100 SMU students to volunteer in Winona community Saturday

About 100 students from Saint Mary’s — 78 of whom are new to the community — will serve eight organizations in Winona on Saturday, Sept. 3, from 1 to 4 p.m.

New Student Volunteer Day is dedicated to providing new students with the opportunity to serve the people of Winona, and to be inspired by the Lasallian spirit early in their college careers.

Students will be volunteering at Grace Place, Habitat Restore, Lake Winona Manor, Winona Area Humane Society, YMCA, Winona Parks and Recreation, Outdoor Leadership at SMU, and Salvation Army Thrift Store. In collaboration with Park and Rec, students will be taking video, naming trails and doing trail maintenance. With the other groups, they will also be cleaning, painting, hauling, playing BINGO and tending to animals, among other activities.

Low to headline Saturday at ‘Off the Page’ event

As part of this year’s SMU “Off the Page” lineup, musical artists Low, Ben Weaver and The Morning Foreign will perform Saturday, Sept. 3. The Off-the-Page Series features a variety of Minnesota talent, hosted by Saint Mary’s at easily accessible venues around Winona.

These three popular music ensembles promise to fill the historic Masonic Temple, 5th and Main streets, with the sounds of today’s generations. Tickets for the event, which will begin at 7 p.m., are $20 for adults or $15 for students and seniors.

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 in 1994. They currently have nine full-length recordings with numerous EPs and live recordings. 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 and his most recent, “Mirepoix and Smoke,” was inspired by his time with a farm-to-table restaurant in Minneapolis.

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 SMU senior Benjamin Scott, the group dabbles with jazz influenced pop, with a cello thrown in for good measure.

To order tickets, go online to www.pagetheatre.org or call the box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Saint Mary’s plans third annual Young Alumni Weekend

Saint Mary’s graduates from the past decade have been invited back to campus for Young Alumni Reunion Weekend, Sept. 9-11.

Over 150 alumni are expected to attend the full weekend of events which will include a faculty and staff social, a young alumni gathering at Mulligan’s, ropes course activities, a barbecue with live music on the Plaza, disc golfing and a pig roast picnic. Additionally, special events are planned for the anniversary years of 2001 and 2006. The weekend also coincides with Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, giving SMU alumni opportunities to cheer on Cardinal athletics.

For more information about the Young Alumni Program, please contact Bob Fisher at Ext. 6658 or rfisher@smumn.edu. To read more about this event, or to register, go www.smumn.edu/yaweekend.

Three to be inducted to Sports Hall of Fame Sept. 10

The Saint Mary’s Cardinal ‘M’ Club, in association with the Alumni Office, will induct three members into the SMU Sports Hall of Fame during a special ceremony Saturday, Sept. 10, in the gymnasium.

Nate DeMars ’98 and Frank Savino ’98 were more than linemates for the Saint Mary’s University men’s hockey team for four years — they were like inseparable brothers. Add to that the third member of this year’s Class of 2011 inductee, John Redpath ’80, and the familial ties become even greater — after all, Redpath was not only a standout for the Saint Mary’s hockey teams of the late ’70s, but he’s also DeMars’ uncle.

In their four years together, Savino and DeMars were one of the most prolific, goal-scoring duos in the country. The two combined for a jaw-dropping 377 points and rank second (DeMars) and third (Savino) to the great Andre Beaulieu in career points.

A four-year letterwinner, Savino was named to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team in each of his four years as a Cardinal. Savino’s junior year was one for the record books, as he compiled 40 goals and 62 points — both ranked No. 5 all-time in the program’s history — while earning MIAC Player of the Year and First-Team All-American honors. In his four years at SMU, Savino ranks No. 3 all-time in career goals (111) and career points (111).

And as impressive as Savino’s numbers were, his four-year linemates were equally as impressive.

Also a four-year letterwinner, DeMars earned All-MIAC First-Team honors three times, while also being named Second Team All-American during his junior season, when he posted 40 assists — the fourth-best single-season assist total in program history — and finished a point behind Savino with 61. DeMars closed out his collegiate career as SMU’s all-time assist leader (108), while ranking second in career points (189) and fifth in career goals (81).

Not to be outdone by his nephew, Redpath made a name for himself, earning First-Team All-MIAC honors in both his junior and senior seasons, while also being named an NAIA First-Team All-American during his senior season. Redpath, a four-year letterwinner, finished among the top 20 in SMU history in single-season goals (23) and points (51).

Other activities included in Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, Sept. 9-11, will include athletic awards, golf, alumni games, a social, and a picnic.

Placement audition for WAYS scheduled for Sept. 12

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct placement auditions for Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS), at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, at the Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall, 1164 West 10th St.

WAYS is seeking students in grades four through eight who have been introduced to choir/music in their academic school setting and desire additional educational and performance opportunities in vocal music.

Throughout the semester, the choir will rehearse on Mondays, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Performances will include the annual MCA Winter Music Division Concert on Dec. 5, as well as holiday caroling and other community events.

WAYS is directed of the SMU Music Department.

Registration for WAYS, as well as other MCA semester I dance and music programming, will be accepted at the MCA registration open house, Thursday, Sept. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. Interested students may also register online at www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.

WAYS is offered tuition-free for the 2011-2012 academic year. 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. This activity is also made possible in part by a grant from the Young Singers’ Foundation.

For more information, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

MCA announces registration open house Sept. 8

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct its semester I registration open house, 4 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Registration for Semester I dance and music programming will be accepted at the open house. Tours of the facility will be available, refreshments will be served, and students will have the opportunity to meet new and returning faculty and staff. Additionally, students can be fitted for all their dance attire needs at the open house. MCA’s dance attire boutique offers quality basics for children including leotards, tights, ballet slippers, jazz shoes and tap shoes.

Dance class offerings, beginning Sept. 12, are available for youth ages 3 to adults and include beginning through advanced levels in classical ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement and modern, hip hop, leaps and turns, choreography, and a special tuition-free boys’ and men’s dance program. Semester I also provides programming specifically for beginning teens and adults by offering classes in partnership with Winona County Community Education, including: clogging I, clogging II, nia, power piyo, teen and adult ballet, and teen and adult tap and jazz. Parents who have a child enrolled in a dance or music class at MCA may participate in an adult class or choir tuition-free through the MCA Adult Arts Wellness program.

Academic credit is available to high school and college students through Cotter High School and Saint Mary’s University for a variety of MCA classes. Beginning and intermediate dancers ages 5 to 13 are encouraged to audition for MCA’s Dance Repertory Company II winter concert, offering exciting performance opportunities for MCA’s young performers in a nurturing and rigorous but non-competitive environment. Auditions are noon Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Valéncia Arts Center.

MCA music division offerings include Creative Music for children ages 3 to 4 years old, Winona Area Youth Singers for students in grades four to eight, a flute choir for teens age 16 to adults, and private instrumental lessons in flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, violin, cello, piano, voice and mandolin.

MCA Semester II music and dance programming provides five to 12 weeks of instruction depending on specific course/activity. Dance classes conclude with a demonstration week, Nov. 14-19. Dancers in the Dance Repertory Company II will perform in the MCA Winter Dance Concert, Dec. 2-3. Winona Area Youth Singers, members of the MCA flute choir and selected instrumental lesson students will conclude the semester with the MCA music division winter concert, Dec. 5. Tuition for MCA programming varies depending on course length and level. Discounts and scholarships are available.

For more information, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

MCA offers tuition-free flute choir to students/faculty/staff

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts announces a new flute choir, tuition-free to SMU students, faculty, and staff for the 2011-2012 academic year.

The flute choir is open to all community flutists from ages 16 to adult. All ability levels are welcome. The choir will rehearse on Tuesdays, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in MCA’s Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall, 1164 West 10th St.

Throughout the semester, the choir will rehearse and perform a variety of music from serious recital pieces to fun, seasonal favorites. Performances will include the annual MCA Winter Music Division Concert on December 5, as well as other community events.

Registration for the Flute Choir will be accepted at the MCA registration open house, Thursday, Sept. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. Interested flutists may also register online at www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.

The MCA Flute Choir is directed by Amanda Moburg. Moburg has extensive experience teaching band and orchestra in the public school system, as well as private flute lessons. In addition to teaching and adjudicating, she has many years of performing experience as a freelance musician in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Some of her most notable performances were at the Washington Flute Society's annual conference and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She has held positions as a flutist with the Annapolis Wind Symphony, Columbia Concert Band, and, most recently, the Winona Municipal Band and Saint Mary’s Concert Band.

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 November 4, 2008. This activity is also made possible in part by a grant from the Young Singer’s Foundation.

For more information, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

Saint Mary’s international students tour town on trolley

On Aug. 29, Saint Mary’s newest international students were invited to take a tour of Winona on the Trester Trolley. For most of the students, who arrived in Minnesota last week, this is their first time in the United States. Highlights along the way included the Minnesota Equestrian Center, Garvin Heights Elk Ranch, Garvin Heights Vineyards, the Garvin Heights look-out, and Prairie Island Park. SMU’s new international students this semester come from Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Poland, China and Canada and include, from left: front, Musab Alotaibi (Saudi Arabia), Mohammed Hadi (Saudi Arabia), Hussain Alqushairi (Saudi Arabia), Kanae Agena (Japan), Mohanna Aloufi (Saudi Arabia), Jesus Benavides Hernandez (Colombia), Ilham Albalawi (Saudi Arabia); back, Jane Cyrus (staff), Brit Wagner (staff), Tiantian He (China), Mohammed Alharbi (Saudi Arabia), Hamad Alzahrani (Saudi Arabia), Mustafa Alnofaily (Saudi Arabia), Anas Almowallad (Saudi Arabia), Mohanned Naquib (Saudi Arabia), Bader Albalawi (Saudi Arabia), Lupita Garza-Cienfuegos (staff) and Zainab Alnemer (Saudi Arabia).

Chris Kendall to perform at Winona Arts Center

Chris Kendall and the Coulee Kings (Mark Gunderson and Tom Moncrieff) combine forces for an evening of musical story telling Saturday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Winona Arts Center. Admission is $5.

SMU alum to host upcoming children’s workshop

SMU alumna Emerald Hulsing will lead an upcoming children’s workshop on Goyataku, the art of fish printing Saturday, Sept. 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Boats and Bluegrass Festival on Prairie Island. No preregistration is required.

The event is open to all children and their parents. Children under the age of 8 must have a parent/adult accompanying them.

Children will learn the basics of relief printing using rubber fish. Traditionally done using real fish — dead ones — Goyataku is a traditional form of Japanese fish printing, dating from the mid-1800s. Originally used by fishermen to record their catches, Gyotaku is now practiced as an art form, and is very popular among young children both in Japan and Western countries.

Cancer benefit for Jim Klinger is Oct. 22

A cancer benefit will be held for Jim Klinger, (Maintenance Department) at 4 p.m. Saturday Oct. 22, at the Witoka Ballroom. The event will include a live and silent auction, bake sale and chicken dinner.

If you would like to help with the benefit by volunteering that day, baking for the bake sale or by donating items, contact Nikki Richmond Ext. 1643 or Sandy Moger at Ext. 1436.

Tickets will be available in a few weeks.

News from Nairobi

The Maryknoll Institute of African Studies (MIASMU) is offering three-day courses to either introduce participants to African mindset, attitudes, ideas and values or to foster updating and renewal. The two courses “Introduction to African Cultures and Religion” and “Intermediate Course on African Cultures and Religion” will run from September 5-7.

The foundational course is designed to give students a “taste” of the MIAS educational process by introducing them to fundamental structures of contemporary African cultures, religion and the political and economic realities of Kenya. Those who take this course often register later for regular courses.

The intermediate course on African Cultures and Religion is designed for returning MIASMU students for renewal and updating and focuses on specific areas of African cultures, naming, family lineage, moral teachings of African religion, and Kenyan economic structures.

The target group for both courses is personnel, whether African or non African, engaged in pastoral, educational, medical and developmental projects who have not done any systematic study of African cultures or, in the case of the intermediate course, who are returning MIASMU students for updating and renewal. In all cases, the participants do not have time to do full courses.

Fox receives Dominican Alumnae Award

Sister Patrice, O.P., principal of Rosary High School, left, Dr. Mary Fox and Mary's mother, Toni Fox.

Mary Catherine Fox, Ph.D. professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, received the 2011 Dominican Alumnae Award for Professional Excellence from the Rosary High School Alumnae Association, in Aurora, Ill. The award recognizes lifetime career achievement and was presented at the school’s Candle-Rose ceremony in May, 2011.

The citation noted Dr. Fox’s accomplishments in the competitive telecommunications industry, as well as her work as dean of the School of Business, vice president of university relations and as a professor at SMU. Particular mention was made of Dr. Fox’s Lasallian work with the Brothers of the Christian Schools in both domestic and international venues.

History book prizes announced

Since 1995, the Saint Mary’s Department of History has awarded book prizes to recognize students for outstanding work in history courses. The following students were chosen for their work during Spring Semester, 2011:

John Soucheray and Matthew Kotek won the book prizes for H125 Europe and the World, and Mike Anderson won in H150 American Experience.

David Spriegel won the book prize for H311 U.S. Foreign Relations.

Book prizes for H365 Early Modern Europe went to both Loren Galloway and Allison Wildenborg, who shared the top honor.

Peter McColl was honored for his work in H357 History of Rock and Roll, and Pawel Szczepkowski won the prize in H368 Contemporary Europe.

Graduating senior Benjamin Eirikson was awarded the prize for his work in H461 Historical Research and Writing.

‘Putting on the Fitz’ is Sept. 8

Faculty and staff are invited to the fifth annual Putting on the Fitz Thursday, Sept. 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. (Come when you can, leave when you wish.) Refreshments will be served.

Chat with SMU senior David Spriegel, and see photocopies of the Lincoln documents he found while on a summer internship at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

You can also see a display of the “bookmark collection” (interesting items found in returned books over the years), check out new mobile apps, learn what Mosio is, or request an instruction session or electronic research guide for your course.