Displaying items by tag: skidmore

SARATOGA SPRINGS — U.S. News & World Report has ranked Skidmore No. 38 in the National Liberal Arts Colleges category of its 2022 Best Colleges rankings. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. The publication has once again named Skidmore in the top 50 for “Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” as well as “Best Value School.” 

The Princeton Review has also named Skidmore to its 2022 overall list of the Best 387 Colleges. In addition, the publication has identified Skidmore as a “Best Value College” for the educational opportunities it affords students and has ranked Skidmore among the top 20 schools for “Best Financial Aid.” 

Skidmore was also recently recognized as one of the 2022 Best Colleges in America by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings. 

Since rankings cannot capture the distinct and complete nature of any college, prospective students are invited to learn more about Skidmore at skidmore.edu/admissions. 

Published in Education

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In addition to being at the forefront of Skidmore’s COVID-19 pandemic response, members of the College’s Health Services staff have been helping to administer coronavirus vaccines to front-line health care workers, educators and other eligible vaccine candidates in the local community.

The College has worked closely with Saratoga County Public Health Services (SCPHS) — and in accordance with the latest New York state and Centers for Disease Control guidance — in developing and implementing comprehensive health and safety measures on campus. 

The Skidmore Health Services team has been vital to organizing COVID-19 surveillance testing, quarantine and isolation, and contact tracing efforts. 

Six members of the Health Services team also serve in the county Medical Reserve Corps, which supports disaster relief groups, community safety organizations, emergency medical services and community public health efforts. 

Published in Education

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Skidmore College community came together online to celebrate the creativity and resilience of the Class of 2020, whose final semester was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of graduates, students, family members, alumni and friends from across the globe watched as Skidmore conferred 647 degrees in an unprecedented virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 30. The event was broadcast live from the Surrey-Williamson Inn on Skidmore’s campus, and streamed on Skidmore’s website and social media accounts.

The tribute included many of the usual components of a traditional Commencement ceremony — a touching rendition of Skidmore’s alma mater performed by Emma Berkowitz ’20 and Lindsay Walsh ’20; welcoming remarks by Jinan Al-Busaidi ’20, senior class president; a speech by faculty speaker Jennifer C. Mueller; and greetings from President Philip A. Glotzbach, who invited graduates to rise and move their tassels from right to left, symbolizing the conferring of degrees. 

But this year was also unique: Like educational institutions across the United States and the world, the College suddenly switched to online learning this spring. During the Commencement ceremony, graduates gathered with friends and family members in smaller groups as part of global social distancing efforts to contain the spread of the disease. 

Rather than walk across the stage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), graduates, many wearing caps and gowns at home, were recognized during a live program. Diplomas were sent out by mail.

Praising the resilience of the Class of 2020, President Glotzbach noted there was no playbook for the pandemic, nor for life.

“We all had to make it up as we went along — rather like trying to keep an airplane flying while making emergency repairs. But you rose to the challenge. Along with so many people at our College, you displayed flexibility, inventiveness, perseverance and creativity,” the president told graduates. “Yours is arguably one of the most resilient classes in the College’s history — perhaps the most resilient one.” 

Published in Education

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The start of Saratoga Peace Week brings the screening of two multimedia presentations courtesy of the Saratoga Immigration Coalition, “Monsters to Destroy” and “1954” in the Davis Auditorium at Skidmore College on Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21. The events begin at 7 p.m. and are free to the public. 

“Comedy is a tool, especially for issues that people are tired of hearing about,” said Ben Tumin, historian, comedian, and creator of the two presentations addressing America’s response to refugees. 

Both programs are co-sponsored by the Saratoga Immigration Coalition and the John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative (MDOCS) at Skidmore College.

As a comedic historian, Ben Tumin looks at current global migrant, refugee, and immigrant situations and presents them with a bit of satire and absurdity, while relating the current situations to historical underpinnings.  He has been researching and developing his new presentation, “1954” as a kick-off to Saratoga Peace Week.   

Building on questions raised in “Monsters to Destroy,” “1954” examines the question: Are we living in a post-truth era? 

Looking to history, Mr. Tumin explores coverage of the 1954 U.S.-led coup in Guatemala and its impact on migration today, most notably the current refugee, migrant crisis on the U.S. southern border.   Mixing historical information, current situations, and his comedic approach, Mr. Tumin will present an educational and fun event reminiscent of John Oliver, while continuing to unravel why Americans consistently overlook the facts about immigrants and refugees.  A great pre-start for Saratoga Peace Week!

The evening will be moderated by Terry Diggory with a public Q&A to follow.  There is no charge for admission.

“Monsters to Destroy” (M2D), follows on Saturday, Sept. 21, also in the Davis Auditorium, Skidmore College.  M2D is a humorous talkumentary based on the live multimedia talk that the advocate-historian-comedian toured around the U.S. in 2018. 

“Monsters to Destroy” queries the question:  Do refugees threaten national security? 

Tumin concludes that the answer unequivocally is no!  Ben examines the real security impact of refugees, while connecting the findings to his own family history. 

The film weaves the testimony of five Syrian refugees living in Berlin together with Ben’s personal investigation into his family’s German-Jewish history, highlighting the tension between the American ideal of freedom and the fact that, historically, Americans have been resistant to resettling refugees—proof that the animus we see in the U.S. toward refugees today is nothing new. 

Ben flips the narrative that refugees are weak and threatening on its head, ultimately arguing that welcoming refugees strengthens not only the economy and American values but also national security.

Brazenly funny, deeply personal, and driven by Ben’s curiosity, the film pushes audiences to consider their own family histories and see the displaced through a lighter, more empathetic  lens.

“There’s an ecosystem of people who work in refugee advocacy,” Tumin said. “The question for me is how can I fit myself in.”

Retired US Marine Lt. Col. Scott Cooper, a candidate for Congress in North Carolina calls the film “hilarious, informative, and evenhanded. An unexpectedly brilliant cross between John Oliver and a Ted Talk.” monsterstodestroy.com.

The Saturday program will open with “Min Wein?” (Where are you from?), a short audio documentary by Skidmore Student Hadia Bakkar exploring the complexities of her Syrian identity in the current political climate. 

This personal piece follows Bakkar’s experiences as a student from her hometown, Damascus, Syria, to high school in “Middle of Nowhere,” New Mexico, and eventually to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. 

“Min Wein” is part of a larger work in progress, “Ta’teer” (Destitution), in which Bakkar searches for clarity about her own journey by examining the lives of Syrian immigrants and newly-settled refugees in the Capital District as they all try to build new lives for themselves in a foreign land.

Terry Diggory of the Saratoga Immigration Coalition will moderate a post-performance/film conversation, and audience Q&A, both Friday and Saturday evening.  Co-sponsored by Skidmore MDOCS program and Saratoga Immigration Coalition. For more information go to Saratoga Immigration Coalition Facebook event page; email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or call: 518-306-1313.

More About Ben Tumin:

Ben found his niche as a public speaker, filmmaker and comedian.  His multimedia presentations marry personal reflection, statistics and data, documentary style interviews — and comedy. 

Born, raised, and based in New York, he worked at Amnesty International in Morocco and at the community building platform Meetup before forging an independent career in political comedy and filmmaking. His work has been featured in the Daily Beast, Al-Jazeera, and “The Brian Lehrer Show” (WNYC). 

He has toured “Monsters to Destroy” in partnership with Human Rights First, Vets for American Ideals, and others.

The title Monsters to Destroy comes from an 1821 John Quincy Adams speech often quoted by isolationists. In the speech President Adams declared that America “goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy.”

“I’m using it to kind of flip it on its head with the implication being that the more we label the wrong people monsters, the more we become monsters ourselves,” Tumin said. 

Ben worked with several national and local organizations in researching the Monsters to Destroy project and  even more when touring the talk. He produced the film independently, funded it through earnings from his tour, edited it himself, and worked with a few professional groups in L.A. for post-production. 

As a comedic historian, Ben looks at current global migrant, refugee, and immigrant situations and presents them with a bit of satire and absurdity, while relating the current situations to historical underpinnings.  He has been researching and developing his new presentation, “1954,” for the past year.

For more information go to Saratoga Immigration Coalition Facebook event page; email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or call: 518-306-1313.

Published in Education

 SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Mostly Modern Festival takes place June 10 – 28 at the Zankel Performing Arts center, on the campus of Skidmore College. Individual Ticket Sales: $20 General Admission; $10.00 Students. VIP Insider Pass - admission to all 13 performances, $215. Shows at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. The schedule is as follows:

June 10 – 20th Century Vocal Music.

June 14 - American Modern Ensemble - Concert I.

June 15 - Date Nite! Vocal Arias and Art Songs.

June 16 - 3 p.m., American Modern Orchestra with Conductor Ruth Reinhart.

June 19 – Atlantic Brass Quintet.

June 21 – American Modern Ensemble - Concert II.

June 22 - Date Nite! Vocal Arias and Art Songs.

June 23 – 3 p.m., American Modern Orchestra with Maestro David Amado.

June 24 - Piano Virtuosos.

June 25 - Euclid String Quartet.

June 26 - Chamber Hits Concert, with Special Guest Tenor, Alok Kumar.

June 27 - Akropolis Reed Quintet.

June 28 – American Modern Orchestra with Maestro Ward Stare.

Published in Entertainment

Photos by Christopher Massa - Skidmore College. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — With formal degrees from both Brooklyn College and Columbia University, Dr. Lewis Taub, 93, is continuing his liberal arts education at Skidmore College. 

After retiring from a 40-year career as an ophthalmologist in Saratoga Springs, Dr. Taub began taking courses at Skidmore in 1994. 
“I didn’t have a good liberal arts education and I decided to fill that in by going to take courses at Skidmore College,” said Dr. Taub. “It was really one of the top things to do on my list when I retired, besides travel.” 
By taking a course every semester for 25 years, Dr. Taub successfully completed 150 credits from Skidmore, equating to a full liberal arts degree. Dr. Taub states that the biggest challenge he faces enrolling in school at his age is completing the reading assignments and keeping up with the younger students. 
“Just that I’m older and my brain doesn’t work as quickly as the young students’ do,” said Dr. Taub. 
While Dr. Taub feels that keeping up with the younger students poses some difficulty, his role in their class presents a positive influence to his fellow classmates. 
“We usually think about race, gender or ability when it comes to diversity, but age is just as important,” said Kate Greenberg, a senior. “His presence added a dimension we never would have had with only people our own age. His life experience enhanced our learning.” 
Most students begin to get “senioritis” as they near the end of their educational career; however, that is not the case for Dr. Taub. 
“I plan to take a course every semester at Skidmore as long as I’m alive and my brain still functions,” said Dr. Taub. 
It was his professor, Eunice Ferreira, who realized that the completion of her course would be Dr. Taub’s 50th course at Skidmore. To honor his stick-to-itiveness, she alerted the media, college president Philip A. Glotzbach, and had the class throw him a celebration on their last day of the semester. Dr. Taub appreciates her efforts and the recognition he received from President Glotzbach.  
“Lewis has taken such good advantage of the resources we offer to the Saratoga Springs community. We’re thrilled that he has been with us for so many courses and he has no doubt contributed to each of those in which he has participated,” said Philip A. Glotzbach, president of Skidmore College. 
Dr. Taub would like the people of Saratoga to know what an asset Skidmore is to the community, even beyond academics. 
“I’ve already signed up for my next class, which will be (course) 51, with Gregory Spinner in the religion department.”
Published in Education
Thursday, 21 February 2019 14:44

Member of Skidmore Class Wins Grammy

Emily Lazar, a member of the Skidmore College Class of 1993, earlier this month won a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for her engineering work on Beck's "Colors" album. She is the first woman to win in the category, according to the college.

As president and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge, which she started in 1997, Lazar has worked with a range of groundbreaking music from platinum-selling artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, Destiny's Child, The Raveonettes, Madonna, Saratoga Springs' own The Figgs, Missy Elliot, Sonic Youth, The Donnas and Ian Hunter, to name a few.  She has also mastered original sound tracks for feature films including "Training Day" and "Boys Don't Cry" and TV series such as "Six Feet Under."

After studio internships, jobs and a master's in music technology from New York University, Lazar opened up her own space, Lazar told CNBC, after accepting her award.

Lazar was previously nominated in 2014 for the Foo Fighters' "Wasting Light," which was up for Album of the Year, and for Record of the Year for Sia's hit "Chandelier” in 2014. In 2016, she was nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for her work on the album "Recreational Love" by American indie pop duo The Bird and the Bee. Lazar completed a major in English and a minor in music at Skidmore.

Published in Entertainment
Thursday, 07 February 2019 16:51

Hockey Night in Saratoga

Photos by SuperSource Media, LLC.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Friday, Feb. 1, the third annual Hockey Night was held at the Weibel Ave. and Vernon Ice Rinks. Three years ago, Skidmore College Hockey coach Robert Hutchinson and Saratoga Springs High’s hockey coach David Torres thought of a way to have the Saratoga residents come out and support not only their teams but noble community causes as well.

“Each year we pick a charitable foundation or organization to work with,” said Hutchinson. “This year we went with the Wilton Food Pantry. We heard there was a substantial need there.”

The Saratoga High boys’ team, the Blue Streaks, had a victorious night in their game against Colonie with a final score of Saratoga 11-3. 
As for the Skidmore Thoroughbreds, they suffered a defeat against the notable UMass Beacons with a final score of 4-1, Mass.

“UMass is a good team, they are one of the top 10 in the country. We knew it was gonna be a tough game,” explained Hutchinson.

“We gave up two early goals which spotted them a lead. We were playing behind most of the game which is tough to do against a really good team.”

Come the third period, the Thoroughbreds got on the board with their only goal of the night, scored by forwarding Matt Wolf. The season isn’t over for Skidmore; they have one more game on Friday, Feb. 8, against Suffolk University before they compete in the playoffs. 
“Our sole focus is to get back on track and get the confidence going again and find a way to put the puck in the net. And make sure guys are executing the systems and staying connected for 60 minutes,” said Hutchinson.

Friday night’s game will be to raise funds for the Do it For Daron Foundation, which aims to raise awareness, inspire conversation and transform youth mental health. Knowing that they are improving a community through the sport they have dedicated their lives to helps the team to bring motivation going into the next game.

“I (Hutchinson) think it helps to create a little more motivation… community involvement as a priority.
Published in Sports
Thursday, 17 January 2019 12:31

Skidmore Wins Gold in Culinary Competition

Swishes of oranges and yellows, dots of brown and stacks of frilly white spiraling strands graced the plates at Skidmore College last week. 

They were entries in the 8th Annual American Culinary Federation (ACF) Competition held on Friday, Jan. 11 but would’ve fit in just as well at an art show.

“Everything is just so beautiful, I think its art,” said Ron Taylor, Skidmore’s Media Services Operations Coordinator.

Stress & Surprises

The competition — similar to the television series “Chopped” — challenged 10 four-person teams to use a “market basket” of surprise ingredients to create a salad or appetizer, a soup or dessert, an entrée and a buffet platter within a limited amount of time. 

“It’s pure adrenaline. You’re excited but nervous and it’s hard to stay focused,” said Skidmore chef Joe Greco. This was his third year competing in the event, which is always a confidence-boosting experience for his team, he said. 

Skidmore earned gold with the highest total points for the sixth consecutive year. Cornell University, which placed second in the point tally, also earned gold, while the other teams were awarded silver medals for their work during the event.

Skidmore

Comradery Amidst Competition

“It’s an experience of a lifetime,” said SUNY Albany chef Christine Bennett. 

With a wide smile and a sigh of relief, her teammate Tara Nunez joins her. Taking off her crisp white chef’s hat and untying her apron, she talks of how fun it is to meet new people, discuss new ideas and experiment with unusual ingredients. 

“You learn little things from each team. It’s very nice,”
said Bennett. 

Food for Thought

Skidmore’s Dining Services organizes the annual competition which gets better and better each year, agreed the competitors and the judges.

 “We are extremely proud of our gold medal and how the Skidmore team worked together to earn it. We were also pleased to hear from the judges that this year’s competition was the best yet — with some of the tastiest food. We look forward to raising the bar again next year,” said Mark Miller, Skidmore’s Dining Services Director.

The two-day conference also included a screening of “The Bullish Farmer” documentary, a discussion with Skidmore alumnus John Ubaldo, owner of John Boys Farm in Cambridge, and several food preparation presentations. 

The panel of judges said the culinary competition expectations presentation really helped to improve this years’ experience for everyone.

“Sometimes I learn more than I teach. Like, I wouldn’t have eaten yesterday because there were some things today I wanted to eat a lot more of,” said judge Victor Sommo.

Putting Change on the Menu

Competitions like this one are a reflection of a changing attitude toward food. “Things are changing when it comes to food and people are thinking more about what they consume. They want food with flavor that excites them at school and in their own dorm room. It’s the demand for it that drives it. You have to change with the times. Change is inevitable,” said SUNY Albany chef Jeff Rayno.

Published in Education
Thursday, 20 December 2018 12:14

Skidmore Goes Smokeless

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore College will be a smokefree and tobacco-free campus, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Smoking and tobacco use — as well as the use of all e-cigarettes and vaping devices — will be prohibited throughout all of Skidmore College property, including outdoor areas.

“The smoke-free and tobacco-free policy promotes a culture of wellness and provides the community with a healthy, respectful working and learning environment by limiting the potential exposure of students, faculty, staff and visitors to the effects of secondhand smoke and by reducing the risk of fires,” said Cerri Banks, dean of students and vice president for student affairs.

“In addition, the policy is in alignment with the College’s strategic goals which support health and wellness initiatives throughout our campus community,” Banks continued.

“We included e-cigarettes and vaping devices in the policy because nicotine in any form is highly addictive. Our health and wellness staff are trained to advise those who are interested in breaking the dependency on nicotine products,” Banks said.

To implement the new policy, Skidmore partnered with the Living Tobacco-Free Initiative, a program of the Health Promotion Center of Glens Falls Hospital that encourages community members to work together to fix the major health and economic implications of tobacco use by establishing social norms that support tobacco-free policies, assisting tobacco users to quit and preventing initiation of tobacco use. The program provided Skidmore with resources, as well as examples and information about planning, implementing and sustaining a tobacco-free campus policy.

“We are extremely impressed with how dedicated, thoughtful and thorough Skidmore has been through this whole process and are thankful to be a part of this initiative,” says Brandi Bishop, program coordinator for the Living Tobacco-Free Initiative at the Health Promotion Center of Glens Falls Hospital.

“Making this change and commitment to health makes a valuable statement about the College’s sense of duty to its students, faculty and staff,” said Wendy Walker, a registered nurse and prevention specialist in health promotion at Skidmore.

“While Skidmore is constantly challenging students, faculty and staff to learn, grow and thrive, it’s important to recognize that this value extends beyond intellectual wellness to our physical and psychological well-being,” Walker stated. 

The College will host a campus-wide smoke-free launch event on Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the second floor of Case Center. Dean Banks will make remarks and representatives from Health Services and Peer Health Educators will be on hand to offer smoking cessation resources. There will also be music, refreshments, goodie bags, prizes, giveaways and raffles. The number of U.S. college and university campuses that are smoke-free or tobacco-free more than doubled between 2012 and 2017, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF). According to ANRF’s most recent data as of Oct. 1, 2018, there are now at least 2,279 totally smoke-free campus sites. Of these, 1,910 are also 100 percent tobacco-free, 1,886 also prohibit e-cigarette use, 960 also prohibit hookah use, and 386 also prohibit smoking/vaping. Founded in 1903, Skidmore College is a highly selective private coeducational liberal arts college that prides itself on a core belief that Creative Thought Matters. About 2,500 students from 44 states and 67 countries and a faculty of 300 dedicated teacherscholars put academic theory and creative expression into practice — resulting in eclectic interdisciplinary courses of study, ranging from the humanities and arts and sciences to business and education. Skidmore consistently appears in national best colleges rankings and has been recognized as one of “America’s Most Entrepreneurial Colleges,” a “Best Value” school and a “Hidden Ivy.” The tree-lined 1,000-acre campus is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, about three hours from New York City, Boston
 and Montreal.

Published in Education
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Blotter

  • New York State Police The New York State Police announced that it issued 5,576 tickets during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day enforcement initiative. The campaign began on Friday, March 15, and continued until Sunday, March 17. During the campaign, funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and underage drinking and sales to minors detail. State Police also ticketed distracted drivers who use handheld electronic devices. State Troopers arrested 132 people for DWI and investigated 199 crashes, which resulted in 25 people being injured and no fatalities. As part of the enforcement, Troopers also…

Property Transactions

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