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The second annual Sophomore JumpStart, created by Hamilton’s Maurice Horowitch Career Center, took place on Sept. 8 at the Radisson Hotel in Utica. Approximately 50 sophomores spent their Saturday morning listening to various speakers, learning resume building tips and taking assessments to gauge their potential career interests.

Hamilton College archaeologists were well-represented on the program of the 77th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology held April 18-22 in Memphis, Tenn. Several students, faculty members and alumni presented research with other Hamilton alumni in attendance.

What does one pack for a trip to an Antarctic island?  Items not found on a typical packing checklist, as some Hamilton students learned this week when they prepared for an expedition to Robertson Island.  It’s week two of the Antarctica 2012 research expedition, aboard the ship Nathaniel B. Palmer for Natalie Elking ’12, Manique Talaia-Murray ’12, Andrew Seraichick ’13, Elizabeth Bucceri ’11 and Associate Professor of Biology Mike McCormick. 

Participants in the first Levitt Leadership Institute cohort headed to Washington, D.C. for the  second phase of the program during spring break. Led by Prudence Bushnell, former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya and Guatemala, the group continued their focus on the study of leadership, a program that was enhanced by daily meetings with Washington leaders. Funding for the entire program was provided by Arthur Levitt Jr.

On Feb. 20, TIME's Techland blog published "Polling and Social Media Collide with 'Social Polling'" by Olivia B. Waxman '11.  The article discusses a new form of polling which, instead of surveying a random sample of the population, polls users online on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.  The questions posed generally focus on current events but can often be more fun that those presented in traditional polls. After a fundraiser at New York's Apollo Theater where President Obama sang "Let's Stay Together," Poll Position asked Americans whether they thought he was a better president or singer.

Steve Mello ’11 has been selected as the 2011-12 winner of the Frank W. Taussig Article Award for a paper he wrote as an undergraduate. “Do Changes in Condom Availability Impact Short-Term Fertility? Evidence from Rwanda” began as Mello’s thesis during the 2010 spring semester and evolved into his Levitt Fellowship research project.

The Peace Corps recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and noted that since 1961, 218 of its volunteers have been Hamilton graduates. Most recently Kerry Coughlin ’11, Megan Bumb ’10, Jane Fieldhouse ’10 and Elijah Lachance ’10 served in the Peace Corp ranks.

Associate Professor of Psychology Jen Borton, students Sam Briggs '12 and Beril Esen '13, and former Hamilton Professor Mark Oakes presented two posters at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in San Diego in January. Their posters were titled Defensive Self-Esteem and Self-Awareness and Unforgettable: Autobiographical Memories of People with Defensive High Self-Esteem.

People and events at Hamilton drew much interest from local media during 2011. The celebration of Hamilton’s Bicentennial garnered significant attention, student volunteering was the subject of positive news stories and editorials, and faculty members offered expertise on timely news topics throughout the year.

Students in Hamilton’s Program in New York City recently attended a breakfast hosted by alumni at Citigroup, giving them a chance to informally connect with alumni in the industry.  Citi’s banking offices are located in Tribeca, not too far from Hamilton’s apartments in Battery Park City. The event was hosted by  alumni Jeffrey Schackner ‘89 and Peter Tague ‘88.