If you consider yourself spiritual, but not religious you are invited to attend the Religious Diversity Dialogue tonight at 7:00PM, meeting in the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration building, Room 170.

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. Your input is important and will help us understand how best to serve the religious community at UE.

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

The University of Evansville Department of Theatre proudly presents Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, opening Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m., in Shanklin Theatre. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, 26, 27, 28, and at 2:00 p.m. on Feb. 22 and Mar. 1.

Written by one of Ireland’s most important playwrights, this poignant tale garnered the 1992 Tony Award for Best Play. Inventively told through the eyes of an adult harkening back to memories of his youth, the play centers on the daily life of the five Mundy sisters. On the verge of the Industrial Revolution, the opening of a nearby knitting factory threatens their simple home-based livelihood in the bucolic County Donegal. In contrast to their worries about the future, the family’s first wireless radio allows the sisters to experience a spirit of freedom and an opportunity for expressiveness that was previously missing in their traditional Irish Catholic household. This lyrical story is rich in its portrayal of the complex kinship of sisters and the authenticity of family life.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $13 for senior adults, students, and UE faculty and staff. UE students may obtain one free student rush ticket beginning at 12 noon on the day of the performance they wish to attend. Tickets may be purchased by calling (812) 488–2031, Monday through Friday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. 

During Roadtrip Weekend visit the UE Bookstore for some special deals on reduced merchandise. All other clothing and gift items are 10% OFF the regular price. Extended hours on Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM. 

The Department of Music, in collaboration with the Under the Beams concert series in New Harmony, IN, is pleased to offer a special event in Wheeler Concert Hall on Friday, February 20, at 1:00 pm. Van Cliburn Competition winner Vadym Kholodenko will be on-campus, speaking about and playing excerpts from his Under the Beams recital program, which will be performed in New Harmony the following evening.

Born in Kiev, Kholodenko is the first musician in his family. He made his first appearances in the United States, China, Hungary, and Croatia at the age of 13. In 2005, Kholodenko moved to Moscow to study at the Moscow State Conservatoire with Professor Vera Gornostaeva. He currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife and two daughters. Winner of the coveted gold medal at the Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2013, Kholodenko captured the attention of jury, audience, and critics alike for powerful, exhilarating performances that “showed the guts of a true superartist” (San Francisco Classical Voice). Also taking home prizes for best performance of the piano quintet and best performance of the commissioned work, he further demonstrated his artistry with a stunning cadenza in Mozart’s Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 that he composed himself on the plane from Moscow to the Competition. Since then, Kholodenko has continued to build an international reputation for interpretations that are “impeccable, tasteful and vibrant, and also something more: imaginative” (Cleveland Plain Dealer).

The on-campus event is free and open to students, faculty, and community members.

The locally-based jazz big band, Zynergy, will present the next concert in the Jazz Guest Artist Series. Co-sponsored by the UE Department of Music and the Evansville Jazz Society, the concert will take place in Wheeler Concert Hall on Sunday, February 22, at 4:00. The 17-member Zynergy, a favorite of local audiences for many years, is being revived at the request of many of its fans, and is expected to once again become a mainstay of jazz performance in the region. Zynergy is directed by local jazz trumpet star, Tim Smith. The members include many locally favorite performers, including Mark Eifler, Matt Kincaid, Tom Drury, Jonathan Hogan, and many others. The band will be playing music representing styles from the swing era of the 1940’s to the best of today’s contemporary big band jazz. The program will include selections from the libraries of the bands of Count Basie, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, and many others.

Admission to the concert is $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for Jazz Society members and $5.00 for students with I.D. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the UE Department of Music at 488-2754, or at the door. For more information, contact:

Dr. Edwin Lacy
812/488-2227
EL2@evansville.edu

The Black Student Union will be hosting a panel discussion tonight from 6-7:30 tonight in Hyde Hall 126 discussing the Crescent magazine article and furthering the discussion of being a Black person at the University of Evansville. 

Over 110 employers are registered for Career Day 2015! Looking for a full-time professional position? Cooperative education opportunity? Internship? Summer job? Make plans to attend Career Day on Tuesday, February 25, from 11 AM – 2 PM in Carson Center's Meeks Family Court. See registered employers in JobLink (https://evansville-csm.symplicity.com/). Also, pre-register for the event in JobLink to allow employers to view your resume early! 

Please join the folks from Creative Writing this Friday, February 20th at 4 pm at The Slice for the Spring semester’s first #readingseries, our student reading series. This reading will feature fiction from Olivia Tooker and nonfiction from Chris Norris and Camille Burger. The reading will start promptly at 4, so if you’re looking to enjoy some delicious pizza while you’re there, please arrive early as The Slice can be charmingly slow. Hope to see you all there! 

Join us Thursdays at 9 pm on the second floor of Ridgway next to the radio booth to discuss food options in the cafeteria with a Sodexo representative and see what we are about. 

From 3:00-5:30 on Sunday February 22nd, come support the Men's Basketball team as they take on #13 Wichita State. The event will take place in the Class of 1959 Gallery and Lounge, there will be free popcorn! 

Fellowship of Christian Athletes is holding a food drive in Ridgway from Wednesday, February 18th through Friday, February 20th from 12-2 each day. Come donate non-perishable food items or hygiene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.) to go toward the Bosko missions in Haiti. 

Join us this Saturday evening February 21st at 7:00 pm in Room162 in Schroeder School of Business Building to watch a Spanish-language movies that won an Oscar award for Best Foreign Language Films. For more information please contact Francis Prexl-Orti (fp21@evansville.edu) or Dr. Lorena Andueza (pa55@evansville.edu)

The University of Evansville Department of Theatre proudly presents Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, opening Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m., in Shanklin Theatre. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, 26, 27, 28, and at 2:00 p.m. on Feb. 22 and Mar. 1.

Written by one of Ireland’s most important playwrights, this poignant tale garnered the 1992 Tony Award for Best Play. Inventively told through the eyes of an adult harkening back to memories of his youth, the play centers on the daily life of the five Mundy sisters. On the verge of the Industrial Revolution, the opening of a nearby knitting factory threatens their simple home-based livelihood in the bucolic County Donegal. In contrast to their worries about the future, the family’s first wireless radio allows the sisters to experience a spirit of freedom and an opportunity for expressiveness that was previously missing in their traditional Irish Catholic household. This lyrical story is rich in its portrayal of the complex kinship of sisters and the authenticity of family life.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $13 for senior adults, students, and UE faculty and staff. UE students may obtain one free student rush ticket beginning at noon on the day of the performance they wish to attend. Tickets may be purchased by calling (812) 488–2031, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. 

Students who have received Federal Direct Loans while attending UE and plan to graduate, withdraw, or transfer are required to attend a Loan Repayment Counseling Session. The Office of Financial Aid will hold the first of three sessions this semester on March 2 from 6:00-6:30 p.m. in Ridgway University Center, Eykamp 251. Future sessions will be held on April 29 at 2:00 p.m. and May 8 at 11:30 a.m. in Eykamp 251. 

University of Evansville’s student-run physical therapy clinic, Ace CARE will be offering a free group exercise program for individuals who have had a stroke. Sessions will be focused on improving everyday function in the home and community. Please call 812-431-4832 for more information and to schedule your initial session. 

This Friday (February 20th) is the priority deadline for several upcoming short-term study abroad programs, including:
• Applied Process Development: Dominican Republic
• British and US Health Care Systems
• Chinese Health Care System
• Contemporary European Business Issues
• Exploring Asia in South Korea
• International Cultural Immersion Experience: Trinidad and Tobago

Students interested in participating in one of these programs should submit their applications by the priority deadline to confirm their place. Applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed as space is available.

Information about costs, dates, and other deadlines can be found on the UE Study Abroad page: http://www.evansville.edu/studyabroad/shortTerm.cfm

The online application is available here: http://www.evansville.edu/studyabroad/shortTermApp.cfm

Please contact Marissa Mitchell, coordinator of short-term programs abroad, at mm353 or 488-2039 if you have any questions. 

Students interested in living in the Villages (Townhouse, North Hall, Apartments, or Houses) for 2015-2016 should pick up Village Request Cards this week in the office of residence life.

The Villages are reserved primarily for students with 60+ credit hours. In order to apply to live in the Villages, each person in your group must have at least 44 credit hours on file with the University by the end of the previous fall semester.

Village request cards are due back to the office of residence life by 5:00 pm on Friday February 20.

More information on the housing assignments process can be found on the residence life section of the University website at http://www.evansville.edu/residencelife/whereWillYouLive.cfm
 

Later this month, UE will host delegates from all throughout the state for the Indiana Residence Hall Organization Conference (IRHOC). The goal of the conference is to share creative and beneficial ideas that will make campus residential communities even better. The IRHOC Committee is looking for hospitable, energized students who are willing to volunteer for various positions during a portion of the conference that will take place from February 28 to March 1. Each volunteer will be eligible for service hours and a free t-shirt. To learn more about the conference and sign-up for a slot, log on to irhoc2015.com and select “Volunteers” from the navigation menu. Questions can be directed to irhoc2015@gmail.com. Sign-up now to receive your preferred volunteer slot. 

The Office of Financial Aid has recently enhanced our section of the University of Evansville’s website to assist students with finding scholarships.  On the UE website, go to the Tuition & Aid tab then to UE Students. On this screen, scroll to the bottom of the page and choose “Looking for Additional Scholarships?” This link will direct you to many scholarships offered from external organizations or companies, as well as UE scholarships. We will update this information as new scholarships become available. 

Dr. Kyle Kiesel, Professor and Chair of Physical Therapy, along with his two colleagues, Gray Cook and Greg Rose presented a 3-hour lecture on injury prevention in professional football players in Indianapolis at the NFL combines.  They were invited to present by the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society and there were approximately 120 NFL Athletic Trainers in attendance.

Along with Dr. Phil Plisky, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, Dr. Kiesel has published several studies regarding injury prediction including two related to injuries in the NFL.

Assistant Professor of Biology Noah Gordon recently presented research co-authored with UE biology majors Kane Stratman and Maddie Ralph at the 75th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. The research focuses on how two species of tree frog are interacting in response to the range expansion of one of them. 

Purple Aces looking for third straight road win at the Knapp Center

DES MOINES, Iowa – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team (11-13, 6-7) starts a weekend roadtrip on Friday night when the Purple Aces play at the Drake Bulldogs. The contest will be held at the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa and begin at 7:05 p.m.

Evansville is looking for their first road win since Jan. 18 at Southern Illinois. With 28 points, Dickey will move into fifth place for most points in UE single season history.

Evansville snapped a six-game losing streak on Sunday with a 69-52 home win over Illinois State. Guard Sara Dickey became the 19th played in program history to score her 1,000th point. Forward Mallory Ladd also returned from injury to net 15 points. It was the Aces’ breast cancer awareness game and survivors were honored at halftime.

On the stat sheet, Evansville’s Dickey (19.2 points per game), Ladd (15.2) and guard Khristian Hart (10.3) are all averaging double figures. Dickey also has the most assists (62) as Hart has totaled a team-best with 39 steals for UE this year. Ladd is notching a team-high 0.9 blocks per game. Robinson is securing 8.3 rebounds per game, a team-high. UE is averaging 62.7 points and 33.4 rebounds per game. The Aces make 40.5% of their field goals, 35.2% of threes, and 64.6% at the free throw line.

Drake (16-7, 11-1) is tied for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bulldogs have won 12 of their last 14 games including a 87-67 victory over Northern Iowa in their last contest.

Statistically, Wendell paces the Bulldogs offense with 23.3 points per game and defense with a team-high 49 steals. Guard Maddy Dean (13.4), forward Becca Jonas (11.9), and guard Caitlin Ingle (11.2) are all averaging double figure points per game as well. Jonas also has a team-leading 8.5 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. Drake averages 77.5 points and 41.7 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs shoot 45.6% from the floor, 33.6% from beyond the arc, and 70.9% at the charity stripe.

Evansville is projected to finish fourth in the MVC preseason poll, their highest projection since 2008-2009. Drake was voted third in the MVC preseason poll. Dickey and Wendell were both named to the MVC preseason team, just a season after they both were named Co-Freshman of the Year in the MVC. The Aces are guided by fourth year head coach Oties Epps as the Bulldogs are led by third year head coach Jennie Baranczyk.

Drake holds a 32-13 edge over UE in the all-time series. The Bulldogs won 79-62 at the Ford Center earlier this season on Jan. 25. Dickey tallied 27 points and Hart added another 16 in the game.

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.

UE Baseball Coach Wes Carroll previews the upcoming weekend vs. WKU

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Coach’s Box radio show with University of Evansville baseball head coach Wes Carroll airs this Thursday, Feb. 19 at 5:00 p.m. on WUEV 91.5 FM.

The show will feature Coach Carroll as well as Director of Marketing and Event Management Dustin Hall and WUEV General Manager Tom Benson.

The group will discuss the team’s opening weekend series win at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the dedication of the team’s new locker room and the upcoming series against Western Kentucky.

The Aces and Hilltoppers will head south to play a weekend three-game series in Emerson, Ga. The contests will be played at the Perfect Game Baseball Field at LakePoint Sporting Community. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 5:00 p.m. CT and concludes with a single game on Sunday, Feb.22 at 2:00 p.m. CT. All games are slated for nine innings each.

Evansville (2-1) started the season by sweeping a doubleheader at UALR and securing a road series win from the Trojans on Opening Weekend.

The program airs live on WUEV 91.5 FM and online at http://www.evansville.edu/wuev/ .

UE has their first home game at Braun Stadium on Friday, February 27 when they play Oakland as part of a three-game weekend series.

The $55,000 project for the MVC Champions included a demolition and total rebuilding

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A great day for the University of Evansville baseball program took place on Wednesday, February 18 when the new locker room was officially dedicated. President Dr. Tom Kazee spoke as well as Director of Athletics Mark Spencer, head baseball coach Wes Carroll and current player Shain Showers.

The $55,000 project saw all of the funds privately raised, including an extremely generous donation courtesy of UE alumnus Ken Maikranz and wife Martha. For the first time, a sound system and television were placed in the room allowing the team the opportunity to watch film. The renovation also gives the team a prime place to meet and gather on a regular basis.

“Before the renovation, the locker room was never used as a meeting space and now it is a perfect place for the team to gather,” said Dr. Kazee. “We are very proud of the success of the team and are even more proud of the people in the community who have stepped up to enable us to continue that success.”

The event caps off what has been a great year for the program as it is coming off of a regular season Missouri Valley Conference Championship as well as seeing pitcher Kyle Freeland taken 8th in the 2014 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.

“This is a cornerstone for us to build on,” said Director of Athletics Mark Spencer. “We won a championship last year and that is something to be very proud of. We are looking forward to having many, many of those. It is with these kind of facilities and these kind of gifts that really help us take the next step forward. Everyone wants to have the best pieces out there and having something like this is a great foundation to build on.”

Head coach Wes Carroll took a moment to reflect on those who made it all possible: “The names on that donor plaque, you make a difference to the student athletes’ lives,” said Carroll. “We want to enhance the student athlete experience and a life changing type of experience here. This is a step in the right direction.”

Speaking to the players on his team, Carroll added, “Hopefully you can see this as a great lesson. It fells so much better to give than to receive. Whenever you get out into the real world and have a chance to give back, remember this feeling.”

Near the end of 2014, the locker room was completely demolished and rebuilt from scratch. The project consisted of adding custom-made double-sided oak lockers as well as new flooring, tiling, showers, graphics and lights.

“On behalf of me and the rest of the team, we are so very thankful for all who have put forth effort,” said shortstop Shain Showers. “You have made this come true.”

The Purple Aces (2-1) will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 21 for a weekend series against Western Kentucky in Emerson, Ga. Evansville has their first home game at Braun Stadium on Friday, February 27 when they play Oakland as part of a three-game weekend series. 

CARBONDALE, Ill. – On Wednesday’s opening day of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, the University of Evansville women’s swimming and diving team set two school records in Carbondale, Ill.

With its record-breaking efforts, the Aces stand in second place with 62 points. Missouri State leads the way at 74.

“I am very happy with the girls and how they performed tonight,” Purple Aces head coach Rickey Perkins said. “This meet is about us and our celebration of the end of the season. It is a great start for our girls and we hope for even more going forward.”

Evansville’s group of Michaela Kent, Mackenzie Powell, Danielle Freeman and Abby Smith set the school mark in the 200 medley relay to open the tournament in Wednesday’s final. The quartet swam a time of 1:43.50 to finish in second place while posting the best time in school history.

Missouri State took the win in the race, finishing in 1:42.82.

The second school record of the evening for UE came in the 800 free relay. Freeman was part of the record-breakers once again, joining Michelle Tipton, Maja Magnusson and Jessi Hildebrand as the group registered a 7:35.42.

A full day of action is set for Thursday with the following events taking place: 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 1 meter diving and 200 free relay. Prelims take place at 11 a.m. with the finals going at 6 p.m. For full coverage, visit the MVC Championship Central page by clicking here. 

D.J. Balentine hit 8 of his 16 shots to finish with a game-high 24 points as the University of Evansville men's basketball team took down Drake by a 61-52 final on Tuesday night at the Ford Center.

Balentine hit 6 of his 7 free throw attempts along with a pair of treys for the Purple Aces (19-8, 9-6 MVC). Behind him were Egidijus Mockevicius and Jaylon Brown, who tallied 8 points apiece. Brown hit a career-best eight free throws while posting five assists and three steals. Mockevicius hit three shots and a pair of free throws.

Pacing the Bulldogs (8-19, 5-10 MVC) was Jacob Enevold. He posted ten points and a game-high 7 rebounds. Trevor Berkeley finished the game with 10.

"It was a hard-fought game, both teams played really hard," UE head coach Marty Simmons said. "I thought our guys hung in there and showed some good resiliency. We were fortunate to make enough plays to get the win."

Enevold gave the Bulldogs the early 2-0 advantage as the UE offense missed its first shot while turning the ball over twice in its first three possessions. D.J. Balentine got the Aces on the board at the 2-minute mark. Balentine scored a game-high 14 in the period on an efficient 6-8 start.

Minutes later, Duane Gibson found Jaylon Moore open underneath the basket as Moore converted to give the Aces their first lead of the day at 6-4. That bucket was part of a 7-0 run that saw the Aces take a 9-4 lead. Evansville's offense was stellar at the start, holding Drake to just 2-for-11 to begin the contest.

Midway through the half, Drake fought back to tie the game at 14-14 as Ore Arogundade was true from 14 feet. The Aces fought back once again, embarking on an 11-2 stretch to take their largest lead to that point at 25-16. Blake Simmons notched four points in the fun.

The Bulldogs got within four points at 25-21 inside the 3-minute mark, but UE took a 30-23 lead into the halftime break thanks to a Balentine triple. Evansville shot 60% in the opening frame while limiting Drake to 36% on 9-of-25 shooting in the stanza.

Out of the break, Drake came out on fire, drilling their first four shots to get within a point at 32-31. Jaylon Brown kept the Aces on top, scoring the first four points of the period from the free throw line. Despite his efforts, the Bulldogs kept their rally going as their 7-10 start from the field in the second half saw them take a 39-37 lead.

Evansville began the frame 0-for-7 before an Adam Wing bucket tied the game back up at 39-39 with just over 11 minutes left in the game.

Wing's basket marked the beginning of what would be a 10-0 run that saw the Aces go up 47-39. Wing had six of those ten tallies. A Trevor Berkeley bucket put a temporary end to the run, but Evansville took back the upper hand.

"We tried to get stops and rotated pretty well," Wing said. "We knew once we could get stops, we would be able to run on them in transition. Our guys did a great job of pushing the ball."

Balentine notched five points in a row as the Aces took their largest lead of the night at 52-41 with just over six minutes left. A quick 5-0 spurt, capped off by a Gary Ricks triple, got the Bulldogs with six points at the 4-minute mark, but the Aces were able to withstand the run and earn the 61-52 win.

Entering the night, UE ranked 7th in the country in assisted basket percentage. The Aces showed just why as they were credited with 18 assists on 20 makes. Brown had five while three others totaled three apiece. The Aces also finished with a 28-26 edge on the boards.

Evansville takes to the road for a pair of games over the next eight days. The trek begins on Sunday as the Aces will play at #13 Wichita State. ESPNU will cover the game, which begins at 3 p.m. Next Wednesday, the Aces will head to Cedar Falls, Iowa to face 11th-ranked UNI. That game will be on ESPN3. Evansville dealt UNI its lone MVC loss this season on New Year’s Day.

Due to inclement weather, the University of Evansville baseball team’s upcoming weekend series at the Western Kentucky has been relocated.

Rather than meeting in snow-covered Bowling Green, Ky., the Aces and Hilltoppers will now head south to play a weekend in Emerson, Ga. The contests will be played at the Perfect Game Baseball Field at LakePoint Sporting Community. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 5:00 p.m. CT and concludes with a single game on Sunday, Feb.22 at 2:00 p.m. CT. All games are slated for nine innings each.

Due to the relocation, there will be no audio or video feeds for the series. However, live stats will be provided throughout the weekend and are available at WKUSports.com .

Evansville (2-1) began the season by sweeping a doubleheader at Arkansas – Little Rock on Saturday, Feb. 17. The pair of victories secured a road series win from the Trojans on Opening Weekend.

Evansville has their first home game at Braun Stadium on Friday, February 27 when they play Oakland as part of a three-game weekend series.