Top News

OCT. 8 SYMPOSIUM WILL FEATURE RESEARCH FUNDED BY COLLABORATIVE GRANT

The results of a three-year collaborative program between three historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and two predominantly white universities will be on display Oct. 8 as Southwestern hosts the Edgar F. Beckham Engaged Diversity Symposium.

The theme of the symposium is “Collaborations in Curriculum, Research and Pedagogy on Issues of Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Class.”

The symposium will feature four presentations by current and former faculty members from Dillard University in New Orleans, Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Rhodes College in Memphis and Southwestern.

The research projects were funded by a three-year, $150,000 grant Southwestern University received from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Read more here.

SOUTHWESTERN STUDENT RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR A PROJECT SHE STARTED TO HELP WIDOWS AND ORPHANS IN UGANDA

Southwestern student Jenna Gaska is no stranger to community service. As early as middle school, she spent several summers volunteering at the Institute of Texan Cultures in her hometown of San Antonio.

So it comes as no surprise that upon entering college, Gaska decided to broaden the scope of her service and “Bead the Change” she wanted to see in the world in addition to pursuing a double major in biology and classics.

A project she started has raised more than $5,700 to help widows and orphans in Uganda and has earned Gaska international recognition.

Read more here.

Events

BANNERS FEATURING INSECT PHOTOGRAPHY BY SOUTHWESTERN STUDENT ENLIVEN THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER TRAIL

Ten banners with spectacular close-up photos of insects are on display along the San Gabriel River Trail near Rivery Park.

The photos were taken by 2010 Southwestern graduate Carlos Barron. Barron became interested in insect macrophotography while doing a project sponsored by Southwestern’s King Creativity Fund. He received money to make the banners from a grant Southwestern has from 3M to do projects related to the San Gabriel River Trail. The project was done in cooperation with Georgetown’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Insects photographed for the banners include damselflies, dragonflies, a bee, a yellow jacket, a butterfly, a grasshopper, a crane fly and jumping spiders. Each banner has a different photo on each side, making a total of 20 photos on display.

The banners were hung in conjunction with Georgetown’s Arts Month celebration in October.

Read more here.

ORCHESTRA AND WIND ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM OCT. 2

The Southwestern University Orchestra and Wind Ensemble will give a concert on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. in the Alma Thomas Theater.

The concert will begin with the Wind Ensemble performing “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine” by John P. Sousa, “Ritmo Jondo (Flamenco)” by Carlos Surinach, and “Slava!” by Leonard Bernstein. The second half of the program will be performed by the SU Orchestra and will feature a work composed by Southwestern graduate Travis Jeffords called “Atom Bombs and Blunt Razors.” The program also will include “Non so piu cosa son, cosa faccio” by Wolfgang A. Mozart featuring soprano soloist Katie de la Vega. Both groups will be under the direction of Lois Ferrari.
                             
The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 512-863-1379.

WRITERS VOICE TICKETS AVAILABLE

Mira Nair, an Indian-born filmmaker who has brought several major literary works to film, will be the 2010 visiting author in the Writer’s Voice Series sponsored by the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center. Nair will give a public lecture at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the Alma Thomas Theater.

The lecture is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are now available to the campus community and will be available to the general public Oct. 4. Tickets may be reserved here.

Read more about Nair and the 2010 Writer’s Voice lecture here.

Media Coverage

The United Methodist Reporter ran an interview with Laura Hobgood-Oster about her new book. Read the interview here. Suzette Martinez Standring from GateHouse News Service also wrote a column about Hobgood Oster’s book that appeared in at least 17 papers across the country. Read the column here. Hobgood-Oster also taped an interview with Interfaith Radio that will air on their 69 stations across the country Oct. 1-7.

The Williamson County Sun ran a story about members of the 1995 volleyball team belatedly receiving their championship rings.