View Night Sky through Austin College Observatory

BJ Kirkpatrick Austin College
View Night Sky through Austin College Observatory

Star Party Austin College ObservatoryPublic Invited to View Night Sky through Austin College Observatory

Members of the local community soon will have the opportunity to see the wonders of the night sky, weather permitting. The public is invited to an Austin College Star Party on Thursday, February 18, to observe stars through Adams Observatory and other telescopes on the roof of the College’s IDEA Center. The event is free, and visitors may come and go from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. To help Austin College staff plan for the event, members of the community who wish to attend are asked to register/RSVP online at www.austincollege.edu/adams-observatory-events. Should weather conditions require cancellation of the event, that news will be posted on the Austin College website after3 p.m. on the day of the event.

The IDEA Center is located at 1108 E. Richards Street, and parking is available. Visitors should meet in the IDEA Center’s first-floor Page Atrium to begin their star tour. The largest research telescope in North Texas will open the night sky to viewers. Austin College students also will set up small telescopes to allow visitors to explore craters on the Moon, distant star clusters, and the beautiful Orion Nebula.

Dr. David Baker, chair of the Austin College Physics Department and director of Adams Observatory, will coordinate the event. “When someone looks through the telescope and sees some of these objects in space, there’s a real sense of amazement,” said Dr. Baker. “This is a unique opportunity to look through a telescope of this size and see things in outer space one wouldn’t normally be able to see.”

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

 

Grayson College Just for Fun Cooking Classes

BJ Kirkpatrick News
Grayson College Just for Fun Cooking Classes

Grayson College Just for Fun Cooking ClassesGrayson College Just for Fun Cooking Classes Spring 2016

Grayson College just for fun cooking classes are under way for the spring semester. Desserts, steak and comfort foods are on the menu as Grayson College Hospitality Management & Culinary Arts Center partners with its Center for Workplace Learning to offer seven recreational cooking classes for adults and children alike. Open to the public, classes take place at the Culinary Arts Center on Grayson College’s Main Campus in Denison, east of the Viking Dorm. Participants must be at least 16 years old to enroll in the classes, except where noted.

Taught by Grayson College’s chef instructors and guest chefs, courses provide hands-on training, demonstrations, and interactive learning in the college’s state-of-the-art facility. Participants experience cuisines, explore cooking methods, and learn disciplines and knife skills as they prepare and consume cuisine that ranges from the familiar to the unexpected. In some of the classes, participants prepare goodies to take home as well.
“Knife Skills” is designed for beginners who want to hone their skills while preparing a delicious family favorite: breaded chicken tenderloins, sweet potato fries and ranch dressing. Tuition is $29 per person. Class meets Feb. 23 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“Steakhouse Favorites” offers tricks of the trade to cook a good steak to perfection. The menu features New York strip a la Oscar, roasted garlic whipped potatoes and grilled asparagus. Tuition is $39 per person. Class meets March 8 from 5 to 8 p.m.
“Easter Egg Dyeing Eggstravaganza” is a family-cooking class for children age 5 and above who are accompanied by an adult. Participants dye eggs in all kinds of colors and decorate with embellishments for fun and whimsy. Class meets March 26 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuition is $14 and covers one adult and one child.

“Spring Pie Class” continues GC culinary arts’ ever-popular pie series. Participants learn to make two perfect pies (crust, filling and decoration): coconut cream and key lime. Tuition is $39 per person. Class meets March 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.

“Crazy Cupcakes” is a family-cooking class for children age 5 and above who are accompanied by an adult. Participants bake cupcakes and then improve their piping skills as they learn beautiful ways to decorate them. Class meets April 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuition is $39 and covers one adult and one child.

“Cake Decorating: Buttercream” focuses on the various types of buttercream frosting, including American, Italian and Swiss. Participants take home their cake creations. Tuition is $39 per person. Class meets April 30 from 1 to 4 p.m.
“Comfort Food Favorites” features a classic menu that any southern cook would be proud to bring to the table. Buttermilk fried chicken, biscuits with whipped honey, and green bean casserole with fried onion strings are all made from scratch. Tuition is $29 per person. Class meets May 6 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

In addition to the spring cooking classes, private cooking classes and children’s birthday cooking classes are available as well. For more information or to register for the spring recreational and private classes, visit the GC Center for Workplace Learning website at www.cwlgcc.org. Registration may be completed online at www.cwlgcc.org, in person weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the CWL on the college’s Main Campus in Denison, or by phone at 903-463-8765 if paying with MasterCard, Discover or Visa credit cards.

King’s Singers to Perform in Sherman

BJ Kirkpatrick Austin College, Entertainment
King’s Singers to Perform in Sherman

King's SingersKing’s Sinners to Perform at Kidd-Key Auditorium

Community Series and Austin College welcome the King’s Singers to Kidd-Key Auditorium on Monday, February 15, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at communityseries.net or at the door. General Admission is $25. Tickets are $15 for faculty and staff with an Austin College ID. Admission is free for those under 18 and for students with a school ID. For more information, call (903) 813-2037.

The King’s Singers, a world-renowned choral group of high musical caliber, perform more than 100 concerts across the globe each year. The group has received two Grammy Awards and is one of just two vocal ensembles in the Gramophone Hall of Fame.

The King’s Singers’ performance is hosted by Community Series, a local organization that partners with Austin College to bring artistic talent to Sherman and the greater Texoma area.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.