Bill Starling Terisio Pignatti The art collections Wake For e st M A G A Z I N E Retired? Reenergized! Emeriti faculty staying active. Page 18 Volume 49, Number 1 September 2001 Editor: David Fyten Associate Editor: Cherin C. Poovey Art Director: Samantha H.E. Hand Designer: David Ureña, M Creative, Inc. Assistant Editor: Kim McGrath University Advancement Writer: Kerry M. King (’85) University Photographer: Ken Bennett Printing: The Lane Press, Inc. Wake Forest Magazine (USPS 664-520 ISSN 0279-3946) is published four times a year in September, December, March, and June by the University Editor’s Office, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, 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. Send letters to the editor ([email protected]), classnotes ([email protected]), change of address ([email protected]), and other correspondence to the e-mail addresses listed or to Wake Forest Magazine,P.O. Box 7205 Reynolda Station, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7205. Telephone: (336) 758-5379. You can access the Wake Forest World Wide Web site at http://www.wfu.edu POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wake Forest Magazine Alumni Records, P.O. Box 7227 Reynolda Station, Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7227. Volume 49, Number 1 Copyright 2001 Wake For e st M A G A Z I N E Features 10 Forever Young by David Fyten We thought so highly of Bill Starling because he made us think so highly of ourselves. 18 Still Going Strong by Amy Andrews Hoogervorst Ever wonder what your old profs are up to in retirement? Plenty, judging by these eight. Page 10 24 AView of Vision by Ellen Dockham Selections from Wake Forest’s redoubtable art collections come together on display. Page 24 Essay 14 In Praise of a Passing Legend by Edwin G. Wilson (’43) and Departments Martha B. Allman (’82, MBA ’92) Page 18 2 Campus Chronicle In their entirety, eulogies of Bill Starling by two who knew and loved him better than most. 32 Sports Profile 35 University Advancement 28 The Scholar of Venice by Thomas O. Phillips (’74, MA ’78) 39 Alumni Report For its entire life in Venice, Wake Forest has been befriended and taught by one of the city’s 44 Class Notes great citizens, and one of the Page 28 world’s great art scholars. 64 The Last Word Volume 49, Number 1 September 2001 1 Campus Chronicle Faculty-undergraduate research partnerships flourish Mentors and on the close-knit campus, and in retrospect she would have colleagues grants often provide the finan- continued it without getting cial support to make research paid. In about eight hours collaborations happen. In recent each week in the lab, Sommers RIN SOMMERS (’01) years, though, more and more conducted experiments to try Ebarely hesitated when asked partnerships have received to determine why the drug to rank her undergraduate expe- institutional financial support. hydroxyurea is effective in rience at Wake Forest. “A nine “Wake Forest’s size has managing sickle cell disease. or ten, probably ten,” she said, something to do with it on a The drug has been used for quickly attributing those high couple of different levels,” King years to slow some cancers, marks to her professors and says of the mentoring opportu- especially leukemia, because particularly to the collaborative nities. “Because the classes are it blocks DNA synthesis and relationship she established pretty small, you get to know prevents cells from dividing. with one, Associate Professor students better and [can decide Researchers, including of Chemistry Bruce King. easier] if you want to invite Sommers, have suggested that As a junior, Sommers began them to your lab.” the drug also releases nitric a research project in King’s The class he teaches most oxide, which would relax laboratory. A research project often, organic chemistry, typi- blood vessels, lower blood is required for a student seek- cally includes thirty to forty pressure, and make people ing a bachelor of science in students. At a larger state uni- with sickle cell feel better. chemistry, as Sommers was, but versity, King notes, enrollment As a result of her research she didn’t see the project as in a comparable undergraduate and her mentor, Sommers was just a requirement. By continu- class would be between 300 and able to travel to San Diego ing her research throughout 400. “Our graduate program is to present a poster about her her junior and senior years, pretty small, too, and because work at a national meeting Sommers also discovered a men- of that I’ve always said I’m of the American Chemical tor, someone she could turn to going to have a component of Society, write an honors thesis not only when she needed to undergraduate students work- about her findings, and sub- discuss her project findings ing in my group.” At a larger mit her work to peer-review but also as she considered university, research advisers journals for possible publica- graduate schools and applied may have so many graduate tion. She also applied to the for awards and fellowships. students to choose from that National Science Foundation Wake Forest—where under- undergraduates have few oppor- for a pre-doctoral fellowship graduate class size averages tunities to do research and find and was accepted to all five fifteen—can be the perfect out if that is the direction they graduate research programs spawning ground for mentoring want their careers to take. to which she applied. relationships between students King, through a research King says that such moti- and professors. Informal men- grant, paid Sommers a stipend vated students also help toring always has taken place for her work, but she says that professors refresh themselves Wake Forest September 2001 2 Campus Chronicle and relearn their discipline. “Working with undergraduate students, you can keep your- self charged up,” he says. The students become excited by their findings, grow more independent, and provide needed lab assistance. “I think by and large all of our chemistry faculty are very willing to work with undergraduates, and very eager to,” King says. “As we recruit faculty, that’s a char- acteristic the department has actually sought.” In 1999, King’s colleagues in the chemistry department recommended Sommers to him, because they knew he was Erin Sommers (’01) and Bruce King: ‘If you want to put the effort in, you can get good results.’ looking for students to help in his lab. “In my research, affirmation in academics, ing upon the project and term I’ve always tried to have a very personal life, frustrations of study. active undergraduate compo- with grad schools,” Sommers The Richter Scholars Pro- nent,” he says. The student said of undergraduates. “If gram, administered by Bank begins by working very closely you want to put the effort in, of America, awards scholar- in the laboratory with the you can get good results.” ships worth up to $5,000 to professor, learning how to use There is growing institu- undergraduate and graduate equipment and getting comfort- tional support for collabora- students at Wake Forest for able conducting experiments. tive relationships between independent study projects Once students have been students and professors. The that require domestic or inter- around for a while, their Wake Forest Research Fellow- national travel. Additional responsibilities increase and ship Program encourages indi- funds are available for extra become more complex. King vidual undergraduates research costs and travel gives each undergraduate a to become junior partners expenses to present research distinct project, and they all with professors on scholarly findings at a scholarly meet- report directly to him, not to research projects. Each year ing, and each student has a other students. Educationally, the University can award up faculty mentor. that is important. The students to 150 competitive, merit- The physical sciences par- meet weekly with King as a based fellowships to students ticularly lend themselves to group to discuss their projects who collaborate with faculty mentoring relationships, both and roles, but ultimately each mentors on such projects. formal and informal, because student works independently. Students can receive a stipend of the collaborative nature of “We don’t need hand- of $2,000 or $3,000 to offset holding, but we do need educational expenses, depend- continued on pg. 9 Wake Forest September 2001 3 Campus Chronicle All-purpose The new fitness center, from the academic, social and enhancement which contains several large, athletic demands of high arched windows that look school to those of college. The Versatile athletics facility out toward Kentner Stadium, suite for the program includes set to open next month will include new Hammer eleven study rooms with com- Strength training equipment, puter connections. HE RHYTHMIC clanging Stairmaster machines, tread- The third floor includes Tof hammers and the swish of mills, and Ground Zero and practice gymnasiums with paintbrushes will be replaced in Cybex strength equipment. bleacher seating for the men a few weeks on one part of cam- Some pieces will be brought and women’s basketball teams, pus by the rhythmic clanging of over from Benson, but most as well as the training room Hammer Strength equipment of the equipment will be new. for the volleyball and basket- and the swish of basketballs. The SAEC, which cost ball teams. $10.8 million, has been under The fourth floor includes construction for more than space for individual recre- fourteen months. The basket- ational activities and is accessi- ball and volleyball teams have ble to the whole student body. shared Varsity Gym for many Spinning (a popular type of years, creating serious schedul- stationary cycling), yoga and ing problems and a need for a aerobics are among the activi- new practice gymnasium for ties that will take place there.