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Austin CollegeMagazine September 2008

50 YEARS OF WYNNE CHAPEL | WINKLER PRESENTS OPENING ADDRESS | ANNA LAURA PAGE TRIBUTE

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Anna Laura Page TributeWhen Oscar Page steps down as Austin College president inJune 2009, the community also will say goodbye to AnnaLaura Page. The editor offers a closer look at the first lady.

Emily Austin: Frontier Woman for Modern TimesIt was Emily Austin who gave the initial gift to establishAustin College. She was a woman ahead of her time,providing for her family when women had little to no powerin society. A new biography by Light Cummins will give theTexas pioneer woman a place in history she long has deserved.

In the Shadow of DeathCarroll Pickett served as the Death House chaplain at Texas’Huntsville Prison for 13 years, and his experiences have beenmade into a documentary released in May.

Wynne Chapel’s 50th AnniversaryBuilt in 1958, Wynne Chapel has seen thousands of studentscome through its doors. In November, the College celebratesthe 50th anniversary of the building’s dedication.

Winkler Presents Opening AddressHenry Winkler shared words of inspiration and hope withstudents, faculty, staff, and guests at the official opening ofthe 160th academic year of the College.

Out of the CongoAn Austin College art exhibit offers a look at African art thatusually accessible only in major museums. The art objects, onloan from Austin College alumni, represent villagers’gratitude to a missionary doctor.

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10 More Summer VIP Experiences

13 Anna Laura Page Photos: The Austin College Years

18 The Race for Madam President: Reflections from Kiki McLean

21 At the Death House Door: Film Trailer and Details

25 Ties to Presbyterian Seminaries Still Strong

26 Additional Opening of School Photos

31 News Briefs Photos

33 More About the Presidents Climate Commitment

36 The Women’s Soccer Travel Blog

38 Legends Dinner and Golf Photos

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AUSTIN COLLEGE

Oscar C. PagePresidentNan DavisVice President for Institutional EnrollmentHeidi EllisVice President for Business AffairsMike ImhoffVice President for Academic AffairsJerry HolbertVice President for Institutional AdvancementTim MillerickVice President for Student Affairs and Athletics

AUSTIN COLLEGE MAGAZINE

September 2008

Editor

Vickie S. KirbySenior Director of Editorial Communication

DesignMark SteeleArt Director

EditorialDara McCoySenior WriterJeff KellySports Information CoordinatorVictoria HughesProduction CoordinatorVickie S. Kirby

PhotographyVickie S. Kirby

Office of College RelationsMichael StrysickExecutive Director

The Austin College Magazine is published by the Officeof College Relations, Institutional Advancement Division.The Office of College Relations retains the right todetermine the editorial content and presentation ofinformation contained herein. Articles or opinion writtenby guest writers do not necessarily reflect official viewsor policy of Austin College and its Board of Trustees.

Contact Austin College Magazine:Office of College Relations, Suite 6HAustin College900 North Grand AvenueSherman, TX 75090-4400Editor: 903.813.2414Fax: 903.813.2415Email: [email protected]

Austin College does not discriminate on the basis of age,color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexualorientation, or status as a veteran in the administration of itseducational policies and programs, employment policies andpractices, enrollment policies and practices, and athleticsprogram, as well as any other College-administered policy,procedure, practice, or program. Reasonableaccommodations are made for individuals with disabilities.

© 2008 Austin College

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IN EVERY ISSUE:

3 Faculty Notebook

7 Student Achievers

26 Around Campus

35 Home Team

39 ‘Roo Notes

48 Calendar of Events

49 Every Picture Tells a Story

The Story Behind the Photo

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2 Austin College Magazine September 2008

Dear Friends of Austin College,

When students returned to campus this fall, I beganimmediately to hear stories of summer experiences.With the start of the Global Outreach (or GO) programand the continuation of the Lilly Vocational InternshipProgram, 63 students participated in these two programsin experiential learning experiences that were nothingshort of life-changing.

The 10 GO Fellows worked with non-profit groupsaround the globe — five in Africa, two in Peru, and one

each in Russia, Pakistan, and Guatemala.Created with a grant from the Todd and AbbyWilliams Family Foundation of Dallas, the GOprogram aims to cultivate the next generationof local, national, and global leaders bypromoting innovative, experiential servantleadership opportunities around the world.

As a GO fellow, Holly Boerner ’09 workedthis summer at the Adana Children’s Center, anorphanage in Debre Zeyit, Ethiopia, 45 minutesfrom that nation’s capital, Addis Ababa. Thiswas Holly’s third visit to Ethiopia as an AustinCollege student. The first two trips, Holly wasat the Kamashi Orphanage and School, whichserves the area of Benishangul-Gumuzone, oneof Ethiopia’s poorest regions, where there arean estimated 40,000 orphans. By working inthese communities, Holly deepened hercultural perspective of a part of the worldwhere few students travel. She also metsuccessfully the challenge to view the worldfrom a global perspective—and from a servantleader’s heart.

The Lilly Vocational Internship Programprovides support for a wide range of internshipsthroughout the world, but most take place in the UnitedStates. As I visited with one Lilly intern, Casie Luong’10, I realized what a great impact this type of programcan have on the life of one person. Casie is the daughterof parents who fled from Vietnam during the war, andthis summer Casie went to her parents’ home countryto work in a children’s shelter in Ho Chi Minh City.

Casie’s experience at the Little Rose Shelter providedher the opportunity to share her gifts with children whohad suffered abuse and to contribute positively to herfamily’s cultural home. The shelter was established in

CIRCLING THEGLOBE

p r e s i d e n t ’ s column

1992 in response to growing incidents of humantrafficking in Vietnam. Since its founding, Little Rose hasprovided a safe shelter to hundreds of young girls andcontinues to help them build a positive future.

Casie taught English and music, among othersubjects, at Little Rose, and while doing this she hadthe opportunity to meet relatives she had only heardabout. Her parents returned to Vietnam this summerfor the first time since their departure decades ago, andthey were able to witness their daughter’s servantleadership in action.

Austin College always has encouraged students tostep outside their comfort zone to serve, and today’sstudents are no different. These are just two examples ofthe College’s commitment to global understanding forall students who desire to participate in internationalexperiences. Ten additional students participated in life-changing internships through our centers forEnvironmental Studies and for Southwestern andMexican Studies, as well as our Career Study Off-Campus program.

When the 2008 graduating class walked across theplatform, we knew that 70 percent of these students hadparticipated in a global experience. Our alumni take greatpride in their service opportunities and their recognitionof the need to understand and participate in the solvingof global problems. In reflecting on the experiences of thestudents who reached out to others this summer, I feelconfident that future generations of students willcontinue this great tradition at Austin College.

Service, experiential learning, and concern forpeople throughout the world will be the enduringtheme of the College. As you read about Emily Austinand the celebration of the 50th anniversary of theopening of Wynne Chapel, be reminded that our greattraditions have their roots in the vision of our founders,who were inspired by the Presbyterian Church to reachout to the underserved and provide opportunities forservice to people throughout the world.

Sincerely,

Oscar C. PagePresident


September 2008 Austin College Magazine 3

Awards presented at the close of each academic yearrecognize faculty members’ service to the Collegecommunity, teaching excellence, and individualscholarship. One recipient each from the SciencesDivision and Social Sciences Division is selected for eachhonor. The Humanities Division selects two recipientsfor each award due to its larger number of faculty.

TEACHING: Light Cummins, professor of history; JamesJohnson, professor of classics; Melanie Fox Kean,assistant professor of economics; and Kelly Reed,associate professor of biology.

Faculty Members Earn Promotions, TenureBart Dredge, who joined Austin College’s faculty in1994, has been promoted to professor of sociologyeffective this fall. The rank of full professor at AustinCollege is reserved for those faculty members whosecareers reflect outstanding cumulative achievement.

Faculty considered for promotion to professor havedemonstrated excellence in teaching and in research,publication, or other professional work that supportsdistinguished teaching and continued intellectualgrowth. Superior performance in areas such as advising,program development, committee service, and otherinstitutional leadership are required. A faculty membernormally completes a minimum of six years of successfulfull-time teaching at the rank of associate professorbefore consideration for promotion.

Alessandro Garganigo, English; Julie Hempel,Spanish; Elena Olive, Spanish; and Ivette Vargas-O’Bryan, religion, were granted tenure and promotion toassociate professor effective fall 2008.

Faculty members considered for tenure are evaluatedon teaching, professional development, and service toAustin College, with teaching as the most importantfactor in evaluation. Tenure is a contractual agreementfor continued appointment until retirement unless thefaculty members resigns or is dismissed for cause.

Austin College tenure-track faculty members arenormally considered for tenure in the sixth year ofprobationary service. In some pre-arranged instances, afaculty member may receive credit at another institutiontoward satisfying the probationary period for full-timeteaching experience.

Faculty Appointed to LeadershipRoles as Academic Division DeansThe appointment this fall of Patrick Duffey, professorof Spanish, as dean of Humanities completes a cycle ofrecent updates in the deans’ positions at the College.

In fall 2007, Steve Goldsmith, professor of biology,and Jerry Johnson, professor of business administrationand economics, began terms as deans in the divisions ofSciences and Social Sciences, respectively.

The appointments were made by President Oscar C.Page upon advice from Mike Imhoff, vice president forAcademic Affairs, who consulted with division faculty.The appointments are made for a term of six years.

Each dean coordinates the departments of thedivision, supervises staff and facilities, monitors andrequests budgeted funds, coordinates new facultysearches, conducts reviews and evaluations of faculty,and assists individual faculty members in support ofteaching, advising, scholarship, and other professionalactivity. Due to heavy administrative duties, deanscustomarily teach two courses each in the fall and springterms and may occasionally teach a January Term course.

The appointments follow the completion of serviceas divisional deans in summer 2007 and 2008 by E. DonWilliams, professor of mathematics and ChadwickChair in Mathematics; Howard Starr, professor ofpsychology; and Bernice Melvin, professor of Frenchand Margaret Root Brown Chair of Foreign Languages.

SCHOLARSHIP: Nathan Bigelow, assistant professor ofpolitical science;Wayne Crannell, associate professor ofmusic; Michael Higgs, associate professor ofmathematics and computer science; and JacquelineMoore, professor of history.

SERVICE: Peter Anderson, associate professor ofEnglish; Truett Cates, professor of German; DavidGriffith, associate professor of business administration;and Donald Salisbury, associate professor of physics.

Annual Awards Honor Faculty Accomplishments

f a c u l t y notebook

Bart Dredge

Patrick Duffey

Steve Goldsmith

Jerry Johnson


Traveling the world is one of the perks of the job for most Austin College professors. JackieMoore, professor of history, has taken advantage of that perk on numerous JanTerms andstudy abroad trips since coming to the College in 1994. One of Jackie’s most memorabletrips is a JanTerm 2005 trip after the December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean Tsunami. AustinCollege students quickly gathered medical supplies and more than $4,000 in donations thatstudents in Jackie’s course, “Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar: Temples & Empires,” deliveredto a relief agency in Thailand. “Being able to make a contribution to those countries was themost rewarding,” she said.

During her 2007–2008 sabbatical, Jackie travelled to India, England, France, Hawaii,New York, and Washington, but it was a 2,500-mile research trip this summer that recentlyintrigued her most — and she never left Texas. “I was stunned with the diversity of thedifferent parts of the state and with just how flat south Texas plains actually are,” said Jackieof the trip to research her book, Cow Boys and Cattle Men: Nineteenth Century Class andMasculinity on the Texas Frontier, to be published in late 2009 by New York University Press. “Isaw desert, mountains, hills, rivers, land-locked sand dunes, beaches, cities, small villages,and even a picnic area made of giant, painted metal teepees.”

Though Jackie enjoyed her travel-intensive sabbatical, sheis just as happy to be in the classroom this fall. She’sparticularly interested in teaching within an area of herresearch specialty in the course “Gilded Age and ProgressiveEra, 1877–1919.” This period of American history “haseverything — great scandal, but also great reform, spectaculareconomic and technological achievement alongsidespectacular poverty, and Teddy Roosevelt to boot,” Jackie said.

Jackie’s teaching usually includes aspects of women’sexperiences in history, like Emily Austin’s. She said it’simportant that her students know the obstacles women haveovercome and what rights exist today, and are able to lookcritically at situations instead of assuming equality exists.

Jackie said she benefited from growing up in an erawhere she felt that being a woman was not a barrier toachievement, but admitted that not everyone shared her beliefs. She said the view thatwomen achieve positions based on affirmative action measures instead of their own merit isa sign that women still face perceptual barriers. “As Emily Austin shows, in reality, womenhave been running things very capably all along so it should be no stretch of theimagination to think that a woman could be as good at the job as anyone else,” Jackie said.

Jackie finds the diversity of experiences and academic courses in her role at AustinCollege as broad as the geographic diversity of Texas. “I love the flexibility I have to teach avariety of courses and the opportunity to take students abroad for JanTerm to places theywould never go by themselves,” she said. The College’s commitment “to make a positivecontribution to the world,” as exemplified by the emergency relief trip to Thailand, is yetanother reason she’s proud to be a part of Austin College.



Of Temples and Teepees

Jackie Moore

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BYJASONJONES


PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIESJeff Czajkowski, assistant professor of economics,presented the research paper “Run from the Water, Hidefrom the Wind: Toward a Better Understanding of theCosts of Not Evacuating from a Hurricane” in July at the2008 Hazards and Disasters Researchers Meeting, heldnear Boulder, Colorado. This summer, he continuedresearch in this area in conjunction with EmilyKennedy ’09, a math and economics major.

Peter DeLisle, the Leslie B. Crane Chair inLeadership Studies and director of the College’s PoseyLeadership Institute, was the principal instructor of theLeadership Development Conference this August hostedby the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium andAll Across Texas. He will lead another session in Dallas inOctober. Sessions include topics such as leadershipeffectiveness, project management, formalcommunication, and engineering ethics in theworkplace. Approximately 60 engineering students fromacross the state participated in the week-long program.The state-sponsored program also promotes collaborationamong engineering colleges and allows students tointeract with engineering professionals and learn aboutvarious career specialties. In August, representatives onhand included those from Raytheon and TexasInstruments as well as the Texas Corp of Engineers.WillRusinko ’09, a member of the Posey Leadership Institutewho plans a career in engineering, served as a teachingassistant and facilitator at the conference. DeLisle hopesto include Austin College computer science students infuture conferences.

Daniel Dominick, associate professor of music,became president of the South Central Division of theCollege Orchestra Director’s Association in February. TheSherman Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dominick,will perform its 200th concert, the Tchaikovsky SixthSymphony (Pathetique), on October 25.

Kirk Everist and Brett Boessen, assistant professorsof communication studies, led Sherman-area aspiringfilmmakers to release their creativity in Script-to-Screenworkshops this summer. Each provided a workshopoffered to assist individuals working on the 24-HourScript-to-Screen Short Film Contest sponsored by theSherman Arts Festival held September 20. In addition toexploring creativity, the faculty members offered insighton narrative story telling, script writing, and filming.

Greg Kinzer, assistant professor of English, willpresent a paper, “Morphology, Consilience, andMetaphor: Natural History as Poetic Method,” at theModernist Studies Association Conference in Nashville,Tennessee, in November. The paper examines theinfluence of Darwin and the scientific practices of early20th century natural historians on modernist poets,especially Marianne Moore. He also will participate in aseminar discussion on “Modernist Gene/alogies,” whichasks how the understanding of evolution and geneticsdeveloped in modernist/modern culture. In addition,Kinzer will present the paper “Reiteration as Noise: JoanRetallack’s ‘The Woman in the Chinese Room’” at theannual conference of the Society for Literature, Science,and the Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina, in November.

Jerry Lincecum, professor emeritus of English, andPeggy Redshaw, professor of biology, are taking theirTelling Our Stories autobiography program in a littledifferent direction this fall. They have joined with KellyReed, associate professor of biology, and other membersof Austin College’s Relay for Life team, ’Roos FightingCancer, to compile and publish a thematic book ofstories, Contemplating Cancer: Stories of Life, Love,Laughter, and Loss. The book will contain stories writtenby cancer survivors, as well as family members andfriends of cancer patients. More than 55 stories havebeen collected, with experiences dating as far back as1930. Several contributions have come from faculty,staff, and alumni. Publication of the book is scheduledfor early November. All profits will go to the AmericanCancer Society for research. In June, Lincecum andRedshaw made a Gideon Lincecum Chautauquapresentation at the Botanical Research Institute of Texasin Fort Worth, Texas. They also conducted a workshopfor teachers in grades 4–8 at the Star of Texas Museumin Washington County, giving free copies of Gideon’sbook Science on the Texas Frontier and demonstratingways to use original historical and scientific writing inthe classroom.




Andra Troncalli, assistant professor of physics, has received a Cottrell College Science Award fromResearch Corporation, providing nearly $45,000 for her project “Investigation of Vortex PinningAnisotropy in the High Temperature Superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-8.”She received an additional $9,000 from the Austin College PriddyGrant for the work.

“Columnar defects have proven to be highly effective at pinningvortices in high temperature superconductors,” Troncalli said.“However, most studies have been performed with the defectsoriented either perpendicular to, or at large angles relative to, thesuperconducting Cu-O planes of YBa2Cu3O7-8. No study hasinvestigated the effects of columnar defects introduced parallel to thesuperconducting Cu-O planes. We will perform a systematic study inwhich we compare the effects of columnar defects introduced paralleland perpendicular to the superconducting Cu-O planes.”

The award is for two years and covers equipment, supplies,stipends for the faculty member and a student, and travel funds toconduct research at other institutions.

TRONCALLI RECEIVES AWARD FOR RESEARCH PURSUIT

Where are they now? Dan Schores, Associate Professor Emeritus of Sociologyf he’s not on a river cruise in Holland or Belgium or on some other excursion, Dan Schores,associate professor emeritus of sociology, is likely to be found somewhere near Austin College.He said his days leading JanTerms in the Caribbean fed his travel interest, but now that he’sfooting the entire cost of travel, he doesn’t globetrot quite so often.

That’s not to say Schores is sitting at home. He and his wife, Marie, keep their days fullserving in numerous organizations in Sherman. Dan preaches on a regular basis insoutheastern Oklahoma Presbyterian churches and serves as president of the Texoma SeniorFoundation, which collects donations for senior service agencies in the area. He also leads theAustin College Elderhostel program, an informal learning opportunity for citizens older than55; works with the Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity, which Schores helpedestablish on campus; and finds time to attend plays, musical performances, and sportingevents at Austin College.

When he’s not serving the community, Schores enjoys woodcarving as a member of theTexoma Woodcarving Guild and keeps up with the subjects that interested him most in his25-year academic career that started at Austin College in 1969. He often speaks to communityorganizations, covering topics such as the southwest American Indians or Victorian homes innorth Texas.

Whether on a river in Holland, in a pulpit in Oklahoma, or at a podium in Sherman,Schores hasn’t seemed to lose a step since retiring from the faculty in 1994. Contact him at1513 Yarborough, Sherman, Texas 75092.

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Dan Schores

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Andra Troncalli

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BYJASONJONES




laire Balani ’10 was one of 32 students fromacross the nation selected as Institute forInternational Public Policy (IIPP) Fellows for2008. Each fellow receives scholarship andservices totaling nearly $100,000 over a five-

year period.The fellowship is a six-component program that

includes the Sophomore Summer Policy Institute atSpelman College; Junior Year Study Abroad; JuniorSummer Policy Institute at the University of Maryland’sSchool of Public Policy; Summer Language Institute;Master’s Degree Program in International Affairs; andan IIPP Internship. The fellowships provide funding forthe summer programs and portions of the study abroadand master’s degree programs.

Balani began the fellowship program in June withthe seven-week Sophomore Summer Policy Institutethat introduced basics of foreign affairs, internationalpolicy development, cultural competence, and careerand graduate study options. Students then participatedin study missions in Washington, D.C., and New YorkCity with briefings at the Department of Education,the Department of State, and the Central IntelligenceAgency, as well as the Council on Foreign Relations,the United Nations, and the World Bank.

Claire Balani Named Institute for International Public Policy Fellow

s t u d e n t achievers

CBalani, an international relations major, is

spending her junior year in China, where she will gainadvanced skills in Mandarin Chinese. She eventuallywill pursue a Ph.D. in political science and hopes for acareer with the U.S. State Department as an adviser onhuman rights in Asia.

The IIPP is funded by the U.S. Department ofEducation and administered by the United NegroCollege Fund Special Programs Corporation to providestudents from underrepresented minority groups withthe education and training necessary for advancing ininternational affairs.

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Claire Balani

Professor of Music Rick Duhaime and 2008 graduates Kaitlin Hampton (violist), Lindsay Brown (mezzo sopranovocalist), and Justin Duncan (bass vocalist) found themselves in a birthplace of classical music in August, performing

at the 33rd annual Classical Music Festival (Eisenstädter Sommerakademie) in Austria. “Duringthis festival, we are practicing and performing classical works often in the very venues in whichthey were conceived,” Duhaime said. “That cannot be duplicated.”

For two and a half weeks, musicians from the United States and Europe studied, rehearsed,and performed in Vienna and surrounding concert venues. An orchestra of 50 and a chorus of 80,plus four internationally recognized vocal soloists, presented two master works of classical music:Joseph Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.

Duhaime has served for 18 years as an orchestral principal and member of the festival’scontinuing faculty. Participation is by audition, and as a regional coordinator, Duhaime is able toadmit performers.

Daily rehearsals as well as the final gala concert of the festival were held in the SchlossEsterházy where Haydn, a lifelong resident of Austria, spent some 32 years of his careercomposing and playing for the ruling Austrian family.

Austin College Musicians Perform in Austria Festival

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Musicians Kaitlin Hampton, Lindsay Brown, RickDuhaime, and Justin Duncan relax after a galaconcert performance in Austria.




2008 Mellon FellowshipsDevin Gonier ’09Major: Philosophy Minor: Religious Studies“Healing, Pluralism, and Bodhisattvas in the Tibetan Region”Faculty Adviser: Ivette Vargas-O’Bryan, associate professor of religious studies

Justin Harris ’09Major: Interdisciplinary: Latin American Poverty StudiesMinor: Spanish“Culture in Pill Form: Alternative Medicine in Cuzco, Peru”Faculty Adviser: Terry Hoops, associate professor of anthropology

Jaisy Joseph ’09Majors: Religion and Psychology“Cultural Identity and the Emergence ofFirst-Generation Syro-Malabar Catholics in America”

Faculty Advisers: Lisa Brown, associate professor of psychology,and Steve Stell, associate professor of religious studies

Jessica Lucas ’09Major: Art Minor: Anthropology“The Commoditization of Culture:An Analysis of the Samoan Handcrafts Market”

Faculty Adviser: David Griffith, associate professor of economics

Allison Varley ’09Major: Psychology Minor: French“The Relationship Between Religions, Beliefs,Perceived Control, and Risky Behavior”

Faculty Adviser: Karen Nelson, professor of psychology

Allen Wang ’10Majors: Economics and Philosophy“Luck and Responsibility”Faculty Adviser: Karánn Durland, associate professor of philosophy

Mellon Special Projects GrantAustin Tooley ’09Major: History Minor: Philosophy“Sister to an Empire: Emily Austin of Texas, 1795-1851”Faculty Adviser: Light Cummins, professor of history

esearch is a key element of the academic process atAustin College, and students have many opportunitiesto work with faculty on projects. Austin College’sMellon Summer Research Grants in the Humanities andSocial Sciences allow recipients to devote several weeksof undivided time to the academic venture.

Grants are extended to six Mellon Fellows each year,providing $3,000 stipends for students to pursue 10-weeksummer research projects. Students then spend anotherterm or academic year preparing their research papers.

Collaborative work with a faculty adviser is integralto the project. Students and faculty initially spend anintensive few weeks in design of the research planbefore students work independently for seven to eightweeks. Faculty and students then reconnect to analyzematerials and discuss the writing project.

In 2008, a Mellon Special Projects Grant waspresented in addition to the customary six grants.Recipients, their projects, and faculty advisers follow.

MELLON FELLOWS SPEND SUMMER IN RESEARCH PROJECTS

Austin Tooley, at far right, began filming this summer as preparation for the 25- to 30-minutedocumentary film on Emily Austin that will be the May 2009 outcome of his Mellon project. Facultyadviser Light Cummins, second from right, listens as Tooley conducts a video interview with RalphCollins, Jr., a direct descendant of Austin.

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Caitlin Gillis ’11Red River Historical Museum in Sherman, Texas.Assisted in all aspects of the museum.

Kathryn Aken ’09Latino Cultural Center in Dallas, Texas.Worked with community programs forSpanish-speaking families.

Adam Tunnell ’09Sam Rayburn Library in Bonham, Texas.Cataloged papers from the CongressmanJack Brooks Collection.

Aaron Flores ’09Casa Juan Diego in Houston, Texas.Assisted in charity work amongdisadvantaged Spanish-speaking familiesat this agency operated by the CatholicDiocese in Houston.

Rachel Stevenson ’09Boys and Girls Club in Sherman, Texas.Worked with the increasing Spanish-speaking population in Sherman.

Elizabeth Elliott ’09Austin College Archives, Sherman, Texas.Performed various projects related to cataloging of collections.

Austin College’s Center for Southwestern and MexicanStudies (CSMS) offers a competitive internship program,providing $2,500 stipends for full-time summerinternships dealing with Texas and its diverse culturalheritage within the context of the humanities or thesocial sciences. Many CSMS interns work at museums,archives, and libraries. Others may work in non-profitorganizations dealing with cultural activities.Interns for 2008 are listed below with their intern sites.

Center for Southwestern and Mexican StudiesProgram Provides Summer Internship Funding

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Adam Tunnell

Above, Devon Gonier atLeh, Ledakh, and at right,on Mount Dzongri La inSikkim, India, during aspring 2008 study abroadtrip. His study providedmaterials for his Mellonfellowship research.

Jessica Lucas studied avariety of handcrafteditems in research for herMellon project.



Through a VIP grant, Emily Kuo ’10 spent the summeras a community resource caseworker at the Collin CountyChildren’s Advocacy Center. She connected families withavailable resources, monitored supervised visits, attendedcourt cases, watched forensic interviews, and participated inhome visits with law enforcement and Child ProtectiveServices personnel.

“I learned how passionate I am about helping childrenand protecting their right to lead normal lives,” said Kuo, apsychology and Spanish major with a minor in leadershipstudies. “My eyes have been opened to the realities of thisworld, and I cannot say that I will ever look at it throughthe same lens. We can’t turn our heads away from childabuse; it is a harsh and sadly common truth that affects allages, races, and socioeconomic levels.”

“Academically, I have seen the demands of Spanishfluency in the workplace and have been inspired to workeven harder toward this goal,” Kuo said. “The work forthese translators never appears to stop. Psychologically, Icontinue to explore ways to understand others asindividuals, and every day I see the value of effective

leadership. Immersion in thefield of social services has beenthe most challenging andrewarding experience of my life— so far.”

320 Hours That Can Change a Life: Vocational InternshipsThe Theological Exploration of Vocation program, begunwith funding from the Lilly Endowment, has a lofty title,and the lessons learned by the 60-some Austin Collegestudents who participated in the 320-hour summerinternship program in 2008 were quite grand as well.

The experience students gained through theVocational Internship Program (VIP) confirmeddirections, set new paths, and inspired passions. The loftytitle breaks down more simply: The program doesn’tadvocate any particular religious viewpoint but focuses onthe ideas of meaning and purpose often at the heart ofreligious tradition. The exploration aspect of the programinvolves examining students’ own ideas and values whileinvestigating interests. The idea of vocation, or calling,involves a process of discernment and turning inward todiscover one’s gifts, passions, values, and talents.

Students receiving VIP internships in 2008 exploredoptions from working in hospitals and clinics to anopportunity to study global cultures at the United StatesMission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium.Students explored work in communications, banking, law,advertising, government and politics, fine and performingarts, psychology, ministry, environmental concerns,medicine, business, and education.

Their exploration is not over. All VIP interns take acourse the fall after the internship to reflect upon theirexperiences and share those with one another, havingfurther opportunity to explore their reactions andresponses. The course is led by program director MarkHebert, associate professor of philosophy.

Jade Rutledge ’09 spent the summer as an environmental educatorfor a nature camp at Alaska’s Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. “Myjob was to teach the kids about ecology and natural sciences whileinstilling a love and enjoyment of the natural world. The neatest partwas my travel to remote villages that range in population from 30-200, mainly native people. In those instances, I learned more fromthe kids than I taught them. I learned a great deal about the nativeenvironment, and the kids taught me a great deal about their nativeculture. This fit in well with my education because I think the bestway to learn is through teaching others.”

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Pictured at the Collin County Children’sAdvocacy Center, are, top left, intern AlissaKing ’09; Emily Kuo ’10 at top right; andJessica Knowles ’07, a center volunteer.

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More Summer VIP Experiences





he first year of college is always memorable. The excitement, if notoutright fear, of being in a new place, the sense of independence, andthe anticipation of discovery hits just about every college freshman atthe same time each navigates the challenges of moving into thetypically cramped living space of a residence hall and deciding on a

course schedule. Carlee Young ’11 experienced these emotions when shestarted her freshman year at Austin College in fall 2007, but her excitementhas not waned.

“I have made so many friends, found a great sense of independence, andI am studying the things I absolutely love,” said Carlee, who completed a2008 Career Study Off-Campus summer internship at Frisco Eye Associates,secured through Austin College’s CareerCenter, to pursue her career interests inophthalmology or optometry. “Morenow than even before, I feel like thestudents and faculty at Austin Collegewill help me accomplish anything I wantto do in the next three years.”

To her credit, Carlee didn’t allow herfreshman year at Austin College tointimidate her. “I started not knowingwhat to expect, but wanting to make adifference by being involved on campusand in the community,” she said. Sheattended an activities fair during her firstweek at the College and pursued whatinterested her most. Carlee is a memberof the Posey Leadership Institute and isinvolved in Habitat for Humanity, theStudent Development Board, Pre-MedicalSociety, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Shelogged nearly 100 hours of service during her freshman year, includingparticipation in the Alternative Spring Break relief trip to New Orleans.

Carlee’s determination to make the most of what Austin College offerswas rewarded when she received the Outstanding Freshman Award in spring2008 in recognition of demonstrated leadership potential. She doesn’t plan toslow down any time soon. “I have wanted to study history in Italy since aboutseventh grade, and I now know that Austin College will help me turn thatdream into an actual experience,” said Carlee, who plans to spend the fallterm of her junior year in Italy. Given her fearless determination to pursuewhat she loves, it’s likely she will turn many more dreams into realities.

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Just the name Anna Laura

has a melodic and uplifting lilt.

In the nearly 15 years Anna Laura Page

has been first lady of Austin College,

many have enjoyed the song

she brings to every day.

by Vickie S. Kirby

PHOTO

BYVICKIE

S.KIRBY


their lives. I don’t even know where my college roommates are. Ithas fascinated me how the Austin College community is soconnected. And, the trustees have been so wonderful to us. It’s anamazing place.”

Oscar and Anna Laura’s move to Sherman was the firstwithout at least one of their two children, Kristen and Matt. In1994 when the Pages arrived at Austin College, Matt had completeda degree at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee and wasworking; Kristen was beginning doctorate work at PurdueUniversity. Matt was married only six months after the Pagesarrived in Texas. A few years later, Matt and his wife, Amy, movedto McKinney, Texas, and in 1999, their daughter Cailin — the firstPage grandchild — was born. Kristen since has married and she andher husband, Rick, now are expecting their first child. And, in thecontinuing circle of life, Anna Laura’s dear mother, Beulah Cook,known to many at Austin College, died this July at 97 years of age.She had lived with Oscar and Anna Laura the past seven years,since becoming ill during a visit from her Kentucky home. Duringthose years, caring for her mother took some of Anna Laura’s timeas well, but it was time she gladly gave. “It was wonderful to havethat time with her. I left home at 18, married a ‘vagabond,’ andnever got to know her that well. It was fun having her here, buthard watching her suffer through health issues. She had alwaysbeen so healthy.”

As President Page’s announced retirement draws nearer, AnnaLaura thinks back to her beginnings as a young girl from Kentuckyand reflects on all that has come her way since then. “I don’t feel abit different than I did back then,” she said. “Oscar and I havenever forgotten our roots — first-generation college graduates whogot there because our parents worked hard to make that happen.We were blessed — a lot of people don’t have that opportunity. Ithink we all are blessed, and some have more blessings than others,but that doesn’t make us any more special.”

The Pages have lived in Sherman longer than any other placein their married lives. “This is where we’ve made friends and reallyfeel at home,” she said. Sherman will remain home. They havepurchased a house here and look forward to a little slower pace inwhich to enjoy their lives. Though Anna Laura said they will “stayout of sight and give the new president an opportunity to fly,” theCollege community hopefully has not seen the last of this belovedpresident or his amazing first lady. Here’s to meeting Anna Laura onthe sidewalk for a quick update on life and a dose of the charm —the music — that is all her own.


Anna Laura Page Photos: The Austin College Years


Editor’s Note: As President Oscar C. Page’s announced retirementfrom Austin College in June 2009 draws nearer, the Collegecommunity begins the process of saying farewell to Dr. Page —and to his wife, who has been very much a part of campus life.Having met the Pages in February 1994 immediately after theBoard of Trustees officially elected Page as president, I’ve hadmany opportunities to interact with Anna Laura and offer here aglimpse into the daily life of our first lady.

Those walking on the Austin College campus any afternoon mightsee Anna Laura Page walking her dog in front of their home justacross the street. If they wave her down they will be greeted withher ready smile and a bit of southern charm. She offers no pretenseor putting-on of airs; few would guess they were speaking to thewife of a college president. The encounter with her will be genuine,but perhaps brief; she’s a busy woman, both in her role as first ladyof Austin College and as a sought-after composer, director, andperformer of sacred organ, hand bell, piano, and choral music.

Anna Laura’s career branches in many directions. She leadshand bell festivals all over the country. She composes music andlyrics or special arrangements for hand bell, organ, and piano. Sheco-wrote “Creation Will Be at Peace,” which has been performed atevents ranging from dedication of a Holocaust museum in Arizonato a service at megachurch Coral Ridge Presbyterian in FortLauderdale, Florida. In addition to these projects, she was hand belleditor for Alfred Publishing Company for 11 years. She writes Easterand Christmas musicals and a variety of special commissions,including pieces for the 50th anniversary of Wynne Chapel, inmemory of a child who died in an airplane crash, and incelebration of the dedication of a new church sanctuary.

Many visitors to the Page home have enjoyed Anna Laura’sseemingly effortless performance of beautiful piano pieces, rangingfrom Christmas carols to Broadway tunes to classical compositions.When film director Peter Bogdanovich visited campus and the Pagehome, Anna Laura played piano and Bogdanovich sang — withBogdanovich calling out whatever song next came to mind — andAnna Laura never missed a note.

Opportunities to meet many of the people who visit AustinCollege are among the experiences she holds dear. “All the peoplehave been wonderful. I’ve enjoyed them and having the chance tosee their more personal side,” Anna Laura said.

Though she has visited with Barbara Bush and had tea withHenry Winkler, Anna Laura is as gracious to every member of theAustin College community as to “celebrities.” “The people inSherman and in Texas in general are wide open and friendly,” shesaid. “That has been wonderful. People here just accept you.”

And Anna Laura has “loved, loved, loved!” living across thestreet from the College. ”I love to see the students, watch theactivities, and hear the chimes. I so enjoy seeing the students andfaculty work together and then keep up with each other through



by Dara McCoy

A F R O N T I E R W O M A N



´

F O R M O D E R N T I M E S

tephen F. Austin wasn’t the onlypioneering spirit in the renowned Austinfamily. While Stephen led groups of settlersto tame the wilds of the Texas frontier, hissister Emily Austin blazed her own path

through a male-dominated era few women of hertime dared. Her story will be detailed in a newbiography in 2009 by Light Cummins, AustinCollege professor of history. This groundbreakingstory reveals that the intertwining storylines ofTexas’ birth and the Austin family run much deeperthan Moses and Stephen F. Austin.

Stephen F. Austin was named the “Father ofTexas” at his funeral by Texas history icon SamHouston and was a significant leader during theTexas Revolution and its early years as a republic.Monuments to Austin include the namesakes of theTexas state capital and two Texas higher educationalinstitutions, as well as a 60-foot statue in Angleton,Texas. His likeness is on Austin College’s official seal.Yet, obscured by the enormous shadow cast by oneof Texas’ most prominent historical figures and bythe legal and societal restraints on women of the1800s, stands Emily Austin.

Cummins is one of the first historians to sortthrough Emily Austin’s personal papers, whileresearching and writing the first biography of her life.His research unveils a depth of character in EmilyAustin, sole heir to her famous brother Stephen F.Austin and his Texas land holdings after his death in1836. The biography details the political, business,and social life of this unique frontier woman, whodefied 1800s-era societal norms for women and puther own stamp on history.

After Stephen’s death, it was Emily Austin whowielded and magnified the considerable economicand political influence of the Austin family heritageand estate. Despite Stephen’s likeness on AustinCollege’s official seal, it was Emily Austin whomade the donation to provide a financialfoundation on which Austin College was built. Itwas Emily Austin, through active involvement inTexas economic and social development, whoensured that the Austin family influence on Texashistory did not die with Stephen.

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tended to view women of their class as delicate,submissive helpmates,” writes Cummins. “Women fromEmily Austin’s social class in the South related to theworld through the framework provided by the men intheir lives.”

By 1822, that social construct had failed Emily andno man with the ability to provide support remained inher family. “All of the Austins were strong-willedpeople,” Cummins said. “She was no less strong-willedthan Moses or Stephen F. Austin, and her years ofwidowhood created a circumstance where she could nolonger worry about acceptability.” Survival becameEmily’s focus, and by that necessity, self-reliance wasborn. She took in sewing from neighborhood men,opened a small school and charged a modest tuition,and put others in her household to work on variouscrafts, like bonnets, to sell.

Eventually, Emily remarried, to James FranklinPerry, and at Stephen’s beckoning, they moved to Texasin 1831 and established Peach Point Plantation, theplace that Stephen also came to call home. Cummins isconvinced the “period of constant hardship and materialdepravation as the sole breadwinner for her mother andher children” created the Emily Austin who would laterbe unafraid to manage actively the Austin estate.

REAL ESTATE, RAILROADS, AND POLITICS

When Stephen F. Austin died in 1836, he left his entireestate not in James Perry’s name, nor in the names ofEmily’s sons, but directly to Emily Austin. “As the solesurviving heir of Moses and Stephen F. Austin, Emilyhad become one of the largest individual land holdersin Texas and indisputably its richest woman,”Cummins writes. While Texas law didn’t allow marriedwomen to enter into contracts in their own name,separate from their husbands, it did allow them toretain personal ownership of land inheritedindividually, noted Cummins.

Emily’s management and enhancement of thisinheritance and the Austin family political and socialprominence elevated her as a woman ahead of her time.Though legal restrictions on women concerningbusiness and contractual transactions often meant Emilyhad to act through the signatures of her husband or

THE LIFE OF EMILY AUSTIN

hough born in Virginia in 1795, EmilyAustin spent most of her adolescent life inMissouri, at that time part of the westernU.S. frontier, where her father MosesAustin operated a lead mining business.Emily received a quality education byfrontier standards at a Lexington,Kentucky, boarding school for four yearsand almost two years at the HermitageAcademy, a prestigious girls’ school near

New York City. It was an education that would serve herwell and may have played a part in her concern foreducation later in life.

After her schooling, Emily returned to Missouri andmarried a young merchant, James Bryan, whoeventually joined her father in the mining business. Buta series of events starting in 1819 would thrust EmilyAustin into a role that defined the independent womanwho would eventually settle in Texas. The Panic of1819, a depression after the War of 1812, left the Austin

family in financial ruin. In1821, Moses Austin died afterobtaining a grant to bring 300colonists to Texas. Finishingwhat his father started wasthe beginning of Stephen F.Austin’s story in Texas.

Emily Austin’s story tooka different turn. One yearafter her father’s death, JamesBryan died, leaving Emily ayoung widow solelyresponsible for four childrenand her aged mother. Withthe family wealth decimatedand Stephen committed tothe colonization of Texas,Emily’s frontier becameproviding for her family, adifficult and socially unseemlyprospect for a single womanin the 1800s. “In that socialconstruct, southern men

TPHOTOCOURTESY

OFBRAZORIACOUNTYHISTORICALASSOCIATION

Emily Austin shipped this bed from Missouri to Texas.



sons when they were grown, Cummins said the lettersand records Emily kept revealed her to be very involvedin the management of the Austin estate.

Emily was active in urban planning and in sellingland — often doing so personally as a real estate agent ofsorts — to raise capital and disposable income. She wasan investor in the first attempt to build a railroad inTexas. Her son Moses Austin Bryan was the secretary ofthe first railroad company in Texas, but Emily was thechief stockholder, Cummins explained. Emily evenloaned money to Gail Borden to purchase his first herd ofdairy cows. “We all know what he did,” Cummins added.

Throughout Stephen’s life as a political leader,Emily entertained guests and organized parties for herunmarried brother. Later, when her son Guy M. Bryanentered politics, Emily retained the role of hostess,seemingly unabashed about sharing her views whenthe opportunity presented itself, Cummins said. Atone point, Emily hosted eventual U.S. presidentRutherford B. Hayes, a close friend of Guy Bryan’s, atPeach Point plantation.

Emily also utilized the Austin family wealth andfame in social development through philanthropy. Shewas instrumental in founding the first Episcopal churchin Texas — a denomination she had been a part of priorto marrying Perry — and recruiting its first bishop,Leonidas Polk, who became a famous Civil War generaland has the military base of Fort Polk, Louisiana,named after him. She also brought one of the earliesteducators to Texas in Thomas J. Pilgrim to teach herown children. Pilgrim founded the first school in Texaswith Emily’s support, according to Cummins.

In 1840, Reverend Daniel Baker traveled to PeachPoint Plantation, having just left the founding meetingof the Presbytery of Brazos. The idea to found aPresbyterian college in Texas had formed out of thatmeeting, and Baker had been told to visit Emily Austinabout funding. Baker’s visit was successful, as Emilyand her husband, James Perry, were devout membersof the Presbyterian Church and agreed to support thecollege. In 1849, Baker renewed his efforts to foundthe college and Emily honored her earlier pledge bydeeding acreage in Brazoria County and all the Austinfamily’s claims to pension funds or monies due to

Stephen from the State of Texas to the college. It wasthis gift that made possible the founding of AustinCollege, one of the earliest colleges in Texas.

Concern for her family was a driving factor inEmily’s life, evidenced by the years she alonesupported her family in poverty and by her activity topreserve and grow her inheritance for the futureprovision of her children. “When she died in 1851, shepassed on to her living children the entire Stephen F.Austin estate, which was greatly augmented in size,” saidCummins. In fact, Emily’s Last Will and Testamentvalued her estate at $450,000 in 1851 U.S. dollars, whichwould roughly equal $12 million in purchasing power bytoday’s terms, according to Cummins’ calculations.

EMILY AUSTIN’S TEXAS?

To diminish Stephen F. Austin’s role in the birth ofTexas would be preposterous, but to downplay or ignorethe woman who helped raise this “child” diminishes thefull legacy of the Austin family. Stephen’s place in Texashistory is cemented, but Emily’s equally important roleis just beginning to be revealed and understood throughefforts like Cummins’ biography.

“Emily Austin was very much her own woman,with strong and well-articulated personal feelingscentered on a steely personality bolstered by a rock-solidresolve for action that would enable her to survivethrough almost six decades of frontier hardship,” writesCummins. “She was in many ways a very modernwoman. As the daughter of Moses Austin and sole heirof her brother Stephen F. Austin, she had political,economic, and social status in Texas, which made herabsolutely unique and unprecedented.”

In the 1800s, the fortitude required for a singlewoman to care for five dependents with no maleassistance and later be a guiding hand in the maturationof Texas was no less impressive than the fortitudeStephen displayed in settling the Texas frontier. Byshedding light on these lesser known chapters, the storyof Texas, the Austin family, and women’s history gainsnew breadth and depth.



quality for women has come a long way since the days ofEmily Austin, but some successful Austin College alumnaeunderstand that it hasn’t been too long ago that women werepressing for more individual rights — and that today’s womenencounter new and different challenges.

Becky Russell Sykes ’67, executive director of the DallasWomen’s Foundation, remembers a time when expectations forwomen were very different than those for college-aged women today.“I grew up in the ’50s and by the time I got to Austin College, theprevailing thought was that girls would marry and have a family, andthat was it,” she said. “We really didn’t have any role models forprofessional women.”

Sykes followed the plan pretty well — marrying and taking ateaching position for a few years before leaving the workforce to starta family — until an economic depression hit Texas in the mid-1980s.“I had to go back to work,” Sykes said. “I was 41 or so when thishappened, and this was a great shock to my system.”

So, Sykes returned to the workforce as an administrative assistantto the man who bought Greyhound Lines and relocated the companyto Dallas. The company’s violent 1990 drivers strike and Chapter 11bankruptcy gave Sykes a tough return to the work world. “It was someof the best experience I could have had because I was such a bleedingheart, and I toughened up working in this corporation,” Sykes said.

Sykes later worked for a TV station, as a development director forSouthern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts, and asa non-profit consultant before being contacted by an organizationthat she had helped start 15 years before. Sykes had served as the firstboard president of the Dallas Women’s Foundation when theorganization got its start, addressing inequality of funding betweenfemale-focused agencies and male-serving groups like YMCA and BoyScouts of America. “At that time, less than four percent of annualfoundation dollars across the nation were going to programsspecifically for women and girls,” she said.

Sykes was asked to serve as the interim executive director and in1998 was hired to fill the role. She said the Dallas Women’sFoundation is a place for women to learn about philanthropy and toprovide a source of funding for the community’s girls and women,who often face unique issues like the scary prospect Emily Austinfaced in caring for her children and elderly mother.

Sykes, who deals with women’s philanthropy on a daily basis,firmly believes that women, like Emily Austin, have been a drivingforce in development and progress not only for women’s issues butalso for a much broader spectrum of issues. “Individual women fromthe early days of this country have been building America throughtheir volunteer work and through philanthropy for social change,”Sykes said. “Women were using their wealth to open doors, and it

ESignificant Moments in Women’s Rights1848 The first women’s rights convention is held in Seneca Falls, New York, resulting ina call for equal treatment under the law and voting rights for women.

1869 Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton form the National WomanSuffrage Association, seeking women’s right to vote.

1893 Colorado is the first state to grant women the right to vote.

1919 The federal woman suffrage amendment, originally written by Susan B. Anthonyand introduced in 1878, is passed by the House and Senate.

1920 The 19th Amendment to the Constitution grants women the right to vote.

1960 The Food and Drug Administration approves birth control pills.

1961 President John Kennedy establishes the President’s Commission on the Statusof Women and appoints Eleanor Roosevelt as chairwoman.

1963 Betty Friedan publishes The Feminine Mystique. The book becomes a best-sellerand galvanizes the modern women’s rights movement.

1963 Congress passes the Equal Pay Act.

1966 The National Organization for Women is founded with the aim to end sexualdiscrimination by means of legislative lobbying, litigation, and civil disobedience.

1971 Ms. Magazine is first published, selling 300,000 copies in 8 days; editor GloriaSteinem is launched as an icon of the modern feminist movement.

1972 The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is passed by Congress. Originally drafted in1923, the amendment died in 1982 when it failed to achieve ratification by aminimum of 38 states.

1972 The Supreme Court rules that the right to privacy includes an unmarriedperson’s right to use contraceptives.

1972 Title IX of the Education Amendment bans sex discrimination in schools;participation of women in athletics and professional schools increases dramatically.

1973 The Supreme Court establishes a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion.

1996 The Supreme Court rules that the all-male Virginia Military School has to admitwomen in order to continue to receive public funding. It holds that creating a separate,all-female school will not suffice.

Excerpted from “Women’s Rights Movement in the U.S.: Timeline.” Infoplease. © 2000-2007 Pearson

Education, publishing as Infoplease.

FROM EMILY AUSTIN TO AUSTIN



always had to do with elevating people and lifting people out of theircircumstances or giving them opportunities.”

Catherine “Kiki” Moore McLean ’85, who had a front row seatto an important moment in women’s history this year as a seniorcampaign adviser for Senator Hillary Clinton, agrees. “One thingwomen have always been good about doing is finding a way to movethemselves forward, even in the era of Emily Austin, who couldn’twork the front channels, but worked the back channels,” she said.(See The Race for Madam President in the online magazine.)

Virginia Smith Volpe ’90, director for Global TransactionServices at Citi, is part of a generation of women that has had thebenefit of women role models. “I am very thankful for the generationbefore me because they fought tooth and nail, and now I don’t haveto,” she said. “You still don’t see women in all positions. It’s a work inprogress, but advancement based on merit is happening.”

However, she sees the progress of generations before her andtoday’s continuing evolution of women’s rights as slightly different.What Volpe finds “breathtaking” is that women are taking successinto their own hands and going beyond “glass-ceiling” terminology.“The generation before me defined success by giving up anythingnecessary to get to the top,” Volpe said. “What I am seeing now, in mygeneration and beyond, is the ability of women to define success ontheir own terms. That can mean a combination of marriage, partners,kids, friends, life outside of work, and career.”

Sykes and McLean hope that younger women don’t lose sight ofthe progress made. “Equality is still an issue and always will be untilwe have economic parity,” McLean said. “I think we have somegenerational challenges for women who are growing up not knowingsome of the restrictions women ahead of them experienced.”

Sykes, who as a married woman couldn’t own property in herown name by Texas law until the Marital Property Act of 1967,recognizes that the landscape for women has changed dramaticallyduring her lifetime, but hopes the stories of the women who pushedfor those changes aren’t forgotten. “Young women and girls need tohear these very inspiring stories about Emily Austin and other womenin history,” Sykes said. “When I came along, there was no such thingas women’s history. The great advantage that younger women havenow is role models.”

Virginia Smith Volpe

Becky Russell Sykes

The Race for Madam President: Reflections from Kiki McLean


Catherine “Kiki” Moore McLean

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COLLEGE WOMEN OF TODAY



Carroll Pickettrecorded tapesabout each of95 inmateswho wereexecuted whilehe was DeathHouse chaplain.

PHOTO

BYKEVIN

HORAN

/IFC

hat would it be like to watch 95 people beexecuted? What kind of solace can beprovided to them in their final hours? Whatif those responsibilities were part of doing ajob? These are the questions addressed in At

the Death House Door, an Independent Film Channel(IFC) documentary on the life of Carroll Pickett ’54 andhis 15 years as chaplain at the Texas State Penitentiary inHuntsville, Texas. From 1982 to 1995, Pickett walked“through the valley of the shadow of death” with 95prisoners sentenced to death by lethal injection. Theyweren’t his valleys, but serving as the guide for thosewalks was terrifying enough.

The documentary premiered on IFC May 29 and wasdescribed as “a quiet powerhouse that leaves youthinking about the central issues and character long afterthe lights have gone up,” by a Dallas Morning Newswriter. Pickett allowed camera crews into his living roomand relived his experiences as Death House chaplain. Healso opened his collection of cassette recordings, in

which he had bared his soul to the recorder after eachexecution.

“It was difficult,” said Pickett of opening the tapesto the production crew. “I had done the tapes for mealone, and they were put away for good.” He said theproducers took the time to listen to the tapes and askedquestions about memories he had suppressed long ago.“Several times, it really hurt to hear the things I hadbeen through and to recall those men who I was with allday and night,” he said.

The documentary chronicles Pickett’s life aftergraduating from Austin College. He attended AustinPresbyterian Theological Seminary where he was told byone professor in 1957, “I am convinced that yourministry is destined to focus on the dying, lendingcomfort to those faced with death and those who arelosing loved ones.” His professor’s words became veryreal in 1974 when several prisoners took hostages at“The Walls” unit of the Huntsville State Prison in an 11-day standoff, the longest in United States history.

I N T H E S H A D

Wby Dara McCoy



At the time, Pickett was the minister of thePresbyterian Church in Huntsville. Jim Estelle, one of hischurch members and the director of prisons, askedPickett to come and minister to the families of the prisonemployees taken hostages. Then, Pickett was told thattwo hostages were faithful members of his owncongregation. The prisoners allowed the hostages to calltheir families. During one call, the women from Pickett’schurch told him their wishes for their funeral services.

On August 3, 1974, the hostage crisis endedviolently on the front ramp of the prison during anescape attempt. Two leaders of the crisis lay dead, andtwo of the 11 hostages were murdered by the prisoners.Both were Pickett’s church members. That day Pickettsaid he would never return to the prison.

GOING BACK

Five years later, Pickett did go back to the Huntsvilleprison, taking a job as the prison chaplain in an attemptto save a marriage strained by the time-consuming workof pastoring a church. “When I went to work there,I didn’t breathe walking up that ramp,” Pickett said of hisfirst day. “I got to the place right there at that cornerwhere Judy and Yvonne were shot, and went to the libraryand there were still bullet holes. You could still see theblood stains.”

When Pickett first began as chaplain, six peopleattended service in the prison’s chapel, but he went towork gathering a new congregation of thieves, murderers,and other criminals. He started a choir that attractedseveral talented inmates, one of whom had been a backupsinger for Don Ho and another who was a former TexasSupreme Court justice.

In 1982, Pickett once again faced death in hisministry. The Huntsville prison was scheduled toadminister the first execution by lethal injection in theUnited States. “Nowhere in my job description did it sayanything about executions,” Pickett said in the film. Yet,the prison director assigned Pickett to minister to thecondemned inmates, transferred from Death Row to theHuntsville death chamber on the day of execution. Hestayed with the condemned prisoners during their final 18

hours and was at their side when the lethal injection wasadministered. “It is hard to tell anybody, even the meanestperson, that it’s time to go,” Pickett said.

Pickett would fill this role 95 times. He even faced thepersonal conflict of ministering to Ignacio Cuevas, thelone surviving inmate from the 1974 hostage crisis thatresulted in the deaths of his church members. At the timeof Cuevas’ execution, Pickett approved of capitalpunishment and felt disgust that even in Cuevas’ finalhours he never mentioned his role in the 1974 hostagecrisis. “I wanted him to bring it up,” Pickett said. “Hetalked about murdering, slashing, and killing all theseother people, but he didn’t bring it up. The whole idea ofjustice and fairness was not in his system.”

The execution of another prisoner, Carlos DeLuna,changed Pickett’s stance on capital punishment. In theirtime together, he became convinced DeLuna wasinnocent. Despite his reservations about capitalpunishment, Pickett continued to minister in his role asDeath House chaplain. “I believe that the ‘ministry ofpresence’ is so important for anyone who is about to die.… No one should die without a friend,” said Pickett.

The story of DeLuna’s possible innocence interestedtwo Chicago Tribune reporters in 2005. They contactedPickett in February 2006 and were involved in the IFCdocumentary filming as well. The documentary gavePickett an opportunity to speak out against the deathpenalty for the first time since he retired from the prisonin 1995. “I have given 275 radio, TV, phone, and personalinterviews and traveled over 26,000 miles to promote thefilm and speak after each showing,” Pickett said. He hasspoken to the Texas Democratic Caucus, to churchcongregations, and on Capitol Hill to the JudiciaryCommittee of the House of Representatives.

Pickett’s experiences in the Death House remain withhim. “I have been there 95 times and most people willnever see what it is like,” Pickett said of a practice he nowsees as unfair and immoral. ”I want people, through thisfilm, to feel something and do something about it.”

O W O F D E A T H

At the Death House Door: Film Trailer and Informationmagazine.austincollege.edu


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2008

by Dara McCoy

50T HA N N I V E R SA RY

September 2008 Austin College Magazine 23PHOTO

COURTESYOFJANET

LOWRY

SSara Bernice Moseley, wife of Austin Collegepresident emeritus John D. Moseley, rememberswatching from her home on Grand Avenue as acrane lifted the Sam Houston bell and steepleatop Wynne Chapel in 1958. This year, WynneChapel celebrates its 50th anniversary. TheCollege’s connection to the Presbyterian Churchand the Wynne Chapel’s usage have evolveddramatically since the building’s construction.Yet, its presence still serves as a reminder of theCollege’s Presbyterian history, an important tieto the church, and the nexus of religious andspiritual life on campus.

It was a generous gift from Toddie LeeWynne, Sr., a well-known Texas oilman, civicleader, active Presbyterian, and former chair ofthe Austin College Board of Trustees, thatfunded the construction of Wynne Chapel.Mrs. Moseley remembers the excitement oncampus of having a new building with a 900-person seating capacity for lectures, musicalperformances, and religious activities. OnSeptember 15, 1958, Sam Rayburn, Speaker ofthe House of Representatives, delivered thekeynote address at the chapel’s dedication. Mrs.Moseley said the chapel’s construction also hadgreat significance to President Moseley, who ledAustin College from 1953 to 1978.



I“It was so important in his thinking that the College had a chapel, abuilding that was centrally located, and the fact that it faces theAdministration Building was a very significant thing,” she said. To theleaders who today enter Caruth Administration Building and makedecisions concerning the College’s future, the chapel’s location providesa clear reminder of historical roots and modern ties to the church.

In 1958, Wynne Chapel was an important symbol of the College’sPresbyterian history, tracing all the way back to Presbyterianmissionary the Reverend Daniel Baker, who helped found the College,and to its legal ties. When the chapel was built, the College was a legalentity of the Presbyterian Church. In 1962, Dr. Moseley proposedredefining the legal link between the College and church in order tocreate more of a non-sectarian liberal arts college. Four years later, theSynod of Texas and Austin College severed legal ties and established acovenant relationship.

According to Austin College: A Sesquicentennial History 1849-1999,President Moseley described the covenant as “revisions designed toanticipate and avoid future problems in Church-State relationships byproviding a broader base and flexibility of support through trusteeleadership, recognizing that the regular benevolent budget of theChurch cannot provide the increased necessary funds for maintaininga pace-setting institution.”

The mid-1960s also saw a broad shift in attitude from students andfaculty who criticized the long-established mandatory chapel services,held in Sherman Hall prior to Wynne Chapel’s construction. The issuewas hotly debated and eventually chapel service requirements wereterminated, further denoting the College’s shift to a non-sectarianinstitution.

WYNNE CHAPEL TODAY

Fifty years later, Wynne Chapel still stands watch over students andfaculty as they cross the campus, a reminder of the PresbyterianChurch ties and the opportunities for spiritual growth and outreach forall students. “How Great Thou Art” or some other hymn rings outfrom the chapel’s Carillon bells at 4:45 p.m. each day, one of manytangible ways the chapel touches modern day campus life.

Despite the altered relationship with the church and changingattitudes about religious life in general over the past 50 years, WynneChapel remains an important fixture at Austin College. OpeningConvocation, Family Weekend worship, and the annual holidayService of Lessons and Carols are just a few College-wide events held inWynne Chapel. The chapel is an important venue for campus musicgroup performances, Austin College Leadership Award recipients, andspecial speakers such as Robert Engel, recipient of a Nobel Prize inEconomics. Every year, the chapel is filled with young people whoutilize the campus for Presbyterian youth events.

The building’s evolution also is evidenced in the small chapel,which accommodates yoga classes, provides indoor practice space forthe Aussies Dance Team when bad weather strikes, and hosts the

A bronze likeness ofToddie Lee Wynne hangs

in the foyer ofWynne Chapel.



Muslim Student Association prayers. “It’s a space for the wholestudent body, the whole college community,” said John Williams ’84,college chaplain and director of Church Relations.

Though the chapel opens its doors to various activities within thestudent body, traditional Christian worship and activity in WynneChapel occurs regularly through midday prayers every Tuesday,communion and worship every Sunday night, and as a headquartersfor ACtivators, a campus Presbyterian mobile youth ministry. “We’renot going to hit you over the head with the cross, nor are we going toapologize that there’s a cross on top of the steeple,” Williams said.“Our commitment as a church-related institution is to take allstudents and their spirituality seriously.”

For 50 years, Wynne Chapel has embodied the religiousunderpinnings of Austin College. The activities held within its walls,from mandatory chapel service with assigned seating to belly dancingclasses, exemplify the transformation of church relations, religiousthought, and the enduring relevance of the building. Mrs. Moseley,who has experienced the evolution of Wynne Chapel and churchrelations at Austin College, still feels as excited about the chapel as shedid 50 years ago. “There’s such activity coming out of the chapel,” shesaid. “It’s a real, live connection to the church.”

HAPPY 50THIN CELEBRATION OF WYNNE CHAPEL’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY:

E September 26 – November 16: Austin College Archives Display in the small chapel illustrates the

50-year history of Wynne Chapel.

E September 28: Parent and Family Weekend Worship Service at 11 a.m., with a sermon by the

Reverend Kary Wilshusen Rawlings ’78.

E October 26: Homecoming Weekend Worship Service at 11 a.m., with a sermon provided by the

Reverend Nancy Duff ’73 at 11 a.m.

E November 13: Austin College A Cappella Choir Concert at 7:30 p.m., featuring the premiere of a

choral work by Austin College’s first lady Anna Laura Page, commissioned for the anniversary.

E November 14 – 15: Grace Presbytery Meeting, including the 2008 Cunningham Lectures by

Dr. Cynthia Rigby, professor of systematic theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

E November 16: Official Worship Service in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Wynne Chapel’s

Dedication, including an A Cappella Choir performance of the choral piece commissioned for the

anniversary and composed by Anna Laura Page. The Reverend Laura Shelton Mendenhall ’69

will speak at the 11 a.m. service.

Ties to the Presbyterian Church Remain Strong




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Henry Winkler

enry Winkler presented the Opening of Schooladdress September 1 to begin the 160th year ofAustin College. The well-known televisionicon spoke in Wynne Chapel to a full house —

some 900 members of the Austin College communityincluding the entering Class of 2012, the Class of 2009processing in cap and gown for the first time, faculty,staff, and guests.

Combining humor, wit, inspiration, and poignancy,Winkler discussed his life experiences, beginning withtroubling years in school, battling undiagnosed dyslexia,low self-esteem, and a lack of emotional support from hisparents. His years in higher education were a bit morepromising — he was accepted intoEmerson College and then earned a spotat the Yale School of Drama to begin thecareer in acting, directing, and producingthat has made Winkler a well-known facein homes across the United States andbeyond. His early years were challengingones, but Winkler recalls them with apositive outlook. “I realize maybe I wouldnever have been able to achieve what Iachieved if I didn’t have the battle, thehill I constantly had to climb,” he said.

Winkler hopes his experiences willbring inspiration to other children whomay suffer from learning disabilities orother problems. He has now completed15 books in a children’s series, HankZipzer, The World’s Greatest Underachiever, in which thetitle character, based on Winkler, finds ways to overcomehis daily difficulties.

Speaking particularly to the students present,Winkler encouraged them to make the most ofthemselves, stressing that each person has only onelifetime to live; that living to their potential will equipthem to serve others; and that their very best selves areneeded to assist the most vulnerable in society. “There are

Henry Winkler Presents Opening of School Addressthings to be done, needs to be met, and hurts to behealed, and if you do not do your part, something veryimportant will remain undone forever,” Winkler said.

Winkler remains best known as the television icon“The Fonz” on the 1970s sitcom Happy Days, though hehas since added many television, film, and Broadwayacting and directing projects to his credits. He also isrecognized as a distinguished speaker, humanitarian,author, and advocate of young people and education.Austin College awarded Winkler an honorary Doctor ofHumane Letters degree in 2002.

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The Reluctant Mr. DarwinStudents in Austin College’s Class of 2012 hadhomework months before arriving on campus. Joiningmany colleges and universities around the nation, AustinCollege has instituted a “common read” program, inwhich all freshmen are assigned a particular book to readprior to the beginning of the fall term. President OscarC. Page initiated the addition of the program a few yearsago and sends the selected book to all freshmen eachJune along with a letter asking that they read the book.

The 2008 selection was David Quammen’s TheReluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of CharlesDarwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution.

“The common read sets a tone for students andgives them an opportunity to start to focus on college,”said Mike Imhoff, vice president for Academic Affairsand dean of the faculty. “The common read book givesthem something that stimulates them intellectuallywhile providing all students a common experience.”When faculty members use the book in various aspectsof their courses, students can begin to see how thebook relates to various disciplines and how they canlearn from a closer reading, Imhoff said.

How faculty members incorporate the commonread book is up to individual faculty. Since severalfaculty members are involved in organizing “Darwin200” events, many opportunities to include the book inclass discussions may arise.

Past Austin College common read assignmentsinclude Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, A Hopein the Unseen by Ron Suskind, and Tracy Kidder’sMountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. PaulFarmer. Suskind delivered the Opening of Schooladdress the year freshmen read his book and PaulFarmer was the 2007 speaker.

ustin College will sponsor the event series “Darwin 200” throughout thisacademic year in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’sbirth February 12, 1809, and the 150th anniversary of the publication ofhis widely influential book The Origin of Species (1859).The events include a lecture series, “Darwin 200: Contributions/

Controversies.” The series examines Darwin’s influence not only in the sciencesbut also in the social sciences and humanities, through disciplines such aspsychology, economics, literature, philosophy, and religion. Lectures also willaddress some of the misunderstandings and controversies surroundingevolution. “Almost no one has had more scientific influence and broadercultural impact than Darwin,” said George Diggs, professor of biology, who hashelped organize the events. “Few areas of thought remain untouched byDarwin’s contributions.”

Fall term speakers for “Darwin 200: Contributions/Controversies” includeGeorge Diggs, Austin College professor of biology, September 11 at 11 a.m.;Piers Hale, University of Oklahoma assistant professor of the history of science,September 25 at 11 a.m.; and Steven Goldsmith, Austin College professor ofbiology, October 30 at 11 a.m. These lectures are scheduled for Ida GreenTheatre in the Ida Green Communication Center.

David Quammen, author of The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, will speak February10, 2009, at 7 p.m. in Ida Green Theatre. Philip Gingerich, University of MichiganCase Collegiate Professor of Paleontology, will speak in March 2009, and DavidBuss, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, will speak April 24, butother details of these lectures are still to be determined. Additional speakersmay be added to the schedule.

The lecture series coordinates with two major campus programs: thesummer read — The Reluctant Mr. Darwin — and the April 24–25, 2009, annualundergraduate research conference — “Darwin 200: BridgingDisciplines/Breaking Boundaries.” The undergraduate research conference, thesixth hosted by Austin College, will focus broadly on Darwin’s impact onacademic disciplines and popular culture and will cover a diverse range ofevolution-related topics spanning the humanities, social sciences, andsciences. David Buss, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, willprovide the keynote address for the conference April 24, 2009.

Faculty organizers for the Darwin celebration include George Diggs,professor of biology; Steven Goldsmith, professor of biology; Max Grober,associate professor of history; Jerry Lincecum, professor emeritus of English;Peggy Redshaw, professor of biology, who is coordinating the lecture series; andCarol Daeley, professor of English, who is coordinating the undergraduateresearch conference in April 2009.

Event details are available online: www.austincollege.edu/darwin.

Campus Programs Commemorate Charles Darwin Anniversaries

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he Austin College community will get a glimpse of theCongo and the culture of the Bakubas people this fallthrough an African art exhibit that will kick off theCollege’s annual Africa Symposium. Alumnae ElizabethPoole Shepherd ’58 and Amelia Poole Sudderth ’59 were

born into that culture as the daughters of Presbyterian medicalmissionaries Mark and Sara Poole. Amelia, her husband Joe Sudderth’59, and her late sister’s husband, Don Shepherd ’58, generously madea temporary loan of Bakubas artifacts from the Belgian Congo periodfor the exhibit.

Ceremonial masks, royal ceremonial garments, wood and stonestatues, a carved ivory tusk, and ceremonial swords and spears from theBakubas tribe will be displayed October 24 – November 26 at theexhibit, housed in the Archives and Special Collections Suite of theCollege’s George T. and Gladys H. Abell Library Center. Justin Banks,College archivist, said that individuals usually would have to travel tothe Smithsonian or catch a traveling art exhibit from the MetropolitanMuseum to see the type of artifacts that will be displayed on campus.“The willingness of the families to loan these artifacts creates a uniqueeducational opportunity that would otherwise be impossible for AustinCollege to offer,” Banks said.

Mark Poole and his wife, Sara Day, served as medical missionaries inthe Belgian Congo from 1936 to 1962, providing medical care, surgicaloperations, and hygiene instruction to the Bakubas tribe. Over time, thePooles acquired several tribal artifacts and brought them back to theUnited States, where they have long served as mementos of their livesand work in the African Congo.

The Poole sisters finished high school in the Congo before attendingAustin College. “The transition from living in Africa to living in the UnitedStates was difficult,” Amelia said. “Austin College was very supportive, and itwas small enough that we could become an integral part pretty easily.” Bothwomenmet their husbands at Austin College, and in 1961, the Collegeawarded their father an honorary degree for service to humanity. “We’vealways had a warm spot for Austin College,” she said.

Amelia, who majored in art at Austin College, loaned the artifacts to theCollege for an exhibit in 1959 and was excited to share the artifacts again.“It seems a very appropriate thing to do and something I knowmy sisterwould have done if she were still living,” Amelia said.

“We are loaning these things to honor both the culture of the Bakubaspeople and the dedication and service of my parents among them duringthose years,” Amelia said. “They went to express the love of God throughtheir medical and surgical work. As my dad expressed it so many times, theydid it so that the people could be free from fear, superstition, and witchcraftand have peace in their hearts through the love of God.”

Out of the CongoT

Art of the KubaOctober 24 –November 26Abell Library, Archives andSpecial Collections SuiteCurated by Austin CollegeArchivist Justin Banks

Mondays, Tuesdays,Wednesdays, Fridays;8:30 – 11:50 a.m. and 1 – 3:50 p.m.Thursdays; 8:30 – 11 a.m.Homecoming Only: Friday until 6 p.m.;Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Africa SymposiumNovember 18 – 20Keynote Speaker: David Binkleywww.austincollege.edu/news



Faculty Member Shares Significance of Poole CollectionPeter Anderson joined Austin College’s faculty as an associate professor of English in 2006.A South African writer, sculptor, and academic, he wrote the script for the slide catalogue ofthe Standard Bank African Art Collection housed at the University of the Witwatersrand inJohannesburg in the mid-1980s. He teaches postcolonial literature and creative writing, andthis fall is offering a course on Anglophone Nigerian literature, “Palm-Wine and PurpleHibiscus.” His comments follow.

African art was never meant to be put on display — hung on a wall, sealed in a glassbox, isolated as an object of contemplation, a mute museum piece. In fact, even theconcept of “art” is little short of a Eurocentric imposition. African art (continuing to use theterm for convenience sake), always was dynamically integrated as a signifying culturalpractice, productive of the meanings by which different communities comprehended andconnected with the world around them. Masks, for instance, were often inspirited, filled withthe overflowing presence of the numinous, the sacred, and therefore as capable of strikingterror into the heart of the people as they might be of uplifting them, filling them with power,with love.

The Poole collection is among the few such collections to have been made in a waythat can today be endorsed as ethically acceptable. In gratitude for being cured, peoplewould bestow gifts upon the good doctor — “art” works, which we now acknowledge aspriceless, but that in early 20th century Europe and America simply were considered as“primitive,” “bizarre,” “barbaric,” and so on.

It is no small achievement to have an ethically sound collection of indigenous art fromCongo of the early 20th century. And what a collection. Kuba art is among the mostspectacular ever to emerge from central Africa, one of the most powerful founts of great art inworld history. Kuba masks, figurative sculptures, carvings in and on ivory, raffia work, to nameonly those items that come first to mind, are exemplary of the vitality and awe-inspiringprofundity of African art. It is no secret today that the impact of African art, its incomparablypowerful sculpture in particular, perhaps, on European high modernism, was decisive. Wecould point to Picasso and the development of cubism, Brancusi and the turn away from“beefsteak” realism, Modigliani and the elongation and simplification of form, for theramifications are almost endless. Austin College is truly honored, even blessed, to place onexhibition a range of pieces from the Poole collection.

The Africa Symposium will feature the keynote address “Stop the Sun: The Art ofMasquerade in Southern Kuba Culture” by David Binkley at 11 a.m. November 20 inHoxie Thompson Auditorium of Sherman Hall. Binkley’s lecture will include a discussion ofKuba history as well as the system of titleholding and the relationship of art making tothe political hierarchy, including textile production and masquerade performance.

Binkley is an art historian who has lived in the Congo among the Kuba, andaccording to Anderson, is “perhaps the foremost U.S. expert on Kuba art.” Binkley was thesenior curator for research and interpretation at the National Museum of African Art at theSmithsonian Institution and has been involved in many exhibitions and art programs. Heearned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in art history before completing a Ph.D. inAfrican art history in 1987.

A student panel discussion, “Active Participants: Volunteer Insights into Developmentand Humanitarian Efforts in Africa,” on November 19 features students who spent thesummer as Global Outreach Fellows, working with children in Ghana and Ethiopia. Studentpanelists are Cara Barnes ’09, Holly Boerner ’09, Rebeca Kim ’10, Anne Engelhart ’10,and Monica Martinez ’09.


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A Summer of Two-Way LearningA group of students at Jefferson Elementary School inSherman experienced international learning thissummer — from right in their own classrooms.Approximately 45 first through fourth grade studentslearned about the land, people, and culture of Indiathrough the sixth annual summer enrichment programoffered by students and faculty of Austin College’sAustin Teacher Program (ATP). The two-week session,8:30 a.m. to noon daily, was funded by the ATP.

The collaborative camp was coordinated by JuliaShahid, associate professor of education in theAustin Teacher Program. She and Jefferson Schoolstaff realized several years ago that such a campcould meet the need for a summer program forchildren as well as offer teaching opportunities forstudents in the ATP’s summer course on science andsocial studies teaching methodologies.

The College students prepared the summercurriculum, collected resources, and coordinatedeach days’ lessons. Shahid and select Jeffersonteachers provided feedback to the student teacherseach day. Shahid participated in a month-long

Fulbright-Hays Program that included travel to Indiain 2007 and gathered materials there used in theclasses. Jaisy Joseph ‘09 visited the camp onemorning to demonstrate and teach traditional Indiandances to the children.

Summer Institute for Foreign Language TeachersTexas high school teachers of French, Latin, andSpanish arrived on campus in July to participate in aone-week residential language immersion programdesigned to enhance teaching skills. The teachersstayed in Jordan Family Language House and spoketheir target languages at all times.

Members of the College’s Classical and ModernLanguages Department led a number of sessionseach day that allowed the teachers to refreshlanguage skills and develop new cultural andtechnological resources to advance teaching in theirown classrooms.

All costs for the teachers, including room andboard, were funded by a grant from the Sid W.Richardson Foundation. The summer program hasbeen offered for several years.

High School Students Experience College LifeTwelve students participated in the Center forSouthwestern and Mexican Studies (CSMS) SummerInstitute for Talented High School Students in 2008.The program allows high school rising juniors andseniors to attend, tuition-free, two full-credit AustinCollege summer courses relating to the interests ofthe center. All students selected for the institute takethe same two courses, which also may includeregularly enrolled Austin College students.

Course offering in 2008 were “Introduction toCultural Anthropology” and beginning or intermediateSpanish. Terry Hoops, associate professor ofanthropology, and Patrick Duffey, professor ofSpanish, taught the courses. Light Cummins, Guy M.Bryan professor of history, is director of the CSMS.

The program is open to high school studentswho live in Grayson, Fannin, Collin, or Cooke countiesin Texas or in Bryan County in Oklahoma and havecompleted two full years of high school.


Washington, D.C., Becomes Summer ClassroomRachel Dodd ’11 and Erin Bailey ’10 spent most of the summer inWashington, D.C., but it wasn’t for sightseeing. The two completed anintensive four-week program in Arabic, meeting four hours each weekdayin July. The introductory Arabic course emphasized development ofspeaking and listening skills through intensive drills, exposure to basicstructural patterns of the language, and functional vocabulary. The course— led by Yasmine Hasnaoui who taught Arabic in a one-year program atAustin College in 2004–2005 — included introduction to culturalcomponents in the Middle East and North Africa.

In August, Bailey attended the Summer Symposium on U.S. ForeignPolicy, joining students from around the world in Washington, D.C., tohear economists, analysts, journalists, government officials, andeducators provide insight on the state of politics around the globe. Thestudents also visited the embassies of China, Israel, and Egypt during theconference. Other Austin College participants were Laura Gallardo ’10,Wes Johnston ’10, Adnan Merchant ’11, Kerry Van Zant ’08, and Nathan Withers ’09.

Both events, offered through the Osgood Center for International Studies, weredirected by Shelly Williams, president of the Osgood Center and Austin College professoremeritus of political science. Alvaro Escorcia ’10 andWes Johnston ’10 were OsgoodCenter interns for the summer. Escorcia worked with a non-governmental agency onsustainable development and Johnston was assigned to TASH, an international associationworking in disability advocacy.

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Davis Provides Professional LeadershipNan Davis, vice president for Institutional Enrollment,will serve as co-director for the National Associationfor College Admission Counseling (NACAC) ChiefEnrollment Officers Forum in September in Seattle,Washington. She serves on the Program PlanningCommittee and is co-chair of the Local ArrangementsCommittee for the National College Board Forum2008, to be held in Houston this November. Davisagain served as a resident faculty member for theCollege Board/Texas Association for CollegeAdmission Counseling (TACAC) Summer Institute heldin San Antonio, Texas, in July. She continues serviceon the College Board National College ScholarshipService Assembly Council and the SouthwesternCollege Board Regional Council.

Summer Days Are Busy Ones at Austin CollegeEach summer, several thousand individuals visitAustin College as participants in various summerconferences. Many are youth camps of church andschool groups, as well as the annual Young LeadersConference of the National Hispanic Institute.

Japan/U.S. Educators Compare NotesBack-to-school time took on new meaning in Augustfor a group of educators from Japan visiting the U.S.to compare the educational system to that of theirown nation. Their agenda included an afternoon ofdiscussion with the faculty of the Austin TeacherProgram and a local school administrator.

The trip for the 13 high school and collegeteachers, principals, and administrators from Japanwas arranged through the Japan Fulbright MemorialFund (JFMF) Teacher Program, sponsored by thegovernment of Japan, and designed to increaseunderstanding between the people of Japan and theUnited States.

The Japanese visitors’ educational specialtiesrange from homemaking to physics. Their homes andschools are in Aichi, Osaka, Hokkaido, andHiroshima, Japan. Brandon McInnis ’09 served aslanguage interpreter for the gathering.

Wheaton Selected for Research PanelJudy Wheaton, director of Institutional Research andAssessment, was one of fewer than 15 institutional

research directors from across the nation invited toserve on the Integrated Postsecondary EducationData System (IPEDS) Technical Review Panel (TRP)for the Department of Education. The TRP met inWashington, D.C., July 9–10 to review possiblechanges to the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey.

French Teachers, Students Learn TogetherFrench students and teachers from Keller HighSchool. Klein Oak High School, Sherman HighSchool, and James Bowie High School in Arlington,Texas, were selected by Austin College French facultyto participate in a campus program in July. The groupspent three days in the College’s Jordan FamilyLanguage House, and Austin College FrenchDepartment faculty led sessions designed to developstudents’ listening and speaking fluency through animmersion program.

News Briefs photos available in the online magazine.


Five individuals recently joined the Austin College Board of Trustees:

E John M. Andersen ’66 of Dallas, professor of pediatrics and director of pediatric gastroenterology at University of Texas Southwestern

Medical School and Children’s Medical Center in Dallas

E Laura Dies Campbell ’73 of Austin, community volunteer active in Lay Missionaries of Charity and Mobile Loaves and Fishes

E Kelly Hiser of Sherman, owner of Kelly Oil Company

E Wes Moffett ’82 of Dallas, chief operating officer of Avelo Mortgage in Irving, a subsidiary of Archon Group

E John Serhant of Denison, Texas, and Steamboat Springs, Colorado, retired vice chair of State Street Global Advisors and advisor to

Goldentree Asset Management.

Five Join College Board of Trustees

John M. Andersen Laura Campbell Kelly Hiser Wes Moffett John Serhant

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Austin College Is a Great Place to WorkAustin College was named one of the “2008 Great Colleges to Work For” in the July 18 issue ofThe Chronicle of Higher Education, scoring in the top five in 17 of 27 categories.

“I am proud of the faculty and staff of Austin College who make this a great place towork,” said Oscar C. Page, Austin College president. “Each person contributes to a positiveenvironment characterized by respect and support for one another.”

ModernThink, a human resources consulting firm, administered surveys to 15,000randomly selected employees of 89 public and private colleges and universities.

Austin College was included in the “small” category, for institutions with 499 or feweremployees and ranked among the top five institutions in categories including healthy faculty-administration relations, collaborative governance, professional/career development, teachingenvironment, confidence in senior leadership, connections to institution and pride, respectand appreciation, and post-retirement benefits.

“Independent surveys are important because responses are generally honest and sincere,”said Heidi Ellis, vice president for Business Affairs at Austin College. “I believe this is a terrificplace to work, and this survey confirms that many others feel that way as well.”

orld-renowned Shakespearean and English literature scholar Stephen Greenblatt willvisit Austin College October 20 to present a lecture on Shakespeare and Cervantes,“The Strange Case of Cardenio.” The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. in Hoxie ThompsonAuditorium of Sherman Hall. A reception and booksigning will follow.

“Stephen Greenblatt’s visit to Austin College is a major event forus,” said Carol Daeley, professor of English and chair of the EnglishDepartment. “He is a groundbreaking figure in literary studies whohas recently launched two truly unique projects born out of hisinterest in ‘what happens when things cross borders.’ His Harvardcourse on global exchange along ocean routes in the 17th century has,like much of his work, profound relevance to today’s world. His play,Cardenio, co-written with Charles Mee and inspired by Shakespeareand Cervantes, has been adapted for performance in Japan and India.Who better to bring here as the faculty begins its ‘Global Learning forCultural Awareness’ Quality Enhancement Plan?”

Greenblatt is the John Cogan University Professor of theHumanities at Harvard University, one of 19 Harvard UniversityProfessors, the school’s highest professorial distinction.

Before joining the Harvard faculty in 1997, Greenblatt was aprofessor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught for28 years. He has been a visiting professor and lecturer at universitiesaround the world, including the universities of Oxford, London,Kyoto, Bologna, Florence, Berlin, and Peking. He is the author ofdozens of scholarly articles and of 10 books, including Hamlet inPurgatory. He also has served as editor of 10 major volumes, includingthe seventh edition of The Norton Anthology of English Literature. He is aFellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and therecipient of many honors and awards.

Renowned Shakespearean Scholar to Visit Campus for Lecture

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Stephen Greenblatt

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Austin College’s Posey Leadership Institute will host its annualLeadership Forum November 7, featuring Howard Prince, director ofthe LBJ School’s Center for Ethical Leadership and retired BrigadierGeneral of the U.S. Army. Prince will offer a 9:30 a.m. session andspeak at a luncheon after the morning session.

From 1990 to 1996, Prince served as founding dean andprofessor in the University of Richmond’s Jepson School ofLeadership Studies, where he was responsible for development of thefirst undergraduate leadership degree program in the world. From1978 to 1990, Prince was professor and head of the Department ofBehavioral Sciences and Leadership at the U.S. Military Academy atWest Point.

An honor graduate of West Point, Prince holds a master’s degreein international relations from American University, studied at theUniversity of Bonn in Germany as an Olmsted Scholar, and earned aPh.D. in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. A clinicalpsychologist, he is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.

For information about the event, contact the Posey LeadershipInstitute staff at (903) 813-2015 or see www.austincollege.edu/news.

A listing of senior recitals performed by Austin Collegemusic majors that was included in the June magazineinadvertently omitted Michael Brahce, vocalist. Sincegraduation he has been involved with the BerkshireTheatre Festival (BTF) in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

As one of five Artists in Residence, Brahceperforms once a week in a touring production, A Tourof Mount Olympus, written by BTF’s E. Gray Simons IIIand Tara M. Franklin. He also teaches children at areaschools about various aspects of theatre and willperform in the company’s annual holiday productionof A Christmas Carol.

Addendum: Spring 2008 Music Recitals

Howard Prince

Leadership Forum Scheduled for November 7

Page Signs Climate CommitmentAustin College President Oscar C. Page signed the American College andUniversity Presidents Climate Commitment July 24, pledging to eliminatecampus greenhouse gas emissions over time. The commitment willrequire Austin College to complete an emissions inventory, set a targetdate and milestones to become “climate neutral,” reduce greenhouse gasemissions, integrate sustainability into the curriculum and into theCollege’s education experience, and make an action plan, inventory, andprogress reports publicly available, according to the Presidents ClimateCommitment Web site.

“The college has been serious about various aspects of environmentalissues in the past, but I’m delighted to see the highest level administrativesupport for a more comprehensive approach,” said Peter Schulze,professor of biology and environmental science and director of AustinCollege’s Center for Environmental Studies. “Joining the PresidentsClimate Commitment is a recognition that these sorts of efforts are in thebest interest of the College and larger community in the long run and arecompatible with the mission of the College.”

One of the first steps Austin College will take during Fall Term 2008is to form a committee that will evaluate how to best meet the goals ofthe commitment. In signing the commitment, Austin College joinedmore than 560 colleges and universities committed to address the issue ofglobal warming through reducing campus impact on the environment.

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“Implementing robotics into computer science and other sciencesmakes the curriculum more interesting and interactive,” said ShelleneKelley, Austin College associate professor of computer science.

Austin College was one of 28 high schools, colleges, anduniversities in the nation to receive a grant this summer to enhancecomputer science curriculum with robotics technology. The grant wasprovided by the Institute for Personal Robots in Education (IPRE) and agift from Microsoft Research. The schools share $250,000 and receivedbook-sized robots, called Scribblers, enhanced with special hardwaretechnology and software. “IPRE’s efforts in developing this technologyover the past two years make it possible to put a robot in the hands ofevery student in the class for about the same price as a textbook,” saidKelley. “This is key to encouraging experimentation and learning, bothin and out of the classroom environment.”

Kelley is implementing the technology this fall during herCommunication/Inquiry (C/I) course, “Computing with Robots: It’s alla BOT science,” with each student exploring ways to automate robotbehavior through computer programming using their own personalrobot. Kelley also will use the robotic technology in 2009 January andspring term courses.

Arts34 Austin College Magazine September 2008

Fall Theatre SeasonChapter Two by Neil SimonSeptember 25–27, 7:30 p.m.; and 2:30 p.m., September 27Directed by Greg Hernandez ’09Beardsley Arena Theatre

Hamlet by William ShakespeareOctober 23–25, 7 p.m.Directed by Kathleen Campbell, professor of communication studiesIda Green Theatre

Festival of One-Act PlaysNovember 21–22, 7 p.m.Directed by students of Kirk Everist, assistant professor of communication studiesIda Green Theatre

All performances in Ida Green Communication Center. Tickets are $8, but free to allAustin College students. See www.austincollege.edu for updates.

AArrtt EExxhhiibbiittOctober 20 –November 14Artist: Susie FowlerIda Green Gallery, Ida Green Communication Center

Freshmen Kristyn Weaver and Andrew Jaremski work onprogramming as faculty member Shellene Kelley, center, examines one

of the book-sized robots used by her C/I class.

“It’s much more fun to teach a robot to navigate around obstacles,perform a dance, or travel the halls taking pictures than to write aprogram to solve a mathematical equation or search for information in afile,” Kelley said. “But the same logic and problem solving skills areneeded to accomplish all these tasks. Students learn not only to programrobots but also to program computers to solve real-world problems.”

Grant Enhances Computer Science Study through Robotics

Fall Music SeasonOctober25 Sherman Symphony Orchestra

7:30 p.m., Kidd Key Auditorium, Sherman26 Faculty Trio Recital

3 p.m., Craig Recital HallNovember13 Choral Concert

7:30 p.m., Wynne Chapel19 Concert Band Performance

7:30 p.m., Wynne Chapel20 Student Recital

7:30 p.m., Wynne Chapel24 Chamber Music and Jazz Concert

7:30 p.m., Wynne Chapel25 Student Recital

7:30 p.m., Craig Recital HallDecember4 Service of Lessons and Carols featuring Austin College Choirs

7 p.m., Wynne Chapel6 Christmas Pops with the Sherman Symphony Orchestra

7:30 p.m., Mason Complex, Sid Richardson Center7 Christmas Pops with the Sherman Symphony Orchestra

3 p.m., Mason Complex, Sid Richardson Center

See www.austincollege.edu for details, updates, and ticket information.

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BY VICKIE S. KIRBY



n unspoken rule in sports is that it takes time to build a winner.When a program is created, odds are it will struggle before itturns the corner toward success.

Apparently, no one ever told that to Paul Burns, the firstand only coach the Austin College women’s soccer program has knownsince its 1996 beginning. He brought winning to women’s soccer in ahurry. In the team’s second year, the Kangaroos posted a winningrecord of 11-7-1, and have not been under .500 since. They won 12games in their third season, and withinjust five years of the inceptionof the program, they won aprogram-record 16games and the firstof two conferencechampionships.

by Jeff Kelly

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BY JOSH BOWER

MAN

In all, Burns has led his teams to 11 consecutive winning seasons,with 10 seasons of double figures in the win column and plans to addto the streak this fall.

“My goal when I started the program was to compete every yearfor a conference championship,” said Burns. He attributes the successto strong recruiting and developing a pool of committed andcompetitive student-athletes.

“Lots of sacrifice is needed,” Burns said. “I push the playersoutside their comfort zone. We want players that understand thisdynamic and have a passion to improve, compete, win — and combinethis with succeeding academically and enjoying student life.”

Burns said his coaching philosophy is simple. “Practices always arethoroughly organized, supervised, and intense,” he said. “I provide

the student-athletes with challenging year-round trainingprograms that improve players’ game, development, andunderstanding. I believe a successful coach is part technician,part mentor, and part entrepreneur. He must know his gamethoroughly and instinctively, be sensitive to the needs of hisplayers, and employ the business skills of a successful managerwith zest and flair.”

The hard work is necessary to achieve and maintainsuccess, but as Burns says, “Nothing is free and nothing iseasy. You get out what you put in.”

At the same time, Burns teaches his players that there isno room for placing blame or reacting poorly whensomething doesn’t go their way. “I believe a team mustcome to play no matter the adversity,” said Burns. “The

athletes must be prepared, motivated, competitive, and alwaysgracious in victory or defeat. They must take responsibility for

their own actions and always strive for excellence on the field andin the classroom. I believe each player has talent, and throughphysical, mental, and spiritual enhancement, each student-athlete

has the ability to reach maximum potential.”For now, Burns is focused on the 2008 season, and as always the

goal is to challenge for a conference championship. With a plethora oftalented returners and yet another strong recruiting class, it seems agoal well within reach.

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h o m e team

Baseball Team Can’t Repeat SCAC ChampionshipThe Kangaroo baseball team came up short in defending its SouthernCollegiate Athletic Conference title, falling in a best-of-three series toNo. 15-ranked DePauw University in the SCAC Divisional Tournamentto end the season with a record of 18-24. The ’Roos also had a 7-9regular season mark against conference opponents.

Shortstop Andy White ’10, first baseman and pitcher BobbySchleizer ’08, and third baseman Bennett Herrick ’11 were honored inthe postseason for their outstanding play during the year. White wasnamed All-Conference after batting .355 with 12 doubles, four triples,four home runs, and 29 RBIs, and also provided perhaps the biggesthighlight of the season when he turned a rare unassisted triple play.White also was named the SCAC Player of the Week during the season.

Schleizer finished the season ranked second in the conference with10 home runs and added nine doubles and 42 RBIs while hitting .336with a .603 slugging percentage. Herrick hit .296 with a team-best 14doubles, along with three triples, three homers, and 29 RBIs.

Also posting strong seasons were catcher Patrick Ray ’10, whobatted .349 with three homers and 17 RBIs, and outfielder JordanRobison ’10, who hit .357 with four triples and three home runs onthe year. Scooter Merritt ’11 acclimated to college ball quickly, hitting.318 with five doubles and 21 RBIs during his first season.

Cory Stevens ’09 put together a solid season on the mound forthe ’Roos, posting a team-best five wins in nine starts while strikingout 58 batters. Will Chermak ’10 added four wins on the year and ledthe team with 63 strikeouts. Tyler Steed ’11 had a strong first seasonfor the ’Roos, earning three wins and two saves while striking out 26batters and walking just 12 on the year.

With the ’Roos losing just one senior from the 2008 team andboasting so much young talent, there will be plenty of firepower inplace for coach Carl Iwasaki and his team to once again be near the top of the SCAC in 2009.

Soccer Women Discover Magical Kingdom Women’s soccer coach Paul Burns and several members ofhis team traveled to the United Kingdom this summer for atraining tour in the coach’s home country. The womenplayed three games against teams from England and Walesand took in the sights along the way, traveling toManchester, Peterborough, Abergavenny, and London. Thetrip was immensely enjoyable for the players as well assuccessful — as the team went 3-0 in competition.

Fourteen of this fall’s 22 returning players, as well asNicole Christy ’00 and Kim Frazier, father of a currentplayer, took part in this road trip of a lifetime.

FIND THE LATEST ’ROO SPORTSSCHEDULES AND RESULTS ONLINE:WWW.AUSTINCOLLEGE.EDU/ATHLETICS

Soccer travelers stopping for a Big Ben photo are, left to right, first row:Allison Wurmbrand ’10, Paige Rutherford ’09, Ashleigh Johnson ’11, AmyHolman ’10, Holly Messamore ’09; second row: Caitlin Sperry ’11, SarahFennewald ’09, Bahar Abbassi ’10, Brooke Adams ’09, Katie Hudson ’11,Faren Frazier ’09; and third row: Helen Heres ’09, Mackenzie Lund ’11,and Kaitlin Elledge ’11.

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The Austin College softball team saw a huge improvement in itssecond year as an NCAA varsity sport, finishing third in the SouthernCollegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) tournament, posting a 17-23overall record and an 11-5 mark against conference opponents. The 11conference wins alone top the team’s win total from last season.

The ’Roos finished the regular season in second place in the SCACWest, and were the only SCAC team to defeat Trinity prior to thepostseason, splitting their series 2-2. Leading the way for the ’Rooswere first baseman Stefanie Faith ’11, outfielder Laci Hart ’08, andutility player Sam Smith ’11.

Faith made an incredible impact in her first collegiate season,named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches AssociationDivision III All-South Region Third Team and the SCAC All-ConferenceFirst Team.

Hart, who joined the team for her senior season after excelling forthe volleyball team for four years, joined Faith on the SCAC First Team,as well as the SCAC All-Tournament Team.

Smith, who played catcher, third base, first base, and outfield atvarious points in the year, was named Honorable Mention All-SCACfor her work at third.

It wasn’t just the ’Roos who were scoring whenever a ball wentover the outfield fence. At the suggestion of head coach Edie Fletcher,a two-time cancer survivor, the ’Roos created Home Runs for Hope to

The Austin College women’s tennis team had a solid year, winningtwo matches in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC)Tournament and finishing the year with an 8-9 record. The men’steam finished 2-13, with wins coming against the University of theOzarks and Concordia University of Texas.

The two teams debuted the new Russell Tennis Complex in the2008 season, with both the men and the women winning their firstmatches at the new facility in an April 11 match against the Ozarks.Both the men and the women won by scores of 5-4 over the Tigers.

The women were led by a pair of first-year players in MinnieSatyavada ’11 and Kelly Lewis ’11, who were strong throughout theseason, and each was named to the SCAC All-Tournament Team, with

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Softball Team Shows Signs of Growth, Makes Donation for Cancer Researchraise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Every'Roo homerun of the season resulted in donations, totaling$3,213 for the charity.

Hart presented the check on behalf of the Kangaroo softballteam during the team’s April trip to play Rhodes College inMemphis, Tennessee.

Satyavada earning the honor for both singles and doubles. Lewis,who was Satyavada’s doubles partner during the tournament, wasselected for outstanding performance in doubles competition. BothSatyavada and Lewis went undefeated at the event.

Satyavada also was named Honorable Mention All-SCAC afterexcelling in number two, three, and four singles, as well as beingpaired with Lewis in number one doubles. Satyavada was the women’sCarroll Pickett Award winner as the most outstanding player.

On the men’s side, Nate Navey ’09 was named the men’s CarrollPickett winner for the second straight season. Navey played well allseason in both number one singles and number one doubles.

Women’s Tennis Team Finishes Strong; Navey Recognized for Men

Softball players visiting St. Jude’s Hospital are, front row, left to right, Brittany Gaertner’11, Ashely Johnson ’11, Sam Smith ’11, Abbey Hayes ’11, Carolyn Stone ’11; andsecond row, Kali Gossett ’11, Stefanie Faith ’11, Lauren Harrison, ’11, Laci Hart ’08,Whitney Bodine ’11, and Bobbi Schulle ’10.



Coach Ronnie Gage is looking for strong play from this fall from 2008Tim Jubela Freshman Athlete of the Year Chris Hickson ’11.

Hickson made an immediate impact on the ’Roos football team in2007, starting all 10 games of the season. The defensive back finishedamong the team leaders with 35 tackles, including 22 solo tackles.

Gage described Hickson as a gifted athlete with an incredible workethic and competitive spirit. In addition to praising Hickson’s diligenceand dedication to his team, Gage also called the young star defensiveback a person of great moral character.

h o m e team

Continued Excellence Expected from 2007-2008 Outstanding Freshman Athlete

Alumni Honored at 2008 Legends

Jim Baird ’93Coppell, TexasFootball, baseball Captain, Coppell Fire Department

W.K. “Bo” Brown ’75Dallas, TexasFootballOwner, Brown Fryar, and Long Law Firm

Allison McKinney Tarpley ’99Frisco, TexasBasketballAccount vice president, UBS Financial

Kenneth D. Tatum ’89San Antonio, TexasFootballSenior consultant, Travelers Insurance

Kenneth W. StreetSherman, TexasHonorary InducteeProfessor Emeritus, Austin College

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S

The annual Legends Celebration July 19–21 attracted record numbers for the Sunday awards dinner as wellas large numbers for the Saturday receptions and a full course for the annual McCord Golf Tournament.

ATHLETIC HALL OF HONOR INDUCTEES

COACH JOE SPENCER AWARDFOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE AND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN COACHINGButch Worley ’76Austin, Texas Senior associate athletics director, University of Texas

Chris Hickson

AUSTIN COLLEGE KEDRIC COUCH ALUMNI COACH OF THE YEARLarry Uland ’61Farmersville, TexasAthletic director and football coach at Greenville Christian School

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BY AARON FLO

RES


”“


Fellow alumni:

This epitaph of George Washington Carver resonates with me as a new schoolyear begins. A lot has changed since my first days at Austin College — my wildoats have surely turned to bran cereal, and I hear my favorite songs only on officeelevators — but the lasting values we gained at Austin College remain the same.

Your Alumni Board carries on that “helping” tradition by connecting alumnito Austin College and to each other. Recent activities of the board include:

Beverly Benthul Barry ’67 greeted 325 new members to the AlumniAssociation at Commencement for the Class of 2008 in May. I met future alumniof the Class of 2012 and presented their class flag on behalf of the Alumni Boardat the Opening of School Convocation.

Sarah Gunderson ’81 and Craig Florence ’84 were elected to the board’snew positions of first and second vice president, respectively.

The Alumni College Committee organized programs with outstandingprofessors for September 21 in Denver; October 2, Houston; October 5, SanAntonio; October 7, Dallas; and October 12, Washington, D.C. Will we see youthere? See acalumni.org for details.

The Homecoming Committee planned another outstanding HomecomingOctober 24–26, with all reunion groups meeting Saturday evening in onelocation. The gathering should be even better than last year’s great event!

The Annual Fund Committee raised a concern that only 29.42 percent of ournearly 14,000 alumni made a gift of any size to the Annual Fund campaign thatended June 30. Thank you to those who gave, and I hope you will continue togive. This is one measure of the alumni’s confidence in their alma mater and itsfuture. Let’s work to raise that percentage this year.

Forget Facebook and MySpace, have you signed up for Austin College’s newonline community? It’s a great way to network and connect with your classmates.Go to acalumni.org and use the code on your magazine mailing label to sign in.

Starting with this issue, I want to expand on some key components of theAlumni Board. I asked Giselle Finne Gafford’00, president of the Greek Alumni Council,to tell you about this group’s purpose, goals,and recent accomplishments.

I hope to see many of you on campusduring Homecoming.

Happy Trails,

Mike NurreAlumni Board President

Greek Alumni Council SupportsAustin College Greek Organizations

The Austin College Greek Alumni Council (GAC)was formed in 2004 to provide a connectionbetween current students and alumni members ofGreek organizations and ensure cooperation andcommunication between and among the Collegeand the Greek community.

The GAC offers counsel and assistance toGreek organizations, with goals of strengtheningand promoting each group; providing a historicalreference; improving the overall Greek program;assisting in effective governance, including conflictresolution; and serving as outreach and connectionpoints between Greek alumni, their organizations,and the College.

The GAC recently participated in the charterreview process for three Greek organizations withcharters up for renewal. In addition, the councilestablished a “listserve” that facilitatescommunication among Council members andcreated a Web site. Additionally, the GAC hasexpanded its role with a voting seat (representedby the council president) on the Austin CollegeAlumni Board.

How can you represent your Greekorganization? Each chartered Greek organizationmay be represented on the GAC by up to threealumni members. The GAC seeks diversity andinclusion of alumni from various decades. There isroom for all organizations to expand their alumnirepresentation. The GAC holds two meetings a year— one during Homecoming weekend and theother in the spring or summer. Interested alumnimay write Gafford at [email protected] orAlumni and Parent Relations staff [email protected].

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BY VICKIE S. KIRBY

He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither,he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world.

f r o m t h e alumni board

Mike Nurre


’ r o o notes


The 319 members of the Austin College freshman class include 64 students with some previous family tie to the College. Freshman Thomas Clayton has the most legacyconnections, with six family alumni, including his grandparents Alfred Clayton ’44 and Bettye (Green) Clayton ’48; his parents Mark Clayton ’77 and Cathy Bryant Clayton ’76;his sister Catherine “Cate” Clayton ’03; and his brother Stephen Clayton ’06.

Other students and alumni gathering for the photo are listed here, in an attempt at left to right identification by row. Front, Bianca Banek, sister of Jeremiah Banek ’00; CaitlinTabor, daughter of Nancy Lazarine Tabor ’83, and sister of Cayce Tabor ’10; Anne Deming, sister of Katie Deming ’04; Erin Slade sister of Leslie Slade ’09; Kaitlin McCoy,daughter of Michelle McCoy ’87; Thomas Clayton and family listed above; Mackenzie Mayer, cousin of Stacy Austin ’85; Margaret Edwards, daughter of David ’83 and SaraMullin ’85 Edwards; Hillary Gregory-Allen, daughter of Victoria Reeder ’84 and Roger Gregory-Allen ’84, and niece of Richard Gregory-Allen ’78; Wajiha Khan, cousin of HaroonSamar ’02; Second row, Devanie Emms, daughter of Thomas Emms ’82; Kallison and Kellan Pope, sisters of Krisandra Pope ’08; Bridgette Deem, granddaughter of Don andMarion Bean ’64; Umair Karim, brother of Mariya Karim ’08; Suzanne Beltran, great niece of William and Nancy Sizer Oelfke, both ’66, and cousins of William and MelanieBrown Oelfke, both ’84; Alyssa Rangel, sister of Javier Rangel, Jr. ’05; Tyler Brannen, brother of Thomas “Bucky” Brannen ’08; Madeleine Levin, daughter of Jeffrey ’79 and GinnyHarleston Levin ’79; Neema Dad, sister of Jeema Dad ’10; back row, Chelsea Freeland, daughter of Charles ’90 and Lisa New ’89 Freeland; Kevin Kurian, brother of JosephKurian ’08; Will Navey, son of Allen Navey ’73, brother of Nate Navey ’09, and nephew of Cornelius Nau, Jr. ’73; Frank McStay, brother of Kira McStay ’10; Hannah Alexander,daughter of Gerald Alexander ’76; Graham Schneider, brother of Jordan Schneider ’08; George Foote Clark IV, son of George F. Clark III ’77; Kayla Cook, niece of Byron Cook ’71;Katelin McKee, sister of Zach McKee ’07; and Ellen Wehner, sister of Brooks Wehner ’01.

Class of 2012 Includes Several Continuing a Family Tradition

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BY VICKIE S. KIRBY

Alumni News

Campus Room Bears Name of Master TeacherNona Bishop Wood Sansom ’66 was surprised during a visit to campus in April by a gift from her husband, AndySansom ’68, whose funding named the Nona Sansom Room in the Temple Learning Center at Thompson House

in her honor. Nona taught many years before retiring from the Austin IndependentSchool District. “Honoring my wife in this way was a great privilege for me and I amgrateful to Austin College for allowing me to do so,” Andy said. “More than anythingelse, she is a fine example to students studying to be educators because she is aconsummate professional. She is recognized as a Master Teacher who will be aninspiration to all who use the Nona Sansom Room.”

Andy, a conservationist and former executive director of Texas Parks and Wildlife,has written four books, including Water in Texas, published this summer by UT Press.He also is the author of Scout, The Christmas Dog. Although not written or marketedas a children’s book, it often is found in children’s book sections and has been usedas a text in children’s literature classes at the University of Texas.Nona Sansom in the Temple Learning Center at Thompson House

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80Marlene Llopiz has been named regional directorfor Latin America for Venn Life Sciences ClinicalResearch in Mexico City. She is in charge of openingoffices throughout Latin America. She made apresentation at the Drug Information Associationforum in July, representing the entire Latin Americanregion. She has two children.

83Leah Clemmons Lane and her family — husbandJohn and their son and daughter — moved to NewZealand in 2005. Their son, Joseph, already plans tobe in Austin College’s Class of 2016. Leah wrote inbelatedly to identify participants in the photoincluded in the Every Picture Tells a Story feature inthe December 2007 Austin College Magazine. Ofthe photo, she recalled that during the trip to Chinaled by Jim Ware, now professor emeritus ofphilosophy and religion, the Austin College men tookon a Chinese basketball team and the locals weresurprised that Dr. Ware spoke Shanghai Chinese (hewas born there to missionary parents). She alsorecalled that her suitcase broke and Trev Teel ’78gave her $40 to get a new one. Ah, memories …

85Rachel McCollough Matthews graduated fromGarrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicagowith a Doctor of Ministry degree in pastoralcounseling and psychotherapy. Her doctoral paperwas “Using Ritual and Spiritual Practices in PastoralCounseling and Psychotherapy: The Role of PastoralCounselor as Ritual Leader.” � Denyse Seaman wasmarried May 31 to David Rodgers. She continues towork at Baylor University in the Electronic Library ashead of Library Information Systems.

54The work of Carroll Pickett as Death Housechaplain at the Huntsville prison is the subject ofthe documentary At the Death House Door. Seepage 20.

60Dan Page received a Manhattan Association ofCabarets (MAC) Award in the category of SpecialMusical Material as a writer of the song “One StopShopping,” co-written and performed by New Yorkjazz and blues artist Sue Matsuki. Dan is asongwriter and playwright living in Harvard,Massachusetts.

65Dr. John C. Landolt (12) retired in August from theteaching faculty of Shepherd University inShepherdstown, West Virginia, after a tenure of 38years. Landolt joined the Shepherd faculty afterreceiving a doctorate in zoology from the Universityof Oklahoma. While at Shepherd, Landolt taughtclasses in general biology, general zoology,developmental biology, and comparative anatomy,as well as serving a rotation as chair of the BiologyDepartment. Landolt has been engaged in researchon the natural history of cellular slime molds for anumber of years. He has authored or coauthoredover 30 refereed journal articles; madepresentations at many regional, national, andinternational meetings; and is listed as an authorityfor the formal description of more than 20 newspecies of cellular slime molds. Landolt will continuea relationship with Shepherd University as researchprofessor of biology emeritus and will remain inShepherdstown with Melinda, his wife of 28 years.

74Rock Stanley successfully defended his doctoraldissertation “Current Mathematical Concepts CriticalTo Student Success in College Algebra” in May atTexas A&M-Commerce. The graduation ceremonywas in August.

78Thomas Luck (22) received a Master of Liberal Artsin Religion degree from Harvard University. Histhesis, “Breaking Bread: the Gospels and the End ofPoverty,” makes the case for a biblical mandate toend poverty. Luck continues to serve as dean of St.Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Syracuse, New York,and as a chaplain to the Clergy Leadership Project,a program of Trinity Church/St. Paul’s Chapel in New York.

Alicia Van Borssum ’82 has taught Montessori and English as a Second Language (ESL) for the past25 years. This fall, for the first time since the 1970s when she assisted Cynthia Manley of AustinCollege’s faculty, she is teaching French as well as ESL at a middle school near Rochester, New York.

She also is beginning doctoral studies at theWarner School of the University of Rochester,with interest in literacy. She is a volunteer withEthiopia Reads and last summer spent amonth in Ethiopia doing teacher training andvolunteering in the first free public library forchildren in Addis Ababa. She returned toEthiopia in December 2007 and plans to travelthere again in summer 2009 to help set up atraining center for teachers.

86Israel Suster has been elected president of thePlano Bar Association. His law firm is engaged in thepractice of commercial and property litigationthroughout north Texas. He lives in Plano with hiswife and their two children.

92A son, Ryan Sterling, was born August 7, 2007, toAnna and Michael Clark (11). Ryan joins big sisterJordan, 3. The family lives in Dallas. � Mary Kelly-Swafford and Judson Crowder (4)met up with oneanother in Reno, Nevada, at the National Associationof Professional Organizers conference in April. Bothare professional organizers; Mary in New Orleansand Judson in Houston. � Christopher Thompson(24), a partner in the litigation and bankruptcysections of the Dallas offices of the Jackson Walkerlaw firm, was named a Rising Star for 2008. RisingStars must be no older than 40 and practicing lawfor 10 years or less. The award is based on a surveyof Texas attorneys to determine the top 2.5 percentof the state’s up-and-coming lawyers. Texas Monthlystaff members then conduct independent researchof the nominees’ credentials and publish thoseselected in the April 2008 magazine.

93(21)A son, Daniel Murray Lee II, was born June 22,2007, to Sydney and Erica (Jebs Holder) Lee. Thefamily lives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitanarea.

95A son, Samuel Michael, was born May 25 to Mikeand Jill Harter Teagarden (15). Big brother Max, 2,welcomed Sam home. Jill is a senior director of

Van Borssum, at center, with teachers in Ethiopia

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’ r o o notes


Tanishia Choice ’04 was a co-recipient of the 2008 NorthTexas Society of Psychiatric Physicians Award for theOutstanding Medical Student in Psychiatry at University of

Texas Southwestern MedicalSchool. The award is given to agraduating medical student for“stellar clinical work, strongleadership on campus regardingpsychiatry education, andcommitment to communityinvolvement in the service of thementally ill.”

This spring, Dr. Choiceundertook a research project ingenetics, studying causes of lung,breast, and colon cancer whilewaiting for the July start of herresidency in psychiatry at UTSouthwestern Medical School.The intern year of the four-yearresidency includes six months ofgeneral medicine and six monthsof psychiatry so the months

ahead will include rotations in adult medicine, pediatrics,neurology, and emergency room medicine as well aspsychiatry. Following completion of the psychiatryresidency, Dr. Choice plans to seek a fellowship to

complete the additional two years necessary for work inchild psychiatry.

With training completed, Dr. Choice wants to establishher own practice in the Dallas area and/or participate inacademic medicine with UT Southwestern. She chose thefield of child psychiatry because during her rotationthrough adult psychiatry, she found that many of theadults’ illnesses and problems were rooted in childhood. “Isee child psychiatry as preventive medicine to stop theseillnesses from compounding,” Dr. Choice said.

A passion of Dr. Choice is continuing efforts towardestablishment of a residency outreach program at UTSouthwestern. She hopes that when residents can volunteerin the community to educate people about mental illnessand reduce the stigma associated, people will not beopposed to seeking care. “We need to reduce the morbidityof mental illness — which comes from a lack of adequatecare,” she said.

“Dr. Choice has a very rare combination of gifts —excelling in the practice of science and remainingpassionately rooted in the problems of the communities shewas raised within,” said Dr. Adam Brenner, assistantprofessor of psychiatry and director of medical studenteducation. “I look forward to watching Tanishia continueto pursue both these missions — for research and foractivism — with great success during her residency.”

outstanding medical student in psychiatry

ALU

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Tanishia Choice

research and development for VHA, Inc., in Irving,Texas, and Mike manages analytics for McAfee inFrisco, Texas. The family lives in Dallas. � Kim Terryand Benjamin Winbery (19)were married February16 in San Antonio, Texas. They live in Georgia whereKim works as a private practitioner outpatientcounselor in Warner Robins.

96Cullen and Amy Aubrey Chandler (7) , along withtheir daughter Cate, 5, traveled to the Midwest inJune to combine business with pleasure. Amyattended various events at Purdue University whereshe continues to telecommute as writer/editor ofalumni publications for the School of Pharmacy andPharmaceutical Sciences while Cullen conductedresearch at the library on campus. Cullen, assistantprofessor of history at Lycoming College, wasawarded a $6,000 summer stipend from theNational Endowment for the Humanities in support

of his research project “Carolingian Catalonia:politics and culture in the Spanish March.” After thestop at Purdue and visiting friends in Michigan andChicago, the family returned home to Williamsport,Pennsylvania — home of the Little League WorldSeries. A visit to the Card Wildlife EducationMuseum at Ferris State University in Michigan gaveCate a chance to learn more about kangaroos —and pose for a photo. � Max Hawsey was namedhead football coach for Grinnell College in Iowa inJanuary. Offensive coordinator and line coach atColorado College since 2003, Max helped the teambreak 15 offensive school records while averagingover 400 yards and 30 points per game. He recentlyfinished production for American Football Monthly,where he writes and creates football videos andarticles for coaches nationwide. He and his wife,Sara Townsend-Hawsey, have three children,Marion, 5; Hunter, 3; and Natalie, 1. � A daughter,Natalia Elyse, was born May 29, 2007, to Sean and

Isabel Lerma Hedger. They are happy to be back inTexas after nine years in New Mexico. � Greg Kochis adjunct professor at the California School ofProfessional Psychology at Alliant InternationalUniversity, where he teaches a doctoral course onlesbian and gay couples, families, and children. Hecontracts with the California Department ofCorrections and Rehabilitation to assess and treatinmates at Centinela State Prison in El Centro andmaintains a part-time private practice in San Diego.He is the current chair of the San DiegoPsychological Association’s Committee on Gay andLesbian Concerns. In October 2007, Greg was a partof the volunteer Disaster Mental Health Team atQualcomm Stadium, where 11,000 evacuees werehoused during the San Diego wildfires.

97Melinda Massie has begun an events planningbusiness, Melinda Massie Events and Consulting.



Numbers in color after alumni names correspond with photos on pages 44 and 45.

00A son, Mason William, was born November 30,2007, to Brad and Stephanie Palmer Bierman (8).The family lives in Frisco, Texas. Stephanie is adirector of admission, working regionally in Dallas,for Austin College, where she has worked for sixyears. Brad is a benefits and risk consultant forHomes Murphy Associates in Dallas. � A daughter,Lainey Cathryn, was born April 24 to Ben and AbbyHagan Harris (16). The family lives in Plano, Texas. �Tricia Holland and John Williams (10)were marriedSeptember 2, 2007, at the Umlauf SculptureGarden and Museum in Austin, Texas. The weddingparty included Andi Taylor ’01, Leigh Wisner ’01and Aron Bautista ’01. Tricia and John live inHouston, Texas, where Tricia is a special agent withthe U.S. Secret Service and John is a superintendentfor Brighton Homes. � Gary Howell has completeda doctorate in clinical psychology at the AdlerSchool of Professional Psychology in Chicago,Illinois, and received a certificate in clinical hypnosisand assessment. His dissertation was on assessingthe need for adjustments in scoring on theRorschach Inkblot Test with gay men He is clinicaldirector of a private, psychologist-run psychiatricpractice. � A son, Daniel Patrick, was born February28, 2007, to Daniel and Kelly Klotz Diaz (5). Thefamily lives in Carrollton, Texas. � A daughter, HazelJennie, was born March 8 to Stephen and AllisonDavis Stamatis (13). Big sister Lillian welcomedHazel home. The family lives in Weatherford, Texas.Allison completed her doctorate in environmentalscience in December 2007.

01A son, Rhett Blake, was born February 19 to Treyand Amanda Smith Traweek (17).

02Chaney Leigh Brown and Michael Scott Curran (9)were married April 26 at Wynne Chapel with ChetHaney of Parkside Baptist Church in Denisonofficiating. The couple, who honeymooned in Playade Carmen, Mexico, lives in Sherman. Chaney isemployed by Sherman Independent School Districtand began doctoral studies in supervision,curriculum, and instruction in August. Scott is headboys basketball coach at Denison High School. �Naomi “Omi” Kathryn Boggus and Robert L. Ford (6)were married January 19 at Preston HollowPresbyterian Church in Dallas. Officiating pastorswere Steve Jester ’79 of St. Philip Presbyterian

Church and Blair Monie, senior pastor at PrestonHollow Presbyterian Church. The wedding partyincluded Britton Travis Varn ’03 and StephanieAllaire Flores ’02. Attendees included Paula Jonse’02, Heather Graham ’02, Susan Brantley ’02,Jennifer Frye ’02, Brandie Gould Means ’02, JasonMeans ’02, Stacy Smith ’02, Sarah Walker Kinard’02, Matt Kinard ’02, Sarah Beatty Snyder ’04,David Snyder ’02, Melinda Veatch ’85, JohnWilliams ’84, and Courtney Mullins ’10. The newcouple lives in Houston, Texas, where Omi teachesthird grade in the Spring Branch IndependentSchool District and Robert works as a recruiter forTEK Systems. � Geanna Day and Ryan Tubbs (18)were married October 20, 2007, in Lubbock Texas.Alumni Leslie McCrary Siebenhausen, KaylaSmiley ’05, Chris Siebenhausen, and AmandaSmith Traweek ’01 attended and are pictured withthe bride.

03Courtney Paige O’Neal is a public services librarianat the School of Public Health Library at theUniversity of Texas Health Sciences Center atHouston. � Sarah Steward-Lindsey graduated withhonors from the University of Texas School of Law inMay. Following completion of the Texas BarExamination, Sarah will join the Houston office ofLiskow & Lewis as a litigation associate. She andher husband, Colin Lindsey ’01, celebrated theirfirst wedding anniversary May 26. � Beth MarieTerpolilli and Conor M. Teegarden (25) were marriedJune 9, 2007, at the United States Air ForceAcademy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Beth is athird-year medical student at University of TexasHealth Science Center at San Antonio, and Conor isa captain in the United States Air Force. He isstationed in Lakenheath, United Kingdom, where heis a weapons system officer in a F-15E StrikeEagle. The couple lives in Brandon, England.

04Megan Desalee Brentzel and Leonard MitchellJoyner II (3)were married May 24 in a gardenceremony at the ranch home of the bride’sparents. Zach Heath served as a groomsman.Following a honeymoon to Hawaii, the bride andgroom make their home in DuPont, Washington. Megearned a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University ofTexas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, in May 2008.Leo is a first lieutenant in the United States Army,

stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington. � KathrynKincaid and James Paul “JP” Goldsmith (20)weremarried September 22, 2007 in Fort Worth. Kathrynis the daughter of Robert Kincaid ’74 and JP is theson of Glen Goldsmith ’74. The wedding partyincluded Emily Kincaid Youngblood ’97, KristinOrsak ’03, and David Meacham ’04. The newcouple lives in Fort Worth. JP is an architecturestudent at University of Texas at Arlington and amechanical, electrical, and plumbing designer forClass One Solutions, Inc. Kathryn is the membershipand communications coordinator for the Fort WorthChapter of the Texas Society of CPAs. � CoryMcDowell (2) graduated with honors May 12 fromTexas Tech School of Law with a doctorate ofjurisprudence and a Master’s in Financial Planningdegree. Cory and his wife, Jennifer (Whetsel), live inMidland, Texas, where Cory is an attorney withCotton Bledsoe Tighe & Dawson and Jenniferteaches first grade at Burnett Elementary. � Sean D.Sweat graduated from MIT in April and began workfor Intel Corporation in Phoenix, Arizona, as a capitalsupply chain engineer. � Happy Rahman is a first-year associate at Austin law firm Scanlan, Buckle &Young, where she is a general civil litigator. Sheenrolled at Tulane University Law School and wasvery active there, then transferred to the Universityof Texas Law School, where she earned her J.D. in2007. She was published in and served as editor-in-Chief of the Texas Environmental Law Journal, theofficial publication of the State Bar of Texas,Environmental and Natural Resources Section.Happy did bilingual work as a student attorney inboth the Children’s Rights Law Clinic and theCommunity Development Law Clinic. � SarahRussell and Jason Duff (14)were married August 18,2007, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church inDallas, Texas, and were honored with a dinner danceat Old Red Courthouse. Sarah is the daughter ofGary and Catherine Theall Russell ’77. Thewedding party included Meghan Cardwell-Wilson,Lindsay Arnott ’03, Josh George, and TravisRedman. Many other Austin College alumniattended. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii andnow lives in McKinney, Texas. Sarah graduated fromTexas Tech University School of Law in May 2007and is an associate attorney with Wolfe, Tidwell, &McCoy of Frisco, Texas. Jason graduated in May2007 from Oklahoma City University School of Lawand practices law in the Dallas area.


’ r o o notes


Numbers in color after alumni names correspond with photos on pages 44 and 45.

Brandon Willard Honored in Business StudyBrandon Willard ’05, a 2005 graduate of the MBA in Entrepreneurship program at theActon School of Business in Austin, Texas, was named Acton Alumnus of the Year in May. TheBrandon Willard Fellowship awarded this fall allows an Acton student to attend tuition-free.

Brandon said the one-year, 100-hour-per-week program at Acton has three learninggoals for participants: how to learn, how to make money, and how to live a life of meaning.“Austin College sent me to Acton with an outstanding head start,” Brandon said.

After completing his MBA at Acton, Brandon worked in marketing in the high-endnetwork security industry. After a year, he and three partners launched DisplayPoints, aninteractive advertising media product that delivers content at casual restaurants. He hasother plans that lean more toward social entrepreneurship — starting for-profit companieswith the specific mission of serving an area of society in need on a long-term basis.

Brandon arrived at Austin College planning a career in law, though he had an early startin business — selling his drawings and lemonade in his yard at age 5, among other ventures.

Involved with Young Life since high school, his work with the group while at AustinCollege started him toward an MBA program because of a need he saw in the group’sbusiness model. During a January Term course on Global Offshoring, taught by Rebecca

05Ana Guzman received her Master of BusinessAdministration degree from Texas Woman’s Universityin May 2008. � Kimberly Lang and ElizabethSanberg (23)were married June 7 at St. Paul’sAnglican Church in Vancouver, British Columbia. Theyhoneymooned in Lake Louise and Banff, Canada.Kimberly and Elizabeth live in Washington, D.C.,where Kimberly develops online communicationsand marketing strategies for a nonprofitenvironmental organization, and Elizabeth doesresearch on policing issues. � Emily Richardson

3 ’04

4 ’92

1 ’06

Owen graduated from Austin Presbyterian TheologicalSeminary in May and received the Donald Capps Awardfor pastoral care. � Megan Wald presented at the 2008National Student Research Forum in Galveston, Texas. Herresearch also received third place honors at the Universityof Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA)Medical Student Research Day in August 2007. Meganexamined the effects of peripheral thermal injury on brainarchitecture under the auspice of the UTHSCSADepartment of Neurosurgery. She is a medical student atUTHSCSA.

06Alicia Heller and Charles “Ahren” Simmons (1)weremarried March 1 in Houston, Texas. Colleen Walsh‘07, Christin Stinson ‘07, Melissa Levine ‘07, LisaHoffman Loftice, and Jenni Pilsbury Johnson, formerAustin College residence life area coordinator,attended. The couple lives in Manvel, Texas. � Sara C.Mitchell received a master’s degree in computerscience June 15 from the College of Engineering atThe Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto,California. She works with Adobe, a softwareengineering firm in San Jose, and lives in Santa Clara.

Treuhaft Judis ’92, he met Zach Lynde ’90 at an alumni reception. Lynde, an Actonalumnus suggested Brandon look into the school’s entrepreneurial program, taught by realentrepreneurs in a case study setting, as a means to pursue his concerns for Young Life.The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, the new business takes much of his time, butBrandon makes time to mentor a student at Acton and stillseeks ways to help Young Life, “an enormous passion in mylife.” He and his fiancé plan to marry in October 2009 andare considering ways they will work together in support oftheir community. “My family and close friends are thebiggest influence on my life,” Brandon said. “I have grownup with several business owners in my family, and I havewatched them run their businesses while making their faith,family, and friends their highest priority.”

2 ’04

5 ’00

Brandon Willard

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6 ’02



10 ’009 ’02

13 ’00 14 ’04

18 ’02 19 ’95 20 ’04

22 ’78

11 ’92

12 ’65

16 ’00

21 ’93

17 ’01

7 ’96

15 ’95

23 ’05

8 ’00

24 ’92

25 ’03


I N M E M O R I A M

Austin College has received word of the deaths of the following alumni.

’35 John L. Faulkinberry June 9, 2008’41 Lawrence E. Gilbert August 8, 2008’42 LeNoir Moore May 30, 2008’44 Betty Bernice Lee Culy May 31, 2008’45 Carol Ivy Dawson April 14, 2008’45 Hayden Pittman July 25, 2008’47 Anna Elsie Scott April 20, 2008’47 Joy Devault Sory August 20, 2008’49 Robert H. Lang July 14, 2008’50 James L. Jackson July 12, 2008’53 William A. Hodges May 10, 2008’54 Jorge Lara-Braud June 22, 2008’54 Joan McDonald Haile June 20, 2008’57 Joseph Halstead Dwinnell June 16, 2008’57 John Jacob Egbert July 12, 2008’57 Carol Dozier Sprinkel Fritze July 5, 2008’61 Virginia Rene Perdue Hinkley June 30, 2008’61 Carl E. Snider July 27, 2008’66 Phoebe Anne Lester Corry June 14, 2008’69 Jo Ann Evans June 7, 2008’72 Pamela Elley Colley August 14, 2008’83 Dylan Paul Thomas April 8, 2008

Friends We Will MissLongtime Austin College supporter Charlotte Russell Spears of Sherman died June 20, 2008.

K


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S

Austin College Mourns Loss of Senior TrusteesPhilip Coldwell of Dallas, Texas, died May 26. A graduate of theUniversity of Illinois, he earned a Ph.D. in economics and finance at the University of Wisconsin. His education was interrupted by serviceduring World War II as a U.S. Navy F65 Hellcat pilot in the Pacific.

Coldwell taught at universities in Wisconsin, Illinois, Montana, andLouisiana before beginning a career with theFederal Reserve System. He held severalpositions before becoming president of theDallas Federal Reserve Bank in 1968. He wasnominated in 1974 by President Gerald Ford toserve on the seven-member Board of Governorsof the Federal Reserve System. Confirmed bythe U.S. Senate, Coldwell spent the next 18years in Washington, D.C. Upon retiring fromthe Board, he formed an internationalconsulting firm, Coldwell FinancialConsultants, and was a frequent speaker withinthe banking industry.

Coldwell and his wife, Norma AbelsColdwell, returned to Dallas in 1992. He was an active member of ParkCities Presbyterian Church. He and his wife celebrated their 60thwedding anniversary in June 2007.

Coldwell joined the Austin College Board of Trustees in June 1977.He served as a member of the Senior Board until his death.

William Wheat Collins Jr., 95, of Fort Worth, Texas, died June 29.A graduate of the University of North Texas, he later studied at JohnsHopkins University and earned degrees at the Maxwell School of PublicAdministration at Syracuse University and the Southwest School ofBanking at SMU.

His career included public school teachingand band direction, military service, andgovernment service, culminating in hisappointment as regional administrator of theU.S. Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment. After retiring from federalservice, Collins pursued interests in banking, oiland gas, real estate, and ranching. He was amember of University Christian Church.

Collins served on the Board of Trustees atAustin College from 1981 to 1993 and on theSenior Board until his death. His involvementwith Austin College began through his wife,Margaret Binkley Collins ’36, and ranged fromboard service to philanthropy to Dixie Landband performances for Homecoming. He and Margaret, married 55 yearsbefore her death in 2002, were awarded Austin College’s Toddie LeeWynne Award in 1996 for significant contributions to advancement ofthe College.

Philip Coldwell

William Wheat Collins, Jr.

A scholarship has been established in the name of Eric Sorenson ’11 who died inApril. The Eric Sorenson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded each spring to astudent at Austin College or an area high school. Contributions may be made to thefund through American Bank of Texas.


TT RR UU SS TT EE EE SS ::

John Q. Adams, Jr. ’84, Southlake, Texas

Margaret Allison, San Antonio, Texas

John M. Anderson ’66, Dallas, Texas

Jerry E. Apple ’60, Irving, Texas

Lee Dean Ardell ’74, Houston, Texas

James D. Baskin III ’75, Austin, Texas

Laura Dies Campbell ’73, Austin, Texas

Jacqueline R. Cooper ’73, Oakton, Virginia

Linda Morris Elsey, Fort Worth, Texas

F. R. “Buck” Files ’60, Tyler, Texas

Georgina Fisher ’69, Severna Park, Maryland

Rebecca Moseley Gafford ’72, Dallas, Texas

Donald Gibson ’75, Houston, Texas

Dennis E. Gonier ’83, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Thomas Hall, Jr. ’78, Colleyville, Texas

Mary Ann Stell Harris ’70, Fort Worth, Texas

Charles Hendricks ’61, The Woodlands, Texas

Kelly Hiser, Sherman, Texas

M. Steve Jones, Sherman, Texas

B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S

CC HH AA II RR ::

Robert M. Johnson ’53, McLean, Virginia

VV II CC EE CC HH AA II RR ::

Richard J. Agnich, Dallas, Texas

Sharon S. King, Richardson, Texas

Jeffrey Landsberg ’81, Dallas, Texas

Luan Beaty Mendel ’75, Palo Verdes, California

Steven M. Mobley, Austin, Texas

Wes Moffett ’82, Dallas, Texas

Samuel S. Moore ’64, Dallas, Texas

Jo Ann Geurin Pettus, Graham, Texas

Davis B. Price ’67, Lubbock, Texas

Fazlur Rahman, San Angelo, Texas

Annadele H. Ross ’66, Dallas, Texas

John Serhant, Denison, Texas

Caroline Elbert Taylor ’66, Wyalusing, Pennsylvania

Jesse R. Thomas ’74, Sherman, Texas

Linda Plummer Ward ’78, Nashville, Tennessee

William E. Warren ’74, Plano, Texas

Todd A. Williams ’82, Dallas, Texas

Stanley M. Woodward, Dallas, Texas

Michael G. Wright, Dallas, Texas

Robert J. Wright, Dallas, Texas

K m e e t t h e trustee


The parallels between Annadele “Ann” Holm Ross ’66 and one of herancestors run deeper than bloodlines. Ann is a sixth generation Texasnative descended from the famous Texas pioneering Austin family.(Emily would be her great-great-great-great grandmother.) Emily andAnn have walked ironically similar paths: both facing the challenges ofyoung widowhood, managing their family’s estates, investing their timeand resources into education and community philanthropy, and beingsupportive of Austin College.

Ann graduated from Austin College in 1966 and moved to Dallasto work for the Dallas Public Library. She met and married Daniel Rossin Dallas, but when she was 30, hedied. “I had new duties after myhusband died,” said Ross, whodecided to obtain a master’s ofbusiness administration degreefrom Southern MethodistUniversity to assist her inperforming these new tasks. Hercareer path included work in thebanking industry and helpingestablish the Dallas Women’sFoundation — serving as itspresident in the ‘90s — until shedecided to manage her ownproperty, a timber operation on herlate husband’s East Texas farm andreal estate in Dallas.

Ann’s work with the Dallas Women’s Foundation was a specialinterest in her life. “The Dallas Women’s Foundation was attempting toeducate women about their money and money management, which Ithink is really important for women’s ability to be independent,” shesaid. Ann expanded her already active involvement in civic servicewhen accepting the invitation to join the Austin College Board ofTrustees and maintain formal family ties to the institution.

“My education concerns are similar to Emily Margaret’s in thesense that I believe we need critical thinkers for the challenges in thestate and nation,” Ann said. “I believe Austin College is ideally suited toeducate people with those interdisciplinary critical thinking skills as ithas for generations.” Ann believes the Austin College Board of Trusteesmay need a little of Emily’s pioneer spirit to face challenges close tohome like building a new science building and finding a new collegepresident, not to mention meeting the broader challenges in the world.

“We must continue to move the College to an excellent futuremost of us may not fully understand at present,” she said. “We have toemploy everyone’s abilities. We all have to be visionaries like EmilyMargaret Austin was to get Austin College where it needs to be.”

Ann Ross

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October 200818 Math and Sciences Admission Preview

20 Steven Greenblatt Lecture

23–25 Homecoming

26 Faculty Trio Recital

30 Darwin 200 Lecture: Steve Goldsmith

November 20087 Leadership Forum

13 Choral Concert

14–15 Cunningham Lectures

16 Wynne Chapel 50th Anniversary Celebration

18–20 Africa Symposium

19 Concert Band Performance

21–22 Festival of One-Act Plays

22 Social Sciences Admission Preview

24 Chamber Music and Jazz Concert

December 20081 World AIDS Day Service

4 Service of Lessons and Carols

12 Fall Term Ends

See the Austin College Master Calendar for details, updates, and afull schedule of events: www.austincollege.edu/calendar


D I S C O V E R

T H E R E A S O N S

1 | 1 | 0 9


A boat full of women and a giant whale in Sherman? This photo is bound

to bring some memories to those on campus at the time. Recognize

classmates or remember other particulars of this shot? Share your stories at

the address below.

Alumni: Share YOUR Austin College photos for possible inclusion in Every

Picture Tells A Story. Send to Editor, Austin College, 900 N. Grand Ave.,

Suite 6H, Sherman, Texas 75090 or [email protected].

� E V E R Y P I C T U R E T E L L S A S T O R Y

T H E S T O R Y B E H I N D T H E P H O T O �

DDoorrootthhyy KKeelllleeyy GGrreeeenn ’59, CChheesstteerr SSttoorryy ’59, MMaarriillyynn SSllaattee

MMccKKnniigghhtt ’53, and JJoohhnn SSttoorreeyy ’70 wrote that this photo was

likely from the late 1950s and though many faces were familiar,

a few brought particular memories. Dorothy and Chester

recognized EEllmmeerr FFllaaccccuuss at the front of the line, who Chester

said “brought many phases of history to life for all of us.”

Marilyn identified CCeecciill MMccLLaauugghhlliinn next in line. Dorothy

recognized, fifth from left, Professor ““TTeeee--HHeeee”” MMiilllleerr, who

taught a course on the Romantic poets. “She had a little laugh

when the content of poems was even remotely suggestive of sex

and a becoming blush seldom seen today,” Dorothy wrote.

Marilyn thought the same person might be MMaarrggaarreett MMiilllleerr?

Several recognized, eighth and near the end of those pictured,

Dr. CCllyyddee HHaallll who taught “slide rule” and who “never

changes.” John identified his father, JJaammeess SSttoorreeyy to the left of

Hall. John wrote that his family lived a block from campus until

John was age 12; he later returned to the college as a student.

PHOTO

FROM THE AU

STIN COLLEG

E AR

CHIVES

PHOTO

FROM THE AU

STIN COLLEG

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learning|leadership|lasting values

Austin CollegeOffice of College Relations900 Nor th Grand Avenue, Suite 6HSherman, Texas 75090-4400

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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“There are things to be done,needs to be met,and hurts to be healed.If you do not do your part,something very importantwill remain undone forever.”

— Henry Winkler

OPENING AUSTIN COLLEGE’S 160TH ACADEMIC YEAR


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