M a r c h 2 0 0 7 DreamDreamSEASONSEASON The Quarterly Magazine of Wake Forest University F E A T U R E S EDITOR Cherin C. Poovey (P ’08), [email protected] ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kerry M. King (’85), [email protected] DESIGN / ART DIRECTION Sherry Simmons, [email protected] Urena Design, [email protected] PHOTOGRAPHER Ken Bennett, [email protected] CLASSNOTES EDITOR Janet Williamson (P ’00, ’03), [email protected] SENIOR WRITER David Fyten, [email protected] 6 Dream Season PRINTING By Dan Collins The Lane Press, Inc. Burlington,Vermont Of all the adjectives used to describe the Deacons’ 11–3 football season—one that included an ACC Wake Forest Magazine (USPS 664-520 ISSN title and a trip to the Orange Bowl—the most 0279-3946) is published four times a year in September, December, March, and June by appropriate may be “incomparable.” the Office of Creative Services, Wake Forest University, P.O. Box 7205, Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7205. It is sent to alumni, donors, and friends of the University. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, NC 27109, and additional mailing offices. 2 A R O U N D T H E Q U A D POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wake Forest Magazine Alumni Records P.O. Box 7227 30 C L A S S N O T E S Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7227. Volume 54, Number 3 March 2007 Copyright 2007 W W W. W F U. E D U 14 Rhodes Run By David Fyten The dramatic increase in Rhodes Scholarships awarded to Wake Forest undergraduates didn’t just happen. It’s one outcome of a plan to recruit and cultivate top students. P R O F I L E S C O N S T A N T & T R U E 26 The Hermit in the 48 The Little School Wait Chapel Tower That Did By David Fyten By Dave Joseph 24 A Great Run Roman Catholic priest Every Deadhead By Cherin C. Poovey (P ’08) Samuel Weber helps should adopt this In academics and athletics, infuse the Divinity School school. Jerry Garcia senior and newest Rhodes with “true ecumenism.” meets Mr. Whipple. Scholar Michelle Sikes The smallest school sets the pace. and the coolest. kindness, combined with his witty and wonderfully irreverent spirit, have made some proclaim he is Wake Forest’s demon deacon.” Christman came to Wake Forest intending to be an attorney, but after graduating from law school, he attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary on the Old Campus. He became Bap- tist campus minister in 1956 and was later named assistant chap- lain and then chaplain in 1969. Christman was honored follow- ing the Convocation address by Paul Rusesabagina, whose courage Ed Christman (’50, JD ’53) during the Rwandan genocide in 2004 inspired the film “Hotel Founders’ Day Rwanda.” Also during Convoca- tion, the following awards were Faculty honored; Christman presented to faculty: receives Medallion of Merit Kulynych Family Omicron Delta Kappa Award for Contribution to HAPLAIN EMERITUS ED Student Life — DAVID YAMANE, CHRISTMAN (’50, JD ’53), C assistant professor of sociology; counselor and friend to genera- tions of students and Wake Forest’s Kienzle Teaching Award — spiritual guiding force for decades, STEPHEN BRYAN, assistant professor received the University’s highest of accounting (Babcock School); honor, the Medallion of Merit, at Cowan Faculty Research Prize — Founders’ Day Convocation on SARA MOELLER, assistant professor February 22. Christman retired in of finance (Babcock School); 2003 after serving as chaplain for thirty-four years. Joseph Branch Excellence in “Seldom does an institution Teaching Award — WENDY spawn a graduate who so thor- PARKER, professor of law. oughly embodies its soul, Pro Humanitate,” said President Nathan For more on Convocation, O. Hatch. “His compassion and see www.wfu.edu/convocation. 2 WAKE FOREST MAGAZINE D A U Q E H T D N U O Discovery: Atala’s team makes R history with groundbreaking A stem-cell research Atala HE LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT years of research—were first pub- Tby the medical school’s Dr. lished in January in the scientific Anthony Atala—that his team of journal Nature Biotechnology. eased restrictions on federally researchers had discovered a new Atala and his colleagues funded embryonic-stem-cell source of stem cells in amniotic reported that they had discovered research. In January, the same fluid that could be used to pro- that a small number of stem cells week that Atala’s research was duce a variety of tissue types— in amniotic fluid—estimated at released, the U.S. House again drew national attention and was 1 percent—can give rise to many passed legislation supporting cited on the floor of Congress by of the specialized cell types found government-funded research. those for and against embryonic- in the human body, although they The Senate had yet to take up stem-cell research. aren’t sure exactly how many the issue by late January. Atala, along with colleagues different types. “So far, we’ve Both sides in the House debate from the Wake Forest School of been successful with every cell used Atala’s research to support Medicine and Harvard Medical type we’ve attempted to produce their positions, even as he cau- School, reported that they had from these stem cells,” he said. tioned that amniotic stem cells used stem cells drawn from The newly discovered cells may should not be considered a amniotic fluid to create muscle, represent an intermediate stage replacement for embryonic or bone, fat, blood vessel, nerve, between embryonic stem cells adult stem cells.“It is essential and liver cells in the laboratory. and adult stem cells. that National Institutes of Health- Their findings could lead to Amniotic stem cells come funded researchers are able to breakthroughs in replacing dam- from the fluid surrounding fully pursue embryonic-stem-cell aged cells and tissue in treating unborn babies and their placen- research as a complement to patients with spinal cord injuries, tas. Atala’s team obtained the research into other forms of diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, but cells using placentas or fluid stem cells,” he wrote in a letter preliminary tests in patients are from amniocentesis, a medical to Congress. still years away. procedure commonly performed Atala’s announcement was “Our hope is that these cells on unborn children to test for the latest advance in regenerative will provide a valuable resource genetic diseases. Because amniotic- medicine to come from his team for tissue repair and for engi- stem-cell research doesn’t harm since he moved to Wake Forest neered organs as well,” said the fetus, Atala’s research avoids three years ago from Harvard Uni- Atala, a senior researcher and the controversy that surrounds versity. Last year, he and his col- director of the Institute for embryonic-stem-cell research. leagues rebuilt bladders for seven Regenerative Medicine. Atala’s President Bush vetoed legis- young patients using tissue grown findings—the result of seven lation last year that would have from the patient’s own cells. www.wfu.edu/wowf MARCH 2007 3 D A U Q B R I E F S E H Gatewood receives T international award D for ‘Diana Project’ Eure named Associate Biology’s Conner N Dean of the College named AAAS Fellow U ETSY O R BGATEWOOD, ONGTIME PROFESSOR OF ROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY A director of the LBIOLOGY Herman Eure PWilliam E. Conner has been University’s Office (PhD ’74) has been appointed an named an American Association of Entrepreneur- Associate Dean of the College. for the Advancement of Science ship and Liberal Eure will work on faculty devel- (AAAS) Fellow. Conner, who Arts, and four opment issues, while continuing joined the faculty in 1988, is research partners to teach in the biology depart- widely known for his research Gatewood at other universities ment. Eure into animal communication and have won a presti- joined the sexual gious international award for their faculty in selection contributions to entrepreneur- 1974 and in insects. ship and small business research served as AAAS is over their careers, both individu- chair of the the world’s ally and as a research team. biology largest gen- Gatewood, who is also a department eral scientific research professor in the Calloway from 1998 society and School of Business and Account- through 2006. Eure publisher of ancy, joined with professors from the journal Conner Harvard, Babson College (Massa- Former student establishes Science. chusetts), and the University of chair to honor Goho St.Thomas (Minnesota) in 1999 to form a research consortium, FORMER STUDENT of pro- Student award honors the “Diana Project,” to study Afessor Thomas S. Goho has Phillips, professor emerita women entrepreneurs and their established a chair of finance in businesses. the Calloway School of Business STUDENT AWARD has been Gatewood and her colleagues and Accountancy in Goho’s Aestablished in honor of one received the FSF-NUTEK Award, honor.The donor, now a success- of the University’s first female which recognizes outstanding ful investment banker, asked to faculty members, now retired research on entrepreneurship remain Professor of English Elizabeth and small-business development, anonymous. Phillips.The award will be pre- and she will travel to Sweden in Goho, who sented during Commencement May to receive the award.The joined the to the undergraduate or graduate award, given annually since 1996, faculty in student writing the best essay is sponsored by FSF, the Swedish 1977, will be on women’s and gender studies Foundation for Small Business the first during the year. Phillips joined Research, and NUTEK, the holder of the the faculty in 1957 and retired Swedish Business Development chair.