Photo Spotlights

RIT hosted its fourth annual Veterans Day Breakfast on Nov. 11 in the Gordon Field House. The program included the presentation of the colors, a history of the meaning of Veterans Day, a medley of the different service songs and a video about “A Day in the Life of a Veteran” created by RIT alumnus Stephen “Bud” Beikirch ’05 (film and animation).

Chris Denninger, director of Public Safety, serves time in the Tiger Cage as part of a student charity project. Students Katie Baldwin, Matt Partacz, Kelsey McManus, Mary “Lizzy” Warner and Sara Bjork are working to raise money and awareness to help save tigers. Thirteen notable students and administrators—including President Bill Destler—will spend 20 minutes in a cage from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today in the SAU lobby. Passers-by can play minute-to-win-it games against the captives to keep them in the cage longer. To read more, go to www.rit.edu/news/story.php?id=51088.

Lt. Col. Ann Gallucci was recently appointed the new commanding officer of RIT’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 538. She becomes the program’s first female commander in its 25-year history at the university. Gallucci has a background in missile, space and cyberspace operations having served at several U.S. Air Force bases as well as the with the Air Force Space Command (in Colorado) and at the Pentagon with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She’s led squadron commands, tested missile systems and infrared radar equipment and was part of the operations team tracking the Space Shuttle landings. Her long and distinguished career in training and leadership continues today as she leads RIT’s cadets to become the Air Force officers of tomorrow.

Last week’s Wellness Wednesdays event featured a juggling session on Nov. 5. From left, RIT students Caleb Weeks and Zachary Yaro juggled streamers and balls during the noon hour. The next Wellness Wednesday event, scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Nov. 12 in Campus Center room 1010, is “Perfect Illusions: A Discussion on Body Image.” See more Wellness Wednesday events at rit.edu/studentaffairs/wellness/wellness_wednesdays.php.

The 5th annual Election Night Hackathon was held Nov. 4 in RIT’s Student Innovation Hall. Computing, journalism and political science students came together to watch the election results pour in and create new ways to visualize and interpret the data.

“Viva De’VIA!”, an exhibition celebrating 25 years of the Deaf View/Image Arts, is on view in the NTID Dyer Arts Center through Nov. 8. There is a closing reception on Nov. 8 at 6-7:30 p.m.

RIT Baja team members put the finishing touches on the 2014-2015 racecar in preparation for shipping it to Brazil on Nov. 11. The team will compete in March in its first international competition since 2009 and looks to continue its winning tradition stateside and outside of the country. A Baja car is an off-road vehicle, built entirely by a team of students from cross-disciplinary majors such as engineering technology, engineering, industrial design and business, for example. The car must be able to compete—and survive—hill and rock climbs, obstacle courses and endurance events. Team members are, from left, Dan Palmiter, fourth-year mechanical engineering; Kaity Wolford, second-year mechanical engineering technology; Ryan Wager, third-year mechanical engineering; and Skyler Levy, first-year engineering technology.

RIT kicked off Native American Heritage Month on Nov. 3 with An Evening of Native American Music and Art. Joanne and Leah Shenandoah performed and alumni and students shared their artwork. The next event features Stephanie Waterman, author of Beyond the Asterik: Understanding Native Students in Higher Education, at 1 p.m. Nov. 7 in the SAU Mosaic Center. For a list of more events, go to the RIT Future Stewards Program website.

Master of Fine Arts student Danielle Burch, right, gets some feedback from Emily Glass, visiting assistant professor in the School of Art in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.

There was lots of love at the Bow Wow Wellness event on Oct. 23. The Center for Student Wellness arranged for the therapy dogs’ visit to campus as a stress reduction activity. Research indicates that pet therapy improves psychological well-being and self-esteem. Here, RIT student Craig Mills gets a lick from Savvy, a 4 1/2 year-old Havanese. The next chance to see the dogs is 4–5 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Fireside Lounge.

Children from Margaret’s House child care center trick-or-treated at the Center for Residence Life on Oct. 31. Halloween activities for RIT students on campus include the Halloween Bash from noon to 3 p.m. in the SAU 1829 Room, pumpkin painting from 8 to 10 p.m. in the SAU Lobby and the Creepy CarnEvil at 9 p.m. in the SAU Fireside Lounge.

Nicole Howley, a fourth year public policy student in the College of Liberal Arts, spends a lot of her time helping other students successfully make a successful transition to college. As a College of Liberal Arts peer mentor and student orientation volunteer, Howley finds joy in helping new students navigate their futures.