Click here to learn the latest updates from President Kazee as he welcomes us back for a new year of podcasts in 2015. This month, he discusses Harlaxton College and its recent ranking as the #1 study abroad program in the nation. Dr. Kazee also covers the reunion of the undefeated 1964-65 Aces men's basketball team, announces the appointment of the new Director for the Institute for Global Enterprise in Indiana, tells of a UE professor's cartoon gone viral, and recaps our Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities.

The UE Bookstore will have a farewell reception for Linda Howard on Friday, January 30 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Bookstore. Linda will be leaving the University as the textbook clerk on that day. Please stop by and wish her well. 

International Club is back with a zap for our Spring semester! Our first event of the year promises a lot of fun and adventurous moments! This Saturday, January 31, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., we are going to play Laser Tag and mini-golf at Walthar's Golf and Fun. Join us by signing up on Thursday or Friday from 11-1 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. at the Ridgway University Center Lobby tables. Both activities will only cost $8.00 total! We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday! 

Venturing Crew 365 is skiing at Paoli Peaks on Saturday, February 7. The cost is $15 per person and it includes ski rentals and group lessons. Sign-ups will be on Thursday, January 29 from noon to 1:00 and Friday, January 30 from noon to 2:00 and 5:00 to 6:00 inside Ridgway University Center. Payment will be required in order to reserve a spot on the trip. There are limited spots available. 

Derek Jones, assistant professor of philosophy, will be the speaker for the Andiron Lecture on Wednesday, February 4..The lecture will start at 4:00 p.m., in Eykamp 252, Ridgway University Center. A social gathering with beverages begins at 3:45 p.m.  His topic will be "Can Plants and Bacteria Think?"

Jones earned an MA in philosophy from the University of Houston in 2008 and a PhD in philosophy from Indiana University in 2013. He teaches courses in philosophy and cognitive science at UE and currently directs the cognitive science program. Jones has published and presented work on such topics as scientific explanation, self-knowledge, skilled behavior, and free will.

His work is guided by the broader project of understanding cognition and action as essentially embodied, biological processes. His forthcoming book, The Biological Foundations of Agency, is slated for publication in January 2016.

Despite substantial progress in cognitive science, researchers have been unable to agree upon a definition of cognition. A number of theorists have recently argued that human cognition should be understood as a specialized case of a broader form of intelligence that exists in humans and non-human animals alike. Some have gone so far as to attribute cognitive abilities to plants and bacteria. In this lecture, Jones will address the plausibility of such claims, arguing first that there is a genuine debate to be had about the cognitive status of simple biological systems (which are surprisingly interesting) and then providing a principled way of sorting cases.

For further information, call the series coordinator Annette Parks at 812-488-1070 or the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences.

The Honors Program is hosting Nerd Wars trivia night on Tuesday, February 17 at 7 pm in Eykamp Hall, Ridgway University Center. Teams of five consisting of students, faculty, administrators, and staff will battle in a competition of wit while enjoying pizza, popcorn, and soda. The winning student team and the winning faculty/administrator/staff team will receive $25 MasterCard/VISA gift cards.

Registration materials can be picked up in the Powell Honors Lounge, from Jayme Williams in Room 238 in Koch Center, or can be done online by clicking here.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J2oZGQ29AdGKeS0MSENgRPGGnrCkVx-W29rUFubPB9s/edit?pli=1#gid=0

Entry fee is $5 per person.

Those who are unable to compose a team of five may still register and will be matched to make a team. Any questions can be emailed to Matthew at mb338.

Spectators are welcome and door prizes will be available to win!

The Office of Administrative Services is facilitating the sale of a UE owned 1975 Ford F500 (purchased new), 4 speed manual, 330 cubic inch V-8 with a 2bbl carburetor (original), GVW 14,000 lbs., Mileage 54,926, no bed included. Truck has received regular oil changes.

Submit sealed bid to Office of Administrative Services no later than 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 12. Bid must include dollar amount, bidder's name, address, home phone, cell phone, work phone and email address. No bids less than $300 will be considered. For more information, contact Mark Logel at 488-2027 or ML44@evansville.edu.
 

Copies of the recently released publication of "The Undefeated Season" are now available in the UE Bookstore for $39.95. The book is hardbound and comes with a DVD of the championship game of 1964-65 Aces basketball season 

The Environmental Management System (EMS) on AceLink has updated significant environmental aspects, environmental targets and objectives. There are also new links to hazardous waste labels and hazardous waste lists. Go to AceLink/Areas/Environmental Management/EMS for details. Please call 2697 or email js652 with any questions or comments. 

Join the fun of Road Trip! The Office of Admission needs current UE students who live in the residence halls to host prospective high school seniors for Road Trip February 20-22. If you are available, you can apply to host at http://acelink.evansville.edu/forms/admission/RoadTripAssistance.cfm, by emailing Ashley Ross (aj53@evansville.edu) or Kenton Hargis kh88@evansville.edu), or stopping by the Office of Admission (OH 104). 

The Office of Cultural Engagement is hiring new International Orientation Leaders. We're looking for responsible, caring, and flexible student leaders who are up to the challenge of welcoming new international students to UE's campus this fall! This is a great opportunity for you to develop leadership skills and gain valuable global experience to add to your resume.

Pick up an application in the Cultural Engagement Office (2nd Floor Ridgway, back of Student Life Suite) or access the application online (https://docs.google.com/document/d/10wGvTr4ycVvTKCkRMXVbEWF7HxWgHVceR7-Yv7ln9vc/edit?usp=sharing).

Applications are due February 6th to the Cultural Engagement Office. Email ld101@evansville.edu with any questions. 

The Office of Cultural Engagement and International Services matches families with UE international students for intercultural communication and understanding for all involved. The Global Friends and Families Program is not a home-stay program, and matches will vary in length due to differing academic programs offered for international students. Students want to experience true American culture through a meal around your table, the bleachers at your child's soccer game, or simply a conversation over a cup of coffee. We'll provide you with ideas along the way! Find out more and register here (http://www.evansville.edu/ceis/friendsandfamilies.cfm) to be a Global Family! Please direct any questions to ld101@evansville.edu. 

The Office of Study Abroad is currently accepting applications for the 2015 International Cultural Immersion Experience: Trinidad and Tobago. The priority application deadline is Friday, February 20, 2015.

This program is open to students from all majors and will take place from May 25 - June 8, 2015.

Click here to apply or to learn more about costs, dates, and deadlines.

Please contact Marissa Mitchell, coordinator of short-term programs abroad, at mm353 or 488-2039 for additional information about the program. 

Each year the University of Evansville’s School of Education partners with the Evansville Courier and Press to recognize outstanding educators in Vanderburgh County.  NOMINATE an outstanding teacher or principal from Vanderburgh County who excels in their profession!  Nominees must be current full-time classroom teachers or building principals, grades K-12, who have completed at least three full years of service.   The deadline for nominations is this Friday, January 30.  Nominate a teacher or building principal today!! To make a nomination, go here: http://www.courierpress.com/educators

UE Admission Ambassador Applications are now available. Please go to this link to fill out the application: Admission Ambassador Application. Once you fill out the application, send the UE faculty or staff serving as your reference the recommendation form at this link: Admission Ambassador Application Form. Applications can also be picked up in the Admissions Office, Olmsted 104. They can be turned back into Admissions Office. The deadline for admission ambassador applications is Wednesday, February 11. The deadline for the Admission Ambassador Reference is Monday, February 16. If you have any questions, please email Dana Owens at do40@evansville.edu or Lauren Winkler at lw148@evansville.edu. 

We are looking for outgoing, energetic students interested in becoming an Orientation Leader (OL)! If you love meeting new people and are passionate about UE, pick up an application packet between Jan. 26 and Feb. 5 during business hours in the dean of student’s office, Ridgway University Center, room 230. Completed applications will be due back to the same office by 4:00 p.m. on February 6, 2015.  Questions can be referred to Karen Martin at km306@evansville.edu or 812-488-2500.

Timothy L. O’Brien, assistant professor of sociology was the lead author of a new study which appears in the February issue of the American Sociological Review.  

The study finds that many U.S. adults — roughly one in five — are deeply religious, know a lot about science, and support many practical uses of science and technology in everyday life, but reject scientific explanations of creation and evolution. 

The University of Evansville men’s basketball team looks to win its fourth-consecutive Missouri Valley Conference road game on Saturday afternoon as the Purple Aces will square off against Drake at 2 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa.

Evansville made it three wins in a row with an 89-78 win over Indiana State on Tuesday at the Ford Center. UE enjoyed an 18-point lead with just over three minutes remaining before the Sycamores made a furious rally, going on a 13-1 run to get within six with 1:14 left. The Aces were able to hang on, draining 7 out of 8 free throws in the final 1:02. D.J. Balentine was the top scorer for UE, finishing with 18 points while Egidijus Mockevicius notched his NCAA-leading 15th double-double of the season.

Mockevicius is on pace to do something not seen in the NCAA since the 2004-05 season. He is averaging 10.9 rebounds per game while shooting 82.2% from the free throw line and 61.9% from the field. The last player to average 10 rebounds while shooting 80% from the line and 60% overall was Michael Harris of Rice, whose line checked in at 11.7/80.0/60.8.

D.J. Balentine is 20th in the nation in scoring and has registered double figures in all but two of UE’s games in 2014-15. Balentine rebounded from a season-low six points at Loyola to score 25 against Southern Illinois; he knocked down 10 out of 13 free throw attempts in the victory and came back against the Sycamores to score 18 points.

An unbelievable turnaround has seen Taylor Stafford set his scoring mark in each of the last three games. Stafford capped off the stretch with nine points against Indiana State as he knocked down a pair of triples for the third-consecutive games. Stafford scored just 16 points through the first 18 games of the season for UE; in the last three, he has posted a total of 22 while hitting 6 out of 12 3-pointers while playing 9.33 minutes per game.

Evansville was voted 11th in this week’s Mid-Major Top 25 poll by CollegeInsider.com. The Aces were one of three Missouri Valley Conference teams to make the list joining Wichita State (2nd) and UNI (3rd). Other UE opponents in the rankings include Green Bay (5th), Murray State (6th) and Belmont (19th).

Drake and Evansville meet for the first time this season as the Bulldogs enter Saturday’s game with a 5-16 overall mark and a 2-7 league record. The Bulldogs earned a 69-57 win last time out at Bradley as Gary Ricks and Reed Timmer notched 15 points apiece; Drake shot 55.6% in the win while holding Bradley to 38.5%.

Ricks is the top scorer for DU, checking in at 11 points per game; he is a solid shooter from outside, hitting 39 of his 95 attempts. Timmer has posted 9.9 points and is strong from the line at 88.1%. Free throw shooting is a strength for the Bulldogs as they ranked third in the MVC at 74%.
 

Good Morning Aces Fans, Jonathan Ramon here for week two of the Aces Tape blog! I hope everyone has had a great week thus far and are looking forward to the weekend!

Last Friday, January 23 was a big day for our program because we started official team practices and are in the full swing of daily practices.

It was not your typical January this past weekend. We got the chance to practice outside with temperatures in the 40s! We have not been able to go outside and get on the field in January in a long time and everyone on the squad was really excited!

This week was nothing different for the Aces. We continued to dominate the days and continue to get better. We lifted three times this week and continued to make huge strides forward in the weight room and on the field. As a unit, we are coming together very well. Everyone is healthy and preparing for the first game in two weeks at Arkansas-Little Rock.

Pitchers are on their pitch counts and hitters are getting plenty of looks from live pitching. It is a great thing to see and also be a part of. With classes in full swing, everyone has adapted great to managing their time and being able to prepare themselves each day to get better.

Not only are we excited to compete in two weeks, but we hope that the fans and community are excited as well! We are excited every day to be able to come together and get better as a unit every single day. The countdown is getting shorter, and we are pumped to get on the bus on February 12th and compete starting February 13th!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and continue to win each day.

Talk to you all next Friday!
 

The University of Evansville women’s basketball team (10-9, 5-3) begins a stretch of three consecutive road games when the Aces play at in-state rival Indiana State on Sunday afternoon. The game will be held at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind. and begin at 1:05 p.m. CST.

With a win, UE will have three straight road victories. Evansville seeks their third straight win at Indiana State, something the Aces have not accomplished since 1999-2001.

UE is first in the MVC with a 37.4% three-point field-goal percentage. Evansville is also 15th in the country in three-point field-goal percentage.

UE has lost back to back games including a 79-62 defeat in their last game vs. UNI on Sunday. Guard Sara Dickey scored a game-high 27 points in the loss. Guard Khristian Hart also totaled 16 points for UE.

Indiana State (13-6, 3-5) has also lost two straight games including a narrow 57-55 loss to Northern Iowa on Sunday. Forward Rachel Mahan scored a team-high 16 points. Forward Jasmine Grier tallied 10 points off the bench but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Statistically, Mahan paces the Sycamores with a team-best 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. Guard Travecia Franklin leads Indiana State with 46 assists. Guard Natasha Zurek has more steals than any of her teammates with 48. Indiana State is averaging 63.3 points and 39.6 rebounds per game. The Sycamores shoot 38.1% from the floor, 28.8% beyond the arc and 63.3% at the charity stripe.

Evansville is projected to finish fourth in the MVC preseason poll, their highest projection since 2008-2009. Indiana State was voted fifth in the MVC preseason poll.

Dickey was named to the MVC preseason team. The Sycamores didn’t have any players highlighted on the league’s preseason team.

Evansville is guided by fourth year head coach Oties Epps as Indiana State is led by first year head coach Joey Wells.

The Sycamores lead the all-time series 31-15. The teams split the meetings last season including wins by each of the road teams.

Evansville is back at home on Friday, Feb. 13 when the Aces host the Southern Illinois Salukis. The tip is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.

Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 812-488-ACES (2237), in person at either the Carson Center or Ford Center ticket office, or online via Ticketmaster.com.
 

The University of Evansville’s Women’s Tennis Team will see its first action of the spring season on Friday night when the Aces take on the Austin Peay Governors at 7:00 at Tri-State Athletic Club.

The Aces will be led by their three seniors Natasha James, Mina Milovic, and Marketa Trousilova. Trousilova finished the fall season with a flight one singles record of 5-4. James finished the fall with a record of 6-4 at flight two singles. Milovic had a 6-2 r=mark in the fall.

Evansville is rounded out by juniors Gaby Fifer and Marina Moreno, sophomore Andjela Brguljan and freshman Kennedy Craig. Moreno and Trousilova look to be stellar again at doubles, finishing last fall with a record of 9-1. Brguljan was 7-3 in the fall season.

Austin Peay is coming off of a 6-13 mark a season ago. Their top two players from last year return as Ornella Di Salvo and Vanessa Tavares led the way. Di Salvo teamed with Andra Cornea to win a team-best 9 doubles tilts. She was also 10-13 in singles. Tavares posted a 9-12 mark.

The Aces finished with a strong showing last fall and look to improve upon that success this spring. 

Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams for the University of Evansville will be in action this weekend.

The Purple Aces women will host their final home meet on Saturday afternoon against Illinois State with a 2 p.m. start. The Redbirds feature an All-American diver. Last weekend, the women started the day off with a win in the 200 medley relay. Michaela Kent, Mackenzie Powell, Sam Montgomery and Danielle Freeman were victorious with a 1:48.07.

Michelle Tipton had a strong day for the Aces. She took the win in the 1000 free, finishing in 10:34.65 while finishing first in the 100 free (52.53). Several other Aces also finished on top, led by Kent, who took wins in the 200 free (1:58.98) and 100 back (1:00.02).

Friday will see the men head to Bloomington to face IU at 5 p.m. ET. It will be a long format event as the Hoosier women will take on Louisville at the same time.

The men swam against Saint Louis as the group of Ethan O'Rourke, Matt Childress, Phil Stevenson and Ashton Bishop earned top honors in the 200 free relay. They finished with a 1:26.80, just .01 ahead of SLU. The Aces also earned the top three positions in the 100 breast, led by Will Glasscock's time of 1:01.58. Troy Burger was second while Conor Sprick took third.

O'Rourke was also victorious in the 100 back. He posted a time of 53.44.
 

Hello, hello! Welcome back to the HartBeat! I hope you haven’t missed your favorite Aces too much! Last time I checked in, we were getting prepared for a couple of road games at Illinois State and Southern Illinois. We traveled back to Evansville, picking up two great wins! This past weekend was a bit of a struggle for our team, but we are still in a great place within the conference standings, and towards reaching our team goals.

Today’s blog is pretty interesting! I asked my teammates to tell me about their pets! Some of them have one, while others have many. Enjoy!

Kat Taylor: “I have a pet cat and her name is Khloe. I’ve had her for three years, and one unique thing about her is that she acts like a dog every time I call her name!”

Laura Friday: “I have a Golden Retriever named Lexi, who I’ve had for almost five years. She is never needy and always lovable. Whenever she wants someone’s attention, she continuously puts her paw on their leg until you notice! I also have a long haired Chihuahua named Maejor. He is a bog dog in a little dog body! He is tough and likes to show it. When he wants something or just wants to play fight with Lexi, he scrapes his feet back and forth on the ground, as if he were a bull ready to attack!”

Sasha Robinson: “I have two pets, a German Shepherd/Black Lab mix named Dane and Hugo the Hedgehog! Dane enjoys riding the four wheeler, as long as someone holds onto him. I have had him for five years. I recently got Hugo over Christmas break! He honestly doesn’t do anything cool, but he loves to run in his wheel all night long, so I gave him the middle name F.G., which stands for Forrest Gump!”

Sara Dickey: “Dewey is a little black and white part Border Collie puppy. He’s probably the cutest dog I’ve ever seen! I’m not the biggest fan of dogs, but I actually pet him when I’m at home. Then there’s Boo Boo. I don’t know what type of dog she is, but she has one leg that doesn’t work because she got hit by a car and all the nerves in her leg are dead. But, she’s as happy as a lark and still is able to run around like nothing is wrong!”

Peyton Langston: “I have one pet and he’s a rabbit named Bunny. I have had him for almost three years. Originally, Bunny’s name was CoCo, until we took him to the pet store and found out he wasn’t a girl! He is potty trained and runs freely around the house. Bunny hates the outdoors, and his favorite food is banana chips and Goldfish. Every night he sleeps under my parent’s bed.”

Ashley Hawkins: “I have a dog named Max and two cats named Cloe and Josie. I have had Cloe for five months, Max for seven years, and Jose for 18 years. Max is extremely bad and runs away a lot. Josie hates to go out and Cloe is bad as well, especially when she randomly attacks people! Josie is pretty old and was born on a boat. Once she broke her leg and wore a pink cast. Back in her prime she used to fight other dogs in the neighborhood.”

Hannah Owens: “I have three pets - one dog and two cats. My dog is a beagle/Bassett hound mix and his name is Brooks. He is my baby! My family adopted him from a shelter. Brooks is kind of a bigger dog but he likes to pretend that he is a lap dog and snuggle up right next to me on the couch. Brooks loves playing with our cats and thinks they enjoy it too. That is until he comes running back bleeding. He’s a sweetheart though!”

Asia Petitte: “I have four horses named Satin, Commanche, Gypsy, and Taylor; I also have five dogs named Bear, Riley, Izzy, Teiko, and Holli. We have five turtles – Monday, Tuesday, Tina, Rainbow, Rainbow, and Rainbow. Lastly, I have a bunny named Sophie. Satin loves to drink sweet tea right out of the can. If you open the can and hold it to her mouth, she will grab the can, tilt it back to drink, and make a mess! My dog Bear got his name because of how huge he is. When Bear stands on his hind legs, he can easily put his front paws on my shoulders. My grandpa brought turtles from the beach for me and my sister. The last time he brought us turtles was right before he passed away when I was 6 years old. I named three of them Rainbow because as a kid I loved rainbows! The two named Monday and Tuesday received their names because I didn’t know many words at the time. My sister named the biggest one Tina.”

Well, that is all I have for this blog! Follow us at UE Athletics on Twitter or on the radio at 91.5 WUEV as we take on the Indiana State Sycamores Sunday!

Also, I want to keep you updated on a few special events taking place at upcoming home games:

1. February 13 – “White Out” will be the theme!
2. February 15 – Breast Cancer Awareness “Pink Out” game. Come and show your support for those who have fought and survived! Susan G. Komen Foundation
3. February 27 – Alumni Game

Until next time…I’m Khart and be sure to be on the lookout for the next HartBeat!