Warhawk Weekly 4-16: Theatre festival invitation; Best of the River Region voting
Two AUM theatre students earn invite to Kennedy Center’s national festival
Two Auburn University at Montgomery communication theatre students have earned invitations to the national Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) in Washington, D.C., April 22-26.
While representing AUM at national KCACTF, communication theatre majors Chason Marvin and Tiara Staples will cultivate new skills and collaborate with theatre professionals in their chosen fields. The annual event brings emerging artists together to deepen their knowledge of the craft with distinguished practitioners. Students also form connections with their peers from across the country through workshops, presentations, conversations, and staged readings.
Val Winkelman, Distinguished Research Professor of Theatre in AUM’s Department of Communication and Theatre, said this year’s national festival will mark the first time AUM will have students advance to the national level in the directing and journalism/advocacy categories. In 2022, AUM had two theatre students, Yahzane Palmer and her acting partner, Brandon Baggin, to represent AUM at the national level in the acting category.
“KCACTF provides life changing opportunities for our theatre students,” Winkelman said. “Their work has been selected out of approximately 18,000 college students by KCACTF, which aims to encourage, recognize, and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs.”
Each April, the Kennedy Center welcomes outstanding theater students from its eight regions to the national festival, which recognizes student awardees in design, performance, directing, playwriting, stage management, dramaturgy, arts leadership, and theatre criticism. AUM is part of KCACTF Region IV, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Southern Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
In February, Staples and Marvin both received top honors at the 2024 KCACTF Region IV festival in Albany, Georgia, for their work in 2023 Theatre AUM productions, which earned them both invitations to this year’s national festival.
Nominate AUM for Best of the River Region awards
AUM will seek to hold its status as the River Region’s favorite university in the Montgomery Advertiser’s 2024 Best of the River Region Community Choice Awards.
AUM has earned nominations in three categories: Best College/University, Best Place to Work and Best Hearing Aid/Hearing Specialist Center.
Cast your online vote in multiple categories through April 29. Winners and finalists in each category will be revealed in July.
Warhawk teams positioning themselves for postseason
AUM’s baseball, softball and tennis teams are either ranked in Top 25 polls or knocking on the door for entry. Catch the baseball team, winners of seven conference series this season, in action at home today at 4 p.m. against Miles College.
The baseball team, ranked fourth in the regional poll, will host West Florida for a three-game series beginning Friday at 5 p.m. AUM’s 15th-ranked softball team will also host West Florida, with Friday’s Game 1 starting at 5 p.m.
The fifth-ranked women’s and 24th-ranked men’s tennis teams will visit Georgia College on Friday before preparing for the Gulf South Conference tournament.
Join the AUM Cheerleading team
AUM’s Cheerleading team recently finished among the Top 20 nationally in the Intermediate Co-Ed Division II category at the 2024 National Cheerleading Association National Championships in Daytona Beach. The team is seeking talented, athletic and spirited candidates for the upcoming academic year.
Tryouts take place April 26-28. Scholarships are available for incoming and currently enrolled AUM students. Requirements include learning cheers and dances taught at tryout clinics, advanced-level stunt capabilities (twisting and release), acceptance into AUM and a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Incoming freshman scholarships start at $1,000 per year, and there are scholarships for advanced level tumbling ($500/year for Level 4 and up), Level 2 and 3 tumbling ($250/year) and academic achievement ($250/year for a 3.75 GPA or higher).
Check out AUM’s arts and literary magazine
“Common Thread,” AUM’s art and literary magazine, will host a launch party for its inaugural issue from 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Thursday, April 18, in Goodwyn Hall 109.
Formerly the “Filibuster,” the inaugural issue of “Common Thread” features the theme “Haunting & Folklore.” The student-run publication includes student writings, graphic art, graphic design, as well as poetry, short stories, songs, journal entries, short plays and play excerpts and screenplays.
The event, which is partially funded by AUM’s Student Government Association (SGA) and the Student Activities Fee, will have free refreshments for attendees.
Help keep our trails beautiful
AUM’s Rural History & Ecology Research Institute (RHERI) is hosting a volunteer workday on Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, to remove invasive plants from the AUM forest and trail areas. Volunteers are asked to meet at the bridge leading to the forest at 9 a.m.
Bring water, closed-toe shoes, and any other supplies you might need for work in the woods. Long pants and sleeves are highly recommended.
University Communications earns state awards
AUM’s Office of University Communications recently earned a pair of awards from the Public Relations Council of Alabama. Staff members Stephen Gunter, Troy Johnson and Nicolette Parrish earned a Medallion Award, the organization’s highest honor, for writing and editing the university’s 2023 holiday video. The staff also earned an Award of Merit for the university’s emergency communications plan.
PRCA’s membership includes public relations and marketing practitioners in such industries as education, local and state government, tourism, healthcare, engineering, business and finance, insurance, non-profits and more.
Stay in the know on campus events
There’s an easy way to keep up with all of the fun events offered on our campus. Enroll in AUM365 and get the 4-1-1 from Curtiss The Warhawk himself. Text curti$$ to 334-398-6025 to receive reminders about upcoming happening.
