spring 2014
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
helping students over the elephant — the financial gap between student need and southwestern’s ability to provide aid — lies with our alumni and friends
SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY BUILT ON A COMMITMENT TO INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING Thanks to generous donors, Southwestern met its initial goal of raising $8.1 million and broke ground on Phase I of the new science center on April 25, 2014. Phase I will provide a crucial addition of laboratory and teaching spaces capable of sustaining a broad, inquiry-based curriculum across the sciences. We now look forward—with your help—to Phase II renovation of existing space. When complete, the planned new building, designed with collaboration in mind, will foster a cross-disciplinary community, enhance Southwestern’s tradition of excellence in science education and bring all science and mathematics faculty together in a projected 103,000 square feet of classrooms, offices, seminar rooms and laboratories. Your gifts are helping to prepare the scientific leaders and innovators of the future. To learn more about the new Southwestern Science Center, or to make a gift, visit www.southwestern.edu/giving/sciences.
spring 2014
quoted...
“Success requires a collective effort going forward.” — Craig Erwin, Associate Vice President for Finance
University Relations Office of Communications Associate Vice President, Communications Cindy Locke Director, Creative Eric Bumgardner Assistant Director, Writer/Editor Kristina W. Moore Assistant Director, DESIGNER Jessica Corliss Director, News and Media Relations Ellen Davis Director, Web Development and Communications John Kotarski ’93
Party Like a Pirate The Southwestern community celebrates the inauguration of President Edward Burger at the Pirate
Features 5 | our paideia moment On March 25, Southwestern University installed its 15th president, Edward B. Burger, and celebrated in true Pirate fashion.
Party on the Lawn, complete with music from the SU Jazz Band and local-area food trucks. Photo by Lance Holt
8 | THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Associate Director, New Media Danielle Brown Stapleton ’05
Southwestern exposes the “elephant in the room,” while faculty, staff and alumni make the case for investing in the Southwestern Experience.
magazine@southwestern.edu University Relations Office of alumni and parents Associate Vice President, Alumni and Parents Megan Radison Frisque
14 | exemplary examples Southwestern students and alumni are invited to showcase exemplary research in The Huffington Post.
Senior Associate Director, Alumni and Parents JoAnn Lucero Associate Director, Alumni and Parents Grace Josey Pyka ’05
1 6 | reflecti8ns
alumni@southwestern.edu parents@southwestern.edu
Seven alumni and a professor reflect on their Southwestern Experiences and are honored by The Association of Southwestern University Alumni.
Chief administrative officers Edward B. Burger, President Richard L. Anderson, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs Gerald Brody, Vice President for Student Life
28 | digital dialogue
James W. Hunt, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
The most popular posts, tweets and photos from the last six months.
Kent Huntsman, Interim Vice President for University Relations Beverly Jones, University Chaplain Pamela McQuesten, Vice President for Information Services and Chief Information Officer Francie Schroeder, Executive Manager for the Office of the President and Liaison to the Board of Trustees Dave Voskuil, Vice President for Enrollment Services CONTACTS Main: (512) 863-6511 Alumni and Parents: (800) 960-6363 Office of Admission: (800) 252-3166
On the Cover The elephant in the room—the gap between student need and SU’s ability to provide financial aid—is our current reality. See page 12 for an all-hands call to close this gap. Illustration by Eric Bumgardner
in every issue
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President’s Message On Campus Athletics Class Notes Last Word spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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president’s message Photo by Lance Holt
Expectations A few weeks ago, as I was speaking with members of Southwestern’s Alumni Council, I was asked whether my expectations had been met since beginning my tenure as Southwestern University’s 15th president. My answer was that upon leaving a 23-year career at a wonderful college, I had many great expectations and that, overall, most of them had not only been realized, but indeed exceeded. The students, faculty and staff have far surpassed my hopes and dreams. I still marvel at the entire community’s openness to new, creative and innovative ideas. In fact, many of the original ideas we’re implementing and considering have been suggested by the Southwestern community. Ideas such as inquiry based learning, making connections through Paideia, rich collaborative experiences with students (including research opportunities), connecting students and alumni, new ways of engaging our constituents, and more. There are some expectations I have for Southwestern that have yet to be fulfilled within the context of the sobering financial realities facing all of America’s colleges and universities. While we are pursuing many initiatives to improve our situation—creating a truly exceptional and differentiated living and learning experience, soliciting and implementing cost-saving programs, increasing efficiencies in several areas, and finding compelling reasons for our alumni, parents and other friends to engage with the University—we still have serious and essential work ahead. To help you better understand the realities of the economics of higher education at Southwestern and beyond, as well as what we’ve already done, and the direction in which we are moving, we have compiled some important information and thoughtful commentary from experts on campus and off, who understand not only the current landscape of higher education, but the national and global economic climate as well.
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My most important and highest expectation is that you share a real sense of the value of the Southwestern Experience. Especially in today’s world, the skills we offer are more important than ever—critical thinking, adaptability, innovation and communication, together with an understanding that wise and creative change is required for living and leading. These are the attributes necessary for success, and Southwestern is a national leader in producing graduates who have embraced these habits and discovered who they are. In my inaugural address, I detailed my thoughts on the Southwestern Experience and how our past connects with our future. I invite you to either watch the address on video or read the transcript. http://www.southwestern.edu/president/inauguration/address.php I hope that you will spend some time reading this issue of Southwestern and that you come away having learned something new and having been compelled to help Southwestern move with strength and wisdom into our future. We need your support in realizing our most noble cause—to Engage Minds and Transform Lives. If you have any questions, I encourage you to reach out to me via email at president@southwestern. edu or on Twitter @ebb663. Looking forward,
Edward Burger
“I’m proud that ... Southwestern strives to develop the whole person for living every day in a richer and more meaningful way.” — president edward b. burger
Our Paideia Moment reflecting on our past and looking toward our future, Southwestern inaugurated Edward B. Burger as the University’s 15 th president on March 25, 2014 Photography by Lance Holt and Kris Luck
A mathematician and noted scholar, President Burger in his inaugural address spoke of the fine frontier between what we know and what we don’t, saying, “Moving that frontier of understanding outward, exploring, and creating are the true joys of original thought.” He went on to say that everyone’s Southwestern Experience is uniquely
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their own, but when we examine each experience closely and thoughtfully, we see critical common threads. In conclusion, President Burger called the Southwestern community to “make this our age of unprecedented collaboration, creativity, engagement and transformation … our time of connection.”
To see the complete Presidential Inauguration ceremony or to view a visual archive of the event, visit
www.southwestern.edu /president /inauguration.php spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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1. Alumni representatives beginning with the
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Class of 1944 participated in the day’s events.
2. “Glory to thy name...” President Burger and Board of Trustees members join in singing the Alma Mater. 3. Southwestern’s faculty members process to the sound of pipes into the Corbin J. Robertson Center for the inauguration.
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“Listening to welcome remarks from @SouthwesternU community & feeling inspired about the future of our institution! #15PresSU #BeSouthwestern” 6
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4. In his official regalia, President Burger prepares for his installation ceremony. 5. The inauguration began with a traditional bagpipe processional, “Scotland the Brave.”
6. Louise Britt Carvey ’44 represented her class in the past two presidential inaugurations. She was joined for President Burger’s ceremony by Alyce Moerner Phillips ’45.
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7 7. Trustee Laura Merrill ’84 takes a “selfie” with President Emeritus Roy B. Shilling Jr. and Francie Schroeder, executive manager for the Office of the President. 8. Feeling the excitement, students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members gathered in the Corbin J. Robertson Center for the ceremony
9. The SU Jazz Band performed while alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends celebrated with food trucks at the post-inauguration Pirate Party on the Lawn. 10. Young alumni and current students gather before the ceremony. 11. President Burger accepts congratulations and wellwishes from an excited Georgetown community at the Pirate Party on the Lawn.
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“Delighted to be back on campus for 1st time in 12 yrs celebrating inauguration of my alma mater’s new president Congrats, @ebb663 #15PresSU” 10
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SPRING 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Driving away the elephant — closing the gap between fiNancial need and aid — is about valuing the southwestern experience enough to invest in its future
“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” — nelson mandela
For nearly 175 years, Southwestern University has changed the world, one graduate at a time. Graduates like Amanda McMillian ’95, vice president, deputy general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation; Blair Quinius ’05, executive director of UrbanPromise Honduras; F. Fleming Crim ’69, head of the National Science Foundation’s Mathematical & Physical Sciences Directorate; and Jennifer Judson Lake ’07, a 3rd grade teacher in Central Texas.
Investment in Southwestern How does Southwestern remain true to its core mission and successfully make its investment case in light of current skepticism of a liberal arts education and the stark financial pressures facing higher education institutions? By asking the Southwestern community to invest in the Southwestern Experience and by communicating the value of the unique elements that make up that experience, including: 8
Southwestern Magazine
Talented and engaged faculty working closely with students both inside and outside the classroom on a daily basis. The interdisciplinary Paideia curriculum, enabling all students to figuratively and literally connect their course work, civic engagement and intercultural learning experiences. The Southwestern Inquiry Initiative, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, providing science students with interactive and innovative ways of learning, and faculty with new ways of teaching. Division III athletics, providing students a quality academic experience and the opportunity to continue playing the sports they love.
Perception vs. Reality A common perception among some of Southwestern’s constituents, including our own alumni, is that the University is “rich” and that our students come from “wealthy” families. This perception makes it difficult to understand a much more stark reality: that in order to continue providing a high-quality Southwestern Experience, the University needs help from those who value that experience most—our alumni. The “elephant in the room”—the gap between demonstrated student need and Southwestern’s ability to provide support through financial aid—is our reality. Why? Southwestern’s two primary revenue sources, net tuition revenue and operating support from endowment, have experienced downward pressures in recent years, while student enrollment and the costs to adequately support that enrollment have continued to increase. These trends in revenue and expenses have created operating challenges that—without the identification and recognition of significant new revenue from sources such as annual giving—will require reduction in the University’s operating structure. The operating revenue challenges are tied to two main economic factors— less available endowment income and increased need for financial assistance demonstrated by Southwestern families. According to Craig Erwin, Southwestern’s associate vice president for finance, “In the 1990s there was a huge bull run in the marketplace and the University’s endowment grew from $127 million in 1990 to $343 million by the end of 2000. Then, the markets experienced the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 and the tragic events of 9/11, and a vast majority of investment portfolios took a significant hit, including Southwestern’s endowment portfolio.” Recovery was slow and steady through the first part of the 2000s, then the 2008 housing market crisis hit and further eroded the University’s endowment portfolio to a decade-low value of $227 million. Today, although the University’s endowment portfolio is recovering, Erwin says it hasn’t recovered to the degree necessary, creating the need for additional support. (see fig. 1)
The second factor is that since 2008, overall family incomes have been flat or declining, while unemployment has risen and has been slow to moderate. In this environment, families of prospective college students have become increasingly cost conscious. Today, 90 percent or more of Southwestern students receive financial assistance, but the University’s financial aid budget has been outpaced by the level of need demonstrated by students’ families. This is a national phenomenon that has created additional competitive pressure among colleges to meet enrollment goals. “Fortunately,” says Erwin, “Texas is bucking national trends with a stable to growing pool of college-age students. However, out-of-state schools are intensifying their recruiting efforts in Texas, which means we have more competitors trying to recruit students away from this region.”
MAKING The CASE FOR Investment The student experience defines the value of an investment in Southwestern University, whether by our students and their families or our alumni and other donors. Associate Professor of Political Science Shannon Mariotti explains, “We are engaged in the work of cultivating the whole person, educating future citizens, transforming minds and changing lives—and we are a community. We have an obligation to provide a certain kind of experience for our students; the kind of intensive, participatory, interdisciplinary, small-scale learning environment for which we’ve become known. And we shoot ourselves in the foot and destroy our reason for being here at all if we make the kind of cuts that threaten or undermine the core academic experience and overall campus culture that attracts students to us in the first place.” Echoing Mariotti, McMillian says, “The core of the liberal arts is building the whole person, and society as a whole will benefit if you’re outwardly focused on making the world a better place. Southwestern takes this core and amplifies it. Employers are not looking so much for subject matter expertise as for critical thinking
figure 1: ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE in millions $350 $300 $250 $200 $150 $100 $50 0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 SPRING 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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and how to communicate effectively—skills you can’t hone in a class with 300 other students.” She explains that these types of skills are “mission critical on a daily basis” to her job at Anadarko, as well as her role as President of the Board of the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. Dave Voskuil, vice president of enrollment services, says, “We’re realistic enough to know that we are being ‘shopped’ by prospective students and their families; as we communicate value, we have to consider affordability as part of the overall experience.” Why? Because some will equate value to low cost; they don’t see a difference between the “products or services” universities offer, making it that much more important to communicate the value of the Southwestern Experience. Henry Joyner, Southwestern trustee and former senior vice president of American Airlines, says, “At the end of the day, we have to deliver an educational experience that our students and their families and our financial supporters value and are willing and able to support.” How does Southwestern balance quality with cost? Why should one invest in the University? What are the benefits to the investor? Voskuil answers, “It depends on what’s important to the investor. Society needs to have young people coming out of college who believe in making a difference and doing what’s right. You can see time after time Southwestern graduates making a difference in their communities and in the world. That makes the investment worth it, and fulfills Southwestern’s core purpose.”
One of the biggest issues in American higher education today is the growing gap between demonstrated financial need of students and the available financial resources of schools. What’s the solution? Some would argue, “Just charge less.” The problem with that idea is that—as in many other areas of our lives—costs rise. In the past decade, Southwestern’s operating expenses have increased by 21 percent, while revenue has only increased 15 percent. In the same time period, student enrollment has increased 10 percent—resulting in a 10 percent increase in operating expenses per student but only a 5 percent increase in revenue per student. (see figs. 2 and 3) Meanwhile, the University continues to be as generous as possible in making a Southwestern education affordable to a diverse population—whether that diversity is ethnic, geographic, economic or otherwise—of students, some of whom would not otherwise be able to attend Southwestern. McMillian was once one of those students and says, “I was able to attend Southwestern because of the financial assistance I received. If I had gone to a state school, I
don’t believe I would have had the nurturing environment that I had at SU, which was critical to my development and, ultimately, to my career path and life.” Mariotti thinks parents and others beyond campus will come to understand the University’s financial situation through clear communication of the value and unique experience that Southwestern offers. “When budgets are stretched, especially those of parents of prospective students, they need to know why the sacrifices they may be making to send their child to Southwestern are worth it,” she says. “We need to be sure that our distinctive curricular innovations like Paideia and our campus-wide commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and learning are being communicated on a national level.” The reality is that traditionally, institutions like Southwestern depend on three sources of revenue to cover operating costs: spending from the endowment, tuition revenue, and individual gifts. In the last decade, volatile financial market returns and a difficult economic environment have limited the growth of all of these sources. Joyner says, “Unfortunately, the basic costs of the educational experience Southwestern provides have increased faster than its sources of revenue.” This is a common problem among private liberal arts universities, according to President Edward Burger, who explains that a task force has been established at Southwestern with the mission of strengthening the University’s financial position and facilitating the development of a plan for long-term financial vitality. Specifically, this task force is focused on identifying additional opportunities for cost reduction, strategic innovation and revenue generation, and ensuring that all campus constituents are knowledgeable of—and engaged to address—the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. While the University has identified deficit-reduction initiatives— totaling more than 12 percent of the University’s current operating budget—for implementation by the end of fiscal year 2018-19, there is still a significant structural deficit to address without losing the core of the Southwestern Experience. This is reality. “The work currently underway by the financial vitality task force has gone a long way in helping people understand the University’s financial environment, but full recovery is going to take time and effort from all of us, on campus and off,” says Erwin. How will this be achieved? Erwin explains, “By becoming more efficient, costing less, and at the same time investing in innovation to deliver the Southwestern education.” By the end of 2000, Southwestern’s endowment portfolio had grown to $343 million, driven by annual returns of 16 percent throughout the 1990s. However, since the market crash in 2008, the value of the endowment has only rebounded to approximately $250 million, with average annual returns of 4 percent. The University is experiencing the impacts of this decline in endowment market
figure 2: expenses per student
figure 3: revenue per student
Protecting the Southwestern Experience
in thousands $35 10.1% INCREASE
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FISCAL YEAR 2012–13
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FISCAL YEAR 2002– 03
FISCAL YEAR 2012–13
value on both a total dollar and dollar-per-student basis, where endowment support to operations has decreased by 22 percent and 36 percent, respectively, since 2004. “We literally have millions of dollars less to run the institution,” Erwin says. That is reality. (see figs. 4 and 5)
“Just as the University taught us to apply
our skills in innovative ways for the good of the world, it’s time now for us to leverage those same skill sets for the good of our alma mater and its current and future students. I can’t think of a better investment.” —amanda mcmillian ’95
figure 4: ENDOWMENT support to Operations in millions $18 $16 $14 $12
$8 $6 $4 $2 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
figure 5: ENDOWMENT support to Operations per student in thousands $14 $12 $10 $8 $6 $4 $2 0
As President Burger completes the inaugural year of his presidency, it is clear that he has grasped this reality. In an unprecedented act of transparency, he recently called together all faculty and staff and provided a detailed walkthrough of the University’s finances. He dispelled the common sentiment of “when things return to normal,” and introduced a pragmatic and innovative leadership style based on constant change, willingness to fail, and learning from failure in order to innovate. President Burger understands the need to generate ideas to enrich the educational experience even as the University stares down its current financial challenges. In addition, Joyner says that success in meeting our financial challenges will depend on the support and involvement of all constituents: students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and donors. “We are working to provide more transparency around the financial situation and frequent updates on progress,” he says. “President Burger, the senior staff, and the Board of Trustees are committed to this transparency, and to inviting candid and open dialog on Southwestern’s educational and financial structure.” Others are equally optimistic about the look forward. Mariotti says, “A lot of good work has already happened on campus. President Burger has brought the campus community into the conversation in a new way and this kind of transparency makes people feel like they can be part of the solution. Continuing this kind of open communication can only help. More strategies that empower the faculty and staff across the University to rethink and revise the patterns of how they operate is the best way to foster change without undermining our basic mission and identity.”
CALLING ALL PIRATES
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WHAT’S NEXT?
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“We need a rallying cry to the friends of Southwestern,” says Erwin. “Success requires a collective effort going forward.” Prior to his inauguration, President Burger presented a “homework assignment” to Southwestern constituents; a mathematical expression. The solution (which Burger revealed during his installation ceremony) is 365. Recently, Southwestern alumni and parents received an email encouraging them to engage with Southwestern for just five minutes a day in order to enhance the University’s visibility nationally among prospective students and their families. In his inaugural address, President Burger asked alumni and friends what Southwestern means to them each and every day; how Southwestern has changed or influenced their daily lives. One way to show that life-changing impact is to make a gift to the University. However, while alumni and other members of the Southwestern community may feel compelled to give, they may also wonder whether their gift will actually make a difference. “Each and every gift, regardless of size, matters to Southwestern,” President Burger says. “Even giving just $1 per day could make a significant impact toward closing the gap between student need and the University’s ability to provide aid.” A thought-provoking question: Isn’t your Southwestern Experience worth at least $1 per day? “When 10,000 alumni, parents and friends give at that level and beyond, we will not only be able to adequately fuel our great ascent, but also solidify a bright and sustainable future for generations to come,” says Burger. McMillian encourages her fellow alumni to engage with the University and says, “The economic reality is that Southwestern has less money to do what it does best. People need critical thinking skills, communication abilities and leadership skills to make a difference. Southwestern provides those. Just as the University taught us to apply our skills in innovative ways for the good of the world, it’s time now for us to leverage those same skill sets for the good of our alma mater and its current and future students. I can’t think of a better investment.” SPRING 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS
PIRATES CLOSE THE GAP
CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDENTS
90 percent of the Class of 2013 report that they are satisfied with their preparation for employment or graduate school.
In the past decade, Southwestern’s operating expenses have increased by 21 percent, while revenue has only increased 15 percent.
In order to continue providing a highquality Southwestern Experience, the University needs help from those who value that experience most—our alumni, parents and friends.
There are no small gifts at Southwestern. Your gift—combined with those of other alumni, friends and parents—helps fund every facet of the Southwestern Experience. Your contribution of $5, $25, $50 or more can help to eliminate the gap between demonstrated student need and our ability to provide support through financial aid, and to enrich the lives of current and future students. Renew your support of Southwestern students and faculty today. Visit www.southwestern.edu/giving to make a gift online or call 1-800-960-6263 to make a gift by phone.
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Southwestern Magazine
research & scholarship
pregnancy and the firing line assistant professor of sociology reggie byron co-authors study on pregnancy-based discrimination in the work place
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 makes it illegal for a woman to be fired from her job because she is pregnant. However, Reggie Byron, assistant professor of sociology, says that doesn’t stop it from happening. Byron, along with Vincent Roscigno, a distinguished professor of arts and science at The Ohio State University, authored a study on the subject titled, “Relational Power, Legitimation, and Pregnancy Discrimination” that will be published in the June 2014 issue of Gender & Society. Byron explains that employers get around the law by vilifying pregnant women as poor performers and tardy employees while pointing to seemingly fair attendance policies and financial costs. Although such concerns may, at face value, seem legitimate in a business sense, Byron and Roscigno note in their study that the same policies and rationales are not invoked in the case of nonpregnant employees, including those with worse records of performance and attendance. “This strategy of portraying pregnant workers as undependable and costly seems to legitimize their terminations to external audiences,” Byron says. “Such a strategy adds to existing employeremployee power disparities like employers’ ability to hire a lawyer in discrimination suits.” For their study, Byron and Roscigno analyzed 70 verified cases of pregnancy-based firing discrimination that were handled by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission between 1986 and 2003, plus an additional 15 cases processed between 2007 and 2011. Their key findings included: Pregnancy accounted for 40 percent of all gender-related firing cases. About 30 percent of employers cited poor performance as the reason for terminating pregnant workers. Fifteen percent of employers claimed pregnant women were fired because of poor attendance and/or tardiness. About 10 percent of employers invoked “business needs, profit and efficiency” in reference to pregnancy discrimination cases.
One specifically cited example in the study was the case of a woman fired from her job as an assistant restaurant manager after becoming pregnant. Her supervisor claimed that the company was restructuring and needed to reduce its number of assistant managers from three to two. However, after she was fired for “business reasons,” the company hired a man to fill the position that was supposedly no longer needed. “Some employers think pregnant women will be distracted both in the present and in the future,” Byron says. Byron says many pregnancy-related firings stem from stereotypes of what “ideal” workers should look like. He also says that existing laws are full of gender-laden economic loopholes. For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which provides a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave during any 12-month period, does not apply to private sector employers with less than 50 people, nor does it grant leave to employees with less than one year of tenure. Some states have their own laws that are broader than the federal law. In Ohio, for example, companies with four or more employees are subject to state anti-discrimination laws. But even with state laws in place, Byron says some companies are reluctant to operate differently. “Organizational culture can be very difficult to change,” he says. He goes on to say that pregnancy discrimination only compounds other gender-based employment inequalities that women face in areas such as hiring, wages and harassment in the workplace. Byron plans to spend his fall 2014 sabbatical studying recent discrimination cases in four other states. He is particularly interested to see if the recent economic recession affected how employers and employees talk about firing discrimination.
SPRING 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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ACADEMICS IN FOCUS
Exemplary exa the huffington post recognizes exemplary student research Southwestern is one of a select few colleges and universities across the country invited to participate in an upcoming project sponsored by The Huffington Post designed to showcase outstanding student research. Up to 15 of the best thesis projects of college and graduate students from the following participating schools—as selected by the schools themselves— are submitted. Abstracts of each project and a photo of the student will be posted on The Huffington Post at www.huffingtonpost.com/news /thesisproject/ with links to the full thesis.
Centre College Duke University Grinnell College Indiana University Macalester College Miami Dade Community College Morehouse College southwestern university University of Southern California Wellesley College Wesleyan University
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Rebecca Gordon Infinite Imaginings “In my large abstract paintings, I express the construction of thought visually in a way that language cannot. Through an inventive and improvisational process, I change the paintings over time while merging influences from Abstract Expressionism and the Pattern and Decoration movement with crafting ideology, as well as modern day commercial art forms of advertising and design graphics. This intuitive and reactionary painting process results in a visual dialogue on the canvas between expression and precision. Initially, the pictorial spaces I develop allow expressive action, which cannot be anticipated in advance and which I later commingle with the premeditated qualities seen in the overlaid lyrical, decorative lines. These two aspects are developed through the interactions of bold colors, varied brushstrokes, and a mix of geometric and organic lines.” At Southwestern, Rebecca Gordon studied with Star Varner, professor of art, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting in May 2013. As a junior, she was accepted into the New York Arts Program, where she held an internship at Mixed Greens Gallery in Manhattan. Rebecca now lives, works and creates in Austin.
Paige duggins Heartbreaking Works, Staggering Genius: Dave Eggers’ ‘Affective’ Approach to World Citizenship “Perhaps one of the most esteemed authors of contemporary American literature, Dave Eggers has devoted his career to producing texts of this quality. Although he is known for producing stories that illustrate human conditions such as love, loss and fear, he is equally concerned with highlighting the power of literature to bring about social and political change. Eggers’ stories bring together stylistic freedom and social consciousness by experimenting with narrative construction to achieve a profound meta-dialogue on contemporary conflicts and concerns.” Paige Duggins is a senior at Southwestern with an English and education double major and a race and ethnicity studies minor, and is the editor of “The Megaphone,” Southwestern’s student-run newspaper. Her essay was composed in the context of her English capstone course. The nominating faculty member was Jim Kilfoyle, associate professor of English. Upon graduation, Paige plans to go into a joint education and law graduate program.
Detail of “I’ll Tie the Knot...Not” by Rebecca Gordon
amples Benjamin Bracher The Economic Rise of Japan and China: Is China Following in Japan’s Footsteps?
Lorenza Cigarroa Leadership, Coalitions, and Collective Identity: Framing Activism Across Multiple Constituencies in Occupy Austin “On September 17, 2011, the world watched as thousands of protesters gathered in New York City to collectively challenge the power of the global elite. ‘We are the 99 percent!’ they chanted in both defiance and hope. It was a spark that ignited one of the most unique social movements seen thus far in the 21st century. This simple five-word mantra would become the rallying cry of the Occupy Wall Street Movement as it spread like wildfire across the globe. Within a few weeks of its genesis, a diverse group known as Occupy Austin formed ... I decided to study Occupy Austin (with the) goal to operate as an ‘outsider within’ to get a better sense of how these new political formations played out within this Austin-based social movement group.” In 2013, Lorenza Cigarroa graduated cum laude from Southwestern with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She conducted research on “Occupy Austin” for her capstone project and presented her findings at the 2013 Southern Sociological Society meeting in Atlanta. The nominating faculty member was Maria Lowe, professor of sociology. Lorenza is currently living in Mexico City, attending courses to earn a customs brokerage license. In fall 2014, she plans to attend law school.
“This honors thesis addresses a significant puzzle in comparative political economy: to what extent is there an East Asian developmental model of economic growth, and is China following in Japan’s economic footsteps? The use of in-depth case studies ... will provide insight into the causes and enabling factors of economic growth and will attempt to either link or uncouple the East Asian developmental model with an eventual economic decline. The question of China’s economic growth in the coming years is more relevant now perhaps than ever before, as growth in the mature economies of the world has been slow to re-establish itself after the financial crisis of 2008-2009. Subsequently, growth in the world economy has been led by the developing countries of the world, most notably China. If China is headed for its own financial crisis ... then that has some serious implications for the global economy in coming years ... as our economies are becoming increasingly intertwined and interdependent.” Benjamin Bracher graduated magna cum laude with honors from Southwestern in May 2013, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in political science. The nominating faculty member was Alisa Gaunder, professor of political science. Benjamin is currently a Teach for America Corps Member, teaching 6 th grade science at Uplift Infinity Preparatory School in the DallasFort Worth area.
Paris Nelson On Random Number Generation “Random numbers are crucial to several facets of everyday life. There are multiple ways to generate random numbers, but all methods must consider several factors, including efficiency, difficulty to design/compute, the quality of randomness provided by the output, security, and the specific needs of the application. Random number generation is an important process that affects many aspects of our lives. True random number generators rely on physical processes for true randomness, while pseudo random number generators depend on algorithms or formulae. Tests can be applied ... to measure the randomness of the sequences of numbers generated. The security of random number generation is also important, especially in the field of cryptography.” Paris Nelson is a senior at Southwestern, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in computer science with a minor in mathematics. His paper was written as part of his computer systems course. The nominating faculty was Suzanne Buchele, former associate professor of math and computer science. After graduation, Paris plans to be a programmer in the video game industry. spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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alumni spotlight
Sherry Adrian John “J” Wehrley Chapman ’60 Steve Cotton ’77 Kenda Jameson Evans ’92 Mike Lade ’88
Photography by Lance Holt
Anne Olson ’06 Blair Quinius ’05 Susan Youens ’69
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Southwestern Magazine
From l to r, Blair Quinius ’05 (opposite) , J. Wehrley Chapman ’60, Anne Olson ’06, Mike Lade ’88, and Kenda Jameson Evans ’92. Not pictured: Sherry Adrian, Steve Cotton ’77, and Susan Youens ’69.
eight exceptional examples of the southwestern family are recognized by the association of southwestern university alumni for reflecting their southwestern experience The individuals who received these prestigious awards at Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2013 (seven alumni and a professor) are impressive reflections of the special place that is Southwestern and of the unique experience that students receive here. The Mr./Ms. Homecoming Award is an honor bestowed upon a member of the Southwestern University faculty as a token of the affection and support of former students. The award carries special meaning to the recipient, as it symbolizes the strength of the University: the strong, personal relationships between students and faculty, clearly indicating that alumni recall with appreciation the contributions of the recipient to the students’ education and development. Sherry Adrian, associate professor of education, reflects these sentiments of her current and previous students, as well as her colleagues, family and friends.
“ While buildings may change, Southwestern’s core purpose remains at the heart of the institution. The Association of Southwestern University Alumni honors members who live this purpose exceptionally well, personally and professionally.” The Distinguished Humanitarian Award is presented to alumni who have made a global impact on the human race by their actions, while exemplifying Southwestern’s Core Purpose, which encourages “contributions toward the well-being of humanity.” Mike Lade ’88 reflects this core purpose through his extensive work with the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) organization in Houston, which grew out of his desire to help his son, who had severe food allergies. The Distinguished Southwestern Service Award is presented to an alumna/us who serves the University over a long period of time; serves his or her community, state and nation, and is a leader in his or her chosen profession, business or vocation. Kenda Jameson Evans ’92 has reflected her love of and dedication to Southwestern over the years as a member of the University Board of Trustees, The Association Board and the Alumni Council, and as the creator and coordinator of the annual Jameson 5K at Southwestern, which honors the memory of her brother, Jaysn Jameson ’90, and
funds the endowment of the Jaysn Jameson Memorial Scholarship Fund at Southwestern University. The Distinguished Professional Award is presented to Southwestern alumni who have performed exceptional civic and/or professional services in a given geographic area or field of endeavor. Recipients represent the highest standards and exemplify the University’s Core Values. J. Wehrley Chapman ’60, Steve Cotton ’77, and Susan Youens ’69 received 2013 Distinguished Professional Awards for their significant professional achievements which reflect their individual Southwestern Experiences. Chapman was a professor of physics at University of Michigan for more than 30 years and continues to be involved with the ATLAS experiment at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Cotton is the managing partner of the CottonAdams Financial Group, has developed public policy in the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature, and has been named a Five Star Wealth Manager in Texas Monthly magazine. Youens is the J. W. Van Gorkom Professor of Music at the University of Notre Dame and is one of the world’s experts on the music of Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf. The Distinguished Young Alumna/us Award is presented to Southwestern University alumni who have graduated in the last 10 years and whose achievements in the civic and/or professional realm set a standard of excellence. Recipients represent Southwestern’s finest young alumni and the University’s commitment to a valuescentered curriculum and development of the whole person. In 2013, both Anne Olson ’06 and her good friend and childhood neighbor, Blair Quinius ’05, received this prestigious award because their lives are obvious reflections of the core values they learned both at home and at Southwestern. Olson graduated magna cum laude from Southwestern and went on to become a public policy specialist, lobbying state policymakers on hunger and poverty issues, human trafficking prevention and other critical policy issues. Quinius is the executive director for UrbanPromise in Copan Ruinas, Honduras, where he serves at-risk children and youth and seeks to inspire them to fulfill their dreams by equipping them with necessary life skills.
Want More? To read the full story of each award winner, visit www.southwestern.edu/alumni/awards/2013 SPRING 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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ON CAMPUS
www.southwestern.edu/newsroom
Want More? Computer science major Natalia Rodriguez had a dream to intern for Fast Company. To learn how the self-described small town girl from Texas spent the fall semester of her junior year in the Big Apple, visit www.fastcompany. com/3016968/how-one-industrious-undergrad-tweetedphotoshopped-and-hustled-her-way-into-her-dream-intern
A New Type of Classroom by Natalia Rodriguez, Class of 2015
Last fall, I landed the internship of my dreams in New York City. Today, the word internship sounds a little misleading. When people think of internships in the city they think of coffee runs, filing, and toiletcleaning nightmares. They think of unpaid 12-hour shifts and a mean boss who flings her fur coat at you with the fury of a thousand soy milk lattes. Let’s blame Hollywood for that stereotype while I officially declare I never ran any errands and coffee was always on the house. My editor at FastCo.Labs, the tech arm of FastCompany.com, was in his late 20s and the most approachable leader I’ve been privileged to know. My co-interns—college grads from Princeton and the New School, and former head developers at Samsung—were
either going to journalism school for their master’s degrees or getting hired at Fast Company full-time. Although people immediately think of ruthless competition when it comes to internships, each and every one of them took me on as their equal and taught me the ropes. The first day I walked into the office, my editor, Chris Dannen, announced he wouldn’t assign official duties for me. Rather, he gave me a few guidelines and spoke of letting my imagination run wild. I was in charge of coming up with one big project and pitching my own stories for the site. At first, I shook like a Chihuahua, but I can pinpoint the moment those fears faded; it was when I realized that Southwestern had perfectly equipped me for all of this.
Professors in Print |
Suddenly, I began to embrace the freedom that initially immobilized me. My typical day consisted of interviewing people who would cancel (other) meetings upon hearing the words “Fast Company article;” most were CEOs of tech companies. Often, I’d run to their offices or meet them for coffee if they were in the city. I Skyped people in Egypt, Madrid and London. And, I was on the five o’clock news in Canada, where I gave advice to undergrads in Toronto on how to land dream internships. In between all of the reading, absorbing and writing, it was the conversations with these exceptional people to which I contribute my exponential brain growth during my time at Fast Company. Once a week, my editor and I would sit down over coffee and he would tell me how I was doing and give feedback on how to be even better. He’d share with me his views on journalism and having conversations with the world through investigative reporting. My time there surpassed all of my expectations and by the time I left, I had co-built and coded an art installation that now sits in Fast Company’s World Trade Center offices. After hours, I worked on the magazine I am co-founding, “(Re)Vision.” Ultimately, I walked away with a million connections and memories which I plan to build upon when I return to New York—a place I now call home. Southwestern enabled me to think on my feet and, thanks to that, today I call myself the internship evangelist—for an internship is just a new type of classroom.
Several Southwestern faculty published books in 2013: Michael Cooper, professor of music, published the Historical Dictionary of Romantic Music; Alison Kafer, associate professor of feminist studies, published a book titled Feminist, Queer, Crip; Ed Kain, professor of sociology and University Scholar, co-authored the book Applying for a Faculty Position in a Teaching-Oriented Institution; Thom McClendon, professor of history, co-authored The South Africa Reader: History, Culture, Politics; Sandi Nenga, associate professor of sociology, co-authored Sociological Studies of Children and Youth: Youth Engagement: The Civic-Political Lives of Children and Youth, Vol. 16; Michael Saenger, associate professor of English, published a book titled Shakespeare and the French Borders of English; and Eric Selbin, professor of political science and University Scholar, had his book Revolution, Rebellion, Resistance—The Power of Story published in Arabic.
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Southwestern Magazine
PAIDEIA CLUSTERS Selecting three interconnected courses (a “cluster”) from one of the following themes for 2014–2015 will help students to connect the dots. “Investigating Identity,” co-organized by Kerry Bechtel and
Photo by FJ Gaylor Photography
Valerie Renegar “Situating Place,” organized
by Bob Bednar “Global Health,” co-organized by Maria Cuevas and Maria Todd
Drawing Paideia Connections by elizabeth stewart, class of 2014
If you draw a line connecting global health, Education Department chair Sherry Adrian, and a three-course dinner with Southwestern President Edward Burger, what do you get? One of the topics, one of the leaders, and one of the inventive new applications of Southwestern University’s evolving Paideia curriculum. In ancient Greece, the term Paideia referred to the education of an ideal citizen—one which emphasized balance, inquiry and intellectual thought. At Southwestern, Paideia fosters all of this and more by giving students and professors from different disciplines an opportunity to come together and investigate a subject from a diverse number of perspectives. In years past, Paideia was a selective program consisting of various cohorts to which students applied early in their first year—but starting in fall 2014, thanks to the Transforming Paideia initiative, all students will join the discussion. Each student will join one of several Paideia “clusters,” which will be co-taught by several faculty members and will vary in subject and focus. Currently there are three clusters, with three more being added this fall. (see “Paideia Clusters,” right) At the head of this new generation of Paideia is Sherry Adrian, associate professor of education, whose goal as Paideia Director is to keep faculty engaged and excited so they, in turn, will engage and excite their students. President Burger is engaged and excited as well; he’s been inviting faculty, staff, students and alumni to his house for Paideia dinners, where they share food, fellowship and interdisciplinary conversation. These dinners are just one of the ways that Paideia is being woven into every aspect of the Southwestern Experience—and this is only the beginning.
Photo by Lance Holt
Adrian Named Paideia Director Chair of the Education Department and longtime Paideia contributor, Associate Professor of Education Sherry Adrian was selected to serve as Director of Paideia in February. She’s already led professional development seminars for the faculty involved in Paidea, and hopes her background in education will help foster Paideia’s mission of interdisciplinary learning for all. “Right now, my main focus is figuring out how can we maintain this process of collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking, how to ensure that faculty, staff and students get to shape what happens … and how we can keep everybody’s voice engaged,” she says.
“Representing Gender,”
co-organized by Alisa Gaunder and Shannon Mariotti “Americas: North by South,”
co-organized by Patrick Hajovsky and Omar Rivera “The Anthropocene: Questions for the ‘Age of Humans,’” organized by
Emily Northrop
Paideia Dinners Southwestern students, faculty, staff and alumni have begun receiving formal dinner invitations from President Edward Burger. The invitations are not confined specifically to Paideia participants, but Burger designed these dinners to complement Paideia’s mission by bringing together members of the Southwestern community for an interdisciplinary conversation. His goal is to have every Southwestern student come to dinner before they graduate for yet another opportunity to make and draw connections within the community. “I see [the dinners] as important opportunities for members of our community to connect. They are out-of-the-ordinary, special events that invite everyone to take a moment of reflection and engage with each other. I love engaging with students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, parents and community members,” Burger says. “When you bring them together, the conversation gets interesting and I am always inspired and always learn something.”
spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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pirate athletics
www.southwesternpirates.com
Sophomore Christina Rosendahl (l) and senior Carrie Holifield (r) helped Southwestern’s varsity women’s lacrosse team win their February 2014 game against the University of Dallas. Final score: 20–3.
Anything but Lax women’s lacrosse makes a strong start with a seven-win opening season
“Being part of the inaugural women’s varsity lacrosse team for Southwestern is a unique opportunity for all of us,” says first-year player Christina Rosendahl. “The fact that we are a first-year startup team has been an incredible experience. We’ve gotten to build the team from the ground up and shape it into what we want.” Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Matthew Grosso feels the same way, saying, “The last year and a half have been very exciting. Having been an assistant coach at a well-established program and having rebuilt another program—as head coach—that had been around for 20 years, actually starting a program from scratch was quite an experience ... challenging, but a joy.” Although Southwestern has had a women’s club lacrosse team for many years, Grosso knew he had to recruit almost a full team of players in order to be competitive right away. “Even well-run club programs are very different than a varsity program,” he says. “Varsity teams require a lot more in terms of time and work; the expectations are high for scholar athletes.” Grosso inherited eight players from the club team and recruited the rest of the 20-member team largely from Texas. “We went to tournaments all over the country, but until we’re a more established program, it’ll be hard to lure recruits to Texas to play lacrosse.” However, he adds, “Southwestern has become a lot more attractive to students who want to continue playing for the love of the game while getting a great education.” As one of only two schools in Texas that offer varsity women’s lacrosse (the other is University of Dallas), we can now offer something that others don’t have and that separates us from our competitors. Southwestern’s 20th varsity team also allows many who might have given up the sport to continue playing. Junior Adrienne Dodd is one of those players. “I played lacrosse in middle and high school, but only played sporadically on (Southwestern’s) club team. She says, “I love the intensity ... as a D-III team, everyone is there with the desire to play lacrosse and to play it well. And we are able to give 100 percent in our classes and continue doing the other extracurricular activities we love.” 20
Southwestern Magazine
Having coached NCAA Division III teams for more than 17 years, Grosso says he likes what it’s all about. “There’s no professional women’s lacrosse, so D-III players can take advantage of other opportunities on campus. I make sure our practice time is structured, and when practice is over I tell my team to go home, shower, eat, study and sleep. Kelly (Ryan, assistant coach) and I don’t try to monopolize their time, but expect that when they’re at practice they will be serious about it. This helps create a good balance.” Dodd says one of the best parts of Southwestern’s new team is the positive and encouraging nature of the coaches. “In my history of playing lacrosse, going to practice was always a monstrous chore, but now I am stoked to go to practice everyday. It probably has something to do with the fact that our coaches give us confidence and a love of playing, and that everyone on the team is supportive, funny, and a killer lacrosse player.” Grosso explains that there is a lot of responsibility on his players because it’s hard work to be an athlete, but at the same time they are expected to not give any less in their school work. It seems he has the best of both worlds with a win in the program’s inaugural game against Hendrix (also a first-year varsity team) and a majority of the team earning better than a 3.0 GPA. “These are good athletes and good students,” he says. First-year student Kaitlyn Campbell has played lacrosse for nine years, but chose Southwestern for its biology/pre-med program before she was even recruited for the new lacrosse team. She says she loves playing D-III because “even though it’s a large time commitment, the school doesn’t ‘own’ me and I am still allowed time for myself.” She recommends Southwestern to others not just for its varsity lacrosse program, but because of all it has to offer educationally, socially and financially. After the team’s first win, Grosso said he planned to take it one game at a time, but also that “we have a lot of talent on this team and I’m confident we’ll be competitive.” The team’s inaugural season record was 7–9. For more on Women’s Lacrosse, go to southwesternpirates.com/sports/w-lacros/index.
Soccer Player Scores Top Internship Award Duggins was accepted into the program for the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature and placed in Sen. Zaffirini’s office where she did research, wrote and outlined policies, and met with lobbyists. Maria Kruger ’91, internship coordinator for the Office of Career Services, says Duggins’ performance in the classroom and her involvement in the community were factors in receiving the CEIA award. A forward on the women’s soccer team, Duggins is also editor-in-chief of Southwestern’s student newspaper, The Megaphone, a member of the Southwestern University Student Foundation and serves on the Diversity Enrichment Committee. She volunteers with Special Olympics, Battleground Texas, LifeWorks, Best Buddies International and SU Splash. And, she shares her love of soccer as a soccer coach for the East Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Duggins is the fourth Southwestern student to receive the CEIA Academic Internship Student Achievement Award in the past eight years. Previous recipients
Photo by AzulOx Photography
Senior soccer player Paige Duggins has been selected to receive the 2014 Academic Internship Student Achievement Award from the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA), which spotlights students who excel in their internships and actively serve their communities. An English and education major, Duggins received the award for the work she did as an intern with the Luna Legislative Scholars and Fellows Program at the Texas Capitol in the spring of 2013. In summer 2011, with help from Southwestern’s Office of Career Services, Professor of English James Kilfoyle, and Ray Martinez ’87, Duggins became an intern in the office of Texas Senator Judith Zaffirini, who chaired the Senate Education Committee. While there, another staff member, Isabel Casas ’07, encouraged Duggins to apply for the Luna Scholars Program, named for former State Senator Gregory Luna and sponsored by the Senate Hispanic Research Council. She says she applied because, “Senator Luna was very invested in education...”
include Mindy Smothermon Helsley ’05, Caitlin Cooper ’09, and D’Artagnan Bebel ’11. No other school has had more than two students receive the award. As a result of her internships, Duggins plans to go to law school and has applied to programs that offer a joint degree in law and education. She’s been accepted to several schools including The University of Texas at Austin.
singing in the snow |
On March 1, the Pirate baseball team was in Dallas about to take the field in a game against the University of Dallas Crusaders. As both teams stood on the foul lines waiting for the National Anthem, the announcer came on the PA system to inform the crowd that they were having technical difficulties and would not be able to broadcast the National Anthem. To which—prompted by the sub-freezing Dallas temperatures—an umpire yelled, “Play ball!” The home team ran into their dugout and the umpires dispersed. However, the Southwestern players did not move; spontaneously and unrehearsed, they began to sing that National Anthem A Capella, bringing the spectators to their feet, and the Dallas team and umpires back onto the field. The Pirates won the game, 13 – 2 in 7 innings.
Willkommen Und Arrrgghhh pirate football goes long this spring, studying and practicing in germany
Southwestern Head Football Coach Joe Austin and Associate Professor of German Erika Berroth are helping members of the Pirate football team travel abroad and still keep up with their practices. They have developed a May Term program in Germany specifically for football players, with about 25 members of the team expected to participate. The trip will include visits to business and cultural sites as well as practices and a game with American semiprofessional football teams in Germany, including the Stuttgart Scorpions, whose former coach, Tom Ross, is now Southwestern’s associate head football coach. Southwestern will be the first college football team in Texas to take advantage of the “Foreign Tour” provision in the NCAA rules that allows Division III athletes to compete abroad.
With a $7,000 grant from the Associated Colleges of the South, Berroth developed the academic component of the program—a course called “Global Players: Leadership, Football and Intercultural Learning in Germany.” Laith Tucker, a first-year business major and member of the football team, says, “I committed to going on the trip not only for the athletic reasons, but because of what I would be able to see and do in Germany that would provide invaluable experiences and perspectives and really provide a unique opportunity.” Beroth and Austin hope to continue the program in the future so as many members of the football team as possible will have the opportunity to participate.
spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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ger t Bu r ing n e d i om res Get P for Homec d! n ready ion Weeke n & Re u
h cu t
e re
Ar r r r r
gh mate
y!
#SU
hrw
Homecoming Reunio n Weeken d n ov e m b e r
7- 9 , 2 0 1 4
You’ve been challenged to #BeSouthwestern 365 days-a-year. Make three of those days extra special by attending Homecoming and Reunion Weekend! November 7–9, 2014 Homecoming and Reunion Weekend brings all members of the Southwestern community together to make connections and enjoy being back on campus. In anticipation of this event, we hope you’ll show us your Pirate Pride by dressing President Burger up in his Pirate garb and documenting his journeys through social media using the hash tag #SUHRW. 22
Southwestern Magazine
Alumni Homecoming Chair: Susan Peace Holley ’73 www.southwestern.edu/homecoming2014
class notes
REUNION YEAR
The Original Social Network Share your accomplishments, achievements and life milestones with friends and classmates! Submit your Class Note for future issues of Southwestern, the University magazine.
Fall issue: Jan 1–June 30 Spring issue: July 1–Dec. 31 To submit your Class Note, visit www.sualumni.net and click “Submit My Class Note.” By submitting a Class Note, you are granting permission to Southwestern University to share this news in Southwestern, on the University’s website (including The Association of Southwestern University Alumni website) and/or social media outlets for the University and The Association.
New Changes to Gmail Affect Your Relationship with Southwestern As a result of recent Google Gmail changes, you may not be receiving important information from Southwestern. The email provider now automatically categorizes your mail, so email messages from Southwestern may be hiding within the “Promotions” tab. Please check your Gmail Promotions tab and simply drag and drop messages from Southwestern into your inbox, then click “Yes” to permanently approve the move.
1944 Louise Britt Carvey, Fort Worth, received the inau-
gural Heart of Gold Award from the Arts Council of Fort Worth in September 2013.
1952 Joe Cavness, Sacramento, Calif., continues to compete in weightlifting contests. In July 2013, he set two new world records in his weight class in the benchpress and the dead lift at the Amateur Athletic Union weightlifting meet in Las Vegas, Nev. Joe says, “Friends attribute my success to having outlived all of my nearest competitors.”
1958 Dr. Harley Reginald “Reg” McDaniel, Mansfield, is a retired pathologist. He is the co-author of a medical study conducted at the University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine, where he is a visiting consultant in medical research design. The study, titled “The Effect of an Aloe Polymannose Multinutrient Complex on Cognitive and Immune Functioning in Alzheimer’s Disease,” was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in January 2013. The Emord & Associates Award Committee of Washington, D.C. selected Reg to be recognized in 2014 as the 20th Anniversary Celebration Award recipient for improving quality of life and public health.
1964
#SU64
Ken McAllister, Austin, was inducted into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame in November 2013. The Texas Tennis Museum & Hall of Fame recognized his high school coaching career, including his service as the president of the Texas Tennis Coaches Association, and his personal tennis achievements. Ken is the executive director for the United States Tennis Association Texas.
1968 The Rev. Robert Bohmfalk, Seguin, is running for
state representative, District 44. He made his announcement in December 2013. Robert is a retired United Methodist minister and mental health case manager.
1969
#SU69
John Clifford, Round Rock, retired in June 2013 after serving 43 years in the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church. In his retirement, he plans to turn his yard into a garden and be more connected to Southwestern. See also Jeanne Clifford Weiss ‘83.
1971 Helen “Moss” Thornton, Houston, has retired from The University of Texas System after 13 years. She was the prospect researcher for UT Health Science Center at Houston. In her retirement she says, “[I’m] looking spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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forward to tackling some long-delayed projects as well as offering contract work to small non-profits.”
1979
#SU79
William Williams, Houston, is the founder of the Casa JoJo Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that helps minority children get a primary education and assists families with basic living needs. He says, “Our mission is to support children and families of all communities. Our non-profit organization serves people of all races, creeds and religions. We do not discriminate.” To learn more, visit www.casajojofoundation.org.
1980 Carol Bender Maak, Montgomery, retired from teaching in June 2013 after 32 years. She and her husband have relocated to Walden on Lake Conroe.
in her studio. Kimberly travels to other venues with her paints, canvases and exuberant flair to inspire and build teamwork with other educators and adventurous thinkers. Follow her on Facebook at www.fb.com/paint withme.kimberlykeller. Dr. Mike Middleton, Belton, is a nuclear medi-
cine radiologist. He is the director of the Division of Nuclear Radiology and Advanced Molecular Imaging at the Scott & White Healthcare Clinic in Temple and serves as one of nine physicians elected to the Scott & White Healthcare Board of Directors. Mike has also completed two professionally recorded accordion albums, “Dr. Mike Middleton: Around the World and Back to Texas” and “Dr. Mike Middleton: Accordion & Tuba Favorites.” Both albums have percussion contributions by his son, Lance, Southwestern Class of 2017. To sample some of his music, visit http://www.accordions.com/mikemiddleton.
Kimberly Davis Thompson, Caddo Mills, earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fielding Graduate University in January 2013. She graduated with a certificate of concentration in parent-infant mental health. Kimberly is completing a postdoctoral year at the Greenville Ob-Gyn Clinic where she provides psychotherapy, psychological assessment and consultation services to clinic-referred and community-referred patients. An article based on her dissertation was accepted for publication by the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology.
1986 Jennifer Peel, San Antonio, has been promoted to professor and assistant dean for graduate medical education at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Rebecca Burkhardt, Waterloo, Iowa, served as guest conductor for the Orquestra Sinfônica da Universidade de Caxias do Sul in Brazil in August 2013 and the Symphony Orchestra of Chengdu, China in November 2013. She is currently a professor of music at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music, and music director of the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Mark McPhail, San Antonio, was appointed as the Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge for the San Antonio Office of Disability Adjudication and Review for the Social Security Administration in January 2013. He was previously the Hearing Office Chief Judge for one of the hearing offices in Houston. Mark has been with the Social Security Administration for 15 years, eight as a Chief Administrative Law Judge. He and his wife, Rhonda, look forward to spending time with old and new friends in the San Antonio area.
1983 Richard Heyduck , Pittsburg, is an assistant professor of religion at Wiley College. He was elected to serve as president of the faculty assembly for the 2013 –14 school year.
Lockett Leadership Society
Jeanne Clifford Weiss literally grew up on the Southwestern campus. Her father, F. Burr Clifford, was a
Kimberly Richter Keller, Georgetown, has
professor of classics and humanities and Dean of The Brown College of Arts and Sciences. Jeanne and both of her brothers, John Clifford ’69 (see 1969 ) and David Clifford ’71, as well as her sister-in-law, Judy Campbell Clifford ’71, are members of the Legacy Program. Jeanne chose to attend Southwestern to be close to home and to have easy access to professors when she had questions. As a student, she played trombone with the concert band and pledged Delta Zeta sorority, serving as treasurer, corresponding secretary and intramural sports captain. Majoring in mathematics, she tutored fellow students in math and computer science. Following graduation, Jeanne went to work for The Williamson County Sun as a bookkeeper, where she converted the paper’s financial system onto the computer. After earning an MBA from St. Edward’s University, she worked for Texas Methodist Foundation and concluded her career as financial manager at the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. Jeanne met and married Larry Weiss in 1996; Larry works for Microsoft, making computers and software accessible for people with disabilities. Jeanne is an active musician who plays euphonium and trombone in several bands; she and Larry stay active traveling and hiking with their dogs. She has remained active with Southwestern as a reunion party planner and as the president of the Pacific Northwest chapter of The Association. Of her Southwestern Experience, Jeanne says, “SU was a life changing experience; helping me grow from a shy girl to an active young adult. I believe alumni feel connected to SU, even though (some of us) are geographically far from the University.”
an extreme passion for art and opened “Paint with Me Kimberly Keller” on the Georgetown Square in October 2013. She shares her talent with students through private lessons and group painting parties
The Lockett Leadership Society recognizes alumni who serve Southwestern University and share the spirit of volunteerism demonstrated by McKenzie College alumnus and former Southwestern Trustee, Melville B. Lockett. The Locket Leadership Society was established Jan. 29, 2011.
Stephen Ingram, Albuquerque, N.M., has been certified by the New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Natural Resources Law (Oil and Gas). The certification recognizes demonstrated experience and expertise in the area of oil and gas law. Stephen has practiced law in Texas and New Mexico for more than 26 years, with an emphasis in oil and gas, and real estate litigation. He is a shareholder in Cavin & Ingram, P.A.
1985
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’83
Southwestern Magazine
Fate Driven
Ray Martinez, Austin, was named
Chancellor of Western Governors University Texas in August 2013. Ray’s parents always stressed the importance of education and his passion to continue that legacy is evident in his career path. Earning a law degree from the University of Houston, Ray worked in former President Bill Clinton’s administration, became the first government relations director at Rice University, was the director of the higher education committee in the Texas Senate, and was the associate vice president for government relations at Texas A&M International University in Laredo. Recalling his Southwestern Experience, Ray says after an accidental but encouraging meeting with a recruiter from Southwestern when he was in high school, he visited campus and says, “It was a no brainer. The Admission staff was so helpful and the University was very generous in providing financial assistance … The whole thing was fate-driven.” Studying abroad in London, pledging the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and being involved in Student Foundation were among his favorite student experiences. What stood out most, however, was the ability to interact with faculty. His favorite professor, and the person who has most influenced his life, was Gwen Kennedy Neville, professor emeritus of sociology and anthropology. Ray says his degree in sociology helped him gain confidence, reinforce his passions, and set him on a path of public service and public policy.
1989
#SU89
Laura Walker Armstrong, Austin, is a metal and glass artist. She made her gallery debut at Third Coast Gallery in Galveston in October 2013. The gallery displayed her collection of welded steel sculptures and hammered sheet vessels. Her work can be seen online at www.turtleonarockstudio.com.
1991 Jennifer Hritz, Austin, is the author of both The
Crossing and I, too, Have Suffered in the Garden. She invites you to visit her fictional world of love, damage, lies and tenderness at www.jenniferhritz.com. Eric Schwegler, Livermore, Calif., was selected as
a 2013 Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), a distinctive honor because fellowships are limited to no more than one half of one percent of the APS’ membership in a given year. He is the group leader for Quantum Simulations in the Condensed Matter and Materials Division at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Duana Welch, Austin, is a psychology teacher helping students use social science to solve reallife relationship problems. She is the author of the blog “Love Science,” where she gives advice on how the public can benefit from empirical research about successful relationships. In June 2013, she began writing a column for Psychology Today titled “Love Proof,” described as “musings about science on love, sex, dating, marriage and relating.” The column can be found at www.psychologytoday.com/blog/love-proof.
1992
1993 BIRTHS: Jeff Jordon and Amelia McFarland, Austin, a daughter, Clara Elena Jordan, July 10, 2012.
1994
#SU94
Shawn Pipkin, Valley Village, Calif., is active in the
Directors Guild of America (DGA). She was elected as a member of the Western Directors Council, was a delegate for the 2013 DGA National Convention and a member of the Leadership Political Action Council for the DGA, and was appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Directors Guild-Producer Training Plan. Shawn was interviewed by Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition last year to discuss her career and explain what she does behind the scenes of the show, “The Soul Man.”
BIRTH: Peter and Ariana Hubbell Voigt, Elmhurst, Ill., a son, Brandon Charles on Nov. 21, 2011.
1998 Justin Gould, Austin, is Chief Development Officer
for Texas Methodist Foundation. Emily Davis, Newark, Del., is the author of the book
Rethinking the Romance Genre: Global Intimacies in Contemporary Literary and Visual Culture. The book “examines why the romance has proven such an irresistible form for contemporary writers and filmmakers approaching global issues.” Emily is an assistant professor of English at the University of Delaware. Michael Orsak, Austin, was promoted to Senior
Vice President of Investments at Campus Advantage, a student housing company. In his new role, Michael manages the company’s portfolio of real estate and corporate investments, provides guidance on new investment opportunities, and reaches out to potential new business partners and investors. BIRTHS: David and Allyson DuBose Harr, Cedar Park, a son, William David on Jan. 8, 2013; Kathleen and Arthur Hastings, Dripping Springs, a son, William Ford on July 14, 2013.
1999
#SU99
Josh Bowlin, Houston, is a litigation attorney at the
1996
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry firm. He was named a “Top Lawyer” in H Texas magazine in August 2013. Josh is a leading construction litigator whose clients include contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, and design professionals in complex construction disputes.
James Hudec, San Antonio, is the brewmaster at
Cari Cohorn, Hercules, Calif., joined Phillips, Erlewine
Alamo Beer Company. He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, including traveling the world to learn his craft and consulting for several breweries.
& Given LLP, a firm representing a broad spectrum of clients in diverse industries and practice areas in San Francisco. Her work emphasis is in complex commercial and class action litigation, as well as employment, intellectual property and computer privacy law matters.
Todd Kimbrough, Lubbock, was named General
Counsel for Lubbock Power and Light in September 2013. Marisela Treviño Orta, San Francisco, Calif., is the Farhana Qazi, Fairfax, Va., is a lecturer and writer
on conflicts in the Muslim world. She is the author of an article titled, “The Muslim Cowboy Finds a Way,” in which Ray Allen searches for Islam and heads to northern Iraq. Farhana’s article appeared in The Islamic Monthly in December 2013. For more information, visit her blog at www.farhanaqazi.com.
1997
Elizabeth Stanley, Austin, is Director of Partner
Development and Support at College Forward, a nonprofit college coaching program for low-income and first-generation students. She consults in the development of a comprehensive customer service program that promotes strong, ongoing relationships with partners and yields the best possible student outcomes.
Photo by Bob Daemmerich Photography
’87
Mary Carolyn Gatzke, Fort Worth, is a Certified
Residential Specialist. She and a colleague have formed Bloom Real Estate Group, a full-service residential brokerage that provides home buyers and sellers a boutique “high touch” approach, bolstered by tools, technology and a track record of success.
author of the play “The River Bride.” Arizona Theatre Company announced in August 2013 that the play was the co-winner of the 2013 National Latino Playwriting Award. “The River Bride” is the first in a cycle of fairy tale plays inspired by Latino folklore.
2001 John Boyd, San Antonio, earned his Ph.D. in theatre
history, literature and criticism from The Ohio State University in August 2013. He is employed by Northside I.S.D. at John P. Stevens High School where he teaches theatre, speech and debate. John is also the debate coach for the school.
spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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Anisa Salim Ismail, Lawrenceville, N.J., is doing
post-doctoral research in molecular biology at Princeton University. In September 2013, she was awarded a grant by the L’Oreal USA Fellowships for Women in Science. Anisa was one of five women chosen and is using the grant money to help find clues for curing inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease. Alan Suderman, Rockville, Md., joined The
Associated Press in December 2013. He is covering Virginia state government and politics.
2004
#SU04
MARRIAGES: Kathryn Bourell to Thomas Culliton on March 30, 2013, living in Austin; Katie L. Ludtke to John Spillar on May 4, 2013, living in Austin. BIRTH: Rob and Blair Walsleben Crane, Irving, daughters, Sophia Dawn and Hannah Kate on March 22, 2013.
Chelsey Clammer, Denver, Colo., received her
Master of Arts degree in women’s studies from Loyola University Chicago in 2009. She is enrolled in the Pacific Lutheran University’s Rainier Writing Workshop and working toward a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. Chelsey is the author of There Is Nothing Else to See Here, a book of personal and lyric essays. She is also the managing editor of The Doctor TJ Eckleburg Review at Johns Hopkins University. Andrew Richey, Round Rock, is co-producer of the
film Love Land. Andrew invited Southwestern students, faculty and staff to a private test screening of the film on campus in October 2013. He says the film “...is about the importance of diverse (and often risky) experiences to the fulfillment of the human condition. It’s about refusing to accept the segregation of the world’s largest
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MARRIAGES: Chelsey Clammer to Spencer Williamson ‘06 on Sept. 22, 2012, residing in Denver, Colo.; Alissa Wysuph to Tiffany Tadlock on Oct. 3, 2010, living in Round Rock; Matthew Gates to Hannah Warner (now Hannah and Matthew Gatner) on Jan. 4, 2014, living in Durham, N.C. BIRTH: Jimmy and Christina Granado Gonzales, Temple, a son, Eric Michael on Aug. 25, 2013.
The Spanish Tragedie. For more information visit www. thebaronsmen.org. Spencer Williamson, Denver, Colo., earned his
Master of Arts degree in technical communication from Texas State University in 2012. MARRIAGES: Spencer Williamson to Chelsey Clammer ‘05 on Sept. 22, 2012, residing in Denver, Colo.; Lanese Querner to Brady Barnett on Sept. 20, 2013, living in Dallas.
2006
BIRTHS: Tiffany Robertson and Steven Harben, McKinney, a daughter, Emory Faith on Aug. 8, 2013; Michael Tann and Stephanie Seaman ‘09, Dallas, a son, Zachary on July 13, 2013.
Matt Barnes, South Bend, Ind., earned his Ph.D.
2008
studying aquatic ecology and biological invasions at the University of Notre Dame.
Veronica Montemayor, Houston, passed the Bar
Andrew Kerr, Oxford, United Kingdom, left his post
2005
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minority, and about jump-starting a cultural discourse in America to help change perceptions of ‘pity and fear’ to those of ‘equal citizenship.’” To learn more about the film and view the trailer visit www.lovelandfilm.com.
as executive director of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility in August 2013 to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.
Exam and was sworn in to practice law in the state of Texas in November 2013. She graduated from the South Texas College of Law in May 2013, and is now working in a private practice doing civil litigation as a First Year Associate at McCathern PLLC.
2009
#SU09
Katy Thompson, Stephenville, produced an original
practice production of Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedie at The Curtain Theatre in Austin in November 2013. She says, “This is the first major original practice production of the seminal Revenge Tragedy ever performed in the United States and [it was performed] in a wooden O theater in torchlight with period costuming and live music.” Michael Saenger, associate professor of English at Southwestern, performed the part of the King of Spain, and wrote an article about the continued relevance of
No Translator Needed
MARRIAGE: Caroline E. Morris to Clayton Christopher on June 2, 2012, living in Austin BIRTH: Stephanie Seaman and Michael Tann ‘06, Dallas, a son, Zachary on July 13, 2013.
2010 Reese Cisneros, Austin, is a senior event producer and special projects coordinator at Kennedy Creative Events, an events agency in Austin. This past fall, Reese passed the Destination Management Certified Professional Exam, which aims to “uphold the highest level of professionalism, establish standard business and ethical practices, and promote the value of local destination management through member and industry education.”
Lauren Kjolhede, Fort Worth, recently traveled to
Erika Rendon, Brownsville, is in the process of
El Salvador with five of her fellow medical students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) at the University of North Texas Health Science Center as part of a mission trip with Together in Hope, an international non-profit based in Houston. The group went to the same location that the Southwestern men’s soccer team (along with Lauren and another female student) went two years ago. The group from TCOM fundraised for the trip by running the Cowtown 10K, raising more than $2,100. Lauren says, “One of the integral experiences of my college career was the time I spent studying in Santiago, Chile, where I learned medical Spanish. This trip felt like a practical culmination of that program—I was able to take countless patient histories without needing a translator.” The best part of the trip, she says, was “seeing the same children, now two years older, still in school and doing well.” As an extra perk, Lauren was able to play soccer with the children in the afternoons. “I got to represent my SU soccer skills, although they were a bit rusty.” For additional information on Together in Hope, visit www.togetherinhope.org.
earning a Ph.D. from Rice University. She is studying Latin American history with an emphasis on Mexico.
Southwestern Magazine
MARRIAGE: Mariah Arispe to Ryan Fink, on March 16, 2013, living in San Antonio.
2011 Victoria Dominguez, Austin, earned her Master
of Arts degree in women’s and gender studies from The University of Texas at Austin in May 2013 and won the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award in Women’s and Gender Studies. Victoria is the office manager and lead reading and writing tutor at Austin Learning Center, a private tutoring agency. She serves as an academic tutor for humanities-oriented disciplines, prepares students
In Memoriam
for the SAT/ACT and works with elementary students on reading development.
2012 Russell Kelly, Austin, is a product development engi-
neer for 3M. He says he “designs splices/terminations and works with customers on making specials for their needs.” Huy “Will” Nguyen, Denver, Colo., is a junior
developer for Data Connect Corporation, a company that creates quality solutions enabling businesses to improve the way information is generated, distributed and retrieved. He says, “As a junior developer, I spend part of my time developing new features for our products or fixing small bugs that come up after shows. The other part of it is evaluating what the business needs and helping decide ... what we can develop and what cannot be developed yet.”
2013 Benjamin Bracher, Dallas, is with the Teach for
America program, and teaches 6th grade science at Uplift Infinity Preparatory School. (see p. 15) Kate Hayden, Dallas, is a 7th grade English teacher
at Stockard Middle School with the Teach for America program.
Southwestern Legacies Get Together During Homecoming and Reunion Weekend ’13, Southwestern Legacy Families got together for a special photo. Back row (l-r): Mike Middleton ‘85, Lance Middleton ‘17, Oscar Barbour ‘17. Bottom row (l–r): Tiffany Welsh Stevenson ‘03, Katie Glasgo ‘17, Meredith Middleton ‘13, Betha Cox Pringle ‘66, Eleanor O’Neil ‘14, Marjorie Cox Cardwell ‘56, Mary Ann Ullrich Barbour ‘43. Photo by Carlos Barron Jr. ‘10.
None of us is replaceable and we are diminished by any who are absent from us. For the lives of all members of the Southwestern University community who have died, we give thanks. Annie Laura Reese Forshagen ’36, Gonzales,
Jan. 9, 2014 Oscar R. “Buster” King Jr. ’38, Lago Vista,
Nov. 14, 2013 Carmen Long Reese ’38, Encinal, Oct. 4, 2013 Virginia Forwood Lawrence ’40, Taylor,
Nov. 1, 2013 Billie Doris Hays White ‘41, Chelsea, Mich.,
Oct. 25, 2013 Derrill Lee Cates ‘42, Lufkin, Sept. 28, 2013 Frances Daniels Burtchaell ’43, Paso Robles,
Calif., March 13, 2014 John M. Cluck Jr. ’43, Montgomery, Ala., Dec. 1, 2013 Martha Jo Hook Cluck ’44, Montgomery, Ala., Dec. 19, 2013 Theresa Roper Miller ’44, Fort Wayne, Ind., Jan. 31, 2014 Nell Atkins Yaksh ’44, Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 28, 2013 Bobbie Owens Allen ’45, New Braunfels, Nov. 4, 2013 Corinne Bethea Griffin ’45, Austin, Oct. 3, 2013 George Blomquist Jr. ’46, Lexington, N.C., Oct. 9, 2013 Kitty Anderson Bracht ’47, Houston, Oct. 13, 2013 Peggy Johnston Moore ’47, Austin, March 21, 2014 Edward G. Shineberg ’47, Rock Springs, Wyo., Jan. 7, 2014 Kenneth C. Blackford ’48, Waxahachie, Sept. 24, 2013 William “Billy” Davis Jr. ‘48, Georgetown, Nov. 28, 2013 Betty Seybold Wilcox ‘48, Columbus, June 6, 2013 Norris Fisher ’49, Kennesaw, Ga., Oct. 9, 2013 Charles R. Lindsay ’49, Marble Falls, Nov. 3, 2013 Wayne Edwin Severson ’49, Overland Park, Kan., Oct. 23, 2013 Dewey M. Baker ’50, Llano, Nov. 16, 2013 George E. Nelson ’50, Georgetown, Feb. 9, 2014 Frances Deckard Nelson ’50, Georgetown, Feb. 16, 2014 Robert Aderhold ‘51, Elgin, March 2, 2014 Joan Corwin Williams ’51, Brigham City, Utah, Sept. 3, 2013 Barbara Nicholson Andrews ’52, Fort Worth, Oct. 16, 2013
Rebecca “Becky” Dillard Seale ’52,
Sugar Land, Aug. 18, 2013 Ray L. Starnes ’52, Paris, Jan. 16, 2014 James “Jimmy” D. Baines ’53, Ithaca, N.Y., Oct. 7, 2013 Marjorie Hill Hayes ’53, Conroe, Sept. 1, 2013 Dr. S. Bradley Miller ’53, Waco, Sept. 9, 2013 Frances Grimes Waters ’55, Harlingen, Nov. 28, 2013 Victor E. Manning ’56, Houston, Nov. 11, 2013 William Hoffman Jr. ’59, Blythewood, Oct. 20, 2013 Mary Sue Addison Ussery White ’59, Athens, Oct. 17, 2013 Annie Laura Mason Day ’60, Brookshire, March 14, 2014 Frederick C. Gunther ’60, Chewelah, Wash., Feb. 6, 2014 Philip A. Darby ’62, Austin, Aug. 27, 2013 Lillian Carol Henderson Griffin ’62, Brownwood, Dec. 30, 2013 Beverly Medford Mason ’62, Tyler, Feb. 20, 2014 Richard M. Browning ’63, Arlington, Jan. 16, 2014 Thomas R. McClellan ’64, Garland, Aug. 3, 2013 Johnny Holloway ’65, Lubbock, Oct. 19, 2013 Fred E. Martin ’66, Seguin, Nov. 9, 2013 Ann E. Fowler ’67, Houston, Sept. 2, 2013 Margaret Kalinowsky Speir ’70, Austin, Feb. 6, 2014 William L. Willis ’71, Cleburne, Sept. 27, 2013 Barty W. Banks ’72, Hobbs, N.M., Oct. 31, 2013 Cathy Ann Clark ’74, Liberty Hill, June 22, 2013 Selma “Mimi” Ballafant Buderus ’75, Tampa, Fla., Jan. 13, 2014 Theresa Marie Irizarry Lopez de Castilla ’84, San Antonio, Sept. 18, 2012 Anita Jo Lightfoot ’85, Terrell, Jan. 18, 2013 Melissa Marcom Cunningham ’88,
Georgetown, Jan. 8, 2014 John R. Endsley III ’96, Houston, Sept. 25, 2013 Andrew C. Webb ’09, San Antonio, Jan. 22, 2014 Roy H. Cullen, Houston, April 4, 2014 Charles Wesley Williams, Houston,
Oct. 30, 2013 Notices received after March 28, 2014, will be listed in the next issue.
spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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Digital Dialogue
@SU_OCE loved hearing about the Tucson #destinationservice trip today at lunch, great presentation @abby0jordan! @helenalex_
The classroom and The Cove aren’t the only places where conversations are happening. Southwestern students, faculty, staff and alumni are connecting through social networks to share memories and show their Pirate pride. For a peek into what’s being said, we’ve shared some of the most popular posts, tweets and photos from the last six months.
Tweet it. Like it. Snap it. Pin it. No matter what social network you prefer, Southwestern is ready to connect. Maybe you want to keep up with the great things happening on campus or see what others are saying about Southwestern, or maybe you just want to share your Southwestern Experience with others.
#Besouthwestern
PUT A HASHTAG ON IT!
Follow us!
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We now have a beacon that can be seen from miles away—the water tower on the east side of campus was finished today! Southwestern University
@SouthwesternU
Like us!
www.fb.com/southwesternuniversity www.fb.com/southwesternalumni
Pin with us!
www.pinterest.com/southwesternu
Just had a paideia moment between historiography & children’s literature! #besouthwestern
Full list of SU hashtags: www.southwestern.edu/hashtags @jeannemariew 28
Southwestern Magazine
Pirates helping pirates in the library tonight. So many research methods studies going on! #BeSouthwestern @roberthunterr
#15presSU selfie! #BeSouthwestern @SouthwesternU
“Let life in.” -@nprscottsimon #ShillingLecture
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Not having the best Friday? Come to the commons and Ella will surely cheer you up! “What day is it?” photo by: #IGCaptain @madisonmtillery @SouthwesternU
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#overheard from a visitor: “This place is like a Hogwarts school!” #BeSouthwestern @SouthwesternU
I forgot how great the library courtyard is!
@SouthwesternU
@annefriedd
Proud to say next year I will be attending Southwestern University! Excited to be a pirate! #arrrggg #BeSouthwestern @2018SU @SouthwesternU @alyellie14
Here is a close-up of President Burger’s cake. Round Rock Donuts did a great job! @SouthwesternU spring 2014 www.southwestern.edu
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the last word
Photo by FJ Gaylor Photography
Doing Good and Doing It Well by melissa k. byrnes Assistant professor of history
One exciting thing about being at Southwestern is the opportunity to engage with the University’s deep commitment to social justice. Our institution claims for its core purpose the harnessing of a liberal arts education to support the “well-being of humanity” and includes among its core values “encouraging activism in the pursuit of justice and the common good.” To these ends, I’ve been teaching a First-Year Seminar for the past three years that brings students into the Georgetown community to think carefully about what “giving” means. “Doing Good and Doing It Well: The Philosophy and Practice of Philanthropy” pairs traditional academic readings and writing with an important project: students are asked to create a pop-up foundation in their first week on campus in order to give out a grant of $3,000–$4,000 (funded by grants to Southwestern from the Georgetown Health Foundation and Regions Bank) to a local non-profit organization. As a group, they evaluate applications, conduct site visits, select a single finalist, and even conduct a review six months later. The course has been particularly successful on two fronts. First, it forces students to take what they do in the classroom into the world beyond those walls. The students read philosophy, fiction, religious texts, historical essays and neuroscientific studies. Taken together, these disparate disciplines introduce them to that great strength of the liberal arts: the ability to come at an issue from many different perspectives and through complimentary ways of knowing. More importantly, the students quickly realize how relevant these scholarly pursuits are once they step
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Southwestern Magazine
into the field. Aristotle and Alexis de Tocqueville are no longer relegated to the realm of dusty intellectual debates, but rather become important partners as students grapple with practical decision making. Jane Addams, who serves as the subject of their first college essay, becomes another popular guide (one who wrote eloquently about the effects of her own education on her ability to effect change in the neglected neighborhoods of 19th century Chicago). Not only does the class provide new links between Southwestern and the broader community, but it also gives the students experience connecting their class work to the world— they practice what it will be like to take their education with them into their professional lives at the end of four years. Second, the class is a wonderful exercise in critical learning: taking something that the students think they understand and turning it inside-out and upside-down. This leads to both good learning and good philanthropy. One of the key lessons in the course—repeated by many of the authors the students encounter—is that the best philanthropy calls the world as it is into question. Aeschylus coined the word “philanthropist” for his portrayal of Prometheus, who rebelled against Zeus to bring fire to the humans, setting the standard for opposition to tyranny and inequality. At its roots, therefore, philanthropy is subversive—and profoundly democratic. Effective philanthropists must challenge traditional institutions and power structures. What better training is there for such actors than the justicefocused liberal arts inquiry that we cultivate here on the Southwestern campus?
Remember when you set out to change the world? You still can. G rad u ation day was f u ll of p romise . Nothing seemed impossible. Armed with your degree, you set out to make a difference. And you did. But what now? How can you create even more impact at this point in your life? With a smart, tax-wise, customized estate plan that maximizes benefits to you, your family and Southwestern.
Imagine leaving a legacy. Imagine creating a gift you‘ve always wanted to make, even if you never thought it was possible. Your gift could be the solution to the economic challenges many of our students face while achieving their degree. You don’t have to be a certain age or extremely wealthy to make a big difference. You just need a plan. Southwestern University’s Office of Gift & Estate Planning is your resource for charitable estate planning. We have the tools and expertise to help you examine how to achieve your philanthropic goals and we assist our alumni and friends who want to make a difference in the lives of Southwestern students through a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity or other plan. Alumni and friends contribute in meaningful ways each year. You, too, can leave behind gifts of lasting impact. What will your legacy be? To learn more, visit www.southwesterngift.org. For personal assistance, call April Hampton Perez ’89, senior director of gift & estate planning, at 800.960.6363 or 512.863.1485.
Photo by Lance Holt
let yourself be changed... This was the message brought by Scott Simon, journalist and host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday, as the 2014 Roy and Margaret Shilling Lecturer.