Alma Matters: News for CLA Alumni
Issue #6, Spring 2007
Published March 30, 2007
In this issue
- Feedback Needed for CLA’s Website
- Sign Up for West Bank Arts Quarter E-newsletter
- New Writing Studies Department Launches in September
- Advancing Social Behavioral Science Research
- Featured UMAA Program: Tony Dungy Speaks at UMAA Celebration
- CLA Recognizes Notable Alumni
- Minnesota Cup Breakthrough Ideas Competition
- Tune in to Access Minnesota
- Calendar
- Links
Get Involved with CLA
Feedback Needed for CLA’s Website
In February, CLA redesigned its website for prospective undergraduate students. It’s called Discover CLA, and it’s been receiving positive feedback across campus and beyond.
With this new site in place, we’re moving ahead with plans to redesign the College’s website. But we need alums like you to provide feedback. We would like to invite you to come to campus to participate in a one-hour focus group meeting. Date, time and location are to be determined. If you are interested in volunteering your time and opinions, please e-mail: claweb@umn.edu.
Get Involved with CLA
Sign Up for West Bank Arts Quarter E-newsletter
To learn more about the many fantastic and creative events taking place within the West Bank Arts Quarter and for special offers, sign up for this new e-mail newsletter.
CLA News
New Writing Studies Department Launches in September
Communication will be a key skill in the 21st century. Learn how CLA is gearing up to prepare all U of M students to meet this challenge.
> Learn more about the new writing studies department
CLA News
Advancing Social Behavioral Science Research
Social scientists in CLA now have a great resource for their research: the Social and Behavioral Science Lab. It’s more than a mouse-maze, that’s for sure!
> Read more about the new research lab
Featured UMAA Program
Tony Dungy Gives Keynote Address for 103rd Annual Celebration
Tony Dungy (B.S. ’78), head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, winners of Super Bowl XLI, will give the keynote address at the UMAA 103rd Annual Celebration on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. Purchase program tickets at the Northrop Auditorium Box Office or by calling 612-624-2345.
> Learn more about this event: http://www.alumni.umn.edu/2007_Annual_Celebration
CLA News
CLA Recognizes Notable Alumni
In March, CLA honored a new group of alumni through the Alumni of Notable Achievement program.
> Read more about this program on our website
Get Involved with the U of M
The Minnesota Cup Breakthrough Ideas Competition
Founded by alumni Scott Litman and Dan Mallin, the Minnesota Cup awards seed money and advisory services to Minnesota entrepreneurs, small business owners and inventors with innovative business concepts, inspirational new products and breakthrough ideas in business. The competition is sponsored in part by CLA and the U of M.
>
For more information, go to: http://www.breakthroughideas.org/
CLA Alumni Society Program
Tune in to Access Minnesota
Access Minnesota is a weekly public affairs radio program broadcast across the state. The CLA Alumni Society collaborates with the Minnesota Broadcasters Association (MBA) and KUOM 770 AM-Radio K to produce this program on which notable guests discuss state and national issues.
> Tune in to Access Minnesota
CLA Events Highlights
For a full list of CLA events, visit the events page on the CLA website: http://www.cla.umn.edu/events/
"Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations and the Taliban Resurgence": A talk with Juan Cole
Wednesday, April 4, 2007, 3:30 p.m.: Juan Cole, professor of modern Middle East and South Asian History at the University of Michigan, has written extensively about modern Islamic movements in the Middle East and South Asia. His current research focuses on Shiite Islam in Iraq and Iran and the "jihadi" strain of Muslim radicalism, including al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
>Full event details: http://events.tc.umn.edu/event?event=115971
Caravaggio, Signature Killer: The Poetics of Blood in the Malta Beheading of St. John
Tuesday, April 10, 2007, 5:00 p.m.: Professor David M. Stone from the University of Delaware will present this lecture. He is a fellow of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Academy in Rome, and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
>Full event details: http://events.umn.edu/event?event=115953
E.L Doctorow
Wednesday, April 11, 2007, 7:30 p.m.: E. L. Doctorow will read from and discuss his work. His bestselling and award-winning works include Ragtime, World's Fair, Billy Bathgate, and his most recent novel The March. A reception and book signing follows the reading.
>Full event details: http://events.umn.edu/event?occurrence=398873;event=115210
Language, Bilingualism, Education and Society Lecture
Thursday, April 12, 2007, 2:30 p.m.: In celebration of 101 years of Shevlin Hall, the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences presents a public lecture by Dr. Patricia Kuhl. She is the co-director of the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, a professor of speech and hearing sciences, and a U of M alumna.
>Full event details: http://www.slhs.umn.edu/events/index.php
Still Present Pasts
Saturday, April 14 – Saturday, June 2, 2007: An exhibit that explores the aftermaths of the Korean War in terms of both adoption and immigration. Local artists will be commissioned to produce works that will be shown with the traveling exhibit (www.stillpresentpasts.org). The opening on April 14 will include performers from New York City.
>Full event details: http://events.umn.edu/event?event=114683
The Last Communist Virgin: A discussion with Wang Ping and Alison McGhee
Tuesday, April 17, 2007, 7:00 p.m.: St. Paul writer Wang Ping will read from her new collection of short stories, The Last Communist Virgin, and discuss her work with fellow Twin Cities writer Allison McGhee.
>Full event details: http://events.tc.umn.edu/event.xml?occurrence=399407
University Opera Theatre presents Kurt Weill's "Street Scene"
Thursday, April 19 – Sunday, April 22, 2007, varying times: Music by Kurt Weill. Lyrics by Langston Hughes. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Elmer Rice.
>Full event details: http://www.music.umn.edu/enscomp/opera/StreetScene.php
17th Annual Sociology Research Institute and Festival
Friday, April 20 – Saturday, April 21, 2007: Professor Charles Tilly, Columbia University, will provide the keynote address. This academic festival gives graduate and undergraduate students an opportunity to present their research in a professional meeting format.
>Full event details: http://events.umn.edu/event?occurrence=400878;event=116351
30th Annual Frank Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards
Monday, April 23, 2007, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.: The award winners with a distinguished panel of experts, including Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, will discuss the importance of public affairs journalism in Minnesota. This event is open to the public.
>Full event details: http://events.umn.edu/event?occurrence=400629;event=116283
Voices From the Gaps - Tenth Anniversary Celebration
Thursday, April 26, 2007, 4:00 p.m.: LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, a poet and voice artist from Harlem, and Ana-Maurine Lara, an AfroDominican American writer and organizer, read in celebration of Voices From the Gaps' 10th anniversary.
>Full event details: http://events.tc.umn.edu/event.xml?occurrence=398488
Department of Geography’s Ralph Hall Brown Day
Friday, April 27, 2007, 3:15 – 5:00 p.m.: Events include potluck lunch with resident and returning colleagues, the Ralph Hall Brown Memorial Lecture by David Ley, and an evening banquet and program. The program includes student awards, news from colleagues afar, entertainment and humor, and results of our annual photo contest.
>Full event details: http://events.tc.umn.edu/event.xml?occurrence=400200
Design and Its Publics: Curators, Critics, and Historians
Friday, April 27 – Saturday, April 28, 2007: This symposium addresses the significance of Minneapolis' new public architecture within the larger sphere of a global architectural culture and explores how public perception of design and architecture is shaped through museum acquisitions, exhibit designs, and education programs.
>Full event details: http://arthist.cla.umn.edu/events/
U of M Showboat Players Present Sherlock’s Last Case
Friday, June 15 – Saturday, August 25, 2007, varying times: Sherlock's Last Case centers on a death threat against Holmes by the supposed son of his late nemesis, Professor Moriarty. This promises to be an extraordinary evening of fun. Directed by Stephen Kanee with olio direction by Vern Sutton.
>Full event details: http://www.showboat.umn.edu/sherlock.html
Links
Membership and Giving
Become a member of the U of M Alumni Association and the CLA Alumni Society.
For more information on how to become involved with the CLA Alumni Society, contact Erica Giorgi in the CLA External Relations office at giorg003@umn.edu or 612-625-8837.
Make a gift to CLA and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
About Alma Matters
Alma Matters is a free periodic e-mail newsletter for alumni and friends of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota and is produced by the college’s Office of External Relations. It is designed to help alumni and friends stay connected to the college.
Newsletter Submission Policy
We make every effort to keep alumni aware of coming recognitions and events. Due to space limitations, we are unable to accept personal news or commercial announcements unless the item is of broad interest or consequence to this e-newsletter’s recipients and directly relates to the CLA Alumni Society. We appreciate your understanding.
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©2007 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota
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