Winona alumni Christmas Gathering is Dec. 6

Faculty and staff are invited to the annual Winona Alumni and Friends Christmas Gathering Saturday, Dec. 6. This event is in collaboration with the Lessons and Carols Choir Concert, that same evening.

The event will take place at the Alverna Center, 1175 W. Wabasha St., from 5 to 7 p.m. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels.

Enjoy drinks and appetizers in this beautiful space during this festive season. A violin and cello duet will be performed by Dr. David Leung and Rachel Ryan.

The cost for the alumni event is $10 per person. Two complimentary tickets to the concert can be obtained through the box office (Ext. 1715).

Register for the event online at mysmumn.org/christmaswin14 or call the Alumni Office at Ext. 1499.

Saint Mary’s ‘Lessons and Carols’ service is Dec. 6

The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.

“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.

The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.

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. Tickets at the door are available by cash or check only. Faculty and staff are eligible for two free tickets.

Patronal feast is Monday

The annual celebration of the eucharist on the university’s patronal feast: the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary is noon Monday, Dec. 8, in Saint Thomas More Chapel, with Bishop John Quinn presiding.

Below is the truncated class schedule that will be used for this special day:

• 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. courses meet 1:40 to 2:30 p.m.
• 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. courses meet 1:40 to 2:55 p.m.
• 2:55 to 3:45 p.m. courses meet 3:05 to 3:55 p.m.
• 2:55 to 4:10 p.m. courses meet 3:05 to 4:20 p.m.
• Classes that normally meet any time after 3 p.m. start at 4:30 p.m. and end at the discretion of the instructor.

Gathering honors seniors

The senior class gathering was held Thursday night to honor all senior students, with special recognition for mid-year graduates of the College. To view photos, go to www.smumn.edu/photogallery.

Tags still available on giving trees for Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona

Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona giving trees are still full of tags. This communitywide program is providing gifts to area children and seniors in need this holiday season.

Each tag is labeled with a different person’s holiday gift wishes. In addition to a tree in Saint Mary’s Hall, trees are located at the three Severson-Sinclair locations, Walmart, and Security State Bank of Lewiston. Additionally, grocery cards can be purchased for families at both HyVee and Midtown Foods.

The Saint Mary’s community is invited to take a tag from the Saint Mary’s tree, shop for items on the gift list, and return gifts by Dec. 10 to the Business Office. The recommended amount for holiday gifts is approximately $35 per person. Tags should be securely taped to the outside of the gift/gifts. They do not need to be wrapped.

As the gift distribution is early this year—mid-December—the community is asked to begin their season of giving early as well. The success of this program depends on the generosity of the Winona-area community.

For more information, call the Gifts for Winona line at Ext. 8719. Other community partners that join Saint Mary’s to help make this program possible are the Winona Post, Winona

Biology students awarded research scholarships

Four biology students were awarded the national biology honor society Beta Beta Beta Research Foundation research scholarships.  Students submitted a proposal for their senior research project outlining the objectives of the research and a budget.

The students, their proposed projects and their research advisers are (from left): Katie Stolz, “The Effects of In Utero Exposure to Atrazine on the Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene in the Hippocampus of Mus Musculus,” (Dr. Debra Martin); Aleah Bingham, “The Changing of Diet and the Impact of Cuticular Hydrocarbons on a Single Colony of Formica Obscurpies,” (Dr. Moni Berg-Binder); Jacquelyn Bongard, “The Effects of Splenda on Interleukin (IL)-2 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α Production by Splenocytes from Mus Musculus,” Dr. Jeanne Minnerath; Madelyn Stiehl, “Using Blood Sex Steroids to Determine Reproduction Status of Paddlefish (Polyodon Spathula) in the Upper Mississippi River,” Dr. Josh Lallaman.

Science students present research at 7 Rivers

Dr. Jeanne Minnerath, Dan Carroll, Cody Gill, Jaci Bongard, Amy Zawacki, Brandon Larsen, Sami Amatuzio, Kelsey Haugh, Dr. Debra Martin, Dr. Matt Rowley

Seven Saint Mary’s biology and chemistry students presented their research projects at the 7 Rivers Undergraduate Research Symposium held Nov. 14, at Viterbo University.

The students, advisers, and their poster titles are: Samantha Amatuzio (Dr. Debra Martin) “Muscle Strength of Contraction and Fatigue rate of Mus Musclus When Treated with Creatine Mono-Hydrate”; Jacquelyn Bongard (Dr. Jeanne Minnerath) “The Effects of Splenda on Interleukin (IL)-2 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α Production by Splenocytes from Mus Musculus”; Daniel Carroll (Dr. Minnerath) “The Impact of Sucralose Consumption on Spatial Memory in Mus Musculus”; Cody Gill (Dr. Martin) “The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Serum Testosterone Response in Mus Musculus”; Kelsey Haugh (Dr. Matt Rowley) “The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Serum Testosterone Response in Mus Musculus”; and Brandon Larsen (Dr. Martin) “Glutathione S-transferase Expression in Livers of In Utero Exposed Mus Musculus”; Amy Zawacki (Dr. Minnerath) “The effect of Splenda, Containing Sucralose, on the Humoral Immune Response in Mus musculus.” Sami Amatuzio brought home a Best Poster Award.

Christmas dinner is Dec. 16

The annual faculty and staff Christmas dinner will be Tuesday, Dec. 16. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will begin at 6 p.m. in the dining room, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. RSVPs are due to campus box 30 by Dec. 10.

Branding update

The following resources are available at www.smumn.edu/brand for all university employees to help implement a unified brand for Saint Mary’s:

- Email signature templates and instructions
- Official university logos
- PowerPoint templates
- Flyer templates
- Newsletter templates
- Poster Templates
- Brand Book
- Visual Identity Guide
- Writing Style Guide
- Brand video
- and more

Watch for future brand training sessions. If you have any questions, please contact AVP for Brand Management Stacia Vogel at Ext. 5119 or svogel@smumn.edu.

Dance Repertory Company presents ‘The Nutcracker’

The Department of Theatre and Dance and the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) will present the Dance Repertory Company in “The Nutcracker” today through Sunday, Dec. 5-7, at the Saint Mary’s Page Theatre.

Heralding the message of peace on earth, “The Nutcracker” is performed around the globe during the holiday season. Producing this delightful ballet every other holiday season, the Dance Repertory Company once again brings this magical experience to the Winona area community for its eighth biennial production.

The 2014 cast includes over 80 members including students from Saint Mary’s, Winona State University, and children and community members from the Winona and surrounding areas.

Through this ballet the beauty of the pure, young heart shines bright in a world of dancing dolls, angels, and of course, the wonderful magical Nutcracker Prince.  In the dreams of a child named Clara, a battle wages between a band of mice and company of toy soldiers. With Clara’s assistance, the toy soldiers are victorious and grateful. A Nutcracker Prince welcomes her to the Land of Snow, where they dance with the angels, and to the Kingdom of the Sweets hosted by the Sugar Plum Fairy where she sees a beautiful array of ethnic dances such as Spanish Coffee, Chinese Tea, and Russian Baba.

“The Nutcracker” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. today, Friday, Dec. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 6, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens.

For tickets, call the box office at Ext. 1715, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit www.pagetheatre.org.

Women’s basketball hosts toy drive for Gifts for Winona

The Saint Mary’s women’s basketball team is inviting the public to bring an unwrapped, new toy for a boy or girl to the Dec. 6 home game against Augsburg. The game will begin at 1 p.m. in Saint Mary’s gym. Toys will be distributed through Saint Mary’s University’s Gifts for Winona to a local child in time for Christmas.

Psychology symposium is Saturday

The annual psychology symposium will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the President’s Room. The symposium will feature 10 student presentations on original research projects; an alumni panel featuring recent graduates who will discuss their post-graduate experiences; and a poster session that will highlight the research of the department’s collaborative laboratories and experimental psychology students. Students’ families often come to this event, in addition to their underclass student peers.

​Christmas Light Service, Pre-Finals Breakfast Dec. 11

The Christmas Light Service is set for  Thursday, Dec. 11, in Saint Thomas More Chapel, followed by the traditional Pre-Finals Breakfast in the dining room.

Prelude music by the women’s choir will begin at 8:30 p.m., and the Christmas Light Service begins at 9 p.m. Dr. Erich Lippman, assistant professor of history, will be the guest lay preacher. This has become a wonderful Saint Mary’s tradition of lessons, carols and simple theatrical portraits of the Christmas Story. The service will end with a procession and the lighting of the campus Christmas tree.

After the lighting, typically more than 700 students attend the Pre-Finals Breakfast, which is hosted by the Office of Academic Affairs and Chartwells Food Service. The breakfast is served by faculty and staff from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Aside from the delicious breakfast, Santa will make an appearance, and Christmas caroling is planned.

Thanks to Chat, Chow, & Web 2.0 presenters

Thank you to all the first semester Chat, Chow, & Web 2.0 presenters: Moni Berg-Binder (Biology), Karen Hemker (Disability Services), Lori Charron (Communication), Michael Ratajczyk (Business), Kristen Sellke (Math), and Demian Cho (Physics). They helped attract a consistent audience which also produced the highest attendance for a single semester.

The Chat and Chow session coordinators would like to encourage participation during the upcoming spring semester. Please pass along presentation ideas to RuthAnn Torstenson LeMasters (library), Tianna Johnson (information technology) or Jason Spartz (instructional technology) regarding technology supported leadership, teaching and learning, and workflow effectiveness.

Chamber Orchestra events

The Saint Mary’s Chamber Orchestra went to Callista Court last weekend and performed “The Magical French Horn” concert program with Tammy Bartz on horn, Dr. Kyle Black (Modern and Classical Languages), and Dr. David Leung on violin. A formal concert was held Sunday in Figliulo Recital Hall.

Bake sale raises $1,200 for Jamaica cohorts

The Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica extends its thanks to the university community for the tremendous support of the bake sale and silent auction fundraising event held on Nov. 21 on the Winona Campus.

The group raised over $1,200 for a scholarship fund for students in the Jamaica cohorts of the M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning program, offered in Williamsfield, Jamaica in collaboration with the Catholic College of Mandeville (CCM).

For the past three years this group of employees has raised a donation, first to assist with outfitting a new classroom at CCM used by the M.Ed. program, $1,500 for student scholarships for this current academic year, and with the goal of $1,500 from this year’s events to be given for scholarships for the next academic year. If you are interested in joining the group or making a donation, please contact Tracy Lehnertz or Jana Korder.

News from Nairobi

By James Chege
Librarian
Maryknoll Institute of African Studies

Public Lectures Held at MIASMU

The sixth week of the semester program was buzzing with activities as two public lectures were held.

Students taking notes during Professor Aseka’s lecture.

Political and Economic Realities: Professor Eric Aseka, a MIASMU lecturer, who is currently the vice chancellor at the African Leadership University and was formerly the chairperson of the History Department and dean of the School of the Humanities at Kenyatta Un., delivered a public lecture on “The Contemporary Political and Economic Realities of Kenya.” He spoke at length about the colonial legacy and how many of Kenya’s current political and economic challenges can be traced back to the nation’s colonial roots. These problems include geographical and structural disarticulation, land issues, ethnicity and distorted class structure. He also dedicated some time to speak about what is known as the ‘politics of the belly’ and the role of corruption in underdevelopment. These areas generated a lively exchange in a question-and-answer session held at the end of the lecture.

Professor Klein stresses a point during his lecture.

Slavery in East and West Africa: The second public lecture was on “Slavery: East and West Africa” and was delivered by Professor Emeritus Martin Klein from the University of Toronto. Before retirement, Professor Klein had taught African history for 29 years at the University of Toronto and had lectured at Berkeley, Wellesley College, Carleton College, Stanford, Lovanium University in Kinshasa, and the University of Rhode Island.

The lecture covered the origin of slavery in Africa and touched on forms of indigenous slavery in West Africa as well as in East Africa. Very few of the participants were aware of the extent of slavery on the North coast of Kenya centering on a settlement called Witu. He highlighted fundamental differences such as the  West African slaves’ rights to make money through trading unlike their East African counterparts who did not enjoy such privileges. Professor Klein spoke of the role of Islam in slavery and how it was used as justification to enslave “pagans” by some of the more prominent Islamic slave traders. Other justifications used were racism and gender. At the end of the lecture some thought provoking discussions ensued with particular reference to contemporary forms of slavery in the Middle East.

Breast Cancer Silent auction is Dec. 12

The 9th annual Breast Cancer Silent Auction will be held Friday, Dec. 12, from 8 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 115 of Saint Mary’s Hall. All proceeds go to breast cancer research.

Saint Mary’s in the news

KTTC featured a story about the student solar panel initiative on Tuesday, Nov. 25. http://www.kttc.com/story/27483078/2014/11/25/saint-marys-university-goes-green-with-solar-panels#

Lemmer’s house featured on Christmas tour

Nick (Marketing and Communication) and Kristina Lemmer’s home is featured on the  Christmas House Tour Sunday, Dec. 7. The event is 3 to 8 p.m. To read more about Lemmer’s unique home and how to get tickets for the tour, go to http://bit.ly/1zjaCu0.

Last ‘Campus Notes’ of the year is next week

Look ahead on your calendars. On Dec. 12, the last issue of “Campus Notes” for 2014 will be published. The deadline for that issue is Wednesday, Dec. 10. After break, the first issue will come out Jan. 16. The deadline for that issue will be Wednesday, Jan. 14.