A lover of teaching, an advocate for the study abroad program and Chair of the Sociology Department, Kurt Cylke continues to express his love for the sociological field, imparting his admiration for its different areas on his dedicated students.
Read MoreAlumnus returns to pursue interest, talent in music
Trumpet performance major junior Sam Dole is back at Geneseo for the second time and could not be more thrilled about it. Dole is on the music education track and is set to earn his Bachelor of Arts in trumpet performance—but this is not the first degree he will have earned at Geneseo.
Read MoreMultidisciplinary students pursue on-campus research, build undergraduate portfolios
Being involved with research as an undergraduate student can help students determine exactly what career path they want to take following graduation.
Read MoreStudent activists use desire, impulse for change to impact campus community
While activism can be about coming together to find a solution, sometimes that solution is further in the future than people might think. President of Students Against Social Injustice senior Taylor Keith believes that this delayed gratification can make people misunderstand the actual impact of activism.
Read MoreMiddle Eastern scholar incorporates journalistic experience in classroom
Some people live more in a few years than others will in a lifetime. Assistant professor of international relations and political science Raslan Ibrahim, however, has vast experiences to share with his students, who can learn from his work both as an academic and a journalist.
Read MoreColleges Against Cancer member honors sister with fundraising, activism
Cecilia Massara’s involvement with the fight against cancer began when she came to Geneseo.
Read MoreInvasion of Privacy: English professor works to bridge gap between writing, science disciplines
Accomplished poet and assistant professor of English Lytton Smith encourages students to explore new intellectual avenues and expand their knowledge.
Read MoreMacVittie College Union Manager serves campus community by volunteering
Business administration major and marketing minor senior Thomas Capuano has valued the freedom that college provides, while also finding time to give back to the community.
Read MoreCommunication professor pursues unconventional path toward success
Assistant professor of communication Lee Pierce can be described as far from ordinary—in both her life experiences as well as her vibrant personality. Her intelligence is highly apparent and unwavering, despite the somewhat tumultuous path she took throughout her undergraduate career.
Read MoreInvasion of Privacy: Student activist finds passion in protesting animal cruelty, injustices
Communication major and senior transfer student Stefany Jevtic—a well-travelled and enthusiastic animal activist—held an unforgettable internship this past summer in Los Angeles working for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Read MoreEnglish professor serves as role model with success in writing, publishing
An accomplished faculty member with a talent for writing and publishing, professor of English Rachel Hall has been a part of the Geneseo community for over 20 years. During her time here, Hall has contributed to the English department in innumerable ways, and has conclusively helped develop the department’s prestigious reputation.
Read MoreInvasion of Privacy: Political science professor recounts thought-provoking lessons from Rwandan genocide
An outside observer might wrongly deem Geneseo a sea of homogeneity. A closer examination, however, reveals a campus community comprised of dynamic individuals whose personal histories give a face to events that students now study.
Read MoreInvasion of Privacy: Active student focuses on leadership, service
Biology major senior Druzell Smith is a first-generation college student who is dedicated to helping people and is willing to go to great lengths to do so, bettering the community around her one step at a time.
Read MoreBritish international student pursues zeal, talent for musical theater
Musical theater and communication double major senior Sophie Yeomans traveled far from home for her college education.
Read MoreMultidisciplinary STEM major demonstrates passion, talent for music
Physics and mathematics double major sophomore James Canning is not your typical science major. Originally from York, N.Y., Canning has been and continues to be heavily influenced by his family’s musical background.
Read MoreStudent activist, dual citizen shows commitment to social justice movements
Communication and women’s and gender studies double major sophomore Clara Gallagher has dual citizenship in the United States and Germany and speaks four languages—more than most people would ever dream of learning. Her multi-lingual talents arose from spending half of her childhood in the U.S. and the other half in Germany.
Read MoreActive professor emphasizes community involvement, interdisciplinary education
Passionate Yale alumnus and active community member Doug Baldwin has been on theGeneseo faculty since 1990. During his tenure serving as a professor of mathematics, Baldwin has had a significant impact on the college.
Read MoreStudent writer, traveler, photographer, directs passion toward helping others
Anthropology and communication double major sophomore Sarah Hashmi has had many experiences that distinguish her as one of the more interesting students on campus. Originally born in Islamabad, Pakistan, Hashmi—who currently resides in Manhattan, N.Y.—has also lived in Denmark and China because of her father’s career as a Pakistani diplomat.
At just four years old, Hashmi’s first move was to Denmark, where she lived with her brother and mother. In Denmark, Hashmi witnessed the 9/11 attacks and experienced injustices after these attacks all the way across the world in Denmark.
“My mother used to wear a full body burka, and I remember after the attacks happened, my brother, mother and I were on a bus, and no one would sit next to my mother,” Hashmi said. “At the time, many people all over the world were very anti-Muslim. It was difficult for my mother because she was in a city where she knew no one, and didn’t have anyone to talk to or comfort her.”
After living in Denmark, Hashmi moved back to Pakistan before moving again to Manhattan—a place that she fondly refers to as her “home.”
“I was in first grade when I moved to New York,” Hashmi said. “It was my favorite place ever. I have really good memories from New York, I loved the energy and the people. The city is so inspiring.”
Hashmi eventually attended Beacon High School in New York. Known for its art programs, the school was what had a profound impact on Hashmi and shaped her interests in culture, writing and photography.
“Beacon High School had amazing teachers,” Hashmi said. “Attending Beacon is something that I feel changed my life. It was in the beginning of high school that I started to take photos. I had a high school teacher who taught me how to properly take them and there was a dark room in my high school that I was able to work with.”
Hashmi continues to pursue her interest in photography by taking photos for The Lamron. Additionally, her high school gave her extensive training in writing, which she applies in writing articles, including many Invasion of Privacies for The Lamron.
Hashmi pursued her passion for writing and photography over the summer as well. She moved back to Pakistan for the summer and interned at an advertising firm called Mind Map Communications. She wrote articles, took photos and videos, managed social media accounts and conducted research for the company.
“At the internship, I helped make a video for an advertisement for Pakistan’s national airline,” Hashmi said. “I also wrote a lot of top texts, which are captions for Instagram posts. The internship really piqued my interest for communication.”
With her experiences living in different countries and meeting people of various cultures, Hashmi’s anthropology major is a perfect fit for her.
Additionally, Hashmi is currently a member of the Muslim Student Association’s e-board, where she does public relations.
Hashmi hopes to get a job working at either a non-government organization or the United Nations after graduation. Specifically, she wants to help women in Pakistan facing problems with domestic abuse.
“A lot of the time, our culture can hold us back from doing better,” Hashmi said. “I just think that we could all have more empathy toward other people, because we’re part of the problem. But, I do have a lot of hope for our future."u
Anthropology and communication double major sophomore Sarah Hashmi has moved to several countries throughout the world, currently living in Manhattan, N.Y. Hashmi refined her talents for writing and photography over the summer when she had an internship at a Pakistani advertising firm. (Ellayna Fredericks/Associate Photo Editor)
Rising editor-in-chief shows passion, talent for journalism
Sophomore Annie Renaud is a multitalented student that excels in her two main passions: journalism and Russian language and culture. As she transitions as next year’s editor-in-chief, she plans on improving the newspaper’s website by including videos to correspond with stories. (Ash Dean/Photo Editor)
Communication major and Central and Eastern European studies minor sophomore Annie Renaud has a passion for journalism. As the rising editor-in-chief of The Lamron, she is not only prepared, but eager for the challenges ahead.
Renaud is a rare out-of-state student here at Geneseo, hailing from Glastonbury, Connecticut.
“A lot of times, people will ask, ‘How did you end up at Geneseo?” she said. “My brother was applying to schools and was looking at Binghamton … and that’s how I found out about the SUNY system.”
After a visit, the “small-town feel” and all the opportunities Geneseo provides had her hooked.
Now an Erie Hall resident assistant, a member of the improv troupe Currently Known As and the current news editor of The Lamron, Renaud is versatile in personality and talent. These talents expand beyond extracurriculars and into academics, where she excels in the study of Russian language and culture.
Her skills made her eligible for the United States Department of State Critical Language Scholarship program, and this summer Renaud will be traveling to Nizhny Novgorod in western Russia, fully-funded.
“I’ve been taking Russian since middle school and I really lacked that immersive experience,” she said. “You stay with a host family who are supposed to not know any English, so you can really use your language at home.”
Nizhny Novgorod is a historically imporant city, according to Renaud. In addition to her experiences there, the students accepted into the CLS program will attend cultural excursions across the region.
“I’m definitely nervous … but I’m excited at the same time,” Renaud said. “I’m excited to pick up the language more and travel to a country that I’ve studied for so many years … to be surrounded by the buildings and paintings that we’ve talked about.”
After her return from Russia, Renaud will begin preparing for her position as the paper’s editor-in-chief. Her long list of goals can be narrowed to a few big projects: featuring video clips and print-issue PDFs on The Lamron website and preserving archived The Lamron issues in book format.
“My big project is to get videos on the website,” she said. “I’ve looked at other college student newspapers and sometimes they have a video to correspond with the article … I’ll be in a television production class next semester, so hopefully that will serve to help.”
Renaud will be running a team of 14 other e-board members alongside rising managing editor English and communication double major Alexandra Ciarcia. Both Renaud and Ciarcia are veterans when it comes to late nights in the office during production, but those long hours are some of Renaud’s favorite memories from this past year.
“I love that we have a quote board where we write the funny and crazy things we say late at night,” she said. “And when we watched the Cubs winning the World Series … We were so excited about the Cubs winning, but I don’t think any of us are really into sports that much.”
Although Renaud still has two years left here at Geneseo, and many more late nights in The Lamron office, she hopes to pursue journalism after graduation.
“I love journalism,” she said. “It’s where my heart is.”
Geography major flourishes in multiple disciplines
Geography major senior Adam Dohrenwend will pursue geography, political science and Latin America at the University of Kansas for graduate school after Geneseo. (Ash Dean/Photo Editor)
Geography major and political science and environmental studies double minor senior Adam Dohrenwend has dedicated his studies, as well as his life, to his two main passions: political science and geography.
The two subjects coalesce in his main concentration on political ecology—the study of how the consequences of environmental change are distributed across different stakeholder groups.
Originally, Dohrenwend came into Geneseo without any idea that he would one day go into geography. As a political science major, he decided to take a geography course on a whim his freshman year.
“After orientation, they only let you sign up for four courses,” Dohrenwend said. “I was like, ‘Fuck that. I’m paying for five courses; I’m going to take five courses.’”
His fifth course ended up being The Developing World because the course required no textbooks and the professor had satisfactory ratings on the “RateMyProfessor” website.
As the current teaching assistant for The Developing World, this one random decision catapulted Dohrenwend’s college career in geography. He eventually ended up dropping his political science major to a minor as well as adding an environmental studies minor.
Dohrenwend currently specializes in Latin American geography, which he attributes greatly to associate professor of geography David Aagesen. Due to the vast amount of income inequalities and ever-changing agricultural landscape, the region is ripe for research opportunities.
“[Hypothetically], when you build a dam, you destroy huge plots of land,” Dohrenwend said. “Who experiences these externalities? How are the positive and negative effects of the things that we do distributed across different state cultures in society? Usually, it’s the people who can least afford [these externalities], like the indigenous or the poor.”
Dohrenwend recently studied abroad to Argentina to further his studies in Latin American geography. He has also traveled to a total of 13 different countries.
“There’s so many things that are wrong [in Argentina], but it’s such a beautiful place, it’s such a beautiful culture,” Dohrenwend said.
Dohrenwend’s passions for geography and political science along with his work ethic have gotten him far—he landed a full graduate scholarship to the University of Kansas and a paid graduate teaching assistant job. He plans to do further research on Latin American political geography and agriculture during this time.
As an incredibly hard worker, Dohrenwend’s efforts demonstrate themselves in a multitude of dimensions. Outside Geneseo, he works 90-hour weeks over the summer as the manager of a kosher grocery store—a position he earned after working at the same store for seven consecutive summers. As the manager, he oversees hiring, firing and scheduling the entire staff.
Within Geneseo, Dohrenwend’s involvement on campus is not to be minimized. Dohrenwend has TA’d five times for both geography and political science classes, is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, the social and house chair for Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and works as a developmental assistant for the Department of College Advancement. Last but certainly not least, he is the president and longest standing member of Geneseo College Republicans.
“Freshman year, I showed up to my first College Republicans meeting on the first Monday of the semester on the first day of classes,” Dohrenwend said. “I got there 20 minutes early. Nine o’clock comes, nobody shows up; 9:30 comes, nobody comes. They just didn’t have a meeting that day because it was the beginning of the semester. So officially, I have been in College Republicans longer than anyone in this college.”
While Dohrenwend is the president of the College Republicans, he prides himself on being a liberal, moderate Republican. He adamantly “hates Trump” and publicly trashes the president at meetings.
In the future, Dohrenwend plans on becoming a professor after obtaining a Ph.D. at the University of Kansas. His interests in the intersection of agriculture, politics and people are well exemplified in his somewhat fortuitous college career path.