Jevon Hunter, assistant professor of elementary education and reading, will share his research as part of the Year of the City Emerging Scholar series on Thursday, March 21, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center North. This series of presentations provides faculty members with an opportunity to share their intellectual work with the rest of the campus.

Aligned with the "Year of the City" campus theme, his presentation, "Situating Community-Relevant Learning: Toward the Development of a Pedagogy of Urban Promise," shares a few of the triumphs and struggles gained from designing course activities that use technology to bring various community voices and artifacts in concert with the evolving pedagogical practices and learning stances of prospective, preservice, and present P–12 classroom teachers attending Buffalo State. Part illustrative, part conversational, part technologically creative, this presentation pushes on the notion of "best practices" as decontextualized, sometimes intentionally neglectful, routines disconnected from the lived experiences of urban education community stakeholders and their encompassing and inherited history. Instead, this presentation argues for the importance of identifying and incorporating community assets as part of the emerging instructional practices and beliefs about learning of future and current classroom teachers through the use of technology, while also reflecting the instantiation of a research agenda that seeks to develop more critically conscious classroom teachers and educators.

Deadlines for two programs that support student research are approaching. Only applications completed by the deadlines can be considered.

The 15th annual Student Research and Creativity Celebration (SRCC) is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Access to the online application will remain open for students until midnight Tuesday, March 19. Faculty mentors have until midnight Thursday, March 21, to review, edit, and approve application(s) submitted by their student(s). SRCC applications are completed online, or applicants may scan the QR code on event posters.

The Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Program is open to undergraduates with a graduation date of December 2013 or later. Applications are completed entirely online (both the student and mentor portions). The deadline for students to complete their part of the application and forward it to their faculty mentors is midnight Tuesday, April 2. Mentors have until midnight Thursday, April 4, to complete and submit the full application. A detailed description for conducting the research, scholarly, or creative activity is necessary and is prepared by the student. Faculty mentors are required to provide a detailed mentoring plan. To view and complete an online application, visit the Undergraduate Research Office website. To learn more about this program, attend one of the information sessions scheduled for Thursday, March 21 (12:15–1:30 p.m.), and Friday, March 22 (2:00–3:30 p.m.), in E. H. Butler Library 210B.

This is a great time to recruit an undergraduate student and apply to the Undergraduate Research Office's Summer Research Fellowship Program. This program supports eight weeks of full-time summer research, scholarly, and creative activities. The summer research program is open to undergraduates in all academic disciplines. In this round of the program, we anticipate awarding 24 fellowships. Each fellowship provides a student stipend of $2,750, a faculty stipend of $1,000, and $500 for travel, supplies, and/or equipment to support the project.

Deadline for student input: Midnight Tuesday, April 2
Deadline for faculty input and application submission: Midnight Thursday, April 4

Applications are available online or by scanning the QR code on the program poster.

Information sessions about this program will be held in E. H. Butler Library 210B on the following dates:

• Thursday, March 21: 12:15–1:30 p.m.
• Friday, March 22: 2:00–3:30 p.m.

Students and mentors are encouraged to attend a session together. Light refreshments will be served.

Take Back the Night, a large-scale event designed to raise awareness and empower survivors and allies to stand up against sexual violence, will be held on Wednesday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Doors open at 6:30.

Take Back the Night is a moving theatrical performance directed by Buffalo State student Derrick Sherrier and coordinated through the Health Promotions Office in collaboration with the Counseling Center, the VIVA Office, and United Students Government. The event will feature more than 40 amazing student performers. Performances include dance, song, poetry, and survivors stories.

Check out last year's performance here.

If you or your students would like to volunteer at Take Back the Night 2013, please e-mail Tammy Kresge.

Did you know it's an election year? The CSEA Local 640 will hold elections in June for the positions of president, vice president, recording secretary, and treasurer. Watch the CSEA bulletin boards and your campus mail for important schedules, information, and updates about the nomination, petition, and election processes.

If you have questions about the election process, please call one of the CSEA Local 640 election committee members, listed below:

• Leslie Brogan, Weigel Health Center 102A, ext. 6711, M–Th 11:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or F days
• Mary Codick, chair, Caudell Hall 101, ext. 6121, M–F days
• Perry Edinger, Clinton Center, ext. 6111, M–F days
• Amy Kline, Moot Hall 110, ext. 5713, M–F days

Buffalo State faculty, staff, and students who have already registered or who wish to register for Buffalo CarShare membership can learn more about the CarShare program at an orientation session today, March 13, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 208.

At the orientation, registrants will be instructed on how the program works, have their questions answered, and receive their CarShare key fob. Sign up online beforehand at buffalocarshare.org or register at the orientation.

Sign up for Buffalo CarShare before St. Patrick's Day and be entered in a drawing to win $100 in Bengal Bucks! Questions about the program can be directed to (716) 898-0850.

The Counseling Center and the Buffalo State Cares outreach trainer are now offering QPR training. QPR stands for question, persuade, and refer—three simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. People trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone for help. All workshops will be conducted in Weigel Health Center 203 and are 90 minutes long. Please call ext. 4436 to register for one of these free trainings:

Thursday, March 21, 2:00 p.m.
Monday, April 8, 10:00 a.m.
Monday, May 6, 10:00 a.m.

If you are interested in scheduling QPR training at a different time for yourself, your student organization, or your department or faculty group, please call Latise Hairston, Buffalo State Cares outreach worker, at ext. 4847 or the Counseling Center at ext. 4436. Thank you.

Join the 70-plus Buffalo State faculty members who have worked with the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center as service-learning faculty fellows to engage more than 8,000 Buffalo State students in community-based learning. Service-learning faculty fellows acquire an in-depth understanding of service-learning pedagogy through an exciting three-day workshop facilitated by nationally recognized experts. Participants are also supported through the process of converting an existing course or creating a new course that incorporates service learning. This year's faculty fellowship training will be held May 22, 23, and 24.

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, March 22. Apply now! For applications and information, visit the VSLC website.

"Incorporating service learning in my course was much easier than I imagined. The VSLC assists in finding
appropriate projects, supporting students, and ensuring effective partnerships to support student learning. It
makes the opportunity accessible for faculty and valuable for student learning." — Eric "Luke" Krieg, chair and associate professor of sociology

Lecture-discussion: My Appreciation of Watercolor: A Personal View with Monica Angle, part of the International Center for Watercolor Lunchtime Lecture Series, Friday, March 15, 12:30–1:00 p.m.

Angle’s works on paper incorporate the translucent nature of watercolor and the transitory effects of mono-printing techniques. She has had recent solo exhibitions in Buffalo, New York; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Enjoy lunch at the Burchfield Café before attending the lecture. Watercolor presentations are held on the first and third Fridays from February 15 to May 17 in the conference room. Admission is free with gallery admission.

More information is available at www.burchfieldpenney.org.

Students are invited to weekly “fireside chats” with Dean of Students Charles Kenyon and featured guests on Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Fireside Lounge (third floor). The Dean's Fireside Chat is an opportunity to discuss the theme of the day or to consider any issues, concerns, or topics students wish to address.

Join us on March 14 for a conversation on "Self-Care and Stress Management" with Charlene Vetter, senior counselor of the Buffalo State Counseling Center. Refreshments will be provided.