Flu Vaccines Available at Student Health Center

Photo credit: Corbis Images

Flu Vaccinations are available in the Student Health Center during regular health center hours. No appointment necessary. 

Cost $15.00 (cash or check)

Hours are posted on the Student Health Center web page.

An Insiders Look at Magazine Publishing is Focus of LRU Business Forum

Bernie Mann, publisher of Our State magazine, will be the guest speaker at the Lenoir-Rhyne University Business Fall Forum. He will be sharing an inside look at the fascinating world of magazine publishing.

This event is hosted by Dr. Wayne Powell, the Charles M. Snipes School of Business faculty and the LRU Business Council Board of Directors. Mann will speak at a luncheon scheduled for 12:00-1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Lake Hickory Country Club. Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Mann is the owner and publisher of Our State magazine, North Carolina’s premiere travel, history and culture publication. Part of the Our State brand also includes “Our State,” a monthly television show produced by UNC-TV. Now in its sixth season, the show has won 4 Emmy Awards.

Mann has been awarded by former Governor Easley the 2006 “Winner’s Circle” award for his contribution to North Carolina’s Travel and Tourism Industry, the 2005 North Carolina Presenters Consortium Award for service to the arts industry, and the 2003 Charles Kuralt Media Award for the promotion of North Carolina.

Prior to his career in publishing, Mann owned and operated 12 radio stations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Arkansas for 25 years.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Arts Council, Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Eastern Music Festival. He is a past president of the Greensboro Symphony and board member of the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival. A Greensboro Rotary member since 1990, he served as president from 2006-2007, and past president from 2007 - 2008.



He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with his wife Bobbie. They have three children and eight grandchildren.

Religious Studies Professor to Speak at LRU

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Institute for Faith and Learning will welcome Michael Vines, Ph.D. to speak on “Reading Right: Understanding the Gospels Within Their Literary Context.” Dr. Vines will be speaking in the Belk Centrum on campus at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 10. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Vines is associate professor of religious studies at Lees-McRae College. A graduate of Willamette University and a former staff worker with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Dr. Vines received his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, and his M.A. in Biblical Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. A member of the Society of Biblical Literature since 1991, his research interests focus on the literary history of the New Testament.

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Dr. Vines and his family now reside in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. When he is not teaching, Dr. Vines enjoys woodworking, as well as hiking and cycling in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Concert Series Presents Soprano Soloist

The Concert Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University will continue its 2011-2012 season with a free performance by soprano soloist Danielle Talamantes on Sunday, November 20 at 4 p.m. The concert will be held at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Hickory.

Talamantes has been described as a passionate opera star on the rise that completely commands her stage with body language that complements her vocal character portrayals. With a number of sold out performances, Talamantes has quickly become one of the regions most sought after soloists. Her concert in Hickory will include works by Schubert, Granados, Leoncavallo, Respighi, and Duke Ellington.

Her unique talents have also grabbed the attention of a number of classical music organizations, symphonies, and opera companies. She recently debuted as Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Fremont Opera. Other performances include work with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Chorale and Orchestra, and the Oratorio Society of Virginia.

Talamantes has received numerous competition honors of 1st and 2nd place across the country. She will continue to gain national notoriety with the current concert season including debuts with the Nashville Symphony and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society.

Established in the fall of 2000, the Concert Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University serves the university community and the greater Hickory area by providing opportunities to hear and interact with superb musical artists. The Concert Series brings musical artists to the University to present concerts and recitals, work with students in the master class setting, lecture to music classes, and provide examples of professional artistry in music.

For more information on this event and supporting the Concert Series, contact the Lenoir-Rhyne University Office of Advancement at 828-328-7822.

“Pastor/MONK-in-Residence” at L-R

The Rev. John Cochran, a Lutheran Benedictine monk from St. Augustine’s Monastery in Oxford, Michigan, is the Fall Pastor-in-Residence at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Monday, October 24 – Wednesday, October 26.

Pastor Cochran, who retired from a distinguished career as a parish pastor in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA in 2008, joined the Benedictine monastery soon after retirement, taking final vows as a Benedictine monk in 2010. St. Augustine’s, founded in 1957, was established in Michigan by a Lutheran Benedictine monastery in Sweden.

“Father John,” while residing on campus as Pastor-in-Residence, will visit classes, converse with students, faculty and staff, and serve as preacher for the university’s weekly Chapel service, Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. He will be joined in Chapel that day by the university’s A Cappella Choir, directed by Dr. Paul Weber. 

On Monday, October 24, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Pastor Cochran will present at lecture at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (downstairs) Newton Fellowship Hall entitled, “The Monk in the Modern World.” Responding to his remarks will be Brother Andrew Spivey, OSB, a Roman Catholic monk from Belmont Abbey, Belmont, NC; and a general discussion/question-answer time will follow.

LRU Nursing Program to Benefit From Grant

The Foundation for Nursing Excellence (FFNE) has received a $1,370,000 grant from The Duke Endowment (TDE) to increase the number of Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates in North Carolina by expanding the RIBN (Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses) project. The Hickory RIBN program is a four-year nursing option that will dually admit and enroll students to both Lenoir-Rhyne University and one of five area community colleges.

A higher educated nursing workforce is needed to address the increasingly complex healthcare needs of citizens, and expand the pool for future faculty and advanced practice nurses. North Carolina must create new partnerships between community colleges and universities to support seamless progression toward a baccalaureate degree. The Duke Endowment is further investing in the expansion of the RIBN project to ensure an adequately prepared nursing workforce to support the health and well being of the citizens of our state.

This program will provide a seamless associate to baccalaureate nursing education for students. The first three years of study will be at the community college campus along with one course per semester at L-R. Upon successful completion of the first three years, students will take their fourth year at Lenoir-Rhyne.

“We are so excited to be a part of the Hickory RIBN Collaborative,” said Kerry Thompson, chair of the School of Nursing at LR. “This opportunity allows us to be innovative and provide our local health care facilities the advantage to offer more baccalaureate prepared nurses to the work force.”

One of the priority recommendations from the 2004 NC IOM Nursing Workforce Report and from the 2011 IOM Future of Nursing report is to significantly increase the proportion of BSN prepared nurses by 2020. Currently over 66% of newly licensed nurses enter the workforce with associate degrees in nursing and less than 15% of these nurses achieve a BSN or higher degree in nursing during their careers.

Based on the success of the initial stage of this project in western NC and the broad interest in expanding this educational model statewide, The Duke Endowment is investing in the expansion of the RIBN model in five regions across the state, including 14 associate degree and five university nursing education programs.

RIBN students will have the opportunity to begin working as an RN at the end of their third year, unlike a traditional BSN program, once they have passed the NCLEX. This L-R program is in conjunction with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, Catawba Valley Community College, Mitchell Community College, Western Piedmont Community College, and Wilkes Community College.

“The School of Nursing at Lenoir-Rhyne is firmly committed to maintain high educational standards and this program is another way that we can work with leaders all across the state to provide quality nursing graduates with the potential to advance our nursing profession,” Thompson explained.

For more information on the RIBN program at L-R, contact Mae Mills at 828-328-7730 or Emily Edwards at 828-328-7731.

Community Invited to Learn More About Suzuki Method

Program director Jane Perry working with several students
during a recent group lesson. Photo credit: LRU

On Saturday, November 5, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Suzuki Kids in Koncert program at Lenoir-Rhyne University will host an open house in the Mauney Music Building on the L-R campus. The Kids in Koncert program enrolls students as young as four years old up to adults.

The Suzuki method was developed by Japanese musician Shinichi Suzuki as a way of teaching music to young children. The method is based on the concept that children learn music in the same way they would learn a language – by listening, modeling what they hear, and repetition. Through the Suzuki method, students learn to play before they learn to read. Parents are actively involved in the learning process by attending sessions with their child. Students will participate in a combination of private and group lessons, as well as opportunities to perform in recitals each semester.

The Suzuki Kids in Koncert program offers instruction in violin, viola, cello, flute, piano, and harp. Faculty includes April Dean, violin and viola; Jean Hatmaker, cello; Helen Rifas, harp; Cheryl Weldon, flute and piano; Irene Craig, piano; and Jane Perry, piano and Director of Kids in Koncert.

Perry says the open house “will provide an opportunity for interested people to come and learn about the Suzuki method of music instruction, meet the faculty of the program, visit the studios, hear students perform, have opportunity to ask questions, visit a petting zoo of the instruments, and enjoy refreshments.”

For more information about the open house or about the Suzuki Kids in Koncert program, please call Jane Perry at (828) 267-3476.

Eugene O’Niell Play to be Presented at Lenoir-Rhyne University

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Playmakers will perform Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O’Niell November 2 through November 5 in P.E. Monroe Auditorium on campus.

O’Neill, often called America’s greatest playwright, first produced the play in 1947. It’s real fame, however, came after 1957, and it has since been produced on Broadway five times with actors such as Jason Robards, Colleen Dewhurst, and Kevin Spacey. The language and relationships in the play are typical of O’Neill’s “unblinking look at raw, and sometimes ugly truths” and yet the bittersweet acceptance of the pain in life is what makes his work so captivatingly beautiful.

Moon for the Misbegotten is set in 1923 on a farm in New England of Irish immigrant Phil Hogan and his daughter Josie. Her quick wit and sharp tongue are matched against the charming but cynical Jim Tyrone for an evening full of manipulation and romance.

“The play blends humor and tragedy together in a rather brilliant way,” says cast member Cody Watson. “I think the audiences that are coming to see it won't be able to help loving the characters they are seeing onstage.”

The show is directed by L-R alumni Joshua Yoder ‘03, who also holds a MFA in Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The cast includes Amber Ellis, senior Theatre major; Patrick Woodward, freshman Theatre major; Cody Watson, Senior Theatre major; Anthony Chambers, freshman Theatre major; and Terry Evans, Hickory community member.

The show will run Wednesday, November 2 – Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, children and non-LR students, and free for L-R students with ID. The production will be performed with both actors and audience seated on the P.E. Monroe Auditorium stage, so seating is limited.

For additional information and to make reservations, call 828-328-PLAY or go to theatre.lr.edu. This play contains strong language and sexual innuendo that may not be suitable for children.

Western Piedmont Youth Symphony to Perform Fall Concert

The Western Piedmont Youth Symphony will perform on Monday, October 31 at 7 p.m. in the Arts and Science Center of Catawba Valley Auditorium. General admission with open seating is $5 per person with a family admission of $15 (up to four). Following the concert, the audience is welcome to stay for the showing of Bugs Bunny’s “Howl-o-ween” cartoon. Trick or Treat reception to follow for concert goers.

These young and talented musicians have been hard at work preparing for their first concert of the season. Directed by John Gordon Ross, the Youth Symphony boasts a full complement of strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The Youth Symphony is directly sponsored by Frye Regional Medical Center with additional support from the von Drehle Corporation. Come and support our young musicians.

Western Piedmont Symphony is a grant recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council and a funded affiliate of the United Arts Council of Catawba County. Business offices are located on the SALT Block at 243 Third Avenue NE, Hickory. Business hours are 9:00 am until 5:00 pm daily. Contact the Business Office at (828) 324-8603 for concert box office schedule or for more information. Visit the Symphony’s website at www.wpsymphony.org.

Catawba Valley Ski Club Sponsoring Premier of Movie

The Catawba Valley Ski Club is sponsoring the North Carolina Premier of Match Stick Productions newest ski movie for the a second year. "Attack of La Nina" will be shown on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the Carolina Theater in downtown Hickory at 7:00 PM. The title comes from the "la nina" weather pattern that was responsible for the massive snow storms North America experienced last winter. Tickets are only $5.00 and are available in advance or at the door on the evening of the show. The $5.00 ticket will also be applied to your annual membership to the Catawba Valley Ski Club, if people decide to join. It will also make you eligable for door prizes on the night of the show. Door prizes will include a new pair of skis and a snowboard, along with some other great prizes. You do not have to be a member to attend or win the door prizes. To purchase tickets in advance, email Tom Rigsby at tarigsby@charter.net. We will be projecting in High Definition this year! This should be a great event and a fantastic way to get excited about the upcoming winter sports season.

We look forward to seeing all the Western North Carolina winter sports enthusiasts on Tuesday, November 8th!

The Catawba Valley Ski Club is a non-profit club, affiliated with the Crescent Ski Council. As a member of the club, people are able to access all the trips and local activities, including ski/snowboard racing, that the Crescent Ski Council provides. Crescent is a group of more than 20 clubs from all over the Southeast. For more information contact Tom Rigsby
President, Catawba Valley Ski Club at 828-381-4842 or via Email: tarigsby@charter.net.

Lenoir-Rhyne to Hold High School Scholars Academy Information Session

The 2011-2012 L-R High School Scholars Academy
pose in front of the "charge". Photo credit: LRU

Lenoir-Rhyne University will hold an information session at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, for high school juniors and their parents interested in the university’s High School Scholars Academy. The session will be held in room 213 of the McCrorie Center on the L-R campus.

The High School Scholars Academy, which began in 2007, is designed for high school students who wish to pursue a more advanced academic program for their senior year of high school. Students selected for the program will have the opportunity to enroll in English IV Honors plus three college classes in the fall and AP English (or an approved online class) plus three college classes in the spring.

Applications for the 2012-2013 school year are due Feb. 21, 2012. First preference for admission will be given to students enrolled in the Catawba County, Hickory Public, or Newton-Conover school systems. If space is available, the university will also consider students from private schools, home schools, and other school systems.

Factors considered for admission include high school GPA, courses taken in high school, SAT, ACT, PSAT or PLAN scores, and high school or community involvement.

The information sessions do not require advance registration. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ann Gosnell at maryann.gosnell@lr.edu or 828-328-7300. Additional information about the High School Scholars Academy can be found online at <www.lr.edu/admissions/high-school-scholars-academy>.

Visting Writer Series Continues: Life Experiences Pepper Author’s Stories

The Visiting Writers Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University continues on Thursday, November 3 with “An Evening with Edward P. Jones.” The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Belk Centrum on the L-R campus. The event is free and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required.

"There's an old chestnut about how when you ask a Southerner a question, you don't get an answer—you get a story." So the Washington Post describes Pulitzer Prize winning author Edward P. Jones. Jones' stories, prompted by questions from his enigmatic and often tragic life experiences, mold his publications: New York Times bestselling novel The Known World (2003) and his short-story collections Lost in the City (2004) and All Aunt Hagar's Children (2006).

The literary acclamations awarded to Jones mirror the profound nature of his writing. His life, however, reflects the habits of a recluse more so than one of the most celebrated authors of this generation. Nonetheless, Jones' extraordinary writing has the ability, as novelist Dave Eggers writes, to "stun on every page; there are too many breathtaking lines to count" with "its sweep, its humanity, the unvarnished perfection of its prose."

Jones, a MacArthur fellow, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2004, which added to his other distinctions including the Hemingway Foundation's 1993 PEN Award, 2003 National Book Critics Award, the 2005 International Dublin Literary Award, and several National Book Award nominations.

Other authors in the series include Isaac Anderson, Judy Goldman, Sandra Cisneros, Lynne Cherry, and Alexander McCall Smith. The series continues through April 2012.

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series is free to the public thanks to the support of sponsors. This year’s sponsors include Our State, WDAV 89.9 FM: Classical Public Radio, Catawba Science Center, North Carolina Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Catawba Valley Community Foundation, Hickory Public Library, United Arts Council of Catawba County, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Crowne Plaza Hotel of Hickory, WFAE 90.7 FM: Your NPR News Source, City of Hickory Community Relations Council, Catawba Valley Medical Center, and Rotary International.

For more information about the Visiting Writers Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University, go to http://visitingwriters.lr.edu or call 828-328-7077.

Muggles and Wizards Converge on Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University is pleased to announce the second annual Harry Potter Fest on Friday, Oct. 28 on campus. A variety of activities are scheduled throughout the day and are open to the community.

Harry Potter Fest will kick off at 10:00 a.m. with a presentation by Travis Prinzi, Harry Potter scholar and researcher. Prinzi runs a popular website and podcast called, “The Hog’s Head,” named after a pub in the Harry Potter series. The event will take place in the Belk Centrum on campus. Tickets are not required but seating is limited. A Q&A with Prinzi will follow later in the day at 12:00 p.m. in the Bear’s Lair on campus.

All Harry Potter fans are invited to participate in the “Insufferable Know-It-Alls” Harry Potter trivia contest beginning at 1:00 p.m. Assemble a team of up to three people and prepare to earn your O.W.L.s. Enjoy some butterbeer and cauldron cakes while you play the game. Preregistration is required at library.lr.edu/hptrivia.

Today’s students don’t have to bring their pet owl to school with them but in the spirit of Harry Potter, the Carolina Raptor Center will have live owls on hand. Learn about these beautiful creatures from 2-5 p.m. on Shaw Plaza.

LRU students and the public alike are invited to attend the quidditch match to be held 3:30-5:30 p.m. on the Russell House lawn. Quidditch is a sport that was developed by Rowling for the Harry Potter book series. Whether you are a Seeker, Snitch, or just an observer, you are sure to have a great time watching and participating in this fun sport.

At 6:30 p.m. a community costume contest for school age children K-12 will be held. Students can come dressed in their best Hermione, Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore or Hagrid costumes, just to name a few, to wow and impress the judges. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.

The evening will wrap up with a Wizard Rock concert with “Hawthorn & Holly” from 7-8:30 p.m. at Shaw Plaza. Hawthorn & Holly are the wands of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter in the books, but in this band they stand for the joining of light and dark to create music that appeals to the Slytherin in us all, but also shows that nothing is greater than the power of friendship!

"American Brass Quintet" Comes to Lenoir-Rhyne University

The Concert Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University will kick off the 2011-12 season with a free performance by the American Brass Quintet on Friday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the P.E. Monroe Auditorium on campus. Tickets are not required and the L-R Friends of Music invite the entire community to experience this group.

Founded in 1960, the American Brass Quintet seeks to promote brass chamber music as a serious chamber music medium. Now in its 51st season, the American Brass Quintet has been internationally recognized as one of the premier chamber music ensembles of our time and an icon in the brass world. The ABQ's rich history includes performances in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and all fifty of the United States; a discography of over fifty recordings; the premieres of over one-hundred contemporary brass works, and in the last decade, mini-residencies that have brought the ABQ's chamber music expertise to countless young musicians and institutions worldwide. ABQ commissions by Samuel Adler, Bruce Adolphe, Daniel Asia, Jan Bach, Robert Beaser, William Bolcom, Elliott Carter, Jacob Druckman, Eric Ewazen, Anthony Plog, Huang Ruo, Steven Sacco, David Sampson, Gunther Schuller, William Schuman, Joan Tower, Melinda Wagner, and Charles Whittenberg, are considered among the most significant contributions to the modern brass quintet repertoire.

Premieres in the last three seasons include works by Gordon Beeferman, Nolan Gasser, Trevor Gureckis, Justin Dello Joio, Shafer Mahoney, Anthony Plog and David Sampson. In commemoration of the 50th anniversary last year, the ABQ released its ninth recording on the Summit label-a double CD of new works written for the ABQ in the last decade called State of the Art: The ABQ at 50.

Through its acclaimed performances, diverse programming, commissioning, extensive discography, and educational mission, the ABQ has created a legacy unparalleled in the brass field. Hailed as "the high priests of brass" by Newsweek, "positively breathtaking" by the New York Times, and "of all the brass quintets, the most distinguished" by the American Record Guide, the American Brass Quintet has clearly defined itself among the elite chamber music ensembles of our time.

For additional information on the Concert Series, please visit [mus.lr.edu] or check the Lenoir-Rhyne University Concert Series Facebook page.

Family Weekend Scheduled for September 16-17

On September 16 and 17 we will welcome parents of families of LRU students to campus for the Annual Family Weekend-Best of LRU. Many events are planned throughout the weekend and all are welcome and encouraged to come take part. Detailed event information and registration can be found online.

Institute for Faith and Learning to Host Speaker

The LRU Institute for Faith and Learning will host speaker Mark Yaconelli who will present "Wonder, Fear, and Longing: The Life of the Soul." Using story and humor, and drawing on his work in Christian spiritual formation, Yaconelli will discuss how our everyday experience invites us into greater freedom and transparency with God, others, and ourselves.

The event will be held on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the Belk Centrum. No tickets are needed.

Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Sacred Music Program will sponsor a Service of Commemoration on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. The service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 11, at First Baptist Church in Hickory. Participants will include the L-R Youth Chorus, the LRU Brass Ensemble and the LRU A Cappella Choir. This event is free and open to the public.

Aspects of Leadership

The LRU Business Council and the Alex Lee Foundation will sponsor a series of discussions on leadership throughout the next few weeks. This on-going event began last week with LRU President Wayne Powell and will continue this week on Wednesday, September 7 with Boyd George, President of Alex Lee Inc.

Next week's discussion will be lead by Tony Rose, Catawba Valley Medical Center President and will be on Wednesday, September 14. This program will continue until October 26th and is meant to help participants reach a better understanding of leadership so that we may practice it more effectively.

Each event will begin at 6:15 p.m. in the McCrorie Center, Fintel classroom. The series is free and open to the community.

LRU Partners with High School to Develop Outstanding Programs & Students

UCHS students Troy Barker, Lisa Emerson, and Alec Hass look on as UCHS board
chairman David Reitzel and L-R provost Larry Hall sign the partnership agreement

Lenoir-Rhyne University has entered into a formal partnership with University Christian High School in order to further develop a high quality faith-based high school curriculum for students in the greater Hickory area.

Established in 2009, University Christian High School’s (UCHS) mission is to provide a Christ-centered education that inspires students to excellence in academics, moral character, and servant leadership.

UCHS offers an advanced and highly academic curriculum in partnership with L-R. Students at UCHS have the opportunity to take a greater variety of advanced classes than any high school, public or private, in the area. Through dual enrollment opportunities, UCHS students have the opportunity to graduate with up to 30 college credit hours, which is included in the tuition cost of the school.

This partnership allows Lenoir-Rhyne to provide greater opportunities to high school students and to better prepare them to succeed at a four-year institution after graduation. L-R has dedicated a classroom/lab area for UCHS science classes to ensure update-to-date resources are available to the students in their education.

Beginning with this school year, UCHS will be located at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, across the street from L-R. The proximity of the high school to Lenoir-Rhyne allows for easy access to the college classes that juniors and seniors take.

More information about University Christian High School can be found on their website at www.uchigh.com. The high school is still accepting applications for the 2011-12 academic year.

Xi House Demo

Xi House in the process of being torn down to make room for the
new residence hall. Construction on the new hall will begin later
this summer (Photo credits: Rich Duncan).