Outstanding senior finalists

The following students have been named finalists for the 2014 Outstanding Senior Awards.

Females: Lisa Obasi, Abigail Osborne, Amy Spitzmueller, Marilyn Yennie, Katherine Zuzek

Males: Miles Dunna, Dylan Ethen, Evan Shockley, John Soucheray, Matthew Traxler

Final ballots will be e-mailed to faculty and staff. Seniors will have the opportunity to vote on Wednesday, March 12, at the Senior Salute.  The award for Outstanding Female and Male Senior will be presented at Founder's Day on April 1.

Multicultural Week continues

The Multicultural Showcase Saturday will feature a wide variety of music and dance.

International students enjoyed talking about their countries ... and sharing a dance as part of Multicultural Week.

Events continue through Saturday in celebration of Multicultural Week.

Today, Friday, Feb. 14

• 7:30 to 11 a.m. — Fair Trade Friday with the Peace and Justice Club, Saint Mary’s Hall
• 9 p.m. —  SAC and Multicultural Week present “The Butler,” Salvi Lecture Hall

Saturday, Feb. 15

• 7 p.m. — Multicultural Showcase, Toner Student Center lounge

Cardinal Plunge raises $1,600 for local family

Before taking the plunge, some participants were a little hesitant.

But they knew they were freezin' for a reason!

This year's beneficiaries, the Ellinghuysen family

Approximately 25 Saint Mary’s University students braved the icy water during the fifth annual “Cardinal Plunge,” held Feb. 8 in conjunction with the Winter Carnival Goose Bump Jump in Lake Winona.

This year, about $1,600 was raised for SMU junior Conner Ellinghuysen’s father, Robert Ellinghuysen of Winona. Robert was hit head-on in a traffic accident in June 2012 along Highway 14 in Stockton. He underwent numerous surgeries and lengthy hospital stays. Proceeds will help the Ellinghuysen family with ongoing medical expenses and other family needs.

The event was sponsored by the Saint Mary’s Future Alumni Committee. To see pictures of the event, go to www.smumn.edu/photos.

Saint Mary’s to host regional science, engineering fair

The 61st annual Southeast Minnesota and Western Wisconsin Regional Science and Engineering Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, in the gymnasium.

The regional fair is a joint venture between SMU, Winona State University and community members, and the two colleges alternate hosting the event. Approximately 120 students from regional middle school and high schools will participate in the fair. These schools will include La Crescent Middle School, Bluffview Montessori School, Winona Middle School, Cotter Junior High and Cotter High School, Cochrane-Fountain City High School, Luck High School, Chatfield Schools, Shattuck St. Mary’s and Winona Senior High School.

The student exhibits are open to the public from 3 to 5 p.m. An awards ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium. Students are chosen to advance to either the Minnesota Academy of Science or the Badger State Science fairs. One senior-level project is chosen to advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Panel to discuss ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’

The Department of English and Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society, will host a panel discussion on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the President's Room. Refreshments will be served; all are welcome to come and participate in “unpacking” this famous and compelling but puzzling poem. Copies of the poem are available in the English office, Room 231, Saint Mary’s Hall.

Students to present at Museum of Russian Art

Five history and English majors will present at the first annual Interdisciplinary Student Research Symposium, hosted by The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) and a consortium of Minnesota colleges and universities. The symposium will take place at TMORA in Minneapolis on Saturday, Feb. 15, in connection with the museum’s exhibit: “The Romanovs: Legacy of an Empire Lost,” which runs until March 23. Presentations will address the art, literature and history of the Russian empire.

Students presenting are:

• Brianna Theis, “The Shackled Hands of Russia’s Poet: Nicholas I’s Censorship of Alexander Pushkin’s Personal and Professional Life”
• Anna Segner, “The Representation of Empire in Lermontov’s Paintings and Prose”
• Paul Schmitt, “The Otherworldly Bureaucracy in Gogol’s Petersburg Tales”
• John Soucheray, “In Search for Russia’s Soul: Aleksei Khomiakov and Sobornost Principles in Russian Orthodox theology, 1830-1860”
• Peter McColl, “Dangers of Assimilation: Old Believer Iconography under Nicholas II”
Accompanying the students are Dr. Erich Lippman, Department of History, and Dr. Carolyn Ayers, Department of English.

SMU presents six plays in ‘SPLaSH’ Feb. 19-23

The Theatre and Dance Department will present the spring “SPLaSH” series — six one-act plays produced by students — Feb. 19-23. The plays will be held at the Studio Theatre, located in the Performance Center.

SPLaSH, which stands for “short play showcase,” will feature six one-act plays. Four of the one-acts, “English Made Simple,” “Words Words Words,” and “Sure Thing” from All in the Timing as well as “Lives of the Saints” from Seven Short Plays, are comedies by David Ives.

Two of the featured plays, “Meeting of the Mind” and “The Well-Wishers,” were written by Alexander Green ’14 specifically for this production. Another Green original one-act, “He Who Fights Monsters,” was produced in the Studio Theatre in January.

Directors for SPLaSH include Lydia Munroe ’14, Brian Pipal ’14, Kathleen Bryant ’15 and Colleen Morgan ’15. Students cover all design, production, and performance areas for this studio production.

Shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Feb. 19-22, and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22-23.

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

News from Nairobi

By James Chege
Librarian
Maryknoll Institute of African Studies

Participants of the one-day course sample the unique African batiks created by a Tanzanian artist, Kirita, which are on offer at MIASMU.

MIASMU hosts visitors with one-day course

The Maryknoll Institute of African Studies hosted a group from the Maryknoll Mission Education and Promotion, Western region of the U.S. for a one-day course. The course took place on Saturday, Feb. 8, and was focused on African spirituality.

The group was taught by Laurenti Magesa, an associate professor of Saint Mary’s and a faculty member of  MIASMU since it began in 1989.  Magesa is a distinguished professor in moral theology and African spirituality, and is the author of several books with his latest title “What is Not Sacred?: African spirituality” published by Orbis Books.

The group is based in the San Francisco Bay area and was on a two-week trip to Kenya and neighboring Tanzania visiting Maryknoll programs. One of the participants is the retired bishop of Reno/Las Vega. The one-day course was aimed to equip them with some foundational cultural skills needed to process their experiences in Africa.

The general feedback from the participants was that it was a very enlightening experience. They seemed to take a particular liking to the field study which they carried out in the afternoon, each with a personal field assistant. A Kenyan University graduate said that it was the best kind of orientation anyone would have hoped for as they started their two week trip.

Faculty display works at current art exhibition

Faculty members of the Department of Art and Design have joined talents for the current art exhibit, on display through March 8 in the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

The show features new works — ranging from sculpture to photography — by Lisa Truax, Matt Winkler, Preston Lawing, Rob McColl, Rod Robertson and Tony Calabrese.

Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the show is free and open to the public.

SMU presents free concert featuring Baroque music

The Department of Music will present “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale and other Baroque Spectaculars” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at Central Lutheran Church, 259 W. Wabasha St.

The event, free and open to the public, will feature the Saint Mary’s Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. David Leung. The concert will include music by Handel, Bach and Corelli.

Special guests joining Dr. Leung on violin will be Maureen Yuen, a violinist from State University of New York at Fredonia, and Erik Floan, an organist from Saint Mary’s University.

The group will also perform the same program at Sugar Loaf Senior Living at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15.

Chat, Chow & Web 2.0

The next Chat, Chow & Web 2.0, hosted by the Fitzgerald Library, Information Technology, and Instructional Technology, will be held noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19. Meet in the main lounge of the McEnery Center. Lunch will be provided and RSVPs are appreciated to jspartz@smumn.edu.

In this session, titled “Talk to Me,” two faculty members enlist the power of social media technologies to promote engaged student response.  Lisa Truax (Art) will share her experiences with Flipgrid, a video response tool, and Janel Schultz (Math) will talk about how she is using Poll Everywhere, the classroom response system that incorporates mobile devices.

Fifteen chili makers to battle it out during Feb. 21 cookoff

In what has become one of the hottest competitions at Saint Mary’s, the annual SMU Chili Cookoff is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

No beans about it, the Volunteer Committee believes this is a great fundraiser.

All faculty and staff are invited to submit their award-winning chili and vie for the golden ladle. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, and all competitors will get SMU shirts.

Let Deb Nahrgang (Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu) know if you plan to enter the contest, so that there is enough to go around. Then, just bring your unmarked crockpot to the Common Room by 11:15 a.m. sharp and check in.

Everyone is invited to eat chili between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. You do not need to compete to enjoy. Toppings, sides and desserts will also be provided. Awards will be presented at noon.

Proceeds will benefit our students in Jamaica.

Donations now accepted for Taylor Richmond benefit, auction

The beneficiary for the 2014 Taylor Richmond Benefit is Jason Richter.

Richter is well-known to the Saint Mary’s community as he worked from 1998 to 2010 as the Student Activities director, and as such he was responsible for overseeing this benefit.

Richter was diagnosed with multiple myeloma last summer. He had pain in his lower back that turned out to be a mass, hindering the flow of liquids in his spinal cord. This is a disease that is more commonly found in people around the age of 60; because of his young age, he has responded well to treatments. He has undergone 10 radiation sessions, as well as recent bone and stem cell transplants. On top of that, the Richter family lives an hour away from the hospital Jason is receiving treatment at in Iowa City.

Although now in remission, Richter is still undergoing chemotherapy treatments. This year’s proceeds will assist his family, which includes three young sons, with their medical expenses and travel costs.

The silent auction will be March 13-14. Donations for the auction are now being accepted. Past items have consisted of: all-expense paid trips, electronics, dinners, themed baskets, tickets to sporting or music events and gift cards.

The benefit has become an annual tradition since its start in 2001 by students in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of SMU staff member Nikki Richmond and Nick Richmond. Each year this event benefits continues to help someone in need who has ties to the SMU community.

Donations for the silent auction or monetary donations to help with cost of dance or supplements for the silent auction can be sent to Hannah Friedrich at Box 1090.

Business Office selling valentines as fundraiser

It's not too late! The Business Office is selling homemade valentines for $2. Stop down and load up on valentines for your loved ones. All money raised will go toward the office’s Feed My Starving Children team.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian non-profit organization which utilizes volunteers to put together specially formulated food packets to be sent around the world to feed starving children. The program serves children who are starving, even in the United States.

Paulson-Price Jazz Quintet to perform Feb. 15

Dr. John Paulson and Larry Price will bring a stellar jazz quintet to Ed’s NoName Bar in Winona to perform their own brand of contemporary original jazz Saturday, Feb. 15, from 8 to 11 p.m. The group includes SMU’s Paulson on sax and flute, and Price on piano as well as bassist Eric Graham, guitarist Scott Gerry and drummer Rich MacDonald.

As composers, Paulson and Price have collaborated on many projects over the last 25 years including two jazz CDs: “Mobley Street Blues” (2005) and “Tower Blues” (2002).  The Winona performance will highlight their best compositions in an evening of all original jazz. Their music reflects the diverse influences of many popular styles including swing, blues, ballads, Latin, funk and hip-hop. Ed’s Bar is located at the corner of 3rd and Franklin Streets, and there is no cover charge for this event.  For more information, visit www.paulsonjazz.com or www.edsnonamebar.com.

Next Cineclub movie is Feb. 24

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages announces the dates for Cineclub for spring 2014. All showings will be on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the student lounge of St. Edward’s Hall. Contact Dr. Kyle Black at kblack@smumn.edu for more information.

Feb. 24: “El niño pez (The Fish Child),” a crime/drama/thriller from Argentina, directed by Lucía Puenzo, is a desperate love story between two young girls of extremely different social backgrounds who, unable to find a place for their love in the world they live in, are pushed to commit a crime.

One of the main objectives of Cineclub is to provide an opportunity for the Saint Mary’s and Winona communities to enjoy some films in Spanish and Portuguese that may not typically be shown in local theaters. All films will have English subtitles. In addition to viewing the films, participants will be invited exchange ideas related to the films and their underlying socio-cultural contexts.

Admissions to host Scholarship Recognition Day Feb. 22

Scholarship Recognition Day, planned for Feb. 22, is a special event for De La Salle, Heffron, Presidential, Trustee and Tomorrow’s Leaders scholarship recipients and their families. This event, hosted by the Office of Admission, recognizes the accomplishments of the university’s highest-achieving admitted students.

Attendees will take a motor coach tour of Winona; learn more about the honors program, study abroad, financial aid, and other important topics; and enjoy a dinner hosted by Brother William.

Auditions planned for MCA Summer Dance Intensive

The Minnesota Conservatory of the Arts Summer Dance Intensive offers comprehensive dance training for intermediate and advanced dancers ages 11 to 22 from July 13-26.

Students will enjoy four to six classes per day including technique, theory, repertoire, and rehearsals for the final showcase. All classes and rehearsals are housed in the Valéncia Arts Center. Students participate in technique and theory courses as well as a final showcase performance.

The performance showcase will be Saturday, July 26, at 7 p.m. in the Blackbox Theatre at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Auditions are required for acceptance. Boarding and non-boarding camp options are available.

For more information about costs, audition sites and other details, go to www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.

40th anniversary of DRC

Save the date for a spring concert April 25-26 celebrating the 40th year of dance at the Dance Repertory Company of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts.

The events are planned for 7:30 p.m. April 25 and 3 p.m. April 26 at Page Theatre.

A reunion reception will be held following the April 25 performance, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Free breakfast and tours will be offered at the Valéncia Arts Center the morning of April 26. Reconnect with fellow dancers and alumni. A free adult and children’s dance workshop will be held the morning of April 26 at Valéncia Arts Center. Commemorative pieces and memorabilia will be sold to benefit the scholarship fund.

Cardinal Corner is now open

Each semester, undergraduate entrepreneurship students, supervised by Michael Ratajczyk, Business Department, manage a not-for-profit retail store located in the basement of Toner Student Center.

Aptly named the “Cardinal Corner,” students choose products to sell in the store, garner donations from around campus, and sell items for on-campus organizations as part of a course within the entrepreneurship major.

The class is broken into management teams and sales staff.  Students apply lessons learned in many courses such as marketing, economics and management. Each team experiences product sourcing, pricing, promotion and placement. The decisions that the students make throughout the semester are experienced first-hand and result in financial success or failure.

This semester the students chose four new products to sell at the store: a cannikin, fleece shirt, a vintage baseball slugger shirt, and a personal technology bag.

The students voted to give the store’s profits this year to the American Cancer Society.