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FEATURES
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010
The secret life of...
THE TIMES-DELPHIC
Lenore Metrick-Chen
From medicine to art, professor discovers a passion by ANDI SUMMERS
Staff Writer andrea.summers@drake.edu
TRADE-CARD AD IMAGE, for Soapine soap, is part of Metrick-Chen’s studies.
With her beginnings as a Medical Student at the University of Illinois, who knew that Lenore Metrick-Chen would one day become an art history professor at Drake University? “I thought I wanted to be a doctor—I was into biology,” Metrick-Chen said. “I was in a class, Cells and Organelles, and it trained me how to read what we saw on the microscopic slides.” After taking a break from school and then transferring to the University of Chicago, in Chicago, Ill., she went into cultural studies. That is where she took the class that changed it all: Art and Revolution. It was an art history class focusing on the art of the French Revolution, and that was the moment Metrick-Chen knew what she wanted to do. Instead of exploring cells and organelles, she took the skills she learned from photos courtesy of LENORE METRICK-CHEN looking at microscopic slides by looking at what is there and why it is there, combined METRICK-CHEN, with her two daughters, started her college career as a med with her love of culture and delved into art student and, after isnspiration, changed her major. She is now a professor of art and design. history. “I would be the best (student) I ever It is at this time that she started looking “A lot of people think art is one picture could be,” Metrick-Chen said. “I wanted to get straight As and be thorough from the in to contemporary art, and the search be- after another; when you curate it is like a gan to study why journey of pictures creating a narrative, by start. I kept quitting people want art to how they are working together,” Metrickother majors, but be moral. Chen said. “It’s like opening a book. You this was heartfelt.” After looking have to put all the things together, with the After finally for the beginnings connections you start to see.” locking down a maof what people In the future, Metrick-Chen plans to jor, Metrick-Chen have found to be curate a few shows, one being on contemA lot of people think art received a joint moral in art, she porary Chinese art. n Ph.D. from the Uniis one picture after anothtraced it back to versity of Chicago er; when you curate it is the Chinese Excluin the Committee like a journey of pictures sion Acts. At that on Social Thought point in history, creating a narrative, by and the department people from China of art history. Her how they are working towere not allowed dissertation was gether. to enter the U.S. entitled “Collecting but that is the time Objects/ Excludwhen American – PROFESSOR LENORE ing People: Chiart museums were nese Subjects and METRICK-CHEN collecting their art. the American Art Metrick-Chen Discourse, 1879E-mail suggestions to also likes oversee1900.” ing art shows and “I find that the tdfeatures@drake.edu most fascinating is the art of our own worked at the Des Moines Art Center on Grand Avenue before working at Drake. time,” Metrick-Chen said.
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GIANT CHINESE VASE, one of the subjects of MetrickChen’s studies. Was made for and displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876.
R o t c Army program, early class offers fitness, leadership by NATE HEINEKAMP
Staff Writer nathan.heinekamp@drake.edu
Three times a week, around 40 of your fellow classmates are already up busting their butts in ROTC, while you sleep soundly through the morning and pound on the snooze button. ROTC stands for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and is a premier army organization featured all around America and here at Drake. GoArmy.com describes the ROTC as “one of the best leadership courses in the country that will teach you firsthand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups, and conduct missions as an Officer in the Army.” Mary Honeyman, a first-year student and ROTC member, said that ROTC is an army officer program that stresses leadership, both inside and outside the army. The morning class exemplifies this through intense physical exercise. A typical day for Honeyman starts early— very early compared to even the dreaded 8 a.m. class. She gets up at 5:30 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to start off her day. It’s the length of a normal class and, if you register, it is counted as one college credit. The class is open to anyone, and newcomers are welcome to come check it out at any time. Honeyman is unregistered, yet still goes three times a week. Her motivation is not only to get in better shape, but
to also eliminate the pressure of finding time to workout hanging over her head all day. Honeyman said that ROTC is an enlivening way to start off your day, and has proven to be the perfect cure for the infamous “freshman fifteen.” The class is open to people of all skill levels, and they encourage you to go more than once to see results. Participants and instructors alike said that the more students go, the more improvement they see. An added bonus to the class is that it can start at anytime. “This is for anybody,” Honeyman said. “I convinced my friend in Triathlon Club—who is particularly fond of his abs—to join, and I beat him in a sit-up count. I encourage you to go to see the real results.” If the intensity is intimidating, these morning workouts are not intense all the time. The instructors frequently throw in fun games to keep it fresh and exciting. There are also a number of teambuilding exercises, coupled with life lessons that can teach participants how to manage a group outside of the training regimen. A common misconception is that being involved in the ROTC means you have to join the Army. There is absolutely no obligation, and the morning workout should be looked at more as an army physical readiness class. ROTC is also involved in the community. The program hosts Veterans Day memorials each year to honor those who have fought. n
>>Interested in ROTC?
For more information about joining the program or the physical fitness class, contact LT Ben Davis, Military Science Instructor. Benjamin.davis@drake.edu.
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