EPD Activity Report March 21, 2012

About 18 students in University Division’s Student Support Services (SSS) program spent spring recess in Memphis, Tennessee, where they visited historic sites and performed service projects.

While in Memphis, the students toured the National Civil Rights Museum (formerly the Lorraine Motel, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated); Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum; and The BRIDGES Center, a community outreach center.

For their day of service, half of the USI students spent a day at St. Jude’s Hospital helping with children’s craft projects while the other half cleared brush at Shelby Farms Park, a nature preserve within the city limits.

Two of the students on the spring recess trip were Amanuel Medhane, a sophomore special education major from Indianapolis, and Ross Gentry, a junior elementary education major from Jasper, Indiana.

The Civil Rights Museum and Slave Haven made an impression on Medhane, who also runs track and cross country at USI. “The slaves had to wear bells around their necks, and they would fill the bells with mud so they wouldn’t make noise as they tried to escape,” he said. “Seeing things first-hand opened my eyes. Even though it was many years ago, more people need to know about these things. I’d love to go back and learn more.”

Gentry agreed. “It was an eye-opener,” he said. “You read about the Underground Railroad, but you don’t fully understand it, and when you see the house and where they stayed, it is a very tight space. It makes it more than text on a page.”

Gentry was impressed by the environmentally-conscious design of The BRIDGES Center, the first Green commercial building in Memphis. “They supply two-third of the energy themselves. They have solar panels and a solar water heater, a parking lot on the roof that is light-colored to reflect heat and light, a garden on the roof, and the architecture is designed to take the best advantage of sunlight. And the building itself is recyclable because it’s framed in steel instead of wood.”

SSS, one of eight grant-funded programs offered through the U.S. Department of Education, is helping motivate 140 eligible USI students to successfully complete their degrees. The program provides students free comprehensive services through classroom instruction, academic skill development, academic assistance and career development, personal and financial aid counseling, and experiences designed to enhance the collegiate experience.

Gentry serves as Medhane’s mentor through the program. “We are here to help mentees be more successful in college,” Gentry said. “We meet four hours a week and do different activities.”

Medhane said the mentor relationship with Gentry, as well as assistance from SSS staff Bradley Bates, academic counselor, and Amanda Duvall, supervisor of student mentoring and learning initiatives, are helping him in his studies. “It’s helping me be a better student. I was the type of guy who just got by in high school. Brad encouraged me to join the program, and I’m happy I did because my grades are getting better and I’m more involved in my classes.”

“They helped me, too,” Gentry said. “I was struggling before. My grades weren’t nearly as good, and I wasn’t involved. I ended up getting my best grades ever last semester – straight A’s. That never happens to me.”

Both students appreciated the fact that the trip gave them the opportunity to get to know other students in the SSS program. Personal relationships developed though the program strengthen the connection with USI, Gentry said. “I have two mentees, and we play basketball, rock climb, and play disc golf. The social relationships make you want to stay. I started college at another school. It was a great school, but I wasn’t as connected.”

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke will hold a news conference on Thursday, March 22, at 10 a.m. outside Brinker’s Jewelers, 111 S. Green River Road, to announce results from the first quarter of the Clean Evansville initiative and to launch the next phase of the effort targeting businesses. In the event of rain, the news conference will be held indoors at Café 111 located next to Brinker’s Jewelers.

Click here to download the full news release

Hello from Axle! Axle is a 1-year-old neutered Chocolate Lab Mix. Axle will do well in most homes but due to his energy and occasional shyness, a home with older children would be a much better match. Axle loves to go for long walks and will occasionally play fetch. Axle enjoys the company of other dogs but asks that he gets a chance to interview any potential K9 roommates prior to going home. For more information on Axle and how to make this happy boy a part of your family, visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.

REGULAR MEETING
KEVIN WINTERNHEIMER CHAMBERS
ROOM 301, CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012
12:00 NOON

REVISED AGENDA

1.CALL TO ORDER

2.MINUTES

3.CONSENT AGENDA
a. Request Re: Approve and Execute Advertising Agreement with Toyota for Goebel Soccer
Complex. – Keck
b. Request Re: Approve and Execute Agreement with Warner Brothers for Mesker Movies. –
Nick Wallace
c. Request Re: Approve and Execute Agreement with the YMCA for Usage of Swonder Ice
Arena. – Nadeau
d. Request Re: Execute Agreement with Arc Construction Co. for Anthony Oates Pool Tank
Coating and Trunk Line Replacement. – Boberg
e. Request Re: Approve and Execute Land Use Permit for Golfmoor Youth Baseball. –
Johnson
f. Request Re: Approve and Execute Contract with Maximum Solutions for Department
Point of Sale Project. – Nadeau
g. Request Re: Approve and Execute Agreement with Fosse & Associates for Design
Improvements to the Kley Building & Discovery Center at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic
Garden. – Morris*

*Recommendation from Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden Advisory Board.
4.OLD BUSINESS
a. Request Re: Open Quotes for Pool Chemicals. – Schall
b. Request Re: Award RFP for Cleaning Services for Park Shelters & Restrooms. – Schall
c. Request Re: Award Quote for Restroom Renovations at Lamasco & Igleheart Parks. – Boberg

5.NEW BUSINESS
a. Request Re: Consideration of Saturday Public Session Time Change at Swonder Ice Arena. –
Nadeau
b. Request Re: Consideration of Trade with Evansville Rage for Turf Usage for Camp Swonder.
– Nadeau
c. Request Re: Consideration of Family Fitness Rate for Swonder Fitness Center. – Nadeau
d. Request Re: Consideration of Evansville Fire Family Proposal. – Chris Albert
e. Request Re: Presentation on Score Rewards Scoreboards. – Ron Watson/Rehn
f. Request Re: Approve Budget Transfers and CIP Reprioritizations. – Boberg
g. Request Re: Any Other Business the Board Wishes to Consider and Public Comments.

6.REPORTS
a. Denise Johnson, Executive Director

7.ACCEPTANCE OF PAYROLL AND VENDOR CLAIMS

8.ADJOURN

The Robert Stadium Task Force will meet Thursday, March 22, at 5:30 p.m. at The Centre in the Walnut Rooms. Task Force Chairman Larry Steenberg will receive status reports from subcommittees reviewing ideas for future uses of Roberts Stadium in the categories of sports, parks and exposition center.

Click here to download the official news release

Faust, fly balls, and devilishly good fun all meet at the home plate of the 7 Tony Award winning Broadway musical, Damn Yankees. This is the story of a 1950s middle-aged baseball fanatic who trades his soul to the Devil for a chance to lead his favorite team in the pennant race against The New York Yankees only to realize the true worth of the life (and wife) he’s left behind. Filled with hit songs like “Whatever Lola Wants” and “You Gotta Have Heart”, this show is a musical comedy home run!