FALL 2009 Goldy gets studious COLLEGE SUPPORT HELPS GOPHER ATHLETICS SHINE 2008-2009 DONOR REPORT connect Dear friends, Vol. 4, No. 1 • Fall 2009 AUTUMN IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING TIME at the EDITOR University of Minnesota. The campus explodes with students Diane L. Cormany walking, riding bikes, or skateboarding. The air is crackling 612-626-5650, [email protected] with excitement, especially from our incoming students, ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER whose spirit re-energizes us for the busy months to come. Nance Longley Welcome Class of 2013! DESIGN ASSISTANT Bethany Dick This year is electrifying as we welcome Gopher football WRITERS back to campus—an event with particular resonance for the Diane L. Cormany, Suzy Frisch, Kate Hopper, College of Education and Human Development. Our college Brigitt Martin, Heather Peña, Roxi Rejali, Kara Rose, Lynn Slifer, Andrew Tellijohn plays a critical role in supporting Gophers as athletes and as students. School of Kinesiology Director Mary Jo Kane led University efforts PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrea Canter, Greg Helgeson, Leo Kim, that reshaped how student athletes are supported academically. Jeanne Higbee in Patrick O’Leary, Dawn Villella the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning teaches all incoming ONLINE EDITION Gopher athletes the academic and life skills they need to juggle demands in the cehd.umn.edu/pubs/connect gym or on the field with their primary responsibility to get a top-notch education. OFFICE OF THE DEAN Jean Quam, interim dean Most of our students strike that balance. For example, Heather Dorniden, a David R. Johnson, senior dean senior in kinesiology, is an eight-time All American track and field athlete, the Heidi Barajas, associate dean Mary Trettin, associate dean winner of the President’s Student Leadership and Service Award, and has a 3.90 Lynn Slifer, director of external relations GPA. She is one of many remarkable athletes who have called our college their Steve Baker, director of communications Heather Peña, director of alumni relations home. As you will read, for these Gophers, the education received at our college and DEAN’S ADVISORY COUNCIL their development as athletes prepared them for success far beyond the world of Anne Andersen, Will Antell, Geraldine Evans, sport. Steve Geiger, Jennifer Godinez, Maria Gomez, Susan Hagstrum, Patricia Harvey, John Haugo, Dan Huebner, While athletics have always played an important role at Big Ten universities, Thomas Jandris, Andrea Johnson, Timothy Keane, over the years, more emphasis has been placed on sport at younger and younger Terrance Kwame-Ross, Jennifer Marrone, Dorothy McIntyre, Michael McKasy, David H. Olson, Beth Patten, ages. Our faculty members are doing critical research into the impact that the Natalie Rasmussen, Patrick Strother, Rajiv Tandon, exploding popularity and competitiveness of athletics have on youth development Mary Tjosvold, Joseph L. White and on the family. Researchers in kinesiology discover how parents who coach ALUMNI SOCIETY BOARD Andrea Canter, Lisa Finsness, Barbara Stephens can be more effective in both roles and how critical life skills can be learned in Foster, Tom Greve, Heather Vinge Hanson, Thomas Harding, Randy Johnson, Doobie Kurus, Ellie Meade, the context of sport. Meanwhile in family social science, Bill Doherty examines Carol Mulligan, Tex Ostvig, Jon Oyanagi, Lou Quast, the impact of increased competition and time commitments on the family unit. Jeannie Robertson, Bill Schrankler, Sara Zoff Our faculty members also expand opportunities for healthy physical activity and Photo of Jean Quam by Greg Helgeson. development. Connect magazine is published three times a year by the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human These are just some of the ways that members of our College of Education Development for alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the and Human Development make a difference. This year, the college community college. Send correspondence to the editor, 105 Burton Hall, 178 Pillsbury Street S.E., University of Minnesota, is joining our first-year students in examining the question, “Can one person Minneapolis, MN 55455. For address corrections, call make a difference?” and in reading the book A Lesson Before Dying. We’re calling 612-625-1310. it CEHD Reads. I invite you to join us in reading the book and attending related This publication is available in alternative formats upon request. Contact the editor at 612-626-5650 for more events throughout the year. For more information on CEHD Reads, please see the information. Community section. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity Keep in touch with us throughout the year, and go Gophers! educator and employer. Jean Quam, interim dean contents FEATURES 8 More than a game The college is essential to all Gopher athletes’ academic lives. 13 Teaming up Outreach expands access to physical activity. 17 The sporting life Research plumbs the impact of athletics on youth and the family. 20 Gopher greats Six alumni athletes share lessons learned on and off the field. DEPARTMENTS 2 community What’s happening around the college neighborhoods 6 colloquium Learning from formative assessment 26 compendium Honors, transitions, in memoriam 28 alumni update Nancy Lindahl, stadium fundraiser, and Rodney Wallace, the Cannon Man 30 continuity Alumni news 33 connecting with emeriti faculty Van Mueller, organizational leadership, policy, and development 34 report to donors 2008–09 37 commitment Giving opportunities on the cover: Goldy hits the books in Walter Library. photo by Greg Helgeson For additional photos and media, find us online at cehd.umn.edu/pubs/connect The College of Education and Human Development is Connect is printed on recycled paper containing 100-percent post-consumer a world leader in discovering, creating, sharing, and content that is EcoLogo, Processed Chlorine Free- and Forest Stewardship applying principles and practices of multiculturalism and Council-certified, and manufactured using biogas energy. This issue of Connect multidisciplinary scholarship to advance teaching and saved the equivalent of 1,046 trees and lowered air emissions by 15,476 lbs. learning and to enhance the psychological, physical, and Cert no. SW-COC-002059 By using this FSC Recycled product, you are supporting the responsible use of forest resources. social development of children, youth, and adults across © 1996 Forest Stewardship Council A.C. the lifespan in families, organizations, and communities. community COMPILED BY DIANE L. CORMANY Tackling autism New department across disciplines joins strengths THE DEPARTMENTS of Educational Policy and BY KARA ROSE Administration and Work and Amy Hewitt, senior research associate The program, funded with a $900,000 Human Resource Education have in the Institute on Community grant from the U.S. Department joined to form the Department Integration, knows that when it comes of Health and Human Services, is of Organizational Leadership, to an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), designed to prepare future leaders who Policy, and Development no single practitioner—educator, will serve children with ASDs and (OLPD). The new department medical professional, social worker, other neurodevelopmental disabilities is home to 47 faculty and staff or therapist—has all the answers. and their families. LEND will teach serving several hundred students She’s learned that during her 20 graduate students and fellows in a from across the world. years as a researcher in intellectual number of disciplines across the developmental disabilities, as a trainer, University to think beyond their own OLPD faculty conduct cutting- and as a service provider. She also lives fields of expertise when providing edge research on girls’ education with and helps coordinate services for health care, education, and social in developing countries, strategies an adult family member with autism. services or when making policy. for human resource development, intercultural communication, “I’ve seen firsthand that there’s “Autism and related neurodevelopment and scientific integrity. “This a real need for leaders who take disorders are complex and require a merger brings together the a multidisciplinary approach to strong interdisciplinary approach,” department’s strengths in school providing services for people explains pediatrician Dr. Michael and organizational change, with ASD diagnoses and their Reiff, associate professor in among other areas, and offers families,” she explains. pediatric clinical neuroscience and opportunities for interdisciplinary director of the LEND program. research and collaboration,” says That’s where the University’s Department Chair Darwin Hendel. new Leadership Education in He and Hewitt, the program’s training Neurodevelopmental and Related director, are among 13 faculty and staff Programs in comparative and Disabilities (LEND) program comes in. in 12 University departments involved international development in the project, including the School of education, educational Social Work and the Department of administration, evaluation studies, Educational Psychology. Educational higher education, administrative psychology professor Joe Reichle licensure, adult education, is the project’s research director. comprehensive work and human Outside collaborators include Gillette resource education, the business Hospital staff, youth diagnosed with and marketing education an ASD, and family members who undergraduate program, and serve as trainers and advisers. human resource development will continue within