UE senior Katie Ziebell's goulash is for dinner tonight at 5:30 pm at the UE Newman Center. Katie will also be sharing her story of conversion and why she chose the Catholic Church one year ago this Easter! Even if you can't stay for Katie's story; join us just for dinner. If you have a 6pm class, you go to the front of the line for dinner! Look for the purple and white UE Newman Center banner on the corner of Lincoln and Frederick Avenues. Questions? Email kr53@evansville.edu or call/text 812-760-8610. Happy Easter!! 

Psi Chi will be holding an event open to everyone titled: "Exploring How Stereotypes and Disgust Shape Perceptions of Sex Offenders and Their Loved Ones." on Monday, April 6, 5 pm., Room 170 (Smythe Lecture Hall), Schroeder School of Business Building. UE faculty Margaret Stevenson, UE alum Evan McCraken, and UE student Tyler Plogher will present a series of three studies exploring perceptions of sex offenders and their loved ones. 

Do you have an MLA paper due soon? Join us this Wednesday, April 8, at 5:00 p.m., in the Writing Center for help with how to format and cite papers according to the MLA style manual, including internal citations and the works cited page. 

The University Choir, the chamber choir Kantorei, and the UE Mixed Choir will present a concert in Neu Chapel this Tuesday evening, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities Dennis Malfatti will lead the ensembles in a program of music ranging from the Baroque to the Modern Era, including works by Handel, Mozart, Brahms, Samuel Barber, and Olivier Messiaen. Pianist Kristin Jones will accompany the ensembles on some selections. The concert is free and open to the public. 

The Honors Program invites you to attend the Honors Program Project Presentations on April 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, and 16.  These presentations showcase the project work of the 2015 Honors graduating class.  The Honors project is an opportunity for students to explore an area about which they are passionate. The Honors project may consist of a research project, thesis, or creative work.  Students may use the Honors project to launch areas of interest for graduate study or to expand résumés for employment.

We hope you will join us to hear the fascinating work that this year’s Honors graduates have completed.  Special thanks are extended to all faculty, advisors, and others who have supported the Honors students in their educational achievements. 

Please see below a schedule of presentations.

Tuesday, April 7 - 3:00 – 3:45 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Chris Norris, Creative Writing / Literature
“Sink in the River”
• Anna Sheffer, Creative Writing / Literature
“Literary Translation of Latin American Poetry”

Tuesday, April 7 - 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Jessica Ingle, Creative Writing / Literature
“Leonardo & Alec”
• Carly Herrud, Archaeology / Art History
“Comparison of American and British Museums”
• Tiffany Iseler, Nursing
“Volunteer Red Blood Cell Donations: The Shortage and Why It Must End, A Nurse’s Perspective”

Wednesday, April 8 – 3:00 – 3:45 P.M.
Koch Center 101

• Megan Moran, Biology / Environmental Administration
“Campus Sustainability Guide”
• Taylyn Lewis, Health Services Administration
“Aesthetic Marketing at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt”

Wednesday, April 8 - 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Koch Center 101

• Logan McGuire, Theatre Design
“One Man Radio Play”
• Logan Elizabeth Hardy, Theatre Studies
“Severing the Usurper's Cursed Head: Creating a Realistic Severed Head for the Stage”
• Jessica Intner, Theatre Performance
“Costume Designing A Streetcar Named Desire”

Thursday, April 9 - 3:00 – 3:45 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Hailey Suggs, Theatre Performance
“Dancing at Lughnasa Dramaturgy”
• Kelly Lamarche, Biology
“Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus”       

Tuesday, April 14 - 3:00 – 4:00 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Jacquelyn Ballard, Business / International Studies
“Does Investment in Green Initiatives such as Conservation Efforts Help Stimulate the Local Economies in the Long Run?”
• Gretchen Kohl, Economics / Spanish
“Economic Development in Chile”
• Suhrob Muratov, Accounting / Management
“XBRL Implementation Process by U.S. Federal Agencies”

Tuesday, April 14 - 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Loren Oboikovitz, English Education
“The Importance of Fantasy Literature in Middle School Language Arts / Reading Classes”
• Hannah Bisch, Special Education
“cMoe-to-Go:  Outreach Boxes for Evansville's Special Education Classrooms”
• Alexandria Dryer, Classical Studies / Social Studies Education
“Molding Religions: Roman Reactions to Threatening Foreign Practices”

Wednesday, April 15 - 3:00 – 3:45 P.M.
Koch Center 101

• Sarah Dory, Electrical Engineering / Theatre
“Automation of a Conventional Theatrical Lighting Fixture via Ethernet”
• Aaron Reynolds, Computer Science
“Neural Networks and Parallelism”

Wednesday, April 15 - 4:00 – 4:45 P.M.
Koch Center 101

• Anjelica Allen, Political Science / Writing
“The Night Didn't Listen to Me”
• Kiki Jones, Literature / History
“Sanditon: Exploring Jane Austen's Uncompleted Work”

Thursday, April 16 - 3:00 – 4:00 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Elizabeth Crooks, Nursing
“Sex Education: A Needed Revolution”
• Breianna Simpson, Nursing
“Would You Like to be an Organ Donor?”
• Tempa Auffart, Nursing
“Reaching the Masses: An Evidence-Based Practice Approach to Educating Communities”

Thursday, April 16 - 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Koch Center 100

• Cody Baker, Applied Mathematics / Cognitive Science
“Dependence Variability in Predictive Analysis”
• Kaitlyn Bell, Cognitive Science / Psychology / Philosophy
“The Psychological Effects of the Black Death: An Interdisciplinary Literature Review”
• Jackie Kossoff, Creative Writing / Communication
“Coordinating the World's Fairs: From the Great Exhibition of 1851”

As part of the Stand Against Racism™ a movement of the YWCA that aims to eliminate racism by raising awareness through its annual event. Organizations across the United States are invited to participate by hosting their own “Stand.” Individuals are then invited to join any of the “Stands,” where hundreds of thousands of people will take a Stand Against Racism across the country.

The University of Evansville will bring Minister Nyle Fort a young grassroots activist who has been a part of the movement Black Live Matter.

Minister Fort will speak to the campus on Friday, April 24 from 9-10 am in the Schroeder School of Business Building Atrium.

All campus members are welcome to come out and be inspired by the words of the young minister.

For more information please contact LaNeeca Williams at lw161@evansville.edu or call 812-488-2413. 

On Friday, April 10, at Angel Mounds, 7 PM, Dr. G. William Monaghan will speak on "Age and distribution of Phaseolus vulgaris in North America: Implications for group interactions and plant production system in eastern North America." The lecture is free and open to the public.

Abstract: The distribution and age of directly-dated domesticated beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) across North America indicate that beans spread rapidly east from the Southwest through the Plains and into the Great Lakes regions AD 1100-1200. Beans then spread south and west from the Great Lakes into the lower Ohio valley after AD 1300-1350. Few beans are reported from the Southeast and none have been directly dated. Beans were likely first linked with and diffused through Plains Village/Oneota and Iroquois groups and only later adopted by Mississippian agriculturalist or their descendants, which supports the contention that beans were very late additions in Eastern North America.

Bio: Dr. Monaghan received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1988 and currently is a Senior Research Scientist in the Indiana Geological Survey at Indiana University, Bloomington. In addition, he holds academic and teaching appointments in the Geological Sciences and Anthropology departments at the IU and IUPUI campuses. Monaghan has served as Associate and Interim Director of the Glenn A Black Laboratory of Archaeology (2005-2014) and Associated Director of the Mathers Museum (2011-2013). 

The last installment in the SAMS career series for the year will be on Wednesday, April 8, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in KC102.

We will be web-conferencing with Drs. David and Jennifer Pollock, two UE alumni, who are co-directors of the Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine section at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They will talk about their research on kidney disease and hypertension, and about the interface between scientific research and medicine.

As always, this is an informal event, with pizza and lots of opportunity for you to ask questions.

The SAMS career colloquium series is designed to highlight the variety of available job opportunities for anyone interested in a science or math career. All are welcome.

This series is sponsored by the NSF-supported SAMS program, the Center for Career Development, and the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations. Please contact js383 or as341 with any questions. 

The final installment of the Creative Writing department's #readingseries will be on Friday, April 10. In addition to the reading, we are also collecting kitchen supplies/cookware for the shelter at the YWCA. They are desperately in need of items like cookie sheets, cake pans, pots, pans, pizza pans, and casserole dishes. These items can be lightly used or new.

Please think about joining us at The Slice on April 10 at 4 pm and bringing a kitchen donation with you. If you'd like to donate but can't make the reading, there is a box outside of Olmsted 416B for drop off. Thanks!
 

Zeta Tau Alpha will be hosting a bake sale to raise money for BMOC. There will be a table set up in Ridgway University Center, outside the food court from 9 a.m. -4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7. We will have a variety of cupcakes, cookies, and scones for sale! 

On Tuesday April 7, 6:30 pm, in Room 101, in Koch Center, the short documentary LOCAL will be shown. The documentary discusses how the local food movement is growing and the challenges of finding locally grown food. After the documentary, there will be a panel discussion consisting of members of the Evansville community involved with local food operations like Urban Seeds and River City Co-op. 

Omar Atia, executive director and imam of the Islamic Center of Evansville, will be speaking at the University of Evansville on Thursday, April 16, 7:00-8:00 p.m., Room 170 (Smythe Lecture Hall), Schroeder School of Business Building. A question and answer session will follow the lecture. Atia’s topic will be “Finding the Truth through the Noise – What Does Islam Really Stand For?” This event is free and open to the public.

Atia has been a community activist and motivational speaker for more than 15 years. Before coming to the Islamic Center of Evansville, he led youth and community development efforts in Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Atia’s blend of faith-based learning and real-world social-justice leadership enables him to provide a distinct take on Islam. His thought leadership stays true to faith tradition while providing a vision that is relevant and transformative for America.
 
Professionally, Atia is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of lean management and applied creativity. As co-founder and chief strategist of Thoughtfire, he has proven success stories with companies around the world, aiding transformations from mediocre performance to consistent, world-class results.

Atia graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s in interdisciplinary engineering. He has completed courses with the Islamic American University towards a bachelor’s in Islamic studies. He was born in Illinois, lived in Cairo, Egypt, for part of his childhood, and in Indiana most of his life.

This event is sponsored by UE’s Office of Diversity Initiatives and Department of Religious Life, and hosted by the UE Muslim Students' Association.

For more information on the event, please email: ke94@evansville.edu

April 25th is Dirt Day at John James Audubon State Park in Henderson, KY. We are looking for volunteers to help out with trail work and the beautification of our gardens! Volunteers can meet at the museum by 8:30 am and will work until Noon, at which time, we will serve lunch! No tools or experience is necessary but we do expect volunteers to be properly clothed--closed toed shoes and clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty! Registration is appreciated, but not required. Please contact ml170@evansville.edu for any further information or to register for this event. See you out at the park! 

On Tuesday, April 7 at 4 pm in Eykamp 252, Ridgway University Center. Wade Wingler, director of assistive technology and the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads, will be demonstrating accessible apps on the iPad. The iPad is one of the most accessible tools of technology for people with disabilities. Wade will be bringing 40 iPads for the audience to use so this will be a fun and interactive presentation

What is Philanthropy Week? Philanthropy Week is a week long campaign with events and activities to enhance awareness and engagement of students at UE about the importance of institutional advancement around campus.

Key events Include:

Monday, April 13: Awareness Day: 
“Fact Snacks” distributed.

Clifford Circle Celebration, part of Philanthropy Week 2015 from 2:00-5:00 pm, Clifford Circle (on the oval) All UE students, faculty, and staff are invited to join us in the Clifford Circle to celebrate those who have given UE at least 1 million dollars! We’ll be giving out free Donut Bank donuts, Philanthropy Week t-shirts, and Clifford Circle coasters!

Tuesday, April 14: Good Deeds Day
Celebrate Campus and Community Philanthropy with Good Deeds Day and donate a non-perishable food item to the United Way Food Drive at the philanthropy week table.

Wednesday, April 15: Appreciation Day
Opportunity to tell a donor thank you for supporting student scholarships

Thursday, April 16: Participation Day
Photo Booth Contest- stop by and take a UE Fight Song Selfie. Submit the selfie through social media using #UEPepandVim and the Philanthropy Week committee will review submissions; winner receives a limited edition prize. T-shirt giveaway to the first 25 students to stop by and participate. Student-to-Student (S2S) is about choosing to help classmates with your gift, which directly benefits other students by making it easier for them to earn their degree. When you give $5 or more dollars for four years you become part of the S2S Loyalty Society and receive a cord to be worn on your graduation gown to show your UE pride.

The goal is to foster and enhance student involvement in all areas of advancement- including fundraising, alumni relations, and communications. It is important that students start taking steps to become the next group of philanthropic leaders and Philanthropy Week educates the students about the value they can bring to UE by giving their time, talent and treasure as students but also once they enter the alumni world.

What is the UE Fight Song Selfie Challenge? Looks like @TomKazee1 has been busy perfecting his selfie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqnsXTsNgDw&feature=youtu.be #UEPepandVim #DoGood4UE Philanthropy Week starts next week.

What is “Pep and Vim” Day? Pep and Vim! Is a single day designed to celebrate UE’s great traditions of philanthropy and school spirit. UE has chosen this signature line from the University’s fight song as the theme for our annual day of giving. This new event will replace UEGive12. Pep and Vim will serve as the conclusion of the Fight Song Selfie Challenge. 

UE VETS, Office of Veterans Affairs, and UE Disability Services are sponsoring a movie discussion April 8 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 162, Schroeder School of Business Building, for the award winning documentary, "Not Yet Begun to Fight". The film features five veterans as they embark upon an excursion to learn the art of fly fishing from Warriors and Quiet Waters in Montana.

One of the veterans featured in the film is UE student and Iraq/Afghanistan War veteran, Erik Goodge. A panel discussion with Erik, and other UE student veterans will follow the showing.

Limited seating, first-come-first-served. No cost, free refreshments.

Change is in the air ... Help us spread the word! Submit your idea for the UE Tobacco-Free Poster/Slogan Contest as either a hard copy or digital copy. If submitting a hard copy, please use 11"x17" paper and turn in to Sylvia Buck in the Office of Counseling Services and Health Education, Second Floor, Ridgway University Center. If submitting a digital copy, (JPEG or PDF) send to Liz Daugherty at ed108@evansville.edu. The deadline is Monday, April 20. Prizes will be awarded for UE Bookstore gift certificates. 

Congratulations to the following individuals who were elected to Student Government Positions for the 2015-2016 academic year.

SGA President: Matt Lundberg
SGA Vice President: Jalen Lee
Academic Fund Board Chairperson: Will Patzke
The Student Elected Trustee that will serve on the board the next three years is Mallory Mooney.

Thank you to all students who voted and for all candidates who ran for positions.
 

Sunset Concert is almost here which means it's almost time to pick up your tickets! Every UE student gets one free ticket and at least one guest ticket. If you are wishing to request more than one guest ticket, all you have to do is put on a waiting list and you will be contacted about being able to pick them up or not.

Student Activities Board will be passing tickets out at a table in Ridgway next week Monday, April 6 through Wednesday, April 8 during lunch and dinner hours. Plus, information on how to win t-shirts will be announced as well. So, stop by and get your tickets!
 

Faculty that need regalia rented for May Graduation are reminded to contact the UE Bookstore as soon as possible. This will insure that proper garments and colors are provided. 

Faculty are reminded that textbook adoptions for the Summer and Fall 2015 terms are now due in the UE Bookstore. Please submit your adoptions as soon as possible. Contact the Bookstore if any questions. 

UE faculty and administrators as well as members of the Evansville community are invited to submit an abstract for papers on any aspect of their research or expertise for the 2015-2016 Andiron Lectures in the Liberal Arts and Sciences. All disciplines and fields of study are welcome to submit proposals. Reading time for papers is approximately 40 minutes. Deadline for abstract submission is April 10.

Please provide the following by email:
A 50-word abstract
Name, Academic Affiliation/ Occupation,
Paper title, Contact Information

Please send submissions to:
Chris Mohn at mm333@evansville.edu

Nominations for off-campus speakers can be sent by email to Andiron Lecture committee members Mohammad Azarian, Wes Milner, Annette Parks, John Stamm, and Chris Mohn (chair).

University of Evansville student Abigail Smith has been named a 2015 Goldwater Scholar by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.  Established by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to honor the former senator from Arizona, this nationwide scholarship program was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) research. The Goldwater Scholarship is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

Abby is a professional chemistry major at UE, as well as a member of the Aces women’s swimming/diving team.  She conducts research with Andy Lampkins, assistant professor of chemistry, where she is creating a new paradigm in cancer treatment called “smart” therapeutics.

“Abby is developing prototypes that have the potential to target, treat, and detect cancer cells simultaneously,” said Lampkins. “This technology would most certainly streamline the way cancer is treated today.”

Abby presented her research at a meeting of the American Chemical Society this past fall, and has accepted an internship in drug discovery at Eli Lilly and Company this coming summer. After graduating from UE, Abby plans to enroll in a Ph.D. program studying synthetic organic chemistry before seeking employment in the pharmaceutical industry.         

Four educators in Vanderburgh County were recognized by surprise announcements as Outstanding Educators of the Year on Wednesday, April 1, during the University of Evansville’s 24th annual presentation in the Vanderburgh County schools. The competition recognizes current classroom teachers and building principals in grades K-12 with at least three years of experience.

The four winners will be formally recognized Friday, May 1, during the University’s annual banquet. This recognition program is sponsored by UE and the Evansville Courier & Press. For additional information, call the UE School of Education at 812-488-2360 or 812-488-2368.

Presented with awards at their schools were:
• Elementary School Teacher of the Year: Carolyn Bennett, Highland Elementary School
• Middle School Teacher of the Year: Angela Greenwell, Helfrich Park STEM Academy
• High School Teacher of the Year: Mark Schoenbaum, Memorial High School
• Building Principal of the Year: Bryan Perry, Thompkins Middle School

Outstanding Elementary Educator of the Year: Carolyn Bennett, third grade teacher, Highland Elementary School
Carolyn Bennett has been an educator for 22 years. She currently teaches at Highland Elementary School. Bennett is passionate about teaching third graders. “I love the minds of eight and nine year olds,” she explains. “They are enthusiastic learners who are beginning to understand their strengths and weaknesses.”

She says that her teaching philosophy can be stated in one sentence:  “Each child gets what they need.” Bennett believes that third graders are the perfect age to understand that philosophy.

“They know I will help when they need it,” she says, “but if they are able to fix a problem on their own, they do it.’”

Bennett served on EVSC’s first Math Mapping Committee, was part of the Oak Hill Elementary School Planning Committee, and is a member of the Response to Intervention Team. She has had extensive training in the Leader in Me Program.

Outstanding Middle School Educator of the Year: Angela Greenwell, seventh grade social studies, English and literature and eighth grade English and literature teacher, Helfrich Park STEM Academy
Angela Greenwell has been a teacher for seven years. She currently teaches 7th and 8th graders at Helfrich Park STEM Academy, where her subject areas are social studies, English and literature.

Greenwell feels that educators should prepare students for the 21st century. Therefore she sets high expectations in her classroom. Her teaching strategies encourage research, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and problem solving. Her students publish essays to their classroom portfolios, relying on research to validate their arguments.

“All students have valuable ideas and can make academic gains when provided a stimulating learning environment,” says Greenwell.

Greenwell is working on a doctoral degree in literacy and leadership. She is a member of the ISTEP review board in Indianapolis, and the seventh grade ELA textbook adoption committee. She is a national seventh grader language facilitator for National Education Association’s Greater Public School Network, and has taken part in service based community learning projects.

Outstanding High School Educator of the Year: Mark Schoenbaum, art teacher, Memorial High School
Mark Schoenbaum has been an art teacher at Memorial High School for 27 years. His teaching areas include art history, photography, painting, advanced painting, drawing, ceramics, advanced ceramics and digital photography
Schoenbaum notes that his philosophy of education is reflected in a quote from Pablo Picasso: “Inspiration Exists, but it must find us working.”

He believes successful teaching involves three strengths: a positive learning environment, creating enthusiasm for learning and creativity, and quality customer (student) service.

“Promoting a supportive and challenging learning environment for my students is fundamental,” he says, “so that they may question their ideas, and develop essential skills and a strong work ethic.”

Schoenbaum is a member of National Council on Education for the Ceramics Arts. He has participated in the Don Reitz Retrospective Invitational, and the East/West/North Art Show at the Evansville Museum. He received the Pro-Operis Award for 20 plus years of service, and has been nominated for Arts Council Art Teacher of the Year

Outstanding Administrator of the Year: Bryan Perry, principal of Thompkins Middle School
Bryan Perry has been principal at Thompkins Middle School for six years. He has been involved in education for 22 years.

Perry says that his educational beliefs continually change as the field of education evolves. One thing that remains constant is his goal to do the right thing for his students and staff and ensure that they progress as people and professionals.

“I want to develop students that succeed at their chosen field of study,” he says. While he doesn’t feel it is necessary for them all to pursue a four year college degree, he does want each to understand the importance of post-secondary training.

In his role as an administrator, Perry encourages leadership skills in his staff. He does not believe in micromanaging, saying that “the best thing that I can do is to get out of their way!”

Perry was named Indiana Association of School Principals District 11 Middle School Principal of the Year in 2012. He has been an Indiana Principal Leadership Institute Mentor Principal since 2014.

UE students William Glasscock, Abbi Hanson, Tom Grady, Jessica Newell, and Andrew Schade presented research papers at the Spring 2015 Regional Phi Alpha Theta History Conference. At the conference, held at USI on March 28, Grady and Schade won prizes in the Undergraduate Colonial History and World War II categories. 

Carol Dallinger, professor of music, recently returned from teaching as guest clinician at The Preucil School of Music Spring Retreat in Iowa City, Iowa. The Preucil School, founded in 1975 by violinist, Doris Preucil and husband and violist, William Preucil, Sr., is internationally known for its teaching excellence and the outstanding accomplishments of its graduates. Doris Preucil is author of the nine volumes of the Suzuki Viola School™ and William Preucil, professor emeritas of the University of Iowa and founding member of the Stradivari Quartet, is the recording artist for the series. Professor Dallinger gave a presentation to the faculty and taught masterclasses and group lessons to students participating in the retreat. 

Biology majors Maddie Ralph and Kane Stratman in collaboration with Dr. Gordon presented their Division 1 level research at the recent Animal Behavior Conference in Bloomington, IN. Their work addresses the impact of shifting geographic ranges on the evolution of two species of treefrog. In addition to this work, Maddie was also recently awarded the Zeta Tau Alpha Smarty-Pants Award, making Dr. Gordon both proud and entertained.

Joyce Stamm, associate professor of Biology and the 28 students who enrolled in Biology 499: Research problems in Genomics in 2008, 2010, and 2012 have co-authored a paper with students and faculty in the Genomics Education Partnership, a nationwide collaborative effort that brings genomics research into the undergraduate classroom. The paper, “Drosophila Muller F elements maintain a distinct set of genomic properties over 40 million years of evolution”, was published online in the journal G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, and is the product of course-based research carried out in classrooms across the country. This paper, with 940 student and 74 faculty co-authors, has one of the highest number of undergraduate co-authors known.

The UE student co-authors were Morgan Anderson ’12, Bethany Bonifield ’13, Daniel Coomes ’09, Meleah (Curtis) Gross ’12, Adam Dillman ’11, Elaine Durchholz ’11, Antoinette Fafara-Thompson ’12, Lesley Jackson ’11, Amy Johnson ’11, Zuzana Kocsisova ’13, Kierstin (Linton) Naylor, Joshua Manghelli ’09, Kylie McNeil ’11, Michael Murillo ’11, Jessica Neely ’09, Emmy Ogawa ’14, Ashley Rich ’13, Anna Rogers ’12, Amber (Shumate) Gygi ’12, Devin Spencer ’08, Kristina Stemler ’08, Allison Throm ’12, Matt Van Camp ’13, Katie Weihbrecht ’10, Aaron Wiles ’10, Mallory Williams ’11, Matt Williams ’13, and Kyle Zoll ’12.
 

University of Evansville competed with three teams in the Firefighting Robot International Robot competition at Trinity College in Hartford, CT this past weekend, March 27 – 29. Thirty teams from around the world including Northern Ohio University, Pennsylvania University, and Bucknell University, teams from China, Indonesia and Israel competed and were challenged to program a robot to navigate a model home in search of a fire, represented by a burning candle, and then extinguish the fire. The robot was required to watch out for walls, furniture, animals, and other obstacles.

Team members Victor Nunez Rodrigues/Alejandra Campero Vega (both electrical engineering students) placed 4th and team Narsay Martany/Mahmood Aljumaili, (computer engineering & electrical engineering students respectfully), took 8th place. Thomas Idle/Taylor LaGrange (electrical engineering students) competed as well.

Team Martany/Aljumaili and team Rodrigues/Vega both competed in the versa valve challenge while at the competition. This challenge required a unique robot to complete two successful runs while using a Versa Valve. Both teams mentioned above won in their division.

Congratulations to the UE teams!

After an eight game roadtrip, The UE Baseball team will now be at home for the next six games. Evansville will host UT-Martin on Tuesday, April 7 and USI on Wednesday, April 8. First pitch for both contests will begin at 6:00 p.m. CDT at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind. UE continues the homestand with a weekend series against Missouri State. The contests are set for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch on Friday, April 10, a 2:00 p.m. start on Saturday, April 11 and a 1:00 beginning on Sunday, April 12. 

The Mountain West and Missouri Valley conferences announced today an agreement to renew the annual Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge for men’s basketball. The revived Challenge Series will feature head-to-head competition between 10 Mountain West and 10 Missouri Valley teams annually, with each conference hosting five games apiece each season.

Annual matchups for teams in the Challenge Series will be based upon factors including the previous year’s achievements, records and RPI rankings, as well as projected rankings/strength of teams in the upcoming season, based on composite sources. Each season will be considered separately in terms of matchups, therefore, games from the previous year’s Challenge Series may not be returned.

2015 CHALLENGE SCHEDULE

Fri., Nov. 13 -- Illinois State at San Diego State, San Diego, Calif.
Fri., Nov. 13 -- Air Force at Southern Illinois, Carbondale, Ill.
Sat., Nov. 14 -- Colorado State at UNI, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Mon., Nov. 16 -- Wyoming at Indiana State, Terre Haute, Ind.
Wed., Nov. 18 -- Loyola at New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.
Tues., Dec. 1 -- Utah State at Missouri State, Springfield, Mo.
Wed., Dec. 2 -- UNLV at Wichita State, Wichita, Kan.
Sat., Dec. 12 -- Drake at Nevada, Reno, Nev.
Sun., Dec. 20 -- Bradley at Boise State, Boise, Idaho
Sun., Dec. 20 -- Evansville at Fresno State, Fresno, Calif.

Television rights for each Challenge Series contest will be controlled by the home team’s conference television agreement, which will dictate the distribution of the game and all related matters, including tip times.

“Bringing back the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge is mutually beneficial for both leagues,” said MW Commissioner Craig Thompson. “Improving overall non-conference schedules and providing quality opponents is important to the Mountain West. Aligning with another consistent Top-10 RPI league has proven to be successful as demonstrated during the last Challenge Series with the Missouri Valley from 2009-2013.”

“The reintroduction of this Challenge Series is a positive step for both leagues,” says MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin. “Tough non-conference scheduling has always been paramount in improving our league’s stature on the national scene. The series helps institutions in both leagues achieve that goal. It’s great for the fans of the Missouri Valley and the Mountain West as new rivalries are developed with nationally-recognized programs that have a strong commitment to men’s basketball.”

The Mountain West has ranked among the Top 10 in the NCAA’s final RPI report in nine of the last 10 years, while the Valley has been among the Top 10 eight times during that same span. The leagues have combined for nine Sweet 16 and one Final Four (Wichita State) appearances over the last decade.

The previous Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge Series ran from the 2009-10 through the 2012-13 seasons. During that four-year span, six MVC teams competed in the NCAA Tournament, and the league combined for eight NCAA Tourney wins, which included two Sweet 16 appearances and WSU’s run to the 2013 Final Four. The MW has a 22-13 edge in the 35 previous games, but that did include a lopsided 8-1 record in games against the MVC in 2010. UNI and Wichita State have enjoyed the best individual team success among MVC members, with each compiling a 3-1 record during the first four-year series.

In 2014-15, the MVC had five teams in post-season play, which included two in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the past four seasons. UNI (1-1) and Wichita State (2-1) each won a second-round game while the Shockers advanced to the Sweet 16.

In the 2015 Challenge Series, games will be played across November and December. In future seasons, Challenge Series contests will primarily be played during a nine-day window beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving.

For the first time in the Division I era, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team has won a postseason championship as they defeated Northern Arizona by a final of 71-65 to earn the CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship on Thursday at the Ford Center.

Evansville, who finished the season 24-12, had a stellar 5-0 run through the event. Leading the way on Thursday was Egidijus Mockevicius. He set his career mark with 27 points while totaling 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. His first block of the game in the first half was the 200th of his career. D.J. Balentine finished the night with 16 points while Jaylon Brown had 10.

For head coach Marty Simmons, it was a priceless experience to bring a championship to his alma mater.

“I am so happy for our players and program, this is a great victory for us,” Simmons said. “This gives us a lot to build on for next year.”

Egidijus Mockevicius got the Aces on the board on the opening possession before scoring the first five points of the day for the Purple Aces. Both squads began the day 3-for-8 from the floor, leading to a 7-7 score just over four minutes in.

A Jaylon Moore dunk sent UE on a 6-0 stretch as they took a 13-7 lead. After hitting their first two shots of the day, NAU made just one of their next nine as UE took back the lead. A 6-1 stretch saw the Lumberjacks get within one at 14-13 before the stretch was ended by another Mockevicius layup.

Jordyn Martin knocked down a layup to give Northern Arizona a 17-16 lead at the 6-minute mark before the squads swapped the lead once again. With just over two minutes remaining in the half, Mockevicius hit a layup on one end and followed that up with the 200th block of his career. Back on the offensive end, he hit an and-one to put UE up 25-21.

Evansville ended up finishing the half on a 7-0 stretch as D.J. Balentine knocked down a pair of free throws in the final minute to send the Aces to the break up 29-21. UE shot 40% in the first half while the defense was solid, holding NAU to 35.7%. Mockevicius led everyone with 13 points and six rebounds at the break.

In the first possession of the second half, Martin struck again, hitting an old-fashioned 3-point play to cut the gap to five at 29-24. Evansville was able to regain its 8-point lead at 32-24, but a 5-0 spurt from the Lumberjacks got them right back into it. Adam Wing ended the stretch with a bucket at the 16:20 mark.

Quinton Upshur hit the first trey of the night for either team on the next trip down the floor as they got back within a pair at 34-32. A quick 5-0 spurt saw the Aces extend the lead to seven. Mislav Brzoja found a cutting Blake Simmons for two of those points.

A pair of offensive rebounds by the Lumberjacks led to three second chance points as NAU utilized an 8-0 run to retake the lead at 40-39. Ako Kaluna finished off the stretch with a triple. Jaylon Brown ended the run with a nice jumper inside the free throw line to put UE back on top at 41-40 with 11:40 left in the game.

Aasseem Dixon put the lead back into the hands of the Lumberjacks, recording the third triple of the game for NAU as they took a 43-41 lead. A pair of free throws saw NAU takes its largest lead midway through the latter half at 45-41. That completed a 13-2 run.

Mockevicius got the Aces right back in it, posting four points over the next minute to knot it up at 45-45 before Kris Yanku hit a jumper to put Northern Arizona back on top. The back-and-forth action continued as Jaylon Brown struck again, hitting the first trey of the day for UE as they went back on top 50-49.

Kaluna did his part to help NAU strike back as his second three saw them retake the edge at 54-50. They later took their biggest edge to that point at 56-51, but Balentine hit a bucket to make it a 3-point game. An and-one by Mockevicius with 4:30 left got UE within one at 57-56 before he hit two free throws to put the Aces back on top with four minutes left.

With 3:48 left, Northern Arizona took what would be their last lead of the game at 59-58 on a Martin free throw. From there, the Aces were able to finish the game on a 13-6 run. Blake Simmons had a great jumper down the lane that gave UE the lead for good. Evansville clung to a 64-63 lead with 1:20 left. Following a miss by NAU, Balentine hit a free throw. Another Lumberjack miss gave the ball to UE as Adam Wing hit a pair of free throws.

The clincher came with nine ticks on the clock as Mockevicius had an open dunk to finish off the game as UE would take a 71-65 win.

Leading the Lumberjacks, who finish at 23-15, was Kris Yanku. He posted 18 points while hitting 8 of his 9 free throws.

Strong outings by both the men’s and women’s golf teams for the University of Evansville resulted in a pair of fourth place finishes at the Bradley Invitational at WeaverRidge Golf Club in Peoria.

Both squads took fourth place following the final round of play on Saturday.

Making the biggest leap for the Evansville men was Will Knights. Ranking second for the Purple Aces following the opening day, Knights posted a 71 on his way to a tie for fifth place. His score of 221 was just four away from second place.

Alex Turner also finished a strong tournament. He tied for 14th with a 226. He registered a 77 in the final round of play. Matching Knights’ low round of the day was Wil Pahud. He made a jump into a tie for 20th as he carded a 71 on Saturday to finish with a 229.

Tyler Gray improved each round of the event. His rounds on Friday came in at 78 and 77 before he posted a 76 on Saturday to place 27th with a 231. Tying for 31st was Rick Voyvodic. His 3-round total was a 236. Individual Brett Wolvert led all of the individuals in the finishing order, tying for 23rd. His low round of the event came in the final round – a 73 – as he finished with a 230.

Bradley’s Lyle Burns padded his lead to win medalist. After scoring identical 69’s on Friday, he finished with a 72 en route to a 210. It was seven ahead of South Dakota’s Samuel Matthew. All was not lost for South Dakota as they had four finishers in the top nine to take the team championship. Their 880 was 12 ahead of a tie for second between Drake and Bradley. Evansville was fourth with an 899.

Cathy Doyle paced the UE women on Saturday to take fourth place on the women’s side with a 230. She ranked in the top five all tournament long before finishing with a 76 in the final round on her way to a score of 230. She finished just four strokes off the winning pace.

Kayla Katterhenry was one behind Doyle. She recorded a 77 in the final round to finish at 231. Taking 20th was Giulia Mallmann. Her low round of the event came on Saturday as she finished with a 245. Dana Hayden tied for 31st on the strength of a 255 while Maggie Camp was just behind with a 259.

Danielle Lemek made it a clean sweep of the medalist trophies for Bradley. After leading the way in the opening day, she finished with a 78 on Saturday to defeat Indiana State’s Marissa Uradomo. Lemek won by two strokes (226-228). Uradomo’s score was good enough to give the Sycamores the team win. Their 944 was two ahead of Loyola. Bradley took third with a 948 while the Aces posted a solid fourth place, checking in at 959.

Both squads will be in action next weekend. The men travel to Bloomington, Ind. for the Indiana Intercollegiate, which will take place on April 11 and 12. UE’s women head back to the course next Sunday and Monday, playing at Indiana State.
 

The University of Evansville women’s soccer team is planning a 2016 Spring Break mission trip to Uganda and will be holding an Open House Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 7.

The Premier Jewelry Open House Fundraiser will take place on April 7 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Evansville Country Club. Fans and members of the community will have a chance to see the jewelry and meet the Purple Aces. Appetizers will also be served at the event.