12/14/2007

Santa's Helpers

Giving is better than receiving. And this Christmas, several needy families will get everything they wished for thanks to several giving souls at Carnegie Mellon.

For the third consecutive year, a small group of campus police officers, security and parking personnel will play the role of Santa’s helpers to make Christmas a little brighter for three disadvantaged families associated with Northern Home Care Services, a government-funded social services agency in Sharpsburg.

Using proceeds from vending machines at the campus police station, the group recently went on a shopping spree to purchase $500 worth of gifts per family, plus a $100 Giant Eagle gift certificate. The gifts are ordinary items the families need, such as socks and pajamas. There are no XBox, Playstation or Wii video-gaming systems in the mix.  

“The idea is to help people in need. It puts the holiday season into perspective and gives us the true meaning of Christmas,” said Security Officer Keith Pudlowski.

Security Officer Paul Stellitano agrees. “We’re a community-oriented police department, and this gives us a great feeling to reach out into the community every year,” he said.

A few days before Christmas, the group will take the Carnegie Mellon shuttle bus to deliver the gifts.  Last year on the return trip to campus, “there wasn’t a dry eye on the bus,” Stellitano said. “Giving is truly better than receiving.”

In addition to Pudlowski and Stellitano, the Carnegie Mellon “elves” include Marge Pudlowski, Cele Herbig, Heather Ausburn, Sue Prevuznik, Jeff Varchetto, William and Mary Klawinski, Jackie Merranko and Jim Heverly.

Bruce Gerson

12/10/2007

Just because you can do a thing...

The International Herald Tribune tells us about software that allows professors to record their lectures so that students can download them onto an iPod or other MP3 player. Cool, yes, but before colleges and universities rush to adopt this technology, they might want to consider this Carnegie Mellon study which investigated what educational benefits, if any, accrue from the use of iPods in university classrooms. In short, lecture recordings boost student satisfaction but there is no evidence yet that they improve learning outcomes. iPods can be used effectively when an instructor first defines a clear educational objective and devises a use for the iPod which meets that objective. It's the same with any type of instructional technology -- it's a means, not an end.

Jonathan Potts

12/3/2007

Viewed by millions, and now earning millions

Millions around the world have viewed Randy Pausch's last lecture and millions more may soon be reading about it.

Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon computer science professor who's dying from pancreatic cancer, recently signed a deal with Hyperion Books to co-author a book with Jeff Zaslow of The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) for a reported $6.7 million. (For comparison's sake, the largest advance for a nonfiction book was more than $10 million to former President Bill Clinton for his memoir "My Life.")

The book will include Pausch's last lecture, titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", and "lots of other material," Zaslow told Editor & Publisher.

Zaslow is a Carnegie Mellon alumnus who wrote about Pausch's last lecture and narrated an accompanying video clip for the WSJ web site. Zaslow is a 1980 graduate of Carnegie Mellon's College of Humanities and Social Sciences, where he earned a bachelor's degree in creative writing.

The book deal is the latest occurrence in the media frenzy surrounding Pausch since his last lecture on Sept. 18. Pausch has been a two-time guest on "Good Morning America" and has been featured on the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show." He will also be the subject of an upcoming feature on ABC's "20/20," which is tentatively set to air the Friday before or after Christmas.

Bruce Gerson

11-29-2007

We're So Cool (and Green)

That winter nip in the air isn’t the only thing that’s cool about Carnegie Mellon these days. Sierra Magazine named us as one of the top ten “coolest schools” in its November/December issue, noting our efforts to slow global warming and our green practices.

The magazine highlights how campuses across the country are becoming more environmentally conscious, from recycling materials to saving energy. Carnegie Mellon finished tenth in the rankings. Click here to see the entire Top 10 list.

Ken Walters