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400,000th Prairie Rep patron rewarded at Friday's show
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| The Prairie Village Opera House outside Madison was home to the first Prairie Repertory Theatre company when it began in 1971. PRT actors played to full crowds in the un-air conditioned Prairie Village Opera House throughout the troupe's first summers. |
Prairie Repertory Theatre will celebrate its 400,000th patron during the July 11 performance of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" in Doner Auditorium.
The first PRT company opened 38 years ago to a small audience of theatre aficionados sitting on plank benches and cinderblocks in the un-airconditioned Prairie Village Opera House in Madison.
This summer, 163 shows, 1,213 performances and 1,273 students later, PRT will offer a full scale production of the musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" to its 400,000th patron.
In honor of the momentous occasion, PRT will have a special ceremony to honor past and present patrons.
To recognize the landmark number, PRT will present the 400,000th patron with 10, free season books to PRT performances in Brandon and an $80 bouquet donated by Lori Olson of Main Street Florist in Hendricks, Minn.
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" plays in Doner Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. from July 9-12. A Sunday matinee begins at 2 p.m., July 13.
Theatre goers interested in becoming PRT's 400,000th patron can purchase a ticket by contacting the Audience Services Office at 688-6045, visiting the website at www.prairierep.org or stopping by the Performing Arts Center box office on campus, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for senior citizens 62 and over, $10 for SDSU employees, $9 for non-SDSU students and children, and free for SDSU students with an ID. Patrons can purchase season books to see all four shows at a reduced price.
The following are dates and times for Prairie Repertory Theatre summer shows:
Bingo
Brandon: July 23-24, Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.
Escanaba In Love
Brandon: July 25-26, July 30, Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.; matinee: July 27, 2 p.m.
Move Over, Mrs. Markham
Brandon: July 16-18, Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Brookings: July 9-12, Doner Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.; matinee, July 13, 2 p.m.
Brandon: July 31-Aug. 2, Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.; matinee, Aug. 3, 2 p.m.
Honor Choir 35th reunion seeks former singers
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| The 2007 South Dakota Honor Choir sang in the Performing Arts Center at South Dakota State University. |
Associate Professor Laura Diddle-Hildebrant is calling South Dakota Honor Choir alumni to sing at the Sioux Falls Washington Pavilion for an Honor Choir reunion concert Aug. 1.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the South Dakota High School Honor Choir. To mark the milestone, a Reunion Choir is being organized.
"This is a magnificent opportunity for singers, friends and vocal music educators to come together to celebrate 35 years of choral music excellence here in South Dakota," said Diddle-Hildebrant who is president of the South Dakota American Choral Directors Association.
"I hope all Honor Choir alumni and choral musicians take this opportunity to make music together, renew old friendships and forge new ground for future South Dakota choral musicians."
The Reunion Choir will rehearse at Augustana College in Sioux Falls July 30 - 31 to perform a concert Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tim Peter of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa will be the guest conductor.
Interested alumni can register for the Reunion Choir through the SD Honor Choir website at http://sd-acda.sdsmt.edu/SHChoir/index.htm .
The Reunion Choir will perform four independent selections and join the 2008 High School Honor Choir for two additional pieces.
All former SD Honor Choir members from 1974 - 2007 are encouraged to participate.
Further information and registration forms are available on the Honor Choir website, or by contacting Stacy Gross at 605-361-6148 or stacygross@sio.midco.net.
Vacationers can plan a "staycation" with SDSU campus sites
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| SDSU facilities offer knowledge and enjoyment for summer "staycations." |
A CNN-dubbed "staycation" offers alternatives for those who want to relax and enjoy a summer holiday without the stress of planning, packing and travel expenses. SDSU campus attractions make staycations easy and memorable.
At the South Dakota Art Museum, Director Lynn Verschoor said everyone can take away something from the variety of exhibits rooted in South Dakota.
"There is a lot to learn about the people of South Dakota through their art and how South Dakota looks through their eyes," she observed.
Verschoor spoke of all the exhibitions with equal enthusiasm, including two new Harvey Dunn paintings recently added to the museum's collection.
"We are very fortunate to receive this wonderful new painting of Dunn's mother Bersha as a gift from Deborah Wessells, Dunn's granddaughter," she said. "We are also thankful to the Ella Ollenberg estate for the opportunity to purchase a powerful WWI painting from the Red Cross."
Continuing exhibitions by South Dakota artists features oil painter Dorothy Morgan's landscapes of the Brookings area.
The museum has an extensive collection of Native American photographs and tribal art, a display on the people behind the creation of internationally sold Marghab Linens and the traveling Governor's biennial art exhibition featuring contemporary South Dakota artists.
A museum store contains merchandise matching the diverse collections ranging from locally made jewelry and pottery to international wares of Indonesian masks and African sculpture.
The Dairy Bar produces famous SDSU ice cream, milk, cheese and butter made with milk and cream from SDSU dairy cows.
One of the only student-run dairy processing facilities in the nation, the Dairy Bar started in 1927 to keep the dairy-processing center not only educational, but also self-sustaining. Today they produce more than 60 flavors of ice cream with 16 choices always on hand to buy cones or dishes for eating on site or containers to take home.
The Agricultural Heritage Museum offers a plethora of history about farm life across South Dakota. Museum exhibitions examine human experiences, institutions and cultures that were shaped by the state's rural landscape and diverse environment.
The museum also organizes programs to enhance exhibits with book signings and workshops. The annual Brookings Radio Grill-Out will be at the museum July 17. A gift shop offers a variety of merchandise and books on South Dakota, its regional agriculture history and influence on community life.
Equipment, appliances to have ENERGY STAR designation
In an effort to promote sustainability and energy conservation, SDSU requires that all on-campus equipment and appliances purchased have the ENERGY STAR designation.
Almost all appliances today are available with this label. This includes refrigerators, microwaves, washers, dryers and computers. When purchasing any electronic device, be sure it has the ENERGY STAR rating.
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Items that have this designation mean they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy.
For more information, contact Facilities and Services, 688-4136.
French graduate students learn from professors, projects
Twelve French agriculture and engineering students from the École Nationale Superiere Agriculture-Toulouse (ENSAT) in Toulouse, France, are part of a summer internship program at SDSU.
The student interns are in their second year of study at French national specialty schools, which is equivalent to a first-year, U.S. master?s degree student. Sociology professor Meredith Redlin, directs the exchange program.
The French students work for 12 weeks over the summer with SDSU faculty in animal sciences, plant sciences, pharmacy, engineering, economics, dairy science and the Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence (GIScCE).
Sociology professor Meredith Redlin directs the exchange program.
Claire Gasnier, an agromanagement specialist, an area of study similar to agriculture economics, is working with Professor Gerald Warmann, SDSU economics extension specialist.
Warmann and Gasnier are working with South Dakota farmers? market producers to estimate cost and quality differences and encourage local producers to be more analytical.
Gasnier plans to compare how French markets advertise and function with farmers at local farmers' markets. She intends to examine advertising and sales techniques for local markets? fresh produce and work with media and local producers in South Dakota to promote the markets.
Chandradhar Dwivedi, head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, advises two French students. His students will aid SDSU pharmacy faculty members with their current research.
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| French graduate students and their department of study include, front row, from left, Ludivine Legay, GIScCE; Julie Darly, Nutrition, Food Science & Hospitality; Jerome Grimplet, Agricultural and Biological Sciences; and Julie Munsch, Animal and Range Sciences. Middle row, from left, Paul Renaud-Goud, Electrical Engineering; Claire Forgacz, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Daimien Donner, GIScCE; Claire Gasnier, Economics; Mathieu Eberhardt, GIScCE; Alexis Annes, Modern Languages and Sociology; and Nicholas Maziere, Plant Science. Back row, from left, David Horeau, Pharmacy and Olivier Nave, Plant Science. Not pictured, but also French students studying at SDSU this summer, include David Horeau, Pharmacy; Pauline Robin, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; and Audrey Laurens, Pharmacy. |
Painting begins on lines, curbs in parking lots
The annual painting of lines and curbs on campus parking lots has begun. Throughout the next few weeks, employees may arrive to work and find the parking lot by their building blocked. Please park in an alternate lot; do not park in reserved or handicap parking spaces or by a yellow curb.
Tentative schedule (to be updated weekly) follows:
? July 7: north NFA, Seed House (all), west ADR.
? July 8: south NFA, east ADR, east Larson Commons (loop).
? July 9: all Admin Lane, south SOH, north CEH, east AGH by building.
? July 10: far east AGH, west EAM, any areas not done yet.
? July 11: any areas not done yet, crosswalks.
For concerns or questions, call Facilities and Services, 688-4136.
SDSU offers master's degree in chemistry education
SDSU recently implemented a non-thesis option for its Master of Science degree in chemical science education in order to help strengthen the content knowledge of regional high school teachers.
The chemical education specialization curriculum mirrors the thesis-based Master of Science degree, but is delivered almost entirely via an Internet instruction model, said Professor James Rice, head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
The Internet option accommodates current teachers around the state who are unable to leave their classrooms for two years to earn their master's.
Chemistry Assistant Professor Matthew Miller spearheaded the project. He proposed the new specialization because of South Dakota's ongoing goal to become more involved in scientific research.
According to Miller, high school teachers pursuing the chemical education master of science will take 32 graduate level courses developed to match high school, advanced placement curriculum concepts.
Education-based courses encourage communication among the degree-seekers. Current high school teachers will discuss and practice alternative teaching strategies in chemistry as well as conduct a problems-based, classroom application.
While the majority of the courses will be taught online, the final six laboratory development credits will be shared between two, laboratory development courses taught at SDSU over two consecutive summers.
During these summer sessions, participants will work with SDSU chemistry and biochemistry faculty to develop laboratory activities for their classrooms.
SDSU's ultimate goal for the new education specialization is to offer current chemistry teachers the chance to bolster their knowledge at the graduate level, to offer a degree that is in line with high school chemistry's content, to prepare better students by strengthening their science knowledge foundation, and to help create a greater scientific workforce for South Dakota.
Accreditation for clinical lab science/medical tech program
SDSU?s clinical laboratory science (CLS)/medical technology program is pursuing accreditation to meet a growing national need for clinical laboratory scientists, according to Professor James Rice, head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
The CLS program is now a three-plus-one program, which means that CLS majors take three years of coursework and spend one additional year interning at an accredited hospital-based school of medical technology/clinical laboratory science.
If the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences grants the accreditation, all four years of study will be granted through a Bachelor of Science degree from SDSU.
Clinical laboratory scientists perform hospital lab work in a variety of areas, including microbiology, chemistry, hematology, immunology and blood banking.
Deborah Pravecek, assistant professor of chemistry and 2007 member of the year for the South Dakota chapter of the American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science, has spearheaded the accreditation effort.
The new accreditation would not only keep students in the state, but also attract out-of-state students to SDSU and the state medical workforce, said Rice.
For more information, contact the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 688-5151.
Regents give approval to prepare master's degree in physics
SDSU is in the first stages of developing a new graduate program in physics.
The Board of Regents gave SDSU and two other state schools permission to develop a proposal for a Master of Science degree in physics.
It is likely that the three institutions will share coursework over the Dakota Digital Network, similar to advanced undergraduate courses already being offered that way.
The eight faculty members of the physics department will likely cover the basic courses needed for the program including classical mechanics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics.
Research areas in satellite calibration, materials studies, astrophysics and nuclear/DUSEL topics are already in place or being developed.
The graduate degree in physics, along with opportunities available through the Sanford Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory, should attract more bright-minded people to SDSU and South Dakota and help keep those already here in the state, according to Oren Quist, head of the Physics Department.
The plan for regental approval will be based on an evaluation of current advanced physics programs around the nation and will be tailored to enhance South Dakota's strengths and capabilities.
About 600 students per semester take a physics course at SDSU fulfilling requirements for a number of majors including pre-med, pre-physical therapy, pharmacy and engineering.
Children's PRT theatre workshops to be held in Brandon
SDSU Prairie Repertory Theatre will host a Children?s Theatre Workshop July 28-Aug. 2 at the Brandon Performing Arts Center in Brandon. Three workshops will be offered, each for a different age group.
Workshop one, "Acting Out," is for students having completed second or third grade. It will run from 9 to 11 a.m. each day with a final performance at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 2. The workshop offers an overview of theatre skills, like staging, movement, stage presence and voice projection.
Workshop Two, "Play It Like It Is," is for students who have completed fourth or fifth grade. It will run from noon to 2:30 p.m. with a final performance at 2 p.m. Aug. 2. The workshop focuses not only on acting technique and stage movement, but also brings insight into preliminary scene work and technical theatre aspects.
The final workshop, "Song & Dance for the Musical Theatre," is for students who have completed grades six, seven or eight. It will run from 2:30 to 5 p.m. with a final performance at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 2. Students will learn about different styles of musical theatre. The focus will be on choreography, rhythm, vocal projection and pitch, and overall stage presence.
Each participant will receive a free ticket with an adult purchase to the family musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," to be performed by PRT at the Brandon Performing Arts Center Aug. 3 a 2 p.m.
The cost of the workshop is $55 per participant. Class sizes are limited and registration is based on a first come, first served basis.
For more information, contact Jacqueline Pierce-Humke, 688-6131 or jacq_humke@hotmail.com.
Regular pay for legal holiday
All permanent status employees in state government receive their regular pay for 10 legal holidays plus any other day proclaimed as a holiday by the governor or the president of the United States. The following holidays are recognized by the state of South Dakota:
2008 - Sept. 1, Labor Day; Oct. 13, Native American Day.
When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the proceeding Friday is observed as the paid holiday for state employees. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday.
For more information, contact Louise Loban, 688-4128.
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