College of Arts & Communication at UW-W

When most people think of college they think of reading a text book, learning other people’s ideas and then applying that to a test.  But there are a few students that get to apply their own original ideas into the field they are studying.  A few of the UW-Whitewater music majors are among those students that are active composers that contribute to the music field.

Johnny Kermott; a Junior pursuing a B.A in Music with a minor in Sound Production for Film Instruments: Violin, Viola, Guitar, Piano, Accordion, Mandolin, Trumpet, Cello, and Trombone

Johnny Kermott has been composing for about 8 years; he started composing both piano pieces and for his rock band.in 8th grade.   Towards high school graduation he began to include more classical elements into his compositions.  After taking lessons this year, from the composition professor, Dr. Jeff Herriott, Kermott feels that he is, “emancipated from presupposed ideas in music and what music is supposed to sound like.”  This allows him take his music wherever his inspirations, such as nature, books, other music, and philosophy lead him to.

Kermott always keeps a small notebook with him so that he can write down an idea when an inspiration comes to him.  He tries to sit down every day at set times to compose claiming, “When you write every day you begin to know yourself as a musician and how you compose better as well as a person’s creative cycles.”

Triebold has only been composing for the last 8 months but his path to composing started while in high school; when he would arrange pieces of music for different instrumentation.  One of his most memorable arranging moments from high school is when he arranged the Mortal Kombat theme song for a cappella choir for his high school madrigal dinner.  During which, he was able to participate in the sword fight that was accompanied by his piece.  To arrange the pieces, he would dictate them by ear and then arrange the pieces in a software program for musical notation.  Starting last semester, Treibold took a composition class with Dr. Herriott and began to write compositions and continued taking private lessons this semester.

Even though Kermott and Triebold have a huge difference in how long they have been composing, 8 years to 8 months respectively, they both contribute to the music field.  In both composing and performing they have their pieces played right alongside each other and always show support of each other’s musical endeavors.

Both students will have will have compositions performed at the Sonict: Student Composers Concert on Tuesday, April 24^th at 7:30 pm at the Light Recital Hall.  As performers, both students are performing at Rock For Peace on Thursday April 26^th with Triebold at 8 pm and Kermott at 9 pm at Jitters Coffeehouse. http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/110774702388596/

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On Saturday, December 10^th, 2011 the UW-Whitewater Warhawks football team had a tremendous opportunity to host the semi-final game against the University of St. Thomas, whom they have not played since 1990, before some of the players were even born.  The game was broadcast live on ESPN3, the sport network’s online streaming site, which was an amazing opportunity for UW-Whitewater since no major broadcasting network has ever come to campus to broadcast a Warhawk sports game.  This provided opportunities for the College of Arts and Communication in association with the cable news station, as ESPN3 needed help on game day with communication and analysis of the game.  Three students from the College of Arts and Communication –Kyle Wallace, Britin Kastein, and Jason Nichols were given the opportunity to see how a major sports network broadcasts a game.

Kastein is senior broadcast journalism major and Wallace is a senior broadcast journalism major with a public relations minor.  Their experience as the Warhawk’s basketball and football announcers, combined with Wallace’s internship at 540 AM ESPN’s Milwaukee station the past three summers, made them a perfect fit for the job.  Kastein was in charge of gathering stats for the booth announcers from the field for the game.  This opportunity coincided perfectly with his goal to become a play-by-play announcer for a major sports network.  The announcers, who normally don’t cover division III football, relied heavily on the students’ involvement on providing them with stats for both teams.  Wallace spent the game up in the booth between the two announcers with headphones on and was able to listen to all the communication on the field.  Kyle was acting as a talent statistician and kept track of the big players and potential big plays that were made, which parallels with Wallace’s carrer track of being a live sport analyst.

Spectators may have noticed a man dressed in red on the field during the game, this was Nichols, who was responsible for being the communication between the referees and the booth.  This was particularly important for this game because they had to work the game around ESPN3’s commercials that they aired, not usually a factor when UWWTV broadcasts games.  This experience prepared students for future jobs because as Wallace said, “I received a lot of great contacts from working with ESPN3, it was a great networking opportunity.”  Britin’s comments were similar, “This was the greatest opportunity that I could have going to college for my future career.

Not only was this a positive experience for the students but the ESPN3 crew and affiliates were also grateful for UW-Whitewater as they said in a letter to the Athletic Director, “UW-Whitewater has what other Division I and II schools could only dream of.”

These opportunities turned into victories for both the students involved in the behind the scenes work and for the Warhawks football team by going on to win the football game (20-0) putting them in the finals against Mount Union, who they defeated again (13-10).  In the end it was a win-win situation for students attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on and off the field.

Whether it’s brewing coffee or supporting the arts, this alum has a Sweetspot for UW-Whitewater and the community. The successful alum, Lacey Reichwald, is co-owner of the SweetSpot Coffee Shoppe located on W. Whitewater St in downtown Whitewater. Reichwald graduated in December of 2007 from the College of Arts and Communication with a degree in Interpersonal Communication and a minor in Psychology. Originally, Reichwald planned on working in family communication; however, that plan changed when she started working at the coffee shop.

When asked about how her Communication major has influenced her new career path, Reichwald explains, “I use my communication degree every single day. The one thing I did not realize was how much I would use the skills I learned in my communication classes. Effective communication can make or break an organization and I strive to utilize the direct communication skills I learned in school in my daily life.”

The SweetSpot Coffee Shoppe opened in 2006 and Reichwald worked there roughly 30 hours a week while she was still a student at UW-Whitewater. Although accepted to Marquette for graduate school, Reichwald took a leap of faith and became 1/3 owner of the coffee shop and full-time manager. Business was increasing steadily for the Sweetspot, which led to adding a full, quick-serve lunch menu. With the new kitchen in place, the Sweetspot expanded their space, offering a new dining and gallery area.

Reichwald has always had a passion for the arts and wanted to incorporate that into her business so she teamed up with the Whitewater Arts Alliance to display a monthly gallery of local artist’s work. November’s featured artist was Eric Appleton, a playwright and professor at UW-Whitewater. The gallery showcased his collection of collage artwork. Other featured artists have included Mark McPhail, Dean of the College of Arts and Communication, and local artists and alumni Tom Jewell and Marilyn Kilpin Fuerstenberg.

This gallery is a unique way to appreciate all the local talent in Whitewater. When asked about why she wants to keep the art gallery local to Whitewater, Reichwald said, “I love working with faculty, staff, and students on community events, arts events, and promotions”. Which in turn directly effects the mission of the SweetSpot, to provide the best customer service experience in Whitewater while serving high quality pastries, coffee, and food to a range of customers.

By the end of 2008, the original owners sold their share in the business and Reichwald found new investors to add equipment and make improvements to accommodate further growth. Now, Reichwald, her mother, Karen, and a silent partner are all owners of the business and have expanded even further to a pastry kitchen. They celebrated with an open house on December 2nd.

To learn more about Ms. Reichwald and The SweetSpot Coffee Shoppe visit their website, check them out on Facebook  or just stop in for a coffee and a tasty sweet treat!

post by Kylee Flister, UW-Whitewater BFA Theatre Management/Promotion major.

Nationally-acclaimed strategists to headline Social Media for Business and Entrepreneurs forum in Whitewater Sept. 28; program open to the public

Sara Meaney

Whitewater, Wis. – Sara Meaney, nationally-acclaimed social media strategist, will be the keynote speaker at the Social Media for Business and Entrepreneurs forum at the Whitewater University Technology Park Innovation Center on Sept. 28. Meaney will share insights on why social media is more important now than ever in today’s competitive business climate driven by digital and mobile technology. A pioneer in the industry with dozens of national clients, Meaney is a partner and vice president of Social Media and Public Relations at Hanson Dodge Creative in Milwaukee.

Other program highlights include a social media roundtable of regional experts who will present best-practices on how businesses and entrepreneur can enhance their brand, outreach and relationships with key stakeholders. Featured speakers include strategists from Edelman, Staples Marketing, American Standard Process and GMWrites.

Matt Scherer

Matt Scherer, an expert in online networking for businesses and individuals, will conclude the program with a presentation on how to use LinkedIn to enhance organizations’ reputations and online communities while building loyal stakeholder groups.

The social media program is designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs and anyone else interested in using social media help grow their company or business or personal brand. $30 registration includes free After-Hours Power Networking and refreshments; discount rates for students, faculty, alumni, tech park board members and Innovation Center clients.

The Social Media for Business and Entrepreneurs forum runs from 1-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Whitewater Innovation Center, 1221 Innovation Drive, Whitewater. To register for the event, visit www.bit.ly/uwwic or call (262) 472-3165.

Guest post by Michael Flanagan, Crossman Gallery Director

Hello Everyone -

Our team of faculty members and one student from UW-Whitewater has just returned from our workshops in Oaxaca.  As usual, Charles Cottle took the lead in making arrangements for our workshops and living arrangements.  Professor Max White and I completed the instructional side of the visit.

We were hosted by Maestro Juan Alcázar at the Galeria La Mano Mágica (The Magic Hand Gallery) in the city center and spent two weeks there.  Max White, along with second year art student Irasema Villarreal, worked with a group of about a dozen artists.  Max taught the students a variety of monotype processes in a technically and artistically demanding series.  Irasema provided Spanish language translations and produced artwork herself.

I taught the museum studies (museografia) portion of the workshop with about 8 students participating.  I brought artwork from the collection at UW-Whitewater and Max provided a number of prints by advanced students, including Irasema, along with examples of her own work.  After a few days of lectures, the students got to form into two working groups and began planning the exhibition that was to take place in the two galleries of Galeria Mano Magica.  Students used the works from UW-Whitewater to form a basic concept and then we went on to borrow works from Galeria Mano Magica as well as from the well regarded print studio at Taller Rufino Tamayo to complete the exhibit.  Each group selected 15 prints for display.  As part of the process, the works were mounted and framed, then installed in the gallery.  Students were also required to write a didactic panel, create a show title, write letters to the lenders and provide specifics for the exhibit labels.

The show opened with a reception on Friday, August 5, and the students in both classes were acknowledged with certificates of achievement signed by representatives from the galleries and workshop sponsors.  A second, public reception was held Saturday evening where guests from the community, other artists and media representatives came to view the exhibit and monotype prints from both workshops.

We were pleased with the outcome of the exhibits and workshops and have been invited back again next year.

As part of the relationship with our colleagues in Oaxaca, two shows will be mounted at UW-Whitewater this fall.  One, Sobreviviendo: Manejese con Cuidado (Surviving: Handle with Care) is a portfolio of prints created by 28 artists from Oaxaca under the direction of Maestro Juan Alcazar that portrays the endangered animals in the region.  Those prints will be on display in the Crossman Gallery in September.

The second exhibit, Viva Oaxaca, will display the results of the monotype workshop as well as examples of creative work by Max White, Michael Flanagan, Charles Cottle and Irasema Villarreal that were produced during our time in Oaxaca.  That exhibit will be on display in the Fiskum Gallery, located in the University Center, also during September.

Finally, arrangements are being finalized for the visit to the UW-Whitewater campus by Maestro Juan Alcázar, Maestro Manuel Matus and staff members from Taller Juan Alcázar.  These visits will coincide with the opening receptions for the exhibits and presentations and workshops on campus.  Please watch the campus news for additional information about the exhibits and workshops.  There will also be postings on the Crossman Gallery site.

Best wishes,
Michael Flanagan
Director, Crossman Gallery

http://blogs.uww.edu/crossman/

The Music Department at UW-Whitewater has created a website allowing users to not only hear a variety of music, but to support the Music Department scholarship fund.

Benjamin Whitcomb, Music Department faculty, and Eric Sheffield, Director of the Arts Media Center and Technology Coordinator for the College of Arts and Communication, have created the website, http://uwwmusic.bandcamp.com/, a location where music will be made available for downloading. Downloading the music is technically free – however donations are encouraged. These donations will provide music scholarships for the students at UW-Whitewater.

This endeavor started when Whitcomb approached Sheffield wondering how to release department recordings online. Bandcamp, an online music store used for promoting artists, worked perfectly for this project because it gives the highest percentage of proceeds from the donations back to the seller. The purposes of this site are promotional and fundraising because it allows students and faculty the ability to market their music, and all the donations from Bandcamp will be put towards music scholarship funds for current and prospective students.

Currently featured at http://uwwmusic.bandcamp.com/ is the UW-Whitewater “Eclectic Strings” album. It contains 11 tracks, representing a wide variety of styles, by professional bands that include UW-W alumni. This collection showcases the skills and accomplishments of our alumni.

New music will continue to be made available to download at http://uwwmusic.bandcamp.com/ – remember donations support student scholarships – so please donate if you enjoy UW-Whitewater’s music offerings.

Career Workshop with UW-Whitewater alumnus Nathanael May

When: Friday, April 15, 1:10 p.m.  Where: CA 6

Dr. May has forged a multi-faceted career in music. As a festival producer, concert organizer, publicity guru, recording artist, adjudicator, professor, and performing pianist, he seeks to open doors for young musicians in today’s competitive environment. Come see where your career can take you in the field of music!

Nathanael will be presented with the Recent Outstanding Alumni Award at Founder’s Day on Saturday, April 16, 2011.

Additional information about Nathanael can be found http://www.missouriwestern.edu/music/May.asp

Eric Appleton, a member and professor of the Theatre/Dance Department faculty, just added another success to his already accomplished career as a playwright.

His new play, Among the Squirrels, is a play within a documentary of naturalist David Attenborough as he explores the changing lives of Topher and Vicki within the indigenous Chicago goth/industrial scene. The host, David Attenborough, watches Topher adapt to the challenges of a new environment, and look for answers among the squirrels.

The world première of Among the Squirrels opens Friday, February 11 at 7:30pm at the Gorilla Tango Theatre in Chicago’s Bucktown followed by five additional performances.  For tickets or more information on Among the Squirrels visit Gorilla Tango’s website www.gorillatango.com.

Following the world première, the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre will present a stage reading of Among the Squirrels as part of their Montgomery Davis Play Development Series.  The reading will be Monday, March 7^th at 7:30pm.    Additional information can be found on their website.

In addition to Among the Squirrels, Eric Appleton has written many other plays of which two have been published- Fish and Furious.

Besides teaching and writing, Eric Appleton is a scenic designer for the Theatre/Dance Department.  His recent scenic designs include Inspecting Carol, Speech and Debate, The Provok’d Wife, Urinetown! and The Ladies of the Camellias. Prior to UW Whitewater, Eric Appleton was at Niagara University and freelanced as a designer in Chicago and Milwaukee for companies such as Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and The Bailiwick Repertory Theatre.

UW-Whitewater Theatre/Dance students are heading to Michigan State University in Lansing, MI to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region III (KC/ACTF) event January 4 – 8, 2011.  KC/ACTF is a national theatre program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide, which has served as a catalyst for improving the quality of college theatre in the United States. The KC/ACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theatre departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KC/ACTF respondents.   Additional information about the KC/ACTF Region III Festival can be found at http://www.kcactf3.org/index.htm

KC/ACTF regional festivals hold auditions for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships.  These scholarships are made possible by the generosity of the late Irene Ryan who is best remembered for her portrayal of the lovable and feisty ‘Granny Clampett’ in The Beverly Hillbillies.  All student actors from both Participating and Associate productions are eligible for consideration for these $500 regional scholarships.  The Foundation and KC/ACTF also bring the regional scholarship winners and their acting partners from each of the eight regions to Washington, D.C., to take part in an “Evening of Scenes” during the KC/ACTF national festival.

The design, technical and management students also have an opportunity to showcase their work through a several avenues and are eligible for a number of awards including: Regional Design Projects, Barbizon Award, Alcone Makeup Award, KC/ACTF Sound Design Award, National Stage Management Fellowship, Tech Olympics and more.

UW-Whitewater students participating in this year’s festival include Irene Ryan nominees:  Eric Boldger, Chris Gonyo, John Lichtwalt, Samantha Markham, Andrew Muwonge , Shantelle Szyper, Chris Tate.  Their acting partners and extras include: Allison Blair , Joe Cordes, Marcus Cunningham, Zach Kunde, Kristine Larimore, Jacob Lesh, Jason Rohn , Aly Ruge and Sarah Stokes.   Design and management students who are attending include: Carole Alt, Kyle Higgins, Zach Johnson, Joe McDonnell, Erin Quist, Dan Smeiska, Eric Vigo, Alyssa Windell.    Tracey Lyons and Eric Appleton, both faculty members at UW-Whitewater are also attending the festival.

For more information about the UW-Whitewater Theatre/Dance Department, visit their website at http://uww.edu/cac/theatre.

Professor Sam Martino will be awarded a 2010 College Media Distinguished Adviser Award for his work on the Royal Purple.  A lecturer in the Communication Department, Sam Martino works closely with students focusing on media management and reporting.  He also spearheaded the Royal Purple efforts to become a multi-media publication – giving them an online presence through their website, using video and still photography as well as social media.  Martino has worked in the industry over 50 years, spending 28 years as a reporter/bureau chief and suburban editor at the Milwaukee Journal and as a reporter for different areas in Milwaukee.  He was adviser for the Royal Purple newspaper for six years and recently relinquished the position to Kyle Geissler.

Martino is receiving his award from College Media Advisers, Inc. (CMA).  CMA has been working since 1954 to help improve media operations for student media professionals.  CMA communicates with media organizations and education associations on local, state and national levels.  “Their mission is to educate and inform advisors about their roles in serving students and about the teaching, advising and production of collegiate media.”

Martino received his award at the National CMA Convention held in Louisville, KY on Thursday, October 28. UW-Whitewater congratulates Sam Martino on this outstanding national award!