Lawrence University Lux Alumni Magazines Communications 7-1-2007 Lawrence Today, Volume 87, Number 4, Summer 2007 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 87, Number 4, Summer 2007" (2007). Alumni Magazines. Book 7. http://lux.lawrence.edu/alumni_magazines/7 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]. A Hat Girl’s Legacy When Marlene Crupi found Jason Downer’s top hat hidden under tree roots during the traditional “hat hunt” for Milwaukee Downer freshmen, she earned more than the distinction of being “First Hat Girl” for the Green Class of 1955. She was propelled into a leadership role that would last a lifetime. Milwaukee-Downer tradition calls for hat girls (each class had four) to exemplify the attributes of leadership in their academic and personal lives and to serve as class leaders. Marlene embraced this leadership role socially and academically. Professors such as Gladys Calbrick mentored her, while bolstering her self-confidence — providing momentum for her academic success at Downer and in graduate school. Marlene was delighted to be welcomed warmly into a supportive alumnae group who encouraged her service as an alumna. She responded by assuming a variety of volunteer roles, eventually serving as president of the Alumnae Association at the time of the consolidation in 1964. At her 40th reunion, she received the Gertrude B. Jupp Outstanding Service Award and, more recently, she has assumed the role of co-chair of the Lawrence-Downer Legacy Circle. On the occasion of her 50th reunion, Marlene took out a life insurance policy with Lawrence as beneficiary. Lawrence owns the policy, and Marlene and her husband Len make annual charitable gifts to the college in lieu of making premium payments. The policy will be used to establish the Leonard A. and Marlene Crupi Widen Milwaukee-Downer Scholarship at Lawrence University. “I wanted to do something special for our 50th reunion and for Milwaukee Downer,” Marlene says. “We are not wealthy people, but this way of giving enabled us to do something truly special to perpetuate a great legacy in women’s education.” For more information about making bequest provisions or establishing endowed funds at Lawrence, please contact the major and planned giving office at 920-832-6517. Lawrence University PO. Box 599 Appleton, WI 54912-0599 Lawrence TODAY Summer 2007 The Magazine of Lawrence University Vol. 87, No. 4 Lawrence Today Summer 2007, Vol. 87, No. 4 Editor Gordon E. Brown, 920-832-6593 [email protected] Art Director Marsha Tuchscherer Contributors Liz Boutelle, Rick Peterson, Joe Vanden Acker Address correspondence to: Lawrence Today, Lawrence University P.O. Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912-0599 920-832-6586 Fax: 920-832-6783 [email protected] Office of Alumni Relations (address as above) 920-832-6549 Fax: 920-832-6896 [email protected] www.lawrence.edu Special thanks to Image Studios for providing photography for this issue. Lawrence Today (USPS 012-683) is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by Lawrence University, Office of Communications and Marketing, 115 South Drew St., P.O. Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912-0599. Periodical postage paid at Appleton, Wisconsin, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lawrence Today, Lawrence University, 115 South Drew St., P.O. Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912-0599. Articles are expressly the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent official university policy. We reserve the right to edit correspondence for length and accuracy. Lawrence University promotes equal opportunity for all. Image Image Studios Fall Festival October 26-28 Join us on campus for the annual Fall Festival • Choir and wind ensemble/symphonic band concerts celebration — a weekend during which Lawrence families and • Lawrence Vikings football, soccer, and a fun run/walk alumni are invited to share in the lives of current students • Blue and White Athletic Hall of Fame dinner and experience firsthand the total Lawrence education. • Family-friendly entertainment This special weekend, a combination of Homecoming You won’t want to miss this campus “open house” Will Photography Croff and Family Weekend, features classroom visits, music, athletic and student showcase, so plan to head to Appleton competitions, and entertainment. Highlights include: at the end of October. • “State-of-the-college” address (followed by Q and A) For more information, contact Nancy Truesdell, dean of by President Jill Beck students, at 920-832-6596 or [email protected], • Mini-courses taught by Lawrence faculty members or go to www.lawrence.edu. InsideContents Lawrence Features Departments 12 Looking and learning 2 Correspondence What is the place of astronomy at a liberal arts college? 3 Inside Lawrence 33 Sports 17 When quality matters 36 Alumni Today Some thoughts about the cost of a Lawrence education 48 Lawrence Yesterday 20 t The gif is only the beginning On the cover Surrounding Associate Professor Lawrence’s art collection teaches in many ways of Physics Megan Pickett are, from left, Alison 24 Putting the bat in baton Berry ’07, Julian Hector ’08, and Sarah Marheine ’09. They are using cross-staffs to measure the ‘Baseball Music Projects’ goes on the road angular size of distant objects. Astronomers used similar devices until Galileo first turned a 30 Memoir into movie crude telescope toward the Moon, marking the Volunteer trip produces unexpected documentary film beginning of modern observational astronomy. Opposite (Top) Richard A. Sanerib, Jr., associate 33 Standing on the corner professor of mathematics, and Amanda Burton Cornerback Derek Micke ’09 ’06 in a tutorial titled Topics in Graph Theory; (bottom) Judith Sarnecki, professor of French, works with exchange student Laurent Bedard of Canada Carly Monahan ’06 Above Sunset paints the sky reflected in the windows of Lucia R. Briggs Hall. Lawrence Today 1 CorrespondenceInside Lawrence Feeling disturbed I ask myself, ‘Why can’t they be like Reflections on Spring 2007Lawrence we were, perfect in every way?’ my first Jazz Ensemble, Alumnus Receive Today article “Why can’t they be like answer is ‘We weren’t,’ and the second we were — perfect in every way?” by answer is ‘We should not expect them DownBeat Honors Nancy Truesdell, dean of students. to be, either.” or the third time, the Lawrence Dean Truesdell’s abridged Fifty years removed from Lawrence, University Jazz Ensemble summary of a national poll of the am I alone in feeling disturbed by this (LUJE) has been honored by article and, perhaps, my high expecta- F self-named Millennial Generation DownBeat magazine with the “Out- (current 18-to-22-year-olds) amused tions for the Millennials? standing Performance Award” in the me greatly. She suggests that other Ted Beranis ’57 college big band category of its annual generations avoid the “trap” of decid- Bonita Springs, Fla. student music awards competition. ing that today’s students are different Millennials and their parents Under the direction of Fred Sturm from us, especially less intelligent or ’73, Kimberly-Clark Professor of less sincere. Parodying the Bye Bye I found Nancy Truesdell’s article Music, LUJE was one of three uni- Birdie lyrics “What’s the matter with (Spring 2007) defining today’s college versity jazz ensembles in the United kids today?” she concludes: “Nothing. students particularly interesting States and Canada recognized by the They are who they are.” and somewhat concerning. As an magazine. The University of Northern Personally, I found much that, if elementary-school principal, I used to Colorado and the University of Miami not precisely “the matter with kids be very concerned about “helicopter” joined Lawrence as outstanding today,” still is seriously troubling about parents. Parents constantly “rescuing” performance winners in the big-band our youth culture. To wit: their children do not do them any category. • The distinction between “religion” favors. While it is good to look up to LUJE’s outstanding performance and “spirituality,” “the borrowing one’s parents or grandparents, one’s award was based on the submitted CD of useful doctrines,” “creating their vision also needs a broader scope. Her “Witnesses,” which featured com- own faith tradition.” perception that the incoming students positions and arrangements written • The desire to reach out and “touch are more willing to be followers than exclusively by Lawrence students. The others — constantly” contrasted questioners, pleasers rather than chal- disc was recorded over the course of with confronting things face-to- lengers is disturbing. Hopefully, the two days in May 2006, by Lawrence face, yielding to the safer, imper- Lawrence experience will ameliorate recording engineer Larry Darling ’76. sonal electronic communication. some of that. Such conformity is scary. In addition to LUJE, 2006 • Parents as protectors, advocates, Jeannine Koessel ’51 Lawrence graduate Doug Detrick was college application writers, class Surprise, Arizona named the winner of the “Outstand- assignment editors. ing Jazz Arrangement Award” in the • Requirements for volunteering magazine’s college jazz arranging