features:

• Gospel Choir Welcomes Singers of All Cultures and Faiths
• Triangle Alliance Offers Student Support
• Expressive Therapies Has New Director
• President McKenna Takes Sabbatical
• In Memorial

• Shuttle Stop Moves From Mellen to Massachusetts Avenue
• Second Art Exhibit Opening at Porter Exchange
• Local Businesses Offer Discounts
• Student E-Mail Accounts Available
• The Learning Center Plans Semester of Workshops

miscellany:

• Charities Drive Exceeds Goal
• First Prize!
• Office Moves
• Lesley College Basketball Schedule for February

departments:

• Faculty/Staff Notes
• Welcome to Lesley
• February Events

about Lesley News:

UNITY, Lesley's cross-college gospel choir, is holding its last rehearsal for interested new members on Wednesday, February 5, 7-8:30 p.m. in Porter Exchange.

The choir welcomes singers of all backgrounds, from the entire Lesley community. From its beginning, UNITY has been a multicultural group coming together to sing music from the black church tradition. Women's College student Nakia Campbell began the gospel choir in 1993 so that all students, but especially students of color, would have a "spiritual home" at Lesley. This past fall, UNITY hired a professional director, Linda Brown-San Martin, who also leads gospel choirs at Bentley and Gordon Colleges and has directed choirs at Wellesley College, local churches and community agencies.

Currently, UNITY has 25 singers, a potpourri of students, staff, faculty, and even from the Board of Trustees. "This is the first time that an ongoing non-academic activity includes all segments of the Lesley community," reports Marlene Godfrey, dean of students.

UNITY is also an interfaith group of people from diverse backgrounds such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and the Native American church. Voluntary participation in invocations, prayers and/or silent meditation is offered at the opening and closing of each rehearsal.

Why gospel music, and why now? More people are discovering the joyful energy and spirituality of gospel music for themselves. But gospel music has a long history in this country. It is uniquely American music, arising out of the African-American experience in the post-slavery period.