MOUNT OLIVE — There is a growing recognition that colleges and universities care about and can be an important cultural resource for their neighboring communities. Strong, vibrant communities are also a source of support for local campuses. UMO believes in cultivating these campus-community partnerships by being purposeful in integrating the knowledge, expertise, and creativity of the University’s faculty and students and sharing those with the larger community. On any given day at UMO, visitors can experience art exhibitions, musical performances, guest lectures, drama productions, and athletic competitions.

This spring UMO will have many well-known artists on campus collaborating with students and presenting memorable productions for attendees.

The UMO Theatre and La Belle Epoque will perform Joseph Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” Feb. 10-12 at the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St. in Mount Olive. The Friday, Feb. 10 and the Saturday, Feb. 11, performances will be at 7:30 p.m. There will be a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Feb. 12.

The University’s Concert Series will feature Florida-based music director Tony Canty and composer and pianist Thomas Royal on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St. in Mount Olive. The concert is a part of the UMO Concert Series, which provides students and local residents the opportunity to enjoy the finest performers of various musical genres at no cost.

The year 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and the Reformation. The university’s third annual Hymn Festival will celebrate this exciting and joyous event. The event will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall. Other events showcasing UMO student and faculty groups will include a Faculty Recital featuring Dr. Alan Armstrong and seven other string players on Mar. 16; Free Spirit Concert on April 1; a Musical Theatre Showcase on April 7; Symphonic Band Concert on April 13; Concert Choir Concert on April 21; and the UMO Jazz Band performance on April 27. All of these events are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall in Mount Olive.

For those interested in more academic pursuits, there will be two lectures this spring. The Braswell Lecture is scheduled for March 30. The speaker will be Lynn Loeser, Statewide Consultant for Specific Learning Disabilities and ADHD at the NC Department of Public Instruction. Her topic will be, “Meeting the Needs of all Students.” The Martin Lecture will feature Dr. Shannon Carson, Professor of Medicine and the Division Chief of Pulmonary Diseases & Critical Care Medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine. The lecture is scheduled for April 4. Both lectures are set to begin at 7:30 p.m. in Southern Bank Auditorium on the UMO campus.

“At UMO, we believe that we have the ability to not only transform the lives of students, but to also transform the lives of those who come in contact with the University,” said Dr. Philip P. Kerstetter, president of UMO. “We also believe that our deliberate effort to help strengthen creative ideas, inspire citizens, and offer hope that opportunities exist and matter to the community, will not only increase the awareness of our arts programs and cultural offerings, but will also be a catalyst for other partnerships within the communities we serve.”

For a complete list of all events and activities at UMO, visit www.umo.edu/calendar.

Musical productions are part of the cultural experience at UMO.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_UMOtalleys043-web.jpgMusical productions are part of the cultural experience at UMO.

Well-known artists display their works on the UMO campus.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_UMOart021-web.jpgWell-known artists display their works on the UMO campus.

One-act plays demonstrate theatrical talents at UMO.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_UMOoneacts399-web.jpgOne-act plays demonstrate theatrical talents at UMO.