UCA grad directs AETN WWII exhibit

UCA grad directs AETN WWII exhibit
"In Their Words," the interactive World War II exhibit now on display at AETN's headquarters on the UCA campus, is just one facet of a comprehensive oral history project directed by UCA graduate Gabe Gentry.

Gentry and his team have conducted nearly 400 hours of oral archival interviews with World War II veterans in Arkansas. UCA history professor Dr. Roger Pauley has worked as a project historian for "In Their Words" and the current exhibit.

Gentry also directed and co-produced "Their Journey," a documentary that accompanies the "In Their Words" project. "Their Journey" follows 47 Arkansas World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorial built in their honor, and its premiere coincided with the premiere of the Ken Burns' epic "The War" on PBS.

The exhibit is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in AETN's atrium at Donaghey and Beatrice Powell Street. You can also experience the oral history archive being showcased and expanded by AETN at www.intheirwords.org.

AETN, a statewide public television network with five analog and six digital transmitters located throughout the state, has been located on the UCA campus since 1966. While the two entities are not officially affiliated, UCA President Lu Hardin and AETN Executive Director Allen Weatherly have expanded the long-term partnership. Weatherly was recently elected in a nationwide vote to the PBS Board of Directors.

Visiting historian to deliver lecture on Friday

Visiting historian to deliver lecture on Friday

Jason Parker, a history professor at Texas A&M University, will present a lecture this Friday at 2 p.m. in Irby 215. His topic will be "The American Lake or the Castro Caribbean? The United States, the Cold War, and the Decolonization of the West Indies."

Oxford University Press will soon publish Parker's new book, entitled, "The United States, Race, and Empire in the British Caribbean, 1937-1962." Parker's lecture is sponsored by the History Department and Phi Alpha Theta, UCA's student honor society in history.

UCA Bears - Pep Rally Report

There was a pep rally today (held on the front lawn by Irby and the fountain) at 2 pm. The cheerleaders, dance team and band got everybody off to a great start...with a quick 'pep talk' by Coach Conque pumping up the crowd for Saturday's game.

He encouraged everyone to come out to the game Saturday...and to tailgate and CHEER LOUDLY! Lots of Bear Den t-shirts seen worn in the crowd.

The Big Bear is Back!

Wing Stop was out in full support....throwing out t-shirts to the crowd...and then with a wing-eating contest! (oh my!)

The band sounded great...and everyone chanted along with the fight song...GO BEARS!!!

At the game....The student section will be by the band...with the first three rows for folks painted up and spirited out!

Don't forget...we're playing Tennessee-Martin at 6 pm on Saturday!

Enola Gay navigator to be honored at UCA

Enola Gay navigator to be honored at UCA
September 13, 2007
Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, the navigator on the Enola Gay, which performed the first atomic bombing mission to Hiroshima, Japan, will be honored at a reception on Monday at UCA.

Van Kirk is coming to UCA in advance of the Sept. 23 premiere of two World War II documentaries on the Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN): "The War," a seven-part film by Ken Burns; and "Their Journey: A Veterans' Tribute Tour," a 90-minute AETN production about 47 World War II veterans from Arkansas who traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit the National World War II Memorial in a four-day "Tribute Tour" in June.

"Their Journey" will air at 5 p.m. on Sept. 23, to be followed by "The War" at 7 p.m. For a complete list of related programming and events, visit www.aetn.org/thewar.

Senator Blanche Lincoln at UCA Campus on Thursday

Earlier this year, in May, U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln met with member of the Arkansas Physical Therapy Association in Washington D.C.

On Thursday, the senator will be paying a visit to UCA to attend a reception with students and faculty and tour the Physical Therapy Center.

Congrats to the folks at the PT Center!

UCA Centennial Orchestra Concert September 23rd

Tickets are on sale now for the University of Central Arkansas Centennial Orchestra Concert at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall.

The concert, conducted by Israel Getzov, music director of the Conway Symphony Orchestra and assistant professor of music at UCA, is set for 4 p.m. Sept. 23. It will feature the UCA Chamber Orchestra, Conway Symphony Orchestra and guests, the Fujian Chamber Orchestra from Fuzhou, China. The concert will feature a world premiere of a Fanfare celebrating UCA's Centennial, composed by UCA alumnus Zachary Stanton.

The Chinese delegation will include 34 musicians, graduates of the major Chinese conservatories, said Dr. Jeff Jarvis, chair of the Department of Music at UCA. He said the orchestra would play classical Chinese music and Chinese art music with traditional Chinese instruments, such as bamboo flute and the stringed instrument the erhu as solos.

"Fuzhou is a small town of 3 million across the straits from Taiwan," Jarvis said. "Izzy (Getzov) met these folks a few years ago. He's their principal guest conductor. The last three summers, he has taken three or four UCA students to play with the orchestra."

"We have a relationship with East China Normal University through our international programs office," Jarvis said. "We have three students on campus from that music school, and this friendship with Fuzhou. Mr. Cao would like them to come here and learn the nuances of Western music. We're working on that."

The head of music at East China Normal, a former conductor of the Shanghai Philharmonic, will come to UCA to play a concerto in October. Jarvis and Getzov will return to China in January to make plans to send 10-12 UCA music faculty to do summer residencies at a prime venue in Shanghai.
In February, the East China Normal student orchestra will appear in Conway, Arkadelphia and Memphis.

Tickets, $25 for the general public, $15 for the UCA community and $10 for UCA students with I.D., are on sale at the Reynolds Box Office. Hours for the box office are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Or tickets are available by phone at 450-3265 or (866) 810 0012 or at www.uca.edu/tickets.

For more information, call the Office of the Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication, at (501) 450-3293 or e-mail gayles@uca.edu.

UCA Farris Lecture - Speaker Robert F. Kennedy Jr

from the campus news....

Noted environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will deliver the inaugural Farris Lecture at the University of Central Arkansas on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

The event, which will be free and open to the public, will take place at 7 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on the UCA campus. After his address, entitled "Crimes Against Nature," Kennedy will participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience, and a book signing will follow.

The Farris Lecture is a new endowed lecture series established through a gift to the UCA Foundation from UCA alumna Elizabeth Farris and Dr. William Sorrels. It is named in honor of Farris' father, former UCA President Jeff Farris Jr., during whose tenure the UCA Honors College was founded 25 years ago by Norbert Schleder. This year's event also serves as the UCA Centennial Lecture for the Honors College.

An invitation-only reception will take place at 5 p.m. in UCA's Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center, which adjoins Reynolds Performance Hall.

For more information about the lecture and related activities, call the UCA Honors College at (501) 450-3198.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s reputation as a resolute defender of the environment stems from a litany of successful legal actions. Kennedy was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes for the Planet" for his success in helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. The group's achievement helped spawn more than 125 Waterkeeper organizations across the globe.

Kennedy serves as senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and president of Waterkeeper Alliance. He is also a clinical professor and supervising attorney at Pace University School of Law's Environmental Litigation Clinic and is co-host of Ring of Fire on Air America Radio. Earlier in his career, he served as assistant district attorney in New York City. He has worked on several political campaigns, including the presidential campaigns of Edward M. Kennedy in 1980, Al Gore in 2000, and John Kerry in 2004.

Among Kennedy's published books are the New York Times bestseller Crimes Against Nature (2004); The Riverkeepers (1997); and Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr: A Biography (1977). His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Nation, Outside magazine, the Village Voice, and many other publications. His award-winning articles have been included in anthologies of America’s best crime writing, best political writing and best science writing.

Kennedy is a graduate of Harvard University. He studied at the London School of Economics and received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. Following graduation, he attended Pace University School of Law, where he was awarded a master's degree in environmental law.

FYI...Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the third of eleven kids born to Robert and Ethel Kennedy (John F. Kennedy's younger brother).

Artist Pat Larsen featured in Baum Gallery

An article in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette spotlights UCA instructor and artist Pat Larsen who is being recognized in their Collector's Profile project.

Mr. Larsen is a great choice as a featured artist. He's been teaching at UCA for many years...and I've heard he can tell great stories along with producing great art!!

I've seen his art on display down at the River Market...cool painter. Be sure to stop by the Baum Gallery when you're on campus and enjoy all the interesting displays.