Alumni Association Home > Past Issues > 2009 > January-February 2009	Print View

Model Students. Life Drawing was a popular course for nontraditional students offered through the General Extension Division in the 1930s. During the 1931-32 school year, the average age among night class students was 29, 10 years older than the average day school student. Nearly 10 percent of night school students were between the ages of 40 and 50. Photograph courtesy of University Archives

Life members already receive up to 20 percent off room rental at the McNamara Alumni Center, one of the premier event facilities in the Twin Cities. During March Mayhem, life members can receive even more savings by taking advantage of two exceptional opportunities.

When you book a new meeting or event in March 2009, you’ll pay the room rates from 2000, the year McNamara opened. For example, the current life member rental rate for Memorial Hall is $2,000, but your 2000 rate is $1,500. Additionally, you’ll get free use of McNamara’s 18,000-lumen projector, a savings of $900. Also during March, Alumni Association life members can extend their McNamara Alumni Center room rental discount to friends, family, and co-workers for any new booking in March 2009. The discount does not apply to events already booked with signed contracts.

The McNamara Alumni Center accommodates

Photograph by Sher Stoneman

a wide variety of events, including weddings and receptions, meetings, awards dinners, retirement parties, and much more. To book your next meeting or special event, call 612-624-9831 or visit www.alumnicenter.umn.edu and refer to promotional code “mayhem.”

Mentors, Mentees Connect

Mentors and mentees came together to share their perspectives on mentorship during the Alumni Association’s fall mentorship workshop at the McNamara Alumni Center in November. The Alumni Association Mentor Connection promotes and advocates mentor programs throughout the University and the Twin Cities community. Currently, more than 2,000 students and alumni participate in 16 mentor programs.

Alumni Association Celebrates Top Volunteers

Three groups received the Program Extraordinaire Award for innovative, creative, and effective programming:

The San Diego

Pictured here are Julius Kinara (M.A. ’05) and Greg Kraul. Photograph courtesy of Sara Jorde

chapter launched the Calmenson Family San Diego Chapter Scholarship Fund at its 2008 annual meeting, becoming the first national chapter to have an endowed scholarship. Chapter members hope to inspire other national chapters to do the same. The School of Dentistry Alumni Society’s unique program, Intentional Leadership for Future Dental Professionals, guides students toward developing an ethic of leadership in both practice and non-practice settings. The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Alumni Society was recognized for Classes Without Quizzes, a popular half-day program that has brought more than 1,000 alumni and friends back to campus for lifelong learning and to connect with CFANS and the U.

The Chicago chapter received the Outstanding Chapter Award. The chapter’s slogan is “make Chicago smaller, one alum at a time.” Its outstanding slate of events and programs has attracted more

Pictured here are Dain Raddell and Jihshya Lin (M.A. ’05). Photograph by Sara Jorde

than 5,000 Chicago-area alumni in the past three years.

The Outstanding Alumni Society Award, which recognizes the overall programming of a society, went to the College of Design Alumni Society. The Society is instrumental to the success of  College to Career, a hallmark program that connects alumni and students in myriad creative ways according to the needs of the students.

Megan Hines from the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences received the Student of the Year Award. Hines is pursuing a degree in environmental science policy and management. She is an active member of the student board executive team and the CFANS Alumni Society board and is a volunteer for several activities.

The Staff Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Dana Souther (B.S. ’84), administrative director in the department of animal science. Souther is chair of the CFANS Departmental Council

Pictured here are Katie Brodeem and Minn Rose. Photograph by Sara Jorde

on Alumni Relations, a group of representatives from each of the college’s departments that meets every month to plan programs and events for alumni and friends.

The celebration included presentation of the Alumni Service Awards, which recognize the service of a volunteer who has had a major impact on the University, its schools, colleges, departments, faculty, or to the Alumni Association. This award has been in existence since the early 1900s, during which time only about 100 have been given. The 11 recipients this year were:

Mary Endorf (Ph.D. ’87), College of Education and Human Development

Arnold Hill (D.D.S. ’63), School of Dentistry

James Jernberg (B.A. ’57, M.A. ’62), Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

Julie Johnson (B.S. ’81, Ph.D. ’06), College of Pharmacy

Juanita Luis (B.A. ’72, J.D. ’77), College of Liberal Arts

Scott Manwarren (B.S. ’97), College

Jerry Fischer (center) with his wife, Cathie, and University President Bob Bruininks in Memorial Hall at the McNamara Alumni Center. Photograph by Dan Marshall

of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Dennis Schulstad (B.A. ’66), University of Minnesota Alumni Association

Margot Siegel (B.A. ’44), College of Design

Ellen Sorenson (B.S. ’81), Band Alumni/School of Music

Eugene Ollila (B.A. ’67, M.D. ’70), Medical School

Neal Gault (M.D. ’50), Medical School. (Gault, longtime dean of the medical school, died at his home in St. Paul on December 11.)

Jerry Fischer's Era Ends

The Alumni Association joined hundreds of well-wishers to salute Jerry Fischer in November in recognition of his service and leadership. Fischer stepped down from his post as president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation this summer after 18 years. During his tenure, private giving to the U grew from $50 million in 1990 to $289 million in 2008. In that same period, the foundation’s endowment grew from $150

David Tilman from the College of Biological Sciences is among the featured professors at the Florida MinneCollege. Tilman will discuss food, biofuel, and the environment. Photoraph courtesy of the College of Biological Sciences

million to $1.4 billion. He oversaw the U’s capital campaign from 1996 to 2003 that raised $1.7 billion, funding hundreds of endowed faculty positions and thousands of student scholarships and building state-of-the-art facilities on all U campuses.

Steve Goldstein (B.A. ’73), who was volunteer president of the Alumni Association in 1989–90 and has been a trustee of the foundation since 2000, has been named the new president and CEO of the foundation. Fischer will remain active with the foundation in a part-time role as vice president, senior philanthropy adviser.

Raise Your Voice for the U

Nothing conveys how essential the University is to the state of Minnesota like the stories of people whose lives it has shaped. The 2009 legislative briefing on January 28 is an opportunity to reflect on how the U is part of your own personal story, and learn how to tell it with confidence

Pat McGovern from the School of Public Health is among the featured professors at the Florida MinneCollege. McGovern will address children's health. Photo courtesy of the School of Public Health

to legislators. Strong state support is essential for the U to fulfill its mission, and individual voices are key to ensuring that support. Make a date with hundreds of other ambassadors for the University, along with President Bob Bruininks, on January 28, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center. To register, visit www.SupportTheU.umn.edu.

Maximize Learning at MinneColleges

Alumni Association members have an exceptional opportunity to learn from some of the U’s best professors during two MinneColleges coming up in Florida on January 24 and in Arizona on March 7 (see ad on page 13). The programs will feature discussions on a variety of timely topics with selected faculty in medicine, public health, ecology, education, and more. For details and to register, visit www.alumni.umn.edu/events.

Image Gallery: Alumni Association Celebrates Top Volunteers
See photos from the Alumni Award Celebration.
See all 13 images.