AUSCHWITZ EYEWITNESS: THE SHSU CONTRIBUTION

"Auschwitz Eyewitness: The Artwork of Jan Komski," will be on display at the Holocaust Museum Houston in the Josef and Edith Mincberg Gallery Thursday (Jan. 22) through March 31. Witold Lukaszewski, professor of political science, helped organize the event.

Komski was arrested for attempting to flee Poland to join the Polish army in France at the beginning of World War II and was sent to Auschwitz.

"By the time I escaped in 1942, thousands of prisoners were already dead," he recalls. "Throughout the war, three million Polish Gentiles died along with millions of others." He escaped and was imprisoned there a second time, and sent to other camps, eventually to be freed from Dachau in 1945 by U. S. troops led by General George Patton.

In addition to being forced to endure conditions in the camps, Komski was forced to paint portraits of the German SS and their families.

An opening reception is scheduled for 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the gallery, 5401 Caroline St. Komski, now 82, will participate in the event, as well as a lecture and discussion at noon on Friday at the gallery.

At the gallery on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m., the Sam Houston Trio led by pianist Charlotte Tull, and including cellist Peter Kempter and violinist Luba Velickovic, will perform in concert. The trio will perform Olivier Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time."

ORANGE PRIDE WINS NATIONAL COMPETITION

Two other teams, the All-Girl squad, and the Co-ed squad, placed third and fourth. Sammy Bearkat also qualified and participated in the mascot competition.

The competitions will be televised at various times throughout the year on ESPN and ESPN2.

Approximately 52 SHSU students participated in the three-day event held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, said Linda Webber-Gorski, assistant dean of student life and director of student activities.

Just getting invited to the competition was an accomplishment, as teams had to submit a video tape of various performances and skills. The video tapes were reviewed and scored and teams invited according to their scores.

Sam Houston State, which competed against schools of similar size and resources, was the only college or university in the nation to qualify teams in each of the four competitions.

The Orange Pride dance team qualified in first place, winning the competition over the University of Tennessee, University of Delaware and more than 25 others. It was the continuation of a climb in which Orange Pride placed 2nd in '96 and 4th in '95.

The All-Girl squad finished ahead of schools including Southwest Texas State, University of Pittsburgh, and Northern Illinois University and was selected from more than 50 teams submitting tapes. The All-Girl squad has won the competition the past two years.

The Co-ed squad has competed for the past seven years placing 7th, 4th, 3rd, 5th and 2nd prior to this year's 4th place finish.

SHSU GETS $60,000 NSF GRANT

Mark L. Klespis, director of SHSU's Daniel H. Reeves Center for Mathematics Education, received notification of the grant. The project is entitled Coalition for the Mathematical Preparation of Elementary Teachers, or CoMPET.

The 18-month project will extend an existing coalition formed among SHSU, North Harris College and Tomball College. Other area community colleges, as well as universities and two-year colleges throughout the South Central states will be brought into the program.

The extended coalition is expected to result from an intensive five-day institute to be held at SHSU in June. An Ohio State University College Technology Short Course for Mathematics Teacher Educators will also be held at SHSU at the same time.

Additional activities under the NSF grant will include mentoring, electronic mail networking, a Web page, follow-through workshops and a newsletter.

"This project is unique," said Klespis. "It focuses on preparation of elementary teachers and it showcases the increasing role of two-year college faculty in the training of elementary school teachers."

SHSU mathematics faculty member Greg Foley will work with Klepsis. SHSU faculty members Peggy Egger and Mary Swarthout were involved in earlier phases of the project, which were funded by two grants totaling $34,000.

FACULTY ART SHOW

Faculty artists who will contribute to the exhibition include Martin Amorous, Jimmy H. Barker, Margaret Bohls, Kate Borcherding, William Breitenbach, Gene Eastman, Patric Lawler, Darryl Patrick, James Surls and Kenneth Zonker.

The Gaddis Geeslin Gallery is located in Art Building F on the southwest corner of the SHSU campus, at Sam Houston Ave. and 21st Street. For more information, call 409-294-1315.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES AWARDS

"The Alumni Association is seeking individuals who demonstrate a continued interest in the university and/or Alumni Association through their contributions of time, talent, influence and/or funds," said Kathy Bowman, director of the Office of Alumni Relations.

"These individuals must have pride and loyalty to Sam Houston State University and be living examples of the university motto--'The Measure of a Life is Its Service.'"

Selections are expected to come from alumni, faculty, staff or friends of the university. Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 409-294-1841 for nomination forms.

SAM STUDENT WINS SCHOLARSHIP

"This highly competitive scholarship is awarded to students from Rice University, University of Houston, Stephen F. Austin University, or Sam Houston State University," said C. Allen Williams, who chairs the Department of Geography and Geology. "Her success in winning this award is a compliment to her and to the SHSU geology program." McGuire has a 3.53 grade point average.

SUPER HOOPS SCHEDULED

This is according to Christopher J. Morrris, graduate assistant in the Department of Recreational Sports.

Shick Super Hoops Tournament games will be played at over 500 schools this February and March, and will be concluded when a national champion is crowned in April.

There is no entry fee to participate, but you must be either an SHSU student, faculty or staff member. Sign-ups are underway at the Recreational Sports office in the Health/Kinesiology Center, room 104.

There will be a mandatory captain's meeting Feb. 5 in HKC 241 at 5 p.m. You must be there to reserve your spot in the tournament, and entries will be capped.

There will also be a co-rec division offered. Co-rec play will be 2 on 2, with one male and one female comprising a team. This is the first year that a co-rec division has been offered in the tournament.

Call 409-294-1972 for additional information.