Hallie Ford Museum of Art to Close for Winter Break

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art will close Dec. 22 to Jan. 1 to correspond with the closure of Willamette University for winter break. The museum will re-open Jan. 2.

Two special exhibitions are currently on view at the museum. Don Bailey: Spider and the Bureau, The Blanket Series continues in the lobby and Study Gallery through Jan. 13. The exhibition presents a new body of work by this Native American painter and teacher. Women’s Work: Contemporary Women Printmakers from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation continues through Jan. 20 in the Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery. The exhibition presents a broad range of prints from the past 35 years by artists from the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia.

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art is located at 700 State St. (corner of State and Cottage streets) in downtown Salem near the campus of Willamette University. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed Monday. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Children younger than 12 are admitted free, and Tuesday is an admission-free day. For more information, call (503) 370-6855 or visit www.willamette.edu/museum_of_art.

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Zerzan Selected for Prestigious NCAA Award

Sarah Zerzan, a runner on the Willamette University cross country and track and field teams, is one of the just eight senior student-athletes from the NCAA’s overall membership to be selected to receive the NCAA Today’s Top VIII Award for 2007.

Zerzan and seven other athletes were selected for the prestigious award for their athletic and academic achievements, plus character and leadership. The awards will be presented Jan. 13 at the NCAA Honors Celebration in Nashville, Tenn., as part of the annual NCAA Convention.

Zerzan (San Carlos, Calif./Notre Dame High School) is part of an exceptional group of individuals selected for the award. Previous winners include Peyton Manning (football, University of Tennessee, 1998), David Robinson (men’s basketball, U.S. Naval Academy, 1988), Cheryl Miller (women’s basketball, University of Southern California, 1987), Steve Young (football, Brigham Young University, 1984) and John Elway (football, Stanford University, 1983).

Zerzan won back-to-back NCAA Division III individual national championships in cross country in 2006 and 2007. She became only the third athlete to repeat as the women’s champion in the 27-year history of the NCAA Division III National Championships. She helped Willamette place ninth in the team standings at the 2007 NCAA National Championships, while earning All-America honors for the third consecutive season.

In track and field, she took second place in the women’s 5,000-meter run at the 2007 NCAA Division III National Championships. She was 11th in the 5,000-meter run at the 2006 National Championships. Last spring, she won the Northwest Conference title in the 1,500-meter run, helping Willamette claim the team title.

Zerzan was named NCAA Division III National Female Athlete of the Year in cross country in 2006 and 2007. She recently was selected as the nominee from cross country for the 2007-08 NCAA Division III Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award. Zerzan also was the nominee from cross country for the Woman Athlete of the Year Award in 2006-07. Just 11 student-athletes are chosen as nominees each academic year.

Zerzan has a 3.93 cumulative grade point average and is majoring in biochemistry. She plans to attend medical school next year. In the summer of 2006, she studied abroad in Costa Rica, where she helped conduct ethnobiology field research through interviews with Costa Rican indigenous people.

She is a member of the steering committee for Willamette’s chapter of the Student Global AIDS Campaign. She has volunteered at Waldo Middle School in the Russian-English bilingual mentorship program, she has served as a Spanish-English mentor at Richmond Elementary School, and she is member of the Chemistry Club.

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Willamette Recognized as Leader in Sustainability Initiatives

A 2008 report card from the Sustainable Endowments Institute gave Willamette high marks in several categories.

The College Sustainability Report Card evaluates sustainability efforts at the 200 American and Canadian institutions with the largest endowments. Willamette was cited as a leader in administration (sustainability actions at the administrative or trustee level) and food and recycling (sustainable policies and practices of dining services).

The report highlighted Willamette’s transportation efforts as an example of an innovative initiative, citing the use of electric and hybrid work vehicles, the campus bike shop, the Flexcar car-sharing program and a rideshare website to connect carpoolers. The University also scored well for initiatives in green building, and climate change and energy.

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TIUA Honors Students in Closing Ceremony

Tokyo International University of America (TIUA) will honor 89 students during its annual closing ceremony on Friday, Dec. 14. There will be a certificate presentation ceremony at 4:30 p.m. in Hudson Hall, followed by a reception at 6 p.m.

These ceremonies are the culmination of a year of intense English and American Studies courses taught by TIUA and Willamette University faculty members. TIUA is the only foreign campus for Tokyo International University (TIU) in Kawagoe, Japan. The partnership allows TIU students to spend a full year studying in Salem and fully integrating into Willamette classes and the community.

Attending the ceremony from TIU are President Takayoshi Arai; Professor Yoshiyuki Igarashi, chair of the International Exchange Committee; and Chie Omorai, staff. Other guests scheduled to attend include Willamette President Lee Pelton, College of Liberal Arts Dean Carol Long, numerous Willamette faculty members, and many Salem residents who participated in the TIUA "Tomodachi" (friendship family) program.

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Atkinson on Global 100 List

Atkinson Graduate School of Management was named to the prestigious Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey, which spotlights the top 100 MBA programs that integrate social and environmental stewardship into teaching and research. More than 40,000 pages of data are collected and analyzed to determine the biennial rankings, which are then used by tens of thousands of students, corporate leaders and scholars to network, select schools, recruit graduates and find best practices in teaching and research. These schools are preparing students for the reality of tomorrow’s markets in a competitive and fast changing world, according to the Aspen Institute, which sponsors the survey. Willamette was listed in 58th place and was recognized for business curriculum that offers unique breadth and depth of exposure to social, environmental and ethical issues. “We are preparing our students to be good stewards and effective managers for the organizations they serve, whether they are business, government or nonprofit,” says Interim Dean Debra Ringold.

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Christmas in Hudson Celebrates Season

Willamette University presents Christmas in Hudson Thursday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m. in Hudson Hall.

Featured are the Willamette University choirs, carols sung by the audience, and sacred readings and seasonal poetry read by Professor Jeanne Clark. Hudson Hall is beautifully decorated for this sell-out event.

“This long running tradition is seen by many as the official beginning to the holiday season in Salem,” said Choral Director Wallace Long. “We invite you to take part in a Willamette and Salem tradition, and be moved by the music of the season.”

Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $8 (open seating) for all ages and can be purchased 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Monday–Thursday, at the Music Office in the Rogers Music Center at Willamette, or you may charge by phone, (503) 370-6255. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 12.

Contact: Wallace Long, (530) 370-6320

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