Administration, staff invited to First Generation Initiative presentation

Administration and staff are invited to learn more about the First Generation Initiative, a new initiative that will provide access and support for students who are the first member of their family to go to college, or a first generation immigrant student on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Brother Ed Siderewicz is asking the SMU community to be in on the ground floor of shaping and this initiative.


Receptions are planned for 9 a.m. with donuts and coffee or 4 p.m. with cheese, crackers and wine. RSVPs are due to Ext. 1503 by Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Saint Mary’s University choirs to present ‘Lessons & Carols’

The Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir will present their annual holiday tribute, “Lessons and Carols,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The performance — a celebration of Advent and the Nativity through song and spoken word — will be held at Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located on the Saint Teresa campus.

Music will include familiar carols, as well as selections by a variety of composers from Renaissance to the present.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s Concert Band holiday concert is Dec. 6

The Saint Mary’s University Concert Band, under the direction of Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, will hold its annual holiday concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Page Theatre.

Musical selections include classic Christmas favorites such as “O Holy Night,” Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride.”

After the concert, the audience is invited to join the band in the Miller Lobby for a Christmas cookie reception with more music, presented by SMU band members.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the Box Office, ( Ext. 1715), from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets are also available at the door.

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

Students art on display through Dec. 11

This relief print by Brianna Nelson is one of several pieces on display for the 2009 Undergraduate Art Show at Saint Mary’s University. The show is not limited to art majors, but is open to any SMU art student. A variety of artwork is on display Thursday, Nov. 19, through Friday, Dec. 11, in the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sister Margaret Mear at mmear@smumn.edu.


A True Fighter” by Mariana Sanchez is part of the 2009 Undergraduate Art Show at Saint Mary's University. The show, currently on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, includes photographs, drawings, sculptures and prints. The exhibit will run through Dec. 11 and is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, contact Sister Margaret Mear at mmear@smumn.edu.

Miles Johnston to highlight SMU jazz concert Dec. 4

The Saint Mary’s University jazz ensembles, under the direction of Dr. John Paulson, will present a full evening of rhythm and swing, featuring jazz vocalist and cornet player Miles Johnson on Friday, Dec. 4.

The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Page Theatre, located in SMU’s Performance Center.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available at the Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Dance Repertory Company Presents winter showcase

The Dance Repertory Company II and Young Choreographer’s Winter Showcase will be held 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 10th and Vila streets.

The Winter Showcase presents the DRC II MCA’s junior performing troupe, featuring students ages 5 to 12 showing off their talents in ballet, modern and hip hop. MCA high school students and Saint Mary’s dance minor students will present their own works.

Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children and students ages 2-21. Tickets are available in the main office at Valéncia. For more information, contact Jen at 453-5500.

Winona Area Youth Singers plan winter concert Dec. 6

The Winona Area Youth Singers will present a winter concert at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 10th and Vila streets.

The youth choir will present a variety of choral material including folk songs and modern compositions. WAYS members are students in grades four through eight, under the direction of Lindsy O’Shea.

Admission is $10 at the door; children and students ages 2-21 are admitted for free. For more information, call Jen at 453-5500.

Psychology symposium planned for Dec. 3

Saint Mary’s will host a Psychology Symposium on Thursday, Dec. 3, starting at 3:15 p.m. in Salvi Hall.

Student research posters from Research Methods class and collaborative research labs will be presented.

Internship integration students will be integrating their summer internship experiences with relevant literature in oral presentations.

SMU Oldie Moldies to perform at Signatures Nov. 21

Catch dinner and a show with the Oldie Moldie All-Stars on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Visions Event Center.

Rock along to your favorite ’50s, ’60s and ’70s tunes while you enjoy a menu of house salad, pan-seared Canadian walleye fillet, wild rice pilaf, mixed vegetables, caper tarter sauce, rolls and butter, and a root beer float.

The Oldies are members of the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Saint Mary’s. The group consists of 10 talented and engaging singers and band members. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m.; the Oldies will perform two sets, one at 6:30 p.m., and a second at 7:45 p.m.

The price for the dinner and show is $30 per person. Call Signatures at 454-3767. Payment is accepted at time of reservation. A chicken or pasta option is available by reservation.

Visions Event Center is located at Signatures Restaurant, 22852 County Road 17 in Pleasant Valley.

Oldie Moldie All-Stars to compete at Treasure Island

The Oldie Moldie All-Stars won the opportunity to perform in the Treasure Island Battle of the Bands on Saturday, Nov. 28.

Tickets are $10 and are available online at www.ticasino.com/eventcenter or at the box office at 1-877-849-1640.

Gardner earns All-America honorable-mention honors

For junior Sarah Gardner (Rochester, Minn.), the volleyball season came to a close with a 3-1 loss to Washington University in St. Louis in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Central Regional.

The awards season, however, is still in full swing.

Gardner, already named to the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team and the AVCA Central Region First Team — not to mention the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team — collected yet another post-season honor Tuesday, as the junior right side hitter earned AVCA Honorable-Mention All-America honors.

Gardner closed out the season as SMU’s kill leader with 386 (3.16 kills per set). She appeared in all 122 sets, boasting a .272 attack percentage, 55 service aces, 197 digs, 58 blocks and 75 assists.

Her efforts helped guide the Cardinals to a 22-10 overall record and their first NCAA tournament berth since the 2000 season.

Upcoming play has many SMU connections

“East Side Story,” a play by Lynn Nankivil, an undergraduate and graduate alum of Saint Mary’s, will be performed Nov. 20-22 at the Historic Masonic Theatre, 255 Main St., Winona.

Produced by Theatre du Mississippi, “East Side Story” is about spring in Winona in 1918. It is directed by Daniel Munson, who will teach a course in the SMU Department of Theatre and Dance next spring. Fluffy Blake, Performance Center production manager, will serve as technical director and lighting designer. Ken McCullough, assistant director of Academic Advising, director of PASS and a lecturer in English, will be performing in the play. Additionally, SMU senior Fallon Devine is the production’s dance coach.

All 15 cast-members are from the area. The play will be staged at the Historic Masonic Theater using some of the magnificent 100-year-old theatrical drops.

The play concerns the immigrant families of Polish and German descent who lived in Winona at the time of America’s entry into World War I. When Roman Valasek, son of a Polish patriot, falls in love with Juliet Schultz, whose father’s nephews fight in the German army, it is “Romeo and Juliet” all over again in 1918 Winona. It’s a story of many Winona families and a tale filled with love, war ... and baseball!

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and are available at Bluff Country Co-op, the Bookshelf and Midtown Foods, or online at www.tdmwinona.org.

Library’s ‘Brown Bag It’ to be held today

The library’s next “Brown Bag It” session is 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. today, Friday, Nov. 20, in the McEnery Center Lounge. Participants should bring their own lunches. Drinks and desserts will be provided.

The topic this month will be the “New Kids on the Block,” the new databases. Highlights will include Britannica, health databases (including access to a new H1N1 hot line), new education sources, OCLC’s offerings for faculty research, and an opportunity to tell librarians what databases you need or want.

Food Service vendors on campus Dec. 3

SMU will be hosting five food service vendors on campus as part of a vendor review and bid process. The five vendors, including Chartwells, our current food service provider, will attend a meeting and a tour of the related facilities on the Winona and Saint Teresa campuses.

Let’s Do Lunch sponsored by Cabinet Dec. 4

The next Let’s Do Lunch fundraiser will be sponsored by the Cabinet between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. A soup and salad menu is planned. The Volunteer Committee will provide desserts, plates, silverware and water. All faculty, staff and administration are invited to this fund-raising event, held in the Common Room. Funds from the “Let’s Do Lunch” events are given to the Volunteer Services Food Shelf.

Sign up now for Lasallian heritage discussion groups

Anyone who is interested in signing up for Lasallian Heritage discussion groups should sign up before Monday, Nov. 23. Even if you did not respond earlier, you can still join in a heritage discussion group of interest to you and at a time that fits your schedule.

The chart below lists the group leaders, the topics for discussion and the approximate time of day each group will be meeting. Anyone interested in joining a group (even if you have already sent in a preference form) should go to the following link and register: http://forms.smumn.edu/sitepages/pid3986.php.

Group leaders will contact their members to set up a date for the initial meeting. As a reminder, there will be four scheduled meetings throughout the year, with each discussion being approximately one hour in length. Join your colleagues in learning more about our Lasallian Catholic Heritage!

• Nikki Fennern, Lasallian Origins, Morning Group.
• Patrick Barlow, Ann Merchlewitz, Lasallian Origins, Tuesdays at noon.
• Beth Seebach, Richard Tristano, Lasalllian Pedagogy, 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays/Thursdays.
• Dan Bucknam, Jane Anderson, Lasalllian Pedagogy, noon.
• Karen Sorvaag, Scott Sorvaag, Lasallian Pedagogy Tuesday p.m.
• Angel Weisbrod, Roger Peckover, Lasallian Spirituality, any morning before 9 a.m.
• Kathy Pederson, Bob Fisher, Lasallian Spirituality, Noon on Tuesdays.
• Patrick O’Shea, Mark Barber, Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m.
• Tom Marpe, Teresa Speck, Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Tuesdays, 3:15 p.m.
• Tom Mans, Catholic Social Tradition, Wednesday or Friday at noon.

Nominations being taken for benefit recipient

The student committee is seeking nominations for a beneficiary for the 10th annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance.

The nominated person must be affiliated to the university.

Forms are available through Katie LaPlant or Jason Richter and are due Thursday, Dec. 3.

This year's dance is scheduled for Saturday, March 20.

CNN report on Gaza student features Brother Bob Smith

CNN has done an update on the situation with Bethlehem University student Berlanty Azzam. The piece features an interview with Brother Bob Smith, former VP for mission and currently a vice president at Bethlehem University.

To view the video clip, go to www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/31/west.bank.college.student/index.html

Christmas cookie orders due by Thanksgiving break

The Junior class has taken over the Christmas cookie fundraiser from Volunteer Services.

Cookie forms are due to Dan Streefland via e-mail, djstre07@smumn.edu or by mail to Box 867, before Thanksgiving break.

Reminder: No ‘Campus Notes’ next week

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be no ‘Campus Notes’ next week. The next issue will come out Friday, Dec. 4. The deadline for that issue is Wednesday, Dec. 2. Look ahead on your calendars.