Nairobi news

News from MIASMU Nairobi campus

The second Immersion Program ended at MIASMU — SMU’s Nairobi campus — on July 13 after three-week intensive research-based courses on African Culture, Sage Philosophy and African Religion.

Running alongside the courses were two special groups of students: a group of six sponsored by the Maryknoll Fathers from a Toronto group called Hearts and Hands, and another 37 teachers from Canada in an organization called Teachers Helping Teachers. They all registered for the three-day course on Introduction to African Culture and Religion. Most of them, after their initial hesitation about going out alone with a just–met African field assistant, were able to move out of their comfort zones and were doing field research on a one-to-one basis with their field assistants.

This is a good example of the effectiveness of the MIASMU education method where classroom lectures are integrated with supervised field research facilitated by a trained African university graduate. This method quickly began to guide all of them into appreciating and enjoying African cultural life and activities.

Awards given to MIASMU field assistants

At the end of each academic year, the field assistants — who are all Kenyan University graduates — and an essential element of the MIASMU educational method, are awarded certificates of performance and gifts ranging from watches and bags to books and airtime credit cards in appreciation of a job well done.

They are assigned to students on a one-to-one basis as their personal field assistants, which makes the students’ learning experiences unique and highly effective in understanding and articulating African cultural reality.

Foundation Certificates are awarded to field assistants who have worked in a minimum of six courses. The certificate spells out that the assistant has attended 240 hours of lectures on a post-graduate level, assisted students in 40 hours of field research per course, acculturated graduate students both foreign and African to Kenyan life and reality, arranged for students’ contacts, translation, explanations, and interviews in the field, hosted students in rural homes on overnight visits and written six essays relevant to the course, each of which is listed with the grade received.

Intermediate and Advanced Certificates are also awarded after a field assistant has done a second and a third group of six courses respectively.

Two of the field assistants were awarded Advanced Certificates, three Intermediate Certificates and six Foundational Certificates. These Certificates are highly valued by the assistants and are included in their CVs when applying for jobs or academic programs.

Jazz notes

Swing Inc. will perform today, Friday, July 22, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Signature’s Restaurant, 22852 County Road 17. The John Paulson Jazz Duo will perform Saturday, July 23, at Salem Glen Vineyard & Winery in Rochester.

Quilters Guild show on display at SMU

The summer show, “Beneath the Covers: The Winona Area Quilters’ Guild” will be on display at Saint Mary’s Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries through Aug. 14.

A huge variety of full-size quilts, as well as other quilted pieces — ranging from traditional patterns to very graphic and experimental ones — will be on display.

The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Bearbower to attend ECAR Symposium

Sarah Bearbower, Information Technology manager-academic systems, will attend the ECAR symposium on “IT as a Game Changer.”

This year’s ECAR Symposium, to be held July 28–29 in Chicago, will provide opportunities for CIOs and their campus innovation partners to interact with one another and some of the most innovative and stimulating strategists working in higher education today. Together they will explore how information technology can be used, not simply to run campus operations efficiently, but to actually transform teaching, learning, research, and higher education administration.

P&D student to swim English Channel

Cheyanne Boddicker, currently on campus in her second year of study with the M.A. in Philanthropy and Development program, will be leaving the day after the 2011 campus residency for Dover, England. In early August, she will attempt to swim the English Channel in an effort to raise funds and awareness for cancer research at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

It is a 19-nautical-mile swim, but with unforeseen weather and current patterns, the swim could end up being 22-30 miles. It could take 12 or more hours to complete.
 
The campaign is called “Crossing for a Cure” and as a part of this campaign, she is currently doing a mini-project called “The Union Hawk Project,” in which donors sign the name of a loved one who has fought cancer to a U of I Hawkeye flag, which will be on the boat that accompanies Cheyanne across the channel.
 
For more information, go to www.crossingforacure.com and “like” the Crossing for a Cure Facebook page.

Heukeshovens to coach Minnesota All-State Band

From Aug. 1-6 Janet and Eric Heukeshoven, Music Department, will serve as section coaches for the Minnesota All-State Band at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., through the Minnesota Music Educators Association. Janet will coach the flute and piccolo players and Eric will work with the euphonium and tuba players. They will also assist with rehearsals and will perform in a faculty recital.

‘Campus Notes’ will continue every other Friday

“Campus Notes” will continue every other Friday during the summer including Aug. 5 and Aug. 19. The deadline for each issue is noon the previous Wednesday.

Sympathy to Pattee family

Frank Jones (Fresno, Calif.) father-in-law of Stephen Pattee, Interdisciplinary Studies, died Wednesday, July 13, after battling cancer. The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Pattee family.

Saint Mary's purchases south Minneapolis properties

$2 million anonymous gift helps purchase purchase of Harrington Mansion and Events Center

Saint Mary’s has finalized its purchase of the Harrington Mansion and Events Center, located adjacent to the university’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) in Minneapolis. Saint Mary’s plans to use the property, formerly owned by the Zuhrah Shriners, for expansion of its graduate programs, community outreach, and alumni event venues.

“This is an investment both in our campus and in the Twin Cities community,” said Brother William. “Saint Mary’s is expanding to meet our growth in educational offerings. We see this as an investment to not only provide educational access to those who increasingly are excluded from it, but also a commitment to help revitalize the Phillips West neighborhood.”

The Harrington Mansion and Events Center purchase, which includes the historic mansion, carriage house, modern events center, and 100 parking spaces, encompassing 1.66 acres at 2540 Park Avenue. The mansion and carriage house consist of 30,000 square feet, and the event center has 54,000 square feet. The purchase significantly increases the size of Saint Mary’s campus footprint on Park Avenue.

The purchase price of the properties is $2.75 million. A $2 million gift from an anonymous donor made the purchase possible for Saint Mary’s. Saint Mary’s will begin a campaign to raise funds for renovations of the buildings.

“We are grateful to the donor for enabling us to make this purchase,” said Brother William. “We are proud to become a part of the rich history of the Harrington Mansion. Saint Mary’s University intends to preserve that history while making the property highly functional for today’s learners and guests.”

The mansion and carriage house will be used for online learning opportunities, office space, gatherings of alumni and friends, and performing and visual arts space. The center will be used for university events and will continue to be available for public rental. The space is ideal for meetings, corporate functions, and receptions.

Harrington Mansion history

The Harrington Mansion was designated historic by the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission in 1988. This designation protects the external integrity of the historic property while allowing Saint Mary’s to make modern internal renovations.

To view photos, go to www.flickr.com/photos/64409651@N02.

To view a fact sheet about the buildings, go to http://saintmary.posterous.com/harrington-mansion-fact-sheet.

Master of Education in Teaching and Learning accredited in Jamaica

The Master of Education in Teaching and Learning program has been accredited by the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), effective May 1, 2010. Saint Mary’s and the Catholic College of Mandeville, partner institutions in this venture, were notified by mail of this very important milestone in mid-June. This accreditation is official validation of the M.Ed. program by officials in Jamaica, adding to the previous approval by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, the regional accreditor of Saint Mary’s, over two years ago. The effective date (May 2010) of this accreditation has been back-dated by UCJ to include the first graduating community in Jamaica, normal procedure for program accreditation by UCJ in Jamaica.

The M.Ed. program has graduated 50 students in its first two learning communities. Currently, there are 35 students in the second year of the program, with plans to begin another new community this September. The program began delivery in the summer of 2008 after three years of planning between the partner institutions.

Homecoming draws 400 alumni

Brother John Grover greets a couple of alums at the picnic.

A few alums from the 50th anniversary class enjoyed a trolley tour of Winona.

A full weekend of activities drew 400 alums during Homecoming June 24-26. Check out the more than 400 pictures and the online highlight video. The energy from the weekend was high, and alumni were thankful for the opportunity to connect with each other and with the university. Thanks go to faculty and staff who found the time to take part in this activity-filled weekend and for all those who worked hard to prepare campus for these events. Together we are building important connections with our alumni community that strengthen our future. Go to www.smumn.edu/alumniphotos to view photos from the weekend; to see a video of activities, go to www.smumn.edu/hcvideo.

Tom Farren Memorial Golf Classic is July 24

The fourth annual Tom Farren Memorial Golf Classic (formerly the Saint Mary’s Golf Classic) is scheduled for Sunday, July 24, at Cedar Valley Golf Course. The four-person scramble has a 9 a.m. shotgun start and is a fundraiser for SMU golf. The entry fee is $80 per person and includes a Sunday brunch (7:30 to 8:30 a.m.), a Saint Mary’s logo shirt, and 18 holes of golf with a cart. Raffle prizes are available, team prizes will be awarded, and games will include: closest to pin, long drive, longest putt and closest to pin in two shots on designated holes. The deadline to register is Monday, July 11. Send check and shirt sizes for foursomes to the Cedar Valley Golf Course, P.O. Box 1148, Winona, MN; (507) 457-3129.

Employees get discount to Great River Shakespeare Festival

As a sponsor of the Great River Shakespeare Festival, all employees of Saint Mary's University are entitled to a 15 percent discount on tickets.

Season 8 includes “King Henry IV, Part 1”; “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; and “The Fantasticks” from through July 31.

Call the box office at 474-7900 and tell them you’re an employee of Saint Mary’s to get your discounted tickets. For more information, go to http://grsf.org.

Two organizations honored by Minnesota Campus Compact

Two Saint Mary’s University groups and organizations received Presidents’ Awards from the Minnesota Campus Compact in the areas of Student Leadership, Civic Engagement and Company Partnership in June at the Minnesota Campus Compact’s Annual Summit and Awards Luncheon.

The Presidents’ Awards provide an opportunity for university presidents and chancellors to give statewide recognition to effective leaders in the development of campus-community partnerships.

Receiving awards from Saint Mary’s are:

Presidents’ Student Leadership Award — SMU Student-Athletes. This award is for an individual student or a student organization that models a deep commitment to civic responsibility and leadership.

Community Service has become a hallmark of SMU athletics, garnering national recognition in recent years. Amy Kujak, a member of the women’s volleyball team and the Cardinal Athletic Council, represented the athletes for this award. In 2007, the CAC organized efforts to assist area flood ravaged communities. These efforts led to the nation’s top community service award for NCAA Division III athletic departments, the Josten’s Community Service Award. In 2008-09, student-athletes culminated a year of volunteering with a spring CAC Play for Shay Day, inviting children from local communities to the SMU campus for an afternoon of sporting activities and a silent auction. Proceeds were donated to a family with a child battling cancer. The student-athletes again received the Josten’s Community Service Award-Honorable Mention, for a variety of activities during 2009-10, including raising money for cancer research, volunteering with elementary children and collecting and donating food and Christmas gifts. Approximately 300 student-athletes volunteered more than 2,000 hours, raising $5,000 for charitable and community service causes. In 2010-11, efforts have included cancer awareness, painting classrooms at area schools and food drives.

Presidents’ Civic Engagement Steward Award — the Winona Campus Volunteer Committee. This award is for a member of the faculty, administration or staff, or for a group (advisory committee, task force, project team) that has significantly advanced their campus’ distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic engagement, and worked to institutionalize a culture and practice of engagement.

The volunteer committee, formed in 2001, is dedicated to bringing faculty and staff together in service to the community. Laurie Haase, a member of the committee, represented the committee members for this award. The group has been involved with a number of activities including Gifts for Winona, United Way’s Day of Caring, Habitat for Humanity, Spruce Up Winona, Adopt-A-River, Hurricane Katrina and Haiti earthquake relief, flood relief, and raising money for CTIE.

For nine years, the WCVC has managed Gifts for Winona’s program database, provided facilities and volunteers to manage gift collection, wrapping and pickup and raised funds. The program has provided Christmas gifts annually to 1,200-1,846 individuals, mostly children. Over the nine years of existence, the program has provided gifts to more than 13,244 individuals.

Dale Warland leads Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorale at Chapel

Dale Warland leads a rehearsal of the Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorale in the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels.

Renowned choral conductor Dale Warland returns to Winona to lead the Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorale in two performances of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s beloved All-Night Vigil at SMU’s Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. Additionally, SMU’s Patrick O’Shea is part of the chorale.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10, at Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. Tickets are $25, $21 students and seniors .

Minnesota Public Radio’s Brian Newhouse joins Dale Warland and the chorale to host this unique musical event. For more information, go to www.mnbeethovenfestival.com.

Countdown to College runs July 16-Aug. 6

Saint Mary’s will conduct its second annual Countdown to College July 16-Aug. 6 on its Winona campus. This two-week program for students from under-resourced communities will be offered to students each year for four years, beginning just after they complete eighth grade and continuing until they reach college age — helping to assure each student is prepared for a successful college experience.

The camp is completely free to student participants from San Miguel and Nativity Schools, their parents (who come the first weekend) and teachers from their schools, who co-teach with SMU instructors, and help prepare SMU instructors on how to effectively work with this growing population of students. Twenty-five students participated last summer. In addition to welcoming back these 25 participants, SMU also welcomes 25 new incoming ninth graders. Each group of 25 is here for two weeks, and they overlap on campus one week.

This is one portion of Saint Mary’s First-Generation Initiative, a program designed to offer academic, financial and personal support to first-generation students as they transition into higher education.

Lueck to compete in Dancing with Winona Stars

Forty local stars — including Terrie Lueck, SMU director of conferencing and camps — are getting ready to dance the night away for charity this summer during the 3rd Annual Dancing with Winona Stars.

The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, at SMU’s Gostomski Fieldhouse and will be sponsored by the Gotta Dance Competition Group. The pre-show begins at 7 p.m., and the competition begins at 7:30 p.m.

Last year over 1,000 people attended the show and more than $10,000 was raised for local charities. Lueck is raising money for SMU’s First-Generation Initiative.

This year will feature 11 individual stars dancing with Gotta Dance Instructors and five star groups that will be performing a variety of styles from rhumba to hip hop.

Tables are available for $250 and include hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, reserved seating and early admission at 5 p.m.

Single tickets with hors d’oeuvres and early admission at 5 p.m. are $25 and show-only tickets with 7 p.m. admission are $10 or $20 at the door.

For more information, visit www.dancingwithwinonastars.com or call Gotta Dance at (507) 474-7077.

Ice cream social scheduled for July 28

The Winona Volunteer Committee will host an old fashioned ice cream social on Thursday, July 28, from 2-3 p.m. Enjoy a bean bag toss, ladder golf, water balloon toss and a cherry pit spitting contest. Prizes will be awarded. Cool off with “free-will” rootbeer floats and pie (at $1 per slice). Mark your calendars for July 28 for a fun summer celebration that will benefit CTIE in Nairobi.

SMU welcomes Flying Foot Forum

Joe Chvala and the Flying Foot Forum will present an evening of intricately layered percussive footwork for Saint Mary’s first “Off the Page” event Saturday, July 23.

Audiences are invited to watch what the Minneapolis Star Tribune coined as “fierce exhilarating dancemaking” at 8 p.m. in the Valéncia Arts Center, located at 10th and Vila streets.

The Flying Foot Forum is a vibrant and bold percussive dance/theater company that fuses percussion and percussive dances with many other forms of music, dance and theater, telling unusual tales, creating a wild variety of characters, and exploring universal ideas in inventive and exciting new ways.

Chvala has worked as a director, choreographer, writer, composer, performer, and teacher for opera companies, experimental and nonexperimental theatres, concert dance venues, performing arts academies, and universities. Located in Minneapolis since 1990, Chvala previously worked in New York and Gothenburg, Sweden.

Tickets are $15 for adults or $10 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

In conjunction with their visit, Chvala and the dancers will present a free lecture/demonstration on the history of tap and jazz dance at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 21, at the Valéncia Arts Center. The artists will also conduct master classes with Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts students July 22-23. For more information, call (507) 453-5500 or go to www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.

Saint Mary’s “Off The Page” events feature Minnesota artists in venues around town throughout the year. Enjoy additional Page Series-quality performances at other convenient, accessible locations in Winona!

Saint Mary’s is a fiscal year 2011 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

Tegrity recordings to be deleted Aug. 1

The IT Department will delete Tegrity recordings from the SMU Tegrity database on Aug. 1, 2011.

Only Tegrity files from the semesters of 2009W1, 2009W2, 2009W3, 2009M1, 2009M2, 2009M3, 2010W1 and 2010M1 or prior will be deleted.

2010W2, 2010W3, 2010M2, and 2010M3 will remain intact, as well as any organizations or courses that don’t match that naming criteria.

If there are recordings you would like to keep from a previous semester, there are three options available to you.

1) Move those recording(s) to a current semester offering.

2) Create an Image CD of the classes you would like to archive. This process zips up the recordings into a file that you can then extract and save.

3) Log a call at the Helpdesk to request that we not delete those class recordings.

The HelpDesk will need to have the specific course ID to pass along to IT staff.

Please email helpdesk@smumn.edu or call Ext. 7800, if you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter.

Please note that unless you contact the Helpdesk, Tegrity files listed above will be deleted. This will only delete Tegrity recordings, it does not affect the course listings in Blackboard in any way.

Heukeshoven to teach, compose, perform jazz this weekend

A. Eric Heukeshoven, SMU Music Department, will be one of six regional educators serving as faculty for the 7th annual Dixieland Jazz Workshop sponsored by Winona State University. The workshop promotes a better understanding of traditional “Dixieland” jazz in middle and high school aged students through teaching and performance.

As part of the program, Heukeshoven has been commissioned to compose a new piece of music expressly for this year’s group of students. “Strollin’ Down the Lane With You” is a work inspired by jazz great Thomas “Fats” Waller. The new composition is Heukeshoven’s 4th commission for the annual event. His first — “Woodshed Stomp” — was
premiered at the inaugural workshop in 2005.

Following a day of rehearsals, lecture/performances, and individual instruction, the students will kick-off the 24th annual Dixieland Festival sponsored by the Upper Mississippi Jazz Society on Saturday, July 9, from 10:30 a.m. until noon at the Goodview Pavillion (6th
Street & 44th Avenue). In addition to playing with the workshop students on Saturday morning, Heukeshoven will also perform later in the day on piano and trombone with the Turkey River All-Stars. The group has a 44-year history of playing traditional jazz and is led by Minnesota Music Hall of Famer Les Fields.

The UMJS Festival is free and open to the public and runs from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase
at the event.

For more information, contact Eric Heukeshoven at Ext. 7292 or eheukesh@smumn.edu.

Jazz notes

Swing Inc. will perform today, Friday, July 8, from 7 -10 p.m. at Signature’s Restaurant, 22852 County Road 17.

Quilters Guild show on display at SMU

The summer show, “Beneath the Covers: The Winona Area Quilters’ Guild” will be on display at Saint Mary’s Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries through Aug. 14.

A huge variety of full-size quilts, as well as other quilted pieces — ranging from traditional patterns to very graphic and experimental ones — will be on display.

The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

SMU community members perform in municipal band

Come and enjoy the sounds of band music at the Lake Park Bandshell each Wednesday evening from 8 to 9 p.m. (Concerts are canceled if it rains.)

The band features a wide variety of music including show tunes, marches, overtures and concert pieces. Bring a chair or blanket or sit on the benches provided by the city and enjoy the free concerts every Wednesday evening through mid-August.

‘Campus Notes’ will continue every other Friday

“Campus Notes” will continue every other Friday during the summer including July 22, Aug. 5, and Aug. 19. The deadline for each issue is noon the previous Wednesday.

Sympathy to Jarvinen family

Dr. Richard “Dick” Jarvinen, who served as professor of math and statistics at Saint Mary’s from 1972 through 1990, died Wednesday, July 6. Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements. Survivors include his son Caleb '90. The Saint Mary’s community extends its sympathy to the Jarvinen family.

Five alums to be honored at SMU’s Homecoming June 24-26

Each year during summer Homecoming festivities, Saint Mary’s honors outstanding alumni.

This weekend, the Distinguished Alum Award recipient will be Dr. Don Truhlar of Stillwater, Minn.; Lasallian Service Awards will go to Mary Lou (Black) Scheid of Bloomington, Minn., and James and Molly (Crosby) Cave of St. Paul. Additionally, Rob Figliulo of Burr Ridge, Ill., will receive the Alumni Appreciation Award. All five will be honored during a reception Saturday, June 25.

Approximately 350 alumni, family and friends will return to their alma mater for Saint Mary’s Homecoming festivities, which begin Friday, June 24, and run throughout the weekend. In addition to the alumni awards ceremony, highlights include a golf outing, the Gilmore Gallop 5K, a 50+ anniversary social, and the alumni picnic.

2011 Homecoming Honorees:

Dr. Don Truhlar ’65
Distinguished Alum Stillwater, Minn.
Don Truhlar ’65 switched his major at Saint Mary’s from physics to chemistry because, he said, “The most exciting science on campus” was in carbene research. His research took many turns, but 37 years later, he returned to his SMU roots and wrote two journal articles on carbene chemistry. All together, he has authored more than 900 journal articles, more than 80 book chapters and has edited or co-edited 13 books. Don received a Ph.D. from Caltech in 1970, and he has been on the faculty of the University of Minnesota since 1969 where he is currently Regents Professor of Chemistry, Chemical Physics Nanoparticle Science and Engineering and Scientific Computation. Don also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of the American Chemical Society and as editor of Computer Physics Communications. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences of and the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute. He has received numerous national and international awards for his research.

Rob Figliulo ’76
Alumni Appreciation Burr Ridge, Ill.
Rob Figliulo ’76 is a lifelong supporter of Saint Mary’s University. He is a former member and chairman of the SMU Board of Trustees and is currently serving as chair of the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies Advisory Board. He has also served as an active parent while several of his children attended Saint Mary’s. Rob has demonstrated his philanthropy and commitment to the university. He is a charismatic supporter of SMU who has been generous with his time, talent and financial contributions.


Mary Lou (Black ’76) Scheid
Lasallian Service Bloomington, Minn.
It has been the lifelong goal of Mary Lou (Black ’76) Scheid and her husband Stephen Scheid ’76 to volunteer in a Third World country after they retired. Sadly, because of Stephen’s sudden and untimely death, they were unable to carry out their dream together. Undaunted, Mary Lou and her 11-year-old son studied Spanish and moved to Antigua, Guatemala. For three years, Mary Lou served as a surgical nurse and Spanish interpreter. She worked with teams of doctors from the United States, Europe and Canada on a variety of surgeries including orthopedic, cleft lip and palate, hysterectomies and cataract. Mary Lou returned to the United States a few years ago but continues to make several trips each year back to Guatemala with medical teams from the Twin Cities.

James ’91 & Molly (Crosby ’91) Cave
Lasallian Service St. Paul, Minn.
Together, James ’91 and Molly (Crosby ’91) Cave are living examples of Lasallian service. Molly, a social worker, community volunteer and advocate for women, uses love and compassion to advocate and empower people in the Twin Cities. Molly was also instrumental in the St. Paul Paint the Pavement program, which promotes community building and “peacemaking” through creating neighborhood art. James is a Catholic schoolteacher and a coach who is a leader and national speaker on social justice, genocide, and the Rwandan genocide. James leads educational trips for high school students to Rwanda annually. Recently the Caves invited a young man from Rwanda into their home so he could attend junior and high school in the United States. The Caves practice what they preach, and live the lives that most others only talk about.

Faculty and staff are invited to — and encouraged to attend — weekend activities. To view a complete schedule of events, go to www.smumn.edu/homecoming.

Parade a huge success

As part of Saint Mary’s visibility initiative, the Marketing and Communication Office entered a float for this year’s Steamboat Days parade June 19. A huge thank you goes to this year’s volunteers: Gary Borash, Bob Fisher, Rhea Fosco, Amanda Gehrman, Terri Lieder, Janet Heukeshoven, Adrianne Olson (the spunky Cardinal mascot), Tom Mans, Amber Paulson and Lance Thompson. We successfully painted the parade route red with SMU bandannas.

Mark your calendars: SMU will also participate in the Goodview Days Parade Aug. 21.

Blackboard 9.1 is almost here

Take a minute to read the “Bb 9.1 Coming Soon” tab in Blackboard. It’s the best way to stay informed on the changes ahead.

IMPORTANT: If you wish to have a course from 2008M3 (Summer 2009) or earlier copied to the new Bb system, you must request it. To request a course that is from before 2008M3, please send an e-mail indicating the complete course ID(s) and your name to Edtech@smumn.edu.

The Blackboard system will not be available during the weekend of July 1-4.

Interested in attending an introduction to Bb 9.1 training session in July? Contact Jason Spartz, jspartz@smumn.edu, to learn about your options.

Lueck to competing in Dancing with Winona Stars

Forty local stars — including Terrie Lueck, SMU director of conferencing and camps — are getting ready to dance the night away for charity this summer during the 3rd Annual Dancing with Winona Stars.

The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, at SMU’s Gostomski Fieldhouse and will be sponsored by the Gotta Dance Competition Group. The pre-show begins at 7 p.m., and the competition begins at 7:30 p.m.

Last year over 1,000 people attended the show and more than $10,000 was raised for local charities. Lueck is raising money for SMU’s First-Generation Initiative.

This year will feature 11 individual stars dancing with Gotta Dance Instructors and five star groups that will be performing a variety of styles from rhumba to hip hop.

Tables are available for $250 and include hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, reserved seating and early admission at 5 p.m.

Single tickets with hors d’oeuvres and early admission at 5 p.m. are $25 and show-only tickets with 7 p.m. admission are $10 or $20 at the door.

For more information, visit www.dancingwithwinonastars.com or call Gotta Dance at (507) 474-7077.

SMU student named Miss Winona

SMU junior Shelby Siemek was named Miss Winona 2011.

Siemek is majoring in marketing. Her platform was “Buckle Up: Arrive Alive” and she sang “Ave Maria” in the talent portion of the competition.

Siemek reigned over the Steamboat Days festival and will represent Winona over the next year. She also received a $1,000 scholarship.

The Spirit Award went to Stephanie Kostuck ,a recent graduate of Winona State University, who majored in elementary education. Kostuck and Nicole Young, a Winona State University senior majoring in Mass Communications, will serve as Miss Winona Attendants. Both Kostuck and Young received $300 scholarships.

Kuramota receives Study Abroad Italy scholarship

Saint Mary’s student Sloane Kuramoto is the Fall 2011 recipient of the John Cabot University Scholarship.

Study Abroad Italy (SAI) and John Cabot University offer these scholarships based on need and merit in both fall and spring semesters.

Kuramoto received the $4,475 fellowship — This fellowship requires five hours per week of internship in the SAI office on site. Duties include assisting SAI Program Coordinator and lasts the duration of the term, except for holiday or midterm breaks.

Learn more about the scholarships offered by SAI (Study Abroad Italy) at www.saiprograms.com/about/scholarships.

Quilters Guild show on display at SMU

The summer show, “Beneath the Covers: The Winona Area Quilters’ Guild” will be on display at Saint Mary’s Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries through Aug. 14.

A huge variety of full-size quilts, as well as other quilted pieces — ranging from traditional patterns to very graphic and experimental ones — will be on display.

The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

SMU hosts Concert on the Green June 25

The Great River Shakespeare Festival Concert on the Green Saturday, June 25, will feature French cafe music with Cafe Accordion Orchestra. The event will be sponsored by Saint Mary’s University and Paul Barnes and James Edmondson in honor of Sue and Jack Cornwell. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. at Winona State University. Concerts on the Green are free and open to the public. For more information on the concert series or the festival, visit www.tdmwinona.org or www.grsf.org.

SMU community members perform in municipal band

Come and enjoy the sounds of band music at the Lake Park Bandshell each Wednesday evening from 8 to 9 p.m. (Concerts are canceled if it rains.)

Music faculty members Janet and Eric Heukeshoven (flute and euphonium); trumpet instructor John Mundy; IT staff Ryan Ballanger (clarinet); and students Hans Heukeshoven (percussion) and Katie Lieder (trumpet) are all members of this historic community ensemble.

The band is directed by Richard Lindner, and features a wide variety of music including show tunes, marches, overtures and concert pieces. Bring a chair or blanket or sit on the benches provided by the city and enjoy the free concerts every Wednesday evening through mid-August.

Jazz notes

Swing Inc. will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. every Friday at Signatures Restaurant, 22852 County Rd. 17.

GoogleApps user’s group collaboration session

Are you an SMU GoogleApps Email or Calendar user? Would you like to meet with other SMU GoogleApps users? Are you curious about GoogleApps and wonder if you’d like to join the piloting group?

Join Information Technology for a GoogleApps user’s group collaboration session, where GoogleApps users are encouraged to share their experiences. Share a short success story or ask a question. (ie: favorite feature, how has it allowed you to do some task better, urgent flags, etc)

Bring your lunch and collaborate with other SMU GoogleApps users on Wednesday, June 29, from noon to 1 p.m.

Winona campus users meet in Hendrickson Center 23, and Twin Cities campus users meet in LaSalle Hall 210.

There will be no formal presentation. There are a limited number of computers in Hendrickson Center 23 available if participants would like to follow along on your account. Additionally, Wifi access is available in both Hendrickson Center 23 or LaSalle Hall 210 if you’d like to bring your own browser enabled mobile device (laptop, iOS device, tablet, etc). This is your opportunity to share with others your experience with GoogleApps, and possibly pick up some tips, and tricks.

MCA announces summer programming

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts offers summer programming runs through July 22. Community classes, lessons, workshops and camps are offered for children age 3 through adults.

Music division offerings include:

Music Explorers I
June 27-July 1; 4:15 to 5 p.m.; for students entering grades 1 through 3; tuition: $30.
Learn concepts related to steady beat, duration, pitch, volume, articulation, solfege, and rhythmic and melodic improvisation.

Music Explorers II
June 27-July 1; 3 to 4 p.m.; for students entering grades 4 through 6; tuition: $30.
Students will learn to write their own melodies that include elements of rhythm and meter, pitch and key, expression and form.

Chamber Music Camp
July 18-22; 2 to 4:30 p.m.; for students entering grades 7 through 12; tuition: $100.
Students will play in small ensemble settings with like instruments and will attend music classes in sight singing, theory, composition, improvisation, and the Alexander technique.

Private Music Lessons: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Violin, Mandolin, Piano, Voice
Arranged, for students ages 5 to adults; tuition: $75 for 5 lessons, $140 for 10 lessons.

Dance division offerings include:

Creative Movement
July 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27; 5:15 to 5:45 p.m.; for children ages 3 to 4; tuition: $30.
Introduction to the dance class setting using creative movement techniques.

Musical Theatre Dance
July 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27; 6 to 7 p.m.; for ages 13 to adult, tuition: $40.
Students will learn basic dance technique for musical theatre performance and explore choreography from Broadway musicals.

All MCA classes, workshops, lessons, and camps are held at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Registration for summer programming is currently being accepted. For more information and registration materials, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5500.

Behling attends HelpDesk symposium

Brian Behling, HelpDesk manager, attended the MinnHEHD (Minnesota Higher Education Help Desks) Symposium, held at Macalester College June 22. During the symposium he was a panel member for a session on HelpDesk Student employee training and HelpDesk staffing. His participation in this symposium contributes to Information Technology's commitment of continuous HelpDesk improvement for the University.

‘Campus Notes’ will continue every other Friday

“Campus Notes” will continue every other Friday during the summer including July 8, July 22, Aug. 5, and Aug. 19. The deadline for each issue is noon the previous Wednesday.

About 300 students to attend New Student Orientation

New Student Orientation is planned for Tuesday, June 14; Thursday, June 16; and Saturday, June 18. There is an additional optional overnight orientation on Friday, June 17, with an outdoor movie, bonfire, and ice cream social. Students will then attend the Saturday orientation if they have chosen to attend the overnight session.

Close to 300 new students and their families will be on campus during these days. Events run 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For a schedule or more information, go to www.smumn.edu/nso or contact Laura Schmidt, Ext. 1648, or leschmid@smumn.edu.

Homecoming schedule for June 24-26

The 2011 Homecoming Celebration is scheduled for June 24–26. Some of the weekend events are:

Friday, June 24
9 a.m. to Noon — Golf Outing, Bridges Golf Club ($70 per person)

Saturday, June 25
7:45 to 8:30 a.m. — Gilmore Gallop 5K Run, registration near Max Molock Field

Noon to 1:30 p.m. — Family Picnic on Max Molock Field

5 p.m. — Mass at Saint Thomas More Chapel

6 p.m. — Alumni Reception, Dinner & Awards Ceremony in Toner Student Center, Dining Room

Award Recipients:
• Dr. Don Truhlar ’65, Distinguished Alum
• Rob Figliulo ’76, Alumni Appreciation
• Mary Lou (Black ’76) Scheid, Lasallian Service
• James ’91 and Molly (Crosby ’91) Cave, Lasallian Service

8:30 to 11 p.m. — On-campus entertainment in Toner Student Center Lounge

Sunday, June 26
9:30 a.m. — Mass at Saint Thomas More Chapel

Faculty and staff are invited to attend these events.

To view a complete schedule of events, go to www.smumn.edu/homecoming. To register, contact the Alumni Office at Ext. 1499 or go to www.smumn.edu/sitepages/pid4093.php by June 17.

‘Celebrate Japan’ raises money for Misato, Winona’s sister city

As part of a citywide effort to raise money for earthquake relief in Misato, Japan — Winona’s sister city — Saint Mary’s hosted “Celebrate Japan” Thursday, May 5. This event, combined with other fundraising efforts on campus, raised more than $2,000 for Misato.

Al Thurley, a Winona City Council member, wrote: “A very sincere and huge thank you to you and all the folks at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota who most generously gave of your time, materials and facilities to assist Winona help our sister city, Misato, rebuild from the earthquake. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Blackboard 9.1 is almost here

Take a minute to read the “Bb 9.1 Coming Soon” tab in Blackboard. It’s the best way to stay informed on the changes ahead.

IMPORTANT: If you wish to have a course from 2008M3 (Summer 2009) or earlier copied to the new Bb system, you must request it. To request a course that is from before 2008M3, please send an e-mail indicating the complete course ID(s) and your name to Edtech@smumn.edu.

The Blackboard system will not be available during the weekend of July 1-4.

Interested in attending an introduction to Bb 9.1 training session in July? Contact Jason Spartz, jspartz@smumn.edu, to learn about your options.

SMU nominated for Chamber Business Celebration Award

Saint Mary’s University was nominated for a Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Business Celebration Award for Outstanding Leadership in Community Citizenship. Others nominated in this category were Habitat for Humanity, Peerless Chain Company, Winona Agency, and Winona ORC.

Habitat received the top honors during the Business Celebration Luncheon May 17.

Winona Cabaret Ensemble raises $540 for Nairobi

The Winona Cabaret Ensemble brought about 170 guests to SMU throughout Memorial Day weekend. Their performance raised $540 in donations for SMU’s Nairobi campus.

Employee changes

New employees:

• Donna Aronson, vice president of Academic Affairs
• Andrew McLees, June, Student Life - administrative assistant
• Diana-Christine Teodorescu, May, Twin Cities, director, M.A. Organizational Leadership
• Ryan Wockenfus, May, Admissions counselor

Leaving:

• Robert Biebel, May, Hendrickson/Development
• Ambjor Brown, May, athletic trainer
• Adolfo Cardona, May, Twin Cities - faculty, MBA
• Susan Edel, May, registrar
• Jason Flanders, May, AOD education coordinator
• Timothy Fredrickson, May, hall director and area coordinator
• Marilyn Frost, May, interim VP/faculty
• Viki Kimsal, May, Twin Cities - Organizational Leadership - program director
• Richard Olson, May, Twin Cities - associate director, MS Nurse Anesthesia
• Jennifer Schmidt, May, grad assistant and hall director
• Jeff Stangl, May, Athletics - Men’s and Women’s Golf
• Diane Steffen, May, Twin Cities - M.A. in Education, director
• Elizabeth Throop, May, dean of Humanities and Sciences
• Casey Finnerty, May, Biology Department assistant professor
• Martin Judd, May, Business Department professor
• Sister Clare Korte, May, Biology Department professor
• Samuel Taylor, May, Twin Cities - security officer
• Christine Mart, April, Development database manager
• John Neaton, April, Twin Cities - Field Placement coordinator

Rothering honored for presentation

Lauren Rothering ’11 has received first place in the Isabel Sparks President’s Awards of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honor Society. She won $375 for having the best presentation on world literature; she gave the paper at the 2011 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in Pittsburgh last month.

Her paper is titled “Domestic and National Identity in Adichi’s Purple Hibiscus.” See the list of awardees at: www.english.org/sigmatd/conv/pdf/ConventionAwards11.pdf. Rothering’s award is at the top of page 2 with a shortened title.

Trinona Kids Triathlon is June 11 at SMU

Saint Mary’s will host the Trinona Kids Triathlon, a swim/bike/run triathlon for kids ages 5-13 on Saturday, June 11. Starting waves will be based on age. Each triathlete will swim first in the SMU pool, go directly to bicycling, and finish the competition running around the outdoor track.

Participation has reached the 200-child maximum. The adult Trinona event has reached capacity as well at more than 800 participants.

For more information, go to www.trinona.com.

HCO presents ‘Joseph’ in Page Theatre

Home and Community Options will present “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Saint Mary’s Page Theatre. Performances are 7 p.m. June 16-18 and June 20-22 and 5 p.m. Sunday, June 19. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for seniors older than 62 or students. For tickets, call the box office at Ext. 1715 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or order online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Parade volunteers needed

As part of Saint Mary’s visibility initiative, the Marketing and Communication Office is entering a float for this year’s Steamboat Days parade, and a couple more volunteers are needed to help pass out SMU bandanas.

The parade, which will be held Sunday, June 19 (Father’s Day), begins at 12:30 p.m., and SMU’s float is No. 64.

Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt (please let Deb Nahrgang know your size), and cold beverages will be provided.

A brave soul is also needed to wear the Cardinal mascot outfit (only sitting down, waving and staying cool is required)!

If you’re interested in helping or would like more details, contact Nahrgang at Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu.

Lueck to competing in Dancing with Winona Stars

Forty local stars — including Terrie Lueck, SMU director of conferencing and camps — are getting ready to dance the night away for charity this summer during the 3rd Annual Dancing with Winona Stars.

The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, at SMU’s Gostomski Fieldhouse and will be sponsored by the Gotta Dance Competition Group. The pre-show begins at 7 p.m., and the competition begins at 7:30 p.m.

Last year over 1,000 people attended the show and more than $10,000 was raised for local charities. Lueck is raising money for SMU’s First-Generation Initiative.

This year will feature 11 individual stars dancing with Gotta Dance Instructors and five star groups that will be performing a variety of styles from rhumba to hip hop.

Tables are available for $250 and include hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, reserved seating and early admission at 5 p.m.

Single tickets with hors d’oeuvres and early admission at 5 p.m. are $25 and show-only tickets with 7 p.m. admission are $10 or $20 at the door.

For more information, visit www.dancingwithwinonastars.com or call Gotta Dance at (507) 474-7077.

Quilters Guild show to be displayed at SMU

The summer show, “Beneath the Covers: The Winona Area Quilters’ Guild” will be on display at Saint Mary’s from June 20 through Aug. 14.

A huge variety of full-size quilts, as well as other quilted pieces — ranging from traditional patterns to very graphic and experimental ones — will be on display.

An opening reception is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 20, at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

SMU hosts Concert on the Green June 25

The Great River Shakespeare Festival Concert on the Green Saturday, June 25, will feature French cafe music with Cafe Accordion Orchestra. The event will be sponsored by Saint Mary’s University and Paul Barnes and James Edmondson in honor of Sue and Jack Cornwell. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. at Winona State University. Concerts on the Green are free and open to the public. For more information on the concert series or the festival, visit www.tdmwinona.org or www.grsf.org.

Jazz notes

Swing Inc. will perform from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every Friday at Signatures Restaurant, 22852 County Rd. 17.

The John Paulson Jazz Trio will perform Wednesday, June 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Steamboat Days Beverage Tent at Levee Park.

The Swing Inc. Trio will perform 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at Salem Glen Winery in Rochester.

Ibarra receives HECUA scholarship

Karolina Ibarra, an SMU global studies and journalism student, received a Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs merit scholarship this year.

Ibarra, who will be studying in Norway this fall on HECUA’s Scandinavian Urban Studies Term, received a $750 scholarship.

‘Campus Notes’ will continue every other Friday

“Campus Notes” will continue every other Friday during the summer including June 24, July 8, July 22, Aug. 5, and Aug. 19. The deadline for each issue is noon the previous Wednesday.

Commencement ceremonies scheduled for May 14

On Saturday, May 14, the Winona campus will host two commencement ceremonies to mark the end of the academic year.

The Winona campus undergraduate commencement will begin at 11 a.m. in the gymnasium. Student perspectives will be offered by this year’s Outstanding Male and Female Seniors, Sean Ohl of Bloomington and Hilary Ethen of White Bear Lake. In addition, the university will recognize long-time supporters John and Mary Ann Remick of Rochester with honorary degrees.

The Winona campus Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs commencement will begin at 4 p.m. in the gymnasium. Along with the conferring of degrees, student perspectives will be offered by Leah Hover-Preiss, M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning, from Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; and Kevin Mahoney, M.A. in Instruction, from Tujunga, Calif.

Receptions on the plaza will follow both ceremonies. In case of inclement weather, the receptions will be held in Gostomski Fieldhouse.

Prior to the ceremonies, a Baccalaureate Mass will take place in Saint Thomas More Chapel at 8:30 a.m.

The Saint Mary’s Nairobi campus hosted its commencement ceremony on April 30. The Twin Cities campus will conduct its summer commencement ceremonies on June 5.

Ceili dance class to perform tonight

The SMU Ceili dance class, under the direction of Dr. Kate Flanagan, Department of Theatre and Dance, will perform as part of the Flanagan Irish Dancers’ Spring Recital, Friday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., at the Valéncia Arts Center. The class, which consists of 27 students, will demonstrate two of the 10 dances learned this semester. In addition, SMU student Serica Rowley will dance a solo slip jig and join the advanced Flanagan Dancers in a few pieces. The event is free and open to the public.

Laws of Life essay contest winners awarded April 20

Platinum winner, Sadie Doering, Hope Lutheran High School


Gold winner, Molly Berlin-Burns, Winona Senior High School


Silver winners, Jung Yeon Lim, left, Cotter High School; and Emily Mastenbrook, Winona Senior High. Not pictured is Dakota Ellinghuysen, Hope Lutheran.


The English class award winners from the Laws of Life Essay Contest are, from left: back, Nicole Haedtke, Amanda Schwerzler and Shaina Laska from Hope Lutheran and Emilio Taiveaho from Cotter; front, Michaela Peplinski, Eia Shina Lor, Tracy Yim and McKenna Marg from Cotter. Not pictured are Jeffrey Sia and Zhihua Chang from Cotter and Mike Hang from Winona Senior High.

Hope Lutheran blue ribbon award winners: Abbey Nelson, Jedidiah Cranor, Jordan Gahnz and Cadence Klemp.


Cotter blue ribbon winners: Ding Hua Cui, Mari Min, Fei Shen and Hannah Kosel.


Winona Senior High blue ribbon winners: Claire Smart, Rudi Ramirez, Marité Olmstead.

WINONA, Minn. — Each year students at Winona schools submit essays that reflect on the values, ideals and principles that mean the most to them in the annual Laws of Life essay contest, organized by Saint Mary’s University and sponsored by Winona-area businesses and organizations.

Winners of individual categories — announced April 20 — receive cash and or varying-level renewable scholarships to Saint Mary’s.

The Laws of Life Essay Contest was founded in 1987 by Sir John Templeton of the John Templeton Foundation. This foundation is committed to advancing a broad spectrum of activities, including studies, award programs and publications that promote the character development of young people in secondary schools, colleges, and universities.

In 1996, William Schuler approached Saint Mary’s University to begin this contest at Winona Senior High and Cotter High School, with Hope Lutheran joining in 2008. This event is made possible with his help, and the help of many other generous supporters — including Merchants Bank, William and Barbara Schuler, Junto Club, Dr. Thomas and Leone Mauszycki, Dr. Roger and Peggy Zehren, Fred Fletcher and Shelly Smith-Fletcher, Zehren Dental (Dr. Peter and Kimberly Zehren), Tony and Kathy Piscitiello, Dan and Sandy Hall, Mayor Jerry and Susan

Miller, Dr. Mark and Melissa Martin, Paul and Lori Ness, Neil and Ann Sawyer, the Winona Area Retired Educators Association, Fred and Marilyn Foss, Green Mill Restaurant and Bar and other anonymous donations.

This year’s Laws of Life essay contest winners, their schools and their awards are:

• Platinum — Sadie Doering, Hope Lutheran High School ($1,000 cash and a $3,000 scholarship).

• Gold — Molly Berlin-Burns, Winona Senior High School ($400 cash and a $2,000 scholarship).

• Silver — Jung Yeon Lim, Cotter High School; Emily Mastenbrook, WSHS; and Dakota Ellinghuysen, Hope Lutheran ($200 cash and a $1,000 scholarship).

• Blue ribbon award winners — Marité Olmstead, Claire Smart and Rudi Ramirez, WSHS; Jedidiah Cranor, Jordan Gahnz, Abbey Nelson and Cadence Klemp, Hope Lutheran; and Fei Shen, Hannah Kosel, Ding Hua Cui and Mari Min, Cotter ($100 cash prize).

• English class awards —Tracy Yim, Zhihua Chang, Jeffery Sia, McKenna Marg, Emilio Taiveaho, Shina Lor and Michaela Peplinski, Cotter; Mike Hang, WSHS; and Amanda Schwerzler, Nicole Haedtke and Shaina Laska, Hope Lutheran ($50 savings bond from Merchants National Bank).

Judges for this year’s event included: Maxine Aldinger, Dr. James Armstrong, Jerome Christenson, Dr. William Davis, Cynthya Porter, Dan Hall, Dr. Peggy Johnson, Louis Kluesener, Allison Babler, Kevin Mahoney and Grace Hudlik.

Students recognized at Academic Honors Banquet

Lasallian Honors students

Business awards

Maria Biebel

Saint Mary’s recognized outstanding senior students Wednesday, April 27, at the annual Senior Academic Honors Banquet. Highlights of the evening included the announcement of graduate and professional school acceptances, grants and fellowships, and the awarding of the following special honors:

American Institute of Chemists Award (chemistry award) — Xin Ye from Xi'an, China.
American Chemical Society Award (chemistry award) — Sara Harstad, daughter of Charles and Lynn Harstad of Chatfield, Minn.

ACS Outstanding Senior Award — Jennifer Koezly, daughter of Edwin and Monica Koezly of Ham Lake, Minn.

Kevin Martineau Award (business award) — Dongyang Xie from Xi’an China.

Outstanding Accounting Student (business award) — Dongyang Xie from Xi’an China.

Outstanding International Business Student (business award) — Fei Zou from Xi’an China.

Outstanding Entrepreneurship Student (business award) — Erin Glovigen, son of Gene and Nancy Glovigen of Rochester, Minn.

Outstanding Human Resource Management Student (business award) — Steve Kimlicka, son of Robert and Debra Kimlicka of Bartlett, Ill.

Outstanding Sport Management Student (business award) — Laura Enstad, daughter of Steven and Linda Enstad of Austin, Minn., and Andrew Ruf, son of Richard and Jennifer Ruf of Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Outstanding Marketing Student (business award) — Kelly Wagner, daughter of Daniel and Catherine Wagner of Woobury, Minn.

Saint Thomas Aquinas Award for Excellence (philosophy award) — Maxwell Perri, son of Jeffery and Jeanne Perri of Arlington Heights, Ill.

Gerald Sullivan Outstanding Theatre Major Award (theatre award) — Lindsay Christensen, daughter of Dawn Christensen of Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Brother Leo Northam Awards (math award) — Ann Cummins, daughter of Robert and Mary Cummins of Birchwood, Minn.

Future Alumni Committee Scholarship – Steven Lochen, son of David and Jayne Lochen of Kimball, Minn., and Kristina Empanger, daughter of Jon and Carol Empanger of Chaska, Minn.

Lasallian Honors Program Outstanding Senior Award — Rebecca Sandager, daughter of Michael and Nancy Sandager of Luverne, Minn., and Lukas Wallerich, son of Randall and Peggy Wallerich of Inver Grove Heights, Minn.

Delta Epsilon Sigma – Maria Biebel, daughter of Robert and Mary Biebel of Winona, received the National Delta Epsilon Sigma Undergraduate Student Award; and Nakisa Khoshnevis, daughter of Hamid and Shirly Khoshnevis of Dayton, Minn., received the National DES fellowship for graduate study Award.

History Department Distinction Award — Benjamin Eirikson, son of Philip and Debra Eirikson of Austin, Minn.

Senior art shows to run through May 14

Saint Mary’s senior art students will present their work in the upcoming exhibit, “Through the Lashes,” through Saturday, May 14, at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

“Through the Lashes” is a capstone experience for SMU Art Studio and Graphic Design majors. The name, chosen by the exhibiting seniors, comes from a reference Vincent Van Gogh made to his brother Theo in many letters. Van Gogh would say “Today, I painted through the lashes,” which meant he would squint his eyes to remove the middle grays and helped him focus on the strong contrasts of the objects he was looking at.

Artists displaying their work through May 14 will include Alexa Bergler, Stephanie Binot, Emily Cooper, Chelsea Deering, Jesse Fleming, Cody Harvey, Nicole Krystosek, Danielle Miller and Tania Trowbridge.

The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

‘Celebrate Japan’ raises money for Misato, Winona’s sister city

As part of a citywide effort to raise money for earthquake relief in Misato, Japan — Winona’s sister city — Saint Mary’s hosted “Celebrate Japan” Thursday, May 5.

The event, a cultural showcase of Japan’s rich culture and traditions, began with an announcement from Winona Mayor Jerry Miller.


Other events included:
• Japanese woodblock printing demonstrations, “Moku Hanga,” by SMU’s Preston Lawing
• Origami with Sandy Wernimont from the Winona Middle School
• Japanese dance, provided by Winona State University students from Japan
• A Japanese martial arts demonstration by SMU’s Francis “Fritz” Speck, Valerie Robeson and Walker Robeson, and other members of Minnesota Genbu-Kai Karate
• Sushi (served by Chartwells Food Service) in limited quantities
• Japanese poetry readings by Winona Poet Laureate Ken McCullough of SMU and former Poet Laureate Jim Armstrong of WSU
• A reading from “Sadako and the 1,000 Paper Cranes”
• Reiki massage by Gerry Naal
• Live music with Patti Darbo
• A Skype message from Misato

Jazz combos to perform May 8 at Acoustic Café

Two student jazz workshop combos, directed by Dr. John Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven of the Music Department, will present a free concert Sunday, May 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Acoustic Café, 77 Lafayette St. This event will feature student musicians who have been playing together all semester, and it will serve as their “final exam.”

They’ll be playing well-known jazz standards by composers like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.

Saint Mary’s announces next Page Series season

WINONA, Minn. — The 25th season of the Saint Mary’s University Page Series is once again filled with music, dance, theatre, and family-friendly offerings from around the world! You don’t have to travel far for world-class performances. Season subscriptions go on sale May 16-July 29 and Aug. 15-Sept. 9. Individual tickets go on sale Aug. 15.

Purchase tickets to three or more events to receive a 10 percent discount for new subscribers; returning 2010-11 subscribers receive 25 percent off the total order. Subscribers also have exchange privileges and guaranteed seating choice.

To order, go online to www.pagetheatre.org or call the box office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Summer box office hours, May 16-July 29, are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The 2011-2012 Page Series


• Friday Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience
Grammy winner from Louisiana Tickets: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students
For more than two decades Grammy-award winning artist Terrance Simien, an eighth-generation Louisiana Creole has been shattering the myths about what his indigenous Creole Zydeco music is and is not. Leading his Zydeco Experience Band, Simien has become one of the most respected and internationally recognized touring and recording artists in roots music today. He has performed over 5,000 concerts, toured to over 40 countries and reached at least a million people during his eventful 25-year career. In December of 2009, Disney Pictures released a Pixar animated film, “The Princess & The Frog,” set in New Orleans, which was scored by Randy Newman and features the music of Simien, Terence Blanchard and Dr. John.

• Saturday Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. Luna Negra Dance Theater
Contemporary Latin Dance Tickets: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students
Founded by Cuban-born dancer and choreographer Eduardo Vilaro, Luna Negra celebrates the richness and diversity of Latino culture through the creation of works by contemporary Latino choreographers and through intensive, hands-on education programs that encourage discovery and exploration of personal and community identity. Steering away from stereotypes and folkloric representations, the company performs works of contemporary Latino dance with energy, power, and passion. Founded in 1999, Luna Negra Dance Theater makes its home in Chicago.


• Tuesday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. “Letters Home” by Griffin Theatre
Present day soldiers and families connect Tickets: $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students
“Letters Home” puts the current war in Iraq front and center by bringing actual letters — written by soldiers serving in the Middle East — to life. The production is inspired by the New York Times Op-Ed Article, “The Things They Wrote” and the subsequent HBO documentary, “Last Letters Home” and additionally uses letters and correspondences from Frank Schaeffer’s books, “Voices From the Front,” “Letters Home From America’s Military Family,” “Faith of Our Sons,” and “Keeping Faith.” The play without politicizing gives audiences a powerful portrait of the soldier experience in the ongoing war.


• Thursday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. The Good Lovelies
Award winning Canadian trio Tickets: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students
Part folk-roots, part Western Swing, this Toronto-based trio relies on unerring three-part vocal harmonies, clever songs, and convulsively funny repartee drawn from a seemingly endless succession of comedic adventures on the road. The Good Lovelies released a 12-track Christmas album, “Under The Mistletoe,” in November 2009, which includes three original Christmas songs, as well as a number of old classics. Get in the spirit for the holidays with this trio.

• Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Yuval Ron Ensemble
Middle Eastern rhythms and Sufi dancer Tickets: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students
The Yuval Ron Ensemble endeavors to alleviate national, racial, religious and cultural divides by uniting the music and dance of the opposing people of the Middle East into a unique mystical, spiritual and inspiring musical celebration. Led by Oscar-winning composer Yuval Ron (who wrote the music for the Oscar-winning short film “West Bank Story”), the ensemble features the oud, harmonium and woodwinds, and the evening’s performance will include Aziz, a Sufi dancer.

• Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, 6:30 p.m. “Duck For President” and other stories by Theatreworks USA
6 stories for the silly season Tickets: $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students
This all-new musical revue features mini-musicals based on the best-selling children’s books: Duck For President, Fancy Nancy, Pirates Don’t Change Diapers and more. This is an excellent adventure for families with children in kindergarten through fourth grade.


• Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Vishtèn
Prince Edward Island Acadian music Tickets: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students
Vishtèn's story is a musical tale of two islands. In the North Atlantic Ocean, in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence off of Canada’s east coast, lays tiny Prince Edward Island and nearby, the 11 smaller archipelago known as the Magdalen Islands (les Îles de la Madeleine). Both islands have a shared history and a shared cultural tie that dates back several centuries. The three members who make up Vishtèn, Pastelle and Emmanuelle LeBlanc, and Pascal Miousse, have become a distinctive and powerful international voice for traditional music from this part of the world.

• Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 6:30 p.m. “Peter & the Wolf” by Pushcart Players
Classic tale brought to stage Tickets: $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students
“Peter and the Wolf” is an adaptation of the traditional Russian folktale set to music by Sergei Prokofiev. While providing a charming introduction to the world of music and musical instruments, this enchanting tale is all about the adventure of growing up. Danger becomes reality, and creative innovation becomes essential as young Peter meets the challenge of survival in the outside world.

‘Off The Page’
In addition, this year Saint Mary’s University is introducing “Off The Page” events, which feature Minnesota artists in venues around town. Individual tickets for “Off The Page” events go on sale May 16. No discounts apply. These are limited seating general admission venues.

• Saturday, July 23, 8 p.m., Valéncia Arts Center Joe Chvala and the Flying Foot Forum
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students
The Flying Foot Forum is a vibrant and bold percussive dance/theater company that fuses percussion and percussive dances with many other forms of music, dance and theater, while it tells unusual tales, creates a wild variety of characters, and explores universal ideas in inventive and exciting new ways. Joe Chvala has worked as a director, choreographer, writer, composer, performer, and teacher for opera companies, experimental and nonexperimental theatres, concert dance venues, performing arts academies, and universities. Joe has received numerous choreographic and interdisciplinary fellowships and grants.

• Saturday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m., Masonic Temple Low, Ben Weaver, and The Morning Foreign
Tickets: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students
In association with the Minnesota Music Coalition.
Three popular music ensembles promise to fill the historic Masonic Temple with the sounds of today’s generations.

The musical group Low was formed in 1993 in Duluth. They quickly gained a following for their use of slow tempos and minimalist arrangements in what others have dubbed the “slowcore” movement. The striking harmonies of founding members Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker are perhaps the distinctive element for which the group is best remembered. Their debut album, “I Could Live In Hope,” was released on Virgin records Vernon Yard imprint in 1994. They currently have nine full-length recordings with numerous EPs and live recordings. Through continual evolution of their music they have grown a large fan base. Their live shows are well received, as numerous national and international tours will attest. Their tour this year includes stops at Radio City Music Hall, New York; First Avenue, Minneapolis; Queens Social Club, Bristol, England; Primavera Festival, Barcelona; Lido, Berlin; and the Barbican London.

Ben Weaver grew up in Saint Paul and has a distinctive voice that some have likened to Tom Waits. His first album, “El Camino Blues,” featured Greg Brown and Tony Glover. He now has seven releases, his most recent, “Mirepoix and Smoke,” was inspired by his time immersing himself in a farm-to-table restaurant in Minneapolis. He tours extensively, this spring spending time in Europe.

The Morning Foreign is a Winona-based group that has recently been seen at Midwest Music Fest, The Winona Art Center, and Ed’s. Playing original tunes written by Benjamin Scott, the group dabbles with jazz influenced pop, with a cello thrown in for good measure.

• Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, 7:30 p.m., Valéncia Arts Center Danza Española
Tickets: $12 for adults; $5 for seniors and students
Flamenco is an exciting and energetic art form from southern Spain that embodies rich cultural influences of the Andalusian, Gypsy, Islamic and Sephardic cultures that have lived there through history. The dancer’s rhythmic footwork, graceful arm and hand movements, and hand clapping are accompanied by the powerful strumming and soulful chords of the guitar to express a wide variety of styles, or palos, from the most serious cante jondo, to the light-hearted cante chico.

Deborah Elias is a member of the Minnesota State Arts Board’s Juried Arts in Education Roster of Artists, and has taught at Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre and School, the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, and the University of Minnesota. She also performs and choreographs with Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre. She recently presented, in conjunction with the Winona Public Library, “The Moon’s Desire,” a collaboration that revolved around the work of Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorća.

Special guest singer Vicente Griego “is striking for his deep, sonorous wails that seem to come from a cavern, someplace deep within his soul” (Anna Poplawska, “Chicago Artist’s News”). Coming from New Mexico, Griego has devoted his life to the study of cante flamenco, the art of flamenco singing. He has toured the U.S., Canada and Latin America with the Jose Greco II Flamenco Dance Company.

Saint Mary’s is a fiscal year 2011 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov.4, 2008.

* PLEASE NOTE: All tickets (individual & subscription) are subject to a $1 processing fee.

* Student price includes ages 4 and older. $10 student rush tickets may be available for some events 20 minutes before curtain.

Faculty/staff SOUL trip May 16-18

The next faculty, staff and administration SOUL trip is scheduled for May 16-18 at San Miguel schools in Chicago. All employees are eligible if approved through immediate supervisor. All statements of interest are due to Chris McClead, cmcclead@smumn.edu, or Box 42 by today, May 6.

Windley-Daoust invited to Vatican meeting about social media

Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust, Theology Department, was an invited participant at a Vatican meeting on the role of bloggers and social media in the contemporary Church. One hundred and fifty bloggers and users of social media were invited, representing a balance of language, region, and blog format and topic. The meeting was convened by the Pontifical Council on Social Communication, and held May 2. Associated Press coverage of the meeting can be found at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110503/ap_on_hi_te/eu_vatican_blogging_summit. Dr. Windley-Daoust’s reflections on the meeting can be found on her blog, http://www.ironiccatholic.com/2011/05/reflections-on-vatican-blogmeet.html.

This is the last ‘Campus Notes’ of the academic year

Although this is the last “Campus Notes” of the academic year, “Campus Notes” will continue to come out every other Friday during the summer beginning Friday, June 10. Issues will come out June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22, Aug. 5, and Aug. 19.

Keep in mind that the Office of Marketing and Communication can help you promote events, speakers, awards or any other news throughout the summer. Contact Deb Nahrgang at Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu.

SMU to begin offering textbook rental program

Saint Mary’s will become part of a select group of colleges/universities offering students a textbook rental program. This opportunity is made possible thanks to a partnership forged between Saint Mary’s administration and the campus bookstore, managed by Barnes & Noble. With textbook rentals, students can realize tremendous savings, paying less than half of what they would to purchase a new, printed textbook.

This program allows students to rent their books either in the store or from the bookstore’s website — st-marys.bncollege.com — whichever is more convenient for them. While not every textbook title is included in the rental program, more than 30 percent of titles are available for rent.

More details will be announced to students later this week. Information about the textbook rental program is available at the bookstore or on its website.

For more information, contact Cindy Marek at Ext. 1443.

Saint Mary’s choirs to perform April 30

The Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Patrick O’Shea, and Women’s Choir, under the direction of Lindsy O’Shea, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located on the Saint Teresa campus.

The concert will include works by Monteverdi, Saint-Saëns, Ferko, Handel, Moses Hogan and SMU’s Patrick O’Shea and Eric Heukeshoven. The event will also feature the Saint Mary’s University Chamber Orchestra.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $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.