Category Archives: Liberal Education

Spring 2016 Dance Concert Program Announced

dance image

Join our Department of Theatre & Dance students and faculty, April 15-17, 2016, for the annual Spring Dance Concert. This year’s theme is the Five Elements: ether, water, air, earth, and fire. The pieces feature both classic and original choreography, presented in a variety of styles. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30pm; Sunday is at 2pm. Please arrive early if purchasing tickets at the door. All performances are in the UM-Flint Theatre, located at 303 E. Kearsley Street, Flint, MI.

The program will include:

The Wilis – (Excerpt from the Ballet Giselle)

  • Original Choreography: Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
  • Choreography Adaptation: Beth Freiman
  • Composer: Adolphe Adam
  • Dancers: Jermariana Chandler, Danielle Emerson, Ashlynn Feige, Kacee Myczkowiak, Brooke Olney, Ashinique Wesaw, Frieda Yang

Water

  • Choreography: Emma Davis
  • Lighting Design: Briannah Rench
  • Music: “Water Dripping” by Priscilla P. Wood; “Soothing Water Stream” by Mistral Wind; “Rushing Stream” by SwiftDK; “2 Ghosts” by Nine Inch Nails; “Dirty Water (instrumental)” by Lecrae
  • Dancers: Frederick Fields, Jameel Gilbert, Dominique Hinde, Shakeda Mitchell, Nataniel Morales, Lydia Parker

A Bird in The Hand

  • Choreography: Beth Freiman
  • Music: Tres Para Uno A Cinco by Christian Matjias Mecca
  • Dancers: Ashlynne Feige, Brooke Olney, Ashinique Wesaw

Earth

  • Choreography: Adesola Akinleye
  • Costume Design: Lydia Parker
  • Lighting Design: Nicole Stafford
  • Dancers: Ashlynn Feige, Jodi Jaruzel, Charity Lloyd, Nataniel Morales, Octavish Morris, Hannah Nettleton, Farrell Tatum
  • Music: Karsh Kale

The Firebirds – Inspired by George Balanchine’s “The Firebird”

  • Choreography: Beth Freiman and Classical Repertory students
  • Costume Design: Adam Dill
  • Lighting Design: Tyler Rankin
  • Dancers: Jermariana Chandler, Danielle Emerson, Ashlynn Feige, Kacee Myczkowiak, Brooke Olney, Ashinique Wesaw, Frieda Yang
  • Music: Igor Stravinsky

Air

  • Choreography: Adesola Akinleye
  • Dancers: Ashlynn Feige, Jodi Jaruzel, Charity Lloyd, Nataniel Morales, Octavish Morris, Hannah Nettleton, Farrell Tatum
  • Music: Restrung, Vitamin String Quartet
  • Film: Barry Lewis

For more information, visit umflint.edu/theatredance.

Communication Students Recognized for Excellence, Scholarship, and Leadership

Each year, the UM-Flint Communication program recognizes a few students out of its graduating seniors. We are pleased to share the accolades of those recognized for the May 2016 commencement ceremony:

  • Donald Rady, winner of the Outstanding Scholarship Award in Communication. This award is presented to the Communication major graduating in the current academic year who has exhibited the highest quality coursework throughout their academic career.
  • Stephanie Hare, winner of the Dottie Filak Outstanding Leadership Award. This award is presented to the Communication major graduating in the current academic year who has demonstrated the greatest impact on campus and community through engagement.  The award is named after the late Dorothy Filak, Lecturer IV of Communication.
  • Natalie Broda and Savanna Burnett, co-winners of the Chuck Apple Outstanding Student in Communication Award. This award is presented to the Communication major(s) graduating in the current academic year who best combine academic strength and engagement to leave the highest mark on their colleagues. It is the highest honor bestowed by the Communication faculty on a graduating student. The award is named after Associate Professor Emeritus of Communication Charles Apple.

Says department chair Marcus Paroske, “The awards for graduating Communication majors are the faculty’s way of recognizing excellence in students for not only their academic performance, but for their leadership on campus and their overall contributions to the community. It is a hard choice every year, but this year we have an especially strong group. It often comes as a surprise to the students, but they should be proud of how hard they worked to earn these awards.”

The Award Winners

Donald Rady, UM-Flint Communication graduate and 2015-2016 winner of the Outstanding Scholarship Award in Communication.

Donald Rady, UM-Flint Communication graduate and 2015-2016 winner of the Outstanding Scholarship Award in Communication.

When asked for a quote in response to winning his award, Rady said, “I think that a good quote would be from Psalm 23:1-3. ‘The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.’ Thanks to God, I have been successful at UM-Flint. I think that this award can be considered a good blessing. I am mildly autistic and am considered a walking enclyclopedia. I think that with God and my autism, I was able to be successful as I am today.”

Dr. Sara Rosaen, Associate Professor of Communication, noted, “Don is a committed student, the kind-of student you really appreciate because he appreciates learning.”


Stephanie Hare, UM-Flint Communication graduate and winner of the 215-2016 Dottie Filak Outstanding Leadership Award.

Stephanie Hare, UM-Flint Communication graduate and winner of the 215-2016 Dottie Filak Outstanding Leadership Award.

Dr. Tony McGill, lecturer IV in Communication, was one of the faculty who enjoyed teaching Hare. He said, “Stephanie is intelligent and always fun to work with. Her energy level is usually off the charts. She had me for two classes this semester and always put a smile on  my face. She created several new cheers this semester: Go Tony, Go Tony was my favorite.”

Dr. Rosen added, “Stephanie can get any group motivated and turn a frown upside down in two seconds flat!”

When asked about being an award recipient, Hare said, “My experience as a communication student here at UM-Flint has been challenging yet enlightening. I’m both honored and humbled to receive such an award.”

In addition to being an exception communication student, Hare has served as the Director of Student Relations for Student Government as well as a Peer Educator for the Women’s Educational Center and an intern for the Student Involvement and Leadership Center. Her concentrations in Organizational Communication and Public Relations will serve her well in her post-graduation plans which she lists as “doing an internship at Disney World following graduation. Then shortly after that, I’ll be doing a Masters program in Student Affairs.”


Natalie Broda, UM-Flint Communication graduate and co-winner of the 2015-2016 Chuck Apple Outstanding Student in Communication Award.

Natalie Broda, UM-Flint Communication graduate and co-winner of the 2015-2016 Chuck Apple Outstanding Student in Communication Award.

Natalie Broda is another highly engaged UM-Flint student: “I am a Communication major with a specialization in Media Studies and a minor in Writing. I am also a five-year staff member of The Michigan Times and its Editor-in-Chief for the last two years. I am also an Undergraduate Research Assistant/Co-Founder of thearchwayflint.org, part of the Flint Youth Media Project, a program started by professor Donna Ullrich, other students and myself three years ago.”

About the award, she added, “I was touched when I found out I won the award. Over the last five years I’ve been lucky enough to be mentored by amazing, dedicated and thought-provoking faculty, and it’s an honor to be recognized by the Communication program. I’ve had many conversations over the years with my professors about how I felt the program was or was not helping students become professional media makers, and each and every time I was met with open doors and open minds. They took me seriously, challenged me to think on a higher level, and helped facilitate opportunities I never thought could be possible. The people who work in this department have never been just professors to me—they’ve been life mentors, guidance counselors and cheerleaders—and I’ll never be able to thank them enough for all that they’ve done.”

When asked whats next for her, Broda said, “After graduation I plan to move to Detroit to pursue a career in journalism and professional writing.”

Dr. Rosaen has no doubt she’ll be successful, noting, “Natalie is going places. I think we are going to see big things from her. She has skills.”


Savanna Burnett, UM-Flint Communication graduate and co-winner of the 2015-2016 Chuck Apple Outstanding Student in Communication Award.

Savanna Burnett, UM-Flint Communication graduate and co-winner of the 2015-2016 Chuck Apple Outstanding Student in Communication Award.

The Communication faculty had high praise for award-winner Savanna Burnett. Said Dr. Rosaen, “Savanna is earnest. She is hard-working, committed, and innovative.”

Dr. McGill added, “Savannah is quite unique and to say she is an interesting person is an understatement. She is the most dual brained student I have had in many years. She moves from right brain functions to left brain so quickly it caught me by surprise the first couple times. She is one of those old souls who seems to intuitively know and understand way more than they should. She is also one of the most polite and thoughtful students I have ever had. She can totally control an audience while singing, doing a formal presentation on a theory, or giving a PR pitch.”

Burnett, in turn, applauded her department and its faculty: “The communication program here at UM-Flint has allowed me to remain in the work force full time while pursuing this degree. If it wasn’t for the online classes, and the outstanding Communication [program], I wouldn’t have made it otherwise. Furthermore, it is very humbling to be recognized by a department that is so invested and hardworking themselves.”

When asked about her future plans, Burnett said, “I [was] recently voted onto the board of Restoration Place, a 501 C3 non profit founded by Amy Rouleua that seeks to build a home for girls 11-17 rescued from sex trafficking. We gain more momentum every day and continue to combat the darkness with support form the local community awareness concerning this issue. I hope to do many things in my lifetime career-wise; I have been working in HR these past few years and would like to continue in that vein. Eventually, I hope that my education will take me through to a Doctorate so that I can teach at a collegiate level.”


For more information on the Communication program, and the ways in which they support and engage their students, please visit their website.

UM-Flint Communication Students, Alumni, and LinkedIn

UM-Flint Communication faculty are using social platforms to help their students think more strategically about their time on campus and their careers after graduation.

Said department chair Marcus Paroske, “The Communication faculty recognized we had this network of over 1,000 graduates out there, and new students every semester looking for internships and employment. It made perfect sense to connect the two through our own LinkedIn group. We hope the UM-Flint Communication LinkedIn group will strengthen our own ties with our alumni, and over time generate a massive network that will benefit students for years to come.”

CAS_presentation

UM-Flint communication students attending a workshop on using social media as a professional tool.

To prepare their current communication students for this project, Assistant Professor Dr. Dan Lair held a workshop titled, LinkedIn as a Platform to Promote Your Professional Self. He noted, “Whether you like it or not, employers are taking advantage of the internet to piece together a story about you as a potential employee. LinkedIn offer students an opportunity to put those pieces together for them and tell your professional story the way you want it told.”

Throughout the short presentation, Lair focused on the idea of each student balancing their personal self with their professional brand. He encouraged them to consider their time at UM-Flint as their current “career” if they weren’t otherwise working. He mentioned the importance of including volunteer work, group activities, and leadership opportunities in addition to making notes of particularly useful or applicable classes. He added that LinkedIn can be viewed as “a resume without limitations” and that it should be used as “one tool among many, one that you can control.”

Dan Lair presents LinkedIn tips to his Communication students at UM-Flint

Dan Lair presents LinkedIn tips to his Communication students at UM-Flint

Lair advised that, at the bare minimum, the students should keep an active profile that can be viewed by potential internship providers and employers. He noted a few key areas that anyone with a LinkedIn should pay attention to:

  • Profile Pic: first, have one! But aim for a professional looking shot that shows your head and shoulders. Avoid selfies, pictures with others, or extreme close-up or faraway shots.
  • Summary: this is the distinguishing feature of your page and the key advantage of LinkedIn. Use it to show your personality, voice, and story. Demonstrate your unique value.
  • Customized URL: take advantage of this feature to have a clean, memorable, URL that reflects your name or personal story.
  • Keep things updated: work histories, certifications, activities, and qualifications should be regularly updated to reflect the current YOU.

After the formal presentation Lair and other faculty members worked with the individual students to get started on their profiles.

CAS_group

Dan Lair works with UM-Flint communication students to perfect their LinkedIn profiles

Looking forward, the communication faculty hope to keep the LinkedIn group growing and adapting to the needs and strengths of their students and graduates.

Already nearly 100 alumni from the program have connected with their former faculty members and have been added to the group. They are sharing job postings, news, and updates about the department.


For more information, or to request to be included in the Communication LinkedIn Group, contact department chair Marcus Paroske at [email protected].

 

Students Present 2016 Symposium at FIA

UM-Flint Visual Arts students are presenting the 5th Annual Art & Art History Student Symposium at the Flint Institute of Arts on Sunday, April 10, 2016. The celebration of research and creative scholarship in the arts will run from 1pm to 3:30pm. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. The Flint Institute of Arts is located at 1120 E Kearsley St, Flint, MI 48503.

Says Visual Arts faculty member Sarah Lippert, “The 5th Annual Art & Art History Student Symposium will feature exceptional scholarship from both undergraduate and graduate students at UM-Flint. Topics will have popular appeal, addressing famous African-American artists inspired by the Harlem Renaissance, how to manage vandalism in art museums, the tradition of still-life painting, and others. Door prizes and light refreshments will be provided, and everyone is welcome to this free event, in support of our student scholars.”

Student Presenters & Topics:

  • Emily Legleitner – Moka Hanga: A Lost Art & Its Revival
  • Angela Whitlock – Tony Shafrazi and Guernica: How Museums Can Benefit From Acts of Vandalism and Prevent Future Incidents
  • Mary Kelly – Overlooked Ornamentations: Italian Devotional Paintings as Images of Power
  • Leon Collins – Modern Day Renaissance Men
  • Marta Watters – Chardin: An Innovative Mind
CAS_Legleitner

Emily Legleitner with a mural she painted at Genesee Health System’s Children’s Autism Center.

Says student Emily Legleitner, “Through my studio art and art history studies at the University of Michigan-Flint, I have learned how art both influences and defines a culture and its history. Historically, visual art documents and portrays events and messages from nearly every angle of society. Studied in context with the artist’s environment, motives, and influence, one is presented with invaluable insight into the depths of history. This will be the second time I have participated in the Art and Art History Symposium. Last year I presented on the influence ancient Buddhist artwork has had on my own creative work. This year I will be presenting on the dying art of Mokuhanga printmaking, or Japanese watercolor printmaking. I am very excited to be discussing this topic, as the first student to take the new printmaking concentration offered at UM-Flint, I hope it will be an opportunity to introduce a topic not well known in the Flint artistic community.”

At the symposium, Leon Collins will be presenting “Modern Day Renaissance Men.” He says, “The definition of a Renaissance Man or Woman is tough to define in the 21st century world of transdisciplinarian visual artists. In the spirit of those who have influenced me in the creation of my art forms, I have become a self proclaimed ‘metamorphic’ artist of digital photographic images”

Leon Collins of UM-Flint's Visual Arts program

Leon Collins of UM-Flint’s Visual Arts program

For more information on the Art & Art History Symposium, and other offerings of the visual arts program at UM-Flint, please visit their website or call 810.766.6679.

AstroNite at UM-Flint: April 16, 2016

AstroNite activities at UM-Flint

AstroNite activities at UM-Flint

Visit UM-Flint and enjoy a family-oriented open house that’s out of this world!

As part of the International Day of Astronomy sponsored by the Astronomical League, UM-Flint Physics and Longway Planetarium have joined for a night that is sure to make your imagination soar to the stars. AstroNite is a free and fun way for all ages to celebrate astronomy. Activities explore rainbow forensics, planetary science, telescopes and other instruments, stars, cosmology, and more through hands-on learning, games, and crafts.

In addition to being a great resource for local families, AstroNite provides a unique teaching opportunity for the physics program’s students. Notes Justin Wisby, Physics and Mathematics majors, “I have been helping out with AstroNite for a couple of years now, ever since my first semester here. AstroNite is a key event each year which allows all participates a chance to learn something new. Since the demographic of your audience changes throughout the night, all presenters must vary their presentation style to help their audience understand. Knowing physics is not the difficult part, it is convincing others you do. AstroNite is the typical introduction of presenting physics, an experience that all new physics students at UM-Flint must have.”

For more information, or to RSVP, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Exploring Education in Israel

What would you find if you traveled around the world and met with your professional counterparts? Would you expect to see a greater number of similarities or differences in the work they do?

Stephanie Gelderloos, the developmental reading and writing specialist in the College of Arts & Science’s English Department, was invited to travel to Israel to find out. While there, she joined a conversation about the education of international students and those traditionally considered to be at-risk. She traveled with a small group of Detroit-area educators and administrators known as the Detroit Education Delegation. They visited Israeli and Palestinian schools, immigration centers, and educational communities.

The Detroit Education Delegation on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem with the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock behind.

The Detroit Education Delegation on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem with the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock behind.

Through her English courses and the work done with department colleague Emily Feueherm on UM-Flint’s Bridge Program, Gelderloos is working regularly with students who come from non-traditional circumstances and who may not speak English as their first language. Although the experiences for some of the students in Israel’s schools are different, consider those with refugee status or children belonging to nomadic societies, most are relatable those of students at UM-Flint. In both cases, they may just need some extra thought and consideration for their backgrounds and day-to-day circumstances. The approach taken in Israel to satisfy the needs of these students, and their families, was the main focus of the trip. Gelderloos traveled with the hope of gaining insights and ideas on ways she can improve the work being done at UM-Flint, especially fostering inclusion and integration in a multicultural space.

Learning in Israel

Although the trip mainly centered around younger students, Gelderloos still found inspiration for her work at the university level. “One thing that stood out was that they did a lot more with the parents of the at-risk students… A big component of what they did at a lot of these schools was they got the parents involved, they had training for the parents, social activities for the parents, to get the parents together at the school. The schools were almost like community centers, so their focus was on training and educating and helping the parents to be better support for the kids. So, I thought ‘I wonder if we can do something like that? Is there something that we could do for the parents of our students to help them be better support for the students, to maybe help them notice when things aren’t going right and know how to best respond?'”

Visiting with staff and immigrants during Hebrew class in Ramla's Immigrant Absorption center.

Visiting with staff and immigrants during Hebrew class in Ramla’s Immigrant Absorption center.

One of the areas of similarity that Gelderloos found was an idea of community service or civic engagement through the schools and education centers. “A lot of people who you would think need service, who do need service, are actually out there doing service. The kids in these needy schools find purpose and also connect more to their community, especially the immigrant students, connect more by being helpful, by providing assistance, through food drives or other support activities.”

Gelderloos (left) at the Ma'apilim in Lod, Israel

Gelderloos (left) at the Ma’apilim in Lod, Israel

When asked about her feelings of an exchange focused purely on educational practices, Gelderloos said, “I think educators must be the best everywhere. [They are] well educated, their hearts are in the right place and they want to help people, help their students. They are generally very passionate about what they do, and they are always trying to find ways to do it better. We met a lot of people like that. We went into quite a few places with a lot of great programs that were trying new and different things. People who were really dedicated. One of the schools was open from 6am to 10pm to accommodate work schedules and also as a resource for parents in the evening. They offered Hebrew classes for free in the evening, and they had computer literacy classes for parents. They were functioning as not only a school but a community center.”

CAS_Tsur Baher

Delegation members at a school in Tsur Baher, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

There were stops on the trip where the differences were more noticeable. Gelderloos described the situation and approach at one such stop, “At the Bialek Rogozin school in Tel-Aviv, there are students from 51 countries. There were approximately 1200 students in 12 grades. They taught all the students Hebrew but they also taught nine languages – reading, writing, speaking, etc. – in nine languages so that if the students’ bid to remain in the country were denied, they would be able to go home and speak, read, and write in their native language. That way they don’t go back to school at a significant disadvantage. I was really impressed by this, and I have never heard of any program like this here in the U.S.”

Delegation members during a tour of the Nitzana Educational Community.

Delegation members during a tour of the Nitzana Educational Community.

Bringing the Experience Home

When asked how she would be able to use and share what she’d learned on her trip, Gelderloos said, “I learned a number of things that I think could be beneficial to the students in our Bridge Program while visiting schools with high immigrant populations and the immigration absorption center in Ramla. For example, I learned about special programs that employed immigrants who have been in the country for some years as resources and mentors for newly arrived immigrants. I thought that we could use a similar tactic to help our international students integrate better and faster into our community. In addition, I did get some ideas for strategies to help at-risk students, and even a few ideas for assignments that help students explore their place in the university and the world once they leave UM-Flint. Finally, I learned about several programs that helped both foreign students and at-risk students successfully become integrated into the community via service activities. These service activities not only increase their self confidence, they also connect them to their community in a profound way. Emily and I have discussed adding service as a way to integrate the Bridge Programs students, and I will encourage other faculty members to consider adding service projects to their courses.”

Gelderloos will give a presentation about her trip to her colleagues in the English Department later this month. She said, “My presentation will mostly go over what I’ve been working on, what I got out of it as a developmental teacher and as a person who works with the international students regularly.”

The trip was organized by Jennifer Lewis from Wayne State University and was funded in large part by The Jewish Agency, with additional funding from the UM-Flint English department. Notes Gelderloos, “I am very grateful to all of them for this amazing experience.”

To learn more about the English Department and the university’s Bridge Program, visit umflint.edu/english.

Opera Outreach Brings “Jack and the Beanstalk” to Area Schools

UM-Flint Music students perform their newest outreach opera: Jack and the Beanstalk

UM-Flint Music students perform their newest outreach opera: Jack and the Beanstalk

The UM-Flint Department of Music is continuing its traveling opera outreach this spring. After the successful productions of The Three Little Pigs and Hansel and Gretel, the department has moved on to John Davies’ Jack and the Beanstalk. The 40-minute opera, set to the music of Gilbert and Sullivan, is fully staged and costumed. Both student performers and teaching artists are involved in bringing the production and music education to area schoolchildren and the community. The leading force of this project is Dr. Joshua May of the music department.

Roles/Performers:

  • Jack: Marada Dahl (Voice Performance, Music Major Sophomore)
  • Giant/Trouble Man: Kevin Starnes (Alumni, Current Grad Student M.A. in Arts Administration)
  • Giant’s Wife: Jhane Perdue (Music Major, Voice Performance Major Freshman)
  • Giant’s Wife: Amanda Rodman (Music Education & Voice Performance Junior)
  • Narrator: Erica Kennedy (Theater & Voice Performance Music Major, Voice, Freshman)
  • Mother: Hannah Wikaryasz (Voice Performance, Music Major Senior)
  • Mother: Vanessa Salisbury (Voice Performance Music Major & Theater Major Freshman)

Teaching Artists:

  • Zachary Smith (Music Education Major, French Horn in Orchestra, Senior)
  • Alesha Akins (Music Education Major, Flute in Orchestra, Senior)
  • Heather Smith (Music Education Major, Voice)
  • Amanda Rodman (Music Education/Voice Performance, Junior)

Jack and the Community

The premiere of Jack and the Beanstalk was held at the Flint Farmers’ Market in fall 2015. Now the students are heading to area schools and community spaces to give free performances and supplemental instruction. Throughout the spring they will visit the Swartz Creek Performing Arts Center, Cook Elementary School, Mason Elementary School, the Flint Public Library, and, in a first time collaboration, the Whiting Auditorium. The May 6th performance at the Flint Public Library is free and open to the public. The school performances will be limited to internal audiences.

Classroom Learning

One of the aims of the opera outreach mission is to connect music to multiple core curriculum disciplines. UM-Flint Music Education students will visit the schools’ classrooms prior to the actual performance to develop lesson plans that teach math, science, reading, theater arts, foreign languages, geography, and storytelling through the elements of music. They will also guide students through a variety of learning activities that engage them with innovative lessons to help prepare them for the opera performance.

Says Karen Salvador, Assistant Professor of Music Education, “This opera outreach provides amazing opportunities for UM-Flint students and children all over Flint. Music education students are gaining real-world teaching experience in Flint classrooms, Flint children are interacting with college students, seeing live opera performed right in their school, and learning more about music in a hands-on, immersive way. Josh’s vision for this outreach is exactly in line with our university’s mission to partner with communities in ways that are meaningful to all parties. I know that this is an experience that will help shape our Collegiate-NAfME students as teachers, and it could also be an inspiration for a child who loves music.”

Supporting Outreach

Opera Outreach is made possible by the James A. Welch Foundation, the Nartel Family Foundation, University Outreach, and the Department of Music. Grants and funding have covered transportation for students, set pieces, costumes, and more.

For information, call 810.762.3377 or visit umlint.edu/music.

 

 

 

UM-Flint Guest Artist: Nihad Dukhan, Ph.D – April 4, 2016

Dr. Nihad Dukhan – UM-Flint Guest Artist

“Blessed Among the Arts: Arabic/Islamic Calligraphy, Its History and Development”

This lecture covers the historical progression of this art and its major artistic leaps starting from the seventh century until modern times. Techniques and styles of this art are described. The lecture also touches on philosophical aspect of this art, and its intimate relationship to Qur’anic writing. You do not need to know Arabic or calligraphy to benefit from this educational session.

  • Date: April 4, 2016
  • Time: 3pm
  • Location: 161 French Hall, UM-Flint
  • Contact: [email protected]

Nihad Dukhan is a Palestinian-American artist of Arabic/Islamic calligraphy (www.ndukhan.com). He has two master of calligraphy degrees. Professor Dukhan is active in promoting the art of Arabic/Islamic calligraphy through exhibits, lectures and workshops. Dukhan holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and is currently a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy.

This event is presented with the UM-Flint Muslim Students’ Association.

UMF_ART_Dukhan_web

Joe Reinsel to be Artist in Residence in Baltimore, Maryland

Joe Reinsel of our Visual Arts Program has been selected as an Artist in Residence for the Neighborhood Lights program in Baltimore, Maryland. He’ll partner with his selected neighborhood, Little Italy, to “create an illuminated public art project during ht inaugural Light City Baltimore festival, March 28-April 3, 2016. Get to know more about this talented faculty member:

Joe Reinsel - Assistant Professor in CVA

Joe Reinsel – Assistant Professor of Media Arts

Name: Joseph Reinsel
Title: Assistant Professor of Media Arts
Programs: Art and Art History

Classes I teach: I teach courses in Interactive Art and Design

Professional Descrption: Joe Reinsel uses media, video, and sound to explore ideas about architectural space, time, and touch. His creative work continues to considers interaction and the environment and each work investigates different facets of communication such as video work for public installation, collective storytelling, and interactive exhibitions. He is the recipient of grants from The Flint Public Art Project, International Society of Electronic Arts, Maryland State Arts Council, Baltimore Museum of Art, New York State Council for the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, Baltimore City Office of Promotion and the Arts, and University of Michigan among others. Also he has presented work in thirteen countries on four continents at venues such as Museum of Contemporary Art(Chile), Corcoran Gallery of Art, Ars Electronica, Centro Cultural São Paulo (Brazil), Centro Cultural de España(Mexico), ZeroOne, and SIGGRAPH.

Research or Specific Areas of Interest: New Media and Interactive Art/Design

Degree(s)/Education: M.F.A. in Integrated Electronic Arts, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, M.A. in Composition, Radford University

Memberships: College Art Association

How I fell in love with my field: I think I was always creating art work. Being a student in higher education it gave me the chance to understand my development and gave me skills to keep learning as I create new art work. As a professor and professional artist, every time I make a new art work I feel that I learn something from it through the creative action and the conversation that I am having with the medium I use to express my ideas. Learning is crucial in each new piece that I create.

What I hope for students in my field: For students, when you are creating something, whether it is work on art, a design project or even a written paper for a class, each of these efforts are creative acts. Your voice is used in each of them. As you grow and graduate from UM-Flint that voice is your way to navigate yourself in the future. While at UM-Flint, hone your voice and grow it and make it your own.

Reinsel_LittleItaly

A photo from Reinsel’s Facebook page shows “a mockup for ‘Il Tartufo Lucent'”

How would you describe your particular Light City project? A community based project that illuminates the community of Little Italy through projection mapped light piece on the facade of St. Leo the Great at the cross streets of Exeter St. and Stiles St. in Baltimore, MD

How did the Little Italy neighborhood inspire or inform your art? I am interested in the stories and people of the neighborhood and I have gather a very large collection of still images that will be incorporated into the project.

In what ways are projects like Neighborhood Lights important for citizens and cities? This event is important to cities is because it creates new vantage points for discussion about communities and cities.

What will become of your work once the festival concludes on April 3? The work will only exist during Light City Baltimore.

What’s next for your as an artist? I am beginning to work on new ideas and concepts for new projects. Please follow my developments at facebook.com/joereinselmediart

For more information on the Visual Arts & Art History Programs at UM-Flint, and their talented faculty, visit umflint.edu/comarts.

UM-Flint Communication Student Invited to White House

UM-Flint Communication Major, Tajhae Barr

UM-Flint Communication Major, Tajhae Barr

A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

“I always knew a Communication major from UM-Flint would make it to the White House. I didn’t think it would happen before they graduated though!” said department chair Marcus Paroske. His student, junior Tajhae Barr, was invited by the White House to attend the annual Women’s History Month reception in Washington, D.C. on March 16, 2016.

He added, “Seriously, it is the chance of a lifetime for Tajhae and we are all very proud of her. Even the loftiest goal is attainable by putting yourself in the right position.”

For Barr, being in the right position began with sending a message to the President one September night while she was studying. She had been feeling the pressure of a new semester and thinking about the President’s time in office coming to an end. “I was telling him that with him getting ready to be gone, I was kind of discouraged. I let him know that even though he will be gone, I still am determined to finish the job. But it just kind of made me feel more empowered with him being there, to actually get it done. The intent was kind of just to vent to the President, to tell him what I was thinking and feeling. I was studying and just thought ‘I’m going to write the President.'”

Barr wrote about starting a non-profit organization, and giving back to her community. Her idea involved creating a safe space for adolescents, and specifically girls, where they could feel safe and learn. The aim would be to “Give back to the girls up here as far as having something to do, keeping them off the streets and keeping their heads in the books. Learning more about their history and where they come from.” Barr compared her vision with her own growing up, where she found safety and solace in skating. But she never expected much to come from her note, “It was just regular writing. I didn’t think it would go far, they get so many emails, so many calls.”

But on March 8, 2016, she received an email from the White House requesting her presence the following week. It wasn’t until she arrived at the event that she even learned the source of her invitation. “They read it in the Social Secretary’s office in the White House. And they picked people based on those who thought they would never be there. They read it and decided to pick me . . . I just wrote it from my heart and pressed send. So I never would have thought it would be read or anything would come from it. The original response I received was general, telling me I could go to grants.gov for funding, etc. But I never would have thought the letter would have landed in the White House, ever. I didn’t think it was connected to that at all.”

UM-Flint Communication Major Tajhae Barr in Washington, D.C., with an intern for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Tajhae Barr in Washington, D.C., with an intern for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

VISITING THE WHITE HOUSE

Barr’s evening at the White House opened with a performance by the Spelman College Glee Club as she and the other women entered the East Room. “The party was starting as soon as we were walking in. The room was so lavish and so grand! It was so much opportunity to just connect and network. I met some amazing women! There were women there that were directors of these big orgs from New York, New Mexico, Florida—it was women from everywhere. Everywhere. (And I may have landed an internship in the White House.)”

The President spoke to the group after being introduced by Sana Amanat, a director and editor at Marvel Comics. His speech focused on gender equality at a global scale, noting “What we’ve seen, even in our own lifetimes, is that change is possible. That’s why we have to keep fighting, because there are battles that still need to be won.”

When asked about hearing the President speak, Barr said, “I was very humbled. I couldn’t even be over excited because I was so honored and humbled to be in his presence. I really loved his speech, how he talked about all the differences that he has made in the Office and appointing more women leaders. It was just really humbling. I can’t even explain it. It was so surreal, because that’s history. His speech only lasted about 15 minutes. After that we got to mix and mingle again. It was just really amazing. I wish I could go back to just relive it.”  Barr was able to shake the President’s hand after he spoke.

Other notable guests of the evening, as recognized by the President, included Cecile Richards, activist and president of Planned Parenthood; Dr. Jennifer Welter, the first female NFL coach; and members of Congress, including Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Michelle Obama was not in attendance as she was at South by Southwest speaking about her “Let Girls Learn” initiative.

CASBlog_Barr3

Tajhae Barr with Congresswoman Candice Miller at the White House

REFLECTIONS

Barr credits her time at UM-Flint for helping her to find the original inspiration to write the White House. “Honestly, this school has made me feel so empowered and like I have the ability to do whatever. When I was a freshman I came into this school with a 2.3 GPA. My freshman year I got a 3.85. This school has been supporting me and having my back since I set foot on campus. Seriously. [UM-Flint] has been very supportive, and I’m not just saying that—I love this school! Even though it’s a big university, it’s still that one-on-one relationship. I didn’t think that I’d even be able to pull off going to D.C. in a day or two, because it was so sudden. I had to come up with money for the flight, the hotel, and the other expenses that came up. I’m honestly amazed and very thankful.”

Barr recognized the university offices that gave or helped her secure the funding needed to travel to the White House, including the Communication program, the Office of Educational Opportunity Initiatives (EOI), Student Affairs, the Women’s Education Center (WEC), the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office, and others.

When asked what impression this experience has left on her, Barr said, “I just want to say that no matter what you are going through and no matter how hard it seems, you have to try your best to stay positive. You never know the next blessing that’s around the corner. You never know. Because I never would have expected this. It doesn’t matter if you get straight As, it doesn’t matter if you are president of this or that, ordinary people do extraordinary things every day, that’s what I’m trying to say. So when you’re feeling down or you’re feeling like ‘this is frustrating, I’m never going to get through this’ you just have to try your best to be positive because you never know. You never, ever know. And your blessing is really in your next breath. Sometimes we take the small things for granted, because I was just huffing and puffing about bills and voila – the White House.”


Watch the President’s National Women’s History Month reception speech:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-IMTnhSiIQ[/youtube]