Saint Mary’s hosts national streetball tour April 27

The high-flying and mesmerizing “Hustle Up Street Ball Tour” 2008 — starring Hotsauce, Highrizer, Springs, Spyda, and Ghost — dribbles its way onto the Saint Mary’s University court on Sunday, April 27.

The streetball legends, which have been described as Generation-X Harlem Globetrotters, will be playing against the best basketball players that Winona has to offer inside the SMU gymnasium. The tour promises a “night of tenacious dunks, incredible passing and the most unbelievable tricks you have ever seen.” The best streetball players in the world promise “the most exciting basketball event ever to hit Winona.” Doors open at 6 p.m., and tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Hustle Up Streetball is dedicated to showcasing this unique and extraordinary playground-style basketball to the youth of various communities. Because streetball has been so far limited to the major cities, “Hustle Up” (sponsored in conjunction with JUMPUSA.COM and K1X) brings the hottest streetball players to the smaller markets. The Hustle Up Streetball tour began over three years ago with only 10 tour dates. The 2008 tour will hit 35 cities throughout the country. During visits, players not only show off their basketball skills but also speak to students about the importance of education and staying away from gangs.

The members of the team, including Hotsauce, Highrizer, Springs, Ghost, JFK, Big Swoal, Pat DS Rock, Spyda and A-Money, have participated in one or more of the following events, videos and movies: the Mountain Dew/AND1 Mixtape Tour; the Magic Johnson/MTV “Who’s Got Game” Reality TV show; Nike Dribbling Commercials (the Nike Freestyle Team); ESPN & ESPN2’s Street Ball Series; the movies “Above the Rim,” “On Hallowed Ground” and/or “Crossover” (2006); various EA Sports Street Ball Video Games (representing characters); and they’ve played on or captained a team in the legendary NY Rucker Park Basketball Games.

The half-time show will feature a slam-dunk exhibition and pre-expo warm-up. An autograph session will be held after the game.

Tickets are $13 in advance and are available by calling Katie LaPlant at 6936 or at both Midtown Foods locations in Winona.

For more information about The Hustle Up Street Ball Tour, visit www.hustleupstreetball.com.

Micklethwait to serve as first speaker for Hendrickson Institute Forum

Saint Mary’s University is hosting a forum on globalization and economics and honoring the first recipients of the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership during its first Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership Forum.

The event — featuring John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of “The Economist” — is planned for Wednesday, April 30, at the Nicollet Island Pavilion in Minneapolis. Events will run from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by a reception.

Micklethwait will speak on globalization, the economy of the future, social responsibility and ethics issues – issues that mirror the global outlook, mission and curriculum of Saint Mary’s.

Additionally, the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership will be awarded to Warren and Mary Lynn Staley. The Staleys employed ethical approaches that were innovative and creative through Cargill, Inc., the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Opportunity International. They’ve also served as role models for young and emerging ethical leaders and place a high value on education.

Tickets are $25; $10 for SMU students. A few complimentary faculty and staff tickets are available. E-mail Barb Hall at bhall@smumn.edu. For more information, visit www.smumn.edu/hendricksonforum.

SMU students to stage Greek tragedy ‘Iphigenia’ April 18-21

The Greek tragedy “Iphigenia at Aulis” will take on chilling contemporary significance during the Department of Theatre Arts production April 18-21.

“Iphigenia at Aulis,” by Euripides, centers on Iphigenia, the teenage daughter of Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Coalition of Greek Forces. While waiting to attack the town of Troy, Agamemnon offends the goddess, Artemis, who denies the army the wind of modern warfare, technology, stranding the fleet in the bay of Aulis. The priest Calchas tells him that he must sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to restore the wind and achieve ultimate victory.

SMU’s contemporary version of the tragedy — adapted and directed by Dr. Steven Bouler — explores the dark side of patriotism and war fever, and how far a politician-turned-warrior will go to secure a victory, even if it means sacrificing his own child.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday, April 18, 19 and 21. A matinee performance is planned for 3 p.m. Sunday, April 20.

Tickets for the show — to be held in Page Theatre — are $8, $6 for students and seniors and are available at the Performance Center Box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Senior art show to run April 12-May 10 at SMU

These two pieces, on display through May 10 at the Saint Mary’s University senior art show, are by Bridgette Baggio (top) and Ashley Wendlandt (bottom).

Saint Mary’s University senior art students will present the next art show, “zero hour,” April 12 through May 10 at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries. Artists displaying will include: Bridgette Baggio, Kimberly Koecheler, Joseph Manley, Katie Mathews, Sarah O’Brien, Madeline Pieper, Ashley Wendlandt, Josh Barrett, Hilary Oas, Emerald Hulsing, Satoshi Hayashi, Mary Moses, Jeffrey Paul and Seth Weeks.

An opening reception will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 12. The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily in the Toner Student Center.

Student History Research Symposium is April 19 at SMU

Seniors from five area universities will present the results of their historical research at the Student History Research Symposium on Saturday, April 19, at SMU. The event — free and open to the public — is sponsored by the history departments of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Saint Mary’s University, Viterbo University and Winona State University.

In addition to the student presenters, Dr. Kirsten Fischer, associate professor of history at the University of Minnesota, will make a presentation on “Religion and the Founders: A Conversation about Original Intent.”

Saint Mary’s and Winona State have co-sponsored a student research symposium for eight years, with UW-La Crosse and Viterbo University joining last year. This year they welcome UW-Eau Claire to the event. Each school asks senior history majors — and at Winona State, law and society majors — to write a senior thesis based on their original research of a historical question of their own choosing. In this way, the students actually do the work of historians, and in the process, deepen their research, writing and speaking skills.

All symposium sessions will be held on the third and fourth floors of Saint Mary’s Hall. The symposium opens at 9 a.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall (Room 332) with a short welcoming ceremony and coffee. At 9:15 a.m., students will present their research in concurrent sessions of three students each. At 10:30 a.m., a complimentary brunch will be served in the Common Room, followed by a second session of concurrent panels at 10:45 a.m. and Dr. Fischer’s talk at noon. The last round of student presentations run from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. For further information, contact Dr. Tycho de Boer at Ext. 6995 or tdeboer@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s to host second Row, Ride, Run Triathlon

The second Saint Mary’s University Heart & SOUL “Row, Ride, Run” Triathlon will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 9 a.m.; check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. on the west end of Lake Winona. The public is encouraged to take part in the triathlon.

Participants will canoe or kayak a 2.5-mile loop around Lake Winona, then bike 14 miles from Lake Winona to the SMU campus. Once on campus, racers will run 3.1 miles through the bluffs surrounding the university.

Participants may begin registering now, either as an individual or as a team. Teams may consist of two, three or four members. The registration period ends April 14. The fees are $35 per individual or $60 per team; registration spots are limited.

Racers are responsible for bringing their own bikes, and are required to wear helmets for the bicycling leg of the event. Canoeists and kayakers are required to wear life jackets; a limited number of canoes and kayaks are available to rent for $20. SMU students and employees can use canoes and kayaks at no charge.

For more information, or to register online, visit www.smumn.edu/heartandsoul.

Senior Academic Honors Banquet is April 16

Brother Chancellor Louis DeThomasis and Provost Jeffrey Highland will honor the class of 2008 during the Senior Academic Honors Banquet Wednesday, April 16, beginning with a reception in the President's Room of the Toner Center at 6:30 p.m. A dinner and awards program will follow at 7 p.m. in the Toner Center Dining Room.

Complimentary tickets can be reserved by calling Ext. 6678.

Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women upcoming events

The end-of-year ceremony for the first official graduating class of the Saint Teresa Institute is Friday, April 18, at 4:30 p.m. at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, followed by the Mary A. Malloy Tea and Tour, at the CST Tea House, both located on the Saint Teresa campus.

Saint Mary’s hosts first Relay for Life

Saint Mary’s University is hosting its first Relay for Life April 19-20. The theme is “Rockin’ All Night Long for a Cure.”

People are welcome to put a team together and walk. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to aid cancer research and help in the fight. Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event (though participants do not need to stay overnight) designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer, and empower individuals to fight back against this disease.

During the event, teams of people take turns walking or running laps. Each team keeps at least one team member “moving” at all times.

But Relay for Life is much more than a walk around a track. It is a time to remember those lost to cancer and celebrate those who have survived. Watch for more details.

Annual SMU benefit dance to help alumnus Leukemia patient

Saint Mary’s University will present the eighth annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 12.

The beneficiary of this year’s formal dance — open to the public — is SMU alumnus Steve Groby. Steve, a resident of Shakopee and formerly of Wabasha, was diagnosed two years ago with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, which resulted in a bone marrow transplant last May.

The benefit dance has become an annual tradition since it was started by students in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond. Taylor has a genetic terminal illness called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) and the money from his benefit was used to fulfill Taylor’s dream of going to Disney World. Each year this event benefits someone in the SMU community in need.

The dance, featuring music by the Johnny Holm Band, will be held in the Toner Student Center dining room. Ticket prices are $15 per person or $25 per couple. To purchase tickets or receive more information, contact Jason Richter at Ext. 1648 or Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936. Dance tickets will also be available at the door.

To make a donation, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Katie LaPlant, Box 1471.

In combination with the dance, a silent auction will be held on campus from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., today. A variety of homemade goods, gift baskets and specialty items will be on display in the game room of the Toner Student Center.

Other auction items include:

-- Weber propane grill
-- Ledebuhr's gift basket
-- One-week stay at a cabin in Ely
-- One-week stay at a condo in Florida
-- Weekend stay in the Dells
-- Timberwolves tickets
-- Wild tickets with signed jersey
-- Twins tickets
-- Themed baskets
-- Pillows
-- Lots of gift certificates
-- Much, much more!

MCA auditions planned for summer intensive

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will hold auditions for acceptance to the MCA Summer Intensive 2008 throughout the Midwest.

Interested dance students can audition in Rockford, Ill., on April 12; or locally at Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St., Winona, Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to noon.

The application deadline for the MCA Summer Intensive is May 1. For a brochure and application, or for more general information about the MCA Summer Intensive, visit www.smumn.edu/mca, e-mail dance@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5501.

Annual ‘Spruce Up Winona Day’ scheduled for April 18

Saint Mary’s, Winona State and Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical will conduct the third annual “Spruce Up Winona Day,”on Friday, April 18, from 1 to 5 p.m.

“Spruce Up Winona Day” is a community-wide clean up project. This year’s event includes a flood relief component, in addition to working with Adopt-a-Block, downtown clean-up, the Elder Network and local residents.

Volunteers are needed to help with light cleanup or maintenance such as cleaning, raking, painting and picking up trash.

The event features three shifts: 1 to 3 p.m., 3 to 5 p.m., or both shifts, from 1-5 p.m.

For more information, call Katie LaPlant, Ext. 6936.

Diomandes and Fox headline Las Vegas alumni event

Drs. Gary Diomandes and Mary Catherine Fox “headlined” the Las Vegas alumni event, held April 3, at the home of Jim ‘61 (former trustee) and Lynn Casimir in Henderson, Nev. Diomandes updated alumni on theater events and initiatives, while Fox addressed Lasallian initiatives at SMU. Meg Richtman, director of alumni relations, hosted the event and Jennifer Butson, leadership gift officer, also attended.

Las Vegas is home to a diverse group of technical and performance theater alumni, as well as alumni who have retired to Las Vegas.

Kowles and Minnerath research accepted for publication

Drs. Dick Kowles and Jeanne Minnerath have collaborated with the University of Minnesota over several years on a large research project. Recently the resultant research article has been accepted for publication in the journal “Maydica.” The article describes the expression of maize genes and enzyme activity for efficient photosynthesis in oat plants. Matt Walch, a Saint Mary’s alumnus, is also a co-author on the paper.

Shields to speak at next ‘Brown Bag’ seminar

The next speaker for the Math and Science Brown Bag seminar series is Dr. Joe Shields from the Department of Mathematics. His presentation on Friday, April 11, is titled “Combining your Vocation with your Avocation” and will detail some simple mathematical models which are useful in the presenter’s hobby of SCUBA diving. The presentation will be from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Hoffman Hall, Room 301. Guests are welcome to bring a lunch, and beverages will be provided.

Study day radiothon to raise money for Habitat

Joe Dulak and Jeff Hefel will continue the traditional “study day” radiothon to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. This year’s show is Thursday, May 1, on KSMR 92.5/94.3 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. As with last year, auction items are needed as well as guest hosts to sit with the DJs for one-hour blocks. Please contact Joe, Jeff or Matt Klosky at mklosky@smumn.edu if you care to donate time or an auction item.

Over the past three years this event has raised over $5,000 for Habitat. A website at www.jeffandjoe.wetpaint.com is now under construction to promote the event.

Kabara Institute speaker on family-owned businesses

On Thursday, April 10, the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies hosted Maria Kreidermacher to speak to current students on the topic of becoming involved in a family-owned business after graduation. The Kreidermacher family owns “Pork and Plants” in Altura. Maria graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1991 with an undergraduate degree in accounting.

Concert Band performs with W-K high school band

The SMU Concert Band, directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, brought its spring concert to the Wabasha-Kellogg High School on Monday, April 7. The highlight of the performance was a combined band selection to close the performance. The selection performed together was titled “Thunderscapes,” composed by Erik Morales.

The bands both prepared the work individually, then rehearsed together shortly before the 8 p.m. concert, and the 90-member massed band was indeed thunderous. The W-K high school band is directed by Jenny Partin, and SMU student Dulcinia Basile is currently student teaching in the W-K music department.

Warner senior recital scheduled for April 12

Davey Warner, outdoor leadership coordinator, will conduct his senior recital on Saturday, April 12, at 3 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall. The recital will feature original compositions by Warner and will last about an hour. A reception will follow.

Faculty, staff reception is April 17

A special ceremony is planned for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in the Common Room. The university will recognize the anniversaries of employees, as well as this year’s retirees.

WSU, SMU present Hop-a-Concert jazz performances April 25

Winona State University and Saint Mary's University jazz ensembles will present a Hop-a-Concert – five jazz performances featuring Winona’s talented college students — at both schools (and the Acoustic Café) on the same day, Friday, April 25.

This event is the first-ever collaboration between students of the two jazz programs. John Paulson and Rich MacDonald, directors of jazz studies at SMU and WSU, decided to plan this evening of jazz after collaborating on live monthly jazz jam sessions at the Acoustic Café in Winona.

• From 6 to 7 p.m., two SMU Workshop Jazz Combos, directed by Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven, will perform a casual pre-concert set in the SMU Performance Center lobby.
• From 7 to 7:45 p.m., the SMU Jazz Ensemble, directed by Paulson, performs in Page Theatre, also in the SMU Performance Center.
• From 7:45 to 8:30 p.m., WSU Jazz Combos perform, directed by Richard Hammergren, perform in the WSU Performing Arts Center lobby.
• From 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. the WSU Jazz Ensemble, directed by MacDonald, performs on WSU’s PAC mainstage.
• And from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m. SMU and WSU select Jazz Combos close the jam at the Acoustic Café.

This event brings the students together in a unique production, which will feature both large jazz ensembles and small group combos.

Admission to both events is $10 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are available at either WSU or SMU. At SMU, call Ext. 1715 or visit www.pagetheatre.org. Individual concert tickets may also be purchased at the two venues.

News from Nairobi

Father Michael Kirwen, Maryknoll Institute of African Studies in Nairobi, Kenya, reports on how the institute’s educational method emphasizes and encourages students to use the knowledge gained so that they are able to discuss issues of African religion fluently and freely. The following is a verbatim account (from a student) illustrating this.

“In a recent journey I met a man much older than myself and we struck up a conversation on religions. He said that Christianity was superior to African religion and had come to bring ‘light’ to Africans who were in darkness. I probed further for an elaboration, and he said that Christianity preached one supreme God while African religion had many gods and therefore Africans did not know of one supreme God.

“Using the training I got from MIASMU I asked him if his ethnic community had a name for God. He answered in the affirmative, saying God is referred to as Nyasaye, which means ‘the one whom we beseech.’ I then asked him about his community’s myth of origin and he responded that it attributed the existence of the first man and woman to creation by God. Then I said, ‘If your ethnic group has a name for God and attributes that you have just outlined, then there is evidence that your community knew and still knows that there is one God, unlike what you had earlier stated.’

“Africans therefore were not in darkness before the arrival of Christianity, rather Christianity only came to affirm what they already knew and believed, and this is why so many Africans found Christianity compatible.”

Cotter honors Gostomski as outstanding alumnus

Cotter High School honored Michael Gostomski with its annual Cotter Alumni Achievement Award on Thursday, Jan. 31. Gostomski is the fourth recipient award, given to him for his devotion to his family, faith, and profession; his community and heritage; and to Cotter and Catholic education. Gostomski is a 1962 Saint Mary’s alumnus, and a member of the board of trustees.

McCullough participates in honoring ceremony

On March 29, Ken McCullough, assistant director of Academic Advising and director of the PASS program, represented the Winona-Dakota Unity Alliance at an honoring ceremony on the Sisseton-Wahpeton reservation (South Dakota) for Woodrow Wilson Keeble, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions in the Korean War. Keeble also served in the Pacific during World War II, and was wounded a total of 13 times. Keeble was nominated twice during the 1950s but the paperwork was lost on both occasions. The persistence of his family and state legislators helped bring this process to fruition 60 years after the fact and 26 years after Keeble’s death. Keeble is only the third Native American to receive the Medal of Honor.

Employee changes

New employees:
Vanessa Bugman, April 7,
Rochester, Administrative Assistant
Teresa Nye, April 4,
Twin Cities, Administrative Assistant to Chancellor/Hendrickson Institute/
External Affairs

Leaving:
Scott Deml, April 18,
Winona, Assistant Professor - Business
Rick Mischka, April 7,
Assistant Volleyball Coach,
Assistant Director of Intramurals
Tyler Pongratz, April 4,
M.Ed. Technology
Development Specialist

Goodall Institute director to highlight SMU biology research symposium today

The Biology Department and Biology Club will host the 35th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in Biology today, April 4, in the Adducci Science Center.

Students from Saint Mary’s and other colleges and universities in the tri-state region will present the results of their undergraduate research projects. Registration is free and begins at 8 a.m. Presentations begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until the 11:45 a.m. lunch break; presentations will then continue from 2:15 to 4 p.m.

This year’s featured speaker is Dr. Anne Pusey, director of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Center for Primate Studies at the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Pusey will present “Friends or foes? Social relationships among female chimpanzees” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Page Theatre.

Dr. Pusey studied juvenile and adolescent development in the Gombe chimpanzees in the 1970s, then spent more than 10 years studying the social behavior of lions in the Serengeti. At the Jane Goodall Institute’s Center for Primate Studies, Dr. Pusey’s research group is computerizing and analyzing the data from Jane Goodall’s 46-year study of Gombe chimpanzees.

The public is invited to attend Dr. Pusey’s lecture, as well as the student presentations, free of charge.

Mowry to share vocal talent April 5-6 at Saint Mary’s

Dr. Mark Mowry, left, accompanied by Dr. Nicholas Phillips will perform April 5-6.
Dr. Mark Mowry, adjunct faculty with the Department of Music, will perform a vocal concert April 5-6 as part of the Page Series’ “Voices of SMU.”

Mowry, accompanied by Dr. Nicholas Phillips on piano, will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday April 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6. Both performances will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall.

Mowry, a tenor, has performed a diverse range of opera, concert, and recital repertoire, which reflects his broad musical interests. He sang the role of Enrico Carouser in the world premiere of Edwin Penhorwood’s opera “Too Many Sopranos.”

Phillips is assistant professor of piano at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he teaches applied and class piano.

The performance will include German and French song repertoire including music by Henry Purcell, Franz Schubert, Reynaldo Hahn, Benjamin Britten, and Francesco Paolo Tosti.

Tickets are $12, $9 for seniors and $8 for students 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. Because of a scheduling conflict, Dr. Patrick O’Shea will not be performing, as advertised in early Page Series marketing materials.

Micklethwait to serve as first speaker for Hendrickson Institute Forum

Saint Mary’s University is hosting a forum on globalization and economics and honoring the first recipients of the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership during its first Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership Forum.

The event — featuring John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of “The Economist” — is planned for Wednesday, April 30, at the Nicollet Island Pavilion in Minneapolis.

Representatives of business, government and nonprofit organizations as well as Saint Mary's alumni, faculty and staff are invited. Events will run from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by a reception.

Micklethwait is one of the world’s foremost authorities on globalization, and is also an expert on American business and culture and politics. He was the head of the magazine’s U.S. section from 1999 to 2006. He has written four books on business and one book on American politics. He is a frequent broadcaster and has appeared on CNN, ABC News, BBC, Start the Week, and NPR.

Micklethwait will speak on globalization, the economy of the future, social responsibility and ethics issues – issues that mirror the global outlook, mission and curriculum of Saint Mary’s.

Additionally, the Hendrickson Medal for Ethical Leadership will be awarded to Warren and Mary Lynn Staley. The Staleys employed ethical approaches that were innovative and creative through Cargill, Inc., the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Opportunity International. They’ve also served as role models for young and emerging ethical leaders and place a high value on education.

Tickets are $25; $10 for SMU students. A few complimentary faculty and staff tickets are available. E-mail Barb Hall at bhall@smumn.edu. For more information, visit www.smumn.edu/hendricksonforum.

Commonweal speaker: ‘Is a Catholic College Possible?’

As a part of the Commonweal Lecture series, Dennis O’Brien, Ph.D., will be speaking on “Is a Catholic College Possible?” Thursday, April 10, at Saint Mary’s. The lecture — free and open to the public — is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall.

Additionally, at 3:30 p.m. April 10, he will lead a student-oriented discussion of an article he wrote called “Good Faith: What the new atheists get wrong.” (By “new atheists,” he refers to popular titles such as Christopher Hitchens’God is Not Great, etc.) All viewpoints are welcome at this discussion, but reading the article beforehand is requested. The article is available to be picked up in Saint Mary’s Hall, Room 223 (the Theology suite), or may be accessed on the Ebsco Academic Premier database. The discussion will be held in the Common Room.

O’Brien is president emeritus of University of Rochester and an editor for the biweekly Commonweal Magazine, a review of politics, religion, and culture, run by lay Catholics. A philosopher by training, he is the author of many critically acclaimed books, including The Idea of a Catholic University and most recently, Finding the Voice of the Church.

Through the Commonweal Speakers series, universities across the United States are chosen to host free public lectures from the nationally respected editors at Commonweal. The Commonweal Speakers Program is made possible thanks to a generous gift from James H. Duffy.

For more information,visit www.commonwealmagazine.org. The library also has current and archived copies. For more information, contact Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust, Ext. 1995.

Four SMU students complete projects in the Mayo Scholars Program

Photo caption: Saint Mary’s University students, from left: Amanda Christman, Bethany Kaufmann, Holly Schuh and Dan Murray participated in the Mayo Scholars Program in 2007-08.

Four SMU students received the educational opportunity of a lifetime through the Mayo Scholars Program. For the past five months, these students contributed to innovative medical research, associated with the world’s most prestigious health care system.

The Mayo Scholars Program, now in its second year, offers an opportunity for selected MBA students and undergraduate science and business students to research projects submitted by Mayo Clinic professionals through the Mayo Clinic Office of Intellectual Property.

The program connects students from biology, chemistry, math, physics, pre-med and business and helps prepare them for careers in hospitals, medical research institutions and health care agencies. Forty-five students from nine Minnesota Private College Council schools participated in the program.

Saint Mary’s program participants included: Amanda Christman, a senior majoring in marketing, international business and Spanish from St. Joseph; Bethany Kaufmann, a junior biology: pre-physical-therapy and biochemistry major from Green Bay, Wis.; Dan Murray, a senior marketing and management major from Rochester; and Holly Schuh, a senior visual arts: business major and biology minor from Altura.

The team of four students was chosen by SMU faculty in early October. For the next five months, the teams worked on research focusing on “Treating Digestive Motility Disorders,” under the guidance of team leader Leo Evans from Augsburg College and Mayo licensing manager, Leif Nelson. Saint Mary’s faculty advisors were Dr. Tom Marpe and Dr. Randy Krainock.

The group presented its findings March 12 in Rochester.

“The Mayo Scholars program provided an intense, real-life experience that will have positive and beneficial repercussions for my planned future in global health. The research was very interesting and rewarding, and I am very thankful for the given opportunity,” Schuh said.

Other research topics included “Predictive Markers for Parkinson’s,” “Instrumentation for Ultrasound Guided Surgery,” “Fabrication of Enhanced Tissue,” and “Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters.”

Students have the option of earning credit for the experience, either as an internship or independent study. They also receive a $1,000 stipend.

“The students gained a wonderful experience that pushed them outside their comfort zone,” said Marpe. “They gained much in their research skills and poise and confidence in making public presentations.”

SMU Disc Golf Open scheduled for April 5

The first Saint Mary’s University Disc Golf Open tees off on Saturday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. on The Woods at Saint Mary’s disc golf course.

The Woods is an 18-hole course that winds through the bluffs surrounding the campus. With narrow fairways and intricate hole placements, the course can be challenging for both beginners and experienced disc golfers.

The top three finishers will receive prizes:
• First place – portable disc catcher, disc bag, and three Innova discs
• Second place – Innova disc bag and three Innova discs
• Third place – three Innova discs

The tournament is sponsored by the SMU Office of Outdoor Leadership and co-sponsored by Innova Disc Golf. Proceeds will be used to maintain the disc golf course and for Outdoor Leadership Program funding.

Tournament fees are $15 for students and $25 for the general public. Each participant receives an SMU customized Innova putt and approach disc. To register, or for more information, visit www.smumn.edu/thewoods or contact Davey Warner at Ext. 8740 or e-mail him at outdoorleadership@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s students sleep outside to raise awareness of homeless

Saint Mary’s students slept in cardboard boxes the night of Thursday, April 3, during the annual shak-a-thon, part of Habitat for Humanity’s Act!Speak!Build! Week. The box houses and luminaries will remain up throughout today.

A week of activities was designed to raise awareness about the millions of people who do not have adequate shelter to sleep.

Additionally both SMU and Winona State University students completed a “Walk to Rally” on Tuesday.

SMU students to stage Greek tragedy ‘Iphigenia’ April 18-21

The Greek tragedy “Iphigenia at Aulis” will take on chilling contemporary significance during the Department of Theatre Arts production April 18-21.

“Iphigenia at Aulis,” by Euripides, centers on Iphigenia, the teenage daughter of Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Coalition of Greek Forces. While waiting to attack the town of Troy, Agamemnon offends the goddess, Artemis, who denies the army the wind of modern warfare, technology, stranding the fleet in the bay of Aulis. The priest Calchas tells him that he must sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to restore the wind and achieve ultimate victory.

SMU’s contemporary version of the tragedy — adapted and directed by Dr. Steven Bouler — explores the dark side of patriotism and war fever, and how far a politician-turned-warrior will go to secure a victory, even if it means sacrificing his own child.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday, April 18, 19 and 21. A matinee performance is planned for 3 p.m. Sunday, April 20.

Tickets for the show — to be held in Page Theatre — are $8, $6 for students and seniors and are available at the Performance Center Box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Student History Research Symposium is April 19 at SMU

Seniors from five area universities will present the results of their historical research at the Student History Research Symposium on Saturday, April 19, at SMU. The event — free and open to the public — is sponsored by the history departments of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Saint Mary’s University, Viterbo University of La Crosse, and Winona State University.

In addition to the student presenters, Dr. Kirsten Fischer, associate professor of history at the University of Minnesota, will highlight the day with her presentation, “Religion and the Founders: A Conversation about Original Intent.”

Saint Mary’s and Winona State have co-sponsored a student research symposium for eight years, with UW-La Crosse and Viterbo University joining last year. This year they welcome UW-Eau Claire to the event. Each school asks senior history majors — and at Winona State, law and society majors — to write a senior thesis based on their original research of a historical question of their own choosing. In this way, the students actually do the work of historians, and in the process, deepen their research, writing and speaking skills.

All symposium sessions will be held on the third and fourth floors of Saint Mary’s Hall. The symposium opens at 9 a.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall (Room 332) with a short welcoming ceremony and coffee. At 9:15 a.m., students will present their research in concurrent sessions of three students each. At 10:30 a.m., a complimentary brunch will be served in the Common Room, followed by a second session of concurrent panels at 10:45 a.m. and Dr. Fischer’s talk at noon. The last round of student presentations run from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.

For further information, contact Dr. Tycho de Boer at Ext. 6995 or tdeboer@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s to host second Row, Ride, Run Triathlon

The second Saint Mary’s University Heart & SOUL “Row, Ride, Run” Triathlon will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 9 a.m.; check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. on the west end of Lake Winona. The public is encouraged to take part in the triathlon.

Participants will canoe or kayak a 2.5-mile loop around Lake Winona, then bike 14 miles from Lake Winona to the SMU campus. Once on campus, racers will run 3.1 miles through the bluffs surrounding the university.

Participants may begin registering now, either as an individual or as a team. Teams may consist of two, three or four members. The registration period ends April 14. The fees are $35 per individual or $60 per team; registration spots are limited.

Each racer is responsible for bringing their own bike, and is required to wear helmets for the bicycling leg of the event. Canoeists and kayakers are required to wear life jackets; a limited number of canoes and kayaks are available to rent for $20. SMU students and employees can use canoes and kayaks at no charge.

For more information, or to register online, visit www.smumn.edu/heartandsoul.

Senior Academic Honors Banquet is April 16

Brother Chancellor Louis DeThomasis and Provost Jeffrey Highland will honor the class of 2008 during the Senior Academic Honors Banquet Wednesday, April 16, beginning with a reception in the President's Room of the Toner Center at 6:30 p.m. A dinner and awards program will follow at 7 p.m. in the Toner Center Dining Room.

Complimentary tickets can be reserved by calling Ext. 6678.

First Student Life Awards Ceremony is April 9

Student Development is hosting the first Student Life Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the gym.

Individuals who have exhibited outstanding leadership and service through co-curricular activities at SMU will be recognized.

Special music will be provided at 6:30 p.m. by the winning band from the “Battle of the Bands,” The Wet Bandits.

Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women upcoming events

The Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women students is hosting two significant events this month.

The second annual Women in Leadership and Service Symposium: Women in Politics is Thursday, April 10, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Common Room. The event will feature speakers Dr. “Mimi” Merylann J. Schuttloffel, director of the Catholic Educational Leadership Programs and coordinator of the Leadership and Policy Studies Doctoral Program at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.; Winona County Council Member-at-Large Debbie White; and Katie Simon, SMU Senior and DFL member.

The end-of-year ceremony for the first official graduating class of the Saint Teresa Institute is Friday, April 18, at 4:30 p.m. at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, followed by the Mary A. Malloy Tea and Tour, at the CST Tea House, both located on the Saint Teresa campus.

Saint Mary’s hosts first Relay for Life

Saint Mary’s University is hosting its first Relay for Life April 19-20. The theme is “Rockin’ All Night Long for a Cure.”

People are welcome to put a team together and walk. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to aid cancer research and help in the fight. Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event (though participants do not need to stay overnight) designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer, and empower individuals to fight back against this disease.

During the event, teams of people take turns walking or running laps. Each team keeps at least one team member “moving” at all times.

But Relay for Life is much more than a walk around a track. It is a time to remember those lost to cancer and celebrate those who have survived. Watch for more details.

High School Challenge continues to air

High School Challenge is a tournament of knowledge sponsored by Saint Mary’s.

Fox 25/Fox 48 continues to air previously recorded Super Challenge competitions from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Sundays. Tune in to cheer on your hometown team on these dates:
• April 6 – Seneca vs. La Crosse Aquinas
• April 13 – Quarterfinals begin airing
For more information, call Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at Ext. 1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.

Annual SMU benefit dance to help alumnus Leukemia patient

Saint Mary’s University will present the eighth annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 12.

The beneficiary of this year’s formal dance — open to the public — is SMU alumnus Steve Groby. Steve, a resident of Shakopee and formerly of Wabasha, was diagnosed two years ago with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, which resulted in a bone marrow transplant last May.

The benefit dance has become an annual tradition since it was started by students in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond. Taylor has a genetic terminal illness called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) and the money from his benefit was used to fulfill Taylor’s dream of going to Disney World. Each year this event benefits someone in the SMU community in need.

The dance, featuring music by the Johnny Holm Band, will be held in the Toner Student Center dining room. Ticket prices are $15 per person or $25 per couple. To purchase tickets or receive more information, contact Jason Richter at Ext. 1648 or Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936. Dance tickets will also be available at the door.

To make a donation, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Katie LaPlant, Box 1471.

In combination with the dance, a silent auction will be held on campus from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., April 10-11. A variety of homemade goods, gift baskets and specialty items will be on display in the game room of the Toner Student Center.

Paulson to present research at the SEAMUS Conference

Dr. John Paulson, Music Department, will present some of his research on the early history of electronic music in the United States at the SEAMUS Conference April 3.

He has produced a paper and presentation on his personal interviews with some of the most prestigious electronic music composers and their associations with Vladimir Ussachevsky. Dr. Paulson did several personal interviews with Ussachevsky in the 1970s and 1980s, wrote his master’s thesis on him and published an article on the composer in the Instrumentalist magazine in the mid ‘80s. His presentation will feature photos and audio clips from the original interviews done with Ussachevsky and his composer colleagues at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in New York City.

The 2008 National Conference of the Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States is hosted by the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. This year’s conference is dedicated to pioneering electro-acoustic composer Vladimir Ussachevsky, in residence at the University of Utah from 1970 to 1990. The conference will include performances of his later electro-acoustic works, including his colloquy for orchestra and tape, premiered by the Utah Symphony in 1976. Following the national call for participation, approximately 100 recent electro-acoustic compositions, videos, and papers have been selected and will be presented at the conference.

Professional conference on teacher inquiry is April 5-6

“Leadership for Learning” is the thematic focus for the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning’s annual conference at Champlin Park High School April 5-6.

Approximately 900 learners in the M.Ed. Program from across the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin will come together for two days of shared learning.

The conference provides an opportunity to deepen participants’ understanding of their practice, explore ways to use classroom-based action research, and to develop instructional habits of mind that improve student learning and promote the well being of all learners.

For more information, or to attend, contact Suzanne Peterson, program director, Ext. 6615 or speterso@smumn.edu.

MCA auditions planned for summer intensive

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will hold auditions for acceptance to the MCA Summer Intensive 2008 throughout the Midwest.

Interested dance students can audition in Minneapolis March 29; Rockford, Ill., on April 12; or locally at Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St., Winona, Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to noon.

The audition class will include a full ballet class. Students with pointe experience should bring pointe shoes to the audition. Following the ballet class, students may choose to also show a prepared jazz, modern, tap, or character dance piece.

The MCA Summer Intensive will be held July 7-25. The program offers comprehensive dance training for intermediate and advanced dancers ages 11-25. Students participate in four to six classes per day on technique, theory and repertoire. Students will also rehearse for a final showcase performance, to be presented to families and friends on the closing night of the Intensive. Courses include: ballet, pointe, variations, repertory, pas de deux, jazz, rhythm tap, modern, hip hop, contact/improvisation, Pilates, dance conditioning, water aerobics, health and nutrition, make-up and costuming, and dance history, among others.

MCA is housed in the Valéncia Arts Center on the Saint Mary’s University Saint Teresa campus in Winona.

Boarding and non-boarding options are available. Tuition, including room and board fees for the three-week intensive, is $1,600. Full and partial talent-based scholarships are available. Scholarships are awarded based on the student’s audition class. Video auditions are accepted for students who cannot attend an audition class. Videos must be received by April 15. Visit www.smumn.edu/mca for video audition guidelines and for a complete listing of all MCA Summer Intensive audition class sites.

The application deadline for the MCA Summer Intensive is May 1. For a brochure and application, or for more general information about the MCA Summer Intensive, visit www.smumn.edu/mca, e-mail dance@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5501.

Annual ‘Spruce Up Winona Day’ scheduled for April 18

Saint Mary’s, Winona State and Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical will conduct the third annual “Spruce Up Winona Day,”on Friday, April 18, from 1 to 5 p.m.

“Spruce Up Winona Day” is a community-wide clean up project. This year’s event includes a flood relief component, in addition to working with Adopt-a-Block, downtown clean-up, the Elder Network and local residents.

Volunteers are needed to help with light cleanup or maintenance such as cleaning, raking, painting and picking up trash.

The event features three shifts: 1 to 3 p.m., 3 to 5 p.m., or both shifts, from 1-5 p.m.

For more information, call Katie LaPlant, Ext. 6936.

Shields to speak at next ‘Brown Bag’ seminar

The next speaker for the Math and Science Brown Bag seminar series is Dr. Joe Shields from the Department of Mathematics. His presentation on Friday, April 11, is titled “Combining your Vocation with your Avocation” and will detail some simple mathematical models which are useful in the presenter’s hobby of SCUBA diving. The presentation will be from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Hoffman Hall, Room 301. Guests are welcome to bring a lunch, and beverages will be provided.

Study day radiothon to raise money for Habitat

Joe Dulak and Jeff Hefel will continue the traditional “study day” radiothon to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. This year’s show is Thursday, May 1, on KSMR 92.5/94.3 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. As with last year, auction items are needed as well as guest hosts to sit with the DJs for one-hour blocks. Please contact, Joe, Jeff or Matt Klosky at mklosky@smumn.edu if you care to donate time or an auction item.

Over the past three years this event has raised over $5,000 for Habitat. A website at www.jeffandjoe.wetpaint.com is now under construction to promote the event.

Jazz events

Dr. John Paulson will perform with the RCTC Jazz Quintet at 7 p.m. April 8 at the Rochester Community & Technical College Hill Theatre.

The John Paulson Trio will perform 6-9 p.m. March 8 at Michael’s Restaurant in Rochester.

Swing, Inc., featuring Eric Heukeshoven, will perform from 7-11 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the Canadian Honker in Rochester.

Heukeshoven nominated for the Husky Hall of Fame

St. Anthony Village High School established an alumni hall of fame last year and inducted its first group of members. Dr. Janet Heukeshoven (Music Deptartment) has been nominated for membership this spring for a summer decision and possible induction fall of 2008.

St. Anthony Village is a Minneapolis suburb. Dr. Heukeshoven was nominated by one of the current music teachers in the school.

Warner senior recital scheduled for April 12

Davey Warner, Outdoor Leadership coordinator, will conduct his Senior Recital on Saturday, April 12, at 3 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall. The recital will feature original compositions by Warner and will last about an hour. A reception will follow.

Faculty, staff reception is April 17

A special ceremony is planned for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in the Common Room. The university will recognize the anniversaries of employees, as well as this year’s retirees.

Documentary on African children to be shown April 9

“Invisible Children,” a documentary about the plight of child soldiers and “night commuters” in northern Uganda, will be shown 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9 at Saint Mary’s. The event — free and open to the public — will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall.

The documentary was filmed by three college students who traveled to Africa in “search of a story.” What they found was “a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them, a tragedy where children are both the weapons and the victims.” Their film details the brutal attacks of a rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Cabinet to serve next Let’s Do Lunch April 10

Save the date: the next Let’s Do Lunch, to be held Thursday, April 10, will be hosted by members of the SMU Cabinet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Common Room. Bring your appetite and a freewill donation. Proceeds continue to help our SMU faculty and staff who are still recovering from the August flood. Let’s continue to show them our support!

Congratulations to Skranka family

Jay Skranka, dean of international student initiatives, and his wife, Vivien, had a baby girl, Elina Claire, on Thursday, March 20. The Saint Mary’s community extends its congratulations to the Skranka family.

Commonweal speaker: ‘Is a Catholic College Possible?’

As a part of the Commonweal Lecture series, Dennis O’Brien, Ph.D., will be speaking on “Is a Catholic College Possible?” Thursday, April 10, at Saint Mary's. The lecture — free and open to the public — is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall.

Additionally, at 3:30 p.m. April 10, he will lead a student-oriented discussion of an article he wrote called “Good Faith: What the new atheists get wrong.” (By “new atheists,” he refers to popular titles such as Christopher Hitchens' God is Not Great, etc.) All viewpoints are welcome at this discussion, but reading the article beforehand is requested. The article is available to be picked up in Saint Mary’s Hall, Room 223 (the Theology suite), or may be accessed on the Ebsco Academic Premier database. The discussion will be held in the Common Room.

O’Brien is president emeritus of University of Rochester and an editor for the biweekly Commonweal Magazine, a review of politics, religion, and culture, run by lay Catholics. A philosopher by training, he is the author of many critically acclaimed books, including The Idea of a Catholic University and most recently, Finding the Voice of the Church.

Through the Commonweal Speakers series, universities across the United States are chosen to host free public lectures from the nationally respected editors at Commonweal. The Commonweal Speakers Program is made possible thanks to a generous gift from James H. Duffy.

For more information,visit www.commonwealmagazine.org. The library also has current and archived copies. For more information, contact Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust, Ext. 1995.

Goodall Institute director to highlight SMU biology research symposium April 4

The Saint Mary’s University Biology Department and Biology Club will host the 35th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in Biology on Friday, April 4, in the Adducci Science Center.

Students from Saint Mary’s and other colleges and universities in the tri-state region will present the results of their undergraduate research projects. Registration is free and begins at 8 a.m. Presentations begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until the 11:45 a.m. lunch break; presentations will then continue from 2:15 to 4 p.m.

This year’s featured speaker is Dr. Anne Pusey, director of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Center for Primate Studies at the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Pusey will present “Friends or foes? Social relationships among female chimpanzees” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Page Theatre.

Dr. Pusey studied juvenile and adolescent development in the Gombe chimpanzees in the 1970s, then spent more than 10 years studying the social behavior of lions in the Serengeti. At the Jane Goodall Institute's Center for Primate Studies, which houses data on chimpanzees and baboons, Dr. Pusey’s research group is computerizing and analyzing the data from Jane Goodall’s 46-year study of Gombe chimpanzees.

The public is invited to attend Dr. Pusey’s lecture, as well as the student presentations, free of charge.

Saint Mary’s Concert Band to perform on March 30

The Saint Mary’s University Concert Band will present its spring concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 30, in Page Theatre.

Directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, the 65-member band will entertain audiences with a varied repertoire including “Sea Songs” by Vaughan Williams; “American Hymn Tune Sketches” by Prescott; “Amazing Grace,” arranged by Tichel; “Albanian Dance” by Shelly Hanson, “Geometric Dances” by Cichy; “In Heaven’s Air” by Hazo; and “Africa: Ceremony, Song & Ritual,” by Smith.

This concert continues the theme of “Song and Dance,” which the ensemble is using this season to explore the rich band repertoire — both new and old — which originates from the folk song or hymn traditions, as well as dance-inspired music.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors and are available by calling the Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Mowry to share vocal talents April 5-6 at Saint Mary’s

Dr. Mark Mowry, left, accompanied by Dr. Nicholas Phillips will perform April 5-6.
Dr. Mark Mowry, adjunct faculty with the Department of Music, will perform a vocal concert April 5-6 as part of the Page Series’ “Voices of SMU.”

Mowry, accompanied by Dr. Nicholas Phillips on piano, will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday April 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6. Both performances will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall.

Mowry, a tenor, has performed a diverse range of opera, concert, and recital repertoire, which reflects his broad musical interests. He sang the role of Enrico Carouser in the world premiere of Edwin Penhorwood’s opera Too Many Sopranos.

An advocate of the song genre, Mowry has participated in numerous master classes devoted to the subject and led by such noted musicians as Graham Johnson, Roger Vignoles, and Håkan Hagegård; his own recital appearances have occurred both at home in the U.S. and, more recently, in the United Kingdom — first at Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh, England, for the Aldeburgh Festival, and then for his debut recital at London’s Wigmore Hall, for which Graham Johnson was pianist. In addition, Mowry’s various musical activities have taken him to the cities of Chicago, Dublin, Lucerne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New York, Salzburg, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. Mowry received a Doctor of Music degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

Phillips is assistant professor of piano at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he teaches applied and class piano.

A native of Indiana, Phillips holds a degree in piano performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. He has studied with internationally-renowned pianists and pedagogues including Karen Taylor, Paul Barnes, Karen Shaw, and Robert Weirich. Before joining the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Phillips taught applied and class piano at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Indiana University.

The performance will include German and French song repertoire including music by Henry Purcell, Franz Schubert, Reynaldo Hahn, Benjamin Britten, and Francesco Paolo Tosti.

Tickets are $12, $9 for seniors and $8 for students 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. Because of a scheduling conflict, Dr. Patrick O’Shea will not be performing, as advertised in early Page Series marketing materials.

SMU Disc Golf Open scheduled for April 5

The first Saint Mary’s University Disc Golf Open tees off on Saturday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. on The Woods at Saint Mary’s disc golf course.

The Woods is an 18-hole course that winds through the bluffs surrounding the campus. With narrow fairways and intricate hole placements, the course can be challenging for both beginners and experienced disc golfers.

The top three finishers will receive prizes:
• First place – portable disc catcher, disc bag, and three Innova discs
• Second place – Innova disc bag and three Innova discs
• Third place – three Innova discs

The tournament is sponsored by the SMU Office of Outdoor Leadership and co-sponsored by Innova Disc Golf. Proceeds will be used to maintain the disc golf course and for Outdoor Leadership Program funding.

Tournament fees are $15 for students and $25 for the general public. Each participant receives an SMU customized Innova putt and approach disc. To register, or for more information, visit www.smumn.edu/thewoods or contact Davey Warner at Ext. 8740 or e-mail him at outdoorleadership@smumn.edu.

Register now for SMU youth sports camps

Saint Mary’s is now taking registration for its residential boys and girls hockey camps, boys and girls basketball camps, and girls volleyball camps.

SMU youth sports camps offer outstanding facilities, professional coaching, good food, and innovative and creative instruction within a well-supervised environment.

Students will work on individualized skills, as well as team play. Athletic trainers are on site, and all camps are run by SMU coaches and players. Rates include instruction, housing, meals and a shirt.

For more information, and to register and pay online, go to www.smumn.edu/sportscamps or call Ext. 6973. Space is limited. Register by April 1 and receive the early bird discount! Information regarding SMU youth sports day camps will be announced soon.

Diocesan scholars recognized

Diocesan scholarship recipients were recognized during a special luncheon Wednesday, March 26. Students were joined for lunch by the Most Reverend Bernard Harrington, Bishop of the Winona Diocese (center). Scholarship recipients are, from left: Matthew Marek, Winona; Zachary Barry, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Josiah Ryks, Austin, Minn.; and Paula Angst, Winona. Barry received the Archbishop Binz Scholarship; Ryks and Angst received the Msgr. Julius C. Haun Scholarship; and Marek received the Bishop Patrick R. Heffron Scholarship.

High School Challenge continues to air

High School Challenge is a tournament of knowledge sponsored by Saint Mary’s.

Fox 25/Fox 48 continues to air previously recorded Super Challenge competitions from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Sundays. Tune in to cheer on your hometown team on these dates:
• March 30 – North Crawford vs. Eau Claire Regis
• April 6 – Seneca vs. La Crosse Aquinas
• April 13 – Quarterfinals begin airing
For more information, call Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at Ext. 1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.

Annual SMU benefit dance to help alumnus Leukemia patient

Saint Mary’s University will present the eighth annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 12.

The beneficiary of this year’s formal dance — open to the public — is SMU alumnus Steve Groby. Steve, a resident of Shakopee and formerly of Wabasha, was diagnosed two years ago with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, which resulted in a bone marrow transplant last May.

The benefit dance has become an annual tradition since it was started by students in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond. Taylor has a genetic terminal illness called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) and the money from his benefit was used to fulfill Taylor’s dream of going to Disney World. Each year this event benefits someone in the SMU community in need.

The dance, featuring music by the Johnny Holm Band, will be held in the Toner Student Center dining room. Ticket prices are $15 per person or $25 per couple. To purchase tickets or receive more information, contact Jason Richter at Ext. 1648 or Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936. Dance tickets will also be available at the door.

To make a donation, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Katie LaPlant, Box 1471.

In combination with the dance, a silent auction will be held on campus from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., April 10-11. A variety of homemade goods, gift baskets and specialty items will be on display in the game room of the Toner Student Center.

Professional conference on teacher inquiry is April 5-6

“Leadership for Learning” is the thematic focus for the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning’s annual conference at Champlin Park High School April 5-6.

Approximately 900 learners in the M.Ed. Program from across the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin will come together for two days of shared learning. Participants will be given the opportunity to explore the fruits of applied inquiry into the use of strategies that support student learning and development.

The conference provides an opportunity to deepen participants’ understanding of their practice, explore ways to use classroom-based action research, and to develop instructional habits of mind that improve student learning and promote the well being of all learners.

During the two-day conference, participants will attend a total of seven sessions. Six sessions will be seminars following a forum, round table, or Socratic seminar format. Here, participants will experience learning seminars grounded in action research sharing, with seminar leaders communicating both an understanding and application of strategies being applied in their classroom. A seventh session will bring teachers of like grade, subject matter, and curricular interests together for a time of sharing new strategies and developing possibilities for future collaboration.

Each seminar at the conference will be led by a second year M.Ed. Program participant. Each leader will facilitate a seminar engaging participants in active learning and dialogue focused on instructional problem solving. Ultimately, the conference is designed to facilitate teacher efforts to realize their personal visions and goals through opportunities to gain relevant information, engage in instructional exploration through dialogue, and renew the purpose that fuels their passion for teaching.

For more information, or to attend, contact Suzanne Peterson, program director, Ext. 6615 or speterso@smumn.edu.

MCA auditions planned for summer intensive

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will hold auditions for acceptance to the MCA Summer Intensive 2008 throughout the Midwest.

Interested students can audition in Minneapolis March 29; Rockford, Ill., on April 12; or locally at Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St., Winona, Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to noon

The audition class will include a full ballet class. Students with pointe experience should bring pointe shoes to the audition. Following the ballet class, student may choose to also show a prepared jazz, modern, tap, or character dance piece.

The MCA Summer Intensive will be held July 7-25. The program offers comprehensive dance training for intermediate and advanced dancers ages 11-25. Students participate in four to six classes per day on technique, theory and repertoire. Students will also rehearse for a final showcase performance, to be presented to families and friends on the closing night of the Intensive. Courses include: ballet, pointe, variations, repertory, pas de deux, jazz, rhythm tap, modern, hip hop, contact/improvisation, Pilates, dance conditioning, water aerobics, health and nutrition, make-up and costuming, and dance history, among others.

MCA is housed in the Valéncia Arts Center on the Saint Mary’s University Saint Teresa campus in Winona.

Boarding and non-boarding options are available. Tuition, including room and board fees for the three-week intensive, is $1,600. Full and partial talent-based scholarships are available. Scholarships are awarded based on the student’s audition class. Video auditions are accepted for students who cannot attend an audition class. Videos must be received by April 15, 2008. Visit www.smumn.edu/mca for video audition guidelines and for a complete listing of all MCA Summer Intensive audition class sites.

The Conservatory is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and works closely with Cotter High School offering accreditation for classes.
The application deadline for the MCA Summer Intensive is May 1. For a brochure and application, or for more general information about the MCA Summer Intensive, visit www.smumn.edu/mca, e-mail dance@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5501.

Fac/staff softball team needs more players

The faculty/staff co-ed intramural softball team is looking for some additional victims....er....players. “Older and Slower” will once again show the students that experience trumps youth when it comes to softball! Games are Tuesdays/Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and will begin when St. Joe’s field is dry enough to play on. The only requirements are that you can bring a glove and want to have fun. Contact Katie LaPlant or Dean Beckman if you’re interested.

Women in Math Colloquium is March 31

The next speaker for the Women in Mathematics Colloquium is Dr. Suzanne Lenhart from the University of Tennessee. Her presentation on Monday, March 31, is titled “Rabies in Raccoons: Optimal Control for a Discrete Time Model on a Spatial Grid.” The presentation will be from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in Salvi with a reception starting at 3:45 in the Common Room.

Annual ‘Spruce Up Winona Day’ scheduled for April 18

Saint Mary’s, Winona State and Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical will conduct the third annual “Spruce Up Winona Day,”on Friday, April 18, from 1 to 5 p.m.

“Spruce Up Winona Day” is a community-wide clean up project. This year's event includes a flood relief component, in addition to working with Adopt-a-Block, downtown clean-up, the Elder Network and local residents.

Volunteers are needed to help with light clean up or maintenance such as cleaning, raking, painting and picking up trash.

The event features three shifts: 1 to 3 p.m., 3 to 5 p.m., or both shifts, from 1-5 p.m.

For more information, call Katie LaPlant, Ext. 6936.

Clothing drive March 28-30

The Common Threads Clothing Drive is March 28-30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Toner Student Center. Items will be sold for $.50 each or $4 per bag. All proceeds go to the Winona Catholic Worker House.

Second Page shows are March 28-29

The free improv comedy shows by Second Page will be held 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday March 28 and 10 p.m. March 29, all in Figliulo Recital Hall.

Gaut, Neff honored for article ‘Save the Lady’

Dr. Greg Gaut, Department of History, and his co-author Marsha Neff, received the David Stanley Gebhard Award from the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians at their annual meeting and banquet on March 26 at the Minnesota Humanities Center in St. Paul.

The Gebhard Award is given biannually to the best book or article on the subject of Minnesota's built environment. The major criterion is how well the work strikes a balance between scholarship and accessibility. Their article is entitled “‘Save the Lady’ — The Struggle for the Winona County Courthouse,”and appeared in Minnesota History, Vol. 59, No 7 (Winter 2005-2006).

Go to: www.mnsah.org/gebhard.php or www.mnhs.org/market/mhspress/MinnesotaHistory/backissues.html.

Pohl family congratulations, prayers

Jim Pohl ’70, an adjunct teacher in the School of Education, Twin Cities campus, and member of the SMU Sports Hall of Fame, received the Cliff Thompson Award for the “Old Timer Coach” of the year. Pohl is a retired principal at Red Wing High School and taught and coached for many years prior to become a school administrator.

Please also keep the Pohl family in your thoughts and prayers. Jim's son, Tom, plays for the Minnesota Gophers hockey team and suffered a serious skull fracture during a game on March 18. After a successful head surgery, Tom is at home in Red Wing with his family. Notes of support can be sent to:

Jim Pohl
2382 Clover Lane
Red Wing, MN 55066

Ryan named director for M.A. Special Education

Dr. Kathy Ryan has accepted the position of program director for the M.A. in Special Education program, which will launch in the spring 2009. Dr. Ryan has served the university as the PACC director and as an assistant professor in the School of Education.

Employee changes

Departures:
• Marcia Hines, April 4, Twin Cities - Assistant to Chancellor and Admissions/Student Services
• Meghan Dowd, April 2, Twin Cities Admin. Asst. External Affairs/Hendrickson Institute
• Karen Slakey, March 19, Twin Cities Nurse Anethesia - Assistant Professor and Curriculum Coordinator

New employees:
• Velma Kimsal, March 11, Twin Cities program director, M.A. in Organizational Leadership and M.S. in Telecommunications
• Timothy Ahrens, March 31, custodian.
• Anna Drennen, March 25, Twin Cities administrative asst., interlibrary loan.

Dulak serves on St. Olaf program review committee

Joe Dulak, director of the Academic Skills Center, was asked by the dean of Students at St. Olaf College in Northfield to be part of a committee to perform a program review for their Academic Support Center. He attended a St. Olaf meeting March 10-12 with ASC staff, campus faculty and administration, as well as students, gathering information for this review.

The group will submit a written report by March 21 with their recommendations for the ASC. The other members of the the committee were the director of disability support services at Augsburg College, the director of the academic support center at Carleton College, and the director of the MAX Center at Macalester College.

Congratulations to Beckman family

Dean Beckman (Social Science) and his wife, Deb, had a baby girl, Erica Grace, on Tuesday, March 18. The Saint Mary’s community extends its congratulations to the Beckman family.

Saint Mary’s Concert Band to perform on March 30

The Saint Mary’s University Concert Band will present its spring concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 30, in Page Theatre.

Directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, the 65-member band will entertain audiences with a varied repertoire including “Sea Songs” by Vaughan Williams; “American Hymn Tune Sketches” by Prescott; “Amazing Grace,” arranged by Tichel; “Albanian Dance” by Shelly Hanson, “Geometric Dances” by Cichy; “In Heaven’s Air” by Hazo; and “Africa: Ceremony, Song & Ritual,” by Smith.
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This concert continues the theme of “Song and Dance,” which the ensemble is using this season to explore the rich band repertoire — both new and old — which originates from the folk song or hymn traditions, as well as dance-inspired music.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors and are available by calling the Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Lasallian council presentation on Rome visit is March 26

The Winona division of the University Council for Lasallian Formation and Mission will make a presentation about the council’s recent experience of Lasallian formation in Rome, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, in the President’s Room. Refreshments will be served. Mark your calendars! (A similar presentation by the SGPP division of the council will be held in Minneapolis.)

World-class jazz musician to share talents with SMU

Internationally recognized jazz saxophonist Marc Bernstein will travel from his home in Denmark to Saint Mary’s March 24-26 to give a public performance and to work with members of the SMU Concert Band, as well as other SMU music students.

Bernstein has been chosen as this year’s Kaplan Commissioning Project composer.

The Concert Band commissioned Bernstein’s piece through the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation Commissioning Project. The foundation supports performances and activities led by Jewish artists and scholars that are designed to increase cultural and religious understanding at Saint Mary’s. Bernstein’s visit is funded in part through the Danish government to promote artistic-educational partnership activities in the world. He is SMU’s fifth Kaplan composer.
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The Concert Band will present the world premiere performance of Bernstein’s composition next September, during SMU’s Inauguration/ Family Weekend.

During his spring visit, Bernstein — along with local and regional musicians — will also present a public recital at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, in Figliulo Recital Hall. The recital is free and open to the public, courtesy of the Sam and Helen Kaplan Foundation.

Bernstein, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1984. Inspired by great saxophonists and jazz artists, he recorded his first CD in 1985, and was a regular performer in New York City. He began playing overseas, and gained notoriety in Denmark, where he was offered a spot with Klüvers Big Band. Bernstein relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark; he left the band in 1996 to go solo, and has since released six CDs.

SMU Disc Golf Open scheduled for April 5

The first Saint Mary’s University Disc Golf Open tees off on Saturday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. on The Woods at Saint Mary’s disc golf course.

The Woods is an 18-hole course that winds through the bluffs surrounding the campus. With narrow fairways and intricate hole placements, the course can be challenging for both beginners and experienced disc golfers.

The top three finishers will receive prizes:

First place – portable disc catcher, disc bag, and three Innova discs
Second place – Innova disc bag and three Innova discs
Third place – three Innova discs

The tournament is sponsored by the SMU Office of Outdoor Leadership and co-sponsored by Innova Disc Golf. Proceeds will be used to maintain the disc golf course and for Outdoor Leadership Program funding.

Tournament fees are $15 for students and $25 for the general public. Each participant receives an SMU customized Innova putt and approach disc. To register, or for more information, visit www.smumn.edu/thewoods or contact Davey Warner at Ext. 8740 or e-mail him at outdoorleadership@smumn.edu.

Group photo show on display through March 29 at SMU

Rus Hurt is one of five photographers displaying in "Tempus Fugit" Feb. 28-March 29.
The work of five area nature and documentary photographers is on display through March 29. The exhibit, titled “Tempus Fugit” or “Time Flies,” will be on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, and includes work by Wade Britzius, Rus Hurt, Kathy Greden, Ron Reimer and Jim Risser.

Admission is free and open to the public, and gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, call Ext. 1652.

High School Challenge continues; Onalaska named consolation champs

On Saturday, Feb. 23, High School Challenge, a tournament of knowledge sponsored by Saint Mary’s University, ended the 2007-08 season with the Consolation and Super Challenge Championships.

Thirty-two area high school teams began competing in the fall. Teams who won all of their games earned a spot in the Super Challenge Tournament. Teams that lost their first and won their second games advanced to the Consolation Championship bracket. On Feb. 23, Onalaska High School defeated La Crescent High School, 60-45, making Onalaska the 2008 Consolation Champion.
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Additionally, Viroqua, Winona Senior High, La Crosse Central, West Salem, North Crawford, Eau Claire Regis, Seneca and La Crosse Aquinas competed for the Super Challenge Champion title.

Fox 25/Fox 48 will air the previously recorded Super Challenge competitions from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Sundays. Tune in to cheer on your hometown team on these dates:

March 16 – Viroqua vs. Winona Senior High School
March 23 – La Crosse Central vs. West Salem
March 30 – North Crawford vs. Eau Claire Regis
April 6 – Seneca vs. La Crosse Aquinas
April 13 – Quarterfinals begin airing

For more information, call Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at Ext. 1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.

Faculty invited to share talents in revue on March 27

Faculty who play a musical instrument, dance, write poetry, or have any other artistic skill are invited by the junior class to participate in this year’s faculty revue, to be held 7 p.m. March 27 in the Common Room. Contact Russell Mollo (ramoll05@smumn.edu) or Neil Leibundguth at (nmleib05@smumn.edu) if you have any questions or if you would like to participate.

Summer 2008 Lasallian Formation Programs

The Regional Conference of the Christian Brothers USA-Toronto Region will be offering several Lasallian formation programs this summer. Faculty and staff are invited to consider participating in one of them. Deadlines for registration are next week, so anyone interested should contact Brother Larry Humphrey by today.

The Lasallian Social Justice Institute will be offered at two sites.

LSJI El Paso will be held from July 12-18 in El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. LSJI El Paso focuses on the theme of “Global Economic Justice,” and includes several days of encounters on both sides of the border, followed by theological and sociological presentations at a retreat center. A current passport is required.
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LSJI San Francisco will be held from August 2-8. LSJI San Francisco focuses on the theme of “Homelessness and Human Dignity,” and includes several days with individuals and agencies in the Tenderloin and Mission Districts of San Francisco, and is followed by theological and sociological presentations.

The numbers of participants are limited to 30 for LSJI El Paso and 20 for LSJI San Francisco, with only three places allocated from each of the six districts for San Francisco.

Previous participants in LSJI from Saint Mary’s include Dr. Dorothy Diehl (Chicago and El Paso), Val Fitzgerald (El Paso), Dr. Greg Gaut (El Paso), Peggy Johnson (Chicago and El Paso), Katie LaPlant (Chicago and El Paso), Ann Smith (San Francisco), and Dr. Mary Louise Wise (El Paso). They could tell you more about LSJI.

The Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies will be held from June 22-July 4 at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. The Buttimer Institute is completed in three consecutive, independent summers of study, each two weeks in duration. It is an intensive formation and education program that studies the life and work of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the origins of the Lasallian educational mission. In Buttimer I (Year I), "The Founding Story," participants are introduced to a study of the life and times of De La Salle. Buttimer II examines De La Salle’s educational vision and influence,and Buttimer II studies the Founder’s spiritual vision and influence. Participation in the Buttimer Institute involves a three-year commitment to complete the program.

Dr. Jerry Ellis and Barb Hall from the Twin Cities campus will be participating in Buttimer II this summer, and could tell you more about Buttimer I.

For more information on any of the programs, contact Brother Larry Humphrey at Ext. 1597 or lhumphrey@smumn.edu.

3-peat for SMU spelling team

The Saint Mary’s University interdisciplinary spelling team of Eileen Daily (theology), Paul Nienaber (physics), and Paul Weiner (math) won the Winona Corporate Spelling challenge in a field of 12 teams. They had to spell such words as “armature” (protective covering), “arachnophagous” (spider-eating), and the winning word “pursuivant” (an officer in the British College of Heralds who ranks below a herald).

This marks the third consecutive year that Saint Mary’s University has won the title.

Annual SMU benefit dance to help alumni leukemia patient

Saint Mary’s University will present the eighth annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 12.

The beneficiary of this year’s formal dance — open to the public — is SMU alumnus Steve Groby. Steve, a resident of Rochester, was diagnosed two years ago with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, which resulted in a bone marrow transplant last May.
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The benefit dance has become an annual tradition since it was started by students in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond. Taylor has a genetic terminal illness called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) and the money from his benefit was used to fulfill Taylor’s dream of going to Disney World. Each year this event benefits someone in the SMU community in need.

The dance, featuring music by the Johnny Holm Band, will be held in the Toner Student Center dining room. Ticket prices are $15 per person or $25 per couple. To purchase tickets or receive more information, contact Jason Richter at Ext. 1648 or Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936. Dance tickets will also be available at the door.

To make a donation, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Jason Richter, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, 700 Terrace Heights No. 45, Winona, MN 55987.

In combination with the dance, a silent auction will be held on campus from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., April 10-11. A variety of homemade goods, gift baskets and specialty items will be on display in the game room of the Toner Student Center.

Gaut publishes essay in National Catholic Reporter

Greg Gaut, Department of History, has published "Heroes of our Time," an essay about former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and recently murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, in the March 7, 2008 issue of the National Catholic Reporter.

NCR publication
Full Story

Dickson is finalist for PR award

Saint Mary’s student Lindsay Dickson, a senior Social Science major, is a finalist in the 2008 Student Classics Award sponsored by the Minnesota Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Lindsay is competing in the “Special Purpose Publications” category for a brochure she helped create in her PR Writing Class for the Saint Mary’s Office of Outdoor Leadership. The Classics Awards banquet will be held in Minneapolis on March 27.

Fac/staff softball team needs more players

The faculty/staff co-ed intramural softball team is looking for some additional victims....er....players. “Older and Slower” will once again show the students that experience trumps youth when it comes to softball! Games are Tuesdays/Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and will begin sometime after Easter break when St. Joe’s field is dry enough to play. The only requirements are that you can bring a glove and want to have fun. Contact Katie LaPlant or Dean Beckman if you’re interested.

Biology seminars after break

The first Biology Seminar after Easter break is Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m. in Rm. 112 Hoffman Hall. Dr. Phil Cochran will discuss “The Social Life of the Timber Rattlesnake.”

The following week, Thursday, April 3, same time and place, students Bethany Kaufmann and Holly Schuh will talk about “Experiences in the Mayo Scholar Program.”

Heukeshoven to present at band director conference

At the regional CBDNA conference held at the University of Nebraska, Omaha March 13-15, Dr. Janet Heukeshoven will present a session titled “Harmoniemusik: Teaching Sedlak’s Barber of Seville for Winds” with the assistance of musicians from Northwestern University, Illinois.

The Harmoniemusik genre flourished from 1760-1840 in Germany, Bohemia and Austria. These popular wind ensemble transcriptions of opera, ballet and symphonic works were widely performed in the courts, and have been re-discovered in recent years.

CBDNA Conference

Swing Inc. performs March 21

Swing, Inc. featuring Eric Heukeshoven will perform Friday, March 21, 8-11 p.m. at the Waterfront Restaurant in La Crosse. There is no cover charge.

Women in Math Colloquium is March 31

The next speaker for the Women in Mathematics Colloquium is Dr. Suzanne Lenhart from the University of Tennessee. Her presentation on Monday, March 31 is titled “Rabies in Raccoons: Optimal Control for a Discrete Time Model on a Spatial Grid.” The presentation will be from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in Salvi with a reception starting at 3:45 in the Common Room.

John Paulson jazz events

The John Paulson Trio will perform Saturday, March 15, 8-11 p.m. at Avocado’s World Bistro behind Apache Mall in Rochester. There is no cover charge.

The John Paulson Quartet will perform in the Harmony for Mayo Concert Monday, March 24, noon-1 p.m. in the Mayo Civic Center Lips Atrium.

Jazz students at Acoustic Cafe

On March 19 and April 23, 7-9:30 p.m., SMU jazz students will perform in a jam with WSU students at the Acoustic Cafe in downtown Winona.

Clothing drive March 28

The Common Threads Clothing Drive is March 28-30, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring unwanted clothing items back from break and drop them off in Room B of the Toner Student Center. Starting Thursday, March 28 after 8 p.m., items will be sold for $.50 each or $4 per bag. All proceeds go to the Winona Catholic Worker.

Staff changes

Leaving:
Mike Trewick, head men’s basketball coach

Last Campus Notes before break, next issue March 28

This is the last “Campus Notes” before Easter break. The next edition will come out Friday, March 28.

Country singer Josh Gracin to perform at SMU March 13

Josh Gracin

The Roosters

Country music singer Josh Gracin will headline a public concert Thursday, March 13, in Saint Mary’s gymnasium.

Gracin’s self-titled debuted album is edging in on platinum status. With the No. 1 hit “Nothin’ to Lose” and other hits, “I Want to Live” and “Stay with Me (Brass Bed),” Gracin has established himself as a leading country singer since gaining his fame from the hit reality series “American Idol,” where he finished fourth during the show’s second season. In 2003, Gracin also contributed the song “Working for the Weekend” to the Herbie: Fully Loaded soundtrack, and he also sang on “When I See an Elephant Fly” on the Jim Brickman album, The Disney Songbook. Gracin, a former U.S. Marine and Michigan native, entertains his audiences with energetic stage performances and rocking country music.

Opening for Gracin is The Roosters, a Minnesota country band whose single “Sorry Bout the Mess,” released in April 2007, has been gaining popularity on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. No food or drinks are allowed in the gymnasium. SMU’s Student Activities Committee is sponsoring the concert.

Tickets are free for SMU students with ID, $10 for an SMU guest, and $15 for the general public. Tickets are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, online at www.smumn.edu/gracintickets, or are available for purchase at the door.