Office of Winter Term

Contact the project sponsor to sign up for any of the group projects.
Please note that students signing up for a group project have to follow a two-step registration process: (1) they must sign up with the project’s sponsor and then (2) they must submit a WT Registration Card to the registrar's office by the deadline Friday, December 4th.

Alexander Technique Workshop
Director & Sponsor: Joanne Erwin, Robertson 130, x58208
Half Credit - Group Project
Category: Personal Growth
On Campus: TBA
Limit: 12 - Fee: $20

Alexander Technique is a study of body movement for efficiency of use. A person studying this weill perform any task better - walking, sitting at a desk, driving a car, playing an instrument, etc. It has a long-lasting benefit to people who study it and practice the technique. The teacher I am choosing to bring for this is Isobel Anderson from Scotland. She is well known in Europe for her work in this method. She has been teaching it for 30 years and would bring much epxerience and knowledge to our students. It would be open to any student on campus. Musicians find it particularly helpful to avoid inefficient muscle use in performing so as not to develop tendonitis.

Sponsor: Cortland S. Hill, Science Center N289, x58895
Director: Dr. Walter R. Tschinkel, Florida State University
Full Credit – Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus: Tallahassee, FL

Participants will work on one or more of the following projects depending on weather conditions and research group staffing levels. You may contact any of last year's participants if you like: Anthony Bonifonte, Stephanie Bonner, Marisa Ishimatsu, or Evan Cantu-Hertzler.

Ant nest architecture
This is a long-term project to inventory the architecture of the subterranean nests of ants of as many species as possible. Ant nests are filled with either dental plaster, molten wax or molten metal in order to make a cast of their hollow space, and excavating the casts. Plaster or wax nests usually break into pieces upon excavation and must be reassembled with support, but metal casts are strong and readily displayed. Several casts are required for each ant species in order to describe the range of variation, as well as the variation with colony size. We will make metal casts and use digital photography to record and analyze the architecture. While few ants are active in January, there are a couple of interesting and challenging species that can be cast during this month, and this is what we will do. All this work will be carried out in the Apalachicola National Forest.

Ecological disturbance and ground-dwelling arthropods
In the summer of 2009, we set out pitfall traps in three different types of habitats in the Apalachicola National Forest--- undisturbed native groundcover in the piney flatwoods, roadsides (highly disturbed), and plots that were last plowed 2 years ago and are in recovery. The primary purpose of this study was to determine what types of sites were preferred by newly-mated, colony-founding fire ant (and other ant) queens. These queens have been removed from the samples, but the “by-catch” of other arthropods is very interesting and diverse, containing probably hundreds of species. When outdoor conditions are unfavorable for field work, we will sort and identify the arthropods in these samples, and analyze for differences among the three types of sites. The ground-dwelling arthropod fauna can act as a sensitive indicator of ecological disturbance and its recovery. These samples contain many strange and wonderful creatures to delight in. Participants will gain knowledge and experience in the taxonomy and identification of diverse arthropods.

The underground foraging tunnels of fire ants
Fire ant colonies construct underground foraging tunnels 2-5 cm below ground surface, giving them below-ground access to all parts of their foraging territory. By funneling foraging traffic to and from the territory these tunnel systems define the territory. Using molten zinc, we will make casts of entire tunnel systems beginning from the mound outward. Tunnels can be up to 15 m long and the entire tunnel system can contain 50 to 100 m of tunnel. Casting produces tunnel sections which must be assembled to reconstruct the entire system. Casting an entire system can take up to 3 or 4 days, but is much fun.

Allocation of labor to foraging in the winter-active ant, Prenolepis imparis
One of the active projects in our lab is the determination of the proportion of the worker population in ant colonies forages. The particular proportion of the colony assigned to the various necessary tasks is obviously important to the success of a colony, in the sense that allocation should be optimal to maximize the fitness of the colony. One of the few ants that is active in January is Prenolepis impairs. We will attempt to carry out a mark-recapture estimation of the forager force, followed after two days by a complete excavation and census of the colony. This will allow the calculation of the percent of the colony population that is foraging. We will repeat this procedure with colonies of several size to determine if this percentage is dependent on colony size.

Carbon dioxide and ant nest architecture
One of the possible cues that ants have for knowing their location in the nest is the concentration of carbon dioxide, which according to a small pilot study, increases several-fold between the surface and the bottom of the nest. I have acquired a field-portable CO2 meter and intend to sample air from a sequence of depths in several harvester ant colonies. A slender tube will be pushed down through chamber after chamber, and the air within each chamber sampled for carbon dioxide. January is not the best time to do this project, so it should be considered a pilot project, to be replicated later when the ants are more active.

Mapping polygyne fire ant populations
We recently discovered the multiple-queen form of fire ants in Tallahassee, and did a quick survey with the help of the 2007 group of Obies. This January, we would like to map the colonies within a couple of the polygyne populations. The relationship between polygyne and monogyne colonies (the populations are usually mixed) is of great interest, because whereas polygyne colonies do not defend territories against other polygyne populations, monogyne colonies defend territories against both monogyne and polygyne colonies. The spatial relationship of monogyne and polygyne colonies within each site will tell the story. This aspect of fire ant biology has never been investigated and could be of considerable importance.

Lab projects with fire ants
If the weather does not permit field work, there are several projects that can be carried out with fire ants. Among these are attempts to identify the nurse worker population (those that spend their time feeding larvae) using larvae that have been fed on fluorescent dye. This project could be carried into the field, if successful. Several other lab projects can also be carried out.

Additional Project information: Participants will stay with Oberlin alumni or friends of alumni who live in Tallahassee, FL. Applicants should submit a resume and two letters of recommendation by November 23rd to Cortland Hill. Materials may be submitted by email (Cortland.hill@oberlin.edu), fax (440/775-6682), or mail (Cortland S. Hill, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074). Application materials may be also be submitted in person to Mr. Hill (Science Center N289) or the Chemistry Department office (Science Center A263). If you have questions, please call Mr. Hill (775-8895). For more information about Dr. Tschinkel and his research interests visit http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-tschinkel.php.

Beginning Electronic Music
Director & Sponsor: Tom Lopez, TIMARA 8, x58748
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On campus: TIMARA Public Lab
Limit: 36 - Fee: $40

During this project students will learn the basics of Macintosh, digital-audio workstations and MIDI synthesizers and sequencers. The course is designed around the creation of musical works utilizing the TIMARA public lab - students are expected to develop and explore creative work. There are additional lectures and assignments covering the history, and repertoire of electronic music. The class meets 1.5 hours per day. No musical or technical background is required, however, proficiency with the Macintosh operating system is beneficial. Successful completion of this project enables students to submit a portfolio for consideration towards TECH 160 in the spring semester.

Catalog Dominican Republic Music & Dance Videos
Director Elio Trabal
Sponsor: Jennifer Fraser, Bibbins 206, x56904
Full or Half Credit - Group or Individual Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus or Off Campus
Limit: None - Fee: None

Elio Trabal, '04, made nearly 60 hours of videotapes of music, dance, and other cultural activities in Dominican Republic in 2003-04. This project involves watching these videotapes, cataloging the contents, and preparing a condensed version of the collection, focusing on the footage with the greatest potential for study. The person will use either his or her own video equipment or equipment available from A-V in Mudd for the job. At this stage only minimal editing will be done, such as isolating blocks of good footage and putting a title at the beginning of each. Applicant should have minimal experience with a basic video editing program, such as iMovie.

Catalog World Musical Instrument Collection Documents
Director: Roderic Knight, emer. prof. Ethnomusicology, (440) 774-2037
Sponsor: Jennifer Fraser, Bibbins 206, x56904
Full or Half Credit Project
Category Academic Study
On Campus
Limit: None - Fee: None

This project would be of interest to someone with an interest in musical instruments and their documentation. It involves cataloging and organizing a collection of print materials (books, pamphlets, clippings, notes) associated with the Roderic C. Knight Musical Instrument Collection. The documents are primarily about non-Western instruments from all over the world, but also include articles on acoustics, plus western folk and classical instruments. Minimally, the project would entail creating a catalog of these materials in Word or html and establishing a method of filing them. If the project is taken as a full project, other duties could include scanning some of the documents, retyping some others. A third component of the project if time allows could be to seek out sound clips for eventual placement with the online catalog of the collection (see Oberlin.edu/library/digital/Knight).

College Access Advising at Oberlin High School
Director & Sponsor: Bo Arbogast, Director Ninde Scholars Program
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
On Campus: Oberlin Community
Limit: 3 - Fee: None

Winter Term students will help seniors and juniors at Oberlin High School prepare for and apply to college. The Ninde Scholars Program provides dynamic college access services to Oberlin High School students who demonstrate a drive for learning and advancement but who lack the full support and resources to apply to college. The program specifically targets under-represented and low-income students and those who would be the first in their families to attend college.

Winter Term students will receive training in advising for college, meet weekly with the Ninde Scholars, meet with Ninde program staff to help plan activities and workshops, learn about scholarships and ACT/SAT prep, and become familiar with principles of learning and motivation as they relate to how students in the program approach college applications and college-preparation assignments. Winter term students will also critically reflect on successes and failures, and complete logs of tutoring activities for future tutors in the program.

Most tutoring/advising will take place during school hours, but some can be arranged during evenings or on the weekend.

Two Oberlin Faculty Composers (Lewis Nielson and Tom Lopez) will conduct an intensive workshop in composition at the Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada, a location renowned as a true centre for the arts and also as one of the most attractive settings in the world. Students will propose projects that will consist of compositions and work on a project of somewhat sizeable scope. Participation in the workshop being determined by the creative aspects and viability of their proposed project. Students will receive weekly private lessons, attend a weekly studio class where works in progress will be discussed, and also attend bi-weekly seminars on issues in contemporary music and compositional technique conducted by Professors Nielson and Lopez. This seminar is a follow-up to the enormously successful initial seminar at Banff this past Winter Term.

Congressional Internship
Director & Sponsor: Chris Howell, Rice 226, x58649
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus - Washington D.C.
Limit: None - Fee: None

The Politics Department annually sponsors Winter Term internships for students in Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. Student interns learn how a Congressional office is run, participate in some of the offices' basic functions such as answering constituent mail, running errands, conducting research and attending hearings. Many interns go on later to work in Congress or in other ways participate in electoral politics. Students write summaries of their experiences in Washington upon their return to Oberlin and these have relected great enthusiasm and appreciation for the progrm. The Politics Department has sponsored this internship for more than 30 years.

Dancing and Writing
Director: Kirstie Simson
Sponsor: Ann Cooper Albright, Warner 110, x58156
Full or Half Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus - Warner Main Space
Limit: 28 - Fee: $50

In 1983, Nancy Stark Smith, an Oberlin alumna and a major teacher of the form of Contact Improvisation, produced the first college issue of Contact Quarterly during a Winter Term residency at Oberlin. For the 2010 Winter Term, Ann Cooper Albright (Professor of Dance) will host Kirstie Simson, a guest artist who will teach a morning movement session. In the afternoons, Ann Cooper Albright will run a writing workshop which will result in contributions to the publication of the “Encounters with Contact Improvisation” chap book (which may also be distributed through Contact Quarterly).

N.B. This winter term project will run from January 22- informal performances on Feb. 5th and 6th.

Entrepreneurship Scholars
Director: Lauren Abendschein, Career Services, x58410
Sponsor: Leo Charette, Director, Career Services, x58410
Full Credit - Group or Individual
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus - Cleveland, Oberlin, San Francisco
Limit: 15 - Fee: None

The Entrepreneurship Scholars is an intensive winter term program designed to provide exceptionally creative and motivated Oberlin students with a dynamic environment in which to explore and develop their ideas. The program supports students with a wide variety of ambitions, including starting a grassroots organization, offering a new product or service, launching a tour, commercializing a discovery, and more.

The January 2010 Entrepreneurship Scholars program will take place in San Francisco, Cleveland, and Oberlin, and will include 15-20 talks by leading entrepreneurial alumni and friends of the college, intensive skills building workshops, peer collaboration, and individual venture development challenges. The program also allocates time for students to work on their specific projects.

Field Study of an Active Plate Boundary in California
Directors & Sponsors: Steven Wojtal and Zeb Page, Carnegie 416, x58352
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus - Los Angeles, CA
Limit: 14 - Fee: $500 + your travel to LA

On a trip to California, this project will study how geology affects human development along an active plate boundary. We will examine how tectonic processes operating long ago and those operating right now combine to generate dramatic topography that affects local climate and dangerous seismicity. One focus is how local topography and climate conditions contribute to dangerous landslides. Another is how southern California handles limits to growth that result from low rainfall.

This project is open to students who have completed any introductory geology course, with preference given to geology majors and then students who have competed GEOL 120.

Fractional Distillation; Red Engine Cell: My Opera World
Director & Sponsor: Jonathon Field, Bibbins 131, x58206
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus: Finney Chapel, Room 21
Limit: 15 - Fee: None

Two one act American operas will be presented: Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium and Leonard Bernstein’s

Trouble in Tahiti. Participation comes from either being cast through auditions, or, design/technicians may interview with the project director.

FSU Marine Lab (FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory)
Director: Dr. Felicia Coleman, Florida State University
Sponsor: Cortland S. Hill Office: N289 Phone: 775-8895
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus: St Teresa, Florida
Limit: 4 - Fee: $65

The northwest coast of Florida, from St. Joseph Bay to the Apalachicola River Ecosystem and west throughout the Big Bend, is an enormously rich and biologically diverse region. Researchers at the FSU Coastal & Marine Laboratory have embarked on a program to compare the historical (mid-20th century) and current distribution and abundance of marine organisms within this area. Data are being entered into a database. The FSU Coastal and Marine Lab currently has 20 personnel (4 faculty, 3 post-docs, director and associate director, and 11 staff). Lab hours during the week are (8-5 M-F). The Lab is a 15 minute drive from Carrabelle, Sopchoppy, or Panacea, and it is about an hour south of Tallahassee. There are two dorms and a guesthouse that can hold about 40 people; all have kitchen facilities. (To learn more about the marine lab facilities, go to our website at: http://www.marinelab.fsu.edu/facilities/) .

Participants will work on one or both of the following projects depending on weather conditions and research group staffing levels.

Dr. Randall Hughes: My research investigates the links between marsh plant (Spartina alterniflora) genetic diversity and associated species abundance / diversity. In January, I will be (1) surveying the abundance and diversity of grasshoppers and other insects in natural marshes and (2) conducting preliminary experiments to determine whether there is variation among Spartina clones in their response to herbivory. Students will be able to assist with field surveys of natural marsh populations, sort and analyze samples, and conduct short-term (7-10 day) greenhouse herbivory experiments.

Dr. David Kimbro: Students working with me will first collect data on marsh conditions (smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora) across several sites throughout the Big Bend and Panhandle of Florida. In addition to sampling the condition of cordgrass, students will also quantify how tidal inundation and the density of marsh periwinkles (snail and consumer of cordgrass) vary across sites. After exploring how these variables differ across sites, students will then design and execute laboratory experiments to understand how components of tidal inundation (frequency and duration of tidal submergence) interact with snail densities to exacerbate losses of smooth cordgrass due to overgrazing by periwinkles.

Additional Project information: Participants will stay at the marine lab dorm for $10/day. Applicants should submit a resume and two letters of recommendation by November 23rd to Cortland Hill. (The resume should contain any relevant high school or college course work. Letters of recommendation may come from high school teachers.) Materials may be submitted by email (Cortland.hill@oberlin.edu), fax (440/775-6682), or mail (Cortland S. Hill, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074). Application materials may be also be submitted in person to Mr. Hill (Science Center N289) or the Chemistry Department office (Science Center A263). If you have questions, please call Mr. Hill (775-8895). For more information go to : http://www.marinelab.fsu.edu/facilities/. You may contact either of last year’s participants (John Thiele or Sarah Sawtelle) for more information on the projects.

Learn to weave and create at least one unique wearable garment- from start to finish.

The trip will be service-oriented, working with the organization Sankofa Mbofra Fie (www.sankofachildrenshome.org), an orphanage and school. Sankofa Mbofra Fie exemplifies what "development" and "community service" should entail because it is staffed entirely by Ghanaians and implemented at the grassroots level. Our work while we were there would be to work with the director to develop the organization and to provide supplemental education and mentoring to the students at Sankofa School, focusing on how we can make our work be sustainable and lead to the creation of more infrastructure for Sankofa Mbofra Fie. The project will include cultural immersion learning opportunities as well.

Sponsor: William Fuchsman, Science Ctr. N273, x58309
Full Credit - Group Project

The Guatemala Delegation involves (1) Spanish language study (for one week with one-on-one instruction), (2) service activities (one week working on a reforestation project, and several days each teaching English in a primary school and in a middle school), (3) learning what life is like in the rural, indigenous regions of a Third World country through living and meeting with Mayan subsistence farmers, and (4) learning about human rights issues in the Third World by meeting with representatives of local human rights organizations as well as villagers. Because the project is sponsored by the Oberlin-based human rights organization, participating students will visit the indigenous villages with whom SEPA works a s friends rather than as strangers. Student participants will learn what it is like to live in the absence of electricity and running water, and begin to learn about some Mayan ways of living and interacting with their surroundings.

Immigration Aid in Francophone Belgium
Directors: Nina Goepfert
Sponsor: Matthew Senior, Peters 401, x58186
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off campus: Rixensart, Belgium
Limit: 7 - Fee: $700 (or airfare to Brussels from departure city)

Fedasil is a federally owned and organized system of reception centers for people for asylum seekers in Rixensart, Belgium. Students will spend four weeks on-site supervising and tutoring children, leading recreational and education activities for residents, and assistinh in various chores. Students will also have many opportunities to shadow officials at the Center to learn about the different policies and practices of the Belgian Immigration system as awell as get to know and learn from people from many different regions and cultures.

The project is an excellent way for students to visit Belgium, learn about comparative immigration issues, practice the French language, and contribute to their global community through volunteer work and cultural exchange.

Intensive course for students with little or no knowledge of German. Classes in grammar and conversation meet for four hours daily. Instruction by advanced German students and the German House Assistant (native speaker) under faculty supervision.

Learn Ancient Greek this January! This course takes you through the syllabus for Greek 101, from start to finish; students who successfully complete the WT course may sign up for Greek 102 in the spring. The course is intensive, and moves at a fast pace. Students can expect to meet twice a day, 5 days a week, for three weeks. By the end, students will be reading passages from Herodotus and Xenophon; by the end of Greek 102 in the spring, students will read selections from Plato’s Apology.

Learn Ancient Latin this January! This course takes you through the syllabus for Latin 101, from start to finish; students who successfully complete the WT course may sign up for Latin 102 in the spring. The course is intensive, and moves at a fast pace. Students can expect to meet twice a day, 5 days a week, for three weeks. By the end, students will be reading passages from Cicero and Catullus; by the end of Latin 102 in the spring, students will read selections from Ovid, Petronius, or other Latin authors.

Intensive introduction to Russian for students with little or no prior knowledge of the language. Classes meet three hours daily. Instruction by advanced (4th Year) Russian students, supervised by a faculty member. Students who do well in the course may continue with the second semester of Elementary Russian (Russian 102) at the discretion of the Russian faculty. (CRN for registration is 1876.)

In The Club
Director: Kamali Teabout and Jessica Judson
Sponsor: Caroline Jackson-Smith, Warner 108, x58154
Full or Half Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus: South Studios
Limit: None - Fee: None

Jessica Judson and Kamali Teabout's Senior Show aims to provide a representation of popular African American social dances throughout the 20th century. We will move chronologically from the turn of the 20th century, with such dances as the Charleston and the Cakewalk, to the present day, with such dances as Lean wit it Rock wit it, and the Stanky leg. Contained within this project is not simply a demonstration of the rise and fall of certain popular dance forms, but the cutural retentions and the recycling of movements as well. Understanding the complexities of these movements goes beyond a basic embodiment of forms before an audience. It involves an understanding of the political and social atmosphere in which the originators and perpetuators of these dances lived and endured that informs the style of the movements, as well as the dance locale and the community in which they occureed. This is why we wish to represent these movements within a larger context including viedeo footage, picutres and audio clips of the people who lived these dances. Showing such simultaneous moments as speeches, protests , marches, riots, firsts, tragedies, and successes.

Our performance will be set in various dancing venues appropriate to the time we are representing. It will occur within dance halls, night clubs, discos, gymnasiums, the house and the streets. The window to the world outside will be through a video projection screen, which will show clips of significant events in African American history, including speeches, protests, riots, films, music, dancing, etc. The stage lighting will be analoguous to that which would typically be found within the setting (warm and cozy lights during wing and jazz era, multicolored disco lights, natural lighting in the street...). The music will be a combination of live and soundtracks and the cosuming will be relfective of the fashion of the day.

This is in preparation for a Senior project within African-American Studies and Theatre & Dance. The performance will be in April but setting the choreography will be during Winter Term.

Internships, Grad School and Jobs: Presenting Yoursel Using Multimedia & the Web
Director and Sponsor: Albert Borroni, King 125A, x58345
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
On Campus
Limit: 10 - Fee: None

Trying to get an internship? Looking for a job? Do you want to package what you've done in a nice website or DVD that you can point to or hand out? Then this is you. The OCTET staff and Career Services is offering a winter term opportunity that will provide you with the tools and time to create a compelling 'portfolio' that can be used to promote yourself. We will meet everyday for 1/2 day the first 7 days adn periodically throughout winter term. On the last few days we will meet as a group to present finished product to the rest of the group.

We will go over what sorts of 'artifacts' should go into the site, mechanisms for creating, editing, storing and displaying them and some strategies for making the presentation compelling. How to deal with documents, audio and video will be discussed.

This is a hands-on winter term with the expectation that you will work throughout winter term to edit content and create various layouts using different approaches. Credit will be given if a final product is produced.

Introduction to Soil Science
Director: Maggie Zimmer
Sponsor: Karla Hubbard, Carnegie 403, x58353
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus - Carnegie Building
Limit 10 - Fee: $50

Soils play key roles in agriculture, ecosystems, and environmental quality and are essential to human existence. This Winter Term project provides students a hands-on and collaborative look at soil formation, classification and mapping. Students will work together to explore the physical, chemical, biological and nutrient properties of soils through the use of textbooks, class discussions, lab analysis, and field trips to meet with regional soil scientists and experts. Students will come away with a broad introduction to soil topics that they will be able to apply to their current academic interests and future career goals.

iPhone Application Development
Director & Sponsor: Bob Geitz, King 223, x58386
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus: King 223
Limit: None - Fee: None

This is a project int he development of software applications for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch platforms. STudents do not need to own one of these devices to write programs for them; most of the sofware developmet takes place on simulators that run on any Macintosh. A background in object oriented programming comparable to CSCI 151 is required, along with knowledge of one of the dialects of the C/C++ family. The actual programming wibe in Objective-C, which students familiar with C++ or C# should be able to pick up easily.

Issues in Curatorial Practice: New York City 2010
Director: Michele Matteini and Christina Neilson
Sponsor: Christina Neilson
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
Off Campus: New York, New York
Limit: 12 - Fee: $100

This project is geared towards students interested in pursuing a career as a museum curator. Meetings will take place in museums in New York City, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Collection, The Rubin Museum of Art, and at the studio of an exhibition designer. Students will meet with curators and a designer who will discuss with them the manifold challenges and opportunities of organizing exhibitions and working in these different careers. The final project will consist of a written review of an exhibition or permanent collection, drawing from their experiences of meeting with curators and designers. Application process: Cover letter outlining why you want to take this project; resume (including any classes that might be relevant) due Friday, November 6. Pease email your application to Christina.Neilson@oberlin.edu and Michele.Matteini@oberlin.edu.

****PROJECT WAS CANCELLED****
Italian Language Winter Term
Director: Irene Schiatti, Italian instructor for University of Rochester program in Arezzo, Italy
Sponsor: Marci Alegant, Bibbins 123, x 58293
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus: TBA
Limit: 40 - Fee: $40

.Similar to German and French winter term projects, this intensive language study with a native speaker and experienced Italian instructor will culminate with the Italian 101 final exam. For conservatory voice majors, this wil also serve as completion of their Italian language requirement. Though Italian has not previously been offered due to limited faculty resources both during winter term and the academic year, there is a pressingneed for this, especially as we send increasing numbers of students abroad.

Working with the staff of Mevuot Hanagev HIgh School in the Negev region of Israel, Oberlin students will participate in:

Nicaragua Sister Partnership Delegation
Director: Alice Ollstein
Sponsor: Ana Cara, Peters 408, x58660
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus: San Juan de Limay, Nicaragua
Limit: 5 - Fee: $300-$400

Every other Winter Term, OSCA sends a small group (4-5 students) down to Nicaragua to deliver our donations by hand and to strengthen and improve our relationship with the Women’s Branch of the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG) in San Juan de Limay. The trip, planned by the delegates themselves, usually involves one week traveling and learning about the history of Nicaragua and two or more weeks with the UNAG, living with host families. Before the trip, the delegates fundraise to make the trip accessible to anyone. E-mail oscanicsis@gmail.com for an application—due Monday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.

NYC New Opera Production
Director: Conrad Cummings
Sponsor: Tom Lopez, TIMARA 8, x58748
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus: New York, New York
Limit: 6 - Fee: None

Workshopping a Major New American Opera in New York City American Opera Projects and LivelyWorks present the first complete staged workshop performance of Conrad Cummings and Vikram Seth's new opera "The Golden Gate" with a cast of prominent young American opera singers in a prestigious Manhattan venue. Rehearsals begin January 4, performances and video shoots January 16-18. A unique opportunity to take part in the birth of a new opera. We seek dedicated, disciplined students for: Second Camera Person (extensive video experience required), Assistant Director, Assistant to the Composer, Assistant to the Producer, Assistant Stage Manager, and General Assistant.

Oberlin Winter Term Journalism Workshop in Washington D.C.
Director and Sponsor: Ferdinand Protzman, Office of the President, x56672
Half Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study or Field Experience
On and Off Campus: Oberlin and Washington D.C.
Limit: 12 - Fee: None
Dates: January 13 to Jauary 22, 2010

A select group of 12 Oberlin College student-jounalists will spend eight days in an intensive journalism workshop, including two days working in the Washington Post building in Washington D.C. Students will meet with government officials, think tank experts, and public relations professionals.

During the workshop, the students will write and edit news and feature stories on deadline. These stories will be critiqued by their fellow workshop participants, visitng alumni journalists, and workshop instructor. After returning from Washington, students will rewrite their stories as needed. Completed stories will be published on the Oberlin College website.

OBJECTIVE: to give students a realistic experience of working as a journalist in Washington DC; to hone their reporting and writing skills; to provide exposure to Oberlin’s large network of outstanding journalists, government officials, scholars, and experts working in the Washington area.

Day One in Washington: students will present three story ideas to the workshop. After brief critique, six students will be assigned a story which they will report, write, and submit for editing by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. The other six students will copy edit these stories. Their deadline will be 5:00 p.m. At 6:00 p.m., all participants will be required to attend an Oberlin College reception in the Gold Room of the House Rayburn Office Building.

Day Two in Washington: After a brief story conference with the workshop instructor and visiting journalists, eight students will be assigned a story which they will report, write, and submit for editing by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20. The other seven students will copy edit these stories. Their deadline will be 6:00 p.m.

On Friday, January 22, students will meet in Oberlin to review the Washington experience, edit their stories, and turn in completed work.

Students’ stories will be published on the Oberlin Blogs section of the Oberlin College web site.

Opera Project: Mozart
Director: Patrick Jones
Sponsor: Webb Wiggins, Bibbins 134, x58216
Full or Half Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus - Finney Chapel
Limit: None - Fee: None

Mozart's short opera 'Il Sogno di Scipione' KV 126 will be performed in Finney Chapel at the end of January. Performances will take place on modern instruments, but utilizing the current thoughts in historical performance practice. Six soloists, a small chorus, a classical-sized orchestra and theatrical designers and crews will be required. Rehearsals start at the beginning of January. Please contact Patrick.Jones@oberlin.edu with any questions regarding details and scheduling.

Sustainovate Winter Term
Directors: Amanda Medress ('09) and Peter Nicholson ('91)
Sponsor: Beth Blissman, Bonner Center for Service & Learning, x58055
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus - Chicago and Amsterdam
Limit: 6 - Fee: $1,000
January 11-29

This Winter Term, Foresight Design Initiative invites 4-6 students on an experiential foray into the complex and challenging question of how to innovate more sustainable cities. In both Chicago and Amsterdam, participants will examine how businesses, energy, waste, water, transportation, the built environment, and urban planning are evolving to keep up with the demands of climate change, population growth, and consumption. Through site visits, meetings with leaders in the field, continuous analysis of the surounding environments, readings, and group discussions, participants will take the subject of innovation out of the classroom and into experiential practice.

Foresight Design Initiative is not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a more sustainable Chicago through design, business, and education programs. Foresight practices a holistic and systems-based approach to developing insight about and innovative solutions to a variety of sustainability-related challenges. Foresight offered a highly popular Winter Term internship called the Urban Sustainable Design Studio, from 2003-2006. This new program will be led by alums Peter Nicholson ('91) and Amanda Medress ('09). The application deadline is November 9. For complete program information and application questions, contact Amanda@foresightdesign.org.

Tour of the Loire Valley Castles
Director: Lauriane Vlaminck
Sponsor: Loic Thommeret, x58703
Full Credit - Group Project
Off Campus - France
Limit: 15 - Fee: TBD

This group project will consist of taking a group of about fifteen students to the Loire Valley in Western France. Project members will stay in a hostel at Amboise (Touraine) from January 6th to January 24th. During Weekdays, they will visit some of the hundred castles of the Loire Valley (Chenonceau, Chambord, Valencay, Azay-le-RIdeau, etc.) on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites. Weekends will be free. From January 24th to February 1st, project participants will have the choice between free time in France or return to the U.S.

Winter Term in Domincan Republic
Director: Caitlin Franc
Sponsor: Ben Schiff, Rice 213, x58535
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Field Experience
Off Campus: Domincan Republic
Limit: 15 - Fee: $1,500

The Winter Term in the Dominican Republic group will be traveling to the Dominican Republic for ten days in January 2010. Our group is partnering with International Partners in Mission (IPM), a non-profit organization, which runs immersion experiences to developing countries. IPM is dedicated to supporting social justice movements by providing funds and other forms of aid to community projects throughout the world. In the Dominican Republic we will visit several project partners supported by IM including women's groups, educational facilities, and agricultural centers. This trip emphasizes education and indirect service where the participants return to the United States and become ambassadors in their own communities.

The Hispanic Studies Department sponsors a group project of intensive language study in Guadalajara, Mexico during January. Students live with Mexican families, participate in informal conversation sessions as well as four hours of daily language instruction. Excursions in the environs of Guadalajara and optional classes in Mexican cooking, pottery, folk dance and guitar and also part of the Winter Term project. A special project in Mexican Arts may be an option. The cost of the project is supported by the individual participants. Sucessful participants may be able to skip a level in the language learning sequence upon their return to Oberlin.

Winter Term Quartet Seminar
Directors & Sponsors: Gregory Fulkerson, Peter Slowik, Bibbins 308, x58251 or 58235
Full Credit - Group Project
Category: Academic Study
On Campus: TBA
Limit: 16 - Fee: None

A workshop designed to expose string students to quartet playing on a more serious level than allowed by the regular semester's busy schedule. Each quartet will be expected to rehearse four hours a day and will receive two coachings per week with members of the string faculty and visiting artists. They will also play in one class each week. Detailed rehearsals will focus on Intonation, Ensemble, and Matching of strokes, tone colors, moods and vibratos. A concert and master class by the Jasper Quartet is planned. Each quartet will perform in concert at the end of Winter Term.