N WS A publicatione of the Lumpkin College of Business & Applied Sciences Philanthropy Office Edition: June 20, 2008 'I've gardened all my life': Shobe finds job tending the grounds Philanthropy Office Hours Monday—Thursday at EIU not much like work 7:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m. Friday For Larry Shobe, grounds gardener at Eastern University, 7:30a.m.—noon gardening is not a hobby and, although he’s a paid employee, it seldom seems like a job. “It’s definitely lifestyle,” he says. A Contact Information drive down South 10th Street in Charleston where Shobe lives Jacqueline S. Joines, CFRE might well provide a view of more varieties of trees and plants in Director of Philanthropy one garden than could be found nearly anywhere else. In the Lumpkin College of spring, Shobe’s favorite time of year, the colors in the garden are Business spectacular, ranging from shades of red, pink, lavender and deep & Applied Sciences purple to yellow and orange.

600 Lincoln Avenue Although he doesn’t know exactly how many plants and trees are Charleston, Illinois 61920 growing in the large garden, it has 50 varieties of peonies alone. There is no grass lawn at Shobe’s house, only a narrow path that Email: [email protected] winds its way through the three-lot garden. “I’ve gardened all my Phone: 217.581.7969 life,” he said, “gardened as long as I can remember.”

Old Main The originals of several of Shobe’s plants belonged to his great- grandmother. Two of the peonies and a couple of trees remain National Historic Site Charleston resident Larry Shobe from the home’s former owners, Leland and Loraine Coleman, pictured May 22, 2008 in the who lived there for 45 years. “My great-grandmother taught me garden surrounding his home how to propagate from cuttings and how to layer plants when I near the Eastern Illinois Univer- was 5 to 7 years old,” he said. Layering, he explained, is one way sity campus. (Photo by Ken Tre- to start a new plant. “You dig a little of the ground, pull a lower varthan). branch down into it and let the end of the branch stick out, leaving it attached to the tree,” he said. He leaves it that way for a year and when it’s rooted, he snips it off from the main plant in the spring, digs it up and sets the young flower, shrub or tree in a new place. “This works for some shrubs and flowers and not for others. It doesn’t work with peonies,” he said.

Shobe said he finds new plants everywhere. “People give them to me, some came from the neighborhood, others from derelict farms.” He buys from local nurseries and catalogues, and takes pieces from plants on campus and propagates them. The reverse is also true since he takes cuttings from his garden to plant on campus.

Among the flowers and trees in Shobe’s garden are pink and white magnolias, Sweet William, calla lilies, smoke trees, dame’s rocket, viburnum, coleus, lilacs, iris, daffodils, columbine, hya- cinths, and a banana tree he mulches each year that has survived outside for three seasons. There are dogwood trees, holly, azaleas, climbing hydrangea, rhododendron, hostas, a weeping copper beech tree, wisteria, and a couple of Scotch broom trees, to name only a few. There is also a tall, Make Great Things thin tree called a curly lamppost maple with branches only inches long. The tree is a cultivar of a Happen! Norway maple, which looks similar to one on campus that can be seen from Lincoln Avenue. The Make a Gift Online! tree at Eastern is a sugar maple. A couple of crosses enabled it to shoot straight up, but only branch out a fraction of an inch each year. Make a gift to your favorite area at EIU online. “I love growing things and manipulating the growth of the trees,” Shobe said. “I don’t always Log on to https:// know the names of things, and I certainly don’t know the botanical names. I wish I did, but at this www.give2eiu.eiu.edu/ stage of my life, I don’t find it needful to worry about it.” Shobe spends countless hours working index.html. It’s convenient, in his garden, but he also enjoys just walking through it, “sometimes at night when the moonlight secure, and confidential. makes everything look different. “I’ve gardened as long as I can remember and I can’t imagine not doing it as long as I’m able,” he said.

For the full story go to jg-tc.com. NeWS Page 1

N WS A publicatione of the Lumpkin College of Business & Applied Sciences Philanthropy Office Cadets spread their wings at flight camp Conor Clark wants to become a pilot and the Johnson Flight Academy is giving him the experience he needs. Clark, 17, from Dixon, is a first-time cadet at the academy. However, it is not his first time flying aircraft. He has flown powered aircraft and gliders before. "I've always been interested in flight," Clark said. Clark said his interest in flying began when he was in seventh or eighth grade because a lot of his friends were joining the air force. Clark is also considering being a pilot in the air force or a commercial pilot. Clark ex- panded the aircrafts he can fly by operating a hot air balloon at the Johnson Flight Academy this week. The weeklong camp ends Saturday.

"Our mission is to create aerospace leaders," said camp director Rickey Oeth. It was Clark's first time flying a hot air balloon. Clark said flying a hot air balloon is different than most would think. "A balloon drops a lot faster than you'd expect it to," he said. The hot air balloon was not Clark's first choice, but he said he is happy with it. Clark originally wanted to fly the powered aircraft, but the slots were full.

At the academy, cadets from the age of 14 to 20 can pick whether they want to learn how to fly powered aircraft, gliders or hot air balloons. Oeth said of the 53 cadets, 25 are flying powered aircraft, six are flying hot air balloons and 22 are flying gliders. The Civil Air Patrol has a fleet of aircraft and the Johnson Flight Academy is using seven powered aircraft, three gliders and two hot air balloons. Oeth said there have been a few ups and downs with the aircraft because of maintenance, but that is to be expected. One glider, while being towed by an airplane, was damaged by the winds and hit a runway light. Oeth said it was no big deal. "We clean out one or two of those a year," he said.

Some of the cadets at the camp attend year after year, which Oeth said is normal. "Some students are career minded," he said. "Others are here to say they've done it." Enews Sources Steve Peters, a Civil Air Patrol colonel, has had three sons who have attended the Johnson Flight Academy. The Enews is a publica- He said the oldest son is now a Black Hawk pilot in the U.S. Army. "It started here," Peters said. "Time and tion of the Lumpkin time again we have so many success stories." College of Business & Some cadets even come back to become staff volunteers at the camp. Christie Ducote, commandant of the Applied Sciences cadets, has been coming to flight camp since 2002 and now works as a volunteer. The volunteers at the Philanthropy Office. academy work for free. "We all pay to be here," Oeth said. Much of the text is obtained from the There are about 40 to 50 adults here supporting about 50 cadets. Ducote said being on the other end of the camp is very different, but cool. "It's cool being able to see (cadets) experience what you've experienced," University Newsletter, she said. Ducote has been exposed to flying since she was young. Her father, mother and grandfather all fly Media Relations, and for a hobby. "It's a hobby for me too," she said. the Alumni Newsletter. Other sources for While Ducote was at the flight camp, she flew the gliders and hot air balloons. "Balloons are just so peace- ful," she said. "You are just sort of suspended in the air." Ducote said the balloons are flown at sunrise and campus news include sunset - the most gorgeous times of the day. Ducote did not fly the powered aircraft when attending the Panther Athletics, The camp; however, she does have a license to. When comparing gliders and powered aircraft, Ducote said glid- Daily Eastern News, ers take more skill to fly. "It takes a little more finesse because you don't have the engines to back you up," she said. Cadets at the camp fly throughout the week, but only some get the chance to fly solo - without a and the Charleston certified instructor in the cockpit. "One of the coolest things for me is seeing a cadet fly solo," Ducote said. Times-Courier. An instructor will sign off a cadet who has the skills ready to fly solo. Oeth said that normally happens around Thursday, but does not happen for everyone. "We don't solo that many students here," he said. "There's not enough time to go from zero to solo in seven days."

Story by Kristina Peters at DENNEWS.

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N WS A publicatione of the Lumpkin College of Business & Applied Sciences Philanthropy Office A granite memory arrives Sunday was the one-year anniversary of Eastern Police Officer Randy Taggart's fatal heart attack. Randy was 46 years old when he died in his Casey home - just 10 days short of his birthday. "He came home and he'd been at work all day," his daughter Melanie said. "He was qualifying for his (firearm license). He came home and lied down for a nap and he couldn't get comfortable. He then passed away of a heart attack." Taggart worked in the Eastern's University Police Department since 1996. His duties included patrol and training, but he was also very interested in community policing, Eastern Police Chief Adam Due said.

In remembrance of Taggart, a black granite bench was placed in the lobby of the UPD building. Engraved on the bench is his badge, his portrait, and his years of service. Donna Taggert, Randy's wife, said the money for the bench was donated in lieu of flowers. "I can't even express how much I appreciate that it's going to be here and that people can remember that he was a part of this office," Melanie said. "People can see he was a respected man because he took his job seriously and he loved it." "He was very dedicated and professional on the job," Due said. "Off the job, he was a very genuine person and he took interest in others families and lives."

Randy and Donna were married in 1979, and it would have been their 28-year anniversary last year. Donna said she was reluctant when Randy wanted to become a police officer but later real- ized he wore his uniform and carried the badge with pride. "He always tried to remind us that he knew what he was doing (at work) and that he was always going to be careful," Melanie said. Donna said they were childhood sweethearts. He was a big football fan and he loved rock and roll.

Before becoming a police officer, Randy was an ordained minister. "He was always there to talk and always there to listen," fellow UPD officer Ryan Rysinger said. Donna said the family cher- ishes the comments that people wrote in his guest books. "The stories are what keeps us going," Donna said. "His memory is all over campus. In my heart, he is EIU and everything EIU stands for." "Now that I know that people knew who he was, I try to meet those people to hear those stories, to hear something new about him," Melanie said.

Donna and Randy had two children together, Matt and Melanie- both are Eastern graduates. "I have learned so much in the past year (about him)," Melanie said. "It's hard to go day to day, but having so many people remember him makes it easier." Melanie earned her bachelor's degree and is currently in the graduate program for the physical education department. Her older brother is an Eastern alumnus who works for an insurance company. Melanie remembers riding to and from campus with her father, fighting over the radio stations. She said one day they heard Josh Turner's "Long Black Train" three times in a row. The song was later played at his funeral in re- membrance of him. "There were a couple times I would walk through the Union and I would see him," Melanie said. "I miss those days."

Melanie keeps her father close by wearing his identification bracelet he gave Donna when they were dating.

Story by Ashlei Maltman at DENNEWS.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES 2009 SUMMER STIPEND The NEH has announced the 2009 Summer Stipend grant competition. Detailed information can be found at the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs' Web site on the Arts and Humanities page here.

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N WS A publicatione of the Lumpkin College of Business & Applied Sciences Philanthropy Office

2009-2010 Jacob K. Javits Fellowship

The 2009-2010 Jacob K. Javits Fellowship competition will open in August 2008. The competi- tion is for funding covering most expenses associated with up to 48 months of full-time study leading to the completion of a terminal master’s or doctoral degree in selected fields within the arts, humanities and social sciences. Please encourage talented students, who intend on pursuing terminal degrees beginning Fall 2009 and have unmet financial need, to contact Sara Schmidt, Honors Adviser/Jacob K. Javits Contact, at 581-8369 or [email protected], no later than June 18. 2008 DATES TO REMEMBER Nominations sought for Alumni Awards Nominations are currently being solicited for the EIU Alumni Association's 2008 Alumni Awards. Awards are presented annually in the categories of Distinguished Alumna/us, Distinguished Edu- FAMILY WEEKEND cator, Alumni Service and Outstanding Young Alumna/us. Nominations are due June 30. Please SEPTEMBER 26-28 visit the Alumni Association awards site for details.

HOMECOMING EIU Alumni Association now on Facebook OCTOBER 17-19 Stay connected to your fellow alumni and your alma mater -- "become a fan" of the EIU Alumni ______Association on Facebook. You'll instantly begin to receive updates on the university and invita- tions to alumni events, reconnect with lost classmates, network professionally and much more. If 2009 DATES TO you have a Facebook account, simply click here . If you don’t have a Facebook account, go to facebook.com to sign up! REMEMBER

FAMILY WEEKEND Update on the Titan Arum OCTOBER 2-4 If you have not visited the website for the rare tropical plant that is in the process of blooming here at Eastern, you should take the time. Steve Malehorn is the Thut Greenhouse manager and has been doing an excellent job of updating the website with photos, etc. As of today, the Titan HOMECOMING Arum is expected to bloom within 3-7 days. On June 18, there were more than 200 visitors, some OCTOBER 16-18 from out of state.

Full view of the Titan Arum The last bract to fall off is The inside of the spathe is defi- on June 18. shown here. nitely starting to turn maroon.

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N WS A publicatione of the Lumpkin College of Business & Applied Sciences Philanthropy Office

. EIU leads ramped-up efforts to assist entrepreneurs

Efforts continue to help foster a better business climate in Coles County.

Through the leadership of Eastern Illinois University’s Business and Technology Institute, several projects are in the works, and they include moves to:

- Raise funds to open a Coles County Small Business Development Center; Please support our -Add Junior Achievement at Charleston Middle School; - Continue to provide advice through the SCORE retired business executives chapter; Alumni Authors and - Start an entrepreneur summer camp for high school students; Friends! - Work toward starting a business incubator; *21st Century Wealth by - Launch a minor in entrepreneurship in the College of Business at EIU. Jeffrey G. Scott ‘68 *Wellness: Piece by Jeanne Dau, director of EIU’s Business and Technology Institute, is looking for business partners Piece by and sponsors to assist with the projects. “Three of the Leadership Coles County classes have Pat Sullivan ‘75 identified that there is not a lot of support for entrepreneurship,” Dau said. “We are behind,” she *Country Music for added. “We are the only region in the state without a small business development center.” Laughin’, Lovin’ & Livin’ It Up Dau and others raised $90,000 earlier this year and sought a matching state grant to open a small *More Country Music for business development center in Coles County. State officials did not award funds, so Dau now is Laughin’, Lovin’ & Livin’ trying to raise $140,000 to assist with local counseling. Currently a staff member at the center in It Up Olney comes to Coles County once a month to talk with business owners or those considering *Momma Used to Say opening a business. *Management Up, Down, & Inside Out According to the U.S. Census Bureau, private business employment has been flat in this region By Gene Newport ‘ 57 since the year 2000. *Boomtown, USA by From 2000 to 2005, employment went up slightly in three of the eight area counties. Dau said Jack Schultz, Former statistics indicate that 9 percent of adults in plan to start their own business. President — EIU “That’s 4,500 adults in the eight area counties,” Dau said. “”Once they have the dream, it’s im- Foundation perative we have someone on board to help them along.”

Though it is long-range, Junior Achievement is designed to show teens how to develop a business. Mattoon schools have had a program for a couple of years. Starting this fall, Charleston Middle School will include a six-week curriculum. People in the business community are encouraged to Pemberton Hall get involved with the program, which also will feature EIU students training to be high school National Historic Site business teachers. “The more (business) people involved, the stronger the program will be,” Dau said. She said an organizational meeting will be held later this summer. At that time, she will solicit for volunteers and financial contributions.

High school students can attend Camp E3 — Energizing Emerging Entrepreneurs. The June 14-16 camp in Effingham is open to all area teens. The camp will show teens the essentials of putting together a business pitch that includes techniques for thinking outside the box, determining the feasibility of an idea, marketing, budgeting and management to get a venture off the ground. “There’s a groundswell of a need” for encouraging entrepreneurs, Dau said. “By working to- gether, we’re making it happen.” Dau can be reached at 581-2913.

Story by Bill Lair, JG-TC.com

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NeWS EVENTS CALENDAR JUNE Go to http://www.eiu.edu/~alumni/events.html for more information on all below dates.

26 Joliet Jackhammers Outing. Call 1-800-ALUM-EIU for more information.

26 The School of Continuing Education's Academy of Lifetime Learning, which offers short-term, noncredit classes to retirees, is expanding outside of Coles County. First up is a June 26 trip to St. Louis for a day at the Missouri Botanical Gardens and Lunch on “The Hill.” St. Louis-area participants who don't require transportation from EIU can register for a special rate of $35 (a savings of up to $55). For details and registration Join the EIU information, please see the ALL site. Alumni Association Are you a graduate of 28 Schaumburg Flyers Baseball Outing. Call 1-800-ALUM-EIU for more information. Eastern Illinois Univer- 30 Retirement Party for Dr. Martha S. Brown, Associate Dean, Lumpkin College of sity? See what Alumni Business and Applied Sciences. Klehm Hall 1418 from 1-3pm. Services can do for you when you join the Alumni JULY Association. It’s just $30 for an annual 7-31 Summer Youth Education Program, the College of Education and Professional Studies is membership and $45 for still accepting students who have finished first through sixth grades, providing individu- an annual family mem- alized instruction. Special attention is given to each child’s academic needs (math, read- bership! ing skills, written language, etc.). Assessment is done to determine the learner’s needs, Benefits range from and one-on-one attention is given. 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, July 7-31, newsletters to ticket infor- mation for EIU events and in Buzzard Building. Fee for program is $30, although scholarships are available for fi travel discounts. The nancial need. To register, contact Margie Thennes at 581-5315 or [email protected]. Alumni Association also recognizes the profes- 25 Alumni Day at Wrigley Field. SOLD OUT—hope you got your ticket early. sional and volunteer ac- AUGUST complishments of EIU 21 Legacy Luncheon—You’re invited to take a break on move-in day to join us for our Leg- acy Luncheon barbecue. This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow alumni and for your incoming student to meet other new and returning legacy students! Admission is f free for alumni, legacy students, family and guests. Lunch 11am-1pm, courtesy of the EIU Alumni Association. Please RSVP by Friday, August 15 by calling 1-800-ALUM- EIU or e-mailing [email protected].

Brainard House SEPTEMBER Home of the EIU 6 EIU vs. U of I Alumni Tailgate and Football Outing, Champaign, IL More info TBA Alumni Association 11 St. Louis After Business Hours, St. Louis, MO. More info TBA 12-14 Latino Student Alumni Reunion, Charleston, IL. More info TBA 27 Family Weekend Alumni Tailgate, Charleston, IL. More info TBA OCTOBER 2 Rockford Alumni Reception, Rockford, IL. More info TBA 17-19 EIU Homecoming, Charleston, IL. More info TBA 31-Nov 2—Black Student Reunion, Charleston, IL. More info TBA

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NeWS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ♦ 2007-2008 Cultivating Creativity: Consolidated Communications Children’s Art Exhibit— through August 21. Contact the Tarble Arts Center for the complete tour itinerary. ♦ Summer Creative Writing Camp for high school students, June 23-27. For information and/ or to register for the camp, contact the School of Continuing Education, 217-581-5116. ♦ Summer 2008 Art School for High School Students, July 6-12. For information contact the School of Continuing Education at 217-581-5116.

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

EIU's athletic marketing department was awarded second place for a football single game pro- motion as the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators handed out its 2007- 08 awards at the annual convention in Dallas. EIU placed second in the NCAA FCS Division for its promotion of CASA Family Fun Day, which took place surrounding the Panthers' Sept. 15 contest against Illinois State. The promotion helped to benefit the local CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children) chapter, and created a family fun zone, which included a hot dog meal for children, kids' games, a magician, prize booths, jump houses and several other children- specific activities. All children also received a free T-shirt and a ticket to the game. EIU had 9,028 fans in attendance for the game, the second largest crowd of the season.

James Tidwell—journalism, will be honored in August as this year's recipient of the Jour- nalism Educator of the Year award, presented by the Scholastic Journalism Division of the Asso- ciation for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. He will receive his award Aug. 7 at the AEJMC conference in Chicago.

School of Business Staff Present at Conference Kathy Schmitz, Lisa Canivez and Renee Stroud of the School of Business Student Center for Aca- demic and Professional Development recently presented at a conference called “Assisting Stu- dents in Transition through Career Development and Academic Advising,” hosted by Illinois State University. Their session, called “Making the Transition from Student to Professional: 'You’re Hired!’ Student Professional Development Workshop,” highlighted the development and imple- mentation of the “You’re Hired!” program offered to business majors at EIU. Go here to learn more about “You’re Hired!”

Popular EIU groundskeeper talks about his green thumb Larry Shobe '67, whose friendliness during Bill Perry's "secret shopper" campus visit helped con- vince Perry to accept the EIU presidency, is known throughout campus for his demeanor and his green thumb. The campus groundskeeper recently talked to the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier about the path that led him to the job he loves. Click here for the story.

June alumni spotlight: Matt Piescinski You might not know the name or the face, but if you've been around campus in the past 30 years, you've likely heard his voice. Matt Piescinski '79, '91 was recently featured in the Journal Gazette/ Times-Courier for his years of work in announcing state track meets, EIU athletic contests and commencement ceremonies. To read the story, click here.

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NeWS Professional Opportunities

POSITION: BGS Academic Adviser, School of Continuing Education. This is a 12 month full- time academic support professional position. The position reports to the direct of the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies Program. The Academic Advisor is responsible for counseling adult students who are investigating or who have been admitted to the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies Degree Pro- gram, which includes interpretation of program, university and graduation requirements, assisting with course selection, degree program formation, and academic development. Serve as a mentor to adult students, monitor student progress, and participate in staff development activities. Ap- proximately 20% of this position requires travel to off-campus locations. POSITION: Project Coordinator, School of Continuing Education. Seeking a motivated individual for the position of Project Coordinator for the Office of Academic & Professional De- velopment. This position is responsible for coordination of credit and non-credit programs includ- ing, administration of the Academy of Lifetime Learning (educational program for adults), investiga- tion and development of new and continuing grants, preparation of approvals for off-campus program delivery, organization of events for and recruitment of off-campus faculty, and assistance with off- campus course development. POSITION: Graphic Design Instructor, Art Department. One-year full-time sabbatical replacement appointment in Graphic Design. Teach beginning through advanced graphic design courses. Normal teaching load is three graphic design classes per semester for a total of 18 contact hours per week. Other responsibilities include supervising of work study/student help when assigned to area. Salary commensurate with experience.

SPORTS NEWS

Ohio Valley Conference Expands To 11 Teams

The Ohio Valley Conference announced recently that Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been admitted to the Conference and will become the league’s 11th member. The move was unanimously approved by the OVC Board of Presidents at their May 30 meeting. SIU Edwardsville will officially become a member of the OVC on July 1, 2008 while its athletic programs will begin competing in the Conference over the following years as the institution completes its reclassification to Division I. All SIUE team sports will begin regular season com- petition in the OVC during the 2011-12 academic year and will be eligible for postseason com- petition in 2012-13. The exception will be the SIUE program which will be eligible for both regular season and tournament competition in 2010-11; the softball program was the de- partment’s women’s sport designee to be fast-tracked to Division I, making it eligible to com- pete at the Division I level prior to other SIUE sports.

"I am very pleased to welcome SIU Edwardsville as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference," said Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher, OVC Commissioner. "The addition of SIUE makes us a stronger conference. After our evaluation of the university, it was clear that it is a Division I institution, given the scope and breadth of its academic and athletic offerings. We fully expect SIUE, given its past history and tradition and the commitment they have shown with budgets and facilities, to be very competitive as a Division I institution. The addition also gives us a presence in the St. Louis market, something that is important to our league." For the full story go to DENNEWS.com.

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NeWS SPORTS NEWS

Former Panther Finding Home In Europe Nestled in the Austrian Alps the region of Tyrol offers a lot of history for its residents and guests including one American making a name for himself in a sport he played at Eastern Illinois Univer- sity.

Former Panthers wide receiver Ryan Voss is finishing up his first season as a member of the SWARCO Raiders, a member of the Austrian Football League which plays American style foot- ball. The Raiders recently won a double overtime game in the Eurobowl semifinals with a 56-49 win over the Turek Graz Giants. In that game Voss shined making five catches for 171 yards and four touchdowns as he was named the game’s MVP.

The SWARCO Raiders will now get a chance at the Eurobowl title when they play another Aus- McAfee Gym trian team – the Raiffeisen Vikings who advanced by defeating Finnish champion Senajoki Croco- diles. All teams compete in the European Federation of (EFAF) with several National Historic Site teams holding marketing partnerships with franchises. SWARCO is a marketing partner of the Oakland Raiders.

While not recognized on the same level as soccer on the European Continent, American football has found a niche with teams playing to fanatic crowds. The Raiders play at Alpenstadion Wat- tens, routinely drawing sellout crowds of 2,500. The stadium, located in , once housed part of the 1976 Winter Olympic Games.

Voss is currently one of four American born players on the Raiders roster. Teams are allowed to carry two American players on offense and two on defense. He ranks second on the team in scor- ing and has emerged as the Raiders top deep threat with 18.1 yards per catch.

“The more I looked into it, the more it was a pretty good deal,” Voss recently said. “It’s a great opportunity to see Europe and get paid to do something that you love to do.” Voss had been working as a substitute teacher in Florida and playing with the Florida Firecats, a lower level Arena Football League team. This new opportunity will allow him to make a little more money and also travel around Europe. In addition to playing in the six team Austrian Football League the Raiders also play games in Spain, Norway, and as part of their 12-game schedule. A four-year wide receiver at Eastern Illinois, Voss twice led the Panthers in pass receptions in 2004 and 2005 ending his career with 126 receptions, 1,925 yards and 18 touchdowns from 2003- 06.

To get more info on the SWARCO Raiders, please visit www.raiders.at.

Cook Named Preseason All-American By Lindy's EIU sophomore punter Kevin Cook has been named a second team preseason All-American as Lindy’s College Football Preview magazine has hit the newsstands signaling that college football is a mere two and a half months away. Cook ranked fourth in the NCAA in punting last season as a redshirt freshman averaging 44.56 yards per punt. He was named an honorable mention All- American by the Sports Network and broke a 30-year old school record for single season punting average held by former NFL Pro Bowl punter Jeff Gossett.

In addition to listing their 2008 preseason All-American teams, Lindy’s also released its preseason Top 25 with Eastern Illinois landing at No. 16 in the rankings. The Panthers were predicted to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference behind Eastern Kentucky which was ranked No. 11 in the poll. The Panthers/Colonels match-up on Oct. 25 in Richmond, Ky., was tabbed as one the 25 games to watch in NCAA FCS level this season.

Eastern Illinois opens the season on Thursday, August 28 at Central Michigan. The home opener for the Panthers is Sept. 13 versus Indiana State and the Ohio Valley Conference opener is against Jacksonville State on September 27 at O’Brien Stadium. EIU made its third straight NCAA FCS appearance last season ending the year at 8-4.

For the full story go to DENNEWS.com. NeWS Page 9

Page 10 NeWS SPORTS NEWS K-Mack Selected for STL All-Stars vs. Team USA

EIU softball's Karyn Mackie has been selected to the St. Louis All-Stars Team that took on Team USA the evening of Thursday, June 12 in St. Ann, Mo.

The All-Stars Team is comprised of college players from Metro St. Louis. Mackie grew up in Wildwood, Mo. on the west side of St. Louis County. Southeast Missouri's Elaine Fisher (St. Pe- ters, Mo.) was the only other Ohio Valley Conference player selected, but there are number of players from the Missouri Valley Conference and other Midwest-based leagues on the roster.

In 2008, Mackie was EIU's top two-way player, leading the team in victories, strikeouts and ERA in the circle and walks and on-base percentage at the plate. She finished her career ranked among the EIU all-time leaders in five pitching statistical categories.

Thursday's game was part of the ASA Softball/USA Softball Bound 4 Beijing Tour that will help the US National Team in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The USA Softball National Team is one of only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three con- secutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The USA women have also won eight world championship titles including the last six consecutive.

Game Update: Mackie pitched the bottom of the sixth inning, facing the likes of Jennie Finch, Natasha Watley, Caitlin Lowe and Jessica Mendoza. After giving up a double to the first batter she faced, an error extended the frame. She retired Watley and Mendoza on ground balls. Team USA won the game 6-0 in front of a capacity crowd of 3,000 fans.

For the full story go to DENNEWS.com.

Akers' persistence pays off Men's track recruits Sean Wiggan and Reid Basting have more in common than running track and attending Eastern; both recruits wanted to attend different universities. They attribute their change of heart to head track coach Tom Akers' persistent recruitment.

Wiggan, a Waubonsie Valley middle distance runner, had his mind on attending Illinois State, until Akers contacted him, and persuaded him to visit Eastern. "(Akers) wouldn't stop talking to me," Wiggan said. "I kept telling him 'no' but his persistence influenced me." When Wiggan vis- ited Eastern, he was impressed with O'Brien Stadium's crowd presence during the Illinois High School Association State Championship last month. The reputation of Eastern's middle distance team also helped change his mind.

"We have one of the most strong middle distance runners in the Midwest," Akers said. "He will be in a great group to push him to succeed." Wiggan will compete at nationals in Greenville, N.C. on Thursday and he said he will continue to train throughout the summer.

Normal West's Basting was considering on going to either University of Illinois-Chicago or Loyola. Akers contacted the sprinter constantly, and developed a strong relationship. "Akers would call me and stay in contact," Basting said. "I thought he really cared." Basting said East- ern had better facilities than the Chicago universities and that Eastern's campus is very scenic for when he wants to run during his free time. Basting's performance during the indoor track season was what sparked Akers interest.

Akers said when recruiting, coaches have to look into the future because most athletes have to adjust to college track. He said not only is the sport physically different compared to high school, student-athletes have to get used to lifestyle changes. Akers also said athletes' different learning curves play a factor during intercollegiate seasons. "Some state champions struggle for a year or two while average athletes can excel," Akers said.

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NeWS SPORTS NEWS lands big tournament

Eastern's volleyball team has added the Ole Miss Magnolia Tournament to the 2008 schedule in order to better prepare for the Ohio Valley Conference schedule. The Ole Miss tournament will be held at Oxford, Miss., on Sept. 12-13. This tournament replaces the Ball State Classic in Sep- tember that Eastern played in 2007 leading up to conference play. Eastern also has the North Carolina Central and EIU Panther Tournaments. Last year, the volleyball team played in three tournaments.

Ole Miss' head volleyball coach Joe Getzin invited the Panther volleyball team to attend the tour- nament last season, according to head volleyball coach, Lori Bennett. Due to a scheduling con- flict, Eastern wasn't able to play at the tournament. Bennett made an effort this year to compete because Ole Miss has Georgia Tech and Southern Methodist University competing in the tourna- ment as well.

According to Ratings Percentage Index, which is a combination of team winning percentage, op- ponents average winning percentage and their opponents winning percentage, Georgia Tech was 62 and SMU was 138 out of 324 teams last year.

Eastern was ranked 224, while Ball State Classic opponents Illinois State and Ball State were 52 and 254, respectively. Bennett believes that the strength of Georgia Tech and SMU as opponents will greatly benefit the Panther's endurance. "It will prepare us for playing our conference sched- ule at a very high level," Bennett said.

When making the schedule, Bennett likes to balance their opponent by strength. Georgia Tech is a very strong offensive team. They went from 1,753 kills in 2005 to 2,023 in 2007. Georgia Tech has also increased its digs from 1,761 to 2,030 in that same period. However, the Yellow Jackets struggled with blocking kills. They were out blocked two out of the last three years 302.5-327 in 2005 and 294.5-363 in 2007.

Errors are another weakness with a total of 828 last season. SMU has extremely solid defensive skills. The Mustangs compiled 2,026 and 2,103 digs from the last two seasons. They have out blocked opponents 296-233 in 2006 and 272-252 in 2007. The Mustangs' vulnerability is offense. They haven't scored more than 1,800 kills in the past two seasons. In 2006, they were outscored 1,784-1,797.

The Panthers compiled an overall record of 22-36 and an 8-28 OVC record since 2006. Bennett attributes this to having a young team. Eastern began the 2007 season at a blistering 8-1. How- ever, they soon cooled off. "The starting lineup had two or three freshmen at a time," Bennett said. "Maintaining that level of play every game takes experience." The Panthers only have one junior and three seniors for the 2008 season and Bennett said that she has five recruits joining the team. The roster will have 14 players.

The coach's goal is for Eastern to qualify for the OVC Tournament for the first time since 2005. To qualify, the Panthers need to finish in the top six of the conference.

Story by Bob Bajek at DENNEWS

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NeWS Sports News After pro ball, Jones shines at home Anytime Brian Jones wants to name drop and try to impress, he could say he once teamed with baseball’s home run king Barry Bonds. But the 1980 Charleston graduate is just as likely to relish the days he was a wishbone quarterback handing off to John Downs or John Sellet or fullback John Buckellew. Or the times he spent in baseball with guys like Tim Parker and Terry McDevitt not only for Charleston High School Apollo Conference championships as a junior and a senior but then again at Eastern Illinois.

“I’ve told people this: I played more baseball than any other sport but I still thinking some of my fondest memories were Friday night football games,” Jones said. “Those playoff games were some of the best times I can remember. Those were some of the best times I had and that includes minor-league baseball.”

So Jones makes no small deal of being the honored alum for the 17th annual Trojan Classic, the fund-raising outing scheduled for Monday at Charleston Country Club. “I think it’s a great honor to be recognized,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing Jeff started years ago. I’m just honored to be part of the long list of honorees.”

And deserving, as Trojan Classic committee member Stan Adkins makes clear. “I think Brian is such a good representative of Charleston athletes and with the rec department,” Adkins said. “He played with the (Pittsburgh) Pirates (organization). He could have gone somewhere else but chose to stay here and raise his family. All of the other committee members thought the same thing.”

Jones’ appearance at the Trojan Booster Club’s annual fund-raiser for Charleston school district athletics is just a part of his contribution to the program where he once starred. Throughout the year he has helped build foundations for programs as the director of the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department since 2003 after working six years as the department’s athletics supervi- sor. This became his career after three years in minor-league baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Signing as a free agent in 1984 after four years as an Eastern Illinois infielder, Jones spent Class A years in the Carolina League and then a year in Double-A at Harrisburg, Pa.

For the full story go to jg-tc.com.

Incoming Panther Featured in Lexington Paper

EIU women's signee Chantelle Pressley was featured in the Lexington Herald-Leader in June after being the only Lexington-area player to make the girls' Kentucky All-Star Team ros- ter.

Pressley and her teammate at Dunbar High School, Pilar Walker, are Charleston bound for the 2008-09 school year. They'll team with Chicagoland standouts Jessica Carter (Naperville/ Naper- ville Central) and Madeline Kish (Oak Forest/Carl Sandburg) to comprise EIU's freshman class this winter.

The Panthers are projected to be one of the favorites in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2008-09 after returning 11 of the 12 players that scored points last year. Eastern finished in a three-way tie for second place with a 15-5 conference record and reached the championship game of the OVC Tournament for the first time since joining the league in 1996-97.

Recent Results & Records None to report at this time

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