Volume 77 • Number 3 • Fall 2008 centralightCentral Michigan University Alumni Magazine Join alumna Amy Roloff of Little People, Big World at Homecoming October 11. On the cover Volume 77 • Number 3 • Fall 2008 centralight 8 Humble celebrity centralightCentral Michigan University Alumni Magazine Volume 77 • Number 3 • Fall 2008 Meet Amy Roloff, ’85, star of Little People, Big World, who visited campus with her kids during their summer vacation and will be back this fall as Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Homecoming grand marshal. Mary Lu Yardley, ’90 MSA ’92 Join alumna Editor Amy Roloff of Little People, Big World Barbara Sutherland Chovanec Cover photograph by at Homecoming October 11. Robert Barclay Photographers Robert Barclay CMU Alumni Peggy Brisbane Writers Sarah Chuby, ’03 Dan Digmann Wanted Cynthia J. Drake, MA ’08 Mark Lagerwey, MA ‘01 The CMU Alumni Association is looking Scott Rex for new and returning Gold Members. 12 18 22 Graphic designer Qualified applicants will possess the Amanda St. Juliana, ’06 Features following characteristics: Communications committee 4 A CMU medical school • Pride in their alma mater Kevin Campbell, ’74 MA ’76 Addressing the growing needs of mid- and Raymond Jones, ’73 MA ’80 northern Michigan. Darcy Orlik, ’92 MSA ’95 • Connection with their CMU friends Shirley Posk, ’60 10 Homecoming 2008 and experiences Get geared up with the Homecoming schedule and Vice President of Development a heartwarming story of two friends who reunited and Alumni Relations after 75 years. • Commitment to supporting Homecoming Michael Leto weekends and other alumni activities 12 Let’s go to college! See how grandparents and grandchildren Associate Vice President explored campus. • Desire to receive discounts on hotels, for Public Relations and Marketing car rentals, airline and concert tickets, Renee Walker, ‘00 18 Great Lakes leader Get leadership tips from U.S. Coast Guard and more For advertising information Rear Admiral Peter V. Neffenger. Call Cindy Jacobs, ’93 (800) 358-6903 Departments 2 Take Five Retired CMU counselor writes novel at 91; teen Stay connected clothing designers; and other university briefs. 15 Discovery Send change of address Fighting ageism; and turning waste to fuel. information to: 22 Sports Alumni Relations PRM 7957 Meet Dan LeFevour, quarterback extraordinaire; ). Carlin Alumni House o and CMU Hall of Fame inductees. Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 26 In Support Phone: (800) 358-6903 Walker and Thomas families make gifts; CMU Fax: (989) 774-7159 begins campaign for a new Events Center. E-mail: [email protected] 28 Maroon and Gold Web: www.cmualum.com Your alumni association source. Centralight is published four times each www.cmich.edu/aae year by the Central Michigan University 35 Alumni in Action Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by 39 In Memoriam Village Press Inc., Traverse City, and entered at the Traverse City Post Office under nonprofit 40 I Am Central mailing. CMU (an AA/EO institution) strongly and actively strives to increase diversity within its community (see www.cmich.edu/aaeo). CMU provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate 1 in the activities, programs, and services announced in this publication. Individuals with disabilities requiring an accommodation to participate in a program should call the event sponsor. CMU is an AA/EO institution (see institution an AA/EO CMU is PRM 7976 – 26,000 (8/08) centralight Fall 2008 Take Five Take Five Kathryn Kreps, a senior from Monroe, Joshua Phillips, a graduate student from Normal, Illinois, and Rebecca Mercado Thornton, a 2008 Court award graduate from Romulus, maintained CMU’s Marcy Weston broke she has always been an a blog about their travels: ground for women in sports this outspoken advocate for www.eastcoastwalkers.com. summer when she was the first all officials at all levels, From thift store to runway “You know how you just meet the female to receive the National regardless of gender. most amazing people in the most Association of Sport Officials’ “I certainly hope I’ve had High school students turned thrift- unusual ways? Well, that seems to prestigious Gold Whistle Award. a positive impact on store finds into runway fashions be our pattern,” Thornton wrote in a Weston is the senior associate women who officiate, during the weeklong Fashion May 23 blog entry. Camp 2008 in June at CMU. Walking for a cause athletics director at CMU and whether it’s in basketball previously coached CMU volleyball or any sport,” Weston says. Funded by donations and sustained “We have had the opportunity to talk The 15 campers worked with CMU’s and women’s basketball. She spent “I had mentors and role models by the kindness of strangers, three to a lot of amazing individuals, most apparel merchandising and design two-thirds of her life in officiating as I matured as a professional, CMU students walked up the East of whom have been very supportive faculty members and students to – 20 years on the basketball and I gladly accept the Coast of the U.S. this summer to of our cause and walk,” Kreps wrote. learn trend forecasting, fashion court and 21 with the NCAA. responsibility to do the same for raise awareness about sexual “One woman told us about her son illustration, sewing and textiles, and who once walked across the country women, and men, who aspire violence and to raise funds to assist “I’m extremely proud to be honored “I certainly hope I’ve the use of computer aided design. lengthwise by himself. She told us to be the best they can be.” sexual assault survivors. with the Gold Whistle Award,” she that he always told her how kind had a positive impact They began the week with a says. “As an official, I wanted to Weston was inducted into The students – dubbed the East people were and how they never let trip to a thrift store to purchase get better every time I took the the Women’s Basketball Hall on women who Coast Walkers – made a 95-day him pay for anything. Then she three garments each. Back on court. I was always passionate of Fame in 2000 and was officiate, whether journey from Miami to Boston. handed us $15. Amazing.” • campus, they poured creativity, about the game and wanted to recognized by the NCAA as one OBERT BARCLAY it’s in basketball R patience, and a lot of hard work motivate others to feel the same.” of the nine major contributors or any sport.” into refashioning the used clothes to the first decade of NCAA BY PHOTO into garments to model on the Weston’s work increased women’s basketball in 1991. • – Marcy Weston runway for family and friends. opportunities and visibility for women’s basketball officials, and Wendy Honey, who teaches clothing construction at CMU, Olympic chef says the camp exposed potential Some of the best athletes in the world are getting their nourishment students to CMU’s apparel Kilbourn counseled students for this summer at the hand of CMU’s merchandising and design program Novelist at 91 most of his 33 years at CMU, Chris Uhl. and filled a creative void for Donald Kilbourn dished out from 1946 to 1979. He also did a students who don’t have home Uhl, an assistant food service advice to students and retirees little teaching and served a short economics in their high schools. director at CMU, is a sous chef at the for most of his life. So in his late stint as administrative assistant Olympic Games in Beijing. He joined 80s, Kilbourn finally took his own to then-President Bill Boyd. He “There are tons of kids out there BY ROBERT BARCLAY PHOTO counsel and started writing. counseled retirees through the who are interested in fashion, a food staff of nearly 7,000 people from around the world, serving Michigan Commission on Aging. but schools don’t offer sewing learn from these chefs will be The retired CMU Counseling Center approximately 3.5 million meals to anymore,” Honey says. “They priceless, and I will be able to bring faculty member used to tell retirees Kilbourn, now 92, lives with his athletes, coaches, staff, officials, ER have no outlet for it, but they that knowledge back to pass on to P to write their life stories to share with wife, Helen, in Tucson, Arizona – A and media guests during the games. P want to try it.” • my employees at CMU.” their children and grandchildren. A the setting of Murder on the 17th As a manager at CMU, Uhl doesn’t get few years ago, at the suggestion Green. The book tells the story of LORER NEWS LORER Uhl, who attended culinary school P of his own grandchildren, he wrote four golfers who find the body of a to cook very often. But at the Olympics and trained in fine-dining restaurants, his life story for his family. Holocaust scholar buried in a golf he’s back into the fire, preparing meals is used to cooking for the masses. course bunker. The death is revealed using 800 recipes developed by an On campus, he and his team in the When that was done, he began a as a hate crime – something Olympic culinary team. EX METCALF/THE ANDY Towers residence hall complex serve R fictional murder-mystery, Murder Kilbourn feels passionate about. Uhl calls the experience “the about 1,400 diners in two hours. on the 17th Green, published when Kilbourn was 91. “I’m concerned about the BY PHOTO opportunity of a lifetime.” He So what’s the key to cooking for underwent a rigorous six-month growing number of hate groups large groups? “I wanted to keep my brain active, “I wanted to keep my application and interview process existing in our country today,” and one way to do that is to fiddle to land the job.