First Lady Michelle Obama among Spring Commencement Speakers

First Lady Michelle Obama will join former University of Kentucky President Dr. Charles Wethington and Kentucky author Silas House as speakers at Eastern Kentucky University’s spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 11.

Three ceremonies, all in Alumni Coliseum, will recognize a total of 2,428 degree candidates.

The First Lady will address degree candidates from the Colleges of Education and Business and Technology at 7:30 p.m. (a change from the usual time) and will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. The First Lady will be speaking at EKU as part of her Joining Forces initiative to assist military families. The University has received national recognition in recent years for its commitment to helping veterans further their education. EKU, home to more than 1,200 veterans and their dependents, earned a No. 1 national ranking in 2010 and 2012 from Military Times magazine in its annual “Best for Vets: Colleges” issues.

Because of limited seating and to ensure that graduates’ families are able to attend, the 7:30 p.m. ceremony will be restricted to those holding tickets. Graduating students, in addition to receiving one ticket each for personal use, will receive six additional tickets for use by family members; remaining tickets will be distributed by general lottery.

To pick up tickets, graduating students must appear in person at the EKU Athletic Ticket Office in Alumni Coliseum any weekday between April 22 and May 3, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Degree candidates must show a valid EKU ID, and the candidate’s name must be on the list of graduating students.

Those who wish to submit a request for general lottery tickets must complete a form at registrar.eku.edu/lottery by no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3. The submissions will be selected at random, and individuals will be notified by the end of the business day on Monday, May 6 if their ticket request has been chosen. Availability of lottery tickets is limited to two tickets per entry and one entry per person.

All attendees that evening will be required to go through security screening similar to that encountered at airports. Doors for the 7:30 p.m. ceremony will open at 5:30 p.m.

The first ceremony, at 9 a.m., will recognize degree candidates in the Colleges of Health Sciences and Justice & Safety. The second ceremony, at 1:30 p.m., will recognize degree candidates in the College of Arts & Sciences. The 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. ceremonies are open to the public. All ceremonies will be streamed live, with a link on the EKU home page (www.eku.edu).

The First Lady is a Chicago Public Schools graduate who went on to earn degrees from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She joined the University of Chicago in 1996 as Associate Dean of Student Services and developed the University’s first community service program. Later, during her tenure as Vice President of Community and External Affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center, volunteerism skyrocketed.

In 2010, two years after the election of her husband, Barack Obama, as U.S. President, she launched Let’s Move, a nationwide collaborative effort to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. The following year, she and Dr. Jill Biden (wife of Vice President Joe Biden) launched Joining Forces to raise awareness of the unique needs of American military families.    

Michelle and Barack Obama have two daughters, Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11.

Wethington, president at UK from 1990 to 2001, will speak at the morning ceremony. The Casey County native headed the Commonwealth’s community college system, then under the control of the UK, from 1981 to 1990. Wethington, who earned bachelor’s degrees in English and history from EKU in 1956, retired in 2012 after 47 years in higher education.

House, author, educator and environmental activist, will speak at the 1:30 ceremony. The Laurel County native, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English from EKU in 1993, is the author of five critically acclaimed novels: “Clay’s Quilt,” “A Parchment of Leaves,” “The Coal Tattoo,” “Eli the Good,” and “Same Sun Here,” co-authored with Neela Vaswani, among other works. He currently serves as the director of the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center at Berea College.

Wethington will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, House an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.

In all, 1,806 bachelor’s degree candidates will be recognized, plus 490 master’s degree candidates, 115 associate degree candidates, 10 specialist degree candidates and seven doctoral degree candidates.

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Welcome back to the Spring Semester from President Julie E. Wollman

01/22/2013

Dear Edinboro University Students and Parents:

As the start of a new semester approaches, we at Edinboro University know our students have a lot to look forward to: reunions with friends and mentors, courses to explore, and opportunities to build on last semester's achievements.

It's understandable at this time that the status of negotiations between the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) also is on the minds of our Edinboro University students and your families. First and foremost, you should know that we have a plan in place to ensure that your education continues should a strike occur. Answers to frequently asked questions about this plan, along with the latest information about the status negotiations, are available on the PASSHE Negotiations Update section of University website at www.edinboro.edu.

You should also know that the Edinboro University administration and faculty share a focus on students and a desire for a settlement. PASSHE officials also have stressed that they are committed to achieving a new collective bargaining agreement that is fair and positions the State System universities to continue to provide affordable, quality education. Details about the State System’s bargaining positions are available on the PASSHE website at www.passhe.edu.

Ultimately, our hopes rest on successful resolution of the issues that separate the negotiators. At Edinboro University, our focus remains on how best to continuously enhance the quality of our academic programs as well as on the academic progress of you, our students.

Julie E. Wollman, President

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Edinboro University to host ‘Admit on the Spot’ program to speed admission - New students can enroll in time for spring semester

01/15/2013

Future Edinboro University students can get on the fast track to academic success at an “Admit on the Spot” event on Thursday, January 17. Instead of waiting to begin their Edinboro education, participants in the program can wrap up the application process in time for the start of the spring semester.

The “Admit on the Spot” program will be held Thursday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the Admissions Office in Academy Hall, 200 East Normal Street, Edinboro.

Students with applications on file can bring their missing credentials to the Admissions Office and receive an admission decision before they leave campus. Prospective students who haven’t yet applied can complete an application on Thursday. If they bring copies of their transcripts, they, too, can receive an “Admit on the Spot” decision in time to begin classes on Monday, Jan. 28.

Financial aid representatives will be on hand to assist students who will be applying for aid, and staff will be available to register students for classes once they have been admitted.

Director of Admissions Craig Grooms said the “Admit on the Spot” program was created in response to the needs of students, who are often pressed for time at the midpoint in the academic year.

“The spring semester is an enrollment opportunity that sometimes slips by because there usually is such a small window in which to complete all of the required paperwork,” Grooms said. “We recognize that and are making the process easier for students who wish to begin their Edinboro education at the midway point.”

Prospective students who have questions about enrolling in Edinboro University and the “Admit on the Spot” program can call 814-732-2761. They also can learn more about the University, its more than 100 academic majors, and its commitment to student success at www.edinboro.edu.

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Welcome back to the Spring Semester from President Julie E. Wollman

01/22/2013

Dear Edinboro University Students and Parents:

As the start of a new semester approaches, we at Edinboro University know our students have a lot to look forward to: reunions with friends and mentors, courses to explore, and opportunities to build on last semester's achievements.

It's understandable at this time that the status of negotiations between the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) also is on the minds of our Edinboro University students and your families. First and foremost, you should know that we have a plan in place to ensure that your education continues should a strike occur. Answers to frequently asked questions about this plan, along with the latest information about the status negotiations, are available on the PASSHE Negotiations Update section of University website at www.edinboro.edu.

You should also know that the Edinboro University administration and faculty share a focus on students and a desire for a settlement. PASSHE officials also have stressed that they are committed to achieving a new collective bargaining agreement that is fair and positions the State System universities to continue to provide affordable, quality education. Details about the State System’s bargaining positions are available on the PASSHE website at www.passhe.edu.

Ultimately, our hopes rest on successful resolution of the issues that separate the negotiators. At Edinboro University, our focus remains on how best to continuously enhance the quality of our academic programs as well as on the academic progress of you, our students.

Julie E. Wollman, President

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Chautauqua Lecture Title: "From Silent Spring to Silent Night: A Tale of Toads and Men"

The next speaker in Eastern Kentucky University’s year-long Chautauqua lecture series will examine the links between conservation, ecology, biology, agriculture, mass food production, environmental policy and health.

Dr. Tyrone Hayes’s talk, entitled “From Silent Spring to Silent Night: A Tale of Toads and Men,” is scheduled for Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. in O’Donnell Hall of the Student Success Building. The event, sponsored by the Honors Program and the Department of Biological Sciences, is free and open to the public.

Hayes, who teaches at the University of California-Berkeley, is best known for his work on the pesticide atrazine, which causes demasculinization in Northern Leopard frogs. An interest in frog hormones, specifically those of a tiny reed frog common in Ethiopia and Uganda, sparked his interest in his current fieldwork. “Surprisingly, frog hormones are very similar, and in some cases identical, to human hormones,” he said. “So what affects a frog may also affect humans.

“We’ve found developmental changes in tadpoles when water contains contaminants 50 times lower than what’s allowed in U.S. drinking water,” he added. “If chemicals in such low concentrations can impact amphibians, mammals may also be affected.”

According to National Geographic, Hayes’s work “places him at that nexus where the thrusts and aims of conservation, ecology, and cellular biology conflict deeply with the thrusts and aims of agriculture, mass food production, and environmental policy, but it is an open question as to whether or not a proper balance can be found that integrates all of those needs successfully.”

Hayes grew up in South Carolina, where one of his favorite pastimes as a youth was tracking down the region’s abundant turtles, snakes and toads. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree from Harvard and a doctorate in integrative biology from the University of California.

“In addition to the scientific interests,” Hayes said, “this issue is one of environmental justice. Citizens in lower socio-economic classes and, in particular, ethnic minorities are less likely to have access to this information, more likely to be employed and live in areas where they are exposed to pesticides, less likely to have access to appropriate health care, and more likely to die from what are already the number one cancers in men and women (prostate and breast cancer, respectively).

“Industry has increased efforts to discredit my work,” he added, “but my laboratory continues to examine the impacts of atrazine and other pesticides on environmental and public health. My decision to stand up and face the industry giant was not a heroic one. My parents taught me, ‘Do not do the right thing because you seek reward… and do not avoid the wrong thing because you fear punishment. Do the right thing, because it is the right thing.’ If I want to raise my own children with the same philosophy, then I have to live my life in accordance with the way that I direct theirs. There was only one choice.”

To see the complete schedule of the 2012-13 EKU Chautauqua Lectures, visit www.chautauqua.eku.edu. For more information, contact Chautauqua Lecture Coordinator Dr. Minh Nguyen at minh.nguyen@eku.edu.

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Edinboro University to host ‘Admit on the Spot’ program to speed admission - New students can enroll in time for spring semester

01/15/2013

Future Edinboro University students can get on the fast track to academic success at an “Admit on the Spot” event on Thursday, January 17. Instead of waiting to begin their Edinboro education, participants in the program can wrap up the application process in time for the start of the spring semester.

The “Admit on the Spot” program will be held Thursday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the Admissions Office in Academy Hall, 200 East Normal Street, Edinboro.

Students with applications on file can bring their missing credentials to the Admissions Office and receive an admission decision before they leave campus. Prospective students who haven’t yet applied can complete an application on Thursday. If they bring copies of their transcripts, they, too, can receive an “Admit on the Spot” decision in time to begin classes on Monday, Jan. 28.

Financial aid representatives will be on hand to assist students who will be applying for aid, and staff will be available to register students for classes once they have been admitted.

Director of Admissions Craig Grooms said the “Admit on the Spot” program was created in response to the needs of students, who are often pressed for time at the midpoint in the academic year.

“The spring semester is an enrollment opportunity that sometimes slips by because there usually is such a small window in which to complete all of the required paperwork,” Grooms said. “We recognize that and are making the process easier for students who wish to begin their Edinboro education at the midway point.”

Prospective students who have questions about enrolling in Edinboro University and the “Admit on the Spot” program can call 814-732-2761. They also can learn more about the University, its more than 100 academic majors, and its commitment to student success at www.edinboro.edu.

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ENMU Spring Break Set for March 11-15

Date: 3/11/2013
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 575.562.2253

PORTALES – Eastern New Mexico University students will be on spring break from March 11-15.

The campus will still be open and staff will still report.

Classes will resume on Monday, March 18.

For University information, call 575-562-1011.

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Edinboro University to host ‘Admit on the Spot’ program to speed admission - New students can enroll in time for spring semester

01/15/2013

Future Edinboro University students can get on the fast track to academic success at an “Admit on the Spot” event on Thursday, January 17. Instead of waiting to begin their Edinboro education, participants in the program can wrap up the application process in time for the start of the spring semester.

The “Admit on the Spot” program will be held Thursday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the Admissions Office in Academy Hall, 200 East Normal Street, Edinboro.

Students with applications on file can bring their missing credentials to the Admissions Office and receive an admission decision before they leave campus. Prospective students who haven’t yet applied can complete an application on Thursday. If they bring copies of their transcripts, they, too, can receive an “Admit on the Spot” decision in time to begin classes on Monday, Jan. 28.

Financial aid representatives will be on hand to assist students who will be applying for aid, and staff will be available to register students for classes once they have been admitted.

Director of Admissions Craig Grooms said the “Admit on the Spot” program was created in response to the needs of students, who are often pressed for time at the midpoint in the academic year.

“The spring semester is an enrollment opportunity that sometimes slips by because there usually is such a small window in which to complete all of the required paperwork,” Grooms said. “We recognize that and are making the process easier for students who wish to begin their Edinboro education at the midway point.”

Prospective students who have questions about enrolling in Edinboro University and the “Admit on the Spot” program can call 814-732-2761. They also can learn more about the University, its more than 100 academic majors, and its commitment to student success at www.edinboro.edu.

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ENMU Spring Semester Begins January 14

Date: 1/10/2013
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 575.562.2253

PORTALES–The spring semester at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales will begin on Monday, Jan. 14, and end on May 10.

The last day to late-register is Friday, Jan. 18.

Those not yet enrolled who want to take on-campus or online classes should call 1.800.FOR.ENMU (562.2178 locally) or email Enrollment.Services@enmu.edu.

Currently enrolled students can register for classes anytime at www.enmu.edu/classes.

For more information, call 1.800.FOR.ENMU (562.2175 locally).

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2013 Spring Fine Arts Calendar for Eastern New Mexico University in Portales

Date: 1/21/2013
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 575.562.2253

ENMU Ceramics Exhibition
Runnels Gallery, Golden Library at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
Open from 8 a.m. to midnight on Monday-Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from noon-midnight
Through Jan. 29
Free
Contact: Bryan Hahn (575) 562-2278

English Chamber Music Recital
With Special Guest Gerald Welker
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Translated Landscapes
Bryan Taylor, Featured Artist
Runnels Gallery, Golden Library at Eastern New Mexico University
Feb. 1-22
Opening Reception, Feb. 1, 5 p.m.
Open from 8 a.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from noon-midnight
Free
Contact: Bryan Hahn (575) 562-2278

Faculty Lectureship
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
Amanda Gatchet, “David, Goliath and the Black Panthers: The Paradox of the Oppressed Militant in the Rhetoric of Self-Defense”
5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

The Shadow Box
Senior Directors’ Showcase
Directed by Robert Garcia, Brandon Gilliard and Mandy Hatcher
Mainstage, University Theater Center at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
Feb. 7-9, 7 p.m., Feb. 10. 2 p.m.
General Admission: $5
Free for ENMU students with ID
Contact: Shirlene Peters (575) 562-2711

ENMU Opera presents:
Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
Feb. 14-16, 7 p.m., Feb. 17, 2 p.m.
General Admission: $8
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Tracy Carr Faculty Oboe Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Tim Wagner Student Trumpet Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Justin McMurdo Guest Guitar Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Friday, March 1
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

K though ENMU
46th Annual Community Youth Art Exhibition
Runnels Gallery, Golden Library
March 1-19, Opening Reception on March 1, 5-6:30 p.m.
Open from 8 a.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from noon-midnight
Free
Contact: Bryan Hahn (575) 562-2278

Anna Benadict Student Trumpet Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
3 p.m. Saturday, March 2
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Zach Hinds Student Baritone Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m., Saturday, March 2
Free
Contact Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Saturday Night Lab (Student-Produced Dramatic Pieces)
University Theater Center, Studio Theater at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m., Saturday, March 2
Free
Contact: Shirlene Peters (575) 562-2711

Wind Symphony Concert
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
3 p.m., Sunday, March 3
Free
Contact Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Faculty Lectureship
Tracy Carr, Kayla Paulk, Jennifer Laubenthal, Jean Ornellas: “Music of the Holocaust—An Examination and Recital of Two Compositions Influenced by Atrocities”
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
3 p.m., Tuesday March 5
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

John Bonner Student Composition Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Thursday, March 7
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Richard Hall Student Bassoon Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Friday, March 8
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Jazz Festival
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
March 21-22, 7 p.m.
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

It’s About Time: 14,000 Years of Art in New Mexico
(Exhibition funded by N.M. Humanities Council, Newman’s Own Foundation, and the Museum of  N.M. Foundation)
Golden Library, Runnels Gallery at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
March 22-April 19
Closing Reception, April 19, 5-6:30 p.m.
Open from 8 a.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from noon-midnight
Free
Contact: Bryan Hahn (575) 562-2278

Brittley Bates Student Flute Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
2 p.m. Saturday, March 23
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Friends of Music Scholarship Finals
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Monday, March 25
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Kamarie Schmidt Student Saxophone Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 26
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Xueer Luo, Enying Lio, Xiang Luole Student Piano Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 2
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Lauren Cook Student Vocal Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Thursday, April 4
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Eastern Plains Clarinet Celebration
With Special Guest Kristina Belisle
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Saturday, April 6
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Jared Aragon Student Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Margaret Hibbard Student Vocal Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Thursday, April 11
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Christopher Yee Student Vocal Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Friday, April 12
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Mozart’s Requiem
ENMU Choirs and West Texas A&M Choir and Orchestra
CUB Ballroom at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Saturday, April 20
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Ann Bradfield and Friends
Faculty Saxophone Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Monday, April 22
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder?
Directed by Anne Beck
University Theater Center, Studio Theater at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
April-25-27, 7 p.m.,  April 28, 2 p.m.
General Admission: $5
Free for ENMU students with ID
Contact: Shirlene Peters (575) 562-2711

General Student Composition Recital
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
2 p.m. Thursday, April 25
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Senior BFA Art Exhibition
Golden Library, Runnels Gallery at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
April 26-May 10
Closing Reception: May 10, 3-4:30 p.m.
Open from 8 a.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from noon-midnight
Free
Contact: Bryan Hahn (575) 562 2315

Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band Concert
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
3 p.m. Sunday, April 28
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Brass Choir Concert
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

End of Semester Student Work: Plays, Films and Dance
University Theater Center, Studio Theater at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
April 30-May 2, 7 p.m.
Free
Contact: Shirlene Peters (575) 562-2711

Eastern New Mexico Children’s Choir Spring Concert
Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
7 p.m. Tuesday, May 7
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

Doris Tankersley Student Recital Music Building, Buchanan Hall at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales
11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday May 18
Free
Contact: Kathi Fraze (575) 562-2377

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