V9.12 NEWS FROM SU FOR ALUMNI
News from SU for Alumni (Vol. 9 No. 12)
Nov. 16, 2007
An Electronic Newsletter for Southwestern University Alumni
GET CONNECTED:
Register for the Online Alumni Directory. IT'S FREE! Update your own information and look up friends. This is a great resource for looking up addresses for holiday cards. Contact the
Office of Alumni and Parent Relations for your personal registration number.
ALUMNI NEWS:
William D. Swift to be Remembered Nov. 18
Leadership Nominations to be Announced Monday
The Association Celebrates Its Largest Homecoming and Reunion Weekend
Local Association Happenings
2008 Reunions - Pirates Reunite!
Seeking Houston Blood Donors for an Alumnus with Leukemia
Career Services News for Alumni
Class Notes Spotlight
LIFELONG LEARNING:
Sculpture Exhibit:
The American Modernist
Theatre for Young Audiences:
Seussical: The Musical
Alumnus to Speak on the Environment
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS:
Renovated Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center Opens
Professor Forms Nonprofit to Help Keep Tibetan Language Alive
Kinesiology Students Conduct Research for NASA
School of Fine Arts Performances Announced
Pirate Athletics
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Southwestern Men's Basketball in Philadelphia - Nov. 16-17
Southwestern Swimming and Diving in Southlake, Texas - Nov. 17
Pirate Golf Classic in Houston - Nov. 17
William D. Swift Memorial Service - Nov. 18
Big Apple Association Theatre Trip - Nov. 21-25
Fort Worth Area Association Happy Hour - Nov. 27
Greater Georgetown Association Watches Pirate Basketball - Nov. 30
Washington, D.C. Association Visits Mt. Vernon - Dec. 2
Southwestern University Candlelight Service - Dec. 5
Greater Austin Association Candlelight Service - Dec. 6
San Antonio Area Association Candlelight Service - Dec. 6
Houston Association Day of Service - Dec. 8
Fort Worth Area Association Watches Pirate Basketball - Dec. 8
Big Apple Association Visits Carnegie Hall - Dec. 8
Houston Association Candlelight Service - Dec. 11
Dallas Association Candlelight Service - Dec. 12
SU Connections: San Antonio - Jan. 9, 2008
Volunteer Leadership Weekend - Jan. 18-19, 2008
Homecoming and Reunion Weekend - Nov. 7-9, 2008
ALUMNI NEWS:
William D. Swift to be Remembered Nov. 18
It is with regret and deep personal sadness that we inform you that William D. Swift died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007. Bill was a long-time member of the Southwestern University community, serving as Dean of Students, Vice President for Student Services and Vice President for Admission and Student Development from 1966 to 1989. Several generations of Southwestern students were grateful recipients of Bill’s legacy of care and concern. A memorial service will be held on campus at Lois Perkins Chapel at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be sent to the general fund at Southwestern University.
Leadership Nominations to be Announced Monday
The nominees for Alumni Council and At-Large Members of the Alumni Assembly will be announced Monday, Nov. 19. Visit
www.sugrads.org to view the slate.
The Association Celebrates Its Largest Homecoming
"Arrr... You Connected?" Homecoming and Reunion Weekend generated the largest Homecoming attendance ever! For the second year in a row, The Association of Southwestern University Alumni turned out record-breaking numbers. This year, we are happy to announce the following figures:
More than anything, The Association of Southwestern University Alumni hopes that you had the opportunity to connect with classmates and friends, to learn more about activities happening in your area and to find people with whom you share interests. If you have any feedback concerning Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, please e-mail
alumni@southwestern.edu. Be sure to mark your calendar for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2008, scheduled for Nov. 7-9, 2008.
Local Association Happenings
Check out what local associations are doing across the country!
Volunteers will coordinate and plan activities for classmates and friends to bring everyone together for a memorable weekend. If this sounds of interest to you, please contact
JoAnn Lucero, associate director of alumni relations, at 800-960-6363. Also, mark your calendar for
Volunteer Leadership Weekend (Jan. 18-19, 2008) to attend the Reunion Planning Workshop.
Seeking Houston Blood Donors for an Alumnus with Leukemia
Attention, Houston area alumni. A Southwestern alumnus diagnosed with leukemia needs donors with O+ blood to donate blood or platelets. If you are able to make a donation in the Texas Medical Center, please contact Jennifer Cassano at
JCassano@pkftexas.com.
Career Services News for Alumni
Need a job? Want to hire someone? Find out how the Career Services' Job Leads e-mail list can help. For details, please
click here.
Class Notes Spotlight
Have you heard?
Kami Hercules-Guinn ’96 works for M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as a senior academic coordinator in the trainee and alumni affairs office. In addition, she administers the graduate medical education resident and fellow appointment and reappointment processes.
Click here to read more. See what your classmates are up to by visiting
Class Notes online. While you are there,
submit your own class note!
LIFELONG LEARNING:
Sculpture Exhibit: The American Modernist
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts presents American Modernist sculptor Bruce Beasley, exhibiting his latest sculptures in bronze,
The American Modernist, at the Fine Arts Gallery in The Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center. The exhibit will be available from Nov. 1 through Dec. 9. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Click here for a campus map.
Theatre for Young Audiences: Seussical: The Musical
The Southwestern University Theatre Department invites alumni and their families to attend
Seussical: The Musical. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m., in the Jesse and Mary Gibbs Jones Theatre of The Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center.
Order your tickets online.
Alumnus to Speak on the Environment
Jason Hercules ’00 will give a presentation on careers and current issues in the environmental field Monday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. in the Lynda McCombs Room of the Red & Charline McCombs Campus Center. The talk will be followed by a discussion and reception featuring organic food and beverages. At Southwestern, Hercules pursued an independent major in environmental studies, which was subsequently developed into a formal Environmental Studies Program, and took part in a study-abroad experience focused on sustainable development in Costa Rica. He also founded the Environmental Club, now known as Students for Environmental Activism and Knowledge (SEAK). After graduating from Southwestern, Hercules earned a master’s degree in community and regional planning from The University of Texas School of Architecture. Today, he lives in Washington, D.C., where he works as a planner in the PB Placemaking division of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global provider of integrated infrastructure solutions. This event is co-sponsored by the Southwestern Environmental Studies Program and the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations. For questions, please contact
Amanda Z. Randall or 800-960-6363, ext. 1589.
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS:
Renovated Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center Opens
After two and half years of work and more than $10 million, Southwestern’s Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center reopens this weekend – just in time for a flurry of holiday performances. The renovations included a complete makeover of the Alma Thomas Theatre, which was originally built in the 1950s. The theatre was totally gutted and rebuilt to provide additional storage space, a real orchestra “pit” and all new seats, in addition to new lighting and sound systems. Handicapped access has been improved throughout the theatre.
Click here to learn more.
Southwestern Web Design Process Begins
The redesign of Southwestern University's Web site (
www.southwestern.edu) is underway, following a three-day visit from
White Whale Web Services, the company selected to manage the site redesign process. Company representatives met with selected student, faculty, staff and alumni representatives earlier this week.
Professor Forms Nonprofit to Help Keep Tibetan Language Alive
Remembering the lack of children’s literature in Tibet, Patricia Schiaffini, part-time assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, formed the idea for the non-profit Tibetan Arts and Literature Initiative, or TALI.
Click here to read more.
Kinesiology Students Conduct Research for NASA
Seniors Lauren Arrowood, Ben Hoffman and Eric Sterner are getting a unique opportunity this year – the chance to conduct a real study for NASA. The three kinesiology students are completing a senior capstone project that evolved from a field trip in their tissue biomechanics class to the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in the spring of 2007.
Read more.
School of Fine Arts Performances Announced
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts invites alumni and their families to attend end-of-semester performances. All performances are scheduled to take place in The Alma Thomas Theatre of The Alma Thomas Fine Arts Center.
Click here for a campus map.