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Relay for Life aims high with fundraising goals

The second kickoff event for the College's Relay for Life was held Feb. 17 in McCullough Social Space. The event raised awareness about the relay and other related events, all of which benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS).

As of Feb. 19, participants had raised a total of $7,288 dollars, according to the Middlebury Relay for Life Web site, with a final goal set at $220,000 to be raised at this year's Relay. The event raised over $198,000 last year. Nationwide, Relay for Life events raise about $1 million a day for cancer related causes.

Currently, 36 teams have registered for Middlebury's Relay for Life. The first place team had raised $955 as of Monday.

The College's Relay for Life, organized by co-chairs Alex Braunstein '09 and Chandler Koglmeier '09, will be held April 20-21. Last year, the event raised over $80 dollars per student, the most money per capita raised by any youth event in the country.


Rights activist to speak at energy conference

On Feb. 27 in Dana Auditorium, a College symposium on energy independence will feature a keynote address by Van Jones, human rights activist and founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, Calif.

Jones will discuss challenges facing energy independence and social justice.

"Van has a powerful message to spread," said organizer David Dolginow '09. "He believes that green collar jobs can unite the country to overcome global warming while also fighting against poverty."

Jones has won numerous awards for his efforts in the areas of social and environmental responsibility, including the Reebok International Human Rights Award, the Ashoka Fellowship and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship.

The symposium is organized by the college's chapter of the Roosevelt Institution and the Sunday Night Group.


Creativity gets boost from new alum grant

President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz announced on Monday a program to encourage students to pursue creative and innovative projects beyond their academic work. Funded by a grant from Middlebury alumnus Rory Riggs '75, the program will rely on the support of interested faculty members who wish to serve as advisers for the student projects.

"The initiative is likely to take shape, first, as a series of campus-wide competitions for which students will compete, through self-assembled teams, to solve specific challenges for tangible rewards," said Liebowitz in an e-mail.

The announcement from Liebowitz comes after 18 months of reviewing other colleges' efforts to support student creativity and consulting with students and faculty.

"This program seeks to supplement what our students learn in class with opportunities to enrich their out-of-class experience," said Riggs.