Carissa Wheeler Tapped for Fellowship at Cazenovia College

CAZENOVIA, NY (10/14/2011)(readMedia)-- Cazenovia College's Washburn Junior Research Fellowships and Teaching Fellowship for 2011-2012 have been announced by Dr. John Robert Greene, Paul J. Schupf Professor, History and Humanities, and advisor for the fellowship program.

Dr. Greene has directed the Washburn Junior Fellowship Program since its inception. Conceived and funded by Professor Emeritus Marge Pinet, and named for her parents, this unique fellowship allows selected students a funded opportunity for research within his or her chosen academic field. Greene announced a significant change in the program this year, thanks to the generosity of Professor Pinet. "In this, the program's eleventh year," Greene said, "there will be four research fellows, one from each academic division."

This past spring, members of the faculty, staff, and administration nominated students deserving of a fellowship and final choices were made by Dr. Greene with the help of several colleagues. Nominated students were required to submit their capstone proposals to be considered for a fellowship. The fellows will receive stipends to aid their research in any way they choose, and each will be invited to make a presentation to a significant portion of the faculty during the final week of his or her Capstone experience.

Carissa S. Wheeler of Aurora, N.Y., a senior majoring in communication studies, with a minor in photography, was nominated as the Division of Art and Design fellow. She is co-captain of the College's volleyball team, a member of the Outdoor Recreation Club, and is the head resident assistant of her residence hall. She is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta First Year Honor Society and a member of Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Since her freshman year she has been consistently on the Dean's List and she has received both Emerson and Founder's scholarships.

She says, "Photography is a passion of mine. My capstone idea is based on both photography and communication. Only a handful of Cazenovia College students get this opportunity, and having been chosen I am excited to be able to use my strengths in public advocacy and photography with the assistance of the fellowship funds. My Senior Capstone project will show how black and white photography has successfully facilitated social change throughout recent history by creating an advocacy campaign, using black and white photography, for families of men and women who have been incarcerated, particularly the children of such families. The children have no control over their parents' circumstances, and studies have shown that many will end up in the same position if they do not receive the help they require. It is important to me to help others, especially those who cannot or don't know how to help themselves.

Greene says, "I think it goes without saying that we as an institution are incredibly grateful to Marge for inaugurating this innovative program. I am also pleased that over the past decade, Washburn Fellows have testified to both the rigor and the usefulness of their experience; many have told me how useful the Fellowship was in their respective Grad School programs, and at last summer's Alumni Weekend, a reunion of past Washburn Fellows paid tribute to this as well."

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Cazenovia College, founded in 1824, is an independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college near Syracuse, N.Y., offering a comprehensive liberal arts education in an exceptional community environment, with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. Cazenovia, named one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report, is also a national College of Distinction. For more information, visit www.cazenovia.edu.