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Events Spring 2024

Commencement Celebration Party

May 11 at 7 p.m.
McGriff Alumni House tent

The Associated Alumni invites you to a Commencement Celebration Party honoring the Class of 2024. Live music by The Answer Band and celebration fireworks at 9 p.m.! Come celebrate with families, students, and faculty members at this popular tradition.

Voice Recital, Gabriel Rice, C'24

May 6 at 5 p.m.
St. Luke's Chapel

Come listen to senior vocalist and baritone Gabriel Rice, for Der Friede sei mit dir. A culmination of voice studies, the program presents a diverse collection of works exploring the genres of opera, oratorio, and art song. With Dr. Kenneth Miller, piano and organ, and the Schola Cantorum of the School of Theology. Featuring Sonny Bowers, violin, and Ellanna Swope, voice.

Coffee & Crunch Time

May 3 at 2 p.m.
duPont Library, Main Lobby

Library Information and Technology Services is providing coffee along with sweet treats, savory snacks, and fruit to get you through your finals!

Deans' Senior Reception

May 2 at 9 a.m.
Gray Terrace, Biehl Commons

Please join us in celebrating the Class of 2024! The Dean of the College
and the Dean of Students want to celebrate graduating seniors. Enjoy some light refreshments with senior students, faculty, and staff!

Glazing a History: The Narthex Windows of All Saints' Chapel, 1957-1960

April 29 at 5 p.m.
Convocation Hall

By means of the Roberson Project website, "Glazing a History" will now offer five video conversations considering the visual argument made by these windows, and their choices and omissions. We will introduce the website resource, screen a selection from the video conversations, and leave time for Q&A with the production team: Dr. Shelley MacLaren, Dr. Woody Register, and David Syler. 

 

Musical Theatre Scenes Performance

April 29 at 7 p.m.
Guerry Auditorium

The students of MUSC 255: Workshop for the Singing Actor present an evening of musical theatre scenes and solos! Featuring excerpts from Little Women, Guys and Dolls, The Mad Ones, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and The Bridges of Madison County, with Vicki Collinsworth, piano. Free and open to the public.

Voice Recital: Katy Mae Elder, C'24

April 28 at 3 p.m.
St. Luke's Chapel

Homebound is a recital that plays with the concepts of leaving home, finding it again, and realizing that home can be found in the people you love. A variety of music is displayed in the program, ranging from country to musical theater and from poetic folk to soul. Enjoy this recital celebrating our Sewanee home and the community organizations that support it. With Vicki Collinsworth, piano, and student guests.

 

Vocalist Victor Esparza C'24 presents "Love Like You"

April 27 at 3 p.m.
St. Luke's Chapel

A recital about love in all its beauty and horror. This musical journey reminds us that from its birth til its inevitable end, love somehow manages to forever be. With Vicki Collinsworth, piano; Sparrow Womack, violin; and Natalie Huckabay, voice.

Sewanee Symphony Orchestra and University Choir Concert

April 26 at 7:30 p.m.
All Saints' Chapel

Collaborating together, the SSO and UC will present a captivating selection of choruses from Handel’s Messiah, promising an unforgettable musical experience. Additionally, the program will showcase masterpieces by renowned composers Jean Sibelius and León Boëllmann.

 

Farm to Table

April 26 at 5 p.m.
Manigault Park

A celebration of community, culinary delights, and local treasures. This year is particularly special with farm-fresh bison, local venison, mushrooms from Midway, fresh veggies from the farm, local brews courtesy of Shenanigans, and a band, Drivetrain, from Lewisburg, Tennessee. More than 20 local crafters will be set up to sell their goodies. 

McCrady Lecture: Students, Global Literature, and the Idea of the University

April 26 at 1 p.m.
Blackman Auditorium

In this lecture, Dr. Anne Gulick will draw on African literature to probe the value of knowledge we gain from crisis, instability, and experience. A global pandemic, social movements driven by young people, and the financial burdens that a university education entails in the 2020s trouble the assumption that town and gown, real world and campus, surviving and analyzing, are easily separable from each other. This talk invites students to explore the range and meaning of their own intellectual experiences in a tumultuous era: What do we know that others don’t and couldn’t? And how might that knowledge help us imagine the goal of research and the university differently?

Senior Art Majors C'24 Longing and Belonging

April 26 at 10 a.m.
Convocation Hall

The University Art Gallery proudly presents the thesis work of senior art majors Timothy Cook at 10 a.m., Calley Doyle at 10:30 a.m., and George Meng at 11 a.m. Together, their work explores distance, displacement, longing, and—most importantly—a shared effort to locate oneself and find a place—a place in the landscape to which to return, a place in history, a place that feels like home, a place of belonging.

 

First Annual Capstone Reading

April 22 at 6 p.m.
Convocation Hall

This public reading of fiction and poetry by Sewanee's creative writing majors is open to the public. We hope you can come out and help us celebrate our wonderful students. 

Voice Recital: The Nature of Things

April 21 at 3 p.m.
St. Luke's Chapel

An ode to how nature can describe and be described through music. Shelton Griffith, C’24, soprano, with Vicki Collinsworth, piano, and Eliza Warnock, voice

Earth Day 2024 e-Cycling Event

April 20, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Next to Mountain Goat Trailhead

Get rid of your old electronic clutter. If it has batteries or plugs into the wall, bring it in. Join us in saving the planet.

"Tilda Swinton Betrayed Us" by A. Rey Pamatmat

April 16-20 at 7:30 p.m.
Angel Park, Downtown Sewanee

A play about race, identity, and celebrity fan clubs, directed by Olivia Millwood, C'24. A sharp political comedy about a fan club that's torn apart when their favorite actor chooses to accept a role originally written for an Asian actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bring your own chair or blanket!

"Far East Deep South" Screening & Talk Back with Director Baldwin Chiu

April 16 at 7 p.m.
Naylor Auditorium

Chiu's movie elevates the contributions of early Chinese immigrants to the mid-South following the Civil War and also sheds light on the complex racial history of the Mississippi Delta. 

14th Annual Sewanee Monologues

April 15 at 7 p.m.
Guerry Auditorium

We encourage any and all Sewanee students, faculty, staff, and community members to send monologues to bairnwickwc@gmail.com by April 7! This event allows participants to share their stories and experiences with the Sewanee community, from serious to funny. Students and community members can read their own monologue or have their piece performed anonymously.

2024 Edible Books Festival

April 15, 2-4 p.m.
duPont Library Lobby

Where the worlds of books and food collide in creative and delicious ways.  Create an edible work of art inspired by your favorite book or author. Entries may be made from anything edible (cake, bread, crackers, gelatin, fruit, vegetables, candy, etc.) as long as it can be displayed for a few hours without spoiling or melting. Please bring your food contest entries to the main lobby of duPont Library between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Participation is open to all members of the Sewanee community.

Sewaneroo 2024

April 13 at 3 p.m.
Georgia Avenue

Sewaneroo—Sewanee's annual day-long music festival—is almost here! Featuring Moon Taxi, J.Y. Elliott, Petey and the Brofish, Thomas Sartor, and The Tilts.

Spring Vocal Showcase

April 12 at 7 p.m.
Guerry Auditorium

The Spring Vocal Showcase is back! Join the Sewanee Voice Studios on April 12 for an evening of vocal music excellence. From musical theater and opera to pop, rock, soul, and jazz, there is something for everyone in this popular semi-annual concert! Performers Katy Mae Elder, George Meng, Victor Esparza, JT Jenkins, Mohana Buckley, Harrison Best, Shelton Griffith, Asha Tharakan, Kate White, Makayla Williams, Ruthie Rhodes, Abby Nunley, Kourtni Hamilton, Arden Gipson, Alyssa Fair, Erica Wright, Eliza Warnock, Ellanna Swope, CeCe Yarbrough, Gabriel Rice, Michaela James-Thrower, Marina Sherlock, Victoria Ryan, Kate Wolfe, A.J. Jacobs, and pianist Vicki Collinsworth.

Senior Art Majors C'24 Opening Reception

April 12 at 5 p.m.
Guerry Lobby and University Art Gallery

Celebrate senior art majors Timothy Cook, Calley Doyle, and George Meng, and their exhibition Longing and Belonging. Together their work explores distance, displacement, longing, and—most importantly—a shared effort to locate oneself and find a place—a place in the landscape to which to return, a place in history, a place that feels like home, a place of belonging.

The Sewanee Review Presents Spring Open House

April 11 at 4:30 p.m.
Saints' Rest Lawn
Rain Location: Convocation Hall

The Sewanee Review will host an open house featuring two writers at the forefront of contemporary American letters. Stephanie Danler, author of the bestselling novel Sweetbitter and memoir Stray, and Cindy Juyoung Ok, author of Ward Toward and 2023 winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets, will join us for a reading and conversation, with a reception to follow. Books will be available for purchase.

Navigating Free Expression and Campus Inclusion: A Dinner & Dialogue Special Event

April 9 at 5:30 p.m.
Convocation Hall

We're bringing together our campus community for an engaging discussion on the importance of free expression while promoting campus inclusion. The conversation will occur in a comfortable and candid setting, where thoughts will be shared over complimentary dinner to create a casual environment. This event will provide a platform for students, faculty, and staff to share their perspectives and learn from one another. To broaden participation, we invite that “whoever comes brings someone who is not like them.”

Tiger Tuesday

April 9 

Today is Sewanee's eighth annual #TigerTuesday! A generous alumnus has challenged the Sewanee family to help us reach our #TigerTuesday goals. First, every gift will be matched dollar for dollar up to $500,000. On top of that, if the campaign reaches 2,500 donors, an additional $500,000 will be unlocked and added to our #TigerTuesday total. With your help, we can make this the biggest #TigerTuesday to date!

 

The Economics of Doing Good: Examining the Behaviour of Charities and their Donors

April 9 at 4:30 p.m.
Carnegie 001

Jonathan Oxley, from Georgia State University, explores why charities and their donors behave the way that they do. Have you ever wondered why charities operate the way that they do? Why billions of dollars can be raised annually, yet societal problems still persist? Why some people are incredibly generous while others are not? Gain insights and understanding on these questions and more by applying an economics framework to each of the problems. 

Faculty Jazz Ensemble

April 9 at 6:30 p.m.
St. Luke's Chapel

Nate Felty, drums • Erik Gustafson, vocals • Alec Newnam, bass • Prakash Wright, piano

It's an Eclipse Party

April 8 at 12:30 p.m.
The Quad

Don't miss Sewanee's Eclipse party in the Quad with hot dogs, pasta salad, Mars Bars, Moon Pies, and Milky Ways. Safe glasses for viewing the eclipse will be available.

Piano Recital Lindsay Whatley

April 7 at 3 p.m.
St. Luke's Chapel

The program features works by Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, and Kabalevsky.

"The Sacredness of Water" with Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre

April 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Convocation Hall

The lecture begins by exploring global Indigenous worldviews of water, specifically how it has its own "spirit" and its own agency. This worldview is then compared with a Eurocentric worldview based on the commodification of water. Free and open to the public

The Sewanee Performing Arts Series presents Randall Goosby with Zhu Wang

April 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Guerry Auditorium

Signed exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at the age of 24, Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship alongside his determination to make music more inclusive and accessible, as well as bringing the music of under-represented composers to light. Sewanee students, faculty, and staff receive one free ticket with a valid Sewanee ID. To redeem this ticket, simply present your valid Sewanee ID at the door of the event. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Perpetual Motion

March 29 at 7 p.m.
March 30 at 2 p.m.
Guerry Auditorium

Enjoy an evening of student-choreographed dance presented by Perpetual Motion, a student-led dance organization designed to give students with a wide range of dance experience an opportunity to perform a variety of unique styles. Student Choreographers: Talia de la Cruz, Izzy Grass, Kate White, Noelle Klitzke, Jamie Jenkins, Brooklyn Taylor, Stefen Rincon, Lara Georgia Guimaraes Noronha, Amelia Guarthreaux, Presley Zimkowski, Reagan Nash, Yazmin Ali, and Briana LaSanta.

REFLECTION OF MEMORIES: A SOLO EXHIBITION BY CALLEY DOYLE

March 29
Carlos Gallery

The Carlos Gallery in the Nabit Art Building is pleased to present Reflection of Memories, an exhibition of paintings and collages by student Calley Doyle. Using portraits from different years, this body of work condenses different versions of identity into the same space. The collection of old objects also communicates the passing of time throughout an individual’s life. 

Leadership Lessons: A TED Lasso Talk with Rondal Richardson, C'91

March 25 at 4 p.m.
Convocation Hall

An alumnus of the class of 1991, Richardson currently serves as the senior entertainment and donor services liaison at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Inspired by the character Ted Lasso from the popular TV series, Richardson sees profound parallels between Lasso's experiences and his own career journey. He aims to distill the show's impactful insights into his own leadership philosophy by intertwining clips of his favorite Ted Lasso leadership moments with stories of his own experiences.

The Babson Center for Global Commerce Welcomes Humphreys Entrepreneur-in-Residence Ted Dennard, C'89

March 28 at 4:30 p.m.
Torian Room, duPont Library

The founder and CEO of the Savannah Bee Company, Dennard is on a mission to educate people around the globe about the wonders of honeybees. Learn about his unconventional business model, based on the beehive, and hear about how his philosophy of doing what is best for everyone has launched his career as an entrepreneur, environmental steward, and master beekeeper.

Studying the Landscape: Observation, Conservation, and Restoration

Jan. 16 - Mar. 31 
University Art Gallery

The University Art Gallery is delighted to present Philip Juras’s Studying the Landscape: Observation, Conservation, and Restoration, on view in the University Art Gallery. Free and open to the public.

What is Beauty?

March 21 at 8 p.m.
McGriff Alumni House

Sewanee Night Owls, in collaboration with Sewanee Neurds, the Wick Activist Coalition, and the Philosophy Club presents, "What is Beauty?" with Leslie Todd (Art History), Hunter Swenson (Art), and Chris Shelley (Neuroscience). Sewanee Night Owls is a venue for informal, late-night discussions of interesting and controversial philosophical topics. Everyone is welcome to attend and no prior experience of philosophy is required. Email Mark Hopwood with any questions.

Ayohka: Bridging Cherokee Educational Pasts, Presents, and Futures

March 21 at 6 p.m.
Convocation Hall

Julie L. Reed, is the author of Serving the Nation: Cherokee Sovereignty and Social Welfare, 1800-1907. Her current book project is a history of Cherokee education, and she is also co-authoring a new history of the Cherokee Nation, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. She is a co-host of the blog Think Tsalagi and is a featured scholar in the new season of Native America by PBS.

Biehl Commons Dedication

March 17 at 5 p.m.
Biehl Commons

All are welcome for the dedication of Biehl Commons. Explore this exciting new space—including Gray Terrace overlooking Abbo's Alley. Enjoy the Kash Wright Trio. The Biehl Commons is located on the corner of University Avenue and South Carolina Avenue, across from All Saints' Chapel.

Sewanee Symphony Orchestra "Requiem"

March 3 at 3 p.m.
Guerry Auditorium

In a captivating sonic journey, the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra presents a harmonious tapestry woven with the timeless compositions of Igor Stravinsky, Camille Saint-Saëns, and José Pablo Moncayo.

A Streetcar Named Desire

March 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Tennessee Williams Center

All ticket reservations are now fully booked. If you'd like to see the show, come to the lobby of the TWC 30 minutes before showtime, and we'll put you on the waitlist. We can usually get between 10 and 25 additional audience members per performance in. This play contains depictions of sexual violence and is not recommended for children under 15 years old.

What (if anything) is rational about emotion?

Feb. 29 at 4:30 p.m.

McGriff Alumni House

This lecture with Matthew Congdon will explain and explore the limits of one of the most prominent ways of understanding the rationality of emotions today, namely, one that proceeds by way of an analogy between emotions and beliefs. The rationality of emotions runs deeper than the rationality of beliefs, playing a role of framing human experience, thereby opening up a world of evaluative significance for us in the first place.

 

Andra Gillespie "The Multiple Meanings of Racism"

Feb. 29 at 5 p.m.

Convocation Hall

Gillespie is an associate professor and director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference at Emory University.

Second Annual ADA Talk with Erica Hausler

Feb. 29 at 11 a.m.

McGriff Alumni House

This year, we welcome Erica Hausler, a disability advocate and educator from Chattanooga. Join us as we hear about Erica’s work in higher education, disability support, and her perspective as a disabled individual (dwarfism).

VOCES8

Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.

All Saints' Chapel

Hear VOCES8, a 2023 Grammy-nominated British vocal ensemble, in a concert celebrating the first 20 years of VOCES8! The program will feature the group's favorite and most often requested music from across the centuries. Tickets are available at the Performing Arts Series office, room 129, in Guerry Hall. Admission for the recital is $25 per person. Faculty, staff and students are able to attend for free. Everyone attending must have a ticket.

 

Voice Recital: Eliza Warnock and Ruthie Rhodes, C’25

Feb. 24 at 3 p.m.

St. Luke's Chapel

This program features a rich variety of styles and languages, ranging from Bach to The Music Man to Taylor Swift, showcasing the depth and breadth of the performers’ range. Enjoy pieces exploring the beauty and hardships of love and life. With Vicki Collinsworth, piano.

Paul Farber, "Monument Lab: Power and Participation in Public Art.”

Feb. 22 at 5 p.m.

Convocation Hall

Balancing the ideas of imprint and erasure, presence and absence, Paul Farber explores case studies in which campuses have challenged themselves to tackle complex legacies of injustice inscribed into public spaces and institutional frameworks. In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Farber will address issues of permanence, power, and participation in commemorative work.

Laurel Graefe, “Economic and Business Insights from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta”

Feb. 22 at 4:30 p.m.

Torian Room, duPont Library

Graefe, regional executive and senior officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will visit Sewanee to discuss the changes in workforce demographics and new worker preferences. She will show how the future of work in the Southeast has shifted and where it is going. 

Dinner and Dialogue

Feb. 21 at 5:15 p.m.

Convocation Hall

Join us for Dinner and Dialogue as we create community, spark connection, enjoy a tasty dinner, and engage in meaningful conversation about that which we hold dear at Sewanee. You’re invited to reflect with one another on the meaning of "Ecce Quam Bonum" (EQB) as a guiding aspiration for living in community at Sewanee.

RSVP by Monday, Feb 19.

Voice Recital: Michaela James-Thrower, C'24

Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.

St. Luke's Chapel

This is a recital about the instability of rediscovery. Analyzing lullabies as gifts, this performance explores the necessity of love in recovery. With Vicki Collinsworth, piano, and Samuel Grace-Conyers, voice.

 

The Intersection of Arts and Activism

Feb. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Naylor Auditorium

Barbara McAdams has crafted numerous professional and collegiate theatrical productions that center social justice and social change, including:
The Laramie Project (with Tectonic), #HereToo Project (Gun Violence Prevention youth activism at Western Washington Univ, Penn State and Columbia College Chicago), and others tackling topics from climate action, domestic violence, and equity, inclusion, and diversity.

Nashville Opera OUT LOUD!

Feb. 12 at 4:30 p.m.

Guerry Auditorium

A light and lively 30-minute recital introducing the great operatic repertoire. Meet four emerging professional opera singers as they bring to life the art form they love.  After the performance, the Nashville Opera Artists will take questions from the audience and unpack what the life of an opera singer is like. Free and open to the public.

Reflections on the Journey (so far) in Financial Services

Feb. 8 at 4:30 p.m.
The Torian Room, duPont Library

Simba Chakanyuka, C'18, vice president at BlackRock, will discuss his journey from Zimbabwe to Sewanee and the skills he acquired that launched him into a fascinating career at BlackRock. 

FAITH, RACE & THE LOST CAUSE: CONFESSIONS OF THE CONFEDERATE CHURCH

Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
Convocation Hall

Chris Graham will talk about some of the expected and unexpected findings about the way memorials and ideologies carry different meanings over time, turn into actions that people take, and perhaps even fade into the background for new generations. The lecture is free and open to the public. All are welcome.

So Long a Letter: Wrestling with Interracial Bonds and the Archive

Feb. 6 at 5 p.m.
Convocation Hall

Don’t miss this revealing presentation about a subject at the center of Sewanee’s history with slavery, race, and the Lost Cause campaign to whitewash the role of slavery in the American Civil War.

 

Sewanee MLK Day of Service

Feb. 3 at 9 a.m.
The Fowler Center

Gather in the Fowler Center for a community brunch at 9 a.m. followed by the service project at 10:30 a.m. In partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, participants work to build beds for children in our community who otherwise would not have a bed to sleep in. While this is a national organization, all of the beds we build together will stay in our local community. 

Spinoza in the South - A Lecture by John Jeremiah Sullivan

February 1 at 4:30 p.m.
Naylor Auditorium

The Center for Southern Studies invites you to a lecture by award-winning author John Jeremiah Sullivan entitled "Spinoza in the South: Notes Toward an Understanding of Christian Gottlieb Priber's Place in Western Intellectual History."

America's Real Sister Act

February 1 at 6 p.m.
Convocation Hall

In this lecture, Dr. Shannen Dee Williams will explore the story of America's real sister act: the story of how generations of Black women and girls called to the sacred vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience fought against racism, sexism, and exclusion to become and minister as consecrated women of God in the Roman Catholic Church. The lecture is free and open to the public. All are welcome. 

Sewanee Night Owls

February 1 at 8 p.m.
McGriff Alumni House

Is there a conflict between faith and reason? A conversation with Kati Curts (Department of Religious Studies), Jim Peters (Department of Philosophy) and Chris Silver (Department of Psychology). Sewanee Night Owls is a venue for informal, late-night discussions of interesting and controversial philosophical topics. Everyone is welcome to attend and no prior experience of philosophy is required. Email Mark Hopwood (mhopwood@sewanee.edu) with any questions.

 

The Poetics of Racial Healing

January 16 at 6:00 p.m.
Naylor Auditorium

The Sewanee Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center is pleased to announce a virtual collaboration, A Conversation with Clint Smith, to be held on The National Day of Racial Healing. Clint is a former National Poetry Slam champion and a recipient of the Jerome J. Shestack Prize from the American Poetry Review. To attend virtually, please register using the link below. You may also join us in Naylor Auditorium for an in-person "Viewing Party" with light refreshments.

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