News Archive
Westminster College's Environmental Programs will host the Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 16 at the Nature Center at 937 Fayette-New Wilmington Road, New Wilmington.
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - Westminster College chemistry major Danielle Murtagh and Associate Professor Dr. Helen Boylan presented a research paper titled "Produced Water: A Comparison of Techniques" at the Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) held in the fall in Somerset, N.J.
The Westminster College Planetarium presents "Navigating with Lewis & Clark" March 25-27 and April 1-3 at 7 p.m. in the Hoyt Science Resources Building.
Two hundred years ago, Lewis and Clark started from St. Louis to explore the new United States territory that stretched to the Pacific. They were charged by President Jefferson to "¦take observations of the latitude and longitude at all remarkable points on the river¦as that they may with certainty be recognized hereafter."
This show will follow Lewis and Clark on their journey, visiting many of the sites, people, and animals along their path, and noting their various navigational observations along the way. The show will include the astronomical observations used to make these measurements of longitude and latitude. The event concludes with a brief tour of the current night sky.
The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required due to limited seating. Call (724) 946-7200 Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. for more information.
In the spirit of holiday giving, the Westminster Titans are offering fans free admission to a top-level college basketball game, coupled with the opportunity to help those less fortunate.
Westminster will not charge admission to the men's basketball game between the Titans and the College of Wooster at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium in New Wilmington this Monday, Dec. 20, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. In lieu of admission, fans are being asked to bring non-perishable food items and/or monetary donations to the game to support the Inter-Church Food Bank, a program of the City Rescue Mission in New Castle. Specific items needed by the food bank include sugar, flour, soup, instant mashed potatoes, rice, macaroni & cheese, canned fruit, peas, carrots, hot chocolate mix, cake mix and icing.
The Westminster-Wooster contest promises to be one of the top small college basketball games in the area this season. The run-and-gun Titans (8-1), winners of seven straight games, are averaging over 114 points and 18 three-pointers per game. Westminster received votes in the most recent D3Hoops.com poll for the first time this season on Monday. Wooster (8-0) enters the game Monday ranked second in the nation in NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com. The Scots, defending champions of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), return four starters from last year's 26-4 team which advanced to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight after earning a Final Four berth in 2003.
'We believe this is an opportunity for the local community to come out and see a great small college basketball contest and, just as important, be able to contribute to help needy families in our area,' Titan athletic director Jim Dafler said. 'We hope that the decision by Westminster to waive the normal admission fee will encourage people to come to the game Monday night and support this worthwhile cause.'
Local players dominate the Westminster roster, led by several Lawrence County products: junior guard Mark DeMonaco (New Castle/New Castle H.S.) (20.1 ppg, 5.3 apg); junior forward Dom Joseph (New Castle/New Castle H.S.) (14.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg); senior guard Ed Pagley (New Castle/New Castle H.S.) (14.9 ppg); freshman guard Craig Hannon (New Castle/Union H.S.) (13.2 ppg); junior guard Brian Fadden (New Castle/Mohawk H.S.) (9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg); and freshman guard Bobby Preston (New Castle/Neshannock H.S.) (12 assists).
For more information, contact the Titan athletic department at (724) 946-7307.
Westminster College has awarded 28 freshmen $44,000 Young Presbyterian Scholarships.
Westminster College, a Presbyterian Church-related college, offers $44,000 scholarships to outstanding PC (USA) students and offers students a way to continue to grow in faith and leaderships while on the Westminster campus. The scholarships are given to all PC (USA) congregations, in essence, to award to a student of their choosing who meets the qualifications of active memberships in a PC (USA) congregation, and exhibits a 3.5 or higher cumulative high school grade point average.
"The key thing that I am observing about the Young Presbyterian Scholars Program is that the students are truly living up to their 'billing,'" said Carey Anne Meyer LaSor, coordinator of the Young Presbyterian Scholars Program. "When they were nominated, their pastors had the opportunity to share their own impressions of the young men or women, and often they were glowing reports. Last spring 10 of our first year's YPS students made the Dean's List, 10 were inducted into Lambda Sigma, eight were given departmental or other prizes and scholarships, one made the PAC Honor Roll in the fall semester, and one was recognized by Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board as one of the top 10 freshman leaders on campus.
"I am constantly amazed by these young men and women." LaSor continued. "They are intelligent, caring, driven, able, friendly, spiritual young people who will, I believe, inspire this campus in ways we do not know yet. I can't wait to see what happens."
Nominations for the 2005-2006 scholarships are due by Oct. 31. Visit www.westminster.edu/yps for more information about the Young Presbyterian Scholars Program, of c ontact LaSor at (724) 946-7365.
Peter Um, a Westminster College senior molecular biology major from Gainesville, Va., recently won the Award for Best Poster Presentation in Academia at the 4th International RNAi conference held in Boston.
"Peter has been able to combine his skills and experience as a molecular biology major with his interest in the fields of tissue engineering and prosthetics," said Dr. Joshua Corrett-Bennett, assistant professor of biology and faculty advisor to Um. "Prelimary results from Peter's work suggests that a new molecular technique called ribonucleic acid interference, or RNAi, is capable of temporarily shutting down defense mechanisms of some pathogenic bacteria, possibly making them more susceptible to antibiotics or the body's own immune response."
Um was recently awarded a Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Undergraduate Research Travel/Presentation Grant.
"The research grants for projects and creative activities must be conducted under the mentorship of Westminster College faculty," said Dr. Virginia Tomlinson, director of the Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Westminster College. "Funding may include supplies, equipment, travel to libraries and data sources, and travel to make presentations. In order to apply for research support, the student must have a research proposal completed as a degree-seeking student at Westminster College, and be in good academic standing."
Um is a son of Kyo Ho and Chang Nam Um, Gainesville, Va. and a graduate of W.T. Woodson High School. The title of his research is "Inhibition of Operon Based Biofilm Synthesis of Staphylococcus aureaus Using Hybrid Mediated Silencing."
"Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of nosocomial infections. Its virulence is partially attributed to its ability to produce a biofilm, which facilitates in immunoresponse evasion and promotion of cellular adhesion. The genes affiliated with biofilm production – icaA, icaD, icaB, and icaC respectively– are located in the ica operon. I hypothesized that suppression of these genes using post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) could statistically reduce biofilm formation. Drawbacks to using PTGS in prokaryotic systems include difficulty with passive transformation of RNA molecules and the fact that eukaryotic homologs of silencing proteins have not yet been identified in prokaryotes. Research at Livermore National Laboratory suggests that molecules known as siHybrids-double stranded RNA:DNA duplexes-can successfully transform and silence prokaryotic genes. For this study, siHybrid silencing was applied to the ica operon of S. aureus in order to confirm passive transformation and detect threshold levels of PTGS in a prokaryotic system. Results indicated a significant decrease in biofilm synthesis when all genes encoded in the operon were simultaneously co-suppressed (sense and antisense) with siHybrids. These findings suggest that siHybrid technology may have the potential to help combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens," wrote Um.
Contact Coreette-Bennett at (724) 946-7208 or e-mail corretjc@westminster.edu for more information.
Dr. Sandra Webster, professor and chair of psychology at Westminster College, will speak at a Psychology Colloquium Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m., in Phillips Lecture Hall of the Hoyt Science Resources Center.
Leslea Newman, activist, poet, and author of over 200 books, will talk about homophobia, censorship, and family values in teaching tolerance, Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. in Wallace Memorial Chapel.
Westminster College will honor its academic achievers at the Spring Honors Convocation Saturday, April 26, at 11 a.m. in Orr Auditorium.
The program will begin with special music from the Westminster College Horn Choir and from Dr. Elizabeth Harrison, college organist. After an invocation from the Rev. Steve Allen, College chaplain, and a welcome from R. Thomas Williamson, president of Westminster College, Dr. Jesse T. Mann, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, will recognize the Dean's List Scholars, recipients of scholarships, prizes and awards, and students who have completed the College Honors Program.
Dr. Bryan Rennie, Westminster College Vira L. Heinz Chair in Religion and associate professor of religion, will speak at Faculty Forum Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 11:40 a.m. in the Sebastian Mueller Theater in the McKelvey Campus Center.
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