Wittenberg University News and Information

Innovative Wittenberg Saturday Science Program Continues Feb. 21

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 13:57:18 -0500

Feb. 6, 2009 Assistant Professor of Mathematics Adam Parker speaks during the Jan. 24 Wittenberg Saturday Science event. Springfield, Ohio – The second meeting of the innovative Wittenberg Saturday Science program is scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 21, in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center, featuring a presentation titled "How We See: From Eye To Brain," by Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael Anes. Wittenberg Saturday Science is a new outreach program that aims to expose area high school and home school students to science and its many possibilities. Eight academic departments – biology, chemistry, computer science, geography, geology, mathematics, physics and psychology – are collaborating on the program, which is scheduled to run once a month during the school year. Each program features a public presentation by a Wittenberg faculty member on an accessible science topic, likely something outside the typical high school curriculum. After a continental breakfast on the second floor of the David L. Hobson Atrium, students then take part in a hands-on science experience led by current Wittenberg students and their professors. "The first time that a student sees science outside of a textbook can be a powerful experience – both for the student and the teacher," said Adam Parker, assistant professor of mathematics. "We hope that this outreach program will have a dramatic effect on both high school students from the Springfield area, as well as our current Wittenberg science majors." Anes said his presentation offers "a tour of the human visual system, a look at visual illusions that shed light on how we see, and discussion about how vision breaks down after brain damage." "Seeing is very complex," he said. "Even the newest robots can’t see like humans do!" Wittenberg Saturday Science is funded by a grant from Future Jobs, a regional workforce development program. Wittenberg is a partner with Future Jobs and University President Mark H. Erickson is a member of its board of directors. The mathematics department hosted the first meeting of Wittenberg Saturday Science on January 24. Approximately 35 high school students, along with some of their teachers and parents, were in attendance for a presentation by Parker titled "The Symmetric World," which examined the mathematics behind some of the patterns seen in the brickwork, tiling, fabric, woodwork, or metalwork around campus, and laboratory experiments afterward. Future events will be hosted by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Ray Dudek and Assistant Professor of Biology Michelle McWhorter in March and April, respectively. There is no cost to participate in Wittenberg Saturday Science, and the public is welcome to attend the lecture portion. However, space is limited for the hands-on experience. Click here to register for the event or send an e-mail to request additional information. Written By: Ryan Maurer 015-09 AddThis

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Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:39:27 -0500

Political Science Department Continues Unique Colloquium Series With Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:37:03 -0500

Jan. 5, 2009 Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg University Political Science Department continues its innovative 2008-09 colloquium series titled "Affairs of the State: Ohio" with a presentation by Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Chris Korleski at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in Bayley Auditorium in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. Korleski, who will make a presentation titled "Global Warming - Science or Religion," is the third of four Ohio government officials to participate in the colloquium series. Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher kicked things off with a presentation titled "Positioning Ohio for the 21st Century: Globalization, New Frontiers and the Future" on Sept. 24, which was followed by a news conference announcing Wittenberg's innovative university-community venture called The Center for Civic & Urban Engagement. The second colloquium featured Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who made a presentation titled "Preparation, Partnership, Success" on Oct. 28. Korleski was appointed director of Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Gov. Ted Strickland in 2007. A former assistant attorney general in the Environmental Enforcement Section of Ohio's Attorney General's Office, Korleski provided representation and counseling to the Ohio EPA in various areas involving air pollution and hazardous waste. Previously, Korleski served as counsel to Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. in Marysville, Ohio. Korleski earned his bachelor's degree in agronomy from The Ohio State University's College of Agriculture, his master's degree in agronomy from the University of Nebraska and his J.D. from The Ohio State State University. The "Affairs of the State: Ohio" colloquium series concludes with a presentation titled "The Essential Role of Federal, State and Community Partnerships in Achieving Ohio's Public Health Goals" by Ohio Department of Health Director Alvin Jackson at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 19. That event is also in Bayley Auditorium in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. Written By: Ryan Maurer 001-09

Wittenberg Students Hold Senior Thesis Winter Exhibition

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:35:00 -0500

Jan. 7, 2009 The Boy Who Fed the Crucifix by Mary Griffith on pastel with ink Springfield, Ohio – Wittenberg University senior art majors present their annual Senior Thesis Winter Exhibition in the Beach Gallery of the Springfield Museum of Art through Jan. 30. A gallery reception for the students will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16. The Beach Gallery, located in the educational wing of the museum, does not charge admission. The artists, their work and media include Anastasia Branson from Pleasant Hill, Calif., graphite drawing; Ashley Carter from Avon, Ind., photography; Janay Combris from Brooklyn, N.Y., graphite, charcoal and marker drawing; Ray Davis from Dublin, Ohio, acrylic drawing; Andrew Goldstein from Rockville, Md., ceramics; Mary Griffith from Dover, Ohio, pastel and ink drawing; Amy Kuhn from Indianapolis, Ind., painting; Gabe Kuss from Springfield, Ohio, ceramics; Lille Philhower from Washington, D.C., ceramics; Kate Stoverock from Gahanna, Ohio, ceramics; and Kathryn Takats from Grand Island, N.Y., ceramics. The Senior Thesis Winter Exhibition is an annual exhibition displaying artwork emerging from the senior thesis studio art capstone course. It is a precursor to the Senior Thesis Exhibition held each spring in Koch Hall on Wittenberg's campus. The Springfield Museum of Art is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Admission is charged. The museum is open 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, and admission is free. Written By: Phyllis Eberts 002-09

Wittenberg's Teacher Education Program Again Earns Full National Accreditation

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:31:45 -0500

Jan. 9, 2009 Lowell Monke, assistant professor of education, speaks to a class. Springfield, Ohio – Four years ago, Wittenberg University became one of the first liberal arts colleges in the state to receive full accreditation for teacher education under the new and more rigorous standards of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). As 2008 concluded, the university’s undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs again impressed NCATE examiners, who recommended full accreditation. National accreditation is a prestigious honor as standards are stringent with a strong emphasis on evidence proving excellent performance. Wittenberg’s teacher education programs were recommended for full approval in all six categories, including: • Knowledge of content and pedagogy for teaching; • Assessment system to measure student-teacher performance; • Field experience and clinical practice • Diversity, preparing teachers to succeed in diverse environments; • Faculty qualifications, performance and development, and • Unit governance and resources The site examiners also were particularly impressed with education students whose work in schools and the community embodied both the university’s and education department’s commitment to service and social justice. NCATE evaluators spoke with liberal arts faculty, school teachers and university graduates in evaluating the program. They were additionally impressed by the commitment to the program and its mission, which provided the accreditation body with a firm conceptual framework on which to evaluate performance. “Our mission is based on helping future and current teachers be leaders for social change and better education, said Kathy Calabrese, associate professor of education and chair of the education department at the time of accreditation. “This means that we stress both the character and competence necessary to serve their communities well.” “Graduates of Wittenberg's teacher education program are unique,” said Robert Welker, NCATE coordinator and professor of education. “They graduate with the social purpose to advocate for their students and to work actively so that the conditions of their school, community and society are better places to live, learn and work.” With national accreditation from NCATE, Wittenberg’s education department also achieves state accreditation to offer its 14 teacher licensure programs and master’s degree program. Already a leader in preparing teachers to work in the most challenging and most stimulating environments, the education department annually graduates more than 60 teachers, who have assumed positions in almost every state across the country. In addition, Wittenberg education majors and minors consistently enjoy more than a 95 percent passage rate of Ohio teacher licensing exams. Written By: Karen Gerboth Photo By: Erin Pence

Wittenberg Welcomes Scholar Mary Frances Berry For Witt-Series-Sponsored Martin Luther King Convocation

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:29:03 -0500

Springfield, Ohio – The recipient of 32 honorary degrees and numerous social action and academic awards, Mary Frances Berry, groundbreaking educator, scholar and historian, will present the keynote address during the annual Witt Series-sponsored Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemorative Convocation at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19, in Wittenberg University's historic Weaver Chapel. Berry has led a distinguished career in public service. From 1980 to 2004, she served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, including a stint as its chair from 1993-2004. Between 1977 and 1980, Berry was the assistant secretary for education in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. She has also served as provost of the University of Maryland and chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Currently the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, Berry was one of the founders of the Free South Africa Movement, which initiated protests at the South African Embassy in the successful struggle for democracy in South Africa. Her passion for the cause led to her being arrested and jailed several times. Recognized repeatedly for her commitment to public service, Berry has received the NAACP's Image Award, the Rosa Parks Award of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Hubert Humphrey Award of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Bar Association's Spirit of Excellence Award and the Ebony Magazine Black Achievement Award. She was also one of 75 women featured in I Dream A World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America, and she has been designated one of "America's Women of the Century," by the Siena College Research Institute and the Women's Hall of Fame. The former president of the Organization of American Historians and current vice president of the American Historical Association, Berry has also authored nine books, including her newly published work titled And Justice For All: The United States Commission On Civil Rights and the Struggle For Freedom in America. A graduate of Howard University, Berry went on to earn her Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Established in 1990, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Convocation features an academic procession with faculty in full regalia and includes a musical performance by IMANI, Wittenberg's gospel choir. Since its inception, the celebration has grown each year to incorporate a series of events coordinated by the Martin Luther King Commemorative Planning Committee. Led by Lillian Franklin, associate professor of languages, the committee includes Wittenberg faculty, staff and students. The convocation is part of a week-long celebration of Martin Luther King's life. Other events include the showing of the PBS documentary America Beyond the Color Line at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, in Room 201 of the Joseph C. Shouvlin Center for Lifelong Learning and a discussion panel titled "Testament of Hope" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15 in Bayley Auditorium in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. On the day of the convocation, the first event is a Freedom March from the Springfield Art Museum to Wittenberg's Benham-Pence Student Center. Immediately following the convocation, there will also be a Unity Luncheon in the Center Dining Room of the student center, followed by a question and answer session with the featured speaker at 1:15 p.m. in 105 Shouvlin. The Witt Series brings distinguished lecturers and performing artists of national and international prominence to the campus and local community. For more information about the Series, visit the university's Web site. To make special arrangements reserve a Series poster or become a friend of the Witt Series, contact Jeannine Fox at (937) 327-7470 or via e-mail. Written By: Karen Gerboth 004-09

Wittenberg Celebrates Annual Candlemas Service Feb. 2

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:27:35 -0500

Jan. 14, 2009 Weaver Chapel Springfield, Ohio – Wittenberg University's historic Weaver Chapel celebrates one of its most cherished annual events at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2, with the annual Medieval Candlelight Vespers Service, better known as Candlemas. The event, which takes place each year on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, will be led by University Pastor Andy Tune. Pre-service music starts at 7:15 p.m. The service marks the occasion in which the Virgin Mary presented Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem 40 days after giving birth, as was the custom according to Jewish law. Candlemas is distinguishable from other services at Weaver Chapel because of the fashion in which the event is celebrated. "The music comes from the Middle Ages," Tune said. "There are no electrical lights and no use of the organ – only candles." The worship is primarily musical with an instrumental group, Wind in the Woods, and Schola Cantorum, a 12-member all-male choir, assisting in the evening's service. There is no sermon. The reading for the evening comes from a medieval writer. The annual service was born out of the joint efforts of several people. These included Larry Houff, a former Wittenberg campus pastor; Jane Otten, retired adjunct instructor of voice and leader of Kalliope, an early music ensemble, and Professor of Music and University Organist Donald Busarow. The musical nature of the service piqued the interests of the professors and the pastor, who was also a musician and often assisted in chapel music. "It began modestly," Busarow said. "There was a year or two where nothing happened. Then we got excited about it, and now it's going on pretty strong." Busarow will direct Schola Cantorum during the service as the members chant scripture readings in Latin, which corresponds to the practices of monks in the medieval monasteries. Wind in the Woods, whose members come from Beavercreek, Tipp City and Springfield, will play such medieval instruments as recorders, the lute and a predecessor to the trombone. The blessing of the candles, from which the service derives its namesake, will occur immediately following the opening procession. In this tradition, all of the candles used by the chapel for the coming year will be blessed, and the public is invited to bring in their own candles and take part in the old ritual. "It takes a special kind of person to come take part," said Busarow. "It's a modest crowd, but people come from Dayton and Columbus. It's not held anywhere else I know of. It's unique to Wittenberg." Written By: Christi Lue '09 Photo By: Erin Pence 005-09

Wittenberg University Hosts New Outreach Program Wittenberg Science Saturdays

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:25:42 -0500

Jan. 18, 2009 Springfield, Ohio – With a goal of exposing area high school and home school students to science and its many possibilities, eight different Wittenberg University academic departments are collaborating on an exciting new outreach program called Wittenberg Science Saturdays. The program will run once a month during the school year. Each program will feature a public presentation by a Wittenberg faculty member on an accessible science topic, likely something outside the typical high school curriculum. After a continental breakfast on the second floor of the David L. Hobson Atrium, students will then take part in a hands-on science experience led by current Wittenberg students and their professors. Wittenberg's biology, chemistry, computer science, geography, geology, mathematics, physics and psychology departments are all participating in Wittenberg Science Saturdays. "The first time that a student sees science outside of a textbook can be a powerful experience – both for the student and the teacher," said Adam Parker, assistant professor of mathematics. "We hope that this outreach program will have a dramatic effect on both high school students from the Springfield area, as well as our current Wittenberg science majors." The new program is funded by a grant from Future Jobs, a regional workforce development program. Wittenberg is a partner with Future Jobs and University President Mark H. Erickson is a member of its board of directors. The first meeting of Wittenberg Science Saturday is scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 24, in Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. The mathematics department will host the program titled "The Symmetric World." Students will examine the mathematics behind some of the patterns seen in the brickwork, tiling, fabric, woodwork, or metalwork around campus. Future events will be hosted by Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael Anes, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Ray Dudek and Assistant Professor of Michelle McWhorter. There is no cost to participate in Wittenberg Science Saturdays, and the public is welcome to attend the lecture portion. However space is limited for the hands on experience. Click here to register for the event or send an e-mail to request additional information. Written By: Ryan Maurer Photo By: Robert Gantt 007-09

Wittenberg Community Rallies For Fourth Annual Commemorative Freedom March

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:24:14 -0500

Jan. 19, 2009 Wittenberg community members participate in the fourth annual Wittenberg Commemorative Freedom March. Springfield, Ohio – For the fourth consecutive year, members of the Wittenberg University community came together for a commemorative freedom march, a symbolic event organized to honor those who walked in the past for the freedom of disenfranchised people in the United States. Despite temperatures hovering around 10 degrees Fahrenheit and a snow-covered path from the Springfield Art Museum to Wittenberg's Benham-Pence Student Center, approximately 50 students, faculty and staff members participated in the solemn but uplifting march. The most famous freedom march took place Aug. 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C., as hundreds of thousands of people participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the event, which has often been credited with spurring legislators to create the landmark Civil Rights Act and National Voting Rights Act. The march changed the mindset of many Americans, and it was a catalyst for change that improved the lives of many African Americans and other disenfranchised people. In the freedom marches of the 1960s, "it was college students that made the change," said Wittenberg's Director of Multicultural Student Programs and the WAGE Womyn's Center Forest Wortham. "Change usually happens with youth, and that is why this annual freedom march is for everyone." Wittenberg's annual freedom march, originally organized by Bruce Robinson, Wittenberg class of 2006 and former president of Concerned Black Students (CBS), is intended to remind students of those who blazed the original trail toward freedom and equality for African Americans in America. CBS is celebrating its 40th anniversary during the 2008-09 school year. "America still needs to work on things," Wortham said. "This is a symbolic way to remember those that walked before us. Those who marched before us marched for people who did not have a voice." Following the march, which started at 8:30 a.m. and ended with comments by several community leaders as participants enjoyed refreshments at the student center, Wittenberg community members were treated to a presentation by scholar and historian Mary Frances Berry at the annual Witt Series-sponsored Martin Luther King Day Commemorative Convocation in Wittenberg's historic Weaver Chapel. Written By: Jenna Oliver '09 Photo By: Erin Pence '04 Video By: Ross Ballinger '07 008-09

Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Convocation Highlighted By Mary Frances Berry's Keynote Address

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:22:51 -0500

Jan. 19, 2009 An excerpt from Mary Frances Berry's speech at Wittenberg's Weaver Chapel. Springfield, Ohio – Speaking before a standing-room-only crowd in Wittenberg University's historic Weaver Chapel, Mary Frances Berry related stories of Martin Luther King's life and times to this week's momentous presidential inauguration in a well-received keynote address for the Witt Series-sponsored Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemorative Convocation. The presentation by the groundbreaking educator, scholar and author, titled "Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr. and Us: Achieving Peace and Justice in Our Time," offered words of encouragement but also words of warning. Berry was adamant in her belief that the Civil Rights movement is just as relevant and important in today's society as it was in the 1960s before King's untimely assassination. "Martin is frozen in time; he'd be 80 this year," said Berry, who knew King and his wife, Coretta, personally. "Out of the fabric of his whole life, we are called upon to figure out how to create what he called the ‘Unified Community of Justice.' "It is true that what he and other folks in the Civil Rights movement wanted was to have our people align reality with the goals of the great documents and promises of our national life – by which I mean the Declaration of Independence and the preamble to the Constitution. (Barack) Obama's election symbolizes, no matter how we look at it, that the Civil Rights movement was a success. We have come a long way as a country in moving toward fairness, justice and equal opportunity." The recipient of 32 honorary degrees and numerous social action and academic awards, Berry served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1980-2004. Between 1977 and 1980, Berry was the assistant secretary for education in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. She has also served as provost of the University of Maryland and chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder. "One of the things we have to consider is ‘where do we go from here'," said Berry, currently the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the founders of the Free South Africa Movement. "In the spirit of Martin Luther King, I think we have a lot of work to do in building upon the agenda he had. "Some people think that just having Barack Obama elected, things are going to miraculously change, and everything is going to be fine. I discourage that thinking, and he discourages that thinking." Berry, who has authored nine books, said King's messages of 40 years ago still resonate. His theme of the "Fierce Urgency of Now" has even been adopted by Obama. "Martin said we need to eradicate racism, poverty and militarism, and we need to shift from a theme-oriented society to a people-oriented society," said Berry, who has a bachelor's degree from Howard University, a Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. "All of these are things that Obama said he wanted to do during the campaign. Martin Luther King, in fact, laid these out as an agenda that has not yet been accomplished. "There are so many headwinds – as many or more than in Martin's time – to try to achieve this. There's work to be done." Berry referred to war, the economic crisis, the energy crisis and the health care crisis as some of the various "headwinds" impeding progress in American society. Established in 1990, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Convocation features an academic procession with faculty in full regalia. This year's event included an uplifting musical performance by Wittenberg's gospel choir IMANI, conducted by Kelleia Johnson, class of 2009 from Canton, Ohio, and a thoughtful introduction of Berry by Concerned Black Students President Brittani Sterling, class of 2009 from Deridder, La. The convocation was preceded by a freedom march from the Springfield Art Museum to Wittenberg's Benham-Pence Student Center. Immediately following the convocation, there was a Unity Luncheon and a question-and-answer session with Berry. The Witt Series brings distinguished lecturers and performing artists of national and international prominence to the campus and local community. For more information about the Series, visit the university's Web site. To make special arrangements reserve a Series poster or become a friend of the Witt Series, contact Jeannine Fox at (937) 327-7470 or via e-mail. Written By: Ryan Maurer Photo By: Erin Pence '05 Video By: Robert Ritzi '10 009-09

Wittenberg Welcomes Photographer Terence Byrnes For Witt Series-Sponsored Event Titled "The Springfield Project"

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:21:28 -0500

Springfield, Ohio – The next event on the 2008-09 Witt Series calendar features a visual arts program that is of special interest to members of the Wittenberg University and Springfield communities. Terence Byrnes, chair of the Department of English at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, will present a slide lecture titled "The Springfield Project" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in Kissell Auditorium in Wittenberg University's Koch Hall. Byrnes is a self-taught photographer who took thousands of pictures in Springfield from 1966 through 2006 in an effort to depict the reality of living in a midwestern American city that was once a prosperous industrial capital. A selection of Byrnes' photographs will be on display from Jan. 19 through Feb. 20 in the Ann Miller Gallery in Koch Hall. He has visited Springfield almost annually over the last 40 years to photograph and observe the former "industrial capital on the National Road." By the 1990s he began taking serious photographs along Main Street. "These images are the result of collaborations with the subjects," Byrnes writes on his Web site. "Some of the people I photographed thought I might be mad, spending 12 hours a day on the street in southern Ohio summer weather, introducing myself to strangers...Fortunately for me, their suspicion was almost always alloyed with hospitality that eventually became trust. For this, and for their generosity in allowing me to enter their lives, I'm deeply grateful." Byrnes, who has a bachelor's degree in English from Antioch College in nearby Yellow Springs, Ohio, and also completed coursework at Wright State University in Dayton in the early 1970s before earning a master's from Concordia, lists his research and teaching interests as short stories, ghostwriting and photography. He has written two fiction books and has been published many times in Matrix, Quebec's longest-running and most successful literary journal. In addition to his Witt Series appointment as writer and visual artist in residence at Wittenberg in February, Byrnes is conducting follow-up research on his book Closer to Home: the Author and the Author Portrait, and he is working on a memoir titled Father Gun, which "examines aspects of the legacy of the Second World War within my family, and what might be called 'gun culture'." In addition to the Witt Series event, Byrnes will speak to Wittenberg students in art, creative writing and English classes, and he will present an English Department colloquium at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17. His visit to Wittenberg is co-sponsored by the Thomas Art Endowment Fund. The Witt Series is a selection of cultural activities annually presented by Wittenberg University. All Series events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jeannine Fox, Series coordinator, at (937) 327-7470 or via e-mail. Written By: Phyllis Eberts Photo By: Erin Pence 010-09

Portraits by Wittenberg Art Students On ExhibitXIn University's Main Administrative Building

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:19:40 -0500

Springfield, Ohio Visitors to Wittenberg University's historic Recitation Hall have the opportunity to enjoy a new exhibit of student artwork. A collection of colorful portraits now grace the central hallway and will be on display through February. The final projects of a first-level course for art majors interested in a painting concentration taught by Associate Professor of Art and Department Chair Ed Charney, the portraits are examples of what is usually the initial experience with oil paint for most students. "The portrait project embodies all of the historic, creative and technical potential that the subject of portraiture contains," Charney explained. "It is where all of our foundation goals can intersect and be realized. "The annual assignment of a large-scale, naturalistic portrait brings several visual elements together; it allows the students to utilize the technical, conceptual and aesthetic issues that were learned in the foundations program. The portrait as subject matter requires students to merge their art history, drawing and formal design experiences to bear on a single object in space," Charney continued. "It is my favorite project of the course because students get to apply their accumulated knowledge and ability to a subject that is charged with many layers of complexity and self-consciousness," he added. "It is one of the great technical challenges to any artist working in representational imagery." Four additional portraits hang in the living room of the Benjamin Prince House where they provide "bragging rights" to President and Mrs. Erickson on the talents of Wittenberg students to their guests. "Most of the students did self portraits, although a few painted friends. In my home, two of the four were done by seniors, one a junior and the last a sophomore," said Lin Erickson. "I think that they are amazing." Recitation Hall is on West Campus Drive inside the main campus entrance at the corner of West Ward Street and North Wittenberg Avenue. The building, home to several of the university's administrative offices, including the registrar, admission, university communications, the provost and the president, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Written By: Phyllis Eberts Photo By: Erin Pence 011-09 AddThis

Late Legendary Mentors Inspire Wittenberg Women's Basketball Team To Activism For Cancer Awareness

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:18:08 -0500

Jan. 26, 2009 Posted by: Ryan Maurer Sarah Jurewicz Wittenberg Women's Basketball Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz had the good fortune to personally learn from both Pam Smith and Kay Yow. Springfield, Ohio — It may have happened more than 19 months ago, but the passing of Wittenberg women's basketball coach Pam Evans Smith is still fresh in the minds of many of the coaches and student-athletes who continue to don the Red & White. For Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz, Wittenberg class of 1998, the memories came flooding back Saturday morning when she learned of the passing of North Carolina State University Head Coach Kay Yow. Like Smith, Yow was a tremendously successful college women's basketball coach who dealt with the scourge of cancer for many years before finally succumbing to the disease. The two were kindred spirits in many ways – between them they won more than 1,100 college basketball games and more than two dozen conference championships, much of the time while suffering from an almost identical form of cancer. Members of the women's basketball coaching fraternity for years, they naturally became distant friends, although it wasn't until Yow was recognized at an Athletes In Action event called Night of Champions in Xenia, Ohio, in May 2006 that they sat down face-to-face to discuss their shared experiences. After Smith's death a little more than a year later, Jurewicz was asked to speak at the Kay Yow Breast Cancer Fund roll-out event at the April 2008 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) national convention. Afterward, Jurewicz and Yow shared a conversation that still means a great deal to the young Wittenberg coach. Just hours after she learned of Yow's death, Jurewicz guided her Tigers to a most unlikely of victories - a dramatic 73-72 home win over North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Ohio Wesleyan. After Wittenberg rallied from a double-digit first half deficit to win the game on a last-second shot from Katherine Hueter, class of 2011 from Columbus, Ohio, Jurewicz couldn't help but think that perhaps more than one guardian angel was looking out for her team. "There was a confidence in the team on Saturday that I felt was infused by something bigger than the players themselves," said Jurewicz, Wittenberg's all-time leading scorer, who replaced Smith, a 1982 Wittenberg graduate and the university's women's basketball head coach for 21 years before passing away in June 2007. "In the locker room following the game, I told the team that it was very apropos that they achieved this victory today in such a courageous way – in a way that this program has seen modeled by Coach Smith." A typically civic-minded Wittenberg graduate, Jurewicz would probably faithfully participate in WBCA breast cancer awareness programs even without her close personal relationship with Smith or her cherished opportunities to meet Yow. She has become more than a bystander, however – she is a full-fledged cancer awareness advocate, not only organizing but actively promoting events like Pink Zone, scheduled for the Tigers' home game against the College of Wooster at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. "Both Coach Smith and Coach Yow would love to know that the basketball community is rallying around such an enormously important cause," said Jurewicz, a native of Shakopee, Minn. "Both women, being unbelievable pillars of strength within their respective communities, would be proud to know that we will continue to celebrate their lives by trying to raise awareness and make others' lives better." Pink Zone, a program started in 2007 under the name Think Pink, is the WBCA's "global, unified effort...to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond." More than 1,000 colleges and high schools participated in the program during the 2007-08 basketball season, including Wittenberg, which recognized breast cancer survivors during a moving halftime tribute ceremony. The event will annually pay tribute to Smith, for whom the arena in the university's HPER Center was named on Feb. 2, 2008, as all gate receipts from each year's Pink Zone game are donated to Wittenberg's Pam Evans Smith Memorial Fund. Created one month after the women's basketball coach with the most wins and highest winning percentage in NCAC history passed away, the fund now has more than $75,000 to provide scholarships to deserving female senior students who demonstrate leadership and academic abilities. Again this year, T-shirts will be sold throughout the event, and a breast cancer awareness information table will offer literature. Wittenberg's Pink Zone event will also coincide this year with Take a Kid to the Game Day, a new initiative by the university's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Written By: Ryan Maurer Photo By: Erin Pence 002-09

Wittenberg Department Of Music Offers Variety Of February Concerts, Events

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:16:12 -0500

Jan. 31, 2009 Brittany Steinbrecher '09 is one of many Wittenberg students involved in recitals in February. Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg Department of Music begins a new semester with a plethora of musical programming. Wittenberg University's historic Weaver Chapel celebrates one of its most cherished annual events at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2, with the annual Medieval Candlelight Vespers Service, better known as Candlemas. The event, which takes place each year on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, will be led by University Pastor Andy Tune. Pre-service music starts at 7:15 p.m. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra will present Masterworks II: Amadeus at 8 p.m. Saturday Feb. 7, in Kuss Auditorium, Clark State P.A.C. The concert features SuJean Kim and David Smarelli, violins. Admission is charged. Professor of Music and Chair of the Department David Schubert, baritone, accompanied by Diane Slagle, piano, presents a Faculty Artist Recital at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, in Krieg Hall. Student Recitals take place throughout the month, beginning with a General Student Recital at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Krieg Hall. The recital will show off the talent of nine students who are either music majors or minors. Elisabeth Schueler '10, soprano, will sing "Porgi Amore" from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart. W. Parker Wright '12, saxophone, will perform "Poem" by Hartley. Sarah Dennett '09, violin, and D. Ben Williams '10, oboe, will perform a duet called "Concerto in C minor for oboe and violin" by Bach. Olivia Guetle '12, cello, will play "Suite No. 1 in G Major," by Bach. Andrea Migliozzi '09 and Brittany Steinbrecher '09, bass, will also perform. Rebecca Ajer '09, soprano, will sing "Vergebliches Ständechen," by Brahms, and "To This We've Come," from The Consul by Menotti from her upcoming senior recital repertoire. At 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, Rebecca Ajer '09, soprano, will present her senior recital in Krieg Hall. Accompanied by Diane Slagle, piano, Ajer will sing selections from four different composers, Alessandro Scarlatti, Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang A. Mozart and Gian Carlo Menotti,Spanning the years from the 1660s to today. A second senior recital featuring Kate Hubert '09, soprano, begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, in Krieg Hall. Rounding things out, D. Ben Williams '10, oboe, and Matthew Smith, School of Community Education, tuba, present a joint recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, in Krieg Hall. Written By: Samantha Kimm '11 013-09

Wittenberg Celebrates 40th Anniversary Of Concerned Black Students With Wide Range of Black History Month Activities

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:13:07 -0500

(Feb. 2, 2009)
Feb. 2, 2009 From left: Maurice Carpenter, Andrew Tudor, Forest Wortham and Manny Lamarre look through a CBS photo album. Springfield, Ohio – Black History Month takes on greater meaning than ever on Wittenberg University's campus in 2009, as a host of activities fit nicely into a year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Concerned Black Students (CBS) organization. Founded during the height of the national Civil Rights movement in 1969, CBS has long advocated for cultural awareness on Wittenberg's campus through university-funded programming. CBS addresses concerns and issues of African Americans, while serving as an educational resource for the campus regarding the enormous contributions of African American culture. CBS members also assist Wittenberg's Office of Admission with the recruitment and retention of African American students, and they organize cultural, political, social and educational programs intended to break down the barriers of racism and racial stereotyping. Leading an organization with such history, as well as such importance to a campus community, could be seen as a burden, but 2008-09 CBS president Brittani Sterling, class of 2009 from Deridder, La., doesn't see it that way. "Knowing the impact that CBS has had on me, this is a milestone, and I feel like I'm leaving my mark on the organization for others to benefit from," Sterling said. "I feel good about the organization's direction." She isn't alone. Starting with an event called "Dancing with the Devil: Black Holocaust" at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2, in Room 105 of the Joseph C. Shouvlin Center for Lifelong Learning, CBS members are doing their part to make Black History Month 2009 as substantial as possible. And working with the theme "Bringing Old and New Together," current members are also working hard to engage CBS alumni in new and innovative ways. "Some people don't understand the significance of CBS," said Lauren Welch, class of 2010 from North Olmsted, Ohio. "Forty years later, it's good we're having this celebration and all of these activities. "This isn't just a black group on campus. It's an organization that is for everyone." "Dancing with the Devil: Black Holocaust" features Naima Johnston, a Columbus, Ohio-based musician who describes her style as "Urb-spirational Worship." The event is sponsored by CBS and Wittenberg's Office of Multicultural Programs. The second Black History Month event is "A Night With Cupid," a fund-raiser for Up Til Dawn, a student-led, student-run philanthropic program hosted by colleges and universities nationwide to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday, Feb. 6. Various organizations are contributing items for auction, like the sailing club, which is offering a "champagne cruise." At 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, in Room 201 of the Shouvlin Center, CBS and the Office of Multicultural Student Programs are sponsoring "Black Men in Academia," featuring Raymond Winbush, director of the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University and author of The Warrior Method: A Parents' Guide to Rearing Healthy Black Boys. Also that day and also on Thursday, Feb. 26, Black History Month Book Talks covering such titles as Cornel West's Hope on a Tight Rope and Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream have been coordinated by the Black History Month Calendar Committee and sponsored by Africana Studies, CBS and the Office of Multicultural Student Programs. Both book talks will take place in the Earl F. Morris Lounge in the Benham-Pence Student Center. Finally, an event called "Testament of Hope" will be presented by the members of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, in Bayley Auditorium of the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. Written By: Ryan Maurer Photo By: Erik Larkin '09 014-09

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Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:13:05 -0500