Award winning writer Jess Walter featured in Southeastern’s ‘Common Read’ program
Jess Walter, author of the award-winning collection of stories, “We Live in Water,”
and seven other books, will visit Southeastern Oct. 19 as part of the institution’s
fall Common Read program. Sponsored by the Department of English and the Southeastern Writing Center, Common
Read provides students and community members the opportunity to read selected works
and then meet a contemporary author. Events that day include student presentations on the author’s work at 9:30 a.m.,
an 11 a.m. question and answer session with the author, and a 6:30 p.m. public reading
by Walker followed by a book signing and reception. All events are open to the public
and will be held in the Student Union Theatre. “We Live in Water” is Walter’s 2013 collection of stories, which won the Frank
O’Connor Short Story Award and the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award. His other
works include, “Citizen Vince,” winner of the 2005 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best
Novel, “Beautiful Ruins,” a No. 1 New York Times bestseller in 2012, and “The Financial
Lives of Poets,” Time Magazine’s No. 2 novel of 2009. He has been published in numerous
publications, including “Harper’s,” “Esquire” and “ESPN the Magazine.” “For several years now, we’ve sponsored a Common Read program, featuring a prominent,
contemporary author, and it always serves as an exciting experience for our students,”
said Department of English Head David Hanson. “By meeting and talking with an author
who they’re studying in class, students gain a rare opportunity to see deeply into
an author’s life of writing.”
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Southeastern Jazz Ensemble to perform October 22 The Southeastern Jazz Ensemble will perform Thursday, Oct. 22, in a free concert
scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Pottle Annex Recital Hall. The concert will be conducted by Southeastern Associate Director of Bands Paul
Frechou and Southeastern Lecturer of Double Bass John Madere. Musical selections will include “Whirly Bird,” “Come Fly With Me,” “Know What
It Means,” “Every Summer Night,” “Basically Blues,” “In A Turkish Bath,” “If I Could,”
“Mean What You Say,” and “Dark Matter.” Members of the Jazz Ensemble performing in the concert include Vitalie Gumeniuc
of Donduseni, Moldova, and Josh Gaudin of Ponchatoula, alto saxophone; Andrei Smirnov
of Hammond and Justin Dardenne of Folsom, tenor saxophone; Erica Reine of Covington,
baritone saxophone; Justin Albritton and Shaun Baxley of Hammond, Haily Wilkerson
of Patterson, Austin Dugas of Prairieville, and Jessica Long of Bush, trumpet; Timothy
Villalobos of Metairie, Jimmy Scheidell of Hammond, Brandon Domingue of Youngsville,
trombone; Logan Champlain of Chalmette, trombone (bass); Blayke Weatherford of Denham
Springs, piano; Kenaniah Turner of Hammond, guitar; Matthew Hawkins of Gonzales, bass;
and Cody Coulon of Slidell, drums. For more information, contact the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at 549-2184.
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Music concerts, Broadway and lectures highlight Fanfare’s final week Music concerts, a Broadway musical and lectures highlight the final week of Fanfare,
Southeastern’s annual October-long arts festival. Fanfare’s finale begins on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with the first of two free Then
and Now Lecture presentations in Pottle Auditorium. First up is Communication Professor
Joe Burns’ “Music and the Law: Copyrights and Copywrongs” at 1 p.m. “In March of 2015, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were ordered to pay the
family of Marvin Gaye $7.3 million because the song ‘Blurred Lines’ sounded too much
like Gaye’s ‘Got to Give it Up,’” Burns said. “The verdict now stands as the largest
amount awarded in a copyright infringement suit but certainly not the only one.” Join Burns to hear about other high-profile music copyright cases plus a quick
overview of what the law says one can and cannot do. Hint – what’s on your iPod? The final Then and Now Lecture will be presented by Department Head of History
and Political Science Bill Robison. His free lecture “A Feast of Famous Fifteens in
Fact, Fiction and Film” will be presented on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. Prior to
the lecture, Robison will present “The Fifteen Film Festival” at noon, featuring all
the silly films that have preceded his previous Fanfare lectures. For the More-or-Less Annual Halloween Lecture, Robison will discuss 15 famous
events with centennials in 2015. Can he relate Halloween to Constantine’s clemency,
a Frankish MC Hammer, Viking dragons, St. Bernard’s robe, John Lackland’s soft sword,
medieval global cooling, Agincount’s archers, Henry VIII’s virility, Galileo’s telescope,
Jacobites’ kites, Jean Lafitte’s hook, Napoleon’s hemorrhoids, Pluto’s picture, Einstein’s
theory of relativity, and Babe Ruth’s first home run? Attend the presentation to find
out, wear a costume, and get free candy.
HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR – Southeastern Chamber Orchestra Conductor and resident cowboy
Yakov Voldman accepts accolades from the audience after last year’s Halloween Spooktacular.
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Wine Tasting to Benefit Southeastern’s Library
The group Friends of Sims Library (FoSL) is hosting its seventh annual “Wine with
Friends,” a fundraiser for Southeastern’s Linus A. Sims Memorial Library, at 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 30. “Held at the library, the popular event will feature six wines paired with food
samplings, live music, a silent auction (featuring art, books, wine, and gift certificates)
and door prizes,” said Eric Johnson, library director. “Wines will be introduced by
Todd Delaune from The Red, White & Brew.” FoSL is an organization that supports the activities and collections of the library.
Funds generated by FoSL are used to supplement the library’s annual budget, purchase
needed equipment and resources, and provide programs, lectures, author readings and
signings, and other special events. Johnson said all funds raised go directly to the library, thanks to donations
from area businesses. Tickets are $35 each. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the tasting beginning at 7
p.m. Space is limited, so early reservations are requested. Tickets will not be sold
at the door. Order tickets via check payable to Southeastern Foundation, SLU 10896, Hammond,
La., 70402. For more information about the wine tasting or the Friends of Sims Library, contact
Janie Branham at 549-2186.
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Southeastern Hall parking lot unavailable
Beginning Oct. 19, the parking lot of Southeastern Hall and parking on the east side
of White Hall, will be fenced off to begin the new Science and Technology Building
project. This area includes Faculty/Staff and Upperclass parking that will be out
of commission for the duration of the project.
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Southeastern novelist sees poetry chapbook published Southeastern novelist and English Instructor David Armand had his first chapbook,
a small collection of poems, published. “The Deep Woods” includes 15 poems that are generally about family life, explained
Armand, a native of Folsom who lives in Hammond with his wife and two children. He is the author of three novels, including the award winning book, “The Pugilist’s
Wife.” “The Deep Woods” is his first chapbook of poetry and is published by Blue Horse
Press of California. “I started writing poetry as a teenager, then took it more seriously when in
college,” said Armand, who received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in creative
writing from Southeastern. “I started getting my poems published, and I’ve developed
a passion for it.” In between teaching, writing novels and a soon-to-be released memoir about his
mother’s life, Armand tries to write poetry every night, after his children have gone
to bed. “I draw my thoughts from my family – the one I grew up with and my current family,”
he said. “That’s why I dedicated this book to my kids.” “David Armand's ‘The Deep Woods’ is a beautiful collection. In poem after poem,
Armand recognizes the importance of the familial, the personal, and the ways in which
memory lingers and creates new realities,” said William Wright, series editor of “The
Southern Poetry Anthology.” “The clarity of these poems -- their unimpeded voice --
reveals Armand’s greatest strength: to tell stories and to tell them well.” “Good poems bring us home with them for a spell. They build trust over time and
share their experiences with us bit by bit,” said Jack Bedell, Southeastern professor
of English, author of “Come Rain, Come Shine” and editor of the journal, “Louisiana
Literature.” “Great poems, though, feel like home from their first line on,” he added. “David
Armand's ‘The Deep Woods’ is full of great poems. It’s a book of fathers, and of sons,
and of a world so real you can smell piney woods and see steam rising off a newborn
foal.” “The Deep Woods” is available on Amazon.com and other book retailers.
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Nominations sought for Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges is an annual honors
program honoring our nation’s leading college students. Selections to this program
are made each fall semester and coordinated by the Office for Student Engagement.
Administrators, faculty and staff, as well as student organization presidents
and/or advisors, are invited to nominate as few or as many students who they feel
are deserving of this award. This award is presented at the annual Division for Student Affairs Awards Convocation
held the last week of the Spring Semester. Thank you for your assistance in honoring
Southeastern’s outstanding students. Eligbility Criteria: Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
award is based upon the following criteria: Only upper-classmen (juniors and seniors) and graduate students are eligible for
this award. Selections should be based on the student’s scholastic ability, participation and
leadership in academic and extracurricular activities, and citizenship and service
to the University during Spring 2015 semester and Fall 2015 semesters. 2.5 Adjusted Cumulative Grade Point Average to be eligible/full time students (12
hours or more, unless a graduating senior/6 hours or more, graduate students) Nomination forms may be obtained through the Office of Student Engagement and are
due by Friday, Oct. 30. Forms may be dropped off in the Office of Student Engagement
in the Student Union, room 2307 or sent through campus mail to SLU 10483.
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COLUMBIA THEATRE’S NEW CONCERT SERIES Southeastern’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is presenting a series for
up and coming bands called the New Artist Concert Series. First on the calendar is
a concert featuring a blues/rock/gospel/soul band called Sister Sparrow and The Dirty
Birds. The group will perform on Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m., in Columbia Theatre.
Columbia Theatre presents new artists through concert series See them before they make it big and say, “I saw them perform before they were famous.”
Southeastern’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is presenting a new series
for up and coming bands called the New Artist Concert Series. Columbia Theatre/Fanfare Interim Director Roy Blackwood is excited about the
new series for bands. “The New Artist Concert Series was designed to provide an exciting additional
category of presentations for music lovers in our area,” he said. “Please come enjoy
the music and give us some feedback on what you think.” First on the calendar is a concert featuring a blues/rock/gospel/soul band called
Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds. The group will perform on Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.,
in Columbia Theatre. “This is the only Louisiana stop on their huge fall tour in support of the release
of ‘The Weather Below,’” Blackwood said. “Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds has performed
more than 600 shows, released three full-length albums and an EP produced by Randy
Jackson of ‘American Idol.’ They have enchanted tastemakers ranging from ‘The Wall
Street Journal’ and ‘LA Times’ to ‘Glamour,’ ‘USA Today,’ and ‘The New Yorker.’” Blackwood said the group has shared the stage with such heavyweights as Gov’t Mule,
Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, The Avett Brothers, Counting Crows, and Galactic, and has
turned audiences into believers through appearances on the festival circuit at Bonnaroo,
Firefly, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Voodoo Music Experience and many more. Tickets for the concert are $15 and are available at the Columbia Theatre box
office Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. or by phone at 543-4371. Patrons
may also get tickets online at www.columbiatheatre.org. All Southeastern faculty, retired faculty or university staff with ID may purchase
one ticket for Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds and receive one ticket at half price.
Both tickets must be purchased in the same transaction and for the same price at the
Columbia box office. Contact the box office at 543-4371 for more information.
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Columbia Theatre presents ‘Broadway's Next Hit Musical’ Southeastern’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is presenting “Broadway’s
Next Hit Musical,” an improvised musical comedy. Scheduled Oct. 27, the production
will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the downtown Hammond theater. Columbia Theatre/Fanfare Director Roy Blackwood is excited about the production
and said that “Broadway’s Next Hit Musical” is the only unscripted theatrical awards
show. Master improvisers gather made up and hit song suggestions from the audience,
then create a spontaneous evening of music, humor, and laughter. “As the scene on stage unfolds, the audience begins to realize that the show
itself is based upon interactions with patrons prior to the show,” he said. “It’s
masterful, really, and hilarious to experience a full-blown Broadway musical unfold
right before your eyes. This is improvisation at its finest. Please come enjoy the
music and give us some feedback on what you think.” According to Blackwood, the audience votes for their favorite song and watches
as the cast turns it into an improvised musical – complete with memorable characters,
witty dialogue, and plot twists galore. “The New York Times” calls ‘Broadway’s Next Hit Musical’ “Hilarious!” “TheaterWeek”
hailed the show as “brilliant,” and ‘The New York Post’ called it “remarkable.” Tickets for the concert are loge $39; orchestra/balcony $25; and students $15
and are available at the Columbia Theatre box office Monday through Friday from 11
a.m. – 4 p.m. or by phone at 543-4371. Patrons may also get tickets online at www.columbiatheatre.org. All Southeastern faculty, retired faculty or university staff with ID may purchase
one ticket for “Broadway’s Next Hit Musical” and receive one ticket at half price.
Both tickets must be purchased in the same transaction and for the same price at the
Columbia box office. Contact the box office at 543-4371 for more information.
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OcTubaFest scheduled as part of Southeastern’s Fanfare Southeastern’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts will present “OcTubaFest,”
a free concert series as part of Fanfare, the annual fall celebration of the arts,
humanities and social sciences. Lecturer of tuba and euphonium Brian Gallion said the series of five concerts
features the tuba and the euphonium and will all be held in Pottle Building Auditorium. “OcTubaFest was created in 1974 by a tuba player named Harvey Phillips in honor
of his tuba teacher Bill Bell,” Gallion said. “The purpose is to give positive exposure
to these often neglected and overlooked instruments and players.” OcTubaFest kicks off Oct. 27 with a pair of recitals. A student solo recital
is scheduled for 6 p.m., and features students Matt Jays of Kenner, Courtney Guidry
of Gonzales, Lupita Mirafuentes of Houston, Texas, Cullen Hinkle of Morgan City, Amelia
Richardson of Prairieville, April Sutton of Commerce City, Colo., Danielle Chatelain
of Destrehan, and Seth Guerra of Tickfaw. The second recital, scheduled at 7:30 p.m., is a junior recital featuring Remi
Vedros, a junior music education major from Cutoff. Vedros will be accompanied by
Blayke Weatherford of Denham Springs on the piano. Also performing will be The Beef
Tones, a tuba/euphonium quartet consisting of Jimmy Scheidell of Hammond and Stephan
August of Baton Rouge on euphonium, and Vedros and Logan Chaplain of Chalmette on
tuba. The remaining OcTubaFest schedule is as follows: Oct. 28, a junior recital featuring Chaplain and Scheidell, both junior music education
majors, accompanied by Raisa Voldman on piano, 6 p.m. Also that day at 7:30 p.m. is
a junior recital by August, a music performance major. He will be accompanied by Irina
Cunev on the piano. The Beef Tones quartet is also performing in this recital. Oct. 29, Tuba/Euphonium Studio Ensemble recital consisting of original works and
transcriptions. The group features 12 music majors and minors and is conducted by
Gaillion. Works to be performed include “Come Sweet Death” by J.S. Bach; “Ave Maria”
by Jacob Arcadelt; “Finlandia” by Jean Sibelius; “March from Second Suite” by Gustav
Holst; the traditional folk song “Londonderry Air” and “Os Just” a motet by Anton
Bruckner. For more information, contact the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at 549-2184.
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New book: If Plato were alive today, how would he react to modern times? If Plato were alive today, what would he think of our modern times? Specifically,
how would he react to a modern world where secularism and religious fundamentalism
are growing further apart? Southeastern Psychology Professor Matt Rossano thinks the principles espoused
by the ancient Greek philosopher can easily be applied today in confronting modern
science. At the same time, he said, modern science and society can be critiqued using
Platonic ideals. Rossano’s latest book, “Seeking Perfection: A Dialogue about the Mind, the Soul
and What It Means to Be Human,” seeks to do just that. “Today, Plato has become a statue. We forget that he was a real man and that
he lived a fascinating life,” Rossano said. “He wrestled and wrote poetry as a youth,
and he fought in the Peloponnesian War.” After the war, he was briefly associated with the Thirty Tyrants who ruled Athens.
He soon came to recognize the brutality and corruption and severed his ties with the
group, making a series of excursions to Sicily where he sought to mold a true philosopher
king, Dionysus II of Syracuse. When that attempt failed he was arrested. Powerful
friends had to engineer his escape by boat back to Athens. “I always wondered what he must have been thinking about on that long boat ride
home, and that’s where the book begins,” Rossano said. The book is not set in ancient Greece, but instead in modern times. Plato – who
lived between 428 and 347 BCE – was actually a nickname, his birth name being Aristocles.
The name “Plato” referred to his broad build. Rossano takes liberties in the book,
renaming him Paulo Aristocles. “As he returns to Athens, ‘Paulo’ engages in a series of dialogues with the ship’s
crew and captain, addressing issues of religion, science, secularism, and the uniqueness
of the human mind,” the author states. “How would Plato react to a modern world where
secularism and religious fundamentalism are growing, while the gap between the human
mind and the animal mind is narrowing?” In a heavily annotated and documented work, Rossano takes some creative license
mixed with real history, science and philosophy, addressing that question in a narrative/dialogue
format. “Contrary to what some may think, Plato translates well into modern times,” he
said. “He translates into any era because ultimately he was an idealist. He sought
perfection. We may disagree with how he defined that, but if so, he forces us to propose
an equally defensible alternative. In any time or place, engaging in that dialectic
process is ennobling.” Rossano is also the author of “Supernatural Selection: How Religion Evolved”
and “Mortal Rituals: What the Story of the Andes Survivors Tells Us about Human Evolution.”
His latest book, “Seeking Perfection,” is available through Transaction Publishers.
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Study Abroad now accepting applications
The 2016 Study Abroad programs are open for application. We are offering 11 study
abroad programs and one (domestic) study away program. We are travelling to 10 different
countries and offering courses in biology, marketing, management, economics, communication,
theatre, history, political science, philosophy, sociology, French, health, and nursing.
Many programs offer courses that meet general education requirements in several majors.
Students can earn up to six hours credit. When advising students for spring
semester, please remind them that Study Abroad courses can help them progress towards
graduation. Students, faculty, and staff are all welcome to travel with us. More information
is available at www.southeastern.edu/studyabroad.
The International Initiatives Office is located in 103 Meade Hall.
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