V9.13 News From SU

V9.13 NEWS FROM SU FOR ALUMNI

News from SU for Alumni (Vol. 9 No. 13)
Dec. 19, 2007
An Electronic Newsletter for Southwestern University Alumni

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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. Through the online directory, be sure to update your preferred e-mail address! Starting in 2008, all electronic communications from Southwestern University will be sent only to your preferred e-mail address.

SPECIAL NOTICE:
University Closed Through the Holidays

ALUMNI NEWS:
SU Medal Presented to Joe Seeber ’63 and William B. Jones
Merrill Peace and Justice Endowed Scholarship Announced
Southwestern University is a Reflection of YOU – Give Today!
Colorado Association to Organize
Local Association Happenings
2008 Class Reunions Are Planning Celebrations!
“HEDS Up,” Classes of 1997 and 2002!
Career Services News for Alumni
Class Notes Spotlight

LIFELONG LEARNING:
Fleming Lecture in Religion and Willson Lecture Announced
Road Scholars Hit the Road
Chautauqua Institution 2008 Summer Program and Group Rates

CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS:
Southwestern Professor Performs at Carnegie Hall
Professor Wins Teaching Award
Faculty Members Receive Awards for Research and Professional Development
Class Uses Chocolate to Help Students Learn About Topics from Advertising to Evolution
Southwestern Participates in New Georgetown-Based Biotechnology Center
Pirate Athletics Update

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Southwestern University Closed - Dec. 22, 2007-Jan. 1, 2008
Colorado Association Organizational Meeting - Dec. 29, 2007
SU Connections: San Antonio - Jan. 9, 2008
Big Apple Association Happy Hour - Jan. 15, 2008
Volunteer Leadership Weekend - Jan. 18-19, 2008
San Antonio Area Association Road Scholars Presentation - Jan. 26, 2008
Fleming and Willson Lecture - Jan. 30, 2008
Houston Association Road Scholars Presentation - Feb. 12, 2008
Greater Austin Association Road Scholars Presentation - Feb. 26, 2008
Homecoming and Reunion Weekend - Nov. 7-9, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE:
University Closed Through the Holidays
Southwestern University will be officially closed Saturday, Dec. 22, 2007, through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008. If you need to reach the University in case of an emergency, please contact the Police Department at 512-863-1944 or the Campus Operator at 512-863-6511.

ALUMNI NEWS:
SU Medal Presented to Joe Seeber ’63 and William B. Jones
Southwestern University recently awarded one of its highest honors, the Southwestern University Medal, to two of its outstanding supporters – The Association President Joe Seeber ’63 and University Historian William B. Jones. The medals recognize outstanding contributions to the University for either service or philanthropy. The medals were presented Nov. 3 at a ceremony held during Homecoming and Reunion weekend. Click here to read more.

Merrill Peace and Justice Endowed Scholarship Announced
The family and friends of J. Charles “Chuck” Merrill ’59 invite contributions to a scholarship being established in his name. The scholarship will be a permanent source of support and encouragement to young people and will be a lasting memorial to Chuck’s commitment to peace and justice. Scholarships will be awarded to students who meet Southwestern University’s requirement for financial aid and who have completed at least two years of full time enrollment, are pre-ministerial students and/or have demonstrated interest in activities or occupations which promote peace and justice locally, nationally or globally. Gifts should be payable to “Southwestern University” and may be sent to: Merrill Scholarship, Southwestern University, P.O. Box 770, Georgetown, TX 78627. Gifts are tax-deductible.

Southwestern University is a Reflection of YOU – Give Today!
Southwestern University is held in high esteem throughout Texas and its notoriety is growing across the country. This is because YOU reflect the image of the University in your professional, community and personal life. Through the accomplishments of its alumni the word is spreading that Southwestern University is engaging minds and transforming lives.

Will you please invest in the future of Southwestern University by making a gift to The Southwestern Fund (formerly the Annual Fund) before Dec. 31, 2007? Your gift to The Southwestern Fund supports the University's fundamental activities, enhancing our ability to offer additional scholarships to deserving students, supporting faculty in their research and other creative productions, improving the library’s holdings and resources, and expanding the use of technology in classrooms and laboratories. If you wish to designate your annual gift to a specific program on campus, simply indicate your intentions on your check.

You can give online or send your gift to Southwestern University Development Office, P.O. Box 770, Georgetown, Texas 78627-0770. If you have already made your gift this year, please accept our appreciation for your support.

Colorado Association to Organize
Southwestern alumni in Colorado are very interested in organizing a local association. An Organizational Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 29 at 11 a.m., at the Washington Park Grille, Sun Room (1096 South Gaylord Street, Denver). Please note: This is a Dutch-treat lunch. Click here to view the menu online. At this meeting several topics will be on the agenda, including:

Getting acquainted with one another.
An overview of The Association of Southwestern University Alumni local association program.
A official title for the local association.
Officer elections for the five positions available. (See brief descriptions below. Please note that each position is for a two-year term.)
Brainstorming of program/event ideas.

Elected officers will then be invited to attend Volunteer Leadership Weekend, scheduled for Jan. 18-19, 2008, at Southwestern University. This is a great opportunity for officers to network with other alumni, learn from other local association officers and receive formal training. If you plan to attend this Organizational Meeting, please contact Arthur and Joan Schelling Few, both ’62, at few@rice.edu or 303-442-3373. If you cannot attend this meeting but are interested in participating in future events, please contact the Fews. For additional information, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 800-960-6363.

Local Association Happenings
Check out what local associations are doing across the country! Many local association officers are planning events for 2008. If you have any recommendations for events in your area, contact Megan Radison, associate director of alumni and parent relations, at 800-960-6363.

The Bay Area Association Plans for Area Road Scholar Program - Spring 2008
The Big Apple Association Organizes Happy Hour - Jan. 15, 2008
The Colorado Association Seeks Leadership
The Dallas Association Prepares for 2008
The Fort Worth Area Association Prepares for 2008
The Greater Austin Association Coordinates Road Scholar Presentation with Eric Selbin - Feb. 26, 2008
The Greater Georgetown Association Organizes Activities for 2008
The Houston Association Invites Alumni to Road Scholar Presentation by Jim Hunt - Feb. 12, 2008
The Los Angeles Area Association Plans to Host Local Events - Look for an update and Web address in 2008!
The Metropolitan Phoenix Association Seeks Officers
The San Antonio Area Association Plans for Road Scholars Presentation by Romi Burks - Jan. 27, 2008
The Washington, D.C. Association Creates 2008 Schedule

2008 Class Reunions Are Planning Celebrations!
If you’re looking for an excuse to gather friends and classmates, Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2008 (Nov. 7-9) is the perfect time and Southwestern University is the perfect place! Members from the classes below have expressed interest in holding a reunion, but the success of a reunion depends on the volunteers who help plan it. VOLUNTEER today!

1948: 60th Reunion          1958: 50th Reunion
1963: 45th Reunion          1968: 40th Reunion
1973: 35th Reunion          1978: 30th Reunion
1983: 25th Reunion          1988: 20th Reunion
1993: 15th Reunion          1998: 10th Reunion
2003: 5th Reunion

Class reunion planning committees can plan a variety of activities, from planning a party to participating in the Homecoming Parade to coordinating a "Classes Without Quizzes" session to organizing informal activities...all of which equates fun! If you want to help make this happen for your class, 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. The workshop will bring together reunion planning committees to brainstorm ideas and make some important decisions as well as learn about tools and resources available to you for planning.

“HEDS Up,” Classes of 1997 and 2002!
From Feb. 1 to Feb. 28, members of the Classes of 1997 and 2002 will have the opportunity to participate in a national survey prepared and tabulated by the Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Consortium. This online survey asks about your college experience and how it has prepared you for your life and work. All responses are kept strictly confidential. No individually identifiable information from this research is released to other parties, on or off campus. Southwestern uses the aggregated survey results in a variety of ways, including discerning areas and methods for institutional improvement and prompting discussion on the quality of preparation that the University provides to students for graduate studies, professional pursuits, volunteer services and civic involvement. Watch Feb. 1 for an e-mail with details about how to participate. For more information, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 800-960-6363.

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? Carol Pirrung Simpson ’71 is in her final year of law school at Southern Methodist University after taking semi-retirement from her faculty position at the University of North Texas. She and her son will graduate from law school at the same time. 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:
Fleming Lecture in Religion and Willson Lecture Announced
The 2008 Fleming Lecture in Religion and the Willson Lecture will be a combined event featuring Cain Hope Felder, professor of New Testament language and literature at the School of Divinity at Howard University. The lecture will take place Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 4 p.m. in Lois Perkins Chapel. For questions, contact Aaron Rohre, acting director of religious life.

Felder is recognized as a leader in the academic study of the New Testament, with a specific focus on the African presence in the scripture. He taught at Princeton Theological Seminary and was the first national director of the United Methodist Black Caucus. He is also the founder and president of the Biblical Institute for Social Change (BISC), an organization dedicated to inform, inspire, affirm and transform the Christian community through scholarship and research. Felder is author and editor of several books including Troubling Biblical Waters: Race, Class and Family, The Original African Heritage Study Bible, Stony the Road We Trod and many more. He is also editor of The Journal of Religious Thought. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Howard University, a diploma in theology in New Testament and Greek from Oxford University, a master of divinity in theology degree from Union Theological Seminary, and a master and doctorate of philosophy degrees in biblical languages and literature from Columbia University.

Road Scholars Hit the Road
Several local associations are planning Road Scholars Presentations for Spring 2008. Make sure you do not miss the Southwestern University faculty member visiting your area! Scheduled events include:

The San Antonio Area Association (Jan. 27, 2008) - Romi Burks, assistant professor of biology, “The Wonders of Chocolate.”
The Houston Association (Feb. 12, 2008) - Jim Hunt, University provost, “Fulfilling an American Dream: The Quest for Educational Equality.”
The Greater Austin Association (Feb. 26, 2008) - Eric Selbin, professor of political science and University Scholar, topic TBA.
The Bay Area Association (Spring 2008) - Road Scholar TBD.

Chautauqua Institution 2008 Summer Program and Group Rates
If you are looking for an enriching, relaxing experience for you and your family this summer, the Chautauqua Institution is offering special, all-inclusive group rates for Southwestern University alumni. The Chautauqua Institution is a not-for-profit organization that offers programs and facilities for spiritual renewal, intellectual stimulation and art appreciation. Among its amenities are accommodations at the Anthanaeum Hotel, performance venues, golf, tennis, and educational and recreational facilities. For more information about the Chautauqua Institution and details about the 2008 program, visit http://www.ciweb.org/.

CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS:
The Southwestern University Bookstore Launches New Web Site
Looking to purchase Southwestern gear but can't get to campus? Now you can order Southwestern gear and apparel online! Check out the new Southwestern University Bookstore Web site.

Southwestern Professor Performs at Carnegie Hall
Pianist Kiyoshi Tamagawa, professor and chair of the Music Department at Southwestern University, performed in a chamber music concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City Dec. 8. The concert was held in Weill Concert Hall in the Carnegie Hall complex. It included works by Debussy, D’Indy, Previn and Schubert. The concert is being partly underwritten by a Cullen Faculty Development Grant from Southwestern. Click here to learn more.

Professor Wins Teaching Award
Jacqueline Muir-Broaddus, professor of psychology and education, has been selected to receive the 2007 Exemplary Teaching Award from the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church. Each year the Board allows the University to designate one teacher to receive this award. Criteria for receiving the award includes excellence in teaching; civility and concern for students and colleagues; commitment to value-centered education; and service to students, the institution and the community. Muir-Broaddus has taught psychology and education at Southwestern since 1990. She currently serves as chair of the Psychology Department and chair of the Division of Social Sciences.

Faculty Members Receive Awards for Research and Professional Development
Seven faculty members have been named 2007 recipients of awards from the Sam Taylor Fellowship Fund. The fund provides monetary awards for the continuing education and development of full-time faculty members of United Methodist colleges and universities in Texas. Recipients include:

Romi Burks, assistant professor of biology.
Daniel Castro, professor of history.
Maria Cuevas, assistant professor of biology.
Lisa Moses Leff, associate professor of history.
Maria Lowe, associate professor of sociology.
Tim O’Neill, professor of political science.
Eileen Meyer Russell, associate professor of music.

Click here to read more about the recipients and their projects.

Class Uses Chocolate to Help Students Learn About Topics from Advertising to Evolution
College credit for tasting chocolate? It almost seems too good to be true. But listen to Romi Burks talk about the course she has created, and you will realize that she is quite serious. Burks, assistant professor of biology, has developed a course that uses chocolate as a model to help students learn about everything from different cultures to marketing and fair trade. Click here to learn more. Do you live in San Antonio? If so, you can attend a special presentation by Romi Burks in January hosted by The San Antonio Area Association!

Southwestern Participates in New Georgetown-Based Biotechnology Center
Southwestern University is among the founding partners of a new Georgetown-based biotechnology center that has the potential to revolutionize healthcare in the United States. The new center is called the Texas Life Sciences Commercialization Center (TLCC). Its purpose is to help companies that have commercially viable biotechnology products take them to the next step. Click here to learn more.

Pirate Athletics Update
Have you checked out the Pirate Athletics Web site lately? If not, visit www.southwesternpirates.com for the latest news.

Men’s Basketball: The men’s basketball team fell to a 3-3 record on the season after a tough 71-57 loss at the University of Dallas.

Women’s Basketball: The women’s basketball team won 79-65 on the road against the University of Dallas. The team begins their season with a 5-2 record.

Men’s Soccer: The men’s soccer team announced the winners of its five annual awards presented after every season at the Men's Soccer Banquet. Recipients include Alex Keller ’11, David Lozano ’10, Josh Spencer ’10, Kyle Strine ’08 and Daniel Webb ’08.

Women’s Soccer: Southwestern University had six players, tied for the most by any team, named to the 2007 women's soccer All-SCAC Team. They include Laura Kromann ’10, Eryn Snyder ’09, A.J. Andreola ’10, Amy Douglas ’11, Amanda Gunzelman ’08 and Danielle Madison ’11.

Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving: Southwestern swimmers finished a very good weekend in Oxford, Ohio, as they went up against a number of NCAA Division I, II and III programs during a meet at Miami University.

Women’s Volleyball: Marie Bruce ’08 and Samantha Lingamfelter ’10 were both named to the 2007 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Honorable Mention All-America Team.