Lawrence University News

Lawrence Mourns the Death of Professor Emeritus Mojmir Povolny

Mojmir Povolny, Emeritus Professor of Government and Henry M. Wriston Professor of Social Sciences died suddenly in Appleton. He was 90 years old.

Professor Povolny taught at Lawrence from 1958 to 1987. He began his academic career with a J.D. degree from Masaryk University School of Law in Czechoslovakia.

He came to the United States and earned a Ph.D. degree in International Relations from the University of Chicago. At Lawrence, Professor Povolny taught courses on human rights, international politics, European democracies, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia and Communist rule. He was an active figure on the Lawrence campus. In 1969, he became the chair of The Select Committee on Planning which was charged with investigating the elements of a revised liberal arts education at Lawrence and formulating a coherent institutional plan that would lead to the implementation of a liberal arts curriculum at Lawrence. In addition, during his tenure at Lawrence, Professor Povolny shepherded more than 50 LU mentees. He was honored with the Lawrence University Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1986.

Upon his retirement in 1987, Povolny was praised for his service as an “academic dean, department chair, wise counselor to presidents, confidant to colleagues, pedagogical innovator, scholar, and, above all, generous guide and teacher to students.” To honor his retirement, the Mojmir Povolny Prize in Government was established. It is given annually to an outstanding senior government student.

In recognition of Povolny’s commitment to the education of students, the Department of Government named its lecture series after him. Since 1987 the Mojmir Povolny Lecturship in International Studies has brought numerous distinguished internationally acclaimed scholars to campus to address crucial issues of the day.

“Professor Povolny was a wonderful colleague and a gentleman,” said Provost and Dean of the Faculty Dave Burrows. “He played a central role in helping Lawrence become aware of the vital importance of global affairs in the life of each person. He inspired the Povolny lecture series that is a critical part of the intellectual life of the University. Always friendly and supportive, he was a central figure in Lawrence’s development as a nationally prominent university.”

Professor Povolny also took an active role in international politics. After the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948, during which he was executive secretary of the Benes Party, he left the country. He worked with the anti-communist movement in exile. From 1974 to 1993, he served as chair of the council. He has also served on the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and with the American Friends Service Committee. On October 28, 1995 the independence day of the Czech Republic, Czech President Vaclav Havel presented him with the Masaryk Order, the Czech Republic’s highest civilian honor, “for his service to democracy and human rights”.

Professor Povolny is survived by his wife, Joy, and sons Daniel and David.

A formal obituary will be published in the Appleton-Post Crescent.

An on-campus memorial is being planned. Details will be forthcoming.

Lawrence University Political Scientist Sees “Generational” Matchup in U.S. Senate Race

Lawrence University political scientist Arnold Shober sees a “generational” political matchup this November in the race for Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring four-term Democrat Sen. Herb Kohl.

Shober says Tommy Thompson, a former four-term Republican governor, and Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who has represented Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District since 1999, not only represent different political “cultures,” but also face different challenges in this election.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

 

Lawrence University Tops Wisconsin Colleges in Annual Forbes Rankings

For the fifth consecutive year, Lawrence University was ranked first among 13 Wisconsin colleges included on Forbes’ annual ranking of “America’s Top Colleges.”

The 2013 Forbes report, prepared by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for College Affordability and Productivity, lists Lawrence 85th among 650 of the nation’s leading undergraduate colleges, 75th among private colleges and 16th among Midwestern colleges.

The rankings are based on five categories: post graduate career success, student satisfaction and retention rate, student debt, four-year graduation rates and competitive awards, such as Rhodes, Fulbright and Watson scholarships.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

2013 Fiske Guide Cites Lawrence’s University’s “Eclectic Approach to Learning”

“A school that can appeal to both the left and right side of students’ brains.”

That’s how former New York Times education editor Edward Fiske describes Lawrence University in his just-published “Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013.”

The guide, a selective and systematic look at 319 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and Great Britain, is published annually as a resource for college-bound students and their families on which to base their educational choices.

In a profile of Lawrence, Fiske cites the college for its “eclectic approach to learning that attracts interested and interesting students from around the world.”  The guide also highlights Lawrence’s commitment to individualized learning, the expertise of the faculty and its broad, off-campus study opportunities.

Among the guides features:

• updated overviews of the best and most interesting colleges and universities with details on academics, campus setting, student body, financial aid, housing, food, social life and extracurricular activities

 • a listing of schools that no longer require the SAT or ACT of all applicants, of which Lawrence is one.

•  a “If You Apply To” feature, which contains vital information about each college’s admission policies, including deadlines and essay topics.

Fiske spent 17 years as education editor of the New York Times. He compiles his guide as a tool to broaden students’ horizons about American higher education and help them select the right college that 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 world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Chinese Students Visit Lawrence University as Part of Midwest “Rivers as Bridges” Tour

Lawrence University welcomes more than 20 top Chinese high school students and their advisors Saturday, August 4 as part of an 18-day educational tour of Midwest colleges.

The visit is part of the “Rivers as Bridges” program, which seeks to establish relationships between the people of the Mississippi and Yangtze basins using culture, conservation and commerce as frames of reference. During the nearly three-week-long program, the students are learning scientific procedures in field research, wet labs and hands-on experiments involving air, water, biology, soil, fisheries, wildlife and wetlands.

In conjunction with their visit, the students will conduct a poster session in the Warch Campus Center for invited guests that reflect topics they’ve studied on their Midwest visit, including the Mississippi River, water and land resources, environmental protection and American culture, among others. Lawrence student research from recent trips to China also will be presented. A dinner and certificate presentation honoring the students follows the poster display.

“Lawrence is delighted to welcome this group of talented Chinese students who are both prospective future Lawrentians and Chinese leaders. These activities nicely complement Lawrence’s own Sustainable China Program with its emphasis on developing new courses, study-abroad opportunities and collaborative research projects in China, all with an environmental focus,” said Marty Finkler, professor of economics and one of the SCP’s leaders.

Lawrence launched its Sustainable China Program last summer with the help of a $50,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.

One of the Rivers as Bridges program’s goals is to begin a youth-inspired relationship designed to renew the 1972 Shanghai Communiqué, a diplomatic document signed by President Richard Nixon and China Premier Zhou Enlai that sought to normalize relations between the two countries.

“We are excited to be part of history in connecting the people of our countries, using rivers as bridges,” said Xiaojun Lu, president of the Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students and Scholars, which is sponsoring the nearly three-week event along with the Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources.

Lawrence is one of 21 stops on the 2012 River as Bridges tour that also included trips to Chicago, Davenport, Iowa, and Madison, among others.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Lawrence University Tubist Wins International Music Competition

Lawrence University student Trevor Litsey earned first-place honors in the recent International Tuba and Euphonium Association’s “Mock Orchestra Audition Competition” held at the Brucknerhaus in Linz, Austria.

Trevor Litsey '14

A junior tuba performance major from Birmingham, Ala., Litsey was named the winner from among four finalists, earning a first-place prize of 600 euros. He later performed in concert with the North Austrian Wind Ensemble during the ITEA’s international conference June 23-30.

Litsey was one of 20 musicians invited to Austria from among nearly 60 applicants worldwide who auditioned originally via taped recording.  The semifinals and finals were adjudicated by judges representing orchestras in Germany and the United States, including Carol Jantsch, principal tubist with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

A student in the tuba studio of Lawrence lecturer in music Marty Erickson, Litsey is the fourth Lawrence tubist in the past six years to win a prize in a major national or international competition.

On the heels of his winning performance in Austria, Litsey is spending July in Washington, D.C., as the only tuba player selected for the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute. He is participating in chamber music activities at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and receiving private lessons with National Symphony tubist Steven Dumain.

During the month-long program, Litsey is performing in side-by-side concerts with the National Symphony in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. He was chosen for the prestigious program based on a recorded orchestral excerpt presentation.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

President Obama Nominates Lawrence University Alumnus for U.S. Ambassadorship

The White House has announced Lawrence University graduate Walter North has been nominated by President Obama as U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Republic of Vanuatu.

Walter North '72

A 1972 graduate of Lawrence originally from Mount Hermon, Mass., North is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and currently serves as Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Egypt.  He previously served as USAID Mission Director in Indonesia (2007-2011); India (2000-2004); and Zambia (1996-2000), as well as Deputy Mission Director in Ethiopia (1992-1996).

North’s positions at USAID’s Washington headquarters have included interim assistant administrator for the Bureau for Africa (2006-2007); deputy assistant administrator for the Bureau for Policy and Program Coordination (2005-2006); and deputy assistant administrator for the Bureau for Asia and the Near East (2004-2005).

Prior to joining USAID in 1980, North was a project manager for the non-profit, humanitarian organization, CARE in India and Bangladesh, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in theatre-drama at Lawrence, North earned a juris doctor degree from George Washington University Law School and a master of public administration degree from Harvard University.

Christopher Murray, a 1975 Lawrence graduate, is currently the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo. David Mulford, a 1959 Lawrence graduate, served as U.S. Ambassador to India from 2004-2009. Shaun Donnelly, a 1968 Lawrence graduate, served as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1997-2000.  From the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Donnelly concurrently served as non-resident U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Maldives.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold Named Lawrence University Scarff Professor

Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will spend part of the Fall Term at Lawrence University as the college’s 2012-13 Stephen Edward Scarff Distinguished Visiting Professor.

The Scarff professorship was established in 1989 by Edward and Nancy Scarff in memory of their son, Stephen, a member of the Lawrence class of 1975, who died in an automobile accident in 1984. It brings civic leaders and scholars to Lawrence to provide broad perspectives on the central issues of the day.

Russ Feingold

Feingold received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Lawrence in 2011 and spoke as part of the college’s 1994-95 convocation series.

During his Scarff appointment, Feingold will present guest lectures for the courses “Introduction to International Relations,” “International Politics” and others. He also will deliver a public address and participate in a weekend retreat with students at Björklunden, Lawrence’s 425-acre northern campus in Door County.

“We are extremely pleased that Senator Feingold will be able to offer his insights and wisdom directly to Lawrence’s students,” said Provost and Dean of the Faculty David Burrows. “His experience in government will complement our programs that stress the theoretical analysis of political systems with actual examples of how our politics works in contemporary life. His commitment to improving the living conditions of our citizens is a fine example of civic engagement and will serve as a helpful model for students, faculty and staff.”

One of Wisconsin’s highest-profile elected officials, Feingold spent 28 years in public service as both a three-time state senator (1982-92) and U.S. Senator (1994-2010). During his 18 years in Congress, Feingold established himself as one of the U.S. Senate’s most independent voices. He was the lone senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001, opposed President Obama’s decision to expand the war in Afghanistan, was the first senator to propose a timetable to exit Iraq and fought against NAFTA and other financial deregulation and trade agreements he considered unfair.

“I could not be more pleased to be working with the students at one of the great pillars of education in Wisconsin, one that has produced some of Wisconsin’s strongest civic leaders,” said Feingold.

In 2011, Feingold accepted a visiting professor appointment at Marquette University Law School to teach the courses “Current Legal Issues: The U.S. Senate” and “Jurisprudence.”

Feingold also was named the inaugural Mimi and Peter Haas Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University during the winter quarter of 2012 and will return to Stanford Law School to teach in 2013.

He is the author of the New York Times’ best-selling book “While America Sleeps,” which examines the challenges America faces as a nation since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In 2011, Feingold founded Progressives United, a grassroots organization designed to counter corporate influence in politics.

A native of Janesville, Feingold graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1975 and earned a law degree in 1977 from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He returned to the states and earned a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1979. Feingold practiced law in Madison from 1979-85.

Feingold is the 18th person named Lawrence’s Scarff Professor. Previous appointments include McGeorge Bundy, national security adviser to presidents Kennedy and Johnson; Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr., former chaplain at Yale University, noted civil rights advocate and peace activist; and Takakazu Kuriyama, former Japanese Ambassador to the U.S.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Student Flutist Leo Sussman Wins National Competition in San Francisco

Lawrence University’s Leo Sussman earned first-place honors in the recent 2012 San Francisco Flute Festival competition.

A sophomore at Lawrence, Sussman was one of four flutists selected for the finals of the national competition via submitted video audition.

Leo Sussman '15

In a live, 10-minute finals recital conducted June 17 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Sussman performed “Sonata Appassionata” by Sigfrid Karg-Elert and Robert Muczynski’s “Sonata for Flute and Piano, Movement IV: Allegro con Moto.”

For his winning performance, Sussman received a $250 prize and an invitation to perform as a soloist with a flute choir at the 2013 San Francisco Flute Festival next June.

This was the first time Sussman, a San Francisco resident, had entered the competition, which features both an adult (over 18) and youth (under 18) division.

A double degree candidate pursuing majors in flute performance and physics, Sussman is a student in the studio of assistant professor of music Erin Lesser.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,450 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Don’t Look Back: Composer Fred Sturm Pays Musical Tribute to Baseball Legend Satchel Paige

Lawrence University award-winning composer and baseball lover Fred Sturm has combined his two loves in a musical tribute to Hall of Fame pitcher Leroy Robert “Satchel” Paige.

The Baseball Music Project is releasing “Don’t Look Back,” a newly commissioned work written by Lawrence’s director of jazz studies and improvisational music that pays homage to the legendary pitcher and Negro Leagues superstar and some of his most celebrated quotes.

Named in honor of what is arguably Paige’s most famous line — “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” — the work is being released July 7 in conjunction with what would have been Paige’s 106th birthday.

Director of Jazz Studies and Improvisational Music Fred Sturm

Wisconsin musician Woody Mankowski provides the vocals and plays saxophone on the piece and is accompanied by Lawrence Conservatory of Music faculty members Bill Carrothers, piano, Dane Richeson, drums and Mark Urness, bass.

“Don’t Look Back” is Sturm’s most recent contribution to the BMP, which is part symphony concert, part musical American history lesson. Sturm’s “A Place Where It Would Always Be Spring” made its world premiere with legendary Yankees shortstop Tony Kubek serving as narrator. A 16-minute, nine-movement tour de force inspired by prose and poetry about baseball, the piece was written in 1994 for a commission by five American symphony orchestras.

“Add Satchel’s joyful swagger, humor and down home wisdom to the greatest pitching record in baseball history and you get the stuff of an American icon,” said Sturm, who serves as artistic director for the BMP. “I worked my favorite Paige quote into the song’s lyrics: ‘Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching.’ That falls somewhere between Mark Twain and Yogi Berra.”

A 1973 graduate of Lawrence, Sturm was honored with DownBeat magazine’s 2010 Jazz Education Achievement Award and was the 2003 recipient of the prestigious International Association for Jazz Education and ASCAP Commission in Honor of Quincy Jones. His works have been performed by ensembles worldwide, printed by eight international publishers and issued on four recording labels.

Leroy "Satchel" Paige

Paige was legendary for both his blazing fastball — Joe DiMaggio called him “the fastest pitcher” he had ever faced — and his storytelling. He spent most of his career in the Negro Leagues, becoming one of the league’s most colorful characters, baffling hitters and entertaining crowds with an assortment of creatively named pitches, including the “Bat Dodger” and this famous “Hesitation Pitch.”

In 1948, at the age of 42, Paige became the oldest rookie in Major League history, making his debut with Bill Veeck’s Cleveland Indians and helping them win the pennant. Although he officially retired in 1953, Paige made a special, three-inning appearance for the Kansas City Athletics in 1965, becoming MLB’s oldest player ever at the age of 59. He was elected to baseball’s coveted Hall of Fame in 1971.

The brainchild of music producer Bob Thompson, the BMP was launched in 2006 with help from Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. Through concerts, recordings and other events, the project seeks to raise awareness of the cultural lineage and historical significance of the more than 2,500 songs written about baseball.

Winfield has appeared as narrator with the BMP in performances by the Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle Symphonies, among others. A goal is to have it performed in every American community that supports both a professional baseball team and a symphony orchestra.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in 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 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.