Sam Smiley, well-known playwriting and screenwriting professor, author, actor, theatre director, painter, and poet, passed away August 15, at home in Tucson, Arizona. He was 87.

Smiley served as director of theatre and dean of fine arts at the University of Evansville from 1957-69. He created the theatre program at UE, which remains a top theatre program today. He designed UE’s innovative Shanklin Theatre, which opened in 1967. Smiley also created the University of Evansville Theatre Society, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in April of this year. Go here to watch a celebratory video about the Theatre Society’s anniversary and an interview with Smiley about its origins.

Smiley is survived by Ann, his wife of almost 66 years; sons Mark (Cathy), Steve (Sally), and Sean; grandchildren Justin (Jackie) Smiley, Sarah (Anthony) Harrison, Austin Smiley, Shavana Smiley, Cody Smiley, Clark Smiley, and Jenny Smiley; and great-grandchildren Laila, Hazel, and Eden Smiley, and Aaron and Liam Harrison.

Smiley was born in Columbus, Indiana, on February 15, 1931. He earned his B.F.A. at Illinois Wesleyan University, his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa, and his Ph.D. from Indiana University. Smiley served as head of the Department of Theatre Arts (1987-88) and director of dramatic writing (1987-93) at the University of Arizona. He was head of dramatic writing at Indiana University (1973-87), and was a professor at the University of Missouri (1969-73). He began his teaching career at Georgia College. He was a popular consultant in communications and writing including work on feature films and television shows.

Smiley published four books. The most famous is Playwriting:  The Structure of Action by Yale University Press. Many of the 32 plays he published were performed professionally. He also published a book of poetry and wrote a series for television. He acted in movies including “The Untouchables,” “Hoosiers,”, and “Terminal Velocity.” He appeared in off-Broadway productions in New York. His home is full of his many beautiful paintings, some of which won awards. 

He became a member of The College of Fellows of the American Theatre in 1983. He worked with theatres in Paris, Dublin, and Madrid, and in Barcelona, one of his favorite cities.

Smiley possessed a warm, vivacious personality making friends with everyone. He leaves a great influence on students all over the country; many of those students are now professional actors, playwrights, screen writers, or teachers. A dog lover, life-long athlete, and marathon runner, he set the record for 60 and over in the Tucson Marathon. One year he ran the Boston Marathon.

A Memorial Service celebrating his remarkable life is planned for September 15, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 1431 W. Magee Rd., Tucson, Arizona.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society or the Humane Society.

Arrangements by Oasis Cremation and Funeral Care.  Burial at East Lawn Palms Mortuary and Cemetery.

The Office of Admission continues to enhance the visit experience for our prospective students in order to make them feel welcome and at home on our campus.  We will be continuing to use the special parking signs and purple parking spaces in front of Olmsted Administration Hall that will be personalized to welcome each arriving guest by name. In order to ensure that each visiting guest has a place to park, we’re asking for your help to keep the purple spaces open at all times.  Please help us communicate this change to all students, faculty, staff, outside guests, and others so that we may make a positive first impression on our visitors.

Thank you for continuing to be an important part of the campus visit experience. We truly appreciate the enthusiasm and cooperation from the entire campus community in making the experience special for each of our visitors.

Sincerely,
Dr. Shane Davidson
VP for Enrollment and Marketing

Tibetan Monks from Tashi Kyil Monastery in Dehra Dun, India, are in Evansville through August 23 and are creating the World Peace Sand Mandala at the University of Evansville. They are working on the mandala project in the John Wesley Gallery located in the lower level of Neu Chapel. The mandala will take several days to construct and the campus community is invited to observe their work throughout the week.

You can view the Sand Mandala today, Thursday, August 23 - from 10:00 a.m.-noon. The closing ceremony and Sand Mandala deconstruction takes place at noon.

Following the closing ceremony, the monks will take the sand mandala to the Ohio River and ceremonially disperse the sand into the river to spread healing energies of the mandala throughout the world.

Feel free to observe the creation of the mandala and spend some time with the monks on Wednesday and Thursday. The monks are here to teach the Dharma and educate the public about the culture and religion of Tibet. More info at: www.facebook.com/monktour2018.

Submitted by Tamara Gieselman tg85@evansville.edu

Join us at the Newman House today - Wednesday, August 22 - from 5:00-7:00 p.m. for an open house! We are the house across the street from Olmsted with flags! All are welcome!

Submitted by Michaela Kunkler mk305@evansville.edu

Looking for a great way to unwind (or get wound up) after the first day of classes? All are invited to join the Neu Chapel community for a Twister tournament on the second floor of Ridgway University Center (Class of 59 Gallery) today - Wednesday, August 22 - at 7:00 p.m.! Snacks will be provided. And prizes will be awarded to the top three winners!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu 

Attention UE students: join us for an information session today - Wednesday, August 22 - in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, upstairs in Ridgway University Center at 4:45 p.m. regarding employment with UE athletics and ESPN3. Learn about PAID positions within athletics including, but not limited to: ticket sales, Ace Purple (mascot), on-air broadcast talent, marketing, social media, operations, and video.

Submitted by Scott Peace sp166@evansville.edu

The Neu Chapel community is excited to begin our new worship schedule this Sunday (August 26)! For the early risers, we will gather at 9:00 a.m. for our #GetWokeUE worship service. For the night owls, we will gather again at 9:00 p.m. for our #StillWokeUE worship service. The campus community is invited to attend!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu

There will be a Catholic Mass this Sunday, August 26, at 1:00 p.m. in Neu Chapel. Father Godfrey Mullen will be the celebrant. All are welcome!

Submitted by Sam Wallisch sw265@evansville.edu

What was known last year as Fireside Chats are now known as the Neu Chapel Forum, which will begin today at 7:00 p.m. in the Class of 59 Gallery on the second floor of Ridgway University Center. The Neu Chapel Forum is a great opportunity to engage your faith more deeply in community. It is not about "what" to believe. It's not about projecting someone else's "truth." It's a springboard for amazing conversation about how faith intersects with everyday live. Snacks will be served! All are welcome to join!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu

Grab your afternoon pick-me-up at Rademacher's Lounge and enjoy some organic, fair trade, fresh brewed conversation with Assistant Chaplain Keith Turner this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. There is no agenda. It's just a time to engage in thoughtful conversation about whatever topic(s) happen to come up. Stay for five minutes or stay for an hour! The campus community is invited and welcome to participate!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu 

The University of Evansville's Native Plant Garden in Koch Courtyard was used as a plant source for species for the Native Plant Sale set for Saturday, September 8 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Eykamp Scout Shelter. The sale is hosted by the Southwest Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society.

UE’s Native Plant Garden provides a venue where over 100 species of native flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees can be viewed. This native plant diversity has great value for several reasons, including beneficial ecosystem services through improved ecosystem function, support for native insects (including insect herbivores and pollinators), and the food resources to other animals (e.g., birds via seeds and/or prey items). Unfortunately, habitat destruction has led to the loss of wetlands, prairies, and forests, resulting in reduced numbers of native plant species. As one would expect, the loss of floral diversity has caused a reduction in the number of herbivores and pollinators, and a reduction in ecosystem services. The University of Evansville’s native plant garden represents one effort to restore native plants.

Come visit the native plant garden throughout the fall. But also, go to the Native Plant Sale on Saturday, September 8, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Eykamp Scout Shelter. The native plants you grow will be valuable as host plants for butterfly larvae, as well as beneficial to native bee pollinators. Bees are of special note because native bees are in critical need of help because of habitat loss and pesticides. Moreover, bees are wonderfully diverse, partitioning their niche space based on nesting habit, tongue length, and body size/color. Just in Indiana, 416 species of bees occur, including species from 6 different families.

Contact Cris Hochwender (ch81@evansville.edu) if you have any questions about the native plant garden or restoration efforts at UE.

Submitted by Cris Hochwender ch81@evansville.edu

The Evansville Otters conclude their series against rival Southern Illinois Miners on College Night on August 23. The Otters want to see college students and staff pack the stands at Bosse Field for the series finale as the Otters make a playoff push! Those with a valid college ID can enter to win one of four $50 VISA gift cards, and those with a valid ID get a free popcorn.

Student groups with a minimum of 15 people can enter to win a $100 contribution to your cause, and a minimum of 25 people can enter win "Bosse Field" for use of your own event! Student groups must pre-register to be eligible. For more information or to register, please contact Elspeth Urbina-Roos at 812-435-8686 or e-mail at eurbina@evansvilleotters.com.

And everyone is invited to wear their favorite school or college apparel and show their school pride!

Stay up-to-date with the Evansville Otters at evansvilleotters.com and follow the Otters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Tickets for College Night on August 23 are still available by going to evansvilleotters.com or calling 812- 435-8686, or stop by the Evansville Otters Ticket Office located at Bosse Field on 23 Don Mattingly Way in Evansville, Indiana.

Join the Evansville Otters at Bosse Field for all the fun!

Phi Gamma Delta will be hosting its annual Hot-tub-a-thon today - Friday, August 31 - from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. All proceeds benefit the United Services Organization (USO). Come enjoy some relaxing hot-tubbing, burgers, and cornhole. Please contact Corbin Neu at cn86@evansville.edu to register a group for a one-hour time slot at $50 per group.

Submitted by Corbin Neu cn86@evansville.edu

There are still a few openings on ChangeLab projects for this semester. Use your skills to make a difference in the real world! Open to students of all majors and levels.

Students – look for these courses using the CHNG prefix to register.

Advisors – consider recommending these classes for interested students.

• Designing an Anti-Bullying Board Game
CHNG 330 – 3 credits - T/Th 2:45 – 4:00
Work with an experienced game developer to create a board game that addresses bullying amongst kids. Prepare that game for license and sale in the game market.

• Global Innovation Consulting
CHNG 300 – 3 credits - T 2:00 – 5:00
Learn innovation strategies and techniques from an experienced consultant to help companies address relevant challenges. Apply these skills on a project related to the future of health care. (limited to sophomores, juniors, and seniors or by instructor approval)

• Alternative Energy – Puerto Rico
CHNG 310 – 3 credits - T/Th 11:00 – 12:15
Learn from a physics professor how to audit homes and buildings to recommend sustainable energy solutions. Develop and implement recommendations for a school in Puerto Rico.

• Rosedale Neighborhood Revitalization
CHNG 310 – 3 credits - T/Th 9:30 – 11:00
Work with community activists and property developers to create a vision and plans to beautify, strengthen, and revitalize the diverse Rosedale neighborhood adjacent to UE.

More information on these projects can be found at www.evansville.edu/changelab/

Submitted by Jill Griffin jg121@evansville.edu 

The battery operated golf cart proposed as the winning submission to the inaugural Environmental Sustainability Challenge in Spring 2018 is now on campus and in use by UE Recycling.

UE employees Shannon Bryant and Julie Wilson submitted the proposal as their capstone project for UE's Organizational Leadership program. The capstone project is the culmination of learning experiences from the program.

Funds for the challenge were provided through a grant from Siemens Corporation to enhance the environmental sustainability of the UE campus.

"Golf carts are a needed convenience for the recycling and maintenance crews on campus," they said in their proposal. "Gradually transitioning from the gas operated carts to battery will have multiple benefits to UE and the community. Not only will this help to cut down on the purchase of fuels over time, but this also would eliminate carbon emissions. Also, noise pollution would be reduced on campus walkways and paths."

Submissions are now being accepted for the next Environmental Sustainability Challenge. 

Bryant and Wilson submitted the grant proposal as part of their senior capstone course for UE's Organizational Leadership program.

The Office of Annual Giving is looking for student callers for the fall Phonathon campaign. This is a paid position with flexible hours, mostly evening. Hourly pay starts at $8.25. Freshman are encouraged to apply and it is not considered work study! If you are interested, please email Erika Johnson at ej51@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Erika Johnson ej51@evansville.edu

The August Pcard Cycle which began on July24 ends on August 21. As of August 23, cardholders may schedule and run the August Cycle report. August transactions may be reconciled in SDG2 until August 28. On August 28, the general ledger Pcard file will be uploaded and cardholders will be locked out of (unable to make changes) posted transactions for the August Cycle.

Submitted by Kim Winsett kw83@evansville.edu

Students anticipating package deliveries should monitor their messages from UE distribution services/mail services (DS/MS) before coming over to DS/MS located in the general services building to pick-up packages. DS/MS sends email and text notifications to students for every package received. Students may receive premature delivery notifications from vendors before their packages are received in DS/MS. Students are encouraged to wait until they receive an e-mail and/or text package notification from DS/MS (to ensure the package has been delivered) before coming to DS/MS for package pickup.

Distribution services/mail services regular business hours:

Monday - Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For package related questions, contact Michelle Braun at mb485@evansville.edu or ext. 1067.

Submitted by Kim Winsett kw83@evansville.edu

Just a friendly reminder, as the start of Fall Semester is upon us. UE distribution services only receives and processes mail and packages that are UE business related. Distribution services does not accept personal packages and mail for UE employees from carriers. For liability reasons, employees should have personal mail and packages delivered to their home address.

Submitted by Kim Winsett kw83@evansville.edu

We would like to extend an invitation for our current seniors to join one of our most important giving societies, the President’s Club. Seniors can make a gift of $100 and receive membership. PC members are invited to special events, receive preferred seating at public engagements, and are also given a parking decal that will allow for unrestricted parking privileges anywhere on UE’s campus with the exception of UE Admission’s purple-curbed locations on the Sesquicentennial Oval and handicapped locations.

Tuition to the University of Evansville does not cover the entire cost to run the University, which is why private donations are so crucial. Gifts can be conveniently made online at www.evansville.edu/give. If you have any questions at all about the process of giving or a President’s Club membership, please feel free to get in touch with Erika Johnson at ej51@evansville.edu!

Submitted by Erika Johnson ej51@evansville.edu

The intramural department is hiring a few new officials for the 2018 fall IM season. First sport's will be flag-football and soccer. Training and equipment will be provided, additional officiating and training/licensing opportunities also available. Great way to make a little extra money while gaining valuable life skills! If interested, please fill out the Officials Interest Form at www.evansville.edu/fitnesscenter/intramurals.cfm or send an e-mail to Drew Hawkins at ah519@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Drew Hawkins ah519@evansville.edu

Registration is now open for the 2018 intramural Flag football and sand volleyball leagues. Flag football will consist of men, women, and corec. divisions. Sand volleyball is corec. only. To sign up, visit imleagues.com and register your team or refer any questions you have to Drew Hawkins at AH519@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Drew Hawkins ah519@evansville.edu

Purple Friday Patrol: Wear Purple—Get Prizes!

Be on the lookout for the Purple Friday Patrol every week and sign up here to pass out the purple praise! 

On Fridays, we wear purple, and each week, the PFP will reward students to promote school spirit both on campus and online through the use of the hashtag, #UEPurpleFriday.

Purple Friday Patrol: Who are we?
Purple Friday Patrol Teams are made up of members of the campus community including faculty, administrators, and other interested parties, usually from the same department or group.

PFP Teams will sign up for one or more Fridays per semester and the Office of University Relations will supply Purple Swag Packs to the designated PFP Team for the week. PFP Teams are invited to add a personal touch to the swag packs, if desired. (ex. departmental swag, promo for an upcoming event, etc.) 

Purple Friday Patrol Teams: What’s my responsibility? 
1. Sign up for at least one Friday per semester.
2. Visit the office of University Relations in Sampson Hall during the week of your assigned Friday to pick up your Purple Swag Packs
3. Pass out the purple praise. The distribution format is up to you. You can pass out swag packs to the first few purple people you see, or you can stagger the rewards throughout the day. If you’d prefer to reward online participants, you’re free to promote on official UE social media accounts. 
4. Pics or it didn’t happen. Remember, we’re trying to promote school spirit both on campus and online through the use of the hashtag, #UEPurpleFriday, so be sure to snap a picture with your purple people. You can either share them online through an official UE social media account if you run one, or send them to Amanda Campbell at uerelations@evansville.edu to post on the main UE social media accounts.
 

SIGN UP ONLINE HERE

The 2018-19 UE Wind Ensemble auditions are this week. The audition schedule is:

• Wednesday, August 22, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 22, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
• Thursday, August 23, 3:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Auditions are held in Room 103 in the Krannert Hall of Art and Music. Please sign up for an audition on the UE Bands bulletin board, across from FA 103.

For further information, please contact associate professor of music and director of bands Kenneth Steinsultz at ks306@evansville.edu.

Excerpts will be available at: www.evansville.edu/majors/music/ensIntro.cfm.

The audition will consist of prepared excerpts, scales, and sight-reading.

Submitted by Kenneth Steinsultz ks306@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. in the Krannert Hall of Art and Music. If you play a string instrument, 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

The Fitness Center Fall hours will start on Wednesday, August 22. The schedule will be:

• Monday-Friday:  6:30 am-10:00 pm
• Saturday: 11:30 am-5:30 pm
• Sunday:  11:30 am-9:00 pm

Fall Fitness Classes will start on Tuesday, September 4.

Submitted by Lori Adams la87@evansville.edu

Students and staff now have full complimentary access to NYTimes.com and NYT mobile apps, thanks to our school-wide subscription.*

We encourage you to take advantage of the world-class journalism of The New York Times to enrich your educational experience.

NYTimes.com covers a variety of topics with unsurpassed quality and depth through breaking news articles, blogs, videos and interactive features. In addition, you will be able to share content on social networks, save articles of interest, subscribe to email newsletters and set up personalized alerts. Your access to NYTimes.com is available from any location, on or off campus.

Activate your pass for free access to NYTimes.com as follows:

From any location, visit www.NYTimes.com/pass.

Follow the simple instructions. Once activated, your Pass will provide access to NYTimes.com from any location.

Download your free NYT apps: visit nytimes.com/mobile.

Submitted by Danielle Williams dw56@evansville.edu

You can drop/add classes online until Monday, August 27 at 5:00 p.m.

Submitted by Teresa Haller th227@evansville.edu

UE Jazz Ensemble auditions will be on Wednesday, August 22, beginning at 7:00 p.m. For more information and excerpts, log on to www.evansville.edu/majors/music/ensintro.cfm and then click on Jazz Bands on that page.

Submitted by Tim Zifer tz3@evansville.edu 

Atefeh Yazdanparast, associate professor of marketing, served as a track chair for the higher education and marketing track at the 2018 AMA Summer Conference recently held in Boston. She also presented two research projects, one examining morality violations and brand evaluation in the political context, and the other focusing on the dark side of digital technology and victimization of the 21st century consumers. This is the fourth year that Yazdanparast has served as the chair of the marketing for higher education special interest group at the AMA.

Department of Theatre chair Eric Renschler was named the 2018 Arts Educator of the Year at the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana's Mayor's Arts Awards, on August 16.

In 2015, Renschler was named the chair of the UE Department of Theatre, after joining the faculty in 2006 as the scenic designer. He returned to his alma mater after nearly twenty years of working on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and on regional and international productions.

His Broadway designs include scenery for Mamaloshen and As Long As You Both Shall Laugh (including a subsequent national tour and PBS special). His Off-Broadway credits include designs at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Circle Repertory Company, Pan-Asian Repertory Theatre, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, and The Juilliard School. His regional design credits include Cincinnati Playhouse, Chautauqua Opera, Barrington Stage Company, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Adirondack Theater Festival, Hangar Theatre, and Seattle Repertory Theatre.

As an associate designer, he worked on over 40 Broadway shows, national tours, and international productions, including The Color Purple, Doubt, Chicago, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Footloose, Proof, Wonderful Town, The Redwood Curtain, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The UE Center for Innovation and Change named Renschler a 2011 Global Scholar Award-winner. He used his award to expand his experience in the international design arena with a year-long comparative study of national design aesthetics as exhibited through theatrical scenography. He is a former board member for the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, a member of the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, and a frequent grant reviewer for the Indiana Arts Commission.

He holds an MFA in Theatre Design from the University of Michigan and is a member of IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) and USA (United Scenic Artists).

Roslyn Lampkins, assistant professor of chemistry, and rising sophomore Phil Wittel presented a poster of their research titled “Purine Scaffolds Toward a New Class of Antibacterial Agents Against Gram-Negative Drug Resistant Bacteria” at the recent 2018 Lilly Undergraduate Research Symposium. Rising sophomore Timmy Miller was a co-author on this poster. The symposium serves as a forum for undergraduate institutions across the state of Indiana to share their research with each other and with medicinal and drug discovery scientists at Eli Lilly. Eli Lilly and Company, and UExplore funded this research project.

Each fall, The University of Evansville honors those who have given 25-years of service to the institution. This year three people were recognized: Sylvia DeVault, Debbie Kassenbrock, and Brian Swenty. Each was recognized and was given an engraved bowl from the University during Fall Conference to show our appreciation for their years of dedication and service.

Sylvia DeVault is a graduate of the University of Evansville. Her very first professional position was at Harlaxton as dean of students during the 1987-88 academic year.  She returned to the campus of alma mater in 1993 to serve as director of alumni relations. During her tenure as director, DeVault helped build the alumni volunteer program and the first alumni web site. She also helped develop social media sites. She assisted in the establishment of the UE African American Alumni and Harlaxton Society as alumni associations. Taking a break from her duties as director, DeVault served as a major gifts officer for two years and then returned to the role of director of alumni and parent relations in 2000.  In March of this year, she began a new role as corporate and foundation relations officer.

Debbie Kassenbrock began her career at UE in 1993 as an admissions office visit coordinator. She organized private visits for students, road trips, and fly-ins as well as UE prospective coaches. In the year 2000, she became the director of academic advising and the associate registrar. In 2015, Kassenbrock was also appointed as director of the resource center. As director of academic advising, she supervises the Writing Center, supplemental instruction, and tutoring, helps students with time management and study skills and advises new and transfer students. She collaborates with the admission office concerning admitted students’ academic inquiries, meets with students to assist them with their appeals to the Admissions and Standards Committee, and speaks at the SOAR and STAR programs. Kassenbrock holds numerous memberships including the Patricia Snyder Speakers Series, UE’s Theatre Society, UE’s President’s Club, and the Purple Aces Club. She is past president of the Office Staff Association and has been recognized as an Outstanding Athletic Advisor.

Brian Swenty began his career at UE as an assistant professor in the mechanical and civil engineering department. Previously, he was director and chief engineer for the Dam and Reservoir Safety Program with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in Rolla, Missouri.  He is currently chair of the mechanical and civil engineering department. Swenty is licensed as a professional engineer in California, Florida, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. He is active in the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is well-published and has presented at numerous conferences. Swenty’s service to the University is exemplary and includes serving as interim dean in the College of Engineering and Computer Science in 2017 and part of this year as well. He has received the Dean’s Outstanding Teaching Award twice. He has also received the UE Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award, the Berger Award for Service, the United Methodist Church Exemplary Teaching Award, and the Distinguished Service Award from Harlaxton College.