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Super Star Shanna Zolman Mahaley Returns to Syracuse

The Wawasee High School graduate, who went on to star at the University of Tennessee and into the WNBA, is returning to Syracuse on May 7 for two programs at Wawasee High School. In the morning she will speak at a student assembly. Then, at 7 p.m., she will speak at a Chautauqua Wawasee-sponsored event, free and open to the public in the high school gymnasium. Active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Shanna will discuss her ministry, mentoring, and faith journey.

While playing for Wawasee, the Warriors went 74-19 during that stretch as Zolman led the state in scoring all four years as the team played in front of packed gyms throughout the area. She finished her career as an All-American, the Indiana Miss Basketball winner, co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game, and at that time the state’s all-time leading scorer for girls with 3,085 career points. Following an outstanding career at the University of Tennessee, where she ranks ninth in career scoring, Zolman played four seasons in the WNBA with the San Antonio Silver Stars and Tulsa Shock, averaging 7.9 points and shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line. Two knee injuries cut her playing career short.

She now lives in the Seattle area and works in ministry and mentoring with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “I’m trying to share my passion and love of Jesus,” she said. “That’s what makes me click. I really enjoy speaking around the country and sharing my passion and experiences. That’s where my focus is right now.” “I will be coming to share about the ministry God has me involved in around the Seattle area through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes,” Zolman said. “I will also be sharing how He has been working in and through me while using my basketball experiences as a platform to share and connect with others.

The event is free to attend, 7 – 8 p.m. at the Wawasee High School gymnasium in Syracuse.

Purdue Varsity Glee Club
Chautauqua-Wawasee is bringing the Purdue Varsity Glee Club to Syracuse on March 1, 2024, for their only performance in northeastern Indiana during the first half of 2024. Don’t miss the fun provided by this entertaining and vibrant performance at the Wawasee High School.

An event for the entire family — This dynamic musical troupe employs a versatile repertoire including gospel, vocal jazz, swing, contemporary hits, romantic ballads, classical choral selections, barbershop, folk melodies, patriotic standards, familiar opera choruses, country and novelty tunes, and utilizes small groups and outstanding soloists to further enhance each show.

As an added treat, there is a ticketholder discount for dining at the Pier & Back Porch Restaurant! Save your tickets to the Purdue Varsity Glee Club performance.  Before the concert on the night of March 1st, a 15% discount will be extended to event ticketholders at the Pier and Back Porch restaurant in the Oakwood Resort. 

* The 15% discount will not be valid on any purchases of alcoholic beverages and is only applicable on regularly priced menu items.  Digital copies of tickets will be accepted when shown to your server.  

When: March 1, 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Where: Wawasee High School auditorium, Syracuse, Indiana
Tickets: $22 for General Admission; $30 for VIP seating (middle rows A-D)
Purchase tickets: HERE,  or you may also give us a call at 574-377-7543

About Chautauqua-Wawasee
Oakwood Foundation, Inc. d/b/a Chautauqua-Wawasee, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused on providing life-enriching programs with cultural, educational, and recreational events to the Kosciusko community and northern Indiana.

Be sure to visit our Facebook page for information and updates on our programs!

Devin Van Lue BSU Singers

Local Ball State University Singer Devin Van Lue shares his love of music.
By Devin Van Lue

My musical background began at Syracuse Elementary School with my music mentor, Kris Stump. Mrs. Stump offered me the role of a mouse in Wawasee High School’s production of “Cinderella.” From then on, I was involved with Wawasee Performing Arts as a lighting and sound operator, backstage crew, ensemble, and in leading roles. My most memorable role was playing Prince Eric in our production of “The Little Mermaid” this past spring. Mrs. Stump offered me the opportunity to play in Wawasee High Schools’ Marching Band. I played in the front ensemble, marched in the percussion battery, and served as a drum major for three years. I also played percussion and saxophone for Pep Band and Concert Band. In my freshman year, I auditioned for Vocal Motion, Wawasee’s top show choir. Music was a large part of my education at Wawasee, but It wasn’t all I did. I was also a member of the Key Club, Student Council, Drama Club, The International Thespian Society, National Honor Society, Boy Scouts, and Relay for Life. Being a part of all these programs made me into the man that I am today. I thoroughly enjoyed every program I was involved in. The programs gave me inspiration for choosing my future career as a music educator. These groups allowed me to grow as a leader and a student which tremendously prepared me for college.

When I first toured Ball State University, I heard of the Ball State University Singers, and I was excited to audition this past spring. I did not receive the chance to be in show choir all the way through high school, so I knew that this was something I wanted to do. The audition process was super easy but also intimidating. This past April, we were asked to prepare two songs, one upbeat and one slow. We sang our pieces in front of the director and all previous cast members. Following the singing portion of our audition, we then learned a dance with the dance captains and had to perform the song with choreography. My voice teacher, Shannon Rose, also attended my auditions and greatly helped me prepare for this. It wasn’t until June 16th that I learned I was a member of the Ball State University Singers. I was so excited to make this group because I knew it was going to be my favorite part of college. The director sent out an email to all the members that made the group that day. I was thrilled to get the news and I couldn’t wait to share it with my family and friends.

 The Ball State University Singers is currently in its 59th cast and is recognized as Indiana’s Official Goodwill Ambassadors singing songs of faith, hope, laughter, and love. These four pillars make up the foundation of the Ball State University Singers and our directors encourage us to follow these pillars in our everyday life. We as singers are expected to rehearse at least twice a week for several hours. We travel all over the state to run clinics with high school show choirs and we perform for Ball State and other community events. We prepare music with our theme of faith, hope, laughter, and love throughout the entire year. We will learn our music and the choreography that goes with it. All the music we prepare stays in our repertoire leading up to our annual Spectacular performance in April.

I was extremely blessed to be a part of this amazing cast. BSU Singers has transformed my college experience into an amazing one. I am honored to be able to represent the talent at Wawasee at a collegiate level. I plan to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in vocal and instrumental music education. I choose this degree because of my true passion for music and the amazing educators that got me to this point. Kris Stump, Shannon Rose, Connie Meadows, and Toni Pawlicki taught and trained me into the performer that I am today and for that, I am truly grateful. I could not have received this opportunity without their love and support. Being a member of the BSU Singers has given me more passion for pursuing this degree because of the amount of joy that is spread through this group. From a glee club member to an audience, everyone is in for a spectacular show. There is a treat for everyone throughout the entire performance sharing our faith, hope, laughter, and love. Here at Ball State, I was instantly surrounded by loving people pursuing their dreams. This made getting adjusted to college much easier. Along with the Ball State University Singers, I also participate in Concert Choir and Cardinal Chorus. These programs train us in an exciting way to be a performer of skill and consistency. During our performance, our audience will be thrilled with all sorts of music ranging from pop to musical theater. Following our performance, the glee club will be outside the auditorium to meet and greet. We would love to share with you more information on the group and future performances. I could not be where I am today without the support of my amazing community. We hope you enjoy the performance.

 

*Reprinted with the permission of the Mail-Journal.