Morningside Connect

The art department has had an exciting fall season. Starting in the spring and working over the summer, the department moved equipment into Longfellow School and set up photo studios, which have been used for class projects, such as a practice wedding photo session. This created some space for faculty development, and the department is working to complete a product photo studio for students to document their art to help build portfolios.

Classes started with the energy and exploration of a new school year, including a new class in Game Design. Students in Art 345 Relief Printmaking will enter a national print trade. Graphic Design students are active members in the American Institute of Graphic Arts and will travel to Omaha for a Meet the Pros conference in February 2017.

Photography students and professor Dolie Thompson traveled to Seattle to attend the Society for Photographic Educators conference and found opportunities to visit the Northwest rainforests, cameras in hand.

The opening exhibit in the Eppley Art Gallery, “War of Words,“  was part of the collection of World War II posters from the State Historical Museum of Iowa. The exhibit featured 30 original posters, which are as vibrant and powerful today as ever. John Fender, graphic design professor at Drake University, presented his research on the posters on Thursday, Sept. 15. “These posters serve as an outline to the social changes happening at the time,” he said.

This was followed by the art faculty exhibit, in which the 12 artists who teach at Morningside presented their unique work. Faculty are Paul Adamson, Jim Bisenius, John Bowitz, Karen Emenhiser-Harris, Amy Foltz, John Kolbo, Terri McGaffin, Steve Paulson, Shannon Sargent, Dolie Thompson, Jodi Whitlock and Rich Yates.

“Resonant Illumination,” created by Yates and shown below, is a wood structure holding 50 glass bottles, some etched, through which light emanates. The source of the pulsing light, deep within the shape of the bottle, responds to sounds in its vicinity, inviting viewers to become participants, uniting experiences of sound and motion, light and color.

https://youtu.be/gUeqKNwwh_k

Arts administration major Margarita Ruelas is presenting her senior art show at the Whispering Creek Active Retirement Community. A reception will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, December 2.

The department expects 14 sophomore art majors to present their art for the Sophomore Reviews in January and is excited to be part of the artistic and academic growth of our students, and look forward to the year ahead.

Joshua Doering of Hubbard, Iowa, is a senior currently majoring in business administration with an emphasis in finance and marketing and minoring in agriculture business.

Doering chose Morningside College mainly because of its size.

“I loved the connections to professors and students based off the small-school feel, the good reputation as a business school and also the chance to continue my sports career through basketball and track.”

Doering has been involved in Morningside College Entrepreneurship Group since his sophomore year.

“Joining Entrepreneurship Group has given me the chance to build and refine many important skills and make connections that have positively impacted my time at Morningside.”

He views E-Group as apart of the foundation for launching his own business, Seed Slide.

Seed Slide is a device that allows farmers to safely open and and unload large seed boxes.

“Since Seed Slide’s inception, it has been a roller coaster of experiences that have shaped into one fun ride.”

Doering started designing the product for use on his family’s farm due to dangers faced by his father and grandfather.

Since then he has had many accomplishments, including being nominated to be the Silicon Prairie Student Entrepreneur of the Year and winning the CEO National Pitch Competition.

“While helping to build my résumé, my work with Seed Slide has grown into a sustainable business, truly making an impact in the agriculture industry by adding safety and convenience into farming operations.”

Jesus Cendejas is a 2013 graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies. Cendejas, originally from California, says that it was a step of faith coming to Morningside.

“In all respects, spiritually and in the entirety of that journey, I trusted that this is where I was being led. I had no family or friends out here, so everything was new and didn’t know what to expect.”

Cendejas was a resident assistant, a member of Campus Ministries, Oasis and the Student Alumni Association.

“I became very involved from the moment I arrived on campus with many organizations,” he said.

He believes that religious studies is more than a spiritual or academic practice.

“It leads you to understand the world you live in. Part of what I did right after graduation and continue to do today directly and indirectly relates to my major. I served at my church, Calvary Chapel, for a while and soon after became ordained as a staff pastor in April 2014.”

At that time Cendejas was offered a job at a local organization called the Mary J. Treglia Community House; he previously volunteered there for his service learning class.

The Mary J. Treglia Community House focuses on helping the Siouxland immigrant population assimilate into the community, whether it is through English as a second language (ESL) classes, translation and interpreting services, or legal services, among many other things.

“This part is how my degree was used indirectly, since we dealt with many different cultures,” Cendejas said.

In the summer of 2015, Cendejas joined the staff of Morningside College. He is now the international student advisor, where he mentors and aids international students throughout their college careers.

“I am a full-time staff pastor at church and part-time advisor at Morningside College,” he said.

Cendejas believes that the community at Morningside is unforgettable.

“It helped shape and mold me into the person I am today,” he said. “It was a good place, it’s been almost six years since I graduated and I’m still here. That has to say a lot of how much I appreciate the college.”

Cendejas believes that keeping a connection with the college is important because it means helping with the future of the college.

“Those that cared for you during your college career were made up of not just faculty, but those who chose to stay connected, the alumni,” he said. “They all invested in you in one way or another and helped shape you into the person you are today. By staying connected, one is given many opportunities to do the same and invest in others.”

Morningside’s art and photography clubs have joined together to host a public art sale.

Works available for purchase include paintings, drawings, photos, crafts and other items created by students. Also included are ceramics by John Bowitz and Hahn Shufro.

The art sale is taking place yesterday and today until 9 p.m. in the lobby of  Eppley Auditorium, 3625 Garretson Ave.

Alongside the art sale, the photo club hosted an open house and tea party on Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Longfellow School. Longfellow was transformed into an Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter with various photography props and backgrounds. On display were images from photo club members.

Here’s the answer to last month’s trivia question.  The quote: “Subject to editorial fallibility, the best will be printed”  appeared in the 1938 issue of The Manuscript. Today it is called The Kiosk.

Congratulations to Tasha Lechtenberg, Patricia Nieland, Allison Larson, Bette Day Stern, Lynne Boulden and Nicole Knowles.

Here’s this month’s trivia question. This was the only instructional building completed before 1900 in the Morningside College Historical District. What was it originally identified as and what is its name today?

The first 10 individuals with correct answers will be given a prize.