Page 129 - ThePhoenix1997-98

FEATURES Thursday, March 5,.1998 - Page 9 Provost Coley proves women can succeed at WMC BY NIKKI B£LANGER Coley says she was just plan- school. After achieving her Femur!!., Editor ning on staying for three years and bachelor's degree in English, she then going to a university to be- went on to get her master's to keep Most people don't understand come a famous researcher in the her job as a reading specialist and exactly what she does or what her reading field. But she discovered eventually earned her Ph.D. from title means, but they know she's teaching was valued here and this the University of Maryland. one of the most powerful people on was where she wanted to be. She still teaches two courses a campus. Her job as provost was pre- year at WMC and runs a reading In the midst of celebrating sented to her as a challenge and she clinic in the summer where she Women's History Month, Joan accepted it. "I waited everyday for teaches the teachers of kids with Develin Coley, provost and dean of the fraud police to come and say reading disabilities. She has trave- the faculty, proves that women you can't do this job, but they led all over the world, done work have made many advances in the didn't and here I am," Coley says, for publishers, given seminars and last several decades. Being provost laughing. conducted workshops on the sub- means Coley is second-in-com- Tom Gordon, a sociology ma- ject of reading. Her 11 page resume mand at Western Maryland Col- jor, has known Coley for many includes 35 published articles and lege, just behind President Cham- years because he attended the same papers and many books, mono- bers and just above the three other elementary school as her son. Since graphs, and videos she has pro- executives, who are all men. Co- attending WMC, he has gone to her duced on her subject. As Dean of Faculty. Provost Goley is the highest ranked woman at WMC, ley has held the highest rank a twice with concerns. "I think she's Coley describes her job as pro- on who's going to teach here and put me at ease, and I knew I could woman has ever held at WMC for pretty fair, listens to concerns hon- vost as "challenging, interesting, how to support them. During her be myself with her," Orza said. the past five years and is also the estly, and tries to help," he said. and never the same." In her posi- first year, she hired five or six new Although she's in a very high po- senior ranking female professor tion, every decision ~he makes is faculty and is planning on hiring sition, Orza says that Coley has al- here. Her 22-year-old son now at- difficult but she's not afraid to work seven this year. One of the faculty ways been very accessible. In her large comer office with tends a college much like WMC in hard. A typical day includes three she hired that first year was Dr. Despite the dismal weather out- four windows overlooking the cam- Connecticut while Coley lives in meetings with faculty committees, Julia Orza, coordinator of the side her large windows, Coley de- pus, Coley talks about her career Westminster with her two cats. Al- numerous appointments with stu- master's degree in counselor's edu- scribes her perfect day with a warm as a teacher with enthusiasm. though she grew up in Philadelphia, dents and administrators, and two cation and a first-year seminar smile on her face. First she would "I love my field," she says about Coley moved to Maryland when crises. She adds that she's already teacher in education. read a good book, then eat a meal her studies in reading disabilities, her then husband attended gradu- had one crisis and is expecting an- Orza remembers her first im- at a Wonderful restaurant, and fi- adding that her first love is teach- ate school at the University of other one later in the afternoon. pression of Coley during an inter- nally end the day with a play at ing. She began her career as a read- Maryland. In charge of every academic view at the end of a long day of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. ing specialist in Prince George's Not even sure she was going to part of the college, including the encountering different committees. where she's had season tickets for County public schools and became be able to go to college because her curriculum and the entire graduate "She welcomed me into her office, the past 25 years. an administrator for one year there. family didn't have the means to program, Coley hopes she's been After finishing her doctorate she send her, Coley received a schol- able to leave her mark on WMC came here in 1973 to coordinate the arship to attend Albright College in through the faculty that she's Poets find Common graduate program in reading as an Pennsylvania and worked 40 hours helped to hire. The best part of her assistant professor. ~ a week to put herself through job is being able to have an impact Ground on the Hill Sea-faring students to AtA Glance: By JONATHON SHA-CAT emy of American Poets Prize. a poem "Where it all Began," SeniorWriler cruise through semester Semester at Sea Common Ground affiliated with that Holloway wrote, won a con- women Three in the "Na- test and was published on the Hill and Book Semester at Sea courses in- WMC will take part in a poetry tional Anthropology She has been of America" in 1996. BY JONATHON SHACAT rocco and returns to Fort Lauder- clude Anthropology, Biology, reading in Westminster this month. writing poetry since age 13. SeniorWriler dale, Florida in December. Business, Communication, Featured poets include Kim Scott is a WMC alumnae of the Badiee plans to teach Art of In- Economics, English, Film Ports, an adjunct English professor, year and was named one of the top In the fall Dr. Julie Badiee will dia, China, Japan, Art of Islam, and Studies, Geography, Geology, Shelise Holloway, a sophomore board the S.S. Universe and leach Early Christians and Byzantines. History, Music, Art, Philoso- sociology major, and Carolyn 100 women of Maryland. Live music will be performed a semester of art history courses for She hopes that some interested phy, Political Science, Psy- Scott, a trustee. at the event by Jeanean Martin, 100 days on "a floating campus." WMC students will take part in the chology, Sociology, and The- Poems by Ports have appeared Lydia Martin, Emily Martin, Semester at Sea, a study abroad program with her. aterArts. in publications such as "The Mid- program, travels around the world "If anybody is interested in Credits attained during the west Quarterly" and "The Rocky Wesley Michael, and Amy Ferebee. The poetry reading will be held and stops at several countries. coming in the fall, it would be Semester at Sea program can Mountain Review," as well as an on March 22 from 2-6 pm in the The adventure, which counts as great,"she said. be transferred to WMC and anthology called "Passionate her sabbatical, will let Badiee visit According to Martine Motard- used as major, minor, or Hearts." She received the Acad- Ain't That A Frame Gallery located at 31 West Main Street. and photograph sites that she dis- Noar, WMC study abroad director, BLAR requirements, not to cusses in two of her WMC courses. Semester at Sea is very reputable. mention electives. In March, "The places where the ship "It's a well put together pro- an affiliation agreement will be made between WMC and CALL US! "I am not going to see 'Titanic.' Semester at Sea allowing stu- dent grades to count toward 410-857-5554 1'1l see it when I come back. " their GPA, according to WESTMINSTER Motard-Noar. Dr. Julie Badiee The cost to take part in the program for one semester is stops dovetail in with things r teach gram that has substance," said $12,980; that price includes in [Art of India, China, Japan and Motard-Noar. "It's nota world tour tuition, room and board, and Art of Islam] class," she said. in two days." She added that it has the passage fare. Most federal The steam ship stops at nearly the same type of classes that WMC and state scholarships, loans, a dozen different ports and stays at offers. grants will transfer. WMC 'each place for about four or five For now Badiee is getting scholarships cannot be applied days. While there, students take psyched for the trip. She says she to pay for this. program, said part in structured visits appropri- has heard that the experience Motard-Noar. ate to each city. "changes your life, it gives you For more information con- It departs in September from such a broad view." tact Motard-Noar at extension Vancouver, British Colombia, vis- "When people ask me how I am 467 or Badiee at 598. The its Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, preparing for the trip 1 say 'I am Semester at Sea web site ad- Vietnam, Cambodia (a side-trip), not going to see "Titanic," I'll see dress is hnp://www.pitt.edu/ India, Israel, Turkey, Italy, Mo- it when I come back," said Badiee. -voyage/