Today@Sam Article

SHSU Update For Week of Jan. 24

Jan. 22, 2016
SHSU Media Contact: Tammy Parrett

 

Film Screening To Explore Utopian Society

MetropolisSHSU’s College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication invites the public to take a journey into a futuristic, utopian society with a free screening of the classic film “Metropolis” on Friday (Jan. 29) at 6 p.m. at Old Town Theatre.

Directed by Fritz Lang in 1927, “Metropolis” is a fictional city set in the year 2026, in which the gap between the working class and the city planners is constantly widening. However, when the son of a government official falls in love with a working-class prophet, the two worlds collide and the exploitation of the lower class disturbs the peace of utopia. 

Like many silent films, what the movie lacks in dialogue is made up with by a score composed by Gottfried Huppertz. Although the film is nearly 90 years old, it received attention in 2010 when some of the original footage was first discovered in Argentina and used to complete the formerly distorted film. 

“‘Metropolis’ was an international hit and the most expensive German production of all time, with elaborate sets and special effects to depict a future dystopia,” said assistant professor of mass communication Grant Wiedenfeld. “The recent 2010 restoration includes long-lost footage from a print discovered in Argentina to recover the brilliance of the original masterpiece.”

The film will be presented at Huntsville’s Old Town Theatre as part of an ongoing collaboration between the college and the non-profit organization, Friends of Old Town Theatre.

Wiedenfeld and assistant professor of German Ervin Malakaj will introduce the silent film and facilitate a brief discussion afterward. 

“The year depicted in ‘Metropolis’ is 2026, exactly 10 years from our current time, and I do indeed think that Fritz Lang’s film is imagining our own present,” Malakaj said. “The film shows consumerist life driven to its limits in a soulless world in need of rescue from its own technological and other advances. If Americans today can’t see themselves reflected in this masterpiece of modernist art, then no one ever could.”

Old Town Theatre located at 1023 12th St. in downtown Huntsville. 

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact COFAMC at 936.294.2340.

 

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Alumnus To Return For Jazz Performance At SHSU 

Daniel DuFourDaniel DuFour, Sam Houston State University alumnus and freelance percussionist, will return to his alma mater to perform a variety of jazz pieces on Wednesday (Jan. 27) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gaertner Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.

DuFour was raised in Willis and received his bachelor’s degree in percussion performance from SHSU. He later received his master’s degree in jazz studies from the University of Texas at Austin, where he has performed with musicians such as Pete Rodriquez, Mitch Watkins, Suzi Stern, Andre Hayward, Louis Gasca, Ephraim Owens, Elias Haslinger, Red Young, Peggy Stern, Woody Witt, Luis Perdomo, Roberto Quintero, Maria Schneider, and Joshua Redman.

He will be joined by guest artists Sam Pankey on bass and Sean Giddings on piano. 

The concert is free and open to the public.

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

 

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Alumnus To Get ‘Real’ For Lecture Series 

Human trafficking is one of the most lucrative criminal enterprise nationwide, second only to drugs, and Houston is a hub of activity in sexual exploitation, with domestic and international victims that include children and adults, as well as men and women.

Sam Houston State University’s College of Criminal Justice will welcome alumnus Kyle Matheson to discuss his career on Wednesday (Jan. 27) from 2-3 p.m. as part of the Real Talk w/CJ Series, in the Criminal Justice Center’s Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom.

Matheson, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1996, currently serves as a captain for the Criminal Investigations Division in Region II for the Texas Department of Public Safety. In this position, he is responsible for cases involving drugs, gangs and special investigations such as auto and cargo theft and fraud for a 17-county area in Southeast Texas.

Recently, CID added a Human Trafficking Unit, which works hand-in-hand with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Houston Police Department, to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle sex trafficking organizations.

“One of the most difficult issues in human trafficking is enlisting cooperation from victims. Many are afraid to talk, fearing for their lives. Victims often have troubled pasts and have no great desire to cooperate with police, but they are the key link to getting to the traffickers,” Matheson said.

Drugs and human trafficking are frequently intermingled, with many drug dealers opting for the sex trade because they believe they can make as much or more money and have less risk of arrest because of the lack of cooperation by victims.

Matheson said that while every law enforcement agency has a role in fighting crime, it is important that students understand their personal goals to determine what career path fits their needs.

For more information, contact Beth Kuhles, publications officer for the College of Criminal Justice, at 936.294.4425

 

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Group To Showcase European Repertoire In Concert 

Les touchesSam Houston State University’s School of Music will bring the chamber group Les Touches to perform on Friday (Jan. 29) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gaertner Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.

The concert, “Cosmopolitan Artifacts,” sponsored by the Center for Early Music Research and Performance, will feature a repertoire of the 17th and 18th Century France, Italy and Germany by John Jenkins, John Hingeston, Christopher Simpson, Johannes Schenck, and Joseph Bodin de Boismortier.

Les Touches is comprised of Pedro Funes, Joseph Mynhier and Stephanie Raby, who have been performing together since 2011, when they formed at the Jacobs School Early Music Institute at Indiana University. The ensemble’s core repertoire is chamber music from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods ranging from viol consorts to trio sonatas.

2014 marked the inaugural season of Les Touches in Texas and the start of a partnership with Viols of Houston, with whom they have started outreach in local schools. 

Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for senior citizens and are free for SHSU students with an active Bearkat OneCard.  

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

 

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Local Vendors To Showcase Goods For Annual Trunk Show

The Department of Athletics, along with Strategic Marketing Affiliates, will host the third annual SHSU Local Licensee Trunk Show on Friday (Feb. 5) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom.

The event is designed to provide campus buyers an opportunity to meet with local vendors in a private, personal setting. There will also be a raffle at the end of the show for an array of items donated by vendors.

“Many who make purchasing decisions for their department have only met or spoken with their vendors through email or telephone conversations,” said Kimberly Spino, athletics department corporate partnerships and licensing coordinator. “It gives them a chance to see a variety of merchandise that vendors can make for their departments.”

The trunk show also serves as a networking event, where vendors can check out the competition, see what other vendors are offering, and meet with prospective buyers.

Vendors often bring extra props, including clothing racks and pop-up tents to display goods such as apparel, jewelry, engraved items like picture frames, blankets, keychains, trophies, banners, and many more items.

Seventeen vendors have registered for the event, including BearkatGear.com, C.C Creations, Barefoot Athletics, Tough Shirts, and The Urban Circle.

Admission is free with an active Bearkat OneCard.

For more information, contact Spino at 936.294.2796.

 

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Guest Artist To Give Saxophone Recital

carly hoodSam Houston State University’s School of Music will welcome guest artist Carly Hood to perform on Tuesday (Jan. 26) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gaertner Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.

Hood will perform a solo saxophone recital with piano accompaniment. The program will begin with Florent Schmitt’s “Legende,” followed by Karel Husa’s “Elegie et Rondeau.”

Following a short intermission, she will perform Gustav Mahler’s “A Ruckert Song” and end the program with William Albright’s “Sonota.”

Hood recently received her Master of Music degree in saxophone performance from Stephen F. Austin State University, where she served as teaching assistant for the saxophone studio.

She also was a winner of the 2013 SFA Solo/Aria Competition and performed Maurice’s “Tableaux du Provence” with the SFA Orchestra of the Pines. In 2015, she was selected to perform with the Orchestra of the Pines in Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

Hood aims to further her study of musical expression and saxophone technique during her doctoral studies. In the future, her goal is to continue to combine her passions for performance and education.

Admission is free and open to the public. 

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

 

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Texas Review Press Author Interviewed By Lone Star Literary Life 

Sarah CortezAward-winning Houston poet Sarah Cortez recently was interviewed by Lone Star Literary Life on her most recent publication, “Goodbye, Mexico.”

“Goodbye, Mexico: Poems of Remembrance” is an anthology of original poems written by nearly 50 poets as “a lyric love song to the pre-cartel Mexico that we all loved,” Cortez said.

The book, published by Texas Review Press, also received a 2015 International Latino Book Award.

“Don’t ever think your poetry is good enough,” she said when asked what advice she has for other poets. “Always strive to write beyond what you’ve done previously.” 

She will release two books in the fall with Texas Review Press.

“‘Against Sky’s Warm Belly: New and Selected Poems,’ was a superb chance to collect the best poems from previous volumes and also write newer work,” Cortez said. “The second book, entitled ‘Vanishing Points: Poems and Photographs of Texas Roadside Memorials,’ allows four poets (Cortez, Larry D. Thomas, Jack B. Bedell, and Loueva Smith) to respond to the visual summons of roadside memorials with lyric intensity.”

“Goodbye, Mexico: Poems of Remembrance” is available for purchase at poetacortez.com/book-store or Amazon.

The full interview can be found at lonestarliterary.com/sarah-cortez-010316

 

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Program Council To Welcome Students Back With Breakfast

Sam Houston State University’s Program Council will host the first “Breakfast with PC” of 2016 on Monday (Jan. 25) from 8:30-10:30 a.m. in the Lowman Student Center Mall Area.

“Breakfast with PC” will be held on the last Monday of each month, providing students with an opportunity to grab a quick breakfast treat in hopes to “sweeten” the start of the week.

Program Council is a student-led organization that provides entertainment, education, multicultural, academic, spirit and traditions, and social programs for students. 

There is no cost for students to participate in the program. 

For more information, contact Program Council at 936.294.1736.

 

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Prof Appointed To HRSA Committee

Amanda Scarbrough, assistant professor of healthcare administration at Sam Houston State University, recently was appointed to the committee responsible for reviewing applications for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Health Network Development Planning Program.

The purpose of the grant program is to promote the planning and development of healthcare networks in order to achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate and improve the quality of essential healthcare services; and strengthen the rural healthcare system as a whole.

The grant program will disperse approximately $2.4 million by providing up to 24 grants as much as $100,000 per year.

As a committee member, Scarbrough will read assigned applications and provide a written evaluation and score reflecting her professional judgment on the merit of each application based on published evaluation criteria.

Scarbrough began her career at SHSU in 2014 as assistant professor and coordinator of the healthcare administration program. Prior to her career at SHSU, she taught at the University of Houston–Clear Lake and Texas State University and served as manager of operational projects and planning for Texas AHEC East.

 

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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.

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