September 2003

'Wit' guest artist has stage, screen, television credits

GREEN BAY-Amy McKenzie, who is portraying the lead role in "Wit" at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has credits as an actor and director on the regional and national stage, and in film and television.

"Wit" is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10 and 11 in University Theater at UW-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr., and at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16 and 17 in the Meyer Theater in downtown Green Bay. Theater Chairperson Laura Riddle directs.

Guest artist McKenzie portrays Prof. Vivian Bearing, an expert on the poetry of late 16th century-early 17th century poet John Donne, as she confronts her life and the medical profession during experimental treatment for cancer. The play by Margaret Edson won critical acclaim during its off-Broadway run, and received the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1999. Reviewers also wrote about the demands of the role, whose character is on-stage for the entire performance.

At Peninsula Players in Fish Creek, McKenzie has performed onstage, and directed "Spider's Web" and "All My Sons." She is the founding artistic director of Sturgeon Bay's Third Avenue Playhouse.

McKenzie has performed in national stage tours of "Crimes of the Heart" and "M. Butterfly," and in films and television productions. She also has directing credits on the stage in Los Angeles and Chicago, and in film and television.

McKenzie is a member of the Actors' Equity Association, the union for professional stage actors, and Screen Actors' Guild, the union for film actors.

Tickets for "Wit" are $17 in advance and $20 at the door for adults, and $12 in advance and $15 at the door for seniors and those 17 and under. The numbers for tickets are (920) 465-2217 or (800) 328-8587.

(03-182 / 30 September 2003 / VCD)

Trip scheduled to Manet exhibit at Chicago Art Institute

GREEN BAY -- Registration is open for a guided trip to see "Manet and the Sea," at the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 15. The event is organized by the Office of Outreach and Extension at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Nan Curtis, art curator at the Neville Public Museum of Brown County, will be the tour leader.

The exhibit highlights two aspects of Edouard Manet's legacy-as the founder of Impressionism, and as the inventor of modern history painting. It uses his sea pictures dating from 1864 to 1881 to link his work with predecessors including Gustave Courbet, and with successors such as August Renoir. More than 100 paintings, watercolors, and drawings from 60 public and private collections in the U.S. and abroad are in the exhibit.

Tour leader Curtis has a bachelor's degree in fine art photography from Columbia College, Chicago; a master's degree in art history from California State University, Northridge; and a master's degree in archival and records management from the University of Michigan. She has done museum work at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., and the J.P. Getty Center in Los Angeles.

Trip participants will gather at 7 a.m. in the Studio Arts building cafeteria at UW-Green Bay for refreshments. Buses will depart for Chicago at 7:30 a.m. The trip will include free time in Chicago. The return trip will arrive back at UW-Green Bay about 11:30 p.m.

The program fee of $55 includes roundtrip bus fare, tour leader, morning refreshments, and museum admission. Meals are not included.

More information is available online at www.uwgb.edu/outreach/profed, or by calling (920) 465-2642.

(03-181 / 30 September 2003 / VCD)

Cuban String Quintet will perform Sunday at UW-Green Bay

GREEN BAY-Fantasia Cuban String Quintet will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5 in Fort Howard Hall of the Weidner Center of the Performing Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr.

Their appearance is part of the Chamber Music at Green Bay series at the University.

The five members of Fantasia, based in Matanzas, Cuba, have been playing together for nearly 15 years. They perform on string instruments and clarinet.

Quintet leader Alberto Garcia is a professor of music at the only university specializing in music in Cuba, the National Institute of Art in Havana. Garcia has conducted most of the symphonic groups in Cuba, and recently was named a "Distinguished Artist" by the Cuban government. Abroad, Garcia has directed operettas in Italy, France and Switzerland.

Each of the other quintet members has extensive performing experience in Cuba and abroad in addition to their work with Fantasia. They are Jose Fernandez, bass; Felipa Moncada, cello; Irina Vazquez, violin; and Nelson Hernandez, clarinet.

Fantasia's repertoire includes a wide range of self-orchestrated classical favorites, modern hits, and melodies of Cuban influence. The group has toured to Spain, Italy, Jamaica, and the U.S. They performed in Oshkosh in fall 2001.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. UW-Green Bay students with identification are admitted free. The numbers for tickets are (920) 465-2217 or (800) 328-8587.

(03-180 / 29 September 2003 / VCD)

Guest artist joins UW-Green Bay in Pulitzer-prize winning play

GREEN BAY - Guest artist Amy McKenzie will play the lead role in "Wit" at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10 and 11 in University Theater at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr., and at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16 and 17 in the Meyer Theater in downtown Green Bay.

The play by Margaret Edson garnered critical acclaim in its off-Broadway run, and won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It is being produced by UW-Green Bay in collaboration with Unity Hospice of Green Bay. Prof. Laura Riddle, chairperson of the Theater academic program, directs.

The central character in "Wit" is a 50-year-old professor diagnosed with advanced cancer, who is a patient in an experimental treatment program. The professor has devoted her academic career to the work of late 16th-early17th century English poet John Donne, particularly to his "Holy Sonnets," or devotional lyrics.

As the professor looks at her life and her situation, the play also looks at the "science" of poetry and the science of medicine, says Riddle adding, "One message is that you can get so immersed in the detail that you forget that what you are talking about is life."

Riddle describes the play as "overwhelmingly uplifting and full of hope." Says Riddle, "It's about the human journey and as such, there is a great deal of humor. It takes humor to get through some of the darkest moments of our lives."

Guest artist McKenzie, the founding artistic director of Sturgeon Bay's Third Avenue Playhouse, has performed frequently at Peninsula Players in Fish Creek, and in national touring productions, films, and television productions. She is a member of Actors' Equity Association, and Screen Actors' Guild.

Dan Van Dellen, Sunam Ellis, and Mike Eserkaln portray significant members of the medical team. Van Dellen, Wausau, and Ellis, Appleton, are UW-Green Bay students who've had many roles in UW-Green Bay productions. Eserkaln is co-owner of Comedy City in Green Bay. UW-Green Bay faculty member Ellen Rosewall portrays the professor's teacher and mentor, and Craig Berken, managing director of Evergreen Productions, has the role of the professor's father.

Scenic and lighting design is by Jeffrey Entwistle, technical direction is by R. Michael Ingraham, and Kaiome Malloy is the costume designer. All are members of the UW-Green Bay faculty.

The production is a more ambitious undertaking than most at UW-Green Bay, according to Riddle. Among the challenges: Taking the show "on the road" from University Theater to the Meyer Theater, which means that sets must be designed to be moved, and to function in two settings with different technical requirements.

Riddle credits Prof. Illene Noppe, director of the UW-Green Bay Institute on Dying, Death and Bereavement, with the idea of producing "Wit," and using it as a learning experience. Their discussions led to creation of the Wit Collaborative, an alliance among Unity Hospice of Green Bay; the UW-Green Bay Human Development, Nursing, and Theater academic programs; the UW-Green Bay Institute on Dying, Death and Bereavement; UW-Green Bay Outreach and Extension; and the Coalition to Support End-of-Life issues. Marti Spittell Ziegelbauer is serving as Collaborative spokesperson.

The play is one of two Wit Collaborative efforts. It also is sponsoring a related workshop on Friday, Oct. 17, "The Power of Wit," for professionals who deal with end-of-life issues. Information about the workshop at UW-Green Bay is available on-line at www.uwgb.edu/outreach/profed/w;t, or at (920) 465-2642.

Tickets for the play are $17 in advance and $20 at the door for adults, and $12 in advance and $15 at the door for seniors and those 17 and under. The numbers for tickets are (920) 465-2217 or (800) 328-8587.

(03-179 / 29 September 2003 / VCD)

Play inspires end-of-life issues workshop at UW-Green Bay

GREEN BAY-A Pulitzer-prize winning play about a cancer patient facing the end of her life is the inspiration for a workshop, "The Power of Wit," from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 in University Union at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr.

The workshop will serve professionals who deal with end-of-life issues, and it offers continuing education credits and units through the Northeast Wisconsin Alliance for Social Worker Continuing Education sponsored by UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh. A fee discount applies to registrations received on or before Oct. 3.

The play, "Wit," by Margaret Edson, will be produced by UW-Green Bay Theater in collaboration with Unity Hospice of Green Bay at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 and 11 in University Theater at UW-Green Bay, and at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 17 at the Meyer Theater in downtown Green Bay. Prof. Laura Riddle directs.

Conference keynote speaker is Barbara Bates Smith, who has played the lead role in "Wit," and who is a cancer survivor.

Three choices of breakout sessions follow. Art therapist Jody Larson will speak on "Using the Expressive Arts as a Resource for Someone Who is Critically Ill"; Unity Hospice and Palliative Care presenters Dr. Rance Hafner, Dana Hansen, MSN, and Gail Trimberger, LCSW, will present "Communicating the Bad News," and UW-Green Bay Prof. Illene Noppe, director of the Institute on Dying, Death and Bereavement, will talk on "Death in Popular Culture: Why is Death an 'In' Topic Now?"

A second set of breakout sessions will offer an opportunity to hear theater critic Wayne Strei interview guest artist Amy McKenzie who'll portray the leading role in the UW-Green Bay play; or "Caring for the Whole Person at the End of Life," by Anne LeMere and Maribeth Braspennickx, certified trainers in the End of Life Nursing Education Consortium; or "How to Care for Yourself While You Care for Others," by bereavement specialist Kathy Baumann.

Marti Spittell Ziegelbauer, Wit Collaborative spokesperson, will be the luncheon speaker on "How to Advocate for Others Through Your Cancer Experience."

The Wit Collaborative, which is sponsoring both the workshop and productions of the play, includes Unity Hospice and Palliative Care; the UW-Green Bay Human Development, Nursing, and Theater academic programs; the UW-Green Bay Institute on Dying, Death and Bereavement; the UW-Green Bay Office of Outreach and Extension; the Coalition to Support End-of-Life Issues; and Ziegelbauer.

The conference fee is $59 if received on or before Oct. 3. After that date it is $69. The fee covers continental breakfast, handouts, and CEU/CEH certificates. A box lunch is $6.50 additional.

Conference attendees are eligible for discounts on tickets to see the play on Oct. 10, 11, 16, and 17.

Conference information is available on-line at www.uwgb.edu/outreach/profed/w;t, or by calling (920) 465-2642.

(03-177 / 24 September 2003 / VCD)

'Democracy in America' is lecture topic

GREEN BAY -- Isaac Kramnick, Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government and vice provost for undergraduate education at Cornell University, will speak on "Democracy in America" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 in the Christie Theater located in University Union at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Kramnick has taught and written primarily in the area of English and American political thought and history. He is the author or editor of 20 books. The most recent is "The Godless Constitution: The Case Against Religious Correctness," of which he was co-author. His book, "Bolingbroke and His Circle" won the Conference of British Studies Prize for best book on British politics.

Kramnick is a fellow of Britain's Royal Historical Society and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has received two awards for teaching at Cornell, and was chosen by student ballot to be the student newspaper's "favorite professor of the year."

Kramnick previously spoke at UW-Green Bay in 1996.

Kramnick's lecture is the 100th in the Historical Perspectives lecture series sponsored by the Center for History and Social Change at UW-Green Bay. The series, founded in 1985 by Prof. Harvey Kaye of the Social Change and Development academic unit, has brought diverse speakers to the campus, including the preeminent historian and European political figure E. P. Thompson, journalists David Brooks and E.J. Dionne, and many others.

(03-176 / 23 September 2003 / VCD)

UW-Green Bay is site for international vocal competition

GREEN BAY-First and semi-final rounds for the Montreal International Czech and Slovak Music Competition in Canada will be held November 24 through 26 in Fort Howard Hall of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr.

UW-Green Bay Prof. Sarah Meredith, co-organizer of the 2003 competition with founder Alain Nonat of Theatre Lyrichoregra, Montreal, says it will be the first time that the competition has had a United States site.

The competition is open to singers 18 to 35 years old. In the first round, candidates must sing an operatic aria of their choice, and, in the second, an operatic aria plus an aria or song by any Czech or Slovak composer, preferably in the original language. Nine jurors will judge the competition. The event at UW-Green Bay is open to the public.

Two winners will be flown to Montreal for the final round on November 30. Five prizes, plus special awards for the best American and Canadian interpreters under age 25 will be awarded in the final contest. The first place winner will receive $5,000 Canadian, plus a trip to the Czech Republic and Slovakia for master classes and concerts in each country.

Meredith, who'll serve as a judge for the final round in Montreal, says the main objective of the competition is to promote interest in the music of Czech and Slovak composers, many of them little known in the West due to years of Cold War isolation. The event also seeks to promote musical exchanges between North America and the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The competition was founded in 1991 during the 150th year celebration of the birth of Antonin Dvorak.

Complete information and registration materials for the U.S. competition are available from Meredith by contacting her at:

    Prof. Sarah Meredith
    Theater Hall 331
    University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
    2420 Nicolet Dr.
    Green Bay, WI 54311

Information also is available by telephone to (920) 465-2637, or by e-mail to MEREDITS@UWGB.EDU.

(03-175 / 23 September 2003 / VCD)

UW-Green Bay music program is re-accredited

GREEN BAY-The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) has granted full 10-year re-accreditation to the music academic program at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

"It's quite a feather in our cap," says Prof. William Witwer, chairperson of music. "Not all music programs are accredited."

NASM, founded in 1924, is an organization of schools, colleges and universities that offer music studies. It sets standards for degrees and other credentials, and accreditation means that an institution meets all of the standards.

The organization has approved UW-Green Bay to offer the Bachelor of Arts in Music, the Bachelor of Music in Performance, and the Bachelor of Music in Music Education.

Re-accreditation is a lengthy process requiring a thorough "self-study," followed by visits from examiners who interview students, faculty, and administrators, says Prof. Kevin Collins, who was chairperson of the music program when it began seeking re-accreditation.

The UW-Green Bay music program first won accreditation from NASM in 1976.

(03-174 / 23 September 2003 / VCD)

'To Kill a Mockingbird' is 'One Book' choice

GREEN BAY -- "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee is the first selection in the new "One Book, One Campus" book club organized by the Friends of the Cofrin Library at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Chancellor Bruce Shepard announced the title at a kick-off reception on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

The book was chosen from among five nominated titles by votes cast by interested participants.

The Phoenix Bookstore at UW-Green Bay and Dave's Book Center in East Town Mall are partners with the Friends of the Cofrin Library in "One Book, One Campus." Both bookstores expect to have copies of "To Kill a Mockingbird" available later this week.

Anyone at UW-Green Bay or in the community is welcome to participate in "One Book, One Campus," according to Deb Anderson of the Friends programming committee.

Anderson said a variety of free programs organized around "To Kill a Mockingbird," including discussion groups and other activities, will be announced in about two weeks. Programs will conclude shortly before Thanksgiving with a showing of the film starring Gregory Peck. Activities will be announced in press releases and on the Friends of the Cofrin Library website at www.uwgb.edu/library/friends.html.

(03-173 / 18 September 2003 / VCD)

UW-Green Bay workshops offer skills for nonprofit groups

GREEN BAY-Enrollment is available for two fall workshops that offer critical skills for staff members, board members, volunteers and others associated with nonprofit organizations and governmental institutions.

Evaluating and Improving Organizational Effectiveness is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 26, and Working Effectively with Your Nonprofit Board will be held on Friday, Oct. 31. Both workshops are from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the University campus at 2420 Nicolet Dr.

Lora Warner, president of Planning and Evaluation Associates, Inc., will lead the workshop on Evaluating and Improving Organizational Effectiveness. Warner also teaches courses on organizational leadership, program evaluation, and research at UW-Green Bay. The workshop will focus on organizational effectiveness and efficiency, gauging constituent satisfaction, and related issues.

The leader for Working Effectively with Your Nonprofit Board will be Virginia Baeten, who recently retired as director of the Brown County Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. She holds Master of Business Administration and Ph.D. degrees, and has volunteered on national, state and local boards and committees. Workshop participants will learn how to recruit the right board members, get them involved, and keep them activated and committed.

Workshop fees are $119 per person per workshop day, or $99 per person per day if more than one individual enrolls from the same organization. Fees include instruction, handouts, continental breakfast, lunch, and parking.

The workshops are part of a Certificate for Nonprofit Professionals program organized by the UW-Green Bay Office of Outreach and Extension to help nonprofit and governmental organizations prepare for the trend toward managing nonprofit organizations in a more businesslike manner.

To earn the certificate, participants complete five workshops on different topics within a three-year time period. Individual workshops also are open to those not pursuing certificate completion.

For information, the numbers are (920) 465-2642 or (800) 892-2118. Information and registration also are available on-line at www.uwgb.edu/outreach/profed.

(03-172 / 18 September 2003 / VCD)

Educator workshop focuses on low-income students

GREEN BAY -- Registration is open for Understanding Students Who Live in Poverty, a workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

The workshop aims to help educators understand poverty and how it affects teaching and learning, and offer a forum for discussion of some successful instructional strategies.

The presenters are Sandra Dickerson, professional development specialist for the Milwaukee Public Schools, and Karen Jackson, Washington, D.C., former chief administrative officer for the Milwaukee Public Schools.

Dickerson, who has a Ph.D. in education from Boston University, researches best practices for the Milwaukee Public Schools, and presently focuses on the achievement gap. Jackson is an advocate for high student achievement , employee diversity, and achieving equitable educational outcomes. Her Ph.D. in urban education is from UW-Milwaukee.

During afternoon sessions, teams of Green Bay Public School teachers will have a dialog with Milwaukee Public School teachers from high-achieving schools.

The fee for the workshop is $49 if received on or before Oct. 20, or $59 if received after. The fee includes morning refreshments, lunch, handouts, parking, and continuing education unit certificate.

Information is available by calling (920) 465-2642 or (800) 892-2118. Information and registration are available on-line at www.uwgb.edu/outreach/profed.

(03-171 / 18 September 2003 / VCD)

UW-Green Bay fall offerings for educators include new classes, poverty workshop

GREEN BAY-A workshop for educators who work with low-income students, and new courses in technology and science are among fall offerings for educators sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Office of Outreach and Extension.

"Understanding Students Who Live in Poverty," is a workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at UW-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr. Workshop leaders are Sandra Dickerson, professional development specialist for the Milwaukee Public Schools, and Karen Jackson, presently of Washington, D.C., but formerly chief administrative officer for the Milwaukee Public Schools. Continuing education units are available.

New courses for fall include Web Page Creation and Editing, and "Space Plants" Invade Wisconsin.

Courses offered by UW-Green Bay align with Wisconsin standards for teacher and administrator development and licensure.

Enrollment in most classes is limited, so registration at least two weeks before the start of classes is recommended. Numbers for detailed information and registration materials are (920) 465-2480 or (800) 892-2118. Information and registration may be made online at www.uwgb.edu/outreach/educ. New offerings are added throughout the year and may be found on the Website.

Here's the list of fall classes to date. Courses are for graduate-level credit unless otherwise indicated.

Beginning in October:

Spanish for Educators I (for K-5 educators), Wednesdays, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22; Nov. 5, 12, 19; Dec. 3, Nicolet Elementary School, Green Bay.

Spanish for Educators I (for middle and high school educators), Wednesdays, Oct. 8, 15, 22; Nov. 5, 12, 19; Dec. 3, and one additional date to be determined, Preble High School, Green Bay.

Transitioning from School to Career (in conjunction with Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Partners in Education), Oct. 6 through April 20, 2004, 15 sessions at various sites around the Green Bay area.

Web Page Creation and Editing (NEW), Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 10-11 and Nov. 14-15, De Pere High School.

Facilitating and Assessing Writing Using the Six + One Traits (interactive television course), Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 10-11, 17-18; Nov. 7-8, 14-15, Originates at Wrightstown High School; receiving locations at Omro, Hortonville, and Waupaca High Schools.

Supervision of Student Teachers (interactive television course), Saturdays Oct. 11, 25; Nov. 8. Originates at Seymour High School; receiving locations include Kaukauna, Oshkosh West, and New London High Schools.

Space Plants Invade Wisconsin (NEW), Saturday, Oct. 11, with two on-line follow-up sessions to be determined. Holiday Inn and Suites, Madison. (Participants must first apply to Space Education Initiatives, (800) 215-1511 or e-mail to alicia@spaceed.org.)

Digital Technology: Multimedia in the Classroom, Mondays, Oct. 20, 27; Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24, Sheboygan Falls Elementary School.

Dimensions of Learning, Thursday and Friday, Oct. 30-31, Green Bay Public Schools Central Office.

Beginning in November:

A Practical Approach to Classroom Assessment, Wednesdays, Nov. 5, 19; Dec. 10, Sheboygan Area School District.

Infusing Technology Into the Curriculum, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7-8, Mishicot Elementary School.

Web Page Creation and Editing (NEW), Tuesdays, Nov. 11, 18, 25; Dec. 2, 9, 16, Sheboygan Falls Elementary School.

Beginning in December:

PowerPoint: Present with Pizzazz, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5-6, De Pere High School.

(03-170 / 15 September 2003 / VCD)

Choral groups at UW-Green Bay are restructured

GREEN BAY -- Prof. William Witwer, director of choral activities at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has announced changes in the University's choral groups, beginning this fall.

New is the Phoenix Chorale, a 32- to 34-member mixed-voice group comprised primarily of music majors. Membership is by audition. Witwer, who'll conduct the group, says three-quarters of the members this fall are majoring in music.

Gone is the former Vocal Ensemble, a mixed-voice group that typically had 12 to 18 members drawn from among music majors.

The Concert Choir remains 60 voices, open by audition, but it is expected to become a younger group, because more music majors will participate in Phoenix Chorale instead. But, says Witwer, "There still will be a healthy mix of music majors and non-majors." Prof. John Plier directs Concert Choir.

University Women's Chorus, a 25 to 30-member group that provides an outlet for the large number of UW-Green Bay women singers, continues as in the past. Witwer directs.

The changes were made partly to create a select group-the Phoenix Chorale-to serve as a training ensemble for music students, especially for the growing number of male singers who want to participate, Witwer explains. He adds that enrollment in all choral groups is "way up."

Witwer says the new arrangement provides some flexibility because Phoenix Chorale and Concert Choir rehearse during the same time period. "That gives us the opportunity to draw singers from both groups to perform music for only male voices or only female voices, or to combine the two groups for a nearly 100-voice choir," he explains.

(03-169 / 15 September 2003 / VCD)

Chamber music series at UW-Green Bay opens with accordionist

GREEN BAY-Accordionist Frank Marocco will open the fall series of Chamber Music at Green Bay concerts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 in Fort Howard Hall of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr.

Marocco has had a long career as a performer, composer and arranger, beginning when he won a national music contest at age 17 and subsequently performed his winning solo with the Chicago Pops Orchestra at Soldiers Field. His initial training was in the classics, but he has composed and arranged in both jazz and classical styles.

Marocco has worked with artists ranging from Brian Wilson, Pink Floyd, and Madonna, to Luciano Pavorotti, conductor Maxim Shostakovich, and composer John Williams. He has toured with his own groups, with Bob Hope, and with the Les Brown Band, including some Love Boat cruises. Marocco does a lot of studio work, and his playing has been heard on many film soundtracks, television scores, record albums, and commercial jingles.

Marocco has a dozen albums to his credit including "Appassionato," released this year. He has recorded with classical groups including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and others.

Marocco has won many awards, including induction into the Accordion Hall of Fame in Vincenza, Italy in 2000. He was nominated for eight consecutive years and twice won the National Academy of Arts and Sciences Most Valuable Player Award. He received the Golden Reed award in 1994 in Ancona, Italy.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. The number for tickets is (920) 465-2217 or (800) 328-8587.

(03-168 / 10 September 2003 / VCD)

New textbook by UW-Green Bay faculty takes fresh look at public policy

GREEN BAY - A new textbook written by two University of Wisconsin-Green Bay faculty members is receiving favorable reviews for bringing a fresh and innovative approach to the field of public policy.

Authors Michael Kraft, professor of public and environmental affairs, and Scott Furlong, associate professor of public and environmental affairs, give students practical ways to think about public problems in their book "Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives." The textbook, published by CQ Press, is expected to be used in introductory public policy courses on campuses across the country.

The authors' goal is to encourage students to think critically about major policy issues.

"It's very much a hands-on text that's intended to stimulate people to think about why things are done the way they are and how they could be done differently," Kraft said.

"For a number of years, I've wanted a book that better engages students in the issues of public policy - things that affect them in almost everything they do," Furlong said. "I think we have accomplished this with our book."

The authors said the textbook reflects their teaching at UW-Green Bay and feedback from their public-policy students.

In the book, Kraft and Furlong focus on government institutions and the process of making policy, concepts and methods of analyzing policy, and policy choices made at all levels of government. The book guides students through policy alternatives and provides a clearer understanding of the impact interest groups have on the policy agenda.

Specific chapters explore a variety of policy issues, including economic and budgetary policy, health care, welfare, education, and environmental and energy policy.

Each chapter contains discussion questions and suggested readings. The book also refers students to Web sites that will enable students to pursue issues of interest.

One reviewer described the book as a "significant contribution" to the field of public policy and "clearly written and easily accessible" to undergraduate students. Another reviewer said the authors bring "new insight and energy" to the study of public policy.

Kraft has been on the UW-Green Bay faculty since 1977. He has doctorate and master's degrees in political science from Yale University and a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Riverside. He was the first UW-Green Bay faculty member to be awarded the prestigious Herbert Fisk Johnson named professorship in Environmental Studies.

Furlong joined the UW-Green Bay faculty in 1993. He has doctorate and master's degrees from The American University and a bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence University. His areas of expertise are regulatory policy and interest group participation in the executive branch. He has taught a course in public policy for 10 years.

(03-167 / 8 September 2003 / SH)

Fall wildflower workshop is scheduled at UW-Green Bay

GREEN BAY -- Field botanist Gary Fewless will lead a fall wildflower workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 13 at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr. The workshop is free, but preregistration is required because space is limited.

Workshop participants will meet at the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity in room 212 of Mary Ann Cofrin Hall. After an introductory presentation, Fewless will lead a walk through the Cofrin Arboretum on campus and help participants identify the blooming plants.

Fewless, long-time curator of the University's Herbarium and instructor of field botany courses, says identifying fall flowers is particularly challenging. "The difficulty is that most of the conspicuous flowers people see now are asters and goldenrods, and there are many species of each," he says. Wisconsin has about 20 species of goldenrods and about the same number of asters. "There are probably more total species of plants flowering out in the open now than at any time in the year," Fewless adds.

For information, or to register for the workshop, the numbers are (920) 465-5030 or (920) 465-5032. Information is available by e-mail to wolfa@uwgb.edu.

The workshop launches the second year of an ongoing series of workshops sponsored by the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity as part of its mission to promote biodiversity protection through education and scientific research.

The next 2003-2004 workshop features an introduction to mushrooms, and is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22.

(03-166 / 5 September 2003 / VCD)

Fiber artist opens UW-Green Bay gallery season

GREEN BAY -- "Heartfelt," an exhibit of textiles by Kelly Frigard, opens with a reception at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11 in the Lawton Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Dr. UW-Green Bay Assistant Prof. Alison Gates will give a talk about the work at 5 p.m.

Frigard's work explores the link between clothing and women's experience. "My interest in cloth is deeply connected to the history of women's lives and the work they have done through time as providers of clothing," says Frigard.

Frigard has traveled to the Northwest Territories in Canada to study women's role as clothing provider in the Inuit culture, and spent a year in Sweden under a Fulbright Fellowship studying traditional women's art forms. She also has studied and taught at Jurva College of Arts and Crafts in Finland. Frigard is an assistant professor at McPherson College, McPherson, Kan. Her Master of Fine Arts degree is from the University of Iowa.

Pieces in the UW-Green Bay exhibit represent two different bodies of work by Frigard, "And She Clothed Every One of Them," and "Metal, Bed, Stone, Heart, Felt."

The exhibit continues through Oct. 4. Lawton Gallery is located in room 249 of Theater Hall. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

(03-165 / 5 September 2003 / VCD)

UW-Green Bay faculty member awarded national nursing fellowship

GREEN BAY - A national fellowship focused on leading the country's health-care system in the 21st century has been awarded to a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay professor.

Derryl Block, associate professor of nursing at UW-Green Bay, has been selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow. Block is one of 20 nurses in executive leadership roles nationwide selected this year to participate in the three-year program.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's fellowship program is designed to strategically position the voice of nursing across many sectors of the economy in a health-care system undergoing unprecedented change and challenges.

The fellowship is an intensive opportunity to develop critical leadership skills, work with a nationally recognized team of coaches and instructors from the health-care community and other sectors of the economy, undertake a leadership project, and benefit from collaboration with nursing and health-care leaders throughout the country.

Block has been a public health nursing educator, researcher and practitioner in Israel, Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has been involved in education of public health nurses at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as continuing education of practicing public health nurses.

She has been an innovator in workforce development issues including development of public health nursing competencies and Internet education of public health nurses in rural areas. She also has been involved in development of an innovative collaborative health-planning model in 16 counties of northwestern Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota. She has numerous publications and has received many research grants.

Block has been at UW-Green Bay since 2001. UW-Green Bay's nursing program is an accredited program in which registered nurses with associate degrees or diplomas complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The program includes traditional face-to-face classes as well as Internet tracks for students.

Block is a 1975 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She received a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins and an additional master's and Ph.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, N.J., is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. It concentrates its grant-making in four goal areas: to assure that all Americans have access to quality health care at reasonable cost; to improve the quality of care and support for people with chronic health conditions; to promote healthy communities and lifestyles; and to promote health and reduce the personal, social, and economic harm caused by substance abuse — tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs.

(03-164 / 3 September 2003 / SH)

Fall semester starts at UW-Green Bay with record retention, top freshmen

GREEN BAY - Fueled by a record retention rate and a strong freshman class, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay today opened its doors to 5,411 students.

A record 83 percent of freshmen who started at UW-Green Bay in the fall of 2002 returned to the University this fall. The retention rate is up 9 percent over 2002 and is 7 percent higher than the retention rate has ever been at UW-Green Bay.

The University also welcomed one of its largest freshman classes, with 966 freshmen starting school this fall. That's up from 908 freshmen a year ago.

Despite efforts to limit enrollment, including cutting off new-freshman applications Feb. 14, UW-Green Bay reported a record full-time equivalent enrollment of 4,672.

The FTE enrollment is based on the number of credits taken and is used in measuring the University's capacity. The higher FTE enrollment reflects the fact that students are taking more credits.

Sue Keihn, associate provost for student services/dean of students, said the enrollment figures show strong demand for a UW-Green Bay education. Ninety-seven percent of new freshmen said UW-Green Bay was their first or second choice of schools.

"UW-Green Bay is the first or second choice for almost all of our freshmen," Keihn said. "Students want to get in here."

Keihn said the high quality of incoming freshmen in recent years has contributed to an improved retention rate. She also said the University has worked hard to improve the freshman-year experience.

"We're concentrating more on easing the transition to college life," Keihn said. "There's greater involvement of faculty, staff and student peers in helping with that transition."

The retention rate for minority students also set a record. Of the 56 minority freshmen enrolled in fall 2002, 74 percent returned for their second year. That's 8 percent higher than last year.

Final enrollment figures for fall 2003 will not be available for several weeks.

Here are other facts and figures about UW-Green Bay's fall 2003 student body:

• The class of new freshmen enters UW-Green Bay with an average high school grade point average of 3.36 on a 4.0 scale, tying last year's class for an all-time high.

• 94 percent of freshmen graduated in the top half of their high school classes.

• The freshman class includes 22 high school valedictorians and nine salutatorians.

• The freshman class includes 56 minority students, the same number as last year. Overall minority enrollment stands at 299 students, up from 283 a year ago.

• Students come from 71 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, 36 other states and 26 other countries.

• Female students outnumber male students by a margin of 66 percent to 34 percent.

(03-163 / 2 September 2003 / SH)