May 2, 2000
Robotics Involves Students In Two Competitions
Robotics seems to be in vogue these days for SIUE students as two groups recently showed off their "artificial intelligence quotient" at two separate events.
Students in the intro course to robotics offered by the Department of Computer Sciences recently created robots for the Predator-Prey Challenge in Goshen Lounge. And, students in the Department of Electrical Engineering took third place in the robotics contest at the Annual Region 5 Conference of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers recently held in St. Louis.
George Engel, associate professor of Computer and Electrical Engineering, was mentor to one of the SIUE teams at the IEEE conference, while Jerry Weinberg, assistant professor of Computer Sciences, mentored the other.
The third place team at the St. Louis event consisted of Nasr Khan, Saleh Ismail, Tina Hinton, and Todd Sproull.. The students who won the Predator-Prey Challenge in Goshen Lounge were Kathryn Verdoorn and Steve Flemke, in the Prey Category, while David Rudolph and Samara Secor won in the Predator Category.
The competition in Goshen Lounge pitted groups of two teams, each designated as either "prey" or "predator." Each team designed a robot and programmed it to meet its goals. "The goal of the predator was to capture the prey," Weinberg said, "while the goal of the prey was to find its way to the safety of its den."
Engel said the IEEE contest had students build a robot that could navigate a maze. The robot navigating the maze in the shortest time was declared winner.
Weinberg said these robotics challenges are a way to offer an experience that allows a comprehensive view of an integrated engineered system. "It provides a picture that illustrates the connection between the mechanical, electrical and computing components of a system," Weinberg said. "And, the robot competitions provide a capstone design project for studying these systems.
"Even though competitions have winners and losers, all the students who participate win through the experience itself," Weinberg said.
Engel, who also received the IEEE's Outstanding Student Branch Counselor Award for1999 at the annual conference, said teamwork and broad knowledge, cutting across engineering disciplines, is becoming increasingly important in the world of engineering today. "To be successful in a robotics contest, students must excel in a wide variety of skills," Engel explained.
"The IEEE robotics competition provides a challenging and fun-filled opportunity to practice these essential skills. For the SIUE School of Engineering, these types of competitions are important because they increase the visibility of our programs in the community and region.
"The success of students in competitions of this sort are a testimonial to the quality of undergraduate education at SIUE."
International Business Program Up For Award
Why spend $5,000 to send a student to a foreign land to study business practices from a different perspective when similar results can be achieved with much less expense? Good question.
That's why the School of Business began its Bringing the International Experience into SIUE Business Classrooms program two years ago. Sure, the students don't get to see the exotic scenery, but, just the same, in those two years many students have received a wealth of global business savvy.
The program was developed and is co-directed by Kathryn Martell, associate dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Business, and John Navin, associate professor of Economics. Funded with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program has caught the attention of the American Council on Education which selected it as one of 19 finalists for the Academic Excellence and Cost Management Award.
The award recognizes "successful initiatives in academic areas that improve quality while controlling costs" and is sponsored by the ACE-USA Group Foundation. Winners will be announced in June at the ACE's invitational symposium in Washington, D.C.
"It's such an honor just to get nominated out of 120 programs," Martell said. "Last year, we won the International Association for Management Education's award for academic excellence and innovation, but this award gets to the heart of what this program's all about.
"Many of our students have families and obligations that preclude them from traveling abroad to study," Martell said. "About one percent of our business students do take advantage of our travel courses," she said. "But this course affords an opportunity for many more students to gain an insight into international business without the expense."
As for the expense to the university, the program's costs have dropped even more since its inception because telecommunication technology has improved and costs have gone down. "We accomplish most of what we need for the class through the internet," Martell said, "but we also use conference calling. Several times during the semester the students talk 'face-to-face' in teleconferences between the two campuses.
"When we began two years ago, it cost us about $500 per hour to operate the course each semester," she pointed out. "Now, it costs us about $200 per hour, which comes to about $12 per student."
Students in the SIUE course interact with students at the Instituto Technologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Toluca, Mexico, a sister institution to the Edwardsville campus, to produce and market a product in a simulated international marketplace.
"We've had tremendous support from the faculty in Toluca and that's a big reason why this program has been so successful," Martell said. "International business skills have become so important in the business world and our students become better equipped to operate in the real world with the help of courses like this.
"Students not only develop relationships with others in another culture, they also operate as part of a virtual international business team," Martell said. "The course helps students raise their international awareness and their awareness of technology."
SIUE Head Start Program One Of The Best In The U.S.
The SIUE Head Start program has been designated as a Program of Excellence by the National Head Start Association.
This recognition makes SIUE Head Start among only 12 such designated of 2,000 such programs in the United States. The university's program became an NHSA Program of Achievement in 1997 and has worked since that time to attain the next level of honor.
John Lovelace, SIUE Head Start director, received the newest award recently during the NHSA's Annual Training Conference in Washington, D.C., on the 35th anniversary of the national Head Start movement.
NHSA's Quality Initiative has been operating since 1994 and was designated to recognize programs offering high quality services to children and families. Initiative applications are reviewed by a national panel of experts from the early childhood and family service fields. The review process is rigorous, resulting each year in only a small percentage of programs accepted for recognition.
Programs are assessed in areas such as program management and systems, services and initiatives, and program impact. According to the NHSA, the SIUE program "has displayed a strong contribution in all of these critical areas" and "has created unique and innovative approaches to engaging children in learning and connecting with their families.
Health Screenings On Campus Tuesday, May 2
University Personnel Services and Health Service have arranged for two health screening opportunities for faculty, staff, and students.
Screenings for breast and prostate cancer are offered as follows: mammograms will be offered through arrangements with Barnes-Jewish Hospital Mammography Van (associated with Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology) on Tuesday, May 2 to females age 40 or older who: have not had a mammogram in the past year, have no symptoms of breast cancer (such as lumps or dimpling), do not have breast implants, have not had breast cancer, or are not pregnant.
It takes approximately 15 minutes, and the fee is $85. The results are reported to your personal physician. The Mammography Van will be parked on the hairpin in front of Peck Hall. To schedule an appointment, call Janet Kleinmann, Ext. 2100.
Employees covered by the Quality Care health plan should be sure to bring their insurance cards with them as Mallinckrodt will bill Unicare direct. Prudential HealthCare HMO members are eligible for mammogram screening recommended and provided by their HMO providers only. HMO and POS members who use the on-campus screening will be expected to make payment at the time of the screening. HMO members will not be reimbursed. Prudential Healthcare POS members may be eligible for 80 percent reimbursement if their out-of-network deductible has been met.
That same day, prostate screenings also will be offered by SIUE Health Service. The examination consists of a PSA blood test and is available to men age 50 or older (or younger with identified concerns). The results may be given to the individual or sent to their personal physician with a signed release. The cost of the examination is $30.
To schedule an appointment, call Mary Ann Raymond, Ext. 2844. Payment will be required at the time of the screening. Members of the Quality Care health plan should submit their itemized bill, with a claim form (available from the Offices of Human Resources) to Unicare. Prudential HealthCare HMO members are eligible for prostate screening recommended and provided by their HMO providers only. HMO members who use the on-campus screening will not be reimbursed. POS members may be eligible for 80 percent reimbursement if their out-of-network deductible has been met.
For more information, call Personnel, Ext. 2190.
SIUE Institute Will Work To Bring Down Barriers
Area community leaders have long cited a need for collaboration among towns and cities, businesses, and educational and governmental organizations.
The newly created Institute for Urban Research at SIUE is designed to help facilitate such collaboration and provide a new tool for ensuring the future of the region. The Institute for Urban Research received about $800,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The institute will work toward addressing concerns of the Illinois region of Metro St. Louis, with a goal of helping to remove barriers to cooperation. "The Metro East is growing rapidly," said Kevin McClearey, associate dean of Graduate Studies and Research. "A closer look shows that some areas are growing far faster than others. In some areas there is an obvious lack of quality of life factors such as good education, good health care, and access to jobs.Crime and environmental quality also pose problems."
McClearey added that even in areas of relative affluence, there are problems resulting from "urban sprawl" created by rapid growth. "Many of our cities share common problems," he said, "but have been unable to address them effectively partly because of geographic boundaries."
The Institute for Urban Research has three basic goals:
• Encourage public discussion of a policy agenda for Metro East
•Conduct policy-oriented research pertinent to the Metro East
•Bring together policy makers, health care providers, business, labor, educational, community and religious leaders to help address key issues.
In its first year (beginning this summer), the institute will focus on health care issues, such as health care needs of the population, the configuration of health services and providers, the impact of environmental factors, and fragmentation caused by jurisdictional boundaries.
Two advisory groups will guide the institute and its executive director: An Advisory Board of 15 to 30 representatives of various communities, governments and organizations; and an SIUE coordinating council of seven to nine faculty members and representatives of other units dedicated to regional service, such as the East St. Louis Center.
"We will begin to assemble the advisory board in the very near future," McClearey said. "It is very important that we have this board in place to ensure that the institute is in touch with the needs of Metro East's communities."
Teaching Awards For 2000 Announced At Convocation
Elizabeth Fonseca, a professor of Spanish for Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, has been chosen to receive the university's 2000 Teaching Excellence Award, the highest honor that can be awarded an SIUE faculty member.
She received a $2,000 prize recently at the annual Honors Convocation and also will be awarded a plaque of recognition at the May 6 commencement.
Awards also will be given at the April 16 Honors Convocation to: Wayne Ellis, assistant professor in the School of Nursing and program coordinator for the Nurse Anesthesia Specialization; Wendy Shaw, associate professor of Geography; Susan Thomas, associate professor of Psychology; and E. Duff Wrobbel, assistant professor of Speech Communication. Each recognition awardee will receive a $500 prize.
Ten nominees were considered by members of a university-wide committee of faculty and student representatives who made the final selection. Fonseca was chosen as an "exceptional educator who provides learning opportunities for students both inside and outside the classroom."
In recommending Fonseca, Kathleen Bueno, an assistant professor of Foreign Languages and Literature, said: "Dr. Fonseca's efforts to foster connections across the university and with the community represent one of the hallmark's of exemplary teaching." Fonseca, who earned a doctorate in Spanish from the University of Iowa, teaches a wide variety of courses in Spanish language and Latin American literature and culture.
She also participates in a team-taught, interdisciplinary course in General Business Administration, bringing a unique cultural perspective to this course about business operations.
Last year, Fonseca and other SIUE School of Business faculty led a service project to Mexico that enabled students from a variety of academic disciplines to increase their sensitivities to cultural differences while also helping build cement blockhouses for in a poor neighborhood. The project has served as a pilot for a new interdisciplinary course involving field work and service: "The Global Marketplace: Culture, Gender, and International Production."
Since joining the faculty in 1986, Fonseca has offered a weekly conversation hour in Spanish that has included students, faculty, and interested community members, as well as teachers and students from the public schools. As faculty adviser for the Latin Awareness Student Organization, Fonseca has helped organize community service projects as well as cultural events.
According to the award winning professor, her final goal in every class is "to be able to convey that we live in a multicultural world. We speak different languages and have different beliefs," she said, "yet, we form one unit."
Ellis began teaching at SIUE in 1997; he also serves as a staff nurse anesthetist at Washington University in St. Louis. Colleagues in the School of Nursing say one of Ellis' strengths is his ability to incorporate into lectures a wide range of experiences in the field of anesthesia, dating to 1964 when he began a military career. In addition to honors from both the U.S. and Vietnamese governments and the U.S. military, Ellis was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society in 1995 and currently is a member of Who's Who in the World.
Colleagues also say Ellis' students respect and admire him, that Ellis' insights and understanding "have helped him grow personally as a teaching professional." They also say his teaching style reflects "a calm and caring attitude."
Shaw, a native of England, received a doctorate from the University of Georgia in 1994 and joined the SIUE faculty the same year as a specialist in the geography of development. She teaches Cultural Geography, Physical Geography, and a graduate seminar in History and Philosophy of Geography. She also advises the international honor society for Geography majors.
Geography Chair Noble R. Thompson III said this about his colleague: "It is common to see Dr. Shaw crossing the campus, going to her class wearing the typical dress and carrying food or objects common to the culture or country she and her students are studying at the time." On her style of teaching, Shaw says she stresses: "appreciation and understanding of other cultures" as well as active integration of knowledge through innovative assignments, such as keeping a diary of international events.
She also practices a "commitment to utilizing the enormous power of technology and the internet within my classes for the benefit of students."
Thomas, who holds a doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia, has been a member of the SIUE faculty since 1991. A specialist in Social Psychology, Thomas also teaches Introduction to Statistics and Methods of Psychological Inquiry. She also is coordinator of Undergraduate Education in the Department of Psychology. Describing her teaching philosophy, Thomas notes that "active learning, critical thinking, self-schematic processing and self-growth" represent core components of her approach.
"What this means," says Thomas, "is that students are forced to become more than just passive receptacles for information; they must actively integrate, synthesize, and use the information to which they are exposed."
Wrobbel's teaching style often is described as dynamic by colleagues and students. He teaches courses in speech communication, public speaking, interpersonal communication skills, and others ranging from freshman level courses to graduate seminars.
Wrobbel, who holds a doctorate in Speech Communication from the University of Texas, was instrumental in designing the capstone Senior project for Speech Communication majors, which has been recognized as one of the best senior project programs on campus.
Service Award, Honorary Degrees To Be Given May 6
Chancellor Emeritus James M. Brown, also an emeritus English professor at SIUE and a long-time administrator and educator throughout the SIU system, will receive the SIUE Distinguished Service Award at the May 6 Commencement.
In addition, Emeritus English Professor William T. Going, another pioneer in SIUE's history, and Emeritus History Professor Patrick W. Riddleberger, also an SIUE pioneer, will each receive Doctor of Humane Letters at the May 6 event.
One year after his initial appointment as a faculty member of the SIUE Department of English Language and Literature in 1965, Brown was appointed an assistant to SIU system Vice President Robert MacVicar. Two years later, Brown was named an assistant to SIUE's first chancellor, John Rendleman. In 1969, SIU President Delyte W. Morris added Brown to his staff.
The following year, the SIU Board of Trustees abolished the office of system president and created a decentralized administrative structure for SIU campuses. Brown was chosen as the first chief of Board Staff; in 1974, his position and title changed to general secretary of the SIU system. Five years later, the SIU board established the position of chancellor and Brown served in an acting capacity.
In 1979, Brown assumed the role of system vice chancellor, a position he held until 1986 when once again he was asked to serve as acting chancellor. He then returned to the vice chancellor role and served in that capacity for five years, during which time his title was changed to vice chancellor emeritus for the SIU system and professor emeritus at SIUE. He was appointed SIU chancellor in 1991 and later named chancellor emeritus in 1995.
Brown graduated from Rice University in 1942 with a bachelor of arts in Chemistry, going on to earn a master of science in Meteorology from the California Institute of Technology in 1943, and a master of arts in 1948 and a doctorate in 1951, both in English, from the State University of Iowa. He is author of several books on the subject of technical writing and business communications, as well as several short stories.
Going also was a significant force in the evolution of SIU Edwardsville, serving at what was then known as the SIU Service Center in Alton during the very early years of SIU's educational venture into Southwestern Illinois. He began the 1957-58 academic year inaugurating SIU's operations at the former Shurtleff College campus in Alton. With other faculty, he developed the university's academic program and enrolled the first class at the Alton campus.
In 1958, as dean of instruction, Going recruited and hired the faculty who would teach at the residence centers and also staffed the fledgling Edwardsville campus. Going is credited with establishing academic standards at SIUE based on the premise that teaching and scholarship best flourish as intertwined enterprises.
He earned a baccalaureate in 1936 from the University of Alabama, a master's in 1938 from Duke University, and a doctorate in English language and literature from the University of Michigan in 1954. In 1973, Going's achievements were acknowledged with the Outstanding Educator of America Award and the SIUE President's Award of Merit.
Riddleberger has distinguished himself as a highly regarded scholar who has authored several books and a variety of articles and reviews. He has contributed significantly to his field of expertise, American reconstructionist history, and is author of 1866: The Critical Year Revisited and Restoration and Reconstruction, 1865-1880.
A Fulbright scholar in 1964-65, Riddleberger lectured at Maradwatha University in India and served as interim director of the American Studies Research Centre and Library at Hyderabad, India. Riddleberger joined the SIUE faculty in 1960 and demonstrated excellence in teaching, careful research, and significant service to the university and to the community. He served as a role model and mentor to new faculty and was recipient of the SIUE Outstanding Professor Award in 1961, the SIUE Teaching Excellence Award for senior faculty in 1972, the SIUE Alumni Association's Great Teacher Award in 1981, and the Outstanding Scholar Award in spring 1993.
He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1939, and earned a master's and doctorate in history from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1993, Riddleberger was given the SIUE President's Award of Merit.
Asst. Professor's New Book Is Dizzy About '34 Cards
You wouldn't think a Chicago boy whose father played for the Chicago White Sox organization would be the slightest bit interested in writing a book about the St. Louis Cardinals. But you might say Doug Feldmann is a little bit "Dizzy" over St. Louis' 1934 World Champs.
Feldmann's book, Dizzy and the Gas House Gang, chronicles one of the great seasons in baseball lore, bringing to light the role the '34 Cards played in giving the nation a respite from the Great Depression. "The players in that era were not overly concerned with stardom," said Feldmann, assistant professor of Curriculum and Instruction. "They were just happy to have jobs," he pointed out.
"When the Depression hit most everyone had to take a (pay) cut. The players that played in the 1934 World Series needed that winner 's share of the playoff money. It made for a particularly hard-fought series."
Led by Dizzy and Paul Dean, and player-manager Frankie Frisch, the Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers in seven games. At the time, the Cardinals were the southernmost and westernmost franchise in the major leagues and, according to Feldmann, their success made baseball less of an "eastern" game.
In researching the book, Feldmann, who does some scouting for the San Diego Padres baseball organization, used old newspaper accounts of the season and trips to the players' hometowns and other places where they lived. He also relied on Mickey Owen, who, even though he did not play for the 1934 team, spent time as a Cardinals players in the late 1930s and was Dizzy Dean's catcher.
Feldmann says there was at least one major difference between the game of the 1930s and today's play. "The players for the '34 Cardinals-and for most teams around the league-were from out-of-the-way small towns," he said. "With little opportunity on the farms that were drying up in the Dust Bowl, young men tried their luck in professional baseball.
"One writer of the era wrote, 'The players are going on the notion that it's better to be a well-fed ballplayer than a hungry bond salesman.'"
Women's Tennis Prepares For NCAA Regionals
Women's tennis heads to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships this weekend in Tahlequah, Okla. SIUE, 14-8 overall, meets Northeastern State (Okla.) in the first round at 1 p.m. on Friday.
The winner would then move on to face the winner of Midwestern State (Texas) and Northwest Missouri State.
This is the first appearance in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships since 1989 when the Cougars won their fourth consecutive national title.
The Cougars are led by Sarah Hardimon (Belleville) and Kim Mulherin (Belleville). Hardimon and Mulherin both finished the regular season with a 13-8 singles record and 19-7 doubles record.
Four Softball Players Are All-GLVC
Four SIUE softball players have been named to the 2000 All-Great Lakes Valley Conference team. Sophomore Erin Newman (Fairfield, Calif.), senior Kari Franzen (Rantoul) and freshman Katie Waldo (Peoria) were selected to the first team, while senior Sara Obrecht (Gifford) earned second team honors.
Newman leads the team in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.436), runs scored (54), doubles (25), home runs(12), walks (29), total bases (134), runs batted in (50), slugging percentage (.822) and on base percentage (.520). She is currently second in the nation in doubles, 22nd in home runs and 34th in batting average. Newman set a single-season record for doubles in a season with 25 and runs scored with 54. She tied single season records in home runs (12), runs batted in (50) and walks (29), and earned second team honors as a freshman while also being named Newcomer of the Year.
Franzen is batting .318 in 51 games this season. She is third on the team with 35 runs batted in. Franzen is tied for sixth with teammate Waldo for triples in the GLVC with four. She has thrown out 20 of 37 base stealers this season. Franzen also was named first team All-GLVC the past two seasons.
Waldo earned her first selection to the All-GLVC team. She leads the team in at-bats (187), hits (75) and stolen bases (44). Waldo set a single season record for stolen bases and hits and leads the GLVC in both categories. She is second on the team in batting average (.401), runs scored (42) and on base percentage (.451). Waldo is fourth in the conference in total bases (86) and batting average and sixth in triples with four, and she has stolen 44 bases in 50 attempts and currently ranks eighth in the nation in stolen bases.
Obrecht also earned her first selection to the All-GLVC team. She leads the Cougars' pitching staff with a 19-7 record and 1.21 earned run average. Obrecht also leads in appearances (29), complete games (22), shutouts (6), innings pitched (167.2) and strikeouts (61). She tied for second in the conference in wins and ranks eighth in earned run average.
The Cougars record is 38-17 overall and 16-6 in the GLVC. SIUE must now await word on whether it will receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament, which begins May 12.
Track Looks For More NCAA Qualifiers
Men's and women's track conclude the regular season Friday at the Butler Twilight Invitational.
Mekelle Beck (Arenzville) automatically qualified last weekend for nationals in the javelin with a distance of 150 feet, one inch. Beck qualified last season in the javelin throw and finished fifth with a distance of 150'5."
Ann Miklovic (St. Louis) provisionally qualified for nationals in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 13 seconds. Miklovic's time was also a school record.
Coach Darryl Frerker looks for more national qualifiers this weekend. "We had a couple individuals come real close last weekend to qualifying, so, we are looking for a good, competitive effort from them this weekend," he said.
The women's team also set two other school records last weekend at the SIUE Twilight Invitational. Kelly Saunders (Eldorado, Ohio) set an SIUE record in the hammer throw with a distance of 134'1". Desiree Barcomb (Tampa, Fla.), Chenoa Glenn (Ferguson, Mo.), Alexis Schweinberg (Normal) and Tamekia Howard (Florissant, Mo.) set a new school record in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 48.73.
On the men's side, George Murphy (Virden) finished second in the pole vault while setting a school record at 13'7".
"Overall, the home meet provided good competition and a competitive atmosphere," said Freker, "while also moving a few people closer to possibly qualifying for nationals this weekend."
Baseball Eyes No. 1 Seed
The top seed in the Great Lakes Valley Tournament is now up for grabs. SIUE Baseball wraps up Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Bellarmine for three games this weekend, two on Saturday and one on Sunday. The Cougars, 29-20 and 17-7 in the conference, are tied with UM-St. Louis.
"Bellarmine has one good pitcher but not much else to help him out," said Coach Gary Collins. "If we get by him, we should be able to sweep them, but you never know what to expect with a team who is 3-19."
After losing a game to McKendree last weekend, the Cougars went on to sweep their weekend series with Indianapolis and Northern Kentucky. "It was a huge weekend for us," Collins said. "We went from third in our division to tied for first." He said the top of the order did well last weekend.
Mark Bugger (Edwardsville) went 6 for 14, including three doubles and seven runs batted in in game two against Indianapolis. Bugger finished with four doubles on the weekend and leads the team and the GLVC with a .427 batting average.
Dave Crouthers (Edwardsville) went 8 for 16 at the plate with four doubles and six runs batted in. Crouthers also earned a win over Northern Kentucky, giving up three hits and one earned run in seven innings. Crouthers is 4-4 overall as a pitcher and is batting .339 with a team-leading 21 doubles.
Travis Dawson (Collinsville) went 7 of 16 last weekend, with a double and five runs scored.
Collins said Jared Wood (Cairo, Mo.), Matt Wilkinson (Barwon Heads, Australia) and Bret Giaudrone (Gillespie) pitched extremely well last weekend. Wood pitched six innings, giving up two hits and two earned runs to improve his record to 3-3 on the season. Wilkinson picked up his team-leading seventh win against Indianapolis. He allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out nine batters in nine innings. Giaudrone picked up two saves this weekend and now has three on the season. He pitched three and a third scoreless innings while striking out three.
Upcoming Events
Friday, May 5-
Track at Butler Twilight Invitational
Women's Tennis at NCAA Midwest Regionals, 1 p.m.
Saturday, May 6-
Baseball at Bellarmine (DH), Noon
Women's Tennis at NCAA Midwest Regionals, 11 a.m.
Sunday, May 7-
Baseball at Bellarmine (DH), Noon
Wednesday, May 10-
Women's Tennis at NCAA Nationals, TBA
Thursday, May 11-
Women's Tennis at NCAA Nationals, TBA
Friday, May 12-
Women's Tennis at NCAA Nationals, TBA
Baseball at GLVC Tournament
Softball at NCAA Tournament
Saturday, May 13-
Women's Tennis at NCAA Nationals, TBA
Baseball at GLVC Tournament
Softball at NCAA Tournament
Sunday, May 14-
Baseball at GLVC Tournament
Fulbright Study Application Packets Available On The World Wide Web
Apply for a Fulbright and see the world. It's an incredible experience and one that will benefit not only a faculty member but also students.
Kevin McClearey, associate dean of Graduate Studies and Research, says the application process can seem complicated because the Fulbright criteria can be very specific, but the results are worth the trouble. "We understand that it could also be difficult for faculty who have families to think about travel halfway around the globe," McClearey said.
"But, the Fulbright program makes a strong effort to assist its scholars' dependents. The international experience can also be an unforgettable family opportunity.
"As for the scholars, the experience not only benefits them professionally but also helps contribute to the international flavor and scope of the campus," McClearey said. "Faculty come back with a new perspective and knowledge which also contributes to that flavor. And, students also benefit.
"Anytime a faculty member has an an opportunity for enrichment, it shows up in the classroom, it shows up in their research, which can, and often does, involve students. Faculty come back excited and are ready to share that with students."
McClearey said application packets are available on the World Wide Web for Fulbright lecturing, lecturing/research, and research awards worldwide. Those are located at www.iie.org/cies/awards2001/appl2.htm. Application deadline is Aug. 1.
Some 800 scholar awards in 130 countries will be offered. Approximately one-fifth are for research and four-fifths are for lecturing, combined lecturing and research, or seminar participation.
For more information, contact Lil Manning, Ext. 3114, or by e-mail: limanni@siue.edu.
May 30, 2000
SummerArts Concerts 2000 For Some Co-o-o-o-l Nights
SummerArts 2000 Concert Series is under way and the season promises some cool evenings of music on campus.
All performances are at 7:30 p.m. in the John C. Abbott Auditorium of Lovejoy Library unless otherwise noted; admission is free:
• Tuesday, June 13-The Miró String Quartet from the Juilliard School, returning by popular acclaim for a second season at SIUE. Formed in the fall of 1995, the group has already won international kudos as winner of the Coleman, Fischoff, and Banff Chamber Music Competitions. At SIUE, the group will perform Haydn's Quartet in C Major, Op. 20, No. 2; Dvorak's Quartet in A-flat Major, Op. l05; and a new prize-winning work by the Chinese composer Chan Ka Nin.
• Friday, June 23-The LeClaire Trio. Members of the SIUE music faculty-pianist Linda Perry, violinist Lenora-Marya Anop, and cellist Kangho Lee, are in their second year of performing together and the chemistry is evident.
• Tuesday, July 11-Faculty Jazz Concert; Katherine Dunham Hall Choral Room. The jazz will be hot and the Jazz Studies faculty have the ignition to make things light up.
For more information, call the SIUE Department of Music, (618) 650-3900.
M. Segal To Receive 2000 Great Teacher Award
Madhav N. Segal, a professor of Marketing and Marketing Research in the Department of Marketing and director of the Master of Marketing Research (MMR) program for the School of Business, has been chosen by members of the SIUE Alumni Association as recipient of the 2000 Great Teacher Award. He will be recognized with the award at the Aug. 5 commencement.
The annual award is given after a vote by mail is taken of members of the association. "For these alums to take the time and effort to vote for Professor Segal means he had a great impact on their education and in their personal lives," said Kathy Turner, assistant director for Alumni Services.
"Alumni enjoy the chance to recognize a teacher who has made a difference in their career choices and who made the experience at SIUE a memorable one."
Segal, who joined the SIUE faculty in 1979, is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington: MBA (Marketing) and Ph.D. (Marketing and Marketing Research); and the Birla Institute of Technology & Science: BE (Honors) Chemical Engineering.
Segal's teaching and research credentials also include several awards for outstanding teaching and scholarly research, as well as the 1997 Paul Simon Teaching-Research Award. Additionally, he has been invited as visiting scholar to many prestigious universities in Europe and Asia.
He is actively engaged in ongoing research with a focus on evaluation of measurement issues in cross-cultural marketing/consumer research, marketing information utilization, customer satisfaction, ethical issues in marketing research, product concept testing international marketing research, and service marketing issues.
In addition, Segal has presented papers at many international, national and regional marketing conferences and has authored more than 75 articles and papers, many of which have been published in leading marketing journals such as Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Data Collection, Industrial Marketing Management, California Management Review, Journal of Professional Services, Marketing, Health Marketing Quarterly, Canadian Journal of Marketing Research, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Journal of Business Ethics, and Marketing Research: A Magazine of Management & Applications.
Blood Drive
The American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, in the second-floor Conference Center of the Morris University Center.
Chancellor Werner Praises Supporters Of Ethanol Plant
Location of the $20 million National Corn to Ethanol Research Pilot Plant in University Park is not only good news for the university but also for Southwestern Illinois, SIUE Chancellor David Werner said today.
"Many people have worked long and hard to obtain funding for this project," Werner said. "The entire Illinois legislative delegation is to be commended for bringing this unique research facility to University Park. We're especially grateful for the work of Rep. John Shimkus (R, Illinois-20), Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Illinois), and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Illinois), as well as that of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest."
The $14 million in funding for the research plant was passed last week by both the House and the Senate. The bill will be sent to the White House this week and President Clinton is expected to sign it into law. It is anticipated that construction will begin in 2001.
Earlier, $6 million in matching funds was approved by the Illinois General Assembly and earmarked by Gov. George H. Ryan as part of the total cost of the facility. "The new ethanol plant is an important part of our ongoing commitment to promote the ethanol industry and support Illinois farm families," Ryan said. "I want to thank the members of the Illinois Congressional delegation for their efforts to secure this crucial funding."
SIU President Frank Horton also thanked Congressman Shimkus, Illinois Gov. Ryan, and the Illinois delegation involved in bringing the plant to SIUE. "This project was adopted by the Congressional delegation as one of its top priorities," Horton said. "The resulting legislation is proof of what the delegation is capable of delivering to the people of Illinois.
"The environmental and economic benefits of this important project will be felt for many years to come," Horton said. "SIU is appreciative of the support and confidence of our Congressional delegation."
Horton and Werner joined Shimkus in congratulating supporters of the major research project. Their remarks were made at a news conference called by the Congressman last week at the designated site of the proposed plant in SIUE's research park.
Shimkus said the plant will not only provide many benefits for Illinois corn growers but also for farmers across the country. "This is a huge step forward in my efforts to advance the cause of renewable fuels, especially as gasoline prices have reached record levels," he said.
Brian Donnelly, executive director of University Park, said the plant will be "the only research facility of its kind anywhere in the world. This plant will be a great addition to the university, a benefit to ethanol researchers, and a plus for farmers."
The small research plant, encompassing 20,000 square feet, will emulate a full-scale, commercial ethanol-producing facility. Such a testing site is needed to continue experimenting with alternatives to fossil fuels.
Costume Designer Works Magic For Summer Showbiz
Y. Michelle Collyar's first job as a costume designer was at the age of 10. "I used to make Barbie doll clothes by hand," she recalls. "I'd make enough to fill a shoe box and then I'd sell the box for $10."
Today, she is a costume designer and instructor in the Department of Theater and Dance. Collyar's work will be on display in the Summer Showbiz 2000 productions Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in June and South Pacific in July.
For the first production, Collyar and her staff of one part-time assistant, Delyle Robbins, and 8 to 10 students will "build" costumes for 24 performers, with an average of four costume changes per cast member. A lot of work for someone whose first love was dance. "Dance was an artform I could not master," Collyar said. "It is very competitive."
When asked what motivated her switch to costume design, she says with a laugh: "I never liked my costumes."
A visit to the costume shop on the first floor of Katherine Dunham Hall might be cause for claustrophobia. There is not one square inch of space that isn't being used for patterns, swatches, thread, sewing machines, rotary wheels for cutting and, of course, costumes. They hang from the open balcony of the second floor. When asked where she finds her fabrics, she explains: "I really hate shopping in St. Louis because there are no fabric stores with long tables of fabrics for $1.49 or $1.99 a yard. I go to Vogue Fabrics in Chicago. I can't compromise the vision but I can at least compromise the price," she explained.
A native of La Crosse, Wis., Collyar earned her master of Fine Arts at the University of Mississippi. She occasionally makes trips to Tupelo, Miss. (at her own expense), to buy heavy felted wool for $1.50 a pound. "You can't find that everywhere, but they have it there because of the Civil War re-enactments."
For South Pacific she has reached out to a friend who is artistic director at the Thunder Bay Theater in Alpena, Mich., to borrow military hats for the 23 actors playing sailors in the cast. "I hate to borrow, but they are very expensive," she says.
At 36 and in her third year at SIUE, Collyar believes that audiences should look at costumes and realize "how intensely collaborative this artform is. In the long run it is very rewarding and has potential for a lot of personal growth," she said. "What I like the most about it is looking at the stage and watching a dream come true or watching it become better than you imagined it."
Haute "Coat-eur."
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs Thursday-Sunday, June 8-11 and June 15-18, and South Pacific is set for Thursday-Sunday, July 6-9 and July 13-16. All curtain times are 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, call the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, June 8-10 and 15-17, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 11 and 18, all in the Katherine Dunham theater. For ticket information, call the Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774.
Dean Hahs Named Provost And Vice Chancellor For Academic Affairs
Sharon Hahs, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has been named provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, announced last week by Chancellor David Werner.
The appointment will be effective July 1, subject to ratification by the SIU Board of Trustees.
In his announcement, Werner said Hahs brings "tremendous" experience to the position. "Sharon served as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 1995 and as Acting Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs during the 1997-98 academic year," Werner said.
"On behalf of the university community, I thank the Search Committee, chaired by Kay Covington, associate professor of Kinesiology and Health Education, for identifying an outstanding group of candidates from which to choose a leader to help move SIUE to the next level."
Hahs, a professor of chemistry, served as dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences at the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg (1984-94) before coming to SIUE. She also had been a member of the chemistry faculty at Metropolitan State College in Denver (1974-83).
She received a baccalaureate in chemistry from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master of science and doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of New Mexico.
Hahs is active in a number of professional organizations, including the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences; she regularly serves as panelist and committee member at national meetings and has taught summer workshops for new deans.
Locally, Hahs is a member of FOCUS St. Louis and serves on the board of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. She is past president of the South Carolina Academy of Science and a member of the class of 1992 Management Development Program at Harvard.
C. Springer Named Associate Dean Of College Of Arts And Sciences
Carl Springer will join the College of Arts and Sciences July 1 as associate dean for Student Development and General Education and Professor of Foreign Languages and Literature.
Springer earned a doctorate in Classics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught at Illinois State University for 16 years. For the past four years, Springer has served as chair of the Department of Foreign Languages at ISU.
He brings extensive experience in curriculum, budgeting, personnel, student recruitment and advisement, faculty development, and instructional technology development. He has also provided leadership in ISU's revision of its general education curriculum.
SIUE Program Wins Funding For Project To Close Technology Gap
SIUE is among 20 institutions and organizations nationwide to receive a grant for a program linking public schools or community organizations with colleges and universities to develop educational technology projects for youth in under-served areas.
The five-year, $200,000 grant will fund "Bridging The Digital Divide." In its first year, the project will enable about 750 school children in the East St. Louis, Fairmont City and Washington Park areas to better their computer skills through after-school programs.
The project will be expanded in subsequent years. The students, ages 5-13, will have access to computers and the Internet and use it to better their community. For example, a group of students may research the problems surrounding lead-based paint using the Internet and identify methods for addressing the problem in homes in the neighborhood.
The program also will match them with successful professionals and college students in an on-line mentoring relationship. Don Baden, SIUE professor of curriculum and instruction, and author of the grant proposal, said "Bridging" is a "very practical" step toward teaching computer and research skills.
"The idea behind the project is that kids in poor communities have limited Internet access," Baden said. "If we're going to bridge the digital divide, we have to find a way for kids to get access to computers and instruction. This is a small but very practical step in that direction. It joins the university with existing community agencies and it brings in the added benefit of mentoring."
Community professionals and teachers, SIUE students, and volunteers will act as on-line mentors, helping the students develop their computer skills and explore the Internet. Baden and local agencies are gathering used computers for the project.
The program will begin on July 1. The grant is part of "Making a Civic Investment," a program funded by WorldCom and administered by Campus Compact at Brown University.
Higher Education Has Significant Economic Impact
A recent survey mailed to each employee seeks to find SIUE's economic impact on the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, and the premise that a university does have significant impact on a region is borne out by a recent study indicating a return of double the money the state spends on higher education.
The study, filed in March, was sponsored by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and was conducted by faculty from the U of I and from Loyola University in Chicago.
Results of the survey were presented to the SIU Board of Trustees by Professor Don Elliott, chair of the SIUE Department of Economics. Elliott pointed out that each year, according to the study, tax receipts from increased earnings of college graduates in one year in Illinois equal $5.9 billion and that the state spends $2.5 billion annually for higher education.
Elliott said the results of SIUE's economic impact study will be released in fall and also pointed out that SIU Carbondale is planning a similar study of its impact in Central and Southern Illinois.
The purpose of the statewide study, Elliott said, was to document monetary and non-monetary benefits created by the Illinois higher education network, which is the fourth largest in the country. "Illinois higher education institutions educate 750,000 students each year," he said. "Those students attend 12 public and 117 private colleges and universities, as well as 40 public community colleges throughout the state. The study found that a degree from a university or a college can mean more than $590,000 in extra earnings over a graduate's lifetime, or nearly $1.25 million in extra lifetime earnings for a graduate with a professional degree," Elliott told the board.
"A total of $55 billion in extra earnings is generated from one year's activity by Illinois higher education institutions."
Elliott also said the study showed a significant economic impact from higher education's employment and spending in the state. "At least 138,000 Illinois jobs and over $10 billion in annual economic activity are attributable to funds that higher education attracts from outside of the state," he pointed out. "These are jobs and spending that would not exist in Illinois otherwise."
Other benefits of higher education, according to the study, include:
• Better health
• Greater civic reponsibility
• Increased employment
• Higher productivity
• Greater access to academic libraries and outreach activities for Illinois citizens
"The study shows that Illinois Higher Education is a prudent investment in people," Elliott said. "Funding higher education provides a magnificent return for Illinois."
James M. Brown's Remarks At The May 6 Commencement
Thank you, Chancellor Werner for your kind remarks. Looking over my years at SIU in general and SIUE in particular, I sometimes feel a bit like Huck Finn. "If I'd a' knowed what a trouble it was . . . I wouldn't 'a' tackled it, and ain't a-going to no more."
But upon reflection, I find that my feelings are more akin to those of Dean Acheson regarding his role as Secretary of State in President Truman's Administration: "I was present at the creation."
I have enjoyed a front row seat and have even played a minor part- perhaps at the third gravedigger level-in one of the most exciting stories in American Higher Education, the development of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
I arrived at SIUE in 1965-the building in which we are now seated was, as far as I know, only a gleam in some planner's eyes-the rest was mud and confusion. There was the library, and more mud. Lovejoy Library was like El Dorado, shining in a muddy cornfield.
Initially, SIUE was designed as a commuter campus to serve the higher education needs of Madison and St. Clair counties. Today, it has become a magnificent, multifaceted campus serving students both from this region, from around the nation and around the world, and with a purpose and a destiny of its own. There is very little mud left, and that initial confusion has become a well defined and focused purpose.
Amazing! In 1965, this fledgling university was blessed with a board, a faculty, administrators and staff who saw quite clearly the potential of SIUE and set about to realize it. I was indeed lucky to work closely with many remarkable individuals-two of whom, Pat Riddleberger and Bill Going, are receiving honorary degrees today. Even now, years on and presumably wiser, I remain more than slightly in awe of the abilities and accomplishments of these gentlemen. This beautiful campus and these buildings and these memories are a part of their legacy to you, to me, and to the world.
More importantly, however, their legacy includes the education of thousands of students, many of whom would not have had access to a university education if SIUE had not existed. Today, you graduates become a part of that proud legacy. SIUE has, I'm sure, provided you with the intellectual and ethical tools you need. Now, like those before you, go forth and do good so that today's audience-your parents, friends, and family-will be proud and the university mission will be re-affirmed.
As for myself, I accept this Distinguished Service Award on behalf of those with whom I served, but I can assure you that no one enjoyed his servitude more.
William T. Going's Remarks At Commencement May 6
Thank you, Chancellor Werner. This is indeed a great honor. I accept it with pride and humility, especially when it comes from an institution where I have spent half of my life. When it comes from an institution that knows all my weaknesses, all my warts, all my failures.
And, now ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, friends, and especially graduates.
One of America's most distinguished novelists, poets, and critics, John Updike, spoke on this campus a year ago. Last month, he wrote a very interesting sentence in The New Yorker magazine. "History begins," he said, "when memory leaves off." History begins when memory leaves off. I want to share with you one memory and a little snippet of history.
The memory I wish to share with you is that of our first commencement in 1958. It had been a dreadfully odd year. In East St. Louis, we staffed a freshmen class in part of an old high school building and some vacant storefronts. Our offices were in the old Broadview Hotel. On the Alton campus, we crowded too many students into a very small defunct college. We had prepared for 500 students and we had 1,800.
At the end of that year, part of our faculty suggested that we have a small commencement under the great oak trees on the Shurtleff campus where we had had a drama series in the spring. Other members of the faculty said, "No. We need to go to Carbondale and let them know we're here." So, we did both. Those students that we had assumed a moral responsibility for, who could meet the requirements of the last printed catalogue of Shurtleff College, our registrar certified to the Shurtleff Foundation, the legal imperatives of the board of trustees of Shurtleff College.
Those students, isolated and left as they were from Shurtleff College, who could meet the printed requirements in the Fine Arts, the Liberal Arts, in Business and Education, our registrar certified along with the registrar of Carbondale. We drove down to the Carbondale campus in two university cars.
We were, of course, the cow's tail. We were the smallest and newest unit. And, when I rose to read the names of our graduates, I sensed a restless murmur among the Carbondale faculty. I had a good idea what they were thinking: "What are they doing up there? They haven't been in operation for the year. We always knew they would embarrass us."
At the end of the ceremony, the dean of the School of Business came dashing up-you know how suspicious deans are-and he said, "What gives with you?" In like manner, I responded, "In the Metro East, we work academic miracles. Seriously, sir, we have tried very hard. It has not been an easy year. We have all done three or four things we were not qualified to do. We have burned lights from early morn to near midnight." He seemed satisfied with this.
It was not long, however, before we had a piece of land; no roads, a few farm houses-but we cleared a patch of ground near the entrance on 157 and we had a commencement. Hundreds of folding chairs, a makeshift platform-we looked like a setting for the Lincoln-Douglas debate, but our speaker was the governor of Illinois, William Stratton. The sun was going down, the animals were rustling, the birds were twittering as if to say, "What is the meaning of all this intrusion into our fields and woods?" And, Governor Stratton stopped in the middle of his speech and said, "Those birds are doing a much better job than I am." And we all clapped vigorously, because we knew that politically we were on the map. So much for the memory.
Now, I wish to turn to a moment of history. Memories are personal things; they cannot be otherwise. History is based in facts that are verifiable, but the interpretation of these facts is what makes history fascinating.
Come with me for a moment to the year 1817, a year before Illinois was a state. A young gentleman by the name of John Mason Peck, from Litchfield, Connecticut, was ordered by a general Baptist convention to come and spread the Bible and the ability to read in the Wild West. He founded a little Sunday school in St. Charles (Mo.) on the Missouri (River); he crossed over to the Illinois territory and founded a similar little school at Rock Springs.
In the 1820's, he went back to New England to see if he could raise a little money because, and I quote him: "I cannot bear to see our preachers and teachers in southern Illinois remain as ignorant as some of them are." By the 1830's, he was back in this area, accompanied by a newly-appointed supervisor of religion and education by another Baptist convention. This gentleman had the interesting name of Jonathan Going-not a relative of mine that I know, but I would gladly claim him if I could.
He stayed three months. He looked over the area. He told the Reverend Peck, "Move your school to higher ground. Upper Alton would be a nice place; three rivers meet there-the Illinois, the Missouri, the Mississippi. It's obliged to be a place of commerce and growth. I will go back and find financing for you."
So, there emerged Alton College, Alton Seminary. Very shortly, a gentleman (arrived), who had a few books and a little money he could spare, by the name of Shurtleff, and the institution borrowed his name. Alton College, Alton Seminary became Shurtleff College and, interestingly, just exactly 200 years before, this other gentleman by the name of John Harvard, who had a few books and little money to spare, created the opportunity in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the first college in the American colonies.
And, the last date I wish to call to your attention is 1842. (The University of) Illinois had (not yet) become a state organized (school) and Shurtleff College was chartered to grant degrees.
Now, why have I bored you with these facts? I want to draw an interesting conclusion and crunch a little numbers with you. When we talk about the age of institutions of academia, we have to watch it carefully. Is it the date when somebody drew up plans? Is it the date when the doors first opened? Is it the date of the commencement, as your chancellor has informed you, announced a continuity, and a second year.
Granted a little latitude, this is what I want to tell you: We are not 43 years old. We are 158 years old. I take a sort of amused pride in this. Not legally-I wouldn't want to upset our board of trustees with the new dates-but by every other measure. The continuity is clear. We are on that same higher ground. The bluffs have tapered down a bit. But the dental school occupies the Shurtleff campus.
Continuity of place, continuity of faculty. If we had not had the service of some of the distinguished ladies and gentlemen of Shurtleff College, we could never have offered four years to begin with, to say nothing of a few graduate courses. A number of those people have stayed with us and have retired from this institution. Students, yes, when we assumed moral responsibility for those stranded students in Shurtleff College and a number of people in this area who had not been able to finish degrees because there was no public education in the metropolitan area. Continuity of faculty, staff, and students.
From 1842 in this area there has been a convocation of this sort for the people in this area. And, if you agree with my logic of continuity of place, faculty, staff, and students, then I think we can draw an even more amusing conclusion. We are older than SIU Carbondale; indeed, we are older than the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. These two institutions were post-Civil War schools.
So, this brings me back to you, the graduates in the year 2000. I want to say three words to you, and I mean that literally: three words. And I will say them in Latin because, as the Chancellor suggested, we need a little Latin culture. The three words I want to say to you are: matrum alma momento-remember your kind intellectual mother. We want to be sure that you will let us know of your accomplishments and achievements, and we hope that you will be interested in our plans and developments.
And so, as you go out now full-time into the world of the internet, the world of dot-coms, the world of e-mails and love bugs, the world of cyberspace-matrum alma momento-remember your alma mater, and, Godspeed.
Patrick W. Riddleberger's Remarks At May 6 Commencement
Before addressing the graduates, I want to take just a moment to say how grateful I am for the honor I have received. I want to thank the Chancellor and others who may have had a hand in it.
I also want to thank the University for all that it has done for me. From the beginning it has been, for me, a gentle, caring, and stimulating place. This persists, into my octogenarian years. And for nothing am I more grateful than for the privilege of teaching our students over a period of thirty-five years.
Now, the graduating class of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 2000 anno domini, I welcome you and congratulate you.
This is an important day for you-a rite of passage, so to speak-after which your lives will never be quite the same again.
But I hope your education will continue. I am not speaking so much of more formal education as of the self-education that will follow, when you, yourselves, will take charge of it and direct it.
Education has to do with growing up, with becoming mature, and there is no reason why it cannot continue for a long time, possibly for the rest of your lives, or at least as long as you have energy and mind left in you.
To some extent this will happen naturally, as you meet new people, and make new friends. It will come from your openness and readiness to explore new things, and to take some risks.
It should not be just passive, but active in a constructive way, that will call for disciplined effort on your part. An honest desire to grow, intellectually and spiritually, would seem to be essential, and taking care not to miss opportunities that will come to you.
I trust that the University has given you a foundation on which to build such a life. I hope that you will be successful. But that you will not push too hard in pursuit of the "Bitch Goddess Success."
The phrase is not mine, ladies and gentlemen, it is from William James, an American psychologist and philosopher of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. I will not comment further on it, but ponder it, and consider what it might mean.
I hope that tragedy will never strike you, but if it does, that it will leave not rancor or bitterness, but, rather, fortitude, acceptance, and compassion.
If you achieve distinction, as some of you undoubtedly will, I entreat you, in order to guard against complacency or smugness, never to forget your origins, the place and people you came from. And may I add, your university?
Power is another matter. I'm not sure Lord Acton was altogether correct in his dictum, "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I cannot quite conceive of what absolute power would be.
But power can be treacherous, and can do strange and terrible things to those who possess it or strive for it. For some it becomes a voracious appetite, or addiction. But with a wrong action, or a stroke of bad luck, it can be precipitantly lost. Lord Byron made this point in writing of Napoleon, "daring made thy rise and fall."
I hope there is an inclination, and time, for repose in your lives. Some quietude for contemplation and reflection has always been essential, it seems to me, to a good and authentic life. And is it no more vital now, with the breakneck speed of technological change, and its profound consequences for all of us?
I hope there will be joy and laughter in your lives, but much more important is happiness-a supreme good. Said Aristotle, "an object pursued for its own sake. An activity of the soul in accordance with virtue."
I hope your lives will be replete with love-
• Intimate love.
• Love among family and friends. • Love of the world.
• Love of nature.
• Love of all living things that inhabit this little planet with us, because it is their home too.
• Love of self. I do not speak of conceit, egotism, narcissism, nothing of the sort, but of healthy self-love, call it self-esteem, self-confidence, if you like. They are all the same.
It is a quality that makes possible the effective use of our God-given talents and capacities, a quality that permits modesty.
Finally, I have a request, or proposal, for you which I trust is appropriate for a graduating class in the year 2000. It is that you, each and every one of you, try to eradicate all bigotry and prejudice from your being. It is not easy. There are some many ingrained habits, so many stereotypes.
But I plead with all of you graduates, as an example for all of us, to take this, your first post-graduation step, toward becoming truly educated and loving people.
Thank you. All the best and Godspeed.
Bugger Named All-American
Mark Bugger, a junior from Edwardsville, has been named second team NCAA Division II All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Bugger led SIUE with a .414 batting average this season. His 91 hits was the second most in a single-season by a Cougar.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference's Player of the Year also led the team in runs batted in (59) and total bases (120). Bugger, who helped SIUE to a 33-23 record this season and a third-place finish in the GLVC, will head into his final season in 2001 needing just 27 hits to take over No. 1 on the all-time hits list.
Newman, Waldo Named All-Americans By NFCA
Hard work and determination pay off. That's something sophomore Erin Newman of Fairfield, Calif., and freshman Katie Wald of Peoria, are experiencing since being named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II All-American team.
Newman earned first team honors while Waldo was named second team, becoming the first national All-Americans in SIUE softball since Michele Cleeton was honored in 1991. It is also the first time in school history that two softball players have been selected in the same year.
Newman led the team this season in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.425), runs scored (54), doubles (25), home runs (12), walks (31), total bases (137), runs batted in (51), slugging percentage (.787) and on base percentage (.512). She set single season records in doubles, runs scored, runs batted in and walks while tying the single season record for homeruns.
She ranked third in the nation in doubles and 18th in the nation in home runs. Her .425 batting average was third best in school history. The 5-foot-8-inch third baseman has also made her way onto a number of the career lists at SIUE. Newman is No.1 in batting average after two seasons, hitting .416 in 320 at bats. She is No. 2 in all-time home runs (19) and tied for second in doubles all-time (38). She is also tied for fifth all-time in walks (51) and tied for 10th in runs batted in with 84. She was named first team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference and first team All-Region this season.
Waldo finished her initial season hitting .407 in 58 games. She led the team with 199 at bats, 81 hits and 48 stolen bases and was second on the team in batting average, runs scored (43) and on- base percentage (.456). Her 199 at bats broke an 18-year-old single season record held by Patty Suessen (189) in 1982. Waldo also set single season records in hits and stolen bases.
The 5-foot-4-inch designated player ranks 12th in the nation in stolen bases, stealing 48 of the 54 bases attempted. Waldo also earned first team All-GLVC and first team All-Region honors.
Newman and Waldo were honored as All-Americans recently in Columbus, Ga., the site of the NCAA Division II Softball Championships.
Choices, Choices.
The Department of Central Management Services has begun releasing details about coverage and employee costs, so the benefit choice period continues through June 20. A reminder-the benefit choice period is generally the only time most changes can be made unless you experience a change in family status. Be sure to review the benefit choice information carefully, and consider which plans best suit your needs during the upcoming year.
Bradshaw Elected Delegate
Boyd Bradshaw, director of Admissions, recently was elected as a National College Delegate for the Illinois Association For College Admission Counseling. He was elected to a three-year term.
Bradshaw will represent Illinois ACAC as part of its delegation team in the National Association For College Admission Counseling assembly.
He also received the Illinois ACAC Presidential Service Recognition Award. This award seeks to recognize significant contributions of those members with five or more years of active involvement with IACAC.
The Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling is the only professional association in the state which brings together those who work with students as they make plans for postsecondary education. The eight working districts of the IACAC provide forums for open discussion of the issues which affect students in transition, customized geographically to address the issues which affect the daily working lives of the professional community.
