Are you an upcoming Class of 2022 graduate? Read below for important information!

Each year before the Commencement ceremony begins at the Ford Center, we display a senior video on the jumbotron. This is a short video (less than 5 minutes usually) that features many of our graduates reflecting on their time at UE and answering a question or two (i.e. what’s your favorite memory at UE? or who is your favorite professor and why?). In order to do this, we need to collect your responses!

Two students from our Department of Communication, Ethan Jaworski and Hayden Seaton, will graciously be taking on this project and producing a video for Commencement. They have scheduled two dates for filming, and we encourage all seniors to stop by and answer a few questions on camera. You can show up by yourself, or come with a group of friends and even record together!

Filming dates will be:

• Today, April 12 from 4-7PM
• Tuesday, April 19 from 4-7PM

Filming will take place in the Peterson Lab, which is Room 16 in the basement of Hyde Hall.

If you have any questions about the senior video filming, please contact Julie Bryant, university relations coordinator, at jb855.

We’re so excited to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of UE’s Annual Day of Giving with you, and we thank you for uplifting Aces through your philanthropy. Stay tuned all day for various opportunities to support your favorite UE programs and learn more about their new initiatives!

UE's Alumni Board of Directors has issued an important philanthropic challenge: If we can reach 1,854 gifts together (in honor of our founding year) by the end of the day, they will gift $25,000 to the UEvansville Fund. Please consider making a gift of any size, to any fund, and helping unlock the Alumni Board challenge today!

www.evansville.edu/give

In celebration of Spirit Week and our Day of Giving, Pep and Vim, we invite our campus community to help reach the goal of 1,854 gifts on Friday, April 8. When this happens, the Alumni Board of Directors will gift $25,000 to the UEvansville Fund. The UEvansville Fund allows UE the flexibility to address its most pressing needs and opportunities as they arise.

With a gift of $40 or more to the UEvansville Fund, you will receive an exclusive 10-year anniversary Pep and Vim t-shirt. T-shirts can be picked up at the Igleheart Building. Make your gift early to wear your shirt this purple Friday, April 8 in support of our Day of Giving at www.uealumnionline.com/cc22

Thank you and go Aces!

UE Spirit Week will be taking place April 4th -8th. There will be different things going on each day leading up to Pep & Vim.

The UE campus community (and guests) are invited to a reception in the Krannert Gallery on Thursday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m. Please plan to join us to celebrate the 2022 UE Employee Photography Exhibit.  The exhibit will be open through Sunday, May 8 in the Krannert Gallery.

Co-workers and UE retirees participating include:
Melissa Gust, Center for the Advancement of Learning
Tonya Albright, School of Engineering and Computer Science
Donnie Dunville, Retiree Physical Plant/Maintenance
Lynn R. Penland, Dean Emerita
Keith Gehlhausen, Human Resources and Institutional Equity
Mari Plikuhn, Sociology Programs
Lois Patton, Professor Emerita
Hanns G Pieper, Professor Emeritus
Nancy Lockyear, Department of Art
Todd Matteson, Department of Art
Kevin Gray, Criminal Justice
Joe Flauto, Professor Emeritus
John Metelko, Track and Field/Cross County
Corliss Chastain, Department of Art

The CDEI and Evansville Civic Theatre Presents: Not Someone Like Us, real stories of real accounts of sexual assault and violence from an intersectional cast.

The play will take place in Eykamp Hall @7:00PM on Wednesday, April 13th.

The CDEI will host a talkback session after the performance.

At the performance sign the Pledge to Get Consent. Campus Community Members can pledge to do the following: always ask for consent in all of their relationships; to be an active bystander in potentially dangerous situations; and to help create a culture on campus in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported. The department or organization with the most percentage of pledges will be receive a prize from the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Join the CDEI in welcoming Katie Vinci, former President of USI's Students for Gender Violence Awareness, as she provides bystander intervention training. Learn how to safely act when others may be in dangerous situations.

The event is Tuesday, April 19th @6:00PM Via Zoom.

Please register using the following link https://evansville-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0rcu2pqTMqH92GGJQiGXHCPn3Qwv5vROcT

It may only be April, but we are already looking and planning ahead for a great 2022-2023!

Join the Center for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, as well as the UE Dance Company as we welcome world championship ballroom dance instructor, Jonnah Schneider, to teach a special choreography that will be presented during October PRIDE Month (LGBTQ+ History Month) on campus! If you are interested in performing in October, or maybe just interested to see what it is all about, we look forward to seeing you on Saturday from 2-4 pm!

If you cannot make it on Saturday, be on the look out for sign-ups for the performance and more lessons to follow!

If you have any questions, please contact the CDEI at Center4DEI@evansville.

*Please come dressed in appropriate dance attire and bring lots of water!

The University of Evansville Theatre closes their spring 2022 season with Will Arbery’s HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING. To celebrate the season finale of their “Welcome Back To Shanklin Theatre” campaign, they are offering two FREE tickets to every University of Evansville employee for this production, opening at 7:30 pm, Friday, April 8. Additional performances are at 7:30 pm, April 9, 21, 22, 23, and at 2:00 pm, on April 24. Free tickets for university employees are available for any date.

HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING, a 2020 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama, is a meticulously crafted story centering on four alumni of a conservative college whose reunion spirals into chaos over spirituality, politics, and a nearly fanatical desire to be understood.

University of Evansville employees may obtain their two free tickets by calling extension 2031, or by going to the Shanklin Theatre Ticket Office, located in the Matt Williams Lobby in Hyde Hall, Monday through Friday, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. UE students may also claim their free ticket by coming to the Shanklin Theatre Ticket Office on the day of the show they wish to attend.

In following industry standards, as established by the Broadway League, all audience members must show proof of COVID–19 vaccination or a negative test result, taken within 48-hours of the date on their ticket, and remain masked during the

On Friday, April 8th, SAB will be hosting PurplePalooza from 6 pm - 10 pm along the Walnut Street and East Terrace Lawn! There will be live music, food trucks, inflatables, laser tag, and free stuff will be given away throughout the duration of the event!

The Food Trucks that will be at PurplePalooza are Pizza Revolution from 6 pm - 8 pm and Rock-A-Burger from 8 pm - 10 pm.

UE students will need to sign up for a food truck voucher with this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050b44acaf2faafa7-purplepalooza1

Please only sign up for one slot, if you have friends that want to come along they will need to sign up for their own slot separately! This will help us keep track of who has received their food vouchers on the day of the event! You must pre-register in order to get free food from the food trucks. Upon arrival at the event, make sure you go to the check in table to get your food voucher! The food trucks will also be selling extra food for cash! There will also be free popcorn provided for those that do not have a food voucher!

All guests will need to check in at the check in table and sign the waiver for the inflatables and laser tag! You will also get a free t-shirt and a wristband that will indicate that you’ve signed the waiver when you check in!

Attractions at the event include Rock Wall, Inflatables, Mechanical Bull (6:00 – 10:00 pm) and Laser Tag (open from 7:00 - 10:00 pm).

We have several performers lined up for the evening including:

Student performer: Grace Hoening from 6:15 - 6:45 pm
Oferle from 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Jariah Higgins from 8:15 - 9:15 pm
Drag Show presented by P.R.I.D.E. – 9:30 – 10:00 pm

We can’t wait for this event and hope everyone is ready to kick off this exciting weekend with us! See you then!

The UE Music Conservatory presents the Jazz Ensemble with world renowned jazz vocalist Diane Schuur at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 9, 2022 in the

Ridgway University Center, Eykamp Hall, University of Evansville Campus. Diane Schuur has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and the White House, and has performed with many artists including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, and Stevie Wonder. Her album with B.B. King was number one on the Billboard Jazz Charts. She was Johnny Carson's guest on NBC's The Tonight Show eleven times. Tickets are free at the door and seating is limited.

Prior to the concert, the annual Friends of UE Music Rite of Spring will take place from 6-7 p.m. Tickets for this fundraiser and reception are $75/person or $125/couple and include heavy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and priority seating for the concert. Proceeds will benefit Friends of UE Music and improvements to the Krannert building and Wheeler Concert Hall. Register here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1096/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=1096&gid=1&pgid=3397&cid=5859

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, also known as SAAM. The Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Office of Institutional Equity have brought forth activities to bring awareness, education, and support in this time.

April 5th at 7:00 PM Sexual Assault Awareness Panel via Zoom.
The Panel consists of Counseling Services, Public Safety, Institutional Equity, EPD, Albion Fellows Bacon Center, Deaconess, and the Prosecutor’s Office.

Tuesday, April 13th at 7:00 PM in Eykamp: Not Someone Like Us: a collaboration between the CDEI and Evansville Civic Theatre. It is a play about sexual assault based on true stories. The Consent Pledge will take place before the play. The Center will also be hosting a talk back session after the play.

Monday, April 19th at 6:00 PM Bystander Intervention Training via Zoom.
Learn how to safely act when others may be in dangerous situations.

Join us on April 7th in the Philips Alcove in Ridgeway Center from 12:15-1:00 pm for TWO great Lunch and Learn Discussions! Drs. Sara Petrosillo (she/her; English and Creative Writing) and Julie Merkle (she/her; Biology) will lead a discussion on the design and implementation of interdisciplinary companion courses using their current complementary courses (“Premodern Sex and Gender” and “Biological Perspectives on Sex and Gender”) as a real-time example. In particular, this discussion will encourage conversations on the barriers to and benefits of establishing interdisciplinary teaching collaborations during the first half of the session. The second half will feature Dr. Rodríguez Quevedo (she/her; Foreign Languages and Cultures) who will share her experience using subscription services like New in Slow Spanish, TalkAbroad, and Kahoot! Premium to support student learning and engagement.

Pizza and salad will be provided!
Hope to see everyone there!

The following faculty members will be honored at the Faculty Retirement Tree Planting Ceremony that will take place on Sunday, April 24:

• Sharon Gieselmann- Associate Professor of Education/Chair
• Donald Rodd- Professor of Exercise Science and Physical Therapy
• David Unger- Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering

The UE community is welcome to attend this event which will begin at 1:00 p.m. on the lawn south of the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration building.

The annual BiSci Club Plant Sale is happening on April 12th from 9 am to 5 pm! Come down to the greenhouses (located between the Koch Center and Weinbach Ave, near the Lincoln and Weinbach corner) at any time to buy a range of plants. There will be succulents in beautiful pots made by UE students and faculty in ceramics, tomatoes, hot peppers, several types of herbs, some flowers, and even some hanging baskets! Come support the Biology Club's fundraising efforts, and reconnect yourself with nature. Cash is preferred, but Venmo will also accepted. If you have questions, please email BiSci's President Sam Schmidt at ss747.

The UE Jazz Ensemble will be featuring guest jazz Vocalist Diane Schuur on a concert Saturday April 9 at 7:30 PM in Eykamp Hall. Diane Schuur is a two-time Grammy Award winning artist and has international acclaim. Tickets are free at the door, however there is a limited number of seating.

High school students and current Aces can join the University of Evansville on an eight-day civil rights bus tour! From July 16-23, 2022, travelers on the Journey to Justice will venture through cities of the South to explore the history of the civil rights movement. Students on this journey will learn important, valuable lessons at each stop for an impactful experience of personal reflection and application within their own community.

Earn College Credit
Through this opportunity, students can earn three college credits. While the Journey to Justice bus tour will be an exciting trip, it will also be an interactive experience as part of Social Justice Movements, an ethics course. Students who register can apply this towards the Ethics & Social Change major or a general education requirement. Some assignments will be completed during the trip, while others will be given before and after returning.

Site Visits
Journey to Justice will include site visits at Evansville, Indiana; Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Louisville, Kentucky. Popular attractions will include the National Voting Rights Museum, Beale Street, Edmund Pettus Bridge, Rosa Parks Museum, and more. Please note: the subject is schedule to change.

Students are required to receive an approved COVID-19 vaccine prior to Journey to Justice.

Registration details and tuition costs are available at the Journey to Justice webpage, evansville.edu/J2J.

A limited number of scholarships are available for high school students. Journey to Justice is made possible through the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Department of Art invites you to view the 60th Annual Undergraduate Student Exhibition in the Melvin Peterson Gallery from March 21- April 9, 2022. The Reception and Awards is March 24, 5-6:30 PM, with awards ceremony at 5:30. Please come visit the exhibition and celebrate the success of the students. You may also vote for the People's Choice Award which is awarded at the end of the exhibition. Hope to see you there.

UE Alumni and Engagement is hosting a virtual 5K run/walk to promote a healthy lifestyle. The 5K can be completed indoors or outdoors between April 3 and April 8. Participants will enter their times online. All participants will receive an exclusive Pep and Vim t-shirt if registered by March 25*. The race fee is $35 and $20 for students.

On Friday, April 8, Day of Giving, post a video or picture wearing your Pep and Vim t-shirt on social media using #AcesGiveBack and #FORWARD to help spread the word. If you have any questions, please contact alumni@evansville.edu.

Go Aces!

*Registrations will be accepted after March 25, but we cannot guarantee the arrival of the Pep and Vim t-shirt by April 8.

Register for the Pep and Vim 5K

The Grabill Awards deadline has been extended to noon on Saturday, April 10th. Submit your short fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry to grabillawards@gmail.com. If you have any questions, reach out to kd60@evansville.edu. (A few small notes: Put your name and your story title in the subject line of the email (for example: “Jimmy Buffett, “Pencil Thin Mustache”). Please leave your name off the accompanying attachment, but in the body of the email, tell us any professor who has seen the work. You may submit two works in each category.) We look forward to reading your work!

PSYC 229 (Social Psychology), PSYC 420 (Children, Psychology, and the Law) and PSYC 405 (Psychology of Gender) will be offered summer session 1. PSYC 405 (Gender, Psychology, and Law) and PSYC 320 (Psychology and Law) will be offered summer session 2. All courses will be offered in an online, asynchronous format.

If you're interested in any of these courses I'd love to have you in class this summer. Also, if you know of anyone who might be interested, please spread the word. If you have any questions please contact Professor McCracken at em157@evansville.edu.

A new issue of the Crescent Magazine is available at https://crescent.evansville.edu.

The Crescent Magazine is produced by Student Media. All content is created by UE students. If you are interested in joining Student Media please contact the Student Media Advisor, Tommy J Housman th208@evansville.edu

Student Media has 2 Federal Work Study positions open during the fall semester of 2022. If interested email th208@evansville.edu

The Crescent website is receiving about 1,000 views a week when classes are in session.

There are many advertising opportunities on the website and in the online publications. Contact th208@evansville.edu about pricing.

Check out the Multicultural Student Commons for relationship red flags and green flags.

Just a reminder that the Online Benefit Enrollment period opened on Monday, April 4, and employees can now log into the system to make your elections. You can also view all of the relevant documents beginning with the open enrollment memo for important announcements, reminders, and changes which will occur June 1 to the University’s benefits.

During the period of April 4 through April 15, benefit-eligible employees may enroll or make changes in the University’s health, life, long term disability, and dental insurance, vision (NEW!) and ACES flexible spending account benefit plans. It is the only chance for benefit-eligible employees to enroll or make changes until the next open enrollment period unless you have a qualifying change in status.

We will once again utilize an on-line enrollment process, eliminating all paper enrollment forms for health, life, dental, vision and long-term disability insurance, as well as the ACES flexible spending account. This will ensure the accuracy of your enrollment elections and maintain records electronically regarding your current and future participation. Enrollment/changes to your TIAA retirement plan salary deferrals will continue to be processed on paper forms available in the Office of Human Resources. Therefore, you do not need to re-enroll in the TIAA retirement plans. ALL benefit eligible employees (including those who do not want to make any changes to their current coverage) must enter their elections by April 15. Please review the open enrollment memo and On-Line Benefit Enrollment Documents on the HR Area of the MyUE portal, which should answer many of the questions you might have about this system.

Please contact the Office of Human Resources at ext. 5045 with any questions.

Pep and Vim 5K participants can pick up their t-shirts at the Igleheart building between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. before April 8.

• Quieter or more distant than usual
• Aggressive or angry for no obvious reason
• Head or stomach pain when there doesn’t seem to be a physical cause
• Becoming clingy
• Doing less well at school
• Avoids particular places or people
• Bruises on soft parts of the body like arms and thighs
• Dressing differently
• Eating more or less

PurplePalooza is scheduled for Friday, April 8, 6:00-10:00 p.m. on Walnut Street! Join Student Activities Board for live music, food trucks, and inflatables! Contact Megan Sicard at m331@evansville.edu if you have questions.

To allow for a safe event and set-up, Walnut Street will be closed for 24 hours beginning 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 8 and reopening by 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 9.

The Mobile Mammography services will take place next to the Krannert Fine Arts building, behind the Employee Health Clinic on April 12th from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Appointments are available every 20 minutes.

Sign up though Ace Link

Those who are eligible:
-Females, age 35 or older
-Are due for a mammogram
-Do not have any breast symptoms or problems
-Not currently pregnant or nursing
-Have not been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past
-Have a primary care physician

*As a reminder, your health insurance card and information will be collected for this service.

SAB Appointed Applications are open until Friday, April 8th! Applications are open to all students and we’d love to see what you can bring to our organization next year!

A little bit about each of the positions:
Treasurer: Responsibilities include managing SAB’s budget and creating a budget proposal to submit to SGA for the following year.
Marketing Chair: Responsibilities include running SAB’s social media pages (which includes creating a schedule to sufficiently advertise for events), creating advertising for events, and marketing SAB’s events in a variety of ways (AceNotes, hanging up posters, chalking, etc.)
Sound Chair: Responsibilities include running sound trainings and managing sound setups.
Trivia Chair: Responsibilities include creating and running weekly trivia nights.
Recruitment and Outreach Chair: Responsibilities include heading the recruitment of new members and reaching out to other organizations to promote collaboration.

How to apply:
Go to UEngage
Go to the Forms Tab
Scroll down and click the “SAB Appointed Position Application” Form
Submit your application by April 8th!
You will receive an email asking you to sign up for an interview time slot with our executive board

HS205 will be offered Summer Session 1 2022. This will be an online, asynchronous class.

Are you staying in Evansville over the summer? If so, Residence Life is offering summer housing in Powell Hall. You can find more information about summer housing and apply online at https://www.evansville.edu/residencelife/campushousing/summerhousing.cfm. Contact the Office of Residence Life with specific questions.

Family, friends and loved ones of the late Dr. Marvin E. Hartig are pleased to announce the application process for the Dr. Marvin E. Hartig Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is dedicated to the loving memory of Dr. Hartig, Dean of Evansville College’s Evening College in 1967, and administrator for the Center for Advanced Study, director of the Evansville chapter of the American Institute of Banking (AIB), and the international student advisor. In 1974, Dr. Hartig was appointed Dean of Academic Services. He retired in 1984 after serving his alma mater for thirty-five years and passed away in 2007.

This scholarship will be awarded annually to a deserving sophomore student. Preference will be given to a student working while being enrolled as a full-time student. International students are encouraged to apply.

Eligible students for the 2022-2023 Hartig Memorial Scholarship will be sophomores in the 2022-2023 academic year.

Apply for the 2022-2023 Hartig Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: Please return all materials to the Office of Student Financial Services by April 22, 2022. The decision will be announced by May 27, 2022.

Questions: Amber Chandler, Administrative Assistant to the Office of Student Financial Services, at ac547@evansville.edu or 812-488-2364

UPDATE:  The gym will no longer be closed.  (Posted 2022-04-04)

The Student Fitness Center Gym basketball courts and track will be closed from 7 AM - 1:30 PM on Wednesday, April 6, and Thursday, April 7.

Dr. Hyunsoung Park, Visiting Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering from the School of Engineering and Computer Science and his co-authors have published an open access journal paper in Scientific Reports titled “Predicting financial losses due to apartment construction accidents utilizing deep learning techniques". Congratulations, Dr. Park!

On Friday, April 1st the Center for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, in collaboration with Student Activities Board held a Prom night! We recognized that due to the COVID-19 Pandemic many students were not afforded their own high school Prom experience, so why not bring it to UE? Students of all years joined in the fun, making it a very successful night between prom and the after party at Walther's Golf and Fun! However, this fun would not have been possible without the help of some amazing employee volunteers who allowed the students to have that fun, as well as our amazing decorating committee!

From the deepest appreciation, I would like to thank the following people in their time, effort and support of Prom Night!
- Dr. Val Stein
- Jade Shelby
- Gene and Sharron Wells
- Marisa Knox
- Cherie Leonhard

I would also like to take the time to recognize the amazing planning committee who spent countless hours putting this event together and without we would not have had a successful Prom Night!
- Amanda Ward
- Sarah Vreeland

And a special shout out to someone who put her entire Thursday and Friday into decorating and making final preparations all to make sure that her fellow students had a beautiful space to dance the night away- Ty Meadors!

Thank you to all that was included in the night. The CDEI values and appreciate the time that you spent and recognizes that without you there would have been no Prom!

Taking a 5-0 lead in the second inning, Bellarmine fended off a rally by the University of Evansville softball team to take a 9-5 win on Wednesday afternoon inside Cooper Stadium.

Trailing 6-0 in the third, Evansville scored in three consecutive innings to get within two runs before Bellarmine reeled off the final two runs to finish off the win.  Marah Wood had two hits and two RBI while Zoe Frossard added two hits of her own.

Bellarmine opened the scoring with five runs in the top half of the second.  Emily O’Dee connected on grand slam to center field to finish up the 5-run frame.  The Knights added a sixth run in the third.

Evansville was able to get on the board in their half of the third.  Haley Woolf hit a single to center field to score Jessica Fehr and make it a 6-1 game.  It did not take long for Bellarmine to get that run back as O’Dee blasted her second home run of the day to push the lead back to 7-1.

Three runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth for the Purple Aces with Fehr recording a single to score Mackenzie McFeron.  Marah Wood cut the deficit to three runs, hitting a 2-run double off the center field wall that scored Fehr and Zoe Frossard.  In the fifth, it was McFeron adding another RBI to her tally, singling up the middle to plate run #5 of the day for UE.

Two more scores by Bellarmine doubled the lead to four as the game entered the bottom of the sixth and that would make it the final of 9-5.  Leading the Knights was Emily O’Dee, who had two home runs and five RBI, including her grand slam.  Making the start in the circle for UE was Paige McAllister.  She allowed seven runs, six earned, in five innings.  Sydney Weatherford threw the final two innings and gave up two runs.

Up next for UE is another road conference series at Illinois State on Saturday and Sunday.

Don Walters, who has guided the University of Evansville cross country program for the last 23 years and helped resurrect the track and field program at UE after a more than 30-year hiatus, has announced that he will retire from coaching at the end of the 2022 track and field season.

“I want to thank everyone at the University who helped make my dream come true,” said Walters. “Cross country and track and field take long hours of practice and commitment, along with many hours of study for academics. I am proud that all of the teams that I have coached have successfully completed this task of juggling both with great pride.

“We are a team at the University of Evansville. From the admissions department to the administration and support services people in the athletics department, a lot of hard work goes into working with our student-athletes every day. Without everyone on board and the long hours it takes, we would not have had the success that we have had over the years.”

“We are extremely appreciative of Don’s leadership of our cross country and track and field programs and the impact he has had on the student-athletes he has coached,” said UE Senior Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations/SWA Sarah Solinsky. “His passion for UE and the student-athlete experience has been evident throughout his career and we celebrate his countless contributions to our athletics department, the University, and the local running community.”

Walters was named UE’s cross country head coach in the spring of 2000, and since then, he has transformed the UE running program. When Walters came to UE, the school record in the women’s 5-K event was 18:33. Now, the record stands almost two minutes faster at 16:46.4, and his runners own all 15 of the top times in both the women’s 5-K and 6-K disciplines. On the men’s side, Walters’ runners own the nine fastest 10-K marks in school history, while owning 10 of the 15 fastest 8-K times in school history.

Prior to his arrival, Evansville had not competed in the sport of track and field since 1985. In the early 2000s, Walters started taking his teams to track meets in the spring to compete as individuals. Through persistence and growth in the running program, UE would eventually reinstate track and field as a varsity sport in 2018 officially, with Walters leading the charge.

“I really want to thank Mark Spencer for his role in bringing track and field back,” said Walters. “The road to success has many ups and downs. We have to stay positive and never give up. I did that in the pursuit of bringing back track & field, and I thank Mark for sharing in that vision.”

Individually, he has produced two UE Hall of Fame runners in Nick Waninger (HOF Class of 2011) and Andrea Sonnenschein (HOF Class of 2016). Current graduate student Anna Lowry and 2014 graduate Kelby Jenkins will also push for Hall of Fame consideration, with Lowry holding 10 different school records in both cross country and track and being the MVC Champion in both the 10,000-meters (outdoor) and 5,000-meters (indoor) last season, while Jenkins holds the 6-K school record in cross country.

Walters’ runners not only succeeded on the course and track during his time as head coach, but also in the classroom and community. The UE women’s cross country team has earned Academic All-America status in each of Walters’ 23 seasons as head coach, while the men have earned the distinction 18-straight years. Walters’ runners have also been heavily involved in community service, with various runners helping to put on middle school track and cross country meets throughout his tenure.

As much as Walters did to help the Purple Aces succeed on the course, track and classroom, he maybe did more behind the scenes to provide the UE running programs with a home. When he arrived in 2000, Evansville did not have a home cross country course. In 2002, he designed and built the UE Cross Country Course in northern Vanderburgh County. It served as the host for UE meets for 11 years, including hosting the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Championships.

Then, in 2014, Walters designed and built the cross country course at Angel Mounds, which has served as the home for not only UE, but also various high school and middle school meets in the Evansville area. It has also served as the host of the 2015 and 2021 MVC Championships, as well as the 2022 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships this past fall.

Walters helped renovate the old National Guard Armory building on campus to provide his teams with locker room space and a place to train indoors with plyometric workouts. He also assisted with creating offices for the UE cross country and golf programs in the Armory building, while also helping build lockers for both UE basketball programs, as well as the UE baseball team.

Walters’ last meet as head coach is currently scheduled to be May 13-15 in Des Moines, Iowa at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships. The NCAA Preliminary Rounds are set for May 25-28 in Bloomington, Indiana. A national search for Walters’ replacement will begin shortly.

On Wednesday, April 6, the University of Evansville presented four individuals in Vanderburgh County with Outstanding Educator Awards. Each educator received a surprise announcement within their school as part of UE’s 31st annual presentation of awards.

The competition, which is specific to Vanderburgh County, recognizes current classroom teachers and building principals in grades K-12 with at least three years of experience. The Outstanding Educator Awards for Vanderburgh County are sponsored by UE, Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union, and the Evansville Courier & Press.

The following awards were presented on Wednesday:

Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year: Kenneth “Kennan” Barnett, sixth grade teacher at Vogel Elementary                                    

Kennan has been teaching for five years, all of which have been spent at Vogel Elementary. This year, he began teaching English and language arts, math, science, and social studies at the fifth-grade level.

As a teacher, his goal is to ensure each student leaves his classroom having grown academically, emotionally, and socially. By creating a safe learning environment where students respect one another and value hard work and positivity, he hopes students will thrive outside of the school walls.  

“On a daily basis, I remind my students that they have control over very few things in their life, but they will always have full control over their work ethic and attitude,” said Kennan. “Anything they may lack in skill, they will always make up for with these two traits.”

The pandemic has taught Kennan a lot about adaptability. He was a physical education teacher before COVID-19 arrived. While he planned to continue this path, a large influx of students returning from Virtual Academy required additional teachers in the classroom. Kennan saw this as an opportunity to grow and expand upon his experience. “I went from locomotor movements and manipulative skills in PE to explaining the area of parallelograms and how to write a first-person narrative essay,” he said. “I never saw myself outside of the gym, but now I have built strong relationships with my team and my amazing students, and I can’t imagine leaving the classroom.”

Last year, Kennan had the opportunity to pilot a program, titled “Gentleman’s Academy,” for sixth grade boys at Vogel. Being the only male teacher in the school, he wanted to ensure the boys had a positive male mentor in life that they could always rely on. The program specifically helps those with a low sense of belonging or high frequency of behavior issues. The boys are paired with a staff member that they trust and meet with daily. The staff members build trust with the students as they support them academically, socially, and behaviorally. Bi-monthly meetings also incorporate helpful lessons, such as budgeting, tipping at restaurants, and spending quality time with family members.

Outstanding Middle School Teacher of the Year: Lori Kassel-Reed, special education teacher for grades 6-8 at Washington Middle School

Lori Kassel-Reed teaches English and language arts, social studies, social skills, and resource skills for students in grades 6-8 with emotional disabilities. Some of her additional roles at Washington include being a spelling bee sponsor, coach for girls’ track, and an enrichment teacher for summer school.

With 16 years of teaching experience, Lori believes that every child can learn and reach their potential when teachers tailor their approaches to student strengths and weaknesses. 

Of those years, she has spent the last eight working with students who have experienced and are working through some type of trauma. This can include abuse, homelessness, incarceration, or self-harm. 

“In this classroom, you will see some amazingly strong and resilient children who are doing their best to better themselves so they can move to general education classrooms,” Lori said. “There is a lot of love, laughter, and healing in this room.” 

Because the goal is to move students out of the room, Lori runs a tightly scheduled class with clearly defined expectations and a focus on behavior. She teaches self-regulation and coping skills; she encourages them to face challenges in life and overcome them.

“I let my students see my mistakes and share with them my own personal challenges,” she said. “I have a very strong track record of getting my students back into the general education classrooms, and I feel that’s due to building that trust and honesty with them.”

In nominating Lori for an Outstanding Educator Award, an individual said that “she is the most selfless person [they] have ever met. She deserves the award because she is a genuinely good, caring person and teacher.” 

Outstanding High School Teacher of the Year: Brian Bobbitt, Master Teacher for Project Lead the Way at North High School

At North High School, Brian Bobbitt teaches engineering and robotics. It’s part of Project Lead the Way (PLTW), which develops STEM curricula for K-12 teachers. For the 2019-2020 school year, he was named the National Project Lead the Way Outstanding Teacher.

As the Master Teacher of this program, Brian has had the opportunity to train other teachers across the nation to use PLTW curricula for engineering classes. It has proven to be beneficial to him, too, as he is always learning from those he is fortunate enough to teach.

“Simply put, I love what I do,” he said. “My dad always said, ‘pick something you love to do, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.’” Brian has always enjoyed teaching, and he especially likes the subject area of engineering. However, his favorite part of the job is watching students develop ideas and come up with their own solutions. In his career, he has seen students grow a love for learning and stretch their expectations to do even better. 

“For all students who make their way to the engineering labs, my goal is to ensure they leave with the ability to solve problems as well as a lifelong passion for learning more,” he said.

Brian implemented a robotics team at North just a few years ago, and now the students compete at district, regional, and state events. Students not only get a chance to grow beyond the normal scope of the curriculum, but they always have a chance to meet and work with engineers from Toyota, Berry Global, Mead-Johnson, and Sabic. Brian is thrilled to see these students make career connections before graduating high school, several of which have led to summer internships.

A nomination for Brian noted his enthusiasm for engineering, as well as the confidence he instills in his students. “His passion for STEM projects is contagious, and he helps students see how they can use their skills to give back to their community,” the form said.

Outstanding Building Principal of the Year: Aaron Huff, Principal of Bosse High School

Aaron Huff has been in the education field for 19 years, and this is his fourth year as the principal for Bosse High School. He is a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, in which he serves as the advocacy chair, governance chair, and executive director of the search committee. He is also part of the steering committee and board of directors. In December, Aaron expects to earn his doctoral degree.

Since becoming the principal of Bosse, Aaron has been focused on leading the instructional leadership team to improve employee performance and student outcomes. The school has also been working to improve chronic absenteeism among students. He noted that COVID-19 has created additional challenges in navigating this, but he and the teachers have created an environment of seeking continual improvement.

Aaron firmly believes kids must learn no matter what, and some students will need very little support while others may need coaching or encouragement. “Our ability to create change in students’ lives depends on developing a meaningful relationship with them,” he said. “We are responsible for creating conditions that promote academic and personal success for all students.”

To unlock students’ success and realization of their own gifts, Aaron says the same must be done with teachers. As an administrator, he is focused on removing barriers to improvement and dismantling systems that maintain the status quo. He thinks it is important to “find ways to get to yes and then get out of the way.”

Most recently, Aaron struck a collaborative partnership with Toyota Indiana. Course offerings and instruction will align with Toyota’s qualities in entry-level employees, and students will be offered a position with the manufacturer immediately after graduation. The “Toyota 4T” program will launch this fall, and Aaron is confident it will significantly impact the landscape of education and student outcomes at Bosse.