The Yellow Sheet for April 10April 10, 2008 | Volume 40, Number 27

Volume 40, Number 27

• News & Announcements
• Campus Happenings
• Off-Campus Events
• Extraordinary People
• Student News
• Position Openings
• Congregational Outreach
• Funding Opps
• In the Media
• Plugs
• Calendar of Events
• Submit an Item Online

News & Announcements

Titan Arum Rises Again... Perry the Corpse Flower is growing again, this time to produce a titanic leaf. It will be one of the largest leaves ever produced in this state. For further details, see the blog and webcam links at http://arboretum.blog.gustavus.edu/category/titan-arum/. Also feel free to stop by the greenhouse to view the leaf's progress. A smaller Titan Arum, "Bob" (named after Brian O'Brien—B O'B, get it?), is going to flower very soon at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park in St. Paul. Gustavus donated that plant to the conservatory in 2004. For the conservatory's blog and webcam links, see http://www.comozooconservatory.org/cons/gardenblog.shtml.

Children's Sports Clinic Offered... A free "Little Gustie Basketball & Volleyball Clinic" is scheduled for Sunday, April 13, 1-2 p.m., at Lund Center. It's open to boys and girls in 3rd-6th grade and will be staffed by members of the Gustavus volleyball and women’s basketball teams. The goal of this clinic is to introduce the participants to the basic skills of basketball and volleyball in a fun and interactive way. Participants will be divided up according to age, nets will be lowered, and several fun games will be introduced to keep everyone active for the entire hour. No pre-registration necessary—just check in at 12:45 p.m. at the Lund Center Forum on April 13.

Gustavus to Host Undergrad Geography Symposium... On Saturday, April 26, the Department of Geography will host the annual Midwest Undergraduate Geography Symposium. Students from Minnesota and Wisconsin, including many Gustavus students, will present their research and join one of four local field trips led by Gustavus professors. A $12 registration fee also includes lunch and the field trip. For more information, contact Judith Helmeke (jhelmek2@gustavus.edu).

Annual Author Tea Scheduled... The Folke Bernadotte Library and the Book Mark have set the date for the annual Gustavus Author Tea. It's scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. The following books released during the past year and their authors will be feted:
       Esbj! by the late Robert Esbjornson (religion) and Dennis Johnson (college relations, ret.)
       Covenantal Conversations, edited by Darrell Jodock (religion)
       Le Premier Regard (The First Gaze), by Laurent Déchery (French)
       The Collections of the National Gallery of Art, Systematic Catalogue, Renaissance Medals          (Volume One: Italy; Volume Two: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and England),          technical contributions by Donald Myers (art & art history, Hillstrom Museum of Art)
       Controversies in Political Theology, by Thia Cooper (religion)
       In the Wind, by Barbara Fister (library)
If you're aware of any other books released in the past year and written or edited by community members, call Judy Schultz (x6017); she will also be contacting department chairs to be sure they haven't overlooked anyone. Watch for more information, including the site of the tea, in a future YS.

Friends of the Linnaeus Arboretum Membership Appeal... Don’t forget to send in your Arboretum membership (special Arbor Day rate of $35 for an individual membership, and a tree sapling with each membership as supplies last). This offer is good until Arbor Day (Friday, April 25). Become a member now! Contact shirley@gustavus.edu with questions.

Campus Happenings

Chapel Schedule... All are invited to the worship services at 10 a.m. weekdays and 10:30 a.m. Sundays in Christ Chapel. The upcoming schedule is as follows:

• Friday, April 11 - Barb Larson Taylor (alumni relations)
• Sunday, April 13 - Chaplain Rachel Larson
  
• Monday, April 14 - Student Senate Induction
• Tuesday, April 15 - Sarah Reuss (senior student)
• Wednesday, April 16 - Morning Praise
• Thursday, April 17 - Juliet Schor, CVR guest speaker
• Friday, April 18 - CVR

Faculty Shop Talk... Anne-Marie Gronhovd (MLLC) will present the next Faculty Shop Talk of the 2007-08 academic year. Her talk, titled "Morocco at the Crossroads of Muslim and Western Worlds," will be presented on Friday, April 11, at 4:30 p.m. in the Interpretive Center. Feel free to arrive any time after 4:15 p.m. The abstract for this and future talks may be viewed at gustavus.edu/events/shoptalks/.

Spring Dance Concert This Weekend... The Department of Theater and Dance announces the spring performance of the Gustavus Dance Company (GDC). The dance concert, titled "Old/New, Fast/Slow, Movement/Stillness," is a dynamic compilation of works choreographed and performed by Gustavus dance faculty and students as well as several prominent guest artists. Performances will be held in the Anderson Theater, Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m.
     The concert opens with Moonlight, a quartet originally choreographed by internationally acclaimed artists Joanie Smith and Danial Shapiro, who together formed Shapiro and Smith Dance; Laura Selle Virtucio, a longtime company member of Shapiro and Smith Dance who has taught at Gustavus for the past two years, has restaged the piece. Past Lost/Past Found is a solo choreographed by Gustavus faculty artist Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner for Melissa Rolnick, who recently joined the faculty. It is followed by Kaleidoscopic Splendor, a sampling of Rolnick's own choreography originally commissioned by Glendale Community College in Glendale, Ariz., but now reconfigured to include creative input from Gustavus students. Wee Violence, originally choreographed by Shapiro and Smith, has been restaged by Smith and Laura Selle Virtucio as a solo for senior Britta Peterson; it is performed to spoken text accompaniment. Closing the first half of the concert is the premiere of Gutierrez-Garner's Shiny Things for the Mind.
     Opening the second half is the colorful and provocative dear diary..., choreographed by students Britta Peterson and Emily Bulling and originally presented in the Dance Gallery last November. Tongue N Chair: 2 is a duet set by Melissa Rolnick and performed by seniors Noemi Lopez and Britta Peterson. Shifting to a completely different genre, Christian DeMarais, a first-year student at Gustavus and a member of the Keane Sense of Rhythm Professional Tap Company, will perform his tap solo Gotta Get Through This. Closing this year's concert is Vigorous Incubation, choreographed by Gutierrez-Garner, which recently received top honors at the North Central Regional American College Dance Festival Association Conference and an invitation to perform at the biennial American College Dance Festival in New York City. (In addition, all seven dancers in this piece were nominated as an ensemble for the prestigious ACDFA/Dance Magazine Award for Outstanding Student Performer.)
     Tickets for the concert are required, as all seating is reserved. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Gustavus students, faculty, and staff receive complimentary tickets. Tickets may be purchased through the Student Activities Office or by calling the Gustavus Ticket Center at 933-7590.

Math and the Arts, Part One... The first-ever Math/Computer Science Faculty Art Exhibit opens Monday, April 14, in the lobby of the third floor of Olin Hall. Lois Peterson (art & art history) is the curator for the exhibit, which includes weavings, needlework, origami, woodworking, hand-tied fly-fishing lures, and other creative visual work produced by the faculty of the MCS Department. This exhibition is an extraordinary example of just what happens when you have an artist share space with mathematicians, computer scientists, and statisticians. An opening reception will be held 4:30-6 p.m. on April 14. Work will be on display through April 30.

Lecture Addresses Sustainability and Americans' Lifestyles... Juliet Schor, noted author and professor of sociology at Boston College, will be at Gustavus on Thursday, April 17, to present an address titled "Getting to Sustainability: Changes in Everyday Life." Her address is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Heritage Room in the Campus Center and is open to all. Schor is author of the national best-seller The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure (a book released in 1992 that is widely credited for influencing the national debate on work and family) and The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need. She is currently working on issues of environmental sustainability and their relation to Americans' lifestyles. Schor has served as a consultant to the United Nations, at the World Institute for Development Economics Research, and to the United Nations Development Program.

Arboretum to Mark Arbor Week with Trees and Nature Topics... Linnaeus Arboretum will host its second "Trees for Heart, Trees for Mind, Trees for Spirit" program, a series of short presentations over the lunch hour on Wednesday, April 23, through Friday, April 25, to celebrate Arbor Week. Topics will focus on ways that trees and nature fuel our physical, educational, and spiritual lives. Attendees will receive a native tree sapling for each session they attend. Some lunch items will be available for purchase. If you have any questions, contact Emily (x7199). The schedule is as follows:

• Wednesday, April 23, 11:30 a.m. - “Yoga in the Arboretum” - Kari Lipke (chaplains' office, Community Service Center)
• Wednesday, April 23, noon - “The Importance of Play and Chance to Dance” - Michele Rusinko (theatre & dance)
• Wednesday, April 23, 12:30 p.m. - “Negative Effects of Nature Withdrawal” - Bonnie Reimann (HES) and Aaron Banks (HES)
• Wednesday, April 23, 1 p.m. - “Local Biking Routes” - Brian Koeneman (Career Center)
• Thursday, April 24, 11:30 a.m. - “Expanding the Arboretum: Coneflower Prairie” - Emily Hoefs (biology, Linnaeus Arboretum)
• Thursday, April 24, noon - “Birding with Bob” - Bob Dunlap (senior student)
• Thursday, April 24, 12:30 p.m. - “Geology of the St. Peter Area” - James Welsh (geology)
• Thursday, April 24, 1 p.m. - “Interpreting the Spring Landscape” - Jim Gilbert (environmental studies)
• Friday, April 25, 11:30 a.m. - “Tai Chi in the Arboretum Meditation Area” - Gretchen Koehler (HES, emerita) – meet in the Natural Meditation Area of the Arboretum
• Friday, April 25, noon - “Natural Labyrinths” - Rachel Larson (chaplains' office)
• Friday, April 25, 12:30 p.m. - “Sewing the Seeds of Vocation” - Chris Johnson (CVR)
• Friday, April 25, 1 p.m. - “Finding Musical Inspiration” - Karl Anderson (bagpipes)

Math and the Arts, Part Two (Vectors, Verses, and Votes)... Mathematics, politics, and poetry may seem like an unlikely combination, but all three will be coming together on the Gustavus campus on May 1. Mathematician Francis Edward Su, who has won awards for his skill at explaining math to a general audience, will deliver a lecture connecting mathematics to the ability of voters to find common ground. And Professor Su's lecture will be preceded by the reading of the three finalists from a student poetry contest themed around mathematics and voting. The combination lecture and poetry reading will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, in Olin Hall's Room 103. It is free and open to the public. Full information on the lecture and on the poetry contest is available on the following two web pages: http://mcs.blog.gustavus.edu/2008/02/27/voting-in-agreeable-societies/ and http://mcs.blog.gustavus.edu/2008/03/12/poetry-contest/.

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Chamber Spring Social on April 12... The St. Peter Chamber of Commerce will host "An Evening in the Vineyards," its annual spring social event, at Gustavus on Saturday, April 12. The festive evening begins at 6 p.m. with a wine-tasting reception compliments of Morgan Creek Vineyards and Bellboy Corporation. A silent auction and three-course Tuscan-style dinner follow, with a live auction send-off to close the evening. Reservations, at $25 per person, may be made by calling the Chamber at 934-3400 by the end of the workday today, April 10.

Presentation Focuses on Federal Budget... The School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) will host a presentation titled “The Federal Budget - Fiscal Plan and Moral Statement” on Wednesday, April 16, 6:15-8 p.m. at the Good Counsel Provincial House (170 Good Counsel Drive, Mankato). The session, part of the SSND's Justice Series, which addresses issues critical to the enablement of persons and the promotion of human dignity, will be held in the SSND conference center and is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be collected. For more information call the Provincial House at 507-389-4200.

Eat a Steak for Habitat... Help raise money for the St. Peter Chapter of Habitat for Humanity by eating at the Mankato Timberlodge Steakhouse on Friday, April 18. Mention "Habitat" to your server and 15 percent of your total check will be donated to the St. Peter Chapter. The current Habitat home is being built at the high school for a Gustavus employee—Gusties helping Gusties!

It's Spring—Treat Yourself to Some 'Bling'!... All are invited to a Lia Sophia Jewelry Party fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The open house will take place on Friday, April 18, 5-7 p.m. at the St. Peter Red Men's Club, hosted by Candy Witte (Dining Service) and family. On Mother's Day (Sunday, May 11) Witte and her family will once again put on their walking shoes and participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Mall of America, walking in support of those battling breast cancer, to celebrate those who have survived, and to honor those who have been lost. But more importantly, they walk to raise money for education, screening, treatment, and research programs. If you can't make it to the party but would like to make a donation, contact Candy in the Dining Service.

'High Tea' at Arts Center... Join your friends on May 4, 3:30-5 p.m., at the Arts Center of Saint Peter (315 S. Minnesota Ave.) for "Creativi-Tea" (High Tea), the closing event of the center's current exhibition, "Women Celebrating Women: Women's Vision." Tickets are available at the Arts Center of Saint Peter.

Extraordinary People

Lisa Heldke (philosophy) presented an invited lecture, "Staying Home for Dinner: Ruminations on Local Foods in Cosmopolitan Society," as part of a one-day conference titled "Food, Ethnic Identities and Memory," sponsored by the University of Iowa Center for Ethnic Studies and the Arts and Department of American Studies. Unfortunately, she was not selected to do color commentary for the concluding event of the conference, an "Iron Chef" competition.

Paula Swiggum (nursing) had a research article, "Nursing Student Caring Behaviors during Blood Pressure Measurement," published in the March 2008 edition of the Journal of Nursing Education.

Trisha Wheelock (religion) read a paper at the regional meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Her paper, titled "Drunk and Disorderly: A Bakhtinian Reading of the Banquet Scenes in the Book of Esther," advocates an alternative reading of the Esther text using Bakhtin's literary concept dialogism.

Chris Gilbert (political science) and Paul Djupe '93 (Denison University) had their article "Politics in Church: Byproduct or Central Mission?" published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

On April 3, Eric Dugdale (classics) gave a public lecture at the University of Melbourne titled "Feeling the Pain: Empathy in Greek Tragedy."

Julie Gilbert (library) presented a session with Amy Fry (formerly on the library staff) at the Electronic Resources & Libraries (ER&L) Conference in Atlanta, Ga., on March 19. The presentation, "Expanded Search Premier Complete: Librarian and Undergraduate Attitudes toward Interdisciplinary Aggregated Databases," utilized a variety of methods to examine ways in which general, interdisciplinary databases fall short in meeting the research needs of undergraduates.

Student News

Senior Allison (Addie) Ryan has been granted a Fulbright Scholarship for the 2008-09 academic year. Ryan will take classes and research the effects of microfinance projects directed at women in Morocco. Ryan is the fifth Gustavus student since 1996 to be named a Fulbright scholar.

Two Gusties, David Guptill and David Pearson, received honorable mentions in the 2008 Goldwater Scholarship competition.

Seven Gustavus students will be presenting their research at the 235th American Chemical Society meeting in New Orleans, La., a national meeting held twice a year that highlights research endeavors in chemistry throughout the world. The seven students, junior and senior chemistry and biochemistry majors, will be presenting posters on the research they have conducted here at Gustavus. Their presentations will be in the ACS divisions of physical, inorganic, and environmental chemistry. The students participating, and their faculty mentors, are Mallory Richards and Emily Pelton (faculty member: Amanda Nienow); Molly Beernink, Nate Erickson, and Nathaniel Swenson (Jonathan Smith); and Veronica Taylor and Leigh Clanton (Brandy Russell). The students prepared and submitted abstracts last fall for presentation at this spring's national meeting, and their posters represent the results of their own, individual research.

Position Openings

• Administrative Assistant (Departments of Biology and Geology, shared)
• Finance Manager (Office of International Education)
• Financial Assistance Clerk (Office of Student Financial Assistance)
• Market Place A.M. Cook (Dining Service)

For more information on the aforementioned position(s), call human resources (x7304).

Congregational Outreach

Partners in Education... Presenters for this week include the Rev. Grady St. Dennis (church relations), who will be giving a talk, "Observing the Speed Limit of Life," at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minn., this Sunday, April 13, at 9:45 a.m. On the same date, Sujay Rao (history) will be speaking at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Peter, Minn., at 9:30 a.m. on the topic of immigration. Leila Brammer (communication studies) will be speaking to the Minnesota Valley Conference pastors this Tuesday, April 15, at 10:30 a.m. Partners in Education is a program coordinated by the Office of Church Relations in which participating faculty and staff members prepare topical presentations for adult forums, workshops, and seminars in congregations of the ELCA.

Retreats... The Office of Church Relations will host a confirmation retreat for Christus Victor Lutheran Church from Apple Valley, Minn., on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12. Church Relations will also host a retreat for Farmington Lutheran Church from Farmington, Minn., on April 12-13. St. Paul Lutheran Church from Wyoming, Minn., will be hosted from April 11 to April 13. Church Relations will also host a day retreat for St. John and Cross of Peace churches from Shakopee, Minn., on Saturday, April 12.

Gustavus Youth Outreach... Upcoming GYO trips include Farmington Lutheran Church in Farmington, Minn., on Saturday, April 12. This program, sponsored by the Office of Church Relations, consists of student team members who develop relational youth ministry programs in congregations, including church services, family night programs, and leading lock-ins.

Music in Worship... Gustavus Woodwind Choir, directed by Ann Pesavento, will be sharing their music with Our Savior's Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minn., this Sunday, April 13, at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services. Any Gustavus music ensemble or soloist is welcome to perform in congregations. For more information, contact Marilyn Beyer (x7001).

Funding Opps

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations' weekly program or funding opportunity highlight:

• Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program... The Fulbright Scholar Program of the Council for International Exchange of Scholars offers grants for college faculty to lecture and conduct research in 146 countries around the world. The purpose is to promote mutual understanding, establish long-term cooperation and create opportunities for institutional linkages. Faculty at every academic rank—from instructor to professor emeritus—are eligible. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Fulbright awards are available from two months to an academic year or longer. Grant stipends and benefits vary by country or regional program and type of award. The deadline for applications is August 1. For more information, please see http://www.cies.org/us_scholars/us_awards/. If you were unable to attend the recent on-campus Fulbright workshop and would like a copy of the Fulbright materials, please contact Cathy Blaukat at cblaukat@gustavus.edu or x6227.

For more information on grants or proposal preparation, contact Bob Weisenfeld in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (x7049 or bweis@gustavus.edu).

In the Media

Here are some noteworthy Gustavus-related stories that recently appeared in print or broadcast media around the nation:

• The St. Peter Herald printed a story about Ray Thrower (safety & security) in its March 27 “We Remember 3/29/98” special section. Thrower and Joe Pope (safety & security) were quoted in the story.
• MinnPost.com reporter Sharon Schmickle wrote a story on April 1 about Rydell Professor Frans de Waal.
• Minnesota Public Radio ran a story on April 2 on the Rodin exhibition at the Hillstrom Museum of Art.
• The St. Peter Herald printed a story in its April 3 edition about Phi Beta Kappa events at Gustavus on April 7.
• The Star Tribune mentioned that Gustavus drew 7,000 people to see its corpse flower last year in an April 5 story about the Como Zoo’s about-to-bloom corpse flower.
• The St. Paul Pioneer Press mentioned Gustavus and our corpse flower in an April 5 story about the Como Zoo’s corpse flower.
• KARE-11 mentioned Gustavus and showed video of the College's corpse flower in an April 5 story about the Como Zoo’s corpse flower.
• Sophomore student Jenny Syverson was the subject of a feature by Robb Murray in the April 7 edition of the Mankato Free Press after she received national attention as a spokesperson and advocate for victims of fibromyalgia. The article reported that she’ll be the official honoree at the Arthritis Walk on May 3 at Spring Lake Park in North Mankato, the only such walk taking place in southern Minnesota.

Anyone who has suggested additions for this list, suggestions for potential future media stories, or interest in being a media source should contact Marketing and Communication (x7520 or ga_news@gustavus.edu).

Plugs

Housing Sought: Visiting faculty and spouse seek housing for August 1 or mid-August 2008 through May 2009. Nonsmokers. Preference for garage and pet-friendly housing (although they don't currently have a pet). Contact Sarah at sdille@gustavus.edu.

"Plugs" is maintained as a forum by which members of the Gustavus community may offer goods and services to others in the community, or seek the same from them. It is not meant to accommodate ads or announcements from area businesses such as real estate agents and retailers, although from time to time such announcements may be published when deemed to be of particular interest to the community.

 



To add or change items on the calendar, please fill out and submit a College Calendar event form. View the entire College Calendar online.

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The Yellow Sheet is a newsletter for Gustavus Adolphus College employees produced by the Office of Marketing and Communication. It is published weekly during the academic year (except during the week of Thanksgiving, the Christmas break, Touring Week, and the Spring and Easter breaks). Anyone may submit items by filling out an online submission form. While online, e-mail submissions are preferred, items may also be submitted typewritten on a letter-sized sheet of paper. Send "snail mail" items to: The Yellow Sheet, Office of Marketing and Communication. Items must reach the office no later than 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. The week of Nobel Conference the deadline is 4:30 p.m. Monday. For more information, contact Steve Waldhauser (ga_news@gustavus.edu or x6413).

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