Top News

STUDENTS PREPARING FOR 2010 BROOKS PRIZE DEBATE

While the nation continues to debate the topic of health care, Southwestern students are planning to debate it as well.

“Resolved: A democratic society has an obligation to provide adequate health care for its citizens” is the topic for the preliminary rounds of the 2010 Brooks Prize Debate, a campus tradition that was revived last year.

The preliminary rounds will get under way on Nov. 6 during Homecoming Weekend, and continue throughout November. The final event will be held in late February or early March 2010.

Students who are interested in participating in the debate or the accompanying oratory competition must submit an application by Oct. 9. The topic for the preliminary rounds of the oratory competition is “Tradition.”

Read the rest of the story here.

SOUTHWESTERN TO HOST ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OCT. 24

Southwestern is hosting its 3rd annual environmental summit for high school students and interested community members on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the F.W. Olin Building.

The Office of Civic Engagement is hosting the summit to encourage environmental activism starting at the high school level by introducing students to environmental issues through a variety of disciplines and activities.

“I hope that bringing high school activists together will inspire them because they know that they are not alone,” said Student Coordinator Kimberly Griffin. “Also, I think Southwestern has a lot of resources that should be shared with the next generation. I really want high school students to understand that it is never too early to get involved.” Griffin noted that the campus environmental movement benefits greatly from the talent and ability of the young students. 

Read the rest of the story here.

Events

PIANIST TO PERFORM IN GUEST ARTIST RECITAL OCT. 3

Pianist Kevin Ayesh wil give a guest artist recital on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. in the Alma Thomas Theater. The program will consist of works by Beethoven, Chopin, Alban Berg, Rachmaninoff and Gershwin.

Ayesh has been on the faculty of Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, N.C., since 1992. He currently serves as head of the Music Department and artistic director of the school’s annual concert series. As a North Carolina Visiting Artist from 1988 until 1992, he performed for thousands across that state.

The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call The Sarofim School of Fine Arts at 512-863-1504.

FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL CONTINUES THROUGH OCT. 7


The French Program at Southwestern University is presenting recent films as part of its $1,800 grant for a communitywide Tournees Film Festival. Films are being shown through Oct. 7 on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. in room 105 of the F.W. Olin Building. They are free and open to the public.

For the complete schedule of films, go here

Media Coverage

The Williamson County Sun ran a photo spread on the kick-off party sponsored by the Friends of the Sarofim School of Fine Arts.

Notables

Senior art major Carlos Barron and Mary Visser, professor of art, had artwork selected for the  Banner Project sponsored by Georgetown Art Works and the Georgetown Arts and Culture Board. During the month of October, the work of 55 artists will be displayed on light post banners around the Georgetown Square and the Georgetown Public Library.

Visser’s sculpture “Color at Play” was selected for a banner and a close-up photo Barron took of a damselfly was selected for a banner.  

The banner with Visser’s artwork will be located on the north side of the Georgetown Public Library on 8th Street. The banner with Barron’s artwork will be located on 7th Street, just east of Main Street. The public is invited to vote for their favorite banner. To see a map of the banner locations, go here. Ballots will be available at the Library, the Williamson Museum and the Georgetown Visitor Center.

Senior Samantha Lingamfelter is one of three students selected statewide to receive a scholarship from the Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA) for the 2009-2010 school year. The scholarship will be presented at the organization’s annual awards luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel in Austin Dec. 10.

Lingamfelter will be graduating next May with a double major in math and Spanish. She would like to teach high school math, and eventually Spanish as well.

This is the 10th year in a row that a student in Southwestern University’s Teacher Certification Program has received a TASPA scholarship.

Suzy Pukys, director of community involvement, and students Laura Burrow, Sarah Cromwell and Janet Del Real gave a presentation last week at the National Domestic Violence Summit in Irving, Texas. The summit was sponsored by Verizon, which has given Southwestern money to fund a domestic violence summer internship program for the past two years. Burrow, Cromwell and Del Real all spoke about their internship experiences this past summer.

Burrow is a senior sociology major, Cromwell is a senior art history major and Del Real is a senior biology major.