Voices Spring 2012 by A-State Alumni Association

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 1 ~ $6.00

THE MAGAZINE OF ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ~ SPRING 2012

CONTENTS 10 COVER STORY:

GO DADDY! voices

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.

Words cannot express how honored and proud I am to serve as your president of the ASU Alumni Association. We have come so far in the past couple of years and our future looks even brighter! Here are just a few things that make me proud to be part of the ASU alumni family:

ASU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT - CHARLOTTE LUTES RAZER '86

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VICE PRESIDENT - RICH CARVELL JR. '91 SECRETARY-TREASURER - CHARISSE QUARLES CHILDERS '88 MSE '91 SCCT '01

FEATURES

PAST PRESIDENT - PAUL ROWTON II ‘98

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10 Gone Bowling! Postseason games will bowl you over

14 Scarborough Renaissance Festival Alumnus is the Faire-est of them all

20 ASU Farm Red and black and green all over

BOARD MEMBERS MARGO TRAVIS AUFDERHEIDE '76

RICK MILES '78

ANGELA BARBER AUSTIN '00 MPA '03

DALE MORRIS '70

JOHN BAINE '97

JOY BAXTER MURPHY '92

T. DAVID CARRUTH '83

JOHN PHILLIPS III '73

RUSTY CHAMBERS '89

MELANIE BRYANT POSEY '00

JAMIE FRAKES '90

GARY PUGH '68

BRANDI HINKLE '98

STEVEN SIGSBY '72

LYNN SITZ HOWERTON '90

CHARLES SMITH '89

BILLY KEEDY '99

MARK WEBB '89

LEN KEMP '75

NONIE SHEFFIELD WIGGINS '83

BOB MCCUISTON '65 MSE '68

MIKE WILLIAMS '92

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MY VOICE: CHARLOTTE LUTES RAZER '86 ●

JOE MILES '74 MBA '77

PROFILES

4 Student Profile: Broc Arender Campus King

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT - DR. CHUCK WELCH ASU-JONESBORO INTERIM CHANCELLOR - DR. DAN HOWARD

OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

6 Campus Profile: Dr. Lauren Schack Clark The sound of music

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - BETH SMITH ’82, MA’03 DIRECTOR, ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS - DR. NANCY HENDRICKS ’74

For the second year in a row, Arkansas State University has been ranked by the editors of U.S. News & World Report in “America’s Best Colleges 2012” as a Tier I southern regional institution. I feel that all alumni as well as the entire campus community should feel proud of this accomplishment. Then there was ASU's invitation to the 2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, on Jan. 8. We received our invitation back on Nov. 19, far in advance of the Dec. 4 bowl announcement day. Then after our season finale we finished on top of the Sun Belt Conference. Even with our loss at the bowl game, the experience in Mobile was fabulous! It was so great to see so many alumni and old friends. Our new ASU System President Chuck Welch has created a great sense of excitement on campus and in the community as well as with our constituents around the state. He is a dynamic individual who is ready, willing and able to take us to the next level. I foresee great things for the entire Arkansas State University system under his leadership.

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Dr. Welch is chairing the ASU-Jonesboro Chancellor Search Advisory Committee, and we are fortunate that Dr. Dan Howard continues to serve us as interim chancellor. Dr. Welch has pointed out that our flagship Jonesboro campus has made major strides in recent years and is now poised for even greater success. A wonderful professional opportunity awaits the right person as the process goes forward to select the next leader of our growing campus. Finally, there's our new ASU Alumni Association credit card through Capital One. It's an exciting new way to show our pride every time we shop, and benefit our alma mater at the same time!

DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS - LINDSAY HARMON BURNETT ’05

8 Alumni Profile: Dale Maddox

DIRECTOR, ANNUAL FUND - ELAINE POYNTER ’01 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - CARISSA GRIFFIN

Laurels for Hardy Pottery

DEPARTMENTS

3 My Voice: Charlotte Lutes Razer '86 President, ASU Alumni Association

Please make plans to visit campus as often as you can in the next year, whether it be for an athletic event, concert or a party at the Cooper Alumni Center. You won’t want to miss out on any of the exciting things happening at ASU! I look forward to seeing you there!

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 in the Cooper Alumni Center, 2600 Alumni Boulevard, Jonesboro, Arkansas. 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 Executive Director 2

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P.O. BOX 1990 STATE UNIVERSITY, AR 72467

WEBSITE: http://alumni.astate.edu

EMAIL: alumni@astate.edu

Charlotte Lutes Razer '86 of Blytheville is the current president of the ASU Alumni Association Board of Directors. The Board consists of alumni from around the state, as well as those who represent various colleges and constituencies of the university. They meet several times each year and also assist at tailgates, special events and other alumni activities. More information about the Alumni Board is available on our website http://www.astatealumni.org.

voices

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

PRESIDENT - CHARLOTTE LUTES RAZER '86

●

VICE PRESIDENT - RICH CARVELL JR. '91 SECRETARY-TREASURER - CHARISSE QUARLES CHILDERS '88 MSE '91 SCCT '01

FEATURES

PAST PRESIDENT - PAUL ROWTON II ‘98

●

10 Gone Bowling! Postseason games will bowl you over

14 Scarborough Renaissance Festival Alumnus is the Faire-est of them all

20 ASU Farm Red and black and green all over

BOARD MEMBERS MARGO TRAVIS AUFDERHEIDE '76

RICK MILES '78

ANGELA BARBER AUSTIN '00 MPA '03

DALE MORRIS '70

JOHN BAINE '97

JOY BAXTER MURPHY '92

T. DAVID CARRUTH '83

JOHN PHILLIPS III '73

RUSTY CHAMBERS '89

MELANIE BRYANT POSEY '00

JAMIE FRAKES '90

GARY PUGH '68

BRANDI HINKLE '98

STEVEN SIGSBY '72

LYNN SITZ HOWERTON '90

CHARLES SMITH '89

BILLY KEEDY '99

MARK WEBB '89

LEN KEMP '75

NONIE SHEFFIELD WIGGINS '83

BOB MCCUISTON '65 MSE '68

MIKE WILLIAMS '92

●

MY VOICE: CHARLOTTE LUTES RAZER '86 ●

JOE MILES '74 MBA '77

PROFILES

4 Student Profile: Broc Arender Campus King

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT - DR. CHUCK WELCH ASU-JONESBORO INTERIM CHANCELLOR - DR. DAN HOWARD

OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

6 Campus Profile: Dr. Lauren Schack Clark The sound of music

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - BETH SMITH ’82, MA’03 DIRECTOR, ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS - DR. NANCY HENDRICKS ’74

●

DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS - LINDSAY HARMON BURNETT ’05

8 Alumni Profile: Dale Maddox

DIRECTOR, ANNUAL FUND - ELAINE POYNTER ’01 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - CARISSA GRIFFIN

Laurels for Hardy Pottery

DEPARTMENTS

3 My Voice: Charlotte Lutes Razer '86 President, ASU Alumni Association

24 The Last Word: Beth Smith '82 MA '03 Executive Director 2

spring, 2012

P.O. BOX 1990 STATE UNIVERSITY, AR 72467

WEBSITE: http://alumni.astate.edu

EMAIL: alumni@astate.edu

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SOMEWHERE IN OUR COLLECTIVE SUBCONSCIOUS WHERE WE ARE ALL STILL IN JUNIOR HIGH, THERE IS AN IMAGE OF THE HOMECOMING KING AS A SUPREMELY CONFIDENT BIG MAN ON CAMPUSâ&#x20AC;Ś But when senior biology major Broc Arender of Jonesboro was named this year's Homecoming King, he confides, "I was totally amazed when I heard my name called over the loudspeaker at the game. I had no idea that I won Homecoming King and my only thoughts were, what should I do now? Do I need to walk up and smile, or should I jump up and down and throw my hands in the air?!" He resolved the dilemma by smiling, to the acclaim of his many friends in the stands. Broc seems to have friends wherever he goes, and even during a recent photo session, he continually had to stop and wave to pals greeting him from passing cars. The best part is imagining people who think they're seeing double. It turns out that Broc has a twin brother named Brant. "We had interesting stories in our household every single day when my brother and I were growing up," says Broc. "We were always fighting over some of the dumbest things. Now my brother and I are very close and I know that he will always be there for me no matter what. He has helped me get through some pretty tough times and I am so proud of his accomplishments." He credits his parents, Scott and Sherri Arender, with influencing his life, saying, "They have taught me everything I know today, how to be a better person even when the times are rough. They taught me

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how to act, and pushed me to strive for excellence. I am very grateful for all the things my parents have done." Another person from Broc's past continues to influence him. "Christopher Reeves was my best friend since first grade, but he passed away right before senior year in high school. I realized he left me with knowledge I could use for the rest of my life, like being a stronger person and always have a smile on my face no matter what. He was a big part of my life and still is to this day." In high school, Chris was diagnosed with leukemia. "This was devastating news to everyone," says Broc. "He made countless trips to St. Jude's, and I visited him as much as I could. Throughout his battle with leukemia, he never frowned or complained. He always had a smile on his face no matter what! Even when he was at his worst, he always cracked a joke and brightened up the room. Watching Chris go through his battle was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it taught me many things, like I was not invincible and should not take life for granted. Right before my senior year of high school, I had to watch my best friend die in front of me. As he took his last breath, I wondered what I was going to do. To this day, I try to represent him as much as I can. I wear a smile on my face and try to make everyone happy around me. I am also involved with

raising money for St. Jude because they eased Chris's pain as much as possible and were always there for him." In what may or may not be a coincidence, Broc is in the preprofessional program to attend medical school and become a doctor. But even with that exacting course of study, he manages to enjoy a well-rounded life which includes serving as president of his fraternity, Kappa Alpha. "Some of my favorite extracurricular activities are hunting, fishing, socializing with my Kappa Alpha brothers, meeting new people, playing sports and anything that involves interacting with other people." But if he sounds like a classic extrovert, think again. "Most people do not know that I am very shy at times," he says. "No one really knows because I try to be outgoing. There are a lot of times when I feel shy in a crowd, but instead of dwelling on it, I start introducing myself to people and after getting to know everyone, my shyness seems to fade away." Words of wisdom from a young man building a life after a solid base from his parents, best friend and alma mater. "AState is an amazing school and I am so glad to be a Red Wolf," says Broc. "ASU is improving every day and I can't wait to see what the future has in store. We have a great school and I am very thankful to be a part of it." As his many friends might say, right back at ya, Broc.

"I HAD NO IDEA THAT I WON HOMECOMING KING AND MY ONLY THOUGHTS WERE, WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?"

Photo by Nancy Hendricks

STUDENT PROFILE: BROC ARENDER

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"I HAD NO IDEA THAT I WON HOMECOMING KING AND MY ONLY THOUGHTS WERE, WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?"

Photo by Nancy Hendricks

STUDENT PROFILE: BROC ARENDER

THE 1950S AND '60S WERE A GREAT TIME FOR MUSIC, AND JUDGING FROM ALL THE PBS SPECIALS, NOSTALGIA FOR THE ERA REIGNS SUPREME. BUT THERE'S ALSO A DOWNSIDE TO A MUSICAL ERA FROM A HALF-CENTURY AGO… Dr. Lauren Schack Clark, associate professor of music at ASU, puts it this way: "Nineteen of our current pianos at ASU date from the 1950s and '60s, so one can imagine that trying to play them is like a painter who only has dried-up brushes and paints to work with." Clark is on a mission to change that. "About a year and a half ago, I was at the Music Teachers National Association conference and visited the Steinway booth," she says. "They had an impressive list of institutions which have earned recognition as being 'All-Steinway.' I didn’t know if that would be possible for ASU, but I want the best for my wonderful students, so I asked what it would take." She was put in touch with Amro Music in Memphis, who gave her information she brought back to ASU music department chair Ken Hatch. "I thought he would balk at the idea because of the economic times we’re in," she says, "but actually, he fully supported it from the very beginning, because as a performing musician, he understands the significance of having the best instruments. Recently-retired dean Dr. Dan Reeves and current interim dean Dr. Dale Miller have been excellent supporters as well. Marsha Mays Carwell '05 in ASU's Development Office has worked tirelessly and creatively to help us achieve our All-Steinway goal." To become an All-Steinway school, at least 90% of the acoustic pianos owned by the institution must be Steinway & Sons, Boston, or Essex pianos. "At ASU," she

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says," we already have two Steinway grand pianos, one in the Fine Arts Recital Hall and one in Riceland Hall at Fowler Center, which we will keep. Our current plan involves replacing 42 pianos, mostly in the Fine Arts Building and also at Fowler Center. Musicians with a fine instrument can realize exactly what they hear in their mind, without the frustration of uneven tone and harsh sounds. The wonderful thing about Steinways is that once we purchase them, they never really wear out, because they can be refurbished to sound like new every few years." Her enthusiasm for music and music education is contagious. "I always tell my students that if they feel so passionately about music that it’s the only thing they can imagine doing, then that’s what they should do. I fell into this category," she says. The Connecticut native recalls, "My family obtained a free piano from someone at school, and since I could already read music, I started playing some pieces before my first lessons. I was painfully shy as a child, and I spent a lot of time alone at the piano." Flash forward through Northwestern and Boston University and marriage to a fellow musician. "Without my husband, Dale, I could not do any of the things I do," she says. "We met while pursuing our doctorates at Boston University. He teaches bassoon at ASU, and since he is also a musician, he understands my crazy life of

constant teaching, scheduling, practicing, rehearsing, and performing." One thing she stresses in her goal of bringing ASU to All-Steinway status is how it will benefit the university. "The Steinway name is recognized world-wide, and has already helped in my recruiting efforts. In my applied studio alone, I currently have five students from China, two from Japan, one from Malaysia, and next semester, a Korean student will join the group." And in her work with young people, there is another dimension. "When I was a senior in college, my mother died after a long illness," she says. "Two weeks later, my grandmother died. It was devastating, and I was very depressed. Friends told me that I didn’t smile for about six months, which is significant for me, because most people tell me I smile quite a lot. At the time when I should have been figuring out what to do with my life, I really had no direction. A friend helped me get a job teaching piano at a community music school which turned out to be a wonderful thing for me, because it was there that I really started to love teaching, and to treat it like the art form it is." Fast forward again to the Music Department at ASU. "We appreciate the support that alumni and community members have already given to the AllSteinway endeavor and other music activities. I have been a student and teacher at many different schools in different parts of the country, and I can honestly say that ASU alumni are by far the most devoted supporters I’ve ever seen."

"I HAVE BEEN AT MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT ASU ALUMNI ARE BY FAR THE MOST DEVOTED SUPPORTERS I’VE EVER SEEN."

For more information about the All-Steinway program, please contact Marsha Carwell at mcarwell@astate.edu or call 870-972-2572.

Photo by Nancy Hendricks

CAMPUS PROFILE: DR. LAUREN SCHACK CLARK

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"I HAVE BEEN AT MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT ASU ALUMNI ARE BY FAR THE MOST DEVOTED SUPPORTERS I’VE EVER SEEN."

For more information about the All-Steinway program, please contact Marsha Carwell at mcarwell@astate.edu or call 870-972-2572.

Photo by Nancy Hendricks

CAMPUS PROFILE: DR. LAUREN SCHACK CLARK

PICTURESQUE MAIN STREET IN HARDY, ARKANSAS, IS A DELIGHT THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS SEEM TO ENJOY. BUT HOW MANY ASU ALUMNI KNOW THAT THE LANDMARK SHOP CALLED 'HARDY POTTERY' IS OWNED BY FELLOW ALUMS? It all began when Dale Maddox '76 and his wife Liane took a leap of faith. "With no business plan beyond a pool of $500 cash, Hardy Pottery was born on Memorial Day weekend of 1980, and when our first dollar was acquired. Liane and I left any security of a regular paycheck and threw ourselves into adapting the building to a pottery production facility and retail space." But the road really began in the cotton fields of Dale's hometown of Campbell, Missouri. "Since I grew up on a family farm, chores began as soon as you could walk in a straight line," Dale says. In the fall of 1969, he moved to Jonesboro to begin school at ASU. "Not being all that aware of other colleges, I chose ASU because it was where my sister had gone far enough away, but close enough to return weekends to help on the farm. I spent two and half years pursuing an engineering degree, then dropped out, thinking I would remain on the farm. While I had never taken any creative or art classes in high school, I had a desire to learn how to draw. During that year, in my boredom at night, I began to draw on the walls of the old farm house I was residing in and carried a sketch pad with me, drawing what I saw in rural southeast Missouri. After a year of long hours, dirt in my face, and no social life at age 22, the college town environment seemed to be beckoning. In the winter of 1973 I returned to ASU and enrolled in a full schedule of the art curriculum,

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completing my BFA in 1976." In an ASU painting class, he met his future wife, Liane Maddox: "Mother of our four children, maven of retail creativity, excellent potter, postponed pastel artist (due to being a potter) and my 24-hour-aday companion of 35 years." Along with that fateful meeting in ASU's Art Department, he recalls, "I found all the Art Department faculty of the early 70’s to be encouraging, examples in their disciplines, and consistent in trying to improve a creative environment. Dr. Theron Butler made art history connect to the events of the world and inspired me to want to see Europe’s famed galleries in person. John Keech convinced me that my lack of experience would not hinder me from learning how to draw." Dale began sculpting clay in design class, and then enrolled in a wheel throwing class. "A couple of more advanced students piqued my interest in developing my throwing skill, but it was the arrival of Donn Hedman as the head of the ceramics area in the fall of '74 that inspired me to pursue this further. Donn was an accomplished and creative potter with a real interest in helping others develop their abilities. He would later become my business partner when he, my wife and I established Hardy Pottery in the spring of 1980. Donn moved on to teach at Indiana University in western Pennsylvania and remains a good friend to this day."

Visit Dale and Liane's website at hardypottery.com

Photo by Gretchen Davis

ALUMNI PROFILE: DALE MADDOX

"CUSTOMERS BECOME A DAILY PLEASURE, AS SOMEONE YOU’VE NOT SEEN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR."

After graduation from ASU and travel around the U. S. and Europe, a job offer for Dale came through the National Endowment for the Arts as artist-inresidence at Cave City. But soon a fateful encounter occurred. "Liane and I, as members of the Arkansas Foothills Guild, were attending their annual Spring Craft Show and encountered Donn Hedman, also exhibiting at the show. In the evening, we talked of establishing a pottery and retail store. Liane and I investigated Hardy, with its vacant and available historic buildings on Main Street." They purchased the circa-1890 building and soon it all came together. "Liane and I learned to work as a team on building projects, the retail store, producing pottery and melding all of it together with a growing family. Being self-employed has challenges, but my farm heritage and Liane’s work ethic kept us moving forward. Hardy has a large influx of visitors from all over the nation and we’ve developed relationships with people from all backgrounds. Customers become a daily pleasure, as someone you’ve not seen for a couple of years walks through the door." And he has not forgotten his alma mater. "Living a short distance from Jonesboro has enabled me to witness ASU’s well-planned growth. ASU continues to have a positive effect on surrounding communities through its business assistance programs, cultural offerings in Jonesboro, and satellite campuses throughout north Arkansas." So next time you're on Hardy's Main Street, stop by Hardy Pottery. Dale and Liane will be glad to see you!

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Visit Dale and Liane's website at hardypottery.com

Photo by Gretchen Davis

ALUMNI PROFILE: DALE MADDOX

"CUSTOMERS BECOME A DAILY PLEASURE, AS SOMEONE YOU’VE NOT SEEN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR."

1951 refrigerator bowl The ASU athletics department begins official record-keeping for postseason games more than a half-century ago with the 1951 Refrigerator Bowl. It was played in Evansville, Indiana, on Dec. 2, 1951, with about 10,000 in total attendance. The Refrigerator Bowl was played annually from 1948 through 1956 in Evansville, which at the time was known as the "Refrigerator Capital of the United States" for its refrigerator manufacturing production. With average January temperatures at Evansville in the low 20s, some felt it had a double meaning. Led by A-State director of athletics J. A. 'Ike' Tomlinson, head football coach Forrest 'Frosty' England, and assistant football coach Harry Larche '49, the 1951 team had the best season in school history to that time. Coach England was even in demand nationally to write articles on the intricacies of his favored 'T-Formation.' At the fourth annual Refrigerator Bowl, A-State played the cadets of Camp Breckenridge, an army installation at Morganfield, Kentucky, winning by a score of 46-12. The victory was important enough to be noted in the venerable Washington Post of Dec. 3, 1951, with the headline, "Arkansas State wins Refrigerator Bowl." Game highlights included Richard Woit '54 rushing for 166 yards and three touchdowns for A-State, earning the award for outstanding player in the game. Rudy Wagner '54 and Ralph "Buzzy" Gebert '53 each scored twice for Arkansas State.

1952 tangerine bowl A month later, things were looking up for A-State (at least in

terms of temperature) as we had received a bid to play in the 1952 Tangerine Bowl on Jan. 1 at Orlando, Florida. A crowd of 12,500 saw Stetson University defeat A-State 3520, but only after a solid first half by A-State. Still, it was a memorable time in the lives of our studentathletes. Quarterback Bill Sommers '53 was photographed happily receiving a wristwatch as a gift from the Tangerine Bowl Queen. The game was known as the Tangerine Bowl from 1947 to 1982 and then the Florida Citrus Bowl from 1983-2002. It's currently called the Capital One Bowl and is played as a major New Year's Day bowl game.

1952 refrigerator bowl Later in 1952, there was a return trip to Evansville for the 1952 Refrigerator Bowl on Dec. 7. A-State seemed poised for another victory with a 73yard drive on our first possession, but opponent Western Kentucky ultimately triumphed, winning 34-19. It was noted that A-State was playing without our AllAmerica halfback Richie Woit, who was sidelined with a broken ankle. It was to be our last appearance at the Refrigerator Bowl. The game itself ended in 1956 with an appearance by Middle Tennessee, who would feature in ASU's future.

1954 tangerine bowl Again under Frosty England, A-State traveled to warmer climes. We met East Texas State University (today's Texas A&M-Commerce) on Jan. 1 in the 1954 Tangerine Bowl and played to a crowd of almost 13,000 people enjoying the Orlando sunshine. East Texas was heavily favored, having the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest winning streak of the time at 29 straight. But AState scored first on a pass from Bobby Spann '55 to Jim Turley '56 soon after the game began. Ness Sechrest '56 kicked the extra point to put A-State in the lead 7-0, which lasted for most of the game.

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1952 tangerine bowl A month later, things were looking up for A-State (at least in

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A-State gallantly held off ETSU until the fourth quarter when East Texas managed to score for the first time to tie the game. The game went down in history with the official score for the record books as a 7-7 tie. Jim Turley '56 of Granbury, Texas, says, "The real heroes of that game were the A-State defensive team that held a very strong East Texas team to only seven points." Ness Sechrest '56 of West Memphis has some special memories of the event: "We left Jonesboro by bus on December 20 for the game which was on New Year's Day. When we got to Orlando, we did two-a-days, morning and afternoon, every day. The Elks Club sponsored us, and we had Christmas dinner with a family down there. The team thought we were going to receive wristwatches for playing in the game as previous teams had done, but that year they gave us jackets – tangerine and green jackets. My kids have worn it as a costume for Back-to-the-'50s types of events. Coming back home, they took us to Silver Springs, Florida, to see the water-skiers, and we had our picture made on a glass bottom boat. Another treat I remember is that we got to eat at Morrison's Cafeteria while we were there. We were all poor kids, mind you, so this was great. I believe we ate steak three times a day!"

plus rushing yards by Calvin Harrell. Chet Douthit '72 landed two of Hamilton’s three touchdown passes, and Dennis Meyer electrified the crowd with not one but two interceptions. Central Missouri went down, 38-21. Bill Phillips '72 recalls: "The 1970 Pecan Bowl was the perfect end to a perfect season. This was the third straight bowl appearance for most of us but it was the first as reigning National Champions. On Wednesday night before the game on Saturday, assistant coach Bill Templeton and head coach Bill Davidson met with the offense while coaches Hageman and Jones met with the defense. Their message was clear. We had been there all week, having fun and without a curfew. They had wanted us to enjoy ourselves and be rewarded for our accomplishments. Now it was time to focus on the game and get ready for Central Missouri State - and we did! During the season we out-scored our opponents by an average of 23 points per game. At the Pecan Bowl, we beat Central Missouri by 17 points with the final score 38 to 21. What can I say? It was getting close to Christmas!" Teammate Dennis Meyer '73 says, "The thing that I probably remember most about that game more than anything else was the fact that the team that we were playing was from Missouri. I am actually from Missouri and was getting to play against kids that I played with in high school. So it was quite the day. I was fortunate enough not only for us to win the football game, but also the interceptions and everything that went along with the day." Coach Bill Templeton adds, "This team has to be right up there as the best team ever up to that point in our football history."

was injured early in the game and unable to return. Quarterback James Hamilton who passed for 173 yards, also ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but North Dakota held its lead to win 23-14.

1969 pecan bowl ASU returned to Arlington for the 1969 Pecan Bowl on Dec. 15 of that year, playing Drake University before a crowd of 7,500. At first, things looked grim, almost a replay of the year before as A-State quarterback James Hamilton was injured early in the opening quarter and unable to return to the game. But A-State had a secret weapon. Backup quarterback Orin Wayne "Bubba" Crocker '70 took over and threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and even scored a twopoint conversion as ASU led 22-0 at halftime. Calvin Harrell '74 rushed for 160 yards on 34 carries. Though Drake tried its best, A-State prevailed with a victory of 29-21. Coach Bill Templeton '57 MSE '70 recalls, "The 'Big O' linemen carried 5' 7," 162-pound Bubba Crocker onto the field to accept the award for Player of the Game."

1968 pecan bowl

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1970 pecan bowl It had been a great year for ASU football as we marched to the National College Division Championship via the first undefeated/untied football season in our school's history. The American Football Coaches Association named ASU's head football coach Bennie Ellender as National College Division Coach of the Year. Five of his star players were named All-Americans: Bill Phillips '72, Dennis Meyer '73, Calvin Harrell '74, Gary Cleve '71 and Wayne Dorton '72. With ASU named the third consecutive Southland Conference Champion under coach Ellender, Central Missouri State was our opponent in the 1970 Pecan Bowl at Arlington on Dec. 12. Playing before a crowd of 9,500, ASU accumulated more than 500 yards of offense, half of that courtesy of passing yardage by James Hamilton

– one for the books! ASU's 1975 team, one of only two undefeated teams in the nation that year, did not go to a post-season bowl. But the A-State seniors who played on the team certainly made their mark on the game when they were snapped up by professional NFL teams. Defensive tackle Dick Dixon '77 was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks; linebacker Ken Jones by the Buffalo Bills; defensive end Jimmy Lisko by the Denver Broncos; defensive tackle Eddie Morgan '76 by the New York Giants, and linebackers Mike Malham '76 and Jerry Muckensturm '76 were drafted by the Chicago Bears. Coach Bill Templeton says, "Back then, our mascot, 'The Chief,' circled the field on his horse after ASU touchdowns. With this team playing as wonderfully as they did, we had to get a fresh horse about midway through the season!"

2005 new orleans bowl Photos by Nancy Hendricks

Things came together again for A-State in the late '60s under head football coach Bennie Ellender. ASU headed west, first playing in the 1968 Pecan Bowl on Dec. 14, 1968, at Arlington, Texas. It was classified as one of four regional playoff bowls in the NCAA College Football Division. Along with ASU, opponents included such schools as Lamar, Drake, Texas-Arlington, Grambling, Parsons and North Dakota State. ASU met the aforementioned North Dakota State in its initial Pecan Bowl appearance before a crowd of 7,200. All-America tailback Frank McGuigan '71

The 1975 team

It would be a new century before another ASU postseason appearance, but it was worth waiting for. The 2005 season marked 30th and

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was injured early in the game and unable to return. Quarterback James Hamilton who passed for 173 yards, also ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but North Dakota held its lead to win 23-14.

1968 pecan bowl

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2005 new orleans bowl Photos by Nancy Hendricks

The 1975 team

It would be a new century before another ASU postseason appearance, but it was worth waiting for. The 2005 season marked 30th and

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35th anniversaries of the years when ASU celebrated undefeated seasons. In 1970, ASU had won the small college national championship (equivalent to today's Division II) after going 11-0, including the Pecan Bowl victory over Central Missouri to ensure the perfect season. Five years later ASU reached perfection again, this time at the Division I level, finishing the 1975 season as the top rushing offense in the country. Still, ASU had no bowl game to go to. Fans began the chant of "11-0 and No Place To Go" after the 1975 season. Lore has it that ASU's situation was responsible for the formation of the Independence Bowl, held in Shreveport the following season. But in 2005, under head coach Steve Roberts, ASU had someplace to go, playing in a particularly poignant postseason game, the 2005 New Orleans Bowl. That game had been played annually at the Superdome in New Orleans since 2001, pitting a team from Conference USA against the champions of the Sun Belt Conference. In 2005, ASU met Southern Mississippi for the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 20 not in New Orleans but at Lafayette, Louisiana. Due to damage to the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina, the game that year was played at Cajun Field on the University of Louisiana-Lafayette campus, and was dubbed the "New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette." More than 18,000 people faced the cold weather with warm hearts. While ASU fans cheered a 44-yard field goal by Eric Neihouse '06 and a pass from Nick Noce '06 to tight end Manuel Burton '07, Southern Mississippi sealed the win at 31-19. Still, it was a great time and

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a memorable postseason game for ASU fans! Manuel Burton '07 currently lives in Memphis and recalls, "That was one of the greatest memories of our lives and a mark that we intended to set for ASU football. The New Orleans Bowl and championship season of 2005 was a combination of the camaraderie we had as a program and the insatiable desire to succeed by everyone involved with the program. We were determined to overcome and not to let anything negative distract us from our goals. I am extremely proud of the mark that this year's team has attained and I know that A-State Nation is also. GREAT JOB!" Richard Carvell '66 of Jonesboro was in the stands. "I attended the New Orleans Bowl with two of my sons, David and Jon," he says. "We had a great time. In the ASU hotel the night before, fans mingled with players, cheerleaders, and band members in a fun and enthusiastic pep rally. The day of the game, we stood along the street as the ASU family made its way to the stadium through the fan tailgates set up along each side of the roadway. It was a great pre-game festivity and a great opportunity for an amateur photographer like me to fire away with a camera, capturing the essence of the night's pregame festivities forever. I look forward to adding more pictures to my collection in Mobile!" Former A-State football player Bob Earwood '80 of Collierville, Tennessee, has a special insight: "I count my attendance at the 2005 New Orleans Bowl as one of the highlights of my association with ASU. It was an exciting week and one that not many ASU fans had the opportunity to experience up to that point. Even though the game was actually played in Lafayette due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, the events that were part of the pregame festivities were spectacular. I was there with my friend and former teammate, Robert Speer of Jonesboro, and we both agreed that it would have been

nice for our undefeated 1975 team to have been able to participate in a bowl game. However, we were living the dream through the 2005 team â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thirty years later. I hope every ASU fan made it a point to attend the GoDaddy Bowl in support of this team and OUR university."

2012 godaddy.com bowl The Red Wolves met Northern Illinois in Mobile, Alabama, on Jan. 8 for the GoDaddy.com Bowl (formerly the GMAC Bowl), which has built a reputation for fielding some of the most competitive games of the post-season. It was rated by Fox sports.com as one of this year's Top Ten bowls for excitement. Events in Mobile included pep rallies, a fireworks display, and a parade featuring bands, cheerleaders and dignitaries from the competing teams as well as a host of familyfriendly Mardi-Gras floats

"The atmosphere was festive, almost carnivallike for ASU fans.â&#x20AC;? The ASU Alumni Association organized activities for the great number of Red Wolves fans who made the trip including a Friday evening celebration at Wintzell's Oyster House, a Mobile tradition. But the 'Don't Miss' event was the ASU Alumni Association Tailgate Party before the game featuring gumbo, corn fritters, fried crab claws, shrimp and lots more. It was the general consensus among the more than 1,100 fans who attended the sold-out tailgate that the Red Wolves easily won in the category of pre-game festivities! Estimates are that more than 8,000 A-State fans were in attendance, wearing a sea of red. Many held up A-State signs to make our presence known on national TV via the prime-time broadcast on ESPN.

Former Herald sports

editor tells all! Don Schaefer '54 of Fayetteville, former sports editor for the Herald, recalls: "The 1951 Indian football team went to TWO bowl games the same year. During the regular season they played ten games and lost only to Mississippi State. They went to the Refrigerator Bowl and the Tangerine Bowl. The next year, the 1952 team lost only to Mississippi State during the regular season and to Western Kentucky 19-34 in the Refrigerator Bowl. At that point, during the past three years, the Indians were the highest scoring college football team, having scored 1,017 points. The 1953 Indian football team had their greatest year and finished the season undefeated. I was the sports editor for the Herald and at the beginning of the year predicted in my column that the team would have an undefeated season. After all, we were not scheduled to play Mississippi State! We did not win all the games that year. Back then, games could end in a tie. During the regular season we tied Alabama Teachers (Florence) 13-13 and in the Tangerine Bowl (fourth bowl game in three years), we ended up tied with East Texas State 7-7. Orville Henry of the Arkansas Gazette, whose writings always centered around the University of Arkansas, made a rash promise that if Arkansas State finished the season undefeated, he would print a picture of the Indian football team on the front page of the Gazette. He thought he was safe because he knew we were playing Memphis State. He finally had to make good his promise, and the team's picture was on page one. I still have a copy of it. But it appeared only in the first (early) edition that went to places far from Little Rock, like Jonesboro. It was NOT in the Gazette that most people saw."

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Former Herald sports

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back at home and the last-second buzzer shot was the talk of Mobile on Saturday night. The Alumni Association tailgate was awesome. People kept coming up to me saying, 'Isn't this unbelievable?!' Many ran into friends they hadn't seen since college and rekindled old friendships. I hate that we lost, but our team had a great year and we are very proud of them. This experience has only made me look forward to next year and the next bowl!" ASU Alumni Association board member Steven Sigsby '72 of Rector said, "Saturday night was a blast at the team hotel. We visited with several old classmates that we had not seen in years who live away from northeast Arkansas. The crowd was just buzzing with excitement. The Mobile business community was great. Everywhere you went there was a pack of Red Wolves and the business community spoke highly of our fans. We're ready to go back again. We never were out of sight of another ASU fan vehicle the entire trip home." Roy Ockert '67 of Jonesboro agrees: "On either of the two main routes between Jonesboro and Mobile on Friday and Saturday, it seemed like every other vehicle was displaying ASU logos, signs, stickers, license plates or

“Words can’t describe the atmosphere and the experience of Mobile! Arkansas State had the ultimate fan support – we took over the city!”

Looking around the stadium, former ASU athletic director and head football coach Larry Lacewell said it was the best gathering of A-State fans he's seen on the road. Among other fans who attended were Gov. Mike Beebe '68, ASU system president Dr. Chuck Welch, and incoming head football coach Gus Malzahn who looked on as interim head coach David Gunn manned the headphones. Other stand-out fans included former NFL great, alumnus Ray Brown, and Ron Meeks '78, assistant coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, who encouraged the Red Wolves to keep fighting. The team did just that and took an early lead, but at the final whistle, NIU prevailed with a 38-20 victory. Nothing could mar the Red Wolves spirit. The tremendous fan support in Mobile will no doubt make ASU very attractive when it comes to future bowl invitations. Here's what some of those attending the GoDaddy Bowl had to say: Charlotte Lutes Razer '86 of Blytheville, current president of the ASU Alumni Association, said: "Words can't describe the atmosphere and the experience of Mobile. Arkansas State had the ultimate fan support – we took over the city! There were ASU people everywhere. One waitress asked if we were required to eat at their restaurant because there were so many ASU fans there. Fans were also keeping up with the basketball game

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flags, and all weekend everywhere you went in downtown Mobile you were sure to run into people you knew." Former football player and past ASU Alumni Association president Bob Earwood '80 of Collierville, TN, said, "From my perspective, everything at the GoDaddy.com Bowl was first class. Great job putting together events for fans and the Alumni Association capped it off with a tailgate party that had a perfect 'Gulf Coast' flair. Everyone I talked to had a wonderful time in Mobile. Our trip to Lafayette for the New Orleans Bowl in 2005 was good but this far surpassed my expectations and I’m already looking forward to going back next year!" Rich Carvell '66 was also a veteran of the New Orleans Bowl who went to the GoDaddy Bowl this year. "It was like a big family reunion," he says. "Bringing the Red Wolf family together in Mobile was special. Not only was it a personal reunion, but we got to visit with many former students. And we made new friends, as well. What a great experience being with the Red Wolf family. Let's do it again next year!" Angela Barber Austin '00 of Little Rock said, "Attending the GoDaddy.com Bowl game was an amazing experience. It was wonderful to see so many fellow alumni and Red Wolves fans come out to support the success of the ASU football program. The bowl game was also a reunion because it afforded me the opportunity to see old friends and former football players I have not seen since graduating from the University. The ASU Alumni Association tailgate was one for the history books with more

Yesterday, today

and tomorrow Our opponent in the GoDaddy.Com Bowl, Northern Illinois University, was the alma mater of V. C. Kays, A-State's first president who served from 1910-1946. When the board of the new school located in Jonesboro hired him, Kays traveled from the school where he was employed at that time – in Alabama, where ASU appeared at the 2012 GoDaddy Bowl!

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“Words can’t describe the atmosphere and the experience of Mobile! Arkansas State had the ultimate fan support – we took over the city!”

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Yesterday, today

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than 1,100 people attending and a feast of outstanding food. Unfortunately, our Red Wolves did not bring home the game trophy, but they will always be winners in my eyes. Go Red Wolves! Hooooooowl!" As Chris Woodard '08 puts it, "The GoDaddy.com Bowl can be summed up in one phrase: Arkansas State University has arrived. Whether it was walking through downtown Mobile, enjoying the parade and pep rally, or sitting in the stands, Red Wolf pride was everywhere. It was so refreshing to see not only familiar faces wearing scarlet and black, but faces of fans that I didn't recognize cheering for ASU. From the loud chants of 'ARKANSAS STATE ... RED WOLVES,' or constant sounds of howling traveling down Dauphin Street, there was no doubt Mobile was Red Wolf Country. I couldn't be more proud of my alma mater and truly believe the GoDaddy.com Bowl is evidence that ASU has arrived. I can't wait to see where we are heading, and hope all ASU alumni are ready to show their support and join the ride. GO stAte!" Dr. Chuck Welch, president of the ASU System, said: "The festivities leading up to the 2012 GoDaddy.com Bowl were the perfect way to reward our team and our fans for a wonderful season. The city of Mobile and the GoDaddy.com representatives were phenomenal hosts, and our fans really enjoyed the many planned activities. It was

exhilarating to walk down the streets of Mobile and see nothing but red. The Mardi Gras parade was a huge hit, and from my vantage point on a float it was clear that our ASU contingent was out in full force. I look forward to many more bowl trips with our football team and fans in the coming years. Go Red Wolves!" Shane Broadway '94, interim director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, showed up with another distinguished guest, Gov. Mike Beebe '68: “I will say that the first reaction the Governor and I had on our arrival to the team hotel and the tailgate party was 'WOW!' What an amazing turnout of Red Wolves fans and alumni. It certainly made the whole experience all the more memorable. At the Alumni Association tailgate party, the food was excellent! It was great to see so many friends from college over the years, and to celebrate a wonderful season for our alma mater. Even though the game did not turn out as we would all like, I think everyone had a great time and we all look forward to a new year, the next bowl experience and an ASU victory!” Dr. Len Frey '84 is currently dean of ASU's College of Business but has not forgotten his student days: "The Mobile experience was simply the most exhilarating that I have ever enjoyed as an Arkansas State fan. Red Wolves fans filled every downtown establishment at all hours of the

day and night for several days. The atmosphere was festive, almost Carnival-like for the ASU fans. The Mobile community was extremely welcoming and our hosts were complimentary of the number of people who descended upon them and the enthusiasm we showed for our team. I can recall the mid '70s when we were '11-0 with nowhere to go,' and I have been in the stands for miraculous victories such as the Hail Mary at Memphis. But nothing compares to the events of the GoDaddy Bowl week. I am honored by the way our players and our fans represented themselves over the course of the week. The bowl experience is one that I look forward to experiencing on a regular basis." And Galen Perkins '09 of Jonesboro is also looking to the near future and the Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament, saying, "I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the bowl game this year. Saturday was a great day filled with friends, food, and frivolity at the Mardi Gras parade and pep rally, not to mention the amazing fireworks show. Sunday continued this trend with the best alumni tailgate I have attended. The outpouring of support from the fans and alums of ASU was overwhelming. Here's looking forward to seeing

everyone in Hot Springs!" Even those who could not go to Mobile had a blast. Steve Knuckles '84 and Terry Black '83 organized a Red Wolves watch party in St. Louis. Steve says, "Even though we didn't have large numbers at the watch party or a win, we still had a great time!" The same might be said for all Red Wolves fans wherever they are. Just wait for next year – let 'em hear us HOWL!

Thanks to Gina Bowman '76, ASU Director of Media Relations, and to Jerry Scott, Director of Sports Information, for information used in this article, and to Richard Carvell '66, Len Frey '84 and Galen Perkins '09 for photos.

“The Mobile experience was simply the most exhilarating that I have ever enjoyed as an Arkansas State fan.” 18

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“The Mobile experience was simply the most exhilarating that I have ever enjoyed as an Arkansas State fan.” 18

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"While

Did last year's royal wedding leave you with visions of marrying like nobility? Whether or not princes are available, ladies can marry a knight in shining armor while gents show devotion to their Lady Fair. It's courtesy of ASU alumnus RICHARD HOLEYFIELD '69 and while it's Waxahachie - not Westminster - guests are guaranteed a royally good time.

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This year marks more than three decades of Rich and Marsha Holeyﬁeld's stewardship of Scarborough Faire, a Renaissance festival based in another year 1533, during the reign of England’s King Henry VIII. In the realm of reality, it's located about halfway between Dallas and Waco, Texas, but reality is not what draws the crowds. Hundreds of thousands attend annually, joining several thousand performers, artisans, food service staff, grounds crew and retailers during the course of a season. Scarborough Renaissance Festival (SRF) is a 35-acre village within almost two hundred surrounding acres. It's a world unto itself, with about two hundred performances daily on 21 stages, including three full-combat jousts taking place each day. There are falconry demonstrations by wildlife conservationists as well as artisans displaying ancient arts such as glassblowing, blacksmithing, candlemaking, coin minting, leather crafting, armour forging, broom-making, printing on a Guttenberg press and much more. Two hundred permanent "shoppes" feature unique handmade wares made by artisans from around the country, and SRF is one of the largest outdoor juried craft shows in the nation. It's not alchemy but hard work that makes it all happen. About 150 volunteers from the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts make up the troupers who become the 'characters' of Scarborough including King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn. They perform on eight consecutive weekends from the beginning of April through the end of May from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Field trips and turkey legs Recognizing that there are some memorable field trips that kids never forget, SRF is also open on weekdays by reservation for school groups. About 30,000 students annually enter the sixteenth century English village and experience the world of the Renaissance with shows, demonstrations, and educational interactions. Teachers can download a curriculum guide to enhance

education is a priority, usually the first thing that comes to people's minds about visiting is, 'Giant Turkey Legs!'" the experience with pre- and post-visit activities, projects and research. However, while all agree that education is important at SRF, usually the first thing that comes to people's minds about visiting is, "Giant Turkey Legs!" To say the food is hearty is an understatement. More than twenty tons of the Festival’s famous roast turkey legs alone are devoured annually during the season. But for those to whom gargantuan turkey limbs seem like the 'lite' menu, there are also meatball sandwiches, handmade pastas, seafood, stir fry, steak-on-a-stick, etouffee, quiche, empanadas, fajitas, baklava, pastries, Italian ices, and more than 60 other food offerings plus pubs and taverns proffering a variety of beers, ales, wine, frozen refreshments and even a period-appropriate grog of mead. You really can marry a knight in shining armour, with an average of twenty royal Renaissance weddings held during the festival each year. Renaissance Romance Weekend around Mother's Day sees vow-renewal ceremonies in the wedding garden with the King and Queen as guests.

Journey back in time The Holeyfields' journey with SRF began in 1981. It's been a privately held company owned by the same two families since its inception. Last year saw a long-awaited visit from old friends. Arkansas State University Trustee Mike Gibson '68 of Osceola and former president of the ASU Alumni Association Gary Pugh '68 of Pocahontas were fraternity brothers with Rich Holeyfield in Sigma Phi Epsilon. With their wives Marsha Nolan Gibson '68 voices

"While

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"The question I always get asked is what we do the rest of the year." Gary adds, "To enhance the authenticity, all the performances as well as children's entertainment are people- or animal-powered with no modern equipment or hidden motors. The only modern conveniences were the kitchens and (fortunately) 'privies' with running water. The patrons and people who make it happen are friendly and entertaining. They truly enjoy, as we did, the voyage back 500 years to a time truly unique and an experience equally as unique and memorable. In short real, authentic, entertaining and highly recommended to all."

Still an adventure Rich Holeyfield's hometown was Searcy, but he moved to Waxahachie in 1980 when he and wife Marsha purchased 155 acres of farmland about twenty five miles south of Dallas. Holeyfield, president of Southwest Festivals, Inc., says, "We built and opened Scarborough Renaissance Festival on this piece of property and have operated it successfully for 31 years. We run eight weekends each spring, and also have another event on the same piece of property, Screams Halloween Theme Park, which was established in 1995 and operates each fall for five weekends." He recalls how it all came about: "I first saw the concept when I was a sales manager at Sysco Foods in Houston. One of my sales people was selling trailer loads of food to the Texas Renaissance Festival north of Houston, and on one sales call I met several people who were involved in the festival. After two years of discussing and planning, we moved to Waxahachie to start the business. I attribute our success to our attitude about business persistence, never giving up in the face of giant odds, strong budgeting parameters, major work ethic learned at an early age, help and support from my wife and business partners, love of the business and I guess some luck."

Experiencing the magic

Photos courtesy of Mike & Marsha Gibson and Gary & Nancy Pugh

and Nancy Pugh, they embarked on a trip to Texas in April. Gary recalls, "Several times over the last ten years, Mike & Marsha Gibson and Nancy & I have discussed spending a weekend with Richard and Marsha Holeyfield. We finally did it this past year." He recalls that the Holeyfields were gracious hosts. "Upon our arrival and throughout the weekend, we reconnected after many years, renewing our friendship and reliving memories from college days at ASU in the '60s â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which, while not ruled by Henry VIII, was also a unique time in history. All six of us also reconnected with Sharon and Johnny Mack James '64 MSE '69 of McKinney, Texas, another old frat brother, who we met for dinner during our weekend." They loved what they saw at SRF. "Richard, Marsha and their partners have built, expanded, and improved the Faire over more than 30 years to a world-class event held every April and May. It is visited and enjoyed by people from all fifty states as well as all over the world, and it appeals to all ages, young and old. There is a spirit and feel of 'jolly olde England' all over the park from actors, staff, and the many visitors who dress in period costumes and remain in character the entire day." The Faire is divided into three sections, all with a specific theme.

Today, SRF is one of the largest events of its kind in the U.S., with attendance each year in the 200,000 range, which translates to millions of visitors over three decades. It's one of only fifteen such businesses of comparable size in the nation. Holeyfield says it's still an adventure. "Our biggest challenge is always the North Texas weather; it is said that if you don't like the weather here, just wait a minute and it will change. Economic conditions are always a challenge. We started this business in the middle of the '80s recession and we just finished surviving our sixth recession." Apart from meteorological and global economic challenges, there are lots of memories. "An unusual business like this creates unusual moments and memories daily that are just too numerous to name," says Holeyfield, but some immediately come to mind: "There was an elephant joust for publicity with local TV anchors as the jousters," he recalls "Then there was a hilarious donkey joust; our first 10,000 paid attendance day; our first feature in Southern Living magazine and subsequent features; the Food Network on national TV featuring our famous turkey legs (roasted with our own special seasonings - NOT SMOKED); a national Maxwell House Coffee commercial filmed at SRF, and a feature in American Airlines Flight Magazine last April that went worldwide. One of our entertainment acts, 'The Flaming Idiots,' has been featured on the Jay Leno Show."

Holeyfield says that since SRF and Screams are open in the spring and fall, there's one thing they hear a lot. "The question I always get asked is what we do the rest of the year," he says. "Lots of people comment that they would love to have a two-month-a-year job. The answer is that the business operates year-round, but the customers only get to experience the magic for 28 days. Planning for the next event starts before the current event ends. Budgeting requires several months of intense work, planning meetings, marketing meetings, etc., for each event, plus meeting with sponsors, hiring actors, scheduling rehearsals, craft juries and craft contracts, food menus and pricing, food signage. In other words, everything that the customer is going to see and do when the festival is open has to be created beforehand and that takes months of pre-show planning and execution." So then they just sit back and enjoy it, right? Well, no. "A typical festival day starts at 7 a.m. with mowing and weeding by the grounds crew, toilets cleaned and stocked, garbage bags put in trash containers. Food booths start cooking at 8 a.m. Parking crew, craft shops stocking their wares, and final morning entertainment meeting all start at 9. Opening gate is at 10 a.m., and the big boom of the cannon sounds the opening of the day's festivities. Operations continue until the close of the day at 7 p.m. as customers depart and clean-up begins. Accounting takes until 8:30 at night, when we go home and get ready for another day." Amidst all the pageantry, business major Holeyfield still has fond memories of his alma mater, especially athletics and fraternity life. Today, for this ASU alumnus, more than three decades of magic is just business as usual.

For more information visit the Scarborough Renaissance festival website at http://www.srfestival.com

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Experiencing the magic

Photos courtesy of Mike & Marsha Gibson and Gary & Nancy Pugh

For more information visit the Scarborough Renaissance festival website at http://www.srfestival.com

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Arkansas State University was created in 1909 as an agricultural school. Its first incarnation was as the First District Agricultural School, later the Agricultural & Mechanical Training School (A&M). It was not until 1933, changing over to 'Arkansas State College,' that the agricultural component of its name was dropped from center stage. Though the institutional name has gone uptown, life down on the farm is still going strong. Today there are almost 300 acres of farmland with six full-time workers and three part-time student workers. Along with the green fields, there are the 'residents' who live there full time: more than 50 cross-breeding sheep with three rams, 60 crossbred breeding sows with five boars, and 55 crossbred Angus breeding cows with two bulls.

and care for the animals gives them an opportunity to see what it's like." And there's something new happening all the time. "Each year we try to get new animals for the petting zoo," she says. "In the past few years we've received two

While the animals aren't as high-maintenance as certain rock stars, there's a lot to keep students busy.

Teaching farm, working farm

What's red and black? ASU colors, of course. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red and black and green all over?

University and Jonesboro community. To paraphrase John Denver, life on the farm is kinda laid back â&#x20AC;Ś except during planting season, harvest time and final exams! 24

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Photos by Nancy Hendricks

The ASU Farm Complex, a wonderfully rustic oasis of country life in the midst of the

While the animals aren't as high-maintenance as certain rock stars, there's a lot to keep students busy, with areas including a main shop, beef barn, chicken house, hog barns, gestation barn and dairy barn feed mill where they grind their own feed. As part of their classes, the students work hands-on, being taught to breed animals, and responsible for worming, trimming feet and vaccinating as well as processing all babies born. One visit to the Farm, watching the animals grazing happily, reduces most grownups to a childlike fascination. To bring the experience to all, the ASU Farm offers a petting zoo that delights children and adults alike. Twice year, they host the Bill and Alice Nix Petting Zoo, a great way for families to spend time together and visit the animals. There are baby pigs to hold, cows and sheep to pet, horseback rides, a hay ride and a general down-home good time for all. Even an exotic alpaca might raise a curious eye. Besides being a teaching farm, it is also a working farm. Sheep are sold twice a year at the livestock sale in Memphis; pigs are bred on schedule and consume a strict feed diet; cows are sold at livestock auctions around the state. Nicole Nichols oversees the animals at the Farm. She notes their value to the university. "The Farm and its animals are very beneficial in students getting hands-on experience. Many students want to go to veterinary school, so learning to handle

alpacas and a pot-bellied pig. I'm not sure what we'll get next, but I would like a Scottish highland cow. We are also constantly improving the facilities, which involves anything from building new chutes and facilities for working the animals to putting up new fences." It can be a challenge. "Sometimes working with the animals involves having to go to the Farm at all hours of the night," says Nicole. "I've had to go there at 3 a.m. to help a cow that was having trouble giving birth. I've also had times when I'm bottle-feeding newborn lambs and going to feed them every three hours at night. We're also out there in all types of weather taking care of the animals, even the snow and ice. It's very rewarding though. My most memorable moment would be when I had a newborn lamb that had been abandoned in a snowstorm so I took him home with me. He became fast friends with my dog, was house-broken within a week and slept on the couch. He is still at the Farm and lives in the petting zoo barn. He will come up to the fence and 'talk' to anyone, looking for food. I've also been involved in herding an escapee cow out of the subdivision near the farm."

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While the animals aren't as high-maintenance as certain rock stars, there's a lot to keep students busy.

Teaching farm, working farm

What's red and black? ASU colors, of course. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red and black and green all over?

University and Jonesboro community. To paraphrase John Denver, life on the farm is kinda laid back â&#x20AC;Ś except during planting season, harvest time and final exams! 24

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Photos by Nancy Hendricks

The ASU Farm Complex, a wonderfully rustic oasis of country life in the midst of the

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The horsey seT

BounTiful harvesT

Like most good businesses, staff at the ASU Farm does not forget about 'growth.' They raise hay at a rate of more than 2,000 bales a year for their own animals, as well as selling to local farmers in need. When speaking of hay it's hard not to think of horses, and the umbrella of the ASU Farm also covers those magnificent creatures. The ASU Equine Center owns, leases and boards students' horses along with offering riding instruction, equine events and horse camps. Additionally, a hippotherapy program, which uses horses for physical therapy, is growing through the ASU College of Nursing. The ASU Equine Center was built in 2000, growing from a single barn to a covered arena and adjacent pastures. The complex now covers forty acres, housing a 52-stall barn including stalls, tack rooms and wash racks. The Garry Meadows Arena was named for the contractor who donated his labor preparing the area for construction and the Fielder Road entrance to the center is named for Lawrence Fielder, another contractor who contributed to the project. Nathan Wells '99, director of the Equine Center and assistant professor of equine management, says, "I took riding classes at ASU when they were in an arena made of round bales of hay stacked end to end, in the location of the present-day Petting Zoo. There was talk of building the current facility at that time, but I never dreamed I would one day work here."

For those not interested in hay for dinner, the ASU Farm nurtures a bounty of good things to eat and beautiful things to look at. The Horticulture program covers three acres which include display gardens, an orchard and a production greenhouse. The Craighead County Master Gardeners help with maintenance of the garden site with edibles being grown including blackberries, blueberries, grapes, peaches and apples. Research on tomato production is also conducted. Speaking of research, the Plant Science/Agronomy area sits on 40 acres of the farm. Plots are raised for research with crops including corn, soybeans, maize and sunflowers. A large area is also devoted to the Herbicide Symptomology training program in which many agricultural and horticultural crops are planted and then sprayed for drift rates of herbicides. The State Plant Board and consultants from around the region come to ASU each June for the training program. One of the most popular facets of the Farm is the ASU Regional Farmers' Market which runs every Saturday through late October, plus weekdays during the summer. Area vendors sell fruit, vegetables, herbs, potted plants, flowers, transplants, honey, baked goods, jams, preserves, nuts and even homemade crafts like birdhouses. It's a non-profit, locally-owned market for Jonesboro and the surrounding area. Created to give the small farmer, craftsperson, and plant grower a local marketplace for their products, it also provides the community access to local growers. Produce must be grown within a 100 mile radius of Jonesboro or within the state of Arkansas.

"You never know what you will findâ&#x20AC;Ś. One morning, I chased six baby skunks with a water hose from the blackberry patch where I was taking harvest data." 26

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Dream come True The Farmers' Market began life as a gathering of pick-up trucks under a few trees. Last year, a dream came true with the opening of the Farmer's Market in a beautiful, airy, protected structure with open-air stalls for vendors and even a homey porch for enjoying it all. Adding to that enjoyment are the Market Musicians, local volunteers who entertain at the market throughout the season with a variety of musical styles. What else is cooking at the Farmers' Market? The Market Chefs are local chefs who share cooking tips and demonstrate the use of fresh produce from the market in everyday cooking. Other programs include local volunteers who share information on a variety of topics including gardening classes, health screenings, nutrition information, and safety projects. According to Dr. Kim Pittcock, associate dean of the College of Agriculture, there may be even more in the Farmers' Market future. "The new building will add many new opportunities," she says. "It allows for a location to have campus or community events such as cookouts, weddings, family reunions, etc."

hanDs on Dr. Pittcock feels the Farm is an important component of ASU. "First of all, you can't have an agricultural college without a working farm that allows the students to have a hands-on experience in farming, production and gardening activities," she says. "The Farmers' Market is a perfect addition to the Farm. The setting of a rural area in the city is quite unique and provides a wonderful backdrop. It allows the community to see how the college is also supporting community or cooperative activities. The Craighead County Master Gardeners' mission is to assist the community in education and beautification of the county. Their contribution to the maintenance of the horticulture program's display garden is vital to its success. One group helps produce the plants during the winter and the spring; then a second group assists with the planting and maintenance of the garden throughout the year. Together they spend around 700 volunteer hours on the two projects." She especially loves the spring and summer seasons with new plant life and baby animals, but adds that trying to get things done on the farm at the same time that school is in session is a challenge. She says, "You never know what you will find. Some days you find piglets in the garden, duck eggs, baby goats that escape from the pen and eat the flowers, huge turtles that live in the garden part of the season and lay their eggs. You can see foxes and other wildlife. One morning, I chased six baby skunks with a water hose from the blackberry patch where I was taking harvest data."

goT To geT ourselves Back To The garDen Dr. Pittcock expresses gratitude for all the people who make the Farm a success, including an unlikely group: "One summer the ASU Rugby team spread eight pallets of mulch in one month and they decided that I was their 'summer strength conditioning coach'." She adds that these days, the Farm serves a very valuable purpose. "Our culture has changed so much in the last twenty years that very few students are coming from a farm background. Most of our Animal Science students are from metropolitan areas and have never been on a tractor or a horse. It is nice to have the majority of farm and ranching activities on campus, so they can gain the experiences that they need to be exposed to for their future endeavors. I think there is also a huge value of the farm to the public. I hear of so many people who visit just to enjoy seeing the animals and plants at the farm. I get questions like, 'Why are the alpacas not in the field this week?' or 'Where did the sheep go that were outside the petting zoo barn?' As I was doing an interview one day in the display garden, a car pulled up and the lady who was driving told me, 'Thank you for the garden.' She said that her mother (aged about 80) had just gotten out of the hospital and wanted to come see the garden before she went home. That is cool!" For more information visit the ASU Farm website at http://www2.astate.edu/a/agriculture/farm

voices

The horsey seT

BounTiful harvesT

"You never know what you will findâ&#x20AC;Ś. One morning, I chased six baby skunks with a water hose from the blackberry patch where I was taking harvest data." 26

spring, 2012

voices

Dear Friends, Ray Brown is a big man. He has a big reputation in the NFL, and of course he is tall and broad shouldered from 20 years of playing pro-football. But he is a big person, a big personality and I was able to meet him for the first time in Mobile, Alabama when he made the trip to see his alma mater play in the Go Daddy bowl. He was gracious and kind as I asked him to pose with me and the many others who sought his attention. He is Big Time. That’s sort of how the whole trip to the bowl game unfolded. It was Big Time. Red Wolves logos were everywhere. We were strangers by name, but friends by our common allegiance to Arkansas State University. No one, not one person said to me,“ I don’t like all this attention, all this support, I want to go back to the way we were before.” This group of Red Wolves liked what they experienced, a Big Time program atmosphere. Looking forward with Gus Malzahn as ASU’s new head football coach, his leadership of our team will keep us headed up. He calls it the Next Level. Whatever you call it, it means success.

THE LAST WORD: FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR If you can read this, thank a teacher. That may be an overused phrase, but it doesn’t make it any less accurate. We were recently notified that 56 teachers who are alumni of Arkansas State received National Board Certification in 2011. National Board Certification is an extensive multi-year program that enables teachers to evaluate and improve their competencies to improve the teaching and learning experience. It is a significant personal accomplishment to be nationally board certified. Having that many alumni certified in one year ranked ASU 13th in the nation, something to celebrate as well. As this issue of VOICES goes to press we are interviewing candidates for the chancellor position. It has been a very open process of vetting the applicants. Campus constituencies have all had an opportunity to meet with these three individuals and evaluate how they fit at ASU. According to System President Dr. Chuck Welch, he anticipates moving quickly to recommend the successful applicant and a new Chancellor may be named prior to March 1. Arkansas State University is growing: in academics and athletics; in how we serve our students; in our goals for the future. You make this possible with your support. When one of our students or faculty members call you during this year’s phonathon, make a contribution and continue the upward progress. It’s Big Time. Sharing your pride in ASU,

Beth Smith Executive Editor

spring, 2012

Alumni Numbers Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re alumni of

Arkansas State University

67,015 strong!

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P.O. BOX 1990 â&#x20AC;˘ STATE UNIVERSITY, AR 72467 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

history

From the 1962 yearbook: Remember the Wigwam? The Class of 1962 will try to locate the old Wigwam as they tour campus at their Golden Anniversary Reunion next fall.