Fall term at USAO kicks off Aug. 25
Whether returning from a full summer’s break or a two-week vacation since the end of the summer term, students are beginning to converge upon the campus for the fall trimester at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Classes begin Aug. 25 with enrollment continuing through Aug. 29.
The fall events calendar for Oklahoma’s college for the curious mind is filled with rich opportunities for campus and community members alike.
Art abounds
The Nesbitt Gallery will open its first show of the fall, 24 Works on Paper, on Aug. 25 with a reception scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6.
The show has been traveling to galleries around the state since July 2013, including stops at the Goddard Center in Ardmore and the Gardiner Gallery at Oklahoma State University.
The show will run through Oct. 27.
The gallery is located in Davis Hall. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and is free to the public.
Also opening on Aug. 25 is the fall Bachelor of Fine Arts senior show, titled Merge. The show features the work of Josh Cook, of Yukon; Heather Heck, of Tulsa; Michelle Holden, of Pocasset; Dominique Midgett, of Enid; and Lauren Rosenfelt, of Little Axe.
The show will be on display in the Third Floor Gallery in Davis Hall with an opening reception scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 6.
Drover athletics
Drover soccer season kicks off at home on Sept. 5 against Our Lady of the Lake with games at 1 and 3 p.m. at Drover Pitch. Following the doubleheader, USAO men’s soccer will have an Alumni Game.
The Drover men's and women's soccer season features nine home doubleheaders. All home games are free and open to the public.
The men’s soccer team, which has competed in the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship tournament five years in a row, again tops the Sooner Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The women’s team is picked to finish fifth in the SAC.
Also this fall, the Drover cross country teams will compete for their third year. There are five scheduled meets, plus the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament.
For the second year, USAO sports information will offer free live streaming of home sporting events. For full schedule and results of all the Drover athletic events or to watch any of the home games live, visit /sports.
Symposia and presentations
Dr. James Welch IV will deliver the keynote address for the inaugural Regan Lecture on Interdisciplinary Studies, beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 in the Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public.
Welch, an assistant professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, will present on the question of “What is Interdisciplinarity?”
The 2014 Ray and Mary Giles Symposium on Citizenship and Public Service is scheduled Sept. 29 with award-winning economist and best-selling author Dr. James Galbraith delivering the keynote address on wealth inequality.
The symposium is free and open to the public. More information about the Giles Symposium can be obtained by visiting /giles-symposium.
Performing arts
The 14th season of the Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series begins at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 with a rousing evening of classic and contemporary Broadway hits in Te Ata Memorial Auditorium.
Season tickets for the Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series are $40. Individual performances are $12 with discounts available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at /dwpas.
The USAO Drama department will present Bedroom Farce, a classic British farce from the 1960’s by Alan Ayckbourn.
Auditions are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Aug. 27 in the Davis Hall Theater. The production is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 8, in conjunction with homecoming weekend.
The department will spend the fall term focusing on British theatre since the 1960s with an emphasis on the stylisms associated with farce.
Alumni Homecoming
Life’s Journey – Learning, Friendship, Memories is the theme of this year’s USAO Alumni Homecoming Nov. 7-9.
Graduates and former students of OCW, OCLA and USAO are invited to this three-day event. Registration, through Oct. 15, is $65 for all events.
To register, or for more information, call 405-574-1290 or go online at /alumni/alumni-homecoming.
College for the Curious Mind
Like many liberal arts universities, USAO offers a select number of degrees that prepare the student for their chosen field while broadly educating him or her across a variety of disciplines. With 22 degrees available, students can pursue a bachelor of art, bachelor of science or bachelor of fine arts degree with teacher certification in several areas.
The university welcomes new students and non-traditional older students who wish to continue or finish their degrees. The enrollment process takes about an hour, according to the admissions office.