Press Releases

Category: Press Releases

Senator Feingold Addresses Lawrence Grads (listen to his remarks)

Former U.S. Senator Russell Feingold encouraged Lawrence University’s Class of 2011 to become “citizen diplomats” as they begin the next phase of their lives.  Feingold was the university’s commencement speaker June 5, 2011. He told graduates, families and university dignitaries that they are the keys to creating a positive image of Americans when they are traveling the world as students, on business or on vacation. (click on the arrow to hear the remarks.)

Video of the commencement ceremony will be available later this month.

Commencement Photos

Photos from Lawrence University’s 162nd Commencement. Enjoy!

Four Faculty Honored at Lawrence University’s 162nd Commencement

Teaching excellence, scholarship and creative activity earned four members of the Lawrence University recognition Sunday, June 5 at the college’s 162nd commencement.

Eilene Hoft-March, professor of French and Milwaukee-Downer College and College Endowment Association Professor, was recognized with Lawrence’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in absentia.  The award honors outstanding performance in the teaching process, including the quest to ensure students reach their full development as individuals, human beings and future leaders of society.

Professor of French Eilene Hoft-March

A member of the faculty since 1988, Hoft-March previously was recognized with the college’s Young Teacher Award in 1991 and the Freshman Studies Teaching Award in 1997. She is one of only three faculty members to earn those three teaching awards.

Hoft-March is a scholar of 20th-century French literature and autobiographies. Her scholarship also includes literature about children and the Holocaust. In addition to French language and French literature, she teaches courses in gender studies and has been a leader in the Freshman Studies program.

She has directed Lawrence’s Francophone Seminar in Dakar, Senegal and served as a faculty advisor to students in the Posse Program, an initiative that brings high-achieving high school students with exceptional leadership skills from New York City public high schools to Lawrence.

In announcing the award, Lawrence President Jill Beck reminded the audience the awards are a secret and Hoft-March was unable to attend the ceremonies.

Hoft-March earned a bachelor of arts degree in French and English at Carroll University and her master’s and doctoral degrees in French at the University of California-Berkeley.

Professor of Psychology Peter Glick

Peter Glick, professor of psychology and Henry Merritt Wriston Professor of the Social Sciences, received the Award for Excellence in Scholarship, which honors a faculty member who has demonstrated sustained scholarly excellence for a number of years and whose work exemplifies the ideals of the teacher-scholar.

A social psychologist, Glick studies both the subtle and the overt ways in which prejudices and stereotypes foster social inequality. Along with Susan T. Fiske of Princeton University, Glick introduced the concept of “ambivalent sexism,” which asserts that not just hostile, but subjectively benevolent — though patronizing and traditional — views of women as pure, but fragile, reinforce gender inequality.

Most recently, Glick served as co-editor of the book “Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination” and a special issue on ambivalent sexism published in the journal Sex Roles. His research was recognized by the Harvard Business Review on its list of “Breakthrough Ideas for 2009.” That same year he was elected president of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology.

“Your theoretical and empirical analyses of the difficult, stubborn problem of ambivalent sexism have caught the interest of a large segment of the academic community, and have been cited literally thousands of times,” Beck said in presenting Glick his award. “Your research combines well-defined empirical studies, careful analysis and clear, insightful writing. Sexism is clearly an issue of great contemporary concern, and your insights into its origins represent an important example of how well conducted academic scholarship can address meaningful social issues.”

A member of the faculty since 1985, Glick earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oberlin College and his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Minnesota.

Phillip Swan, associate professor of music and associate director of choral studies, received the Award for Excellence in Creative Activity. Established in 2006, the award recognizes outstanding creative work for advancing Lawrence’s mission.

Associate Professor of Music Phillip Swan

Swan joined Lawrence’s conservatory of music faculty in 2002 as director of Cantala, the college’s women’s choir. Under his direction, Cantala has established a reputation for its outstanding vocal production and mastery in the art of creating an artistic choral sound. In addition to his work with Cantala, Swan is the musical director for Lawrence musical productions and serves as co-conductor of the White Heron Chorale, a semi-professional community ensemble.

Earlier this year, Cantala, which is comprised of freshmen and sophomores, received the highest honor in the field of choral ensembles — an invitation to perform at the prestigious American Choir Directors’ Association national conference in Chicago. Cantala was selected from more than 400 entries worldwide and was the only women’s collegiate choir so honored.

“Part master musician, part inspirational director, and yes, part psychologist, you transformed your young choir from wide-eyed recruits in September to a world-class vocal ensemble in March,” said Provost David Burrows in honoring Swan. “Cantala performed flawlessly at the ACDA convention and received standing ovations from the choir world’s most discriminating audience — 2,000 choir directors. This accomplishment is clearly the result of the inspired, creative and brilliant work you do with our students.”

Swan earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Concordia College, a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Texas-El Paso and has completed all coursework for the DMA in choral conducting at the University of Miami (Fla.).

Assistant Professor of Mathematics Scott Corry

Scott Corry, assistant professor of mathematics, received the Young Teacher Award in recognition of demonstrated excellence in the classroom and the promise of continued growth.

Since joining the faculty in 2007, Corry has taught courses in calculus, linear algebra and number theory, among others, as well as Freshman Studies.

In presenting his award, Burrows praised Corry for “a passion for mathematics that leads to your great success.”

“Rather than fill your students with formulas and proofs, you focus on the process of mathematics,” said Burrows. “In the finest traditions of liberal learning, you free the minds of your students to think and not merely to memorize. You introduce them to a world where they can stand in awe of the power and beauty of mathematics. Your students admire your quiet but firm insistence on rigorous standards, your deep knowledge and your well-organized, understandable class presentations.”

Corry earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Reed College and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Lawrence Recognizing Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold with Honorary Degree at 162nd Commencement

Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will address a record-number of Lawrence University graduates Sunday, June 5 as the speaker at the college’s 162nd commencement on Main Hall green.

Lawrence will award Feingold an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in recognition of his 28 years of public service to the state of Wisconsin and the nation.

A Lawrence-record 364 bachelor of arts and/or music degrees are expected to be awarded to 347 students during graduation ceremonies, which begin at 10:30 a.m.

Retiring faculty members James Evans, professor of chemistry and computer science and Ernestine Whitman, professor of music, will be awarded honorary master of arts degrees for their combined 78 years of service to Lawrence.

Michael Orr, professor of art history, presents “Leadership and Liberal Learning” at a baccalaureate service Saturday, June 4 at 11 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. The baccalaureate service and commencement exercise are both free and open to the public.

Lawrence President Jill Beck, Board of Trustees Chair Terry Franke ’68 and senior Sarah Ehlinger of Wauwatosa will join Feingold in addressing the graduates.

Russ Feingold

During an 18-year career in the U.S. Senate, Feingold established himself as one of that legislative body’s most independent voices. He was the only 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 financial deregulation and trade agreements like NAFTA, which he considered unfair. He was defeated for a fourth term last November by Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson.

Serving on the Senate Budget, Judiciary, Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, Feingold earned a reputation as effective legislator who worked across party lines on both domestic and foreign policy issues. He is arguably best known for his work on campaign finance reform. He co-authored the landmark Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, better known as the McCain-Feingold bill, with Republican John McCain.

“Senator Feingold exemplifies the ‘responsible and meaningful citizenship’ that Lawrence University values, that is central to our mission and that we would like our students to observe in action,” said Beck. “As we celebrate the commencement of the Class of 2011, we are honored to be doing so with a thoughtful and humane leader who exemplifies integrity and independent thinking.”

This spring, Feingold served as a visiting professor at Marquette University Law School where he taught the course “Current Legal Issues: The U.S. Senate.”

Feingold graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Wisconsin in 1975 and earned a law degree in 1977 from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. After returning to the states, he earned a law degree with honors from Harvard Law School in 1979. Feingold practiced law in Madison with the firms Foley & Lardner and LaFollette & Sinykin from 1979-85.

A native of Janesville, Feingold first ran for public office in 1982, winning a seat in the Wisconsin State Senate. He was re-elected in 1986 and 1990 before successfully running for the U.S. Senate in 1992, defeating two-term incumbent Republican Robert Kasten.

As a U.S. Senator, Feingold made a point of visiting each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties annually to conduct “listening sessions” with voters. This approach was one example of Senator Feingold’s honest desire to represent his state with respect for all of its citizens.

Four of a Kind: Jordan Severson Adds to Family Legacy of Lawrence University Education

It will be perfectly understandable if Jordan Severson feels a touch of déjà vu Sunday, June 5 at Lawrence University’s 162nd commencement. After all, the senior from Kaukauna has already watched three older siblings earn bachelor’s degrees from Lawrence. (A fourth sibling, Jacob, attended Lawrence for a little over a year but wound up graduating from St. John’s University in Minnesota.)

Severson will be among an expected record 347 students awarded bachelor of arts and/or music degrees during graduation ceremonies that begin at 10:30 a.m. on the Main Hall green.

Jordan Severson '11

Despite the family track record, Severson, the youngest of six children, said there wasn’t any pressure or sense of obligation to attend Lawrence.

“We all had our individual reasons for coming here,” said Severson, who will graduate with a double major in art history and studio art. “We each found the things we were looking for at Lawrence.”

The jury was still out on his college choice when he began his senior year at Kaukauna High School, but the opportunity to take three art history courses at Lawrence through the Youth Options program helped him finalize his decision.

“I got to know the campus climate here and became familiar with some of the faculty. Other places I visited didn’t have the same atmosphere,” said Severson, who also applied to Beloit, Grinnell and Macalester colleges. “I really enjoyed the art history department and decided even if I didn’t major in it, I would enjoy taking some courses in it.

“I’ve loved the academic challenge Lawrence provided, the opportunity to be introduced to new perspectives and the diversity here that doesn’t exist on a lot of other small college campuses,” Severson added.

When Severson shakes President Jill Beck’s hand Sunday on the commencement stage, he will join sister Jami (1995) and brothers Joshua (1997) and Justin (2008) as Lawrence alumni. And even though he didn’t graduate, Lawrence considers Jacob a member of its class of 2001. All four, along with brother Jeff, who graduated from Franklin and Marshall College, are expected to attend Sunday’s ceremonies to offer Jordan their congratulations.

Post-Lawrence, Severson hopes to land an internship with a museum in a large urban center before pursuing graduate school.

Professors Evans, Whitman Honored for 78 Years of Service at June 5 Commencement

James Evans left graduate school as a chemist, but has worn numerous hats during his 45-year Lawrence University teaching career, among the longest tenures in the college’s history.

Evans, professor of chemistry and computer science, along with Professor of Music Ernestine Whitman, will be recognized Sunday, June 5 as retiring faculty with professor emeritus status at Lawrence’s 162nd commencement. Both will receive honorary master of arts degrees, ad eundem, as part of the graduation ceremonies that begin at 10:30 a.m. on the Main Hall green.

Professor of Chemistry and Computer Science James Evans

A native of Bridgton, Maine, Evans joined the Lawrence faculty in 1966 as a 25-year-old with a Ph.D. from Princeton University. Unbeknownst to him, his first-year roommate from graduate school had turned down a two-year appointment at Lawrence, but Evans wound up with a three-year tenure track offer from then-President Curtis Tarr.

Blaming an inability “to convincingly say no,” Evans began multitasking in 1979 when he traded some of his chemistry teaching duties for responsibilities as part-time director of Lawrence’s small computer services group, a dual role he juggled for more than 15 years.

He was a natural choice as computer services director having already helped usher in the first computer-related teaching to the Lawrence curriculum by collaborating with members of the physics department on a laboratory computing course.

An interest in using computers beyond numerical work or signal processing also led Evans to write a text formatting program. With a physics colleague he co-directed a multi-year (1978-82) National Science Foundation-funded project that helped established today’s interdisciplinary mathematics-computer science major.

“Things happen to us as we go along,” Evans said of his evolving role.

Associate Professor of Computer Science Kurt Krebsbach has known Evans from the perspective of former student and current faculty colleague. He fondly remembers Evans’ gentle guidance when he spent two summers as a student working in Lawrence’s new computer lab.

“He instilled in me a sense that the moments of most rewarding insight came as a result of careful, thorough and unhurried thought,” said Krebsbach, a 1985 Lawrence graduate and member of the faculty since 2002.  “Jim always exemplified the patient, deep thinker, confident that time and focused attention would produce the spark needed to solve the present problem.”

Beyond teaching chemistry and computer science, Evan served as an institutional “sidewalk superintendent,” assisting with the planning and execution of a variety of campus building projects, including the construction of Thomas Steitz Hall of Science and Hiett Hall and major remodeling projects in Main Hall and Youngchild Hall.

“You find yourself asking how do you get your head wrapped around all of these different things,” said Evans, reflecting upon his various responsibilities and the breadth of his scholarship, from nuclear science at Princeton to the biosciences during sabbaticals at England’s Oxford and Birmingham universities to two books he’s written on computer architecture.

Like all dedicated teachers, Evans points to what he calls “the assortment of students who pass by” as the thing he will miss the most as he leaves the classroom.

“They don’t know what’s impossible yet,” he says of the students, “so if you ask them to try hard, they may accomplish more than they or you intended. It’s always nice to see ‘the light’ turn on. Sometimes it’s subtle and not a blaze of glory, but it does happen.”

Near-term plans have Evans splitting time between Appleton and Maine, where he wants a generations-old family homestead near idyllic Moose Pond to be rescued from deterioration.

“Moveover, I just may join a Maine historical society because I’m historic,” said Evans.

Whitman might be the only person on the planet with custom-made nunchucks crafted from two piccolos. And there is nothing more appropriate to represent two of the things that have meant the most to her — music and the martial arts.

Professor of Music Ernestine Whitman

Among her professional and personal accomplishments are 33 years leading the Lawrence Conservatory of Music flute studio and earning a black belt in Tae Kwon Do at age 62. The nunchucks, a gift from a student, serve as tangible proof that the bonds Whitman formed with her students included life lessons as well as musical ones.

“She offered to her students that great Lawrence faculty model of artist/scholar/teacher; a dedicated musician, a brilliant mind, and a compassionate and caring person and teacher,” said Terri Sundberg, a 1983 Lawrence graduate. “She was my first real mentor in terms of how to approach the instrument and even more importantly how to approach being a true musician.”

Former students also praise Whitman’s willingness to go the extra mile, pushing them to be their best. She championed “practice buddies,” pairing a freshman with an upper-class student to play together and encourage camaraderie among the different classes.

“Because of her encouragement of a supportive studio atmosphere, the Lawrence flute studio became my best friends and second family,” said 2009 Lawrence graduate Sheri Muneno. “In fact, current studio members call themselves a ‘flamily’ — flute+family.”

Whitman, who joined the Lawrence faculty in 1978, began her flute career at age 20 when she won an audition for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, with which she performed at Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Her performing career was put on hold in 1986 when she developed the neurological condition focal dystonia, which affected the muscles in her left hand. After years of rehabilitation, she returned to performing in 1992, but developed focal dystonia in her lip in 2006, ending her career as a performer. Despite that setback, her passion never wavered.

“She taught me to listen to myself and learn from my mistakes,” said Ruth Washington Mayhew, a 1984 graduate. “Basically, she taught me how to teach myself. And that lesson has proved more valuable than I can say. It made me more introspective and aware — and has certainly helped me to become a much better teacher in the process.”

Regarding her 33-year teaching career at Lawrence, Whitman said she relished a job that was always interesting, challenging and rewarding.

“One of the things I will miss most is the thrilling moment when, after months of working on tonal exercises, a student produces a sound of great depth and beauty,” said Whitman, who was recognized with Lawrence’s Young Teacher Award in 1984. “That ‘aha’ moment never failed to make my skin tingle. The relationship between studio teacher and student is a very close one, and I shall dearly miss getting to know these wonderful students.”

Whitman’s plans for next year include volunteer work for various organizations, further martial arts trading, teaching Freshman Studies at Lawrence and several writing projects.

Showing Their Compassionate Side: Lawrence Sculpture Students Turn Manhole Covers into Public Art

Pedestrians in downtown Appleton need look no further than the sidewalk to find examples of compassion these days.

A dozen, newly cast, custom-made manhole covers that feature designs depicting some aspect of compassion are adding a bit of humanity to the otherwise lifeless sidewalks running up and down College Ave.

The project is the latest brainchild of public art specialist Rob Neilson, the Frederick R. Layton Professor of Art at Lawrence University, who challenged students in his sculpture class this spring to come up with their own personal definition of compassion.

"Answered Prayers" by J.R. Vanko '13

The manhole cover assignment was inspired by the community-wide Compassion Project, in which 10,000 Appleton school children used 6-by-6-inch ceramic tiles to create drawings and paintings of what compassion means to them.

Using manhole covers as a medium was a welcomed return to Neilson’s Detroit roots and his foundry background. His father worked for Kasle Steel and he spent a good part of his youth rummaging through scrap yards in search of discarded metals he could repurpose into art.

“This project was great fun and something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Neilson, who contributed one of the 12 new manholes. Titled “Mandela Mandala,” Neilson’s creation features eight images of former South Africa President Nelson Mandela arranged into a design bordering on the abstract.

Student covers include a thumbprint, representing an individual responsibility to show compassion; a hand grasping a human liver that honors a friend who underwent an organ transplant and a series of intersecting ripples of water to illustrate the far-reaching effects of each person’s actions.

After creating their designs, Neilson and his students visited the company synonymous with manhole covers — Neenah Foundry — which made molds of each design and created new cast iron covers.  The covers will be installed by crews from the city of Appleton.

“This was a great opportunity for my sculpture students and Lawrence to collaborate with the world famous Neenah Foundry and the city of Appleton on a project that benefits the community, the college and the industry,” said Neilson.  “It was a chance for my students to stop and think about what manhole covers are, what their purpose is and how to use them to actually create a functional piece of public art.”

The manhole cover designs, which are essentially relief sculptures, were chosen for installation in the sidewalk rather than the street, so that people would be able to stop, view and admire them.

In addition to the set of 12 manhole covers for the sidewalks, two complete extra sets of covers were made for Lawrence and the Trout Museum of Art by Neenah Foundry, which underwrote the cost of the project.

Lawrence University Musicians Earn Top Honors in National, State Competitions

James Maverick earned first-place honors in the national finals of the piano division of the recently completed 2011 National Federation of Music Clubs Student/Collegiate Auditions while senior Daniel O’Connor received second-place honors in the organ division of the same competition. Both advanced to the national finals after winning the Wisconsin state competition in March.

Maverick, a junior from of Baton Rouge, La., received the Agnes Fowler/Marie V. Thiesen Award, which includes a prize of $1,100. In recognition of his outstanding performance, the judges also awarded Maverick two supplemental prizes: the Annie Lou Ellis Award of $1,000 and the Janice Clarkson Cleworth Scholarship for $400. Maverick is a student in the studio of Michael Mizrahi.

O’Connor, a senior from Dallas, Texas, who studies with university organist Kathrine Handford, was awarded the $1,000 Ruby S. Vought Scholarship for his second-place performance.

Lawrence was the only school in the country with two award winners among the finalists in the National Federation of Music Clubs competition.

Conducted via submitted audition tape, the competition is open to musicians 19-26 years of age in 13 categories. Students are required to perform a repertoire from memory covering a challenging range of 4-5 musical styles, depending upon the category.

Founded in 1898, the National Federation of Music Clubs is among the world’s largest music organizations, providing opportunities for musical study, performance and appreciation to more than 200,000 senior, student and junior members nationwide.

Leonard Hayes, also a senior from Dallas, added to his growing body of achievements by winning the 2011 Wisconsin Music Teachers Association Collegiate Badger competition held Sunday, May 22 at UW-Eau Claire. A student in the studio of Catherine Kautsky, Hayes received a first-place prize of $200.

Julian Delfino, a sophomore from Irvine, Calif., and a student of Anthony Padilla, earned honorable mention honors at the WMTA competition.

A total of 12 pianists from three schools — Lawrence, UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse — competed in this year’s WMTA Collegeiate Badger competition finals.

Junior Meghan Hickey Awarded Critical Language Scholarship to Study in Russia

Lawrence University’s Meghan Hickey has been awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Russian this summer at the Kazan Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities in Kazan, Russia.

Meghan Hickey '12

A junior from Naperville, Ill., majoring in Russian Studies and French Studies, Hickey was among 575 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students awarded one of the state department’s critical language scholarships. She was selected from among more than 5,200 applications.

Beginning June 5, Hickey will spend eight weeks living with a host family in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. The program features four hours a day of personalized, intensive language study as well as literature and political science courses and various cultural activities. The scholarship covers all expenses during the eight-week-long program and includes a $1,400 stipend.

Hickey, who first began studying Russian as a Lawrence sophomore, said she speaks the language “well enough to get into the CLS program, but not well enough to not be a little nervous, too.”

“I’m very excited about spending a summer in Russia,” she added.  “I know I’ll be challenged, but I can’t wait to get there.”

She sees the CLS program as an important step toward her career goals of working for the United Nations or becoming a professional translator.

The CLS program was launched in 2006 to increase opportunities for American students to study critical-need languages overseas and expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical-need languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, Indic (Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu) and Turkic (Turkish and Azerbaijani).

Research Discovery Earns Senior Katy Cummings Geology Award

A potential breakthrough discovery helped Lawrence University senior Katy Cummings earn the “Most Promising Undergraduate Student Award” at the 2011 meeting of the Institute on Lake Superior Geology May 18-21 in Ashland.

Katy Cummings ’11 at the 2011 Institute on Lake Superior Geology meeting.

Cummings, a geology and biology double major from Dousman, was honored for her poster “Possible eukaryotic macrofossils in the 1.1 Ga Copper Harbor Formation, Michigan,” which she co-authored with Marcia Bjornerud, professor of geology and Walter Schober Professor of Environmental Studies.

The poster presentation was based on research Cummings conducted last fall during a field trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Cummings discovered what may be some of the oldest non-bacterial life forms yet documented in non-marine rocks.

The Institute on Lake Superior Geology is a non-profit professional society that provides a forum for the exchange of geological ideas and scientific data and promoting better understanding of the geology of the Lake Superior region. Its annual meeting draws geologists from the United States, Canada and throughout the world.