SPJ awards many accolades to Kent State media

Kent State publications won numerous Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Regional Awards.

The Daily Kent Stater won second place in the best overall newspaper category. Fusion won first place in the best overall magazine category, Uhuru won second place and the Burr won third place. Fusion won first place in the best online magazine category and the Burr won second place.

The official announcement of the awards will be April 23.

University students did well in the individual writing categories. Beth Rankin won first place in editorial writing and second place in spot news, Kurt Snyder won second place in the sports column category and Liz Buckley won third place in column writing. Jennifer Farquhar won third place in overall sports writing and Danielle Toth won an honorable mention for general news. In the non-fiction writing category, Lindsay Gebhart won first place and Mike Klesta won third place.

In the photo division, Molly Corfman won first place in the feature photography and photo illustration categories. Both Liz Ferraro and Gerry Jazeck won third place in the photo illustration category.

Steven Harbaugh, editor of the Spring 2004 Burr, editor of the Fall 2004 Fusion and current religion and culture reporter for the Stater, said he was pleased with the outcome of the awards.

“I think it’s a great accomplishment for those who work in student media and those in the journalism department,” Harbaugh said.

—Adria Barbour

Concert offers audiences variety of dance forms

Diversity and culture are high priorities for the Kent State School of Theatre and Dance as they present “In Concert 2005.” The production by the Kent Dance Ensemble represents a variety of dance forms.

Guest artists scheduled to perform include Cliff Keuter, internationally renowned dancer and choreographer. He has done work with Martha Graham and many other historic experts of modern dance. Other guests include Robin Pettersen and Shannon Preto, Kent State alumna. Faculty members also on the program include Melanie George, Kimberly Karpanty and Barbara Allegra Verlezza.

Program selections range from jazz music, multimedia work and music by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

George provides the dance form of jazz for the production. The music selection is by Billie Holiday and Charles Mingus, which includes a considerable amount of improvisation and the student’s own personal style.

“The Kent State dance department has a very diverse repertoire, and the department requested this be included,” George said.

The university’s dancers provide diversity as well. Verlezza’s piece features a “sit-down” dancer in a wheelchair, as well as two traditional “stand-up” dancers. Verlezza also gives Katie Bliss, an 11th-grade student from Cuyahoga Falls High School, the spotlight as a guest performer in Verlezza’s piece, “Triptych.”

The rest of the 12-member ensemble features students from the dance performance and the dance education programs at Kent State.

The concert opens tonight at 8 p.m. with other opportunities to attend the performance at 8 p.m. tomorrow and a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday in the E. Turner Stump Theatre.

Tickets are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, Kent State faculty and alumni; $8 for students and $7 for groups of 10 or more. For reservations or additional information, call the School of Theatre and Dance box office at (330) 672-2497.

—Carissa Bowlin

Deadline to sign up for intramural softball is Saturday

It’s one of Kent State’s most popular intramural sports and it’s filling up fast. It’s slow-pitch softball — and tomorrow is the last day to register teams for the upcoming season.

Cost is $50 per team and the first day of play is April 4. Games are held on the four fields located at the Allerton Sports Complex.

“There’s three different leagues, women’s, men’s and co-rec,” said Dustin Lent, graduate assistant for intramural sports. “Softball season is a great opportunity to meet new people and come and have fun outside.”

Games are played Monday through Thursday nights, depending on the league. Teams play a double-header once a week for three weeks. Therefore, each team is guaranteed six games.

Following the regular season, a single-elimination tournament is held. The team with the best record in the regular season gets first choice for when they want to play their first tournament game.

“I’m estimating that between the three leagues, we will have 65-70 teams,” Lent said. “The co-rec league tends to be more popular than the other two and we already have a lot of teams signed-up for it.”

Teams are responsible for providing all necessary equipment, except softballs.

To get in on the competition and fun, call the intramural department at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center at (330) 672-0487.

— Tanika Snyder

Rec center to celebrate sixth anniversary party

Games, events, food, activities, fun and prizes — the perfect party, and it’s completely free.

The Student Recreation and Wellness Center will host its annual anniversary event tomorrow from noon to 6 p.m.

The anniversary celebration will feature a magic show, a Mad Science performance, face painting, demo classes, which are free tryouts of classes offered by the rec, and much more.

“We want to encourage the community to get involved with the university, and this is a good way to do it,” said Jason Hawk, special events coordinator for the rec center. “We are also trying to incorporate things that students would want to do, like extreme dodgeball and the hot shots competition. There’ll be a variety of things to do.”

One of the specialties for this year’s anniversary is a live performance by Radio Disney in which all children attending will receive a free gift. Other prizes up for grabs throughout the day include gift certificates, T-shirts and a chance to win two Apple iPod Shuffles.

Between playing games and eating cake, guests of the anniversary event also can donate blood. The American Red Cross will host a blood drive in the rec center’s seminar rooms from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I think the anniversary event helps to build stronger relationships with the community and our existing members, as well as area businesses,” Hawk said. “Just come and have fun, we’re inviting anyone and everyone.”

—Tanika Snyder