Harrison in Hartford Courant, Robinson on PBS, Padberg in Hartford Courant, and More

President Walter Harrison was quoted in a column by Hartford Courant writer Rick Green on Tuesday, Feb. 1, that explored what students really get out of their college education. “Are we teaching students to assemble evidence and analyze it?” Harrison asked. “You could argue that the whole culture is having problems with that.'” To read Green’s column, click here.

The lead item in the “ArtWeek” column in the Hartford Courant’s “Cal” section on Thursday, Jan. 27, was about the opening of an exhibition at the New Britain Museum of American Art of new works by Carol Padberg, assistant professor in painting at the Hartford Art School. “Just as it jumps cultures from Western sewing traditions to the vibrancy of African-inspired prints, the new work of Carol Padberg reflects not only the Victorian-era crazy quilts of more than a century ago, but also the crazy new world of smartphones, bar codes and digitized interactivity,” noted the article. To read more, click here.

Michael Robinson, associate professor of history in Hillyer College, was a guest commentator on an “American Experience” documentary that was broadcast on PBS on Monday evening, Jan. 31, The program was called “The Greely Expedition,” and looked at the impact of exploration on our culture. Check local listings to see when it may be rebroadcast.

Some staff and faculty at The Hartt School are involved in the production of The Silver Whistle, a musical being presented at the Playhouse on Park, according to an article posted to West Hartford Patch on Thursday, Jan. 27. Sheri Ziccardi, Hartt’s public relations manager, has one of the lead roles and Paul Feyer, a vocal coach in Hartt’s Theatre Division, is the show’s music director. To read the article, click here.

William Major, associate professor of English in Hillyer College, who wrote an article for the “Advice” column that was published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, was also highlighted in The New Yorker magazine’s “Book Bench” column on Tuesday, Feb. 1. In the column, Major wrote about what happened when he offered students in his literature course who were studying Henry David Thoreau’s Walden extra credit if they would live without their cellphones for five days. To the read The New Yorker posting, click here.