ILLINOIS STATE E-LUMNI NEWS - Volume 4, Number 4
March 21, 2005
REDEFINING "NORMAL" CAMPAIGN REACHES SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION
In late February, Illinois State celebrated the conclusion of Redefining “normal,” announcing that the University’s first comprehensive campaign raised $96,074,854, more than $8 million over its $88 million goal. Details on amounts raised for specific priorities and some notable highlights are available at www.IllinoisState.edu/alumni/enews/rnconcludes.shtml.
“The gifts to this campaign are allowing the University to consider unprecedented opportunities and enhance its position in higher education,” said President Al Bowman. Susan Kern, vice president for University Advancement, praised the hundreds of employees and volunteers whose work made Redefining “normal” a success.
To all alumni who participated, THANK YOU!
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2005 AWARD RECIPIENTS, CEREMONY ANNOUNCED
Ten Illinois State alumni have been selected as recipients of the 2005 Outstanding Young Alumni, Alumni Achievement, E. Burton Mercier Alumni Service, and Distinguished Alumni awards. Among them are researchers, educators, and leaders from the worlds of science, education, non-profit service, and business. For a complete listing of these alums, their photos, and their credentials, please see the Alumni Awards Web page.
These alumni will be honored at the Alumni Award Ceremony at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, in the Ballroom of the Bone Student Center. All alumni are welcome and encouraged to join us for this always-inspiring and entertaining event, which is open to the public. There is no charge to attend, but reservations are requested; please contact Nancy Neisler in Alumni Services at (800) 366-4478 or (309) 438-ALUM. For additional information on the program or nominating an alum for a future award, please contact Susan Callahan in Alumni Services.
ALUMNI LETTERS HELP ILLINOIS STATE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS
Nearly 400 prospective students will receive personal letters from some dedicated alumni encouraging them to consider attending Illinois State. Members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors are using this personal touch with high school seniors with high ACT scores who have been accepted to ISU but have not yet committed to attending. The letters will highlight the quality of the educational experience at Illinois State and include some personal stories from graduates.
Don Shafer '76, president of the Alumni Association, initiated the collaboration with ISU's Admissions Office. "For a student who has been accepted to several universities, a personal letter from an alum might be just the extra touch needed to help them choose Illinois State,” said Shafer.
“The Alumni Association Board members are going above and beyond the call of duty by writing these letters,” said Molly (Hirt) Arnold '83, M.S. '86, director of Admissions. “These letters will provide a wonderful, personal touch that will help Illinois State stand out.”
For more information on this letter-writing program, please contact Alumni Services director Barbara Todd '79, M.S. '84.
SPRING OFFERS SEVERAL SPECIAL EVENTS FOR ALL ALUMNI
The Alumni Association, its chapters and clubs, and the Alumni Services staff provide a wide variety of events for alumni throughout each year. However, this spring offers several extra-special offerings for all alumni:
* The Alumni Association is pleased to host a private viewing of the elegant exhibit Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years on April 21 at the Field Museum in Chicago, exclusively for Illinois State alumni and their guests. More than 70 garments worn by one of history's great fashion icons are combined with photographs, documents, and film clips in the exhibit. A 5:30 p.m. hors d'oeuvres and cocktail reception with University President Al Bowman is included.
* All alumni are invited to the annual Alumni Association Legislative Breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on May 5 at the Illinois State Library, located on the Corner of Capitol and 2nd streets in Springfield. This event is an annual opportunity for alumni, administrators, faculty/staff, and students to meet with members of the Illinois General Assembly to promote their continued support of Illinois State University.
* As baseball season arrives in Illinois, we've got some of the hottest tickets around: Cubs vs. White Sox on June 24 at U.S. Cellular Field, and Cardinals vs. Cubs on September 15 at Wrigley Field. Due to the high demand for these tickets, alumni must enter ticket lotteries this spring and names will be drawn at random.
Details and deadlines on these and other events and on the baseball ticket lotteries are available on the Alumni Services Web site Events Calendar.
CAMPUS RELAY FOR LIFE SEEKING ALUMNI VOLUNTEERS
Students participating in Colleges Against Cancer are currently planning the Illinois State University Relay for Life April 22-23 on campus, to benefit cancer research through the American Cancer Society. Alumni who are cancer survivors or currently fighting cancer are invited to participate in the survivorship lap around the Quad at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 22. Alumni volunteers are also needed for many tasks, and a special alumni team has been created. If you are interested in volunteering or have additional questions, please contact isurelay4life@hotmail.com.
WELCOME, DECEMBER 2004 GRADUATES!
December saw 1,366 new degrees completed by 1,179 undergraduates and 187 graduates. To all of you who are brand-new Illinois State alumni and receiving your first issue of the Illinois State E-lumni News, congratulations from your Alumni Association family! Your 156,000+ cohorts around the world welcome you!
New grads: Check out services of interest to you and answers to questions at our New Graduates Web page.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST ALUMNI CHAPTER: GREATER DENVER AREA
In February, President Al Bowman and assistant director of Alumni Services Michelle Cole '96 presented organizers of the Greater Denver Area Alumni Chapter with their official charter from the Alumni Association. The new chapter serves nearly 1,800 alumni who live in Denver and its surrounding communities in Colorado. Special congratulations and thanks go to chapter organizers Jana Whitman '90, Roger Mendenhall '72, and Sasha Mosser '01.
The new chapter's Web page is at www.IllinoisState.edu/alumni/chapters/Denver.shtml.
ASK ALUMNI SERVICES
QUESTION: "I graduated last year. One of my friends was given a really neat key chain with the University seal on it. She said she got it from the Alumni Association. How can I get one?" --- Sonja Drewan-Tenneta '03, Dawson, Illinois
ANSWER: The Alumni Association and the Illinois State University Foundation present the key chains as welcome gifts to graduating seniors. They are distributed at each semester’s "Grad Finale" where seniors sign up for graduation services.
Each key chain has a unique ID number that must be registered to its owner. Then, if the alum loses his/her keys and a good Samaritan drops them in a U.S. mailbox, they are returned to the Alumni office and we contact the owner. Just another service we provide to our alums. . . .
Since you missed getting yours, Sonja, please e-mail Linda Brown in Alumni Services to get one. Other alumni, if you received one but it has been lost or broken, replacements are available for $5.00.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Details on alumni events can be found on our Events Calendar Web page.
