Monday Night Dinner & Discussion resumes this evening at 5:30 p.m. at the Newman Center, as UE senior Fatima Chan and junior Sandra Dunn lead a discussion on the Catholic Church in other countries. Fatima is from Hong Kong and Sandra from Germany, so they bring two very different perspectives. Everyone is welcome to come and join in the discussion! Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m., with discussion at 6 p.m., and those with 6 p.m. classes may go to the front of the line for food. Contact Newman Center director Mike Roesch at mr201@evansville.edu for more details.

This month, students at UE, USI, and Ivy Tech are collaborating on community service initiatives to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. For more information, contact the Center for Student Engagement at x2371.

January 9-13: Pigs on Parade. Students will pass around piggy banks in classes to collect donations for bus tokens for the homeless. Proceeds will be donated to the Operation Ministries in Evansville.

January 12, 5-8 p.m.: Fundraiser at GattiTown. Proceeds will be given to the local bus token program at Operation Ministries. Volunteers needed for the event.

January 13-16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Collection drive at Schnucks. Visit any Schnucks location in Evansville and donate items to Lucas Place II and the Tri-State Food Bank. UE students will be staffing the East Side Schnucks. Sign up online at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnCbGkp17DcAdEQ5S1J4RlFyLVJ1SjFORUlKdTMxb2c&hl=en_US#gid=0. 

January 15: Hacienda on First Avenue will donate proceeds of sales to the bus token drive.

January 16: Hacienda on Pearl Drive will donate proceeds of sales to the bus token drive.

January 16: A food drive will take place at the USI vs. Kentucky Wesleyan game from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at USI.

The UE community is invited to attend the annual UE MLK, Jr. Day Speech Contest Semifinals on Monday, January 9 at 4:00 p.m. in Eykamp 251, Ridgway University Center. During the semifinal round, the six semifinalists (all local high school students) will present their speeches to the UE MLK, Jr. Program Committee and will be judged on their oratorical ability. 

These six semifinalists will be narrowed down to three finalists who will compete on Monday, January 16 during the Talk for Peace program at 1:30 p.m. in Eykamp 251. 

The Department of Music begins its spring concert offerings in Wheeler Concert Hall Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. with a faculty recital featuring Assistant Professor of Voice Stacey Uthe.  This will be Uthe’s first solo recital since joining the Department of Music Faculty last fall, and she will be accompanied by pianist Thomas Drury. The program will include works by Richard Strauss, Jules Massenet, Giacomo Puccini, and American jazz clarinetist and composer John Carter.  The concert is free and open to the public.

The UE Piano Series continues its season with a number of events in Wheeler Concert Hall this coming Sunday and Monday, January 15-16. The first event will be a performance by visiting artist Corey Hamm on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Hamm has commissioned, premiered, and recorded over one hundred solo, chamber, and concerto works, collaborating with the composers in each case.  He is pianist with the new music ensembles The Nu:BC Collective and Hammerhead Consort, the second of which was winner of the Canadian National Music Competition and the Sir Ernest MacMillan Foundation Chamber Music Award.  Hamm is assistant professor of piano and chamber music at the University of British Columbia, where he is also director of the UBC Contemporary Players.

Hamm’s UE concert will include works by Frederic Rzewski, Dai Fujikura, Howard Bashaw, and Scott Godin.

Following the concert, Hamm will conduct a master class with UE piano student in Wheeler from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m.  On Monday morning at 10:00, he will present a lecture titled “Ancient Music from the Twentieth Century,” and at 12:00 p.m., Professor of Music Anne Fiedler, Associate Professor of Music Garnet Ungar, and visiting artist Patti Wolf will present a recital in Wheeler. 

Since being chosen at age nineteen as the youngest competitor of the 1985 Van Cliburn Competition, Wolf has been in demand as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and teacher, and she has collaborated in recital with many of the world’s most distinguished musical artists.  For her UE appearance, Wolf will join Professor Fiedler for a performance of Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448.  Ungar will then perform works by Franz Schubert and Sergei Prokofiev.  All events are part of the UE 2012 Piano Festival and are free and open to the public.
 

Everyone is invited to participate in the University of Evansville's day-long celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 16.

Martin Luther King's historic speeches will air throughout the day on the University of Evansville's radio station, WUEV 91.5 FM.

Schedule of events:

Living the Dream
11:30 a.m., Shanklin Theatre
Making history through music, art, and dance, this production celebrates the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Presented by the University of Evansville Black Student Union. Hot chocolate will be served.

Walk for Justice
1:00 p.m., Carson Center
Join us for the 24th annual re-enactment of the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington at the University of Evansville. We will begin in front of UE’s Carson Center on Walnut Avenue and conclude at Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center. This event is part of Evansville’s 200-day bicentennial celebration. Hot chocolate will
be served.

Talk for Peace
1:30 p.m., Eykamp Hall (Room 251), Ridgway University Center
This annual community program beginning immediately after the march. The third annual UE Martin Luther King Jr. Day Speech Contest finalists and community guests share in the celebration.

Social Responsibility in Action
6:30 p.m., Eykamp Hall (Room 251), Ridgway University Center
All are welcome to view UE students’ community service projects on display.

William G. and Rose M. Mays Martin Luther King Jr. Lectureship: Robiaun Charles
7:00 p.m., Eykamp Hall (Room 251), Ridgway University Center
Through the generosity of William G. and Rose M. Mays, this lectureship funds the annual keynote speaker during the University of Evansville’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. Robiaun Charles is the assistant vice president for development and external relations for the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) at the University of Texas at Austin. In this role, she provides strategic direction and leadership for the development, communications, special events, and community relations operations of the division.

Before joining UT Austin, Charles served as the special assistant to the president and director of diversity initiatives at the University of Evansville where she advised the president and senior administration on a range of diversity issues. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Charles is currently working on her doctorate in higher education leadership and policy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

A reception in the Class of 1959 Gallery and Lounge will immediately follow the lecture.

If you have questions about any of these events, please contact La Toya Smith at x2413 or ls103@evansville.edu. 

UE Women's Awareness is proud to announce the upcoming annual performance of the Vagina Monologues set for Saturday, February 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, February 12 at 2 p.m. in Eykamp Hall! Every year, this moving piece is performed as part of V-Day, a global campaign created by Eve Ensler to stop violence against women. Come be a part of the philanthropy and fun!  The call out meeting is this Saturday, January 14 from 10 a.m.-noon in Room 120, Hyde Hall. Come on out if you want to be involved in any way, be it as a performer, organizer, or supporter. Contact Anne Joy (aj95@evansville.edu), Kayla Listenberger (kl131@evansville.edu), or Laura Epperson (le39@evansville.edu) with questions.

UE faculty, staff, students, and community are invited to attend the free (bring your lunch) Lunch & Learn session on Wednesday, January 11, from noon–12:50 p.m. in Eykamp 253, Ridgway University Center.  The session will be presented by Centennial Wealth Advisory on "Maximizing Your Retirement Savings Program." Please contact Judy Caldwell at jc313@evansville.edu if you have questions. This event is sponsored by the Center for Adult Education. 
 

The Friends of Art will sponsor an opening reception and lecture for "Presence and Absence: A Photography Exhibit by Susan Bryant" from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, January 11 in the Melvin Peterson Gallery. All members of the UE community and the public are welcome. 

Susan Bryant received her BFA in painting in 1976 from Indiana University and her MFA in photography in 1978 from Indiana State University. She is a Professor of Art at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where she has taught photography for the past 29 years. Her personal work includes gelatin silver prints, hand-colored silver prints, digital photographs, and most recently, the 19th century processes of daguerreotypes, tintypes and wet plate collodion negatives and positives (ambrotypes). Her work has been widely exhibited across the United States in solo and juried exhibitions. She is the recipient of a Tennessee Arts Commission Fellowship and is represented by The Cumberland Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee. 

"Presence and Absence: A Photography Exhibit by Susan Bryant" will be on display in the Melvin Peterson Gallery from January 11 through February 22. The Melvin Peterson Gallery, located on the corner of Lincoln and Weinbach avenues, is open Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and Saturday from noon-3:00 p.m. 

For more information, please contact the Department of Art at x2043. 

Orientation Leader (OL) applications are now available in the VP/Dean of Students Office located in Ridgway University Center in Room 230.  Application deadline is Friday, January 20. If you have any questions, please contact your Orientation Leader OR the VP/Dean of Students at ext. 2500.

When you think about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy, what comes to your mind?

We are collecting thoughts this week to share on Martin Luther King Day. Please take a moment to share yours here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MLKThoughts2012
 

Jennie Ebeling, associate professor of archaeology, presented “A Basalt Vessel Workshop at Iron Age Hazor – Implications for our Understanding of Groundstone Artifact Manufacture and the Organization of Production” at the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa, Israel, on December 19. This presentation was as part of a two-week trip to Israel and Jordan. While in Israel, she also made arrangements for a new UE co-sponsored survey and excavation project at Tel Jezreel in June 2012 (http://www.jezreel-expedition.com/) and in Jordan she met with UE alumni and prepared for a planned 3-week study trip in May-June 2012 to be led by Professors Daniel Byrne and Annette Parks.

Phil Plisky, assistant professor of physical therapy, was a featured presenter at last weekend's Major League Soccer Medical Symposium, a professional educational event focused on treatment and prevention of soccer-related injuries.

The symposium, sponsored by the Hospital for Special Surgery Office of Continuing Medical Education and Major League Soccer, took place Saturday, January 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In his presentation, titled “Screening Athletes for Injury Potential: Identifying the At-Risk Player,” Plisky spoke to some of the nation’s leading sports medicine professionals — including the medical personnel of Major League Soccer teams — about injury prevention research and practical implementation of injury prevention strategies.

Senior Briyana Blair and junior Samantha Heck carried the torch for the University of Evansville women’s basketball team Sunday afternoon at the Ford Center as the Purple Aces overcame the visiting Bradley University Braves, 71-59. The pair combined for 40 of UE’s points with Blair recording her fourth double-double of the season on 19 points and 20 rebounds, while Heck finished with a career-high 21 points and was one board shy of a double-double of her own with nine rebounds.

The victory gives the Aces’ their first MVC win of the season and first for Coach Oties Epps, while also improving Evansville’s record to 4-11 and dropping the Braves to 10-6 overall. Both squads now have a 1-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Blair’s 20 rebounds not only represented a career-high, but also marked the first time a player has pulled down 20 or more boards in a game since 1998, when Shyla McKibbon tallied 23, also versus Bradley. In addition, Blair was just three assists shy of becoming the first Purple Aces in program history to earn a triple-double, as she had an all-around stellar game with seven assists, three blocks, and three steals.

Bradley took the initial lead and held onto a one-point advantage, 4-3, on Leah Kassing’s free throws at the 17:32 mark, but that would be their last lead of the afternoon, as the Aces went on a ripping 14-3 run to build a 10-point advantage.

After BU cut it back down to six, the Purple Aces accelerated to a 19-point lead, 36-17, at halftime, outscoring the Braves 17-4 in the final 10 minutes of the period. In the run, sophomore Katie Ellerson drained two threes and junior Meagan Collins scored six of her game’s 10 points with two baskets in the paint and a jumper.

Out of the break, Bradley immediately cut the margin to 15, but Evansville built their lead to a game-high 21 points, 43-22, on Blair’s layup with 14:16 remaining. The Braves got within 15 points again, but Jordan Lewis knocked down a three, hit a free throw, and Heck capped the run with a layup to once again give the Aces a 21-point cushion with 10:11 remaining.

However, Bradley did not roll over and used a ruthless 19-2 run to cut Evansville’s lead to four points, 53-49, with just over four minutes to go. Out of the last media timeout, the Aces responded kindly to Coach Epps’ talk and held off the Braves with controlled ball movement and smart decisions.

Down the stretch, Evansville made 12-of-14 free throws, led by Heck’s 7-for-8 performance, when BU was forced to foul in attempts to gain possession.

After building the lead back up to 10, the Braves cut it to seven with 1:09 to go, but UE’s stellar act at the line, solidified a 12-point victory.

In the game, Evansville shot 38.6 percent (22-57) from the field, 26.3 percent (5-19) from three, and 84.6 percent (22-26) from the charity stripe, while BU shot 32.8 percent (20-61) from the floor, 27.8 percent (5-18) from behind the arc, and 77.8 percent (14-18) from the line. The Aces also won the battle of the boards, 47-36,

Kassing was the only Brave to reach double figures, scoring 24 points and adding 11 rebounds.

The Aces are back in action Thursday when they take the long journey to Omaha, Neb. to face Creighton University at 7:05 p.m. Evansville will also play at Drake Saturday at 2:05 p.m. as a part of the Valley road swing.
 

Jackie Carmichael hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Illinois State men’s basketball team a 75-73 win over the University of Evansville on Saturday at Redbird Arena.

The last minute of the game featured five lead changes before Carmichael’s shot gave ISU (11-4, 3-1 MVC) the win.  Colt Ryan led the way for UE (7-7, 2-2 MVC), scoring 25 points.  The junior connected on 10-of-15 shots.  Denver Holmes chipped I n18 points while Ryan Sawvell finished with ten.

As was the case in Wednesday’s game against Wichita State, the first half proved to be an exciting one as the lead changed hands on nine occasions.  Illinois State had its largest lead of five while UE would hold a lead of as many as three points.

A pair of buckets by Jackie Carmichael helped ISU jump out to an early 11-6 advantage six minutes in before the Aces put up a 7-1 run to grab a 13-12 edge.  A three-pointer by Denver Holmes capped off that run. 

With the Redbirds up 25-24 with 3:19 left in the half, the Aces would take the lead on the strength of a Ryan free throw and would hold that advantage over the remainder of the period, taking a  32-29 lead into the locker room.  Ryan and Holmes each scored eight points to lead all players in the first half.

Evansville came out firing in the second half, hitting its first five buckets to go up by as many as seven points on several occasions.  Ryan Sawvell hit two layups while Ryan reached double figures, hitting three shots in the first three minutes.

The run continued for UE as their lead would grow to eight points, 50-42.  Evansville connected on 8-of-10 attempts to start the half.  Illinois State made a rally of its own, scoring six in a row to get within a pair at 50-48.  ISU was also hot coming out of the break, hitting six of its first eight attempts led by Tyler Brown’s 3-3 start.

Illinois State’s rally was complete as Anthony Cousin knocked down a trey with 10:05 remaining to give them a 53-52 lead.  A Ned Cox bucket gave the lead back to UE before Brown struck again for the Redbirds, hitting his first three of the game to put ISU back on top.

Colt Ryan reach 20 points for the fourth time in as many league games, hitting two more shots to give the Aces back the lead at 58-57.  Neither team would lead by more than a possession and with the score tied at 66, Kenneth Harris stole the inbound pass before dunking it to give UE a lead with 2:15 remaining.  On the ensuing trip down the floor, Carmichael hit his third-consecutive bucket for ISU with 1:43 left in the contest.

After a shotclock violation by UE, Brown downed his fifth bucket of the half to put the Redbirds up 70-68 with 41 ticks left.  In a back-and-forth final minute, Ryan put the lead back in UE’s hands hitting a trey with 18 second left before Nic Moore hit a layup seven second later to mark the third lead change in final minute.  With just 2.8 seconds left, Lewis Jones got fouled on a shot, sending him to the line for a one-and-one where he calmly knocked down both to give Evansville the lead.

The wild finish continued as the lead switched hands for the fifth time in the final minute as Carmichael hit a wild three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Redbirds the victory. 

Carmichael led ISU with 17 points while Brown scored 16, 15 of which came in the second half.  The Redbirds finished with a 32-21 lead on the boards while Evansville shot the ball extremely well at 56% while holding ISU to 49%.

On Tuesday, the Aces will continue on the road, traveling to Terre Haute to face Indiana State.  After coming home on Friday to face Drake, UE will be back on the road at Missouri State on January 15.