M648_Layout 1 6/1/11 2:29 PM Page 1 Women’s Basketball Duo McKeon and Chili • College Mourns the Passing of Frank Marino SPRING 2011 THE MAGAZINE OF MUHLENBERG COLLEGE Captivating Minds: The Rise of Berg’s Neuroscience Program M648_Layout 1 6/1/11 2:29 PM Page 2 THE MAGAZINE OF MUHLENBERG COLLEGE SPRING 2011 Muhlenberg magazine is published Features three times a year by the 10 Captivating Minds Public Relations Office According to the Princeton Review, neuroscience combines the fields of biology, Muhlenberg College psychology, chemistry, engineering and other disciplines in order to achieve a better 2400 West Chew Street understanding of how brain structures influence behaviors. And now Muhlenberg Allentown, PA 18104 students have the opportunity to become a part of that cutting edge field of study www.muhlenberg.edu with the College’s growing neuroscience program. phone: 484-664-3230 16 Muhlenberg College Mourns Passing of Frank Marino fax: 484-664-3477 The College mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Coach Frank Marino, one of the e-mail: [email protected] most beloved members of the campus community since his arrival in 1967. Credits Dr. Peyton R. Helm PRESIDENT Michael Bruckner VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS Jillian Lowery ’00 EDITOR DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COMMUNICATIONS Mike Falk SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR Tanya Trinkle DESIGN All professional photography by Amico Studios, Jesse Dunn and Paul Pearson Photography unless otherwise noted. 20 Basketball Duo Fashions Winning Season © 2011 Muhlenberg College® One of the main reasons that Muhlenberg’s women’s basketball team has become cover photo: Neuroscience majors study the a premier Division 3 program over the past few years is that it’s able to makes two physiology of crayfish nerves in class laboratories. distinct fashion statements. Blue Clockwise from left: Christa Houck ’12, Anvi Patel ’12, Laura Baehr ’12, collar, for those nights when you Departments Gabrielle Capozzoli ’12, Aayesha Jan ’12, have to get down and dirty. And 2 Door to Door Samantha Mangel ’12, and Dr. Jeremy Alden white collar, for those nights when Teissere, associate professor of biology and 7 Spotlight on Philanthropy neuroscience. you just need to make a few more shots than the other guys. 8 Alumni News WANT MORE MUHLENBERG NEWS? 18 State of the Arts If you want to see more news about Muhlenberg College, please follow us on 22 Class Notes Twitter at www.twitter.com/muhlenberg and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ 32 The Last Word muhlenbergcollege. 33 Meet the Press M648_Layout 1 6/1/11 2:29 PM Page 1 President’s Message We were talking the way guys do, my son “can’t be tamed,” Frank told me many times). and I. Which is to say, we weren’t sitting I was pleased that we could have a Kulan down over cups of coffee maintaining eye reunion last fall. Coach was in his glory. The contact, but bouncing ideas around intermit- mutual affection and pride that bound him tently while playing a game of Risk on my and these alumni together was palpable. iPad. Somewhere between his invasion of Somebody like me, a relative newcomer to Brazil and my counter-attack on Kamchatka, Muhlenberg (only here seven years at that we got to mulling over what makes for a good point) who has never displayed any athletic life. “Well, I said, when we’re really young, prowess to speak of, could easily have felt like people take care of us; when we’re really old, an outsider. But Frank and his untamable people take care of us; in between, I think alumni Mules made me and all the other we’re supposed to take care of others.” visitors feel perfectly at home. I’m not sure where that came from, but I That was typical of the man. A kind heart, suspect it had something to do with a visit to a warm handshake, a lively interest in others my niece, her husband and their two little and plenty of energy to invest in friendships. boys combined with my wife Pat’s frequent He could have retired and moved away, nobody volunteer work at Luther Crest. And, would have blamed him. But he never did. of course, like many members of the He and Carroll gave their on campus house to Muhlenberg family, I’ve been thinking a Muhlenberg – with the agreement that they lot recently about Coach Frank Marino. could stay in it while they lived. Walk across The first time I encountered Coach was campus? You’d bump into Frank and Carroll. during freshman orientation, 2003. I was Go to a football game? They’d be there. Attend brand new and figured that freshman orien- an alumni dinner in Florida? There they were. A Good tation was probably as valuable to me as it Have a friend attend a summer concert or lec- was to the newly minted Class of 2007. ture in their beloved Chatauqua? They were From the nose-bleed section of Empie sure to have met the Marinos and made the Theatre I listened as Frank told us newbies, Muhlenberg connection. Life with humor, warmth, sincerity and passion, I don’t know how Frank did it. I know I how lucky we were to have joined the try to be outgoing and friendly to every- Muhlenberg Family. How proud we should body – a beacon of good will and be. How we could count on each other now encouragement– but as often as not I get and for the rest of our lives. He was preach- caught up in my own thoughts and worries ing to the choir, of course, but the choir was and fall short. He made it look so darn easy. pretty darn impressed. It wasn’t until after He made caring about his players, his friends, he died last December that I learned his neighbors and any member of the Muhlenberg was Frank’s adopted alma Muhlenberg family seem as natural as mater. I always assumed he was a grad. breathing. If you read the reminiscences that If Muhlenberg adopted Frank, it was so many folks recorded about him, you’ll see appropriate, because Frank adopted hun- that he was a great teacher and a great coach dreds if not thousands of Mules. There were until they day he died. He personified the men who played football for him and the what’s best about Muhlenberg. That’s prob- women’s volleyball team, of course. Frank ably why we miss him so much. coached them when they were students and So, when I asked myself “what makes for a he coached them after they graduated on good life?” I thought of Frank. If you knew how to lead good lives. He was particularly him, you’ll understand. There will never be proud of his championship football team, another Coach Marino – but we can all try to whom he dubbed “The Khardiac Kulans” live up to his example. The world will be a Peyton R. Helm (the Kulan is a wild Mongolian mule that better place if we do. President, Muhlenberg College Spring 2011 MUHLENBERG.EDU 1 M648_Layout 1 6/1/11 2:29 PM Page 2 Door to Door Muhlenberg Professor Wins Major National Award holds a B.A. in performance and choreogra- phy from Cornell University, and an M.F.A. Other Diverse “Emerging Scholars” with honors from Temple University. During for 2011 are: the past 10 years, his choreography has been Dr. Terrell Strayhorn presented nationally and internationally at associate professor of higher education, such venues as Symphony Space in New Ohio State University York City, the Philadelphia Live Arts/Fringe Dr. Rochelle Parks-Yancy Festival, the Velocity Dance Center in associate business professor, Seattle, The Southern Theater in Texas Southern Minneapolis and the International Festival Dr. Chekesha Liddell for Modern Dance in Kaunas, Lithuania. associate professor of materials science He has performed in the companies of and engineering, Cornell University such noted choreographers as Ronald K. Brown, Sean Curran, Mark Dendy, Talley Dr. Wayne Alix Ian Frederick Beatty and Miguel Guttierez. Anderson’s associate professor, Howard University choreography has been funded by The Medical School National Performance Network, Dance Dr. Gina Núñez-Mchiri harles O. Anderson, an internation- Advance, The Community Education assistant professor of cultural ally known dancer and choreogra- Center’s New Edge Residency, the Susan anthropology in the department of pher and associate professor of C Hess Choreographer’s Project and The sociology and anthropology at dance and director of the African-American Puffin Foundation. University of Texas-El Paso Studies program at Muhlenberg, has been While teaching at Muhlenberg, Anderson Dr. Federico Ardila named one of 12 “Emerging Scholars” for continues to work as a choreographer and assistant professor of mathematics at 2011. The scholars are chosen by and profiled performer and as artistic director of his San Francisco State University in Diverse magazine. Philadelphia-based dance company, dance In its Jan. 6 edition, Diverse profiled 12 theatre X. In 2008, Anderson and dance the- Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto “under 40” scholars from around the country atre X were selected among the “25 to assistant professor of political science at who are making their mark in the academy Watch” by Dance Magazine. Muhlenberg Northwestern University through teaching, research and service. The hosts dance theatre X as company-in- Dr. Carlos D. Bustamante magazine also defines these honorees as residence every summer. Anderson uses a population geneticist at scholars who serve as an inspiration to both the time to develop new choreography for Stanford University students and colleagues. Diverse editors the company.