The Pinnacle - Iona College

Spring 2016 Edition
The Pinnacle
Iona College Honors Program Newsletter
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Hello everyone!
May has come– to the dismay of some, and to the
delight of others. This is a
bittersweet time for the
writers of The Pinnacle–
our very own Natalie
Ziskin, author of the
Sports Profile page, will be
graduating. Another
article contributor, Marie
Kalb, will also be leaving
us. It is in these moments that I am reminded of how time can
fly by when you are having fun...or are just bogged down with so
much work!
In any case, I implore you all to pay special attention to this
issue’s articles (especially ones written by our graduating
seniors) and announcements. I hope that the program’s
freshmen students enjoyed their first year in the Program. I
promise you, the fun doesn’t stop! I am looking forward to next
academic year’s issues. But for now, have a wonderful summer.
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
Alumni/ae Endeavors ............. 2
Examined Life Conference ...... 4
Sports Student Profile ............. 5
Iona Scholars Day.................... .7
Upcoming Events .................... .9
FOLLOW US ON
SOCIAL MEDIA!
Sincerely,
 Facebook:
Iona College
Honors Program
Ceire Kealty
 Twitter:
@ICHonorsProgram
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - ALUMNI/AE CORNER
Name: Samone Franzese
Graduated from Iona: May 2011
Q: What have your endeavors been since graduating college?
A: After graduating from Iona, I took some time off from school working as a research assistant in a
lab. I started medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA in August 2012.
I also joined the US Army as part of the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), and will do
my residency at Ft. Bragg in Family Medicine as a part of this program.
Q: What inspired you to pursue these post-graduate endeavors?
A: I liked research, but needed more. I had spent some time shadowing physicians and volunteering
in health clinics, and decided that medicine was the best way for me to combine my love of science
and research with helping people. I have also wanted to serve in the US Army for awhile, and felt that
this was the best of both worlds.
Q: What was your favorite class at Iona?
A: I loved most of my classes, and the classes I look back upon most fondly had some of the best professors I know. Biochemistry was challenging but amazing, Humanities made me question why I
think what I think and made me start to define my morals and ethics, and Postcolonial literature has
helped me begin to understand cultural differences.
Q: What influenced your choice in major at Iona?
A: I love biology, so it seemed like a no-brainer to major in it.
Right: Samone with her husband.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - ALUMNI/AE CORNER
Q: What has it been like adjusting to life after college?
A: I am still technically a student, so not much has changed, I just study a lot more. I am excited, however, to finally do what I spent many years preparing to do come June.
Q: What was your favorite Humanities book?
A: There are too many great one's to pick just one book. I love twentieth century literature, so I naturally loved T.S. Elliot, but I also loved Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem.
Q: If you had to offer any advice to current Honors students, what would it be?
A: Take advantage of having all week to immerse yourself in someone's train of thought. You will not
have this dedicated time again. Learn how others think, so that you can start to understand why p
eople do things, and look at situations from other people's viewpoints.
Left: Samone with a fellow student
after a race.
“THE EXAMINED LIFE” CONFERENCE
Article by Alysha Gagnon, ‘17
On March 19th Danny Perrier (’17), Abby Rapillo (’19), and I, (Alysha Gagnon ’17), three Iona
Honors Program members, presented at “The Examined Life” Conference at St. Francis University
in Pennsylvania. The theme of this conference was “politics” and we each had a different
application of what it meant to be political in our papers we presented. Danny explored familial
politics in The Tempest, Abby discussed the political structure of ancient Roman and Greek
cultures through epic poetry, and I talked about the politics of trauma and recovery in a postWWII world. Other presenters talked about the current political debates in the US primaries, the
influences behind disposal of electronic waste, and zombie novels as a metaphor for combat
politics.
Although there was limited time to chat to the other presenters, we took the opportunities
we had to chat more about each other’s work. At the end of the conference, eight awards were
given, a best paper and an honorable mention in four different categories. I received the honorable
mention award for the “Literature and Ascetics” category, which was exciting! The zombie paper
won the best paper award, and I’m glad that that is the paper that topped mine. In other
conference news, Danny Perrier also went to the Northeast Regional Honors Conference in March,
and Natalie Bowman (’16) presented a portion of her thesis at a political science conference April
23rd. A number of Iona students, both in the honors program and in the general student body went
to North Carolina for a couple days to present their various projects and papers at the National
Conference for Undergraduate Research. Our commitment to scholarship is demonstrated
through these conferences and the hope is that future students will also go to conferences and
engage in deeper academic discourse. It is truly a wonderful experience.
SPORTS STUDENT PROFILE:
BEHIND THE INTERVIEWS
Article by Natalie Ziskin, ’16
My name is Natalie Ziskin and I am a senior in the Honors
Program. I was also an athlete here at Iona—my collegiate
eligibility was exhausted upon completion of my senior season this
past November. I played four years on the Iona Volleyball team
and was the captain for my senior season. I have enjoyed being the
sports columnist for the Iona College Honors Program Newsletter
for the past two years. Not only was I able to brag about my peers’
accomplishments, but I also enjoyed interviewing them and
learning more about who they are outside of the classroom and off
of the court/field. Being a member of both the Honors Program
and Iona Athletics has definitely had a strong influence on the
person I am today. It was a privilege to be a part of two programs
on campus that challenged me physically, mentally, and
emotionally. A highlight of my academic career would be earning distinction for my Honors thesis
by defending my research in front of a panel of professors. My proudest accomplishments of my
athletic career would be that I am second in school history in assists and first in serve percentage
for performers who have logged more than 1,000 serves. I have no doubt in my mind that the
academic and athletic challenges I faced have prepared me for what is next in my life. This coming
fall I will be attending Duke University School of Nursing to obtain an Accelerated Bachelor of
Science in Nursing degree. The program is sixteen months long, so as of December of 2017 I will be
a registered nurse after passing my boards. After that, I plan to gain work experience as a
registered nurse, and I intend to eventually become a nurse practitioner. I would like to thank the
Honors Program faculty for all of their support, mentorship and guidance throughout my four
years here at Iona. Unfortunately, my final thank you is going to sound incredibly cliché, yet it is
true nonetheless. I also would like to thank the Honors Program for giving me best friends that I
know I’ll have for life. I know that the friendships I’ve made are like no other and thanks to
technology, I’ll only be a FaceTime call away.
Thanks for reading!
“It was a privilege to be a part of two programs on campus that
challenged me physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF RELIGION CONFERENCE &
DELTA EPSILON SIGMA CONTEST
Article by Marie Kalb, ‘16
“Before a Sword has been Drawn” was originally a final paper that I wrote for an RST
independent study on just war theory and pacifism in Christian thought. I argue in the paper that
preventive war (i.e. war declared before your adversary has initiated an attack) is inconsistent with
Christian moral philosophy. On the other hand, pre-emptive war (war declared when an attack is
imminent and certain—e.g. the enemy is on the move with the unmistakable intent to attack but
haven’t quite struck yet) is acceptable provided all other conditions of just war are met.
After I submitted the paper, Dr. Paffenroth contacted me to say how much he liked the
paper and suggested that I submit it to a conference. I did, and that’s how I ended up going to the
American Academy of Religion’s conference in the Mid-Atlantic Region. I definitely got some weird
questions from people who didn’t understand why a computer science/criminal justice major
would be at a religious studies conference, but it was a good experience and I’m glad I had the
chance to present my work.
Dr. Paffenroth also nominated the paper for a Religious Studies department writing award
and Delta Epsilon Sigma’s writing contest in the Scholarly Research category, which I won, to my
surprise. Moral of the story: do your best on papers, even if
they’re not in “your area,” because it might open up some
interesting opportunities.
Right: Kalb poses with Clare DeGennaro,
‘18, third place winner of Iona’s Religious
Studies department writing award.
IONA SCHOLARS DAY
Article by Madeleine Bennett, ‘18
The Seventh Annual Iona Scholars Day took place on Tuesday, April 12. Over one hundred
students from many different disciplines presented their research, some in the form of oral
presentations and others in the form of posters. Students of the performing arts displayed their
scholarship in music and dance, as well.
Some students presented modified versions of essays or projects done for class, distilled and
summarized into a poster or a 10-15 minute oral presentation. Other presentations were the result
of research done out of class. All presenters worked under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Seventy-eight posters were displayed around Mulcahy Gym, where the student researchers would
accompany their poster and answer questions from curious spectators. Topics ranged from natural
sciences, to social sciences, computer science, business, and even humanities. The posters were
displayed all day, even when their creators could not be present. In addition to the posters, there
were also five oral presentation panels, each with a theme. Presenters spoke extemporaneously or
read from a script for 10-15 minutes, and they took questions from the audience at the end. Both
the poster presentations and oral panels were well attended.
Above: Bennett presenting her paper, alongside
classmate Caitlyn DeGennaro, ‘18, and professor
Alexander Eodice.
Right: Bennett and Eodice.
IONA SCHOLARS DAY, CONTINUED
Article by Madeleine Bennett, ‘18
I had the privilege of presenting my work in two oral panels. The first was a philosophy panel
focused on the relationship between thought and language, in which I presented next to my fellow
ICHP students Caitlyn DeGennaro and Rebecca Riccardi. My second presentation was based off
an English paper on minority characters in children’s literature; I presented this paper for an
English panel focusing on ethnic and sexual minorities in literature. ICHP student Megan Mitchell
was on the panel, in addition to Hannah Fasano and graduate student Ellen M. Segarra.
As much as I enjoyed showcasing my own hard work, I cannot help but be humbled by the quality
of research that my peers have produced. The students whose work I viewed, whether in poster or
oral form, clearly dedicated many hours to their projects. I anticipate amazing things from my
fellow student scholars.
Above: Students observe poster presentations
at Iona Scholars Day.
Above right: Audience members listen to a
paper-driven student panel.
Below Right: Honors student Michael Coppolla,
‘19, presenting at the annual Iona Scholars
Day.
HONORS PROGRAM DINNER
Article by Ceire Kealty, ‘18
On April 5, 2016, the Iona College Honors Program hosted a dinner for accepted Honors students.
This dinner was a chance for accepted Honors students to ask questions alongside current Iona
students, professors, and faculty.
There was an opening ceremony, led by Vincent Calluzzo, previous Dean of the Hagan School of
Business and current Interim Provost. Various people spoke, including faculty and professors in
the Honors Program, and an alumna. They shared their experiences with the program, and urged
current and prospective students to make use of the resources available to them. A resounding
theme of the night was undergraduate research.
I, along with several of my peers, attended the event and interacted with several prospective
students. I shared my experiences and perspective, and answered any questions they had. I was
impressed with the event and felt it gave students an honest taste of the Honors Program. The
turnout was fantastic– every chair was filled in Spellman Hall’s Burke Lounge.
The event reminded me of how important undergraduate student research is, and how being a part
of Iona’s Honors Program is a worthwhile investment. The benefits that can be obtained from
being an Honors student are priceless.
PET DAY
Article by Ceire Kealty, ‘18
The Iona College Honors Program hosted their second annual “Pet
Day”! The event was a complete success, with Honors and other
students in attendance. Drs. Lacey, Umashankar, and Hughes
brought their dogs: Maggie, Yaksha, and Paco!
Pet events are a growing phenomenon on campus. Pets, specifically
dogs, are great at relieving stress. Consider the following facts about
pets:

Animal-assisted therapy can reduce symptoms of anxiety and
loneliness among college students, according to researchers at
Georgia State University, Idaho State University and Savannah
College of Art and Design.

Petting a dog can lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and seizure,
by soothing people and lowering their stress and anxiety.
Keep your eyes open for another Honors Program “Pet Day”!
Above: Maggie, Dr. Lacey’s
dog, poses for the camera!
She’s naturally photogenic.
LA BOHEME– OPERA EXPERIENCE IN NEW YORK CITY
Article by Ceire Kealty, ‘18
On Friday, April 29, 2016, I participated in what is known on campus as the “Opera Experience.”
This experience, which was organized by the Iona’s Council of the Arts and Student Activities,
enabled select students to attend an opera at the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center, New York
City. I learned of this experience at a Student Government meeting, and eagerly went to apply.
Although I am fascinated by the arts, I have never attended an opera before. I have frequented
Broadway shows, symphony orchestra performances, musical concerts of a myriad of genres, but I
have never had the chance to see an opera. When I was notified of my acceptance to the
experience, I was ecstatic. Finally, I could see what I had been missing out on all of these years!
The opera that I was privileged to see was La Boheme. This opera, composed by Giacomo Puccini,
focuses on two romantic relationships– one between Rodolfo, a playwright, and Mimi, his
neighbor, and another between Marcello, a painter, and his former sweetheart Musetta. The opera
was composed of four acts, the first taking place in the bohemians’ attic, the second taking place in
a Parisian town, the third in winter at a toll gate, and the fourth back in the attic. The opera
incorporates humor in melancholy scenes, and ends tragically. I found the opera to be very
moving, and the accompanying orchestra was phenomenal.
Before attending the opera, my group and I enjoyed dinner at Joanne Trattoria, an ItalianAmerican restaurant owned by Lady Gaga’s parents. Our pre-opera meal marked a great start to
the evening.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself at this “Opera Experience.” As a business major, I feel that it is
important for students to explore other areas, especially the Humanities. While I was intimidated
by the fact that the opera was entirely in Italian, (rest assured there were closed captions screens at
our seats) I was thrilled to experience something out of my area of studies. An understanding of
the Humanities, whether the arts, philosophy, literature, or religious studies, is crucial to any
student. These areas hold relevance in each discipline, whether we recognize it or not.
I urge anyone eager to try something new to apply for this experience in the future. It was a
worthwhile and wonderful experience that I would recommend to anyone.
Right: Kealty and
Caroline Hudson,
‘18 and fellow
Honors student.
Far right: The
Metropolian Opera
at night.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Are you an artist?
Interested in having your art
displayed in the Honors space?
Want to Write for The Pinnacle?
Please contact Charlotte Wray at
[email protected] if
interested.
We are currently seeking a
Co-Editor and more contributions to the newsletter.
Please contact Ceire Kealty at
[email protected] if you
are interested!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATING SENIORS!
Dana Andrea
Andrea Ashcroft
Sarah Bortz
Natalie Bowman
Kyle Brennan
Sean Campbell
Colette Carlson
Nicole Gallagher
Cassandra Gill
Samantha Greenidge
Marie Kalb
Ellen Kulangara
Daniel McGovern
Thomas McNulty
Mary Ellen Mangione
Jacqueline Martinez
Alyssa Messina
Peter Milianta
Matthew O’Hara
Ricardo Oliviera
Ian Sacks
Thomas Severin
Walter Squires
Laura Waldron
Natalie Ziskin
Your hard work has paid off!! We wish you
happiness and success in your future endeavors.