At a time when most students are fixated on term papers and gearing up for final exams, Pitzer College junior Elspeth Leech-Black will be hammering in signs and lighting candles to raise awareness about AIDS.

Leech-Black helps organize the Dec. 1 World AIDS Day candlelight vigil and walk, which sends hundreds of participants across The Claremont Colleges along sidewalks lined with luminarias -- candles inside open paper bags -- and signs marking major events in the history of HIV.

"I'll probably be setting up luminarias along the campus and setting up the AIDS timeline," said the 22-year-old transfer student. "Last year it was raining and quite cold, and we were all out in the warmest clothes people own in Southern California."

The human-biology major came to Pitzer part way through her college career, transferring from Smith College after deciding she liked Pitzer’s emphasis on social responsibility.

Leech-Black co-chairs the Student AIDS Awareness Committee and has volunteered with the nearby Foothill AIDS Project. She hopes to have a career in public health, focusing on the global AIDS crisis.

Originally from Annandale, Virg., Leech-Black plays a major role in Pitzer’s hiring decisions by serving as a student member of the Faculty Executive Committee. Leech-Black said she was taken with Pitzer from the moment she arrived. Although she had applications to four of Claremont's five undergraduate colleges, Pitzer won her over with its welcoming atmosphere and emphasis on community service.

“I ripped up all the other applications,” she said. “I fell in love with Pitzer.”

Abby Parsons, associate vice president for admission and financial aid, has submitted her resignation effective June 30, 2000. Abby has served her alma mater with distinction and absolute commitment over the last 30 years, according to Arnaldo Rodriguez, vice president for admission and financial aid. “I am personally indebted to Abby for her guidance and support from the first day I arrived at Pitzer,” he noted. “Needless to say, all of us in Admission and Financial Aid will miss her greatly. We will have a grand celebration in May to wish Abby the very best.” The details are forthcoming.

Patrick Lee resigned his post as director of public information on Nov. 19 to become news editor for an online science fiction magazine. Nina Ellerman Mason will be handling media relations, publications and web matters in the interim. Nina has been publications editor and webmaster at Pitzer the past two years. Before coming to Pitzer, she directed the award-winning media relations program and created and managed the web site at Pomona College. She also has done media, campaign communications and publications work at the University of Redlands and Whittier College.

Mitch Dorger is resigning his position as executive vice president of the Claremont University Center to become chief executive officer of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses effective Feb. 1. Brenda Barham Hill, currently vice president for research and planning at Scripps College, has been appointed by the Council of Presidents to take over in the interim.

Are you an ace at html? A crackerjack at Fireworks? Can you make Photoshop sing like a canary? Are you looking for a work-study job on campus? The public information office has an immediate need (or, if need be, we’d settle for next semester) for student employees to assist with the maintenance of the official Pitzer College web site. Interested? Call x18219 to schedule an interview with the webmaster. Lousy pay, but the work’s interesting and you can work your own hours!

Auditions for “The Souls of Black Folks,” a living history museum performance piece, will be held Dec. 1 and 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For a location and more information, contact Kim at x76093.