Well, the Spring semester is in full swing! So far, classes are going well. I had my first exam of the semester today in my Marketing class. Let me tell you - that was fun! I think (and hope!) that I did well! Last week was a pretty short week, which was kind of nice. The University was closed on Monday for MLK day. Then I had class on Tuesday. Unfortunately, Wednesday and Thursday I landed myself in the hospital with a bronchial infection and an upper respiratory infection. That was the worst! Good thing, I’m feeling much better now and back into the normal swing of things. My professors have been pretty awesome in getting me all caught up from the class I missed, which is something I really hate to do! Anyways, this week I’m working on getting all caught up! Tonight, I have an interview to be an Orientation Student Leader and First-Year Seminar Leader this summer and next Fall! I’m really excited for it! It would be a great thing! If I get it, I’ll be some of you incoming freshman this summer for orientation, as well as possibly have a few of you in class! Well, it’s time for me to get to my management class and hear some awesome stories from my professor! Until next time, you stay classy future Broncos!

- Matt

Hey…I’m back and pretty tired. I just had two exams in a row today: Multivariate Calculus and Accounting. ew. I’m so glad that those are done…that was a lot of worrying. Anyways, I’ve been pretty busy lately. I went to the WMU hockey game against U of M about 2 weeks ago with some of my friends…we had a lot of fun during the first 2/3 of the game…but then WMU lost and it just isn’t the same when the home team doesn’t win, you know? But I’m super excited for next Tuesday; my roommates and I are going townhouse shopping…we want something with 3 rooms in it next year instead of 2 rooms. Sweet!!

‘Til later!
-Sheila

KALAMAZOO–The classic western “High Noon” opens the new Ethics Film Series at Western Michigan University with a screening and discussion beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24, in Room 213 of the Bernhard Center. Admission is free.

Dr. Michael Pritchard, co-director of WMU’s Center for the Study of Ethics in Society, will lead the post-film discussion on the relationship between love and ethics portrayed in the film, which was released in 1952. Gary Cooper won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of a lawman who stands alone to defend a town of righteous cowards in the greatest showdown in the history of cinema. Lloyd Bridges and Grace Kelly also star in the suspenseful story that unfolds in approximate real-time, from 10:40 a.m. to high noon in an 84-minute film.

The Ethics Films Series is sponsored by WMU’s Center for the Study of Ethics in Society. Other films in the series will be shown on Feb. 21, March 20 and April 3. All will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Room 213 Bernhard. The titles and discussion leaders will be announced.

For more information, contact Dr. Sandra Borden, co-director of the Ethics Center, at sandra.borden@wmich.edu or (269) 387-0362.

KALAMAZOO–Members of Western Michigan University’s gymnastics team are encouraging others to “think pink” in the fight against breast cancer with an auction Sunday, Jan. 20, to raise money for cancer awareness.

The team will compete at 1 p.m. in WMU’s University Arena against the University of Illinois-Chicago. WMU and UIC will put school colors aside and wear pink leotards for the competition. The Bronco’s will be auctioning off their competition pink leotards in a silent auction during the competition. Areas also will be set up for the audience to make donations with the first 100 donors receiving a “think pink” t-shirt. Admission is free, and participants are encouraged to come to the event wearing pink.

Terry Karwoski, WMU gymnastics head coach, said a similar event started in 2004 with the University of Alabama, and it has caught on with other gymnastics teams in the NCAA.

“In both our gymnastics team and our families, we know breast cancer survivors. It is something that is close to us,” says Terry Karwoski, head gymnastics coach. “We saw this as something we can do as a team.”

“The Think Pink meet is excellent opportunity to increase awareness of breast cancer and raise funds for programs to educate and treat patients throughout southwest Michigan,” adds Jessica Hermann-Wilmarth, director of development for the West Michigan Cancer Center that is partnering with the WMU gymnastics team for the event.

KALAMAZOO–Dr. Martin Luther King and social justice movements, civility in politics, torture and ethical questions in science are just some of the topics to be tackled in programs sponsored by the Western Michigan University Center for the Study of Ethics in Society during the spring semester.

The series begins with a panel discussion at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, in Room 210 of the Bernhard Center. Titled “Religion, Activism and Politics: From MLK to Now,” the discussion will be led by WMU graduate students David Charlton, who is studying comparative religion, and Ryan Pflum and Jeremy Green, who are both studying philosophy.

Those attending will be invited to explore the history and nature of the relationship between religion and social justice movements. Panelists will explore what is the proper place for religion in social justice, whether such movements require religious ties and what boundaries, if any, are there regarding the interaction between religion and movements for justice. These and other questions will be examined as community members look back at King’s work and at contemporary justice movements.

The WMU Center for the Study in Ethics in Society encourages and supports research, teaching and service to the University and community in areas of applied and professional ethics. Those areas include, but are not restricted to: business, education, engineering, government, health and human services, law, media, medicine, science and technology.

All ethics center programs are free and open to the public. Other dates for this semester’s programs, along with the speakers, their topics, and times and locations of their presentations are:

Jan. 30, WMU President Dr. John M. Dunn, “Ethical Challenges Confronting Higher Education” 7:30 p.m., Putney Auditorium of the Fetzer Center.

Feb. 7, Dr. Sandra Borden, WMU associate professor of communication and ethics center co-director, “The Moral Justification for Journalism,” 4 p.m., Room 105 of the Bernhard Center.

Feb. 13, Dr. Fritz Allhoff, WMU assistant professor of philosophy, “Torture and Ticking Time-Bombs: Empirical Research on Moral Judgments,” 7:30 p.m., Room 105 of the Bernhard Center.

March 19, panel discussion, “Civility in the Political Arena,” Gordon Bolar, WMUK-FM development director, moderator, 7:30 p.m., Room 105 of the Bernhard Center.

March 27, Dr. Adrienne Asch, director, Center for Ethics, Yeshiva University, “Ethics and Science: Some Lessons from Bioethics,” 5 p.m., Putney Auditorium, Fetzer Center.

April 2, panel discussion, “Science, Ethics and Politics: Are They Compatible?” Shirley Bach, associate director, WMU Ethics Center, moderator; Dr. Paul Pancella, chair, WMU Department of Physics, Bill Krasean, former science editor, Kalamazoo Gazette, Dr. Stephen Malcolm, WMU professor of biological sciences, panelists, 7 p.m., Room 210 of the Bernhard Center.

KALAMAZOO–Speeches, discussions, film presentations, artistic performances and a march are all on tap at Western Michigan University and across the Kalamazoo community starting Sunday, Jan. 13, during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Communitywide Celebration.

Events will be spread over nine days and continue through Monday, Jan. 21, the national holiday honoring the slain civil rights giant. The events, nearly all free and open to the public, are offered through a partnership between WMU, Kalamazoo College, the Northside Ministerial Alliance and the city of Kalamazoo.

Activities are highlighted by five key events: The MLK Kick-Off Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 13; the MLK Multicultural Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 20; and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, MLK Communitywide Day of Service and march to MLK Memorial Park, all on Monday, Jan. 21. The march begins at WMU’s Kanley Chapel and proceeds to Kalamazoo College and the Radisson Hotel and Suites before ending at MLK Memorial Park on North Rose Street.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “What King Wrought: Stand Up for Justice, Stand Up for Truth.” Visit www.wmich.edu/mlk for more information.

MLK Celebration events

“MLK Kick-Off Celebration” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, at Galilee Baptist Church, 1216 N. Westnedge Ave. This inaugural worship service celebrates King’s life and legacy and features Dr. Johnny Young, senior presiding bishop of the Church of God Pentecostal Inc. in Inglewood, Calif., as well as the 100-voice MLK Celebration Choir.

“Student Life in the U.S.: African Perspectives” from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in Room 3301 of WMU’s Friedmann Hall. Students from different African countries will speak about their experiences as students in the United States African student life.

“Martin Luther King: The Fierce Urgency of Now!” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the Olmsted Room of Kalamazoo College’s Mandelle Hall. Dr. Grace Lee Boggs, an activist, writer and speaker with more than 60 years experience working in major U.S. movements, will reflect on her work with King.

“Keep the Justice Coming” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15, in WMU’s Bernhard Center. This movie on justice and action will move attendees to remember and learn more about social justice issues that were, and still may be present.

“Reading Together Kick-Off: What’s Your Dream? Voices Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the Van Duesen Room, Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose St. “Animal Dreams” by Barbara Kingsolver is this year’s Reading Together book. Springing from the inspiration of the book’s title, Reading Together encourages people to think about their own dreams.

“Poverty Simulation Workshop” from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the Douglass Community Association, 117 W. Paterson Ave. The Poverty Simulation workshop is an interactive and sensitizing experience in which participants actively discover the realities and effects of living in poverty.

“Candlelight Vigil Honoring United States Service Personnel and Veterans” at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, on the Stetson Chapel steps, Kalamazoo College. This event honors the men and women of the armed forces. Veterans and current service personnel attending will receive special recognition for their dedication to the country and its freedoms.

“Stand Up for Justice, Stand Up for Truth and Stand Against Hate: A Film Review and Discussion on Nooses as Symbols of Hate” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, Room 1110 of the WMU’s Multicultural Center. Glinda Rawls and Dr. Evelyn Winfield will show the film “Nooses-An American Nightmare” and facilitate a discussion about its relevance in light of recent events.

“Let’s Talk About Race” from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17, Portage North Middle School, 5808 Oregon St. The workshop will expand on unintentional intolerance and its impact on staff, students and the larger community. The workshop will be facilitated by Crossroads, a non-profit Chicago organization dedicated to dismantling systemic racism.

“Third Annual Kalamazoo Promise Rally for Youth” at 6 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 19, at Galilee Baptist Church, 1216 N. Westnedge Ave.

“We Have a Dream” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, in Miller Auditorium. WMU professor of theatre Dr. Von Washington will perform “New Morning for the World” by Joseph Schwantner with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. The concert will pay homage to King’s life, and lobby displays will celebrate the Kalamazoo Promise. Tickets are available at a variety of prices through the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office and Epic Center Box Office. Call 387-2300.

“MLK Multicultural Celebration” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, Miller Auditorium. WMU President Dr. John M. Dunn will be the keynote speaker for this event, which will also highlight the talents of local artists like WMU theatre professor Dr. Von Washington, Ujima and Ebony Vision Dance Troupes as well as the 100-voice MLK Celebration Choir.

“MLK Community-Wide Day of Service,” registration begins at 7 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21, at the Radisson Hotel and Suites, 100 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo. Projects completed by 2:45 p.m.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation” at 10:50 a.m., Monday, Jan. 21, in Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College. Kalamazoo College President Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran will speak on the theme “What King Wrought: Stand Up for Justice, Stand Up for Truth.” Also featured will be the 100-voice MLK Celebration Choir.

Parade/march to MLK Park, beginning at 1:45 p.m., Monday, Jan. 21, at WMU’s Kanley Chapel. The march will proceed to Kalamazoo College and then to Radisson Hotel and Suites, before ending at MLK Park.

Dispute resolution services will be provided from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21, at Gryphon Place, 1104 S. Westnedge Ave. to help people peacefully resolve their conflicts in a way that honors King’s legacy.

KALAMAZOO–A recent Western Michigan University graduate is the recipient of a $35,000 grant to work as a special assistant in Liberia as that African nation rebuilds from 14 years of civil war.

Norris Tweah, who earned a master’s degree in development administration from WMU’s Department of Political Science in 2006 and his bachelor’s degree in communication in 2003, was chosen one of six Scott Family Fellows, a program run through the Center for Global Development. The program recruits young professionals to work for senior Liberian government officials with the goal of helping with reconstruction and development efforts. The six were chosen from among 230 applicants.

The grant program is conducted in cooperation with the Liberian government, and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf participates in choosing the assignments for the grant recipients.

In his role, Tweah is the chief of office staff and special assistant to the minister of information, Dr. Laurence K. Bropleh. His work focuses on writing project proposals, press releases and attending meetings on behalf of the minister. He also helps develop communication strategies for the Liberian government and the Poverty Reduction Strategy and supervises all employees in the minister’s office.

“At the ministerial level, I developed the concept paper and wrote the project proposal/framework called `The Liberian Renaissance, Changing Minds, Changing Attitudes,’” says Tweah. “The concept takes some of its theoretical justification from such theory which asserts, `Unless democratic transitions are accompanied by distinct elite transition–from an experience of disunity to consensual unity in the case of democratic transition–they should be regarded as strictly temporary.’ The Liberian Renaissance takes this theory further in advocating for a total societal transformation instead of just an elite transformation.”

Tweah worked for the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia. He is a member of the board of directors at Able and Willing, an international foundation that builds schools in Congo-Kinshasa, and he is leading the organization’s exploratory initiative for a micro-finance project to benefit urban women in Monrovia.

While at WMU, he received the Howard Wolpe African Field Research Award and twice received the Zoa D. Shilling Award. Tweah also studied at the University of Liberia from 1995 to 1999.

The Scott Family Fellow program is funded by a grant from the family of Edward W. Scott Jr., chair of the board of directors of the Center for Global Development. The program, announced in February 2007, is a collaborative effort between the Liberian government, the John Snow Inc. Research and Training Institute and the Center for Global Development.

KALAMAZOO–Kalamazoo Film Society presents “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” starring Brad Pitt and Golden Globe nominee Casey Affleck, Friday through Sunday, Jan. 11-13, in the Little Theatre at Western Michigan University.

Special show times for “The Assassination of Jesse James” are 7 and 10 p.m. Friday; 4, 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5 and $3 for students.

Whether he was one of the last frontiersmen, or a cold-blooded murderer, Jesse James became a legend and celebrity in post-Civil War America. The film chronicles how James died, from a bullet fired from the gun of a young man who idolized him.

In addition to Pitt as Jesse James and Affleck as Robert Ford, the cast includes Sam Shepard as Frank James and Mary-Louise Parker as Zee James. It was written and directed by Andrew Dominik. The 2007 release has a run time of two hours and 40 minutes and is rated R for strong violence and brief sexual references.

The Little Theatre is located at the corner of Oakland Drive and Oliver Street on WMU’s East Campus. Free off-street parking is available behind the theatre. For more information, visit www.kalfilmsociety.net, contact the Kalamazoo Film Society at kalfilmsociety@yahoo.com, or call the Little Theatre movie line at (269) 387-8221.

KALAMAZOO–Best New Artist Grammy nominee and country music’s youngest rising star, 17-year-old Taylor Swift, comes to Western Michigan University for one performance only at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, in Miller Auditorium.

Concert tickets ranging from $34.25 to $40.75 went on sale to the general public Dec. 17, and only a few hundred seats remain available. The Miller Auditorium Ticket Office will be open on reduced hours during WMU’s holiday closure, which runs through Jan. 3. Tickets for Taylor Swift and other upcoming performances at Miller, including the Broadway musical “Evita,” may be ordered by calling (269) 387-2300 or toll free (800) 228-9858, online at millerauditorium.com, or in person at the ticket office.

Dubbed “Country’s Teen Queen” by People magazine, Swift is the youngest person ever to write and sing a No. 1 country single entirely on her own. She is also the first female artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a double platinum-selling debut album. At the 41st annual Country Music Association Awards, held last month at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn., Swift received the Horizon Award, one of the highest honors for today’s country music stars. The Nashville Songwriters Association International also honored her as the Songwriter/Artist of the Year, making her the youngest musician to win the award.

Media contact: Tracey Lawie (269) 387-2309, tracey.lawie@wmich.edu

KALAMAZOO–Western Michigan University presents the St. Petersburg Ballet in “Swan Lake” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, in Miller Auditorium.

“Swan Lake,” tells a timeless tale of coming of age, responsibility and love that the entire family can enjoy. Under the leadership of award-winning artistic director, Yury Petukhov, the troupe creates a magical world of royalty, an evil mentor, and spellbound women embodied as swans. The experience is set to a musical score of joyful, longing and frightening emotion.

The St. Petersburg Ballet performs for packed audiences around the globe. The company continually extends its sphere of activity, and its creativity is said to have reached unprecedented levels in the last several years.

Tickets for “Swan Lake” at Miller Auditorium are on sale now and range from $15 to $40. They are available by calling (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858, online at millerauditorium.com, or by visiting the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office or Epic Center Box Office in downtown Kalamazoo. Groups of 20 or more should call (269) 387-2312 for special discounts.

Media contact: Tracey Lawie (269) 387-2309, tracey.lawie@wmich.edu