The third round of grants from the Innovation and Re-Investment Fund have been awarded. The Programs Task Force received nine proposal submissions with combined funding requests in excess of $950,000.   

Four proposals will receive funding. Those receiving funding are listed below:

College of Engineering and Computer Science: Creates a software engineering program.  $122,370 over two years.

Advancement/Development: Establishes a corporate and foundation relations position along with a mid-year research analyst. $105,150 one-time.

Enrollment Services: Additional year of funding of the Slate CRM system. $50,000 one-time.

Admissions: Three proposals were submitted to enhance the campus visit experience along with Harlaxton promotion and way-finding. The Programs Task Force recommended these three proposals be partially funded in a “block” of funds.  $75,000 one-time.

Congratulations to those receiving funding! The full proposals for those listed above can be found here in AceLink. The submission deadline for the fourth and final round is September 1, 2016.   
 

A Rethink Diversity through Mindshifting Dialogue is planned today from noon to 1:00 p.m., in Room 272, Schroeder School of Business Building. The topic will be “Exploring Ism's that No One Really Talks About.” Bring your lunch! Participants can RSVP to lw161@evansville.edu. This event is sponsored by the Office of Diversity Initiatives.

Geneva Davis, senior administrative assistant in the Office of Safety and Security, is retiring after 19 and a half years.  The campus community is invited to attend a retirement reception today for Geneva. The event will be from 1:00–3:00 p.m. in the Student Life Center in Ridgway University Center. Please stop by to congratulate Geneva on her retirement.

Debbie Driggs, prospect specialist in the Office of Admission, is retiring after 20 years of service! The campus community is invited to attend a retirement reception for Debbie today from 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Office of Admission. Please stop by to congratulate Debbie on her retirement.

The annual Ohio River Sweep will be held on Saturday, June 18, from 8:00-11:00 a.m. If you would like to help out at the Evansville location, meet at the Four Freedoms Monument that morning. Wear old, comfortable clothes and shoes or boots that you won't mind getting dirty. Close-toed shoes are also recommended. Trash bags and a limited number of gloves will be provided. If you have work gloves, please bring your own.

For more information, check out the ORSANCO website or UE’s Environmental Facebook page.

Would you like to earn $150 in HRA credit? If so, then you should Join the Summer Healthy Behavior Challenge. Activities include tracking exercise, fluid intake, and weekly wellness challenges. To sign up go to AceLink>Areas>Employee Medical Clinic> Healthy Behavior Sign-up. For questions, contact Ashley Chipps at ac375@evansville.edu.

There is still time to register for SOC 230 - Social Problems in the Modern World - Online for Summer Session II. In our increasingly connected society, we need to be equipped to find solutions for a wide range of social problems, and understanding the social conditions and experiences of diverse groups makes us better prepared global citizens. SOC 230 provides an overview of social problems, focusing on major social, economic, political, and environmental issues confronting the modern world, both globally and in the US.

For more information, contact Mari Plikuhn, assistant professor of sociology, at mp168@evansville.edu.

SOC 230 satisfies General Education Outcome 9 and Overlay B.
 

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 2016-17 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 June 30.

Please send the following by e-mail to Annette Parks at ap3@evansville.edu:

• A 50-word abstract
• Name, academic affiliation/ occupation
• Paper title and contact information

If you have already agreed to do an Andiron lecture for 2016-17, please submit a brief bio and photo for the series flyer as soon as it is convenient for you to provide them.

Nominations for off-campus speakers can be sent by e-mail to Andiron Lecture committee members Mohammad Azarian, Robert Baines, John Meredig, Wes Milner, Annette Parks, or John Stamm.

PH 195, Global Health Issues, will be taught online in Summer II, June 20 - July 22. The course fulfills Overlay A (Diversity: International). If you have any questions about the course, contact assistant professor of public health Payal Patel-Dovlatabadi at pp42@evansville.edu.

The employees of the University of Evansville are again invited to play golf with other UE employees on Thursday afternoons during the summer months. The UE golf outings will be on Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. at Fendrich golf course. You can reserve your tee time by contacting Debbie Kassenbrock in the Center for Academic Advising at dk26@evansville.edu by 3:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the outing.

This week, the College of Engineering and Computer Science is hosting OPTIONS for middle school boys, and an article about it was in today’s Courier & Press. Click here to learn more about the program and read the article.

The Biblical Archaeology Society is featuring the Jezreel Expedition in several blog posts during the course of its season (May 27-June 24). Please check out the first one: "You Don't Have to Be an Archaeologist to Dig the Bible" here.

Carol Arney, Department of Art administrative assistant, will be retiring on June 10. After 26 years at the University, she will be immensely missed. The Department of Art faculty members, both present and past, celebrated her retirement with dinner at Biaggi’s and presented her with gifts in appreciation of her devotion to art. The department wishes that all the years ahead bring her great joy and relaxation!

David Unger, professor of mechanical and civil engineering, has received a $5,000 grant from the Indiana Space Grant Consortium to support a UE student team that will design, build, launch, and recover a high powered rocket at a competition sponsored by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. This competition, which takes place in April 2017, requires the rocket to reach an altitude of one mile while conducting two scientific experiments on board.

Ralph Larmann, professor of art, had the painting Suspension Valley accepted into Subliminal: Hidden Messages, a national competitive juried exhibition that is being hosted by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Only 35 works were accepted for exhibition by St. Louis juror Ali Cavanaugh. An opening reception and awards ceremony is scheduled for June 3, from 5:00-9:00 p.m. at the gallery, located at 32 North Main Street, in Cape Girardeau. The exhibition will continue at that space until June 30 then move to the Arts Council’s new location for the remainder of the show’s duration. More information about the exhibition, hours, and the new gallery space is available at artscouncil@capearts.org.

Thanks to everyone who helped UE’s team at the Dragon Boat race - setting up the UE area, grilling food, paddling (in the rain), and cheering for us! The day was an overall success and UE ended up with the Spirit Award. The trophy is on display in the library. Be sure to check it out.

Beginning on Monday, June 13, the University of Evansville Men’s Basketball team will host its first Day Camp of the summer, which goes from Monday through Thursday.

Campers will have three options for the camp. They may attend for the full day (9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) or just the morning (9:00 a.m.-noon) or afternoon sessions (1:00-4:00 p.m.).

The Camp is for students in grades 1-12 and campers will focus on individual skill development, contests along with 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 games. All campers also receive a t-shirt and basketball. Those who choose to participate in the full day camp will also receive lunch on all four days.

Cost for the full day camp is $225 for the four days while the cost to do either a morning or afternoon session is $105.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. on Monday and walk-ups are welcome. For more information or to sign up, contact Kavon Lacey at 812-488-2757 or at kl82@evansville.edu.

University of Evansville interim head women’s basketball coach Matt Ruffing has announced the hiring of assistant coaches Bailey Harmon and Omega Tandy, effective immediately.

“We are very excited to add Bailey and Omega to our staff, the athletic department, and this university. Both had successful playing careers and will be great mentors for our players,” Ruffing commented. “Their coaching experience will be an asset on the court and on the recruiting trail as we search for young women of outstanding character, competitive drive, and those that have the desire to be the very best. I am excited to get both of them in town and working for our program.”

Harmon comes to UE after spending a total of four years with the women’s basketball program at Western Illinois, three of those seasons as an assistant coach for the Leathernecks. She helped the program advance to the Women’s Basketball Invitational in 2016 where they won the first postseason game in its history. It was also the first postseason appearance for WIU in 10 years.

She coached eight All-League selections in her time at WIU, including Ashley Luke, who was the 2014-15 Summit League Player of the Year. Luke was also the COSIDA Academic All-America of the Year.

A native of Independence, Missouri, Harmon played college ball at Illinois-Springfield, serving as the captain in her junior and senior seasons. She remains in the record books for making the most 3-point field goals in a season. Prior to her time at UIS, she played at Cottey College, a NJCAA program in Nevada, Missouri, where she was First Team All-Region and an NJCAA Academic All-American. The 2012 graduate of UIS earned her degree in mathematics and completed her master’s degree in sport management at WIU in 2014. Harmon and her husband, Chad Harmon, were married in May of 2015 and have a dog, Hooper.

“I'm honored and blessed to have an opportunity to work with Coach Ruffing and his wonderful staff,” Harmon said. “There are a lot of positive things happening at UE. Evansville is a one of a kind place with a great tradition and I can't thank Coach Ruffing enough for believing in me and giving me a chance to help him build a successful program on and off the court. Aces Aces!”

As a player, Tandy played for both Duquesne and Cleveland State. With the Vikings, she earned the captaincy and led the team in scoring. She left CSU ranking among the best in school history in minutes played and three-point percentage.

Following her college career, Tandy began coaching AAU in the Indianapolis area for eight seasons, assisting in several student-athletes advancing their careers to the collegiate level.

In 2008-09, she served as an assistant coach for Hall of Famer Stan Benge at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. The squad won the state and national championship on their way to a perfect 30-0 mark. Last year, Tandy was the head coach at Hamilton Heights High School in Arcadia, Indiana, and helped the squad to an impressive turnaround as she implemented a culture changes.

The 2006 CSU graduate earned a degree in sociology and worked in child abuse and neglect prevention/preservation. Tandy is married to George Tandy IV, who played for the men’s basketball squad at Cleveland State and had a professional career in Germany. The couple has two daughters – Aven Rae (5) and Grace (4).

“My family and I thank God and Coach Ruffing for the opportunity to join the Purple Aces family. The University of Evansville’s mission of developing students’ skills and wisdom to lead and serve parallel my purpose as a wife, mother, and coach,” Tandy explained. “I believe in Coach Ruffing’s vision for academic excellence, accountability, pride, and building self confidence in the student-athletes we serve. I look forward to learning under his tutelage and further developing myself as a coach.”

Fresh off of a strong rebound season, the University of Evansville Softball team will host its summer camps in July.

The first will be a Softball Skills Clinic on July 12. It is for grades 9-12 and features three potential focuses including hitting, pitching and catching. The hitting session will cover proper hitting and bunting techniques. The pitching session will teach the fundamentals and drills used at the collegiate level. All pitchers are required to bring their own catcher (catcher must also complete the release and waiver of liability form). The catching session will cover blocking and framing techniques and throwing situations.

On July 19, the program will be hosting the Aces Elite Showcase, which is also for grades 9-12. The first portion of the Elite Showcase will be a college level practice focusing on the fundamentals of hitting, fielding, pitching, and catching. The second portion will be an instructional scrimmage covering all aspects of the game.

Availability for both camps is limited. To sign up or ask any questions, please contact assistant coach Aubrey Watson at aw358@evansville.edu or at 812-488-2919.