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Central Michigan Life
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
[cm-life.com]
University Campaign sets record, hits $832,788 Organizers not surprised despite economic struggles By Theresa Clift Staff Reporter
The most recent Annual University Campaign is one that will not be forgotten despite the struggling economy. Its final dollar amount totaled
$832,788, an all-time record for the campaign exceeding Central Michigan University’s dollar and donor goals. It also was $62,788 above a goal of $770,000. “I was not that surprised by the success of the campaign,” said Director of Annual Giving Bryan Griffin. “It seems like our faculty, staff and retirees really see the value in giving back to CMU, and how important it is to give back; therefore, we continue to surpass our goals.”
The final donor total was 1,019, just more than the 1,000 goal — another first for the campaign. Twenty-eight percent of the total faculty, staff and retirees gave to the campaign, also an all-time high. Griffin said there were a few changes from campaigns in the past. “The nuts and bolts of the campaign were very much the same,” Griffin said. “We did have a revamped Web site, and
revamped AUC logo and newsletters.” More for the dollar During the campaign, many gifts went to annual awards, endowments and student scholarships. “I think the fact that the university matches every $2 donated with $1 encourages more people to donate because they are getting more for their dollar,” said Barb Lindley, associate
registrar for undergraduate academic services and co-chair for the campaign. Also, AUC donors are advised of what department or area with its own account that their money goes. Many alumni who opted not to donate to the campaign in the past were inspired to do so this year — an additional surprise for some. But what could have been a setback was not, Griffin said, be-
cause donors knew their dollar would go farther. “We had more dollars and donors this year due to the fact I believe people who have the capacity to give, gave more this year,” Griffin said. “They knew their dollars would have a great impact on a student and/or department that really needed this funding during this tough economic climate.” university@cm-life.com
s tat e o f t h e u n i o n
Obama to address job market, health care By Carisa Seltz Staff Reporter
Students may have a better idea of what to expect of the nation’s future job market after President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address at 9 p.m. today. Bill Ballenger, editor and publisher of Inside Michigan Politics and a former Central Michigan University Griffin Endowed Chair, said he would be surprised if Obama does not spend the bulk of the address on job creation and reducing unemployment. Obama could discuss his plans to offer tax credits for parents with students enrolled in college, Ballenger said, though it is not Barack Obama known what the specifics of that legislation will be. “There couldn’t be anything that would be more relevant it seems, to me, to students at CMU, their parents and who’s paying for higher education than that,” he said. Ballenger does not believe higher education will be the major point in Obama’s speech because health care reform is still “the elephant in the room.” “The ramifications of what happens with health care will impact us in a variety of ways,” said Student Government Association President and Mount Pleasant senior Jason Nichol. “We as voters, not just students, but as voters, have the fiduciary responsibility to become, I guess, well appraised on these issues that will really impact our nation.” Other issues expected to be addressed include financial and banking reform, and a second stimulus package could also be in the works. Maxine Berman, Griffin Endowed Chair and Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s director of Special Projects, said it is too A Address | 2A
paige calamari/staff photographer
Ben, left, played by Holly junior Daniel Martin, and Gus, played by Clinton Township senior Scott Freeman, perform in a dress rehearsal of The Dumb Waiter Wednesday night in Moore Hall’s Theatre-on-the-Side. Double Take, which will include two separate plays, The Dumb Waiter and Vortex, will run Thursday through Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in Moore Hall’s Theatre-on-the-Side.
Dual threat
Two CMU students star in “Double Take: The Dumb Waiter and the Vortex” this week By Melissa Torok Staff Reporter
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ometimes, all it takes is two great actors to truly bring a story to life. Holly junior Daniel Martin and Clinton Township senior Scott Freeman hope to do just that. The duo will star in “Double Take: The Dumb Waiter and the Vortex,” a macabre double-feature premiering at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Moore Hall’s Theatre-on-the-side. The show begins at the same time Friday and Saturday nights, and will wrap with a
matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday. Martin and Freeman will be the only two performers on stage. “Both are great actors,” said Jim Hickerson, coordinator of Marketing, Outreach and Education. “If anyone can pull off a two-person play, it would be them.” For The Dumb Waiter, Martin and Freeman transform themselves into a pair of professional killers from the 1950s. They find each other alone in a seemingly abandoned house, waiting for the identity of their next
“hit” to be released. Suddenly, a series of increasingly strange orders start arriving through a mysterious small elevator. The audience is taken then to Sedona, Ariz., for the second half of the double feature “The Vortex,” a mystery written by Wade Sheeler. Freeman plays an escaped gunman named Mark, who is running from his past. He meets a mysterious shaman played by Martin on top of a mesa. Weaving two plays Director Neil Vanderpool, chairman of the Commu-
If you go... "Double Take: The Dumb Waiter and the Vortex" w When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday w Where: Moore Hall’s Theatre-on-the-side w Cost: $5 for students, $7 general admission nication and Dramatic Arts Department, said the two plays are connected through underlying messages. Each presents ideas such as rein-
carnation and facing your fate. He said the feature will appeal to fans of movies such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Fight Club.” “They are entirely different plays placed uniquely together,” Vanderpool said. “There’s mystery and there’s suspense.” Both actors had to handle difficult language, adult content and violence for the play. Martin and Freeman are roommates and had no problem getting into
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‘Jersey Shore’ reality star coming to Wayside in February Look-alike contest also planned for 9 p.m. Feb. 20 By Jesse Ozimek Staff Reporter
One star from MTV’s hit show “Jersey Shore” is coming to Mount Pleasant. Jenni “JWoww” Farley is hosting a party at 9 p.m. Feb. 20 at the venue, 2000 S. Mission St.
Farley will do a celebrity style meetand-greet for VIP guests, and will be emceeing a party open to the pub- Jenni ‘JWoww’ lic later that Farley night. A Jersey Shore look-alike contest also is planned. Midland senior Alisha Garlow cannot wait for the event — she texted her
friends immediately after she learned of it. “I am so excited,” Garlow said. “I am going to make sure to be there.” New Fashion The Wayside also has a fashion show planned that will feature 15 Central Michigan University student models. The show will take place at 8 p.m. Feb. 4. “We are Heroes,” the winning dance team from the fourth season of MTV’s
“America’s Best Dance Crew,” is headlining the event. It is all part of “Komplique Swimwear Fashion Show: A Night of Glitz & Glam,” a show organized by James Pieron, a CMU alumnus who owns Kompliqué, a luxury swimwear company. “CMU girls are the most beautiful girls in the world,” Pieron said. “People think I am being political when I say that, but I am 100 percent serious.” Fifteen finalists were cho-
sen out of 1,800 applications in an audition process that started last fall. Rockford sophomore Caitlin O’Brien is one of the top 15 planning to model. “I am nervous, but I am excited,” O’Brien said. Her roommates talked her into trying out after she found a flier with information on her friend’s car. The favorite model of the evening, chosen by the celebrity tables, will be awarded a $5,000 CMU scholar-
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ship, said Pieron. He said the models who make it into the top ten will each receive $1,000 scholarships. Student models were required to hold at least a 3.0 GPA to apply. “The top ten girls and five alternates will radiate the runway in our first-ever black tie event,” said John Hunter, co-owner of Wayside Central. The girls will show off the
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