President Thomas A. Kazee will preside over the 2015 Academic Convocation this Tuesday, August 25 at 8:50a.m. in Carson Center. The Convocation will celebrate the University’s 158th opening and the 2015-16 academic year.

Associate professor of psychology Margaret Stevenson, recipient of the 2014 United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award given by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church, will address incoming students during the Convocation.

The Academic Convocation is an annual fall tradition at UE and welcomes new students to campus, awards honor to high achieving faculty, and brings the entire campus community together to celebrate the start of a new academic year.

The importance of welcoming domestic and international students to our campus is woven into the fabric of our institution in many ways. First, moving from Moores Hill, the University was received by the city of Evansville and embraced by a community that understood the value of welcoming the stranger. Second, we are a United Methodist-related institution and that church affiliation reminds us to extend a warm hand of fellowship to the other. Third, in an age where technology necessarily permeates our day-to-day operations and the online degree is touted as good enough the University of Evansville holds sacred the human connection and believes it is our social responsibility to foster distinctive, personal attention in our rituals and ceremonies.

On Tuesday, new students will be invited to stand during Convocation, shoulder-to-shoulder, while reciting the University Honor Code, representing what the University values: integrity, community, and a public hospitality that invites all students to stand together on the eve of the first day of classes. The communal reciting of the Honor Code transcends differences and unites an entire freshmen class as they stand in front of their Faculty and the University President promising to be responsible citizens of the University. Moreover, those few seconds of intentional silence just before the SVPAA leads students in their Honor Code recitation speak to the profound importance of pledging one's honor to a global community of your peers. This ritualized scene is a dramatic shift from the geopolitical shambles we view each night on cable news and should cause our students and the entire campus community to take seriously our call to live as responsible citizens in the world.

Margaret Stevenson. PhD
Stevenson has been a professor at UE since 2008, teaching courses in such areas as social psychology, research methods in psychology, and psychology and the law. She serves as advisor to many psychology majors, advising and directing some in their research projects. Stevenson is a senior thesis mentor for many students, and co-faculty advisor for two UE student groups, Psi Chi and the Psychology Club.

Stevenson was named 2015 Outstanding Teacher at the University’s 157th Commencement ceremony last May. She was honored with the Sydney and Sadelle Berger Award for Research in 2012, and the Association for Psychological Science RISE Research Award in 2011. Stevenson is a past recipient of the American Psychological Association Division 37’s Section on Child Maltreatment Early Career Award. She is a member of such professional organizations as the American Psychological Association, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, and Society for Personality and Social Psychology. She serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Forensic Psychology and the International Journal of Psychological Studies.

At UE, Stevenson has been Honors Faculty Scholar in Residence, and has served on the Institutional Diversity Council, Honors Program committee, and General Education Subcommittee She has been the social sciences representative for UE Faculty Senate, as well as corresponding secretary and parliamentarian.

Stevenson earned her Ph.D. and Master of Arts in social psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her Bachelor Science degree in psychology and her Bachelor of Science in French from Ohio State University.

For those unable to attend, the event can be watched live at:

https://www.evansville.edu/live/
 

Welcome Week University Worship kicks off the academic year in Neu Chapel this Sunday at 11:00 a.m.! The campus community is invited to attend as we celebrate the beginning of a new year and welcome students to UE! Join us for a time of worship in the midst of Christian community with a message that asks: "Where Else Would You Go?" All are welcome! As always, Donut Bank donut balls and coffee are available before and after the service.

The UE Bookstore is now offering eBook versions of textbooks through RedShelf for students interested in eBook formats. Titles with eBook versions are indicated in the store and can be searched on the Bookstore website as well. However, if you purchase your eBook in the store you can charge it to your student account just like any other textbook. Full download instructions will be given to you as well. eBook purchases through our website link are made directing to RedShelf and cannot be put on your student account. 

If you have any questions please ask store staff. The Bookstore now offers new, used, rental and eBook versions of textbooks to assist all student needs. 

The Art Exhibit in the Krannert Hall Gallery, September 21-October 23, will feature photographs taken by members of the UE community. The Krannert Gallery is in the Krannert Hall Art & Music building, where academic and public visibility is high. Let's show our community how talented we are!

Please drop off your work in the Art Office prior to September 15. All work must be framed (preferably matted) and ready for hanging.

The glass cases in the gallery are locked, and your work will be secure as well as insured during the show.

Call Corliss Chastain, Gallery director, at, 207-650-6073 with any questions.

The UE Bookstore will have extended hours during Move-In Weekend, August 21-23. On Friday, August 21 the store will be open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Saturday, August 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday, August 23, from noon to 3 p.m. Regular store hours start Monday, August 24. 

Do you know where your watershed is? Want some great ideas for helping improve water quality? Check out UE’s Environmental Management Facebook page to find out the answers to these questions and more at https://www.facebook.com/pages/University-of-Evansville-Department-of-Environmental-Management/336316706575810?ref=hl

Students, faculty, administrators, and staff who sport the UE State of Indiana license plate in 2015 (new and renewal plates) will receive a $25 discount off the UE parking permit fee for 2015-16. The registration process for the plates is now handled through the state. If you want to purchase or renew a UE plate, visit www.in.gov/bmv/2744.htm. If you already have your 2015 UE plate, bring your State of Indiana vehicle registration to the Office of Safety and Security when you purchase your parking permit for the new academic year. If you have not registered your vehicle yet, you will need to pay the full parking permit fee and then bring your registration to the Office of Safety and Security to get a credit for $25. If you have any questions, contact alumni@evansville.edu. 

In support of the health and wellbeing of the campus community, the University is now Tobacco-Free. New this Fall, the use of all tobacco products and electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes) are now prohibited at school sanctioned and/or sponsored activities or functions on campus.

The use of these products and devices is also prohibited in all University buildings, residential housing, approved University housing, rental properties, grounds, athletic facilities, parking lots, University-owned or leased vehicles, and privately owned vehicles on University grounds.

A full description on this policy and available resources can be found here: https://www.evansville.edu/tobaccofree/ 

Kyle Kiesel, professor and chair of Physical Therapy Program just returned from a week in Singapore where he served as a Health Manpower Development Plan Visiting Expert for the Ministry of Health. He conducted 10 different lecture/learning sessions to over 300 physical therapists, physicians and podiatrists regarding research and clinical application of injury prevention through movement screening, testing, and assessment.  

Atefeh Yazdanparast has programmed a special session on “Future Trends in Marketing of Higher Education: Special Focus on Business Schools” at the 2015 American Marketing Association Summer Marketing Educators’ Conference in Chicago. The special session was proposed and sponsored by the Marketing of Higher Education Special Interest Group, chaired by Atefeh Yazdanparast. Special session speakers were Michael Ahearne, University of Houston, Jagdish Sheth, Emory University, Ravi Dhar, Yale University, Donald Bacon, University of Denver, and Bridget Akinc, Boston College. 

Atefeh Yazdanparast presented an experimental research titled “The mirror effect: How objective self-awareness and emotions motivate cosmetic procedure decision making” at the 2015 American Marketing Association Summer Marketing Educators’ Conference in Chicago. Her research focuses on the motivational role of emotions in decisions to undergo unnecessary cosmetic procedures and provides contributions to objective self-awareness and self-discrepancy theories.

A group of local actors and musicians - including a UE employee, student and alum - are performing in “Yet Holding On”, a musical stage play, at the Victory Theatre on August 22 at 7:00 pm. UE’s own Jeff Chestnut (Fitness Center director), Brookelle Bailey (student), and John A. Johnson (alum) are performing in this play and would love your support on the night of the show. Tickets are available at the Ford Center Ticket Office and are $22 in advance and $27 on the day of the show, so get your tickets early! 

The UE women's soccer team is at home this weekend to host Xavier on Friday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m. and UT-Martin on Sunday, August 23 at 1:00 p.m. 

Purple Aces athletic events are underway with soccer already playing its exhibition contests. The next University of Evansville squad to begin play will be the volleyball team, which heads to Dayton, Ohio to play in Wright State’s tournament beginning next Friday.

In a quick beginning to the season, the Aces will take on Tennessee Tech, Niagara and Wright State in the event. UE plays those contests on August 28 and 29. Following a quick trip south to Austin Peay on Sept. 1, Evansville heads the opposite direction as they head north to play DePaul.

That tournament, set for Sept. 4-5, will feature games against Eastern Illinois, DePaul and Toledo. On Sept. 11, the Aces will play their first home match as part of their yearly home tournament. This year, Jackson State, Western Illinois and Northern Kentucky make their way to the Carson Center. The Aces open the event against JSU at 6:30 p.m. on the 11th and close the event the next day against the NKU Norse at 6 p.m.

Non-conference play wraps up in Mount Pleasant, Mich. on Sept. 18-19 as UE will face Central Michigan, Nebraska-Omaha and San Jose State in Central Michigan’s tournament. Evansville will open Missouri Valley Conference play on the road at Drake and UNI before opening up its conference home slate on Oct. 2 versus Loyola.

Two of the top players in program history have graduated as Ashley Ring and Meaghan Holmes etched their names into the record books. Leading a long list of players looking to take their spots is sophomore Genesis Miranda. Miranda appeared on the MVC All-Freshman Team last season and looks to take her game to the next level after registering 328 kills in her first collegiate season.

Seniors Kim Deprez, Lorena Marquez and Stephanie Cerino are the senior veterans on the team while Jacksonville University transfer Gabriela Roman will also look to step in and make an immediate impact. Roman had a strong career with the Dolphins, who won multiple Atlantic Sun Conference championships in her time there. Tathianna Cordero, who is entering her second year at UE, was also impressive last season. She came to Evansville as a junior last season.

A strong contingent of newcomers give the Aces a great deal of depth that will provide a great benefit throughout the season. That group includes: Elizabeth Giller, Joselyn Coronel, Olivia Goldstein, Mildrelis Rodriguez, Rocio Fortuny and Jelena Merseli.

For all of the latest information on University of Evansville volleyball, log on to the sport page on GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthletics_VB. For information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the DONATE tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com. To purchase tickets for University of Evansville athletics events, log on to GoPurpleAces.com and click on the TICKETS tab on top of the page.
 

In order to accommodate Air Force’s travel arrangements, the University of Evansville men’s soccer team has announced start time changes to the Sept. 6 matches of the upcoming ProRehab Aces Classic.

Originally scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CDT, Air Force and Drake will begin at 11:00 a.m. The Evansville and Belmont match, previously set for 3:30 p.m., will now be held at 2:00 p.m.

The ProRehab Aces Classic starts on Friday, Sept. 4 with Belmont and Drake playing at 4:30 p.m. followed by Evansville and Air Force at 7:30 p.m.

All matches of the annual tournament will be held at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind.

The next match for UE will be an exhibition contest at Mercer on Thursday, Aug. 20. Kickoff is slated for 3:00 p.m. CDT in Macon, Ga.

For all of the latest information on University of Evansville men's soccer, log on to the sport page on GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthleticsMSOC. For information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the DONATE tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com. To purchase tickets for University of Evansville athletics events, log on to GoPurpleAces.com and click on the TICKETS tab on top of the page.
 

The University of Evansville women’s soccer team was named the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference favorites in the annual Preseason Coaches’ Poll released by the MVC on Monday. UE has won six MVC Regular Season Championships and six MVC Tournament Championships in program history. The Purple Aces are also hosting the 2015 MVC Championship in Evansville November 6-8 at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

Four UE student-athletes also received preseason honors as junior midfielder Brownyn Boswell, senior goalkeeper Simone Busby, and sophomore forward Montana Portenier were named to the preseason All-Conference Team. Sophomore midfielder/forward Nicki Baham received honorable mention.

Evansville finished 11-6-3 in 2014 with the second best mark in the MVC regular season. The Aces were also runner-ups to Illinois State in the regular season and conference tournament championship last season.

Coach Krista McKendree’s team will look to stop the two-time Illinois State Redbirds run as MVC regular season champions.

The Aces return 19 letterwinners (nine starters) from last year’s team. Some of UE’s key returners include Boswell (2014 team leader in goals, 2014 MVC First Team), Busby (two time MVC Goalkeeper of the Year) and Portenier (2014 MVC All-Freshman Team). Other returning starters include senior midfielder Allie Arguello, junior midfielder Colleen Dierkes, junior defender Emily Richardson, sophomore defender Olivia Schafer, senior forward Kayla Smith and senior defender/midfielder Abby Springer.

Additionally, Evansville also has seven freshmen including defender Morgan Langhammer, midfielder Molly Lear, forward/midfielder Tess Lombard, midfielder Paige Niemeier, midfielder/forward Jess O’Shaughnessy, forward Sara Osinski and defender/forward Sierra Pagan.

UE starts the regular season at home against Xavier on Friday, August 21. The match will be held at Arad McCutchan Stadium and begin at 7:00 p.m. CDT

For all of the latest information on University of Evansville women's soccer, log on to the sport page on GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthleticsWSOC.

For more information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the DONATE tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com . To purchase tickets for University of Evansville athletics events, log on to GoPurpleAces.com and click on the TICKETS tab on top of the page.