August 22, 2000
Meet The New Faculty At SIUE
Seasons change, another year slips by, and new students and faculty appear on campus. It's inevitable and, as we all know, change can be refreshing. What follows is a list of the new faculty and their photos (available at presstime) so that we can recognize them and welcome them to campus.
Carl Bentelspacher, Social Work, was awarded a doctorate in 1984 at the University of Southern California. His dissertation concerns the noncustodial father role, role clarity, and role satisfaction. His scholarly interests include the cultural compatibility of intervention methods. He enjoys music and foreign affairs.
Isaac Abeku Blankson, Speech Communication, holds master's degrees from the University of Oslo and Ohio University, and a docotrate in mass communications, also from Ohio University. His current scholarly interests are international public relations and international/intercultural communication. He and his wife, Faustina, are the parents of two children.
Steve Brown, Art and Design, holds an MFA in photography from the University of Delaware. He teaches introductory, intermediate, and advanced photography, and digital imaging. Scholarly interests include land use interpretation. He enjoys the cinema, cooking, and soccer.
Komie Bumpers, Speech Communication, teaches interpersonal communication and oral interpretation of literature. She is a recent graduate of SIUE with a master's. Her scholarly interests include organizational communication. She enjoys singing, reading, and theater.
Denise DeGarmo, Political Science, recently earned a doctorate from the University of Michigan. Her scholarly interests are international relations, international environmental security, global governance, U.S. foreign policy, and women and development. She enjoys snorkeling, music, sewing, and gardening.
David Duvernell, Biology, teaches in the area of genetics. He was awarded a master of science at Saint Louis University in 1994, and received a doctorate at Virginia Tech, in 1998. His dissertation topic concerns population genetics of Death Valley pupfishes retrotransposable element variation in natural populations. He enjoys a variety of outdoor activities.
Bryon K. Ehlmann, Computer Science, teaches visual basic programming and software engineering. He received a doctorate in computer science at Florida State University in 1992. Last year, he made a presentation, "Object Relationship Notation (ORN) and the ORN Simulator," at the 18th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, in Paris. He enjoys exercise, running, sports, tennis, and travel.
Daryl J. Floit, Curriculum and Instruction, is a graduate of Illinois State University. His dissertation topic concerns the effects of the quality assurance external review on systematic reform in Illinois public schools. His scholarly interests are school improvement and Professional Development Schools. He enjoys astronomy, weightlifting, dancing, and fishing.
Tom Foster, Physics, teaches astronomy, science, and physics education methods. He was awarded a doctorate earlier this year by the University of Minnesota. His scholarly interests include motivation and confidence in learning, students' learning of concepts in physics, and improving science instruction. He enjoys hiking/camping, basketball, model rocketry, and gaming.
Teri Graville, Mathematics and Statistics, teaches calculus, pre-calculus, and statistics. She was awaded a master's in applied mathematics last year by the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Julie Holt, Anthropology, earned both a master's and a doctorate at New York University. Her dissertation topic concerns animal exploitation and the middle to late woodland transition, a comparison of animal use at mound centers and hamlets in the lower and central Illinois valleys. She enjoys gardening, hiking, and pet therapy.
Garett Jones, Economics and Finance, teaches macroeconomics, money and banking, and microeconomics. He holds multiple advanced degrees from Cornell University, UC-Berkeley, and UC-San Diego. His scholarly interests are in the areas of monetary economics and business cycles. He enjoys camping, backpacking, reading broadly in literature and the social sciences, and kayaking.
Tom Jordan, History, received a doctorate last year from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. A recent publication concerns a book review of Jeffrey Lesser's Negotiating National Identify: Immigrants, Minorities, and the Struggle for Ethnicity in Brazil (1999). His scholarly interests are the 20th century social history of Brazil, and the working-class history of Brazil.
Brian B. Kahn, Curriculum and Instruction, teaches foundation and middle school courses. He received an Ed.D. in 1999 from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Earlier this year, he made a presentation at the national meeting of the Association of Teacher Education. He enjoys music and plays the guitar.
Kathy Ketchum, Nursing, teaches in the psychomotor skills lab and in the area of medical-surgical clinicals. She was awarded a doctorate earlier this year by Saint Louis University. Her scholarly interests include family nursing, stress and coping, and trauma/critical care. She previously held lecture positions in the SIUE School of Nursing. She enjoys reading.
Ruth Kocher, English Language and Literature, teaches a wide range of courses, including African-American women's literature, introduction to composition, and poetry writing. She received a doctorate in American literature, from Arizona State University. A recent book of her poetry, Desdemona's Fire, was published last year by Lotus Press.
Skip Larkin, Philosophy, teaches introduction to philosophy, critical thinking, logic, and epistemology. A 1998 graduate of the University of California-Santa Barbara, his dissertation concerns introspection/self-knowledge and mental content. Current scholarly interests include introspection and privileged access, personal identify, and the philosophy of language. He enjoys baseball and playing drums and guitar.
Sharon Shockley Lee, Educational Leadership, was awarded both a master's and a doctorate by the University of Missouri-St. Louis. An article, "A Root Out of a Dry Ground: Resolving the Researcher/Researched Dilemma" is forthcoming in Ethical Issues in Practitioner Inquiry (Teachers College Press), in the fall. She and her husband, Ken, a clergyman, are the parents of two sons.
Yuliang Liu, Educational Leadership, was awarded a doctorate by Texas A&M earlier this year. Earlier this year, he presented a paper, "The Effects of Nonverbal Cues on Impression Development in Computer-Mediated Communication," during the Graduate Research Competition of the annual conference of the Southwestern Psychological Association. He enjoys fishing, swimming, and exercising.
Andy Lozowski, Electrical and Computer Engineering, received a master of science from Warsaw University of Technology in 1994, and a doctorate in 1998 from the University of Louisville. He has published articles in various journals. Scholarly interests include nonlinear dynamics, analog electronic circuits and systems, and chaos. He enjoys working on cars.
Frank Lyerla, Nursing, received a master's in nursing in 1999 from SIUE. His thesis topic concerns the functional capacity changes at four and eight weeks following cardiac rehabilitation for myocardial infarction patients. His scholarly interests are informatics and cardio-pulmonary. He enjoys sports.
Majid Molki, Mechanical Engineering, teaches advanced fluid mechanics and heat transfer. In 1982, he was awarded a doctorate in mechanical engineering by the University of Minnesota. Earlier this year, he co-authored an article, "Temperature of In-Line Array of Electronic Components Simulated by Rectangular Blocks," in Electronics Cooling. He enjoys reading.
Cindy Nordstrom, Psychology, was awarded both a master's and a doctorate by the University of Akron. Her dissertation concerns the effect of self-regulation on employment interview decisions. She has made presentations about the effect of error management training on computer skill acquisition for mature (over 40) learners, and about the effect of deliberately including errors into employee training programs (e.g., software training).
Matthew Paris, Library and Information Services, was awarded a master of library science by Indiana University. His scholarly interests include adult education, bibliographic instruction, and the history of education. He enjoys theatre, broadcasting, and the performing arts, having performed several major roles with the Indiana Shakespeare Company.
Anne Powell, Computer Management and Information Systems, is a recent graduate of Indiana University. Her dissertation concerns antecedents and outcomes of team commitment in a global, virtual environment. She has written an article, "The Focus of Research in End-User Computing: Where Have We Come Since the 1980s," which has been accepted for publication in the Journal of End User Computing. She enjoys competitive swimming and doing anything with her kids.
Rachel Ritterbusch, Foreign Languages and Literature, teaches beginning and intermediate French and German. She is completing requirements for a doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her scholarly interests are film studies and literature of the Antilles. She enjoys hiking, gardening, travel, and wine-tasting.
Jake Schaefer, Biology, teaches anatomy and physiology. His graduate degrees are from the University of Oklahoma. His dissertation concerns modeling movement an dispersal of stream fish. His scholarly interests are fish dispersal, invasion ecology, comparative anatomy, and the use of technology in education.
Ed Schallert, Philosophy, is a 1990 graduate of SIUE. His thesis concerns William of Ockham's logic, translation from Latin to English, and commentary on inference not typically part of scholasticism. His scholarly interests include the philosophy of C.S. Peirce and logic.
Terri Schweitzer, Art and Design, is a doctoral student at SIUC. She has published articles about art journal topics, and about art curriculum and instruction. She enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, and fiber arts. In 1993, she won a Citicorp award for teaching excellence, and in 1994 was honored with the St. Louis Art Museum Educator Award.
Paul Seaburg, Engineering, joined the university community in July as dean of the School of Engineering. His received a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1969.
Masangu Shabangi, Chemistry, teaches analytical, general, and nursing chemistry courses. He was awarded a doctorate last year by the University of Toledo. His scholarly interests are the development of biosensors, and the development of new room-temperature-fused organic salts. He enjoys teaching.
Alan Shiller, Speech Communication, teaches interpersonal communication, public speaking, and argumentation. He is a graduate of Purdue University. His scholarly interests include nonverbal communication and credibility studies. He enjoys the theater.
Mariana Solares, Foreign Languages and Literature, teaches Spanish. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of California-Irvine. Earlier this year, she presented "Spaces, Material and Virtual, in the Poetry of Coral Bracho" at UC-Irvine. She enjoys playing the violin.
Carl Springer, associate dean of CAS, holds a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madision. His current scholarly intersts are manuscript studies and late antiquity. He enjoys chess, music, and hiking.
Dan Stoeckel, Applied Dental Medicine, earned a D.D.S. in 1997 at the University of Iowa, where he also received a master of science and a certificate in oral and maxilofacial pathology. His scholarly interest is in the area of candidosis.
Savneet Talwar, Art and Design, teaches art therapy. Her thesis concerns a correlation study identifying normal and abnormal development of cognitive skills and defense mechanisms in children's drawings. She enjoys pottery and fiber arts, Latin dancing, and music.
Peter Theodore, Educational Leadership, anticipates completing a doctorate later this year at Saint Louis University. His scholarly interests focus on the educational implications of computer-mediated communication. He enjoys story-telling, modern jazz, art, and aesthetics.
Tammy Voepel, Mathematics and Statistics, was awarded a doctorate in 1997 by the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her most recent article, "Variable Transformations for Fourth Order Difference Equations," appears in the September/December issue of Dynamic Systems and Applications. Her husband, Kevin, is a high school math teacher. They have a daughter, Alyssa, born in August 1999.
If Life Is A Cabaret; Ice Cream Is Life Itself
Life is a cabaret ol' chum, so come to the Staff Senate Ice Cream Cabaret at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, in Meridian Hall.
In addition to wonderful ice cream, a variety of entertainment begins at 11:45. Admission is $4 per person, which includes an ice cream sundae you can build yourself, door prizes, music, and fun. Flavors include chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream, as well as vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt. Reserving a table of eight for $28, saves a total of $4. Proceeds support the Staff Senate Scholarship Fund.
Toppings include chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch, caramel, nuts, sprinkles, and whipped cream, and let's don't forget maraschino cherries.
Performances also will be offered by Rich Walker (emcee), Mark Bacus, Jane Floyd-Hendey, Ed Franklin, Jesse B. Harris, Rich Harrison, Carol Hoyt, Brian Kahn, Karen Matkins, Mary Polite, Mick Ostrander, Lisa Ramsey, and David Sill (photography exhibit).
'Boot Camp' Answers Need For High-Tech Training
Depending on which report you read, the demand for "high-tech" workers ranges from 10,000 new jobs a year to more than a million job openings in the next 12 months. Regardless of which number is most accurate, there is no escaping the fact that the demand for high-tech workers continues to escalate.
This new demand comes at a time when more and more working Americans need or want to change careers. For those looking to cash in on the information technology job opportunities, SIUE offered the "High-Tech Worker Boot Camp" in June.
It was an intensive eight-week program designed specifically for talented individuals, and provided the skills needed to qualify for jobs in the information technology industry. The first session of the boot camp began June 26, with 29 students signed up.
"Like many colleges and universities across the country, SIUE produces its share of annual MIS (management information systems) graduates," said Mary Sumner, assistant dean for development in the School of Business, and director of the Boot Camp program.
"But, we're not keeping up with demand. We also have people who are looking to try a new career, or who have been laid off and need to be retrained for a new job."
The program provided students with a relatively quick way to obtain good, basic information technology skills, Sumner said. "Employers are looking for people with the analytical, problem-solving, and communications skills needed for information technology careers.
"The program of study was developed in conjunction with our Technology Advisory Board (see list below) and provides academic preparation in information systems that is equivalent to a specialization in Management Information Systems."
"Boot camp" includes:
• Systems Analysis, 5 days
• Visual Basic Programming, 9 days
• End-User Systems Support, 5 days
• Database Design, 5 days
• Networking and Web Design, 5 days
• Intensive COBOL Programming, 9 days
Each of the more than 85 candidates for the "High-Tech Boot Camp" participated in an interview that enabled them to share their objectives and experiences. Many of the candidates were graduates of SIUE, with majors in Arts and Sciences disciplines such as Mathematics, Literature, and Biology. Others came from as far away as Ithaca College and the University of Richmond.
Sumner said all of the candidates expressed an interest in using their analytical skills and academic preparation to acquire the skills needed to qualify for "high-opportunity positions" in the information technology field. A number of the students were sponsored by area corporations such as Boeing and the Federal Reserve Bank, which are interested in enabling individuals to "re-skill" in order to make a career transition into information technology.
Other candidates took leave from current positions as teachers, police officers, financial analysts, and retail managers to pursue opportunities offered by the boot camp. A second session of the training may be offered in May. Sumner said SIUE also is considering offering the training in the Chicago area.
Anyone interested in learning more about the program, should contact Kerri McCann (kmccann@siue.edu) or Mary Sumner (msumner@siue.edu) or visit the Web site: www.siue.edu/BUSINESS/bootcamp
Technology Advisory Board
Several companies participate on the "High-Tech Worker Bootcamp" Technology Advisory Board. Board members encouraged the creation of the program as a way of attracting individuals with analytical, problem-solving, and communications skills into the information technology field. Anheuser-Busch Companies, Boeing Company, Edward Jones, General Life Insurance, May Department Stores and Monsanto are advisory board members.
Speed, Depth Are Key To Women's Soccer In 2000
It might be too soon to set expectations, but Coach Brian Korbesmeyer is well aware of the weapons his Cougar Women's Soccer team possesses.
By returning 13 players, eight of whom were starters, the Cougars already seem to be a threat. However, the addition of eight new players provides the depth and speed Korbesmeyer believes will make his team tough to defeat. "If everything goes the way we want, depth and speed will be out strongest points. Both weapons enables us to pressure the opposing teams."
Coming off a second consecutive first-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season, the Cougars look to take one more step forward by claiming a conference title. SIUE finished last season with a 13-6 overall record and a 9-2 mark in the GLVC but fell short in the conference tournament.
At the forward position, the Cougars should prove to be a serious scoring threat. Colleen Creamer (St. Louis) returns for her sophomore season after being named GLVC Freshman of the Year. Creamer led the Cougars in every offensive category, which included scoring 13 goals and recording nine assists in 15 starts. "Colleen was a surprise to everyone last season but the coaching staff and herself," Korbesmeyer said. "I look for her to improve this season and garner regional and national honors."
The offensive threat doesn't stop there. Junior transfer Angie Bode (St. Charles, Mo.) looks to provide her share of offensive. Bode, a two-time junior college All-American, helped Lewis and Clark Community College to the National Junior College Athletic Association title last season. She was also named NJCAA Player of the Year in 1999 after scoring 40 goals and compiling 22 assists. "I look for Angie to continue her explosiveness. It will be a tremendous one-two punch up top."
Freshman Becky Baker (St. Louis) also is a frontrunner at forward. "Becky is very fast and is good at putting pressure on opposing backs." Brandy Bradshaw returns after redshirting her freshman year and will look for playing time at forward.
The Cougars return six players at midfield from last season. Junior Megan Steward (Glenarm) and senior Michelle Montgomery (Granite City) return after being plagued with injuries last season. Steward redshirted last season because of a new injury. "She is coming back fully healed. I look for leadership from her." Montgomery saw limited action last season because of an ankle injury, but Korbesmeyer expects her to be a leading scorer at midfield.
Junior Leslie Henigman (Florissant, Mo.) and sophomore Heather Bebe (Florissant, Mo.) made numerous starts last year for the Cougars at midfield. Henigman scored five goals and will push to start. "Leslie is one of our fastest midfield runners." Bebe started 16 games her freshman season, scoring two goals and one assist. "Heather gained valuable experience. She can dominate the midfield when she is in."
Sophomore Jennifer Hawkins (Troy) and freshmen Erin Gusewelle (Edwardsville) and Sara Decker (St. Louis) look to contribute at midfield. Hawkins saw action in 13 games but was hampered by injury all season. "She seems to be in good form. She has a great touch and will be a top sub of the bench." Gusewelle was a two-time All-State selection her junior and senior years at Edwardsville High School. "Erin is a very versatile player, having played every position in high school." Decker led Rosary High School in assists last year. Korbesmeyer said she is a tough player and knows how to take charge on the field.
The backfield returns all four of its starters from a year ago. All-GLVC players, Rebecca Mays (Springfield) and Tasha Siegel, lead the Cougar defense. Mays started 16 games and is key in defending the opposition's leading scorer, said Korbesmeyer. Siegel, who also earned second team All-Region honors, started all 19 games for SIUE and scored four goals. "I expect her to take her game to the next step and receive national recognition."
Sophomore Melissa Montgomery (Granite City) and Marci Stedman (Florissant, Mo.) return after strong freshman seasons, each recording one goal and playing in all 19 games. "Melissa played a number of positions last year, but was used mainly as a marking back." Korbesmeyer looks for Stedman to break through this season. "She will be used as both a marking and sweeping back position. She is a tremendous athlete who hasn't seen her best soccer yet."
In addition to the four returning starters, the Cougars also return Emily Anderson (Florissant, Mo.) for a second season and two new faces. "Emily had a lot of experience her freshman season and will push to start." Sophomore Jeana Dietrich (Collinsville) and freshman Susie Birch (Edwardsville) will provide great speed to an already experienced backfield. "Jeana will offer a lot of speed off the bench at the marking back spot, while Birch's fiery attitude with boost the aggressive style of play the team already offers."
Senior Beth Louderman (Girard) returns as the team's primary goalkeeper. Louderman started all 19 games for the Cougars last year, recording six shutouts. She posted a 0.92 goals against average, good for fourth in the GLVC. "She has seen an extensive amount of playing time the last two years, and has become one of the better goalkeepers in the conference."
Junior transfer Selena Saylor (Wood River) and Kristin Covalt (Palmer, Alaska) provide the back up at goal that the Cougars lacked last season. Saylor is a walk-on transfer from Jefferson Community College and has seen limited action at goal. Covalt was a top goalkeeper at Palmer High School and will push for playing time. Korbesmeyer expects Covalt to develop into the goalkeeper of the future.
SIUE Volleyball Picked To Win GLVC Division
GLVC coaches have picked SIUE and Northern Kentucky University to win their respective volleyball division in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
SIU Edwardsville, 22-11 last season, received 10 first-place votes in the Green Division, while Northern Kentucky, which advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the second consecutive season in 1999, received 10 first-place votes to head up the Blue Division. The Norse completed last season with a 33-2 record and a perfect 16-0 mark in GLVC play.
Ironically, SIUE and Northern Kentucky are the two schools that switched divisions for this year's schedule. Northern Kentucky now is a member of the Blue Division, which includes IUPU-Ft. Wayne, the University of Indianapolis, Lewis University, Saint Joseph's College, and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. SIU Edwardsville moves to the Green Division of the GLVC with Bellarmine University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Quincy University and the University of Southern Indiana.
In the Blue Division, IUPU-Ft. Wayne picked up two first-place votes and is selected to finish second in the division. IPFW is followed by Lewis, Saint Joseph's, Indianapolis and Wisconsin-Parkside. In the Green Division, coaches selected Missouri-St. Louis to finish second despite no first -place votes. Bellarmine was picked third followed by Quincy, Southern Indiana and Kentucky Wesleyan. Quincy and Southern Indiana had the other first-place votes in the division.
For many conference schools, the season's first volleyball is served on August 25th. The GLVC begins league play on September 15th.
German Students 'Dig' Archaeological Site
Gathered around a shallow pit in the ground are 21 students-hot, perspiring, and tired, but excited.
A murmur washes over the group, whispers in English and German, then silence as Professor Bill Woods explains that the dark feature that has been discovered in the soil of this pit may be evidence of a prehistoric house site.
"This would have been a subterranean dwelling," explains Woods, an archaeologist at SIUE. "It's a good type of habitat for this climate-cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
"When you get a feature of this size that has a straight boundary going for two meters, it's most likely a house. Really, we'll only know when we excavate. But for now, that's the best guess." That means the students Professor Woods is speaking to have more work ahead of them before they can be sure of what they've found.
This archaeological dig came about as part of a joint field school project arranged by Woods and his colleague, Biology Professor Bernd Hermann of the University of Goettingen in Germany. According to Woods, what started as friendly correspondence between two professors blossomed into an opportunity for students from both SIUE and Germany to develop basic archaeological field techniques, while benefiting from cultural exchange.
"In our correspondence, Professor Hermann and I discovered similar interests in our two fields, archaeology and biology," says Woods. "It occurred to Professor Hermann that it would be fruitful for the American and German students to work together, and he was able to get grants for his students to come here for the field school."
Part of the lure of the Midwest for the German professor and his 11 students was the opportunity to visit Cahokia Mounds, a site that bears a resemblance to an area in Germany, according to Hermann. "I have been working on a site in Germany set up 250 years ago, in a similar situation to Cahokia," he said. "And, Dr. Woods and I thought it would be a nice idea to join field schools for both American and German students to see what Cahokia was like and to discuss and compare it with the situation in Germany."
Named for the 1950s landowner, the Meeks site at SIUE represents about 12,000 years of intermittent occupation, Woods explains. Work by the students on the site consisted of digging several pits, each about two meters square and one foot deep, then carefully sifting through the excavated dirt for any tiny artifacts left by the occupants of the land. Excitement touched the archaeologists when a feature-a dark area discovered in the soil-suggested that a house had once occupied the land.
"This is quite interesting," says Marielle Heinrich, in her eighth semester at the University of Goettingen. "Just a few hours ago we found some stones that were perhaps used for a cooking place. Now we have the house to go with our fireplace." Heinrich, whose training is primarily in biology, explains, "It's very fascinating to see this other side of anthropology. In Germany, we have a more biological approach, and so when I see a skeleton, it comes to me in the lab and lies on the table. I have no idea where it comes from. And so it is good now to see this one step before."
The students cleared brush from the site and undertook the slow process of sorting through soil. This task was made even more difficult by the fact that over the years, the ground has been disturbed by farming equipment. "Because this was farmland at one time, the soil has been rotated," says Michelle Carvalho, an SIUE grad student. "So, any arrowheads or artifacts we find were probably moved from their original places in the soil."
Even so, when the students find an artifact, there is a definite feeling of excitement on the site. "It's so rewarding to find something," says Heinrich. "It's hot out here, and you're always working. And then you find something and you're so happy. It's simply great."
Hermann says the students very much appreciate the support they've gotten from SIUE. Heinrich, who happens to be one of the students working on the pit in which the house feature has been found, echoes this sentiment. "We're so happy that SIUE made it possible that we could come. The American students are so friendly, always inviting us to their houses. This experience has made a great impression on us. And perhaps we leave an impression as well."
Anniversary
Richard Lumma (at right), director of SIUE's Small Business Development Center, was on hand to greet Fred Hochberg (at left), second in command of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in Washington, D.C., during a recent visit to Collinsville. The SBA marked the 10th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) with the visit to Jerry Buck (center), a Vietnam veteran with a disability who has operated Midwest Municipal Supply at 1435 Bluff Road since 1989. He began the wholesale waterworks supplies business with a $200,000 SBA loan and a decade later the business is thriving with 13 employees. Hochberg brought a message from President Bill Clinton that the SBA is committed to insuring opportunities for entrepreneurs with disabilities. Hochberg cited Buck as an excellent example of a model SBA client. (SIUE Photo)
Ruth Slenczynska's Legacy Lives On In CD Recordings
Looking back on a 70-year professional career, Ruth Slenczynska Kerr probably has some regrets, many memories, and countless stories to tell, but it's her musical legacy that has and will continue to endure.
And, to help ensure that the SIUE music professor emerita's legacy is available to students, researchers, and the general public, Professor Allan Ho, a musicologist in the Department of Music, is compiling the 75-year-old concert pianist's live and commercial recordings on compact discs. So far, he's used 75 discs. "I expect to fill a total of 100 discs before I'm finished," Ho said.
He undertook the project with the help of a Summer Research Fellowship from the Graduate School, which included a $6,000 grant to help cover his time plus pay fees and royalties for recording some of the concerts that are held by recording companies or by radio or television networks. "This project has involved more than 200 letters, e-mails, and phone calls to sources who might steer me in the direction of finding these recordings and it paid off," Ho said.
"It's difficult to know what's still out there, although recordings are still coming in from various sources, including collectors." Ho said he's received reel-to-reel tapes, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and 16mm film, all recording live concerts of the pianist who began playing professionally in 1929. The oldest recording Ho has received is from 1930 when Slenczynska was 5 playing a piece by Edvard Grieg.
Slenczynska, who joined the SIUE faculty in 1964, has performed more than 3,000 recitals and concerts in many countries around the world and has appeared with most of the world's great orchestras. She was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit from Poland, the country of her ancestry, and was the first western artist to perform with the China State Symphony Orchestra.
Her story has been featured on many television programs, including This Is Your Life, The Today Show, and 20/20, as well as in newspapers and magazines such as the Chicago Tribune, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Reader's Digest, McCall's, and Life magazine (she was featured on the cover of the first-ever edition in 1936).
Several years ago, National Public Radio featured the SIUE artist-in-residence in a video called Living Treasure, and in 1989, the St. Louis affiliate of PBS (KETC-TV Ch. 9) devoted a half-hour of its St. Louis Skyline series to her performance at the piano. That segment was repeated twice by viewer request.
She is the author of two books, Forbidden Childhood, which chronicles her troubled childhood at the hands of a tyrranical father who forced an unnatural regimen of practice on the youngster, and Music At Your Fingertips: Aspects of Pianoforte Technique.
In addition to a lifetime of concert touring, her commercial recordings include 10 albums for the Decca Gold Label Series, three for the Musical Heritage Society, and five CDs, the most recent of which, an all-Schumann program for Ivory Classics, has just been released.
"Ruth is one of the treasures of this university," Ho points out. "How many of us can say we've played a piano duet with President Harry Truman or performed at John F. Kennedy's inaugural. How many of us can include personal friends like an Artur Rubinstein or Vladimir Horowitz? Ruth is so unique."
Lovejoy Library will add the CDs to its Slenczynska Archive. "Since her retirement from the university in 1988, Ruth has been donating items to the archive," says Fine Arts Librarian Therese Zoski Dickman. "She has given us several scrapbooks and concert programs, photographs, letters, articles, and other documentation of her career," Dickman said.
"We also have her commercial recordings on vinyl and CD, but what we've been missing are the live recordings," she said. "When you listen to these recordings you can hear how she developed as a concert pianist."
Ho has been in touch with Slenczynska about the project and said "she has, of course, been an invaluable resource. She seems amused by the entire project," Ho said, "and, perhaps, has been apprehensive of how she sounds in these recordings, especially in the early years.
"Ruth keeps asking me 'Why are you wasting your time on me?' She is so modest. But down deep I think she appreciates the interest in her work. Without her input, this project would have been more difficult than it has been."
Ho encourages anyone who might own a live recording featuring the pianist, or might know of one, or who owns any other Slenczynska-related item, to contact him, (618) 650-3640 or by e-mail: aho@siue.edu. For more information about the Slenczynska Archive, call the Lovejoy Library Music Listening Room, (618) 650-2685.
"In 1988, backstage at one of her concerts, she reportedly said 'I hope when the music stops, I won't be forgotten.' This project is one way to make sure Ruth will be remembered for not only a rich and distinguished career, but also for an important musical legacy."
Computer Science Seeks Suggestions For Seniors
The Department of Computer Science is asking faculty and staff to submit suggestions to the department for Senior Software Project idea.
As part of their Senior Assignment, CS majors enroll in a two- semester sequence in which they apply principals of software engineering to the design and implementation of computer software packages.
"If you have an idea for a software application to assist with your teaching, your administrative duties or your research, I would be happy to discuss these ideas with you as possible projects for one of our Senior Project Teams," says Jerry Weinberg, assistant professor of Computer Science.
"Because of the project requirements and limitations, we will only be able to consider those projects whose size and scope match the needs of our Senior Assignment," Weinberg said.
"Agreeing to work with a Senior Project Team requires a commitment on the part of the client. The client needs to meet with the team to explain the requirements of software package and must be available for additional meetings to clarify questions that the team may have and to provide feedback on any prototypes that the team develops.
"We are looking for two or three additional project ideas for the current semester and additional projects for next fall and spring," he said. "Please submit your suggestions to me by email at jweinbe@siue.edu."
SIUE Housing Director Named Foundation Of Excellence Honoree
Michael Schultz, director of Housing, recentl was named a Foundation of Excellence Honoree 2000 by the Association of Colleges and Universities Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) Research and Educational Foundation at a conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
Schultz was recognized as one who has "dedicated his life to the residence halls, apartments, facilities, programs, and students who live on our campuses, and as a person who has served as a mentor to residence life professionals, both in and out of our chosen field."
Lee Thompson of Southwest Contract, a supplier of residence hall furniture and apartment furnishings, nominated him for the honor. The ACHUO-I Research and Educational Foundation was formed in 1988 in order to attract the financial resources required to address the continuing challenges of the housing profession.
The mission of the Foundation is to facilitate the enhancement of the physical, social, and learning environments in college and university student housing worldwide, to make student living environments better and more meaningful places for all to work and live.
International Students Services Appeals For Help
Nearly 125 students from other countries will be arriving at SIUE in August and many will stay in Cougar Village Apartments, which have furniture but nothing else. There is an immediate need for items for these students move in and before they have time to buy supplies.
The Office of International Student Services also is asking help for host families. "This does not include providing housing for students," says Services Adviser Toni Liston. "This is a 'friendship opportunity' to give international students a look at a real American family.
"Membership in the International Hospitality Program keeps you informed of events with the students, and membership is only $5 a year." Liston said events involving international students include a fall reception at the Cougar Village Commons Building on Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and the fall picnic on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Cougar Lake.
Liston also pointed out that household items must be donated by Aug. 13; call or e-mail Ruth Shaw (344-7589) to make arrangements, or bring the items to the Office of International Student Services, Room 2002, Morris Center.
Household items needed include paper napkins, towels, toilet tissue, facial tissue, garbage bags, and detergent. Kitchen items also are needed: toasters, rice cookers, cooking and eating utensils, cutting boards, dishes, pots and pans, cookie sheets. Bathroom and bedroom items needed include towels, soap, shower curtains, single sheets, blankets, and pillows. Food items requested include cereal, peanut butter, jelly, tea, coffee, sugar, potato chips, rice, ramen noodles, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and other spices.
Golf Benefits For Athletics Programs
Golf benefits are on tap this fall as two intercolleciate sports programs schedule events as fund-raisers.
Women's Basketball sets its event for Sunday, Sept. 10, at Cardinal Creek Golf Course at Scott AFB. It's also a four-person scramble with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. In addition to the round of golf, the $75 entry fee includes lunch, beverages, and prizes.
Call Coach Wendy Hedberg, (618) 650-2880, for more information.
Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville will be the setting for the Men's Basketball Golf Benefit, a four-person "shamble" with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18. The $200 per-person entry fee includes a round of golf, beverages, lunch, an evening reception, and the chance for prizes on every hole.
Call Coach Jack Margenthaler, (618) 650-2866, for more information.
Grad School Accepting Proposals For 2001 Summer Research Fellowships
The Graduate School is not necessarily interested in what you did last summer, but it is interested in what you'd like to do next summer.
Deadline for proposals for the Grad School's Summer 2001 Research Fellowships (SRF) to the applicant's School/College Research Committee is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. Each committee could authorize a later date.
A total of $195,000 will be available for up to 25 awards at $6,000 each and up to 15 awards of $3,000 each. Contact Lil Manning (Ext. 3114) or limanni@siue.edu for a copy of guidelines.
Guidelines and applications also are available at the Graduate School Web site: www.siue.edu/GRADUATE. Manning also will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the program or to assist you in preparing your proposal.
