The Core 100 program invites students and faculty from the College to join us for our weekly lecture series. Each week, all of the first-year students participate in lecture-discussions with about 400 of their classmates. We have space in the Center for the Arts (Building 1P) Williamson Theatre to accommodate individual guests (no permission needed) and can have as many as two additional classes at each of the lectures. Permission is not required for classes to attend, but please notify Donna Scimeca at 718.982.3405 if you plan to bring a class.
The lectures are 50 minutes and are all in the Williamson Theatre. They meet on the following days/times: Wednesdays from 12:20pm to 1:10pm; and Thursdays at 8:00am, 10:10am, 4:40pm, and 6:30pm.
Please note that in the spring, the Saturday 10:10am lectures are held in the Center for the Arts Lecture Hall, but due to space limitations, we unfortunately cannot accommodate additional classes. The Lecture Series schedule for the Week of Monday, Feb. 16 is as follows:
Wednesday, Feb. 18
-12:20pm:
There will be no lecture today. Classes are following a Monday class schedule.
-Thursday, Feb. 19
-8:00am: “The Pursuit of Happiness: Founding Fathers vs. American Slavery, presented by Niles French.
This is an exploration of the legacy of U.S. slavery in relation to the development of the Constitution and representation while highlighting ideas of the European Enlightenment and Thomas Jefferson.
Professor French is a published Adjunct Professor who has presented several papers about various historical topics. In addition to teaching in the Core 100 and American Studies program at the College of Staten Island, he is head of development at the Staten Island Historical Society at Historic Richmond Town.
-10:10am: “American Revolution,” presented by Vincent DePaolo.
The American Revolution was a fight for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The Revolution was an intellectual as well as a physical fight to form a new country and a government that the world had never seen before.
Professor DePaolo is new to the Core 100 Faculty. He is returning to give a lecture this semester. He previously was an Adjunct Instructor at Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus in the History Department teaching introductory World History Survey courses. He received his BA in History and MS in Social Science with a concentration in History and Advanced Graduate Certificate in United Nation Studies at Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus.
-4:40pm and 6:30pm: “American Revolution,” presented by Michael Matthews.
This presentation will emphasize the problems that the colonies had as they attempted the break with England. There will also be a discussion of the advantages that England had, as well as the events in New York that led up to the Battle of Trenton. Professor Matthews will use movie clips to show difficulties that Washington’s army endured and illustrate the Battle of Trenton.
Professor Matthews earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at Brooklyn College/CUNY. He also has a Master in Business Administration (Finance) from Fordham University. He has taught on the college/university-level for 17 years (starting at St. John’s University). He has also been a member of the CORE faculty at CSI for ten and a half years.
