Lawrence University Lux Alumni Magazines Communications Spring 2003 Lawrence Today, Volume 83, Number 3, Spring 2003 Lawrence University Follow this and additional works at: http://lux.lawrence.edu/alumni_magazines Part of the Liberal Studies Commons © Copyright is owned by the author of this document. Recommended Citation Lawrence University, "Lawrence Today, Volume 83, Number 3, Spring 2003" (2003). Alumni Magazines. Book 45. http://lux.lawrence.edu/alumni_magazines/45 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Communications at Lux. It has been accepted for inclusion in Alumni Magazines by an authorized administrator of Lux. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LAWRENCE TODAY Spring 2003, Vol. 83, No.3 Editor Gordon E. Brown 920-832-6593 [email protected] Art Director MarshaTuchscherer Contributors Steven Blodgett Rick Peterson Joe Vanden Acker Address correspondence to Lawrence Today lawrence University Polishing the Apple PO.Box599 Downtown Appleton gets a makeover Appleton. WI S4912-0599 920-832-6586 Fax:920-832-6783 16 Reading, writing, and riding [email protected] Her books about girls and horses are really about values OfficeofAlumniRelations (address as above) 19 The professors' picks 920-832-6S49 The Lawrence Today reading list, 2003 Fax:920-832-6896 [email protected] 26 Keeping an eye on the big picture http://www.lawrence.edu A look at trusteeship at Lawrence and the tasks ahead SpecialthankstolmageStud1osfor 32 Seduced by the liberal arts: Sir Isaac and the two Bruces providingphotographyforthisissue. A physicist, a mathematician, and the Principia Lawrence Today (USPS 012-683) is published quarterlyinMarch,)une.September,and 34 Isolation, interdisciplinarity, inspiration December by lawrence University. Office of Doing research in the liberal arts college setting PublicAffairs.Appleton.WisconsinS-4911 Periodical postage paid at Appleton. Wisconsin. andadditionalmailingoffices 36 Losing is not an option Valerie Curtis runs fast, works hard, and wins POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lawrence Today, lawrence University. 115 South Drew Street. Appleton.WIS-4911-5798 Articlesareexpresslytheopinionsoftheauthors Correspondence anddonotnecessarilyrepresentofficialuniver;ity Inside Lawrence policy. We reserve the right to edit correspondence 36 Sports for length and accuracy 40 Alumni Today lawrenceUniversitypromotesequal 56 Lawrence Yesterday opportunity for all (i) Printedonrecydedpaper On the cover College Avenue redux, loolcing west toward the distinctive oval skylight of the new Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. "Polishing the Apple," page 8, tells the story of Appleton's downtown renaissance, including the "Streetscape" makeover of"the Ave." P hoto by Image Studios. Correspondence Underwhelmed case would reference the arrogance, Essential values I have just read "Paradigm Shift: horribly poor teaching technique, I've always treasured my undergradu­ Lawrence, the Harvard Business and complete lack of reasonable ate experience at Lawrence. In the School of the Midwest" [Fall 2002], human communication displayed by article "Paradigm Shift," John Luke, and I am underwhelmed. No, "under­ many (but not all!) of the Lawrence Jr., '71, captured the essence of my whelmed" isn't a word I learned at faculty from that era. It could offer feelings towards my alma mater by Lawrence. similar "evidence" stating that "Lawrence emphasized The question of the "practicality" of experiences that two essential values, the importance of of a Lawrence liberal arts education mold tough guys critical thinlcing and of tolerance for for business might be a good question and survivors of others' ideas." to ask It is, at least, a scientifically the kind who tend Further into the article, I was answerable question. But whether it is to do well in busi­ immediately struck by the ironic a good question, and what would be ness - and it circularity of the following quote an appropriate answer for it, require would be a far cry from Gretchen Jahn, '73: "I will not defining terms and independent and from the picture of ever hire someone with a computer dependent variables that are scarcely the liberation of ideas and thinking science background. Their thinking mentioned in what could have been that arc Lawrence ideals. is mud1 too narrow for a business a much more interesting series of I happen to believe in the practi­ as competitive as mine." Is it just me, mini-cases. cal value of my Lawrence education - or arc Ms. Jahn's opinions and pro­ I suspect the big practicality ques­ thus, the fluff in this article was disap­ nouncements just as narrow? tion isn't addressed very often because, pointing. And what, exactly, was the People are curious as to how I amazingly, when terms and variables paradigm shift? If the liberal arts ended up in a career as a Revenue are actually defined, the question process is alive and well at Lawrence, Agent with the Department of the doesn't look quite so meaningful! then there isn't one! Treasury. After all, I graduated from Rather, it begins to look ridiculously Karl A. Hickerson, '70 Lawrence as a music education major oversimplified. Associate Prifessor, M anagerial Studies and thereafter made a living as a pro­ Using similar anecdotal evidence St. Ambrose University fessional musician. I can tell you how and another sample of graduates from Davenport, Iowa and why, but you would have to be the late '60s or '70s who have enjoyed willing to first ask the question. "nice" post-Lawrence business careers In the midst of battle David E. Frankson, '78 by conventional standards, a case I really enjoyed the article in the Fall Oregon, Wisconsin could be made for Lawrence as an 2002 issue titled "Paradigm Shift." effective pre-business experience by I think any of us can relate to it, being the business career development whether we are in business, education, "boot camp" of the Midwest. This law, medicine, or whatever. I am in the middle of an education/tech­ nician battle at school right now, and I should probably rape a number of quotes from that article next to my desk. Mary Oswald Folkman, '64 Laurel, Montana Spring2003 Inside Lawrence "' Warch to retire . in 2004 President Warch participates in a Freshman Studies class. Richard Warch, president of assured them that he had "no inten­ tunity when I was 39 years old and Lawrence University since 1979, will tion of behaving like a lame duck" gave me a set of challenges, opportu­ retire in June 2004, at which time he during the remainder of this academic nities, and rewards that were beyond will have completed 25 years in office. year or in 2003-04. my ken back then. I have, as I He announced his intention to retire "1 do not intend to get on some predicted, earned my white hair over to the Board ofTrustees at its October glide path to 2004. T will continue the years, but serving Lawrence has meeting, and Board Chair Jeffrey D. to do my best for Lawrence, and I been - and will be until I leave - a Riester, '70, informed the Lawrence pledge to devote consistent attention marvelous experience and an unparal­ Community immediately thereafter. to resolving-or at least putting us on leled privilege, and I'm grateful." "The trustees will soon embark the path to resolving - many of our An article by Jeffrey Riester, upon a search for a successor and challenges." examining the role of trustees in insti­ develop plans for a smooth and effective Noting that some 40 percent of tutional governance and introducing transition to new leadership after the living Lawrence alumni attended dur­ the Board's plans for the presidential 2003-04 academic year," Riester said. ing the years he has been here, Warch search process, begins on page 26 of Speaking to the faculty soon after continued: this issue. • his announcement, President Warch "Lawrence offered me this oppor- Lawrence Today Inside Lawrence New faces on the faculty Scarff Memorial Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies; Dmitri Sixteen new members of the Lawrence Novgorodsky, visiting assistant profes­ faculty have received tenure-track sor of music; Antoinette Powell, music appointments for 2002-03 (see pho­ librarian and assistant professor; Tim tos). In addition, Fred Sturm, '73, in Reed, instructor in Spanish and music and Brent Peterson in German Freshman Studies; Ileana Maria were appointed to tenured positions. Rodriguez-Silva, pre-doctoral fellow Other appointments, ranging in in history; Jane Shippen, lecturer in David J, Hall Ku rt D. Krebsbach , length from one academic term to three English; Robert Smart, '96, lecturer Assistant professor of '85 years, include: Paul Bunson, assistant in art; Phillip Swan, visiting instructor chemistry Associate professor of Butler University, B.S.; computer science professor of physics; Michal Ann in music; and David Thurmaier, University of Wiscon­ lawrence University. Carley, visual resources librarian, art instructor in music. sin- Madison, Ph.D. B.A.: University of department; Kevin Clifton, instructor Mechanisms by which Minnesota, M.S .. Ph.D. in music; Cecile Despres-Berry, rhinovirus activation Artificial intelligence, instructor in English as a second of immune cells leads automated planning. language; Jose Luis EncarnaciOn, to the exacerbation multi-agent systems. pre-doctoral fellow in music; Martin of asthma functional program­ Erickson, lecturer in music; Seong­ mmg. mus1c, zymurgy Kyung Graham, assistant conductor, conservatory; Mark Hall, instructor in French; Hai-Chi Jihn, lecturer in art; Bo Johnson, instructor in theatre and drama; and Andrew Kunz, assistant professor of physics. Instructor in music anthropology Also: Yu-Chun Lin, instructor in Ball State University, Mount Holyoke East Asian languages and cultures; B.Mus.: University of College. B.A.: George Meyer, Stephen Edward Iowa, MA; University University of of Michigan Michigan, M.A joanne Metcalf Brent 0. Peterson Trumpet Cultural anthropology, Assistant professor Associate professor of refugee communities of music German University of Johns Hopkins California at Santa University, B.A.; Barbara, B.A.; Duke University of Iowa, University, M.A., Ph.D.