Studies have proven that the more a student is involved with extra-curricular activities around campus, the better their grades could be. Sinclair Community College students are no different and with the start of spring semester classes, there are more activities to get involved with around campus. The Athletic Department offers opportunities for teamwork and competition, while the International Series and Sinclair Talks grants the chance to learn something new either about a place or about life. The Art and Theatre Department works to tap into students’ creative sides by presenting artwork or theatrical productions.
SINCLAIR TALKS ADDS PRESENTATIONS
Sinclair Talks has added even more presentations to its schedule this spring semester and all students, faculty and staff are invited.
The semester will kick off with “Computer Skills Series: Basic Survival Skills,” and will wind down with “Prepare for Finals,” and in between, the series will touch on a myriad of academic and nonacademic areas.
Over 70 presentations are scheduled, with topics that include academic skill enhancement, educational planning, campus resources, career development, social/cultural and personal development.
The talks will be held in several different locations on the Dayton campus, with most of the computer-based presentations being held in Building 7 room L03. Presentations requiring a quieter setting will be held in Building 2 room 334 and others in the Library Loggia.
Peter Bolmida, project manager for Sinclair, said that interest and need fuel which topics are chosen and that along with meeting those needs and interests, helping students connect with faculty, staff and each other, are top priorities.
“The sheer number of students we’re getting really surprises me and I’m really pleased,” Bolmida said. “We’re seeing a lot of the same students come back, and that’s communicating to me that this is worth their time.”
Bolmida expects a noticeable rise in attendees this semester and said he is noticing more and more Sinclair Talks recognition.
This spring, a “Transfer Series” has been added and will begin in February with the basics in “Planning to transfer… What You Need to Know.” It will continue throughout the semester with university representatives focusing on Wright State University, Ohio University, Central State University, Franklin University, Miami University and University of Dayton.
Other outside speakers will include Renate Frydman, a Holocaust survivor, who will present “A Holocaust Survivor’s Story.”
Terrie Krumal from Consumer Credit Counseling Services will present “Love Yourself Financially” with another representative who will talk about tax preparation and John Zimmerman who will present “How to Avoid Unfair Housing and Lending Practices.”
Bolmida said the topics of relationships, study skills, time management, cultural/social, math anxiety and MLA format are among the most popular with students.
Most presentations begin early afternoon or late morning to help maximize student and faculty accessibility.
Bolmida said several off-campus presentations are expected this semester and evening presentations are also being considered.
Presentations are free to attend and are typically one-hour long, with time reserved toward the end for questions.
For a full, up-to-date Sinclair Talks spring schedule, visit www.sinclair.edu/talks.
THEATRE DEPARTMENT HAS TWO SHOWS FOR SPRING SEMESTER
The Sinclair Theatre Department will be presenting two mainstage shows in Blair Hall Theatre this spring: “Intimate Apparel” and “Godspell”.
Both shows are part of the Sinclair Theatre Department’s “A Spirited Season,” which showcases plays that feature courageous and innovative lead characters.
“Intimate Apparel” written by Lynn Nottage, focuses on an African American seamstress who struggles in 1905 to become an independent woman in Manhattan. The play will be directed by Monica Williams, who also directed the Sinclair Theatre’s 2006 production of “Flyin’ West.”
Kathleen Hotmer, Costume Shop manager, is heading up the task of creating the costumes for the production, including corsets and other “intimate apparel.”
The play will hit the stage during Black History Month and Patti Celek, Theatre Department marketing manager, said that one of her personal goals is to instigate campus engagement and to create tie-ins with curriculum.
“When we choose plays to do over a season, that’s one of the things we’re really trying to link to and to get that word out to the faculty and staff – so that they can pull students in to why it’s important,” Celek said.
“Godspell”, directed by Kimberly Borst, is a musical written by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak, based on the Gospel of Matthew. It is set in parables and features a mix of modern music with classical hymns.
Celek said the department was excited about the casting of Natalie Sanders as Jesus.
She said the play is a modern look at Jesus and the disciples and carries a basic message of pursuing peace and love.
“If you saw all seven performances of ‘Godspell’, not one of them would be the same,” Celek said. “That’s the difference between live theatre and seeing a movie. The energy that comes back from the audience to the actors is part of the show.”
A Free Dance Workshop auditioned in December by Award-winning choreographer Rodney Veal, will be rehearsing through January and will culminate in on Jan. 15 and 16 in Blair Hall Theatre in “Free Spirits from the Mountain Top to the Jazz Hall.”
Guest artists Jakari Sherman and LaFrae Sci will be featured in this celebration of Martin Luther King and Mary Lou Williams.
From Jan. 8 to Jan. 13, the theatre department will be attending the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Saginaw, MI to see performances, attend workshops and compete in competition.
Twenty seven Sinclair students will go to KCACTF and participate in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, including three Costume and Design students as Theatre Technology entries.
Theatre Scholarship Auditions will be held April 13 and will be open to students who wish to peruse degrees in Theater Performance or Technology.
Tickets are $10 for students and faculty. These are already on sale.
Celek said the best way to purchase ticket is online at sinclair.edu/tickets.
INTERNATIONAL SERIES PRESENTATIONS CONTINUE
Sinclair’s International Series Presentations will continue this spring with four new presentations.
The series focuses on international countries, cities and events.
“Indonesia” will be presented by Lisa Singh on Jan. 23, “Columbia” on Feb. 20 by Juan Garcia, “Cuba” on March 20 by Carol Baugh. Wendy Hockenberry will present Germany on April 17.
All presentations fall on Wednesdays and are given at noon in the Building 8 basement stage area. Events are free to attend and offer native-style food and music.
ESL Coordinator Paul Carbonaro, who organizes International Series, said that his main goal is to help organize presentations that are well-attended, educational and enjoyable.
Carbonaro said the International Series is the best-attended grant-funded series at Sinclair.
“I think it always contributes to Sinclair,” Carbonaro said. “I think it’s a very good thing that Sinclair does, I think it’s appreciated by a good number of people and I’m pleased that it’s informal and yet informative.”
All Sinclair students, faculty and staff are welcome. Carbonaro even encourages instructors to bring their classes—mentioning Sociology, Geography and History courses—down to see the presentations.
“As long as people appreciate one thing that they didn’t appreciate before, learn one thing that they didn’t learn before, then it’s beneficial and it’s a good thing—even if it’s just one thing,” said Carbonaro.
For more information about International Series Presentations, contact Paul Carbonaro at 937-512-3099.
SINCLAIR ATHLETICS ARE READY TO IMPRESS
With spring, the Sinclair Tartan Pride competition will return. Competing teams will include Men’s Baseball and Basketball as well as Women’s Basketball and Softball.
Admission to home games is free to anyone with a Tartan Card and $5 admission for the general public at the door.
This season, Men’s Baseball will be pursuing their fifth consecutive Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Championship.
Women’s Basketball looks to build upon their success last season. They ended as National Junior College Athletic Association Region XII District I Runner-Ups with 17 regular season wins.
Men’s Basketball will be working toward their first OCCAC championship and Athletic Jack Giambrone said the team runs a great pace offensively.
“The more the men play together, the better the team will obviously become and they’ll be ready for conference competition,” he said.
Women’s Softball will be returning to Sinclair this March after a 21-year hiatus.
They have participated in scrimmages through the fall and Giambrone said the team’s new coach, Steve Beachler, was doing a great job getting the team organized.
Students wishing to try out for any teams, need to be currently attending classes, enrolled full-time and carry a 2.0 GPA (can vary at coach’s discretion). Giambrone suggested contacting the Athletic Office or the team’s head coach for more details.
Intramural sports will be offered again this spring and are open to all Sinclair students. Basketball, soccer and flag football will be played on the Dayton campus.
“I think it’s a great program because it allows students to stay on campus longer and create kind of a sense of community on campus and I think that’s really important,” Giambrone said.
Your Tartan Card is required to participate and a one-time $5 fee is asked per semester, which can be paid in the equipment room, Building 8 room 017. Participation is free to students enrolled in an activity class.
“There are many benefits of participating in intramurals,” Intramurals Advisor Melissa Williams said. “Some of them include meeting other students outside your degree program, an increase in physical activity and learning a sport you have not played and finally, being able to keep playing the sport you love.”
For more information on the Sinclair Intramurals Club, contact Melissa Williams at melissa.williams7776@sinclair.edu.
SINCLAIR ART DEPARTMENT OPENS NEW GALLERIES
The Sinclair Art Department will be showing new galleries this spring, displaying the creativity and diversity of Sinclair students and faculty.
Gallery Coordinator Pat McClelland said that this semester’s gallery exhibitions do not have a particular theme.
“I try to avoid that,” he said. “I like, from month-to-month, people to find variety.”
“Variety is the commonality,” he added.
Exhibitions are free to attend and are open to all students, faculty, staff and the community.
Through Spring Semester, exhibitions will be held throughout Building 13 and will feature the work of students and faculty, along with some work submitted by the community.
The Bob Coates Exhibit in the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery and the Scott Page exhibit in the Works On Paper Gallery will kick off the season.
McClelland said the Art Department always features an exhibit with an analogous theme to The REACH Conference, which celebrates cultural diversity.
The REACH: 20th Anniversary Exhibition will feature work ranging from fine art drawing and oil paintings to quilts and vessels and a lot of the art might feature a social commentary aspect.
This year, The REACH Conference celebrates their 20th anniversary, and McClelland hopes to invite 20 different artists to the 20-year retrospective exhibit.
Some changes had to be made due to the switch to semesters, including the make-up of The Graduating Art Students’ Exhibition.
It will now feature student’s work from two different courses, a Graduating Exhibition course and a portfolio development course
The Annual Juried Student Exhibition will utilize all gallery space in Building 13.
“The Juried Student show and the Graduating Student show showcases student work, but also showcases the department,” McClelland said. “And because the work that they’ll be showing is work that they produced here, you get a sense of what’s expected of students and what sort of approaches, or themes at least, are explored in the studio classes here.”
McClelland said The Graduating Art Students’ Exhibition and Annual Juried Student Exhibition shows a great a diversity that stems from the variety of thematic approaches and instructors that influence the featured work.
“Both of those shows become quite interesting just because of the eclectic nature of them,” he said.
Because it is still so early in the exhibition production process, McClelland said much of the work has not yet been submitted, but he said “with that there’s some excitement – it’s always interesting to see what comes in.”