Last Call! Please take a moment to RSVP to either Lunch & Learn session with the Sisters of Mercy. Be infused with fresh perspective and renewal in your daily mission on the Hill. 

Lunch & Learn for Staff

Monday, September 19, 11:30 to 12:45, Flaherty Community Room

"How can my work at Mount Mercy be informed and supported by the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy and the Catholic Social Teaching?"

Please RSVP Sister Shari Sutherland at ssutherland@mtmercy.edu   

Wednesday, September 21, 12:40 - 1:30, Flaherty Community Room

"How can my teaching at Mount Mercy be informed and supported by the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy and the Catholic Social Teaching?"

Please RSVP Edy Parsons at eparsons@mtmercy.edu by  

All are invited to join us on Thursday, September 22 at 9:00 a.m. for Mass at Sacred Heart Convent. We hope you'll stick around for treats with the Sisters and a tour of the Convent at 9:30.

Please RSVP for this event: ssutherland@mtmercy

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 In June, Professor of English Joy Ochs facilitated a National Collegiate Honors Council Faculty Institute in Park City, KY. "Seeing Beneath the Surface: Kentucky Cave Country" featured the City as Text pedagogy as faculty participants from around the country examined the relationship between cave and culture by exploring Mammoth Cave, blue grass music, local folklore, the tourism economy, and shape-note singing at a remote Baptist church.

Assistant Professor of History Adam Ebert published an essay in agricultural history titled "Nectar for the Taking: The Popularization of Scientific Bee Culture in England, 1609-1809." He also presented a paper at the Agricultural History Society's annual conference titled: "The Problem of 'impurity and sluttishness': Food Quality and British Honey Markets, c. 1800-1915"

Associate Professor of Art Kathryn Hagy received a Mini-Grant from the Iowa Arts Council to support her upcoming Mount Mercy photography exhibit "Capturing Confluence," which runs Sept 30 - November 2 in the Janalyn Hanson White Gallery. In addition, the National Collegiate Honors Council will publish a collection of essays - including one from Hagy and Norma Linda Mattingly - alongside some of Hagy's photographs from the Faculty Institute Hagy and Mattingly attended this summer on "Arts, Music, Literatures: Cultures and Identity in Albuquerque and Santa Fe."

Assistant Professor of English Chris DeVault presented a paper, "Confessions of a Grey-Faced Paralytic: The Complete Witness of 'The Sisters,'" at the 2011 North American James Joyce Conference in Pasadena, Calif. June 12-16.  In addition, his book, Joyce's Love Stories, was accepted for publication by Ashgate.

Professor of English Mary Vermillion presented a paper, "Shakespearean Universality: A Prison-Based Service-Learning Project," at the Cambridge Shakespeare conference (Cambridge University, September 11).

Professor of Religious Studies Charlotte Martin presented a paper at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire over the summer, at the meeting of the annual conference of the National Newman Association on John Henry Newman's philosophy of higher education. Her paper was titled, "University Education as Trojan Horse for the Common Good."  

Reference Librarian and Archivist Kristy Raine served as the original art coordinator for the Grand Wood Art Festival for the sixth year this past June. The exhibit featured 30 works, on loan from private collectors and museums, by Grant Wood and artists associated with the Stone City Art Colony, Wood's eastern Iowa art experiment (1932 - 1933). 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the festival. Raine was also invited to serve as guest lecturer at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore) for the ongoing exhibition, "The Making of David McCosh: Early Paintings, Drawings, and Prints." McCosh is considered the most prominent painter in the American northwest and was an art educator at the University of Oregon for almost four decades. Raine delivered the lecture, "When Tillage Begins: The Stone City Art Colony and School" (July 27, 2011).

ACE Director Mary Jean Stanton will make a presentation at the National College Reading and Learning Association (NCRLA) in November in San Diego, Calif., "Directing 21st Century Learning Centers." Stanton has been active in both the state, regional and national associations for over 20 years, and held offices at the state and regional levels.

Professor of Psychology Don Damsteegt rode his age on his bike on Labor Day - 65 miles.

Assistant Vice President for Communications & Marketing Fritz McDonald presented a workshop at the EduWeb conference over the summer. McDonald's presentation, "The Conversation Tree: The Art of Social Media Content" focused on techniques for developing strong social media content. McDonald also presented, "Fact vs. Fiction: Why Memoir Needs Both" at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, which focused on truth and fiction in memoir writing.  

Director of Student Activities and Orientation Sarah Botkin traveled to her 50th state this summer. She has now visited all 50 states.

Director of Human Resources Vicky Smith was recently elected President-Elect of the Iowa CUPA-HR (College and University Personnel Association - Human Resources) chapter.