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January 13, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSfflP ENDOWMENT
One woman’s love of higher education has led to a generous scholarship endowment at
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. The late Florence Ohler, formerly of Erie, and her niece.
Dr. Denise Ohler, have established a $76,000 scholarship fund for undergraduates majoring in
psychology, sociology, or social work; or graduate students studying counseling or school
psychology.
The money was bequeathed by Florence Ohler when she passed away last year. “Here
was a woman,” said Dr. Ohler, “who never went to college but valued education so much that
she wanted to provide other students with an opportunity that they might not have had
otherwise.”
Denise Ohler is Edinboro’s associate dean of enrollment management and director of
career services. She maintained close ties with her aunt who lived in California for nearly 30
years prior to her death, writing frequently to her about her education and later her career at
Edinboro. Dr. Ohler earned a B.A. degree and an M.Ed. degree from Edinboro and holds a
doctorate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
“When I was about 14 she moved to California,” said Dr. Ohler. “I didn’t see her as
frequently, but she wrote a lot and often sent me money for books and college. She kept in
touch and followed my progress throughout my formal education.
“One time when she came back from California I showed her around campus. She
thought Edinboro was a wonderful place and had done good things for me.”
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EDINBORO ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSfflP ENDOWMENT, Continued

Page 2

The scholarship awards $1,000 to a freshman who has graduated in the top fifth of his or
her class, has a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and an SAT score of 1140 or higher. The
scholarship also awards $1,000 to one upperclassman and one graduate student.
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I

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

William A. Reed, Jr.
Special Assistant to the President
for Community Relations
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 16, 1998
/

REQUEST FOR CORRECTION:

The article “Community leaders get honors at Edinboro U.” which appeared in today’s
(1/16/98) Morning News (page IB) misspelled the last name of one of the hoporees, Celestine
Bell Davis (not David).
In the fifth paragraph, Ms. Davis is also referred to as “he” when, in faCt; she is a she.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

^

fsmssmmm

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 15, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

EDINBORO’S SHAWN AHEARN WINS NATIONAt AWARD
Shawn Aheam, coordinator of sports information and promotions at Edinboro University
of Pennsylvania, has been selected as the second recipient of the Extra-Mile Award, presented
annually by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee to recognize an SID at an NCAA
Division II football-playing institution for their contributions to promote the Hill Trophy and
Division II football.

'

Aheam, who has served on the National Harlon Hill Advisory Committee since 1993
and has played a key role in the continued growth ^d success of the awar4, was selected by a
special panel from the National Harlon Hill Award Committee.
Created in 1986, the Harlon Hill Trophy is presented annually to the NCAA Division II
College Football Player of the Year, in voting by the sports information directors at the 154
schools competing in NCAA Division II football nationally.
“The purpose of the Hill Trophy is to promote Division II football and it’s outstanding
athletes, and we feel that the trophy has certainly done just that over the last 12 years,” said Hill
Committee Chairman Jeff Hodges. “One of the primary reasons that it has been a success is
because of the Division II sports information directors who assist in every facet of the award,
from nominating and promoting their own school’s athletes, to the voting process.
‘This Extra-Mile Award is a way for us to recognize some of those people, like Shawn
Aheam, who really have gone the extra-mile to not only make the Hill Trophy a success, but to
promote Division II football and its athletes,” Hodges said.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

Page 2

AHEARN wins award, Continued

“Shawn has worked for several years to promote not only the Hill Trophy and Division
n football, but the division as a whole. He has been on the ground level of a lot of current
successful Division II programs and has taken a lead role in helping to organize the SIDs in the
division to further promote the more than 150 schools nationwide and their respective student
athletes.
“He has been a real leader for Division II,” Hodges said.
While serving as sports information director at Pittsburg (Kan.) State University, Aheam
used innovative promotions to enhance the successful candidacies of back-to-back Hill Trophy
winners Ronnie West and Ronald Moore in 1991 and 1992.
He later became a member of the Hill Trophy National Advisory Committee for the
Midwest Region in 1993. With his move to Edinboro prior to the 1995 football season, Aheam
was appointed Hill Advisory Committee Northeast Regional Chairman, and still holds that
position.
He also oversees the Division II All-America program, in which Division II SIDs select
football and men’s and women’s basketball All-America teams.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Aheam is in his third year at Edinboro and his 12th year as a
full-time SID. He is a 1985 graduate of Clarion University and later served as the graduate
assistant SID at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He then served as the SID at
Chicago State University from 1986-89 before going to Pittsburg State for six seasons. The
Gorillas made two trips to the Division II football championship game during his time there,
including winning the 1991 National Championship.
He is an active member of the College Sports Information Directors of America, serving
as the chair of the Division II SIDs for the past two years.
Aheam serves on Edinboro’s Marketing Task Force and Athletic Hall of Fame
Committee, and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His athletic publications
have won several national awards from CoSIDA, including Edinboro’s 1996 football game
program, which was chosen “Second in the Nation.”
He and wife, Karen, have two daughters, Ashlyn, 6, and Emily, 2.
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t

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 15,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR CO-AUTHORED
ARTICLE FOR JOURNAL OF CUMATE
Dr. Kerry Moyer, a geosciences professor at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania,
co-authored the article “Observations of Surface Forcing from the Subduction Experiment; A
Comparison with Global Model Products and Qimatological Datasets,” published in the
November, 1997 issue of the Journal of Climate.
Co-authored with Robert Weller of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the article
compares observations of heat, moisture, and momentum exchange between the ocean and
atmosphere and the depiction of these quantities by commonly used computer model and
climatological datasets.
Moyer discovered differences between what was measured with his buoys in the North
Atlantic and what was represented within other datasets. Measurements such as Moyer’s will
hopefully aid in the improvement of weather computer forecasts models.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 15,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY AWARDED SOCIAL EQUITT GRANTS
The State System of Higher Education has awarded five social equity grants to Edinboro
University of Pennsylvania totaling $52,480. The grant money will be used for five projects
which are designed to improve education priniarily for minority students.


Improving Campus Climate for the African-American Graduate Student will form
linkages with five traditionally black colleges from which Edinboro faculty will learn
how to make Edinboro a more hospitable place for African-American students.



Music Summer at Edinboro is a one-week residential program primarily for minority
and economically challenged students in grades 9-12. Classes will be held in band,
choir, orchestra, chamber music, music theory and history.



Targeting Rural Women at Risk is an on-going program that bolsters the motivation
and preparedness of rural women for postsecondary education. It helps students from
Erie, Warren, Crawford and Mercer counties prepare for college through school and
university support programs.



Reading Partners: Children’s Literacy Corps will recruit 20 inner-city economically
disadvantaged and/or minority high school students to enhance their orientation,
motivation and preparation for pursuing post-secondary education. The students will
participate in a week-long summer program where they will learn how to read aloud
to children for the purpose of enhancing children’s literacy abilities.



Las Mujeres del Mundo: International Women’s Issues will present several nationally
and regionally-known women speakers to the University community during 1998.
Their lectures are expected to enhance the presence of women on campus and show
how much women have in common regardless of race or national origin.
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BKP:csw
A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-262i

January 15, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

PIANIST LEON BATES TO PERFORM AT EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
Classical pianist Leon Bates, who is also noted as a bodybuilder, will bring his keyboard
pyrotechnics to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania’s Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday,
February 4. Bates has performed with America’s leading symphonies including the New York
Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony and
the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has appeared on the Today Show and on
Morning

CBS Sunday

with the late Charles Kuralt and Eugenia Zukerman.

His performance at 8 p.m. will feature works exclusively by composer George Gershwin
honoring the centennial of his birth in 1898. Bates will play such works as Blue Monday Suite,
An American in Paris

and Rhapsody in Blue.

In the past 20 years. Bates has emerged as one of America’s leading pianists. His
performances have been met with critic and audience accolades in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy
Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and Philadelphia’s Academy of Music. He has performed all over
the world, appearing with the Vienna Symphony, the Sinfonica dell’Accademia Nazionale di
Santa Cecilia in Rome, the Strasbourg Symphony in France, and Canada’s Victoria Symphony.
A native of Philadelphia, Bates began his formal study of music at the age of six on both
piano and violin. While still young, he was recognized for his musical genius and groomed for
a concert career. His early training was with the late Irene Beck at the Settlement Music School,
and his advanced study was under renowned pianist Natalie Hinderas at Temple University
Esther Boyer College of Music.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

LEON BATES TO PERFORM AT EDINBORO, Continued

Page 2

In addition to a full concert schedule. Bates is a master teacher and is often called upon
to give master classes to promising young musicians. Known for his ability to attract audiences,
his is a favorite on college campuses because of his broad interests outside classical music. He
enjoys all of the performing arts including dance, theatre and all types of music.
In a 1993 article. Ebony magazine explained Bates’ dual interests in the piano and
bodybuilding. “While others may view bodybuilding as an odd pastime for a concert, pianist.
Bates believes it enhances his musical performances. He says that the daily workouts and
repetitive lifts help to hone and refine his capacity for discipline and concentration, two talents
that are essential to a concert pianist who must perform difficult pieces of music from memory.
“‘To sit on that stage and play a piano recital for two hours requires stamina and
concentration which are necessary to keep your musical focus,’ Bates says. ‘The last piece on
the program is the one that is the most demanding and dynamic. You don’t want to run out of
energy as you are coming to the piece that demands the most from you.’
“Even with a hectic concert and practice schedule. Bates manages to spend two hours a
day, six days a week in the gym.”
Reviewers have been quick to make the bodybuilder-pianist connection: “Leon Bates,
one of the most prominent Black classical pianists, handled his role admirably. Bates exhibited
plenty of muscle, but even more engaging were his sensuous tone and wide palette of
inflections. The accompaniment, in One’s fashion, stressed restraint over brawn,” reported the
Atlanta Constitution.
In playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, the Springfield, Mo. News-Leader said of
Bates’ performance: ‘The piano reverberated from Bates’ athletic attack; but he did not slight
the more delicate moments, phrasing several lyrical passages and the famous big tune in an
almost melancholy, yet dignified lUanner.”
The performance will take place at 8 p.m. in the University’s Memorial Auditorium.
Tickets are available at the University Center, the music department or at the door. For
reservations or further information, call Edinboro University’s office of cultural affairs at
814-732-2518.
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EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 16, 1998

SPECIAL TO THE LAKE SHORE VISITOR 1998 PROGRESS REPORT
EDINBORO UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
After 35 years in higher education administration and teaching, I am proud now to be
the 15th president of Edinboro University and to lead this outstanding institution of higher
learning that has given 140 years of distinguished service to the citizens of Pennsylvania, our
nation and the world. Virtually every minute I have spent here has been a source of joy because
I live and work in the interest of the University. We in education have jobs few can dream of. At
Edinboro University, we have worked collaboratively to create and maintain a community - the
Edinboro Family - that is student-centered; a caring and trasting environment where there is a
high degree of common interest; where each person participates in mutually supportive
activities and experiences; where people respect each other and feel as if they belong and are
involved in the University’s life, behavior and culture; where people are friendly, supportive and
responsive; and where there is a common understanding and expectation of citizenship and
responsibility. I have found an institution that is fully engaged and prepared to embrace a
distinctive character, one that shares and articulates a common vision in a democratic setting.
Our most overarching goal during 1997 has been devoting our energies to changing the way the
University sees itself and the way it is viewed by others. I think we have made significant gains,
and it will remain among our top University-wide priorities as we approach the turn of the
millennium.
Submitted by
Frank G. Pogue, President

A member of the State System of Hitter Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 20,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

POGUE ANNOUNCES EMERITUS STATUS AT EDINBORO
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania President Frank G. Pogue recently awarded
emeritus status to eight retired members of the Edinboro faculty and administration.
One of the most prestigious recognitions in the profession of higher education, emeritus
status requires a minimum of 10 years of exemplary service to Edinboro University, retirement as
a faculty or administrator, and recognition by the profession for excellence in teaching,
administration, publication research, and service to the University, community, profession and
relevant disciplines.
The following retirees were recognized: Benjamin Bullock, Geosciences, Cambridge
Springs, Pa.; Gary Jamison, Administration, Edinboro, Pa.; Patricia Kearney, Art, Edinboro, Pa.;
Paul Knuth, Geosciences, Edinboro, Pa.; Gregory Lessig, Political Science and Criminal Justice,
Edinboro, Pa.; Emil Magdik, Unit n, Edinboro, Pa.; Merrick Owen, Geosciences, Edinboro, Pa.;
Donald Wheeler, Biology/Health Services, Edinboro, Pa.
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A member of the State System <^Hi^er Education

Dr. Vincent Jenco (left), Celestine Bell Davis (center) and Reuben Butler (right) were
recipients of the President’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards at the Second Annual Martin
Luther ICing, Jr. Awards Luncheon at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. The awards
were presented by Edinboro University President Frank G. Pogue (second from right) and
R. Benjamin Wiley, chairperson of the Edinboro University Council of Trustees and first
vice chair of the Board of Governors for the State System of Higher Education. Butler, who
holds two Edinboro degrees, is the social services/resident initiative coordinator for the city
of Erie Housing Authority. Davis, a retired Erie school teacher and longtime community
activist, fought to have Dr. King’s birthday declared a “no attendance” day in Erie schools
back in 1971. Jenco is president of the Board of Directors and co-founder of St. Paul’s
Neighborhood Free Clinic, which provides free medical and dental care to the indigent of
Erie County through volunteer health providers.

January 22,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

RUSSELL-McCLOUD TO SPEAK AT
EDINBORO UNIVERSITY SOUL FOOD DINNER
Dr. Patricia Russell-McCloud will be the keynote speaker at Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania’s annual Soul Food Dinner on Friday, February 27. She is a spellbinding
professional orator who leaves her audiences anxious for more. Her dynamic delivery is rooted in
a foundation of research and statistical data which provides her listeners with more than just
accurate information.
Russell-McCloud’s acute analytical ability to identify and substantively address issues
has been utilized by government, corporations, school districts, colleges, universities, and civic
and community organizations throughout the United States, Caribbean, Great Britain, and West
Africa.
The Indianapolis, Indiana, native, consistently saluted for a job well done, holds more
than 275 keys to American cities. Her noted speech: “If Not You, Who; If Not Now, When?” is
recorded in the Congressional Record of the United States (H3661), May 14, 1980.
Women Looking Ahead news

magazine honored Russell-McCloud as an Outstanding

Entrepreneur in Georgia in February 1996. She was also listed as one of the 100 most influential
persons in America by Ebony Magazine, May 1995 and 1996.
Russell-McCloud is the national president of The Links, Inc., a 9,600 member volunteer
service organization of African American women located in 41 states, Nassau, Bahamas and
Frankfurt, Germany. Founded in 1946, the organization has reached diverse communities to
improve the quality of life by donating to various charities and programs more than $15 million
from its inception, and providing over 2 million volunteer hours in the past two years alone.
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RUSSELL-McCLOUD TO SPEAK AT SOUL FOOD DINNER, Continued

Page 2

Russell-McCloud highlights Edinboro University’s celebration of Black History Month
during the month of February. For more information or to schedule reservations for the Soul
Food Dinner, contact the office of intercultural relations at 732-2912.
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EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 22, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY, CORRY SCHOOL DISTRICT SIGN AGREEMENT
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and the Corry School District have signed an
articulation agreement that will allow Corry students to receive Edinboro credits for honors
English courses if they enroll at Edinboro within two years of graduation. The Corry students
will receive credit for the Edinboro honors course in college writing skills.
Signing the agreement for Edinboro were President Frank G. Pogue and Provost and
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Robert C. Weber. Signing for Corry were
Superintendent Bill Nichols and Nancy Mick, chairperson of the Corry English department.
President Pogue said Edinboro believes in academic and personal excellence and
welcomed the agreement as a way of reaching out to high school students in the region. “We
are honored to have this opportunity today because it means you can become a member of the
Edinboro University family,” he said. “It’s an institution that cares, but it’s also an institution
that believes in family. And once you become a member of our family, you are with us for life.”
Pogue noted that since 1993, some 81 students from Corry High School have entered
Edinboro and about 75 have graduated. “This speaks very well for the success of the students
entering Edinboro from Corry.”
Corry Superintendent Nichols said the reason for creating the agreement was the
students. He said it was an opportunity to bring one of Corry’s programs together with an
Edinboro program that students can benefit from by enrichment in Corry’s classes and by
having a chance to earn college credit.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

I

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EDINBORO, CORRY SIGN AGREEMENT, Continued

Page 2

Also working to create the agreement was Corry resident Eugene Stoddard who is
chairperson of Edinboro’s English and theatre arts department. Stoddard at one time was a
teacher in the Corry School District “We believe education is for life,” Stoddard said. ‘Tou
never stop learning.”
Edinboro has similar agreements with the Fairview and General McLane school
districts, but this is the first one to offer honors level credits at Edinboro. Approximately 30
Corry students were on hand to witness the signing ceremony. Following the event. President
Pogue and Stoddard addressed the Corry student body via its cable television system.
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EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 22, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY MUSIC PROFESSOR TO PERFORM SOLO RECITAL
Dr. Daniel Burdick, assistant professor of low brass at Edinboro University, will perform
a virtuoso program of solo tuba music at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 30, at the University’s
Memorial Auditorium. Burdick’s solo recital will feature works by Bruce Broughton,
Dmitryevich Shostakovich, and Richard Strauss. He will also perform a work for tuba and tape
by Neal Corwell that includes electronically sampled sounds of the didjeridu, an Aboriginal
instrument of Australia. Dr. Kristine West Denton of Edinboro University will accompany as
pianist.
Burdick received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in tuba performance from the
University of Michigan in 1993. He has performed in Canada, Germany, Sweden, Italy, and
throughout the United States.
Burdick has performed with the Canadian Brass, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and
numerous professional brass quintets and was the Principal Tuba of the Boise (Idaho)
Philharmonic from 1988-91.
Festival of Organ and Brass, Burdick’s latest compact disc, was released in June, 1996
and features the Missouri Brass Quintet with organist John Obetz.
This past summer, Burdick was a member of the jury for the brass competitions held at
the 1997 International Women’s Brass Conference (IWBC) in Saint Louis. He also attended the
1997 International Euphonium and Tuba Conference held in Riva del Garda, Italy. Upon
completion of the conference, he performed in a week-long master class also in Riva del Garda
given by legendary tubist, Roger Bobo.
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J?.

MUSIC PROFESSOR TO PERFORM SOLO RECITAL, Continued

Page 2

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information call the Edinboro
University music department at 814-732-2555.
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January 23, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

“THE NATURE OF LIGHT” OPENS AT
EDINBORO UNIVERSITY’S BRUCE GALLERY
“The Nature of Light,” an exhibition of artwork presented from January 28 to February 21
by Michele Brody, will transform the environment of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania’s
Bruce Gallery by planting clover on the gallery floor and on canvases that will hang on the walls.
She will be assisted by Edinboro students enrolled in art professor D.P. Warner’s

Time, Space

class.
Brody has created installations in art museums and galleries from New York to
California. In describing the inspiration of her work, Brody says, “There is a powerful sense of
emotion created over the retrieving of a forgotten memory, a lost object, or an overlooked site.
Yet this discovery can also generate a feeling of sadness over that memory, object, or place never
being quite the same as the actual experience once it has gone through the transforming process
of being retrieved, remembered, and then preserved. The foundation of my work is based on
interpreting this process of transformation, to examine and express how memories are left
behind.”
A slide lecture will be presented by Brody on January 28, at 6 p.m. in 125 Doucette Hall.
The opening reception will follow from 7 to 9 p.m. in Bruce Gallery. Edinboro music professor
Daniel Burdick will add to the evening with a recital in the gallery during the reception.
“The Nature of Light” is on view at Edinboro’s Bruce Gallery from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday
through Saturday and from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays. For further information call
(814) 732-2513 or 2406.
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January 23,1998

NEWS ADVISORY
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Tri-State Business Institute will sign an
articulation agreement on Friday, January 30, at 2 p.m. at the Porreco Center.
Signing the agreement for Edinboro will be President Frank G. Pogue and Provost and
Vice President for Academic Affairs Robert C. Weber. Signing for Tri-State will be President
Guy M. Euliano and Academic Dean Lucinda Hawes.
The agreement will allow Tri-State students to receive up to 11 Edinboro credits for their
associate degrees in specialized business accounting, and specialized business marketing and
management if they enroll at Edinboro within two years of graduation. The Tri-State students
will receive credit for Edinboro courses in accounting, word processing, electronic spreadsheets
and file management. Tri-State students can also earn up to 11 Edinboro credits toward an
associate degree in comprehensive business administration or bachelor’s degrees in business
administration or economics.
Media are invited to attend the event. For further information contact Todd Jay at 7325555 ext. 233, or the Edinboro public relations office at 732-2745.
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EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 72,2-27i5 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 23,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC FESTIVAL FOCUSES ON MUSIC, TRAVEL
Music and international travel and culture will be two of the main themes of Edinboro
University of Pennsylvania’s annual International Academic Festival, February 23-28. According
to Festival director Robert Hellstrom, the 140 events will likely create a lot of community
interest through their informative and entertaining topics.
The 15* International Academic Festival will begin Monday, February 23, with four
events with an international connection.

“Pysanky Exhibit:

The Art of the Ukrainian Easter Egg”

will run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the first floor of Baron-Fomess Library.
The Miller Laboratory School will present a United Nations Day Celebration featuring
Edinboro’s international students at 10 a.m. in the Miller building. Nurses will present their
perspectives on two topics: “Health Care in Nicaragua” at 10 and again at 11 a.m. in 304
University Center, and “Zimbabwe: An Alternative to Conventional Learning” at 10 and 11 a.m.
in room 305 of the University Center.
The first of many travel presentations, “Island Magic: Fiji,” will be held at 2 p.m. in 216
Baron-Fomess Library. A slide presentation on “Amazing Experiences While Living in Japan”
will be held at 3 p.m. in 101 Cooper Hall, and a presentation of the role of music in Latin
American culture will be presented at the same time in 205 Compton.
“Famous Piano Duos” is a lecture-recital scheduled for 4 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium.
That will be followed at 5 p.m. by “Jamaican Music: More than Just Reggae,” a presentation
including recordings and video tape of Jamaican folk music. Those interested in the flavors of the
world will find “International Food Tasting” appetizing when it is offered to the public from 6:30
to 8:30 p.m. in the University Center atrium.
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INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC FESTIVAL, Continued

Page 2

A symposium on “South Africa: Embarking on a New Era” will be held at 7 p.m. in the
Reeder lecture hall. At the same time, dancers and musicians will be taking part in “A Celtic
Experience: Music, Dance and Artifacts of Ireland, Scotland, Wales” at the University Center
multipurpose room. “Romance of Women’s Music: A Piano Recital” will be performed at 8 p.m.
in Memorial Auditorium.
Tuesday’s events will begin with a “Pysanky Decorating Workshop” at 9:30 a.m. in 127
Hendricks Hall and a lecture on ‘The Medici Family and Their Music” at 10 a.m. in Memorial
Auditorium. “Traveling Through Italy” at 11 a.m. in 115 Cooper Hall will feature photos of the
canals of Venice to the Italian Alps. It will be repeated on Friday at the same time and place. An
“Archaeology Film Festival: Africa - A History Denied” will present videos of discoveries of
Africa’s indigenous civilizations at 12:30 p.m. in 126 Hendricks Hall.
Musical events will continue at 2 p.m. with “Raggin it With Scott Joplin” in Memorial
Auditorium, and at that same time a video and lecture tour of “Vistas of New Zealand” will be
presented in 216 Baron-Fomess Library. At 5 p.m., Edinboro’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble will
perform “Modeste Moussurgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ ” in Memorial Auditorium, and the
annual International Dinner will be held in Van Houten Dining Hall. Tickets are required for the
dinner.
One of the highlights of the Festival will be the presentation on “Edinboro at Edinburgh,
Study Abroad in Scotland’s Capital City,” at 7 p.m. in classroom 6 of the Porreco Center. It will
also be presented at 7 p.m. in 202 Cooper Hall.
Wednesday’s international events will include “Shakespeare’s London” at 11 a.m. in 137
Butterfield Hall and “King Arthur in History and Legend” in 330 Butterfield Hall. A three-part
lecture and video presentation on Austraha will take place at 1,2 and 3 p.m. in 216 BaronFomess Library, and again at the Porreco Center beginning at 6 p.m. A look at “Ethiopia and
Eritrea: The Road Ahead, the Struggle Behind” is scheduled for 6 p.m. in 126 Hendricks Hall,
and a slide/lecture showcase of the “Wildlife of East Africa” will be held at 7 p.m. in 115 Cooper
Hall. Children will perform “Ukrainian Dancing” at 7:30 p.m. in the University Center
multipurpose room. A panel of international students will discuss housing, food, marriage and
customs in “Around the world in 60 Minutes” at 8 p.m. in 306 University Center.
Heading up events for Thursday, Febmary 26, is “Exploring Scotch-Irish Culture in
Appalachia” at 9:30 a.m. in the University Center multipurpose room. “A Community of Tubists:
-more-

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC FESTIVAL, Continued

Page 3

Riva del Garda, Italy 1997” is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium. “Tropical Tahiti”
will be visited through video and lecture at 2 p.m. in 216 Baron-Fomess Library. Also at 2 p.m.
will be a presentation of “Salon Music be Women Composers” in Memorial Auditorium. The
Second International Women’s Study Conference will be the topic of “Cuban Connections: A
Feminist Perspective” at 6 p.m. in 101 Hendricks Hall, and “Recent and Ongoing Civil Crises in
Africa” will be held in the Reeder lecture hall at 6 p.m.
“Africa: Culture and Politics” on Saturday, February 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
will bring together a musical ensemble, an oral presentation and lunch with African selections.
Admission is by advance ticket only at $10.25. For tickets and further information call
(814) 732-2635 or (814) 734-4226.
For more information on the International Academic Festival, call the office of public
relations and publications at (814) 732-2745.
-30BKP:csw

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

January 23, 1998

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO’S WEATHER/EMERGENCY HOTLINE IN OPERATION
When winter storms surge over Lake Erie and dump their heavy loads of ice and snow
over northwestern Pennsylvania, the switchboard at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania lights
up with hundreds of calls from concerned students and the public asking the same question:
have classes been canceled?
In the past, answering those many calls was the time-consuming responsibility of the
University’s harried switchboard operators. But thanks to the school’s Weather/Emergency
Hotline anyone can call 732-BORO (732-2676) to learn the latest changes to the University’s
schedule.
On Thursday, January 15, for example, freezing rain closed schools in the nearby
Northwestern and Corry School Districts and made for a shortened day in the surrounding
General McLane District. The University, however, remained open and the Hotline, updated that
morning, informed many disappointed students that classes were not canceled.
The Hotline is a voice mailbox maintained by the University’s public relations office. It
can be changed by remote access, so those in charge can update the message from any phone at
any time of the day or night.
The Hotline was the idea of Karen Murdzak, Edinboro’s network operations manager.
She was aware of how swamped the operators became when they were inundated with call after
call. The Hotline has been in place since April of last year, but many students still have the
tendency to call the switchboard first. Murdzak is hoping that will change when students
discover it is quicker and easier to call the Hotline which can handle three calls at once.
The system can also be used to inform the public quickly should some other emergency
take place such as a fire or power outage.
-30BKP:bjf
A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-27A5 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 26, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

EDINBORO GRAD’S FILM TO AIR ON PBS FEBRUARY 2
A film made by Pittsburgh area resident Tony Buba, a graduate of Edinboro
University of Pennsylvania, will be broadcast nationally on Monday, February 2, on PBS. The
1996 film. Struggles

in Steel,

will be seen locally on WQLN-TV at 10 p.m.

The feature-length documentary examines the lives of black steel workers. It won the
coveted Juror’s Citation Award at the 1997 Black Maria Film Festival, and in 1996 it received
the juror’s award at Prize Pieces which is sponsored by the National Black Programmer’s
Consortium. It was shown at the Pan-Africa Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival,
Cleveland International Film Festival, Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, and AspenFest.
Since graduating from Edinboro in 1971, Buba has been making films about the
Monongahela River Valley and his hometown of Braddock. His works have won more than 30
awards from film festivals around the country, and in December the Pittsburgh Center for the
Arts named Buba as 1998 Artist of the Year. It was the first time the Center selected an artist
who was not a member of the Center to receive its highest honor. He was chosen unanimously
by a seven-member committee.
His first feature film. Lightning over Braddock:

A Rustbowl Fantasy,

was voted the best

film at the Birmingham International Film Festival in England. It was also shown at the Toronto
Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival and many others. It was nominated as best first feature
film by Independent Feature Project West. He completed his first narrative feature film. No Pets,
in 1994.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO GRAD’S FILM TO AIR ON PBS, Continued

. Page 2

Buba has received numerous grants for his independent filmmaking, including
Guggenheim, Rockefeller and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. Struggles in Steel
was the result of a 1993 $107,000 ITVS production grant - one of only nine such grants out of
2,000 applicants.
Buba has presented one-person shows at the Museum of Modem Art, the Whitney
Museum, Pacific Film Archives, Northwest Film Study Center, Sinking Creek, Athens, Figueira
da Foz Portugal, and numerous other sites.
His feature film credits include work on George Romero’s Day of the Dead, Knight
Riders, Dawn of the Dead,

and Martin. On National Public Radio he served as a narrator on All

Things Considered’s Rustbelt Blues, and as a commentator. He is an adjunct faculty member for
Pittsburgh Filmmakers and has served as a visiting assistant professor at Ohio University and
the University of Southern Illinois.
Buba holds a master of fine arts degree from Ohio University and was honored by that
school with its Medal of Merit alumni award in 1993. Edinboro bestowed its Art Achievement
Award on Buba in 1991.
-30BKP:bjf

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro; PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 27, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY PLANETARIUM
ANNOUNCES MARS PATHFINDER SHOW
“You think it’s cold here!” Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is offering a planetarium
program highlighting the Mars Pathfinder Mission on Thursday, January 29, at 3:30 p.m. The
program will be held in the University Planetarium located in 104 Cooper Hall. The show is free,
however, reservations are required and can be made by calling (814) 732-2493.
-30CGH:csw

j

A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 27,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO PROFESSOR PRESENTS PAPERS AT PHYSICS CONFERENCE
Dr. Thomas Walkiewicz, professor of physics at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania,
presented two papers at the winter meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers
(AAPT), which was held this month in New Orleans. He presented “Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy
of Air-Filtered Dust Samples,” and co-presented “Nuclear Science Techniques.” The latter was a
two-hour demonstration of nuclear science labs which covered such topics as introductions to
Geiger counters, properties of radiation, half-life measurement, and isotope identification.
Walkiewicz also attended AAPT committee meetings as secretary/treasurer of the western
Pennsylvania section of AAPT.
-30BKPrcsw

A member of the State System of Hitter Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 28, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES SPRING SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania will feature the Diversity Jazz and Strings
Orchestra directed by Joe DeJamette on Friday, February 6, at 10:00 p.m. at the University
Center. The players in this multi-cultural orchestra come from all parts of Greater Cleveland.
Utilizing tunes by Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, the Jazz Messengers, and many others, the
Jazz Quintet create a unique blend of jazz, strings and voices that, in combination with the
spoken word, form a truly memorable experience.
The magic and comedy act of Tim Piccirillo will be staged on Friday, April 17, at
8:00 p.m. in the University Center. Piccirillo cornbines state-of-the-art magic effects with side­
splitting one-liners and general silliness to entertain his audience.
Both events are open to the public and free of charge. For further information on both
events, contact the University Center at 814-732-2842.
-30CGH:bjf

A member of the State System ofHi^er Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

January 28, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY PLANETARIUM ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM
In celebration of Black History Month, the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Planetarium will debut a new program titled “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” A public showing
will be held on Thursday, February 5, at 7:00 p.m. in the University Planetarium located in 104
Cooper Hall. You will join the characters from Jeanette Winter’s book as they use the words
from a song to lead them to the shores of Lake Erie and on to freedom. The show is free,
however, reservations are required and can be made by calling 814-732-2493. What better way
to celebrate Black History Month. This program is suitable for all ages.
-30CGH:bjf

A member of the State System of Hitter Education

January 29,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO PROFESSOR TO RECEIVE EDUCATION AWARD
Edinboro University history professor Umeme Sababu will be honored at the 5* Annual
Black History Celebration on Friday, February 27, at 6 :30 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Center
in Erie, Pa. Sababu will be presented with the education award which is sponsored by the youth
department at the center.
Professor Sababu was selected to receive this prestigious award based on his continual
commitment to volunteering his time educating the youth and the community in a diversified
background of historical knowledge ranging from the Brig Niagara to South Africa and general
historic topics and facts not known or readily available to the youth and the community.
-30CGH:csw

January 29, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR HAS BOOK PUBLISHED
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania announces the release of Professor Doneild Swift’s
book titled Religion and the American Experience, A Social and Cultural History,

1765-1997.

Published by M.E. Sharpe, Religion and the American Experience has received rave
reviews including this from Publishers Weekly: “Swift weaves a grand narrative that places
religion at the center of over 200 years of American experience. The author addresses the
considerable diversity of American religion by means of numerous subplots. Swift succeeds in
offering a clear overview of the historical development of American religion, and his writing is
accessible to general audiences.”
-30CGH:csw

Lucie Johnson Jones celebrated her 100th birthday Jan. 21 at
Wesbury United Methodist Community in Meadville. A 1916
graduate of Edinboro State Normal School, she was presented
a plaid Edinboro Fighting Scots blanket from William Reed,
special assistant to the president of Edinboro University for
community relations, along with an Edinboro Family pin and
a new Edinboro Alumni Association cup. Her father, Oscar
Johnson, was an 1871 Edinboro alumnus, as are several other
family members whose graduation dates span seven decades.
Lucie has six children, 23 grandchildren, 32 great­
grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. For her 100th
birthday dinner, Lucie requested “two soft tacos, which she
ate with her own teeth,” according to her family.