centralight fall 2015
WELCOME
BACK BONAMEGO RETURNS TO CMU FOR HIS DREAM JOB
centralight fall 2015
on the cover CMU’s newest head football coach, John Bonamego, couldn’t be happier to back at his alma mater doing the job he loves. PHOTO BY STEVE
JESSMORE ’81
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There’s so much more than football happening on campus this homecoming weekend.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve visited campus, you might be surprised to see how it’s grown and changed.
Get fired up!
Virtual tour
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More than 8,000 grads, employees, fans and students are wearing their CMU “heart” on their license plates across Michigan.
Alumni Field was home to all sorts of sports for decades. Do you know what sits in its place today?
Take your pride on the road
Do you remember?
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Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Marcie Otteman Grawburg, ’87 Editor
Betsy Miner-Swartz, ’86 Managing Editor
Robin Miner-Swartz Graphic Designer Amy Gouin Photographer
Steve Jessmore, ’81
departments
Writers
Cynthia Drake, M.A. ’08 Terri Finch Hamilton, ’83 Andy Sneddon
4 CMU Today College of Medicine launches its Saginaw facility with a grand opening
Research Associate Bryan Whitledge
32 Hidden Central CMU’s Biological Station on Beaver Island provides opportunities for hands-on coursework, research and student employment.
Editorial Assistants Vicki Begres Lori Conroy Communications Committee Rebeca Barrios Kevin Campbell, ’74, M.A. ’76 Tom Wrobec
34 Alumni news The Transportation Security Administration’s new leader is a Chippewa.
Vice President of Development and External Relations Kathleen M. Wilbur
38 In Memory
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Associate Vice President of University Communications Sherry Knight, ’86 For advertising information Call Cindy Jacobs, ’93 (800) 358-6903
stay connected Send change of address information to: Alumni Relations Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: (800) 358-6903 Fax: (989) 774-7159 Email: alumni@cmich.edu Web: cmich.edu/alumni/Centralight
Body contains 30% post-cosumer waste
Centralight is published four times each year by the Central Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by Quad/Graphics, Midland, and entered at the Midland Post Office under nonprofit mailing. CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich. edu/ocrie). Copies of Centralight are distributed to alumni and friends of the university who are paid Gold Members or donors to CMU. A virtual edition of the magazine is available free online at alumni.cmich.edu/centralight. UComm 9369–25,000+ (8/15)
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CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9229
Welcome home. We missed you. By Marcie Otteman Grawburg, ’87 Executive director of alumni relations I was walking in front of Warriner Hall on a beautiful afternoon this summer when I ran into four women snapping photos and discussing where to go next on campus. I stopped and introduced myself and asked if they were back for a visit or reunion? I discovered they were roommates during their time on campus in the late 1970s and had been getting together for many years to spend a few days together. One of the four was back for the very first time since graduation. “What did you do with my CMU?” she asked. We all had a good laugh about the changes here, but that got me thinking about how we embrace change as progress and opportunity, yet we still long for things to be the same. In this issue, we’ll take you on a virtual tour of your campus and show you some of the shiny new things right along with the old haunts – the places you remember and love the most from your days here. We also will travel back a few decades to recount our tradition of homecoming kings (now Gold Ambassadors) and how those men joined the women in being recognized for their leadership every fall. We will introduce you to John Bonamego, CMU’s new head football coach and the first alum to lead the program since 1966. We will learn about Bono’s dream to coach for his alma mater and how it came true when he was hired in February after a career coaching in the NFL, most recently two seasons with the Detroit Lions. As I left my four new friends in front of Warriner, still home to CMU’s administration, I walked right into three more coming from the Bookstore, where they had picked up some new CMU gear. I again asked the women if they were here for a reunion. “Sort of,” they said. “We came up for the Keith Urban concert at Soaring Eagle.” They, too, were all college roommates still connected, 12 years after leaving campus in 2003. Bags in hand, they were headed to grab something to eat at the iconic Bird Bar & Grill downtown before going to the show. While some things do change, some remain steadfast. The lifelong connections made at CMU are as constant as Warriner Hall and its striking collegial architecture. As fall returns and classes are back in session, it’s comforting to know that no matter how much the campus changes, we are all forever maroon and gold.
Calendar September 21 Great Lakes Bay Region Scholarship Golf Outing, Apple Mountain, Freeland 26 CMU at MSU, East Lansing TBD Art Prize, Grand Rapids
October 3 Homecoming weekend, Mount Pleasant campus 3 50-year class reunion, Mount Pleasant campus 9 New York Philharmonic, Ann Arbor 17 CMU vs. Buffalo, Mount Pleasant campus 18 Jersey Boys, Wharton Center, East Lansing 23-25 Mackinac Island Alumni Weekend, Mackinac Island
November 13-16 Second annual Alumni Cruise, Bahamas
December 3 Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers, Ford Field, Detroit 16 Straight No Chaser, Fox Theatre, Detroit This is a small sampling of the many alumni events throughout the U.S. Please visit alumni.cmich.edu for a comprehensive list.
Happy homecoming,
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CMU Today Event video
Event gallery
CMU football player dies after two-year cancer battle
College of Medicine launches Saginaw facility with grand opening
Derrick Nash, a 20-year-old redshirt freshman cornerback from Saginaw, died of leukemia on June 22.
Simulated exams, procedures, surgeries and state-of-the-art technology were on display in June as the CMU College of Medicine hosted the grand opening of its new educational building in Saginaw.
Nash was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2013 as a high school senior, after signing his national letter of intent to play football for CMU. Following chemotherapy in the summer and fall of 2013, Nash joined CMU in January 2014 and took part in spring practice. He played in the Chippewas’ annual Maroon and Gold Spring Game at Kelly/Shorts Stadium and was on schedule to claim a spot on the active roster for the 2014 season when his cancer returned. He served as CMU’s honorary captain for the 2014 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. “Derrick fought a great fight, and he will never be forgotten,” CMU head coach John Bonamego says. “I never got to coach Derrick on the football field, but I am proud to have been his coach the last few months. He is one of the toughest young men I have ever known, and the determination and resolve he showed is how we will always remember him. •
President George E. Ross welcomed more than 200 guests at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 46,000-square-foot facility, which was completed in May. Members of the College of Medicine’s inaugural class of 64 students, who started in 2013, began their third year of studies in the facility in July. “Our founding class … will be at St. Mary’s, they will be at Covenant, they will be with community physicians,” says George Kikano, dean of the College of Medicine. “By next June, all 64 students will have done clinical rotations in Saginaw. We have really committed to this building. This is going to be the hub for training for our students.” •
Search launched for VP of advancement President George E. Ross announced plans this summer to separate the development and external relations functions at CMU as fundraising efforts accelerate on behalf of students, the colleges and the university as a whole. At the same time, CMU will see heightened work with political leaders and communities. A search for a vice president of advancement began this summer. Kathy Wilbur, who has served as vice president of development and external relations since 2011, will become VP of government and external relations once the new advancement leader is appointed.
PHOTO BY STEVE
“Kathy has done an extraordinary job serving in this combined role for more than four years,” Ross says. “She has been and continues to be a vital, effective player in bringing CMU to new prominence. This is a time of great momentum for CMU.” •
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In her new role, Wilbur will focus on policy matters in Lansing and in Washington, D.C., and direct the university’s community relations efforts, including those with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
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CMU Today
Children experience campus through GrandparentsU
PHOTO BY EMILY
MESNER
CMU hosted the eighth annual Grandparents University, a summer camp that brings grandparents and their grandchildren together for three days of fun on campus. This year’s experience included hands-on education sessions by faculty members for grandparents and children ages 8 to 12. Alumni and their grandchildren eat and sleep in the residence halls, attend customized educational sessions and participate in other fun activities. Classes this summer included Mini Medical School; Zombie University; GoldieBlox and the Three Engineers; and Kids, Lemonade and Lawns: Starting Your First Summer Business. • Event video
Event gallery
CMU students excavate historical Michigan lighthouse artifacts Central’s anthropology students unearthed artifacts at the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse in Rogers City this summer as part of the university’s Archaeological Field School. Detroit graduate student S.K. Haase says Michigan’s lighthouses are an important part of the state’s history and culture. Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state. “This is our story. This is what ties us all together. How many ships made safe passage along these waters and across these currents because this lighthouse was here?” says Haase, a student in CMU’s new cultural resource management master’s degree program.
PHOTO BY EMILY
MESNER
Over the course of six weeks, the field school taught CMU students how to survey, excavate and analyze archaeological remains. “Essentially what we’re doing is a hands-on practicum where students are applying the methods they learned in class and learning how to excavate properly,” says Sarah Surface-Evans, a CMU assistant professor of anthropology who leads the field school. The students began their field research and archaeological surveys at the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School and concluded at the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse. • Event video
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comes home
Bono
BY ANDY SNEDDON
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HOMECOMING IN EVERY SENSE OF FOR CMU
PHOTO BY STEVE
JESSMORE
JOHN
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IS SWEET THE WORD ALUM-TURNED-COACH
BONAMEGO IT’S SAID THAT IT’S NOT THE DESTINATION, IT’S THE JOURNEY. For John Bonamego, it’s been both. A childhood in a military family and a career in coaching have kept “Bono” on the move. In coming to Mount Pleasant, he has reached his long-desired destination as he begins his first season as Central Michigan’s football coach. The gregarious Bonamego was named the 28th coach in program history in February – the first alum to hold the position since Coach Bill Kelly (1951-66). His introductory press conference ran the gamut: laughter, tears, inspiration, passion, unbridled enthusiasm. At the core: heart-on-his-sleeve sincerity. The ensuing six months have done nothing to dull the luster of that first impression as the former Chippewa player engaged students, alumni, faculty, staff, community members – anyone and everyone with an interest in CMU and its football program.
Bono knew he wanted to be the head coach at his alma mater when he played for the team in the ‘80s. He’s 51, but possesses the enthusiasm and energy of a man half his age – something even a recent bout with tonsil cancer can’t squash. He shifts seamlessly from a selfdeprecating quip – “Anybody who thinks I can’t recruit, just look at my wife” – to serious and sentimental, inevitably striking an emotional tone, his voice wavering as he speaks of his undying love for CMU. “It’s more than a job for me,” he says. “This is something highly personal. It’s a tremendous mantle of responsibility. It’s not something I take lightly.” A quarterback at Paw Paw High School in southwest Michigan, Bonamego could have made a go of it as a college player at the Division III level. But he became smitten with CMU when, as a high school student, he attended a game at Kelly/ Shorts Stadium. “The first time I walked into the stadium for a game, that was it,” he says. “I loved
the colors, I loved the passion and enthusiasm the fans had. It was clear that football was very important here and they had a tremendous amount of tradition. And they had an iconic head coach.” That coach was the legendary Herb Deromedi. “John Bonamego is one of the most genuine people I know,” says Deromedi, who has maintained a close relationship with Bonamego through the years. “What you see is what you get. He has a tremendous capacity to be able to relate to people.” Like all nonscholarship walk-ons, Bonamego started at the bottom, fitting in where he could, working with the scout team. He eventually climbed the depth chart and saw game action as a special teamer and as a scrappy backup wide receiver, lettering during his final two seasons. No, he wasn’t a star, but he earned star-like respect and admiration from the coaching staff and his teammates through a steely determination to make the most of his 5-foot-9, 180-pound body. >
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JESSMORE PHOTO BY STEVE
“You don’t succeed by complaining about things you don’t have, you build success by doing the best with what you have,” Bonamego says. “I had to work very hard to prove that I belonged, that I was worthy of running out of that tunnel on game days, even if I wasn’t going to play in the game. “Even though my career may not have been as distinguished as some of the players I played with, I’m still very proud of what I accomplished here.” Bonamego’s first college coaching post was at Maine in the late 1980s, then came stops at Lehigh and Army before the jump to the NFL, where he honed his craft over 16 years as an assistant with five teams, most recently as special teams coordinator for the Detroit Lions. He could have, at turns, pursued a college head coaching job, but he didn’t want to be a head coach at a college. He wanted to be the head coach at Central Michigan University.
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“I’ve realize a dream,” says Bonamego, who earned an honorary doctorate from CMU after serving as the university’s commencement speaker in 2009. “I’m in a position I’ve always wanted to be in. “It’s the people that make this place special. It’s not the buildings, it’s not the trees, it’s not the streets, it’s not the books in the library. “It’s the young men in our locker room, it’s the coaches on our staff, it’s the people who work in the athletic department, it’s the students who fill those classrooms, it’s the faculty and staff, it’s the alumni. It’s a special place because we have great people here.” Including one who, at long last, has come home. •
The Bonamego file Family: Wife, Paulette; children Javier (17), Giovanni (13), Bellina (10) Education: ’87, health fitness College coaching career: Maine, Lehigh, Army NFL coaching career: Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions •
CHIPPEWA COACHES John Bonamego isn’t the only alum coaching a CMU team. Over the years, many Chippewa players have returned to their alma mater as head coaches and assistants to help shape the next generation of students. Here are three current coaches who’ve come back:
Football
George Ricumstrict For George Ricumstrict, ’90, M.A. ’92, the CMU campus was starkly different than inner-city Detroit. “That was a big selling point for me, and I wanted to go to a university that was truly a college campus,” says Ricumstrict, an all-league football player as a Chippewa now in his second stint as an assistant with the program. “Central was, and is, a place where students stay around on the weekends; they’re involved. You get a chance to know everybody, and it’s been just an unbelievable experience. “I met my wife here, my second son was born here, it’s a place that’s near and dear to my heart.”
Women s gymnastics
Jerry Reighard A familial atmosphere has played a major role in keeping Jerry Reighard at Central Michigan. “The family atmosphere that the athletic department has, I couldn’t match that no matter where I went,” says Reighard, ’74, who is in his fourth decade leading the highly successful women’s gymnastics program. “The atmosphere of this community and the entire athletic department and the staff has been such a great experience for me that I really wanted to stay here. “All the coaches are close-knit, and as I looked around at opportunities, I could never match that.”
Baseball
Steve Jaksa For Steve Jaksa, the bond was immediate, the comfort level high when he arrived at CMU in the mid 1970s. “I loved the atmosphere and the community of people,” says Jaksa, a pitcher who earned his bachelor’s degree in 1979 and is now in his 14th season as CMU’s head baseball coach. “I enjoyed every part of my experience: the coaching staff, how we were treated. The campus was just the right size and since then it’s just become better and better. “The fight song still to this day gets me a little charged up.” •
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HOMECOMING Friday, Oct. 2 Beginning at 6 a.m. WMHW-FM 91.5 Alumni Takeover Tune in to 91.5 FM to hear alumni take over the student radio station all weekend, continuing through midnight Saturday. the For updates to t si vi , le du sche du .e h ic m i.c n m alu
8 p.m. Third Eye Blind concert McGuirk Arena
Saturday, Oct. 3 8 a.m. 5K run and Miles for Medals fundraising run/walk Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. at Finch Fieldhouse for the 8 a.m. start. Choose a 5K run/walk or a one-mile fun run/walk. All proceeds benefit Special Olympics Michigan. 9 a.m. 50-year Reunion Celebrating the classes of 1960-65. Highlighting the class of ’65. 9:30 a.m. Alumni Continental Breakfast Start your day off right with a complimentary breakfast outside Powers Hall. Stay right here to watch the parade. 11 a.m. Homecoming parade The annual parade begins in Parking Lot 22 and travels through campus before heading north on Main Street to downtown Mount Pleasant. 11 a.m. Tailgate Lots Open The parking lots at the south end of campus will open four hours prior to kickoff.
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5 p.m. Rock Rally Go to Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium for the pep rally, mock rock contest for the Maroon Cup, presentation of the football team and the announcement of the 2015 Homecoming Gold Ambassadors.
Noon– 3 p.m. Alumni Village Join the free campuswide celebration near Rose Ponds for food, fun and friends. WMHW-FM alumni will broadcast live on location. Visit with a favorite professor, grab some food and soak up the CMU homecoming atmosphere. 1 p.m. Cardboard Boat Race Held the afternoon of homecoming, this event draws quite a crowd to Rose Ponds (near the CMU Events Center). For two weeks, students in the engineering programs work on building cardboard boats. They sail the boats across the ponds, and the first team to the other side wins. 3 p.m. Football game Cheer on the Chippewas as CMU takes on Northern Illinois at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Order tickets at 1-888-FIREUP-2 or get them online at www.cmuchippewas.com.
CLARKE HISTORICAL LIBRARY
CLARKE HISTORICAL LIBRARY
king
Jodi Urban and John Nader, 1982 Homecoming Queen and King
Heidi Dunaway and Jim Tedder, 1990 Homecoming Queen and King
Katie Kennelly and Dan Gaken, 2003 Gold Ambassadors
It s good to be the
Men joined the ranks of homecoming honorees in the 1980s It took awhile for the kings to arrive, but once they did, they made CMU proud. The tradition of Homecoming Queen started at Central in 1946, but for the next several decades, the queen reigned alone. Then, on Sept. 25, 1981, CM LIFE asked: Why don’t we have a Homecoming King? The next year, we did. It was John Nader, a resident assistant in Emmons Hall. Nader, ‘83, stayed up all night making campaign posters. “I wanted to be king,” says Nader, senior vice president and finance consultant for Comerica bank in Bloomfield Hills. “I thought it would be a cool thing to be the first king. People remember the first of something. Everybody knows George Washington, right? “Not that I’m comparing myself to him,” he quickly adds. More than 30 years later, the plaque Nader received at the game still hangs on a wall at home. “I think it was inevitable that we had a king,” he says, “so nobody gets left out.” Jim Tedder, ‘92, calls his role as
BYTERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83
Homecoming King in 1990 “a high honor.”
exemplary leader on campus.”
“You’re a representative of the university, and your actions speak to its reputation,” says Tedder, who now represents the 43rd District in the Michigan House of Representatives.
That suited Dan Gaken just fine.
“The night I was tapped to be king, my fraternity brothers hoisted me up on their shoulders,” Tedder says. He laughs. “It was a little over the top.”
Homecoming night, as he spoke at an alumni dinner, Tedder got a little choked up, he says. “There I was, at this place that had become such a special part of my life, thinking of all the friends I had made,” he recalls. “I have fond and vivid memories of the whole homecoming process.”
As the years passed, the role of king evolved. By 1997, the homecoming royalty were no longer called king and queen, but “Gold Ambassadors,” a title that remains today. “It was a move away from the royalty, hierarchy idea and more about what you’ve contributed to CMU during your time here,” says Bryan Whitledge, reference specialist at CMU’s Clarke Historical Library. “Today, there’s more of an expectation of service,” he says. “You’re presenting a good face of CMU. It shows you were an
Gaken, ‘04, director of CMU’s Leadership Institute, was voted Gold Ambassador in 2003. It seemed he was involved in everything, from Program Board to Siblings Weekend to Leadership Institute to Greek life. Gaken’s homecoming Saturday dawned with a thick fog, and his mom fretted she wouldn’t be able to get good photos. Gaken recalls riding in a horse-drawn carriage in the parade and the emotional experience of seeing so many friends and supporters waving to him from the parade route. “After four years of such tremendous memories and wonderful people, here was this finite moment that characterized all of that,” he says. “It was a moment you remember forever.” At the game, dozens of alumni approached him to chat. “You become a symbol of CMU,” Gaken says. “It was clear this is a tradition alumni hold dear. There were people who hadn’t been to campus in 25 years who wanted to tell me what residence hall they lived in,or tell me about their favorite food from the cafeteria. “The affinity for CMU runs deep.” • centralight fall ’15
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PHOTOS BY STEVE
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ORDER YOUR CMU LICENSE PLATE TODAY:
Rosemary Saunders
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PHOTO BY STEVE
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CMICH.EDU/ALUMNI
BY BETSY MINER-SWARTZ, ’86
MORE THAN 8,000 CMU GRADS, EMPLOYEES, FANS AND STUDENTS TAKE THEIR CENTRAL PRIDE ON THE ROAD IN MICHIGAN WITH LICENSE PLATES SPORTING THE UNIVERSITY’S ICONIC ACTION C EMBLEM.
The university plates are just one more way for Michigan residents to wear their colors: “The ability to promote that in a simple way speaks volumes,” Senyko said.
That’s the third highest number of custom college plates, behind Michigan State University (54,430) and the University of Michigan (33,552). And – an important point of MAC pride – CMU’s plate total ranks above Western Michigan by more than 1,100.
It’s personalized with the letters OWAHH, the traditional chant preceding CHIP-OO-WA. “Mine isn’t spelled correctly because the state wouldn’t let me get OOWAH, says Saunders, whose husband, Jack, ’60, M.A. ’65, was director of CMU’s marching band from 1979 until 2000.
License plates for each of Michigan’s 15 state-funded universities were first made available 15 years ago to raise money for the schools. There are more than 126,000 on the roads today, and they’re as popular as ever, says Mike Senyko, chief of staff for Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. “We attribute that to the fact that so many people are proud of their school,’’ he says. “And you’re beating Western!”
Rosemary Saunders of Mount Pleasant has hers.
“I’m always looking at license plates for that Action C, and when I see one outside of Mount Pleasant I always give them a little honk,” she said. Who knows, she might have seen Ben Franas, ’70, M.A. ’76, tooling around town with his CMU plate CHIP70. He lives in Dearborn but drives north to campus 30 or 40 times a year for events and games. For Franas, the plate is just one more layer of maroon and gold. “I’ve got Central everything – clothes, hats, stickers on the car,” he said. “My plate just lets me amp it up a notch.” •
Ben Franas, ’70, M.A. ’76
UNIVERSITY LICENSE PLATES ON MICHIGAN ROADS Michigan State University: 54,430 University of Michigan: 33,552 Central Michigan University: 8,002 Western Michigan University: 6,822 Ferris State University: 4,165 Michigan Technological University: 4,066 Grand Valley State University: 3,776 Wayne State University: 2,740 Eastern Michigan University: 2,705 Oakland University: 2,218 Northern Michigan University: 1,840 Lake Superior State University: 1,560 University of Michigan Dearborn: 827 Saginaw Valley State University: 818 University of Michigan Flint: 666
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A friendly reminder that CMU always is behind you CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie) UComm 9182
Order your CMU license plate today cmich.edu/alumni
Give a lf e s r you ng o l e f i l gift –
Education You’ll never lose it. You can share it with others. It keeps giving you dividends.
Get started on your next CMU degree today! Central Michigan University’s Global Campus offers you the convenience and flexibility you need to continue your education as a working adult. With over 40 locations across the U.S. and Canada and many degrees offered completely online, you’re sure to find a degree and format that will fit your busy life. • Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees • Undergraduate certificates, graduate certificates and professional development programs • Daytime, evening, and weekend classes • Online degree programs and courses • Compressed terms • Affordable tuition, financial aid, and an interest-free payment plan
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877-268-4636 • CMUglobal@cmich.edu • cmich.edu/GlobalCampus Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. CMU is an AA/EO institution (see cmich.edu/OCRIE). 42204 4/14
camaraderie
The CMU ROTC Queen’s Guard is a select group representing the Chippewa Battalion with pride and respect. The guard presents the U.S., state of Michigan, Army and university flags before each home football game. Cadets are experts at rifle drills and synchronized marching, participating in ceremonies and events throughout the community. • PHOTO BY STEVE JESSMORE, ’81 20
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Step
this Room with a view The top floors of the Charles V. Park Library offer quiet study spaces with views of the academic mall below and CMU’s evolving architectural landscape.
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way TEXT BY CYNTHIA J. DRAKE, M.A. ’08 PHOTOS BY STEVE JESSMORE, ’81
They say that the more things change the more they stay the same. You might find this to be true about CMU’s campus. Though it may have been a few years since you’ve been back, that first visit always brings a flood of memories, and a little shock at the newer “faces” on campus – those shiny buildings that make the landscape feel a little off-kilter for you. Rest assured, we’re still that place you called home, and we’re happy to have you back – anytime. Join us on these eight pages for a virtual tour of your campus. >
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a palette for all seasons
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Top left, Warriner Hall gets a dose of fiery maroon and gold in the fall and a thick blanket in the winter, top right. Tulips add a burst of color to campus in the spring. Each fall, 1,500 mums are planted, with teams of students adding 1,000 bulbs near their residence halls in just one day. >
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The Education and Human Services Building just celebrated its sixth year of training educators in an environment loaded with tech.
Dow Science Complex contains 70 research and teaching laboratories. Next door in the Brooks Astronomical Observatory, you can still explore the stars and planets during open houses. 26
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Labs for days
Healthy programs The 175,000-square-foot Health Professions Building, open since 2004, boasts some of the most competitive graduate programs on campus, including audiology and physical therapy. CMU’s College of Medicine adjoins the building. One of its active learning classrooms is shown here. CMED welcomed its third cohort of future physicians this year. >
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landmark Our newest
Biosciences Building video
As CMU’s programs continue to evolve to meet the needs of future generations, the Biosciences Building is poised to captivate bright minds tackling big challenges. The $95 million 169,000-square-foot project will be completed next fall and open for classes in January 2017. The largest capital project in CMU history, it will house cell and molecular biology programs, biotechnology, Great Lakes research and more.
fired up Let’s get a little rowdy
Ready for your tour?
That game day excitement you remember is still alive and well on campus, whether you’re at Kelly/Shorts for a fall football game, Theunissen Stadium for baseball or CMU’s new Events Center, where the crowd pumps up the b-ball teams in McGuirk Arena. •
Travel to Mount Pleasant from wherever you are right now by surfing our interactive map and getting the lowdown on all the old and new campus buildings. tour.cmich.edu centralight fall ’15
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d l o G d n a n o o Mar
CMU Bookstore Fall Hours Monday -Thursday Friday Saturday
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Extended hours on home football game days or visit CMU Bookstore’s Varsity Shop in Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
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CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). Ucomm 9317
Beaver Island video
Hidden Central:
While thousands of people spent their summer enjoying the beaches and waters of the Great Lakes, CMU researchers and students were on the largest island in Lake Michigan, working to ensure others can continue enjoying the largest freshwater system in the world. Beaver Island’s incomparable ecosystems, natural habitat and inland lakes provide an unparalleled learning and research environment in a tight-knit community. TEXT BY JOSH PALMER PHOTOS BY STEVE JESSMORE, ’81
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CMU’s Biological Station on Beaver Island provides opportunities for hands-on coursework, research and student employment. Whether researchers are looking at the quality of coastal wetlands or testing samples of invasive species, there are unmatched opportunities to make the Great Lakes healthier.
The M/V Chippewa – a unique 38-foot vessel – makes observing, monitoring and sampling freshwater wetlands on a group of islands in Lake Michigan much easier for Central Michigan University researchers.
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Alumni News CMU’s Beijing alumni chapter gets a visit from the vice provost
TSA’s new leader is a Chippewa
Claudia Douglass, CMU vice provost, and Emily Liu, director of international recruitment, visited the Beijing chapter of the CMU Alumni Association and attended an alumni reception this spring.
Peter Neffenger, M.A. ‘86, was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Transportation Security Administration’s sixth administrator in June. He leads a workforce of nearly 60,000 employees, security operations at nearly 450 airports throughout the United States, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and shared security for highways, railroads, ports, mass transit systems and pipelines.
The event was planned to recognize the chapter for promoting CMU in China and sending high-quality students to Mount Pleasant to study. Eighteen alums attended. “CMU officials gave us a wonderful presentation and also introduced some CMU news,” says Songtao Shi, chair of the Beijing chapter. Douglass and Liu shared some CMU souvenirs, which were a big hit. •
Alumni friends produce reality show for cable’s Sportsman Channel The new show “Sheep Shape” explores the personal struggles of four hunters who have battled cancer, sexual abuse, bullying, PTSD and war injuries.
Neffenger joined the Coast Guard in 1981, inspired by an uncle who had been a Coast Guard captain. He was commissioned an officer in 1982 upon completion of Officers’ Candidate School and was assigned to the cutter Gallatin, stationed in the North Atlantic Ocean. Among his responsibilities: intercepting Haitian refugees and returning them to Haiti. He went on to serve as the Coast Guard’s director of strategic management and doctrine, and by 2010 he was the Coast Guard’s deputy commandant for operations and deputy national incident commander. He also worked on much of that service’s response to the April 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. In May 2014, he was made vice commandant of the Coast Guard, that service’s No. 2-ranking officer, a post he held until his nomination as TSA director. •
It was created by CMU alums Chad Hall, ’02, and Jason Brown, ’00. Hall was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer his sophomore year at Central. He had a total knee replacement and lost part of his quad muscle, femur and tibia as a result of the disease. A lifelong hunter, Hall still wanted to fulfill his dream of hunting wild sheep. The two friends talked about filming a show documenting Hall’s journey, and their idea evolved into the creation of a show that followed four people fighting to return from physical challenges. “Sheep Shape” debuted June 25 as an 11-week series on the Sportsman Channel. In the series, the four hunters – including Hall – are put through a grueling training program to prepare them to hunt Dall and Fannin sheep in Alaska, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Each hunter’s story unfolds from his or her personal challenges, and the series follows them as they go on the hunt. What did the experience filming the show teach them? “Any limitation you have, you can find a way to overcome it,” Hall said in an interview with CM Life. “That is the meaning behind the show: No challenge is too great.” •
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PHOTO BY JEFFREY
SAUGER
Alumni News
Chippewas bring the maroon and gold to the Detroit Tigers More than 1,500 alumni turned out for the 13th annual CMU Night at Comerica Park in June to watch the Detroit Tigers take on the Chicago White Sox. William Kanine, president of the CMU Board of Trustees, threw out the first pitch, and On the Rox, CMU’s female student a cappella group, sang the national anthem and performed on the concourse prior to the game.
CMU cheerleaders and the dance team performed on the field before the game and during the seventh inning stretch. The Tigers beat the White Sox 5-4. All alumni who purchased tickets through the university’s block received a CMU T-shirt and a special edition maroon and gold Tigers hat. • Event gallery
CMU music alum earns prestigious bandmaster honor CMU School of Music alumnus William Eicher, ‘84, has been elected to become a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the most prestigious honor bestowed in the bandmaster profession. The honor recognizes concert band conductors and composers’ outstanding achievements. Eicher is in his 19th year as director at Clarence High School in New York,
where he has twice led the band to perform at the Midwest Clinic, the largest international band and orchestra conference in the country. Invitational membership in the ABA numbers nearly 300 conductors and composers from across the U.S. and Canada. Prior to his appointment at Clarence, he taught for 11 years in Plainwell. Eicher is a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, the National Band Association, College Band Directors National Association, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and New York State Band Directors Association. •
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Alumni News Central alum named president of statewide school association Catherine “Kit” Spring, ’69, a former teacher for Sault Ste. Marie Area Public Schools and an educator with the Michigan Department of Corrections, has been named president of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel, the state’s largest association of former public school workers. Spring, of Sault Ste. Marie and Spring Hill, Florida, will serve as MARSP president through June 2017 and help set the tone and direction for the organization’s efforts to protect public school retiree pensions and health care benefits. •
Chippewa’s automated treadmill matches runner’s pace Exercise researchers have developed a new treadmill that automatically changes speed to match the pace of the runner. The automated treadmill uses sonar to tell exactly where the runner is on the treadmill. If the runner picks up pace and moves toward the front of the running belt, the speed automatically increases. If the runner slows down and moves toward the back, the speed decreases. The result is a treadmill experience that is much closer to walking or running outdoors, says Steven T. Devor, ‘89. “If you’re running outside and you want to speed up or slow down, there is no button to push. It is the same with this new automated treadmill,” says Devor, who is now an associate professor of kinesiology at Ohio State University. “It is seamless and feels completely natural. You just go.” Devor developed the new treadmill with Cory Scheadler, a former graduate student of his. The researchers revealed the automated machine in a study published online in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. •
Steven Devor, front, discusses the new automated treadmill with doctoral student Rich LaFountain.
Young alum mentors new generation of workers DeAnte Thompkins, ’14, was named to Crain’s Detroit’s prestigious Twenty in their 20s list this spring. He was chosen because he has hired and mentored 500 high school students through the Michigan Department of Transportation leadership program he once participated in. The program’s director left suddenly, putting Thompkins in the unenviable position of rebuilding the summer Youth Development and Mentoring Program in only a month. The program gives hundreds of students civil engineering and transportation job training. The program, which the 26-year-old now manages, has a budget that ranges between $650,000 and $1 million. “To me, change starts with the youth,” he told Crain’s Detroit. “Everybody needs somebody positive they can look up to, but you need someone to guide you, someone that you can learn from their past mistakes, particularly with our youth in our inner city. They don’t have someone to turn to. “As young black males, they don’t necessarily know the steps to be successful. I love to kind of reach out and show people the possibilities.” •
Detroit native adding 8th diploma to her wall Some people collect stamps or porcelain figurines. Juanita Gregory-Harvey collects college degrees. The 93-year-old Hamtramck woman has seven, and she’s just about to earn No. 8. Many are from Wayne County Community College, where she’s been attending classes for free with tuition waivers available for senior citizens who live in the county. But one degree is from CMU – her M.A. in human resources, earned in 1981. Gregory-Harvey – now retired from a 29-year career with AT&T, among other jobs – earned her first associate degree in 1974. Her stack of diplomas covers topics from business and arts to science and information technology. •
Chippewas Everywhere Chippewas Everywhere invites all alumni to submit their news about employment, educational achievements and family updates at go.cmualum.com/ChipsEverywhere. You can also upload a photo with your news. For information on alumni chapters and clubs in your area or to see how to host alumni events in your geographic region, check out the Chapter and Club pages under the Engage tab on cmich.edu/alumni. •
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» Does your office observe casual Friday? Sport your maroon and gold to spread Chippewa spirit across the nation.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9383 (8/15) centralight centralight winter fall ’15 ’10
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Alumni News Young Alumni board President Ashleigh (Klipper) Laabs, ’07 Royal Oak Vice president Michael Zeig, ’08 Mount Pleasant Past president John Kaczynski, ’03, M.P.A. ’08 Lansing Directors Michael Decker, ‘07 Beverly Hills Morgan (Curtis) Hales ’06, M.A. ’11 Farwell Spencer Haworth, ’12 Charlotte, North Carolina Scott Hillman, ’10 Royal Oak Eric Johnson, ‘11 Spring Lake Danielle Leone, ‘10 Saint Clair Shores James (J.J.) Lewis, ’06 Howell Jaime R. Leyrer, ’10, M.P.A. ’12 Saginaw Jennifer Lopez, ’10 Royal Oak Gregory Marx, ’08 Troy Brittany Mouzourakis, ‘08 Dearborn Heights John Reineke, ’09’ Oxford, Ohio Michelle Rush, ‘07 Berrien Springs Jeffrey Stoutenburg, ’10, M.P.A. ’13 Midland Michael Wiese, ‘09 Grand Rapids Young Alumni regional fellows California San Francisco Bay Courtney Duvendack court.duvendack@gmail.com Chicago Spencer Long, ’08, M.A. ’10 spencer.long@gmail.com Michigan Holland Briana Hartline bhartline@sentinel.com Metro Detroit Emily Lamoreaux, ’07 emily.lamoreaux@gmail.com Mid-Michigan Megan Lawless, ’08 adelm1me@cmich.edu Florida Miami Adam Romano, ‘13 aromano734@gmail.com 3838
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Orlando Raychel Cesaro, ‘05 RCesaro@holocaustedu.org Mara Shorr, ‘05 marashorr@gmail.com NYC/New Jersey/Philadelphia Michael Waas, ’05, M.A. ’07 michael@terracycle.com Ohio/Oxford Tylere Presley, ’12 tylere.presley@betathetapi.org Texas Austin Dan Rathke, ’07 rathk1dj@gmail.com Washington DC Colleen Scheidel, ‘10 scheidel.colleen@gmail.com
Alumni board President Jan (Keegan) Hagland, ’77 Berkley queenella143@aol.com First vice president Ryan A. Fewins-Bliss, ’02, M.A. ’04 Bath Second vice president Darlene Nowak-Baker, ’87 Milford dnowak-baker@fpfc.net Directors Rebeca Reyes Barrios, ’00, MBA ’02 Canton Jean (Bennett) Brown, ’88 Northville Kevin Campbell, ’74, M.A. ’76 Midland Lynn Garrett, ’97 Detroit Laura Gonzales, ’79, M.A. ’89 Mount Pleasant Daniel Herzog, ’91 Saginaw Brian Jones, ’90, MBA ’94 Midland Linda (Scharich) Leahy, ’82 Midland Thomas C. Olver, ’98 Mount Pleasant Darcy Orlik, ’92, M.S.A. ’95 Mount Pleasant Charles Selinger, ’94, M.S.A. ’98 Ceresco Darryl Shelton, ’85 Grand Rapids Nathan Tallman, ’07, M.A. ’09 Auburn Hills Robert VanDeventer, ’74 Saginaw Thomas L. Worobec, ’93 Dearborn Heights
In Memory Violet E. (Harwood) Cotter, ’38, Tawas City, died May 27, 2015, age 98. Mariana (Thomsen) Warren, ’39, Onaway, died May 29, 2015, age 101. Allyn R. Kehrer, ’41, Jackson, died Jan. 28, 2015, age 97. Margaret A. (Wainwright) Lesperance, ’41, Bay City, died Jan. 30, 2015, age 96. Mary A. (Pullman) Frederick, ’48, Flushing, died June 5, 2015, age 91. Virginia F. (Stanhope) Neiger, ’48, Marquette, died June 5, 2015, age 88. John R. Hood, ’50, M.S. ’70, Traverse City, died July 28, 2015, age 90. Arlyle (Roberts) Koehler, ’50, Detroit, died July 30, 2015, age 89. Ester J. (Streeter) Bareham, ’51, Barryton, died Jan. 29, 2015, age 85. Virgil L. Bareham, ’51, Barryton, died April 20, 2015, age 89. Verna R. (VanZyl) Post, ’52, Tacoma, Wash., died March 29, 2015, age 86. Clinton L. Caszatt, ’53, M.A. ’59, Shepherd, died July 4, 2015, age 90. Alice M. Hehn, ’53, Davison, died May 29, 2015, age 89. J.D. Shuttleworth, ’53, Clinton, died May 14, 2015, age 93. Mary H. (Bachelder) Bunting, ’54, Belding, died June 4, 2015, age 83. Dorothea B. (Brown) Daniels, ’54, Tawas City, died July 17, 2015, age 83. Helen E. (Kuhn) Treend, ’54, Lincoln City, Ore., died July 10, 2015, age 83. Edwin R. Anderson, ’55, Clinton, died July 21, 2015, age 82. Marilyn A. (Syring) McClintic, ’55, St. Louis, died Aug. 3, 2015, age 82. Mary E. (Richmond) Newton, ’55, Roseville, Calif., died March 11, 2015, age 81. Robert J. Fairchild, ’59, Alpena, died July 19, 2015, age 80. Kathleen M. (Pierce) Asher, ’56, M.A. ’67, Vassar, died Jan. 6, 2015, age 82.
James F. McGovern, ’56, Saginaw, died April 28, 2015, age 81. Dale D. Parkinson, ’56, Pompano Beach, Fla., died March 7, 2015, age 82. Joseph R. Newton, ’57, Roseville, Calif., died April 15, 2015. Martha L. (Ballew) Speier, ’57, Nathrop, Colo., died April 9, 2015, age 81. Donald L. Davenport, ’58, Owensboro, Ky., died May 23, 2015, age 83. Lynne M. (Curtiss) Mester, ’59, Royal Oak, died June 20, 2015, age 77. Terry W. Streeter , ’61, Sun City, Ariz., died May 11, 2015, age 76. Carl John Anderson, ’60, M.A. ’62, Converse, Texas, died April 15, 2015, age 76. Evelyn L. (Baldwin) Buckenberger, ’60, Battle Creek, died June 24, 2015, age 82. Natalie J. (Mason) Callesen, ’60, Manistee, died April 21, 2015, age 76. Diana K. (Green) Hudak, ’60, M.A. ’81, Rogers City, died June 11, 2015, age 77. Charlie P. Murphy, M.S.A. ’60, Moorestown, N.J., died May 29, 2015, age 77. Donald M. Wismer, ’60, Fort Gratiot, died June 10, 2015, age 81. Nancy L. (Condon) Reed, ’61, Grand Rapids, died May 28, 2015, age 76. Shirley H. (Amacher) Robinson, ’62 , M.A. ’67, Mount Pleasant, died April 26, 2015, age 93. Karen K. (DeValut) VanDorsten, ’62, Battle Creek, died July 27, 2015, age 74. Judy S. (Blakely) Faber, ’64, St. Charles, died Aug. 1, 2015, age 73. Patricia K. Fild, ’64, M.A. ’65, Birmingham, died June 4, 2015, age 72. Louis D. Gazay, ’64, Reno, Nevada, died June 8, 2015, age 75. Jerry A. Mawhinney, ’64, Dallas, Texas, died April 24, 2014, age 73. Jacqueline L. (Pety) Campbell, ’65, M.A. ’75, Saginaw, died Aug. 4, 2015, age 85.
Alumni News Linda M. (Baldwin) Knowles, ’65, Alma, died July 25, 2015, age 73. Thomas O. Lemieux, M.A. ’65, Oak Park, died May 20, 2015, age 75. John R. Ribner, ’65, Flint, died May 4, 2015, age 76. William F. Baker, ’66, M.A. ’67, Dexter, Mo., died Jan. 22, 2015, age 76. William G. Tacey, ’67, Essexville, died June 22, 2015, age 78. Mary A. (Dawson) Ralph, ’68, Bay City, died May 23, 2015, age 81. Darell L. Andersen, ’69 , M.S. ’72, Barryton, died April 28, 2015, age 67. Glenn R. Bachman, ’69, M.A. ’70, Ed.S. ’84, Whitmore Lake, died July 22, 2015, age 67. David F. Jason, ’69, Williamston, died Jan. 25, 2015, age 69. Ronald D. Textor, ’69, M.M. ’76, Las Vegas, Nev., died Jan. 23, 2015, age 67. Richard L. Haughton, ’70, Chesaning, died May 12, 2015, age 66. Joan K. (Postema) Marsh, ’70, Ferndale, died May 22, 2015, age 74. Michael A. Stephens, ’70, Allen, Texas, died June 8, 2015, age 67. Theodore J. Swierad, ’70, Springfield, died June 18, 2015, age 87. Elizabeth A. (Flynn) Hayman, M.A. ’71, Saginaw, died July 12, 2015, age 80. Robert Brick Lancaster, ’71, M.A. ’72, Traverse City, died July 25, 2015, age 66. Carol J. (Rossman) Brossard, ’72, Boyne City and Port St. Joe, Fla., died June 3, 2015, age 65. Robert M. Rapson, M.A. ’72, Dayton Mountain, Tenn., died July 14, 2015, age 79. Daniel R. Salisbury, ’72, Mecosta, died May 8, 2015, age 65. Sara M. (Myers) Dora, ’73, Norton Shores, died May 1, 2015, age 64. Virginia J. (Florio) Johnson, ’73, Luther, died June 4, 2015, age 63.
Bobby J. (Holman) Moore, ’73 M.A. ’80, Atlanta, Ga., died June 17, 2015. Janice H. (Cromwell) Wagner, ’73, Clarkston, died April 13, 2015, age 63. James B. Clouse, ’74, Cedar Springs, died Jan. 29, 2015, age 65. Alexander Rolletta, M.A. ’74, Newark, Ohio, died May 1, 2015, age 84. Marilyn L. Brewer, M.A. ’75, West Hartford, Conn., died May 5, 2015, age 74. Daniel L. Lahner, M.A. ’75, Ph.D. ’81, Cleveland, Ohio, died May 15, 2015, age 64. Richard E. May, M.A. ’75, San Antonio, Texas, died April 9, 2015, age 78. Corbett G. Pool, M.A. ’76, Corpus Christi, Texas, died June 5, 2015, age 77. John F. Snyder, ’76, Prescott, Ariz., died July 9, 2015, age 67. Edward B. Strom III, M.A. ’76, Grand Rapids, died July 25, 2015, age 67. Ralph S. Waldeck, M.A. ’76, Woodland, Calif., died May 14, 2015. Michael H. Wieland, M.A. ’76, O’Fallon, Ill., died June 6, 2015, age 74. Gary A. Chippi, ’76, MBA ’78, Harbor Springs, died June 1, 2015, age 62. Claude E. Fernandez Jr., M.A. ’77, Cartersville, Ga., died March 24, 2015, age 80. Susan C. Heckendorn, ’77, Traverse City, died July 19, 2015, age 59. Blaine H. Miller, MBA ’77, Denver, Colo., died May 30, 2015, age 79. Gary M. Stanley, ’77, Pinconning, died July 24, 2015, age 61. Kenneth W. MacDonald, M.A. ’78, Flint, died April 21, 2015, age 83. Gale F. Benoit, M.A. ’79, Yakima, Wash., died June 8, 2015, age 80. Tracy D. (Andrews) Fike, ’79, Youngstown, Ohio, died July 10, 2015, age 58.
Michael R. Palma, ’79, Davison, died June 1, 2015, age 61. Timothy L. Fox, ’80, Lansing, died April 20, 2015, age 59. Lance D. Nesbitt, M.A. ’80, Huntsville, Ala., died April 23, 2015, age 72. Lee W. Russler Jr., M.A. ’82, Lewistown, Pa., died June 16, 2015, age 62. Jeffrey A. McDonald, ’84, M.A. ’89, died July 13, 2015, age 54. Lynn R. Bosom, ’86, Jackson, died May 4, 2015, age 52. John R. Drain II, ’86, Troy, died June 23, 2015, age 56. Cathy Geerlings, M.S.A. ’86, Wyoming, died April 25, 2015, age 54. Donald A. Nolan, ’86, Troy, died April 19, 2015, age 78. Patrick T. Riepma, M.A. ’86, Midland, died July 14, 2015, age 54. Kathleen C. Kehoe, ’88, Grand Forks, N.D., died Jan. 7, 2015, age 49. Elgin M. Schmidt II, M.S.A. ’89, San Jose, Calif., died May 24, 2015, age 57. Matthew J. Sullivan, ’90, Troy, died May 4, 2015, age 49. Rosabelle (Jefferson) McKinney, M.S.A. ’91, St. Clair Shores, died July 5, 2015, age 70. Kimberly S. Pugh, M.A. ’92, Saginaw, died May 5, 2015, age 51. Jeffery D. Pierce, ’93, Harvey Gap, Colo., died June 5, 2015, age 46. Michael R. Harrison, M.S.A. ’94, Washington, Ga., died April 6, 2014, age 67. Joan C. (Hicks) Stapleton, M.A. ’94, Flint, died April 27, 2015, age 66. Kenneth R. Browning, M.S.A. ’95, Wasilla, Alaska, died May 1, 2015, age 67. Nancy A. Kerrison-Stimac, ’98, Gladwin, died April 24, 2015, age 68. Nicole S. Ballinger, ’99, M.A. ’07, Alma, died Aug. 5, 2015, age 44. Craig G. Newton, M.A. ’99, Farwell, died June 20, 2015, age 67.
Terra A. Stevenson-Bingaman, ’99, Muskegon, died June 20, 2015, age 39. Kevin P. Lewis, M.S.A. ’01, Springfield, Ohio, died May 14, 2015, age 59. Mary E. (Clark) Trizila, M.S.A. ’01, Sedan, Kan., side July 14, 2015, age 65. Lenora M. (Hudson) Littlejohn, M.S.A. ’02, Dayton, Ohio, died June 22, 2014, age 53. Adrienne Willis Bradshaw, M.A. ’04, Conyers, Ga., died July 12, 2015, age 42. Savil A. Sinclair, M.S.A. ’04, Saginaw, died June 6, 2015, age 74. Joshua B. Leason, ’06, Okemos, died June 21, 2015, age 32. Regina C. (May) Babb, M.A. ’09, Ardmore, Okla., died May 17, 2015, age 58. Olugbenro M. Adeyemi, M.S.A. ’10, Memphis, Tenn., died March 27, 2015, age 40. Latricia M. Mahee, M.P.A. ’10, New Castle, Del., died May 27, 2015, age 39. David T. Kavanaugh, M.S.A. ’13, Eaton Rapids, died April 25, 2015, age 34. Jamee A. Wellman, ’14, Copemish, died Jan. 5, 2015, age 24. Faculty Howard Evans, Naples, Fla., died April 27, 2015, age 92. Jerome Fitzhenry, Reno, Nev., died June 6, 2015. William Hawkins, Mount Pleasant, died April 13, 2015, age 88. Robert D. Hays, Eagle, Idaho, died June 22, 2015. Carl Smith, Ada, died Aug. 16, 2004, age 77. Karel Topinka, Ludington, died July 28, 2015. Staff Diane Howard, Mount Pleasant, died April 5, 2015, age 72. Dixie Moss, Shepherd, died Jan. 9, 2015, age 74. William Walker, Ludington, died April 8, 2015, age 92.
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Do you remember?
1969 Alumni Field in the heart of campus was the home of Central Michigan University’s football team for more than 40 years and home to baseball and track for 70 years. The 22-acre plot that made up Alumni Field consisted of a track and field facility, a gridiron, a grandstand that could seat 2,500 spectators, a baseball diamond and practice fields. Its location made it a convenient and popular place for students to attend athletic events – or even drop by on their way to and from classes. Major improvements to the field were made in 1930, when a new
fieldhouse was built and a new Alumni Field was established. In 1981, the university paid $350,000 to substantially renovate Alumni Field, installing bleacher-type seating, a ticket booth, concessions stand, and restroom and media facilities. In 1986, the track and field facility commonly known as Alumni Field was officially renamed the Lyle Bennett Track, in honor of a former CMU track coach.
Alumni Field and dean of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Alumni Field no longer exists in physical form. On Nov. 4, 1972, the football team played its first game at Perry Shorts Stadium. By the 1990s, the university made an effort to concentrate all of the athletic facilities on the south side of campus.
The Health Professions Building and the College of Medicine Building are situated where Alumni Field once A year later, the baseball stadium was existed, and the grassy area between rededicated as Theunissen Stadium these facilities and Finch Fieldhouse in honor of Bill Theunissen, a former is the former site of the football field CMU baseball coach, athletic director, and Bennett Track. •
PHOTO AND INFORMATION COURTESY OF CLARKE HISTORICAL LIBRARY
Giving back Pamela S. Gilbert provides future teachers the opportunity to achieve an education. During her travels to South America and Central America, she discovered her need to give back to the community that helped establish the groundwork for her life. Gilbert, a retired math teacher, established through her estate plan the Pamela S. Gilbert Endowed Scholarship to benefit teacher education students pursuing a degree with a mathematics concentration. This offers CMU students the opportunity to develop into confident math teachers.
For more information
Ted Tolcher, Associate Vice President Development and External Relations 989-774-1441 ted.tolcher@cmich.edu
giftplanning.cmich.edu
To see Gilbert’s continued work and the impact she has made in Ecuador, go to www.escuelaminga.org. Include CMU in your will or estate plan so that you, too, can help students in a very special way.
CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9355
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIDLAND MI PERMIT NO. 260
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Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
CMU Women’s Basketball enters the 2015-16 season led by an experienced group of players including All-MAC selection Da’Jourie Turner. The Chippewas also welcome in an exciting group of freshmen as the program looks to continue its strong run in the Mid-American Conference.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TICKET OPTIONS AVAILABLE NOW!
Season Tickets - $75* Single Game Tickets: Adult - $8; Youth/Senior Citizen - $5
*Includes a $20 facility fee
CMU Men’s Basketball enters 2015-16 as the defending Mid-American Conference champions after a historic season last year. The Chippewas are led by MAC Coach of the Year Keno Davis and first team All-MAC point guard Chris Fowler.
MEN’S BASKETBALL TICKET OPTIONS AVAILABLE NOW!
Season Tickets • Reserved Seating - $150* • General Admission - $100* Single Game Tickets • Reserved Seating - $12 • Adult General Admission (Bleacher) - $12
*Includes a $25 facility fee
Men’s basketball season ticket holders can purchase women’s basketball season tickets for only $40! If you are a women’s basketball season ticket holder, you can purchase men’s basketball tickets for just $50!
VIEW UPDATED SCHEDULES & PURCHASE TICKETS AT: CMUChippewas.com • 1-888-FIRE-UP2 (1-888-347-3872)