• Graduate Program in Multidisciplinary Studies in Top 25
• CMS Newsmakers
• 2007-2008 Scholarship Opportunities for CMS Students

The Center for Multidisciplinary Studies was ranked in the Top 25 Graduate Programs in Rochester by enrollment. The ranking was released in the Rochester Business Journal's annual "The Lists" edition. "The Lists" is sent to all current Rochester Business Journal subscribers and available online at www.rbjdaily.com

CMS Associate Director Mary Boyd, CMS Academic advisors Michelle Firnstein and Abby Berner: Presented “Navigating through Uncharted Waters: Utilizing Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) at a non-PLA Institution” at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) conference in Baltimore, MD October 21. Their presentation addressed the key standards of the PLA method of credit evaluation and how to modify and apply this method to a non-PLA institution such as RIT.

CMS Graduate Program Coordinator Dr. Samuel McQuade, III and ITS Associate Director Dave Pecora: Presented at the National EDUCAUSE Conference on Friday October 26 in Seattle, Washington. Their presentation revealed preliminary research findings and community partnership implications affecting higher education as determined through their involvement in the RIT-led Rochester Regional Cyber Safety and Ethics Initiative. To learn more, visit www.rrcsei.org

CMS Associate Director Mary Boyd: In cooperation with Project Solutions, LLC and PMI-Rochester, coordinated and presented a full day Project Management Collaborative on the RIT campus on October 30. The event consisted of several workshops and presentations involving various aspects of Project Management and real world applications. The collaborative drew managers and professional associates from local, regional project management fields and businesses from out of state. There are plans to make the collaborative an annual event every fall.

Assistant Professor Dr. Carol Romanowski: Presented at the Annual Conference for the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS), November 4. Dr. Romanowski presented on research in data clustering and cluster assignments using the the CUSUM method to signal significant changes in density, shape, and content of spatial data clusters. The method appears to work well although the non-normality of the cluster quality measure requires changes that make monitoring individual clusters less feasible.

CMS Associate Professor Thomas Moran and Economics Associate Professor Dr. Jeffrey Wagner: Co-authored and presented a paper titled: “Unlikely Partners – An Experiment in Multi-disciplinary Classroom Experience.” The topic delved into the positive effect on students when an economics professor was brought into an Environmental Communication course for Civil Engineering/Environmental Management & Safety students. The paper was presented at the Engineering, Teaching and Learning Practices 2007 St. Lawrence Section Conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada through the American Society for Engineering Education.

Osher Reentry Scholarship

The Bernard Osher Foundation has selected CMS to receive a $50,000 grant for the 2007-2008 academic year. The tuition scholarship will be given in awards of $5,000 per student. Ten students will be selected to receive tuition assistance during this academic year. The program's purpose is to provide assistance to individuals with financial need between the ages of 25 and 50 whose collegiate studies were interrupted for five or more years by circumstances beyond their control and who now wish to resume their studies and complete a four-year baccalaureate degree.

For more information on the Osher Scholarship, please visit our financial aid web page or click here to see the Osher Reentry Scholarship Application.

Henry & Pinny Cooke Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship is open to all CMS undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.80 or higher. This is a newly endowed scholarship and this is the first year that it has been available to CMS students. One award recipient will be chosen to receive this scholarship for the 2007-2008 academic year. Preference will be given to those students who choose careers for the common good, community service or have demonstrated a personal or career commitment to civic responsibility.

For more information on the Henry & Pinny Cooke Endowed Scholarship, please visit our financial aid web page or click here to see the Cooke Endowed Scholarship Application.