Common Read Events

2014-2015 Common Read
Featured text: Until I Say Goodbye: My Year of Living with Joy, by Susan Spencer-Wendel with Bret Witter

Until I Say Goodbye: My Year of Living with Joy, by Susan Spencer-Wendel with Bret Witter

The theme of this year’s Common Read initiative is “empathy”. We hope not only to share the author’s story, but to prompt the campus community to think outside of themselves, to imagine living in a situation different from their own, promoting an increased awareness and willingness to aid others.For additional information regarding this initiative please contact Ms. Susan Madera, Academic Program Manager for High Impact Practices and Common Read Coordinator at smadera@qcc.cuny.edu or Dr. Beth Counihan, Associate Professor, English, and Common Read Book Club Coordinator, at bcounihan@qcc.cuny.edu.

Week 1 Events (March 2 - 6, 2015)

Monday - March 2, 2015, 8:10 am to 10:00 am
Dr. Kathleen Alves' English Composition II Class to Present: "Social Models of Disability: Representations of the Diseased and Decaying Body in Culture"
When we think about disability, we tend to think of the medical model. What about the social model—or how the social world constructs the person as disabled? Historically, the greater cultural pattern sees the disabled as Other, something to be covered up, fascinated with, or both. Join us as we explore and evaluate social models of disability and how social constructions of the (normal) self depend on constructions of the disabled in this workshop.
Library Building, Room LB14

Monday - March 2, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Movie Event - "Pay it Forward"

A young boy attempts to make the world a better place after his teacher gives him that chance. It stars Haley Joel Osment as a boy who launches a good-will movement.
Library Building, Room LB14

Monday - March 2, 2015, 2:10 pm to 5:00 pm
Drop-In Read Aloud

Bring your copy of "Until I Say Goodbye: My Year of Living With Joy" by Susan Spencer-Wendel, drop-in and join us as we enjoy reading the text aloud. Don't have a copy? Loaner copies will be available for your use.
Library Building, Room LB8

Tuesday - March 3, 2015, 10:10 am to 12:00 pm
Dr. Anthony Monahan presents: "Leaving Yourself Behind: Attaining Higher-Level Empathy and Understanding"
This lecture will introduce the biological basis for empathy and explore specific developmental levels of empathy and how one can improve empathic behavior and understanding.
Library Building, Room LB14

Tuesday - March 3, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Movie Event - "Pay it Forward"

A young boy attempts to make the world a better place after his teacher gives him that chance. It stars Haley Joel Osment as a boy who launches a good-will movement.
Library Building, Room LB14

Wednesday - March 4, 2015, 12:10 pm to 12:45 pm
Pay It Forward Launch
Science Building, Room S112

Wednesday - March 4, 2015, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Hunger Banquet
The hunger banquet is an interactive teaching demonstration that helps bring awareness of poverty and food distribution patters around the world. Meals will be provided to each participant in proportion to the way food is distributed around the world. By experiencing world conditions, participants will gain a better understanding of the disparity of food and wealth distribution. This event is co-sponsored by NYPIRG, the Office of Student Activities, M.A.L.E.S, Student Government Association and Talk Out Loud club.
Student Union Building

Wednesday - March 4, 2015, 2:10 pm to 4:30 pm
Drop-In Read Aloud

Bring your copy of "Until I Say Goodbye: My Year of Living With Joy" by Susan Spencer-Wendel, drop-in and join us as we enjoy reading the text aloud. Don't have a copy? Loaner copies will be available for your use.
Library Building, Room LB8

Thursday - March 5, 2015, 2:10 pm to 4:00 pm
Movie Event - Documentary - "So Much So Fast"
What would you do if you were 29 and found you may only have a few years to live? "So Much So Fast" is about the remarkable events set in motion when Stephen Heywood discovers he has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and his brother Jamie becomes obsessed with finding a cure.
Library Building, Room LB14

Friday - March 6, 2015, 1:10 am to 3:00 pm
Movie Event - Documentary - "So Much So Fast"
What would you do if you were 29 and found you may only have a few years to live? "So Much So Fast" is about the remarkable events set in motion when Stephen Heywood discovers he has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and his brother Jamie becomes obsessed with finding a cure..
Library Building, Room LB14

Week 2 Events (March 9 - 13, 2015)

Monday - March 9, 2015, 8:10 am to 10:00 am
Movie Event - "Pride of the Yankees"
This biopic traces the life of Lou Gehrig, famous baseball player who played in 2130 consecutive games before falling at age 37 to ALS, a deadly nerve disease which now bears his name. Gehrig is followed from his childhood in New York until his famous "Luckiest Man" speech at his farewell day in 1939.
Library Building, Room LB14

Monday - March 9, 2015, 10:10 am to 12:00 pm
Professor Alisa Cercone presents: "Emotional Response vs. Facts: Empathy goes on Trial"
This event will focus on the conflict between emotional responses and facts when sitting in a court room and reporting on cases. How do court reporters separate their opinions from the facts when writing an article? Join us as we carefully consider courtroom protocol, write our own articles and reflect on the process.
Guest Speaker: The Honorable Arthur F. Engoron, Supreme Court, Civil Branch, New York County
Kupferberg Holocaust Research Center & Archives, Exhibition Area
Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEdgHBhpIfo or http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tigermedia/detailView.aspx?MediaID=2576

Monday - March 9, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Guest Speaker: Valerie Estess, Co-Founder, Project
A.L.S.
When Jenifer Estess, a 35 year-old New York theatre and film producer, was diagnosed with ALS she decided to devote her remaining time and efforts towards making a difference and finding a cure. Join us as Jenifer's sister and co-founder of Project A.L.S., Valerie Estess, talks about her personal experiences, the formation of Project A.L.S., their mission, research, the Ice Bucket Challenge and what you can do to make a difference.
Kupferberg Holocaust Research Center & Archives, Exhibition Area
Video available at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsYtV9EAS3A or http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tigermedia/detailView.aspx?MediaID=2577

Tuesday - March 10, 2015, 8:10 am to 10:00 am
Movie Event - "Pride of the Yankees"
This biopic traces the life of Lou Gehrig, famous baseball player who played in 2130 consecutive games before falling at age 37 to ALS, a deadly nerve disease which now bears his name. Gehrig is followed from his childhood in New York until his famous "Luckiest Man" speech at his farewell day in 1939.
Library Building, Room LB14

Wednesday - March 11, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Religious Clubs Roundtable: "Perspectives on Death and Dying"
Join us as members of Queensborough's student clubs - The Muslim Association and the Newman Club, among others - share their religion's perspective on the purpose and meaning of life, as well as that inevitable question: "What happens to us when we die?" Students whose religion is not represented on the panel are welcome to share their beliefs as well. Moderator: Dr. Beth Counihan.
Science Building, Room S112

Thursday - March 12, 2015, 3:10 pm to 5:00 pm
Dr. Kathleen Wentrack's History of Photography Class to Present: "Empathy and Art: Images of Illness and Beauty in Photography"

Students will present their research on photographers who specifically address themes of illness or beauty in their work. The students selected photographers based on their personal responses to "Until I Say Goodbye: My Year of Living with Joy" and classroom discussions on empathy. The presentations aim to foster empathy for those who are ill, suffering, different from ourselves, or whose ideas of beauty fall out of traditional norms. Time will be allotted for discussion.
Kupferberg Holocaust Research Center & Archives, Room A202

Friday - March 13, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Movie Event - "Pride of the Yankees"
This biopic traces the life of Lou Gehrig, famous baseball player who played in 2130 consecutive games before falling at age 37 to ALS, a deadly nerve disease which now bears his name. Gehrig is followed from his childhood in New York until his famous "Luckiest Man" speech at his farewell day in 1939.
 Science Building, Room S223

Week 3 Events (March 16 - 20, 2015)

Monday - March 16, 2015, 10:10 pm to 12:00 noon
Guest Speakers Katie Bittner and Shirley Mondesir, Staff RNs at North Shore University Hospital's Palliative Care Unit (part of North Shore-LIJ Health System)
If you think that palliative care is for end-of-life care you are greatly mistaken. Join us as we learn about palliative care, the difference between palliative care and hospice care, as well as the importance of empathy in healthcare. Patient scenarios will be presented with an opportunity for audience questions.
Library Building, Room LB14
Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YpAFgVson0 or http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tigermedia/detailView.aspx?MediaID=2591


Monday - March 16, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Dr. Beth Counihan and Ms. Lauren Most (Continuing Education Teacher - CLIP) present: "Perspectives on Living the Good Life"
Participate in an interactive workshop where parallels will be drawn between two texts: the self-help classic "Tuesdays With Morrie" (Albom, 1997) and the Common Read text "Until I Say Goodbye: My Year of Living with Joy" (Spencer-Wendel, 2013).
Library Building, Room LB14

Tuesday - March 17, 2015, 10:10 am to 12:00 noon
Nursing Presentation - Professors Kimberly Ambruso, Georgina Colalillo, Patricia Kinneary, Barbara Rome and their students present: "What Kind of Medical Care Would you Want if you were Too Ill or Hurt to Express your
Wishes?"
In a debate, nursing students will discuss the issues of advanced directives and the importance of spelling out decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time.
Library Building, Room LB14
Video available at:  http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tigermedia/detailView.aspx?MediaID=2583

Tuesday - March 17, 2015, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Dr. Anthony Monahan's class presents: "Living with Wellness"
Health is more than one's physical condition. It is an assemblage of interrelated dimensions of "wellness." Although protagonist Susan Spencer-Wendel is stuck with the tragic news of incurable ALS, she decides to live the rest of her life "with joy." HE-102 students will break down Susan's experiences and encounters through the lens of wellness.
RFK Building, Room G201

Wednesday - March 18, 2015, 10:10 am to 11:30 am
Students in Dr. Sara Danzi-Engoron's Genetics Class Present: "Genes and Disease - How Do Genes Affect My Health?"
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is usually a sporadic disease that is likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. What does this mean exactly? Join us for a presentation about genetic mutations and how they can cause disease. Learn about what genes do and what can happen when things go wrong.
Medical Arts Building, Room 253

Wednesday - March 18, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Nursing Presentation: Dr. Barbara Blake-Campbell, Professors Kathleen Pecinka, Dee Weber and their students present: "THE EMPATHY FACTOR: The How, When and Why for Health and Well-Being"
"The biggest deficit we have in our society, and the world right now is an empathy deficit. We are in great need of people being able to stand in someone else's shoes, and see the world through their eyes." Barack Obama. In this presentation, our students will take you on a journey to the other side.
Science Building, Room S112
Video available at: http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tigermedia/detailView.aspx?MediaID=2641

Wednesday - March 18, 2015, 12:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Movie Event: "You're Not You"
Co-sponsored by the QCC Film Club and Counseling Center
In this film, starring Hilary Swank, an accomplished pianist is diagnosed with incurable disease ALS and hires a directionless young woman who becomes her full-time caregiver. The two form a life changing bond inspiring each other to live life to the fullest. A discussion will follow the viewing of this movie.
Science Building, Room S212

Thursday - March 19, 2015, 10:10 am to 11:00 am
"Disability Etiquette"
Guest Speaker:  Ms. Jacqueline Rumolo, Director of Community Affairs and Support Services at Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State
Millions of people around the world have disabilities.  Join us as we learn proper etiquette for interacting with those who are disabled.
Medical Arts, Room M136

Thursday - March 19, 2015, 1:10 pm to 2:00 pm
Dr. Isabella Lizzul and Professor Rezan Akpinar present: "The Healing Power of Touch"
Join us as we learn about both the Eastern and Western point-of-view on healing through touch. Following this presentation, attendees will be able to experience Eastern massage and traditional chair massage.  For individuals who have never had a massage before, these particular sessions for this day will not involve any disrobing.  Massages will be provided by Massage Therapy students in Eastern and Praciticum II in MC09.
Medical Arts, Room S212

Friday - March 20, 2015, 12:10 - 2:00 pm
Common Read Culminating Event
Join us as acclaimed poet Richard St. John reads from his book The Pure Inconstance of Grace, sharing his thoughts on the human condition, suffering, and despair with clear eyed empathy. Students from Dr. Jean Darcy's Freshman Composition classes will exhibit "Images of Moments of Intimacy, Love, and Kindness", reflecting upon the simple connections they make with others in their daily lives. Our poetry contest winners will be announced and celebrated!
Oakland Dining Room
Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_yd8et7aRc or http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/tigermedia/detailView.aspx?MediaID=2592


Sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs

2013-2014 Common Read 

Featured text:  The Road of Lost Innocence, by Somaly Mam. 


The Road of Lost Innocence, by Somaly Mam


Approximately forty Queensborough faculty members and their students will read The Road of Lost Innocence in fifty-five classes. These classes will be joined by one high school class from Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School. All students will participate in co-curricular activities.

The Road of Lost Innocence is the true story of Somaly Mam, a brave Cambodian woman who overcame great obstacles and used her experience and strength to help others and stand up for human rights. After escaping a life of abuse and suffering in Cambodian brothels, Mam uses her freedom and strength to rescue hundreds of women and children in similar situations. Once they are free, Mam provides them with shelter, education and job training as well as a community of support and love. Mam's story teaches us all the profound power of perseverance and the hopeful possibility of creating change through education and action.

Faculty members are invited to particpate in the Common Read Book Club where there will be discussions on the text, dialogue regarding possibilities for cross-curricular connections and brainstorming for events for the spring.  Book Club meetings will be held in KHRC&A (Exhibition Area) per the following schedule:

Wednesday, October 2, 2013        12:10pm to 2:00 pm
Wednesday, October 30, 2013      12:10pm to 2:00 pm
Wednesday, November 6, 2013     12:10pm to 2:00 pm

Scheduled Events:

Week 1 Events (March 17 - 21)

Monday - March 17, 2014, 9:10am to 12:00pm
Drop-In Read Aloud

Faculty/Students/Staff are invited to read aloud from the text.
Library Building, Room LB16
S Madera and J Maloy

Tuesday - March 18, 2014, 3:10pm to 5:00pm
Drop-In Read Aloud
Faculty/Students/Staff are invited to read aloud from the text.
Humanities Building, Room H339
S Madera, J Maloy and J Warsi

Wednesday - March 19, 2014, 10:10pm to 12:00pm
Learn How to Empower, Protect, and Stand Up for Yourself

Two Presentations: Bullying, its consequences, and ways to prevent it followed by exploring passive, aggressive and assertive behaviors and the reasons assertive communications are more likely to result in getting needs met and concerns addressed.
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
J. Urciuoli and C. Siporin

Wednesday - March 19, 2014, 12:10pm to 2:00pm
Proclaiming ZERO Tolerance for Violence Against Women
A Nursing symposium focusing on the health care needs of human trafficking victims, through the lens of social, cultural and global perspective.
Science Building, Room S111
J. Molloy, B. Rome, G. Colalillo and B. Blake-Campbell

Thursday - March 20, 2014, 9:10am to 10:00am
Human Rights Violations on a Global Scale

Presentation on Genocide throughout history, focusing on three of the Genocide Panels in the KHRC&A (Asia, Africa and Europe).
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
Guest Speakers: A. Flug and M. Berman

Thursday - March 20, 2014, 11:10pm to 12:00pm
Human Rights Violations on a Global Scale

Presentation on Genocide throughout history, focusing on three of the Genocide Panels in the KHRC&A (Asia, Africa and Europe).
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
Guest Speakers: A. Flug and M. Berman

Friday - March 21, 2014, 10:10am to 2:00pm
"Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" Documentary Episode I

This documentary follows six actresses turned advocates who each pursue the goal of helping to guide and empower women and girls, facing down heartbreaking challenges and oppression. This episode features Gender-Based Violence (Sierra Leone/Eva Mendes), Sex Trafficking (Cambodia/Meg Ryan) and Education (Vietnam/Gabrielle Union).
Humanities Building, Room H206
S. Madera

Week 2 Events (March 24 - 28)

Monday - March 24, 2014, 10:10am to 12:00pm
Movie "Trade of Innocents"
A 2012 American made independent film, shot on location in Bangkok, Thailand. This film was made to bring awareness and involvement to work against human trafficking.
Library Building, Room LB14
S. Madera

Tuesday - March 25, 2014, 3:10pm to 4:00pm
Human Rights Violations on a Global Scale

Presentation on Genocide throughout history, focusing on three of the Genocide Panels in the KHRC&A (Asia, Africa and Europe).
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
Guest Speakers: A. Flug and M. Berman

Tuesday - March 25, 2014, 5:10pm to 6:00pm
Human Rights Violations on a Global Scale

Presentation on Genocide throughout history, focusing on three of the Genocide Panels in the KHRC&A (Asia, Africa and Europe).
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
Guest Speakers: A. Flug and M. Berman

Wednesday - March 26, 2014, 12:10pm to 2:00pm
The Korean Comfort Woman: Changing History One Story at a Time

Dr. Jimin Kim, Director of the KHRC&A Asian Social Justice Internship will provide comments, a short documentary on Korean Comfort Women will be shown. Steve Cavallo will present on his inspiration to paint the story of the Comfort Women. The exhibit will be on view.
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
Guest Speakers: M. Berman, Dr. Jimin Kim, Steve Cavallo

Wednesday - March 26, 2014, 1:10pm to 3:00pm
Memoir Writing Workshop

Students will respond to writing prompts connected to the book and share them in an intimate workshop environment.
Library Building, Room LB14
J. Childers, A. Cercone and B. Miller

Wednesday - March 26, 2014, 4:10pm to 5:00pm
Human Trafficking: A Violation of Human Rights
Ivy Suriyopas, Staff Attorney at the Asian American Legal Defense and Educational Fund will discuss human trafficking as a condition in which a person compels another to work against their will throught theuse of force, fraud or coercion. Learn about how to identify trafficking, the remedies that are available to survivors, and proposed policies on how to tackle this violation of human rights.
Library Building, Room LB14
Guest Speaker: I. Suriyopas

Thursday - March 27, 2014, 9:10am to 11:00am
Women Immigrants, their Rights and Challenges Faced after Rescue

Megan Rhoad, Researcher, from the Women's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch will share information about the work that Human Rights Watch does to document abuses of migrant women's rights, including violations related to the immigration enforcement system in the United States and how they advocate for policy changes in the US and around the world that will improve protection of those rights. Sister Kati Hamm will share how the LifeWay Network collaborates to combat human trafficking through safe housing and education.
Library Building, Room LB14
Guest Speakers: M. Rhoad, Sister K. Hamm

Friday - March 28, 2014, 10:10am to 2:00pm
"Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" Documentary Episode II

This documentary follows six actresses turned advocates who each pursue the goal of helping to guide and empower women and girls, facing down heartbreaking challenges and oppression. This episode features Maternal Mortality (Somaliland/Diane Lane), Intergenerational Prostitution (India/America Ferrera) and Economic Empowerment (Kenya/Olivia Wilde).
Humanities Building, Room H206
S. Madera

Week 3 Events (March 31 - April 3)

Monday - March 31, 2014, 12:10 pm to 1:30 pm
Somaly Mam as a Bodhisattva
A bodhisatva is an ordinary person who takes up a course of selfless service in one's life. In Buddhism, a bodhisatva is an enlightened being who has undergone many stages of suffering and has ultimately reached a sublime state. Motivated by great compassion toward others, a bodhisatva embraces qualities like self-sacrifice and determination to free others from suffering.
Library Building, Room LB14
M. Tarafdar

Tuesday - April 1, 2014, 12:10pm to 2:00pm
Movie "Trade of Innocents"
A 2012 American made independent film, shot on location in Bangkok, Thailand. This film was made to bring awareness and involvement to work against human trafficking.
Library Building, Room LB14
S. Madera

Wednesday - April 2, 2014, 12:10pm to 1:15pm
Using Mindful Meditation to Help You Cope with Difficult Emotions

We all at times experience emotions that can get in the way of working towards our goals. Trauma, anxiety and depressed feelings all have a way of "taking over" our minds. In this workshop you will learn mindful strategies to help you better tolerate your emotions, so that you can focus your mind on achieving your goals.
RFK Building, Room G201/202
C. Diamond-Feldman

Wednesday - April 2, 2014, 12:10pm to 2:00pm
The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Minors
FBI Victim Specialist Laura Riso andDepartment of Homeland Security Victim Assistance Specialist Tenaz Dubash will present on the exploitation of minors in the sex trafficking trade and share information about what is being done to support victims of this crime.
Science Building, Room S111
Guest Speakers: L. Riso and T. Dubash

Thursday - April 3, 2014, 10:10am to 12:00pm
Examining Human Rights Issues with the Lens of Statistics

Students from a Computer Assisted Statistics class apply what they learn to examine several human rights issues and present their findings to their peers and students from a local high school.
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives, 202L Gallery
M. Franco

Thursday - April 3, 2014, 10:30am to 12:00pm
Human Rights Violations of Ethiopian Domestic Workers

Violence against women and children has been part of all societies for centuries.  Regardless of how far society has advanced, violence still persists.  Enslaving women and children is big business in this century.  Nancy Salamone, Director of The Business of Me, will discuss forms of modern-day slavery and abuses against women. Zewditu Fesseha, Founder of the Ethiopian Social Assistance Committee, will discuss human rights issues related to Ethiopian domestic workers in the gulf states.  She will describe the labor issues and abuses that many female Ethiopian workers face and will argue the importance of educating the public on these human rights violations. Medical Arts Building, Room M136
Guest Speakers:  N. Salamone and Z. Fesseha

Thursday - April 3, 2014, 1:10pm to 2:00pm
Human Trafficking in our Own Backyard

New York State Senator Jose Peralta will join us to speak about human trafficking going on right here on Roosevelt Avenue and in the New York area.
Medical Arts Building, Room M136
Guest Speaker: Senator Jose Peralta



2012-2013 Common Read 

Featured text:  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. 


The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot
Approximately forty Queensborough classes, as well as students from Benjamin Cardozo High School, Bayside High School and Francis Lewis High School, will read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and participate in activities.  It is the true story of a poor African American woman named Henrietta Lacks whose cells, taken without her knowledge in 1951, became one of the most important tools in medicine. 

Faculty members are invited to particpate in the Common Read Book Club where there will be discussions on the text, dialogue regarding possibilities for cross-curricular connections and brainstorming for events for the spring.  Book Club meetings will be held in LB14 per the following schedule:

Wednesday, October 3, 2012      1:15 pm to 3:00 pm
Thursday, October 11, 2012        2:15 pm to 4:00 pm
Wednesday, October 17, 2012    1:15 pm to 4:00 pm

Scheduled Events:

Mid-January to Mid-March
Kurt R. Schmeller Library Exhibit
Please visit the Library Exhibit which will focus on Black History Month as well as Health Care Research.

Mid-January to Mid-March
Photo Display of HeLa Cells
Outside H350
Please stop by to view our Common Read display of color photos of HeLa cells in anaphase, metaphase, prometaphase, apoptosis, cytokinesis and various stages of mitosis.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Drop-In Read Aloud
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Hosted by:  Susan Madera
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives - Gallery Lecture Room
All are invited to drop-in and read aloud from their copy of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot.  Feel free to join us for as short or long a time as you wish.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Movie Event & Discussion - "Miss Evers' Boys"
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives - Gallery Lecture Room
Discussion led by Barbara Blake-Campbell
The true story of the U.S. Government's 1932 Tuskeegee Syphilis experiments in which a group of black test subjects were allowed to die, despite a cure having been developed.  The movie will be followed by a discussion on the Tuskeegee Study.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Henrietta Lacks and the Meaning of Death
1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives - Gallery Lecture Room
Hosted by: Phillip Pecorino
In the course taught by Professor Pecorino on Death and Dying, Henrietta Lacks made a contribution.  In exploring the many different meanings of human death the use made of the cancer cells from Henrietta Lacks illustrated the limitations of one approach to the meaning of human death.  The presentation in this workshop will raise the issue of the concept of human death and its relation to pronouncing humans to be dead and to the relation of different criteria for human death to different uses for dead human bodies including the transplantation of organs and tissue.

Thursday, February 21, 2013
Movie Event & Discussion - "Gattaca"
1:10 pm to 4:00 pm
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives - Gallery Lecture Room
Discussion led by Jillian Abbott
Set in the not-too-distant future, a less than perfect man assumes the identity of a perfect genetic specimen in order to pursue his dream career.  The movie will be followed by a discussion on science vs. science fiction.

Friday, February 22, 2013
Movie Event - BBC Documentary - "The Way of All Flesh"
10:00 am to 12:00 noon
M136
Hosted by:  Susan Madera
Watch the BBC documentary which Rebecca Skloot discusses in several chapters of her book, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."  This documentary follows the story of the cells of Henrietta Lacks. (Although open to all, 230 students from Cardozo High School will attend this event.)

Monday, February 25, 2013
How Does She Do That? - Connecting Cultures, Chronology and Individuals in "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks"
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
H349
Hosted by: Laurel Harris, Kimberly Banks and Leah Anderst
A roundtable of English faculty will lead a discussionof Rebecca Skloot's approach to writing "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." This interactive exchange will include an examination of how Skloot uses rhetorical strategies such as logos, ethos and pathos.  We will also explore how she incorporates multiple voices and time periods.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Research:  Going Beyond the Associate's Degree
12:10 pm to 1:50 pm
M136
Hosted by:  Alisa Cercone
This event will stress the importance of conducting meaningful research and finding reliable sources as well as focus on how these skills can be carried across the curriculum.

Thursday, February 28, 2013
Red Nails and Be-Bop
1:10 pm to 2:00 pm
LB14
Hosted by:  Mavis Hall
Mavis Hall will initiate a dialogue about the humanity of Henrietta Lacks and how Rebecca Skloot makes this fascinating figure come alive on the page.

Friday, March 1, 2013
Human Guinea Pigs:  Involuntary Medical Experimentation - A Global Perspective"
11:10 am to 1:00 pm
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center & Archives - Gallery Lecture Room
Guest Speaker:  Beth Lilach, Senior Director of Education & Community Affairs, Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center
This program will examine involuntary experiments upon human beings in the United States, Europe, Central America and Africa.  We will discuss the ethical implications of forced procedures conducted by medical institutions, governments, and private companies on children, women, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples and the poor.  The presentation will also explore resistance by the victims and their pursuit of justice.

Monday, March 4, 2013
Workshop:  Exploring Career Alternatives in Health
1:10 pm to 2:00 pm
S313
Hosted by:  Gail Patterson, Freshman Coordinator, Health Related Sciences Academy
Participants will be provided with an overview of the vast career opportunities within the Health field.  Strategies and techniques to explore and research specific health careers will be discussed.  A Health Career Ladder, which details the various career pathways and advancements, will be introduced to attendees.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Human Subject Research
1:10 pm to 2:00 pm
S112
Hosted by:  Paul Marchese and Cheryl Bluestone
Henrietta Lacks was one of many people who were exploited for scientific research before safeguards were put into place.  The protection of human subjects for research has come a long way since then.  Come discuss the history and latest developments in the protection of human subjects research, including the founding of the IRBs, and why they are important to society and the advancement of science.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013
STEM and Henrietta Lacks
2:10 pm to 3:50 pm
LB14
Hosted by:  Michael Dolan
Students will prepare and deliver three presentations on the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) references found within "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot.  The first presentation will be on the "rocket science" used to enable the manned space flight that put HeLa cells in orbit, enabling scientists to study the effects of space travel and zero gravity on human cell growth.  The second will be on the physics of nuclear radiation and how HeLa cells were used to study the effects of radiation.  The third will be on the thermodynamics of cryopreservation used to that HeLa cells could be frozed and shipped through the mail.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities
10:00 am to 12:00 noon
M136
Guest Speaker:  Abraham Aragones, MD, MS, Assistant Attending of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Dr. Aragones will be speaking on the genesis of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service's work, the projects under the services wing and how these projects are tailored to help minorities and immigrants.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Sociocultural and Health Related Advocacy Issues
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
S112
Hosted by:  Lorraine Cupelli, Georgina Colalillo, Barbara Rome and Barbara Blake-Campbell
Several groups of student nurses will present findings on issues in "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" with a post-panel discussion for questions and answers.


Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Cell Sampling
1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
M228
Hosted by:  Nidhi Gadura and Areti Tsiola
Details:  There will be two workshops as follows:  1:10 pm to 2:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  Each workshop will accommodate 24 students.
Note:  This event is reserved for visiting high school students.
Students will gently scrape their inner cheek cells and learn how to mount them on a slide.  Cells will be stained with Methylene Blue and studied under a microscope.  Students will be able to see the cell membrane and nuclei of their normal cells.  Students will be able to see real HeLa cells (courtesy of our colleagues at Queens College) in culture and on the microscope as well as other pre-stained cells.  There will be a presentation/discussion about the nature of cancerous cells and basic clinical screening tests for their detection.

Thursday, March 7, 2013
Cancer, Genes and Viruses
9:00 am to 9:50 am
S212
Hosted by:  Sara Danzi-Engoron
Henrietta Lacks died of cervical cancer.  Her cancer was caused by genetic mutations resulting from a Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, infection.  In fact, 90% of sexually active adults become infected with HPV at some point in their lives.  Inthis student presentation, learn about what HPV does, the relationsip between viruses and cancer, and about the HPV caccine currently recommended for children and young adults.

Thursday, March 7, 2013
Cancer and You
1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
S112
Hosted by:  Peter Novick
Guest Speaker:  Alanna Coughlin, M.D., Branford/North Branford Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, Attending Yale School of Medicine, Clinical Instructor
Almost everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, but do YOU really know what it is?  Do YOU know how to prevent cancer?  Are YOU familiar with the newest cancer treatments?  Join us as we learn about what causes cancer, ways to protect yourself and novel medical advancements from both scientific and medical viewpoints.

Friday, March 8, 2013
Common Read Culminating Event
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
M136
Join us as we celebrate the work of our students participating in Service Learning as part of the Common Read.  Their work will be shared and they will be recognized for their achievements.  Then prepare to sit on the edge of your seats as our faculty and students play "HeLa Jeopardy" based upon "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."  Our own Jeffrey Schwartz has designed the game and will host "HeLa Jeopardy."

Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Cancer: A Survivor's Story
1:10 pm to 2:30 pm
RFK Hall, Room G-201/202
Guest Speaker:  Dan FosterJoin us as Dan Foster shares his personal experience as a colorectal cancer survivor and fundraising advocate for cancer prevention and treatment. (Sponsored by the Health, Physical Education & Dance Deparement, Health Services and the Health Related Sciences Academy as part of The Frank Egan Memorial Health Lecture Series.) Note:  All attendees are asked to wear blue in recognition of colon cancer.

Friday, April 26, 2013
Common Read Writing Contest Awards Ceremony
12:00 noon to 2:00 pm
S112
Hosted by:  Lauren Rosenblum
Join us as the top entries in our Common Read Writing Contest read their work aloud.  Prizes will be bestowed on first and second place winners in each of three categories:  Poetry, Essay (non-fiction) and Short Story (fiction).


Spring 2012 Common Read at Queensborough Community College

Featured text: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Ten Queensborough classes, as well as students from Benjamin Cardozo High School, Bayside High School, Hillcrest High School and Martin Van Buren High School, will read To Kill a Mockingbird and participate in the following activities.  The entire college community is invited.  For information on other scheduled events please see our LibGuide on the QCC Library Homepage or join our Facebook Group "To Kill a Mockingbird at QCC."  Events with an asterisk (*) have been taped and are available for viewing on TigerMedia.

Events:

Monday, February 27, 2012
Drop-In Read Aloud of
To Kill a Mockingbird
Location:  LB14
Time:  9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Students are invited to "drop-in" to participate in an oral presentation of the text.  Please bring a copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird" with you.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Race, Justice and White Privilege in the American South in the 1930s:  Examining the Trial in "To Kill a Mockingbird"*
Location:  Library, 3rd Floor, Open Area
Time:  10:00 am to 12:50 pm
Introduction and discussion by Dr. Megan Elias / Trial performed by student in Professor Michael Cesarano's Class
Join us as Dr. Megan Elias presents a brief introduction to the historical setting of "To Kill a Mockingbird."  Her introduction will be followed by a performance of the trail by students in Professor Michael Cesarano's Oral Performance for the Actor and Speaker class.  After the performance, audience members will be able to ask questions of Dr. Elias, Professor Cesarano and the student actors. 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Boo Who?  A Conversation on Boo Radley and Stigma in "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location:  S111
Time:  1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
Hosted by Jessica Rogers, Adjunct Lecturer, English Department

Thursday, March 1, 2012
Leaping Off the Page Part I:  From Words to Pictures
Location:  M136
Time:  3:10 pm to 5:00 pm
Examining the adaptation of a classic from novel to film.  Presented by Jillian Abbott, Adjunct Lecturer, English Department

Friday, March 2, 2012
Presentation of "Hey, Boo:  Harper Lee and 'To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location: LB14
Time:  11:15 am to 1:00 pm
A documentary exploring the story behind the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" including a portrait of Harper Lee's life via interviews with her friends, family and fans.

Monday, March 5, 2012
"To Kill a Mockingbird" Book Discussion
Location:  LB14

Time:  9:15 am to 10:30 am
Led by Professor Sandra Marcus

Wednesday, March 7, 2012
QCC Production of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location:  QPAC Theatre - Humanities Building
Time:  1:15 pm
Talk-back session with the actors available after this performance.

Thursday, March 8, 2012QCC Production of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location:  QPAC Theatre - Humanities Building
Time:  10:00 am
Talk-back session with the actors available after this performance.

Friday, March 9, 2012
Movie Presentation of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location:  LB14Time:  10:30 am to 1:00 pm

Monday, March 12, 2012
Movie Presentation of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location:  LB14
Time:  9:30 am to 12 noon

Wednesday, March 14, 2012
"The Innocence Project:  Reflections on Wrongful Imprisonment"*
Guest Speakers:  Mr. Fernando Bermudez and Olga Akselrod, Innocence Project Staff Attorney
Loation:  M136
Time:  1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" tells the story of Tom Robinson, a man convicted of a crime he did not commit.  Although Lee's story takes place in the deep south in the 1930s, wrongful imprisonment continues today all over the world.  Join us as Mr. Fernando Bermudez tells us how he was wrongly conviced of murder and spent 18 years inprison.  He will be joined by Olga Akselrod, staff attorney at the Innocence Project, a national litigation public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Boo Who?  A Conversation on Boo Radley and Stigma in "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location:  LB14
Time:  4:10 pm to 5:30 pm
Hosted by Jessica Rogers, Adjunct Lecturer, English Department

Thursday, March 15, 2012
Leaping Off the Page Part II:  If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now
Location:  M136
Time:  3:10 pm to 5:00 pm
Examining the adaptation of a classic from novel to film.  Presented by Jillian Abbott, Adjunct Lecturer, English Department

Friday, March 16, 2012
"To Kill a Mockingbird":  Child Development in the Midst of Turmoil*
Location:  LB14
Time:  10:30 to 11:30 am
Presented by Dr. Jeffery Jankowski. 
Join us as we take a look at the children portrayed in "To Kill a Mockingbird" from a psychologicalpoint of view.  Dr. Jeffery Jankowski will introduce Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and discuss how his nested systems play a crucial part in the development of the children portrayed in the text.

Friday, March 16, 2012
Presentation of "Hey, Boo:  Harper Lee and 'To Kill a Mockingbird"
Location: LB14
Time:  11:15 am to 1:00 pm
A documentary exploring the story behind the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" including a portrait of Harper Lee's life via interviews with her friends, family and fans.


November 2011 Common Read at Queensborough Community College
The Shawl, by Cynthia Ozick

The Shawl, by Cynthia Ozick
In “The Shawl,” a woman named Rosa Lublin watches a concentration camp guard murder her daughter. In “Rosa,” that same woman appears thirty years later, “a madwoman and a scavenger,” in a Miami hotel. And, in both stories, there is a shawl—a shawl that can sustain a starving child or inadvertently destroy her or even magically conjure her back to life.

Six Queensborough classrooms will cover The Shawl and participate in the following activities. The entire college community is invited.

Events:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Oral Performance of the Text
Location: LB14

Time:  1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
Students will be invited to take turns reading aloud from their copy of the text.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Movie Event: 
The Devil’s Arithmetic
Location: S111

Time:  1:10 to 3:00 pm
This is the story of a modern (circa 1980s) teenage girl who halfheartedly accepts her family’s Jewish traditions. When asked to “open the front door to the prophet Elijah” as part of the Seder feast, she—like Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz—is transported to another place and time. Her arrival in 1940s Poland focuses on her experience as a prisoner in a German death camp.

Wednesday, November 23 ,2011
Tattoos and Identity
Location: M136

Time:  1:10 pm to 3:00 pm
During this event, students will have the opportunity to showcase their tattoos. They will be asked to present their tattoos to the audience, share their reasoning for getting their tattoos, discuss the actual experience of tattooing, share their thoughts on the permanence of tattoos, and reflect on the effect their tattoos have had on their lives. After all students showcase their tattoos, Miss Ruth Turek, an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor, will talk about her tattoo which was forced on her as a means of identification during the Holocaust.

Campus Cultural Centers

Kupferberg Holocaust Center exterior lit up at nightOpens in a new window
Kupferberg Holocaust Center Opens in a new window

The KHC uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate current and future generations about the ramifications of unbridled prejudice, racism and stereotyping.

Russian Ballet performing at the Queensborough Performing Arts CenterOpens in a new window
QPAC: Performing Arts CenterOpens in a new window

QPAC is an invaluable entertainment company in this region with a growing national reputation. The arts at QPAC continues to play a vital role in transforming lives and building stronger communities.

Queensborough Art Gallery exterior in the afternoonOpens in a new window
QCC Art Gallery

The QCC Art Gallery of the City University of New York is a vital educational and cultural resource for Queensborough Community College, the Borough of Queens and the surrounding communities.