After a national search for a new leader, Lenoir-Rhyne University has selected the Rev. Dr. Clayton J. Schmit as the founding Provost of the School of Theology that includes the Columbia, SC, based Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. He will assume this position as the chief administrative officer of the School of Theology and its seminary before the fall semester 2012. Dr. Schmit becomes the 18th leader of the Seminary and the first under the newly structured LR School of Theology.

This summer Lenoir-Rhyne University (LRU) and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) will merge into a single university with a multi-campus School of Theology. The combination of the seminary with the university becomes the first such arrangement in Lutheranhigher education in the United States. The new School of Theology at Lenoir-Rhyne encompasses the advanced degree programs at LTSS in Columbia, SC, as well as the traditional undergraduate programs in religion and theology at the LRU campus in Hickory. Plans are for the School of Theology to also offer graduate programs at the new LRU Center for GraduateStudies of Asheville.

Dr. Wayne Powell, president of LRU, commented, “We are fortunate to have been able to hire someone with the skills and background of the Rev. Dr. Schmit. He is an individual of great vision with a keen sense of the needs of others, and as such is the perfect person to lead LRU and LTSS as we set the course for the future of theological education in the U.S.”

Dr. Schmit earned his Master of Divinity from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary and his Ph.D from Graduate Theological Union. He currently serves as the Arthur DeKruyter/Christ Church Oak Brook Professor of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.

“While I immensely enjoy the work I am currently doing, I still have a strong commitment to the Lutheran Church,” explained Dr. Schmit. “I look forward to sharing what I have learned about theological education at the world’s largest seminary with one of the schools within my own denomination.”

As the founding provost of the School of Theology, Dr. Schmit will be the chief administrative officer of the seminary, which will be vacant with the pending retirement of the seminary President, the Rev. Dr. Marcus J. Miller, later this summer. Under Miller’s leadership the seminary has experienced a deepening in mission and is positioned at the leading edge of21st century theological education in the United States.

With the merger of LRU and LTSS set to go into effect July 1st, Dr. Schmit will take the reigns at a pivotal point in the school’s history. It will be imperative to employ new, innovative, visionary strategies to lead the institution.

“Dr. Schmit comes to us uniquely prepared to lead us to dream new dreams, to imagine new programs, and to experiment in ways that will both fulfill the mission of the School of Theology and serve the church and world,” said the Rev. Dr. Ginger Barfield, Dean of the seminary and chair of the Provost search committee.

The search committee received applications from numerous candidates, narrowing the field to three who were invited to both the Hickory and Columbia campuses. The committee quickly realized that the background and experiences that Dr. Schmit brought to the table made him the lead candidate for the position.

Dr. Schmit’s experience in teaching, administrating, and leading at various institutions including Duke Divinity School and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, were important to the search committee.

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was founded in 1830 and has been located at itscurrent campus in Columbia, SC, since 1911. The seminary offers graduate theology degrees to Lutherans and multiple other Christian denominations, fulfilling its mission to teach, form and nurture servant leaders for public ministry and service to the church.

With the completion of the merger, LRU and LTSS have set a goal of developing the premier Lutheran seminary in the country. This will involve a commitment to maintaining the long history of excellence that LTSS has established in training Lutheran pastors. It will further involve an emphasis on enhancing and supporting scholarship of faculty and students. LTSS has well-established ecumenical programsin support of Methodist and Baptist students and this emphasis on ecumenical programming will be expanded. Programs will also be developed to help undergraduate students at the LRU campus in Hickory, NC matriculate to the LTSS campus after taking the first year of courses in Hickory.

“I am very excited about the merger of LR and LTSS and the new approach to theological education it represents. This is a new day for the seminary, and I look forward to working with both teams to explore the synergies and prospects that the merger represents,” Dr. Schmit added.

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private, coeducational university with its primary campus in Hickory, NC and was founded in 1891. Today, over 1,850 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled on the 100-acre campus. Academic programs include 60 undergraduate majors, 14 graduate programs, the Center for Graduate Students of Asheville, NC (opening fall 2012); and the Seminary in Columbia, SC (effective July 1, 2012). Lenoir-Rhyne is affiliated with the NC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. The website is www.lr.edu.

Most Decorated Athlete in History of Lenoir-Rhyne University

When looking for someone who exemplifies the City of Hickory’s Life. Well Crafted. brand, look no farther than the most decorated athlete in the history of Lenoir-Rhyne University, Kate Griewisch. Griewisch started running her sophomore year in high school to stay in shape for soccer. It wasn’t long before it became her passion and she fell in love with it. She continued running directly to Lenoir-Rhyne University and the track and field team.

Griewisch said that Lenoir-Rhyne University was a good fit for her and her faith and she also really wanted to work with the Lenoir-Rhyne’s Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Coach, Jason Stewart. She felt the university had a great community feel. “Everyone is so supportive; my team mates, my coach and the community,” said Griewisch. “I have enjoyed it. Running has been a big way for me to use the ability that God’s given me as a platform and relying on God has gotten me through.”

Griewisch’s accomplishments include:

• Five-time, three-sport first team All-American;
• Three-time NCAA D-II first team All-American in Women’s Cross Country (2009-2011);
• NCAA D-II first team All-American in Women’s Indoor Track and Field (2012);
• NCAA D-II first team All-American in Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (2011);
• Three-Time NCAA D-II Southeast Regional Champion (2009-11);
• Two-time South Atlantic Conference Runner Of The Year (2009 and 2011)
• 2010-2011 South Atlantic Conference President’s Award
• Academic All-American.

While, Griewisch is graduating in couple of weeks, she finds it to be bittersweet. She is excited about her plans for next year, but she is also going to miss being at Lenoir-Rhyne University and with her team mates and coach. Griewisch has plans to travel to Madagascar for the next year with the Young Adults in Global Mission trip. “This experience will be similar to something like the Peace Corps. I will live in the community and be immersed in the culture and have a certain job while I am there, said Griewisch of her upcoming mission trip. Her hopes are to be able to work in a clinic there, since her future goal is to do something in the medical and ministry fields. “I want to enter into the medical field and hopefully be a doctor in the future,” Griewisch said. Her current major is in biology.

Mayor Rudy Wright on behalf of the Hickory City Council proclaimed April 27, 2012, to be Kate Griewisch Day in the City of Hickory and called upon all citizens in recognizing this young athlete for her outstanding achievements.

The winners of the 2012 Distracted Driving Video Contest were announced at a Red Carpet event held at The Green Room in Newton. A team of students from Hickory High School’s Student Council won the Grand Prize. The team included Will McCarrick, Anne Orgain, Taylor Panzer and Lexie Reeves. Their video, “Do You Drive Distracted?”, was judged the best by a panel of judges. The faculty adviser of the team was Cameron Grace, an English teacher who
advises the Student Council. The Grand Prize consists of $100 plus a limousine ride courtesy of Action Limousineand lunch at The Olive Garden restaurant.

The second place video was “Distracted Driving Costs Lives” by St. Stephens High School. Students on the team included Johnny Dellinger, Brenton Harris and Alex Lail.This team won $75.

The third place video was “Distracted Driving” by Bandys High students Katti Buff-Allen, Alex Saunders and Megan Setzer. This team won $50.Winner of the Viewer’s Choice Award was “Don’t Become a Statistic” by Maiden High students Landon Coleman, Lindsay Klinck, Damian Puckett and Matthew Smrzlick. This award was based on the number of votes the video received on Facebook. The team won $50.

This is the second year of the contest, sponsored by the Distracted Driving Video Contest Committee in collaboration with the Catawba County Youth Council and Sig Holcomb with State Farm Insurance. The contest was open to all high school students in Catawba County.
A team from Hickory High School’s Student Council won this year’s Grand Prize in the Distracted Driving Video Contest. From left to right are Taylor Panzer, Will McCarrick, Cameron Grace (advisor), Lexie Reeves, and Anne Orgain.Students were asked to create a video, no longer than 90 seconds, that illustrated the dangers of distracted driving, which could include eating, exting, talking on the phone, putting on makeup, reading or other activities that might distract a driver.A special guest at the Red Carpet event was Tammy Garloch, a Charlotte woman whose son, Brian, died as a result of distracted driving at age 17. He was making a phone call while attempting to make a left turn across four lanes of traffic. His car was struck by two pickup trucks. He was rushed to the emergency room, where he died two hours later. Since her son’s death in 2008, she has spoken to more than 15,000 studentsto help raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

“We want to remind drivers of all ages how quickly things can go wrong,” she said. “We never thought it would happen to us — until it did.” She gave all the students black and pink bracelets to remind them of the dangers of distracted driving.

The videos in this year’s and last year’s contest may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/DistractedDriving.

For additional information about the contest, and to see photos of this year’s Red Carpet awards ceremony, go to http://www.facebook.com/#!/DistractedDrivingVideoContest.

View the winning video below:

Front Row (L-R): Sarah Moses, April Massagee, Clowee Younce Back Row (L-R): Andrew Turnbull (New Playwright’s Festival Coordinating Director), Hayden Frye, John David Brown III (Green Room Creative Director)

The Green Room Community Theatre is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s New Playwright’s Festival! In the 3-6 grade division the winning play is “Blowing Wind” by Sarah Moses, a sixth grade student at Banoak Elementary School. “Blowing Wind,” an enchanted fable about where the wind comes from, is being directed by Cynthia Rand.

In the 7-9 grade division, Clowee Younce and April Massagee’s comedy “The Miss-Matched Beauty Pageant” pits several famous fairy tale contestants in a pageant to help raise money for their friend Grumpy. Massagee and Younce are both homeschooled seventh graders. Their show is being directed by David Townsend.

Finally, “My Spanish Class,” a comedy about how students communicate, written by Hayden Frye, is the winner of the 10-12 grade division. This play is being directed by Andrew Turnbull.

The casts for all of these shows will be comprised of students in grades 8-12. Performances of these new plays are scheduled for May 24, 25, and 26 at 7:00pm each evening in the Black Box Theatre, a small performance space at the rear of the Old Post Office Playhouse. Admission is $5 at the door. No advanced reservations are required.

We are thrilled to present this great showcase of the talents of local young people ranging from writers to actors! The New Playwright’s Festival is made possible in part by the United Arts Council of Catawba County through the North Carolina Arts Council, with funding from the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

The Green Room Community Theatre is a funded affiliate of the United Arts Council of Catawba County.

Can an MBA change the world? The Global Business School Network (GBSN) thinks it can, and so do MBA students at Lenoir-Rhyne University. MBA students enrolled in the Global Sustainability and Social Responsibility Series with the Charles M. Snipes School of Business at Lenoir-Rhyne recently completed a unique project that culminated in a submission to the GBSN Video Challenge. This challenge is related to an initiative to apply MBA principles to assist thecitizens of Haiti to develop business-skills. The LRU students titled the project Helping Better in Haiti.

GBSN established the Video Challenge in 2011 to demonstrate that “Emerging markets need business leadership to bring innovative ideas, strategic visions and specialized skills to market their resources, improve living standards and achieve sustainablegrowth. Business schools and their students play a key role in realizing development goals – from creating social innovation to improving health care to achieving shared economic growth – and we’re looking for MBAs who are making a difference.”

The video submitted by Lenoir-Rhyne was recently named as one of the top five, gathering the highest number of online votes among all submissions, and will be now judged by a panel of global business experts including executives from GMAC, Coca-Cola, USAID, and others. Other schools submitting videos included Dartmouth, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Notre Dame, University of Maryland and international submissions from University of Southern Queensland and Universidad de los Andes, to name a few.

MBA student Ty Dannenbring coordinated the submission from LR. Ty visited Haiti for the first time in March 2011. While there, he noticed how the skills he was learning as an MBA student could beuseful in serving those in need. Ty went back to Haiti this March and was able to see the progress made by many individuals he’d met the prior year. Ty explains the foundation of their efforts in Haiti, “It is intended that this leadership be organic and built on trust, lasting generation to generation. It is also our hope to see these leaders become Christian difference makers in their society for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.”

The LR video highlights Dago and Roger, a small businessman and a fisherman, respectively. Ty and 14 of his classmates set out to explore this idea further by developing a web site and a blog as resources for helping better in Haiti (mbachallenge-haiti.com). It is the hope of this project that MBA students at Lenoir-Rhyne will continue exploring how an MBA can help better; this will include teams traveling to Haiti and remaining involved in the ongoing recovery efforts there.

If chosen as the top submission to meet the Challenge criteria, one member from the LRU teamwill win an all-expense paid trip to India for the GBSN Annual Conference in June 2012 to present the video and to explain the project initiative as they related to the synergy of the assessment of the course objectives and the project objectives.

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private, coeducational university located in Hickory, NC and was founded in 1891. Today, over 1,850 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled on the almost 100-acre campus. Academic programs include 60 undergraduate majors, 14 graduate programs, the Center for Graduate Students of Asheville, NC (opening fall 2012); and a Seminary in Columbia, SC (effective July 1, 2012). Lenoir-Rhyne is affiliated with the NC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. The website is www.lr.edu.

Waking Up with Van Gogh
Saturday, April 14
6 – 8 PM, Coe Gallery Guest curator and artist, Moni Hill, invited 77 of her fellow artists to respond to Van Gogh’s iconic Bedroom in Arles, 1889. The result is an exhibit which allows the public a glimpse into the creative process of working artists, as well as the chance to delve into one of Van Gogh’s most revealing and intimate paintings.Waking Up with Van Gogh showcases the diverse talent of Western North Carolina artists, including a light and shadow installation; paintings ranging from minimal abstract expressionism to contemporary visionary and folk art; paper collage; encaustic; sculpture; pottery; printmaking; and film. The exhibit offers a chance to look at a timeless painting through the eyes of contemporary artists, all in a beautiful, spacious, modern setting.

In the painting of Van Gogh’s bedroom, the sunlit windows hint of a bright sunrise. “Waking up” has two meanings for this exhibit. First, the literal act of waking up implies an intimate and personal time of the day. By painting his bedroom, Van Gogh, invites the public into the space where he sleeps and awakens, thereby allowing us a bit of intimacy with him. Second, “waking up” involves opening the eyes. This exhibit is intended to open the participating artists’ and audience’s eyes to aspects of Van Gogh’s life and work that they may not have previously considered.

Exhibition catalogs featuring all of the work in the exhibition will be available for $15. Waking Up with Van Gogh runs through July 29. For more information visit www.WakingUpwithVanGogh.com.

Exhibition sponsors include Hickory Printing Solutions and Corning Cable Systems.

The Visiting Writers Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University concludes the 2011-12 season on Thursday, April 19, with “An Evening with Alexander McCall Smith.” Lenoir-Rhyne is pleased to partner with the Hickory Public Library and Catawba Valley Medical Center on this program. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the P.E. Monroe Auditorium on the L-R campus. The event is free and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not needed.

A book signing is scheduled with McCallSmith on Thursday, April 19 from 4:00-5:00pm at the Patrick Beaver MemorialLibrary in Hickory. This is the only time that he will be available to signbooks.

His 1998 book The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, focusing on a female investigator in the African country of Botswana, launched his fiction-writing career into international fame and acclaim. The growing success of his books led him to take a leave of absence from his professorship at the University of Edinburgh and give up his advisory posts related to medical ethics to focus on writing full-time.

After The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, McCall Smith wrote more books featuring Ramotswe and other central characters. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was followed by 2000′s Tears of the Giraffe, 2001′s Morality for Beautiful Girls, 2002′s The Kalahari Typing School for Men, 2003′s The Full Cupboard of Life, and 2004′s In the Company of Cheerful Ladies. All the books focused on Ramotswe’s investigations into problems in people’s lives instead of hard-core crimes. McCall Smith was able to publish a novel a year in the series because he could write at least 4,000 words a day, and, if inspired, as much as 1,000 words an hour.

The inspiration for his fiction is as unique as the work itself. An old garage that formerly served as a house for migrant workers escaping South African apartheid is one of the sources for such creative inspiration. McCall Smith has converted the Botswana garage into the only opera house in the country as well as developed a new law school at University of Botswana.

McCall Smith’s eclectic personality and worldly travels extend to his work; the Wall Street Journal hails Smith’s “tapestry of extraordinary nuance and richness” in his many publications. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Crime Writers Association’s Dagger in the Library Award, the United Kingdom’s Author of The Year Award in 2004, and Sweden’s Martin Beck Award. He holds honorary doctorates from twelve universities. In 2010, McCall Smith was awarded the Presidential Order of Merit by the President of Botswana.

McCall Smith was born on August 24, 1948, in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (later known as Zimbabwe), where his father worked as a public prosecutor in what was then a British colony. His mother wrote a number of unpublished manuscripts. The youngest of four children, McCall Smith spent the whole of his childhood in that African country. He attended the Christian Brothers College in Bulawayo. McCall Smith left Africa when he was 17 years old to continue his education in Scotland.

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series is free to the public thanks to the support of sponsors. This year’s sponsors include Our State, WDAV 89.9 FM: Classical Public Radio, Catawba Science Center, North Carolina Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Catawba Valley Community Foundation, Hickory Public Library, United Arts Council of Catawba County, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Crowne Plaza Hotel of Hickory, WFAE 90.7 FM: Your NPR News Source, City of Hickory Community Relations Council, Catawba Valley Medical Center, and Rotary International.

For more information about the VisitingWriters Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University, go to http://visitingwriters.lr.edu or call 828-328-7077.

Lenoir-Rhyne University will hold the fourth annual Symposium on University Research and Creative Expression on April 24, 2012. The Symposium on University Research and Creative Expression, better known as SOURCE, is an event that celebrates the academic achievements of both undergraduate and graduate students. A keynote speech will kick off the event at 12 p.m. in the Belk Centrum. This event is open to the community.

The speaker, Dr. Jasmine Goodnow is an Assistant Professor of Recreational Leadership at Ferrum College. Mallory Taylor, a recent Ferrum College alumna, will join Goodnow. They will illustrate how undergraduate research is a journey of discovery as they shares their adventures in undergraduate research conducted on the Appalachian Trail. During this time, Taylor sought to identify and understand the motives and insights of Appalachian Trail hikers.

Student presentations and poster sessions follow the keynote address and will continue throughout the day showcasing the intellect and talent that abounds at this university on the rise. Research topics may include: water and energy conservation, an examination of the effect of health-care reform on Catawba County, abstracts dealing with works of literature, representations of history, and anti-Islamic sentiment in the US, and more.

Creative presentations include the readings of original plays and short stories as well as the performance and discussion of music. An Honors Thesis Competition will also be held during this event with papers in areas as diverse as music, history, and health.

Catawba Science Center (CSC) invites you to participate in a dinosaur egg
hunt on Saturday, April 7 at 10 a.m.
Participants will hunt for more than 600 eggs hidden amongst the Dinosaurs
in Carpenter Hall and throughout CSC exhibit areas in the main building. Each
egg has a treat inside. The lucky person who finds the golden egg will receive a special prize. Early-check in is at 9:30 a.m. in North Lobby.
The dinosaur egg hunt is a special event tied to the Dinosaurs exhibit, featuring six half-sized robotic dinosaurs and interactive opportunities for visitors to learn about the lives of dinosaurs and dig for fossils. The exhibit will be on display at CSC through Sept. 2.

The event is free for CSC members and included in general admission, which
is $7 for adults, and $5 for youth (3 to 18), seniors, college students and active military with current ID. Admission is free for children younger than 3. For more information about the event visit www.CatawbaScience.org or call (828) 322- 8169.

Catawba Science Center is a nonprofit science and technology museum in the Western Piedmont with traveling exhibits, a digital planetarium theater and a marine touch pool with live sharks and stingrays. A community asset and regional destination, Catawba Science Center is dedicated to changing lives and inspiring learning through science and wonder. Learn more at www.CatawbaScience.org.

CSC is funded in part by the United Arts Fund of Catawba County and is located in the Arts and Science Center of Catawba Valley, on the SALT Block, 243 3rd Avenue NE, Hickory.

The Play’s the Thing!

The Green Room Community Theatre will conduct a free Play Writing Workshop for Youth on Monday, February 27, 2012 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton. This workshop is designed for students in Grades 3 – 12.
Participants will learn the basics of play writing including plot and character development, incorporating stage directions, designing the play to be adaptable for the stage, and much more.
Area playwrights and drama teachers will lead the sessions. The primary goal is to help students be better writers using play writing as a tool. Students will also learn about the opportunity to write and submit a play for the New Playwright’s Festival in March with the chance to have their work produced by The Green Room in May.
There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided. You must register by 5:00 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012. There is limited space available, and participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
To register and for more information, call The Green Room at 828-464-6583 or send an email to info@the-green-room.org.
This project is supported by the United Arts Council of Catawba County through the North Carolina Arts Council, with funding from the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.