I am not one to completely discredit the talent of the Disney pop royalty of today. The Jonas Brothers can actually play instruments. Demi Lovato can actually sing. The cast of High School Musical (1, 2, and 3) has been involved in one of the biggest Disney franchises of all time, including a concert tour, karaoke versions of the HSM DVDs and their faces splashed on everything from folders to t-shirts to bed sheets.

In all honesty, I would prefer that kids listen to Miley Cyrus croon about moving mountains than Katy Perry kissing girls and Britney Spears ‘seeking’ Amy. Hannah Montana, Sunny with a Chance, Wizards of Waverly Place and The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, are wholesome and entertaining TV shows for younger audiences. The Disney posse has all the elements of being good role models as long as they don’t wind up in rehab like some of their predecessors.

But, in saying this, there have been two instances in the Disney pop culture kingdom that have disgusted me beyond belief. The little Disney test tube talents should know better than to tackle those musicians that are older, wiser and ultimately, much more talented than them, let alone Radiohead and Rolling Stones.

After the Grammy awards, Miley Cyrus’s manager approached Radiohead and told them that Miley was obsessed with the band and would like to meet them. Apparently, Radiohead told Miley’s manager: “Yeah, we don’t really do that.” Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but I highly doubt that she’s a legitimate fan of Radiohead. No, I don’t just doubt it. That’s impossible. There is no way that Radiohead is on Miley’s iTunes playlist, and, if they are, they shouldn’t be. Radiohead deserves better than to be blasted into her diamond encrusted headphones. But, that’s not what really irked me.

After Miley’s plea to meet the band was dismissed, she fired back and said, and I quote, “I’m gonna ruin them, I’m gonna tell everyone.” Well, she did tell everyone in tabloid wonderland, which resulted in one of the most unlikely feuds: Miley vs. Radiohead.

Okay, Miley. You literally cannot ruin Radiohead. They have had a career longer than you’ve been alive. The only person’s career you can ruin is your own, and maybe your dad’s, but I think he accomplished that with his one (and only) single, ‘Achy, Breaky Heart.’

A spokesperson for Radiohead responded to this catty comment with, “When Miley grows up, she’ll learn not to have a sense of entitlement.”

Now that’s a wicked burn in and of itself. If only Radiohead would’ve gone for a third degree burn that leaves emotional scarring and said, “Who’s Miley Cyrus?”

Although the Jonas Brothers didn’t request a meeting with their rock idols, they did commit an unforgivable crime. They compared themselves to the Rolling Stones.

In the post-Grammy interview with Barbara Walters, Barbara asked Kevin Jonas to describe his brother, Joe. After some hesitation, he said, “Joe stands out on-stage and has a very Mick Jagger-esque feel to him.”

False. Inexcusable. Blasphemous.

Granted, Joe has long since been labeled as the so-called front man of the Jonas Brothers. However, he is no Mick Jagger. Not even close.

On his blog, he has stated multiple times how a lot of what he does on stage is inspired by Mick Jagger, and how he loves the way he performs and dances.

Obviously Joe loves how Jagger performs! Who doesn’t? People are still paying hundreds of dollars to watch Jagger’s aged and wrinkled body gyrate across the stage. Will Joe be able to strut like Mick when he’s sixty? My very educated guess is no.

Not only that, but will their fans still be willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the Jonas Brothers reunion tour thirty years from now?

Doubt it. You can’t stay a teen star forever.

At least, I hope not.

Paul McCartney with The Beatles. Mick Jagger with Rolling Stones. Jim Morrison with The Doors. Robert Plant with Led Zeppelin. Pete Townsend with The Who. Roger Waters with Pink Floyd. Joan Jett with the Blackhearts. Freddy Mercury with Queen. Stevie Nicks with Fleetwood Mac. Deborah Harry with Blondie.

All of these people are some of the front men and women who have successfully propelled their music through the decades. Their songs have traveled from records to tapes to CDs to iTunes. Their faces have been imposed on t-shirts and posters hung up in college dorm rooms. Their lyrics were popular in the 60s and 70s, and they are still quoted today. Their music has found a permanent and iconic spot in the changing years.

Technology may change. The economy may suck. Pop princesses may rule the airwaves for a few minutes. But sorry Don McLean, good music will never die.

What front men and women will be plastered on t-shirts twenty years from now? What iTunes tracks will our kids find rifling through our music libraries? What bands of our generation will find an eternal spot in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame?

I’ve taken it upon myself to come up with the front men and women who I believe will be played on future Oldies stations while we drive our kids to school. I am not comparing The Beatles to Phish, or Joan Jett to Jenny Lewis. Rather, these are the bands fronted by such talented musicians and performers that can withstand the test of time. And, in no particular order, here is my coveted list:

1. Trey Anastasio from Phish

Jam sessions, summer musical festivals and cult following have secured Phish a spot in the future of music. Although their radio play is close to non-existent, word of mouth has made Phish one of the most popular jam bands of all time. After a four year hiatus, Phish has returned with ten tour dates for the summer as well as a slot at Bonnaroo. Who knows what they will amount to twenty years from now, but it will probably be epic.

2. Dave Matthews from Dave Matthews Band

The fact that Dave Matthews could name a band after himself speaks volumes. DMB is one of the top 100 highest selling music acts of all time. Dave Matthews possesses the vocals to stand out and talent to write such songs as “Crash” and “I Did It.” DMB has released twenty studio and live albums, and twenty more are equally possible.

3. Thom Yorke from Radiohead

Although their first single “Creep” came out in 1992, Radiohead has kept up with the times. Radiohead has sold over 30 million albums since Pablo Honey, their debut album. They released their most recent album, In Rainbows, on the digital market. Revolutionary now and, odds are, in the future as well.

4. Natalie Maines from Dixie Chicks

I am not a fan of country music. Actually, I pretty much despise it. In saying that however, I can admit that Natalie Maines from the Dixie Chicks has an amazing musicality. The Dixie Chicks have won thirteen Grammys, and with songs such as “Wide Open Spaces” and “Goodbye Earl” it isn’t hard to picture them as a staple in the future.

5.  Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley

Rilo Kiley formed in the late 90s and has released five albums since then. Although the band is not incredibly mainstream, their underground fan base is undeniable. Jenny Lewis’ vocals have been found on numerous television shows such as The O.C., Weeds, Nip/Tuck and Grey’s Anatomy. If all else fails, at least their music will be featured on these shows in syndication.

Other front men and women to watch:

6. Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips

7. Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie

8. Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters

9. Caleb Followill from Kings of Leon

Creative Commons/Ochredraco

Jonathan Pichot contributed to this article.

At small schools like Aquinas, rumors and half-truths circulate quickly. Oftentimes, it is hard to differentiate truth from fabrication.  This is especially the case when the rumor involves controversy.  In the wake of the canceled John Corvino event last year–which involved its good share of rumor–the Aquinas administration has made steps intended to prevent such a situation from happening again.

The new Campus Event/Speaker Policy, which was posted on The Moose early this October, was developed to avoid the rumor mill and allow decisions to be made without the stark and penetrating eye of the public. In short, when a controversial event is proposed, a series of steps must be taken in order for the event to receive proper consideration and allow all stakeholders a chance to review the proposal, suggest modification and give a recommendation (To read the policy in full, please visit AQSaint.com.).

The Campus Event/Speaker policy, the gathering of the ad-hoc advisory committee as well as the inclusion of President Balog, were all tested and brought into motion earlier this year. The first person to test this policy was Cheyna Roczkowski, a junior English major.

As first proposed, Roczkowski’s project was to entail numerous events on campus throughout the course of a month. These events were to include panel discussions and open forums concerning violence against women and how women can become empowered, a presentation of personal writings done by the students of the Women and Journals class, presentations by various speakers, as well as a one night only presentation of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues.

Roczkowski, who plans to attend law school in the future, has a passion for women’s rights and especially for defending those who have been victimized.

“I wanted to help people that can’t speak for themselves,” said Roczkowski.

Roczkowski developed a desire to raise awareness about violence against women after working in a district court office. While there, part of her job entailed data entry and reviewing search warrants.

“I came across a warrant for a man who was a little girl’s neighbor. The warrant entailed pornography and inappropriate photos taken of her,” explained Roczkowski. “I saw that and it really occurred to me that this is something that needs to stop.”

“Women and children are the greatest victims of society and often their situations are overlooked and pushed aside.”

The experience for her brought into sharp focus the injustice and trauma of the voiceless.  She began thinking of ways to promote awareness about violence against women, starting with the Aquinas campus. As her plans grew, she decided to channel her ambition in the form of her Senior Insignis Project.

Roczkowski’s rationale for including this specific play in her project was simple — it is devoted to stopping violence against women. Proceeds from ticket sales and donations during the production would go to organizations like Catholic Relief Services and the Grand Rapids YWCA.

However, knowing that the play would cause controversy, Roczkowski and her mentor and supervisor, English professor Michelle DeRose were prepared to make their case. 

“We knew that this would institute the brand new policy,” said DeRose, who is also the advisor for the honors program Insignis. “We took steps to follow the policy so that every step of the way we were following the policy.”

“We knew this was a going to be a controversy.”

After a review by the Policy and Advisory Committee, the event was pared down to a week rather than the initially proposed month. A domestic violence panel, consisting of a judge, a lawyer and a survivor of violence from Aquinas, is still scheduled to happen. A letter writing campaign will take place during the to-be-determined week. However, The Vagina Monologues, which was supposed to be the kick-off event, has been exchanged for another form of artistic expression, The Jane Doe Project.

“We designed the project knowing it would become the first tested under this new policy,” said DeRose.  “Part of the project was for Cheyna to build the arguments for the project and bring them in front of the committee.” 

“We had also, from the beginning, thought of plan Bs. This was one part of the project,”

“After I was told no, I thought I could write something, something that hits even closer to home about the Aquinas students,” said Roczkowski.

The Jane Doe Project, as it develops in the mind of Roczkowski, is about a faceless woman whose identity has been stolen by violence, assault and domestic abuse. According to Roczkowski, the series of monologues is coming along organically but her inspiration to tell the faceless woman’s story is prominent.

“I want women to become more aware of the possibility of violence against them,” explained Roczkowski. “One in five women in the United States will be raped, assaulted or abused by an intimate partner.”

“This doesn’t even include the women that are assaulted by people they don’t know.”

After Roczkowski’s week of awareness, she hopes that she will spark an interest in someone and that the numbers of those committed to stopping the violence will grow.

“The more voices I can get, I truly believe we can change lives,” said Roczkowski. “Aquinas is such a small campus in Michigan, but if we can spark an interest about this in such a small community, imagine what we can do when more people know, when more people listen.”

Roczkowski is very enthusiastic about the project.  Her thorough research included wording taken from the newly instated Campus Event/Speaker Policy as well as words from President Balog’s inauguration. For her, the play is an artistic form of expression and believes that students should be able to express themselves in any form they want.

“If students can see the issue behind the art, then art has done its purpose. Art is meant to invoke emotion in people,” said Roczkowski.

The Vagina Monologues has been controversial in some circles of the Catholic faith, most notably the academic establishments that follow the moral teachings of the church yet still want to perform the play.

“It’s not about how long the committee or policy has been in place, it depends on the administration and the Catholic influence in the area and how liberal and open Aquinas wants to view themselves,” said Roczkowski. “From my perspective of what happened, Aquinas didn’t want to be seen as that liberal.”

“They didn’t want to support an event that was that controversial.”

The Advisory Committee met on three separate occasions before a recommendation was sent to the President. Although the committee took almost a month to reach a conclusion, the recommendation was agreed upon by President C. Edward Balog.

“There was a variety of advocacy positions for female sexuality that conflicted with the Catholic teachings on monogamy and procreation,” explained Balog.

In the end, Balog believed that Aquinas shouldn’t offer a platform that is adverse to Catholic moral teachings, and the presentation of The Vagina Monologues would do exactly that.

“An Insignis project should be focused more on academics,” said Balog. “The Vagina Monologues was an inappropriate part of the project.”

There were two parts to Roczkowski’s presentation — why she was interested in the topic of violence against women and a persuasion for the performance of The Vagina Monologues. The committee, along with Balog and Provost, Chad Gunnoe, agreed that her enthusiasm on the topic was commendable, but she chose the wrong vehicle for her artistic expression.

After Balog made the final decision, the committee did offer a modified version of Roczkowski’s initial event which was the option of a hosting a classroom discussion of The Vagina Monologues or a panel discussion that included the Catholic moral teachings among The Vagina Monologues promoters.

“The function of Aquinas College is to explore and facilitate open discussion, not necessarily to present or perform it,” Balog explained about the reasons behind the modifications.

The possibility of conflict between the final decision and the event’s original idea is always a possibility. However, as Gunnoe explained, this entire process was developed as a vehicle for communication and input — not for a resounding ‘no’ each time.

“There will always be a conflict between the conditions we see and the artist’s demands,” said Gunnoe. “It will always be difficult to reconcile.”

“But hopefully, because of this policy, we will be able to modify and reach an appropriate and ethical compromise.”

After the first assemblance of the committee and initial testing of the policy, both Balog and Gunnoe agree that the policy has worked thus far and will prove to be beneficial to the college, although there may be kinks to smooth out in the future.

“Time will tell whether this policy will facilitate more events on campus or restrict it,” said Gunnoe. “The potential is to make more things happen on campus that are pallatable to the internal and external communities of Aquinas College,”

“The committee should be commended for what they did. A decision had to be made and they deliberated it openly and effectively,” said Balog. “Aquinas strives for an open discussion of the truth and, with this policy we will be able to illustrate how to explore things artistically that don’t offer a platform that is adverse to Catholic moral teachings.”

The past presidential election was a historic one. The candidates battled for swing states, media attention and zingers in debates. While the candidates were battling across the nation, there were smaller but just as influential combats on a different type of battlefield – the college campus.

College students have regained their voice during this election. They have given their vote to choose the country’s future. In this recent election, 23 million voters from the age of 18-30 cast their ballots, which is a 3.4 million increase since the election in 2004.

In such an influential time where college aged students are being told to “Rock the Vote,” it seems that Aquinas students would do as much as they could to get out the message.

One person who took the opportunity to broaden her horizons was Aquinas freshman Hayley Michling.

Michling, who grew up in a very conservative area in northern Illinois, was raised Republican. During high school she attended numerous Republican meetings in her area and was raised only knowing the Republican side of politics.

“I was growing older and taking a stronger interest in politics,” said Michling, “so when I came to college I knew I wanted to join a political club.”

Michling, like many freshmen, went to Clubs and Orgs day at the beginning of the school year to become involved on campus.

“I decided to sign up for AQ Dems because I wanted to hear and learn more about them,” said Michling.

Although Michling chose to be a part of the AQ Democrats, she still considers herself a moderate. She used the club meetings and events as a learning opportunity rather than a political pedestal to stand on.

“It really didn’t seem to me that the AQ Republicans were existent on campus, which was weird to me because I am very moderate and would have liked to see their side as well,” said Michling.

Michling is one of 30 active participating members of the AQ Democrats. Under the presidential leadership of senior Maria Filice, the club spent well over $400 hosting events on campus.

Some of the events they hosted were: a massive voter registration drive, Will.i.am and Tatyana Ali at The Moose, a convention watching party at the end of August, voter registration tables in the Academic Building for a month, three featured local bands at the Rock for Barack concert, volunteering from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. when Obama visited Grand Rapids, a Presidential Debate watching party in October, Tailgate for Change which was attended by a former Republican member of the House of Representatives and knocking on every dorm door from August until the morning of election day reminding people to vote.

“The Dems have amazing leadership,” said Michling. “Maria goes above and beyond the call of duty.”

Vaughn Frahzer, a sophomore and two year member of AQ Republicans, also commends Filice on her expert leadership.

“I have to applaud the work of Maria Filice and the AQ Democrats on campus,” said Frahzer. “Her immense efforts along with the remainder of their club by far exceeded our enterprise within the Aquinas community.”

It appears in this election that the liberal viewpoint was held by a majority of AQ students and faculty. In saying this, the AQ Republicans had a challenge to promote the McCain-Palin ticket on campus.

Frahzer, who will be taking the role of Vice President for the club next year, understood this challenge early on.

“We do not exactly have the overwhelming man power in comparison to the AQ Democrats,”said Frahzer.

The AQ Republicans have nine active members in their club, compared to 30 members in the AQ Democrats. Because of the lacking conservative base for the AQ Republicans, they anticipated that any McCain event on campus grounds would attract more protesters than supporters. The AQ Republicans decided to relocate their political efforts to the Kent County GOP Headquarters.

“At the GOP Headquarters we collectively allocated our efforts specifically to the Grand Rapids community by working on a number of projects in our spare time,” said Frahzer.

The projects included phone banking, literary drops, house to house surveying, volunteering at the McCain-Palin rally at GRCC and research. Their intent was to identify and target the undecided voting population.

Michling, who considered herself an undecided voter when she arrived at Aquinas, was disappointed with the absence of the AQ Republican events on campus.

“Joining the Dems and going to the meetings really did have an influence on my voting. I would say I was definitely swayed because of the lack of Republican action on campus,” said Michling.

Michling was not the only person dissatisfied with the Republican action on campus. Filice also had her disappointments with how the months preceding the election turned out.

“I was excited for an open and honest discussion on campus and when that didn’t occur,” said Filice, “I felt like it was a true disservice to the campus.”

“While I respect the leadership and the members of the club and consider many of them my friends, I can only equate their lack of presence to a major difference in goals.”

Frahzer also had his regrets not about the club but more so about himself. He is optimistic and hopeful for the future successes of the club.

“I wish I simply could’ve volunteered more and perhaps utilize more of the dormant McCain supported on campus. This could have increased the possibility for a higher degree of success on campus,” said Frahzer.

“Our club is doing well and I am curious to see what the next four years will bring. Despite small numbers we do have zealous activists,” said Frahzer. “There are plans under construction with the intent of establishing more of a presence on campus.”

Being a Republican in a predominantly liberal environment may be discouraging but Frahzer was able to find the positive aspects during the past few months.

“I embrace it. Besides strengthening my political ideology, I feel the abundant exposure to the logic of the left has and will continue to progress my reason,” said Frahzer, “I am certainly a much more open minded person for it.”

Even the president of the AQ Democrats has run into problems on campus.

“People are only motivated when there’s a presidential election and when it’s done they lose interest,” said Filice, “I think this is a main problem with not only our age group but the nation in general.”

Aquinas will have to wait and see what becomes of not only the AQ Republicans but also the AQ Democrats after such a whirlwind campaigning season. The presidential election brought victory to the AQ Democrats but also opened the eyes of the AQ Republicans. There will always be losses and victories, always liberals and conservatives, always moderates and undecided voters. It just takes some motivation to invigorate political life on campus-from both political parties and the students.

(cnt. from pg. 2) “At the GOP Headquarters we collectively allocated our efforts specifically to the Grand Rapids community by working on a number of projects in our spare time,” said Frahzer.

The projects included phone banking, literary drops, house to house surveying, volunteering at the McCain-Palin rally at GRCC and research. Their intent was to identify and target the undecided voting population.

Michling, who considered herself an undecided voter when she arrived at Aquinas, was disappointed with the absence of the AQ Republican events on campus.

“Joining the Dems and going to the meetings really did have an influence on my voting. I would say I was definitely swayed because of the lack of Republican action on campus,” said Michling.

Michling was not the only person dissatisfied with the Republican action on campus. Filice also had her disappointments with how the months preceding the election turned out.

“I was excited for an open and honest discussion on campus,” said Filice. “When that didn’t occur, I felt like it was a true disservice to the campus.”

“While I respect the leadership and the members of the club and consider many of them my friends, I can only equate their lack of presence to a major difference in goals.”

Frahzer also had his regrets – not about the club, but more so about himself. He is optimistic and hopeful for the future successes of the club.

“I wish I simply could’ve volunteered more and perhaps utilize more of the dormant McCain supporters on campus. This could have increased the possibility for a higher degree of success on campus,” said Frahzer.

“Our club is doing well and I am curious to see what the next four years will bring. Despite small numbers, we do have zealous activists,” said Frahzer. “There are plans under construction with the intent of establishing more of a presence on campus.”

Being a Republican in a predominantly liberal environment may be discouraging, but Frahzer was able to find the positive aspects during the past few months.

“I embrace it. Besides strengthening my political ideology, I feel the abundant exposure to the logic of the left has and will continue to progress my reason,” said Frahzer. “I am certainly a much more open-minded person for it.”

Even the president of the AQ Democrats has run into problems on campus.

“People are only motivated when there’s a presidential election and when it’s done, they lose interest,” said Filice. “I think this is a main problem with not only our age group but the nation in general.”

Aquinas will have to wait and see what becomes of not only the AQ Republicans, but also the AQ Democrats after such a whirlwind campaigning season. The presidential election brought victory to the AQ Democrats, but also opened the eyes of the AQ Republicans. There will always be losses and victories, always liberals and conservatives, always moderates and undecided voters. It just takes some motivation to invigorate political life on campus – from both political parties and the students.

For Ron Pederson it isn’t about the award he received from the International Sculpture Center for Educator of the Year. It isn’t about his new art exhibit “Professing Sculpture.” For Pederson, it’s all about the students.

“Basically the award is for teaching and because I’ve always had the attitude that it’s all about the students,” said Pederson.

Although Pederson is characteristically humble about the award, a look at his teaching philosophy fully justifies the award. His entire career has not only been about teaching art to students but also about teaching them to follow their passions.

“The Aquinas Art Department, myself included, wants people to be great art students but also to be able to take what they’ve learned and apply it to everything in their lives,” said Pederson. “As teachers we not only teach art but also creative thinking. Our students learn to apply this concept of logic and non-logic to their lives. It makes them…calculatedly analytical.”

Pederson sets a high value on the importance of mentoring and passing along talent and knowledge from one generation to another. While in the AMC a week before his exhibition, he was visited by a current student and her parents. She was showing them a sculpture she had made in one of Pederson’s classes.

“The dad of my student came up to me and said ‘I was your student in 1983 and you were an amazing teacher.’ That’s what I want to see. It’s all about helping young people find their way,” said Pederson. “This man was my student, and now his daughter is. They’ve found the same passion. I want to help people find their passion and equip them to make good decisions in every aspect in life.

“I think about the big picture,” he says. “I want students to experience their passion and pass it on to generations after generations. I want to be a good mentor and I want those people I teach to be in the habit of helping the next generation. That’s my vision of eternity.”

Pederson’s most recent art exhibit “Professing Sculpture: Ron Pederson and Seven Students from Three Decades” reinforces that vision. This exhibit focuses on sculpture, but not all of them in traditional form. Some of the pieces will be video and sound infusion sculptures. All of the artists featured in this exhibit are past students of Pederson who have grown under his insightful teaching and care.

“I had a mentoring relationship with everyone in this exhibit. I had so many talented students to choose from but I chose the ones in the exhibit because they represented the different times in art and teaching of myself. I had to pass over many good sculptures, but the ones I chose define me over the past three decades,” explained Pederson.

Pederson’s son, Ben, will also be featured in the exhibit. Ben Pederson graduated from Aquinas in 2003 and went on for his graduate degree in Sculpture at University of Massachusetts.

“I’m very proud of my dad,” said Ben. “I think people are critical of those who teach art. They say if you can’t make it as an artist, you teach instead. And with my dad he’s thrived more because of teaching.

“He gets his students to speak their own artistic language. His teaching has enriched his own work, it’s fed him,” said Ben. “He has never, ever complained about teaching and it’s always been about the students for him-that’s why he won this award. He has touched many people’s lives.”

One of Ben Pederson’s pieces in the exhibit is one of the non-traditional sculptures.

“I set up these conference calls… between different McDonald’s in different countries-Spain, London, Paris,” explains Ben. “They’ll be talking to each other thinking the other person called them when really they both called each other. They are confused and they just can’t figure it out. But it forces a relationship between people, regardless of their language or cultural barriers.”

It just goes to show how creative and innovative artists can be, especially when those artists are mentored by Ron Pederson. Exhibit visitors will be able to pick up various telephone extensions and hear the different conversations from around the world.

Another exhibit, by former Aquinas student Amy Sharp, is also a non-traditional piece that focuses on video sculpture, and a famous theory developed by Pederson himself.

“I have this theory called the Beckoning and Humming Theory of Junk Collecting. I encourage students to go to junkyards and look for scraps to use in their artwork. I tell them that there are pieces that will beckon to you and demand your attention. And then there will be pieces that hum,” said Pederson, “You’ll always pick the things that hum because they will hum forever.

Sharp elaborated on Pederson’s theory in her own artistic way. She video taped different people ‘beckoning and humming’ and compiled the separate videos so that they responded to each other. Her videos will be playing at the exhibit. “The video will keep beckoning and humming until it’s turned off,” she said.

Pederson’s artwork and teaching will also be traveling across the sea next semester. Ron, along with his wife and professor at Aquinas, will be joining the Ireland study abroad program to Tully Cross for the fifth time. Pederson will be offering an art class for non-majors while abroad.

“It will be a drawing and painting class with an emphasis on creating landscapes,” said Pederson, “It will be perfect while in Ireland. Tully Cross is an unbelievable place to learn how to paint and draw landscapes.”

“I am so excited to go back to Tully Cross. It will be like going back to my home town,” said Pederson, “When I make that final turn in Connemara, the last turn towards home, that’s when my heart starts. I love it.”

The ISC award ceremony will take place Friday, October 3rd at Fredrick Meijer Gardens. All of the students in the exhibit will be attending the award ceremony as well. When asked if he was excited about receiving such a prestigious award, Pederson responded, “Well, I have Scandinavian heritage and when people ask if I’m excited about something, it’s hard to say yes. But I do feel very lucky and I’m very pleased to win this award.”

“Professing Sculpture: Ron Pederson and Seven Students From Three Decades” will be displayed in the AMC Thursday, Oct. 2 through Friday, Nov. 14. The artists to be featured alongside Pederson are: Amy Sharp, Ben Pederson, Jamie Watson, Joyce Recker, Lee Bowen, Lisa Burrows Dionne, Sr. Phyllis Mrozinski.

Ron Pederson’s philosophy on teaching art is simple, but will resonate forever: “In the end,” he says, “It’s all about love.”