The University of Evansville wants you to be recognized for your achievements such as making the dean’s list, studying at Harlaxton, winning an award, or attaining an internship. The University publicizes these accomplishments through Merit, an online platform.

Merit allows UE to send news items about your achievements back to your hometown newspapers, notifies your local government representative, and publishes them on the Web. In addition, you can sync your Merit page with popular social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn so that updates to your page will reach your contacts in those networks, too.

The first time UE adds one of your achievements to Merit, you'll receive a Welcome to Merit email with instructions on how to sign into your page and customize it. You can add a profile photo and list on-campus activities and work experience.

As the University issues news stories about your accomplishments, you'll receive e-mails with links to view your story online.

Your online reputation is important – most employers Google an applicant's name during the hiring process for jobs and internships. By using Merit, UE helps you create a positive online profile.

If you have questions about Merit and how it can work for you, contact University Relations at ext. 2236 or uerelations@evansville.edu. 

The Office of Admission needs current UE students who live in the residence halls to host prospective high school seniors for Road Trip on February 15-17. If you are available, you can apply to host through Acelink, by emailing Ashley Ross (aj53@evansville.edu) or Jordan Hall (jh590@evansville.edu), or stopping by the Office of Admission, located in Room 104, Olmsted Administration Hall. The deadline to sign up has been extended to February 6.

Submitted by Ashley Ross aj53@evansville.edu

The Libraries are currently hosting the Faculty Scholarship Display until January 26. Works produced or published or grants received from August 2017 until July 2018 were eligible for inclusion. You should wander over and take a look at your colleagues' impressive scholarship!

A reception in honor of all Faculty Scholars will be held during the Fridays@5 on January 25 from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the Melvin Peterson Gallery.

Submitted by Meg Atwater-Singer ma35@evansville.edu

“Furnitur(ish),” an exhibit by Katie Hudnall, visiting artist, will be on display at the University of Evansville’s Melvin Peterson Gallery from January 14-February 23. This is free and open to the public.

The Melvin Peterson Gallery is located at 1935 Lincoln Avenue on the corner of Lincoln and Weinbach Avenues in Evansville. Gallery hours are Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from noon-3:00 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday from noon-6:00 p.m.

For more information, contact the UE Art Department of Art at 812-488-2043, email art@evansville.edu or visit the gallery’s Facebook page.

Join us TODAY - Friday, January 18 - at 3:00 p.m. in SB 173 in the Schroeder School of Business Building for the first of our spring Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence Lectures on Teaching and Learning. This month’s topic is: “Kindling for the Fire: Enthusiasm for the Teaching Profession.” Tonight’s lecture will be presented by Mari Plikuhn, associate professor of sociology and director of Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence. As we begin a new semester, Mari will share ideas on staying engaged with our teaching enthusiasm and strategies for sustaining it during the year and across our careers. We look forward to seeing you for good conversations about good teaching!

Submitted by Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence ecte@evansville.edu

Dreaming of that item you never bought at the Harlaxton Boutique? Want to find a new way to show off your love for Harlaxton while also supporting future Harlaxton students?

Introducing the Harlaxton pop-up boutique!

Every month this semester there will be a pop-up boutique around campus selling a variety of limited edition Harlaxton apparel items with 100% of the proceeds going towards the Harlaxton Society Scholarship.

The catch: you’ll have to be following our social media accounts to find out when and where the boutiques will be! We’ll be posting the details on the day of each pop-up and will have a limited quantity of each item, so it’s first come, first served. To keep up with where we’ll be, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @UEStudyAbroad.

Make sure to spread the word so people know how to find us and support our future Harlaxton students!

Submitted by Greta Becker gb91@evansville.edu 

There will be a Catholic Mass celebrated this Sunday at 1:00 pm in Neu Chapel on campus. Father Chris Forler will be the celebrant. All are welcome!

Submitted by Sam Wallisch sw265@evansville.edu

Brass and Percussion Day
Sunday, January 20, 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., Krannert Hall of Art and Music

UE Department of Music's annual Brass and Percussion Day takes place on Sunday, January 20 in the Krannert Hall of Art and Music. UE faculty and ensembles will be featured in concerts and recitals. The event also includes Master Classes and a solo competition.

Area middle and high school students, and brass and percussion enthusiasts are encouraged to attend to share a day of great music and learning opportunities. Students will have an opportunity to work with members of the UE faculty, including Timothy Zifer, Emily Britton, Kenneth Steinsultz, and Ross Erickson.

Early bird registration is available through January 12. For more information, and to register for the event, visit: www.evansville.edu/majors/music/outreachBrassDayPayment.cfm.

Woodwind Day
Sunday, January 27, noon - 7:00 p.m., Krannert Hall of Art and Music

UE Department of Music's is pleased to host Woodwind Day 2019 on Sunday, January 27 from noon - 7 p.m. in the Krannert Hall of Art and Music. This year's event features special guests the Cumberland Woodwind Quintet and saxophonist Eric Scales, as well as members of the UE Department of Music faculty. The event provides concerts, exhibits, and clinics for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone and bassoonists of all ages!

Early bird registration is available through January 25.

For more information, and to register for the event, visit: www.evansville.edu/majors/music/outreachWoodwindDayPayment.cfm. 

Submitted by James Michael Sullivan js820@evansville.edu

The Neu Chapel community is excited to resume its mindfulness service on Sunday evenings at 9:00 p.m. This brief, 25-minute service is filled with beautiful music, candle lighting, prayers, reflection, and guided meditation. It is a wonderful way pause and care for ourselves as we begin a new week together. All are welcome! We hope to see you there!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu 

All are invited to join the Neu Chapel community this Sunday morning at 9:00 as we begin a new semester of University Worship services. We will begin a new sermon series entitled "The Awakened Life" in which we will consider how we can be awakened to the presence of God in our lives and world. This week, we will consider "Awakening to God's Dream" as we also intentionally remember the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All are welcome! We hope to see you there!

Submitted by Keith Turner kt160@evansville.edu 

We are meeting at 2:00 pm Saturday, January 19, in the middle of the oval at the University of Evansville for the Evansville Women's March 2019. Feel free to bring posters! We'll be walking the block around the UE campus (approximately 1 mile). Family friendly event. All orientations and identities welcome. We will be marching rain or shine.

Submitted by Lisa Marie Kretz lk102@evansville.edu

Attention, all engineering majors. On Wednesday, January 23, Career Services and SWE will be hosting the 14th annual Engineering Career Forum in Eykamp Hall in Ridgway University Center from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dress code is business professional and all attending students are asked to sign up ahead of time in Kim's office. The night will include job-search strategy sessions and a networking reception to meet employers and present resumes. All engineering majors are encouraged to attend.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Amanda Aders at aa415@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Amanda Aders aa415@evansville.edu

The University of Evansville will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2019 on January 21. This year’s theme is a “Labor of Love.” The schedule of events follows. All events are free and open to the public.

Monday, January 21
11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Student Fitness Center
Symbolic March: Civil Rights March on Washington and Pre-March rally
Speakers include Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, UE president; LaNeeca Williams, UE chief diversity officer; Aaron Cochran, Black Student Union outreach liaison; and Keith Turner, UE John Wesley Minister and assistant chaplain. The march then leaves campus and returns by 1:00 p.m.

1:00-2:30 p.m., Student Fitness Center
Labor of Love: UE Gives Back
UE students and community members, including students from Evansville Day School, will stuff care bags for foster children as part of the Value Every Child program from the Lutheran Church of our Redeemer.  

1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., Student Fitness Center
Labor of Love: Panel Discussion hosted by UE’s Black Student Union
Local black professionals discuss why they chose their field, professional advice, and how they manage work-life balance at two 30-minute sessions. The audience will be encouraged to ask questions of the panelists.

6:00-7:00 p.m. Eykamp Hall, Room 251, Ridgway University Center
William G. and Rose M. Mays Martin Luther King Jr. Lectureship and Reception
Keynote speaker is Cynthia E. Nance, dean emeritus and Nathan G. Gordon Professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Nance serves as the law school’s director of pro bono and community engagement. She teaches labor law, employment law, workplace legislation and poverty law. Nance’s articles appear in journals including the Iowa Law Review, Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, Iowa Law Review, Rutgers Law Review, and Brandeis Law Review.

The generosity of William G. and Rose M. Mays funds the keynote speaker during UE’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. 

The University of Evansville’s Institute for Banking and Finance’s partnership with the Promise Zone to support small businesses has had some nice news coverage.

UE associate professor of finance Yasser Alhenawi was recently interviewed by 14 WFIE (NBC) about the partnership. You can watch that interview on the WFIE website.

WTVW also did a story on the partnership. You can watch that story here.

Ever wonder how you can get involved with changemaking at UE? Join the Change team! Administrators, faculty, and staff are invited to join us at the next Change Team meeting on Friday, January 18 from 11:00 a.m.-noon in the Bower-Suhrheinrich Board (Room 203) in the library. To be added to the Change Team mailing list, contact Cindy at ck116@evansville.edu or call ext. 2455.

Submitted by Cindy Kelley ck116@evansville.edu

The Kelci Kosin guest recital scheduled for tonight - January 18 - at 7:30 p.m. has unfortunately been cancelled. Weather concerns have made Ms. Kosin's travel to Evansville impossible at this time.

Information about possible rescheduling of this event will be provided at a later date.

Other Music Department and UE related events planned for this weekend will take place as scheduled.

Submitted by James Sullivan js820@evansville.edu 

Do you have an interest in studying abroad? Whether you’d like to study at Harlaxton or anywhere else in the world, we can help find the right program for you. Fall and summer deadlines are quickly closing, so make sure to stop by our table at Ridgway University Center to ask any question you might have and find out how you can start your adventure abroad! The study abroad office will be in Ridgway University Center on Tuesday, January 22, from 12:00-1:30 p.m. If you can’t stop by during these times, you can always e-mail studyabroad@evansville.edu or stop by Room 261 in the Schroeder School of Business Building.

Submitted by Greta Becker gb91@evansville.edu

The Diversity Resource Center opened its doors for Spring 2019 on Tuesday, January 22. The center, located at 436 Weinbach Avenue, will be open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Friday. The center is open to students, student organizations, and the University of Evansville community as a place for students meet, hold events, or to regroup after each day.

The Diversity Resource Center is also looking for student volunteers that are willing to be present and complete tasks at the center to during its open hours. Those interested can contact Darrion Culler at dc199@evansville.edu.

The Diversity Resource Center can be reserved with the use of the following link: www.evansville.edu/offices/diversity/downloads/Diversity-Resource-Center-Space-Request-Form.pdf.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact. LaNeeca Williams, chief diversity officer, at lw161@evansville.edu; or Darrion Culler, assistant director of diversity initiatives, at dc199@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Darrion Culler dc199@evansville.edu

The Fitness Center will be open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 21) from 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Submitted by Lori Adams la87@evansville.edu

This is a reminder to all faculty and administrators that if you need regalia rented for the Presidential Inauguration for the first week in March you must contact the UE Bookstore immediately. Rental orders need to be processed this week to insure timely delivery. Also note that if you need your regalia for inauguration, Spring graduation and August Convocation you will be able to rent for all three occasions for 1 1/2 the rental rate and be able to keep your garments until after Convocation. This is a one-time deal with the rental agency so please place your orders now. There is a link under the "faculty link" tab on the UE Bookstore website where you can email in your order.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu

As we continue to place student satisfaction and service as a top priority, the Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing and the Vice President of Fiscal Affairs and Administration have collaborated to examine various models of providing financial services to our students. The two primary areas providing these services are the Office of Financial Aid and the Office of Student Accounts. Over the past several years, many institutions have combined these offices into one division of Student Financial Services. This model was also highlighted recently from our consulting firm, Enrollment X Design, in regard to their review of enrollment support functions. 

In November, Cathleen Wright, our former Director of Financial Aid, announced she had accepted a new position with her previous institution and would be leaving UE in January. With her departure, the consideration of and timeline for this consolidation was expedited. As a result, effective immediately, the University is consolidating the Office of Student Accounts and the Office of Financial Aid into a new Student Financial Services division. Becky Hamilton has been appointed director of this new division.

Becky will supervise financial aid and student accounts and report to the Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing, Shane Davidson, with a dotted reporting line on the organizational chart to the Vice President of Fiscal Affairs and Administration, Donna Teague, particularly with respect to internal control structure and processes affecting our compliance with financial accounting standards.

The goal is to improve cross training and customer service to our students. For an effective implementation, some reorganization of office space will occur on the first floor of Olmsted Hall to give the new student financial services division access and functionality to meet the needs of our students.  

The Writing Center will open Monday, January 28. Our hours are Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. and Friday, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Here are instructions on how to use the writing center.

• Make an appointment! It’s really easy! Go to:  Acelink … Areas … Writing Center … Appointments … Create an Appointment.
• Register for an account - or sign in if you have used the Writing Center before - you can then access the center from any mobile device to schedule or cancel a session. This site manages your appointments, cancellations, and reports.
• You will receive an email reminder before your appointment and your professor will receive feedback from your tutor afterward.
• Next - bring the assignment (writing prompt) or draft of your paper.
• Prepare questions for your tutor to get the most out of a session. For example, “Can you help me to see if my thesis statement is clear?”
• Plan to visit the Writing Center well in advance of an assignment due date. If you come in the day an assignment is due, you may not have enough time to make the revisions discussed during a session. Seems obvious, but…
• Arrive a few minutes early for appointments and don’t be late. If another student is waiting, that student will be helped first if you are over five minutes late.

Professors - please encourage your students to utilize UE’s Writing Center for their papers. If you would like to have a representative of the Writing Center visit your class to give a brief presentation of our services, or if you would like to visit to the center with your class, please e-mail im30@evansville.edu to arrange it.

Submitted by Ian McDonald im30@evansville.edu

Assistant professors Sara Petrosillo (English) and Julie Merkle (Biology) will be leading a Vonnegut reading group this semester for students from all disciplines. The group will be reading Vonnegut’s 1962 novel Mother Night in preparation for the English department’s Chutney Literary Conference, featuring a Vonnegut scholar who will be discussing the novel. The reading group will meet for about an hour each month leading up to the conference on April 4-5. The first eight students to join will be given free copies of the book! Contact Petrosillo (sp220@evansville.edu) by January 20, to reserve your spot or for more information!

Submitted by Sara Petrosillo sp220@evansville.edu

Want to make an impact on environmental sustainability, but need funds to get your ideas off the ground? Submit a proposal for UE’s Environmental Sustainability Challenge to have your projects considered for funding from the Green Fund.

Submission Deadline: February 20.
The Green Fund began with a $25,000 environmental sustainability grant from Siemens, and additional funds may be generated through fundraising or savings gained through successful Environmental Sustainability Challenge projects.

Learn more about the challenge and submit a proposal online here.

Inaugural Challenge Winner:
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. Learn more and see photos on the UE website.

Submitted by: UE's Environmental Sustainability Committee

Apply to be an International Orientation Leader for the 2019-20 school year! The IOLs are a dynamic group of students who work to welcome new international students to UE in August and throughout the year. Develop your leadership skills, share your UE experiences, and meet new UE students from all over the world! We encourage both international students and students from the United States to apply.

Applications are available in the Forms section of UEngage or by following this link https://uengage.evansville.edu/submitter/form/start/239510.

More information is available in the Office of Cultural Engagement and International Services on the second floor of Ridgway University Center in the Student Life Center. Questions can be directed to ms331@evansville.edu.

Submitted by Megan Sicard ms331@evansville.edu

There are still spots in both the UE Mixed Choir and the UE Women's Chorus for the Spring 2019 semester. Contact professor of music and director of choral activities Dennis Malfatti at dm155@evansville.edu to join.

Submitted by Dennis Malfatti dm155@evansville.edu

Orientation Leader (OL) applications are now available! Visit our website at www.evansville.edu/orientation/welcomeweek.cfm to complete an electronic application before the deadline date of January 29.

Information on "What It Takes to be an Orientation Leader" and the "OL Code of Conduct" can be found on the website along with the application and reference form.

Current Orientation Leaders will be available in the Ridgway University Center Lobby on January 21-25, if you have any questions. You can also contact VPSA/Dean of Students office at 812-488-2500 or stop by Ridgway University Center, Room 230, during business hours.

Submitted by Carleen Barnes cb131@evansville.edu 

Students are able to adjust their meal plans for the spring semester until Friday, January 18, at 5:00 p.m. You can request to change your meal plan by clicking here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/changemealplan.

Submitted by Brian Conner bc32@evansville.edu

Students, are you looking for outside scholarship opportunities? Be sure to log into your UE portal and in the left hand side menu under the departments tab, go to Financial Aid - then you will see the additional scholarship opportunities. Many new scholarships have just been posted and deadlines are approaching!

Submitted by Trisha Hawkes th187@evansville.edu

The UE Bookstore will have revised hours for the first week of classes January 12-18. The bookstore will be CLOSED both Saturday and Sunday, January 12 and 13. Hours for Monday and Tuesday, January 14 and15 will be 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Hours for Wednesday and Thursday, January 16 and17 will be 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Hours for Friday, January 18 will be 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. We will resume normal store hours for the semester on Saturday, January 19.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu

UE Bookstore hours for the first week of classes starting January 14 are Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m., Friday from 9:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m.to 2:00 p.m., and CLOSED on Sunday. Regular store hours resume on Monday, January 21. Please plan your store visit accordingly. Please note we will NOT be open the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) before classes start.

Submitted by Doug Gustwiller dg57@evansville.edu 

United Methodist students attending UE can apply for the 2019 United Methodist Scholarships at wwwgbhem.org/scholarshipapplication. 

United Methodist students attending United Methodist-related institutions can apply for 2019 United Methodist Scholarships from January 3-March 7 at www.gbhem.org/scholarshipapplication for 2019 scholarships.

Applying for individual scholarships now also makes you eligible for the United Methodist Allocation. You must apply now to be considered for both. Late applications will not be accepted. Scholarships range in value from $500 to $5,000. The average amount awarded is about $1,000.

Scholarship eligibility requirements:

•Incoming or current freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors or graduate students at one of the United Methodist-related colleges or universities
•Member of any United Methodist Church for at least one year
•Minimum GPA of 2.5

Submitted by Trisha Hawkes th187@evansville.edu

UE assistant professor of political science Richard Maass has helped to design a board game called Coral Islands. The project is now live on Kickstarter, and was almost fully funded in its first 24 hours.

Coral Islands includes two dice-stacking games in one beautiful box. Maass designed the first game, Coral, which is a very fun and “puzzly” game that involves stacking translucent dice to create a coral reef and trying to score points by completing specific tetris-style shapes. The second game, Islands, is also very fun, involving moving dice into stacks and drafting colors of dice to score points.

You can find more information on the game and its Kickstarter project here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/alleycatgames/coral-islands-2-interactive-dice-stacking-games-in?ref=e7izz6.

For anyone not familiar with Kickstarter, it is a website where people contribute money to projects they believe in, usually in exchange for a product or other reward once the project is completed. It has become something of a pre-order store for board game publishers, which use it to raise money before they pay to manufacture the game. So if you create a Kickstarter account and back Coral Islands for £25 ($31ish, the "Blue Coral Tier"), you'll receive a copy of the game shipped to you by next October (possibly earlier), in plenty of time for next Christmas! If you back for £31 ($40ish, the "Great Barrier Reef Tier"), you'll get both the game and its expansion (which provides extra cards offering more fun ways to play) Alley Cat Games is a British publishing company, which is why the prices are in British pounds.

Faculty and staff can now pick up tickets for the Aces Men's Basketball game on Saturday, January 19 with a 1:00 p.m. start time. The Aces will take on the Redbirds of Illinois State. *Photo ID is required to claim tickets.

Submitted by Jake Hill jh690@evansville.edu 

Robert Dion, chair of the Department of Law, Politics, and Society, was interviewed yesterday by Channel 44 about Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s State of the State address. You can watch the interview on the station’s website.