Winona campus commencements are May 12

The undergraduate commencement ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 12, in the gymnasium. Assembly for the procession will take place at 10:15 a.m. on the road in front of Saint Mary’s Hall. In case of inclement weather, assembly will be in Gostomski Fieldhouse.
Read more.

The graduate ceremony begins at 4 p.m. Assembly for the procession will take place at 3:15 p.m. in Gostomski Fieldhouse.

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

Baccalaureate Mass will take place in the gymnasium at 8:30 a.m.

Senior grades are due in the Office of the Registrar on Wednesday, May 9, no later than noon.

Seniors will rehearse for commencement on Friday, May 11, at 10 a.m. in the gymnasium.

An invitation to Homecoming 2007

The Alumni Association would like to invite you to the 2007 Homecoming celebration June 15-17. On June 15, a golf outing will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at Bridges Golf Club, a 50+ dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the north dining room of the Toner Student Center. On June 16, the Gilmore Gallop 5K begins at 8:30 a.m. (registration at 7:45 a.m.), food for the picnic will be served from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Max Molock Field, Mass will begin at 5 p.m. in Saint Thomas More Chapel, and the alumni reception begins at 6 p.m. (followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m. and an), all in the dining room of the Toner Student Center. From 9 to 11 p.m., a reunion party will be held in the Cardinal Club, and a piano sing-along will be in the President’s Room. Mass on Sunday will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Homecoming is a time for the SMU community to come together in celebration and share memories of Saint Mary’s. It’s a great opportunity for faculty to reconnect with alums during this activity-filled weekend!

Jazz concert tonight to feature alumni combo*

John Paulson, Ph.D.

Saint Mary’s will present a celebratory evening of jazz 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, in Page Theatre. Included in the concert will be the 18-piece SMU Jazz Ensemble and an alumni select jazz combo, featuring the talents of some of SMU’s most outstanding graduates, under the direction of Dr. John Paulson.
Read more.

Dr. Paulson is celebrating his 25th anniversary with the SMU Department of Music.

Alumni will also solo with the big band, which will perform, “I Hear a Rhapsody,” by Fragos, featuring a new arrangement by Dr. Paulson; “Lush Life” by Billy Strayhorn, arranged by Mike Tomaro; “Slam” by Dave Sanborn, arranged by Marcus Miller; “Tickle Toe” by Lester Young, arranged by Dave Wolpe; “Blues in the Closet” by Oscar Pettiford, arranged by Mark Taylor; and “They Still Have a Pad Downtown,” by Dr. Paulson.

Tickets are $6, $4 for students and seniors and may be purchased online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the Performance Center box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. For further information, contact Dr. Paulson at Ext. 1596 or jpaulson@smumn.edu.

LaSalle Woodwind Quintet to perform May 5*

The La Salle Woodwind Quintet

The La Salle Woodwind Quintet, an ensemble comprised of professional artists who teach in the music department of Saint Mary’s, will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5, in Figliulo Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public, and a reception will follow the recital.
Read more.

Quintet members include: Janet Heukeshoven, flute; Layla Lunde, oboe; Sylva Hanson, clarinet; Tammy Bartz, horn; and Jen Welch, bassoon.

The performance will feature Mozart’s “Partita in Bb,” Malcolm Arnold’s “Three Shanties for Wind Quintet,” three traditional spirituals for wind quintet, and Debussy’s “Girl with the Flaxen Hair,” featuring Lunde on the English horn.

The LaSalle Woodwind Quintet debuted in fall of 2003 and has since performed regionally in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

For more information, contact Dr. Heukeshoven at jheukesh@smumn.edu or Ext. 1675.

SMU choirs to present spring concert April 28*

The Chamber Singers, Concert Choir and Women’s Choir will present their annual spring concert 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at Wabasha and Vila streets.
Read more.


The beautiful former chapel for the College of Saint Teresa is a perfect visual and acoustic setting for choral music. The Concert Choir will perform “Three Scottish Folksongs,” arranged by Mack Wilberg and featuring SMU’s Dr. Ned Kirk and Dr. Jeffrey Highland on piano, “Funeral Music for Queen Mary” by Henry Purcell and “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel,” arranged by Moses Hogan.

The Chamber Singers will perform “Mass for Five Voices,” by William Byrd, “Beata Dei Genitrix Maria” by Francisco Guerrero, “Drei Rilkegesänge by Patrick O’Shea, “Crucifying” by Russell Woolen and “Hosanna to the Son of David” by Orlando Gibbon.

Both groups are under the direction of Dr. Patrick O’Shea. The Women’s Choir is directed by Peter Schleif.

Tickets are $6, $4 for students and seniors and may be purchased online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the Performance Center box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Ethnic percussion ensemble spring concert May 2*

The Batucada Nossa Senhora ethnic percussion ensemble of Saint Mary’s will present its 15th annual spring concert 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, in Page Theatre. Batucada Nossa Senhora translates to Percussion Ensemble of Our Lady.
Read more.

The performance, under the direction of Denny McGuire, will consist of music from Brazil, Cuba and Puerto Rico, combining for an enriching multi-cultural experience for all ages. Batucada members include SMU students, many of whom are music majors, as well as community members.

The Saint Mary’s Jazz Combo, under the direction of Dr. John Paulson, will open the show.

Tickets are $6, $4 for students and seniors and may be purchased online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the Performance Center box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Student chamber music recital is April 29*

The SMU student chamber music recital will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, April 29, in Figliulo Recital Hall. Presented will be works by Telemann, Hayden, Doppler, Huguenin and Tustin, performed by small woodwind ensembles coached by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven. This event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the recital.

Saint Mary’s business programs accredited*

Dr. Tom Marpe, left, chairman of the Saint Mary’s University Business Department, is congratulated by Dr. Terry Girdon, chairman of the board of commissioners of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. Saint Mary’s University was granted specialized accreditation of its business degree programs.


At the 2007 annual conference of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), the board of commissioners announced that Saint Mary’s University was granted specialized accreditation of its business degree programs.

Read more.

Accredited programs have been examined by trained evaluators who ensure that the IACBE’s standards are being met in eight key areas: outcomes assessment, strategic planning, curriculum, faculty, scholarly and professional activities, resources, internal/external relationships, and educational innovation. The quality of the business programs is measured by the accomplishment of the school’s mission and broad-based goals, the effectiveness of student learning, and the operational effectiveness of the business programs.

Based in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education is the premier business accrediting association for business programs in student-centered colleges and universities. Saint Mary’s joins a growing list of 230 IACBE member institutions in the United States and 20 countries that support quality assurance in education.

E-CHUG: A Tool for Alcohol Assessment and Education

Recent research conducted on the use of alcohol and other drugs by SMU students highlights a clear link between high-risk drinking and negative consequences. Faculty and staff members of SMU have opportunities to reach out to the student body and engage them in discussion about their drinking.
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The assessment e-CHUG (Electronic Check-Up to Go) provides a helpful tool to talk about these issues. The e-CHUG assessment is an interactive web survey that allows college students to enter information about their drinking patterns and receive feedback about their use of alcohol. It is free for any student or employee of the university and takes only about 5-10 minutes to complete. Faculty and staff are encouraged to take the survey for their own use, to be better prepared to recommend and discuss it with students, and to think about creative ways to use e-CHUG in the classroom, lab, and/or during office visits with students.

Reasons to do an e-CHUG assessment and suggest its use to students include:

It provides personal assessment of one’s own level of drinking and tobacco use and allows for comparison with current SMU students.

1. It provides personal and confidential information about levels of risk based on consumption of alcohol.
2. E-Chug is a free service to any SMU student, faculty or staff member. It is accessible from any computer with internet access: https://interwork.sdsu.edu/echug2/?id=SMUMN&hfs=
3. The assessment takes only about 5-10 minutes to complete, is self-guided, and requires no face-to-face contact time with a counselor or administrator.
4. Information increases personal power to have more choices and healthier outcomes and lifestyles. E-Chug is a tool to improve personal quality of life.
5. E-Chug can be used as an educational tool for enhancing discussion and awareness related to alcohol and risk factors.

If there are specific concerns about a student’s alcohol use, contact Dr. Michael O’ Friel, so that he can facilitate additional support and assistance.

E-Chug can be accessed by going go to http://www.smumn.edu, clicking on “Current Students,” then on “Wellness Center,” followed by “Alcohol and Drug Education.” Scroll down the Alcohol and Drug page to the e-CHUG logo which will provide access to the survey. Further questions or concerns may be directed to Dr. O’Friel, AOD Education coordinator and counsel, at Ext. 6692. Dr. O’Friel’s office is located in the Wellness Center.

Next Kabara event to feature three alums*

The next Kabara event will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, in Room E of the Toner Student Center. Three alumni will speak to students about entrepreneurship and business management. They include:

Matt Sheasby ’88, majored in mass communications and minored in humanities. He is the president of his own business, Micro Medics, Inc. Micro Medics performs nationwide laptop repair for companies like Circuit City, Best Buy and Costco.
Read more.

Tom Schultz ’75, majored in business administration. Schultz retired from Motorola in 2006 after 31 years of a wide variety of global business experiences in operational and staff roles. His last position at Motorola was senior vice president, real estate and development. Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Schultz is currently self-employed, focusing on the areas of business advising and mentoring.

Bob Hildreth ’77, majored in marketing and management. He is president of ESP Systems Professionals Inc., an informational technologies company that works with computer consulting and programming.

The panelists will be asked to briefly discuss how their Saint Mary’s foundation helped them get where they are today, share a brief synopsis of their business background and also share any advice they have for students.

Saint Mary’s seniors honored at awards banquet

Saint Mary’s University recognized outstanding senior students Tuesday, April 18, at the annual Senior Academic Honors Banquet.
Read more (includes list of awardees).


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) — Rachel Harrison (chemistry), and Holly Lacher (biochemistry)

American Chemical Society Award (chemistry award) — Ashley Davis

Accounting (business award) — Indeah Gustafson

International Business Award (business award) — Brooke Zachman

Management Award (business award) — Michael Kopischke

Marketing Award (business award) — Stephanie Klinger

Wall Street Journal/Business Student of the Year (business award) — Angela Pieper

Saint Thomas Aquinas Award for Excellence (philosophy award) — Nathan Sparks

Grove Bree Holman Award (theatre arts award) — Sarah Engle and Alisan Soucheray

Gerald E. Sullivan Award (theatre arts award) — Daniel Pancratz

Michael G. Flanagan Award (theatre arts award) — Timothy Markus

Brother Leo Northam Award (mathematics award) — Rebecca Bartelson and Jennifer Johnson

Winona Community Service Award — Lisa Boris and Amy Glasgow

Student Alumni Relations Group Scholarship — Jessica Voight

Ochrymowycz Family Scholarship — Jennifer Truhler and Elizabeth Wessa

Lasallian Honors Program Outstanding Senior Awards — Jessica Voight and Jacob Olzen

Student Service Award — Tera Bollig

Brother James Miller Award — Jacob Olzen and Eric Sonnek

Senior art show to run through May 12*

SMU senior art students will present the next art show, “emergence” through May 12 at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries. Artists displaying include Brytton Bjorngaard, Nicole Bohn, Anna Dehmer, Travis Hanson, Josh Kanuch, Dani Lynch, Jessica Ribish, Holly Schuh, Brian Stallone, Brian Stuck and Brittany Volz. The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Challenge face-off between Decorah, Aquinas

On La Crosse’s Fox 25/48 last Sunday, Decorah defeated Holmen 190-185 in the second semi-final game of High School Challenge, a tournament of knowledge sponsored by and held at Saint Mary’s. This win means Decorah will take on Aquinas in the “Super Bowl!”

Airing this Sunday, April 29, Holmen will take on Decorah in the second semi-final game of High School Challenge. Tune in to Fox 25/48 at 10 a.m. Sunday, April 29, to see which teams is the 2006-07 High School Challenge “Super Bowl” winner.

SMU to host Above & Beyond reception May 9

Saint Mary’s University is hosting the Above and Beyond Awards Reception Wednesday, May 9, at the Alverna Center, located on the Saint Teresa campus. Other program sponsors are the Winona Daily News, Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical and Winona State University.
Read more.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m., with presentation of awards and scholarships scheduled for 7 p.m. Invited are the nine area Above & Beyond high school winners, their families and high school officials, along with representatives from the community sponsors. Award winners typically have inspiring stories about overcoming obstacles.

Current SMU senior Justin Simmons, who is deaf and will graduate this spring, is the featured speaker.

Scott and Jeff radio marathon is May 3

For the third consecutive year, the Scott and Jeff Show (a quirky talk show hosted by two Saint Mary’s business faculty members, Scott Deml and Jeff Hefel) will do a 10-hour Habitat for Humanity Radio-a-thon.
Read more.

The unpredictable fundraising show will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 3. Additional members of the SMU community will be making guest appearances.

Donations are being sought for an on-air auction. The more bizarre, the better. Donations can be brought to Kathy Pedersosn, kepeders@smumn.edu, in Student Services.

Callers may pledge money by dialing Ext. 1615. In 2005, the duo raised $500; the total tripled to nearly $1,500 last year; Hefel and Deml hope the donations continue to grow.

The Scott and Jeff Show can be heard on SMU radio station, KSMR, 92.5-FM on the Saint Mary’s campus and 94.3-FM in Winona. Their regular show plays 3 to 5 p.m. Thursdays.

Known for being “so bad they’re good,” the duo play music by Jimmy Buffett and Elton John in between their corny contests and bantering. For the radio-a-thon, the group will expand their music venue to play a variety of artists.

Currently, Scott and Jeff are looking for members of the SMU community to sign up for one- hour time slots to be spent in the booth with the stars. Contact Matt Klosky at mklosky@smumn.edu if you are interested.

Saint Mary’s Flea Market starts today

A flea market is being held from 1 to 4 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow in the Plaza. For more information, contact Jake Olzen or Katie LaPlant at Ext. 6936.

Admission to host Field of Dreams open house

The Office of Admission will host Preview Day 2007 on Saturday, April 28.

Preview Day is an open house for high school juniors interested in attending college. This year, high school seniors who have applied to SMU but have not visited campus are also invited.
Read more.

This year’s Preview Day is called “Field of Dreams,” and families are invited to watch the home baseball and softball games that afternoon.

Families will be arriving around 10 a.m. and have a schedule set until 1:30 p.m. All departments and offices are invited to have a booth during the open house from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the gymnasium. It will be run similarly to the Campus Resource Fair during New Student Orientation.

High school bands ‘Rock to Stock’ Food Shelf

Shown performing are "DayWalkers" from Cotter.




Winona high school bands combined their talents to raise $1,000 to benefit the Winona Food Shelf, during a concert Saturday, April 21. Four bands from Cotter and two from WSHS performed before friends and families at the first “Rock to Stock.” Saint Mary’s University hosted the event, with the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity providing sound and lighting services.

Sandra Burke, director of Winona Volunteer Services, accepted a check from Tim Olstad, a Cotter junior who helped organize the event.

SMU cleans up during Earth Week

Students and staff cleaned up one of SMU’s Adopt-A-Highway stretches on April 22 for Earth Week. Approximately 23 bags of trash were picked up along Highway 14.

Relay for Life results

Saint Mary’s had 13 teams for Relay for Life last weekend. As a university, participants raised $16,975.96, an average of $1305.84 per team.

Saint Mary’s had five teams in the top ten: 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7.

Of the 63 teams, the SMU staff team was the top team for donations with $2,374.55. The entire event raised $71,351 for the American Cancer Society.

SMU, research society in Japan to sign agreement

We will be signing a cultural and educational agreement between SMU and Ryukyu America Historical Research Society located in Okinawa, Japan. A group of six members will attend the ceremony on Friday, April 27, from 10-11 a.m. at the President’s Room.

Volunteer Committee events

A tentative schedule for future “Let’s Do Lunches” includes:

May 18 — “Let’s Do Ice Cream”
June 22 — “Let’s Do Ice Cream”
July 20 — “Let’s Do Ice Cream”

The 2nd Annual Spruce Up Winona — a volunteer effort with Winona State University and the Winona Tech School to help clean up non-profit organizations and local parks, school playgrounds and city blocks was held Wednesday, April 25.

Faculty, staff and students are joining together May 1 to clean up Gilmore Creek as part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s Adopt-a-River program. Volunteers will clean a 2-mile stretch of the creek surrounding our campus. The cleanup will run from 3 to 6 p.m. Materials and instructions will be given out at 3 p.m. near the Information Desk. Please call Deb Nahrgang at Ext. 6966 or e-mail dnahrgan@smumn.edu and sign up. Please also specify which hours you will be able to work.

Gloves, bags and water will be provided. Please wear comfortable clothing that can get wet and dirty.

Kendall and Friends put on concert today

Chris Kendall and Friends will perform 6 to 7 p.m. today, April 27, near The Pines picnic area. Kendall is vice president for Student Development. This is also a can and coin drive. Please bring non-parishable food item and/or pocket change (or more) to benefit the Catholic Worker House in Winona.

Jazz events*

The John Paulson Trio will perform 5:30 to 9 p.m. today, April 28, at Michael’s Restaurant in Rochester.

Heart and SOUL Row, Ride and Run Triathlon nears

The first Saint Mary’s Heart and SOUL Row, Ride and Run Triathlon will be held Sunday, April 29. The race will start at Lake Lodge, on East Lake in Winona, and will finish on the SMU campus.

Participants will row 2 miles, bike 14 miles and run 3.2 miles. Drawing for prizes will take place at the finish. For kayak and canoe rental information, contact the Office of Campus Ministry at Ext. 1643. Registration forms are available in the Office of Campus Ministry or online at smumn.edu/campusministry. All proceeds from the race will be used to fund future SOUL trips.

Great Summer Reads list, winner announced

The SMU community’s most-recommended Great Summer Read is the much-anticipated “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling, which will be released on July 21, 2007. The winner of the drawing for a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card is Carlos Manriquez.

In total, students, faculty, and staff recommended 77 different titles comprising 26 nonfiction, 50 fiction and one play. Many of the recommended books are now available on the main-floor display at the Fitzgerald Library. For the complete list, go to www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/%7ewlibrary/lib%20web/lib_about/news/greatsummerreads.htm.

SMU to support MOPS moms walk

On Saturday, April 28, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) will hold its annual fun-filled community event called “The Great Moms Walk.”

The purpose of the walk is to raise MOPS awareness, gather new and potential moms, and impact the community with a highly visible family fun-filled event. Funds raised will provide much-needed support for women with young children.

Saint Mary’s is helping to sponsor this event; Mireya Gravert, Department of Chemistry, is an event organizer.

SMU students participate in UN simulation*

Nine students in Dr. David Lynch’s American Foreign Policy course participated in the Arrowhead Model UN Simulation at Winona State University, April 12-14. The students represented Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia on various UN committees. There were approximately 225 students from more than 12 Midwestern universities at the conference. Lynch also helped run one committee during the simulation. The nine students taking part were Cullum Buetow-Staples, Jacob Fleming, Brett Kozlak, Ramy Mikhail, Ryan O’Connor, David Reckase, Joseph Shannon, Dan Smith and Eldon Vaselaar.

Bucknam, students to attend psychology conference*

On Saturday, April 28, Dr. Dan Bucknam will accompany four psychology majors to the Minnesota Undergraduate Research Conference, held at Saint Olaf College. Jenn Benson, Kasey Schultz, Sarah Windschitl, and Sarah Wollersheim will present their original research posters alongside nearly 150 other psychology students from the Midwest.

Reception for Moxness is May 2

A retirement reception in honor of Mary Moxness, Fitzgerald Library, will be held 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, at the McEnery Center. Please stop by to wish her well and make sure to sign her guest/memory book. Refreshments will be served.

Huegel to present on Tegrity*

Benjamin Huegel, assistant professor of business, will be presenting today, April 27, at the Minnesota Council of Accounting Educators annual conference in St. Cloud. The title of his presentation is, “Tegrity - Learning Technologies in SMU Classrooms.”

SMU, Tegrity wins bronze award*

Tegrity Campus 2.0 at Saint Mary’s University received a bronze award in the first global competition of high impact use of technology in learning by the IMS Global Learning Consortium (IMS GLC).
Read more.

Featuring the highest levels of innovation, adoption, and learning impact, the Learning Impact Awards (aka Lias) symbolize the use of technology for support or enhancement of learning.

Nominations with superior measurable impact on faculty/teacher adoption, student achievement, and ease of implementation earned the finalist slots.

IMS GLC is a global, nonprofit, member consortium that provides leadership in shaping and growing the learning and educational technology industries through collaborative support of standards, innovation, best practice and recognition of superior learning impact.

Children’s choirs to sing with Christian Crossings Sunday

The 52-member Cathedral Children’s Choirs will join local music group, Christian Crossings, for a free concert on Sunday, April 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Church. Children from Grades two and three (the “Cherubs”) up to Grades four through eight (the “Choristers”) will join this trio from the Lewiston area on select musical numbers.
Read more.


Christian Crossings CDs will be on sale and all proceeds will benefit the Cathedral Children’s Choirs in the purchase of new music, performance trips and general expenses. The concert is free and open to the public; free-will donations will be accepted.

The concert is sponsored by Catholic Aid Association, which is providing a grant of up to $1,000 for the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Children’s Choirs. For more information, contact Jim Ballard, director of music, Cathedral Elementary, at 454-1505 or go online: www.christiancrossings.org

Only one more ‘Campus Notes’

This is a reminder that there is only one more ‘Campus Notes’ this school year. Look ahead on your calendars. The deadline for the May 4 issue is Wednesday, May 2.