that
“if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which
he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
NEWSLETTER OF THE THOMAS E. BELLAVANCE HONORS PROGRAM | SPRING 2015
BELLAVANCE
HONORS PROGRAM
DIRECTOR
Dr. James Joseph Buss
[email protected]
410-546-6902
BELLA
VANCE
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Dr. Leanne Wood
[email protected]
410-677-3721
PROgRAm mANAgEmENT SPECIAlIST
Joan Kjeldsen
[email protected]
410-677-6556
EDITORS-IN-ChIEf
Elizabeth Raley
Accounting, 2015
[email protected]
Frances Sherlock
management and Conflict Analysis and
Dispute Resolution, 2017
[email protected]
PhOTO EDITOR
Darby Dicks
Communication Arts, 2017
[email protected]
STUDENT WRITING STAFF
Abby Decrenza
Communication Arts, 2017
[email protected]
Alaina Gostomski
Elementary Education, 2017
[email protected]
Mary McKernan
English Creative Writing, 2017
[email protected]
Rebecca Miller
history, 2017
[email protected]
HONORS
PROGRAM
CONTACT US:
n Don’t Know Whom to Ask?
[email protected]
n Follow us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/bellavancehonors
n www.salisbury.edu/honors
Catherine Raley
Exercise Science, 2017
[email protected]
Benjamin Sonnenberg
history Secondary Education, 2018
[email protected]
Samuel Stevens
history, 2018
[email protected]
On the cover: “From Here to There” by Darby Dicks
SU has a strong institutional commitment to diversity and nondiscrimination in all programs, events, and services. To that end, the University
prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, genetic
information, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. Direct all
inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Office of Institutional Equity/Title IX Coordinator, Holloway Hall 100, 410-543-6426.
A Note from the Director
I am often asked “what does honors education mean” or “what value does
honors education add to the undergraduate experience?” my typical response
goes something like this: the honors Program offers enhanced or enriched
experiences both in and out of the classroom. While this usually satisfies my
inquisitor, it doesn't wholly capture what honors education means for students
at Salisbury University.
Traced to its latin roots, e and ducere (educere), education means to “draw
out,” and the honors Program takes seriously its role in providing students with
opportunities to expand and discover their place within the Salisbury
community, the nation, and the world.
As you will see in the following pages, education takes on different meanings
within the honors Program. Of course, students engage in interesting
discussion-based classes that explore interesting and unique subjects, such as
adolescent psychology and popular culture, cultural imaginations and the
idealized American main street, food as history and culture, energy science and
policy, and vampires; but honors education at SU means much, much more.
In an attempt to extend learning beyond the classroom, the honors Program
has offered a dizzying number of interesting and exciting experiences for its
students. We have sent students abroad to explore their global interests; we
have taken students to the nation’s political capital (DC) and its cultural capital
(NYC); and, we have watched films together, listened to music together, hosted
speakers together and otherwise formed a community of life-long learners.
more than that, we’ve built a community that includes students, faculty
members and the larger Salisbury community.
With all of these opportunities available to our students, we haven’t rested on
our laurels. Just this past semester, the honors Program initiated Salon Nights,
where we invited interesting guests to speak with students in a casual setting
reminiscent of 18th century European salons. Through these informal nights,
students have had the opportunity to meet individuals with incredible stories,
including someone who fled from the war-torn nation of Syria and another who
has spent a lifetime fighting for homeless children in the streets of Cairo, Egypt.
In all, these opportunities define honors education at Salisbury University as
the practice of drawing the most out of a student’s experience.
“IN AN ATTEmPT
TO
,
ThE hONORS
PROgRAm hAS
OffERED A
DIzzYINg NUmBER
Of INTERESTINg
AND ExCITINg
ExPERIENCES fOR
ITS STUDENTS. “
Best wishes,
James Joseph Buss, Ph.D.
Director, Thomas E. Bellavance Honors Program
THE SAUNTERER 1
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
John Thomas
By Frances Sherlock
John Thomas is a senior biology major and chemistry minor in the
Bellavance Honors Program. He is an executive board member for
Saferide, which provides safe transportation for more than 800
Salisbury University students each weekend. His work with Saferide
and as a student instructor in the Department of Chemistry helped
him garner recognition as “A Sea Gull Who Soars” this past
November. We sat down with John and asked him to discuss his
time at Salisbury University and his thoughts on his time in the
Honors Program.
As a science major, John took few non-lab classes
outside of his required general Education courses.
he enjoyed that honors courses provided him a “wellrounded education” by offering topics from critical
thinking to sports education and appreciated that the
honors Program helped him develop into a wellrounded student with a “look at all fields.” Over the past
four years, seniors like John have watched the program
grow and expand at Salisbury University. he
commented, “The honors Program is becoming
something you want to be a part of. Dr. Buss has really
worked these past two years to grow the program.”
The Bellavance honors Program places a great
emphasis on undergraduate research and promotes
working closely with faculty mentors. John has taken
advantage of these opportunities during his time at SU.
his first project, “Development of an Efficient Synthesis
of the Anti-migraine Drug Olcegepant,” allowed him to
work alongside a chemistry professor and conduct
laboratory research on his own. John conducted his
second project, “Scope and limitations of
Intramolecular Cycloetherifications in the Synthesis of
Pestacin,” as an independent project where he put to
use the skills he acquired in his honors research course.
“This project,” John said, “allowed me to be hands-on
with my research. The professor was there as a guide in
the process.”
The honors Program seeks to cultivate great minds
and produce great leaders. John said he “wanted to be
a leader and wanted to be good all around.” Starting
from his second semester at Salisbury, John sought
leadership positions on campus. John joined the
executive board for Saferide as well as began his journey
as a chemistry supplemental instructor, both of which he
continued through the end of his last semester. John
also worked as a part of the Smart grant mentor
Program where he helped to integrate students from
Wor-Wic Community College to Salisbury University.
2 THE SAUNTERER
honors students also have a reputation to better the
community within which they live. John said: “As honors
students, we command respect and owe it the students
and the community to not be such an exclusive group.
We want to be involved as a part of a large family.” John
demonstrated outstanding community service while
creating door tags for the SU neighbors to inform them
of what Saferide provided to the community in Salisbury.
John said, “being an honors student made me take that
extra step and reach out to the community.”
John’s advice for incoming and current honors
students is “do not get too wrapped up in grades; there
is more to college than grades and it took me four years
to realize that.” n
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: LEN FOXWELL
By Alaina Gostomski
With each edition of The Saunterer, the Honors Program writing staff is proud to feature a different
graduate from the Thomas E. Bellavance Honors Program. This semester, Len Foxwell, a 1992
graduate who serves as the chief of staff for Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, volunteered to
serve as our alumni spotlight. Foxwell took the time to reminisce on his experience in the Honors
Program as well as elaborate on life after Salisbury University.
len foxwell, who still lives on the
Eastern Shore, is an avid baseball
fan and youth baseball coach, and
has served as a member on the
board of directors of the Easton
little league. I asked how he
managed to dedicate time to
baseball while balancing a busy
job, to which he said, “Someone
made the time for me when I was
younger.” foxwell’s outlook on
youth baseball parallels his
devotion to being chief of staff
and active Salisbury University
alumnus. he feels that giving
back to communities that once
served him is the best way to
show his gratitude.
foxwell’s fondest memories of
the Bellavance honors Program
include moments with honors
Program Director Dr. Tony Whall,
who foxwell said pushed him to
be a better thinker. Courses with
Dr. Whall were always rigorous,
but one class that stood out in
particular was an honors writing
class. As a political science major,
foxwell’s papers were largely
reflective and echoed his political
views. Entering Salisbury, foxwell
identified as a conservative
Republican – he was an officer
for the Young Republicans Club
for two years. Throughout his
interview with The Saunterer
staff, foxwell stressed that
college is a time to stretch one’s
mind, which is precisely what
Dr. Whall encouraged in his
courses. Dr. Whall challenged
foxwell to write every paper
arguing from a different
perspective than his own. foxwell
attributes his current success in
the political realm to the
challenges he faced in the honors
Program; by arguing from a
different view on contemporary
issues, he understood both the
importance of diplomacy and
compromise, as well as to hone
his ability to identify his political
positions. foxwell ended his last
two years at Salisbury as an
officer for the Young Democrats
Club and currently identifies as a
moderate Democrat.
As the chief of staff for the
maryland comptroller, foxwell
was proud to announce that
maryland has maintained its
status as a national leader in the
exuberance of which tax returns
were processed, which sits at just
three business days. Working for
the comptroller, much of
foxwell’s work is central to tax
administration and allocation.
foxwell was very clear that the
skills that have helped him be
such a successful civil servant
were skills that were largely
refined in the honors Program.
While we wrapped up our
interview, I asked foxwell for any
final thoughts. he ended with this
important advice, “College is a
HONORS ALUMNUS
LEN FOXWELL ’92
time for you to enjoy – savor
every moment.” foxwell
considered the honors Program
not only a challenging
experience, but a humbling one.
College primarily is about finding
one’s place among peers and
challenging one’s beliefs, but it is
also a time to enjoy and savor
that journey. n
THE SAUNTERER 3
We Are
Honored
EDITORS FRANCES
SHERLOCK AND ELIZABETH
RALEY (CENTER),
ACCOMPANIED BY
DR. LEANNE WOOD (RIGHT),
ACCEPT AWARD FOR THE
SAUNTERER FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE
HONORS COUNCIL,
DR. HALLIE SAVAGE (LEFT).
By Elizabeth Raley
It was a beautiful Saturday in
Denver. We had arrived a few days
early for the National Collegiate
honors Council Conference. This
is an annual event that brings
together faculty members and
students from honor Colleges and
Programs across the country.
Dr. Buss and Dr. Wood (the
Bellavance honors Program
directors) finally had a block of
free time, so we decided to leave
the conference hotel and explore
the city.
Dr. Wood brought us to glaze,
a cafe that specializes in Japanese
Baum cakes, before heading
over to molly Brown’s house. It
happened to be free museum
night, so there was a long line.
Dr. Buss volunteered to wait while
the ladies explored the gift shop.
When we rejoined him, he was on
the phone and seemed upset. he
hung up, glanced at his watch, and
insisted we had to go, now! We
took heed and literally ran (or at
least walked at a brisk pace) across
town back to the conference hotel.
As we entered through the
doors, he told us that The
Saunterer had just received second
place in the faculty/Administrator
Print category of the honors
Newsletter Competition. This was
an incredible feat since we had
redesigned the newsletter only a
year earlier and The Saunterer had
not won an award in over a
decade. When we went to the
honors Banquet that night, we
were able to see our names on a
big screen commemorating our
accomplishment and meet the
executive director of the National
Collegiate honors Council, who
presented us with our award. Your
humble editors wish to extend
their gratitude to everybody who
has helped create this awardwinning newsletter! n
4 THE SAUNTERER
Honors Ambassadors Reach Out
to New and Incoming Students
By Mary McKernan
The Bellavance honors Program
recently initiated a program for
honors students who exemplify
the University’s guiding principles
to learn, live and lead. These
students have been chosen by the
honors Program directors and
given the title of honors Student
Ambassadors.
These students perform
various functions, such as
answering questions from
prospective students at open
houses and volunteering at
events like the maryland
Collegiate honors Conference.
honors Student Ambassadors
offer incoming students a student
perspective of what the honors
Program has to offer. The
Ambassadors represent a wide
variety of majors and minors,
including liberal arts, business,
education and STEm fields.
They come from all parts of
maryland and from out of state
as well! These students
participate in a broad spectrum
of extracurriculars, both on and
off campus.
for example, student
Ambassador Brendan gallagher
just released an album on iTunes,
while Ambassador Sarah Dobry
knits for charity in her free time.
If you have any questions about
the honors Program or Salisbury
University, or are interested in
becoming an honors Student
Ambassador, check out the
Ambassador profiles on the honors
webpage under “future Students.” n
RESOURCE AND REFUGE:
20 Years Strong
By Rebecca Miller
The Bellavance honors Program
began in 1980 with a mere 20
students who met in the upper
auxiliary gym of the maggs
Physical Activities Center. Today
the program consists of over 250
students enrolled in every school
on campus. Between then and
now – the 1994-95 school year to
be exact – the program moved to
its current location in the
Bellavance honors Center.
located between the
Scarborough Student leadership
Center and the Alumni house at
the intersection of Camden and
loblolly, the honors Center is a
home away from home for many
students. It is here where any
honors student can walk in and be
greeted by the smiling sweetness
of program management specialist
Joan Kjeldsen, who asks each and
every visitor about his or her day.
When not in meetings, teaching
classes or scavenging the area for
shark-themed gummies for a
student event, Dr. Buss’ door is
open for students to seek advice
and support. Upstairs, quiet show
tunes betray the presence of
assistant director Dr. Wood. Knock
and she’ll help you decipher life’s
problems. On many days, a
friendly student worker can be
found at the worker’s desk, stuffing
acceptance letters, working on the
website or even editing The
Saunterer. The people of the
honors Center breathe life into the
program, working diligently
everyday but always having a
moment to care.
Beyond normal business hours,
the honors Center is a resource
and a refuge for the program’s
students. One can often find
students on their laptops or
reviewing notes in the living
room, the glass table spread with
papers. It is a peaceful place for
study, both individually and in the
power of groups. Students can
reserve the upstairs conference
room and take advantage of a
white board or the high-tech,
media-share equipment the
program has been asked to
pioneer for the new guerrieri
Academic Commons. Across the
hall, the computer lab offers
hassle-free printing and
computers loaded with all the
programs a student may need for
out-of-class assignments.
New wide-screen monitors
outshine the current library’s
accommodations and are much
easier on the eyes. Downstairs,
students have access to a
full kitchen – provided they
bring their own ingredients.
Nevertheless, one may be able
to find the ingredients for a
simple cake and an unopened
container of frosting. Baked
goods left on the counters
quickly disappear.
The honors Center is a
sanctuary for all, but to
commuter students it makes all
the difference. It is a cozy place
where they can spend the day
between classes without the
hustle and bustle of the library
or the intimidatingly vastness
of fireside lounge.
The honors Center is warm
and inviting. It is a home away
from home, whether the distance
is 10 or 1,000 miles, the honors
Center is an asset to the program.
Over the last 20 years, it has
become an invaluable part – the
heart and soul – of the Bellavance
honors Program. n
BELLAVANCE HONORS CENTER
THE SAUNTERER 5
L-R: JENNIFER ISACOFF, BRETT WOLF, PATRICK MILLER AND SAVANNA ALBRIGHT
Nervous at First:
Freshman Honors Students Reflect Upon
First Semester at Salisbury University
By Benjamin Sonnenberg and Samuel Stevens
On a rare warm afternoon in
february, as the freshman honors
students settled down on the
Quad to enjoy a reprieve from
hypothermia, we set out to ask
them their initial impressions of
their first semester in SU’s honors
Program. The students had to
adjust to their new lives in a
variety of ways. Experiments were
performed, passions were gained,
and for some, reality set in.
Some students gained new
interests that had been unavailable
to them before they came to
Salisbury. During Jennifer Isacoff’s
first semester, she was uncertain
of which major to choose, which
career path out of thousands to
pick. What she did know, however,
was that she was “curious.”
During our interview, she remarked
that, for her, “This semester has
been one for experimentation.”
Soon after arriving she joined
SU’s hillel, an on-campus Jewish
organization that she said is now
her “main club.” Although she
remains undecided, she finished
the fall term with a 4.0 gPA and
gained new experiences that she
6 THE SAUNTERER
hopes will help her to “learn what
she likes.”
Savannah Albright entered
Salisbury with a major in
mathematics - secondary education
and a desire to instill a love of math
in young minds. however, new
experiences have convinced her to
expand her interests to include the
traditional math track and pre-med
chemistry. Savannah realized that
she “didn’t want to just take math
classes for the rest of her life.”
Other students also realized
different skills that they had once
thought to be beyond them. Brett
Wolf, for example, learned new
skills through his honors Critical
Thinking and Writing class.
According to him, “It taught me
how to read and analyze better.
It was one of the hardest courses
I had ever taken, and I found that
I had to devote more time to
that class than to my high school
ones.” Brett found the food
theme to be particularly
challenging, but something for
which he managed to adapt.
When asked about the same
honors course, Patrick miller
stated, “It taught me how to think
critically. You had to really focus
on small details when reading.”
Indeed, for Patrick, the new
college environment meant the
end of old high school generality.
Upon entering the honors
Program and majoring in biology,
he realized that he had to be
flexible in considering different
methods of studying and
researching. According to him,
“There’s a big change from high
school. Now you have to relay
your ideas in a cohesive way.
more is being asked from you.”
To meet the ever-increasing
demands of a rigorous honors
Program, Patrick often had to
shelve favorite activities, such as
his guitar and casual reading.
Overall, his experiences have
made him a better scholar. he
said, “I was nervous at first, but
there are a lot of great people I
get to live with.”
Indeed, the experiences of
the Salisbury honors freshmen
have seasoned them for the
rigor of college studies and
the years ahead. n
Educational
Enhancement
Award
By Catherine Raley
DR. ADIB SHA’AR (LEFT) SPEAKS TO HONORS PROGRAM STUDENTS
DURING THE INAUGURAL SALON NIGHT
Salon Nights: An Informal
Gathering of Honors Students
By Abby DeCrenza
Salon Nights, styled after their
french predecessors, are a new
series of casual, Wednesday night
conversations hosted by the
honors Program. They provide an
informal way for students to gather
in a social, intellectually stimulating
setting, expand their cultural
horizons, and interact meaningfully
over tea and hors d’oeuvres.
The first Salon Night guest was
Dr. Adib Sha’ar, who discussed the
state of his native Syria. he
conveyed the cultural diversity and
architectural heritage of Syria,
much of which is being threatened
by the ongoing civil war there. he
informed students of the
widespread corruption in his
country, which has crippled the
public education system and
prompted the formation of rebel
groups. he also described the
state of his old neighborhood,
which is now occupied by rebel
groups. A mediterranean spread
provided by University Catering
complemented the captivating
dialogue with Sha’ar.
The second Salon Night had a
much different vibe, focusing
instead on the musical talents
within our own program.
Someone is almost always playing
the piano in the honors Center
and Dr. Buss thought it was time to
have students showcase their
talents. The open mic set-up gave
students the chance to exhibit
their abilities. Several artists used
this as an opportunity to present
original material to an excited
audience, while others covered a
variety of crowd pleasers. Pianists,
guitarists, vocalists and
collaborations of all kinds – the
honors Program was proud to
come together and support
exciting talent.
most recently, Salisbury
resident hala mcIver shared her
experiences helping children living
on the streets of Cairo. She has
lived in the U.S. for many years but
has a passion for giving back to the
country where she was born. In
2010, mcIver founded a nongovernmental organization that
provides funding to existing social
workers and institutions in Cairo.
Students at the Salon Night were
curious to learn why so many
children in Cairo choose or are
forced to live on the street, and
mcIver explained how challenging
it is to find, win the trust of and
reintegrate these children. her
compelling photographs and
stories were an inspiration to
audience members, many of
whom, by the end of the evening,
were eager to learn more about
volunteering abroad.n
The Women’s Circle of Salisbury
University, a network of women
founded in 2014, is dedicated to
providing leadership and support
to enhance the betterment of the
University and its students through
intellectual and financial means
within the community. They
collaborated with the honors
Program to create a scholarship for
one deserving student who has a
minimum 3.0 gPA and
demonstrated leadership and
service in the local community.
This year’s scholarship recipient
is senior exercise science-allied
health major and dance minor
Chelsea Chmel. She holds
membership in three national
honors societies on campus and
has maintained a 4.0 gPA. When
she is not choreographing original
works for the SU Dance Company,
she is either at practice for SU
Pom’s Dance Team or out and
about in the neighborhoods of
Salisbury with the girls on Top of
the World community service club.
After presenting research twice on
campus, she had the opportunity
to present at the National
Conference for Undergraduate
Research in Wisconsin with a grant
she received from SU. As a
certified zumba instructor at the
University fitness Club, her goal is
“to promote a healthy lifestyle and
to help others to achieve a better
quality of life.”
Chelsea has a comprehensive
vision for the future, by positively
using her education and
extracurricular activities in the
community to influence her impact
in the world. This award will offset
the expenses she will incur at the
University of maryland Eastern Shore
next fall where she will be toward a
Doctor of Physical Therapy. n
THE SAUNTERER 7
SALISBURY HONORS STUDENTS
AROUND THE GLOBE
By Darby Dicks
I was holding my breath when the
plane touched down, my eyes
fixed on the world outside, trying
to take in everything. The trees
seemed taller, the sky seemed
bluer, even the air felt fresher in
my lungs. The whole world
seemed so altogether different in
Rome, Italy; and for the next
three weeks, it would be the
world in which I and about 20
other students would live. After
11 sleepless hours on an airplane,
that thought alone was as good
as a cup of coffee in the morning.
Studying abroad is a unique
opportunity. It provides you the
chance to quite literally expand
your horizons, to go places you’ve
never been, see things you’ve
never seen and learn so much
more than you could have
anticipated. Whether the trip is
focused on scientific study or
getting a historical perspective of
where you are, you are certain to
learn something new.
Though my study abroad
experience was limited to three
weeks, I visited many landmarks
in Rome like the Coliseum and
the Roman forums. We dressed
up in togas and tried to put
ourselves in the places of the
ancient Romans when we
explored these historical sites.
Though the program was a
theatre class, not all of us were
theatre students; we shared the
chance to view things from a new
perspective, meet new people
and immerse ourselves in a culture
that was entirely new to us.
many students at Salisbury
University decide to study
abroad, choosing to stay abroad
for a full semester or a shorter
term in winter or summer.
8 THE SAUNTERER
Since the fall 2013 semester,
31 students in the Bellavance
honors Program have studied
abroad on six continents and
in 15 different countries.
Brittany Bursa is a sophomore
honors student currently studying
at massey Wellington in New
zealand. Though Brittany said she
was first apprehensive about
traveling so far away from home,
she also said that since starting
the spring 2015 semester, she has
enjoyed exploring several major
cities in New zealand, visiting a
natural hot spring and learning
the traditional māori haka dance.
Brittany said that studying abroad
has allowed her to make friends
with people from all over the
world, helped her adapt to her
surroundings and opened her
eyes to new perspectives.
Another student in the
program, melissa Adkins, is
studying abroad at Stirling
University in Scotland for the
semester. She said that she has
wanted to study abroad since
starting college and has loved
learning about historic buildings
and experiencing new things.
As an honors student, melissa
said that studying abroad has
helped her to look at things in a
different way and recognize that
other people have different views
of the world.
Coming back home after
spending time in another country
can be jarring, but rewarding
as well. You come back with new
stories, experiences, friends and
knowledge that change how
you look at the world. The
question then is: “Where will
you go next?” n
HONORS STUDENTS DARBY DICKS,
MARY MCKERNAN AND REBECCA MILLER
IN ROME
HONORS STUDENT BRITTANY BURSA
IN NEW ZEALAND
HONORS ABROAD
ces • 15 Countr
a
l
P
ies
18
Scotland
England
Ireland
France
Spain
Iceland
Estonia
Germany
Italy
India
Costa Rica
Argentina
South Africa
Australia
18
New Zealand
months we
In the past
different people travel
have had
international locations.
to
18
31
Argentina • Australia • Bologna, Italy • Costa Rica (2)
England • Estonia • France • Germany • Iceland
India (2) • Ireland • Italy - General (2) • London (1)
Malaga, Spain • New Zealand • Paris
Rome, Italy (8) • Scotland (4) • South Africa
THE SAUNTERER 9
CREATIVE WORKS BY HONORS STUDENTS
Honors students are known for their ability to think outside of the box. They
excel in a variety of fields and often their thinking results in the unexpected.
This semester, the Honors Program put out a call to all its students for creative
pieces. In response, we received the following works.
INVISIBLE
By Mary McKernan
I feel as though I’m lost
in a fog with people brushing
past me, no utterances of
“sorry,” or “excuse me”
ever crossing their lips
the fog dampens my voice
it echoes dully around
the gray void
unheard by all
but me
silently
I wonder
if I even exist
10 THE SAUNTERER
THE FRECKLES
ON YOUR
BACK
By Darby Dicks
I like to pretend
That the freckles on your back
Write out stories
That only I can read,
Written in permanent ink
On your paper white skin
In a language that only a poet
Can decipher.
They mix and mingle
With the creases left behind
By tangled sheets
And ill-placed limbs
That your skin has taken to
In the dead of night
And the folds and lines
And valleys and hills
Weave in and out with the freckles
To tell a new story each night
Even if I am the only one listening.
And yet
I know that one of these days
You will wake up
With your skin stretched
Over those bones in your
shoulders
That I have loved so wholly
And someone else
Will be by your side
Trying to make sense
Of the freckles on your back.
WORTH IT
By Hailey Gibbs
The little boy always knew going
down the hill too fast was against
the rules. Twice already, his
mother had castigated him for
speeding down the slope,
crushing the neighbor’s tulips and
splashing headlong into the
reservoir in the valley at the end.
“You’re going to break your neck,
one of these days!”
Or.
“What if you drowned?”
Oh, but the rush was so worth it.
Yet again, against his mother’s
wishes, he cued up at the top of
the hill, hands squared evenly on
the handlebars of his beach
cruiser, when he was distracted by
splashing far below.
He did always love the ducks.
Hands. Hair plastered on head.
These images peered into his
eyes, and already the boy was
racing toward the valley. Kicking
off of his pedals, the boy dove
headlong toward the source of the
waves.
Hands. Hair plastered on head.
Death smiled at the two of them,
eeny meeny miney moeing all the
while they struggled.
The little girl’s distressed face
emerged, limbs thrashing about,
searching for air the way birds
search for wind. Dragged to the
edge of the dock, the pair
coughed and sputtered.
“I’m sorry. I wanted to try it. You
always look so happy; I wanted to
try it.”
The next week, when the maternal
scolding wore off and the
warnings plateaued, the pair cued
up together, beach cruisers both
glinting in the sunlight, little
friends smiled at each other.
And oh, the rush is still worth it.
FLASHBULB MOMENTS
THIS SEMESTER THE STAFF OF THE SAUNTERER SHOWCASE THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF HONORS STUDENTS BOTH INSIDE AND
OUTSIDE OF THE HONORS PROGRAM.
Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl
Two seniors, Mark Oberly and Kaitlyn Mitchell, competed in the
Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl held by the Association for Practical
and Profession Ethics. Oberly and Mitchell made the top four
teams at the Northeast Regional Competition last fall, which
gave them the opportunity to compete nationally in Costa
Mesa, CA, this spring. The Ethics Bowl involved studying 15
cases for the competition and set up where two teams face
each other in a round. Each team will present then respond to
the other as the judges watch then decide a winner. The team
did not place as highly in nationals as they did in regionals, but
Oberly feels that competing in the Ethics Bowl was one of his
greatest experiences while at Salisbury University.
Up-and-Coming Musician
Brendan Gallagher, a sophomore psychology major in the
Bellavance Honors Program, recently released his album Whole
in My Head on iTunes and other radio providers. This album
features seven songs, which Brendan describes as “written with
a great deal of personal investment in the lyrical content and
musicality.” Brendan has been playing the piano since
childhood and has been composing music for a decade.
Brendan also is set to perform his music at a number of shows
in the coming months. Brendan added, “If you wish to listen to
my music for free, check it out on Soundcloud under the name
Brendan P. Gallagher.”
Bellavance Scholars
In 2013, the Thomas E.
Bellavance Honors Program
recognized two Bellavance
Scholar recipients in the Class
of 2017, Darby Dicks, a
communication arts major
with a concentration in
journalism and public
relations, and Savanna
McClure, an accounting major.
In 2014, Jennifer Luckin, a
pre-nursing student received
the scholarship for the Class
of 2018. The award is given to
students based on their
academic accomplishments as
well as the essay they had
written as a part of the
application process to be
admitted into the program.
This scholarship is in
recognition of Thomas and
Elizabeth Bellavance, who
were great supporters of the
program and whose honor
the endowment for these
scholarships is named.
An Un-Belize-able Experience!
Catherine Raley, a sophomore in the Bellavance Honors Program, studied abroad in Belize this past
winter term. While there, she worked with Peacework International to teach young children health
education both in the classroom and through an afterschool exercise program at Trinity Methodist
School. Catherine also helped paint a mural of the school’s crest on the side of the school building and
led a field trip to the Alta-Hun Ruins. During her free time, she was able to participate in a “Drums Not
Guns” drum circle, snorkel with sharks and rays, and dine with the deputy minister of education for
Belize. She learned a lot through her trip abroad and hopes to return one day to Belize one day.
THE SAUNTERER 11
YEAR IN REVIEW
✓ LLC TRIP TO DC
❍
As a part of the honors llC experience, students from the llCs ventured to Washington, D.C., as a part of the food
theme developed by the llC this year. There they visited Julia Child’s kitchen and Ben’s Chili Bowl.
✓ FOOD FILM SERIES
❍
To tie-in with this year’s llC theme of food, the honors Program sponsored a film series, showing of Willy Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory, The Help and Julie and Julia. At each film event, food related to the film was served.
✓ BEGINNING OF THE YEAR BBQ
❍
more than 100 students, faculty members and staff enjoyed a welcome-back picnic in the back yard of the Bellavance
honors Center (known to the students as the honors house). Students relaxed and enjoyed an afternoon of conversation
that turned into an impromptu birthday gathering for a lucky honors student.
✓ MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
❍
The honors Program continued the tradition of attending the maryland Renaissance festival, where students enjoyed
food that came on sticks and medieval competitions. The trip ended with a barbeque hosted by an honors student’s
family who live near the renaissance festival.
✓ BELLAVANCE HONORS PROGRAM LECTURE SERIES
❍
The Bellavance honors Program continued its lecture series this year by hosting a former student of Dr. Buss’,
Jeff Poulin, a coordinator of Americans for the Arts, who discussed “Investing in Community: The Arts as a Priority.”
✓ NATIONAL COLLEGIATE HONORS COUNCIL
❍
The honors Program annually supports student travel to conferences across the country. This year, the two editors of
The Saunterer traveled to Denver for the National Collegiate honors Council conference where they attended session,
networked and accepted the Second Place Award for honors Program Newsletter.
✓ HOLIDAY PARTY
❍
This year, the honors Program hosted a holiday party to end the fall semester. The friday before finals week started,
honors students gathered around to eat, be merry and decorate a tree festively with sharks. The students also voted
on best ugly sweater and best ugly ensemble; the winner got to take home trophies as their reward.
✓ MARYLAND COLLEGIATE HONORS COUNCIL
❍
This year, the Bellavance honors Program had the pleasure of hosting the maryland Collegiate honors Council
conference. Although it was initially delayed by inclement weather, the conference eventually took place on the
SU campus. Students presented research as well as attended panels of fellow honors student from across the
State of maryland.
✓ NORTHEAST REGIONAL HONORS COUNCIL
❍
In April, 11 students attended the Northeast Regional honors Council conference in gettysburg, PA. There they
presented research, met honors students from around the region and enjoyed the sites, museums and historical
downtown of gettysburg.
✓ HONORS FORMAL
❍
This year, the honors Student Association hosted a formal for the students in the program. Students from all across
the program dressed in their best Casino Royale clothes and gathered for a night of fun and dancing.
✓ NYC TRIP
❍
The honors Student Association sponsors its second and third trips to New York City this year at the end of April and
in early may. honors students who attended honors program events, participated in community service and attended
honors Student Association meeting are eligible for the free trip to NYC.
12 THE SAUNTERER
YEAR IN
REVIEW
THE SAUNTERER IS A STUDENT-RUN
PUBLICATION CREATED EACH
SEMESTER BY STUDENTS IN THE
HONORS PROGRAM TO SHARE THEIR
ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
WITH PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
MEMBERS OF THE SALISBURY
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER
ENRICH HONORS PROGRAMMING AT
SALISBURY, PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING
A CONTRIBUTION TO THE THOMAS E.
BELLAVANCE HONORS PROGRAM FUND.
SIMPLY VISIT
WWW.SALISBURY.EDU/HONORS
AND CLICK THE “GIVE NOW” BUTTON.