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NEWS RELEASES NOVEMBER '04
New appointments announced at UW-Marinette
November 9, 2004
Two new appointments have been assigned by Dean Paula Langteau at UW-Marinette among faculty and instructional staff.
Dr. Dan Kallgren, associate professor of history and political science, has been named coordinator for the “Engaging Students in the First Year” (ESFY) program in addition to his teaching duties and service to campus and community. Kallgren is the Hi-Q Quiz Master, UW-Marinette’s representative to the UW Colleges Senate, and a co-director for a Teaching American History grant from the Federal Department of Education.
ESFY is a UW Colleges-wide program developed in response to studies that show success is greater for students who are involved in the life of the campus and develop a close mentoring relationship with faculty. “By appointing an ESFY coordinator on each campus to coordinate the program for our new students in their transition to college life,” said Dean Paula Langteau, “UW Colleges is demonstrating its commitment to student success.”
UW-Marinette’s ESFY program consists of a course entitled “Intro to College” which is offered before classes start in the fall with follow-up meetings during the semester. “We have had tremendous growth in the Intro to College program over the past 3 years, this year signing up 100 students to participate,” said Kallgren. “The general consensus is that it has been a very worthwhile experience for the students involved. It helps ease the transition into college and helps students make their first year more successful and meaningful. We are already in the process of thinking of ways to improve the course for next year. We also hope to build on the success of Intro to College and start thinking about a sophomore-year course to help aid our associate degree students who are transferring to larger institutions.”
Dr. Janet Dehn, lecturer in psychology, has been appointed Assessment Coordinator for the UW-Marinette campus. In addition to teaching at UW-Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Dehn is an application developer at Clinical Programming in Menominee, MI, a company that develops software for the behavioral healthcare field. “The Assessment Coordinator position helps the campus track student academic success in courses and academic programs, so that we are better able to assess our strengths and address areas needing improvement. It assures quality in all our academic programming. Furthermore, we are hoping to utilize the assessment Coordinator in our Strategic Planning process so we can assess and improve other areas of campus efficiency,” said Langteau.
“We are pleased that by assigning these positions to current faculty and instructional staff, we are ensuring consistency and accountability in these two very important areas without creating new positions for them,” said Langteau.
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TOB to present Taras and Me November 18
November 11, 2006
The American premiere recital of a new Ukrainian play "Taras and Me" by Dr. Doug Larche, Theatre on the Bay Artistic Director, Playwright-in-Residence and professor of communication and theatre arts at UW-Marinette, will be presented Thursday, November 18 at 7:30 in the Herbert L. Williams Theatre on campus.
The play tells the story of a young Ukrainian woman who has spent three brutal days and nights outside in a snowstorm, exposed to the elements, without food or water, at the feet of the huge seated statue of Taras Shevchenko in Shevchenkivsky Hay in Lviv, Ukraine. She is desperately trying to awaken the spirit of Shevchenko, the National Poet and Patriot of Ukraine, in hopes that he can help her solve the critical crises in her nation’s life and restore her own lost sense of personal dignity and her belief in her country’s future and in love. Gradually Shevchenko begins to awaken. Their vivid and powerful encounter sets up a fast and furious clash between epochs and eras, artists and warriors, patriots and traitors, women and men. The great loves and losses of both lives are joyously and painfully relived, as the two try to find answers to questions neither truly understands, but both are committed to facing.
Ukrainian native and Marinette resident Yulia Barstow will read the lead role of “Me,” and Doug Larche will take the role of “Taras.” Jason Larche will read the part of “The Man,” and Susan Larche will be the Narrator.
Barstow was born in Chernihiv, Ukraine, where she earned a bachelors degree in elementary education and music from Shevchenko State Pedagogical University, and was awarded the Taras Shevchenko Scholarship for Educational Excellence during her final year. A teacher and choral conductor in Ukraine, she is now the director of the Zion Lutheran Church Choir in Marinette, sings with the West Shore Chorale and appeared at TOB in "Angels in the Snow." She is married to attorney Jon Barstow, and they live in Menominee with their three children.
"Taras and Me" was written last year, which Larche spent in Ukraine as a Senior American Fulbright Scholar with his wife Susan. The first staged public reading was at Kirovohrad State Pedagogical University for an audience of 120 students and faculty members, with the special attendance of a noted Shevchenko scholar. The second public reading was given at the Fulbright Midyear National Conference, in Kyiv, with representatives of the United States Embassy, the Fulbright Office, and Fulbright scholars from all over Ukraine, as well as several Ukrainians who were former IREX students at the University of Wisconsin Marinette. An encore public reading was given at KSPU, and then another at The State Regional Scientific Library of Kirovohrad. The final public reading before the playwright’s return to America was performed to a standing-room only audience in historic Lviv, at the Olés Kurbas Experimental Theatre, which is a producing partner of La Mama Experimental Theatre in New York. For all performances, the cast included Anya Lysenko as “Me,” Doug Larche as “Taras,” Alexandr Sasha Shleyenkov as “The Man,” and Susan Larche as the Narrator.
The featured song, "Sweet Ukraine," music and lyrics by the playwright, was performed by singers, choirs and in groups all across the nation, including appearances on regional television, radio, in schools, colleges and universities, performances in many cities, as well as in school choirs in Australia and Denmark. Three versions of the song have been recorded in Ukraine.
Larche will return to Ukraine November 19 for a short visit. He will join Anya and Sasha for a performance of "Taras and Me" in Kirovohrad, join the cast of the Ukrainian production of his "Angels in the Snow" for a reunion concert, and travel to Chernihiv, home of Yulia Barstow, to attend the premiere of a new choral arrangement of his song "Sweet Ukraine," performed by an All-oblast choir and directed by the composer.
There is no charge for this performance but donations will be accepted for American-Ukrainian educational exchange programs.
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New Staff at UW-Marinette
November 11, 2004
UW-Marinette has announced the following new staff members at the campus.
Tina Oman has joined the campus as an advisor in the Student Services Office and coordinator for the Full Circle Pre-College program for Menominee Indian Nation eighth-graders. She has also served as interim advisor for student organizations including the Student Senate, Student Ambassadors and Campus Activities Board since the beginning of the school year. Oman earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Previously, she worked in the Marinette Public Schools as a paraprofessional in early childhood and as a substitute teacher.
Kathy Belanger joined the custodial staff in October. She earned a bachelor’s degree from UW-Green Bay and an Associates degree from UW-Marinette. Prior to her position at UW-Marinette, she worked for Marinette County and the Marinette School District.
Mary Beth Frechette has been hired as a Student Services Coordinator and advisor in charge of high school recruiting and student organizations. Most recently, she has worked in the allied health and wellness department at Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba. Prior to her position at Bay de Noc, she served as an admissions advisor and recruiter for Oakland University in Rochester, MI and as an admissions counselor for the University of Michigan.
Maria Kirsch will teach Spanish 105 for spring semester, 2005. Kirsch is a native of Greece who speaks German and Spanish in addition to her native Greek. After earning her associate degree from UW-Marinette, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Organization Administration from UW-Milwaukee under the collaborative degree program at the UW-Marinette campus.
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Cast Announced for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
November 30, 2004
The cast of over 50 children for the UW-Marinette Children’s Theatre classic “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” has been announced by director Jason Larche. The play, based on the story by C. S. Lewis from his Chronicles of Narnia, deals with the adventures of four children who open a magic wardrobe and enter into another world where they meet Aslan, the lion king and a wicked witch who threatens the land with eternal winter.
Playing the role of the White Witch is Leah VanLaanen. Sarah Behnke will play Aslan, the Lion. The four children are played by Sara Bertagnoli, Erin Ehlers, Glen Thompson and Sam Larsh.
Various inhabitants of the land of Narnia include Matt LaFleur, Melissa Wright, Laura Huff, Moises Real, Tim Callow, Ben Martin, Micah DeCleene, Steven Schmitt, Holly LaPerriere, Stephanie Lange, Gage Smith, Jayme Karasti, Jersey Hoffner, Brittany Alloy, Madison Monnette, Nathan Nowack, Stephanie Anderson, Jordan Jones, Jordan Jenquin, Katie Falk, Jake Falk, Mikel Marzofka, Keifer Caebe, Wesley Monnette, Spenser Howell, Macy Mouford, Emily Marzofka, Danae Chaltry, Ryan Phillips, Skylar Hoffner, Matt Gustman, Brendan Jenquin, Ali Debriyn, Sarah Heider, Katelyn Junak, Hope Goes, Sarah Olsen and Stephanie Corry.
The Children’s Theatre is a production class co-sponsored by Continuing Education and Theatre on the Bay. The production dates are December 10 - 12 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $5.00 at the box office beginning December 6. Box office hours are 4 - 6 pm and to curtain time on show days. For more information, contact Jane Jones at 715-735-4343.
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