(Posted December 6, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- "Juniata Voices," a yearly anthology of lectures, articles and presentations given by Juniata faculty and visiting speakers, is the most visually rich edition of the journal published to date.

The new "Juniata Voices" features lectures by federal judicial scholars, a New York Times reporter and a talk by a former Enron executive. Faculty lectures include musings on mineral desposits, the use of comic books in education and an influential early Polish poet.

"This is our largest volume to date, at 130 pages, and one of the great advantages the Web edition has is that we've been able to offer excellent illustrations and visual options for many of these presentations."

The journal, which can be accessed online at http://www.juniata.edu/services/jcpress/voices/, has released a collection of notable lectures on campus every year since 2002. This edition is the tenth to be released by the college (one edition was released in 1993).

"This is our largest volume to date, at 130 pages, and one of the great advantages the Web edition has is that we've been able to offer excellent illustrations and visual options for many of these presentations," says editor James Tuten, associate professor of history and editor of the journal. "The lectures in this edition have dazzling illustrations."

One of the most influential lectures in the volume is by Edmund Andrews, economics correspondent in the Washington, D.C. bureau of the New York Times. Andrews takes the reader through a simple, detailed and sometimes funny account of how the market meltdown occurred, while also revealing how he personally was caught up in the real estate bubble and had his own home go into foreclosure. Anna Law, associate professor of political science at DePaul University, details how the federal judiciary has influenced immigration policy in the United States.

Other lectures reflecting the state of the world include a talk by Chuck Kaufman, national coordinator for the Alliance for Global Justice, on how the United States' Latin America policies can often subvert democracy, and a lecture by Philip Stone, president emeritus of Bridgewater College, on how Abraham Lincoln's reputation as a peacemaker has overshadowed a rather stellar record as a warrior. Zdenek Janik, assistant professor at Masryk University in the Czech Republic, also examines how the Czech Republic transitioned from communism to democracy in the 20 years since the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Laura Pass Barry, associate curator of prints maps and paintings at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, tells the reader how simple 18th century prints not only offer modern citizens a glimpse into how colonial Americans lived but also served almost as guidebooks on how to live for the settlers and citizens of colonial towns and cities. Poetry also is featured in a reading by Gabriel Welsch, vice president of development and marketing at Juniata and a published poet. His "The Oldest Roller Coaster in the World," celebrates his family's creaky ride on Leap-The-Dips, a wooden roller coaster attraction at Lakemont Park in Altoona,, Pa. He also offers a poem about an imagined conversation between a telemarketer and poet Albert Goldbarth.

Many Juniata faculty have contributed to the journal. Ryan Mathur, associate professor of geology, explains how using isotopic analysis can reveal whether gold or copper can profitably be mined from an ore deposit. He also explains how the same technology can trace copper sources in pennies and artifacts. Jay Hosler, associate professor of biology, also outlines a long-term research project on creating a comic-book that can be used as a biology textbook.

The literary legacy of grief and other visceral emotions are at the center of James Roney's lecture on the poetry of Jan Kochanowski, a 16th century Polish poet who wrote a cycle of poems centered on the death of his daughter. Roney, professor of Russian at Juniata, also contributes a talk on "Honor, Mercy or Justice."

Justice and ethics were the focus of a talk by Todd Kulp, a former executive with Enron Corp. and Transocean Corp., and another former business executive, Harriet Michel, focused on success in her talk -- Juniata's Commencement address --- "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize -- Hold On."

Other Juniata faculty also had captivating talks. Historian James Tuten spoke of how the wit and wisdom of Dorothy Parker reflects on a liberal arts education. Robert Wagoner, professor emeritus of philosophy, explains how his art collection came to be focused on small portraits and faces in particular. Allison Fletcher, assistant professor of history, explains how popular mural in Northern Ireland provide a window into the volatile and interesting history of the complicated relationship between England and Northern Ireland.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.