Stretch Your PERCEPTIONS: from Manga to Tanka and More OCTOBER 5-7 HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS
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Millikin QuarterSUMMER 2012ly Stretch your PERCEPTIONS: From manga to tanka and more OCTOBER 5-7 HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS • Career Connections: Alumni get back to the classroom MILLIKIN HOMECOMING • Fireworks Display • All-Alumni Reception with free hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar • Class Luncheon and Reunion Photos for the classes of 1937-62 with served luncheons • Class Receptions and Reunion Photos for the classes of 1967-2007 • All-Alumni & Friends Complimentary Luncheon • Home Athletic Contests: football, volleyball and cross country MILLIKIN HOMECOMING • Reunion Dinners and Receptions • Special Reunions for 1972 School of Music grads, WJMU staffers, University Choir alums and Black Alumni Network. Celebrations for the 100th anniversaries of Delta Delta Delta and Pi Beta Phi chapters. • Special recognition for the golden anniversary class of 1962 • Alumni Awards Dinner: Honoring selected alumni with Alumni Awards or induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame. This year’s alumni awards honorees include: Alumnus of the Year co-recipients Herbert Zuegel ’52 and Barbara Burgis Zuegel ’53, Richard Dechert ’54, Scott Flora ’78, Gregg Meisenhelter ’00, Kerry Muzzey ’92 and Bill Wright ’59. This year's Hall of Fame inductees include: Lance Brooks ’06, Denise Fogle ’91, Suzanne Murphy Short ’00 and Lin Stoner ’73. A FULL SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES WILL BE SENT IN AUGUST. Interested in helping plan a reunion for your class or organization? Contact the alumni relations office at 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2586). WWW.MILLIKIN.EDU/HOMECOMING PERSPECTIVE Dear Alumni and Friends of Millikin, Not long after ar- To give you just one example of how that riving at Millikin was on display at the event: Joseph Bein of Millikin University in April 2011, I Gibson City, Ill., a James Millikin Scholar Board of Trustees had the pleasure of (JMS) who graduated in May, created his Effective July 1, 2012 attending the an- own musical version of “The Picture of nual Celebrations Dorian Gray” as his JMS project. He not Douglas S. Basler ’83 of Scholarship, only wrote the script and the music, he Lucas Bills ’03 a fixture on auditioned and cast 12 performers, directed Phillip B. Blankenburg ’62 Millikin’s campus and performed all the music in a staged John Patrick Borders ’82 for several years reading of a production that simply wowed Mikel Briggs ’79 now. What originated as an undergraduate the audience. Not coincidentally, Joseph R. Michael Campbell ’67 research poster symposium more than 15 was the recipient of four separate awards Elta L. Cooke ’52 years ago has grown to encompass a two- at this year’s annual Honors Convocation, Cathy Coulter day opportunity for students to “stand and including the top three awards from the Karen Crapse ’88 deliver” on what they have learned. This English department and a top award from Van A. Dukeman * event is one of our most visible aspects of theatre. He truly is a classic example of David L. Giertz ’86 the unique Millikin performance learning Millikin’s performance learning model of Greg Griffin ’79 model of higher education. It is emblematic higher education, and you can learn more Tom Harrington ’70 of the learning that happens on campus about him on page 41. Douglas J. Hein ’87 each day as performance learning provides I was also impressed by the spirit of Lisa Holder White a very rich and relevant educational experi- camaraderie and collaboration that the Dr. Stephen Huss ence for our students. (You can view a few musical represented. Most assuredly, it was Debra Breeding Johnston ’89 photos from the event on page 6.) Joseph’s project, but without the assistance Kimberly Kenney Again this April, I attended as many of his student cast, it would not have been Donald F. McIntyre ’52 presentations as possible and walked away possible. These students took time out of Robert K. Murray ’50 significantly impressed. This high level of their own hectic schedules to make his James R. Neff ’78 ** execution, sophisticated subject matter project happen. It’s a spirit of collaboration Dr. Randy Rentfro ’78 and engagement with faculty is certainly that is unparalleled at other universities. Douglas J. Schmalz not seen among undergraduates at other As I write this, we are expecting Mark Staley schools. I don’t know of anywhere that does hundreds of students and their families Trent Thompson MBA ’01 it remotely as well as we do. It is a clear-cut on campus for summer orientation and Frank Tyrolt ’54 example of the direct correlation between registration, a time of happy excitement as Dr. James Vascik ’73 the quality and uniqueness of the Millikin we meet with our new freshmen for the first Dr. Phyllis I. Warkentin ’70 educational experience and our students’ time. This August, these students will begin Dr. Melvin N. Wilson ’70 ability to prepare for success and lives of their own individual experiences in earning Michelle Wong ’86 meaning and value. a Millikin degree. To them, their parents Gary Workman ’64 The confidence to succeed is instilled and our alumni, donors and friends, I say Dr. H. Gale Zacheis on this campus, as well as the abilities to this: In these volatile economic times, I Ex-Officio think cogently, write intelligently and speak firmly believe that for those students who Dr. Harold G. Jeffcoat thoughtfully. aspire to achieve, there is no better choice Millikin President The Celebrations of Scholarship event than Millikin to help develop the confi- is a visible and comprehensive demonstra- dence to succeed in life, both professionally Rick Reider tion of the fulfillment of James Millikin’s and personally. And in the next few years, I VP for Finance and Business Affairs dream to combine theory and practice at look forward to watching the presentations Marilyn S. Davis ’00/MBA ’11 his university. I imagine that if Mr. Millikin of these freshmen during a Celebrations Board Secretary/Chief of Staff had been in attendance to see our students of Scholarship event. It’s a cycle that bears demonstrating their depth of understand- repeating, year after year. ● Dr. David Horn ing and knowledge, he’d have said, “This Faculty Representative is precisely what I wanted to happen.” His Caleb Buscher ’13 legacy is indeed thriving as our students are Student Representative stretched, challenged and empowered in preparation for life after Millikin. Dr. Harold Jeffcoat, Millikin President * chair ** vice chair EDITOR’S LETTER Changing it up It dawned on me be involved in shaping the future of this the other day that university magazine: I have been an edi- tor for this maga- 1. Complete a reader survey. zine for nearly You’ll find it online at http:/bit.ly/MU- 18 years and sole Qsurvey or take it through your smart managing editor phone by scanning the QR code below. for more than 15 The survey is anonymous, so feel free to of those years, yet let those opinions flow! If you’d like a this is my first true hard copy of the survey to complete, just editor’s column. give me a call at 217-424-6383, and I’ll Why write now after all these years of drop one in the mail to you. silence? Well, for one thing, I have some very good news to share. 2. Offer to serve on a focus group. Earlier this year, we welcomed a new Whether you live close to campus or on staff member to our team, Alida Duff the other side of the earth from the Big Sullivan, a 2006 Millikin graduate. Alida Blue, you can help us in shaping the “new brings fresh eyes and a younger perspec- Q.” Focus group volunteers will help us tive to the magazine’s development. She’s evaluate the content and look of some of also a “triple threat” in that she is trained the new features we are developing. To vol- as a photographer, graphic designer and unteer, send me an email with your name, writer. address and phone number to With her able assistance as associate [email protected] or call director of communications, along with me at 217-424-6383. the superb talents of associate editor Mar- garet Friend, we are planning a freshen- I can truly say that I have enjoyed being ing of this magazine over the summer to a part of Millikin Quarterly magazine these better serve you, our readers, in telling the past 18 years. It’s always a pleasure to Millikin story. It will include a new look hear from those of you who enjoy it, and I throughout, some new features we think always learn something from those of you you’ll enjoy and a focus on making the who call or email with constructive criti- Millikin Quarterly experience more fun cism to offer. I look forward to the years Millikin Quarterly and more informative. We’ll be rolling out ahead as we take these steps to ensure Vol. XXVIII, No. 2 Summer 2012 the new and improved Millikin Quarterly that the magazine continues to reflect the Produced by the Millikin University with the fall issue. quality of the Millikin educational experi- Office of Alumni and Development. As part of this process, we welcome ence through the stories we tell about our Email comments to: your help. Here are two ways you can talented alumni, students and faculty. ● [email protected] Millikin Quarterly (ISSN 8750-7706) (USPS 0735-570) is published four times yearly; once during each of the first, second, third and fourth quarters by Deborah Hale Kirchner Millikin University, 1184 West Main Millikin Quarterly Editor Street, Decatur, Illinois 62522-2084. Periodicals postage paid at Director of Communications & Services Decatur, Illinois.