Dr. Charlotte F. Cole ’82 oversees Sesame Workshop’s global strategies and leads the development of all curriculum and research for its international projects, including recent projects in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa and West Bank/Gaza.

Cole was the featured speaker at Tuesday’s Bowdoin Breakfast, delivering the talk ”Muppet Diplomacy:  How Sesame Street is Working to Change Our World” in which she talked about the mission and the reach of the Sesame Workshop, whose name, Cole said, originated from “the concept of ‘open sesame’ and the idea that you can open the world of learning through opening Sesame.”

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Cole received her doctorate in human development and psychology from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, previously worked as a Senior Researcher at the Joslin Diabetes Center and a college course instructor, and is a member of the editorial board of theJournal of Children and Media and served as the publication’s first Review and Commentary Editor.

More than a third of the way through January, Brunswick and most of the rest of Maine are just now getting the first “real” snowstorm of the season (those one-to-three-inch “dustings” don’t really count for the hardiest of Mainers).

Still, the first big snow event of the year, no matter when or where it falls, tends to give motorists a crash course in winter driving.

Winter driving school instructor Mark Cox suggests five ways to stay safe while driving in snow.

Jan Pierson '74 earns his chocolate milk, while another gym rat "stretches" in the background. Photo by Brian Wedge '97.

Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Gay presents his funny-’cause-it’s-true take on the popular annual New Year’s Resolution to hit the gym.

What do Steve Jobs, the Arab Spring, the Japanese earthquake, Occupy Wall Street, Penn State, crazy weather, and Osama Bin Laden have in common? They all made headlines in 2011 and they’re all part of a stunning collection of photographs of the year about to end published in three parts by The Boston Globe.

The Year in Pictures – Part I

The Year in Pictures – Part II

The Year in Pictures – Part III

Once you’ve stabilized from the shock of putting on the extra five or 10 pounds the American Heart Association reports that most folks gain during the holidays, you can do something about it.

You’ve heard about the importance of drinking water, but did you know about the metabolism-boosting qualities of green tea?

Check out these tips for burning off that holiday belly.

What better way to reduce some of the stress that builds at semester’s end than to spend some time basking in the unconditional love of a dog? For years, Bowdoin’s Counseling and Health services have experimented with bringing to campus dogs and cats with which students could interact during periods of high stress. This year, three programs are allowing students to connect with the kind of therapy dogs that regularly visit patients in hospitals and nursing homes, assist children who have difficulty reading, and allow veterans to return to their families and communities after suffering injuries and post traumatic stress.

“Many students light up and come alive in the presence of dogs,” says Director of Counseling Service Bernie Hershberger. “It reminds students of their animals at home and allows them to have a few moments to pause, relax, pet and play with the dogs. Research indicates that time with animals lowers blood pressure, boosts immune system functioning, and reduces general levels of stress.”

The Counseling Service, Health Center, Residence Life, and student organizations are exploring how contact with pet therapy dogs might ease stress levels and improve overall health and emotional well being for students throughout the year.

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Tired lately? Perhaps a better question is, “Are you always tired?”

Even if you do typically get a good night’s sleep, chances are there are times when you aren’t getting what you need.

Research culled from the Centers for Disease Control, Penn State and the University of Michigan debunks six popular myths that might be preventing you from getting the rest you deserve.

It’s not rocket science, but researchers at MIT have confirmed that washing your hands for 20 to 30 seconds is one of the best ways to stop the flu. With the holidays right around the corner, members of MIT’s Engineering Systems Division want you to know how to prevent the spread of illness that could spoil all the fun.

Bowdoin housekeeper Jan Day enjoys a cup of coffee at a celebratory gathering after walking from 4:45 a.m. to 10 p.m., with breaks, for the Finance & Administration team.

For five years, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs has hit the track — challenging staffers to walk in the name of health and fitness.

This year, they stepped it up a notch — challenging employees from Finance & Administration to do the same.

“We started it back in the fall of 2007 as way to educate folks on how sedentary our jobs can make us and to encourage folks to be active — especially during this period of time over Thanksgiving when work is crazy but you also get a little down time,” says Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs Margaret Hazlett.

Fifty-one staffers from Student Affairs and 246 from Finance & Administration participated in the step challenge at the Farley Field House track Wednesday.

“For many of us, the benefits of this challenge — aside from shedding light on how easy it is to be inactive in a day — have been the camaraderie and the humor used to motivate us,” says Hazlett.

Even for those folks lucky enough to be working at their dream job, there are those days when frustrations run high and motivation seems non-existent.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or in an entry-level position — or just having a bad day — Inc. magazine offers five steps toward “getting your mojo back.”

Safe Passage, the non-profit founded by the late Hanley Denning ’92 to educate children whose families earn their living picking through trash at the Guatemala City Dump, was highlighted on NPR. The piece includes an interview with Jessica Britt ’10, who works for the agency. Listen to the segment.

Among its Alternative Spring Break 2012 options, the McKeen Center for the Common Good includes Providing Safe Passage in Guatemala, a trip that entails helping in the effort to combat poverty by creating opportunities and fostering dignity through the power of education.

Research by trustee emerita Lisa McElaney ’77, president and principal investigator for Vida Health Communications, has been looking at ways media education distributed at childbirth might effectively reduce incidents of child abuse in the first year of life. With NIH funding and a handful of powerful partnerships, “All Babies Cry” is a multiple-dose intervention program distributed during the maternity stay. It includes a video, booklet, take-home DVD and various online components.

The right ingredients for a successful marriage may vary from couple to couple, but spending time around two people who have made it last can’t hurt.

The Wall Street Journal examines the dynamics at play within a couple whose elusive chemistry and respect for one another have carried their bond for an epic 52 years.

Disagreements are inevitable, and don’t have to be as prickly as they sometimes feel. The Chronicle of Higher Education shares an article with tips on how to maintain dignity and respect for those involved on both sides.

In a similar vein, the Harvard Business Review translates the question, “Would you mind if I gave you some feedback?” into the more truthful “here’s some negative feedback,” and decodes how the sender and recipient may be feeling, in order to help you be a better communicator.

When your to-do list is as long as your arm and the workday goes into the late night, the threat of burn-out can be great. Though stress is natural, there is a difference between feeling overworked and actually being overworked. Professional mountain bike rider, Jeremiah Bishop lists the symptoms of exhaustion that everyone should look out for.

Dora Anne Mills '82

Dr. Dora Anne Mills ’82, vice president of clinical affairs at the University of New England and formerly public health director for the State of Maine, was honored with the Maine Development Foundation’s Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award for her efforts in improving Maine’s health and its public health system over the past 15 years.

“Her energy, inspiration, perseverance, and passion have made Maine a better place for all of us,” says Amanda Roggio of the Maine Development Foundation.

The award was presented at MDF’s 33rd Annual Meeting in September.