A contractor will be on campus today to test the fire sprinkler system in buildings. This will briefly activate the fire alarm. The physical plant office will notify the Office of Safety and Security as each building is tested. If you have any questions, contact the physical plant office at ext. 2775.

Join the Office of Diversity Initiatives today at noon in Room 273 in the Schroeder School of Business Building for a Re-Thinking Diversity session. Alex Burton from Old National Bank will be the speaker. His topic will be "True inclusivity: Building and Strengthening Important Diversity Community Initiatives,” and he will discuss the E is Everyone tag line for the City of Evansville.

The Re-thinking Diversity Series is co-sponsored by the Schroeder School of Business.

For more information, contact LaNeeca Williams, chief diversity officer, at lw161@evansville.edu or 812-488-2413.

The Evansville Downtown Quarterback Club will host its featured speaker, Tom Allen, Indiana University's 29th head football coach, in Eykamp Hall, Rooms 251-252, Ridgway University Center today - Thursday, July 20 - from 6:00-9:00 p.m., for a speaking engagement and dinner. Please contact Kari Hughes, kh355@evansville.edu, with questions.

The UE Bookstore will be closing at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 21, so that the yearly floor cleaning and waxing can be completed. Please plan your store visit accordingly. Please contact the UE Bookstore with any questions.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu 

The University of Evansville Department of Theatre is holding auditions for child actors to play major roles in the upcoming musical, Fun Home, on Tuesday, July 25, at 7:00 p.m., in Shanklin Theatre.

The roles being cast require two boys (8 to 14 years old) and one girl (10–14 years old). Child actors must be available evenings from August 5-October 1, although they will not be called for rehearsal every evening. Performance dates are September 22 -24 and September 28-October 1.

Interested young actors should prepare one musical selection from a Broadway musical. Please bring sheet music to the audition, as a piano accompanist will be provided. Additional vocal selections and reading from the script will also be expected.

Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel provided the basis for this 2015 Tony Award-winning musical, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. In his review in The New York Times, Ben Brantley wrote “Fun Home isn’t just a coming out story or a coming-of-age story. Its universality comes from its awareness of how we never fully know even those closest to us, and of the undercurrent of grown-up secrets, intuited by children, that exists to some degree in every family. Fun Home finds a shining clarity that lights up the night.”

Questions about auditions should be directed to R. Scott Lank at SL29@evansville.edu. Lank is slated to direct and Gregory B. Rike will serve as the musical director.  

As you know, the University has signed an agreement with Chartwells, a new food service provider. In addition to general dining options beginning this fall, Chartwells is also the catering services provider to the campus community.

Please direct all catering requests to the new catering e-mail address at UEcatering@evansville.edu. Sodexo’s service to the University ended on Thursday, June 22. Any requests sent to the previous catering@evansville.edu address will automatically be forwarded to the new address.

Chartwells Catering Contact Information
UECatering@evansville.edu
Kellie Short
Director of Dining Services
765-641-4262

Read more about Chartwells’ services, including menu favorites from Starbucks and Chick-fil-A, on our website here.

Congratulations to Richard Maass, assistant professor of political science, and his wife Etuna, on the birth of their new daughter, Lily. The baby was born July 12. Her big sister Ani welcomes her home.

University of Evansville marketing students have developed a digital marketing plan for Direct Care For Me (DCM), a Nashville, Tennessee, company cofounded by UE alumnus Matthew Taber. DCM helps primary care physicians convert to direct primary care, a low cost, no insurance necessary, payment model. The company’s goal is to provide patients with access to low cost health care and to simplify the way physicians practice medicine.

Five student teams researched the DCM business model and industry characteristics, analyzed various aspects of the company’s marketing activities, and developed digital marketing strategies and tactics. The project involved multiple visits and interactions between the students and Taber to assure validity and relevance.

At the University of Evansville, digital marketing is an upper level marketing course that focuses on digital technology and modern marketing techniques to help businesses reach their potential by connecting with their target audiences in a more effectively and efficiently. Timely courses and projects such as digital marketing are integral in helping businesses prosper and presenting students with knowledge and skills required to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment.

“Such experiential projects as these challenge students to be critical observers and creative planners at levels beyond the regular course content,” explained UE assistant professor of marketing Atefeh Yazdanparast. “Students are provided with the opportunity to make a difference in the business community, thereby gaining confidence in their abilities as future business leaders.”

Taber said his collaboration with the UE student teams was very professional and yielded high quality results.

“The feedback and recommendations provided by the students were extremely valuable. The depth of their analysis will help us to take our business to new places that we did not think were even within our reach. The suggestions by students have greatly helped us communicate better with prospects.”

“As a UE alumnus,” Taber added, “I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with the University on this project. Connecting with students helped me change my perspective about marketing a company in the era of digital technology.” 

Bhargavi Bandi, enrollment technology specialist, recently presented at the 5th annual Slate Conference in Chicago, Illinois, on June 29-30. 

Her presentation was titled 'Using Slate in Years 2+,'

Bandi's presentation was formed from her expertise of the Slate platform as a way to share best practices with other institutions.

Over 600 colleges and universities were represented at this year's Slate Conference.

University of Evansville DPT ’17 graduate Kristen Sholander recently presented research at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Next Conference in Boston, Massachusetts.

The poster is titled "The Effect of a Group Exercise Rehabilitation Program on Psychosocial Outcomes for Individuals who have Experienced a Stroke."

Under the direction of assistant professor of physical therapy Tzurei Chen, Sholander led the data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of the project.

The research study analyzed psychosocial outcomes in individuals who have experienced a stroke, after participating in eight weeks of the Acercise pro bono group exercise program. The study specifically looked at changes in depression, quality of life, and participation in activities.

“Most participants had improvements in all areas after only 8 weeks, which indicates that Acercise does more than just help people physically. The group atmosphere truly contributes to improved mental, emotional, and social well-being,” Sholander said.

Sholander has accepted a physical therapy position in acute care at Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Pengcheng Xiao, assistant professor of mathematics, has had an article published in Science China Technological Sciences. The article is entitled "Seizures dynamics in a neural field model of cortical-thalamic circuitry." The article is part of his ongoing collaboration with Professor Honghui Zhang in China. You can read the article online.

Atefeh Yazdanparast, assistant professor of marketing, has had a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing Management. The paper, titled "The Dark Side of Consumer Life in the Age of Virtual and Mobile Technology," explores the nature of consumer-technology relationship, specifically virtual and mobile technology, at the level of lived experience. The findings reflect eight important facets of technology-related dark-side consumer behavior that, in one way or another, cause harm to the individual user, other consumers, or society at large.