Allegheny News and Events

Professor Olson Publishes Two Essays in International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality

Two essays by Professor of Religious Studies Carl Olson, “Archeology of Celibacy” (Vol. 1, pp. 207-208) and “Tantric Sex” (Vol. 3, pp. 1335-1357), have been published in The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality, 3 Vols., edited by Patricia Whelehan and Anne Bolin, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell Publishers, 2015. Professor Olson recently signed a book contract to produce Sacred Books Interpreted, 2 Vols., for ABC CIO Publishers in Santa Barbara, California, with a 2017 publication date.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Professors Boynton, Coates and Reeck Co-author Article in “Peer Review”

After attending two AAC&U workshops on Faculty Leadership and Integrative Learning, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies Eric Boynton, Professor of Biology, Neuroscience, and Global Health Studies Lee Coates, and Associate Professor of French Laura Reeck co-authored an article, “Opening the Doors for Faculty Collaboration: The Case of the Allegheny Gateway,” which appears in the current issue of AAC&U’s journal Peer Review.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Palmer Publishes “Gender Justice and Development”

Routledge Press has republished as a volume a collection of eight essays edited in 2013 by Professor of Philosophy Eric Palmer for Journal of Global Ethics. More information about the volume, Gender Justice and Development: Vulnerability and Empowerment, can be found here. Professor Palmer has recently taken up the role of program chair (alongside Julian Culp of Goethe University) for the upcoming conference of the International Development Ethics Association, scheduled to meet in Istanbul in June 2016.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Carl Olson’s Latest Book Published by Oxford University Press

Professor of Religious Studies Carl Olson’s latest book, Indian Asceticism: Power, Violence, and Play, has been published by Oxford University Press. The book attempts to examine the interrelationship in Indian discourse and narrative of asceticism, power, violence, and play. Professor Olson’s essay “Vivekananda and Ramakrsna Face to Face: An Essay on the Alterity of a Saint” has been published in Debating Vivekananda: A Reader, edited by A. Raghuramaraju, Oxford University Press, 2014.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Photo Dynamic: Making the transition from music teacher to photographer

By Kathleen Prosperi-McClard ’11

She’s a photographer, bird enthusiast, musician—and a Gator, too.

Meet the multitalented Lauren Zurchin, a 2002 Allegheny graduate and an award-winning photographer based in Pittsburgh.

A religious studies major with a double minor in music and health studies, Zurchin’s original dream didn’t involve being behind the lens of a camera. In fact, immediately following graduation, she moved to Salt Lake City to study under Matthew Donovan, a renowned evangelical musician she met while attending church in Meadville. Her ultimate goal was to become involved in music ministry.

What she calls “a crisis of faith” occurred, though, and other more enticing opportunities arose: She moved to South Africa, found love and took a few interesting jobs. For instance, she worked with birds at a boarding school in exchange for free room and board and as a high school music teacher. A longing for home, however, sent her back to Pittsburgh at the age of 27, forcing her to start fresh and ask, “What now?”

An unconventional path? Maybe. But she thinks of it as a time of aligned opportunities—brought about by her own tendency to follow her passion that was enhanced by her time at Allegheny—that helped her get to where she is today: “Allegheny gives you the freedom and confidence to explore, play and experiment … to figure out what you are most interested in without being forced to pick one box. I’ve had the life I’ve had so far because of this,” she says.

A transitional job at a bookstore inspired her to experiment with a career in writing. A connection with Jennifer Rees ’95, then an editor at Scholastic Press, through Allegheny’s Office of Development and Alumni Affairs gave her the courage to apply to review books of young adult science fiction and fantasy books on lytherus.com. She is now managing editor of the book department for the site. “I believe it was my friendship with Jennifer that made me feel I could do it,” Zurchin says.

At that point, photography still wasn’t on her mind. That is, not until 2008, when she casually photographed a wedding she attended and received compliments on her images. “I started looking into it,” Zurchin says. “The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.” Internships and unpaid gigs quickly led her to start her own business, acting as the principal photographer at Lauren Zurchin Studios. She has been a fulltime photographer since 2010.

“My bread and butter for a few years has been weddings. Because of my relationship with the website for which I write, though, I have also done a photography calendar of fantasy authors for charity, all of which are New York Times best-sellers. Those have been the most interesting shoots I’ve done, having the chance to photograph some of the world’s best fantasy authors in a fantasy setting I created. It’s pretty awesome, working with some of the world’s most creative minds, and the best part, besides playing, is getting to hang out and chat with them.”

Past successes are not enough for Zurchin, however. She’s excited for new changes that the future holds. For example, this year, she has decided to shift to a more online business with classes and workshops, and to add in more ethereal portrait photography. “Since up to this point most of my income has been in weddings or the author calendar, I haven’t needed a studio. But in the new year, I’m going to convert part of my house into a studio, office and prep area for more inside shoots. I want to be able to offer more options to women who like what I do but maybe aren’t comfortable playing in the woods with me around.”

When speaking to the future generation of college students, Zurchin says, “I have had various careers, and I have used multiple elements of my degree. If there is something you know you definitely want to do, go do it. But, if you love everything and if you are pretty good at a lot of things … if you just don’t know what you want to do, Allegheny’s liberal arts education won’t let you down. Just go for it.”

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Meet Alex Marrero ’18

By Nahla Bendefaa

A fascination with logic and a dream of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon is what brought Alexander Marrero ’18 to Allegheny College.

Alexander, from Hawley, Pa., enrolled at Allegheny to pursue his interests in pre-medicine and philosophy.

Alexander was introduced to Allegheny last spring during his senior-year overnight visit when he got the chance to tour the campus and talk to representatives from the admissions office. But what convinced him to attend the College was the “feeling” of the campus, where the student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1, says Alexander.

“I felt like I found a place where I can thrive emotionally and mentally, especially considering the relationship between professors and students,” he says. “I would not be able to have that had I been competing with 50,000 other students.”

During his first month on campus, Alexander immersed himself in the community — both on and off campus.

Alexander secured a seat on the Allegheny Student Government as a senator for the Class of 2018. He also instructs martial arts at the Tank Su Do Academy in downtown Meadville as part of the Dance and Movement Studies program. In addition to that, Alexander is collaborating with the YMCA in Meadville on a martial arts instruction program.

He says he would like to combat poverty and homelessness in Crawford County through the YMCA programs. “I want to provide the children in the area with a positive path to follow so they can grow and expand in their knowledge of what actually exists around them,” he says.

Not only is Alexander a social worker and budding leader, he is also an artist. He is a self-taught pianist, and you can find him on many days in Ford Chapel practicing on the concert Steinway piano for two to three hours.

Of his affinity for music, he says, “It’s my way of expressing myself — putting into music what I can’t put into words. I am not fitting my schedule around piano, I am fitting my schedule around something that is necessary for me to function. Not that I am taking music over my grades or anything.”

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Palmer Elected President of International Development Ethics Association

Professor of Philosophy Eric Palmer was elected president of the International Development Ethics Association (IDEA) at the 30th anniversary IDEA Congress in San Jose, Costa Rica, in July. At the meeting he presented the paper “Vulnerable due to hope: aspiration paradox as a cross-cultural concern.” Palmer engaged in library research in Europe using funds from a GLCA New Directions grant earlier this summer. He also presented at the 20th anniversary meetings of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science on work that is forthcoming as “Less Radical Enlightenment: A Christian Wing of the French Enlightenment,” in Steffen Ducheyne, ed., The Ashgate Research Companion to the Radical Enlightenment (UK: Ashgate, anticipated 2016). Working with Fred Gifford of Michigan State University, he has been awarded a federal grant to develop a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute for College and University Teachers on Development Ethics and Global Justice: Gender, Economics and Environment. The four-week institute, which will occur in 2015 at Michigan State, follows upon a similar institute developed by the two directors for summer 2013. Palmer continues for a second year alongside Sirkku Hellsten as editor of Journal of Global Ethics.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research

Oxford University Press To Publish Olson’s Latest Book

Oxford University Press has accepted and will be publishing Professor of Religious Studies Carl Olson’s latest book, Indian Asceticism: Power, Violence, and Play, in the fall. Olson’s essay “The Conflicting Themes of Nonviolence and Violence in Ancient Indian Asceticism as Evident in the Practice of Fasting” has been published in the International Journal of Dharma Studies (2014, 2:1): 1-14. The essay is based on a paper delivered two years ago at the annual convention of the American Academy of Religion.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research