The Chronicle of Higher Education's Scott Carlson wrote a feature titled "In an Old School Building, Carleton College and Its Community Enjoy New Lessons" for the publication's Jan. 21 edition. Carlson tells the history of the building, how the College purchased and planned the renovation, shows how many of the old spaces morphed into the new and how Carleton used many of the old parts of the building in interesting and creative ways. The article includes an online slide show as well.

Trustee Margaret Simms '67 appeared on NPR's "Marketplace" on Jan. 16, discussing the economy and specifically higher unemployment rates in minority communities. In the piece, broadcast on the observed holiday of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, Simms notes that many minority workers were hit hard by layoffs in the fields of construction and manufacturing (black males) and retail (black women). "It's the old cliché -- last hired, first fired. Only in this case as we come into the recovery, it's first fired, last hired," she said. Simms is a Fellow and Director of The Urban Institute's Low Income Working Families Project.

Former Carleton student Jack Lew, who attended the College during his freshman year, will take over as the White House's chief of staff in February 2012 under President Barack Obama. Hundreds of media outlets covered the announcement, but perhaps the best coverage of Lew's Carleton and Minnesota connections were offered by MinnPost.com's Devin Henry, who notes Lew's connections to former Carleton professor and Minnesota U.S. Senator, the late Paul Wellstone. You can also view Lew's full biography on the White House's website.

Steven Schier, the Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science, is quoted in a Jan. 2 article in Iowa's HometownSource.com regarding Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, who is seeking the Republican party's presidential nomination. After winning a summer straw poll in Iowa, experts are predicting a fatal finish for Bachmann in today's caucus and likely end to her 2012 presidential aspirations. If that happens, Schier told the paper, she'll likely seek re-election to her House seat. "What else will she do?" Schier said.

Aparna Ramaswamy, Carleton Class of 1997, and her mother, Ranee Ramaswamy, have been named the 2011 Artist of the Year by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The mother and daughter are the artistic directors, choreographers, and principal dancers of the internationally renowned Ragamala Dance Company and School. The 1/1/12 edition of the Star Tribune honors "Ragamala artistic directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy in a year that included the creation of substantial new work, national touring, a showcase at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and rave reviews from all over."

"The artistic directors of Ragamala Dance use their art form as a prism to refract both the ancient and the modern," writes reporter Caroline Palmer. "The choreographers, ages 59 and 35, continued to advance their dance form into the 21st century, winning kudos for a vibrant modern-day vision born out of ancient Indian tradition. This is why the Star Tribune has selected these impressive women as Artists of the Year." The complete article can be found here.

Aparna Ramaswamy is a 1997 graduate of Carleton College, where she earned a BA in international relations and political economy.

Steven Schier, the Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science, is quoted in a Dec. 15 story by Reuters regarding the Tea Party members' attitudes and feelings towards former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney as a possible Republican Party Presidential nominee, and how the movement has become more organized and focused in advance of the 2012 elections. "The Tea Party was a very showy populist movement in the last cycle," he said. "Now they are in the trenches and institutionalizing their efforts."  

Carol Donelan, associate professor of cinema and media studies and the department chair, is the focus of a feature on Northfield Patch for the book she recently published entitled Electric Theater: The Emergence of Cinema in Northfield, 1896-1917. According to Patch, "Electric Theater unfurls the history of these theaters and the magic within them, sprinkled with strange and fascinating stories that add special interest to the events of the time (including an unexpected case of anti-Norwegian prejudice)." Donelan is signing books at the Northfield Historical Society during the town's annual winter walk celebration on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 6-9 p.m. The book will be available for purchase during the signing.

The Dec. 3 edition of the Star Tribune covered the Carleton Singers' White House appearance. Higher education reporter Jenna Ross spoke with Lawrence Burnett, Carleton professor of music and choral director via phone from Washington, D.C., and he told Ross  the group will perform a wide-ranging program that "includes as many traditions, as many cultures as possible." A student with a Ukrainian background will sing "Carol of the Bells" in Ukrainian. In honor of President Obama, a student from Hawaii will sing a verse of "Silent Night" in Hawaiian. Then there are carols from Africa, Spain and Finland. And one from Nat King Cole.

Tun Myint, assistant professor of political science at Carleton, appeared on Dec. 2 an LinkAsia TV regarding Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's recent visit to Burma/Myanmar. Myint's appearance comes a little under four minutes into the segment. He spoke about what reforms might be possible within the country and which the current regime are likely to oppose.

The "Campus Overload" blog on the Washington Post website had a Dec. 2 posting, "Cute puppies, dance parties and stress-busting ideas for finals season." Included in the 10 ways that college students de-stress prior to final examinations is Carleton's new tradition of holding a "Silent Dance Party" in the College's library prior to final exams.