To:
Graceland University Board of Trustees
From: Gary Heisserer, Dean
Date: April 26, 2011
RE:
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Report
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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
The new college was inaugurated on March 1st with a wonderful reception. President
Sellars and Deans Watts and Heisserer spoke of the importance of the liberal arts and its
central role in the education of all Graceland students.
The college is now operational. A Chairs Council consisting of the dean and the five division
chairs meets regularly to approve college business and plan for its future. The college has
already approved its first new major—Web Design—and will propose approval of that
major to the Board of Trustees at its May meeting.
Division of Visual and Performing Arts
In addition to preparations for the move out of the Shaw Center at the end of May and the
work with the university leadership team and architects on the new Shaw Center
expansion, the Visual and Performing Arts Division was extremely busy this quarter with a
wide variety of artistic events. These include:
 March 4: Art Department hosted High School Art Workshop/Show
 March 4: Choir Concert “Keep Your Lamps … An Evening of Spirituals & Jazz”
 March 5: Music Department hosted Trombone Day … A day of workshops and
concerts featuring Dr. Sim Flora of Ouachita Baptist University
 March 7-25: Nathan Clark Senior Art Show “Duplicity”
 March 10: Symphonic Band & Jazz Band Concert “Mosaic”
 March 26: Tommy Ratkiewicz Junior Recital
 March 28-April 8: Nora Hubbard Senior Art Show “Cover Me”
 March 28-April 8: Tara Shupe Senior Art Show “Old Socks”
 March 29: The United States Air Force Heartland of America Band “The Noteables”
 April 7-10: Theatre Department presented End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer
 April 11-23: Laura Walker Senior Art Show “Star In The Night”
 April 11-23: Danica McLain Senior Art Show “Madame Cheesecake’s”
 April 11-23: Orsola Magyar Senior Art Show “Roxey, The Tennis Brand”
 April 15: Chamber Singer’s Concert “Praise the Lord”
 April 16: Music Department hosted Flute Day … A day of workshops and concerts
featuring Dr. Townes Osborn Miller
 April 21: Scholar’s Showcase – 10 students and one class presenting works
 April 21-May 9: Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition
 April 25-May 6: Christy Pratt Senior Art Show “Fabrication”
 April 25-May 6: Chelsea Tobin Senior Art Show “Vivid Dreams”
 April 25-May 6: Felicia Davenport Senior Art Show “Winged Visions”
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April 25-May 6: Aric Dell Senior Art Show “Art as Propaganda”
April 25-May 6: Michael Edwards Senior Art Show “Now Showing”
April 29: Choir and Orchestra Concert
April 29: Jazz Band performs Jazz on the Green
April 30: Domonique Dibler Senior Recital
May 1: Anna Rider Junior Recital
May 5: Symphonic Band & Jazz Band Concert
May 6: Music Department co-hosts the Lamoni Large Group Band & Choir Festival
for High Schools
May 11: Katelyn Brooks Senior Flute Recital
May 12: Katie Thuesen Senior Recital
May 13: Jack Ergo Faculty Recital
May 13: Shaw Center Groundbreaking Ceremony
May 14: Hosted Baccalaureate ceremony in the Shaw Center Auditorium
In addition to the concerts, recitals, plays, and exhibits listed above, the division faculty and
students also were engaged in a number of additional activities.
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Jack Ergo
o Completed Composition: Seven Psalms for Voice and Piano.
o Conducted at UMKC Composer’s Forum
o Conducted March Orchestra Concert (as Doctoral requirement – conducted all
from memory)
o Secured FIDE (National Association) in February 2011 for Graceland Chess Club
(Mr. Ergo is founder and faculty advisor for the club)
o Served as clinician at Lamoni Piano Fest
o Performed recital at Lamoni Piano Fest
o Served as organist: Chamber Choir Concert
o Served as recital accompanist: Flute Clinician, Sat. April 16
o Conducted May Choral/Orchestral concert (Doctoral requirement – conducted
all from memory)
o Served as pianist for Lamoni High School Solo/Ensemble Competition
o Gave 2011 Hope Speech (Campus Ministries)
o Composed Sing to the Lord A New Song for experimental Piano solo
o Served as pianist –Jr/Senior Recital (7 diverse instrument repertoires)
o Served as pianist –Fr/Sophomore Recital (12 diverse instrument repertoires)
o Hosted: 1000 High School Music students at Graceland for Large Group Festival
o Served as pianist –student Double Bass Recital (Domonique Dibbler)
o Served as pianist –student Voice Recital (Anna Rider)
o Composed piece for Trumpet and Piano: Parrish: The Thought! for student Dan
Parrish
o Served as pianist –student Flute Senior Recital (Katelyn Brooks)
o Served as pianist –student Violin Senior Recital (Katie Thuesen)
o Performed Faculty Piano Recital (May 9: Lecture-Recital as Doctoral Project)
o Performed Faculty Piano Recital (May 13: Formal)
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o Served as Guest Speaker: Baccalaureate (Campus Ministries)
o Served as organist: Graceland Commencement (May 15)
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Julia Franklin
o Nominated for the Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award
o Received $400 Competitive Professional Development Stipend
o Organized “2nd Annual Spring Art Walk” with Graceland Galleries and Lamoni’s
Blue Frog Arts Gallery & Linden Street Coffee House on April 21
o Sponsored 5 art students and one class for presentations of scholarly and
creative work in the “3rd Annual Scholars’ Showcase”
o Provided instruction for mini-art workshops for North Harrison 1st-3rd graders,
Putnam High School Art Club, Mount Ayr Elementary, Central Decatur
Elementary, Mount Ayr High School, Creston High School, and South Harrison
High School.
o Judged the South Harrison Art Exhibition & Competition, May 10.
o Participated in “Fancy Me That,” a print exchange and portfolio organized by
Shelley Gipson, Associate Professor of Art and Arkansas State University. My
print was on display and included in artist talks and panel discussions on the
creative process with my daughter at Mid-Atlantic Print Conference (MAPC) in
Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Southern Graphics Conference International
(SGCI); and Foundations in Art: Theory & Education Conference (FATE) and MidAmerica College Art Association Conference (MACAA) in St. Louis, Missouri in
spring 2011 by Ms. Gipson.
o Organized “Kansas City Spring Art Field Trip to First Fridays,” May 6
o Attended and recruited at the “2011 Central Iowa Metropolitan League Art
Festival” at Merle Hay Mall in Urbandale, Iowa, on May 4.
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Leonardo Lebas
o Composition of “Balada per un trobador” commissioned by TRILCE (Choir of the
Argentine National Libraries)
o Composed “Balada per un trobador”, Ediciones GCC, Argentina. In press.
o Composed Viaje”, InDiCCExt (Instituto Extremeño de Canto y Dirección Coral),
Spain.
o Attended the 2011 American Choral Directors Association National Conference
in Chicago
o Attended and set up a GU Music recruiting booth at the Iowa Bandmaster’s
Conference, Des Moines, IA, May 11-13
o Offered a Voice Clinic for students at Mount Ayr High School
o Hosted guest conductor scholar Dr. Hibbard. She offered a clinic for GU choirs at
The Shaw Center auditorium.
o Facilitated a clinic at Piano Fest.
o Founded and conducted Graceland University Oratorio Chorus, a vocal ensemble
open to the community, students, faculty, and staff. GUOC mission is to rehearse
and perform choral-orchestral/instrumental masterworks according to
international standards of excellent choral-orchestral/instrumental practice.
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Frank Perez
o CMENC (Collegiate Music Educator’s National Conference) Chapter #570 won
the Graceland Community Service Award $760 in March for their
outreach/volunteer teaching work with the Lamoni, H.S. Band. – March
o CMENC Student Chapter provided volunteer work for the US Air Force Jazz Band
Concert March 29, Trombone Day workshop March 5, and Flute Day workshop
April 16.
o CMENC helped commission a new composition by composer Brian Nelson –
April
o CMENC volunteered assist with the solo/ensemble music festival for high school
students at Lamoni H.S. in April 9.
o CMEC volunteered music support for the band and choir festival hosted by
Lamoni H.S. and Graceland University.
o Graceland Jazz Band host high school band workshop for local high schools with
the US Air Force Band, the Noteables – March 29
o Conducted a weeklong marching band and trombone workshop at Bénemerita
Universidad Autonomy de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. Conducted the Minerva
Marching Band in concert, the Puebla Trombone Choir, and presented a guest
artist trombone recital.
o Trombone Student Derrick White, Flute Student Katelyn Brooks and Vocal
students presented at the Graceland Scholar’s Showcase – April 21
o Graceland Yellowjacket Jazz Band performs for the GU Student Art Gallery
Reception – April 21
o Attended and set up a GU Music recruiting booth at the Iowa Bandmaster’s
Conference, Des Moines IA May 11-13
o Conducted a band clinic/workshop with Mt. Ayr High School Band – May 3
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Tracy Salter
o Produced End Days April 6-10: Tracy Salter Director, Kim Manuel (GU alum)
Scenic Design, set painting and cabinetry maker, Jon Whatley Lighting Design
o Valeria Avina, senior, was accepted into New School for Drama in NYC for an
MFA in Acting
o Abby Hernandez, senior, directed the Lamoni High School play (Two short oneacts: Check, Please and Hard Candy).
o Assisted and participated in Lamoni’s 1st Annual Gateway Film
Festival in Lamoni's historic Coliseum Theatre, produced by Doug Jones and Bill
Connelly.
o Organized a reading of a new script for the Gateway Film Festival.
o Auditioned students for the Film, Theatre and Performance Studies major as well
as presented three workshops at the Missouri State Thespian Conference in
Springfield, MO.
o Coordinated and performed improv acts for all Graceland for a Day events
o Organized and performed a community reading of Eve Ensler’s “Vagina
Monologues” for V-Day.
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Rob Stephens
o “Digital WunderKrammer” portfolio, two woodcuts. Southern Graphic Council
International, St. Louis, MO. March 2011.
o “Farming at the edge of Equilibrium and Reverie” portfolio, one woodcut.
Southern Graphic Council International, St. Louis, MO. March 2011.
o “Digital WunderKrammer” portfolio, two woodcuts. University of Louisiana at
Lafayette. May 13-June 13, 2011.
o Art Review of Julia Franklin’s exhibition written for the Horizons Alumni
magazine.
o High Point Press Open Portfolio Review, art work presented, critiqued.
Minneapolis, MN.
o Enrolled in Digital Film Making at Graceland University taught by Brian White.
o Attended Tim Miller Performance Art Talk at Grinnell College.
o Participated in Art Critique/ Recruitment of high school students at Indian Hills
Community College, Ottumwa, IA, April 15.
o Invited to discuss “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” with Dr. Joan
McAlister at Drake University, Rhetoric class, Des Moines, IA.
o Presented a 2011 Hope Speech, GU Campus Ministries.
Sponsored GU Student clubs Gay Straight Allegiance, Student Meditation Group.
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Zane Vredenburg
o Attended and recruited at the “2011 Central Iowa Metropolitan League Art
Festival” at Merle Hay Mall in Urbandale, Iowa, on May 4.
o Designed new logo and t-shirt for the 2011 Scholars’ Showcase.
o Nominated senior Nora Hubbard who received the “2011 Art Directors of Iowa
Scholarship” award.
o 12 students entered “The Right to Education,” an international poster
competition.
o Design studio class created logos, menus and signage for the local Mexican
restaurant and Pierce's Dairy Cup.
o Design studio class developed light pole banner ideas for the City of Lamoni.
o Design studio class developed a brochure and art bio cards for the Blue Frog
Arts.
o Co-authored new Web Design major with CSIT to be approved this semester.
Gary Heisserer
o Attended the Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference in Chicago.
o Facilitated the development of a new strategic plan for the Unicorn Theatre in
Kansas City.
o Hosted gala as part of the “Spring for the Unicorn” spring fundraising drive.
o Hosted several theatre students for the Kansas City production of Ruined, the
2009 Pulitzer Prize winning play by Lynn Nottage.
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Other division activities include:
 Worked with Gould Evans to develop and finalize Shaw Center expansion plans.
 Shaw Transition Task Force appointed and convened weekly.
 Performed Annual Reviews.
 Organized SCOEPAT Portfolio discussion with Dr. Brian White.
 Hosted the celebration of the birth of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
Division of Health and Movement Science
 Ms. Amy Moran has resigned her position as Athletic Trainer/Instructor. A search
to refill the position has been completed.
 Diane Bartholomew, current president of the Iowa Athletic Trainers’ Society,
attended the signing of a proclamation by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad on March
10th, which made March Athletic Training Month in Iowa. On April 7th, Governor
Branstad signed concussion (brain injury) legislation into law. The Iowa Athletic
Trainers’ Society played a key role in the legislative process.
 Diane Bartholomew learned she will receive the National Athletic Trainers’
Association (NATA) Service Award at the annual meeting in June.
 Several students from the division will participate in the Scholars’ Showcase on
April 21, 2011.
Division of Humanities
 Bob Mesle
o Bob’s essay, Success and the Body of Christ, appears in the March issue of
Sunstone magazine, 2011.
o Bob also was footnoted in Beyond Metaphysics: Explorations in Alfred North
Whitehead’s Late Thought (P 105) by Roland Faber, Brian Hennings, and
Clinton Combs, 2010.
o Bob taught a class on process theology at the Asbury United Methodist
Church in Prairie Village, KS, and then met with a related book club which
had read his book, Process Theology, in Leewood, KS, on April 10, 2011.
o Bob attended the Restoration Studies Symposium where he chaired a session
with a paper by Graceland Religion student, Jon Hetherington. Two other
Religion students in Bob’s classes, Emily Rose and Kinsey Wellington, also
presented papers. All three papers were originally written for Tony and
Charmaine Chvala-Smith’s class on Community of Christ Theology. April, 1516, 2011.
o Seven students in the Graceland University Honors program which Bob
Mesle directs--Matthew Nii, Shay Guscott, Melissa Shephard, Liz Deegan, Kari
Nilsen, Paige Webberley, and Emily Rose--all presented papers at the Upper
Midwest Region Honors Council conference in North Dakota, April 2-3, 2011.
All seven papers were originally written for the Honors Seminar which Bob
directs along with Tom Morain. The students went with Brian White,
Associate Director of the Honors Program.
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Jerry DeNuccio
o Jerry had an essay titled “Bless me, iPod, For I Have Sinned” published in the
online magazine Does This Make Sense, an essay titled “In the Moment”
published in the online journal The Smart Set, and four essays chosen as
Editors’ Picks at Open Salon: “The Missal,” “The Language of Grief,” “Scenes
From the Mall,” and “Carl, the Grammar Maven.”
Cris Karmas
o Chris took part in the “Fun with Writing” Young Writers Conference (Grades
3-5) Graceland University. (Lamoni, IA; April 2011). Cris also took part in a
Focus Group on Philosophy Courses Webinar on McGraw Hill’s Introduction
to Connect Think McGraw-Hill Higher Education, The McGraw-Hill
Philosophy Team (April 2011). And, as the Campus Pride Committee Chair,
she created the tagline BGIF! (Blue and Gold: It’s Friday!)
Division of Science and Mathematics
 Richard Foster was accepted into the US Navy and is in nuclear power school. He
has gone from submarines to surface vessels.
 Kevin Potter was recently accepted into the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental
Biology PhD program at Iowa State.
 Sarah Ballik was accepted into the veterinary medicine program at Iowa State.
 Koonyee Lam was accepted into the bioscience PhD program at the University of
Iowa.
 The division is preparing for the second annual science camp during the summer.
Division of Social Sciences
 John Franklin and Steve Glazer took 20 students from the Historical Inquiry class to
the Kansas City area, where they visited the National Archives (saw holdings,
learned how to arrange visits to do research, learned about internships and jobs in
public history), the National World War I Museum, and Union Station (architectural
history).
 John Franklin’s additional activities include the following
o He presented his research paper “The Propaganda of Humanitarianism: Food
Aid in the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations” at the Southwest Social
Science Association Conference in Las Vegas, March 16-19.
o He is reviewing galleys for a new political science textbook: The American
Political System by Ken Kollman for WW Norton.
o He hosted the Green Hills East District National History Day competition at
Graceland with over 90 area students participating. John served as Green Hills
East District Coordinator for National History Day throughout the year.
o He is helping the History Club prepare a book of student papers for selfpublication with one copy going to the library and others to be sold for History
Club revenue.
o John is sponsoring two student presentations in the annual Scholar’s Showcase:
Brady Seaver’s “Blood under the Black Flag: Quantrill’s Confederate Raiders,
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1861-1863” and Nick DeLong’s “Cutthroats and Gentlemen: The Violence of
Early Eighteenth Century England.”
Dave Devonis’s poster “Experimental Psychological Antecedents in the Career of the
Psychoanalyst Robert M. Lindner (Rebel Without a Cause)” was accepted
for presentation at Cheiron’s (historians of social and behavioral science) annual
meeting.
Brian Smith served on the steering committee for the Iowa Teachers of Psychology;
his colleague Dave Devonis serves as member.
Three psychology students - Carolina Verdezoto; Abby Sala; and Lauren Clark – have
been accepted into masters programs. Several other students from psychology and
history will present either talks or posters at the third annual Scholars’ Showcase.
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