WCPN's Dee Perry Leads University Students in a Discussion on "Populating the Future of University Circle"

CLEVELAND (April 12, 2010) – On Wednesday, May 12, WCPN's Around Noon host Dee Perry will lead area college students in a panel discussion at the Cleveland Museum of Art titled "Populating the Future of University Circle." The free event is open to the public, beginning with a reception at 5 p.m. and program from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the museum's newly renovated Gartner Auditorium.

University Circle is a temporary home for more than 10,000 university and college students. The evening's discussion will focus on the students' current experiences in University Circle and whether their plans involve remaining in the area following graduation. They'll also discuss the changes they'd recommend to businesses and community leaders to make the landscape of the neighborhood and Northeast Ohio region more attractive to them and their friends as a place to plant permanent roots.

"The students who are drawn here for educational purposes represent a very creative population," says Perry. "It's also a population that doesn't often get a chance to share their thoughts in an open forum. I hope the interaction will be an enriching experience for the Circle Neighbors audience and the panelists."

Participants will include students representing Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Art. The event is a presentation of Circle Neighbors, coordinated by The Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, in collaboration with the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, The Women's Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra, MOCA and the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Those interested in attending the discussion should visit the Womens Council website at http://www.wccma.net and click the RSVP button on the home page or call 216-707-2527.

Circle Neighbors
Circle Neighbors strives to provide an insider's view of the University Circle community. The mission of the group is to promote an enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, University Circle; provide a networking opportunity for the volunteers of the University Circle institutions; and identify and advance the strengths of the individual institutions through their collaborative efforts, which are key to the long-term success of the community. The series of speakers, panel discussions and workshops is hosted by The Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art in collaboration with the other participating institutions.

Dee Perry
Dee Perry has been a part of the Cleveland broadcasting scene for 34 years, having started her career at WABQ-AM in 1976. WCPN (90.3 ideastream) has been her radio home since 1989, and she has performed in several capacities for the public broadcasting entity, which now includes WVIZ/PBS television. Perry is currently the senior host and producer of the weekday talk show Around Noon, which focuses on the visual and performing arts, cultural trends and current arts news. In addition, she also serves as host and producer for WVIZ's Applause, a half-hour weekly television series devoted to arts and culture.

The Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 40,000 objects and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. Currently undergoing a multi-phase renovation and expansion project, it is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, performing arts and art education. Admission to the museum has been free since its founding charter.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Additional support comes from the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this project with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. For more information on the museum, its holdings, programs and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit www.ClevelandArt.org.