Thanks in part to the power of friendship and the wonders of Facebook, the entire Georgetown community will have three opportunities to experience the “Faces of Change Tour” and voices of nine Maasai singers from Africa Sept. 1-2.

Former high school friends in Kenya Emily Brandon, Georgetown College’s Director of International Programs, and Nadine Feser, one of the tour leaders, made these free events happen:

• 11am, Tuesday (Sept. 1), John L. Hill Chapel
• 7pm, Tuesday (Sept. 1), John L. Hill Chapel
• 6:30 pm, Wednesday (Sept. 2), Georgetown Baptist Church

“We were good friends from 9th grade through our senior year; (Nadine) always had this level of enthusiasm that matched my own, and we always had a great time together,” Brandon said. “When she wrote to me on Facebook and asked if I might be able to schedule a performance or two in Kentucky, I jumped at the chance! At Rift Valley Academy, friends become like brothers and sisters, so the chance to catch up with a classmate is always an exciting opportunity, especially since we are spread all over the globe!”

Brandon, whose parents were working in Burundi, Central Africa during those high school years, has seen Maasai singing and dancing – although not this particular group. “I think the thing that is intriguing about the Maasai is that they have managed to keep their cultural identity and style so distinct, while some other tribes in Kenya are less immediately “identifiable” – they have adopted technologies that help their work – cell phones, for example – but their group identity is strong,” said Brandon ‘03, a former Fulbright Scholar at Georgetown. “When you see groups sing and dance, it is obvious that they are in sync and totally connected to one another. Also, their songs convey meaning and group values.”

Through the “Faces of Change Tour” presented by Pamoja Ministries, these Maasai singers are touring the U.S. to promote the “En-kata, A Time For Singing” photobook (www.en-kata.com), published by Pamoja Ministries. Sixty percent of all the proceeds of both the En-kata photobook and the tour go directly toward the construction and operation of a school in Orbili, Tanzania, according Jacob Mills, the tour manager.

For more on Pamoja Ministries and the tour, see their press release below.

For Immediate Release

Inspired Maasai Music and Dance Offers Unique Message of Hope and Transformation in Georgetown, KY

Nine Maasai Singers Will Share Traditional Music and Riveting Testimonies to Support School Construction in Maasailand

Georgetown, KY – Music and dance are woven into the very fabric of Maasai life – now hear the songs and testimonies of nine Maasai singers first hand as they share about life and faith and their deep desire to educate the children of their tribe. Through the “Faces of Change Tour” presented by Pamoja Ministries, these Maasai singers are touring the U.S. to promote the “En-kata, A Time For Singing” photobook (www.en-kata.com), published by Pamoja Ministries. “60% of all the proceeds of both the En-kata photobook and the tour go directly toward the construction and operation of a school in Orbili, Tanzania”, says Jacob Mills, the tour manager.

“This is an incredible opportunity to get a glimpse of the life of the Maasai, hear their heart, and contribute to the construction of a school in one of the most needy places on earth”, adds Jeremy Feser, Director of Operations at Pamoja. The choir will be singing and sharing locally at Georgetown College and Georgetown Baptist Church (see times, dates above).Admission is free.

The Maasai are among the most distinctive and well-known of ethnic African cultures. For centuries they have used music and dance to communicate and share truths throughout Maasai clans. “They sing about morality, health and spirituality,” says En-kata author Nadine Feser, “with everyone around gathering to listen, sing and dance the lessons with them.” In bringing their music and dance to the U.S., these Maasai are powerfully sharing the most precious thing they have to offer: their very selves. As Miss Feser declares: “What an incredible feeling to be surrounded by people singing to the same God that I worship, in a way so different from mine.”

Many in the Maasai community have embraced the freedom of the living God and recognized challenges in their traditional ways. The “En-kata, A Time For Singing” photobook is one effort to address these challenges. Produced with Pamoja Ministries, “En-kata” offers a vivid and colourful glimpse into the unique Maasai way of life. More importantly, this project will directly result in the construction and operation of a school for Maasai children – an educational opportunity that is virtually impossible for most of them to enjoy today.

About Pamoja Ministries: Pamoja Ministries (www.pamoja.info) has been discipling cultures through media for more than 20 years. Music, video, and writing all afford opportunities for shaping Godly world views, and Pamoja is at the leading edge, distributing music, filming movies, creating animations, distributing teaching material, and teaching leaders using dvd‑based curriculum. To learn more about the “Faces of Change Tour” or the “En-kata, A Time For Singing” photobook, visit www.en-kata.com.

Contacts:

Jacob Mills
Pamoja Ministries
225-978-2559
jacob@pamoja.info

By Tori Bachman-Johnson ‘12

The model for this Hannah Davis poster was Allison Damron ’09, who majored in English.

The Georgetown College campus can expect a rare treat on Thursday, September 10 – a daytime performance showcasing GC’s own talent. The Multimedia Faculty Recital features the vocals of professor Heather Hunnicutt accompanied by student Daniel Ng on (a brand new Steinway) piano performing “December Songs,” along with the photography of Hannah Davis. The Cultural Enrichment Program event – free and especially welcoming to the public – will take place at 11 am in John L. Hill Chapel.

The name of the game is accessibility. The student-friendly time, English-language repertoire, and casual mood (as opposed to the usual evening recital atmosphere, complete with Dr. Hunnicutt in an evening gown) make for a winning combination. Topping it all off is the photography of ‘09 graduate Hannah Davis, who is now in our Graduate Education program with an emphasis in Art. The former Art and Theatre double major, Davis took a series of 10 photos to correspond with and complement each of the 10 pieces that make up December Songs. These will be projected onto a screen during the performance.

“The young generation in our country tends to trust their eyes more than their ears,” Dr. Hunnicutt said. “The addition of this visual element will bring the music to life.”

While most audience members have likely never seen these two artistic disciplines paired together, the music may be familiar. Ng, a senior from Georgetown, and Dr. Hunnicutt performed four selections from “December Songs” in September 2008, which were enthusiastically received by the audience, leading Dr. Hunnicutt to consider programming the complete cycle. Then, while the Lyric Theatre Society was performing the opera “The Secret Marriage” in Honolulu last year, Dr. Hunnicutt approached Davis with the prospect of adding photography to the performance. Davis liked the idea, and with that, the multimedia recital was born.

The “December Songs” cycle by composer Maury Yeston could be described as a pop/classical/musical theatre crossover. The songs capture the metaphorical December of a relationship – its end and all the feelings that come with it, including anger, sorrow, devastation, and finally, hope. In the penultimate song in the cycle, “By the River,” the main character stands looking out at an icy river, contemplating jumping in as she imagines the river calling to her. She has moments of resolve, deciding that she won’t go through with it, but as the song ends, the audience is left to interpret for themselves what decision she ultimately makes.

The program is rounded out with three musical theatre selections of similar thematic content – “Once Upon a Dream” from Jekyll and Hyde, “Stars and the Moon” from Songs For a New World, and “Fine, Fine Line” from Avenue Q.

Hunnicutt and Ng expect the time to go over well with their target audience of students, staff and faculty, and that other groups may even follow suit, scheduling their concerts and performances during the daytime to attract a similar crowd. For example, after last year’s winter storm, the Spring Faculty Showcase was rescheduled from its typical Sunday afternoon time to a Tuesday morning, with great success. This year, the Sunday performance of this showcase will be followed by an encore performance on the following Tuesday at 11.

“I anticipate that within two years, every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 will be scheduled with a wide variety of CEP events,” said Hunnicutt.

Upcoming Fall Recitals

• Thursday, October 8, 8pm – Michael Fogler (Guitar)
• Friday, November 6, 8pm – Michael Cannon Junior Recital
• Friday, December 4, 8pm – Sable Floyd Junior Recital
• Monday, December 7, 7pm – Students of Voice Recital

Women's Basketball Head Coach Susan Johnson

Georgetown College Women’s basketball head coach Susan Johnson is among 15 selected for the NAIA 2009-10 Hall of Fame Class, it was announced Wednesday. Her induction is scheduled during the NAIA Division I women’s Basketball National Championship in Jackson, Tennessee, on March 16, 2010. The honor is the highest bestowed by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Individuals inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame must be persons of outstanding quality, high moral character, and fine leadership ability. They must also be held in high esteem by colleagues, coaches and athletes.

Coach Johnson has been serving Georgetown College with dedication, loyalty and passion since 1978. During her tenure, she has accumulated a record of 554-339 and has a long list of highlights throughout her career including 11 NAIA national tournament appearances and three Elite Eight finishes. Her teams have won six Mid-South Conference Championships, three KIAC Championships and three NAIA District/Regional Championships. Coach Johnson has been named the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year four times, the KIAC Coach of the Year three times and was given the NAIA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year Award in 1994.

In its announcement, the NAIA stated, “Coach Johnson has always shown a strong commitment to the mission and ideals of the NAIA and has been an outstanding ambassador and proponent for women’s athletics at Georgetown College and within the KIAC and Mid-South Conferences.”

In addition to her coaching duties, Johnson teaches in Georgetown College’s Kinesiology and Health Studies Department and serves as the president of the Kentucky Women’s Intercollegiate Consortium. She is also a member of the NAIA/WBCA Nominating Committee and is a former NAIA representative to the WBCA Board of Directors.

“The NAIA Hall of Fame recognizes the remarkable contributions of student-athletes, coaches, athletic administrators and longtime NAIA supporters,” said Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO. “The individuals that make up the 2009-10 class have made a considerable impact on intercollegiate athletics. I applaud their achievements and congratulate them on this tremendous honor.”

The 2009-10 NAIA Hall of Fame class includes, besides Coach Johnson:

• Elvin “Al” Papik, Doane (Neb.) College – Football, Coach;
• Bob Young, University of Sioux Falls (S.D.)- Football, Coach;
• Brian Harvey, Oklahoma City University -Soccer, Coach;
• Jim Davies, California Pacific Conference, Meritorious Service;
• Funda Aliskan-Sinani, Dickinson State (N.D.) University – Volleyball, Athlete;
• Dr. Phil and Mary Pattison, Division I Men’s Basketball Honorary Coaches – Meritorious Service;
• Herman “Buddy” Meyer, St. Mary’s University – Men’s Basketball, Coach;
• Randy Kortokrax, The University of Findlay – Men’s Basketball, Athlete;
• Jim Boeve, Hastings (Neb.) College – Baseball, Meritorious Service;
• Cheryl Schaefer, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) University – Softball, Athlete;
• Jeff Griebel, St. Ambrose (Iowa) University – Men’s Golf, Coach;
• Bryan Clay, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) University – Track & Field, Athlete;
• Dr. Mary Livengood, Doane (Neb.) College – Track & Field, Athlete.

Georgetown College Graduate Education Commencement on August 16 quite likely meant more to Julie Walz – a 4.0 student – than any of the 276 Master of Arts candidates who were recognized in Alumni Gym. You will soon see that receiving the Dean’s Honor Award is just a small part of why this event was special.

Julie, her husband and five children have all sacrificed mightily – as so many families-with-teachers working on advanced degrees must.  But in their case, her husband, is dying of cancer. That the former chaplain at Pikeville Medical Center made it to Georgetown for the ceremony itself is great testament to love, and hope and prayer.

“It’s a miracle Mark made it to Sunday,” said Julie today (Friday) from her husband’s bedside at the hosital he used to serve. “(Fast-forwarding) years ahead and looking back, the awesomeness of this award will be magnified.”

But, for now, Julie – understandably on short leave as an LBD (Learning Behavioral Disabilities) teacher at Pike Central High School – is humbled and grateful that Mark could fulfill his two reasons for holding on:

1. to see their oldest son get married, and
2. to see Julie graduate Sunday.

We encourage everyone to visit Julie’s blog – Walz Hope – because it is wonderfully bittersweet. Be sure to find the entry about “awesome days” (her Grad-Ed commencement being one of them).

She thanked us for this post-graduation family photograph we e-mailed to her. Then, Julie gave us another lump-in-the-throat with, “I’ll treasure this as it’s the last family picture I’ll ever have.”

Students now enjoy a bright, warm, welcoming look to the lobbies of both Knight and Anderson residence halls.