Press Releases

Category: Press Releases

50-Hour Salute to the Insignificant Takes Center Stage as Lawrence University Hosts 46th Annual Trivia Contest

If it weren’t for an extended bout of insomnia his freshman year, Derrell Acon might never have risen to the exulted status of Grand Master for the 2011 Lawrence University Great Midwest Trivia Contest.

“As a freshman, I was only sleeping about every other day as it was, so students in Plantz Hall recruited me for their team, thinking I would make an ideal candidate,” said Acon, a fifth-year, double-degree senior from St. Louis, Mo.  “There were times during that year’s contest I was the only person on the team who was awake.”

The following year, Acon helped Plantz Hall to a second-place finish among on-campus teams before crossing over from question answerer to question writer/asker in 2009.  After two years as a trivia master, Acon was promoted to the proverbial big chair for this year’s contest.

Acon said he was the logical choice to orchestrate this year’s quizzical craziness.

“I have the most experience.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to handle it this year and make sure everything goes well.”

The 46th edition — yes, the contest predates the Super Bowl by a year — of the popular contest dedicated to the world’s most insignificant facts begins its 50-hour run Friday, Jan. 28 at its usual quirky time of 10:00:37 p.m. and continues through midnight Sunday, Jan. 30.

Lawrence President Jill Beck kicks off the insanity by asking the contest’s first question.

As the trivia contest’s first African-American grand master, Acon takes devilish delight in the fact the he might be the answer to one of the 350-questions typically asked in a future version of the same contest he is overseeing this year.

“It’s an honor.  I can relate to Barack Obama,” Acon said with a laugh.

First held in 1966 as an alternative for students who didn’t participate in a serious academic retreat with professors, the trivia contest was originally broadcast over Lawrence’s campus radio station, WLFM.  But since 2006, the contest has switched to an Internet-based format and will be webcast at www.lawrence.edu/sorg/trivia, allowing people from all corners of the world to participate.

Questions of varying point values range from mildly obscure to the ridiculously inconsequential. At various times, the contest will feature hour-long sessions of questions centered around such themes as death and destruction or all things cats.

While the contest’s unpredictably accounts for a good deal of its charm, there is one certainty heading into this year’s version:  for the first time in a decade a new off-campus champion will be crowned.  The Bank of Kaukauna, which has dominated the contest since the turn of the century, winning its 10th consecutive title in 2010 by a mere five points, is abandoning contest supremacy for sociability.

“We always played to win, but we wanted to try something a little different this year,” explained John Brogan, who has hosted the 40-some members of the Bank of Kaukauna team at his parent’s home for the past 12 years.  “The team came to a decision last year that we were possibly doing bad things for trivia. Teams were consolidating for the contest just to try to beat us. When you just have a few megateams, you undermine the inclusiveness of what trivia is all about.”

Brogan said many members of the defending champs are returning to the Fox Valley from around the country for this year’s contest, but will be more focused on embracing trivia’s credo:  have fun.

“We’ve never served alcohol during trivia, but this year we’re going to relax that rule a little bit,” said Brogan, who has been extended the honor of asking the contest’s first “garruda” question. “In the spirit of trivia, we want to just have fun, see people we only get to see once a year at trivia time and just enjoy the contest.”

As always, the contest begins Friday evening with the last question of the previous contest — the virtually unanswerable 100-point Super Garruda question.  While no one correctly answered it last year, most teams will be able to start this year’s contest with 100 points because they’ll now know who is listed as the 2002 recipient on the plaque for the “Walt Haag Memorial Broken Propeller Award.”  (Not me.)

Lawrence Symphony Orchestra Changes Sunday Concert “Kickoff” Time to Avoid Packer Game Conflict

When it is a choice between bassoons and blitzes, flutes and footballs, trombones and touchdowns in northeast Wisconsin, Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra Director David Becker knows where priorities lie.

To accommodate both music lovers and Packer Backers, Becker has moved up the time of the Sunday, Jan. 23 Lawrence Symphony Orchestra concert to 12:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.  The concert was originally scheduled for 3 p.m.  The Green Bay Packers play the Chicago Bears in the NFC championship game at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“I fully realize that there are people who are not interested in football and would still attend the LSO concert, but I’m also a realist and not just strictly arty,” said Becker.  “The Packers game is obviously a major event not only in this area, but throughout the state and going head-to-head with the game would seriously diminish an audience for our concert.

“Instead of competing with the big game, we want to serve as a ‘musical tailgate’ to it,” Becker added.  “We invite people to come and enjoy a great concert and then go cheer the Packers on to the Super Bowl.”

In keeping with the spirit of the day, people attending the concert are encouraged to wear their green and gold Packers gear.

Sunday’s 95-minute concert will feature works by Vaughan Williams, Poulenc and Rossini.  Guest performers include Lawrence seniors Dario LaPoma and Hazim Suhadi, co-winners of the 2010-11 concerto competition and Lawrence Associate Professor of Music James DeCorsey, horn.

Derrell Acon Wins Metropolitan Opera District Audition

Lawrence University senior Derrell Acon will be one of 18 singers competing in the Upper Midwest Region finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Saturday, Feb. 5 in St. Paul, Minn.

Derrell Acon '11

Acon, a vocal performance and government major from St. Louis, Mo., advanced to the regional competition after being named one of four winners from among 25 singers at the five-state Metropolitan Opera’s district auditions Saturday, Jan. 15 in Lincoln, Neb. A bass-baritone, Acon performed the arias Come dal ciel precipita from Verdi’s “Macbeth” and La calunnia from Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” He was awarded $1,200 for his winning performance.

At the February regional competition, Acon will compete for a trip to New York City to participate in the March 6 national semifinals competition held at the Metropolitan Opera.

Wellness Center grand opening by the numbers

More than 500 Lawrence students, faculty and staff attended the grand opening of the Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center January 12, touring the renovated facility and participating in a variety of wellness-related activities:

Wellness stations on the self-guided tour

Blood donors

First-time blood donors

Visitors completing a “passport to wellness”

Sport bags distributed to students faculty and staff

Grand opening prizewinners:

  • Julian Delfino (student)—CopperLeaf Hotel overnight stay with dinner and spa package
  • Linda Peeters (Conferences and Summer Programs)—Ladies Fuji bike with accessories and helmet
  • Nathan Groth (student)—Men’s Fuji bike with accessories and helmet
  • Joyce Lambert (student)—4 Personal training sessions with LU Head Athletic Trainer, Erin Buenzli
  • Natasha Pugh (student)— Massage Connection gift certificate
  • Andrew Finley (student)—Massage Connection gift certificate
  • Josh Dukelow (Development)—Bon Appetit healthy treat basket

And the opening is just the beginning!

Lawrence University hopes you will take advantage of all the Wellness Center has to offer, as well as participate in regular wellness events such as:

  • Join the “On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!” eight-week physical activity program.  Pick up your activity log and a yellow WelLU wristband at the Wellness Center main entrance reception desk. Log your physical activity in increments of 10 minutes and when you’ve completed 400 minutes, turn your log in at the reception desk and receive a new log and green WelLU wristband. Record another 400 minutes of activity for a total of 800 minutes by Friday, March 11, and get a blue WelLU wristband. Wear your wristbands on campus to demonstrate your commitment to being physically active!
  • Check out the new Wellness Center website which is easily accessible through a link on the Lawrence University home page and be sure to visit the link to the WelLU website regularly. The WelLU website features:
  1. FROM THE HEART – Share your personal wellness-related story and read success stories shared by other LU faculty, staff and students
  2. SUGGESTION BOX – What type of wellness programs would you like to see on campus?  Share your suggestions and your feedback with one simple online click
  3. WelLU BLOG – Find out about the latest wellness “happenings” on campus
  4. 2011 MONTHLY HEALTH CALENDAR
  5. NEWSLETTERS – featuring information and resources on the many dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, environmental, etc.)
  6. PRESENTATIONS: View a video of John Shier’s March 2010 presentation to the Lawrence Community on “How To Live Long and Die Healthy”; View a variety of PowerPoint presentations and recorded webinars on topics such as “Getting Active”, “Letting Go Of Stress”, “Self-Care”, and more!
  7. RECIPES
  8. LINKS to Well City Fox Cities, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and many other respected organizations
  9. LINKS to “Student Wellness”, “Health & Counseling Services”, “Athletics”, the “Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center”, “LU Library Wellness Resources”, “Smoke-Free Campus Map” and more!
  10. Lawrence University’s Healthy Balance Statement
  11. PHA’S – detailed annual aggregate Personal Health Assessment reports

Welcome to Wellness at Lawrence University!

Martin Luther King’s Enduring Spirit Theme of Community Celebration of Civil Rights Leader Hosted by Lawrence University

Ysaye Barnwell, author, actress, composer and long-time member of the internationally renowned African-American a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, delivers the keynote address at the 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Monday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

The celebration, presented by Lawrence University and Toward Community: Unity in Diversity with the support of numerous Fox Valley organizations, churches and individuals, is free and open to the public. The Post-Crescent and WFRV-TV CBS 5 are media partners for the event.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Building a Vocal Community: The Enduring Spirit of Dr. King.”

“In 1967, Dr. King reminded us that ‘the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.’ That message is just as relevant today as it was then,” said Kathy Flores, the chair of the MLK Committee and the diversity coordinator for the city of Appleton. “While many years have passed since Dr. King was assassinated, it is still so important that we remember his work, which was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and also helped pave the way for the difficult conversations we continue to have today about race, economics, politics, religion, abilities, gender and sexual orientation.

“The Fox Cities certainly has changed considerably in the last 20 years,” Flores added, “but our visionary leaders who founded this celebration could see that our beautiful diversity would continue to grow and become something we embrace in the spirit of Dr. King.”

Pa Lee Moua, assistant dean of students for multicultural affairs at Lawrence, said it is up to today’s citizens to create the kind of society King envisioned.

“A strong community replicates strong citizens, people who support, embrace and educate others on the importance of diversity, social justice and civic engagement,” said Moua. “As Dr. King said, ‘Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.’ He took the first step, now it is up to all of us to continue the journey. It is only then that we will be able to create a community that portrays equal opportunity, respect and justice for all.”

Ysaye Barnwell

Barnwell joined Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1979 and has appeared as a vocalist and/or instrumentalist on more than 30 recordings with the ensemble and other artists.

During the past 25 years, Barnwell has established herself as a composer/arranger and master teacher in African-American cultural performance. She developed the workshop “Building a Vocal Community: Singing in the African-American Tradition” that utilizes African-American history, values, cultural and vocal traditions to build community among singers and non-singers alike. The workshop has been conducted around the world and her pedagogy serves as a model for educators, cultural activists and historians.

A native New Yorker who has lived in Washington, D.C., the past 40 years, Barnwell has written two children’s books and composed numerous commissioned works for choral, film, video, dance and theatrical projects, including “Truth Pressed to Earth Shall Rise,” a choral work in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. that premiered in 2003 by the Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C.

Her acting credits include voice-over narration for film, video and radio productions, including the NPR documentary “W.C. Handy’s Blues” and appearances in the 1998 Jonathan Demme film “Beloved.”

Barnwell earned a Ph.D. in speech pathology from the University of Pittsburgh and taught for more than 10 years at Howard University. She later administered health programs at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center and at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Highlighting the celebration will be the presentation of Toward Community’s annual Jane LaChapelle McCarty Unity in Diversity Award, which honors an area individual who has made great strides in bringing different people in the community together.

The celebration also features readings by area student winners of the annual Martin Luther King essay contest and musical performances led by Barnwell, Lawrence junior Michael Pope, as well as other Lawrence students.

A sign language interpreter will be present for the program and a reception for all in attendance will be held following the event.

It’s Lawrence University’s 164th birthday and we want you to help us celebrate!

Wednesday, January 12, we’re celebrating Founders Day at Lawrence University – breaking out the Lawrence apparel, taking a commemorative photo and inviting all students, faculty and staff to the grand opening of the newly renovated Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center!

You may not be here on campus for the party, but we invite you to mark this special occasion in your own way:

  • Wear LU apparel to work, grab your LU coffee mug and let your co-workers, family and friends know you’re proud of Lawrence University.
  • Take a photo of yourself celebrating LU and email it to communications@lawrence.edu as part of the “Where in the World is LU?” photo contest . The deadline for photo submissions is Founders Day! We’ll post the photos on Lawrence’s Facebook page and LU Facebook fans will select a winner. (Prizes will be awarded for the 10 favorite pics.) Here are the official rules and photos that have been submitted so far.
  • Make your LU photo (or another LU icon) your Facebook profile photo on January 12th!

Not on Facebook? It’s a great way to connect with Lawrence, your friends, family and co-workers. Visit our Facebook page and click on
the green “sign up” button.

Happy Founders Day!

Photo courtesy of Matty Wolin ’06

Get “Happy” in Wild Space Dance Company Performance in Stansbury Theatre

Inspired by the quest for joy, exuberance and delight, seven members of Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company present the critically acclaimed program “Speaking of Happiness” Friday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Stansbury Theatre.

Tickets, at $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens and students, are available through the Lawrence University Box Office, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton, 920-832-6749.

Witty, insightful, compelling and emotionally charged, “Speaking of Happiness” conveys sentiments of warmth and tolerance through intimate gestures and small human interactions in 24 overlapping episodes performed in 80 minutes. One reviewer described the program as “ingenious in a thousand small ways.”

The program is a collaboration among Wild Space Artistic Director Debra Loewen and choreographers Monica Rodero and Dan Schuchart. Dancers with Wild Space for the past eight years, Rodero and Schuchart serve as artists-in-residence in Lawrence’s theatre arts department.

According to Loewen, the production grew out of a conversation she had with Rodero and Schuchart about ideas and writings on the subject of happiness.

“This performance looks beneath the surface at our elusive pursuit of happiness and asks, ‘How do we find it? Why does it matter?”’ said Loewen. “It weaves the obvious with the mysterious, outward appearance with hidden emotions and how we think and express happiness.”

Wild Space Dance Company has served as a company-in-residence at Lawrence since 2000, bringing professional dance to the Lawrence community and providing students principles of dance art in performance through classes and workshops taught by Loewen and members of her company.

Described as “richly imaginative and witty” by the New York Times, Wild Space Dance Company was founded in 1986. Known for site-specific dance events and artistic collaborations, Wild Space combines dance with visual art, film, text, architecture and unusual environments in an effort to expand the audience for contemporary dance throughout Wisconsin.

Where in the World is LU? Facebook Photo Contest

As Lawrence prepares to celebrate its 164th anniversary on Founders Day, January 12, 2011, we’re reaching out to students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends to learn “Where in the World is LU?”

E-mail a photo of a friend or loved one wearing Lawrence gear — something with the LU logo or something that says Lawrence University — to communications@lawrence.edu.  Provide a snappy caption and let us know where the photo was taken!  We’ll print as many photos as we can in the March issue of Lawrence Today and prizes will be awarded for the best photos! Judging begins January 12th and you’re the judge. (Check out these early entries.)

Not on Facebook? What are you waiting for? Click on the green “sign up” button to keep up with all the latest LU news and to network with friends, family and fellow Lawrentians.

The deadline for photos is January 10, 2011, so act fast. Here are the official rules.

Visit KK’s Apparel & Gifts Online Store for the latest LU fashions!

Main Hall Cited in Annual Magazine Architecture Contest

For the third time in four years, a Lawrence University building has been cited in Fox Cities Magazine’s “Great Spaces Great Places” contest.

Lawrence’s venerable Main Hall was the top vote-getter in the magazine’s Best Historic Landmark category. Home to the humanities, the 157-year-old building and campus centerpiece was hailed as an architectural “icon in the Valley” by one member of the judging panel.

Last year, Lawrence’s newly opened Warch Campus Center copped the Great Spaces Great Places’ Best New Construction title, while Alexander Gymnasium received the Best Historic Landmark honors in the 2007 contest.

LU Marimbaist Wins Music Competition

Lawrence University junior Tristan Renfrow earned first-place honors Nov. 27 in the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee Collegiate Music Competition, which was conducted at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield.

Tristan Renfrow

A percussion performance major from Cedarburg, Renfrow played three pieces on solo marimba for the competition, which featured eight finalists. He received a $2,500 scholarship for his winning performance.

He will perform a recital Sunday, March 20, 2011 at the Steinway Gallery of Milwaukee as part of the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee’s Artist & Ensemble Series. Renfrow is a student of Professor of Music Dane Richeson.

The competition is open to continuing college students — instrumentalists and vocalists — who either graduated from a Milwaukee area high school or who currently attend a Milwaukee area college.