Alumni Association Home > Minnesota Magazine > Past Issues > 2008 > May-June 2008	Print View

Way to Grow!
Membership in the University of Minnesota Alumni Association continues to grow. The number of life members now stands at an all-time high of 13,788, and during this fiscal year, overall membership reached a new all-time high of 63,925. The Alumni Association extends a special welcome to new members and thanks all Alumni Association members for being ambassadors for the important work of the University.

St. Paul Campus Reunion June 26
Frostbite will be in the air at this year’s St. Paul Campus Reunion June 26. Alumni from the colleges of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; Design; and Education and Human Development, as well as the schools of Agriculture and Home Economics are invited to attend the annual get-together at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on June 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Reunion participants will hear about the development of Frostbite, the University’s newest apple to be sold commercially, from featured speaker Jim Luby (Ph.D. ’82), professor of horticulture and an apple breeder. Formerly known as MN447, Frostbite dates back to 1921, when the cross-pollinating of two apple blossoms was made at the U’s Horticultural Research Center, now in its 100th year. The apple is actually the grandparent of the most famous U of M apple, the Honeycrisp. Luby will talk about what it takes to make Frostbite and other great apples developed at the U, including Haralson, Honeycrisp, Zestar, and Snowsweet.

Participants may also explore, on foot or by tram, Tree-ology, the summer exhibition, as well as the arboretum’s gardens, model landscapes, woodlands, and wetlands. Members of the class of 1958 will be recognized during the reunion.

The registration deadline is June 13. Space for tours is limited. The cost for members of the Alumni Association is $28 per person ($30 for nonmembers) and includes lunch, tours, and parking. Registration plus a one-year membership to the Alumni Association is $65. Register by mail to Mary Buschette, 190 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, or online at www.cfans.umn.edu/spcreunion.

Check Out University Libraries
Members of the Alumni Association have borrowing privileges at University Libraries through a discounted membership in Friends of the Library, which promotes the Libraries and advocates for strengthening them as the center of scholarly life at the U. Alumni Association members pay $40 for membership in Friends of the Library (regular membership is $80).

In addition to borrowing privileges, members of Friends of the Libraries receive a subscription to Continuum, the magazine of the University of Minnesota Libraries, as well as invitations to lectures, exhibit openings, author readings, and other special events.

Members of the Alumni Association can also access thousands of online publications through two University databases: the Academic Search Alumni Edition and Business Source Alumni Edition. A valid Alumni Association membership number is required to use this benefit. For more information on the University Libraries benefits, go to www.alumni.umn.edu/membership.

An Evening on the Showboat
This year marks the 50th season of the University of Minnesota Showboat Players’ summertime productions. Opened as part of the state of Minnesota’s centennial celebration in 1958, the Minnesota Centennial Showboat plays host to two University of Minnesota Theatre productions each year. Celebrate the Showboat’s half-century mark with other Alumni Association members on June 18 or July 8 with a stage performance of The Count of Monte Cristo aboard the Showboat and a member-exclusive, post-show dessert reception with members of the acting company. The Count of Monte Cristo tells of the adventures of a dashing sailor who is wrongly sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison by those jealous of his good fortune.

Tickets are $30 and are available by calling 651-227-1100. Please identify yourself as a member of the Alumni Association and have your member number available.

Destination: Dubai
With its alluring mix of Bedouin and Western cultures, it’s easy to see why Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has become one of the world’s top tourist destinations. The Alumni Association is offering a trip to Dubai from September 20 to 28, 2008.

Travelers may visit old-world marketplaces nestled among modern skyscrapers and architecture; shop for gold, crafts, textiles, and pearls along the Dubai Creek; relax on desert oases; visit one of the city’s largest and most beautiful mosques; and take in the first-class golf courses, the soon-to-be world’s tallest building, and the largest sports stadium in the Middle East.

The Alumni Association sponsors first-rate tours to dozens of destinations every year. For more information on this trip and other travel destinations, visit www.alumni.umn.edu/travel or call 612-625-9427 or 800-UMALUMS (800-862-5867).

Center of Attention
The McNamara Alumni Center, home to the Alumni Association, was named the best non-hotel meeting facility in Minnesota by meeting and event professionals at the industry’s annual “Best Of” awards in March. The award cited the alumni center’s unique architecture, seven event spaces, and catering by D’Amico, another award winner. The McNamara Alumni Center opened in 2000, and in 2002 it received the Best Reception Facility Award. Life members of the Alumni Association receive a discount on rental of the McNamara Alumni Center. For more information, visit www.alumni.umn.edu/rewards.

Hail from the Hill
U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (J.D. ’90) of Minnesota’s fifth congressional district visited with members of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Alumni Association during a reception in his honor at the Capitol building on March 31. About 40 members attended the reception for Ellison, the nation’s first Muslim ever elected to Congress.

To learn about Alumni Association chapter events in your area, visit www.alumni.umn.edu/chapters.

Senior Moments
The Alumni Association sent the class of 2008 off with a free lunch, a new padfolio, and a few wise words at the annual Senior Send-Off April 2 at the McNamara Alumni Center. Some 600 graduating U students entered prize drawings and heard an inspiring address by Trent Tucker (B.A. ’06). Tucker, a former professional basketball player who returned to the U to complete his degree after his basketball career, encouraged the graduates to stay focused on their dreams and not sell themselves short in pursuing their goals. Tucker and Goldy posed with Rebecca Frino and Sitso Bediako, who each won a pair of tickets from Sun Country Airlines.

Grassroots Success
Hats off to Alumni Association members and others in the Legislative Network who visited, called, or wrote their legislators on behalf of the University during the 2008 session. Thanks to their efforts, the University achieved some significant successes. At the top of the list: $219 million in state funding for the Minnesota Biomedical Research Program. Combined with $73 million in funding from the U, the landmark $292 million project will build four world-class science facilities on the East Bank campus. It took three years of persistent work to pass this legislation, and it would not have happened without grassroots lobbyists.