Today@Sam Article

SHSU Update For Week Of Oct. 26

Oct. 23, 2015
SHSU Media Contact: Tammy Parrett

 

Presentation To Create Open Dialogue About LGBT Issues

corvinoWith the landmark Supreme Court decision earlier this year that legalized gay marriage in all 50 states, many people have begun to question whether or not it is possible to have a productive conversation about the issues facing the LGBT community.

In honor of National LGBT History Month in October, Multicultural Student Services will bring guest speaker John Corvino, also known as The Gay Moralist, to discuss these issues and promote ways to hold a healthy discussion on Monday (Oct. 26) at 5 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Theater.

His presentation, titled “Haters, Sinners and the Rest of Us: The Gay Debate Today,” uses a combination of logical rigor, sensitivity and humor to challenge people on both sides of the debate to rethink easy assumptions in the increasingly divisive culture wars.

Corvino is chair of the philosophy department at Wayne State University, co-author of  “Debating Same Sex Marriage,” and author of “What’s Wrong With Sexuality?”

He has contributed to The Advocate, The LA Times, The Independent Gay Forum, The Huffington Post, The New Republic, Commonweal, and The New York Times. In the last 20 years, he has spoken at more than 200 campuses on issues of sexuality, ethics and marriage.

“Dr. Corvino’s presentation provides a healthy dialogue and discussion regarding a controversial topic in which every member of the SHSU community can take something away from,” said Jordan Chang, Multicultural Student Services coordinator. “He delights in diverse audiences, especially those that include people who disagree with him.”

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Chang at 936.294.2603.

 

Back to top

  

Faculty To Create Harmony With Piano, Cello Recital

Sam Houston State University School of Music faculty members will perform a variety of cello and piano pieces on Monday (Oct. 26) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gaertner Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.

Daniel Saenz, assistant  professor of cello, and Josu De Solaun, assistant professor of piano, will perform works from the 19th and 20th centuries that combine piano and cello to create haunting and dramatic music. 

The recital will include Frédéric Chopin’s Op. 65, Heitor Ville-Lobos’ “O Canto do Cisne Negro,” Edino Krieger’s “Seresta,” and “Le Grand Tango for cello and piano” by Astor Piazolla. 

Saenz has performed throughout the United States, Central America, Japan and Europe as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music and later completed his master’s degree at Rice University as a student of Desmond Hoebig. 

De Solaun has performed as a soloist with many international orchestras such as the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra of Saint Petersburg, Venice’s Orchestra Filarmonica della Fenice, Czech Radio Orchestra of Prague, Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, Bucharest Philharmonic, New York’s American Ballet Theater Orchestra, and Spain’s National TV and Radio Orchestra.

“This program has music that is full of nostalgia and melancholia,” said Saenz. “I encourage everyone to come out and hear piano and cello repertoire that is rarely heard.”

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the School of Music at 936.294.1360.

 

Back to top

 

Workshop To Provide Students With Loan Repayment Advice

Not only are students being forced to take out larger amounts of student loans due to rising tuitions, but more students than ever are relying on student loans to earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In an effort to educate students about repayment options after graduation, the Student Money Management Center will team up with the Veteran’s Resource Center to present “Life After Graduation: Student Loan Repayment” program on Wednesday (Oct. 28) at 6 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Theater.

The program will review various rebates and programs available to potentially help students reduce the total amount of student loan debt owed.

The average class of 2015 graduate will owe more than $35,000 in student loan debt, according to the Wall Street Journal. In addition to the increasing amount students are paying for their degrees, the number of students who require the assistance of loans to complete their degrees is increasing as well.

The presentation also will address tuition rebates and how to process the forgiveness feature of a “Be on Time” loan or TEACH Grant, as well as loan deferment or forbearance for students who are not able to immediately begin making loan payments. 

“The Student Money Management Center wants to help future graduates learn how to thrive,” said Andrea Rabon, SMMC program coordinator. “We are here to teach them about valuable resources that they may qualify for, such as tuition rebates and student loan forgiveness programs.”

Students who attend three or more SMMC events will be entered into a drawing for one of two $400 scholarships.

Pizza and refreshments will be available on a first-come, first-served basis before the presentation, as food and drink are not allowed into the theater.

Admission to the event is free with an active Bearkat OneCard.

For more information, contact the SMMC at 936.294.2600 or smmc@shsu.edu.

 

Back to top

 

Seminar To Empower Students To ‘Lead’ 

learning to leadThe SHSU Center For Leadership and Service will share the history of servant leadership and the skills possessed by a servant leader in its second “Learning to Lead” workshop of the semester on Thursday (Oct. 29) at 3:30 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Room 304.

The presentation will discuss a brief history of servant leadership, the characteristics identified as being those possessed by a servant leader, and how students can put the theory into practice in their lives as leaders of their student organizations, future professions, or any other leadership role they may find themselves in.  

Sarah Hagler, who is currently earning a master’s degree in higher education administration at SHSU, will lead the presentation.

“Often, when one hears the word ‘leader,’ a certain image of a commanding and powerful person might come to mind,” said Max Walling, associate director for the Center for Leadership and Service. “However, it isn’t always these types of individuals that can have the greatest impact on those that they are leading. 

“Servant leaders are individuals that challenge this typical image, and this workshop will share some of the ways that anyone can become a servant leader and empower those around them.”

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the CLS at 936.294.1633.

 

Back to top

 

Concert To Put Audience ‘In Her Shoes’

The SHSU School of Music will highlight five international female composers in “In Her Shoes: International Emerging and Established Female Composers” on Thursday (Oct. 29) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gaertner Performing Arts Center Concert Hall.

The Sam Houston Percussion Group will perform percussion works by American composers Pauline Oliveros and Amanda Schoofs, Canadian composer Monica Pearce, Icelandic composer Anna Þorvaldsdóttir, and Portugese composer Andreia Pinto-Correia.

Pearce will act as composer-in-residence during the week of the concert, coaching the ensemble and putting the finishing pieces on a new piece, entitled “Chain maille” which will premiere during the concert.

The concert will begin with the meditative music of the iconic composer Oliveros, according to John Lane, associate professor of percussion.

“Thorvaldsdóttir’s work, ‘Ára,’ is an exploration of percussive resonances, light, and shadow, of movement and stillness,” Lane said. “Like a whisper of wind through a grove of aspens, or the creaking of ice in her homeland, the work seems to spring forth from the very breath of the world.”

Students also will use their own invented experimental instruments for a performance of Schoof’s “You Burn Us.”

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the School of Music at 936.294.1360.

Back to top 

 

Texas Review Press Authors Receive Positive Reviews

get a gripSeveral Texas Review Press authors have recently made headlines with positive reviews from a number of publications across the country.

“Get a Grip,” written by Kathy Flann, was chosen as the winner of the 2014 George Garrett Fiction Prize. The book is a collection of stories depicting characters in the Baltimore city region who overcome their personal demons. It was recently reviewed by the Baltimore City Paper, which referred to her stories as a “devastating mixture of power and wit.”

Flann also was featured in The Next Big Book Clubs’s audio series “The Authors Read. We Listen,” in which she read an excerpt of one of the stories in her book, “in her own voice, the way stories were meant to be heard.”

Another Texas Review Press author, 2011 Texas Poet Laureate David Parsons, recently made headlines with two books, “Feathering Deep,” and “Reaching for Longer Water,” both of which received positive reviews from a number of publications across the region.

“Feathering Deep,” which was published in 2011, was reviewed by The San Antonio Express, where the reviewer points out that Parsons’ poetry exceeds any expectations and continues to reveal his depths.  Southwestern American Literature noted Parsons’ blending of historical references and personal experiences that “suggest that as life continues, memory is one of the significant forces people possess.” Texas Books in Review pointed out that while “Feathering Deep” displays a clearly patriotic attitude, Parsons is able to present the reader with “moments of extraordinary insight into the difficult terrain of multiculturalism.”

“Reaching for Longer Water,” published in 2015, tells stories of Parson’s youth with a “striking clarity that veers far from sentimentality,” according to The Austin American Statesman Review. The Norman Transcript Review noted that Parsons’ childhood is “viewed through the nurturing sunshine of Scout meetings led by a smiling father figure.”

“Get a Grip” is scheduled for release on Nov. 9; “Feathering Deep” and “Reaching For Longer Water” are available on Amazon or tamupress.com.

 

Back to top

 

Training Session To Teach Technology Skills

eric spellmannSam Houston State University’s Small Business Development Center will bring national speaker Eric Spellmann to SHSU to host an informational training session on Thursday (Nov. 5) from 8 a.m. to noon as well as another session from 1-5 p.m. at the Region VI Service Center.

Spellmann is the president of Spellmann and Associates, a technology company offering online marketing, social media management and website design. He is known for his ability to convey technically challenging topics to non-technical people and has been labeled as a “technology evangelist.”

The SHSU SBDC and the Huntsville Walker Chamber of Commerce have partnered to host the event, during which Spellmann will cover topics such as “Ways to Earn Positive User Reviews,” “Digital Marketing on a Shoestring: Drive New Business Through Display and Social Media,” “Turning Clicks into Clients,” and “How To Promote and Grow Your Business Using These 7 Powerful Online Methods.”

In addition to the training sessions, Spellmann will conduct a website analysis for the first five people to register for the session. 

Breakfast will be provided by Golden Corral, and lunch will be provided by Jimmy Johns.

The Region VI Service Center is located at 3332 Montgomery Road in Huntsville.

Limited seating is available. Those interested can register in advance at samhoustonstateuniversity.sbdcnetwork.net/huntsville/Calendar.asp

For more information, contact the SBDC at 936.294.3737 or sbdcinfo@shsu.edu or the Chamber of Commerce at 936.295.8113 or gwen@chamber.huntsville.tx.us.

 

Back to top

 

Today@Sam Seeks Experts, Story Ideas

Are you an expert in a topic might be of interest to reporters? Or even a unique topic? Would you like to have your research interests highlighted or discuss your expertise with reporters seeking interviewees?

The university Communications Office is collecting information and story ideas for its ongoing projects, including the online SHSU Experts Guide, the SHSU home page and Today@Sam. 

The SHSU Experts Guide was established as a resource for the media, who turn to university experts lists for potential interviewees for news stories. Faculty who are interested in being a part of the university's database of experts can submit their biographical and personal information, as well as their areas of expertise, through the Experts Guide Submission Form available online at shsu.edu/dept/marketing/experts/submit-info.html.

Other story ideas, both news and features on faculty or student research and accomplishments can be sent to today@sam.edu or jenniferg@shsu.edu. For news stories, please include the date, location and time of the event, as well as a brief description and a contact person.

All information, including news story ideas and update items for Today@Sam, should be sent a minimum of a week in advance of the event in order to make necessary contacts and write a story. Feature story ideas for the SHSU home page ("sliders") should be sent a minimum of two months in advance.

To see a full list of the Today@Sam submission guidelines, or to access submission forms for news and feature stories or hometown releases, visit shsu.edu/~pin_www/guidelines.html.

For more information, call 936.294.1836.

- END -

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office:

Director of Content Communications: Emily Binetti

Communications Manager: Mikah Boyd
Telephone: 936.294.1837

Communications Specialist: Campbell Atkins
Telephone: 936.294.2638

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu