sure students understand that this is my laboratory. I think it helps students understand the creative process. There’s creation and frustration. Experiments go wrong. Sometimes they go right. To be honest, I don’t see a real difference between the creative arts and the sciences. They’re both creative in that you start with an idea, you test it, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.” The Importance of Poetry “Adoptable,” Hicks’ latest collection of poetry, is a study of trans-racial and international adoption, a subject he holds close to his heart. Three years ago, Hicks and his wife adopted their son, Sean Min-gyu from South Korea. “I needed to write that book concurrent to writing the book about the Holocaust. I needed to write about wonderment and
joy and beauty while I was writing about these other things. It balanced me psychologically to write these books at the same time.” To research the collection, he reached out to poets across the country who were adoptees to gain insights about what it’s like to be adopted. When it comes to the power of poetry, Hicks admits he doesn’t mince words. “We always turn to poetry in the most important moments in our life — a birth, a death, a marriage, graduation. And yet, it languishes in daily life. I’m perplexed as to why we turn to it in moments of great importance and we don’t care about it otherwise. This confuses me because we live in such a hyper-fast world. You’d think poetry would be perfect. It’s only a page long.” “The reality is, poetry forces us to cope with our mortality and it forces us to cope with
“... he is passionate about writing; however, more profound is the care he displays for students’ work.” – Jon Josten, Class of 2010 very difficult issues about what it means to be a human. Poetry doesn’t allow us to pretend those issues aren’t there. I really do believe that it takes a lot of bravery to read poetry.” Rising playwright Jon Josten, class of 2010, had Hicks for two writing classes during his time as a student. Josten, who was named a semi-finalist for the prestigious Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference last summer, says he counts Hicks among his mentors. “You subject yourself to a certain level of insanity when you write creative work, and then, you give it to someone
else to read, and you begin to consider the nearest exit. I became comforted that [Dr. Hicks] had been there, in the trenches, through all the excitement of a new idea, the torture of a critique, and the elation when somehow this idea resonated with someone,” Josten said. “In all, I took three classes with Patrick while at Augustana and two of them were writing classes. I know my writing grew under his direction, and I truly feel that is because Patrick has a true gift. Undoubtedly he is passionate about writing; however, more profound is the care he displays for students’ work.”
Spring Events March 23 & 24: Baseball vs. Minnesota Duluth, 12 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park.
April 13: Collegiate Chorale Concert, 3 p.m., Chapel of Reconciliation.
April 27: Viking 5k fun run, 7:30 a.m., Elmen Center. Details at goaugie.com/funrun.
March 24: Passion of St. Mark, featuring The Augustana Choir, Augustana musicians and student actors, 3 p.m., Washington Pavilion.
April 13: “Saturdays at CWS” featuring Gene Smith on digital photography, 10-11 a.m. Free. Contact CWS at 605.274.4007 to register.
April 27: Softball vs. University of Mary, 12 p.m., Bowden Field.
March 26: Softball vs. Wayne State, 3 p.m., Bowden Field.
April 13: Softball vs. Minnesota Duluth, 12 p.m., Bowden Field.
March 27: Softball vs. Colorado Christian, 3 p.m., Bowden Field.
April 14: Softball vs. St. Cloud State, 12 p.m., Bowden Field.
March 29: Baseball vs. Southwest Minnesota State, 1:30 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park.
April 14: Joseph Alessi Recital, 2 p.m., Kresge.
April 2-27: The Art of New Guinea, Eide/Dalrymple Gallery. Opening Reception: 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 5. April 2: Softball vs. Winona State, 3 p.m., Bowden Field. April 2: All City Jazz Concert featuring the Northlanders Jazz Band, 7:30 p.m. Kresge Recital Hall. April 3: Baseball vs. University of Sioux Falls, Ronken Field at Karras Park. April 5-6: Continuing Education Workshops: “Communicating in the 21st Century” and “Discipline with Love and Logic.” Learn more: www.augie.edu/workshops. April 10: Siouxland Trombone Festival. April 10: Softball vs. University of Sioux Falls, 3 p.m., Bowden Field. April 11: Spring Soiree, 5:30 p.m. Minnehaha Country Club. April 12: “The Dirty Little Secret: Human Trafficking in SD,” Augustana Thought Leader Forum featuring Hannah Miller ‘12. 11:30 a.m., Callaways Event Center, Sioux Falls. April 12-13: Continuing Education Workshops: “All Things Lear” & “Managing Stress at Home and Work.” Learn more: www.augie.edu/workshops.
April 16: Opera Theatre Selections, 7:30 p.m., Kresge Recital Hall. April 17: Baseball vs. Upper Iowa, 3 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park. April 18: The Augustana Band/College-Community Band Spring Concert, 7:30 p.m., Washington Pavilion. April 18-19: Library Associates Books & More Sale, held in the Center for Western Studies. April 19-20: Continuing Education Workshop: “Special Education in Today’s Classroom.” Learn more: www.augie.edu/workshops. April 20: Pennington/Consiglio Concert Event, 7:30 p.m., Kresge Recital Hall. April 24: Baseball vs. Minot State, 1:30 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park. April 24: Softball vs. Upper Iowa, 2 p.m., Bowden Field. April 24: Percussion Ensemble Concert, 7:30 p.m., Kresge Recital Hall. April 26-27: Dakota Conference, Center for Western Studies. April 26-27: Lee Piano Competition. Concert featuring guest artist Dr. Steven Spooner, concert pianist and associate professor of Piano at the University of Kansas, 8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, in Kresge Recital Hall.
April 28: Softball vs. Minot State, 12 p.m., Bowden Field. April 28: Baseball vs. Morningside, 2 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park. April 28: Brass Ensembles/Brass Choir Concert, 4 p.m., Kresge Recital Hall. May 2: Augustana Senior Art Show, Eide/Dalrymple Gallery. Gallery Reception set for 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 3. May 3-4: Continuing Education Workshop: “Communication is Key.” Learn more: www.augie.edu/workshops. May 3: Baseball vs. Wayne State, 5 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park. May 4: Baseball vs. Wayne State, 12 p.m., Ronken Field at Karras Park. May 1-5: Theatre: “South Pacific,” Edith Mortenson Theatre. May 7: Northlanders and Jazz Lab Band, 7:30 p.m., Kresge Recital Hall. May 12: Choirs and Orchestra presenting Brahms “Requiem,” 3 p.m., Washington Pavilion. May 16: The Augustana Band and the CollegeCommunity Band Concert, 7:30 p.m., Elmen Center. May 25: Commencement, 2 p.m., Elmen Center. June 21: Augustana/Sam Milanovich Golf Tourney, Willow Run Golf Course, Sioux Falls, Noon shotgun start. June 9-14: Augustana Summer Music Camp for students grades 7-12. www.augie.edu/musiccamp. Learn more and reserve tickets at www.augie.edu.