Upcoming Lectures on Environmental Policy and Professor’s Favorite Books

Submitted by Wayne Westervelt

Cazenovia, NY – Cazenovia College and The Athenaeum of Skaneateles present the October 2009 installment of the Winifred Coleman Community Lecture Series: Connecting through Conversation, at The Athenaeum, 150 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles, N.Y., at 2 p.m., each Sunday in October. The lectures, free and open to the public, feature faculty member from Cazenovia College. Visit www.cazenovia.edu/colemanlectures.

Sunday, Oct. 18: Who has the Power to Influence Environmental Policy? Can it be You?

Rhea Jezer, senior lecturer, environmental studies, Cazenovia College

We are not powerless to help effect changes in the environmental focus of our state, country and world. Each of us individually can be influential in the development of policy. This presentation will briefly cover the history of why and how we are now faced with a crisis in climate change, and clean air and water quality. We will then discuss how to secure sound environmental policy. Sunday, Oct. 25: An English Professor’s Favorite Books to Teach

Warren Olin-Ammentorp, professor of English, Cazenovia College

Warren Olin-Ammentorp has chosen and assigned a lot of books over the years. So when it comes to teaching, he admits to having favorites… “The Odyssey,” by Homer; “Pride and Prejudice” and/or “Emma,” by Jane Austen; “The Lord of the Rings,” by J. R. R. Tolkien; “War and Peace,” by Leo Tolstoy; “Maus,” by Art Spiegelman; and “Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak.

These favorite books are special because they all have heroes who make mistakes and yet maintain (or gain) the courage to acknowledge those mistakes and to learn from them. These books demonstrate that as humans we must all undertake journeys and make mistakes, partly because it’s human nature to do so, but also because we must never be content with what we already know and think. And finally, they teach us to appreciate what we find in life. Whether fantasy or realism, whether old or new, these books show us that the more aware we are, the more worthwhile our lives become.

Upcoming Lectures on Environmental Policy and Professor’s Favorite Books

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