Manchester University / Academics / VIA

Values, Ideas and the Arts (VIA) 

Values, Ideas and the Arts presentations enhance the Manchester Core program in the liberal arts through cultural exposure, artistic experience and intellectual enrichment. VIA features speakers, musicians and dramatic performers from the University community, across the country and around the globe. Manchester students earn academic credit through attendance. Members of the University community and the public are also invited to attend all VIA events. All events are free of charge unless otherwise noted.

The goals of the VIA program are to:

  • broaden students' cultural experiences,
  • enrich students intellectually and aesthetically,
  • provide opportunities to experience the arts,
  • promote dialogue about ideas and values, and
  • embody in its programs the values expressed in the University Mission.

Students are required to arrive on time and remain for the entire program to receive VIA credit. Events last approximately one hour unless noted otherwise.


Fall 2018

Be sure to check this schedule often for new VIA events and fuller descriptions that will be added.


Spring Convocation
Tuesday, Aug. 28
3:30 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
President Dave McFaddenThe World Needs You
President Dave McFadden opens each academic year with a welcome speech. Reminder: In order to get academic credit for a VIA, you need to bring your student ID. They are scanned after the event. Don't forget to attend the Involvement Fair afterward at the Mall.


Tuesday, Sept. 11
3:30 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium

Manchester in Action: Addressing Poverty
Shepherd Higher Education ConsortiumYou can make a difference. You'll hear from MU students Daisy Beyers, Caraline Feairheller, Virginia Rendler and MacKenzie Weadick, who spent this summer working at internships through the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty. 




Thursday, Sept. 13
6:30 p.m.
Jo Young Switzer Center, upper level

Sammy lost both his legs in the war; this was painted on tent canvas.Amal: When Hope Endures 
They are children of war. They have lost their homes, their cities and their families.  Orphaned children struggle to find themselves and their place in this world. Panel discussion about art as therapy with Syrian refugee children. Before you attend, we encourage visiting the exhibit in Gallery G on the upper level of the Switzer Center. 






Monday, Sept. 17
7 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
Julia GarciaSex, Drugs, Alcohol and Everything In Between
This powerful presentation with speaker  Julia Garcia, explores the TRU college life…after class has been dismissed.  Through her fearless and highly engaging approach, she takes you on an unforgettable journey through the reality that comes flooding in like a bad hangover, after the partying, fun, and hookups are over.



Constitution Day
Thursday, Sept. 20
7 p.m.
This program has moved to Cordier Auditorium
ConstitutionWhy the Constitution Matters
An MU panel discuss their views on how, why, and to what extent the Constitution, constitutional law, and constitutional arguments matter. Panelists include W. Thomas Smith, dean of Pharmacy Programs; Jillian Watts, CARE Initiative director; Whitney Bandemer, vice president for Human Resources and Strategic Initiatives; Michael Staudemaier, assistant professor of history; and Seth M. Mayer, assistant professor of philosophy. The panel will be facilitated by Leonard Williams, dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences.  



Homecoming
Saturday, Sept. 29
7:30-9 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
The Meeting: A play by Jeff Stetson
A one-act play that presents a fictional meeting between the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Welcome by former United Nations Ambassador and civil rights leader Andrew Young. 



Tuesday, Oct. 2
3:30 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
Access to Behavioral Health Services: A Matter of Social Justice
Carissa Fralin is a 1991 graduate of Manchester University with a double major in peace studies and psychology. A licensed clinical social worker in Colorado, she works in the State Innovation Model (SIM) Office. SIM is an initiative through the governor's office to integrate behavioral health (mental health, substance abuse and behavior change) and physical health throughout the state. 


Tuesday, Oct. 16
3:30 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
Frankenstein in the Future

It’s Frankenstein’s 200th birthday! Join faculty from philosophy, physics and gender studies as they discuss how Frankenstein informs their areas of study.

One State / One Story: Frankenstein is an Indiana Humanities program and has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with the Indiana State Library and Indiana Center for the Book. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

In order to get academic credit for a VIA, you need to bring your student ID. They are scanned after the event.



Manchester Symphony Orchestra
Monday, Oct. 29
7:30-8:45 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
Universe at an Exhibition: A Science and Symphony Event
This film takes viewers though virtual galleries of the cosmos and photos by Jose Francisco Salgado, with live music by the Manchester Symphony Orchestra reinforcing the character and tempo of the visuals. Salgado will speak about how science and art intersect.

Pre-concert events, include tours of the observatory, liquid nitrogen ice cream and a Starlab planetarium begin at 6 p.m.



Tuesday, Oct. 30
7 p.m.
Lahman Room, Jo Young Switzer Center
Sweet life and other dying matters

Panel discussion moderated by Professor of English Beate Gilliar will focus on experiences commemorating life and death with panelists who include a person living with cancer and professionals from funerary, grieving and counseling services. 



Career Day
Thursday, Nov. 1
7 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
The Path to Becoming Your Best Self: Advice and Stories from Alumni

Panel discussion by Manchester alumni, including a probation officer, accountant, teacher and convention housing specialist.



Thursday, Nov. 8
7 p.m. (Note: this could last for two or three hours, so schedule accordingly)
Academic Center 101
Jonathon WatsonFrankenstein: A film viewing and discussion
Watch the 1996 film starring Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh and join the discussion following led by Dr. Jonathan Watson. 

One State / One Story: Frankenstein is an Indiana Humanities program and has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with the Indiana State Library and Indiana Center for the Book. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.




Tuesday, Nov. 13
3:30-4:45 p.m.
Program is 70 minutes, with discussion.
Cordier Auditorium
Unveiled: A One Woman Play by Rohina Malik 
Rohina Malik is a critically acclaimed Chicago playwright and solo performance artist. Her one-woman play was developed and had its world premiere at the 16th Street Theater, where it received critical acclaim. The play is five monologues, exploring the perspective of five different Muslim women.




Saturday, Nov. 17
7-8:30 p.m. (90 minutes)
Cordier Auditorium
International Fashion Show 2018
A unique experience showcasing cultures from different parts of the world through clothing, dance, language and music.


Spring semester
Thursday, Jan. 31
7 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium
MLK Remembrance & Rededication Ceremony
This event commemorates the visit of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the Manchester campus. 



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