Just as Lewis and Clark once set out to map the West, MSU

Just as Lewis and Clark once set out to map the West, MSU

Michigan State University • Spring 2006 • Vol. 23, No. 3
Cover: Art rendering of
the new Stadium Tower
addition and The Spartan
ceramic statue, which
now resides in the lobby.
Rendering courtesy of
HNTB Architecture.
MSU PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN A NEW SURVEY OF THE COSMOS
Just as Lewis and Clark once set out to map the West, MSU
scientists are engaged in a massive effort to digitize and
spectroscopically analyze over half of the entire Northern Sky.
16
SPARTAN INVENTORS – PART TWO
Some MSU faculty are inventors and entrepreneurs, or
“inventrepreneurs,” and their work can dramatically impact
Michigan’s economic future.
22
Letters to the Editor
Editor, MSU Alumni Magazine
242 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824-2005
Include name, address, phone,
email and MSU degree/year
(if applicable). Letters may be
edited.
Via Fax:
(517) 432-7769
Via email:
editor@msualum.com
BLACK SOCIAL BANDITS AND SOCIAL CHANGE
The concept of the black social bandit, epitomized by O.J.
Simpson, and now reintroduced to us by the controversy
surrounding Barry Bonds, provides a critical yardstick which can
be used to measure America’s racial divide.
30
DEPARTMENTS
President’s Perspective 2
In-Basket 3
Around Circle Drive 4
Spartan Profiles 12
Sports 34
Alma Matters 38
State’s Stars 46
Obituaries 48
Lasting Impressions 52
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www.msualum.com
Page 1
PRESIDENT’SPERSPECTIVE
A
MSU Alumni Magazine
Robert Bao
Editor
Dave Giordan
Design
Geneva Tupper
Advertising
Manager
Tim Potter
Photography
MSU Alumni Association
Keith A. Williams
Executive Director
Andy Henderson
Systems Manager
Nancy Brent
Associate Director
Kristin Mackley
Office Assistant III
Dominic Schimizzi
Business Manager
Karen Moser
Office Assistant II
David Brown
Assistant Director
Chris Pfeffer
Information
Technology
Joni Burns
Administrative
Assistant I
Beverly Carnahan
Executive Staff
Assistant
Louise Cooley
Assistant Director
Regina Cross
Marketing and
Sales Coordinator
Cheryl Denison
Marketing and
Sales Coordinator
Brenda Haynes
Office Assistant III
Tammy Pike
Secretary II
L. Patrick Scheetz
Assistant Director
Sandy Soifer
Assistant Director
Barbara
Susa-Fineis
Event Coordinator
Jackie Sweet
Membership
Coordinator
Linda Trimble
Secretary II
Bev VandenBerg
Assistant Director
Advertising Manager, Geneva Tupper
(517) 432-1951 • advertising@msualum.com
handful of themes have come together for Michigan State in recent months, ideas integral to the ongoing initiative that will translate
the best of our land-grant heritage into a “world grant” future: economic development in Michigan; the challenge of increasing global
competition; and exciting potential of the bioeconomy.
Many of today’s challenges do not recognize national borders, and
often result from global tensions and pressures, beyond the control
of any single institution or even nation to address alone. By forming
partnerships that reach across cultures and international boundaries
Michigan State has been able to focus on a wide range of issues that affect all of us, regardless of
race, nationality or background.
We’re in the knowledge business, so we learn from our global partners and they learn from us.
And by working together, we accomplish more.
One of the issues that’s having a profound impact—both in Michigan and around the world—
is energy. Anyone who’s paid a heating bill or filled up a gas tank in recent months can attest to
that. And beyond the cost of fuels, the soaring price of oil—and our country imports some twothirds of our current needs—affects our entire economy, driving up the costs of a wide range of
materials, chemicals, products, processes, and packaging.
You may have noted that a few weeks ago, after a 30 year effort, the government of Brazil
announced its energy independence. Between fossil fuel sources they can extract domestically and biofuel sources that they can grow, Brazil no longer must rely on imports to meet
its energy needs.
Our vision of a bioeconomy depends upon linking the powerful research capability of MSU
with Michigan’s extensive manufacturing capacity and our potent agricultural sector.
This innovative idea goes beyond biofuels, to bio-based chemicals and composite materials
that can take the place of oil-based products. You can read more about our ongoing biotech and
biomass work in this issue, as well as at www.msu.edu/bioeconomy.
The potential for economic development is obvious. We’re building on Michigan’s existing
strengths, so we make the most of resources already in place, at a time when our economy is in
transition and the state is really looking to its research universities—and in particular, to its land
grant university—to lead the way.
That’s what we’ve always done at Michigan State. We make a difference by moving cutting
edge knowledge out of our classrooms and laboratories, then putting it to work in real and practical ways. And as a globally engaged research university, we bring the best of the world to Michigan, and share the best of Michigan with the world.
Sincerely,
Lou Anna K. Simon, Ph.D.
President, Michigan State University
COPYRIGHT 2006
MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
MSU Alumni Association
242 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824-2005
(517) 355-8314
www.msualum.com
MSU is an affirmative-action,
equal opportunity institution.
Page 2
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
INBASKET
MSU INVENTORS
Fascinating cover story in the
Winter 2006 issue. I had no idea
so many of my fellow Spartans
hold patents and have invented
some of the everyday items
that make my life easier. From
fiberoptics and potato chip
enhancements to inventions I
can’t even comprehend, such
as “super strong” materials
and underwater research
equipment, Spartans are
making the world a
better place! It’s great to know
that although I haven’t personally
invented anything, as an MSU
alum I am part of the legacy.
Lauren (Campbell) Coon, ’01
Indianapolis, IN
☛ Lauren is vice president of the
MSU Alumni Association’s Central
Indiana regional club. See page 42.
–Editor.
ID THEFT
I commend you for publishing
the story on Identity Theft
(Winter 2006). It’s one of the
fastest growing crimes and the
U.S. Secret Service enforces
the federal statutes. You have
provided an excellent educational
and information service to your
readers.
H. Stuart Knight, ’48
Falls Church, VA
☛ We’re delighted to hear from
Stu Knight, director of the U.S.
Secret Service from 1974-81.
–Editor.
Excellent story on identity theft
by Dr. Judith Collins (Winter
2006). As someone whose
business helps consumers and
businesses protect themselves
against ID theft, I agree that
consumers and employers will end
up getting stuck with more of the
bill, what with new federal laws
and FTC regulations favoring the
credit card companies.
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1917 year book proves that
the date used is incorrect.
John S. Frizzo, ’67, MBA ’68
Elkhart, IN
Your readers might be
interested in learning that other
types of identity theft also loom.
They include the theft of your
social security number, medical
ID theft, and character ID theft.
These are potentially more
disruptive and could land you in
jail from a routine traffic stop.
Walter Sorg, ’70
Williamston, MI
Your story on identity theft
was timely and informative.
All fellow alumni should take
heed to follow the advice of
Judith Collins, and perhaps
even buy ID theft protection.
According to the 2004 FBI
National Crime Survey, we
are 26 times more likely to be
a victim of ID theft than of a
violent crime and 25 times more
likely to be a victim of ID theft
than have our car stolen.
Chuck McCallum, ’63
Benton Harbor
FORWARD TO THE PAST?
Enjoyed the story about Francis
Irving Lankey (p. 5, Winter
2006). I’m confused, however,
by your statement that Lankey
would never know his song would
become the MSU Fight Song.
The 1917 Wolverine contains
these same lyrics on page 157
and they are titled “Fight Song”!
They’ve announced 1919 as the
date of our fight song at several
football games, but I believe the
www.msualum.com
☛ As we noted, Lankey and
lyricist Arthur Sayles came up
with the song in early 1915.
However, notes archivist Fred
Honhart, the song was not
copyrighted until 1919. Lankey
died in May 1919, before the song
was officially adopted as MSU’s
Fight Song by MAC’s military
band later that fall. –Editor.
HORN-RIMMED
Among the photos on page 32,
who is the man with the hornrimmed glasses (to the left of
Teddy Roosevelt)? My mother
Ruth, (former MSU historian)
Madison Kuhn’s widow, wasn’t
able to identify him either.
Thanks for your wonderful
emphasis on MSU history in the
magazine!
Rosemary Kuhn Plapp, ’62
Iowa City, IA
☛ That’s Edgar L. Harden,
MSU’s 15th president, who was
prominently mentioned by Gwen
Norrell in the article. –Editor.
CREATE A BAND SCHOLARSHIP
As a member of the marching
and concert bands from 19561960, I greatly appreciated your
recent articles, which brought
back fantastic memories.
I was fortunate enough to
earn a band scholarship, which
I maintained for four years
with the required GPA and
band attendance. Without the
scholarship, my only option
would have been to attend a local
college, and work and live at
home. Many fellow bandsmen
were in the same position.
I’m saddened that the band
scholarship program has been
greatly reduced and is no longer
available to non-music majors.
Let me suggest the creation
of an MSU Band Scholarship
Fund, funded by band alumni.
Now is the time for band
alumni to give back and make
four years at MSU a reality for
others like us.
Paul Hollinger, ’60
Baltimore, MD
PAC MAN
Re Keith Williams’ column on
the Green and White PAC (p.
8, Spring 2005). You might be
interested to learn that it is not
just an alumni effort, but also an
MSU faculty effort (visit www.
greenandwhitepac.com).
The Green and White PAC
seeks support for state policy
makers who advance MSU’s fiscal
position in the state budget. The
PAC makes contributions and
endorses state candidates who
meet this standard regardless of
party affiliation.
This PAC was established
because of the steep and
disproportionate decline of
state appropriations for public
universities in Michigan. Some
88 percent of our students come
from Michigan. With term
limits it may be difficult for
new legislators to have sufficient
knowledge about MSU and this
PAC is designed to educate and
inform our state legislators.
Norman Abeles
Faculty member
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AROUND CIRCLE DRIVE
University Relations/Kurt Stepnitz
President Lou Anna K. Simon and Madam Xu Ling, director general of China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as
a Foreign Language, shake hands after signing a 10-year agreement to form the MSU Confucius Institute. Looking on are
(l to r) Provost Kim Wilcox, College of Education Dean Carole Ames and Yong Zhao, who will direct the institute.
NEW INSTITUTE
OFFERS CHINESE
MSU, in partnership with
China’s National Office for
Teaching Chinese as a Foreign
Language, has joined the global
network of Confucius Institutes
and will provide online Chinese
language courses for K-12 and
adult learners.
“MSU is honored by the trust
placed in us to be among a
small number of partners with
the Chinese government on extending the teaching and learning of Chinese language around
the world,” says President Lou
Anna K. Simon. “We look forward to long-term collaboration
that goes beyond language, to
embrace a level of engagement
and understanding that will
benefit our respective institutions, as well as our nations and
the world, for years to come.”
MSU will develop the curriculum with the China Central
Page 4
Radio and Television University
in Beijing, which serves 2 million online learners. Online
classes for nationwide high
school students will be available
this fall.
“This institute will dramatically expand the capacity of schools
in Michigan and nationwide to
provide training in Chinese language and culture,” says University Distinguished Professor of
education Yong Zhao, who will
head the institute.
MSU RISES IN RANKINGS
The MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) and
MSU College of Human Medicine (CHM) both moved up on
the list of top medical schools for
primary care training, according
to the 2007 edition of America’s
Best Graduate Schools from U.S.
News & World Report.
COM moved from 9th to 4th
nationally, while CHM jumped
from 30th to 14th. MSU’s Eli
Broad College of Business
leaped nine places into the
Top 25, landing at 23rd. The
college’s supply chain management/logistics program ranked
2nd nationally behind M.I.T.
MSU’s College of Education
ranked 14th overall for the second year in a row. The college’s
primary and secondary education graduate programs ranked
first for the 12th consecutive
year. Five other programs were
in the Top Ten. MSU’s nuclear
physics program ranked second
nationally, while the doctoral
program in physics ranked 29th.
The complete rankings and
additional information can be
found at www.usnews.com.
Meanwhile, MSU’s The
School of Hospitality Business
faculty was ranked tops in the
country by the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research
(August 2005).
WIRED GRANT OF $15 MILLION
MSU will play a key role in a
new initiative to help Michigan
workers transition from the automotive industry to a new biobased, post-petroleum economy.
MSU will help implement a
$15 million grant by the U.S.
Dept. of Labor to the MidMichigan Innovation Alliance.
The Workforce Innovation in
Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant is one of
13 such grants nationally.
“The bio-economy will offer
new employment opportunities to workers in production,
materials transport, environmental protection and public
safety,” says MSU President
Simon. “MSU wants to deploy
the expertise of its research faculty—and the engaged outreach
of MSU Extension—to help all
of Michigan lead in bio-based
fuels, chemicals and materials.
The WIRED grant provides
an important opportunity for
worker development in support
of that aim.”
Simon announced that former
Lansing mayor David Hollister,
CEO of the Primas Civitas
Foundation, will coordinate
the Alliance. While MSU promotes the emerging bio-economy, other partners—including
Kettering University, Lansing
Community College and Mott
Community College—will
address other employment opportunities in sectors ranging
from fuel cells to advanced
manufacturing.
MSU WINS SIMON AWARD
For its efforts in international
education, MSU has won the
Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, named after the
late U.S. Senator Paul Simon, an
advocate of international education. The award is administered
by NAFSA (Association of International Educators).
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
“We’re honored by this award,
which recognizes MSU’s long
history of international engagement and leadership, and comes
as we begin to address new challenges associated with global
competitiveness in our increasingly interconnected world,”
says President Lou Anna K.
Simon. “Continuing to expand
our international reach is essential, as we apply MSU’s landgrant tradition and values to
being not only the leading landgrant university, but the model
for ‘world-grant’ by 2012.”
CHM PLAN GOES FORWARD
In April, the MSU Board of
Trustees voted to authorize MSU
to implement the expansion of
the College of Human Medicine
to Grand Rapids.
“This is a historic day at MSU,”
says David Porteous, board chairperson. “It’s the continuation of a
great idea and a great plan.”
A tradition begun to
honor MSU’s Sesquicentennial, Fred
Honhart, director
of MSU Archives &
Historical Collections, will continue
to highlight key moments and people in
MSU history.
MSU currently
has 3,293 students
from 127 countries, an impressive
measure of international diversity.
This is no fad, since international
students began coming to MSU
in the early 1870s. The first to
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The next steps include entering into agreements with
collaborating organizations,
seeking accreditation, recruiting
faculty and medical students,
and choosing and developing
a site for the school. Grand
Rapids’ Spectrum Health announced April 18 that the two
institutions have reached an
agreement, with an estimated
$55 million investment in
building support and some $30
million over the next decade to
enhance research.
“This is a model others can
turn to as medical education
faces the challenges of the future,” notes President Lou Anna
K. Simon.
Besides Spectrum Health and
MSU, other key partners in the
project include St. Mary’s hospital, the Van Andel Institute,
Grand Valley State University and community physician
groups.
NEW ACQUISITION—MSU’s Kresge Art Museum recently acquired a
enroll was Thomas T. Etches
from Chatham, Ontario, Canada,
who was in the Preparatory Class
of 1867. Subsequently students
from Japan, Denmark, England,
Australia and Canada came in the
1870s and 1880s.
The first
foreign
student
to graduate was
Charles
Christian
Georgeson
of Rudkjobing,
Denmark,
in 1878.
After graduation, Georgeson
became an assistant editor of
The Rural New Yorker and later
a professor in Texas, Japan and
Kansas. In 1898 he moved to
Sitka, AK, where he served at
the Territorial Experiment Station until his retirement in the
1920s.
Twenty-five students from
Japan—by far the largest number from a foreign country—attended MSU in the 19th Century. This was part of Japan’s
program to end its isolation after
1868 by sending its best students to study around the world
and return home with modern
ideas and practices. Of the 25
students who came to MSU, six
graduated with bachelor’s degrees and of those three received
masters’ degrees. After returning
to Japan, they served as professors of agriculture, president of
Shoichi Yebina, Class of 1895,
became President of Aomori Ken
Agricultural School, Sambougi,
Ken Aomori, Japan
www.msualum.com
new oil painting by Johannes Glauber (Dutch, 1646-1726) called Polidoro (1680s). Measuring 24-1/4 x 30-1/4 inches, the canvas shows a
classical Italianate landscape featuring Diana at rest with her Nymphs
after returning from a hunt. Susan Bandes, director of Kresge Art Museum, said that the MSU purchase was funded by the Nellie M. Loomis
Endowment.
an agricultural college, professor
of engineering and banker and
member of the Privy Council.
Attending a foreign college
was not without its challenges.
Besides having to learn a new
language, one had to endure slow
communications to home, and a
different diet and culture. Despite all of these challenges the
foreign students flourished at
MSU. But in April 1888, three
Japanese students were harassed
by 8-10 students and their
property destroyed. The faculty
subsequently suspended four
American students for a year and
the three Japanese students chose
to return home.
The early involvement of MSU
with foreign students is just one
aspect of the Land-Grant mission
and philosophy, in this case being
extended to students from other
countries around the world.
MSU Archives & Historical Collections
Page 5
Marsha MacDowell/MSU Museum
Kelly Church (Grand Traverse Bay
Band of Chippewa) and Cherish
Parrish (Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi), at the MSU Museum’s
2005 Great Lakes Folk Festival.
Raspberry basket (bottom)
Sarah Turkey, Ottawa
Curtis, Michigan 1991
Black ash and sweetgrass
Basket
Karen Reed Squally
Washington 2000
Cedar bark
MSU MUSEUM AT SMITHSONIAN
The MSU Museum is helping
Pearl Yee Wong/
to develop a centerpiece program
MSU Museum
for the 2006 Smithsonian Folklife
Festival, from June 30 to July 11,
that is expected to draw more than 1 million visitors to the “nation’s
front lawn” at the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Working with Native basket organizations and scholars and with
the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, MSU is
developing the “Carriers of Culture: Contemporary Native Basket
Traditions” project. Three years in the making, the project examines
the creative vitality and diversity of Native basket traditions significant
in the artistic expressive heritage of the United States and Canada—
within distinct tribal groups and First Nations.
“Contemporary Native baskets are powerful physical forms of expressive culture,” explains C. Kurt Dewhurst, MSU Museum director
and co-curator of the exhibit.
Next, a 3,500 square-foot exhibit, scheduled to open in 2007 at the
MSU Museum. From there, “Carriers of Culture” will travel to major
exhibition venues in the U.S. and overseas.
The MSU Museum became Michigan’s first Smithsonian Institution affiliate in 2001, formalizing a long-standing partnership in research, field work, exhibition development and educational programs.
“Carriers of Culture” has received national, competitive funding from
the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute for Museum and
Library Services and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
☛Read more about the MSU Museum and Native American
collections at www.museum.msu.edu
Page 6
STATIONS OF
THE YEAR
MSU’s
WKAR-TV
has been honored as Michigan Public Television Station
of the Year by
the Michigan
Association
of Broadcasters. MSU’s
WDBM—or Impact 89FM—has been named
the college radio station of the
year.
In addition, WKAR also
received seven awards for locallyproduced productions, plus a
radio award for Best Mini-Documentary/Series. At WDBM,
staffers took first place in four
categories—daily newscast, play-
by-play sportscast, public service
announcement, and promotional
announcement.
WKAR-TV celebrated its 50th
anniversary in 2004 (see cover
story, Winter 2004). WDBM
was the first college radio station,
out of some 13,000 in the nation,
to begin broadcasting the new
HD digital signal last fall.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR
WINS GRAMMIES
The MSU Children’s Choir has
won two Grammy Awards—one
for Best Classical Album, and one
for Best Choral Performance—
for a compilation CD titled
“Songs of Innocence and of Experience,” by Pulitzer-Prize winning
composer William Bolcom.
The song cycle was performed
in April 2004 in Ann Arbor. The
award was shared by the 40 young
singers—from fourth through
tenth grades—their director Mary
Alice Stollak, composer Bolcom,
performance conductor Leonard
Slatkin, music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, and
other conductors from the University of Michigan.
“I am so proud that our children
were asked to be part of a work of
this magnitude,” says Stollak, the
choir’s founding director.
☛Those interested in buying the
CD can visit the CD Store at
www.msuchildrenschoir.org.
Mary Alice Stollaks conducts the MSU Children’s
Choir during a rehearsal at the Music Building.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
University Relations/ G.L. Kohuth
(L to r) Debate team director Mike Eber, winners Ryan
Burke and Casey Harrigan, and head coach Will Repko
pose with their most recent national championship trophy.
DEBATERS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPS
The MSU Debate Team won the 2006 National Debate Tournament championship in late March at Northwestern University,
Evanston, IL.
It was MSU’s second national championship in three years. Entering the 32-team tournament as the No. 3 seed, MSU beat California State University, Fullerton; University of California, Berkeley;
Wayne State University; and Wake Forest.
“It still hasn’t sunk in,” says Casey Harrigan, who formed a duo
with fellow senior Ryan Burke. “The whole team was very emotional
when we found out we won. It was really just a culmination of four
years of tough research and hard work.”
“The debate topic (how to build relations with China) was very
broad and allowed for us to come at it with many different angles,”
says Mike Eber, director of the MSU Debate Team.
Members of the team engaged in research for Burke and Harrigan, spending hours at the team’s office in Linton Hall. “It would be
pretty common to walk into the office well into the evening and see
six to seven people really working hard and putting in the time,” says
debate coach Will Repko. “ We definitely earned it.”
NEW TECHNOLOGY
FOR MSU’S MRI
MSU has acquired magnetic
resonance imaging technology
that not only allows for greatly
improved brain imaging, but also
captures quality images even if
the patient’s head cannot remain
still during the procedure.
This motion-insensitive MRI
is especially valuable, says Mark
DeLano, director of MRI in
MSU’s Radiology Center, for
children who require sedation
and patients who suffer from
involuntary movements.
“Approximately one in six pediClick Right Through for MSU
atric patients does not adequately
respond to sedation, and one in
14 doesn’t respond at all,” says
DeLano, an associate professor
of radiology. “This is making a
huge difference.”
MSU’s radiology center boasts
the only 3-Tesla scanners in midMichigan, and the addition of
motion-insensitive techniques
makes it “state of the art.”
MSU KUDOS
Every semester, MSU faculty,
staff and students garner kudos
too numerous to list exhaustively
here. Some recent examples:
www.msualum.com
Thomas Glasmacher, professor
of physics and astronomy and associate director of MSU’s National Superconducting Cyclotron
Laboratory, is co-recipient of the
2006 Sackler Prize in the Physical Sciences. Glasmacher and
colleague Michael Thoennessen,
professor of physics and associate
director for nuclear science at the
NSCL, have been named fellows
of the American Physical Society.
Kay Holekamp, professor of
zoology, and Jianguo “Jack”
Liu, Rachel Carson Chair in
Sustainability in the Dept. of
Fisheries and Wildlife and director of MSU’s Center for Systems
Integration and Sustainability,
have won 2006 Guggenheim
Fellowships.
Richard Lenski, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
of microbial ecology, has been
elected to the prestigious National
Academy of Sciences. He is the
eighth MSU faculty member to
join the group.
Jacob Phelps, a junior from
White Lake, was named a 2006
Truman Scholar; Timothy
Howes, a senior from Brighton, has been awarded a 2006
Churchill Scholarship; and
three students won Goldwater
Scholarships—Stuart R. Kaltz,
a junior from Lapeer, Katherine
J. Leitch, a sophomore from
Rockford, and Anjali Rohatgi, a
junior from Novi.
Geneva Smitherman, University Distinguished Professor of
English and director of MSU’s
African American Language
and Literacy Program, has been
awarded the James R. Squire
Award from the National Council of Teachers of English.
David Tomarek, professor of
theoretical condensed matter,
has been named a recipient of the
Alexander von Humboldt Distinguished Senior Scientist Research
Award for his work in computational nanotechnology.
NEW HIRES ON CAMPUS
Mark Burnham, director of
federal relations for research and
assistant director of the University of Michigan Washington
office, has been named associate
vice president for governmental
affairs at MSU. He succeeds
Howard Gobstein, who has
moved on to the National Association of State Universities and
Land-Grant Colleges.
Richard T. Cole, executive
vice president and chief administrative officer of the Detroit
Medical Center, has been
named chairperson of MSU’s
Dept. of Advertising, Public
Relations and Retailing. He
replaces Bonnie Reece, who has
retired.
Seth Martin, development
director of the Michigan Nature
Association, has been named Major Gifts Officer for Broadcasting
Services/WKAR, a new position.
PUBLIC ART ON CAMPUS—
Apr. 25: (L to r) Susan J.
Bandes, director of MSU’s Kresge
Art Museum, physiology chairperson William S. Spielman, microbiology and molecular genetics
chairperson Walter J. Esselman,
Kresge curator April Kingsley,
Jeffrey R. Kacos, director of campus planning & administration
and chair of MSU’s Public Art on
Campus Committee, and artist
Caspar Henselmann, BP ’87, pose
by his abstract sculpture on the
southwest corner of the Biomedical and Physical Sciences building
at Farm Lane and Wilson Road.
The sculpture’s installation is
part of the Public Art on Campus
initiative.
Page 7
A NEW HOME FOR ALUMNI
By Keith A. Williams,
Executive Director
In late
April we
completed
our move
from the
MSU
Union to
One Spartan Way,
a move that has been anticipated for years and one that will
mean, ultimately, better service
to our alumni and to Michigan
State University.
As you can see from the photos and renderings, our new
home at 242 Spartan Way dominates the scene and its vicinity.
The structure boasts eight towering floors, with the original
Spartan ceramic statue standing
ready to welcome you in the
building’s first floor atrium.
For all of this I extend a
very special thank you to Vice
President Fred Poston for his
decision to have the alumni
Rendering courtesy of HNTB Architecture
Page 8
association housed in the structure, and to the numerous folks
in our physical plant and the
architectural consultants who
all played significant roles in
the planning and construction
of this impressive facility. Our
new quarters are attractive, efficiently designed, and well appointed.
That we have as our neighbors
University Development, Career
Services and Placement, the
Ralph Young Fund, and Varsity
“S” Alumni will only foster even
closer working relationships with
these other units of Team MSU.
I am proud to say that the
facility will also allow ease of
access to the services we provide
to our alumni.
For starters, we have a brand
new Internet-based telephone
system that can do more things
more efficiently than our previous system. If you call us during a busy time, for example,
instead of receiving a busy signal, you’re far more likely to be
attended by a real person. We
can receive four calls at once,
with each being answered by a
person. The system can handle
virtually an unlimited number
of simultaneous calls.
We also have better phone
conferencing technology, so that
we will have more flexibility in
setting up meetings with alumni groups and alumni leaders.
Those of you who visit us will
find ample parking space just
south of the Stadium, a dramatic
improvement over the conditions
around the MSU Union in the
heart of downtown East Lansing.
Our new headquarters also
boasts a merchandise store and
will soon boast a reading room,
where you can peruse old yearbooks or magazines and retrieve
memories from your college
days. And should you have an
appointment with our career
professional, for example, you
will find a dedicated space to
conduct your meeting.
I can tell you our staff are very
appreciative of the new quarters. They are excited about the
move, and are performing their
tasks with renewed enthusiasm.
Our graphic designer, for example, now has the advantage of
being able to perform his work
under natural
lighting.
One Stadium Way is an imposing structure. The second and
third floors are dedicated to university office space. The Alumni
Association is located on the
second floor. Above us, on the
fourth floor, is the LaSalle Club,
where many functions take place.
During home football games, this
area is for the use of those with
club seats. At other times, the
space will be available for small
to large events. On the top two
floors are the football suites and
the press box.
Not all our units have moved
into the new quarters. Our
Alumni Lifelong Education unit,
which organizes Evening College
and such programs as Odyssey to Oxford, will continue to
reside at Kellogg Center. And
the Student Alumni Foundation—which runs campus tours,
Parents Weekend, the Sparty
mascot program, and spirit
groups like the Izzone and the
Corner Blitz, will remain on the
third floor of the MSU Union.
When I arrived as executive
director in 1995, one of my
dreams was to have a Michigan
State University Alumni Center,
where we
consolidate all
alumni relations activities, as they
are in our
sister institutions in the
Big Ten. I am
pleased to say
that our new
home approximates that
dream in ways
that make me
proud to be
a Spartan. I
look forward to welcoming you
to your place at Michigan State
University.
Go Green.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
The MSU Alumni
Association would like
to welcome our newest
Life Members. We thank
you and commend you
for your willingness to
share our commitment to
this university through
membership in the MSU
Alumni Association.
David Balaj
Shelby Township, MI
LaVerne Brown
Sarasota, FL
Amy Davidson
Midland, MI
Faye and Steven Faraci
Royal Oak, MI
Sandra and
Richard Barrett
Bingham Farms, MI
Scott and Jaime Buell
Charlotte, NC
Susan and Edward
Davis
Oscoda, MI
Charles Figg
Fresno, CA
Robert Aldrich
Ridgefield, CT
Krista Bashford
Evergreen, CO
Clifford Allen, Jr.
Shawano, WI
Bruce Beal
Castro Valley, CA
Burt and
Marlene Altman
East Lansing, MI
Thomas and
Grace Benner
Chesterfield, MO
Patrick and
Lynda Andersen
Haslett, MI
David and
Mary Kay Berles
East Grand Rapids, MI
William and
Maria Bartrem
Germantown, MD
Bruce Burns
Dearborn, MI
John and Barbara Case
Bloomington, IL
Kathy Chapman
Howell, MI
Randall and Nancy
DeArment
Stanwood, MI
Brendan Dennis
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Timothy Chaprnka
Wyoming, MI
Lisa DeStefano and
Keith Owen
Lansing, MI
Joan and Robert Chura
Shelby Twp, MI
Daun Dickie
Gainesville, FL
David and Lynn Clark
Jackson, MI
Beverly Dinsmore
Milford, MI
James and
Ruth Ann Dittmer
Ludington, MI
Scott Dow
Jonesville, MI
Linda Arens
East Lansing, MI
Joseph Bertelsen
Attleboro, MA
Donald and
Suzanne Cleveland
Rochester, MI
Carol Arens
Warren, MI
Robert and
Mary Clark Bessette
Grand Ledge, MI
Donald and Linda
Clingersmith
Holt, MI
John and
Kristine Brahmer
Vernon Hills, IL
Jeffrey Cole
Portage, MI
John and Kay
Dukesherer
Delray Beach, FL
Earl and Cheri
Cornprobst
Temperance, MI
James and
MaryAnn Ehinger
East Lansing, MI
Steven Cuccaro
Gambrills, MD
Arthur Ellsworth
Phoenix, AZ
Tanya Armitage
Dardenne Prairie, MO
Steven and Jane Auvil
Macungie, PA
Travis Averill
Concord, NH
Eugene Backer
Burnsville, MN
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Donald and
Diane Bristow
Oro Valley, AZ
Adam Brakoniecki and
Abbey Steinhauser
Saddle Brook, NJ
www.msualum.com
Andrew Franklin
Freeland, MI
David and Kathleen
Friedrichs
Ann Arbor, MI
Brian and Carol Ann
Geissler
Birmingham, MI
Lea Gonzales-Bier
St. Clair, MI
Martha Griffin
Lapeer, MI
Thomas and
Beverly Hain
Hudsonville, MI
Heather Halbeisen and
Brian Stevens
Lansing, MI
Susan Harvey
Okemos, MI
John Hazekamp
Prior Lake, MN
Michael Healy
Canton, MI
Kelly Heos
East Lansing, MI
Page 9
Richard and Roberta
Higginbotham
Walled Lake, MI
John Hill
Laurel, MD
Bradley and
Mindy Leigh Hittle
Decatur, IN
Samuel and
Paula Hudnutt
Onondaga, MI
Karla and
Michael Hudson
East Lansing, MI
John and
Monica Inhulsen
East Grand Rapids, MI
Jeanne Johns
Haslett, MI
Karen Keener
San Antonio, TX
Dean and Nancy Kelley
Kalamazoo, MI
Daniel Kemp
Stokesdale, NC
Janice and
Benjamin Kinsey
DeWitt, MI
David Kliza
Brownstown, MI
Dorothy Laskey Rose
Manistee, MI
Rodney Lewis
Houghton Lake, MI
Gloria and
George Olman
Sterling Heights, MI
Andrew and
Lauren Scally
White Lake, MI
Hugh and Mary Parker
Owosso, MI
Valinta and
John Schnable
Oxford, MI
Douglas and
Darci Luyk
Byron Center, MI
Meredith Lyon Pence
Bayside, WI
Karen Lytle-Schommer
Harborcreek, PA
Bob Pettapiece
Detroit, MI
Michael and Jamie
Matheson
Novi, MI
John Piedmonte
Monroe, MI
H. Jeanne and
Francis McKowen
Williamston, MI
Terry McLeod
Lennon, MI
Alexandra and
Chad Meade
Park Ridge, IL
Mario Mendizabal
PANAMA
Bruce Miller
Bloomfield Hills, MI
John and
Elinore Mulder
Northville, MI
Michele Nemedi
Kalamazoo, MI
David and Kay Pierce
East Lansing, MI
Thomas and
M. Montgomery Plough
Worcester, MA
Christopher and
Tamiko Porter
College Station, TX
Robert and
Leanna Rice
Lowell, MI
Suzanne Riley
Manistee, MI
Kelly Ritter
Grand Haven, MI
James and
Lee Anne Roman
Okemos, MI
Christopher Nichols
Farmington Hills, MI
William Ruskin
Commerce Township, MI
Gary Niethammer
Freeland, MI
Karen and Fathi Saad
DeWitt, MI
Elizabeth Krainz
Royal Oak, MI
Thomas and
Marcia Nobel
Grand Rapids, MI
Norman Saari
East Lansing, MI
John and Diana LaParl
Portage, MI
Deborah Obrecht
Romeo, MI
David Kolkman
Palmetto, FL
David Kozik
Clawson, MI
Barry Sailor
El Paso, TX
Albert and Willa Thiess
Bluffton, SC
Jonathan and
Molly Thomas
Beverly Hills, MI
Paul and Linda Tobin
Arlington, VA
Marsha Schwarz
Fenton, MI
John and Karen Seguin
Waukesha, WI
Douglas and
Cindy Shankwiler
Alpharetta, GA
Roger and Jean Shull
Leander, TX
Tom and Mary Jo Tuori
Ada, MI
Judson and Judith
VanderWal
Grand Rapids, MI
Gayle Vaughn-Wiles
Blue Springs, MO
Christian Verardi
White Lake, MI
Edmund Sims
Buffalo Grove, IL
Corey Wagner
Ocoee, FL
Garrick Skutt
Lexington, KY
Traci Wightman
Mason, MI
Duane Smith
East Lansing, MI
Dana and Roger Smith
Plymouth, MI
James and Laurie
Stamas
Scottsdale, AZ
Holly Wills
Novi, MI
Brian and Nicole
Wilson
Ypsilanti, MI
James Woodruff
Richland, MI
Donald Stanbury
Grand Blanc, MI
Gordon Wright
Charlotte, MI
Patrick and
Maria Sutka
Wyandotte, MI
Michael and Brenda
Zemmin
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Patricia and
Michael Tate
Milford, MI
Mary and Roger
Zimmerman
Cleveland Heights, OH
Kerry Taylor
Grand Rapids, MI
H. David Zucca
Ann Arbor, MI
Cody Teller
Romeo, MI
Richard Santos
St. Louis, MO
Page 10
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Available October 2006!
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comprehensive examination of Michigan
State University’s history ever undertaken!
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John Hannah and the Creation of a
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This book covers John Hannah’s rise from a student to
president of Michigan State College, the college in the war
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The Evolution of a Land-Grant
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Images of a Land-Grant Tradition
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M.A.C.’s early development, its status as a
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Page 11
SPARTAN PROFILES
MARIANNE FEY:
BEYOND PRECISION
Buick remains a prestige brand
in automobiles, endorsed by
perhaps the greatest superstar
in sports, Tiger Woods. Last
fall, the job of managing that
brand has gone to an advertising
executive with 24 years of
experience who was recently
named among Automotive
News’ “100 Leading Women
in the North American Auto
Industry.” Marianne Fey, MBA
’99, executive vice president
and group managing director
Page 12
of Birmingham-based McCannErickson, now heads all Buick
accounts. Under her direction,
the advertising agency launched
a new campaign with the slogan
“Beyond Precision,” meant to
capture the attention to detail
that Buick engineers have put
into the new flagship line of
sedans called Lucerne. “The
campaign has been received very
well,” says Fey. “Sales have met
or exceeded all our expectations.
But this is a spectacular car that
has received hundreds
of rave reviews
from the critics and is loved by
dealers. Positioned properly,
built the right way, people will
come. We’re very excited.”
Originally from St. Clair
Shores, Marianne was president
of the Detroit branch of The
Competitive Edge, a full service
$60 million advertising firm that
was sold to McCann Erickson.
She has won a host of honors
and awards. She lauds MSU’s
executive management MBA
program in Troy. “It was a great
experience,” she says. “But it was
really tough. I now have a young
daughter at home. I’m not sure
I could have ever finished it
had I had her then.” She says
she encountered a lot of good
professors, in particular Mike
Moch, “who was incredible,
passionate, all about the real
world.” Marianne believes
that Tiger Woods is the perfect
spokesperson for Buick. “He
personifies our brand,” she notes.
“His golf game, like our cars, is
beyond precision.”
Lucerne replaces LeSabre and
Park Avenue
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
DON MANGES:
EUROPEAN RETIREMENT
More and more Americans
seem to be finding new wrinkles
in retirement. A perfect example
is Don Manges, ’51, who
retired in 2001 after working
four decades in advertising.
Rather than downsize and
eventually move to a retirement
center, he and his wife Dana
decided on a more adventurous
alternative. The Manges
sold their house in suburban
Pittsburgh and embarked on
a two-year European visit,
living in London, Paris, Rome,
and Vienna. “We wanted to
create an adventure, not just
settle into ordinary patterns of
retirement,” says Manges, who
has since co-written a book called
Leaving Home At 72 (available at
amazon.com). “We wanted the
experience of living in Europe,
not seeing things through the
lens of a hotel concierge or
tour guide, but through real
neighborhoods.” With a monthly
budget of $5,000, they had no
trouble finding affordable rental
apartments. “We met people
everywhere who became our
friends,” says Don, who still
emails them regularly. The
Manges were motivated by their
love of travel. “I had lived in
Paris and Rome before,” recalls
Click Right Through for MSU
Don. “I also volunteered in
Turkey, Lithuania and Armenia.”
But they had to plan their foray
carefully, because of health issues.
They also bought cell phones for
each city, so they could talk to
their grandchildren back home.
But the upside is that they were
able to really enjoy Europe and
accumulate a lifetime’s worth
of experiences, all retold in
their book. “We got to live in
neighborhoods with nods from
grocers in the markets, have
dinner parties for friends we met,
go to still-smoky jazz clubs, take
trains and rent cars on side trips,
and struggle with language,”
says Don. His best experience
was revisiting the Pantheon in
Rome, 50 years after he last saw
it as a soldier when stationed in
Italy. “I was able to relive some
of the experiences I had 50 years
ago,” he says. “Of course, from a
slightly different perspective.”
with a store on Grand River
just west of People’s Church.
Beaner’s will soon boast 15
stores in the Lansing area and
some 67 stores in nine states,
from Alabama to Wisconsin,
generating $22 million in annual
sales. “Our five-year goal is 282
units, which would put us in
play to be among the top five in
the country,” says Bob Fish, ’88,
co-founder of Beaner’s along
with wife Mary Roszel, ’88.
“We use the Northern European
platform, which means we
don’t overdo the roasting. We
want to bring out the full coffee
flavor and not have it taste like
charcoal briquette.” The formula
seems to work, considering the
50 percent systemwide revenue
growth Beaner’s enjoyed in 2005
alone. “There’s a lifestyle shift,”
says Bob, about the popularity
of coffee stores. “We provide a
sense of community. Once upon
a time you would lean over your
fence to talk to your neighbor.
Now you run into your neighbor
at the coffee store. We provide
a safe, social environment to
meet people, compared to, say, a
bar. And we’re not as expensive
as a restaurant.” Bob was born
in Germany and grew up in
Europe. He entered MSU
in 1981 and worked his way
through school. “I’m a slow
learner,” he jokes, chuckling.
“But when I graduated I had
zero debt.” A hospitality
business major, he met his
wife when he was working at
a Flap Jack Shack and hired
her to fulfill her required
work experience. The MSU
experience was helpful, he says,
citing John Tarras and Bonnie
Knutson as two “awesome”
mentors. Mary, a native of Ann
Arbor, handles Beaner’s system
development area, working
with franchisees. She also lauds
her MSU education, citing
Chef Nelson and Ron Cichy
as two special mentors. “MSU
emphasized training, and that is
so important,” she notes. “We
have emphasized this aspect and
it definitely helps us serve our
customers better.”
Bob and Mary sip their favorite
coffee at a new Beaner’s on the
corner of Lake Lansing and
Abbott Roads, East Lansing.
Don and Dana Manges visited
Italy’s Amalfi coast during their
creative retirement European
foray.
BOB FISH & MARY ROSZEL:
BEANERS SPROUTING
Michigan’s fastest growing
franchise coffee operation,
Beaner’s Gourmet Coffee of East
Lansing, first opened in 1995
www.msualum.com
Page 13
Tim Potter
realized how central science and
technology—and espionage—
were to socialist ideology. “I
was hooked,” she says. “I
devoured every single book on
the topic.” Kristie says the East
Germans were really good at
the recruitment and handling of
spies, using mainly ideology to
recruit spies. U.S. intelligence
tends to rely on money for
recruitment and technology
for information gathering. She
believes we could use more of
human intelligence—James
Bond without the gadgets.
“That,” she notes, “will be the
subject of my next book.”
Professor Macrakis shows off
one of her collection of Minox
cameras, the miniature devices
favored by real Cold War spies.
KRISTIE MACRAKIS:
SPY TECHNOLOGY
Students at MSU’s Lyman
Briggs School of Science have
an interesting option. “The
Technology of Bond, James
Bond,” as the seminar is titled,
fills up every semester. It has
intrigued local media. The
Chronicle of Higher Education
and the History Channel have
done stories on the course’s
creator, Kristie Macrakis,
associate professor of the history
of science and author of the
upcoming Inside the Stasi’s
Covert World of Technology. Will
students learn about exploding
pens or Aston Martins with
ejector seats? “Real espionage
is not anything like the Bond
movies,” says Macrakis. “The
Ian Fleming novels are more
realistic, but the movies are
fanciful. I mean, Q always
Page 14
equips Bond with gadgets that
turn out to be exactly what he
needs to get out of trouble.”
In real life, says Kristie, spies
use more mundane things,
like the Minox camera, often
dubbed “the workhorse of
the Cold War.” A native of
Boston, Kristie got interested
in espionage while a graduate
student at Harvard, where her
dissertation research on science
in Nazi Germany took her to
East and West Berlin. “You
can’t live in Berlin and not meet
spies,” she says, noting that
among others she met AdolfHenning Frucht, a famous spy
who worked for the CIA and
was caught by the Stasi, East
Germany’s secret police, and
imprisoned 10 years. “He was
a real character,” she recalls. In
1990, when she returned to
Berlin after the wall fell, she
SUSAN FOX:
OLYMPIC TORCHBEARER
One popular tradition of the
Olympic games is the torch
relay. For 64 days before this
year’s Winter Games in Torino,
Italy, the Olympic torch traveled
more than 6,800 miles, through
300 towns, passing through the
hands of 10,001 torchbearers
before it lit the flame. The relay
included the only American who
was selected on the European
MacDonald’s 23-member
team—Susan (Sherry) Fox, ’81,
a resident of La Grange, IL, and
director of global marketing
for MacDonald’s. Actually it
was Coca Cola, an Olympic
corporate sponsor and close
associate of MacDonald’s, that
tabbed Fox to run a 400-meter
leg near Pisa. “It was a very
nice honor,” Fox says. “It was
such an exciting opportunity,
we decided to take the entire
family.” The Fox clan included
husband Ken, son Sullivan,
13, and daughter Delaney,
8. Despite a peripatetic
upbringing, Susan attended
high school in Ada, Michigan,
and transferred to MSU from
Penn State when she felt
homesick. “MSU was a turning
point for me,” she recalls.
“Like high school, I was hugely
involved. I was chairman of the
MSU Funding Board, president
of AXO, ran the Greek Games,
worked at the Red Cedar
Yearbook and the State News.
I wasn’t a prima donna. I
worked my way through school,
including three years as a
waitress at the Village Market
Restaurant.” Susan says her
favorite professor was the late
Mary Gardner of journalism.
“She inspired me to think of a
career and truly think beyond
campus activities,” says Susan.
“She saw me as a preppy with
potential and made me work
for each A. I could not make it
on charm and persuasion. She
made me stretch, and that was a
turning point”.
Susan Fox’s family tried to keep
up with her when she carried the
Olympic torch near Pisa, Italy.
ROGER GROVES:
INSIDE THE RED ZONE
Four years ago, when MSU
fired head football coach
Bobby Williams—then one
of only four African American
Division I college football
coaches in America—some
wondered whether race played
a factor. The question seemed
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Michael Jennings
unwarranted, given MSU’s
history of national leadership in
advancing blacks, especially in
athletics. Nonetheless, Roger
M. Groves, ’74, a law professor
at Lewis & Clark University, set
out to fully explore the question.
The result is Innocence In The
Red Zone (available at Amazon.
com). Groves, who served as
William’s settlement lawyer,
lauds MSU for opening doors to
African Americans, but believes
the firing stemmed not simply
from Williams being black but
from a mix of circumstances.
“In general, it seems harder for
decision-makers to have faith in
African Americans in thinking
positions because of the latent
presumption and stigma of lesser
intelligence,” he says. “After
two years, Bobby had a better
record than either of the two
past coaches. Part of it too is
the lack of positive experience
with black coaches in the past.
And then you have the cultural
disconnect. You don’t have to
live in an igloo to understand
Eskimos, but it would help.
Without the faith, a bump in the
road is confirmation of future
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failure instead of only a blip on
the screen of a successful career.”
A native of Lansing, Roger came
to MSU to study music, but
realized he had broader talents.
So he obtained a J.D. from
Wayne State, served as a tax
tribunal judge and later practiced
tax, corporate and sports law as
an equity partner with private
firms in Lansing, Bloomfield
Hills and Washington DC. His
clients have included celebrities
like Aretha Franklin and Jerome
Bettis. An accomplished pianist,
he authored a book on playing
by ear and performed at Magic
Johnson’s wedding in Lansing.
“Some factors are based not
on race but lack of football
acumen,” says Roger. “They
unwittingly did not set him
up to succeed by requiring, for
example, that he retain Nick
Saban’s staff. They ignored
the many positive things he
accomplished.” How can we get
more African American coaches
in college football? “First you
have to have the institutional
will to make hiring decisions
on proper criteria, not the good
ole boy system,” says Roger.
www.msualum.com
“Then you have to allow African
Americans to enter the sea from
which you select head coaches—
the coordinator positions. To say
we can’t find any is like saying
we can’t find more lobsters in
Lake Michigan.”
TYLER JOHN DAMON II:
SKI PATROL
Normally one thinks of skiers
as perfectly healthy people, but
in recent years the slopes have
seen an increasing number of
physically disabled skiers. They
might use mono-skies, or biskies. A key enabling role has
been played by Tyler Damon
II, ’82, who in 2003 was
named National Outstanding
Instructor by the National Ski
Patrol—an outstanding honor,
considering the NSP has some
28,000 members across 500 or
so ski resorts. Damon says that
what set him apart has been his
effort to bring awareness of how
to work with disabled skiers.
“I teach others first aid, chair
evacuation and tobogganing
techniques,” says Tyler, who is a
member of Michigan Adaptive
Sports, a group that works with
people with various disabilities,
including spinal cord injuries
and cerebral palsy. “I teach them
how to render first aid and how
to communicate with disabled
skiers, and how to understand
their equipment use.” Tyler is
currently the Chief Innovation
Officer of GM R-Works in
Detroit, an agency that does
sponsorships, promotions and
event marketing for General
Motors. A native of Lake
Orion, Tyler comes from a fourgeneration family of advertising
people. “It was logical for me
to go to MSU,” he says, citing
professors Bruce Vandenberg,
Irv Bettinghaus and Gordon
Miracle as “very influential.”
While at MSU, he worked as a
ski instructor for the Lansing
Ski Club teaching blind skiers
from the Michigan School for
the Blind. His current efforts
on behalf of disabled skiers is
partly motivated by his youngest
of three children, 12-year-old
Andrew, who suffers from the
Dejerine-Sottas Syndrome, a
degeneration of the nervous
system. Andrew is deaf and
blind and needs a wheelchair.
“I come from a family of skiers
so it’s important for him to
learn to ski,” says Tyler, who
communicates with Andrew via
felt sign language. “He’s a great
kid. He does a lot of things.”
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MSU PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN A NEW
SURVEY OF T
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Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
'
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,
THE COSMOS
'
Just as Lewis and Clark once set out to
map the West, MSU scientists are engaged in a
massive effort to digitize and spectroscopically
analyze over half of the entire Northern Sky.
By Timothy C. Beers
For much of the past two centuries,
our knowledge of the nature of the night
sky was limited to either hand drawings
made by an astronomer looking through
the eyepiece of a telescope, or images that
could be recorded on photographic plates
at the focal planes of their telescopes.
Times have changed.
Over the past 5 years, a consortium of
more than 300 scientists and engineers at
institutions around the world have implemented modern digital approaches to obtain imaging for large swaths of the night
sky over well-calibrated ranges of wavelengths. This survey, known as the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), has used
a dedicated 2.5-m telescope at Apache
Point Observatory near Sunspot, NM to
measure precise brightness and positions
for hundreds of millions of galaxies, stars,
and quasars located in the Northern
sky. Because the data are in digital form,
they can be quickly analyzed to harvest
the wealth of information they contain.
Members of the SDSS consortium – and
hundreds of other scientists working in
collaboration – are using these data to
address fascinating and fundamental
questions about the Universe.
Yet, this is only the beginning of the
new era of survey astronomy. And MSU
is now a partner in this continuing adventure of exploration.
The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA), an NSF Physics Frontier
Center involving Michigan State University, The University of Notre Dame,
and The University of Chicago, have
joined forces with over 25 international
participants in a newly funded extension of the SDSS, known as SDSS-II.
SDSS-II will complete observations of a
huge contiguous region of the Northern
skies and will study the structure and
origins of the Milky Way Galaxy and the
nature of the mysterious “dark energy”
(
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)
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*
that may be responsible for the recently
detected acceleration in the expansion of
the Universe.
SDSS-II began observations in July,
2005. Because of the efficiency with
which data can be gathered using this
approach, SDSS-II will finish in only 3
years, by July 2008. The data will initially be studied exclusively by members
of the SDSS-II consortium, and then
will be released to the public for further
investigations.
SDSS-II has three components. The
first, called LEGACY, will complete the
SDSS survey of the extragalactic Universe, obtaining images and distances for
nearly a million galaxies and quasars over
a continuous swath of sky in the Northern Hemisphere, comprising some 8500
square degrees.
+
,
Page 17
One of the big mysteries in science—
the origin of the heavy elements
from iron to uranium—could soon
be solved.
The new funding also inaugurates the second
part of SDSS-II,
the Sloan Extension for Galactic
Color image constructed by Eric Pellegrini, MSU
Understanding
and Exploration
(SEGUE), which will map
formed, and, by example, how
the structure and stellar makeup other large spiral galaxies like
of the Milky Way Galaxy, and
the Milky Way were formed.
gather fundamental data on
SEGUE will obtain imaging
how the Milky Way formed and for another 3500 square degrees,
evolved. The SEGUE project
or about 20 percent, of the
will allow astronomers, for the
Northern sky in the five SDSS
first time, to obtain a “big picfilters, covering lower Galactic
ture” of the structure of our own latitudes than the original SDSS,
Milky Way. The mapping of
so that detailed studies of the
the Milky Way is more than an
disk population of the Milky
exercise in cartography. Ages,
Way can be carried out. In the
chemical compositions, and
past decade, astronomers have
the space distribution of stars
found convincing evidence that
provide major clues to undermany large galaxies, including
standing how our own Galaxy
ours, have continued to be “built
Page 18
The SOAR telescope in Chile is
opening up new opportunities
for scientific research. The inset
picture shows NGC 3603, the
largest star-forming region in the
Milky Way galaxy. It represents
MSU’s first real science data
taken with the SOAR telescope,
combining red light emitted by
hydrogen gas, green light from
oxygen that is mixed in with the
hydrogen, and blue light emitted
by stars.
up” over the history of the Universe by the incorporation of the
shredded remains of smaller galaxies that have been torn apart
by gravitational interactions with
their “parent” galaxy. The measurements made by SEGUE will
be able to quantify the numbers
of such interactions that have
occurred in the past, as well as
place strong constraints on the
fraction of stars in the Milky
Way that have been
“donated” by other
galaxies.
Of greatest significance to JINA
scientists, SEGUE
will obtain mediumresolution spectroscopy of 250,000
individual stars that
have been selected
to sample all of the
stellar populations
of the Galaxy. Spectroscopy is a technique employed
by astronomers to spread the
light coming from a star into its
constituent wavelengths, from
which very detailed knowledge
of its elemental makeup can be
obtained. In the future, additional spectroscopy observations
of SEGUE stars will be made
with the SOAR 4.1m telescope
on Cerro Pachon, Chile, in
which MSU is a partner.
JINA scientists are particularly
interested in the chemical compositions of the most metal-deficient (and by inference, oldest)
stars that will be found by SEGUE. Identifying the oldest stars
will help us understand how the
elements of the periodic table
were formed long ago inside of
stars, and distributed throughout
the early Universe by their explosions. The huge number of stellar spectra that will be gathered
by SEGUE will enable the detection of some 20,000 stars with
abundances of heavy metals less
than 1 percent than found in our
Sun, more than a factor of 10
larger than the samples known
today. It is expected that studies
of these stars will reveal direct
evidence of the nature of the
very first generations of stars that
formed in the early Universe.
The astrophysical origin of
the elements is one of the primary research interests of many
scientists at MSU, in particular
nuclear physicists working at
MSU’s National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
(NSCL). “The metal-poor
stars found by SEGUE will provide the elemental abundance
data which, with the help of
astrophysical models, can be
compared to the nuclear data
obtained in experiments at radioactive beam accelerators such
as the NSCL, and in the future,
the Rare Isotope Accelerator
(RIA),” says NSCL scientist
Hendrik Schatz. “Because these
metal-poor stars formed so early
in the history of the Universe,
they provide us with a unique
glimpse of how individual supernova explosions began to enrich
the newborn Galaxy with light
and heavy elements.”With the
astronomical observations from
SEGUE and the experimental
nuclear data from the NSCL
and RIA there is now a real
chance to finally solve one of the
big mysteries in science—the
origin of the heavy elements
from iron to uranium—within
the coming decades.”
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
This picture shows a globular
cluster made up of about 100,000
stars that orbit about their common
center of mass. It is one of about
120 such clusters that are some of
the very oldest objects in our galaxy,
dating back some 13 billion years.
The final piece of SDSS-II
includes an intensive study of
supernovae, sweeping the sky to
find these remnants of gigantic
explosions from dying stars. Astronomers can precisely measure
the distances of distant supernovae, using them to map the rate
of expansion of the universe, as
well as to learn about the nature
of the explosion phenomenon
itself, which bears directly on
the formation of the elements.
JINA provides financial support
for MSU Post-doctoral fellow
Sivarani Thirupathi, as well
as for MSU graduate student
Young Sun Lee, who are working with myself to construct and
refine the SDSS-II spectroscopic
pipeline, which will be used to
automatically assign estimates
of atmospheric parameters (temperatures, surface gravities, and
metallicities) for the SEGUE
stars with available spectroscopy.
Already, four MSU graduate
students are planning to work
with data from SDSS-II in their
PhD thesis work. Additional
undergraduate students are
participating in SDSS-II related
research projects.
At MSU's NSCL, JINA Postdoctoral fellows Jorge Pereira,
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Daniel Galaviz, and Milan
Matos, as well as JINA graduate students Alfredo Estrade,
Paul Hosmer and Fernando
Montes, together with MSU
professors Hendrik Schatz and
Paul Mantica, JINA visitors,
and other collaborators from the
NSCL, the University of Mainz
in Germany, the University of
Maryland, and the University
of Notre Dame have begun to
carry out first experiments with
the unstable nuclei that participate in the nuclear processes in
supernovae. In order to understand the supernova explosion
mechanism itself, JINA/NSCL
groups led by MSU professors
Remco Zegers and Sam Austin
investigate experimentally the
nuclear processes that lead to
and trigger supernovae. SEGUE
and JINA will be instrumental
in bringing together the various
observational, experimental, and
theoretical results to address the
open question of the origin of
the elements.
Funding for SDSS-II has been
provided by the Alfred P. Sloan
Foundation, the Participating Institutions, the National
Science Foundation, the U.S.
Department of Energy, the Japanese Monbukagakusho, and the
Max Planck Society. The SDSS
is managed by the Astrophysical
Research Consortium for the
Participating Institutions. The
institutions that enabled SDSS-I
and SDSS-II are: the American
Museum of Natural History,
the University of Basel, Cambridge University, Case Western
Reserve University, the University of Chicago, Fermilab, The
Institute for Advanced Study,
the Japan Participation Group,
the Johns Hopkins University,
the Joint Institute for Nuclear
Astrophysics, the Kavli Institute
for Particle Astrophysics and
Cosmology, the Korean Scientist
Group, Los Alamos National
www.msualum.com
Laboratory, the Ohio State University, the Max-Planck-Institute
for Astronomy, the Max-PlanckInstitute for Astrophysics, New
Mexico State University, University of Pittsburgh, University of
Portsmouth, Astrophysical Institute Potsdam, Princeton University, the United States Naval
Observatory and the University
of Washington.
The next few years promise to
be quite exciting times for MSU
astronomers and physicists alike.
Timothy Beers is Professor of
Astronomy in MSU’s Dept. of
Physics and Astronomy. He was
recently awarded the University
Distinguished Faculty Award,
as well as the College of Natural
Science Distinguished Faculty
Award. In 2003 he was named
“Michigan Scientist of the Year”
by the Impressions 5 Museum
in Lansing. Beers earned B.S.
degrees from Purdue University
(Physics and Metallurgical
Engineering, ’79) and two
graduate degrees in astronomy
from Harvard University (M.A.
’80, and Ph.D. ’83). After a
three-year postdoctoral research
fellowship at the California
Institute of Technology, Beers
joined MSU’s faculty in 1986.
When not teaching students and
travelling to conduct observations
with telescopes in Arizona,
Hawaii, Australia and Chile,
Beers enjoys playing his guitar and
talking with groups.
Using the
SOAR TELESCOPE
From the MSU Campus
By Jack Baldwin
Located at a superb astronomical site high in the Andes Mountains
of South America, the brand new SOAR Telescope produces some of
the sharpest images ever taken from the Earth’s surface. MSU has
a 1/6 share of this 4m diameter “Window on the Universe.” After a
nine-year gestation period, SOAR is now coming to life scientifically,
and MSU astronomers are right there on the scene—at least, we are
electronically on the scene. Actually, for our share of its usage we control the telescope from a new Remote Observing Room open to public
view from the atrium of the Biomedical Physical Sciences Building on
the MSU campus.
Page 19
MSU researchers are already performing
experiments designed to understand the
mysterious supernova explosion mechanism.
MSU researchers have taken full advantage of SOAR from
the control room on campus, and are already beginning
to unravel some of the mysteries of ancient galaxies and
things like Dark Matter.
30 Doradus (inset) is a region where stars are forming
from a huge interstellar gas cloud. The white clumping
of stars at the center is a new cluster of stars, whose light is
now illuminating the surrounding gas cloud.
The ambitious goal of MSU’s Center for the Study of Cosmic Evolution is to use SOAR as an observational astronomy laboratory to study
how our universe came to have its present physical structure of stars
and galaxies, and how its chemical makeup came to include the heavy
chemical elements that we humans are made of.
Here is a sampling of what we are up to:
The Chemical Evolution of our Galaxy. University Distinguished
Professor Tim Beers, in collaboration with research associate Sivarani
Thirupathi and graduate students Brian Marsteller and Young Sun
Lee, is using SOAR to study the way in which all of the elements
except hydrogen and helium were formed through nuclear reactions
in generation after generation of stars. The Beers team is among the
world leaders in the study of the very earliest stages of this process
here within the Milky Way. And they were first off the mark in
MSU’s remote use of SOAR, taking infrared spectra of the oldest
known stars in our Galaxy. Their results show how the abundances of
different carbon isotopes can be measured in these stars, which tells
us important details about the exact nature of that very early stellar
generation.
Variable Stars in the Milky Way’s Satellite Galaxies. The Magellanic Clouds are smaller satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. Like our
own Milky Way, they contain old star clusters harboring pulsating
giant stars. These star clusters and their pulsating stars help tell us
whether the Magellanic Clouds formed at the same time and in the
same way as the old halo of our own Galaxy. Series of observations
with SOAR reveal the presence of pulsating stars and let us characterize their properties. MSU astronomer Horace Smith and graduate
student Nathan DeLee have launched a long-term campaign, using
SOAR’s optical imager, to study these ancient stellar systems.
Giant Star-Forming Regions in the Southern Sky. The Magellanic Clouds can only be seen from southern-hemisphere sites such
as SOAR’s location, and the central regions of our own Milky Way
Galaxy are also much better studied from the South. I and graduate
student Eric Pellegrini have started a program with SOAR to study
Page 20
in detail some of the most important star-forming regions in our own
corner of the universe, in order to obtain better insight into what
similar systems would look like at very great distances. The light
from those much more distant star-forming regions has taken most
of the age of the universe to reach us and, if we can learn to decipher
its message, carries the record of the earliest steps in 13 billion years
of repeated cycling of interstellar gas through stars. Calibrating these
distant systems through careful study of nearby examples is the key
to understanding them.
Dark Matter in Distant Galaxy Clusters. Giant galaxy clusters contain thousands of massive galaxies, but most of their mass is actually
in the form of a mysterious substance called Dark Matter. MSU astronomy professor Megan Donahue leads a team that is using SOAR
to carefully weigh this Dark Matter, using an effect called gravitational lensing. About 85 percent of all matter in the universe is in the
form of Dark Matter, but we don’t know what it is, so anything we
can find out about it is very important in the big scheme of things.
Black Holes at the Edge of the Universe. Professors Megan
Donahue and Mark Voit are also using SOAR to study the way in
which gas falls onto central galaxies from the outer parts of giant
galaxy clusters. They are finding evidence that gas accretion onto
massive black holes at the centers of these galaxies ionizes and heats
the infalling gas, with strong effects on the overall evolution of the
galaxy cluster.
Jack Baldwin is MSU associate chair for astronomy in the Dept. of
Physics and Astronomy, and co-director of MSU’s Center for the Study
of Cosmic Evolution. He received his Ph.D. in astrophysics from the
University of California at Santa Cruz in 1974. He has been at MSU
for six years.
A Note About the SOAR Images:
© Copyright SOAR Corporation, Inc., all rights reserved. The Southern Astrophysical Research
Telescope is a joint project of Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas Cientifi cas e Tecnologicas CNPq-Brazil,
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Michigan State University, and the National Optical
Astronomy Observatory.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
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www.msualum.com
Page 21
A
G A L L E R Y
O F
MSU
PA RT
I N V E N T O R S
Some MSU faculty are inventors and entrepreneurs,
or “inventrepreneurs,” and their work can dramatically
impact Michigan’s economic future.
By John Draper
To date, the Lansing area’s most famous inventor is Ransom Eli Olds, who came up with the curved dash Oldsmobile in 1901, the first mass produced car in America. He
preceded Henry Ford in this feat by 12 years and was America’s leading auto manufacturer from 1901 to 1904.
That, though, as they say, is old news.
A new crop of inventors are stirring things up in the Lansing area, faculty at Michigan State University who are taking their inventions and commercializing them—and in
the process they are creating a “new economy” for Michigan. The players in the Industrial Revolution were wealthy
factory owners looming over armies of blue-collar workers.
However, in this “new economy,” the players are more likely
to wear white collars and to be located in laboratories and/
or in front of high-speed computers.
Since 2002, at least 27 start-up companies have been
birthed by MSU’s inventive professors and researchers.
These faculty members are more than inventors. They’re
inventrepreneurs, to coin a title.
“When the university transfers technology out into the
world it helps everyone,” says Lori Hudson, director of intellectual property for MSU. “It brings royalty revenue into
the university and, more importantly, it gives the people of
the state of Michigan technologies that can transform the
economy of the state.”
Hudson’s office assists the faculty members in building the
businesses based on their inventions. “Some of our faculty
have business experience, others don’t,” Hudson explains.
“We can’t in a hands-on way influence the private business
Page 22
aspirations of our faculty. But we can provide a range of
help to the faculty inventor, from creating a business plan to
finding office space to helping write grants.”
One major thrust of MSU scientists is in biotechnology,
which some hope can provide new jobs in the future and
mitigate the increasing job shrinkage in the waning automobile industry. The premise is that oil, which will run
out one day, can gradually be replaced by a whole range
of agricultural products, which derive from renewable resources. The whole field is cutting-edge and currently
MSU has some 400 researchers involved within this general bio-mass area. The promise is huge. Indeed, there are
some state officials who dream that biotechnology could
do for Michigan what the microchip did for Silicon Valley.
The combined efforts of MSU faculty inventors and Hudson’s office are in line with MSU President Lou Anna K.
Simon’s desire to see MSU become “a land-grant university
for the 21st century.”
“Both Governor Granholm and President Bush have tied
economic progress to an increasing need to be globally competitive, an idea that’s long been a part of MSU and our
land-grant values,” she has said. “As we’ve said before, being
the land-grant university for the 21st century and translating that into ‘world-grant’ is really about thinking globally
and acting locally, working on behalf of peoples and societies around the world, while rebounding the benefits of that
work to the people of Michigan.”
What follows are profiles of three of our faculty inventrepreneurs who are helping transform Michigan’s economy:
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Hollingsworth (right) and Frost are two
typical MSU inventrepreneurs.
John Frost
Distinguished Professor
of chemistry, MSU
President, Drath Industries
These have been busy days for
professor Frost.
His company, Drath Industries, just finished its first round
of funding. In the second round
of funding, Drath, now a Delaware-based corporation, is seeking $5 million to $6 million.
After that, $20 million.
“Within Drath Industries,
there are about three platforms
for $100 million businesses we
could spin out,” Frost says.
Meanwhile, Drath, which was
built using Frost’s full portfolio
of patents, recently delivered
its first product to a customer,
in this case, the U.S. Navy. It
was an “energetic plasticyser,” a
chemical that will be mixed with
another chemical to make a gel
used for single-stage rocket fuel.
Lastly, Frost recently opened
Drath’s first physical location,
near the MSU campus. (It had
been a virtual company up to
that point.)
Despite all these milestones,
Frost is not inclined to spin-docClick Right Through for MSU
tor an overly rosy outcome for
Drath. As a scientist, he’s all
about facts, not flights of fancy.
“You have to go into these
matters very realistically,” Frost
says. “Ninety percent of all startups fail.”
The common thread in all of
Drath’s products is that they’re
derived from genetically modifying microbes.
“We change the software of
the microbe so that its operating
system causes it to create new
molecules,” he explains. “What
the microbes make is a function of how we manipulate the
microbe’s DNA.”
All of Drath’s products are created from Michigan’s renewable
feedstock—which gives Drath
a competitive advantage as the
world wakes up to its dwindling
supply of fossil fuels, Frost notes.
“Over 98 percent of all chemicals currently manufactured in
the U.S. are made from natural
gas or petroleum,” he says. “If
we were planning on living
off petroleum long term, we’re
screwed. I have no confidence
that existing US companies will
be able to make the transition
needed to a non-petroleum-
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Just as dinosaurs were
replaced by creepy little
mammals, petroleumbased companies will be
replaced by companies
based on renewable
resources.
based economy. It’s just like
when R.E. Olds started mass
producing automobiles. The
carriage makers were displaced.
They weren’t changed into
something else. They became extinct. GM should have known in
the 80s that it was going to have
to change its act. Now it’s 2006,
and they’re talking bankruptcy.
Dow is another GM. They are
huge companies, and huge companies don’t reinvent themselves.
It’s economic Darwinism. The
dinosaurs were replaced by the
creepy little mammals that ran
underfoot. The petroleum-based
companies will be replaced by
companies based on renewable
resources. My goal is to make
Drath one of those companies.”
Rawle Hollingsworth
Professor of biochemistry
and molecular biology, MSU
President, AFID Therapeutics
Typically, Rawle Hollingsworth is up at 6 a.m. every
morning, after but three hours
of sleep, roused by several cups
of coffee and classical music
cranked up loud. (He’s not
much of a breakfast person.
Now and then, he’ll scarf down
a peanut butter sandwich as he’s
driving to his lab on the MSU
campus. But for the most part,
he’s caffeine-fueled.) He’s at the
campus by 7:45. He teaches
two classes, Chemistry 251 and
biochemical microbiology 804,
and what with class prep, teaching, working with students, and
various departmental meetings,
he doesn’t get to his second job,
president of AFID Therapeutics, until early afternoon. After
that, he’s in his campus office
and then his home office, hammering away until about 3 a.m.
Three hours later he’s up again
and the cycle repeats itself.
“I guess I’m so driven because
I’m outward focused,” says Hollingsworth. “I really do believe
that as things change, the role
of the university in America is
going to evolve. The state and
federal government will expect
more from the university in taking the lead to make sure our
country is economically competitive. That will demand more
from professors. I’m just ahead
of the curve.”
To Hollingsworth, helping
the Michigan economy means
finding ways to turn Michigan’s
agricultural products into new
life-enhancing/saving drugs. To
that end, he’s formed two companies that have been spun off
from MSU. His first, Synthon
Chiragencis, was acquired by
outside investors in 2002. He
used his profits from that sale
Page 23
Kris Berglund
poses with his enriched nutraceutical shiitake mushroom compound,
one of many new
bio-based products made possible
partly by MSU
research.
Government will expect more
from the university in making
our country economically
competitive. That will demand
more from professors. I’m just
ahead of the curve.
to fund his next venture, AFID
Therapeutics.
“Where do I get all my energy?” he asks. “I don’t know.
From the time I started in
chemistry, I’ve had so much to
do and so little time. I haven’t
been driven by the fear of failure.
I’m prompted by the promise of
success. I know I have a job to do
and I shall do it. It’s that simple.”
Hollingsworth founded AFID
Therapeutics in 2003, the latest
embodiment of his dream to
build an “engine” for creating
new drugs from plant biomass,
which holds 90 percent of the
fixed carbon on the planet.
“My mission is to advance
the use of agricultural products
beyond just food applications.
There’s only so much fossil fuel.
We’re going to run out. One day,
we’ll have big biomass refineries
in Michigan just like we have oil
refineries in Louisiana and Texas
now. The states who are big
players in agricultural products
will become the major players in
materials, chemicals and fuels.”
Hollingsworth started inventing with chemicals as a child
growing up in Barbados. After he
had taken apart just about every
appliance in the house in his unending quest to learn how things
worked, his doting father decided
to channel his curiosity into a
Page 24
more practical vein and bought
him a series of chemistry sets.
“I was always heating things
such as wood chips to watch
the different materials distill off
them,” Hollingsworth recalls.
Although Hollingsworth has
developed two companies based
on his inventions, he hasn’t let
the business of growing a business become his main focus. He’s
driven by the science.
“If you’re an inventor trying to
build a company based on one
of your inventions, you can get
caught up in the race to raise
money,” he says. “When you
get some funding, you can be
tempted to think, ‘Okay now
how can I turn this into more
money?’ That’s not what drives
me. I focus on delivering on the
plan we’ve presented to our investors. I would never say, ‘Well,
I didn’t actually do what I said
I’d do but, tell you what, give me
three times as much money and
another year and I’ll do much
better next time.”
Kris Berglund
Distinguished Professor of
chemical engineering and
materials science, MSU
Chief Science Officer,
Diversified Natural Products, Inc.
Before he was old enough
to go to school, Kris Berglund
would watch his siblings leave
the family farm for mysterious
parts unknown each morning.
To him, the farm was his day-today world, every day. The farm
and nothing else. He couldn’t see
over the tops of the corn stalks,
so everything he knew was what
he could see from his preschooler’s vantage point—usually at
his father’s hip as he dogged his
dad around the farm. When
you’re out in the middle of a
very rural area and the nearest
town (of 300 people) is 25 miles
away, you tend to get creative
when it comes to keeping the
farm running. His father would
use anything he could find lying
about—bailing wire and brica-brac—to repair/modernize
his various pieces of machinery,
always with young Kris at his
elbow, watching and learning.
“I guess that’s where my curious
nature comes from,” Berglund
says. “On a farm, you just figure
ways out of making do with what
you have handy. You invent.”
Fittingly, Berglund today finds
himself atop of a modest empire
of sorts pieced together by happenstance and opportunism. His
company, Diversified Natural
Products, was built by combining three separate companies
over a period of years – the common theme being that all three
businesses were about creating
“green” products from renewable
resources.
“The story of DNP, sometimes
I make it sound like it was all
planned, but maybe it wasn’t,”
Berglund says.
The story goes like this.
About 15 years ago, Berglund
invented a sodium-free salt substitute. (Currently, it’s sold by
the name Also Salt, but it’s in the
process of being re-branded.) Berglund purchased a building on
Chandler Road in East Lansing
and began running Also Salt out
of it. (The salt substitute is made
from lysine, which is made from
fermenting corn starch.)
Then another company, Applied Carbochemicals, came to
Berglund. The company had invented a way to make a petroleum
substitute by producing succinic
acid from fermented natural sugars found in corn, wheat, sugar
beets and other crops. Berglund
worked with them and in the process invented a series of patented
products for them.
Then an old friend of Berglund’s, Gary Mills (now COO
of DNP), came to Berglund with
the idea to produce gourmet
mushrooms. Berglund brought
Mills and his compatriots into
his already-crammed building
on Chandler Road.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Three years later, Berglund
and Mills decided to combine
the three companies into DNP,
all based now in Scottville.
From here, things have continued to grow. For example, DNP
has developed SES-150, an enriched shiitake mushroom nutraceutical compound designed to
enhance the immune system.
“We are a bio-based technology company,” Berglund notes.
“We are in the business of developing green products for manufacturers and for everyday living.
These are derived from renewable resources. For our customers, we develop effective, useful
products that are environmentally neutral. For our shareholders,
we create share value by developing bio-based technologies that
are economically viable.”
Asked what makes his brain
so inventive, Berglund says with
with a laugh, “I don’t really
know. I think it may actually
be somewhat of a character flaw
in that I have a short attention
span. If I was a child, they would
probably give me Ritalin. I want
to immediately get to the crux of
what can be done to solve a particular problem. That impatience
leads to invention.”
*John Draper is a freelance
writer based in Seattle.
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MORE SPARTAN INVENTORS
After reading A Gallery of MSU Inventors—Part One (Winter 2006),
many readers sent us names of other Spartans who are inventors.
Here is a sample of more MSU inventors:
☛ Jeff Harper, ’90, M.S. ’92, of Troy, MI, owns two U.S. patents. He and co-inventor Brian
Zustovich invented software algorithms for equipment automation.
☛ Phil Jackson, ’73, of Cape Coral, FL, invented the Low Profile Modular Revenue Meter (US
Patent # 5,933,004), which records the amount of electric power used and transmits the reading
via special radio technology to the electric company. It is used in both commercial and residential
applications.
☛ Jon Kabara, retired MSU faculty member in osteopathic medicine now living in Galena, IL, was
the first researcher to discover the lipid in mother’s milk, which has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and
anti-viral properties.
☛ Ed LaBudde, ’68, a retired engineer now living in Libby, MT, holds some 40 patents, many of
which reached the marketplace—including a dispensing valve capable of nano-liter droplets, a
very accurate distance measurer using tonal frequencies, a device that uses ultrasonic waves to
measure mass air flow, and a time-delay cluster bomb that uses magnetic induction to set off the
delayed explosives.
☛ Chuck Single, ’49, a World War II veteran now living in Ann Arbor, has several patents in the physics
and electrical fields, including one that increased the frequency of analog computers by a factor of 100;
he also invented the so-called “Geezer Squeezer,” a clip-like device that controls incontinence in men
and allows blood flow so it can be worn for 16 hours at a time.
☛ Gary Starkweather, ’60, who spent some four decades in imaging, color and hardcopy devices, holds
more than 35 patents and has won numerous awards. During his 24 years with Xerox, he invented the
laser printer and in 1977 won the Xerox President’s Achievement Award. After Xerox, he worked with
Apple Computers, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Microsoft.
www.msualum.com
Page 25
SPARTAN PATHWAYS
2006 TR AVEL PROGR AMS
MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
All dates and prices are subject to
change. Reservations are on a firstcome, first-serve basis. Since the
MSUAA partners with other universities, many tours fill quickly.
It is essential that you make your
reservation early to reserve space
on the tour.
Kenya Migration
August 10-20, 2006
International Expeditions
From: $3,748, plus air
Islands of Antiquity
June 2-17, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $4,895, plus air
This journey begins when you board
the luxurious ship, the Minerva II
in Catania, Sicily. Sail to the exotic
crossroads of Palermo, perched on
the beautiful trod by Trojans, Moors
and Normans. Other ports of call
include Cagliari, Sardinia; Mahon,
Menorca, Spain; Ajaccio, Corsica,
the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and beautiful Rome, beloved for its
famous architectural feats such as the
Forum, Colosseum, Vatican, Etruscan tombs, and Trevi Fountain.
Poland – Krakow
Alumni Campus Abroad Program
June 14-22, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $1,945, plus air
Embark on a fascinating journey steeped in history, art and intrigue. Explore Krakow, a UNESCO
Page 26
World Heritage Site designated for
its well-preserved architecture. Wander the charming Market Square,
admire the 13th-century Gothic
Basilica and peruse the 16th-century
Renaissance Cloth Hall, the world’s
oldest “shopping mall.” Travel by
train to Warsaw and visit the Chopin Memorial and Madame Curie’s
house. Your journey continues to
picturesque Zakopane at the foot of
the Tatra Mountains. For the finale,
choose between a Schindler’s List
Tour in Auschwitz or an excursion to
beautiful Ojcow National Park.
Cruising the Baltic Sea
& the Norwegian Fjords
July 6 - 18, 2006
Gohagan & Co.
From: $5,495, plus air
Experience the fantastic beauty of
Norway’s fjords and the rich history and culture of the Baltic States
on this very special tour. Embark on
the deluxe M.S. Le Diamant in St.
Petersberg and cruise Norway’s gorgeous fjords seeing charming villages
and the scenic mountains of Flam.
Explore the recently reborn nations
of the Baltic and experience rich
traditions through a series of excursions, including a special early opening visit to the world-renowned Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. A
2-night optional post-tour in Bergen,
Norway is available.
Family Adventure in Costa Rica
July 7-16, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $2,495, plus air
(children’s prices also available)
Pack your bags and prepare for an
exotic escape designed to please the
entire family. Fly to San Jose and enjoy an exciting mix of amusements including: Poas Volcano National Park;
the waterfalls, hummingbird and
butterfly gardens of La Paz; Guapiles
Town via Braulio Carrillo National
Park; a boat ride to Caño Blanco; and
tour of Tortuguero Town. Spark your
family’s interest with an up-close view
of Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna, a
Peñas Blancas River Safari Float, and
time in Tabacon Hot Springs, Herradura Beach. As an added bonus,
your kids will have the opportunity to
experience customized, thought-provoking activities.
From the snowy peak of Mt. Kenya
to the ancient and captivating traditions of the Maasai Tribe, this trip to
one of Africa’s most beautiful nations
is not one to be missed. The colorful
and exotic wildlife unique to Africa
can be enjoyed during the informative safari session, directed by expert
naturalist safari guides. The most
awe-striking spectacle of this adventure is the “Great Migration”, during
which one might be lucky enough to
see thousands of wildebeests charging
across a plain, lions stalking a meal
through the tall grass or perhaps a
cheetah gaining upon a gazelle at 70
miles per hour.
Danube and Habsburg Empire
August 20-30, 2006
Gohagan & Co.
From: $3,395, plus air
Offered for the second season in a row,
this luxury travel program is sure to
delight any traveler. From the spires
of Prague and the castles of Krakow
to the palaces and cathedrals of Vienna, this tour explores the legendary
landmarks of the Habsburg Empire
and Central Europe. While visiting
the magnificent cities of Prague, Vienna and Budapest, as well as the Wachau Valley, enjoy accommodations
at Europe’s finest hotels and aboard
the deluxe M.S Amadeus Princess. In
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Abroad program in medieval Sintra,
Portugal. Stroll along its medieval
main streets admiring palatial dwellings and the National Royal Palace.
Experience the charm of Cascais,
the capital of Lisbon with its lovely
mosaic pavements and colorful fishing boats. Journey to the 18th-century Palace-Convent of Mafra, the
resort town of Colares and Evora
and explore Fátima and the 12thcentury Monastery of Santa Maria
d’Alcobaça.
addition, travel between Krakow and
Budapest will be made aboard the elegant Majestic Imperator, a faithfully
restored reproduction of Emperor
Franz Joseph II’s personal railroad
car. Throughout the program, expert
guides will lead the excursions and
tours of central Europe’s most famous
palaces, cathedrals and museums.
Sold Out
Odyssey to Oxford
August 26-September 9, 2006
Alumni Lifelong Education
From: $3,395, plus air
Located in the heart of England, Oxford’s historic setting will charm you
during your two weeks of lifelong
learning. This outstanding personal
enrichment opportunity takes you
on a rare adventure to Oxford—“city
of dreaming spires” and to the University of Oxford, famous as a great
center of learning since the 12th century. Once England’s capital, Oxford
is located in the heart of England, 50
miles northwest of London. Explore
topics such as British archaeology,
art, history, theatre, or literature with
Oxford tutors. Field trips include
theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, visits to historic sites, and excursions to
various towns and the countryside.
Call 517-355-4562 for a brochure.
Ireland: Ennis & Kilkenny
Alumni Campus Abroad Program
August 28-September 8, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $2,545, plus air
On this two-citied Ireland exploration, begin in Ennis and travel to
the Ancient Burren and the windswept Cliffs of Moher. Appreciate
the country’s epic literary heritage at
Click Right Through for MSU
Coole Park with its beech tree bearing W.B. Yeats’ initials and the 16th
century tower, Thoor Ballylee. Visit
historic seaside Galway, admire the
rugged natural beauty of Connemara and cruise to the Aran Island
of Inishmore. Tour the highlights
of Kilkenny; including Kilkenny
Castle, Bród Tullaroan, Wexford’s
Irish National Heritage Park and the
Waterford Crystal Visitor Center.
Cruise the Majestic Passage
on the Mosel, Rhine and
Neckar Rivers
Alumni Campus Abroad Program
September 4-12, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $2,195, plus air
Experience the legendary waterways
of the Mosel, Rhine and Neckar
rivers on this 9-day tour aboard the
deluxe MS Switzerland. Embark in
medieval Cochem, Germany and
sail past charming villages filled
with half-timbered houses on cobblestoned streets. Marvel at the display of historic treasures in Mainz’s
Gutenberg Museum and voyage
through the scenic splendor of the
Upper Middle Rhine Valley, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Visit Martin Luther’s spired city
of Worms and set out to explore romantic Heidelberg and the spa town
of Bad Wimpfen before concluding
in baroque Ludwigsburg.
Portugal-Sintra
Alumni Campus Abroad Program
September 19-27, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $2,145, plus air
Tap into the passion of Portugal
on this 9-day all-inclusive Campus
www.msualum.com
Galapagos
October 7-16, 2006
International Expeditions
From: $4,437, plus air
The Galapagos Islands are, quite
literally, like nowhere else in the
world. While staying on the fabulous
32-guest yacht the Evolution, visit
eight separate islands in the chain,
enjoying the company of some of
the strangest and most interesting
creatures in the world. Though one
might have trouble distinguishing if
they were more thrilled looking for
giant tortoises in the wild, spending
an afternoon with great bellowing sea
lions, or climbing Bartolome Island’s
volcanic cone, all experiences on this
itinerary will doubtlessly remain as
grand memories for a lifetime. A
visit to the world-renowned Charles
Darwin Research Station is included
in the tour.
Greco-Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture of Rhodes and the
ancient Monastery of St. John on the
island of Patmos. Conclude with a
tour of the world-renowned ruins at
Ephesus, and a visit to the legendary
city of Troy. Throughout the cruise,
expert guides will lead the excursions and special onboard lectures
will enhance your understanding
and enjoyment of the region. Also
available enjoy an optional two-night
pre-cruise program in Athens and/
or an optional 2-night extension in
Istanbul.
Italy ~ Sorrento and Orvieto
Alumni Campus
Abroad Program
October 16-27, 2006
Alumni Holidays International
From: $2,745, plus air
Discover two of Italy’s most remarkable regions with a combined exploration of coastal Campania and ancient
Umbria. Begin with five nights in the
cliff-top town of Sorrento and also
marvel at the sun-drenched Amalfi
Coast. Walk the excavated streets and
5th-century Roman ruins of Pompeii
and cruise to the beautiful Isle of Capri. Transfer to Orvieto for five more
nights and en route, see the WWII
history of hilltop Montecassino.
Journey to medieval Perugia and the
walled city of Assisi, home to the exquisite St. Francis Basilica. Plus, visit
Island Life in
Sold Out
Ancient Greece
October 13 - 21, 2006
Gohagan & Co.
From: $3,020, plus air
Discover the cradle of the
great civilizations of the
Classical World on a unique
8-day cruise across the Aegean Sea aboard the MS Le
Diamant. Beginning in
Athens, sail to the historic
island of Delos and the
resort island of Mykonos,
known for its picturesque
seaside villages and windmills. Explore the towns
perched on the stunning volcanic cliffs of
Santorini, the fantastic
Page 27
AFFORDABLE QUALITY TOURS
Sponsored by Spartan Pathways and Go Next
Spartan Pathways is pleased to
announce a new partnership
with Go Next (formerly Global
Holidays). Go Next keeps priceconscious travelers in mind by
designing quality, air-inclusive
trips at an affordable price that
appeal to all age groups. Travelthe splendor of Tuscany’s Florence,
the Cradle of the Renaissance and
delight in a culinary demonstration at
Orvieto’s Food Market.
In the Wake of Lewis & Clark
October 28-November 3, 2006
Lindblad Expeditions
Sold Out
From: $2,240, plus air
The fourth season for this popular
historical trek follows through the
footsteps of the Lewis and Clark
journey to the Westward Ocean.
Watch the American climate change
before your eyes as you journey
down the Columbia through forests, breathtaking mountains and
semiarid desert steppes. Experience
the expedition at Fort Clatsop and
see awe striking Hell’s Canyon as
you sail aboard the Sea Lion, a 70passenger vessel where a historical
expert will accompany passengers as
they explore the famous landscape.
Note: Passengers must arrange airline reservations with their local
travel agent.
Amazon Voyage
November 10-19, 2006
International Expeditions
From: $2,998, plus air
This 10-Day Amazon Voyage provides a chance for you to gaze at the
best of the Amazon while staying on
one of three state of the art riverboat
yachts. Opportunities will be available for you to see primates including red howler and squirrel monkeys,
sloths and a large variety of birds in
the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, the
world’s largest wetland reserve. After
Page 28
the sojourn with the giant blue morpho butterflies in the Amazon ends,
you may chose to extend your stay
and explore the remains of the Incan
Empire on an optional post-tour to
Machu Picchu.
ers have the opportunity to tour
on their own, or select from a wide choice of well-planned and
informative optional excursions.
Treasures of Italy
September 8-16, 2006
From: $1,849, including air
MSUAA Travel Programs
242 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI
48824-2005
(517) 355-8314
(888) 697-2863
(517) 355-5265 - fax
Email- crossreg@msu.edu
Web- www.msualum.com
The enchanting landscapes of Tuscany combine breathtakingly with
some of Italy’s greatest cities. From the charming spa towns of Chianciano, situated in the colorful Tuscan hills and Fiuggi, just 40 miles
from Rome, discover some of Italy’s historic treasures. Visit Florence,
birthplace of the Renaissance and Rome, a living museum that includes
the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Vatican City. Savor the atmosphere
of rural Italy as you explore the quaint hillside towns of Assisi and San
Gimignano, or explore the ancient ruins of Pompeii.
The French Riviera and Provence
September 23-October 1, 2006
From: $1,899, including air
New Dates
Known for its wonderful climate and dazzling colors, the South of
France has been captivating visitors for centuries. The exciting French
Riviera is a perfect mixture of glittering cosmopolitan resorts and ancient old quarters. From the French Riviera explore glamorous Monte
Carlo, Cannes and St-Tropez. Visit Provence and the delightful towns
that have inspired some of the great impressionist painters like Aix-enProvence, Avignon and Arles. This is just a glimpse of what makes the
south of France so special.
Beijing
November 2-9, 2006
From: $1,649, including air
Beijing is the pulsing heart of today’s China and its capital for over seven
centuries. Take a stroll around the impressive Tiananmen Square, explore the imposing Forbidden City and be spellbound by the magnificent Great Wall. Visit the giant pandas at Beijing Zoo and admire the
ancient Temple of Heaven. Travel to Xi’an to tour the archaeological site
of the tomb of First Emperor Qin, which so far has yielded over 7,000
terracotta soldiers and horses.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
M S U
A L U M N I
A S S O C I A T I O N
2006 SPARTAN FOOTBALL AWAY-GAME TAILGATES
Travel with us as the Spartans take on an exciting 2006 Michigan State University football away-game season.
Come cheer for Coach John
L. Smith and the MSU
Spartans at our pre-game
parties. Just look for the
Green & White and come
on in!
Join the MSU cheerleaders,
Sparty, and lots of other fans.
Win prizes, talk football,
eat great food, and cheer the
Spartans on to victory!
ALL SPARTAN FANS ARE
WELCOME TO JOIN US
FOR THESE AWAY-GAME
TAILGATES!
University of Pittsburgh
Saturday, September 16
University of Michigan
Saturday, October 7
Northwestern University
Saturday, October 21
Indiana University
Saturday, October 28
Penn State University
Saturday, November 18
No pre-registration is
required. Members of the
MSU Alumni Association
may purchase a lunch for
$15.00. Just show your
membership card at the door.
Non-member cost is $18.00,
children 12 and under cost
is $5.00. Cash bars will be
available where permitted by
local law. Please note: food
and beverages are limited;
first come, first served.
Spartan merchandise will be
available at all tailgates!
Spartan football away-game
tailgates begin three hours
prior to kick-off and continue
for two hours. Check local
listings for scheduled game
times.
For more information on
tailgates, please call the MSU
Alumni Association at (517)
355-8314 or visit our website
at www.msualum.com
For game tickets, call the
MSU Athletic Ticket Office
at (800) GO STATE, or
517/355-1610.
For official MSU Alumni
Association Tours to:
Bowl Games
NCAA Regionals
Final Four
Call the MSU
Alumni Association at
(877) MSU-TRIP
Click Right Through for MSU
www.msualum.com
Page 29
Black Social
Ba ndits a nd
Soci a l Ch a nge
By William L.
L Van Deburg,
Deburg M.A.
M A ’71
’71, Ph
Ph.D.
D ’73
The concept of the black social bandit, epitomized
by O.J. Simpson, and now reintroduced to us by
the controversy surrounding Barry Bonds, provides
a critical yardstick which can be used to measure
America’s racial divide.
In the wake of the 1967 Detroit and Newark riots, president Lyndon Johnson’s National Advisory
Commission on Civil Disorders warned that racial polarization threatened to split the country into
“two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.” Every citizen, it was said, needed to adopt
“new attitudes, new understanding, and, above all, new will” if existing divisions were to be erased.
Unfortunately, the commissioners’ hope that beliefs about race would be radically altered remains illusory. A racial and socioeconomic divide continues to scar the new millennial landscape. An approximation of the chasm’s breadth and depth is provided in the U.S. Labor Department’s monthly unemployment
tally. It can be seen in comparative epidemiological, infant mortality, and life expectancy data; in studies
of vernacular English usage, home-computer ownership, and prime-time television viewing habits. And,
then, there is the ongoing debate over whether former football great O.J. Simpson should have been acquitted of murdering his wife, Nicole, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Surveys conducted before, during,
and after the 1995 trial were consistent in showing that some 70 percent of African-American respondents
considered Simpson innocent. A comparable percentage of whites felt he was guilty as charged. Taken
together, these data sets support the belief that many black and white Americans continue to perceive
reality in vastly different ways; to champion what seem to be diametrically opposed solutions to common problems; to misunderstand one another on a regular basis. Ultimately, who or what is to blame?
Close observers of American popular culture understand that divergent group histories and experiences
have been shaped by skin color symbolism. From earliest times, blackness has been the European-Americans’ favorite signifier for sin and has served as a negative reference point for acceptable ethical behavior.
Transferred to the North American colonies via both religious tradition and theatrical convention, this
Old World habit-of-mind has caused dark-skinned people to be overrepresented in the nation’s pantheon
of evil-doers irrespective of their individual character. Over the centuries, it has fueled panics over the presPage 30
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
From
earliest
times,
blackness
has
been the
EuropeanAmericans’
favorite
signifier
for sin
and has
served as
a negative
reference
point for
acceptable
ethical
behavior.
Click Right Through for MSU
www.msualum.com
Page 31
ence of dissembling slaves, helped
shape restrictive legal codes, and
encouraged many a lynching bee.
The syllogistic notion that since
villainy is closely related to blackness then those who are black by
heredity are in some way villainous is both illogical and, seemingly, inescapable. Although seldom
clearly articulated, such majoritarian beliefs inform and provide a
subtext for the working out of all
contemporary racial relationships.
These negative characterizations have generated a series of
African-American counterproposals which view blackness in a
different light. Frequently, white
people’s black villains are perceived within the subculture as
social bandits and lauded for the
manner in which they “stand up”
for the race against external foes.
Like modern-day Robin Hoods,
they act bad for a good reason—to improve the lives of the
oppressed. By way of contrast,
base behaviors and criminal acts
committed by whites are seen as
evidence of greed, treachery, and
the ignoble desire to dominate
others. Thus, one group’s heroes
often become the other’s villains.
Highly representational, both fictive and flesh-and-blood characters are endowed with all manner
of exaggerated traits. As a result,
policy-makers seeking to bridge
the U.S. racial divide must do more
than level the playing field by
improving inner-city schools,
housing, and job opportunities.
As if this wasn’t sufficiently challenging, they must grapple with
folk beliefs and fears, stereotypes
and self-defense mechanisms.
To a degree greater than many
have realized, the villainization of
blacks and the valorization of
black social bandits are to blame
for our collective inability to alter
the status quo in racial relationships. Black social bandits, real
and imagined, are key to understanding the racial perception gap.
Page 32
So, what are the black bandits
really like? When contextualized
within the folk heroic tradition,
such individuals may be considered the proper villain’s first
cousins. But, they also display
attributes such as strength, courage, and loyalty that normally are
associated with fully accredited
heroes. Typically, they are tough,
self-reliant risk-takers who are
grounded in communal mores.
Bandits help law-abiding folk
cope with institutional restrictions
through vicarious wish-fulfill-
emblematic qualities in the service
of group uplift, the bandits provide
a useful counterpoint to skewed,
imposed, or outmoded conceptualizations of morality.
But black social bandits have
been known to overplay their
hand and overstay their welcome.
When rage is no longer tempered
with reason or antisocial behavior
is misdirected, the consequences
can be tragic. Vengeance against
white oppressors may be joined
with indiscriminate cruelty toward fellow blacks. As concern
Because four-fifths of violent
crimes were perpetuated by
individuals of the same race as
the victim, such behavior could
no longer be justified
as a revolutionary strike
against white power.
ment. Some nurture insurgent
political impulses by their proactive responses to injustice. Others make a terrible fuss when
confronted with presumptuous
white people—inspiring efforts to
beat the odds simply by rejecting
pity and demanding to be treated
with respect. Collectively, they
confute assumptions of white supremacy and encourage hope that
one day the prototypical societal
underdog will become top dog.
Determined to disturb the status
quo, the boldest are considered
outlaws by ruling elites. But, to a
constituency long consigned to the
lower depths of the social order,
these troublesome scofflaws seem
an army of liberation. All but
their most glaring flaws may be
conveniently forgotten. Perceived
as selfless agents of change, their
cruelty is legitimized as vengeance.
Whenever they place their positive
for the collective welfare is displaced by self-aggrandizement,
force and fatalism become the
bandit’s defining characteristics.
Their characteristic hypermasculinity rages out of control,
souring gender relationships
and endangering the weakest
members of the minority community. In worst-case scenarios,
bandit misbehavior inspires fear,
not admiration, among former
admirers. Answerable to no
one, they become a terror to all.
Now a decided threat to group
solidarity, they are blamed for
luring impressionable youth into
self-destructive behaviors. Labeled
race traitors by African-American
critics, they test the limits of racial
brotherhood by becoming racial
embarrassments.
As one can see, black social
bandits are difficult to pigeonhole
and not easily fathomed. Their
group portrait likely would be
rendered in shades of gray. Over
time, numerous black bandits
have conspired to confuse the
unwary and to disturb the social
order. If overwhelmingly drawn
from the ranks of alpha males,
they manifest a variety of physical
types and dispositions. Before
the Civil War, the exploits of slave
rebels such as Joseph Cinque,
Madison Washington, and Nat
Turner were memorialized by
African-American writers—and
just as vigorously condemned by
defenders of the South’s “peculiar
institution.” In the postbellum
West, black cowboy-outlaw
Crawford Goldsby, aka Cherokee
Bill, assisted Jesse James and Billy
the Kid in blurring the boundary
separating hero from villain. As
metropolitan areas expanded in
the twentieth century, Dolemite,
Shine, and other urban counterparts of traditional animal tricksters changed the joke and slipped
the yoke of subservience with
both guile and style. During
the Black Power years of the late
1960s and early 1970s, roughhewn social bandits in low-budget blaxploitation films like Black
Caesar, Super Fly, and The Mack
walked tall, settling scores. Sly as
a foxes, slick as ice, and prone to
launching liberationist initiatives,
each of these bandit cadres possessed the ability to turn heads.
Typically feared or shunned by
whites, they maintained a varied
and complex relationship with
the residents of black communities. Those who resisted the
temptation to victimize fellow
African-Americans could expect
to be lauded for their contributions to psychological resistance
and group ego enhancement.
But, bandits who consistently
exchanged evil for good regardless of race risked alienating local
support groups. At best, these
ruthless predators could serve as
negative reference points for
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
lessons in principled behavior. To
their harshest black critics, they
seemed a lot like white people.
Throughout history, African-Americans have identified
white-on-black crime as the
most pressing problem facing
the race. In the black worldview,
the racially oppressed are seen as
more sinned against than sinning.
The nation’s inglorious record of
enslaving, segregating, and dehumanizing people of color provides
ample support for these beliefs.
Nevertheless, in recent years, the
growth of black-on-black crime
has complicated matters. Widely
disseminated studies have documented the crisis. By the early
1990s, blacks made up 12 to 13
percent of the U.S. population
but accounted for about one-half
of all arrests for crimes carrying
the threat of bodily injury. Data
on victimization compiled by the
Census Bureau showed that in
cases where the assailant’s race
was known, African-Americans
were reported to have committed 65 percent of all robberies, a
third of all rapes, and 54 percent
of all criminal deaths. Because
four-fifths of violent crimes were
perpetuated by individuals known
to be of the same racial group as
the victim, there was little hope
of justifying such behavior as a
revolutionary strike against white
power. If, as was the case at middecade, African-American males
were being killed at a rate double
that of U.S. servicemen during
World War II and a black teenager was nine times more likely
to become a murder victim than
a white peer, exaggerated claims
of principled social banditry were
certain to ring hollow. In his
1998 work, Two Cities, AfricanAmerican novelist John Wideman
encapsulated the danger posed by
these underclass outlaws. Simply
but vividly put: “They got guns
and like to use them and don’t
give a f--- who they hurt.”
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Black-on-black crime may be
this generation’s litmus test for
social banditry. Masquerading
as counter-cultural rebels, underclass perpetrators often receive
points for style and are viewed as
authentic social bandits by the
romantic and the unmolested.
But, the scope and seriousness
of the inner city’s problems require that this pop culture gloss
be removed. If social change is
to occur—if urban ganglands
are to be transformed into fully
habitable, racially diverse com-
likely will realize that being black
is not the same as being bad; that
black villainy is not required for
the flowering of white virtue.
In like manner, black interrogators grown accustomed to
celebrating the social bandits’
many symbolic victories will need
to avoid stretching the bounds
of credulity by offering implausible excuses for aberrant acts.
They will need to avoid what has
been termed “reflexive absolution”—the practice of exempting
the guilty from thoroughgoing
Black villainy is not
required for the flowering
of white virtue.
munities—black social bandits
must be interrogated. Hopefully,
through a joint African-/European-American initiative, proactive
bandits can be separated from
garden variety criminals in the
public mind.
Non-blacks seeking to participate in this fact-finding effort would do well to leave their
egos at home, to listen carefully
to the conversations of others,
and to think before speaking.
Those previously unaware that
white skin-color privilege confers
unearned advantage and authority—including the power to define normality and deviancy—are
advised to rethink outmoded
assumptions about color-coded
hierarchies. Whenever possible,
they also should scrutinize massmediated images that simultaneously celebrate and condemn
young African-American males
as inherently violent and sexually
aggressive. By doing so, many
www.msualum.com
censure in the name of brotherhood. Once this hurdle has been
surmounted, most likely will
recognize that it is possible to
distance oneself from unproductive values and lifestyles without
abandoning racial kinsmen intellectually or spiritually.
Without question, accurate
reporting, clear thinking, and the
willingness to ask hard questions
will be needed if we hope to solve
problems complicated both by
real-world bandits and by mythic
beliefs about race that continue to
circulate within middle America.
If any of us are to move beyond
this point in our nation’s troubled
racial history, we also will need
what the Kerner Commission
rightly conceptualized as an unprecedented level of commitment
to change. As true today as in the
late 1960s, both “new attitudes
and “new will” will be required
by all. Only a joint initiative has
a chance of succeeding where
less well-coordinated efforts have
failed. If all parties make an honest effort, this attempt to clarify
the role and status of black social
bandits has the potential to unify
ancient rivals in the common
cause of societal reformation.
William L. Van Deburg, M.A.
’71, Ph.D. ’73, is the EvjueBascom Professor in the Dept. of
Afro-American Studies, University
of Wisconsin-Madison. At MSU
he trained with civil war historian
Frederick D. Williams and
popular culture scholar Russel B.
Nye. Since joining UW, he has
worked to develop the field of Black
Popular Culture Studies within the
academy. He has published five
books, a volume of edited documents,
two dozen article-length pieces,
and more than 30 reviews and
entries in reference volumes. This
utilization of pulp fiction, black
cast film, and popular music as
historical sources in their own right
has helped to legitimize the scholarly
use of non-traditional materials.
His books on plantation slavery,
on black nationalism, and on the
Black Power movement are widely
cited and have been anthologized
both in this country and abroad.
Hoodlums, a pop culture-oriented
study of African-American villains
and social bandits in U.S. history
and contemporary society was
published in 2004 by the University
of Chicago Press. African-American
Nationalism, an edited collection of
classic essays and classroom resource
materials, was released as part of
the Schomburg Studies on the Black
Experience, a 30-volume electronic
database distributed by ProQuest of
Ann Arbor.
Page 33
SPORTS
MSU Sports Information
Rick Comley (left) and the 2005-06 MSU ice hockey team pose
with the Mason Cup, emblematic of the CCHA tournament
championship, at Joe Louis Arena.
Freshman goalie
Jeff Lerg’s emergence in 2006
helped MSU win
the CCHA tournament championship and earn a
No. 1 seed in the
NCAAs.
THE ICE MAN COMLEYETH
Can Rick Comley coach? You
better believe it, as the ice hockey
program enjoys its surge into
national prominence.
An old sports cliché holds that
it’s tough to replace a legendary
coach. Rick Comley, MSU’s
fourth-year hockey coach,
found out first hand after he
replaced Ron Mason, the winningest coach in college hockey.
Page 34
But it now seems clear that he
has well negotiated the transition, and that the MSU program is now Comley’s program.
And, the program seems to be
in good shape.
Things did not look so rosy
early on. After three seasons
without any titles, MSU got
off to a slow start this season.
With many key players sidelined
early in the season with injuries
and various illnesses, MSU
at one stretch went winless in
eight games. But as players got
healthy and returned to the line
up, the team began to gel under
Comley’s system. MSU put together six wins in a row in January and went undefeated in the
whole month of February. The
Spartans lost only three times
in its last 21 games and were
propelled by the strong finish to
a No. 1 seeding in the NCAA
tournament.
Enroute the Spartans won a
CCHA Tournament Championship, their first since 2001. Ironically, the championship is now
called the Mason Cup after Ron
Mason, whom Comley replaced.
And for those keeping track, MSU
went undefeated against archrival
Michigan. MSU’s 2-0-2 record
against the Wolverines included a
4-1 pounding in the CCHA semifinals at Joe Louis Arena.
It’s hard to find anyone who
now doubts Comley’s ability to
rebuild MSU into the national
power it was under predecessor
Mason.
“I can look anyone in the eye
right now and say this is a pretty
darn good product,” Comley
told the Lansing State Journal.
“Next year’s team will have the
ability to compete nationally
and, if everything goes well,
play in the Frozen Four. This
is where we want the program
to be.”
Helping fuel the team’s success
was the leadership provided by
seniors like ironman Corey Potter, defenseman Jared Nightingale
and forward David Booth, the
phenomenal play of underclassmen stalwarts like junior MVP
Drew Miller and sophomores
Chris Mueller, Jim McKenzie and
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Bryan Lerg, the incredible contributions by freshman phenoms
like Tim Crowder, Tim Kennedy
and Justin Abdelkader, and the
emergence of freshman goalie Jeff
Lerg, who impressed fans with
his ability to make key save after
key save.
Barring some possible early departures to the NHL, the team
should have enough firepower
next year to be a preseason Top
10 pick.
“I think we’re going to have
real balance,” Comley notes.
“We have good seniors, juniors
and sophomores and we’re going to have good freshmen. We
have some unproven players on
defense, but I think that will
Brown
Davis
Izzo
HOOPS TEAMS LOOK TO
FUTURE
By Robert Bao
Tom Izzo looks to bring toughness to the program, which boasts
two stellar recruiting classes the
next two years. Coach P loses two
prolific scorers but will welcome
back plenty of talent along with a
phenom who can dunk.
After his team’s first-round
NCAA loss to George Mason, a
mid-major that shocked everyone by making the Final Four,
Click Right Through for MSU
Tom Izzo vowed to return to
the root principles of his program—toughness, rebounding
and hustle.
“I have never been more
disappointed in a loss with the
second, maybe, being that loss to
Wisconsin that cost us a Big Ten
title,” sums up Izzo. “But I’ve
never been more excited about
the future.”
Indeed, MSU’s superstar coach
can look forward to two stellar
recruiting classes coming in the
next two years. Arriving next
year will be Tom Herzog, yet an-
www.msualum.com
take care of itself. I like our style
of play.
“I really like this team. I love
their personality, how they compete, and how they took control
and created their own identity. I
think that next year’s team will
be very similar.”
On offense, MSU returns
Miller along with such players
as Lerg, Mueller and McKenzie.
MSU needs to find some defenders to play alongside Ethan
Graham and Tyler Howells.
Candidates include incoming
freshmen Michael Ratchuk and
Ryan Turek. Sums up Comley,
“Now we have to drive ourselves
even harder because we know
we’re good enough to be there.”
other Flintstone, seven-foot tall
to boot, and two players who led
their teams to the state titles in
Ohio and Minnesota—Raymar
Morgan and Isaiah Dahlman.
And in 2007 he has the verbal
commitments of three perimeter
players who could comprise the
most talented trio ever to arrive
in one class at MSU.
The 2005-2006 season was a
good one, though not by recent
MSU standards. Under Izzo
the program has reached a level
where anything but a national
championship feels like a letdown.
“A good job isn’t good enough
here,” explains a rueful Izzo.
“A good job is 18 or 19 wins.
Twenty-two wins is a very good
job. But we are looking for
championships and Final Fours.
That didn’t change and that
won’t change until the day I get
thrown out of here. Good is not
good enough.”
This year’s Spartans were
ranked high in the pre-season—as high as No. 1 by one
publication, in the top five by
several others. Even with three
potential future NBA players on
the roster—MVPs Paul Davis,
Maurice Ager and Shannon
Brown—the team clicked only
from time to time. It did not
win a championship or advance
past the first NCAA round of
competition, losing to unheralded George Mason 75-65. The
underdog Patriots were without
their starting point guard and,
with no starter taller than 6foot-7, still outrebounded MSU
40-24.
“I have to figure out why a
team would perform so poorly
in areas that are so important to
the program,” says Izzo, whose
teams tended to lead the Big Ten
in rebounding margin.
On the other hand, MSU did
win 22 games, including wins
against Boston College and
Wichita State, both Elite Eight
teams. MSU beat every ranked
team in the Big Ten, including champions Ohio State in
Columbus. MSU won its ACC
Challenge game against Georgia Tech, and beat powerhouse
Arizona in the Maui Classic. Its
game against Gonzaga turned
into a triple overtime classic,
with Ager going mano a mano
against POY-candidate Adam
Morrison.
MSU boasted three potential future NBA players. They
averaged more than 17 points
each—the only such scoring trio
in the nation. But the Spartans
did not excel enough in many
of the toughness areas, and as
a result did not win as much as
expected.
Although the season ended
early for the women’s basketball
team, with an 86-61 loss to
Duke in the NCAA tournament, coach Joanne McCallie
Page 35
For the record, Shimek wound
up with 1,780 career points, Bowen with 1,739—both averaging
13+ points per game as four year
starters. Shimek won a number
of Big Ten Player of the Week
awards, while Bowen became
MSU’s all-time leader in treys and
three-point shooting percentage,
records she then iced by winning
the ESPN three-point contest in
Indianapolis. They led MSU to a
Big Ten championship, a Big Ten
tournament championship, four
straight NCAA appearances, one
Final Four and two straight Sweet
Sixteens. Both will have a chance
at the next level, says McCallie.
Without her “Dynamic Duo,”
McCallie looks forward to
next season, when leadership
will be provided by a senior
class of Myisha Bannister,
Rene Haynes, Victoria LucasPerry and Katrina Grantham.
Haynes and Lucas-Perry boast
experience and athleticism,
while Aisha Jefferson looks like
a star in the making. Plus, immediate help could come from
two incoming freshmen—center Allyssa DeHaan of Grandville and guard Amanda
Piechowski of Shelby Township.
McCallie says that DeHaan, a
towering 6-8 player who can,
among many things, dunk the
ball, “has unlimited potential.”
Spartan players continued
to be great role models in the
community. And, perhaps as
a result, attendance continued
to grow—averaging more than
6,700 a game at Breslin Center.
“Wow!” she exults. “The
numbers were terrific. We want
to continue to build on that.”
Those numbers probably
helped MSU become a regional
first- and second-game host for
next year’s NCAA tournament.
“Nobody knows about this,”
says McCallie. “But this reflects
what was done for this program
by Shimek and Bowen, by
Kristin Haynie, and by Syreeta
Bromfield and Julie Pagel.”
MAGIC’S PROMOTES “GREEN”—
Feb. 8: NBA legend Earvin
“Magic” Johnson joined forces
with Kermit the Frog to promote
an E85 Ethanol Ford Escape
hybrid Ford Lincoln during
media preview day for the 2006
Chicago Auto Show. Ford
estimates that if only five percent
of the U.S. vehicle fleet were to
run on ethanol, America could
save 140 million barrels of oil
a year. Johnson, who has had
a marketing relationship with
Lincoln since 1974, also helped
promote the new 2007 Lincoln
Navigator.
WHICH COACH DO BIG TEN
PLAYERS RESPECT?—In its
March 6 issue, Sports Illustrated
reported the results of a poll it
conducted among players from
each team in a conference. To
no one’s surprise, when asked
which team had the most respect
for its coach, Big Ten players
chose Michigan State. “They
have a bond with Izzo,” noted
one anonymous player. “He’s
not only a coach but also a father
figure to those guys.” When
asked to name the opposing
coach one would most like to play
for, most Big Ten players chose
Shimek
Bowen
McCallie
can bask in a few achievements
this season—in both wins and
attendance—and look forward
to next season.
This season marked the end of
an era for seniors Liz Shimek and
Lindsay Bowen, two small-town
Michigan athletes who earned
All-America kudos and became
the most prolific scorers in MSU
history.
“You don’t replace a Shimek
or a Bowen,” says McCallie of
the duo whose 96 career wins
top the record books. “But the
team will evolve and make up
for that production. The returning group can be much better,
much more productive. And
we’re already using that Duke
experience to motivate us to get
better.”
Indeed, the senior duo led
MSU to its second most wins
ever, with a 34-10 record. The
most wins took place last year,
when the team went 33-4 and
coach Joanne P. McCallie was
named AP’s National Coach of
the Year. MSU returned to the
NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Of its 8
NCAA appearances, four were
under coach McCallie. Once
again, MSU played a tough
schedule and managed to beat
some national powers, such as
Rutgers (73-71 in East Lansing)
and Oklahoma.
FOR THE RECORD
REUTERS/John Gress
Page 36
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Tom Izzo. “I see him at camps a
lot,” said one source. “He’ll talk
to you about life and basketball.”
NEW COACH—Blaine Bennett,
Purdue’s quarterbacks coach
and recruiting coordinator,
has been named MSU wide
receivers coach and assistant
head coach. Bennett, an 18-year
coaching veteran, replaces Jim
McElwain, who resigned March
2 to become quarterbacks coach
for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders.
Bennett had previously coached
under John L. Smith as wide
receivers coach at Idaho in 1991.
In addition, linebackers coach
Mike Cox has assumed the
additional duties of recruiting
coordinator. “Blaine brings a
wealth of knowledge to the staff
because he has both playing
and coaching experience in the
spread offense,” says Smith. “He
has a lot of ideas, and I expect
him to play a vital role in game
planning.”
GYMNASTS TAKE SECOND—
With MSU hosting the
gymnastics Big Ten Championships at Jenison Field House,
the Spartan gymnasts finished
second with a team score of
194.975—the first podium visit
for MSU since 1997. Minnesota
won the title with 195.150.
Head coach Kathie Klages was
honored as co-head coaches of
the year, along with Penn State’s
Steve Shephard. “It is quite an
honor, but I feel that it should be
well shared between myself, my
assistant coaches, Sam Buchalter
and Katie Teft, and my entire
team,” says Klages. MSU
junior Chayla Hill finished as
co-champion on the vault in
a five-way tie for first with a
9.800. “We just tried to focus
on ourselves and what we knew
Class
Add a little
our team was capable of,” says
Klages, who is looking forward
to competing next year with
a full slate of scholarship athletes.
HALL OF FAMERS—Former MSU
basketball great Greg Kelser, ’81,
and football great Everett “Sonny”
Grandelius, ’50, are inductees of
the 2006 class of the Michigan
Sports Hall of Fame. Kelser, who
helped lead MSU to the 1979
NCAA basketball championship,
along with teammate Earvin
“Magic” Johnson, is currently a
television broadcaster and color
commentator for Fox Sports Net.
Last year he won the NCAA’s
prestigious Silver Anniversary
award. Grandelius was a star
running back for MSU and won
the MVP of the Hula Bowl. In
1950 he led MSU to a 14-7 win
over Michigan, beginning a streak
where MSU won 10 of the next
13 games against the Wolverines.
He was drafted by the New York
Giants, and later was head coach
of Colorado University.
MCCALLIE NAMED TO U.S.
POST—MSU women’s basketball
head coach Joanne P. McCallie
has been selected to lead USA
Basketball’s 2006 FIBA Americas
under-20 championship women’s
team. The selection was made
by the USA Basketball Women’s
Collegiate Committee. “This
is such a tremendous honor to
represent myself, my family,
MSU and most importantly, my
country,” says McCallie, who
just completed her sixth season
at MSU. “It’s exciting and will
add another dimension to my
professional career, and it’s a great
growth opportunity. I’m very
honored that USA Basketball
chose me to represent the Red,
White and Blue during international competition.
to your life!
Alumni Lifelong Education
EVENING COLLEGE
Announces the 2006 personal enrichment
noncredit programs for ALL adults, including
alumni, faculty, staff, students and
community members.
To receive a brochure call: (517) 355-4562
email: evening_college@msualum.com
check online: www.msualum.com
or visit 57 Kellogg Center on Campus.
Alumni Lifelong Education Evening College
A division of the Michigan State University Alumni Association
Click Right Through for MSU
www.msualum.com
Page 37
ALMA MATTERS
Photo courtesy of Gary Fraas
two dozen Spartans who joined
nearly 50 Big Ten alumni at
Dilworth Neighborhood Grille
in Charlotte, NC, for a Big Ten
Christmas Party. Mar. 4: More
than two dozen area Spartans
attended the annual euchre
tournament hosted by Dave and
Barb VanHellemont.
REGIONAL CLUBS
ATLANTA—Jan. 29: More than
60 area Spartans attended the
“Kirk Gibson Event” at Mazzy’s
Sports Bar & Grille in Atlanta to
kick-off the fundraising efforts
for the MSU baseball program
and its new facilities plan.
Special guests included former
baseball star Kirk Gibson,
MSU baseball coach David
Grewe and Ralph Young Fund
director Chuck Sleeper. Catalyst
for the event was Jim Stros,
former MSU pitcher. MSUAA
assistant director Dave Brown
presented a citation to president
Curt Hoopingarner, who retires
from IBM after nearly 38 years.
Following the event, Phil Hickey
Jr., CEO of RARE Hospitality
International, Inc., hosted
prospective donors for dinner at
his Capital Grille in Buckhead.
☛ For more information, visit
www.metroatlanta.org.
CENTRAL FLORIDA—Mar. 4:
About 60 area Spartans attended
a tailgate dinner following
the MSU softball team’s
doubleheader against Boston
University and Temple in Plant
City, FL. Food was brought in
from Smokey Bones. Coach
Jackie Joseph (right) posed with
the team at the event.
Page 38
CENTRAL OHIO—Feb. 9: Some
18 area Spartans attended the
MSU-Ohio State hockey game at
Schottenstein Arena, Columbus,
OH. The Spartans won 4-3 in
what turned out to be a critical
road win. Feb. 18: About 19
area Spartans attended a TV
party with local University of
Michigan alumni at Fitzgerald’s
in Columbus, OH.
CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT, NC—
Dec. 10: (L to r) Jeff Fuller, Dan
Carr, Peggy Mulrenin and Steve
Basisnski were among more than
Photo courtesy
of Cherie Sw art
hout
Barb VanHellemont
COASTAL GEORGIA—Nov. 19:
About a dozen area Spartans
watched the Penn State game
at Pogy’s in Richmond Hill.
Funds were raised via a 50/50
drawing. Jan. 15: More than
a dozen area alumni gathered
at B&D Burgers, Savannah,
to watch the MSU-Ohio State
basketball game.
DAYTON, OH—Feb. 19: Club
president Keith and Beth Hicks
and the club’s officers and board
members gathered to watch the
University of Dayton women’s
basketball game against Temple,
and then gathered for dinner at
Dominic’s Italian Restaurant on
Main St.
GREATER NEW YORK—Feb.
18: MSU quarterback Drew
Stanton dropped in at Blondies
Sports Bar on West 79th Street,
Manhattan, to see the Spartans
beat the Wolverines 90-71 in
men’s hoops. Blondies is the
club’s usual gathering place and
features an outsized Spartan
helmet-shaped placard signed by
Steve Smith.
Photos courtesy of Greg Hauser
DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX—
Jan. 28: Some 100 area Spartans
attended the annual Red Wings
outing in Dallas at the American
Airlines Center. The annual
event was organized by Beth
Bergman.
KENTUCKIANA—Nov. 19:
Some 40 area Spartans enjoyed
“A Day At the Races” Fall Meet
at Churchill Downs, Louisville,
KY. In the photo, president
Glenn Prezocki presented a silver
tray to Carolyn Barela, owner of
Darien’s Approval, which won
the race sponsored by the club.
MACOMB COUNTY—Apr. 6:
The club awarded four $1,000
scholarships to high school
graduates entering MSU this
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Photo courtesy of Gary Mescher
coming fall semester: Jeffrey T.
Burlingame of Romeo, Kaitlin
Long of Lutheran North, Sara
Palazzolo of Chippewa Valley
and Gina Riebel of Armada.
George Stepanovic, chairman
of the Scholarship Committee,
said they were selected from 26
“exceptionally well-qualified”
applicants.
MIDLANDS—Feb. 18: About
20 area Spartans gathered to
watch MSU play the UNO
Mavericks in hockey at Indigo
Joe’s in Omaha, NE.
MID-MICHIGAN—Feb. 9:
President Micki Pasteur presented
checks for $2,000 each to
winners of the Undergraduate
Teaching Award at the Annual
Award Convocation at Wharton
Center. Winners were William
A. McWhirter, College of
Communication Arts & Sciences,
and Melissa J. Baumann, College
of Engineering. Special guests
included President Lou Anna
K. Simon and Provost Kim A.
Wilcox.
PHILADEPHIA, PA—Mar. 28:
More than 60 area Spartans,
about one-third new grads
within the last 10 years—some
as seen in photo—attended a
club event at Dave & Busters on
the Pier, overlooking the blue
Bridge. Also attending were six
newly admitted MSU students.
Special guest was former MSU
athletic director Clarence
Underwood, seen in the middle
of the photo with the club’s
board of directors.
SEATTLE, WA—Dec. 10:
Some 14 area Spartans attended
the Annual Holiday Party
in Redmond to watch MSU
play Wichita State in men’s
basketball. About $70 was
raised in scholarship funds.
Mar. 4: Some 30 area Spartans
attended the Sonics vs. Detroit
Pistons basketball game.
TAMPA, FL—Dec. 10: Some
200 area Spartans attended a pep
rally prior to the MSU women’s
basketball team win 81-66
against the University of South
Florida in Tampa. Coach
Joanne P. McCallie gave a pep
talk to the group.
Dave Brown
Click Right Through for MSU
WEST MICHIGAN—Feb. 7: Lody
(lfet) and John Zwarensteyn
were honored as “MSU Business
Persons of the Year” at the 11th
Annual “MSU Means Business”
reception at Van Andel Institute
in Grand Rapids. More than
200 area Spartans attended the
event honoring the two brothers
who have been long time leaders
in the MSU community as well
as the West Michigan business
and civic community. John is
currently a board member of the
College of Communication Arts
CONSTITUENT
ASSOCIATIONS
COMMUNICATION ARTS &
SCIENCES—Jan. 27: Gary
Mescher (right), new president
of the CAS Alumni Board, poses
with a few fellow board members
who attended
the January
board meeting
at the college.
Outgoing Merri
Jo Bales, who
served as board
president the
past three years,
receives a plaque
from dean
Charles Salmon.
www.msualum.com
& Sciences and president/CEO
of Gemini Publications in Grand
Rapids. Lody was a former
chairperson of the MSUAA’s
national alumni board and is
president of Alliance for Health
in Grand Rapids.
WESTERN NEW YORK—Dec.
13: Twenty women Spartans
enjoyed a holiday dinner and gift
exchange at the home of Julie
Furminger in Kenmore, NY.
This has been a tradition for
some two decades.
NURSING—Feb. 11: Lisa Boyd,
’85, of Livonia, and her family,
were among the more than
135 Mid-Michigan Spartans
who attended the College of
Nursing’s reception and also the
women’s basketball game against
Page 39
Photo courtesy of Sung Soo Chung
Photo courtesy of Pam Schoen
game brunch at Kellogg Center
on Saturday. For information,
contact (517) 353-0755.
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE—May
31: Walter F. Patenge medals
of public service will be
bestowed to Joseph Balog, D.O.
(posthumously); Paul LaCasse,
D.O.; Dennis Paradis, MPH; and
congressman Joe Schwarz, M.D.
INTERNATIONAL CLUBS
Photo by Chris Wheeler
NURSING—Feb. 11: Lisa Boyd,
’85, of Livonia, and her family,
were among the more than
135 Mid-Michigan Spartans
who attended the College of
Nursing’s reception and also the
women’s basketball game against
Wisconsin on Feb. 12. It was
one of the largest turnouts for
nursing alumni. Special guest
speaker was Shelley Applebaum,
MSU associate athletic director.
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE—
Feb. 25: More than 400 guests
attended a gala event at the RitzCarlton, Dearborn, raising more
than $125,000 for the Michigan
Osteopathic College Foundation
endowment at MSU. Mar. 4-11:
More than 80 alumni and family
members participated in the
Pat Grauer
Page 40
college’s continuing education
event, “Seminar In The Sun,” in
Bayahibe, Dominican Republic.
Eight alumni made presentations
on various aspects of “Healthy
Lifestyle and Preventive Care:
Future Directions.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
HUMAN MEDICINE—Sep. 2223: The Annual Reunion will
take place on the weekend of the
Notre Dame game. Reunions
will be held for the classes of
1971, 1976, 1986, 1991, 1996
and 2001. Events include the
Andrew D. Hunt Lectureship
at Wharton Center and a wine
and cheese reception at Kellogg
Center on Friday, and a pre-
THAILAND—Apr. 1: MSU Trustee
Melanie Foster (middle) hosted a
dinner at the Bangkok Resort &
Spa Hotel for leaders of the MSU
Alumni Club of Thailand during
her visit to Bangkok. Guests also
included Chris Wheeler, MSU
professor of teacher education,
former club president Wallop
and Sophan Manatanya; club
president Preang Kitraporn; club
vice president Veerachai and
Poonsri Chasndraniphapong;
club executive secretary Penpitr
Prakongchit; and Trustee Foster’s
family and guests.
SOUTH KOREA—Feb. 13: (L
to r) Dr. Jae Seok Shim, Chair
Person, Taenam Petroleum Co.;
Dr. Young Woo Nam, Chair
Person, Kukje Pharmacy Co.; Dr.
Kuk Bum Shin, former president,
Daejeon University; Dr. Chul
Young Kim, president of MSU
Alumni Association in Korea
(MAAK), president of Hanho
Air; Dr. Keun Mo Chung,
president, Myungji University;
Amb. Nae-Hyong Yoo,
president, Delta Air Agencies,
Ltd.; and Michael F. Miller,
director, Visiting International
Professional Program at MSU,
gathered during the Annual
Meeting of MAAK at Tower
Hotel, Seoul. Some 200 area
Spartans attended the event.
Photo Courtesy of Anan Chaikittisilpa
THAILAND—Jan. 17: (L to r)
Anan Chaikittisilpa, former club
president, Vallop Manatunya,
the outgoing president, MSU
Provost Kim Wilcox, and
Preang Kitratkorn, the new club
president, gathered for a dinner in
the Raj Restaurant in Bangkok.
Others in the MSU delegation
included John Hudzik, VP,
Global Engagement & Strategic
Projects; Lonnie King, Dean,
Vet Med; Jeff Riedinger, Acting
Dean, International Studies &
Programs (ISP); Chris Wheeler,
professor of education; and
Kim Gladstone, ISP director of
development & external relations.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Photo courtesy of Dan & Brenda Berry
U.S. Army who recently served
16 months in Afghanistan.
Jenn is an air force officer at
Hickam AFB who recently did
a tour in Qatar and will soon
be sent to Japan. A graduate
of Bloomsburg University,
PA, Jenn has converted to the
Spartan cause. Last fall, Bryn
and Jenn went to East Lansing
to cheer for the Spartans against
Hawaii in football.
MPLP FUNDRAISER—Mar. 2:
(L to r) Douglas B. Roberts,
director of MSU’s Institute for
Public Policy and Social
Research, poses at the Michigan
Political Leadership Program’s
annual fundraiser in Livonia
with former national party
leaders Ed Gillespie (G.O.P.)
and Terry McAuliffe
(Democrat), along with MSU
President Lou Anna K. Simon.
On March 3, a second fundraiser took place in Grand
Rapids in concert with the
MSUAA’s West Michigan
alumni club.
Roger Boettcher
HAWAIIAN WEDDING—Bryn
Dettmer, ’98, and bride Jenn,
pose by their Spartan Stadium
wedding cake when they
married on Valentine’s Day
Click Right Through for MSU
in Oahu. A former member
of MSU’s men’s crew team,
and the son of MSU alumni
Mike and Teckla, both class of
1968, Bryn is a captain in the
www.msualum.com
Page 41
WELCH FUNDS STUDY
ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP
To viewers of MSU’s WKARTV, Carol Welch, ’64, is perhaps
a familiar face. She did, after all,
enjoy a long career at the television station as its volunteer coordinator and is recognizable after
having worked many years as an
on-air fundraiser and auctioneer.
And while Welch relishes the
many opportunities her long
MSU career gave her, she believes that perhaps there is such
a thing as too much familiarity,
specifically as it relates to one’s
surroundings. Her steadfast
belief in the benefits of international travel and the personal
growth students experience when
they venture out of their comfort
zones prompted her to create
the Carol Welch Study Abroad
Endowment.
“Travel abroad is an important
part of what our students need
in order to know where we fit
in the world and how MSU can
remain a first-class university,”
Welch says. “This scholarship
was established in order to offer
Page 42
the opportunity to travel abroad
to students who might not otherwise have the chance to do so. I
believe that a young person who
is about to begin his or her professional life after graduation is
best prepared to do so if there is
a global experience upon which
to build.”
While Welch’s interest in supporting study
abroad
for
students
began
when
she followed in the
footsteps of one
of her daughters.
“My daughter went
on a study abroad trip
to London, and after she
had been there for about ten
days, I decided that she was
having much too much fun,”
Welch explains. “So, I flew there
to be with her and stayed in the
student dormitory for about
Carol Welch, during one of
her many trips abroad, was
escorted by a student on a tour
of the Baan Kon Sung School
near the Sukhothai Province in
Thailand.
a week. It was a tremendous
experience. International travel
is a life changing experience. It
brings into focus that we are not
the only people on the Earth,
and the world is getting smaller
and smaller. We need to learn
that the world doesn’t revolve
around us.”
International Studies and
Programs will select scholarship
recipients. While preference may
be given to students from Michigan or Brooklyn, NY–Welch’s
home town–the endowed scholarship is intended to benefit all
colleges and units with study
abroad programs. The fact that
the fund is endowed means that
the principal will continue to
grow while only a portion of the
interest earned will be expended,
enabling the scholarship to help
more and more students as time
goes on.
Welch, who is now retired
from her volunteer coordinator
position at WKAR-TV, continues to work for the station as an
associate producer for the
popular QuizBusters and QB Jr.
shows and volunteers as an auctioneer on the Lightning Board.
Thanks to her generosity, more
MSU students will now have the
chance to expand their horizons
through international travel.
NCAA BRACKETVILLE—This
year Coca Cola sponsored a
human bracket for the NCAA
men’s basketball tournament,
hung off a building in downtown Indianapolis. They
selected superfans to represent
each college in the tournament.
Lauren Coon, ’01, vice president of the MSU Alumni
Association’s Central Indiana
regional club, was named
MSU’s representative in the
human bracket display in
Indianapolis. “I was honored
and thrilled to represent the
magnificent MSU basketball
program as I have fond
memories of attending games
as a student season ticket holder
during the Flintstones era,” says
Lauren. “I’m a born-and-raised
Flintstone, myself, and since
graduation I still try to attend at
least one game each season with
my dad. I’m always honored to
represent Michigan State.”
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Samaritan Scholars
Endowment Fund
Show your
support for annual
scholarships
that benefit MSU
students with
disabilities
Jim and Judy DeLapa, MSU alumni
from Grand Rapids, Michigan, recently
established an endowment to provide
scholarships for MSU students with
disabilities. The Samaritan Scholars
Endowment Fund greatly enhances the
ability of MSU’s Resource Center for
Persons with Disabilities to continue its
work to help students with disabilities
reach their vast potential.
rovide
t than to p
n
e
m
st
e
v
h
better in
ersons wit
found no
ities for p
n
u
“We have
rt
o
p
p
al.”
ips and o
ir potenti
scholarsh
undation
imize the
x
a
m
aritan Fo
to
s
m
a
ie
S
it
e
il
b
th
a
f
is
o
d
pa
Jim DeLa
Judy and
“The Samaritan Scholarship is an investment in
human achievement. I am pleased to have this
support as I work toward success despite a visual
impairment. Thanks for investing in me!”
Aaron Scheidies of Farmington Hills, a
Samaritan Scholarship recipient seen here
using a closed-circuit television to help him
read his textbooks. Aaron is one of more than
900 students who benefit from the efforts of
the Resource Center for Persons with
Disabilities each year.
Please consider joining
Jim and Judy DeLapa
in funding the
Samaritan Scholars
program. Your
contribution will go a
long way in supporting
Aaron’s and other
students’ success.
Maximizing
Ability & Opportunity
Click Right Through for MSU
www.msualum.com
You can make a gift online at
www.givingto.msu.edu
by clicking the “give now” tab on the LEFT
of the screen. It’s fast and secure!
OR, for more information, CONTACT
Michael hudson, director
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
120 Bessey Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 353-9642
Page 43
Editor’s Column
CHICKEN SOUP FOR
THE SPARTAN SOUL
By Robert Bao
If you’re a fan of the inspirational Chicken Soup stories that
keep getting more shelf space
in bookstores, well, get ready
for an upcoming book filled
with such stories from fellow
Spartans. And you can help this
book get written, too. MSU’s
Student Alumni Foundation
plans to publish Chicken Soup
for the Spartan Soul. It’s gathering stories from alumni around
the globe. If you know a great
inspirational story involving the
MSU experience, please send it
along to the SAF. Just follow
the directions at the end of this
column. I’d like to share with
you one such story, written by
Adam Busuttil, a member of the
Spartan Marching Band in the
late 1990s:
Page 44
1999 was going to be a great
year. I started that fall by marching in the drum line with the
Spartan Marching Band. My life
couldn’t have been better. Ever
since I was a kid I wanted to be a
part of the MSU Marching Band.
The season started out well; the
games, the people I met, and being
part of the drum line was great.
The week of the Michigan game
was exciting and a lot of work.
Long hours of rehearsals and a full
load of classes, but nothing could
compete with the excitement of
the game that lied ahead. Finally,
Friday rolled around and the
big game was almost there. The
excitement was growing and there
was a feeling of a possible victory
in the air. The night before the
game though I started feeling ill
and my body was run down. I
had a bad cold like many other
students. Instead of hanging out
with my buddies, as we always did
before a game, I went home and
went to bed as I didn’t want to
miss the big game. In the middle
of the night I woke up with a case
of the flu. I realized I couldn’t
march the game. It never entered
my mind that in the evening I
would be on my way to the hospital near death. I couldn’t believe
the diagnosis; I had meningitis.
I got to the hospital, my blood
pressure dropped, I looked at my
family and I knew I was not coming home that night. A few days
later I woke up. There standing
next to me was my best friend and
my mom. I told them I was in
the ICU and had meningitis and
someone better tell all the reporters
how to pronounce my name. (They
had a radio playing to stimulate
brain activity while I was in an
induced coma.) I looked around
the room a bit more and all of the
cards from The Spartan Marching
Band and support was amazing. I
then looked at my hands and saw
they were bandaged up. It didn’t
take me long to figure out that I
would be loosing finger tips. What
was I going to do? I am a musician. A little later that day John
Madden, Spartan Marching Band
Director, came to visit me. He
was so supportive, bringing stories
and support from the band. My
friends from the drum line and
band came to visit me every day
to cheer me up. Emails from band
members poured out to me. There
were messages from Spartans I
didn’t even know. The support was
amazing. Later I found out that at
the end of every rehearsal the band
would circle around Mr. Madden
and put their arms on each other’s
shoulders and share my recovery
stories or just a funny story about
my antics (I was quite sedated
most of the time). After that they
would sing the Alma Mater. I was
moved and inspired by all of this
and knew I was going to recover
with the support from my fellow
Spartan Band Members. After I
was released from Lansing, I went
to Louisville, Kentucky to receive
therapy and, ultimately, have amputations. Even though I was far
away from Spartan Country, the
support continued through emails,
cards, phone calls, and those daily
Alma Mater sessions. After a short
recovery at home, I decided it
was time to make the trip to East
Lansing to thank the group for all
of their support during my time of
need. This was a special rehearsal
as the band was practicing for the
Citrus Bowl. At the beginning of
rehearsal John Madden called the
band to “bring it in”. It was unusual as this was normal procedure
at the conclusion of a rehearsal. He
then proceeded to say, “I told you
all I would do this until he came
back and well, he IS back.” The
cheers of support floored me: it left
me unable to speak. They then
sang MSU Shadows as a group.
I was able to march with the
band a month after I was released
from the hospital at the Citrus
Bowl. (MSU won the game). To
this day, I truly believe it was the
support of John Madden and the
Spartan Marching Band that
kept me alive. I have graduated
with a music education degree
and work as a music teacher
in Warren, MI. I am also now
the president of the Meningitis
Foundation of America and speak
about this disease throughout the
country.
Adam is currently the assistant marching band director,
elementary band director and
communication arts teacher for
music theory and audio recording at Fitzgerald High School
in Warren, MI. He also plays
professionally as a percussionist
throughout areas of Michigan.
Did you get goose bumps
from reading this story, as I
did? Wouldn’t it be great to
assemble a Spartan collection
of such stories?
If you have an uplifting,
inspirational tale, or know of
someone who has one, please
visit www.msusaf.com/ChickenSoup for instructions on
how to pass it along to us.
If you have any questions,
call (517) 355-4458 or email
chixsoup@msu.edu.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
MSU Alumni
Association
Board of Directors
*Stella Cash
Chairperson
*Bonnie Knutson
Vice Chairperson
*Bill Beekman
Immediate Past Chairperson
*Jane Dibbern
Treasurer
*Ed Liebler
Secretary
Michigan
State
University
Click Right Through for MSU
*Greg Hauser
*Gloria Kielbaso
Patrick Alguire
L. Susan Carter
Christopher Iamarino
George Johnson
Kevin Kelly
John Klein
Phillip Kuhn
www.msualum.com
Carole Lick
Judy O’Brien
David Sauter
Robert Snyder
Brian Wagner
Scott Westerman
Yuzo Yagi
Marietta Baba
Dean, College of
Social Science
Terry Denbow
Vice President
University Relations
Keith A. Williams
Executive Director
MSU Alumni Association
Charles Webb
Vice President
University Development
* Denotes Executive
Committee
Frankie Orlando
President, Student
Alumni Foundation
Charles Salmon
Dean, College of
Communication Arts
and Sciences
Page 45
STATE’S STARS
Marjorie Sorge, ’72, principal in
M3 Strategies, Livonia, has been
named vice president of corporate
communications
of Metaldyne
Corp., Plymouth.
Previously, she
was director of
corporation communications for
Visteon Corp. and served as executive on loan to Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the Michigan Dept.
of Labor and Economic Growth.
She was editor-in-chief of Automotive Industries, executive editor of
Ward’s Auto World, feature editor at Automotive News and staff
writer at the Detroit News. Sorge
is a trustee of Kettering University
and is on the advisory panel for the
Automotive Hall of Fame. She
serves on the boards of the Society
of Automotive Analysts and the
Automotive Press Association.
Georges Bordage, Ph.D. ’82,
professor in the Dept. of Medical
Education, University of Illinois,
Chicago, has received the Association of American
Medical Colleges
Abraham Flexner
Award for Distinguished Service
to Medical Education. Bordage previously served as graduate
studies director of the university’s
Masters of Health Profession
Education Program. Before he
joined the University of Illinois,
he founded and directed a similar
program at Laval University in
Canada. He has received several
honorary degrees from universities
around the world.
Christie Montgomery-Boronico,
Ph.D. ’93, assistant dean, Rutgers
University, NY, has been named
director of Career Services at the
University of New Haven, West
Haven, CT. Previously, she was
the career center manager, direcPage 46
tor of student
life, and assistant
director of admissions for Oakland
Community College, Bloomfield
Hills. She was
a career counselor for Lansing
Community College and assistant
dean for the graduate programs of
the College of Business at Eastern
Michigan University, Ypsilanti.
Rene Shingles, Ph.D. ’01, associate professor and program director, athletic training education
program, Central
Michigan
University, Mt.
Pleasant, has received the Great
Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association Dedicated Service Award.
Among her accomplishments, she
was a trainer at the 1996 Summer
Olympics in Atlanta. In 2003
she received the Michigan Athletic Trainers’ Society Distinguished
Athletic Trainer Award and she
has served as a NCAA Athletics
Certification Committee member
since 2004.
Tony Messina, ’80, vice president
and general manager for emission
systems, BorgWarner, Auburn
Hills, has been
named vice
president and
general manager,
North America
for BorgWarner
transmission
systems. Messina joined the company in 1980 as a sales application
engineer. He has held a number
of positions during his tenure,
including director for technical
training, account manager, product manager and vice president of
sales and marketing.
Saturnino Rodriguez, Ph.D.,
’80, visiting assistant professor
of Spanish and
Portuguese at
MSU, is the editor and publisher
of Adelante, a
new Lansing
area bilingual
magazine. Previously, Rodriguez
worked in the Lansing School
District as a counselor, assistant
principal and principal of Pattengill Middle School and superintendent of the Lansing School
District. He also served on the
Lansing City Council.
Julie Fasone Holder, ’75, business
vice president for Specialty Plastics
and Elastomers,
Dow Chemical
Co., Midland,
has been named
corporate vice
president of Human Resources,
Diversity & Inclusion, and Public
Affairs. She joined the company
as a sales representative in 1975
and has since held a variety of leadership positions. Fasone Holder
was a founder of the Women’s
Innovation Network, and in 1999
received Dow’s Genesis Award for
people excellence. She currently
serves on Midland’s economic
development council and on the
board of directors of Wolverine
Bank. Fasone Holder is a member
of the Presidents Club.
Chuck Williams, MBA ’86,
Ph.D. 90, professor of management at Texas
Christian University, Forth
Worth, TX, has
been named
dean of the Eberhardt School
of Business, Univeristy of the
Pacific, Stockton, CA. During
his 15-year tenure with TCU,
Williams served as professor, department chair and associate dean
for undergraduate utudies. He
also taught at Oklahoma State
University. He has received numerous teaching awards and was
recognized as an “Outstanding
Faculty Member” at both universities. He has written two widely
used management textbooks and
is a former member of the Journal
of Management’s editorial board.
David Norton, ’77, executive vice
president of worldwide human
resources at Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc., White
Plaines, NY,
has been named
senior vice president of human
resources for The
New York Times Co., NY. Prior
to his current position, Norton
held various positions with PepsiCo, Inc., including senior vice
president, human resources for
Frito-Lay North America and
senior vice president, human resources, Pepsi Food Systems.
Ram Sah, Ph.D., ’92, National
Wheat Research Coordinator,
National Wheat Resarch Programme, Nepal, has been named
executive director of the Nepal
Agricultural Research Council
(NARC). He is
also the administrative head,
chairman of the executive board
and member secretary of the governing council of NARC. He has
held several leadership positions
in the field of agriculture research,
including Director of Crops &
Horticulture Research and Station Chief, both at NARC. He
is a member of the Nepal Agriculture Association, the Society
of Agricultural Scientists and the
Agronomy Society (Nepal).
Mark Wagner, ’84, director of
Furniture Galleries excellence
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
and marketing,
La-Z-Boy, Inc.,
Monroe, has
been named vice
president of store
development and
marketing. He
joined La-Z-Boy in 1996 as retail
advertising manager. Since then,
he has served as Furniture Galleries advertising manager and director of retail marketing. Previously
Wagner held positions in sales and
marketing for Multi-Ad Services,
Inc., Peoria, Il; Key Multimedia,
West Bloomfield; and Levelor
Corp., Greensboro, NC.
Lolanda Johnson, ’75, risk management attorney, Hurley Medical
Center, Flint,
has received
the Professional
Achievement
Award, presented
by the Flint Club
of the National
Association of Negro Business and
Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc.
Johnson has been in private practice for 15 years. She is a former
assistant city attorney for Flint and
city attorney for Highland Park.
She is the former Commissioner of
Bishop International Airport Authority. She currently serves on the
board of the Salvation Army and is
a member of the Genesee County
Bar Association and the American
Society of Hospital Risk Managers.
William Denstedt, ’84, senior
vice president & manager,
Capital Markets
Group, for GE
Commercial Finance, has been
named Risk
Information
Leader. Denstedt began his career with GE in
1994 at Aviation Services, where
he held positions in finance,
quality and capital markets. He
joined the risk management
Click Right Through for MSU
team in 1999, where he has held
roles of increasing responsibility,
most recently as leader of the
Capital Markets Readiness team.
His previous experience includes
financial management roles at
GM and GTE. Denstedt is a
certified Black Belt and a Life
Member of the MSUAA.
Boyce Williams, MA ’75, Ph.D.
’82, vice president of institutional relations
for the National
Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education, has received
the Association
of Teacher Educators President’s
Service Award. Williams has
served as project director of the
Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Technical Support
Network. She has been active in
local education by serving as a
member of the Superintendents
Advisory Council for Fairfax
County Public Schools and the
Model Campus International
Baccalaureate Committee.
Bob Weiss, JD ’63, probate court
judge, Genesee County, has been
named chief
judge of the
Genesee County
Probate Court.
Previously, Weiss
served as general
counsel for Serra
Automotive. He is a former
prosecuting attorney for Genesee
county and former city attorney
for Flint. He was in private law
practice for many years and is
past president of the Prosecuting
Attorney Association of Michigan, past vice president of the
National District Attorney Association and a former member of
the MSU Board of Trustees.
Jack Schripsema, ’73, manager
with Partner Marketing, Grand
www.msualum.com
Rapids, has
been named vice
president for sales
and marketing at
the Traverse City
Convention &
Visitors Bureau.
His experience in sales and marketing management includes 25
years with Amway Grand Plaza
Hotel, Grand Rapids, and Alticor,
the parent company of Amway
Corp. He has held positions at
the Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles; the Plaza Hotel, New York;
and the Detroit Plaza Hotel.
James Distelrath, ’96, vice president
and corporate controller, Clarkston
Financial Corp.
Clarkston, has
been named
CFO. Prior to
joining the company in 2004,
he was senior
vice president and treasurer for
Paramount Bank and engagement
manager at the accounting firm of
Crowe, Chizek and Co. He is a
member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants.
Patricia Dudek, ’86, partner in
Hafeli, Staran, Hallahan, Christ
& Dudek, P.C.,
Bloomfield Hills,
has received the
National Academy of Elder Law
Attorneys 2005
Powley Elder Law
Award for her commitment to
advocating for seniors and people
with disabilities. Dudek has
served as a UCP board member
and chair of the agency’s government affairs committee for more
than a decade. She is a Life Member of the MSUAA.
Kristin Beltzer, ’86, director of
media services for the Michigan
Senate, has been
named assistant
vice president of
private banking
for Fifth Third
Bank, Lansing,
MI. Previously,
Beltzer was chief of staff to former
Representative Clark Bisbee and
deputy chief of staff for former Lt.
Gov. Dick Posthumus. She currently serves as vice president of
the Haslett School Board and is a
Life Member of the MSUAA.
John Halstead, MA ’72, has
been named the sixth president
of SUNY College at Brockport, NY. Prior
to taking the
helm of Brockport in August,
he was president
of Mansfield University in Pennsylvania for seven years. Halstead has served as chair of the
Commission of Presidents and
the Commission for Universities
of the Pennsylvania State System
of Higher Education. He also
has had leadership roles in the
American Association of State
Colleges and Universities.
Julie Hartner, ’83, manager
of Business Development Soil
and Materials
Engineers, Inc.,
Lansing, has
been elected
membership
chair and a national delegate of
Michigan Regional Commercial
Real Estate Women (CREW).
Hartner is actively involved with
the Michigan State Housing
Development Authority and is a
member of the Lansing Regional
Chamber of Commerce PAC,
the International Council of
Shopping Centers and Inforum
Mid-Michigan (formerly the
Women’s Economic Club).
Page 47
OBITUARIES
30’s
Leland R. Cribbs, ’30, of Laingsburg, Jan. 4, age 97.
Janette Trachsel, ’31, of East
Lansing, Jan. 26, age 96.
Welcon L. Slisher, ’32, of Bronson, Dec. 16, age 98.
Claudine (Burkhart) Jackson,
’34, of Howell, Dec. 17, 2005,
age 92.
Margaret “Peggy” (Baker)
Malone, ’34, of Saginaw, Dec.
23, age 93.
Iva L. Ferguson, M ’36, of Saline, Jan. 13, age 99.
Elizabeth (Heald) Patterson,
’36, of Holt, Jan. 19, age 91.
Andrew F. Bednar, ’38, M ’48,
of Ironwood, Jan. 26, age 92.
Patrick J. Gormely, ’38, of
Manhattan, KS, Dec. 15, 2005,
age 90.
William E. Mason, ’38, of Imlay
City, formerly of Ann Arbor,
Mar. 5, age 92.
Ethel (Krans) Wallace, ’38, of
Flint, Jan. 1, age 89.
Lois (Kempf) Beckwith, ’39, of
Fort Gratiot, Dec. 2, 2005.
Charles Birkeland, ’39, of Urbana, IL, Nov. 28, 2005, age 89.
Flora (Anderson) Faust, ’39,
of Bridgeport, CT, formerly of
Spring Lake, Jan. 1, age 88.
Mary H. (Iverson) Hume, ’39, of
Owosso, Jan. 4, age 87.
Robert “Bob” S. Tooker, ’39, of
Spring Hill, FL, Mar. 7, age 88.
O. Arthur Wolcott, ’39, of Mesa,
AZ, Dec. 31, age 91.
40’s
Donna Hultin, ’40, of Mason,
Feb. 12, age 87.
Louis N. Theroux, ’40, of Holt,
Feb. 14, age 86.
Charles E. Childes, ’41, of Plymouth, Mar. 2, age 87.
Page 48
Herbert J. Gettel, ’41, of Pigeon,
Dec. 27, 2005, age 83.
Rita K. Hinch, ’41, of Flint, Dec.
11, 2005, age 86.
Stephen A. Jakubowski, ’41, of
Grand Rapids, Dec. 1, 2005,
age 88.
Robert S. Swanson, ’41, of Leroy,
Feb. 20, age 86.
Roma J. (Fritz) Walstrom Bolline,
’41, of Harbor Springs, Nov. 21,
2005, age 85.
Marie T. (Toth) Young, ’41, of
Naples, FL, formerly of Arlington, VA, Dec. 26, 2005, age 86.
June H. Doelle, ’42, of Tucson,
AZ, February, age 85.
Bernard Doll, ’42, of Dafter,
Feb. 23, age 85.
Donald E. Fugere, ’42, of Madison, WI, Jan. 8.
William F. Gridley, ’42, of
Bloomfield Hills, Dec. 9, 2005,
age 85.
Lawrence C. Pancost, ’42, of
Lansing, Mar. 21, age 85.
Bert Sangster, ’42, of Flushing,
Mar. 15, age 86.
Mary E. (Crosby) Shaw, ’42, of
Farmington Hills, Feb. 24, age 85.
Eugene F. Stone, ’42, of Beulah,
Nov. 27, 2005, age 83.
Ruth (Koehler) Zinger, ’42, of
Zephyrhills, FL, Jan. 20, age 85.
Juanita (Baxter) Assiff, ’43, M
’68, of Lansing, Jan. 15, age 84.
James E. Funston, ’43, of Leesburg, FL, Feb. 23.
Nelson E. Wentworth, ’43, of
Troy, Jan. 4, age 85.
Mary (Driver) Van Dien, ’44,
MA ’75, of Okemos, Dec. 3,
2005, age 82.
Roland J. Baldwin, ’46, of Escanaba, Dec. 7, 2005, age 81.
Jo Ann (Gruel) Gardner, ’46, of
Acme, Jan. 15, age 81.
Barbara J. Weidemann, ’46, of
Rochester, Jan. 11, age 80.
Stuart Bearup, ’47, of Charlotte,
Dec. 24, 2005, age 88.
Marvin Eppelheimer, ’47, M ’53,
of Coldwater and Sarasota, FL,
Nov. 20, 2005, age 82.
Alvin “Al” L. Farnsworth, ’47, of
Columbia, SC, Jan. 27, age 82.
Clayton Kowalk, ’47, of Dewitt,
Dec. 4, 2005, age 84.
C. David Loeks, ’47, of Blacksburg, VA, Jan. 18, age 82.
Lewis P. Nedeau, ’47, of Marquette, Feb. 5, age 84.
Phyllis Roberts, ’47, of Charlevoix, Jan. 2, age 83.
Henry “Hank” J. Anderson, ’48,
MBA ’69, of Tallahassee, FL,
Oct. 17, 2005, age 81.
William A. Atchison, ’48, of
Decatur, GA, Nov. 18, 2005,
age 82.
John L. Blakkan, ’48, of Boyne
City, Dec. 4, age 78.
Jack M. Cole, ’48, of Howell,
Feb. 11, age 84.
Elsworth Harger, ’48, of Munising, Dec. 28, 2005, age 80.
Wesley F. Hasenbank, ’48, of
Freesoil, Dec. 9, 2005, age 79.
Kenneth G. Kraus, ’48, of Saginaw, Jan. 30, age 86.
Laurence “Pike” O’Leary, ’48, of
Hanover, Dec. 17, 2005.
Shirley (Suprenant) Porter, ’48,
of Grand Blanc, Feb. 4, age 79.
Ralph J. Stephenson, M ’48, of
Mt. Pleasant, Mar. 11, age 83.
Warren B. Huey, ’49, of Palmetto, FL, Dec. 5, 2005.
Nancy L. Moss, ’49, of East Lansing, Dec. 14, 2005.
Ellis E. Nixon, ’49, of Midland,
Dec. 17, 2005.
William E. Pearson, ’49, of Midland, Mar. 20, age 81.
Richard C. Prince, ’49, of Harbor Springs, Feb. 26, age 81.
Mary (Canfield) Smith, ’49, of
Sturgeon Bay, WI, Jul. 28, age 81.
50’s
H. Jack Hinkle, ’50, of Big Rapids, Nov. 18, 2005, age 81.
Donald A. Jadwin, ’50, of Mt.
Dora, FL, Feb. 20.
William J. Marshall, ’50, of
Kendallville, IN and Zephyrhills, FL, Dec. 9, 2005, age 80.
John F. McHugh, ’50, of Grand
Rapids, Dec. 28, 2005, age 83.
William C. Mitchell, ’50, of Eugene, OR, Jan. 2, age 80.
William C. Newberry, ’50, of
Coldwater, Jan. 3, age 79.
John H. Slachter, ’50, of
McBain, Dec. 18, 2005, age 83.
Oren D. Blevins, ’51, of Marion,
Dec. 27, 2005, age 79.
James W. Goff, ’51, M ’52 Ph.D.
’57, of Montrose, CO, Jan. 6, age 85.
George V. Lentz, ’51, of Haslett,
Mar. 21, age 84.
Erwin W. Miller, ’51, of Rochester Hills, Feb. 11, age 81.
James C. Murphy, ’51, of Newaygo, Jan. 13, age 78.
James R. Paull, ’51, of Grand
Rapids, formerly of Coldwater,
Jan. 24, age 78.
Katherine G. VanWert, M ’51,
of East Lansing, Feb. 23, age 96.
Oscar Wade, ’51, of Lansing,
Dec. 7, 2005, age 96.
William W. Arbaugh, ’52, M
’56, of Grosse Pointe Woods,
Dec. 12, age 75.
Barbara (Ingall) Johnson, ’52, of
Union City, Feb. 25, age 74.
Robert C. Moore, ’52, of Huntington Beach, CA, Nov. 10,
2005, age 75.
Earl R. Rose, ’52, of Swartz
Creek, Feb. 12, age 76.
Rees R. Smith, ’52, of Marietta,
GA, Feb. 18, age 77.
Ira A. Murphy, ’53, of Midland,
Mar. 8, age 88.
James V. Tufty, ’53, of Bradenton, FL, Jan. 11.
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
Fred G. Bradley, ’55, of Stanwood, Dec. 28, 2005, age 73.
John C. Earle, ’55, of Bloomfield
Hills, Jan. 17, age 77.
Beatrice (Medicine) Garner, M
’55, of Wakpala, SD, Dec. 19,
2005, age 82.
Walter E. Haines, ’55, of Holland, Jan. 31, age 73.
Marian J. Hayton, M ’55, of
Mt. Vernon, WA, Nov. 6, 2005,
age 83.
John F. Janowitz, ’55, of
Menominee, Jan. 4, age 74.
Ronald “Candyman” McLaren,
’55, of Grand Blanc, Dec. 25,
2005, age 75.
Ralph H. Berggruen, ’56, of
Clinton Twp., Feb. 25, age 71.
C. Gerald Haarer, ’56, of Bonita
Springs, FL, formerly of East
Lansing, Feb. 17, age 71.
Marilyn J. (Erdmann) Olson,
’56, of Bear Lake, formerly of
Traverse City and Flossmoor, IL,
Feb. 20, age 71.
Richard “Boom” D. Pratt, ’56,
of Okemos, Feb. 12, age 76.
Bernard Potwardowski, ’57, of
Riverside, CA, Mar. 2, age 73.
Paul L. Tavenner, ’57, of Anderson, SC, formerly of Lansing,
Nov. 30, 2005, age 76.
Jean E. (Curnalia) Arnold, ’58,
of Williamsburg, formerly of
Lansing, Feb. 8, age 69.
Frank M. Johnson, ’58, of
Springfield, Jan. 11, age 77.
Robert J. Richards, M ’58, of
Rockwall, TX, Nov. 8, 2005,
age 77.
Thomas D. Strong, ’58, of Arnold, MD, Dec. 4, 2005, age 73.
Ernest R. Johnson, M ’59, of
Flint, Dec. 25, 2005, age 75.
Helen E. (McCully) Leach, M
’59, of Niles, Jan. 2006, age 90.
David E. McCardel, ’59, of Lansing, Dec. 23, 2005, age 69.
Click Right Through for MSU
Margaret (Lorimer) Parsons,
Ph.D. ’59, of East Lansing, Jan.
7, age 83.
Edward C. Scollon, ’59, DVM
’61, of Cass City, Feb. 24, age 70.
60’s
Petra (Johnson) A. Freers, ’60, of
Topeka, KS, Nov. 27, age 67.
David D. Gruber, ’60, of
Laingsburg, Dec. 23, 2005, age
67.
Clara S. (Sherman) Mayo, M
’60, of Lima, OH, Feb. 1, age 89.
Mary Lou (Bladey) McCartin,
’60, of Grand Rapids, Feb. 26,
age 69.
Robert G. Miller, ’60, of Quincy,
Jan. 7, age 68.
Thomas C. Dandeneau, ’61, of
Austin, TX, Dec. 9, 2005, age
72.
June L. Hubbard, ’61, M ’64,
of Grand Rapids, Nov. 9, 2005,
age 66.
Harriet (Phelps) Park, M ’61, of
Lansing, Jan. 6.
Jerry L. Hartman, ’62, of
Pellston, Jan. 3, age 74.
Donald Kitts, ’62, of Midland,
Feb. 15, age 69.
Colleen (Bordeaux) Van Orden,
’62, of Grand Blanc, Dec. 28,
2005, age 66.
Linda B. Olson, ’63, MA ’81, of
Central Lake, formerly of Kingsley, Jan. 31, age 65.
Gertrude “Trudy” Eisenhour,
MA ’64, of Manhattan, KS,
Mar. 1, age 90.
James E. Kramer, ’64, of W.
Hartford, CT, Feb. 27, age 65.
James A. Hartlage, Ph.D. ’65, of
Chicago, IL, Feb. 28, age 65.
Barry R. Miller, ’65, of Jaffrey,
Dec. 25, age 63.
Thomas E. DeWitt, ’66, of Bradenton, FL, formerly of Lansing,
Mar. 18, age 64.
www.msualum.com
Joseph “Joe” E. Szalay, ’66,
MBA ’73, MA ’72, of East Lansing, Mar. 16, age 61.
James R. Wilson, ’66, of Haslett,
Mar. 22, age 61.
Duane D. Finley, ’67, of Banning, CA, Dec. 14, 2005, age 77.
Charles F. Johnson, ’67, of Carrollton, TX, Jul. 9, 2005, age 60.
Nancy J. (Stevens) Loomis, ’67,
MA ’90, of East Lansing, Feb.
8, age 61.
Vincent J. Mikus, M ’67, of Reston, VA, Dec. 24, 2005, age 69.
William C. Wagner, M ’67,
Ph.D. ’73, of Glen Ellyn, IL,
Dec. 6, 2005, age 62.
Carlton T. Boutwell, ’68, MA
’70, of Dewitt, Feb. 8, age 78.
Jean H. Mowat, Ph.D. ’68, of
Lake Lure, NC, Jan. 17.
Michael “Mike” L. Ryan, ’68, of
Reese, Dec. 25, 2005, age 60.
Patricia (Wank) Sorensen, ’68,
JD ’84, of Farmington Hills,
Mar. 1.
Susan J. (Walker) Timmerman,
’68, of Strathan, NH, Sept. 17,
age 59.
George F. Trentelman, MAT
’68, Ph.D. ’70, of Marquette,
Dec. 22, 2005, age 61.
Debbie Loftus Wilkins, ’68, MA
’72, of Safety Harbor, FL, Dec.
31, 2005, age 59.
Elizabeth “Betty” Blanchard,
MA ’69, of Lansing, Dec. 10,
2005, age 87.
Thomas J. Cresswell, ’69, of
Charlevoix, Jan. 3, age 59.
Sylvia A. (Keskey) Harris-Maki,
’69, of Grand Haven, Feb. 23,
age 85.
Robert E. MacDonald, Ph.D.
’69, of Eugene, OR, Nov. 22,
2005, age 70.
Jeannie L. (Sawyer) Putnam,
’69, of Carp Lake, Dec. 7, 2005,
age 58.
Vernon H. Stromberg, M ’69, of
Pewaukee, WI, Dec. 8, 2005.
Thadda “Teddy” (Gryczanoski)
Wagner, MA ’69, of Grand Rapids, Jan. 10, age 87.
70’s
Jean R. Dean, ’70, of Belleville,
Dec. 19, 2005, age 57.
Beverly A. Gilroy, ’70, DVM
’71, of Framingham, MA, Nov.
8, 2005, age 56.
Paul E. Hathaway, ’70, of Williamston, Mar. 18, age 81.
Richard A. Jackson, MA ’70, of
Oak Ridge, NC, Dec. 14, 2005,
age 62.
Clifford M. Marcus, Ph.D. ’70,
of Cortland, NY, Dec. 30, 2005,
age 87.
George M. Strout, ’70, of Concord, NH, formerly of Chichester, NH, Feb. 23, age 79.
Jeanette R. (Frasik) Szabo, ’70,
of Grand Blanc, Feb. 18, age 69.
Robert A. White, ’70, MA ’74,
of Adrian, Dec. 18, 2005, age 57.
Gary D. Nolin, ’71, of Imlay
City, Jan. 7, age 57.
Robert J. Fata, ’72, of Grayslake,
IL, Mar. 24, age 56.
Dena M. McLeod, ’72, of Leoni
Twp., Feb. 11, age 54.
Gregg B. Johnson, ’73, of Escanaba, Feb. 17, age 55.
John R. McCauley, ’73, of Delta
Twp., Mar. 22, age 61.
Neal V. Singles, EDS ’73, of
Morenci, Dec. 20, 2005, age 73.
James B. Kennedy, MBA ’74, of
Haslett, Jan. 16, age 60.
Ronald P. Davanzo, ’75, of
Plymouth, Dec. 15, 2005, age 52.
Susan (Babbitt) Engeseth, ’75, of
Ada, Dec. 13, 2005.
Douglas Fales, M ’75, of Burton,
Jan. 14, age 81.
Bruce P. Henderson, Ph.D. ’75, of
Burleson, TX, Nov. 20, 2005, age 68.
Page 49
Tamie L. Kaweck, ’75, of Lansing, Dec. 27, 2005, age 53.
David E. Krino, M ’75, of Manistee, formerly of Williamston,
Dec. 14, 2005, age 59.
Frances S. Litchfield, ’75, MSW
’77, of Ovid, Feb. 2, age 68.
James N. Martin, MS ’75, of
Payson, AZ, formerly of Clio,
Feb., 2006, age 63.
Thomas P. Peralta, ’75, JD ’79,
of Grosse Pte., Jan. 8.
Patricia A. Smith, ’75, of Westland, Jan. 13, age 54.
80’s
Beth A. (Kutscher) Jackson, ’80, of
Traverse City, Dec. 25, 2005, age 47.
Monica A. (Roggenbuck) DeYoung, MA ’80, of Houston, TX,
formerly of Lansing, Nov. 27,
2005, age 72.
George J. Eisele, ’81, of Fowlerville, Mar. 2, age 46.
Michael F. Pawluk, ’81, MA
’82, of Ft. Myers, FL, Dec. 4,
2005, age 55.
Pamela (Gregoire) Downham,
’82, of Fishers, IN, Dec. 10,
2005, age 45.
Mary K. Hobbs, Ph.D. ’82, of
Lombard, IL, Jan. 10, age 62.
Steven C. Ellingson, ’83, of Atlanta, GA, Feb. 9, age 44.
Kimberly Paksi, ’83, of St.
Johns, Jan. 2, age 44.
Gaylene Perrault, Ph.D. ’83, of
Austell, GA, Feb. 28, age 67.
Brian J. Smith, DVM ’83, of
McBain, Jan. 20, age 48.
Joseph M. Liebetreu, ’84, of
Kingwood, TX, Dec. 22, 2005,
age 43.
Barbar K. Murphy, M ’84, of
Greenville, Dec. 27, 2005, age 58.
Frederick “Ricky” J. Burks, ’86,
of Saginaw, Feb. 13, age 46.
Therese Peterson, Ph.D. ’88, of
Okemos, Jan. 15, age 56.
Deborah J. Porter, MS ’88, of
Mesa, AZ, Jan. 1, age 53.
Rick L. Lentz, ’89, of Tecumseh,
Jan. 7, age 54.
90’s
Cathy E. (Lutz) Spehn, ’90, of
Rochester, Feb. 28, age 37.
David S. Humphries, ’92, of
Grand Ledge, Jan. 12, age 51.
Ian T. Krul, ’93, of Orchard
Lake, Jan. 11, age 34.
Mary G. (Groesbeck) Youngs,
MA ’93, of Hastings, Feb. 19,
age 56.
Drew Planten, ’95, of Raleigh,
NC, Jan. 2, age 35.
Theresa M. Ranger, ’97, of Lansing, Jan. 14, age 41.
Faculty
Lyman Bodman, professor emeritus of music, of East Lansing,
Feb. 6, age 90.
James Goff, ’51, M ’52, Ph.D.
’57, professor emeritus of packaging, 1952-87, of Telluride, CO,
Jan. 6, age 85.
Richard T. Hartwig, ’41, professor emeritus of agricultural
economics, 1950-77, of Frankenmuth, Dec. 3, age 89.
Francis McKelvey, professor
emeritus of civil and environmental engineering, 1974-96, of
Hudson, FL, Jan. 27, age 67.
David Morrow, professor emeritus of large animal clinical sci-
ences, 1968-90, of State College,
PA, Dec. 22, age 70.
Ira Polley, professor emeritus of
political science, 1962-81, of East
Lansing, Dec. 23, age 88.
Blanche E. (Marquart) Simon,
professor emeritus of health
education, 1960-83, of Mecosta,
Jan. 11, age 92.
Wallace Sue, professor emeritus
of linguistics and languages,
1964-95, of East Lansing, Nov.
20, age 80.
Garson Tishkoff, professor
emeritus of medicine, 1971-90,
of Dimondale, Dec. 10, age 82.
William W. Whallon, professor
emeritus of English, 1962-01, of
East Lansing, Jan. 5, age 77.
Send Obituaries to:
MSU Alumni Magazine
242 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824-2005 or
www.msualum.com/magazine
/obituary.cfm
Please include name, class year, city,
date of death and age . All entries are
subject to editorial review.
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MSU Alumni Magazine Along
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Page 50
Winter 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
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Page 51
LASTINGIMPRESSIONS
UNIVERSITY RELATIONS/Kurt Stepnitz
The sprouting of colorful flowers in a courtyard of
MSU’s Biomedical & Physical Sciences Building indicates
this year’s belated arrival of Spring.
Page 52
Spring 2006
MSU Alumni Magazine
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Michigan State
University
MSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE
242 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824-2005
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