Lawrence University News

U.S. News 2016 college rankings: Lawrence cited for academic quality, teaching excellence and overall value

Overall academic excellence, exceptional value and terrific teachers earned Lawrence University recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 “America’s Best Colleges” just-released (9/9) report.

Lawrence remained Wisconsin’s highest-ranked liberal arts college at 57th among 235 national liberal arts colleges and universities in the magazine’s 29th annual guide.

Lawrence also was named to U.S. News’ Great Schools/Great Prices list, one of only 40 national liberal arts colleges cited as a great value based on an institution’s academic quality and the 2014-2015 net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid.

A hallmark of Lawrence — excellent teaching — was recognized on U.S. News’ list of institutions with the best undergraduate teaching. Lawrence tied for 12th on a list of 34 national liberal arts colleges based on a peer assessment survey in which college presidents, provosts and admission deans were asked to identify schools where the faculty has an unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.

The guide’s list of best colleges for veterans included Lawrence as well — 42nd among 56 national liberal arts colleges that made the list. To be included on the best colleges for veterans list, a school must be certified for the GI Bill® and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

“Rankings get a lot of attention,” said Ken Anselment, dean of admissions and financial aid, “but for us, the attention is really on strengthening an environment where every Lawrentian can thrive and succeed. Positive rankings like the ones by U.S. News are nice by-products of the excellent work our faculty, staff and students are doing every day.”

U.S. News’ annual rankings of nearly 1,400 of the nation’s public and private four-year schools are based on data from up to 16 separate factors, each of which is assigned a “weight” that reflects the magazine editor’s judgment as to how much that measure matters. Each school’s composite weighted score is then compared to peer institutions to determine final rankings.

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.

29 and Counting: Freshman Katie Kumbalek extends century-old family tradition

To say Lawrence University is Katie Kumbalek’s “family school” is akin to saying the Green Bay Packers are kind of popular in Wisconsin, Donald Trump has an ego and Yo Yo Ma can play a little cello.

Katie-Kumbalel_newsblog — Katie Kumbalek ’19 is the 29th member of her extended family to attend Lawrence.

A member of Lawrence’s incoming class of 2019, Kumbalek, a freshman from Houston, Texas, will be the 29th member of her extended family to attend Lawrence when classes for the college’s 167th academic year begin Sept. 14.

Spanning 114 years and including virtually every branch on her genealogical tree from a brother, parents and grandparents to uncles, aunts and second cousins, Kumbalek is extending a family tradition that began at the turn of the century — the 20th century — when her cousin Lois Casson graduated in 1901.

While others institutions of higher learning bravely vied for Kumbalek’s attention, little did they know she had her mind made up as to where she would continue her education nearly 10 years ago.

“I’ve been coming here since I was about nine years old and I’ve always liked the campus,” said Kumbalek, who is leaning toward a major in film studies at the moment. “So, there’s really never been any doubt about where I was going to go to college.”

Having a grandparent as well as an uncle and aunt living in the area provided ample excuses for Kumbalek to check out the campus over the years. Her brother Michael’s graduation in 2013 and her mother Betsy’s distinguished alumni award that same year were just the latest reasons to get a feel for Lawrence and Appleton.

Despite the lengthy tradition, Kumbalek says her decision to continue the family’s legacy at Lawrence came without any prodding.

“There was no pressure at all. My entire family told me, ‘If you want to go to Lawrence, that’s great, but if not, there’s a bunch of other options out there,” said Kumbalek, who is a defensive specialist on the Vikings’ volleyball team. “I just always liked it here. I like the academics and Appleton just seems really nice.”

Family connections aside, Kumbalek said there were plenty of other selling points she found appealing.

“Lawrence is very diverse compared to other schools. I think they’re very open and welcoming to any type of person,” said Kumbalek, whose cousin Teddy Kortenhof is a current sophomore at Lawrence. “I thought a liberal arts college would be the best option for me. The smaller class sizes, the diversity, the fact they are accepting of any type of person and are very open with everybody were all factors in what attracted me to Lawrence.”

“I’ve been coming here since I was about nine years old and I’ve always liked the campus. There’s really never been any doubt about where I was going to go to college.”
— Katie Kumbalek ’19

While Kumbalek hasn’t met her roommate in person yet, she knows she is from St. Louis, where her mother grew up.

“My mom actually knows the street my roommate lives on, which is kinda creepy, but whatever,” Kumbalek added with a laugh.

Kumbalek is among 400 freshmen, drawn from a school-record applicant pool of 3,015 — a 10 percent increase over the previous year — who will participate in a week of new student orientation activities beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8 before classes start the following Monday. In addition to freshmen, Lawrence also welcomes 50 other new students: 32 transfer students and 18 visiting exchange students from Tokyo’s Waseda University.

A closer peek at this year’s incoming freshmen reveal:

• Geographically, they hail from 35 states, plus Washington, D.C. Fifteen percent of the freshmen are citizens of 29 foreign countries.

• Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota were the top three Lawrentian-producing states. While Wisconsin once accounted for 50 percent of new students, this year only one-quarter of the freshmen are home grown.

• 15 percent of the freshmen are domestic students of color.

• With 22 students, China is sending more freshmen to Lawrence this fall than all but three states. Vietnam accounted for the second-most international students with 11.

• Academically, 40 percent of the freshmen ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. Seventeen were their high school’s valedictorian.

• The average ACT score was 29 among all students and 30 among those who submitted test scores for consideration for admission. Lawrence has been test optional since 2006.

Ken Anselment, dean of admission and financial aid, smiles when he thinks about the end result of the efforts of his staff.

“Our academic quality is up and our global diversity is up,” said Anselment. “Lawrence continues to be a place where the world’s brightest and hardest working kids want to spend their formative college years.”

Anselment was especially pleased with the return on investment from a first-ever spring recruiting trip he, the director of international admission, and a Lawrence student took to China and Vietnam this past spring where they met with 40 admitted students in Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, and Hanoi. More than half of the students they met decided to matriculate to Lawrence.

“It was exciting taking Lawrence across the Pacific and meeting with families who want to send their children to the United States to further their education,” said Anselment. “The fact so many of those we met chose to send them to Appleton and entrust them with us is that much more gratifying.”

Spanish professor Gustavo Fares named Fulbright Specialist Roster candidate

Gustavo-Fares_newsblog — Professor of Spanish Gustavo Fares

As a foreign-born U.S. citizen and Latin American studies scholar, Gustavo Fares is interested in working with colleagues abroad and fostering mutually beneficial connections with institutions outside the United States.

A professor of Spanish at Lawrence University, Fares is hoping to do just that as a recently named Fulbright Specialist Roster candidate.

Selected by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars, Fares joins a national roster of scholars who are eligible to be matched with projects from overseas academic institutions as a Fulbright Specialist. He will remain on the roster for five years.

Fares is the second Lawrence faculty member named a Fulbright Specialist Roster candidate, joining Merton Finkler, professor of economics and John R. Kimberly Distinguished Professor in the American Economic System, who was selected several years ago and is nearing the end of his five-year term.

“I’ve spent my life, both personal and professional, building bridges between cultures, people and disciplines,” said Fares, who joined the Lawrence faculty in 2000. “I have a deep passion for cultural exchanges. With my expertise in Latin American and Latino studies, I’m interested in the ways in which U.S. minority communities represent themselves in culture and politics as well as the interdisciplinary approaches to cultural identity construction and expression.

“I’m hoping to enrich the ways American culture is perceived outside the U.S. borders by facilitating exchanges of knowledge,” added Fares, a recipient of a Fulbright Scholar fellowship in 2004 to teach at the National University of Cuyo in his native Argentina. “Ultimately, I hope to advance the program’s goal of increased connections between U.S. and non-U.S. institutions.”

As a Fulbright Specialist Roster candidate, Fares is eligible for grant opportunities of two-to-six weeks in length proposed by institutions around the world that are seeking specialists for various projects. Fares is especially interested in collaborating with institutions in Argentina, Sweden and Japan.

“I’m excited about the wide range and diversity of activities open to specialists,” said Fares, whose research interests include Latin American, gender, film and cultural studies. “I would love to share my academic experience with projects that go beyond traditional teaching and scholarship, projects that would allow me to explore and develop new paths. I would welcome opportunities and experiences that would transform my own work and broaden the academic impact I have beyond Lawrence.”

A record breaker: Lawrence sets single-year fundraising mark

Lawrence University students may not realize it, but they have cause to celebrate. They will be the primary beneficiaries of a record-setting fundraising year by the college.

In the second year of Mark Burstein’s presidency, Lawrence set a one-year fundraising record with $34.7 million for the recently completed 2014-15 fiscal year. The previous high mark, $31.4 million, was established in 2008.

As part of the overall fundraising total, the college also broke the record set last year for the Lawrence Fund, the college’s annual giving program, with $3.8 million.

More than 62 percent of the record fundraising total was designated for scholarships to support Lawrence’s “Full Speed to Full Need” campaign launched last year. The sole purpose of this focused effort is to provide financial aid to students of limited means. The college since has raised $22.6 million toward the full scholarship fund match.

“This record fundraising year is not only a tribute to President Burstein’s clear vision for Lawrence, but also a tribute to the generosity of spirit of those who make up the Lawrence community — students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, friends of the college and trustees,” said Susan Stillman Kane ’72, chair of the Lawrence Board of Trustees.

“The central theme of Mark Burstein’s vision, the value of the liberal arts and the importance of our educational mission in this rapidly changing world,” Kane added, “is enhanced by his goals of making a Lawrence education affordable for all students, sustaining a balanced university budget and creating an environment where a diverse student population can thrive. This resounding affirmation of his vision and the outpouring of philanthropic support this past year is unparalleled.”

Lawrence enjoyed a jump in its alumni donor participation rate (37 percent), the college’s first increase since 2004. Nationally, private baccalaureate arts and science colleges have seen the average alumni donor participation rate drop every year from 2002-2014. According to the 2014 Voluntary Support of Education Survey, Lawrence’s alumni donor participation rate was nearly four percent above the national average, ranking 46th nationally among 204 peer institutions.

The college also saw a small increase in its retention rate, which measures the portion of prior year alumni donors who gave again the following year. At 80.3 percent, it was Lawrence’s second-highest mark since 2004. According to Target Analytics Index of Higher Education, the median retention rate for colleges and universities is 62 percent.

“This record fundraising year is not only a tribute to President Burstein’s clear vision for Lawrence, but also a tribute to the generosity of spirit of those who make up the Lawrence community…the outpouring of philanthropic support this past year is unparalleled.”
— Susan Stillman Kane ’72, chair of the Board of Trustees

“This is tremendous news because it provides a clear demonstration of how highly engaged and supportive the alumni community and friends of Lawrence are in securing the college’s future,” said Charles Saunders, ’84, a member of the Lawrence Board of Trustees and outgoing president of the Founders Club, a gift club which recognizes donors who contribute gifts of $1.000 or more annually to the Lawrence Fund. “This allows us to make significant progress on maintaining our affordability, which is the primary issue facing colleges and universities today.”

In Forbes’ 2015 Grateful Grads Index, which ranks colleges by the median amount of private donations per student over a 10-year period, Lawrence ranked 63rd nationally among all colleges and universities and was the highest ranked among Wisconsin schools.

The Lawrence Fund provides close to seven percent of the college’s annual operating budget and helps bridge the gap between what students pay in tuition and actual operating costs. The Lawrence Fund, along with endowment earnings, help reduce each student’s tuition by more than $10,000 per year. In addition to providing student grants and scholarships, the Lawrence Fund also supports everything from classroom resource and athletic equipment to sheet music for conservatory students.

The record-setting fundraising year included another milestone for the college, with membership in the Lawrence-Downer Legacy Circle crossing the 1,000-member threshold. At the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year, membership in the college’s planned giving program jumped by nearly 11 percent over the previous year, growing to 1,016 members.

“The act of including Lawrence in one’s estate plans is arguably the most profound endorsement anyone can make,” said Dave Mitchell, ’71, legacy gift planning co-chair of the Lawrence-Downer Legacy Circle. “The fact that membership in the Legacy Circle increased by more than 10 percent speaks volumes about Lawrence’s special place in our hearts.”

For the third consecutive year, the Lawrence Fund enjoyed 100 percent participation from all 32 members of the Lawrence Board of Trustees as well as all 31 members of the Lawrence University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Seven Tenure-Track Appointments Joining the Lawrence Faculty

Lawrence University’s award-winning jazz studies department will have a new — but familiar — director starting with the 2015-16 academic year in September.

Jose Encarnacion, who has taught in the Lawrence Conservatory of Music for six years (2002-04, 2011-), has been named the director of jazz studies. He succeeds the late Fred Sturm, who passed away last August.

Encarnacion is one of seven outstanding faculty members appointed to tenure track positions at the rank of assistant professors for the start of the 2015-16 academic year. Joining him will be Matthew Arau, conservatory of music, Chloe Armstrong, philosophy, Adriana Brook, classics, Stephanie Burdick-Shepherd, education, Victoria Kononova, Russian, and Brigid Vance, history.

“I am extremely pleased to have these outstanding faculty members join us in tenure-track positions,” said Provost and Dean of the Faculty David Burrows. “Each of them is an exciting, engaging teacher and an accomplished scholar or performer. They bring new ideas and approaches that will continue our tradition of excellent faculty at Lawrence.”

Matthew-Arau_newsblog — Matthew Arau ’97

Matthew Arau, conservatory of music
Arau, a 1997 Lawrence graduate, returned to his alma mater in 2014 as a visiting professor and associate director of bands, a position he retains with his appointment as assistant professor of music education and department chair. He also will conduct the Lawrence Symphonic Band and guest conduct the Lawrence Wind Ensemble. Before joining the faculty last year, Arau spent two years as a teaching assistant and conductor of the wind symphony and symphonic band at the University of Colorado, where he earned his doctorate in instrumental conducting and literature. He also spent 15 years teaching in the Loveland (Colo.) School District, leading the Loveland Marching Band to the state marching band championship and the championship at the Bands of America super regional in Texas. A native of Sacramento, Calif., Arau earned a bachelor of music and a bachelor of arts degree from Lawrence with majors in government, music education and music performance.

Chloe-Armstrong_newsblog — Chloe Armstrong

Chloe Armstrong, philosophy
A specialist in early modern philosophy, Armstrong joins the faculty after earning her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan, where she was the recipient of the university’s Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor and the John Dewey Prize, which recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching. Armstrong’s scholarship interests include 17th-century German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. In addition to her degrees from the University of Michigan, Armstrong earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Victoria and a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Western Ontario.

Adriana Brook, classics
Brook joins the Lawrence faculty from Wellesley College, where she spent the past year as a visiting lecturer in the classical studies department. Her scholarship interests include Greek drama, particularly Sophocles, as well as Greek ritual, literature and culture. Brook earned her bachelor’s degree in honours classics at McMaster University, her master’s degree in classics at Western University and her Ph.D. at the University of Toronto.

Stephanie-Burdick-Shepherd_newsblog — Stephanie-Burdick-Shepherd

Stephanie Burdick-Shepherd, education
Burdick-Shepherd’s appointment will help the education department expand its teacher certification program to include elementary and early childhood education. The new position was created with a $2.5 million gift from the Mielke Family Foundation in partnership with John and Sally Mielke. Burdick-Shepherd has extensive teaching experience spanning the spectrum from early childhood to adult education. Prior to Lawrence, she supervised early childhood education site placements at the University of Arizona. She earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Transylvania University, a master’s of education degree from Montclair State University in philosophy of children and a master’s degree and doctorate from Columbia University.

Jose-Encarnacion_newsblog — Jose Encarnacion

Jose Encarnacion, conservatory of music
An accomplished saxophonist, Encarnacion spent 17 years traveling the world as a professional musician, performing with scores of bands and artists, including Tito Puente, Michael Spiro and the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra before turning to music education. A native of Puerto Rico, Encarnacion’s expertise in Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban music was instrumental in the success of the student ensemble, Tambo Toké, which earned an “outstanding performance award” in Downbeat magazine’s 2015 student music awards competition. Encarnacion wrote a commission dedicated to Roberto Clemente, honoring Hispanic players for the Baseball Music Project, a copy of which is being preserved at the Baseball Hall of Fame Library. He earned a bachelor of music degree in jazz saxophone performance from the Berklee College of Music and a master’s degree in jazz studies and contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music.

Victoria-Kononova_newsblog — Victoria Kononova

Victoria Kononova, Russian
Originally from Velikie Luki, Russia, Kononova comes to Lawrence via Madison, where she is completing her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin. She previously earned a master’s degree in Slavic languages and literatures at UW and has both a bachelor and a master’s degree in Russian language and literature from Lomonosov Moscow State University. She also spent a summer studying at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. She had taught Russian and Polish languages at UW as well as 19th-century Russian literature.

Brigid Vance, history
A specialist in Asian history, especially late imperial China, Vance joins the faculty from Colorado State University-Pueblo, where she has taught since 2012. Her scholarship interests include the role of dreams and nightmares in Chinese life and she is completing a book entitled “Dreaming in Chinese During the Late Ming.” Vance, who speaks both Mandarin and Japanese, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Carleton College, a master’s degree in East Asian Studies at Stanford University and a Ph.D. in history at Princeton University. She has conducted additional study in Japan and China, including a year as a visiting research scholar at the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy in Taiwan.

Lawrence mourns the death of art professor Julie Lindemann

Associate Professor of Art Julie Lindemann, an award-winning photographer, lost a courageous battle with cancer Tuesday, August 25. She was 57.

Julie-Lindemann_newblog2 — Julie Lindemann, 1957-2015

Lindemann shared a tenure track appointment at Lawrence with John Shimon, her artist collaborator of more than 30 years. Their close collaboration led to works of remarkable originality and a memorable, distinctive style.

As contemporary artists who used old-fashioned photographic techniques, Lindemann and Shimon combined intellectual and creative energy to tell incredible human stories through their powerful portraits of ordinary people, especially native Wisconsinites, revealing the complexities of human nature.

Lindemann was deeply admired for her ability to see potential in all of her subjects, the sensitivity for which she dealt with them and for her masterful use of historic photographic processes. Incredibly generous with her time and ideas, she was a popular faculty member and students loved being taught by her and working with her.

Lindemann and Shimon joined the Lawrence art department in 2000 in a joint appointment as visiting instructors. Five years later they were appointed to a shared tenure track appointment. Their courses were always team-taught, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative teaching. Fully embracing the power of liberal arts education, Lindemann and Shimon were recognized with Lawrence’s faculty award for Excellence in Creative Activity at the college’s 2012 commencement.

Their photography has been featured in more than 90 solo and group exhibitions in venues ranging from the Art Institute of Chicago to the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego and are part of 15 permanent collections, including the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Wisconsin State Historical Society.

Their work was showcased in the 2014 major exhibition “We Go From Where We Know” at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan and most recently, a retrospective covering 30 years of their work — “There’s A Place: Photographs by J. Shimon & J. Lindemann” — was featured at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend.

In December 2014, Mary Louise Schumacher, the art critic of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, honored Lindemann and Shimon as Wisconsin’s Artists of the Year.

In May, Lindemann and Shimon were recognized for their creative accomplishments with a Wisconsin Visual Art Achievement Award, which honors artists who have contributed to the wealth of creativity in Wisconsin.

A native of northeast Wisconsin, Lindemann grew up on a farm in the small Manitowoc County town of Osmond. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in social documentary photography from Illinois State University.

She began her professional career at the Milwaukee Art Museum and later enjoyed success as a freelance photographer, racking up an impressive list of clients that included the New York Times Magazine as well as Fortune, People and Men’s Health magazines, among others.

She and Shimon coauthored five books and catalogs of their work, the most successful of which was their artistic tribute to the aluminum Christmas tree chronicled in the book “Season’s Gleamings.” The book generated national attention when it was published in 2004, resulting in stories in the New York Times and USA Today and featured segments on CBS’ “Sunday Morning” and CNN.

A memorial service celebrating Lindemann’s life will be held on a date and place to be announced.

Mile 3: Lawrence Connections Help Popular Appleton Music Fest Grow, Thrive

When Appleton’s four-day Mile of Music kicks off “Mile 3” of its handcrafted artisan festival Thursday, Aug. 6, Lawrence University’s facilities, educators and alumni musicians will be in the thick of the home-grown festival’s budding success.

More than 200 artists from 21 states and Canada— bands as well as solo performers — delivering more than 800 live performances at 60 venues along College Avenue and the Fox River will turn downtown Appleton into a veritable non-stop concert Aug. 6-9.

Organizers estimate the four-day festival will draw 40,000-50,000 attendees.

Bright-Kind_newsblog — Bright Kind — Alex Bunke ’09, Eric Klosterman ’10 and Jeanna Salzer — brings its soul-inflected, synth-driven music to the Radisson Courtyard on Saturday, Aug. 8.

The Lawrence Memorial Chapel, the festival’s largest venue, will once again play host to several of its headline acts, including a pair of folk duos on Friday evening, Aug. 7: Kacy and Clayton, second cousins from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and the Los Angeles-based Grammy Award-nominated The Milk Carton Kids.

Other performances will be held in Lawrence’s Stansbury Theatre, Harper Hall and the Viking Room in Memorial Hall.

One of the aspects that truly sets Mile of Music apart from other festivals is its emphasis on music education, which is supported by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Leila Ramagopal Pertl, the festival’s music education curator and 1987 Lawrence graduate, hand-picked a team of Lawrentians and area music teachers to help festival goers of all ages rediscover their “inner musician” through an extensive array of hands-on, participatory events, workshops and demonstrations.

Leila_music-ed_Mile-of-Music_newsblog — As the Mile of Music’s education curator, Leila Ramagopal Pertl ’87 (left) works with festival goes to rediscover their “inner musician.”

“We provide interactive, creative, music-making opportunities for festival goers to connect to that music-maker spirit common to them and the Mile of Music performing artists,” said Pertl. “The music education events enhance the overall experience of the festival by considering the community as a vital part of the music-making that goes on at the Mile. This type of engagement has a deep impact that will last far beyond the four days of the event, and gets people all the more excited to return for the next Mile.”

More than 40 music education events, ranging from Samba drumming, New Orleans band jams and Balinese gamelan to song-writing workshops, Ghanaian drumming and dancing, and a workshop for aspiring backup singers, will be presented.

“Mile of Music is one of the rare national music festivals that puts music education as a core value and our music education team makes that philosophy a beautiful musical reality,” said Pertl.

In addition to leading the music education activities, 16 Lawrence alumni will be among the festival’s performers, including:

Bright Kind: Alex Bunke ’09 and Eric Klosterman ’10, Saturday, Aug. 8, 5:40 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Radisson Courtyard.
Porky’s Groove Machine: Nick Allen ’14, Ilan Blanck ’16, Eli Edelman ’14, Casey Frensz ’14, Matt Gunby ’13, Matt Lowe ’13, Marshall Yoes ’14, Friday Aug. 7, 7:10 p.m. – 8 p.m., XTRA 920.
Ross Catterton ’08: Thursday, Aug. 6, 1:30 p.m. – 2:20 p..m., Spats/Spatio; Sunday Aug. 9, 3:55 p.m. – 4:45 p.m., The Ambassador.
Holy Sheboygan: Julia Blair ’11, Cameron Carrus ’13, Ben DeCorsey ’10, Jeff Edenberg ’10, Rachel Graber ’13, Liam O’Brien ’10; Saturday, Aug. 8, 7:15 p.m. – 8:05 p.m., Lawrence Viking Room.
The all-Lawrence alumni band Porky’s Groove Machine returns to Mile of Music for a Friday, Aug. 7 performance at XTRA 920.

Nathan Litt, a 2008 Lawrence graduate, is largely responsible for making sure things run smoothly as the festival’s behind-the-scenes director of operations.

“We are extremely grateful for our partnership with Lawrence. The festival would not be what it is today without the strong support, involvement and encouragement of the college,” said Litt. “From the Music Education Team and the alumni performing artists, to the administration and our impressive student interns and volunteers, so many Lawrentians have been instrumental in helping ensure the success of this festival right from the start.

“The Lawrence connection has provided invaluable contributions over the course of the last two years,” Litt added, “and as an alumnus, that’s extremely meaningful to me.”

New for this year’s festival, and complementing the music will be a series of art-related activities, among them:

• A pop-up alley gallery that will turn an east end College Ave. alley into a thriving “art alley” and a venue during the festival. Designed to create an art environment that develops a vacant downtown space, welcomes diverse audiences, promotes creativity and community involvement, and supports local arts and humanities organizations, the Alley Project will feature a music stage, bar area, food truck and other vendors. The alley is located between a vacant former bank building now owned by Lawrence and the History Museum at the Castle (approximately 326 E. College Ave.)

• Art, story and song performances and presentations by local historian/author/musician Frank Anderson regarding Wisconsin’s rich musical history

• A Houdini-themed exhibit by local and regional artists

• An art exhibition by Mile 3 performing artists

• A Wisconsin musical history portraits exhibit

Lawrence featured in 2016 edition of Fiske Guide to Colleges

Cited for its “outstanding liberal arts curriculum, knowledgeable and caring faculty, an administration that treats students like adults and charming setting,” Lawrence University once again has earned a spot in former New York Times education editor Edward Fiske’s annual guide of the top colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and Great Britain.

Since 1985, the annual “Fiske Guide to Colleges” has offered a selective, subjective and systematic look at approximately 300 of the “best and most interesting” schools as a resource for college-bound students, their parents and high school guidance counselors. Institutions featured in the guide are profiled on everything from academics, social life and financial aid to the campus setting, housing and extracurricular activities.

In his 2016 guide, Fiske, who spent 17 years as education editor of the New York Times, calls Lawrence “unpretentious” and describes its academic climate as “intimate and intense” and the social life as “varied and eclectic.” With its renowned conservatory of music, Fiske says Lawrence appeals “to both the left and right side of students’ brains.”

Fiske launched his guide as a tool to broaden students’ horizons about American higher education and help them select a college that best coincides with their particular needs, goals, interests, talents and personalities.

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.” 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.

Printmaker Warrington Colescott Featured in Wriston Galleries Summer Exhibition Serie

The satirical wit and vivid imagination of Wisconsin-based printmaker Warrington Colescott will be featured in Lawrence University’s second annual summer exhibition series at the Wriston Art Center Galleries. “The Artwork of Warrington Colescott” opens July 15 and runs through Aug. 16.

The galleries’ summer series is designed to engage the Fox Valley community in a conversation about artworks and artists of the Midwest.

Warrington_Colescott_newsblog — Warrington Colescott, “The History of Printmaking: Ben Franklin at Versailles,” 1976

With an international reputation for his innovative techniques, Colescott has applied his unique interpretative skills to historical and contemporary subject matter ranging from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the on-field dominance of the Green Bay Packers. Much of his work explores themes centered around politics, the follies and horrors of war, abuse of power and wealth and relationships between men and women.

In addition to highlights from Lawrence’s own permanent collection, the exhibition also includes Colescott’s complete “History of Printmaking” series, in which he blends historical information on the development of printmaking techniques with his own humorous interpretations of events.

A one-time political cartoonist and former professor at the University of Wisconsin, where he taught for 37 years, Colescott, now 94, makes his home in Hollandale, Wis.

The Wriston Art Center galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon – 4 p.m.; closed Mondays.

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 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” 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.

$1.5 Million Gift Establishes Endowed Professorship in Innovation

During a 38-year career with 3M, the company that developed Scotch Tape and the Post-it Note, Dwight Peterson learned the importance of innovation and creative thinking.

Peterson-Professorship_newsblog — Dwight and Majorie Peterson have donated $1.5 million to establish an endowed professorship in innovation. Adam Galambos, associate professor of economics, will be the first holder of the professorship.

Peterson, a 1955 Lawrence University graduate, is a firm believer that a liberal arts education can be a hotbed of innovation because of the way liberally educated students think about ideas and problems from the perspectives of multiple disciplines and look at old problems in new ways.

To fuel innovative thinking at Lawrence, Peterson and his wife, Marjorie, have established an endowed professorship in innovation with a $1.5 million gift.

Adam Galambos, associate professor of economics, has been named the first holder of the Dwight and Marjorie Peterson Professorship in Innovation.

Appointments to endowed professorships are made in recognition of academic and artistic distinction through teaching excellence and/or scholarly achievement. Galambos was one of three faculty leaders who launched Lawrence’s program in innovation and entrepreneurship in 2008.

Dwight Peterson, a former member of the Lawrence Board of Trustees (2005-2013), spent his entire professional career at 3M, where he says innovation is ingrained in the company’s culture.

“The long term history of 3M is based on continuous development of new products,” said Peterson, citing Wet-Or-Dry sandpaper, masking tape, Scotch Tape, magnetic recording tape and reflective sign sheeting as examples of the many products the company has created. “I learned about Lawrence’s program in innovation and entrepreneurship a few years ago and found it stimulating.

“We’ve been thinking about being able to help the school in a major way and decided that innovation really fit my interest most closely,” Peterson added. “The idea of looking at things from new and different perspectives, of doing collaborative interdisciplinary work, of having a culture where there is the possibility to fail — and it is acceptable — and then start over and rework it, that all fits very well with a Lawrence education.”

David Burrows, provost and dean of the faculty, said the college was “very excited and grateful” for the Peterson’s gift establishing the professorship in innovation.

“The ability to create what is new is one of the primary goals of a liberal education,” said Burrows. “As the world changes more and more rapidly, this ability looms larger in its importance. Professor Galambos has established a brilliant record as a person who engages in the creation of new ideas and new approaches. He is an ideal person to hold this professorship.”

“The idea of looking at things from new and different perspectives, of doing collaborative interdisciplinary work, of having a culture where there is the possibility to fail — and it is acceptable — and then start over and rework it, that all fits very well with a Lawrence education.”
— Dwight Peterson ’55

While thrilled to be named the professorships inaugural holder, Galambos said its establishment is the result of the collaborative efforts of many.

“Dwight and Marjorie’s generosity is wonderful recognition of the work we have done over the past few years, starting with Marty Finkler in economics, who introduced the idea of entrepreneurship to the Lawrence community more than 10 years ago, and John Brandenberger in physics, who first proposed that we teach innovation,” said Galambos, who joined the Lawrence faculty in 2006.

“In addition to Marty and John, the variety of courses and co-curricular programming we now have in I&E is a result of the enthusiasm and commitment of a number of other colleagues as well, including Gary Vaughan in I&E, Dena Skran in government, Tim Troy in theatre arts, Brian Pertl in the conservatory, and art department members Rob Neilson, Ben Rinehart, John Shimon and Julie Lindemann. The Petersons’ gift is a great affirmation of all of their efforts and encouragement to continue to bring I&E to Lawrence students in new ways.”

A number of student-created and directed ventures have grown out of the I&E program — the Rabbit Gallery, a pop-up art gallery in downtown Appleton, Greyfell Theatre, a company devoted to producing student-written plays, the Paper Fox, a printmaking workshop with a community programming component and the Lawrence Baroque Ensemble, a student performance group that focuses on community outreach activities — and other projects continue to be created by students who have taken I&E courses.

This spring, students Joe Bazydlo and Eddie Elizondo were among 20 finalists from among more than 250 teams from around the country to deliver a presentation in Princeton University’s Entrepreneurship Club’s annual national competition. They pitched a smart phone app — Trailblazer — to be used by hikers and other trail users to unlock preloaded information about specific locations in U.S. national parks was was developed in Lawrence’s “In Pursuit of Innovation” course.

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 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” 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.

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“I’ve been coming here since I was about nine years old and I’ve always liked the campus. There’s really never been any doubt about where I was going to go to college.”
— Katie Kumbalek ’19