Voices Fall 2010

VOLUME 12, ISSUE 2 ~ $6.00

THE MAGAZINE OF ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ~ FALL 2010

One Hundred Years in the Making

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY and The Faculty Association Proudly Recognize Our First 100 Distinguished Faculty

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY

First Faculty and Staff On June 1, 1909, Victor C. Kays was officially hired as principal of the First District Agricultural School.

Within two weeks, the first employees he hired were Clyde and Lucile Bailes Warr. They and the other faculty and staff serving the 189 students who entered on Oct. 3, 1910, were: V. C. Kays, principal Nira Beck, literature and vocal music W. H. Black, animal husbandry Lillian Cooley, instrumental music M. F. Dickson, math instructor and head of extension Dora Elliot, clerk Henry Ness, biology Elizabeth Nowell, household economics F. T. Parks, mathematics and engineering Clyde V. Warr, farm superintendent Lucile Warr, matron of dormitories

1909-1959 Nira Beck W. H. Black, B.S. Mary Rogers Brown, M.S. William W. Byrd, M.A Chester C. Carrothers, Ph.D. Lebelva Connelly, M.A. Lillian Cooley Paul E. Couch, Ed.D. James L. Davenport, M.S. M. F. Dickson Dean B. Ellis, M.S. Robert Ferralasco, Ed.D. John A. Galloway, Ph.D. Earl L. Hanebrink, Ed.D. Duane H. Haskell, Ph.D. Laysel N. Hochstetler, Ph.D. Henry W. Hollard, M.S. Dan Howard, M.F.A. Homer C. Huitt, Ph.D. Michael M. Johnnedes, M.S. Edgar O. Kirk, M.A. Donald Konold, Ph.D. Eleanor S. Lane, M.A. Marshall Matthews, M.S. Elmer C. Mays, M.S. Gladys M. McPike, B.S.E. Donald R. Minx, M.S. Olen P. Nail, Ph.D. Warren W. Nedrow, Ph.D. Henry Ness Elizabeth Nowell F. T. Parks, B.S. D. Fred Pasmore, Ph.D. Mrs. Howard W. Pasmore, M.S. Frank W. Plunkett, Ph.D. Leland W. “Tex” Plunkett, M.J. Evelyn D. Prescott, M.A. John H. Rauth, M.Ed. Ashley Robey, Ph.D. Donald. F. Showalter, Ph.D. J. A. Tomlinson, A.M. Mildred B. Vance, Ed.D. Wanda G. Walker, M.A. Henry E. White, Ph.D. Eugene B. Wittlake, Ph.D. 1959-2009 Robert F. Abbott, Ed.D. Beverly Bartels, MNSc. John K. Beadles, Ph.D. J. Edward Bennett, Ph.D.

Sandra Bone, Ph.D. John L. Burns, Ph.D. Richard Carvell, M.S. David M. Chittenden II, Ph.D. Lee A. Dew, Ph.D. Charles W. Ford, Ph.D. Michael B. Dougan, PhD. Mary Hartwig, Ph.D. Afak Haydar, Ph.D. George Y. Herndon, Ph.D. John P. Hosinski, Ed.D. Daniel R. Hoyt, Ph.D. Bob D. Johnson, Ph.D. John. D. Kelly, D.M.A. B.C. McGough, Ph.D. Lyman B. Hagen, Ph.D. George L. Harp, Ph.D. Lawrence Hinck, Ph.D. Robert L. Hoskins, Ph.D. G. David Jimerson, Ph.D. Charles M. Joiner, Ph.D. Charlott Jones, Ph.D. John Kaminarides, Ph.D. C. Norman Lavers, Ph.D. Evan Lindquist, M.F.A. Jerry L. Linnstaedter, Ph.D. Laddie Logan, D.B.A. Mitchell M. Masters, Ed.D. C. K. McFarland, Ph.D. Alvin McRaven, Ed.D. Albert L. Mink, Jr., Ph.D. Roland Mullins, Ph.D. Warren A. North, Ph.D. Larry A. Olson, Ph.D. John C. Osoinach, Ph.D. Mary Susan Power, Ph.D. Charles L. Rasberry, M.T. Edward Leon Richards, Ph.D. Mary Jean Rutherford, M.Ed. M. Vance Sales, Ed.D. John Marlin Shipman Jr., Ph.D. Dewey H. Sifford, Ph.D. Alfred R. Skoog, M. M. C. Calvin Smith, Ph.D. Shirl D. Strauser, Ph.D. James H. Stevenson, Ph.D. Herman Strickland, Ed.D. Lonnie E. Talbert, Ph.D. Grace Whitis, Ph.D. Jess R. White, P. E.D. William V. Wyatt, Ph.D.

CONTENTS 10 COVER STORY:

IT BEGAN WITH THE STROKE OF A PEN. IN 1909, THE ARKANSAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROVIDED FOR FOUR AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS, ONE IN EACH DISTRICT OF THE STATE, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL FOR EACH DISTRICT. ESSENTIALLY HIGH SCHOOLS, THEY WERE TO CONCENTRATE ON AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND TEXTILE MAKING. FAST FORWARD 100 YEARS …

voices

1

16

10

Voices The Magazine of Arkansas State University’s Alumni Association

EXECUTIVE EDITOR - BETH SMITH EDITOR - NANCY HENDRICKS DESIGN - ASU PUBLICATIONS AND CREATIVE SERVICES PRINTING - MASTER PRINTING COMPANY, INC.

ASU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

20

PRESIDENT - PAUL ROWTON II '98 VICE PRESIDENT - MARGO TRAVIS AUFDERHEIDE '76 SECRETARY-TREASURER - CHARLOTTE LUTES RAZER ‘86

FEATURES

PAST PRESIDENT - GARY PUGH '68

10 One Hundred Years in the Making ASU celebrates its Centennial

16 The Write Stuff Authors in the ASU family

20 Hard Knocks ASU rugby goes big-time

BOARD MEMBERS JOHN BAINE '97

RICK MILES '78

RICH CARVELL, JR. '91

DALE MORRIS '70

RUSTY CHAMBERS '89

JOY BAXTER MURPHY '92

CHARISSE QUARLES CHILDERS '88

JOHN PHILLIPS '73

JAQUALINE WILLIAMS DEDMAN '79 MSE '81

MELANIE HEATH POSEY '00

JAMIE FRAKES '90

CHARLOTTE LUTES RAZER '86

COLIN HALL '99

STEVEN SIGSBY '72

BRANDI HINKLE '98

CHARLES SMITH '89

LYNN SITZ HOWERTON '90

KEVIN STEELE '03

BILLY KEEDY '99

MARK WEBB '89

LEN KEMP '75

NONIE SHEFFIELD WIGGINS '83

BOB MCCUISTON '65

MIKE WILLIAMS '92

JOE MILES '74, MBA '77

PROFILES

4 Student Profile: Kelsey Cherry Picture perfect

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY INTERIM PRESIDENT - DR. ROBERT POTTS ASU-JONESBORO INTERIM CHANCELLOR - DR. DAN HOWARD

OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

6 Alumni Profile: Desmond Brown '83 Sound transit

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - BETH SMITH ’82, MA’03 DIRECTOR, ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS - DR. NANCY HENDRICKS ’74 DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS - PAT EDWARDS ’91 DIRECTOR, ANNUAL FUND - ELAINE POYNTER ’01

8 Campus Profile: Dr. Nancy Hendricks '74

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - CAROL ROBERTS (ALND)

Silent Hattie speaks

DEPARTMENTS

3 My Voice: Florine Tousant Milligan '75, Chair, ASU Board of Trustees

Voices is published three times a year by the Arkansas State University Alumni Association. Subscriptions are available through membership in the ASU Alumni Association. Single issues are available for $6 each.

Editorial offices are located on the first floor of the administration building on ASU’s Jonesboro campus. Our telephone number is (870) 972-2586 and our FAX number is (870) 972-2039.

MAIL CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: VOICES ASU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC.

24 The Last Word: Beth Smith '82 MA '03

P.O. BOX 1990 STATE UNIVERSITY, AR 72467

WEBSITE: http://alumni.astate.edu

2

fall, 2010

EMAIL: alumni@astate.edu

PHOTOGRAPH BY NANCY HENDRICKS

As Arkansas State University celebrates its first hundred years, we have already begun looking to its next century of progress. Part of that vision includes inspiring leadership. As most alumni have heard, Dr. Les Wyatt has retired as Arkansas State University system president, with ASU-Jonesboro Chancellor Robert L. Potts serving as interim president while Dr. Dan Howard serves as interim chancellor at ASU-J. So it is an exciting, challenging time as we strive to place the best people in our university's leadership positions.

I have been tasked with chairing the search for ASU system president, and would like to share with you what to expect in the next few months. A Presidential Search Advisory Committee is in place to both represent various constituencies and help develop the formal plan as we move through the process. The advisory team has met with me and the search consultant as we develop the characteristics we are looking for, including integrity, visionary goals, governmental and political acumen, careful stewardship of resources with strong financial management skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, experience in national accreditation, success in donor relations, a professional demeanor, and being a good listener with excellent communications skills.

MY VOICE: FLORINE TOUSANT MILLIGAN '75 C H A I R , A R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S To those qualities, we added input from listening sessions at our ASU campuses, meeting with faculty, staff, students, community members, and governmental representatives.

There are high standards set for the successful candidate, but I believe we have some great drawing cards here at Arkansas State University in having a strong relationship with the community and local businesses, a supportive Board of Trustees, our growing distance learning and international programs, and the fact that we are a growing collaborative university system.

We have set an ambitious goal, which is to have the successful candidate in place by Jan. 1, 2011. This search will be open to everyone, and potential candidates can check the ASU Presidential Search website to decide if they wish to apply. The link is available through the university's main website. Wouldn't it be inspiring if one of our own alumni was the successful candidate?

I'd like to offer my personal thanks to those who are serving on our Presidential Search Advisory Committee for giving so generously of their time and expertise: Dr. Pat Bailey, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, ASU-Mountain Home; Dr. Dan Howard, Interim Chancellor, ASU-Jonesboro; Dr. JW Mason '74, Associate Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, ASU-Jonesboro and ASU System; Beverly Nix '87, Chairman, Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce executive committee; Dr. Eugene McKay, Chancellor, ASU-Beebe; Mayor Harold Perrin '69 of Jonesboro, Trustee Emeritus; Randall Pope '75 of Jonesboro, Board Chair, ASU Foundation; Dr. Robert Potts, Interim President, ASU System; Dr. Mary Robertson '84 MSE '88 EDD '04, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, ASU-Newport; and Paul Rowton '98 of Harrisburg, President of the ASU Alumni Association.

Special thanks to Dr. Potts for stepping into a leadership role for the ASU System as we move through the process of conducting the search.

It's an exciting time for ASU, and I am proud to be a part of the vision as we aim for our next century of success!

Mrs. Milligan is a native of Forrest City, and has a background in both education and industry. She holds a Master of Science in Education in guidance/counseling and a certiďŹ cation in secondary administration from ASUJonesboro. She is chair of the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees with a term expiring in January 2011.

The ASU Board of Trustees consists of ďŹ ve members appointed from the state at large by the Governor.

voices

3

ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH THE BOOK AND FILM, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, HAS A CERTAIN IMAGE OF LIFE AT A HIGH-GLOSS NEW YORK CITY FASHION MAGAZINE. THIS SUMMER, ONE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT WAS PART OF IT‌ ASU junior Kelsey Cherry of Manila, Arkansas, a photojournalism major, says it was a simple decision to decide where to attend college. "I came to ASU because I grew up there!" she says.

"I've been going to games and events there since I was young. My grandparents (the late J.P. Adkins '50 and Vada GrifďŹ n Adkins '64) went to ASU as well as my mother Karla Adkins Cherry '82."

It remains a family affair. A sister, Jodie Cherry '08, is an ASU graduate student working toward her MBA, and Kelsey's twin brother Kyle Cherry also attends ASU, majoring in computer information technology.

Kelsey has enjoyed her time as a student and says, "After graduation, I plan to travel in order to diversify and enhance my portfolio. I am most passionate about pursuing a career in music photography, while impacting others in a positive way."

With a highly sought-after internship at ELLE this summer, she may already be on her way. ELLE is a top women's fashion magazine and website with a global distribution, and is said to be the world's largest fashion magazine.

Ironically, Kelsey's internship in the Big Apple came about not through big-city connections, but via small-town Arkansas. "As they say, it's all about who you know for sure!" says Kelsey. "I met a

4

fall, 2010

girl at Camp Ozark, a camp I worked last summer in Mt. Ida, Arkansas. Her sister used to be the photo producer at ELLE. She gave me the e-mail address and I sent my portfolio and recommendation letters."

ASU also helped. "I am really thankful for the supportive staff that ASU has in the College of Communications.

Dr. Jack Zibluk wrote me a wonderful recommendation letter, and I am very thankful for his help."

Dr. Zibluk, professor of journalism, is Kelsey's academic adviser and has been in touch with her throughout the process. He says, "I won't take any credit for the position at ELLE. It was her idea and she went for it. Kelsey proves ASU students can do anything they set their minds - and dreams - to. She is among the most talented photojournalism students we have ever had. She has an original eye and original style. Her work stands out.

We have had other talented students, of course, but Kelsey had the confidence to try to make her dream become a reality.

She found the application for ELLE magazine's summer internship, looked at her own work, compared it with the magazine's photography and said, 'Hey, I can do that.' And she did."

Dr. Zibluk adds, "They loved her work, her style, her talent and her attitude. And, yes, they loved the fact she

is from Arkansas. Many employers seek diversity, and diversity isn't just about race, ethnicity and gender. It's also about different perspectives. And Kelsey's Arkansas background brings a different perspective than the East Coast Ivy League folks who dominate New York publishing. Employers nationwide seek Arkansas values and Arkansas perspectives. Kelsey exemplifies that demand and that opportunity. Kelsey dreamed big. A lot of ASU students do, too. But she had the guts to make her dream a reality. Too many of our students believe they can never do what Kelsey did. They're wrong. Our students, our faculty, our staff can do anything. If we just believe it, we can make it happen, just as it did for Kelsey."

How did Kelsey's experience in New York compare to that devil in Prada?

"Being in New York City was for sure a challenge sometimes. Any time you are off on your own and do not know anybody, it will be a little stressful. But I felt like I adjusted well. I became a pro at the subways, and one day I told some tourists how to get to where they needed to go!" She says she did not see the Prada movie, but says, "I would imagine it is a lot like that. My days consisted of running around for the other girls, and sometimes I got to shoot for elle.com, while ensuring that the next issue of ELLE would be a hit."

Finally, Kelsey says, "God gave you your passions and dreams for a reason.

Never think anything is too big or out of your reach. Doing that will get you nowhere. Life is short. Start something huge now!"

Photo courtesy Kelsey Cherry

STUDENT PROFILE: KELSEY CHERRY

"NEVER THINK ANYTHING IS TOO BIG OR OUT OF YOUR REACH. LIFE IS SHORT. START SOMETHING HUGE NOW!"

ASU'S COOPER ALUMNI CENTER IS HOME TO A-STATE YEARBOOKS AS FAR BACK AS 1923. THEY ARE A NEVER-ENDING SOURCE OF DELIGHT FOR ALUMNI WHO COME TO VISIT, FOR THE HAIRSTYLES IF NOTHING ELSE. ONE OF THOSE YEARBOOKS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTRACTING ONE OF ASU'S MOST SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI …

Desmond Brown '83 of Seattle, Washington, grew up in Saratoga, Arkansas, a tiny community in the southwest part of the state. While ASU draws students from all around the country and the world, the state's southwest corner still seems rather remote. How did Desmond Brown come to choose Arkansas State University?

"Sheer luck," he says. "I randomly picked up an ASU yearbook in our high school library that presented the university’s academic programs and social life very well. I wanted to be far enough from home to be on my own, but close enough to get back if necessary. And the university admissions office was very helpful in organizing a campus tour. The visit was great, so I enrolled."

Even today, he has fond memories of an incident that proved he'd chosen a school with a personal touch. "In the early 1980s, I was a member of ASU’s new and largely unnoticed collegiate fencing team," he says. "Because we were new and unnoticed, our team did not get invited to the annual athletic banquet where letters were awarded to graduating seniors. I sent a note to ASU President Ray Thornton that I thought this was unfair. I did not expect a response. But a short time later, he invited me to his office and arranged for our team to be invited to the banquet. I still display my ASU letter on my bookcase."

6

fall, 2010

His horizons expanded beyond Arkansas after graduation. He was admitted to Harvard Law School, the stuff of dreams. But he never forgot his roots. "My time at Harvard was an incredibly enriching and intense experience," he says. "I remain friends with several classmates whom I met on my first day in the dorm. But the thing that I most strongly remember was how much I missed basic Southern food. I could not find a Sonic to get a good hamburger, onion rings and a milkshake."

Today Brown is general counsel to Sound Transit in Seattle, and even there, he finds a point of reference to his younger days to which Arkansans can relate: "I love living in Seattle. It’s an amazingly beautiful city surrounded by mountains and water, with a mild climate, lots of music, movies and theatre. The people are friendly and progressive. It’s a great place to raise kids, with lots of parks, trails, playgrounds, museums and kid-friendly activities. And no mosquitoes!"

Sound Transit is building a new regional transportation system in Seattle and the surrounding Puget Sound region at a price tag of more than $20 billion.

The greatest challenge is finding a way to build a light rail and commuter rail system through densely populated cities, neighborhoods and environmentally sensitive areas. He says, "As general counsel, I advise the management team

and governing board, and I represent the agency in trial and appellate litigation. I am extremely fortunate to be part of an organization that is improving the quality of life and economic competitiveness of our region. Occasionally, passengers tell us how the transit we are building has changed their lives by allowing them to get home earlier to spend more time with their families instead of spending that time in the rush-hour commute."

Family matters to Desmond Brown.

His parents, Martha and Leoron Brown, were both teachers. "I was extremely fortunate to have extraordinary parents and others who helped me along the way," he says. "My father and mother were by far my greatest influences. They worked hard, and everything they did seemed designed to ensure that my sister and I had every educational opportunity.

My earliest memories are of my mother reading to me; our house was filled with books. At times, my father worked three jobs (teacher, bus driver and fixing truck flats) to support us."

He adds, "Three ASU professors were instrumental in preparing me for law school and a legal career. I continue to rely on the critical thinking skills I learned in Dr. Charles Carr’s logic and philosophy classes. He is a brilliant teacher and provided me with thoughtful guidance. Dr. George Horneker was my favorite English teacher. He taught with insight and gentle, laconic humor. And Dr. John South took me under his wing in the business department. He was a great teacher and mentor."

As Desmond Brown helps improve the lives of others, he still uses the tools he gained at ASU. On his next campus visit, we'll make sure he gets some good Southern food.

Photo by Elizabeth Trunkey

ALUMNI PROFILE: DESMOND BROWN '83

"THREE ASU PROFESSORS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN PREPARING ME FOR LAW SCHOOL AND A LEGAL CAREER."

WHEN ARKANSAS BUSINESS SOUGHT EXPERTS ON HATTIE CARAWAY FOR A RECENT ARTICLE ON AMERICA'S FIRST FEMALE SENATOR, IT INCLUDED SEN. BLANCHE LINCOLN, REP. DONNA HUTCHINSON, AND AN ACQUAINTANCE OF BOTH, ASU'S DR. NANCY HENDRICKS '74 …

It was a good choice. Soon afterward, Hendricks was honored with the prestigious Pryor Award in Arkansas History for her writing about Caraway. Then, details of ASU's Centennial Celebration grand finale on Oct. 3 were finalized, with a centerpiece of the event being Hendricks' new play, Dear Mrs. Caraway, Dear Mr. Kays. She will act in her signature role of Hattie in the play she wrote based on the correspondence between Caraway and A-State President V. C. Kays, showing how they helped keep the doors of A-State open during the Depression and World War II. She has recently had a book published, also titled Dear Mrs. Caraway, Dear Mr. Kays. And next spring her newest play, The Circle, debuts.

Hendricks has been portraying Hattie onstage since 2001, and writing about her longer than that. "Hattie Caraway has been part of my life as long as I can remember," says Hendricks. "My father knew her during World War II and shared stories of the first woman elected as a U. S. Senator, serving from 1932-45. But I never truly understood the enormity of her achievement until I was working for Texas Gov. Ann Richards more than a half century later. Even at the dawn of the 21st century, a woman in politics was not an easy role. Caraway may have been called 'Silent Hattie,' but I wanted to help sing her praises."

The play Miz Caraway and the

Kingfish which Hendricks wrote, directed and co-starred in as Hattie played to full houses around the region. Its New Orleans production was held over for an extended run and nominated by the American Critics Association for 'Best Play Produced Outside New York.' Those who missed it had another chance to see Hendricks as Hattie on Oct. 3 when Dear Mrs. Caraway, Dear Mr. Kays premièred.

Says Hendricks, "The book is a companion for the play in that it gives background on Kays and Caraway plus the full text of the letters. It also includes a rare transcript of a speech given by Caraway, an article called 'How Silent was Hattie?' countering some of the Silent Hattie myth, plus my favorite, an interview with Betty Caraway Hill, Hattie's granddaughter and last direct descendant, which has some very touching reminiscences."

Hendricks also performs as Caraway in a one-person program titled Hattie to Hillary: Women in Politics. Her most recent play is Boy Hero: The Story of David O. Dodd, and her screenplay, Terrible Swift Sword, about the Sultana disaster, is being perused in Hollywood. In addition, she writes a newspaper column for the Jonesboro Sun, is a contributing author for Encyclopedia of Arkansas, chaired a national playwriting competition, and is the recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award and the White House Millennium Award for her writing.

She says a high point of her life was being invited to the 2002 Tony Awards. "Marvin Hamlisch was nice," she says. "Harry Connick Jr. less so, but when you look like that, you don't have to be."

In "past lives," she was a professional actor, taught university English, was an academic department chair, and served in city government as well as the public relations staff of Ann Richards. Today, Hendricks has regular duties in the Alumni office. In addition to writing and photographing this magazine and the recent Centennial publication 100 Years, 100 VOICES, she is responsible for the weekly enewsletter, the alumni website, press releases, special materials, the annual 50year reunion, and the Student Honors Awards program. "I love hearing the great stories from our 50-year alumni," she says.

"As for the Student Honors, those are our top awards for graduating seniors, the alumni of tomorrow; I'm sure I'll be writing about them in years to come. Everyone in the ASU family has a wonderful story. It's a blessing for me to help tell it. Maybe the work with Caraway and Kays will inspire others, like them, to help ASU grow in new ways."

While her work with Caraway is her first love, she's excited about a new play scheduled to premiere next year. She says, "It's called The Circle, about ASU's first four African-American faculty members, how they played cards together and it became a kind of support group. It’s based on interviews with Calvin Smith, Herman Strickland, Mossie Richmond and Wilbert Gaines. I feel very honored to help tell their story."

Asked if she has any final thoughts, Hendricks thinks a moment before saying, "As Hattie once wrote in her journal, 'Guess I said too much or too little. Never know.' That about sums it up."

NOTE: Normally, the writing and photography in VOICES is handled by Nancy Hendricks, Director of Alumni Communications. By request of Executive Director Beth Smith, the tables are turned as Hendricks is profiled here by Gina Bowman '76, ASU's Director of Media Relations.

8

fall, 2010

Photo by Gina Bowman

CAMPUS PROFILE: DR. NANCY HENDRICKS, DIRECTOR, ASU ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

"Everyone in the ASU family has a wonderful story. It's a blessing for me to help tell it."

One Hundred Years in the Making It began with the stroke of a pen.

Act 100 of 1909 by the Arkansas General Assembly provided for four agricultural schools, one in each district of the state, to be known as the State Agricultural School for each district. Essentially high schools, they were to concentrate on agriculture, horticulture, and textile making.

Fast forward 100 years...

Those four schools became today's Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, and the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The year 2009 brought Centennial celebrations by all four schools to honor their first hundred years. Alumni and friends were invited to help launch the schools into their second century with a number of special events.

The ASU Centennial Commission was created to initiate and implement a series of celebrations for the Jonesboro campus over the course of 2009, the Centennial of the school's creation, and through 2010, a hundred years from its first classes. Faculty, staff and students from all sectors of the university were recruited to help. They met regularly, brainstormed imaginatively and worked industriously to present a slate of memorable events. By all accounts, they succeeded. Here's a look back.

Act 100 re-enactment

Founders' Day

The Centennial celebration got underway as a standingroom-only crowd watched the ceremonial re-enactment signing of Act 100 of 1909 in the Rotunda of the State Capitol in Little Rock on January 14, 2009.

The four state universities created by Act 100 launched their individual celebrations with the joint public reenactment and re-signing of their founding legislation. A unique feature of the event was having members of ASU's theatre department in period costume portraying members of the 1909 General Assembly and dramatizing actual remarks from the Legislative record.

The ceremony included greetings from the leaders of the four schools, as well as remarks and a ceremonial resigning of Act 100 by Gov. Mike Beebe '68. "We are here today to acknowledge the past," said Gov. Beebe. "The next 100 years will show that all four institutions will greatly expand and exceed the grandest expectations of all of the people in this room. I am proud of all four schools and the roles they will play in the future to shape Arkansas." The Governor, an ASU alumnus, closed by wishing a 'Happy Birthday' to all four universities.

April 1, 2009, saw the official kick-off of ASU's Centennial Celebration in Jonesboro with students, faculty, staff, and friends enjoying birthday cake, music, a festive atmosphere, and the rededication of the historic Arch in the center of campus.

The newly-landscaped Arch site was originally a gift from ASU’s class of 1927 and marked the entrance to the original administration and classroom building. The Arch faces south toward the railroad tracks, as many students arrived on campus by train. ASU student Aleigha Morton, dressed in a 1920s-style costume, read from the class will of the Training School Class of 1927, saying “… we have tried to express in imperishable form our love for our school and pleasant school time, memories that will linger in our hearts throughout life; and our natural human longing that we, the Class of 1927, may not be entirely forgotten, but may be recalled to the minds of the future students who enter beneath our archway.”

Birthday greetings were extended by then-SGA president Ryan Beaird '10; representatives of the faculty and staff, and ASU Alumni Association president Gary Pugh '68. Also in attendance were the chancellors of ASU system campuses as well as ASU President-Emeritus Dr. Eugene Smith '52. The mayors of Jonesboro and Paragould, whose towns were in the running for the university’s location, also addressed the group.

Members of the ASU Board of Trustees read congratulatory messages including a letter from Pres.

Barack Obama, entries into the Congressional Record by Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Rep. Marion Berry, and a letter from Gov. Mike Beebe '68. Special guest Opal Copeland Radford '32 celebrated her 100th birthday along with ASU, and also served as the Grand Marshal of that evening's Centennial parade downtown.

January Joint Legislative Reception, Governor’s Mansion, Little Rock Joint Act 100 Re-Enactment Ceremony, State Capitol Rotunda Faculty Women's Club Gala

February Centennial Reflections, ASU-TV series produced by Alex Brown and the Advanced Television Production class, hosted by Rich Carvell.

March

April Founders’ Day Celebration: Featuring Student Activities, Picnic on the Lawn, Arch Rededication Ceremony, Downtown Parade

May

June

Commencement, Centennial Class of 2009

Delta Blues Symposium XV: Celebrating a Century of Delta Culture

voices

11

ASU Homecoming 2009

Centennial Faculty Wall

Homecoming 2009 was celebrated the weekend of October 24. Students, alumni and the community enjoyed a memorable weekend.

ASU students celebrated Homecoming 2009 with a week full of events that included a chili cook-off, fashion show, float competition, hot wing eating contest, a variety show, Homecoming Court brunch, and of course Homecoming on Saturday.

The ASU Alumni Association sponsored a number of events all weekend, starting on Friday with the fifty-year reunion of the Class of 1959 and a reception honoring Wayne F. Baker '55 and Virginia Robinson Baker '45, Jake Bell '74 and Dr. F. M. Wilson '48, the Distinguished Alumni for 2009.

Along with events sponsored by the academic colleges on Saturday, the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter hosted the Linual Cameron scholarship luncheon at which Marlon Henderson, scholarship committee chair, and Dr. Nancy Hendricks, director of alumni communications, were honored for their services to STAC. Prior to the all-alumni tailgate party at the Cooper Alumni Center that afternoon, a remarkable sight was the parade of Model T's and antique cars across campus to the lawn of the Alumni Center where an iconic photo from the 1959 yearbook was re-enacted fifty years later. Thanks to Ken and Joyce Swan of Selmer, Tennessee, who own the actual Model T used in that 1959 photo, the photo was re-enacted with Glenda Ball Lancaster '59 and Florence Green Maxwell '67, who were in the 1959 photo, along with Phi Mu sisters Anna Beth Crosthwait '59, Gaylene Houck Davis '59, Sandra Johnson Kennett '60, Judith Sanford Long '60, Polly Handley McAtee '59 MSE '65, and JoAnn Allison Nalley '60 MSE '62.

Homecoming weekend culminated on Saturday night with the Red Wolves' 27-10 victory over Florida International.

The Centennial Faculty Wall honoring 100 distinguished faculty members through ASU's history was unveiled at an event by the ASU Faculty Association on April 5, 2010. The name of each distinguished faculty member is permanently enshrined outside Centennial Hall on a wall plaque designed by Mark Reeves '84 of ASU Publications and Creative Services.

Dr. John Hall '83 MRC '85, professor of psychology and chair of the Faculty Association's ad hoc committee, explained that each nominee was required to be a retired faculty member with a minimum of ten years' service and also to have made long-term significant contributions to ASU. The names of the 100 distinguished faculty members were announced by Michael Doyle '74, manager of A-State’s public radio station KASU. Dr. Beverly Boals Gilbert, president of the ASU Faculty Association, and Dr. Hall closed the event by unveiling the plaque.

July

August

September

October

Northwest Arkansas Alumni Centennial Reception

Little Rock Alumni Centennial Reception

“100 Years: 100 Photographs,” Bradbury Gallery Exhibit

Student Centennial Celebration Week

“FIRED UP! 100 Years in the Making!” Homecoming 2009

U.S. Senator Thaddeus Caraway Exhibit Opened

Memphis Alumni Centennial Reception

Centennial Weekend: Featuring •Board of Trustees Recognition Dinner, •Dedication of the Reynolds Center for Health Sciences, •Arkansas Biosciences Institute Anniversary,

Golden Anniversary Reunion – Cooper Alumni Center

Legislative Day

12

fall, 2010

November 100 Years, 100 Voices Alumni Magazine Published

December

Time Capsule Ceremony, a New Tradition On April 12, 2010, ASU launched a new student tradition with the burial of a time capsule from the Centennial graduating class of 2009. Dr. Rick Stripling '79 EDS '83, vice chancellor of student affairs, stated the new tradition will be a bridge to the future.

Each time capsule will be opened at the 25-year Homecoming reunion of its class, with symbolic items selected by the new graduating class to be placed in the vacated concrete bench, continuing the tradition. Dr. Ruth Hawkins '82, Centennial Celebration executive director, foresees the tradition continuing for at least 100 years.

Kyle Fulton '09 of the Student Government Association read the time capsule contents at the closing of the ceremony. The Centennial Class of 2009 will open their time capsule at Homecoming in 2034.

January

February

Photos by Nancy Hendricks

Bronze Statues given to university in April 2009 by the SGA and SAB receive their official names Mohegan and Rufus

March

Time Capsule Contents Class of 2009 ASU Admission Guide Rate Sheets for Tuition & Fees, Room & Board, and Meal Plans Student ID Card with A-State Holder Indian Football Jersey – Last white home Indian jersey Twin Towers Brick VOICES – Alumni magazine with Twin Towers Implosion article CN – College News magazine People magazine US magazine Newsweek magazine Yearbooks “Keep A Child Alive” wrist band ASU 2005 commemorative football ASU mascot hat, “Red” Order of The Tribe T-Shirt – Final edition Homecoming Cup with Indian Fight Song Homecoming Cup with Red Wolves Fight Song Indian Koozie – Final edition Buttons – Indian Club, New Orleans Bowl, and Little Indian Club New Orleans Bowl Poster Mardi Gras Beads – Indians and Red Wolves ASU Indian Coaster Red Wolves T-Shirt – First printing A-State Mascot Trading Card – Bio on HOWL Season Tickets – First Red Wolves football season Season Tickets – First Red Wolves men’s basketball season ASU License Plate – Centennial Class 2005-2009 100 Years 100 VOICES – ASU Alumni commemorative issue Centennial Celebration banner Embrace Our Past – Imagine Our Future flag Embrace Our Past – Imagine Our Future pom-pom Act 100 Re-Enactment Ceremony – DVD ASU Founder’s Day Ceremony program Congressional Record Tribute from Representative Marion Berry Congressional Record Tribute from Senator Blanche Lincoln Centennial Congratulatory Letter from President Obama Centennial Congratulatory Letter from Governor Mike Beebe 50-Year Class Reunion Scroll – Centennial Class of 1959 Letter from the Arkansas State University Centennial Celebration Commission Indian Family Farewell – DVD Time Capsule Burial Ceremony program

voices

13

Centennial Staff Wall of Honor

Centennial Homecoming 2010

On April 27, 2010, the unveiling of the Staff Centennial Wall of Honor recognized 100 former and current staff members for their significant contributions to ASU in its century of history. The plaques are permanently displayed outside Centennial Hall.

A video created by Hunter West '10 spotlighted what several staff members love about ASU. The unveiling of the Centennial Staff Wall of Honor was performed by then-Chancellor Robert Potts, ASU Board of Trustees members Florine Tousant Milligan '75 and Dan Pierce '72, Staff Senate president Randy Martin '97, and Staff Senate committee members Sandra Bramblett '85 MAG '87, Carolyn Douglas '01, and Billy Pierce.

The weekend of Oct. 1-3, 2010, brought the Centennial Celebration to a fitting close with a grand finale a hundred years in the making. A sample includes the fifty-year reunion of the Class of 1960, recognition of the year's Distinguished Alumni Gen. George Barker '55, Dr. Joel Gambill '65 and Julia Riggs Lansford '63, plus a concert by popular country group Lady Antebellum with opening act, alumnus David Nail of Kennett.

There were activities hosted by the various academic colleges, the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter luncheon, an alumni rugby game, and a classic car rally and AllAlumni tailgate party at the Cooper Alumni Center before the Homecoming football game against Louisville.

April First 100 Distinguished Faculty, Centennial Faculty Wall of Honor

May

June

July

Commencement, Centennial Class of 2010

Dr. Les Wyatt Retirement Reception

“Journey to Excellence APPA Award” Facilities Management Recognition Ceremony

Earth Day 2010 Class of 2009 Time Capsule Ceremony “People in Place,” Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter Lecture Series 100 Distinguished Staff, Centennial Staff Wall of Honor

14

fall, 2010

August Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter Joint School Celebration

September Kays Foundation Centennial Celebration

Centennial Grand Finale

Permanent references

Sunday, Oct. 3, saw the Centennial Celebration's grand finale featuring two very special presentations in their world premieres. The first was a dramatization based on the correspondence of A-State President V. C. Kays and U. S. Sen. Hattie Caraway titled Dear Mrs. Caraway, Dear Mr. Kays written by Dr. Nancy Hendricks '74, director of alumni communications, and starring Hendricks in her signature role as Caraway with KASU station manager Michael Doyle '74 as Kays.

The afternoon was capped off by the presentation of the musical Centennial composition Architects of Fate by professor of music Dr. Tom O’Connor, performed by the ASU Wind Ensemble and Choirs.

Along with the Centennial festivities, two major publications act as a permanent reminder of the celebration as well as a reference to ASU's past as we head toward the future.

100 Years, 100 VOICES was created by the Alumni office as a special gift for members of the ASU Alumni Association. In its readable, colorful glossy magazine format, one hundred figures from throughout ASU's history are saluted. The Centennial anniversary was the ideal time to spotlight those who have contributed to the university's success over the last century. Even the inside covers helped tell the ASU story as the world of 1909 was juxtaposed with that of 2009 to show how far we have come over one hundred years.

From its inception, one of the most important elements of 100 VOICES was to highlight ASU's diversity. These included age, gender, ethnicity, colleges, departments, faculty, administrators, students, alumni, friends, historical figures, contemporary notables, etc. Apparently those efforts succeeded. In an editorial in the Oct. 27, 2009, Jonesboro Sun, subtitled Commemorative magazine filled with ASU history, editor Roy Ockert '67 wrote: "I learned a lot in the publication … One of the things you'll notice about the 100 Voices is their diversity."

Orders for 100 Years, 100 VOICES at $10 each are being accepted as long as supplies last. Just contact the Alumni office at 870-972-2586 or e-mail alumni@astate.edu.

Additionally, ASU will publish a hardcover Centennial book titled Embrace the Past: Celebrating 100 Years at Arkansas State University. It will consist of 100 memories from people who have been part of the university family, plus many unique and historic pictures. Publication is scheduled for this spring to include the conclusion of the Centennial Celebration and to provide an opportunity to include the grand finale activities in the book. Thanks to a major grant from the Kays Foundation and additional sponsorships, the book is offered at an affordable price. After publication the price will be $45, but pre-publication orders will be accepted through April 1 for just $35, including all handling fees and taxes.

To reserve a copy or for more information, contact the Centennial office at 870-972-2803 or e-mail centennial@astate.edu.

The ASU Centennial has been a hundred years in the making – just watch our next century!

A

NS RKA

TA T AS S

IV E UN

E R S IT

Y

le n Fina bratio l Cele ctober 3, 201r0 ia n n Cente . Sunday, O owler Cente 2 p.m d Hall, F Ricelan

October

April 2011

Centennial Homecoming Weekend

Hardcover Centennial Book Available

Centennial Celebration Finale

For more information on the ASU Centennial, visit the website http://www2.astate.edu/a/centennial Centennial Celebration Staff: Dr. Ruth Hawkins - director Paula Miles - assistant director Cassia Craig - secretary

voices

15

The Write Stuff

They say the writer's life is lonely, but with all the people in the ASU family who have had books published recently, a nice support group could be formed. Here's a look at those who have 'The Write Stuff' ‌

16

fall, 2010

Dr. Steven Abernathy '73 and his son John pooled their talents for the political action thriller A Question of Character which has generated strong interest among readers. The novel poses the question: What if the President of the United States was also a murderer?

A Washington D.C. police detective must deal with that dilemma as his investigation leads him to the nation’s highest office. With the assistance of a conspiracy theorist and a Secret Service agent with a nagging conscience, the detective follows the trail all the way to the White House. Along the way he discovers corruption, dissention, an assassination plot, and a cache of historical artifacts hidden since the Civil War. Dr. Abernathy is a dentist who lives and works in Clearwater, Florida, and Jonesboro. His political interest developed in the 1980s when he was a candidate for U. S. Congress from Arkansas. John Abernathy, formerly of Jonesboro, now lives in Los Angeles where he is a freelance artist who writes and works in the movie industry. He has written, directed, or produced several short films, experience that has come in handy as there is interest in their book being made into a movie. Their next novel, Nikita's War, is currently in the works.

Photos by Nancy Hendricks

Katherine Allred '89 of Jonesboro is well known as an author of science fiction and contemporary romance. After receiving her bachelor's degree in journalism from ASU, Katherine began writing in earnest. To date, she's had eight books published, with number nine recently completed. Her website lists titles including Close Encounters, The Sweet Gum Tree, Second Time Around, What Price Paradise, For Love of Charley, Sweet Revenge and her latest, Close Contact: An Alien Affairs Novel. On her website, she tell of her grandfather's influence: "My earliest memories are of him, taking me to the local five and dime, and telling me I could buy anything in the store that cost twenty-five cents or less. For me, there was no choice at all. I always made a bee-line straight for the Little Golden Books, as he knew I would. And then he'd patiently read those books to me, over and over again, until I'd memorized every word. By the time I was four, I was reading the books to him, or making up my own stories to entertain him." A member of Romance Writers of America, Katherine has achieved many awards for her novels, including the 2006 EPPIE award, PASIC Book of Your Heart contest, and Best Book of the Year by Romance Reviews Today in 2005.

Guy Lancaster '99 MA '01 of Little Rock, who is completing his doctorate through ASU's Heritage Studies program, is editor of the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture [please see the Spring 2006 issue of VOICES for full story]. In that role, he guides more than 500 authors through the process of writing over

5,000 entries. But as an author in his own right, with his novel The Queen of Purgatory, he is certainly in good company. One reviewer on Amazon.com said, "Guy Lancaster's first novel, The Queen of Purgatory, is reminiscent of James Joyce's The Dead … Lancaster's narration is strong and vivid, full of character description so detailed that one quickly sympathizes with all the characters, and one finds that in these characters, as in Shakespeare's … we tend to be a mixture of both good and evil."

Being compared to Joyce and Shakespeare in your first novel is not a bad thing. Lancaster's book is set in Parkin, Arkansas, featuring a host of characters plus a ghost story about a man said to have escaped from the local prisoner-of-war camp. Think that sounds far-reaching? Another reviewer on Amazon wrote, "Where else can you find Nazis, Marian apparitions, and the Mississippi Delta woven together so eloquently but in this book? I finished it days ago, but I still haven't left Parkin, Arkansas. A definite must-read."

Dr. Natalie A. Johnson-Leslie is an assistant professor of teacher education at ASU, where her husband H. Steve Leslie is an adjunct instructor in communication studies and an academic technology specialist.

Together, they have written The ABC’s of Surviving School Violence, giving children a course of action for every letter of the alphabet in case of school violence. The authors strive to empower early learners with strategies that prepare them to survive. In addition, they hope the book will be a catalyst for meaningful change in the curriculum by addressing school violence early, and hopefully eliminating it in the school setting altogether. Dr. Johnson-Leslie and Mr. Leslie state: “the book is timely and relevant; the strategies advanced are practical and implementable. School violence over the last decade needs attention in order to prevent more harm to the nation’s children as well as to alleviate the fears and discomforts that accompany our students, teachers, administrators and visitors that go into schools.” They feel that school violence continues to be a concern, not only with shootings but also episodes of bullying like the case of Phoebe Prince, which they feel prove that children could benefit from learning how to react in these situations. The Leslies hope that through their book, they can educate, inform and instill practical principles and strategies that may save lives. Parents and teachers can use this book to emphasize survival tips to overcome violent acts.

Dr. Don Maness, dean of the ASU College of Education, has authored the book, Do They Miss Me at Home?, the Civil War letters of William McKnight of the 7th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.

McKnight, a blacksmith before the war, wrote dozens of emotion-filled letters, primarily to his wife Samaria, revealing the struggles of the family.

The book contains more than one hundred letters, providing indepth accounts of several Civil War battles in Kentucky and Tennessee. From McKnight's descendants, Maness received access to the letters, most of which were folded in the original envelopes. Maness notes that during the Civil War, letters were voices

17

among the few connections to home that soldiers had. Their importance increased as troops found themselves farther from family and friends. Along with the horror of battle, the men fought loneliness and homesickness. In one of his last letters to his wife, McKnight says, "If I owned this whole State I would give it to be with you and the war at an end so that we might never be separated." One reviewer said of the book, "Ably edited in this timely collection, those letters make for interesting reading, sure to be welcomed by both amateur and professional historians of the Civil War." Another reviewer said the letters "remind us of the sacrifices that the war exacted from families as soldiers fought to protect their homes and country and shape the nation for future generations."

For ASU professors Dr. Clyde Milner and Dr. Carol O'Connor, writing the book As Big As the West: The Pioneer Life of Granville Stuart was an adventure for more than a decade. Their book, described by Oxford University Press as "a fast-paced narrative biography of one of the Frontier West's most complex figures," is the biography of Stuart (1834-1918), whose life mirrored the story of his time. A quintessential Western figure in the mold of Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill or Sitting Bull, his adventures recall the conflicts and the contradictions of America's westward expansion. In co-authoring the book, Milner and O'Connor say, "It was a long and fascinating trail for us to follow. For more than twelve years, we were researching and writing about Granville Stuart. Writing a book together may not be the wisest activity for sustaining a marriage, but we found ourselves enjoying the challenges of examining one man's life from two people's perspectives." Milner is the director of ASU's Heritage Studies Ph.D. Program, and O'Connor is interim dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

They bring their awareness of current issues in Western history to their material, along with rich detail and narrative flair, to illuminate the fascinating, complex life of the archetypal frontiersman who lived a life as big as the West. Their book has garnered praise including a starred review in Publishers Weekly, the leading international magazine of book publishing.

Sara Richardson of Hot Springs, who graduated from ASU in 2001, is the author of the book, Jake, described by her publisher as “a wonderful story of friendship, love and hope.” Richardson, originally from Booneville, was raised on a chicken farm and began writing as an adolescent. “When I was 13, I wrote 'The Trials of Becoming a Teenage Girl.' It was just a story about regular teenage girl things: friends, school, crushes,” she says. “I still have the manuscript in a drawer. It was 113 pages, handwritten, and back then, I thought that was a major accomplishment. I still do actually, because I teach seventh and eighth grade and hear them complain all the time about having to write a five-paragraph essay.” Journalism, in which she minored, was her real passion. “All I wanted was to do the yearbook and 18

fall, 2010

newspaper in a school and maybe teach a few classes,” she says.

Her new book, Jake, concerns a young woman who is faced with a difficult choice when confronted with a serious illness, asking the question of how a person cures a "dying soul.”

Noguchi Takayuki '98 of Japan has published Escaping with North Korean Defectors, detailing his experience helping North Korean refugees escape via China to a third country. The refugees must swim a river south across China to Vietnam. If they are captured in China, they are sent back to North Korea where they and their families are executed. But it they can make it to Vietnam, they are allowed to fly to Seoul, where they can safely start new lives in South Korea. Takayuki's mission to guide the refugees to freedom included his being jailed in China for almost a year.

While studying political science at ASU, he left a deep impression on his professors. Dr. Charles Hartwig says, "Tak used to astound listeners here with tales of his amazing solo travels around the world - he would go anywhere. My favorite story of his was about when he went to North Korea and accidentally left his camera in a restaurant. He remembered it just after leaving the building, and when he returned his camera was there OK, but the waiters were all around his former table gobbling down some food scraps that he had left on his plate!"

Says Dr. Ross Marlay, "Takayuki was arrested in China and sent to prison. The Chinese offered to let him go early, but Tak refused unless they also released the North Koreans, so he spent extra months in jail before returning home to Japan. Of all the students I taught in 33 years, he is the one I admire most."

Dr. Randall Valentine '98 is an assistant professor of finance at Georgia Southwestern State University and has published over 30 articles in finance and business journals. He serves as a consultant to various national and international corporations, and has been twice honored with international research awards.

His new book The Next Great Depression has been an attentiongetter in the current economy. One reviewer wrote, "The Next Great Depression by Dr. Valentine is very insightful. The title brought this book to my attention. The current status of our economy is on everyone's mind. What happens next will not only affect us, but it will also affect our children. The views expressed

by Dr. Valentine about the future of our economy are hard to ignore. The book provides details of our government's mistakes and corrective measures that must be taken." And Amazon.com adds, "With the future of the American economy in turmoil, the policies of government intervention have been swift and on a scale unseen in the history of our country. However, these policies include expanding the money supply unlike ever before.

The history of countries printing money to this extreme is quite grim. The question is … what will the U.S. economy look like at the conclusion of these policies?"

James E. Vaughn '62 has had an interesting life and some very interesting ancestors. He had managed a radio station in Miami before moving back to Arkansas with his wife Wanda Lee Rice Vaughn '61 where he has lived for more than 50 years, writing and teaching. His latest work is actually a pair of historical novels which can be read separately or as one fascinating story.

The books are based on distant kinsmen of Jim, who was 83 years old when he transformed twenty years of research into these historical novels. The first, The Alchymist and The Silurist, is based on the lives of seventeenthcentury Welsh twins Henry Vaughan (a poet called 'The Silurist') and Thomas Vaughan, a scientist known as 'The Alchymist.' The second book, Diana & Leo, is a sequel of sorts, based on the life of Thomas Vaughan and the machinations of nineteenth-century Parisian Leo Taxil (a/k/a/Gabreille Jogand-Pages), who created a series of lurid stories involving the scientist. One review said, "These two fascinating historical novels vividly portray stories of goodness and faith overcoming disbelief and evil."

Dear Mrs. Caraway, Dear Mr. Kays by Dr. Nancy Hendricks '74 – This book was published in October to coincide with the presentation of the play of the same name at the ASU Centennial grand finale. It contains the full text of the correspondence between A-State President V. C. Kays and U. S. Sen. Hattie Caraway as found in the Kays Archives at ASU. It also includes a reassessment of the woman called 'Silent Hattie' plus a rare interview with Caraway's granddaughter, her last living direct descendant, who shares memories of the first woman elected to the Senate.

Flight to Home by Don Huckabee '59 - Upon graduation from Arkansas State with a degree in journalism, the late Don Huckabee was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. through ROTC in the infantry and spent most of his active duty as a pilot, later becoming a captain for Eastern Airlines and a flight instructor for Delta. Flight to Home is a historical novel about aviation in the Korean War.

More books from the ASU family, briefly noted: Bedlam South by Mark Grisham - the alumnus and former ASU football player has written a historical novel about the Civil War and the chaos it unleashed on the lives of Southerners. The book is set in the heart of the Confederacy and shows how people grappled with the brutality of war in their daily lives. It examines the toll the war took on the mental health of everyday citizens as they lived with the constant threat of losing their families, their freedom and even their lives. Mark is currently at work on his next novel.

A Florida Fiddler: The Life and Times of Richard Seaman by Dr. Gregory Hansen – ASU's associate professor English and folklore has written, according to one reviewer, "more than a biography of a traditional fiddle player. It is a chronicle of the collaboration between a fieldworker and his subject, an exploration of the evolution of a tradition … and a study of the American tall tale in its Southern incarnation." Hansen was recently a presenter on the subject at the International Country Music Conference, in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as the North Atlantic Fiddle Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland.

A Family Affair: The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Marriage

by Dr. Ruth Hawkins '82 – Hawkins, director of ASU Heritage sites including the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center in Piggott, has written the first comprehensive biography of the woman who married world-renowned author Ernest Hemingway and was an accomplished professional in her own right. On visits to Pauline's family in Piggott, Ernest Hemingway wrote portions of some of his famous works in a studio converted from their barn. Hawkins highlights Pauline's career writing for newspapers and Paris Vogue, where she met the struggling young author, as well as her nomadic life with Hemingway after he won success.

The Tomato Patch, Cache River, and Myrtle Beach by Dr. Luther Knight '57 – Myrtle Beach, Knight's latest, was published several months ago and one reviewer said, "If you are at all interested in the Low Country, the military, or just great characters in a great mystery, Myrtle Beach by Luther Knight is a must-read for you!"

The Penalty is Death by Dr. Marlin Shipman '69 – ASU's emeritus professor of journalism examines press coverage of women’s executions over the past 150 years, which have ranged from massive national coverage to limited local reporting along with sensationalism, stereotyping, and trying the women in the media. An Amazon.com reviewer said, “The Penalty Is Death fills a void in the literature on capital punishment that has long been neglected. Anyone interested in media and press performance, capital punishment, or women’s roles in society will find this book of great value."

Attorney Don Tomlinson '70 of Houston has kept his creative side busy with music and writing. The journalism major lists nonfiction titles Surviving Work; Avoiding Life's Big Mistakes; Patent Frenzy: Look Before You Leap, and Lawsuits Plaintiffs Never Win and Why among his books. In the realm of fiction, his novel Oedipus Tex revolves around the world of politics, media, and as the author says on his website, "sex, lies, videotape, and Oedipal circumstances harsh enough to make even the most hardened of Texas politicians wish for a different career."

No doubt many in the ASU family have the makings of the Great American Novel in them. Congratulations to those who have been published so far!

voices

19

Going to the Final Four is a major accomplishment. Playing well against the nation's most legendary teams is remarkable. But doing both in just the first year your sport was fully funded is nothing short of miraculous. Credit it to valiant players, skilled coaching and lots of mud, sweat and tears. Welcome to

Red Wolves Rugby‌ 20

fall, 2010

'Legalized Mayhem' Imagine smash-mouth American football without pads, helmets or time-outs and with only one referee on the field to keep an eye on 30 players. The object is for your side, or team, to score as many points as possible by carrying, passing or kicking a leather ball about twice the size of a football. Brute force and high-speed collisions are commonplace, with players' blood mixing with the mud on the pitch (playing field). Even the terminology sounds tough: scrum, ruck, maul. It's a sport that has been called 'legalized mayhem,' executed by athletes wearing only shorts and T-shirts.

Arkansas State’s rugby program is classified as a club sport, tracing its beginning to 1989, when the informal Jonesboro Rugby Club was formed. In 1991, ASU recognized the club as an official college side. After a move to Division I two years ago, ASU won the South Collegiate Championships two years in a row, finishing 11th in the nation in 2008 and fourth in 2009.

The Red Wolves’ only losses were to nationally-ranked squads.

Many people credit the success of the program to its coaching, under whose leadership the club increased in size and has become nationally competitive.

The Red Wolves currently list 50 players on its roster, including about a dozen international students. According to ASU-Jonesboro Interim Chancellor Dan Howard, “Many students outside the United States have been attracted to ASU to continue their interests in playing rugby while obtaining a high quality education at an affordable price. With ASU’s commitment to globalization and the associated growth of the number of international students, the university has been able to develop a stable source of funding for the rugby team. Among other things, this means that neither legislative appropriations nor tuition paid by ASU students will be used to support the rugby team. This stable base funding will ensure, along with private support, that rugby has a long-term future at ASU.”

Family affair Part of that future includes a coaching tradition that has become a family affair. In January, 2010, attorney Curt Huckaby of Lake City, who led the program into prominence as a volunteer for 14 years, stepped aside as head coach, succeeded by his son, Matthew Huckaby '02 MPA '05. Matt was named All-American twice in 2000-02 while playing for his father, one of only two players from Division II rugby.

On the All-American squad, he represented the U. S. in Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, China and Hong Kong. Today, Matt is pleased that Curt continues to assist the program in recruiting, player development, marketing, donor development and fundraising.

When he stepped down as coach, Curt Huckaby said, “I want to thank everyone who has been associated with the rugby program at ASU, including Dr. Les Wyatt, Dr. Robert Potts, Dr. Dan Howard, Mr. Mike Gibson '68, the faculty, groundskeepers and assistant coaches.” That support continues. “Curt Huckaby is a legend in college rugby and has been an ambassador of good will for ASU around the world,” said Gibson, a member of Arkansas State’s Board of Trustees. “I personally know that many of our international students came to ASU only because of Curt Huckaby and his nationally-ranked rugby program.”

Matt's appointment followed an open public search in accordance with university policies. The coaching position is one of his duties as an international specialist in the ASU Office of International Programs. He must be doing something right as the new coach because just a few months after his appointment, he and his ASU team were heading west to California for the national championships.

Brute force and high-speed collisions are commonplace, with players' blood mixing with the mud on the playing field. voices

21

Juggernaut

'Death Pool'

First came the Sweet 16 of the Division I USA Rugby Tournament playoffs in April, then the Elite Eight. The Red Wolves prevailed in both, earning the right to play in the Final Four after defeating St. Mary’s and San Diego State, both good teams. They entered the semifinal match ranked third nationally. Then they faced a juggernaut.

In the Final Four, the Red Wolves would play the voracious Golden Bears of the University of California in Berkeley. The two squads had never previously met. Cal, the nation’s number one-ranked men’s collegiate team, took a 24-0 record into the semifinal and would be playing close to home in Palo Alto.

Coach Huckaby came to ASU to play rugby. He majored in Spanish, and eventually received a Master in Public Administration, "which is a great graduate program at ASU," he says. "This was the first semester the university fully funded the rugby team, my position included. Accordingly, our guys on the team were determined to show the university what we could do with the increased resources. The guys banded together around this cause and we desperately wanted to express our gratitude to the university and the students who provide such overwhelming support. We wanted to express this gratitude through winning."

"We had our moments.

We learned that

we can compete with a team like that.”

While the Red Wolves were defeated in that match-up, they gained a tremendous amount of respect. ASU's young squad scored more points on the Golden Bears than any team California played this season. Anton Malko, assistant director of media relations for the University of California athletics department in Berkeley said, "Congrats to Arkansas State for an amazing season, after an amazingly few seasons. To go from Division II to Division I semifinals is great to see. I only hear great things about the school support and coaching as well. Not mention the players, who tallied the largest point total against us in 2010."

“I’m so proud of this team,” said coach Huckaby. “These guys played with lots of heart and lots of class. I’m proud of their effort. They never quit, and even though they were scoring a lot of points on us, we still had our moments. We learned that we can compete with a team like that.”

Those who could not travel to California still have a chance to see ASU's rugby team in action. A television special, Red Wolves Rugby, highlighting the team’s quest for the national championship, was produced and aired by ASU-TV. Just type in 'Red Wolves Rugby' on YouTube for highlights.

22

fall, 2010

ASU's student-athletes set themselves to the task and made it out of the South Region into their first-ever nationals by beating long-established teams such as the University of Tennessee. Huckaby recalls, "Upon entering our pool in the round of 16, we soon found out that we were in the 'Death Pool' (as the media coined it). This was a pool with St. Mary’s College and San Diego State, both from California, and Bowling Green State in Ohio - all ranked in the top six in the country. Furthermore, the team who advanced from this pool into the final four, had to play the University of California, Berkeley." Cal has won 22 out of the last 25 national championships.

Huckaby says, "We fought off a very tough St. Mary’s side with a very hard ref the first game. We turned around the second day and got into a dog fight with a higher-seeded San Diego State team, leading at half time. In the locker room at half, I took one look at our guys and knew they were not going to lose that game. We finished beating SDSU 17-10 with some epic efforts from a couple of freshmen who really showed up. We eventually lost to Cal but had a great experience and learning lesson playing at that caliber and in the high-pressure arena. As soon as our guys lost that final game, they were talking about how to win it next year."

Hard knocks

Photos courtesy ASU Rugby, Calvin Harrel, and Richard Ersted & Michael Pimentel, GoldenBearSports.com

Many feel that the lessons learned on the playing field in athletics carry over into the rest of life. Huckaby would agree.

"The 'hard knocks' experienced by all involved in rugby help prepare you for the future by showing yourself that you are much more capable than what you thought possible, both physically and mentally," he says. "If you keep pushing harder and harder, something will happen for you."

It's a sport that has been called

'legalized mayhem,' executed by athletes wearing only

shorts and T-shirts.

Additionally, rugby presents an opportunity to work and succeed through diversity. "Diversity is something we hold dear in ASU Rugby," he says. "We have kids from Fiji, Africa, South America, Japan, Europe, Arkansas, Illinois, Texas, etc. We are different colors, come from different backgrounds, listen to different music, and bring different cultural experiences. This is all taken with open arms to form an unbreakable bond within the team. If you are one of us, you are one of the family no matter where you come from. The different perspectives kids bring will be utilized for the ultimate success of the team. Diversity is part of our game plan.

After their playing days are over, many rugby alumni find this game plan translates well into the real world. Ever heard a Fijian sing an island song or an African tell stories about his great homeland? We have!"

Thanks to ASU Rugby Sponsors: Rehabilitation Medical associates, p.a. voices

23

The conclusion to ASU’s Centennial Celebration festivities was held on Sunday, October 3 in the Fowler Center. This date marked the 100th anniversary of the first day of academic classes. How appropriate it was that this event featured our students, faculty and staff in a stunning set of performances, musical and dramatic that touched those in attendance in an extraordinary way. This institution means so much to so many.

You can read more details on all the ways in which Arkansas State has marked this important milestone in this edition of VOICES. I won’t be here for ALL of the next 100 years, but I am certainly thankful to have experienced part of the first century and celebrated with all of you these successes. It is worthy to note that we all owe a special thanks to Dr. Ruth Hawkins who chaired the Centennial Planning Committee. Although she would be the first to tell you that it was a group effort and there are many to thank for its successes, there is no doubt that it was her leadership and vision that set the tone and the high expectations for a series of events worthy of 100 years. She did it – spectacularly well.

And speaking of milestones, we mark the start of the next century with three very important ones: ASU was ranked as a tier one institution by the

THE LAST WORD: FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

editors of US News and World Report, jumping two

levels in just one year! That is a very rare occurrence and places us in the top 60 of southern regional schools. We are continuing to address the criteria outlined for recognition and put into place improvements where necessary that will help us continue to garner this identification as one of “America’s Best Colleges”.

The fall 2010 student enrollment was 13,438 the highest in the institution’s history. This is just for the Jonesboro campus, not the entire system. We have now regained our position as the state’s second largest four-year institution, a premier status that many alumni enjoyed while at A-State.

During this period we also increased the overall undergraduate admissions

standards and some of the graduate level enrollment criteria as well. We’re growing and we’re doing it the right way, with a mission to attract strong students who will flourish in an environment of strong teaching and research.

ASU has received national honors as the 10th best for military veterans due largely to the Beck PRIDE Center located within our College of Nursing and Health Professions. This special initiative was started with a gift from ASU alumni, Buddy and Charlotte Beck of Fairfax, Virginia because they felt so passionately about providing transitional services for our veterans. PRIDE stands for Personal Rehabilitation, Individual Development and Education. Isn’t that one of the best things that we can offer our veterans – PRIDE? Sharing your pride in ASU,

Beth Smith Executive Editor

24

fall, 2010

PHOTOGRAPH BY NANCY HENDRICKS

Dear Friends,

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY and The Staff Senate Proudly Recognize Our 100 Distinguished Staff

DISTINGUISHED STAFF Oliver Armstrong, Finance & Administration Jerry Bailey, Facilities Management Carol Barnhill, Procurement Services Greg Beeler, Facilities Management Rosie Bilbrey, College of Business Sherry Blevins, Finance & Administration Gina Bowman, Media Relations Brian Boyer, Women's Basketball Paula Bradberry, First Year Studies Margaret Brewer, Career Services Marilyn Brewer, Chancellor's Office Barbara Broadaway, Food Services Sue Brown, Human Resources Ron Carroll, Sports Medicine Terry Carty, Facilities Management Janis Cook, Facilities Management Ken Cooper, University Police Gerald Craig, Financial Aid Laura Cremeens, Student Affairs Kay Davis, Research & Academic Affairs D. A. Davis, Environmental Health & Safety Tim Dean, Convocation Center Patrick Dixon, Residence Life H.E. “Cap” Eldridge, Registrar Tracy Farmer, Library Services Starr Fenner, Environmental Health & Safety Bill Fisher, Purchasing Glen Fletcher, Cashier's Window Tammy Fowler, Admissions Rosemary Freer, Testing Center Doris Gibson, Payroll Services Patricia Glascock, Counseling Center Mary Ann Haines, Career Planning & Placement Clint Halcom, Facilities Management Hester Hall, Custodial Services Ray Hall, Sr., Field Services Bill Hansard, Library Services Janet Hardin, Payroll Services Gary Harper, Information & Technology Services Brenda Hawkins, Residence Life Ruth Hawkins, Arkansas Heritage SITES Woodrow Haynes, Sr., Farm Services Robin Hicks, Research & Academic Affairs Victor Hill, Financial Aid & Scholarships Don James, Finance & Administration Linda Jeffery, Arkansas Biosciences Institute Craig Johnson, Student Affairs Sherry L. Johnson, Chancellor's Office Kathryn Jones, Institutional Research Pamelia Kail, President's Office

Robin Kaloghirou, Financial Aid & Scholarships Robert Kern, Printing Services Guy Kochel, Track & Field Paula Lamb, Information & Technology Services Sharon Lee, Student Account Services Ron Looney, Publications & Creative Services Dwain Lutrell, Finance & Administration Robbie Lyle, Upward Bound Paula Lynn, Advisement Services Greta Mack, Registrar Thomas Manning, Alumni Relations Sue Marlay, University College Randy Martin, University Police Irene Martz, Research & Academic Affairs Jerry Mathis, Physical Plant Leonard McDaniel, Registrar Mary Lou McDaniel, Student Affairs Paula Miles, Arkansas Heritage SITES Darlister Mitchell, President's Office Tom Moore, Chancellor's Office Robert Moore, Student Affairs Jo Ann Nalley, Childhood Services Lu Nedrow, Food Services Don Neldon, Facilities Management Renee O'Connor, College of Fine Arts Hope Phillips, Arkansas Biosciences Institute Phil Pickle, Information & Technology Services Mark Reeves, Publications & Creative Services Ernie Rice, Journalism Jenifer Rice-Mason, Disability Services Michael Ring, Facilities Management Bobby Ruff, Printing Services Jerry Schaeffer, Sports Information Services Johnnie Segars, Finance & Administration Naomi Shaffer, Graduate School Jill Simons, Wilson Advising Center Beth Smith, Alumni Relations Sam Spurlock, Finance & Administration Ruth Steinsiek, Childhood Services Sylvia Strawbridge, Music Peggy Stroud, Student Affairs Randall Tate, Student Union Bill Templeton, Athletic Administration Lanny Tinker, Facilities Management Mary Tolley, Custodial Services Ralph Waddell, Buildings & Grounds Randal Wallace, Facilities Management Charlene Walton, Cashier's Window Les Watson, Finance & Administration Marcia Williams, Women’s Tennis

First Faculty and Staff On June 1, 1909, Victor C. Kays was officially hired as principal of the First District Agricultural School.

Within two weeks, the first employees he hired were Clyde and Lucile Bailes Warr. They and the other faculty and staff serving the 189 students who entered on Oct. 3, 1910, were: V. C. Kays, principal Nira Beck, literature and vocal music W. H. Black, animal husbandry Lillian Cooley, instrumental music M. F. Dickson, math instructor and head of extension Dora Elliot, clerk Henry Ness, biology Elizabeth Nowell, household economics F. T. Parks, mathematics and engineering Clyde V. Warr, farm superintendent Lucile Warr, matron of dormitories

P.O. BOX 1990 • STATE UNIVERSITY, AR 72467 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

history

From the 1960 yearbook. The Class of 1960 celebrated its Golden Anniversary Reunion at our 2010 Centennial Homecoming.