Magazine Summer 2010 from the President
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Magazine Summer 2010 From the President Dear Friends of Austin College By now, we all are familiar with the impressive statistic that allows Austin images with as much depth and sophistication as they approach written College to lay claim to being a national leader in global education: over texts or statistical evidence. They need to be able to communicate using the last 10 years, an average 70 percent of our students have studied images—still and moving—with the same degree of confidence with abroad. Equally remarkable, during that same period, our students have which they communicate in writing and speech. Yes, the courses our explored 92 countries on six continents. While I am eager for that students take in the visual arts are a part of this, but we also are number to reach 100, I am gratified to know that we continue to find increasing the attention we pay to visuality in disciplines that are ways to enhance the educational component of study abroad. traditionally more rooted in text. A new initiative involves encouraging Austin College students I would be grateful to hear from those of you who find visual literacy returning from study abroad to create digital stories that use both words an important part of the work you do. Let me know what you would and images to convey meaningfully the core of their learning. My thanks recommend that we offer to our students. to Truett Cates, director of the Center for Global Learning, for We intend to be more intentionally visual in our recruitment and spearheading this effort, and to Brett Boessen, assistant professor of development efforts, too. Visit our new website and stay tuned this fall communication studies, for lending his expertise. And this summer, our for a visual campus tour, full of video interviews with the talented Global Outreach (or GO) Fellows are taking with them iPod nanos with students and faculty who make our thriving academic community both built-in video cameras to begin digital records of the difference their high-touch and high-impact. participation makes to themselves and the world. Please visit our In the meantime, please take seriously your role as an Austin College YouTube channel to see examples. storyteller as well. By sharing with others the amazing story that is Given that students now are digital natives, this form of Austin College, we will move from strength to strength by continuing communication is entirely natural to them. But just as good penmanship to attract bright and talented students and increasing the generous does not assure one is a good writer, familiarity with digital tools does alumni and friends who support them. not mean our students can use them to communicate effectively. That is why it has become of increasing importance to me that a liberal arts Gratefully, education integrates the study of symbols, pictures, and other visual images into the traditional disciplines. It is my hope to create a state-of- Marjorie Hass, President the-art digital learning lab on campus so that students in every discipline Austin College have the opportunity to deepen their “visual literacy” skills. Allow me to explain the educational merit. Traditionally, our curricula pay close attention to helping students develop sophistication in those forms of literacy (reading, writing, and speaking) that privilege what the philosopher in me would call “the word.” As our graduates know, the ability to write and speak with grace and rigor, and to interpret written texts and spoken narratives quickly and deeply, are essential skills for success in every field of endeavor. Projecting forward, these skills only are going to grow in importance— deeply developed literacy skills are a prerequisite for participation in the information economy. Austin College supplements these core forms of literacy with expanded skills in foreign languages. We are fairly unique among small liberal arts colleges in our commitment to offer a wide range of languages and in the depth to which our students typically study one or more languages. Even more, few schools our size can boast an immersive residential language experience as is offered by the Jordan Family Language House. We also have a curriculum devoted to developing quantitative reasoning, and our requirements in mathematics and statistics foster broader skills in argumentation and problem-solving. But let me put in a word for adding visual literacy to these core skills. Our graduates need to be able to approach the interpretations of Austin College Magazine ISSN 1949-2405 Summer 2010 Vol. 48, No. 4 AUSTIN COLLEGE Marjorie Hass President Nan Davis Vice President for Institutional Enrollment Heidi Ellis Vice President for Business Affairs Mike Imhoff Vice President for Academic Affairs Oscar Page Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement Tim Millerick Vice President for Student Affairs and Athletics B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S Editor Vickie S. Kirby FEATURES C H A I R : Senior Director of Editorial Communication Robert M. Johnson ’53 Design 3 Teaching Is Her Delight V I C E C H A I R : Mark Steele Todd A. Williams ’82 Jane White loves her time in the classroom—teaching students Art Director in the Austin Teacher Program to celebrate learning. The T R U S T E E S : Editorial Teaching Excellence Award recognizes her impact. John Q. Adams, Jr. ’84 Margaret Allison Megan Kinkade John M. Andersen ’66 Senior Writer Jerry E. Apple ’60 Jeff Kelly 5 Class of 2010 Takes on the World Lee Dean Ardell ’74 Sports Information Coordinator Commencement exercises for the Class of 2010 sent out new James D. Baskin III ’75 Victoria Hughes graduates ready to make their mark on the world. See photos Laura Dies Campbell ’73 Production Coordinator Jacqueline R. Cooper ’73 Vickie S. Kirby on page 14. Patricia Manning-Courtney ’87 Linda Morris Elsey Photography F. R. “Buck” Files ’60 Vickie S. Kirby, Chelsea Freeland ’12, Kaitlin McCoy ’12, 9 Seeing the World Through Fulbright Rebecca Moseley Gafford ’72 Katherine Senor ’12, Marcus Urban ’10 Three recent graduates have received Fulbright grants for Donald Gibson ’75 Dennis E. Gonier ’83 continued study and research. Thomas Hall, Jr. ’78 Office of College Relations Mary Ann Stell Harris ’70 Michael Strysick James Hartnett ’79 Executive Director 10 An Economy of Change Charles Hendricks ’61 Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement A Bangladeshi economics professor moved by the plight of Kelly Hiser M. Steve Jones Austin College Magazine is published quarterly in fall, winter, spring, and poor villagers near his university is hard at work to create a Jeffrey Landsberg ’81 summer editions by Austin College, 900 N. Grand Avenue, Sherman, TX world without poverty. That professor, Muhammad Yunus, Luan Beaty Mendel ’75 75090. Periodicals postage is paid at Sherman TX 75090 and at additional Wes Moffett ’82 mailing offices. received the 2010 Austin College Posey Leadership Award. Davis B. Price ’67 Postmaster: Send address changes to Austin College Magazine, Suite 6G, Fazlur Rahman 900 N. Grand Ave., Sherman, TX 75090. Kirk Rimer 16 Thinking Green Annadele H. Ross ’66 Contact Austin College Magazine : The Austin College community launched the Thinking Green John Serhant Office of College Relations, Suite 6H Ann Coit Sporer Smith ’65 Austin College campaign this spring, solidifying a commitment to protect and Rebecca Russell Sykes ’67 900 North Grand Avenue preserve the environment. Caroline Elbert Taylor ’66 Sherman, TX 75090-4400 Jo Ann Geurin Thetford Editor: 903.813.2414 Jesse R. Thomas ’74 Fax: 903.813.2415 22 Transformative Education Linda Plummer Ward ’78 Email: [email protected] William E. Warren ’74 Austin College does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, A shy, quiet young man thousands of miles from home and Stanley M. Woodward national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran Michael G. Wright family discovers the qualities and abilities that result in his in the administration of its educational policies and programs, employment selection as the 2010 Outstanding Senior Man. policies and practices, enrollment policies and practices, and athletics program, as well as any other College-administered policy, procedure, practice, or program. Reasonable accommodations are made for individuals with disabilities. 32 In Other Words Marielle Remillard ’09 reflects on her participation at the 2009 Copenhagen Summit. © 2010 Austin College Griffith Installed in Morris Chair David E. Griffith , associate professor of business Griffith is an active member of the Posey Leadership administration since 2006, was installed in the Jack B. Institute Board and coordinates the Todd Williams Morris Chair of Entrepreneurial Studies at the College’s Executive-in-Residence speaker series. His successful annual Honors Convocation this spring. He also was involvement of Austin College students in his research awarded tenure effective fall 2010. has resulted in several student presentations, including The endowed faculty chair was established in 2005 by one at an international consumer behavior conference David Griffith, second from left, Mrs. Jack B. Morris and the Morris Foundation in in India. poses with Joseph Monteleone of recognition of the life and achievements of the late Jack Completing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the Morris Foundation of Fort B. Morris. Morris was an entrepreneur whose love for Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Griffith Worth, Texas, far left, and Linda J education extended throughout his life, evidenced by continued his education with a master’s degree in Morris Elsey and David Elsey at many philanthropic activities and various scholarship business administration from the University of the installation. gifts to Austin College. Linda Morris Elsey is a member Oklahoma and a Ph.D. in of the Austin College Board of Trustees. marketing from the University of Making the announcement, President Marjorie Hass Texas.