College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
DEVELOPMENTS A magazine for friends of “The People College”
Celebrating the Legacy of
AGNESE NELMS HAURY
Students Tackle Local Poverty Issues
Welcome to SBS— “The People College” SBS DEVELOPMENTS 2015 A Publication for Alumni and Friends of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences http://sbs.arizona.edu Jennifer Yamnitz, director of marketing and communications Lori Harwood, writer and editor Jennifer Vasko, graphic designer Contributing Designers John Stobbe Christine Scheer Contributing Writers Candice Childress Stephanie Balzer Development Office Ginny Healy, senior director of development Colleen Bagnall Perra, director of development Jennifer Bailey, associate director of development Jennifer Rascon, development operations Inquiries may be addressed to: SBS DEVELOPMENTS The University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences P.O. Box 210028 Tucson, Arizona 85721 520-626-3846 harwoodl@email.arizona.edu
As Dean of “The People College,” I am honored John Paul Jones III and humbled by the generous donations that Photo by Michelle Burley our college has received in the past year. These investments in our programs, faculty, and students help our college research new ideas, develop solutions to pressing social and environmental problems, and prepare a new generation to ask bigger questions and find better answers. Igniting a culture of inquiry, innovation, and leadership is the basis for the Arizona NOW fundraising campaign that was started last year. With the bequest of the Haury estate, the University is well on its way to reaching its fundraising goal of $1.5 billion. You can read about the extraordinary legacy of Mrs. Haury on page 16 and learn more about the campaign on page 40. Like Mrs. Haury, many of the people profiled in this issue are united in a desire to uplift individuals struggling with overwhelming challenges. For example, on page 30 you will learn about SBS faculty and student contributions to the Mayor’s Commission on Poverty. On page 6, you will find the story of the Berger family and the Brenna Ilana Berger Memorial Scholarship, which supports students who face significant hurdles in pursuing their education. As we continue our efforts to find innovative ways to serve the Tucson community and provide unparalleled learning opportunities, we hope that you will be inspired by our work. Please consider renewing your investment in the College of SBS. Together we can create a future full of boundless possibilities.
Sincerely, Cover photo by Chris Segrin
facebook.com/UA.SBS @UA_SBS Yyoutube.com/collegeofsbs
THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
John Paul Jones III, Dean College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
2015 ISSUE
A PLACE TO Jeffrey Plevan, who graduated from the UA with a degree in Judaic Studies in 2000, was a true blue Wildcat. He died too soon, at the age of 36. To honor his life and his passions, Jeff’s parents, Ken and Betsy, have funded a professorship and lecture series in their son’s name. Jeffrey Plevan is repeatedly described as upbeat, joyful, conscientious, thoughtful, and full of drive. He could also be unrealistic, overly talkative, and would sometimes misread social cues. No matter. Jeff—in his entirety—was loved by many. When Jeff died unexpectedly from a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 36, Ken and Betsy, Jeff’s parents, received an outpouring of support and love from those who knew Jeff. “When Jeffrey died, we knew that there were a lot of organizations that had been an enormous help to him,” said Ken. “We were proud of the life he had led, and we knew we owed a lot to many people.” One of the places that Jeff loved was the University of Arizona, where he received a B.A. in Judaic Studies, a real point of pride for a man who overcame social and academic struggles to carve out a meaningful life for himself. 2
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GROWING UP “Having a kid with special needs was more challenging than the career part,” said Betsy, who is a partner in the law firm of Proskauer Rose and was featured in a New York Times article about women partners at major law firms who strive to manage their careers and family commitments. She was also president of the New York City Bar Association, only the second woman to hold that vaulted position. Ken is also a prominent attorney, a partner in the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. For all their success and plaques, however, it is clear that family comes first, and raising a special needs child came with its own unique challenges. Jeff was diagnosed at an early age with severe delayed speech and language processing difficulties. At the age of three, he started speech and occupational therapy, and he attended special education schools until he was 15. Jeff compensated for his delayed speech with a vivid imagination, building labyrinth battle scenes in his room. He loved movies—anything that was visual. THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
“We realized later not just that he loved movies, but that if he watched something, he absorbed it. He had a great wealth of knowledge,” said Betsy. Jeff also loved the performing arts and began going to the opera when he was eight with his grandmother and attending musicals with his great-aunt. Jeff suffered, the Plevans said, with a desire to fit in: Jeff was different from other kids, different from his brother, and he struggled more socially than academically. “He had a lot of trouble around the ages of 10 to 14 dealing with children who were not learning disabled,” said Betsy. “One of the characteristics of people who have a disability like this is that they don’t read people well.” But by the time Jeff “mainstreamed” at age 16, he had developed a strong sense of identity and a streak of independence that would set the stage for his transition to college life at the UA.
FINDING A HOME AT THE UA To Ken and Betsy, the University of Arizona, a large school clear across the country, hardly seemed like the right fit for Jeff, a student accustomed to small schools and customized education. However, Jeff’s high school college advisor recommended they take a look at the UA based on the strength of its SALT (Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques) Center. They visited the school and were impressed. Jeff was dazzled. “From Jeff’s perspective, his brother went to Michigan, a Big 10 school. Being at a big school was part of his self-identity. The UA also had a great sports program. He fell in love with the place,” said Betsy. “I also think it appealed to him to be 2,800 miles away,” added Ken. “It was a sign that he was mature enough to live on his own.” Jeff’s academics got off to a rocky start. On their first trip to visit Jeff over Family Weekend, Ken and Betsy discovered Jeff was flunking Hebrew. But Jeff eventually found his way, thriving in the small Judaic Studies program.
THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Jeff Plevan was a “Wildcat for Life.”
“Jeff was the kind of student who made teaching fun,” said Beth Alpert Nakhai, associate professor of Judaic Studies. “He had an endless supply of curiosity and enthusiasm and a passion for learning.” “He was a very conscientious, very thoughtful person,” added Ed Wright, director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies. “I was impressed by his drive.” The Plevans would travel to Tucson for Jeff’s midterms and finals to help him study, renting a suite at the Arizona Inn, where they would hole up with Jeff, taking turns reading aloud and quizzing him. Ken laughs about how much he learned from the cramming and from occasionally sitting in on Jeff’s classes. “I went to a lecture in Professor William Dever’s class,” said Ken, referring to an emeritus professor who specialized in the history of Israel and the Near East in Biblical times. “I wish I had taped it! It was one of the best lectures I’ve heard in my life!” “And Ken went to Harvard,” Betsy added with smile.
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At the UA, Jeff searched for groups that would help him create a home away from home. In addition to choosing the Judaic Studies major, Jeff joined the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and was active in the Jewish groups Hillel and Chabad. “He was always looking for a way to be a part of something, and he always found it,” said Ken. Ken and Betsy suspect that Jeff’s embrace of Jewish life and culture was inspired by his older brother, William, who became a rabbi. While they certainly didn’t discourage their children’s love of their faith and heritage, they say that it didn’t stem from them. “We were supportive, but we did not lead them in that direction,” said Ken.
WILDCAT FOR LIFE After graduating from the UA, Jeff worked for threeand-a-half years at the American Jewish Historical Society in New York City. Jeff then attended Gratz College in Pennsylvania, earning two master’s degrees in Judaic Studies and Jewish Communal Service. In December 2010, he joined the staff of Hillel at Hunter College as its first development associate. “It was a real career, and he was extraordinarily proud that he had become a contributing member of society,” said Ken. Jeff stayed involved with the UA and eventually became president of the MetroCats, the New York City chapter of the UA Alumni Association. “He was really proud that he had graduated from the University of Arizona, so staying involved was his way of wearing that on his sleeve,” said Betsy. The MetroCats have named a scholarship, which goes to an incoming freshman from the tri-state area, after Jeff. “Jeff was truly one of a kind, and he is deeply missed,” said Beth Martin, a fellow MetroCat.
“Jeff always greeted everyone with a big smile on his face, but he had an even bigger heart. He always returned from Tucson with UA gifts for members of the MetroCats. He would sing the praises of the UA any chance he got.” MetroCat Alie Vidal added, “The University of Arizona Alumni Association’s slogan is ‘Wildcat for Life.’ There is no better example than Jeff Plevan. Jeff was accepting of everyone. Whether you were fortunate enough to know him for years, or you just met him at a watch party for the first time—without even knowing it, you just made a friend for life.”
HONORING JEFF In memory of Jeff, the Plevans are funding a professorship and a lecture series in the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies. The 2014 inaugural speaker for the Jeffrey Plevan Memorial Lecture was Itamar Rabinovich, president of the Israel Institute and Israel’s former ambassador to the United States. Future lectures will focus on Israel Studies in areas ranging from politics, culture, technology, and economics. The Jeffrey B. Plevan Assistant Professor in Judaic Studies will be hired in the next year, probably in the area of modern Judaism. Wright is extremely grateful to the Plevans for their investment in the center. “An endowed professorship adds prestige to the unit and enables us to do things that we couldn’t do without external support,” said Wright. “We are very thankful to Ken and Betsy. They are very special people.”
“Jeffrey had a lot of difficulties to overcome, but because of that enormous enthusiasm he had, he made a life for himself, and he built it around his love of Judaism, his fraternity, and the University of Arizona. He was accepted here.” ~ Ken Plevan
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“Jeff was the kind of student who made teaching fun. He had an endless supply of curiosity and enthusiasm and a passion for learning.” ~ Beth Alpert Nakhai
“Knowing Mr. and Mrs. Plevan leaves no doubt in my mind about the genesis of Jeff’s generosity and kindness,” said Beth Martin. “They are wonderful parents who supported Jeff in every endeavor and allowed him to shine. Jeff was so proud of their successful careers and their continued support of the UA.” For their part, the Plevans see the gift as a chance to not only keep their son’s memory alive, but to thank the institution that helped Jeff find his place in the world. “Jeffrey had a lot of difficulties to overcome, but because of that enormous enthusiasm he had, he made a life for himself, and he built it around his love of Judaism, his fraternity, and the University of Arizona,” said Ken. “He was accepted here.”
Photos (Opposite page, l-r): Alie Vidal, Jeff Plevan, and Beth Martin. (Above, l-r): Alie Vidal, Jeff Plevan, and Beth Martin at Jeff’s prohibitionthemed birthday party. (Below, l-r): Betsy Plevan, Deborah Kaye, one of Jeff’s professors, Ken Plevan, and William Plevan at the Jeffrey Plevan Memorial Lecture.
Jeff had more than 5,000 records, an impressive collection littered with obscure but important artists. He also had a prodigious memory for music trivia. “He made the greatest CD mixes,” said Beth Martin. “I especially love the UA CD that featured songs that mentioned Arizona.” The CD included the following songs: “Get Back” (The Beatles) “Take It Easy” (The Eagles) “Rock’n Me” (Steve Miller Band) “Under African Skies” (Paul Simon)
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REMEMBERING
BRENNA
Melany Berger (pictured at left in the first picture) shared a special bond with her older sister, Brenna.
Although 10 years apart, Melany and Brenna Berger were the best of friends. Like her older sister, Melany attended the UA and majored in communication. She even followed her sister into the music industry, and they lived together in Beverly Hills for seven years. Then tragedy struck. Brenna died at the age of 41 in 2010. Determined to keep Brenna’s memory alive, Melany and her parents, Esther and Bob, have started a generous scholarship in the Department of Communication for students beset by hardship.
BRENNA’S STORY Brenna and Melany grew up with their parents in Belmont, Calif., about an hour outside San Francisco. Brenna excelled in soccer and cheerleading, and Melany played softball. When Brenna was at the UA, she was in the sorority Sigma Kappa and assisted students in the SALT (Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques) Center. She was also a little sister in the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. She graduated with a B.A. in communication. Brenna’s love of rock-and-roll music inspired her to work in the music industry in Los Angeles. She soon realized that her true passion was mentoring and decided to work with at-risk students at a Los Angeles middle school. 6
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To Melany, the switch seemed natural. In fact, Brenna had earned her master’s degree in Pupil Personnel Services from the University of San Francisco before embarking on a career in music. “She often took on mentoring and counseling roles,” said Melany. “The music business is not the most forgiving business in the entire world, and she was not cutthroat. It wasn’t her at all. “Brenna liked everyone,” added Melany. “She didn’t judge anyone. She was very funloving and easy going. Everyone was equal in her eyes.” Unfortunately, Brenna was fighting a long battle with illness, which began when she contracted viral meningitis as a UA student. She continued to be sick for years and was eventually diagnosed with Arnold-Chiari syndrome, which Melany describes as “when there is not enough spinal fluid pressure to hold your brain in place.” What was particularly painful, Melany recalls, was that at the time of her death, Brenna had seemed healthier than she’d been in a long time. THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
‘We are very grateful to the University that we were able to establish the scholarship in Brenna’s name. We will continue to support the University and appreciate the wonderful experience that Brenna, as well as Melany, had at the UA.” ~ Esther Berger Photo (Below, l-r): Esther Berger, Fleet Paul Phillips, Melany Berger, Mindy Royer, and Bob Berger. Phillips and Royer were the inaugural Brenna Ilana Berger Scholars. Photo by Christine Scheer.
MELANY’S STORY Beyond the suffering of losing a sister who was also her best friend, Melany has had her own share of hardship. In 2000, when Melany was a UA student, a car ran a red light and smashed into her car. She had extensive damage to the right side of her face, her cheekbone was broken, and she needed major reconstructive surgery. THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
“I was very lucky to be alive. I definitely have guardian angels,” said Melany. Through the pain and the surgeries, Melany was determined to keep her grades up. Michael Dues, who was then head of the communication department, provided the type of support and patience that Melany has not forgotten, solidifying Melany’s already strong allegiance to the UA and the department. 2015 ISSUE
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Following graduation, Melany entered the music business, working at William Morris and with bands such as Van Halen, the Eagles, and Velvet Revolver. Around three years ago, Melany left the business. “It’s not a normal job,” said Melany. “People can be nasty. And it’s not necessarily the rock stars who are mean, but the people who work with them.” She also recalled the lesson Brenna had shared with her—that you don’t always want to make your favorite pastime your career because you can lose your love for it. Melany started her blog, Melanysguydlines.com, as a therapy of sorts—she’d recently lost Brenna, her grandmother, and an aunt, and she had gone through two bad breakups within a few years. “So I just started writing. It was really cathartic, and it still is. That’s why I do it. Because it makes me laugh, and it makes me make fun of life. I always say that if I didn’t do it, I’d be in a straitjacket.” Melany has thrown herself into building the blog. She continues to increase her online traffic and has more than 60,000 followers combined on all her social media channels. Her site recently won the 2014 Badass Blog Award in the “Sex, Dating and Relationships” category. “I find the work creative, challenging, fascinating, endless, and totally rewarding,” said Melany. The family business is real estate, which Melany plans to become involved in at some point. “I’m very blessed that it’s afforded me a very nice life. I find it amazing that my grandparents came here with no money—my grandparents were Holocaust survivors —and started the business.” Melany remains a “Wildcat for Life.” Not only does she stay involved with her sister’s scholarship, she has also joined the SBS advisory board and recently taught a seminar on blogging for the eSociety major. “I love the UA,” said Melany. “I’m still so close with so many of my friends. You can’t come to a better place. I love the school spirit—you feel like a part of something really cool.”
IN BRENNA’S NAME Melany’s parents, Esther and Bob, allowed their daughter to pick how she would like to memorialize her sister. “It was a no-brainer,” said Melany. “Her years at the UA were the best time of her life.” 8
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Brenna Berger
Because Brenna had a passion for helping young people who were at risk, the Brenna Ilana Berger Memorial Scholarship, which debuted in the 2013-2014 school year, goes to two communication majors each year who have faced significant hurdles in pursuing their education—returning students, those who are supporting families, and those who are coping with trauma and loss. The scholarship is an extremely generous one—$20,000 a year per student, which covers in-state tuition, room and board, and books. “We identify a male and female student who are dealing with issues in life that are usually no fault of their own,” said Chris Segrin, head of the Department of Communication. “They are just in difficult circumstances where it’s going to be really hard to finish college without help.” Segrin is very grateful for the generosity of the Berger family and notes that while many students have a positive experience in the major, “this family remembered and wanted to give back and that’s what really separates them from so many others. They’re really awesome people.” “I think Brenna would be very proud to know that her name is on something that helps students who may not have been able to go to college without the help,” said Melany. “It’s more than a check. My sister wouldn’t want it to be like that. We want to be involved. We want it to make a difference. “With this scholarship we are trying to celebrate her life and who she was as a person and as an educator,” said Melany. “She helped a lot of people. I’m happy that she can continue to help more students now in her passing.” THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
“It’s important to us that people don’t forget about Brenna. There’s never a day that goes by that we don’t think about my sister.” ~ Melany Berger
The Brenna Ilana Berger Memorial Scholars Now in its second year, the Brenna Ilana Berger Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to four outstanding communication majors with disparate life experiences but a common perseverance, resilience, and commitment to education. Mindy Royer’s husband recently relocated out of state for work, and juggling full-time enrollment, two part-time jobs and four children has proved challenging for Mindy, but not impossible, as is evidenced by her graduation in December. The scholarship allowed her to balance school and family. With her tuition and fees covered, she was able to pay bills and give her kids a good Christmas. These are the kinds of unique personal obstacles that make awards like the Berger Scholarship a force for good beyond the classroom. “I would like to work as a coordinator in an educational or nonprofit setting,” said Mindy. “My mission is to provide positive and sustainable change for the community. Being awarded the Berger Scholarship was an honor for me and my family.”
THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Katherine Papasotiriou’s parents divorced soon after her freshman year; after her father left, they faced enormous financial difficulties as her mother re-entered the workforce for the first time in decades. The scholarship has allowed her to stay at the UA—“the college she loves”—and enabled her family to allocate their resources toward putting her other siblings through school. Once she graduates, Papasotiriou aims to gain three years’ professional experience before going to graduate school. “I am interested in public relations, advertising, sales, and business,” Katherine said. “I believe that to be successful in any of those fields, you need to be able to communicate effectively. My major will equip me with the tools necessary to be successful in the future. “I want to thank the Bergers for this amazing and generous scholarship. I am so honored.”
Fleet Paul Phillip’s basketball dreams were dashed by a careerending back injury, which in turn meant the loss of his college scholarship. The cost of education compounded by the need to support his mother incited Paul to take on four jobs. The scholarship has helped make his future goals, including law school, more accessible and less uncertain. “I owe that diploma at the end of the road to the Berger family,” said Paul. “I would never have made it this far without their support.” Frank Meza returned to school after 20 years, selling his car and moving into a smaller apartment to help pay for his education. He will soon be the first person in his family to graduate from college and hopes to attend law school. “Words cannot express how grateful I am that such wonderful people trust me—someone they have never met—to use the scholarship to better my future,” said Frank. “The scholarship will help me finish my bachelor’s degree in May and that is truly amazing.”
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AT THE NEXUS OF PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE
by Candice Childress The popular perceptions of science and philosophy are very different beasts: one is dense and factual; the other is dense and intangible. But in reality, both produce thrilling advancements that can simultaneously clarify and complicate our understanding of the world around us. The gritty questions of how scientific principles enable our mental functions—how we think, how we believe— come to fruition at the convergence of the two fields. A new endowment of more than $30,000 to the Department of Philosophy, provided by the Yetadel Foundation, will help to cultivate those inquiries. As the endowment grows, it could help attract and retain top graduate students interested in topics ranging from artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, and neuroscience to consciousness and conceptions of self. 10
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The opportunity to take time off from teaching assistantships to focus on writing dissertations or to attend international conferences that would otherwise be cost prohibitive is a major incentive for students studying philosophy at a higher level, says Philosophy Professor Richard Healey, whose own background in physics informs the sort of work promoted by the endowment. Healey notes that there are other professors in the department who work in the philosophical area targeted by the endowment, such as Terry Horgan, who has experience with cognitive science and neural networks, and Jenann Ismael, who is versed in dynamical systems and the philosophy of physics. The endowment could eventually be used to help hire new faculty members who grapple with similar subjects. Other avenues of scientific investigation upon which the endowment might potentially focus include genetics, nonlinear systems, and optical science, he says. THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
A key function of the endowment is to secure visits from prominent thinkers whose work fuses scientific and philosophical thought. The first such appearance took place last April, when renowned physicist Sir Roger Penrose presented his radical new view of the origin and fate of the physical universe.
A key function of the endowment currently is to secure visits from prominent thinkers whose work fuses scientific and philosophical thought. The first such appearance took place last April, when renowned physicist Sir Roger Penrose presented his radical new view of the origin and fate of the physical universe. These visits stimulate interaction between students and faculty whose disciplines may at first glance seem incompatible but that in reality have a deep, farreaching shared tradition. “A lot of these really hard sciences branched off from philosophy at some point, usually long ago,” says Healey. “For example, physics used to be called natural philosophy, as opposed to moral philosophy. There are still some physics chairs at old universities called professor of natural philosophy or professor of experimental philosophy. If you look at a typical article in a journal like Foundations of Physics or Studies in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, it’s not obvious whether the person who wrote it was a philosopher or a physicist.”
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In an age of ever-expanding opportunities for collaboration and communication between seemingly disparate disciplines, these explorations dovetail with broader trends, encouraging flexibility across fields in order to maximize intellectual growth. “It’s a tremendous help to the department,” says Michael Gill, the head of the Department of Philosophy. “We have some excellent people in our department and throughout the University who work at the intersection of science and philosophy. We’re delighted to have an opportunity to try and foster conversations across the disciplines. The really exciting work and the great advances are going to come from people who work at the intersection of different fields.”
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TOWARD A RATIONAL LIFE Sherwin Scott—UA business major, real estate developer, athlete, and big game hunter—left the UA Department of Philosophy $2 million upon his death in February 2013 at the age of 70. That might seem like a head scratcher, but to Scott, philosophy was anything but “academic”; it was the key to a life lived honestly and rationally. Sherwin Scott was born in Oregon. As a young boy, he moved to Tucson, where his family lived adjacent to the University of Arizona. Scott attended Tucson High School, lettering in both football and baseball. Scott entered the University of Arizona and graduated in four years in 1964 with a degree in business. He held a baseball scholarship as a star pitcher during his college years. Scott was a self-made man and a proponent of hard work and personal responsibility. As a college student, he worked construction and dug trenches for pipelines in Alaska during the summers. After graduation, Scott moved to Phoenix, where he established several highly successful businesses, including Scott, Tellier & Co. He made his fortune in real estate and development. Sherwin Scott was a star pitcher for the UA. 12
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More than 15 years ago, Scott was approached about donating to his major. He declined. Later, a perceptive UA development officer read a story about Scott in a 1999 article in the Arizona Republic and noticed the philosophy books on Scott’s desk in the accompanying photo. This same article described Scott as “an eccentric, cerebral millionaire, who’s known to quote philosophy and poetry, even at business meetings.” Professor Chris Maloney, then the head of the Department of Philosophy, set up a meeting with Scott, and an interesting relationship was born.
After that first meeting, Scott called up Maloney and said he’d like to give the department $100,000. “You don’t get those calls every day,” said Maloney. Scott—“Scotty” to his friends—and Maloney became friends. “I don’t know if there were ever two people on the planet more different than Sherwin and I,” said Maloney. But they shared a mutual respect and love of ideas. “Scotty was a smart guy,” said Maloney. “He had an independent, probing mind—very analytical. He was a person of real principle. I miss him enormously and treasure the friendship we shared.” Scott loved nature and animals, wildlife conservation, big game hunting, and his championship field trial dogs. He traveled widely —from the mountains of Nepal to the jungles of Africa—and was a student of the cultures and attitudes of diverse peoples. According to Maloney, Scott’s estate gift to philosophy, which will be used to fund the Sherwin Scott Endowed Chair in Philosophy, stemmed from Scott’s recognition of the excellence of the department and his belief that higher education was essential to a functioning society—that people had to be able to think logically and independently about what is right and wrong. “What interested him about philosophy wasn’t somebody else’s ideas, but philosophy as a way of approaching life and thinking deeply and rigorously,” said Maloney. Michael Gill, head of the Department of Philosophy, says he is deeply grateful for a gift of this magnitude and that it can be used for something as important as faculty hiring and retention. “Endowed chairs are extremely prestigious and a wonderful way for us to maintain the excellence of our department,” said Gill. “We are so grateful that Mr. Scott recognized the importance of the work we do and decided to invest in our department.”
“Sherwin Scott saw his personal success in business as an opportunity to invest in the development of the very ideas, concepts, and values that are most fundamental to the advancement of the human spirit.” ~ Chris Maloney
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A PLACE TO CONNECT Bill Nugent doesn’t have a cell phone or an email address. If you wish to reach him, you need to call the landline in his Tucson bar, The Shanty. Or better yet, you should hightail it over to the bar and chat with him over a cold beer. Nugent is a firm believer in face-to-face communication, which is so often neglected in today’s world of texting and tweeting. He’s also an advocate for the University of Arizona playing a key role in developing a vibrant city core, which is why Nugent’s company, The Shanty Café Inc., became the College of SBS’s lead investor in its 44 E. Broadway loft. With the purchase of the loft, the College of SBS joins other investors in the revitalization of downtown Tucson. The loft will serve as a lively downtown hub where SBS can bring people together, such as faculty, students, government officials, business owners, nonprofit leaders, healthcare professionals, and community members. Here, the College of SBS can build on existing collaborations, create new ones, share ideas, and strengthen the partnerships between the University and the community. The loft needs extensive renovations to be fully functional. With additional financial investments, SBS can create a warm, welcoming space, flexible enough to accommodate community gatherings and receptions, 50-person lectures, or breakfast meetings with the Dean.
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“Four generations of the Nugent family have been part of the Tucson and the University of Arizona communities,” said Nugent, who is also a longtime SBS advisory board member. “Because of our belief in the vital interconnectedness between the city and the University, we enthusiastically support financially the development of 44 E. Broadway. The possibilities are limitless for this site, which anchors the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences as a centerpiece for downtown development and educational outreach.” The College of SBS hosted a campaign launch for funding the 44 E. Broadway loft renovations on June 18, 2014. Photos (Top, l-r): Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Francie Merryman, and J.P. Jones. (Middle row, l-r): Henry Boice, Reenie Keating, and Tom Keating; Fletcher McCusker, Brint Milward, Sarah Smallhouse, Jill Bemis, and Cita Scott; (Bottom row, l-r): Bill Nugent; J.P. Jones and Janos Wilder. Photos by John Stobbe. THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM CONTINUES LEGACY OF AGNESE NELMS HAURY
In keeping with her lifelong use
Photo by Jeff Smith
of her financial resources to support scholarly work, Mrs. Haury’s estate has established the transformative Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona.
by Stephanie Balzer and Lori Harwood
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Agnese Nelms Haury, a dedicated philanthropist, passed away on March 20, 2014, in Tucson, Ariz. She was 90 years old. Mrs. Haury was born in Houston, Texas, in 1923 to Agnese Carter Nelms and Frank Haywood Nelms. Her fortune came from her mother’s side of the family, stemming from lumber, railroads, banking, and oil. In 1927, Agnese Carter Nelms, her brother W.T. Carter, Jr., and her brotherin-law Dr. Judson Taylor opened Houston Airport on a 193-acre field; it later became William P. Hobby Airport. Mrs. Haury’s mom, a distant and cold figure in her life, was nevertheless a powerful role model, serving as president of the Texas League of Planned Parenthood and responsible for opening Houston’s first birth control center in 1936. Mrs. Haury lived an early life of affluence, attending the Lycée de Jeunes Filles in Fontainebleau, France, and Bryn Mawr College, the prestigious women’s liberal arts school in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Haury’s wedding to her first husband, Manice deForest Lockwood III, was a splashy, society affair. Mrs. Haury THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Mrs. Haury could have easily lived the rest of her adult life as a socialite but instead opted for intellectual pursuits, international adventures, and modest personal consumption. could have easily lived the rest of her adult life as a socialite but instead opted for intellectual pursuits, international adventures, and modest personal consumption. Mrs. Haury’s professional career included work as an editor at the United Nations. For her work at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, she traveled extensively and authored major reports on the social situations in Burma, Libya, and the Andean countries of South America. Mrs. Haury also participated in archaeological research and excavations in the United States and around the world. Politically and socially active, she worked under Alger Hiss at the Carnegie Endowment and subsequently was active in the movement to clear Hiss of charges that he was a Soviet agent. Mrs. Haury moved to Tucson in 1965. In 1978, she married Denver Lindley, a noted book editor and translator for authors such as Saul Bellow, Thomas Mann, and Herman Hesse. Lindley died in 1982. In 1990, Mrs. Haury married longtime friend Emil W. Haury, a world-renowned authority on the indigenous peoples of the Southwest and former head of the UA School of Anthropology and director of the Arizona State Museum. He died in 1992, but the two were blissfully content during their short marriage. Mrs. Haury’s history of philanthropy is extensive. As president of the Agnese N. Lindley Foundation from 1981 to 1990, she funded more than 200 projects concerning civil and human rights, the arts, the environment, journalism, and economic advancement in less-developed countries. Mrs. Haury also gave generously to the University of Arizona. Her $9 million contribution helped build the Bryant C. Bannister Tree-Ring Building for the study of dendrochronology. She helped fund the construction of the Agnese and Emil Haury Southwest Native Nations Pottery Vault; supported students and faculty in the School of Anthropology and the Southwest Center; and created a curatorial program at the Arizona State Museum. With Mrs. Haury’s support, the UA also established the Agnese Haury Institutes for Interpretation (AHI), home of the longest-running intensive Spanish-English interpreter-training program in the United States. THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
A portrait of Mrs. Haury, whose professional career included work at the United Nations and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Nominated by the School of Anthropology, Mrs. Haury received an honorary degree from the UA in 1999. She also received a Citizen of the Year Award in 2001 from the UA and the Victor R. Stoner Award in 2007 from the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society. Personal friends of Mrs. Haury speak of her intelligence and unpretentious nature; she was known to be deeply compassionate with a humanistic perspective. She rarely spent money on herself except to fill her home with collections of Native American rugs, pottery, and artwork, and even then it was to support Native American arts. “She was extraordinarily down-to-earth without any airs about her whatsoever,” said David Yetman, an academic expert on Sonora, Mexico, and a researcher in the SBS’s Southwest Center. Yetman’s work was supported by Mrs. Haury and the two grew to be friends over the years. “Agnese did not like beating around the bush. She was very frank,” Yetman said. “If there’s one thing that cuts through all of her philanthropy, it’s that she liked to support work that made a difference to people, that assisted researchers somewhat nontraditionally, but always with an eye on making a difference in the world.” 2015 ISSUE
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THE AGNESE NELMS HAURY PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE During her lifetime, Agnese Haury was concerned about the critical challenges facing the planet and its peoples, including the preservation and understanding of valued cultures, ecosystems, and landscapes; human rights and international relations; environmental change; and issues facing immigrants and indigenous peoples. To help carry out Mrs. Haury’s legacy, the Agnese Nelms Haury Fund will support scientific and cultural work rooted in the environment and social justice. The program reflects Mrs. Haury’s love of the ArizonaSonoran desert region and its peoples and her desire to support faculty and students, advance human rights on an international scale, and address serious issues in a meaningful way. In keeping with Mrs. Haury’s preference for funding innovative scholarship, the initial faculty awards
support UA scholars from across campus whose work can shed light on seemingly intractable problems. In the College of SBS, Alison Hawthorne Deming and Takeshi Inomata were named Haury Chairs, which honors and rewards outstanding senior faculty. Maribel Alvarez, Brian Mayer, and Nina Rabin were named Haury Fellows, which recognizes mid-career faculty scholars. Below is information about the inaugural awardees.
“I look forward to using the fellowship to further research and outreach on social justice issues about which Agnese Haury would have cared a great deal.” ~ Nina Rabin
Haury Chairs and Fellows Alison Hawthorne Deming, professor in the Department of English, is an award-winning nature and science poet and essayist. Her honors include the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets. “I’m truly honored to be appointed a Haury Chair,” said Deming. “With every gift comes an increased sense of responsibility to see that one’s work makes a difference. I hope to further how the arts and literature can collaborate with the sciences to bear witness to the environmental and social justice challenges we face and to help create a future where we, and those who come after us, will want to live.”
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Takeshi Inomata, professor in the School of Anthropology, is a Mesoamerican archaeologist whose new theory on the origins of Mayan civilization drew worldwide media interest. “The Haury gift allows me to expand my research into the origins of Maya civilization and how the trajectory of Maya society affected, and was affected by, the environment,” said Inomata. “In particular, it will help me to further develop my collaboration with Guatemalan colleagues and students. Agnese Haury was a longtime supporter of anthropology, and I am grateful for her generosity.” Maribel Alvarez, associate professor in the School of
Anthropology and associate research scientist in the Southwest Center, is an anthropologist, folklorist, curator, and community arts expert. A trustee of the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center, Alvarez is also the director of the Southwest Folklife Alliance. “The Haury Fellowship will allow me to focus on finishing two almost-ready book manuscripts that have lingered unfinished for too long,” said Alvarez. Brian Mayer, associate professor in the School of Sociology, investigates relationships between societies and the environment. He also studies the public health impacts of technological disasters
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Agnese Nelms Haury was dedicated to the preservation and understanding of cultures, ecosystems, and landscapes; human rights and international relations; the Southwest; and the challenges facing indigenous peoples. We are honored to carry out her legacy.
as well as individual and community recovery efforts. “Being designated a Haury Fellow is a great opportunity to continue finding ways to link my research, teaching, and outreach activities,” said Mayer. “For example, in the spring 2015 semester, I will be teaching a course that aims to better understand the root causes of poverty locally and the challenges poor households will face in a changing climatic environment.” Nina Rabin is the director of the Bacon Immigration Law and Policy Program in the James E. Rogers College of Law and is an associate
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research social scientist in SBS’s Southwest Institute for Research on Women. Rabin is an expert on the impact of immigration and border policies on women’s and children’s rights. “It is a great honor to be one of the inaugural Haury Fellows,” said Rabin. “I look forward to using the fellowship to further research and outreach on social justice issues about which Agnese Haury would have cared a great deal, such as the impact of holding women for prolonged periods in immigration detention facilities and the
working conditions in our region for low-wage immigrant workers.” “The Agnese Nelms Haury Program will have a transformative effect on the UA’s capacity to respond in meaningful and impactful ways to some of the most important challenges related to the environment and social justice,” said John Paul Jones, dean of the College of SBS.
Photo (Above): Mrs. Haury traveled to Álamos, Sonora, to learn about the research occurring in the UA Southwest Center.
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COMMUNICATION MATTERS
Steve Lynn is one of Tucson’s preeminent communicators and has enjoyed a variety of high profile work and volunteer positions that showcase one of his greatest strengths: distilling complex information into a cogent argument and then communicating that argument. One argument that falls readily off Lynn’s lips is that the UA Department of Communication, where he received his master’s degree 40 years ago, is worthy of more notice and funding. Here, Lynn is leading by example. He and his wife, Nancy, are funding the Steve and Nancy Lynn Endowed Professorship in the department.
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“I wanted to donate to the Department of Communication, because I’m very grateful to have been able to make a good living using skills I developed at the UA,” said Lynn.
A HISTORY IN COMMUNICATION At the UA, Lynn majored in government, graduating in 1968. After completing six months of active duty in the Army Reserve, Lynn began his master’s in communication (then speech communication), which he completed in 1974, chipping away at it while working full time.
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“I wanted to donate to the Department of Communication, because I’m very grateful to have been able to make a good living using skills I developed at the UA.” ~ Steve Lynn
The skills he learned in the program— persuasion, argumentation, debate, group dynamics, ethics, and logic—have held him in good stead throughout his career. Lynn’s first job was in public relations at Tucson General Hospital. He later worked for the City of Tucson and then at Nordensson Lynn Advertising/Marketing Communications, where he was a partner for 16 years. When the client-related travel to locations as far away as Louisiana became a burden, he left the agency to work for Tucson Electric Power (TEP), where he was vice president and chief customer officer until his retirement in 2011. Along the way, Lynn has received many accolades, such as “Man of the Year,” “Leader of the Year,” and “Distinguished Citizen” awards, as well as an honorary doctorate from the UA. Admittedly “failing at retirement,” Lynn is still on contract at TEP and is also consulting and volunteering. He chairs the boards of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the UA Health Network, and, until recently, First Things First, which focuses on early childhood development and health. Lynn is also enjoying traveling to the far reaches of the globe with Nancy, his wife of 45 years and a retired high school guidance counselor.
ENDOWED CHAIR IN COMMUNICATION Lynn has been a longtime supporter of the Department of Communication, helping financially, providing advice, and participating in academic program reviews. He recognizes that they steadily, and with little fanfare, teach a large number of students (they are the third
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Steve Lynn, Chris Segrin, and Nancy Lynn at the 2014 Magellan Circle dinner. In addition to being the Steve and Nancy Lynn Endowed Professor, Segrin is an avid wildlife photographer, a musician (he collects vintage instruments), and a woodworker (he has made almost all the furniture in his house).
largest major on campus) with only eight tenure-track faculty members. “It’s a small department with an enormous throughput,” said Lynn. “The faculty do yeoman’s work dealing with so many undergraduates.” In addition, the department and its graduate program are ranked in the top 20 by Academic Analytics, the National Communication Association, and the National Research Council (NRC). The department consistently ranks in the top five nationally both on measures of productivity (publications) and impact (citations). “We serve many students. We also have one of the best graduate programs in the world. So the combination of high demand and excellence makes the department a fantastic investment,” said department head Chris Segrin. Segrin, who Lynn calls “exceptional,” has been named the first Steve and Nancy Lynn Endowed Professor. Segrin’s resume is overflowing with citations; his research includes studies on marriage and divorce, loneliness, depression, and helicopter parenting. He has also been collaborating for several years with the College of Nursing on the role of communication on the health and well-being of cancer patients and their partners. “What threads all the things I study together is what
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I would call well-being, or the lack of well-being,” said Segrin. “I think that communication and our relationships are inextricably intertwined with our quality of life.” Segrin has a strong work ethic and a desire for that work to have consequences, not merely to rest peacefully in the annals of academic journals. In addition to giving communication workshops to cancer patients and their partners, Segrin also plays an active role in the Community Justice Board—a diversion program run through the Pima County Attorney’s Office that provides tangible consequences to youth offenders other than going to juvenile hall. Previously, Segrin volunteered in prisons in Kansas and Arizona, where he taught workshops to inmates on topics ranging from marriage, to parenting, to interview skills. “One of the things I always thought when I worked with incarcerated offenders is ‘if only I could have gotten in touch with them when they were younger,’” said Segrin. “Every time I work with young people in distress, I watch these transformations. It has a very magnetic pull for me.” Segrin considers one of his most important jobs as being an advocate for his unit, which boasts a collection of hard-working, talented faculty, lecturers, and graduate students. Faculty study a range of topics, such as mass media, interpersonal relationships, intergroup relationships, communication technology, health communication, and political communication. Segrin is gratified by the gift from Steve and Nancy Lynn, recognizing the significance it bestows not just on him personally but also on the department. “Named professorships are very particular to your best schools in the nation,” said Segrin. “It’s such an honor, especially having an alum like Steve associated with it. He’s such a fixture in the Tucson community.”
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“We serve many students. We also have one of the best graduate programs in the world. So the combination of high demand and excellence makes the department a fantastic investment.” ~ Chris Segrin
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MEET THE FACULTY IN THE UA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
Joe Bonito, Professor Research Areas: Small group communication, communication technologies, message production processes Jake Harwood, Professor Research Areas: Intergroup communication, communication and aging Kate Kenski, Associate Professor Research Areas: Political communication, public opinion, media and politics Maggie Pitts, Assistant Professor Research Areas: Intercultural communication, health communication, interpersonal communication Steve Rains, Associate Professor Research Areas: New communication technologies, social influence, health communication Chris Segrin, Professor and Department Head Research Areas: Interpersonal communication, health communication Jennifer Stevens Aubrey, Associate Professor Research Areas: Media effects; emotional, mental, and physical health in young people Kyle Tusing, Associate Professor Instructional Areas: Interpersonal communication, introduction to communication, persuasion, communication theory Jodi Whitaker, Assistant Professor Research Areas: Mass media, video games, social cognition
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“That in just a few years I could go from one of the poorest high schools in Tucson to photographing the President of the United States speaks volumes about the quality of a UA education. I’m indebted to the UA for allowing me to study at a world-class institute, to the College of SBS and the School of Journalism for empowering me with a critical mind, and to the Magellan Circle for helping me pay for college.” ~ Amer Taleb, Magellan Circle student speaker at the 2014 Magellan Circle dinner
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The Magellan Circle is a society of donors who contribute to the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. The money raised in the Magellan Circle supports the Dean’s Fund for Excellence. Over the years, Magellan Circle members’ generous donations have supported more than 430 students and funded many research grants and faculty awards. This year, Magellan Circle funds supported public outreach and faculty-supervised research, including the following: Diane Austin, director of the School of Anthropology, received funds to help with travel costs for 11 student presentations to community and academic audiences. Francisco Galarte, assistant professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, received funds for the “Queer of Color Lecture and Workshop Series.” Sally Stevens, director of the Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW), received funds for the 2013 Women in Science and Engineering Excellence Banquet. The Magellan Circle supports community engagement events at the 44 E. Broadway loft. The Magellan Circle was a major sponsor of the Downtown Lecture Series on food.
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TEACHING AWARDS
Amy Fountain, lecturer in the Department of Linguistics, studies American Indian languages and works in the areas of language endangerment and revitalization.
Photo (Above): The Magellan Circle-sponsored Downtown Lecture Series takes place at the historic Fox Tucson Theatre. Photo by Robert Walker. Photos from 2014 Magellan Circle dinner (Top, left): Jo Ann Ellison and Barbara Starrett with Magellan Circle scholars. (Below, l-r): Ken and Linda Robin; Steve Lynn, who received the “Outstanding Service Award”; Selma Paul Marks, Elise Collins Shields, Diana Liverman, and Margy McGonagill; Amer Taleb, the Magellan Circle student speaker; J.P. Jones with Chris Segrin, who received the “Faculty Fundraising Award.” Photos by Christine Scheer.
Jadwiga Pieper-Mooney, associate professor in the Department of History, researches and teaches on Latin America, gender equity, and human rights.
V. Spike Peterson, professor in the School of Government and Public Policy, works at the intersections of international relations; feminist and queer theory; and international political economy. THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
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MAGELLAN CIRCLE HONOR ROLL ENDOWED MAGELLAN Lillian Fisher Janet Lesher
CIRCUMNAVIGATORS Anonymous (5) Rowene Aguirre-Medina & Roy Medina (P) Paul & Alice Baker* Robert & Esther Berger Thomas & Olga Bever* Betsy Bolding (P) Larry & Jana Bradley Lyn Brillo Archibald & Laura Brown (P) Earl H. & Louise Carroll* (P) Raúl H. & Patricia Castro Joseph & Ruth Cramer* Alice Dempster (P) Stephanie Denkowicz Donald & Joan Diamond Steve & Ruth Dickstein (P) Estate of A. Richard Diebold* Keith Dixon Richard & Mary Rose Duffield (P) Karl & Stevie Eller Jo Ann Ellison & Barbara Starrett (P) Betty Feinberg Bruce & Edythe Gissing (P) Jan Harelson & John Guilbert Matthew & Julie Harelson Estate of Agnese Haury* Peter Hayes Helios Education Foundation Frederick W. Henninger, Jr. William & Flora Hewlett Foundation Hervey Hotchkiss & Susan Parker-Hotchkiss (P) James L. & Joanne Hunter Nicholas & Athena Karabots Tom & Reenie Keating (P) W.K. Kellogg Foundation Ken & Randy Kendrick Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation Lessner Family Trust William Longacre* Steve & Nancy Lynn* (P) Marshall Foundation Fletcher & Elizabeth McCusker James S. McDonnell Foundation James Meehan & Patricia White
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Bill Nugent Geertruida Oberman Eleanor L. Olsen* Kenneth & Bettina Plevan Melody Robidoux, the Melody S. Robidoux Foundation (P) Kenneth & Linda Robin The Omidyar Network Providence Service Corporation, Inc. James & Beverly Rogers Ronald & Beverly Rose Roshan Institute of Cultural Heritage Adib & Entisar “Vivi” Sabbagh* (P) Sally Drachman Salvatore John & Helen Schaefer* (P) Estate of Sherwin Scott Irving Silverman Luda Soldwedel* Southwestern Foundation Raymond & Tina Spencer David & Andrea Stein (P) Estate of John F. Tanner, Sandy & Karl Elers Estate of Bazy Tankersley Vital Projects Fund Ron & Diane Weintraub Estate of Barbara K. Wheat Duane & Linda Whitaker* Laurel Wilkening Melvin & Enid Zuckerman
Giving Levels Endowed Magellan A donor who gives $25,000 to endow lifetime membership in the Magellan Circle or $45,000 to endow lifetime membership and a student scholarship in perpetuity Circumnavigator A donor who gives a gift or a bequest of $100,000 or more to the College of SBS Patron A donor who gives an annual contribution of $1,500 to the Magellan Circle, $1000 of which goes into the Dean’s Fund for Excellence, and $500 of which goes directly to a Magellan scholar Explorer A donor who gives an annual contribution of $1,000, which goes into the Dean’s Fund for Excellence
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PATRONS
EXPLORERS
Anonymous (1) Melany Wynn Berger Albert & Susan Bergesen David Brown Elise Collins Shields & Creston Shields Richard & Behar Delgado Alice Dempster Deanna Evenchik Pam Grissom* Donald Harris Michael & Nancy Honkamp Margaret Houghton & Bertram Falbaum* John Paul Jones III* Mike & Beth Kasser George & Anna Kennedy Gary Marcus Sandra Robert Maxfield Benjamin Menges Jeffery Mora Francene & Timothy Orrok Bonham Richardson* Leo A. Roop* Robert & Anne Segal Nick Soloway & Kay Ransdell Daniel & Susan Warmack J. Edward & Keeley Wright* Steven Zelinger (Book Scholar Patron)
Sherrill & Dennis Bambauer Robert & Julia Charles George & Marjorie Cunningham Adel Gamal Gerald & LaDona Geise Philip & Sally Greenfeld John Hudak Jan Konstanty & Patricia Wallace Robin & Jack Lavin Todd & Carole Lundmark Margy McGonagill & Garry Bryant Margaret Maxwell Frances Merryman Alberto & Gesine Moore Mary Ann & William Moreau Eleanor Olsen John W. Olsen & Ovadan Amanova-Olsen* Richard & Shana Oseran Tiana & Jeffrey Ronstadt Neelam & Gulshan K. Sethi Harriet Silverman James Studwell & Ginny Healy* Al Tarlov & Janet Belkin Mary Voyatzis & Fred Frelinghuysen Janice Wezelman & David Bartlett
* Founding Member (P) = Patron
This year, Magellan Circle patrons sponsored 61 Magellan Circle scholarships. Scholars received $500 and met their patrons at a breakfast in December 2014.
Photos (Left): The 2013-2014 Magellan Circle Scholars; John Williams, patron Anne Segal, Karen Del Grado Schaffner, and Caleb Rhodes; Dann-Gift Gihang, patron Ben Menges, and Danielle Delbert. Photos by Christine Scheer.
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Excursions YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW: ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
Photos (Top): A group meal. (Below, clockwise): Shana Oseran; Sallie Marston; Richard Oseran; The group met Isreali soldiers on the street; Ed Wright shares his expertise with the group; Group photo by the Mediterranean Sea; Jerusalem.
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From May 25 to June 5, 2014, Professor Ed Wright, director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, and SBS Dean John Paul Jones III led 16 travelers on a Magellan Circle excursion to Israel and Palestine. The group stayed in top hotels and a kibbutz, visited Masada, and floated in the Dead Sea. Wright was able to provide unique insights into biblical and archaeological sites. The group also received an inside look into the political situation in the region as it is viewed by various sectors of both Palestinian and Israeli society. The Magellan Circle is now planning a “Slow Foods” trip to Italy from May 22 to June 2, 2015, led by Anthropology Regents’ Professor David Soren. Contact Jennifer Bailey at jbailey1@email.arizona.edu or 520-626-6977 for details.
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Board Profile: Rowene Aguirre-Medina
Rowene has gone on the last two Magellan Circle excursions, first to Turkey and then to Israel and Palestine. She loves the opportunity to travel with “fun SBS people” and with an expert professor. “You feel as if you come back with a better understanding of what is going on in the world,” Rowene said. Here Rowene is pictured with Peggy Houghton at the Western Wall.
Rowene Aguirre-Medina, an SBS board member and Magellan Circle member, is a graduate of the University of Arizona, where she majored in speech communication/secondary education and minored in history. Rowene and her husband, Roy, also fund the Mary Bernard Aguirre Professorship in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies in honor of Rowene’s great-grandmother—a pioneer and an early Arizona educator. “At a very young age, stories about Mamie and her pioneering spirit gave me the idea that women could and did do incredible things,” said Rowene. These stories also fed an avocation in Rowene that has stayed with her throughout her life: working for equity and education for women and girls. Having been born in Calexico, a border and desert community, and having lived on both sides of the border, Rowene is also passionate about border and water/sustainability issues. The diversity of her interests dovetails nicely with the breadth in SBS, which is one of the reasons Rowene is such a vocal proponent of the college and is a longtime member of the Magellan Circle. “When you are involved in the Magellan Circle, you come away thinking you are helping make the world a better place,” said Rowene, who supports four Magellan Circle scholars. “These students are going to be agents of change. They are the future.” THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
For her day job, Rowene is the founding partner and the financial officer of Polydrive Industries, a firm that manufactures precision urethane products. Although the job appears incongruent with Rowene’s passions, for her the balance works. “I feel like I am very fortunate that I can have these two lives.” Rowene, who sits on the National Leadership Council for the UA Foundation, thinks college graduates who are frustrated at not finding their dream job should consider volunteering in an area they love. By volunteering, they can often make valuable connections that can lead to paying opportunities down the line. In addition, their lives will be enriched by helping others. “It is extremely important that we become part of the answer in a world that is so troubled,” said Rowene, who believes that SBS plays a crucial role in finding those answers. “What we do in SBS helps people live together on this planet.”
“SBS changes the world in real and measurable ways. I feel that even with my little bit of involvement, I’m helping make a better future for my grandchildren and the world’s children.” ~ Rowene Aguirre-Medina
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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
TACKLING LOCAL POVERTY In the 2014 spring course
“Poverty in American Cities,” undergraduate students helped conduct a survey of lowincome Tucsonans. This wasn’t just for a class assignment. The students’ work was part of a larger study that was submitted to the Mayor’s Commission on Poverty to help it identify and develop practical solutions to poverty in Tucson, which has one of the highest poverty rates among the nation’s large cities. The course grew out of a research collaboration between SBS, the city, and local nonprofits dedicated to alleviating poverty in Tucson, including the Primavera Foundation and Our Family Services, which secured funds for the project. As part of the collaboration, SBS researchers also conducted a multi-city analysis of best practices in tackling poverty. Julia Smith, a UA sociology graduate student, and Lane Kenworthy, a former UA sociology professor, spearheaded the project. The researchers were trying to answer five questions about poverty in Tucson: How does Tucson’s poverty rate compare to that of other large cities? Who are the poor in Tucson, and where are they located? What are their biggest struggles? What services are currently provided in Tucson? What promising anti-poverty strategies have other cities pursued? “Having information on the success or failure of other programs as well as more in-depth research into poverty in Tucson is helpful as we develop ways to address poverty in our city and region,” said Mayor Jonathan Rothschild.
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The collaboration between the College of SBS and the Mayor’s Commission on Poverty will continue with a spring course led by Smith and Sociology Professor Brian Mayer titled “Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop,” in which students will collect, analyze, and present their data on local community issues related to poverty. The course is being supported by gifts from Habitat for Humanity Tucson, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. The researchers would like to collect long-term data on low-income Tucsonans, with a goal of following them over five years and honing in on certain topics, such as nutrition, transportation, health and safety, and access to social services. “This project is a great example of how community partnerships advance the University’s strategic goals,” said Lydia Breunig, director of community outreach and special projects for SBS. “The course furthers the UA’s goal of 100 percent student engagement by providing students experience in a research project with value to our community.” THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
“This course has changed how I view those who are living in poverty. The people I talked to were not interested in living solely off of welfare; rather, they were resourceful people who simply wanted to make ends meet.” ~ Rachael Andrews, undergraduate student
Photo by Patrick McArdle
Photos (Above): Mayor Jonathan Rothschild spoke to students in the “Poverty in American Cities” course. (At left): Students in the course interviewed Tucsonans living in poverty.
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Melody Robidoux, the SBS alumna of the year, with Laura Penny, the SBS homecoming chair. Laura is the former CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona, which Melody cofounded. Both women were honored by SBS in the UA Women’s Plaza of Honor.
On November 8, the College of
Photos (Top to bottom): Philosophy Professor Thomas Christiano introduced Vincent Redhouse, our student speaker; Christine Siqueiros (political science alum), Dave Federhar (psychology alum), Janet Manary, and Alán Huerta (Latin American history alum) mingling at The Shanty.
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Social and Behavioral Sciences had its annual homecoming bash at The Shanty. Our homecoming chair was Laura Penny, former Executive Director of the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona. Laura is a 35-year resident of Tucson and has spent many of those years advocating on behalf of women as a volunteer for a variety of Tucson organizations. Professionally, she has worked in the criminal justice, behavioral health, and education arenas, all of which have given her insights into the challenges women and girls face in overcoming economic, social, gender, and political barriers. Our student speaker was Vince Redhouse. He is a member of the Navajo Nation and a senior in the Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law program, as well as a Magellan Circle Scholar. In 2012, Vince transferred from Pima Community College to the UA, where he has been very involved in the cultural and resource centers on campus. Upon graduation, Vince plans to pursue a Ph.D. in social and political philosophy. Our alumna of the year was Melody Robidoux, who received her degree in political science and then went on to get a Juris Doctorate at the James E. Rogers College of Law. Melody cofounded the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona and supports numerous causes through the THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Melody S. Robidoux Foundation. Robidoux created the Robidoux Foundation Student Travel Endowment in the School of Government and Public Policy, endowed a history scholarship honoring Professor Richard Cosgrove, and provided a grant to create the Melody S. Robidoux Foundation Civil Engagement Room in the Social Sciences Building. A special thanks to our homecoming sponsor, Bill Nugent, who’s not only the proprietor of The Shanty, but also a UA alum and SBS board member! Photos (Top to bottom): The UA marching band; SBS Dean J.P. Jones provides Bill Nugent with a check representing the college’s donation to the William Owen Nugent 44 E. Broadway Fund; Laura Penny with J.P. Jones. Photos by Lori Harwood.
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SBS WELCOMES English and American Indian Studies to the College
In the fall of 1997, the UA became the first educational institution in the United States to offer a doctorate in American Indian Studies.
This July, the College of SBS welcomed two new units into the fold: English and American Indian Studies. AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES American Indian Studies joins us from the Office of the Vice President for Research. More important than the change of its administrative home is the fact that the unit, which already has a renowned graduate program, is now a full-fledged department, allowing for the development of a bachelor’s degree.
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The Department of American Indian Studies focuses on understanding the languages, history, lands, and cultures of American Indians and Alaska Natives, as well as on leadership and self-determination on tribal lands.
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“The arrival of English and American Indian Studies greatly enhances the college’s expertise in the study of culture, history, literature, technology, politics, and the environment. Both units expand our capacity for collaboration, innovation, and discovery and will help us multiply the impact of the college on UA students and our communities.” ~ John Paul Jones III, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
SMALL PRESS SUCCESS A book of poetry published by Letter Machine Editions, a small press run by English Assistant Professor Joshua Marie Wilkinson, was shortlisted for the National Book Award in Poetry. Department head Lee Medovoi wants the department to parlay this success into an expanded curriculum in publishing, especially in light of the fact that the unit boasts two other small presses.
DID YOU KNOW? Housed at the UA, the Learning Games Initiative Research Archive (LGIRA) was created and is co-directed by English Professor Ken McAllister. The archive is one of the largest collections of computer games and related materials in the country!
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH The Department of English’s drive to expand interdisciplinary boundaries lies at the heart of the move to SBS and promises a variety of exciting possibilities in teaching, research, and community impact. The department is one of the nation’s most dynamic places to study literature; creative writing; rhetoric and
THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
composition; applied linguistics; teaching English as a second language; film and media; cultural studies; and much more. Faculty specializations in the areas of technology, health, environment, globalization, and regional roots align well with the college’s existing strategic priorities.
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THE BUZZ NEWS & NOTES
INSPIRING FUTURE LINGUISTS A UA linguistics team received a highly coveted invitation from the National Science Foundation to participate in a science, engineering, technology, and mathematics festival in Washington, D.C., last April. The team, led by UA linguist and SBS Associate Dean for Research Cecile McKee, presented a range of informal, hands-on science activities designed for people of all ages.
MOVING ON UP The College of SBS is part of a partnership between the University of Arizona and the Maricopa Community Colleges to allow students in the Phoenix area to graduate from the UA! Beginning in fall 2015, students from Paradise Valley Community College can earn a B.A. in General Studies, with a concentration in Arts, Media, and Entertainment; Global and Intercultural Understanding; Social Behavior and Human Understanding; or Study of the U.S. and the American Experience. Students benefit from small classes, faculty guidance, and a structured learning environment in their home town, while also enjoying access to the world-class resources and expertise of the UA.
RESTORING OUR TORAH SCROLL Last winter, the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies brought in a sofer to restore its 200-year-old Torah scroll, which is the first and only Torah owned by the University of Arizona. Beth Alpert Nakhai, associate professor of Judaic Studies, said the scroll, which measures 100-feet long and weighs around 20-25 pounds, was anonymously donated to the UA and arrived in her office wrapped in newspaper inside a cardboard box.
Photo by Leigh A. Jensen
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PROFESSOR PLAUDITS SBS professors receive a multitude of accolades every year. Two significant awards bestowed on our faculty last year include a Guggenheim Fellowship, received by Diana Liverman, and a Regents’ Professorship, received by Mary Stiner. Liverman, a Regents’ Professor in the School of Geography and Development and the co-director of the Institute of the Environment, will use her one-year fellowship to write a book on the relationship between poverty and climate change in the Americas. Stiner, a professor in the School of Anthropology, is an expert on the Mediterranean cultures of the Middle Paleolithic through the Stone Age. The title of Regents’ Professor is reserved for faculty members whose exceptional achievements merit national and international distinction.
Diana Liverman
Mary Stiner
FIRST B.A. OF LAW IN THE COUNTRY This fall, the UA launched the nation’s first Bachelor of Arts in Law degree program. Designed to prepare undergraduates for jobs in which a strong knowledge of law is beneficial, the new degree is a partnership between the School of Government and Public Policy and the James E. Rogers College of Law. Photo by FJ Gaylor
LEADERSHIP THROUGH IDEAS The College of SBS worked in partnership with community leader Ann W. Lovell and the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona to bring the Public Voices Fellowship Program to Tucson, which teaches women to share their expertise and insights and helps advance them as thought leaders in their respective fields. The 2013-2014 group of 18 women landed more than 90 media placements over the course of the program, on topics ranging from the environment to the Middle East to racial discrimination in schools. The next cohort of participants began meeting this past fall. See the video online at http://bit.ly/SBSThoughtLeaders THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
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ARABIC FLAGSHIP PROGRAM The School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies received a grant from the federal government to initiate the Arabic Flagship Program, which prepares undergraduates to reach superior-level fluency in Arabic by the time they graduate. The prestigious designation was awarded to only four other institutions of higher education in the country!
Photo by Jacob Chinn
PARTNERING WITH THE SOUTHWEST FOLKLIFE ALLIANCE The Southwest Folklife Alliance (SFA), helmed by Associate Professor Maribel Alvarez, is an expansion of the largest folklife public event in the Southwest, Tucson Meet Yourself. The College of SBS is proud to partner with the SFA, which is developing programs such as a small business incubator for traditional cooks, farmers, and food artisans, as well as training for “citizen folklorists” interested in documenting traditional cultural knowledge in their home communities.
BRIT WIT: DOWNTON ABBEY AS HISTORICAL FICTION English Professor Jerry Hogle lectures on how the popular BBC series “Downton Abbey” incorporates historical events as they engulf its fictional characters. In this respect, “Downton” follows a long tradition of historical fiction, given its greatest impetus in the 19th century by Walter Scott in the United Kingdom and James Fenimore Cooper in the United States.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANTHROPOLOGY! In 2015, the UA School of Anthropology will celebrate its centennial! A range of special events, including distinguished lectures and alumnioriented social occasions, are being planned all year in recognition of the school’s first century. Check out their website at http://anthropology.arizona.edu for updates.
PICTURE PERFECT Italy in the summertime: what could be more inspiring for aspiring photojournalists! This past summer, UA students enjoyed a five-week Study Abroad as part of the UA photojournalism program in Italy. Their lessons covered composition, lighting, and digital workflow. They were also able to experiment with multimedia, audio collection, and caption writing and learned about copyright laws and ethics.
(l-r) A woman reads a book in her leather shop in Florence, Italy. Photo by McKenzie Colson; A silhouetted photographer takes a photo of the Colossal statue restored as Oceanus, also known as the “Marforio” fountain in the courtyard of the Musei Capitolini, in Rome, Italy. Photo by Matthew Prevallet.
BREAKING BARRIERS The UA is hiring four tenure-track faculty positions in Transgender Studies. Two faculty members started this fall in the College of SBS, one in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and one in the School of Anthropology. A third faculty member started in the Religious Studies Program in the College of Humanities. One additional scholar will be hired in 2015. This cluster hire is one element of the UA’s unprecedented investment in the field of Transgender Studies. Other elements include support for a new peer-reviewed journal, TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly; a new interdisciplinary Center for Critical Studies of the Body; and an anticipated graduate degree program in Transgender Studies.
THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Transgender Studies initiative at the UA. (Front, l-r): Paisley Currah, Susan Stryker, Monica Casper, and Francisco Galarte. (Back): Eric Plemons, Max Strassfeld, Eva Hayward. Photo by Paisley Currah. 2015 ISSUE
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UA Community and School Garden Program. Photo by Moses Thompson
Last spring, the University of Arizona launched a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign—named Arizona NOW—the largest in the University’s history. As part of the campaign, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences is committed to raising money for our most critical goals—enhancing the student experience, recruiting and retaining a world-class faculty, and expanding the college’s reach into our community. We also will raise funds so that we can invest in infrastructure improvements—better classrooms, improved research laboratories, and more space for community engagement and partnerships, all of which are necessary in pursuit of our mission. Thank you for supporting the College of SBS with our fundraising goals and helping us create one of the most talented and forward-thinking colleges in the nation!
HOW TO GIVE Donating to the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences is making an investment in the future. Our goal is to match every potential donor with an area in SBS that speaks to their passion! You can make a donation online at: http://uafoundation.org/give/sbs If you prefer to send a check, please make your check payable to “The UA Foundation/College of SBS” and designate a specific endowment, program, or unit in the memo section.
We believe there is no moment like right now for the University of Arizona and the College of SBS. Now is what makes every minute of the future possible. It’s when our fiercest supporters rise to the occasion. For our future, our legacy, and our place in history, what we can do together is boundless.
You can mail your check to: UA College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Attn: Jennifer Rascon Douglass 200W PO Box 210028 Tucson, AZ 85721-0028 You can also contact Ginny Healy, the SBS senior director of development, at 520-621-3938 or ghealy@email.arizona.edu Thank you for your support!
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Arizona Center for Judaic Studies Ed Wright edwright@email.arizona.edu 520-626-5759 http://judaic.arizona.edu
School of Sociology Albert Bergesen albert@email.arizona.edu 520-621-3531 http://sociology.arizona.edu
School of Anthropology Diane Austin daustin@email.arizona.edu 520-621-2585 http://anthropology.arizona.edu
Division for Late Medieval and Reformation Studies Susan Karant-Nunn karantnu@email.arizona.edu 520-626-5448 http://dlmrs.web.arizona.edu
The Southwest Center Joseph Wilder jwilder@email.arizona.edu 520-621-2484 http://swc.arizona.edu
Department of Communication Chris Segrin segrin@email.arizona.edu 520-621-1366 http://comm.arizona.edu
Center for Latin American Studies Linda Green lbgreen@email.arizona.edu 520-626-7242 http://las.arizona.edu
Department of English Leerom Medovoi medovoi@email.arizona.edu 520-621-1836 http://english.arizona.edu
Department of Linguistics Simin Karimi karimi@email.arizona.edu 520-621-6897 http://linguistics.arizona.edu
Department of American Indian Studies Ofelia Zepeda ofelia@email.arizona.edu 520-621-7108 http://www.ais.arizona.edu
Department of Gender and Women’s Studies Monica Casper mjcasper@email.arizona.edu 520-621-7338 http://gws.arizona.edu
Department of Mexican American Studies Richard Ruiz ruizr@email.arizona.edu 520-621-7551 http://mas.arizona.edu
School of Geography and Development Connie Woodhouse conniew1@email.arizona.edu 520-621-5096 http://geography.arizona.edu
Center for Middle Eastern Studies Anne Betteridge anneb@email.arizona.edu 520-621-5450 http://cmes.arizona.edu
School of Government and Public Policy Brint Milward milward@email.arizona.edu 520-621-7600 http://sgpp.arizona.edu
School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies Scott Lucas sclucas@email.arizona.edu 520-626-9562 http://menas.arizona.edu
Department of History Kevin Gosner kgosner@email.arizona.edu 520-621-1586 http://history.arizona.edu
Department of Philosophy Michael Gill gillm@email.arizona.edu 520-621-5045 http://philosophy.arizona.edu
School of Information Resources and Library Science Bryan Heidorn heidorn@email.arizona.edu 520-621-3565 http://sirls.arizona.edu
Center for the Philosophy of Freedom David Schmidtz schmidtz@email.arizona.edu 520-621-3129 http://freedomcenter.arizona.edu
School of Journalism David Cuillier cuillier@email.arizona.edu 520-626-9694 http://journalism.arizona.edu
SBS Research Institute Beth Stahmer estahmer@email.arizona.edu 520-621-1135 http://sbsri.sbs.arizona.edu
Southwest Institute for Research on Women Sally Stevens sstevens@email.arizona.edu 520-621-7338 http://sirow.arizona.edu
Advisory Board 2015 Steve Lynn, Chair John Paul Jones III, Dean Rowene Aguirre-Medina Melany Wynn Berger Betsy Bolding Kim Bourn Sheri Bracamonte Gary Bryant Elise Collins Shields Bertram Falbaum Pamela Grissom Stephanie Healy Margaret M. Houghton John Hudak Augustine B. Jimenez III George A. Kennedy Jan Konstanty Janet Lesher Lisa Lovallo Margaret McGonagill Francie Merryman Alberto Moore William Owen Nugent Richard Oseran Shana Oseran Luis Fernando Parra James Gordon Patterson Kenneth Robin Linda Robin Entisar Sabbagh J. Edward Wright Honorary Board Members Earl H. Carroll Michael A. Chihak Richard DufďŹ eld Gerald Geise Patty Weiss Gelenberg Selma Paul Marks John W. Olsen Anthony Vuturo
P.O. Box 210028 Tucson, AZ 85721-0028
Contents 1 WELCOME 2 A PLACE TO BELONG Plevan Family Creates Endowed Professorship and Lecture Series in Son’s Name
6 REMEMBERING BRENNA Communication Scholarship Honors Brenna Ilana Berger’s Generous Spirit
10 AT THE NEXUS OF PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE Endowment Brings Scientific and Philosophical Thinkers to UA
12 TOWARD A RATIONAL LIFE Sherwin Scott Gift Funds Endowed Professorship in Philosophy
14 A PLACE TO CONNECT 44 E. Broadway Loft is SBS’s Hub for Downtown Community Engagement
16 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM CONTINUES LEGACY OF AGNESE NELMS HAURY Philanthropist Creates Transformative Program at the UA
20 COMMUNICATION MATTERS Steve and Nancy Lynn Create Endowed Chair in Communication
34 WELCOME TO AIS AND ENGLISH American Indian Studies and English Join the College of SBS
In Every Issue 24 The Magellan Circle 30 Community Connections 32 Homecoming 36 The Buzz: News & Notes 40 How to Give