Family Weekend Fall Frolic is Sept. 28

The public is invited to participate in the 26th Fall Frolic 5K fun run/walk at Saint Mary’s University Saturday, Sept. 28.

Registration will run from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in SMU’s Toner Student Center with the race beginning at 10 a.m. The $8 cost includes a T-shirt.

The annual event is free to SMU students, faculty and staff, but is open to the community as well. Typically close to 300 people participate; competitors of all levels (including walkers) are welcome.

Participants will enjoy the beautiful bluff trails of SMU’s Winona campus. The online registration form is available at www.smumn.edu/fallfrolic, and a complete weekend schedule is available online at www.smumn.edu/familyweekend.

Family Weekend runs Sept. 27-29 and includes a full slate of activities for families of students and the SMU community. In previous years, as many as 1,000 visitors have come onto campus for Family Weekend music and theatre events, sporting events, the Fall Frolic, and other games and activities.

New Christian Brother statue dedication is Oct. 4

The new De La Salle Christian Brothers statue on the Winona campus plaza will be dedicated during a brief ceremony on Friday, Oct. 4, at 11:45 a.m.  Students, faculty and staff are invited. The statue honors the De La Salle Christian Brothers’ 80 years of service to Saint Mary’s. Benefactors of the project, Bernie and Jan Wagnild, Robert ’49 and Frances Perry CST ’51 Skemp, and the Class of 2013, will be recognized.

Saint Mary’s debuts 7th Kaplan Commission Sept. 28

A joint performance of the Saint Mary’s Concert Band, Chamber Singers and Choirs will feature the world-premiere composition, “Katanya” during a family-oriented fall concert 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Page Theatre.

“Katanya,” written by Larry Bitensky of Centre College, Danville, Ky., is a Jewish oral folk tale from Turkey that tells a variation of the familiar Tom Thumb/Thumbelina story. Bitensky will serve as the tale’s on-stage narrator during the Concert Band premiere, which includes Jewish folk songs the composer heard as a youth.

“Katanya” was commissioned by the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation, which supports performances and activities led by Jewish artists and scholars that are designed to increase cultural and religious understanding at Saint Mary’s. Bitensky is SMU’s seventh Kaplan composer.

Known for music described as “extraordinarily sensitive and beautiful” and “speaking directly to the heart,” Bitensky, a composer and pianist, has been hailed for works that are satisfying for performers and communicative to audiences.

Born in 1966 in New York, and educated at Skidmore College, the New England Conservatory of Music, Ithaca College, and Cornell University, Bitensky’s musical personality is rooted in a range of influences. He often seeks to merge the complex structures and expressive range of the classical masters and the innovations of the 20th-century greats with the melodic and rhythmic invention and improvisatory flow of musical traditions from India, Indonesia, the Islamic and Jewish worlds, jazz, and the Grateful Dead.

Recorded on Mark Records and Sea Breeze Vista records, Bitensky’s music has been performed by numerous ensembles and at various festivals around North America, Europe and Asia. His music is published by Silly Black Dog Music.

Bitensky is an associate professor of music at Centre College. He lives in Lancaster, Ky., with his wife Kathy and his silly black dog Chloe.

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

Jazz groups open Family Weekend music performances

Saint Mary’s Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo I will begin another great season 6 p.m. today, Friday, Sept. 27, in Figliulo Recital Hall under the direction of A. Eric Heukeshoven.

Music by classic jazz composers such as Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Thelonius Monk and George Gershwin, along with contemporary arrangements will be featured in this one-hour tour de force. Junior Thomas Plante will be featured playing flugelhorn on Monk’s haunting “Round Midnight.” And sophomore Nick Novotny on tenor sax will be joined by Tom Nalli on trombone for Dave Wolpe’s swinging arrangement of “Alone Together.”

The concert is open to the public, and seating is limited. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. For tickets or more information, contact the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or go online to www.pagetheatre.org.

Students to stage drama about women and war

The Theatre and Dance Department will present a groundbreaking play about women and war Sept. 28-29.

In “Necessary Targets,” two American women, a Park Avenue psychiatrist and an ambitious young writer, travel to Bosnia to help women refugees confront their memories of war. Based on interviews with numerous women who survived the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, “Necessary Targets” is a timely reminder of how America struggles to define its relationship to the rest of the world. Witness the violence of dark memories and the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

Written by Eve Ensler, and directed by Judy Myers, “Necessary Targets” will run 7:30 p.m.  Saturday, Sept. 28 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, in the Valéncia Academy Theatre, 10th and Vila streets.

Key design positions for this production are covered by seniors including: scene design, Elyssa Mattson; costume design, Tasha Nelson; and sound design, Charlotte Deranek.

Tickets are $10, $5 for students and seniors and are available at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715,

Cross/Purpose exhibit on display until Oct. 5

The Lillian Davis Hogan Gallery is hosting an exhibit titled Cross/Purpose, a collection of 49 works of art exploring the image, symbolism, and event of Christ’s crucifixion. Beginning with a 6th century coin, the works represent centuries of interpretation and reflection on this pivotal moment in history. Renowned artists such as George Rouault, Marc Chagall, Otto Dix and Jacques Villon are represented in the exhibit.

The collection is part of a traveling exhibition series by CIVA, Christians in the Visual Arts.

Please note that the Cross/Purpose exhibit has been extended for one week and will run through Saturday, Oct. 5.

Page Series to bring classic fairy tales with twists to life

Young and old alike will enjoy the Griffin Theatre Company performance of “Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales” Thursday, Oct. 3.

This Page Series production will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Page Theatre.

Jack has a problem. He’s successfully grown an enormous beanstalk, scaled to the top, and stolen a golden harp and gold-laying goose from the sleeping giant. Things get a bit sketchy when said giant wakes up. Find out how old, slightly warped, fairy tales come to his rescue.

Over the past 22 years, the Griffin Theatre Company of Chicago has provided a wide range of work including world and Midwest premieres of acclaimed scripts, critically lauded productions of Shakespeare and original adaptations of novels.

Tickets are $14 for adults, $6 for seniors and students and are available online at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A “Gathering for Jack” will begin at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the Winona Public Library Children’s Room. Enjoy some tall tales and fabulous shorts, and take a chance at winning tickets to the Oct. 3 performance.

Poet Sarah Certa to give reading

A reading by poet Sarah Certa, author of the chapbook, “Red Paper Heart,” will be held 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the President’s Room.

Her poems focus on the many shades of love. In 2010, Sarah graduated from Winona State with a B.A. in English and in 2013 from the Vermont College of Fine Arts with an M.F.A. in creative writing.

The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor dociety. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Carolyn Ayers, cayers@smumn.edu or Ext. 1523.

Campus Ministry hosts outdoor retreat

Twelve people attended the Outdoor Retreat Sept. 20-21, facilitated by Campus Ministry.  The retreat focused on enjoying the outdoors and discovering how a spiritual life may be called to environmental stewardship.  Participants hiked, canoed and camped at Perrot State Park.

Open house for Vlazny, Saint Edward’s is Oct. 2

An open house for the Saint Edward’s Living Learning Center and Vlazny Hall will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Visit the Living Learning Center’s new home in Saint Edward’s Hall and see updates to the building; also stop by Vlazny Hall to see the new homes of Campus Ministry, the Hendrickson Institute, the Jay Johnson Wellness Center, the Office of Mission, Residence Life and Student Life. Refreshments will be provided in the Vlazny Hall lounge.

News from Nairobi

By James Chege, librarian MIASMU
A New Academic Year Begins

The first semester of the new academic year 2013-14 began on Sept. 13 in Nairobi with the MIASMU director, Father Michael Kirwen, giving a welcoming address to the new and returning students. He urged them among other things to make use of the wonderful opportunity before them to understand better African cultures and by extension, for those who are not African, their own cultures.

This semester program marks the 24th year that the Maryknoll Institute of African Studies has been in existence. There is a 35 percent increase from the previous year’s enrollment indicating continuing growth of the institute. And, as has come to be expected, this semester’s students continue to reflect the diverse and dynamic nature of the student body with students from Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zambia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Brazil and the USA. The participants stand to learn a great deal from each other by experiencing the different cultural traditions while  interacting.

The courses offered this semester include: Spirituality, Personhood and Psychotherapy in an African Context taught by the Rev. Hubert Pinto; Justice and Peace in East Africa taught by Dr. Emmanuel Manyasa; Towards the Inculturation of Religious Life taught by Sister Dr. Joan Burke; African Marriage and Family: Challenge and Change taught by Mary Getui; Moral Teachings and Practices of African Traditional Religion taught by Dr. Michael Katola and finally, Sage Philosophy: The Root of African Philosophy and Religion taught by Dr. Oriare Nyarwath.

Richter chosen as recipient of Taylor Richmond Benefit

All proceeds from the 2014 Taylor Richmond Benefit will be awarded to Jason F. Richter M’09.

Richter, 37, is a former assistant dean of students, Student Activities coordinator, and hall director at Saint Mary’s and a M.A. in Human Development alumnus. He was also a staff advisor for the Taylor Richmond Benefit for its first eight years. He worked at SMU for more than 12 years.

He is the father of three young sons ages 10, 6, and 1. He, his wife, Tina, and their three boys moved to Iowa to be closer to grandparents and family in 2009.

Richter was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He had pain in his lower back that turned out to be a mass, hindering the flow of liquids in his spinal chord. He has undergone 10 radiation sessions, as well as bone and stem cell transplants.

The proceeds of the benefit dance and auction will go towards medical and travel costs for the family.

This year’s silent auction will be held March 13-14 in the Toner Student Center game room and the  dance will be held on March 15 in the gymnasium.

Career fair scheduled for Oct. 2

All students are invited to attend the career fair on Wednesday, Oct. 2. This annual fall event is sponsored by the offices of Career Services at Saint Mary’s, Winona State University and Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical.

The career fair is open to all students, freshmen through seniors, who are exploring career options or looking for internship and job opportunities. Participants can speak with employers about their organization in general, about coursework and extracurricular activities that are helpful or necessary for entry into certain fields, or about specific opportunities within their organization, including internships, summer jobs, and permanent positions. No pre-registration is required for students.

The fair will run 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, at WSU’s McCown Gymnasium. Interviews will be held Thursday, Oct. 3.

The shuttle van departs Toner Student Center’s turnaround at 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and returns to SMU at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

For more information about this fair and other fairs, visit the Career Services & Internship Office in Room 70, Griffin Hall, or www.smumn.edu/csifairs.

SMU Page Series to feature folk singer Susan Werner

The next Page Series will feature some sweet songs about sustainability by folk singer Susan Werner.

Werner will present work from her “Hayseed” project at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, in  Page Theatre.

Born in Manchester, Iowa, Werner grew up on her family's hog farm, but she took to singing rather than farming. She began making a name for herself in the folk scene of the early 1990s in Philadelphia, New York and Boston. She recorded five albums from 1993 to 2001 in the folk genre. Her next recording in 2004, “I Can't Be New,” was a departure encompassing Tin Pan Alley, early torch, and jazz standards. Now based in Chicago, Warner's most recent music is infused with the rustic roots of American folk, blues and country music. Her 11th recording “Kicking the Beehive” includes guest appearances by Vince Gill, Mo'Keb and Paul Franklin.

Werner’s newest project, “Hayseed,” contains 12 songs on the subject of farming, rural America, locavores, food safety, and the comic potential of herbicides. With this work, she returns to the language and characters she knows best.

Tickets are $24 for adults, $22 for students and seniors and are available at www.pagetheatre.org or at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A Page in History event is planned for noon Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Winona County History Center. Come and celebrate local food and food growers, along with Werner. Folks from the Winona Farmer’s Market, Bluff Country Co-op and local food growers will be attending. Meet your local farmers and hear a preview of Werner’s evening performance. She is supporting three organizations: Practical Farmers of Iowa, Ames’ Midwest Organic Sustainability Education Service of Spring Valley, Wis.; and the Land Institute, Salina, Kan.

Lasallian Week of Peace schedule announced

Join in on this annual week of exciting, engaging and informative events. The theme of this year’s Lasallian Week of Peace is “Care for God’s Creation.“ Events during the week are open to the SMU community.

Sunday, Sept. 29: 
Sarah Hart Concert (7 p.m. in the Plaza)
Award-winning contemporary Catholic musician

Monday, Sept. 30
Dine with the Divine — “A Faith-Inspired Farm” (5:30 p.m. in Hillside). Register at www.surveymonkey.com/s/DWDLasallianweekofpeace. This event will be dinner and discussion with members of the Jagerstatter Farm, a Lake City Catholic Worker community. Dinner is provided, but participants must preregister.

Tuesday, Oct. 1
Evening Prayer with the Brothers (8 p.m. in the Common Room). Join the international Christian Brothers for prayer in the Common Room.

Wednesday, Oct. 2
Week of Peace Symposium, “Caring for the Environment in Our Professional and Personal Lives” (6:30 p.m. in the Common Room). Learn from and discuss with a variety of professionals on how care for the environment relates to their personal and professional lives. Presenters will be from Gundersen Health Systems, J.R. Watkins, Hoch Orchard, The Blue Heron, Winona County, and others.

Thursday, Oct. 3
“Our Activities and Unintended Consequences” (12:10 p.m. in the Faculty Dining Room). Pick up your lunch and join in this presentation from Randy Hines, who is a wildlife biologist and partnership coordinator from the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center.

Friday, Oct. 4
Fair Trade Friday (7:30 a.m. in Saint Mary’s Hall). Stop by for a free cup of fair trade coffee and check out other fair trade items.

Sunday, Oct. 6
Service Opportunity at Jagerstatter Farm (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Connect back to the Monday night Dine with the Divine by helping out at Jagerstatter Farm.

All Week: 
Throughout the week there will be a table where you can contribute to a community mosaic project that depicts the beauty of our natural surroundings.

Prayer for Peace at the Peace Pole (12:35 p.m. daily in front of the chapel). Every day, following daily Mass, community members are invited to gather at the Peace Pole in front of Saint Thomas More Chapel for a brief prayer for peace and the care for God’s creation.

Congratulations to Lallaman family

Joshua Lallaman, assistant professor of biology, and his wife had a baby girl, Emerson Ann Lallaman Monday, Sept. 23. The Saint Mary’s community congratulates the Lallaman family.