The campus community knows UE is special, and now, the entire nation is taking notice! On Wednesday, Today Show co-hosts Kathie Lee and Hoda played a video produced by AcesTV as part of the "Go Back to College" Twitter contest. (If you missed it, you can watch the Today Show clip here.)

But we can't stop now! TODAY come to a flash mob, group video shoot, and mass tweet on the front oval. Grape snowcones will be served in honor of The Big Freeze (#UEBigFreeze) and in celebration of Purple Friday. Wear purple! 

In the meantime, keep tweeting your photos, videos, or messages with the hashtag #KLGandHodaU. Tell Kathie Lee and Hoda why they should broadcast the fourth hour of the Today Show live from UE's campus! The deadline to tweet is this Sunday at 8:00 a.m. CDT, after which six finalists will be chosen. Tweet as often as you like and ask your family and friends to do the same. Don’t forget to use #KLGandHodaU!

The Center for Student Engagement has discounted Roller Derby tickets for students. Tickets are for the Sept. 22 match at 7:30 p.m. at the Coliseum in downtown Evansville. Tickets are $5 with a student ID with no limit on the number of tickets. Stop in the Center for Student Engagement to get your ticket.

Several UE alumns are on Demolition City, Evansville's flat track roller derby team, which will be playing a team from Sioux Falls, SD during the event. Demoliton City has been together since January 2007, traveling around the Midwest. This is Demolition City's last home bout of the season, and they would love for  UE college students to attend!

Attend Bridges out of Poverty and step into the shoes of a person living in poverty. This event is planned for Monday, September 17 from 6-7:30 p.m. in Eyamp 251 in Ridgway University Center.  Be sure to attend this unique simulation!

Tom Heaton, 1982 UE graduate and founder of Mission Guatemala, will be one of five panelists participating in the Religion section of Humanities Night on Wednesday, September 26, 6:00 p.m. in Ridgway University Center.  All UE students are invited to attend - even those who are not religion majors, but simply want to learn how to make a difference in the world.

Since 2000, Heaton has had a strong connection with the country of Guatemala and has worked to make a difference in the lives of the Guatemalan people. For several years, he helped the working poor of Guatemala through the sales of fair trade crafts through a nonprofit he formed called Mayan Traditions.  Profits from the sales of the crafts were returned to Guatemala to help orphanages and children’s related ministries.  In the fall of 2008, Bishop Michael Coyner appointed Tom to do work with the poor of Guatemala.

In the spring of 2009, Heaton formed Mission Guatemala, a United Methodist related ministry that operates a clinic and a preschool feeding program in San Andrés Semetabaj, Guatemala.  Mission Guatemala is currently trying to discern new projects it can start in the San Andrés area to help improve the quality of life for the indigenous people of Guatemala.  Guatemala is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere ranking fourth in the world for child malnutrition.

Prior to being called into ordained ministry, Heaton served as an advertising officer for a local bank.  He received his Masters of Divinity degree from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.

For more information please contact Tamara Gieselman, tg85@evansville.edu, or James Ware, jw44@evansville.edu

Plan to attend University Worship this Sunday, September 16 at 10:30 a.m. in Neu Chapel! New music, new words of hope with student-preacher and Religion major, Zoe Post preaching, “No, the Other Jesus” Student-led jazz ensemble, vocalists and percussion are leading totally new music AGAIN! All are welcome at the table, so join us as we seek to understand better our place in life and God’s love for the world. Donuts and coffee bar opens at 10:00 a.m. Tailgate party with burgers, dogs and all the trimmings immediately following worship!

REMINDER: In 8 – 10 weekly sessions, you are invited to explore the Old Testament’s story of God and God's calling of the people of Israel through the many "voices" of the biblical text. Hear the magnificence of a Creation hymn, discover the law and wisdom teachings, listen to the warning of the prophets and explore the poetry of the Song of Solomon.  Participants gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Old Testament as an integral part of the Christian Bible and a renewed discovery of our identity in God and God’s vision for all things. The campus community is invited to participate! Study begins this Sunday, September 16 following University Worship Tailgate Party.

For more information, contact University Chaplain Tamara Gieselman, tg85@evansville.edu or Corrie Alexander, ca109@evansville.edu.

Interested in participating in a vocal group at University Worship on Sunday mornings in Neu Chapel? Designed for the enjoyment of singing and worship, a new vocal group is forming under the leadership of music professor, Dr. Kenneth Steinsultz.  The first gathering and rehearsal will be this Sunday, September 16 at 9:00 a.m. in Grabill Lounge (lower level of Neu Chapel).  All interested are encouraged to attend or contact Ken Steinsultz, ks306@evansville.edu.

Mass will be celebrated in Neu Chapel this Sunday at 1:00 pm. Father Chris Forler, 2002 UE alumnus, will preside, with UE students filling the other liturgical roles. The Newman Choir will rehearse before Mass beginning at noon - contact Melanie Bacaling at mb298@evansville.edu for more details. Everyone is welcome!

Monday at the Newman Center: "Praying with the Scriptures"

2008 UE alumna Emily Herr will be the featured speaker at the Newman Catholic Student Center Monday night, on the topic of praying with Scripture. Emily will focus on several ways to use Scripture in your prayer life, including the Liturgy of the Hours, lectio divina, and imaginative prayer. Dinner is served at 5:30, with discussion starting at 6:00. Everyone is welcome to come, for all or part of the evening. The Newman Center is located just across Lincoln Avenue from the Koch Center side of the front oval. Contact Mike Roesch at mr201@evansville.edu with any questions.
 

Do you have strong feelings about freedom of speech?  Join us for a forum entitled, "Is Freedom of Speech Under Attack?" in Schroeder 172 at 4 p.m. on Monday, September 17.  This event is open to all members of the University community and is part of our campus' observance of Constitution Day.  Don't expect any long presentations from professors about the Bill of Rights -- think of this as more of an "open mic" event for students to say what is on their minds.  

Rachel Edwards, a representative of Ohio Northern University, will be on campus on Tuesday, September 18 to speak with prospective law students about the opportunities at ONU Law. The meeting will be in Eykamp 253 from noon to 3 p.m. with an information table set up there from 1:30-3 p.m. There will be free pizza and drinks from 12:15-1:15 p.m. It is recommended to R.S.V.P. through UE Joblink at http://careercenter.evansville.edu

The federally-funded Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for Spring 2013 from current Pell Grant recipients. To learn more about the program and how to apply, please attend one of two Gilman Scholarship Workshops on Friday, September 14 or Monday September 17, both at 4:00 p.m. and both in Room 250, Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building.  A major goal of the Gilman Scholarship is to enable US citizens “of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad.”  The Gilman organization defines “limited financial means” as being a recipient of a federal Pell Grant.  Only US citizens who receive Pell Grants may apply.  Pell Grant recipients who are applying to an approved Spring 2013 study abroad program may apply for a Gilman Scholarship in this application cycle. 

There is much useful information on the Gilman website:

www.iie.org/gilman

The application must be completed by October 2nd, so it is important to act promptly. 

The Gilman workshop will focus on the Spring 2013 application process, but students who are Pell Grant eligible and considering a future term abroad are also welcome to attend to start early planning. 

Questions?  Contact Earl Kirk (ek43@evansville.edu) in the Study Abroad Office, Room 263 in the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building.

UE PRI.DE is looking for coming out stories for the 2012 Coming Out Panel on October 1. If you are interested in being a part of this panel, please email your stories concerning LGBT issues to uepride@gmail.com.
 

Do you need a photograph of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth?  Are you creating a project on pop art and need images by Andy Warhol or Jasper Johns?  Do you want to closely examine the sculpture David by Michelangelo?  ARTstor Digital Library provides a large array of images for your consideration.  Collections in the Digital Library are continually expanded by collaborating with photographic archives in libraries, museums, photographers, and private collectors.

ARTstor Digital Library is an online digital image library created to serve educational and scholarly communities with more than one million images on subjects in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. ARTstor provides tools and software to search, present, and share digital images both online and offline for research and teaching.  Instructor level privileges are available for faculty.  Contact Kathy Bartelt (kb4@evansville.edu) for the password.

Search ARTstor today!    

The Softball Team is looking for a manager to assist with the 2012-13 season. Those with baseball or softball experience and the flexibility to attend practice preferred. Duties include field set up and clean up, organizing equipment, keeping charts, and laundry. Stipend of $1500 included toward 2012-13 school year. Please contact Assistant Softball Coach Christine Sheridan, at cs309@evansville.edu for more details.

The University of Evansville, in pursuit of excellence in service, wishes to recognize a non-faculty employee displaying records of achievement as a leader.  Leadership may be demonstrated in any of the following categories:

• Service to the University community
• Service to students
• Job performance and attitude towards fellow employees

To be eligible, an employee must be a full-time member of administration or staff.

Nominations for the October 2012 Employee Excellence Award are due no later than Wednesday, September 19, 2012.

To nominate someone, or to find out more information about the Employee Excellence Awards, go to http://acelink.evansville.edu/Tools/EmployeeAward/

The annual Indiana statewide contest for smoking cessation, Quit Now,  is accepting registrants now until September 30.  The top three prizes are $2500,  $1500, and $1000.  Sign up at QuitNowIndiana.com.  This website offers resources to aid you including services from a smoking cessation specialist.  You have plenty of time to register and to make your plan to stop tobacco October 1 – 31. 

The University of Evansville women’s soccer team will welcome Xavier to Arad McCutchan Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m. for its final non-conference title, before opening Missouri Valley Conference play next Sunday.  The Purple Aces will also be conducting a children’s book drive for Riley Hospital for Children at the match.

Evansville (1-6-1) ended a four-match losing streak with a 0-0 tie at Southeast Missouri State Tuesday night.  Freshman goalkeeper Simone Busby recorded the first shutout of her career, making a career-high six saves in 110 minutes in net.  Stephanie Thompson led UE on the offensive side of the ball, taking five shots and putting three on goal.

Four different players have combined for Evansville’s four goals this season and Abby Springer leads the Purple Aces offensively with three points.  Thompson, Kristen Davis and Kayla Smith have recorded the other three goals for UE, and the trio of Smith, Springer and Thompson have combined for 63 of the Aces 100 shots this season.  In goal, Chaviel Harrison leads the squad with 33 saves in 476 minutes, while Busby has yet to allow a goal in just under 174 minutes between the posts and has tallied 10 saves.

Xavier (5-4-0) enters Saturday’s matinee having won four of its last five matches.  The Musketeers started the season 1-3, before recording road wins over IUPUI and Northern Kentucky.  Xavier then suffered a 5-0 loss at Indiana prior to downing Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky on its home pitch. 

The Musketeers have spread the wealth offensively, as eight different players have found the back of the net.  Mariah Whitaker leads Xavier with seven points on two goals and three assists, while Margaret Woods is second on the team with five points on a pair of goals and one assist.  Katie Markesbery has been the primary goalkeeper for XU, recording 48 saves and posting a 1.67 goals against average in 806 minutes in net.

For the book drive, the Aces will be collecting board books and monetary donations to help purchase books for Ariana’s Book Cart at Riley Hospital for Children.  Due to high risks of infection on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Riley, all donated books must be board books so that they can be properly sanitized.  Donations can be dropped off at Carson Center or at the gate during Saturday’s match.
 

The University of Evansville women’s tennis team will play the first of five fall tournament as they open up at SIU Edwardsville beginning on Friday before wrapping up play on Sunday.Head coach Nick Mueller enters his third season with UE and has led the Aces to winning records in each of his first two seasons.  Mueller returns a young squad this year after losing three of his top players to graduation as Jess Raatz, Aleks Dzakula and Dora Kotsiou have each moved on.

Kelsey Costales is the lone junior or senior on the team as she begins her third year at UE.  The sophomore class consists of five players including Kelsey Edens, Gaby Fifer, Natasha James, Mina Milovic and Emily Richardson.  Rachel Gillespie is the lone freshman for UE this fall.

James was one of the leading players for UE last year as she picked up double figure wins in both singles and doubles play.  James went 14-6 on her own, including 5-2 in the Valley.  In doubles play, James, along with partner Dora Kotsiou, posted an 18-4 mark.

Joining the Aces in the tournament this weekend are Eastern Illinois, Central Arkansas and host SIU Edwardsville.  Friday will feature two rounds of doubles competition beginning at 2 p.m. before singles gets underway with the first two rounds beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday.  The third and final rounds will take place on Sunday.
 

Fresh off of another solid performance last weekend at EIU, the University of Evansville cross country squads will take part in the Indiana Intercollegiate on Friday afternoon in Terre Haute.The meet will get underway at 2:30 p.m. CT at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.  Several schools from all divisions in the state of Indiana are set to participate including Indiana, Purdue, Butler, Indiana State, Southern Indiana and others.

Evansville has gotten off to a strong start in 2012 as a runner from both the men’s and women’s squad has received an MVC award in the first two weeks of the season.  Following the UE Mid-America Opener, Cody Stein garnered Men’s Runner of the Week honors with a fourth place finish in the event.

On the women’s side, junior Kelby Jenkins has finished first in both races this season.  She took top honors in the Mid-America Opener before winning the Walt Crawford EIU Panther Open last Friday. She completed the 5K race in 17:56.00, just the second sub-18 minute time in UE history.

Freshman Elizabeth Kingshott has a pair of top ten finishes to her credit early in her career.  She took third-place honors at the UE opener before coming home tenth last weekend.

Cody Stein has paced the men’s team in each race thus far with finishes of fourth and sixth while Josh Genet has also logged top ten efforts.  Genet took fifth in the first race before coming in eighth at EIU.

Missouri Valley Conference play is set to get underway for the University of Evansville volleyball team as they will play host to Illinois State and Indiana State this weekend at the Carson Center.The Aces welcome the Redbirds at 7 p.m. Friday before squaring off against the Sycamores at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Evansville (3-8) has fallen in its last four matches since sweeping Murray State in the home opener last week.  Last time out, the Aces lost a heartbreaker to Belmont in five sets on Tuesday evening.

Ashley Ring put forth her top performance at UE, tallying 28 kills against the Bruins.  That total was just four off of the UE single match record of 32.  Ring also chipped in defensively as she notched 16 digs.  She sits atop the MVC with her average of 3.94 kills per set.

Senior Hannah Wilson had a season-high 14 kills while notching 15 digs and Lauren Seyller had 12 digs in Tuesday’s match. 

Illinois State enters league play with a 6-4 mark and has won three-straight matches entering Friday’s MVC opener.  They swept their way through the Rocket Classic last weekend in Toledo as Ashley Rosch was named MVC Freshman of the Week after tallying 33 kills over the weekend, including a 14-kill, 13-dig effort versus Toledo.

The Redbirds pose one of the top defenses in the league as their opponent hitting percentage stands at .142.  That total is second behind Southern Illinois.

Indiana State begins its MVC schedule on Friday as they travel to Southern Illinois prior to coming to UE the next day.  The Sycamores have struggled their way to a 2-8 mark and lost eight consecutive matches before ending the streak last time out against Chicago State.

Shea Doran leads the way for the Sycamores as she has been named to the All-Tournament Team in all three of ISU’s events thus far.  She leads the team with 148 kills and 40 blocks.

Both Illinois State and Indiana State have won their last three matches against UE dating back to the 2010 season.