Anderson University » Music Department

Nursing Major Interned at Mayo Clinic

leiter — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:17:31 +0000

As a young girl, Sarah Walker had visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She knew early on it was a place she belonged and wanted to work at in the future. For Sarah, that dream became reality when she was one of 140 accepted out of 600 applicants to serve as a Summer III nursing intern.

“Mayo Clinic is the number two hospital in the nation and known internationally as a prestigious hospital,” said Sarah. “It is place I always wanted to work.” [Photo on right: Sarah Walker with Clinical Coach]

The Summer III nursing internship program offered at the Mayo Clinic is available between nursing major’s junior and senior years in school. Applicants have to not only submit a 12 page application, but also provide information on their resume, previous clinical experiences, and areas of interest.

After being accepted, the 10-week course consisted of 2 weeks of orientation followed by 8 weeks of one-on-one time with a clinical coach of twelve hour shifts, thirty-six hour weeks.

“We worked as a team with our clinical coach so we were still submerged in nursing and performing tasks but learning alongside a professional as well,” said Sarah.

On her first day, Sarah recalls working with the family of an overdose patient and being “out of her element.” Much of the day she remembers just standing back, observing and not knowing how to properly interact and respond with the family. [Photo on left: Tour of Mayo1 Helipad]

In contrast, on Sarah’s last day she felt so comfortable working that she helped a new Registered Nurse beginning orientation transfer a patient out of the ICU. At the end of the day, the nurse asked questions to Sarah as she responded, “Don’t ask me; I’m just a Summer III intern.” In return, the nurse said she thought Sarah was an RN. She knew then she had chosen the right field after learning so much in so little of time. “By the end of my Summer III experience, I felt comfortable working with patients and families and functioning as an important part of the health care team.”

Offered a job in the Medical ICU after graduation, Sarah has an important decision to make in January. She is not only a nursing major, but also minoring in violin performance. After graduation, she hopes to expand her studies to the music medical research field. Sarah applied in October for the Fullbright Scholarship in Finland to exclusively study music from September 2009 to May 2010.

“Being offered the job in the medical ICU was a true honor because many are not offered jobs after interning,” said Sarah. “Fortunately, it is a job offered to me whether I decide to study in Finland next fall or ready for me when I graduate.”

“My career goal is to provide basic nursing care and also perform research in pioneering new methods of the therapeutic use of music in providing care for both patients and members of the health care team. I plan to compare this research with cross-cultural research and spread musical joy and passion around the world.”

—Stefanie Leiter is the Web Content Manager at Anderson University.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,750 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

AU Recognized as a Leader of Educational Excellence

David Hynds — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:13:24 +0000

Anderson University has received the designation “College of Distinction” in the newly-released 2008-2009 edition of Colleges of Distinction. Unlike traditional numeric-based college guidebooks, this book recognizes and appeals to students’ unique interests, realizing what may be “the best” college for one student, may be vastly different than the best for another.

Approximately 40 colleges in each of the six geographical regions in the U.S. were selected as meeting four key criteria that make a college truly exceptional: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes. These are the “hidden gems” of higher education institutions - as determined by a review board of academicians, guidance counselors, and parents.

“We are truly honored to have received the designation of ‘College of Distinction’ by Students Horizons,” said Dr. Michael Collette, vice president for Enrollment Management and Information Systems. “We believe that this distinction will provide a level of pride for our students and their families for this recognition, and confidence that we have been acknowledged by our peers for having high quality faculty, uncommonly good teaching, nationally recognized programs, and very engaged students.”

Anderson University was required to go through an application process to be considered, be nationally recognized by education professionals, employ outstanding teachers that provide innovative learning experiences, have an active campus and community that allows for personal development, and be highly valued by employers for its outstanding preparation. Colleges of Distinction also recognized an impressive nine other colleges in the state including: Goshen College, Butler University, Manchester College, St. Joseph’s College, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Saint Mary’s College, Taylor University, University of Evansville, and University of Southern Indiana.

College seekers can also visit the Colleges of Distinction website to learn more about featured schools, including Anderson University. Furthermore, visitors can read tips from high school guidance counselors and essays from college students, presidents, and other members of different campus communities.

Student Horizons, Inc. is a digital services company devoted to higher education. Founded in 2002 by concerned parents and admissions professionals, their mission is to enable students to find colleges and universities that appeal to and complement their unique personalities and aspirations. Student Horizons, Inc. is located in Bethesda, MD.

‘Candles and Carols’ lights up the night

David Hynds — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:24:04 +0000

When members of the Anderson University Wind Ensemble gather to practice for the annual “Candles and Carols” concert, they are reminded many times about one element of their performance: Being on TV.

“We spend a lot of time talking about that experience,” said Susan Taylor, director of bands at Anderson University.

The show, which will be held Friday and broadcast during December on PBS stations, requires each of the performing groups to be ready for their close-ups. As they perform, cameras swoop around the stage.

So, directors such as Taylor remind student musicians about the added element.

“They’re not accustomed to having cameras rolling and the cameras are actually on stage. They can literally move up right next to you as you play,” said Taylor.

Freshmen may never have experienced the art of playing an instrument with a camera a few feet away. So Taylor tries to calm any jitters.

She also mentions that cameramen and TV directors tend to focus on tubas, trumpets, French horns and the like — because colored holiday lights reflect nicely off those instruments.

“And if they have any kind of solo, they’re almost assured that they’re going to be on the camera. We prepare them for that so they aren’t startled if someone literally walks up and has a camera right beside their face,” Taylor said.

Some musicians have become accustomed to the camera lens.

“In the back of your mind, you know it’s going to be broadcast on TV so that changes things a little bit,” said Stephen Ragsdale, of Anderson and a junior who plays alto sax in the Wind Ensemble.

The real thrill, however, may be in performing for an eager audience.

“Just the fact you know you’re playing for a large audience, that’s exciting and makes you a little bit nervous. But a lot of times, that helps you play better,” said Ragsdale who is a marketing major.

“Candles and Carols” is perhaps the most anticipated event of the season by the Anderson University School of Music.

More than 250 AU students from the School of Music will participate during the service, including the Chamber Orchestra, Chorale and Men’s Choir, directed by Richard Sowers; the Women’s Chorus, directed by Joani Brandon; the Wind Ensemble, directed by Susan Taylor; and the Dance Ensemble, choreographed by Melodie Carr.

“It is a pleasure for us to give this gift to the Anderson community which faithfully supports us each year,” said Jeffrey Wright, dean of the Anderson University College of the Arts, in a news release.

“Although it is only a small token of appreciation, I know the heart of the holiday season will be unmistakably evident through the music, Scripture readings, and those in our community who unite with one another in spirit and in song,” Wright said.

The audience participates through congregational singing and the candle lighting ceremony at the conclusion of the evening.

Anderson University’s Covenant Productions will tape and distribute the event to television stations nationwide. The program will air through December on stations affiliated with PBS stations, independent regional networks and national affiliates.

Covenant Productions will also produce a DVD and CD of the program. DVDs are $16 each and CDs are $12 each. An order form is available online or may be ordered by calling the School of Music at (765) 641-4450.

If you go:

“Candles and Carols” Christmas concert

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5

Where: Reardon Auditorium, Anderson University

Admission: Free with general seating. DVDs will be sold for $16 each; CDs for $12 each. An order form is available online or may be ordered by calling the School of Music at (765) 641-4450.

—From the Herald Bulletin in Anderson. Story republished with permission.

Luciana Schulle part of Park Place Church of God’s Coolidge Concert Series

leiter — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:35:32 +0000

Luciana Schulle BA ’05 returned to her alma mater recently when her cantata, The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, was performed as part of Park Place Church of God’s Coolidge Concert Series. The cantata tells the story of the many mothers who lost their young adult children in Argentina during what Schulle calls a “dirty war.” Directed by Dr. Rick Sowers, the piece was performed by the women of the Anderson University Chorale, with AU Alumna and faculty member Marci Wagnon as soloist.

Schulle was born in Brazil in 1979, not long after the government in neighboring Argentina quelled protests of the government by the country’s young adults by kidnapping, torturing, and many times killing them. The families never knew what happened to the children after they were ripped from their homes.

What Schulle remembers is the many mothers, adorned with white scarves, holding public marches and demanding the whereabouts of their children. “I grew up knowing their story and it had a huge impact on my life,” she explains. Years later as a graduate music composition student at Butler University, she brought their struggle together in a cantata named for their organization, The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. “I wanted to give these women a musical voice and write this as a tribute to them.”

The cantata, which was performed with chamber orchestra, is sung in Spanish and Latin. It has nine movements, beginning with the night the children are taken from their homes and ending with the mothers today still asking what happened to their children.

The cantata is Schulle’s final thesis for her degree at Butler, which she will receive in December. It was not required for her to find someone to perform her piece. That has just been a special bonus to her. “I never imagined that it would be performed so soon in such a wonderful way,” says Schulle. “I’m so grateful my alma mater is still supporting me.”

Ultimately, Schulle would like to see her piece performed in Argentina.

—Written by Deborah Lilly, editor of Signatures magazine.

Seuss musical brings characters to stage

leiter — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:34:42 +0000

Anderson University opens its newest theatrical season this weekend with a children’s show that should appeal to older generations as well.

After all, with source material as fun and timeless as the Dr. Seuss books, it would take a true Grinch to watch “Seussical” and not crack a smile.

The two-act musical directed by Laurel Goetzinger is an amalgamation of several Seuss books smashed together in the imagination of young boy played by Samuel McKanney. The plot centers around Horton the Elephant (Theodore Hicks), the do-gooder star of the books, “Horton Hears a Who” and “Horton Hatches the Egg.” The Cat in the Hat (Alvin J. Morrison) also plays prominently, acting as tour guide through the land of Seuss.

The Cat and the boy travel through water, jungle and towns encountering a swarm of dancing and singing Seussian characters. The story moves quickly at times, often with no sense of transition, which could befuddle younger audience members. But regardless of age, anyone familiar with theses stores should enjoy seeing them on stage.

As might be hoped for with a whimsical production like “Seussical,” the costumes are a knockout. Set and costume designer Brandon Kirkham and makeup designer Catherine Miller create a colorful batch of human and animal outfits that range from genteel formal wear for the Whos to wild ensembles with leather pants and heavy black boots for the mix of jungle creatures.

The cast and crew were still ironing out a few technical glitches during a dress rehearsal earlier this week, but the actors for the most part gave an impressive run through.

Strong performers play lead and as members of the ensemble. Leah Ashton Eger, a name people may know through her work with AU’s Orangehaus record label, belts out her numbers as Horton’s nemesis the Sour Kangaroo in homage to Aretha Franklin.

As Horton, AU junior Hicks portrays the gentle soul of that large, naïve creature. He also successfully performs some of the show’s few calm moments during songs that are personal mediations about his struggle to stick with his better judgment and not give into the peer pressure from others in the jungle.

Morrison as the Cat is also fun to watch. The part requires a lot of dexterity: humor, physicality and a decent singing voice. Luckily, it’s all there as the Cat beefs up the comedy in almost all of his scenes.

Another gem of the show is senior Debbie Fights as Gertrude, the slim-tailed bird who also pines for Horton. Maybe it’s easy to play the sweet lovefool, but Fights pretty much nails it. She’s doesn’t appear to hold anything back out of fear of being overly playful. If there’s a character that the kids will love, it’s hers.

But parents should not feel like the show has nothing to offer them. If reading Seuss before bed was ever a tradition in your house, whether you were the reader or the one being read to, you’ll leave “Seussical” with a fresh understanding of genius behind those stories.

———–
If you go…

“Seussical” at Anderson University’s Boze Lyric Theatre

Based on the works of Dr. Seuss. Directed by Laurel Goetzinger

Byrum Hall, Anderson University

Friday through Sunday and Oct. 18 and 19

Friday show at 7:30 p.m., Saturday shows at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for military and seniors, $5 for students

For tickets, call the Byrum box office at (765) 641-4351

-Barrett Newkirk is a reporter for the Herald Bulletin. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

2008 John A. Morrison award recipients announced

leiter — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:09:27 +0000

The John A. Morrison faculty award recipient, Dr. Dale Bales, was announced at the annual May luncheon before Bales retirement started while Jan Schmidt was presented the Morrison staff award at the opening session in August. The John A. Morrison award recognizes service to Anderson University as exemplified by Dr. Morrison, the University’s first president. Dr. Morrison had a vision for Christian higher education and gave his time and energy to creating the foundation of what is now Anderson University.

Dr. Dale Bales of the department of chemistry and physics was the eighth person at Anderson University to receive the John A. Morrison faculty award this past year. Bales first joined the faculty of AU in 1976, left for a brief time in the early 1980’s, but returned in 1987 to stay. He has served the institution for 28 years.

Chad Wallace, now chair of the department of chemistry and physics taking over the title from Bales, indicates the following: “I had the great opportunity to know Dale Bales at two different times in my life. The first was when I was a chemistry undergraduate student attending here. ‘Dr. Bales’, as I knew him then, was my teacher, adviser, and mentor. I saw a man of great knowledge, insight, wisdom, and humility. He epitomized to me the perfect blend of scientist and committed Christian.

In fact, for all of these years I have known him, he has almost always been a pastor of some local congregation while excelling in his duties at AU. He so inspired me, that I knew I wanted to attend graduate school so I might one day come back to my alma mater and hope to influence students’ lives a fraction of what he did.”

The recipient of the John A. Morrison staff award has served in various capacities in her lengthy tenure of 34 years with the university. She has been a student, taught classes, and is currently a staff member serving as Manager of Student Technology Services and Group Coordinator for Information Technology Services.

In her most recent assignment, Jan Schmidt, along with her colleagues in the ITS department, has been an integral part of equipping our campus with up-to-date technologies and training us in their use. Schmidt has also committed significant time to leading a number of Tri-S service trips around the world (including Calcutta, India, Grand Cayman and London) where she has developed powerful and meaningful relationships with students and those they served.

The Morrison award is designed to recognize faculty and staff who go beyond excellence in performance and have demonstrated a commitment to something larger than self. Each year, one staff and one faculty member will be selected from those nominated by the faculty and staff and announced at the annual Recognition Luncheon. Nominees for the Morrison Award should demonstrate a commitment to the university’s mission and core values.

—Stefanie Leiter is Web Content Manager at Anderson University.

AU Freshman enrollment up about 15 percent

leiter — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:46:55 +0000

A crew of volunteers swarmed around the residence halls on Anderson University’s campus Thursday waiting for a car, any car, to be unloaded.

As Dean Branson, director of student programming, pointed tightly-packed vehicles toward temporary parking spaces, returning students and some experienced parents waited for any chance they had to help another freshman into the dorms.

“They’re responsible for unpacking, but we get their stuff up to the room as quickly as we can,” Branson said.

Cars came loaded with all the comforts of home — lamps, rugs, television — downsized to fit into each of the single rooms that most students must share with an unfamiliar roommate.

“We have to know that the people coming here have never done this before,” Branson said. “So we have to make them feel at home.”

Hominess is what attracted Nathan Breneman to AU. The freshman from Dublin, Ohio, said the size of the campus made the school seem like a good fit. He was settling into Dunn Hall on Thursday, but said he wasn’t nervous about starting classes, although he was worried that living without his own car would take a lot of getting used to.

His parents were also wondering about how their lives would be different with their oldest son out of the house.

“I just know the home will be a lot quieter,” said Jenny, Nathan’s mother. “He’s the talker. He’s the one who always has something going on.”

Nathan is one of an estimated 600 new undergraduates enrolling at AU this fall, the school reported. The university expects the size of its full-time freshman class to increase between 12 and 15 percent this year, but exact figures will not be known until late September.

Approximately 80 percent of new undergraduate students are coming from Indiana or neighboring states, but 47 states and 30 countries are represented in the total undergraduate population of about 1,850 students, the university reported.

Callie Zelber and Kelly Thomas moved into Rice Hall on Thursday. Strangers less than a year ago, the two girls met though Anderson University’s new social networking site for accepted students, a Web site that lets people seriously considering AU to talk.

Admission’s counselor Christy Kihm said lots of students had found roommates using the site. “It was a big hit.”

Zelber, of Indianapolis, and Thomas, of Miamisburg, Ohio, said they connected over their shared love of the Disney princesses, and now their dorm room is festooned with images of Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.”

The girls said it was a challenge to decide which clothes to bring, and they both made a point to pack photographs and their beloved teddy bears.

With five days left before classes start, Kelly said she’d be using the time to relax, meet some new people, and if there’s time, find out where her classes are. dresser to herself, she joked that it was a good excuse to go buy more clothes.

VIEW FLICKR PHOTO ALBUM OF 2008 MOVE-IN DAY

—Barrett Newkirk is a reporter for the Herald Bulletin. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University projects positive enrollment

David Hynds — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:20:34 +0000

Faculty, staff and returning students are on hand today to unload cars and vans as new students and families arrive on campus. Across all academic units, Anderson University will welcome a total institutional population of approximately 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students when classes open on September 2.

Although precise numbers are not available until the third full week of classes (week of September 22), the university is projecting an increase of 12-15 percent for first-time freshman over last year. Within this year’s enrollment are approximately 600 new undergraduate students and a total undergraduate population of roughly 1,850 students. The AU undergraduate student population includes persons from more than 30 international countries and 47 states.

“New students bring such promise and energy to the campus each year,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University. “We are breaking trends in our region to show a strong growth in new student enrollment. We are prepared for all they will bring to this good place.”

“Several contributing factors can be cited for the current enrollment level,” said Dr. Michael Collette, vice-president for Enrollment Management and Information Systems. “Anderson University has a number of distinctive programs in business, education, communication, art, music and ministry. The school also supports several efforts to provide internships and experiential opportunities for students leading to employment; as well as a longstanding effort to remain affordable despite a national economic downturn.”

Approximately 80 percent of new undergraduate students at Anderson University come from Indiana and contiguous states and represent nearly 60 religious denominations. The average high school grade point average of new undergraduate AU students is 3.4 with 30 percent falling in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. The top five individual majors among new AU undergraduate students are Education, Business, Music, Communication and Nursing.

Students matriculating to Anderson University have indicated that the top five most important factors influencing their college choice were career preparation, job placement services, spiritual atmosphere, quality of faculty and the availability of scholarship and grants.

Graduate divisions of the university are also projecting strong enrollments for the academic year. In addition, the School of Adult Learning at Anderson University will unveil a new online degree program this academic year and will be developing plans to expand their programming for all adult students during the next two years.

AU ranked as a top school by U.S. News and World Report

David Hynds — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:30:47 +0000

US News and World Report has again ranked Anderson University among the best universities in the Midwest offering master’s level degree programs. Institutions in this category offer a full range of both undergraduate and master’s level degree programs. The magazine’s 2008 guide to “America’s Best Colleges” marks the fifth consecutive year that Anderson University has been listed among the best in its class.

To rank schools, US News first organizes colleges and universities by category, and then ranks them within each group. Rankings are based on a wide range of criteria, including academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, and financial resources to name a few.

“While the best college for a given student will always be measured by personal fit, we are truly honored to be listed among the best in our region,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University. “These surveys give our students and their parents the confidence that we are highly regarded and worth considering as they make their important choices for the investment of their college years. We consider this highly regarded listing a tribute to our faculty and staff who are deeply committed to excellence and to student success.”

“We are pleased to be recognized as one of the best colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News and our peer institutions,” said Dr. Michael Collette, vice-president for Enrollment Management and Information Systems. “We are blessed with a strong faculty and we are encouraged by the financial resources provided by donors as well as the continued acknowledgment of our academic strength at an affordable value.”

The US News rankings will appear on the magazine’s web site on Friday, August 22. College-bound students can use the site to search for colleges according to their own interests, fill out interactive worksheets and search for scholarship and financial aid information. Excerpts of the college rankings will be published in the September 1 edition (on newsstands August 25) of the weekly news magazine. The full rankings will be published in the annual America’s Best Colleges guidebook, also available in libraries and bookstores on August 26.

AU offers campers lessons on music world

leiter — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:58:01 +0000

For the first time, Anderson University is hosting a summer camp for teenagers considering careers in the music industry.

The camp, an offshoot of the university’s student-run recording label Orangehaus Music, offers campers early exposure to sound engineering, music marketing and other skills not usually covered outside of a recording label office or college class.

“We’re just seeing a growing trend that high school students are interested in the music business and how to become independent artists,” said Rebecca Chappell, an AU music business professor who organized the five-day camp.

The goal of the camp, she said, was to give students a big enough taste of the music industry so that they leave either feeling confident about going into the music industry or knowing it’s not for them.

Most of the 38 campers hail from the Midwest, but some live as far away as Texas and Georgia.

With sessions on sound editing, song writing and artist promotions, Chappell said, the students are getting the basic information from AU’s complete music business curriculum and then participate in a real recording session before the camp ends Saturday.

Based on each student’s interest, the campers are divided into groups. Then, beginning today, each group will work with professional sound engineers and producers to compile a CD. The songs it will include are a mix of original compositions and covers, but students will help produce each track.

“They’re getting a crash course,” said Joe Freeman, an AU instructor who is leading the camp’s sound editing workshops. “What the average student would learn in three months, they’re getting in six hours.”

On Wednesday, Ben Sanborn, 16, of Warsaw was manipulating the bass line of a musical track using the popular professional music editing software Pro Tools. Ben, who is thinking of becoming a sound engineer, had used similar programs, but nothing as complex as Pro Tools.

“It’s not entirely different,” he said. “Once you pick it up, it’s great.”

Sarah Warner, 18, of Galloway, Ohio, said the camp was teaching her about aspects of the music business that she’d not considered before. She’d just listened to Chappell talk about all the opportunities artists have to promote their music online, and while Warner said she regularly checks out singers on MySpace, she was learning that the music business is more than that.

“There’s a lot more to it than I thought,” Warner said. “It’s not just music. It’s how you get it out into the world.”

If you go:
What: Orangehaus Rock!, a concert open to the public and part of the Orangehaus Music Business Camp at Anderson University

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: AU’s Byrum Hall

Featuring Sense of Reverence and Réaul

Tickets: $5

—Barrett Newkirk is a reporter for the Herald Bulletin in Anderson. Story republished with permission.