FOOD FOR THOUGHT OUR MAN IN SWEDEN THREE FOR THREE 9 Julia Poplawsky ’10 14 Gaines in Stockholm 32 Seniors Look Ahead SPRING 2017 Blood, Sweat, & Milk Pirate Athletics RESEARCH Proves Success Lies PROVIDES in the Details CONTEXT THROUGH CONNECTIONS Curtain Up Southwestern’s Theatre Department Prospers with New Approaches to Recruitment and Retention INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, INTERNSHIPS OFFICE OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Vice President for Integrated Communications and Chief Marketing Officer TIM COBB Director of Communications, Creative Director ERIC BUMGARDNER Internal Client Liaison and Strategic Lead KRISTEN PAXSON Content Marketing Strategist and Strategic Lead DINAH GOODSON Senior Graphic Designer KENDRA LEWELLYN Webmaster ED HILLIS Project Coordinator BRIN PARNELL OFFICE OF ALUMNI & PARENT RELATIONS Vice President of University Relations PAUL SECORD Associate Vice President of Alumni & Parent Relations MEGAN RADISON FRISQUE Senior Associate Director of Alumni & Parent Relations GRACE JOSEY PYKA ’05 Associate Director of Alumni & Parent Relations AMY FROST CONTACT Main: 512.863.6511 You choose where your annual gift Alumni and Parents: 800.960.6363 to Southwestern University goes. Office of Admission:800.252.3166 Email: [email protected] Scholarships? The Southwestern Email: [email protected] Fund? Study Abroad? Research? Online: southwestern.edu Facebook: / Whatever you support, your gift SouthwesternUniversity Twitter: @SouthwesternU makes the Southwestern Experience Instagram: @SouthwesternU possible for all our students. TO CORRESPOND OR TO CHANGE VISIT SOUTHWESTERN.EDU/AFFINITY YOUR ADDRESS, EMAIL: [email protected] CORRECTION: The article “Shifting Gears” (Fall 2016) incor- rectly referenced President John Score (Southwestern President 1942–1949), instead of Dr. John Score, beloved professor of religion and philosophy, and son of President John Score. We apologize for the error. 2 SOUTHWESTERN On the cover: Stephanie Garcia, Class of 2018 Photo by Lance Holt Contents SPRING 2017 THE MAGAZINE FOR SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ALUMNI BLOOD, SWEAT, & MILK SU Football Finds its Rhythm 16 by Anne Heinen NUESTRA HISTORIA The Latina History Project Provides Context Through Connections 22 by Emily McCullar CURTAIN UP Southwestern’s Theatre Department Prospers with New Approaches to Recruitment and Retention 28 by Anne Heinen Departments 4 OPENING SHOT Springtime in Georgetown 6 OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT The Requisite Risky Road to Discovery 8 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Southwestern Magazine reboot 9 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Julia Poplawsky ’10 10 THE COMMONS Volleyball Wins Big, Southwestern Sweethearts, etc. 14 FACULTY FOCUS Professor of English David Gaines in Stockholm 32 PARENT RELATIONS Three Seniors, Three Stories 34 LEGACY GIVING 36 CLASS NOTES The Original Social Network 41 IN MEMORIAM 42 THEN & NOW Pirate Pep Squad SOUTHWESTERN 3 OPENING SHOT Welcome to Tomorrow A place where you see things differently, create the new and the amazing, and connect both passions and people as you shape your future. Photo by Lance Holt 4 SOUTHWESTERN SOUTHWESTERN 5 OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT The Requisite Risky Road to Discovery ver the last five years, Southwestern faculty and leadership have been actively and thoughtfully engaged in implementing O fundamental, future-facing pedagogical changes at our University. INITIALLY FUNDED by a 1.3 million dollar grant create their own answers. And truly, as each of our from The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the individual journeys will attest, without risk there can Southwestern University Inquiry Initiative is now be no creativity and no discovery. bringing the impactful educational benefits of Inquiry- In this issue of the magazine, you will read stories Based Learning to our entire natural science and math that show this courage, as well as core aspects of the curriculum—a commitment equaled to no other Southwestern Experience that ensure each student has institution of higher education in the nation. Inquiry- the opportunity, and the supporting resources, to face Based Learning turns the traditional teaching model risk on the path to innovation. I hope you will enjoy the on its head: The student becomes the producer of orig- uplifting and inspirational stories of discovery as well inal ideas, rather than a passive consumer of ideas as risk-and-reward in the pages ahead. Behind every that have been created by others. Such experiential discovery and every creative act, no matter how large learning leads to a new and deeper degree of owner- or the context of learning, there are bold and coura- ship of knowledge and knowledge-based skills. Once geous individuals who overcome adversity in order to students own their learning, it is a part of who they are. harness opportunities that otherwise would remain The addition of inquiry-based and student-centered locked in unrealized potential. teaching methods reveals a delightful similarity At Southwestern, our students show that bold char- between learning in the natural sciences and learning acter on a daily basis when they take the chance of in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, which making a mistake or answering incorrectly in order have been infused with the values of experiential peda- to create—often intentionally—those “Ah Ha!” gogy since at least the time of Socrates. And through moments of insight that would have otherwise never Southwestern’s interconnected Paideia curriculum, occurred. Our duty as member-stewards of South- made possible in part by a $500,000 grant from The western University, after ensuring the safety and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the ideal learner as well-being of our students and the intellectual rigor discoverer is now able to bring together seemingly of their learning, is ensuring they have the opportu- unrelated disciplines. In doing so, our interconnected nity to take such intellectual and creative risks and curriculum invites our students to find their own to realize their own boldness in generating new ideas connections among the unbounded universe of human and finding deeper meaning. As we succeed, South- knowledge and creativity, and equips them for a life- western students will go into the world with not only time of self-initiated discovery. the knowledge but the capabilities of character and In fact, the panorama shows a University brimming mind they will require to create a better future for with discovery, a campus and a community living themselves and the world around them. by our shared vision: Think, Create, and Connect. However, there is something to add to this picture—an Looking forward, element as vital to the goal of our students becoming fully-realized individuals as any part of our peda- gogy. The missing piece is the other side of discovery: Risk. Students at Southwestern learn to lean into risk, past uncertainty, to ask new questions, think beyond Edward Burger conventional wisdom, imagine different realities, and President and Professor 6 SOUTHWESTERN Mark your calendars NOV. 3–5 ...and get ready! Our Homecoming schedule and online registration will be available this summer. southwestern.edu/homecoming SOUTHWESTERN 7 SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Southwestern Magazine v2.0 WHAT DO YOU THINK of our new look? This issue Southwestern Sweethearts—Over 2,400 alumni marks the second stage of the refreshed Southwestern share their lives as married couples. That is 16 percent magazine. We first shifted the focus of our content to of our total alumni population! The Southwestern our alumni and then pushed the design to match our Sweethearts Program launched to celebrate these new brand direction. We hope that you enjoy the new couples and their lifelong commitment to one another. look and fresh take on news from your alma mater. Learn more at southwestern.edu/sweethearts. Please share your feedback with me at frisquem@ We hope that you find a connection with one of southwestern.edu. these new programs. Stay tuned! We will have more This year, the Southwestern University Alumni exciting news to share in the fall. Association has launched some exciting new engage- ment opportunities so we can better meet the needs Gratefully, and interests of our alumni community. Here is a list of what is new this year: Alumni Network Mentoring Program—For years, alumni have offered to help Southwestern students Megan Frisque with their professional journey and career choices. Associate Vice President of Now through the new Alumni Network Mentoring Alumni and Parent Relations Program, alumni mentors are matched throughout the year with Southwestern juniors to help build students’ networks. Share your story and provide guidance to students; email [email protected] if you wish to become a mentor. Book Club—Starting in Fall 2017, the Alumni ALUMNI COUNCIL OFFICERS Association will share a recommended reading list from Southwestern faculty. One of the books will be The Alumni Council coordinates the activities of the Southwestern selected each semester for a virtual book club discus- University Alumni Association and unites the alumni base. Below sion. All conversations will take place online, so no are your 2016–18 alumni volunteer leaders. matter where you live, you can participate. Watch for an email in August for details. Jean Janssen ’84, President Connection Group Activities—From Greek Reunion Charles Olson ’78, President-Elect Weekend to the new “S” Association (representing all Sarah Gould-Stotts ’10, Lifelong Learning Chair former student-athletes), the Alumni