A Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Prayer Service is scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Saint Thomas More Chapel. The event, free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Inter Cultural Awareness Association, Lasallian Collegians, the Office of Campus Ministry, Power Hour and Co-exist. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Campus Ministry at Ext. 1643.
Dr. Tricia Klosky, criminal justice coordinator, was named the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) coordinator for Saint Mary’s. This position entails keeping current on new laws impacting students who wish to become law enforcement officers, monitoring curriculum to make sure that we are meeting POST educational requirements, and signing off on students applications to take the POST licensing exams.
Dr. Janet Heukeshoven served as guest conductor of the Maple Grove/Osseo District 270 Junior High Honor Band on Thursday, Jan. 15. Eighty select 8th- and 9th-grade instrumentalists from four schools met for a day of music making and a concert at Maple Grove Junior High.
The John Paulson Trio will perform 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Michael’s Restaurant in Rochester, Minn.
Here are some recent mentions of SMU “making the news” — in the Winona area and beyond.
• A story titled, “It’s too much work,” about a community ski day, hosted by SMU’s Environmental Awareness Center, appeared in the Jan. 4 edition of the Winona Daily News.
• The Jan. 15 edition of The Winona Daily News features a photo of a family touring Saint Mary’s and December admission statistics in a story titled, “Economy dragging local college applications.”
Minnesota's policymakers should act now to make college more affordable and accessible for low- and middle-income students. It's more important than ever, if we are going to have the educated workforce we need for future jobs and economic growth. Our state can't compete globally if only one out of three low-income high school students in Minnesota go on to college (that's compared to two out of three when income is not considered).
There are steps the state can take right now: one, put more money into need-based aid, increasing awards and eligibility for thousands of students, and two, fund proven support programs that help those least likely to go to college.
Become an advocate for expanding college opportunity for Minnesota students. Join the Minnesota Private Colleges’ Legislative Action Network to find out more about this issue and keep up with what’s happening at the Capitol. Get the tools and resources you need to make your voice heard. Join today.
A reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, for local artist Mary Solberg whose mixed-media paintings are featured in the Ben Miller Lobby of the Performance Center through Feb. 9.
“Everyday icons are images of people or animals living or dead, contemporary or historic whom I wish to venerate on a personal level,” Solberg said. “No less an icon for their familiarity, the mixed media paintings incorporate metal leaf, beeswax and oil to create a portrait, which celebrates the sacred in all of us.”
Helen Strickland mother-in-law, mother and grandmother to Donny Nadeau '85 (SMU Sports Information director), Deedee (Strickland) Nadeau ’85, Bob Strickland ’72, Ann (Strickland) Stark ’83, Tom Stark ’82, Corey Strickland ’02, Andy Nadeau ’07, current students Joey Nadeau ’12 and Danny Stark ’12, died Jan. 12.
Cards of sympathy can be sent to Donny and Deedee Nadeau and family at Campus Box 62. The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Strickland family.
Saint Mary’s is one of three schools to receive this year’s National Association of Division III Athletics Administrators awards honoring community-service projects and activities.
Saint Mary’s athletes were recognized for their efforts to aid flood victims in Minnesota.
SMU, along with York College of Pennsylvania and Stevens Institute of Technology each will receive $1,000 contributions to their general scholarship funds as recipients of NADIIIAA/Jostens Community Service Awards for projects during the 2007-08 academic year.
Ten other institutions also earned recognition in the program, which has honored Division III athletics programs’ community-service efforts annually since 2002. All of the institutions will be recognized by NADIIIAA at the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C.
Saint Mary’s is a category winner for the first time as this year’s honoree for a one-time project or activity. SMU student-athletes returned to campus from summer vacation in August 2007 to find that the university’s fieldhouse was serving as an emergency shelter for victims of flooding in southeastern Minnesota. The Saint Mary’s student-athlete advisory committee, which already had begun planning an event designed to increase camaraderie among the school’s athletics teams, shifted efforts to aiding the flood victims.
In collaboration with SMU’s Volunteer Services, nearly 200 student-athletes and their coaches collected food and water for flood-relief volunteers, and many of those student-athletes fanned out to nearby communities to clean up and repair homes and to help restore a state park. The student-athletes were credited by a relief worker with saving homeowners weeks of clean-up work while demonstrating compassion for flood victims.
To read more about SMU athletes’ flood-relief efforts, go to www.smumn.edu/floodcleanup.
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota has been approved to offer a Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in Counseling Psychology. The university hopes to begin its first Psy.D. cohort of students in Fall, 2009.
Brother President William Mann, FSC, received approval notice December 29 from the university’s accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This is the culmination of three years of work which included an internal program development process; review and approval by the university’s state regulatory agency, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education; and review and approval by the HLC.
Saint Mary’s will spend the upcoming months making plans for implementation, including hiring a program director, finalizing syllabi, hiring faculty, and beginning marketing efforts. In the interim, questions can be directed to Merri L. Moody, dean of the Graduate School of Health and Human Services, (612) 728-5133, mmoody@smumn.edu.
Saint Mary’s University is inviting the public to the annual “SMU 10K” classic ski event on Sunday, Jan. 25.
“We’re very fortunate to have an excellent trail system here that is both scenic as well as challenging,” said Chris Kendall, vice president for student development. “And this year we actually have snow, thanks to the weather and to our new snow-making capabilities as a result of a partnership with the Winona Ski Club.”
The event is open to all individuals, with a mass start slated for 1 p.m. On-site registration will begin at 11 a.m. at the Toner Student Center. The cost is $10, which includes a souvenir race bib and a completion medal. Medals will be awarded for men and women in open and recreational classes.
For more information or to receive a registration form, call Davey Warner at Ext. 8740. Check out more information online at www.saintmaryssports.com.
The first learning community in Jamaica in the M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning program finished its first full semester in late December 2008. Twenty-one students are participating in the learning community. Reports from students have been very positive and Jamaican colleagues have shared that there is increasing interest in the program as more teachers in the Mandeville area hear about it through their colleagues. The university is planning with its partner, the Catholic College of Mandeville, to begin a second cohort in Fall 2009.
Saint Mary’s will host a site confirmation visit by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the university’s accreditor, in Jamaica in early February. This one-day visit is the final step with the HLC in affirming the university’s ability to offer the M.Ed. in Jamaica. Questions regarding the Jamaica initiative can be directed to Suzanne Peterson, director of the M.Ed. Program, or Tracy Lehnertz, director of Institutional Effectiveness.
Grammy-nominated family entertainer Red Grammer will bebop his way onto the Page Theatre stage at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13.
With a playful, good-natured character, Grammer is a young-at-heart, premier entertainer of children and families. Parents Magazine has described Red as “the best voice in children’s music.” Having been featured on “The Today Show,” “CBS This Morning,” Nickelodeon, Showtime, PBS, and his own Disney Channel concert special, Grammer is practiced in lifting the spirits of families across the United States. He has set the gold standard for writing and performing music that playfully reconnects each one of us with the best in ourselves.
Tickets for the Page Series performance are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, 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.
This presentation is supported by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art, with additional contributions from the Minnesota Arts Board, General Mills Foundation, and Land O’Lakes Foundation.
"Dogs of the Empire" by artist Jason Bronner
"A Brief History," featuring artist Larry Holmes
The unique work of two vastly different artists — Larry Holmes and Jason Bronner — will be displayed inside Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries through Feb. 6.
Holmes, a realist painter, uses an overhead perspective when creating his pieces, which highlight textural beauty by positioning inanimate objects like shells or statues beside flowers or animals. Holmes’ exhibit, “A Brief History,” features a number of oil paintings depicting mosaics. “The concerns that I have in my work range from the formal to the fanciful with several issues between the two extremes,” he said, adding that his work “has come to be largely about the psychology of what is depicted and the gaps that this subsequently leaves for the viewer to fill. Ultimately, I am creating pictorial situations that are intended to leave the audience amused or bemused (sometimes both).” Holmes is professor emeritus at the University of Delaware, Newark.
Through his exhibit, “Dogs of the Empire,” Bronner depicts scenes of dogs through charcoal drawings on paper, oil paintings on canvas, as well as digitally. In examining the dog’s competing roles as hunter, guardian and companion, Bronner’s work makes a political statement.
“The title of this exhibition references two empires. One being that of the Roman Empire and the other being that of what has been called by many as the new Rome, the United States,” he said. “The dog can be a metaphor for the protective element of the government as well as the oppression of the state. The ancient Roman sculptures of dogs that are found in the Vatican … represent for me a romanticized idea of guardians and the positive protective power. If I apply this same concept to the U.S., the new Rome, I wonder if this canine in the 21st century has become feral and may not be a watchdog.” Bronner is associate professor of painting and drawing at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
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.
The annual Winona-area alumni gathering is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today, Jan. 9, at the Alverna Center’s Great Room. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
Dr. Dick Kowles, biology professor emeritus, has stepped out of his usual scientific sphere and published an article with Dr. Bill Crozier (SMU archivist) on some Winona history. The article is a historical look at the Polish National Alliance Chapter in Winona and the successful baseball team that the organization sponsored from 1935 to the early 1950s. The team, called the PNAs, consisted of a number of individuals who also had strong connections with SMU and Winona State University, including Max Molock (SMU coach), Max Kulas (SMU head of maintenance), and Clint Wager (SMU athletic star in several sports). The article, “Polish Spirit: Polish National Alliance Baseball and Winona Polonia,” was published in the newsletter of the Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota (Volume 16, No. 4).
All of Saint Mary’s teacher education programs have been re-approved at the level of paper review — syllabus, program descriptions, course sequences, etc. — until 2015. The onsite visit will be Nov. 15-18, 2009.
The following programs were approved by the Board of Teaching in December: Undergraduate elementary education program, French K-12; Middle Level Endorsement program (5-8); Communication Arts; and Literature 5-12. Congratulations and thanks to Drs. Scott Sorvaag, Dorothy Diehl and John Reed, Susan Moore, and Carolyn Ayers for their work on these re-submissions.
At the November meeting, the BOT approved Physics 9-11 and General Science 5-8. Thanks to Father Paul Nienaber for his work with these standards.
Additionally, the Special Education (EBD/LD) program has been approved. Congratulations to Dr. Kathy Ryan for team leadership and her solitary work on this RIPA (Request for Initial Program Approval).
The Art Education K-12 RIPA is close to submission. Thanks to Michelle Cochran for leading this effort with the Art Department.
Thanks also to Betty Bethke for organization of the Medusa report.
Since 1995, the Saint Mary’s Department of History has awarded book prizes to recognize students for outstanding work. The following students were chosen for their work during fall semester:
• Matt Rebernick and David Spriegel won the book prizes in H125 Europe and the World.
• Emily Degallier, Amy Pearson, Jacob Rivet, and Bradlee Rysdahl were chosen in H150 American Experience.
• Benjamin Eirikson was recognized for his work in H250 Historical Thinking.
• Ryan Soukup and Daniel Streefland ended in a virtual tie for the best work in H333 The Reformation, and each will receive a book prize.
• Brian Bakalyar won the prize for both H357 History of Rock and Roll and H367 Europe 1914-1945.
The History Department congratulates these students.
Saint Mary’s employees Suzanne Deranek, Sally Dotterwick, JoAnn Frahm, Nicole Gerdes, Aubrey Hollnagel, Sarah Kay, Mary Kosel, Dr. Jeanne Minnerath, Katherine Pederson, Kenneth Pellegrini, Megan Radke, Joy Rockwell, Adam Stasica, Carol Tarras and Ronald Weimer were recognized during the university’s annual Christmas dinner Dec. 16.
The Saint Mary’s University Employee Recognition Program honors employees whose superior job performance has contributed to the university’s overall growth. Through these annual awards, Saint Mary’s acknowledges the key role these individuals have in the successful operation of the university.
Swing Inc, including Eric Heukeshoven and Jerry Paulson of the SMU Music Department, will perform 8 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10, at the Waterfront in La Crosse, Wis.
The next SMU faculty/staff chili cookoff will be Friday, Jan. 30, as the next Let’s Do Lunch fundraiser for Nairobi, sponsored by the SMU Volunteer Committee. If you intend to compete, contact Deb Nahrgang at Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu, so that we know there will be enough chili to feed the masses. Prizes will be awarded to top three placers. SMU celebrity judges will be announced later.
New:
• Mary McGaver, Jan. 1, athletics - assistant athletic trainer
Leaving:
• Tina Palmer, Jan. 8, TC director of development
• Renee Knutson, Jan. 9, director of study abroad/career services associate
Ron Hansen, author of “Mariette in Ecstasy” and a book of essays called “A Stay Against Confusion: Essays on Faith and Fiction” will read from his books at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Toner Student Center Lounge.
Hansen also has authored “Isn’t it Romantic,” “Desperadoes, “ “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” “Nebraska,” “Atticus,” and a children’s book, “The Shadowmaker.” He is Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ Professor of the Arts and Humanities at Santa Clara University. His novel “Atticus” was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1996.
His presentation, free and open to the public, is sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honor society. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, call Dr. David Sokolowski at Ext. 1538.
A series of presentations celebrating knowledge and passion will be held Tuesdays in the McEnery Center main lounge.
The first presentation, from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, will feature Dr. Robyn Wangberg, physics, who is an Ironman triathlete. Dr. Wangberg will share her passion for triathlon and her recent adventures competing in the world championship of the Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, and the Ironman Canada Triathlon. These events include a 2.4-mile swim in the ocean, a 112-mile bike ride, and a marathon run (26.2 miles).
Other upcoming presenters include Eric Heukeshoven, music; Monta May, communication and marketing; and Chris Kendall, student development, Gary LeMasters (husband of Ruth Ann Torstenson LeMasters at the library), and Dr. Wes Miller, social science. Light refreshments will be served.
SMU students have the opportunity to study abroad in Italy for three weeks in May. These students will travel and study in Rome, Florence, Venice and the surrounding Veneto region of Northern Italy.
This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to study Italian art history, architecture, religion, culture and civilization.
An information session will be held 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, in the World Room, Hendrickson Center.
For further information or questions, call Preston Lawing, Ext. 1701, or plawing@smumn.edu.
For a colorful, picture-filled and informative brochure detailing events happening at Christ the Teacher Institute for Education in Nairobi, go to www.smumn.edu/institutes and click on “CTIE newsletter.” The December edition includes a profile of a current student, details of Christmas in Kenya, and other facts about the school, as well as events in Kenya.
Here are some recent mentions of SMU “making the news” — in the Winona area and beyond.
• The January 9 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education’s article “Colleges Offer Extra Aid to Strapped Students” mentions the Brother James Miller program at Saint Mary’s.
• The Minnesota Private College Council December newsletter featured a story about SMU Gifts for Winona in a roundup article about what campuses are doing to help those in need this year: www.mnprivatecolleges.org/publications/stories/2008_12/cheer.php.
• An update about SMU’s investments was included in an area education story titled, “Area universities lose millions in investments” Jan. 1 in the Winona Daily News.
• SMU hockey players were thanked publicly for their work with area youth hockey players in a column Dec. 25 in the Winona Daily News titled, “It’s Sunday, do you know where your college student is?”
Lindsy and Patrick O’Shea, Music Department, had a daughter, Genevieve “Evie” Irene, on Saturday, Dec. 13. The Saint Mary’s community extends its congratulations to the O’Shea family.
Franklin Bronk, father of Leon Bronk (Maintenance Department) died Dec. 28, 2008. Cards of condolence can be sent to: Leon Bronk, Campus Box 39.
Lisa Holter, daughter of Cindy Marek’s (vice president for Financial Affairs) husband, Doug Lofthus died Jan. 1 of cancer. Cards of condolence can be sent to: Cindy, Doug and family, Campus Box 8.
Amy Taylor (M.Ed. program facilitator) died Dec. 27, 2008, of cancer. Taylor and her family were the recipients of The Taylor Richmond Benefit 2006. Donations are preferred in Warren Taylor’s name for an education fund for Isabella and Arbor, Amy and Warren’s young children. Cards of condolence can be sent to Warren at P.O. Box 108, South St. Paul, MN 55075. To see a touching news segment about Amy, featured on KARE 11, go to www.kare11.com/video/player.aspx?sid=519872&aid=78109.
The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Bronk, Lofthus and Taylor families.
Solo pianist George Winston will fill the Page Theatre with the sounds of the transcendent beauty of nature and the changing seasons, as well as a tribute to New Orleans musicians on Friday, Dec. 19.
His 7:30 p.m. performance, part of the Page Series, will also draw attention to the Winona Volunteer Services Food Shelf. A food drive is held at all of Winston’s concerts. Attendees are asked to bring canned goods and nonperishable food to the show; drop-off areas will be set up in the lobby.
Winston, best known for his melodic rural folk piano style, will play selections from his latest CD, “Gulf Coast Blues and Impressions — A Hurricane Relief Benefit,” as well as from his melodic seasonal recordings including “December” and “Winter Into Spring.” Winston has performed more than 2,500 concert dates, with more than 3 million tickets sold.
Tickets for the Page Theatre performance are $25, $20 for seniors and students, and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Today is the last day to get your gifts in for Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona. This community-wide program — in its seventh year — provides gifts to less-fortunate families during the holiday season. Last year the Winona community provided gifts to more than 1,500 residents. This year more than 1,800 individuals — a record number — have asked for help. Return gifts to the Business Office. If you are unable to return your gift today, please call Deb Nahrgang at Ext. 6966 with tag identification information.
A monetary donation can also be made; make checks payable to SMU GFW and send to Gifts for Winona, Box #8 or drop off at the Business Office windows.
Grammy-nominated family entertainer Red Grammer will bebop his way onto the Page Theatre stage at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13.
With a playful, good-natured character, Grammer is a young-at-heart, premier entertainer of children and families. Parents Magazine has described Red as “the best voice in children’s music.” Having been featured on “The Today Show,” “CBS This Morning,” Nickelodeon, Showtime, PBS, and his own Disney Channel concert special, Grammer is practiced in lifting the spirits of families across the United States. He has set the gold standard for writing and performing music that playfully reconnects each one of us with the best in ourselves.
Tickets for the Page Series performance are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.
This presentation is supported by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art, with additional contributions from the Minnesota Arts Board, General Mills Foundation, and Land O’Lakes Foundation.
The Environmental Awareness Center will be open between 1 and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday to check out cross country ski equipment. The Environmental Awareness Center is located next to the clock tower on the top floor of the power plant. There is no charge, but an SMU I.D. is needed. If you would like to use the ski equipment, contact Brother John Grover at Ext. 1404.
Dr. Bill Crozier, archivist, presented a paper at the regional meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies at Metropolitan State University, St. Paul. The paper, titled, “An Irish Enclave between Little Italy and New Israel on New York City’s Lower East Side, 1900” provided a social analysis of 1,055 Irish — born and Irish-stock people who resided on or near the Bowery.
New:
Debra Rose, administrative assistant, Health & Human Services, Twin Cities campus, Dec. 1.
Leaving:
Tessy Neves Dias, International Student Activities, November.
Dr. Jane Kelley Rodeheffer, professor of philosophy, represented Saint Mary’s and the International Consortium for Core Classics at the “Liberal Education and East Asian Traditions” Conference, which was held over the Thanksgiving break in Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Rodeheffer presented a paper titled, “Self-Cultivation in Augustine’s Confessions and the Confucian Tradition.” She also served as a consultant to faculty from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan on the use of core classics in liberal arts education, as East Asian Universities seek to develop models of liberal arts education. Dr. Rodeheffer’s trip was supported by a grant from the National Chiao-tung University of Taiwan.
The “Study Abroad Photo Contest” display is up in the Fitzgerald Library. The top 12 photos, submitted by Mike DeGidio, Alex Gorgone, Alison Kay, Anna Keller, Erin O’Keefe, Caitlin Radtke, Jillian Reinboldt, Sarah Weir, and Danielle Zauher, are on display.
Performing in the upcoming MAFA concert are, from left: Adrianna Rackow, Dr. John Paulson, Evan Glenna and Eric Heukeshoven.
• Music Access for All students and faculty will present a Christmas Musicale Saturday, Dec. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to noon at Faith Lutheran Church, located at 1717 W. Service Dr. The M.A.F.A program was organized in December 2002 by Dr. John Paulson, music department, with the assistance of William Doerer of the Winona Housing and Development Authority which serves as a home for the program. The SMU Music Department serves as a co-sponsor of the organization. The purpose of the program is to provide instrumental music lessons, instruments, and sheet music to students ages 10-18 in need of financial assistance. Teachers in the program include program director, SMU professor of music Dr. John Paulson (band), SMU music faculty member Eric Heukeshoven (band and piano). SMU alumnus Michael Munson has also been adding to the program by assisting with guitar instruction. The program is free and the public is welcome to attend. Refreshments will follow.
• The “Standard Time” duo, consisting of Jerry Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven, music department, will perform at the Canadian Honker Restaurant in Rochester from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13.
• The John Paulson Jazz Trio will perform from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at Michael’s Restaurant in Rochester.
Here are some recent mentions of SMU “making the news” — in the Winona area and beyond.
• A letter praising the Dance Repertory Company production of “The Nutcracker” appeared in the Winona Daily News on Dec. 9 and the Winona Post Dec. 10.
• An article regarding area school closings, with pictures featuring children sledding at Saint Mary’s appeared in the Winona Daily News Dec. 10.
• Articles about Saint Mary’s “Gifts for Winona” were featured in the Winona Daily News Dec. 6 and the Winona Post Dec. 10.
• The Daily News printed a story titled, “Happy to give back” about guest pianist George Winston on Dec. 11.
• Also on Dec. 11, an article titled, “Musicians hold concert to collect a toy for every tot” about an SMU music alum fundraiser ran in the Daily News.
Because of Christmas break, the next issue of “Campus Notes” will be Jan. 9. The deadline for that issue is Jan. 7.
Roger Frith, London lighting designer, died Saturday, Nov. 29. Roger had been lighting London shows since the London Semester program began back in the mid-1990s. A tribute to Roger can be viewed at http://roger-frith.blogspot.com. Saint Mary’s extends its sympathy to the Frith family.
Solo pianist George Winston will fill the Page Theatre with the sounds of the transcendent beauty of nature and the changing seasons, as well as a tribute to New Orleans musicians on Friday, Dec. 19.
His 7:30 p.m. performance, part of the Page Series, will also draw attention to the Winona Volunteer Services Food Shelf. A food drive is held at all of Winston’s concerts. Attendees are asked to bring canned goods and nonperishable food to the show; drop-off areas will be set up in the lobby.
Winston, best known for his melodic rural folk piano style, will play selections from his latest CD, “Gulf Coast Blues and Impressions — A Hurricane Relief Benefit,” as well as from his melodic seasonal recordings including “December” and “Winter Into Spring.”
In 1972, Winston released his first solo album, “Ballads and Blues”; he currently has 11 solo albums. His musical genre ranges from New Orleans R&B piano to stride piano and folk piano. Winston has performed more than 2,500 concert dates, with more than 3 million tickets sold.
Tickets for the Page Theatre performance are $25, $20 for seniors and students, and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Enjoy dinner and a show. Chartwells Catering will provide a pre-show dinner in the Toner Student Center. Seating begins at 6:30 p.m. Regular dinners cost $20 and include chicken, beef and vegetarian options, water, milk, coffee, tea, vegetable, and dessert. Children's dinners cost $12 and include mac-n-cheese or chicken fingers with French fries, water, milk, vegetable, gelatin cup, and two cookies. Dinner tickets are also available at www.pagetheatre.org.
The Dance Repertory Company of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts — in association with Merchants Bank — will present the holiday favorite “The Nutcracker” through Dec. 7.
The 2008 cast includes 100 members — including students from Saint Mary’s, Winona State University, and children and community members from the Winona area. In addition to beautiful dancing, this year’s production will feature a special choral performance by MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers at the conclusion of Act I in the Land of Snow.
“The Nutcracker” performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Page Theatre. The evening performances are recommended for children ages 5 and older. The Sunday, Dec. 7, afternoon performance is considered a “family event” and children ages 2 and older are welcome. At this time, the Page Theatre facilities and programs are not equipped to serve the needs of infants.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens and are available at the Saint Mary’s Box Office at Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit www.pagetheatre.org. Faculty and staff can receive two free tickets.
The Saint Mary’s Concert Band will present a multi-cultural holiday concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at St. Cecilia Theater, located on the Saint Teresa campus.
Under the direction of Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, the band will perform Polish music composed by John de Meii, Russian Christmas music by Alfred Reed, and a Chanukah celebration written by David Bobrowitz and Kenneth Soper. In addition, SMU student conductors will lead the band in two arrangements. “Away in a Manger,” composed by Chip Davis and adapted for concert band by Robert Longfield, will be directed by Ryan Ballanger; “Variations on Deck the Halls,” arranged by Robert W. Smith, will be conducted by Gosia Paidosh.
The music will continue to flow after the formal concert. A Christmas cookie reception in the lobby will include lively jazzy carols, a brass quintet, a flute choir and a clarinet ensemble.
Tickets are $10, $5 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
Saint Mary’s University Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir will present their annual holiday tribute, “Lessons and Carols,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The performance — a celebration of Advent and the Nativity through sung and spoken word — will held at Chapel of Saint Mary’s of the Angels, located on the Saint Teresa campus.
Music will include some familiar carols, as well as selections by Byrd, Hassler, Rutter, Nystedt, Mozart, and a variety of other composers from Renaissance to the present.
The concert will feature the premiere of “Ovejita,” a setting of a Lorca poem in English translation by composer William Neil. The setting is for women’s voices and harp, and harpist Elinor Niemisto will join the women of the Concert Choir for the premiere. Neil's composition, along with a major work in preparation for the 2009 SMU Spring Choir Concert, is supported by a grant from the McKnight Foundation.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Office of the Provost and Chartwells Food Service will again sponsor the Pre-Finals Christmas Breakfast for students.
Faculty members are invited to participate in the event. The breakfast will be served from 10 to 11:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11, in the Toner Center Dining Room. This popular event is usually attended by at least 650 students. About 25 faculty and staff assist with cooking, serving, and cleaning up. By tradition, second- year full-time faculty are asked to cook and serve from 9 to 10:30 p.m. First-year full-time faculty are asked to serve and clean up from 10:15 to 11:45 p.m. However, all faculty and staff are welcome to participate in this festive event.
Faculty are invited to join students in singing Christmas carols, and Santa will be making an appearance. If you are willing to help with this event, contact Barb Schmidtknecht at Ext. 6678.
Volunteers will sell Christmas lights through Tuesday, Dec. 9, for the “You Light Up My Life” fundraiser for Saint Mary’s Gifts for Winona. The lights cost $5. All of the profits will benefit Gifts for Winona to help families in the community during the holiday season.
During the Dec. 12 Provost’s Breakfast, everyone on campus is asked to turn on their Christmas lights.
The next “Let’s do Lunch” is scheduled for today, Friday, Dec. 5, and is sponsored by the SMU Cabinet. Money from the potluck-type meal will be given to our Nairobi campus. The “Let’s Do Lunch” and “Jeans for a Cause” fundraisers are hosted by the SMU Volunteer Committee.
Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona giving trees are up. This community-wide program — in its seventh year — provides gifts to less-fortunate families during the holiday season. Last year the Winona community provided gifts to more than 1,500 residents. This year more than 1,800 individuals — a record number — have asked for help.
Tags, each labeled with a different person’s holiday gift wishes, are available on one of the trees located in the Toner Center and Saint Mary’s Hall.
Return gifts to the Business Office by Dec. 10. A monetary donation can also be made to sponsor the purchase of gifts; make checks payable to SMU GFW and send to Gifts for Winona, Box #8 or drop off at the Business Office windows.
The Cardinal Athletic Council will host its “Toys for Teens” holiday giving drive by the stairs in the Toner Student Center from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m. today through Dec. 10.
Bring a gift appropriate for a teenage boy or girl to be entered into a drawing for gift certificates around Winona. Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase toys. CAC will be competing with all other MIAC schools for the highest percentage of toy collection.
For more information, contact Melissa Paulson at mmpaul05@smumn.edu.
Saint Mary’s was well represented at the 35th Annual Huether Lasallian Conference, Nov. 20-22, in St. Louis, Mo. Dr. Mary Catherine Fox, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Sr. Judith Schaefer, OP, Ph.D., Theology, presented two fully subscribed breakout sessions titled, “The Twelve Virtues of a Lasallian Educator: A Global Lens for the 21st Century.”
This year’s conference theme, Global Learning and Social Responsibility through a Lasallian Education, gathered a diverse group of presenters and attendees from Lasallian schools, universities and service agency ministries across the United States and Toronto Region.
The SMU contingent included 10 members of the faculty and staff from both the Winona and Twin Cities campuses, including (in addition to Dr. Fox and Sister Judith) Brother Lawrence Humphrey, director of Mission; Dr. Roxanne Eubank, director of the Institute for Lasallian Studies; Tim Gossen, dean of Students; Dr. Tycho deBoer, assistant professor of history; Dr. Jack McClure associate professor, SGPP; and Chris McClead and Lynn Streefland from Campus Ministry. Sarah Fischer, SGPP admissions recruiter, also attended and worked the SMU exhibit booth showcasing the Institute for Lasallian Studies to the many interested attendees.
As always, SMU alums who now serve at Lasallian schools and universities were in attendance and enjoyed reconnecting. Highlights of the conference included: an international opening prayer service held in real-time and simulcast from Lasallian venues in Bethlehem, Nairobi, Mexico City, Manila, and St. Louis; remarks by the Superior General, Brother Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria; and keynotes by Reverend Drew Christiansen, S.J. editor-in-chief of America; Dr. Eboo Patel, founder and director, Interfaith Youth Core; and His Excellency Reverend Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, MM, President, United Nations General Assembly, 63rd Session.
The Study Abroad Office will open its “Study Abroad Photo Contest” display at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the Fitzgerald Library. The top 12 photos, submitted by Mike DeGidio, Alex Gorgone, Alison Kay, Anna Keller, Erin O’Keefe, Caitlin Radtke, Jillian Reinboldt, Sarah Weir, and Danielle Zauher, will be on display. The winners of the photo contest will be announced at a reception following the opening.
Volunteer Services will receive orders until Dec. 16 for a cookie fundraiser to supplement the cost of service trips. For more information, contact Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936.
The Patronal Feast is scheduled for 12:10 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8, and the Christmas Light Service is set for 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11.
Saint Mary’s University biology students, from left, Maria Borgerson, Nicole Haese, Ben Linder, Melanie Tyler. and Lori Brunner, received Beta Beta Beta research scholarships.
Six biology students were awarded the National Biology Honor society Beta Beta Beta Research Foundation research scholarships. Students submitted a proposal for their senior research project outlining the objectives of the research and a budget. The students and their research advisors are Maria Borgerson, (Dr. Debra Martin); Nicole Haese (Dr. Jeanne Minnerath); Ben Linder (Dr. Debra Martin); Melanie Tyler, (Dr. Martin); and Lori Brunner, (Dr. Richard Kowles). Dr. Martin is the Beta Beta Beta faculty advisor.
The Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology has continued the accreditation of the Saint Mary’s degree program in Nuclear Medicine Technology until 2013. The program operates in conjunction with clinical sites at three hospitals in the Chicago area.
Special congratulations go to Dr. Jeanne Minnerath, associate professor of biology and director of Allied Health Programs, for her excellent work leading the self study report and accrediting team visit.
Dr. Peggy Johnson, director of the Writing Center, completed her Ph.D. in Composition and Rhetoric at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She successfully defended her dissertation, “A Pedagogy of Love: Exploring Emotion, Spirit and Intellect in the Basic Writing Classroom” on Nov. 13. Dr. Johnson’s degree will be officially awarded at IUP’s December commencement. She has also earned degrees from the State University of New York and the University of North Dakota.
SMU Jazz groups will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at Westfield Golf Course.
Jack and Mary Ann Remick, SMU trustee, were honored as Outstanding Philanthropists at the Association of Fundraising Professionals Southern Minnesota Chapter’s National Philanthropy Day on Nov. 10.
Dr. Carolyn Ayers, English Department, and Dr. Brooke Lenz, English Department, recently moderated a session titled “Situated Narratives” at the annual convention of the Midwest Modern Language Association in Minneapolis. During this session, they also presented a paper titled “Contesting Narratives in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions and The Book of Not,” which focused on the authenticity, ethical imperatives, and narrative form of the narrator’s story.
Dr. Ned Kirk, Music Department, and Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, accreditation renewal coordinator, both attended the NASM (National Association of Schools of Music) conference in Seattle Nov. 21-25. NASM is the national agency which granted SMU full membership in 2005. The first renewal process will be completed during the 2010-11 academic year, with renewals once every 10 years thereafter.
The Student Activities Committee participated in the 10 Days of Giving Program, which collects food for the Winona Volunteer Services Food Shelf. On Monday Dec. 1, the Student Activities Committee did a door-to-door campaign in all of the residents halls. They collected 422 pounds of food and raised $91.24 for the food shelf.
As an effort to let our university community know all the ways SMU is “making the news” — in the Winona area and beyond — the Communication and Marketing Office will provide a regular list of stories highlighting SMU that are featured in the print media.
• The Winona Daily News published an editorial titled “Gone (for now), but not forgotten” about the decision to suspend the Gilmore Creek Summer Theatre after its second season. The article appeared Nov. 25.
•The Daily News also published a article on Dec. 3 titled “‘Nutcracker’ features record number of male dancers.”A video clip is located on the Daily News mainpage.
•The Winona Post’s Nov. 23 issue included an article titled“Gifts for Winona fills big needs.”
•Ashley Otte, a Saint Mary’s SGPP student, came within a feather of winning $2 million on the Thanksgiving episode of the popular NBC TV show “Deal or No Deal.” Otte took home $260,000. To read her story go to http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=372682. The Rochester Post Bulletion and several other area media reported the story.
•The Christian Brothers of the Midwest publication Partners in Mission featured a variety of Saint Mary’s news including a story about the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program, a feature about Brother President William Mann, and a photograph from Brother William’s inauguration.
•The Daily News wrote a story called “Sounds like history: Composer looks to Winona’s past for inspiration” about William Neil. Neil’s work will premiere at the “Lessons and Carols” concert. The article appeared on Nov. 25.
Whenever you have news to share, call Deb Nahrgang, director of communication-Winona, at Ext. 6966 or e-mail dnahrgan@smumn.edu. The venues we use to share the good news about Saint Mary’s include “Campus Notes,” internal e-mails, news pitches to media, press releases, the alumni magazine, university e-newsletters, brochures, the website and more.
Because of Christmas break, next week is the last “Campus Notes” in December, so look ahead on your calendars. After break, the next issue of “Campus Notes” will be released Jan. 9. The deadline for that issue is Jan. 7.
Evelyn Wnuk, who served as the executive secretary for Brother Louis DeThomasis for 13 years, died Tuesday, Nov. 25, in Winona. A card of condolence can be sent to Mark Johnstone and family, 567 East Broadway, Winona.
Kathleen (Katie) Jo Wiltgen, daughter of alum Patrick Wiltgen ’75 and granddaughter of former Saint Mary’s coach and faculty member Ken Wiltgen, died Saturday, Nov. 29, due to injuries from a car accident. Nancy Witgen, Development and Alumni Relations, is Kathleen’s cousin. Several other extended family members are SMU alumni as well.
The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Wnuk and Wiltgen families.
Dr. Roxanne Eubank has been selected as the first director of the newly established Institute for Lasallian Studies in the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. She will continue as professor in the Doctor of Education in Leadership Program, teaching and advising graduate students.
Dr. Eubank has been at the university since 1991, serving as a faculty member and an administrator in the graduate school. She has participated in a wide and rich variety of Lasallian formation programs, and she now is recognized as a leading lay partner in university, regional and international Lasallian conversations. Dr. Eubank currently serves on the SMU University Council for Lasallian Mission, the Mission and Ministry Council of the Midwest District of the Christian Brothers, and the International Lasallian University Leadership Program.
The Institute for Lasallian Studies was founded to provide Lasallian formation and accompaniment to members of the regional and international family. The Institute will provide master’s-level and doctoral-level programs, as well as certificates, designed to serve the needs of those working in Lasallian ministries around the world. In addition, the Institute anticipates hosting retreats and workshops on emerging issues of special concern to members of the Lasallian family.
Dr. Muna Matar, a computer science professor from Bethlehem University in Palestine, will speak on “Daily Life in Bethlehem: The Israeli Occupation” on Thursday, Dec. 4. Dr. Matar’s presentation will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in Salvi Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Matar is a visiting scholar in residence at Saint Mary’s during fall semester. She is teaching courses on “Women in the Middle East” at both Saint Mary’s and Winona State University. Dr. Matar lives in Beit Jala, a small city near Bethlehem. After graduating from Bethlehem University with a degree in mathematics, she earned an M.A. in Computer Science from Oregon State University and a doctorate from the University of Ghent in Belgium.
The Palestinian cities of Beit Jala and Bethlehem are part of the West Bank territories occupied by Israel after the 1967 war. For Palestinians, daily life in the occupied territories involves coping with checkpoints, the Israeli barrier wall that divides communities, and the growing number of Israeli settlements.
Bethlehem University is a Catholic institution in the Lasallian tradition, which has been serving students of all faith traditions since 1973. Dr. Matar’s visit is the result of the close association between Saint Mary’s and Bethlehem University, both of which are led by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
The Dance Repertory Company of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts — in association with Merchants Bank — will present the holiday favorite “The Nutcracker” Dec. 4-7.
Producing this delightful ballet every other holiday season, the Dance Repertory Company once again brings this magical experiences to the Winona-area community for its fifth biennial production.
The 2008 cast includes 100 members — including students from Saint Mary’s, Winona State University, and children and community members from the Winona area. In addition to beautiful dancing, this year’s production will feature a special choral performance by MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers at the conclusion of Act I in the Land of Snow.
“The Nutcracker” performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, through Saturday, Dec. 6, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Page Theatre. The Dec. 4-6 evening performances are recommended for children ages 5 and older. The Sunday, Dec. 7, afternoon performance is considered a “family event” and children ages 2 and older are welcome. At this time, the Page Theatre facilities and programs are not equipped to serve the needs of infants.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens and are available at the Saint Mary’s Box Office at Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit www.pagetheatre.org. Online ticket orders are only available through Dec. 1. Faculty and staff can receive two free tickets.
The Saint Mary’s Concert Band will present a multi-cultural holiday concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at St. Cecilia Theater, located on the Saint Teresa campus.
Under the direction of Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, the band will perform Polish music composed by John de Meii, Russian Christmas music by Alfred Reed, and a Chanukah Celebration written by David Bobrowitz and Kenneth Soper. In addition, SMU student conductors will lead the band in two arrangements. “Away in a Manger,” composed by Chip Davis and adapted for concert band by Robert Longfield, will be directed by Ryan Ballanger; “Variations on Deck the Halls,” arranged by Robert W. Smith, will be conducted by Gosia Paidosh.
The music will continue to flow after the formal concert. A Christmas cookie reception in the lobby will include lively jazzy carols, a brass quintet, a flute choir and a clarinet ensemble.
Tickets are $10, $5 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Online orders are available until Dec. 1.
Saint Mary’s University Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir will present their annual holiday tribute, “Lessons and Carols,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The performance — a celebration of Advent and the Nativity through sung and spoken word — will held at Chapel of Saint Mary’s of the Angels, located on the Saint Teresa campus.
Music will include some familiar carols, as well as selections by Byrd, Hassler, Rutter, Nystedt, Mozart, and a variety of other composers from Renaissance to the present.
The concert will feature the premiere of “Ovejita,” a setting of a Lorca poem in English translation by composer William Neil. The setting is for women’s voices and harp, and harpist Elinor Niemisto will join the women of the Concert Choir for the premiere. Neil's composition, along with a major work in preparation for the 2009 SMU Spring Choir Concert, is supported by a grant from the McKnight Foundation.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets are available online through Dec. 1.
The next “Let’s do Lunch” is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, sponsored by the SMU Cabinet.
Saint Mary’s jazz ensembles will join forces with the percussion ensemble Batucada Nossa Senhora for an evening of rhythmic jazz and unique ethnic sounds starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21 in Page Theatre.
The joint concert combines the talents of the 18-piece Jazz Ensemble and 12-member Batucada ensemble. The Jazz Combo, featuring five student soloists, will also perform. Dr. John Paulson directs the jazz groups and Denny McGuire directs Batucada Nossa Senhora (translated as “percussion ensemble of our lady”).
The big band will feature the world premiere of Dr. Paulson’s “Drop Off Blues.” This piece stretches the boundaries of traditional blues arrangements by giving each section in the band a challenging “soli” part, as well as ample space for individual soloists. Also included in the jazz ensemble set will be a Basie-style ballad “Nice and Easy,” written and arranged by Jeff Taylor; “Carnival Del Sol,” a lively jazz samba by Dean Sorenson; Dizzy Gillespie’s famous “Manteca”; bebop trumpeter Lee Morgan's ever popular “Sidewinder”; and “Spring Cleaning” by Maynard Ferguson alumnus Matt Harris (featuring music faculty member Eric Heukeshoven on piano). Jazz Combo will be performing A.C. Jobim’s well-known bossa nova “Triste” and Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue.” The jazz groups will combine with the Batucada percussionists to ignite the rhythmic excitement of the concert’s Latin-jazz style pieces.
Student soloists in the jazz groups include: tenor saxophonist Ryan Ballanger; baritone saxophonist Ben Scott and trombonist Tom Briese; and alto saxophonist Vanessa Grams.
Batucada Nossa Senhora will perform styles from the Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian traditions, as well as a drum medley from Ghana in West Africa.
Tickets are $10, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org. For more information on the event, contact Dr. Paulson at Ext. 1596 or jpaulson@smumn.edu.
Three jazz workshop combos, directed by Dr. John Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven of the Saint Mary’s Music Department, will present a free concert Thursday, Dec. 4, at Acoustic Café in downtown Winona.
The event will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and will feature student musicians who have been playing together all semester. The performance serves as their “final exam.”
The show will include jazz standards by composers like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis, as well as some unique arrangements by Heukeshoven of popular jazz tunes blended with familiar Christmas melodies.
“Hungry?” — a photograph by Keisha Harcey — is one of several pieces on display for the 2008 Undergraduate Art Show at Saint Mary’s University. The show is not limited to art majors, but is open to any SMU art student. A variety of artwork is on display Nov. 13 through Dec. 12 in the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sister Margaret Mear at mmear@smumn.edu.
This linoleum print by Mariana Sanchez del Castillo is part of the 2008 Undergraduate Art Show at Saint Mary's University. The show, currently on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, includes photographs, drawings and prints.
The Saint Mary's University High School Challenge season continued Saturday, Nov. 15, with Round 1C. High School Challenge is the longest-running, locally produced television program showcasing Eastern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Northeast Iowa high school students in an educational forum.
The following schools competed Nov. 15 and are moving onto the Consolation Championship on Dec. 6: Melrose-Mindoro, Osseo-Fairchild, and Alma Center Lincoln. Moving onto the Super Challenge Feb. 21 are: La Crosse Aquinas, Cotter and Eau Claire North. Other competing schools were: Holmen Maroon, Decorah, West Salem Black, West Salem Orange, Hope Lutheran and Bangor.
During the first rounds of competition, teams that win their afternoon game return for the Consolation Championship games. Teams that win their morning and afternoon games return for the Super Challenge Championship. The final eight games of the tournament are taped at SMU and televised on Fox 25 La Crosse and Fox 48 Eau Claire.
High school students receive scholarships to Saint Mary’s for participating in High School Challenge. Schools that win their first game receive $2,000 scholarships to SMU. Schools that lose their first game receive $1,000 scholarships to SMU. These scholarships are for any member of the senior class with a B or above average.
For more information, contact Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at Ext. 1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present the Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS) in “Musical Menagerie,” an inaugural concert, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at the Valéncia Arts Center.
WAYS members are students in grades three through six from the Winona area. The youth choir started in September of this year and has been rehearsing a variety of choral material. The program features music about animals, including German and American folk songs; a familiar hymn text; and modern compositions, both serious and humorous.
Lindsy O’Shea serves as the WAYS director. The WAYS assistant conductor is Jeff David, and Anthony Freeman serves as accompanist.
Reserved tickets are not necessary. Admission is $5 (cash or check only) at the door.
WAYS is the official youth choir of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. WAYS is dedicated to providing quality, artistic and educational programs for all young people, regardless of their financial circumstances.
For more information about WAYS or MCA’s other performing arts programming, visit www.smumn.edu/mca, e-mail dance@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5501.
Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona giving trees are up. This community-wide program — in its seventh year — provides gifts to less-fortunate families during the holiday season. Last year the Winona community provided gifts to more than 1,500 residents. This year more than 1,700 individuals — a record number — have asked for help.
Tags, each labeled with a different person’s holiday gift wishes, are available on one of the trees located in the Toner Center and Saint Mary's Hall.
Return gifts to the Business Office by Dec. 10. A monetary donation can also be made to sponsor the purchase of gifts; make checks payable to SMU GFW and send to Gifts for Winona, Box #8 or drop off at the Business Office windows.
The Cardinal Athletic Council will host its “Toys for Teens” holiday giving drive from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Dec. 2-10 by the stairs to the Cafe.
With a gift appropriate for a teenage boy or girl, you will be entered into a drawing for gift certificates around Winona.
Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase toys. CAC will be competing with all other MIAC schools for the highest percentage of toy collection.
If you have further questions, contact Melissa Paulson at mmpaul05@smumn.edu.
A. Eric Heukeshoven, instructor in the SMU Music Department, is one of the featured members on the American Composers Forum website, www.composersforum.org, during the month of November. The ACF selects members to be featured on their homepage based on composers’ recent works. John Michel, director of Projects and Promotions for the group, cited recent premieres of “Honneur à Toi” for Brother William Mann’s inauguration and “Things Things Things You Love,” commissioned and recently premiered by the La Crosse Chamber Chorale, as examples of Heukeshoven’s on-going work as a composer.
The “Featured Member” section on the ACF homepage highlights several composers each month and changes each time the page is visited. If the link to Heukeshoven’s feature doesn't appear, reload or refresh the page until it does.
Volunteers are needed to play in a staff vs. student basketball game fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. The game will be held on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 6 p.m. in the SMU gym. Because the student team will be made up of any club presidents who are willing to play, no skills are required. If you are interested, please contact Anjy Buck at habitat@smumn.edu.
As an effort to let our university community know all the ways SMU is “making the news” — in the Winona area and beyond — the Communication and Marketing Office will provide a regular list of stories highlighting SMU that are featured in the print media.
• SMU alum and former Trustee Renée Garpestad was interviewed by Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine’s December 2008 issue in an article titled, “Why I Give,” about the reasons why she donates to Saint Mary’s University.
• The Winona Daily News has printed a variety of stories in mid-November including: SMU’s Gifts for Winona community gift-giving program (Nov. 19), the expansion of our Brother James Miller program (Nov. 19), a learning extension through SMU’s Science and Math Methods students and the Area Learning Center in a hands-on GPS lesson (possibly Nov. 21), and the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts Sugar Plum Tea Party (Nov. 17). Additionally Steven Bouler was interviewed in an article titled, “Where the Boys Aren’t: Area Theatre Needs a Few Good Men,” (Nov. 16).
Whenever you have news to share, call Deb Nahrgang, director of communication-Winona, at Ext. 6966 or e-mail dnahrgan@smumn.edu. The venues we use to share the good news about Saint Mary’s include “Campus Notes,” internal e-mails, news pitches to media, press releases, the alumni magazine, university e-newsletters, brochures, the website and more.
Because of Thanksgiving break, there will be no “Campus Notes” next week. The deadline for the Dec. 5 edition is Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Gale Fox, father-in-law to June Fox (Registar's Office) and grandfather to John Fox ’10 died Thursday, Nov. 13. A card of condolence can be sent to the Fox family at Campus Box 34. The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Fox family.
Brother President William Mann is inviting the university community to participate in discussions about institutional priorities.
During the week of Nov. 17, he will host round-table discussions on planning with four constituent groups: faculty, staff and administrators, students, and parents and alumni. Invitations have been sent to 40 individuals from each of these groups to meet on the Winona and Twin Cities campuses.
These small gatherings will be followed by two town-hall meetings, one on the Winona campus and one on the Twin Cities campus, where all members of the Saint Mary’s community will be welcome to contribute insights on the proposed priorities. These town-hall meetings are scheduled as follows:
Town Hall Meeting, Twin Cities campus:
Monday, Nov. 24
PAN building Alumni Room
3:30-5 p.m.
Town Hall Meeting, Winona campus
Thursday, Nov. 20
Salvi Lecture Hall
3:30-5 p.m.
Following these roundtable sessions and town hall meetings, Brother William will finalize a set of priorities which will then be used to guide operational planning for the university over the next several years.
“Hungry?” — a photograph by Keisha Harcey — is one of several pieces on display for the 2008 Undergraduate Art Show at Saint Mary’s University. The show is not limited to art majors, but is open to any SMU art student. A variety of artwork is on display Nov. 13 through Dec. 12 in the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sister Margaret Mear at mmear@smumn.edu.
This linoleum print by Mariana Sanchez del Castillo is part of the 2008 Undergraduate Art Show at Saint Mary's University. The show, currently on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, includes photographs, drawings and prints.
The Dance Repertory Company of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts — in association with Merchants Bank — will present the holiday favorite "The Nutcracker" Dec. 4-7.
Heralding the message of peace on earth, “The Nutcracker” is performed around the globe during the holiday season. Producing this delightful ballet every other holiday season, the Dance Repertory Company once again brings this magical experiences to the Winona-area community for its fifth biennial production.
The 2008 cast includes 100 members — including students from Saint Mary’s, Winona State University, and children and community members from the Winona area. In addition to beautiful dancing, this year’s production will feature a special choral performance by MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers at the conclusion of Act I in the Land of Snow.
“The Nutcracker” performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, through Saturday, Dec. 6, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Page Theatre. The Dec. 4-6 evening performances are recommended for children ages 5 and older. The Sunday, Dec. 7, afternoon performance is considered a “family event” and children ages 2 and older are welcome. At this time, the Page Theatre facilities and programs are not equipped to serve the needs of infants.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens and are available at the Saint Mary’s Box Office at Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit www.pagetheatre.org. Online ticket orders are only available through Dec. 1.
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s.
Saint Mary’s jazz ensembles will join forces with the percussion ensemble Batucada Nossa Senhora for an evening of rhythmic jazz and unique ethnic sounds starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21 in Page Theatre.
The joint concert combines the talents of the 18-piece Jazz Ensemble and 12-member Batucada ensemble. The Jazz Combo, featuring five student soloists, will also perform. Dr. John Paulson directs the jazz groups and Denny McGuire directs Batucada Nossa Senhora (translated as “percussion ensemble of our lady”).
The big band will feature the world premiere of Dr. Paulson’s “Drop Off Blues.” This piece stretches the boundaries of traditional blues arrangements by giving each section in the band a challenging “soli” part, as well as ample space for individual soloists. Also included in the jazz ensemble set will be a Basie-style ballad “Nice and Easy,” written and arranged by Jeff Taylor; “Carnival Del Sol,” a lively jazz samba by Dean Sorenson; Dizzy Gillespie’s famous “Manteca”; bebop trumpeter Lee Morgan's ever popular “Sidewinder”; and “Spring Cleaning” by Maynard Ferguson alumnus Matt Harris (featuring music faculty member Eric Heukeshoven on piano). Jazz Combo will be performing A.C. Jobim’s well-known bossa nova “Triste” and Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue.” The jazz groups will combine with the Batucada percussionists to ignite the rhythmic excitement of the concert’s Latin-jazz style pieces.
Student soloists in the jazz groups include: tenor saxophonist Ryan Ballanger; baritone saxophonist Ben Scott and trombonist Tom Briese; and alto saxophonist Vanessa Grams.
Batucada Nossa Senhora will perform styles from the Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian traditions, as well as a drum medley from Ghana in West Africa.
Tickets are $10, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org. For more information on the event, contact Dr. Paulson at Ext. 1596 or jpaulson@smumn.edu.
Catch dinner and a show with The Oldie Moldie All-Stars from Saint Mary’s today, Nov. 14, at Visions Event Center.
Rock along to your favorite ’50s, ’60s and ’70s tunes, while you enjoy a menu of garden salad, pan-seared Canadian walleye fillet, wild rice pilaf, mixed vegetables, caper tarter sauce, rolls and butter, and a mini banana split.
The Oldies are members of the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Saint Mary’s. The group consists of 12 talented and engaging singers and band members. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m.; the Oldies will perform two sets, one at 6:30 p.m., and a second at 7:45 p.m.
The price for the dinner and show is $30 per person; reservations can be made by calling Signatures at 454-3767. Payment is accepted at time of reservation. The reservation deadline is Nov. 12.
Visions Event Center is located at Signatures Restaurant, 22852 County Road 17 in Pleasant Valley.
Dr. Muna Matar, a computer science professor from Bethlehem University in Palestine, will speak on “Daily Life in Bethlehem: The Israeli Occupation” on Thursday, Dec. 4. Dr. Matar’s presentation will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in Salvi Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Matar is a visiting scholar in residence at Saint Mary’s during fall semester. She is teaching courses on “Women in the Middle East” at both Saint Mary’s and Winona State University. Dr. Matar lives in Beit Jala, a small city near Bethlehem. After graduating from Bethlehem University with a degree in mathematics, she earned an M.A. in Computer Science from Oregon State University and a doctorate from the University of Ghent in Belgium.
The Palestinian cities of Beit Jala and Bethlehem are part of the West Bank territories occupied by Israel after the 1967 war. For Palestinians, daily life in the occupied territories involves coping with checkpoints, the Israeli barrier wall that divides communities, and the growing number of Israeli settlements.
Bethlehem University is a Catholic institution in the Lasallian tradition, which has been serving students of all faith traditions since 1973. Dr. Matar’s visit is the result of the close association between Saint Mary’s and Bethlehem University, both of which are led by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
Rebecca (Dahlin ’98) Laborde, Ph.D., will give a talk titled “New High-Throughput Genomic Strategies for the Study of Head and Neck Cancer: Next Generation Sequencing and Advances in Individualized Medicine” at 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, in Room 112, Hoffman Hall. Dr. Laborde works at Mayo in Rochester.
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will host the fifth biennial Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party on Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Valéncia Arts Center, located at 1164 West 10th St.
Two tea sittings (1 p.m. and 4 p.m.), each with specialty teas and exquisite finger foods, will be offered. The Land of the Sweets Gift Boutique, featuring holiday gifts and crafts, will be available for the public’s shopping pleasure from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.
All children attending the tea party will receive a complimentary photo of themselves with their favorite live character from “The Nutcracker” Ballet. Additionally, storytelling of this favorite holiday classic will be held in the Land of the Sweets Gift Boutique during shopping hours.
The Sugar Plum Fairy Tea party is the first big event of “The Nutcracker” production season for MCA and its youth performing troupe, the Dance Repertory Company.
The Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party serves as a fundraiser for MCA; all proceeds go toward production costs for “The Nutcracker.”
For tickets to the tea sittings or for more information about the gift boutique, call Ext. 5501. Tickets are $15.
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present the Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS) in “Musical Menagerie,” an inaugural concert, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at the Valéncia Arts Center.
WAYS members are students in grades three through six from the Winona area. The youth choir started in September of this year and has been rehearsing a variety of choral material. The program features music about animals, including German and American folk songs; a familiar hymn text; and modern compositions, both serious and humorous.
Lindsy O’Shea serves as the WAYS director. The WAYS assistant conductor is Jeff David, and Anthony Freeman serves as accompanist.
Reserved tickets are not necessary. Admission is $5 (cash or check only) at the door.
WAYS is the official youth choir of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. WAYS is dedicated to providing quality, artistic and educational programs for all young people, regardless of their financial circumstances.
For more information about WAYS or MCA’s other performing arts programming, visit www.smumn.edu/mca, e-mail dance@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5501.
The senior class auction is today, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the game room. A variety of items are available to bid on including gift certificates, luggage, a Carhartt jacket, movies, homemade dinners and more.
For more information, contact Mandy Haus at alhaus05@smumn.edu or Kaitlin Depuydt at kadepu05@smumn.edu.
Four area schools earned the right to advance Saturday, Nov. 8, in the second weekend of Saint Mary's University High School Challenge. High School Challenge is the longest-running, locally produced television program showcasing Eastern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Northeast Iowa high school students in an educational forum.
The following schools competed in Round 1B Nov. 8 and are moving onto the Consolation Championship: Holmen White and Seneca. Moving on to the Super Challenge are Onalaska and Eau Claire Regis Green. Other competing schools were Lewiston, Viroqua, Eau Claire Regis White and Weston.
The tournament will wrap-up its first round with Round 1C, starting at 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, in the World Room. The public is welcome to attend.
The following schools will participate in Round 1C: Holmen Maroon, La Crosse Aquinas, Melrose-Mindoro, Decorah, West Salem Black, West Salem Orange, Cotter, Osseo-Fairchild, Hope Lutheran, Alma Center Lincoln, Bangor, and Eau Claire North.
Teams that win their afternoon game will return for the Consolation Championship games Saturday, Dec 6. Teams that win their morning and afternoon games will return for the Super Challenge Championship Saturday, Feb. 21. The final eight games of Round 1 are taped at Saint Mary’s and televised on Fox 25 La Crosse and Fox 48 Eau Claire.
The following schools competed in Round 1A Oct. 11 and are also moving onto the Consolation Championship: La Crosse Central, Logan White and Riceville (IA). Moving on to the Super Challenge are La Crescent, Logan Red and Winona Senior High Orange. Other competing schools were Caledonia, Blair-Taylor, North Crawford, and Youth Initiative.
High school students receive scholarships to Saint Mary’s for participating in High School Challenge. Schools that win their first game receive $2,000 scholarships to SMU. Schools that lose their first game receive $1,000 scholarships to SMU. These scholarships are for any member of the senior class with a B or above average.
For more information, contact Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at Ext. 1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.
Michelle Cochran, K-12 Reading Licensure Program and Department of Art and Design, gave a presentation at the Minnesota Reading Association 2008 conference in Brooklyn Park, titled "Supporting Literacy Development Through Visual Arts."
The Saint Mary’s community continues to raise money for the Nairobi campus through Jeans for a Cause, as well as Let’s Do Lunch events. The next “Let’s do Lunch” is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, sponsored by the SMU Cabinet.
New Employee:
Carolyn Bell, Nov. 10, Twin Cities, program director, M.A. Health and Human Services Administration.
Leaving:
Maricar Johnson, Nov. 7, Twin Cities, administrative assistant.
Barbara Speltz, mother-in-law of Dawn Speltz, Financial Aid Office, died on Nov. 9. A funeral was held Thursday, in Altura. Cards of sympathy can be sent to Dawn and John at Campus Box 5.
Maurice Korte, brother of Sister Clare Korte, Biology Department, and father to Michael Korte ’95, died on Nov. 9. A funeral was held in Highland, Ill. Cards of condolence can be sent to Sister Clare at Campus Box 10.
The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Speltz and Korte families.