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Celebrating T h u r s d a y, N o v e m b e r 3 , 2 0 1 6 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | v o l . 4 7 i s s u e 1 2
THE DEAD
Photo by gabi wy | The Shield
Local dance instructor Heidi Garza leads attendees at the university’s Day of the Dead celebration in a salsa dance. The annual event featured Garza’s Latin dance lessons as a new component of the three-hour celebration in the Liberal Arts Center.
Three student groups collaborate for Mexican holiday by gabi wy features@usishield.com @GabiCWy
On Día de Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, Gabriela Aguilar feels a connection to her half-sibling Ramses. The sophomore biochemistry major admired the festive display with a friend at the university’s Day of the Dead celebration Tuesday in the Liberal Arts Center.
“This is a day that you take to remember lost loved ones,” Aguilar said. “I feel a connection to Ramses. I feel almost nostalgic, going back through memories and happy times.” She said she wasn’t able to attend the university’s celebration last year, but she always celebrates the holiday. “It’s a nice thought that the university considers the diversity of its students,” Aguilar said. “Even if you don’t know what’s going on, you can just come and find out. I hope everyone learns something.”
The event is a collaborative effort between Student Government Association, Spanish Club and the Hispanic Student Union. At the past several years’ events, there have been groups of students from Mexico in attendance through the International Studies Department. During the three-hour celebration, Spanish professor Manuel Apodaca-Valdez led students on a candlelight walk outside through the “labyrinth of solitude,” which organizer Damien Burge said signifies moving into the afterlife.
day of the dead, PAGE 5
Interim director given ‘special’ opportunity by sarah loesch editor@usishield.com @seloesch
Leslie Townsend, the director of Community Engagement for the University of Southern Indiana’s Outreach and Engagement was recently named the interim director of USI’s Historic New H a r m o n y. The Shield spoke with To w n s e n d about the transition and her connection to New HarTownsend mony.
The Shield: How did the opportunity to take this position arise? Leslie Townsend: The director for Historic New Harmony is retiring at the end of this year, Dec. 31. So the university was looking at what to do with the replacement. I’ve done a lot of work with New Harmony, I was of-
fered the job on an interim basis for one year. At that time the university will look to fill the position. The Shield: Do you think at the end of the year you will want to stay on? Townsend: I think a lot of it has to do with what’s going on in my current job as well as the opportunities in New Harmony. I’m excited to see how we can get students and faculty engaged with New Harmony. At that point the university will decide how to proceed. The Shield: Is there anything with your current position that has prepared you for this position? Townsend: Yes, I am director for Community Engagement. We are a part of Outreach and Engagement. I work specifically with two programs in that area. One is Connect with Southern Indiana. I really see myself heavily involved with New Harmony, with the staff and the programs. We do have our connect program in January so I will be involved with that as well. I think a lot of the work that we’ve done in Community Engagement is like a heritage-based program. His-
tory education. I think a lot of those kind of skills will translate well with New Harmony. We’ve been heavily involved with Global Crossroads. I already have quite a bit of knowledge about New Harmony and the staff. The Shield: Do you have a personal connection to New Harmony? Townsend: Yes, it’s a very special place to me. I used to go there a lot as a child with my grandparents. My husband and I went there quite a bit when we were first dating. Even outside of work it has been a special place. This is an opportunity to continue the connection. The Shield: What made you keep coming back over the years? Townsend: I think it’s just besides the history and what a unique place it is. It’s world-renowned. I think people in the area don’t realize the importance of what that community meant to our history. There’s so many things, the feel of the town, the people, the architect and art. I always feel reinvigorated when I go there.
townsend, PAGE 3
Griffin Center claims architecture award at design competition by riley guerzini news@usishield.com @Guerzwinski
The Indiana chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) awarded the university’s Griffin Center with the Honor Award for New Construction at the 2016 Annual Indiana Design Awards. “They were very pleased with its openness and the lighting within the building,” University Foundation President David Bower said. The Griffin Center was chosen as the top architectural achievement from the 66 projects submitted. Only six projects were selected for an award. The submissions included a variety of buildings from all across Indiana and not just university buildings. The criterion for the award is that the buildings had to be constructed within
the past five years. According to AIA Jury comments, “This small academic building utilizes a simple, direct organization to connect the work to its bucolic site. The result is a sophisticated, mature work that will become better with age.” The Griffin Center is the second building to win the Honor Award for New Construction. The Business and Engineering Center also won the award in 2013. Jackson Faber is an architect for Hafer, an architectural, design and engineering firm in Evansville. He was the lead architect and designer for the Griffin Center. “My original vision was to try to match what Robert Griffin had envisioned for the campus,” he said. He said the design team wanted the building to be timeless and the intent was always for it to look both modern and historic.
griffin center, PAGE 3