��������

Leisure, play and gaming activities that continue to shape and define the American identify and culture will be examined at SUNY Fredonia by students and faculty at the American Studies Spring Symposium, “The American Play Ethic,” on Thursday and Friday, March 22 and 23.  The keynote address by William Gleason, English professor and acting director of the Program in American Studies at Princeton University, opens the symposium on Thursday, 4:30 p.m., in 209 McEwen.

On Friday, attendees will have their choice of several thought-provoking faculty panels and student sessions to be staged Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the Horizon Room.  A reception will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Download the poster>>

American Studies Symposium website>>

Participating students include: Jennifer Golabek, graduate student in English, Hamburg; James Fefes, freshman, Computer Science, Hyde Park; Sean Wignall, junior, Computer Science, Weedsport; Brandon Artymowycz, sophomore, Computer Information Systems; Cory Campbell, senior, Computer Science, East Rochester; Tyler Vail, freshman, Computer Information Systems, Angola; Nathaniel Darling, junior, Computer Science, Shortsville; Mark Mackey, junior, Computer Science, Fredonia; Dylan Penner, junior, Social Studies - Adolescence Education, Phelps; and Mary Mazur, senior, Theater and Dance, Clarence Center.

Individual faculty speakers, their topic and time of their session at the Horizon Room include:

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Dr. Mira Berkley, Education, “Why Do I Have to Defend Young Children’s Right to Play?;” Michael Kelley, CIS, “The Evolution and Rediscovery of Play in America” and Dr. Bruce Klonsky, Psychology, “Sport Psychology, A Playful Introduction.”

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Dr. Ellen Litwicki, History, “The Material Culture” and Kathleen McDonough, Communication, “Bloomer Humor: The Gilded Age Bicycle Craze in the Popular Press.”

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. – Dr. Julia Wilson, Mathematics, “When Computers Judge Beauty;” Dr. Neil Feit, Philosophy, “The Expected Value of Gambling” and Dr. Richard Jankowski, Political Science, “Gaming the System.”

Student poster sessions and student games, demonstrations and activities will be held 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Horizon Room.

Mary Mazur’s “Zombie Apocalypse Workout” will be staged from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Dod’s Gym.

Student awards and prize-winning presentations will be given from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Horizon Room.

Additional student presentations in the Horizon Room include:

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. -- Jennifer Golabek, “Creating the Coterie: Identity and Creation through Tabletop Role Playing Games;” James Fefes, Sean Wignall, Brandon Artymowycz, Cory Campbell, Tyler Vail, Nathaniel Darling, Mark Mackey and Dylan Penner, “SUNY Raptor, An Augmented Reality Game;” and Mary Mazur, “Zombie Apocalypse Workout.”

The symposium, offered free and open to the public, is supported by INDS, American Studies, departments of English, Philosophy, Communication, History, Political Science, Psychology, Mathematics and Philosophy, School of Education, Convocation through this year’s “Risks and Rewards” series and Mary Louise White Fund.