Press Releases

Category: Press Releases

President Beck, Faculty Members Honored at Lawrence University’s 164th Commencement

Retiring President Jill Beck presided over her final Lawrence University commencement Sunday, overseeing the awarding of 307 bachelor’s degrees to 289 graduates and four faculty awards.

President Jill Beck

Before the pomp and circumstance had finished, she had a new title — President Emerita — courtesy of the Lawrence Board of Trustees.

Board chairman Terry Franke presented Beck with a citation confirming her new title and extending the Board of Trustees “sincere gratitude” to Beck for her “devoted and generous service to Lawrence.”

In his presentation, Franke praised Beck as a strong advocate for individualized learning, for her efforts to enroll an ethnically and culturally diverse student body, for cultivating environmental sustainability on campus and for her leadership on the More Light! campaign, the most ambitious — and successful —  fundraising effort in Lawrence history, generating $160 million in gifts and pledges.

Senior Jonathan Vanko, a representative of all the seniors, officially welcomed Beck as a member of the class of 2013.

Four faculty members also were recognized at commencement for teaching excellence, scholarship and creative activity.

Marcia Bjornerud

Marcia Bjornerud, professor of geology and Walter Shober Professor of Environmental Studies, received Lawrence’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes outstanding performance in the teaching process, including the quest to ensure students reach their full development as individuals, human beings and future leaders of society.

A member of the faculty since 1995, Bjornerud previously was recognized with Lawrence’s Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Activity Award in 2007. The Association of Women Geoscientists honored her in 2011 with its Outstanding Educator Award at the national meeting of the Geological Society of America.

The recipient of two Fulbright Scholar Fellowships, Bjornerud was instrumental in the creation of Lawrence’s environmen­tal studies program in 2000 and served as its director for six years. She is the author of two books, the science textbook “The Blue Planet” and 2005’s “Reading the Rocks: The Autobiography of the Earth,” in which she chronicles the planet’s changes and examines the toll human activity is exacting on Earth. She was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society of America in 2003

In presenting the award, Beck praised Bjornerud for weaving “the human connection into your teaching, helping students to see how earth science has meaning for their lives.”

“You make science memorable and meaningful to students immersed in your contagious excitement for your subject,” said Beck.

Claudena Skran

Claudena Skran, professor of government and Edwin and Ruth West Professor in Economics and Social Science, received the Award for Excellence in Scholarship, which honors a faculty member who has demonstrated sustained scholarly excellence for a number of years and whose work exemplifies the ideals of the teacher-scholar.

A specialist in international relations who joined the government department in 1990, Skran’s scholarship includes refugee issues, post-conflict development and non-government organizations. She is the author of the book “Refugees in Interwar Europe:  The Emergence of a Regime” and her current research interests focus on the special problems women face in Sierra Leone. She spent six months there as a Fulbright Scholar in 2005-06 investigating the role of NGOs in refugee resettlement following the country’s 10-year-long civil war

Since her Fulbright, Skran has made numerous return trips to Sierra Leone, frequently with students. To date, more than 40 students have been to Sierra Leone, working with Skran as research assistants as well as on their own individual projects. Her work inspired her to found “KidsGive,” a scholarship program that provides tuition and other support for nearly 500 children in three schools in Sierra Leone.

“The strong humanitarian character of your scholarship is reflected in your work with Lawrence students in Sierra Leone and your sponsorship of community engaged service in the Appleton area, including work with the KidsGive scholarship program,” said Provost David Burrows in presenting Skran her award. “Your scholarship is a powerful demonstration that liberal education can lead to ethical and effective participation in contemporary world issues.”

Michael Mizrahi

Pianist Michael Mizrahi, assistant professor of music, received the Award for Excellence in Creative Activity. Established in 2006, the award recognizes outstanding creative work for advancing Lawrence’s mission.

Mizrahi joined the conservatory of music faculty in 2009.  His debut album, “The Bright Motion” on New Amsterdam Records, was released last spring. It was included on both Time Out New York’s and Time Out Chicago’s annual list of best albums of 2012.

The 10-track disc is a collection of new works for solo piano by today’s most innovative composers: William Brittelle, Ryan Brown, Patrick Burke, Mark Dancigers, Judd Greenstein and John Mayrose.  The video of the album’s title track was featured on National Public Radio’s “Deceptive Cadence,” which hailed it as “a meditation on quietude amidst unceasing movement, a thick-walled cell of solitary contentment in the churn of daily life.”

Mizrahi’s recording portfolio also includes the world premiere of three works for violin and piano by Aaron Copland. He is a founding member of both NOW Ensemble, a chamber group devoted to commissioning and performing new music by emerging composers, and Moët Trio, a piano trio that recently completed a two-year residency at the New England Conservatory.

“Not only do you play with commanding expertise, you provide a rich context for understanding the pieces you perform by offering verbal explanations of the historical setting for these works and the techniques used to compose them,” said Beck in recognizing Mizrahi. “Your performance ability, innovative spirit and devotion to the beauty of both traditional and contemporary music combine to make you an exceptional artist. You have brought joy and insight to us at Lawrence and to the world beyond.”

Peter Thomas

Peter Thomas, assistant professor of Russian Studies, received the Young Teacher Award in recognition of demonstrated excellence in the classroom and the promise of continued growth.

He joined Lawrence’s Russian department in 2006 after teaching at St. Olaf College. Beyond teaching Russian, Thomas also leads classes in 20th-century Russian literature, especially the works of Valdimir Nabokov. Additionally, his scholarly interests include Russian poetry, translation and contemporary composers.

In presenting the award, Burrows hailed Thomas for his “deep mastery of the material that brings new insights to complex texts and enables students to see new connections and construct new ideas.”

“Your insistence on high standards brings out the best in students, pushing them to new levels of accomplishment,” said Burrows. “Every course you teach has been a complete success and has had a transforming effect on your students.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

New U.N. Ambassador Nominee Holds Honorary Degree from Lawrence University

Samantha Power, President Barack Obama’s recent nominee as new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, has a Lawrence University connection.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN nominee Samantha Power received an honorary degree from Lawrence in 2004. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

President Richard Warch awarded Power an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters — her first honorary degree — at Lawrence’s 2004 commencement. At the time, she was a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University’s  John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The year before Lawrence recognized her with an honorary doctorate, Power had won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize in the general non-fiction category for her book “A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide,” which examines U.S. responses to genocide in the 20th century. The book also earned the 2003 National Book Critics Circle Award and the Council on Foreign Relations’ Arthur Ross Prize for the best book in U.S. foreign policy.

A long-time Obama advisor, Power currently serves as the president’s senior director for multilateral affairs and human rights. Her nomination is subject to U.S. Senate confirmation.

Lawrence holds its 2013 commencement Sunday, June 9. Celebrated University of Chicago Professor Martha Nussbaum will be this year’s honorary degree recipient.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Author, Scholar Martha Nussbaum Receiving Honorary Degree at Lawrence’s 164th Commencement

Martha Nussbaum, one of the world’s pre-eminent scholars, public intellectuals and an award-winning author, will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree Sunday, June 9 at Lawrence University’s 164th commencement.

Martha Nussbaum will receive an honorary degree from Lawrence June 9 at its 164th commencement.

Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, Nussbaum also will serve as the principal commencement speaker. This will be Nussbaum’s second appearance at Lawrence. She was a speaker on Lawrence’s 2000-01 convocation series.

Lawrence is expected to award 308 bachelor degrees to 290 students from 32 states and nine countries during commencement exercises that begin at 10:30 a.m. on Main Hall green. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

For the second straight year, Lawrence will provide a live webcast of its commencement ceremony.

Lawrence will hold a baccalaureate service Saturday, June 8 at 11 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Joy Jordan, associate professor of statistics, presents “Your One Wild and Precious Life.”  The baccalaureate service and commencement exercise are both free and open to the public.

Retiring President Jill Beck, who is presiding over her ninth and final commencement, along with Lawrence Board of Trustees Chair Terry Franke ’68 and senior Yagmur Esemen from Nicosia, Cyprus, also will address the graduates.

Before joining the University of Chicago in 1995, Nussbaum taught at Harvard and Brown universities. At the same time, she served seven years as a research advisor at the World Institute for Development Economics Research in Helsinki, which is part of the United Nations University.

As the holder of the Freund chair, Nussbaum has full appointments in the University of Chicago’s philosophy department and the law school, as well as associate appointments in the political science and classics departments and the divinity school. She is also a member of the Committee on Southern Asian Studies and a board member of the Human Rights Program.

A Champion of Liberal Education

Beck called Nussbaum “a great defender of the liberal arts and exemplary role model for our students.”

“She demonstrates how to bridge effectively scholarly interests with issues of the day and with the need for taking informed positions in our lives and societies. In Dr. Nussbaum’s case, she uses her knowledge of classics to generate contemporary political critique. I’m sure the graduating students will enjoy meeting her and hearing her perspectives.”

Nussbaum is widely regarded as one of the country’s most celebrated philosophers and celebrated thinkers. She believes philosophers should act as “lawyers for humanity” to address questions of justice, basing her work on a political philosophy of human capability and functioning that has both Aristotelian and Kantian roots. Her scholarship also has focused on the transformative aspects of the connections between literature and philosophy.

“As we tell stories about the lives of others,” Nussbaum has said, “we learn how to imagine what another creature might feel in response to various events.  At the same time, we identify with the other creature and learn something about ourselves.”

Award-winning author

A prolific writer with more than 350 published scholarly articles, Nussbaum is the author of nearly three dozen books, including 2010’s “Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities,” in which she argues that the humanities are an essential element for the quality of democracy. Her book “Cultivating Humanity: A Classical Defense of Reform in Liberal Education,” was recognized with the Ness Book Award of the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the University of Louisville’s Grawemeyer Award in Education.

Nussbaum has been the recipient of numerous national and international awards, including the 2012 Phi Beta Kappa’s Sidney Hook Memorial Award, which honors national distinction by a scholar in the areas of scholarship, undergraduate teaching and leadership in the cause of liberal arts education. In 2012 she also received Spain’s Prince of Asturias Award for Social Science. The award honors a person whose work “constitutes a significant contribution to the benefit of mankind.”

A native of New York City, Nussbaum earned a bachelor’s degree in 1969 from New York University, where she studied theatre and classics. She went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in classical philology from Harvard University.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Martha Olson, Warnaco Executive, ’77 Grad Named to Lawrence University Board of Trustees

Martha Olson, group president Calvin Klein Underwear Global & Heritage Brands at New York City-based Warnaco, has been elected to the Lawrence University Board of Trustees. She will serve on three board committees: academic affairs, finance, and recruitment and retention.

Martha Olson ’77

Olson joined Warnaco in 2004 as president of Core Intimates and assumed responsibility for Calvin Klein Underwear U.S. in 2008. She was appointed a Warnaco Corporate Officer in September 2010.

Warnaco’s products are sold under several highly recognized brand names, including Calvin Klein Underwear, Calvin Klein Jeans, Speedo, Chaps, Warner’s and Olga. PVH Corp., which owns the brands Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen and Izod, acquired Warnaco earlier this year.

Prior to Warnaco, Olson served as the president of the district partnerships division of Edison Schools, Inc. — now known as Edison Learning — a for-profit education management organization for public schools in the United States and the United Kingdom.

During her career Olson also has held several leadership positions with Sara Lee, including president of Ralph Lauren Intimates, president of Sara Lee Hosiery of Canada, vice president of marketing of Playtex Apparel and president of the Isotoner Canada Division of Sara Lee. She began her career in brand management, leading several iconic brands at General Mills and Nestle.

A resident of Darien, Conn., Olson graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Lawrence in 1977 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She also earned a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Faculty Members Promoted, Granted Tenure

Seven members of the Lawrence University faculty have been promoted to the rank of associate professor and eight faculty have been granted tenure appointments by the college’s Board of Trustees.

Garth Bond

Garth Bond, Dominica Chang, Scott Corry, Stefan Debbert, Adam Galambos, Doug Martin and Peter Thomas all have been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. David Gerard, associate professor of economics, also has been granted tenure.

Bond joined the English department in 2004 after teaching at Temple University and the University of Chicago, where he earned his Ph.D. His scholarship interests include Shakespeare, Renaissance literature, poetry and drama, manuscript studies, the history of the book and film. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Trinity University.

Dominica Chang

Chang, a French department faculty member since 2007, came to Lawrence after receiving her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in French Studies at Middlebury College and bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A native of South Korea, her scholarship interests include 19th-century French studies, revolutionary studies, literary history and historiography, media studies and print culture. She was the recipient of Lawrence’s Young Teacher Award in 2010.

Scott Corry

Since joining the Lawrence mathematics department in 2007, Corry has taught numerous calculus, algebra, number theory and geometry courses while pursuing his research interests in analogies between Riemann surfaces and finite graphs. He spent part of 2009 as a visiting fellow at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge, England, and was recognized with Lawrence’s Young Teacher Award in 2011. He earned his doctoral degree at the University of Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree at Reed College.

Stefan Debbert

Debbert brought a background in theoretical computational chemistry with him when he joined the chemistry department in 2007. His scholarship interests in organic synthesis include research on the medicinal properties of organometallic cobalt-alkyne compounds. He was instrumental in the establishment of the biochemistry major at Lawrence in 2009.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.

Adam Galambos

A specialist in game theory, Galambos came to Lawrence in 2006 as a member of the college’s Post-doctoral Fellows program. He was offered a tenure track position in the economics department following his initial two-year appointment. Prior to Lawrence, Galambos spent two years teaching in the MBA program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He played a leading role in launching Lawrence’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship program. A native of Hungary, he earned his bachelor’s degree at Northern Iowa University and his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Minnesota.

Doug Martin

Martin joined the physics department in 2007, where he teaches courses in optics, quantum mechanics and experimental physics, among others. A biophysicist, his scholarly interests focus on the mechanics and dynamics of cellular processes — transport, motility, division and signaling — that explain how life works. Originally from Denver, Colo., he earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in mathematics and physics at Pomona College and completed his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Texas.

Peter Thomas

Thomas joined Lawrence’s Russian Studies department in 2006 after teaching at St. Olaf College. Beyond teaching Russian, Thomas also leads classes in 20th-century Russian literature, especially the works of Valdimir Nabokov. Additionally, his scholarly interests include Russian poetry, translation and contemporary composers. He attended Northwestern University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in comparative literature and his master’s and doctoral degrees in Russian literature.

David Gerard

A specialist in risk regulation and public policy, Gerard joined the Lawrence economics department in 2009 after eight years at Carnegie Mellon University, where he was the executive director of the Center for the Study & Improvement of Regulation. He has helped develop a pair of interactive websites that allow users to explore various dimensions of fatality risks — TrafficSTATS and Death Risk Rankings. Named a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Scholar in 2010, that same year he was appointed to a National Academy of Sciences panel that was investigating unintended acceleration in vehicles.  He earned his bachelor’s degree at Grinnell College and his master’s and Ph.D. at the University of Illinois.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Junior Katie Blackburn Awarded Fulbright-Hays Scholarship for Field Studies Program in China

Just about the time most Lawrence University students head for home this summer, Katie Blackburn will be returning to school — in China — as both a student and a teacher.

Blackburn, a junior from Brookfield, will spend much of her summer in China as the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship for the 2013 Associated Colleges in China (ACC) Summer Field Studies Program.

Katie Blackburn ’14

Administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the Fulbright-Hays Group Program Abroad seeks to strengthen foreign language expertise through advanced overseas study and research opportunities and by providing experiences and resources that enabling educators to strengthen their international teaching.

Beginning June 14, Blackburn will spend seven weeks in China, including the first three at Beijing’s Minzu University, taking classes focused on Chinese language and the country’s educational system since the 1978 reformation.

Following her classroom work, Blackburn will spend two weeks working with third- and fourth-grade students in rural Henan and Hunan provinces at academic-based day camps.

“I’m told this will be very rural China,” said Blackburn, who is majoring in linguistics and Chinese language and literature. “We may be the only Americans these students will ever see in their lives, so we want to make sure we leave a positive impression.  Part of the mission of the Fulbright-Hays program is to serve as informal cultural ambassadors.”

Blackburn said she was encouraged to teach subject matter she was personally interested at the day camps. Among the topics she plans to cover with her students are knot tying, constellations, and as an ice-breaking activity, American camp games she played herself when she was younger.

The program also includes a week-long academic conference Blackburn will attend in Fujian province before returning for a week in Beijing.

“I’m looking forward to gaining a better understanding of the Chinese education system as a whole, especially the rural system, which I’m sure differs greatly from the urban education environment,” said Blackburn.  “I hope to improve my Chinese language skills as well. As China increasingly becomes a global power, especially economically, I think it will be all the more important to be able to communicate in their language.”

Ruth Lunt, associate dean of the faculty, associate professor of German and one of Blackburn’s academic advisors, said Blackburn is “passionate” about all things Chinese.

“The Field Studies program will give Katie the opportunity to immerse herself further in the language and culture,” said Lunt.

The scholarship will send Blackburn to China for the second time in less than year. She spent the 2012 fall term in Beijing on the ACC study-abroad program.

“It’s such a completely different world than anything I had ever been exposed to,” Blackburn said of her first experience in China. “You walk down the street in Beijing as a tall, white American girl and everyone notices you. And they really notice you if you can speak their language.”

After studying Spanish in middle school and French in high school, she decided to tackle Chinese as a Lawrence freshman.

“It just seemed like a good challenge,” said Blackburn, who had to pass an interview conducted entirely in Chinese and write a paper in Chinese to qualify for the Fulbright-Hays Scholarship.  “I was looking for something more out of the ordinary. Chinese is so completely different than Western languages.”

After completing her senior year next year, Blackburn plans to pursue her teacher certification in Chinese and English as a Second Language with the hope of eventually teaching at the high school level.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to go back to China and get an in-depth look at how their education system operates,” said Blackburn.  “I can master the language, but this scholarship will provide insights I would never get from sitting in a classroom.”

The Fulbright-Hays Scholarship covers Blackburn’s round-trip transportation, lodging, tuition, books and some meals. The Department of Education awarded 12 Fulbright-Hays Scholarships to China this year.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Brynley Nadziejka Honored by Institute on Lake Superior Geology

For the third consecutive year, a Lawrence University student has been recognized with the Best Student Poster Award at the annual Institute on Lake Superior Geology (ILSG) conference.

Brynley Nadziejka ’14 was honored for her research with the Best Student Poster Award at the 2013 Institute on Lake Superior Geology’s annual meeting.

Brynley Nadziejka, a junior from Kentwood, Mich., was recognized for her research at the Institute’s recent annual meeting held in Houghton, Mich. Nadziejka’s presentation was based on an analysis of minerals found in metamorphic rocks she collected last fall. Her study centered on what the minerals reveal about the development of the Penokee Range, a great mountain belt that existed in northern Wisconsin some 1.8 billion years ago.

“Chemical analysis of rocks from this region have been done by geologists previously, but no one had made a careful study of the sequence in which the minerals had formed, which is critical to understanding the timing of different stages of the growth of those mountains,” explained Marcia Bjornerud, Lawrence professor of geology and Nadziejka’s academic advisor. “Bryn’s research shows that some previously proposed ideas about the formation of the Penokee Mountains are incorrect.”

Nadziejka was among more than two dozen student presenters from around the country at the annual conference. She received $100 as part of her award.

“Attending the Institute’s annual meeting allows our students to interact with a wide range geologists, from university professors to mining company executives to members of state, provincial and national geological surveys and exposes them to new research on the rocks of the southern Canadian Shield,” said Bjornerud. “Through the meeting and associated field trips, our students learn about job and graduate school opportunities and see spectacular outcrops of very ancient rocks.”

The Institute on Lake Superior Geology is a non-profit professional society that provides a forum for the exchange of geological ideas and scientific data and promoting better understanding of the geology of the Lake Superior region, whose rocks record more than 2.5 billion years of geologic time, more than half of Earth’s entire history. Its annual meeting draws geologists from the United States, Canada and throughout the world.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Festival Showcases Student Film Projects

The cinematic visions of 25 budding student filmmakers will be showcased Tuesday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema in the first Lawrence University Student Film Festival. The film festival is free and open to the public.

A gambler experiences a positive new direction in his life after experiencing a run of bad luck in the film “Luck.”

The festival will screen nearly 20 short films, most 3-9 minutes in length. Among the films to be shown are “Luck,” a card-playing gambler with a lucky charm who runs into some bad luck that leads to a positive change; “The Roommate,” when a new student at Lawrence meets his roommate, not everything goes smoothly, but love conquers all, including hand wipes; “Shattered,” the challenge of moving on after losing someone close that leaves your life is shattered; and several films focusing on the art of dance.

The festival also will feature five documentaries produced for Lawrence’s Civic Life Project. The focus of the Civic Life Project films was determined after conversations last fall with community leaders. Each addresses an issue confronting the Fox Valley.

The idea behind the Civic Life Project is to challenge students to learn about our democracy, discover the community they live in for four years and “find their voice” through the creation of a documentary film.

The Civic Life Project films include:

• “Homeless Veterans of the Fox Valley,” an examination of the challenges facing military veterans reacclimating to civilian life.

• “Walking Alone,” a look at homophobia and the consequences teens suffer from the brunt of its isolation and rejection.

• “Rooted,” the Hmong community’s struggle between assimilation and maintaining cultural identity.

• “Adelante,” the plight of undocumented teenage immigrants.

• “Muted,” uncovering victims of sex trafficking in Appleton.

All of the films were produced in Lawrence’s film studies program under the direction of award-winning PBS filmmaker Catherine Tatge, a 1972 Lawrence graduate who is serving as an artist-in-residence.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Student Art Majors Featured in Annual Senior Exhibition May 24-July 28

Athena Naylor, “We should call facilities services,” oil on canvas

The creative talents of 12 Lawrence University art majors will be featured in the annual Senior Art Exhibit that opens Friday, May 24 in the Wriston Art Center galleries. The exhibition, which runs through July 28, opens at 6 p.m. with a reception with the student artists.

The exhibition includes books, ceramics, paintings, photography, prints, sculpture and video.

The students whose work will be featured are Joey Astwood, Mari Ayala, Allison Bjork, Matthew Cawley, Claire Marie Edwards, Alyssa Gagg, Nina Zhan Guo, Rachele Krivichi, Deborah C. Levinson, Athena Naylor, Anam Shahid and Johnathan R. Vanko.

Matthew Cawley, detail from “Affinity: A Domestic Installation of Ceramic Landscapes,” ceramic and found objects

The Wriston Art Center galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from noon – 4 p.m. The galleries are closed on Mondays. For more information on the exhibition, call 920-832-6890.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Senior Julian Delfino Wins State Piano Competition

After two consecutive years as runner-up, Lawrence University senior Julian Delfino’s persistence was rewarded with first-place honors at the recent 2013 Wisconsin Music Teachers Association’s annual Badger Collegiate Piano Competition conducted at UW-Stevens Point.

Julian Delfino ’13

A double degree candidate from Irvine, Calif., with majors in piano performance and English, Delfino received $200 for his winning performance. He earned honorable mention recognition at the 2011 and 2012 WMTA Badger competitions. He is a student in the piano studio of Associate Professor of Music Anthony Padilla.

This is the second year in a row a Lawrence student has won the WMTA Badger Competition. Sophomore Thomas Lee was the 2012 competition’s winner.

Delfino was one of three Lawrence students among the competition’s seven finalists. Sophomore Casey Kadlubowski and junior Benny Wollin also represented Lawrence.

The WMTA Badger Collegiate Piano Competition is open to college students under the age of 28. Participants must perform from memory a solo recital program of 20-30 minutes in length with works representing contrasting styles from three of five historical periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, Contemporary.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.