Lowell House News Volume 32, Issue 29 Tuesday, April 28 * Roundtable Dinner with Jill Lepore, 6:00-7:00pm, Small Dining Room * CHAMBER MUSIC OF DVORAK AND BEETHOVEN: Violinist Kypros Markou, pianist Channing Yu, and violoncellist Elizabeth Main present Dvorak's "Sonatine," Beethoven's "Violin Sonata No. 1," and "Archduke Trio." Free www.sulponticello.org, 8:00-10:00pm, JCR Wednesday, April 29 * Chinese Table, 5:30-6:30pm, Dining Hall * Physics table, 9:00-10:00pm, Dining Hall Thursday, April 30 * TEA will be in the TOWER ROOM today, at 5:00pm, 6th floor, F entrance --Bells Exhibition and Student Art opening-- (No Tea in the Masters' Residence) Friday, May 1 (Reading period begins) ARTS FIRST WEEKEND * ANNUAL MAY DAY WALTZ, 6:00am, Weeks Bridge * Last day undergrads would ordinarily be granted a Leave of Absence * Bells Exhibition and Arts Show in the Tower Room, open 10:00am–5:00pm * Lowell House Poemical Society May Day Reading, Kevin McGrath, 6:00-9:00pm, SCR. * French Table, 5:30-6:30pm, Dining Hall Saturday, May 2 ARTS FIRST WEEKEND * Bells Exhibition and Arts Show in the Tower Room, open 10:00am-5:00pm Sunday, May 3 ARTS FIRST WEEKEND * Bells Exhibition and Arts Show in the Tower Room, open 10:00am-5:00pm * Freshman Brunch in Lowell House, 11:30am-1:00pm * Bells Concert, 1:00pm, Courtyard and Bell Tower * Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, 2:00pm rehearsal, 3:00pm performance, Courtyard Monday, May 4 * Dining Hall Closed for PBHA Dinner Wednesday, May 6 * Chinese Table, 5:30-6:30pm, Dining Hall * Physics table, 9:00-10:00pm, Dining Hall Thursday, May 7 * Tea is cancelled today. * BACCHANALIA, 10:00pm-2:00am, Lowell Courtyards, JCR & Dining Hall! Friday, May 8 * French Table, 5:30-6:30pm, Dining Hall Sunday, May 10 * Pre-med Office Hours, 6:00-8:00pm, Dining Hall * Lewin Musicale, 10:00pm, Library ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE RESIDENT DEAN * Ryan Spoering, Allston Burr Resident Dean Room A-22, 5-2283 (lo-abrd@fas.harvard.edu) As your Resident Dean, I am here to help you with all kinds of academic and personal matters, and to connect you to Harvard's many resources. Please come to me with questions and concerns of any kind-- in addition to my advising and administrative roles I also help Lowell House students manage personal struggles, illness and anything else you may encounter on your way to your degree. - TENTATIVE FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE. The tentative final exam schedule has been posted online at www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu. - FINAL EXAM EXCEPTIONS. Everyone is expected to plan to be on campus for the entire final exam period. Exceptions to normally scheduled exams are approved for students with religious conflicts, who can apply to move their exam by 24 hours. The form for this request can be found on the Registrar's website. All other requests to move exam times or locations must go through the Administrative Board. Please check the tentative exam schedule and contact me soon with any questions! - OFFICE HOURS THIS WEEK. I will have walk-in office hours this week from 11-noon Mon, Tues, Wed, and Fri. For other times, please contact Kit in the House office (A-22, 5-2283, lowell@fas) to set up an appointment with me. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASK BETH, the HOUSE ADMINISTRATOR * Beth Terry, A-22, 5-2283 (lo-admin@fas.harvard.edu Dear Beth, My brother is graduating from another House in June--so can I stay in my room until Commencement is over? That way, my parents can help me pack and we can drive all my stuff home, so I won't have to store anything. But just in case, when can I start storing stuff anyway?? Signed, Loyal Lowell Brother Dear Loyal: You can stay in your room so long as you promise to sleep in the closet while your "Alumni Buddy" sleeps in your bed. OK, seriously: every room in a River House is earmarked for alumni as part of their 25th, 50th and 65th package-tour, week-long reunions. (Yes, you too may one day enjoy the pleasures of a sproingy dorm mattress on your arthritic joints!) So, you really need to be moved out by May 24th. Storage in the House is for returning undergrads (i.e. not for those going on Leave next semester..) and is on a space-available-only basis. And, while we are at it, you are not eligible for storage unless your permanent address is outside a radius of 150 miles from Cambridge. That's as the crow flies, not depending upon what route you take :-). Storage will begin on May 18th and further information about it will be communicated to all of you in a memo from our Building Manager on May 4th. ~Beth Commencement workers needed! Sophomores and Juniors interested in sticking around for Commencement and see the hoopla? Have friends graduating? Need a little extra dough for the summer? Come join us and be a Commencement Worker for Lowell House. $10/per hour. It's a lot of fun! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE FELLOWSHIPS TUTORS * Josh Goldman (jdgoldm@fas.harvard.edu) * Courtney Peterson (cmpeters@fas.harvard.edu) * Susanna Mierau (susanna_mierau@post.harvard.edu) * website: http://lowell.harvard.edu/fellowships LOWELL FELLOWSHIPS MAILING LIST Want to know what fellowships are out there? Want to know about them before the deadlines appear in the newsletter? Want more information on the fellowships listed below? Subscribe to the fellowships mailing list to get notices about once every week or two of upcoming deadlines and things to think about (relevant for sophomores, juniors, and seniors). To subscribe, go to http://lists.hcs.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/lowell-fellowships . OFFICE HOURS We hold office hours on Sunday evenings in the dining hall, during which we'd be happy to discuss your plans and look over your application essays. To visit us during office hours, you need to sign up at least one day in advance on the sign-up sheet next to the fellowships bulletin board, right next to the entrance to the JCR. If you have specific questions, please email us at any time. UPCOMING INFOSESSIONS (in OCS conference room unless noted) - Writing Personal Statements (sponsored by the Writing Center) -> Lowell House fellowships tutor Josh Goldman is on the panel * 29 April, 4:00 PM, Thompson Room @ Barker Center - Marshall and Rhodes Scholarship Preview (for class of 2010) * 04 May, 3:00 PM * 05 May, 3:00 PM * 06 May, 3:00 PM - Fulbright Grants Preview (for class of 2010) * 07 May, 3:00 PM * 08 May, 3:00 PM ATTENTION JUNIORS Some fellowships--particularly the Fulbright grants for teaching, research, or graduate study and the Marshall and Rhodes Scholarships--have deadlines very early in the fall semester. In order to submit an application, including letters of recommendation, by the first week of class, it's necessary to think about your proposal and prepare your application over the summer. We recommend starting to think now about these possibilities, attending one of the info meetings listed above, coming to fellowships office hours before you depart for the summer. Susanna, Courtney, and Josh will also be available by email over the summer. FOR MORE INFORMATION: See the Lowell House fellowships website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM YOUR PRE-MED ADVISING TUTORS * Ilya Leskov (chair), Marlys Fassett, Benjamin Rapoport, Mary Alexander ** lohomed@fas.harvard.edu. OFFICE HOURS 6:00-8:00pm Sundays in the Dining Hall (drop-in and by appt; signup outside the JCR). PREMED QUESTIONNAIRE I due 5:00pm, April 22! Available at http://www.lowell.harvard.edu/advising/pre-med.php If you haven't started, start now! Email the completed form to lohomed@fas.harvard.edu. When you submit your form, please indicate which of the two committee interview dates you prefer (Sunday April 26 or Sunday May 3). WORKSHOPS FOR CURRENT APPLICANTS Sundays, 7:00-8:00pm in the Small Dining Room - May 10 Writing the Personal Statement - May 17 AMCAS application FAQs 2009-2010 Med School applicants and alumni applicants in particular... If you missed the intro meeting, please come see us at office hours AND email lohomed@fas to declare your intent to apply. N.B. The college-wide deadline to declare your intent (and therefore to receive application advice and a Dean's Letter) is April 30! Forms and Advisor Assignments are always available on our webpage: http://www.lowell.harvard.edu/advising/pre-med.php ------------------------------------------------------------------------ IM SPORTS * HoCo IMs Reps Katrina Welch (kwelch@fas), Joe Lin (jalin@fas), and Brian Kaufman (bkaufman@fas) IM's this week: 4/25 RIVER RUN!!! Men @ 10am, Women @ 10:30 (New Route- start at Weld Boat House) 4/26 @ 2pm @ Beren Courts: Tennis 2 vs. Currier 4/26 @ 4pm @ Beren Courts: Tennis 1 vs. Adams 4/27 @ 7:30pm @ Stadium: Frisbee (if win 4/23 game) Softball Playoffs start this week (4/29) 5/2 @ 2pm @ Beren Courts: Tennis 2 (if win 4/26 match) 5/3 @ 1pm @ Beren Courts: Tennis 1 (if win 4/26 match) 5/3 @ 2pm @ Beren Courts: Tennis 2 (if win 5/2 match) GO LOWELL!!! ~Your IM reps :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FROM YOUR CAREER AND PRE-BUSINESS ADVISING TUTORS * Russell Miles - Resident Tutor (rmiles@oxfamamerica.org, 3-2990) * Christopher Laconi - Non-Resident Tutor (claconi@mba2009.hbs.edu) Thinking about what you will do after Harvard? It's never too early or too late to start!! Who can help you with this? One great place to look for resources and information is the Office of Career Services http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/students.htm. The website is fabulous with a lot of great information. The OCS office is just around the corner from Lowell House at 54 Dunster Street and there are many people there who are available to help with all of your specific needs. OCS also has a very full program of events throughout the year - from career fairs to resume clinics, interview workshops and meet-the-recruiter nights. Check out the website regularly for the latest event calendar. The General Career Adviser at Lowell, Russell Miles, is here to help you think through that decision and work out what you really want out of life and your career! There are so many interesting and valuable options available to you which are worth exploring. Russell can be contacted on rmiles@oxfamamerica.org or call 617-493-2990 to make an appointment. Or you can find in him J-11. Drop in times are: Weekdays 6:00pm - 10:00pm and Weekends 10:00am - 10:00pm. Christopher Laconi is a Non-Resident Tutor from the Harvard Business School and he can specifically help on Pre-Business discussions and exploring careers in banking and consulting. He may be reached at claconi@mba2009.hbs.edu or call 207-344-8923 for appointments. In addition to helping you think through your career decisions, Chris and Russell can also help get you on the path to further resources and can also help you finalize your resume and prepare for interviews. Russell is creating an e-mail list in order to send out messages about key dates and events. Please contact him if you are interested to have your name on this mailing list - rmiles@oxfamamerica.org -------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR RESIDENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ADVISER * Russell Miles (rmiles@oxfamamerica.org, 3-2990) Interested in international relations, international aid and development? Want to discuss international issues raised in class? Need help thinking about research paper topics? Want to meet and talk with people working in the development or humanitarian sector? Interested in an international career in public service, government or private sector, or simply wanting to travel to other regions of the world? E-mail me or come and talk with me about all these questions. If you would like to make an appointment to talk for a longer period, I am available for meetings on Saturday afternoons from 2.00pm-5.00pm. We will meet in the SCR. I am creating an e-mail list in order to send out messages about key dates and events related to international development and international relations. Please contact me if you are interested to have your name on this mailing list - rmiles@oxfamamerica.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS *USEFUL TIPS ON INTERACTING WITH STAFF Not sure how to ask for a letter of recommendation? Fearful of office hours? Think faculty might bite? Then plan to attend "Etiquette: The Care and Feeding of Faculty, TFs and Other People Who Can Help You" -- a panel discussion aimed at helping you overcome the anxiety often associated with approaching the important people in your academic and professional life. Come hear people with experience share their best practices for building productive relationships with professors and TFs (and asking for their help). Monday, April 27th *** Note the change of date *** 8:00pm - 9:30pm Lowell House Library Appetizers from the Hong Kong Restaurant will be served. Brought to you by the Sophomore Advising Program *The Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association Presents: A CATERED DINNER WITH RAJ CHETTY Tuesday, April 28th, 6-7:30 PM, Dunster Junior Common Room Come to a catered dinner with Rising Star Economics Professor Raj Chetty! Chetty, who received his PhD in economics from Harvard in 2003, became an assistant professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley at age twenty-three and an associate professor at age twenty-seven. He recently became one of the youngest tenured professors in Harvard history. He has done ground-breaking research on the theoretical and empirical issues in the design of tax and social insurance programs. Attendance is limited, so *** RSVP to dbrenner@fas.harvard.edu with your Harvard HUDS number. You can locate the number on the back, bottom right-hand corner of your ID: "CC - ######### (16 digits) *** * CHAMBER MUSIC OF DVORAK AND BEETHOVEN: Violinist Kypros Markou, pianist Channing Yu, and violoncellist Elizabeth Main present Dvorak's "Sonatine," Beethoven's "Violin Sonata No. 1," and "Archduke Trio." Junior Common Room at 8 p.m on Tuesday, April 28. Free and open to the public. www.sulponticello.org * Lowell Roundtable Dinner with Jill Lepore Tuesday April 28th, 6pm-7pm Small Dining Room Jill Lepore, David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History, studies the history of colonial, Revolutionary, and antebellum America. Her books include The Name of War: King Philip's War and the Origins of American Identity (1998), Winner of the Bancroft Prize; Encounters in the New World: A History in Documents (1999); A is for American: Letters and Other Characters in the Newly United States (2002); New York Burning: Liberty and Slavery in an Eighteenth-Century City (2005), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; and Blindspot, a novel written jointly with Jane Kamensky (2008). She is currently writing a biography of Benjamin Franklin and his sister, Jane Mecom. * Lowell House Arts First Exhibition Featuring a photo history of the Lowell House Bells and watercolors by Lowellians. Friday, May 1 - Sunday May 3, 10am-5pm Opening reception: A special Master's Tea in the Tower Room Thursday, April 30, 5 - 6pm * PAUL TILLICH LECTURE Monday, 4 May 2009, 5:15 p.m. The Memorial Church "The Open Universe and the Sacred" The 2008-2009 Paul Tillich Lecture will be delivered by Stuart A. Kauffman, MD (BA, Hons., Oxford), Director of the Institute of Biocomplexity and Informatics at the University of Calgary, Canada, where he holds joint appointments in biological sciences, physics and astronomy and is an adjunct professor in philosophy. A MacArthur Fellow (1987-1992), Professor Kauffman is also founding scientist and an external professor at the Santa Fe Institute where he has done pioneering visionary work in complexity science. He is author of 250 articles and four books, including Reinventing the Sacred: A New View of Science, Reason and Religion (2008). Professor Kauffman recently addressed two international conferences on science and religion: the May 2008 Qoha, Qatar conference on "Science, Cultures and the Future of Humanity" and the March 20009 five-day Vatican Conference on Science and Evolution.