Kabara Institute hosts business panel

The public is invited to a special panel discussion titled “First-Generation Business: Starting and Building a Business from the Ground Up” on Tuesday, April 26. The event, hosted by the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, will run from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Toner Student Center Lounge.

Speakers — including Russ Neitzke ’91 of Digicom, Inc.; Carolyn Wilson of Peace Out Clothing Store; and Keith Laken of Mugby Junction — will describe why they decided to start their businesses, their struggles in getting their businesses started and growing, and where they are now on their journey of owning their own businesses.

A question-and-answer period and a time for networking will be included. The event will conclude with formal presentations to the 2011 Business Plan Competition winners at Saint Mary’s.

SMU honors retirees, faculty and staff for years of service

Four long-time Saint Mary’s employees were honored at the employee service event Thursday, April 7. Retirees included Sister Clare Korte, OSF, Biology Department, 36 years; Dr. Marilyn Frost, vice president for Academic Affairs, and Psychology Department, 42 years; Susan Edel, Registrar’s Office, 25 years; Dr. Martin Judd, Business Department, 20 years; and Dorothy Huwald, Maintenance Department, 33 years.

Other Winona campus employees honored included: Dr. John Paulson and Dr. James Rodgers, 30 years; and Dr. Raymond Faber, Bruce Hill, Alan Joswick, Darlene Paulson and Kenneth Pellegrini, 35 years. Employees with 5-, 10-, 15-, 20- and 25-year anniversaries were also recognized.

Student History Research Symposium is April 16

Seniors from five area universities will present the results of their historical research at the Student History Research Symposium on Saturday, April 16, at Saint Mary’s.

The event — free and open to the public — is sponsored by the history departments of Winona State, Saint Mary’s, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Viterbo University and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. This year’s symposium will also feature a panel of seniors from Cotter High School.

In addition to the student presenters, Dr. Stacey Robertson, Oglesby Professor of American Heritage at Bradley University, will speak on “Hearts Beating for Liberty: Women Abolitionists in the Old Northwest.”

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

All symposium sessions will be held on the third and fourth floors of Saint Mary’s Hall. The symposium opens at 9 a.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall with a short welcoming ceremony and coffee. Students will present their research in concurrent panels of three or four students each. The first panel session starts at 9:15 a.m., the second at 10:45 a.m. Dr. Robertson’s talk will start around noon and will be accompanied by a complimentary lunch.

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

Kabara Institute to host Jake Leinenkugel April 28

Saint Mary’s invites the public to a presentation by Jake Leinenkugel, president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 28 in Page Theatre. The event — hosted by the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies — will highlight the “Leinenkugel Family Legacy.”

The company’s founder, Jacob Leinenkugel, found a home for his brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wis., in 1867. The Leinenkugel brewing legacy continues today, more than 140 years and five generations later.

“I feel privileged to follow in my great-great-grandfather’s and father’s footsteps into this wonderful business,” he said. “We are fortunate to have so many loyal fans that love and support our products, and I feel it is important to interact with as many of them as possible.”

Leinenkugel’s presentation will include a brief history of the company, along with an overview of the brewing industry, water stewardship, and the renaissance of brewing used in the 21st century. In addition, he will explain how Leinenkugel operates as a business by showing their current brand portfolio and brand plan key imperatives, before concluding with the company’s succession planning.

For more information, contact Trevor Hall at Ext. 6978 or tmhall@smumn.edu.

Senior Academic Honors Banquet April 27

The annual Senior Academic Honors Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27. The evening will begin with a reception in the President’s Room, with dinner and an awards program following at 7 p.m. in the Dining Room.

Tickets are not required for faculty/staff, but RSVPs should be made to Ext. 6678 by April 20. For more information, contact Barb Schmidtknecht at Ext. 6678.

Service awards presented to students, faculty, staff

Dan Streefland with Nikki Richmond and Ali Kremer

Santiago Escobar and Margaret Scannell

Saint Mary’s recognized outstanding students, faculty and staff Thursday, April 7, at the Student Life Awards Ceremony. Several awards were handed out to students who made a noticeable impact on student life at SMU. Awards included:

Brother Finbar McMullen Award (presented to an SMU community member who demonstrates him/herself to be an individual who unselfishly meets the needs of the undergraduate students of Saint Mary’s) — Dr. Marilyn Frost, vice president for academic affairs and psychology professor.

Charlene “Char” Tjaden Outstanding Resident Assistant Award — Margaret Scannell, Evergreen Park, Ill.

Club and Organization Advisor of the Year — Brendan Dolan, residence hall director and area coordinator.

Organization of the Year — Big and Little Pals of Campus Ministry, accepted by Melissa Stuckmayer, Ramsey, Minn., and Allison Johnson, Austin, Minn.

Intramural Official of the Year — Chelsea Deering, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Volunteer of the Year Award — Rachel Elbert, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Outstanding Student Senator of the Year Award — Daniel Streefland, Webster, Minn.

Winona Community Service Award — Daniel Streefland, Webster, Minn.

Brother James Miller Award (presented to a student who has dedicated his/her college experience to promoting the legacy of Brother James Miller, spreading the compassion of God and continually serving the community) — Santiago Escobar, Madelia, Minn.

Student Service Award — Kaitlin Wermerskirchen, Shakopee, Minn.

Outdoor Leadership Recognition — Greg Freeman, Aurora, Ill.

Brother Charlie Burke Award (presented to a faculty or staff member who has made significant contributions to the Student Life Department. This individual has promoted the growth of the whole student through their exemplary standard of ethical service, dedication to creating developmental relationships, and their desire to promote lifelong learning) — Francis “Fritz” Speck, Information Technology

2011 Cardinal Pride T-shirt on sale soon; Cardinal Corner blowout sale is April 18

The new Cardinal Pride T-shirts will be available soon.

The Cardinal Corner Blowout Sale will be held in the Plaza (or Toner Student Center lobby as the rain location) on Monday, April 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is your last day to purchase items from the store for the semester. Free popcorn will be served! Free Cardinal Pride wristbands are available with purchase. Come and check out the new items and sale prices!

Study abroad photo contest reception is Monday

The Office of Study Abroad and Career Services invites the SMU community to a Study Abroad photo contest reception on Monday, April 18, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Refreshments will be available. A short award ceremony will begin at 3:45 p.m., during which the winning photos will be announced.

Dance Repertory Company to present spring concert

The 2010-2011 Saint Mary’s performance season will conclude with the Dance Repertory Company’s annual spring concert, “Dance Mosaic,” Friday and Saturday, April 29 and 30.

The events, which are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. April 29 and 3 p.m. April 30, will be held in Page Theater.

In honor of National Dance Week, these performances will feature five works including “A Tender Age,” a contemporary ballet about the coming of age of young women; “Summer Sons,” a tap piece with live jazz music accompaniment; “In Flux,” a student-choreographed piece from which an excerpt represented the university at this year’s American College Dance Festival; “Having/Making/Taking,” a modern work that explores the relationship between people and time; and “Love It!,” a jazz piece set to the music of Lyle Lovett.

For close to four decades, the Dance Repertory Company has provided the Winona community with quality dance productions featuring local dancers in classical and contemporary works. This year, the DRC presents contemporary ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance.

Performed by the dancers who currently train at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts and Saint Mary’s University, “Dance Mosaic,” will showcase their effervescent spirit, vibrant energy, and technical and artistic abilities.

The company’s artistic director, Tammy Schmidt, as well as Heidi Draskoci-Johnson, Lydia Feuerhelm, Christine Martin, and guest artist Tony Smith of Houston, Texas, choreographed this year’s concert.

Cast members in “Dance Mosaic” include: Dot Armstrong, Caroline Bartz, Jarod Boltjes, Jack Bryant, Mary Doctor, Keegan Eide, Lydia Feuerhelm, Anne Flicek, Courtney Klein, Bryony Livesey, Cory Meier, Joanna Mills, Bryan Moore, Colette Penic, Danielle Schleich, Adelle Vietor, Kaitlyn Vietor, Hannah Virlee, Danielle Weir and Anna Wolner.

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

The Dance Repertory Company is the pre-professional performance group of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. Company members participate in rehearsals, technique classes and stage performances.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

For more information, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5500. The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s.

MWMF concerts all over town this weekend

The second Mid West Music Fest (MWMF) will be held Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, at various venues in Winona.

The festival is an all-ages, multiple venue, multiple-genre weekend music festival, with more than 100 local and regional acts performing. Headlining this year’s festival is Charlie Parr, who will play on Saturday, April 16, at 10 p.m. at the Masonic Temple in Winona.

Several SMU acts will take part in the festival, including performances by Chris Kendall, Charolette Deranek, “The Morning Foreign,” and Battle of the Bands winner, “Fox Holes & Crow’s Nests.”

Last year, the festival raised over $7,000 for three local non-profits. Free tickets are available for SMU students in the Office of Student Activities.

To learn more about MWMF, visit www.midwestfest.org.

Last ‘Let’s Do Lunch’ scheduled for April 20

The Volunteer Committee has scheduled the last “Let's Do Lunch” of the academic year for Wednesday, April 20, in the lobby of the hockey arena. The potluck meal will be hosted by the Athletic Department and proceeds will once again help students at CTIE in Nairobi. Mark your calendars and come and get some good food while donating to a good cause.

Delta Epsilon Sigma inducts new members

Saint Mary’s Delta Epsilon Sigma chapter held its induction celebration on Tuesday, April 5.

Delta Epsilon Sigma, also referred to as DES, is a national scholastic honor society for colleges and universities with a Catholic tradition.

The annual DES chapter induction involved co-moderators Dr. Shelly McCallum and professor Teresa Speck who welcomed 16 seniors, 16 juniors, and one faculty member into DES.

Nakisa Khoshnevis, a psychology major, received a fellowship for graduate study and Regina Quandt, a Spanish/Elementary Education major, received a scholarship for undergraduate study. Both of these awards were made by the National Delta Epsilon Sigma organization.

2011 new senior inductees included: Theresa Breault, Laura Enstad, Santiago Escobar, John Fox, Jackie Heintz, Cree Kachelski, Brian Kasel, Nakisa Khoshnevis, Jennifer Koezly, Brittany Kuehn, Erica Rubenzer, Jennifer Schurhammer, Elizabeth Shewmon, Lukas Wallerich, Emily Welhaven and Tinting Zheng.

2011 new junior inductees included: Sarah Adie, Lauren Baier, Ellen Bina, Samantha Dahlstrom, Luis Escobar, David Feather, Cullen Gibbons, Cassandra Hulett, Katelin Keck, Amy Kujak, Michael Mockler, Regina Quandt, Joseph Rysavy, Jill Spitzmueller, David Spriegel and Amanda Van Leeuwe.

2011 new faculty inductee included Daniel Bucknam, assistant professor of psychology

Jazz concert April 15 to feature Sorenson

Saint Mary’s will heat things up this spring with a jazz concert today, Friday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Page Theatre. The featured soloist will be Yamaha clinician, composer, arranger and trombonist Dean Sorenson.

Sorenson is an associate professor and director of Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota. His most recent publication is “Standard of Excellence First Jazz Performance,” a collection of jazz charts for elementary bands and jazz bands. An outstanding clinician, conductor, and soloist, he is frequently featured at festivals and conventions around the country and abroad. He also maintains a full schedule of concert and recording dates as a Yamaha performing artist. Sorenson has composed and arranged for numerous ensembles including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Airmen of Note and the United States Air Force Band.

Sorenson will perform several of his own compositions and arrangements with the SMU Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo I. Both groups are co-directed this semester by Eric Heukeshoven and Dr. John Paulson of the Music Department. The 18-piece SMU Jazz Ensemble will perform Sorenson’s works “Cool City” and “Keep the Stick.” Jazz Combo I will perform “This is for Albert,” composed by Wayne Shorter and arranged for the group by Sorenson.

Other highlights of the concert will include the recognizable ballad “Willow Weep For Me,” featuring the alto sax stylings of senior Tommy Quinn of Cannon Falls; “High and Flightly,” composed by Hank Mobley and arranged by Mark Taylor, featuring both Quinn and trumpeter Tyler Ringeisen, also from Cannon Falls; “Nostalgia in Times Square” and “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” composed by Charles Mingus and arranged by Andrew Homzy and Ronnie Cuber; the popular ’70s jazz hit “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard, arranged by Mike Crotty as a Cha Cha; and some deep fried chicken funk by Kris Berg, “Rule the Roost,” cooked up in the style of the funk maestros Tower of Power. Other featured student soloists include Ben Scott of Rochester on tenor sax and Trevor Woggon of Viroqua, Wis., on trombone.

Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults, and are available at www.pagetheatre.org or at the box office, Ext. 1715, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or one hour before the performance.

SMU joins citywide efforts to help sister city in Japan

Misato bracelets are now available for a $1 donation.

Look for donation jars around campus, particularly on Misato Mondays.

The Winona-Misato Friendship Association is organizing a city/area wide benefit for the town of Misato in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan — Winona’s sister city.

Fifty homes in Misato were completely destroyed in the March earthquake. Three times that number were damaged. Many businesses and roads are in need of repair. Thankfully, no fatalities occurred, but more than 30 residents needed medical attention. The Misato residents are in need of funds to buy essential supplies: food, water and clothing.

SMU along with Winona State and other area businesses and institutions have been requested to support the city-wide initiative.

At SMU, “Misato Mondays” got off to a great start at Gaslight. Collection jars will be available Mondays, April 18 and May 2 at high visibility areas around campus including including Mugby Junction, the Info Desk, the library, Cardinal Corner, the Business Office, the bookstore and Cotter Café. Additionally, jars will be available at the track and field meet April 30.

Special Misato wristbands are also now available for a $1 donation at the Business Office, Student Activities, Admissions, Mugby Junction, the bookstore and Cardinal Corner.

A week-long benefit effort is being planned May 1 through May 7 throughout Winona. On Thursday, May 5, Saint Mary’s will host “Celebrate Japan” — an evening of events that celebrate the rich cultural diversity of Japan — from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Toner Student Center. Public events will include Japanese woodworking, martial arts, Japanese food and origami. Details are being finalized.

When the week is completed, a check from the Winona Community Foundation will be given to the City of Winona to send directly to officials in Misato.

Current pictures from Misato and pictures from past trips are available at at http://misatorelief.hbci.com.

For more information about Saint Mary’s participation, contact Chandu Valluri at Ext. 1466 or cvalluri@smumn.edu.

For more information on the benefit week, contact Bead Kerr at bker.1995@gmail.com, Joe Lepley at joseph.lepley@winona.k12.mn.us or Glenn Petersen at gpetersen@winona.edu.

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 April 24 will include Mike Berg, Quinten Castillo, Liz Daugherty, Rachel Elbert, Andrew Kilpatrick, Ellen Klug, Steven Mino, Rachel Sievers and Melisse Treptow.

Artists displaying their work April 28 through May 14 will include Alexa Bergler, Stephanie Binot, Emily Cooper, Chelsea Deering, Jesse Fleming, Cody Harvey, Nicole Krystosek, Danielle Miller and Tania Trowbridge. An opening reception for the second showing will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 28.

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

Hendrickson Forum events April 16-20

Save these dates for a variety of Hendrickson Institute-sponsored events. The Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership is committed to serving both emerging and current leaders of society. It is an academic resource for the university and the community, a forum for the exploration of ethical issues.

Women Who Step Forward ~ April 16
Mark your calendars for a personal and professional development conference on women's leadership. This event will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Harrington Mansion and Event Center, 2540 Park Ave., Minneapolis. Tickets are $45 for general admission, $35 for students. For registration information, contact Anna Shields at (612) 238-4550 or ashields@smumn.edu.

The keynote speaker is New York Times best-selling author Gail Evans who served as the executive vice president of CNN and served in President Johnson’s administration. Evans will discuss the ethics and importance of women supporting other women in order to succeed in leadership. Attend this day-long event if you’re interested in professional development, personal growth, and learning from inspiring and forward-thinking keynote and break-out session speakers.

Connect. Network. Advance. ~ April 19
Alumni, students and friends of Saint Mary’s will gather for an evening of networking, résumé reviews and a guest speaker. Bring along business cards for networking opportunities and résumés if you're searching for a job change. This event will be held 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Harrington Mansion and Event Center in Minneapolis. To register, contact Barb Hall at (612) 238-4517 or bhall@smumn.edu.

Hendrickson Forum Seminar:
Microfinance in the Urban Core ~ April 20
Widely publicized as a tool for developing nations, microfinance has a profound impact in the Twin Cities. Explore how the local microfinance landscape — access to business development, credit, grants — helps move individuals and communities toward economic security. Then join a group of distinguished panelists in a lively discussion.

The event will be held from 1 to 2:45 p.m. at the Harrington Mansion and Event Center in Minneapolis. Tickets are $20 for general admission or $10 for SMU students, faculty and staff. Order online at www.smumn.edu/hendricksonforum.

Moderated by Dr. Richard Bohr, the panel includes:
• Ramón León, president, Latino Economic Development Center
• Diane Patterson, director of Business Development, WomenVenture
• Joe Selvaggio, founder of MicroGrants.net
• Mihailo Temali, president of Neighborhood Development Corporation

Hendrickson Forum:
Social Capitalism: An “App” to Fight Poverty ~ April 20
Enjoy a conversation with Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund and author of “The Blue Sweater.”

The event will be held 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Harrington Mansion and Event Center. Regular admittance is $25 for the public, $10 for SMU students or $20 for SMU faculty and staff.

Fred de Sam Lazaro, director of the Project for Under-Told Stories at Saint Mary’s University and a correspondent for The PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, will be the moderator.

Novogratz is the founder and CEO of Acumen Fund, a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty.

Her recent best-selling memoir, “The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World,” chronicles her quest to understand poverty and challenges readers to grant dignity to the poor and to rethink their engagement with the world.

Complimentary tickets for the forum and seminar are reserved for SMU staff/faculty (first come, first served basis). Contact Barb Hall at (612) 238-4517 or bhall@smumn.edu to reserve one complimentary ticket.

Contact Bob Biebel if you’d like to carpool to the Forum or if you’d like to watch a live podcast to the Winona campus. The Hendrickson Institute will be happy to fund the podcast if a core group — or class — expresses interest in attending. Please RSVP to Barb Hall or Bob Biebel.

117 students volunteer for ‘Spruce Up Winona Day’

In recognition of “Spruce Up Winona Day,” Saint Mary’s Volunteer Mentors organized 117 students to volunteer within the Winona community Thursday, April 14. The volunteers assisted at 16 non-profit organizations and 41 residences. Spruce Up Winona Day involves Winona State, Minnesota State College-Southeast Tech and SMU as an annual community-wide cleanup effort.

May featured in Bluff Country Studio Art Tour

The 11th annual Bluff Country Studio Art Tour of Southeast Minnesota will be April 29 through May 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to www.bluffcountrystudioarttour.com.

One of the artists displaying is Monta May, director, website and web development, at her home, 854 W. 5th St. To see May’s work, go www.montgael.blogspot.com.

SMU Choirs to perform April 30

The SMU Choirs will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels on the Saint Teresa campus. Enjoy the talents of Saint Mary’s students through an evening of song. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and area available at the box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

No ‘Campus Notes’ next week

This edition of ‘Campus Notes’ is the last one before Easter break. The next edition will be Friday, April 29, and the deadline for that edition is Wednesday, April 27.