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

Vol. LXXI, No. 3

Welcoming Our New President, Donna Randall 4

Tracking Climate Change in Antarctica 15

Remembering President Ford 18

IoTriumphe!

winter - spring

2006-07

T he M agazine

for

A lumni

and

F riends

of

A lbion C ollege

The Mitchell Years 1997-2007

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Matching Gift Magic You can use matching gifts to double and sometimes triple the value of your donation to Albion College!

• Margaret Bergy Davis, ’35, has taken advantage of her match from Michigan Bell and its successors to boost her annual unrestricted gifts for decades!

• Todd Sebold, ’94, graduated with a degree in economics and management. His parents, Bill and Gloria, had already set up the Sebold Prize to assist Albion students studying off-campus, and when Todd began working for a matching-gift corporation, he was able to use the match to double his own giving to add to the prize.

• Comerica Bank employee Bryndon Skelton, ’99, and his wife, Holly Mann Skelton, ’00, are in the process of building an endowed scholarship through their personal donations and accompanying matching gifts.

Visit Albion College’s new “Matching Gift Company Look-up” at http://www.albion.edu/ alumni/giving_matchinggifts.asp to learn if your company, your spouse’s company, the company that you are retired from, or the company on whose board you serve has a matching gift program. If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your Human Resources Department or check to see if it is available from your employer’s Web site via the link above. Send the completed and signed form with your gift to the address below. We do the rest!

Albion College Office of Annual Giving 611 E. Porter Street Albion, MI 49224 517/629-0208

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

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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) Purple & Gold Society ($2,500-$4,999) Association The 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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Many corporations sponsor matching gift programs to benefit employee contributions made to institutions of higher education such as Albion College. Hundreds of supporters of the College multiply their gifts, whether $25 or $5,000, and direct their contributions to the Albion Annual Fund as well as all sorts of specialized projects, simply by taking advantage of their employer’s matching gift plans.

For example:

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IoTriumphe! winter-spring 2006-07

The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Albion College

Features

8

18

A Dynamic Decade A look back at the Mitchell Presidency, 1997-2007.

Remembering President Gerald R. Ford

15

Albion’s ties to the former president continued to the end.

On Ice Albion researchers delve into Antarctica’s secrets.

Departments

3

Briton Bits

21

Albionotes

39

Alumni Association News

41

Li’l Brits

15 8

18

Cover photo by David Trumpie.

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P erspect ! ves

IoTriumphe!

Magazine Staff Editor: Sarah Briggs Contributing Writers: Morris Arvoy, ’90, Jake Weber, Bobby Lee Class Notes Writers: Nikole Lee, Luann Shepherd Design: Susan Carol Rowe Web Manager: Nicole Rhoads

Faith Matters Four in five college students today have an interest in spirituality, three-fourths say they are “searching for meaning or purpose in life,” and more than three-quarters believe in God, according to a 2005 survey conducted by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute (HERI).

Mirroring the survey results, this engagement in religion or spirituality is evident all around us at Albion. From student-run Wednesday night chapel services to wellattended holiday celebrations such as Diwali and Passover to service trips sponsored by religious fellowship groups, students not only seem to be exploring their beliefs but practicing them in meaningful ways. A glance at the campus calendar suggests how inclusive this movement is, with listings for Ramadan (Muslim), Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu), and Parinirvana Day (Buddhist), along with the traditional Christian and Jewish holy days.

“College students appear to put a premium on their spiritual development,” says Alexander Astin, who conducted the HERI survey. “They are clearly very interested in these larger questions in life, and many of them hope that the college experience will support them in their spiritual quest.”

As a private college related to the United Methodist Church, Albion encourages this exploration in a multitude of ways. Our students can consider the theological foundations of world religions through courses ranging from “Jesus and the Gospels” to “Islam and the Modern World” to “Buddhism.” Beyond the classroom, College Chaplain Daniel McQuown, together with his student multifaith council, plans a full schedule of events each year, and has

recently developed programs in partnership with an Islamic mosque and Hindu temple, as well as Jewish synagogues and Christian churches in southern Michigan. (For more information, go to: www.albion.edu/chaplain/.)

McQuown is quick to point out that there is also a place at Albion for nonbelievers and students who are questioning their faith. Secular humanists serve as full members of his multifaith council. His door is open, he says, to any student who wishes to talk about life questions.

Albion’s Methodist roots have also fostered a strong ethic of community service—a commitment that remains relevant for today’s students, who, according to the HERI survey, are “seeking to be compassionate and charitable, and determining what they think and feel about the many issues confronting their society and the global community.”

While Albion is more inclusive of different religions now than it has ever been, that’s not to say negative religious stereotyping has vanished from the scene. Our students sometimes struggle with the same issues of tolerance (or lack thereof ) that we witness in American society at large. But what better setting for overcoming such stereotypes and building greater understanding than a liberal arts college campus—where potentially divisive issues can be discussed openly and frankly? Perhaps that sort of conversation provides a model all of us can (and should) adopt.

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!

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

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The latest news around campus

B r ! ton B ! ts the Rock

S. BRIGGS PHOTO

Albion College Greek Week in mid‑April included more than 10 events ranging from “Greek Trivia” to a tug‑o‑war to the ever‑ popular Song Fest, featuring the musical talents of our affiliated students, and “Mock Rock,” a lip‑sync contest. Greek Week attracts as many as 800 student participants, and many more as spectators.

Each year Greek Week raises over $3,000 that is donated to local charities.

national award

In recognition of the sustainable practices followed in the renovation and expansion of the science complex, Albion College has earned silver certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Albion’s is one of only three science facilities at a college or university in Michigan to achieve silver certification.

“Achieving silver LEED certification is the culmination of many steps Albion has taken in recent years to pursue environmental sustainability in its physical plant,” notes President Peter Mitchell. “This accomplishment came about, in large measure, due to trustee Bruce Kresge’s leadership gift for the science complex project and his encouragement for obtaining LEED certification.”

Under the renovation and expansion project which was completed in summer 2006, the interiors of Palenske and Putnam Halls and Norris Center were totally rebuilt, and Kresge Hall, a four-story laboratory building, was added to the complex at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Hannah Street. The “green building” design includes extensive use of recycled construction materials; low-emission paint, sealants, and carpet to improve indoor air quality; and water- and energy-conservation systems.

In addition, solar electrical panels, a wind turbine, and solar water heating demonstrate the potential of alternative energy sources.

Sustainability is also evident in the complex’s landscaping, which, in employing wildflowers and other native species, requires less water and provides wildlife habitats.

J. MACONOCHIE PHOTO

Albion Earns ‘Green Building’ Certification

Among the many sustainable practices employed in Albion College’s science complex, run-off from the roof is captured for the greenhouse watering system.

Geology professor Tim Lincoln, who also heads the College’s Institute for the Study of the Environment, notes the complex provides “a superb demonstration of sustainable practices, as well as a cleaner and safer teaching and learning environment.”

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B r ! to n B ! ts

making history

Albion College welcomed Donna Randall as its 15th president during a campus celebration Feb. 23. Currently the provost at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, Randall is the first woman president in the College’s 172-year history. She succeeds Peter Mitchell, ’67, who is retiring in June after 10 years in the Albion presidency.

Randall’s appointment will be effective July 1, 2007.

The announcement of her appointment concluded a national search that involved trustee, faculty, staff, and student representatives.

“Donna Randall will bring extraordinary leadership abilities to her role as Albion’s president,” said Richard Baird, chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees. “She is a seasoned academic administrator and a talented scholar-teacher, with profound insights on how our nation’s colleges—and Albion, in particular—can and should prepare students for global citizenship in the 21st century. In addition, she will bring an open and collaborative approach to her work as president that will encompass not only the campus community but alumni and members of the greater Albion community as well. In Donna Randall, I believe we will have a creative and courageous leader who will build on our traditional strengths and help shape a vibrant future for Albion College.”

Randall has served since 2000 as provost at the University of Hartford, an independent, coeducational institution with approxi-

mately 7,200 undergraduate and graduate students. In that role, she has had administrative responsibility for the university’s seven colleges and schools, as well as international programs, the honors program, and admissions and financial aid.

“I am excited about the opportunity to lead a college with such a distinguished and long history of providing students with an exceptional liberal arts education,” Randall said. “Many graduates of Albion have assumed positions of prominence in both the private and public sectors. I look forward to raising the national visibility of an institution that is not only educating students to be citizens in a rapidly changing world, but also preparing them to be leaders who initiate that change.”

Prior to joining the University of Hartford, Randall served as dean and professor of management at the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis (Tenn.) and as a professor and chair of the Department of Management and Systems at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. During that time, she also spent a year as a visiting professor at University College-Dublin in Dublin, Ireland. An accomplished scholar, she has written extensively about ethical decisionmaking in the professions and is a past editorial board member of the Journal of Business Ethics.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Randall holds a B.A. in sociology from Drake University, M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in

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Albion College Names Donna Randall as 15th President

Donna Randall sociology from Washington State University, and an M.B.A., also from Washington State. She participated in the Institute for Educational Management for Senior Executive Leadership at Harvard University.

She is married to Paul Hagner, an educational technology consultant, and they have a daughter, Kate, who is currently a first-year student at Suffolk University in Boston studying psychology and creative writing. They will relocate to Albion at the end of June.

For more information about Donna Randall, please go to: www.albion.edu/ac_news/ .

Randall Ready to Tell Albion Story Nationwide The following remarks are excerpted from Donna Randall’s greeting to the campus community Feb. 23.

Being named the 15th president of Albion College is the highest honor of my academic career. I would like to thank the trustees for their enthusiastic support and confidence in me. Being invited to serve as your president brings not only honor, but great responsibility.

Albion College has a unique place in the higher education landscape. Albion College

understands not only the importance but the utility of a liberal arts education. I believe that a liberal arts education is the bedrock to informed and enlightened leadership across all aspects of society. Faculty and staff at Albion are preparing graduates not just to cope with societal change, but to become the agents of change. And, [Albion] alumni know how valuable their education was; they are amazing in their loyalty and enthusiasm for this institution. What an exceptional opportunity for me, as president, to help prepare

more students to be future leaders and to be able to tell the Albion story on a national level.

I am excited to be the 15th president of a truly great institution and to be given the opportunity to work with each of you to make it even greater. My husband and I look forward to joining this very special college and the community of Albion in early summer.

Let me end with two words: Go Brits!

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Art with Impact

By Jake Weber

explorations

The environmental cost of America’s passion for bottled water was brought into beautiful, if disturbing, focus with “Bottle Falls,” a four-story-tall sculpture displayed last semester in Albion’s science complex atrium. Created by students in the College’s “Art in the Environment” first-year seminar, the sculpture contained some 2,500 water bottles shaped into a waterfall that poured from the atrium ceiling to the floor. It was designed and created to reflect the seminar students’

M. ARVOY PHOTO

Biology professor Doug White (bottom) who co-teaches “Art in the Environment” with art history professor Bille Wickre, helps during the “bottlefall” installation. The project addressed the environmental impact of the burgeoning bottled water industry.

growing concern with the bottled-water industry in the U.S. “People buy and throw out 30 million bottles of water every day,” says seminar participant Rebecca Denison. “Nine out of 10 bottles end up in the garbage, not recycled.”

She adds, “Mass propaganda is so persuasive that [many] people feel tap water is not as good as bottled water. Our research showed that is really not the case. Plus, it is a total myth that these plastic water bottles cannot be reused.”

“We brainstormed about [how we could present] this issue for a long time,” adds Garrett Kuhlman, another student in the seminar. “I definitely liked doing a hands-on project like this rather than just sitting and writing reports on water bottles. This is more effective.”

Albion Student Wins Rotary Scholarship

Grant Funds Atomic Force Microscope

for an international African-focused philanthropy, and, at Albion, founded the Bitone Project, which directly supports a Ugandan orphanage.

“Africa is a really interesting place just in terms of cultural diversity and as a model for how a lot of different communities can fit together,” says Heddon, an anthropology major with a religious studies minor. “I’m drawn to the complexity and beauty of daily life there.”

Heddon plans to be active in service projects in Tanzania, but also will take full advantage of the educational experience made possible by the Rotary Scholarship. “I think that building cross-cultural relationships through education is the most powerful way to get involved within African communities,” Heddon says. She hopes to take what she learns and eventually pursue a doctorate in international education or East African cultural studies.

Albion student Sarah Heddon traveled to Kampala, Uganda earlier this year to deliver school supplies and over $1,300 raised for the Bitone Children’s Home for displaced and orphaned children. To learn more about the Bitone Project, contact Jamie Venia at jlv13@ albion.edu or go to www.bitonechildren.org .

Earlier this year, Albion College received a $200,000 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations for the purchase of an atomic force microscope (AFM). The instrument will support faculty and student research, and will have applications in a broad range of science courses. For example, it might be used in the imaging of diatoms in an introductory biology laboratory or for analyzing nanostructures in an advanced physics laboratory. With the AFM, students and faculty can probe features that are only accessible with this technology.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF S. HEDDON

kudos

Albion College student Sarah Heddon was recently chosen as a 2007-08 Rotary International (RI) Ambassadorial Scholar. The award provides the May graduate with room, board, and tuition to spend the 2007-08 academic year at Zanzibar University in Tanzania, where she will pursue graduate courses in Swahili cultural studies.

Africa has been a major focus of Heddon’s academic career, from a first-year seminar on Africa with a field trip to Cameroon, to a semester spent in Kenya during her junior year researching the development of a sustainable fishing industry on the northern Kenya coast. Heddon organized a regional event

Ryan Graham will study thin films with physics professor Charles Moreau using the newly acquired atomic force microscope.

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B r ! to n B ! ts

Two Minutes with . . . Jeanne Bachus

short takes

By Morris Arvoy

What first struck you about President Mitchell?

My first impression was the man never slept. It didn’t matter how early I came in—if I came in at 7 he had already gotten a day’s work done by the time I got here. He was here when I left.

I even had e-mails from him all through the night in my inbox the next morning.

What do you do in your job?

The biggest thing that I try to do is to keep him organized. He goes in so many directions every day that I try very hard to keep things prioritized. Most days he is in meetings from the time he gets here until the time he leaves so that means he has to do most of his catch-up work and correspondence when he gets home at night. I am also secretary to the Board of Trustees.

Basically, he knows everyone on campus.

What does that mean for you?

I am very used to it. If a student comes in, if a parent calls, or a faculty member or an alum drops by, I know he will stop what he is doing and talk to them. It doesn’t matter how busy he is.

It’s something that he feels is very important.

Yes, absolutely. The one-on-one contact is probably the most important aspect of his presidency.

He is a very personable leader, and he wants to know the faculty and students individually.

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Io Triumphe!: You became President Mitchell’s executive secretary in July 1998, after working for a couple of manufacturing companies in Albion. Do you remember what it was like back then?

Bachus: I was warned because I knew [thenDining Services director] Steve Schnorr outside of the College, and he said, “Well, you better have your running shoes on when you start.”

Chances are, if you contact Albion’s Office of the President, the first person you will encounter is Jeanne Bachus, President Peter Mitchell’s executive secretary for the past nine years. Says Mitchell, “Jeanne’s pleasant demeanor, genuine warmth, incredible ability to pump out work, high ethical standards, and deep Christian values make her the best executive secretary I’ve had in my 35 years in higher education. The whole Mitchell family adores Jeanne.”

He wants to keep in contact with alums, and he wants to know when parents have problems or worries. That is just how he is.

So he is a pretty calm and sober fellow?

Oh yeah, all the time! [Laughs.] He wears his heart on his sleeve. I have never known a more empathic person than Peter Mitchell.

And it affects you too—the heat that he feels, you feel it too?

Yes, I’m an empathic person too. So what he is feeling I’m feeling too. When he is grieved over something, it grieves me. You can’t help it when you work that closely with someone—you have those ties.

What has been your most memorable moment in the President’s Office?

I can’t separate out a specific moment. I just feel so blessed because everyone here is so optimistic, funny, and caring about one another. It’s just been a great experience working with these people every day—if you can look forward to coming to work every day it is a wonderful thing.

You and your husband live in Jackson and have a son, Chris.

Chris is a ninth-grader at Lumen Christi, and he is learning how to drive.

Which is more difficult—your son driving or being secretary to the president?

Right now, the driving.

What has been your key to success as secretary to the president?

Learning to read his mind. Learning to anticipate his next move before he thinks about it.

What are you going to miss most when President Mitchell retires?

His enthusiasm and his kindness and his sense of humor. The one thing I have come to know is how deeply he feels about other people, and the people here at Albion are the institution. One of the things in his life that has meant the most to him was having this presidency as his capstone and to finish out his career at his alma mater.

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G o B r ! ts !

Tip-Off Time, European Style As anyone who follows the summer Olympics knows, basketball has grown enormously in popularity around the world in recent years.

Given the heightened interest in the sport, it’s not surprising that two former Britons were tapped to play overseas following graduation.

Former men’s basketball All-Americans Travis DePree, ’05, and Brandon Crawford, ’06, used their success dominating MIAA rivals on the court as a springboard to playing on professional clubs in Europe.

While at Albion, DePree and Crawford certainly aided Coach Mike Turner, ’69, in reaching his 500-victory milestone as the Britons reeled off four consecutive 20-win seasons from 2003 to 2006. DePree was a member of the Britons’ MIAA championship squads of 2003 and 2005, while Crawford, who transferred in after a year at Oberlin, boosted Albion to a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship sectional final in 2005. Both claimed the MIAA Most Valuable Player awards their senior seasons before earning All-America distinction from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

A neighbor in Holland, Mich., who played a year with a professional team in Slovenia, helped DePree make contact with

Now playing professional basketball with the German Osnabrücker Sportclub-Ballers, former Briton standout Brandon Crawford drives to the basket against two defenders from the Aschersleben Tigers. Crawford helped lead his team to a 30-18 record this past season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OSNABRÜCKER SPORTCLUB-BALLERS

By Bobby Lee Sports Information Director

the president of the Amicale Steinsel team in Luxembourg. DePree went through a successful tryout before leading the young team to a 16-4 record, with all four losses coming against the same opponent. “[Playing in Europe] developed my offensive game because I had to be the team’s top scorer,” DePree noted. “The coach yelled at me to shoot more, and there was one game when I shot 15 from three-point range in a game [making 12].”

Crawford, who averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Osnabrücker Sportclub-Ballers this past season, was contacted after a German sports writer witnessed his performance with the Britons.

“The opportunity to play for the Ballers came about because of a German sports

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

To receive regular sports

• Schedules and rosters

• Sports archives

updates, sign up for

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

It’s the next best thing to being here!

writer who . . . told some teams in Germany about me,” Crawford recalls. “They contacted me and asked to see game tape and from there I got a call from the coach.”

While making the transition to playing basketball for a living was challenging for DePree, he made the most of the opportunity to see all that Europe has to offer. During his time abroad, fellow Britons made visits as he met Steve Karasek, ’05, in Ireland and Gretchen Fuchs, ’07, while she was studying in Germany.

“The experience itself was unbelievable,” he adds. But he felt he was playing more for the pay than for the love of the game. “I missed the camaraderie, the students, going to packed gymnasiums at Hope and Calvin,” he notes, in explaining why he has now returned to the U.S. Crawford says he has adjusted to his new team, which includes one other American player, and he is strongly considering playing professionally in Europe for another season.

Briton SportsNews by contacting Bobby Lee at blee@albion.edu .

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A Dynamic Decade

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A look back at the Mitchell Presidency, 1997-2007

At a farewell celebration held on campus in mid-April, it was announced that Twin Towers residence hall would be renamed Mitchell Towers, to honor Peter and Becky Mitchell’s lasting contributions to Albion College. In addition, the College this year created the Peter T. Mitchell Scholarship Fund. To date, over 428 donors have given $115,000 to that fund, which will provide annual scholarship assistance to many worthy students in the years to come.

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By Sarah Briggs

Students first, last, and always.

There has never been any question about Peter Mitchell’s priorities as Albion College’s president. From warmly greeting new students as they arrive for Move-In Day to celebrating with them as they receive their diplomas at commencement, Mitchell has consistently focused on our students, encouraging them to take full advantage of the learning opportunities they have here and inspiring them to think broadly about the many ways they can lead and serve in their careers and

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communities after graduation.

And he has eagerly shared in their lives outside the classroom too—Mitchell’s seeming ability to be everywhere and all at the same time has earned him students’ friendship and admiration, as has his ability to step out of the presidential role on occasion and let his zany sense of humor shine through.

His open and inclusive leadership style has brought the entire campus community together to determine how we can maintain the “essential Albion”—that mix of intellectual rigor and personal mentoring that has always been Albion’s hallmark—while crafting a dynamic educational experience that meets the demands of a new century. Under the mantra “good is the enemy of best,” he has challenged us all to come forward with new ways of making a fine education even better. The fact that he is a 1967 graduate working in service to his alma mater has only added to his determination. And the measure of his success in this quest can be seen in increased enrollment, in buildings constructed, and in innovative programs that promote discovery and the cross-fertilization of ideas. (The achievements of the Mitchell presidency are detailed in the accompanying “Mitchell File.”)

Rich Baird, ’78, chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees, summed up Mitchell’s commitment to Albion this way: “Never in my life have I seen someone bring such passion and energy to everything he takes on. Peter has never lost sight of why we are here—and that is to prepare our students for a life where the mysteries must be probed, opportunities must be exploited, injustices must be overcome, and the world must become a better place for them having been in it.”

The Mitchell File Ten years and 3,500 graduates later, we take stock of the many significant accomplishments of Peter Mitchell’s presidency. He would be the first to acknowledge, however, that none of this would have been possible without the enthusiastic involvement of our faculty, staff, and students.

Modeling Liberal Arts Education for the 21st Century The “Liberal Arts at Work” Vision, formally launched under Mitchell’s leadership in 1998, has energized and inspired the entire campus community, and has burnished Albion’s already distinguished reputation for academic excellence. From its inception, the Vision’s aim was to establish Albion as a model for liberal arts education in the 21st century.

In addition to a redesigned core curriculum, the Vision created a comprehensive First-Year Experience. Forming the heart of the program, the interdisciplinary first-year seminars, on topics ranging from “Issues in U.S. Immigration” to “Food, Culture, and Identity” to “Genes and Society,” have given students opportunities for experiential learning and educational travel across the U.S. and abroad.

Another signature program established under the Vision, the Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (FURSCA), now engages approximately 60 Albion students each summer in original research and creative projects under the guidance of faculty mentors. The results of this work are reported at the College’s annual Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium, and have become the basis for presentations at national meetings of the American Chemical Society, the Geological Society of America, and the Society for Neuroscience, to name just a few. Distinguished by these on-campus research experiences, many of our students have gone on to participate in summer research programs at leading universities and to win admission to the nation’s top graduate and professional schools.

The Vision also strengthened the College’s existing preprofessional Institutes and added three new ones: the Fritz Shurmur Education Institute, the Institute for the Study of the Environment, and the Liberal Arts Institute for Pre-Medical and Health Care Studies. Each extends our students’ opportunities to examine broad policy issues and gain practical experience in their chosen field. The Institutes regularly host distinguished guest speakers, sponsor field trips, and promote student research and community involvement.

Albion’s increased emphasis on interdisciplinary study, encouraged under the Vision, is evidenced by the creation of three new faculty positions in the areas of ethnic studies, international studies, and women’s and gender studies; by the emergence of other initiatives such as our Holocaust studies program, with its innovative seminars and service-learning trips to Poland in 2001, 2005, and 2007; and by the Winter-Spring 2006-07 |

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D. TRUMPIE photo D. TRUMPIE photo

Peter Mitchell has regularly joined students for lunch in Baldwin Hall. It’s just one of the many ways he has kept in touch with students and followed them in their Albion careers.

The Mitchells have been active (and highly visible) citizens in the Albion community.

Peter spearheaded the creation of a Family Health Center in downtown Albion and worked on economic revitalization, while Becky founded the Kids ’N’ Stuff children’s museum and served on the school board.

continuing development of our nationally respected neuroscience concentration. The Foundation for Interdisciplinary Study has been established to assist faculty in integrating cross-disciplinary study and collaboration into their courses.

In response to Albion’s enrollment growth (which set an institutional record at 1,979 in 2005-06) and to bring new areas of expertise to our academic departments, several other tenure-track positions have also been added to the faculty in the past three years. A Diversity Plan, approved in 2003-04, identifies ways to increase the diversity of our campus community and to educate students, faculty, and staff on diversity issues.

Spiritual life on campus has flourished as well with educational programs and worship experiences representing a broad spectrum of faith traditions. Recently, the Office of the Chaplain planned outreach activities that have taken students, faculty, and staff not only to United Methodist congregations, but also to services in Jewish, Muslim, Jain, and Buddhist communities across the state. In October 2006, the office hosted The Bridge, a program that brought regional leaders from diverse spiritual traditions together in a long‑term effort to create a support network and attract students who might not have considered Albion before.

An Albion education has always been about challenging assumptions and debating new ideas, and the initiation of the William K. Stoffer Lecture at Opening Convocation and the Joseph S. Calvaruso Keynote Address during the Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium has encouraged just this kind of interchange, involving not only faculty and students but alumni, parents, and community friends as well.

Among the speakers who have appeared on these occasions since 2000 are novelists Salman Rushdie and Kurt Vonnegut, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, biologist E.O. Wilson, feminist writer Gloria Steinem, actor James Earl Jones, journalist Sam Donaldson, and former U.S. first lady Barbara Bush.

Managing Resources The LIBERAL ARTS AT WORK: CHALLENGING MINDS, TRANSFORMING LIVES campaign has endowed key components of the Vision (described above), and supported facilities projects, including the renovation and expansion of the science complex, as well as the creation of numerous endowed scholarships and professorships. Over $23-million has been contributed to the Annual Fund during the Mitchell presidency. Albion’s endowment now stands at over $190-million, up 42 percent from 1997.

Providing Exceptional Facilities Over $74-million has been invested in facilities during Mitchell’s tenure, including the renovation of the existing science complex and the addition of 10 | Io Triumphe!

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Bruce A. Kresge Hall ($41.6-million); construction of the William C. Ferguson Student, Technology, and Administrative Services Building ($8.4-million), the Mae Harrison Karro Residential Village ($3.5-million), the Paul W. Ungrodt Tennis Center ($1.4-million), and the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center ($1.4-million); and the renovation of Baldwin Hall ($6.5-million) and Twin Towers ($4-million).

A self-described “e-mail junkie,” Mitchell has championed the expansion of information technology, beginning just months after he took office with the nation’s first virtual open house for prospective students, and the College has “gone digital” in nearly every aspect of its operations. Wireless networking was introduced in 1999 and now covers 90 percent of the campus including the entire Quadrangle. Albion now has an information-rich Web site, with online services including application for admission, course registration, and bill payment, as well as sports broadcasts, a virtual tour, and an alumni directory. The technology infrastructure supporting teaching and learning has vastly increased and today features 55 technology-enhanced classrooms and laboratories equipped with an array of computeraided instruments for data capture and analysis.

Encouraging an Ethic of Service The fact that Albion was named to President Bush’s 2005-06 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, and that four Albion students have received Michigan’s top collegiate service award since 2002, shows just how embedded the ethic of service has become among our students. From mentoring in the local schools to building homes for Habitat for Humanity to developing environmental education programs for area children, our students continue to reach out to the Greater Albion community. And the service extends to other areas of need across the country—three student/faculty/staff teams have now worked on Hurricane Katrina relief projects in the past year—and overseas.

The Youth Initiative Program, sponsored by the College’s Office of Intercultural Affairs, has assisted over 350 area high school students in preparing for college, and Albion’s Promise, a program funded by the College, the Kellogg Foundation, and the Albion Community Foundation, has created a blueprint for public school student achievement which is now in the implementation phase.

Mitchell has personally led the way through his own involvement in community development efforts. In 1999, with grant support from the Knight Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, and the Gerstacker Foundation, he began the Smart Community initiative focusing on economic and workforce development, health care, moral and spiritual leadership, arts and culture, and access to technology. Following the closing of the local hospital, he worked with other community

leaders to raise the funds to build a $1-million Family Health Center which opened in downtown Albion in 2003. The Family Health Center provides physician care, diagnostic services (in partnership with Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall), and dental care for thousands of area residents annually, including many who are uninsured. The task force that developed the Family Health Center has also been the catalyst for other community health initiatives including a school-based Wellness Clinic.

And Albion first lady Becky Mitchell has been no less involved in the community, founding the Kids ’N’ Stuff children’s museum in downtown Albion and serving on the boards of the Albion Public Schools and the Downtown Development Authority. Together with the Kids ’N’ Stuff staff, Becky Mitchell has raised $1.3million which has permitted the museum to double in size since its opening in 2002.

The Mitchells’ unflagging commitment to the College and the community is evident in Peter’s 2007 Opening Convocation remarks to our students: “In almost every speech I have given on this campus, I have said that you are receiving this great education, not to be successful doctors, lawyers, teachers, business executives, or any other career role, but rather you are receiving this great education to equip you for civic engagement, to strengthen your family, to enhance your workplace, to improve your community, to advance justice and equality, in short, to make the world a better place for everyone. That’s what Becky and I have tried to do. For us, that’s ‘liberal arts at work.’” And those comments serve too as an eloquent summation of the Mitchell presidency.

(Mitchell coverage continues on next page.)

National Recognition, 1997-2007 Albion continues to rank among the Top 100 national liberal arts colleges in the “America’s Best Colleges” guide, published by U.S. News and World Report, and the College is listed in the Princeton Review’s Best 361 Colleges.

Albion has garnered national awards for the First-Year Experience, and national attention for FURSCA in the scholarly journal, CUR Quarterly.

In the past 10 years, Albion faculty members have landed grants from national and international organizations, including: American Chemical Society, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Geographic Society, National Institutes of Health, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, National Conferences on Undergraduate Research, Fulbright Program, Royal Society (Great Britain), and National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Our students have been honored with awards, including: National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships (3), Fulbright Scholarships (2), Goldwater Scholarship, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships (2), European Union ALGANT Scholarship, Jack Kent Cooke Scholarships (2), and NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships (3). And in summer 2006 an eight-student team received a $10,000 project grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In athletics, 11 Albion students have earned All-America status in their respective sports (men’s basketball, football, women’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, and men’s track and field), along with numerous individual and team academic honors from national athletic organizations. In addition, four men’s teams and three women’s teams have advanced to postseason competition in NCAA Division III. Winter-Spring 2006-07 | 11

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High Spirits at Work Below you will find farewell messages and reminiscences of Peter Mitchell’s presidency from some of those who know him best.

President Mitchell: Everyone has a “PTM” story, mostly due to the fact that while at Albion you have witnessed the matriculation of about 4,830 students and tried to connect personally with each one. As you know, I had never heard of Albion until I was given an admission application. The number one question I am still asked by people I meet is, “Why did an only child from rural South Carolina come to Albion?” My first response is, “Dr. Peter T. Mitchell!” I recognize that it has been your leadership, integrity, enthusiasm, vision, and commitment that has made Albion what it is today. You took a chance on a country girl from South Carolina, and I am thankful that you led me to finding my Albion.

At Albion, I have had the great honor and privilege to work with you and the many talented people who surround you.

I think about the countless times I have been able to see what an amazing leader you truly are. Your commitment to serving students, involvement in the community, and sheer energy have challenged me to be a better leader and develop my own personal style that one day may encourage and impact others.

—Meagan Burton, ’07 One of the greatest strengths of a true leader is his or her ability to coax from people the best that they are capable of providing. Such leadership comes from carefully assessing others’ perspectives, from respecting their points of view, and from sharing their visions of what could be. These attributes begin to describe the leadership brought to Albion College by Peter Mitchell.

From the early days of his presidency and the emergence of the “Liberal Arts at Work” Vision, Peter challenged the faculty, staff, and students, first to dream of what could be for Albion College, and then to work to implement the changes that would bring these dreams to reality. There was no “OFF” switch for his seemingly boundless energy and commitment.

Will the Real Peter Mitchell Please Stand Up?

When I think about Peter Mitchell, certain phrases come to mind: passionate, dynamic, caring leader, devoted alumnus . . . the ultimate Brit. Peter’s commitment to Albion College (faculty, students, and staff) has defined his presidency, both during times of challenge and times of celebration.

I will miss his infectious enthusiasm for all things purple and gold, his welcoming smile, his willingness to listen to and consider carefully divergent points of view, and his reassuring presence in times of crisis. I remember how quickly Peter called the campus community together on September 11, 2001, so we could comfort one another, expressing our sorrow over the terror of that dreadful day, while at the same time we struggled to understand the events that led to the attack on our nation.

I will miss Peter’s energetic presence on campus (though not necessarily his 3 a.m. e-mails!) and can only hope that Peter’s experiences as Albion College’s fourteenth president will light his “pathway far from home through the distant days.”

—Barbara Keyes, Professor of Psychology

Reminiscing with former President Gerald R. Ford, during a videotaping for the Albion inauguration, 1998.

D. TRUMPIE PHOTOS

Our “prez” has appeared in numerous guises over the years. Clearly, this is a man for whom work is also play.

During his tenure, the student body and faculty have grown, astounding new facilities have been constructed, and the Vision process has strengthened hallmark programs, such as the Brown Honors Institute, and given birth to unique programs such as the Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity.

Shared governance to Peter meant making sufficient information available so that members of the College community, who were dealing with common institutional challenges and concerns, could also share in their solutions. And the dialogue between the faculty and trustees has never been more open or wide-ranging.

Peter’s accessibility, his respect for others, his compassion for all things, his confidence in Albion students, his undying love for his alma mater, and the trust he placed in people (“Trust the People, Trust the Process”) are the personal traits that have truly defined him as a leader. There will never be another “Boom Boom” for Albion College.

—Jeffrey Carrier, W.W. Diehl Trustees’ Professor (Biology)

Celebrating with “Elvis” at the close of the Campaign for the Generations, 1997.

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President Mitchell: I always have thought the world of you, and I am rejoicing in the fact that in your retirement you are taking time to take care of yourself and your family. I had an incredible experience at Albion. True, some of it was challenging, and at times scary, but you supported me during so many difficult moments and inspired my growth and understanding of the liberal arts environment. You were there to listen on numerous occasions, and you showed compassion and concern when things were difficult. I will never forget your kindness.

As I reflect back, I am so thankful to God that I came to Albion College because I met some incredible people and made my closest friends including my future husband.

Through coming here, I also gained freedom of mind and heart, and was able to grow into an individual—someone who followed her own dreams, her own goals, and her own heart as opposed to others’. Last but not least, I truly found my calling in life: to be of service to abused women and children. You made that possible by working with me on my financial situation so I could finish school and be in the field that I am in now.

—Ayla Malik, ’04

In thinking back on the Mitchell presidency, what stands out for me is the way Peter Mitchell has courageously and enthusiastically confronted difficult situations. While others may dread or manage to avoid adversities and adversaries, he does not.

In divisive situations, he has seen opportunities to engage in thoughtful debate and open dialogue, resulting in well-developed and, more often than not, harmonious solutions.

As a trial attorney, I appreciate what I have learned from President Mitchell: tough cases with bad facts or bad law are not losers. Instead, they are opportunities to energetically advocate while pushing closer to the truth.

Doing what you love, of course, sets the stage for enthusiasm, and it was no act for President Mitchell. We all came to expect President and Mrs. Mitchell at Albion’s venues where renaissance education meets the collegiate atmosphere: places named Kresge, Goodrich, Herrick, Sprankle-Sprandel, and Kellogg. He brought out the best in students in academics, athletics, the arts, and so much more by being there, in spirit and in person.

—Alex Case, ’03

“Liberal Arts at Work” . . . little did I know how influential that oft-repeated phrase could be. From the first time I heard Dr. Peter Mitchell speak, I knew that his vision, eloquence, and excitement could inspire students and faculty alike to achieve new heights of excellence.

As I sat with President Mitchell at lunch in Baldwin shortly after I came to Albion, his words of encouragement, breadth of knowledge, and genuine interest in each student were motivational. So often in my four years I witnessed how he, and Mrs. Mitchell, gave the gift of time to student endeavors; they were very visible cheerleaders.

During my time at Albion, I marveled at the degree to which my course work became interconnected. Instead of being limited to a narrow niche, I learned to value the great diversity of knowledge, due in large measure to President Mitchell’s dynamic persona. As I study the practice of medicine, I look back on Dr. Mitchell’s service to the College and the community with fond respect. His example is an inspiration for any student’s journey.

—Iain Charnley, ’05

D. TRUMPIE PHOTOs

When I reflect upon my time at Albion and my memories of President Mitchell, I think about giving back to the community.

When I approached President Mitchell with an idea to establish a mentoring and leadership program involving the nearby middle school, he not only encouraged me to make it happen, he agreed to donate meeting space and pizza.

When STRIVE expanded from an annual kick‑off conference and monthly meetings to include statewide cultural enrichment trips, he helped arrange the transportation and made sure to see us off. And when I graduated, he promised to look after STRIVE. Ten years later, STRIVE is still going strong.

My experience with STRIVE has inspired a career in nonprofit work. After college I moved to Washington to help public interest groups communicate and advocate about their issues.

Currently, I direct communications at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, an Austin think tank that works to improve the lives of low‑income Texans.

I am grateful for President Mitchell’s encouragement. He didn’t just help build a better Albion; he built me a better life.

—Lynsey Kluever, ’01

Kicking off the LIBERAL ARTS AT WORK campaign with the Six Single Singers, 2001.

Announcing Roy Karro’s $3-million gift for construction of “The Mae,” student apartments, 1999.

Conversing with Coach Mike Krzyzewski (left), the 2003 Stoffer Lecturer, as Bill Stoffer looks on.

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Our daughter, Christina, ’09, made the decision to attend Albion College due in large part to the friendship she developed with President Peter Mitchell. His enthusiasm for Albion College, the faculty, and the students is contagious— it is amazing how many students truly know Peter. He lives Albion’s motto, “Liberal Arts at Work,” on a daily basis.

In 1997, we met Peter at the Albion vs. DePauw football game in Greencastle, Ind. Of course, we brought our daughters along for the game—won by the Britons. Peter rekindled our passion for our alma mater. Through the years, we saw the Mitchells during other visits to Indiana. At a gathering in Indianapolis, Becky Mitchell discovered that Christina volunteered at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. Becky then shared her plans to start a children’s museum in Albion.

Christina began to build a strong affinity for the school.

When it came time for Christina to choose her college, Peter wrote her a personal note. Rather than adopting a ‘hard-sell’, he encouraged Christina to select the school that best fit her academic goals.

Peter has touched the life of everyone at Albion. In our daughter’s case, she met Albion College’s finest ambassador, and it changed her life.

—John, ’81, and Mary Horldt Poulin, ’81

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D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

Peter: We have had the privilege of knowing each of the Albion College presidents and their wives beginning with W.W. Whitehouse. As president and first lady, you and Becky have both been truly outstanding in every way. You have had a major impact not only at the College, but in the greater Calhoun County community.

—Peter, ’55, and Carolyn Carr Christ, ’57 Fire, ready, aim! Peter told us that was his style and he wasn’t kidding. What a welcome addition to Albion the College and Albion the community. Everything moves quickly when Peter is involved! His vision plus his personal charm have enabled him to accomplish much in the community.

Peter has made significant commitments of personal time and energy to improving the partnership between College and community. In particular, Peter was a critical part of a leadership team that addressed community-wide health care following the closing of the local hospital.

Peter is also great about supporting initiatives started by others and quickly “gets it” when something new and different comes along. For example, he immediately understood the importance of the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center as a College recruitment tool as well as an economic development driver for the community. Peter has been a joy to work with and has stimulated much thought and innovation. I feel privileged to count him as a friend. Albion is much the richer for his passion, concern, and generosity. He will be missed.

—Peggy Meyer Sindt, ’73 Peter: Denny and I celebrate your magnificent personal and professional leadership for Albion. You brought and bring your indefatigable energy along with intelligence and vision to Albion. We are very proud of the Albion you have created!

Having Becky as the College’s first lady and town leader has been a joy and a blessing as well. You two are the very best.

—Dennis, ’64, and Shirley Ruemele Bloomquist, ’64

On stage with jazz violinist Regina ▼ Conferring with former first lady Barbara Bush, Carter at the the 2005 Stoffer Lecturer.

2006 Calvaruso Lecture.

With Kris Jelinek, ’05, and Olida LeTourneau, ’99, at the New York City “farewell” party, 2006.

D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

Jivin’ with the band at Day of Woden, 2005.

B. WEISKITTEL PHOTO

D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

Peter Mitchell began his tenure at Albion the same year that my son, Quinn, began his freshman year there. As Quinn and I were talking recently, I became keenly aware that he felt a bit melancholy at the idea that Peter would be retiring, primarily because Peter was such an integral part of Quinn’s Albion experience.

It had always been my hope that Quinn would attend Albion. His dad and I met there and valued our experiences.

Not only does Quinn share our appreciation, he also likes Peter, and that registers well with me. It means that our decision to entrust our son to Albion was well made.

While he was at Albion, Quinn and I spoke often of Peter.

He would say, “I had lunch with Dr. Mitchell today—he’s pretty cool.” That was high praise. It made me smile because I knew he was in good hands. Thank you, Peter.

Enjoy your retirement. I have never seen anyone work harder, and you have truly earned it.

—Coletta Nelson Thomas, ’76

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On Ice

Albion researchers delve into Antarctica’s secrets

By Jake Weber Frozen Antarctica is the hot spot for a worldwide focus on the potential consequences of global warming. A literally frozen-in-time record of the earth’s climate over the past few million years, Antarctica is believed by many to hold important keys for understanding the progression of climate change and, more importantly, for preserving a healthy, livable environment for all of the earth’s inhabitants now and into the future.

Between October 2006 and February 2007, two Albion professors and two students spent time in and around Antarctica, working on four different research projects intended to increase our knowledge of the continent, the world, and the universe. Antarctica is far more accessible than it once was, but the coldest, driest, windiest continent—home to the earth’s largest ice sheet—is still a place of mystery and discovery.

R. POWELL PHOTO, TAYLOR VALLEY

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T. WILCH PHOTO, ROYAL SOCIETY RANGE, TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS

weeks with ANDRILL, he stayed on in Antarctica for another six weeks, conducting his own NSFfunded geological research at Minna Bluff, a volcanic peninsula on Antarctica’s Ross Sea coast.

“wet” (indicating an eruption when ice was present) or “dry.” “Every morning I would wake up sore and think, ‘I’ve got to do this all over again,’” Roberts muses. “But really, I had an unbelievable amount of energy—I was learning a lot and working with some great geologists.” Roberts says this research will help provide important clues about the behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet 7-12 million years ago, a time when the earth was warmer than it is today and so may serve as an analogue for our world should global warming continue. He plans to work as a field geologist after graduating this spring.

Paul Roberts, ’07 Imagine hiking across steep, ice-covered slopes, carpeted with loose stones— not the easiest going, especially after hours in the cold and wind, carrying a backpack full of rocks and dodging the occasional tumbling boulder. “You had to be completely [alert] to deal with the physical environment,” says Paul Roberts, who assisted Thom Wilch in creating a geologic map of Minna Bluff. The nearby Ross Ice Shelf constantly scrapes by the bluff, exposing up to 1,000 vertical meters of volcanic and glacial deposits. “It’s overwhelming at first to see the rocks at the field site, because they’re so complex,” says Roberts, who focused on determining whether lava flow layers were

Lisa Colville, ’07

PHOTO COURTESY of E. COLVILLE

Geology professor Thom Wilch’s eighth trip to Antarctica came about thanks to his selection for ANDRILL, an international research project funded in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to obtain detailed records of environmental change in Antarctica extending back millions of years. More than 80 scientists and drillers from four countries retrieved and analyzed a 1,285meter-long rock core from beneath the ocean floor just off the Antarctic continent. Starting at 10 each night, Wilch and other team members, including Ellen Cowan, ’79, gathered in the McMurdo Station lab to examine the day’s 20-40 meter-long core sample—and each morning, the entire ANDRILL team (plus media from around the globe) gathered to hear their findings. “ANDRILL is a huge undertaking—many scientists working to pull together a coherent story of past climate changes,” explains Wilch. “The reality of global warming is a great concern. ANDRILL will help us understand how the climate has changed in the past, so that we’re better able to understand what may happen in the future.” The initial reports on the ANDRILL project will be completed by summer 2007. After Wilch concluded his 10

PHOTO COURTESY OF P. ROBERTS

P. ROBERTS PHOTO

Thom Wilch

“Breaking through ice, the sound inside the ship is deafening, and it lurches forward and back,” says Lisa Colville, of the least enjoyable aspect of five weeks on the Nathaniel B. Palmer, a U.S. Antarctic Program icebreaker/research vessel. “It was unsettling at first, but I eventually got used to it.” Colville rode the ship from New Zealand to McMurdo Station in Antarctica as part of a National Science

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Foundation-funded project, through Bowling Green State University, to map the topography of an undersea volcanic range. “The sea floor is covered with thick, pink, smelly goo, known as ‘sea snot.’ It makes cleaning the rocks a lot more interesting,” recalls Colville, who identified samples and prepared them for future study.

“But the work everyone else did was also so interesting. In the ship’s lab, I might see five people working on five different projects. I learned a lot of geology.” Back at Albion, Colville studied the samples for what they reveal of ancient volcanic activity in the western Ross Sea and thus might add to our understanding of how Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania broke off from Antarctica approximately 80 million years ago. Colville will head to graduate school next year where she plans to specialize in glacial geology.

PHOTO COURTESY of N. ZELLNER

Nicolle Zellner Physics professor Nicolle Zellner was issued a snowmobile and a 12-pound pair of boots for the NASA/NSF co-sponsored Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) project.

The 13-member, all-volunteer team

she joined also included an astronaut who had spent six months on the International Space Station, a member of the Swiss Army, and a Smithsonian curator. At 11,000-feet elevation, within 300 miles of the South Pole, the team found 856 meteorites during six weeks in the field. Transported to their field location by LC-130 cargo planes, they lived in 9x9-foot Scott tents and collected specimens over several thousand square miles at several different ice fields which they explored by snowmobile and on foot. The specimens are now at the NASA research facility in Houston where they will be further analyzed.

“The planetary science community has only about 35 meteorites that we know are from Mars, and only about 40 gathered on earth that we know are from the moon,” Zellner explains. “Most of what we find comes from asteroids that were formed early on in solar system history. But all of the meteorites are essential to helping scientists gain knowledge about the objects in our solar system—what they’re made of, and even where they came from and when they were formed.”

For some fascinating firsthand accounts from Albion’s most recent Antarctic researchers, see the journal entries and photos at: www. albion.edu/blogs .

PHOTO COURTESY OF L. TAYLOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF L. TAYLOR

What you may not Albion geologist Larry know is that polar Taylor at the South exploration is a Pole in 1962. tradition among Albion faculty and alumni stretching back 55 years to emeritus professor of geology Larry Taylor and his participation in polar work prior to and following the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58 which emphasized polar research.

In celebration of 50 years since the IGY, an International Polar Year (IPY) of research began in March 2007 and will continue through March 2009. For more on the studies conducted in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions by Taylor and Albion alumni including Bill Bow, ’80, Julie Brigham-Grette, ’77, Ellen Cowan, ’79, Matt Okraszewski, ’99, and Neil Wells, ’75, go to: www.albion.edu/iotriumphe/ .

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Remembering President Gerald R. Ford Albion’s ties to the former president continued to the end.

ALBION COLLEGE ARCHIVES PHOTOS

In the following comments, you will hear from several Britons, all of whom were connected to President Ford in some way. Each in turn reflects on the man and the values he embodied for our nation, and for our students and alumni through the College’s Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service.

(Top) Albion seniors prep then-Congressman Gerald Ford before he receives his honorary degree in 1965.

(Bottom) The former president announces the establishment of the Ford Institute at the College in 1977.

The Spirit of Reconciliation

By Katherine Moore Brower, ’69 As deacon at Grace Church in Grand Rapids, Katherine Brower coordinates mission work to those at risk in the community and in the larger world. She is married to Robert Brower, ’69, and they have three children, Andrew, ’96, Amy, and Jennifer.

Thoughts from January 4, 2007: Yesterday, the office next to mine was the temporary White House while Vice President Cheney was at Grace Church.

Today, it is once again the Office of Christian Formation. Yesterday, I read the gospel at the funeral of former President Gerald Ford in front of the whole world. Today, I read the gospel words during our daily office of morning prayer with five in attendance.

When I awoke the morning of December 27 to learn of the death of President Ford, I knew life at Grace Church was going to be different for more than a few days. What I had not expected was how the ordinary could be so compatible with the extraordinary as the church hosted a burial service for a United States president.

The Episcopal Church is a church of tradition.

Our worship life is governed by the services within the Book of Common Prayer. We celebrate the eucharist each Sunday the same way. We observe the daily offices. We have rites to marry, baptize, and bury. It is who we are and what we do.

This was true at Grace Church on January 3, 2007. We celebrated the life of Gerald R. Ford, parishioner and president. His service was in many respects the same as so many others I have attended over the years. The words were familiar and comforting in their familiarity. It was why the final service was here. It was the time for roots; it was the time for tradition.

I answered the telephone in my office yesterday morning while the Secret Service was standing outside. On the line was a woman. She said, “I’m 86 years old and when my son was in Vietnam we had a family emergency. President Ford was able to get

my son home. We have never forgotten what he did for us.” He was a president, but he was also someone people felt was part of their lives and their histories, too.

One theme seemed to resonate throughout the days surrounding Gerald Ford’s coming home. There was a longing for a return to values his life exemplified. Decency, honesty, integrity, humility, and faith emanated from speeches, news reports, telephone calls, sermons, hymns, and prayers. It seemed to be more, so much more, than a longing for simpler times, because those times we knew were not simple at all. This was a man who would become close friends with the man who defeated him in the election for president in 1976. He embodied a spirit both personally and spiritually that so many long for in these times.

It was fitting then that his service be one that celebrated his life and his relationship with God. It was fitting then that in so many ways it was like so many others that have taken place at Grace Church and, at the same time, like none other. It was fitting then, also, that instead of the traditional blessing at the close of the service, Father Robert Certain read words that Gerald R. Ford wrote as he ended his presidency in 1977: My fellow Americans, I once asked you for your prayers, and now I give you mine: May God guide this wonderful country, its people, and those they have chosen to lead them. May our third century be illuminated by liberty and blessed with brotherhood, so that we and all who come after us may be the humble servants of thy peace. Amen.

It was fitting then, also, that the last doors through which this man would pass had these words etched above them, “Peace Be Unto You.” It was a fitting end for a seemingly ordinary man who touched so many in such an extraordinary way.

Intellect Matched by Kindness

By Peter Mitchell, ’67 This is an edited version of a commentary that originally appeared in the Grand Rapids Press, Dec. 30, 2006.

Gerald R. Ford, while serving as minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, gave the commencement address when I graduated from Albion College in 1967. Thirty years later, when I returned to my alma mater as president, I was privileged to be with him when he recorded a video greeting for my inauguration. In both cases, his message was straight-

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The Ford legacy challenges us to advocate for the public good, to align our intellect with our values, . . . to look for the best in those we encounter, and to exercise kindness as the highest form of wisdom.

The Final Homecoming

By Jane Brierley, ’71, and Matthew McLogan Jane Brierley is director of marketing and admissions at Clark Retirement Community in Grand Rapids. Her husband, Matthew McLogan, is vice president of Grand Valley State University.

President Gerald R. Ford’s final Grand Rapids homecoming began on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 3, 2007, when the plane carrying his casket touched down in Grand Rapids. Following a short ceremony, the casket lay in state at the Ford Presidential Museum. During the next 18 hours, 70,000 people stood in line, some for as long as six hours, to file past the catafalque. Thousands more lined the streets for the processional to Grace Episcopal Church and the return trip to the museum where the final interment occurred. No one was spared tears—neither dignitaries, family, friends, admirers, nor military guards.

Our family was fortunate to have had a longstanding connection with the former president. Both of us had been reporters at WOOD-TV, the NBC affiliate in Grand Rapids, while he was president, and we had produced a number of special programs about the museum when it opened in 1981. During the week after his death, we volunteered to assist the regional and national news organizations that came to Grand Rapids.

Our children were among the 200 guests invited to be present at the ceremony when the plane arrived in Grand Rapids. Katherine, ’07, and Timothy had met President Ford in 2003 at his 90th birthday party. Molly, ’10, is currently a student in Albion’s Ford Institute.

Why did this man touch so many so deeply?

Many say it is because he put the needs of an ailing nation before his personal political career. Others say it is because he quietly lived his steadfast values of honesty, respect, hard work, and kindness. On a personal level, those 48 hours elicited many emotions: sadness, pride, nostalgia, patriotism, and even hope—hope that this period of shared reflection will propel us to a higher political level.

D. KENNERLY/WHITE HOUSE PHOTO COURTESY OF GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY

forward—use your excellent liberal arts education to make the world a better place. That message captures his legacy, not merely for my 400 classmates and the campus community, but for history.

As I listened to and read the various commentaries about the Ford legacy, one important quality of character was conspicuously absent. Yes, words like decent, Midwest values, courageous, healer, binder of wounds, internationalist, devoted husband, family man, and gracious describe our 38th president. But as a liberal arts college president, I was disappointed that the alignment of his keen intellect with his deep and abiding values was not emphasized.

Ford’s genuine warmth and unpretentious demeanor overshadowed a very bright mind and an uncanny knack for processing enormous amounts of information in order to arrive at a well-grounded and sound decision. Gerald R. Ford embodied the liberal arts tradition of critical thinking, assimilating divergent opinions into a coherent perspective, problem-solving, integrating theory with practice, aligning values with actions, and communicating with clarity. . . . [Ford’s] ability to articulate a complex rationale in such a way that it appeared to be a simple and logical decision was most evident in his pardon of President Nixon, an act that superficial assessments viewed with disdain, yet in retrospect was recorded by historians as an act of brilliance.

A decade after I graduated, the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service was established on the Albion College campus, in honor of his service on the College’s Board of Trustees during the 1960s.

The mission of the Ford Institute is to “develop leaders who understand the dynamics and complexities of our world and the ability to advocate for the better good.” That mission highlights President Ford’s special ability to pierce through the complexities of issues, understand what must be done, and then exercise the courage and force of will to act with integrity and compassion.

Albion’s Ford Institute studies the Ford presidency.

The most impressive insights gained from talking to those who worked with President Ford were his alignment of intellect with core values and his remarkable capacity to see the best in people.

The Talmudic teaching, “the highest form of wisdom is kindness,” epitomizes the impact Mr. Ford had upon the many lives that he touched. . . .

However, . . . there is a profound quality to . . .

Gerald R. Ford’s kindness, a mature and optimistic merging of faith and reason.

President Ford in the Oval Office, 1975.

(Ford coverage continues on next page.)

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The Ford Legacy at Albion The creation of Albion’s Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service was announced

by President Ford during a campus visit in fall 1977. He had served as a College trustee from 1963 to 1968, and he remained in contact with the Institute and met with Institute students during later trips to Michigan. Below, the current Ford Institute director and two alumni reminisce about the former president and his legacy in the Institute.

Al Pheley Director, Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service It was 1976. With the rest of the nation, I celebrated the country’s 200th birthday. I spent the Fourth of July on the Detroit riverfront, watching the Bicentennial Tall Ships Parade and a spectacular fireworks display. I was proud of the gala events that appeared to reenergize the country—one that was considerably more upbeat than just a couple of years before. I also vividly remember President Ford celebrating with his family and with us. I felt a great connection to him—Mr. Ford and his family seemed like next door neighbors.

In October 1977, Gerald Ford came to Albion and established the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Service. At the dedication, he said, “Our forefathers when they wrote the Constitution… and Declaration of Independence had a dream of freedom and liberty and prosperity....That dream has not been fully realized, but…with…the participation…of those who go to the Institute…that dream can become a reality.” A copy of that speech, signed by President Ford, hangs in the Ford Institute reception area as a daily reminder to students, faculty, staff, and visitors of why we are here.

Nearly 30 years later, over 500 students have enrolled in what is now the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service. They come seeking to learn what it means to be an effective leader in public service. By the time they leave, they are instilled with the values and rewards of engaged citizenship. Many “Fordies” have gone on to successful careers in law, education, government service, the media, and other fields. Often, however, their greatest impact is seen through their voluntary service to their own communities. The role model that President Ford brought to us—working with others in a caring, compassionate manner—remains at the foundation of our Institute.

I now have the distinct honor to serve as director of this fine Institute. Over the past few months, I have met with members of the Ford family and his presidential administration. I have

come away more aware of the depth of Mr. Ford’s caring for other people and drive to do the right thing. I was fortunate enough to be invited to his funeral in Grand Rapids so that Albion College and the Institute could properly pay our respects.

I talked with many of the mourners, hearing story after story about how kind he was and how important it was for him to unite people in working for common solutions to pressing issues. This is the legacy that the Ford Institute is committed to continuing now and for the next generations.

October 2007 will mark the beginning of a year-long celebration of the life and legacy of Gerald R. Ford at Albion College. We will celebrate 30 years of meeting the objectives he set out in 1977 and recommit to providing the finest education to our students in the areas of public policy and service. We look forward to reflecting on where we have been, where we are now, and where we will go in the future.

Mark Edington, ’83 It sounds like the set-up for a bad joke, but it’s true—when I first met him, Jerry Ford had a cast on his foot.

I was part of a group of Ford Institute seniors invited by President Ford to a conference held at his Presidential Library in Ann Arbor. We “Fordies” had been ushered into a room where we were to wait for the president to come greet us. Suddenly, the door swung open and in came President Ford. I probably should have written that “in strode President Ford,” except that he didn’t stride so much as hop; he was on crutches. We all stood, and he won us over with his first remark: “I know what you’re thinking, but, no, I didn’t fall. I had to have a little operation on my foot!” He laughed; we laughed; we were in Jerry Ford’s unperturbed, genuine presence.

He asked us to introduce ourselves, say something about what we had done through our involvement with the Institute, and what we were thinking of doing after college. We did our best to burnish our sparse résumés on the fly, and I recall thinking then how kind Ford was in not pointing out the audaciousness of some of our aspirations. He encouraged our genuine interest in his views by expressing an equally genuine interest in ours, and the dignified formality of the conversation soon gave way to an easy and open exchange.

Eventually the hour drew to a close, and an aide materialized at his side holding his crutches at the ready. “I’d rather not have those in the pictures,” he said, and at that moment we noticed that a photographer had also come into the room. Instead of posing us all as a gathering with him, President Ford wanted us to come forward one-by-one as the camera snapped. But he also

wanted that cast to be nowhere in sight—and so the ever-resourceful aide lifted a desk lectern off the conference table and set it, oddly, on the floor right in front of his foot.

And so it is that I have a photograph of my 22-year-old self shaking hands with Jerry Ford. He is leaning back on one leg, looking me level in the eye and talking with me. Since that day I’ve had a couple of other pictures taken with presidents and others who imagine they should be; every one of them is posed, or in some way trying too hard to look absolutely natural. But that moment with President Ford was exactly what it looks to be—an awestruck kid from Michigan meeting a former president who was actually glad that my friends and I had accepted his invitation to come.

And in between the two of us, parked on the floor, is—no kidding—a desk lectern. At least you can’t see the cast.

Chris Jabin, ’83 As I witnessed the pageantry of the country’s farewell to a former president, the humble and heartfelt salute of a proud hometown, and the public devotion and strength of a loving family, I found myself reflecting on the impact this honorable man had on my Albion days and subsequent life experiences.

President Ford and I shared Grand Rapids as our hometown. I even recall as a young boy traveling to Washington with my family and visiting his office on Capitol Hill. I was attracted to Albion many years later by its pre-law program, made all the more alluring with the newly established Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Service. The Ford Institute provided me with many invaluable experiences but none more memorable than meeting the president on several occasions during his visits to Michigan.

At one such meeting, members from the Institute met with President Ford in Ann Arbor and had a chance to talk with him directly about the responsibility, honor, and opportunities that awaited those who pursued careers in this field.

Through his insights, as well as other shared experiences with fellow “Fordies,” faculty, and countless guest speakers, the world of public service soon opened broadly before me to include not only public office but unlimited opportunities in areas such as education, social service, arts and culture, religion, and so much more.

President Ford’s modesty, integrity, commitment, and character have been mentioned repeatedly in the glowing tributes to his life and service during the past months. I am deeply grateful that through my Albion experience and participation in the Ford Institute I was exposed to these values and the man who embodied them so well.

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A l u m n ! A s s o c ! at ! o n N e w s

MING 200 O C E M 7 HO SEPT. 28-30

Friday, Sept. 28

Share Your Story

Eleventh Annual Briton Classic Golf Tournament Join alumni and friends of the College for a great day of competition and camaraderie on the links.

Football vs. Hope 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.

Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony Help us honor this year’s Athletic Hall of Fame inductees for their contributions to athletics as students or alumni.

Saturday Class Reunions For classes ending in “2” or “7,” 1947-2002. Reunion information and locations will be posted on the Web as details become available at: www.albion.edu/homecoming/ .

Alumni and Student Bonfire and Pep Rally

Saturday, Sept. 29 Golden Years Breakfast All alumni who graduated in 1957 or before are invited to this complimentary breakfast.

Alumni Awards Ceremony A reception and program will honor this year’s alumni award recipients.

The theme of this year’s Homecoming is children’s literacy.

As you share stories from your life with your Albion friends, please also participate in our Homecoming book drive by bringing your favorite children’s stories to Homecoming registration. (Books will be donated to Albion’s Harrington and Washington Gardner elementary schools as well as the Albion Public Library.)

More information on suggested book titles from area educators and a blog for posting about your favorite children’s books is available at www.albion.edu/homecoming/ . In addition, a Saturday program will feature alumni experts in children’s literacy, who will present valuable insights for parents, grandparents, teachers, students, and all liberal arts enthusiasts.

All-Sorority Open House Campus Safety Officer Reunion Black Student Union Reunion Watch www.albion.edu/homecoming/ for details on these events.

All-Class Picnic Luncheon for Alumni, Faculty, and Students All alumni are invited to a pre-game luncheon. There will be reserved seating for reunion classes.

Sunday, Sept. 30 Worship Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church on Sunday morning.

Homecoming Choir and Orchestra Concert The Albion College Choir (supplemented by the Alumni Choir) and Albion College Orchestra will present their traditional Homecoming Concert.

Homecoming 2007 is also a great opportunity to visit the newest buildings on campus. The newly expanded and renovated science complex and the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center will be open for viewing over Homecoming Weekend.

President’s Reception Welcome Albion’s 15th president, Donna Randall, at her first Homecoming Presidential Reception.

Enjoy snacks and mingle with alumni, parents, faculty, and staff as you greet Dr. Randall to show her the true Briton spirit.

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Y OU R A LUMN ! A SSOC ! AT ! ON An Open Letter to the Mitchells

By Rick Neumann, ’67 Alumni Association Board of Directors

Ahh, Albion College! The fragrance and flowers of spring. A stroll in the shade on a sunny summer day. The rustle of the leaves in autumn. Snow on the spruces in winter.

Sorry to say, this has been a bad time for Albion’s trees—storms, disease, dry summers, end-of-life-cycle, and now the emerald ash borer. We have not been able to keep up with replacement.

The College can purchase a tree and plant and water it for $200. If you’d like to help “re-arbor” the campus, a gift (in addition to your normal Annual Fund contribution, please) in any amount will be appreciated.

For each gift of $200, we will name a tree for you or a loved one, and a map will be on display in the Kellogg Center so you can find your tree. Call 517/629-0448 or e-mail annualgiving@albion.edu for more information.

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J. JONES PHOTO

Please make checks payable to “Albion College” and designate “trees” on the memo line. Mail checks to: Annual Giving Office, Albion College, 611 E. Porter St., Albion, MI 49224. Or give online at: www.albion.edu/ alumni/makinggift.asp .

Dear Peter and Becky, It has been a great 10 years of renewing our friendship and seeing amazing changes at our college.

Your devoted efforts to make Albion College and the City of Albion a better place have proven worthwhile.

Peter, was it really 44 years ago that we were told by the dean of men that we should look to our left and right, because by our junior year those fellows would be gone? What a way to start the Albion Experience. Aren’t we glad the way we now greet first-year students is more welcoming? Or how about the freshman women having a 9 p.m. curfew during the week! I guess the good times at The Eat Shop and the great relationships we had with our professors and friends more than made up for the shortcomings.

As members of the Class of 1967, we became friends and pledged the same fraternity. Our leadership roles were different, but you always challenged us to be more involved on campus and get those grades up, and, as usual, you led the way. I’m glad to see those traits have continued to this day. Lots of stories come to mind of our college days; the following exemplify how you got things done. On Sunday nights, Lower Baldwin was a gathering place for the students, where we would catch up on weekend activities. It was pretty tame, until you and a few others decided it should become a campus-wide dance night. What a success it was! It became a fun event; we actually looked forward to getting back to campus. You supported the leadership of our fraternity as we moved from the old house to the current one in 1966. Albion College was in a time of change, and some of the brothers were resisting moving back into College housing. You convinced most of them to stay members, keeping our group strong in the new living quarters.

I was very grateful for your efforts.

Fast forward 30 years and I get a call that my classmate Peter Mitchell is going to be the next president of our college; needless to say, I was pleased. Soon afterward, you would explain to students, parents, faculty, and alumni your vision for Albion College. You stood by the plan, and look at the progress our college has made.

We thank you for your vision!

Becky, your contributions to the Albion community have been remarkable. Becoming a member of the school board and creating the Kids ’N’ Stuff museum are just two examples. You joined the Albion family, even as you were involved with raising your own. The numerous times you welcomed people into your home showed us all your wonderful hospitality.

We thank you for your graciousness!

Peter, we can only imagine the number of miles you’ve traveled for our college, and all those late-night drives back to Albion after visiting prospective students, alumni, or a possible new donor. Still, you were ready to go to work the next morning with your positive attitude and with the best interests of our students in mind.

We thank you for your dedication!

You surely can be proud of all you have accomplished.

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L ! ’ l B R ! TS

Vive la France! Help your child relate to another culture.

Our thanks to Albion foreign languages professor Dianne Guenin-Lelle for providing these suggestions on how to introduce your family to French culture.

Some of these ideas, she says, have come from the hundreds of young people from the city of Albion and from Albion College who have visited France, and who have spent time in our Sister City, Noisy-le-Roi.

Tour with the Tour de France If you can’t travel to France, but want to feel connected to this amazing country, simply tune in to the Tour de France, usually broadcast on the Versus television network.

The three-week tour, held each July, is arguably the world’s best known cycling race. It makes a circuit throughout most of France, including a number of towns, the Alps, and the Pyrénées, and concludes in Paris with a final stage on the ChampsÉlysées. Besides having a chance to keep up with this interesting sport, viewers can enjoy great scenery and cultural vignettes.

A Diversity Sampler Still more ways to give your child a global perspective: • Explore how other cultures celebrate holidays with special decorations or games and try them out.

• Create a “passport” booklet for your child, and, as you and your child learn about new countries, add “stamps” representative of each.

• Introduce international foods to your family’s menu, and talk about the recipes’ origins and cultural significance.

• Look at flags from other countries in an encyclopedia or online, and then have your child design his or her own flag.

You’ll find many more ideas for teaching about cultural diversity in the resources listed at right.

Armchair Exploring

Brie and Baguettes

Suggested reading for young children includes books like Linnea in Monet’s Garden (there is also an accompanying DVD), Astérix, and Tintin. And for adolescents and adults, any book

by Peter Mayle. Mayle’s recent novel, A Good Year, was made into a movie starring Russell Crowe that might still be playing in theatres or be available on video. Some favorite films available on DVD are Les Triplettes de Belleville, Les Choristes, and Amélie, as well as classic movies like Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, Le Ballon rouge, and L’Argent de poche.

Spend time trying out French foods with your family too. You can supplement your tastings with conversation about the important place of food in French culture and how French dishes have been adopted in American cooking. Check out the international foods section at your local grocery or shop online to locate French food products. There are over 300 varieties of French cheeses alone—from mild Brie and Chèvre to full-flavored Camembert or bleu.

True French baguettes are readily available in markets today, as are authentic Dijon mustards, cookies (such as madelaines), and specialty chocolates.

Web Sites

Books

http://www.kulturekids.org/ Offers a range of cross-cultural activities from games to crafts to cooking.

The following books explore cultural diversity through stories and activities.

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/ multicultural.htm Features hands-on multicultural activities for preschoolers. http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/Around-the-World Provides an extensive directory of Web sites promoting global awareness for kids. http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/cquest Samples customs and foods from every continent.

Whoever You Are (Reading Rainbow Book), by Mem Fox and Leslie Staub.

For preschoolers.

The Colors of Us, by Karen Katz. For preschoolers.

Hands Around the World: 365 Creative Ways to Build Cultural Awareness and Global Respect, by Susan Milord. For ages 4 to 10.

The Kids’ Multicultural Art Book: Art & Craft Experiences from Around the World, by Alexandria Terzian. For ages 4 to 10.

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Meet the President

IoTriumphe!

T he M agazine

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A lumni

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F riends

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A lbion C ollege

D. TRUMPIE PHOTO

Albion’s 15th president, Donna Randall, greets the campus community at a special celebration in her honor Feb. 23, 2007, as board chairman Rich Baird, ’78, looks on.

Currently provost at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, Randall was selected to succeed President Peter Mitchell following a national search. She will take office in July.

Communications Office 611 E. Porter Street Albion, MI 49224-1831

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