News From Fort Schuyler

April 25, 1998 - Volume 2, No. 19

HONORING ONE OF OUR OWN - At the May 9 graduation ceremony, the college will award its first honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree to EDWARD VILLELLA, Class of 1959. He will also be the graduation speaker. Ed, perhaps America's most celebrated male dancer, was Principal Dancer at the New York City Ballet for many years and has been the Founding Artistic Director of the Miami Ballet since 1986. Last December he received the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton for lifetime achievement in the performing arts at the 20th annual Kennedy Center Awards in Washington, DC. We look forward to welcoming Ed, his wife Linda and their three children at graduation. BTW - There is a nice profile of Ed at: http://www.miamicityballet.com/edwardv.htm

EMPIRE STATE VI ITINERARY:
Leave Fort Schuyler May 16
Albany May 19-21
Malaga June 3-8
Hamburg June 15-20
Dublin June 25-30
Arrive Fort Schuyler July 14

SHIPBOARD ACADEMIC PROGRAM EXPANDS - The 1998 Sea Term will offer two English courses in addition to the traditional license-related courses offered by the Engineering and Marine Transportation departments and the hygiene/first aid/ship sanitation course provided by Ship's medical personnel for the Physical Education Department. Dr. Sharon L. Decker, a new member of the Humanities Department, will be on board this summer teaching two intensive courses. One is an introductory literature course, the other a Great Books course. These courses, taught evenings and around watch schedules, may help some cadets stay "on track" with their graduating class. Needless to say, the Ship's Library plans to do all it can to support this new academic venture.

SHIP'S LIBRARIAN IN THE NEWS? NO, IN THE TIMES - Our Guest Ship's Librarian for SST 1998 is Jennara Wenk, an experienced reference librarian, science fiction author and TITANIC buff. Last week, the prestigious Culinary Institute Of America, in cooperation with the TITANIC Historical Society, offered a "Last Dinner on the TITANIC" to mark the 86th anniversary of that maritime disaster. The report about the event, in the April 26 Westchester section of The New York Times, noted that of the "..20 diners assembled to savor the ship's famed French cuisine, several arrived in period-style dress. Jennara Wenk, a writer and librarian from Poughkeepsie, wore her hair swept up to highlight the blue pendant around her neck, an official replica of the movie's famed diamond necklace..." It will be interesting to see how life aboard the EMPIRE STATE (especially in terms of uniforms and cuisine) will rate to Ms. Wenk after that TITANIC experience? (Thanks to Associate Librarian, Jane B. Fitzpatrick, for spotting that article in her advance copy of the Sunday Times.)

FAMILY TIES CONTINUE - Here are some additions to the list started in last week's issue of NFFS. Please send additions and corrections.

ARCHAMBAULT Family: Jackson 53 - Robert 86

JEAN-FRANCOIS Siblings: Alex 90 - Axel 95

MELLUSI Siblings: Ralph 67 - Leonard 72 - Anthony 76

SULZER Family: Arthur 42 - Arthur 74

CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Burke, Blaine Collins, Axel Jean-Francois, and Rod McFadden.

FAMILY IN THE MAKING: To get preview of the newest member-to-be of the Fort Schuyler family, take a look at the "Memmen Family Home Page," the web site of SEAN MEMMEN, Class of 1992, and his wife, Tara, at: http://www.mbay.net/~memmen

NEAT OR STUPID IDEA? Responding to last week's item about the sailboat regatta that was scheduled to be run at the college on Saturday, FERGIE BYARS, Class of 1939, asked if there was any way of seeing the race on his computer. Which gave me an idea. What about mounting a Virtual Web camera (CAM) on the Throgs Neck Bridge to give Maritime web surfers a 24-hour live view of Fort Schuyler and environs? It would certainly be more interesting than someone's fish bowl.