As a portion of Crabbe Library is renovated to prepare the Studio, work has revealed the stone arches that graced the original core of the library where the facility will be located. The arches had been plastered over in an earlier expansion, but there’s no hiding the excitement over how the Studio is expected to transform the learning experience for EKU students as it embodies the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which focuses on graduating informed, critical and creative thinkers who communicate effectively.

That excitement was quite evident not only among the speakers at a “ground”breaking for the Studio on Saturday, Sept. 19, but among the dozens of Friends of the Library and others who toured the location.

Dean of Libraries Carrie Cooper said the Studio “allows us to celebrate our past and make a mark on our future.”

When complete, the Studio will provide cutting-edge research, writing, speaking and production services, all designed to enhance the preparedness of EKU graduates in every field of study. Presentation and writing coaches, as well as library staff, will be available to work with students individually and in small groups.

Emily Newsom, senior accounting major, Honors Program participant and vice president of the SGA Residence Life Council, said the Studio will “create an atmosphere unlike anything ever seen on the Eastern campus or any other campus and graduate a student able to write, research and speak effectively.”

The Studio will “serve as a model” for other institutions, the Studio’s new director, Russell Carpenter, said. “This vision will put EKU on the map nationwide in terms of student services and academic support (and) give our students a key competitive edge.”

The ceremony’s final speaker, President Whitlock, said Eastern has “always done a good job” developing students’ critical thinking skills, “but we want to do a better job. We’ll look back at the development of the Studio as another transformational event in the history of Eastern Kentucky University.”

Two of Crabbe Library’s original main entrances, closed since the addition of the Thomas and Hazel Little Building, will also come back into use, one as an outdoor reading porch and the other to provide direct access to the Studio.

The Studio received a major boost with a gift of more than $1 million from Ron and Sherrie Lou Noel, of Union. Ron, a 1964 Eastern graduate, has served for several years on the EKU Foundation Board of Directors.

Naming opportunities are still available. For more information on how to support the Studio, contact EKU Libraries at 622-1778 or visit www.eku.edu/development.

Byrne’s talk, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Posey Auditorium of the Stratton Building, is entitled “Life Experiences in the Legal World: Former Attorney General of Ireland, Former EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, and the Northern Ireland Peace Accords.”

The event, including a reception from 6 to 7 p.m. outside the auditorium, is free and open to the public.

The Kentucky Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Commission has approved 1.5 hours of CLE credit for the lecture.

Byrne began his career as a barrister in Ireland in 1970, became Attorney General in 1997, and was appointed as the first European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection in 1999.

As a barrister, Byrne specialized in constitutional, civil and European law. He became a senior counsel in 1985 and practiced as such until his appointment as EU Commissioner in 1999. Upon retirement from the EU Commission in 2004, he served as special envoy of the Director-General of the World Health Organization on a project to update international health regulations dealing with global communicable diseases such as SARS and Avian influenza.

For two years, Byrne also served as an adjunct professor of law at University College Dublin, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate of law. He also holds honorary fellowships from the Royal Colleges of Physicians in Ireland and London.

Byrne is patron of Health First Europe, Brussels, Chancellor of Dublin City University, Chairman of the National Treasury Management Agency Advisory Committee, and Chairman of the National Concert Hall. In addition to serving on numerous commercial international advisory boards, he is also Deputy Chairman of DCC Plc and a non-executive director of Kingspan Plc.

“Alltech and EKU have partnered on this event to provide an educational opportunity to hear one of Europe’s leading figures and one of the world’s greatest crisis managers,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “At a time when crisis abounds, whether it concerns challenges with food safety and traceability, legal issues, or with the economy, Mr. Byrne’s presentation will offer insight for all audience members.”

Alltech is a global animal health and nutrition company with more than 28 years experience in developing natural products that are scientifically proven to enhance animal health and performance. Headquartered in Kentucky, Alltech trades in 113 countries and has over 1,900 employees worldwide.

Alltech is the proud sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010™, to be held in Lexington Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 2010.

The partnership was announced earlier this year. The grant, from the Council for Economic Education, is provided through the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement.

Through the “Math in Real Life” program, teachers will receive professional development training in how to integrate economics into math in the elementary grades so they can help students apply math concepts in their daily decision making.

Beginning this week, professional development workshops will be conducted by EKU’s Cynthia Harter, Krista Althauser, and Lisa Saylor along with Tina Barrett from Madison County Schools. According to Harter, director of the EKU Center for Economic Education, the resources obtained through the partnership and the grant guarantee that teachers will receive curriculum, materials, literature books, and more along with the training. “Teachers should be able to take what is learned directly into their classrooms and teach it to their students.”

The team approach undertaken by EKU, Central Bank, Madison County Schools, and the Kentucky Council on Economic Education increases the resources available for the project, Harter said, and the grant provides funds to implement a testing program where teachers and students will be pretested and post-tested in order to gauge impacts on learning.

The grant also provides for follow-up workshops that will be held in January, when teachers will obtain more training and reflect on strengths and weaknesses associated with integrating economics into mathematics in order to increase student learning.

Nancy Collins, an attorney from Hazard, replaces April Pergrem, whose term expired. David Sloan, an attorney from Fort Mitchell, replaces Orson Oliver, whose term expired. They were joined by newly elected Student Regent Afsi Siahkoohi.

Continuing as Board officers are Gary Abney, vice chair; Steve Fulkerson, secretary; Virginia Underwood, deputy secretary; and Deborah Newsom, treasurer. The seat of Board Chair Hunter Bates was not up for re-election.

Among other actions, the Board:

• approved the addition of a new Committee on Academic Quality to the Committees of the Faculty Senate.
• eliminated the $20 drop-add fee as part of the 2009-10 operating budget. The topic will be discussed with a broader audience during this academic year to determine whether it will be recommended again.
• rolled back the rental fees for non-student housing to 2008-09 levels.
• approved allowing registered student organizations that qualify as required within policy to maintain self-generated funds with commercial financial institutions in addition to their on-campus accounts.
• approved the establishment of an Identity Theft Prevention Program, in compliance with federal regulations.
• approved revisions to the policy regarding consumption and serving on alcoholic beverages on campus.
• passed resolutions commending the service of former Board members Orson Oliver and April Pergrem.

The Board also heard a financial report from Deborah Newsom, vice president for financial affairs; a Strategic Planning and Financial Planning report from Harry Moberly, executive vice president for administration, and JoAnn Ewalt, chair of the Strategic Planning Council; a presentation about the Bluegrass Community Health Center; and a capital projects update from James Street, associate vice president for the capital planning and facilities management.

In his report, Street said:

• construction on the New Science Building is approximately 15 percent complete and, despite being 2-3 weeks behind schedule because of weather delays. The facility is still expected to open in mid-2011.
• steel erection on the new performing arts center is approximately two-thirds complete, and work is underway on slabs and precast in the theater. The academic addition component of the project is nearing the “weathered-in” phase with the roof is in place, brick veneer complete and interior partition walls in place. Overall, the project is on schedule.
• the artificial turf intramural field was put into play over the Labor Day weekend, and the Bermuda fields will be ready for play by the beginning of October.
• demolition is underway for the Ron and Sherrie Lou Noel Studio for Academic Creativity, and completion of the Studio remains scheduled for April.

“Getting to Noah Webster – Schoolmaster to America,” which will also include information about Webster’s life and contributions to education, will be on display in Crabbe Library’s Main Lobby Sept. 23 through Oct. 23.

An opening reception will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 23 and will feature remarks by EKU President Doug Whitlock and Dean of Libraries Carrie Cooper.

All events are free and open to the public.

EKU Archives houses nearly 100 pages in Noah Webster’s own hand, part of the introduction to his dictionary published in 1828 as “An American Dictionary of the English Language.”

“The original manuscript must have been several thousand pages long,” said EKU Archivist Chuck Hill. “Why was it broken up? How did it come to Kentucky and, eventually, to Eastern?”

No one can answer those questions.

“The only information we have on the acquisition of the pages is a note written in 1980 that says: A schoolteacher bought it in a book shop in Hartford, Conn. His widow, the late Mrs. Sue Wadsworth, lived in Elliston, in Madison County,” Hill explained.

“We do know that it belonged to a Mrs. Sue Wadsworth who was living in Madison County in 1930,” he added. “There was an Eastern professor who collected many objects and documents from local people between 1930 and 1970 with a view toward opening a museum. Why exactly it was given to the University is uncertain but it was probably donated in the 1930s.”

In addition to his dictionary, Webster published several other books, including “Blue-Back Speller” and “History of the United States” (1832). The “Blue-Back Speller” was first published in 1783 as “A Grammatical Institute of the English Language,” revised in 1786 as “The American Spelling Book” and finally published as “The Elementary Spelling Book” in 1829. It was the 1829 edition, and subsequent editions, that became commonly known as the “Blue-Back Speller.” It remained in wide use throughout the 19th century and is thought to have sold more than 70 million copies, according to Hill.

Located in Crabbe Library Room 126, EKU Archives is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m-6 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed weekends and holidays). For more information about EKU Archives, call 622-1792, e-mail archives.library@eku.edu or visit www.library.eku.edu , click the Archives tab, and select EKU Archives.

The survey was conceived as a way to provide the University a baseline perspective on its diversity initiatives and to measure campus climate on all areas of diversity. The Committee’s mission aligns with the University’s core value of Diversity, Dignity, and Integrity: “We honor and pursue a university community climate that respects and celebrates the diversity of peoples and seeks to embrace all citizens and prohibits judgments based on race, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and cultural or national backgrounds.”

The results of the survey will be the key item of discussion during the second annual University Diversity Breakfast scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24. President Whitlock will dialogue with the community on the results of the survey and his continuing vision for the University in the area of diversity.

The University Diversity Committee plans to revise and administer the survey every three years, based on the feedback from the campus community. The results of the survey places EKU in a very positive light in all areas of diversity, but improvements can still be made in several major categories.

For more information on the University Diversity Committee or the Diversity Survey, contact the UDC co-chairs: Salome Nnoromele (salome.nnoromele@eku.edu) and Teresa Belluscio (teresa.belluscio@eku.edu). The complete results of the diversity survey are available at the UDC Web site, www.diversitycommittee.eku.edu.

Testing equipment is the next step in FEMA’s initiative to expand IPAWS with products based on an open standard.

In Phase I of conformity assessment testing, EKU’s Justice and Safety Center will conduct the tests, and vendors will be invited to apply for testing slots. To speed vendor participation, FEMA will pay for all conformity assessment testing during the first year. FEMA will then publish a list of vendors whose products conform to the CAP IPAWS v1.2 Profile so that purchasers may be assured that their equipment meets FCC and FEMA requirements.

In Phase II, FEMA will accredit several labs where vendors can have their equipment tested for a fee and will utilize the Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB) process for independent third-party certification and testing. The TCB infrastructure currently tests to the FCC’s Part 11 requirements for EAS. In addition, any accredited TCB may certify EAS products.

The ICA is a community of clarinetists and clarinet enthusiasts that supports projects that will benefit clarinet performance; provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas, materials and information among its members; fosters the composition, publication, recording and distribution of music for the clarinet; encourages the research and manufacture of a more definitive clarinet; avoids commercialism in any form while encouraging communication and cooperation among clarinetists and the music industry; and encourages and promotes the performance and teaching of a wide variety of repertoire for the clarinet.

Official duties of the state chairs include identifying individuals or groups for ICA membership, maintaining regular communication with members, gathering and disseminating information about current clarinet performance and educational activities of interest, providing assistance in matters concerning the clarinet, encouraging individuals to participate in the various activities offered by the ICA, and working cooperatively with ICA leaders.

The association is dedicated to fostering communication and fellowship of clarinetists on a worldwide basis with a quarterly scholarly journal, The Clarinet; an annual clarinet festival, ClarinetFest®, a research library with materials available to all members, and a variety of other endeavors related to the clarinet and clarinet playing.

As members of an amateur filmmaking crew, the teens, Marlowe and his adopted sister Isabelle, must help write, shoot, edit and produce their movie in just 48 hours. It’s part of a national film competition.

Nothing follows the script, though. The teens’ team, named the Scene Stealers, suffers setbacks from thunderstorms, a ditsy actress who flubs her lines and the theft of a valuable prop – a family jewel that may once have belonged to a Russian princess.

With all these delays, can the team finish the film on time? Will it be a memorable movie or a forgettable flop?

“We hope it will be memorable, just like the book,” Mitchell joked.

“We know for a fact that some quality filmmaking can be completed in just 48 hours,” Smith said, “because we’ve participated in the national competition ourselves.”

“It’s called the 48 Hour Film Project,” Mitchell added. “My sister, Rebecca Turney, and her family in Northern Kentucky, organized a team in 2005 called ‘Shut Up and Shoot.’ Mason sketched out a script after a group brainstorming session. I managed the boom mike and still photography.”

“It was exciting to watch the process from start to finish,” Smith continued. “We want our readers to feel that same ticking clock as the Scene Stealers overcome unforeseen obstacles.”

“48 Hours” began as a Newspaper in Education series, where newspapers publish a chapter a week and distribute it free to participating schools. Teachers read the series with their class and discuss issues raised in each chapter using questions and activities provided by the authors.

“We were thrilled that The Hoosier State Press Association chose “48 Hours” as the series they offered to their 50 member newspapers in the fall of 2008,” Mitchell said.

“We decided to spin the series into a book and give readers a more in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpse of movie making,” Smith added.

“It’s not Hollywood,” Mitchell said, “but it gives readers a sense of what’s involved in the whole process — from brainstorming the idea, writing the script and dealing with fickle actors and difficult shooting locations to mixing music and sound effects into the final production.”

“We want to thank Model Laboratory School in Richmond for recommending some fantastic fifth-graders to be part of our Reader’s Critique group,” Smith said. “They gave us great feedback about an early version of the manuscript and helped us revise words, phrases and passages so it read more smoothly.”

“48 Hours” is the second novel that Mitchell and Smith have written for young readers. “The Lost Dispatch” was published last fall. It’s about a sixth-grade girl and her class enlisting in the Union Army during a re-enactment of the Battle of Perryville. That was the largest Civil War battle fought in Kentucky.

The authors have worked with the same illustrator and graphic artist, Ryan Lanigan, an EKU graduate from Stanford.

“Ryan has a way of capturing our characters exactly as we imagined them,” Mitchell said. “It’s been a wonderful partnership.”

Both books are published by The Clark Group of Lexington. The books are available through the publisher and online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. For more information, visit the authors’ Web site: mitchell-smith.com.

Mitchell and Smith were added to the Kentucky Arts Council’s Education Roster this fall. Teachers interested in applying for a grant to have the authors conduct a writing workshop in their schools can check the KAC Web site at: artscouncil.ky.gov.

The authors can be contacted at 623-0692 or 582-5960.

The play will be presented at 8 p.m. nightly Wednesday, Sept. 30, through Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. in the Gifford Theatre of the Campbell Building.

A romantic comedy for the digital age, “For Better” pokes fun at the overdependence on gadgets in today’s modern world with the story of a couple planning their wedding. Karen and Max are getting married – if their jobs will ever let them be in the same city at the same time.

Tickets will be available at the Gifford Theatre Box Office, open noon-4 p.m. weekdays. Student and senior citizen tickets are $5 and adult tickets, $6. For reservations, call 622-1323.

The nationally innovative program targets mid- and second-career professionals who are intrigued about their potential in front of classroom. Since many would have doubts about leaving their current job to return to college for a second degree, the program allows participants to gauge their comfort level as a classroom teacher before making a life-changing move.

This year’s participants include: Theresa Brown, Lexington, Morton Middle School, Lexington, mathematics, Sept. 28-Oct. 2; Donna Gilbreath, Jessie Clark Middle School, Lexington, Sept. 21-23, and Dunbar High School, Lexington, Sept. 28-30, social studies and English; Anna McGlone, Lexington, Henry Clay High School, Lexington, Sept. 21-23, and Hayes Middle School, Lexington, Sept. 28-30, language arts; Andrea Flanders, Georgetown, Scott County Ninth Grade School, Sept. 21-22, and Georgetown Middle School, Sept. 23-25, business and marketing, social studies; John White, Monticello, North Pulaski Middle School, Sept. 28-Oct. 2, music; Mike Crocetti, Lexington, Lafayette High School, Lexington, Sept. 21-Oct. 2, technology education; and Greg Jackson, Lexington, Henry Clay High School, Lexington, Sept. 21-Oct. 2, band. (One other participant chose not to be identified.)

The program, funded by a $175,000 grant from Ashland Inc., attracted 28 participants in its first three years. Each spends one or two weeks in a K-12 classroom, gaining first-hand experience as they assisted in the preparation and execution of lesson plans while learning successful educational practices from their teaching mentors.

“I think I will enjoy teaching, but I’m not ready to change jobs without being sure,” said Gilbreath. “‘Try Teaching’ will give me the opportunity to be sure.”

Several past participants have decided to enter EKU’s Master’s in Teaching Program, which prepares and certifies individuals who hold non-teaching baccalaureate degrees, according to Dr. Cynthia Resor, coordinator of the MAT program and director of the “Try Teaching” program.

Participants have the option of one- or two-week placements in elementary, middle and high schools throughout central and southeastern Kentucky, as close to home as possible.

In addition to classroom time with their mentoring teacher, “Try Teaching” participants will spend time with a university-level educator to learn more about certification procedures, the teaching profession and career benefits.

EKU officials hope the program will help those interested in making a career change to teaching.

“We need to be looking at alternate avenues for drawing qualified men and women from various backgrounds into the teaching field,” Resor said. “Teaching jobs are available in all subjects and grade levels, but there is a real shortage of math, science and foreign language teachers.”

EKU College of Education faculty and school district administrators work together to identify outstanding K-12 educators who will host participants in their classrooms. The host teachers are then be trained in effective mentoring techniques.

A preliminary screening pre-qualifies participants and reduces the risk that a participant would be ineligible for the MAT program. Those interested in the “Try Teaching” program are asked to assemble educational transcripts, a professional resume and letters of recommendation, and are interviewed to assess their overall disposition to teach. Also, before introducing anyone into a classroom setting, EKU completes stringent background checks on all program candidates.

Anyone interested in the “Try Teaching” program should contact Resor at 622-2165 or at Cynthia.resor@eku.edu. More information is available at www.tryteaching.eku.edu.

Scheduled this fall are:

• Tuesday, Oct. 20, My Father (Israel, 2008)
• Tuesday, Nov. 17, Storm (Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, 2009)
• Tuesday, Dec. 8, Mine (USA, 2009)

For more information, contact Rob Sica, reference librarian for EKU Libraries, who coordinates the Cinema Series, at 622-1785 or at rob.sica@eku.edu.

The University’s new Greek Towers, incorporating renovations to Todd and Dupree Halls, opened this fall to an enthusiastic response, according to Lindsay Greenwell, associate director for student involvement and leadership at EKU.

The Towers represent a “positive for our Greek community because they have created a space for the chapters to call their own,” Greenwell said.

The renovations, completed at a cost similar to any routine residence hall renovations, were done with the input of the Greek community.

“This was truly a great project to be involved with,” said Kenna Middleton, director of housing at EKU. “The planning group was made up of two members from each Greek organization on campus that wanted to be involved, chapter advisers, the Greek Life office and Housing. We met weekly … to finalize decisions, choose colors, carpet, etcetera.”

The Towers are priced the same as other EKU residence halls, although the chapters do pay an annual fee for the use of chapter, office and storage space.”

Middleton said the Towers aid in the achievement of one of Housing’s chief objectives: development of community.

“Within chapters, there is already a community that comes from the sisterhood and brotherhood,” Middleton said. “This takes that individual community a couple of steps beyond their own chapter into the other female or male chapters and then ultimately extends the entire Greek community as a whole.”

The Greek Towers is an extension of a recent trend at EKU: the emergence of more “special interest” housing. “The Greek Towers is in keeping with our philosophy of these communities, and we truly believe, because our GPA and retention numbers support it, that community engagement plays a role in the University’s retention efforts.”

Of EKU’s approximately 1,000 Greeks, many live off campus in various houses and apartments, none of which are owned by their housing corporations or national organizations.

Greenwell predicted that the centrally located Greek Towers will “greatly impact recruitment. “It puts the Greek community front and center on campus. (Others) will see the brotherhood and sisterhood that exists in and between chapters.

“The Towers will not serve as a home to the active members, but it will serve as a gathering place for alumni. I also think the Towers will become a source of pride for the chapters living there. Hopefully, they will outgrow the space in Todd and Dupree, and we will look at building chapter houses.”

Seventeen undergraduate students from Florida, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Minnesota, and the United Arab Emirates entered the 2009 writing contest by responding to a case developed by an ABC member. The organization’s Student Awards Committee chose seven finalists and a panel of academic readers selected the top three entries.

Fox, an EKU Presidential Scholar from Murray, will receive a $200 cash award at the national ABC conference in Portsmouth, Va., in November.

Last spring, Fox was named the 2009 Distinguished Senior for the College of Business and Technology. A member of Mortar Board and Phi Kappa Phi, she serves in leadership roles for EKU student professional organizations and is a Patterson Scholar and Regents Scholar.

The softball team member has also won numerous awards as a student-athlete, including the OVC Academic Medal of Honor, OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, College Sports Information Director’s Association All-Academic Second Team and Colonel Scholar.

“Kalyn Fox’s selection by the international ABC Student Writing Contest as a second-place winner affirms her academic achievements at EKU,” Dr. Robert Rogow, dean of the College of Business and Technology, said. “We are proud of her accomplishments and the way she represents Eastern and the College of Business and Technology as well as her department.”

ABC is an international organization committed to fostering excellence in business communication scholarship, research, education, and practice.

The fall calendar includes:

• Sept. 23, Michael Kimmel, “Mars and Venus, or Planet Earth: Women and Men in the 21st Century,” one of the leading researchers and writers on men and masculinity theory in the world today; classes welcome and proof of attendance will be provided, 6-7:30 p.m., O’Donnell Hall, Student Services Building, with a 5 p.m. reception in the lobby, sponsored by WGS.
• Sept. 29, Carolina Chocolate Drops, a group of young African-American string band musicians who play in the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolinas Piedmont, featured in the movie, “The Great Debaters,” presentation will include workshops on the origin of the banjo by the Appalachian Studies Program, Brock Auditorium, 7 p.m., co-sponsored by Student Life and the Richmond Area Arts Council.
• Oct. 5, ASL Comedy Tour featuring Keith Wann, Crom Saunders, and Francisco, performed in American Sign Language and Voice interpreted for the hearing, O’Donnell Hall, Student Services Building, 8 p.m., sponsored by ASLA and OMSA. A deaf social will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale in 110 Powell, $20 each or discounted, two for $35, three for $50, four for $65 or five for $80.
• Oct. 8, Out and Proud, EKU celebration of National Coming Out Day, Powell Corner, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., sponsored by OMSA, WGS and Pride Alliance.
• Oct. 9, The Laramie Project, play by Moises Kaufman about the reaction to the 1998 murder of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, widely considered to be a hate crime motivated by homophobia, produced by the Imperial Court of Kentucky in honor of the International Court System’s recent partnership with The Matthew Shepard Foundation to raise funds and awareness across the country, O’Donnell Hall, Student Services Building, 7-9:30 p.m., sponsored by OMSA, WGS and PRIDE Alliance.
• Oct. 6-27, “Celebrate the Feminine: Quilting for the Cure,” The Quilt Artists of Kentucky, an auxiliary of the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society, and the EKU Women and Gender Studies Program are spearheading the exhibit of a collection of quilts made by quilters across the state of Kentucky to promote awareness of breast cancer, celebrate the female body and use a traditionally female craft for education, empowerment and service, Giles Gallery and the Powell Building, all proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. A reception sponsored by WGS will be held Oct. 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the lobby outside Giles Gallery.
• Oct. 21, Latino Street Fair, OMSA and EKU’s Latino Student Union will present table displays representing Latin American countries and their culture; food, music and entertainment to celebrating Latino diversity, Powell Corner, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., co-sponsored by Department of Foreign Languages and Humanities and OMSA.
• Oct. 21, Salsa Magic/Fiesta, Latin dance party with instruction and exhibitions showcasing traditional Latin dance and music, coordinated by OMSA with Marianne McAdam, director of EKU Dance Theatre, and the Latin Student Union.
• Nov. 2, “Moliere Than Thou,” Tim Mooney will perform the work of comic dramatist Jean Baptiste Poquelin, known for his conception of satirical comedy, O’Donnell Hall, Student Services Building, 7 p.m., co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Departments of History and Foreign Languages and Humanities.
• Nov. 17, World Religion and Sexuality, speakers from EKU and the Richmond and Lexington community will address the role within world religions and psychology, Adams Auditorium, Wallace Building, 7 p.m., co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Religion.
• Dec. 12, Human Rights Dinner, a celebration of International Human Rights Day, Perkins Quad, 6 p.m., sponsored by WGS, OMSA and the Richmond Human Rights Commission.

For more information on any of these events, contact the Cultural Center at 622-4373 or lisa.daniels@eku.edu.

The two-year fellowship, valued at $39,124, covers Pulliam’s tuition and fees for her final two years at Eastern, provides a living stipend, and includes funds for conferences and equipment related to her research. It also provides an internship in Washington, D.C., in Summer 2010, when she will work with EPA mentors to develop a research project.

“Receiving this fellowship is incredibly prestigious for an EKU student,” said Dr. Stephanie McSpirit, Pulliam’s academic adviser and professor in the Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work. “Jessica joins the ranks of students from Brandeis, Oberlin College and the University of Wisconsin.”

During her first two years at EKU, the South Oldham High School graduate participated in undergraduate research projects, “one important factor that has allowed me to receive this fellowship. In addition, the Honors Program at Eastern has really challenged me as a student and has encouraged me to apply for grants and fellowships.”

Pulliam, who minors in biology, selected sociology as a major after taking Sharon Hardesty’s Introduction to Sociology course. “Her encouragement has given me the confidence I need to accomplish the goals I have set for myself.”

It was Hardesty who introduced Pulliam to McSpirit, who gave the eager student an opportunity to participate in research for the Kentucky Stream and Wetlands Protection Plan as well as for the Kentucky Riverkeeper. “Her passion for the environment is contagious (and) she is the person who suggested I apply for the EPA Fellowship and has offered me guidance along the way.”

McSpirit said Pulliam was “one of my right hands” on the stream and wetlands project, playing a “crucial role” in compiling electronic databases and transcribing interviews. “I think Jessica’s research experience on these last two grants and subcontracts helped her application rise above hundreds of others for this prestigious award.”

After graduation, Pulliam hopes to volunteer for an organization such as Green Corps or Peace Corps and then work toward her doctoral degree in order to teach environmental sociology someday at the university level.

“Because of this fellowship, Jessica’s future is paved with gold,” McSpirit said. “She will easily be able to apply, and receive a research position, at any top-ranking Ph.D. program in environmental sociology in the near future. Her education at EKU has prepared her well for the opportunities that lie ahead for her.”

Two years after being reinstated as a colony on Eastern’s campus, the Delta Xi colony became again an official chapter again at the 170th Beta Theta Pi General Convention, held July 30-Aug. 2 in Phoenix, Ariz.

Six active members of the Delta Xi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi – President Tim Berry, Vice President Ben Gahafer, Treasurer Jacob Crockett, Risk Management Chair Kyle Shaner, Social Chair Kip Mountjoy and Leadership College participant Warren Oliver – along with Chapter Advisor Michael Hay, and alumni Jon Coyle, Martin Cobb, Paul Lanier and Doug Tommie, were on hand to accept official recognition for five awards.

The awards included:

• the Alumni Relations Award, which recognizes strong dedication to preserving lifelong fraternal brotherhood by the implementation of a strong alumni relations program.
• the Campus Involvement Award, which recognizes outstanding and sustained participation of members in campus organizations and leadership positions outside of the fraternity.
• the Charles Henry Hardin Leadership Development Award, which recognizes a devotion to attendance of leadership experiences, named after Founder Charles Henry Hardin for his exemplary leadership.
• the Dr. Edward B. Taylor Advisor of the Year Award, which recognizes one advisor who embodies continued dedication and service to the fraternity. (The chapter counselor for the Delta Xi Chapter, Hay was officially recognized out of more than 120 active chapters and colonies.)
• and the Virginia Tech Award, which recognizes overall academic excellence.

Among the top 20 percent of college fraternities in size, Beta Theta Pi Fraternity was the first to be founded west of the Allegheny Mountains and the first to locate a chapter west of the Mississippi River. The Fraternity was founded Aug. 8, 1839, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Beta has some 125 chapters and colonies in Canada and the United States.

The ceremony included the presentation of a National Citation, given to individuals and groups who have significantly and lastingly contributed to the cause of music in America, and three members of the band were recognized as Signature Sinfonians. Lee Loughnane, Kappa Phi, Depaul University, 1965; James Pankow, Kappa Phi, Depaul, 1966; and Walt Parazaider, Kappa Phi, DePaul, 1964, were inducted as part of the 2009 class of Signature Sinfonians.

Loughnane, Pankow and Parazaider, along with Robert Lamm, are founding members of Chicago, having been with the band for more than 40 years. In that time, the band has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, including 22 Gold, 18 Platinum and 8 Multi-Platinum titles, charted five No. 1 albums and logged 21 top-ten hits.

Chicago performed at the Riverbend Music Center with Earth, Wind and Fire as part of their national tour with their musical compatriots.

How are you helping to implement the EKU Quality Enhancement Plan?
I am directly involved with a Teacher Education project that is being implemented across all elementary, middle grades and secondary education programs. This project requires that teacher education candidates spend time working and observing in a school with a diverse student population. Then they will utilize critical thinking to analyze, synthesize and evaluate that school's student assessment data plan for improvement. This task will also prepare our students for the School Contextual Analysis they complete as first-year teachers. As the Chair of our Department, I also encourage all faculty to engage their students in critical and creative thinking, and to model strategies our candidates can later use in their own classrooms.

How can this transform and enrich the educational experience of our students?
Teachers have to be able to think critically about how to best help their students learn. They have to find creative approaches to instruction that will engage all of their students - even those who are struggling or reluctant learners.

Our students must not only apply critical and creative thinking, but they have to be able to teach others to do so! It is especially important that teacher educators be able to model these effective teaching strategies...but then this isn't really new to teacher education either. We have been working on this for a long time!

Our future depends upon our young adults being able the learn new ways to do things, to engineer new products and solutions, and to be able to work productively and effectively in jobs that haven't been invented yet. The future of our next generations depends upon creativity and entrepreneurship.

How have you changed the way you teach?
I am trying to be more direct and transparent in applying critical thinking strategies and point these out to my students. Several of our faculty have been working with writing intensive courses as well. The truth is, it is difficult to "observe" critical thinking without using open-ended writing tasks. Writing requires thinking AND creativity.

What changes are you seeing in student performance because of an emphasis on critical/creative thinking and communication skills in your classroom?
Personally I am seeing more evidence that my students are doing more than "regurgitating" facts or bits of knowledge. I can see the results of their thought processes.

If you could offer one suggestion to your colleagues related to integrating our QEP theme, what would that be?
Don't be afraid to try some new approaches! Even the best teachers can use a little instructional remodeling from time to time.

The enrollment in the introductory Calculus Physics course is the largest in the University’s history. The enrollment in the introductory Trigonometry Physics course is also extremely large. You’ve also had to add another section for a total of five sections of Physics 131. To what do you attribute such a dramatic upswing?
Students have traditionally been intimidated with the way some science courses are taught. This is particularly true of Physics because of the typical mathematical description of the universe employed by physicists in research and the extrapolation of their mathematical models to their teaching. Traditional courses are taught using the lecture/laboratory mode or “telling” and then using laboratory exercises to reinforce the concepts. This is exactly backwards from the way learning should progress as illustrated by the learning cycle. Students should explore, formulate, and predict in that order. Unfortunately this is not the order employed by the typical introductory science course. It is also true that most people do not learn best by using the traditional lecture mode of teaching that we are all familiar with. Many of us learn by doing, and by discussing with others. If science is taught by doing then it becomes more real to students. The element of individual discovery is added to the classroom. Not only is this more conducive to learning by a wider audience but students see a system in which they can be successful. They actually enjoy learning science by doing science.

Why is it so important that undergraduates DO science? Why, in your opinion, does it make such a difference?
This world is becoming more and more technological. There are big problems facing us and many of the solutions to correcting these problems depend on the understanding of existing technology and the development of new technologies. Students need to know that science is not static and complete. It is changing and dynamic, which is exciting. This excitement about science can only be conveyed to others by doing science and learning how to do science. The understanding of this process will encourage more young people to choose science as a career and bring more talent to bear on pressing problems.

At one time in your career, you used more traditional lecture methods commonly used in most college and university science courses. What led you to change your methods?
I used to teach in a more traditional format but I was very dissatisfied with both the way my students were learning and the way I was teaching. What students were learning in many cases was what they thought they heard me say. It was easy for students to sit back and let me do the work. The problems were that the learning was not very effective nor very interesting. There had to be a better way and after some soul searching and collaboration with my colleagues in the College of Education I found small group, inquiry- driven, actively-based learning was something that could really be used effectively in the science classroom.

How have you and your faculty colleagues worked together to advance inquiry physics?
I have worked with groups from other universities and with the physics facility at EKU in developing new courses in introductory physics that use an activity based mode of instruction in which activities are used for discovery and discussion is used for formulation. Our work here at EKU has been supported by an NSF grant. Our department has “bought into” the concept of activity based instruction that uses small group activities and peer learning to promote science teaching. Last week one of our senior faculty dropped into my office and said, “My God, they are actually doing the homework in this new format”. We meet regularly as small groups with group leaders to discuss materials for our courses and we require new faculty to go through a period of training before they can teach in our new format. Our courses are nowhere complete and we will be refining them as we continue to learn what works and what does not work.

What are you and your colleagues doing to advance science education in K-12 schools?
The science faculty at EKU has been active in past cooperative efforts with other universities and school districts. This is inclusive of all our science departments. The preparation of pre-service teachers and the continued support of in-service teachers is a continuing effort for all of us. For example we (science faculty at EKU) were an integral unit in developing new materials and in new courses developed in AMSP (Appalachian Mathematics and Sciences Partnership) for pre-service teachers. Our science faculty has developed a series of inquiry based courses in physics, chemistry, earth science and biology specifically for elementary and middle school teachers. The science faculty offer summer workshops on a regular basis for practicing teachers to help them gain the understanding and confidence to do inquiry science in their own classrooms. Some faculty go to specified school districts on a regular basis to help develop inquiry science programs in those schools.

Is much progress being made attracting larger numbers to science-related careers, especially females?
Not as much as we would like. It is important to understand that young women who may choose science as a career need role models in science so that they can see a place for themselves in the different fields of scientific endeavor. In our department we currently have three of our current faculty positions occupied by young, energetic, competent females. This would have been nearly impossible ten years ago. This gives us credibility with young women when we try to convince them that physics or engineering is a viable career for them. I think biology and chemistry have been doing a much better job for a number of years attracting both female students and female faculty into their programs. A word of warning: physics has caught up and we will be after our share of the best and brightest of the female students.

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