‘Go Red to Get Ahead’ SGPP promotion is Feb. 26 in Winona

The Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs are hosting a “Go Red to Get Ahead” promotional event Thursday, Feb. 26, on the Winona campus.

An open information session will be held for prospective students of all ages who are interested in graduate and bachelor completion programs. Winona residents and SMU undergraduate students are encouraged to attend in order to learn more about the affordable SGPP education opportunities offered at SMU.

The event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Toner Student Center Lounge. A full schedule of activities are planned. Participants will have an opportunity to win an iPod nano, Target gift cards, iTunes gift cards and SMU gear.

Kabara business plan competition for students

The Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies announces the second annual Student Business Plan Competition.

Participants must be full-time undergraduate students on the Winona campus, may participate as an individual or as a team of two students, and can have any major.

Students are asked to develop a business plan for a business that they would like to start. The business does not need to be an on-campus business. The projected start-up costs and initial capital required may not exceed $10,000.

The plan must include: a one-page executive summary, a concept statement, anticipated startup costs, a preliminary marketing plan, potential suppliers and/or manufacturing processes (as applicable), a discussion of operating considerations (staffing, operating hours, etc.), pro-forma financial statements for the first year of operation, references for the data sources used in the plan, and contact information for each of the individuals submitting the proposal.

Criteria for judging the plans include: feasibility of the proposed project, creativity, comprehensiveness of the business plan, and reasonableness of the assumptions used to create the plan.

Semi-finalists will receive a one-year membership in CEO, the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Additionally, first place is $1,000; second place is $500; and third place is $250.

A hard copy and electronic copy of the business plans must be submitted to Teresa Speck by noon Monday, March 2. Semifinalists will present their plans to a panel of judges on Friday, March 13, and winners will be announced within a week.

For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/kabara or contact Speck at tspeck@smumn.edu or Ext. 1449.

SMU invites community to events as part of ‘Our Drinking Fountains, Our Water’ project

One of several decorated fountains on the Saint Mary's campus.

Five local institutions are collaborating with the Minneapolis-based In the Heart of the Beast Puppet-Mask Theater to spearhead a community-wide program, “Our Drinking Fountains, Our Water.”

Theatre residency

As part of the theater’s residency activities, Saint Mary’s will attempt to raise community awareness about our drinking water through the creation of art and through performance around that art.

The performance/celebration of an ancient English ritual known as well-dressing or, in this case, water-fountain-dressing, will be held at from noon to 2 pm. today. The celebration will involve student-designed installations, the created masks and dragon, and “performances” that are to be centered around drinking fountains in the Toner Student Center, and Hoffman, Lasalle, and Saint Mary’s Halls.

For more information, contact Dr. Joe Tadie, Ext. 6652 or e-mail jtadie@smumn.edu.

Winona State University, Saint Mary’s University, Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical, Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board and the City of Winona are incorporating the water theme into classes, presentations and activities this year. The goal of the project is for the community to achieve a broader and deeper understanding of water quality and stewardship. This project is funded by the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Campus Compact.

Adopt-a-fountain

The public is also invited to adopt a drinking fountain as part of the “Our Drinking Fountains, Our Water!” collaborative project.

Through the adopt-a-drinking fountain project, community members are invited to design and implement an artistic design around a drinking fountain. This project was designed to get the community involved in highlighting our drinking fountains and remind everyone how lucky we are to have clean, drinkable water right at our fingertips.

Fountains must be registered by Feb. 27. Decorating must be started and completed between March 2-18, and the design must remain in place until Earth Day celebrations on April 27.

A map of the decorated fountains (along with designer credit) will appear on the project’s website, http://water.southeastmn.edu. Prizes will be awarded in a number of categories including: most educational, most inspirational, best use of water theme, most creative, and most eye catching.

Designs cannot interfere with accessibility to the fountain and must be respectful and appropriate. Permission must be obtained from the owner/management of the building, and only indoor drinking fountains may be decorated. All costs must be borne by the company, organization or participant.

Refer to the project’s website for rules of the contest, as well as details about how to register a fountain, or call Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936 or kalaplan@smumn.edu.

Next SMU exhibit to feature digital photography, paintings

Painting by Ming Zhou
Digital photography by Jing Zhou
“Old Media, New Ideas and New Media, Old Ideas” — featuring the work of two Chinese-American artists — will be on display Feb. 16 through March 20 at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

Jing Zhou, Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J., will display digital photography that reflects her interest in spiritual experiences, and Eastern and Western art, literature and philosophy. “As a Chinese artist living in the western world, I am aware of art and philosophy from both cultures,” she said. To her, creating art is a process of expressing her nature via “being human.”

Ming Zhou, University of Missouri, Columbia, critiques “China’s new middle class’s tasteless manner, which is also a mirror of superficial, boastful and rash society of contemporary China” with her paintings. “Through the slightly ironic paintings, I intend to euphemistically remind the new Chinese bourgeoisie that good taste actually comes from internal cultivation, not just blind mimicry,” she said.

The Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center, are free and open to the public and are open daily between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. For more information, call Ext. 1652.

Page Series offers ‘If You Give a Pig a Pancake’ and other stories Feb. 6

It’s no ordinary pig tale. Audience members will learn why it’s probably poor judgment to give a pig a pancake Friday, Feb. 6, at Saint Mary’s. The Page Series presentation, which begins at 6:30 p.m., features Theatreworks USA in this familiar children’s story where offering a pig syrup leads to baths, baths lead to bubbles, bubbles lead to rubber ducks, and rubber ducks lead to wanting a trip to the farm. This, along with many other favorite kids’ storybooks will come to life on the Page Theatre stage. Stories may include “Diary of a Worm,” “Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig,” “Horace & Morris but Mostly Dolores,” “How I Became a Pirate,” “Lilly’s Big Day,” “The Paper Bag Princess” and “Ruby Mae Has Something to Say.”

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Excel Energy Foundation is supporting the school matinees of this show.

Dance Repertory Company auditions are today

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will host auditions for the Dance Repertory Company’s annual spring concert, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

The company is seeking intermediate and advanced dancers with modern, jazz, or pointe training. Roles are available for male and female dancers, ages 13 and older.

Interested candidates are asked to bring a photo of themselves, planning calendars, and proper shoes/attire to the audition.

The DRC will present its annual spring concert, featuring the classical ballet “La Bayadère” as well as contemporary jazz and modern works, May 14-16 at Page Theatre.

The Dance Repertory Company is the performing troupe of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts at Saint Mary’s University. Company members participate in rehearsals, technique classes and stage performances. Past productions of the company include: “The Firebird,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Nutcracker,” “Paquita,” “Excerpts from Swan Lake,” “Cinderella,” “The Goodman Suite,” “Youth In Motion,” “Tappin' to Connick,” and “Pure Entertainment,” among others.

For more information, visit www.smumn.edu/mca or call Ext. 5501.

Deadline for study abroad extended to Feb. 23

The deadline for submitting applications for the fall semester London Study Abroad program has been extended to Monday, Feb. 23. Applications are no longer due the Friday before break. The extended deadline will allow students additional time over break to complete the application materials.

If students need an application packet or would like additional information about studying abroad in London fall semester, they should stop by the Study Abroad Office located in Saint Mary’s Hall Room 136.

Used book sale ends today at Fitzgerald Library

The library used book sale ends today, Feb. 6. The books are donations from staff, faculty, alumni, and Saint Mary’s Press. Hardbound books are 50 cents, and paperbacks are 25 cents.

Jazz notes

Dr. John Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven with Swing Inc. will perform 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at the all-new Riverside Center at Jefferson Pub & Grill in Winona.

Dr. Paulson performs with Cliff Jack from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, at the Redwood Room in Rochester.

Dr. Paulson will perform in a jazz band reading session with an all-pro band at the Minnesota Music Educators In Service Mid-Winter Clinic in Minneapolis Feb. 12. He will also give a clinic Feb. 13 on “Sax Mouthpiece and Reed Selection Guidelines.” The conference is attended by hundreds of Minnesota music educators and features many professional guest artists and performers. Dr. Janet Heukeshoven of the music department will also attend the conference along with several SMU music education majors.

MPCC forms Facebook group about aid expansion

The MPCC now has a new tool in its legislative advocacy toolkit — the Facebook group, “Expand aid for Minnesota college students.” People who join this group can keep up on the latest information about need-based aid and what’s happening at the legislature. They can also share their state grant stories, comments, Day at the Capitol photos and videos and more. Although this group was created by MPCC, its need-based aid proposal benefits all college students and anyone can join. Please become a member and help promote this group.

Just follow these steps:

• If you don’t already have a Facebook account, create one at www.facebook.com.
• When you’re signed into Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=50037170587 to join “Expand aid for Minnesota college students,” or search for this group on the Facebook site.
• Once you’re on the group page, click on the “join this group” link in the right column.
• Once you’ve joined, click on the “Invite friends to join” link in the right column.
• Look for other ways to help promote this group – in campus communications, Legislative Action Network and Day at the Capitol promotion, etc.

Help the MPCC build the membership of this group which supports expansion of need-based aid.

SMU in the news

Here are some recent mentions of SMU “making the news” — in the Winona area and beyond.

• The Winona Daily News ran an article titled, “Bicycle built for 15” about the National Acrobats of China on Thursday, Jan. 29.

•A story about the high school one-act play competition, held at Saint Mary’s, was featured in the Winona Daily News on Feb. 1.

• An article about the men’s basketball team raising money for the V Foundation appeared in the Winona Daily News on Feb. 2.

Sympathy to Killian, Sullivan families

Donald Peter Killian, father-in-law of Jackie Killian (Academic Advising) died Saturday, Jan. 31.

A card of condolence can be sent to :
Jackie, Brian, Caleb and Abbey
Campus Box 31

Mary Jo Ayotte, mother of Karen Sullivan (Admissions) died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009.

Mary Jo is survived by children Karen (Ayotte ’78) Sullivan, Paul ’80, Mark ’82, Christine (Calabrese ‘82) Ayotte ’82, and Neil Ayotte ’85, their father, Walter Ayotte ’53 and granddaughter Abby Ayotte ’11.

A card of condolence can be sent to:
Karen Sullivan
Campus Box 2