Well, it was a whirlwind weekend!  First we had the Creative Arts Center Modernization and Expansion Groundbreaking on Friday.  We were flinging dirt, talking about privilege, and viewing a flashmob by our fantastic Les Mis group.  I have had many emails and cards following that event telling me how wonderful it was - and even someone whose life was profoundly changed.  Now that is impact.  Cristie Gryszka, Advancement Office, and Fran Keeley, President's Office, made the event happen.  So it is now official.  Let the real digging begin!

Creative Arts Center Leadership Donors and Wright State University and College of Liberal Arts Leadersip:  Stuart McDowell, Larry Klaben, Marilyn Klaben, Don Graber, Gloria Graber, S. Narayanan, David Hopkins, Kristin Sobolik, Marla Shuster Nissan, Robert Stein, Jr., Cindy Stein, Howard Stevens, Sally Stevens, Tiffany Fridley, Linda Caron, Glen Cebulash, and Randy Paul

Creative Arts Center Leadership Donors:   

-  Don and Gloria Graber

-  Larry and Marilyn Klaben

-  The late Benjamin and Marian Schuster, represented by Marla Schuster Nissan

-  Robert and Elaine Stein, represented by Robert Stein, Jr. and Cindy Stein

-  Howard and Sally Stevens.

And then we hosted our 15^th Annual ARTSGALA to another record-breaking crowd of over 700 people all fancily dressed, expertly coifed, and ready to have fun.  So many people tell me it is by far the best event in Dayton!  My favorite spots were CELIA's Place that served three different kinds of martinis: The Carnegie for our Music Department; The Manhattan for Theatre, Dance, & Motion Pictures; and The Metropolitan Cosmopolitan for Art & Art History - my personal favorite.  I also loved the Saturday Night Fever Room where we boogied down to the Bee Gees - my kind of music!  The ARTSGALA photos posted on Wright State's Facebook that night had over 14,000 views!  Enjoy all our great photos on the ARTSGALA Website.  I can't wait until next year when the theme will be Hardhats due to the construction.  Love the community support for our students as all proceeds go to scholarships.   

Kudos to Assistant Dean Jennifer Buckwalter - the Guru of the event; Susan Paul, Dean's Office - Jennie's fantastic support; Associate Dean Linda Caron - the Silent Auction Czarina; and our fantastic Internal Organizing Committee of Steve Aldredge, Victoria Chadbourne, Hank Dahlman, and Randy Paul of the Department of Music; Glen Cebulash and Nancy Patton of the Department of Art and Art History; Tess Cortes of the Robert and Elaine Stein Art Galleries; Stuart McDowell, and Victoria Oleen of the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Motion Pictures; Lee Ann Bradfield, Jane Schelb, and Susan See of the Student Union Administrative Services office. 

The Awards and Accolades keep coming in for our CoLA Colleagues!

Numerous CoLA faculty and students received awards at the Writing Across the Curriculum & Wright State Core & Service Learning Annual Reception last week.  Thank you to Associate Provost Joe Law for organizing the reception.  Congratulations and Great Job to All!  CoLA Faculty recipients were: 

• Service Learning: Ksenia Bonch Reeves, SPN 1020; Jennifer Subban, URS 4940; Amber Vlasnik, WMS 4980  
• Writing Across the Curriculum: Michel Coconis, SW 4900; Hope Jennings, WMS 4500; Mark Verman, REL 2040
• Wright State Core: Laurel Monnig, ATH 250; Toni Penwell, ENG 1100; Sean Pollock, HST 1200; John Rogers, AFS 2000; Rick Strader, ENG 2100; Jonathan Varhola, SOC 2000; Christopher Beck, HST 1100; Elizabeth Brads, RST 2810; Sarah Bullwinkel, ENG 2100; Sally DeThomas, ENG 1100; Sonya Edens, MUS 2140; Frank Eguaroje, AFS 2000; Amelia Hubbard, ATH 2100; Hope Jennings, WMS 2000; Chloe Lautzenheiser, CST 2320; Stephen Lint, CLS 2040; Ryan Morgan, PLS 3370; Emily Pennington, HST 3000; Kenneth Price, REL 2040; Brent Robinson, CST 2320; Lukas Schweikert, HST 3000; Rachel Smith, CST 2310; Daniel Wills, CST 2320; Katelyn Zimmerman, HST 3000

The Office of the Vice President for Research has announced the recipients of the Research Initiation and Professional Development Grants.  Thank you to VP Robert Fyffe and Associate VP Ellen Reinsch Friese for these awards! CoLA Recipients are:

• Awad Halabi, History, Research in Jerusalem and Amman, $1,500 
• Jeannette Marchand, Classics, The Dorati Survey Project, $3,000
• Danielle Rante, Art, Fading Land: Collaborations with an Island, $1,200
• Jonathan Winkler, History, Wiring the World: How the United States Built its Imperial Communication Network, $1,000

The Celebration of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities was held last week and CoLA had a number of student presentations and posters.  Student Presenters were:

James Agee, Political Science, Advisor Laura Luehrmann 

Michael Tyler, Political Science, Advisor Tracy Snipe

Will Davis, MHumanities, Advisor Marjorie McLellan

Garrett Teets, Political Science, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Ashley Hartlaub, Social Work, Advisor Sarah Twill

Louis Agresta and David Burns, Urban Affairs, Advisor Myron Levine

Brian Storch, Political Science, Advisor Pramod Kantha

Caitlyn Banis, International and Comparative Politics, Advisor Liam Anderson

Christopher Dias, International and Comparative Politics, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Devin Faggs, Political Science, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Martin Kalfas, International and Comparative Politics, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Kraig Reiber, International and Comparative Politics, Advisor December Green

Paula Sloas, International Studies, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Hannah Collins, International and Comparative Politics, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Kuyer Fazekas, International and Comparative Politics, Advisor Vaughn Shannon

Sarah Matos, International Studies, Advisor Laura Luehrmann

Our students were engaging and knowledgeable, and I learned how we analyze nationalistic implications.  Great Job Students and Advisors!  And Great Job Laura Luehrmann, Political Science, for encouraging your students to present their research.  You do CoLA proud!

The Wright State University Parents Association and the Wright State University Friends of the Libraries honored six graduating seniors as the Top Scholars for their colleges at a reception April 11 in the Paul Laurence Dunbar Library.  Every year since 1995, the Parents Association purchases a book in each scholar's name in his or her subject area for the University Libraries' collections. The scholar is named on a bookplate and in the online catalog record for their book.

• CoLA's 2014 Top Scholar is Timothy Black Corcoran, Classical Humanities.  The book purchased was Herculaneum: Art of a Buried City.  The book purchased was by Maria P. Guidobaldi and Domenico Esposito; translated from Italian by Ceil Friedman.   

I'm sure there will be more awards announcements next week.  In the meantime, enjoy this fantastic weather (finally!).  

Kristin Sobolik Dean