Newspapers / North Carolina School of … / May 1, 2005, edition 1 / Page 3
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the stentorian | ncssm Then & Now 3 may 2005 Then & Now: Zack Armfield Sara Wise H ow has NCSSM changed since you were here? Well, there was no Internet. And instead of com puters, we just had hig rocks. And we lived in tents. It was very primitive... Wait, is this a serious interview? Then I suppose that tech nology is one of the biggest changes. There were no WebAssigns and no Internet in the dorms. And also, the whole trimester thing is a big change. It appears that some classes now have more work, and some have less work. It's not very clear how much the trimesters will change the way that Science and Math is. Why did you decide to go to Science and Math? When I was in seventh grade, I had a crush on an older girl who was in one of my classes. She was planning on going to Science and Math. So one day when she asked me, “Are you going to apply to NCSSM?” I said, “Well, of course I'm going to apply to the school of Math and Science.” (Because anyone who doesn't go to S&M calls it the school of Math and Science.) I also figured that this would be a great opportu nity to go to college early. Of course I eventually learned that it wasn't exactly the same thing. What was your junior year like? I lived on Second West with Andrew Ghassemian, who was a friend from home. Our SLI was Todd Oldenburg, a very hairy man. Every “Deans,” continued from Page 1 modifications that have been made to the school. As for the Dean selection process, Trocano revealed that there is a national search going on to find the next dean, which means that the position is being advertised in a national educational publication. There is also an internal search for faculty who are already at NCSSM, and both internal and external candidates go through the same application process. The application for the position of Dean is reviewed by a panel that also serves as the interview committee. This committee is made up of the deans of the other two depart ments, Dr. Warshaw, and three members of the department for which the applicants are applying for. In the case of the science department, there is one representative from each discipline of science - Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This committee conducts inter- Tuesday and Thursday of the first quarter, our hall did some thing we called "Discovery." All of the juniors were required to spend these after noons playing games that helped us to get to know each other and trust our hall mates. For a long time I thought that every hall had Discovery, but eventually I learned that it was friends with a lot of juniors. They were much easier to But we had a new SLI, Alan Jung, who was a tall long-haired Norseman. I believe he was a Viking, a, real piratical raider. He was a cool guy and we all really looked up to him. manipulate.' something Todd came up with. By the end of the first quarter, we were really a close-knit group. After Discovery was over, I sort of felt like some thing was missing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. How was your senior year? Because I was in SGA, I got to come back to school a week early. That gave me the chance to really kick off the year right. I remember that during my junior year I always looked up to the sen iors, and now I could finally be the one that was looked up to. When the juniors showed up they seemed like infants, and they were sort of wor shiping you. I was friends ' with”a'lot'of juniors. They were much easier to manipu late. I really think that the fact that Science and Math is only for 11th and 12th grade creates a unique atmosphere for social interaction, because you've got brand new students mixed with students who are about to leave. I had a single my senior year, again on 2W. views with all of the candi dates, and then proposes its pick to Dr. Boarman, who has the final say; the committee only gives a recommendation. This process was a little differ ent from what Trocano faced when he was applying, when it was an entirely internal process. No matter the differ ences, Trocano believes that with the support of such dedi cated and concerned faculty, any dean would be able to work well here at NCSSM. Dr. Lutz, Dean of Mathematics, will be leaving at the end of this year after 17 years of service as Dean. She has plans to retire, and says she would like to “play tennis, bridge, and golf” Like Trocano, Lutz also says that she will miss the school, and that she has enjoyed her expe riences here tremendously. “I love it here; it’s a job that I really enjoy,” says Lutz. Lutz says that she loves being Dean because it gives her the opportunity to both What did you do in your free time? I was very active in drama. Of course, back then, our plays were put on in the assembly hall. And I played in IMs and did things like that. Mostly, I spent my time plotting the next great entertainment fiascoes. With the Zack Armfield Show, I attempted to take Koffeehaus to the next level. It was a Lettermanesque show, so there was always a teacher and a student and a musical guest. I really enjoyed that. It was a Zack Armfield as an NCSSM student in 1997. fun opportunity for students to come together and laugh. It also provided the bands on campus a way to showcase their talent in a more formatted way. It was really a good time had by all. It always seemed like I was walking quickly. I was always in a hurry to see some body else, to meet people, and make things happen. I was always barely on time, a gift that most students now don't really have. Zack comes back as an SLI. What did you do after you graduated? Well, I graduated from Duke. And then I taught for a year at a junior high school in Fayetteville; sev enth grade history. I enjoyed it, except for the assaults and the theft. So, in the fall of 2002 I decided to come back to Science and Math. I thought that it would be an opportunity to give back to the school and NCSSM to be an SLI like the ones I remembered. As for the future, there are many possi- teach and work more with fac ulty. In addition, she likes thinking of ways in which she can help her colleagues become “the best professional mathematicians that they can be.” She enjoys having the responsibility of having to bal ance the wants and needs of playing hard, and learning things to gain power. Speaking about the school, she believes that this residential environment is the best ever. “It’s the closest thing to the perfect opportunity to teach.” She could not think of any cons to being a dean, nor to the E o aLso notes the great col- s that he has the opportu nity to work with. "Their expert ise, dedication, and knowledge are motivating. I wish that more kids had opportunities like this." both students and staff and also to create the best program for the students in terms of what classes to offer. She sees herself as the catalyst that helps make ideas become real ity, not necessary the leader of her faculty. Most of all. Lutz likes stu dents and thinks that teaching is fun, as well as thinking hard. school, and says that she is not leaving due to the trimester system, but is simply “looking forward to the next step in life.” When Lutz was selected as Dean in 1988, the process was very similar to the one today, except the position was titled “Department Head,” not “Dean.” Like the process this Zack Armfield bilities. Potentially law school. I am also considering the foreign service. With that, I could sort of be an SLI for a whole country. E nly hope that they lot wish away any of the time that they have here. You can never get those sec-, onds back." Do you have anything else you want to share? There are only a few weeks left for the seniors here. I only hope that they do not wish away any of the time that they have here. You can never get those seconds back. I can't believe it when I hear seniors complaining, talking about how they really want to leave. You have to take a moment to enjoy your time here. Besides, you never know which of your classmates will come back as an SLI [demonic laughter]. year as described by Trocano, it is a national search, and she confirms that there is an inter view, which consists of meet ing with several members of the department. Like the Dean of Science, that committee gives a recommendation to Dr. Boarman. Whether it’s in the science department or the math depart ment, whether NCSSM gets a dean who’s new to the school or one of our current faculty, one thing’s for certain - we will most certainly miss these wonderful members of the NCSSM community who have guided us every day and in times of need, for a number of years. As the school year winds down to a close, take the time to thank these people who have your interest at heart, and show your appreciation. Deans, as you move on to another phase of your lives, we wish you luck in all of your endeavors. Thank you for your never-ending support.
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Student Newspaper
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May 1, 2005, edition 1
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