Pep and Vim has finally arrived! We are so excited to celebrate with the UE campus community, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things the Aces family accomplishes through the power of philanthropy.

Each of you give back to the university in so many ways, including your time, talents, and treasures. We appreciate each of you immensely, and today is a day that, side-by-side, we can build on your countless incredible achievements.

That’s why the UE Alumni Board of Directors has issued a philanthropic challenge: If we can reach 2,023 gifts to any designation for Pep and Vim this year, they will gift $20,000 to the UEvansville Fund!

To be a UE philanthropist by making a gift to the UEvansville Fund or your favorite area on campus, you can visit www.evansville.edu/give

And don’t forget about Penny Wars! Here’s an updated score:

Staff and Administrators Assembly: 1,191
College of Business and Engineering: 1,105
College of Education and Health Sciences: 850
College of Arts and Sciences: -58

Which college is going to take home Pep the Golden Squirrel? It could be yours! Jars are in Ridgway all day, at each college, and the Stone Center.

Be sure to come visit us at Pep and Vim Headquarters, located inside Ridgway, to join in the fun and be a part of the campus experience.

Thank you to all those who have already made a gift, to all those considering one, and to everyone who makes UE such a special place.

Go Aces!

www.evansville.edu/give

We want to hear from you! The UE Campus Survey is a tool to collect feedback from our campus community, including students, faculty, staff, and administration. Select the button below to complete the online survey, which takes about 15 minutes. The survey will be available from April 3-21, 2023.

Take the survey online today!

UE’s Spirit Week is a celebration of giving and receiving. Annually, thousands of alumni, friends, parents, former parents, faculty, staff, and administrators come together to support the University of Evansville. No matter the size, every gift received propels the university FORWARD, providing students with a transformational and accessible education. At UE, we are Changemakers, but we could not do it alone. As you walk through campus this week and see the purple flags, take a moment to reflect on all the donors who make this possible. Each flag represents one donor, and their combined contributions strengthens the foundation of UE. THANK YOU!

Class of 1973 50th Reunion
Nursing 70th Anniversary Reunion
Athletics Reunion
Alumni Awards Celebration
Campus Tours
And more!
Register here

Please join the Seniors in the Department of Art as we celebrate their group exhibition, The Hands That Create. There are two opportunities to visit the exhibition and speak to the artists. The first date is April 20th from 5-7 pm and the second is May 5th, 4:30-6pm. The exhibition is located in the Melvin Peterson Gallery.

The seniors are Lilly Boring, Jasmine Brents, Zoe Dennis, Rachel Fisher, Hannah Holbrook, Baylee Minton, and Niamh Steffens. Ian Leonhardt also contributed to the exhibition with the original music.

The Melvin Peterson Gallery is open during the week with posted hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, 12-3pm
Wednesday and Thursday, 12-6pm

Hope to see you at either reception.

Department of Art

The University of Evansville Theatre announces the season finale of the 2022–2023 season NOISES OFF, written by Michael Frayn. The show opens on Friday, Apr. 14, at 7:30 p.m., in Shanklin Theatre. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m., on Apr. 15, 20, 21, 22, and at 2:00 p.m., on Apr. 23.

Easily considered the funniest farce ever written, this classic comedy follows a troupe of assiduous actors as they blunder from a disastrous dress rehearsal to complete pandemonium when they embark on an ill-fated tour. Hilarity ensues! With screwball shenanigans, mounting mayhem, slamming doors, and even flying sardines, this rip-roaring romp is the perfect outing for anyone ready to leave reality behind and indulge in the life-affirming and mood-altering benefits of good, old-fashioned belly laughs. This multiple Tony Award-nominated gem of a play will leave audiences in stitches.

NOISES OFF is directed by Assistant Professor Amelia McClain ’03. Bradley Baumhover, a junior theatre management major from Joplin, Mo., serves as the assistant director; Ben Kahre ’09, guest artist, serves as the fight coordinator; Joseph P. Flauto, serves as the scenic designer; Sara Mathew, a senior design and technology major, from Union, Ky., is the costume designer; Associate Professor Stephen Boulmetis, serves as the lighting designer; Assistant Technical Director Blake Cooper, serves as the sound designer; Assistant Professor Mitch Critel, serves as the technical director, and Zoe Paraskevopoulos, a senior stage management major, from Flower Mound, Texas, is the stage manager.

This cast features Tatiana Robledo, a junior performance major from Houston, Texas., as Dotty; McAllister Reed Stowell, a senior performance major, from Lakewood, Colo., as Lloyd; Gavin Ramirez, a first-year performance major, from McKinney, Texas, as Gary; Amelia Overholt, a senior performance major, from Fort Collins, Colo., as Brooke; Spencer Marfy, a junior performance major, from Tallmadge, Ohio, as Freddy; Marie Reilly, a senior performance major, from Spring Hill, Fla., as Belinda; Aibhlinn Rose, a senior performance major, from Clackamas, Ore., as Poppy; Landry Barker, a first-year performance major, from Fort Worth, Texas., as Tim; Jack Cory, a senior performance major, from Southlake, Texas., as Selsdon.

Adult ticket prices are $20 and $18 for senior adults, UE employees, and non-UE students. UE students may obtain one free student rush ticket beginning at 12 p.m. on the day of the performance they wish to attend. In addition, UE Theatre offers a new “Pay What You Will” initiative. Every Thursday evening performance in Shanklin Theatre is available for any person to pay any price that best fits their budget. Single tickets may be purchased online at theatre.evansville.edu or by calling the ticket office at 812.488.2031, Monday through Friday, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The Friends of UE Music are hosting an Open House for Wheeler Concert Hall on Pep and Vim Day. Stop by the Krannert Fine Arts Building on Friday, April 14, between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. FUEM members and student volunteers will be happy to give you a tour of the new concert hall and answer any questions you may have about the renovation project.
If you gave a donation to name a seat in Wheeler, your nameplate is now in place. Please come by and see what our generous donors have helped to bring to life for the UE Music Conservatory.

After a two-year hiatus, the University of Evansville Theatre announces the return of the Rogue and Peasant Aces, their travelling performance troupe, with ANIMAL FARM, based on the book by George Orwell and adapted by Ian Wooldridge. Performances are at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, Apr. 15 and Saturday, Apr. 22, on the UE campus, in the John David Lutz Theatre Lab.

George Orwell’s satire on the perils of Stalinism has proved a magnificently long-lived parable about totalitarianism and has given the world at least one immortal phrase: “Some are more equal than others.” This dramatization remains faithful to the book’s plot and intent and retains both its affection for the animals and the insightfulness of its message.

The aim of the Rogue and Peasant Aces is to provide accessible theatre experiences for individuals who otherwise may not have exposure to the arts. This spring, the Rogue and Peasant Aces are touring to various high schools in the area to perform.

ANIMAL FARM is directed by Rebecca Conaway, a senior theatre studies major, from Wellsburg, W. Va.; Liam Arney, a first-year design and technology major, from McAllen, Texas, serves as the costume and properties coordinator; Josie Madzik, a first-year theatre studies major, from Howell, Mich., is the dramaturg; and William Cooper Sanders, a first-year performance major, from Jeffersonville, Ind., is the stage manager.

Each role is shared by two actors, who will alternate between shows. The cast includes Benjamin Bravard, a senior performance major, from Batavia, Ohio, and Drake J. Susuras, a junior performance major, from Broomfield, Colo., sharing the roles of Old Major, Boxer, and Young Animal; Mason Norton, a first-year performance major, from Bremen, Ind., and Devyn Jolgren, a junior performance major, from Louisville, Ky., sharing the role of Squealer; Trace Levens, a firstyear performance major, from Bryan, Texas, and Jeff Parkinson, a senior performance major, from Mercer Island, Wash., sharing the role of Napoleon; Quinn McGaugh, a first-year performance major, from McAlester, Okla., and Caden Sevier, a junior performance major, from Humble, Texas, sharing the roles of Snowball and Benjamin; Elizabeth Dye, a senior performance major, from Frisco, Texas, and Kennedy Olson, a first-year performance major, from Porter, Texas, sharing the role of Clover; and Beverley Buchanan, a junior performance major, from Tomball, Texas, and Alyssa Meadows, a first-year performance major, from Louisville, Ky., sharing the roles of Moses, Mollie, Minimus, and Pilkington.

UE Theatre’s Rogue and Peasant Aces is a part of the Ashoka U Changemaker Program. This leading global designation is part of a dynamic, global network of leading colleges and universities who set the bar for social innovation and changemaking in higher education.

Tickets for the two on-campus performances are free to the public and seating is general admission. The new John David Lutz Theatre Lab is limited to 87 seats. Tickets may be reserved at theatre.evansville.edu or by calling the ticket office at 812.488.2031, open from noon to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Mark Cirino will present “Ernest Hemingway: One True Sentence” on Monday, April 17 at 6:00 PM in the Browning Gallery (lower level) at Willard Public Library. Book signing to follow!
Ernest Hemingway’s cartoonish “Papa” persona – the brawler, boozer, braggart, big game hunter, and chronic womanizer— often overshadows his greatness as a writer. In this presentation, Cirino ignores the temptations of biography and myth to concentrate instead on the most enduring contribution of Hemingway’s life: his writing. Using Hemingway’s “one true sentence” credo as inspiration, this talk examines representative sentences from texts such as The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and A Moveable Feast to discover techniques that gave his work such lasting power.

Dr. Mark Cirino is a Professor of English and Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair of English at the University of Evansville, where he has taught American literature for fifteen years. He has authored or edited ten books, including Ernest Hemingway: Thought in Action, Reading Hemingway’s Across the River and into the Trees, and most recently, One True Sentence: Writers & Readers on Hemingway’s Art, which he edited with Michael Von Cannon. He hosts the Hemingway Society’s popular One True Podcast, which explores Ernest Hemingway’s life, work, and world.

The campus community is invited to attend the 2023 UE Student Research and Honors Symposium on Wednesday, April 19. The event will be held from 9:00am-5:00pm in Eykamp 251/252 and will showcase the scholarly activities of students of diverse disciplines across UE’s campus, including the graduating seniors of the Honors Program. Panels will be held each hour throughout the day, and you are invited to attend your choice of panels as your schedule permits. A detailed schedule of presenters and topics will be published in AceNotes next week.

We hope you will join us to support the fantastic work of our UE students.

Vanessa Rapatz, PhD, presents "Hollow Crowns: Shakespeare's Histories and Netflix's The Crown" tonight at 7pm in Room 162, Harkness Hall in Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building.

Tomorrow morning, the Literary Conference continues with student panels at 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., and noon in Rooms 271, 272, and 273 in the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building.

Purplepalooza 2023! April 14th from 6:00 - 9:00 PM! Join us for food trucks, carnival rides, games, giveaways, a petting zoo brought by SCF, and more! Bring your friends and celebrate the end of the semester! Then head to Eykamp and join PRIDE for the Drag Show beginning at 9:15!

The Thyen-Clark Cultural Center in Jasper, Indiana, hosts Professor Todd Matteson's solo exhibition, Life's Adventures. The exhibition runs for three months with a gallery talk every first Thursday in March and April. Professor Matteson will also be doing demonstrations to the public and local schools during his exhibition. Please come enjoy his ceramics and catch a glimpse at his new creations.

Episode 4 and 4.5 of The Crescent Sports Report with Troy Schroeder is now available.

The University of Evansville Student Media team is now producing The Crescent Sports Report, a weekly podcast dedicated to bringing the Evansville community the latest and greatest in sports news and entertainment. The podcast features the brother duo of Troy and Cole Schroeder, along with fellow UE students Evan Barr and Austin Hernandez. To catch to the latest episode, stream The Crescent Sports Report on Spotify now. Tune in weekly and follow the Crescent Magazine social media accounts to make sure you don’t miss any updates!

https://crescent.evansville.edu/podcasts/

PT faculty members Dr. Kyle Matsel and Dr. Kate Schwartzkopf-Phifer along with ProRehab/UE Sports Resident Alumni Jonathan Kirsch, Tessa Netelbeek, Rolando Rodriquez, and Ervin Velic recently published research in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, "Self-Movement Screening using the Symmio Application is Reliable and Valid for Identifying Musculoskeletal Risk Factors." The creation of a patient-driven, self-screening tool for the reliable detection of MSK risk factors can alert individuals of impending MSK needs. The Symmio self-screen can allow individuals to seek evaluation and treatment before MSK injury, which may decrease healthcare dollars spent on preventable issues.

The research article can be viewed at the IJSPT website.

The Reeves Foundation was established in 1966 under the terms of the Last Will and Testament of Mrs. Isabel B. Reeves, wife of Judge Ollie C. Reeves, who both resided for many years in Vanderburgh County and firmly believed in the attainment of higher education. Through their frugal efforts and generosity, this scholarship fund has been established to perpetuate their belief.

To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be enrolled as full-time students and be Vanderburgh County residents. An essay is also required.
The application can be found here.
Deadline: Please return all materials to the Office of Student Financial Services by May 1, 2023.
Questions: Amber Chandler, Administrative Assistant to the Office of Student Financial Services, at ac547@evansville.edu or 812-488-2364.

Dr. Maxwell Omwnega will be offering CS-101and CS-210 during Summer Session I (May 15 thru June 17) and Summer Session II (June 19 thru July 21) Register today to save your spot in these courses!

Thank you to all who came out to our Employee Benefit Open Enrollment meetings over the last couple of days. As a reminder, the benefit period began Thursday, April 5. Every employee will need to complete the online election process, even if you are declining all benefits, no later than Friday, April 21.

For those unable to join us for in-person meetings, you can review the Zoom session at your convenience.

Passcode: e#qyAM5y

If you have any questions about open enrollment and/or the University’s benefit plans, please contact the Office of Human Resources at ll138@evansville.edu or 812-488-5045.

FIRST-YEAR AND SENIOR STUDENTS - Your Voice Matters! Take the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Watch for NSSE emails starting March 15.

In appreciation for participating, all students who complete the survey by April 14 will be entered into a drawing for one of two Apple Watches (each valued at approximately $280.00) and one of four sets of JBuds Air earbuds (each valued at approximately $70.00). One first-year student and one senior-year student will be selected for the Apple Watches. Two first-year students and two senior-year students will be selected for the earbuds. Students may receive only one item. Your chances of winning depend on how many complete the survey; 965 students were invited to participate.

SAA would like to congratulate Melissa Edris Administrative Associate/Dean Education and Health Sciences and Annie Sills Assistant Director of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator on being nominated and selected for April Employee of the Month. Thank you for all you do for our students, faculty, and staff!

Melissa Edris

Annie Sills

Dr. Hyunsoung Park, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering from the School of Engineering and Computer Science published a journal paper titled "A Proposal for Basic Formal Ontology for Knowledge Management in Building Information Modeling Domain" in the Journal of Applied Sciences. Congratulations, Dr. Park!

University of Evansville head men’s basketball coach David Ragland has announced that Craig Snow has been elevated to Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach for the Purple Aces.

“Craig has been extremely helpful to our program as we continue to strive to create a competitive product with our group,” Ragland exclaimed.  “His experience at this level has been instrumental to the growth of our players as well as our coaching staff.”

Snow completed his first season on staff at his alma mater.  He remains one of the top 10 scorers in program history, completing his career with 1,530 points.  A member of the 1998-99 Missouri Valley Conference Championship team, Snow led the Purple Aces in both scoring and rebounding in each of his final two seasons as a player.

An outstanding coaching career was highlighted by five seasons as the head coach at New Mexico Highlands as well as two tenures on the staff at New Mexico. 

Following a strong regular season in her first professional campaign, former University of Evansville volleyball star Alondra Vazquez has carried her team into the semifinals in the Puerto Rican League.

Vazquez averaged 20.67 points and 21 digs per match for her team - Atenienses de Manati.  Vazquez’ squad swept three matches from league powerhouse Criollas de Caguas and will be taking on Cangrejeras de Santurce in the semifinal round.

As a rookie, Vazquez got better as the season progressed and is playing her best volleyball when it matters the most.  Her efforts contributed greatly to the victories over Criollas de Caguas, who were the favorites in the league and are historically one of the top teams in Puerto Rico.

Over the course of the season, Vazquez ranked in the top ten in her league in points, kills, digs and good passes.  She is a challenger for the Rookie of the Year Award and has been one of the top performers since advancing to the next level.

The semifinals begin on Tuesday, April 18.

With victories in the last two weekend Missouri Valley Conference series, the University of Evansville softball team looks to build on the momentum with a 3-game road series at Murray State.  Games will take place Friday through Sunday in Murray, Ky.  ESPN3 and ESPN+ will have coverage of the three games.

Looking at the Match-up
- This weekend will mark the first time the Purple Aces and Racers will meet up as members of the MVC
- It will mark the first meeting between the squads since 2016 when they split a doubleheader in Murray; in 2015, the Racers took both ends of a doubleheader at Cooper Stadium
- Evansville took part in MSU’s non-conference Racer Classic in 2018 and 2022 but did not face the Racers in either season

Last Time Out
- Mikayla Jolly tossed five shutout innings while Alexa Davis hit a 2-run double in the sixth inning to seal a 2-0 win at Indiana State on Tuesday
- Jolly earned her fourth victory of 2023 while Erin Kleffman added two scoreless frames to earn her first save of the season
- With two outs in the top of the 6th, Davis drove in the only two runs of the game to give UE its first Valley road win of the season

Making a Statement
- Sydney Weatherford played a pivotal role in UE’s series win over Southern Illinois last weekend
- The sophomore earned two victories as she pitched a total of 10 innings and allowed three runs, two being earned
- With a season ERA of 2.68, Weatherford is 10th in the MVC; in conference games, she has recorded an ERA of just 1.24
- Over her last 40 1/3 innings of work, Weatherford has allowed just seven earned runs while lowering her season ERA to 2.68
- After allowing five runs in 2/3 inning against Indiana on March 11, her ERA rose to 5.33; in total, Weatherford gave up 17 earned runs in her first 22 1/3 innings of 2023

Leading the League
- In the weekend series versus Southern Illinois, Megan Brenton racked up two more saves to improve her conference-leading total to five
- Her ERA of 1.11 continues to pace the conference while her opponent batting average of .188 is 5th in the league
- Brenton registered the save in both wins over the Salukis, combining to toss four shutout frames while giving up two hits and one walk while striking out four batters
- In 50 2/3 innings of work in 2023, Brenton has allowed 12 runs, just eight of which have been earned
- Brenton has fanned 50 batters while walking 33

Taking Control
- One of Evansville’s biggest wins of 2023 saw Jess Willsey take over with her performance at the plate
- In game two against Southern Illinois, Willsey was a perfect 3-3 with four RBI in a 4-0 win for the Aces; the win came less than a day after SIU opened the series with a 17-1 victory
- Her season batting average of .274 has risen greatly over the last three weeks as she is batting .359 (14-39) since March 19
- Willsey is tied for 7th n the MVC with two triples and is tied for 8th with five homers
- Her RBI single against Belmont on April 2 proved to be the game-winner and on April 4 at Indiana State, she hit a solo home run in the 9th inning that temporarily gave UE the lead
- Willsey has five home runs on the season, which leads the UE squad

The University of Evansville baseball team will travel west to Carbondale, Illinois this weekend for a key Missouri Valley Conference series against long-time rival Southern Illinois at SIU’s Itchy Jones Stadium, beginning on Friday night at 6 p.m. in a game that can be seen live on ESPN+.

The series will continue on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. and conclude on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest. Sunday’s 1 p.m. game can be seen live nationally on ESPNU. All three games can also be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.

“We are excited to be able to showcase our program on ESPNU this weekend,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “We have grown a lot as a program and a University since our last ESPNU appearance in 2017, and I am excited to be able to show that growth on Sunday.

“This weekend is a huge weekend for us. They always talk about ‘Moving Day’ in golf tournaments, and this weekend can be that type of series for us in the Missouri Valley Conference.”

Evansville will enter the weekend series tied for third place in the Valley standings with a 19-13 overall record and 5-4 conference mark. The Purple Aces saw a nation’s-best eight-game road winning streak come to an end on Tuesday night, as UE fell at WKU, 6-2. Senior third baseman Brent Widder went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run to lead the way on Tuesday night for UE. Widder has been on fire of late, producing four multi-hit games over the last six contests, and he has hit .382 with four home runs and 10 RBI over UE’s last nine road games.

Southern Illinois, meanwhile, will enter this weekend’s series at 20-13 overall and 8-1 in the MVC, as the Salukis are off to their best Valley start in program history. SIU has won six games in a row and 12 out of 13 games overall after knocking off Southeast Missouri State, 8-5, on Tuesday at home. Defensively, the Salukis lead all of Division I baseball in double plays turned with 41 this year, while also leading the MVC in team batting average (.289), team slugging percentage (.482), home runs (48), and runs scored (234). Junior infielder Nathan Bandy leads SIU with a .374 batting average this year, while junior infielder Steven Loden provides the power with a team-leading 10 home runs and 34 RBI.

Evansville and SIU have met 184 times on the diamond, dating back to 1947, with the Salukis holding a 116-68 advantage over UE. SIU won last year’s season series, 3-1, including knocking Evansville out of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, 8-5, last May. UE will send junior RHP Nick Smith (2-3, 4.89 ERA) to the mound in Friday’s series opener. He is expected to be opposed by SIU RHP Ben Chapman (3-0, 4.32 ERA). Smith beat SIU last April at home with six solid innings of work in a 6-2 UE victory.