December 2008 

Around Campus

arjorie Hass, provost of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been selected to serve as the 15th president of Austin College. She will begin her duties on July 1, 2009. Her appointment was recommended by a search committee composed of trustees, faculty, staff, and alumni and student leadership, and was approved by the Austin College Board of Trustees on Friday, November 7, during its fall meeting. In accepting the appointment at Saturday’s plenary session of the Board, Hass was accompanied by her husband, Lawrence Hass, professor of philosophy and theatre arts and director of the Theory and Art of Magic program at Muhlenberg College, and their two children, Cameron, 19, and Jessica, 14. “Austin College’s values are inspiring, and I am excited about so many things about this institution and its people,” said Hass. “We are thrilled to be joining this warm and welcoming community.” She added, “My initial interest was piqued by the College’s strong academic reputation, particularly in areas such as language learning and global awareness. As I learned more, I became deeply impressed by the extent to which faculty are taking advantage of the College’s location to support environmental and regional studies, and by the way the College is using its internal commitment to service, leadership, and ethical decision making to mark its excellence with distinction. Austin College has been nationally recognized as a college that changes the lives of its students. I am eager to be a part of moving the College to its next level of success and ensuring that future generations of talented students have the opportunity for an Austin College education.” Hass was appointed Muhlenberg’s first provost in 2004, after having served since 2003 as interim dean of the college and vice president for academic affairs. Before that, she was director of Muhlenberg’s Center for Ethics, from 2000 to 2003. Hass began her career at Muhlenberg in 1993, teaching in the philosophy department, and earned tenure in 1998 and promotion to full professor in 2006. She specializes in the philosophy of logic, the philosophy of language, and feminist philosophy, and earned her Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993 and her B.A. and M.A. degrees at the same institution in 1987 and 1989. Robert M. Johnson introduces Marjorie Hass as the 15th president of Austin College “As testament to its increasing national stature,” said Robert M. Johnson ’53, chair of the Austin College Board of Trustees, “the College attracted a strong field of outstanding candidates for its leadership position. The selection of Dr. Hass is affirmation of our confidence that she is a rising star ideally suited to define and realize what we know will be a continued bright future for Austin College.” This sentiment was echoed by Dick Agnich, chair of the search committee and vice chair of the Board of Trustees. “Margie Hass has already accomplished much in her dynamic academic career,” he said, “and we are excited to have her come and lead Austin College, where she will achieve even more.” Agnich added, “She understands and respects the things that make Austin College a special place. At the same time, she will not be afraid to make changes and lead in whatever directions are necessary for Austin College to thrive in the coming times, whether these times are difficult or easy ones.” Agnich also applauded the search process, which he described as “very thorough and very open.” In particular, Agnich was pleased with the active participation of the entire campus community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the College. “There’s no question that Austin College has hit a home run with this appointment,” said Peyton R. Helm, president of Muhlenberg College. “Margie is a brilliant and accomplished scholar, a gifted administrator and problem-solver, and a visionary leader. She has a knack for putting people at ease and for motivating them to act. She understands and respects the work of the faculty and enjoys the company of students. Most important, she is a woman of courage and integrity — who knows what’s right and doesn’t hesitate to do it. We are going to miss Margie here at Muhlenberg, where she has accomplished so much, but she is going to be a great president for Austin College.” In her role as provost, Hass initiated an innovative program that created new funding and faculty development opportunities for teaching methods that bridge the gap between theory and practice. As a result, faculty-student research collaborations, study abroad experiences, and service-learning opportunities at Muhlenberg increased in number, depth, and quality. In addition, through a combination of good planning and flexibility, Muhlenberg was able to increase the size of its tenure-track faculty over the past five years and create a number of new interdisciplinary programs. An experienced and energetic spokesperson for the singular importance f liberal arts education for individuals, communities, and for global citizenship, Hass said she is eager “to bring Austin College’s unique vision and distinctive strengths to the attention of a broader national audience. At the same time,” she added, “any residential college needs a president who is prepared to participate actively in the life of the institution and its surrounding community. This will be a special delight for me at Austin College, and I look forward to being a part of the Sherman and greater Texoma communities.” Lawrence, Marjorie, Jessica, and Cameron Hass at the announcement “We all look forward to welcoming Dr. Hass to Austin College,” said Oscar C. Page, who has served as president of Austin College since 1994 and announced this past March that he would step down June 30. “I am eager to begin working with her to achieve a smooth transition of leadership, and I know our senior administrative staff will be very supportive in this process as well.” In advance of beginning her official duties on July 1, 2009, Hass expressed excitement about meeting with students, faculty, staff, and alumni as opportunities allow.

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Thomas R. Williams Intramural Complex Dedicated

Austin College President Oscar C. Page called time out for an intramural basketball game and men’s and women’s lacrosse practices October 2 to begin the dedication ceremony for the College’s new Thomas R. Williams Intramural Complex. Located on the west side of Porter Street, the facility is alongside other practice and competition fields for the College’s athletics teams.

A gift from the Todd and Abby Williams Family Foundation of Dallas funded construction and landscaping of the 138,000-square-foot area that provides lighted field space to accommodate lacrosse, soccer, flag football, softball, and ultimate Frisbee competition, as well as two lighted outdoor basketball courts. The entry plaza includes a lighted walkway and benches and landscaping around the complex complements the overall campus plan and includes brick columns, a hedgerow, and more than 50 trees planted on the perimeter. 

Todd Williams ’82 and other alumni made additional gifts to name various portions of the complex in honor of alumni and faculty. Williams and Brian Ainsworth ’85 spoke on behalf of the donors, remembering their late classmate Andrew Campbell ’83 and coach Robert Todd Mason ’52, while offering encouragement and support for current Austin College students.

Williams said he and President Page were driving around the area alongside the football and baseball stadiums several months ago and Page mentioned the plans to create an intramural field on the site. Williams, noting that they had just driven from Richards to Williams streets, was reminded of his father Thomas Richard Williams. Personally touched by the symbolism, Williams pledged funds that would move Page's dream beyond his initial plans for ground preparation and leveling to the landscaped and lighted area dedicated this fall. Tim Millerick, vice president for Student Affairs and Athletics, offered thanks to the alumni and friends for their generosity in providing better facilities for Austin College students involved in intramural and recreational activities.

Several Austin College alumni joined in funding the basketball complex, which honors Mason, longtime Austin College coach and athletic director who died in 1999, and a basketball court named for Andrew Campbell, who passed away after a battle with cancer shortly following his graduation. Members of the Campbell family were present to visit with many alumni as was Ann Biggerstaff Mason ’53 and her son Rick Mason.

Landscape architect for the project was Lynda Tycher of Dallas, with field design by the architectural firm of PageSoutherlandPage, also of Dallas. Contractor on the project was Plyler Construction of Sherman and lighting designer was Richard Lentz ’76 of Dallas.

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Quammen Speaks on Writing The Reluctant Mr. Darwin

David Quammen, author of The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, will speak at Austin College February 10, 2009, at 7 p.m. in Ida Green Theatre of Ida Green Communication Center. The event is part of the “Darwin 200” lecture series at Austin College celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of his influential book, The Origin of the Species. Quammen’s book was selected as Austin College’s 2008 summer read. Quammen earned a bachelor’s degree at Yale University in 1970. He has written numerous award-winning books and papers, especially in the field of nature writing. Quammen has held the Wallace Stegner Distinguished Professor of Western American Studies at Montana State University since 2007 and serves as a contributing writer for The National Geographic. Quammen has written for several magazines through his career including Outside magazine, Harper’s, Smithsonian, and Rolling Stone. He lives with his wife, Betsy Gaines, in Bozeman, Montana, a place he said he relocated to 33 years ago “for the trout fishing.”

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Grant Promotes Emergency Preparedness

Thanks to a generous grant from Communities Foundation of Texas, Austin College has implemented additional safety and security preparedness capabilities to its existing emergency alert system. At just over $113,000, the grant from the W.W. Caruth, Jr., Foundation, a supporting organization at Communities Foundation of Texas, will assure a multifaceted approach to campus safety by combining high-tech and low-tech systems to improve response times to a security threat. The tragedy at Virginia Tech, just over one year ago, served as a grim example of the danger of campus violence and placed a high priority on improved public safety in the college campus environment. Austin College has taken seriously its need for quick response for the college and surrounding community in the face of imminent danger.

“The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is foremost in our minds, along with that of the many neighbors and schoolchildren in close proximity to our campus,” said Oscar C. Page, president of Austin College. “The Caruth grant allows us to strengthen and broaden our ability to be responsible caretakers of those in and nearby our campus community.” Over the last year, the College’s Crisis Response Team has engaged in a thorough review of systems and safety policies. Like campuses across the country, Austin College recently implemented a Web-based emergency alert system that allows up to nine contact points for each student, faculty, and staff member, including communication via email, voicemail, and text messaging in addition to cell and landline phones.

Campus administrators have found wisdom in using low-tech approaches as well. Computer-based outdoor loudspeakers and sirens are viewed as the best solution to assure that everyone on campus and the surrounding area knows immediately when danger threatens. In addition to providing a new on-campus warning siren at the northwest corner of the College Green, the Caruth grant made possible the purchase of a new radio system for the College’s Campus Police, safety vests for campus officers, two GEM electric vehicles for campus patrol, and upgraded the campus police’s radio system to a digital radio system with its own FCC-approved frequency that integrates more seamlessly with local law enforcement communication systems. While all residence halls and many other buildings on the Austin College campus have had controlled access systems since 1997, the grant also made it possible to install card access security systems in Caruth Administration Building, Lyndall Finlay Wortham Center, Ida Green Communication Center, and Arthur Hopkins Center. Tim Millerick, vice president for Student Affairs and Athletics, said the updates have improved the College’s ability for rapid response and communication in the event of a campus security alert or weather emergency. From there, he said, the Crisis Response Team will monitor the need for additional security measures. “It is our intention to leave no stone unturned regarding preparedness,” said Millerick. “This is a constantly evolving process that requires our continual attention.”

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Student International Organization Promotes Awareness
Through 7th Annual International Fashion Show

Austin College student organizations came together in November to present the seventh annual Student International Organization (SIO) Fashion Show and banquet, with some 300 attendees. This year, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship represented America, joining Black Expressions, Indian Cultural Association, Muslim Student Association, Asian Student Association, and Los Amigos members in representing the clothing from various parts of the world and presenting cultural performances. The fundraiser benefits a different charity annually, this year supporting Kids to Kids in Nairobi, Kenya. The SIO’s overall goal is to make students more aware of the many cultures that surround them and to provide a support system for international students at Austin College. The group also hosts an annual student religion panel and the SIO Comedy Show each spring.

The International Fashion Show brought out brilliantly colored costumes.
Pictured in front are, left to right, Reena Patro and Isha Joshi.

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Austin College Increases Positive Impact on Local Economy

ustin College had an economic impact of more than $202 million on the area economy during the 2007–2008 academic year, an almost $21 million increase from the previous year, according to a recently released Economic Impact Statement. Austin College calculated its economic impact to the Sherman and north Texas region by looking at direct and indirect forms of impact, including salaries, expenditures to local vendors, and visitors to the Sherman campus. “Austin College has long enjoyed the support of the local community and generous financial contributions from the area,” said President Oscar C. Page. “The Economic Impact Statement clearly shows the College’s investment in the local community. Our investment with local vendors increased by more than $3 million, and this plus continued increase in the impact created by students and families makes Austin College one of the largest participants in the local economy.” Revenue generated by students, their parents, and visitors to the campus add to the figures to a total estimated at $35,673,221. Throughout the summer months alone, Austin College hosts more than 5,200 young people and adults in conferences and camps, resulting in expenditures in the local community of $939,200. Data for the Economic Impact Statement were compiled by the Austin College Office of Institutional Research.

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Making History Happen

A simple tribute to a history teacher grew into a program deemed historic itself … a permanent partnership between Austin College and the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum of the University of Texas Center for American History. It all started with an Austin College alumnus reading a magazine article that mentioned his favorite teacher.

Thomas Schmid ’65 of Falls Church, Virginia, thumbing through a copy of Smithsonian Magazine in 1979, came across a review of a compilation of the late Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn’s speeches and papers, Speak, Mr. Speaker, edited by his Austin College professor of history, Edward Hake Phillips. Schmid wrote to Phillips to congratulate him on the book and the wonderful review. “I was delighted to have a handwritten response by return mail,” said Schmid.

So began a correspondence that has lasted for almost 30 years. Phillips explained that he had been involved in some work at the Sam Rayburn Library in Bonham, Sam Rayburn’s hometown about 25 miles east of Sherman. Through the years, Phillips has served on the library’s board of directors and in other advisory capacities. Schmid recently learned that Austin College has the opportunity to send an intern each summer to the Sam Rayburn Library. An idea formed, and in early 2008, Schmid wrote to classmates and other history majors of the College, suggesting that an endowment could permanently fund an Edward Hake Phillips Scholar for a summer internship at the Sam Rayburn Library.

The gifts came pouring in. During Homecoming Weekend 2008, only nine months after Schmid’s letter to classmates, a celebration of the newly endowed internship turned into a pageant of homage to Phillips, one of Austin College’s most beloved faculty members. A standing-room-only crowd filled the lecture hall as alumni, faculty, students, and leaders of the Rayburn Library observed the effects one teacher could have during a half-century of devotion to academic activity.

Mike Imhoff, vice president for Academic
Affairs, greets Pat and Ed Phillips.

The Edward Hake Phillips Internship Endowment reached $58,051 in gifts and pledges by Homecoming. Additional contributions can be made through the Austin College Office of Development, 900 N. Grand Ave., Sherman, Texas 75090.

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Austin College Hosts Undergraduate Research Conference

“Darwin 200: Bridging Disciplines/Breaking Boundaries”
April 24–25, 2009
Keynote Address: David Buss, leading evolutionary psychologist,
University of Texas at Austin

“Darwin 200: Bridging Disciplines/Breaking Boundaries” will be the topic of the annual Austin College undergraduate research conference scheduled April 24–25, 2009. David Buss, a leading evolutionary psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, will present the keynote address.

“The call for papers went out this fall with information on the keynote speaker and we’ve heard from students as far away as Croatia who want to hear Dr. Buss speak,” said Carol Daeley, professor of English and coordinator of this year’s conference.

After completing his doctorate in 1981 at the University of California, Berkeley, David Buss spent four years on the faculty at Harvard University, then 11 years at the University of Michigan before accepting his current position. His primary interests include the evolutionary psychology of human mating strategies; conflict between the sexes; prestige, status, and social reputation; the emotion of jealousy; homicide; anti-homicide defenses; and stalking.

He has received numerous awards and honors for his teaching, research, and writing. His publications include Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind, The Murderer Next Door: Why the Mind Is Designed to Kill, The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, The Dangerous Passion: Why Jealousy Is as Necessary as Love and Sex, and The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating.

“The conference is largely run and organized by students,” Daeley said. “Our main goals are to provide an opportunity for undergraduates to build professional relationships, prepare for graduate studies, and share some of their best work.”

Several Austin College faculty members will participate in panel discussions and students from Austin College and several colleges across the United States will make presentations regarding their own research. In addition, a panel of Austin Teacher Program alumni and students will speak on teaching Darwin in public schools.

Watch the Austin College News Release Web Site for more details.

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Students Respond to Hurricane Ike Victims

Students reacted quickly this fall through the campus Service Station to raise funds and collect supplies for the victims of Hurricane Ike, sending clean-up supplies and more than $355 in collections.

The Service Station is planning an Alternative Spring Break trip to Galveston in March to assist residents with clean up and rebuilding after the disaster.

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News Briefs

Art Department Hosts Exhibit

The Austin College Department of Art and Art History hosted the exhibit “Body Notes” by artist Pinky Bass August 26 through September 26 in the Wilma and Terrence Dennis Gallery of the Betsy Forster Art Studio Complex.

Bass completed a bachelor’s degree at Agnes Scott College, then at age 50, attended Georgia State University for a master’s in fine arts degree in painting and drawing. In that process, she discovered a talent in photography through installation, mixed media, and performance, which figure prominently in her current work.

Bass has been featured in more than 40 one-person shows and in numerous group exhibitions throughout the United States as well as in Mexico, Italy, Germany, Macedonia, and Canada. Her work is included in numerous collections, including the High Museum in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Polaroid Collection.

College Events Mark Constitution Day

Austin College students offered several activities to mark Constitution Day, celebrated September 17, the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787.

The Austin College student newspaper, The Observer, presented a full-page story about Constitution Day and freedom of the press; Campus Activities Board and The Observer sponsored a showing of the movie All the Presidents Men; and several items relating to the Constitution were displayed in an Abell Library Center exhibit.

Career Services Staff Host Etiquette Dinner

Knowing the right answers to a potential employer’s questions is not always enough to secure the job. Understanding tasks such as the appropriate way to pass items around the table, eat various food items, or respond to offers of alcoholic beverages can make or break the impression of potential employers when the interview process includes a meal.

Austin College’s Career Services professionals offered the annual Etiquette Dinner in September, at which issues such as these are addressed, not only by Margie Briscoe Norman ’83, director of Career Services, and other Austin College staff and faculty, but also by North Texas business professionals.

Students Stage Chapter Two

Gregory Hernandez ’09 directed Neil Simon’s Chapter Two in September. In the proposal prepared for his directing project, he said he selected this play for the opportunity to explore the relationships between the characters. “I have come to realize that the nature of this piece, a man experiencing the second chapter of his life, is much like the changes we college students are facing now,” Hernandez wrote. “It’s a new chapter, a new phase, one in which we have to let go of everything we’ve held onto and known for so long and embrace the strange, wonderful scariness of the real world. “

Piers Hale Lectures in Darwin Series

Austin College’s lecture series, “Darwin 200: Contributions/Controversies,” continued September 25 with a presentation by Piers Hale, University of Oklahoma assistant professor of the history of science.

The Darwin series continued October 30 with Steve Goldsmith, Austin College professor of biology and dean of Sciences, and the presentation “Darwin’s Second Most Important Idea: Selection in Relation to Sex.”

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Saturday Morning Program Continues

Austin College’s long-running service effort, Saturday Morning Program for Neighborhood Children, continued this fall, with the first session October 4 and the theme of “Spooky Science.” Children watched a science presentation by Brad Smucker, assistant professor of chemistry, and then had the chance to test their science skills. Stephanie Mathew ’09 is the student coordinator for the project, in which Austin College students spend four hours one Saturday morning each month with children in campus projects designed for learning, recreation, and mentoring.

Shakespearean Scholar Offers Lecture

World-renowned Shakespearean and English literature scholar Stephen Greenblatt visited Austin College October 20 to present a lecture on Shakespeare and Cervantes, “The Strange Case of Cardenio.”

Family Weekend Brings Visitors to Campus

Austin College welcomed families of current students to campus for Family Weekend in September. The weekend’s activities were designed to allow parents and family members to become better acquainted with the campus community while visiting and catching up with their students.

Center for Environmental Studies Hosts Lunch Forums

Austin College’s Center for Environmental Studies hosted a discussion September 30 on the environmental platforms of the 2008 U.S. presidential candidates. The discussion was part of the center’s Environmental Issues Lunch Forum series, which continued October 14 with “What is in my water bottle — and does it cause cancer?” Andy Carr, associate professor of chemistry, and Kim Snipes, biology safety officer and instructor, made the presentation focusing on the chemical Bisphenol A found in many plastics. A November forum was to be led by Jeff Czajkowski, assistant professor of economics, and his students on “Valuing Ecosystems Services: Ecologists vs. Economists.”

Magic in the Metroplex

Austin College, SMU, TCU, and the University of Dallas hosted a ninth joint tour for secondary school counselors October 28–29. The tour included counselors specifically from Oklahoma and members of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. In spring 2009, the 10th joint tour will include counselors from Texas, with the exception of Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex counselors, who were invited to an earlier tour.

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Communication Studies Department Stages Hamlet

The Austin College Communication Studies Department staged William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with performances October 23–25. Kathleen Campbell, professor of communication studies, was director and set designer for the play.

“This production gives people an opportunity to see Shakespeare’s most famous play many would argue the best play written in English – with Shakespeare’s most intriguing character,” Campbell said. She added that the role of Hamlet is also the longest role in a play  written in English. Campbell edited the text to create a production, including intermission, which ran approximately three hours. Costuming was a blend of contemporary and Renaissance style.

“The main area of interest in this play is not necessarily the plot,” Campbell said, “but the incredibly complex and ambiguous central character. Some scholars think of this play as the point when theatre moved from the medieval world of symbolism and schematic designs into the modern world of complexity and ambiguity.”

Students Mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Austin College students and faculty planned several campus events in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Kim Snipes, biology lab coordinator and safety officer, was a principal organizer for these events. “Someone is diagnosed with breast cancer every two minutes,” said Snipes, herself a breast cancer survivor. “Austin College turned pink in October, joining the fight against this disease and in the efforts to find a cure.” Funds from the various efforts benefited the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

“Tuesday Afternoon” Lecture Series Highlights Faculty Lectures

Greg Kinzer, assistant professor of English presented “Every one who ever was or is or will be alive: Gertrude Stein, Mathematics, and The Making of Americans” in the fall term’s first “Tuesday Afternoon with …” lecture September 30. Seth Wright ’98, adjunct professor of philosophy, presented “Implicit and Explicit Narratives: The Cases of State-Sponsored Education and Infant Baptism” during the series October 14.

The lectures, presented by Austin College faculty, are sponsored by the Johnson Center for Liberal Arts Teaching and Scholarship. Patrick Duffey, professor of Spanish and dean of Humanities, and David Griffith, associate professor of business administration, were scheduled for lectures in November and December.

Kuba Art on Display

Austin College offered a glimpse of the Congo and the culture of the Bakuba people through an African art exhibit, “Art of the Kuba,” on display in the Abell Library Archives and Special Collections Suite October 24 through November 26.

The exhibit of carvings, masks, weavings, weaponry, jewelry, and clothing of the Kuba people of the Congo was curated by Justin Banks, Austin College archivist. All of the artifacts were from the Mark Keller Poole and Sara Day Poole Collection and are on loan from the heirs of Elizabeth Poole Shepherd ’58 and by Amelia Poole Sudderth ’59.

The exhibit was held in connection with the 2008 Africa Symposium “Arts and Acts of Africa,” November 18– 20, to feature the keynote address “Stop the Sun: The Art of Masquerade in Southern Kuba Culture” by David Binkley.

Binkley, an art historian who has lived in the Congo among the Kuba and is among the foremost U.S. experts on Kuba art, was scheduled to speak about Kuba history as well as the system of title holding and the relationship of art making to the political hierarchy, including textile production and masquerade performance.

NASA Astronaut Visits Campus

NASA astronaut Stephanie D. Wilson, who logged more than 28 days in space in 2006 and 2007 Discovery missions, discussed “The Making of an Astronaut” in an Austin College presentation October 22.

Wilson, a native of Massachusetts, earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Harvard University in 1988 and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in 1992.

Selected by NASA in April 1996, Wilson reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996 as a mission specialist. She traveled to space in Discovery STS-121 in 2006 and Discovery STS-120 in 2007. The 2006 project was a return-to-flight test mission and assembly flight to the International Space Station. The mission was accomplished in 306 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds. The 2007 flight launched from and returned to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission was accomplished in 238 orbits, traveling 6.2 million miles in 15 days, 2 hours, and 23 minutes.

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Alumna Highlighted in “Kissed by Nature” Exhibit

The Austin College Department of Art presented artwork of Susie Fowler ’75 in the exhibit “Kissed by Nature: Texas Textures from Cliff to Shore” October 24 through December 12 in Ida Green Gallery of Ida Green Communication Center.

Fowler, who works primarily in clay, often impressed with plants, shells, and found objects, pursued graduate studies at Boston University and independent studies at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Anderson Ranch in Snowmass, Colorado, expanding her definition of pottery and her awareness for clay art. She established her Shade Tree Potter studio in Sherman in 1977, though now has moved her studio to Spicewood, Texas.

“The boundary between art and craft never existed for me,” the artist said. “I enjoyed the craftsmanship required to bring my pieces ‘to life.’ I was an education and biology major who became a painting and drawing major who then embraced clay, transferring my drawing and color interests into the ceramic palette.”

Faculty Perform Music Recital

Austin College music faculty Barbara Case, piano; Cathy Richardson, viola; and Ricky Duhaime, clarinet, presented a program of chamber music October 26.

The trio had performed the same program, featuring works by Libby Larsen, Max Bruch, and Jean Francaix, earlier in the month at North Central Texas College in Gainesville, Texas; Unitarian Universal Church of Oak Cliff, Texas; and Grayson County College and Trinity Lutheran Church of Sherman.

Homecoming Royalty Elected

Maggie Marshall ’10 and Michael Gill ’09 were crowned Austin College Homecoming queen and king during the Homecoming football game halftime activities October 25. 

Members of the Homecoming Court, as nominated and voted by the student body, included Emily Leake ’10, Tayyar Unal ’10, Joel Torres ’09, Sarah Chilmeran ’10, Parth Shah ’09, Neal Spradlin ’10, Rebeca Kim ’10, Yvette LeBlanc ’10. 

Students Host Great ‘Roo Boo

The Austin College chapter of Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity hosted the ninth annual “Great ’Roo Boo” for area children October 31. Each year more than 800 area children and parents participate in the Halloween alternative activity.

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Austin College students, directed by Kathleen Campbell, professor of communication studies, staged William Shakespeare’s Hamlet during Homecoming weekend. Campbell called the play Shakespeare’s most famous play with his most intriguing character. Matthew Varvir ’11 played the role of Hamlet in the ensemble of 15 actors playing more than two dozen roles.

Pictured in rehearsal are,
left to right, John Morris,
Matthew Varvir, Harris Tooley, Layne Rylander, and in front, Lindsey St. Clair.

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Class of 2012 Numbers Are Official

Austin College, like colleges across the nation, saw a drop in admission numbers this fall. Austin College’s first-time college students entering in fall 2008 numbered 321, compared to the 340 who entered in fall 2007.

The Class of 2012, though numbering fewer students than expected, remains academically strong. The middle 50 percent of SAT scores for the freshmen range from 1140–1320, with ACT middle 50 percent scores ranging from 23–29.

For several years Austin College has maintained a fairly even gender mix when many other colleges were seeing the male percentages fall. In 2008, however, Austin College’s number of male freshmen is down, with 193 women and 128 men, creating a 60:40 female/male ratio, mirroring the national average for private colleges.

Austin College’s ethnic mix continues at a high percentage, with 34 percent of freshmen classifying themselves as other than White/Caucasian, with 16 percent Asian, 14 percent Hispanic, 2 percent each Native American and African American, and 1 percent international.

Of the students who named a religious preference, the top four religions are, in descending order, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian.

Fifty-eight students in the Class of 2012, 18 percent of the class, reported prior family connections to the College.

Most members of the Austin College Class of 2012 were born in 1990 and join the
college community with a wide array of service, travel, and leadership experience.
An informal sampling of freshmen pictured here are, left to right, Andrew Delgado,
Erin Slade, Igor Soares, Neelam Jones, Katie McCoy, and Kellan Pope.

The majority of freshmen live in Texas, representing all regions of the state, with 24 students from other states around the US and three international students in the class.

The recruitment staff is hard at work in reaching prospects for the Class of 2013, to enter college in fall 2009. “Alumni and friends of the College can be great recruiters for us,” said Nan Davis, vice president for Institutional Enrollment. “They meet bright young people every day. We hope they are sharing information about Austin College and passing the names of young people on to our enrollment staff.”

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December 2008  

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March 2009 Campus Lectures

Allen-Head Lecture:  “Jesus and Judaism”

Amy-Jill Levine
March 12, 2009, 7 p.m.
Hoxie Thompson Auditorium of Sherman Hall

Amy-Jill Levine, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion, will be the guest speaker for the Allen Head Lecture on March 12, 2009, at 7 p.m. Following Levine’s lecture, “Jesus and Judaism: Why the Connection Still Matters,” she will be available for a book signing.

Levine earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and master’s and doctoral degrees from Duke University, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Ministry from the University of Richmond and the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. She has held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies. Her most recent publications include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus, the edited collection The Historical Jesus in Context, and the 14- volume series Feminist Companions to the New Testament and Early Christian Writings. A self-described “Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Protestant divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt,” Levine says she combines historical-critical rigor, literary critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating anti- Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies.

The Allen-Head Lectures, established at Austin College by a gift from Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Allen, Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Head, Jr., of Whitesboro, Texas, feature nationally prominent speakers in the areas of religion, philosophy, psychology, history, and literature made available to the local community.

JNO. E. OWENS CONFERENCE

“Agricultural Sustainability and Food Safety: Issues for Free Global Trade”
March 4, 2009
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ida Green Theatre of Ida Green Communication Center

THE EXPERTS:

• Paul Roberts, journalist and author of The End of Oil and The End of Food
• Robert Costanza, Gund Professor of Ecological Economics and director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont
• Wes Jackson, an environmental studies pioneer in education and head of The Land Institute, Salina, Kansas
• Fred Kirschenmann, a leader in national and international sustainable agriculture

The Jno. E. Owens Foundation was established by Mrs. Owens in memory of her husband, a prominent Texas banker. During his lifetime, Owens was intensely interested in international economics and it was his wish to establish a foundation that would memorialize his lifelong interest in international relations. The broad objective of the Jno. E. Owens Lectureship Series, held at Austin College and SMU on alternate years, is to enlarge public understanding of international economic forces in the philosophical context of free trade.

LAW SYMPOSIUM

“Earl Warren: A Man and His Court, a 40-Year Retrospective”
March 27, 2009

Students, law professionals, and other interested individuals are invited to attend this day of sessions focusing on Earl Warren. Times and speakers are pending. Registration for the symposium is $50 or $20 for the luncheon only. CLE credit approval is anticipated. Watch the Austin College Web site for details.

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