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.