Millikin Quarterly

MMillikinillikin Quarterly fall 2006 FFOODOOD FFOROR TTHOUGHT:HOUGHT: HHOWOW SSTUDENTSTUDENTS HAVEHAVE CCHANGEDHANGED CAMPUSCAMPUS DDININGINING The Millikin Mission: To Deliver on the Promise of Education At Millikin, we prepare students for • Professional success; • Democratic citizenship in a global environment; • A personal life of meaning and value. MMillikinillikin QuarterlyQuarterly Vol. XXII, No. 3 Fall 2006 Produced by the Offi ce of Alumni and Development. E-mail comments to: [email protected] Millikin Quarterly (ISSN 8750-7706) (USPS 0735- 570) is published four times yearly; once during each of the fi rst, second, third and fourth quarters by Millikin University, 1184 West Main Street, Deca- tur, Illinois 62522-2084. Periodicals postage paid at Decatur, Illinois. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Millikin Quarterly, Millikin University, 1184 West Main Street, Decatur, IL 62522-2084. Telephone: 217-424-6383, or call toll-free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM. o deliver on the promise of “T education.” This promise is at the core of our mission statement and this is what we must do at Millikin to prepare our students for life ahead. As a university, we produce intellec- tual capital. We’re not in the business of producing widgets; we’re in the business of challenging minds and changing lives. And we need to do it well. When Millikin students leave here, we have equipped them intellectually so they can handle that fi rst job and successfully make the transition to the ones that may lie ahead. They are prepared for professional success, democratic citizenship in a global environment and a personal life of meaning and value. That is the prom- President’s ise we make to each Millikin student, of whom three out of every 10 is the fi rst in his or her family to attend college. To Perspective Douglas Zemke ’66, Millikin President ensure that we meet it, we must constantly be improving how we deliver a Millikin accounting and criminal justice majors lack of nurse educators who are qualifi ed education. were introduced on the Millikin campus to teach the nurses of the future. Just recently, we made a structuring this fall. In addition, the organizational Joining the PACE program and the change that will help us to better meet the leadership major is offered at a site in School of Nursing with the School of Edu- needs of three signifi cant groups of our Mattoon, Ill., and this fall we began of- cation is a natural progression of a sym- professional students, many of them adult fering the elementary and early child- biotic relationship among all three areas. learners. Under the leadership of Dr. Ja- hood education majors on the campus of In many ways, each of the three academic mie Comstock, vice president of academic Parkland College in Champaign through programs now joined under the umbrella of affairs, we created a new College of an agreement that institution. By the end the College of Professional Studies refl ects Professional Studies that brings together of this year, nearly 300 graduates will Millikin’s commitment to the vital need for the School of Nursing, the School of Edu- have completed the PACE program, and adult learning programs in Decatur and the cation and the Professional Adult Com- another 350 are currently enrolled. surrounding areas. For example, the School prehensive Education (PACE) program. Nursing is another area that has seen of Education offers both the early child- Dr. Kathy Booker, formerly dean of the tremendous growth, fueled in large part hood and the elementary education degree School of Nursing, has been named dean by a nationwide nursing shortage that programs in the PACE format for adult of the new College. experts say will be with us for years to learners. In addition, many of the educa- On the surface, the creation of the new come. We are excited about the introduc- tion faculty teach in both the traditional College could be perceived as just a name tion of a new master’s degree in nursing and adult learning programs, providing for change, but this restructuring will allow program that is designed to be accessible consistently high educational standards for us to pool our resources to better meet the and convenient for registered nurses who all Millikin students, regardless of the type needs of these particular students, who want to continue their education while of learning program. have been among the fastest growing seg- maintaining their current employment. So what does the creation of a new ments of our student population. The 18-month program offers courses College mean to Millikin’s alumni and Millikin’s PACE program, for example, once a week for eight hours. Students en- friends? Why is it worth noting? It is an has seen tremendous growth since it was roll in two courses simultaneously, spend outward sign that the mission of Millikin fi rst introduced in January 2003. From of- four hours in each class supplemented by University is alive and well and the value fering a single major of management and weekly online instruction and may join of a Millikin education is increasing. It is organizational leadership, the program has the program on a full- or part-time basis. a sign of a promise made, and a promise grown to offer additional degree programs They may choose either the nurse educa- being fulfi lled. in early childhood education, elemen- tor or clinical nurse leader track, which At Millikin, it is an honor to deliver tary education and nursing (RN to BSN) will allow graduates to help fi ll one of on the promise of challenging minds and on our main campus in Decatur. New our country’s most critical shortages: a changing lives. We do it, and we do it well. Campus Historic gubernatorial debate held News in renovated Albert Taylor Theatre MU again named one of the best in the Midwest For the 14th straight year, U.S. News & World Report magazine has named Millikin one of the best comprehensive colleges in the Midwest. Millikin ranked 18th in the Midwest in the best comprehensive colleges-bachelor’s category. The ranking is a part of the magazine’s “2007 America’s Best Colleges” selection guide. U.S. News & World Report’s rankings are based on a number of factors, including academic reputation, retention and graduation rates, faculty resources and SAT/ACT test scores of incoming freshmen. The rankings being released in this edition are based on information submitted by schools on various factors from the 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 academic years. The current U.S. News ranking is the second national ranking on quality Millikin has received in recent months. Recently, Golf Digest ranked Millikin as one of the top schools in the country for golfers who are excellent students first, golfers second. In their national ranking for Academics The fi rst debate held between two candidates for Illinois governor was held in the newly renovated Albert Taylor Theatre in early October. Above: From left at the debate, are the First, Millikin’s men’s golf program was ranked two candidates: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and State Treasurer Judy Barr Topinka. 34th in the country and the women’s golf program Across the stage from them are moderators Craig Dellimore, political editor for WBBM was ranked 36th. The rankings look at a school’s Radio in Chicago, and Jim Anderson, news director of the Illinois Radio Network. academic quality and the golf program’s team scores, player growth, climate for golf and Albert Taylor Theatre opened coaches/facilities. this fall after major renovations and quickly hosted a major High school students event of historic signifi cance. invited to visit campus The Illinois Radio Network Millikin’s admission department is hosting several broadcast a live radio debate open houses for high school students who may be between two of the three Il- considering Millikin as a college choice: linois gubernatorial candidates in the newly remodeled theatre Monday, Jan. 15, 2007 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) in early October. It was the Monday, Feb. 19, 2007 (President’s Day) fi rst debate held between candidates Judy Barr Topinka, current state treasurer, and Friday, April 10, 2007 (current juniors) incumbent Rod Blagojevich. Following the broadcast, each candidate held a press At the open houses, information will be distrib- conference, as did Green Party candidate Rich Whitney, who also answered each of uted about a new legacy scholarship available for the questions posed to the other two candidates during the debate. Although the debate was not open to the public, 200 members of the Millikin the children and grandchildren of Millikin alumni. A comunity were able to sign up for tickets to observe the broadcast. Due to the nature new sibling scholarship is also availbale. of the event, audience members were not allowed to ask questions. Moderators for To register for any open house, schedule the event were Jim Anderson, news director of the Illinois Radio Network, and Craig an individual campus visit for another date, or Dellimore, political editor for WBBM Radio in Chicago. learn more about the legacy scholarship, call the Media on campus to cover the debate included the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun admission office at 1-800-373-7733. High school Times, St. Louis Post Dispatch, WLS-TV Chicago-ABC, WMAQ-TV Chicago-NBC, students may also wish to visit www.millikin.edu to WBBM-TV Chicago-CBS, WFLD-TV Chicago-Fox and WGN-TV Chicago. sign up for the Big Blue VIP program. Campus Millikin’s E-Center partners with new center in Carlinville News In late September, Illinois Gover- Since 2005, the Bethel named vice president nor Rod Blagojevich announced for fi nance and business affairs $150,000 for a new entrepreneurship Millikin E-Center has Karen Bethel has been named center in Carlinville, to build on the vice president for finance and efforts of an existing e-center at Mil- provided assistance to business affairs.

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