Parents Weekend, this Saturday, Sep 30, is an exciting time for parents of students to get a glimpse of college life at HSU. For parents who recently said goodbye, as they sent their sons and daughters off to college, it’s an opportunity for reassurance as they see how their children are settling in.

Cooking for HSU families this Saturday is the Mrs. Baird’s Ultimate Smoker and Grill. This semi-trailer, turned grill and smoker, will be set up near the entrance to the Shelton Stadium on Simmons Street to serve families prior to the football game with Mississippi College. The Ultimate Grill, which has made appearances at 4 NCAA Final Four games and Super Bowl XXXVIII, can cook and serve over 1000 hamburgers and hotdogs at a time.

Mrs. Baird's Ultimate Smoker and Grill

Dads, this is the Holy Grail of grills and you’ve got to see it. Its wood fired 48" x 120" grill cooks approximately 200 steaks simultaneously or 1000 hotdogs. This unique 55' marvel slow smokes and quick grills, slow smokes 2000 pounds of meat, has a 48" flat grill and a Double Fryer, a 4-burner gas stove, running water, a 48" flat screen television with Satellite hookup and Bose Entertainment System, plus a 20’ hydraulic lid. Don't you wish you had one of your own?

All of the 2006 New Student Orientation family groups will be present at lunch before the game begins. Parents of new students will have a fun opportunity to meet the group that their son or daughter went through orientation with and join in on their “family reunion.”

The fun begins at 11:30 a.m. and continues right up to kickoff at 2:00 p.m.

Other Saturday Opportunities:

Feldenkrais Workshop for Singers - Hemphill Choir Room - 9:00 a.m.-2:45 p.m.

Dr. Bob Fink - Book Signing at Books-A-Million - his recent Twilight Innings hit.

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 27, 2006 10:14 AM · Comments (1)

Tryouts for the 2006-2007 Six White Horses riders were just getting underway when one of the observers commented, "hey is that guy wearing a number?" A quick check showed that yes indeed, for the first time in the History of the Six White Horses, a male student was trying out for the riding team.

Although the Six White Horses have traditionally been ridden by women, male riders have always been welcome to tryout for the team. It's just never happened before. Onlookers and judges were shocked, but reaction was generally favorable. I'm not sure what Debbie Jones was saying under her breath, but all present seemed to be ready to accept whatever historic changes the day might bring.

The saddling portion of the tryout seemed to be pretty even, and competition grew tighter as the evening stretched on. Rider number 9, Evan Barger, rode very well. He rode well enough, in fact, that he was picked on every judges ballot. Unfortunately, during his interview with the judges, both he and the judges realized that his other committments at HSU would prevent him from devoting the time needed to be a successful participant in the program.

So we won't see a guy in the saddle when the Six White Horses perform this year, but we will see:

New riders: Misty Moon, Senior from Abilene
Tamara Murdoch, Freshman from Abilnee
Kristyn Vanderland, Sophomore from Midland
Amy Coleman, Sophomore from Dallas

Returning riders: Tressie Smith, Senior from Abilene
Andrea Reyes, Senior from Abilene
Becky Tucker, Junior from Cleburne
Erika Muzljakovich, Junior from Duvall, Washington

Congratulations to all the riders!

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 20, 2006 3:06 PM · Comments (0)

When we lock our office doors around here, and say “see you tomorrow” at five’ish each evening, we’re usually focused on our plans for the evening. We’re looking forward to dinner, the kids, chores, a long run, a trip to the shooting range, an evening small group; whatever.

Not so for HSU Graphic Designer Carlos Macias. The talent behind much of the cutting edge, award winning look of HSU printed and cyber media is the front man for an area rock band that’s starting to taste success.


Carlos Macias, second from left, vocalist for "O Scarlet"

The story of the band, “O Scarlet,” dates back to the summer of 2005. The four members met while attending college here in Abilene. Coming from different backgrounds, they found common ground in an undying passion to create music and ideas to change the world with.

Over the course of the past year, O Scarlet has experimented with many different sounds, melodies, and rhythms with a hunger to find their true sound. Lately, they have found satisfaction in what they describe as 'rock music that cuts through mind, body, and soul.'

In late 2005, O Scarlet recorded their first EP. This seven-track project was released in April of 2006 and is finding success in the local music scene. The four members are passionately working towards letting their music be heard as much as possible, perfecting their sound, and connecting with hearts, minds, and spirits through the beautiful language of music.

O Scarlet plays at the Bean Counter tonight (the opening band starts at 7:00). If you miss them there, they’ll be at local venues for a while and then, who knows? Cross Canadian Ragweed started in much more humble surroundings. Terri Hendrix and Ronnie Dunn started here.

Catch them if you can, and post a comment.

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 19, 2006 4:19 PM · Comments (0)

What will people do for money? Find out as Hardin Simmons University of Theatre begins its season with Friedrich Durrenmatt’s abstract tragic-comedy "The Visit," running October 5th-7th and 12th-15th.

Impoverished townspeople are hungry and eager for an economic boost. A benefactress, a citizen from the town’s past, returns for a visit. As it turns out, the wealthy woman will donate freely, but only in return for the townspeople exacting a horrible deed.

"The Visit" will run October 5th-7th and October 12th-14th at 8 p.m. and October 15th at 2 p.m. in the Van Ellis Theatre on the HSU campus.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students, senior citizens, and military. HSU Faculty, Staff, and Students receive free admission. Season tickets are $30 for admission to all four HSU Theatre mainstage productions. For more information or reservations, contact the HSU Theatre Box Office (325) 670-1405.

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 18, 2006 3:15 PM · Comments (0)

Recent rains in the Big Country were a boon to area residents, but have turned the arena at the Doc Beazley Six White Horses Center into a lake.

Rather than postpone the selection of her team for 2006-2007, program director Debbie Jones announced that current and prospective riders will meet at the Taylor County Expo Center, the Roy Bozark Arena (Gate C) for Tuesday's tryouts. Jones anticipates a slight delay as participants make the drive to the Expo Center, but things should get underway by 5:30 p.m.

The public is invited to watch as the judges attempt to fill 4 empty saddles. Hope to see you there!

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 18, 2006 2:07 PM · Comments (0)

Working with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (UC Berkeley), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO; Blanco, Chile), and the Las Cumbres Observatory (Santa Barbara, CA), Hardin-Simmons University is the site of a pilot program in the search for new asteroids; the large boulders of rock that orbit the Sun at an average distance of 300 million miles, three times the distance between Earth and the Sun.

Discovery of the new asteroid C2006 K06Q31F by Patrick Miller. The discovery was made from HSU at the start of fall classes in Aug, 2006.

Five high schools are participating in this 30-day pilot program (October 1-30, 2006). Four are located in the United States and the fifth is in Poland. The physics classes from these schools will access HSU Blackboard, where astronomical images from CTIO have been prepared and placed into folders. After their analysis, the results will be returned to HSU where follow-up images will be coordinated with the Las Cumbres Observatory.

Using these professional data and facilities, it is estimated that each of the participating high schools will easily discover at least one new asteroid; which will be announced and catalogued by the Minor Planet Center (Harvard). Depending on the amount of time participating high schools devote to the program, as many as 5 – 10 new asteroids could be discovered by each school.

In charge of the program is Mr. Patrick Miller, associate professor of mathematics in the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics, and HSU Honors Program student Jeff Davis, son of Dr. Ken Davis, associate professor of mathematics. Davis will manage the image processing and the follow up image requests, as required by the Minor Planet Center for the official recognition of a discovery.

Davis was among HSU students who went to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory during May-term 2006. These students were enrolled in Miller’s field course, PHSC 3099 “Topics in Planetary Science”. Jeff learned how to process images and search for asteroids. On his own, he returned to the Lab in July 2006 where he continued his studies and began preparing for this international pilot program.

Students participating in the May-term 2006 class "Topics in Planetary Science." Taken at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Jeff Davis is seeen on the left wearing the blue shirt.

The goal of the 30-day pilot program is to have an ongoing program for high schools and colleges through which schools can integrate the program into their physics and astronomy labs.

Even more ambitious is an October 2007 initiative to conduct an HSU-based program that will search for large ice boulders located 4 billion miles from the Sun, 40 times as far as Earth is from the Sun. A third phase, scheduled for March 2008, is a program to find exploding stars (supernovae) in distant galaxies, millions of light years from Earth. Again, these discoveries will be original with the participating schools receiving recognized, published credit by the Minor Planet Center and the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Davis will present the results of the October 2006 pilot program in papers at two professional meetings, Lunar & Planetary Science Conference (NASA JSC; March 2007) and Hands-On Universe Conference (Yerkes Observatory, University of Chicago; June 2007).

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 15, 2006 4:21 PM · Comments (0)

Dr. Tom Copeland, director of the Hardin-Simmons University Honors Program, announced the names of the first Leland Scholars. The four freshmen are the first to benefit from the bequest of HSU alumna June Frost Leland. Of students who apply for and receive the $6,000 Presidential or Dean’s Scholarship, 15 top scholars are selected for the University Honors Program and receive an additional $2,000. The four Leland Scholars receive an additional $5,000 based upon incoming academic record. The total yearly benefit to the Leland Scholars is $13,000. For a student taking a 12-hour per semester load, this is essentially a “full ride” scholarship.

The 2006-2007 Leland Scholars are: Samantha Chevrie, of Abilene; Stephanie Harvell, of Derby, Kansas; Jacob Snowden, of Midlothian; and Krista Toten, of Joshua.

Samantha Chevrie

Stephanie Harvell

Jacob Snowden

Krista Toten

June Frost Leland, a 1940 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, Six White Horses rider, philanthropist, and Ruidoso, New Mexico, resident, surprised HSU with the largest single gift ever received by the University. A significant portion of the bequest was dedicated to the Honors Program. “The establishment of the Leland Scholars endowment for the Honors Program at Hardin-Simmons University will allow us to compete each year for larger numbers of top academic performers; by recruiting such students we will also elevate the academic quality of the classroom experiences of every student and faculty member on our campus,” comments Dr. Turner, university president.

June Frost Leland

The 11 students selected for the Honors Program in addition to the Leland Scholars are:
Allison Baskin, of Stratford; Alana Culp, of Hermleigh; Jeff Davis, of Abilene; Ashleigh Gallaway, of The Woodlands; Bronwyn Hill, of Rockwall; Travis Ingels, of Ruidoso, New Mexico; Emily Jones, of Snyder; Amy Kuykendall, of Weatherford; Kaela Parnell, of Carrollton; Cammie Jo Smallwood, of Bedford; Jeremy Stock, of Abilene, and Mary Elizabeth Walker of Stamford.

Students admitted to the Honors Program receive an honors scholarship for each semester, as long as they are in good standing in the program. The HSU Honors Program provides an enriched educational environment for undergraduate students of exceptional promise who have a wide variety of interests and seek an enhanced learning opportunity. In keeping with the University’s Christian mission, the Honors Program promotes creative and critical thinking skills to equip individuals for success in today’s world.

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 11, 2006 2:31 PM · Comments (0)

When the United States Navy’s newest and most advanced attack submarine is commissioned in Galveston tomorrow, HSU alumnus, Commander Albert Onley, Jr., will officiate as the boat’s commissioning executive officer. First Lady Laura Bush headlines an impressive list of dignitaries as she officially names the boat.

USS Texas SSN 775 is the 5th ship to bear the state’s name. The first was a Confederate battleship, the second and third were also battleships. The third Battleship Texas is now a museum near the San Jacinto Monument. A nuclear guided missile cruiser was also named Texas, but was decommissioned in 1977 and now sits in a scrap-yard.

USS Texas SSN 775 entering Galveston's harbor

The new USS Texas takes its slogan from the famous roadside littering campaign: “Don’t Mess With Texas;” not that anyone who’s seen the sub’s massive torpedo tubes or topside missile silos would think of messing with this undersea fortress (or littering around it, for that matter). The boat, which cost approximately $1.65 billion, is capable of carrying a complement of Tomahawk missiles, VLS tubes, MK-48 torpedoes, advanced mobile mines and unmanned undersea vehicles. The Virginia Class submarine will be stationed at the New London Navy Base in Groton Connecticut once commissioned.

Onley below-deck, prior to his recent promotion to Commander

Commander Onley, HSU class of 1990, received his bachelor of science in Chemistry prior to taking a commission in the Navy. A native of Greenville, Cdr. Onley’s rise through the ranks has been rapid. Although the drive from Greenville is a long one, he says this is one event his family wouldn’t miss.

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 8, 2006 4:53 PM · Comments (0)

With an artful selection of carefully crafted essays, Dr. Robert Fink’s latest offering of prose is already creating a buzz in the literary community. Much of the content comes from his own life experiences in West Texas, and it comes with humorous, sorrowful, nostalgic, and slightly sardonic candor. Although many of the essays were previously published, this is the first time they’ve been brought together in one work.

Authors have high praise for the collection. “In these essays Fink puts himself in the middle of the diamond as in the middle of things American, and readers are grateful to be witnesses to the informed heart, the discriminate sympathy, the keen yet modest intelligence, the deftness of his prose strokes,” says Bruce Smith. Alison Hawthorne Deming adds, “Fink is an amiable witness of what it means to live and teach with faith and compassion.”

It is easy to see why this book is received with such enthusiasm. I leafed through it looking for an example to cite and was unconsciously pulled into a life of experiences that was at times remarkable, always approachable, and somehow familiar. There was always an echo of life itself in every passage, thoughts we’ve all had, but went unvoiced. Fink captures them for our pleasure, so we can affirm our own humanity.

A finalist in the 2005 Violet Crown Book Awards for his collection of poems Tracking the Morning, Dr. Robert Fink is the W.D. and Hollis R. Bond Professor of English and director of creative writing at Hardin-Simmons University. Book signings are scheduled for Dr. Fink at Glenn Dromgoole’s Texas Star, Sep 14 during Artwalk, The West Texas Book and Music Festival Sep 22 – 23, and at Books-A-Million Sep 30, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Author Steve Weathers captures the beauty of the work most succinctly, “In the interstices of silence, a spoken word is – paradoxically – dangerously inappropriate and yet desperately desired. Any word uttered must be sure, apt, and above all, honest. Bob Fink speaks into the void with just such infallible assurance and disarming candor.”

Posted by Dave Coffield · September 5, 2006 4:47 PM · Comments (0)