Percussion Studio Recital, April 1

Under the direction of Elizabeth Procopio, the Ashland University Percussion Studio will perform a concert of a variety of works featuring different styles and instrumentation on April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall. The event if free and open to the public.

Faculty & Students Attend Social Media Workshop

Shawn Orr (Professional Instructor in Communication Studies) and Addie Coder and Carolina Carlton (Public Relations Student Society of America members) attended the PRSSA Social Media Workshop at Ohio Northern University on March 22nd. This workshop focused on optimizing social media presence and included a keynote presentation by Amanda Todorovich, Senior Director for Content & Creative Services at the Cleveland Clinic, and winner of the prestigious Content Marketing Institute 2016 Content Marketer of the Year.

Writings & Visual Art Submissions Due 4/1

The Black Fork Review, the student-run literary magazine at Ashland University, is accepting poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual art from all within the Ashland community: students and faculty (both undergraduate and graduate), as well as alumni. Submissions are due April 1.

Reed Performs Concert of Classics and Jazz, Mar. 31

The Department of Music at Ashland University announces a concert of classical and jazz music featuring by Dr. Thomas Reed on Sunday, Mar. 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall.

For his 34th consecutive annual faculty concert at Ashland University, Dr. Reed will perform on clarinet and saxophone with pianists Susan Gregg and Lanny Gooding; Erin Helgeson Torres on flute; Scott Garlock, trombone; Paul Martin, bass; and Steve Berry, drums.

The concert program will include classical pieces from Schubert, Muczynski and Saint-Saens along with jazz standards and contemporary pieces by Dameron, Amarante, Fats Waller, Cole Porter and Marc Johnson.

From Ashland to NYC and Back Again: Costume Designer Whitney Locher

Ashland University Theatre alumna Whitney Locher (2002) didn't travel far from her hometown of Wooster to pursue her degree in theatre, but she has left her mark across the U.S. and abroad with her costume designs. As a freelance costume designer based in New York, AU Theatre is honored to have her back as the guest costume designer for its upcoming production of Baskerville. Read more about her journey as a designer at autheatredepartment.blogspot.com

See Whitney's designs return to the Ashland stage for Baskerville on April 3-7. Tickets are available at 419.289.5125 or Ashland.edu/tickets.

English Department Job Placement Information

The English Department has compiled job placement information for our graduates. Between spring 2014 and 2018, fifty-one students graduated with majors in English, Creative Writing, and Integrated Language Arts. The Chair of English has been able to track all but two of these majors. A list of jobs and graduate degrees in progress for our forty-nine known graduates can be seen at englishatashland.blogspot.com

In this list, most positions are full-time, and although some of our graduates are working in part-time positions, they are in the minority. Our graduates in Integrated Language Arts education find jobs in the Ohio region or in other parts of the country soon after graduation, but some decide to branch out into other careers, using their broad preparation in critical thinking and writing to succeed in a variety of employment settings. In general, although we are happy to see students landing jobs in fields that one might associate with writing and publishing, we are even happier to observe that our students can thrive in many different kinds of environments, thus proving our claims about the flexibility of our majors.

Hillman Interviewed by WalletHub for March Madness

WalletHub, a financial wellness and credit monitoring website, interviewed Professor Hillman for its "Ask the Experts: March Madness Musings" series.  A snippet of the interview, which can be found here, is below.  

Among these questions is "where do you stand on the issue of paying college athletes?"

First of all, I think college sports are more interesting because athletes are not paid. At the same time, there is a lot of money being made for a lot of people on the backs of athletes who are not paid. Let me put it this way, college athletes are already getting paid at big-time Division I institution in sports like football and basketball in violation of NCAA rules. Periodically, schools get caught and are punished. I think the easiest solution is to allow it to continue, let boosters write checks to attract talented athletes, but remove the rules against it. Nothing else has to change in this regard.

59th Annual Mohican District Science Day

A total of 219 students from 36 schools are expected to converge on the Ashland University campus Saturday, March 23, for the 59th annual Mohican District Science Day. Sponsored by the Mohican District Junior Division of the Ohio Academy of Science, the event will be held in Ashland University’s John C. Myers Convocation Center.

According to Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer, professor of Chemistry at Ashland University and Science Day director, all projects displayed at the district fair have received superior ratings in local school district science fairs. The students participating will represent high schools, junior high/middle schools and fifth and sixth grades in eight different counties: Ashland, Erie, Holmes, Huron, Lorain, Medina, Richland and Wayne.

More info at ashlandscience.blogspot.com

Maplerock Jazz Festival, Friday, Mar. 22

Ashland University’s award-winning jazz program is proud to present the 40th Annual Maplerock Jazz Festival slated for Friday, March 22. Along with free performances by ten area school jazz ensembles from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the event presents a main stage concert at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre which features five professional jazz artists.

The Jazz Festival's evening concert will open with the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Scott Garlock. The concert program will headline guest jazz artists: Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Mike Tomaro (sax), Pat Harbison (trumpet), Sean Parsons (piano) and John Viser (drums).

These five guest artists will conduct a public clinic with ten high school bands that will perform earlier in the day in Hugo Young Theatre. The Jazz Festival's afternoon performances are scheduled as follows:

11:30 a.m. Foundation Academy of Mansfield Jazz Band
12:00 p.m. Rittman High School Jazz Band
12:30 p.m. Crestview High School Jazz Band
1:00 p.m. Crestwood High School Jazz Band
1:30 p.m. Bloom Carroll High School Jazz Band
2:00 p.m. Ashland High School Jazz Band B
2:30 p.m. Brunswick High School Jazz Band
3:00 p.m. Stow-Munroe Falls High School Jazz Band
3:30 p.m. Galion High School Jazz Band
4:00 p.m. Ashland High School Jazz Band A

More info at ashlanduniversitymusic.blogspot.com

Hovey Named 2019 Human Rights Scholar

In April, Dr. Craig Hovey, religion professor and director of the Ashland Center for Nonviolence, will be the visiting human rights scholar at the Human Rights Center at the University of Dayton. As its website explains:

The Center hosts visiting human rights researchers and advocates from around the world. These visitors bring us new and challenging perspectives on human rights and advocacy. The program gives them the time and resources to reflect on their work, write, teach and speak. The program enlivens our own human rights research and educational community, and it creates the possibility for sustained partnerships with our visitors’ academic institutions and human rights organizations.

Choral Concert, Mar. 17

The Ashland University Choir, Chamber Singers and Women's Chorus present a concert to relieve our cabin fever on Sunday, Mar. 17 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. The eclectic program will offer everything from Elizabethan madrigals, to a Mass from Haydn, spirituals, contemporary a cappella, folk songs and lullabies. The concert is free and open to the public. More info at ashlanduniversitymusic.blogspot.com

Juried Student Exhibition Opens Mar. 14

Judged by AU Alumnus Larry Schiemann, the Ashland University Juried Student Art and Design Exhibition opens on Thursday, Mar. 14, in the The Coburn Gallery with a reception to be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The exhibit runs Mar. 14-29. More information at coburngallery.blogspot.com

Free Speech on Campus, Mar. 13 at 7pm

C.L. Lindsay will deliver an engaging and important talk concerning the legal and social limits of free speech on college campuses on Wednesday, Mar. 13, at 7 p.m. in Redwood Hall. He recently posted this youtube video below promoting the lecture that he will be delivering to various campuses across the nation.

For more information about C.L. Lindsay, you can visit his website: www.cllindsay.com

URCA 2019 Booklet & Schedule Available

The 2019 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) Symposium is quickly approaching on Tuesday, April 9 and the abstract booklet and presentation schedule is now available to view online.

Back by popular demand, two arts and sciences alumni also will present their current research and creative activity.

• Jennifer Winkler graduated in 2012 with a BFA degree in Fine Art and a Bachelor of Science in Art Education with minors in Spanish and art history. Upon graduation, she worked as a newspaper photographer and as a figure painter and muralist for Carousel Works in Mansfield, Ohio, traveling with a crew around the United States painting carousels and murals. She is currently an art teacher at Green Local Schools in Smithville, Ohio, teaching grades 6-12 (see p. 9).
• Jennifer Tully graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in geology and integrated science education with a minor in biology. She is currently a geologist with Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., in Cincinnati and aids the USEPA Office of Research and Development's examination of drinking water pipe corrosion scales and deposits, along with developing sampling plans to investigate the occurrence of lead in drinking water (see p. 11). 

For more information about URCA 2019, be sure to follow the blog at ashlandurca.blogspot.com for updates.

AU Band Tours to Chicago

The Ashland University Symphonic Band under the direction of Joseph Lewis, Jr., embarked on a concert tour to Chicago during spring break. The tour included performances at Ayersville High School (Defiance), Spencerville High School and the Chicago Field Museum. The program for the concerts took on an international flair featuring compositions from 'Across the Pond and Far East' including England, Italy, Russia, Israel, Korea as well as Samuel Hazo's Olympiada.

Social Work Receives Top Recognition

Ashland University’s Social Work program has been recognized by the Human Services Education Organization as being one of the most affordable private social work programs in the country. AU Social Work is one of only two Ohio programs listed in the top 101 ranking. Full story at bit.ly/AUSocialW

Dwier Brown to Present AU Lecture, Mar. 26

AU Theatre alumnus and professional actor Dwier Brown, best known for playing Kevin Costner’s father in the timeless classic film, “Field of Dreams,” will be the speaker at Ashland University’s 2019 Burton D. Morgan Lecture and Lunch on Tuesday, March 26. The event, which includes lunch, is free and open to the public and will be held at 11:45 a.m. in Myers Convocation Center on the AU campus. Reservations are requested for those attending the AU lecture and lunch, and they can be made at ashland.edu/aumorganlecture19. For additional information, contact Sudow at tsudow@ashland.edu or 216.396.4030. Read more at bit.ly/AUDwier