Thomas DeBernardis to Speak about First Year of College

CAZENOVIA, NY (02/02/2012)(readMedia)-- Cazenovia College's Annual First Year Banquet, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 5:30 p.m., celebrates first-year students' completion of the first semester of their college careers. The event also acknowledges the contributions of faculty and staff, including peer mentors, master students and resident advisors, all of whom have a role in helping first year students make the transition to college life.

A highlight of the event is an address by members of the first year class, reflecting upon their experiences as new freshmen at Cazenovia. First year student speakers are nominated by their professors, and must audition for the privilege of speaking. Leigha J. Burkhalter, of Massena, N.Y., an inclusive elementary education major; and Tom DeBernardis, of Utica, N.Y., who is majoring in communication studies, are the speakers for 2012.

Maureen Louis, J.D., associate professor and director of the Communication Studies Program, chaired the speaker selection committee. She said, "The committee seeks to choose first year students who can speak eloquently on behalf of the entire first-year class, both in reflecting their experiences as new members of the Cazenovia College family and in sharing hopes for the future. The change and growth that occur during the first semester of college are amazing, and the Cazenovia College First Year Banquet celebrates that special time."

Dr. Tim McLaughlin, associate dean of the faculty and dean of the First Year Program says, "I always enjoy hearing the student speakers reflect on what they anticipated would be their college experience before arrival at Cazenovia contrasted with their actual experiences in their first term. Especially memorable are those students who experienced growth in unanticipated directions as a result of coming to college – a choice of academic discipline, discovery of an intellectual passion, or recognition of the need for hard work."

The First Year Seminar course is a key element of the program, designed to help students bond with faculty members as instructors and mentors, and with fellow students who share common interests. New students register for a seminar course that most closely matches one of their interests, or their major course of study.

DeBernardis enrolled in Andrew `O'Baoill's Be the Media First Year Seminar, as it dealt with his interest in journalism and broadcast media. He says, "This seminar served as an introduction to broadcasting. I learned skills and techniques that are essential for me to know for the rest of my time as a student, and in my future profession."

Burkhalter's First Year Seminar was "Freedom for the Thought We Hate": A History of the First Amendment, with Dr. John Robert Greene. She says, "Dr. Greene is a fantastic professor who tries to focus on the student's educational experience. His First Year Seminar is a CLASS rather than a session where students talk about college experiences. The course was a little intimidating at first but in the end, it was a great way to start out my freshman year here at Caz."

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.

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