Familiar Faces

A documentary short, created by a student in RMU's Center for Documentary Production and Study exchange program has been selected for the “Faces of Realism” international film festival of The Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University.

“Cinema at 92.3 FM” a short film directed by Florian Michaelsen from the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund, Germany, was selected for showing on the festival’s closing day, March 8, at 3 p.m. at Southside Works.

Taking place from Feb. 26 through March 8, at venues throughout Pittsburgh, “Faces of Realism” encourages audiences to examine how reality is portrayed through nine feature and documentary films from six different countries. In addition to the South Side Works Theater, film festival venues will include the Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room, the Future Tenant Gallery in downtown Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon's McConomy Auditorium.

Michaelsen participated in the RMU Center for Documentary Production and Study exchange program in 2007. He spent a month here and became fascinated with drive-in movie theaters, which they don't have in Germany. “Cinema at 92.3 FM,” which profiles a drive-in theater near Pittsburgh, has already been shown in several European film festivals.

Launched in 2004, RMU’s exchange program has seen seven RMU students and two professors travel to Dortmund to produce documentaries about that city, which is located in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition, nine German students and three professors have come to Pittsburgh, producing documentaries about yard sales, Wholey's Fish Market, summer basketball camps, and concerts at Hartwood Acres.

The Center for Documentary Production and Study also has exchange programs with universities in Turkey and Chile. In addition to working on their documentary projects, students and faculty participate in a full intercultural and educational exchange – attending classes, making presentations, visiting museums and enjoying the activities of the regions.

RMU’s Center for Documentary Production and Study is one of the sponsors of the “Faces of Realism” film festival. For a complete schedule, film descriptions and ticket reservation, visit the festival Web site at http://www.cmu.edu/faces/.

The more, the merrier

The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management has launched a blog at http://bayercenter.wordpress.com/. Check it out.

Scientifically speaking

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette features RMU prominently in a package of stories today about science, technology, mathematics and engineering. Click here and here.

What's your story

We've created a new YouTube channel for Black History Month called RMU28Stories. We feature one story for each day in the month of February. (Though we've posted several at once.) Check it out to learn more about the people at RMU.

The girls and boys of winter

We've added a new web site to our list of links, RMU Centre Ice, which is devoted to Colonials hockey. Which reminds us...WTAE-TV's Guy Junker had great things to say about the Colonials women's hockey team during his sportscast last night from Tampa. (Site of Super Bowl XLIII.) After a profile of WTAE's high school student athlete of the week -- a female goalie on a boy's hockey team -- Junker put in a plug for the Colonials should the young lady decide to pursue her dream of playing at the collegiate level.

Thanks, Guy. Tell Stan we said hi.

I've got a feeling, Colonials going to the Super Bowl

Jim Duzyk, our director of sports information, runs down RMU's connections to the Super Bowl, here. One more is worth noting: Pat Rooney, wife of Steelers owner Dan Rooney, is a member of the RMU Board of Trustees and one of our most loyal and generous supporters.

Around the horn

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Highlands High School quarterback Jeff Sinclair is coming to RMU because of our strengths in nursing. That will please the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, which is looking for a few good men. (Ladies welcome too.) Highlands coach Sam Albert says some nice things about us, and we couldn't more grateful.

Looking elsewhere, RMU women's basketball standout Monet Johnson finds herself mentioned in this New York Times article, while club hockey coach Jason Evans scores his 100th victory.

Finally, A. J. Grant, head of the Department of English Studies and Communication Skills, wants to make sure we get credit where credit is due. (Link; last item.)

That's all. Stay warm.