Inside Gustavus April 29, 2010 | Volume 42, Number 30

News & Announcements

Submission Glitch... Our apologies if you experienced difficulties when attempting to use the online process to submit items to Inside Gustavus last week. Apparently the link got corrupted and failed to send some submissions. The problem has now been corrected.

Hosts Needed for International Visitors... The Sister City steering committee is seeking interested faculty or staff who would be willing to host in their home two visitors from Petatlán, Mexico, from Friday, May 7, to Saturday, May 15. The visitors are two family members (one male and one female) from the family of the president of Petatlán who will be visiting St. Peter and Gustavus to attend the community Cinco de Mayo celebrations, formalize the sister-city relationship, and spend the week touring the community at large, including various planned activities at Gustavus. English-speaking ability is nominal, and so some minimal Spanish-speaking skills from the hosts would be preferable. Those interested may contact Gustavus student and sister-city intern Karen Wiessner at kwiessne@gustavus.edu. 

Ushers Sought for Commencement... Ushers are needed for the Gustavus commencement exercises on Sunday, May 30. Ushers should arrive by noon, and may leave after the ceremony starts at 2 p.m. Contact Dana Lamb at dlamb@gustavus.edu or x7550 to volunteer.   

T-Shirt Sales Benefit Student Scholarship... Eta Sigma Phi, the classics honors society, is selling T-shirts to support the establishment of the Flory-Freiert Fellowship, intended to fund student scholarship. The design of the T-shirt also honors the retirement of classics professor Will Freiert, whose name appears at the top of the front of the shirt in Greek letters. For the design, classics major (and Gustie of the Week) Karl Boettcher '11 adapted a black-figure vase painting by Exekias, which originally depicted the Greek heroes Achilles and Ajax playing a board game. Karl drew Freiert into the scene, showing him at the table observing the game in progress. Beneath the drawing is a Greek phrase that means "Best of the Achaeans (Greeks)." The cost of the T-shirt is $15, and for every shirt purchased, Eta Sigma Phi is donating $5 to the Flory-Freiert Fellowship. For more information about ordering the T-shirt, please contact the Eta Sigma Phi faculty adviser, assistant professor Mary R. McHugh.

Retirement Celebration for Mark Anderson... Mark Anderson (admission) will be feted at a retirement celebration on Wednesday, May 5, in Alumni Hall, and the entire community is invited. The reception will begin at 3:30 p.m., with a formal program starting at approximately 4:15 p.m. Mark retires this spring after 32 years of service to his alma mater. 

TIAA-CREF Rep Here Next Week... A TIAA-CREF representative will be on campus on May 3 and 4 for individual counseling sessions. There are a limited number of openings. To schedule an appointment or to discuss your plan and options for managing your retirement savings, call 800-732-8353, Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Reserve Your Place for the Service Awards Dinner... The annual Faculty and Administrator Service Awards dinner will be held on Thursday, May 20, in Alumni Hall, beginning with a social hour at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m. The College and the Gustavus Alumni Association will recognize 2009-10 retirees and the commitment of faculty and administrators who have served the College 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 years. Cost for the dinner is $10 per person. All are welcome to attend. You can register online at https://secure2.gac.edu/ecommerce/148 or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at x7511 by Friday, May 14. Individuals celebrating milestone anniversaries of service are listed below. If you are aware of any who may have been left off this list, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at x7511.

10 Years
Rebecca Fremo, associate professor of English and Writing Center director
Jon Janzen, assistant gymnastics coach
Brian Koeneman, internship director
Michele Koomen, assistant professor of education
Jane Lalim, assistant director of academic advising
Jillian Locke, associate professor of political science
Thomas LoFaro, professor of mathematics and computer science
Brett Petersen, head men’s hockey coach, arena manager
Michelle Twait, associate professor, library
Barbara Zust, associate professor of nursing

15 Years
Jennifer Ackil, associate professor of psychology
Greg Aune, associate professor of music
Heidi Carlson, assistant women’s tennis coach
Kari Eckheart, head volleyball coach, alcohol and drug education program coordinator for athletics
Cindy Johnson, professor of biology and environmental studies
Terry Morrow, associate professor of communication studies

20 Years
Florence Amamoto, associate professor of English
Eric Carlson, professor of history
Laurie Dietrich, planned gift administrator
Max Hailperin, professor of mathematics and computer science
Alan Meier, senior associate director of admission
Janice Nordstrom, circulation manager, library
Christine Sutton, custodial supervisor
Stacia Vogel, assistant vice president for marketing and communication
Phil Voight, assistant professor of communication studies
Steve Wright, associate professor of music

25 Years
Richard Aune, senior associate director of admission
Charles Niederriter, professor of physics
Brian O'Brien, professor of chemistry
Randall Stuckey, director of alumni relations

30 Years
George Georgacarakos, professor of philosophy
Bob Neuman, senior associate director of admission
Ron Timmerman, associate director of advancement services
Karen Zins, manager of the Book Mark

35 Years
Joel Jackson, network engineer, GTS

40 Years
Dick Martin, professor of psychology
Barbara Simpson, professor of psychology

45 Years
Horst Ludwig, associate professor of German
Bruce McClain, professor of art and art history

Retirees
Mark Anderson, vice president for enrollment management
Warren Bidwell, computer electronics technician, GTS
Donita Clifton, benefits coordinator
Will Freiert, professor of classics
Nancy Hardesty, director of advancement services
Roland Thorstensson, professor of Scandinavian studies

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 30 - Pamela Kittelson (biology)
• Sunday, May 2 - Chaplain Brian Johnson
• Monday, May 3 - Interfaith Observance: John Cha (religion)
• Tuesday, May 4 - Tom Emmert (history)
• Wednesday, May 5 - Morning Praise, with the Gustavus Choir
• Thursday, May 6 - Sean Tessmer and Emily Thayer, Student Senate co-presidents
• Friday, May 7 - Julie Johnson (advising center)

'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes'... Each year, an ever-increasing number of men, women, and their families are joining "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault, & Gender Violence." Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, scheduled in St. Peter for tonight (Thursday, April 29), is a fun opportunity for men to educate the community about a very serious subject and to rally the community to take action to prevent sexualized violence. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes asks men to literally walk one mile in women's high-heeled shoes. It's not easy walking in these shoes, but it's fun and it gets the community to talk about something that's really difficult to talk about: gender relations and sexual violence. For preventive education, it helps men better understand and appreciate women's experiences, thus changing perspectives, helping improve gender relationships and decreasing the potential for violence. For healing, it informs the community that services are available for recovery. It demonstrates that men are willing and able to be courageous partners with women in making the world a safer place. The awareness walk begins at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 29, followed by a BBQ in the Johns Family Courtyard. Sign up in the Peer Assistant Office. The first 50 people get a free T-shirt!

Gustavus Choir Presents Home Concert Saturday... The Gustavus Choir returns this week from it annual concert tour to present its Home Concert in Christ Chapel, Saturday, May 1, at 3 p.m. This performance, conducted by Gregory Aune, is free and open to the public. Now in its 78th year, the Gustavus Choir has toured extensively throughout the continental United States, and internationally in South Africa, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. This year's tour included stops in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Saturday's Home Concert is part of the College's annual Honors Day celebration.

Fulbright Scholar to Lecture on Campus... Dr. Eva Tagoe-Darko, a Fulbright Scholar from Ghana, will be delivering a public lecture titled "The Healing Bowl: Traditional Teachings and Practices for Child Care" on Monday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Olin Hall Room 103. Her visit is made possible by the generous support of the Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Program; the Office of the Provost; the Center for International and Cultural Education; the Diversity Center and Multicultural Programs; the Departments of Sociology and Anthropology, Nursing, Geography, and Communication Studies; the Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies Program; and the Peace Studies Program. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Drop In on the Longest Tennis Match... Gustavus will join with KARE 11 Television on May 3-4 as KARE 11 reporters David Watkins and Eric Perkins attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records record for longest tennis match, which is currently 36 hours, 36 minutes, and 36 seconds.  The match, which is the part of a series hosted by Watkins called Record Wreckers, will take place at the Swanson Tennis Center on the campus. It will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 3, and end during KARE 11’s 10 p.m newscast on Tuesday, May 4. The entire 36+ hour event will be carried live on the KARE 11 website (KARE11.com) and the pursuit of the record will be updated on the station’s 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newcasts on both Monday and Tuesday. Gustavus was approached by Watkins earlier this year as he was organizing his new series. He asked if the College would be interested in hosting the event, as he was hoping to feature legendary Gustavus tennis coach Steve Wilkinson as a part of the record attempt. Watkins stated, "Wilkinson has more conference titles, national titles, and individual titles than he knows what to do with. He has every coaching record in the books, except to coach the longest singles tennis match in history!" At the Swanson Tennis Center, Coach Wilkinson will be providing moral support to Watkins and Perkins, while the Gustavus athletic training staff under the direction of Troy Banse will be on site the entire match to help with any physical issues. In addition, Gustavus sports information director Tim Kennedy will keep score of every game during the entire match and serve as the representative for Guinness to verify the authenticity of the record. The public is welcomed to come and cheer on Watkins and Perkins as they attempt to break the world record.

Political Science Department Celebrates 40 Years... Joan Tronto, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota, will deliver a free public lecture on Wednesday, May 5, as part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the College's Department of Political Science. Her lecture, titled "What Will Political Science Look Like in 40 Years," will take place at 4:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center. Tronto, who received her Ph.D. from Princeton University, is an expert in contemporary political theory, feminist political theory, the feminist ethic of care, and democratic political theory. She is the author of numerous articles and the book Moral Boundaries: A Political Argument for an Ethic of Care (1993). She is also co-editor, with Cathy Cohen and Kathy Jones, of Women Transforming Politics: An Alternative Reader (1997). Tronto’s visit is made possible by a gift from Kathryn Christenson, whose late husband, Ron, founded the Political Science Department in 1970. For more information about Tronto’s lecture or the Political Science Department at Gustavus, contact department chair Jill Locke via e-mail at jlocke@gustavus.edu.

Festival of Dionysus to Be Presented... The Festival of Dionysus, a biennial theatrical festival in which Gustavus students perform scenes from ancient drama, is scheduled on Saturday, May 8, at 2 p.m. in Linnaeus Arboretum. This is the fifth iteration of the festival and promises to be the biggest by far, since this year the Department of Classics is combining it with a reunion of alumni, friends, and classicists to honor Will Freiert (classics) on the occasion of his retirement. The Festival of Dionysus is a striking and visually compelling example of the creativity of Gustavus students. Students direct, choreograph, and perform in their own adaptations of ancient drama. Original musical compositions, performances in masks, choral dances in Greek . . . all have been part of this extravaganza in the past.

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter at the Bothy... Chad Elliott will be performing at the Bothy Folk Club this Sunday evening, May 2.  The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is at the Eagle's Club (708 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato). Chad has earned accolades in the folk world over the past few years. Last year he won the Woody Guthrie songwriting contest. He has also been nominated as a finalist at Kerrville Folk Festival for their New Folk competition. He was chosen the winner of FolkAlley.com's Open Mic Finals and had a song chosen out of 300,000 songs as an award nominee for Top 20 New Folk Songs on Just Plain Folks, which put him on the list with such greats as Art Garfunkel, Lori McKenna, and Janis Ian. His musical talent has often been compared to Townes Van Zant and James Taylor. Don't miss this chance to hear one of folk music's most promising new voices. Tickets are $15 at the door ($12 if you're a Bothy member). You can preview Chad on his website.

Obituaries

• Longtime Gustavus concert choir director Philip Knautz (music, emeritus) died on April 26 in Colby, Wis. He was 86. A memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter, with visitation begining at noon at the church.
• Carol Heldke, mother of Lisa Heldke (philosophy), died on April 26, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis. She was 85. Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Rice Lake. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Appleyard's Home for Funerals in Rice Lake and for one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.
  

To inform the campus community of the death of a current student, employee, or trustee; an emeritus professor or trustee; or an immediate family member of a current employee, contact the Office of the President (x7538 or pleagjel@gustavus.edu). Death announcements and funeral notices for students, current and emeritus faculty and employees, and trustees will be sent to the community via written notice from the president, posted on community-l, the official campus-wide e-mail list, and published in the Inside Gustavus or Summer Scoop. Notices for immediate family members of current employees will be published in the Inside Gustavus or the Summer Scoop unless they occur during a publication break, in which case they will be posted on employee-l.

Congregational Outreach

Partners in Education... Presenters scheduled for this week include Mary Solberg (religion), who will be giving her talk, "Whatever happened to Martin Luther? A fresh look at Martin Luther and his works," at 9:15 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine, Minn. 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., Friday, April 30, through Saturday, May 1.

Music in Worship... Any Gustavus music ensemble or soloist is welcome to perform in congregations. For more information, contact Marilyn Beyer (x7001).

Telecommunications Updates

Following are changes and additions for the "Personnel Phone Directory 2009-10."

• Kimberly Berg to Kimberly Hogg, custodial, phone: x6140 (name change)       

For further information or corrections, contact Laura McCabe (x6261 or lmccabe@gustavus.edu).

Plugs

Home/Farm for Sale... Beautiful 10-acre spot in the country! Only 15 miles from St. Peter. The classy 4-bdrm., 2-bath home w/ steel siding has all of the charm of an older home including beautiful, refinished woodwork, hardwood floors, & built-in cabinets on either side of the columned archway between the living room & dining room. The barn with new roof has potential for a variety of animals, with access to the loft, which has been used for special events. Other buildings have great storage space. Contact Kathryn Erlandsen by phone (x6514) or e-mail (kerlands@gustavus.edu).

For Rent... 2-bedroom apartment adjacent to campus. All appliances, washer/dryer, microwave, dishwasher, disposal, A.C., full basement, garage with remote door opener. $800/month plus utilities. Available June. Call 507-380-2157.

"Plugs" is maintained as a forum by which members of the Gustavus community may offer goods and/or 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 or retailers, although from time to time such announcements may be published when deemed to be of particular interest to the community.

Thank-Yous

Thank You to the Community from Church Relations... The 23rd annual meeting of the College’s Association of Congregations (GACAC) was held on campus on Saturday, April 17. The Office of Church Relations would like to express thanks to the Gustavus community for preparing for and welcoming the 370+ participants who visited the campus and also to many who volunteered for the day. Special thanks to: Admission (Bob Neumann); Ambassadors (Chelsea Koepsell '10 - liaison, Claire Sagstuen '11); Book Mark (Karen Zins, Judy Schultz, sales staff); Center for Vocational Reflection (Amy Pehrson); Chapel Bells and Wind Quintet, directed by Laura Mahowald '10; the Chaplains' Office (Chaplain Brian Johnson, Kathy Chalhoub, Barbara Bjelland, Ben Wolf '11 and other students); Dining Service and catering (Steve Kjellgren, Margi Willmert, Kevin Birr, and staff); the Gustavus Choir, under the direction of Greg Aune; Gustavus Technology Services (Jerry Nowell); Gustavus Youth Outreach volunteers; Human Resources (Kirk Beyer); Institutional Advancement (Tom Young); Marketing and Communication (Neely Prenzlow, Stacia Vogel, Dean Wahlund, Steve Waldhauser); Media Services (Matt Dobosenski); Physical Plant (Chris Blaschko, Amy Brown); President Jack Ohle and Kris Ohle; President’s Office (Barbara Larson Taylor); Printing Services (Andy Biederman); Provost and Dean of the College David Fienen, as organist; Student Activities Office (Cassandra Nelson); student speakers (Katie Eiden '12, Rachel Guptill '11, Josh Hammer '11); Milt and Elaine Brostrom; Board of Directors of the GACAC; and the Church Relations student staff (Cathryn Nelson '12, Allie Stehlin '11, Laura Russell '12, Ben Miller '13, Kate Knutson '13, Heather Duncanson '12, and intern Jerod Freeberg '10).

 



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Inside Gustavus 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 submissions are preferred, items may also be submitted typewritten on a letter-sized sheet of paper. Send "snail mail" items to: Inside Gustavus, 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 (waldo@gustavus.edu or x6413).

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