MONDAY, JUNE 6 – SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2016
BEST BETS
ELITE SENIORS MEET ON CAMPUS FOR GIRLS STATE — The 74th annual American Legion Auxiliary Girls State continues through Friday, June 10, on UA’s campus. Alabama Girls State offers its delegates an immersive leadership program designed to develop young women as future leaders. During the week, more than 350 participants will conduct mock elections and learn about civic processes. On Friday, June 10, the Girls State seniors will visit Montgomery. For more details, contact Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu or 205/348-3782.
‘DISCOVERING ALABAMA’ TO PRESENT COASTAL STORY THIS WEEK — UA’s Emmy Award-winning series “Discovering Alabama” presents its three-part documentary sequence on “Alabama’s Coastal Paradise” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, on Alabama Public Television. The programs were developed to share the rest of the coastal story, enhancing positive public awareness of the multi-faceted significance of the state’s coastal region beyond the lingering attention that resulted from the 2010 oil spill. “Alabama’s Coastal Paradise” is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and educating viewers about the Alabama Gulf Coast and will feature shows on Alabama’s Coastal Ecology, Alabama’s Coastal Historical Heritage and Alabama’s Coastal Education Assets. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 808/640-5912 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
CREATIVE WRITING CLASSES – UA invites local high school students — incoming freshmen through graduating seniors — to sign up for the Summer 2016 Creative Writing Camp. The Creative Writing Camp will meet from 1 to 4 p.m. each weekday from Monday, June 6, to Friday, June 17, in 301 Morgan Hall on the UA campus. No previous creative writing experience is required. Tuition is free, and free parking can also be arranged. The instructors will be writers who are graduate students in UA’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program. For more details, contact Meghan Tear Plummer, uacreativewritingclub@gmail.com, 337/499-7648. For assistance, contact Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782.
ENGLISH PROFESSOR WINS 2016 MARK TWAIN AWARD – Michael Martone, a professor of English and creative writing, was selected by the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature as the winner of the 2016 Mark Twain Award for Distinguished Contributions to Midwestern Literature. Martone, an author of more than 25 books and anthologies, joins past Mark Twain Award recipients such as Gwendolyn Brooks, Ted Kooser and Philip Levine. He was presented the award June 3 at the society’s annual luncheon held at Michigan State University. For more details, contact Jamon Smith, media relations, jamon.smith@ua.edu, 205/348-4956.
UA EXPERT TIPS
UA MATTERS: What is Mindfulness and How Can I Cultivate It? – Mindfulness has become a popular buzz word, but it can be difficult to understand until you have tried it yourself. Mindfulness and contemplative practices have been in existence for thousands of years. They have risen in popularity in Western culture since being adapted for secular use and an upsurge in research documenting the vast benefits of mind-body practices for health and well-being. In the second of three stories on chronic stress, Dr. Caroline Boxmeyer explains how mindfulness and contemplative practices can improve overall health and well-being in this week’s UA Matters. For assistance, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, at 808/640-5912 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.