2008 Woodie Awards
Lakeland's Convocations: Behind the scenes
How convocations are chosen, and why they re changing
Dino Mujakovic
Issue date: 12/10/03 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
This year's convocation committee includes eight faculty/staff members, one student representative and two non-faculty/staff members.
In previous years, the number of convocations was larger in comparison to the past year and this year. The committee decided to bring in acts that would attract more interest from students. In the committee's opinion, a smaller number of speakers and performers of a higher quality is better than more convocations that will not capture the interest of the students.
When deciding which guests will perform at Lakeland, the committee must fulfill the criteria of the Liberal Arts Division. The program needs to be well rounded, and the calendar needs to be considered, deciding which speaker would be the best at what time of the year.
"The agencies of the guest speakers usually contact us, and we decide who would be the best for us. Individual committee members also have their contacts .... But a lot of mail comes from the agencies," Dr. Arthur Johnson, head chair of the committee, stated.
Before convocations of a higher quality occur, smaller convocations with related background information are held to prepare the students for these major events.
"An example would be the convocations before Keb Mo," stated Committee Secretary Dr. Stephanie Danner.
The purpose of the convocations is to provide cultural events not only for the students, faculty and staff members, but also our larger community.
"It has been taken in consideration that we (the committee members) would go to Freshman Studies classes and talk about the purpose of the convocations," Danner stated.
This year's convocations have been chosen by last year's committee. The current members of the committee always decide on the convocations for the upcoming year.
The convocation committee is experiencing a problem this year with lack of student interest.
"Sleeping in convocations is disrespectful to the speaker. Students should try to find something useful in the convocations. We didn't require it to torture the students. The reason for the convocation is that students who graduate from a liberal arts college are supposed to have a well rounded knowledge about fine arts, music and others."
This upcoming semester, there will be two events in the Fine Arts Series, four speakers and six band concerts and plays. The band concerts and plays are also considered for convocation credit.
For next year, there are already some reservations made. Two authors presented during the Great Lakes Writers Festival in Sheboygan will hold a convocation at Lakeland College.
The committee is always looking for feedback from the students. In fact there is a student representative chair. If any student would like to share his or her opinion or suggest a guest speaker or a theme, please contact any members of the committee, including Dr. Arthur Johnson, Dr. Stephanie Danner, Dr. Eugene Bechen, Reverend David Lauer, William Weidner and Denise Presnell-Weidner.
In previous years, the number of convocations was larger in comparison to the past year and this year. The committee decided to bring in acts that would attract more interest from students. In the committee's opinion, a smaller number of speakers and performers of a higher quality is better than more convocations that will not capture the interest of the students.
When deciding which guests will perform at Lakeland, the committee must fulfill the criteria of the Liberal Arts Division. The program needs to be well rounded, and the calendar needs to be considered, deciding which speaker would be the best at what time of the year.
"The agencies of the guest speakers usually contact us, and we decide who would be the best for us. Individual committee members also have their contacts .... But a lot of mail comes from the agencies," Dr. Arthur Johnson, head chair of the committee, stated.
Before convocations of a higher quality occur, smaller convocations with related background information are held to prepare the students for these major events.
"An example would be the convocations before Keb Mo," stated Committee Secretary Dr. Stephanie Danner.
The purpose of the convocations is to provide cultural events not only for the students, faculty and staff members, but also our larger community.
"It has been taken in consideration that we (the committee members) would go to Freshman Studies classes and talk about the purpose of the convocations," Danner stated.
This year's convocations have been chosen by last year's committee. The current members of the committee always decide on the convocations for the upcoming year.
The convocation committee is experiencing a problem this year with lack of student interest.
"Sleeping in convocations is disrespectful to the speaker. Students should try to find something useful in the convocations. We didn't require it to torture the students. The reason for the convocation is that students who graduate from a liberal arts college are supposed to have a well rounded knowledge about fine arts, music and others."
This upcoming semester, there will be two events in the Fine Arts Series, four speakers and six band concerts and plays. The band concerts and plays are also considered for convocation credit.
For next year, there are already some reservations made. Two authors presented during the Great Lakes Writers Festival in Sheboygan will hold a convocation at Lakeland College.
The committee is always looking for feedback from the students. In fact there is a student representative chair. If any student would like to share his or her opinion or suggest a guest speaker or a theme, please contact any members of the committee, including Dr. Arthur Johnson, Dr. Stephanie Danner, Dr. Eugene Bechen, Reverend David Lauer, William Weidner and Denise Presnell-Weidner.