Excellence Displayed at Spring Commencement The excellence and growth of Arkansas Tech University were Alumni and friends will have an apparent during spring 2016 commencement ceremonies at John opportunity to demonstrate their E. Tucker Coliseum in May. pride in Arkansas Tech during Homecoming 2016 celebrations, Excellence was represented by not only our outstanding graduates, which are scheduled for Oct. 28-29. but also the latest inductees into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction. Two distinguished alumni, Dr. Tery Baskin and Mike Several of our events — the Miller, along with one of the most admired faculty members in Homecoming Golf Classic and the the history of our institution, David Krueger, received the greatest Ladies Champagne Bingo Luncheon, honor our university may bestow upon an individual. for example — sell out quickly. Complete and return the form on the The ceremony adding them to the Hall of Distinction was part of a inside back cover of this magazine or visit busy weekend. The number of students graduating from Arkansas techties.atu.edu to register for Homecoming 2016. Tech has accelerated to the point that it required three days and five ceremonies to recognize all of them…and that was just for A list of Homecoming 2016 events is printed on the facing page to the students graduating in spring 2016. Arkansas Tech also hosted this letter. Take time to identify the events that have meaning to three commencement ceremonies in December 2015 and one you and either reconnect or connect with members of the Arkansas commencement ceremony in August 2015. Tech family who feel the same way. In all, Arkansas Tech conferred almost 3,000 academic credentials We look forward to seeing you at Homecoming 2016 and all of the (specialist degrees, master degrees, baccalaureate degrees, other great events to come during the 2016-17 academic year at associate degrees, technical certificates and certificates of Arkansas Tech. proficiency) during the 2015-16 academic year. Fight On, Never before has Arkansas Tech been in a position to make the impact that it does today. By strengthening our alumni base, we raise the profile of our institution and bring new value to the Kelly Davis degrees held by all alumni, regardless of age. Director of Alumni Relations Alumni Association Board of Directors President: Kendall Tabor ‘88 & ‘92 President Elect: Dustin Parsons ‘10, ‘13 & ‘15 Adam Anderson ‘11 12/16 Ross White ‘08 & ‘12 12/16 Betty Snellings ‘62 12/17 Sarah Jo Reynolds ‘12 & ‘15 12/18 Larry Brown ‘10 12/16 Lacie Oels Bohannan ‘10 & ‘14 12/17 Tony Thompson ‘95 12/17 Rachel Whitman ‘07 & ‘13 12/18 Alyssa McTeer Carter ‘02 12/16 Sue Chiolino ‘68 & ‘86 12/17 Sabrina Billey ‘09 12/18 Jimmy Rofkahr, Ozark Campus Rep. Denise Clayton ‘85 12/16 Travis Flower ‘11 12/17 Thomas Bowden ‘87 12/18 Steve Kesner ‘77 12/16 Adena J. White ‘07 12/17 Tommy Hindsman ‘79 12/18 Julie Paladino Vaughn ‘10 12/16 Kirsten Boyd Banks ‘10 12/17 Karissa Hubbard ‘14 12/18 Ryan Ritchie ‘03 12/16 Megan Morris ‘09 & ‘14 12/17 Sherry Nordin Polsgrove ‘81 12/18 Tech Action, Volume 52, No. 2. Arkansas Tech University Alumni Association, Alumni House, Russellville, AR 72801 Tech Action is published by the Arkansas Tech Alumni Association, Director of Alumni Relations Editorial Committee Cover Photograph 1313 N. Arkansas Ave., Russellville, Kelly Davis Kelly Davis, Michael Hutchison, Liz Chrisman AR 72801. It is sent to alumni, Susie Nicholson, Sam Strasner parents, friends and faculty/staff of Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Contributing Photographers Arkansas Tech University. We welcome Alison Parks Taylor Publications/Creative Services Liz Chrisman, Tim Carr, Travis Clayton, manuscripts and photographs from Coordinator of Alumni Felisha Weaver Joshua Mashon our readers. Please include a self- Communications & Events addressed, stamped envelope if you Aaron Jones Director of New Media E-mail address would like your originals returned. Carrie Harris Phillips [email protected] Parents, if your son or daughter Alumni Office Administrative Assistant attended Tech and is no longer living Terry Holland-Finley Director of Athletic Website at this address, please notify our office Communications www.techties.atu.edu of his or her new address. Address Paul Smith updates can be submitted to the Arkansas Tech Office of Alumni Services by calling 479.968.0242 or by sending e-mail to [email protected]. VOL. 52, NO. 2 02 TECH ACTION Registration form on page 31 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Bookstore Open, Young Building 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Arkansas Tech Museum Open 10 a.m. - Noon Reunions • 1950s and 1960s, Baswell Techionery • Class of 2015, Baswell Techionery • ROTC, Alumni House 10 a.m.-Noon Greek Life 40th Anniversary Celebration Dr. Robert Charles Brown & Jill Lestage Brown Hall 11 a.m. Alumni Gold Luncheon - Class of 1966 East Dining Room, Chambers Cafeteria SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Party at the Plaza FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28 Groups at Centennial Plaza: • 1950s and 1960s Alumni 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Bookstore Open, Young Building • 1971 Football Team Purchase your green & gold Tech gear • Department of Agriculture 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Norman Hall Art Gallery Exhibition • Alumni Chapters Feral Garden II works by David S. Smith • Class of 1966 • Class of 2015 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Arkansas Tech Museum Open • College of Education 9 a.m. Check In & Brunch, • College of eTech Homecoming Classic Golf Tournament • Delta Zeta Chamberlyne Country Club • Greek Life 3-Person Scramble • Kappa Alpha Order $75 per person/$225 per team, • Department of Parks, Recreation & $300 team and hole sponsor, Hospitality Administration $150 hole sponsor only, $150 beverage/ 50th Anniversary snack cart sponsor only • ROTC • Sigma Pi 10:30 a.m. Shotgun Start, • T-Club Homecoming Classic Golf Tournament 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. SHIMA Alumni Reunion Noon Ladies ‘Champagne Bingo’ Luncheon Dean Hall, Suite 201 Lake Point Hickory Lodge Noon Stadium Bookstore Opens $15 per person Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field 5:30 p.m. Hall of Distinction Social Hour 12:30 p.m. T-Club All Sports Annual Meeting Lake Point Conference Center Lettermen’s Lounge, Hull Building (invitation only) 1:30 p.m. Pre-Game Ceremonies 6:30 p.m. Hall of Distinction Reunion Dinner Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field Lake Point Conference Center 2 p.m. Arkansas Tech vs. NW Oklahoma State (invitation only) Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field 7 p.m. African American Alumni Chapter Stroll Off 7 p.m. Col. George T. Hudgens Evening of Excellence, Witherspoon Auditorium, $3 admission Lake Point Conference Center, $30 adults/$20 7:30 p.m. Alumni and Friends Celebration students Russellville Country Club 7 p.m. 1971 Football Team Reunion $5 cover includes a commemorative Home of Mr. and Mrs. Rick Thone Tech pint glass and appetizers; cash bar 8 p.m. Tech Idol African American Alumni Chapter Weekend Package Tucker Coliseum $55 on or before Aug. 15; $65 after Aug. 15 Includes: AAAC Shirt, ticket to football game, ticket to AAAC Stroll Off, meal ticket for the Saturday night banquet Partner Hotels for Homecoming 2016 Register at techties.atu.edu/AAACHC Best Western Inn Comfort Inn Fairfield Inn Holiday Inn Express Quality Inn (479) 967-1000 (479) 968-2424 (479) 967-9030 (479) 219-5152 (479) 967-7500 Clarion Days Inn Hampton Inn La Quinta Super 8 VOL. 52, NO. 2 (479) 968-4300 (479) 280-1940 (479) 858-7199 (479) 967-2299 (479) 968-8898 ALUMNI NEWS 03 David Krueger Mike Miller Dr. Tery Baskin Baskin, Krueger, Miller Bestowed with Highest Honor at Spring Commencement Dr. Tery Baskin of Little Rock, David Krueger of Russellville and Mike Miller of Russellville received the highest honor Arkansas Tech University may bestow upon an individual on Saturday, May 7. They were inducted into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction during spring commencement ceremonies at John E. Tucker Coliseum in Russellville. Baskin and Miller entered under the Distinguished Alumnus category. Krueger was inducted under the Distinguished Service category. Dr. Tery Baskin meant a lot to me for a lot of reasons.” Baskin recalled that 11 years of his life were spent living on the A 1975 graduate of Arkansas Tech with a Bachelor of Science Arkansas Tech campus. In addition to his four years as a student, degree in biology, Baskin went on to earn a Bachelor of Science he was on campus for seven years during his youth while his degree in pharmacy and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the parents were attending Tech and/or working on campus. University of Arkansas. “I am very, very honored and overwhelmingly humbled by this Baskin has served as president and chief executive officer of experience,” said Baskin. “Things like this don’t happen to guys RxResults LLC since 2008. Prior to his current appointment, like me. I look at the list of previous inductees, and I have admired Baskin worked in the pharmacy field with titles as diverse as those people my entire life. It very much reminds me of the story chief marketing officer, chief operating officer, pharmacy owner, that when you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he had some pharmacy manager and staff pharmacist. help getting there. I feel like the turtle on the fence post. Tech has VOL. 52, NO. 2 04 ALUMNI NEWS He is a past president of the American Pharmacists Association in 2011 when the annual David W. Krueger History Symposium Foundation and currently serves as treasurer for the American and Lecture Series was established in his honor and again in 2015 Pharmacists Association.