The University of Evansville will hold a 48th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1977 Plane Crash on Friday, December 12 at 12:00 p.m.—a day early this year, as the 13th falls on a Saturday. The ceremony will be held at Memorial Plaza on the UE campus. The order of service will include remarks from University of Evansville President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.

On December 13, 1977, Air Indiana Flight 216 crashed shortly after takeoff from the Evansville airport. All on board died in the crash or from crash-related injuries, including the University of Evansville basketball team and coaches, two fans, five members of the UE staff, and the flight crew.

During Friday’s commemoration, the UE Interfaith Peace Bell will be rung 29 times—once for each of those who perished—followed by a moment of silence and peace in remembrance.

Join an innovative, hands-on course that blends sustainability, health, and community impact.
Students will help launch UE’s new vertical aeroponic container farm—addressing food insecurity, promoting nutrition education, and advancing sustainable food systems.

🤝 Work alongside faculty mentors, community partners, and Chartwells Dining.
💡 Develop skills in urban agriculture, social enterprise, and changemaking leadership.
💰 Federal Work-Study eligible | 📚 0–3 credit hours

Be part of the team transforming how we grow, learn, and live.

Learn more (rs262@evansville.edu) or register today.

Join us for Thursday Night Throw Down, a fun and relaxed four-week pottery workshop designed for adults of all skill levels. Whether you are brand new to clay or looking to build on your existing experience, this hands-on class offers the perfect creative outlet.

Under the instruction of Drs. Kristina and Cris Hochwender, you’ll learn essential techniques in:

• Hand building
• Wheel throwing
• Glazing and surface design

Students will complete several projects during the workshop and leave with finished pieces they have created themselves. Experienced potters are welcome to work at their own pace with guidance and support from the instructors.

Space is limited to 12 participants to ensure personalized attention.

Date: Thursdays, February 19, February 26, March 5, and March 19 
Time: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. 
Location: Art Annex on Lincoln and Weinbach Avenues

Registration https://www.evansville.edu/centerforlearning/professional-development.cfm

Come celebrate the season and enjoy the festive decorations across campus!
Everyone is welcome to attend and vote for your favorite display.

Dates & Times:
December 9, 10, and 11
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
(Student Affairs Suite will close at 3:30 PM on December 11)

Open House Schedule

December 9

• Marketing Department – 2nd Floor SOBA
• School of Education – 3rd Floor Graves
• School of Health Sciences – 2nd Floor Graves
• Engineering and Computer Science – 2nd Floor Koch
• Biology – 2nd Floor Koch

December 10

• Olmsted Hall
• President’s Office – 2nd Floor
• Fiscal Affairs – 2nd Floor
• Student Financial Services – 1st Floor
• HR/Title IX – 1st Floor
• Catie Taylor’s Office – Admissions Office, 1st Floor

December 11

• Ridgway University Center Student Affairs Suite
• Dean of Students
• Center for Student Engagement / International Student Services
• Counseling and Disability Services
• Residence Life
• Career Services

Don’t forget to vote!
Scan the QR code at each location to cast your vote for the best holiday display.

ECTE, in collaboration with the AI Committee (Education Subcommittee), the Assessment Committee, and Academic Affairs, will host the 2nd Annual Spring Faculty Conference on Thursday, January 8, 2026 in SOBA 162. This year’s conference will feature two interactive, hands-on workshops designed to support and enrich our teaching and assessment practices.

RSVP is required no later than Friday, December 12, at 5 PM: https://forms.office.com/r/AdL3KgMrZv. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to registrants.

Conference Schedule:

I. AI Workshop – Led by Dr. Hector Will Pinto (Dept. of Electrical Engineering)

• When: 8:30–11:30 AM
• Where: SOBA 162 (Harkness Hall)
• Title: Ctrl+Alt+Teach: Rebooting Pedagogy for the AI Age
• Description: This seminar/workshop moves beyond the hype to address the real challenges and opportunities AI presents for faculty. We'll directly tackle the growing sense of “AI fatigue,” openly discuss nuanced uses and abuses by both students and instructors, and explore how AI aligns with our core teaching philosophies. From there, the session shifts from theory to practice, offering prompting strategies that help participants harness AI as both a thought partner and a productivity engine.
• Itinerary:
  • 8:30–9:20 AM – The AI Landscape: A Field Guide to Uses & Abuses
  • 9:30–10:15 AM – Panel: AI or Teaching Philosophy?
  • 10:15–10:30 AM – Break
  • 10:30–11:30 AM – Workshop: Beyond the Chat — Delegating to Your AI Agents

Lunch: 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

II. Assessment Workshop – Led by Dr. Shari Millikan (Faculty Director of Assessment | School of Education) and the Assessment Committee

• When: 12:15–2:00 PM
• Where: Start in SOBA 162; breakout sessions in SOBA 172 & 173
• Title: Beyond HLC: Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement
• Description: Our HLC visit may be behind us, but our assessment journey continues! This interactive workshop will focus on sustaining a culture of ongoing improvement. We’ll walk through the Academic Assessment & Continuous Improvement Cycle and review key elements of the Annual Update Form, Assessment Plan, and Assessment Report. Attendees will then break into small groups based on where their programs currently are in the assessment cycle to share insights, ask questions, and collaborate on next steps.

Everyone is invited to the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Graduation Ceremony on Saturday December 13, 2025 to honor 16 students in the class of 2025. The ceremony will begin at 11a.m. in Shanklin Theatre. No tickets are required. For those who cannot attend in-person, the ceremony will also be live streamed at www.evansville.edu/live.</span></p>

The UE Holiday Ceramics Sale returns to the Melvin Peterson Gallery, with new items each day.

Tuesday, DEC. 9, 12-4

Friday, DEC. 12, 12-6

Saturday, DEC. 13, 12-4

All items are hand crafted on campus and are priced for holiday gift giving.

Clark Kimberling, Professor of Mathematics at UE, recently published scores and recordings of his "72 Christmas Carols Arranged for Flute and Piano in Six Books."  Probably the largest collection of its kind, as most collections include fewer than 50 carols, the scores are downloadable from the Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP): https://imslp.org/wiki/72_Christmas_Carols_(Kimberling%2C_Clark). For recordings, go to https://imslp.org/wiki/72_Christmas_Carols_(Kimberling%2C_Clark)#Recordings and click on "Performances". The recordings were made at UE in Wheeler Concert Hall with Professors Leanne Hampton and Anne Fiedler on flute and piano, and Charles Du Preez, recording engineer.

As a reminder, Winter Intersession billing is due no later than December 11 at 4pm.  For more information on Winter Intersession please visit https://www.evansville.edu/registrar/wintersessions.cfm.

Payment in full is required to ensure enrollment.  If you have any question or concerns, please contact the cashier's office at 812-488-2565.  - Office of Student Financial Service

As we finish the semester and head into the holidays, Facilities is pleased to share our final newsletter of the year: Link Here: https://www.evansville.edu/offices/facilities/foundations-2025-12.cfm Inside, you’ll find:

• A Letter from the Assistant Director with a brief recap of the year and winter priorities.

• Our New Custodial Partner, FMS, and what their transition means for campus.

• Holiday Help Desk reminders for submitting work orders before break.

• New Faces joining the Facilities team.

• Utility Conservation Tips to help save energy during the break.

• A Maintenance Update on current operations and upcoming improvements.

Thank you for your support throughout the year. We wish everyone a safe and restful holiday season!

— Facilities Management Team

This year, the division of student affairs is hosting a Toy Drive for the YWCA.    YWCA Evansville works to transform the lives of the women and children by providing safe housing, case management, mentoring and support as they work to reach their full potential. The organization supports children through multiple programs, including Domestic violence shelter and outreach services, Emergency shelter, YES! (YWCA Embracing Sobriety) residential recovery program, and Live Y'ers after-school and mentoring program for vulnerable youth. Join us in making a difference in the lives of the children of the YWCA this year through spreading holiday cheer!   Please bring gently used or new toys for all ages to the entrance of the Student Affairs Suite  (Ridgway 2nd floor) beginning Thursday, December 4^th through Friday, December 12^th .    Please contact Shelby Bartholome (sg293@evansville.edu) if you have any questions. Thanks!

We’re excited to announce a new streamlined disposal workflow. This updated process is designed to reduce paperwork and improve efficiency.

Effective immediately, please submit requests thru the Property Disposal workflow under Admin Services.

http://workflow.evansville.edu/

Beginning Friday, December 5, all official transcript requests will be held until final grades for the fall term have been verified. Unofficial transcripts will still be available through Self-Service.

December graduates should select “Hold for Degree" when ordering a transcript. Once final grades are verified and degrees are conferred, official transcript orders will be processed.

Make the most of your Winter Break by earning credits in just a few weeks. Whether you need to catch up, get ahead, or lighten your Spring 2026 course load, it's a smart way to stay on track!

Course Dates: December 12, 2025 – January 9, 2026
One Course Limit: Focus on one class and finish it before spring begins
Registration Opens: Monday, October 27, 2025 (during Spring 2026 registration)

Learn more about Winter Intersession

Don’t let winter pass you by — use it to get one step closer to graduation!

Flu shots are available at the student health center!

Students can receive their flu vaccines for $15 paid by credit/debit card: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, no appointment necessary.

Help keep our campus community healthy this flu season and receive your flu vaccines!

Please take this survey for my senior research methods class if you are a sports fan.

https://forms.gle/vvNWNSPmY28pQDwg6

Harlaxton College is pleased to be accepting applications to teach at the Manor in Summer 2027, Fall 2027, and Spring 2028.   These applications are online and can be found by clicking https://pursueharlaxton.evansville.edu/register/teach-with-harlaxton.

Applications are due for Summer 2027 on December 15^th, 2025.
Applications for Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 are due on April 1, 2026.

Summer Applicants:

There are two summer semesters at Harlaxton. A two-and-a-half-week session that focuses on STEM and a four-and-a-half-week session that focuses on arts and humanities. Faculty can apply to teach one course either of these terms. You can see the summer 2026 schedule as an example here- Summer Sessions at Harlaxton | Harlaxton.

Once courses are approved, we will recruit for these courses and then decide which course will finally run based on enrollment of students. These decisions are made in late January of the year of the program.    If your course does run in the summer session at Harlaxton, salary will be paid $500 per student enrolled in your class.   In the summer, there are no funds for airfare, and family members pay for their own accommodation and meals. Fees for room and board for a spouse may be waived if there are 10 or more students enrolled in your class. Faculty and families will also be invoiced for health and transportation fees at the Manor for each member of the family and the faculty member. These fees are approximately $300 per person.

Semester Applicants:
Semester benefits include room and board for family members at Harlaxton.   Faculty members who wish to bring children and enroll them in the local schools will be assisted in the visa process but will be required to pay any fees for the visa.  These fees are currently approx. $1500 per person, and visas are required for every person in the family.   Faculty and families will also be invoiced for health and transportation fees at the Manor for each member of the family and the faculty member.  These fees are approximately $400 per person.

Teaching at Harlaxton is a wonderful experience, and we welcome faculty members for a phenomenal summer or semester abroad.  If you have questions about teaching at Harlaxton and the experience overall, please feel free to email me at hc110@evansville.edu.

KANSAS CITY – The University of Evansville men's soccer team was well-represented on the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team, with Martin Wurschmidt (Stavern, Norway/Thor Heyerdahl VGS) and Andres Escudero (San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain/IES Joan Miro) earning Second Team All-Region honors, the organization announced on Tuesday. Wurschmidt and Escudero were two of seven MVC players selected for All-West Region teams, while the Aces were the only Valley team with multiple All-Region selections.

Wurschmidt was named Evansville's third-ever MVC Defensive Player of the Year this season and the first since Robby Lynch in 2010, in addition to earning First Team All-Conference honors. Wurschmidt was a mainstay on the Evansville back line this season as the only Purple Aces field player to play all 1,800 minutes. As a unit, the Evansville defense limited conference opponents to a league-low .71 goals per game during regular season play, including four shutouts. Wurschmidt was also a threat on the offensive end of the pitch, going a perfect three-for-three from the penalty spot while adding an assist for a total of seven points.

Escudero continued Evansville's legacy of standout freshman this season, scoring a team-leading 11 goals. He became the fourth Purple Ace to be named MVC Freshman of the Year since 2020 and the fifth in the last eight seasons, in addition to receiving First Team All-MVC and All-Freshman Team accolades. His goal total was good for second among all freshmen in the country, while he was one of two freshmen in the country with four braces this season. Escudero also earned MVC All-Tournament Team laurels after notching a brace in a 4-1 semifinal win over UIC.

ST. LOUIS – Following a record-setting performance at Western Kentucky, University of Evansville senior Connor Turnbull has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week.

Highlighting the last week of action for Turnbull was a school record nine blocks in Saturday’s game at Western Kentucky. He passed the previous Purple Aces mark of eight, which was done on three occasions, most recently by Egidijus Mockevicius in 2014. His tally was the most by a player in the MVC since 2013 and was the second-highest total in an NCAA contest this season.

Turnbull came within striking distance of a triple double against the Hilltoppers. He added 17 points and 8 rebounds to his 9 blocks. He was on the floor for a career-high 35:34 and knocked down a pair of triples.

Wednesday’s win over Ball State saw the senior pick up the second double-double of his career with 21 points and 10 boards. He also recorded five blocks in just over 29 minutes of work.

He finished the week averaging 20.0 points, 9.0 boards, and 7.0 blocks per game. With a total of 14 blocks in the last two games, Turnbull has moved to 6^th in the NCAA in both total blocks (26) and blocks per game (2.89).

The University of Evansville (UE) is pleased to announce that it has received a $35,000 grant from the William E. Schmidt Foundation, continuing a longstanding partnership that has strengthened the University's music and opera programs for more than two decades.

The William E. Schmidt Foundation has supported UE and its music programs since 1998 and has provided dedicated support for the University's opera program since 2006. This latest grant will fund UE opera productions, community outreach efforts centered on music and opera, and scholarships within the UE Music Conservatory.

"The Schmidt Foundation has played a transformational role in advancing vocal performance and opera at the University of Evansville," said Dr. Alanna Keenan, Associate Professor of Music at UE. "Their generosity helps our students develop as artists while bringing high-quality performance experiences to the broader community."

Under the artistic direction of Dr. Keenan, with additional guidance from Dr. Dennis Malfatti and Dr. Gregory Rike, UE Opera has flourished as a dynamic force in the field of opera, enriching the lives of students and fostering a deep appreciation for the arts within the community. The Schmidt Foundation's grant will empower the program to continue its legacy of excellence and expand its community reach.

UE's opera program offers performance opportunities, professional-level training, and community engagement experiences that help students develop their artistic craft. The continued support of the Schmidt Foundation ensures that UE can remain a regional leader in developing the next generation of vocal artists.

The William E. Schmidt Foundation provided grant funding to UE Opera in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

For more information about the UE Opera and upcoming performances or to contact the Music Conservatory, please click here.