A commitment to academic excellence is at the heart of Arcadia University. On the evening of March 1, the campus community filled the Rose Room in Grey Towers Castle to hear lectures by Dr. Christopher Binckley, Associate Professor of Biology, and Dr. Andrea Ketcheck ’03, Adjunct Professor of Biology. The day, which began with students presenting their research in their labs, concluded with the lectures and a reception, hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations. Video: Watch the lectures.

“For me, today, it’s been an eye-opening experience, for how remarkable our faculty are, how remarkable our students are, the commitment they have to perseverance and success and not giving up, despite the hundreds of trials and months of waiting for the research,” said President Carl (Tobey) Oxholm III during his opening remarks. Photos: Student presentations and faculty lectures.

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Just a few days later, a sold out crowd of alumni and friends filled the Castle Dining Room to understand the fine art of pairing chocolate with wine. Tom Sciascia ’86, owner of The Painted Truffle, teamed up with Dave Greenstein, The Wine Merchant, for an unforgettable evening that opened with a taste of Chocolate Bark paired with an Italian wine, Capestrano Montepulciano D’Abruzzo.

From there, the crowd moved easily through the evening, tasting and sampling various dark chocolate truffles and complementary wines, before ending the evening with a Champagne Truffle that literally melted in your mouth, paired with a glass of Marquis de la Tour Rose NV from the Loire Valley, France. “I believe everyone signed up for next year’s tasting—even without a date yet set!” noted Georgene Pilling ’04M, Director of Alumni Relations.

If you have not yet had the chance to come back to Arcadia University in 2012, please visit www.arcadia.edu/alumnievents for a complete listing of future on-campus events. Tickets are also available for Philadelphia Union (March 31) and Philadelphia Phillies (May 21) games.