Please join the Office of Academic Affairs in wishing Michael Cullen, senior vice president for academic affairs, farewell today from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Please join us in thanking him for his 20 years of service to the University. The reception will be held in the conference room between Rooms 204 and 205 in Olmsted Administration Hall. Hope to see you there!

This summer on Thursdays join the Office of Diversity Initiatives to "Rethink Diversity Through Mindshifting Dialogue," from noon-1:00 p.m. in Room 272, Schroeder School of Business Building.

Session dates and topics are:

June 2: Diversity: A Double-Edged Sword. A conversation about why diversity is a reality and should be a priority.

June 9: Exploring Ism’s that No One Really Talks About.

June 16:  Just Ask Me: What we know and don’t know about gender and sexual orientation.

June 23: Cat Calls, Compliments, and Come Ons: A Conversation about sexist micro-aggressions.

June 30: Responses to Racial Incidents on Campuses across America. Case Study Reviews.

July 14: What does that mean, and what should I call you? Exploring Trending Terminology.

July 23: Celebrating Differences When Everybody is __________except for __________.

July 28: Tactics for Professionals to Help Make UE More Inclusive.

Each session will be one hour long and will be interactive. Participants will be able to think and dialogue about how to rethink everything they ever knew about diversity by providing solution-oriented steps and strategies as well as resources for participants.

Participants must RSVP to lw161@evansville.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Monday of the week of the session they would like to attend.

Sessions are intended for any campus member (faculty, staff, or administraton). Anyone attending at least six sessions will be given a certificate of completion of diversity, and Inclusion at UE at the end of the sessions.

For more information contact LaNeeca Williams at lw161@evansville.edu or by phone at ext. 2413.

Employee health screenings will be held June 7-9 from 7:00–11:00 a.m. in UE Medical Clinic. Employees who are enrolled in the HRA Insurance Plan are eligible to attend and receive HRA credits.

Employees can only schedule their appointments for the health screenings on AceLink. An employee can schedule up to two appointments (employee and spouse) when they sign in to AceLink.

An 8-hour fast is required, and a 12-hour fast is recommended because triglycerides are included with the blood fat/cholesterol testing. Hydration is important when fasting. Water and black coffee are allowed prior to testing.

The employees of the University of Evansville are again invited to play golf with other UE employees on Thursday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. during the summer months. The UE golf outing this week will be at Thunderbolt Pass. You can reserve your tee time by contacting Debbie Kassenbrock in the Center for Academic Advising at dk26@evansville.edu by 2:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the outing. 

The eleventh annual Midwest Dragon Boat Race will be held on Saturday, June 4, at Deaconess Sports Park Lake. Join the UE team! No skills necessary and anyone can participate. Lunch and a team shirt will be provided. Contact la87@evansville.edu for more information or to sign up. 

Using a gift of diverse native plants from the Native Plant Garden in the Koch Center for Engineering and Science Courtyard, professor of biology Cris Hochwender has collaborated with Gena Garrett, education program coordinator for Wesselman Nature Society on her Serve Indiana grant.

Together with Harper Elementary School, Garrett is establishing several plots of native plants to help elementary students engage in outdoor ecological experiences. By establishing gardens in the school’s yard, children will be able to see the wildlife that utilizes a diverse array of native asters, mints, legumes, and milkweeds, thereby allowing students to experience nature and learn about native species in parallel with their established curriculum.

If you are interested in helping with this project or other educational opportunities associated with Wesselman Nature Society, please contact Garrett at ggarrett@wesselmannaturesociety.org.

If you are interested in organizing an educational tour for a UE group, please contact Hochwender at ch81@evansville.edu.

Plants donated from the UE native garden will help fulfill the required $500 local in-kind portion of the grant.

The Alumni Research and Scholarly Activity Fellowship awards, sponsored by the UE Alumni Association, have been determined for the upcoming fiscal year. Over $12,000 was awarded. Congratulations to the following faculty members and all best with their projects:

Mari Plikuhn, assistant professor of sociology – Alpha Scholars Abroad: First-generation College Students and Access to Study Abroad
Mark Valenzuela, associate professor of civil engineering – The Iconography of the Long Gallery at Harlaxton Manor
Todd Matteson, assistant professor of art – Reduction Firing Results in an Oxidation Kiln
Lesley Pleasant, associate professor of German – Road Films
Margaret Stevenson, associate professor of psychology, and Sveta Greer – Implications for Civil Court Judgments in Accident Cases
Richard Maass, assistant professor of political science - Annexation: Domestic Constraints on International Ambition and the U.S. Rise to Power, Book Conferences
Davies Bellamy, association professor of education – Cultural Immersion Project Cuba
Michael Slade, assistant professor of chemistry – Improving the Lightboard Enhance its IMPACT and Optimize its Flexibility

The deadline to submit ARSAF proposals in April 1 of each year for funding for the following fiscal year.

Questions? Contact alumni@evansviille.edu.

UE alumus Nathan Andrew Edmiston, 24, of Scottsdale, Arizona, formerly of Rushville, Illinois, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 11, in Scottsdale.

He was born June 14, 1991, in Macomb, Illinois, the son of Charles and Gretchen (Bockhorst) Edmiston.

Beginning at the age of 10, Nathan volunteered at the Princess Theater in Rushville.  He was so committed to the theater that he was offered a paid position.  During high school, he volunteered and was a member of the stage crew and was a blood donor. He graduated from Rushville High School in 2010.

While a student at UE, Nathan served as photo editor and chief photographer for Student Publications, including the LinC.  He won first place in sports photography from the Indiana Collegiate Press Association, served as a justice with the Student Government Association Supreme Court, and was involved with the Institute for Global Enterprise.  He was a member of UE’s Venturing Crew where he enjoyed his love for hiking and camping. 

Nathan studied abroad at Harlaxton College in England.  This is where he developed his love for everything British, including BBC Television.

He interned one summer as the communication assistant for the World Fair Trade Organization in Culemborg, The Netherlands. Nathan also interned as a district detective aide with the Washington, D.C. Police Department, while attending American University for one summer. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree in communication, with minors in psychology and political science from UE in 2014.

In December 2014, he joined the Walmart Corporate Headquarters, in Bentonville, Arkansas, to serve as a licensing compliance specialist.  Currently, he was working at Yelp! in Scottsdale as an ad operations associate, having joined them in January.

Jesus Christ was the center of his life and expressed in many ways, including his membership with the First United Methodist Church in Rushville, and involvement with churches in every community where he lived.  He served on a mission trip to Mexico as a teenager, as a floor minister at the SchuyLight Christian Coffee House in Rushville, and as a member of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UE as publicity coordinator.

He recently reached his goal, three months early, of running 500 miles in one year, and set a new goal of 750 miles for the current year. He enjoyed traveling, storm chasing, Cardinals baseball, and the Green Bay Packers.

Surviving are his parents Charles and Gretchen Edmiston of Rushville, his sister Sarah Edmiston of Jacksonville, his brother Ben Edmiston and wife Therese of Naperville, his niece Kyleigh Grace Edmiston, his grandmother Catherine Edmiston of Abingdon, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his grandparents Robert Edmiston and Gene and Mary Bockhorst.

Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 20, at the First United Methodist Church in Rushville, with Reverend Grant Armstrong officiating.  Interment will follow in the Christian Neck Cemetery, north of Rushville.  Visitation will be from 3:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Wood Funeral Home in Rushville. 

Memorial contributions may be made to UE to support students' travel to Harlaxton College, or the First United Methodist Church for youth mission trips.

Charitable donations may be made to:
University of Evansville
1800 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville IN 47722

First United Methodist Church
PO Box 208, Rushville IL 62681
 

Fourteen conference softball student-athletes have been named to the 2016 MVC Scholar-Athlete first team, including 10 repeat selections, as voted on by the league's softball sports information directors and announced by the Missouri Valley Conference office yesterday.

Representing the University of Evansville was junior Chandra Parr, who was named an Honorable Mention.

One of the most dependable players in the MVC, Parr lived up to that bill in 2016. She finished the season second on the team with a .300 average and bumped that up to .308 in MVC games. She showed solid power, ranking second on the squad with six home runs and 23 RBIs.

Her top offensive effort came in an 11-1 win over Chattanooga as she went 3-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. She belted two home runs in a series-clinching 7-4 win at Illinois State and also made a difference with a long ball in the series winner at Indiana State. Parr was also named an MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention a season ago. The accounting major has a 3.58 GPA.

In order to be eligible, student-athletes must have at 3.2 GPA or higher, be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing, and meet certain playing requirements.

Seniors accounted for four of UE’s five hits on Sunday as the University of Evansville ended a six-game skid with a 4-3 victory over visiting Southern Illinois at Charles H. Braun Stadium.

“This was a big win for us, and we really needed this one too,” said Shain Showers, who was one of eight seniors honored prior to the contest. “It’s a great feeling, and hopefully it will ignite something in the team. Maybe we can get some momentum going as we head into Indiana State next week and the conference tournament the following week.”

The win, which saw UE move to 26-23 on the season and 8-10 in Missouri Valley play, was the first for UE since a 5-1 decision over Murray State on May 3. Meanwhile, the Salukis dropped to 30-20-1 overall with an 11-7 league mark.

After each team was held scoreless over the opening two frames, the Aces got on the board with a pair of scores in the third. Nate Reeder started things off with a leadoff walk, and after stealing second, a Showers single and SIU error allowed him to touch home to draw first blood. Boomer Synek followed up with a single in the ensuing at-bat to double the advantage.

Reeder also led off the fifth with his first career home run to make it 3-0. The freshman out of Shawnee, Kansas, is the thirteenth different Ace this season to leave the park, which matches the total of the 2001 UE squad. Every Aces hitter this season has now registered at least one home run.

Eric McKibban capped a 14-pitch at-bat with a single an inning later, and he would later score on a wild pitch as UE extended its lead to 4-0.

Singles from Will Farmer and Dyllin Mucha cut the deficit in half for SIU in the seventh, and they would score another unearned run in the eighth before Ryan Brady ended the game with a strikeout in the ninth to record his third save of the season.

Austin Allinger tossed four scoreless frames to open the game for the Aces, and Brent Jurceka became the first UE pitcher to pick up six victories this season after giving up two runs (one earned) over 2.1 innings.

UE will return to action on Thursday as Aces are set to close out the regular season with a three-game set at Indiana State.

With the completion of the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship, the All-Tournament Team was announced.

Representing the University of Evansville on the list was junior Michal Luckett. Luckett went 1-3 in the Purple Aces game against Illinois State on Thursday night.

Luckett finished the season as the leading hitter for the Aces, wrapping up the year batting .312. She played in all 50 games, making 49 starts. She was also a nice threat on the base path, swiping 15 bases.

University of Evansville Men’s Basketball head coach Marty Simmons has announced the signing of Dalen Traore to join the Purple Aces next season.

Traore, a 6-9 forward, joins the program after spending the last two seasons at Miami Dade College where he starred for the Sharks over the last two seasons. He will have two seasons of eligibility with the Aces.

“We are very excited to welcome Dalen to our program. He is a hard worker who will bring a great attitude to our team,” Simmons commented. “He is a warrior on the boards who will add some nice depth inside for us. Dalen also brings a nice touch for someone his size.”

Originally from the Ivory Coast, Traore finished his high school career at Northwood Temple Academy in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

“Aside from his work in school, we are also very excited about Dalen’s international experience. That kind of experience is priceless and has helped him become a better player,” Simmons added.

That international experience came in the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship where he finished as one of the top players in the tournament. Playing for his native Ivory Coast, he was the number two scorer and rebounder in the tournament. He posted 12.7 points per game throughout the event while hauling in 10.5 rebounds. The tournament, which was played in the Czech Republic, also saw Mislav Brzoja play for Croatia.