It’s hard to believe this semester is coming to an end! This week’s Stetson Showcase shined brightly on many outstanding undergraduate student research projects across the university. As graduating seniors are finalizing plans for Commencement on May 12, all students are completing semester assignments and beginning to study for finals. The following events represent some of the year’s final performances, lectures and exhibits made available to everyone lucky enough to live close to the beautiful DeLand campus. Here are some highlights:

Celebrate the earth: The annual Earth Week celebration will continue on campus through next Friday, April 27, when Stetson’s official Tree Campus USA designation will be announced. The Arbor Day celebration will be at 3 p.m. Friday, April 27, on the CUB steps. Earth Day festivities are planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Gillespie Museum with arts and crafts, music, food and lots of fun for everyone. Hatter Harvest Club Farmers’ Market will feature fresh, local and organic foods and entertainment by local bands, noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, April 22, on the Stetson Green.

Beautiful music: The 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21, performance of the Symphonic Band will celebrate Bobby Adams’ 25^th anniversary at Stetson and 50 years in music education in high schools and higher educational institutions. The Concert Choir, Milburn Price, conductor, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 20. Both will be in Lee Chapel. The Choral Union concert, Milburn Price, conductor, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, at First Baptist Church, next to campus. Stetson’s Jazz Ensembles, George West, conductor, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, in the Stetson Room, CUB. And, Stetson’s Community School of the Arts will present the following three youth concerts: Youth String Orchestra, at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 22, in the Feasel Rehearsal Hall inside Mary B. McMahan Hall; the Young Singers Concert on May 12 and the all-women’s choir, Inspirare, May 24, both in Lee Chapel.

Student Directed One-Acts will conclude Stetson’s 105^th season in Stover Theatre. Opening Thursday evening, April 19, these four one-act plays will run through Sunday, April 22.

Senior Thesis Exhibition that opened last week will continue in the Hand Art Center through May 2. 

Thought-provoking lectures including: “My Faith is Better than Your Faith: What Do We Do With Diversity”—Sponsored by Stetson’s Gender Equity Council, this lecture, Monday, April 23, is open to the public and features Rev. Dr. Alice Hunt, President of the Chicago Theological Seminary. Join a discussion titled, Refusing to Stay Silent: Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention on Thursday, April 26, with panelists including students, faculty and a Stetson counselor. They plan to address the severity of sexual assault epidemic in the university atmosphere, dispel commonly held misconceptions and fictions regarding sexual assault, and offer a “safe space” for discussion and reflection…

“What I wish I knew in College: The Answer Key from both Student (Master Alexander ‘Potter’ Kempinski) and Professor” (Dr. Rebecca J. ‘McGonagall’ Oliphant) will be an interactive hour of fun, information and magic too – at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 – in Room 25 of the Library/Media Center.

GO HATTERS: Come out and support your Hatter Baseball and Women’s Softball teams at home games this week. Check out all the Hatter sports schedules.  Also, the Sand Volleyball Championship begins April 20 at Jacksonville University.

Continuing events:  Concentrated Color: Watercolors by Oscar Bluemner – exhibition in Hand Art Center. Exhibit runs through May 2.  Gillespie Museum: From the Ground Up: Self-guided tour of Stetson’s Earth Science Museum.

The Stetson Today Team