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fall 2006
Io TrIumphe!The magazIne for alumnI and frIends of albIon College
Vol
. L
XX
I,
No.
2
OpeningNew Vistas
Albion’s redesignedscience facilities
encourage innovation
Environmental Champions 18 Tony Taffs’ Music Lives on in Cyberspace 22 Homecoming Reunions Set Records 60
Make a difference now in the life of an Albion student!
Your gift of $1,835 to the Peter T. Mitchell Scholarship Fund will provide assistance to a worthy student and honor President Mitchell’s legacy at the same time.
The Peter T. Mitchell Scholarship is named in honor of Albion College’s 14th president. This annual scholarship fund, created after President Mitchell’s announce‑ment of his plan to retire June 30, 2007, pays tribute to his deep and abiding com‑mitment to students.
The scholarship fund has been established in conjunction with the Baird Challenge and the College’s 1835 Society. Richard L. Baird, ’78, chairman of the Albion College Board of Trustees, has generously provided a $1,000,000 challenge gift to stimulate membership in the 1835 Society, a giv‑ing club that recognizes Albion College’s founding year and encourages contributions of $1,835 for annual scholarship support. Your gift will help us meet the terms of the Baird Challenge. Mitchell Scholarships in the amount of $1,835 annually will first be awarded for the 2007‑08 school year.
To learn more about giving to the Mitchell Scholarship Fund, please call the Office of Institutional Advancement at 517/629‑0446.
The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Albion Collegefall 2006
Io TrIumphe!8Brilliant!The sciences sparkle in our new facilities.
18Environmental ChampionsMeet four students who ‘walk the walk’ on protecting the environment and teach others to do the same.
22‘Piping down the Valleys Wild’Tony Taffs’ rich musical legacy is now preserved . . . in cyberspace.
3 Briton Bits
24 Albionotes
60 Alumni Association News
65 Li’l Brits
18
8 22
Features
Departments
Wildflowers and tall grasses add to the science complex’s new “green building” features.
Susan Sadler is a partner in the law firm of Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, and Sadler, PLC, in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She is currently a member of Albion College’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Albion College Giving Societies
OFFICe OF INSTITuTIONAL AdvANCeMeNT611 e. PORTeR ST.ALBION, MI 49224517/629‑[email protected]/alumnigiving.asp
The Lux Fiat Society ($50,000 and above)The Io Triumphe! Society ($25,000-$49,999)The Trustees’ Circle ($10,000-$24,999)The President’s Associates ($5,000-$9,999)The Purple & Gold Society ($2,500-$4,999)The 1835 Society ($1,835)The Briton Round Table ($1,000-$2,499)The Crest Club ($500-$999)The Shield Club ($100-$499)The Stockwell Society (Deferred gifts)
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Cover photo: Justin Maconochie
Make your gift online at:www.albion.edu/alumni/makinggift.asp
Albion College has named a health policy expert and a strategic manage‑ment specialist as the respective direc‑tors of the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service and the Carl A. Gerstacker Liberal Arts
Institute for Professional Management. Alfred Pheley comes to the Ford Institute after serving as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine in Washington, d.C. He has spent most of his career working to improve health care quality, serving previously as a professor and chair of the Community and Rural Medicine department at the virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine at virginia Tech and as head of the preven‑
New Directors Settle in at Ford, Gerstacker Institutes
Br !ton B!tsTHe LATeST newS AROunD CAMPuS
The campus community has paid tribute to philosophy professor ned Garvin in many ways since he passed away last June. The Rock even received this special paint job celebrating Garvin’s love of Harley Davidson motorcycles and fly-fishing. Also inscribed was a quote from Garvin’s departmental colleague Gene Cline at a ceremony held on campus earlier this fall. Garvin reminded us, Cline said, that “we don’t stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing.” For more remembrances of ned Garvin, please go to page 59.
the Rock
tive medicine and public health program at Ohio university College of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned a Ph.d. in epidemiol‑ogy at the university of Minnesota. Pheley said he plans to further develop the Ford Institute’s international, federal, and state relationships, and to focus on President Ford’s leadership legacy. He suc‑ceeds Thomas Padgett, ’65, who retired after four years as director. Michael Frandsen, the Gerstacker Institute’s new director, joined Albion’s department of economics and Management faculty in 2004 and will continue to teach one to two courses each year. He previously taught at Juniata College for five years and worked in corporate finance for more than 10 years. He holds a Ph.d. in management
The opportunities for learning at Albion extend far beyond the campus. Consider these observations from Katherine dixon, ’06, as she was about to graduate last spring:
My time at Albion College has been filled with amazing experiences that I never imagined possible when I entered as a freshman. Since I have been at Albion, I have done research at Yale University, studied in France, competed on the equestrian team, and led my peers as the president of Alpha Phi Omega service fra-ternity. I have met and learned from a broad array of people, including professors and lead-ers in the Albion community. The knowledge I have gained inside and out of the classroom has been priceless, and has helped shape me into the person I am. It has been a privilege to attend Albion College. . . .
Though they attended Albion more than 40 years apart, Katherine dixon and Rick Smith have much in common. They made the most of their Albion experience, and they treasure the opportunities they had here. Smith closed his remarks with this thought: “I learned at Albion . . . that life should be lived at the highest level of joy possible.” And he wished the same for today’s students. So take a few moments today and think about the discoveries and the passions that have grown from your own Albion experi‑ence. As with Katherine and Rick, we hope those reflections leave you with a sense of joy and amazement too.
Magazine Staff
Editor: Sarah Briggs
Contributing Writers: Morris Arvoy, ’90, Jake Weber, Bobby Lee
Class Notes Writers: Nikole Lee, Luann Shepherd
Design: Susan Carol Rowe
Web Manager: Nicole Rhoads
Io Triumphe! is published three times annually by the Office of Communications, Albion College, 611 e. Porter St., Albion, MI 49224. It is distrib‑uted free to alumni and friends of the College.
POSTMASTeR: Send address changes to Office of Communications, Albion College, 611 e. Porter St., Albion, MI 49224.
World Wide Web: www.albion.edu
Albion College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non‑discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability, as protected by law, in all educational programs and activities, admission of students, and conditions of employment.
About Our Name
The unusual name for this publication comes from a yell written by members of the Class of 1900. The beginning words of the yell, “Io Triumphe!,” were probably borrowed from the poems of the Roman writer, Horace. Some phrases were taken from other college yells and others from a Greek play presented on campus during the period.
In 1936, the alumni of Albion College voted to name their magazine after the yell which by then had become a College tradition. For years, Albion’s incoming students have learned these lines by heart:
In accepting his distinguished Alumni Award at this year’s Homecoming, Rick Smith, ’60, remarked, “My four years at Albion College ignited in me a lifelong intellectual curiosity.” That curiosity, he said, prompted him to look beneath the sur‑face of things and to seek new and different avenues for learning. And it would propel him from his first job as a middle‑school language arts teacher to top leadership roles within the National Park Service and as an environmental advocate throughout Latin America. Providing an environment in which students can explore and imagine is what Albion College does best. While some may think that the small college setting is limit‑ing, we at Albion contend that it is liberat‑ing. Because of the exceptional mentoring offered by our faculty, and because of the remarkable opportunities available here, our students truly do learn to think creatively, to make discoveries, to identify ways they can improve the human condition. These are the lessons that stay with them throughout their lives. Our newly renovated and expanded sci‑ence complex, the subject of our cover story in this edition, is emblematic of the spirit of inquiry that pervades an Albion educa‑tion. In its design, it encourages exchanges across disciplines, supports the pursuit of new knowledge, and expands our under‑standing of the interaction of humans and their environment. We are excited by the potential it offers for our entire community to talk about scientific ideas and how those relate to our daily lives.
P e r s P e c t ! v e s
Io TrIumphe!
The Albion Experience: ‘Priceless’
Io Triumphe! Io Triumphe!
Haben swaben rebecca le animor
Whoop te whoop te sheller de‑vere
de‑boom de ral de‑i de‑pa—
Hooneka henaka whack a whack
A‑hob dob balde bora bolde bara
Con slomade hob dob rah!
Al‑bi‑on Rah!st
aff n
ews
from the university of Texas, Austin and an M.B.A. from Pennsylvania State university. Frandsen said he intends to strengthen the connection between the Gerstacker Institute’s internship program and its aca‑demic offerings. He follows W.C. “Butch” dyer who left the College to return to private industry.
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Pheley Frandsen
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understand the distances between the stars and their relative positions in space. Zellner plans to use the stellarium in her astronomy courses, as well as with visiting school groups.
fare finds
south-of-the-Border Flair
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If they’ve cooked churrascos (steak marinated with whole scallions) that day, and you are early enough to get some, there’s no need to read the menu at Jackson’s el Ranchito Restaurant and Grocery. Otherwise, it can be tough to choose one of the traditional Guatemalan and Mexican dishes cooked steps from your table, usually by owner Mariano Caal (the surname’s Mayan). For $2.50 you get chips and three of five homemade dipping sauces ranging from nuclear to cool-and-creamy. Student-friendly prices and their catering for Albion’s Organization for Latino/a Awareness also make el Ranchito a campus cult favorite. 1103 e. Ganson St., Jackson, 517/841-4377.
Kids ’N’ Stuff museum, and continues to chair its board. The interactive children’s museum in downtown Albion has attracted over 90,000 visitors since it opened in September 2002. Together with her board and staff, Mitchell has raised $1.3‑million for the museum, which doubled in size in 2005. In addition, she served for four years as a member of the Albion Public Schools Board of education, and created the Albion Community Foundation’s Art in the Public Places project. Also honored at the Opening Convo‑cation were the recipients of endowed professorships, including: Geoffrey Cocks, Julian S. Rammelkamp Professor of History; Andrew Grossman, Royal G. Hall Professor of Social Sciences; dale Kennedy, A. Merton Chickering Professor of Biology; and Selva Raj, Stanley S. Kresge Professor of Religious Studies.
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A Message from President Mitchell
This summer, I announced my decision to retire as Albion College’s presi‑dent, effective June 30, 2007. When I accepted the presidency, I promised the Board of Trustees that I would serve for 10 years, and I will honor that promise with joy and thanksgiving. I will con‑
tinue as chancellor for Albion through June 2009 in order to ensure a smooth transition for my successor. A search for Albion’s next president has begun and should be completed by early 2007. What a wonderful ride this has been! I thank our faculty for what they have accomplished, and even more for what they mean in the lives of our students and in my life. With creativity and commitment, they crafted and implemented a remarkable vision for Albion’s future, which has enriched and energized our academic programs. Albion’s staff has been incredibly supportive as well, consistently showing a deep and abiding affection for students and a dedication to the highest professional standards. I will cherish the friendships we have developed. This fac‑ulty and staff have made it a joy to come to work every day. We’ve shared many times of laughter, and we’ve shared some sorrow and difficult decisions, but always there has been an ethos of compassion and genuine caring. I also wish to thank you, our alumni, parents, and friends, for all the ways you have helped make my presidency a success. You believed in our vision and have gener‑ously supported our $140‑million LIBERAL ARTS AT WORK capital campaign through
your gifts; the campaign will end successfully later this year. The impact of your giving is evident all around us, as the campus community lives, works, and plays in such marvelous new facilities as the William C. Ferguson Student, Technology, and Administrative Services Building; the Mae Harrison Karro Residential village; the Paul W. ungrodt Tennis Center; and the Nancy G. Held equestrian Center. And, thanks to you, our science facilities have been vastly improved with the addition of Bruce A. Kresge Hall and the renovation of Palenske and Putnam halls and Norris Center. I am grateful for all we have accom‑plished together. As confident as I am about the future of Albion College and as much as I enjoy work‑ing with all of you, I love my family and I adore my wife even more. For 23 years and three presidencies, Becky and I have lived a 24/7/365 immersion in campus life. Now it’s time to do the things Becky and I have talked about and dreamed about. With the more relaxed pace of the chancellorship, I will also spend time renewing and revitalizing the spiritual dimension of my life as I try to discern with Becky what God is calling us
to do with the time remaining to us (and we hope that is a good many years yet!). In the coming year, I will be keeping the same energetic pace, including traveling one last time to meet with alumni in locations across the country. The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations has prepared a schedule for these events, which appears on page 61. I look forward to visiting with as many of you as I can and sharing with you my pride in Albion’s past and present and my optimism for its future. And I will ask you to give my successor your wholehearted support, just as you have given it to me. Thank you for all you have come to mean to Becky and me, and especially for all you do for our fabulous students. God bless you.
Sincerely,Peter T. Mitchell, ’67e‑mail: [email protected]
President Peter Mitchell delivered the Stoffer Lecture at Albion’s 2006 Opening Convocation. In addressing the crowd of more than 1,200 students, faculty, alumni, and community residents gathered in Goodrich Chapel, Mitchell drew from his personal experiences and a life spent in higher education. For the complete text of the speech, go to: www.albion.edu/ac_news/releases2006-07/stoffer2006mitchellspeech.asp .
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Presidential Search LaunchedWith the announcement of President Mitchell’s retirement, a search has begun for Albion’s next president. Nominations are welcome. For more information on the search, including a candidate profile and details on the process, go to: www.albion.edu/presidentialsearch/ .
Becky Mitchell Honored for Community Role
Albion first lady Becky Mitchell, shown with President Peter Mitchell, ’67, was awarded an honorary doctorate at the 2006 Opening Convocation. Over the past decade, she has been a strong advocate for expanded educational opportunities for Albion’s children.
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At this fall’s Opening Convocation, Albion first lady Becky Mitchell received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, in recognition of her efforts to advance education and the
arts in south‑central Michigan. A former early childhood educator and administrator, Mitchell has had significant involvement in educational issues in Albion over the past decade. She founded Albion’s
Stellar ViewsBy Jake Weber
It’s not quite C.S. Lewis’ magic ward‑robe, but a little room in Albion’s sci‑ence complex does open into a whole new world. This summer, the Physics department installed a stellarium, a three‑dimensional model of the 253 stars in our nearby space “neighbor‑hood,” which is an intimate 28.7
light years across. “Our galaxy is 100 light years across, and contains around 200 billion stars,” says Nicolle Zellner, a lunar researcher and physics professor at Albion. “This stellarium represents just a tiny part of it.” The stellarium, a glass cube approxi‑mately three feet on a side, depicts familiar stars such as Alpha Centauri, vega, Sirius, and the sun, and helps students better
A young visitor admires Albion’s new stellarium, a 3-D map of our local universe.
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President Peter Mitchell, ’67, (center) visits with Richard and Marilyn Young Vitek, both ’56, at Homecoming 2006.
‘Maymester’ PlannedWorking with teachers from the Albion Public Schools, Albion College’s education department has developed an innovative new field experience course for juniors who will engage in student teaching during the next academic year. dubbed “Maymester,”
the course will begin with a weekly seminar during the spring semester and then continue in an intensive three‑week session in May. It will involve the students in observing and teaching in area classrooms. The program also fulfills a need for the students to work with children from diverse backgrounds. Last June, Albion faculty and students, along with 19 local teachers and two commu‑nity representatives, met to map out the pro‑gram which begins in 2007. “Collaborating with school teachers, administrators, commu‑nity members, and college faculty from across disciplines, as we have in developing the Maymester, represents the cutting edge of best practices in teacher education,” notes Suellyn Henke, education department chair.
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Fall 2006 | 7
B r ! t o n B ! t s
G o B r ! t s !
short takes two Minutes with . . . Medievalist Andy Bethune By Morris Arvoy
Io Triumphe!: Which “home” do you identify with most these days—the city where you grew up in Canada or the city of Albion? Bethune: Hmm. I would have to say both. Quite a few years ago in class I was saying something about the united States, and this student put his hand up and said, “when are you going to deal with this? You may not be a citizen, but you live in America, you teach American students, you’re paid in American dollars, so you’ve got to deal with it: You’re one of us.” now I realize I have become quite assimilated over the years.
Along with your talents as a scholar of medieval British literature, you imported some hockey skills as well.I took over as the faculty adviser to the College’s hockey club a few years ago, and I played with the team. we’re an affiliate team in the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference now, and I’m general manager and faculty adviser, but I can no longer play. That’s good, because full-contact hockey with guys half my age was getting a little bit dicey. But I’m still on the ice at most of the practices.
When did you first play? I started playing hockey in leagues when I was 5. I was never really good at it, but I was always enthusiastic. I think I realized by the time I was 6 that I wasn’t going to be in the nHL.
You’ve taught in the U.S. and Canada—compare the students.Albion students are socially much more conser-vative. And I would say at times Albion students seem to have a better sense of where they are headed, with a more narrowly prescribed
I would go into the swamp and interview women at their bomas [homes] and men out in the field cultivating, then come back to the camp for data analysis. “The research is still going on so there are no major conclusions at this point,” Howe added. “However, I learned so much from the experience. I have always been concerned about conservation, but now more than ever I realize how important it is.” Interviewing tribe members was not the only human connection Howe made on her trip to Kenya. She describes her visits to the Loitokitok Children’s Orphanage, mainly serving children who have lost parents to AIdS, as “a very humbling experience.” Howe must soon decide how to attain her career goal of working at a zoo, specifically as a large animal or primate specialist. She is weighing the options of pursuing graduate work in wildlife management or making the jump to the workforce in hopes of spreading the word about conservation.
Zoos are vital in teaching people about endangered species, Howe said. “If the infor‑mation [about conservation] does not get out, it will be tough for some species [to survive].”
Alyson Howe is a three-time All-MIAA per-former on the cross country trail and the school record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She has also been listed on the MIAA’s Academic Honor Roll for the past three years.
Briton sports on the WebDid you know that you can find all of the following on the Albion College sports web site?
• Sports news and results
• Schedules and rosters
The “A-Club newsletter” also
provides season updates for
Briton sports fans. To get
your copy, send an e-mail
to: [email protected] or call
517/629-0900.
• Sportsnet broadcast schedules
• Sports archives
Follow the Britons at: www.albion.edu/sports/.
It’s the next best thing to being here!
range of goals for themselves, which means you are often put in a situation in which you have to explain to them why you are teaching them something.
When you were growing up, were you inter-ested in the medieval period?I was obsessed with Vikings. In grade five I read a series of Viking novels for children by British author Henry Treece: Viking’s Dawn, The Road to Miklagard, and Viking’s Sunset, and I went out dressed as a Viking for Halloween for several years. I thought castles were really cool, with knights and dragons and all that. There was an early interest in medieval studies that I returned to eventually.
Pitting Beowulf’s bad boy against arguably hockey’s greatest, who wins—Grendel or Gretzky?I’m thinking Gretzky’s going to win out. One of the things Gretzky had was this ability to put the puck where he knew his teammates were going to go. At times it seemed like he wasn’t even looking where he knew his teammates were going to go. I think that would be an advantage in the monster fight.
Finally, will we ever call Andy Bethune an “American citizen”? Presumably at some point down the road, because I can keep my Canadian citizenship. So I would be gaining much and not losing anything.
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When he’s not in the classroom teaching Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, you will likely find Andy Bethune out on the ice taking a few slap shots with Albion’s hockey club. Bethune revels in poring over medieval manuscripts (for his dissertation he worked with original documents dating back to 1250) . . . and in watching his beloved Montreal Canadiens.
Kenyan ConnectionsBy Bobby LeeSports Information Director
On a drive through Kenya last summer, senior Alyson Howe witnessed a sight she pre‑viously had seen only in pictures—a pride of lions at rest in the grass. She and her traveling companions were awestruck and simply sat and watched the animals for the next hour. A biology major, Howe traveled to Kenya to conduct research on land use changes in an area between Amboseli and Tsavo West National Parks. She was part of a Boston university program led by Kenyan biolo‑gists. Howe’s own work focused on changes throughout the Kimana Swamp and involved interviewing residents to determine the resources they take from the swamp and their attitudes toward the swamp and its shrink‑ing size. She also observed wildlife using the swamp and took GPS coordinates so the swamp could be mapped. The researchers spent considerable time among the Maasai, who are struggling with a dwindling water supply after diverting the swamp to support their agricultural efforts. With the assistance of a translator, Howe talked to tribe members about the impor‑tance of sharing the swamp with wildlife. “Some days we went on game drives and observed and learned about wildlife, and other days we went into the town and talked to the people and played with the children,” Howe said. “during my research period
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While in Kenya last summer, senior Alyson Howe often played with the children in the village near her research site. She participated in a study on land use changes.
At the 2006 MIAA track and field meet, Howe finished second in the 10,000-meter run. She was also the leading runner for the Briton women’s cross country team this fall.
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Fall 2006 | �Fall 2006 | �
Sciences sparkle in new facilities
Albion’s facilities for science teaching and research have been utterly transformed with the
completion this fall of a $41.6-million renovation and expansion project. Now home to all five
of the College’s science departments, the complex at the corner of Michigan Avenue and
Hannah Street has been redesigned with the needs of the 21st century in mind. Its seamless
floor plan encourages collaboration and innovation across departmental lines, and, in its con-
struction and operation, it serves as a model for environmental sustainability. Pictured here is
the atrium, the complex’s stunning new centerpiece that doubles as a lounge and as a venue
the entire campus can use for special events. On the following pages, you will learn much
more about these new facilities that are not only functional but beautiful.
The original buildings in Albion’s science complex—Palenske and Putnam Halls,
and Norris Center—were constructed in 1969. All were totally renovated over the
past two years, and Kresge Hall, a four-story laboratory building, was added to the
complex, making it possible for the Biology Department to join the Departments of
Chemistry, Geological Sciences, Physics, and Mathematics/Computer Science that
were already housed there. The buildings include dedicated space for student and
faculty research, as well as newly designed classrooms and teaching labs. With all
five science departments in one location, it will be easier than ever before to
pursue interdisciplinary teaching and research.
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Bruce A. Kresge Hall, made possible with funding from The Kresge Foundation and Bruce and Peggy Sale Kresge, both ’53, has become the new center for the life sciences on campus.
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Biochemist Chris Rohlman designed this space to integrate classroom and laboratory areas. Rohlman and the students in the advanced biochemistry lab course (pictured) can immedi-ately discuss results from experiments as a research team. In addition, the students can give presentations of their work as a regular part of the course.
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Marine biologist Jeffrey Carrier’s lab is outfitted with five tanks that currently house sharks ranging up to 4-ft. long. Carrier and his students are currently involved in a joint research program with the University of Michigan’s Department of Biomedical Engineering examining shark sensory systems, and most of the program’s lab work is conducted at Albion.
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The John S. Ludington, ’51, Greenhouse, adjacent to Kresge Hall, features tropical, temperate, and arid sections, as well as an in-ground planting area. Botanist Dan Skean uses the greenhouse in all of his courses, including a lab-based first-year seminar on “Plants and Human Affairs.” Run-off from the roof is captured for the greenhouse’s watering system.
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Science facilities that were once dark and austere have been brightened with larger
exterior windows, interior glass walls, and a vivid color scheme. And the physical bar-
riers that once existed between the buildings have been eliminated with the addition
of connectors that link them on all floors. The result is a complex that is much more
welcoming to students and visitors alike.
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Palenske Hall (pictured with the adjoining atrium) includes the Baird Astronomy Observation Deck, with its dome housing the College’s 14-foot Celestron telescope and many other instruments for viewing celestial objects.
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This introductory physics lab is fully equipped for real-time data capture during experiments, enabling students to take high-quality data using computerized measurement and instrumenta-tion systems. In this way, says physics professor Aaron Miller, ’95, the students mirror what professional researchers do.
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Science teaching today emphasizes discovery-based lab work. Using this stream table, geology students can experiment with flowing water and sediment, and thus learn how riverbeds develop under varying conditions.
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Lounges like this one are located throughout the complex.
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The varied exhibits in the Peter T. and Rebecca P. Mitchell Museum greet visitors as they enter the complex. Interactive displays are also featured in the atrium.
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New infrastructure throughout the science buildings supports today’s sophisticated
instruments, while demonstrating environmental sustainability. An emphasis on
“green building” design led to the use of recycled construction materials wherever
possible; low-emission paint, sealants, and carpet to improve indoor air quality; and
extensive water- and energy-conservation systems. Solar electrical panels, a wind
turbine, and solar water heating have also been installed to illustrate the potential
of alternative energy sources. The College has applied for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council; if
granted, the science complex would be one of only three LEED-certified science
facilities at a college or university in Michigan.
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The open floor plan and state-of-the-art equipment in the research spaces in Kresge Hall support student-faculty collaboration. This chemistry lab includes areas both for side-by-side projects “at the bench” and for discussion, study, and computer analysis of data. The Chemistry Department offices and classrooms have been named in honor of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation in recognition of the foundation’s leadership gift to the science complex renovation and expansion project.
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A grant from the Towsley Foundation led to the renaming of the auditorium in Norris Center in honor of Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley. The auditorium received a complete facelift, including new seating, during the renovation.
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Two computer classrooms are now available in the complex for mathematics and computer science courses, in addition to a dedicated research lab for majors. The Clark Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lab with 13 work stations is included in the Geological Sciences Department facilities. All teaching spaces have an array of instructional technology available, and the entire complex has wireless networking.
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Science Complex Quick Facts Funding:Over 1,430 donors contributed to the $41.6-million science complex renova-tion and expansion project, including many trustees, alumni, parents, and friends.
Leadership Gifts from Foundations
• $5-million grant, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation• $1.5-million grant, The Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation• $500,000 grant in honor of John S. Ludington, ’51, The Charles J.
Strosacker Foundation • $500,000 grant, The Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation• $1.5-million challenge grant; $3-million special grant in honor of Bruce
Kresge, ’53; $150,000 bonus grant (to be awarded upon achieving LEED certification), The Kresge Foundation
In addition, equipment grants were received from the National Science Foundation, Beckman Coulter, Inc., and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
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Dedication Ceremony Celebrates Science’s Promise for 21st Century
Margaret “Ranny” Riecker, pictured with President Peter Mitchell, represented the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation during the dedication ceremony. The Dow Foundation provided a $5-million grant for the science complex improvements.
Biotechnologist John Vournakis, ’61, chaired the $41.6-million fund drive that made possible the recently completed science complex renovation and expansion.
To mark the dedication festivities, Jackie Bird Allen, ’71, (right) an edu-cation specialist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, coordinated the public display of a moon rock and Mars meteorite on campus. She discussed her work at NASA with Albion students and met with over 200 area schoolchildren, as well as dedication ceremony guests including Emily Crichton, ’06.
“Vision, passion, enlightenment, community—all are represented in these new science facilities,” noted Rich Baird, ’7�, chairman of Albion’s $140-million LIBERAL ARTS AT WORK campaign, during the Oct. 26 dedication ceremony for the redesigned science complex. Baird paid tribute to the many donors, faculty and staff, and others who had a hand in the renovation of Palenske Hall, Put-nam Hall, and Norris Center, as well as the construction of Kresge Hall, the Ludington Greenhouse, and a central atrium-lounge. The $41.6-million project, which began in April 2004 and was completed in June 2006, has provided the classroom and labora-tory space that supports new, interdisciplinary approaches to science teaching and research. The new facilities will enable Albion to prepare researchers with “the tools and the courage” to tackle the most difficult problems con-fronting us in science and medicine today, observed John Vournakis, ’61, chair of the science facilities fund drive. “Solutions to problems that human beings have not heretofore faced on such a global scale,”
he said, “will require people capable of understanding those problems and having the creativity to find ways to solve them.” Physics professor Nicolle Zellner, speaking on behalf of her faculty colleagues, noted the need for increased scientific literacy for all of our citizens. “Right now, at Albion,” she said, “we have the opportunity to make our students the innovators and the explorers—the policy-makers and the leaders—of the future.”
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Facilities:• Teaching laboratories and classrooms for the Departments of Biology,
Chemistry, Geological Sciences, Mathematics/Computer Science, and Physics
• Dedicated student and faculty research laboratories• New research instrumentation including: CEQ8000 genetic analyzer,
epifluorescence microscopes with digital cameras, atomic force micro-scope, ultralow freezer, solvent purification system, microwave reactor, hydrogenator, biochromatography system, ultracentrifuge, ASD visible and near-infrared spectroradiometer. These are in addition to the previously-installed equipment in the Dow Analytical Science Laboratory including nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry instruments.
LEED Certification:Albion College has applied for silver certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the U.S. Green Building Council.
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The electronic carillon in the William K. Stoffer Clock Tower is played daily during the noon hour. As part of the complex’s “green building” design, wildflowers and other native species in the landscaping encourage wildlife habitats and require less water.
environmental champions
catherine Game, ’08
Name an environmental activity at Albion these days, and chances are Catherine Game has had a hand in it. A year ago, the biology and art major founded Child‑Ready educational Activities Transforming the environment (CReATe), and she now has enlisted nearly 40 of her fellow students to join her in this environmental education program for area school‑children at the College’s Whitehouse Nature Center. each week, the students plan a hands‑on activity that also conveys a message about respecting the earth. “The college students learn a lot from doing this too,” she notes. A spin‑off from CReATe was a children’s eco‑discovery Camp that Game led last summer at the nature center. While providing lessons on renew‑able resources and recycling, the summer camp also allowed Game to test the effectiveness of various artistic and scientific methods in teaching about the environ‑ment. “Just to know that I made an impact was really rewarding. . . . I could see the immediate results. The bottom line is that these kids who went through the program learned some‑thing about environmen‑tal issues.” Game’s most notable accomplishment to date has been her leadership role in obtaining a $10,000 grant from the u.S. environmental Protection Agency to run an on‑cam‑pus program on energy consumption and conser‑vation. Albion was one of just two liberal arts colleges among 42 institutions selected for the national program. (See related story on page 21.) In looking to the future, Game says, “My dream job would be to form my own non‑profit doing environmental education.”
Meet four students who ‘walk the walk’ on
protecting the environment and teach others to do the same.
By sarah Briggs
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John cawood, ’08
Summers spent fishing on Glen Lake in northern Michigan inspired his desire to become an environ‑mental activist, John Cawood says. That activist bent in turn prompted him to become one of six students who lived in Albion’s environmental House during its first year of operation in 2005‑06. “It was exciting,” he says. “Being the first ones, we could set the tone for the classes that came after us.” In addition to contributing to com‑posting efforts at the house and doing campus‑wide presentations on recycling, Cawood led an “eat organic” campaign. He may be best known for the organic hummus he made and sold on campus last year as a way to raise money for environmental activities and show the benefits of organically grown foods. This past summer, as an intern at the
Michigan department of environmental Quality (deQ), Cawood worked on pro‑moting a new middle school environmental education curriculum the deQ has developed. “I really got to see the public policy side of environmental education,” he notes. This semester, the biology major has been busy installing the equipment that will be used in an educational program on energy consumption and conservation funded by a recent grant from the u.S. environmental Protection Agency. (See related story on page 21.) The idea is to show students the resources it takes to create the energy they use for daily liv‑ing. Cawood says he eventually would like to mesh his love for the outdoors with a career in sustainable develop‑ment or environmental consulting.
Why I choose to do this: “Our genera-tion is at the turning point right now—how much are we going to do to improve the environment around us? we have had some irreversible effects on the earth, but there are so many things that can still be fixed. It’s really up to us. we all have to realize that.”
the legacy I hope to leave at Albion: “every student who comes to Albion needs to understand the challenges that face us in the future. Through the projects I’m involved in, I hope to teach students to conserve, to leave a small ecological footprint.”
My favorite environmental book: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
the environmentalist I most admire: “Chigger” Stokes, a retired park ranger at Olympic national Park
Why I choose to do this: “The more I learn about environmental issues, the more intrigued I become; these issues cross over so many important aspects of life—politics, religion, foreign relations, communities. Having a strong base in envi-ronmental issues is valuable for anyone.”
the legacy I hope to leave at Albion: “Overall, I want to encourage the building of environmental awareness in Albion College students and in the Albion community. To be able to internalize the knowledge that will help improve our environment and apply it to one’s own field of study and lifestyle is key to progressing as a sustainable society. I hope my work helps provide a base from which future stu-dents may successfully advance Albion’s environmental goals.
My favorite environmental book:The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight: Waking Up to Personal and Global Transformation by Thom Hartmann
the environmentalist I most admire: Jane Goodall
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Austin Gee, ’07
At the end of a four‑week field studies program in Costa Rica this past July, the professor left Austin Gee and the other students with this question: “What are you going to do with what you have learned here?” Gee says he spent the entire plane ride home thinking about how he could best answer that challenge. The result is a series of Sustainability Talks he planned this semester on everything from composting to organic gardening to the possibility of substituting ethanol for petroleum fuels. His experience in Costa Rica taught him about sustainable communities in many ways, he says, not the least of which was living sustainably on a personal level. He learned to accept cold showers, hang clothes on a line to dry, collect rain water for gardening, and use organic pest controls. “It was really easy to live sustain‑ably if that was part of the culture and expectation,” he observes. The idea behind the Sustainability Talks is to bring the right people together—including stu‑dents, faculty, staff, and administrators—and start the conversation about what can be done now to introduce more sustainable practices. “The education piece is the first step,” Gee says. Teams assigned to each topic will then come up with an action plan for changing waste‑ful or harmful behaviors. He sees these small steps at Albion as part of a much larger long‑term effort. “Why aren’t we doing more here in the u.S.?,” he wonders. “I feel that we should be leading the world [in living sustainably].” A biology major, Gee plans to continue his environmental advocacy as a middle school or high school science teacher.
catherine Fontana, ’08
If you’ve watched the film, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, you’ve seen Catherine Fontana—she’s holding a banner protesting a Wal‑Mart plan to build on a wetlands site in Pinellas County, Fla. Fontana created the banner during a summer 2005 internship with the Sierra Club, which also engaged her in the organization’s Green Cities Campaign, spreading the word about environmental success stories and sustain‑ability practices in central Florida. This past summer, the english and biology major worked in the Pacific Northwest as one of 17 students selected nationwide for an environmental management fellowship through the u.S. environmental Protection Agency. Assigned to the Office of environmental Cleanup, Fontana assisted in inspections of public and private sites that maintained large volumes of hazardous chemicals, and she conducted research on recent accidental releases of
toxic material in the region. “It really made me look at businesses differently,” she says. “I now realize how important it is to be an outstanding corporate citizen, safeguarding not only the environment but also public health.” With support from Albion’s Student Senate, the Institute for the Study of the environment, and many other groups, Fontana was the prime mover behind last year’s Green day in the Kellogg Center, a program to encourage students to conserve energy, use renewable materials, and reduce waste. (See “Sustainable Living” story below.) After completing graduate study, she is planning a career in environmental consulting and city planning.
sustainable LivingAs Albion students, Lacey Doucet, ’05, and eric
Mackres, ’05, were looking for an environmental
research project that wasn’t going to wind up
filed away on a shelf. They hit upon the idea of
an environmental living-learning community, sold
the concept to the faculty and the administration,
and now students are actually living their vision in
the environmental House (e-House). Opened in fall
2005, the e-House is working to become a model
for sustainable practices on campus. In addition
to pursuing the recycling and energy conservation
measures you might expect in such a venture, the
residents conduct educational programs in the
residence halls and generally serve as environmen-
tal advocates around campus. This summer, they
environmental short stories
created a rain garden seeded with native perennial
plants and watered by runoff, in this case from the
e-House roof.
Students in the e-house enroll in a half-unit
seminar in which they read and reflect on ques-
tions such as: Just what is sustainability? How do
we measure it? How do we encourage others to
aspire to it? each cohort of students also adds to a
“house history,” in which their contributions to the
house are recorded.
Last December, the e-House residents, under
the leadership of Catherine Fontana, organized
Green Day for the campus community with financial
support from the Student Senate. Other student
organizations pitched in to staff display booths
where students could pick up energy-conserving
compact fluorescent light bulbs, sample organic
snacks, and learn about the benefits of all-natural
paints and cleaning supplies. Some 250 students
packed the Gerstacker Commons in the Kellogg
Center for the event. “The environment is some-
thing we all share,” Fontana says, “and something
we all have to be concerned about in one way or
another. That’s what Green Day was about.”
calories to KilowattsAlbion students have a new way to exercise and
learn about the environment at the same time. An
eight-student team, led by Catherine Game and
John Cawood, was awarded a $10,000 grant this
summer from the u.S. environmental Protection
Agency to design and install specially modified
bicycles and rowing machines that will convert
the exercisers’ expended calories into electrical
energy. The electrical power that’s generated will
be stored in batteries and used to operate small
appliances. The student participants will receive
“energy credits” they can use later to power a
cell-phone charger, lamp, or other electrical device.
“Our idea was to use this as an educational pro-
gram on campus to increase student awareness of
how much energy it takes to actually run everyday
appliances,” Game says. The exercise equipment
is located in wesley Hall, but the program is open
to the entire student body. In May 2007, the Albion
team will go to washington, D.C., to present the
results of their project with the 41 other institu-
tions—including the likes of MIT, Cal Poly, and
several Big Ten universities—that received grants
this year. Also involved in writing the grant proposal
were: Mike eggleston, Adam Hashimoto, will Lewis,
Kapil Mandrekar, Becky Meyerholt, Dylan Simons,
and faculty Doug white (biology), Tim Lincoln
(geological sciences), and adviser Cliff Harris
(chemistry).
To learn more about environmental programs
at Albion, visit the Institute for the Study of the
environment web site at: http://www.albion.
edu/environment/ .
Io Triumphe! wishes to acknowledge Jake Weber and Tinsley Hunsdorfer for their contributions to these stories.
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Why I choose to do this: “The scope of an environmentalist’s mission in today’s society encompasses more than just species conservation or land preserva-tion. environmentalism has evolved into a fight for the health of our families and the futures of our unborn children.”
the legacy I hope to leave at Albion: “I’d like to open people’s eyes to the interconnectivity of everything in our world. Our actions do influence the environment, and they influence other people. It’s a philosophy of ‘Be good to each other. Be good to the environment.’”
My favorite environmental book: Walden by Henry David Thoreau
the environmentalist I most admire: Rachel Carson
Why I choose to do this: “I want to change the mind-set. Taking care of the environment has nothing to do with politi-cal lines. This is an ethical issue.”
the legacy I hope to leave at Albion: “I hope I will have changed Albion for the better. I want to leave behind a larger awareness of what Albion could be and how it could lead in the region on this issue.”
My favorite environmental book: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
the environmentalist I most admire: Al Gore
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Ralph Houghton and Taffs were even‑tually introduced by Ralph’s wife, Betty, who worked at Albion Manor, a senior care facility where Taffs played the piano each week. Neither Houghton nor Jean Taffs remem‑bers who originally had the idea for the online catalog, or even when the work turned from possibility to project (the consensus is late 2002). They do, however, agree that Tony’s enthusiasm became the driving force. “He wanted his music available so people could play it,” says Houghton. The project began with the scanning of Taffs’ pub‑lished works, a task which eventually fell to Jean. “I learned from this project that I was married to a workaholic and a perfectionist,” says Jean, with a smile. Tony carefully reviewed each scan, never hesitating to ask Jean to redo anything that didn’t meet his stan‑dards. And despite having previously approved the works for publication, he used the opportunity to do some editing as well.
By Jake Weber
“He was very aware that he lived in an entirely different world from that of the World Wide Web,” says Jean Taffs of her late husband, professor emeritus of music Anthony Taffs. “When I had computer glitches, he would say with a certain amount of satisfaction, ‘I’m glad I don’t have those kinds of problems.’” Given his undisguised pride in his lack of cyber‑skills, it may come as a delightful surprise to many of Taffs’ friends that he spent the last part of his life engrossed in a project to make his entire musical catalog available on the Internet. Taffs’ Web site, http://people.albion.edu/ataffs/ , makes nearly all of his compositions (over 100) accessible to musicians world‑wide with just a few mouse clicks, and arguably makes Taffs the Albion College faculty member whose profes‑sional work is most widely available via the Internet. In typical Albion fashion, the unlikely pairing of the ink‑and‑vellum Taffs and cutting‑edge technol‑ogy included a web of connections. Taffs’ Web site developer, Albion College instructional technologist Ralph Houghton, moved to Albion in 1998 and had never met Taffs before becoming the second member of the Houghton family to serve as Taffs’ “technology expert.” Ralph’s uncle, George Houghton, ’53, was a student and then local radio dJ who worked with Taffs on audio recordings for many years. Taffs regularly hired George to record his practice sessions (so he could critique himself ) and performances. George even gave the downbeat, over a phone line, for the “dual world premiere” of Taffs’ “City of Gold” piano solo, during which Taffs played the piece for an Albion audience while his father simultaneously performed it for an audience in New York.
“Tony was fascinated by the computer images,” recalls Houghton. “He’d ask me to fix a note, and usually I could put the scan into PhotoShop and change it. He was just thrilled with that. [These are] handwritten scores, and he wouldn’t let us put anything
on the Web site that wasn’t just the way he thought it should be.” during the time that Taffs worked on the project, he approved more than 1,000 pages for Internet release, comprising dozens of art songs and choral works, piano and organ pieces, string solos and chamber works, and three operas. He was hard at work on a major revision of his fourth opera, “Lilith,” at the time of his passing in February 2005. “Tony was never happy with how ‘Lilith’ had turned out, and, when one of his former students asked him whether it would ever be available on the Web site, he decided to revise it,” Jean says. “He worked on it every day, and he used to say, ‘I hope I can finish this before I die.’ His loyalty to his students was almost as significant as it was to the College, and it was his student’s com‑ment that inspired him.”
The Taffs Web site is eventually expected to top 2,000 pages, but “Lilith” will not be among them. “I destroyed it,” says Jean of both the first version (which was performed at Albion College) and the unfinished revision. “Tony had a real aversion to compositions that were published posthumously,” she explains. “He said, ‘If the composer didn’t publish those things, he didn’t want them to be played.’” Taffs gave his final faculty lecture in April 2004, nearly 55 years after joining the faculty at Albion. For that lecture on “The Preservation of Music,” Taffs designed (and Ralph Houghton developed) a PowerPoint presentation, matching some of the music scans to audio clips. “It was one of the best faculty lectures I’ve ever seen. Tony timed his materials to the minute and ended at 11 o’clock on the dot,” Houghton remembers. “Apparently, he was notorious in class for dragging phonograph needles across records when he was trying to illustrate a point. I think this technology worked a lot better for him.” during the faculty lecture, Taffs formally presented the copyrights for all of his works and the Web site to President Peter Mitchell, who accepted them on behalf of the College. The gift was one of many Tony and Jean Taffs have made to Albion. “The copyrights went to the College because the College was really his other home,” Jean muses. “He more or less lived here, and his musi‑cal possessions belong here. He had an intense loyalty to Albion College and the Music department.”
‘Piping downthe valleys Wild’tony taffs’ rich musical legacy
is now preserved . . . in cyberspace
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Jean and Tony Taffs donated a Steinway baby grand piano dating from the 1890s (pictured at right) to Albion College, as well as a rare G.F. Celoniatus violin (below) made in Italy c. 1730. Once owned by Tony Taffs’ mother, a concert violinist, the violin was featured in a Homecoming 2006 symphony orchestra concert, when it was played by professor emeritus of music Philip Mason.
Tony Taffs
Jean Taffs and Ralph Houghton continue to develop the Taffs web site. Anyone who has recorded any of Tony Taffs’ music, has notes on performing the music, or wishes to submit photos or other materi-als to the web site is encouraged to contact Houghton at: [email protected] .
Taffs’ music has also been preserved on a CD, Never Seek to Tell Thy Love, recorded by Albion music professor Maureen Balke with pianist narciso Solero. The CD has 13 of Taffs’ songs and is avail-able at the Albion College Bookstore or from Balke at [email protected].
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A l u m n ! A s s o c ! At ! o n n e w s
Led by the Class of 1956, this year’s reunion classes shattered the all-time records for attendance at Homecoming. Over 90 members of the Class of 1956 returned to campus for a daylong symposium, “50 Years of Liberal Arts at Work,” on Friday and the honoring of classmate Ann Lewicki with a Distinguished Alumni Award on Saturday. Lewicki was the latest in a long list of previous alumni award winners from the class. (For more on the alumni awards,
Reunions Make for Record-Setting Homecoming see page 62.) Many other receptions and reunion events filled the weekend schedule. A combined choir/orchestra concert on Sunday featured guest soloist and emeritus professor Philip Mason playing a 300-year-old violin donated to Albion College by the late Anthony Taffs, a music colleague of Mason’s. To see more Homecoming photos, go to: www.albion.edu/homecoming/ .
The Class of 1956 led the audience in singing “Albion, Dear Albion” at the Alumni Awards Ceremony Saturday morning.
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Ruth Holland Scott, ’56, joined seven other Distinguished Alumni Award-winning classmates on a panel at the Class of 1956 Symposium.
Jack Hanford, ’56, and Tom Elliott, ’56, reconnect between reunion events.
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Reunion Committee member Irene Faylor Brown, ’56, (standing) plays host during Friday’s luncheon in the science complex’s new atrium.
Over 2,500 Britons of all ages turned out for the weekend’s events.
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Several inches of snow at Marshall’s Medalist Golf Club forced the Briton Classic golfers to find a different venue for their Friday outing, but it didn’t deter Albion parent Tom Meyer from taking a few practice swings first.
President Mitchell to Visit Coast-to-Coast in 2007Here’s your chance to say farewell to President Peter Mitchell, ’67, in advance of his retirement in June 2007. Events are being planned in the cities listed, beginning in early 2007. Invitations will be mailed to alumni, parents, and friends living in these areas. For specific dates and other event details, call the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 517/629-0448 or go to: www.albion.edu/alumni/events.asp .
Bradenton, Fla.Naples/Ft. Myers, Fla.Phoenix, Ariz.Tucson, Ariz.Los Angeles, Calif.San Diego, Calif.Washington, D.C.
Chicago, Ill.Portland, Ore.Seattle, Wash. Indianapolis, Ind.AlbionDetroitGrand RapidsMidland
Tailback Kyle Klyn finds room to run against the Olivet Comets during the Homecoming football game. The Britons fell to the Comets, 20-17.
President and First Lady Peter and Becky Mitchell enjoy the moment with this year’s Homecoming royalty, seniors Trisha Hughes and Courtney Brown.
Peter Broerse, ’63, traveled from the Netherlands to join his teammates from the 1963 swimming team for their induc-tion into the Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2006 Hall of Famers were applauded prior to Saturday’s football game.
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For more information on this year’s inductees, go to: www.albion.edu/sports/halloffame/2006.asp .
To submit a Hall of Fame nomination, contact Marcia Hepler Starkey, ’74, associate vice president for alumni/parent relations, at 517/629-0284 or via e-mail at [email protected], or go to: www.albion.edu/sports/halloffame/nomination_form.asp .
They Still Bleed Purple and GoldAt the 2006 Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the 1990 football team reveled in the memories of a year that saw them post single-season records for rushing, receptions, and yardage, and become coach Pete Schmidt’s first back-to-back league champions. The 1990 football squad, with 25 team members in attendance, was recognized along with 10 individual honorees and the 1963 men’s swimming team.
2006 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductions
IndividualsScott A. Ammons, ’91Larry B. Colburn, ’66 Lance C. Coleman, ’91Joe J. Felton, ’87Michael J. Grant, ’87James P. Knudson, ’76James S. Russell, ’63Suzanne K. Rustoni, ’92Mary Washburn Suphan, ’71
(Above left) Mel Smith, ’64, and Dave Kitchen, ’64, were among the six members of the 1963 swimming team who returned for their induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame. (Above right) Membership in the Hall of Fame is a family affair for the Washburns. Mary Washburn Suphan, ’71, (back right) this year joined her sister, Melissa Washburn, ’81, and her mother, Ruth Tupper Washburn, ’37, who were inducted in 1993 and 1989, respectively.Teams
1963 Men’s Swimming Team1990 Football Team
Special RecognitionJoseph R. Cooper
Where Are They Now?Reconnecting with Albion Hall of Famer lance coleman, ’91
Lance Coleman didn’t harbor dreams of a Hall of Fame athletic career when he chose Albion over Michigan State after graduating from Ottawa Hills High School in 1987. Becoming an All-American with an eighth-place finish in the 100-meter dash dur-ing the 1989 NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships was the springboard to success. He completed his career as a three-time All-American (moving up to third in the nation in the 100 as a senior), a five-time MIAA individual event champion, and a four-year all-league performer in track, as well as a two-time All-MIAA selection as a defensive back for Pete Schmidt’s league champion football squads in 1989 and 1990. He still holds the MIAA standard in the 100 at 10.5 seconds. “I just went and ran,” Coleman says of his first NCAA national meet. “I got fortunate and made it to the finals by a hundredth of a second. After that, I envisioned being an All-American the next two years. I didn’t start dreaming until that happened.” Coleman was one of 10 individuals and two teams to enter Albion’s Athletic Hall of Fame at Homecoming. The induction ceremony was made more special as the Class of 2006 included his high school classmate and best friend Scott Ammons, ’91, who was an All-American defensive lineman for the purple and gold. “If this were Top Gun he would be Goose,” Coleman said. “We’ve been together since kindergarten and going into the Hall of Fame together is exciting. We wouldn’t want it any other way.”
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Coleman currently holds the position of senior associate director of admissions at Albion, along with coaching the corner-backs in football and serving as the associate head coach to Dave Egnatuk, ’71, in track and field. “Working with the student-athletes is one of the most reward-ing aspects of my job here,” Coleman added. “From a coaching standpoint, the team championships are up there with the football championships we won when I was [a student]. Just to see how hard these students work, the sacrifices they make—it means a lot to me and the other coaches. When you’re a Briton, you’re proud.”
Lance Coleman, ’91, says the rewards for coaching today’s Briton athletes to league titles are just as great as they were for his own wins as a student-athlete in track and football. Since returning to Albion in 1995, he has had a hand in the 2004 league co-championship in men’s track and field and the 2005 league championship in football, as well as six All-America performances in men’s track.
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2006 Alumni Award Winners Lead in Science and Service
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients included: (from left) Rick Smith, ’60, Ted Fleming, ’64, Ann Lewicki, ’56, David Moore, ’68, and Bob Armitage, ’70. A sixth recipient, Paul Lawrence, ’43, was unable to attend the Homecoming awards ceremony.
For more information on this year’s honorees, go to: www.albion.edu/iotriumphe/ .
To submit a Distinguished Alumni Award nomination, contact Marcia Hepler Starkey, ’74, associate vice president for alumni/parent relations, at 517/629-0284 or via e-mail at [email protected] or go to: www.albion.edu/alumni/nomination_form.asp .
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The Alumni Awards Ceremony was held Oct. 14, 2006, during Homecoming Weekend.
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes College alumni for their genuine leadership and dedicated service to others.
Robert A. Armitage, ’70Senior Vice President and General CounselEli Lilly and Co.Indianapolis, Ind.
Theodore H. Fleming, ’64Professor of BiologyUniversity of MiamiSouth Miami, Fla.
Paul R. Lawrence, ’43Wallace Brett Donham Professor, EmeritusHarvard Business SchoolBedford, Mass.
Ann M. Lewicki, ’56Clinical Professor of RadiologyGeorgetown University School of MedicineWashington, D.C.
David G. Moore, ’68PartnerTuck, Garrison & Moore, P.L.L.C.Albion, Mich.
Richard B. Smith, ’60National Park Service Superintendent, RetiredPlacitas, New Mexico
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Going Green Build environmental awareness in your youngster.
Tamara Crupi, direc-tor of Albion College’s Whitehouse Nature Center, offers these family activities as a means of teaching children about our interdependence with our environment and the importance of recycling.
This past summer, student Catherine Game offered an Eco-Discovery Camp for elementary students at the Nature Center, with projects that combined visual art and ecology. The two-week camp focused on recycling, energy conservation, and renewable building materials.
To learn more about the Whitehouse Nature Center’s year-round activities, watch for postings at: www.albion.edu/ac_news .
l ! l B R ! t s’
milk-carton composting Learn how to make soil from garbage.
Materials:
A waxed paper milk carton
Scissors
Soil from outdoors (unsterilized)
Small bits of organic garbage
Activity: Close off the pouring spout of the milk carton. Turn the carton on its side and make a flap that will open to allow stirring the compost. Sprinkle a 3/4-inch layer of small organic garbage bits (Note: do not include meat) on the bottom and cover with a thin layer of soil. The next day, stir the mixture and add a new layer of garbage and soil. Repeat each day, stirring and then adding new layers of garbage and soil. When the carton is almost full, stop adding garbage, but stir each day and lightly water the mixture if it dries. At the end of three weeks, the carton should contain brown soil which can be added to house plants.
water-cyclesimulationConstruct a model of how water cycles from air to land.
Materials:
Large jar with lid (institutional size)
One or two small plants
Small lid or cap for water
¾ cup of pebbles
1 cup of sand
1 ½ - 2 cups of moist soil
Activity: Layer in the jar (in this order) pebbles, sand, soil. Plant the plants in the soil. Set a cap full of water in the jar next to the plants. Put the lid on the jar and place in a sunny location. You will see that the water evaporates from the cap, and then condenses onto the plants and soil, just as water evaporates from lakes and streams, and then con-denses in the atmosphere and falls to the ground as rain or snow.
surface tension experiment Observe how humans impact the environment.
Materials:
A clean bowl (Rinse thoroughly.)
Paper clip or fine needle
Tweezers
Dish detergent
Activity: Put water in the bowl. With tweezers, carefully lower a paper clip or needle onto the water surface so that it floats. Add a drop or two of detergent to the water near the paper clip or needle and observe what happens. Water molecules fit together like puzzle pieces on the surface of water and form a sort of skin that can sup-port small creatures. When soap gets in the water, the fragile habitat on top of the water where these creatures live is destroyed.
MILK
Attracting Students in the “IM” AgeBy Lyn Ward Healy, ’72Alumni Association Board of Directors
Just weeks after I graduated from Albion I was back on campus for my first job—as an admissions coun-selor. When I look back on those days, I reflect fondly on sharing stories about Albion with potential members of the Class of 1977 and their families. Back then, the admis-sion process was without things like college rating guides, SAT test preparation courses, and Instant Messenger (IM) as a primary means of communication. Today, as a school administrator, I realize just how significantly rising college students have changed—and just how much the admis-sion process has changed as a result! Each year, Beloit College develops “The Mindset List” in which they offer perspectives of the incoming class of first-year students. For these young people:• Voice mail has always been an option on their phone lines.• They have always been able to enjoy a Starbuck’s latte.• Bill Gates has always been worth at least a billion dollars.• Digital cameras have always existed. Just as the life experiences of this generation of students differ from those of generations past, so too does their approach to college admissions. The Internet is the primary tool used by most students when searching for, applying to, and selecting a college. More than 70 percent of students who apply to Albion now do so online. Rising high school seniors give their cell phone as their main contact number, and they prefer to com-municate with admissions staff via Instant Messenger. How dif-ferent it is now from when I worked in the Admissions Office! While the students, the process, and Albion College have definitely changed, there is one thing that never will—the significance of the “Albion Experience.” At its core, an Albion education is about relationships, connections, and opportuni-ties. Students today still revel in the personal attention they receive from talented faculty, network with prominent business and community figures, and develop cherished, lifelong friend-ships just as we did (a few!) years ago. As alumni, one of the most important things we can do to help further the mission of Albion’s Admissions Office is to share this experience with others. We can talk about Albion College, at work, with our friends, or with a seatmate on a long flight across the country, thus sparking an interest that may not have existed before. And by communicating our positive experi-ences we can make a difference for students and families who may need a little reinforcement to finally choose Albion. My Albion . . . Your Albion . . . Our Albion is a college worth sharing. In many ways the reputation of our school is built by us and the lives we live when we leave the campus behind. Please think about how you might share Albion College with others. A student in the Class of 2011 will thank you!
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Fall 2006 | 65
Learning the ‘Other Three R’s’: Reduce, Reuse, RecycleEveryone can get in on these conservation activities.
• Plant a tree.• Plant a butterfly garden.• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact
fluorescents.• Turn a discarded cardboard box into a playhouse.• Use refillable water bottles instead of buying water in
throwaway containers.• Walk or ride a bicycle to do errands.
For more ideas, check out the resources at right.
web sites
http://www.ecokids.caKid-oriented site loaded with ideas and recommendations.
http://recycling.stanford.edu/facstaff/kids.htmlCompilation of recycling Web sites for kids.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/treasure.htmSuggestions on applying the three R’s to holiday gift-giving.
http://www.kid-at-art.com/htdoc/matchtmp.htmlExhaustive list of “trash to art” projects.
Books
Dan Chiras, EcoKids: Raising Children Who Care for the Earth
Marion Elliot, Fun with Recycling: 50 Great Things for Kids to Make from Junk
Gail Gibbons, Recycle: A Handbook for Kids
Rosie Harlow, Garbage and Recycling: Environmental Facts and Experiments
COMMuNICATIONS OFFICe611 e. PORTeR STReeTALBION, MI 49224‑1831
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Sweet Tastes of FallMembers of Albion’s Hillel Jewish student group celebrate in the sukkah they built on the Quad during the joyous holiday of Sukkot, commemorating both the fall harvest and the 40 days which the ancient Israelites spent in the Sinai desert following their exodus from Egypt. The enthusiasm of Albion’s Jewish student population is emblematic of the growing cultural and religious diversity on campus.
