Stetson University will welcome more than 1,200 special guests, including approximately 500 accepted high school seniors and transfer students and their families on Hatter Saturday, April 13. (Kevin Winchell, far right, helps with Hatter Saturday 2012.) In addition to registering for their Stetson email account, getting their photo IDs, and meeting with their faculty advisers, one of the main service-learning activities planned for the day is to pack 40,000 nutritional meals for hungry children in central Florida and in Nicaragua. In collaboration with Feeding Children Everywhere, Stetson is leading by example for the incoming fall 2013 class, showing just one of the many ways that Hatters make a significant difference in this world.

Stetson will highlight her undergraduate research that spans campus disciplines in the day-long Showcase of student talent on Tuesday, April 16. Approximately 150 Stetson undergraduates will participate, presenting their research papers, research posters and art portfolios, and make oral presentations, perform and give Powerpoint presentations in seven venues across campus. Classes will be cancelled Tuesday, enabling all students, faculty and staff to attend sessions uninterrupted. All events are open to the public, including all student presentations, the Stetson Women’s Chorale and Stetson Men’s concert in Lee Chapel, the Digital Media Festival at the Athens Theatre in downtown DeLand and the keynote lecture at the end of the day.

By students, for students: For a quick review of upcoming events, watch the latest episode of Hatter News Flash by clicking on the photo at left.

Earth Week at Stetson focuses on Keeping It Green, and will include the screening of Switch Energy: Awareness & Efficiency Program, on Wednesday, April 17. Earth Week continues through Saturday, April 20, and will include the annual Doug Lee Day of Service, honoring the legacy of the late, former president of Stetson, with several community service-learning projects and other events scheduled at the Gillespie Museum, 234 E. Michigan Ave.

The School of Music presents five outstanding concerts in Lee Chapel next week, including:

• Friday, April 12 – University Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 13 – Percussion Ensemble at 3 p.m.
• Sunday, April 14 – Woodwind Ensemble at 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 16 – Stetson Women’s Chorale and Stetson Men at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, April 19 – Faculty Recital featuring Jane Christeson, mezzo-soprano, and Michael Rickman, piano, 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 20 – University Symphonic Band, 7:30 p.m. 

Senior Week kicks off at Stetson on Tuesday, April 16, and plans to start a new Hatter tradition for graduating seniors.

Dancing at Lughnasa the last production of the 107^th season of theatrical productions at Stetson, opens Thursday, April 18, and runs through Sunday, April 23.

The Spring Blood Drive at Stetson will be Wednesday and Thursday, April 17 and 18. The Bloodmobile will be located behind Stetson Green both days between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., and all donors will be given prizes.

Other calendar events scheduled for the week include:

• The Personal and the Political: European Welfare State, Family and Gender: Wednesday, April 17, noon and 5 p.m.  

• Burn-Out Series: Burpees Competitive Session, Hollis Center – Wednesday, April 17 

• Objectification of Women in HipHop Music, Wednesday, April 17 

• Weston Smith Public Presentation, Thursday, April 18 

• International Music Festival, Thursday, April 18 

• Bernard Weiner Memorial Lecture, Thursday, April 18 – Dr. Atina Grossmann “Remapping Death and Survival: Flight, Displacement, and International Aid for Jewish Refugees during the Holocaust” 

• Deliberating About Things that Matter – Gender and the Holocaust, Friday, April 19. Sponsored by Russian Studies and Gender Studies 

• Let’s Get Physical! Exercise Benefits the Brain – noon-1p.m., Friday, April 19 

• Opening Reception, Senior Studio Art Exhibition, 6-8 p.m., Friday, April 19 – Hand Art Center 

• Hatter Palooza, Saturday, April 20, 1-11 p.m.

For these and other university events, check out the online calendar on Stetson Today. And, be sure to check out all Hatter Sports at GOHATTERS.COM.