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SHSU Update For Week Of Oct. 18

Event To Highlight Hispanic Role In Movement
Chemistry Prof To Get ‘Personal’ About Science
University Center Rep To Give Grassroots Lecture
TCU Prof To Talk About Food Contamination
Firefest To Add Some Heat To Rivalry Game Week
Center To Host ‘Writing Day’ Student, Faculty Readings
Java City To Celebrate Grand Opening
Disney Producer To Work With Student Singers
Thesis Concert Expresses Desire To ‘Be Famous’
Music To Host Guest Clarinetist
ROTC Prepares For Fort Lewis Leadership Course
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Event To Highlight Hispanic Role In Movement

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage month, the SHSU LULAC Young Adults Council will spotlight “El Movimiento” and the impact of Mexican American civil rights advocates on Tuesday (Oct. 20).

Assistant professor of English Lee Bebout will show the film “Walk Out” and lead a discussion on the Chicano Civil Rights Movement beginning at 6 p.m. in College of Humanities and Social Sciences Room 110.

“Walk Out,” an HBO film, is based on true events that happened in the 1960s to a group of Chicano (Mexican American) students who fought for justice and equality.

“Importantly, leaders of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement fought along side other leaders at the time such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, but have yet to reach the recognition that these other individuals now have in history,” said Sujey Vega, assistant professor of sociology.

“Dr. Bebout's research and recent book, to be released fall of 2010, deal specifically with ‘El Movimiento,’ as it has come to be known, and the impact of these Mexican American civil rights advocates generations after their involvement in this crucial moment in U.S. history.”

LULAC stands for League of United Latin American Citizens.

For more information on LULAC or the event, contact Vega at svega@shsu.edu or Aurora Gomez at avg005@shsu.edu.

Chemistry Prof To Get ‘Personal’ About Science

Professor of chemistry Tom Chasteen will share his “excitement about science” and other aspects of his life on Wednesday (Oct. 21).

The “Up Close and Personal” lecture, sponsored by the Student Advising and Mentoring Center, will be held at 11:45 a.m. at the Farrington Pit.

Chasteen has taught at SHSU since 1991. He has also spent a summer as a research fellow and guest professor at the University of Zürich in Switzerland.

He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M Commerce) and his doctorate from the Univeristy of Colorado in the field of analytical environmental chemistry.

“As a lifelong scientist I'd hope that my talk to that audience will convey my excitement about science, environmental, atmospheric, and otherwise,” he said.

The “Up Close and Personal” speaker series is a 30-minute lunchtime presentation designed to give students the opportunity to get to know faculty members outside the classroom.

Students are encouraged to bring a lunch.

In the event of rain, the lecture will be moved to the Lowman Student Center Atrium.

For more information, call the SAM Center at 936.294.4444.

University Center Rep To Give Grassroots Lecture

Dina Flores-Mejorado, director of academic student services for SHSU at the Lone Star College University Center, will discuss her “roots” on Wednesday (Oct. 21).

The Grassroots speaker series lecture will be held at 5 p.m. in College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building Room C070.

Flores has served in higher education for more than 22 years, 11 of which have been at The University Center.

She earned a doctorate of education in educational leadership from SHSU, a Master of Arts in counseling from Prairie View A&M University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas A&I University.

Following the discussion, a meet-and-greet with refreshments will be held in the Student Advising and Mentoring Center, located in CHSSB Suite 170.

The “Grassroots: A Series of Conversations on Leadership in a Diverse Community” was created with the aim of promoting the career aspirations and academic achievements of SHSU’s minority students.

“It has been our goal to bring to our campus notable leaders from all over our state to act as meaningful role models, advisers and mentors to our students,” said Bernice Strauss, SAM Center director for academic support programs.

The lecture is sponsored by the academic support programs of the Student Advising and Mentoring Center; the Elliott T. Bowers Honors Program; the International Hispanic Association; Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.; the NAACP; the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program; Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc.; and Women United.

For more information, call the SAM Center at 936.294.4444.

TCU Prof To Talk About Food Contamination

Matt Chumchal, assistant professor of biology at Texas Christian University, will discuss his research on “food webs of the South Central U.S.” on Thursday (Oct. 22).

The Biological Sciences Department Seminar Series lecutre will be held from 4-5 p.m. in Lee Drain Building Room 214.

Chumchal’s research, "Patterns of HG Contamination in Food Webs of the South Central US: Potential Causes and Consequences," focuses on the mercury contamination of fishes in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.

“Mercury contamination in fishes is an important issue because it can accumulate in humans and have negative consequences for human health,” said Chad Hargrave, assistant professor in SHSU’s biological sciences department. “In this light, Chumchal will demonstrate the trends in contamination across this region highlighting areas that are highly contaminated, and he will discuss the reason why these regions have such high levels of mercury contamination in fishes.”

Held each Thursday, the seminar series is intended for the public and addresses current research being conducted by a guest professor in a way that the general public can understand.

For more information, contact Hargrave at 936.294.1543.

Firefest To Add Some Heat To Rivalry Game Week

The Student Activities department will “fire” students up for the Battle of the Piney Woods during its annual spirit rally on Thursday (Oct. 22).

Firefest will be held at 7 p.m. at Intramural Field No. 3.

The event will get warmed up with a professional fireworks display and a bonfire, followed by performances by the Bearkat Marching Band, the SHSU cheerleaders, Sammy the Bearkat and the Orange Pride dance team.

Bearkat football players will also be on hand during the event, which will also include wax hands, air brush T-shirts, henna tattoos and free food.

In addition, various university departments will have tents with games where students can win giveaways, according to Student Activities assistant director Brandon Cooper.

Firefest is held annually to celebrate the SHSU versus Stephen F. Austin football game, which will be held on Saturday (Oct. 24), at 2 p.m. in Nacogdoches.

For more information, call 936.294.3861.

Center To Host ‘Writing Day’ Student, Faculty Readings

The Sam Houston Writing Center and the Writing in the Disciplines program will celebrate the National Day on Writing with open poetry and fiction readings and other events on Tuesday (Oct. 20).

Students, faculty and staff members can share their works, or just listen to the readings, beginning at 12:30 p.m. in the Farrington Pit.

"Students—even faculty—often think of writing as something one ‘must’ do, but the truth is that writing is an essential and enjoyable part of everyday life,” said Writing Center director Ann Theodori. “We write on paper, post-its, computers, we even write on phones…we text, Twitter, Facebook, blog, e-mail.

“We write all of the time, but so much of our everyday writing goes unnoticed and uncelebrated,” she said. “That's what we want to highlight on the National Day on Writing: the notion that we are a generation of writers."

Other National Day on Writing events include a Writing Center open house for faculty and staff from 2-4 p.m., during which time they can tour the Writing Center, meet the tutors, share best practices and learn about the SHSU gallery on the National Gallery of Writing.

Associate provost Richard Eglsaer will also speak.

"The reason why we need this day to celebrate writing is that we all too often take it for granted,” said Carroll Ferguson Nardone, associate professor of English and director of the Writing in the Disciplines program. “We all pay attention to the new ‘gee whiz’ gadgetry that comes about and think it makes our lives better. Writing is relegated to the background.

“This is one day we can take the uncelebrated nature of writing, focus on its impact on our lives, and remind ourselves to celebrate the thing that really does make the world go 'round," she said.

For more information, contact Nardone at eng_cfn@shsu.edu or 936.294.1472 or Theodori at anntheodori@shsu.edu or 936.294.1438, and for more information on the National Day on Writing, visit http://www.ncte.org/dayonwriting.

Java City To Celebrate Grand Opening

A ribbon cutting ceremony marking the grand opening of Java City in the Newton Gresham Library will take place on Wednesday (Oct. 21) at 11:30 a.m.

Located at the north entrance of the library in the commons area, Java City features hand-roasted coffees, iced and blended drinks, and fresh-baked pastries.

“Although Java City has been open in the library since the beginning of the fall semester, we wanted to let the campus community, as well as library patrons, know about this new service we are providing” said Darci Mulrine, of ARAMARK, who is coordinating Java City’s grand opening.

University officials, Sammy the Bearkat, members of the Orange Pride dance team and the SHSU Jazz Ensemble are scheduled to be on hand to help celebrate the opening.

Java City is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5-10 p.m. on Sunday.

Disney Producer To Work With Student Singers

SHSU singers will have the opportunity to work with producer Gary Powell on their music, as well as produce a CD with Powell that will be recorded in his Austin studio.

Promising singers can sign-up to audition for the week-long Producers Workshop no later than Monday, until 4 p.m., in the School of Music office, in Music Building Room 225. Participants must sing two selections of any style with or without accompaniment.

The 12 selected students will work with Powell during three days of evening workshops to rehearse for the final concert on Friday.

During the final concert, at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall, singers will compete to be selected to work with Powell to produce a CD and will receive a $300 cash prize.

The competition is open to any student singer.

A 1999 Grammy nominee for his work with co-producer Ted Kryczko for their production of Disney’s “A Bug’s Life Sing Along,” Powell’s works have culminated in 127 album productions that have sold approximately 45 million albums in 47 countries.

His credits including scoring work, original songs and production credits of Walt Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 1 and 2,” “Dinosaur” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.

Thesis Concert Expresses Desire To ‘Be Famous’

“I Want To Be Famous,” a one-woman, evening-length comedic tap thesis by graduate student Marian Hart, will be presented by the SHSU dance program on Thursday and Friday (Oct. 22-23).

The performances will be held at 8 p.m. in the Academic Building III Dance Theatre.

In “I Want To Be Famous,” Hart confronts her fear of graduating, questioning what she will do with her dance degree, and discusses body image in the dance world and her desire to be a famous comedian.

“I still want to be her sidekick when Marian becomes famous,” said Cindy Gratz, Hart’s thesis adviser. “If anyone can succeed, it will be her.”

Hart has been performing comedic tap solos for the past two years.

Her first piece, “One Step Closer,” was chosen by the dance faculty to represent SHSU at the American College Dance Festival in 2008, and Hart was also invited to appear in the faculty dance concert that year.

“Me and Two Others: A Solo by Marian Hart” was presented in College Station last March, at The Stafford on Main Street and at the non-major’s dance workshop at SHSU.

“It (Hart’s work) is different, out of the ordinary,” said Jennifer Nicholson, dance coordinator at Texas State Technical College. “I think if they (my students) were able to see her perform, it would open their eyes and make them realize that dance isn’t all ballet and modern.”

Admission is free.

For more information, call 936.294.3988.

Music To Host Guest Clarinetist

University of North Texas professor of clarinet John Scott will conduct a masterclass and perform a recital with two SHSU musicians on Tuesday (Oct. 20).

The masterclass, during which clarinet students will receive “an open lesson” on materials will be held at 2 p.m. in Music Building Room 218.

That evening, associate professor of clarinet and staff accompanist Mieun Lee will join Scott for a recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall.

The program will feature works by Ludwig van Beethoven, as well as more contemporary pieces by Roberto Sierro, Miguel Yuste and Nino Rota, among others.

Scott is a member of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with such orchestras as the Dallas Symphony and the Fort Worth Symphony, as well as in recitals around the world.

He earned both the Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees in applied woodwinds and music literature from Indiana University—Bloomington and has been a member of the UNT faculty since 1981.

Both events are free and open to the public.

For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.

ROTC Prepares For Fort Lewis Leadership Course

The SHSU Army Bearkat Battalion recently spent three days at Gibbs Ranch preparing for the Leader Development and Assessment Course in Fort Lewis, Wash. Cadets of all ages worked on their navagation, tactical and patrolling skills.

The Sam Houston State University Army ROTC trained its cadets in navigation, survival skills and patrolling in preparation for the “Leader Development and Assessment Course” (LDAC) in Fort Lewis, Wash.

For the Fall Field Training Exercise, held Sept. 25-27 at Gibbs Ranch, junior and senior cadets completed the “Day and Night Land Navigation Course,” for which their map reading skills and terrain association were tested by requiring them to find at least eight of 13 points during both the day and night using a map, compass, protractor and eight digit grid coordinates.

Saturday, freshman and sophomore cadets were given classes in field craft, basic survival skills, as part of their “Day Land Navigation Course”

They also participated in the ‘Field Leadership Reaction Course,’ where each cadet is evaluated as a squad leader and must negotiate an obstacle with limited time and supplies, while the advance course (upper-level) cadets were assessed in ‘Situational Training Exercises,’ which evaluates each cadet’s leadership in a tactical environment, according to cadet Hollian Woods.

Sunday, the advance course cadets were assessed in their first patrolling exercise for which two squads work together as a patrol to complete a mission.

“During the exercise, senior cadets simulated the enemy forces that the juniors will encounter during their deployment to ‘Palomas’ in Fort Lewis this summer,” Woods said. “‘Palomas’ is the country cadet command, U.S. Army, created as a story line for all the exercises performed at LDAC.

“The Palomans in this exercise lent a helping hand to the patrol by providing outer security to them as they assaulted a house taken over by CVG (Caquetan Volunteer Guard) forces,” she said. “The exercise proved to be a helpful preview of what the junior cadets should expect during their training this summer.”

LDAC is the U.S. Army cadet command's capstone training and assessment exercise, which is required for junior cadets who hope to commission as 2nd lieutenants upon graduation.

For more information about the Bearkat Battalion, visit www.shsu.edu/ROTC.

Send Update Items Here

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: Bruce Erickson, Julia May, Jennifer Gauntt
Oct. 16, 2009
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
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Assistant Director: Julia May
Writer: Jennifer Gauntt
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Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.

SHSU 'In the News'

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."