T h u r s d a y, s e p t e m b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | v o l . 4 6 i s s u e 6
Pa r t y l i k e i t ’s 1965
Photo by alyssa smith | The Shield
Former President Ray Hoops greets Betty Rice, wife of the first President David Rice, as he arrives at the Party of the Decades. The Party of the Decades was a 50th anniversary celebration that took place in the PAC Saturday.
University celebrates 50th anniversary by megan thorne features@usishield.com @ShieldsterMegan
During the USI 50th anniversary week, students were able to attend events celebrating the birth of the university. Three of the biggest events were: the Founders’ Day Banquet, the showing of “Shaping the Future: The University of Southern Indiana” and the Party of the Decades. Each event commemorated an aspect of the university’s history. Founders Day Banquet In 1965, 412 students entered the halls of the Indiana State University Evansville campus for the first time. Today, the independent USI has
more than 9, 000 students. At the annual Founder’s Day banquet, the university celebrated its 50th year. Sodexo treated students, alumni, politicians and other community members to a multiplecourse meal. The only surviving founder Roland Eckels, and his wife Phyllis, attended. “(Rolland) was here from the very beginning getting the ground (for the university) and sadly he’s the only one left,” Phyllis said. During the luncheon Mayor Lloyd Winnecke spoke to the school. “I think back to what it must have been like for those men and women who had the vision to acquire this property and to put this process in motion,” Winnecke said. “Did they envision what’s
here today? I have to think that this has grown beyond their wildest expectations.” Winnecke said it’s not only important to the city of Evansville but to our region and state, but the economy and academic standpoint as well. The luncheon transitioned into an awards ceremony for distinguished faculty and alumni. The recipients were Stephen Small with the Honorary Alumni Award, Nancy Bizal with the Faculty Recognition Award and Judy Morton with the Alumni Service Award. Alumni Tracy Zeller presented President Linda Bennett with a pin labeled with the new university logo. The 14 karat gold pin was adorned with rubies, sapphires and a diamond. 5oth anniversary, PAGE 4
SGA population New engineering degrees under nearly doubles by gabi wy news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi
Student Government Association considered 15 applicants for membership Sept. 19. The organization welcomed 12 new members after more than two hours and almost doubled its population. “I just got interviewed (to be part of SGA),” freshman biochemistry major Gabriela Aguilar said during the meeting, “and I did good, but I’m still shaky.” Aguilar hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the organization. “I’ve got different experiences,” she said. “I’m coming from out of state, and I’m a first generation student. There’s so much I want to do here.” Aguilar is one of six freshmen welcomed into SGA this semester, along with six new upperclassman representatives. At the meeting, Executive Vice President Liz Downard led the potential members out of the room
to await consideration by the existing members. The candidates were individually brought back into the room to introduce themselves and answer any questions the existing general assembly had. SGA initiated six freshmen members-at-large, two liberal arts representatives, two business representatives, a Veterans’ Affairs Representative and an International Student Representative. Undecided freshman Tess Whitesell said she involved herself in high school leadership as much as she could. “I have a lot of experience with student government and have had VP positions,” she said. “I care about people a lot, even those that I don’t know.” While some freshmen were previously involved with student leaderships, others said SGA would be their first experience in student leadership organizations. SGA members, PAGE 3
state consideration by cara meeks
cdmeeks@eagles.usi.edu
Scott Gordon and Zane Mitchell are currently in the process of getting two new degrees approved by the state for the engineering program: Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. They have been “approved by all of the steps in the university but has to be approved by the commissioner of higher education,” said Gordon, dean of Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education. “They’re going to be beneficial in a variety of ways,” he said. “We’re going to attract a lot of students because we hear from students on a regular basis that they want those in the engineering program, mechanical especially.” Gordon said the new degrees will benefit the region because of the heavy basis in manufacturing.
Photo by alyssa smith | The Shield
Marisa Bean (right), a senior electrical engineering major, works on an exercise where they test stresses and connections during their Strengths of Materials course lab.
“A lot of those manufacturing industries hire mechanical engineers, and they will be very interested in manufacturing engineers,” he said. “Right now there is no other manufacturing program in the state of Indiana.” The degrees should help meet that demand, help drive the economy in those
The story of the people who placed their bets doubled down and produced a winning hand
manufacturing areas and meet student needs. “That’s really key,” Gordon said, “because these are things we hear students talking about wanting.” There are about 350 students in the Bachelors of Science Engineering Program. The program hopes to get 120 additional stu-
dents, and 35 additional students are anticipated to be in the Mechanical Engineering Program, Gordon said. The program is “extremely challenging,” he said. Approximately 128 credit hours are required. engineering, PAGE 3
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