CentralightCentral Michigan University Summer 2007 Jeff Daniels does Hollywood his way You already Belong. NowBE GOLD. You’re already one of 160,000 members of the CMU Alumni Association. Now show your university loyalty and pride. Join the association’s 2,200 Gold Members. Gold Membership dues support CMU’s alumni programs and students while also giving you: • Discounts on car rental and hotel rates • Special prices at the CMU Bookstore and SBX • Discounts on sporting goods • Many more benefits Join us. Find out how at www.cmualum.com CMU Gold Member CMU is an AA/EO institution (see www.cmich.edu/aaeo). Centralight Volume 76 • Number 2 • Summer 2007 Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Mary Lu Yardley, ’90 MSA ’92 Editor 8 Barbara Sutherland Chovanec Photographers Robert Barclay Departments Peggy Brisbane 2 Letters 24 Writers 3 Take Five Sarah Chuby, ‘03 Professors win top research awards; Cynthia J. Drake Gen. Wesley Clark visits campus; other Don Helinski, ‘96 12 university briefs. Scott Rex 14 4 From the President Graphic Designer 6 Discovery Amanda St. Juliana, ‘06 Professor Debra Poole discusses the pitfalls of interviewing children about Alumni Board crime. Communications Committee Kevin Campbell, ’74 MA ’76 24 Journeys Darcy Orlik, ’92 MSA ’95 Geography students help peers in Mexico Shirley Posk, ’60 40 plan for a city park. Judy Smith, ’65 27 Sports Vice President of Development Wrestlers win again; grad leads and Alumni Relations communications team for Chicago Bears. Michael Leto 30 In Support Associate Vice President 27 Library plans special Ernest Hemingway for Public Relations and Marketing event; new congressional act allows more Rich Morrison donor options; faculty and staff support CMU. For Advertising Information On the cover Call Cindy Jacobs, ’93 14 Hollywood his way 32 Maroon and Gold (800) 358-6903 Alumnus Jeff Daniels chooses blue jeans, Your alumni association source. R.V. driving, and hometown living over 36 Alumni in Action Stay Connected Tinseltown’s glitz and glam. Send change of address 39 In Memoriam information to: Cover photo by Robert Barclay Alumni relations 40 I Am Central Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Features Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: (800) 358-6903 8 Being the change Fax: (989) 774-7159 Meet a few of the hundreds of CMU E-mail: [email protected] students who change people’s lives by Web: www.cmualum.com making volunteerism a priority. Centralight is published four times each year by 22 Politics one-on-one Central Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by Village Press Inc., CMU’s government liaison remembers Traverse City, and entered at the Traverse City post the personal touches. office under nonprofit 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 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. PRM 7541-30,150 (05/07) Summer 2007 Centralight 1 letters Thanks for the memories Lab schools provided good start Rowdies behavior embarrassing Editor: Editor: Editor: You cannot imagine my joy when I was flipping I transferred to CMU and lived in Vetville As a lifelong athlete, coach, and sports fan, I was through the Spring 2007 Centralight and saw a (Happy Valley) during the 1953-54 and 1954-55 taken aback to learn of the behavior of the Rose picture of me and my husband holding our sign academic years – majored in social sciences Rowdies, through both a televised CMU men’s at the MAC Championship game. and elementary education and minored in basketball game and the Spring 2007 Centralight. English and education. My student teaching As tried and true alumni, we made the trip The behavior that I am referring to is fans yelling, assignments were in the University Elementary from our home in Grand Rapids to see the “Sit down, coach” at the opposing coach and School – teaching fifth grade in the spring of Chippewas play whenever we could. We turning their backs while holding up signs that 1954 and sixth grade in the fall of 1954. got up at 5 a.m. for Homecoming so I could say “Who cares?” when the opposing team is take part in the BCA Alumni Radio Takeover Sid Smith was a member of that class – a introduced. at 9 a.m. Coupled with all the events and the well-known and outstanding member, most If these were athletes, it would be the height game, we spent more than nine hours outside vocal and broadly participating. I’m most of unsportsmanlike conduct and would not be in that brisk wind. gratified that Sid has such a high opinion of tolerated. For anyone, yet alone an institution teacher education and CMU (“Smiths support We drove through rain, sleet, and snow to of higher education, to allow and encourage lifelong passion for education,” Spring 2007 get to the Western game. We stayed through this level of disrespect and intolerance for an Centralight). I certainly agree that he and I opponent in the name of fun and school spirit is, the end of the game, and even though we received outstanding groundings there. essentially stood in a slushy puddle for three at very least, an embarrassment to us all. hours, we were never really cold. Then there I taught at the university level for 32 years (25 at Carrie Mayes, ’81 was the MAC Championship game. A pretty the University of Wisconsin) and during those bad ice storm slowed us on the way home, years taught in laboratory schools 13 years. Williamsburg and we didn’t make it back until 3 a.m. But it My last teaching of children was an exchange didn’t matter, because we had witnessed an in 1978-79 in an open school in Chippewa Write to Centralight: amazing game. Falls,Wisconsin. Centralight wants to hear from you! We Finally, the Motor City Bowl – a game where we It has always been my feeling that the welcome all letters from readers. Tell us your ran into so many old friends and headed home purposes of laboratory schools could not thoughts about Centralight articles or about so late I missed the announcement of former be replicated by any other means – the CMU in general. President Gerald Ford’s passing and an all-night experimentation and innovation and research Be sure to sign your letter with your full name shift that I would have certainly been working done in those settings was always not only and also include graduation year and degree, for my TV station had I been in town. cutting edge, but also a demonstration to address, and daytime phone number. Letters future teachers of what could be. Of course none of this would have happened may be edited for space and clarity. without our football team giving us something Don Burk, ’55 Mail letters to: to really cheer for. Thank you guys! We are Wellton, Arizona Centralight Letters certainly looking forward to doing this kind of Public relations and marketing traveling again. How to contact Delt Sigs? West Hall Brianne Frucci Tucker, ’04 Editor: Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Grand Rapids I noted with interest an article on Page 33 of the spring Centralight about CMU Delta Sigma Letters also may be sent by fax to (989) Rowdies should be respectful Phi alumni from the 1950s. Do you have a point 774-1098 or by e-mail to [email protected]. Editor: of contact for the group or the person who submitted the photograph and accompanying Chumming around Regarding the “I Am CMU” fan extraordinaire article? I belonged to the fraternity during that (Spring 2007 Centralight), the road to being time and would welcome the opportunity to get We want to hear from people who come to a Rose Rowdy just hit me the wrong way. in touch with the brothers. Homecoming to reconnect with a favorite Sounds like there are a bunch of rude rowdies college friend. Contact us by e-mail at — sophomoric in thought and action. Can’t you Phil Serrin, ’57 [email protected], or by mail at Centralight, poke fun at the rival in a more respectful tone? Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Green Valley, West Hall, Central Michigan University, Mount Arizona Pleasant, MI 48859. Tell us about your friendship, I am a TGIF Club member from the 1950s. I, your hangout spots then and now, and what it too, majored in fun at CMU, but not by being Editor’s note: Delta Sigma Phi alumni may call means to reconnect. rude to the rival at someone else’s expense. Howard Geerlings at (213) 943-9305. Nancy Post Knecht, ’51 Correction Grand Blanc, Michigan The Iceland flag pictured in “One moment, many countries” in the Spring 2007 Centralight was incorrect. The correct Iceland flag is shown here. 2 Centralight Summer 2007 TAKE FIVE Top faculty awards Faculty members Claudia Douglass, Alexandra Mascolo-David, Pamela Eddy, and Bradley Swanson received the university’s most prestigious awards for outstanding research and creative activity. Douglass of biology and Mascolo-David of BARCLAY ROBERT the School of Music received the President’s Prominent guests Award, which recognizes the career Gen. Wesley Clark visited campus one day achievements of senior faculty members. Eddy this spring to meet with honors students in an of educational leadership and Swanson of afternoon class and give a public presentation biology received the Provost’s Award, which in the evening. The retired U.S.