The Nancy Beth Rautenberg '83 Memorial Award

The Nancy Beth Rautenberg '83 Memorial Award is given annually to a graduating senior who has combined commitment to the study of sociology with active community involvement. A memorial to Nancy Rautenberg, the award recognizes excellence in both the study of sociology and service to others and the community. The 2007 recipient of the Rautenberg Award is Karina Perez. Her award citation reads:

Karina combines academic achievement, advocacy, and service. She is satisfying premed requirements while completing a sociology major. Last summer Karina carried out a collaborative research project on Skidmore athletics. Both theoretical and pragmatic concerns informed her multivariate analysis of HIV/AIDS knowledge—a senior seminar project accepted for presentation at Eastern Sociological Society meetings. A Head Resident and a Raices officer, Karina speaks out often and eloquently on issues of diversity. All this and only 19 years old.

Award Citations for Rautenberg Award Recipients

2006 - Katherine Largo

Organizer of a dance troupe, resident assistant, and advocate for families, Katie Largo exemplifies the combination of academic achievement and community involvement honored by the Rautenberg award. Her sophisticated capstone sociology project examines the relationship between economic resources and experiences of emotional abuse. Katie's social concerns and sociological acumen should serve her very well as she pursues a degree in law.

2005 - Michelle Yee

Michelle is both an advocate and an academic, an ideal combination for the Rautenberg Award. At Skidmore, Michelle has held two offices in Asian Cultural Awareness, while at home in New York City she has worked with numerous Chinese-American and children's advocacy groups. Already an accomplished scholar, Michelle has conducted research in China as part of a National Science Foundation undergraduate research program, and she presented data from that study in at meetings of the Eastern Sociological Society in Washington, D.C.

2004 - Alison Turro

With a GPA even higher than her impressive on-base average, softball shortstop and team captain Ali Turro is a winner on and off the field. Ali's senior research project, presented at the Eastern Sociological Society meetings, demonstrated her sophisticated sociological imagination, asking whether the same social factors affecting attitudes toward interracial marriage in the 1970s affect attitudes toward gay marriages today. Ali has tutored local elementary students and after graduation will continue her service to others in AmeriCorps.

2003 - Whitley Tucker

Whitley has distinguished herself as a sociology major and as a student leader. her senior research project employed quantitative survey data to examine the relationship between church attendance and beliefs about homosexuality. Whitley's service to others is as impressive as her academic record. She has been active in Skidmore Pride Alliance, NETWORK, and VOX, and intends to continue advocacy work after graduation. Whitley exemplifies the qualities of heart and mind that this award honors.

2002 - Daniel Bianchi

Dan Bianchi has combined academic excellence with extraordinary service to the Skidmore, Saratoga Springs, and world communities. Dan's near perfect GPA reflects the quality of his academic achievements. Active leadership in Skidmore's environmental action club, Campus Environmental Committee, Eleventh Hour Peace Coalition, Green Party and Saratoga Springs's Open Space Project reflects his deep commitment to citizenship in the broadest sense. Dan will attend graduate school in sociology after a year of doing something else useful.

2001 - Rachel Burrows

Rachel Burrows. a volunteer in Benef-Action and Big Sisters, an active leader on the Diversity Committee, the Jewish Student Union, Academic Festival, Honors Forum, and Periclean, and a recipient of a Presidents' Day Award, has evinced the very best of the spirit of our college community. And in the midst of her indefatigable efforts to serve the community, Rachel has excelled as a Government-Sociology major and Law and Society minor, earning Highest Honors every semester.

2000 - Megan Przygoda

Megan Przygoda receives this year's Nancy Beth Rautenberg Award for her excellence in sociology combined with extraordinary service to our community, all accomplished with generous good will and good humor. Megan co-founded the Social Norms Committee combating alcohol and drug abuse and Skidmore's Bacchus and Gamma chapter fostering sexual responsibility and alcohol awareness. She has aided others through the Hope in Grief Hour and, most recently, the Senior Class' Fire Safety Day. She has contributed her talents and energy to both the Newman Club and Cabaret Troupe. Active in residential life since her first year, Megan is now head resident of Wilmarth Hall. Last January she received a Presidents' Day Award for her ongoing commitment to Skidmore. An inspiration to peers and professors, Megan exemplifies the qualities of character, service, and achievement recognized by the Rautenberg Award. eceives this year's Nancy Beth Rautenberg Award for her excellence in sociology combined with extraordinary service to our community, all accomplished with generous good will and good humor. Megan co-founded the Social Norms Committee combating alcohol and drug abuse and Skidmore's Bacchus and Gamma chapter fostering sexual responsibility and alcohol awareness. She has aided others through the Hope in Grief Hour and, most recently, the Senior Class' Fire Safety Day. She has contributed her talents and energy to both the Newman Club and Cabaret Troupe. Active in residential life since her first year, Megan is now head resident of Wilmarth Hall. Last January she received a Presidents' Day Award for her ongoing commitment to Skidmore. An inspiration to peers and professors, Megan exemplifies the qualities of character, service, and achievement recognized by the Rautenberg Award.

1999 - Lani Radack

The Nancy Beth Rautenberg Award is given annually to a graduating senior who has combined commitment to the study of sociology with active community involvement. The 1999 recipient is Lani Radack. Lani receives the Rautenberg Award for her distinguished work as sociology major and community activist, particularly on behalf of children. Lani's contributions range from Bene-faction Vice President for Volunteers to coordinator of Jonathan Kozol's Convocation address, from Big Sister to Habitat for Humanity, from tutoring local youngsters to working with children in Jamaica. Lani academic record, including Phi Beta Kappa, is as impressive as her service to others. Lani exemplifies the qualities of heart and mind honored by the Rautenberg award.

1998 - Cynthia Ferguson "Fergie" Wheeler

Cynthia Ferguson "Fergie" Wheeler is the 1998 recipient of the Rautenberg Award. An honors student, a member of the Periclean Society and a double major in sociology and social work, Fergie has combined an astute understanding of social forces with a devotion to participating actively in the life of the community. In her senior research project, presented at the annual meetings of the Eastern Sociological Society, Fergie analyzed the impact of parent's involvement on their children's education. She has interned at the United Way of Central New York, has volunteered at the Saratoga Center for the Family, has participated in the sociology student reading group and is completing field work at Saratoga BOCES. Fergie is also this year's recipient of the Betten and Betten Award for achievement in social work. Fergie will bring her formidable intellectual talent and enduring concern for people to her graduate studies in social work next year.

1997 - Tracie Danforth

Tracie Danforth is the winner of the 1997 Nancy Beth Rautenberg Memorial Award for her distinguished work as a sociology major and as a student leader. Tracie's senior thesis, which she presented at the Eastern Sociological Association's annual meeting, is a comparative examination of the relationship between national drug policy and crime rates. Using data from Interpol, Tracie tested the commonly held belief that "lenient" drug laws contribute to higher rates of crime. She found that the relationship between drug policy and crime rates is weak and gets progressively weaker when other important variables are controlled for; and she then linked these empirical findings to an examination of ethical issues associated with the regulation of drugs. Tracie's activities beyond her exemplary academic performance have included participation in Skidmore's student government, service as an LS I tutor, representing sociology majors on a departmental search committee, and last but by no means least, involvement in Skidmore's Cabaret Troupe. Tracie has done everything from leading the troupe as its president to directing and choreographing a number of productions. In both her academic work and her extracurricular activities, Tracie has demonstrated her concern with human struggles--a concern she will bring into her graduate level study of sociology.

1996 - Ellie Michelle Ulrich

Ellie is an outstanding sociology major and student leader. Ellie has overcome the vagaries of international data and the complexities of multiple regression analysis to write an outstanding senior thesis examining the relationships among GDP (Gross Domestic Product), income inequality, and life expectancy in seventy countries. Her thesis displays a theoretical as well as statistical sophistication not often seen in undergraduate research. In addition, Ellie has contributed to the Skidmore community in a variety of ways: as a Spanish tutor, as a member of residence hall staff, and as a varsity athlete on our championship Equestrian team. Finally, Ellie has reached out into the larger Saratoga comunity by volunteering at Wesley Nursing Home.

1995 - Lucy Stinson

The Nancy Beth Rautenberg Award is given annually to a graduating senior who has combined commitment to the study of sociology with active community involvement. In 1995 it was awarded to Lucy Stinson. During her years at Skidmore, Lucy Stinson clearly demonstrated those qualities of mind and character that the Rautenberg Award honors. She compiled an outstanding academic record and was active in both the Skidmore and Saratoga communities. On this campus she served in the Senate and as a member of SAFE. In the Saratoga community she was active in Literacy Volunteers, as well as coaching nine- and ten-year olds in Saratoga Recreation soccer. Lucy also was an outstanding student. Her senior thesis on the complexity of forming and maintaining traditions in nonnuclear families was yet another testament to her interest in using sociological insights in order to understand and perhaps to resolve the practical problems of modern life. It exemplified Lucy's combination of scholarly commitment to sociology and active community involvement. Following graduation Lucy entered the Peace Corps; she now serves in the Peace Corps in Africa.

1994 - Bree Pasternack

The 1994 Nancy Beth Rautenberg Award is awarded to Bree Pasternack. During her years at Skidmore, Bree Pasternack has clearly demonstrated those qualitites of mind and character that the Rautenberg Award honors. She has complied an outstanding academic record, served as an intern volunteer at Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga, and worked at a residential treatment facility for adolescent girls. Her outstanding senior thesis is a revealing first person account of the occupational socialization of residential child care workers that draws upon her own experience, observations and interviews of her colleagues at the facility. It exemplifies her rare combination of scholarly commitment to sociology with active community involvement.

1992 - Michelle Seeley

What began in Sociology Senior Seminar as an academic interest in the area of domestic violence evolved into a full-scale commitment to Domestic Violence Services of Saratoga Springs, where Michelle served as a volunteer since Fall 1991. After starting out in the day-care unit, Michelle increased both the level and intensity of her involvement by designing her own internship through the Skidmore Sociology Department. Energized by her desire to learn more and to make a contribution, Michelle completed the domestic violence and substance abuse training programs. Michelle actively participated in intake and care review procedures. She was selected to co-facilitate weekly support groups and was assigned as an individual counselor for shelter residents. She also volunteered for the Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline and was on-call for twelve-hour shifts as many as four times a months. As a consequence of her work at Domestic Violence Services, Michelle decided that her ca-reer will include some aspect of human services and counseling. Through her experience and example, Michelle Seeley demonstrated the utility and relevance of sociological insight--an insight acquired through her coursework in sociology--in ameliorating social problems.

1987 - Tammy Strauss

Tammy Strauss' academic achievements and service to the college make her an outstanding recipient of the Rautenberg Prize in Sociology. She has compiled an exemplary record as an outstanding interdepartmental in sociology and psychology. Her senior thesis on the social sources of religious commitment combines a thorough exposition of sociological theories of religion with rigorous research on the beliefs and activities of members of Saratoga-area congregations. Tammy has worked as a peer advisor for freshmen for the past tow years and has devoted many hours of service tutoring students in sociology and other areas. She plans to pursue graduate work in religious studies next year.