"The measure of a Life is its Service."
A new book with “wonderful stories about many local children and productions” directed by theatre professor Maureen McIntyre over the past 25 summers will be available for purchase and signing on Wednesday (Dec. 10).
The reception will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Wynne Home Arts Center.
“The Youth Theatre Director’s Handbook” is a theatre how-to that provides directors with all the tools they need to create a production.
It is told through the eyes of a fictional character based on McIntyre’s experiences directing the Huntsville Children’s Theatre Festivals at the University Theatre Center.
“There are lots of wonderful anecdotes about Huntsville theatre,” McIntyre said. “Some parents may even recognize their own children (in the book).”
Copies of the book, published this year by JAC Publishing and Promotions, will be available at the event to purchase, for $22.95. The book may also be purchased online through Amazon.com or the publisher’s Web site for around $27.95, including shipping.
The Wynne Home Arts Center is located at 1428 11th St.
The event is sponsored by The Huntsville Arts Commission.
Family and consumer science professors Janis White and Paula Tripp will help bring engaged couples “twogether” and help them save money for their marriage license fee with a premarital workshop on Saturday (Dec. 13).
The free workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Kats for Christ, at 1705 Ave. J on the SHSU campus. Lunch is also provided during the event.
“Twogether in Texas,” a state initiative that became effective Sept. 1, allows for a waived marriage license fee for couples who complete an eight-hour premarital education class. The class also allows couples to forgo the 72-hour waiting period to get married.
Premarital sessions cover communication, conflict management, financial management, managing stress, providing mutual support, and parenting, among other topics.
Both the prospective bride and groom must attend in order to receive a certificate.
“Couples who complete a class will receive a certificate that they can take to their county clerk when they apply for their marriage license,” Tripp said. “The certificate is good for one year and serves as proof that the couple is eligible for the discounted marriage license fee.”
The cost of a marriage license is $60. While the workshop waives the state fee, participants are still required to pay a county fee of up $12 for a marriage license.
The workshops are made possible through a $50,000 grant White and Tripp received this summer. It is funded by Family Services of Greater Houston and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Participants are asked to register by Dec. 12 by calling 936.294.4129.
Art majors and minors will compete for a $250 “Best of Show” prize during the Lowman Student Center Juried Student Exhibition, held Monday through Friday (Dec. 8-12) in the LSC Art Gallery.
The “We Art Here Juried Art Show,” co-sponsored by the Student Art Association, will feature 16 pieces in a variety of mediums selected by the SAA from 74 student-submitted works to compete in the exhibit.
The winner will be chosen by local artist Lee Jamison and will be announced during the exhibit’s reception, on Thursday (Dec. 11), from 5-7 p.m.
The LSC Gallery is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located on the second floor of the LSC.
The gallery is also currently accepting reservations for the spring semester, for students who want to showcase their works in an exhibit.
“The LSC gives top priority to SHSU student exhibits and finances up to $100 toward an Aramark catered reception for student shows,” said Gayle Bullard, LSC reservations coordinator, adding that students can select their own menu as long as it stays within the dollar limit. “It’s such a good deal for student artists.”
For more information, contact Bullard or the LSC Office at 936.294.1760.
The School of Music will host a trio of performances to wind down the fall semester beginning Sunday (Dec. 7).
“Sonic Impressions,” the Student Percussion Recital, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Music Building Room 202.
The concert will feature works by SHSU faculty composer Trent Hanna, “inspired by the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its devastating effect on the native cultures of Alaska,” as well as two pieces by Japanese composers inspired by their native landscapes, according to John Lane, assistant professor of percussion.
The evening will conclude with a performance by the SHSU Steel Band, followed by a reception. Admission is free.
On Tuesday (Dec. 9), the SHSU choirs will take audiences “Home for the Holidays” with two concerts that feature many traditional Christmas carols.
The 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances will include identical programs to accommodate larger audiences and will be held at the First United Methodist Church.
The concert, featuring the SHSU Chorale, the SHSU Concert Choir and SHSU Women’s Chorus, will also include performances by the faculty brass ensemble, as well as a carol sing-a-long for everyone in attendance.
Admission is $10 for general admission, $5 for students and senior citizens and free for children under the age of 6.
The First United Methodist Church is located at 1016 Sam Houston Ave.
Finally, on Saturday (Dec. 13), the Faculty Jazz Quintet and the SHSU Improv Class will perform a number of favorites from the genre during an all-night concert.
The “unforgettable evening of jazz” will be held from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Stardust Room on the Huntsville Square.
"Something of note is that this concert will again have many standard and new repertoire of the jazz idiom with the Artistry In Rhythm vocal jazz group performing holiday favorites,” said Aric Schneller, director of jazz studies.
Admission is free.
For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.
The Communications Office is currently collecting information on campus events for its spring calendar pages.
Send your departmental calendars or events to today@sam.edu or jenniferg@shsu.edu or fax the information to 294.1834. Please include the date, location and time of the event, as well as a brief description and a contact person.
Information collected for the Today@Sam calendar pages, at /calendars/, is used by various media outlets, as well as our own office for news stories and releases.
It is requested that information be sent to the office (to Julia, Jennifer or through the e-mail link on Today@Sam) a minimum of a full week in advance in order to make necessary contacts and write a story.
For more information, call 936.294.1836.
As weather becomes chillier, the physics department will switch gears to give the public a tour of the winter constellations during its planetarium series program on Friday (Dec. 12).
The “Winter Sky” and “Astronomyths,” which show attendees which constellations, stars and planets they can expect to see in the upcoming weeks, will be held at 7 p.m. in the Planetarium, located in Farrington Building Room F102.
“’Astronomyths’ takes the visitor on a journey with a grandfather and his grandson on a camping trip under the stars where they let their imaginations soar into the heavens with the heroic tales, such as Perseus and his rescue of Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus, with a bit of science mixed in,” said Michael Prokosch, staff laboratory assistant for the physics department.
“Winter Sky” attendees will explore Orion, Gemini, Taurus, Canis Major and Auriga, according to Prokosch.
The show will last approximately one hour, and admission is free.
The Planetarium seats up to 29 visitors and includes a dome that is approximately 18 feet in diameter and more than 20 feet high in the center, according to Prokosch.
The final showing for the fall semester will be held on Dec. 19, also at 7 p.m.
For more information on current show times for the Planetarium or the Observatory, call 936.294.3664 or e-mail Prokosch at mwp007@shsu.edu.
The dissertation of a recent doctoral graduate has been recognized by the American Educational Research Association.
Julie Manuel’s dissertation, “The Effectiveness Of A Transitional Bilingual Education Program In A Large Texas School District: A Descriptive Study,” was named the second place winner for the group’s 10th Dissertation Competition of the AERA Bilingual Education Research SIG.
“This was a very competitive year as we had 16 submissions and several high-quality candidates,” said Virginia Gonzalez, professor at University of Cincinnati and chair of the Dissertation of the Year Award for Bilingual Research, in the award letter. “Winners received the highest scores and were also ranked as the top three dissertations by three or more judges.”
As the second place winner, Manuel will receive a plaque and $250 check in April during the AERA’s 2009 Annual Meeting, during which she will also present a summary of her dissertation study.
“The American Educational Research Association is the premiere research association for educators, and so it is very prestigious for anyone to receive this award,” said Rebecca Robles-Piña, Manuel’s dissertation chair.
Manuel currently serves as principal for Jowell Elementary in the Cypress-Fairbanks school district.
Information for the SHSU Update can be sent to the Office of Communications electronically at Today@Sam.edu or to any of the media contacts listed below.
Please include the date, location and time of the event, as well as a brief description and a contact person.
All information for news stories should be sent to the office at least a week in advance to give the staff ample time to make necessary contacts and write the story.
For electronic access to SHSU news see the Communications Web page Today@Sam.
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SHSU Media Contacts: Julia May, Jennifer Gauntt
Dec. 5, 2008
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu
This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
Director: Bruce Erickson
Assistant Director: Julia May
Writer: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.
Brian Domitrovic, assistant professor of history, appeared on Book TV (C-SPAN) May 1-2, speaking about his recent book "Econoclasts: The Rebels Sparked the Supply Side Revolution and Restored American Prosperity" (www.econoclasts.net).
Houston Chronicle education writer Jeannie Kever recently turned to Regents Professor of English Paul Ruffin for his views on university presses moving toward "digital books" as opposed to traditional ink-on-paper."We're fulfilling the ancient role of the university press, and that is to produce books," said Paul Ruffin, the Texas poet laureate for 2009 and director of the Texas Review Press at Sam Houston State University. "I don't want to give up the book because it is an art."
Monday, May 3
Tuesday, May 4
"The measure of a Life is its Service."