Author Archives: Ann Aubry

Celebrated Author Louise Erdrich Speaks at Illinois Wesleyan

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – As celebrated author Louise Erdrich read from her story The Red Convertible Thursday night at Illinois Wesleyan University, her voice rose and dipped with the humor and emotion infused in the tale of a Native American mother and daughter, and carried the audience at Westbrook Auditorium along with each word.

“What if, just as sure as we are pulled toward Earth and destined to go down into it at last, we are also at the same rate pulled toward heaven. No wonder we are stretched top to bottom, pulled at both ends of our being. No wonder the soul cannot decide where to wedge itself,” read Erdrich, who called The Red Convertible a “love story about middle age and the difference between generations.”

Part of the eighth annual Ames/Milner Visiting Author Program – a joint venture between The Ames Library at Illinois Wesleyan University and Milner Library at Illinois State University – Erdrich’s Thursday evening reading was followed by a question and answer session, and an autograph session at The Ames Library.

Grant to Expand Asian Studies

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University has been awarded a nearly $162,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Education’s Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Programs for expanding Asian studies on campus.

“The 21st century has been called the Pacific Century, which is why it is so important that we increase students understanding of the area,” said Professor of Sociology Teodora Amoloza, who was the co-coordinator for the grant application. She is directing the grant along with Associate Professor of History Tom Lutze and Associate Professor of German and Eastern European Studies Sonja Fritzsche. Others who worked on the grant application were International Studies Director and Professor of Political Science William Munro, Associate Dean Irv Epstein and Asian Studies Team Coordinator, McFee Professor of Religion Brian Hatcher and Director of Sponsored Programs and Foundation Relations Jo Porter.

The grant, which will be paid over two years, will expand courses across the curriculum to include units on Asia, develop new courses, and support Chinese language classes – which started last fall at Illinois Wesleyan and are offered through the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department.

Professors in diverse areas such as the humanities, theater, art and business are proposing new Asian segments to their classes. New courses in religion, history, and Asian culture will also be developed. “It is interesting to note that many of the courses being revised do not fall within Asian studies,” said Munro. “This grant is not just about building Asian studies on campus. It is about building a global curriculum campus wide.” Funds for library materials relating to classes are also available through the grant.

Short Named to National Advisory Board

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University’s Assistant Provost and Chief Technology Officer Trey Short has been named to the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE).

NITLE is a community-based, non-profit initiative dedicated to helping undergraduate-centered colleges, universities and educational organizations use technology effectively to strengthen undergraduate education.

Short’s two-year appointment will consist of providing strategic advice for the organization. Goals for this year include deepening NITLE’s engagement with specific sectors of the liberal arts community and developing strategic partnerships with other organizations as appropriate.

Celebrated Author Louise Erdrich to Speak at IWU, ISU

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University will welcome esteemed author Louise Erdrich on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Presser Hall (1201 N. Park St., Bloomington). She will speak as part of the eighth annual Ames/Milner Visiting Author Program, a joint venture between The Ames Library at Illinois Wesleyan University and Milner Library at Illinois State University.

Following is the schedule of the Ames/Milner Visiting Author program:

• 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Presentation followed by a question and answer session at Milner Library (201 N. School St., Normal), Illinois State University

• 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Presentation in Westbrook Auditorium at Presser Hall (1210 N. Park St., Bloomington), Illinois Wesleyan University. A book signing will follow in the John Wesley Powell Rotunda on the entry level of The Ames Library (#1 Ames Plaza, Bloomington), Illinois Wesleyan University.

The author of 12 novels, as well as volumes of poetry, children’s books, and a memoir on early motherhood, Erdrich is a prolific writer who has been compared to renowned American authors such as William Faulkner.

Students Named Peace Fellows

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University has announced students Emily Coles and Jessica Meyer as the 2009 Peace Fellows. The Peace Fellows Program, created in 2007 by IWU alumnus John Stutzman and his wife, Erma, annually awards fellowships to first-year students and sophomores interested in peace, social justice and conflict resolution.

In addition to taking Illinois Wesleyan courses in these areas, students selected to participate in the Peace Fellows Program are required to further explore their commitment to peace by completing an independent study and participating in an off- campus internship in the United States or abroad. The program offers $1,000 to each student in order to help them complete these personal projects.

For Coles, the fellowship is an opportunity to get closer to the issues that matter most to her. “The fellowship means an ability to pursue something of importance that is outside the range of typical academic studies. It really pushes you to go out and do something more,” said Coles, a junior international studies and French double major. She is particularly interested in how to best protect human rights, especially those of children in conflict areas. “I have developed a passionate interest in the plight of children, especially refugees and child soldiers, whose lives have been disrupted by war,” said Coles, of Champaign, Ill.

Hartweg Receives Top Nurse Educator Award

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University’s Professor of Nursing Donna Hartweg will be honored as the recipient of the 2009 Illinois Nurses Association (INA) Nurse Educator Award.

The award, which honors an individual’s advancement of nursing education and commitment to serving as a role model for nursing students, will be presented at a banquet for state INA Conference in Lombard, Ill., on Oct. 16.

Hartweg, who joined the Illinois Wesleyan faculty in 1978, is the Caroline F. Rupert Professor of Nursing. She recently retired as the director of the University’s School of Nursing, a position she held from 1991 until August of 2009.

According to the INA, the Nurse Educator Award is only presented to those who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and service to the nursing program and to the community.

The Ames Library Offers Resource Gems

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The school year is in full swing and students are aiming to make the best of their campus resources. At Illinois Wesleyan University one of these assets is The Ames Library, which offers a prime selection of well-known resources as well as some “hidden gems.”

The intellectual hub of the campus, The Ames Library is a five-story, 103,000 square feet building which houses approximately 335,000 items with access to 75 on-line databases, 1,100 journals in print and 33,000 journals online. The library also has seating for 500 readers and houses over 100 computer workstations as well as 16 study rooms. Yet some of the best gems are the people behind the desks.

According to University Librarian and Professor Karen Schmidt, one of the library’s best services is that it offers personal research assistance to all students.

“Library faculty provide in-depth research assistance for students and can be the untapped resource that moves a student to excellence and earning an ‘A’ on that challenging research assignment” said Schmidt. She encourages, “look for the AskAmes logo on the Web site or stop by the Information Desk to find out how to access this free and valuable resource.”

The library also offers informational sessions for classes, such as Gateways, to introduce students to the many services provided. Academic Outreach Librarian and Associate Professor Lynda Duke leads many of these sessions. They include introductions to library resources and services, as well as an introduction to the research process.

Faculty Biennial on Display at Merwin & Wakeley Galleries

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Faculty Biennial Exhibition will be on display from Oct. 6 through Nov. 5 at Illinois Wesleyan’s Merwin & Wakeley Galleries. The galleries are located in the Ames School of Art building (6 Ames Plaza West, Bloomington).

An opening reception will be held in the galleries on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. This exhibit, held every other year, offers a unique opportunity for the Illinois Wesleyan School of Art faculty to show their latest work to IWU students and the University community.

Regular gallery hours are from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday evenings and 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. All Merwin & Wakeley Gallery events are free and open to the public. Extended hours for Homecoming Weekend are Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 from 11 to 5 p.m. As part of the homecoming festivities, a special reception for IWU Alumni will be held in the galleries on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Actor, Alumnus Kevin Dunn to Host Q&A on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Actor Kevin Dunn, alumnus of the Illinois Wesleyan class of 1977, will be on hand for a special screening of his film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Hansen Student Center (300 Beecher St., Bloomington) as a part of this year’s Homecoming festivities.

Following the film, Dunn and his mentor, Illinois Wesleyan Professor Emeritus of Theatre John Ficca, will host a Q&A session. The event is free and open to the public. The movie is rated PG-13.

Dunn has appeared in more than 80 movies and television roles. Along with his role as the affable father to Shia LeBeouf in the Transformers movies, he has been seen as the speech writer with a crisis of conscience in Dave (1993) with Kevin Klein, and as a foil for Charlie Sheen in the spoof Hot Shots! (1991). He did battle in the blockbuster Godzilla (1998) as the straight-laced Colonel Hicks and has given dramatic turns in such movies as The Black Dahlia (2006) and Lions for Lambs (2007) with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep. His career on the small screen has been equally illustrious, making appearances on popular shows such as Samantha Who?, Seinfeld, LOST, Law & Order and Boston Legal.

In May of 2008, Dunn received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Illinois Wesleyan, and delivered the speech at Commencement. During his talk, “Into Your Waiting Hands,” Dunn said he has great hope for students of this generation. “[You have] developed an unquenchable thirst for disparate points of view, and different sources of information, and this search to find the truth has created an audible rumble across this nation,” he said.

Titan Pride to Shine at 2009 Homecoming

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University’s Homecoming 2009 will be a weekend of reunions and Titan pride.

Homecoming events will run from Thursday, Oct. 8 to Sunday, Oct. 11.

Thursday, Oct. 8

A special screening of Transformers – Revenge of the Fallen will be hosted by actor and alumnus Kevin Dunn, who appears in the movie, will be at 7 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the Hansen Student Center (300 Beecher St., Bloomington). After the film, Dunn will host a question and answer session along with his mentor, Professor Emeritus of Theatre John Ficca.

The screening is free and open to the public. The movie is rated PG-13.

Friday, Oct. 9

Titanium Pep Rally will be held at 6 p.m. on Oct. 9 at Wilder Field. The night will begin with the football team leading the crowd in the fight song, followed by the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen by President Richard F. Wilson. Comedian Kyle Cease, featured on the one-hour comedy special “Kyle Cease: Weirder. Blacker. Dimpler.” last year on Comedy Central, will perform as a part of the pep rally. His performance may not be suitable for children, but childcare will be available at Rogy’s Learning Place (900 Franklin Ave., Normal). Childcare registration can be done at Rogy’s Web site. A fireworks display will follow this performance.

Back to College classes will be on Friday in the Beckman Auditorium in The Ames Library (1 Ames Plaza, Bloomington). The classes, which are free and open to the public, will include:

• Abraham Lincoln’s Reading – a lesson in the Liberal Arts; Presented by Robert Bray, R. Forrest Colwell Professor of American Literature; 1 p.m.

• Universal Jurisdiction; Presented by Arman Dabiri ’94, Robert M. Montgomery, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award-winner; 2 p.m.

• Will China dominate the world’s geo-political balance by 2050, or will it happen sooner than that?; Presented by Lawrence Herbolsheimer ’72, Distinguished Alumnus Award-winner; 3 p.m

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