By Cole Hatcher

Ohio Wesleyan University has announced its February 2025 lineup of public events. Unless otherwise noted, admission is free.

Jan. 14-March 23, with an opening reception Jan. 16: “Caribbean Transformers: Becoming and Being in the New World,” an exhibition by Alicia Brown, and the continuation of “Culture Push,” at Ohio Wesleyan’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware.

  • In “Caribbean Transformers,” Brown investigates colonial histories and legacies through portraiture. Born in Jamaica and based in Florida, her work is personal, powerful, and intimate. Brown’s sitters are painted lovingly and reflect the artist’s gentle but profound awareness of the forces shaping identity. Learn more at www.alicialisabrown.com. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 16 at the museum and feature Caribbean-inspired food and music.
  • “Culture Push” is a response to Fritz Scholder’s “Hollywood Indian” on loan from Art Bridges. This exhibition supports the curriculum developed for OWU’s first-year student seminar, with works chosen to investigate the powerful cultural forces that shape people’s lives.

During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It will be closed March 8-16 for spring break. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.

8 p.m. Feb. 7, 21, and 28: Friday night guest nights, at Perkins Observatory, 3199 Columbus Pike (U.S. 23), Delaware. Content varies based on weather conditions, but may include a planetarium show, observatory tours, or stargazing with the 32-inch Schottland Telescope. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 on the day of the event and at the door. Reserve tickets by calling (740) 363-1257. Learn more at owu.edu/Perkins.

Feb. 14-15: Ohio Wesleyan Honor Band Music Festival

  • 7 p.m. Feb. 14: Honor Band Festival Host Concert, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
  • 2 p.m. Feb. 15: Honor Band Festival Grand Finale Concert, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.

5 p.m. Feb. 19: Nadia Kim, Ph.D., professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University, discusses environmental justice, in Room 301 of Merrick Hall, 65 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Kim’s research focuses on U.S. race and citizenship injustices concerning Korean/Asian Americans, South Koreans, and Latinx immigrants, on fights against environmental racism/classism (especially by women), and on comparative racialization of Latinx, Asian, and Black Americans. Her presentation encompasses OWU’s 2024-2025 Butler A. Jones Lecture on Race and Society, Benjamin F. Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs, and Robert Kragalott Lecture on Genocide, Mass Atrocity, and Human Rights. Admission is free. Learn more at owu.edu/SOANowu.edu/politics, and owu.edu/history.

Noon Feb. 20: Environmental justice and human rights panel discussion, in Room 301 of Merrick Hall, 65 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. The panel will include Feb. 19 OWU speaker Nadia Kim, Ph.D., professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University. Light refreshments will be available, and attendees are invited to bring their lunch. The panel discussion is sponsored jointly by OWU’s Butler A. Jones Lecture on Race and Society, Benjamin F. Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs, and Robert Kragalott Lecture on Genocide, Mass Atrocity, and Human Rights. Admission is free. Learn more at owu.edu/SOANowu.edu/politics, and owu.edu/history.

Noon Feb. 22: Bishop Backers Winter Community Day and Delaware Expo 2025

This annual event features an OWU women’s and men’s basketball doubleheader vs. Denison University and an expo of area nonprofit organizations and businesses. Admission is free with a canned food donation to benefit the Delaware County Hunger Alliance. The basketball games will tip-off at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, and the expo will be held from noon to 3 p.m. All events will be held in Branch Rickey Arena and Gordon Field House, 105 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. The expo will include opportunities to:

  • Meet Columbus Zoo and Aquarium animals, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. only.
  • Adopt dogs from the Humane Society of Delaware County.
  • Enjoy children’s activities provided by the Delaware Community Center YMCA.
  • Learn from Delaware EMTs how to perform CPR and use automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
  • Meet Delaware Police Officers and Firefighters, and explore the inflatable fire safety house.
  • Win a big-screen TV in a free raffle drawing courtesy of First Commonwealth Bank.

Parking is free and available in all OWU campus lots. Learn more or register for an expo exhibitor’s table before Jan. 31 at owu.edu/BishopBackers.

7:30 p.m. Feb. 27-March 1 and 2 p.m. March 1-2, 2025: “Doubt, A Parable,” written by John Patrick Shanley (“Moonstruck”), in the Studio Theatre inside Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, a strong-minded principal wrestles with her conscience as she copes with concerns about a progressive young priest. Directed by OWU faculty member and graduate Bradford Sadler, the play addresses issues straight from today’s headlines, earning Shanley a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play. Admission is free, but reservations are required by visiting owu.edu/PerformingArts beginning two weeks before the show debuts. For questions, call the box office at (740) 368-3855.

All Ohio Wesleyan public event information is subject to change. For the latest updates, visit owu.edu/calendar. For more Battling Bishop athletics events, visit battlingbishops.com.

Ohio Wesleyan’s February public events include the Bishop Backers Winter Community Day and Delaware Expo 2025. The event will include an OWU basketball double-header vs. Denison University and a visit from Columbus Zoo and Aquarium animals. (Photo by Cole Hatcher)

Source, Photo: OWU


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