Rick Peterson

Author: Rick Peterson

Katie Uram ’16 receives Fulbright Award for research in China

A senior honors thesis has helped Katherine Uram earn a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to China for anthropology research.

Head shot of Katie Uram — Katie Uram ’16

She is the 16th Lawrence student since 2010 to receive a Fulbright Student Program award, which is administered by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Beginning later this year, Uram, a 2016 Lawrence University graduate, will spend 10 months at China’s Guizhou Normal University, continuing research she started as a student that became her Senior Experience, “Evolving Patterns: Conflicting Perceptions of Cultural Preservation and the State of Batik’s Cultural Inheritance Among Women Artisans in Guizhou, China.”

Her Fulbright project will focus on Miao women and the preservation of their batik handicrafts in a rapidly changing cultural climate of modern China. Batik is a Chinese traditional folk handicraft for fabric printing and dyeing.

“Throughout my Fulbright project, I will be talking to these artisans about how they view their cultural identity, how their perceptions intertwine with their craft-making and how they see the future of their craft,” said Uram, a native of Naperville, Ill.

With a long-standing interest in different cultures, Uram began studying Chinese in high school. Her senior year, her family hosted an exchange student from Shanghai.

“Katie was a one-of-a-kind Lawrence student and I have no doubt she will be a one-on-a-kind Fulbright scholar.”
Carla Daughtry, associate professor of anthropology

“It was awesome when I went to China after high school for the first time to see her, visit her family and share the Chinese culture with the people,” said Uram. She has since made three more trips to China, one on a study-abroad program as a Lawrence junior and two more in 2015, one for summer research and a second as part of Lawrence’s Sustainable China Program trip in December.

Carla Daughtry, associate professor of anthropology, who served as advisor on her Senior Experience project, said Uram’s “interdisciplinary knowledge of China, stellar language skills and in-country experience and connections” made Uram a natural for a Fulbright proposal.

“Katie was a one-of-a-kind Lawrence student and I have no doubt she will be a one-on-a-kind Fulbright scholar, forging strong bi-national relations between the United States and China, and making valuable contributions to Chinese and East Asian Studies and anthropological understandings of the complex effects of globalization on ethnic Chinese handicrafts,” said Daughtry.

While Daughtry may not have had any doubts about Uram’s Fulbright prospects, the news caught Uram a bit off-guard.

“I was sitting in the car with my brother when I got an email notification on my phone,” said Uram, who is still hoping to receive a Critical Language Enhancement Award she applied for through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for additional language study in China. “I was, of course, overjoyed and then terrified and super excited all at the same time.”

Uram is among more than 1,900 Fulbright program recipients who will conduct research, teach English or provide expertise abroad during the 2017-2018 academic year. Fulbright awards are based on academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Diversity conference focuses on effective, inclusive teaching methods

Amid increasingly diverse classrooms, Lawrence University is sponsoring a conference focused on inclusive pedagogy.

Head shot of Derald Wing Sue — Multicultural scholar Derald Wing Sue

Lawrence’s inaugural diversity conference — “Teaching All Students Well: Preparing an Educated Citizenry for Wise Participation in a Diverse Democracy” — will be held Aug. 17-18 on the Lawrence campus.

The conference is organized by Kimberly Barrett, vice president for diversity and inclusion and associate dean of the faculty, and the professional development committee of the President’s Committee on Diversity Affairs.

The conference is designed to help all educators strengthen their individual learning communities through effective and inclusive teaching methods.

Highlighting the conference will be a keynote address by multicultural scholar Derald Wing Sue, professor of psychology and education in the department of counseling and clinical psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Sue also holds an appointment with Columbia’s School of Social Work.

The author of 19 books, Sue has written on topics ranging from cultural diversity and psychology of racism and antiracism to multicultural competencies and racial macroaggressions. His most recent books are 2015’s “Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues in Race” and 2013’s “Case Studies in Multicultural Counseling and Therapy.”

Sue was honored by the American Psychological Foundation in 2015 with the APF’s Gold Medal for Life Achievement in Psychology in the Public Interest, an award that recognizes distinguished careers and enduring contributions to the application of psychology in the public interest.

Registration for the conference prior to June 19 is $135. From June 20 to Aug. 11, when registration closes, registration is $175. Any non-Lawrence student can attend for $25. Registration includes a networking reception, lunch and conference materials.

Interested parties can register online to attend the conference. For questions or additional information, contact Michelle Lasecki-Jahnke at 920-832-67454 or michelle.l.lasecki-jahnke@lawrence.edu.

Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet closes Lawrence University 2016-17 Jazz Series

One of the world’s pre-eminent trombone players closes Lawrence University’s 2016-17 Jazz Series.

The Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet takes the stage of the Lawrence Memorial Chapel Saturday, May 13 at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet, at $25-30 for adults, $20-25 for seniors, $18-20 for students, are available online through the Lawrence Box Office or by calling 920-832-6749.

A member of the iconic Marsalis family — father Ellis and brothers Branford, Wynton and Jason—Delfeayo has carved his own space in the jazz world as a trombonist extraordinaire, producer and composer.

Hailed as “one of the best, most imaginative and musical trombonists of his generation” by the San Francisco Examiner, Marsalis has toured internationally with renowned bandleaders Art Blakey, Abdulla Ibrahim, Elvin Jones, Slide Hampton and Max Roach as well as leading his own groups.

Tim Albright, assistant professor of music at Lawrence who teaches trombone, says one word comes to mind whenever he listens to Delfeayo Marsalis: tasty.

“Each line is just right, every note is where it should be,” said Albright. “His sense of style and timing are vibrant and spot on. In Delfeayo’s warm sound and excellent lines you can hear a nod to the masters such as J.J. Johnson and Curtis Fuller and a look to the future. I can’t wait to have him here at Lawrence.”

Marsalis released his debut album as a leader in 1992, the Bible inspired “Pontius Pilate’s Decision” while 2014’s “The Last Southern Gentlemen” showcases his technical expertise and reveals his frequent touches of humor, such as his playful rendition of “Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?”

Last fall, in response to one of the country’s most unusual presidential elections, Marsalis and his big band —the Uptown Jazz Orchestra — released their debut album, “America Great Again!,” a collection of American music spanning African roots to the streets of Marsalis’ hometown of New Orleans.

“Each line is just right, every note is where it should be. His sense of style and timing are vibrant and spot on.
— Tim Albright, assistant professor of music

José Encarnación, director of Lawrence’s jazz studies program, calls himself “a profound admirer of the entire Marsalis family.”

“Having the master trombone player, Delfeayo Marsalis, close our Jazz Series for this year will be an honor,” said Encarnación. “I’m confident Delfeayo will provide his audience an extraordinary musical experience with his remarkable technique and fresh, innovative imagination. This is a concert not to be missed.”

A prolific producer, Marsalis has overseen nearly 100 albums, beginning with is father’s “Syndrome” album in 1983 when he was only 17 years old. Additionally, he has produced albums for his brothers Branford and Wynton, Harry Connick, Jr, Spike Lee, Terence Blanchard, Lincoln Center Jazz and many other artists.

His family’s contributions to American music earned Delfeayo, his father and three brothers the nation’s highest jazz honor – a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award in 2011. It was the first group award the NEA Jazz Masters had ever given.

He will be joined on stage by saxophonist Khari Allen Lee, pianist Victor Atkins, bass player Erick Wheeler and drummer Adonis Rose.

City of Dreams: Lawrence historian Jerald Podair chronicles the battle over Dodger Stadium in new book

Wealthy owners of major sports franchises like to speak of private-public partnerships when seeking new and improved ballparks, stadiums and arenas for their teams. Taxpayers, who often are asked to foot part or most of the construction or renovation bill, may view the arrangements more akin to hostage situations.

Lawrece Professor Jerald Podair with a copy of his latest book "City of Dreams" — Historian Jerald Podair

Lawrence University historian and life-long baseball fan Jerald Podair explores one of the earliest owner-city new ballpark negotiations and the subsequent economic and cultural impact in the book “City of Dreams: Dodger Stadium and the Birth of Modern Los Angeles” (Princeton University Press).

Podair wrote “City of Dreams” to provide a window into the complex choices cities face as they seek to balance the values of entertainment and culture against those of fiscal responsibility, of private gain against public good.

“The goal for cities seeking to build stadiums – easier said than done, of course – should be to get as much private money in the deal as possible,” says Podair, Robert S. French Professor of American Studies and professor of history at Lawrence.

In 1957, Walter O’Malley, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, moved his team to Los Angeles, where he planned to build a new ballpark in the Chavez Ravine neighborhood adjacent to downtown.

In “City of Dreams,” Podair dissects the story behind the construction of Dodger Stadium and the bitter arguments it ignited over the direction and identity of modern Los Angeles.

Questions of whether, where and how to build Dodger Stadium convulsed Los Angeles between 1957 and 1962. The debate back then — much like many today — pitted those who argued government assistance for O’Malley, in the form of a favorable deal for the acquisition of the land, was a proper means of growing the local economy and thus an appropriate “public purpose,” against those who opposed that assistance as an inappropriate “gift” of public resources to a private businessman.

“The goal for cities seeking to build stadiums – easier said than done, of course – should be to get as much private money in the deal as possible.”
— Jerald Podair

The arguments for and against also raised the issue of the relative worth of a revitalized downtown core, since Dodger Stadium would be the first of a series of planned cultural and entertainment venues that would brand Los Angeles as a national and global city in the images of New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

O’Malley’s vision prevailed and his privately constructed Dodger Stadium opened April 10, 1962. In the 50-plus years since, Dodger Stadium has contributed substantially to the civic and financial well-being of Los Angeles. But the aid O’Malley received from the city in building the stadium raised questions of when and under what circumstances public resources could legitimately be used for private goals and which constitute a true “public purpose?”

“The battle over Dodger Stadium still has profound implications today for all American cities, especially those like Milwaukee, that seek to attract or retain major league sports teams with the promise of new stadiums financed with public money,” said Podair, a native New Yorker and die-hard Mets fan. “How much public assistance to private entrepreneurs — in the form of bond debt, tax increases and the like — is too much?”

Podair, who joined the Lawrence faculty in 1998, watched the Mets win Game Seven and the 1986 World Series over the Boston Red Sox from the upper deck of the since torn-down Shea Stadium.

A specialist in 20th-century history, especially presidential history and race relations, is the author of two previous books, “The Strike that Changed New York” (Yale University Press) and “Bayard Rustin: American Dreamer” (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers).

He also co-authored, with 1975 Lawrence graduate James Merrell, “American Conversations: From the Centennial Through the Millennium” (Pearson, 2012) and was co-editor of “The Struggle for Equality” (University of Virginia Press, 2011).

Theatre Arts Dept. presents “Gint”

A tale that examines our potential to live together and love each other, while asking what we owe ourselves vs. what we owe others unfolds like a strange dream in the Lawrence University Theatre Arts department’s production of “Gint.”

A photo of Gint and the old vagrant woman — Jacob Dalton as Gint and Mikaela Lilly as a vagrant woman, hitch a ride in a truck bed. Gint is about to learn a devilish surprise. Photo by Hitkarsh Chanana.

Four performances will be staged in Stansbury Theater May 11-13 with an 8 p.m. show each night and an additional 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 13. Tickets, at $15 for adults, $8 for students/seniors, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Adapted from “Peer Gynt,” Henrik Ibsen’s 1876 Norwegian classic, “Gint” was written by Romulus Linney (father of actress Laura Linney) in 1996. Set in the Appalachian Mountains, the story begins in 1917 and ends in 1997 as it follows Peter Gint, a raggedy young man preoccupied drinking, lying and sexual misadventures despite aspirations of becoming “something great, grand and glorious.” His life is sprinkled with encounters with an unlikely collection of characters, including lunatics, devils and a razorback hog, who, disguised as a woman, seduces Gint.

After a long haitus from mountain country, Gint, now 75 and an ex-billionaire after losing his fortune to unscrupulous business partners, returns to Appalachia and his former love, Sally, who accepts him, faults and all.

In a break from tradition, the production will be presented “thrust-style,” with the audience seated on risers on stage on three sides of the action while the usual audience space is transformed into the Smoky Mountains.

“’Gint’ is constructed to give the audience the experience of being told a story, much like Appalachian folklore,” explained Kathy Privatt, James G. and Ethel M. Barber Professor of Theatre and Drama and associate professor of theatre arts, who is directing the production. “The arrangement limits our audience size, but it also lets the audience be in close proximity for that story-telling, community feel.”

Privatt has been a big fan of Ibsen’s “Peer Gynt” since the first time she read the play and is excited about the opportunity to direct an updated version.

A photo of three cast members of the play "Gint" — Eddie Hood (far right) and Henry Sillman (center) asylum inmates, try to convince Gint (Jacob Dalton, front) to be Emperor of the asylum they’ve taken control of. Photo by Hitkarsh Chanana.

“Ibsen’s original reads more like a movie script, with lots of gorgeous scenic vistas, not so much like a play. Linney came along and turned the story into a thoroughly theatrical play, so of course I was interested in staging it,” said Privatt, who completely coincidentally wound up on a family vacation to Appalachia shortly after selecting the play for production. “Suddenly taking vacation pictures expanded into resources for the set and lighting designers and dramaturgical research for me and the cast. It’s funny how life lines up that way sometimes.”

Senior Jacob Dalton plays the title character and sophomore Abby Simmons is Sally Vicks, the new girl in town who falls for Gint, but won’t tolerate any infidelity. Senior Olivia Gregorich portrays the matriarch of the Gint family. The remaining six cast members each play multiple roles.

The production will also feature the premiere of a modern version of a Shaker spiritual commissioned to Slipstream, a contemporary chamber quartet comprising former and current Lawrence students.

Sierra Leone minister examines water policy issues in Africa in Povolny Lecture Series

Head shot of Momodu Maligi — Momodu Maligi ’04

Momodu Maligi returns to his alma mater as a representative of the government of his native Sierra Leone to shed light on why, in some parts of Africa, water is more valuable than diamonds in a Lawrence University 2017 Povolny Lecture Series in International Studies.

Maligi, Sierra Leone’s minister for water resources, presents “Beyond Diamonds—Trade, Water and Development in Africa,” Monday, May 8 at 4:30 p.m. in Thomas A. Steitz Hall of Science 102. The event is free and open to the public.

A 2004 Lawrence graduate, Maligi has served the Sierra Leone government as minister of water resources since 2014. He speaks on water issues at international conferences around the world. Since his appointment by President Ernest Bai Koiroma, Maligi has overseen the reorganization of Sierra Leone’s water sector, rehabilitating damaged water facilities, bringing in private sector investors and changing the legal framework for water policy.

After earning a degree in government and international studies from Lawrence, Maligi earned a master’s degree in international business and public policy from Valparaiso University.

Lawrence team of student entrepreneurs hit The Pitch out of the park

Despite its baseball-themed title — The Pitch — and its obvious baseball venue — Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Class A minor league team — it took three hockey players to collect “the game’s” biggest hit.

Photos of members of the winning team at The Pitch holding their $10,000 check — Team Tracr — Ryan Eardley, Mattias Soederqvist and Felix Henricksson — picked up the first-place prize of $10,000 in cash and $15,000 in professional services.

Lawrence University’s trio of budding entrepreneurs Ryan Eardley, Felix Henriksson and Mattias Soederqvist — all members of Lawrence’s men’s hockey team — took home first-place honors at the first-ever northeast Wisconsin The Pitch competition.

Modeled after the television show “Shark Tank,” The Pitch featured eight teams of student entrepreneurs presenting their business idea to a panel of judges and room full of business leaders and mentors. The competition featured two teams each representing Lawrence, St. Norbert College, UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh.

Eardley, Henriksson and Soederqvist wowed the judges with their presentation on Tracr, a software application they developed for forensic asset analysis. The software automates the task of tracing assets acquired through fraudulent activities.

For their efforts, they collected the top prize of $10,000 in cash and an additional $15,000 in professional services (web design/development, product prototyping, marketing, legal advice, accounting support).

photos of the members of Team Tracr making their presentation — Mattias Soederqvist (left) gives “the pitch” for the team’s software application Tracr.

“This is way better than a hat trick,” said a smiling Soederqvist after receiving the first-place prize.

The Tracr application was inspired by an internship Eardley had last summer at Deloitte, a national company that provides auditing, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, tax and related services. By creating an algorithm, the team has been able reduce the function of tracking fraudulent assets from a 20-hours-by-hand process to a two-hour computer process.”

“We put in so much hard work,” said Soederqvist, a senior from Stockholm, Sweden. “We spent six weeks completing this in a data science programming class. It was a cool project. And now we are here. It’s amazing.”

Going into it, a confident Eardley felt The Pitch was “ours to lose.”

“We have a product that is proven there is a need for and that being said, makes it a lot easier to market,” said Eardley, a senior from Ile Bizard, Quebec, Canada. “I’m so glad we were able to communicate what our product does and the value that we are providing came through in our presentation.

“Now we want to complete a beta version of our software as soon as possible and get it in the hand of practitioners,” added Eardley, whose father got the last seat on an Air Canada flight to the area and flew in from Quebec for The Pitch. “We really want to gather feedback and test the robustness of the software.”

That $10,000 check will help get the ball rolling in that direction according to Henriksson.

Group photo of all the Lawrence competitors at The Pitch — Gary Vaughan (far right), coordinator of Lawrence’s I & E program mentored the university’s student entrepreneurs — Felix Henrickisson, Ryan Eardley, George Mavrakis and Mattias Soederqvist — for the inaugural The Pitch competition.

“The $10,000 is primarily going toward contracting a junior software developer, who is going to execute our vision and that of our current tech advisor,” said Henriksson, a senior from Helsinki, Finland. “We work very well together, we all have tremendous work ethic and we’re committed to carry this venture forward.”

Gary Vaughan, coordinator of Lawrence’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program and lecturer of economics, watched The Pitch unfold from the wings with the pride of a father of a new-born baby.

“I could not be prouder of these students for their accomplishments, especially the way they represented themselves and Lawrence in this event,” said Vaughan. “Team Tracr’s accomplishment is exciting and the result of a lot of hard work by the students, their professors, their alumni mentors, their parents and as international student-athletes, the support of their host families.”

Both the local host families for Eardley and Soederqvist attended The Pitch to show their support for the team.

All three Tracr team members extended sincere gratitude to Scott Myers, a 1979 Lawrence graduate and member of the university’s Board of Trustees, who has been instrumental in supporting the I & E program and The Pitch competition, financially and otherwise.

“Our I&E program is amazing,” said Soederqvist. “It’s given us the experience we would not have gotten any other way. It’s definitely been one of the best parts of my Lawrence education.”

“The efforts the I&E program at Lawrence has put forward to make this thing happen has been incredible,” Eardley added. “Behind the scene, there is so much effort that goes into something like this. I’m just extremely grateful to be a part of it.”

Photo of George Mavrakis — George Mavrakis makes his pitch for C-Star at The PItch.

Sophomore George Mavrakis also represented Lawrence at The Pitch. A saltwater aquarium aficionado who started his own business in sixth grade and won the 2016 LaunchLU contest, Mavrakis presented C-Star, a commercial product designed to eliminate one of the least favorite jobs of owning a fish tank: cleaning the sand.

Second place honors at The Pitch were awarded to Abbie Merrill from UW-Oshkosh for her “In Our Hands” political app, which enables users to comment on upcoming legislation. She received $5,000 in cash and $10,000 in professional services.

The Pitch was organized by The Fox Connection, a collaboration of academic institutions in northeast Wisconsin to enhance entrepreneurial education and opportunity for area students.

Lawrence honors two Appleton teachers as “outstanding educators”

A pair of Appleton high school teachers will be recognized Sunday, May 7 as recipients of Lawrence University’s 2017 Outstanding Teaching in Wisconsin Award.

Marlyce Reed, a history teacher at Appleton North, and Pat Schwanke, who teaches history and psychology at Appleton East, will be honored as outstanding educators.

Head shot of Marlyce Reed — Marlyce Reed

Both 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.

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 66 state teachers.

Reed joined the Appleton Area School District in 1991 and has been a member of the faculty at North High School since 2006. Her teaching experience includes AP American Studies, AP U.S. history, U.S. history, history media, civics, e-school civics as well as extensive work in the Gifted & Talented field. Since 2014, she has served as a College Board reader for Advanced Placement U.S. history exams.

North honored Reed in 2011 with its Teacher of the Year award and she is a three-time recipient of the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth Excellent Educator Award.

“Ms. Reed is a teacher who takes her role as an educator with utmost seriousness and treats her students as scholars in their own right.”
— Lawrence senior Gabriel Peterson

She created the first International Community Problems Solving Team featuring students from North High School and Shchuchye, Russia. They worked collaboratively to address safety issues related to a Cold War chemical weapons depot near the village of Shchuchye. Reed worked with numerous Russian government officials, the U.S. State and Defense Departments, the Green Cross, Parsons Company and local Shchuchye residents to establish safety programs and protocols to promote acceptance of the weapons deconstruction plant built by the U.S. government.

Lawrence senior Gabriel Peterson, who nominated Reed for the award, described her as “a dedicated, wise and hard-working teacher.”

“Ms. Reed is a teacher who takes her role as an educator with utmost seriousness and treats her students as scholars in their own right, helping them grow academically and personally through her often-rigorous curriculum,” Peterson wrote in his nomination. “Her holistic approach to teaching also gives her students valuable skills in writing and critical thinking, preparing many for further education and giving all an expanded mindset.”

Originally from Independence, Iowa and a graduate of Wisconsin’s Wonewoc-Center High School, Reed earned a bachelor of music degree from UW-Stevens Point and a master’s degree in music from Northwestern University. She also received certification in history and broad field social studies from Lawrence.

Head shot of Pat Schwanke — Pat Schwanke ’83

Schwanke has taught at East High School since 1985 and served as the head coach of the Patriots football team for the past 26 years.

He is a member of the American Psychological Association and since 2011, has been active in the Fox Valley chapter of Voices of Men, an organization that works to end sexual assault and domestic violence. From 2012-16, Schwanke coordinated the Appleton East Tackles Cancer initiative. He was presented the Helen and Ade Dillon Award in 2015, which honors an AASD staff member “who encourages a balanced life for students through excellence in education and involvement in student activities outside of the classroom.”

“Pat cares about each of his students individually and knows how to make sure every student will succeed and reach their highest potential,” Lawrence senior Aubrey Scott wrote in her nomination of Schwanke. “He always made every topic exciting and engaging. It was in Pat’s class that I first found a love for psychology and realized that I want to teach it someday and pass on that love to others, just as he does for his students.

“I hope that I can someday leave an impact on my students like Pat did with his,” Scott added. “I think any of my classmates would agree with me that he deserves this award more than anyone.”

A native of Menasha, Schwanke graduated from Lawrence in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology/secondary education with teacher certifications in broad field social studies, economics, history, political science and psychology.

“It was in Pat’s class that I first found a love for psychology and realized that I want to teach it someday…I hope that I can someday leave an impact on my students like Pat did with his.”
— Lawrence senior Aubrey Scott

A former standout tight end on the Lawrence football team who helped the Vikings win three consecutive conference championships, Schwanke was inducted into the Lawrence Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

Christopher D. Card named vice president for student life

As a college administrator with nearly 20 years of experience working closely with students, Christopher D. Card is passionate about making campus communities rigorous places for learning and personal development.

Christopher D. Card

He will soon share that passion with Lawrence University students. Lawrence President Mark Burstein announced Thursday (5/4) the appointment of Card as the university’s vice president for student life following a national search that generated more than 100 candidates.

Currently the dean of students at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., Card, 46, begins his duties at Lawrence August 1. He will oversee a staff of more than 40 professionals and manage all aspects of campus life (residence life, campus activities and Greek life), career services, the diversity center, health and wellness programs, international student services, spiritual and religious life, the volunteer center and the operations of the Warch Campus Center.

Since 1998, Card has worked with students at Trinity in a series of roles of increased responsibility. After joining the Trinity administration as assistant dean of students, he was promoted to associate dean in 2001. He spent part of the 2014-15 academic year as interim dean of students before being named dean in April of 2015.

In announcing the appointment, Burstein said Card emerged from “a wonderful set of finalists who exhibited real and very different strengths.”

“Throughout the interview process, Chris’ passion for creating a vibrant student-centered community in a liberal arts college setting, his focus on nurturing relationships and his deep commitment to learning were apparent,” said Burstein. “I’m confident we selected the right candidate for Lawrence at this time. His passion for joining us and deep understanding of who we are only confirm our decision.”

At Trinity, where he leads a team of three deans, Card said he was particularly proud of his efforts to direct the academic and personal goals of students, especially those who feel “they dwell on the periphery of the dominant campus culture.”

“From my introduction to student affairs as an undergraduate resident assistant to my current position, I’ve sought to ensure that our college communities evolve as welcoming and inclusive spaces for all students to thrive,” said Card.

“I’ve been focused on trying to develop a campus community where students have a sense of belonging, where they feel comfortable being themselves in the conversation,” he added. “I do believe for us to cultivate and grow good scholars, there has to be a sense of personal investment in the community which I live. I’ve been careful to meet students where they are, figure out how they describe and pen their own trajectory.”

Card said he was drawn to Lawrence as a “progressive, forward-thinking community.”

“As I looked at the challenges Lawrence has ahead of it, what they are trying to do and my skill sets currently, I thought it would be a great environment to connect with,” said Card.

“The people whom I had conversations and met with were great. I’m excited to work with students who are highly engaged with the community. It was a good fit, and a place I believe I can help making some positive changes and develop an even stronger community here.”

Kim Dickson, associate professor of biology and a member of the university’s 13-member search that included four faculty and five students, said she was struck by Card’s approachability, warmth, and thoughtful responses to the committee’s questions.

“It was immediately apparent that Chris is a tremendous student advocate and a strong presence on his current campus,” said Dickson. “As our conversations evolved, it also became clear that Chris is a respected team leader whose work is guided by his commitment to education, respectful discourse and creativity. I think he is a great fit for Lawrence.”

At Trinity, Card has worked closely with the college’s chaplaincy, assisting on issues related to students’ spiritual life and serving as a staff advisor to the Interfaith organization. He has spent the past six years as chair of both Trinity’s emergency management team and the behavioral intervention (threat assessment) team.

He has been recognized with numerous honors at Trinity, including the David Winer Award for his “commitment to improving the quality of life for students in an especially meaningful way.”

Tamanna Akram, a junior from Dhaka, Bangladesh, president of Lawrence International and a member of the search committee, described meeting Card as “a great experience.”

“Chris spoke about his background as an international student in college which really resonated with me,” said Akram. “He also spoke a lot about building relationships and sustaining them, which I think is very important. When we talked about some problems we face at Lawrence in the area of diversity, he gave us some great examples and ways he would tackle them, which was really impressive. We’re all really excited to have him join us on campus.”

While his on-campus interview was his first exposure to Wisconsin, Card said he’s looking forward to the opportunities the change of scenery may present.

“As a Caribbean man, I’m not going to tell you that I enjoy snow, and the various things I’ve read about Appleton, the winters can be long and harsh,” said Card “But I love the Midwestern values and am curious to see how it plays out on a daily basis.

“I’m eager to see, in addition to Lawrence, what I can bring to the community of Appleton,” Card added. “As an international man of color, I would be interested in whatever engagement I can find in the city. I’m excited to be a part of the Lawrence community, but I am equally excited to see how I can put myself into this fabric of life, that’s Appleton, too.”

Card grew up in St. Andrew, Jamaica. He was his country’s representative at Lester B. Pearson United World College in British Columbia, Canada, earning an international baccalaureate diploma from the elite two-year international school that focuses on rigorous academics as well as international understanding and global service.

He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Clark University in Massachusetts with a double major in economics and international development and social change. At Clark, Card was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics) honor societies and spent a year studying at the London School of Economics. Following Clark, Card earned a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Award-winning writer Ann Packer conducts reading

Award-winning novelist and short story writer Ann Packer conducts a reading of her work Thursday, May 4 at 4:30 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Warch Campus Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Head shot of author Ann Packer — Ann Packer

Packer is the author of three bestselling novels that have been published around the world. Her 2002 debut novel “The Dive from Clausen’s Pier,” received the Kate Chopin Literary Award, among many other prizes and honors. It was followed by 2007’s “Songs Without Words” and her most recent, 2015’s “The Children’s Crusade.”

Besides writing novels, Packer also writes short fiction, which has appeared in The New Yorker and in the O. Henry Prize Stories anthologies. Her short fiction, “Swim Back to Me” was included in the 2012 O. Henry Award prize stories collection.

A graduate from Yale University and the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, Packer has received fellowships from the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, the Michener-Copernicus Society, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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