SMU to host Northern Plains Conference on Early British Literature

WINONA, Minn. — On April 8-9, Saint Mary’s University will host the 19th annual Northern Plains Conference on Early British Literature. The conference, funded this year by the college’s School of Humanities and Sciences and coordinated by Dr. John Kerr of the English Department, will bring advanced scholars, graduate students, and select undergraduates from the upper Midwest (and farther) to discuss literary-critical, theoretical, and pedagogical issues concerning the early literatures of the British isles.

The keynote speaker will be Dolores Frese of the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Frese will offer a talk titled “The Trace of Dante’s De vulgari eloquentia in Some Canterbury Tales, and Why It Matters.” Niki Ciulla, an SMU Literature major and Medieval and Renaissance Studies minor, will present a paper on Marie de France’s “Guigemar.”

For further information, contact Dr. Kerr at (507) 457-1673.

Saint Mary’s Jazz Concert April 15 to feature Sorenson as guest artist

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University will heat things up this spring with a jazz concert 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, in Page Theatre. The featured soloist will be Yamaha clinician, composer, arranger and trombonist Dean Sorenson.

Sorenson is the associate professor and director of jazz studies at the University of Minnesota. His most recent publication is “Standard of Excellence First Jazz Performance,” a collection of jazz charts for elementary bands and jazz bands. An outstanding clinician, conductor, and soloist, he is frequently featured at festivals and conventions around the country and abroad. He also maintains a full schedule of concert and recording dates as a Yamaha performing artist. Sorenson has composed and arranged for numerous ensembles including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Airmen of Note and the United States Air Force Band. For more information, visit www.deansorensonmusic.com.

Sorenson will perform several of his own compositions and arrangements with the SMU Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo I. Both groups are co-directed this semester by Eric Heukeshoven and Dr. John Paulson of the Music Department. The 18-piece SMU Jazz Ensemble will perform Sorenson’s works “Cool City” and “Keep the Stick.” Jazz Combo I will perform “This is for Albert,” composed by Wayne Shorter and arranged for the group by Sorenson.

Other highlights of the concert will include the recognizable ballad “Willow Weep For Me,” featuring the alto sax stylings of senior Tommy Quinn of Cannon Falls; “High and Flightly,” composed by Hank Mobley and arranged by Mark Taylor, featuring both Quinn and trumpeter Tyler Ringeisen, also from Cannon Falls; “Nostalgia in Times Square” and “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” composed by Charles Mingus and arranged by Andrew Homzy and Ronnie Cuber; the popular ’70s jazz hit “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard, arranged by Mike Crotty as a cha cha; and some deep fried chicken funk by Kris Berg “Rule the Roost,” cooked up in the style of the funk maestros Tower of Power. Other featured student soloists include Ben Scott of Rochester on tenor sax and Trevor Woggon of Viroqua, Wis., on trombone.

Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults, and are available at www.pagetheatre.org or at the box office, (507) 457-1715, between 10 am and 6 pm Monday through Friday or one hour before the performance.

Annual SMU benefit raises $13,500 for Grathen family

Tony Grathen, this year's beneficiary, right front, poses with his parents, Melissa Edel, right back, and Matt Grathen, left, as well as Taylor Richmond, the benefit's namesake, and his mother, Nikki Richmond.

About 660 people danced to the music of the Johnny Holm Band during the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance.

WINONA, Minn. — More than 660 people attended Saint Mary’s University’s 11th annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance on March 26.

Proceeds from the dance — and a silent auction held on campus — raised more than $13,500 for this year’s beneficiary, Tony Grathen of Rollingstone, Minn. Grathen, son of Melissa Edel and Matt Grathen, is a 7-year-old boy who was diagnosed with rhabdomysarcoma cancer in April 2010. Rhabdomysarcoma is a rare type of muscular cancer. Grathen is the step-grandson of Susan Edel, registrar at Saint Mary’s.

Since his diagnosis, Tony has undergone surgery to remove a tumor on his neck as well as 22 lymph nodes. He also has finished a six-week treatment of radiation and requires 44 weeks of chemotherapy. Money raised from the benefit dance and silent auction will help his family pay for medical bills and transportation expenses.

The 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 Life staff member Nikki Richmond and her husband Nick Richmond, both of Cochrane, Wis. 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.

Donations are still being accepted. To help, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Lance Thompson, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, 700 Terrace Heights No. 1528, Winona, MN 55987.

Saint Mary’s hosts Undergraduate Research Symposium in Biology

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Biology Department will host the 38th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in Biology on Friday, April 8, 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 8:20 a.m.

The symposium presents all attendees the opportunity to experience the process of open collegial assessment of experimental findings, the opportunity to encounter discoveries from a variety of scientific disciplines, and an excellent environment to develop personal contacts and acquaintances.

Dr. Marla Spivak, Distinguished McKnight Professor of Apiculture and Social Insects in the Department of Entomology and director of the Bee Lab at the University of Minnesota, will present the R.V. Kowles Lecture. Dr. Spivak’s research into the mechanisms of disease resistance in bee colonies is internationally recognized. For her work and her active dissemination of best practices to beekeepers worldwide, Dr. Spivak was recently awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. Her presentation, titled “Socialized Medicine in Honey Bee Colonies,” will begin at 1:45 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center.

The public is invited to attend the lecture, as well as the student presentations, free of charge. Morning refreshments will be provided.

Saint Mary’s University mourns the loss of Dr. Jon Kabara ’48, founder of Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Dr. Jon J. Kabara, 84, of Galena, Ill., known worldwide in the medical community for his breakthrough research, died Thursday, March 24, at his home in Florida. Funeral arrangements are pending.

A 1948 graduate of Saint Mary’s University, Dr. Kabara dedicated his life to medical research. He served as a professor at the University of Detroit and later Michigan State University for more than 30 years, and in 1969, he helped establish the first affiliated school of osteopathic medicine at Michigan State. An expert in the field of dietary fats and oils, Dr. Kabara was awarded more than 16 U.S. and foreign patents and is credited with more than 200 publications, including eight books.

Dr. Kabara earned a career full of impressive titles such as “International Man of the Year,” as well as listings in “Leaders in American Science” and “American Men in Science.” His life-long passion for science and entrepreneurship led his company, Med-Chem Labs Inc., to the successful creation of Lauricidin, a science-based nutritional supplement for better health and self-healing.

In 2005, Dr. Kabara and his wife, Betty, made a transformational gift to establish the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at Saint Mary’s University. Dr. Kabara’s goal was to incite a passion for entrepreneurial spirit in students, no matter their area of study, and to recognize the importance of entrepreneurship in society. Through the Institute, students at Saint Mary’s have heard success stories of alumni entrepreneurs and nationally known speakers, taken tours of various businesses, competed in business plan competitions, and worked toward the future creation of their own businesses through the assistance of a supportive entrepreneurial university community.

“Saint Mary’s University is proud to call Dr. Jon Kabara one of our own,” said Brother William Mann, president. “Dr. Kabara provided Saint Mary’s with an opportunity to inspire and educate students — who one day dream of starting their own businesses — through the establishment of the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Jon’s legacy will continue to shape the university’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, and for this we are forever grateful.”

Robert Figliulo ’76, chair of the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies Advisory Board, said Dr. Kabara was “a dear friend, whose radiant smile and character will be greatly missed by those he impacted not only at the university, but across the world. Saint Mary’s students are blessed to have so many alumni with unique entrepreneurial experience. Jon wanted to share that experience with as many of our students as possible. We are honored to carry on his work.”

In 2008, Saint Mary’s University awarded Dr. Kabara with an honorary Doctorate of Ethical Leadership. In 1998, Dr. Kabara received the Distinguished Alumni award and in 1970, he was the recipient of the Bishop Patrick R. Heffron award for service to the university.

Dr. Kabara once shared this advice with Saint Mary’s students: “Make ‘ethical business’ more than an oxymoron term. As leaders for the next generation, our country/world needs your special talents and efforts to help form a truly peaceful global economy.”

Dr. Kabara also encouraged students to have a passion for what they do. “My final piece of advice is this secret: If you can dream it, you can make it happen. So dream big.”

Saint Mary’s University extends its thoughts and prayers to Betty Kabara and the entire Kabara family. A daughter, Sheila Kabara Howell, is a 1975 Saint Mary’s alum.

SMU presents Theatre IV with ‘Stuart Little’ April 7

WINONA, Minn. — In the final Page Series event of the season, Saint Mary’s University invites the public to watch the classic tale of “Stuart Little” come to life Thursday, April 7.

Theatre IV will present this merry musical — beginning at 6:30 p.m. in SMU’s Page Theatre — about a noble mouse that jumps headlong into adventures big enough to match any imagination. Funny, tender and exciting, “Stuart Little” mixes gorgeous child-size puppets with live actors to work theatrical magic.

Stuart’s creator, E.B. White once said, “Well, many years ago I went to bed one night in a railway sleeping car, and during the night I dreamed about a tiny boy who acted rather like a mouse. That’s how the story of Stuart Little got started. And although my stories are imaginary, I like to think that there is some truth in them, too — truth about the way people and animals feel and think and act.”

Theatre IV is a nonprofit, professional touring children’s theatre that was formed in 1975. During 2009-2010 they performed live before over 1/2 million children, teens, parents and teachers across the America.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s University is a fiscal year 2010 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

In celebration of this performance, Saint Mary’s will host a “Gathering for E.B. White” at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at the Winona Public Library. Come hear many classic children’s stories read aloud.

Saint Mary’s invites nonprofits to submit ‘to-do’ lists for ‘Spruce Up Winona Day’

WINONA, Minn. — In recognition of “Spruce Up Winona Day,” Saint Mary’s University’s Volunteer Mentors group is inviting Winona nonprofit agencies to submit requests for service.

Do you need someone to help with your spring cleaning, to rake leaves, to do some painting, or to help with construction? Saint Mary’s University student volunteers will be available to work two shifts from 1 to 3 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, to help local individuals, groups, churches and organizations in recognition of “Spruce Up Winona Day.”

Saint Mary’s will supply the workers, if you supply the materials needed (paint, brushes, rakes, tools, etc.).

To register your request, please call Chris McClead at (507) 457-7268 or e-mail cmcclead@smumn.edu.

SMU Cardinal Plunge raises nearly $1,500 for emergency fund

WINONA, Minn. — Approximately 100 plungers braved the icy waters Saturday, March 19, at Michael LaCanne Park for the second annual Saint Mary’s University Cardinal Plunge. One group of jumpers included members of the SMU Women’s Basketball Team, from left: Kim Kaminski, Courtney Euerle, Cherie Kulig and Brittany Begrowicz. Participants “plunged” into Lake Goodview to raise money for the Cardinal Plunge Student Emergency Fund, a fund set aside for students in need or in emergency situations. A portion of last year’s proceeds went to Michael Mockler, a current sophomore at Saint Mary’s who had recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor. This year’s event raised $1,455.

SMU hosts ‘Gathering for E.B. White’ April 2 at Winona Public Library

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University will host a “Gathering for E.B. White” — author of the classic children’s favorites “Stuart Little” and “Charlotte’s Web” — Saturday, April 2, at the Winona Public Library.

Join SMU Performance Center staff and members of the Winona Learning Club, beginning at 12:30 p.m., at the Story Time Room of the library’s Children’s Department.

Selections from E.B. White’s books, including “Stuart Little” and “Charlotte’s Web,” will be read aloud, as well as the following “E.B. White Read Aloud Award” winners: “Skippyjon Jones” by Judith Byron Schachner, “When Dinosaurs Came With Everything” by Elise Broach, “Houndsley and Catina” by James Howe, and “A Visitor for Bear” by Bonnie Becker.

A drawing for free tickets will also be held in celebration of SMU’s Page Series performance of “Stuart Little” by Theatre IV. The show is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7.

For more information about this event, contact the SMU Performance Center Box Office, (507) 457-1715 or the Winona Public Library Children's Department, (507) 452-4592.

Saint Mary’s Relay for Life raises more than $17,000

WINONA, Minn. — On Friday, March 18, the Saint Mary’s University community participated in the Relay for Life. More than 300 students, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate and remember those who have defeated cancer, those currently battling cancer, and those who have lost their lives to this disease. The event raised more than $17,200 for the American Cancer Society and donations are still coming in. Team members spent the night walking around SMU’s indoor track from dusk to dawn to represent the 24-hour fight against cancer.

Senior art shows to run April 2-May 14 at SMU

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University senior art students will present their work in the upcoming exhibit, “Through the Lashes,” Saturday, April 2, through Saturday, May 14, at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries.

“Through the Lashes,” is a capstone experience for SMU Art Studio and Graphic Design majors. The name, chosen by the exhibiting seniors, comes from a reference Vincent Van Gogh made to his brother Theo in many letters. Van Gogh would say “Today, I painted through the lashes,” which meant he would squint his eyes to remove the middle grays and helped him focus on the strong contrasts of the objects he was looking at.

Artists displaying their work April 2 through April 24 will include Mike Berg, Quinten Castillo, Liz Daugherty, Rachel Elbert, Andrew Kilpatrick, Ellen Klug, Steven Mino, Rachel Sievers and Melisse Treptow. An opening reception for these students will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 2.

Artists displaying their work April 28 through May 14 will include Alexa Bergler, Stephanie Binot, Emily Cooper, Chelsea Deering, Jesse Fleming, Cody Harvey, Nicole Krystosek, Danielle Miller and Tania Trowbridge. An opening reception for the second showing will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 28.

The galleries — free and open to the public — are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily in the Toner Student Center.

Saint Mary’s speaker to address ‘Reform of Catholic Liberal Education’

WINONA, Minn. — Guest speaker Thomas S. Hibbs will present “Aquinas, MacIntyre, and the Reform of Catholic Liberal Education,” Thursday, March 24, as part of the Saint Thomas Aquinas Lecture Series.

Hibbs is a distinguished professor of Ethics & Culture and dean of the Honors College at Baylor University. The presentation — scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Salvi Lecture Hall — is generously sponsored by the Department of Philosophy, the Dean of Humanities and Sciences, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, in cooperation with the minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Salvi Lecture Hall is located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. For more information, contact Dr. Joseph Tadie at jtadie@smumn.edu or Ext. 6652.

Saint Mary’s Concert Band, Wind Ensemble to perform March 27

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, both directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, will present a “Music in Our Schools Month” concert Sunday, March 27, in Winona.

The performance — scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in SMU’s Page Theatre — will include works from Bach to Bencriscutto, and will feature SMU clarinet faculty member Sylva Hanson performing the “Concertino for Clarinet and Band” by Frank Bencriscutto. Other compositions to be performed include two very different compositions by Frank Ticheli; the first being his beautiful setting of “Loch Lomand,” and the second being his popular “Cajun Folk Songs.” The Wind Ensemble will perform a movement from J.S. Bach’s The Art of the Fugue, the majestic “Contrapunctus,” arranged for Wind Ensemble by Jack LaBauve. Other pieces include Shostakovich’s powerful “Festive Overture” and “Scenes from the Louvre” by Dello Joio.

The band will present this concert at two Twin Cities high schools on Friday, March 25, before bringing the performance to Winona audiences on March 27.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s to offer three plays through ‘SPLaSH’ March 30-April 3

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Theatre and Dance Department invites the public to the spring “SPLaSH” series — three one-act student plays directed by students — March 30 through April 3. The plays will be held at the Valéncia Arts Center’s Academy Theatre, 1164 West Howard St.

SPLaSH, which stands for “short play showcase,” will feature three one-act plays:

• “The Interrogation,” written and directed by Tom Conry of Waunakee, Wis., is a suspenseful performance where a single word and its results are judged.
• “Bang, You’re Dead!” is a zany comedy written by Paul Reakes and directed by Matthew Gorgone of Greenville, R.I., that will keep audiences guessing as Lydia and her boyfriend Marcus rehearse the murder of her husband.
• “Inner Thoughts,” a drama written and directed by Lindsay Christensen of Brooklyn Park, is about five high school students in a school hostage situation.

Shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, March 30 through April 2, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s Taylor Richmond benefit to help Grathen family of Rollingstone

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University will present the 11th annual Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday, March 26.

The beneficiary of this year’s formal dance — open to the public — is Tony Grathen, the step-grandson of Susan Edel, registrar at Saint Mary’s. Tony is a 7-year-old boy from Rollingstone who was diagnosed with rhabdomysarcoma cancer in April 2010. Rhabdomysarcoma is a rare type of muscular cancer.

Since his diagnosis, Tony has undergone surgery to remove a tumor on his neck as well as 22 lymph nodes. He also has finished a six-week treatment of radiation and requires 44 weeks of chemotherapy. Money raised from the benefit dance and silent auction will help the family pay for medical bills and transportation expenses.

The benefit dance has become an annual tradition since its start in 2001 by students in honor of Taylor Richmond, son of Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry and Student Activities staff member Nikki Richmond and her husband Nick 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 Disney World. 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 Lance Thompson at (507) 457-1686. Dance tickets will also be available at the door.

In combination with the dance, a silent auction will be held on campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 24-25. A variety of homemade goods, gift baskets and specialty items will be on display in the game room, located in the Toner Student Center. The public is welcome to bid.

To make a donation, send checks — payable to the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance — to Thompson at Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights, Box 1528, Winona, MN 55987.

Saint Mary’s presents Irish dance with Darrah Carr March 23

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University’s Page Series invites the public to celebrate the beauty of traditional Irish step and contemporary modern dance with Darrah Carr Dance Wendesday, March 23.

The fast-paced, spirited dance will begin at 7:30 p.m. on the Page Theatre stage, located in the SMU Performance Center.

Renowned for integrating Irish culture within its choreography, Darrah Carr Dance blends Irish music, step dance footwork, and spatial patterns to create high-energy, rhythmically based work that is accessible to a broad audience.

Artistic Director Darrah Carr calls her style ModERIN: a playful combination of the words modern (dance) and ERIN (an Irish American term of endearment for Ireland).

The evening will include a selection of traditional Irish dance as well as ModERIN works that combine elements of traditional style Irish dance with modern elements.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s University is a fiscal year 2010 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

Public invited to SMU’s ‘Cardinal Plunge’ March 19

WINONA, Minn – Brave souls and warm hearts are invited to join Saint Mary’s University in the second annual “Cardinal Plunge” Saturday, March 19. This freezing fundraiser begins at 1 p.m. at Lake Goodview, located at Michael LaCanne Park.

This year, “Cardinal Plunge” proceeds will be given to the Cardinal Plunge Student Emergency Fund, a fund set aside for students in need or in emergency situations. A portion of last year’s proceeds went to Michael Mockler, a current junior at Saint Mary’s who had recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

The cost for this event is $10, and all participants will receive a “Cardinal Plunge” T-shirt. This event is sponsored by several organizations at Saint Mary’s including Student Life, The Future Alumni Committee, and Chartwells. Community sponsors include the Winona County Dive and Rescue, Winona Area Ambulance Service and Aaron Repinski with Rip-Roaring Entertainment.

Registration begins at noon on site. Participants are encouraged to pre-register online at www.smumn.edu/cardinalplunge and pay the day of the plunge. Donations can be made to the Cardinal Plunge Student Emergency Fund, Saint Mary’s University, 700 Terrace Heights #24, Winona, MN 55987.

Refreshments and a brief lunch will be available.

More than 300 people attended the first “Cardinal Plunge” in March 2010. A total of 120 people “plunged” into Lake Goodview to raise money for Haiti relief efforts and for Mockler, who underwent surgery in June 2010.

The event raised $1,600, and approximately $1,400 was collected in outside donations. Video of the event is at www.youtube.com/smuwinona.

For more information, contact Sarah McDonough at (507) 457-1452 or spmcdo07@smumn.edu.

‘Winona Women in History’ topic of upcoming women’s reception

Catherine Goddard Smith

WINONA, Minn. – The Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women at Saint Mary’s University will host a women’s reception Wednesday, March 16, to kick off Women’s History Month.

Guest speaker Jennifer Weaver, assistant director of the Winona County Historical Society, will present “Winona Women in History.”

She will trace the stories of six Winona women who made history including: Winona’s founding “Aunt” Catherine Goddard Smith (1812-1888), African American entrepreneur Emma Shelton (1865-?), educator and daughter of Civil War soldier Mabel Marvin (1876-1955), J.R. Watkins’ daughter and adventurer Grace Watkins King (1877-1975), performer Jeanette Lamberton (1869-1956), and Vaudeville and early film actress Myrtle Huntley (1880-1974).

Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served in the Toner Student Center Lounge at 4.30 p.m., and Weaver’s presentation will begin at 5:15 p.m. in the adjoining President’s Room.

Public invited to hear about ‘Fun and Fame with Mathematics’

WINONA, Minn. – Dr. Sarah Greenwald will be the final speaker for the Saint Mary’s University Women in Math Colloquium Thursday, March 17. Her presentation, hosted by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, will be “Fun and Fame with Mathematics: Spherical Rubik’s Cubes to Cartoons.”

Dr. Greenwald, of Appalachian State University, will speak about careers in mathematics, based upon her own experience as a mathematician. During this presentation, she will draw upon her widely varying adventures in a variety of topics — from Riemannian geometry to pop culture to working on an encyclopedia.

Dr. Greenwald is the recipient of the 2005 Mathematical Association of America’s Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching.

The event is planned for 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Salvi Lecture Hall, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. A reception will begin at 4 p.m.

This colloquium is supported by a National Science Foundation grant to encourage women to study mathematics.

For further information, contact Dr. Kevin Dennis at kdennis@smumn.edu or (507) 457-6650.

SMU offers ‘Tri Swimming’ clinic March 7 – April 30

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University is offering “Tri Swimming,” an open-water swim training and triathlon clinic, March 7 through April 30. This clinic is for beginning or advanced swimmers who are looking for a swim clinic to complement their triathlon training goals.

Many people are hesitant about triathlons because they lack confidence in their swimming abilities. This course is designed to complement the already-training tri-athlete’s workout, and also to encourage those who are intimidated by swimming, especially in open water. Participants will learn and improve swimming skills and techniques necessary for endurance training.
Athletes must be able to swim one length of the pool without the assistance of a flotation device.

The group meets three days a week, Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 to 9 a.m. The clinic will be held at the eight-lane Jules Gernes Pool at Saint Mary’s. The instructor is Jami Severson, the assistant swimming coach at SMU, who has competitive and open-water swimming experience.

The course fee is $125 ($100 for SMU community members). Register and pay online at www.smumn.edu/ageless. For more information, call (507) 457-6921.