by Andrea Lindgren
The Utah Women and Education Project has just completed its first year of research, which is intended to help gain a better understanding of why there has been a recent decline in the enrollment in and completion of post secondary education by women in Utah. Their first year also coincided with the release of their second of four briefs describing their research and findings, thus far.
"A big part of our research is, collecting data from young women who have chosen not to get a college education or have gone to college for only a couple semesters then dropped out," said Dr. Susan Madsen, UVU associate professor of management, heading up this project.
From 1940 until the year 2000, women in Utah were above the national average when it came to educational attainment. However, in 1993 they began to see a decline and in 2001 Utah fell below the national average.
"No one knows exactly at this point why there was a decline, one guess is that [the young women] and their parents don't have a broader understanding of the value of higher education," Madsen said.
The project is also looking at the different struggles and barriers that women might encounter when completing their education, and they also are looking at the different resources schools have to offer.
"Many people don't realize that a math lab would be considered a resource, but if someone can't pass their math class they may drop out," said Nicolle Johson, UVU student and assistant to Dr. Madsen for this project.
Another problem is that the women who are attaining degrees aren't pursuing ones that will lead to higher paying jobs, a higher quality of life and better economy for Utah. Utah's post secondary institutions are seeing lower numbers of enrollment in the STEM, science, technology, engineering and math, and management fields. However, when it comes to health related fields, Utah keeps decent pace with the national average.
"With their eduction, [women] can be a bigger influence in their communities and churches." Madsen said. "One class, just one class at a time, can do so much for a woman."
The project's research will continue for another year and the third brief is expected to come out this fall, and they are hoping to have more answers as to why this Utah is facing this dilemma. To view the first and second brief in their entirety visit: http://www.uvu.edu/wep/.
A year of incredible growth
by Andrea Lindgren
A little over one year ago, President Holland arrived during our transitional time between state college and becoming a fully developed university.
Through strong leadership and a constant eye on the mission set before him, of creating a serious, engaged, yet inclusive institution, he has built a strong university, even while wading through troubling economic times.
"The biggest challenge, which is a good challenge, is wrestling with the decision about what we are going to do with all the growth, as we are striving to be serious and become a better and better university. There's a companion challenge to that, which is the state of our resources. We came out much better than I thought we would, but it's a constant worry, how to get the necessary resources to be able to handle this many students," Holland said.
Though institutions all over the state, including UVU have faced massive budget cuts over the year, Holland has been able to do some amazing things here. One notable, and obviously significant accomplishment has been that of securing the funds to build the much needed new science building.
"What I love about it is that now, in addition to having the events center and the baseball diamond as the front face of campus, you also have the library and the science building that gives this wonderful academic feel to UVU," Holland said.
One feat that may go unnoticed by many, although very important, is the change in policy, when it comes to recruiting, hiring and training faculty.
"Universities are by and large human organization assets, you've got to hire, train and promote the right people to live up to that mission and the work we've done on the policy lays a good foundation. It's one of those things that would be easy to miss, it's not as grand as a new science building, in terms of recognizing a contribution, but it will have more lasting ramifications for the kind of place that UVU becomes over the years in its effort to become a serious university," Holland said.
Holland has gone to great lengths recently to attain some great new faculty members as a shuffle in his presidential cabinet, and the needs of the university have required administrative changes to fill the position vacancies and accommodate the growth of the university.
The reshaping done this past year and during the recent months are being done to help facilitate the needs of the community and state, as well as to help build a stronger, better university as it moves forward and continues to grow.
"We are poised with a stellar team that is aligned with our mission and a reasonable sense of responsibility that will really take us forward in the coming year," Holland said.
"Pancreatic Cancer. Know it. Fight it. End it." This is the current campaign being used by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, or pancan.com, to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer.
Though pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, less than 2% of the National Cancer Institute's yearly budget is spent on the researching of this disease.
Of the many people each year diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 76% will die within one year and 95% will die within 5 years, making it the cancer with the highest mortality rate.
Currently there are no early detection methods available. Early detection is hindered because of the location of the pancreas and the lack of definite symptoms.
A few problems researchers face is: the speed at which the cancer kills the patients, they are frequently too sick and fragile to undergo any research, and the difficulty in accessing tissue samples.
This is where an increase in funding is critical. Heather Arnett, the affiliate coordinator of the Phoenix affiliate for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, said "There is a direct correlation between the funds spent on cancer research and the survival rate."
Arnett is passionate about working towards a cure for this awful disease, not only because of the devastation it causes across the country, but the damage it has done in her own family, to her mother, Teresa Whatcott. A super mom who would seemingly live forever, died at the young age of 51.
Funding for research is incredibly important, and whether it's through a financial contribution, or taking a few minutes and contacting your local representative to urge them to sign on a bill currently in the house, regarding funding for pancreatic cancer, there is always a way to participate. It doesn't take much of your time to ask your representative to co-sponser the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act, or house bill H.R. 745.
Sadly, the consequences for the lack of funding are deadly. On the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network they encourage the signing of this bill, and state, "This bill would allow us to make true progress on pancreatic cancer by better targeting research.”
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network also states, "The Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act is not a disease-specific bill, but is an outcome-specific bill and a vehicle for ensuring that we are investing our scarce research dollars in the areas where the most progress is needed."
Here is a quick and easy way to get in contact with your local representative, just go to this link: http://www.pancan.org/section_get_involved/advocate/advocacy_action_center.php# and enter your zip code. Be sure to tell them how important co-sponsering this bill is.
Pancreatic cancer is not particular, it doesn't care if you are rich or poor, old or young, male or female, it will most likely kill within a year. "Pancreatic Cancer. Know it. Fight it. End it." Please help fight to end this ugly disease.
Benefit concert raises money for medical supplies
How do you create a future? For many, it is something that will take some work; however, in Utah Valley there are many resources to help along the way. One can go to college or work one’s way up in a rewarding career.
Most college students don’t have to seriously consider HIV, AIDS and many other diseases that could possibly stand in the way of the future. Many children in Uganda and all throughout Africa, however, cannot dream about their futures. They can only think of barely surviving one day at a time.
Over 13 million of those living in Africa have died from AIDS. That number is only expected rise, creating a dim view of the future for many children in Africa.
Yet there is a glimmer of hope shining down on the orphans of Uganda. It’s coming from someone who knows where they’re coming from, because he’s been there. His name is David Ssejinja, and he is the founder of The Ssejinja Children’s Foundation. The group brings much needed relief to the children in Uganda.
Ssejinja’s Foundation works to educate children and families in hopes that they will ultimately be able to extend their lives and help prevent the spread of AIDS.
Not only do the children have to worry about HIV/AIDS and malaria, but they are also very poor and lack medical care. Many children go without food, immunizations and a mat to sleep on, let alone a book to read.
Ssejinja has brought many of the services his foundation offers to the children in his hometown of Bira, Uganda. They have brought education and medicine to a place where it is greatly needed. Ssejinja survived a poverty-stricken childhood, and through hard work and education is now able to devote his life to creating opportunities for children much like himself. He gives them hope and a chance.
There are many ways to contribute to the Ssejinja Children’s Foundation. Sponsoring a child, donating funds to help back the foundations endeavors and participating in or attending events are all ways to help.
For students especially, attending an event is something that will take little time and money. The Sunrise over Africa benefit concert is at 6 p.m. on Nov. 23 in the UVU Ballroom. Tickets are only $10 for students and $12 for faculty and community members.
All of the proceeds from this benefit will go to the Foundation to acquire medical supplies for the Ssenjinja Children’s Clinic in Uganda.
Most students have a host of opportunities to improve their lives and better their situations. For the children in Africa, those opportunities are limited. But the Ssenjinja Children’s Foundation and other similar organizations give the children of Africa a fighting chance.
Many believe that art holds a great power. A power to change communities, neighborhoods, and most importantly a single person, both through the experiencing and creation of art. Art has the capacity to move and inspire a person to great heights.
One great artist, who has gone even further than creating amazing visual art, is Alex Bigney, a professor of art here at UVU. Not only has Bigney inspired many through his paintings, but also through the searching of his dreams and discovering a knew approach to the creative process. This new approach has even influenced the new curriculum currently being used for the study of the arts and humanities at UVU.
Just a few weeks ago on October 9th, Alex Bigney was honored with the Salt Lake Best of Broadway, at their gala and awards ceremony for his book, Talking to Tesla. Talking to Tesla "is literally an artists journal," says Cheryl Snapp Conner of Snapp Conner PR.
Bigney describes his book as such, "the strange relationship between art and artist. I like to think that it's almost anyone's memoir, the internal workings and explorations that are common to most people-those tender recollections of childhood, the thoughtful constructs of our more private fantasies, and the shared self-conscious inquiries that make us aware beings. It is about the magic of inspiration in an average life."
At the urging of his wife, Marilyn and a good friend Kent Wing, Bigney began recording his dreams, as "they were teaching him intense lessons about the creative process," says Cheryl Snapp Conner. These dreams held intricate symbolism and often included episodes of his life and childhood memories.
There were also of course many elaborate and detailed dreams, many of which involved close conversations with the scientist Nicola Tesla, who he had not been familiar with prior to having the dreams. This helped Bigney recognize a them: "artist or not, there is inspiration and creativity in every life, waiting to be discovered."
Conner describes the impact this book is having, not only here but around the world, "the book has captured a strong and growing following in the United States and Europe, and even China as readers have become enamored of the book and its ideas, as well as the fact that it is a book that 'inspires without preaching' which is a welcome source of encouragement and enrichment in our current hard times."
"I naively thought that writing Talking to Tesla might take a few months, especially since I'd been keeping good notes on each of Tesla's visits. Several years later, after trips to Croatia to Tesla's birthplace, trips to museums and monasteries in Italy, and solid months of analyzing my notes, reflecting on the impact of what I've been learning from Tesla on my life and art making, and writing, writing, and writing, the book finally went to press," Bigney commented on his writing experience, in an interview with Catalyst Magazine.
The newly formed Community Alliance has worked intensely to create the Salt Lake Broadway, a mimic of the Broadway in New York, filled with enriching art and music. It's purpose is to magnify and make visible all the art that Utah artists have created, and make it more available to the public. People of all ages can go and there will be something that will appeal to them, and they can cultivate an appreciation for the arts and everything that is happening there, no matter what time of the year.
Salt Lake's Broadway also provides an opportunity for new and aspiring artists to showcase their talents. "The vision of Salt Lake Broadway is to create a gathering place for Utah's finest artists offerings, and to make this rich array of music, art, theater and culinary experience available to all," the Salt Lake Broadway website describes their mission.
To find out more information or to order Talking to Tesla, visit Bigney's site, www.talkingtotesla.com. And to find out how to become involved with the Salt Lake Broadway visit, saltlakebroadway.org.
Whether art has the power to inspire us, or whether it's our past experiences and childhood that inspires the art, there is something magical about the process. Bigney states in his book, "[there are] times when I remember and wish bitterly through grownup tears to return to childhood." Art in some ways holds the energy to wisp us back to those beautiful carefree days of childhood or it can push some much needed beauty and abatement of stress into our grownup lives.
Whatever the case may be, the arts and the process by which we create it can inundate our lives with the blooms of spring and make clear the mysteries of winter, and Alex Bigney has uncovered a new path to explore.
Utah is a very unique state with so many Universities packed closely together, and many of which are less than sixty miles apart. Two of those Universities are UVU and BYU.
Last year in celebration of UVU becoming a University, Eric Hansen, associate professor at BYU came up with the idea of bringing together both the BYU and UVU symphonic orchestras and creating a beautiful blend of music and students. The collaborative efforts were a great success, which prodded the directors, Eric Hansen and Donna Fairbanks to give it another try, "and it should be better this year, because we've learned things from doing it last year, it's going to be fabulous," says Donna Fairbanks, director of UVU string studies.
Putting on a production such as this is actually quite difficult. "Logistically it's been tricky, because neither school has a practice room to house both orchestras, so we really have to wait till just before the concert to rehearse as a group. We can't do it any other way," Fairbanks explained.
However, after all the difficulties are ironed out, and all is said and done, this idea of collaboration and working together as neighboring Universities is all about "fostering fun and playing together as Universities," said Eric Hansen. Hansen loves the opportunity to share talents and produce amazing things together.
A great part of last year's production, which will also be included this year, is the featuring of different musical instructors. Last year Donna Fairbanks soloed, she commented, "I was highlighted last year and this year it seemed appropriate to highlight Eric Hansen," on the string bass. For anyone familiar with the string bass, they know that there are few pieces that feature a solo for this instrument, so this will be especially exciting to hear. Hansen described his solo as, "a step in the confidence darkness." Hansen will be playing Eccles Sonata, for string bass and orchestra.
Also to be featured this year is Matthew Nelson, who is a brand new faculty member, "and a fabulous clarinetist," as Fairbanks describes him. Nelson will be playing Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, "it deserves recognition it's going to be great," says Fairbanks.
The students who participate in this grand event have really enjoyed getting to know the students from just a few miles away. "They sit next to their counter parts from the other schools and enjoyed getting to know the other students," says Fairbanks. She also says, "We have these two Universities so close, it makes all the sense in the world to do a collaborative effort. It's a new venture, and hopefully it'll become a tradition. So far it's been a lot of fun, we've enjoyed it."
As it's name beautifully describes, the "Symphonic Potpourri" will include symphonic classics, though none in their entirety, as well as popular show tune type music. There will be different styles, feelings and moods, as Hansen describes, there will be a "retro feel to the concert."
This fantastic evening which will be highlighting a mixture of music as well as students and faculty talent will be held on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009, at the Covey Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.00, or $5.00 for students and seniors. This is a wonderful opportunity to see what is possible when two groups of talented musicians come together to celebrate the beauty which is music.
