Remembering Dr. Bruce Unger
by Erin Bender ‘08
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Students, faculty, and staff at Randolph-Macon have come together to mourn the loss of a respected member of the community, Dr. Bruce M. Unger. Dr. Unger passed away at his home on Thursday, January 31, 2008.
“As teacher, scholar, and mentor, he personified the very best attributes of the title ‘Professor.’ He was steadfastly loyal to the college, skilled in his research, and dedicated above all to the success of his students,” said President Robert Lindgren. “Dr. Unger will always be remembered for his devotion to Randolph-Macon and as a beloved friend.”
Dr. Unger grew up in Brooklyn, New York and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Queens College in 1964. He then attended Tulane University in New Orleans and earned his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in 1967 and 1973 respectively. He earned memberships in various honorary societies, including Pi Sigma Alpha.
Dr. Unger came to R-MC in 1968 as an instructor of political science and later earned the title of professor. He served as department chair from 1999- 2002 and from July 2003-February 2004. As a scholar, he specialized in various areas, including Soviet/American relations, American foreign policy, international relations, and voting behavior.
As Emily Beadle, a senior political science major, said, “Dr. Unger dedicated almost 40 years of his life to Randolph- Macon and its students. From the moment that I met him I could tell how much he loved his job. He was a great professor who was always willing to help his students. For years, Dr. Unger headed up the political science internship program and used his vast contacts to help students obtain positions in their areas of interest. Dr. Unger cared so much about his students that he even went to the internships to ensure that they were going well and that his students were ok. No matter where the internships were- Richmond, Washington D.C, or New York City- Dr. Unger gave up his time to check on his students. He was a caring professor and his death will be a great loss to this campus and the political science department, and he will be greatly missed.”
During his 40 years at R-MC, Dr. Unger served in various capacities including Interim Dean of the College, Chair of the International Relations program that he helped to develop, and arms control advisor to the United Methodist Board of Church and Society at the United Nations. He also served on many college committees and helped to create a program for the Environmental Studies major. As a professor, Dr. Unger worked exceptionally hard to help students secure internships and research projects. He received many awards for his excellent teaching. In 2002, he was awarded with the Charles J. Potts Professorship at R-MC, which he held until the fall of 2007. He won the student-voted Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching a record number of six times and also won the faculty-voted Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award in 1980. He also won awards given from outside the R-MC community, including the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Council of Higher Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the silver medalist position for the Professor of the Year Award from the Council for Advancement and Support for Higher Education.
Dr. Unger was a renowned world scholar. He participated in the Earth Summit at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Locally, he spoke regularly at schools, churches, and civic groups on international and environmental issues. Several of his articles were published in national and international newspapers, magazines, and electronic journals.
“Bruce contributed to Randolph- Macon College in countless ways,” said Dr. William Franz, friend and R-MC physics professor. “He loved to travel with his wife at his side. He would always return to delight us with stories about what he learned, especially about the native cuisine. He was indeed a food connoisseur.”
He is survived by his wife Arlene and two children.
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R-MC Brings Students Together
by Maggie Yoder ‘11
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Through a twist of fate I met a fellow Hawaii high school graduate on orientation day, Hanh Le . We applied to Randolph-Macon independently of one another, after only one chance meeting in Honolulu; seeing her again made the world seem smaller, and made everything fit into place.
All the miles and one great big ocean came rushing down around my ears. I was lucky to see her again, more than that I am happy to have built a friendship with her. Hanh (originally from Vietnam) and I do not have a cultural barrier; shared experiences, a common city, and recollections have bound us together.
When we all arrived at Randolph Macon everyone was alone but eventually certain things connected us: our backgrounds, our personalities, in a sense our culture. Barriers naturally come away when a thousand college students live, love, and play in an eight block radius. But true bonding tends to be incredibly selective. We tend to identify most with someone we have something in common with, a high school.. .do you know so in so? A television show… so what about McDreamy, huh? Little awkward moments which hopefully lead to shared experiences. But what if your classmate went to high school in another country or state and has never herd of Grey’s Anatomy? How do you share an awkward moment? Both of you have to try harder to break through the cultural barrier.
Randolph Macon is actively trying to increase cultural diversity and encourage international interest through several formal programs. The international exchange program recruits students from all over the world. First hand in-depth knowledge of other cultures is given to all students, through study abroad programs and J-term travel courses. Special groups, like the international interest group, provide all students with the chance to share a common interest, take trips, and watch foreign films.
An investment in a cross- cultural friendship opens a window of opportunity. You have a chance to learn about someone from another culture and in doing so learn more about yourself. Attending meetings, travelling, and building friendships are all ways of making a positive investment in the future. I personally am looking forward to going to Vietnam someday.
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Senior Spotlights:
Kaitlin Long
by Jennifer Green ‘10
Features Editor
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Kaitlin Long has achieved more than just the ordinary student during her time here at Randolph-Macon. Not only is she a lot of fun to be around, but her accomplishments are extraordinary. Her achievements in the classroom and her activities have created numerous memories that she will look back on fondly long after leaving R-MC.
Kaitlin is a math major, with Elementary Education and Spanish minors. During J-term of 2008, Kaitlin went to England for a course called “The History of Math”. The trip was nothing short of spectacular. “It was amazing!” she said. “The course was great and I learned so many neat things about how math was created and evolved over time. Then in London we had a scavenger hunt where we had to find Newton’s Grave and certain books that were written by old mathematicians. And of course being in England was SWEET!” Kaitlin also studied abroad during J-term of 2007 when she went to Spain for a culture course. She loved being immersed in the culture and seeing everything firsthand. France is next on the list of places that Kaitlin would love to go.
On campus, Kaitlin is involved in Greek Life with her sorority (Delta Zeta), and takes Classical Ballet and Tap off campus. In her spare time she enjoys shopping, sewing, decorating her apartment, cooking, and throwing dinner parties. She also loves being with her dog Susie, who is a mix of a german shepherd and a corgi.
Kaitlin’s favorite class from within her major was game theory with Dr. Rice. “It was a math class where we learned about game strategy and how you can ALWAYS win in battleship. Outside of the math major her favorite class was Introduction to the Fairy Tale with Dr. DeGraff. In that class she got to spend J-term reading different versions of Cinderella.
Kaitlin has numerous college memories. Among them are trips to Sheetz, and running to Wal-Mart for 10 minutes and staying for hours. She also will look back fondly on 80’s night and other themed parties, where getting dressed up was the best part. Random road trips, foxfields, independent study courses where she got to know her professors, and the Rosefest Cruise on the James also made the list. Lunches on Fridays with Christopher, drinking too many diet cokes before exams and staying up all night laughing with her roommate (Elizabeth Steidle) probably won’t ever be forgotten, nor will dinner at El Azteca last year with the boys of Flippo and her Big Sister in her sorority. Last but not least, random road trips are probably among the most memorable for every college student, and for every lucky college student, there’s THE game, Hampden-Sydney verses Randolph-Macon, that is. Kaitlin considers herself fortunate to have experienced both.
After college Kaitlin hopes to be an elementary school teacher in Hanover County. She certainly has many fond memories to look back on, and having accomplished so much during her college years, she won’t have difficulty becoming just as accomplished after graduation. Best of luck, Kaitlin!
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Senior Spotlights:
Paul Johnsen
by Becky Johnsen ‘11
Culture Editor
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Paul Johnsen, along with a few hundred of his classmates, is graduating in a few months. As a sophomore, I am somewhat terrifi ed by the notion of graduating, but Paul is not in a position to worry too much. Even if he were, he probably wouldn’t waste his time. Paul is too busy doing everything else. In the nineteen years I have known him, Paul has been one of the best multitaskers I have ever met.
If you have not had the pleasure of officially meeting this character, chances are you have at least noticed him around campus. Decked out in his own sense of fashion, he’s somewhat hard to miss. This spring, Paul most likely will be walking around campus donning a vibrantly colored t-shirt or polo, madras shorts, boat shoes, and of course his snazzy neon plastic shades. Nevertheless, he pulls it off. Paul is the kind of person who could walk around in almost anything and find a way to make it work.
Along with adding a dash of color to this campus, Paul has left his mark through his strong academic record. In addition to Randolph-Macon’s Presidential scholarship, he has been awarded the Bennett Malbon scholarship and the Kappa Alpha Order’s Porter Hardy III scholarship. As an Economics/ Business major, he is the Vice President of Public Relations for the Business Honors Society, and the Vice President of the Society for the Advancement of Management. Although he would not boast about it, he has made the Dean’s List every fall and spring since his freshman year.
Paul, being a Randolph-Macon student, by no means limits himself to his studies alone. In the Kappa Alpha fraternity, he is both Chair of Community Service and Philanthropy as well as the Recording Secretary. This is not his first year holding an office in KA. In addition, Paul is Captain of the R-MC Varsity Men’s Lacrosse team, and has been a strong attack and midfield player since joining the team. Paul is also a well-known and well-experienced DJ. Whether he’s plugging in the amps for an on-campus event or a weeknight at Sullivan’s, Paul knows how to get people dancing.
Paul came to Randolph-Macon wanting to try everything, and in the process has made many friends and many memories. From my perspective, it has been funny thinking that my goofy older brother could do so much in only four years. However, truly thinking about it, I guess it isn’t so strange. From attending much of grade school and college with him, I have picked up how to better talk, listen, learn, and meet new people. Through his successes in and out of the classroom, Paul has redefined my concept of a good Randolph- Macon student. He is certainly leaving big shoes for me to fill.
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