Lawrence University News

Where legends play: Lawrence celebrates new, improved Banta Bowl

The rededication of the Banta Bowl caps an epic weekend as Lawrence University, which also celebrates Fall Festival and hosts the Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.

School officials, led by President Mark Burstein, will conduct the rededication ceremony at 4:40 p.m. on Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.Banta-Bowl_newsblog-1

Burstein will be joined by Director of Athletics Mike Szkodzinski, All-America quarterback Chuck McKee ’68, lead donors Tom Rogers ’65, Steve ’62 and Joan Gilboy and members of the family of legendary coach Ron Roberts.

Rogers, Steve Gilboy and Ron Roberts Jr., ’84, will serve as honorary captains as the Lawrence football team takes on Carroll University at 5 p.m.

Saturday’s events on Roberts Field begin at 11 a.m. when the Lawrence women’s soccer team faces Grinnell College. The men’s match vs. Grinnell follows at 1:30 p.m. In addition to the action on Roberts Field, the Lawrence volleyball team faces Northland College at 6 p.m. inside Alexander Gymnasium.

The rededication ceremony caps a hectic six-month renovation of the iconic stadium, which opened for play in 1965. The $4.5 million project has given the Banta Bowl a new life as it now serves as the home for men’s and women’s soccer in addition to football.

The stadium floor was raised four feet and expanded to accommodate both football and soccer. The natural grass surface was replaced with FieldTurf, an artificial surface that allows for more and varied use of the facility. The transformation of the field was made possible by Rogers’ gift, and he renamed it Roberts Field to honor Lawrence’s renowned coach.

The Gilboy Athletic Center, the new building constructed beyond the north end zone, was made possible by a gift from Steve and Joan Gilboy. The building houses the Lawrence locker room, a visiting team room, the training room, concessions, bathrooms and ticketing.

Roberts-Field-Scoreboard_newsblogThe facility also features new aluminum bleachers, an LED scoreboard adorned with “Roberts Field” and improved sound system.

A memorial to Bernie Heselton, long-time coach and director of athletics, is under the Lawrence flag.

Heselton served as Lawrence football coach from 1938-64, won six Midwest Conference championships and served as director of athletics and head golf coach.

A memorial for Carl Berghult ’64, a friend and fraternity brother of Rogers, rests under the American flag.

Berghult, a native of Chicago, Ill., was a running back for the Vikings and played in the final years of Heselton’s tenure. After graduating from Lawrence, Berghult was a lieutenant (j.g.) in the United States Naval Reserve. He was killed in a flight deck fire aboard the USS Enterprise on Jan. 14, 1969.

The weekend’s festivities kick off with the induction ceremony for the Lawrence Hall of Fame on Friday evening at the Warch Campus Center. Five former student-athletes and one former coach are being inducted.

Long-time swimming and diving coach Kurt Kirner joins eight of his former swimmers in the Hall of Fame. Kirner coached from 1991-2007, won a pair of league titles and was honored as Midwest Conference Coach of the Year three times.Banta-Bowl_newsblog3

Former softball and volleyball star Shannon Arendt, who earned all-conference honors four times, is joined by four-time all-conference basketball selection Felice Porrata. Two great runners, Courtney Miller and Shelley Ebert, combined to win 13 conference track titles and led the cross country team to a pair of league championships.

The other inductee is former baseball and football star Steve Blomberg, who played five seasons in the minor leagues after leaving Lawrence.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Premiere screening of third installment of Civic Life Project documentaries Oct. 15

When she began working with the Civic Life Project, Rose Nelson found motivation to dive into the world of mental health issues in the prison system through what she calls “society’s tendency to ostracize those who do not fit a specific mold regarding health.”

The Lawrence University senior from Chicago, Ill., will be one of several student filmmakers who will premiere documentaries Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Fox Valley Technical College as part of the third installment of Lawrence’s Civic Life Project.

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“Brown Water” examines the interaction between dairy farming and groundwater quality.

Students will lead brief, round-table discussions related to the issues following the screening of each film.

Nelson’s film, “Confinement,” will be one of four short films shown in the Commons on the FVTC campus, 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., Appleton. Visitors are encouraged to use Entrance 6 off of the south parking lot. The screening is free, but advance registration is requested.

“Confinement” explores the value and use of mental health diagnosis and treatment in the criminal justice.

“The most important thing I learned from this project is how important everyday people are in solving the major issues that we touch on in these films,” said Nelson, who collaborated on “Confinement” with sophomore Sara Morrison, Skokie, Ill. “While the politicians, the wardens, the prisoners and the mental health providers clearly need to be part of the solution, no progress can be made without community involvement.”

In addition to “Confinement,” other 2015 Civic Life Project films are:

  • “Brown Water” an examination of the interaction between dairy farming and groundwater quality. Jamie DeMotts, St. Cloud, Minn.; Taylor Dodson, Kenosha; Hugo Antonio Espinosa, Bethesda, Md.

    CLP-Transgender_newsblog
    In “A Generation On Change,” a transgender youth fights for not only her rights, but also for other transgender youths in the Fox Valley.
  • “A Generation On Change” A transgender youth fights for not only her rights, but also for other transgender youths in the Fox Valley. Christopher Gore-Gammon, Appleton; Htee T. Moo, St. Paul, Minn.
  • “A Second Chance” one individual’s struggle through heroin addiction and recovery. Haley Ruiz, Gurnee, Ill., Izaya Turenne, Janesville; Isa Vazquez-Thorpe, St. Paul, Minn.

Nelson hopes the message of each of the films resonates with the viewers.

“I want every audience member to come away not only from my film, but all of the films, with a greater understanding of the issue and a drive to try to understand people in their communities whom they might have previously not given any consideration to,” said Nelson.

CLP_heroin_newsblog
“A Second Chance” follows one individual’s struggle through heroin addiction and recovery.

The Civic Life Project is the brainchild of award-winning documentary filmmaker and 1972 Lawrence graduate Catherine Tatge and her husband, Dominique Lasseur. They launched the project in 2010 in their home state of Connecticut, and brought it to Lawrence in 2012.

Tatge and Lasseur designed the Civic Life Project as an innovative educational tool to challenge each student to learn about civics and democracy in a unique way, discover more about the community in which they reside and find their own individual voice through the creation of a documentary video.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

 

Healthcare expert, award-winning litigator elected to Lawrence Board of Trustees

Two new members have been elected to Lawrence University’s of Board of Trustees.

Healthcare consultant Omer Sayeed and nationally recognized attorney Anton Valukas join Shelley Davis ’92, Chicago, Ill., Dr. Richard Fessler ’74, Winnetka, Ill., and Andrew Wong ‘06, Chicago, Ill., who were elected to the board earlier this year, as members of the 2015 class of new trustees.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to welcome Omer and Tony to the Board,” said board chair Susie Stillman Kane ’72. “Omer brings extensive background in the health care industry and Tony is known in legal circles as the best trial lawyer in the country.

“In joining Andrew Wong, our second Recent Graduate Trustee, Shelley Davis and Rick Fessler, these five individuals comprise one of the largest new trustee classes in recent memory. It is a tribute to the loyalty and commitment Lawrence instills in its alumni and friends that each is willing to give so generously of his or her time and talent by taking on this important role for the university.”

The board will hold its annual fall meeting at Bjorklunden, Lawrence’s northern campus in Door County, Oct. 28-30.

Omer-Sayeed_newsblog2
Omer Sayeed ’87

Omer Sayeed, Altadena, Calif.
A management consultant with extensive expertise in the health care industry, including both payer and provider operations, Sayeed is senior vice president of the UnitedHealth Group, Optum.

Prior to Optum, Sayeed spent three years as senior vice president with AccretiveHealth, where he was responsible for revenue enhancement and administrative cost reduction solutions.

Sayeed also spent 11 years as a partner in Accenture’s Health and Public Services practice, where he worked with payer CEOs and CFOs and led efforts to identify and deliver cost reduction in claims, finance and procurement.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Lawrence in 1987, Sayeed earned a master’s degree in philosophy and a Ph.D. in biology from Indiana University. He also received an appointment as a postdoctoral fellow in neurogenetics and behavior at the California Institute of Technology.

Sayeed spent a year on Lawrence’s President’s Advisory Council before his election to the Board of Trustees.

Anton Valukas, Evanston, Ill.
Valukas serves as chair of the law firm Jenner & Block, where he focuses on civil and criminal litigation.

Tony Valukas_newsblog_new trustee
Anton Valukas ’65

His history of litigation success earned him a 2009 federal appointment as the examiner for the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.  Valukas issued a nine-volume, 2,200-page report that was widely praised for its clarity and usefulness in determining what brought about Lehman’s demise, an event many commentators point to as the precipitating event triggering the economic crisis of 2008.

Valukas has been named one of the country’s leading litigation lawyers for eight consecutive years by Chambers USA, while Chicago Lawyer honored him as its “Person of the Year” in 2009. Other honors include being named as one of “The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by The National Law Journal in 2013, and “Litigator of the Year” and “Newsmaker of the Year” in 2012 and 2011, respectively by The American Lawyer magazine.

Prior to joining Jenner & Block, Valukas held several positions with the U.S. Department of Justice, including Assistant United States Attorney (1970-74), Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division (1974), and First Assistant United States Attorney (1975-76).  In 1985, he left the firm to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, returning to Jenner & Block in 1989.

He previously served on the Lawrence Board of Trustees from 1991 to 1994 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Lawrence in 2012, when he also served as the college’s commencement speaker.

Valukas earned a degree in government from Lawrence in 1965 and his J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1968.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

A Musical Explosion: Lawrence’s Kaleidoscope concert offers something for everyone

Lawrence University’s popular 75-minute whirlwind concert known as Kaleidoscope isn’t just a hit with the audience, the student performers enjoy its rapid-fire approach as well.

“How the program is run, with its quick and condensed snapshots from different groups positioned at various areas throughout the hall, the traveling spotlight, the intensely focused energy and collective bated breath to hold applause until the end of the 75 minutes all make for a very special event,” says Sofie Yang, a senior violinist from Whitefish Bay who will serve as concertmaster of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra for this year’s Kaleidoscope concert.

Kaleidoscope_newsblog1That frenetic approach also quickens the pulse of Appleton senior saxophonist Joe Connor.

“There is a special atmosphere between the audience and the performers, full of tension and excitement, that is unique to Kaleidoscope,” said Connor, who will perform this year with the Lawrence Wind Ensemble and his new chamber ensemble Slipstream.

The concert’s fifth iteration — Kaleidoscope5 — will again showcase the multiple musical talents of more than 200 Lawrence students Saturday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, 400 W. College Ave., Appleton.

Tickets, at $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $7 for students, are available at both the Lawrence University Box Office, 920-832-6749, and the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Box Office, 920-730-3760.

“Kaleidoscope is an explosion of exceptional music-making,” said Stephen Sieck, assistant professor and co-director of choral studies who is coordinating this year’s concert. “When I first came to Lawrence, I thought it would be madness to put together such a complicated production as Kaleidoscope in the first few weeks of the year but I now know that Lawrentians always rise to the mightiest of challenges.”

Beyond the concert’s unique format, performing in an off-campus venue like the Performing Arts Center’s 2,072-seat auditorium provides added excitement.

“Playing at the PAC really is special opportunity that I think inspires all of the performers to do their best,” said Connor, who will make his second appearance at Kaleidoscope. “It’s always a thrill to play in such a beautiful space.”

As with its four predecessors, Kaleidoscope5 is sure to offer something that will appeal to even the most discerning music aficionado.

“Kaleidoscope is an explosion of exceptional music-making.”
           — Stephen Sieck

This year’s concert will feature 14 ensembles, running the gamut from the 60-member symphony orchestra and the Concert Choir to the more intimate clarinet ensemble and Yang’s Quartet Masque, with which she performed at 2013’s concert.

The program will feature a pair of tributes to the late Fred Sturm, who lost a battle with cancer in August 2014. It was Lawrence’s former jazz studies director who envisioned a concert that incorporated all aspects of the conservatory.Kaleidoscope_choir_newsblog

The Viking Bassoon Ensemble will perform an arrangement by Instructor of Music Carl Rath of Sturm’s “Spring.” The Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble will perform Sturm’s “Capoeristas” from “Migrations: One World, Many Musics,” which he was commissioned to write for Bobby McFerrin.

Highlighting the concert will be the world premiere of “The Music Makers”, a massive seven-minute work written on commission by Emmy Award-winning composer and 2010 Lawrence graduate Garth Neustadter, who will return to Appleton from his current home in Pasadena, Calif., to conduct the piece.

At the end of the performance, Yang hopes the audience leaves with an appreciation of the diversity of music and musical experiences, not just at Lawrence but globally.

“What dictates our concert-going experience and what makes it compelling? How can we create concerts from that awareness?,” asks Yang. “The relationship of people and music is a kaleidoscope, always shifting. Everyone should take part in that change.”

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

eighth blackbird opens Lawrence’s 2015-16 Artist Series

The Grammy Award-winning eighth blackbird unleashes its provocative and mind-changing style Friday, Oct. 2 in the opening concert of Lawrence University’s four-part 2015-16 Artist Series.

The performance begins at 8 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Tickets, at $25-30 for adults, $20-25 for seniors and $18-20 for students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.Eighth-Blackbird_newsblog

The Chicago-based sextet — Matthew Duvall, percussion; Nathalie Joachim, flutes; Lisa Kaplan, piano; Yvonne Lam, violin & viola; Michael Maccaferri, clarinets; and Nicholas Photinos, cello — has won over audiences with its kinetic style that combines rock band energy with string quartet finesse and storefront theater audacity.

“Eighth blackbird brings a level of engagement to their performances that is singular and remarkable,” said David Bell, associate professor of music at Lawrence who teaches clarinet. “I can’t think of another ensemble that brings more to the stage, or offers more to their audience. Regardless of the kind of music you gravitate toward, hearing eighth blackbird will make you want more of whatever they might be doing that night, which is probably going to be completely different the next time you hear them.”

The ensemble’s discography includes 13 recordings, including three that have been recognized with Grammy Awards: “strange imaginary animals,” 2008, Best Chamber Music Performance and Classical Producer of the Year (Judith Sherman); “Lonely Motel: Music from Slide,” 2011, Best Small Ensemble Performance; “Meanwhile,” 2012, Best Small Ensemble Performance and Contemporary Classical Composition (Stephen Hartke).

“Eighth blackbird brings a level of engagement to their performances that is singular and remarkable. I can’t think of another ensemble that brings more to the stage, or offers more to their audience.”
– David Bell

In his review for New York City’s WQXR of the ensemble’s latest project, “Filament,” released this September, Daniel Stephen Johnson said “As meticulous as their programming may be, on concert or on recordings, it is seldom as intensely focused as it is on their latest album.”

Founded in 1996 at, the group derived its name from the eighth stanza of Wallace Stevens’ 1917 poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.” All former students at the Oberlin Conservatory, they hold Ensemble-in-Residence positions at the University of Chicago and the University of Richmond.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Mile of Music honored with Lawrence’s 2015 Collaboration in Action Award

A three-year old festival that has turned downtown Appleton into a mecca for music lovers far and near each August was honored Tuesday, Sept. 29 by Lawrence University during the college’s seventh annual Report to the Community.

Cory-Chisel_at-podium
Mile of Music co-founder Cory Chisel addresses the audience after accepting Lawrence’s 2015 Collaboration in Action Award.

Brian Pertl, dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music, who was involved from the embryonic stages of the festival’s planning, and his wife, Leila Pertl, who serves as the festival’s music education curator, presented Mile of Music organizers with the sixth annual Lawrence University Collaboration in Action Award.

The award recognizes an individual or organization, who, in partnership with Lawrence, has provided exemplary service to the Fox Cities community through strategic vision, leadership influence, long-standing commitment and enthusiasm, financial contributions and/or volunteerism.

Bob Pedersen, president and chief executive officer of Goodwill Industries NCW, was the featured speaker for the event. He spoke about the need for the community to be tolerant and accepting of all people.

Festival co-founders Dave Willems, CEO of Willems Marketing, and Appleton native singer-songwriter Cory Chisel launched Mile of Music in 2013 as a showcase for original artisan music and hands-on music education created and performed throughout downtown Appleton.

Last month’s “Mile 3” set festival records with 750 live music performances by 210 artists in 65 venues, including Lawrence’s own Memorial Chapel, which Chisel has described as a space personally more special to him than Carnegie Hall.

A critical component of the festival’s success has been a concerted focus on music education, led by Leila Pertl, a 1987 Lawrence graduate and a harp instructor at the Lawrence Academy of Music. For each of the first three festivals, she has assembled a hand-picked team of a dozen or more educators, nearly all of whom have ties to the college. Collectively they have led songwriting and instrument workshops as well as sing-alongs, helping participants get in touch with their “inner musicians.”

Cory-Chisel_Rep-to-Comm.newsblog
Singer/songwriter Cory Chisel performed at the Lawrence Memorial Chapel during this year’s Mile of Music festival, which he helped launch in 2013.

Beyond the music education team, Lawrence has helped make the festival successful both in front of and behind the scenes. Sixteen alumni representing four bands were among the Mile 3  performers, while four student interns at Willems Marketing and nearly a dozen Lawrence-connected volunteers helped with a variety of logistical tasks to keep things running smoothly.

“The festival has been a collaborative venture from its earliest planning stages,” said Burstein. “The inclusive approach of co-founders Dave Willems and Cory Chisel has paid off in Mile of Music’s strong community support and diverse programming, including a distinctive music education component led by Leila Ramagopal Pertl that gives festivalgoers abundant opportunities to be music makers.

“Lawrence music educators, musicians, volunteers, interns and venues all help make Mile of Music a success,” Burstein added, “and we are delighted to recognize Mile of Music with the sixth annual Lawrence University Collaboration in Action Award.”

As a catalyst for change, the festival is helping drive Appleton’s economic well-being as well as redefining Appleton as a community that embraces the arts.

“What I’m really excited about is where we will be at Mile 10 or Mile 15 or Mile 20 as a community, and how Lawrence plays a role in developing our creative economy and creative identity,” said Pertl.

Leila-Pertl_Rep.-to-Community_newsblog
Leila Pertl (right) has been instrumental in the success of Mile of Music as the festival’s music education curator.

Lawrence’s connection with the festival extends to one of its mainstays, alumnus Nathan Litt, who serves on the front lines as its director of operations.

“The Collaboration in Action Award recognizes our team’s efforts and community partnerships, for which we’re certainly most grateful,” said Litt, a 2008 Lawrence graduate. “On a personal level, because of my ties to Lawrence as a graduate and former employee, this award is very gratifying. Outside of earning my degree from Lawrence, this recognition is a huge personal honor and means a great deal to me.”

Mile of Music joins Riverview Gardens (2014), Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Cities (2013), the Appleton Area School District (2012), the YMCA of the Fox Cities (2011) and the Mielke Family Foundation (2010) as previous winners of Lawrence’s Collaboration in Action Award.

Lawrence’s involvement with the greater Fox Cities community includes:

  • 840 volunteer participants provided 12,492 volunteer hours to 173 community agencies during the 2014-15 academic year.
  • 78 student organizations provided volunteer service in the community.
  • 31 local employers provided internships to 58 Lawrence students.
  • Lawrence Academy of Music teachers and students provided 95 free community concerts, recitals, master classes and presentations during the 2014-15 academic year. More than 1,500 community members, ranging in age from 6 months to 81, participated in voice and musical instrument instruction at the Academy.
  • 2,061 Lawrence alumni live in the 18-county NEW North Region.

    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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Making connections: Intersection of liberal arts, brain research explored in new lecture series

The intersection between the liberal arts and emerging technologies that reveal new answers for the way the human brain functions will be the basis for a new speaker series at Lawrence University.

Over the course of the next eight months, five national experts will explore how brain research is connected to various areas of the liberal arts, including religious studies, music, art and literature.

Edward-Vessel_newsblog
Edward Vessel

The series, “Liberal Arts in the Century of the Brain,” will incorporate the interdisciplinary areas of neuroscience and cognitive science to create connections with other disciplines at Lawrence by examining questions such as whether the brain processes literary fiction differently than formula fiction or how perception, emotion and cognitive processing impact creative expression.

Edward Vessel, director of the New York University ArtLab and a noted research scientist at NYU’s Center for Brain Imaging, opens the series Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m in Steitz Hall of Science 102 with the presentation “Art and Neuroesthetics.”  A question-and-answer session follows. The event is free and open to the public.

The emerging field of neuroaesthetics uses neuroscience to study art to determine why certain works of art produce an emotional response. Through the use of neural imaging, Vessel will share recent research that focuses on understanding the basis for how people derive pleasure and inspiration from various art forms and how this may be related to learning, motivation and well-being.

“With the advent of new brain imaging technologies we are able to get better and deeper glimpses of a working brain,” said Nancy Wall, associate professor of biology and of the series’ organizers. “These glimpses not only help us learn how brain function engenders humanistic endeavors but also how such endeavors influence and shape brain function. Or, put another way, ‘this is your brain, this is your brain on the liberal arts.’

“One of the goals of this series is to engage faculty and students across all liberal arts disciplines with what we’re learning about how a brain works,” Wall added, “and with this shared knowledge find new ways to collaborate to enhance liberal learning at Lawrence.”

“This is your brain, this is your brain on the liberal arts.”
— Professor Nancy Wall

Joining Vessel on the series schedule are:

  • Richard Davidson, William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior and founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Oct. 29, 11:10 a.m., Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

One of the nation’s leading experts on the neural bases of emotion and emotional style,  Davidson will discuss the ways people can change their brains by cultivating habits of mind that will improve well-being, including happiness, resilience, compassion and emotional balance.

  • Darya Zabelina, post-doctoral fellow at Northwestern University, February, 2016.Zabelina’s presentation will examine the neural aspects of creativity. Her research focuses on ways of enhancing and fostering the development of creative thinking and problem-solving ability.
  • John Iverson, associate project scientist at University of California-San Diego’s Institute for Neural Computation. February 2016.

A cognitive neuroscientist, Iverson will discuss his research on rhythm perception and production in music and language, work that spans behavioral and neuroscience approaches. He is currently overseeing a study of the effect of music training on children’s brain and cognitive development.

  • Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Chauncey Stillman Professor of Practical Ethics in the department of philosophy and the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University. April 12, 2016.

The author of five books and more than 100 published articles, Sinnott-Armstrong is a scholar of moral psychology and brain science, which his presentation will focus on, as well as uses of neuroscience in the legal system.

The “Liberal Arts in the Century of the Brain” lecture series is supported by a $20,500 grant from the New York City-based Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Miriam Beerman collages, print portfolio focused on social injustice featured in new Wriston Galleries exhibition

The work of prolific American artist Miriam Beerman highlights the new Wriston Art Center Galleries exhibition, which opens Friday, Sept. 18 with a reception at 6 p.m. and runs through Nov 25.

Miriam-Beerman_newsblog
Miriam Beerman’s “Untitled,” n.d., fabric, ink, oil, paper, sequins, mounted on a board. From the artist’s collection.

“Beauty and Terror, Compassion and Despair: The Collages of Miriam Beerman” is featured in the Hoffmaster and Kohler galleries. Her work explores deep emotional responses to the historical and modern tragedies of the human experience. The collage work highlights her sympathetic preoccupation with injustice and tragedy while also revealing her intellect, erudition, sense of humor and most importantly, her intuitive, spontaneous artistic process.

In conjunction with the exhibition, two screenings of the film “Miriam Beerman: Expressing the Chaos, will be shown: Oct. 7 at 5 p.m. in Lawrence’s Warch Campus Center cinema and Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Appleton Public Library. A discussion with the film’s director, Jonathan Gruber, follows both screenings, which are free and open to the public. Dr. Susan and John McFadden of the Fox Valley Memory Project also will participate in the library screening discussion.

The Leech Gallery will host “Social In/Justice,” a print portfolio examining unfair acts, inequalities and restrictions to individuals or groups of people. Organized by Benjamin Rinehart, associate professor of art, the exhibition features works of 15 artists, each of whom was asked to react to and personalize challenges to societal norms through a variety of print techniques.

Rinehart and Brandon Bauer, assistant professor of art at St. Norbert College and one of the exhibition’s contributing artists, discuss organizing and creating the prints for the “Social In/Justice” portfolio at the opening reception.

The Beerman exhibition and film screenings are supported by grants from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Bemis Company Foundation and the Wisconsin Humanities Council.

Wriston Art Center hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.,; Saturday-Sunday noon – 4 p.m.; closed Mondays. For more information, 920-832-6621.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

President’s annual matriculation convocation officially opens Lawrence’s 167th academic year

President Mark Burstein officially opens Lawrence University’s 167th academic year as well as the college’s 2015-16 convocation series, Thursday, Sept. 17 at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel with the address “For Mature Audiences Only: A Liberal Arts Education.”

Mark-Burstein_newsblog2015The event is free and open to the public. A live webcast of the convocation will be available at http://www.livestream.com/lawrenceuniversity.

A native of Cedar Grove, N.J., Burstein is in his third year as Lawrence’s 16th president. He previously spent nine years as executive vice president at Princeton University and 10 years at Columbia University as a vice president working in human resources, student services and facilities management.

Burstein earned a bachelor’s degree in history and independent studies from Vassar College and a master of business administration degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Lawrence’s 2015-16 convocation series also includes:

• Nov. 5, Author/writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, “Race in America: A Deeper Ta-Nehisi Coates_newsblogBlack.” Author of the 2015 book “Between the World and Me,” Coates is a national correspondent for The Atlantic, covering culture, politics and social issues. Frequently compared to James Baldwin, Coates has been hailed as the most important writer on the subject of race today.

Krista-Tippet_newsblog• Feb. 16, 2016, Broadcaster and author Krista Tippett, “The Mystery and Art of Living.” A Peabody Award-winning broadcaster and New York Times bestselling author, Tippett hosts the public radio podcast “On Being,” which explores how religious revelations, spiritual practices and advances in science and medicine can inspire and improve the way people live.

• May 24, 2016, John Dreher, Lee Calflin-Robert S. Ingraham Professor of John-Dreher_newsblogPhilosophy at Lawrence University, “21st Century Merchants of Doubt; Where Is Plato When We Need Him?” A member of the Lawrence faculty since 1963, Dreher examines the relevance today of Plato’s advice of distinguishing between opinions espoused by spin doctors and knowledge of what is really happening.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

#Larry U: New Web page streamlines the Lawrence social media experience

Think of it as one-stop social media shopping for all things Lawrence University.

PrintIn conjunction with the start of the 2015-16 academic year, Lawrence has launched an aggregator page on its website that will house content related to the college collected from virtually all social media platforms.

Instead of searching Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube Tumblr and other channels to see what is happening, being said and posted about Lawrence, the aggregator page will consolidate all content that contains the hashtag #LarryU in a single location as a way to streamline the social media experience.

“#LarryU is an exciting new way to experience Lawrence University,” said Kasey Corrado, the college’s social media specialist. “There are so many stories, photos, videos and conversations being shared about Lawrence on social media channels. I have the privilege of seeing a lot of this content, but I cannot share all of it via our university-wide channels.Print

“But now, #LarryU allows us to bring all of that content to an easily navigable single spot for others to see, too,” she added. “The hub could feature a photo of a prospective student visiting campus for the first time and right next to it could be a selfie of an alumnus celebrating his 25th Reunion. #LarryU allows Lawrentians to engage with campus from anywhere in the world.”

Be sure to keep on top of all the latest Lawrence news and views by regularly visiting go.lawrence.edu/larryu.

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 book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.