Lawrence University News

Forbes: Lawrence University Graduates Among Nation’s Most “Grateful”

Graduates of Lawrence University are among the most “grateful” in the country for the education they received according to Forbes magazine.

Grateful-Grads_newsblog
Associate Professor of Religious Studies Dirck Vorenkamp and Sarah Wolfson at Lawrence’s 2012 commencement.

Lawrence was ranked 60th nationally among in Forbes’ 2014 “Grateful Grads Index,” the highest ranking of any college or university in Wisconsin.

In an attempt to measure the value of a college degree, Forbes devised a rate of return based on the amount of private gifts given to four-year, not-for-profit colleges with enrollments of at least 1,000 over the past 10 years, an institution’s full-time enrollment and its alumni participation rates.

“Lawrence has long prided itself on being a ‘grateful place,’” said Cal Husmann, vice president for alumni, development and communications. “As an institution, we are profoundly grateful for the support we receive, both in time and money from our alumni, the community and other friends of the college on behalf of our mission of educating students to lead productive, successful lives.”

Lawrence students contribute to that communal atmosphere of gratitude by regularly demonstrating their own grateful spirit. Husmann cited a question-and-answer session following a recent performance by 40 music students in Chicago as just one example.

“Gratitude was a theme common in every response, from students talking about how Lawrence is an accepting place and a college where faculty take a personal interest in the students to a community that encourages students to engage in multiple activities,” said Husmann. “After the show, I met a junior who told me with enthusiasm about the many activities and studies he was pursuing. He expressed wonder at his good fortune to have all the opportunities available at Lawrence.”

In compiling its “Grateful Grads Index,” Forbes examined government databases for information on private donations to post-secondary institutions during the past decade. The magazine also calculated the percentage of graduates who donate to their alma mater each year, giving up to an additional 20 percent weighting to any institution whose giving rate topped 30 percent.

From 2009 through 2013, Lawrence’s alumni participation rate averaged 39.3 percent, 19th-best among the top 100 ranked schools in the Forbes index.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence International Hosts 38th Annual Cabaret

More than 100 students representing 46 countries will offer a cross-cultural trip around the world from the stage of the Lawrence Memorial Chapel Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. when Lawrence International presents its 38th annual Cabaret.

Cabaret_newsblog_2Under the theme “Cultural Connection: Arriving at the Global Terminal,” Cabaret 2014 features a variety of entertainment followed by a reception of international culinary delights.

Tickets — free for children under four, $5 for children/students and $10 for adults — are available at the Warch Campus Center Information Desk, 920-832-7000 and include the reception.

“This year’s theme was chosen to portray something that many of us, either as international students or as people, experience: travelling,” explained Lawrence International president Diana Szteinberg Burstyn, a junior from Bolivia. “This year we focused on making the show more interactive. We have a very wide range of regions being represented, including the United States.”

Cabaret Graphic_newsblogOnce again, Cabaret will showcase dancing and singing from all corners of the globe in 14 separate performances, including Bollywood, Ghanian and Ethiopian dances, Thai and French songs, plus a two-part fashion show displaying traditional native dress. Sushi, samosa, fruit platters and crab rangoons and other international treats will perform their own variety show in a reception following the performances.

“Cabaret is a great way of combining cultures, art and fun,” said Szteinberg Burstyn. “Lawrence International’s main goal is to expose different cultures and bring anyone who wants to learn about them to this event. Cabaret utilizes a great resource — the students — and makes them become part of something bigger, connecting Lawrence to the community of the Fox Valley and to the rest of the world.”

This year’s Cabaret schedule includes:

  • Belly Dance
  • Ghanian Dance
  • Classical Indian Dance
  • French Song
  • Fashion Show, Part 1
  • Bangladeshi Dance (Punjabi Wedding)
  • ArgentineanTango
  • Vietnamese Dance
  • New Zealand Haka
  • Ethiopian Dance
  • Thai Song
  • Fashion Show, Part 2
  • Bollywood Dance
  • Hula Dance
  • Peruvian Dance
  • Japanese Dance

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Lawrence Cellist Miles Link Wins State Strings Competition

For the second time this year, Lawrence University cellist Miles Link has earned top honors in a state music competition.

Miles-Link_newsblog
Miles Link ’16

Miles was named grand prize winner of the Wisconsin chapter of the American String Teachers Association solo competition conducted via submitted audition tape. A sophomore from Wilmette, Ill., Link was awarded a $500 cash prize for his winning effort and will perform a series of recitals at several Wisconsin schools during the 2014-15 academic year.

A student in the cello studio of Professor of Music Janet Anthony, Link performed works by Tchaikovsky, Bach and Beethoven for the competition.

In January of this year, Link won the Young Artist division of the Wisconsin Cello Society’s competition.

Founded more than 60 years ago, the American String Teachers Association is dedicated to helping orchestra teachers and players develop and refine their careers.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

           

Kronos Quartet, Percussionists Terri Lyne Carrington, Peter Erskine, Headline Lawrence University’s 2014-15 Performing Arts Series

Kronos Quartet flashes its revolutionary approach to string repertoire while a pair of drummers share their Grammy Award-winning rhythms as headliners on Lawrence University’s 2014-15 Performing Arts Series.

Kronos web
The acclaimed Kronos Quartet — John Sherba, Sunny Yang, Hank Dutt and David Harrington — closes the Artist Series May 15, 2015.

Subscriptions for both the Artist and Jazz series are now on sale. Subscribers may choose from either series or a “Favorite 4” package, with discounts available to senior citizens and students. Single-concert tickets go on sale Sept. 17, 2014. For more information, contact the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749 or boxoffice@lawrence.edu. All concerts are held in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

“I couldn’t be more excited about next year’s Artist and Jazz Series,” said Brian Pertl, dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. “Once again the very best in the world of classical and jazz musicians will be gracing the Memorial Chapel stage.  I invite everyone to come hear what promise to be thrilling performances.”

Founded in 1973 by violinist David Harrington, Kronos Quartet closes the four-concert Artist Series on a high note Friday, May 15, 2015, performing new works by some of the country’s most celebrated contemporary composers.

“Kronos has led and continues to lead what surely must be the longest unending revolution by any ensemble ever in music history.”  — The Los Angeles Times

During a celebrated career spanning four decades, the Kronos Quartet—Harrington, John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola) and Sunny Yang (cello) — firmly has established itself as one the most influential groups of this generation.

With a discography totaling more than 50 recordings and 2.5 million in recording sales, Kronos has combined fearless exploration with an unwavering commitment to expand the range and context of the string quartet. Among the San Francisco-based quartet’s many honors are a 2004 Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance and 2003 Musicians of the Year honors from Musical America.

The chamber music trio of cellist David Finckel, pianist Wu Han and violinist Phillip Setzer opens the Artist Series Friday, Oct. 17. Individually, each has enjoyed stellar musical careers. Finckel and Han, Musical America’s 2012 Musicians of the Year, have served as artistic directors of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2004. Setzer, founding and current member of the acclaimed Emerson String Quartet, has appeared with leading symphony orchestras around the country, including the National Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Aspen Chamber Symphony, among others.

Stober web
Soprano Heidi Stober ’00 performs on the Artist Series March 13, 2015.

Soprano Heidi Stober returns to her alma mater for a Friday, March 13, 2015 Artist Series performance with the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra. A 2000 Lawrence graduate, Stober is currently principal artist at the Deutsche Oper Berlin after making her house debut in 2008 as Pamina in “The Magic Flute.”

“The one bright spot to this production was the luminous Oscar of Heidi Stober. Vocally scintillating, brilliant but rich in color, Stober was simply magnificent.”
— Opera News

She also has sung Pamina for the Metropolitan Opera, Nannetta in “Falstaff” for the San Francisco Opera, Ada in the world premiere of Theodore Morrison’s “Oscar” for the Santa Fe Opera and Musetta in a new production of Puccini’s “La bohème” at the Houston Grand Opera.

Melding the energy of rock music with the precision and nuance of classical chamber works, Third Coast Percussion visits the Memorial Chapel on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Employing an impressive array of instruments, Third Coast Percussion explores and expands the extraordinary sonic possibilities of the percussion repertoire, delivering a unique audience experience. Founded in 2005, the quartet champions the music of John Cage, Steve Reich, George Crumb and others.

Carrington web
Terri Lyne Carrington opens Jazz Celebration Weekend Nov. 7 with a tribute to her Grammy-winning album “The Mosaic Project.”

A pair of Grammy Award-winning drummers — Terri Lyne Carrington and Peter Erskine — kick off the Jazz Series, sharing the spotlight Nov. 7-8, respectively, for Lawrence’s 34th annual Jazz Celebration Weekend.

Carrington opens Jazz Celebration Weekend with a big-band tribute to her 2011 Grammy-Award winning album “The Mosaic Project.” She’ll be joined on stage by pianist Geri Allen, singer Lizz Wright and trumpeter Ingrid Jenson, who previously performed at Jazz Celebration Weekend in 2008.

Carrington honed her jazz chops during 20-plus years of touring with jazz greats Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Clark Terry, among others.

Erskine, who began playing drums at the age of four, has been at the forefront of world-class jazz ensembles for more than 40 years, starting with Stan Kenton’s band in 1972. He’s also played and recorded with Maynard Ferguson, Weather Report, the Brecker Brothers, the Yellowjackets, Chick Corea and a host of others.

His recording credits include an astonishing 500 albums with artists ranging from Diana Krall and Pat Metheny to Steely Dan and Joe Henderson as well as 10 solo albums. He’s been recognized 10 times in the jazz drummer category by Modern Drummer magazine’s annual Readers’ Poll.

Robert Glaspe-newsblog
Robert Glasper performs on the Jazz Series Jan. 30, 2015.

Pianist Robert Glasper shares his unique brand of jazz/hip-hop/R&B in a Jazz Series concert Friday, January 30, 2015.

A native of Houston, his accessible melodies, tumultuous beats and bright lyricism has been compared to jazz icons Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. He will be joined by his electric band — Chris Dave (drums), Derrick Hodge (electric bass) and Casey Benjamin (saxophone, vocoder).

Glasper’s 2012 disc, “Black Radio,” which blurred the lines of jazz, hip-hop, R&B and rock & roll, entered the Billboard jazz charts at number one.

Accomplished keyboardist/composer/arranger Jon Cowherd closes the Jazz Series Thursday, April 17, 2015 with a presentation of his “Mercy Project,” which he describes as “a personal milestone.”

While Cowherd’s instrumental work has been featured on albums spanning artists as diverse as Iggy Pop, Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn and Victoria Williams, 2012’s “Mercy” is his first album under his name. “Mercy” is compelling evidence of Cowherd’s remarkable sensitivity, inventiveness and versatility as both composer and musician.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Honoring Two State Teachers as ‟Outstanding Educators”

Eric Anderson, band director at Verona Area High School, and Lynette Schultz, an English teacher at Williams Bay Jr./Sr. High School, will be honored Sunday, May 4 with Lawrence University’s 2014 Outstanding Teaching in Wisconsin Award.

Eric-Anderson_newsblog
Eric Anderson

They each will receive a certificate, a citation and a monetary award from Lawrence President Mark Burstein in ceremonies at the president’s house. Their respective schools also will receive $250 for library acquisitions.

The recipients are nominated by Lawrence seniors and selected on their abilities to communicate effectively, create a sense of excitement in the classroom, motivate their students to pursue academic excellence while showing a genuine concern for them in and outside the classroom. Since launching the award program in 1985, Lawrence has recognized 62 high school teachers.

Anderson has directed the concert band, wind ensemble and symphonic band while also teaching AP music theory at Verona High School since 2006. Additionally, he directs pep band, oversees rehearsals for school musicals and organizes tours around the country for all of the band students.

Infectiously Enthusiastic

Lawrence senior Catie DeMets called Anderson “one of my most influential mentors” in nominating him for the award.

“He brings an incredible amount of energy to each of these activities, devoting such sincere attention and enthusiasm to each student that they can’t help but feel excited, inspired, and valued,” wrote DeMets, a 2010 Verona High School graduate and environmental studies and geology major at Lawrence. “His communication skills in teaching and directing never failed to be engaging, clear, and stimulating. He constantly challenged us to pour all of our energy into the task at hand. But he didn’t force this with practice records or required lessons. We were simply motivated to do so because he was infectiously enthusiastic about music.”

A member of the National Association for Music Educators, Anderson serves as conductor/music director as well as board member of the Verona Area Concert Band and also sits on the board of directors of the UW-Madison School of Music Alumni Association.

He has been the recipient of a Will Schmid Scholarship through the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance Workshop, which recognizes a person who has exhibited “special interest in teaching and an enthusiasm for helping other music educators.”

The University of Wisconsin honored Anderson in 2009 with a Cooperating Personnel Award for “outstanding contributions to the school of education.”

Anderson, who began his teaching career in 1999 as band director at Stoughton’s River Bluff Middle School, earned a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education from UW– Madison and a master’s degree in education media design and technology from Full Sail University.

Lynette-Schultz_newsblog
Lynette Schultz

Schultz joined the Williams Bay English department in 2011, where she teaches English 10 and 11, AP English, college prep reading & writing and is the faculty advisor for the school’s Forensics team, creative writing club, and drama club.

She previously spent three years at Kenosha’s St. Joseph High School, two years at her alma mater, Webster High School, and two years as a Title VII/home school coordinator for the Saint Croix Ojibwe Tribe in Hertel.

In addition to her classes at St. Joseph’s, Schultz coached the Forensics team (speech and debate) and oversaw the school newspaper and yearbook.

Engaged, Challenging, Sensitive

Senior Lindsay Browne, a three-year student of Schultz’s at St. Joseph’s and a 2010 graduate of the school, said “nothing could have better prepared me more for my future life at Lawrence than Ms. Schultz’s mentorship” in her nomination letter.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Ms. Schultz is an excellent teacher,” wrote Brown, a biology and history major at Lawrence. “Engaged in the material and with the students she’s teaching…her classes are challenging because she expects her students to work hard and think deeply.  She is sensitive to her students’ learning needs as individuals; seamlessly supplementing analytical discussion and writing assignments by incorporating additional digital, creative or theatrical material into her lesson plans in order to interest and engage her students.”

Schultz earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UW-River Falls.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Kenny Garrett Quintet Closes Lawrence University 2013-14 Jazz Series

Grammy Award-winning alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett returns to the Lawrence University stage with his jazz quintet for an encore performance — 14 years after his Appleton debut — Friday May 2 at 8 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in the final concert of the 2013-14 Lawrence Jazz Series.

Kenny-Garrett_newsblog
Kenny Garrett closes Lawrence’s Jazz Series May 2, 14 years after first appearing on the Memorial Chapel stage.

Tickets, at $22-24 for adults, $20-22 for seniors and $17-19 for students, are available at the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749 or boxoffice@lawrence.edu.

Garrett, who got his start as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1978, has emerged as the preeminent alto saxophonist of his generation.  Renowned for his talents as a soloist as well as his compositions as a bandleader, Garrett visits Lawrence in the midst of an international tour and in the wake of another Grammy nomination for his recent album “Pushing the World Away.”

Lawrence faculty saxophonist Jose Encarnacion says Garrett ranks along side jazz giants Charlie Parker and Julian “Cannonball” Adderely as “one of the most important alto saxophone voices in jazz music.”

“Kenny Garrett is one of my heroes and biggest inspiration,” said Encarnacion. “He is one of the most important alto saxophone players in the history of jazz. His solos are in perfect harmony with the universe.”

Praised by AllMusic.com for writing jazz compositions with “that mercurial something,” Garrett is known for his distinctive sound, simultaneously vigorous and melodic. He has worked with a laundry list of jazz legends such as Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey and Woody Shaw.

Garrett will be joined on the Chapel stage by his accomplished bandmates: bassist Corcoran Holt; drummer McClenty Hunter; pianist Vernell Brown and percussionist Rudy Bird.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Environmental Passion Earns Lawrence Junior Zechariah Meunier $5,000 Udall Scholarship

 Zechariah Meunier is itching to fight the “continuing crusade” of conservation education.

Zech-Meunier_newsblog
Zechariah Meunier ’15

The Lawrence University junior from Marshall, Wis., will work toward those efforts after being named one of only 50 national recipients of a $5,000 Udall Scholarship. Meunier was selected from among 489 candidates throughout the country.

Awarded by the Arizona-based Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, the scholarships are awarded to students committed to careers related to the environment, Native American health care or tribal policy.

Stewart Udall, the former Secretary of the Interior, urged biologists to speak directly and frankly on what they know about evolving controversies that concern environmental problems. It is a message that resonates deeply with Meunier, a biology and environmental studies major.

An Advocate for Biodiversity and Habitat Conservation

“As an ecologist, I will strive throughout my professional career to blur the boundaries between research, education, and advocacy,” said Meunier, whose career plans include a Ph.D. and a teaching position at the collegiate level. “In our technoscientific age, it is crucial that scientists engage meaningfully in society.

“I plan to use my professorship as a platform to conduct research about community dynamics and human impact on ecosystems,” he added. “I want to educate students, the scientific community and the public through lectures, books, articles and field trips. I hope to be a prominent advocate for biodiversity and habitat conservation.”

Meunier has already begun spreading the environmental gospel as vice president and cofounder of Lawrence’s Bird and Nature Club and current co-president of the Ecology and Conservation Organization.

Last year, Meunier was awarded a $4,500 Gilman Scholarship through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. He spent 11 weeks in Madagascar on a study-abroad program based at Centre ValBio, a research station in Ranomafana National Park where he observed and studied environmental issues related to rainforest degradation and conservation.

As a Udall Scholar, Meunier will travel to Tucson, Ariz., in early August to participate in a five-day Scholar Orientation, where he will meet with environmental policymakers and community leaders as well as other scholarship winners and program alumni.

“I’m looking forward to collaborating and networking with environmentally-minded students from all disciplines as we endeavor to find sustainable solutions,” Meunier said of his upcoming scholar orientation.

Meunier is Lawrence’s third Udall Scholarship recipient in as many years and the sixth in the program’s 17-year history. He joins Chelsea Johnson (2013), Hava Blair (2012), Stephen Rogness (2003), Gustavo Setrini (2001) and Jacob Brenner (1999) as Lawrence Udall Scholars.

Founded in 1992, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation is one of five federal foundations established by Congress. Among the missions of the foundation is to increase awareness of the importance of the nation’s natural resources, foster a greater recognition and understanding of the role of the environment, public lands and resources in the development of the United States and identify critical environmental issues.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Film Festival Showcases Student Projects

From a woman’s struggle within an abusive relationship to a comical personification of a cat, the creative results of 13 budding Lawrence University student filmmakers will be showcased Saturday, April 26 at 4:30 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema in the second annual Lawrence Student Film Festival. The event is free and open to the public.

Dinner for Two_newsblog
A scene from Peter Emery’s “Dinner for Two.”

The festival features 15 films ranging from as short as one minute to a nine-minute documentary. The festival line-up includes:

• “Dinner for Two” (Peter Emery ’15, 2:00), a woman’s struggle within an abusive relationship.

• “Egg” (Pat Commins ’15, 2:20), a documentary on the not-for-profit organization One Egg Rwanda, which provides small children one egg every day to combat the effects of protein malnutrition.

•  “Nollywood in Sierra Leone” (Kate Siakpere ’14, 9:00), a documentary on Nigerian cinema, the second largest film industry in the world affecting smaller, neighboring African countries.

•  “Cat Man” (Brooks Eaton ’14, 1:00) a comical advertisement about a personification of a cat.

• “I am Not Jeffrey Collins” (Alex Babbitt ’15, 6:29), a post-MySpace existential comedy.

•  “Rabbits – Behind the Scenes” (Peter Emery ’15 4:00), a mockumentary about a director’s attempt to keep his job in a struggling video series.

• “Do the Squirrel: Making ‘Long Live the Squirrels’” (Nathan Lawrence ’15, 6:00), a documentary on the process of creating “Long Live the Squirrels,” a feature-length film shot on the Lawrence campus last fall and scheduled for release later this year.

Awake-in-Art_newsblog
A scene from Brooks Eaton’s “Awake in Art.”

• “Awake in Art” (Brooks Eaton ’14, 1:00), a touching, proof-of-concept film made for Mofilm, an advertising competition, about a mother discovering one of her daughter’s talents.

• “Back to Home” (Maisha Rahman ’14, 5:20), a profile of Lawrence Professor of Government Claudena Skran and her commitment to helping foreign students at Lawrence.

• “The Theft” (Reed Robertson ’17, 4:20; Jamie DeMotts ’16, 2:10). Two versions of a crime film assembled from the same raw footage.

The festival also will include the final project films of  Anna Johnson Ryndová’s “Principles of Editing” class, in which students had to make a creative “how to” video,  the idea of which was to describe a particular process in a visually compelling way, using as little dialogue or narration as possible. Each student conceived, directed, shot and edited all the material themselves.

• How To Put On Red Lipstick (Katerina Kimoundri ’15, 2:35)

• How To Bury a Dead Body (Kate Siakpere ’14, 4:00)

• Toast (Alexcia Jellum ’16, 4:10)

• How To Build A Snowskate Obstacle (Evan Flack ’14, 5:00)

• The Dinner (Htee Moo ’15 ,3:40)

How-toSnowscape_newsblog
A scene from Evan Flack’s “How To Build A Snowskate Obstacle.”

The films were produced in Lawrence’s film studies program with the assistance of award-winning PBS filmmaker Catherine Tatge, a 1972 Lawrence graduate who is serving as an artist-in-residence, and Ryndová, lecturer of film studies and video editor.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Sets Student Application Record

In an application year that was beset with unusual phenomena, including a major glitch with the 2014 online Common Application and a shrinking number of college-bound students nationwide, Lawrence University still set an all-time high in freshman applications with 2,734 students — and counting — applying for admission for fall 2014 in advance of the May 1 National Candidates Reply Date.

Ken-Anselment_newsblog
Ken Anselment

“We seemed to buck a trend this year in the upper Midwest,” said Ken Anselment, dean of admissions and financial aid. “In our primary areas of Wisconsin and Illinois, which has been and will continue to see shrinking numbers of 17- and 18-year-olds, we have seen an increase of about two percent in our applications.”

West, East Coasts Fuel Increase

This year’s application mark tops the college’s previous high of 2,711 set last year and represents a nearly nine percent increase from five years ago. Despite the record-setting number, Anselment said Lawrence is still accepting applications for the 2014-15 academic year “from those students who are a good fit for Lawrence.”

Contributing even more to Lawrence’s increase in applications is growth far beyond the Upper Midwest, most notably California, which grew 20 percent this year, as well as New York, up seven percent from last year. Both states are in Lawrence’s top five home states for applications.

Lawrence also set a record for international applications, 415 (and counting), with China leading the way with more than 130 applications, followed by Vietnam, Ghana, Jamaica, Pakistan and Canada.

“Quality and diversity appear to be on the rise with this class, which made our job of selecting students that much tougher,” said Anselment, whose admission staff has shifted its energy and attention from admitting this fall’s class to enrolling them.

Over the past month, hundreds of students have visited the campus to take an up-close look at Lawrence before making their final decisions by the May 1 deadline.

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Not Just Fiddlin’ Around: Martha McDonnell Helping Launch World Premiere of Sting Musical in Chicago

Martha-McDonnell_newsblog1
Martha McDonnell ’14

Martha McDonnell is going to miss a seminal moment in her life: her upcoming college graduation ceremony.

And she has musical icon Sting to “thank” for her absence.

The Lawrence University senior and serious fiddler from Wayne, Ill., won’t be able to personally accept her Bachelor of Music diploma at commencement on June 15. Instead, she will be busy performing as a hand-selected member of the pit orchestra for the world premiere run of Sting’s new musical “The Last Ship,” which opens June 10 at downtown Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre.

The production is loosely based on the 16-time Grammy Award winner’s ship-building hometown of Wallsend, England. Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, “The Last Ship” is scheduled for a 38-show run in Chicago before heading to Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre in late September.

Thanks to a recommendation from a Scottish fiddle-playing friend of hers, McDonnell was extended one of a limited number of invitations to audition for a chair in the show’s orchestra.

“Going into it, I was very anxious because it wasn’t like any audition I’ve ever done and I really had no idea what to expect.” McDonnell said of the audition conducted at Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theatre. “Sting actually hadn’t shown up yet, but he came in just as I sat down to start playing.

“The audition was really casual and laid-back. Sting played his guitar and sang while the show’s music director played the piano,” McDonnell added. “I realized it was just a jam session like I do all the time with my band and at home, so I felt really comfortable. There were a few other musicians auditioning on different instruments as well. We were this little chamber group playing with Sting. It was really fun.”

No Notes, Just Chords

What made the audition unique was the fact McDonnell wasn’t given a written-out score to play. They provided her charts just with chords, no notes.

“Basically I had to listen to the recordings and write most of my own part,” McDonnell explained. “That was a really cool experience because I feel like Sting and his music director got to hear my musicality, my musical thoughts more than just how well I could play what they gave me.”

Martha-McDonnell_newsblog2McDonnell is currently working with Sting and his music director while writing her own fiddle part for the show.

As part of the audition, a personal request from Sting provided an opportunity for McDonnell to showcase her solo skills. She dazzled him with a pair of traditional Scottish fiddle tunes: “Pigeon on the Gate” and “Dinky’s Reel.”

“They seemed to like those,” said McDonnell, who began playing classical violin at the age of six, but had an epiphany the first time she played  “Boilin’ Them Cabbages Down.”

As her musicianship has evolved, McDonnell has employed the discipline and technique of her classical training to take her fiddling to the next level. Conversely, fiddle music also has added depth and joy to her classical performances.

“I realized early on in my playing that these two worlds rarely intersect,” said McDonnell, who plays violin in the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra. “Particularly in my formative years of classical training, I was advised to quit my fiddling ‘hobby,’ as it would only hold me back from becoming a ‘real’ concert violinist. Luckily, my passion for fiddling endured and I have worked to bridge the gap between these two worlds I inhabit.”

Founder of the Involuntary String Band

An important part of her fiddle world includes the Involuntary String Band, a popular folk fusion group that McDonnell founded in 2012. The four-member band grew out of a Lawrence class, the Entrepreneurial Musician, taught by Brian Pertl, dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music.

Martha-McDonnell_newsblog3“Martha is a fine violinist, amazing fiddler and wonderful person,” said Pertl. “I first saw her burning passion for fiddling in my Entrepreneurial Musician class. Her joyful nature comes out in everything she does. I am quite sure her gig with Sting will be just the first step in a long and exciting musical journey.”

In its short existence, McDonnell’s Involuntary String Band has already performed for both Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television, wowed the audience as the musical guest for a Lawrence convocation last spring, played in Appleton’s inaugural Mile of Music festival last August and most recently performed a bluegrass concerto with the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra.

“I want to introduce the folk music I love so much to other classical and non-classical musicians in the hope they will break the musical boundaries we have been given,” said McDonnell. “I want to not only mix American styles of folk music, but also to merge them with international fiddling styles and introduce them to a new audience.”

As for whether McDonnell will accompany “The Last Ship” on to New York’s Great White Way later this year, that is still to be determined.

“I think anything’s possible, but that hasn’t been brought up yet,” said McDonnell. “I am hoping I can use this experience as a launching pad for other opportunities.”

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 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.