CALE Newsletter | Summer 2018

2018 COLLEGE OF ARTS, LETTERS AND EDUCATION

DEAN’S CORNER – GREETINGS FROM DEAN ROY SONNEMA

Eastern Washington University is a large and complex organization encompassing many different kinds of people and many different kinds of activities. But all of us who are part of Eastern family are focused on one fundamental objective: the success of our students. So I am pleased that our current newsletter is highlighting the achievements and success for many of our students across various disciplines. The success stories noted here are just the tip of the iceberg.

Whether they be small incremental steps of personal growth, or large milestones of academic or career achievement, we celebrate the success of all our students.

Roy Sonnema, PhD Dean, College of Arts, Letters and Education

ewu.edu/cale

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT – SARA GOFF, DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND FILM INTERIM CHAIR

“If you are lucky, you’ll find one choice soul who will become for you your safe ground. You’ll find in them someone who gathers your war shield and says, No, I will carry this for you. I will go before you and lead the way.”- John Rybicki In February 2018, Jeff Sanders and I had the extraordinary honor of performing a staged reading of our newest play, We are a Poem at our regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. We adapted the play from the collected works of poets John Rybicki and Julie Moulds. We are a Poem is a celebration of an indomitable love in the face of horrific suffering and loss. John Rybicki and Julie Moulds were not only partners in life but fellow poets in arms with their soulful and enraptured rendering of Julie’s long battle with cancer.

The bulk of the adaptation process occurred in a very concentrated two-month period during the summer of 2016. Rybicki was at the first performance and hugged me tighter and longer than I think I’ve ever been hugged (at least by someone I’ve never met before). It was a tremendously moving moment for me as an artist. I had been slightly worried about exploiting the tragedy of his life and worried he wouldn’t like the play or that we wouldn’t do the material justice. He erased all those doubts for me. I am now eager to fully produce the play for him and Julie. Their extraordinary love story deserves to be told and the world needs to be bathed in love and light right now. The play reminds us that we are all part of one human family. What better reason to create art. Right?

The past two years have been full of new experiences. I discovered that poetry could be adapted into a dramatic context. Or, at least I discovered that Jeff and I could find some success in adapting poetry. I wasn’t sure that we would be able to find a dramatic structure to successfully string together two different poets’ works. I knew the language was beautiful but I wasn’t at all sure that a play could emerge. I also discovered that I still love and admire my husband and artistic partner very much. The tremendous responsibility of parenting two small children while maintaining a beloved but demanding career takes a toll on everything. Working on the play strengthened my marriage, my teaching and my own appreciation for life and the many blessings it contains. I am far more appreciative of the value of time and try not to waste it…another prominent theme in the play.

Students and faculty in the College of Arts, Letters and Education owe much of their success to donors like YOU who financially support the activities and academic scholarship you read about in this newsletter. THANK YOU!

GIVE NOW ewu.edu/GiveToCALE

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STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES ART

Members of the Pottery Place Plus (PPP) reached out and asked if the Art Department had students who were interested in an internship opportunity.

Since the Art Department doesn’t have internships as defined by EWU, they turned the idea into a mentor opportunity.

Katrina Walker (Kat) was in Chair Jodi Patterson’s art education class and mentioned her interest in a mentorship.

PPP visited my students on three occasions to discuss the process and jury in an artist.

Walker has to volunteer at the PPP for 11 hours a month, and in return, she is granted space to display her wares. Her mentor helped her think about different aspects of the pottery business like price points, marketing strategies, and display tactics. Walker had work on display this past May in both the Capstone show and the Symposium and Art Alley (MayFest).

She has also received a full ride to University of Idaho.

MUSIC Wyatt Wireman is graduating from Eastern Washington University as the Music Department’s recipient of the Frances B. Huston Award.

He is receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in double bass performance.

Wireman is a native

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of Richland, and graduated from Richland High School in 2014. He has been an active member of the Music Department throughout his time at EWU. This includes performing with nearly all of our ensembles: orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz bands and combos and chamber music. With these various ensembles, Wireman has also performed at several of the state music conferences. He was a winner of the 2018 EWU Concerto Competition and performed a solo with the EWU Orchestra on their spring concert.

Wireman is currently studying under Kim Plewniak and Josh Skinner, with additional study under Scott Steed, Patrick McNally, David Allen Moore, Jordan Anderson, Travis Gore and Jeff Bradetich. He is a substitute member in multiple orchestras and other ensembles across eastern Washington and North Idaho. Wireman will be attending The Cleveland Institute of Music in fall 2018 to pursue a master’s degree in double bass performance with Scott Dixon and Derek Zadinsky of The Cleveland Orchestra.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION, HEALTH AND RECREATION

Session 1: Advocating for state and national K-12 quality physical education

Session 2: How to implement out-ofschool programs to better prepare future PE teachers The session proposals were approved through a competitive peer-review process. This was an once-in-a-lifetime experience for these EWU PE students to share their experiences and meet quality professionals in their field.

Erin Locke (pictured above in bottom right), was selected as the 2018 Commencement student speaker for the CALE, CSTEM and CHSPH morning ceremony.

THEATRE AND FILM Two EWU theatre majors, Hazel Bean and Hannah McLauglin, advanced to the Irene Ryan acting competition at the 2018 region 7 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. More than 280 student actors participated in this scholarship audition from a nine-state region. The finals are comprised of 16 competitors and the EWU theatre program outperformed most schools in the region. Bean took home the Mark Twain Comedy award for her outstanding comedic performance.

EWU also had one student, Scott Worley, advance to the finals of the musical theatre auditions.

Below is a picture of Hazel Bean taken during her latest performance in Clybourne Park (spring 2018)

EWU Health and Physical Education (PE) students Ryan Herrera, Magen Potter-Netz, Erin Locke and David Wiggins, and Professors Carri Kreider, PhD and Laurie Morley, PhD, presented two sessions at the national PE conference (SHAPE America) in Nashville this spring.

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ONLINE MEd PROGRAM SET FOR LAUNCH Starting this fall, EWU will expand access to its MEd degree by offering a fully online program with five concentration areas as well as a certificate program.

The Early Childhood Education concentration prepares educators for leadership roles in grades P-3 public and private schools as well as public agencies such as Head Start, or childcare centers.

The Literacy concentration prepares graduates for a P-12 reading endorsement as well as a number of roles, including classroom teacher with enhanced skills in literacy instruction or reading specialist.

The Curriculum and Instruction concentration provides preparation for lead teacher roles as well as building-level positions that involve curriculum planning or instructional design.

The Adult Education concentration readies graduates for post-secondary educational settings, including vocational or GED programs, corporate and nonprofit organizations, or military training programs. Some graduates teach in community colleges or serve as university adjuncts.

The Educational Leadership concentration has two pathways – one to prepare a graduate for certification as a principal and another to prepare for school leadership roles such as department head or curriculum coach.

The Principal Certificate Program prepares educators who already have a master’s degree to become effective school leaders whether as a principal, assistant principal or program administrator. Based on state and national standards, the program satisfies the requirements of the Washington State Department of Public Instruction.

Working educators can earn a first-rate MEd or Principal Certificate while continuing to work and keep personal commitments.

PECHAKUCHA As part of Dean Sonnema’s CALE Talk initiative, CALE hosted two PechaKucha-style gatherings during spring quarter. PechaKucha is a simple presentation format where the presenter shows 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images advance automatically and the presenter talks along to the images. Faculty members were encouraged to speak on any topic of interest for these presentations, some of which included Aristotle, the history of the Yinyang symbol, music and social change, Brahmavadinis, and Islam in American literature.

The April 6 event featured presentations from Professor HenyYork Steiner, Professor Justin Young, Professor Christopher Kirby and Professor Sheila Woodward. The May 11 event featured Professors Kathryn Julyan, Daniel Pschaida, Ian Green and Jonathan Johnson.

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CALE ADMITTED STUDENTS DAY

Admitted Students Day was held again in April on four consecutive Fridays. This annual event, sponsored by Admissions, is an opportunity for admitted students and their families to come to campus, receive tours and meet faculty in their programs of interest. The event provides an opportunity for students to really get to know the campus community and make an informed decision about whether they want to officially become an Eagle. The emphasis this year was on engaging with faculty and through these conversations encouraging students to discover their academic identity and how that might be aligned with programs in the college.

CALE experimented with a slightly different format this year during the college showcase hour. Each department had a table with items representative of the majors in the department and students and their families were able to visit with faculty at each table. The event was very well attended and students and their families seemed very excited by the interactions.

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CROSS COLLABORATION AT ITS BEST

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A faculty-led student project was presented this past April at the 2018 Rocky Mountain Printmaking Conference in Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho – hosted by University of Idaho (U of I) and Washington State University. The project entailed the showcasing of EWU student artwork from six students in the ART 396 unconventional printmaking course. This was a unique opportunity as it was a collaboration of students from three colleges CALE, CSTEM and CSS across multiple disciplines. Adjunct Reinaldo Gil Zambrano created the “Unconventional Printmaking” course with this project in mind and the focus was to make art that could be displayed in unconventional places (think street art). For this course, EWU students carved out large woodblocks, inked/printed designs on paper, trimmed their works and pasted/installed three murals in public places.

The mural shown here was hung during the Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance on the U of I’s North Art Building. U of I will seal the mural with the hopes of having it on permanent display. This was a big task for all involved (teachers, students, Alliance planners) and it was gratefully supported by the EWU deans and provost. Many art faculty and EWU alumni attended the conference and watched the art be installed. This project serves as an example of how art builds community from the inside out. ART MATTERS!

ESTONIA – A STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITY

Faculty leader Kristina Ploeger and co-leader Carolyn Jess traveled with 14 students from the EWU Symphonic Choir and four local high school choir directors to the country of Estonia, specifically to the cities of Tallinn, Parnu, and Tartu. The group had a life-changing opportunity and experienced the rich historical background of ethnic Estonian music, felt the depth of what music can do for a society as they witnessed this culture first-hand, and were also afforded an environment for their own personal transformation.

Estonia was the perfect place for the music students to extend their learning beyond the classroom as it is where music has literally formed a revolution and transformed an entire country. It is a country of song and the only country to start and end a nonviolent revolution with song. In 1987, 100,000 Estonians gathered for five days in the Song Festival grounds to protest and eventually (in 1991) separated themselves from the Soviet Union without violence.

Students were able to see and experience a culture where singing is not only a deeply personal expression, but also a way of life. Most adults in Estonia take part in one or more choirs during the week. The entire culture is built around singing and dancing. These activities are not just for the cultured few. Singing is part of everyone’s life and appreciated by everyone. Western music, in particular, is of great interest to Estonian choristers.

Students were able to perform in each of the cities during their visit. The photo above is their performance in the city of Tallinn.

GET LIT! PROGRAMS CELEBRATED 20 YEARS

Get Lit! Programs celebrated an impressive milestone this April; this year’s festival marked the program’s 20th anniversary, and it was a week to remember! The festival kicked off with a ’90s-themed reading and the release of a 20th anniversary anthology. The anthology featured work from many of the fantastic writers who have taken part in the festival during the past 20 years, including such legends as Tess Gallagher and Robert Bly. Readers at the kickoff event included Hanif Abdurraqib, Chelsea Martin, Jess Walter and many others.

The festival featured 50 events this year, the most in Get Lit!’s rich history, including a sold-out evening with New York Times bestselling author Anne Lamott. The festival also featured craft classes with highly sought after writers like Maggie Smith and Brit Bennett, outdoor readings, children’s activities, poetry slams, Pie & Whiskey, and even literary themed happy hours.

Get Lit! is housed within EWU, but it is a nonprofit program that relies on community and university sponsorships, grants, ticket and merchandise sales, donations and other fundraising efforts.

Visit our website for more information on becoming a sponsor for next year’s festival, or to find out how to be part of next year’s lineup.

CALE CALE AWARDS CEREMONY

2017-18 DEAN’S EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS AND MENTORS

2017-18 FRANCES B. HUSTON AWARD WINNERS Every year seven students are chosen by each of CALE’s seven departments as the recipients of the Frances B. Huston Medallion. The Frances B. Huston Award is awarded to graduating seniors who have achieved academic excellence (3.75 or higher GPA) and have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities at Eastern and/or in the community.

• Art: Joel Gaytan • Education: Kelsey McCune • English: Tania Nunez-Guzman • Modern Languages and Literatures: Jeremiah Serrell • Music: Wyatt Wireman • Physical Education, Health and Recreation: Erin Locke • Theatre and Film: Mica Pointer

Celebrating excellence in student contributions, achievements, faculty inspiration and student mentorship, the Dean’s Student Excellence Award is awarded to outstanding graduating seniors who have demonstrated distinguished excellence and achievements within their department, the college, university and the community.

Art • Student Olivia Evans with faculty mentor Associate Professor Jenny Hyde Education • Student Sunshine Hunt with faculty mentor Assistant Professor Allison Wilson • Student Taylor McDevitt with faculty mentor Assistant Professor Allison Wilson

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Music • Student Brenden Bachaud with faculty mentor Julia Salerno

Physical Education, Health and Recreation • Student Emily Dunston with faculty mentor Assistant Professor Katie Taylor • Student Naomi Eastland with faculty mentor Associate Professor Garth Babcock Theatre and Film • Student Austin Hobbs with faculty mentor Assistant Professor Elisha Miranda

FACULTY/STAFF/TEAM EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS These individuals embody the college’s mission and values. The purpose of the six college awards is to recognize and commend outstanding faculty and staff who have put forth the extraordinary commitment to represent their department, the college, and the university.

• Classified and Exempt Excellence Award: Kate Peterson (Get Lit!) • Faculty Teaching Excellence Award: Professor Gus Nollmeyer (education)

English • Student Katelyn Domitrovich with faculty mentor Professor Johnathan Johnson • Student Aubrey Hamilton with faculty mentor Assistant Professor Sean Agriss

• Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activities Excellence Award: Professor Kathryn Baldwin (education)

Modern Languages and Literatures • Student Annsley Buller with faculty mentor Assistant Professor Miguel Novella • Student Rachel Musser and faculty mentor Associate Professor Gina Petrie

• Team Excellence Award: Education Department

• Faculty Service Excellence Award: Professor Natalia Ruiz-Rubio (modern language and literatures)

• Campus Partner Excellence Award: Office of Grants and Research Development

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FACULTY NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS Kate Crane, English Kate Crane, PhD, has published a book, Fundamentals of User-Centered Design: A Practical Approach. She is co-author with Brian Still.

Paul Lindholdt, English Paul Lindholdt, PhD, has recently published his book called The Spokane River. The book gives a history of the river, with 28 individuals ranging from storytellers to scientists contributing to the text.

Jonathan Middleton, Music Jonathan Middleton, PhD’s research paper, Sonification with musical characteristics: a path guided by user engagement, was accepted for presentation at ICAD18. The conference was hosted by the Michigan Technological University in June.

Middleton is the lead author among 10 international contributors. ICAD stands for the International Community for Auditory Display. The field of sonification is related to human computer interaction (HCI). His research seeks ways to link the field of auditory display with musical characteristics for analytical purposes.

Jodi Patterson, Art On May 15, the Washington Art Education Association’s regional ESD 101 art teachers met with Professor Jodi Patterson, chair of the Art Department and head of the art education program, for their final meeting of the school year. After

the meeting attendees viewed student artwork in the gallery (which featured several art education majors) and attended other symposium events.

Gina Petrie, Modern Languages and Literatures Gina Petrie, PhD, has forthcoming articles and was recently selected by the U.S. Department of State for a prestigious English Language Specialist assignment. The following is a statement from a press release issued after the announcement of her selection: “The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Dr. Gina Mikel Petrie of Eastern Washington University for a six-week English Language Specialist project focusing on needs analysis, mentoring, and materials development in the English Department and in the English for Tourism and English for Hospitality programs in Jordan at the Ammon Technical College. Petrie is part of a select group, as one of approximately 80 U.S. citizens each year selected to serve on an English Language Specialist assignment.”

PROMOTIONS To Senior Lecturer Tim Sedor, Education To Associate Professor Sean Agriss, English To Full Professor Jamie Neely, English Beth Torgerson, English

AWARDED EMERITUS Jane Liu, PhD Education Philip Weller, PhD English Sally Winkle, PhD Modern Languages and Literatures

*Correction from our winter 2018 newsletter – Jody Graves, PhD, is a full professor, and her website can be found at www.drjodygraves.com.

College of Arts, Letters and Education 343 Patterson Cheney, WA 99004

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