Lawrence University News

Freshman Lauren McLester-Davis Serves up Support, a Slice at a Time

Lauren McLester-Davis epitomizes the spirit of service so many Lawrence University students embrace. And Veteran’s Day holds special meaning for her.

McLester-Davis1_newsblog — Serving pizza to U.S. veterans on Veteran’s Day has become a tradition for Lawrence freshman Laurel McLester-Davis, who has provided more than 3,000 slices during the past nine years.

A freshman from De Pere, McLester-Davis annually honors the legacy of her grandfather, who served in the U. S. Navy and the Marines, by serving food to veterans.

During the past nine years, McLester-Davis has served more than 3,000 slices of pizza to veterans and their spouses, including more than 500 slices alone on this year’s celebration of Veteran’s Day to the Greater Green Bay Veterans at the Oneida Post VFW 77884. Since the fifth grade, she has served as the Wisconsin Ambassador of the Pizzas4Patriots organization.

In addition to honoring veterans, McLester-Davis promotes literacy through her own foundation, First Book – Greater Green Bay. Since the organization’s founding in 2007, McLester-Davis has fundraised enough to provide 20,000 new, free books to children in need.

A member of the Oneida Nation, McLester-Davis’ efforts, which include more than 3,000 volunteer hours, have been recognized with the 2014 UNITY 25 Under 25 Youth Leadership Award. She also has been honored as a 2014 Champion for Change for the Center of Native American Youth, which was founded by former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan.

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.

Sophomore Kathleen Baudendistel Wins Second Straight State Singing Competition

For the second year in a row, Kathleen Baudendistel earned first-place honors in her division at the annual Wisconsin chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition held Nov. 7-8 at Viterbo University in La Crosse.

Kathleen Baudendistel_newsblog_2014 — Kathleen Baudendistel ’17

Baudendistel, of Farmersville, Ohio, won the sophomore women’s division after winning the freshman women’s division last year. Elizabeth Burmeister of Chicago, placed second in the same division. Baudendistel and Burmeister are students in the voice studios of Ken Bozeman, Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music, and Joanne Bozeman, instructor of music, respectively.

Six of Lawrence’s 23 entries advanced to the finals in the competition, which drew nearly 400 singers from around the state. First-place finishers receive $150, while second- and third-place finishers received $125 and $100, respectively.

The NATS competition features 22 separate divisions grouped by gender and level. Depending upon the category, competitors are required to sing two, three or four classical pieces from different time periods with at least one selection sung in a foreign language.

Lawrence place winners with their category and (teacher) include:

First–Place Honors
• Kathleen Baudendistel, sophomore women (Ken Bozeman)

Second–Place Honors
• Elizabeth Burmeister, sophomore women (Joanne Bozeman)

Third–Place Honors
• Benjamin Klein, freshman men (Steven Paul Spears)
• Demetra Hellwig, junior women (Joanne Bozeman)
• Jacob Meyer, junior men (3rd) John Gates

Fourth–Place Honors
• Clio Briggs, freshman women (Karen Leigh-Post)

Lawrence Hosting Community Forum on Chronic Drunk Driving Nov. 13

Lawrence University Professor of Psychology Bruce Hetzler will participate in a community panel discussion Thursday, Nov. 13 examining Wisconsin’s problems involving chronic drunken driving.

Bruce-Hetzler_newsblog — Professor of Psychology Bruce Hetzler

The program, at 7 p.m. in Harper Hall of the Music-Drama Center, is free and open to the public. A live webcast of the discussion will be available at postcrescent.com.

The panel discussion, which will be moderated by Wausau Daily Herald reporter Shereen Siewert, is being held in conjunction with a Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team eight-day-long series, “Under the Influence,” that examines issues related to chronic OWI offenders.

Hetzler’s research focuses on the effects of alcohol and drugs on the brain. He has been a presenter at the World Congress of the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism.

Joining Hetzler on the panel will be:

• Brown County Judge Donald Zuidmulder

• Appleton criminal defense attorney John Carrol

• Brown County OWI Task Force coordinator Mike Panosh

• Community advocate and Nova Counseling Services of Oshkosh representative Serah Muinde

• Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson

• Amanda Timm, a Menasha resident whose father was struck and killed by a repeat drunken driver

• John Schaus of Appleton, an eight-time OWI offender who is confident he will never drink and drive again.

According to state statistics, Wisconsin is home to more than 8,000 people who have been convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence at least five times. More than 500 people have at least eight OWIs.

In 2013, 35 people in Winnebago County were convicted of a fifth or greater OWI while in Brown County 50-60 people annually are convicted of their fifth or more OWI.

Percussionists Terri Lyne Carrington, Peter Erskine Headline 34th Jazz Celebration Weekend

A pair of Grammy Award-winning drummers will share the headliners’ spotlight Nov. 7-8 for Lawrence University’s 34th annual Jazz Celebration Weekend.

Terri Lyne Carrington_News Blog — Terri Lyne Carrington and her band, along with singer Lizz Wright, opens Jazz Celebration Weekend Friday, Nov. 7.

Terri Lyne Carrington kicks off the weekend Friday night with a performance alongside her eight-piece band and vocalist Lizz Wright. Peter Erskine closes the weekend Saturday evening in a performance with the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble and the Lawrence Jazz Faculty. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Tickets, at $30-25 for adults, $25-20 for seniors and $20-18 for students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Saturday night’s concert with Erskine is the first of four upcoming “Music for Food“ concerts designated for the benefit of the Fox Valley’s St. Joseph Food Pantry. Audience members attending are encouraged to make a charitable donation — monetary or a nonperishable food item — to help combat hunger in the Fox Cities. All monetary donations are tax deductible, with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to St. Joseph Food Pantry.

“We are so fortunate to have two of the most successful and creative drummers on the planet performing at this year’s Jazz Celebration Weekend,” said percussion maestro and Lawrence Professor of Music Dane Richeson. “Both have had a profound influence on my own playing, beginning in the mid 1970’s when I heard a young Peter Erskine with the Maynard Ferguson Big Band.

“And I was awestruck when I first saw Ms. Carrington — as a teenager — sit in with a group at an outdoor festival in New York City that I was performing at in the early 80’s,” Richeson added. “These are two of the most dynamic drummers you will ever hear.”

Carrington — composer, producer, clinician. media entrepreneur as well as drummer —initially captured attention on a pair of television shows, first as the house drummer for the “Arsenio Hall Show” in the 1980s and later for the late-night program “Vibe” in the late 1990s.

Over the course of her career, Carrington has recorded with a Who’s Who of jazz luminaries, including Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter.

Her 2011 ensemble CD “The Mosaic Project” won a Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy Award. A socially-conscious musical celebration of female artists, the album featured the talents of some of the world’s foremost female instrumentalists and vocalists, including Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Esperanza Spalding and Gretchen Parlato.

Earlier this year, she earned her second Grammy Award when her 2014 album, “Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue,” was recognized with the Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

Joining Carrington, who teaches percussion at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, her alma mater, and her band, will be acclaimed jazz vocalist Lizz Wright, whose voice is rooted in the gospel music she grew up with. NPR has hailed Wright’s music “as spiritually uplifting as it is graceful, grounded and unmistakably cool.”

Peter Erskine_News Blog — Legendary drummer Peter Erskine Erskine has been voted “Best Jazz Drummer of the Year” 10 times by readers of “Modern Drummer” magazine.

Erskine, who has been voted Best Jazz Drummer of the Year 10 times by readers of “Modern Drummer” magazine, is internationally known as an energetic and expressive performer in a wide range of musical styles. He has collaborated with artists as diverse as Stan Keaton, Weather Report, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan. A prolific recorder as well as performer, Erskine has released 50 albums and produces jazz recordings on his own label, Fuzzy Music.

Prior to his concert performance, Erskine will conduct a free clinic on Friday (11/7) from 1:30-2:30 in Shattuck Hall 46. The clinic is open to anyone who would be interested in attending.

The Saturday evening concert will pay tribute to award-winning composer and arranger Fred Sturm, who founded Jazz Celebration Weekend in 1981. Sturm, the long-time director of jazz studies at Lawrence, died Aug. 24 after a long battle with cancer. Erskine, and the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Patty Darling, will perform Sturm’s “Home Jubilation” and “Patience” as part of the program.

More than 750 middle and high school students from throughout Wisconsin and neighboring states will attend Jazz Celebration Weekend to participate in educational jazz clinic sessions on campus. The visiting clinicians include Ike Sturm, music director for the Jazz Ministry at St. Peter’s Church in New York City, trombonist Tim Albright of the Julliard School, trumpeter Frank “Pancho” Romero of New Mexico State University, trumpeter Marty Robinson of UW-Oshkosh and bassist Karyn Quinn of UW-La Crosse.

In addition to the two headliner concerts, five free concerts will be held throughout the day on Saturday, including a 1:30 p.m. performance in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel by the Lawrence Jazz Band under the direction of Matt Turner. The free Saturday concerts are highlighted in color in this PDF.

Lawrence “Music for Food” Concerts to Benefit St. Joseph’s Food Pantry

The Lawrence University Conservatory of Music is once again teaming with Music for Food, a national program for local hunger relief, so area arts lovers can enjoy beautiful music and help the less fortunate in the community at the same time.

Lawrence is dedicating four upcoming concerts to benefit the Fox Valley’s St. Joseph Food Pantry. Audience members attending any of the November performances are encouraged to make a charitable donation — monetary or a nonperishable food item — to help combat hunger in the Fox Cities. All monetary donations are tax deductible, with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to St. Joseph Food Pantry.

In 2013, the first Music for Food initiative collected more than 600 pounds of food and more than $500 in donations.

“This is such a great opportunity for musicians to use their art to impact our community,” said Catherine Kautsky, professor of music and one of the program’s organizers. “I see it as a chance for us to educate ourselves about very real social issues in the Fox Cities as well as to make some small difference in addressing our community’s needs. I’m proud that Lawrence is part of this wonderful national organization.”

This year’s Music for Food concerts include:

• Saturday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m. — Jazz Celebration Weekend with percussionist Peter Erskine and featuring the Lawrence Jazz Ensemble & Lawrence Jazz faculty, Lawrence Memorial Chapel. 920-832-6749 for ticket information.

• Friday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m. — Lawrence University Choirs, featuring Concert Choir, Cantala women’s choir and Viking Choral under the co-direction of Stephen Sieck and Phillip Swan, Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Free.

• Sunday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m. — Lawrence Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, under the direction of conductor Matthew Arau, Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Free.

• Tuesday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m. — Lawrence Symphony Orchestra, under the director of conductor Andrew Mast, Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Free.

Music for Food was founded in 2010 by violist Kim Kashkashian in collaboration with the New England Conservatory. Concerts raise funds and awareness to combat hunger, empowering musicians who use their artistry to further social justice. Since its launch, Music for Food has provided more than 80,000 meals to those in need through concerts throughout the country.

University of Chicago Psychologist Examines Performing-Under-Stress Factors in University Convocation

The brain and body interactions that cause golfers to miss two-foot putts or beauty pageant contestants to muff contest questions will be explored Tuesday, Nov. 4 in a Lawrence University convocation.

Sian-Bielock_newsblog — Psychologist Sian Beilock

Sian Beilock, author and professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, presents “Leveraging Mind and Body to Perform Your Best Under Stress” at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Beilock also will conduct a question-and-answer session at 2:30 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema. Both events are free and open to the public.

An expert on the psychology of “choking under pressure,” Beilock will draw upon her research that focuses on the many factors, both mental and physical, which affect a person’s performance in stressful situations. She is the author of the 2011 book, “Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To,” which included suggestions on how to successfully navigate make-or-break moments.

Her second book, “How the Body Knows Its Mind: The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence How You Think and Feel,” explores the effect that the human body and its physical environment have on cognitive function. It is scheduled for release in January 2015, but already has earned praise from Jean Twenge, author of “Generation Me,” as “the best kind of psychology book: Grounded in rigorous research and intensely practical.”

Beilock has been recognized with numerous awards for her research and writing, including the Association for Psychological Science’s Janet Taylor Spence Award for transformative early career contributions, the American Psychological Foundation’s Robert L. Fantz Memorial Award for Young Psychologists and the Psychonomic Society’s Outstanding Early Career Award.

Theatre Arts Department Presents the Musical “Godspell”

A contemporary twist on the popular Broadway musical “Godspell” comes to the stage of Lawrence University’s Stansbury Theatre Oct. 30-Nov. 1.

Performances of the musical by Stephen Schwartz and book by John-Michael Tebelak are at 8 p.m. each night with an additional 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Nov. 1. Tickets, at $15 for adults and $8 for students and seniors, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

The two-act production presents the Gospel of Matthew in musical parables. It follows the last days in the life of Jesus Christ and culminates in the second act with his betrayal by Judas and his crucifixion.

Originally inspired by theologian Harvey Cox’s 1968 Playboy Magazine article that featured an image of a laughing Jesus, “Godspell” has enjoyed numerous interpretations and treatments since its Broadway premiere in 1971.

Lawrence’s production will feature a contemporary setting and include “a larger exploration of art around religious subjects and stories through the centuries using a wide variety of artistic expression, including music, dance, storytelling, costumes and visual art,” said director Timothy Troy, professor of pheatre arts and the J. Thomas and Julie Esch Hurvis Professor of Theatre and Drama.

“Throughout Western history, the best musicians, visual artists, dancers, poets and dramatists addressed our collective relationship with our faith traditions through the arts,” said Troy. “All art making, whether sacred or secular, is an act of faith.”

This production will feature the 2012 revision of the score, which according to Troy, “explores a much wider variety of musical styles than the original, and features far more ensemble singing than the 1971 Broadway production and the 1973 film adaptation.”

Maggie Ward, a senior from Wausau, calls the show’s music “stunning.”

“A lot of it was rewritten for the 2012 Broadway revival and some of the songs have had a drastic tone change compared to the original show,” said Ward. “One of the biggest changes is ‘Beautiful City,’ which has been altered into an absolutely gorgeous ballad.”

Ward has the honor of singing the show’s best-known song, “Day by Day.”

“It’s a little daunting to be performing a song that is so popular and that has a lot of meaning for people, but I’m also very excited,” said Ward.

Monica Rodero, associate artistic director of the Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company, choreographed the production.

“Monica’s deep background in collaborative production and modern dance brings a wide range of movement and gestural style seldom seen in traditional production of ‘Godspell,’” said Troy.

Phillip Swan, associate professor of music and co-director of choral studies, is the show’s musical director. Theatre arts department members Keith Pitts, Karin Kopischke and Aaron Sherkow designed the set, costumes and lightening, respectively, for the production.

Student Pianists Capture Top Honors State Music Competition

Lawrence University student pianists Evan Newman and Elizabeth Vaughan earned first- and second-place honors, respectively, at the recent (10/18) 2014 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Wisconsin state competition conducted at UW-Whitewater.

With his winning performance in the won the Young Artist (19-26 years of age) competition, Newman, a sophomore from Plymouth, Minn., advances to the MTNA’s five-state East Central Division competition, which will be held at Lawrence Jan. 17-18. Winners at the division competition advance to the MTNA’s national competition March 21-25, 2015 in Las Vegas.

A student in the studio of Associate Professor Anthony Padilla, Newman performed works by Haydn, Chopin (2) and Prokofiev.

Vaughan, a senior from Highland Park, Ill., was the 2013 winner. She is a student of Professor Catherine Kautsky.

Newman became the 14th Lawrence piano student in the past 16 years to win the Wisconsin MTNA competition.

Three other Lawrence students — sophomore Michael Davis, Bloomington, Minn., junior Jon Hanrahan, Johnsburg, Ill., and senior Tess Vogel, Southbury, Conn. — earned honorable mention recognition.

The MTNA performance competitions recognize exceptionally talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence.

Matching Gifts to Lawrence University’s Scholarship Endowment Top $11M

The response to Lawrence University’s announcement of a $25 million matching gift from an anonymous donor for student scholarships has been overwhelming.

Mark Bernstein_match gift_newwblog — President Mark Burstein

Since announcing the largest gift in Lawrence history on Sept. 17, the university has received $11.4 million in matching gifts and pledges, more than 45 percent of the full match amount.

When fully matched, an additional $50 million will be added to Lawrence’s endowment earmarked exclusively for student scholarship support.

More than 260 donors have contributed to the scholarship matching effort to date with gifts ranging from $20 to $5 million. Underscoring the broad appeal of the match, more than half (54 percent) of the matching gifts have been for less than $250, with more than 100 of those for less than $100.

The scholarship endowment will be used for students with demonstrated financial need.

“It is inspiring to see this outpouring of generosity from the Lawrence community and know each dollar will support a student on this campus,” said President Mark Burstein. “The need-based scholarships generated by this endowment will greatly enhance our efforts to make a Lawrence education affordable to families across the socioeconomic spectrum. The funds raised so far will support over 75 Lawrence students forever.”

Hugh-Denison_'14_newsblog — Hugh Denison ’68

Hugh Denison, a 1968 Lawrence graduate, who has committed $1 million to the matching gift effort, said the decision he and his wife, Mary, made to do so, “is one of the best we’ve ever made. We will enjoy seeing the results of that decision for years to come.”

“While it’s perfectly appropriate to categorize this as a gift to Lawrence, we actually view it more as an investment in the next generation of students who will have the same opportunity for the world-class education that I received,” said Denison, former senior vice president, research director and portfolio manager at Heartland Advisors, Inc., a Milwaukee-based investment firm.

“My wife and I were blessed with families who could pay for our educations when we attended college, but we know that is becoming a rarity these days,” Denison added. “We’re gratified to be able to make a difference and provide scholarship assistance to many students who might otherwise be unable to afford the great education Lawrence provides.”

Cara Helmke, a 2000 Lawrence graduate, called Lawrence’s new scholarship endowment “the gift that keeps on giving.”

“The day I heard the news, I knew I wanted to contribute,” said Helmke, a Wisconsin native now living in Clovis, Calif., and working as a hospital billing analyst. “It feels good to give to Lawrence. It feels even better to have those dollars matched again and support students in perpetuity. With less stress over financial obligations, students can focus on academic and extracurricular activities or other life-changing experiences.

“Whether large or small, each contribution gets the university closer to the $50 million goal,” Helmke added. “Collectively, we can provide a world of opportunity for future generations of Lawrence students.”

Claudena-Skran_newsblog — Professor Claudena Skran

Support for the scholarship effort extends beyond the ranks of Lawrence alumni to include current faculty. Claudena Skran, Edwin and Ruth West Professor of Economics and Social Science and professor of government, along with her husband, David Duncombe, have made a $100,000 commitment to create a scholarship targeting international students.

“Lawrence has a great tradition of educating students from abroad and we would like this tradition to continue,” said Skran, a specialist in international relations and refugee issues who joined the Lawrence faculty in 1990. “Students who attend Lawrence form a community that extends in time beyond their four years here and in scope beyond the Appleton campus. Many international students have shared how much attending Lawrence has changed their perspective of the world and of themselves.

According to Skran, supporting the scholarship effort pays dividends to more than just the student recipients.

“Beyond the students who receive the scholarships” said Skran, “others at Lawrence – students, faculty and staff members – benefit as well if the scholarships help make our campus more globally diverse.”

Public Invited to Free Screening of Lawrence’s Civic Life Project Films Oct. 28 at Fox Valley Technical College

The second Civic Life Project, a documentary film program designed to engage Lawrence University students with social issues facing the Fox Cities community, presents a free public screening at Fox Valley Technical College Tuesday, Oct. 28 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Five short films on topics ranging from dementia to the reintegration of sex offenders, will be shown in the Commons on the FVTC campus, 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., Appleton. Use Entrance 6 off of the south parking lot. Due to limited seating, advance registration is requested.

The Civic Life Project was created by award-winning documentary filmmaker and 1972 Lawrence graduate Catherine Tatge and her husband, Dominique Lasseur. The topics for the videos grew out of conversations Tatge conducted with numerous community leaders to identify issues of concern in the Fox Cities. Three-member teams of Lawrence students then shared the roles of writer, editor, producer, director and videographer in creating the documentaries.

The titles and topics of the films to be screened are:

• “Labeled for Life,” the challenges sex offenders face reintegrating into our community.

• “Living with Dementia,” the challenges faced by caregivers and individuals suffering from the disease.

• “Before Bars,” the story of disproportionate imprisonment of minorities.

• “If you can’t reach ’em, you can’t teach ’em,” the achievement gap in Appleton-area schools.

• “Domestic Violence and Schools,” the effects of domestic violence on children’s performance at school.

Brief, student-led round-table discussions follow the screening of each film, which Tatge sees as vital to the process of community engagement with these topics.

As a result of the discussions “the students get a chance to really see the impact of their work on the community members,” said Tatge. “And I think that just to show these films one after the other doesn’t have the same impact as allowing people to reflect after each one.”

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.

Lawrence student Jaime Gonzalez, who worked on the film “Labeled For Life,” found the experience rewarding and enlightening.

“I learned from the experience to never look at something from one point of view,” said Gonzalez, a junior from Milwaukee. “Once we started creating this film…it became more evident how important it is to do your research and understand the legal, social and political aspects” of these topics.

Tatge is in her fourth year as an artist-in-residence at Lawrence. The Civic Life Project at Lawrence is modeled after a similar program she and Lasseur launched in 2010 in their home state of Connecticut. Started at one high school, the program has since expanded to 10 schools around the state.

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Lawrence University News

Freshman Lauren McLester-Davis Serves up Support, a Slice at a Time

Sophomore Kathleen Baudendistel Wins Second Straight State Singing Competition

Lawrence Hosting Community Forum on Chronic Drunk Driving Nov. 13

Percussionists Terri Lyne Carrington, Peter Erskine Headline 34th Jazz Celebration Weekend

Lawrence “Music for Food” Concerts to Benefit St. Joseph’s Food Pantry

University of Chicago Psychologist Examines Performing-Under-Stress Factors in University Convocation

Theatre Arts Department Presents the Musical “Godspell”

Student Pianists Capture Top Honors State Music Competition

Matching Gifts to Lawrence University’s Scholarship Endowment Top $11M

Public Invited to Free Screening of Lawrence’s Civic Life Project Films Oct. 28 at Fox Valley Technical College

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