Matching grant helps SMU First-Generation Initiative raise $250,000 for scholarships

WINONA, Minn. — Through a generous matching grant, Rochester benefactors Jack and Mary Ann Remick have helped Saint Mary’s University raise $250,000 for First-Generation Initiative scholarships in 2012.

In January, the Remicks, longtime supporters of Saint Mary’s, gifted the university a $100,000 matching grant to raise funds for the First-Generation Initiative. This program provides full scholarships — and continuous support — to low-income, high-potential, qualified students, with preference given to Saint Mary’s Lasallian partner schools.

Brother Ed Siderewicz, director of the First-Generation Initiative, said that by early April the university met the $100,000 challenge and surpassed it, bringing the current total to approximately $250,000.

“Mary Ann Remick is chair of our First-Generation Advisory Board,” Siderewicz said. “She wanted others to learn about and consider supporting the program. These generous funds enable us to make commitments this fall to a new group of First-Generation students who would otherwise never have the opportunity to go to college.

“Working with inner-city high schools,” he said, “we identify promising minority youth who are at risk of dropping out of school, largely because of their dangerous environment, under-resourced communities, and lack of understanding about how higher education opportunities can be accessed.”

After identifying the best candidates as early as the ninth grade, Saint Mary’s invites these students to spend a portion of each summer at the Winona campus Countdown to College Program. When they obtain their high school diplomas, these students are then eligible for a full college scholarship.

Although First-Generation students are mainstreamed, they also have the specialized academic and social support they need to excel in school.

To learn more about the First-Generation Initiative, contact Siderewicz at esiderew@smumn.edu or (507) 457-6683. To read more about this program, go to www.firsgenerationstories.org.

Big, Little Pals host end-of-the-year picnic

Saint Mary’s University student Sara Haecherl plays kickball with one of the “Little Pals” she and other SMU students work with throughout the year.

The Big and Little Pals organization at Saint Mary’s University enjoyed an end-of-the-year picnic April 26. About 50 Saint Mary’s students meet once a week with at-risk second- through fifth-graders from the Winona community. To celebrate the end of the year, their “little pals” joined them on campus for a barbecue, inflatable toys and games. The program is a collaboration with Winona Area Public Schools. Throughout the year, SMU students develop a positive relationship with their pals by nurturing their academic, social and emotional stability.

SMU Cardinal Corner raises $358 for veteran alum

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University business students raised $358 for veteran alumnus Josh Misiewicz, the 2012 recipient of the Taylor Richmond Benefit Dance. Misiewicz of La Grange, Ill., attended Saint Mary’s from 2006-2008. In July 2011, Lance Corporal Misiewicz lost both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan.

Each semester, undergraduate entrepreneurship students manage a not-for-profit retail store located in a small corner of the basement of Toner Student Center, aptly named the Cardinal Corner. Students choose products to sell in the store, garner donations from around campus, and sell items for on-campus organizations as part of the entrepreneurship major.

Each semester the members of the class choose a different charity to which profits are donated. SMU’s entrepreneurship students have continued to choose charities that are near and dear to the heart of a fellow classmate, or charities that benefit the SMU community. Profits from previous semesters have been donated to the Winona Area Humane Society, Haiti Medical Mission of Wisconsin, Dom Dziecka (a children’s orphanage in Chotomów, Poland) and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Minnesota.

For more information on the Cardinal Corner or to present your request to the class to be considered as the charity of choice for the fall semester, contact Jana Craft at (507) 457-1491 or jcraft@smumn.edu. Become a fan and receive the latest updates at www.facebook.com/cardinalcorner.

MCA spring classes begin May 7

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts spring dance, music, and visual art classes begin Monday, May 7, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

A variety of classes are available for children and adults, ranging from recreation classes to pre-professional training. The MCA Visual Art division offers Drawing the Still Life, a class for teen and adults to explore the art of drawing still life using versatile charcoal techniques.

Dance division spring offerings include: Creative Movement, Modern I-II, Contemporary Dance Workshops, Nia, Tap and Jazz for Kids, National Tap and Dance Workshops for Tap II and Tap III-IV, Junior Hip Hop, Hip Hop I-II, Boys Dance Technique, Pre Ballet, Pre Ballet I, Ballet II, Ballet III-IV, Classical Package for Ballet V, VI, VII and a new Dance for Skaters class.

Music division offerings include: Creative Music and Movement, Music Explorers, Musicman Junior, Flute Choir I, Flute Choir II as well as private lesson instruction in flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, cello, piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and voice.

Creative Music and Movement, an introduction to the music and dance class setting through voice, song, rhythm, and dance for 3- and 4-years-olds is offered in collaboration with the MCA dance and music divisions. This class is offered opposite of the adult fitness class Nia. Nia offers a dynamic blend of dance arts, martial arts and healing arts using music, movement, and self-expression to help students discover optimum health of body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Parents can enjoy a great workout while their child enjoys Creative Music and Movement, Tuesdays, May 8, 15, 22, June 5, 12, and 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Adults who have a child enrolled in an MCA spring or summer class or camp can participate in a class of their own tuition-free through the MCA Adult Arts Wellness program. Adult classes choices for spring include: Nia, Teen and Adult Tap and Jazz, Flute Choir I, Flute Choir II, and Drawing the Still Life. Additional summer course offers for adults include Guitar Class I, Guitar Class II, Nia, Power Piyo, Clogging I, Clogging II, Teen and Adult Ballet, and Teen and Adult Irish Dance. Class days, times, and tuition vary. Financial need-based scholarships are available.

For a brochure and complete listing, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org or call (507) 453-5500. Interested students may registration online, by mail, or in person at MCA’s Valéncia Arts Center. MCA, a non-profit organization, exists to provide quality arts education and performance by nurturing and encouraging artistic expression in children and adults.

 The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

Saint Mary’s University honors Kabaras with Heritage Award April 14

Betty Kabara receives the Heritage Award from Brother William Mann, president of Saint Mary's University.

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University recognized Betty and the late Dr. Jon ’48 Kabara Saturday, April 14, with the university’s first Heritage Award, presented during Saint Mary’s annual Benefactor Recognition Dinner in Winona.

The Heritage Award recognizes special individuals whose exceptional philanthropy has significantly transformed the university during its first century of excellence in education and whose gracious gifts help to dynamically position the university to boldly launch its second century.

The Kabaras, of Galena, Ill., founded the Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies in 2005 at Saint Mary’s to ignite and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in students across the university and to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of entrepreneurship in our society. Dr. Jon Kabara, a 1948 alumnus, dedicated his life to medical research. Regarded as an expert in the field of dietary fats and oils, Dr. Kabara served as a professor at the University of Detroit and later Michigan State University for more than 30 years. 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 has been awarded more than 16 U.S. and foreign patents and is credited with more than 200 publications, including eight books.

 Though Dr. Kabara passed away on March 24, 2011, Betty has furthered her husband’s legacy through her continued support of Saint Mary’s and the Kabara Institute.

The Kabara Institute, along with Saint Mary’s Business Department, sponsors business idea contests, business plan competitions, elevator pitch competitions and Entrepreneurship Week, which features guest speakers, symposiums, and round-table discussions.

Saint Mary's commencement ceremonies scheduled for May 12

WINONA, Minn. — On Saturday, May 12, the Winona campus of Saint Mary’s University will host two commencement ceremonies to mark the end of the academic year.

The Winona campus undergraduate commencement will begin at 11 a.m. in the gymnasium. Student perspectives will be offered by this year’s Outstanding Male and Female Seniors Michael Mockler, son of John and Caroline Mockler of Dubuque, Iowa, and Regina Quandt, daughter of Dan and Cathy Quandt of Minneapolis, Minn.

The Winona campus Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs commencement will begin at 4 p.m. in the gymnasium. Along with the conferring of degrees, student perspectives will be offered by Cynthia Mueller, M.A. in Literacy Education, of Buffalo, Minn.; and Dr. Paul Rosenblum, M.A. in Pastoral Ministries of Charleston, S.C. Additionally, Dr. Rosenblum will be presented with an Outstanding Graduate Final Paper Award.

Receptions on the plaza will follow both ceremonies. In case of inclement weather, the receptions will be held in Gostomski Fieldhouse.

Prior to the ceremonies, a Baccalaureate Mass will take place in Saint Thomas More Chapel at 8:30 a.m.

The Saint Mary’s Nairobi campus will host its commencement ceremony on April 28. The Twin Cities campus will conduct three summer commencement ceremonies on June 3.

Saint Mary’s announces next Page Series season

WINONA, Minn. — The 26th season of the Saint Mary’s University Page Series is once again filled with music, dance, theatre, and family-friendly offerings from around the world!

You don’t have to travel far for world-class performances. Season subscriptions go on sale May 15. Individual tickets go on sale Aug. 21.

As part of the yearlong celebration of Saint Mary’s University Centennial, the Page Series is pleased to include artists with connections to Saint Mary’s and to Winona in this year’s programming.

Purchase tickets to three or more events to receive a 10 percent discount for new subscribers; returning 2011-12 subscribers receive 25 percent off the total order. Subscribers also have exchange privileges and guaranteed seating choice.

To order, go online to www.pagetheatre.org or call the box office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Summer box office hours, May 16-July 29, are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 The 2012-2013 Page Series 

• Thursday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. 
Tibetan Monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery
Sacred dance, music and sand mandala painting
Tickets: $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and students 
The Monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery in India have toured North America for more than 20 years to support their monastery and to preserve and demonstrate their Tibetan cultural traditions. Their performance features multi-phonic singing, wherein the monks simultaneously intone three notes of a chord. They also utilize traditional instruments (such as 10-foot long dung-chen horns, drums, bells, cymbals and gyaling trumpets), wear rich brocade costumes and perform masked dances, such as the “Dance of the Sacred Snow Lion” and “Dance of the Skeleton Lords.” In addition, the monks will create elaborate sand mandala paintings, using colored sands and the traditional chakpur (metal funnel). Before the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy, the mandalas were created in private, sacred sites; the Dalai Lama, considered the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, suggested that the mandalas be created publicly as a way of healing. Several lecture and informal conversations opportunities will also be a part of their five-day residency.

• Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m. 
“Bunnicula” with TheatreworksUSA 
A Bunny-Tale of Mystery 
Tickets: $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students
 Lock up your lettuce! Protect your parsley! Rescue your rutabaga! A floppy-eared bunny with mysterious habits is staking out its place in TheatreworksUSA’s spine-tingling new musical, co-written by Tony-nominated playwright Charles Busch and based on the best-selling books by James & Deborah Howe, “Bunnicula!” Chester the cat and Harold the dog get along like ... well ... cats and dogs, even though underneath their furry exteriors, they’re really the best of pals. But one dark and stormy night, the Monroe family comes home from the movies with an orphaned rabbit they found under their seats. He’s a very strange baby rabbit who has sharp fangs instead of buckteeth, and who sleeps all day and prowls around his cage all night. Meanwhile, all the vegetables in the house are drained of their color and turn white. Could this possibly be a coincidence, or could Bunnicula be a vampire? Chester thinks so, and he’ll stop at nothing until he vanquishes the new arrival, even if it means the end of his friendship with Harold. Will Harold and Chester remain friends? Will Bunnicula find his mother before it’s too late? Will the nocturnal assault on all that is good and green continue? Find out in TheatreworksUSA’s “Bunnicula.”

 
 • Friday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. 
Simone Perrin and Dan Chouinard 
Sweet singing, accordion playing 
Tickets: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students 
Simone Perrin is a Minneapolis-based theater artist, accordionista and chanteuse. She's also an artist and composer. She has appeared on “A Prairie Home Companion” and premiered two shows at the 2006 Minnesota Fringe Festival, her one–woman show, “Tall Tale of a Broken Heart,” and “In Hopes of Claudia” with Kevin Kling. She grew up on the banks of the mighty Mississippi in Winona, where she learned that singing for your supper is OK, houseboats are the best way to enjoy a lazy river, and family is the most important. But … as it goes with the learning, those revelations didn’t occur until she went away. After school in Ohio and years in New York, she came back to the Midwest. Settling in the Twin Cities, she has collaborated with storyteller Kevin Kling on numerous projects, as well as performed with everyone from Prudence Johnson to Dan Chouinard to The Brass Messengers. Perrin is inviting musician friend Dan Chouinard to join her for an evening of new songs, stories and fun.

 
 • Thursday, Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m. 
The Accidental Hero World War II 
Czech-American story 
Tickets: $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students 
Where do heroes come from? Lightning strikes and destiny awaits. A farm boy thinks he’s “only” fighting in World War II. Then a risky assignment miraculously brings him face-to-face with his long-lost tribe. Improbable coincidence? Fate? When you run away from your identity, it often finds you anyway. Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving, this unforgettable one-man show has wowed audiences across the country. The Czechs called him “liberator,” but they liberated him.  A unique mix of narration with multi-media enhancements provides a way to tell the story of a grandfather’s role in World War II, unknown to all until the grandson dug into the past. The show includes WWII film footage shot with a home movie camera of the liberation of a Czech town. Actor/creator Patrick Dewane is an alumnus of Saint Mary’s University.

 • Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, 7:30 p.m. 
The Hornheads w/John Paulson’s Big Band Project
 Jazz and more jazz 
Tickets: $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students 
The Hornheads, an extraordinarily talented group of horn players, has been gathering international acclaim from artists and critics alike, since 1991. On tour with Prince and the New Power Generation from 1991-1994, the Hornheads performed for more than 2 million concert-goers in 20 countries. Q Magazine, London, described them as “a peerless horn section ... playing in bare brilliant syncopation, punching with a staccato precision beyond the grasp of science or Synclavier. Prince splashes their insouciant versatility all over the set list.” Performing on more than 60 CD projects, the Hornheads have recorded with national and international artists such as Prince, Chaka Kahn, The Jonas Brothers, Mavis Staples, Phil Upchurch, Ricky Peterson, Jimmy Jam, Mandy Moore, Pedro Abrunhosa, Yumi Matsutoya, Babyface, Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, France Gal, Tevin Campbell, Rosie Gaines, Larry Graham, Sétimo Céu, Carmen Electra, Gegé Telesforo and Ben Jor. Opening this special evening of jazz will be John Paulson’s Big Band Project. Long-time SMU jazz faculty member Paulson has assembled a big band that will perform a number of his original charts. It promises to be a full-length evening of jazz and more jazz.

 
 • Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2012, 6:30 p.m. 
“The Gruffalo” by Tall Stories 
One scary forest monster 
Tickets: $12 for adults, $5 for seniors and students 
Join Mouse on an adventurous journey through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the Blue Peter award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Mouse can scare hungry animals away with tall stories of the terrifying Gruffalo, but what happens when he comes face to face with the very creature he imagined? Guaranteed songs, laughs and scary fun for children ages 3 and older, and their adults … Let your imagination run wild! Tall Stories, from London, England, was founded in 1996 by joint artistic directors Olivia Jacobs and Toby Mitchell. The company has grown to become a highly acclaimed, internationally touring, not-for-profit organization. They present old, new and timeless stories in fresh and exciting ways and their productions tour to theatres, community venues and schools in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia. Tall Stories aims to tell stories in a physical, visual style, and their performances link original music with movement and a lot of laughs.

• Saturday, March 16, 2013, 7:30 p.m. 
Eileen Ivers 
Irish-American Celtic music 
Tickets: $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and students 

The daughter of Irish immigrants, Eileen Ivers grew up in the culturally diverse neighborhood of Bronx, New York. Rooted in traditional Irish music scene since the age of 8, Eileen proceeded to win nine All-Ireland Fiddle Championships, as well as numerous other awards. In 1999, she established Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul, a compelling mix of African and Latin percussion and bass, traditional Irish instruments, and soulful American vocals. Ivers' recording credits include more than 80 contemporary and traditional recordings, as well as numerous film scores. She is the founding member of Cherish the Ladies and an original musical star of “Riverdance.” She has appeared with London Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony at The Kennedy Center, the Boston Pops, as well as The Chieftains, Sting, Hall and Oates, Randy Brecker, Patti Smith, Paula Cole, Al Di Meola and Steve Gadd. A Grammy winner, her music has been heard on numerous movie soundtracks including “Gangs of New York,” and she has performed for Presidents and royalty worldwide. In short, Eileen Ivers has established herself as the pre-eminent exponent of the Irish fiddle in the world today.

 ‘Off The Page’ 

 “Off The Page” events, feature individually priced events that take place in venues around town. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 21. This year’s “Off the Page” performances take place at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

• Thursday, Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m. 
Vanessa Trouble
 Jazz with a holiday twist 
Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students 
Vanessa Trouble has been singing and producing shows with numerous artists for over a decade. Residing in New York City, she has honed her vocal and performance skills all over the country and abroad, fronting various jazz ensembles in New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Atlanta, New Orleans, London, Paris, Ireland, Norway and Asia. Vanessa attended Saint Mary’s University, but graduated from Carleton College before making her way to the New York City jazz scene. She performs constantly in New York, including standing engagements at Pierre’s in Bridgehampton, N.Y., and at Opia Lounge in Manhattan. Past engagements have included such New York-area jazz showcases as Tavern on the Green, The Bubble Lounge, The Screening Room, Café Deville, Torch, The Grand Havana Room, Cibar, Metronome, and The Mansfield Hotel “M” Bar. This intimate evening will feature Vanessa singing holiday songs with a jazz beat, backed up by some of the region’s best musicians. Her holiday-themed recording will be available.

 • Thursday, March 7, 7:30 p.m. 
Alison Scott 
Dynamite vocals 
Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students 
The strongest new voice to come out of the Minneapolis music scene in years, Alison Scott delivers a unique sound, which combines soulful vocals and brilliant lyrics with a keen sense of creativity and passion. With a gorgeous voice that combines the confident swagger of Cassandra Wilson, the electrifying emotion of Aretha, and the sweeping emotion of Eva Cassidy, Scott’s brilliant songwriting paints pictures that dance in your head long after she’s left the stage. A true multi-talented performer, Scott’s voice can soar high one minute and be seductive and fragile the next. She’s also a keyboard talent, whose beautiful harmonies mesh with her skintight backing band. Along with local superstar and triple platinum songwriter, Kevin Bowe on guitar, Alison’s band includes veteran keyboardist James Tyler O’Neill, rock solid bassist Steve Price, and drum sensation Pete Anderson. Together, they fuse contemporary soul with undercurrents of ’60s Brit-pop, silky jazz, and full-throttle rock. Scott has opened for several national acts such as Bon Jovi, Chris Isaak, Marc Cohn, Boz Scaggs, and Nanci Griffith. Her latest CD release, “Chinese Whispers,” has been picked up for national distribution and is creating a lot of buzz around the Midwest. It was named one of the year’s 10 best albums by the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Saint Mary’s is a fiscal year 2012 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.

* PLEASE NOTE: All tickets (individual & subscription) are subject to a $1 processing fee.

* Student price includes ages 4 and older. $10 student rush tickets may be available for some events 20 minutes before curtain.

Twenty books donated to SMU De La Salle Language Institute through World Book Night

WINONA, Minn. — As a part of World Book Night April 23, Nancy Wiltgen, senior development director at Saint Mary’s University, presented 20 free copies of “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls to students at SMU’s De La Salle Language Institute. Wiltgen was just one of 25,000 volunteers who gave away a half a million free books throughout 6,000 towns and cities across America on World Book Night April 23. Wiltgen was inspired to get involved in this program after working with an international student last year. The student told Wiltgen that she was interested in reading a good book in English that was not a textbook. “The Glass Castle” is one of Wiltgen’s favorites. For more information, go to www.worldbooknight.org.

MCA to host free concert Monday at the library

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present an informal music concert, Monday, April 30, at 5:15 p.m., in the Children’s Room of the Winona Public Library, 151 West 5th St. This concert is free and open to the public. MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers and small instrumental ensemble groups will perform. Students will feature folk, classical and multicultural pieces. The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts exists to provide quality arts education and performance by nurturing and encouraging artistic expression in children and adults. The MCA provides recreational to pre-professional performing opportunities, and its visual arts curriculum and programming are designed to provide physical and aesthetic benefits, heightened self-respect, discipline and confidence. For more information about the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts upcoming classes, performances and programs, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

Saint Mary’s organ students to present recital/hymn-sing

k

Saint Mary's junior Jordan Ranstrom of Warren, Minn., prepares for his performance on the Kilgen organ in Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels.

WINONA, Minn. — Five organ students from Saint Mary’s University will present a recital/hymn-sing on Friday, April 27, at 12:30 p.m. in the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at Vila & Wabasha streets. Students Joshua Korver, Jacob Carlson, Jordan Ranstrom, Nathan Maskal and Gregory Bim-Merle will be featured on selections spanning traditional to contemporary periods of organ repertoire – from G. F. Handel to Marcel Dupré. The students will also lead the audience in several familiar hymns. Father Andrew Beerman, S.T.L., Rector of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, will give the invocation and benediction. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact A. Eric Heukeshoven at (507) 457-7292 or eheukesh@smumn.edu.