Initiatives, News, and Events

Vol. 7, No. 28 • January 20, 2023

President’s Points of Pride

Last weekend, the School of Music hosted its 18th Annual Honor Music Festival featuring the honor band, jazz ensemble, and for only the second time in its history, honor chorus.

This is one of the School’s largest in-person recruiting events. This year’s Festival featured ensembles comprised of the finest high school musicians in the four-state region as nominated by their high school ensemble director. More than 100 high school musicians performed to a sold-out crowd in the Frank Arts Center Theater on Sunday, January 15.

Congratulations to the stellar team that made this event a huge success: Guest clinicians Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt (choir), Dr. Mark Lortz (band), and Amy K Bormet (jazz); conductors Dr. Scott Hippensteel, Dr. Kurtis Adams, Dr. Steven Grives, and Dr. Robert Tudor, Operations Manager for the School of Music Esperanza Alzona, and Technical Director Chase Molden. Bravissimo!

Volunteers needed for February 10 Professional Connections Day

Shepherd’s Office of Alumni Affairs and Career Services are seeking volunteers to share their career experiences with Shepherd students and discuss possible post-graduation career paths at Professional Connections Day on Friday, February 10, from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Student Center. Volunteer professionals are still needed in nonprofit/grant writing/hospitality and local/state/federal government. Most volunteers are alumni, but being a Shepherd graduate is not required. During the event, students can get professional headshots taken and learn about topics such as resume writing, interviewing etiquette, and best practices for LinkedIn. Students will also hear from professionals in areas ranging from business, education, and government to IT, healthcare, and communications. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Katie Swayne, director of alumni affairs, at kswayne@shepherd.edu.

West Virginia Academic Showdown returns to Shepherd

Join seven area high school teams for the 2023 West Virginia Academic Showdown on Saturday, January 21, in the Center for Contemporary Arts I and II. The first round of the competition starts at 9 a.m., with the semifinal matches starting at approximately 12:30 p.m. and the final match at approximately 1:30 p.m. The top two teams from Saturday’s competition will head to Charleston to compete with the top two teams from four other regional events on March 31.

Dr. Elisabeth Griffith discusses ‘Formidable’

Author Dr. Elisabeth Griffith will discuss her book “Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality 1920-2020” on Thursday, January 26, at 7 p.m. in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium and via Zoom. This event is sponsored by Shepherdstown's Four Seasons Books and the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education. Copies of the book are available at Four Seasons Books and at the event. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more information about Dr. Griffith or to RSVP, visit the event website.

Frostyfest is coming to town

The Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau bills Frostyfest as a family-friendly winter weekend—and the schedule supports that claim! Ice skating at Shepherd is among the many Frostyfest events around Jefferson County from January 26-29. West Campus’s Parking Lot H will be transformed into an ice rink for guests to enjoy on Saturday, January 28, and Sunday, January 29. For a small fee, folks of all ages can skate for one hour and rent ice skates. All proceeds from ice skating will benefit CASA of the Eastern Panhandle. Tickets are required and can be purchased online.

News

Professors brush up on teaching techniques before semester start

Before students set foot in classrooms at Shepherd on January 9, their professors were busy preparing for the semester. About 70 faculty and staff attended a workshop conducted by José Antonio Bowen titled “Teaching Change” to help them design better assignments, make learning more active, and create experiences that build community, motivate students, and help them succeed.

Zeigler named assistant athletics director for external affairs

Shepherd Vice President for Athletics Chauncey Winbush announced Shepherd alumus Tim Zeigler has been named assistant athletics director for external affairs. Zeigler comes to Shepherd from a position as the sports and recreation director at the YMCA in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, where he coordinated various camps, supervised youth and adult leagues, and provided for special needs groups and individuals. “We are really excited to welcome Tim back to Shepherdstown to head up this important position of revenue generation for our department,” said Winbush. “As a local product and alum, I am positive that Tim will have immediate success in this role.”

January 25 naloxone training planned

Shepherd’s Division of Student Affairs and Criminal Justice Lecture Series are hosting naloxone training on Wednesday, January 25, from 11:10 a.m.-noon in the Student Center Rumsey Gallery. The training is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Seeding Your Future Workshops open to middle and high school-age students

Shepherd’s 2022-2023 Seeding Your Future Workshop Series (SYFWS) continues monthly events through April 18 that will explore eye optics, minerals, and the world under a microscope. SYFWS is a series of free science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workshops for local middle and high school students. All workshops take place on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7 p.m. in various classrooms and labs in the Robert C. Byrd Science and Technology Center.

WISH offers funding for area nonprofits, Shepherd University groups

Nonprofit organizations and Shepherd groups addressing critical community needs are invited to submit letters of inquiry to Women Investing in Shepherd (WISH) for WISH’s 2023 grant awards totaling $142,000.

Sustainable agriculture workshop series to begin January 26

Anyone interested in agriculture is invited to attend a series of nine workshops offered by Shepherd’s Agricultural Innovation Center at Tabler Farm over the course of the next year that will focus on small-scale, intensive vegetable production techniques and will feature specialty workshops in beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, sustainable and self-sufficient agriculture, and aquaponics.

Sports Roundup

January 14: Women's hoops fall at Bloomsburg

January 14: Men's basketball downs Bloomsburg

January 18: Men’s basketball knocks off East Stroudsburg

January 18: Women’s basketball team falls to East Stroudsburg

Upcoming Events

Friday, January 20

Last day for instructor-approved late adds via RAIL

7:30 p.m.—“Journey to the West,” sponsored by the Office of International Affairs and the School of Music, Frank Arts Center, W.H. Shipley Recital Hall (more information)

Saturday, January 21

8:30 a.m.—West Virginia Academic Showdown Region 5 competition, Center for Contemporary Arts

11:30 a.m.—“Voices from Appalachia” radio show (listen online)

1 p.m.—Women’s basketball at Mansfield

3 p.m.—Men’s basketball at Mansfield

Monday, January 23

Last day to change a course from credit to pass/fail status

12:10—12:50 p.m.—Mindful Mondays, sponsored by Counseling Services, Student Center Cumberland Room

5:30 p.m.—Women’s basketball at West Chester

7:30 p.m.—Men’s basketball at West Chester

Tuesday, January 24

4-6 p.m.—Open auditions for Department of Contemporary Art and Theater’s spring production, Marinoff Theater (more information)

Wednesday, January 25

11:50 a.m.—Naloxone training, sponsored by Division of Student Affairs and Criminal Justice Lecture Series, Student Center Rumsey Gallery (more information)

4-6 p.m.—Open auditions for Department of Contemporary Art and Theater’s spring production, Marinoff Theater (more information)

5:30 p.m.—Women’s basketball at Shippensburg

8 p.m.—Men’s basketball at Shippensburg

Thursday, January 26

4 p.m.—Human Trafficking Prevention Event screening of “Trafficked in America,” sponsored by Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center, Student Center

6-8 p.m.—Tabler Farm 2023 Workshop Series: Regenerative Field Planning with Dr. Brooke Comer (more information)

7 p.m.—“Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality 1920-2020” with Dr. Elisabeth Griffith, sponsored by the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education and Four Seasons Books, Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium and via Zoom (free, but registration required)

Saturday, January 28

10 a.m.-4 p.m.— Frostyfest Ice Skating, sponsored by Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jefferson Security Bank, and Shepherd University, West Campus, Parking Lot H (more information)

11:30 a.m.—“Voices from Appalachia” radio show (listen online)

1 p.m.—Women’s basketball vs. Kutztown

3 p.m.—Men’s basketball vs. Kutztown

Sunday, January 29

10 a.m.-4 p.m.— Frostyfest Ice Skating, sponsored by Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jefferson Security Bank, and Shepherd University, West Campus, Parking Lot H (more information)

Monday, January 30

Last day to change a course from credit to audit status

12:10—12:50 p.m.—Mindful Mondays, sponsored by Counseling Services, Student Center Cumberland Room

6:30 p.m.—President’s Lecture Series: “View from Capitol Hill: Challenges Facing the Aerospace Industry” with Ronce Almond, Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium (more information)