January 1, 2012 The Henry Luce Foundation Awards Saint Mary’s $240K Grant for STEM S... Saint Mary’s College is proud to announce that the Henry Luce Foundation under the Clare Boothe Luce Program has awarded the College $240,000 to provide four merit-based scholarships to students in the disciplines of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Beginning with the 2013-14 academic year, scholarships will be awarded to Saint Mary’s students pursuing majors in chemistry, computational mathematics, mathematics, or participating in the Dual Degree Program in Engineering program in conjunction with the University of Notre Dame. January 1, 2012 Psychology professor interviewed on Trayvon Martin case (Discovery New... The George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case in Florida continues to grab the headlines and the attention of the nation. Some observers say Zimmerman's defense may hinge on whether he shot the teenager in self defense after Martin attacked him, an account that Zimmerman told police. Catherine Pittman, Saint Mary's College associate professor of psychology, says that higher level behavior, activities such as decision-making, memory and observational skills, which are controlled by the cerebral cortex, are usurped by a fast-acting part of the brain called the amygdala during a violent confrontation. Pittman recently published a book about the amygdala. January 1, 2012 Once a Belle, Always a Belle; Remembering Ziqi Zhang '15 (The Observer... The crowd that filed quietly into Regina Chapel on Tuesday filled the room with green — they wore bright green shirts and pinned small green ribbon to their tops. They came to remember Saint Mary’s sophomore Ziqi Zhang. Zhang, 19, who died last week from injuries sustained in an accident between her bike and an SUV outside the entrance to the College on State Route 933. January 1, 2012 Saint Mary’s College to be 1st College to Endorse the Real Food Comm... Saint Mary’s College will become the first college in the country to officially endorse the Real Food Commitment, a pledge to purchase at least 20 percent “real food” by 2020, increase transparency and engage more students and community members in the process. January 1, 2012 China's Economic Outlook Going into New Year (WSBT-AM) The China’s Lunar New Year is today, January 23. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, the symbol of success and happiness. Well, China’s economy is succeeding, so it seems there is much for the Chinese to be happy about. While the U.S. and E.U. economies are struggling, China’s economy continues to grow. Richard Measell, assistant professor of economics sorts out what may lie ahead for the economies of China, the U.S., and E.U. in the Year of the Dragon. Will it be a year of success and happiness for the world’s economies, or just China’s? January 1, 2012 Education Students Create Arts Enrichment Program (WSBT-TV) Saint Mary's College education majors work "Beyond the Campus" as student teachers in dozens of South Bend area elementary and high schools. WSBT-TV interviewed Katey Wagner '12 and Katie Bennett '12 who work at St. Anthony de Padua School in South Bend. The student teachers created an arts enrichment program for the school.This story is part of a monthly TV news series called "Beyond the Campus." The series also runs weekly in the South Bend Tribune. January 1, 2012 Belles Against Violence Office's Events Highlighted (Fox 28) The Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) has a number of speaking events designed to educate and empower young people on the subjects of sexual violence and stalking. Connie Adams, assistant director of BAVO, was interviewed about the ones that are open to the public. January 1, 2012 Student on "The Voice" Interviewed (WNDU-TV) Sylvia Yacoub, a sophomore from Muskegon, MI, took off the fall semester to follow a dream. The intended political science and philosophy major auditioned for "The Voice" and made it on to Christina Aguilera's team. She was in town Saturday and stopped by the WNDU studio for a sit-down interview about her "surreal experience" singing and competing on national television. You can watch her on "The Voice" on Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC and vote. January 1, 2012 Collegiate Speaker Series: Vocation, Passion, and Community Rebecca Ruvalcaba, executive director of La Casa de Amistad Youth and Community Center in South Bend will offer her lecture entitled "Vocation, Mission, and Community: Connecting Your Passion with the Needs of the Neighborhood." The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 23 in Stapleton Lounge of Le Mans Hall. The talk is part of the Collegiate Speakers Series, funded by the Lilly Endowment’s Initiative to Promote Opportunities through Educational Collaborations.