Austin College Professor Named to Fulbright Committee

SHERMAN, TEXAS

Kevin Simmons, Austin College professor of economics, has been selected

Kevin Simmons

to the Fulbright Specialist Program Peer Review Committee for applicants who are economists. The Fulbright Specialist program awards grants to U.S. faculty and professionals in select disciplines to engage in short-term collaborative projects at eligible institutions in over 140 countries worldwide. Shorter grant lengths of two to six weeks give specialists greater flexibility to pursue projects that work best with their academic or professional commitments. Simmons holds the Clara R. and Leo F. Corrigan, Sr., Chair in Business Administration and Economics at Austin College, where he has been a member of the faculty since 2003.

Simmons was named a Fulbright Scholar for 2009-2010 and spent spring 2010 in research at the International Centre for Geohazards in Oslo, Norway. The centre carries out research on the assessment, prevention, and mitigation of geohazards, including risk of landslide in soil and rock due to rainfall, flooding, earthquakes, and human intervention, as well as the geological risks in deep waters, especially underwater slides. He also worked with the U.S. Geological Survey before and after his Fulbright research in Norway. Both situations allowed him to expand his research—most of which had been on wind hazards—to consider other geohazard sources.

In January 2014, Simmons served as a Fulbright Specialist, lecturing to classes at the University of Western Ontario. He returned there in July 2014 to work on a research project with Greg Kopp, a wind engineer at the university, and Paul Kovacs, executive director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction in Toronto. Paul also is a member of the Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change that shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.The three men wrote a paper on their research, which is currently under peer review.

In his position on the Fulbright Specialist Program Peer Review Committee, Simmons and other experts will evaluate applications and recommend candidates for further consideration by bi-national Fulbright commissions and U.S. embassies in more than 100 countries around the world. The presidentially-appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board makes final selection of Fulbright Specialist candidates.

Internationally known internationally for his work on the economics of natural hazards, Simmons’ research has been highlighted and he has been interviewed by the New York Times, CBS Evening News, Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, Christian Science Monitor and USA Today, among others. He has published more than 60 articles that are widely cited and have appeared in academic journals from a variety of disciplines including engineering, sociology, law, meteorology, and economics. In 2011, Simmons published the book Economic and Societal Impacts of Tornadoes, and in 2012, Deadly Season: Analyzing the 2011 Tornado Outbreaks. Both books are co-authored with Daniel Sutter, published by the American Meteorological Society, and distributed by the University of Chicago Press.  

Having served as an advisor for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and as a consultant to the property insurance industry, Simmons has participated in Weather Ready Nation, the U.S. Weather Research Project, and as a member of the steering committee for the National Conference on the Great Tornado Outbreak of 1999. He has presented papers at academic conferences in the U.S. as well as in 11 other countries.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Vargas-O’Bryan Publishes Co-Edited Book on Disease and Healing in Asia

SHERMAN, TEXAS—

Ivette Vargas-O’Bryan, Austin College associate professor of

religious studies, and her colleague Zhou Xun of the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, have edited the book Disease, Religion and Healing in Asia: Collaborations and Collisions, published by Routledge Publications in January 2015. Vargas-O’Bryan also contributed the chapter “Balancing tradition alongside a progressively scientific Tibetan medical system” based on her historical and ethnographic work in Tibetan areas of China.

The book is part of the Routledge Studies in Asian Religion and Philosophy Series. The vision for the book began during Vargas-O’Bryan’s tenure as a Fulbright Scholar in Hong Kong in 2009, when she and Dr. Zhou Xun decided to organize an international conference to explore these issues. In 2010, their conference on the intersection of religion and medicine entitled Convergence and Collisions: Disease, Religion, and Healing in Asia www.chm.hku.hk/convergence.html received wide support from medical and liberal arts faculty at the University of Hong Kong.

The book itself arose from a long-term concern in scholarship in studying culturally-embedded healing traditions that incorporate religious viewpoints in order to better understand local and global healing phenomena.

The volume in three sections (disease management in medical and ritual contexts, religion and medical explanatory models, and cultural interfaces and collisions) covers diverse models of healing and perspectives on health in local and institutional medical contexts that interplay with culture and religion in Asia. It is particularly concerned with the convergences and collisions a society must negotiate, especially the symbiotic relationship of disease, religion, and healing and their colliding values. Vargas-O’Bryan said original studies by renowned scholars across the globe challenge the reader to rethink predominantly long-held Western interpretations of disease management and religion. The book, she said, especially draws attention to religious, political, and social dynamics; issues of identity and ethics; practical and epistemological transformations; and analogous cultural patterns in the study of religion and health in Hong Kong, mainland China, Tibet, India, and Japan.

Vargas-O’Bryan is known for her work on the intersection of religion with medical traditions and local illness cults in Indian and Tibetan cultural contexts as well as historical and ethnographic work in Buddhist monastic and fasting traditions. She has authored several publications and presented papers on religion and healing, Asian monasticism and devotional movements, animals in religion, and religion and the environment. Her proposals for two other book projects, one on the lineage of the Indian nun Dge slong ma Dpal mo and the bodhisattva Avolokitesvara in South Asia and Tibet, and the other on snake-demon cults, illness, and the environment in Indian and Tibetan religions, have received favorable reviews from Brill Publications.

Awarded several prestigious awards and grants Vargas-O’Bryan served as a Fulbright Scholar in Hong Kong in 2009. During her Fulbright assignment, she was a lecturer at City University of Hong Kong and collaborator and consultant for the Fulbright General Education initiative. She was invited to be co-conveyor of the Health in Asia cluster at the newly established Centre for the Humanities and Medicine, a collaborative center at the Faculty of Arts and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. Related projects have been supported by the Fulbright Scholar Program, the Mellon Foundation, The Wabash Center; Asia Network Title VI Grant, the Fritz-Thyssen Foundation, and Austin College Cullen and Richardson Grants. She earned master’s degrees in Buddhist studies and in Sanskrit and Indian Studies, as well as a Ph.D. in Buddhist studies at Harvard University.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Children’s Learning Program at Austin College this Saturday

SHERMAN, TEXAS—

Area children are invited to participate in Austin College’s ’Roo Bound program

Photo J Marquez

Saturday, February 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event begins with an interactive lesson on the heart and circulatory system, organized by the members of Chi Tau Chi (XTX) fraternity. Afterwards, students will have lunch in the Austin College dining hall in Wright Campus Center, courtesy of the Service Station and Aramark Food Service. The Austin College’s women’s soccer team will host a kid-oriented soccer clinic in the Sid Richardson Center of Mason Complex for the second half of the program. The program, designed to provide a fun learning experience, is free and open to all children in kindergarten through 8th grade.

Participants should be dropped off at the by 11 a.m., and parents must sign students in at that time. The event is sponsored by the Austin College Service Station.

Registration will be at the Wright Campus Center main entrance off Brockett Street and parents may arrive a few minutes in advance to have their child signed in by 11 a.m. Advance registration is not required, but is appreciated. For more information or to reserve a spot for the program, contact the Austin College Service Station at 903.813.2333 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays or email servicestation@austincollege.edu.

In addition to the special learning opportunity for children, ’Roo Bound, coordinated by the Austin College Service Station but involving many students across campus, is designed to expose children to the idea of college in a safe, fun environment. The organizers hope that the program makes college attendance (at any college, not just Austin College) seem accessible to children, particularly those who might be the first in their families to consider college.

’Roo Bound events are scheduled each month at Austin College. For details contact the Service Station staff at 903.813.2333.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Theatre Production Aims to End Violence Against Women

SHERMAN, TEXAS—

The Austin College Theatre program will present a stage reading

Ida Green Communication Center

of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues Friday, February 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Ida Green Communication Center’s Ida Green Theatre in conjunction with V-Day events nationwide. Tickets are $5 each for all audience members with proceeds benefitting the Grayson Women’s Crisis Center.

V-Day is a global activist movement to raise awareness of—and end—the violence against women and girls by promoting creative events that raise money and generate attention for women subject to violence worldwide. According to a United Nations report, one of every three women on the planet will be physical or sexually abused in her lifetime.  The organization says that because art has the power to transform thinking, the performances are held around the world to create lasting social and cultural change. Begun in 1998, V-Day now includes more than 5,800 events each year.

The award-winning play is based on V-Day founder and playwright Eve Ensler's interviews with more than 200 women and their survival stories, celebrating women's sexuality and strength. According to the V-Day website, they play has given voice to experiences and feelings not previously exposed in public and brought a deeper consciousness to the conversation around ending violence against women and girls.

Kathleen Campbell, emerita professor of theatre, will direct the performance. Sophomore Caroline Hodge of Carrollton, Texas, daughter of Donna and Cynthia Hodge, will serve as stage manager.

Members of the cast include Liz Banks assistant professor of theatre, and Renee Countryman, associate professor of psychology, as well as the following students:

Epiphany Arvie of Grand Prairie, Texas, daughter of Joe and Felicia Haynes of Grand Prairie and Murphy Arvie of Baytown, Texas;

Cyndi Coon of Indianapolis, Indiana, daughter of Charlie and Caryn Coon;

Sarah Davis of Sherman, Texas, daughter of Cheryl Davis of Sherman, Texas and Tony Davis of Dodd City, Texas;
Suzanne Francis of Fort Worth, Texas, daughter of David and Sandy Francis of Dr Congo;

Johanna Hunter of Whitewright, Texas, daughter of Pamela Hunter;

Tabatha Keton of Baytown, Texas, daughter of Bert and Tina Keton;

Sarah Klawun of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, daughter of Christoph and Elizabeth Klawun;

Noelle Low of Sunnyvale, Texas, daughter of Jim and Tammy Low;

Kendall Nibert of Houston, Texas, daughter of Philip and Ainslie Nibert;

Audrey Rose of Round Rock, Texas, daughter of Terri Rose;

Rebekah Urban of Whitesboro, Texas, daughter of Brad and Barbara Urban;

Kathryn Van Dinh of Austin, Texas 78739, daughter of Dieu and Alyson Van Dinh;

Sarah Wilhelm of Arlington, Texas, daughter of Susan Chandler of Arlington, Texas and Alan Wilhelm of Cotopaxi, Colorado;

Sarah Wilhelm of Cotopaxi, Colorado, daughter of Alan Wilhelm of Cotopaxi and Susan Chandler of Arlington, Texas; and

Marissa Wilkinson of Portland, Oregon, daughter of Judy L. and Mark A. Wilkinson.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Austin College hosts MLK Day Celebrations in 2015

The eleventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Breakfast

will be held at 7:15 a.m. Monday, January 19 in Mabee Hall of the Robert J. and Mary Wright Campus Center at Austin College. Sherman and Grayson County Rotary clubs, Wilson N. Jones Regional Medical Center, and Austin College are sponsoring the event. Members of the community may attend the breakfast at a cost of $15 per person, payable at the door.

The keynote speaker for the breakfast is the Honorable Angela Tucker, Collin County Judge. In 2012, Tucker became the first African-American judge to be elected in Collin County. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin and attended law school at Southern Methodist University. Prior to becoming a judge, Tucker became a private attorney after working as an assistant district attorney in the Collin County District Attorney’s Office.

Dr. Marjorie Hass, president of Austin College, will welcome guests and senior Tre Stewart, of Dallas, Texas, will present a student address. The Sherman Federated Choir, directed by Ella Childs, will provide special music.

The Grayson County MLK Celebration Parade will be held on Saturday, January 17 at 12:00 noon in downtown Sherman. The parade route will begin at 400 S. Travis at the First Baptist Church and end at the Austin College campus. A community service will follow the parade in Wynne Chapel. The parade is free and open to the public.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Children’s Learning Program at Austin College this Saturday

SHERMAN, TEXAS | January 16, 2015

Area children are invited to participate in Austin College’s

’Roo Bound program Saturday, January 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After a free lunch on campus, the afternoon learning session will focus on prairie ecosystems. The program is free and open to all children in kindergarten through 8th grade.

Participants should be dropped off at the Wright Campus Center main entrance off Brockett Street, and parents must sign students in at that time. The event is sponsored by the Austin College Service Station.

Austin College student volunteers work with the children to provide a fun learning experience. They will look at some of the plants that grow even in the dreary winter weather. The children will decorate pots, which they will take home with them. Children will be provided lunch in the Austin College.

Advance registration is not required, but is appreciated. For more information or to reserve a spot for the program, contact the Austin College Service Station at 903.813.2333 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays or email servicestation@austincollege.edu.

Students will have lunch in the Austin College dining hall in Wright Campus Center, courtesy of the Service Station and Aramark Food Service.

In addition to the special learning opportunity for children, ’Roo Bound, coordinated by the Austin College Service Station but involving many students across campus, is designed to expose children to the idea of college in a safe, fun environment. The organizers hope that the program makes college attendance (at any college, not just Austin College) seem accessible to children, particularly those who might be the first in their families to consider college.

’Roo Bound events are scheduled each month at Austin College.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Austin College Hosts Art Exhibit

Austin College | Sherman, Texas | December 5, 2014

The Austin College Department of Art and History hosts an exhibition by artist Nestor Topchy now through January 23, 2015, in Dennis Gallery of the College’s Forster Art Complex. The Forster Art Complex is located on the north side of campus at 1315 E. Richards Street. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, call 903.813.2048. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

A native of Somerville, New Jersey, Nestor earned a bachelor’s degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 1985 and then a master’s degree in fine arts at the University of Houston. He also has studied Buddhism, Taoism and Gnosticism as he developed his belief system.

His work, he said, is influenced by his history as a first-generation Ukrainian-American raised Greek Orthodox. He said his work interweaves paradoxical strands of thought, incongruous painting techniques, disparate artistic traditions, and antithetical pictorial attitudes to express a coherent and pantheistic vision of reality.

His work has been exhibited and performed at the Museo de Nacion in Lima, Peru; the Evergreen Museum at John Hopkins University in Baltimore; Arlington Museum of Art in Arlington, Texas; The Art Museum of South East Texas in Beaumont, Texas; and in Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Contemporary Art Museum, Hiram Butler Gallery, and Project Row Houses, among many others.

Topchy said that in his early years, he started studying the art of Pysanky, Ukranian Easter egg decoration based on ancient geometric and non-discursive symbolic designs. Then in the 1980s, he began working collaboratively with artists, architects, entrepreneurs, writers, and scientists, and came up with the idea of “inhabitable art.” He is the founder and creative director of HIVE, located in Houston, which he describes as a “living space and an art form that can encourage social and cultural interaction between people.”

“We propose to create a dynamic village for thriving cultural exchange and enterprise, Topchy said of HIVE. “Inspired by artists, creative professionals, and environmentalists, we will work in partnerships with individuals and organizations to experiment and discover the next generation of responsible building and living practices.”

“This idea is based on a physical structure to build a social structure of collaboration and interaction,” Topchy said. “The principles of geometry inherent to cultures become the basis of their habitats. Civilizations and cultures in the post-modernist era are evolving into virtual social hierarchies while physical interaction seems to be becoming less of a real thing. This unique phenomenon is global, spreading across the Americas and Western cultures.”

“My work in part is an attempt to understand the fundamental aspects of such social structures and initiate improvement by changing physically the environment in which such an interaction could take place,” the artist said. “In one of three concurrent mutually supportive ideas I have conceived, I aim to change and advance social/cultural interaction by creating a habitable hemispherical – helicoidal structure, similar to a truncated Pysanka, and made from ramped, stacked, steel shipping containers, set within a community context.”

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,350 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Austin College Host Free Basketball Clinic for Grades 3-8

The Austin College women’s basketball program will host its fourth annual Free Basketball Clinic benefiting for boys and girls, grades 3 through 8, on Sunday December 14, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the College’s Robert Mason Complex. The event benefits Toys for Tots, and clinic participants are encouraged to bring a small, unwrapped holiday toy to donate.

The boys and girls, led by the women’s basketball players and Coach Michelle Filander and staff, will be taught the fundamentals of basketball, including dribbling, passing, shooting, defense, and teamwork.

To register, email the basketball office at eriley10@austincollege.edu. Pre-registration is not required, but will help with planning. Parents may register their children the day of the event and are invited to observe the clinic.

Participants should wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes. Water fountains are available but children are welcome to bring water bottles. Names should be put on basketballs or any other items participants do not want to lose.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Acclaimed Author Carmen Tafolla to Speak at Austin College

Austin College will host renowned author Dr. Carmen Tafolla,

Dr. Carmen Tafolla

presenting the lecture “The Border Crossed Us: Latino Voices in The U.S.” on Friday, December 5, at 4:30 p.m. in Hoxie Thompson Auditorium of Sherman Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Acclaimed author of more than 20 books for adults and children, Tafolla, a 1972 graduate of Austin College, is an advocate for Latino voices and cultures, as well as a recipient of many awards. In 2012, she was named the first Poet Laureate of the City of San Antonio by Mayor Julian Castro. She now teaches at the University of Texas-San Antonio as associate professor for transformative children’s literature, and lives in San Antonio, where she is at work on the biography of noted 1930s civil rights organizer Emma Tenayuca.

Tafolla has held numerous faculty and administrative positions at universities throughout the Southwest, including associate professor of women’s studies at California State University Fresno and special assistant to the president for Cultural Diversity Programming at Northern Arizona University. She was the first Chicana to head a Mexican-American Studies Center and the first Latina to be awarded a Charlotte Zolotow Award for Best Children’s Picture Book.

Her awards include the prestigious Americas Award presented to her in 2010 at the Library of Congress, two Tomas Rivera Book Awards, and the Zolotow Award in 2010. She was selected by the President’s Peace Commission of St. Mary’s University to receive the Art of Peace Award for writing that promotes peace, justice, and human understanding.

She has authored five books of poetry, eight children’s picture books, seven television screenplays, several non-fiction volumes, and a collection of short stories, The Holy Tortilla and a Pot of Beans. In addition, she co-authored with filmmaker Sylvia Morales a feature-length comedy, REAL MEN ... and other miracles. Her works are archived at the University of Texas Benson Latin American Collection.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Austin College Concert Celebrates Fall of Berlin Wall Anniversary

 Austin College | Sherman, Texas | October 16, 2014

Austin College students and faculty will perform an anniversary

concert, “Twenty-Five Years of Freedom,” at Wynne Chapel on November 19 at 5 p.m. Presented by the Austin College German program and members of the Music Department, the concert and a reception following are free and open to the public.

Faculty Cathy Richardson, violin, and Ricky Duhaime, cello, will join Austin College senior Rizwan Jagani, on viola, to perform a string trio in G major (op. 16/6) by German composer Karl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787). Faculty John McGinn and Wolfgang Lueckel will perform piano duo pieces by Franz Shubert (1797-1828), including the famous “Fantasy in F minor” (op. 103 D940) that he wrote toward the end of his life and a cycle of three marches “Trios Marches Militaires” (op. 51). Austin College senior Allison Lloveras will perform a piano solo piece by Franz Liszt.

This is the last event in a series of events presented by the German program after Austin College’s selection by the German Embassy in Washington, D.C, to be a project partner for presentations on 25 Years Since Fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall came down on November 9, 1989, and marked a new era in German history. As a former symbol of repression, the fall of the Berlin Wall has become an icon of freedom and peaceful revolution, according to the embassy materials.

The German Embassy’s 25 Years Fall of the Berlin Wall website describes the campaign as an attempt not only to celebrate the fall of the wall but also to reflect on a formerly divided Germany. The anniversary was marked by several events on campus, headed by faculty and students from various disciplines, including art, music, and theatre, and included a campus essay contest and photo contest, a celebration of German food, a bilingual reading, and more.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Austin College Choirs to Present Concert

Austin College | Sherman, TX
November 15, 2014

The choirs at Austin College will present a concert on Sunday,

Photo courtesy of  Austin College 

November 16, at 3 p.m. in Wynne Chapel on the Austin College campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

Four vocal ensembles will perform a wide variety of music including traditional a cappella choral music, music for women's choir, vocal jazz, and a cappella pop. The 45-voice Austin College A Cappella Choir will sing a range of traditional pieces from the Romantic and 20th century literature, as well as a selection of spirituals. The Quartette, Descant, and Consort also will perform. These small ensembles specialize in a cappella vocal jazz and pop arrangements.
Local members of the choirs are senior Sarah Davis, junior Clarice Davidchik, and sophomore Libby Jennings, all of Sherman, plus senior Phillip Peterman and sophomore Hunter Sartor of Denison.

The groups are led by Dr. Wayne Crannell, who became director of choral/vocal music at Austin College in 1995 when he assumed the leadership of the A Cappella Choir. During his tenure, the Choir has developed from an ensemble comfortable with standard unaccompanied choral literature to an extremely versatile choir modeled after the vocal styles of the ensembles at schools such as St. Olaf, Luther College, and Westminster Choir College.

Austin College has a long tradition in choral music, beginning with serenading clubs and the glee club in the 1890s and early 1900s.The Austin College A Cappella Choir officially was formed in 1947 and has earned a reputation for music excellence and performance around the world. The choir has performed in international tours throughout Europe and Australia.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Find more Austin College concerts and Special Events in the Lake Texoma area, visit www.texomaconnect.com.

Austin College Fall Chamber Music and Jazz Concert Austin

Austin College | Sherman, Texas

The Austin College Music Department will present the annual

Fall Chamber Music and Jazz Concert on November 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Wynne Chapel on the Austin College campus. Under the direction of Austin College Mosher Professor of Music Dr. Ricky Duhaime, the concert is free and open to the public.

This fall’s concert will consist of a first half devoted to the Austin College Chamber Orchestra performing two pieces for strings: An Overture by the German-American composer Jean Berger and a Viola Concerto in G Major by the German Baroque composer Geog Phillip Telemann. Featured soloist in the second work will be Austin College senior music major Rizwan Jagani. The second half of the concert will consist of a variety of big band jazz in traditional and contemporary styles, from swing to Latin to rock, as performed by the Greater Texoma Jazz Ensemble.

The Chamber Orchestra is comprised of Austin College students representing a wide diversity of academic majors and professional interests, who will be joined by Austin College music faculty members Cathy Richardson and John McGinn, Austin College Admissions staff professional Amanda Kisselle, and community member Greg Hendrix.

The Greater Texoma Jazz Ensemble consists of students, faculty, and community members from across Northeastern Texas and Southeastern Oklahoma. Performance venues for the Jazz Ensemble this year have included Bells, Denison, and Durant, in addition to Austin College and Sherman High School. The November 17 concert will feature soloists Chris Dickson and Paul Onspaugh (saxophones), Jesse Speer (trombone), Eric Brentzel and John Vietta (trumpets), David Moore (guitar), Phil Pitts (piano), and Richard Burleson (drums).

For additional information, contact the Austin College Music Department at 903.813.2251.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Be sure to check out other special events in the Texoma area on www.TexomaConnect.com.  If you love live music, the Entertainment Calendar is a great resource for finding dates, times and locations where local bands and nationally recognized recording artist are performing live.

Austin College Theatre Students Presents "a feminine ending"

SHERMAN, TEXAS

The Austin College theatre program will present Sarah Treem’s a

feminine ending in Ida Green Communication Center’s Ida Green Theatre October 30 through November 1 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $8 per person or free to students with an Austin College ID. Tickets may be purchased at the box office before each performance.

Directed by senior Anika Payne of Fort Worth, Texas, the comedy focuses on Amanda, a 25-year-old musician who has wanted to be a great composer all her life. The publisher describes the play as a gentle, bittersweet comedy about a girl who knows what she wants but not quite how to get it, noting “Her parents are getting divorced; her fiancé is almost famous; her first love reappears; and there's a lot of noise in her head but none of it is music. Until the end.” The play has been described as a coming‐of‐age narrative with an unconventional structure, directly related to the problems of identity, work, and finding and answering one’s calling in life. The title refers to a musical term for a phrase or movement that ends in an unstressed note.

Payne, the student director said, “I think that the show will help people my age look at their choices and realize that the prospects ahead of us may be daunting, but that doesn't mean we should stop following our dreams. We’re going to be playing with the use of live music representing Amanda's subconscious; I think it's going to be a fun night for everyone!”

The cast for the production includes senior Sarah Wilhelm of Arlington, Texas, as Amanda Blue; sophomore Nikhil Jaisinghani of Plano, Texas, as Billy Theebles; sophomore Keaton Raney of Paris, Texas. as Jack Handel; senior Epiphany Arvie of Grand Prairie, Texas, as Kim Blue; junior Greyson Sanders of Springfield, Ohio, as David Blue; and junior Phillip Friedman of Temple, Texas, as Amanda’s Subconscious.

Stage Manager is junior Tabatha Keton of Baytown, Texas, with assistant stage managers sophomore Caroline Hodge of Carrollton, Texas, and freshman Marissa Wilkinson of Portland, Oregon. Other production staff members include senior Edgar Rodriguez of Odessa, Texas, and freshman Gavin Haubrich of Carrollton, Texas, completing set design, and senior Liz Banks of Arlington, Texas, as light designer. Senior Stefany Cruz of Plano, Texas, and sophomore Noelle Low of Sunnyvale, Texas, did costume design with consultation from junior Johanna Hunter of Plano, Texas. Junior Reed Cook of Owasso, Oklahoma, and junior Phillip Friedman of Temple, Texas, did sound design. Props were arranged by junior Travis Kannarr of Richardson, Texas, and sophomore Kelvin Lane of Plano, Texas. Board operators are senior Emily Everts of Fort Worth, Texas, and senior Braedon Mitchell of San Antonio, Texas.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Austin College ’Roo Boo Comes Early This Halloween

SHERMAN, TEXAS  | October 26, 2014

The 15th annual ’Roo Boo at Austin College, hosted by the local chapter of Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity, will be held Wednesday, October 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Sid Richardson Center of the Robert T. Mason Athletic-Recreation Complex, off Brockett Street and just east of the football stadium. The event is held earlier than usual this fall due to Homecoming activities on the campus October 30 and 31.

Children 12 and younger are invited to wear their costumes to this free event. Parental supervision is required. Austin College Police will be on patrol during the event.

The event is a safe alternative to traditional trick-or-treating and will include many tables set up by campus organizations offering various games, booths, and prizes. Plenty of free candy is available for participants. Austin College student volunteers will be dressed in costume for the Halloween celebration.

Local businesses are asked to make donations of gift certificates for the Austin College event by contacting Alpha Phi Omega event organizers Victoria “Tory”  Gary at vgary13@austincollege.edu and Karisma Sheth at ksheth13@austincollege.edu, or call the Office of Public Affairs at 903.813.2891.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

For more Halloween Events in the Texoma area, visit TexomaConnect. 

Austin College fall symposium: “Mesoamerica and Beyond: A Look at Origins and Lifeworlds”

The Austin College Center for Southwestern andMexican Studies is hosting two lectures this week for its annual fall symposium, focusing this year on “Mesoamerica and Beyond: A Look at Origins and Lifeworlds” and examining ancient México, the Caribbean, and South America. Both lectures are free and open to the public.

Austin College Wright Center

Dr. Robert Kruger will present “Seeds of a Civilization: Mesoamerica and the Mighty Corn Plant at its Heart” on Wednesday, October 22, at 4:30 p.m. in Wright Campus Center, Room 231.

Dr. Iván Márquez will speak Thursday, October 23, at 11 a.m. in Wright Campus Center, Room 231, sharing “Philosophical Reflections on Indigenous Mesoamerican, South American, and Afro-Caribbean Lifeworlds.”

Kruger holds a Ph.D. in anthropology, specializing in Mesoamerican archaeology, from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a specialist in Olmec culture, with research interests in the socioeconomic organization of the household and how they integrate into larger sociopolitical structures, as well as early uses of domesticated plants, especially Zea mays (corn) among the Olmec. He teaches archaeology at the Universidad Veracruzana in Veracruz, Mexico, and is the resident director of BCA Study Abroad Mexico – Xalapa, Veracruz, where he has developed interactive experiences in social justice for BCA students through cooperative efforts with Matraca A.C., an organization working with child workers on the streets of Xalapa.

Márquez is a member of the faculty at Texas State University where he teaches a wide range of philosophy courses. He received his doctorate from Indiana University. His recent research focuses on contemporary Latin American social and political thought, hybridization, postoccidentalism, postdevelopment, and transmodernity.

Julie Hempel, associate professor of Spanish at Austin College, is director of the College’s Center for Southwestern and Mexican Studies.

The Austin College Center for Southwestern and Mexican Studies promotes collaborative learning between students of the College and faculty members, with special emphasis on the historical, cultural, social, economic, and political issues facing Texas and Mexico. The Center seeks to prepare its students, and the College community at large, to meet challenges and opportunities focusing on the relationship between Mexico and the southwestern United States.

About Austin College

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

For more events in the Lake Texoma area, visit www.texomaconnect.com

Austin College Lecture Will Examine Johnny Appleseed

Austin College will host 1985 alumnus and history professor William Kerrigan presenting the address, “Johnny Appleseed: St. Francis or Steve Jobs?,” Friday, October 24, at 1:30 p.m. in Hoxie Thompson Auditorium of Sherman Hall. The lecture, sponsored by the ‘Roos Who Write Conference and the Austin College History Department, is free and open to the public.

Kerrigan, the Cole Distinguished Professor of American History at Muskingum College in Ohio, wrote the book Johnny Appleseed and the American Orchard: A Cultural History, published in 2012. The book tells the story of Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman’s life, as discovered during Kerrigan’s 15 years of research that included following by boat, on foot, and by kayak several portions of Appleseed’s path.

The Amazon.com review of the book includes, “Creating a startling new portrait of the eccentric apple tree planter, William Kerrigan carefully dissects the oral tradition of the Appleseed myth and draws upon material from archives and local historical societies across New England and the Midwest. The character of Johnny Appleseed stands apart from other frontier heroes like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, who employed violence against Native Americans and nature to remake the West. His apple trees, nonetheless, were a central part of the agro-ecological revolution at the heart of that transformation. Yet men like Chapman, who planted trees from seed rather than grafting, ultimately came under assault from agricultural reformers who promoted commercial fruit stock and were determined to extend national markets into the West. Over the course of his life, John Chapman was transformed from a colporteur of a new ecological world to a curious relic of a pre-market one. Weaving together the stories of the Old World apple in America and the life and myth of John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed and the American Orchard casts new light on both.”

Kerrigan is visiting Austin College in connection with the ’Roos Who Write Conference that will continue during Homecoming Weekend on the campus and involve numerous alumni engaged in writing—from novelists to song writers to academics. Austin College Professor of English Carol Daeley is coordinating the event. For more information on the conference, see www.austincollege.edu/rooswhowrite.

At Muskingum, Kerrigan teaches courses in American history and his research interests are in the antebellum and Civil War eras, as well as American cultural and environmental history. He is the author of numerous articles and oral history projects. The teacher, who has won several Muskingum teaching and service awards, participated in a five-week National Endowment for the Humanities Seminar on American Maritime History in Mystic, Connecticut, in 2012. He also serves a Muskingum archivist and, with students, has completed several archive projects and exhibitions, including “Muskingum: The First 175 Years” during the 2011-2012 academic year.

After completing his Austin College degree, Kerrigan earned a master’s degree at Texas Christian University and a Ph.D. at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter

 SHERMAN, TEXAS | Austin College

Austin College will offer free grant-research training Tuesday, October 14, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and Thursday, October 16, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.. Both sessions, open to the general public with advance registration, will be held in the SISD Training Classroom on the first floor of Jackson Technology Center at Austin College. To register, email Brittany Derebery, session leader and Austin College director of foundation relations, at bderebery@austincollege.edu or call her at  903-813-2423.

Jackson Technology Center at Austin College

In the sessions, “Introduction to Finding Funders,” participants will learn how to use the Foundation Directory Online (www.fdo.foundationcenter.org) to find potential funders for nonprofit organizations. At the end of the session, attendees will have opportunity to try the resources, ask questions, and network with other attendees.

Austin College is now a Funding Information Network partner with the Foundation Center of New York, making a collection of resources available to grant seekers in the region. Announcing the partnership, Austin College President Marjorie Hass said that providing this resource is an additional way in which Austin College seeks to be a good partner with the larger community.

Find directions to campus and a campus map: www.austincollege.edu/about/campus-info/.

Two computers in Abell Library Center on the campus are dedicated exclusively to the Funding Information Network. Staff at the Circulation Desk can direct individuals to the computer stations. No logins are necessary to access the information database.

Funding Information Network partners provide under-resourced and underserved populations in need of vital information and training with tools they can use to become successful grant seekers. Located throughout the country and around the world, Funding Information Network partners offer free access to the Foundation Center’s detailed information on grant makers and applying for grants. The Center’s core collection of resources includes Foundation Directory Online, profiling more than 110,000 U.S. grant makers; Foundation Grants to Individuals Online; Philanthropy In/Sight; print directories; and proposal writing guides. Funding Information Network locations also hold training sessions on how to effectively use these resources and identify potential funders. Find more information:http://www.austincollege.edu/library/funding-information-network/

The partnership with the Foundation Center of New York is part of the newly developing Austin College Center for Community and Regional Development.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

'Summer Science Splash Camp' for middle schoolers begins at Austin College in 2014

By Austin College

the Idea Center at Austin College

SHERMAN, TEXAS--Middle school students who love science or want to

The Summer Science Splash Camp is now accepting registrations on the Austin College website: www.austincollege.edu/sciencesplash. The camp is sponsored by the II-VI Foundation and hosted by and conducted on the Austin College campus.

Austin College sessions for summer 2014 will be offered July 13 – 18 and July 20 – 25. Because of the generous support of the II-VI Foundation, registration for the camp, including programming and room and board, is offered at the reduced cost of only $300 per student ($1,130 value). Registration includes all activities and a camp t-shirt. Each session is designed for only 60 participants (waiting lists will be maintained).

Learning teams of 12 students and one teacher will work in labs and classrooms with curriculum prepared in conjunction with Austin College faculty. Campers will be engaged in team competitions in daily experiments and in their evening activities.

All meals will be provided in the Austin College dining hall, offering healthy and tasty food choices. Campers with any dietary needs should report that to the camp director upon registration. Students will live with camp counselors in Austin College air-conditioned residence halls.

Participants should bring their own linens and all personal toiletries as well as clothing for recreation (including swimming) and appropriate lab attire, which includes closed-toe shoes, long pants, and non-baggy clothing.

Summer Splash Programs at Juniata College in Pennsylvania and Eckerd College in Florida, both sponsored by the II-VI Foundation, have received high praise from participants.

The II-VI Foundation is headquartered in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, and operates with the mission to “encourage and enable students to pursue a career in engineering, science, and mathematics while maintaining a standard of excellence in that pursuit.” The foundation aims to fulfill its mission through early education initiatives, undergraduate scholarships, the Undergraduate Research Program, and a Block-Gift Program for graduate student support. The foundation supports research at Austin College in addition to the new summer program.

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives.

learn more are invited to the newly instituted “Summer Science Splash Camp” at Austin College during summer 2014. No particular advance science knowledge is required; students should come motivated to learn and have fun in the process. The week-long residential summer camp includes research and science exploration led by certified science teachers during the day and plenty of fun activities outside the lab in the late afternoon and evening, supervised by camp counselors who are well-trained Austin College students.

For information on other youth camps in the Greater Texoma area, visit www.texomaconnect.com  Find lots of fun activities in Art, Theater, Cooking Classes, Natural Science programs and more!  the 2014 calendar will be updated by the end of March.

Children invited to do "Spooky Science"

An Austin College student in the science lab is nothing unusual; students


Idea Center, Austin College

being in the lab on Saturday afternoon—with elementary school students alongside them—is a bit out of the ordinary.
But on Saturday, October 19, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., that is exactly the plan. Representatives of the Austin College Service Station, a student organization dedicated to community involvement, will host children in grades K-8 from the Sherman, Denison, and surrounding areas for ‘Roo Bound, a free Saturday program offering themed activities that promote fun through hands-on learning.

The focus of October ‘Roo Bound is “Spooky Science.” With activities developed by Austin College’s Chemical Society, Pre-Med Society, KangaRAAS Dance Organization, and the Service Station, children will gear up for Halloween by doing kid-friendly science in Austin College’s new IDEA Center, a state-of-the-art, 103,000-square-foot science facility.

As the name suggests, ‘Roo Bound is intended to be more than a unique Saturday spent on the Austin College campus. “It’s meant to make college seem like more of a possibility, particularly for those who will be the first in their families to pursue college,” said Savanah Low, a member of the Service Station Board who is working with other students, faculty, and staff to ensure that ‘Roo Bound is a success.

‘Roo Bound will expose children to college culture in a safe, fun environment and will help paint a picture of the college experience by allowing the children to explore the Austin College campus with current students. Children will receive “passports” that will be stamped as they visit various facilities around the campus, including classrooms, labs, and the dining hall, where they’ll receive a free buffet lunch compliments of Aramark and the Service Station.

“The one thing that excites me the most is the hands-on aspect,” said Dr. Julia Shahid, associate professor of education. “It’s like a field trip: hands-on, minds-on.” The youthful instructors of ‘Roo Bound – Austin College students – will bring an enthusiasm that cannot be matched, she said. “To have the children interact with our students is just so powerful,” Shahid said. ‘Roo Bound also offers a learning experience for Austin College students. “This will provide the opportunity for our
students to teach and to see the joy of teaching,” Shahid said. “Spooky Science” will be the first program ’Roo Bound program; organizers plan to host themed Saturday events once per
month throughout the academic year. Each event will be coordinated by the Service Station in conjunction with Austin College student organizations.

Austin College invites students in grades K-8 to attend “Spooky Science.” No registration is required. Interested children are simply invited to arrive at Zauk Circle, 900 N. Grand Ave., at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 19. Call the Service Station at (903)-813-2333 for more information.
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of
international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives.

For more information about events in the Greater Texoma area, visit www.texomaconnect.com. 

Dino Days Lecture Series Concludes

Sherman Museum Lunch Lecture Series
Press Release

The Sherman Museum  announced that its DINO DAYS 2013 Lecture Series will conclude Friday, July 26, 2013, with a noon-time lecture by Professor David Baker. Professor Baker will speak on the subject, “Extreme Change: What Killed the Dinosaurs?”. The event will begin at noon and last until 1:00 p.m. The event is free to the public; however, admission to the museum’s DINO DAYS exhibition requires a fee.

David Baker, chair of the Austin College Department of Physics,takes teaching to extremes—extreme places that is. The physicist and his colleague Todd Ratcliff, planetary geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, have written The 50 Most Extreme
Places in Our Solar System. “I love exploring extreme things on Earth and other planets. From intense local thunderstorms to the wildest reaches of our Solar System, I strive to remain objective to
the science and simultaneously allow myself to be awe-struck by the phenomena. What can I say -- I find extreme stuff fun and exciting to study!”

About DINO DAYS 2013
DINO DAYS 2013 is the only large-scale exhibition of dinosaur fossils and fossil
castings in Grayson County. The two-month-long exhibition (June 4 – August 3, 2013)
includes fossil representation from more than twenty different dinosaurs, including
Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Allosaurus, Bellusaurus, and Velociraptor. The
educational component of the exhibition is Dino Academy, a workshop series for
children interested in prehistoric life. Other features of the exhibition include a Dino Dig
and 3-D dinosaur documentary movies.

The Sherman Museum is located at 301 South Walnut in Sherman, Texas.

About The Sherman Museum
The Sherman Museum is a non-profit 501(c) (3) educational organization devoted to
collecting, preserving and interpreting objects of historical significance to Grayson
County and the Greater North Texas Region. The museum was previously known as
The Red River Historical Museum prior to a name change in March 2011.
For more information about The Sherman Museum visit www.theshermanmuseum.org.

For more events in the Texoma Area, visit www.texomaconnect.com.