Monday Morning Update

April 02, 2012

Food Truck Nation: One of the hottest culinary trends arrived at Stonehill last Friday as students and staff enjoyed tasty creations from the OXEDOS Street Grub Food Truck. Run by Sodexo, our dining service provider, the truck offered a Boston themed menu featuring sandwiches like the Beantown Grilled Cheese with cheddar, caramelized onions and pulled pot roast on grilled sourdough bread. Stationed in the Duffy Parking Lot, the truck, which is due back after Easter Break, will offer a new themed menu each visit. For now, cash or credit cards only. Use of the Hill Card is being explored. For more information, visit the @OXEDOSfoodtruck Twitter Feed.

Local Impact: Using their Hill Cards, Stonehill students pumped more than $758,000 into the local economy in 2010-2011. And, all indications show that student spending, primarily in Easton coffee shops, restaurants and food stores, continues to grow. In the first nine months of fiscal year 2012, our students have spent more than $600,000 locally, a purchasing jump of 14.6 percent over this time last year. Students use the all-purpose Hill Card to gain access to residence halls and to make purchases at the Dining Commons, the MacPhaidin Library, and a variety of establishments in both Easton and Brockton.

History's Purpose: The sheer number of civilians, 14 million, who were murdered in a zone of death between Berlin and Moscow when Hitler and Stalin were both in power can blunt our sense of the individuality of each one, according to historian Timothy Snyder at the Salameno Lecture last week. Reflecting on that number, Snyder suggested that "the goal of history is to turn those numbers back into people." With new primary sources uncovered after the fall of the Soviet system -- letters home, diaries and notes thrown from trains or scratched on synagogue walls -- he gave names and identities to victims who had been rendered anonymous. Snyder's presentation was based on his acclaimed book Bloodlands.

Ecomomics: When top economic scholars met in Boston at the recent Eastern Economics Association Conference, four Stonehill students were among the presenters. Using primary research and regression analysis, they delivered three professional papers. Advised by Prof. Akira Motomura, Emily Helming '12 examined how a successful offense impacts attendance at MLB games. Advised by Prof. Sean Mulholland, Rachel Sederberg '13 and Juliana Carattini '12 reported that competition from Catholic high schools can enhance public school student performance. Advised by Prof. Motomura, Daniel Sexton '12 explored the impact political parties have on educational quality. Professors Mulholland and Motomura presented at the conference as did Professors Hossein Kazemi and Mark Kazarosian.

Autism Speaks: Students will shine a light on autism tonight by "lighting up" Donahue Hall blue for Autism Awareness Day. A global initiative, the Light It Up Blue campaign sees iconic world landmarks bathed in blue in support of people with autism. In solidarity with her sister who has Asperger's syndrome, Madison White '14 started Stonehill's Autism Speaks U chapter, which is sponsoring tonight's event. It is the first and only college chapter of the organization in Massachusetts.

Contact

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