Volume 30, No. 20
February 5, 1999
Contact: Scott A. Miller 570-662-4844
NEWS
African-American Arts Festival offers expansive tribute to Black History Month
MU will celebrate Black History Month with an African-American Arts Festival, Feb. 14 to March 15, featuring music, art, films, a unique workshop, performances and poetry readings.
Events begin with a bus trip Sunday, Feb. 14, to Elmira's Clemens Center for a 7 p.m. "Blast from the Past" concert featuring three seminal vocal groups: The Drifters, The Platters, and The Coasters. Round-trip bus and concert tickets for all Mansfield University students are only $5. They are available in 209 Memorial Hall and the trip is limited to first 50 students who register. The bus trip is sponsored by the Mansfield Activities Council.
On Monday, Feb. 15, at 10:30 a.m. in North Dining Room, SST Communications of Chicago will present the fun, hard-hitting and dramatic workshop "What's so Different About Diversity?" The live theatre presentation teaches diversity with humor and drama performed by professional actors. The workshop's goal is to "change the way you think about others." It's free and open to all faculty, staff and students, and is sponsored by the human resources and affirmative action offices, as well as the President's Advisory Board for Diversity.
On Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in The Hut, student Richard Newton-Morris and friends will give a poetry reading.
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 8 p.m. in Allen Lecture Hall, the festival will present "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.," a critically acclaimed film directed by Leslie Harris. Andrew Longoria, communication and theatre, will give a talk on the "History of African-American Actors and Directors in Film and Theatre" prior to the film, which is free and open to the public.
On Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m., in Allen Lecture Hall, the festival will team with the MU Film Series to present the Jonathan Demme film "Beloved," based on the award-winning novel by Toni Morrison. The film series is sponsored by the Provost's Office and the Mansfield Activities Council.
An African-American Artists exhibit opens Saturday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at First Citizens National Bank, Main Street, Mansfield, and continues through Feb. 27.
On Sunday, Feb. 21, an exhibit of work by artist Reginald Fatherly will open with a reception from 2-4 p.m. in the University Gallery of North Hall.
The Nommo Performing Arts Company, a group of Penn State students, will bring its unique combination of dance, theater and music to campus for a show Monday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. in Steadman Theatre. The company formed in 1965 in part motivated by the lack of Black representation in Penn State's theater arts department programs. It has since grown to more than 30 members and regularly performs traditional and original works that reflect the culture and traditions of Africans and African-Americans.
Manser Lobby will host an exhibit and sale of African art from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 23-25.
On Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. in Allen Hall 111, J. McGee and H.R. Carter will speak on the "History of African-American Artists."
The final event in the festival is a musical performance called "Beehive," a professional tour by Encore Attractions featuring the music of the 1960s. The show is Monday, March 15, at 8 p.m. in Straughn Hall. It is free for all MU students; $7.50 for all others. For ticket information call 4980 or visit the University Student Activities Calendar of Events at http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/stuactiv/mucalpre.html.
The African-American Arts Festival is sponsored by Mansfield Activities Council, Student Activities Office, Mansfield University, and by a Social Equity grant from the Office of the Chancellor.
University contracts national marketing consultant
MU has recently contracted Art & Science Group Inc., of Baltimore, to work with the campus in developing a comprehensive, integrated marketing plan that will help position the university to advance its enrollment and broader institutional objectives.
Art &Science Group will perform a market positioning study for Mansfield, and develop a strategic and tactical marketing plan based on the results.
Richard Hesel and Kathryn Cleary of Art & Science Group will visit campus Feb. 17-18 to meet with a several university constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, and the newly formed University Marketing Committee, chaired by Leslie Folmer, vice president for development.
Hesel and Cleary will explore many issues, including: MU's special culture and character; the types of students currently enrolled and recruited; academic and curricular initiatives underway and considered; competitive challenges; strategies that might be tested in research.
Art & Science Group is a national leader in providing marketing and communications consulting services to higher education and the non-profit sector. The company has provided counsel to many nationally recognized institutions including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, UCLA, Cornell, Rutgers, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, and Haverford, as well as the University of Michigan Medical Center, National Institutes of Health and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
VP for Development to present Development and Fund-Raising Town Meeting
University faculty, staff and students can find out more about the university's development and fund-raising activities when Leslie Folmer, vice president for development, hosts a town meeting on the topic Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 10 a.m. in Manser Hall's North Dining Room.
Folmer will share a schedule of fund-raising activities, the surprising ways in which MU's fund-raising performance compares with that of other State System universities, and an overview of fund-raising philosophy.
Folmer will also describe ways in which everyone can support scholarship and ensure the future of MU.
This is the first of three "thematic town meetings" scheduled for this semester and sponsored by President John Halstead. The town meetings provide a way to share information and gather input on important university initiatives and topics.
On Tuesday, March 16, William Yost, Vice President for Administration and Finance, will host a town meeting on the university's budget process. On Tuesday, April 6, Joseph Maresco, vice president for student affairs, will host a meeting on student life. All town meetings are from 10-11 a.m. in North Dining Room.
Where's the love? Music department has the answer
Where's the love? In Mansfield University's Steadman Theatre, Sunday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m.
MU's Fifth Annual Pops Concert will feature musical selections celebrating love performed by the University Symphony Orchestra, directed by Kenneth Sarch, and the Concert Wind Ensemble, directed by Adam F. Brennan.
The program will include "Dancing in the Dark," "My Funny Valentine," Purcell's music to "The Virtuous Wife," Gershwin's "The Man I Love," music from "West Side Story" and "Camelot," Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet" and "You Made Me Love You."
Ladies attending the concert will receive a velvet red rose, while gentlemen will be given chocolates. Students and children will receive a Valentine memento.
Tickets are available at the door and are $3 for adults and $1 for students and children. All proceeds will be used for the musical activities of the Symphony Orchestra and Concert Wind Ensemble.
Have an Updater announcement? Send it to Scott A. Miller
Freshmen Jason Bainey (157 pounds) and George Walters (184 pounds) fought their way back in the championship wrestle backs to place sixth at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship at Slippery Rock University Saturday, Jan. 30. Mansfield earned a 10th place finish at the Championship with 11.5 points while Edinboro took top honors with a score of 157.5.
The indoor track and field team set five new school records Saturday at the Du Charme Relays held at Dickinson College. For the women, Brianne Liddick placed second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 20:16, which was good enough for a MU record. Karen Krouse was the only other individual record setter, establishing a new school mark weight throw with a toss of 26'4 1/2". The 4x200 relay team of Kelly Maines, Christina Williams, Colleen Ryder, and Kim Carman broke the previous record with a time of 2:01.00. The relay placed fifth in the race. For the men, Lamar Crawford placed first in high jump, long jump and triple jump. Also qualifying for the ECAC Championships were Eric Franitti and Kyle Kintner in the pole vault. The 4x200 relay team of Dave Coyle, Crawford, Kitner and Scott Fedorowicz placed second with a school-record time of 1:36.70. The men placed second in the 13-team event.
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