2013 WMU News

Reception to mark 50 years of Sichel Series lectures

A reception celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Sichel Lecture Series is set for 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. Dr. Erica Field will present the first talk of the 2013 series Wednesday, Oct. 16.

Sangren Hall design team wins prestigious architectural award

SHW Group, of Berkley, Mich., the firm that designed Sangren, received the prestigious award presented during AIA-Detroit's annual awards ceremony Sept. 19 at Detroit's Eastern Market.

University Theatre presents 'Noises Off'

The all-student cast will give several performances of the meta-comedy Oct. 10-20 in the Shaw Theatre at the Gilmore Theatre Complex. Graduating music theatre performance majors will perform following some shows.

Kalamazoo Film Society presents 'I'm So Excited'

The Kalamazoo Film Society will present the film "I'm So Excited" Friday through Sunday, Oct. 4-6, at WMU's Little Theatre. The film is rated R; admission is $5.

Campus Activities Board presents comedian Melissa Villaseñor

Comedian Melissa Villaseñor will put on a show at 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, in 227 Bernhard Center. Admission is $1 with a valid student Bronco Card, and $2 without.

Climate change is focus of areawide series of events

Members of the Kalamazoo community can learn more about the consequences of climate change and potential responses through a series of free events taking place on and off the WMU campus this fall.

Arthur W.J. Stoddart obituary

Arthur W.J. Stoddart, a WMU associate professor emeritus of mathematics, died Friday, Sept. 6, at age 79. Stoddart taught at the University for 29 years.

Advisor for start-up businesses to speak at upcoming lecture

Tim Rann, freelance consultant for start-up social businesses and impact investment funds, will speak at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in 2000 Schneider Hall.

Peter Chu and company to perform concert

Dancer and choreographer Peter Chu and his company chuthis will perform excerpts from his full-length piece "Nothing Sticks" at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave. in Kalamazoo.

Two honored with WMU’s Distinguished Service Award

Drs. Alan E. Kehew and Toni Woolfork-Barnes will be honored during the University's annual Academic Convocation, set for 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Chorale earns second place in national competition

The WMU Chorale is runner-up in the 2013 American Prize competition's college and university choral division. The prize is a national contest that annually recognizes the best performing artists in the United States.

Mary Ann LeDoux obituary

Mary Ann LeDoux, a staff member in the Valley 2 Dining Service, died Thursday, Aug. 29, at age 48. She served the University for six years, having joined the staff in 2007.

Veteran South Pole researcher to describe U.S. Antarctic efforts

Dr. Bob Melville, senior scientist with the New Jersey Institute of Technology, will give a free lecture titled "Science, Engineering, Adventure and Education: Service with the U.S. Antarctic Program" at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.

WMU Children’s Place Learning Center offers back-up care

WMU's Children's Place Learning Center now offers back-up care. Parents can pre-register children for back-up care in the event of a snow day or other unexpected event.

Awareness merges with object in 'Essential Rhythms' art show

The "Essential Rhythms" exhibit, featuring the work of Justin Bernhardt, is on display in the College of Health and Human Services building's second floor art gallery, with a reception set for 4-6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, in the gallery.

Community invited to participate in Parade of Nations

Help celebrate the diversity of WMU and Kalamazoo by being a flag bearer before the University's homecoming football game Saturday, Oct. 12. Register today and enjoy a free tailgate party while assembling flags for the event.

Willie J. Mitchell Jr. obituary

Staff member Willie J. Mitchell Jr. died Sept. 16 at age 40. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, in the Harper Funeral Home Chapel. A memorial service is set for 11 a.m. Sept. 27 in Christ Temple Church.

Sphinx Competition alums to perform at WMU

The Sphinx Virtuosi and The Catalyst Quartet, laureates and top alumni of the acclaimed Sphinx Competition for Young Black and Latino String Players, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

School of Music presents annual scholarship benefit spectacular

The School of Music will present its fourth annual WMUsic Showcase Spectacular at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, in Miller Auditorium. Proceeds from the benefit concert will go toward music student scholarships.

Johnny Rodgers Band headlines School of Music’s centennial Gala

The Johnny Rodgers Band will headline the School of Music's Centennial Gala at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Bioethics expert to speak as part of Medical Humanities Conference

Dr. Arthur Derse, director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities, will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, in Fetzer Auditorium's Putney Auditorium. His talk is part of the 2013 WMU Medical Humanities Conference.

Award-winning poet, Georgetown professor next up in Frostic Series

Carolyn Forché, an English professor at Georgetown University and author of four books of poetry, will read at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, in the Little Theatre.

Veteran faculty member to address criminality of climate change

Dr. Ronald Kramer will give a talk titled "Is Climate Change a Crime? Moral, Legal and Political Perspectives" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, in 105-107 Bernhard Center.

Owners of downtown spirit shop next up in Entrepreneurship Series

Andrew and Kathleen Widner, owners of The Spirit of Kalamazoo, will speak at 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in 2150 Schneider Hall. The event is free and open to the public and begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m.

WMU hockey coach to face off in Keystone Series opener

Andy Murray will present "WMU Hockey" at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27, in the Dean's Conference Room of Schneider Hall. Murray is the first speaker in the 2013-14 Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series.

WMU sees surge in new freshman, grad and international students

Fall 2013 enrollment figures show a 5.1 percent increase in the number of new freshmen and increases in the number of both international students and graduate students seeking doctoral degrees, with a total enrollment of 24,294.

Survey shows campus diversity climate viewed as positive overall

Though an overwhelming majority of the campus community views diversity and inclusion as values that are respected and valued at WMU, pockets of concern were identified, setting the agenda for coming initiatives.

Humanities center to tackle 'changing climates' in speaker series

The center is bringing together scientists and humanists in its annual speaker series to consider how the world's temperature and social climates are changing. The first lecture is Thursday, Sept. 26.

Sports Medicine Clinic invites campus community to drop-in events

Students, staff, faculty and community members are invited to to ask staff from Sindecuse Health Center's Sports Medicine Clinic about injury treatment and rehabilitation advice at drop-in events this fall.

Campus Activities Board presents hypnotist Paul Ramsay

Paul Ramsay will bring "mind games" to campus with a performance at 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Bernhard Center's North Ballroom. Admission is $1 with a valid student Bronco Card, and $2 without.