Behind the scenes
A presidential tale
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A presidential tale
Drew Wang, sophomore
In a small apartment east of campus, 22-year-old Raven Lagenour walks across the living room. The top surface of each of her bare feet displays a tattoo of a skull head. Her nose is pierced by a single ring, and her hair is bright pink.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Jose Soto crafted a ring from a spoon for Connie Soto when they were in high school 40 years ago.Now, the couple runs Twisted Tines, a jewelry business based out of Yellow Springs, Ohio.Saturday marked the 34th annual Arts Fair on the Square in Bloomington, which is an event of the nonprofit community theater the Bloomington Playwrights Project.Twisted Tines was one of 80 art displays featured on the Monroe County Courthouse lawn.Jose and Connie have brought their jewelry to the fair for five years, and Connie said they try to include a new design each year.In addition to other designs, this year they showcased a double heart, where the two middle fork prongs form the double heart pendant of a necklace and bracelet.Connie said there was a good crowd, and she was thankful it didn’t rain.“People are getting out and can appreciate the many wonderful artists,” Connie said. “There’s a great variety, and it’s great people can get that in one place. We’re very thankful to be considered part of the group here.”Tents covered the lawn and included art such as handmade scarves and clothes from repurposed fabric, stained glass, woodwork, pottery, candles, paintings and photography.Local artists shared their crafts alongside artists from Kentucky, Iowa, Florida and various other parts of the country.Performers entertained the audience at the top of nearly every hour. The Bloomington Community Band kicked off the event at 10 a.m.The modern dance group Windfall Dancers, the barbershop quartet Jordan River Crossing and the belly dancing troupe Dark Side Tribal were just some of the featured live performances.Amy Duffy, from Deerfield, Ill., attended to support her father, Tom, of Tom Duffy Photography.But her first stop was the Children’s Art Center, which provided activities to keep children occupied.Five-year-old Cassidy Duffy-Callan wanted her face painted with a colorful unicorn, and Lisa White of All Smiles Clown Company happily obliged.“I wanted it to sparkle,” Duffy-Callan beamed.Amy said she didn’t have a chance to look at many of the other exhibits, but she was enjoying the fair.“It’s a nice community event,” she said. “It’s fun to see neighbors and family from my parent’s neighborhood, which is where I grew up. Besides the humidity, it’s a pretty perfect day.”Her father, Tom, still lives in Bloomington, but he travels the world for his photography.“I like to do environmental shots,” Tom said. “The goal evolves.”Event manager Lee Burckes said the fair’s purpose has also evolved through its 34 years.What used to be a chance for local artists to share their work has changed because of the recent allotted gallery space in Bloomington.“The needs have changed, and in a sense we have to change,” Burckes said. “It’s important to have artists from far away so we’re bringing new art into Bloomington.”Terry Andrews, of Waters Edge Studios, made the trip from Ocala, Fla., to sell his copper and glass sculptures.“I get my inspiration from nature,” Andrews said. “I love the idea of line and color.”He had previously participated in the Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts, and this was his first year taking part in the Arts Fair on the Square.“Bloomington is an educated town, people understand artwork and they like glass,” Andrews said.In her fifth year as manager, Burckes said they strive to improve the fair each year. “I think it goes more smoothly every year,” she said. “The turnout seems great.”She said the crowd was thin at the beginning and dissipated near the end, and she hoped that meant people were at the Farmers’ Market and the Taste of Bloomington, respectively.“For people who come from out of town, it’s a great draw to see you’re not coming for one event, but for all this stuff,” Burckes said.Bloomington resident David Kaufman graduated from IU in 1976, and he recently moved back into town.He said the event did its job in that it brought people downtown and attracted others to the city.“If you don’t have art and other cultural things, what do you do besides your 8 to 5?” Kaufman said. “It’s a wonderful escape.”
Welcome, freshmen!
As a freshman, you’ll take on a number of unfamiliar responsibilities. With them come some challenges you’ll look to avoid at all costs. Don’t fall into these bad habits, and it’ll get easier. Here are some suggestions on how to stay on the right track.
What do a Little 500 rider, an I-Core student, a wedding planner, a musician, and a bachelor of fine arts candidate have in common? They're all juggling the different hats of life.
Tabitha Sherwood
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With only so much time in a day, we look for ways to simplify our responsibilities. In the process, we develop some habits we probably could have done without. Here are some of those bad habits and ways to help get you back on track.ProcrastinatingIt’s easy to choose Netflix instead of your econ textbook on a Monday night. But you can’t wait until the week before an exam to finally break the binding and still expect an A. Procrastination is a bad habit most students engage in, whether knowingly or not. “I procrastinate sometimes, but I try not to,” junior Michelle Bouillon says. If you can find the motivation to complete your assignments, you’ll be well on your way to overcoming this bad habit. “I think about if I have my work done, I’ll be able to do what I want to, like hanging out with friends or watching TV,” Michelle says. “The sooner I get my work done, the faster I can relax later.”Skipping classYou’ve hit the snooze button one too many times and missed class. No biggie. But for classes with a strict attendance policy, skipping too many can become a death sentence for your grades. Alex McCormick, associate professor in the IU School of Education, says classes are set up a certain way to expedite learning through more than just reading. “When students skip class, they miss out on whatever experiences the instructor has designed to facilitate learning, such as organized class discussions, Q&A, demonstrations, debates, guest lectures, group work, etc.,” Alex says. He also says it’s a financially unintelligent decision because tuition is paying for the education, which doesn’t happen when the student is not present. Eating habitsBetween work for classes and student organizations, not to mention the financial burden, eating a decent meal can be tough. Katie Shepherd, registered dietitian at the IU Health Center, says students often don’t plan their meals, which leads them to look for the easiest foods, which are often processed. They also might skip meals, leading to overeating later, and they do not get enough rest, causing them to turn to caffeine and sugar instead of healthy meals. In order to change these habits, Katie says setting a goal, writing it down, and telling a friend can help you be more accountable for the changes. Planning meals and packing lunches for the long days on campus can be most helpful in starting to break bad eating habits. Spending too much moneyHaving a social life has a price. You and your roommates get Starbucks every other day. A friend you haven’t seen for a month wants to meet for lunch. It’s your other friend’s birthday, and you promised her dinner and a night at the bars. Plus, you need a new outfit for your date this weekend. Though not essential, these expenses are part of the college experience.Daniel Spore, adjunct lecturer in the Kelley School of Business finance department, says students may be able to save money if they compare prices of products and services across different stores and shops. “If you can walk a block and save $3 on a transaction, then do so,” Daniel says.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With only so much time in a day, we look for ways to simplify our responsibilities. In the process, we develop some habits we probably could have done without. Here are some of those bad habits and ways to help get you back on track.ProcrastinatingIt’s easy to choose Netflix instead of your econ textbook on a Monday night. But you can’t wait until the week before an exam to finally break the binding and still expect an A. Procrastination is a bad habit most students engage in, whether knowingly or not. “I procrastinate sometimes, but I try not to,” junior Michelle Bouillon says. If you can find the motivation to complete your assignments, you’ll be well on your way to overcoming this bad habit. “I think about if I have my work done, I’ll be able to do what I want to, like hanging out with friends or watching TV,” Michelle says. “The sooner I get my work done, the faster I can relax later.”Skipping classYou’ve hit the snooze button one too many times and missed class. No biggie. But for classes with a strict attendance policy, skipping too many can become a death sentence for your grades. Alex McCormick, associate professor in the IU School of Education, says classes are set up a certain way to expedite learning through more than just reading. “When students skip class, they miss out on whatever experiences the instructor has designed to facilitate learning, such as organized class discussions, Q&A, demonstrations, debates, guest lectures, group work, etc.,” Alex says. He also says it’s a financially unintelligent decision because tuition is paying for the education, which doesn’t happen when the student is not present. Eating habitsBetween work for classes and student organizations, not to mention the financial burden, eating a decent meal can be tough. Katie Shepherd, registered dietitian at the IU Health Center, says students often don’t plan their meals, which leads them to look for the easiest foods, which are often processed. They also might skip meals, leading to overeating later, and they do not get enough rest, causing them to turn to caffeine and sugar instead of healthy meals. In order to change these habits, Katie says setting a goal, writing it down, and telling a friend can help you be more accountable for the changes. Planning meals and packing lunches for the long days on campus can be most helpful in starting to break bad eating habits. Spending too much moneyHaving a social life has a price. You and your roommates get Starbucks every other day. A friend you haven’t seen for a month wants to meet for lunch. It’s your other friend’s birthday, and you promised her dinner and a night at the bars. Plus, you need a new outfit for your date this weekend. Though not essential, these expenses are part of the college experience.Daniel Spore, adjunct lecturer in the Kelley School of Business finance department, says students may be able to save money if they compare prices of products and services across different stores and shops. “If you can walk a block and save $3 on a transaction, then do so,” Daniel says.
It's easy to see those who hold power on campus. President Michael McRobbie. The men's basketball team. Jacobs School of Music performers in the operas and ballets. But what about the people who don't stand in the spotlight?
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What began as an assignment to write 10 pages per week for a writers critique group resulted in Mary Ellen Stepanich’s first published autobiography.Stepanich worked as a professor in behavior science for years before making the transition into the literary world. The book, “D is for Dysfunctional ... and Doo Wop,” is an autobiography containing vignettes from Stepanich’s life. She began writing it in 2011, and it took about a year to complete.“We all want to leave something to our families, and what started out as just a family heirloom became something different,” Stepanich said. “It became kind of a lesson plan for life.”Originally titled “Alone at Last,” Stepanich said the final title came as a last minute inspiration.“I realized what I had been writing about are the dysfunctions of my own life and how they came to be,” Stepanich said. “Mid-life I grabbed myself and turned myself around and made something of my life.”She currently resides in Arizona, but Stepanich was born in Fort Branch, Ind., and attended Indiana State University. After traveling the world, she returned to Indiana to pursue her doctorate in behavioral science at Purdue University, where she was then offered a position on faculty before achieving tenure after two and a half years, according to a press release.She self-published the book through Abbott Press, a branch of Writer’s Digest based in Bloomington.As a new writer who might not have caught the eye of a publishing company, Stepanich said she felt self-publishing was a better option in order to ensure her story was told.“The book has three different sorts of lessons,” Stepanich said. “The first is for parents raising children, and that is, if you want to instill values in them, do it carefully.”As a result of the values she gathered from her surroundings when she was younger, Stepanich admitted she made some bad choices.“The second part of the lessons is for women seeking relationships, how to do it to fail and how to do it to succeed,” she said. “Third, when you get old, passionately embrace life and the things that give you pleasure.”Stepanich said she is always telling funny stories based on her life experiences. These stories found their way to the pages of her book through what she described as “laugh-out-loud moments.”“With ‘D is for Dysfunctional,’ I even went so far as to include an epilogue, and I said that is the eulogy I want read at my funeral,” Stepanich said.Apart from her writing, Stepanich volunteers at Sun Sounds of Arizona, an audio service for the blind or disabled who cannot read print.She also sang in and directed the quartet Sweet Adelines, a group of women who sing, teach and perform barbershop harmony.She is currently working on a novel about murder and romance, which will be loosely based on her experiences in the quartet and her trips to Hawaii.“This is a courageous book,” an Amazon.com reviewer said of “D is for Dysfunctional.” “The writer opens her life to others with such honesty. From a traumatic event of being silenced by a teacher her first day of school she has found her voice.”Follow reporter Rachel Wisinski on Twitter @RachelWisinski.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the sun warmed the faces of those gathered at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Saturday, salsa enlivened their tongues with new flavors.Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, the Farmers’ Market and the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation collaborated to sponsor the 25th annual Salsa Contest.Participants brought their raw, cooked or specialty salsas to be tasted by members of the community for free.Janani Krishnan, who said she attends the tasting every year, said she enjoys the seasonal tomato and soup tastings at the Farmers’ Market, but the salsa tasting hits closer to home.“My sister is good at making salsa, but she has never participated,” Krishnan said. “She is younger, so she probably thinks she doesn’t have a chance.”Krishnan said she enjoyed her salsa-tasting experience anyway.“Each gets better than the last. I love the exotic kinds with mango,” she said. “It’s a great event, and it’s free and open to the community. It’s really fun here.”Sue Haas traveled from north of Martinsville, Ind., to gather organic vegetables for canned soup, but left with a stomach full of chips and salsa.“I love salsa,” she said. “I tried all three tents, and I like the Bloomingfoods one best. The mango one was also really good.”The three categories of salsa, which contained about 20 entries each, were judged by one of three groups of three individuals who had ties to Bloomington and other parts of Monroe County.While community members sampled the variety of salsas, emcee Steve Krahnke kept the mood light. He provided a mix of details and jokes about the event, complementing a tutorial on how to make salsa and guacamole, which was given by Gregg Rago and Susan Bright, co-owners of Nick’s English Hut.Bloomington resident Lorca Strand said he visits the Farmers’ Market every weekend and enjoys the special events.“It’s fun to taste salsa and set your mouth on fire, because that inevitably happens,” Strand said.Ellen Michel, marketing manager for Bloomingfoods, coordinated with Marcia Veldman of the Farmers’ Market and various volunteers to keep the contest running smoothly.“It’s always fun,” Michel said. “Steve does a great job as emcee, but it’s like the movie ‘Groundhog Day.’ He says the same things every year. That’s part of the fun for us is that it is the same. The crowd grows every year, and participation is great.”For the winning salsas, the judges gave compliments like “good heat,” “great texture” or “addictive.”Each winner received a reusable grocery bag stocked with items provided by various sponsors in the Bloomington community, such as the Chocolate Moose, Equal Exchange and Friends of Art Bookshop.Accepting the prize package for Luz Lopez, who was the first place specialty salsa winner, were friends Leeanna Vanzant and Tammy Gierke.“I suggested she compete last year, and she was determined to win this year,” Gierke said.Lopez placed third in the contest last year.“Her cooking is a way for her to express gratitude, love and friendship, and that comes out in her salsa,” Gierke said. “It sounds corny, but it is so true.”Follow reporter Rachel Wisinski on Twitter @RachelWisinski
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Currently, graduate student María Angélica Rodríguez is working on her thesis, a documentary on salsa dancing in Colombia.However, she will step away from her research for the next six weeks to immerse herself in the Latino Museum Studies Program at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.Rodríguez, who began pursuing her Master’s degree in Folklore at IU in 2011, took part in an internship in 2009 with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage after she graduated in Columbia with an undergraduate degree in anthropology.Her continued involvement in the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival from 2009 to 2011 led to her interest in the LMSP.“It is a unique program and opportunity, and I’m very, very happy to have been chosen to be here and with these people,” Rodríguez said.Danny Lopez, Smithsonian Latino Center’s program and marketing director for three and a half years, said 15 graduate students were chosen from 72 applicants from across the nation.“This is one of the longest running programs of the Latino Center, and it’s really our main goal to foster this new generation of cultural workers,” Lopez said. “We are working really hard to strengthen the alumni network. There are not a lot of curators out there working in the field, and this is a way to start that network and make the world a little closer for them.”He said the application was largely essay-based, including questions about the applicants’ interest in the program and current acts of support for the development of Latino art and culture. Rodríguez said the program is an opportunity to take part in discussions on museum practices, issues of culture representation for Latino Americans and ways to make Latino history more inclusive in the current American history.“What this program is trying to do and what we want to do is very relevant because we are trying to bring structure in the ways Latinos communicate as part of this country and are represented right now,” Rodríguez said. “We want equality in spaces like museums in the U.S., and I’m very excited and very thrilled to be a part of it.”Lopez said the first two weeks of the program, which began July 1 and ends July 12, allow participants to attend workshops and panel discussions, gain behind-the-scenes access to the Smithsonian museums and begin networking with fellow participants.“This really creates a strong network of young, Latino professionals,” Lopez said.The next four weeks, from July 15 to Aug. 9, will see the participants working in a Smithsonian museum or research center to further a current program initiative.Rodríguez chose Smithsonian Affiliations as her practicum to conclude the program. Her work will include planning a Latino forum to take place in November.“I’m very excited to be able to help with this forum and bring some of my experience in folklore as a way of culture articulation that goes on in the museum,” Rodríguez said. “I want to take as much as I can from this experience for my future as a professional and a Latino advocate.”Cristina Díaz-Carrera, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage program coordinator and curatorial assistant, has come to know Rodríguez’s work from her summer dedication with the Smithsonian.“I’ve enjoyed working with María Angélica in various roles, as a passionate field researcher, a talented presenter and a hard-working coordinator,” Díaz-Carrera said in an email. “She has both the capacity for curatorial and logistical work, and I know she will do well in her career regardless of what path she chooses.”She said Rodríguez’s passion for Latino representation has mirrored that of everyone in the Center.“I have no doubt she will fair superbly,” Díaz-Carrera said. “She’s a really dedicated worker and cares deeply about issues of cultural representation.”Lopez said current deliberations are determining plans for a Latino museum that could follow the same model as the National Museum of African American History and Culture and would be scheduled to open in 2015.“It’s a good time for young, Latino scholars to imagine what this national museum for Latinos could be,” he said.Though Lopez said the program does not guarantee a future job with the Smithsonian, it does familiarize and connect participants with those currently employed.“My experience in being with this group of people interested in the same things as me in a way will help me network and rely on these people to collaborate with them on projects I envision or am part of,” Rodríguez said.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last summer, visitors of the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology could explore how the fingers on a human hand require the use of muscles, tendons and joints. This was done through a complex lever-and-pulley system attached to a nine-foot-tall robotic model of a hand.Now, WonderLab is looking to obtain this exhibit — created by Bloomington-based company “Explorabotics” — permanently.WonderLab is a nonprofit organization that served more than 85,000 visitors in 2012, according to a press release.“The reason it was popular is because it is large, and visitors were at the levers making the hands and muscles in the hand move,” said Louise Schlesinger, WonderLab marketing director. “It was a pretty exciting experience that appealed to adults as well as children, and therefore was a really good teaching tool.”WonderLab is looking to raise funds to install the Giant Mechanical Hand, which was on display as a test run last summer, the press release said.In this 2013 Exhibit Matching Campaign, an anonymous donor will match every $20 given plus an additional $10 donation, up to a total of $5,000.The museum’s goal is to raise $15,000 total by July 31 to fund the Giant Hand and additional exhibits.“The community has always been generous with our spring matching campaign,” Schlesinger said. “It’s wonderful when we have individuals who will step up and try to provide an incentive for others to give.”As a WonderLab volunteer for six years, Don Jones has become accustomed to seeing regulars at the exhibits every Tuesday afternoon.“It’s a great venue for Bloomington,” Jones said of WonderLab. “People from all over the country come here. I had a young woman who just moved here, and she came with her young children and her mother-in-law. She said, ‘Wow, this is terrific,’ and I told her to make sure to get a membership.”Jones said the addition of the hand would provide a boost to WonderLab’s exhibits.“We have different displays that come in on an ongoing basis, and the hand will become part of the ongoing road,” he said. “It will be some fun to have it.”Schlesinger said WonderLab has not had any problems reaching its fundraising goals in the past.“Admission fees only partially support the full operation of the museum, so fundraising in its various forms, whether it’s the annual gala, these matching campaigns or Science Night Out, supports the WonderLab experience,” Schlesinger said.She said usually the popularity of an exhibit is determined largely through observation and comment cards and sometimes formal surveys.Aside from the Giant Mechanical Hand, Development Director Courtney Schmidt said in an email the funds from the campaign will help install a new mirror exhibition in the fall, which will teach visitors about the science of reflection.Schmidt’s email said this new exhibit would include three other components: mirrors that create a sense of motion with a praxinoscope; an exhibit in which mirrors create the impression that a visitor’s body disappears and his or her head appears to be sitting on a platter, and mirrors that create a sense of illusion, making it a challenge to decide if an object is real or just a reflection.Individuals who wish to make a donation may do so online by clicking “Special Matching Campaign” on the museum’s homepage, wonderlab.org. If individuals prefer, they may also make a donation at the museum’s welcome desk or mail a check to WonderLab Museum, Attn: 2013 Exhibit Matching Campaign, 308 W. Fourth St., Bloomington, IN 47404.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Jon Savitt was one of the last people to set up a Facebook page, and absolutely drew the line at a Twitter account.He finally gave in to his friends in May 2012. Nearly 2,000 followers later, he is glad he did.“It all started with Twitter,” Savitt said. “That was my transition from having a natural sense of humor to actually putting stuff out there for people to look at.”After being voted class clown in middle school, Savitt found he loved to make people laugh.“It all came very naturally,” he said. “I have always found that humor and laughing are kind of essential to life to be able to get through everything.”Aside from comedy, Savitt. a rising senior from Minneapolis, studies psychology at IU, plays intramural basketball and is an active member of Sigma Alpha Mu.In July 2012, Stage Time Magazine published a guest column Savitt wrote. “It was a really cool experience to see my name in a magazine, especially one in New York while I am in Minnesota,” Savitt said.He said that was the first time he realized he enjoyed comedy writing. Since then, he has contributed comedic articles to College Humor, Funny or Die and Total Frat Move.Savitt said he never really thought about the connection between his psychology studies and his comical writing. He was just interested in social psychology.“I took a psychology route because I’m a people person, and the bottom line is that I like being personable,” Savitt said. “I like talking to people and making their life better.”He has also been in contact with producers and supervisors at MTV with hopes to eventually pitch an idea for a television show.“With social media these days, it has been incredible the people you can come in contact with,” Savitt said. “The pressure is almost taken away with people you would have never talked to.”He said he does not know about 80 percent of his followers on Twitter, and has come across people as young as 15 and as old as 60.However, his audience is mostly college students. During one of his classes, a girl approached and told Savitt that her friend retweets him often. He’s had other people tell him they’ve thought about getting Twitter just to follow him.“It’s all over the place, and you can’t control who comes across it in social media,” he said.The first verified people to follow Savitt on Twitter turned out to be regular comedians on Chelsea Lately.“I talked to them a little and they told me I was really funny and to keep doing what I’m doing,” Savitt said. “Ever since then, I’ve been really inspired to keep going. I mean, I got positive feedback from people who are on TV.”He said comedians like Jonah Hill and Adam Sandler are his role models, and earlier seasons of Saturday Night Live have served as writing inspiration. Savitt said he hopes to continue down his current path until he finishes school, when he would like to write for television, possibly act and have his own television show.Mike Nimmo has been friends with Savitt since middle school. Though he attends Saint John’s University in Minnesota, Nimmo said he has stayed connected with Savitt during his bout with fame.“Jon is really, really creative,” Nimmo said. “He is one of those guys who knows what to say and when to say it. An idea will pop into his head and he will say, ‘I’m going to write about this and tweet this,’ and I say ‘Where in God’s name did he think of this?’”Matt Randall, a fellow member of Sigma Alpha Mu, became friends with Savitt when Randall began recruitment in fall 2011. He said how Savitt comes off on paper is equivalent to his natural humor in person.“I always think (his jokes are) funny because I know him, and I read them in the way he would say them,” Randall said. “He deserves all of it.”Nimmo said he commends Savitt’s hard work.“He’s resilient,” Nimmo said. “If some people don’t like the tweets or blogs, he doesn’t care what other people think and that’s what sets him apart from so many others.”Savitt said though he works hard, he has also been fortunate due to modern technology.“I’m lucky I’ve been networking in the past year, and I’m in a good place now where I can reach them,” Savitt said. “I’ve had an opportunity for a lot of people to follow me with a wide array of talents, and I think that shows many people can have the opportunity to follow their dream and do something they love.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Not only does June 7 mark the beginning of Cream and Crimson Alumni Weekend and the Alumni Leaders Conference, but five individuals will also be awarded that evening for their volunteer and service leadership to the IU Alumni Association.Recipients of the 2013 IUAA President’s Award include Marjorie Smith Blewett, Bachelor of Arts ’48; Jerry W. Logan, Bachelor of Science ’67, Doctor of Optometry ’69; Leland E. Tanner, B.S. ‘55 and Shirley A. Manning, according to a press release.Though the IUAA began recognizing alumni volunteers in 1990, the President’s Award was first established in 1993, and it is the highest award given to a volunteer leader, according to the press release.The Gertrude Rich Award is given to the spouse or partner of an alumni leader who embodies qualities of the wife of Claude Rich, who served as director of the IUAA from 1948 to 1968.More than 300 attendees from all over the country will gather in Alumni Hall, including IUAA volunteers and spouses, past chairpersons, past award recipients and University officials.Rebecca Keith, director of talent management and operations for IUAA, is responsible for assisting in volunteer recognition and putting together programs and award ceremonies for these alumni leaders.“We have a really rich class for the honorees of the President’s Award this year,” Keith said. She said the number of recipients varies from year to year. While some years have seen as few as two, others have had as many as 14 at a time.Smith Blewett is receiving recognition for her work with the IU School of Journalism, Keith said. She served as placement director from 1969 to 1990 and still provides services as the school’s historian. She established the Marjorie Smith Blewett Scholarship, and founded the Ernie Pyle Society for retired alumni of the school, according to the press release.A member of the IUAA Executive Council, Logan has remained active in three distinct aspects of the IUAA proper. This includes his three-year term on the IU East board of advisors, his service to the School of Optometry alumni board, and his involvement with the Whitewater Valley Chapter of the IUAA since 1985, Keith said.According to the press release, Manning has been influential as president of the Lakeshore Chapter of the IUAA in northwest Indiana. This has included diverse programming and the 2008 IU Cares book drive, when hundreds of books were donated to area charities.As a member of the IUAA investment committee from 2004 to 2012, Tanner helped to decide how to spend funds the IUAA received for dues and how to invest that money efficiently. Keith said he is distinct due to his service in corporate office rather than with service to an IUAA chapter.Additionally, Barbara Baker, wife of Central Carolina Chapter president Donald Kritsch, will be recognized as the recipient of the Gertrude Rich Award.“Lots of people work really hard for the IU Alumni Association, and I was certainly awestruck for being singled out for an honor among that group,” Baker said.Every year, only one woman receives the Gertrude Rich Award.“She is such a perfect embodiment of the award,” Keith said of Baker. “She is the wife of a really strong leader in our Central Carolina Alumni Chapter, and exactly the type of awardee we look for for this particular honor.”Baker, from Durham, N.C., did not attend IU, but said there are about 2700 IU alumni in central North Carolina.“At a community service event, it is really interesting to see this group of people come together,” Baker said. “You have a diverse group that works at a lot of different jobs, and in the name of Indiana University they come together for service.”Events that bring them together include working for projects for Habitat for Humanity and adopting a family from a social services agency during Christmas time.“We are really a long way from Bloomington or another campus, and to still have that kind of loyalty in the name of that institution is inspiring,” Baker said.After attending the banquet for the past several years, Baker said she admired the distinctiveness of recognizing the spouse of an alumnus, and said it would be nice to receive such an acknowledgment.“I am honored to get it, but I don’t perceive I will reduce my participation at all,” Baker said. “I’ll continue to be involved.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>About five years ago, IU’s Jacobs School of Music began finalizing an idea to further expand its reign on the south side of campus.Construction began in April 2011 for the new Faculty Studio Building, located on the northeast corner of Third Street and Jordan Avenue.Eugene O’Brien, executive associate dean at the Jacobs School, said it took a couple years to secure the funding and complete a space assessment with campus officials and the University Architect’s Office.The estimated cost for the project is $44 million, which the Jacobs School received in a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc.“The purpose is not to increase the number of faculty or students but to accommodate what we already have,” O’Brien said. “We have been out of space for a long time. We’ve converted every possible space in the current buildings that can be converted into teaching spaces, including bathrooms.”Paul Sullivan, deputy vice president of the University Architect’s Office, has worked closely with the team planning the details, which will include 84 faculty studios, administrative offices and graduate student spaces.“From an architectural perspective, the only thing really special is we put a lot of effort into soundproofing the individual rooms,” Sullivan said.The construction, which has caused partial closure of Jones Avenue the roadway between Read Residence Center and the Faculty Studio Building is expected to be completed by July 2013.O’Brien said the Jacobs School also has a plan for renovations to some of the seven buildings faculty currently occupy, which will need to be done step-by-step while they are in use. “Our most recent addition is used for performance faculty and was built in 1960, so it’s already a half century old,” O’Brien said. “A lot of the studios in that building have no windows, and since the performance faculty spends their entire days in the studios teaching, those are not really desirable spaces.”He said current offices in Sycamore Hall will also have the opportunity to move to an existing building with the expansion.As freshman move-in day approaches, construction near Read becomes less ideal.“The very beginning was a challenge for anyone that lived in that area,” Sullivan said. “They had to do a lot of drilling to get the limestone out of the site.”He said the crew intends to have Jones Avenue open before Aug. 15. But additional construction in the area makes the situation unpredictable.“Move-in day is already pretty congested on IU’s road system, and it can only get worse as we have less parking and moving space on Jones Avenue,” said Mike Griesi, a summer housing assistant in Read. “I think John (Summerlot, Read residence manager) requested they move back the gates so there is more room for cars. We’re trying to work with the construction company, but they still need to build, and it’ll be a tough situation.”Griesi, a senior and guitar performance major said he would have liked to have the facilities during his time at IU.“For someone that lives in Read and is around Read, it will be nice when it’s over,” Griesi said. “But I’m glad they’re building some more modern facilities for the music school, since it certainly needs it.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>High school students arrived Sunday to kick off a week of immersing themselves in their musical talent. However, unlike the other events at the IU Jacobs School of Music, this week focuses on the pipe organ.“This is just like the camps for the string academy and percussion,” said David Kazimir, IU academic specialist and organ curator. “But it is exclusively for the pipe organ, which is wonderfully unique. They focus on good performance, technical learning and advancement of repertoire.”Amidst the week full of lessons and events, Tuesday night will feature a silent film presentation of “The Phantom of the Opera,” accompanied by Dorothy Papadakos’ improvisation on the pipe organ.Papadakos started playing the piano when sound synthesizers became popular, and at 15 years old, she made the transition from piano to pipe organ.“The pipe organ is really cool and can make all these different sounds, like a synthesizer on steroids,” Papadakos said. “The deep bass notes are very powerful. It’s artistically and musically thrilling.”She became the first female organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, from 1990 to 2003.“You play the organ with your feet, and it’s like a one-woman orchestra,” Papadakos said. “Your feet play the bass notes, your hands play all the instruments of the orchestra, and that’s what I like — total control and power.”An international performer, Papadakos is well known for her improvisation of Charlie Chaplin and Lon Chaney films and has played in Germany, Finland and other theaters across the United States.In August, Papadakos will embark on a silent film tour in Norway.Her improvisation of “The Phantom of the Opera” will not only be her first trip to Bloomington, but it will also be the first silent movie event performed with the organ in Auer Hall at the Jacobs School.“We let Dorothy choose the movie she wanted to play,” said Janette Fishell, chair of IU’s organ department. “That’s probably the best-known silent film, and for a reason. It has great appeal to all ages and experience levels, it’s a great film and, of course, it has allusions to the organ. It’s just a great fit with an event like this.”This gig differs from her current work as a member of the Grammy Award-winning Paul Winter Consort for a number of reasons, Papadakos said. The consort creates a combination of jazz, classical and world music with the sounds of nature and animals.“The silent movies are all improvisation, and they are different every time because every organ is different, every audience is different and I’m different,” she said. “Depending on my mood, I’m always unpredictable. In Paul’s pieces, everyone has set parts, and I’m playing with a band of seven or eight guys.”Although the Jacobs School put on a similar event two years ago, this year’s Pipe Organ Encounter is IU’s first advanced course — and the only one offered in the U.S. this summer — and will include 26 students, Kazimir said.“A silent movie has a special appeal to an event like this, and we definitely wanted someone to bring this very unique program to the wake,” Fishell said. “Dorothy is just superb. We asked, and we’re just delighted she could fit it into her schedule.”Kazimir said there has been a recent resurgence of improvisational music to silent films. “It’s based around skill, instant creativity and technique, and Dorothy Papadakos is one of the best out there,” he said. “It’s art. She’s bringing art and music to Bloomington, and that’s one part of the greater offerings of the Summer Music series.”Papadakos said she is excited for the new experience.“I can’t wait because I believe it really is one of the top five organ departments in the United States,” she said. “It feels like I’ll be right at home. The organ looks gorgeous. It’s a large instrument with lots of varieties of colors, so I think I’ll be right at home, and it’ll be a nice evening.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Only about 25 percent of the 1,600 undergraduate applicants to IU’s Jacobs School of Music are admitted each year.Prospective students follow a series of requirements for auditioning and interviewing for a spot.From July 15 to 21, the College Audition Preparation Workshop provides a number of tools for high school students who are considering applying to a music school.“A person’s musical career starts in their audition as they leave high school,” CAP Director M. Dee Stewart said. “It could be five to 10 minutes long, and that’s it. It’s important for us to make good decisions, and it’s very important to the students because it’s a pivotal portal to their career.”Fifty-three students from 22 states, as well as Japan and Canada, are attending this year’s workshop.Although there is no cap on acceptance numbers into the Jacobs School, it generally varies based on the need in each department. For one weekend in January, February and March, students showcase their talents in hopes of being accepted into the Jacobs School.Working with students at the high school level does not differ too greatly from working with college-level students, Stewart said.“Nowadays kids are more cognizant that they need superior training in high school, and they come in pretty well trained in most cases,” he said.However, he added that it is a leap up from high school to college, and while musicians might have been in all-state bands, there is a difference playing for a world-renowned music school.“Not only do they have to be able to play their instrument, but they also must be able to make music with their instrument,” Stewart said. “It’s an innate thing, and without the ability, it’s difficult to teach.”High school senior Michael Kunduler traveled to IU all the way from Birmingham, Ala.“I came here to get acquainted with everything, meet good people and get ready for auditions,” Kunduler said. “They’re here to give you help and prepare you for what’s out there.”Senior and trombone player Aaron Small received the program recommendation from his private teacher in Fredericksburg, Va.“The face time with the professors gives you so much experience,” Small said. “The two days I’ve been here working with professor Stewart, I’ve learned more than I have probably in the last two years.”Both plan to apply and said they hope to attend IU.In addition to the 12 faculty members focusing on students in their respective departments, Liz Pfaffle, assistant director of the CAP program, returns to IU for two weeks to coordinate the students’ schedules and make sure everything runs smoothly.Now a teacher at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Pfaffle received a doctorate of music in brass pedagogy from IU.She said the rigourous program schedule creates a realistic college experience. “I like to give them some idea of what the schedule is like as a music major,” she said.Participants are able to absorb the chaos with a series of private lessons, master classes and information sessions topped with a mock live audition at the end of the week.“Students are able to ask questions through the program,” Pfaffle said. “They can say, ‘Hey, I’m working on this solo. What do you think of it for my audition?’”The young musicians also listen to music produced by IU faculty and students as part of the Jacobs School Summer Music series.“I enjoy giving back to students,” Pfaffle said. “I like to affect and change people’s lives. I want them to get every single dollar they spend out of it. I want it to be as worthwhile as possible.”While there are other professional audition programs, Stewart said CAP remains one of the only programs of its kind.“We remain a resource even after the program is over,” Pfaffle said. “It’s our job to get them to where they want to be. If they want to sing in the (Metropolitan Opera), let’s get them to the Met.”