Neil Irwin '00.Author and Reporter Neil Irwin to Deliver 2017 Commencement Address to Graduates
St. Mary's College of Maryland is pleased to announce that Neil Irwin '00, senior economic correspondent at The New York Times and author of "The Alchemists: Three Central Bankers and a World on Fire" (Penguin Press, 2013), will deliver St. Mary's College's commencement address. The commencement ceremony will be held on the college's Townhouse Green on Saturday, May 13, starting at 10 a.m.
As senior economic correspondent at The New York Times, Irwin writes for The Upshot, the Times' website for analytical reporting on politics, economics, and everyday life.
"The Alchemists" was a New York Times Bestseller and was short-listed for the Goldman Sachs-Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award. It appeared on best-books-of-the-year lists from media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and NPR. For The New York Times, Irwin has written on topics as varied as Britain's decision to leave the European Union, the Trump administration's trade and tax policies, and the economic roots of the rise of populist movements.
Previously, Irwin was a columnist at The Washington Post and economics editor of Wonkblog, the Post's website for analytical journalism. From 2007-2012 he was the Post's beat reporter covering the Federal Reserve and economy. He has often appeared on television analyzing economic topics, including the PBS NewsHour, CNBC, and MSNBC.
Irwin has won two "Best in Business" awards from the Society of American Businesses Editors and Writers, in 2005 and 2009, and one of his articles was published in the anthology, "The Best Business Stories of the Year: 2003 Edition."
He has an MBA from Columbia University, where he was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Economic and Business Journalism. He is an alumnus of St. Mary's College of Maryland and he served as a member of the College's board of trustees from 2007 to 2013.
College Launches 911SHIELD Safety App to Enhance Community Safety
St. Mary's College of Maryland is launching a new safety app for the College community titled 911Shield with a technology that can accurately locate individuals who are in distress.
"Although the College is a safe place, we are always looking for ways to further enhance our suite of safety services. We're excited about launching the 911Shield app because it provides our campus community with greater access to safety resources," said Tressa Setlak, director of public safety.
The primary function of 911Shield is to serve as an emergency communication tool between the College community and campus police. The 911Shield app offers four major features: emergency calling, iReport, Friend Watch, and campus information.
The emergency call feature allows users to access emergency services at the push of a button. Instead of relying solely on emergency poles, which are fixed into place, the campus community now has the ability to signal for emergency assistance 24/7, from anywhere on and off campus, with just a push of their cell phone. The user will be immediately connected with campus police if on campus. Campus police are also automatically provided the users location and any profile information, such as a photo and any medical history that the app user chooses to share. If the user is not on campus, the app can still be used, and the caller is routed to the closest 911 call center.
The iReport feature, which may be used anonymously, allows users to send text messages along with photos and videos directly to the St. Mary's College Office of Public Safety for non-emergency situations.
The Friend Watch feature is a peer-to-peer safety service which allows app users who want additional safety to assign a group of friends to look after them during certain activities, such as while jogging alone or walking to and from class.
The 911Shield app will go live on Wednesday, March 29 to coincide with the College's Safety Day presented by the Office of Public Safety.
The application is available for free on both Android and iPhone devices.
"Eurydice" runs April 19–23 in the Bruce Davis Theater
"Eurydice" opens on Wednesday, April 19 at 8 p.m. and runs through Sunday, April 23 in the Bruce Davis Theater, Montgomery Hall, on the St. Mary's College of Maryland campus. Ticket prices are $4 for teachers, students, senior citizens, and Arts Alliance members; $6, general admission. To make reservations, email the Theater Box Office at boxoffice@smcm.edu or telephone 240-895-4243.
Produced by the Department of Theater, Film, and Media Studies and directed by faculty member Amy Steiger, with original music by St. Mary's College student Robert Hayes, "Eurydice" is playwright Sarah Ruhl's contemporary poetic retelling of the Orpheus/Eurydice myth imagined from Eurydice's perspective. Written partly as a way for Ruhl to "have a few more conversations with [my father]" who had died 10 years before she wrote her play, "Eurydice" is a theatrical fantasia on love and loss, longing and memory, music, water, and time.
"Eurydice" performs April 19-22 at 8 p.m. and April 23 at 2 p.m. An informal talk-back with cast, crew, and director follows the opening night performance.
"Eurydice" poster.