[InFocus] In Focus 2/16

[su-infocus at southwestern.edu]

 IN FOCUS: February 16, 2007
 
* TOP NEWS *
	  	*CALENDAR *
*SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY RECEIVES MELLON FOUNDATION GRANT TO SPONSOR 
FACULTY EXCHANGE PROGRAMS WITH FOUR OTHER UNIVERSITIES*
	  	

*February*

*16-17* Fine Line: Mental Health/Mental Illness, Fine Arts Gallery

*16-18* Family Days

*16* Women's basketball vs. Austin College, 6 p.m.

*16* Men's basketball vs. Austin College, 8 p.m.

*17* Honors Convocation, 9:30 a.m., Lois Perkins Chapel

*17* Guest artist recital: Walter Stout, organ, 3 p.m., Lois Perkins Chapel

*17* Baseball vs. Concordia, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

*17* Women's basketball vs. Hendrix, 6 p.m.

17 Men's basketball vs. Hendrix, 8 p.m.

*21* Baseball vs. McMurry, 2 p.m.

*23-March 4* Company, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m., 
Jesse and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater

*25* Baseball vs. University of Dallas, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Southwestern University has received a $150,000 grant from the Mellon 
Foundation to develop faculty exchange programs with four other 
universities, three of which are historically black colleges and 
universities (HBCUs).

Other universities involved with the project will be Dillard University 
in New Orleans, Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Morehouse College 
in Atlanta and Rhodes College in Memphis.

The five universities are already participating in a three-year 
collaborative leadership and student exchange project funded by a 
$100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation. The new grant will help the 
five universities extend the benefits of the student exchange program to 
faculty members.

Read the entire article here 
<http://www.southwestern.edu/newsroom/news/070213.html>.

*THREE SOUTHWESTERN STUDENTS EARN OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN AMERICAN 
OPERA DEBUT*

Three Southwestern students shared the spotlight last month as the 
Austin Lyric Opera performed the American debut of the Philip Glass' 
opera "Waiting for the Barbarians."

David Smith, Dolores Noel and Katherine Wiggins were selected to be part 
of the 44-member chorus for the production, which received positive 
reviews from both critics and audience members.

The opera is a dramatic allegory of oppressor and oppressed, based on 
the 1980 novel of the same name by John M. Coetzee, a South African 
writer who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. The students 
were very excited about performing in an opera composed by such a 
well-known musician and in a professional setting.

"I was surrounded by such a large amount of talent and skill," Wiggins 
said. "To meet the composer himself was overwhelming and felt like the 
chance of a lifetime."

Smith added, "You get an idea of how a professional staging works and 
you get to watch opera singers and the level of performance demanded 
from them. Most importantly, you can strengthen your voice dramatically 
as a result of all the singing you do in such a short time."

Bruce Cain, assistant professor of music, reduced the number of 
scheduled performances of the opera "Don Giovanni" at Southwestern to 
give the students much-needed time for rehearsals with the ALO. He felt 
it was an educational and professional experience too important to be 
missed. "It is an incredible opportunity to be seen by critics and to 
work with directors and singers from around the world," Cain said.

Smith graduated in December, but returned to Southwestern in January to 
play the lead role of Don Giovanni. Noel is working on auditions for 
summer opera workshops in Austria, and Wiggins looks forward to her 
roles in the opera "The Story of Silly Baby Mouse," which will be 
showing at Southwestern in April.

* EVENTS *

The Sarofim School of Fine Arts, Theatre Department, presents "Company," 
the 1971 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, directed by Rick Roemer. 
Performances run from Feb. 23 to March 4 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 
p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. in the Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater.

"Company" is a passionate and wonderfully edgy and witty musical that 
takes a sharp look at love and commitment through the marriages of five 
couples as seen through the eyes of their single friend Robert. It 
explores love and commitment, fear and longing, and the simple joy of 
being alive. An honest and sophisticated look at relationships, 
"Company" offers a fresh perspective on our most cherished institution, 
marriage--its troubles and triumphs, its viciousness and victories.

Individual ticket prices are $15 adults, $12 senior and $10 students. 
Call the box office at 512-863-1378 to reserve your tickets.

*FACULTY FORUM*

Aaron Prevots, assistant professor of French, will lead the noon Faculty 
Forum titled "Facilitating Connections: Collaboration through Technology 
and Music" on Monday, Feb. 19, in the Lynda McCombs Room.

Sodexho will provide a hot lunch for $4.25 per person and coffee and tea 
will be available for 50 cents.

MEDIA COVERAGE

The /Williamson County Sun/ ran an article about the feasibility study 
being conducted on the proposed conference center on Southwestern's campus.

The /Austin American-Statesman/ ran an article about the Southwestern 
dance team. A video clip of the team's performance at a basketball game 
was included on the /Statesman's/ Web site.

NOTABLES

During the week of Feb. 5, *Edward L. Kain*, professor of sociology and 
University Scholar, served on the external review team for the 
Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Berry College in Mount 
Berry, Ga.




 
 
 
 
  	  	 

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