10 April 2013

KOKOMO, Ind. — Eva White, associate professor of English at Indiana University Kokomo, was honored for outstanding teaching at IU's annual Celebration of Distinguished Teaching dinner.

Eva White and colleagues from Indiana University Kokomo.The dinner is one of many activities held as part of Founder's Day, the celebration of IU's founding in 1820.

White received the Herman Frederic Lieber Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching from IU President Michael A. McRobbie. She was among fifteen faculty members and four doctoral students recognized for outstanding teaching, research, and service to the university.

McRobbie described the award recipients as "IU's finest faculty members, whose efforts every day in the classroom, laboratory, and studio transform the lives of students, preparing them for successful careers after graduation."

White said receiving the award made her feel more connected to the larger IU community.

"It was a great honor to receive the award and to be in the same room as so many distinguished IU professors and teachers," she said. "It felt wonderful to be recognized for my teaching, particularly because this is also an acknowledgement of all the great teaching that happens on our campus."

Interim Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke said the campus is proud of White, "who clearly deserves to be among the outstanding IU professors and teachers. Her work with the Master of Liberal Studies program and the Well House are two examples of her dedication to our students."

White has taught more than 25 different courses during her nearly six years on campus. She founded the campus literary magazine, "From the Well House," and redesigned the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (M.A.L.S.) program, and also developed IU's only Irish studies minor.

She teaches traditional courses in the classroom, and also has developed hybrid classes, which include online and traditional classroom elements. In addition, she has created classes taught completely online.

Scott Jones, dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said IU Kokomo is fortunate to have White as a professor.

"She is an outstanding teacher in every way, whether it is developing programs and courses, learning new instructional formats, or working with students individually," he said.

The Herman Frederic Lieber Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching was established in 1961, and was first sponsored by the IU Foundation. Mrs. Herman Lieber of Indianapolis later sponsored it.

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.

09 April 2013

KOKOMO, Ind. — The planet Saturn will gleam at its biggest and brightest in April, and will be at its peak of visibility for the Indiana University Kokomo Observatory's open house Sunday, April 14.

Observatory open house.Patrick Motl, assistant professor of physics, will begin the open house at 8 p.m. with a presentation about the black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Visitors may then view the stars and planets until 10 p.m.; weather permitting, through the observatory's telescopes.

"In addition to Jupiter, which has been with us through the winter, we now have Saturn rising shortly after twilight ends," Motl said. "The moon will be a waning crescent, keeping the skies a little darker. The early evening will give us another chance to see the constellations and sights of the winter hexagon."

The Observatory's telescopes are a six-inch Takahashi refracting telescope and a 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope mounted together. The Takahashi provides exceptionally sharp images of planets, while the Meade lets stargazers see fainter objects in the sky, due to its larger light collecting area.

The open house is free and open to the public in the Observatory, 105 E. Rebecca Lane. Free parking is available on campus.

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.

05 April 2013

KOKOMO, Ind. – Kelly Greer resisted the idea of being an artist for years.

Kelly Greer.

After planning a career in healthcare and much opposition from faculty, she finally figured out that art was where she was supposed to be.

"Art is my passion," said Greer, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts (B.F.A.) this May. "I look a leap of faith and pursued my talents, and I feel extremely blessed to have worked with the faculty in this program."

As their undergraduate careers come to a close, Greer and two other seniors will display their talents at the annual student art show that begins Wednesday, April 10, at the Indiana University Kokomo Art Gallery. Each senior will contribute a different body of work, using different art techniques and materials.

"The show will be diverse and really highlights each person's strengths," said Minda Douglas, assistant professor in fine arts.

The opening reception is from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Art Gallery, located in the Kelley Student Center. The show ends May 11.

Greer is the first student to use metalsmithing to create jewelry for the art showcase.

"I love the creative process involved in making jewelry," Greer said, who is excited to show her final pieces. "Each piece I create has a different focus, and I enjoy trying the different techniques."

Nature's textures, colors, and shapes inspire her body of jewelry. To convey this theme, she is using a process called etching, which involves transferring an image onto metal. Acid eats away where the image is not, "etching" the image onto the metal. From there, she forms the piece to mimic nature, while giving it an industrial feel.

"When people see my final exhibition, I want it to evoke feelings of peace and tranquility," Greer said.

Senior Cortney Jo Santiago will show off a different form of art, using printmaking and soft sculpture to put together her works titled "Planet Girl; My Journey." She is using dry point print to create some pieces that resemble kites and has built a chair that resembles a cloud. Everything about the art show "just feels right" to her.

"We've spent four years learning technique and processes, and now we are bringing everything that we've learned and like together," said Santiago, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Jennifer Honeysuckle is taking a different approach to her work by creating charcoal drawings of people, using their personal objects, and audio of their voices. Although the process was stressful, it's rewarding to see everything come together.

"We began planning this final exhibition in the fall, and now it's real," Honeysuckle said. "We've spent this entire semester executing our work, and we're ready to show it off."

In addition, the fine arts faculty will select best works from freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to display in the show.

Since the addition of the B.F.A., Douglas is pleased with the growth of the program and the progress the students have made to make this art show a success.

"As faculty, we strive to get the students to this point," Douglas said. "Highlighting their skills and going through this process is an awesome experience to share with them."

There is something for everyone to appreciate in this show, and that's what these seniors are looking forward to the most.

Each senior plans to go in a different direction with their art once they graduate. Greer would like to place her work in galleries and continue to make jewelry. Santiago hopes to open a community art center that has a gallery and will host art workshops, while Honeysuckle would like to continue creating art, work in a museum, or teach art.

"The drive is what makes the artist succeed on their own after the degree is completed, and these students have that drive," said Susan Skoczen, lecturer in fine arts.

"This is our chance to show the campus and the community what the fine arts program at IU Kokomo is all about," Santiago said.

The Art Gallery is closed on Sundays and Mondays, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, closed on Fridays, and open 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Call (765) 455-9523 for more information, or visit www.iuk.edu/artgallery.

Story written by Mary Olk. Mary is a student writer for the Office of Media and Marketing.

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.

05 April 2013

KOKOMO, Ind. — Rachel Maples is ready to begin her career after she graduates from Indiana University Kokomo in May. Fellow senior Jonathan Rogers wants a summer job before he starts graduate school in the fall.

An IU Kokomo student speaks with a potential employer.

Both seniors were among the nearly 500 job seekers at the annual Kokomo Area Spring Job Fair, co-sponsored by IU Kokomo and Ivy Tech Community College.

Potential employees filled the Kokomo Event Center Thursday (April 4), dressed in business attire, résumés in hand, ready to meet the 80 employers offering jobs, as well as internships and volunteer opportunities.

A few feature at this year's fair was a workshop on using the LinkedIn business networking website, and also a chance to have a professional picture taken.

Tracy Springer, manager of the Office of Career Services/Disability Services at IU Kokomo, said the fair is an excellent opportunity for students and graduates from both institutions, as well as community members, to meet business representatives who may have opportunities available. It also gives local employers a chance to connect with potential employees all in one place.

"We want our students and alumni to use their degrees in this region after graduating," Springer said. "This fair gives them the chance to see what options are available to them here. It also helps our local business owners find the people who are the right fit for our community."

Rogers, a communication arts major, planned a day of networking, building contacts for future opportunities.

"I plan to talk to the local radio stations and build connections for post graduation work," he said. "I'm excited to see who is here and explore opportunities for summer employment before I start graduate school. My long term goal is to be involved with broadcasting or the entertainment field, so I'm looking for anything to help with that cause."

Maples, who will earn a degree in psychology, was looking for chances to work with teens.

"I would like to work as a case worker to get some experience while I'm going to graduate school," she said. "I'm here to make a good impression with some employers and hopefully use my degree to start my career path."

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.