News Releases from Eastern New Mexico University http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/ PORTALES----Eastern New Mexico University's Jazz Ensemble will perform their annual Big Band Dance on Friday, Nov. 13 from 7----10 p.m. at the State Theatre in Clovis on 5th and Main Street. Tickets are $5 general admission. The three--hour dance will heavily feature music from 1935 through 1945, including famous composers such as Glen Miller, Artie Shaw and Les Brown. This is the eighth year the Jazz Ensemble has performed and arranged the Big Band Dance. Dr. Chris Beaty, associate professor of music and director of the jazz studies program, says the State Theater is the perfect venue for the Big Band Dance. He says the owner of the State Theater, Bill Case, was a bandsman in the Army. When he bought the theater, he designed the stage with risers for a big band performance. The talents of ENMU students Adrienne Carver of Los Alamos and Rojun Alexander of Albuquerque are slated to be featured as part of the performance. "Adrienne usually does the vocals for the Big Band music and Rojun does more of the rock vocals," says Beaty. "It really is lots of fun and it's become quite the student gathering," he says. "We'll be playing music that will appeal to people of all ages." In years past, Beaty has seen many people dress the part with 1930's and 40's fashions. Another group who has frequented the Big Band Dance previously are the students at the Art Academy in Clovis. "They teach the kids waltzes, cha--cha and ballroom dancing," says Beaty. "It's neat to see the dance floor fill up with all these third--, fourth-- and fifth--graders dancing." The students benefit greatly from the performance. "It's on--the--job training for the students and very close to what they would experience in a working environment, sight--reading pieces they barely know," says Beaty. Considering most students are accustomed to practicing around 10 pieces for eight rehearsals, the Jazz Ensemble has practiced 30 to 35 pieces in eight rehearsals. Beaty says to those who have never been to the Big Band Dance, "You're missing out." This year, the Jazz Ensemble is also performing at the Formal Dinner Dance for Lend--a--Hand Inc. of Roswell at the Joy Center on Saturday, Nov. 21. "It will be a different audience so we will change the repertoire a little bit," says Beaty. For more information on both performances, contact Beaty at 575.562.2471. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1119 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1119 PORTALES----Eastern New Mexico University in Portales is hosting the Green and Silver View, ENMU's preview day for high school seniors, on Saturday, Nov. 7. (A preview day for juniors will be in the spring.) Prospective students and their parents can tour campus, meet faculty, staff and students, and receive information about majors, admissions, financial aid, scholarships, tutoring, student activities, etc. Lunch will be provided. Campus departments and organizations will also have informational tables set up in the Campus Union Building Ballroom from 11:30 a.m.----12:45 p.m. For more information, e--mail Stephanie McClary at stephanie.mcclary@enmu.edu, call 575.562.2985, or click www.enmu.edu/previewday http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1118 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1118 PORTALES----The 42nd POPS Dinner Concert, sponsored by the University Friends of Music, will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14 in the Campus Union Ballroom at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales. Tickets are $30 per person and $20 for active military. Tickets are sold by mail only. Checks should be made out to "University Friends of Music" and mailed to: POPS Concert, P.O. Box 305, Clovis, NM 88101. For ticket information, call Nancye Gressett at 575.762.0619. One--half of the ticket price is a tax--deductible gift to the University Friends of Music scholarship fund. The concert will feature the University Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dustin Seifert and Neil Rutland, and the Swanee Singers, under the direction of Jason Paulk and accompanist Kayla Paulk. Musical numbers include: Overture to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Fantasy Variations on a Theme, Embraceable You, The Very Thought of You, Night and Day, It's De--lovely: A portrait of Cole Porter, Ain't Misbehavin', Blue Moon, 42nd Street, The Cowboys, Armed Forces Salute----The Pride of America!, and Stars and Stripes, Forever. There will also be a "Name That Tune" contest. Meal options include steak or vegetarian. For more information, call Patrice Caldwell at 575.562.2315. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1117 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1117 PORTALES----Eastern New Mexico University in Portales is adopting two rescued former racing Greyhound dogs, from the New Mexico Greyhound Connection, as its official animal mascots. From Oct. 23----Nov. 6 applications will be accepted from ENMU juniors and seniors to be their official handlers. The six chosen students, who must have 3.0 grade point averages, will receive stipends. Applications can be picked up in Room 108 of the ENMU Administration Building beginning Friday, Oct. 23. ENMU is also accepting name suggestions for the male and female dogs from the public from Oct. 23 through Nov. 6, and donation voting will be from Nov. 9----Dec. 11. Once a committee accepts the top three suggestions for each dog, the winning names will be determined by which receive the most donations for the dogs' upkeep. The ENMU Foundation has donated $1,000 and the ENMU Bench Club has donated $2,000 seed money for the dogs' adoption and care. Details are available at www.enmu.edu/greyhounds. Submit name suggestions to greyhound@enmu.edu or at www.enmu.edu. The dogs, who will be cared for by ENMU's Pre--Vet Club and the Department of Agriculture, will arrive around Dec. 1, with their official debut set for January of 2010. For more information, call Janice Morrow at 575.562.2133. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1116 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1116 Jump Rope For Heart----The American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart received a $1,000 donation from Wal--Mart in Portales. Members of the S.H.A.P.E (Students Health and Physical Education) Club at Eastern New Mexico University, Justin Jones and Sharianita Robinson, accepted the donation on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Jump Rope for Heart is a way for kids to jump and have fun, learn about their heart and help raise money for new medication and treatments for children with special hearts. Pictured are (L--R): Justin Jones, ENMU student, Mike Hall, Store Manager, and Sharianita Robinson, ENMU student. (photo by Jessica Eden) http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1115 Mary.Drabbs@enmu.edu (Mary Drabbs) Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1115 PORTALES----Eastern New Mexico University in Portales has been named a "Military Friendly School" by G.I. Jobs magazine. Criteria for making the "Military Friendly Schools" list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations. Schools on the "Military Friendly Schools" list offer additional benefits to student veterans, such as on--campus veterans programs, credit for service, military spouse programs and more. Steven Gamble, ENMU president, said, "We are very pleased with the 'Military Friendly School' designation. With Cannon Air Force Base so close to our campus, ENMU is keenly aware and appreciative of the sacrifices military personnel and their families make in protecting our country. Eastern wants to do everything in our power to accommodate their educational needs to enhance the achievement of their personal and professional goals. We also believe that the motivation and maturity of our military students serve as great role models for other students." Rich McCormack, publisher of G.I. Jobs, says, "This honor ranks Eastern New Mexico University in the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide (for being military friendly)." Military students can search for "Military Friendly Schools" at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com based on degree type, geographic location, military tuition discounts, credit for military service, Yellow Ribbon program, academic accreditations and more. They can also request information directly from the school, via an electronic reader response form. The site provides prospective military students with information on undergraduate colleges, graduate schools and trade/vocational--technical schools. "This website is especially important now because the recently enacted post--9/11 G.I. Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school," said McCormack. The list was compiled through research during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an academic advisory committee of educators and administrators from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toledo, Duquesne University, Coastline Community College and Lincoln Technical Institute. A detailed list of "Military Friendly Schools" was highlighted in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools and on a poster, both of which were distributed to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1114 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1114 PORTALES----Eastern New Mexico University's Fall Choral Concert is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 at the University Theatre Center's Mainstage in Portales. ENMU music professor Jason Paulk is directing and his wife and ENMU music instructor Kayla Paulk will accompany from the piano. Instrumentalists who will assist include ENMU music professors Tracy Carr, oboist, and Chris Beaty, saxophonist. Two student conductors, Janice Pacheco and Derek Gilmour, will make their conducting debut. The Chamber Singers and University Singers will perform several unaccompanied pieces from the repertoire in their upcoming spring European Choir Tour, including venues in Salzburg, Vienna and Prague. The performers have been practicing since the beginning of the semester. Chamber Singers will perform four songs by Cecil Effinger, "Ubi Caritas" by Maurice Durufl, conducted by Pacheco and partial songs by Gerald Finzi. University Singers will perform three songs by Charles Villiers Stanford, including a double choir piece, "Coelos ascendit hodie," and a double choir anthem by Charles Wood. The choirs will also perform "Deep River," arranged by Anders Paulsson, "Sing a Mighty Song," "Ye Followers of the Lamb," and "God Be in my Head," and "Wondrous Love," conducted by Gilmour. The musical pieces are chosen by Paulk according to what he feels will challenge and help the students' vocal development. According to Paulk, "This includes many hours of preparation and searching on my part to determine what is accessible, yet challenging enough to continually move us toward a deeper level of music making." He also explains that most academic courses' curriculum remains the same year to year, but performance courses must constantly adapt to the changing needs of the ensemble membership. "In five years, we have not repeated a single piece of repertoire. And I could choose not to repeat a single piece in the next thirty years and still just scratch the surface of great choral music," says Paulk. The Fall Choral Concert will be an exciting experience for the audience, according to Paulk. "The program will begin with a double choir motet, with one ensemble on stage and the other in the audience. It should provide for an interesting sonic experience." says Paulk. Paulk says, "We have a cultured audience in Portales and I think they will appreciate the many hours of preparation that went into this concert." The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kathi Fraze at 575.562.2237. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1113 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1113 PORTALES----ENMU music professor Lindsay Beasley will perform her faculty flute recital at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the First United Methodist Church in Portales. Beasley will be accompanied by Jacob DeHoyos on piano. She will perform "Sonata No.5 in C Major" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, "Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando" and "Fantasie" by Philippe Gaubert, "Suite de Trois Morceaux" by Benjamin Godard, a selection from "Final Alice" by David Del Tredici, and "Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky--Korsakov. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kathi Fraze at 575.562.2377. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1112 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1112 PORTALES----The theatre department at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales will perform the play "Crimes of the Heart" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22 through Saturday, Oct. 24, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the University Theatre Center's Mainstage. Tickets are $5 for students, $6 for pre--college, $7 for seniors and general admission is $8. A ticket special is offered for the opening night with a buy--one--get--one--free promotion. Also, free tickets are available by listening to advertisements on local radio stations and entering the drawing in the Campus Union Building lobby during the week of the play, Oct. 19----23. For more information, contact Shirlene Peters at 575.562.2711. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1111 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1111 PORTALES----In 2008, Nikki Howard, executive secretary in Academic Affairs at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, was sending a care package to her son in Iraq. After Renee Neely and Belinda Wall of Academic Services inquired if boxes could be sent for others, a project was born. The first box was sent on July 3, 2008. Since then 17 boxes have been sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. The campaign targets any military members in Iraq or Afghanistan affiliated with ENMU, including students, alumni or relatives of students or employees. "We are trying to get the word out that boxes for military are still being shipped. This is a way to show our appreciation for our service members, and let them know that they haven't been forgotten," said Howard, whose son served in Iraq. Some of the items sought include: AA and AAA batteries, toothbrushes, dental floss, razors, toothpaste, shaving cream, foot powder, gum, hard candy used as filler , trail mix, Sudoku books, magazines, books, hacky sacks, stationary (don't worry about stamps, military get free postage), yoyos, cool collars and brain savers (to stay cool in the scalding temperatures of 122--plus degrees; Howard can explain how to make), etc. To have a box sent to an ENMU--affiliated military member in Iraq or Afghanistan, contact Howard with the name, unit mailing address and unit commander. The shipping cost of $11.95 per box is being donated by ENMU administrators. Donation boxes can be found on campus at Golden Library, the Physical Plant, Human Resources, Academic Affairs and the University Computer Center. For more information, contact Howard at 575.562.2312, e--mail nikki.howard@enmu.edu or stop by Room 204 of the Administration Building. http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1110 Wendel.Sloan@enmu.edu (Wendel Sloan) Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 MDT http://www.enmu.edu/about/news/story.php?r=1110