C-SC student performs at music conference

Senior clarinet player, Kendra Feld, Quincy, Ill., performed with the "All-Collegiate Band" at the Missouri Music Educators Conference recently. Eighteen students and five faculty members attended the conference.

Feld spent 10 hours rehearsing with the band on the day prior to the event. After more rehearsals the next day, she performed in concert that evening.

At the same conference, Thomas Polett, associate professor of music and chairperson of the fine arts division, and Thomas Herb, assistant professor of music, performed with the "All Directors Jazz Band," showing off new literature for evaluation by other jazz educators. The directors in the audience listened to the new music in consideration for using it in their own groups.

"It is great to play these new charts for the directors and to be playing with directors from all over the state," said Herb.

Students are honored at KCACTF

Culver-Stockton had a notable second year at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Omaha, Neb. C-SC students who attended the festival had been nominated for their work at C-SC to compete for either the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship or for the Barbizon Design Awards.

"Our participation in Region V of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival 40 was very successful," said Jeffrey Kellogg, senior lecturer of theatre. "For the second year in a row, the college was represented in the "Showcase of Invited Scenes." These are scenes selected from more than 200 productions performed over the past year in our seven-state region." 

C-SC performed the scene, "The Cannibal Monster," from the April 2007 production of Pushing Up the Sky.

"It's a unique competition.  The C-SC students who are fortunate enough to attend gain a lot of knowledge and passion for theatre during the week that KCACTF takes place," said Molly Glawe, C-SC senior. "For me, it's about participating in something on a scale that is much larger and more diverse than what we have here.  It's more than walking away with an award."

More than 300 students were nominated in Region V to compete for the acting scholarship. Culver students that participated included:

-Travis Dahlhauser, freshman from Rockford, Ill., and Megan Christy, junior from Vinton, Iowa.

-Daniel Coffman, junior from Eldridge, Iowa, and Molly Glawe, senior from Farmer City, Ill.

-Sarah Breyne, senior from Wenona, Ill., and Whiney Colston, freshman from Neosho, Mo.

-Heather Meyer, senior from Muscatine, Iowa, and Nicole Herrington, junior from Quincy, Ill.

-Sean Meyer, sophomore from Hannibal, Mo., also partnered with Herrington.

-Nick Relic, sophomore from Kansas City, Mo., also partnered with Glawe.

KCACTF also recognized Breyne by selecting her as assistant director for a 10-minute play produced and performed at the festival. She worked with Keith Oliver, theatre director, St. Louis Community College.

Festival recognition also went to Breanne Taylor, senior from Barnhart, Mo., who was selected to participate in an alternative theatre performance.

Several C-SC representatives had been nominated in the design competition, including: Emily Parker '07, and Glawe (theatrical design); Relic (design and affiliated arts and crafts); Alison Schmidt, senior from Alton, Ill., (costume design); Eric Downs '07 (lighting design); Christopher Wolcott '07, (scenic design); Coffman and Samantha Shields Derryberry, senior from Springfield, Mo., (make-up design); and Brandon Floyd, facilities manager (sound design). Derryberry received "special merit" for her mask designs for Pushing Up the Sky.

Some C-SC students and recent graduates were nominated but unable to attend. They are Jessica DeMarco, senior from Riverton, Ill.; Josh Jackson '07; and Bethany Shannon, senior from Marshall, Mo.

Culver-Stockton faculty, staff, students and the public are invited to hear the annual Robison Lecture on politics and religion to be given by Franklin "Chris" I. Gamwell, Ph.D., from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He will deliver the lecture at 7 p.m. Monday, February 18, in the Merillat Recital Hall.

Gamwell will discuss "The Question of Democracy," relating politics to the diversity of religious freedoms. He is currently the Shailer Mathews Distinguished Service Professor of Religious Ethics, the Philosophy of Religion, and Theology in the Divinity School.

"Although many points are debated, virtually all agree that democracy requires religious freedom as provided in the initial clauses of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," Gamwell said, adding that the question is how politics relates to religion under conditions of religious freedom. "Two major positions have dominated the discussion, which I will clarify at the lecture, regarding separationist, on the one hand, and religionist, on the other and why each has good reason to find the other wanting, and offer a third alternative."

The Robison Lecture is endowed by the late Georgia Robison Beale in honor of her father, Dr. Henry Barton Robison, professor of religion and dean of the C-SC School of Religion from 1910-44. Robison earned his doctorate in Bible and Old Testament from The University of Chicago in 1907.

Travel to Turkey in December

Students who are interested in the upcoming study abroad trip to Turkey in December 2008 are invited to apply for financial aid for the trip. The Adams Sigma Phi Epsilon Award will provide five $500 awards to students, which is supported by Mark Adams '76, a former member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. The Lipka Sigma Phi Epsilon Award will provide one $2,500 award, which is funded by Jim and Anna Lee Lipka. Jim '76, is a former member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Anna '74, is a former member of Alpha Xi Delta. Deadlines for both applications are March 1. Both applications need to include the form, a 500-word essay describing how the study trip will advance the student's educational or career goals, the student's overall GPA, and a letter of recommendation from faculty. Application forms are available from Dr. Hotle or in the Study Abroad Room in Johann.

Canton development project to kick off

"The Canton Downtown Vision and Development Strategy project is officially beginning," according to Canton Mayor Joe Clark.  All community residents are invited to a public meeting from 5-6:15 p.m. on Monday, February 11, at the Methodist Church of Canton, 6th and Washington.  Randy Gray, president of Special Place Development, will explain the parameters of the project and facilitate a short informational gathering session to begin identifying Canton's natural, cultural, artistic, and historic elements.

During his visit, Gray will also meet with various local organizations such as the Lewis County Historical Society, Canton Community Betterment Group, Lewis County I.D.A., Culver-Stockton College, Canton Theatre project and the Canton Tourism Committee to review existing materials, data and resources.

"The primary goal of the development project is to help local residents and all community partners identify and implement activities to further enhance economic opportunities by utilizing the natural, historical and cultural features distinctive to Canton, Missouri," Gray said. 

Making the best of the snow

Sunday's snowfall enticed C-SC students into building an enormous snowman on the Quad, south of Henderson Hall. Students who joined the fun were Grant Stephenson, Derek Harris, Coy Bainter, Amanda Murphy, Alysa Platt, Brad Baker, Dustin Boyd, Cassidy Litle, Anna Hechler, Mike Schwarzer, and Josh Sharpe, who provided the photo.