Road to Victory: SIUE Engineering Students Lend Hand to East St. Louis Charter School Botball Team

SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School sophomores Brandon Rice, DeAndre Howard, and Quewon Smith along with junior Jeremiah Rogers understand firsthand that the road to victory is paved with sacrifice, dedication, and diligence. The four comprised the SIUE Charter School botball team that competed in the 2011 Greater St. Louis Botball Regional Tournament held in April at SIUE. The SIUE Charter High School proudly placed third out of 17 teams, and their journey to this accomplishment began well before the tournament.

The team worked tirelessly to prepare for the competition, including designing and building their robots, as well as constructing their very own practice boards for test runs. Maurice Mosley, SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School math teacher and botball coach attested to his team's efforts. "My team put a lot of work into this competition," shared Mosley. "They worked hours in the evenings and on weekends." The team spent some of those evenings training with SIUE engineering students.

The SIUE student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) shared their expertise with the SIUE Charter School team. Mosley also offered, "The NSBE students really motivated the students in the arena of computer programming. With their assistance, the team was able to tweak a lot of programs. I really want to thank them for taking the time with my kids."

Hasan Sevim, Dean of the SIUE School of Engineering, connected the engineering student group with the team according to Graduate student and SIUE NSBE vice president Va'Juanna Wilson. "We were in contact with the team and working with them for about a month," said Wilson. "It was good to see high school students with so many good ideas and so engaged with engineering."

Team member Quewon Smith was equally enthused about the partnership. "Working with the SIUE students was a big help. I think that without them, we wouldn't have been as successful as we were," shared Smith. "We're grateful for their assistance."

The SIUE Charter School botball team members are all East St. Louis natives and plan to pursue collegiate studies in engineering and computer programming. Currently, the SIUE Charter School botball team and Mosley are working to raise funds to attend the Global Conference on Educational Robotics to which they were invited. The conference will be held this July in California.

Xfest 2.0 Presents: 52 Pickup By Seattle-Based theater simple

Caution: The show you are about to enjoy from the Seattle-based company, theater simple, includes intensely funny scenes and is prone to extremes.

The show, 52 Pick Up, is described as an "intimate 75-minute showpiece of acting, chance and human emotion." The audience will take a journey with the actors through a collection of scenes-52 to be exact. The show examines the relationship from before it starts, throughout its duration and into the end, but in no particular order.

The recipients of critical acclaim for stage delivery, theater simple's Andrew Litzky and Llysa Holland will delight a lucky audience at a 7:30 p.m. show Thursday, June 2 in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Metcalf Theater.

The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C., said "52 Pick Up delights and amazes," while the Edmonton Journal, Alberta, Canada, called it "a stunning combination of stagecraft and storytelling."

The title of each scene in the show is placed on the top of each of the playing cards in a deck. The cards are tossed in the air and "we do the show in the order in which we pick them up off the floor," said Llysa Holland, actress, producer, director and co-owner of theater simple. She and Litzky, her husband of more than two decades, have run the self-described "mom-and-pop shop" and performed the show together for more than 10 years. She added: "Every time we perform this show it's in a different order."

She and Litzky are the only two actors in the show. The opening scene is anyone's guess, she said: It could be the end of the relationship, a blow-up argument, when the couples actually meet for the first time, or a conversation with friends. The actors don't know.

"We really have to be on our toes emotionally," Holland said. "It might have one of us on stage talking about an ideal person, followed by a blow up fight, followed by a year in the relationship. You have to be willing to jump in any different direction depending on the luck of the cards. We make no effort to control what's next."

Holland added, what is exciting about 52 Pick Up, which was written by T.J. Dawe and Rita Bozi, is: "The character performing on stage doesn't know what's next. In a way the audience gets to know secrets the characters don't know about each other."

The duo has performed for mixed audiences-from groups of predominately men or women, to couples in different age groups, from their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. It's been performed as a Valentine's Day show, as well as an Anti-Valentine's Day show, Holland said.

"All the incredible foot-in-mouth moments are in this show," she said. "Each audience is going to see a unique show that will highly unlikely ever be repeated."

An award-winning, internationally acclaimed company, theater simple was founded "with the aim of stripping the theatrical experience down to its elemental parts: the imagination of the actor and audience, the playwright's words and the director's vision," according to the company's bio. The company has performed and toured internationally since 1991, participating in international arts festivals from East (Spoleto Festival USA, Piccolo Theatre series, Charleston, South Carolina) to West (Perth International Arts Festival Fringe, Western Australia), to Far East (Flipside, Singapore Arts Festival). The company's bio continued:

"In more than 17 years of touring and producing, theater simpletons have built six theaters in Seattle and Australia, and produced more than 30 plays in four countries on three continents.

For more information about theater simple, visit: http://www.theatersimple.org.

SIUE Emeritus Professor Shaheen In Living Rooms During July

Jack Shaheen, a professor emeritus in Mass Communications from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, will enter American living rooms through a Turner Classic Movie (TCM) month-long event on Tuesday and Thursday nights in July during "Race & Hollywood: Arab Images on Film."

Shaheen, a Middle East consultant and the author of Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, will join TCM host Robert Osborne to discuss Hollywood's changing attitude toward Arab people, according to a media release from the cable network.

The piece on Arab images is TCM's sixth installment on a project examining cinematic portrayals of racial and cultural groups, according to the network. A release noted, "Each Tuesday and Thursday evening in July will focus on a different topic, including early films, epic stories, depictions of Arab sheiks and Arab women, Arabs portrayed as villains or the subject of ridicule and movies that provide an even-handed look at Arab culture."

The event will close July 28, with a night dedicated to films that were made outside Hollywood, the network stated.

Some of the movies to be shown during the month-long project include "Three Kings," "Jewel of the Nile," "Lion of the Desert," "Tarzan the Fearless," "The Sheik" and "Lawrence of Arabia." More information is available at tmc.com or at: http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2011/05/24/TCM-plans-Arabs-in-cinema-programming/UPI-72711306221360/#ixzz1NU3DNWSl

This Is Not Funny: Part Of SIUE Xfest 2.0

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is proud to present an original Xfest workshop production to the stage: This Is Not Funny, by Theater 310b of St. Louis.

SIUE theater alumnae Maggie Conroy and Anna Skidis are part of the original ensemble that put the piece together during SIUE's first experimental theater festival. Both women, who graduated in May 2010, performed last year as part of Theatre 310b's production of Whammy!: The Seven Secrets to a Sane Self. They are returning for an encore in Xfest 2.0, directing the show, This Is Not Funny.

"We both wrote parts of the show, but so did the rest of the cast," said Conroy, who spent a month last summer in Saratoga Springs, NY at the SITI Co. Summer Intensive. "The show is basically a collage of characters, each with their own story and series of vignettes.

"Everyone originally wrote most of their own text for their characters and everyone has had a big hand in revising and tweaking text for characters other than their own."

Conroy's credits also include Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom and Slasher with HotCity Theatre, and Rocket '88 with Dreamachine Press.

According to Skidis, whose St. Louis credits include Evil Dead: the Musical and As Bees In Honey Drown with Stray Dog Theatre and directing SIUE's S.E.T.O. production of Bridget Carpetnter's The Faculty Room, the story itself was inspired by a photo that was part of a photo journal about Afghanistan called "The Big Picture."

"This particular photo was of a child holding a bunch of really colorful balloons, running to join his friends," she said. "All of the other colors in the photo are dingy browns and blacks, so the simple joy of the balloons really stands out in the picture."

Conroy added, "(It) was a very dark image of a child running through a flooded street. Ammunition smoke and militia blend into the background. The only color in the picture is his balloons. The streetlights and smoke only make the colors more vibrant and dramatic.

"After stumbling across this picture we basically said, 'Let's talk about this, because we all can't stop staring at it."

It all began during an Xfest class last year, said Skidis, adding, "Our original ensemble was able to create a 15 minute version and present it to the class, but the majority of the material is new material created by our current ensemble.

"The class project was a good start in the right direction, but this will be a finished product of This is Not Funny."

An SIUE Department of Theater and Dance faculty, alumni and student ensemble, Theater 310b creates original dance and theater performance. With a stage of balloons and superior acting, This Is Not Funny examines the line between the innocence of childhood and the indifference of adulthood.

"To me, it feels like a children's show for adults," Skidis said of the piece. "It has an almost vaudevillian feel to it, and it has poetry, newscasts based on real news, a clown and some really sweet children's scenes.

"It will make you think and it will entertain you. It's colorful, bright, and just a great evening of theater. And This Is Not Funny is, indeed, quite funny."

"Devised Performance" Is Focus Of Xfest 2.0 Keynote Speech/Panel

As part of Xfest 2.0, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's experimental theater festival, a keynote speaker and a panel of experts will engage audiences and take questions from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4 in the Metcalf Theater, discussing theater as a changing and evolving art on stage.

The topic, "Devised Performance in Contemporary American Theatre," will examine devised work, which SIUE Associate Professor and Chair of Theater and Dance Peter Cocuzza described as "work that is created, not necessarily plot-driven."

Panelist and Chicago-based writer/actor/devisor Jeremy Sher, who will bring his world premiere of CROW, a devised work-in-progress to the SIUE stage during Xfest 2.0, said the process of devising can best be defined as taking an original theater piece and evolving it with each performance. By doing this, the work is "constantly evolving and is always in a state of change based on feedback from other actors, from audiences, from new information that comes out of workshops and performances.

If it's done right, Sher said, "You won't see the same performance twice, even though you are seeing the same show."

Cocuzza said discussion of this important type of theater is critical to understanding theater's future. He added, the festival is about broadening people's horizons and expanding their views about the role theater plays on the global stage.

The concept of devised theater is not new, said Joan Schirle, founding artistic director of Dell'Arte International and director of Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre. In fact, it has been around for centuries. Schirle will deliver the keynote speech.

"The term has only come into usage recently, via the English theatre," she said. "There's a difference between collaborative processes and devising processes-there have been traditional collaborations between composers and lyricists, for example, but that's different from "devising," which might include the design, direction and performance of a work, as well as whatever writing there might be, though lots of devised works are not text-based.

"The role of 'actor' has become too narrow for many artists, who also have talents as writers, directors, composers, designers-and so these people often find each other and make new work together without the hierarchies that can limit creative input. Thus we get new ensembles starting to create new works now in many cities."

All are welcome to attend the event, which will provide an exclusive opportunity to hear expert perspectives on Xfest shows, as well as learn about experimental theater.

Judith Newmark, theatre critic from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Margeau Steinau, artistic director of Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemle of St. Louis; Frederico Restrepo, artistic director of Loco7 Dance and Puppet Theater of New York City; Jeremy Sher, solo artist based in Chicago, and Llysa Holland, artistic director of Theater Simple of Seattle, Wash.

The keynote speech will last about 20 minutes and will be followed by a round table discussion that will last about 40 minutes with panelists, moderated by Xfest Artistic Director, Chuck Harper, SIUE assistant professor of theater and dance.

The keynote speech and panel discussion will be followed immediately by a light dinner, available to the audience for $5, at 6:30 p.m. The performance of 500 Clown Frankenstein will conclude the night's events at 7:30 p.m. in Dunham Hall.

Tickets for 500 Clown Frankenstein, which is a part of the SIUE Arts & Issues series, as well as Xfest, are $28; $25 for SIUE staff, retirees, alumni and seniors 65 and older; $13 for all students. For more information, visit siue.edu/xfest. For tickets, contact the Fine Arts Box Office, (618) 650-2774.

CROW World Premiere Is Part Of SIUE Experimental Theater Festival

Sometimes in life, it can feel like you're at the end of your rope. There are those who persevere and rise to meet life's challenges and those uplifting tales are widely canonized in the news, on television, in the movies and on the stage. This is not one of those stories.

The world premiere of CROW will take the Metcalf Theater stage at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 1 on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus. Chicago actor, theater maker and devisor Jeremy Sher will tell the story of Donald Crowhurst, a British businessman and inventor who went missing in 1969 while attempting to navigate the globe in a 40-foot sailboat as part of the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, a round-the-world yacht race that promised a large cash prize. Seven months into his voyage, Crowhurst's vessel was recovered in the North Atlantic. He was not on board.

Left behind were some phony coordinates and a collection of daily entries in a logbook that captured the navigator's hopes, dreams, delusions, despair, insanity and finally, hopelessness.

While it is a one-man show, Sher worked with a team on the project, gaining constant input regarding the construction of the ever-evolving script, and fashioning 1,200 feet of rope into a set that represents Crowhurst's boat, the home he left behind in Bridgwater, England, the people in his life, his work as an electrical engineer and more. The final product is the result of collaboration with a director, a stage manager, a video designer, and conducting numerous, extensive workshops to gain audience input.

"The story is so compelling to me," said Sher, who formerly worked at SIUE as an instructor in the Department of Theater and Dance. "He was a regular person who tried to do this extraordinary thing. There are those unlikely hero stories out there and this is not one of those. Any of those unlikely hero stories could have met in failure.

"And his story could have resulted in success, but some of his flaws are some of the things we address and examine to explain why his enterprise failed. We see how hope can become delusion. All success stories start with hope, too. The thing that really compelled me to tell this story is where in the process do things break down, in terms of hope?

"What I've learned is they don't break down. They transform. We can talk ourselves into things. We can tell ourselves things are going to be OK to get through them. I'm very interested in how what he went through can happen to any of us."

Sher spent two years writing the piece, and several years before that conducting research. The idea for the show was born in 2001 during a discussion with Chuck Harper, an associate professor of Theater and Dance at SIUE and one of the Xfest organizers. Sher and Harper were performing together in France at the time and both were fascinated with Crowhurst's story.

Sher said CROW will be in a "constant state of evolution," so audiences who see the performance at one place can rest assured they will see something new or different at a future presentation of it.

For more than two decades, Sher has traveled the globe, dazzling crowds with his performances in disciplines ranging from classical theater to Japanese dance, co-founding ensembles including El Trupo of Barcelona, Elastic Picnic Improv of Seattle, International Theatre Collective of Montana and Ardeo Theatre Project of France. Now, the St. Louis native and former SIUE professor will return to his roots.

According to a review of his work from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sher "…forces us to consider how often we're wrong about what we are sure we know…the images are haunting."

The innovator said his passion lies in devising; a process by which original works are created in the studio. In Chicago, he has performed with Writers' Theatre, The Neo-Futurists at The Goodman, Next Theatre, Stage Left, Redmoon Theater, and The Building Stage. Regionally, he has performed at places including the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Shakespeare Theatre D.C., HotCity Theatre (St. Louis) and Annex Theatre (Seattle) and Off-Broadway: New Victory Theatre.

In Paris he worked with Brigitte Dumez Dance Company and Project Brûlé, creating original devised theatre and experimental works for international audiences. In 2004-2005, he devised, wrote and directed the original work "Saltwater," which toured in St. Louis, Montana, Seattle and the Canadian Fringe Festival, to critical acclaim. He has trained in Suzuki and Viewpoints with Anne Bogart and SITI Company in New York and Chicago, and has led many Suzuki training groups in cities including Seattle, St. Louis, Paris and Chicago. He also has taught devising, improvisation and movement workshops at several universities across the country.

SIUE Assistant Professor Honored As ASHP Fellow

A member of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy faculty recently received acknowledgement as a fellow with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP.)

Chris Herndon, assistant professor of Pharmacy Practice, will be honored along with 37 other pharmacists from across the country, as a Fellow of the ASHP (FASHP) June 14 at the ASHP Summer Meeting and Exhibition in Denver. The FASHP Practitioner Recognition Program recognizes excellence in pharmacy practice and promotes public awareness of pharmacists who have distinguished themselves in practice.

Herndon's research interests focus on pain and palliative care, as well as the challenges faced by educators in the field. Inspired by the 2003 National Pain and Palliative Care Summit at The Ohio State University, Herndon worked with the Mayday Fund, an organization established in 1992 and dedicated to alleviating the incidence, degree and consequences of human physical pain, to bring a collaborative, international pain summit to the SIUE campus in fall 2009.

"Chris Herndon has excelled in the area of pain and palliative care/pharmacy practice because he is a trailblazer," said SIUE School of Pharmacy Dean Gireesh Gupchup. "This recognition by the ASHP is a great honor for him and for the School of Pharmacy."

A 40-page list of recommendations resulted from the meeting, highlighting how to enhance pain management training for pharmacists. The list was released at an annual meeting of the American Pain Society in Baltimore in May 2010. The recommendations were widely adopted by national organizations, including the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. For more information, visit pharmacypainsummit.com.

"The work Chris Herndon did to pave the way for pharmacy leaders to come together on the SIUE campus, and introduce profound improvements and enhancements in the way end-of-life care and pain relief is understood and delivered at the national level is commendable," said Mark Luer, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice. "As our population ages, this type of collaborative discourse is critical for health care professionals and is a testament to their commitment to quality patient care."

With more than 35,000 members, the ASHP has helped pharmacists in hospitals and health systems for more than 60 years improve medication use and enhance patient safety. Members include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in practice in inpatient, outpatient, home-care and long-term care settings, as well as pharmacy students.

According to the organization, "Each applicant's credentials are assessed against rigorous criteria that include contributions to the scientific literature, research, education and active involvement, and leadership in professional activities. Applicants also must have practiced in health-system pharmacy for at least 10 years."

The program has recognized 690 Fellows since it began in 1988. For more information about the ASHP, visit ashp.org.

ADEA Official To Speak At June 4 Dental Commencement

Dr. Jeanne Sinkford, associate executive director of the American Dental Education Association, and director of the Association's Center for Equity and Diversity, will be guest speaker at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU/SDM) commencement at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4.

More than 50 students will receive a doctor of dental medicine (DMD) at the event in Meridian Ballroom, on the first floor of SIU Edwardsville's Morris University Center. A reception for students, faculty and family members will follow the ceremony.

Dr. Sinkford-an internationally renowned dental educator, administrator, researcher and clinician-is also dean emerita at Howard University College of Dentistry. She was dean at Howard from 1975-1991. Finishing first in her 1958 dental class at Howard, she went on to pursue graduate study at Northwestern University, where she received a master of science and a doctorate in 1962 and 1963, respectively.

Sinkford completed a Pedodontic Residency at Children's Hospital National Medical Center in 1975 and became the first woman dean of a dental school in the United States. She has served on numerous committees and advisory councils of national significance including: the National Advisory Dental Research Council; Directors' Advisory Council, National Institutes of Health; Governing Board of the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry; Advisory Board, Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Program and the NRC Governing Board, National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Sinkford has published more than 100 articles in refereed journals and has written an instructional manual for Crown and Bridge Prosthodontics. She holds honorary degrees at Meharry Medical College, Georgetown University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and Detroit-Mercy University. Dr. Sinkford also has received alumni achievement awards from Northwestern University and Howard University, as well as numerous other citations for exceptional professional achievement.

Dr. Sinkford was selected as an Outstanding Leader in Dentistry by the International College of Dentists, the first woman to be so honored. She received the 2007 Trailblazer Award from the National Dental Association and also was recognized with the distinguished 2009 Herbert W. Nickens Award for her outstanding contribution to promoting justice in medical education and health care. Dr. Sinkford's most recent recognition is the 2010 Pierre Fauchard Academy Gold Medal Award for her outstanding contributions to the progress and standing of the dental profession.

SIUE Nursing Student Receives Army Nurse Corps Association Memorial Scholarship

Melissa Ashley, a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing master's candidate, is recipient of a U.S. Army Nurse Corps Association (ANCA) Memorial Scholarship. Announced on April 19, Ashley is among 15 students who received the national award. Ashley is currently enrolled in the SIUE Family Nurse Practitioner program, with an anticipated graduation date of December 2013.

Ashley served in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1998 - 2004 with the 634 ^th Forward Support Battalion out of Sullivan. Attached to the 66 ^th Brigade, she was deployed for nine months in 2002 to Germersheim, Germany, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Ashley's official job in the military was personnel administrative specialist. However, during deployment she was cross-trained and served as a medic.

"I'm honored to receive this award," Ashley said. "This scholarship honors brave soldiers who will not be forgotten, as the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage live on in myself and the men and women who continue to serve to protect our freedom."

The 2011 ANCA scholarships were awarded in memory of the three Army nurses who lost their lives in the shootings at the Fort Hood Readiness Center on Nov. 5. All three were reservists who had been activated and were being processed for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. LTC Juanita Warman, CPT Russell Seager and CPT John Gaffaney are being remembered for their dedication, bravery and ultimate sacrifice.

Cougar Theater Company Debuts Theater for Children

This summer, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is introducing a new theater company to campus dedicated to providing quality children's entertainment.

The Cougar Theater Company (CTC) debuts with Aesop's Fables by James Brock with performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 28 in the Metcalf Theater on the SIUE campus, behind the Student Fitness Center.

Actors will transform themselves into the rabbit, the turtle, the fox, the crow or the donkey and back again throughout this fast-paced adaptation of classic fables. During 45 minutes of hilarious and fun storytelling of such tales as The Fox and the Crow, The Donkey in the Lion's Skin, The Fox and the Sour Grapes and The Tortoise and the Hare, performers with the company will delight audiences. Performing plays for children and teens, the theater company will draw inspiration from folk tales, classic stories, poetry, music and song.

While the trappings of traditional theater companies include elaborate sets, props, and costumes, a peek into the back window of the CTC's rehearsal room would reveal imaginative and highly adaptable costumes, props and set pieces. CTC is simple, based on the collective creative abilities of the ensemble and spearheaded by director, Wendy Greenwood.

For more information, visit siue.edu/summerarts. Tickets are on sale now and general admission is $6. For more information, contact the Fine Arts Box Office, (618) 650-2774.

500 Clown Frankenstein Winds Down the 2010-11 A&I Season

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The exciting antics of 500 Clown Frankenstein, an improvisational theater troupe from Chicago that the New York Times called "ribald and exhilarating," will close the 2010-11 season for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Arts & Issues series June 4 at the theater in SIUE's Katherine Dunham Hall.

For more than a quarter of a century, SIUE's Arts & Issues series has brought great performers and distinguished speakers to Southwestern Illinois. 500 Clown, which is being presented in conjunction with the 2011 Xfest at SIUE, will appear onstage at 7:30 p.m. that Saturday. Xfest, a collection of improvisational theater events, is sponsored by the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance.

The official media sponsors for Arts & Issues are the Edwardsville Intelligencer and KWMU-FM, while the series official hotel sponsor is Hampton Inn and Suites.

Arts & Issues Director Grant Andree said audiences are in for a treat with the quirky 500 Clown Frankenstein. "Improvisational theater can involve many aspects of theater," Andree said. "In addition to a story line, there are moments of creative movement, dance and an air of uncertainty about how the evening will evolve.

"500 Clown Frankenstein promises to deliver a great evening of entertainment," he said. "Moving between planned elements and improvisation, this performance will leave its audiences excitedly uncertain as to what is and what is not planned."

In each show, an innovatively designed set piece (with hi- and low-tech mechanics) propels clowns into extreme physical behavior and rough-style acrobatics. Comic mayhem will be served abundantly to the Arts & Issues audience as our three clowns embark on a madcap journey to construct Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.

Stymied by elaborate and exaggerated period costumes, the clowns execute acrobatic feats in an extended battle with an unruly table and finally face a devastating climax when one clown is forced to play the role of the creature and suffer abuse and abandonment.

For more information, call (618) 650-5194. For additional information about the series and to buy tickets, call (618) 650-5774. More information and tickets are available through the Web site: artsandissues.com. To speak with Grant Andree, call (618) 650-2626.

Workshops Bring Experimental Theater Experience To Kids

Children ages 8 and older are encouraged to experience experimental theater firsthand during workshops as part of Xfest 2.0 in Dunham Hall on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus.

Two workshops will be held Saturday, June 4: Mime and Puppetry, presented by Frederico Restrepo and Loco7 of New York City, from 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m. for ages 8-12; and Risk and Play, by 500 Clown of Chicago, from 1-3 p.m. for ages 16 and older.

"It is important that, as a department of theater, we bring this sort of experience to this part of the state and country," said Peter Cocuzza, associate professor and chair of the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance. "These types of programs give us a sense of what is out there and makes us think and appreciate art."

Loco7's Mime and Puppetry workshop examines the use of mime as a "universal art that crosses language barriers to communicate emotion, ideas and views through the movement of the body," according to information provided by the company. "Loco7 is thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of XFEST 2.0, as a resident company of La MaMa Experimental Theatre it seems a perfect fit! Being part of the La MaMa family has taught us to take risks and to explore unusual and different approaches to theatre and what better place than SIUE and the XFEST to continue and pioneer forward in the name of experimental theatre."

Students involved in the Mime and Puppetry workshop will learn basic techniques, including isolation and spatial understanding, as well as be introduced to the foundation of acting, clowning, circus movement and stage magic. This beginning level class promises to take attendees from Michael Jackson's "moonwalk" to their own original exercises. Additionally, Restrepo will take children on a journey, teaching them about basic puppet techniques with marionettes.

For older students, the workshop Risk and Play introduces the four elements of 500 Clown Theater: Action, risk, audience and humor. The workshop will include group and individual exercises that help students locate and release onstage tension, develop an awareness of audiences, space and partners, and awaken impulses.

"We're psyched this festival exists and thrilled to be a part of it this year," the company said in a statement.

Risk and Play introduces students to their risk threshold and mines it for theatrical value. According to the company, it has developed "playful ways to work with risk that result in the creation of a state of being in which action becomes stage-worthy and in which we can be provoked to action easily."

Those participating in Risk and Play are encouraged to dress in clothing that allows them to move freely and is free of lettering and logos. Furthermore, no dangling jewelry should be worn and drinking water should be brought in a container that can be sealed. Notebooks can be brought for note-taking.

Workshop attendance is free and there is no need to pre-register. For more information, visit siue.edu/xfest/workshops.

Symposium On Contemporary American Theater Part of Xfest 2.0

"Devised Performance in Contemporary American Theatre" will be the focus of a symposium set to take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4 in the Metcalf Theatre on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus.

"Devised work is work that is created, not necessarily plot-driven," said Peter Cocuzza, associate professor and chair of the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance. "There's a world out there that's taking what we have now and changing it. We need to examine why that work is important and consider the future of it. Some questions out there right now are: 'Will we always have live theater? How is this work impacting trends in theater in this country, and what type of impact will it have on theater in 10 years?'''

All are welcome to attend the event, which will provide an exclusive opportunity to hear expert perspectives on Xfest shows, as well as learn about experimental theater.

Attendees will be encouraged to ask those burning questions of special guests, including Keynote Speaker Joan Schirle, founding artistic director of Dell'Arte International and director of Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre; Judith Newmark, theatre critic from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Margeau Steinau, artistic director of Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemle of St. Louis; Frederico Restrepo, artistic director of Loco7 Dance and Puppet Theater of New York City; Jeremy Sher, solo artist based in Chicago, and Llysa Holland, artistic director of Theater Simple of Seattle, Wash.

The keynote speech will last about 20 minutes and will be followed by a round table discussion with the panelists, moderated by Xfest Artistic Director, Chuck Harper, SIUE assistant professor of theater and dance.

The panel discussion will last approximately 40 minutes and will include an audience question and answer session.

The keynote speech and panel discussion will be followed immediately by a light dinner, available to the audience for $5, at 6:30 p.m. The performance of 500 Clown Frankenstein will conclude the night's events at 7:30 p.m. in Dunham Hall. Tickets for 500 Clown Frankenstein, which is a part of the SIUE Arts & Issues series, as well as Xfest, are $28; $25 for SIUE staff, retirees, alumni and seniors 65 and older; $13 for all students.

For more information, visit siue.edu/xfest. For tickets, contact the Fine Arts Box Office, (618) 650-2774.

It's Back: SIUE Xfest 2.0 Promises Fun For All

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is inviting everyone campus to experience Xfest 2.0-an exciting four-days of theatrical experimentation, world premiere performances, workshops and more Wednesday-Saturday, June 1-4.

In its second year, the experimental theater festival has grown in size and scope, and promises to offer fun for all ages. Attendees can expect an exciting array of talent to visit campus, with a collection of innovative works and the introduction of new concepts and techniques in stage production.

Five theater companies from SIUE, Seattle, Chicago and New York City will perform throughout the festival:

• 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 1- CROW, performed by Jeremy Sher of Chicago in the Metcalf Theater. Sher, a St. Louis native, is a former instructor at SIUE.
• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2- 52 Pickup, performed by Seattle's theater simple in the Metcalf Theater.
• 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3- In Retrospect, performed by Loco7 from New York City in the Metcalf Theater.
• 4 p.m. Saturday, June 4- This is Not Funny is performed by SIUE's own Theatre 310b in the Metcalf Theater.
• 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4- 500 Clown Frankenstein, part of the SIUE Arts and Issues Series in the Dunham Hall Theater.

"The fact that this kind of work is happening should be valued and recognized," said Peter Cocuzza, associate professor and chair of the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance. "Sometimes we think of experimental theater as something weird or that we don't understand. This festival is about introducing alternative work to the region and exposing people to the kind of theater that is happening out there."

Xfest 2.0 also features two workshops in SIUE's Dunham Hall that offer hands-on instruction from the experts. Workshops are free and open to everyone. No pre-registration is necessary. Workshops are:

• · 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4- Mime and Puppetry (ideal for kids age: 8-12.)
• 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4- Risk and Play (ideal for ages 16+.)

In addition to performances and workshops, Xfest 2.0 features a symposium and dinner with expert perspectives on Experimental Theatre at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4. Keynote Speaker Joan Schirle, founding artistic director, Dell'Arte International and director, Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, will be featured at the event, with a round table discussion to follow the keynote speech. The round table will offer a panel of experts in the field from around the nation. Audience questions are welcome. The keynote speech and panel discussion will be followed immediately by light dinner at 6:30 p.m., available to the audience for $5.

Talk back sessions will be conducted following each performance, with directors and cast members fielding audience questions. For more information, visit the website: siue.edu/xfest, or call the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance, (618) 650-5614.

SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School Team Places Third In KISS Tourney

Three robots maneuver their way through a mock airport. Their executions are commendable and earn the team of four students a third place victory in a regional botball tournament; exciting news for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School.

"Our biggest challenge was to continue changing and altering the robots to do what you wanted them to do," said Sophomore Brandon Rice. Brandon and three of his classmates: sophomores DeAndre Howard and Quewon Smith, and Jeremiah Rogers, a junior; all won third place in the Double Elimination round at the recent 2011 Greater St. Louis Botball Regional Tournament at SIUE. The competition is hosted by SIUE's School of Engineering, in partnership with KISS (Keep It Simple Students) Institute of Practical Robotics. Participating in this year's tournament were 17 teams from four states.

The East St. Louis Charter High School team had some problems initially during the competition, and their robots didn't score very high, said Jerry Weinberg, acting associate provost for research and dean of the SIUE Graduate School. Weinberg, who organized the first regional competition five years ago, said, "What impressed me was their perseverance and team work. They worked through their problems in the competition and when it came to the Double Elimination round, they scored well."

The high school team also made an impression on the SIUE students working with them. "We helped with little things, like making it neat, but it was their own idea, and they had built the robot before we came in," said Vajuanna Wilson, an SIUE graduate student studying electrical engineering and vice president of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The high school students got their assignment about two months before the regional competition and representatives from NSBE started helping the young men about a month before the contest.

The Charter High School team designed and programmed three robots. One placed mock airplanes on a makeshift runway and the other two checked and moved fuel. "This is the first time I've done any hands-on technology work," said Quewon. "I like being able to take the ideas in my mind and bring them to life, and to accomplish an objective."

Robotics Tournament Brings Young Students And Technology Together

Possibly one day, in this age of heightened national security, robots will be seen fueling planes and loading and unloading baggage. But in the meantime, middle- school and high-school students got a chance to showcase their technology and engineering skills with robots at a mock airport during the 2011 Greater St. Louis Botball Regional Tournament that took place on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

"By participating in this competition, students developed skills, as well as gained a sense of accomplishment whether or not they decide to go into the engineering field or another technical area," said Jerry Weinberg, acting associate provost for research and dean of the SIUE Graduate School. The School of Engineering hosted the fifth annual regional Botball Tournament in partnership with KISS (Keep It Simple Students) Institute of Practical Robotics, a nonprofit organization designed to improve understanding of science, technology engineering and math.

A total of 17 teams from four different states participated in this year's competition, Weinberg said. The team winning first place in the Overall Category was Wolf Branch Middle School in Swansea. Teams were judged on how well they designed and programmed the robots, and documented their work. All schools participating had worked for two months designing, building, testing and documenting their robots.

"Many of the students had no prior knowledge of robotics," said Weinberg, who organized the first regional competition five years ago. "Students had to learn about the workings of such things as gears, motors and sensors, and how they all operate together. Students also had to learn how to work as teams."

Botball is an action-packed robotics competition for middle- and high-school students designed to develop interest, awareness and a working knowledge through hands-on experience with science, technology, engineering and math. "At about the seventh grade, students begin to think about what they want to do with their future," Weinberg said. "That is why we target the middle school. And we hope to make an impression on as many students as we can. This year we had a good mix of both boys and girls."

SIUE Director of Admissions Burrell Elected IACAC President-Elect

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Director of Admissions Todd Burrell recently was elected president-elect of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling, an organization committed to ethical and social responsibility among professionals helping prospective students consider postsecondary education opportunities.

Burrell's service to the organization since 1992 has prepared him for the three-year role he will assume beginning with President-Elect this year; transitioning to President next year; and finishing as Past President.

According to the organization, IACAC members are counselors, admission or financial aid officers, active retirees and students interested in the future of education in Illinois, as well as across the nation.

"IACAC continues to grow regarding the services we offer, our outreach to all and our advocacy at the state and national levels," Burrell said. "What we do, through offering professional development opportunities, allows us to increase our ability to help the students and families we work with every day. I am proud to serve in the presidency roles of this organization."

For nearly two decades, Burrell has worked in several leadership roles at Quincy University, Saint Louis University, and SIUE, as well as through numerous professional organizations, including the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Missouri Association for College Admission Counseling and the American Association of College Registrars and Admission Officers.

R. Fields Is May EOM

Congratulations: Roxanne Field, an application analyst in Information Technology Services (ITS), is the May recipient of the University's Employee Recognition Award. In the photo, Vice Chancellor for Administration Kenn Neher presents Field with the award plaque. She was nominated by her supervisor, Jill Schaefer, an ITS manager. In addition to the plaque she received, Field was awarded a $25 gift certificate to the SIUE Bookstore, two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant or other Dining Services location, and recognition on the flat screen monitors throughout campus. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)

SIU Board Of Trustees Approves SIUE AY11-12 Tuition Plan

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today approved a tuition plan for the 2011-12 Academic Year that calls for a $429 increase over last year for in-state undergraduates. A $300 annual increase also was approved today for graduate students at SIUE for the coming fall.

In addition, the board also approved other tuition change proposals that will mean an annual increase for students in the accelerated bachelor studies program (ABSN) in nursing as well as for students in the Schools of Dental Medicine and Pharmacy. The overall tuition proposal was approved during the board's regular meeting conducted on the campus of SIU Edwardsville.

Under the guidelines approved today, the annual tuition rate will be $6,630 for new undergraduate students entering this coming fall. Continuing undergraduate students would pay $5,850 in tuition for AY2011-12, an increase of $622.50 over AY2010-11. Undergraduate students currently in a guaranteed tuition plan would see no increase in their annual tuition rate.

Students in the SIUE Graduate School will pay $6,312 in annual tuition. The board also approved a $21,250 annual tuition rate for the SIUE School of Pharmacy, a $26,400 annual tuition rate at the SIU School of Dental Medicine and $17,805 over 67 credit hours for the ABSN program. Pharmacy students currently are paying $19,674 annually, while dental students currently are paying $24,910 annually. ABSN students are currently paying $17,286 tuition over 67 hours.

SIUE Fee, Rental Rate Change Approved By SIU Board Of Trustees

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today approved fee-related changes that will affect the SIU Edwardsville campus, including changes in the student fees for Information Technology and Intercollegiate Athletics. Other student fee changes approved include those for Housing rental rates, Student Fitness Center, the Student Welfare and Activity (SWAF) fee and the Facilities fee. The changes were approved by the Board at its regular meeting conducted at SIU Edwardsville.

Other University fees that will not be changed for the 2011-12 Academic Year include the Textbook Rental fee, the Morris University Center fee, the Campus Housing Activity fee, the School of Nursing Program fee and the Student Success Center fee.

Under the new fee plan, a full-time undergraduate student (15 credit hours) will pay an Intercollegiate Athletics fee of $160.85 per semester beginning in the fall, a change from the current rate of $156.20. The increase of $4.65 per semester will support the annual operating expenses associated with an NCAA Division I program and will move the program toward established fund balance targets.

The board also approved a change in the Information Technology fee, which will move from $6.55 per credit hour to $6.65, resulting in a full-time undergraduate student paying $199.50 annually (two academic semesters of 15 hours each) compared with $196.50 that is paid currently for two semesters. This fee helps defray the costs of supporting computing resources and networking infrastructure on campus.

Below is a chart of the proposed changes in other student fees:

Annually (for a full-time student enrolled in 15 hours or more during fall and spring)

The Board also approved changes in SIUE's housing rental fees for the fall term.

Under the new plan, rental rates for a shared room at Woodland, Prairie and Bluff residence halls will be $2,560 per semester compared with the current charge of $2,485. A deluxe single room will cost $10,240 annually compared with $9,940 now. Housing rates at Evergreen Hall will be $5,440 annually for a shared apartment compared with $7,260 for a private apartment or a private suite rate of $6,160 annually.

The board also approved a change in the meal plan fee for students in the residence halls. The new rates will range from $80 more per year for Plan A (most popular) to $110 more annually for Plan B.

Upperclassmen residing in Cougar Village Apartments will pay $3,890 per year for a shared room compared with $3,780 paid currently per year, while a single room will cost $5,780 annually compared with $5,610 now. A deluxe single room will be assessed at $7,780 per year compared with $7,560 per year now.

Families in Cougar Village, now paying $930 per month for a two-bedroom, unfurnished apartment, will pay $960 in the fall and $990 in fall 2012. The same family paying $1,090 per month now for a furnished two-bedroom apartment will pay $1,125 per month in fall and $1,160 in fall 2012. Families in a three-bedroom unfurnished apartment now paying $1,050 per month will pay $1,080 per month in fall and $1,110 in fall 2012; a three-bedroom furnished unit is now $1,225 per month and will be $1,260 in fall and $1,300 in fall 2012.

SIUE Club Baseball Clinches Conference Championship

In a series sweep the first weekend of May, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougar's Club Baseball team defeated the Carbondale Salukis to capture the 2011 District V South conference championship.

The SIUE Club Baseball team clinched the conference championship with an impressive 12-3 conference record this year. Conference members included the University of Illinois, SIU-Carbondale, Columbia College, Bradley University and Purdue University.

As a result, the Cougars earned a regional bid in the 2011 District V tournament of the National Club Baseball Association, played this past weekend in Huntingburg, IN. The other conference champions joining SIUE included Xavier University, University of Wisconsin and University of Minnesota.

The club baseball team defeated Xavier University and the University of Minnesota before falling to the University of Wisconsin, 9-8, in extra innings of the championship game. The Wisconsin Badgers will continue to the club baseball World Series competition in Pennsylvania later this month. The Cougars finished the season with an overall record of 17-5.

For more information visit http://www.clubbaseball.org/Div2/conf.asp?cid=101.

BOT Approves Alternative Tuition Rate For DNP For AY11-12

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today approved a $650-per-hour tuition rate for students enrolled in the new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program through the SIU Edwardsville School of Nursing. The new rate will be in effect for fall and will apply to Illinois residents as well as out-of-state residents.

In related business, the board also approved two other alternate tuition change proposals that will mean lower tuition rates for high-achieving international students and new tuition rates for non-resident students who are participating in the dual diploma program with the Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in Turkey. The latter is conducted by the SIUE School of Engineering.

All three proposals were approved today at the board's regular meeting conducted at SIU Edwardsville.

The DNP tuition proposal will make SIUE's primarily on-line program the least expensive of four of its five nearest program competitors. The DNP is the preferred advanced practice degree in nursing rather than the master of science in nursing. This change is in response to the occupational demand from the nursing profession that by 2015 an MSN be replaced by a DNP.

For the first three years of the DNP program, the School will admit post-masters students only; thereafter post-baccalaureate students will be admitted as well. DNP enrollment will be stabilized at 200 students, which is consistent with current graduate enrollment numbers.

In other business today, the board approved a tuition rate change for high-achieving international students. Such students will pay 1.2 times the in-state tuition rate. Current international students are paying 2.5 times the in-state rate. The new rate structure is part of an enhanced international undergraduate recruitment initiative to increase enrollment of talented international students to promote global awareness and a campus climate of academic excellence for all students.

The third proposal approved today by the board establishes a tuition rate of $7,050 per semester for engineering students in the ITU dual diploma program, about 31-percent lower than the regular out-of-state rate. ITU dual diploma students are now paying $6,778 per semester. The program brings talented students from ITU to study at SIUE.

This program also assists the Republic of Turkey expand its capacity to deliver higher education to its citizens, and enriches the global diversity of the students at SIUE. The initial program under this collaboration is a bachelor's in industrial engineering.

BOT Awards $364,615 In Contracts For Renovations In Food Court

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today awarded $364,615 in contracts to two Illinois companies to renovate the Taco Bell and Pizza Hut food services in the SIU Edwardsville Food Court on the lower level of SIUE's Morris University Center.

Funding for the work will come from the Morris Center's Repair, Replacement and Reserve funds. The project, which was given planning and budget approval in April by the board, will include expansion of the two popular food areas to offer new product lines to students and to incorporate new rebranding components as required by the licensing agreements with the restaurant chains.

The project also will include expansion of storage facilities and enhancements to the rear work area, improving efficiency, circulation and equipment locations. The contracts were awarded to:

• Limbaugh Construction Co., Granite City; $297,715 for general contracting
• J.F. Electric Inc., Edwardsville, $66,900 for electrical work.

The original approved project budget was $550,000.

In other business affecting the SIUE campus, the board approved planning development and gathering of cost estimates for a fermentation expansion of the National Corn-To-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) located in University Park, the research park on the east side of campus. The cost of the work will be finalized once a comprehensive cost estimate is determined.

The project-which includes the addition of seven fermenter vessels, weighing systems, process instrumentation and controls, as well as data collection systems-is designed to make the NCERC more marketable in attracting clients and grant studies by providing high quality data with state-of-the-art equipment.

The board also approved renaming the SIUE SimmonsCooper Baseball Complex as the Simmons Baseball Complex. The complex is located along New Poag Road, just west of Bluff Road on the west side of campus. All costs associated with removal of old signs and their replacement will be covered by non-university and non-state funds.

Civil Engineering Teams Perform Well At Regional Competition

The SIUE American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter met with and competed against several other top Midwest university ASCE student chapters at the 2011 ASCE Midcontinent Regional Conference April 28-30, hosted by Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. Activities at the annual conference include several competitions and presentations for students to exhibit their engineering projects and competitive spirit.

The Steel Bridge team came home with three awards - First Place for Display and Aesthetics and Third Place for Stiffness. Team Captains were Jack Deeken, Tyler Whitney, Evan Taylor. Team members included Jacob Allen, Jessica Eichhorst, Ray Reynolds, Luke Potthast, Anthony Falkowski, Cody Wolff, Aaron Haverfield, Daniel Woehl, Bryan Bartnik, Gary Whiteside, and Sandy Walter. Special mention goes to Cody Wolff for the outstanding welding job he did, and you can see the bridge on display in the atrium. There were 12 teams competing this year.

The Concrete Canoe team came in 4th place overall but also brought back several awards - First Place for Men's Sprint and Women's Sprint races; Second Place for Co-ed, Women's Endurance and Men's Endurance races; Third Place for Design Paper. Team Captains were Jared Deimel and Blake Wilson. Team members included Jessica Eichhorst, Sandy Walter, Melissa Strzelczyk, Jared Boeser, Will Peabody, Michael Voigts, David Dixon, Kate Sodam, Joe Fehrenbacher, Matt Combes and Brad Ripley The boat still looks great and is on display in the atrium.

Jessica Eichhorst won First Place for her technical paper, "Ethics and the ASCE Report Card for America's Infrastructure". There were 12 entries this year. Melissa Strzelczyk, Sandra Walter and Jessica Eichhorst received the Second Place Award for the Mystery Event (making a balloon boat that had to travel a certain distance and hold a load).

For more information, contact Brent Vaughn, SIUE ASCE Student Chapter Faculty Advisor: bvaughn@siue.edu.

SIUE Receives "Plant of the Year" For Wastewater Treatment

SIUE treatment plant staff Rick Lallish, Kurt Neuhaus, and Kim Bateman receive the trophy for "Plant of the Year" at the Illinois Association of Water Pollution Control Operators annual awards banquet on April 20th.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has received recognition for water pollution control from the Illinois Association of Water Pollution Control Operators (IAWPCO). At its Annual Awards Banquet last month, the IAWPCO selected the SIUE wastewater treatment plant as Plant of the Year in its class. The Regional Office of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency nominated the plant last fall.

The plant is run by SIUE's Office of Facilities Management and is overseen by Rick Lallish and Kim Bateman, instructors at the Environmental Recourses Training Center of the School of Engineering. The SIUE wastewater plant is classified as a Class II facility because it treats less than one-million gallons daily.

Out of 200 other Class II plants competing for the IAWPCO award, the selection committee, which consisted of water pollution control professionals, chose the wastewater plant at SIUE as the top Class II facility. The committee credited the SIUE plant for being well maintained and having highly qualified personnel, as well as for the intricacy of its operations

Lallish, Bateman and Kurt Neuhaus, another member of the operations team, accepted the three-foot tall IAWPCO trophy during the banquet ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom in Springfield.

In the spirit

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's commencement takes place this weekend and even the Cougar in the Stratton Quadrangle is getting in the spirit of things-with a little help from his friends. In the photo, SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift and graduating Past Student Body President Brandon Rahn use ladders to help the Cougar don the traditional mortar board and tassel in honor of May 6-7 commencement, during which more than 1,800 students will be eligible to graduate as the SIUE Class of 2011 . (SIUE Photo by Bill Brinson)

SON Alumna Receives ICCTA Outstanding Faculty Award Nomination

Jodene Scheller, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing alumna, was selected as Lewis and Clark Community College's nominee for the 2011 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award. Scheller, a professor of nursing, graduated in 1991 with a master of science in nursing.

Scheller has been a nurse educator at L&C for 17 years. Known as an innovative and dedicated instructor, Scheller uses creative methods in teaching nursing curriculum to her students.

The ICCTA award recognizes the highest achievement of Illinois' community college full-time instructors. The award is given annually to an outstanding faculty member who has demonstrated excellence and innovation, commitment and an eagerness to keep pace with current theories and practices in their field. Each college is allowed one nomination; the winner will be announced at ICCTA's awards banquet in Bloomington on June 3.

Benefits Fair Includes Chancellor's Annual Health Walk

Benefit: The Annual SIUE Benefits and Fitness Fair took place recently at which participants had opportunities to assess their health coverages through the university, as well as assess their own health in general. The SIUE fair is held each year in conjunction with the Chancellor's Health Walk and the Staff Senate BBQ. In the photo, SIUE Chancellor leads the pack as the group walks through The Gardens at SIUE. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)

SIUE Campus Rec Seeking Memberships For Cougar Lake Pool

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of Campus Recreation is now offering 2011 Outdoor Pool memberships-both individual and family-for Cougar Lake Pool, located just off University Drive. The Cougar Lake Pool opens at noon Friday, May 27.

Membership applications are available and must be completed at the SIUE Student Fitness Center, adjacent to the Vadalabene Center just off Circle Drive. Applicants-who wish to qualify for alumni, faculty or staff discounts-must bring proof of SIUE affiliation and/or SIUE Alumni Association cards.

Season membership ranges from $130 for an adult pass for the general public to $91 for alumni who are not members of the Alumni Association and $71 for Alumni Association Members. General public individual daily tickets are $7, while Alumni Association members pay $6; SIUE alumni without an alumni association membership pay $7.

For other membership fees for children and for rates for swimming lessons, visit the SIUE Campus Recreation website: siue.edu/crec/aquatics/clp.shtml. The site also contains information about parking rates in Parking Lot 10-$20 for the season for pool members; daily visitors, $2.

SIUE Team Ties For Second For ACG Cup St. Louis Case Competition

At a recent Association for Corporate Growth event, a group of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business students tied for second place for its efforts in the Interuniversity Cup competition.

"It was a great learning experience for our students," said SIUE Professor of Economics and Finance Rakesh Bharati. "Further it gave the students a valuable opportunity to showcase their analytical skills in front of industry veterans."

Organized to provide business students with mergers and acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity experience, as well as valuable real-world insights, the case study opportunity allows those within the competition the chance to interact and work with professionals from within the ACG community. The competition involves a series of intra-school and regional competitions, with regional winners awarded the ACG Cup title and cash awards.

A team of graduate students from the Washington University in St. Louis Olin Business School took first prize, with teams from the SIUE School of Business and the University of Missouri-St. Louis tying for second place. The schools took part in a weeklong competition that involved critical thinking and problem-solving skills assessments, as well as two rounds of case analysis. Through the case analyses, the teams were able to present their own valuations, capital markets and strategic advice to a panel of professionals.

The SIUE team took a $1,500 cash prize and ACG memberships. According to the ACG website, the organization, which turned 25 last year, is a global community for middle-market mergers and acquisitions, dealmakers and business leaders focused on driving growth. The site continued that ACG members have access to data, content and networking opportunities to find the opportunities, capital and knowledge they need to drive and sustain corporate growth. It is supported by such corporations as Gallop, Johnson & Neuman; UHY Advisors; and PNC Bank. ACG Cup Competitions were held across the country this spring, involving students from more than 100 business schools.

SIUE AMA Chapter Is Enterprise Student Organization Of The Year

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Marketing Association (AMA) was recently honored with the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Student Organization of the Year Award for the 2010-2011 school year. According to its mission, the AMA provides an environment in which students "can strengthen current marketing skills, develop additional business skills, and gain valuable experience that will help them succeed in the business world after leaving SIUE."

The Enterprise award is given annually to an SIUE School of Business student organization whose activities best support the organization's mission and stated goals. Each competing organization also must demonstrate how its membership serves the organization and how the organization serves its stakeholders.

SIUE Management and Marketing Edmund Hershberger, advisor to the AMA student chapter, said the students are honored to be selected as the Enterprise Student Organization of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. "The students, led by President Sarah Parkinson and President-Elect John Honnen, work very hard each year to achieve the organization's mission, which is to "enrich students' lives through the power of marketing," Hirshberger said.

"We are very grateful to Enterprise for supporting School of Business organizations, and look forward to continuing our successful partnership next year."

According to its application for the award, the AMA organization experienced significant member growth this year … "due to our excellent programming and activities. We strive to incorporate new activities each semester and provide value to our members. This can be seen though our participation in the AMA Marketing Competition, (the) AMA Exhibit and (the) AMA Sabre competition at the end of March." The group also plans a Trivia Night each year that involves marketing and sales activities that were student run, "resulting in an excellent professional development opportunity."

The application also pointed out that the AMA's Holiday Card Scholarship was another opportunity for members to tackle planning and marketing activities independently. The award carries with it a $2,500 stipend; in addition, the AMA was recognized at the School's annual awards ceremony in April, which recognized business students and organizations that have won various awards and scholarships.

The SIUE School of Business is among an elite 5 percent of business schools worldwide that have earned prestigious accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB). The accounting program at SIUE also has AACSB accreditation, and SIUE is among only about 1 percent of business schools in the United States and Canada to hold both distinctions.

Changes

Personnel

• Venessa Brown, assistant provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and professor of social work, was named associate provost and executive director of the East St. Louis Center for Pre-College programs effective Jan. 1.
• Jamie Lynn Conklin joined the University Jan. 18 as one of the two science and health sciences librarians at Lovejoy Library.
• Gireesh Gupchup, acting dean of the School of Pharmacy, was named dean of the School effective April 1.
• Roger Maclean, executive director of Educational Outreach, left the University Jan. 21 to accept a position elsewhere.
• Cyril Pandarakalam joined the University Dec. 20 as an assistant professor of applied dental medicine.
• Susan Seibert, acting director of the Career Development Center, was named director of the center Jan. 21.

Retirements

• William Lawler, clinical associate professor of restorative dentistry, effective Jan. 31 after seven years of service.
• Linda Carlisle, acting associate dean of Library and Information Services, effective April 30 after 25 years of service.