School Notes: Yale College
November/December 2009

Fall semester kickoff event lets students snack around the globe

At the start of the new academic year, more than 2,700 Yale College students enjoyed the chance to eat their way around the world—all without leaving Old Campus. Coordinated by Yale Dining Services and the Yale College Council (YCC), "Fall Festival: The World Street Food Fair" featured eight tents in front of Vanderbilt Hall that served an array of international cuisines—from carne asada and black bean flautas to kebobs, falafel, and pilaf—prepared by Yale Dining Service chefs. For the price of one lunch swipe on their meal plan cards, students were able to sample the flavors of Japan, China, France, Spain, Colombia, Greece, and Italy, as well as American classics ranging from Chicago hot dogs to Algonquian popcorn and chocolate chip cookies. Throughout the afternoon, live musical entertainment was provided by various Yale student bands.

Traphagen Series brings documentarist to campus

The Traphagen Alumni Speakers Series, hosted by the Yale College Office of Student Affairs, recently welcomed filmmaker and philanthropist Abigail E. Disney ’82 as its inaugural guest speaker for 2009-2010. Disney—whose documentary production, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, has received numerous accolades for its depiction of a small group of Liberian women and their struggle to restore peace to their civil war-torn country—visited Silliman, where she had lived as an undergraduate, and spoke at a tea hosted by Master Judy Krauss. Following the master's tea, Disney was joined by the film's director, Gini Reticker, for a film screening at the Whitney Humanities Center and a question-and-answer session moderated by assistant professor of political science Christopher Blattman.

The Traphagen series invites distinguished alumni from all walks of life to share their special knowledge, talents, and experiences with members of the Yale community. The event was cosponsored by the film studies program, Films at the Whitney, and the Yale Film Study Center.

Yalies embark on Fulbright projects worldwide

Over the summer, the Institute of International Education announced the final results of the annual Fulbright Grant competition, with 16 Yale College students among the recipients of this prestigious award. Of these, 13 accepted awards. Yale's 2009-2010 Fulbright Program participants are Nathan H. Becker, Davenport College ’09 (China, economic development); Laura A. Bennett, Timothy Dwight College ’09 (Spain, journalism); Katherine L. French, Davenport College ’09 (Germany, geology); Nan Guo, Saybrook College ’09 (Finland, biology); Adam S. Horowitz, Trumbull College ’09 (Colombia, theater studies); Andrew P. Klein, Saybrook College ’09 (Uganda, chemistry); Jennifer K. Lin, Silliman College ’09 (English teaching assistantship, Macau); Patrick T. McCarthy, Morse College ’09 (China, public health); Christine Nguyen, Morse College ’09 (Vietnam, public health); Brittany Robinson, Branford College ’09 (English teaching assistantship, Hong Kong); Amy W. Rothschild, Silliman College ’09 (English teaching assistantship, Spain); Emily D. Schofield, Branford College ’09 (English teaching assistantship, Macau); and Erin York, Davenport College ’09 (Syria, Arabic language & literature). Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.