K’s Russell Cooper in ArtPrize 2012

Russell Cooper entrants in ArtPrizeRussell Cooper ’89 is a self-described “photographer, musician, computer nerd, roller coaster expert, [and] proud and tired father of two.” Now add to this impressive resume: 2012 ArtPrize entrant! Cooper’s entry is a photography exhibit titled “Sibling Point of View.” It explores how a five-month-old brother and three-and-a-half-year-old sister view each other.

Poet Philosopher Will Read at K

Poet and philosopher and New York Times bestselling author Mark Nepo will give a reading of his works on Tuesday, November 13, at 7 PM in Stetson Chapel at Kalamazoo College. The event is free and open to the public. Nepo will concentrate his reading on his new book Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: Staying Close to What is Sacred, soon to be published to high acclaim. The book explores the many ways we are asked to listen and how they help us to live. According to Nepo, “Listening is the way we befriend the life we’re given. Our friendship with everything larger than us opens us to the wisdom of Source. This is the work of being.” Nepo has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for more than 35 years, has published 13 books, and recorded eight audio projects. His books have been translated into 20 languages. Nepo has appeared on television and radio, and his work has been featured or cited in countless print publications.

K Alumnus’ Sculpture Part of International ArtPrize

"Binary Strip" by Daedalian Derks is part of ArtPrize 2012
“Binary Strip” by Daedalian Derks ’12 is part of ArtPrize 2012

After graduating from Kalamazoo College in June with a studio art major and classical civilizations minor, sculptor Daedalian Derks ’12 spent the summer rebuilding and expanding a portion of his Senior Individualized Project for installation in downtown Grand Rapids as a competitor in the international art competition ArtPrize 2012.

The sculpture is called the “Binary Strip,” and is a kinetic installation made from stainless steel aircraft cable and lightweight aluminum panels. The panels harness the power of the wind on the bank of the Grand River and spin, changing from black to white and back again.

ArtPrize is the only art competition in which the grand prize winner is chosen solely by public vote. With more 1500 artists involved in the competition this year representing some 50 countries and almost every state in the U.S., support from Daedalian’s alma mater is critical. To be eligible to vote, one must register at an Exhibition Center in Grand Rapids. Once one is registered, voting is easy and can be done through texting, online, or with a smartphone app. The app can be found at the ArtPrize Web site and voting can be done at the site.

The competition begins September 19 and ends on October 7. The Binary Strip is installed on the Grand Rapids Public Museum (see photo), just north of the Blue Bridge walking bridge. The Museum is also an exhibition center, so viewers can both register to vote and see “Binary Strip” in one place. The “Binary Strip” voting number is 52874.

Kalamazoo Religion Professor Quoted in NY Times Article on Mormonism

Assistant Professor of Religion Taylor Petrey is among and growing national cadre of scholars of Mormonism. He is the author of a much discussed recent article, “Toward a Post-Heterosexual Mormon Theology,” published in Dialogue, an independent Mormon journal, and on July 2 he was quoted in “The Mormon Lens on American History,” an article published in the New York Times.

English Professor’s Witch Piece Accepted–Story or Fable?

Gail Griffin, English, writes, “I guess I’m a fiction writer now.” Her piece, “Four or Five Witches,” will be published in the October 1 issue of Phantom Drift: A Journal of New Fabulism. The October issue will be the second for the new journal and is “dedicated to developing an understanding of and appreciation for fabulist literature.” When she wrote the piece, Griffin was thinking more in terms of fable or myth and less so in terms of fiction per se. The four movements in the piece seem to belie the “or Five” in the title, but Griffin explains that those two words are “meant to be just flamingly ambiguous. The witch in the ’Red’ piece is mostly the Snow White witch but has a little of the Wicked Witch of the West about her. And in number 4, she’s both the Hansel-and-Gretel witch and the Blair Witch. I just thought I’d let the title reflect how the witch figures morph into each other.” Check out the entire story (or fable) come October!

 

Professor Werner Appointed Marlene Crandell Francis Assistant Professor in the Humanities

Assistant Professor of History Janelle Werner has been appointed the Marlene Crandell Francis Assistant Professor in the Humanities, effective July 1, 2012.

Werner earned her Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Here teaching interests include medieval Europe, early modern Europe (1500-1789), Reformation Europe, and British history to 1660. Her thematic fields focus on cross-cultural contact (Byzantium, Europe, Islam); popular religion and lay piety; social and cultural history; and women, gender, and sexuality.

Smokin’ Poets

Thanks, in part, to Kim Grabowski ’12, the Spring issue of the on-line magazine, The Smoking Poet, features a strong K connection. Grabowski was an intern at the magazine and helped compile an issue that features the work of Writer-in-Residence Diane Seuss ’78 as well as current students and alumni.

The alums include Kit Almy ’89, Lauren Moran ’11, Katie Prout ’09, and John Craig ’11. Current students with poems published in the issue are Nick Canu ’12, Cam Stewart ’12, Rebecca Staudemaier ’12, Kate Belew ’15, and Jasmine An ’15Maggie Jackson ’11 and Amy Newday had nonfiction published in the magazine.  Newday coordinates the College’s Writing Center. And Grabowski’s interview with Michigan poet Laura Kasischke appears as well. Kasischke recently won the Rilke Prize, and she will read works from her new collection, Space, In Chains, on campus this April 16. Chief Editor for The Smoking Poet is Zinta Aistars, who worked for Kalamazoo College for many years.

Tan Earns Lucasse Lectureship

Kalamazoo College Psychology Professor Siu-Lan Tan holds her book in front of a blackboard
Photo Credit: Rachel Leider ’15

By Rachel Leider ’15

Siu-Lan Tan, associate professor of psychology, has earned Kalamazoo College’s highest annual honor for classroom teaching, the Florence J. Lucasse Lectureship for Excellence in Teaching.

The “Lucasse,” was established in 1979 in honor of Florence J. Lucasse, Class of 1910, in response to the major unrestricted endowment gift she bequeathed to the College in her will. In addition to the Lectureship, a Florence J. Lucasse Fellowship for Excellence in Scholarship is also awarded. Andrew Mozina, associate professor of English, holds the current Lucasse Fellowship.

Tan was taken aback by her award: “I think the world of my colleagues and students, and knowing that they nominated and supported me for this was overwhelming. I immediately teared up, as I felt it deeply.”

President Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran expressed her admiration for Tan as she presented the award during the fall quarter all-campus gathering in Dalton Theatre on Sept. 20. “Professor Tan often extends students’ experiences beyond the classroom, and these service-learning experiences transform their learning, making concepts that may have once seemed dissonant in class become consonant in practice.”

Born in Indonesia, Tan grew up in Hong Kong where she taught music. After moving to California, she earned a B.A. degree in music at Pacific Union College and taught music for several years. Later, she became interested in psychology and earned both Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in psychology at Georgetown University.

Teaching at Kalamazoo College since 1998, Tan offers courses in developmental psychology, creativity, and the psychology of music. In 2010, she co-authored the textbook The Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance.

Per Lucasse tradition, Tan will speak to students, faculty, staff, and quests about her work at a spring 2012 lecture.

Congratulations, Dr. Tan!

English Alum Receives “Outstanding Faculty” Award

Amelia Katanski ’92, English, received the Outstanding Faculty award from Michigan Campus Compact (www.micampuscompact.org) at the Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Conference on January 30 in East Lansing.

Nominated by President Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran and the College’s Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning, Katanski was honored for her commitments to local food, food justice, and sustainability and her dedication to engaged, student-centered learning.

She has been teaching a first-year seminar, “Cultivating Community” as a service-learning course since 2006. She is also faculty advisor to “Farms to K,” which she co-founded with students, staff, and community partners.

“Farms to K” advocates for a local purchasing policy at Kalamazoo College and works closely with other student-led Service-Learning programs, including community gardening initiatives and Migrant Rights Action.