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The University of Louisville Dance Theatre continues its beloved, holiday tradition with the 21st annual performance of “Clara’s Dream” Dec. 2-4 at the School of Music’s Comstock Hall.
“Clara’s Dream” is the familiar story of “The Nutcracker” from the time that Clara starts dreaming of snow and the land of sweets. There are cotton candy angels and toy soldiers, as well as the variations from foreign lands and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy appears. Her dream takes the audience along for a joyful ride through fantasy.
Directed by Cynthia Bronner and Chuck Bronson, UofL Dance Theatre is the elite level of the UofL Dance Academy. The ULDA is a pre-professional, civic level ballet company that focuses on preparing middle and high school age dancers to pursue ballet after they graduate from high school. About 50 dancers from all levels of the academy will have roles in the show.
There are four chances to catch “Clara’s Dream” this season: 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 3 and 2 p.m. Dec. 4.
The production is appropriate for all ages. Reserved tickets are on sale and available by mail through the UofL Dance Academy website: $15 for adults and $10 for children under age 13 or adults over age 65. Group rates also are available for ten or more.
For more information and to order tickets, call 502-852-6878 or visit the UofL Dance Academy website at www.uldanceacademy.com.
Storytellers and activities are set for the 2016 Corn Island Storytelling Festival.
The University of Louisville, Blackacre State Nature Preserve & Historic Homestead and the International Order of E.A.R.S. will present the Corn Island Storytelling Festival Oct. 21-22 with events kicking off at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21.
Named after Louisville’s first settlement, the Corn Island Storytelling Festival was a nationally known autumn fixture that drew thousands of fans for three decades before ending its run in 2007. This will be the fifth year that UofL and the Corn Island organizers have partnered on the event. Blackacre joined the event last year.
Additional sponsors include Louisville Metro Government and Kentucky Homefront.
Storytellers and musicians for the weekend include:
- The Juggerloos, a local jug band that uses a mix of early jazz and ragtime tunes mixed with a few more modern covers.
- Leigh Ann Yost, Louisville storyteller and songwriter
- Graham Shelby, writer and professional storyteller. He’s performed in hundreds of venues including Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Texas Storytelling Festival and the Moth Mainstage in New York City.
- Roberta Simpson Brown, “The Queen of Cold-Blooded Tales,” a paranormal investigator and author of more than a dozen books and tapes of ghost stories.
Details for each day of the festival are below:
Friday, Oct. 21
Storytelling begins at 7:30 p.m. with a mix of family-friendly stories and spooky tales in the George J. Howe Red Barn, Belknap Campus. Col. Bob Thompson, storyteller and writer for the Kentucky Homefront radio program, will be the master of ceremonies.
Organizers will also host a series of free storytelling and music workshops during the afternoon on campus. Led by Brown, Yost, the Juggerloos and Louisville musician and storyteller John Gage, the workshops will cover topics including writing and performing.
All Friday events are free but registration is required at http://cornisland16.eventbrite.com.
Saturday, Oct. 22
Storytelling will be held at Blackacre State Nature Preserve & Historic Homestead, 3200 Tucker Station Rd.
Kids activities begin at 6 p.m. and storytelling begins at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s events are $7 for adults and $3 for children and tickets may be purchased onsite.
For more information on the festival, contact Bob Thompson, 502-553-2406.
Sustainability Week at the University of Louisville is Oct. 17-23 to raise awareness for responsible environmental, social and economic stewardship. This year’s focus is social justice.
The week, which coincides with homecoming festivities, begins Oct. 17 with “Weigh the Waste” at The Ville Grill, when plate scraps from a typical lunchtime in UofL’s busiest dining hall will be weighed before going into the compost bin to demonstrate how much food is discarded.
Oct. 19, a Campus Sustainability Day Fair featuring booths and information on UofL’s sustainability initiatives will be held in the Humanities Quad on Belknap Campus.
On the evening of Oct. 19, UofL will host the Louisville Sustainability Council’s monthly “Green Drinks” networking event for professionals interested in sustainability. The event will start at 6 p.m. with a campus sustainability tour leaving from in front of the University Club and end at Old Louisville Tavern, 1532 S. 4th St.
The week’s activities include:
- Oct. 18, noon – Diversity Dialogue Series: “Equity vs. Equality” (Cultural Center)
- Oct. 18, 6:30-8 p.m. – Race, Place and Perceptions: Making Louisville Home for Us All (Cultural Center)
- Oct. 18 (Health Sciences Campus, Kornhauser Plaza) and Oct. 20 (Belknap Campus, Humanities Quad) – Bike maintenance workshops
- Oct. 21, noon – EcoReps Lunch&Learn, “Sustainability at UofL,” Ekstrom Library, W210.
- Oct. 21, 2-3 p.m. – Garlic Planting Day! Garden Commons Workshop and Workday (Cultural Center)
- Oct. 23 –UofL Community Composting Volunteer Day, 200 block of E. Bloom St. (one block north of Cardinal Boulevard between Brook and Floyd streets)
For more information, contact Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability initiatives, at 502-852-8575.
Proposals to build or enhance excellence in the areas of big data, metagenomics and social justice will receive up to $2.25 million in funding over the next three years as part of the University of Louisville’s 21st Century University Initiative.
The proposals, which include nearly every school and college at UofL, were selected after an intense, months-long process that included internal and external review.
The chosen proposals are:
- Big Data Analysis in Medicine – developing new models and learning approaches to analyze and integrate multiple data types to aid clinicians in early diagnosis and identification of high-risk patients for human diseases and disorders
- Program in Metagenomics and Health – identifying potential links between social determinants, microbiome and the prevalence and prognosis of select diseases
- Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research – establishing a niche area of excellence in social justice transdisciplinary research while better coordinating the university’s existing research and creative activity in this area
As part of the 21st Century University Initiative, UofL sought to enhance programs that show potential to address critical or emerging issues of national significance and that will help define the university as a national leader in these fields. Proposals also had to be interdisciplinary; be innovative and socially significant; provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate research; and include financial support from the departments in which the proposal originated.
“We were pleased with the quality and quantity of proposals,” Acting President Neville Pinto said. “These three proposals clearly stood out as emerging areas in which we can play a lead role on a national level. Also important, faculty and students from every corner of the university will have the opportunity to play a role in their success.”
Each proposal will receive up to $250,000 per year for up to three years. Principal investigators will submit annual reports on the programs, which will be used to assess their development and determine future funding.
The full reports are available at http://louisville.edu/graduate/news/winning-proposals-from-our-internal-rfp.
Six nurses in Kentucky and Southern Indiana who have improved the lives of patients, their community and the profession have been chosen as recipients of the third-annual University of Louisville School of Nursing Florence Nightingale Awards.
The winners, as well as six honorable mentions and nearly 80 other nominees, will be recognized at the Nightingale Awards dinner on Nov. 3 at the Mellwood Arts Center.
“We are very proud to honor six extremely talented and devoted registered nurses from Kentucky and Southern Indiana who have diligently and compassionately served patients across the life span,” said Marcia J. Hern, Ed.D., C.N.S., R.N., UofL School of Nursing dean. “Any one of us would want such a nurse to be there for us, our family and our friends in times of need.”
The six honorees are:
Hilary Deskins, B.S.N., R.N., is manager of Cancer Prevention Services at KentuckyOne Health. Deskins oversees KentuckyOne Health’s lung cancer screening program, one of the largest in the nation, as well as the colon cancer screening program. She developed and initiated patient educational strategies for cancer screenings and works with community organizations to promote screening. Deskins also has made impacts nationally. In October 2015, she advocated the importance of lung cancer screening to members of the U.S. Congress. Deskins and KentuckyOne Health were recognized by national advocacy group the Lung Cancer Alliance as leaders in early detection and treatment of the disease.
Anthony Frazier, B.S.N., R.N., worked as a chef for several years before deciding at the age of 45 to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. He most recently worked as a patient care manager at Amedysis Hospice in Jeffersonville, Ind., caring for end-of-life patients. He actively volunteers at the Wayside Christian Mission, serving Louisville’s homeless population by working with men in the workforce development program. Frazier has battled a rare soft-tissue cancer in his leg and eventually had to have the leg amputated. He then had severe heart failure and is awaiting a heart transplant. Frazier’s health challenges, however, have not deterred his social work.
Mimi McKay, Ed.D., M.S.N., P.M.H.N.P.-B.C., is an associate professor at Indiana University Southeast School of Nursing, who previously served as dean of the school, and has been a psychiatric nurse practitioner for the past 26 years. In addition to educating nursing students, McKay works as an advanced practice nurse at Boys & Girls Haven, a nonprofit organization that serves abandoned, abused and neglected children. Her work with abused and sexually assaulted women and children through the partnership she started with the Center for Women and Families and IU Southeast has had lasting impacts for victims and nursing students.
Emily Neal, B.S.N., R.N., S.A.N.E., is a forensic nurse specialist at the University of Louisville Kosair Charities Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine. Neal evaluates children who are suspected victims of abuse and neglect and ensures that perpetrators of abuse are prosecuted via legal testimony. In doing so, victims are removed from abusive or neglectful situations and their abusers are put to justice. Neal teaches parents about stress coping techniques that prevent abuse and educates medical and nursing students on identifying even minute abuse indicators. She is an appointed member of the Kentucky Children’s Justice Act Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional and interdisciplinary committee that develops policy and education aimed at improving outcomes for children.
Deborah Reed, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., R.N., F.A.A.O.H.N., F.A.A.N., University of Kentucky College of Nursing Distinguished Service Professor and Good Samaritan Endowed Chair, has raised awareness about on-the-job health risks that farmers face. Reed created the Farm Theater Dinner intervention to inspire farmers to think about occupational health, safety and disease prevention on the farm. Her research has shown that health lectures and pamphlets have little impact on farmers, who don’t have time in their demanding work schedules to attend educational meetings. The dinners provide a farmer-centered approach for families to share stories and find solutions for health and safety. Reed founded the UK College of Nursing Occupational Health Nurse Ph.D. Program.
Laura Ware, R.N., A.D.N., works at the Crestview Center in Shelbyville where she treats short and long-term care patients and educates and counsels families about making critical treatment decisions. When a person enters a residential nursing facility, it can be a lonely and frightening experience for the patient and the family. Often in these cases, patients have lost a spouse or partner, careers have ended and they have lost their independence. Ware comforts these patients when they are scared and lonely, reassuring them with a calm demeanor and excellent care. Continue reading
Navigating the path between high school and college can be challenging and overwhelming for both students and parents. In order to ease the transition, the University of Louisville is offering a series of workshops to assist with federal financial aid applications, as well as a daylong campus open house event.
During the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion workshops, staff from the university’s student financial aid office will walk student and parent participants through the process of filing the FAFSA. Changes to the FAFSA process, as announced by President Obama last September and in effect beginning with the 2017-18 application, include an earlier filing start date of October 1 (previously January 1); and a requirement to report income and tax information from an earlier tax year. A detailed overview of the changes from the Federal Student Aid office is available here.
The UofL-led workshops are free and students are not required to apply for admission to the university in order to participate. The workshops will take place on:
- Oct. 5, 5–7 p.m., Seneca High School, 3510 Goldsmith Ln., Louisville
- Oct. 6, 6–8 p.m., Oldham County High School, 1150 North Highway 393, Buckner
- Oct. 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Martha Layne Collins High School, 801 Discovery Blvd., Shelbyville
- Oct. 11, 6–8 p.m., Fern Creek High School, 9115 Fern Creek Rd., Louisville
- Oct. 13, 5– 8 p.m., Jeffersontown High School, 9600 Old Six Mile Ln., Louisville
- Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to noon, during Cardinal Preview Day at the University of Louisville (details follow)
- Oct. 20, 6-8 p.m., Southern High School, 8620 Preston Highway, Louisville
Cardinal Preview Day on Oct. 15 is open to anyone interested in learning more about attending UofL. Activities, including campus tours, workshops, information sessions and student panel discussions, take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A complete schedule is available here. Pre-registration is not required, although participants need to check in at the Swain Student Activities Center (SAC) West Plaza next to the George J. Howe Red Barn upon arrival. There is no cost for Cardinal Preview Day and parking is free at the Floyd Street parking garage, 2126 South Floyd St.
For more information about the workshops and FAFSA changes, contact Sandra Neel, 502-852-5517, sandra.neel@louisville.edu. Jenny Sawyer, 502-852-4957, jenny.sawyer@louisville.edu, is available to discuss Cardinal Preview Day activities.
University of Louisville officials today announced construction of a Welcome Center on the east side of campus, near Eastern Parkway and I-65. The $2 million facility, which is being funded through private donations, is expected to open in fall 2017.
The center will be named the Herman and Heddy Kurz Welcome Center to honor the Louisville couple who have been supporters of the university for more than 60 years. Heddy Kurz is a member of the UofL Board of Overseers. She and Herman, who died in 1999, are adopted alumni of the university. The university previously honored the couple by naming a residence hall in their honor in 2004. That facility, Kurz Hall, now houses about 400 honors students.
“This will be a first-class welcome center that will serve thousands of visitors each year,” said Interim Executive Vice President and University Provost Dale Billingsley. “Herman and Heddy Kurz have gifted the university not only through their philanthropy, but also as supporters of our students and our work in areas ranging from medicine to music. They have served as goodwill ambassadors, and it is fitting that the staff of this center will continue their efforts.”
To be located at the corner of Eastern Parkway and Hahn Street, the one-story structure is expected to serve as a resource not only for the university, but also the Belknap Research and Innovation Park currently under development, the neighborhoods around Belknap Campus and the Louisville community. The center also will serve visitors to the Cardinal Park athletics complex.
While many details remain to be developed, plans include informational kiosks, daily hours, student staffing and possible retail opportunities. The property also includes a billboard, which the university will use for promotional purposes.