eInside Events

Kent State Staff Invited to Presidential Listening Tour

Kent State University President Beverly Warren invites all staff members who have not previously attended one of the “All Staff Listening Tour” events to join her on the Dec. 4 tour date.

Warren initiated a Presidential Listening Tour to bring her face-to-face with Kent State constituents across the university, across Ohio and nationwide. Her goal for the tour is to hear the thoughts of Kent State’s many internal and external stakeholders about everything from what makes them most proud of Kent State to how the university can become even better in the months and years ahead.

The Dec. 4 listening tour will take place at the Kent Student Center Kiva from 9 – 10 a.m. If you are able to attend, please RSVP to Shilpi Tiwari at stiwari1@kent.edu or 330-672-3147.

Kent State is committed to making activities as accessible as possible to all persons. If you need accommodation, contact Amy Quillin at Student Accessibility Services at 330-672-8036 or aquillin@kent.edu.

Nationally Acclaimed Creator Nick Cave to Speak at Kent State on Nov. 20

Creations are part Alexander McQueen, part Andy Warhol, and wholly bizarre, brash and beautiful

Pictured is one of Nick Cave's Soundsuits
creations.

(Photo credit: James Prinz Photography.
Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman
Gallery, New York)

Kent State University’s College of the Arts presents the Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Lecture Series, which will present nationally acclaimed artist Nick Cave on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. in University Auditorium at Cartwright Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the Kent Hall/Cartwright Hall parking lot or at the College of Business Administration lot – both off Terrace Drive, which runs perpendicular with Main and Summit streets. For more information, visit www.kent.edu/artscollege. Reservations are recommended but not required. Call 330-672-2760 or email collegeofthearts@kent.edu for reservations. A complimentary dessert reception will be held in the lobby following the lecture.

In conjunction with the lecture, the School of Art Gallery features “ENCOUNTER: Nick Cave,” an exhibition of three video installations set to creative movement featuring Cave’s Soundsuits, which are sculptural forms based on the scale of Cave’s body. Soundsuits camouflage the body, masking and creating a second skin that conceals race, gender, and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment. The exhibition runs through Nov. 21 and is located in the School of Art Building at 400 Janik Drive. The gallery is open Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The School of Art Gallery will be open until 10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, so that guests attending the lecture can enjoy the exhibit following the lecture.

Cave is an artist, educator and foremost a messenger, working between the visual and performing arts through a wide range of mediums including sculpture, installation, video, sound and performance.

“I have found my middle and now am working toward what I am leaving behind," says Cave.

Cave is well known for his Soundsuits, which are unique, full-body outfits crafted from discarded objects found in antique shops and flea markets. The kaleidoscope of colorful works of art is wearable fabric structures that are considered part sculpture, part costume. The hybrid creations have been described as part Alexander McQueen, part Andy Warhol, and wholly bizarre, brash and beautiful. He combines elements of sound, performance, color and costume to create whimsical works that even the darkest soul would find hard to resist.

Born in Missouri, Cave showed an early talent for performance before moving to New York City to dance with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Followed by visual art studies in Missouri and Michigan, Cave's genre-expanding work straddles both dance and visual art to explore the ways that African identity is subsumed into disparate cultural codes. Director of the fashion graduate program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Cave has built a notable reputation as an educator and artist.

Cave’s appearance at Kent State is presented by the Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series. The series has presented guest artists who are respected in the field of theatre, dance, visual arts, music and architecture. Now in its 12th year, the Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series has brought such noted artists as Tony Award-winners Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wicked and many others, and Next to Normal actress Alice Ripley; Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet; postmodern minimalist artist Richard Tuttle; artists and fashion designers Ruben and Isabel Toledo; internationally acclaimed dance company Ballet Florida; and actor, dancer and arts advocate Ben Vereen, just to name a few.

Cecile Draime and her late husband, Max, of Warren established the series in 2002 to honor their dear friend, Thomas Schroth (1922-1997). A noted regional architect, Schroth designed the Butler Institute of Art’s Trumbull Museum in Howland, as well as numerous other award-winning projects. Schroth spent his life in Niles, Ohio, as a prominent architect and inveterate collaborator in the artistic life of the Mahoning Valley and Northeast Ohio. A world traveler, he saw human creativity as a window that framed the human experience. The Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series brings diverse views through that window to the Kent Campus and community. The events are always free and open to the public.

Kent State’s Wick Poetry Center to Host Open Mic Event on Nov. 20

Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center is pleased to invite all student poets and those interested in poetry to its poetry performance and open mic night on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. in the African Community Theatre at Ritchie Hall.

The event is co-sponsored by Black United Students and Luna Negra Magazine, which features student works of poetry, prose, short stories, art and photography. These organizations partnered to reach a variety of students in an effort to help shape young voices and foster poetry skills. A few student readers are scheduled to kick off the open-mic event, but all other interested students are encouraged to join the creative conversation by reading their poetry or other literary works.

“The evening's format will be loose to encourage participation,” says Ryan Lind, graduate fellow of the Wick Poetry Center. “We want first-time readers, second-time readers, experienced readers and poets who are working on rewrites of old poems. If you have something to say, we would like you to come say it with us.”

No registration is necessary, but guests are encouraged to bring a notebook to participate in the discussion.

For more information about Kent State’s Wick Poetry Center, visit www.kent.edu/wick.

For more information about Black United Students, visit http://www2.kent.edu/csi/organizations/cultural/black-united-students.cfm.

Annual Scholastic Book Fair, Nov. 17-21

The annual Scholastic Book Fair will take place Nov. 17-21
at White Hall.

The Instructional Resource Center at Kent State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Services is hosting its annual Scholastic Book Fair, Nov. 17-21, in 221B at White Hall. This event is open to the public. Hours are Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The book fair will offer a variety of books, from preschool to adults, and lots of stocking stuffers such as bookmarkers, pens and posters.

For more information, contact Julee Henry at jahenry2@kent.edu.

Brave New Films to Screen New Documentary at Kent State on Nov. 20

Brave New Films will screen its newest documentary Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars at Kent State University on Thursday, Nov. 20.

The organization is a champion for social justice issues, educating the public through screenings of its six feature films. With more than 70 interviews, Unmanned shows the personal impact of the use of drones in the War on Terror.

“Unmanned: America's Drone Wars is a film about the reach of the American military and the personal costs of drone warfare,” says Laurie Jones, programs director at Brave New Films.

Jones will travel with the film to Kent State and present it to students, faculty, staff and community members, encouraging discussion about this and other hot-button issues.

The screening is presented as part of the Kent State School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s 2014-15 Diversity Speaker Series. Unmanned will be shown at 6:30 p.m. in the Franklin Hall FirstEnergy Auditorium (Room 340) on Nov. 20. The event is free and open to the community.

Watch the trailer for Unmanned.

Research 101: How to Find Funding

Need funding for your research? Kent State University’s Division of Research and Sponsored Programs will hold a workshop on “Finding Funding” on Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. in Room 141, Cartwright Hall. The workshop will focus on federal, state and private funding resources, how to use the Web-based COS Pivot funding search efficiently and how to work with the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs to identify potential funding agencies. This two-hour workshop is appropriate for anyone seeking funding or working with researchers who are looking for funding. To register and learn about future Research 101 workshops, contact Sheila Pratt at spratt@kent.edu or 330-672-0701.

Blackstone LaunchPad at Kent State Offers a Wealth of Events During Global Entrepreneurship Week

Global Entrepreneurship Week runs Nov. 17-23

The Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State
University will mark Global Entrepreneurship Week with a
series of events from Nov. 17-23.

Kent State University stakeholders with entrepreneurial aspirations are encouraged to attend one of the many events being offered Nov. 17-23 by the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is an annual focus on promoting entrepreneurial activities and engagement,” says Zach Mikrut, senior marketing manager for the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State. “This year, we are fortunate to partner with several Kent State departments and regional organizations to provide a rich offering of events to the Kent community.”

One of the partner events being offered during Global Entrepreneurship Week is “Cece Couture: The Startup Process for Independent Clothing Retailers,” an event coordinated by the Fashion School’s TechstyleLAB.

“The value of having an outstanding entrepreneur like Cecelia Haren speak about opening up her business is that she is so similar in age and experience to our audience,” says Kevin Wolfgang, manager of the TechstyleLAB. “Cecelia started Cece Couture as she was finishing her degree at Youngstown State University, demonstrating a new range of entrepreneurial avenues for our graduating seniors.”

All Global Entrepreneurship Week events are free and open to the public. Advance registration is required for some events. The complete list of Global Entrepreneurship offerings include:

Monday, Nov. 17
6-7 p.m.
Sponsored by the Fashion School’s TechstyleLAB
“Cece Couture: The Startup Process for Independent Clothing Retailers”
TechStyleLAB, Room 302 Rockwell Hall

Tuesday, Nov. 18
6-7 p.m.
Sponsored by the College of the Arts and Blackstone LaunchPad
“Learn to Pitch for Your Arts-Based Business”
Blackstone LaunchPad Office, First Floor, Kent Student Center
Register here

Wednesday, Nov. 19
6-8 p.m.
Sponsored by Bad Girl Ventures and Blackstone LaunchPad
#GirlPower Pitch Night
Toast, 1365 W. 65th Street, Cleveland 44102
Register here

Thursday, Nov. 20
All-Day
Blackstone LaunchPad Sale Day
Blackstone LaunchPad Office, 1st Floor, Kent Student Center
Must be registered Blackstone LaunchPad business to participate

Public Speaking 101 – EOx
3:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Entrepreneurs Organization and Blackstone LaunchPad
Governance Chamber, Second Floor, Kent Student Center

Maker Meetup
6-8 p.m.
Sponsored by the Fashion School’s TechstyleLAB
TechstyleLAB, Room 302 Rockwell Hall

Friday, Nov. 21
Road Trip to TinyCircuits
2 p.m.
Sponsored by TinyCircuits and Blackstone LaunchPad
Leave from Blackstone LaunchPad Office, First Floor, Kent Student Center
Register here

About Global Entrepreneurship Week
During one week each November, thousands of events and competitions around the world inspire millions to engage in entrepreneurial activity, while connecting them to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors. In six years, Global Entrepreneurship Week has expanded to 150 countries — building and strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. Powered by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and sponsored by Dell, the initiative is supported by dozens of world leaders and a network of roughly 10,000 partner organizations. For more information, visit www.gew.co.

For more information about the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/blackstonelaunchpad.

Kent State School of Theatre and Dance Presents Dance ’14: In Flow

Dance faculty present diverse program, guest choreography by Tony winner Garth Fagan

Students from Kent State University's School of Theatre
and Dance perform a dance routine. The School of Theatre
and Dance will present its annual faculty dance concert
Dance ’14: In Flow from Nov. 21-23 in E. Turner Stump
Theatre at the Center for the Performing Arts on the Kent
Campus.

Kent State University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present its annual faculty dance concert Dance ’14: In Flow from Nov. 21-23 in E. Turner Stump Theatre at the Center for the Performing Arts on the Kent Campus. The evening of choreography, created by dance faculty members, also features guest choreography by Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan.

For tickets, call 330-672-ARTS (2787), purchase online at www.kent.edu/theatredance or in person at the Performing Arts Box Office located in the Roe Green Center lobby of the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive, Monday – Friday, noon to 5 pm. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for Kent State alumni, faculty and staff, $14 for seniors (60+) and non-Kent State students age 18 and under are $10. Tickets are free for full-time, Kent Campus undergraduate students. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $12 per person. The box office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash.

The concert highlights the versatility and diverse artistic approaches of Kent State dance faculty members MaryAnn Black, Kimberly Karpanty, Joan Meggitt, Tanya Mucci (BFA ’00) and Andrea Shearer. The concert involves more than 75 dancers, designers, faculty members and staff. School of Theatre and Dance Professor Emeritus Chuck Richie will serve as the guest emcee. Senior dance major Roberta Bailey serves as assistant artistic director.

Guest choreographer Garth Fagan joins the concert as the 2014-2015 Armstrong Family Visiting Artist, a residency made possible by the generosity of Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong. Fagan’s work, Two Pieces of One: Green, will be performed by members of the Kent Dance Ensemble under the direction of Karpanty.

Fagan has enjoyed an extensive career as a dancer and choreographer, creating more than 70 works for the theatre and concert stage. He won critical acclaim, as well as the Tony Award, for his choreography of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Broadway production of The Lion King. A trailblazer in the dance community for more than 40 years, Fagan formed his dance company, now known as Garth Fagan Dance, in 1970. Today, Garth Fagan Dance is an internationally acclaimed company, a school that annually provides dance training to more than 450 students and an innovative outreach program designed to serve the greater Rochester, New York, community through educational performances and dance instruction.

Kent State Orchestra Joined by Cleveland Orchestra’s Associate Concertmaster Amy Lee

Featuring the glorious sounds of some of the world’s best-loved French symphonic music

Cleveland Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Amy Lee
will perform on Nov. 23 at the University Auditorium at
Cartwright Hall.

The Kent State University Hugh A. Glauser School of Music Orchestra is honored to feature Cleveland Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Amy Lee during its upcoming performance on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. in University Auditorium at Cartwright Hall. Cartwright Hall is located at 650 Hilltop Drive on the Kent Campus, with free parking located off Terrace Drive.

This all-French program will include Gabriel Fauré’s Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80; Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Violin and Orchestra by Camille Saint-Saëns; Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune; and Emmanuel Chabrier’s Suite Pastorale.

The program will move the audience through ethereal, meditative and commanding moments.

“Our Nov. 23 concert features some of the most gorgeous music ever composed,” says Charles Latshaw, director of the Kent State University Orchestra. “From the Sicilienne of Fauré's Pelleas et Melisande, to Debussy's Claire de Lune, it will be an afternoon filled with sumptuous sonorities and exquisite beauty.”

Violinist Lee joined the Cleveland Orchestra as associate concertmaster in March 2008. At age 15, she appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Following her debut, she has performed with Germany’s Baden-Baden Philharmonic, the Curtis Chamber Orchestra, National Gallery Orchestra, the Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra, where her solo performances have included the Stravinsky Concerto and Dallapiccola’s Tartiniana No.1. She won first prize in San Francisco’s Irving M. Klein International Competition and at the Corpus Christi International Competition. She has collaborated with Kim Kashkashian, Kavafian, Samuel Rhodes, David Soyer, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley and the Miami String Quartet. Lee graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with violinist Ida Kavafian. In 2007, she graduated with a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Ronald Copes and Donald Weilerstein.

Tickets for the performance are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and Kent State faculty and staff, $10 for groups of 10 or more patrons, $8 for non-Kent State students, $5 for children and free for full-time Kent Campus undergraduate students.

Tickets are available weekdays, noon to 5 p.m., at the Performing Arts Box Office, located in the lobby of the Roe Green Center in the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus. The Performing Arts Box Office accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, in addition to cash and checks.

The Cartwright Hall box office will open one hour prior to the performance for walk-up sales, and will accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets and more information are available by calling 330-672-ARTS (2787) or visiting www.kent.edu/music.

Learn About Do-It-Yourself World Leadership From Women in Congo Activist Lisa Shannon

Lisa Shannon, a passionate activist for
the safety of women in Congo, will speak
at Kent State University as part of the
Distinguished Lecture Series for
International Education Week on Nov. 18
at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva.

Kent State University will feature Lisa Shannon, a passionate activist for the safety of women in Congo, as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series for International Education Week on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva. The event is free and open to the public.

Shannon will discuss her efforts to help the women of Congo during her lecture “Do-It-Yourself World Leadership.” The lecture is part of International Education Week at Kent State, which aims to educate students, faculty and community members about the benefits of the international experience.

“When we’re 18 and 19 years old, sometimes we don’t believe we can have an impact,” says Linda Robertson, director of Kent State’s Center for International and Intercultural Education. “Maybe this lecture is the inspiration students need to have that impact.”

Shannon’s story is that of individual strength and dedication as she left a lucrative business and photography career in order to pursue activism. Shannon has now raised more than $11 million dollars to aid the women and children in Congo, and is the author of A Thousand Sisters: My Journey Into the Worst Place on Earth to be a Woman.

“I think in this day and age, that with the breakdown of barriers and borders because of social media – and the ways you can talk to anyone all over the world immediately – the power of one is even more important,” Robertson says. “So, the do-it-yourself world leadership idea is really more important to this generation.”

Following the lecture, daily events will celebrate International Education Week through Nov. 21. Kent State students, employees and other community members will have the opportunity to learn about a number of cultural opportunities and traditions. A couple of these events will include “In Search of … Travel the World Without a Passport” on Nov. 19, and participation with various tea and coffee traditions from all over the world on Nov. 20. Public events throughout International Education Week will be held in Room 200 at White Hall.

On Nov. 21, four faculty members from the College of Education, Health and Human Services who were Fulbright Specialists last summer will present research they conducted overseas. The Fulbright Scholar Program is one of the most prestigious and highly competitive programs worldwide, providing grant money to study and help increase a mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through an exchange of knowledge and skills. The faculty presentations will start at noon in Room 200 at White Hall. At 2 p.m., students and faculty will learn how to apply to be a Fulbright Scholar.

“When you have that kind of commitment to help others, it’s always motivational and good for our students and our faculty to hear about it,” says Robertson. “That’s a message about caring for others and world peace that we would like to promote.”

For more information about International Education Week, visit http://www2.kent.edu/ehhs/ciie/events/index.cfm.