SCENE (online) :: The Magazine of Schreiner University

On January 24 Monday Night Fiction featured a discussion of Edward Abbey’s last book, “Hayduke Lives,” led by Schreiner science professor Fred Stevens. According to Professor Stevens, Abbey, who died in the late 1980s, was a truly significant fiction and non-fiction naturalist writer. His books deal with core environmental controversies such as wilderness preservation, ecological morality, and the place of private property in our American culture.

On February 2, Schreiner University Campus Ministry, in cooperation with the Texas Heritage Music Foundation and the Student Activities Board, sponsored an all-star Coffeehouse Concert featuring singer-songwriter David LaMotte and comedian Preacher Moss. There was an open mike session immediately following LaMotte’s performance.

Dr. John E. George, Laboratory Director for the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Laboratory in Kerrville, delivered the first Harry Crate lecture of the 2005 season at Schreiner University on February 24. The topic of his lecture was “Cattle Fever Ticks and Texas Fever in the United States: Past and Present.”

The Knipling-Bushland Lab is known among professionals as a world-class facility addressing the complex issues in insect-associated livestock disease, and is renowned as the leader in beating back the screwworm infestation that threatened the entire North American cattle industry in the 1950s.

Schreiner student August Blackburn and Dr. Bob Holloway, and student David Mauk and Dr. Jennifer Sadow presented at the Spring 2005 meeting of the Texas Academy of Science. In addition, Dr. Fred Stevens and Dr. Bill Sliva attended with seven other students—Margie Diaz, Miguel Puga, Ann Stock, Rosalind Leach, Katie Villareal, Kristen Morton and Corinna Fox.

Fourteen Schreiner University students, mostly juniors, participated in the 2005 Mountaineer Leadership Conference on Schreiner campus the weekend of February 25–26. Participants were selected from among outstanding campus leaders by members of the faculty and honors program. They heard lectures and engaged in workshops and exercises designed to enhance their personal and professional competencies as effective leaders. Coordinator of the 2005 Leadership Conference, Mary MacWithey of Schreiner’s Logan Library, noted that “The students had an opportunity to learn a great deal that will enhance their ability to function effectively as leaders in a variety of situations. In addition, they met some inspiring speakers, participated in interesting activities, and generally had a great time.”

In December 2004, Schreiner freshman Patrick Paya (right) climbed Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro with his father and brother Alex.

The Schreiner University Choir, returning from a successful performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City, performed a program on March 8 at First Presbyterian Church featuring a wide variety of musical styles, ranging from Handel’s “Praise the Lord” to several pieces by John Rutter, performed by the choir at Carnegie Hall, entitled “Mass of the Children.”

Dr. Kathleen Hudson, professor of English, offered a humorous and candid perspective on Texas music speaking in the persona of the legendary Belle Starr for a Chautauqua Lecture Series presentation on March 21.

Dr. Don Rose, a noted bioscientist and partner in Heleos Advisors, a specialized venture capital firm, was the featured speaker in the Harry Crate lecture series on March 22. Dr. Rose’s topic was “From Concept to Cash: Commercializing Technology in the Bioscience Industry.” Dr. Rose is a pioneer in the field of nanotechnology —the science of ultra-small biological “machines”—and has been instrumental in the development of the analytical technology which recently completed mapping the human genome.

On March 23, the Center for Innovative Learning and the “Speak Truth to Power” lecture series welcomed Dr. Larry Sechrest, professor of economics at Sul Ross State University, and author of the controversial November 2004 Texas Monthly article “A Strange Little Town in Texas.” Professor Sechrest, who still teaches at Sul Ross, discussed academic freedom, First Amendment rights, death threats, censorship, and what he’s learned about his “strange little town” since first publishing his observations.

With so many of the world’s poor people living literally in cardboard boxes and worse, students at Schreiner put on a “Shack-a-Thon” on April 1-2 to emphasize the atrocious conditions suffered by the poor world-wide and to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Sponsored by the Non-Traditional Students Association and Campus Ministries, this annual event awards prizes for the most innovative engineering and design concepts. A special event also included in the festivities was designed to raise funds for the victims of genocide in the Darfur region of Ethiopia. In what has become a Schreiner tradition, teams of students, accompanied by live music and vast quantities of pizza and soft drinks created shacks from any and all available materials from cardboard to plastic, from bird nests to squeegees.

On April 11 Dr. William Woods, associate professor of English and the Center for Innovative Learning presented a discussion and analysis of “Vernon God Little” by DBC Pierre, a darkly comedic portrait of the fictional town of Martirio, Texas, a community reeling in the aftermath of an horrific school shooting. This was the final session of the popular Schreiner series “Monday Night Fiction.”

Schreiner University hosted its 15th Annual Texas Writers Conference on April 12. The featured writer at this year’s conference was the acclaimed young poet Shin Yu Pai. Shin conducted an open workshop in the Cailloux Campus Activity Center, and that evening the conference hosted an open mike event with Shin reading from her poetic work.

On April 1, Capt. Ed Wallace, USN (Ret.) of the Naval Academy Foundation, visited Schreiner University to review the Greystone program and the Schreiner academic, extracurricular, and athletic programs. Capt. Wallace’s purpose in visiting Schreiner was to gain a better understanding of both the Greystone program and Schreiner’s rigorous first-year curriculum in calculus, chemistry and English, three key areas of academic preparation for entrance into the Naval Academy.

Admission to the U.S. Naval Academy is very selective, with only 1,150 slots available for the approximately 13,000 applicants each year; young women constitute approximately 17% of those selected. Wallace explained that the Greystone program is unique because students actually attend college-level classes rather than advanced high school classes, which is the case in all of the 23 schools with which the Naval Academy Foundation currently has affiliations.

Kirsten Komara has been appointed director of the Writing Center and Honors Program. She received her master’s degree in English from St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and her doctorate in English from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Toni Bryant was named director of financial aid in February. Most recently she was financial aid director at Clarendon College. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from New Mexico State University.

Sam Davis has been named assistant director of admissions. He previously served as admissions counselor at Texas State University in San Marcos.

In Schreiner’s Advancement Office, Mignonne Frantzen has been promoted Director of Development and Jack Steele has been promoted Major Gift/Campaign Officer.

Roger Widmeyer has been named director of university relations. He was senior communications analyst for Mayor Lee Brown of Houston, and director of public relations for the Harris County Hospital District (Houston). He also has taught English and speech at several colleges.

The Center for Innovative Learning is spotlighted in a new community-wide television program hosted by Schreiner staff writer Bill Drake.

This program, “Conversations from the Heart of Schreiner,” features lively discussions with Schreiner faculty, staff and students as well as community residents involved with Schreiner.

These programs are videotaped at the public access television studios at Tivy High School and are broadcast on Cable Channel 2 in Kerrville.

Programs produced this spring have featured Assistant Professor David Smith describing the background of the Christo/Jeanne-Claude “Gates” project in New York’s Central Park; Greystone director David Bailey and two Greystone students Daniel Rocha and William Israel who have since received U.S. Naval Academy appointments; Instructor of Information Systems Ray Walls describing the Microsoft Certified Systems engineer certification that he and Assistant Professor David Teneyuca teach at Schreiner; and Professor Kathleen Hudson with the Center for Innovative Learning founder Jeanne Slobod and Donna Robinson discussing the “Past is Prologue” gathering that takes place at Schreiner each summer. A full schedule of approximately 20 programs is planned for the 2005-06 academic year.

online giving

Supporting Schreiner University is easier than ever now. Please visit our Online Giving Web site at www.schreiner.edu/giving/ where you can make a secure gift—one that will benefit Schreiner students for years to come—in a matter of seconds.

If you have questions, contact Mignonne Frantzen, director of development, MRFrantzen@schreiner.edu or phone (830) 792-7208.

Schreiner University hosted the 35th Biennial Conference of Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Society in April. The students presented their undergraduate mathematics research. The states represented were California, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

Dr. Thomas Noonan and registered nurse Gloria Algeo have recently joined Schreiner and will manage
the school’s Health and Wellness Center, a free service for students.

Dr. Noonan began what he calls “Phase Two of my life,” when he retired from his practice as a vascular surgeon in June 2004 and moved to Kerrville from Port Arthur. Dr. Noonan has fairly deep Kerrville roots. “I was born and raised in San Antonio, and I have some great friends in Kerrville,” he says.

“My grandfather married a Kerrville girl and my dad was an architect who worked on several Schreiner buildings.”

Dr. Noonan volunteers his time and skills at Schreiner’s clinic Tuesdays, 12 p.m.—3 p.m. and Thursdays 10 a.m.— 1 p.m., and by appointment.

“It’s wonderful working with young people,” says Gloria Algeo, RN, “helping them learn how they can help themselves.” Algeo is the new director of the clinic on campus, joining Schreiner in February of this year.

The Health and Wellness Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Algeo dispenses over-the-counter medications for aches and pains and minor illnesses such as cold or mild flu. Importantly, she is a knowledgeable resource for students. Algeo worked for Cigna healthcare system in Phoenix for 19 years before coming to Kerrville.