centralightcentral michigan university alumni magazine spring 2009

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Take aninside exclusive tour of CMU’s one-room schoolhouse p. 17

Stem cell research Consider the potential Major League Chippewa Remember Tom Tresh Unearthing history Discover red rocks centralight spring 2009

on the cover 17 One room, many lessons Step inside CMU’s one-room schoolhouse, reminiscent of an era when the three R’s were the mainstays of education. 12 features 6 14 The people we miss Drop by drop Meet a student who journeyed Discover how a student’s invention will across the world and onto Korean help researchers around the world. Cover photograph by Peggy Brisbane television to find his mother. 22 9 Going big The shoulders of giants Get inspired by Kenneth Rogers, who Learn how alumni Fred Mester and the leads Automation Alley in its economic 17 late Lem Tucker, friends in the 1950s, are development efforts in southeast Michigan. connected through their CMU legacies. 24 10 Legendary catch Embryonic stem cells Remember the late Tom Tresh, – offering the hope for cures a Chippewa for one season Examine the ethics and science and Major Leaguer for nine. surrounding the stem cell debate. 12 Unearthing history Meet CMU scientists who study rocks that others have long overlooked in order to answer questions about Michigan’s past. Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Mary Lu Yardley, ’90 MSA ’92 Editor 26 Barbara Sutherland Chovanec Photographers Robert Barclay departments Peggy Brisbane 2 Your Voice Graphic designer Amy Gouin 4 CMU Today Get a glimpse inside the new Writers Education Building; celebrate a first Tracy Burton, ‘02 for female athletes; learn about CMU Sarah Chuby, ’03 commissioning a play; and more. Dan Digmann Cynthia J. Drake, MA ’08 8 Up Close With… Mark Lagerwey, MA ‘01 Author Salman Rushdie. Scott Rex 28 Sports Centralight redesign team Catch up on athletics highlights. Ryan Battishill, project manager; 30 Giving Barbara Sutherland Chovanec, Albert Scaglione wants art for all; Sarah Chuby, Cynthia J. Drake, Amy Gouin Gary and Joyce DeWitt support Communications committee off-campus students. Jeffrey L. Benjamin, ‘86 32 Connections Kevin Campbell, ’74 MA ’76 Your alumni association source. Raymond Jones, ’73 MA ’80 37 Alumni News Shirley Posk, ’60 Kevin H. Richman, ‘93 39 In Memory Vice President of Development 40 I Am Central 30 and Alumni Relations Michael Leto Associate Vice President for Public Relations and Marketing Renée Walker, ‘00 For advertising information Call Cindy Jacobs, ’93 (800) 358-6903 stay connected Send change of address information to: Alumni Relations Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: (800) 358-6903 Fax: (989) 774-7159 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.cmualum.com

Centralight is published four times each year by the Central Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by Village Press Inc., Traverse City, and entered at the Traverse City Post Office under nonprofit mailing. CMU (an AA/EO institution) strongly and actively strives to increase diversity within its community (see www.cmich.edu/aaeo). 24 CMU provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in the activities, programs and services announced in this publication. Individuals with disabilities requiring an accommodation to participate in a program should call the event sponsor. PRM 8102 – 25,500 (2/09)

centralight spring ’09 1 Environmentalist Patrick Moore, a Your Voice founding member of Greenpeace, visited CMU in September to discuss sustainability and his views on energy and natural resources.

Moore formed Greenspirit Strategies in 1991, a consultancy focusing on environmental policy and Spouses share magazine Environmentalist’s communications in natural resources, biodiversity, energy and climate change. He promotes sustainability and consensus building among competing concerns. Editor: My wife, Elinore (Schmidt) Peters, nuclea