Southeastern’s Sims Library to host panel discussion on ‘fake news’ Southeastern’s Sims Memorial Library and Phi Kappa Phi will host a panel discussion
to address the timely topic of fake news. “Trust in the news media and government is historically low, and so-called ‘fake
news’ is distorting our ability to make sense of the world around us,” said Sims Library
Director Eric Johnson. “The President says the media is the ‘enemy of the people.’” To put all this into perspective, “Breaking Fake News: Finding Truth Amid Alternative
Facts,” will be presented on Tuesday, March 21, at 2 p.m., in the Student Union Theatre.
“Our goal is to help people navigate the current news climate,” said Johnson.
“This will be a lively and entertaining session that we hope will make it easier to
discern the facts in an age of unreliable news.” The panel will also discuss “filter bubbles” and other pitfalls of getting all
your news from social media. Panelists include Southeastern Communication Professors Joe Burns, Joe Mirando,
and Claire Procopio, and Information Literacy Instructor Stephen Sanders. Sims Library
Coordinator of User Education Dayne Sherman will serve as moderator. The event is free and open to the public. However, attendees must get a visitors’
parking pass from the University Police Department. For more information, contact Outreach & Instructional Media Librarian Angie
Balius at angie.balius@southeastern.edu or 549-3898.
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Alumni Association hosts Day at the Races March 26 The Tangi Chapter of the Southeastern Alumni Association will head off to the races
with a trip to the New Orleans Fair Grounds Sunday, March 26. A Day at the Races is open to all Southeastern alumni and friends, 21 years of
age and older, said Interim Alumni Association Director Julie Perise. Cost is $55,
which includes bus transportation from Hammond, clubhouse admission and lunch. The
payment deadline is 5 p.m. March 23, although early registration is encouraged due
to limited seating. The bus will depart the Alumni Center at 10:30 a.m. and return immediately after
the last race. Participants who plan to use their own transportation are welcome to
meet the Southeastern group at the Fair Grounds, although the cost will remain the
same. Participants can register online at southeastern.edu/alumni. “Lunch will be followed by an afternoon of fun and excitement watching the races,”
Perise said. “Make plans to join us.” For additional information, contact the Alumni Association at 549-2150 or 1-800-SLU-ALUM.
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Science on Tap presents ‘Designer Babies’ Reproductive technologies and their relationship to science fiction will be the topic
of Southeastern’s next Science on Tap presentation on Tuesday, April 4. Sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences, the presentation titled “Designer
Babies: Is Science Catching Up with Science Fiction?” by Professor of Biological Sciences
Mary White, will be held at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering, 113 East Thomas St. in Hammond.
The lecture is free and open to all ages. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. White said advances in reproductive technology will be discussed, including genome
modification, so-called three-parent babies, and progress on “uterine replicators,”
as named by science fiction’s Lois McMaster Bujold. “In 1932 Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ introduced us to a future where babies
were grown not born. Cloning and genetic/developmental modifications were commonplace,
and children had no concept of parents,” White said. “‘Mother’ was a dirty word. Science
fiction has since given us similar scenarios in books and movies as diverse as ‘Boys
from Brazil,’ ‘Dune,’ ‘Tomorrow’s Child,’ ‘Gattaca,’ and even an episode of ‘Star
Wars.’” White said such reproductive technologies probably seemed completely outrageous
85 years ago. “While we can’t yet grow human fetuses without mothers, in vitro fertilization
has become commonplace, genetic modification of embryos is occurring, and cloning
is certainly a possibility,” White added. For information on this or future Science on Tap presentations, contact the Department
of Biological Sciences at 549-3740.
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Student Showcase held
Stephanie Johnson of Mandeville, right, a Southeastern graduate student in counseling,
demonstrates how sand play therapy is used with clients in the field of counseling
for students Lauren Laurent of LaPlace and Nancy Kambi of New Orleans at the university’s
Student Showcase on Wednesday (March 15). The annual event provides undergraduate
and graduate students an opportunity to demonstrate their research and other projects.
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Columbia Theatre to present Eisenhower Dance Southeastern’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts will present Eisenhower Dance
in one performance only on March 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the downtown Hammond theatre. Praised by critics as one of the nation’s premier contemporary dance companies,
Eisenhower Dance has received overwhelming critical acclaim along with enthusiastic
audience support, said Columbia Theatre Director Roy Blackwood. “Eisenhower Dance has spent the last 25 years giving life to the repertoire of
internationally known choreographers, as well as the highly acclaimed work of Artistic
Director Laurie Eisenhower,” said Blackwood. “Established in metro Detroit by Eisenhower
in 1991, the company presents an annual subscription series and tours internationally.” Eisenhower Dance has performed works by choreographers Edgar Zendejas, David
Parsons, Lar Lubovitch, Ron de Jesus, Gina Patterson, Lauren Edson and Harrison McEldowney,
to name a few. The company’s concert schedule has included tours across the United
States, as well as Europe and Russia. The company has received numerous grants and awards for its work, including support
from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kresge Foundation, the Community Foundation
for Southeast Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Knight
Foundation, the National Dance Project and many others. Tickets for Eisenhower Dance are $26 in the orchestra or balcony and $40 in the
loge. Tickets can be purchased at the Columbia Theatre Box Office at 220 East Thomas
Street in Hammond, which is open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, online at columbiatheatre.org, or by phone at 543-4371. All Southeastern faculty, retired faculty or university staff with ID may purchase
one ticket for the production 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.
For more information, contact the Columbia Theatre at 543-4366.
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Suicide Awareness Walk scheduled In partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the College
of Nursing and Health Sciences is hosting an Out of the Darkness Campus Walk for suicide
awareness on Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration starts at 9 a.m.
The non-competitive walk will begin at 10 a.m. at the Pennington Student Activity
Center and will consist of one to two laps around the campus. There will be food and
the Impaired Faculties Band will perform. "Since suicide is the third leading cause of death in the college age population,
we want to raise awareness of this important issue," said Walk Chair Mitzie Meyers.
"Our goal is to raise $3,000 that will go toward prevention programs, research, public
policy, and support for survivors of a suicide loss. Fifty percent of funds raised
will stay in our state and fifty percent will go toward national efforts. AFSP's goal
is to reduce the annual suicide rate by 20% by 2025." Anyone is invited to participate. Registration is available prior to the walk
on the weblink to the fundraiser page at www.afsp.org/southeastern. Registration is also available the day of the event. There is no fee to register,
but walkers can make a donation toward the cause either online or the day of the event.
For more information, Meyers at 549-5914.
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Southeastern vocalists claim awards at Louisiana competition
Six Southeastern vocal performance students were finalists – including four first
place winners – at the recent Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Teachers
of Singing (NATS) competition held recently at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. Receiving first place nods were Sara Cage of Baton Rouge, sophomore in the women’s
division; Lauren Gibson of Walker, senior women’s division; Alfred Harper of New Orleans,
freshmen men’s division; and Cody Sires of Chalmette, older student adult women and
men’s division. Other students recognized were William Dopp of Indpenenence, a student in Southeastern’s
Community Music School, second in high school men’s division; and Michelle Guillot
of Slidell, second in younger advanced women’s division. Vivian McCalman of Mandeville and Rachel Denton of Jena also advanced to the
final round, both competing in the senior women’s division. In all 17 Southeastern
music students competed in the competition. The auditions were judged by voice teachers from the NATS Louisiana Chapter.
Students participated in lectures and master classes as part of the one-day conference. Members of the Southeastern voice faculty who contributed to conference events
included Kristen Marchiafava, Joy Ratliff, Alissa Rowe, and Stephen Rushing.
STUDENTS WIN ACCOLADES AT COMPETITION – Southeastern students who were honored at the recent Louisiana Chapter of the National
Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition included, from left, William
Dopp, Independence; Cody Sires, Chalmette; Sara Cage, Baton Rouge; Michelle Guillot,
Slidell; Lauren Gibson, Walker; and Alfred Harper, New Orleans.
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