FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008

(Article by Astra NG, communications specialist)

            Shawnee State University will hold the 2008 Evening of Honors at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 17 in the Main Theater of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.
            Held in conjunction with the fourth annual Celebration of Scholarship, the Evening of Honors will be an opportunity for the campus community to celebrate the achievements of SSU’s students, faculty and staff. Awards will be presented to outstanding graduates by academic departments and by organizations including the SSU Alumni Association, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Student Success Center and University Faculty Senate.
            Along with the student awards, the Bear Hug award, Excellence in Service award and Award for Service Learning will be given to an administrator, staff or faculty member who is nominated by students for notable contributions to the university.
          “Student Government takes pride in making this once-a-year event memorable for all the students who will be honored,” said Jennifer Bourne, Vice President of Student Government Association.
            Each department is limited to one award nomination and must complete the Evening of Honors registration form and return it to the Office of Student Activities by Monday, March 17 to allow enough time for nominees to be contacted.
            For more information or to suggest a new award, contact Jennifer Bourne at (740) 351-6209 or email at bournej@shawnee.edu.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008

(Article by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

 

            The Shawnee State University BEAR CUBS Science Explosion Camp for students completing seventh and eighth grades is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 9-13 at SSU.
            The camp will be presented by Darryl Lee Baynes and Minority Aviation Education Association Inc. Interactive Science Programs, a nonprofit organization designed to meet or exceed the educational standards from the National Research Council.
            BEAR CUBS (Building Enthusiasm for Access and Retention in College by Understanding the Basics for Success) is funded by a grant from the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education, and serves all ten school districts in Scioto County and selected schools in Pike County.
            Each year, BEAR CUBS’ staff reaches out to about 4,200 fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth grade students to highlight the values of academic achievement and attending college.
            Baynes and MAEA will expose students to the major sciences through practical applications and demonstrations, emphasizing the relevance of science in everyday life with a goal to stimulate career interest.
            “We’re trying to promote the STEM initiative,” said Lois Rase, Bear Cubs coordinator. “We try to encourage girls’ participation and student interest in science, math, technology and related fields.”
            The cost of the camp is $200 for commuting students and $500 for residential campers. Students seeking financial assistance may receive a full or partial scholarship depending on availability of funds. The complete applications must be received by March 28 for full consideration. Applications received after March 28 will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis if funding is still available.
            The camp is sponsored in part by the Shawnee State University Development Foundation, Tech Prep and The Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education.
            Registration forms and scholarship applications are available at schools or online at www.shawnee.edu/off/bcub. For more information, contact Lois Rase, camp director, at (740) 351-3543.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008

(Photo and cutline by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

            At this year’s Tech Prep Showcase at Shawnee State University, 91 students from Scioto and Lawrence counties presented 63 projects on subjects including criminal science, teaching professions, health technologies, business technologies and information technologies. Twelve projects received the highest ranking of superior, 46 were ranked excellent and five were ranked good.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008

(Article by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

            The Campus Ministry at Shawnee State University is bringing Al Staggs in his one-man play “A View From The Underside: The Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.
The play is open to the public and there is no charge for admission.
            The one-person play, adapted and performed by Al Staggs, brings to life one of the great heroes of the twentieth century. The audience is brought into the prison cell where Bonhoeffer awaits execution and listens to his struggles with evil, injustice and God.
            “Al Staggs is the pre-eminent portrayer of Bonhoeffer,” said Rev. Evan Fisher from the Campus Ministry at SSU. “Bonhoeffer spoke out against Adolf Hitler and paid for it with his life. Many theologians left Germany when Hitler came into power. Bonhoeffer went to New York City and then decided he had to go back to Germany where he was arrested.”
Bonhoeffer, a German theologian during the Hitler regime, was a participant in the German Resistance movement against Nazism, and a founding member of the Confessing Church. He was involved in plots planned by members of the Abwehr (the German Military Intelligence Office) to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He was arrested in March 1943, imprisoned, and eventually hanged just before the end of World War II. In the play, Bonhoeffer speaks from his prison cell.
            He tells of the profound influence of fellow Union Theological student, Frank Fisher, an African-American friend who introduced Bonhoeffer to the blight of racism in America. He expresses moral outrage against the Nazi treatment of Jews.
            After the play, everyone is invited to a reception with Staggs. For more information, call Fisher at (740) 353-3583, e-mail efisher@shawnee.edu or go to the Web site at www.campusministryssu.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2008

(Photo and cutline by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

            Based on the popular songs of Johnny Cash comes “Ring of Fire,” a unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, home and family.
            At 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 31 at Shawnee State University’s Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, a cast of fourteen multi-talented performers takes you on a journey into the world Johnny Cash created in his songs. For ticket information, call the McKinley Box Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at (740) 351-3600.about the journey of a man in search of his own soul.”
            Though not a traditional story musical, “Ring of Fire” loosely follows three couples at different stages of life. All, at some point, capture and evoke Cash and his beloved second wife, June Carter.
            The “man in black” began as a country music maverick who became an icon for country and rock fans alike. His music made heroes of the downtrodden, and ennobled the disenfranchised.
            “Ring of Fire” features 38 of the music legend’s songs including “Country Boy,” “A Thing Called Love,” “Five Feet High and Rising,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “I’ve Been Everywhere,” “The Man in Black” and his final hit, “Hurt.”
            The Family Pops Series is sponsored in part by USEC.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2008

(Article by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

 

            Many students head to the beach for Spring Break at Shawnee State University, but 15 Shawnee State University students are traveling to London to earn three credits during an intensive nine-day field trip.
            Isabel Graziani, assistant professor of art history, will be guiding the students, but she also knows the value of individual exploration.
            “I believe that we’re going to do a lot of things as a group, but I want them to go on their own,” she said. “I told them to make friends and visit with people. The whole thing about traveling abroad is connecting with people of different cultures from different parts of the world.”
            Students will be visiting the British Museum, the Tate National Gallery, Stonehenge and Avesbury. Also, they will see Windsor Castle, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral.
            For most of the students, it is the first time traveling out of the United States.
            “I’m really excited about seeing artists like Lucien Freud and Jenny Saville,” said art student Charlie Haskins. “Visiting London will have a major impact on what I do as a painter. It’s one thing to study books and look at pictures but it’s another to see the real thing.”
            On Sunday, students will study a special exhibit at the Tate Modern Gallery that houses the works of Francis Bacon, Pablo Picasso, Beauys, Ernst, Beckman and Batlhus. They will return to the gallery on Monday to view Pop Art, Op Art minimalism, Conceptualism and Super-realism.
            At the British Museum, students will see Egyptian, Greek and Roman Art. Students will also take a cruise on the River Thames, ride the London Eye, an observation wheel, and visit the London Tower, the Whispering Gallery and the Saatchi Gallery.
            SSU senior student Taryn Malone studied in Spain as an international exchange student and she is excited about going back to Europe and studying art in London.
            “This class will complete my art history minor requirements,” she said. “It’s such an exciting time right now. It’s the week of good news.”
            She just found out that she has been accepted at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the graduate creative writing program.
            Both Haskins and Malone received scholarships to help fund their trip to London.
            “Upon completion of the field trip and course, students will have a better knowledge of the intricacies of international travel and a better appreciation and understanding of Britain’s long history, diverse society, intriguing politics and many forms of artistic expression,” Graziani said.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2008

(Article by Astra NG, communications specialist)

             Shawnee State University has announced Jacqueline Jones Royster and Shawn Sweeney as the honored guest speakers at the 2008 Celebration of Scholarship on Thursday, April 17.
             Royster, the keynote speaker, is a senior vice provost, executive dean of the Colleges of Art and Sciences and English professor at The Ohio State University. She has written numerous articles and books in both literacy studies and women’s studies.
            Royster’s presentation will be at 10:15 a.m. and will focus on research. She will share one of her projects related to the documentation of women’s contributions and achievements to illustrate how research is dynamically intertwined in both of our personal and professional lives.
            Sweeney is a graduate fellow of the Jane Goodall Institute, and has participated in and led research projects for the past three years in the field of conservation psychology, the study of reciprocal relationships between humans and the rest of nature that focuses on how to encourage the conservation of the natural world.
            Sweeney will be presenting “The Emerging of Conservation Psychology: Studying the Human Behavior to Inform Conservation Policy and Practice - a student’s perspective” from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
            “It is very exciting to have very knowledgeable guest speakers who can share their research and experiences at the Celebration of Scholarship at SSU,” said Shannon Lawson, chair of the Celebration of Scholarship planning committee.
            For more information on the guest speakers or the Celebration of Scholarship, contact Shannon Lawson at (740) 351-3295 or e-mail at slawson@shawnee.edu.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2008

(Article by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)
 

            Each year, the talent of Shawnee State University art students is recognized at the annual SSU Department of Fine, Digital and Performing Arts art show.
            The 2008 Student Art Show at Shawnee State University that opened on Thursday, March 6, and continued through March 21, vividly demonstrated the array of student talent with works in a variety of media, including oils, watercolors, graphite, mixed media, ceramics and sculptures.
            “Each year I am impressed with the quality of work displayed in the student art show,” said Matt Cram, assistant professor and chair of SSU’s Fine, Performing and Digital Arts Department. “It takes great courage and dedication to present artwork in any public forum and the students should be very proud of their accomplishments.”
            Judges for the show were Ron and Patrice Kroutel from Athens.
            The Best of show winner was Jacob Thompson for his painting, "Self Portrait Reflection Sea.” Winners in other categories are:
            Painting: First place – Margaret Allard, “Nick the Great”; Second place – Chris Germann, "Trenches of Habada"; Third place – Crystal Redoutey, "Self Portrait.”
            Drawing and Illustration: First place – Shaina Rieske, "Untitled"; Second place – Tyler Hickey, “Power”; Third place – Marissa Hatfield, "Starlight Path."
            Digital Arts: First place – Lacy Davis, "Tub from Ties" Series; Second place – Dot Flanagan, "Hell Hath Fury”; Third place – Jessica Leaverton, "Simple Passions #1."
            Sculpture, Ceramics and Installation: First place – Heather Holland, “Zippy Zigzag”; Second place – Steve Thompson, “Slumberland.”
            Photography: First place – Amanda Hutchinson, "Hungout to Dry"; Second place – E. McQuown, "In Camera" (tryptich); Third place – Danielle Clark, "Dana."
            Honorable Mention: Charles Flanagan – "The Outsider" Series; Margaret Allard – "Wealth in Touch"; Crystal Redoutey – "Relationship Series."
            The show is open to the public at no charge from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Appleton Gallery of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at SSU.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2008

(Photos and cutlines by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

            Two Shawnee State University art students, Charlie Haskins and Kevin Taylor, earlier this year exhibited their work at the Ohio University art exhibit, "State of the World: An Appalachian Perspective," a show at the Multicultural Center Art Gallery in Ohio University’s Baker Center.
            The show focused on progressive issues of peace, justice and the environment and featured the Appalachian Peace and Justice Network.
            Haskins had two oil paintings in the show, “Mother and Child” and “Nightwatch,” focusing on peace and social issues.
            He comes from a family of artists, including his grandfather, parents and siblings.
            “People and places inspire me,” Haskins said. “I take what I see around me and modify that, but more often than not my art comes from life’s experiences.”
            He is exhibiting his work at the Southern Ohio Museum from March 19 to April 19 in his first one-man show, “Charles Haskins’ Recent Works.” Haskins is the first SSU undergraduate student to have a show at the museum.
            Haskins, a senior at SSU, has been accepted for the graduate program at East Tennessee University but he is still considering his options.
            Taylor exhibited his mixed media piece, “Death on Display,” made with hundreds of cigarette filters he collected in his part-time job taking care of the campus grounds.
            The filters were arranged onto a six-foot board where he applied an epoxy sealer and then constructed a custom frame.
            The piece was on exhibit in the Ohio University art exhibit in the environment category. Taylor has used nature and everyday items to create art in the past. One of his creations was made entirely of leaves.
            “I just thought that ‘Death on Display’ makes a statement,” Taylor said. “I like to create art from everyday life and the things around me.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2008

(Photo and cutline by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

            Dr. Timothy Scheurer, Shawnee State University’s Dean of Arts and Sciences, recently released a new book “Music and Mythmaking in Film: Genre and the Role of the Composer” which studies different genres of film – historical romance, detectives, westerns, horror movies and science fiction – and how music is used in them, focusing on the artistic and technical methods that modern composers use to accompany the movie events.
            Scheurer compares films from the 50s and 80s of the same genre to illustrate the musical conventions.
            “Nobody had ever really looked at the music in genre films together in one place,” Scheurer said. “Every genre has some kind of conventions, so I thought I would try to see if composers did the same kind of thing.”
            Some things remained the same and some things have changed. Scheurer, who plays piano, trumpet and guitar and also writes music, discovered that Indian music in Westerns has made the biggest change. In the Western chapter, he discusses the fact the older music would reinforce a largely negative stereotype that culturally we do not embrace anymore. Historical romance and horror films haven’t changed that much.
            “I’ve always been interested in music and film and played an instrument most of my life,” he said. “The only regular composition I write now is at Christmas and I put it into a Christmas card.”
            He started the book 10 years ago, although there were some years he didn’t write.
            Several photographs and sheet music excerpts appear throughout the book. Each chapter begins with a particular genre and compares two film examples.
            The book can be purchased online at amazon.com and barrnesandnoble.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2008

(Article by Astra NG, communications specialist)

 

            Shawnee State University will have its second annual Plastics Day from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on April 11 in the Advanced Technology Center.
            Participants can expect an interactive campus visit to learn about SSU’s plastics engineering technology program by meeting with students, successful alumni and faculty.
            The day will be divided into four concurrent sessions: Plastics Part Design Technology, What’s in a Plastic, How to make a Plastic Product, and Program Review and Meet Alumni.
            Participants will learn to operate plastics processing equipment, such as extruders, injection molding machines and rotational molders. They will make their own polymer-based plastics products, such as poker chips, Frisbees and piggy banks. Participants will also learn how to design plastic products using sophisticated computer programs.
            “The program allows students to make an informed decision about choosing plastics engineering technology as a major,” said James Farmer, admissions officer. “Participants will be able to talk to plastics engineering technology students, successful alumni and professors to learn what the program is all about.”
            The Plastics Day program is free and open to the public and lunch will be provided at no charge. Reservations will be open until April 9. For more information or to register, contact James Farmer at (740) 351-3664, email at jfarmer@shawnee.edu or register online at www.shawnee.edu/off/adms/plasticsday.html.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2008

(Article by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

 

            A groundbreaking ceremony is planned at Shawnee State University for the Dr. William E. Daehler Tennis Center at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 7 on the corner of Union and Second streets in Portsmouth and the public is invited to attend.
           Dr. Daehler and his wife, Anita, pledged $250,000 to Poised for Tomorrow, Shawnee State’s capital campaign, for the purpose of constructing the new outdoor tennis facility on campus that is planned for completion this fall.
           “Because of the Daehlers’ generosity, this new tennis facility will be a tremendous resource for students, staff and the community,” said SSU President Rita Rice Morris. “It will be a showcase site for tennis tournaments in our region.”
            Now, with the six new courts, SSU tennis teams can play in tournaments at home and it will also provide a place where students and the community can play.
           “Dr. Daehler is an avid player and he is working with the architect to plan the construction of the facility,” Morris said.
            Daehler plays tennis three times a week and wants to be sure the courts are the latest in design. He encourages others to take up the sport and wrote a book “100 Years of Tennis in Scioto County.”
            “The location and the size of the courts will be a big boost for our tennis teams and our students,” said Jim Arnzen, director of the SSU Athletics Department. “The old facility had only three courts, and we need the six courts to be able to host competitive matches and tournaments. Our women’s intercollegiate team will play eight to 10 home matches every year on the new courts.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2008

(Cutline by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

(Submitted photo)

            An article is good, but a book is even better.
            In 2006, when Dr. Michael Powell, assistant professor of English and Humanities at Shawnee State University, defended his dissertation before the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of The Ohio University, the committee suggested there were several articles in his work that could be published and he might publish the entire dissertation in a year.
            About a year later while recovering from an illness, VDM Verlag Dr. Muller, an academic research publishing company in Germany, called him wanting to turn his dissertation into a book.
            His dissertation was originally on OhioLink titled, “Moving Ahead or Falling Behind?: A Rhetorical Analysis of The Historical and Socio-Political Implications of the No Child Left Behind Act.” One of the first things he had to do was shorten the name.
            He was curious to know how the publisher found his dissertation in the first place, so he “googled” himself and found that someone had taken his dissertation from OhioLink and put it on a Web site that he did not know about, which is where the publishing company found it.
            Powell made a few changes, chose a new title, chose the artwork for a cover and signed the contract. By the end of March, he received some copies of the book.
            Included in the first few chapters of the book is the history of the education system in the United States.
            In the book, he discusses the political shifts and changes leading up to the “No Child Left Behind” act, providing a rhetorical analysis of NCLB and how it compares in a rhetorical and historical context to other modern educational reform artifacts.
            “I talk about how the schools developed and how the government pretty much stayed out of it until the 20th century when the government started intervening,” Powell said. “Public policy is full of rhetorical messages, and the ways in which politicians use rhetoric shapes the mindset of a society.”
            The publishing company will be selling the book online as an e-book or at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and other outlets. Powell is planning a book signing in the near future. To order the book or for more information, call Powell at (740) 354-3070 or e-mail mpowell@shawnee.edu.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2008

(Article by Astra NG, communications specialist)

            Brian Saul, adjunct professor of sport studies, is offering students at Shawnee State University the chance to experience what it feels like to descend the vertical face of a rock or building through rappelling class.
            The class teaches students the basics of rappelling equipment, apparel and techniques, such as knots, rope, rigging and descending techniques. Two 10-hour field trips are planned to help students practice everything they have learned in class.
            Upon completion of the course, students should be able to plan, organize and complete a rappelling trip on their own.
            “Rappelling is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn and experience something new and exciting,” Saul said.
            As part of the class, Saul and his students will be rappelling at 6 p.m. on April 16 and 23 at the Clark Memorial Library.
            For more information, contact Saul at (740) 351-3228 or e-mail at bsaul@shawnee.edu.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2008

 (Cutline by Phyllis Noah, communications coordinator)

(Submitted photo)

            Love to dance? The Shawnee State University Women’s Dance Team is looking for new members and there are no special qualifications to try out for the team, which performs mostly hip hop, jazz and contemporary dances.
            Tryouts for the team will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 18 and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 19 at the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center gymnasium. Another tryout will be scheduled later for incoming freshmen. There is no limit to the number of members.
            The team performs at all home basketball games beginning in November and going through February, as well as at special events like pep rallies.
            Each year, the team attends summer camp and in July this year, it will be going to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn.
            “I want students who will be committed to the team and understand they are representing SSU and its community,” said Pam Hutchinson, SSU Adjunct Faculty-Sports Studies, Head Cheer/Dance Coach. “The mission of the dance team is to provide an additional element of school spirit in conjunction with the cheerleaders. While having fun is an objective, the team also needs to look good and provide quality entertainment which requires commitment and a desire to excel from each of its members.”
            For more information or to sign up for tryouts, call Hutchinson at (740) 352-9039 or e-mail (phutchinson@shawnee.edu).