Shaun Rolly, left, stage combat choreographer of WLU's production of "Macbeth," rehearses a battle with fight captain Meaghan Macy. In the background, Derek Park, left, who plays Macbeth, practices sword skills with Dave Zanieski, portraying Macduff.

The West Liberty University Hilltop Players will present William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth” or – as it is referred to by the theater community – “The Scottish Play,” beginning Feb. 23.

“Macbeth” is the story of a respected soldier who meets three witches in the woods.  The witches make a life changing prophecy for Macbeth and he must decide whether he has the nerve to make the prediction come true.

The play focuses on a man’s inner struggle with his conscience and is a source of much superstition among theater people. The name “Macbeth” is forbidden around rehearsal because it is said to bring actors terrible luck.  This superstition dates back to the 1600s and revolves around the iconic characters of the three witches.  It is said that Shakespeare used actual spells while writing the witch dialogue. It spooked the audiences and aroused their superstitions.  The Hilltop Players are honoring the old theater tradition during rehearsals by referring to the work only as the “Scottish Play.”

Preparations for “Macbeth” began before final exams took place last semester with auditions. Rehearsals began the first day of classes this year.

Director John Hennen said, “It was a departmental decision to take on ‘Macbeth.’ Classics like Shakespeare’s works are difficult to do, but the students should get a chance to be in a classical production.  Shakespeare is a major part of theater and it gives the students a different perspective of a play.”

Performing a Shakespearean play does not come without its share of difficulties.  The most difficult part is the language and understanding what the characters actually mean when they speak.  Hennen made a few minor script changes by replacing archaic Shakespearean phrases with more modern words to help the audience better understand. There is also the challenge of picking up the rhythm of the language.

Hennen said, “Shakespeare requires a different style of acting which is bigger and broader than a realistic play. The cast is working hard to pick up larger than life roles.  You do not do a major play like ‘Macbeth’ without the talent to do it.”

The cast consists of about 15 people and is comprised mostly of theater majors.  Junior theater major Derek Park has the privilege of undertaking the challenging role of Macbeth.   Park described his experience in “The Scottish Play” as a whirlwind.

He said, “These last six weeks of rehearsals have flown by, and I cannot believe we are already getting ready to open the show. I have been blessed with several terrific parts while on the hilltop, but this is the role of a lifetime. I know that this will be an experience that I will always cherish, as it doesn’t come around very often.”

Hennen predicts that the audience will enjoy a number of things about WLU’s rendition of “Macbeth, ” including exciting combat fighting portrayals in the opening scene and in the final battle between Macbeth and Macduff.  Shaun Rolly, a certified stage combat choreographer from Pittsburgh, choreographed all of the combat sequences in the play.

The sword fighters are under the direction of freshman Meaghan Macy, the designated fight captain.  Macy leads the other sword fighters in practicing their combat sequences.  They must be extremely careful, as they are using real swords.

The play will open at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 in the Kelly Theatre on the WLU campus. It also will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 and March 1, 2 and 3; and at 3 p.m. on March 4.

“This is an exciting new academic offering for students interested in the growing field of athletic training and the interconnection of sports and medicine. WLU long has demonstrated excellence in health sciences education and in intercollegiate sports, and an undergraduate degree in athletic training is a natural outgrowth of that heritage. We are very pleased that HEPC has recognized the quality of West Liberty University’s proposed program,” Capehart said.

The curriculum will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate, treat and rehabilitate athletes of all ages participating in a wide variety of physical activities.  They will gain practical clinical experience coupled with specific course work in order to earn all necessary professional certification. Career opportunities may be found in secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional sports programs, sports medicine clinics, the performing arts, industry and military settings.

Rhonda Noble, chair of the WLU Department of Health and Human Performance, said, “We are all very excited about adding this major to the high quality programs already in place. WLU would be the only four year public university in this area to offer this degree.

“There are only 350 colleges and universities nationwide out of approximately 2,500 public and private four-year institutions that offer an athletic training degree. Because the program is within the Department of Health and Human Performance, an advantage WLU offers over some existing programs is that if students are not admitted to the AT program, the first two years also lay the foundation for a degree in exercise physiology.”

She explained that the goal of the WLU athletic training program is to meet the standards of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, while providing students with a solid foundation in factual and conceptual mastery of the study of sports medicine.

Athletic training is a growing field, Noble added. “Employment of athletic trainers is projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow 37 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is a much faster than average rate of growth for all occupations.

WLU will begin offering the program in the fall semester of 2012. Students will take required classes for the first three semesters and be able to apply for admission to the program for the beginning of their fourth semester. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to sit for certification examination. Once the student passes this examination, he or she may practice as a nationally certified athletic trainer, Noble explained.

Funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and institutional funding from the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, the research examined whether in vitro screening of potential tularemia vaccine candidates for enhanced stimulation of antigen-presenting cells would improve a candidate’s immunogenicity and, ultimately, protection from the potentially lethal disease.  Tularemia usually is associated with handling of infected animals or transmission by arthropod vectors but also may be used as a weapon by terrorists.

Horzempa explained, “Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious microorganism with fewer than 10 inhaled bacteria causing the fatal disease tularemia.  This bacterium has been weaponized and could be used for bioterrorism, prompting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to classify F. tularensis as a Category A biodefense agent. My long term goals involve understanding the pathogenesis, persistence, and transmission of F. tularensis.  Ultimately, I am interested in identifying novel therapeutics to combat this pathogen and other bacterial pathogens.”

Researchers cultivated live vaccine strains of Francisella tularensis in an effort to improve vaccine efficacy with one that stimulated antigen-producing cells better than a wild-type strain. After extensive testing, the scientists concluded that the cultivated mutant strains did not predict better protection against the disease.

The findings are a valuable step in formulating an effective vaccine to reduce both naturally occurring tularemia cases and to protect against a possible intentional release of the bacterium.

WLU President Robin C. Capehart said, “It reflects well on West Liberty University that faculty of the College of Sciences are involved in such important research. Dr. Horzempa’s work is one of many research projects in which WLU faculty members and students are involved. The quality of our College of Science faculty is one reason the school has experienced significant growth in recent years.”

The recital will feature multimedia works as well as standard repertoire. The recital will also feature the premiere of a new piece,”Carrier for Saxophone and Electronic Sound,” composed by WLU associate professor of music Matthew Harder.

Emily Shimp at Disney World for the Disney College Program

West Liberty University junior Emily Shimp found a way to earn college credit while indulging her interest in Walt Disney as a participant in the Disney College Program.

Shimp, an accounting major, completed the Disney fall advantage program which allowed her to spend seven months, from May until January, working at Walt Disney World in Florida. Her work experience there allowed her to gain six college credit hours in general business. While in Orlando she also took two courses online to remain a full-time student at WLU.

With a self-professed love for all things Disney, Shimp first visited Walt Disney World when she was a junior in high school. Of her first visit there she said, “I noticed that many of the cast members had colleges on their name tags. So when I came home I did some research on the computer and found out about the Disney College Program.

“Then during my senior year I decided to write a research paper on it for my college English class and I started to seriously consider if it was something that I could someday take part in.”

During the spring of 2011 Shimp applied to the program in which approximately 10,000 students from the United States and throughout the world participate yearly. Shimp had to watch an informational video online and then complete an online application.

“After passing the online interview I was given the opportunity to set up a date and time for a phone interview. Before my phone interview I completed an interest form online that let them know which areas of business I was willing to work within,” Shimp said.

“The telephone interview was tailored to the lines of business I was applying for and lasted only around twenty minutes. In only two weeks I received my ‘congratulations’ email for being selected for the role of quick-service food and beverage.”

Although working in quick-service food and beverage was not her first choice, Shimp said she was lucky enough to be placed in Epcot’s Sunshine Seasons, Disney’s highest-rated quick-service location.

“On any given day I could be serving food at any of our five food stations, stocking coolers or condiments, cleaning the dining room, working at the cash registers or serving as the greeter to welcome guests and answer any of their questions.”

Typically Shimp worked 40 hour weeks, but at the parks’ peak times she worked as much as 58 hours in one week.  Renowned for customer service, the park requires employees to receive extensive training before beginning to work with the public.

“The Walt Disney Company has some of the highest standards for its employees so that they can provide an excellent guest service experience for park visitors; consequently, I was able to increase my level of professionalism,” Shimp said.

“Not only did I learn a lot of information about the food service industry, but I gained a lot of knowledge about what it takes to work for a Fortune 100 company. I also gained a lot of experience from working with people from different cultures.”

Without a doubt, the experience was worth it, she said. “I loved almost every aspect of the program. I loved the diverse people that I got to work with every day and the friendships that I gained from this experience.”

Working for Walt Disney World has its perks, she added, such as “free access to the parks, discounts on merchandise, food, and hotel accommodations, and cast exclusive activities.”

Shimp said her experience in the Disney College Program is only a catalyst for future opportunities. “During my last semester of college I will have the opportunity to apply for a professional internship at Disney within my field of study, which is accounting. If I am accepted into the professional internship program and do well in my role, in many cases that can lead to a full-time position within the company.”

Shimp said she worked with accounting instructor and chair Michael Blackwell, academic advisor Brianne Poilek and Gary E. West College of Business Dean Loren Wenzel to ensure that the Disney experience met WLU academic requirements. She expressed gratitude that WLU enabled her to participate in the program. “Without the cooperation of the University I would not have been able to afford to take a semester in order to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

She said, “One of my favorite parts about working at Walt Disney World was the ability to make people happy. Walt Disney said, ‘You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world … but it requires people to make the dream a reality,’ and I am so glad I was able to be a part of making Walt’s dream a reality.”

To learn more about the Disney College Program online, visit www.disneycollegeprogram.com or contact Shimp by E-mail at eshimp@westliberty.edu.

Robert Whiting

The West Liberty University community is mourning the recent loss of two men whose unique and invaluable contributions to the institution will not be soon forgotten.

Retired academic dean Robert Whiting and his wife, Jean, died on Feb. 9 when their Triadelphia home was destroyed by fire. Alumnus and benefactor Lary A. Loew died of illness the same day in Wheeling.

WLU President Robin C. Capehart said, “All of us in the West Liberty family were saddened to hear of the deaths of Dr. and Mrs. Whiting and Lary Loew. Dr. Whiting was a respected educator whose impact on his students cannot possibly be measured. Lary exemplified excellence in the business world, as well as dedication and generosity to his alma mater.

“We deeply feel the loss of these individuals who gave so fully of themselves to the betterment of West Liberty University and to the service of our students.”

Dr. Whiting served the former West Liberty State College over the course of three decades – from the 1960s to the 1980s – with distinction, John McCullough, WLU’s executive assistant to the president, recalled. “He was a fine individual and a real academic leader. He and Jean were good people.”

Whiting was a professor of education and “an excellent advocate of quality teaching,” McCullough said. “He made sure his students received a quality educational experience.”

After serving as academic dean for over a decade, Whiting returned to the classroom to train WLSC students in teacher education. He remained active well into his 80s, McCullough said.

Lary Loew

Loew studied economics at WLU, graduating with honors in 1975. He was an award-winning sales professional for the Equitable Life Assurance Society (now AXA Financial) and was inducted into the AXA Equitable Hall of Fame. He also founded his own company, The Cornerstone Group, the only full-service employee benefits agency in West Virginia. The long-time supporter of WLU athletics and accomplished golfer was added to the WLU Alumni Wall of Honor – the highest honor the alumni association can bestow on a graduate – last year during Homecoming weekend.

He also was a recognized expert on healthcare reform who was active in his community, serving on the boards of the West Liberty University Foundation, Northwood Health System, American Legion Post 1 and the W.Va. Golf Association.

From all the submissions received by conference organizers, only 30 students were selected to present their work. Six of this year’s presenters are WLU English students Megan Fahey, Betsy Francis, Francesca Miller, Kenneth Powell, Jesse Scott and Ashley Zago.

In the past, larger schools such as West Virginia University have had the most student presenters at the symposium, but this year WLU’s English department has earned that coveted honor.

Associate Professor of English Stephen Criniti said the W. Va. Undergraduate Literature Symposium is a great opportunity for students to display the high quality of the work they have produced.  He said, “It gives them a real-world audience for their research which allows them to take their work beyond the classroom.

“Also,” he noted, “it gives them invaluable professional practice for later in their careers. Perhaps the greatest value the symposium has for these students is to ‘jump start’ their professionalization, and give them the confidence that they can participate in the larger scholarly conversation in their field.”

Being asked to present in the symposium is an honor in and of itself, but Francis, Fahey, Miller, Powell, Scott and Zago also will be competing for awards.

Francis, a junior English education major, said, “Presenting at the symposium is such an awesome opportunity. Writing papers is difficult for just about everyone – even English majors – so it is great that so many of us are representing our amazing English department and getting recognized for our hard work. This is all very exciting.”

WLU Assistant Professor of English Angela Rehbein also has been selected to speak at the symposium in Fairmont. Later in March she will present a paper, “Domesticity and Empire in Jane West’s ‘The Advantages of Education,’” at the American Society of 18^th-Century Studies conference in San Antonio.

“It’s very rewarding to be able to provide this service to so many families in West Virginia,” said Angie Holley, chairwoman of College Goal Sunday West Virginia. “This event allows us to work with families one-on-one to remove some of the logistical obstacles to attending college.”

College Goal Sunday is coordinated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission), in conjunction with the West Virginia Association of Financial Aid Administrators and the YMCA. Students who were unable to attend a College Goal Sunday workshop can still receive free help completing the FAFSA by calling the Commission’s financial aid hotline at 1-888-825-5707 to set up an appointment or receive help over the phone.

Information regarding all state and federal financial aid programs is also available from the College Foundation of West Virginia, the state’s free college-planning website, online at www.cfwv.com.

College Goal Sunday is a national initiative created by the Indiana Financial Aid Association with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc., and with supplemental support from the Lumina Foundation for Education.  College Goal Sunday West Virginia is supported by the Lumina Foundation for Education and partnerships with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and TRiO and GEAR UP college access programs.