The academic convocation for the incoming class of 2017 is scheduled for Tuesday, August 22 at 8:50 a.m. in the Meeks Family Fieldhouse in Carson Center.

Family, friends, and the entire campus community are invited to welcome the newest Aces to the UE family.

A live stream of the event will be available at https://www.evansville.edu/live/ beginning shortly before the start of the ceremony.

Again this year, incoming students will gather in Neu Chapel on Tuesday morning, August 22, for Prologue, which will serve as an introduction to the University's Academic Convocation. In a brief 10-minute session, students will be offered an introduction to their first University ceremony.

Instead of simply wandering over to Carson Center as individuals, the Class of 2021 will be led by bagpipes, and escorted by UE's Orientation Leaders in their first campus processional, signaling the importance of community, integration, and transitions.

During Prologue, the entering class will rehearse both University hymns with Keith Turner, John Wesley Minister and Assistant Chaplain, in preparation for the Academic Convocation. Theater department chair and professor Eric Renschler will introduce students to the UE Honor Code and the meaning of pledging one's honor in an academic culture as they stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers and face their faculty. Prologue is the first opportunity for new students to learn more about the rich tradition of excellence at UE.

The campus community is invited to attend Prologue, (reserved seating in the Neu Chapel Gallery, upstairs in the loft), which will begin promptly at 8:15 a.m. The procession will commence at 8:25 a.m., leaving from Neu Chapel, passing by the May Studio, through Memorial Plaza, in front of Ridgway University Center and finally arriving at Carson Center. The campus community is also invited to stand near the processional route to wave, clap, and welcome new students as they process toward the beginning of their college career.

You’re invited to join the UE community for the dedication of Jones Hall (formerly North Hall) and campus picnic today, Wednesday, August 23. The dedication will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the lawn of Jones Hall, with the picnic immediately following on the lawn outside of Hughes Hall (on the corner of Weinbach and Walnut). Food, music, and bounce houses will be provided! Rain location for the dedication will be the Bower-Surheinrich Library, and rain location for the picnic will be Ridgway University Center. All students must show student ID to eat.

UE students, faculty, staff, and administrators,

You’re invited to bring your solar eclipse viewing glasses* and gather on the East Terrace Lawn at 1:10 p.m. on Monday, August 21 to view the partial solar eclipse that will pass over Evansville. Get a FREE Solar Pop while supplies last! 

Gathering to View Solar Eclipse
Monday, August 21
1:10 p.m.
East Terrace Lawn
University of Evansville Campus

DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES!

An important note from Space.com:
“During totality, when the sun's disk is completely covered by the moon, it is safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye. But sky watchers should NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. See our complete guide to find out how to view the eclipse safely.” 

Evansville will not see totality from this location, however, we are close to the direct path and should experience 75-80 percent coverage when the moon passes in front of the sun between 1:20 and 1: 30 p.m. Therefore, it is extremely important that you use appropriate protective eyewear. If you do not already have glasses specially designed for viewing the eclipse, please find a pair to bring with you to this gathering.

* Per the American Astronomical Society Solar (AAS), eclipse viewing glasses are designed exclusively for looking directly at the everyday sun. These glasses reduce sunlight to safe levels so that you don't injure your eyes…and they meet the ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015) international safety standard. Note that special-purpose solar filters are many thousands of times darker than ordinary sunglasses! However, not all marketed solar eclipse viewing glasses are ISO certified as unscrupulous vendors will market glasses as ISO certified when they are not. Thus, refer to AAS’s list for approved vendors https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters.

The UE Bookstore will be offering 15 percent OFF the regular price of all clothing and gifts items August 18-22. Items already on sale are not included. Stop in and get your gear!

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu 

God may be calling you! 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 as we try to make sense of "Syllabus shock, passing the class, and Charlottesville." All are welcome! As always, Donut Bank donut balls and coffee are available before and after the service.

Fall wellness screenings will take place September 5, 6, and 7 from 7:00-11:00 a.m. in the Maikranz Gym in Carson Center. Earn HRA credits! Schedule your appointment on AceLink. Screenings require 8-12 hours of fasting. Water and black coffee can be consumed while fasting. Please contact ac375@evansville.edu if you have questions.

Submitted by Ashley Chipps ac375@evansville.edu

UE Bookstore hours during the back-to-school rush:

• Saturday, August 19 – 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
• Sunday, August 20 – Noon-3:00 p.m.
• Monday-Thursday, August 21-24 – 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu 

The Missouri Valley Conference has released its pre-season poll for the upcoming men’s soccer season Thursday, and big things are expected from the University of Evansville in 2017.

Evansville is picked to finish second in the MVC, earning one first place vote. UE is just behind Loyola, which is the pick to win the conference regular season title. They garnered five first place votes. Missouri State, which picked up the remaining first place nod, is picked to finish third in the league.

The Valley also released its annual pre-season all-conference team, with the Purple Aces placing three players on the squad in senior midfielder Ian McGrath (New Lenox, Illinois), junior forward Zac Blaydes (Midway, Kentucky) and sophomore defender Simon Waever (Holte, Denmark).

For McGrath, the honor comes one day after he was named to the prestigious Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List.   

The Aces opened training camp Wednesday, with the exhibition opener against IUPUI scheduled for Sunday, August 20 at 5:00 p.m. at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

On Thursday, August 17, the Peters-Margedant House will be featured on the Bloomington PBS television show “Outside the Box: Hoosier Homes,” as part of its Weekly Special series. The show will focus on the Peters-Margedant House along with three other historically significant buildings. It will air at 7:00 p.m. (CST) and 8:00 p.m. (EST), and the segment will be immediately available online at: weeklyspecial.org.

The Peters-Margedant House is open for tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays by appointment.

For more information, contact Heidi Strobel, curator of the Peters-Margedant House, at hs40@evansville.edu or PMHouse@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Heidi Strobel hs40@evansville.edu

Students, staff, faculty, and administrators are invited to play in the University Symphony Orchestra and String Chamber Ensemble. The University Symphony Orchestra meets on Monday at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. The String Chamber Ensemble meets on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. All of the meetings will be in the Krannert Hall of Fine Arts. Come join us!

E-mail Chun-Ming Chen, director of orchestral activities, at cc319@evansville.edu for more information.

Submitted by Chun-Ming Chen cc319@evansville.edu

This year’s United Way Day of Caring is September 8. The deadline to register to participate in the event is Friday, August 18. Register today!

The UE Day of Caring crew will be going to Seton Harvest and the Henderson Humane Society. At Seton Harvest, volunteers will harvest, weed, and plant. At the Henderson Humane Society, our volunteers will help with socializing and walking animals as well as general landscaping.

The Day of Caring will begin with a kick-off breakfast at 7:00 a.m. followed by an inspirational program to engage volunteers. You don’t want to miss out on this great day in the community!

You do not need to use vacation time to participate, but you will need to get permission from your supervisor before you register.

To register:

• Download the registration form.
• Print and complete the form.
• Give completed form to Brian Conner, Student Life, Ridgway University Center (or scan and e-mail to bc32@evansville.edu).

If you have any questions, please contact Brian Conner at bc32@evansville.edu.

The University community extends a warm welcome to these new 2017-18 faculty members. 

Rachel Brown, visiting assistant professor of religion, earned a BA in religious studies from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, a MA in religious studies from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, and a PhD in religion and culture from Wilfrid Laurier University-University of Waterloo Joint Program in Religious Diversity in North America, Waterloo, Ontario.

Katherine Chandler, visiting assistant professor of engineering, received a BS in nuclear engineering sciences from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and a MS and PhD in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University.

Troy Coppus, instructor/athletic training, is a familiar face on the UE campus. Coppus earned a BS in athletic training from Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, and a MS in sport studies from High Point University in High Point, North Carolina.

Edward Curran, assistant professor of Spanish, earned a BA in modern languages from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and a MA in Spanish from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He earned a MA in romance studies from Cornell University where he is currently a PhD candidate in Romance Studies.

Janelle Evernham, clinical assistant professor/physician assistant science, received a BS in sports administration and a MA in wellness management from Ball State University. Evernham also received a MS in physician assistant from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.

Lisa Marie Hale, visiting assistant professor of education, earned a BS from the University of Southern Indiana, and a MEd from Indiana State University where she is a PhD candidate.

Amanda Kerr, assistant professor of economics, comes to UE from Clemson University where she was an instructor in the economics department. Kerr received a BA in mathematics and a BS in economics from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a master’s and PhD in economics from Clemson University.

Roslyn Lampkins, assistant professor of chemistry, earned a BS in chemistry from Western Kentucky University and a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Jordana Lockwich, assistant professor of physical therapy, comes to UE from UPMC Mercy Hospital-Institute for Rehab and Research. Lockwich earned a BA in English and a DPT from the University of Pittsburgh.

William McConnell, visiting assistant professor of public health, comes to UE from Indiana University where he earned a BS in biochemistry, a Master of Public Health, a JD, and a Doctor of Philosophy (ABD).

William McMillan, visiting associate professor of music and director of choral activities, earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Chapman University (Orange, California), a MA from University of Redlands (Redlands, California) and a DMS from the University of Northern Colorado (Greeley)

Kristen Strandberg, assistant professor of music, earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) and a PhD in philosophy from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Darrin Weber, assistant professor of mathematics, comes to UE from the University of Tennessee where he earned a MS and PhD in mathematics. He also earned a MS in statistics while he was a graduate teaching assistant/associate.

Katelyn Whetstone, clinical assistant professor of physical therapy, earned a BS in exercise science and a DPT from the University of Evansville.

Karla Whitaker, instructor/director physical therapist assistant program, received a BS in physical therapy from UE and is working toward a Master of Health Science at the University of Indianapolis Krannert School of Physical Therapy.

Sarah Beth Wilson, assistant professor of chemistry, received a BS in physics from St. Michael’s College (Colchester, Vermont), a MS in chemistry from Brandeis University, a teaching certification from Indiana Wesleyan University, and a PhD in organic chemistry from Purdue University.

Hai-Sheng Wu, visiting assistant professor of physics, is a tenured professor of physics at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota, and is earning his PhD in solid state physics from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Katherine Zimmer, clinical assistant professor of statistics, received a BS in mathematics from the University of Evansville, and a MS in statistics from Florida State University in Tallahassee. She is Mike and Molly Zimmer’s daughter.

Mari Plikuhn, associate professor of sociology, presented her paper "Teaching and So Much More: Experiences and Opportunities at a Liberal Arts University" at the Annual Meetings of the American Sociological Association in Montreal, Canada, on Sunday, August 13.

Three University of Evansville professors were honored on August 15 with the Sadelle and Sydney Berger Awards for 2017. The awards were presented by Charlie Berger during UE’s Fall Conference. Professor of archaeology Alan Kaiser received the Berger Award for Scholarly Activity, while associate professor of biology Joyce Stamm and associate professor of mathematics Adam Salminen received the Berger Award for Service.

Kaiser teaches courses in Roman and Etruscan archaeology, Roman history and the Latin language. He has conducted training excavations in connection with the archaeological field techniques course. Currently he is director of the University’s Tin City Project, an exploration through aerial photography, excavation and oral interviews of World War II veteran-student campus housing. He has conducted fieldwork in Spain, Italy, Greece, England, and on the Caribbean island of Nevis, as well as in the United States. Kaiser’s published works include scholarly and popular articles as well as three books.

Stamm and Salminen worked together to secure a five-year, $610,600 grant through the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program. The largest faculty grant in the University’s history, it funds UE science and math scholarships and provides funds for support services for science and mathematics majors at UE.

In addition, Stamm has been involved in many faculty committees and several University service activities. She is a past chair of the Faculty Senate and has been a member of the Faculty Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee. After the 2017-18 academic year, she will conclude four years on the Senate Executive Committee.

Salminen also serves on many University committees, including the Faculty Athletics Committee and the Mathematics Faculty Search Committee. He also served on the Dean of Arts and Science Search Committee. Currently, he is chair of the Mathematics Department Assessment Committee. Salminen is the UE Math Club faculty advisor and has judged papers for UE’s 2010 and 2011 MESCON events.

UE graduate Katy Von Der Heide has accepted a position as Production Coordinator with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. She will be part of a team that works on production for NSO concerts, especially the Pops and NSO: Declassified series. Her duties will include advancing technical riders, serving as a liaison with guest artists and managers, working backstage, training an NSO Operations Intern, and assisting with televised concert broadcasts at the Capitol. Previously Von Der Heide was assistant production manager with the Sarasota Orchestra. She graduated from UE in 2015 with a degree in music management.

Joan H. Walker, a 1986 graduate of UE, received the top award for her photo, Portrait of a Woman, at the prestigious Professional Photographers of North Carolina’s 89th annual print competition award ceremony in Durham, North Carolina, on August 7. Walker also received eight additional placements and 15 Court of Honors for her body of work submitted to the competition.

She is the owner of Joan H Walker Photography and Woof Tracks Photography Equine and Dog Imagery studios located in downtown Morehead City,

Walker also had images selected in 2014 and 2016 to represent the United States in World Cup Competition by the Professional Photographers of America, as well as an image that received a Grand Imaging Award in 2016.

She was awarded the degree of Master Photographer (M. Photog.) by PPA in 2016 having earned the necessary 13 competition merit points in only three years. She achieved the title of Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) in 2015. Walker’s work was recognized in February 2017 by the Virginia Professional Photographers Association and was awarded: Best of Show, ASP State Elite Award, National CPP Award, Best in Category: Bride, Top 10 Photographer, and Court of Honor: Photojournalism.

Amber Pouliot, teaching fellow in British Studies at Harlaxton College, presented a paper on Bronte biographical fiction and drama at The Coarseness of the Brontës: A Reappraisal, a conference recently held in Durham, England. You can learn more about the conference at the event’s website.

Condolences to Sharon Gieselmann, associate professor and chair of the education department, and family on the passing of her father-in-law, Horst Gieselmann.

Condolences to Kregg Woosley, housekeeping director, on the passing of his mother, Joyce Woosley. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 19, in her hometown of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.