University of Evansville

AceNotes Today

Monday, September 28, 2020

* Public Safety: Vehicle Notice

Safety Vehicle

The Office of Public Safety has completed the changeover to their new patrol vehicle. As of this message, the new vehicle has entered service. It is a 2020 white Chevy Equinox similar to our previous model. We have updated and added more decaling for better visibility on campus.

Douglas Cook
dc2@evansville.edu 

 
* Winter Intersession

Students - start planning for your long winter break by taking some Winter Intersession courses. The Intersession will run from December 10, 2020 to January 15, 2021. The five week-plus online courses will provide a chance to complete missing requirements or maybe do an internship. Faculty are working hard to provide a variety of courses. Register for WI when you register for Spring classes. A full list of courses will be available soon.

 
* Now Available: CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Grant Application

Emergency funding through the HEERF Grant is available for expenses that resulted in additional costs related to your participation in academic and college-related activities due to COVID-19. Please be aware that funding is limited and a valid 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission is required for grant consideration. Applications will be processed as received until federal funds provided have been exhausted.

Apply for the HEERF Grant

 

COVID-19 Corner

* High Contact Sports

Due to the high probability of the virus being spread through high contact sports, there are no informal contact sports allowed to be played on campus at this time. This includes soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc.

 
* Who is included as an active case in the UE COVID-19 Dashboard?

The UE COVID-19 Dashboard includes individuals with active cases who:

  • have a direct on-campus impact (have been to campus)
  • have tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently self-isolating
  • choose to isolate at home or off-campus
 

Upcoming Events

* Health Sciences Students - Network with UE Alumna Amanda Wright '97

Students! You are invited to chat with UE alumna, Amanda Wright '97, about her career journey, obtain career advice, and build your UE network. Students can tune in to network face-to-face with Amanda via Zoom or join the event live on the UE Alumni Association's Facebook page.

UE Connect Online with Amanda Wright '97 - "Becoming Professionally Versatile"
Date: September 29, 2020
Time: 12:15 - 1:00 p.m. CST

Amanda is a practicing physician assistant as well as a faculty member at Vanderbilt University. During her networking session, Amanda will discuss the career possibilities as a PA and how becoming a versatile employee adds value to your professional image.

Register today for the networking event at www.uealumnionline.com/ueconnectonlinesept29.

Questions or Comments? Contact Nichole Coffey at ns50@evansville.edu or 812-488-2900.

 
* Business School Students - Network with UE Alumnus Hassan Taki Eddin '17

Students! You are invited to chat with UE alumnus, Hassan Taki Eddin '17, about his career journey, obtain career advice, and build your UE network. Students can tune in to network face-to-face with Hassan via Zoom or join the event live on the UE Alumni Association's Facebook page.

UE Connect Online with Hassan Taki Eddin '17 - "Your Career, Your Future"
Date: September 30, 2020
Time: Noon - 12:45 p.m. CST

Hassan is a A senior associate with PwC in New York. During his networking session, Hassan will discuss different financial roles and how to prepare yourself for a career in the corporate world.

Register today for the networking event at www.uealumnionline.com/ueconnectonlinesept30.

Questions or Comments? Contact Nichole Coffey at ns50@evansville.edu or 812-488-2900.

 

Info You Should Know

* Senior Nursing Students Selling Masks

The senior nursing students will be selling UE masks to benefit the University of Evansville campus community. We will be hosting a mental health seminar in hopes of encouraging students who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, or poor mental health as a result of isolation and quarantine due to COVID-19. The proceeds will be utilized to fund the mental health seminar and for items given to attendees.

mask examples.

$9.00 each mask.

Contact Kaylee Wagler to order at kw312@evansville.edu

Call or text with any questions at (812) 259-9469

Please include your name, which design you want, and the best way to contact you when ordering.

Payment: Venmo to @Megan_Dickey_13
or
Cash/Check made out to the University of Evansville in the Nursing Office.

Orders will NOT be accepted after October 8th.

Thank you!
-University of Evansville Senior Nursing Students

 
* UE Theatre New Works Festival Welcomed Olivia Lilley and Cameron Knight

To supplement the education of theatre students this semester, the UE Theatre New Works Festival has been established as a project that will serve as an important opportunity for first-year, sophomore, and junior students to collaborate with guest playwrights and directors on new plays over the course of the semester. Students will engage, via Zoom, in collaborations with ten guest artists throughout the festival.

The first presentation was held on Friday, Sept. 25, with Olivia Lilley’s MANDATE, that was guest-directed by Cameron Knight. Olivia Lilley is the Artistic Director of Prop Thtr in Chicago, and Cameron Knight is a freelance actor, director, and Associate Professor at North Carolina School of the Arts.

There are six New Works Festival presentations slated for this semester.

When a virus scare disrupts a Black Lives Matter protest on campus, the University takes protective measures to an extreme, locking every door in the dorms. As the days go by, the students get a sense that something weird is going on, and that they might have been forgotten. As folx begin disappearing one by one, the remaining students band together to survive. A thriller/ horror play for Zoom. Devised by the ensemble: David Akinwande ’23, Beverley Buchanan ’24, Rebecca Conaway ’23, Kayleigh Doyle ’22, Bryce Galvan ’23, Josh Gelman ’22, Garrett Hale ’24, Delanie Kitzman ’22, and Drake Susuras ’24.

Stage Manager– Alexis Nau ’21
Dramaturg–Steph Voteau ’22
Line Producer–Sally Walker ’21
Costume Designer–Luke Moran ’21

Olivia and Cameron.

 
* UE Receives $1 Million Lilly Endowment Grant

The University of Evansville recently received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to enhance its online education and learning efforts. The grant was awarded through Lilly Endowment’s initiative, Charting the Future of Indiana’s Colleges and Universities, which was launched in 2019. Lilly Endowment invited all of Indiana’s accredited colleges and universities to examine how they could not only educate students and prepare them for successful futures but also maintain long-term financial sustainability as an institution. The organization announced the Phase 2 recipients on Monday, with a total of approximately $62 million awarded. 

After the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, UE successfully transitioned to an online learning platform for the Spring 2020 semester due to the dedication of faculty and staff. The pandemic helped UE to realize the substantial benefits of robust, technology-based educational capabilities.

With the grant funds, UE plans to implement major initiatives that will enhance the campus as well as the online learning environment. As the University plans for a future after the pandemic, online education will undoubtedly play a larger role in academics. Supporting online education will allow UE to serve traditional, on-campus students in addition to adult and international students.  

  • UE will create an Office of Strategic Technology and Online Learning within the Office of Academic Affairs. The office will include a director and two full-time assistant directors to lead the University’s efforts in developing online education that ensures the same high-quality experience offered through the in-person experience. Through this office, faculty will have access to training opportunities and one-on-one support as they develop online courses. 
  • Classrooms will also be renovated on campus to be capable of broadcasting to regional businesses, adult learners working remotely, and international locations, including China and India. The pandemic may create permanent changes to international travel, but specially designed ‘telepresence’ classrooms will allow UE to meet the demand for American programs in overseas settings. 
  • The grant will provide license software solutions for issues that are caused by technical difficulties discovered in an online environment, such as greater exam security, video capturing, and synchronous course delivery. Moving forward, UE will increase efforts towards program and curricular development for online learning. 
  • Lastly, UE will develop programs to offer undergraduate and graduate certificates, badges, non-credit professional development programs, and new degree programs for adult learners. This initiative will reach out to displaced workers, help local employers meet the demands of skills needed in their changing workforce, and encourage non-traditional students to enhance their career skill sets. 

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

 
* Good Trouble: Let's Do Something

A couple of weeks ago we gathered to formulate a campus-wide response to the racial injustice plaguing our country. At that time, we worked in breakout groups to generate a list of immediate and sustained actions we can take at UE to make out community more equitable and inclusive.

That list now points us forward in our fight for racial justice. We invite you to join us for our next virtual Good Trouble meeting on Monday, September 28th at 7pm. In this meeting we will again work in groups, this time to move forward on the specific actions we identified to effect meaningful and transformative change.

Please register online for this meeting and select the three actions you are most interested in working on with others in the UE community.

We are inspired by the belief of John Lewis that "Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society.”

It’s time to do something.

 
* UE Offers Review Course for Fundamentals of Engineering Exam

The University of Evansville College of Engineering and Computer Science has announced 2020-21 dates for the annual review and preparation course for those planning to take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam.

All classes will be held Thursday evenings beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Koch Center for Engineering and Science on the UE campus or virtually through Zoom. Classes are divided into relevance per discipline. Fees are adjusted accordingly.

  • Candidates for civil engineering will attend from October 1 - January 28.
  • Candidates for mechanical engineering and other disciplines will attend from October 1 – January 14.
  • Electrical and computer engineering candidates will attend October 29 - November 19.

Registration forms and payment must be returned by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Contact Kimberly Higgins at kh209@evansville.edu or at 812-488-2651 for more information on registration. Early registration is encouraged as space as limited.

 
* Art Showcase Outside Writing Center for Ethan Stevens

Student Emma Stevens’s brother, Ethan Stevens, has been working on paintings and clay for years, and he has an exhibit he put together. As they are both beloved members of the UE community and she is a tutor for the Writing Center, which will open soon, I am happy to announce he will have a showing of his work outside the Writing Center where Academic Advising used to be housed.

Some pieces will be available for purchase and the art will be on display for several weeks; however, Thursday, September 10th, you can come meet the artist himself at 4 PM. He will be there for at least an hour. This will be a VERY safe event: the doors will be opened for maximum air flow, the spacing will be limited, there will be hand sanitizer, and masks are required. However, it is an opportunity to support a member of our extended UE family who is spending this challenging time by creating art, and a way to remember what’s so special about UE and a liberal arts community— the community.

Ethan is willing to sign any art you purchase, and for the entirety of the exhibit (throughout the next several weeks) I hope that people will stop by and take pictures with his art: we’ll be using the hashtag “#ethansmileysart” because if this exhibit doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will. Come see our pop-up museum and meet the artist! We’re excited to see you and to celebrate creativity and beauty.

 
* Joanne Scott Massey - When Clay & Paint Collide

Exhibit: September 28 – November 25, 2020
Student Workshop: Sept. 29, 1:15-4pm
Student Gallery Lecture: Sept 30, 10:00-11:30am
Artist’s Reception & Public Gallery Lecture: October 1, 6:30-8:00pm (Lecture at 7:00)
All events are in the Melvin Peterson Gallery
Masks and Safe Distancing will be observed
Emerging Contemporary Artist Lecture Series supported by the Efroymson Family Fund and the Dept.of Art

massey art.

 

Congratulations

* Mechanical Engineering alum named "2020 Engineering Leader Under 40"

Congratulations to Justin Modglin (Class of 2017) for being selected as recipient of the 2020 Engineering Leader Under 40 award! Justin is a Project Engineer at Cresline Plastic Pipe Co. Inc. in Henderson, KY.

From the awards media release:

"Since beginning his career at Cresline, Justin has improved processes throughout several facilities. When new equipment is implemented, he looks for ways he can take advantage of the new technology to improve existing processes. He is not afraid to try new avenues to show his organization improvements in efficiencies, uptime, productivity, quality and performance. Justin is responsible for projects at six different manufacturing facilities. Projects range from design and replacement of equipment, to entire systems replacement. He also manages quality control for all six locations."

https://www.controleng.com/articles/2020-engineering-leader-under-40-justin-modglin-26/

The goal of the Engineering Leaders Under 40 program is to call attention to successful, young engineers in manufacturing and to show how manufacturers are recruiting and developing the next generation of manufacturing professionals.

 

Athletics

* Intramural Sand Volleyball, Kickball, Wiffleball Registration Open

Registration for 2v2 Sand Volleyball, Kickball, and Wiffleball is open and available at imleagues.com or by downloading the imleagues app! For any questions contact the Intramural Department at ah519 or (812) 488-2794.

 

In The News

* UE Recognized by WSJ for Student Engagement

We are pleased to announce that the University of Evansville has been named to The Wall Street Journal’s annual U.S. College Rankings for student engagement! UE ranked 16th in the nation among over 4,000 four-year colleges and universities in the United States.

Now in its fifth year, the U.S. College Rankings focuses most on student success and learning outcomes. Insights for the report were gathered through the Times Higher Education U.S. Student Survey, which included questions about interactions with faculty and other students, whether a student felt involved and welcome, and whether the student would recommend the school.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the University to implement health and safety guidelines on campus, students can still be involved and obtain an engaging college experience. We offer over 130 student organizations and clubs, and the Center for Student Engagement can assist students with community service opportunities, Greek Life, leadership development, and more.

The faculty and staff at UE are dedicated to creating a welcoming campus environment that serves as a constant support system for our students. The ranking from The Wall Street Journal is a true testament to that goal, and together we will continue to provide engaging opportunities for our students!

 

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