The University of Evansville will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 19 with several events, including a re-enactment of the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C., and the William G. and the Rose M. Mays Martin Luther King Jr. Lectureship. On Jan 20, the film Dear White People, will be shown.

The schedule of events is as follows. All events are free and open to the public.
January 19
Noon: UE’s reenactment of the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, leaves from the Bernhardt Atrium, Schroeder School of Business Building. Hot drinks will be served before the March, while a video titled “Why I March” plays.

2:00-5:00 p.m.: The March returns to the Schroeder School of Business Building, for Rosa Parks Bus Reenactment tours. A 20-minute tour takes place every half hour. Dimes will be collected to represent the cost of a bus fare in 1955. (The dimes and other money collected will be donated for bus tokens for the homeless.)

4:00 p.m.: Harlaxton Woodwind Quintet Recital featuring the work of black composers, Wheeler Concert Hall, Krannert Hall of Fine Arts.

7:00 p.m.: William G. and Rose M. Mays Martin Luther King Jr. Lectureship, Eykamp Hall (Room 251), Ridgway University Center. The generosity of William G. and Rose M. Mays funds the keynote speaker during UE’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.

This year’s speaker is essayist, professor and poet Ramona L. Hyman, who served as speaker for the Alabama Humanities Foundation and poet-in-residence for the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the Huntsville Arts Council. She has a B.A. from Temple University, an M.A. from Andrews University and a PhD from the University of Alabama.

Her topic will be “Let Me Tell You Something About Rosa Parks.” Hyman will discuss the day in 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to relinquish her bus seat to a white man in Alabama, igniting a chain of events that would lead to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Immediately preceding the lecture, The Mays Legacy Award will be presented to Sondra L. Matthews, a UE graduate. Matthews is editor and publisher of Our Times Newspaper.

January 20
7:00 p.m.: The movie Dear White People will be shown in Eykamp Hall (Room 251), Ridgway University Center. This 2014 American satirical film was written and directed by Justin Simien. It focuses on black students attending an American Ivy League college.

For more information on these events, please call 812-488-2413.
 

In order to better understand the religious needs of the UE community, the Offices of Diversity and Equity, Religious Life, and International Programs have scheduled a series of Religious Diversity Dialogues in January and February. All members of the campus community are invited to attend a one-hour informational discussion by selecting the session that best identifies his/her religious affiliation. For example, if your religious affiliation is Jewish, you would attend the January 29 session; if you consider yourself spiritual, but not religious, you would attend the February 19 session, and so on. Your input is important and will help us understand how best to serve the religious community at UE.

Please plan to attend the session that best identifies your own religious affiliation.

All sessions meet at 7:00 p.m. in Room 170 (Smythe Lecture Hall), Schroeder School of Business Building

Thursday, January 22: Eastern Religions (Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Tao, Shinto, Jain, Bahá’í, etc.)
Thursday, January 29: Judaism
Thursday, February 5: Christianity
Thursday, February 12: Islam
Thursday, February 19: Spiritual, but not Religious

For more information, please email: lw161@evansville.edu, tg85@evansville.edu, or wm23@evansville.edu. 

The Honors Program is hosting Nerd Wars trivia night on Tuesday, February 17 at 7 pm in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center. Teams of five consisting of students, faculty, administrators, and staff will battle in a competition of wit while enjoying pizza, popcorn, and soda. The winning student team and the winning faculty/administrator/staff team will receive $25 MasterCard/VISA gift cards. Registration materials can be picked up in the Powell Honors Lounge, from Jayme Williams in Koch 238, or sign up by clicking here. 

Entry fee is $5.00 per person.

Those who are unable to compose a team of five may still register and will be matched to make a team. The registration deadline is January 28. Any questions can be emailed to Matthew at mb338.

There will be an informational meeting on January 20 at 4:30 pm in Room 240 in Graves Hall. For those who cannot attend this meeting, there will be another meeting on January 21 at 7:00 pm in Room 240, Graves Hall. These meetings will provide information and answer questions concerning the 15-day, 3 credit hour Dominican Republic study abroad course offering (ID 380). Three UE faculty (Jerrilee LaMar, John Layer, & Rick Deer) will co-teach the multidisciplinary student team in this applied process development experiential course conducted in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Students will get an opportunity to assist the people of the Dominican Republic in enhancing a planned medical clinic process while collaborating with an international client and local residents. Please contact one of the above faculty if you are interested but cannot attend either of these meetings. 

The UE Alumni Association recognizes an Outstanding Teacher for exemplary teaching and student service at Spring Commencement. Students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni may nominate a teacher who exemplifies the award’s stated goals of “encouraging outstanding teaching and the inclusion of students in as many facets of academic life as possible.”

Click here to nominate a professor who you feel exemplifies teaching excellence.

Complete your nomination by Friday, January 30. Email Jennifer Graban at jg54@evansville.edu if you have questions.

Full-time faculty who have taught in the classroom at UE for at least two years and hold the rank of lecturer, instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor are eligible to be nominated.

Past recipients within the last five years are not eligible. They are: ’10 – Jeff Tilly; ’11 – James Berry; ‘12 – Mari Plikuhn; ‘13 – Mark Valenzuela; ‘14 – Jennie Ebeling.
 

UE Admission Ambassador Applications are now available. Please go to this link to fill out the application: Admission Ambassador Application. Once you fill out the application, send the UE faculty or staff serving as your reference the recommendation form at this link: Admission Ambassador Application Form. Applications can also be picked up in the Admissions Office, Olmsted 104. They can be turned back into Admissions Office. The deadline for admission ambassador applications is Thursday, February 4, 2015. The deadline for the Admission Ambassador Reference is Tuesday, February 9. If you have any questions, please email Dana Owens at do40@evansville.edu or Lauren Winkler at lw148@evansville.edu.  

The Indiana State Sales Tax Exemption Certificate for 2015 is now available on three AceLink Area websites (Accounting & Audit, Purchasing and Pcard) for your convenience under Forms & Instructions. 

The Office of Religious Life would like to let the UE community know about a charity project benefiting a refugee camp in Syria. The Winter Project is sponsored by United Charity and the Syrian American Foundation. The goal is to raise funds to purchase 100 tents, 100 heaters, 1000 blankets and 1000 winter coats and donate these items to the refugees. Many of the refugees left their homes with only the clothes they were wearing and don’t have sufficient clothing or shelter to survive the snow and cold, winter weather.

Those who wish to find out more about this project or need more information on how to make a donation should call Yasser Alhenawi, assistant professor of finance, at 812-488-2863 or email ya22@evansville.edu
 

The University of Evansville, in pursuit of excellence in service, wishes to recognize a non-faculty employee displaying records of achievement as a leader. Leadership may be demonstrated in any of the following categories: service to the University, service to students, job performance and attitude towards fellow employees. To be eligible, an employee must be a full-time member of administration or staff. Nominations for the February 2015 IMPACT Employee of the Month are due no later than Wednesday, January 21. To nominate someone, please go to http://acelink.evansville.edu/tools/employeeaward.

Are you are interested in making a real impact in the lives of your fellow students while learning about yourself and developing your skills? Consider applying to be a Resident Assistant for the 2015-16 year.

Information sessions will be January 20 at 9:00 pm in Schroeder School of Business, room 71. Stop by to learn more about the position and pick up an application. Or contact any member of the Residence Life staff.

Applications and reference materials are available in editable formats and are conveniently located on our Website at: http://www.evansville.edu/residencelife/raProgram.cfm .
 

There are available jobs through federal work-study offered by the Office of Financial Aid for UE students. Eligibility is based on federal need as shown through the FAFSA. Download the Application. Applications may also be obtained at the UE Office of Financial Aid, Olmsted Hall, Room 116. Questions regarding eligibility and job availability should be directed to Hilary Morales at hm38@evansville.edu.

Tamara K. Gieselman, University Chaplain, has been invited to serve as editor of Volume 6 in the series published by Chalice Press in collaboration with the Academy of Preachers. Each volume in the series contains the sermons preached at the National Festival of Young Preachers, which are valuable distillations of what young North American Christian leaders are thinking and saying. Volume 6 will include sermons from the recent 2015 National Festival of Young Preachers in Dallas, Texas and Gieselman’s article of Homiletical analysis. 

The Athletic Department would like to thank the 440 students who came out and supported the men's basketball team this past Saturday against Wichita State. This was the largest number of students to come to a game since November 12, 2011!

If anyone still has any of the large player heads, please return them to the Carson Center Ticket Office. Thanks!
 

Wichita State’s defense held the Purple Aces to a season-low 30% shooting as the Shockers defeated the University of Evansville basketball team by a 61-41 final in front of 7,015 fans at the Ford Center on Saturday.

D.J. Balentine finished with 16 points to lead the Aces (13-5, 3-3 MVC). He knocked down six shots while hauling in five rebounds. He was the lone double digit scorer for UE. Ron Baker and Darius Carter led Wichita State (16-2, 6-0 MVC) with 18 points apiece. Carter chipped in a game-high 11 rebounds to help the Shockers finish with a 39-26 edge in that department.

Evansville shot just 33.3% in the first half as the Shockers entered the halftime break up 28-18. It was a close match up early on despite Wichita State taking an early 9-4 lead. The Aces roared right back as a D.J. Balentine layup was followed by a Mislav Brzoja triple tied the game up at 9-9 just over five minutes into the game.

From that point on, the Shockers held the Aces in check leading to the break. Wichita State outscored Evansville by a 19-9 margin. Six Shockers found their way onto the scoresheet, led by seven Ron Baker points. They held the Purple Aces scoreless over the course of 9:12 as they opened up a 28-15 lead. Balentine salvaged the final possession of the first half, knocking down a triple with five seconds remaining to cut the gap to ten.

The offense for the Shockers was cranking in the opening minutes of the second half as they connected on 5 of their first 7 attempts on their way to their largest lead of the day to that point - 43-24. Evansville started the half 2-for-9 from the floor. A Balentine bucket ended the stretch just over five minutes into the period.

WSU’s lead reached as many as 23 points (51-28) with 8:41 left, but the Aces made a late push. They got within 14 at 53-39 inside of the 5-minute mark, but the Shockers were able to hang on.

Evansville’s 30% shooting marked its lowest output at the Ford Center. The Aces 41 points was the least scored by the team since Feb. 16, 2008 in a 76-38 loss at Missouri State and the lowest home scoring since January 26, 2002 when the Aces fell by a 57-41 final to Creighton.

With its MVC record at an even 3-3, the Aces look to make their push as two of the next three games will be at home. Following a Wednesday trip to Loyola, UE is back at the Ford Center to face Southern Illinois on Jan. 24 before playing host to Indiana State on the 27th. Fans are reminded that a full weekend of events will be taking place next weekend as the 1964-65 NCAA Championship Team that went 29-0 will be recognized. A full release will be posted early next week highlighting those events.
 

Ethan O’Rourke had a stellar meet as the University of Evansville men’s swimming and diving team competed at Ball State on Saturday afternoon. The Purple Aces fell by a final of 196-98.

O’Rourke earned two of Evansville’s four victories on the day. He took top honors in the 100 backstroke, pacing the participants with a time of 52.60. He followed that up with a win in the 200 backstroke, dominating the competition with a finish of 1:56.39. It was 3.33 ahead of second place.

Also earning a victory for UE was Daniel O’Brien. He edged out the Cardinals’ Tanner Barton in the 100 fly. He swam a 52.02.

Troy Burger led the way in the 200 IM. He also defeated Barton. Burger’s 2:02.25 was just .07 better than Barton’s 2:02.32 effort.

Next weekend, the Aces are back at Wyttenbach Pool. They are slated to face Saint Louis on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The University of Evansville women’s basketball team (10-7, 5-1) overcame the absence of forward Mallory Ladd to earn their fourth straight win, a 63-58 road victory, at Southern Illinois on Sunday afternoon.

Playing without their second leading scorer who was injured, the Aces received a game-high 19 points from guard Khristian Hart and 12 more from both guard Sara Dickey and forward Sasha Robinson for the win.

In a game that featured five ties and a season-high 10 lead changes, Evansville had to overcome a number of deficits. Down by eight early on, UE went on an 11-2 run to claim a 13-12 lead with 11:12 to play in the opening half. Hart converted on three, three-pointers during the stretch that inched the Aces ahead.

Evansville never led by more than one point in the first half as Southern Illinois rebuilt the advantage to five with 2:05 remaining. Down 29-24, UE received layups from guards Kenyia Johnson and Dickey to trail 29-28 at halftime. Hart scored 14 of her 19 points in the opening stanza.

Evansville began the second half by scoring 11 of the first 16 points for a five point lead. Dickey, forward Peyton Langston, guard Taloni Reese and Robinson all scored during the stretch that moved UE ahead 39-34 with 15:56 left in the second half.

SIU answered Evansville’s rally with a 10-2 burst for the three point lead.

Behind 44-41, UE responded by going on an 18-3 run to claim a double digit lead. Hart scored five straight points during the stretch for a 50-45 Aces lead. Layups from guard Kat Taylor, Dickey and Robinson along with a three by guard Laura Friday put Evansville in front 59-47.

The Salukis then scored the final six points of the game but UE held on in the final moments for the 63-58 win.

This marks the first win for UE this season when trailing at the half (the Aces were previously 0-7 this year).

Langston, who started in Ladd’s place, scored six points in the Aces win. Forward Hannah Owens also made her first career field goal in the victory.

UE shot 47.2% in the game and made 43.8% of their shots from beyond the arc.

Evansville will put their 6-0 home mark and 10-game home winning streak on the line on Friday, Jan. 23 when the Aces host Northern Iowa at the Ford Center at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 812-488-ACES (2237), in person at either the Carson Center or Ford Center ticket office, or online via Ticketmaster.com.
 

Faculty and staff can now pick up your tickets for this Saturday's (January 24) and Tuesday's (January 27) men's basketball game against Southern Illinois. You can also pick up tickets for the women's basketball games on Friday (January 23) and Sunday (January 25).