STEVENS POINT — The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has a host of events coming up during the next several weeks.
Hypnotists, comedians and musicians will perform at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in January and February.
Unless otherwise noted, the following events will be held in The Encore at the Dreyfus University Center, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point, for free with a UW-Stevens Point or Mid-State Technical College student I.D. or $5 for community members.
- Feb. 13– Jon Fisher, musical comedy, 9 p.m.
- Feb. 14– Zander Michigan, singer/songwriter, 8 p.m.
- Feb. 16– Jacob Ramsey, acoustic concert, 8 p.m., Basement Brewhaus
- Feb. 23– Hypnotist Steven Stone, 8 p.m.
- Feb. 27– Comedian Jeff Zenisek, 9 p.m.
For more information, visit uwsp.edu/centers/campusactivities/Pages/Centertainment/Events.aspx.
Journey back in time to see how ancient people discovered astronomy in a show at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Allen F. Blocher Planetarium.
“Dawn of Astronomy” will be offered at 2 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24 and March 3. This free show looks at prehistoric stones, the pyramids and early shrines to see how our ancestors linked themselves to celestial events, measured time and determined directions.
On Monday evenings, the “Night Sky” program is offered at 8 p.m. in the planetarium to look in detail at objects in the current winter night sky.
Planetarium seating is first come, first served for up to 55 people. Groups of 15 or more may schedule a special showing of any planetarium program by calling 715-346-2208 or completing an online request form at uwsp.edu/physastr/plan_obs. There is a cost of $25 per group for these presentations.
The Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory telescope is open for free viewings from 8:30-10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday evenings if the skies are clear and the temperature is above 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
The planetarium and observatory are on the second and fourth floor of the UW-Stevens Point Science Building at the corner of Reserve Street and Fourth Avenue. Parking is available in Lot D behind the building and is free in all university lots after 7 p.m. and on weekends.
Adults with arthritis and older adults looking for a low-impact workout to improve strength and balance are offered aquatic classes this winter and spring through the Special Needs Aquatic Program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Sessions are offered Mondays and Thursdays. Session one meets Jan. 28-March 15 and session two meets March 25-May 17. Each session is $60. Classes are 45 minutes long for up to 15 participants.
Classes include:
- Aquatic Mixer – 8:30 a.m. This class offers a mix of body strength, flexibility and cardiovascular activities using various equipment, and is a great class for social people.
- Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program – 11 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. during session one and at 11 a.m. or 4 p.m. during session two. This class follows national Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program protocol.
- Balance Plus – 9 a.m. This class helps people improve or maintain their balance.
All classes are held in the therapeutic pool, adjacent to the Quandt Fieldhouse in the UW-Stevens Point Marshfield Clinic Health Systems Champions Hall (formerly the Health Enhancement Center), 2050 Fourth Ave., Stevens Point.
Early registration is advised, as program space is limited. For registration and more information, go to uwsp.edu/snap, call 715-346-2409 or email [email protected].
Arts Bash 2019, “Sweet 16th,” will be held from 7-10 p.m. Feb. 2 at the UW-Stevens Point Noel Fine Arts Center, 1800 Portage St. Expressive and purple or gold attire is encouraged. Special guest Justun Hart, a theater and dance alumnus and co-founder and owner of the Timber Mill Theatre, will be a featured performer. Dance Professor Jeannie Hill will be the emcee.
The evening will include theater and dance performances, including works from a new version of the musical “Spamalot,” as well as a runway show, artwork sale, raffle baskets, food, drinks and cash bar. A dance party will close the event.
A Preview Party will be offered from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 1 and includes live music and a private reception at the Edna Carlsten Art Gallery in the Noel Fine Arts Center. Attendees will have the first look at the art sale and a chance to bid on an exclusive silent auction basket. They are also offered a backstage tour of Jenkins Theatre and the opportunity to meet Hart.
Arts Bash 2019 tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door for the public and $20 for UW-Stevens Point students with university I.D. Preview Party tickets are $50 or $85 if combined with Arts Bash. Buy tickets at the UW-Stevens Point Information and Tickets Office, 715-346-4100 or choose “Campus Events” at tickets.uwsp.edu.
NEW! University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student Eva Gabriella Flynn will present “Cielitos Lindos” or “Sweet Little Skies” from Feb. 4 through Feb. 22 in the Ahrnsbrak Gallery in Room 183 in South Hall. She will offer a free talk about her work at noon, Feb. 4, in the Auditorium (Room 133) of the main campus building, as well as work with art students.
The Ahrnsbrak Gallery is open for free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The daughter of a Mexican immigrant and a prosecutor for Homeland Security, Flynn grew up in Mexico and the United States and sees herself as part of two separate worlds. Her work is a contemplation of identity tied to place, the things that make up a home, the things we take with us and the things we all share. Flynn has a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages and a bachelor in fine arts degree in studio art from New Mexico State University.
For more information, contact Julie Bunczak at [email protected] or 715-261-6234.
NEW! A series of public presentations beginning Feb. 7 will address diversity in natural resources management at the UWSP.
The 2019 Spring Seminar Series, “Expanding Our Reach in Natural Resources Management,” will be held throughout the semester “as a catalyst for constructive conversation and positive change,” said Professor Scott Hygnstrom, the center’s director and Douglas R. Stephens Endowed Chair in Wildlife.
Each presentation will be held from 4-5 p.m. on selected Thursdays in Room 170 of the Trainer Natural Resources Building, with a reception to follow. The public may attend for free.
The first presentation on Feb. 7 is “Challenges to Equity and Inclusion in a Field that Breathes Biodiversity,” featuring Dana Sanchez, an associate professor and Extension wildlife specialist at Oregon State University. She has researched mammal response to habitat changes and in workforce diversity and equity in the wildlife discipline.
The series will continue with:
Feb. 14 – “Improving Engagement of Woodland Owners in Wisconsin,” by Steve Swenson, conservation director at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin
Feb. 21 – “It’s Kinda Fun to do the Impossible: Finding Community Abundance Through Sustainable Design,” by Ken Leinbach, executive director of The Urban Ecology Center, Milwaukee
Feb. 28 – “Our Natural World: An Indigenous Perspective,” by Jon Greendeer, executive director of Heritage Preservation, former president of the Ho-Chunk Nation and UW-Stevens Point alumnus
March 14 – “A New Culture of Conservation — Misunderstanding a Generation,” by A.J. DeRosa, the founder, creative director and filmmaker with Northwoods Collective, New Durham, N.H.
March 28 – “Educating and Inspiring the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders,” by Christine Thomas, dean of the College of Natural Resources, UW-Stevens Point
For additional information on speakers and their presentations, go to uwsp.edu/cnr/WCW/Pages/2019-Spring-Colloquium.aspx.
NEW! “Kodachrome” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 and 9 in the Studio Theatre in the Noel Fine Arts Center, 1800 Portage St., Stevens Point. It is suitable for ages 12 and older.
The 14-member student cast will read the play with all the emotions, energy and interactions of the characters but without the sets, costumes and props of a full production. The stage directions will be shared directly with the audience, and each show will include opening remarks from the director, Theatre Professor Tyler Marchant.
A new play by Adam Szymkowicz, “Kodachrome” is about love, nostalgia and the seasons of life. It centers on Suzanne, a photographer in the small New England town of Colchester, who gives the audience a peek into the lives of her neighbors and captures their love stories as she captures her photographs.
Tickets for “Kodachrome” are $6.25 for general admission and free for UW-Stevens Point students with I.D. the day of the show. Tickets are available at the UW-Stevens Point Information and Tickets Office in the Dreyfus University Center concourse, by calling 715-346-4100 or at tickets.uwsp.edu.
Enjoy a weekend of yoga, meditation and understanding the five layers of self (koshas) at a Yoga Retreat at Treehaven, a field station of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Set for Feb. 8-10, the retreat will include yoga, breath work, meditation, community building and an optional group snowshoe hike on Saturday. Near Tomahawk, Treehaven offers participants class facilities as well as overnight lodging and meals.
Instructor Gigi Heinz has a degree in health promotion and wellness and is a certified yoga therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapy. She has been teaching yoga for more than 15 years.
The workshop costs $290, which includes instruction, meals and shared double room (or $325 for a private room). A limited number of commuter packages are available.
Register by calling 715-453-4106 or visit uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/treehaven/Pages/TreehavenEvents.aspx.
NEW! A free lecture, “Barbies or Monster Trucks? The Role of Gender in Children’s Toy Interests,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12, presented by Erica Weisgram, professor in the UW-Stevens Point Department of Psychology. It will be held in the Pinery Room of the Portage County Public Library, 1001 Main St., Stevens Point, for free.
“This presentation will be a discussion of the factors that contribute to gender differences in children’s toy interests and how these differences may affect child development,” Weisgram said.
Weisgram received her bachelor’s degree from Luther College and her master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses broadly on gender development in children, adolescents and young adults. Her recent work explores the cognitive construction of stereotypes in preschool children and how cultural gender stereotypes affect children’s interest in toys. Weisgram is also examining how gender and gender-related factors affect individuals’ occupational and academic interests.
For more information on the Community Lecture Series, visit uwsp.edu/cols/lectureseries or email [email protected].
NEW! Register now for a summer camp at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point that allows students to take on the role of a diplomatic representative while learning about international issues and relations.
The third annual Model United Nations (UN) summer day camp will be offered Aug. 7-9, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for students in grades 7-12. The camp will be led by Mert Kartal, an assistant professor of political science and international relations, as well as student members of the university’s award-winning Model UN team.
The camp simulates activities of the UN, such as the Security Council or General Assembly. Participants assume roles of diplomatic representatives to the UN as they consider contemporary international concerns such as terrorism, nuclear weapons, immigration, poverty and global warming.
Participants will learn the basics of the UN as an international organization, understand key contemporary issues in international relations, develop an understanding of inter-state diplomacy and strengthen their research, communication, negotiation and leadership skills. No prior Model UN knowledge is required.
The day camp costs $150 for those who register by Feb. 15, and pay before March 1. The cost is $165 after March 1, due by April 15. Registration is limited to 21 students and is first-come, first-served.
The fee includes breakfast and lunch for the three days, all materials, walking tour of campus, T-shirt and drawstring bag. Learn more at uwsp.edu/polisci/Pages/muncamp.aspx or email [email protected] more information.
NEW! Enjoy jazz and swing tunes, learn how to swing dance and support student scholarships at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s “Swing Fling” from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Dreyfus University Center’s Laird Room. The UW-Stevens Point Jazz Ensemble will perform, with dancing taught by members of the National Dance Education student organization. Refreshments will be served, and a cash bar will be available.
Music performances from the Big Band Era will include “Take the A Train” by Duke Ellington and “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman. Music students Faith Hatch and Lexie Lakman will sing songs popularized by Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, such as “A Tisket, A Tasket,” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.”
Admission at the door is $8 for adults or $5 with a student I.D. Proceeds benefit jazz student scholarships.
Sample products from some of the state’s finest producers of potatoes, wine, cheese, beer, cranberries, meats and more at the annual Taste of Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
The event is set for 7 p.m. March 1 in the Laird Room of the Dreyfus University Center on campus. Participants must be age 21 or older. Tickets are $27 in advance for the general public and $22 in advance for UW-Stevens Point students, plus service fees. Tickets will increase by $5 the day of the event, and only a limited number are available.
Past participants have included the Stevens Point Brewery, Sunset Point Winery, Russet Potatoes, Mullins Cheese, Capital Brewery and Nueske’s Meats. Participating vendors are subject to change. It is sponsored by the UW-Stevens Point Basement Brewhaus.
For tickets, contact University Information and Tickets in the Dreyfus University Center concourse, at 800-838-3378 or at tickets.uwsp.edu.
Part Irish pub band and part rock band, Gaelic Storm will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 13 in the Laird Room of the Dreyfus University Center. General admission tickets cost $25 plus service fees. Tickets will be $30 the day of the show.
Purchase tickets at the University Information and Tickets in the Dreyfus University Center concourse, at 800-838-3378 or online at tickets.uwsp.edu.
The band has topped the Billboard World Chart six times and makes regular appearances at music and Irish festivals across the country, including Milwaukee’s Irish Fest. The group’s latest album, “Go Climb a Tree,” was released in 2017.
Gaelic Storm includes Patrick Murphy on vocals, piano, harmonica, accordion and spoons, Steve Twigger on vocals, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki, Ryan Lacy on drums and world percussion, Pete Purvis on pipes and Katie Grennan on fiddle.
Photos courtesy UWSP.
