Monday Morning Update

July 26, 2010

Decisions: This year's Common Intellectual Experience summer reading assignment is giving our first-year students the tools and information they need to become better decision-makers. In his book How We Decide, Jonah Lehrer examines the decision-making process and the correlation between reason and emotion. With real-world examples, like how Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady chooses where to throw the football, Lehrer uses his background in neuroscience to explain how the human mind works when making decisions. On October 7, Lehrer will visit campus to discuss the book at the annual Common Intellectual Experience lecture. For more, visit here.

Tweet, Tweet: Recent graduate Martin Earley '10 is living it up this summer at the world-class Balsams Resort in New Hampshire as the winner of its "inn-bedded resorter" contest. In June, the historic grand hotel announced it wanted a social-media savvy guest to spend the summer chronicling life at the resort on Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media outlets. The hotel picked Earley from nearly 400 applicants. Born in Switzerland, he moved to the U.S. in 2001 after a brief stint in Thailand. At Stonehill, he double-majored in philosophy and foreign languages and was a four-year member of the men's soccer team. For more on Earley and his summer adventures, visit here. To view a clip from NECN-TV of Earley at the Resort, visit here.

Reunited: Twenty-four years after they graduated, John McKee '86 and Bill Gormley '86 recently bumped into each other in Afghanistan. Now U.S. Army lieutenant colonels, the former roommates are stationed at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, which is primarily run by Polish troops. Gormley serves as a Team Leader of a Human Terrain Team researching Afghan culture. McKee is a Detachment Commander for an Information Operations Team, which rallies support for the Afghan government. To view a photo of McKee and Gormley from their base, visit here.

Alternative Sounds: For a Brockton Enterprise article on college radio, Communication major Robert Calobrisi '10 interviewed representatives from local college stations, including WSHL's general manager Jeremiah McCarthy '10, chief engineer Peter George, and faculty advisor Geoff Lantos. These alternative stations are becoming increasingly popular and WSHL is highly regarded for its diverse musical programming. To read Calobrisi's report, visit here.

Writer's Digest: Another Communication major who earned a nice byline recently is Ally Mielnicki '11 whose article on tennis star Anna Kournikova appeared in the Boston Globe. To read the story, visit here.

Contact

For more information, contact Communications and Media Relations at 508-565-1321.