Io Triumphe! The magazine for alumni and friends of Albion College

vol. lXXIII, No. 

The Ford Institute Turns 30 13

Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, ’71, on the City of the Future 16

Picture Yourself at Homecoming 38

IoTrIumphe!

Summer

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T he m AGAZINe

For

A LumNI

AND

F rIeNDS

oF

A LBIoN C oLLeGe

United in a Common Purpose Presidential inauguration celebrates tradition, embraces change

Rae Corliss, ’23, was a newspaper man, through and through.

“I especially appreciated the creativity of Mike Sequite of the Advancement staff,” Glenn Corliss says. “He knew my father well enough to suggest the Pleiad Prize

to memorialize him—Mike enjoyed the challenge of connecting our donation to an Albion College organization important to my father.”

The first award was made this spring to Christie Piper, a junior majoring in English with a creative writing emphasis. Christie served as managing editor of the Pleiad this spring, and community editor last fall. She is spending the summer in an internship with Metro Parent Publishing Group in Ferndale, Michigan and then heads to Dublin, Ireland for an internship this coming fall.

1923 ALBIONIAN PHOTOS

The Corlisses will fund the prize with annual gifts, and at the same time will build an endowment so that awards can be made in perpetuity. Working with Institutional Advancement staff members, the Corlisses made certain that the gift would be structured to best benefit the College and utilized sophisticated giving strategies available to most donors.

If you would like to discuss how you might honor a family member, mentor, or friend through a gift to Albion College, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 517/629-0446 or e-mail: advancement@albion.edu.

(Above) Rae Corliss as a graduating senior at Albion. (Below) The Pleiad staff hard at work in 1923.

office of institutional advancement 611 e. porter st. albion, mi 49224 517/629-0242 advancement@albion.edu www.albion.edu/alumnigiving.asp

Susan Sadler is a partner in the law firm of Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, The Lux Fiat Society ($50,000 and above) Albion College Io Triumphe!

Society ($25,000-$49,999) and Sadler,The PLC, in Bloomfield Giving Societies The Trustees’ Circle ($10,000-$24,999) Hills, Mich. She is currently a The President’s member of Albion College’sAssociates Alumni ($5,000-$9,999) The Purple & Gold Society ($2,500-$4,999) Association Board of Directors.

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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His son and daughter-in-law, Glenn Corliss, ’61, and Nan Dalsimer Corliss, ’63, of Bloomington, Minnesota recently established a generous memorial, the Rae S. Corliss, ’23, Annual Pleiad Prize. A cash award will be given each year to the Pleiad staff member(s) making the greatest contribution to the College’s student newspaper.

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IoTriumphe! summer 2008

The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Albion College

Features

8

High Moment Inauguration focuses on ‘the way forward.’

13

Departments

The Ford Institute Today and Tomorrow

8

3

Briton Bits

19

Albionotes

37

Alumni Association News

41

Li’l Brits

13 16

Grand Goals Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, ’71, believes his city can be a model for the future.

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Cover photos by David Trumpie Summer 2008 |

Perspect!ves

IoTriumphe!

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

The Only Constant As I was looking through my late father’s papers recently, I came across this reminiscence, written more than a decade ago, from his childhood in the 1920s.

It is strange that a seven-year-old boy would have vivid memories of the presidential election of 1928, but that November is still very fresh in my mind.

The reason for this is probably due to the fact that my father’s place of business was one of the polling places in our town, and the activity around there on election day was incredibly exciting. The fact that Al Smith, the Democratic candidate, was a Roman Catholic undoubtedly stirred more interest in ours than in most families since my father was an immigrant Irish Catholic who took his politics very seriously indeed.

All over town, large photos of the candidates appeared in every home. There were few professional pollsters in 1928, but one could tell by counting the photos of Smith and Hoover how each neighborhood would vote.

I was struck, of course, by how similar this account seems to descriptions of the 2008 election year—particularly the excitement about candidates who are distinctly different from those who have run before, candidates who signal that change is both needed and possible.

Observers have often noted that Americans are, at their core, optimistic about the future and that a willingness to accept—and often to initiate—change is fundamental to that outlook. As Newsweek’s Fareed Zakaria puts it, “This is America’s great—and potentially insurmountable— strength. It remains the most open, flexible | Io Triumphe!

society in the world, able to absorb other people, cultures, ideas, goods, and services. . . . Faced with the new technologies of foreign companies, or growing markets overseas, it adapts and adjusts.”

In this edition of Io Triumphe!, you will learn about change and about prospects for the future in a number of different arenas.

In her inaugural address, President Donna Randall talks about the strategic planning process under way at Albion, and the transformative change that must take place in order for the College to educate students for life in a global society. Al Pheley, director of Albion’s Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service, writes about how the Institute has evolved since its founding in 1977-78 and the steps it is taking to ensure it continues to prepare leaders who will help effect change in the coming years. Finally, you will learn from Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, ’71, how a concern for creating a healthier living environment and promoting sustainability has caused American cities to change the way they operate.

My Irish immigrant grandfather arrived in North America as a teenager, and went on to build a successful business and earn the respect of his peers. Though I never met him, I’d be willing to bet that he would encourage us all to welcome change in many forms.

Sarah Briggs, Editor sbriggs@albion.edu 517/629-0244

Io Triumphe! is published three times annually by the Office of Communications, Albion College, 611 E. Porter St., Albion, MI 49224. It is distributed 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: 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!

The latest new s around campus

B r ! ton B ! ts the Rock

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The Sigma Nu fraternity’s annual basketball fundraiser netted approximately $10,000 this spring for the “Jessie’s Gift” mentoring program, which brings College students together with children in local elementary and middle schools for tutoring and other support. The endowed program is named in memory of Jessie Longhurst, ’06, an Albion native who was deeply involved in youth initiatives while in high school and college. The Sigma Nu event also included a children’s basketball clinic prior to the game and a halftime dance number that featured some of the 70 first- and second-graders who were in attendance.

By Jake Weber Twenty new tablet computers arrived at Albion recently, thanks to a 2008 Technology for Teaching grant from HewlettPackard (HP). The $77,000 award includes the laptop PCs, related software, and a cash grant for support expenses. A supplementary software award from Microsoft pushes the total grant value above $80,000.

“This grant puts Albion at the forefront of using technology in our teaching and will allow us to explore new avenues for student learning,” enthused chemistry professor Andrew French, who will teach the first HP-enhanced class, in organic chemistry, this coming fall.

The tablet PCs function as a kind of electronic blackboard. Special software allows students and professor to share and edit each other’s drawings, store their work, and even record and replay step-by-step board work with audio. French believes this interactive approach will help students grasp difficult concepts more easily than has been possible with other teaching methods.

Physics professor Aaron Miller, the chief investigator for the grant, noted that technology-aided teaching is not new to Albion.

Miller developed a set of electronic “clickers” that students use to answer questions and provide feedback in class, and several Albion classrooms already have a projectable electronic blackboard.

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Albion Receives Hewlett-Packard Technology for Teaching Grant

Problem-solving becomes a team effort for chemistry professor Andrew French and Molly Estill, ’09, using the new tablet PC. “Our experience with technology, the fact that this is an interdisciplinary grant, and our plans to use it to teach some very difficult material—all that was interesting to HP,” Miller said, noting that nearly 400 colleges and universities applied for just 44 awards.

Summer 2008 |

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Br!ton B!ts

While on campus to deliver the Calvaruso Keynote Address for Albion’s Isaac Student Research Symposium in April, Florida author Carl Hiaasen also met with Albion middle school students about his novel Hoot, a Newberry Honor Book. Hiaasen says he hears regularly from his younger readers and is impressed by their perceptive questions about environmental issues.

Bill McKibben

Golden Tones Albion College’s Briton Singers struck gold in March at the 2008 Young Prague International Choral Competition. Along with winning the festival laureate for best choral performance, the 23-member ensemble also earned the gold award for their competition category, which included 20 other choirs from around the world. “listening to the competition made me really appreciate the magnitude of our awards,” noted music professor Douglas Rose, who directs the group.

“I’m honored that we were chosen from among some very fine choirs.”

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landmarks & legends

ALBION COLLEGE ARCHIVES PHOTOS

environmentalist Bill McKibben will welcome students to campus as the 2008 William K. Stoffer lecturer at opening Convocation Sept. 9. McKibben, who visits at a time when the College is closely examining its environmental impact (see related article next page), will discuss local economies, globalization, and the environment during his keynote address and in meetings with students, administrators, and the greater Albion community.

McKibben is the author of nine books, including the bestselling Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future. “the things he is writing and speaking about—globalization, sustainability, and technology, among others—are important issues for the world,” said Mike frandsen, director of the Carl A. Gerstacker liberal Arts Institute for Professional Management, a 2008 Stoffer lecture co-sponsor. “His visit should accelerate efforts on campus to use resources in wise and sustainable ways.”

—Morris Arvoy, ’90

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Stoffer Lecture Will Stress Sustainability

coin of the realm From 1886 to 1916, Albion College operated a Commercial Department, in addition to offering its college curriculum in the liberal arts. Students were introduced to standard business functions of the day including bookkeeping, shorthand, and typewriting.

According to local historian Frank Passic, students in the bookkeeping course received a supply kit with standard business forms that would have been used at the time, as well as one thousand dollars in mock currency. with these materials, the students learned how to run model businesses. In 1889-90, instead of using the mock currency provided in the supply kit, the Commercial Department printed its own currency (see sample pictured). These notes measured approximately 7 x 3 inches in size, and were issued in denominations of $1, $2, $5, and $10.

The notes first appeared on the numismatic market in the late 1990s, Passic says, and “were part of a small hoard of six sets plus some loose individual notes discovered in the Petoskey, Michigan area. They presumably came from Bay View, . . . where many Albion College professors and students spent their summers, and where summer classes were also held.”

(Left) Former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr received an honorary degree prior to giving the commencement address. The honorary degree recognized Carr’s philanthropic work on behalf of health care and education, as well as his success in leading the Wolverine football program until his retirement earlier this year.

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(Right) This year’s graduates are heading to such diverse destinations as University of Michigan Medical School, Syracuse University College of Law, jobs with Google, Pfizer, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and service with Teach for America and the Peace Corps.

Wolverine Coach Addresses 2008 Grads Bright sunshine brought a larger-thanexpected crowd to the Quadrangle May 10 for Albion’s commencement exercises. “What a privilege it has been to share this year with you graduating seniors,” said President Donna Randall, celebrating her first Albion commencement with the 444-member Class of 2008. “You have been challenged by new ideas . . . you have explored different cultures, pursued important discoveries in research, made creative contributions in the arts and literature, gained valuable skills in internships, engaged in spirited athletic competition, and served others in need. You now leave enriched, inspired, and confident in your abilities.” Lindsay Davis spoke on behalf

Green Initiatives Take Off on Campus

By Morris Arvoy, ’90 Promoting sustainability and reducing Albion College’s carbon footprint are the twin challenges facing two student researchers who recently won National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Campus Ecology Fellowships.

With support from President Donna Randall, Lisa Anderson, ’09, and Erica Tauzer, ’10, have already formed a Sustainability Council that is working closely with College officials to establish sustainability procedures and a climate action plan. The students are determined Albion will become a leader in sustainability and energy conservation among colleges and universities nationwide. Tim Lincoln, director of the College’s Institute for the Study of the Environment, is the students’ project adviser.

“Lisa and Erica are two of our exceptional students,” said Troy VanAken, executive vice

of the graduating class, and biology professor Jeff Carrier closed out the ceremony with some final words of advice.

Former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr received an honorary degree in recognition of his work as a coach, educator, and philanthropist. “Before you get your diploma, you gotta listen to me coach you up. Are you ready?” Carr asked the graduates before launching into a lively and thoughtful commencement address.

Respected as a coach with a strong academic focus, Carr “did his research” for the occasion by spending an afternoon in Albion in late April. He remarked on the pleasure of discussing author William Faulkner with English professor Judy Lockyer, touring Jeff

Carrier’s shark lab, and meeting with the Briton coaching staff, including his former Michigan colleague, defensive coach Paul Schudel.

Carr closed with lines from Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If.” “My interpretation of Kipling’s message is that fame and fortune are fine, but nothing is more important than character,” he said. “You’re well prepared, you’re smart, you have everything going for you. But make sure you’re up bright and early tomorrow morning. Work hard, pay attention, and do something.”

For more commencement photos, go to: www.albion.edu/iotriumphe/.

president of the College and the pair’s NWF fellowship sponsor. “When you have a meeting with them, you are energized by their enthusiasm and passion.”

VanAken said that sustainability is one theme of the College’s current strategic planning process. Anderson, a chemistry major with an environmental science concentration, and Tauzer, a biology major with concentrations in environmental science and public policy and service, are conducting research that is vital to shaping the strategic initiatives, and it will help guide facilities planning efforts, VanAken said. Albion College has signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment to work toward being a carbon-neutral campus, giving added impetus to the students’ work.

Tauzer will look at all forms of campus energy use in efforts to calculate the College’s total carbon dioxide emissions. Once that inventory is completed, Anderson and Tauzer, working with the Sustainability Council, will develop a plan for the College to reduce

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Campus Ecology Fellows Erica Tauzer, ’10, (left) and Lisa Anderson, ’09, were among the eight Fellows to attend a training session at NWF headquarters in March.

PHOTO COURTESY OF L. ANDERSON

By Jake Weber

energy use campus-wide, while also identifying ways to educate the College community about sustainability.

The duo—who have been instrumental in organizing Albion’s Step It Up and Focus the Nation campaigns—also plan to launch a bicycle library from which campus members would be able to check out bikes in order to reduce dependency on cars and to build a residential wind turbine at the College’s Environmental House.

Summer 2008 |

Br!ton B!ts

Two Minutes with . . . Career Adviser Shana Plasters

short takes

By Morris Arvoy

Shana Plasters is senior director for the First-Year Experience, Career Development, and the Sleight Student Leadership Program.

Plasters: Career development on a small campus is so interconnected with many other areas.

Much of career development is about creating an academic plan that leads to a career plan.

We work with students to discern their major, what’s important for them, and the difference between a major and their life’s work—because those don’t necessarily mean the same thing for students.

Tell me a little bit about a typical first meeting with a student.

We have students give us information about themselves—previous jobs, organizations they’re involved in, internship experiences, interests, hobbies. And then we talk about specific career-related topics like résumés, cover letters, or learning more about different careers, time management, and developmental paths.

What about students who come to you for the first time during their senior year?

Well, they have a major by then, but in terms of what kind of jobs they want to go look for, they often don’t have a clue.

But you don’t hand out jobs.

No. We talk about job search strategies: networking, informational interviews, and utilizing past contacts, alumni, others they can interact with. I try to help students understand that finding a job takes work, and that they’re going to have to be persistent. You might have to apply

| Io Triumphe!

M. ARVOY PHOTO

Io Triumphe!: Career Development at Albion is about a lot more than building résumés.

What do you do?

Shana Plasters notes that the Career Development Office this past year had nearly 400 scheduled appointments with students. They come looking for advice on everything from selecting a major to finding an internship to launching a job search or applying to graduate school. to 50 or 60 jobs just to get half a dozen in-person interviews, and you might have to have half a dozen or a dozen in-person interviews to get an offer. It’s not just a matter of applying for your three dream jobs.

What are students looking for in jobs now?

This particular generation of students is very much about security, stability, and some balance.

And so anything that has any kind of commission to it doesn’t feel secure or stable.

You don’t just work with students, right?

A huge part of career development is relationship-building for job opportunities—meeting with employers, hosting employers on campus who want to hire students for internships or jobs, working with alumni. And all of our services are available to alumni once they graduate.

Deciding on majors, designing academic plans, facing the job market—it must be daunting for many students.

Right. For most of our students, when they pick a major, it’s probably one of the very first decisions they will make in their life that will shut some doors. Our kids grow up believing they can be anything they want and the world of possibilities is out there for them. But as soon as you declare a major, you shut some of those out. Our job is helping them to see the possibilities.

How are the prospects for students looking for jobs?

Actually, as dire as Michigan’s economy seems, companies are hiring. The data show that companies are planning to hire seven to eight percent more new grads than they were last year.

Non-profit agencies, social service agencies, traditional businesses, retail, technology and engineering, and service industries are all hiring.

The job market really hasn’t dropped off for the new professional the way it might have for a more experienced worker.

To learn more about Albion’s Career Development services, go to: www.albion.edu/careerdev/.

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Go Br!ts!

Three’s the Charm

By Bobby Lee Sports Information Director

(Above) Involved in equestrian competition since the age of seven, Halley Sissom, ’08, captained Albion’s dressage team for the past three years. The College also sponsors hunt seat and western teams.

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When Halley Sissom arrived on Albion’s campus in fall 2004, the stables and indoor arena at the new Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center had recently opened, and the equestrian program was just getting off the ground.

As she crossed the stage at this May’s commencement, the center had doubled in size and Albion equestrians had claimed national honors in intercollegiate competitions.

A top competitor for Albion in dressage, Sissom became an ambassador for the equestrian program during her years on campus, serving terms as vice president and president of the Equestrian Club and as three-time captain of the dressage team. She helped her fellow students develop a better understanding of her sport, and together with her equestrian teammates, she connected with the local community by volunteering at area horse shows and becoming involved in regional equestrian organizations.

Sissom has been a key contributor to the success of Albion’s three-year-old dressage team, which this April landed a spot as one of just 12 teams (out of 44 competing nationwide) at the Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s national championships at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. At the end of the two-day national competition, the Albion team placed seventh, and Sissom captured a reserve championship at the First Level, just one percentage point behind the

winner from the University of Kentucky. It was Sissom’s third trip to the nationals, after having finished fifth in the Lower Training Level division in 2006 and sixth in the Upper Training Level division in 2007. Albion’s dressage team dominated their regional competition during the 2007-08 season, en route to securing the berth at the national championships.

“Going to nationals three years in a row is spectacular,” Sissom says. “I can’t look back and say, ‘I wish . . .’. That in itself is enough to make me happy.”

Briton Sports on the Web Did you know that you can find all of the following on the Albion College sports Web site?

• Sports news and results

• SportsNet broadcast schedules

• Schedules and rosters

• Sports archives

Follow the Britons at: www.albion.edu/sports/.

It’s the next best thing to being here!

To receive regular sports updates, sign up for Briton SportsNews at: www.albion.edu/sports/ or e-mail Bobby Lee at blee@albion.edu.

Sissom (far left) celebrates Albion’s awardwinning performances at the Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s national competition in April with dressage team members Mary Applegate, ’10, Lauren Cross, ’09, and Mark Lampen, ’10, and coach Danielle Menteer. Sissom was reserve champion in the First Level division.

Sissom capped off her college experience with an ambassadorship of a different sort as she joined four other Albion students and two staff members on a tour of Haiti and the Dominican Republic in March with International Child Care. The Britons learned about health care initiatives for children, visiting programs that deal with tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, and severe disabilities in children. “Going to Haiti made me feel fortunate for what I have,” Sissom says. “In every village we visited, the people greeted us with warm, welcoming smiles. I’m grateful to Albion College for giving me the opportunity to take the trip and see firsthand the Haitian culture.”

Earning her degree in English and economics/management, Sissom plans to continue her education, building on the leadership opportunities she received from Albion.

Summer 2008 |

| Io Triumphe!

HIGH MOMENT Inauguration focuses on ‘the way forward’ Summer 2008 |

D. TRUMPIE PHOTOS

President Donna Randall’s inauguration April 18, 2008 proved to be a celebration of all things Albion. The College—and especially students and faculty—were at the center of the festivities that included interactive presentations on various aspects of academic life in the afternoon and an evening inauguration ceremony that highlighted in a collage performance the musical and theatrical talents of our students.

During the ceremony, Randall was officially installed as Albion’s 15th president by Richard Baird, ’78, chair of the Board of Trustees. Walter Harrison, president of the University of Hartford where Randall served as provost prior to coming to Albion, offered the “charge to the president.”

A special video presentation featured interviews with Randall, students, faculty, and alumni on Albion’s distinctive approach to liberal arts education, and members of the Symphonic Band performed a fanfare composed for the occasion by music professor Andrew Bishop. College chaplain Daniel McQuown gave the invocation and trustee William Ritter, ’62, the benediction.

Randall’s inaugural speech, “Albion at the Crossroads,” (see below) focused on the College’s future in an uncertain economic and political climate. She noted that Albion’s current strategic planning process revolves around preparing our students “for an unpredictable future in a dynamic world.”

Through their liberal arts education, she said, “our students will develop a knowledge and skill base that will allow them to be architects for societal change, to become global citizens, and to serve in leadership roles throughout their lives.”

The accompanying photos tell more of the story of the inauguration. A video of the entire ceremony is available at: www.albion.edu/inauguration/.

Donna Randall received the official presidential medallion from board chair Richard Baird, ’78, during the inauguration ceremony. Her daughter, Kate, (at rear) assisted during the presentation.

In offering the “charge to the president,” Walter Harrison noted, “Albion . . . prepares students for successful careers, instills in them a strong sense of what it means to be a citizen in a democracy, and enables them to lead fulfilling personal lives.

Donna, in her own distinctive way, symbolizes that combination.

She will lend a strong and clear mind and voice in providing leadership for Albion among liberal arts colleges and throughout higher education.” Harrison is president of the University of Hartford where Randall previously served as provost.

Albion at the Crossroads

By Donna Randall The following is an edited version of President Randall’s inaugural address, offered at Goodrich Chapel, April 18, 2008.

Good evening! At the close of this beautiful spring day, I would like to start my remarks by simply saying, “Thank you.” I deeply appreciate the confidence of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and alumni in inviting me to serve as Albion College’s 15th president. It is a distinct honor and privilege.

Selecting a focus for my remarks was easy. At the international, national, state, and local levels, one metaphor prevails: we are at a crossroads.

At the international level, the “flattening” of the world, through fluid political and economic 10 | Io Triumphe!

systems, has presented new opportunities—and risks—for our country and has resulted in alliances and dependencies that were unthinkable just a decade ago. The spread of democratizing information technologies has begun to blur national and international boundaries. As journalist Tom Friedman notes in his book, The World Is Flat, “It is the triple convergence—of new players, on a new playing field, developing new processes and habits for horizontal collaboration—that I believe is the most important force shaping global economics and politics in the early 21st century.” Add to this mix the emerging effects of climate change and intense worldwide competition for natural and intellectual resources. Clearly, in the next 10 years, we will all be witnesses to profound changes in the international world order.

At the national level, the crossroads ahead of us is manifest. For the first time in 56 years, there is no “heir apparent” seeking the United States presidency. While the idea of change has been a theme of many past campaigns, this year is clearly different. Public opinion polls are showing repeatedly an overwhelming demand for change.

But there is no general agreement about what to change. We may be approaching the most important election in our lifetimes—certainly the most important election in our students’ lifetimes.

Even though I am a relative newcomer to the state of Michigan, it is clear that our state also is at a crossroads. Michigan is engineering a shift from almost total dependency on one sector of the economy to a more diversified and stable economic base. This process has been very slow and painful. Michigan needs to rebound from high levels

A highlight of the inauguration ceremony was a collage performance by Albion music and theatre students.

A student jazz combo, including Jacob Stoneburner, ’11 (saxophone), and Daniel Palmer, ’11 (guitar), along with drummer Dave Van Haren, ’09, perform one of Palmer’s original compositions.

With Randall are her father, Arthur Randall (seated, left), her husband, Paul Hagner, and their daughter, Kate.

of unemployment, the flight of skilled workers, and a K-12 educational system that fails too many of our youth. A turn in direction is both necessary and urgent and, once accomplished, one that will have a significant positive impact extending to our own city and this college. The University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy contends “the way forward to a new economy requires talent, entrepreneurialism, innovation, risk-taking, and a more educated workforce. . . .”

And that’s where we come in. Is Albion College at a crossroads?

Higher education is unquestionably at a crossroads. It has been speculated that some of our entering students will graduate and apply for jobs that do not even exist at present. Albion College’s challenge is daunting: we need to prepare

Lindsay Yusko, ’10, plays “Sally” in a humorous excerpt from the studentdirected theatre production, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Ashley Larimer, ’08, entertains the audience with William Bolcom’s cabaret song, “Amor.”

our students for an unforeseen and unknowable world. When asked about the key to his outstanding career, hockey great Wayne Gretsky stated that

“What knowledge and skills will future employers require of our students?

More importantly, what knowledge and skills will society require of future citizens? Such questions are fundamental to our thinking as we envision an Albion education in the next decade and beyond.”

the secret was to head to where the puck is going to be. To remain relevant, Albion, as an educational institution, must anticipate the future and then prepare students to become active participants and leaders in that future.

What knowledge and skills will future employers require of our students? And more importantly, what knowledge and skills will society require of future citizens? Such questions are fundamental to our thinking as we envision an Albion education in the next decade and beyond.

But, let me say this as well. As we look to the future, we do not need to abandon Albion’s heritage.

One of the most important factors that drew me to this college is what I call the “essence of Albion.” (continued on p. 12) Summer 2008 | 11

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(Left) During “Experience Albion” sessions prior to the inauguration ceremony, Meagan Bosket, ’09, along with five other students and four faculty members, spoke on their current research and scholarly interests. This past winter Bosket worked with professor Thomas Wilch in Antarctica studying ice sheet fluctuations in geologic history.

The inauguration guests joined students, faculty, and staff at the post-inaugural festivities.

At a dessert reception following the inauguration ceremony, several student organizations presented Randall with souvenirs of the day. Here, Jeff Simmons, ’08, president of the Briton hockey club, gives her a jersey bearing the number “15” (recognizing Randall as Albion’s 15th president).

Albion at the Crossroads (continued from p. 11)

Alumni appreciation for this college is unmatched and seems to deepen, not weaken, as the years pass. A 1973 graduate and sculptor, Terry Karpowicz, described so perfectly Albion’s DNA: “We come to Albion as rough stone,” he reflects.

“With our years of experiences at Albion College, we leave with the honed skills that will enable us to enter the global society as active members willing to contribute.” Since becoming Albion’s president, I have met with alumni from New York to Arizona and Florida to California. Distance does not diminish the affection our alumni have for this institution.

While we will need to change to remain a viable institution in the future, we need also to intentionally preserve what we do so well. As Richard Gilman, president of Holy Cross College, noted: “We are in a technical revolution but our modes of

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thought fundamentally won’t change. We still need to be able to think. We need to appreciate arts and music and be aesthetic consumers. We need to analyze and synthesize. We need good training in science. And we ultimately need spirituality in every human dimension.”

So, while the College must anticipate and prepare for swirling changes in the world, this adaptation will not come at the cost of changing the essence of Albion—that experience that makes Albion College . . . “Our Albion.”

Someone once noted that “while it is better to change once you have seen the light, most change comes when one feels the heat.” We will not have change forced upon us. Through open dialogue with all College constituencies, we are developing a strategic plan to prepare our students for an unpredictable future in a dynamic world. Through an

integrated and intentional liberal arts education, our students will develop a knowledge and skill base that will allow them to be architects for societal change, to become global citizens, and to serve in leadership roles throughout their lives. The creation of this shared vision, which looks to the future but is built on an existing and strong foundation, is important. We are fully aware of the responsibility entrusted to us by past generations of Britons, and we will do our utmost to merit that trust and to fulfill those expectations.

We approach our crossroads at Albion College with confidence. We are an institution with 173 years of proud traditions and many thousands of accomplished graduates. I deeply believe in Albion and the power and potential of a liberal arts education to guide us into the future.

D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

ALBION COLLEGE ARCHIVES PHOTO

The Ford Institute

With great fanfare, President Gerald r. Ford visited the Albion college campus in october 1977 to dedicate the Institute for Public service to be named in his honor. “I was a student at Albion college when President Ford came to campus,” reminisces Joseph calvaruso, ’78, Ford Institute visiting committee member. “I still remember the day that I sat in the first row of the balcony in Goodrich chapel hearing him speak and later getting the opportunity to shake his hand as he crossed the Quad. throughout the years, I heard him speak on a number of occasions, helped facilitate his birthday celebration in Grand rapids, and had the privilege to help the president on his final journey home to Grand rapids. I am awestruck by the compassion and integrity of this gentle man and am proud that Albion college continues his legacy.” thirty years ago, in fall 1978, the inaugural class of the Gerald r. Ford Institute for Public service arrived on campus to fulfill President Ford’s vision that “the best hope of strengthening our moral fiber not only in but outside of government” is through public service. now, more than 600 graduates later, the Institute continues to evolve as it strives to meet the vision of President Gerald Ford, the Institute founders, and the challenges of our ever-changing and more global society.

President Gerald Ford greets students during his fall 1977 visit to Albion to announce the establishment of the institute that would bear his name.

Today and Tomorrow

By Al Pheley Al Pheley is director of the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service.

even the name has evolved to the Gerald R. ford Institute for Public Policy and Service, a change that more fully reflects the significance of public policy and the breadth of students participating in the program. traditionally, history and political science majors comprised the majority of ford students. But today through lifelong activism and service to their communities, many students from other areas are seeing the importance of engaged citizenship. the result? We now encounter greater interest from students in the sciences, as well as journalism, the fine arts, and almost every other major on campus.

At the same time, more students are participating in multiple concentrations, examining the influence of policy on business management with the Carl A. Gerstacker liberal Arts Institute for Professional Management, sustainability with the Institute for the Study of the environment, school reform with the fritz Shurmur education Institute, and health issues with the liberal Arts Institute for Premedical and Health Care Studies. this broadening of interests not only benefits the individual, but enriches the learning environment through the diversity it brings to the classroom and the College in general.

Matthew Keck, ’96, visiting Committee member and assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan, reinforces the importance of the Institute’s diversity.

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FORD INSTITUTE PHOTO

“I can’t overstate how important the Ford Institute was to my intellectual and personal development within my Albion College experience. The relationships I built and the public service perspective I gained are firmly with me today.”

Mark Schauer, ’81, Ford Visiting Committee Member; Michigan Senate Minority Leader

The Ford Institute stresses community service as essential to engaged citizenship.

Students volunteer for many service projects in the Albion community, and are also assisting Cass Community Social Services in metropolitan Detroit. Christian Bielski, ’10, is pictured during the Institute’s “Paint the Town” effort.

May 2008 Ford Institute graduate Katherine Krysak interned with Sixth Circuit Court Judge Joan Young in Pontiac, Mich. and is headed to Wayne State University Law School in the fall.

D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

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“The thing that I love most about the Ford Institute is that it takes students from many different areas—not just political science majors—and it teaches students to be active in their community.”

The Ford Institute continues its tradition of serving as a bridge between the classroom and the real world. In this honors program, prospective members must apply for admission to the Institute, meet established academic criteria, and complete a one-on-one interview. Successful applicants demonstrate commitment to their communities, whether at the grass-roots level, as part of a more formal infrastructure, or through the political process. Interests in developing leadership skills and learning more about our global society are fundamental characteristics of today’s “Fordie.”

During their tenure at Albion, Ford students undertake a series of courses, commit time to service learning opportunities, and participate in at least one service- or policy-related internship. The service learning activities are especially critical to establishing skills and a lifelong commitment to bettering our world. For Annie Gawkowski, ’10, participation in Ford has already opened up several doors, including an internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington, D.C. last summer. “Without my involvement in the Institute, I would have neither the support nor the resources to be competitive in national internship programs, or to complete summer research projects.”

For many students, the internship solidifies their career direction, while for others it is a turning point in learning what they don’t wish to do in the future.

As part of the annual recruitment process, many prospective students attend sessions to learn about the Ford Institute and the value that it and Albion’s other Institutes add to the liberal arts environment.

As acceptances of their membership are received in the office, many identify Ford as the impetus for choosing Albion College. Visiting Committee member Elizabeth Williams, ’96, shares her thoughts. “The Ford Institute was the primary reason I came to Albion College. Where else could I find a similar program built around public service? I met great people and lifelong friends. I increased my leadership and critical-thinking skills and gained confidence in my abilities through the mentoring . . . of the director. My internship in the offices of Senator Ted Kennedy was one of the highlights of my college career. I am now a manager at a local Social Security office serving the public every day. The Ford Institute allowed me to explore what it means to be in public service. The program gave me the opportunity to read about it, think about it, share my enthusiasm for it, and experience it firsthand. What a fabulous start to a public service career!”

Following graduation from Albion College, Fordies continue to achieve notable success. Of the Class of 2008, 10 will enter law school in fall 2008 or 2009, while another 10 will enter graduate programs in fields including public policy, environmental sciences, education, and social work. Allie Judson, ’08, has already joined the Washington staff of Congressman Dave Camp, ’75, for whom she interned during summer 2007. Still others have taken jobs across the globe in government, non-profit, and corporate settings.

Throughout the history of the Ford Institute, students have had the opportunity to meet and hear from outstanding leaders, authors, and alumni. Many are selected to speak to important issues in our world.

Others help the students better understand career

Celebrate with Us! During Homecoming 2008 (Sept 26-28), the Ford Institute will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its inaugural class. On Friday, Sept. 26, 2008, from 4-6 p.m. in the science complex atrium, the Ford Institute will host a reception for alumni, students, friends, and invited dignitaries, recognizing the Institute, its students, and the legacy of Gerald R. Ford. Later that evening, at 8:15 p.m., the Institute is sponsoring a performance by Jim Morris, identified by The New Yorker as the “country’s leading political impressionist.” As we move into the final stretch of the 2008 election season, Morris’ bipartisan political satire is sure to make for an interesting night.

Vice President Richard Cheney fielded questions during a 45-minute visit with Ford Institute seniors in October 2007 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. Cheney served as President Ford’s chief of staff.

white House photo

Please visit the Ford Institute Web site at www.albion.edu/ford to learn more about the Institute, its students and alumni, the 30th anniversary celebration, and other upcoming events. The door is always open at the Ford Institute office in Robinson Hall 201, and alumni and friends are welcome at any of our Institute events.

Please feel free to join us for any of our speakers or other events and check the calendar frequently for new additions. Finally, if you know of students interested in leadership, policy, and/or service, please let us know at fordinstitute@albion.edu!

opportunities and effective ways to prepare for success. In each case, the students further develop their networks of people who can help them as they seek internships, post-graduate programs, careers, and advice.

In fall 2007, 15 Ford students, along with President Donna Randall, trustee William Stoffer, ’74, and myself, were invited to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids to be part of a visit there by Vice President Richard Cheney. During their annual trip to Washington, D.C. in October, the Ford senior class met with the vice president in his ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. During the 45-minute visit, Vice President Cheney talked about his relationship with President Ford and how he still sees his influence in our world. He went on to answer several questions from the students, mixing thoughtful comments with lighthearted humor. This was a unique opportunity for our students to sit and talk with a top leader of our country. We all walked away impressed by what we had seen and heard.

As we look ahead, we continue to seek new opportunities to provide high-quality and challenging experiences for Ford Institute students. New internships are regularly being offered by Albion College and Ford Institute alumni along with other people in our broadening networks. Our students and staff plan to be involved in activities established under the new covenant agreement between the College and the Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) program directed by Faith Fowler, ’84. Not only does CCSS allow students to engage in fulfilling community

service, it provides immersion learning on issues such as poverty, homelessness, and the challenges facing Detroit. In their college education, our students need to hear and experience the successes, as well as the challenges and failures, of our social policies.

What students take away from their experience in Detroit and CCSS—in terms of improving our world through compassion, policy, and action—will be invaluable, whether here in Albion, along the Gulf coast, or anywhere else in the world. The more we provide in the way of meaningful experience, the more effective our alumni will be.

Maureen Krauss, ’84, deputy director of economic development for Oakland County (Mich.), sums it all up. “My experience in the Ford Institute made me comfortable with my decision to go into public service. And since I have graduated from Albion that is exactly what I have been doing. It is as rewarding, sometimes frustrating, and exciting as I thought it would be. As I meet the future Ford Institute alumni through the Visiting Committee, I know that there will always be a flow of leaders who have the exposure to and understanding of public service that the Ford Institute provides. It is more valuable than ever.”

D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

In March 2008, the Ford Institute commemorated President Ford through a presentation by William Coleman, U.S. secretary of transportation during the Ford administration.

Hannah Scheiwe, ’09, Alan Gessinger, ’09, and Arryn Kempner, ’09, shown with Coleman, were among the alumni, students, and other guests gathered at the Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids for the event.

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D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

PHOTO

Grand Goals Grand rapids Mayor George Heartwell, ’71, believes his city can be a model for the future.

By Sarah Briggs Drive through downtown Grand Rapids and you’ll discover the traffic lights are different than most. Recently upgraded to energy-efficient leD units, the new signals represent one of the many ways the city has built environmental sustainability into the fabric of daily life. the cost to operate the new lights is about one-fifth that of the old ones which used incandescent bulbs. the city will complete the work on its traffic lights this year, and is now moving on to converting its street lighting.

George Heartwell, ’71, has made sustainability one of his top priorities since he was first elected as Grand Rapids’ mayor in 2003. He began by naming a 32-member environmental Advisory Council and appointing a director of sustainability, and, together with 170 “community sustainability partners,” they have achieved impressive results. Currently, 20 percent of the city’s power is generated from renewable resources— more than any other city in Michigan—and Heartwell believes that in the near future Grand Rapids should raise that figure to 100 percent. All city-owned vehicles run on alternative fuels. tapping a local capacity in green building design, Grand Rapids has more leeDcertified buildings per capita than any other city in the nation, and in terms of total numbers, it ranks fifth. A $350-million project to separate the storm and sanitary sewers, begun 15 years ago, is nearing completion, meaning that raw sewage no longer runs into the Grand River following heavy rain storms as it once did.

In recognition of these efforts, in 2007 the united Nations designated Grand Rapids a Center for excellence in education for sustainability, the first u.S. city and the second in North America, to receive the honor. “other cities talk about sustainability,” Heartwell says. “We are doing it.”

When you talk with George Heartwell, you hear a lot about partnerships. “Your effectiveness is multiplied when you’re in partnership with others,” he says. In particular, he points to the public-private coalitions he has helped form to improve the public schools. for many years, he explains, the relationship between the city and its schools had been a difficult one. When he became mayor, he decided that needed to change. “If we didn’t have strong public education here, we couldn’t hope to be the great city that we imagined ourselves to be,” he says. various coalitions are now working to increase literacy in a city where one-fifth of the adults cannot read, to develop after-school programs in all of the city’s 37 elementary and middle schools, and to prepare more high school students with the skills needed for today’s jobs. the city recently received a fiveyear, $25.5-million grant in support of the after-school programs.

Heartwell is involved with Grand Rapids’ youth on a more personal level as well. He formed the Mayor’s Youth Council, composed of 17 students from public and private high schools with whom he meets monthly, and last year he attended three “youth nights

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S. BRIGGS PHOTOS

According to George Heartwell, Grand Rapids’ downtown economic development benefits from partnerships among city government, businesses, and philanthropists that have supported new construction along the “Medical Mile” (top right), continuing growth in the business district (top left), and several museums including the Public Museum of Grand Rapids.

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out” held in the schools specifically so he could listen to student views. for two years, he served as a mentor and tutor for a youngster in the public schools. though the mayor’s job is part-time, Heartwell sees it as a full-time commitment. “I’m never not the mayor,” he says. He’s in regular contact with his constituents from all walks of life—by phone and e-mail, at public events, even when he’s out conducting personal business. “It takes me a long time to grocery shop on Saturday mornings,” he says with a smile, noting that he’s often approached by citizens who want to discuss a current issue.

Michigan’s “economic tsunami” notwithstanding, Heartwell says newly created partnerships among government, businesses, and philanthropists are spurring economic development in the city. “Grand Rapids leads the state in new development and job growth,” he observes. He works closely with the city’s economic development office to court new businesses, traveling across the country and internationally to meet with business and industry leaders considering Grand Rapids as a site for expansion. Public-private partnerships are also much in evidence in the development of the “Medical Mile,” which includes the van Andel Institute for biomedical research and facilities for the Michigan State university College of Human Medicine (now under construction), as well as new hospitals and medical office buildings.

Heartwell never planned a career in public service.

After graduating from Albion with majors in english literature and business administration, he joined his family’s business, Heartwell Mortgage Corp., and eventually became president. However, a mission trip to Haiti in the mid-1980s persuaded him to follow a new path, and he entered the seminary and became an ordained minister. “My calling was to work with the poor,” he reflects, and for the next 14 years he directed Grand Rapids’ Heartside Ministry, providing a broad range of services for the homeless. “While at Heartside,” he says, “I found myself speaking regularly in front of the Grand Rapids City Commission,” an experience that eventually led him to successfully run for two terms on the commission.

In 2003, while head of the Community leadership Institute at Aquinas College, he decided to run for mayor, and he is now in his second term.

In 2005, he became Ceo of the retirement community, Pilgrim Manor, a position he still holds in addition to his elected office. “I love being mayor,” Heartwell says, adding that on the local level it is easier to bring about change and see its impact on people’s lives.

Read Heartwell’s “State of the City” messages, and you’ll hear echoes of the evangelist. far more than a ceremonial mayor, he sees his role as a visionary one in which he is constantly identifying “big, brawny” goals for the city and inspiring his constituents to work with him in achieving them. occasionally his views are controversial, putting him at odds with some of his constituents. He is especially outspoken about what he calls “social sustainability.”

“If we don’t have a city where equity, fairness, and even-handed deployment of city services and city resources is the norm, then we don’t have a sustainable city,” he maintains. “All our grand economic plans, all our work for environmental protection is hollow . . . if we aren’t a city where the poorest among us get equal consideration to those with wealth and power.”

Heartwell doesn’t apologize for his forthrightness. “I do see myself as an activist political leader because my world view and my theology suggest that we live in a world that is always less than perfect. . . . through my own spiritual life and through my own reading and relationships, I get at least a glimpse of what a better world could be, and I feel a sense of obligation to do whatever I can right here where I am to make this a better world.”

A founding member of the Grand Rapids chapter of Habitat for Humanity, George Heartwell has received a number of civic honors including the Conservationist of the Year in 2004, Racial Justice Unity Award in 2004, Lifetime Achievement Award for Habitat for Humanity in 2004, and the Lifetime Child Advocate Award in 2003. A recipient of Albion’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005, he serves as a guest lecturer for the College’s Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service. Heartwell and his wife, Susan Whitesell Heartwell, ’71, have three children and six grandchildren.

A L U M n ! A s s o c ! At ! o n n e W s Lend a Helping Hand to students!

Become an Alumni career Mentor.

You can make a difference in the lives of our students by:

summer’s here!

Join us for Albion events ‘up north’ Please come and visit with President Donna Randall at these northern Michigan events. All alumni, parents, and friends are welcome to attend. traverse city Thursday, July 24 6:30 p.m. Reception Home of Chuck, ’73, and Sue Chapelle Judson, ’76

• Being a career resource • volunteering to sit on a career panel • critiquing a résumé • Giving advice on career challenges you faced • Providing job shadowing or internship opportunities • Doing an informational interview where you answer questions students have about the industry you are in or your position. to be a career mentor, contact the office of career Development at 517/629-0332 or careers@albion.edu for instructions on how to sign up to be a mentor!

Bay view Saturday, July 26 6 p.m. Potluck Supper 8 p.m. Musical, Guys and Dolls Bay View Campus Invitations will be mailed shortly. More information is available at www.albion.edu/alumni/events.asp or by contacting the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 517/629-0448 or by e-mail at alumniandparents@albion.edu.

Alumni Association Constitutional Amendments Proposed the proposed constitutional amendments that appear below are published in Io Triumphe! as called for in the Alumni Association constitution. Changes are noted in italics. If you have questions about any of the proposed amendments, please contact the office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 517/629-0448 or e-mail alumniandparents@albion.edu.

ARTICLE VI—DIRECTORS Proposed: Section 1. the Board of Directors of the Albion College Alumni Association shall be comprised of up to twenty-one members (the “Directors”). . . . the President of Albion College, the vice President for Institutional Advancement, the immediate Past President of the Alumni Association, the designated Alumni trustee, the Director of Alumni Relations [Addition:] or Associate Vice President for Alumni and Parent Relations, and the Student Representative shall be [Addition:] non-voting, ex-officio members on the Board of Directors.

Section 3. the Board of Directors of the Association shall consist of eighteen Alumni Directors [Addition:] and three Recent Graduate Directors of the Association. . . . five Alumni Directors shall be appointed by the Board of Directors each year to succeed the five Alumni Directors whose terms expire during the year. [Addition:] The Recent Graduate Directors shall be appointed by the Board of Directors one per year. . . .

Section 4. . . . [e]ach Alumni Director appointed by the Board of Directors may, by majority vote of the Board of Directors, be elected to serve one additional three-year term for the same seat. [Addition:] Recent Graduate Directors may not be reappointed. However, after a Recent Graduate Director has served one three-year term, he/she may be eligible to serve as an Alumni Director at a later date. . . .

Section 6. [Addition:] With the exception of any ex-officio members, the Alumni Directors shall serve on the various committees required by the Association for alumni organizations and growth.

ARTICLE VII—TRUSTEES Proposed: Section 1. Six members of the Association shall be elected to the Albion College Board of trustees. one of the six shall be designated to serve on the Albion College Alumni Association Board of Directors [Addition:] and shall serve as the designated Alumni Trustee (“designated Alumni Trustee”). . . .

Proposed: [Addition:] Section 4. Upon confirmation by the Board of Directors, the designated Alumni Trustee shall be a member in good standing of the Board of Directors and the Albion College Board of Trustees and shall satisfy the attendance requirements of the Association. Further, the designated Alumni Trustee shall attend every meeting of the Board of Directors and shall provide the Board of Directors with a formal report of the business and affairs of the Albion College Board of Trustees and the College, as a whole. The designated Alumni Trustee shall formally and informally apprise the Albion College Board of Trustees of any and all matters formally referred to that body by the Board of Directors. While not subject to the committee requirements under Article VIII, the designated Alumni Trustee shall serve on any standing or ad hoc committee in an ex-officio or advisory capacity as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee or the President. At the end of each three (3) year term, or in the event of an untimely removal or resignation, the Board of Directors shall appoint, confirm, or designate, as appropriate, a new designated Alumni Trustee.

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Homecoming Highlights 2008

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Friday, sept. 26

PHOTO CONTES T

Purple and Gold on the road this Homecoming, the college will be celebrating Albion connections in unique settings through a photography contest. We invite you to submit your favorite photo of you and your alumni friends in an interesting environment.

Whether your photo depicts an alumni trip to Greece, a recent Detroit tigers game attended with classmates, or a motorcycle trip through the Mojave Desert with your Albion roommate, we want to see your most creative photo that illustrates an Albion connection.

Photos will be displayed* at the Kellogg center and the Dow recreation and Wellness center over Homecoming Weekend and will be posted on Albion’s online alumni scrapbook. the top photos will be awarded prizes.

4-6 p.m. Gerald r. Ford Institute 30th Anniversary reception, Science Complex Atrium The Institute’s anniversary celebration will begin with this reception recognizing the Institute, its students, and the legacy of President Gerald R. Ford.

Dean Hall 80th Anniversary (5:30 p.m. reception, 6:30 p.m. Dinner), Bellemont Manor Former residents of Dean Hall are planning to reunite on Friday evening at this year’s Homecoming to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Dean Hall.

6 p.m. Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction ceremony, Baldwin Hall Help us honor this year’s Athletic Hall of Fame inductees for their contributions to athletics as students or alumni.

8:15 p.m. Political Humorist Jim Morris, Goodrich Chapel As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, the Ford Institute is sponsoring a performance by Jim Morris, identified by The New Yorker as the “country’s leading political impressionist.” Morris’ bipartisan political satire is sure to make for an entertaining evening.

9:30 p.m. Alumni and student Bonfire and Pep rally, Beese-Havens Boathouse Join alumni and students as they show their school spirit at Albion’s traditional pep assembly.

2008 Homecoming Award recipients

contest rules: All photos must have been shot no earlier than Jan. 1, 2005.

Deadline for all submissions: Sept. 2, 2008.

Albion College will honor the following individuals during Homecoming weekend for their contributions to and passion for Albion College, their communities, and their professions.

electronic submissions: • Prepare digital image with dimension of at least 8 x 10 inches and resolution of 300 dpi.

• Please include the story behind your photo (150 words or less) and identify those pictured in the photo.

• E-mail to: smarkin@albion.edu and indicate that the submission is for the Homecoming Photo Contest.

Kirk L. Heinze, ’70 David L. Neilson, ’66 James G., ’63, and Tamara Transue Royle, ’63 Janet K. welch, ’71

color Print submissions: • Prepare an 8 x 10-inch color print on glossy photographic paper.

• Please include the story behind your photo (150 words or less) and identify those pictured in the photo.

• Mail to: Office of Alumni/Parent Relations, Attn: Homecoming Photo Contest, Albion College, 611 E. Porter St., Albion MI 49224. * Some photos may not be able to be displayed due to issues of picture quality.

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Distinguished Alumni Award

Meritorious service Award Audrey K. wilder, ’18 (deceased)

Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Individuals Robert M. Bonacci, ’68 (Baseball/Football) R. Lance Brown, ’87 (Football) william J. Dunn, ’82 (Swimming) Richard J. Fabian, Jr., ’83 (Baseball/Football) Sara Kapp Holser, ’95 (Golf) Tyree O. Minner, ’79 (Football) Thomas A. Reason, ’94 (Football/Track) Dennis w. wahr, ’74 (Golf/Basketball) teams 1993 & 1994 Men’s Track Team 1988 & 1989 Baseball Team

Saturday, Sept. 27 8 a.m. Golden Years Breakfast, Bellemont Manor All alumni who graduated in 1958 or before are invited to this complimentary breakfast.

8:30 a.m. Alumni Band Rehearsal, “A” Field (behind the Dow Center) Join the British Eighth as an alumni band guest. For more information, please contact Sam McIlhagga, director of bands, at smcilhagga@albion.edu.

10 a.m. Alumni Awards Ceremony, Kellogg Center A reception and program will honor this year’s Alumni Award recipients.

Noon All-Class Picnic Luncheon for Alumni, Faculty, and Students, Bernard T. Lomas Fieldhouse, Dow Recreation and Wellness Center All alumni are invited to a pre-game luncheon. There will be reserved seating for reunion-year classes.

1 p.m. Football vs. Central College (Iowa) Pre-game festivities include presentation of the Hall of Fame inductees. The halftime program will feature the Homecoming Court, the British Eighth, and the Alumni Band.

Open Houses/Receptions Please go to www.albion.edu/homecoming/ for more information about open houses and receptions. The following groups will be hosting Homecoming events during the day on Saturday: Albion College Fraternities Albion College Sororities Biology Department Chemistry Department Education Department Geology Department

Gerstacker Institute Goodrich Club Intercultural Affairs Mathematics/Computer Science Department Physics Department Psychology Department

Saturday Class Reunions For classes ending in “3” or “8,” 1948-2003. Reunion information and locations will be posted on the Web as details become available: www.albion. edu/homecoming/.

Sunday, Sept. 28 11 a.m. Worship and Praise Service, Wesley Chapel A Worship and Praise Service will be held Sunday morning, featuring a reunion chapel band for all alumni who participated in chapel band during their Albion years as well as any who feel moved to join. Deacon Carl Gladstone, ’01, will lead the chapel band. Please contact Daniel McQuown, College chaplain, at dmcquown@albion.edu if you are interested in performing with the reunion chapel band or if you have questions.

4 p.m. Homecoming Choir and Orchestra Concert, Goodrich Chapel The Albion College Choir and Albion College Orchestra will present their traditional Homecoming Concert.

Twelfth Annual Briton Classic Golf Tournament, The Medalist Golf Club, Marshall Start off your Homecoming Weekend with a great day of competition and camaraderie on the beautiful Medalist course at 9 a.m. Friday.

All alumni, parents, and friends are welcome.

You can line up your own foursome or join with other players on the day of the event.

More information is available at: www. albion.edu/sports/ 2007 Golfers Milton Barnes, 79, Frank Bonta, 49, Mike britonclassic/.

Sequite, 75, and Chuck Frayer, 77.

Gerald R. Ford Institute 30th Anniversary Celebration The Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its inaugural class during Homecoming Weekend.

Alumni and friends are invited to two events (see Friday events listing on preceding page) recognizing President Ford’s legacy and the Institute’s commitment to preparing students for public service. Please join us in celebrating this milestone!

Art Exhibit: “Marking Time: Douglas Goering Retrospective,” Bobbitt Visual Arts Center Representing work from 45 years of art-making, this exhibit features pieces, primarily abstract paintings, which address aspects of visual perception. In many cases, viewers will see the same idea revisited several times, providing a traceable line of continuity. Visitors to the show will find their own experiences inform their viewing and interpretation, and Goering notes, “Their responses will likely overlap my intentions.” An exhibition of works on paper by H.C. Westermann will also be on display.

Professor emeritus Douglas Goering retired this spring after 22 years in Albion College’s Art and Art History Department.

Post-game Homecoming Reception, Bobbitt Visual Arts Center Please join us for a post-game Homecoming reception celebrating Douglas Goering’s art exhibition (see above) and honoring his retirement.

Albion College President Donna Randall will be in attendance and will be eager to meet with Britons to discuss the exciting future for Albion College.

Share Your Story Please also participate in our Homecoming book drive by bringing your favorite young adult books to Homecoming registration. (Books will be donated to Albion Senior High School.)

Black Student Union Reunion Black Student Union members (1973-1978) are planning to reunite at this year’s Homecoming. Please contact Marsha Gentry-Pointer, ’73, at marshapointer1@charter.net for more details.

Luggage Tags When you are viewing the photo display at the Kellogg Center, don’t forget to stop by the registration desk to get a set of personalized luggage tags.

Simply drop off two of your business cards at registration before 1 p.m. on Saturday, and we will make two custom Albion College luggage tags for you that will be available between 3-4 p.m. at the registration table.

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New Board Members Named

Britons Are Everywhere!

The Alumni Association Board of Directors has appointed two new members and reappointed four incumbents to fill terms beginning July 1, 2008. Continuing on the board for a second three-year term are: Sarah Cooper, ’03, Margaret Neely Nault, ’80, Frederick Neumann, ’67, and Glenna VanderMeer Paukstis, ’59. New to the board are Jonathan Beeton, ’93, and Herbert Lentz, ’00. In addition, Peter Holland, ’08, has been named to one three-year term as a recent graduate member.

Retiring from the board this year were Brian Fox, ’73, and Robin Gearhart Michon, ’96.

The new board members are profiled below.

By Tim Newsted, ’78 Vice President Alumni Association Board of Directors

Jonathan Beeton, ’93. A specialist in political communications, Jonathan Beeton has worked on every presidential cycle since graduating from Albion. He has served as a communications director for Clinton/Gore (West Michigan, 1996), Gore/ Lieberman (Kentucky, 2000), Kerry/Edwards (Virginia, 2004), and this year for the Hillary Clinton campaign (Minnesota). He is a board member of the Michigan Democratic State Political Action Committee, which raises money in Washington for Democrats in Michigan seeking office in the State House or State Senate. He has helped with alumni events in the Washington, D.C. area for the last several years. Currently the communications director for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Beeton resides in Washington with his wife, Kathleen Koerner Beeton, ’93.

Herbert Lentz, ’00. As a student, Herb Lentz was a member of the Student Senate, choir, orchestra, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sleight Leadership Academy, and he was a SOAR leader. Since earning his master of music degree and artist diploma in vocal performance, he has remained active in music, performing in regional opera and Chicago area sacred choirs. Lentz also volunteers at the Center on Halsted, Chicago’s LGBT Community Center. For Albion, he has served as the chair of his five-year reunion committee and on the Chicago reception committee honoring President Mitchell in 2007 and welcoming President Randall in 2008. Recently he offered a master class and vocal recital at Albion. He is currently a leasing director in the Chicago area.

Peter Holland, ’08. A member of the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service and an economics and management major, Peter Holland was vice president of his social fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and president of the community service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. He is currently a staff auditor with KPMG, LLP in Detroit.

To see the entire Board of Directors roster, go to: www.albion. edu/alumni/alumni_board.asp.

I am proud to be an Albion College alumnus! Over the past three decades since my graduation I have maintained ties with many fellow graduates, and it has been an absolute delight. Now I am excited about returning to campus! Homecoming 2008 beckons all of us back to our alma mater on the weekend of Sept. 26-28.

I sincerely hope you will make plans to come back to cherish the traditions and memories, but even more to celebrate what’s new at our college. If you haven’t yet seen the changes in the science complex, you will be amazed. If you haven’t yet seen the new Held Equestrian Center, you will be further amazed.

And best of all, I can guarantee your amazement with our new president, Donna M. Randall. I encourage you to meet her at Homecoming.

As a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, I was honored to be included in the inauguration ceremony for Dr. Randall on April 18. I can say with confidence that the future of our “Albion, Dear Albion” appears very bright indeed under the guidance of our fifteenth president. Her vision and strategic planning process are already in motion, and we are pointed toward certain success.

In addition to great individuals such as Dr. Randall, I have had the privilege of meeting scores of people over the past 30 years with whom I share the Albion connection. Many meetings have been by professional association, and many have been through personal friendships, but some have been meetings of complete surprise. Those unexpected meetings have been especially fun! Most recently, I was noticed donning my Albion T-shirt in an airport, which led to a lively conversation with a fellow alum. Even the Albion license plate frame on my car has been recognized and commented on by others I had never met before. But my favorite encounter of all occurred last summer when my Albion sweatshirt was spotted on the Point Betsie beach. Imagine my surprise when I heard an enthusiastic chorus of “Io Triumphe!” belted out by a passerby. Wow! Fellow Britons are everywhere!

My wish is that you will make a special effort to join hundreds of Albion alumni in autumn’s splendor on Homecoming Weekend 2008. Please accept my invitation to march in the Alumni Band with me, if you so desire. In the meantime, please take a moment to e-mail, phone, or write our Office of Alumni and Parent Relations with your latest news. We would love to hear from you!

Go Brits!

Beeton 40 | Io Triumphe!

Lentz

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Life on the Edge: Exploring the World of the Waterfront

Little Dippers

Birdwatchers

Shutterbugs

Creatures at the edge of a pond, lake, or slowmoving stream are fascinating for children (and their parents) to find, identify, and read about. All you need for this bit of summer fun are a dip-net (directions below), clear plastic containers for your small creatures, and a simple aquatic field guide such as Pond Life (Golden Guide).

Here are directions for a home-made dipnet: Pull a metal clothes-hanger so that it is shaped like a diamond, and bend the hook into a loop for a handle. Stretch a woman’s knee-high stocking over the diamond and tie it firmly at the bottom of the handle. There you have a home-made dip net!

The water’s edge is an excellent place for bird-watching, since you will likely see species living in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

Birds are most active in the early morning and early evening, so schedule your visit to a nearby wetland or other waterfront area at those times. The National Audubon Society publishes pocket-size guides with color photos and short descriptions of various birds to help you identify those you encounter. Make a list of the species you see, and in return visits, notice the different varieties of birds as the seasons change.

Photography often helps us see the world in new ways, and that’s true of photos taken along the waterfront. Develop your child’s awareness of the beauty and variety of life forms in this complex ecosystem by taking photos of things he or she finds interesting. And don’t forget to record the geological formations along the lakeshore or river’s edge and how those relate to the flora and fauna. These photos, and the scenes that inspired them, can also be a starting point for journaling or creative writing about nature, so allow some time after a visit for reflecting on the sights you’ve seen. A scrapbook of photos and short writings would be another way to capture the memories.

Sources: Our thanks to Tamara Crupi, director of Albion College’s Whitehouse Nature Center (www.albion.edu/naturecenter/), and Dale Kennedy, professor of biology, for their assistance with this

edition’s activities. Crupi also invites you to write her for a simple guide to freshwater organisms or for other natural history information at tcrupi@albion.edu.

On the Nature Trail Take a look at these Web sites for more nature activities along the Michigan and other shorelines.

National Parks http://www.nps.gov/ Peruse the National Park Service home page to find information on all of the national parks, and the special section “For Kids and Teachers.”

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Upper Peninsula, Michigan http://www.nps.gov/piro/ Offers a guide to the stone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, and shoreline.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Lower Peninsula, Michigan http://www.nps.gov/slbe Provides the history and ecology of the immense sand dunes and adjacent forests and lakes.

Books Michigan Department of Natural Resources (State Parks) http://www.michigan.gov/dnr Use the table of contents on Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources site to locate parks and trails, as well as interpretive programs statewide, including some on wetlands, sand dune ecology, and more.

The Little Traverse Conservancy http://landtrust.org/EnvironEd/educationTABLE.htm Includes activities and information on northwest Michigan’s lakes, rivers, and streams.

Michigan Sea Grant http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/education/index. html Covers river and coastal habitats, fisheries, invasive species, and other key topics. Useful site for teachers as well as families.

James Kavanagh, Seashore Life Nature Activity Book: Educational Games & Activities for Kids of All Ages Fran Lee, Fishing in a Brook: Angling Activities for Kids Diane Swanson, Squirts and Snails and Skinny Green Tails: Seashore Nature Activities for Kids See also the extensive line of Peterson Field Guides to insects, birds, wildflowers, the Atlantic seashore, and the coral reefs of Florida, among other nature-related topics, and the National Audubon Society field guides.

Summer 2008 | 41

Exploring the Everglades

IoTr T HE M AGAZINE

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C. CARRIER PHOTO

Students in a biology class on sub-tropical Florida (pictured) and others participating in a field trip sponsored by the Institute for the Study of the Environment, along with faculty mentors Jeff Carrier, Dan Skean, and Tim Lincoln, came together in mid-March at Everglades National Park. They discussed issues related to management of south Florida’s limited water resources and problems from invasive species within the park. Hillary Burgess, ’06, now employed by the National Park Service as an invasive plant specialist, led both groups to isolated habitats within the park’s cypress swamps where they were treated to spectacular blooms of rare native orchids . . . and an occasional cottonmouth moccasin snake.

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