Furman Magazine Volume 37 Article 1 Issue 1 Summer 1993 6-1-1993 Furman Magazine. Volume 37, Issue 1 - Full Issue Furman University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furman-magazine Recommended Citation University, Furman (1993) "Furman Magazine. Volume 37, Issue 1 - Full Issue," Furman Magazine: Vol. 37 : Iss. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furman-magazine/vol37/iss1/1 This Complete Volume is made available online by Journals, part of the Furman University Scholar Exchange (FUSE). It has been accepted for inclusion in Furman Magazine by an authorized FUSE administrator. For terms of use, please refer to the FUSE Institutional Repository Guidelines. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CONTENTS FURMAN MAGAZIN E 2 IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION SUMMER 1993 Founder of theGreenwood Genetic VOLUME 3 7, NUMBER 1 Center, Dr. Roger Stevenson has devoted his career to exploring the complexities of The Furman Magazine is published by human genetics. By Terry Walters Furman University, Greenville, S.C. 29613 Copyright © Furman University 1993 Editor: Marguerite Hays Associate Editor: Jim Stewart Contributing writers: FACE TO FACE WITH POVERTY Vince Moore, Terry Walters Nothing in her small-town Georgia Photographer: Charlie Register 8 Design: Tankersley Schroeder background prepared Millie Brobston for the Graphic Design conditions she found in the nation's capital. Consultant: Tom Hays By Millie Brobston ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS: R. O'Neil Rabon, Jr. '81, president; Harold F. Gallivan III '69, president-elect; Gordon L. Blackwell '60, vice-president; Robert H. Lutz., Jr. '71, past president; Kevin R. Bryant '85; Jeanne Saunders Davis '56; Karen Olsen Edwards '69; Lynn Powers Gibbs '78; Martha Lattimore Hughes '70; George E. Linney, Jr. '65; Thomas H. Lynch '61; Harrison L. Marshall '47; Carol Mullikin Mauldin '58; P. Joyce McCarrell '74; Mark Mosher '76; Carol Capell Newsom '66; James M. Ney '64; Linne Anne Otter '82; MINDGAME Douglas C. Pasley, Jr. '60; John Peters '43; 12 Robert Pinson '61; J. C. Plowden '48; In just five full years as a professional, Wayne A. Price '81; Susan Thomson Shi Dottie Mochrie has earned the reputation '71; Jeannette A. Snoddy '49; Linda of being one of golfs fiercest competitors. Anthony Tuck '66; Richard E. Ulmer '57; By Vince Moore R. Edwin Wilkes, Jr. '72 Ex-Officio:John E. Johns '47, president, Furman University; Donald J. Lineback, vice president for development; Mary CAN JOURNALISM Brown Ries '79, director of alumni programs; REALLY TELL THE TRUTH? M. Gwinn Earle '89, associate director of 18An award-winning journalistfinds that televi­ alumni programs; Don Fowler, director of development; Anne McMillan Purcell '59, sion's little trick mirror is refiguring the world, director of Loyalty Fund; William J. Lavery, forming it after its peculiar faculry liaison; Brian Wooten '94, president, electronic mirage of reality. Association of Furman Students; Will By Marshall Frady Waring '94, president, Senior Class; Shannon Wilkerson '93, past president, Association of Furman Students; Scott •• •• Nelson '93, past president, Senior Class Furman University offers equal opportunity in its employment, admissions and educational activities in compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws. FRONT COVER: A math major and treasurer of the Association of Furman FURMAN STUDENTS Students , Kara Finley is especially inter­ 25 1993: WHO ARE THEY? ested in issues affectingwomen . See article Profiles of seven students provide a glimpse into about Furman students on page 25. the lives and interests of today's college crowd. Photograph by Charlie Register. PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHARLIE REGISTER 2 SEARCH BY TERRY WALTERS One of the first things you notice when you enter the conference room of the Greenwood Genetic Center is a marble statue of a little boy, a perfectly formed child. The captivating "Hushababy" is a prized possession of Dr. Roger Stevenson, and not just because of its classic beauty. It's more symbolic than that: Stevenson and the center he founded are dedicated to the principle that all babies should be born as perfect as possible. As he puts it, "Our goal is to have all babies born healthy and free of physical and mental handicaps." Today a highly respected physician-geneticist and authority on birth de­ fects and mental retardation, Stevenson knew from his childhood he wanted to be a doctor. He says, "There was never any other option." He even consid­ ered becoming a medical missionary. But it was a course taken as a pre-med student at Furman that pointed him in the specific direction of his life's work and thus to the major contributions he has made to the field of genetics. After devoting his career to exploring the complexities of human genetics, Stevenson continues to be in awe of "the miracle that puts us together and gets us here safely." He says, "We're fairly complex organisms, and the fact that we can replicate ourselves with such consistency says something for the master plan." This plan, scientists now know, involves an estimated 100,000 genes that determine each individual's heredity, coded by the DNA molecule. The information carried in DNA determines our mental and physical capa­ bilities and susceptibilities, our growth and maturation. DNA ex­ plains why we are like our parents DR. ROGER STEVENSON and grandparents, yet different from them and everyone else. AND THE GENETIC Most of the time, Stevenson points out, the genetic plan works CENTER HE FOUNDED well, to "get us here in fairly accept­ ARE DEDICATED TO able shape." But in one case out of eight, an abnormality occurs that THE PRINCIPLE THAT may cause birth defects, mental re­ tardation or some other form of ge­ ALL BABIES SHOULD netic disease. Abnormalities may be minor, such as color blindness, or BE BORN WITH SOUND devastating, causing great suffering for the afflicted individuals and their MINDS AND BODIES. families. 3 Directly or indirectly, all the activities play a major role in future research. "This about the prospects for preventing birth de­ of the Greenwood Genetic Center are center intends to take a lead in research in fects once the gene map is complete. focused on preventing or alleviating this two specific areas - birth defects and men­ There is more immediate hope for pre­ suffering. To that end, each year the clinic tal retardation." venting two genetic conditions the clinic offers genetic testing and evaluation to over In the 100 years since Gregor Mendel has worked on extensively. One is the prob­ 10,000 families from South Carolina and outlined the basic mechanisms of heredity, lem of birth defects of the spine and brain, neighboring states. From its beginnings in the rate of discovery in genetics has been which are twice as prevalent in South Caro­ 1974, the clinic has also provided educa­ remarkable. So much progress has been lina and nearby states as in other regions of tional programs in genetics for physicians, made in recent years that geneticists be­ the country. South Carolina alone averages medical students, other graduate and under­ lieve they will soon be able to locate all 60 babies a year bornwith these defects, graduate students, and the general public. human genes on their chromosomes and which result in paralysis of various parts of Research has been important to the identify their functions. Scientists in many the body, lack of bowel and bladder control, center all along, but now it is gaining new countries are cooperating on the Human or even death. emphasis with the establishment of a re­ Genome Project, as this massive effort to But now there is good news. As Stevenson search institute. On April 28, ground was map all human genes is called. reports with nothing short of elation, these broken for the J. C. Self Research Institute To date, only some 6,000 of the 100,000 defects may soon virtually disappear."That," of Human Genetics. The 30,000-square­ possible genes have been identified, but it is he beams, "is a marvelous prospect!" foot facility, which will cost some $5 mil­ hoped that by the year 2005, the gene map The discovery that may wipe out spinal lion to build and equip, will house a center will be complete. With such knowledge birth defects was made by Dick Smithells, for anatomical studies and a center for mo­ should come ways to prevent or treat most an English pediatrician, who determined lecular studies. Stevenson, who was director genetic abnormalities. that they were the result of a deficiency of of the Greenwood Center for its first 15 According to Stevenson, researchers at the B vitamin folic acid. It has taken the years, will direct the new institute. the Greenwood Center are already contrib­ scientific community 11 years, Stevenson He says, "The field of genetic research uting to the effort to map human genes. says with some exasperation, but it has fi­ has greatly expanded in the past 20 years." During the past three years, they have iden­ nally confirmed Smithells' findings. He believes the new research institute can tified six genes located on chromosome X "We know now," he says, "that if a that cause mental retardation. woman can begin folic acid supplements Although the number of genes that prior to becoming pregnant, the dsk of spi­ Trying w determine the cause of one type of have been mapped so far may seem small, nal birth defects is dramatically decreased." mental retardation, Stevenson and molecular Stevenson finds it "very impressive for Rather than try to deal with the deficiency technologist Melanie May analyze the genes someone who grew up in an era when the case by case, Stevenson and others hope of a family with a his wry of this problem.