Work to repair the Friedman Student Union bridge at Northwestern State University is underway. The driveway under the bridge is closed and there will be limited road closures on Sam Sibley Drive and Caspari Street during the demolition and concrete pouring phase.  Although the downstairs walkway by the book store will not be impacted, the second floor front entrances and the bridge are closed to foot traffic.  The project should be complete by the end of May.  A rendering of the new bridge is on display in the Student Union.

Poet Katie Bickham will present a poetry reading at Northwestern State University Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the President’s Room of the Friedman Student Union. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Bickham teaches English and poetry at Bossier Parish Community College. Her first book of poems, “The Belle Mar,” was published by the LSU Press and won the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Poetry Award. Bickham won the Missouri Review Editor’s Prize and has had work published in “The Road Not Taken: A Journal of Formal Poetry.”
 

Logan Terrell finds his comfort zone anywhere he can express himself through dance. Terrell, a junior theatre major at Northwestern State University with a concentration in dance from Lake Charles, will be on stage as part of the cast of “Illumination of Dance,” which will be performed Feb. 18-20 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium.

Performance time for the Northwestern Theatre and Dance production is 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 20. Tickets are $15 and $12 for children and seniors.
Northwestern State, BPCC@NSU and Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts students are admitted free with a current student I.D.

“Illumination of Dance” will include “The Red Thread” choreographed by Kirstin Riehl, “Abandonment” choreographed by Brett Alan Garfinkel and “Belle Élan Vital” choreographed by Rebecca Morgan.

Members of the cast are Charles Anderson, Morgan Humphries and Marissa McMickens of Pineville, Jordan Baird of Magnolia, Texas, Crystal Brooks of Opelousas, Michael Carrier of Lafayette, Holli’ Conway and Luke Matherne of Monroe, Annie Dauzat, Hannah Hays and Katherine Langlois of Baton Rouge, Josh DeAlba of Orlando, Florida, Skilynn Fontenot of Eunice and Chelsey Goldsmith of Edmond, Oklahoma.

The cast also includes Ebony Johnson, DeAngelo Renard, Dwight Robinette, Scarlett Saizan and Taylor Young of New Orleans, Taylor Smith of Leesville, Rachel Taylor and Taylor Walker of Shreveport, Terrell, Ashley Wolf of Destrehan and Madilyn Wood of Houston.

Terrell will perform in all three works.

“This show is the most dancing I’ve ever done,” said Terrell. “It is more than nine hours a day. I have to dance every day and not only because I love it.”

Terrell said “The Red Thread” is a contemporary ballet based on the eastern folklore belief that every human life is connected by a red thread.

“It examines that human experience that takes place with family, friends or those you may randomly encounter,” said Terrell. “It is an emotional piece that tests how willing each of us is to connecting with fellow cast members. It is very athletic with jumping and partnering and is ballet influenced.”

“Abandonment” is a contemporary modern work with a great deal of energy and Terrell thinks audience members will experience it in different ways.

“‘Abandonment’ is not so much about being abandoned as abandonment itself,” he said. “This abandonment could be a positive or negative thing. For example, you could abandon the stress in your life. Anyone who views the piece could look at it differently depending what is going on in your life. It is awesome to be able to relate to a dance piece differently than the person seated next to you.”

“Belle Élan Vital” is a tap and contemporary work set in France.

“The piece takes place at a time when a disobedient wife could be committed to a mental institution rather than go through counseling with her husband but is ultimately a story of love,” said Terrell.

Terrell gradually moved to dance after almost a decade of gymnastics/aerobics and cheerleading.

“I knew I couldn’t make a living at acrobatics, so I decided to go to college and transfer what I knew to dance,” said Terrell. “Once I started dancing, I liked it and knew that was what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to be a performer and be out there in front of people.”

According to Terrell, dance is much more than doing the steps properly.

“In each dance there is some acting, a kind of emotional presence,” he said. “If you dance without emotion, it is just a series of movement.”

Since coming to Northwestern, he has also learned the importance of caring for his body because injury can keep a dancer from working. And he has gained discipline.

“I’ve learned how to listen to my body. Now I know when I need protein or need energy or need sleep,” said Terrell. “I’ve gained willpower which I use on those mornings I don’t want to get up.”


Caption

Northwestern Theatre and Dance will perform “Illumination of Dance” Feb. 18 – 20 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium.
 

NSU released the names of 555 students named to the President’s List for the Fall 2015 semester. Students on the President’s List must be enrolled full-time and have a grade point average of 4.0. Students listed by hometown are as follows.

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NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Fine and Graphic Art hosted a ribbon cutting Wednesday to formally open the campus’s newest public art space, a colorful mosaic tile wall in a revitalized courtyard next to the Sylvan Friedman Student Union.  The mural depicts the beauty of the NSU campus with tile, glass and recycled materials. NSU students and faculty worked alongside several dozen students from NSU Elementary Lab, NSU Middle Lab, Natchitoches Magnet, the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts and Bossier Parish Community College to manufacture tiles and install the finished work.

            “It took many hands to make this piece come to pass,” said Matt DeFord, department head. “This illustrates the power and importance of the arts in communities.”

            The mural is the result of a collaboration between NSU’s School of Creative and Performing Arts and the Cane River National Heritage Area who enlisted ceramic artist Mark Derby of New Orleans to help with the tiled mural.  The project began last year when a design by student Angela Gourdon of Natchitoches was selected for the wall, previously a large blank concrete space.  Derby led workshops for students and faculty, who designed and made many of the tiles, installed them on the wall and glazed the mural. 

            Coca-Cola provided umbrella tables and chairs for the space, as well as glass for the mural.  Other sponsors were CAPA, Home Depot, Pat Williams Construction, Creative Carpets and Sodexo, who contributed funds and supplies.

            “This mural is symbolic of the life of Northwestern State University.  This represents creativity, innovation and the power of faculty and students and community and the beauty that they create,” said NSU President Dr. Jim Henderson, emphasizing the importance of the arts in every day life and praising the talents of those who contributed their time and talents to the project.

            The mural is located off the southwest corner of the Student Union facing Sam Sibley Drive. Administrators say the mural extends the area’s green space from what was once a hard concrete area.

Natchitoches Magnet School hosted an NSU Day for the students who attended all of the PBIS parties for the first half of the school year. NSU’s Pom-Pom line and Basketball team came to celebrate with the students. The basketball players taught basketball drills to the boys and the girls learned a cheer and dance routine with the NSU Pom-Pom line. The girls performed the cheer and dance for the school. Several students received door prizes and two students, Addison Price and Caitlyn Matthews, received autographed basketball balls from NSU’s coaches and basketball team as a door prize. 

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NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Office of Alumni and Development announces the addition of new staff members Kimberly Gallow, assistant director of Alumni Affairs, and Brittany McConathy, assistant director of University Development.   

            “Kimberly and Brittany bring energy and fresh ideas to the staff in Alumni and Development and will help us connect with younger alumni through networking and social media,” said Drake Owens, assistant vice president for External Affairs and executive director of the NSU Foundation.  “As new staff members, they will be instrumental to our mission as we grow our outreach and increase relationships with alumni, supporters, corporate partners and other stakeholders.”  

            Gallow is a native of Lafayette and a May 2015 graduate of NSU, earning a degree in business administration.  She previously held a position at NSU as a recruiter for Acadiana and the greater New Orleans area.  As assistant director of Alumni Relations, she will manage programs, events and activities based on geographical region, class years and specifically target young alumni to increase engagement with NSU.

            “With my experience in marketing and event planning, I look forward to implementing fun and innovative techniques to help further the reach of our alumni,” Gallow said. “Through our strategic event planning and direct contact with our alumni, I am very excited to help the Office of University Advancement move to its next level of success and I am thankful for this opportunity.”

            A native of Pineville, McConathy is a December 2015 graduate of NSU, earning a degree in business administration.  She was an active student leader as president of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, 2015 Miss Northwestern State University and 2015 Homecoming Queen.  As assistant director for University Advancement, she will help articulate the opportunities available to support the life of Northwestern State.

            “I am very excited to have this opportunity to work at the place that I love most, Northwestern State University. Coming to work every day isn’t work to me, it’s fun,” McConathy said.

            For information on how to connect with NSU’s Alumni and Development Office, events and other opportunities, visit northwesternalumni.com. 

Northwestern State University’s Office of Alumni and Development has signed an agreement with Graduway, an alumni networking platform, to maximize engagement among alumni.  Graduway provides a platform to find alumni not engaged with their alma mater, helps graduating students by making introductions to alumni in their field and encourages networking for furthering connectivity, career advancement, university advancement and other opportunities. 

Alumni register for Graduway using LinkedIn or Facebook so their network displays the most up to date personal and professional information.  Network expansion tools enable users to find others and reconnect. The platform also features the latest news identifying alumni working in top companies and exclusive jobs.

“We are excited to be partnering with Graduway in our efforts to greater serve our diverse and vibrant alumni community,” said Drake Owens, assistant vice president for External Affairs.  “We feel that their solution will take our engagement, networking, mentoring and career development efforts to the next level.” 

“We feel very privileged to be working with Drake, his team and this institution in building a world class alumni network,’’ said Craig Kulman, vice president of Graduway.

For more information on Graduway, visit www.graduway.com. 

NATCHITOCHES – “Wings Over Natchitoches is in the enviable position having Northwestern State University as a volunteer resource,” said Stanley Salter, secretary/treasurer, operations manager and coordinator for the annual Natchitoches air show that drew about 3,000 spectators to the 2015 event last September. “The Wings Over Natchitoches Air Show would not be possible without the participation of the City of Natchitoches and Northwestern State University.  The cooperative relationship between the City, Wings Over Natchitoches and NSU is remarkable.”

            In thanks, Wings Over Natchitoches presented NSU’s First Year Experience and President’s Leadership Program with a $1,500 donation that will be used for leadership development activities and resoures, according to Reatha Cox, FYE and PLP coordinator.

            Wings Over Natchitoches is organized by five board members, each with his own area of expertise who are dedicated to the promotion of aviation history, education and careers.  The board members fulfill many of the complex duties requires to put on an air show themselves to relieve the event of huge fees.  The average price to attend an air show is $20.  Wings Over Natchitoches is free, thanks to assistance from the City of Natchitoches, who open the Natchitoches Regional Airport Facility for citizens to enjoy a family-friendly event, Salter said.

            In addition to Salter, Board members are Mike Hilton, president/Air Boss;  Barry Guillet, vice president, announces and show director;  Edd Lee, airport director, and Larry Cooper, airport manager.

            “The City has removed all barriers to comply with FAA requirements and to coordinate with police, fire, rescue personnel and crowd facilities,” Salter said.  The event also requires a lot of volunteers. 

            “Over 100 NSU volunteers are filling positions in the parking lot, concessions and support staff to enable a successful event,” Salter said. “Reatha Cox has been instrumental in developing a single point working relationship with Wings Over Natchitoches and it continues to grow while offering benefits to both entities.  Organization and efficiency of the show are greatly enhanced through this cooperative endeavor, thanks to NSU.”

            Plans for the 2016 air show include a return of crowd favorite performers and the twilight air show and dinner, new attractions, additional parking, easier access and shuttles to accommodate larger crowds.

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University students will join public university students and other stakeholders from throughout Louisiana in a rally in Baton Rouge Wednesday, Feb. 24.  Members of the Council of Student Body Presidents collectively named the rally “Bring H.E.A.T.,” an acronym for Bring Higher Education All Together.

            Rally organizers say their objective is to show support of higher education, currently threatened by dire budget cuts, and promote action by state leaders to find long-term sustainable funding for higher education in Louisiana. COSBP represents more than 200,000 students currently enrolled at a Louisiana public post-secondary institution.

            “This is a pivotal time in higher education. The only way that students can guarantee that their voices are heard is by contacting local legislators,” said Matthew Whitaker of Winnfield, president of NSU’s Student Government Association. “This could be through email, face to face meetings, or phone calls. Regardless of the method, we must urge our policy makers to elevate our voices to new heights. I am very excited to be leading the Northwestern State student body at the capitol next week and I ask that everyone immerse themselves in this very important process.”     

            Public universities will be represented in the Capitol Rotunda beginning at 8 a.m.  The rally will begin at noon on the Capitol steps. 

            Individuals are invited to join the BringHEAT Higher Education Rally on Facebook.  When posting on social media, individuals can use the event’s official hashtags #BringHEAT and #LaHigherEd.

NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State University Writing Project and Center for the Collaborative Classroom will release the results of the College-Ready Writers Program national study developed in partnership with Grant, Red River, Avoyelles and Jackson parishes. Administrators will disclose the results of the two-year study and examine best practices writing lessons and debriefing models.

            The meeting is open to district curriculum leaders and superintendents interested in developing their districts’ access resources and participating in similar partnerships.  The NSU Writing Project seeks to improve writing and learning in area schools to maximize student success.

            The meeting will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, March 15 in the Sylvan Friedman Student Union with lunch provided.  Maximum seating is 75 with acceptance on a first come first served basis.  All participants will receive a copy of Best Practices in Writing Instruction and other instructional materials.

            Registration is $25.  To register visit www.nsula.edu/best-practices-workshop.  For more information, call the NSU Writing Project at (318) 357-5339 or email nsuwp@nsula.edu.

Northwestern State University hosted the Committee of 100-Louisiana for a strategy session Tuesday to discuss a framework for solving the state’s abysmal budget shortfalls. The group presented a menu of options to close the current $750 million deficit for 2015 and projected $1.9 billion shortfall for 2016 with ideas that reflect a need for prudent tax reform and probable increases in income, sales and gasoline taxes. The state will have to adopt short- and long-term measures to establish a tax structure that is stable, fair and transparent, but will involve a painful transition era, speakers said.

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By Contact: Loren Ryland, Public Relations Director   

lryland570066@nsula.edu

KNWD, Northwestern State University’s student-run radio station, is searching for student-only bands in the area to compete in an online “Battle of the Bands.” The first place winner will receive a spot on the lineup of NSU’s annual DemonFest, KNWD’s outdoor music festival that will take place April 22-23. 

Bands and individual artists entering will post a live performance video to YouTube and then post the link to that video on the KNWD Facebook page. Video submissions will be open from 7 a.m. on Monday, March 7 until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9.

The video with the most likes will win first place and will be announced the day after submissions close on Thursday, March 10. Second and third place will receive consolation prizes.

“This is an excellent opportunity for students who want to get more recognition for their bands. The objective of KNWD is to give every student a chance to grow his or her creativity through music and self-expression,” said Katelon Ramos, KNWD general manager.  “We believe the Battle of the Bands contest will show our commitment to big name artists to entertain the student body, but also our talented students at NSU.”

About KNWD:

KNWD is a student-run radio station at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Since 1973, KNWD has catered to the interest of NSU students. KNWD provides on-air experience, volunteer opportunities and leadership experience for students. To learn more visit www.knwdradio.org , or call us at 318-357-KNWD (318-357-5693).

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Engineering Technology will host Project Lead the Way 2016 Spring Launch Core Training March 4-6.  PLTW Launch is the elementary curriculum for Project Lead the Way, a program that introduces engineering concepts to students to encourage interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas. 

            A limited number of spots are still available for those who want to participate, according to Christina Lake, affiliate assistant director for PLTW.  Participants must hold a college degree and have an interest in teaching critical thinking and introductory STEM concepts to children in a hands-on, project-based curriculum, Lake said. The training will include a robotics component.

            The Launch curriculum includes computer science for first grade, force and motion for third grade, energy collisions and conversions for fourth grade and bio-medical science and robotics for fifth grade. 

            Northwestern State is Louisiana’s affiliate university for Project Lead the Way and offers facilities, training and support to PLTW programs in place in several parishes throughout the state.  More than 6,500 schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW courses to their students from elementary school through high school. Currently, there are 96 PLTW programs in Louisiana. PLTW courses follow the Common Core standards, though the program is customizable. Funding opportunities are available through grants and the PLTW partnerships across the state and nation.

            For more information or to register, visit louisianapltw.org or contact Lake at lakec@nsula.edu.

  
Northwestern State University Theatre and Dance will perform a Shakespeare Showcase Sunday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. in the Jack Wann Theatre on the second floor of the A.A. Fredericks Fine Arts Center. Admission is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

“My idea in teaching this course is to increase appreciation of Shakespeare,” said Wann. “Shakespeare is the best thing actors can study to learn their craft. If you are a pianist, you want to perform Chopin. An artist studies Rembrandt. Actors should perform Shakespeare.”

Wann will direct 15 students who have taken his master class in Shakespeare over the past three weeks. The cast is Alexia Mullally of Dallas, Nic Ferguson of Shreveport, Jay Canova of Marrero, Brittany Shelton of Montgomery, Hally Lambert of Saint Amant, Grace Vogel of New Orleans, Payton Hartwick of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Maggie Moroney of Slidell. Also performing are Roger Green of Alexandria, Andrew Vessel and Bethany Lee of Baton Rouge, Leonard Harris of Baker, Mona Nasrawi of Covington, Chase Miller of West Monroe and Scarlett Saizan of Chalmette.

The show will represent 19 plays and 29 different characters. Wann has been working with the students three hours each weekday plus one on one sessions three times a week.

“They have gotten quite an immersion into Shakespeare,” said Wann. “The students are responding quite well. The excitement is there.”

Wann was a member of Northwestern State’s faculty from 1990 until 2003, building one of the top undergraduate theatre programs in the South.

Wann was named professor emeritus in 2003. He has maintained his close ties with Northwestern State by directing summer theatre productions and returning to campus annually to teach theatre classes on either Ibsen, Chekhov or Shakespeare.

In 2012, the former Loft Theater on the second floor of the A.A. Fredericks Fine Arts Center was renovated as a state of the art acting and movement theatre and renamed in Wann’s honor. He was selected to the CAPA Hall of Fame last year.

 

The Alexandria Museum of Art acquired two sculptures by Michael Yankowski, a professor of art at Northwestern State University, for its permanent collection. 

After reviewing several artists, one piece by New Orleans Artist Kieth Perelli and one by Yankowski, were selected by the museum’s Collectors Circle.  A second sculpture by Yankowski was purchased by anonymous donor.

“The museum selected these artists because of their incredible command of medium and thought provoking subject matter,” said Museum Director Catherine Pierce.  “We feel that the quality of work produced by these two artists will ensure their place in Louisiana art history as well as their importance to art education.”

Yankowski has been a professor of art at Northwestern State for 29 years and was selected for an endowment by Louisiana Endowment for the Arts in 2000.  He is a member of the Louisiana Artists Registry and is represented by Carol Robinson Gallery in New Orleans.  His sculptures have been shown in numerous state, regional and national exhibitions and are in many private collections.

The first work by Yankowski is “Providence”, an 8”x8”x8” oak and mixed media construction which deals with life and death and our own tenuous situation.  A steel arrowhead is suspended above three eggs and three wishbones.  The sculpture has target sites focused on the arrowhead, a symbol of impending death which haunts us all.

The second work is entitled “Icarus Icthus” and depicts a flying fish suspended by mechanical wings.  Constructed of bass wood, oak and mahogany, it invokes the Greek character Icarus who attempted to reach the sun using wax and feather wings.  The wax melted resulting in doom.  The flying fish already has the ability to leave its ocean home under its own power, yet strives for more. The sculpture is a personal view of man’s use of technology in hopes of reaching the heavens when he already holds the power in his own soul, Yankowski explained.

“I am excited and humbled by the museum’s recognition of my art and its desire to hold my efforts in such esteem,” Yankowski said.  “I am particularly pleased by the vote of confidence and support of the anonymous donor.  Private collections are good, but museum collections are great.”

His work can be viewed at MichaelYankowski.com 

The Alexandria Museum of Art will have an exhibition of acquisitions since 2011 entitled “Treasured Gifts: Recent Acquisitions to the Permanent Collection”  which opens March 4 and ends May 21.