Nina Davuluri, the reigning Miss America and the first of Indian-American descent, brought her message of multiculturalism to Bluffton University April 9 as keynote speaker for the university’s annual civic engagement day.
After being crowned Miss America 2014 last September, Davuluri launched “#Circles of Unity,” a social media campaign that seeks to spread multiculturalism and promote diversity. She particularly hopes to become a role model for children and to encourage them to embrace diversity.
Bluffton University’s 2013-14 Artist Series will conclude Thursday, April 24, with a performance by ventriloquist Lynn Trefzger at 7:30 p.m. in Yoder Recital Hall.
For more than 30 years, Trefzger has given life to a trunk full of comical characters. Audiences are treated to her vocal illusion talents when they meet a lovable camel, a grumpy old man or a feisty little girl. She has received many awards during her career, including The American Comedy Awards and Variety Entertainer of the Year.
Bluffton University will recognize its top student-athletes at the annual Athletics Awards Forum, at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, in Yoder Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
The guest speaker will be Terry Wymer, an NCAA Division I basketball official in the Big Ten, Atlantic Coast and Mid-American conferences, among others. The North Baltimore, Ohio, resident has officiated numerous conference tournament championship games and NCAA tournament games.
The Bluffton University art department will present its 47th annual Juried Student Exhibition from April 14-May 3 in the Grace Albrecht Gallery in Sauder Visual Arts Center. The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will showcase work created this academic year by students in university art classes or supervised independent studies.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 1-5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays except Saturday, May 3, when the gallery will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dr. Crystal Sellers Battle, an assistant professor of music at Bluffton University, will present a vocal recital at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13, in Bluffton’s Yoder Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public.
Pianist Michael Lester will assist Battle, a soprano, during the recital, which is titled “Songs of Black America: Music Composed for or by African-Americans.”
