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< October 2005
December 2005 >


St. Olaf TRiO programs receive $42,000 grant
NOVEMBER 30, 2005 — St. Olaf College has received a $42, 000 grant from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. The grant will be used towards the Mentoring and Parent Program (MAPP), a part of the college's TRiO Programs: Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound and Student Support Services.

"Thousands of young people still have no role model or mentor to look to when considering their options beyond high school," says Susan Heegaard, Director of the Office of Higher Education. "These early intervention programs can make all the difference."

Nearly 400 youth from six area schools (North High School, Washburn High School, and Northeast Middle School of Minneapolis, St. Paul's Central and Humboldt high schools, as well as Red Wing High School in Red Wing) will be served by the MAPP program. Around 260 students and alumni will be trained to mentor these youth, helping them to become better writers and to become more motivated to attend college. They will also assist participants in discovering post-secondary education and career opportunities.

"The funded programs are designed to provide pre-college services that prepare students academically and socially so that their access to college and their potential for success in college is increased," says Nancy Walters, Program Manager for the Office of Higher Education.

The St. Olaf College TRiO programs were one of 14 Minnesota programs to receive a grants from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. The programs receiving these grants assist students defined as low-income or members of a group traditionally underrepresented in higher education.

Ole alumna wins Christmas carol composition contest
Hagen
NOVEMBER 30, 2005 — Jocelyn Hagen '03 is the youngest composer to win the Welcome Christmas! Carol Contest. Hagen's composition, "See Amid the Winter Snow," will premier at concerts around the Twin Cities during December.

St. Olaf Magazine wins big at annual MMPA awards
NOVEMBER 30, 2005 — St. Olaf Magazine won four awards at the 2005 MMPA Excellence Awards in Minneapolis, sponsored annually by the Minnesota Magazine & Publications Association.

Legler appointed to national mathematics board
Legler
NOVEMBER 30, 2005 — Julie Legler, associate professor of mathematics, statistics and computer science, has been appointed to the Mathematical Sciences Education Board. Legler will help provide leadership supporting national policies for the improvement of mathematics education.

Phi Beta Kappa inducts 14 new St. Olaf students
NOVEMBER 30, 2005 — "Each of [these students] is particularly outstanding and accomplished," says Associate Professor of Social Work Naurine Lennox '64 of the college's recent Phi Beta Kappa inductees.

Karen Peterson Wilson '77 honored by theater association
Peterson Wilson
NOVEMBER 28, 2005 — Karen Peterson Wilson '77, a 25-year veteran of the St. Olaf Theater Department, was recently honored by the Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota.

Six St. Olaf choral students receive honors in fall voice auditions at St. John's
NOVEMBER 23, 2005 — Twenty-eight singers and six pianists from St. Olaf traveled to St. John?s University on Nov. 4 and 5 for the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing's fall voice auditions. Six students finished in the top three of their respective divisions.

St. Olaf Jazz II and III will present concert
NOVEMBER 20, 2005 — Students in the Jazz II and Jazz III ensembles will present a concert at 7 p.m. in the Pause of Buntrock Commons, featuring a wide variety of jazz pieces. Under the direction of Artist-in-Residence David Hagedorn, the groups will feature many soloists and a wide variety of musical styles. The concert is one of two yearly on-campus performances for the groups and is free and open to the public.

Lobster Alice to be presented by St. Olaf Theater Department
NOVEMBER 19, 2005 — Lobster Alice written by Kira Obolensky and directed by Karen Peterson Wilson will be presented by the St. Olaf Theater Department Nov. 16-19 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Theater Building, Haugen Theater. Obolensky will be visiting campus in conjunction with the production of her play.

Emeritus Henry Fritz dies
Fritz in 1986
NOVEMBER 18, 2005 — Funeral services for Henry Fritz, professor emeritus of history who died Sunday, were held Nov. 17 in Northfield. Fritz chaired the college's History Department for 15 years and was founder and director of St. Olaf's first American Minority Studies Program.

Jazz I Ensemble to give fall concert
NOVEMBER 18, 2005 — The St. Olaf Jazz I will give its annual fall concert on Nov. 18 at 8:15 p.m. in The Pause of Buntrock Commons. The guest composer is Joseph C. Phillips who currently is the conductor of the Numinous Orchestra in New York City. The Numinous Orchestra is home to some of New York City's most talented jazz and classical musicians. Jazz I is under the direction of Artist-in-Residence David Hagedorn. This event is free and open to the public.

Composer Joseph Phillips 'jazzes up' St. Olaf this week
Phillips
NOVEMBER 18, 2005 — New York City-based jazz composer Joseph Phillips is visiting the college this week to help prepare jazz students for the premiere of his new work Friday. St. Olaf Artist in Residence David Hagedorn says that Phillips' music, a unique blend of Duke Ellington and John Adams, "sparkles and grooves."

Lobbyist and advocate Jim Meffort-Nelson to give lecture
NOVEMBER 17, 2005 — Executive Director of the Minnesota Optometric Association Jim Meffort-Nelson '89 has been a lobbyist and advocate for his entire career and will talk about lobbying as a vocation. The public lecture, at 11:20 a.m. in Buntrock Commons, room 142, will be the second in a series of presentations on "Politics as a Vocation."

Advocacy for women in the workplace to be topic of lecture
NOVEMBER 16, 2005 — Amy Brenengen, director of Workforce Development at WomenVenture the largest economic development organization for women in Minnesota, will share her own story of advocacy for women and current issues in the workplace, such as work-life balance, pay equity and entrepreneurship. The lecture will be in Dittmann Center, room 305 at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

Students help local food shelf
NOVEMBER 16, 2005 — As part of this year's hunger awareness week (Nov. 14-18), the St. Olaf Social Work Club sponsored a student "cafe fast" Wednesday that allowed students to forego lunch and instead donate that money to the local food shelf. More than 400 students participated.

Norwegian pianist to perform Wednesday
Stodle
NOVEMBER 15, 2005 — Norwegian pianist Tori Stodle will perform at St. Olaf Wednesday. Stodle, a "refined miniaturist," is an associate professor of piano at the Music Conservatory in Tromso, Norway, and a frequent performer on Norwegian television and radio.

St. Olaf gets noticed by 'Time' magazine for natural food trends
NOVEMBER 14, 2005 — "What's cooking on campus?" asks Time magazine. A commitment to serving more healthful and locally grown foods, and St. Olaf College is in the forefront of that trend, thanks to the efforts of our food service, Bon Appetit.

Public concert to be highlight of annual St. Olaf Band Day
NOVEMBER 12, 2005 — The annual St. Olaf Band Day, with more than 50 schools in attendance, will be held at Skoglund Center. A highlight of the day event is the free public concert at 4 p.m. conducted by Dr. Jack Stamp, professor of music and conductor of bands at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Stamp is active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator and composer throughout North America and Great Britain.

Hmong New Year celebration to be held at St. Olaf
NOVEMBER 12, 2005 — The Hmong New Year celebration will take place in Buntrock Commons, the Pause, beginning at 11 a.m. with a variety of activities that are open to the public. The program includes skits, dances, music, a fashion show, martial arts demonstration, poem reading, lunch, movie and a "no talent" show.

College students, including those at St. Olaf, are becoming more interested in religion
NOVEMBER 12, 2005 — Are today's college-age students more religious than their parents were? Are they expressing their faith in different ways? Anecdotal evidence and recent studies suggest that the answers are yes, says a recent article in the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune, and St. Olaf is part of the trend.

College's Early Music Singers/Collegium Musicum to perform tonight
NOVEMBER 11, 2005 — The St. Olaf Early Music Singers/Collegium Musicum performance Friday will feature music of the 15th-17th centuries, including works by Taverner, Purcell and Tallis, who was born 500 years ago this year.

Professor emeritus of musicology at the University of Oslo to give lecture
NOVEMBER 11, 2005 — Finn Benestad, professor emeritus of musicology at the University of Oslo, will give a public lecture "Edvard Grieg and Norwegian Folk Music" at 10:45 a.m. in Urness Recital Hall. Benestad has served as chair of the Edvard Grieg Committee, is co-author of the biography Edvard Grieg: The Man and Artist and editor of the five volume set of virtually all of Grieg's extant letters.

From Power to Purcell: 300 Years of English music to be presented by Early Music/Collegium Musicum
NOVEMBER 11, 2005 — The Early Music Singers and Collegium Musicum, conducted by Gerald Hoekstra, will present a program featuring 300 years of English music at 7:30 p.m. in Urness Recital Hall. The Early Music Singers is an ensemble of 16 select singers who devote their efforts to performing early historical choral music. The Collegium Musicum consists of several small ensembles performing on instruments of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, such as viols, recorders, cornets, dulcian and sackbuts. The concert is free and open to the public.

St. Olaf continues to get kudos for efforts toward sustainable campus
NOVEMBER 10, 2005 — "There's always been an underlying environmental consciousness on campus," says St. Olaf Professor of Biology and Curator of Natural Lands Gene Bakko. As reported in the November issue of The Lutheran, however, that mindset has evolved into concrete -- well, make that "natural" -- actions, including a food composter, a wind turbine and a commitment to support local and regional farmers.

Grieg biographer to lecture Friday
Benestad
NOVEMBER 10, 2005 — World-renowned Grieg expert Finn Benestad, professor emeritus of musicology at the University of Oslo, will lecture on "Edvard Grieg and Norwegian Folk Music" at St. Olaf Friday. Benestad is author of the definitive Grieg biography, Edvard Grieg: The Man and Artist.

Michel Gelobter to give lecture on economics, environment and sustainability
NOVEMBER 10, 2005 — Michel Gelobter, executive director of Redefining Progress, will be speaking on "Accounting for Sustainability" at 7 p.m. in Holland Hall, room 501. Gelobter is one of four nationally-known speakers during the 2005-06 academic year to discuss economics, the environment and sustainability. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Melius Trio to give public recital
NOVEMBER 10, 2005 — The Melius Trio will give a recital in Urness Recital Hall at 8:15 p.m., featuring music by Beethoven, Clarke and Brahms. The group is comprised of music faculty members Kathryn Ananda-Owens, piano; David Carter, cello; and Charles Gray, violin. Their first CD will be released this December and includes music of Mendelssohn, Rebecca Clarke and Peter Hamlin.

Guest lecturer Mai Na Lee will lecture on the making of a Hmong leader
NOVEMBER 7, 2005 — Mai Na Lee, department of history at the University of Minnesota will deliver a guest lecture ?The Road Out of the Palace Grounds: Colonial Route 7 and the Making of a Hmong Leader in Xieng Khouang,? at 7 p.m. in Holland Hall, room 501. Lee, a Hmong-American, specializing in Hmong history, is a Carleton graduate and received her Ph.D. last year from the University of Wisconsin, with a dissertation on ?The Dream of the Hmong Kingdom: Resistance, Collaboration, and the Question of Leadership Legitimation Under French Colonialism, 1893-1955.? The lecture is free and open to the public.

Rev. Jesse Jackson lauds the late Rosa Parks, criticizes response to Katrina
NOVEMBER 7, 2005 — Introduced as the "conscience of the nation" and a "great unifyer," the Rev. Jesse Jackson received a standing ovation at St. Olaf College on Sunday night before he even opened his mouth to speak. Among the numerous media outlets covering the hourlong speech and question-and-answer session were the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune. An estimated 1,200 students and townspeople were in attendance.

Titus authors book on Katherine Anne Porter
Titus
NOVEMBER 7, 2005 — The Ambivalent Art of Katherine Anne Porter is a new book by faculty member Mary Titus about the life of the acclaimed American writer. According to Titus, Porter "repeatedly probed cultural arguments about female creativity... romantic love and sexual identity, always with startling acuity, often with painful ambivalence."

Annual choral day to be celebrated; public invited to concert
NOVEMBER 6, 2005 — The 103rd annual St. Olaf Choral Day will bring together more than 40 school and church choral groups, with special guest conductor Weston Noble, professor emeritus of music at Luther College. The 4 p.m. concert in Skoglund Center Auditorium is free and open to the public.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson to address race issues
NOVEMBER 6, 2005 — The Rev. Jesse Jackson will appear at St. Olaf College on Sunday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. in Boe Memorial Chapel. The title of his talk is "Race and the Response to Hurricane Katrina." Jackson's exclusive appearance, which is not part of a tour, is being sponsored by the St. Olaf Political Awareness Committee. The event is free and open to the public.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson addresses nation's racial issues
Jackson
NOVEMBER 6, 2005 — The Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of the nation's leading advocates for racial justice, made an exclusive appearance at St. Olaf Nov. 6 to present "Race and the Response to Hurricane Katrina."

One Voice to perform concert at St. Olaf
NOVEMBER 4, 2005 — One Voice (the Twin Cities GLBT Community Chorus) will perform a free concert in Boe Memorial Chapel at 1 p.m. This concert is the first event in their Outreach Tour to Southern Minnesota and Wisconsin Nov. 4 to 6. The outreach performances will explore challenges experienced when standing for justice and when choices are made that impact the direction of our lives. The program will include a healthy dose of humor, a One Voice tradition.

St. Olaf co-sponsors screening of drama chronicling immigrant life in post-World War I Minnesota
A scene from Sweet Land
NOVEMBER 4, 2005 — St. Olaf faculty, staff and students were invited recently to an exclusive screening of the independent feature film Sweet Land. Filmed in Minnesota, the movie chronicles the story of World War I refugee Inge who, to the dismay of the Norwegian community, is German.

Native American Weeks to be celebrated at St. Olaf College
NOVEMBER 3, 2005 — "Diversity in Native American Culture" is the theme for this year's Native American Weeks celebration at St. Olaf College. The final week, Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, will feature a film and discussion on contemporary Native American issues Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in Holland Hall 501; and Nov. 3 make your own dreamcatcher and beading work at 11:20 a.m. in Buntrock Crossroads, and listen to storytelling by Gary Lussier in the Lion's Lair in Buntrock Commons at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. All events are open to the public.

Alumnus Eric Hoplin to give lecture on vocation of party politics
NOVEMBER 3, 2005 — Deputy Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party Eric Hoplin '01, will give a public lecture "The Vocation of Party Politics" at 11:20 a.m. in Buntrock Commons, room 143. Hoplin will talk about his work as a Republican party organizer. This lecture is the first in a series of presentations on "Politics as a Vocation."

Armstrong to discuss the power of music on Voice America
NOVEMBER 3, 2005 — St. Olaf Choir Director Anton Armstrong will guest on Ember Reichgott Junge's radio program, Women on the Move on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. The topic of their talk will be the transformative power of music. Women on the Move is on AM 950, Air America Minnesota, from 1 to 2 p.m. You can join the conversation at Voice America. If you can't tune in at 1 p.m., all of the Women on the Move programs are archived online at the above address.

St. Olaf hosts talk by Republican Party veteran Eric Hoplin '01
Hoplin
NOVEMBER 2, 2005 — Eric Hoplin '01, former chair of the College Republican National Committee and current deputy chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, returned to campus Nov. 3 to present "The Vocation of Party Politics," part of a series of political speakers that St. Olaf is hosting through December.