Saint Mary’s senior wins Student Classics Award

Saint Mary’s University student Lindsay Dickson, a senior social science major from Brooklyn Park, received a 2008 Student Classics Award, sponsored by the Minnesota Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Dickson, the daughter of Jim and Janie Dickson, competed in the “Special Purpose Publications” category for a brochure she helped create in her PR Writing Class for the Saint Mary’s Office of Outdoor Leadership. The Classics Awards banquet was held in Minneapolis on March 27. Congratulating her is SMU faculty member Dean Beckman.

Annual SMU benefit dance to help alumnus Leukemia patient

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University will present the eighth annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 12.

This beneficiary of this year’s formal dance — open to the public — is SMU alumnus Steve Groby ’01 of Shakopee, formerly of Wabasha. Groby was diagnosed on March 16, 2006 with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, which resulted in a bone marrow transplant last May.

This benefit dance has become an annual tradition since it was started by students in 2001 in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond. Taylor has a genetic terminal illness called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) and the money from his benefit was used to fulfill Taylor's dream of going to Disneyworld. Each year this event benefits someone in the SMU community in need.

The dance, featuring music by the Johnny Holm Band, will be held in the Toner Student Center dining room. Ticket prices are $15 per person or $25 per couple.

To purchase tickets or receive more information, contact Jason Richter at (507) 457-1648 or Katie LaPlant (507) 457-6936. Dance tickets will also be available at the door.

To make a donation, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Katie LaPlant, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, 700 Terrace Heights No. 1471, Winona, MN 55987.

In combination with the dance, a silent auction will be held on campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 10-11. A variety of homemade goods, gift baskets and specialty items will be on display in the game room, located in the Toner Student Center.

Commonweal speaker Dennis O’Brien to discuss ‘Is a Catholic College Possible’

WINONA, Minn. — As a part of the Commonweal Lecture series, Dennis O'Brien, Ph.D., will be speaking on “Is a Catholic College Possible?” Thursday, April 10, at Saint Mary's University. The lecture is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall, located in Saint Mary's Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

O'Brien is president emeritus of University of Rochester and an editor for the biweekly Commonweal Magazine, a review of politics, religion, and culture, run by lay Catholics. A philosopher by training, he is the author of many critically acclaimed books, including The Idea of a Catholic University and most recently, Finding the Voice of the Church.

Through the Commonweal Speakers series, universities across the United States are chosen to host free public lectures from the nationally respected editors at Commonweal. The Commonweal Speakers Program is made possible thanks to a generous gift from James H. Duffy.

For more information on Commonweal Magazine, visit www.commonwealmagazine.org. For more information, contact Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust at (507) 457-1995.

Diocesan scholarship recipients were recognized during a special luncheon Wednesday, March 26, at the Winona campus of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Students were joined for lunch by the Most Reverend Bernard Harrington, Bishop of the Winona Diocese (center). Scholarship recipients are, from left: Matthew Marek, Winona; Zachary Barry, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Josiah Ryks, Austin, Minn.; and Paula Angst, Winona. Barry received the Archbishop Binz Scholarship; Ryks and Angst received the Msgr. Julius C. Haun Scholarship; and Marek received the Bishop Patrick R. Heffron Scholarship.

Goodall Institute director to highlight SMU biology research symposium April 4

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Biology Department and Biology Club will host the 35th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in Biology on Friday, April 4, in the Adducci Science Center.

Students from Saint Mary’s and other colleges and universities in the tri-state region will present the results of their undergraduate research projects. Registration is free and begins at 8 a.m. Presentations begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until the 11:45 a.m. lunch break; presentations will then continue from 2:15 to 4 p.m.

This year’s featured speaker is Dr. Anne Pusey, director of the Jane Goodall Institute's Center for Primate Studies at the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Pusey will present "Friends or foes? Social relationships among female chimpanzees" from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

Dr. Pusey studied juvenile and adolescent development in the Gombe chimpanzees in the 1970s, then spent more than 10 years studying the social behavior of lions in the Serengeti. At the Jane Goodall Institute's Center for Primate Studies, which houses data on chimpanzees and baboons, Dr. Pusey’s research group is computerizing and analyzing the data from Jane Goodall's 46-year study of the Gombe chimpanzees.

She is studying the ecological determinants of social systems, dispersal patterns, the factors that cause animals to live in different kinds of groups, and the benefits animals derive from the particular relationships they form.

The public is invited to attend Dr. Pusey’s lecture, as well as the student presentations, free of charge.

Register now for SMU youth sports camps

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is now taking registration for its residential boys and girls hockey camps, boys and girls basketball camps, and girls volleyball camps.

BOYS & GIRLS HOCKEY
SESSION (Ages) CAMP DATES REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Squirt (8-10) June 15-20* June 2
Pee Wee (11-12) June 15-20* June 2
Bantam (13-14) June 22-27 June 9
Bantam/Midget (13-16) July 6-11 June 23
Youth Girls (9-12) July 13-18* June 30
High School Girls (13-16) July 13-18* June 30
*Camps run simultaneously but separately.

RATES
Residential (by April 1), $570
Residential (after April 1), $595
Commuter, $495
Goalie Rate Residential, $475
Goalie Rate Commuter, $375

BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL
SESSION (Grades) CAMP DATES REGISTRATION DEADLINE
GRADES 5-10 (boys and girls) July 13-17 June 30
*Camps run simultaneously but separately.

RATES
Residential (by April 1), $325
Residential (after April 1), $350
Commuter, $300

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
SESSION (Grades) CAMP DATES REGISTRATION DEADLINE
SESSION I (Grades 6-8) July 20-24 July 7
SESSION II (Grades 9-12) July 27-31 July 14

RATES
Residential (by April 1), $325
Residential (after April 1), $350
Commuter, $300

SMU youth sports camps offer outstanding facilities, professional coaching, good food, and innovative and creative instruction within a well-supervised environment.

Students will work on individualized skills, as well as team play. Athletic trainers are on site, and all camps are run by SMU coaches and players. Rates include instruction, housing, meals and a shirt.

Register and pay online: www.smumn.edu/sportscamps or call 800-635-5987, Ext. 6973, or (507) 457-6973. Space is limited. Register by April 1 and receive the early bird discount! Information regarding SMU youth sports day camps will be announced soon.

Mowry to share vocal talents April 5-6 at Saint Mary’s

Dr. Mark Mowry, left, accompanied by Dr. Nicholas Phillips will perform April 5-6.

WINONA, Minn. — Dr. Mark Mowry, adjunct faculty with Saint Mary’s University’s Department of Music, will perform a vocal concert April 5-6 as part of the Page Series’ “Voices of SMU.”

Mowry, accompanied by Dr. Nicholas Phillips on piano, will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday April 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6. Both performances will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in SMU’s Performance Center.

Mowry, a tenor, has performed a diverse range of opera, concert, and recital repertoire, which reflects his broad musical interests. He sang the role of Enrico Carouser in the world premiere of Edwin Penhorwood’s opera Too Many Sopranos.

An advocate of the song genre, Mowry has participated in numerous master classes devoted to the subject and led by such noted musicians as Graham Johnson, Roger Vignoles, and Håkan Hagegård; his own recital appearances have occurred both at home in the U.S. and, more recently, in the United Kingdom—first at Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh, England, for the Aldeburgh Festival, and then for his debut recital at London’s Wigmore Hall, for which Graham Johnson was pianist. In addition, Mowry’s various musical activities have taken him to the cities of Chicago, Dublin, Lucerne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New York, Salzburg, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. Mowry received a Doctor of Music degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

Phillips is assistant professor of piano at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he teaches applied and class piano. Active as a soloist and sought after as a collaborative artist, Phillips is quickly building a reputation for his innovative recital programming and engaging lecture-recitals.

A native of Indiana, Phillips holds a degree in piano performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. He has studied with internationally-renowned pianists and pedagogues including Karen Taylor, Paul Barnes, Karen Shaw, and Robert Weirich. Before joining the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Phillips taught applied and class piano at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Indiana University.

The performance will include German and French song repertoire including music by Henry Purcell, Franz Schubert, Reynaldo Hahn, Benjamin Britten, and Francesco Paolo Tosti.

Tickets are $12, $9 for seniors and $8 for students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, online at www.pagetheatre.org. Because of a scheduling conflict, Dr. Patrick O’Shea will not be performing, as advertised in early Page Series marketing materials.

Lenhart to discuss rabies in raccoons March 31 at Saint Mary’s University

WINONA, Minn. — The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has received a grant from the Tensor Foundation to encourage women to study more mathematics.

As part of this grant, the department is hosting a colloquium series involving prominent women mathematicians.

Dr. Suzanne Lenhart from the University of Tennessee will present “Rabies in Raccoons: Optimal Control for a Discrete Time Model on a Spatial Grid” on Monday, March 31. The presentation will be from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall, with a reception starting at 3:45 in the Common Room, both located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall.

Everyone in the community is welcome, especially young women interested in mathematics. For more information, contact Dr. Kevin Dennis, chair of the Saint Mary’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics, at (507) 457-6650 or e-mail kdennis@smumn.edu.

World-class saxophonist to share talents with Saint Mary’s

WINONA, Minn. — Internationally recognized jazz saxophonist Marc Bernstein will travel from his home in Denmark to Saint Mary’s University March 24-26 to give a public performance and to work with members of the SMU Concert Band, as well as additional SMU music students.

On March 27 band members will get their first look at the new music Bernstein is composing for them. Bernstein was chosen from a field of international applicants to compose this year’s Kaplan Commissioning Project.

The SMU Concert Band commissioned Bernstein’s piece through the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation Commissioning Project. The Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation supports performances and activities led by Jewish artists and scholars that are designed to increase cultural and religious understanding at Saint Mary’s. His visit is funded in part through the Danish government to promote artistic-educational partnership activities in the world. Bernstein is SMU’s fifth Kaplan composer.

The SMU Concert Band will present the world premiere performance of Bernstein’s piece in September, during SMU’s Inauguration/ Family Weekend.

During his visit, Bernstein, along with local and regional musicians, will present a public recital – featuring Bernstein’s original jazz compositions – at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 25. The event, to be held at Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center, is free and open to the public.

Bernstein, born in Brooklyn, N.Y, graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1984. Inspired great saxophonists and jazz artists, Bernstein pursued a career in music. He recorded his first CD in 1985, and was a regular performer in New York City. He began playing overseas, and gained notoriety in Denmark, where he was offered a spot with Klüvers Big Band. Bernstein relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark; he left the band in 1996 to go solo, and has since released six CDs.

SMU Disc Golf Open scheduled for April 5

WINONA, Minn. — The first Saint Mary’s University Disc Golf Open tees off on Saturday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. on The Woods at Saint Mary’s Disc Golf Course.

The Woods is an 18-hole course that winds through the bluffs surrounding the SMU campus. With narrow fairways and intricate hole placements, the course can be challenging for both beginners and experienced disc golfers.
The top three finishers will receive prizes.
• First place – portable disc catcher, disc bag, and three Innova discs
• Second place – Innova disc bag and three Innova discs
• Third place – three Innova discs

The tournament is sponsored by the SMU Office of Outdoor Leadership and co-sponsored by Innova Disc Golf. Proceeds will be used to maintain the disc golf course and for Outdoor Leadership Program funding.

Tournament fees are $15 for students and $25 for the general public. Each participant receives an SMU customized Innova putt and approach disc. To register, or for more information, visit www.smumn.edu/thewoods or contact Davey Warner at (507) 457-8740 or e-mail at outdoorleadership@smumn.edu.

SMU High School Challenge continues; Onalaska named consolation champs

WINONA, Minn. — On Saturday, Feb. 23, High School Challenge, a tournament of knowledge sponsored by Saint Mary’s University, ended the 2007-2008 season with the Consolation and Super Challenge Championships.

Thirty-two area high school teams began competing in the fall. Teams who won all of their games earned a spot in the Super Challenge Tournament. Teams that lost their first and won their second games advanced to the Consolation Championship bracket. On Feb. 23, Onalaska High School defeated La Crescent High School, 60-45, making Onalaska the 2008 Consolation Champion.

Additionally, Viroqua, Winona Senior High, La Crosse Central, West Salem, North Crawford, Eau Claire Regis, Seneca and La Crosse Aquinas competed for the Super Challenge Champion title.

Fox 25/Fox 48 will air the previously recorded Super Challenge competitions from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Sundays. Tune in to cheer on your hometown team on these dates:
• March 16¬ – Viroqua vs. Winona Senior High School
• March 23 – La Crosse Central vs. West Salem
• March 30 – North Crawford vs. Eau Claire Regis
• April 6 – Seneca vs. La Crosse Aquinas
• April 13 – Quarterfinals begin airing

For more information, call Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at (507) 457-1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s Concert Band to perform on March 30

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Concert Band will present their spring concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 30, in Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

Directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, the 65-member band will entertain audiences with a varied selection of Repertoire including “Sea Songs” by Vaughan Williams; “American Hymn Tune Sketches” by Prescott; “Amazing Grace,” arranged by Tichel; “Albanian Dance” by Shelly Hanson, “Geometric Dances” by Cichy; “In Heaven's Air” by Hazo; and “Africa: Ceremony, Song & Ritual” by Smith.

This concert continues the theme of “Song and Dance,” which the ensemble is using this season to explore the rich band repertoire, both new and old, which originates from the folk song or hymn traditions, as well as dance-inspired music.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.