Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1339 Wichita, Kansas
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Enclosed is your class newsletter 1970s • Spring 2011
Friends University Issue 32 Spring 2011
Campus Connection
1970s
From Your Class Agent Rick Fitzgerald cfitz1@cox.net
The search continues for a new president for Friends University. Board of Trustees chair, Rod Pitts, G’82, conducted off-site interviews with candidates in December. The four finalists were then brought to the Wichita campus in January. The new president should be announced by the end of March. What is “The Better Way?” The Better Way is a street ministry and mission work founded in 1986 by Pastor Steve Campbell, G’73, and his wife, Wanda. For the last 23 years, The Better Way has stood as a place of hope to the homeless and poor in the “Short North” district, located in the inner city of Columbus, Ohio. Since 1986, over 400,000 people have come through their doors seeking physical and spiritual assistance. Thank you Steve and Wanda for a terrific ministry and a job well done!’ The headline from the Kansas City Star read “Rare domino liver transplant in KC area saves two lives.” It was no surprise to Richard Gross, G’71. The doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital were taking out his diseased liver. After all, it was killing him. What was a surprise, however, was that they turned around in a 13-hour procedure and put it into another fellow! Together, the two strangers teamed up for Kansas City’s first “domino” liver transplant. Though still rare, the first domino liver transplant was performed 15 years ago in Portugal. The procedure is used primarily in cases of familial amyloidosis, a genetic disease in which the liver produces an abnormal protein the body cannot
process. It causes nerve damage that eventually leads to paralysis and then death. The transplants work because the liver otherwise works as it should and a recipient does not develop symptoms for the disease for 30 or 40 years. About a week after the transplants, Richard was able to leave the hospital feeling good about the part he had played in the process. Congratulations to both recipients and we wish them continued good health and happiness. Roger Brown, G’73, was recently elected by the Community Bankers Association of Kansas as chairman-elect. He is employed by Citizens State Bank. Dr. Bradley Nassif, G’77, was recently tenured at North Park University in Chicago as professor of biblical and theological studies. He is currently editing a book titled “The Philokalia: Exploring a Classic Text of Orthodox Spirituality” and writing a devotional book titled “The Desert Fathers and Mothers.” That’s it for this edition of our class newsletter. Drop me a line and let me know what you have been up to and I will pass it along.
Rick Ritzgerald, G’70
Alumni Office Alumni Office Friends University 2100 W. University Ave. Wichita, KS 67213 316-295-5900
Help Keep Us Informed Name_ _____________________________________________ Class Year_ ____________________ Address ______________________________ City ________ State ________ Zip______________ Home Telephone _______________________ E-mail_ _____________________________________ Place of Employment ___________________________ Occupation___________________________ If you have any other information – such as new additions to your family or professional changes – please include that information below.
www.friends.edu Spring 2011 Friends University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding this policy: EEOC/Title IX Coordinator, Friends University, 2100 W. University Ave., Wichita, KS 67213, 316-295-5000. Friends University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association, telephone 312-263-0456, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.
NEWS BRIEFS Alumni news posted monthly online at www.friends.edu/ friends-flash
For more University news, go online to www.friends.edu/ newsandpublications
For more student news, go online to www.crimsonchronicle.org
For the latest information on sports scores and stats, go online to www.friendsathletics.com
Search Underway for 13th University President
December Seniors Honored at Special Luncheon
As you may have heard, Dr. Biff Green, president of Friends University, will be retiring June 30, 2011. The Board of Trustees has launched a national search for the 13th president of Friends University which is expected to conclude by March 1, 2011. To find out more about the presidential search, please visit www.friends.edu/presidential-search.
With the help of the Wichita Alumni Advisory Board, the Friends University Alumni Association honored those traditionalundergraduate seniors who graduated in December with a special luncheon Dec. 8.
Friends University Offers Hometown Advantage Grant Do you know a high-school senior from Sedgwick County, Andover, Augusta or Rose Hill who is exploring college options? Friends University is offering students from these areas a $5,000 grant toward tuition at Friends University starting in fall 2011. The $5,000 grant is renewable, is available in addition to other scholarships and does not need to be paid back. It is designed to make it more affordable for new students who demonstrate financial need to get an independent college education.
Members of the Wichita Alumni Advisory Board, University President Dr. Biff Green and his wife, Binnie, and Board of Trustees Chairman Rodney Pitts, G’82, served a tasty Mexican buffet of steak and chicken fajitas, Spanish rice, refried beans, cinnamon chips and all the fixins! Students received words of encouragement from Dr. Green, Mr. Pitts and Wichita Alumni Advisory Board members Marvin Connet, G’82/’84, and Lisa Kraemer, G’10. As they prepared to enter the world as representatives of Friends University, the seniors were urged to remember the time they spent with their classmates and friends. Congratulations once again to this group of graduating seniors!
For more information, call 316-295-5100 or e-mail duncande@friends.edu.
don’t forget Easter Egg Hunt Lenexa – April 16 Topeka – April 16 Wichita – April 23 Commencement Lenexa – May 1 Topeka – May 1 Wichita – May 7
From the Executive Director of Alumni and Annual Fund You may recall that the Alumni Office has been working with the State of Kansas to create a Friends University license plate. On Jan. 4, 2011, the director of vehicles informed us that while they have all the necessary documents to move forward, they would need additional monies from the state budget to produce the plates. At the time of the printing of this newsletter, the director of vehicles stated that they would be meeting with the secretary of revenue in mid-January to work on adding our plate costs to their agency budget.
The Alumni Office anticipates re-grouping with the director of vehicles in mid-February to determine where funding is with our plate request. More information will be posted online at www. friends.edu/kansas-license-plates.
Lisa Tilma, G’01/M’04 Executive Director of Alumni and Annual Fund