Good News April-Oct00

GOOD NEWS!
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point�s Accomplishments
April - November 2000
Compiled by News Services

About 135 students were initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, the oldest and largest interdisciplinary honor society in the country. The local chapter awarded Tara Armstrong, Wausau, and Jessie Rowe, Arpin $300 sophomore scholarships. Andrew Lynch, Fall Creek, was nominated for a $7,000 fellowship to be awarded by the national chapter. Faculty receiving recognition locally for accomplishments in their disciplines were Provost William Meyer and Gary Cumley of communicative disorders and Henry St. Maurice of education.
Robert Miller of forestry was given an honorary life membership by the Wisconsin Arborist Association. In 1998 he received the society's first annual award for excellence in education.
U.S. Congressman David Obey was honored as an Outstanding Contributor and 120 students were recognized by the college of Natural Resources at its annual award ceremony.
An inaugural event, CNR Student Research Symposium 2000, showcased student research projects in the College of Natural Resources.
Dr. Bill Hettler, director of Health Services, accepted the national Volunteerism Award on behalf of the YMCA of the USA's Medical Advisory Committee. Hettler is the longest serving member of the committee.
Eddy and Tracie Oroyan of Green Bay created and performed a piece at the American College Dance Festival. The dance was chosen to be performed at a Gala Concert during regional competition in Detroit, Mich.
An oak gavel carved from a log once owned by environmentalist Aldo Leopold was donated to the Museum of Natural History.
Two new awards to recognize outstanding teachers and students were established in honor of the late Thomas Hayes, a faculty member in education for nearly 30 years.
A $56,000 annual gift from Sentry Insurance benefits numerous programs and a distinguished professorship at UWSP.
Dean Gerard McKenna of the College of Fine Arts and Communication was given the 2000 Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education Arts Career Award. It recognizes an individual who has made sustained contributions to art education at all levels.
More than 235 students from 39 foreign countries attend UWSP.
A delegation of students received several awards at the Wisconsin United Residence Hall Association conference in Milwaukee.
Marcia Parker of foreign languages is one of three authors of a textbook for French composition and conversation published by Harcourt College Publishers.
Melvin Rousseau of Educational Support Programs has been named to the executive board of the Wisconsin Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel as president-elect of the organization.
Nancy Bayne of psychology has agreed to serve another one-year term as acting special assistant to the chancellor for equity and affirmative action.
Mary Kay Hamilton of foreign languages was presented the Carolyn Rolfson Sargis Award, an annual recognition of a classified staff member for outstanding and dedicated service and special contributions to the university.
The firm of Hammel, Green and Abrahamson was selected as the designers of the proposed $21.5 million Fine Arts Center remodeling and addition project.
Five faculty members have completed a semester as the university's first participants in a new Teacher/Scholar in Residence Program. The individuals chosen by their respective deans were Jim Stokes of English, Leslie Wilson of Education, Stan Szczytko of Natural Resources, Jeff Morin of Art and Design and Alice Keefe of Philosophy.
John Roberts of history has co-authored a book, "The Sacred and the Secular University" published by Princeton University Press. The book seeks to explain the forces and events that transformed religion, taking it out of the schools and many other aspects of public life.
Twenty-three students under the leadership of Jianwei Wang of political science participated in the 2000 National Model United Nations Conference in New York City.
Deborah Anstett, a self-employed financial planner, was named director of development for the College of Professional Studies. A 1974 graduate of UWSP, she plans fund raising in the college.
Holly Voll, a fundraiser at North Central Technical College, became the new development specialist for UWSP's College of Letters and Science. She coordinates development activities, edits a newsletter and raises funds for the college.
Steve Menzel, was named public relations and development coordinator for the College of Natural Resources. His duties include coordinating CNR communication activities, managing the college's Web site, editing the CNR newsletter and facilitating fund raising for the college.
Mike Fahey, former press secretary for U.S. Congressman Ron Kind, accepted the position of development coordinator for the College of Fine Arts and Communication. His responsibilities include coordinating fund raising, editing a newsletter and helping to develop priorities for the college.
Susan Young, manager of the Student Employment Office, was recognized by the National Association of Student Employment Administrators for her outstanding work as a coordinator of the program committee for the group's annual meeting in San Diego.
UWSP has added a peace studies minor to its curriculum. Eric Yonke of history and coordinator of the 18-credit minor, is also associate director of the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, headquartered at UWSP.
Charles Young of music had two of his original works premiered in Michigan and accepted for publication. He also led workshops for more than 750 public school music students and educators, served as an adjudicator and as a guest composer and authored an article for the SOUNDTREE Resource Guide.
Economist Larry Weiser has incorporated the World Wide Web into his teaching. He was awarded a $12,000 grant from the Wisconsin Council on Economic Education to develop statewide programming and he co-authored a chapter in the book, "Surfing Social Studies: The Internet Book," published by the National Council for the Social Studies.
The Association for Community Tasks (A.C.T.) held its 13^th annual Hunger Cleanup in April. Participants raised money by getting people to sponsor three hours of labor at a community work project. Half of the proceeds benefit Operation Bootstrap of Portage County.
David Berkey, a UWSP alumnus and professor at the University of Iowa, returned to campus to choreograph a piece for Danstage and work with student dancers.
Music major Ben Peterson of Wisconsin Rapids released �All my Joy,� his first compact disc of songs he wrote and performed.
�Voices of the Desert,� a symposium featuring presentations by experts in the field, was coordinated by students in Professor Doug Post�s biology class with the assistance of Julie Hein-Frank, a naturalist educator with the Department of Natural Resources.
The third annual UWSP Peace March for Unity, an effort by concerned students to combat cultural ignorance and discrimination, was held on April 19.
Bunmi O. Olatunji, a graduating senior and Albertson Award winner, was the first student in recent memory to represent his class at the podium at spring commencement. His remarks followed those of commencement speaker, Bob Whitsitt, '77, president and general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and president of the Seattle Seahawks. Whitsitt and Mary Williams, former UW System Regent and special assistant to Chancellor Lee Dreyfus, were named UWSP Distinguished Alumni.
Fifty-two veteran elementary and secondary teachers from Central Wisconsin graduated in a new master�s degree program, the Learning Community, offered by UWSP and UWSP Extension.
The American Water Resources Association gave its first Distinguished Service Award to Byron Shaw, professor of soil and water resources in the College of Natural Resources. Shaw, who was among the first in the state to prove that pesticides were getting into the groundwater, was honored for his contributions to education, outreach, public service and research.
Lowell Klessig, resource management specialist in the College of Natural Resources, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership and the Visionary Leadership Award from the Wisconsin Chapter of Extension Service Professionals.
Jianwei Wang of political science, recipient of a prestigious Mac Arthur Foundation grant, has written "Limited Adversaries, Post-Cold War Sino-American Mutual Images," a 300-page book published by Oxford University Press.
The student chapter of the Wisconsin Education Association received the Student Local Excellence Award and several of the chapter's members were recognized at the organization's statewide representative assembly.
Mary Mattison of Merrill was named Outstanding Teacher by the Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts and received a Chancellor's Leadership Award upon her graduation this spring. She was a student teacher at Lincoln Hill prison, the state's most secured setting for young males in trouble with the law.
Doug Moore, a UWSP photographer and instructor in natural resources, won first place in the University Photographer's Association of America "science" category for his photo of a blue damselfly.
The Governor's Task Force on Racial Profiling held a public forum at UWSP. The guest speaker was Steven H. Rosenbaum, chief of Special Litigation Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice.
The life story of 92-year-old Cate Wagner of Antigo was the basis for one of four dances created and produced by her grandson, Jamie Beckland of Stevens Point. A graduating senior international studies and Spanish major, he was supported by a $450 student research grant. The dances were staged by the choreographer at UWSP this spring.
A 46 percent increase in unrestricted gifts was announced at the UWSP Foundation's spring meeting.
International Programs marked 30 years of service and sent 427 students in 17 programs to 10 countries this year, a record number.
Jim West, a 26-year veteran protective services officer, became the second person at UWSP granted law enforcement authority by Chancellor Thomas F. George.
The College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium , a forum to showcase student research, was held for the first time this spring.
UWSP�s Student Government Association (SGA) was named Delegation of the Year by The United Council of University of Wisconsin Students. Andrew Halverson of Stevens Point was SGA�s president during the 1999-2000 academic year.
Constance Fang of UWSP�s Foreign Student Office, coordinator of the Host Family Program, International Dinner, foreign student orientation, and International Club adviser, received a statewide award given to women of color who have initiated change within their communities and campuses.
Gary Cumley of Communicative Disorders has received a $20,000 grant from St. Michael�s Hospital Ministry Health Care Fund to establish a communication equipment lending library for adults who have been diagnosed with degenerative diseases.
John Curtis of biology spent part of the summer doing hands-on research in China searching for plant fossils up to 400 million years old. His trip was financed by a $2,700 UPDC grant.
About 120 high school students from throughout the state gathered for the sixth annual community problem solving and leadership seminar sponsored by UWSP�s Divisions of Communication and Multicultural Affairs and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
The Special Needs Aquatic Program (SNAP), founded and directed at UWSP by Professors Rory and Joanne Suomi, was the featured subject in Palaestra, a national quarterly publication for people with disabilities.
Funds from the Copp�s 21^st Century Endowment Fund were used to support a mapping project of the Ice Age Trail by the Department of Geography/Geology and the Central Wisconsin Archeology Center and to buy team uniforms and upgrade equipment in athletics.
Professor Alexander �Sasha� Popov of the Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Krasnoyarsk, East Siberia, will work with Chancellor Tom George and other faculty members on research sponsored by a $13,000 National Research Council grant awarded to George.
This summer Diane Bywaters of art and design had a solo exhibition at a Charlotte, N.C., gallery, was a featured artist in a new book of artists in residence and their works published by Isle Royale Natural History Association and was honored with a residency at Voyageurs National Park, her eighth National Park residency.
Project Forward, a joint effort between UWSP and UW-La Crosse to assist Central Wisconsin Hmong students and paraprofessionals to become certified teachers, was funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Charles Young of music was selected as one of two outstanding teachers from the UW System to receive the ninth annual Regents Teaching Excellence Award.
Aaron Felske, a May graduate in musical theatre and dance, was cast in the Broadway production of �Fosse� at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City.
The Central Wisconsin Environmental Station on Sunset Lake in eastern Portage County marked its silver anniversary with an open house. The facility has served more than one half million people in its 25-year history.
A juried art show with a $2,000 prize memorialized the late Dan Favor, a Stevens Point native who attended UWSP. A surrealist and Da-Da artist, Favor was a self-employed graphic artist in Wausau until his death last year at age 37.
The UWSP Toastmasters Club received the President�s Distinguished Club designation, the highest annual award given by Toastmasters International.
A key finding of the first ever ergonomics survey at UWSP is that 93 percent of personnel who received recommendations to improve the design of their workplace followed through and made the improvements. About 190 employees participated in the ergonomic evaluations over the past two years.
Explore Your World, the first collaboration among UWSP Extension, Multicultural Affairs and United Migrant Opportunity Services, brought students from migrant families to campus to explore career options, assess their skills and learn about educational opportunities at UWSP and other post secondary institutions.
During the past school year, the Association for Community Tasks, helped UWSP students contribute more than 9,000 hours of community service to 90 programs in 34 agencies and 20 schools.
A Teacher Education Summit, a meeting to give school administrators and university education personnel the opportunity to work together to improve the success of future teachers, was held at UWSP.
The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program marked its 10^th anniversary in August. The BOW workshops to introduce women to outdoor pursuits were begun in 1990 at Treehaven by professor Christine Thomas and are now offered throughout the country.
�Striving to be the Best� was the title of Chancellor Tom George�s welcoming address to faculty and staff. In the speech, he outlined three major themes which will drive campus planning during the next few years: Student-centered Excellence, Technology�Enhanced Learning and Partnerships.
Chancellor Tom George chaired a regional task force of 35 area leaders to prepare for a summit at Milwaukee in early December to map the state�s economic future. UW System sponsored the summit to address how Wisconsin can become a leader in the new knowledge based economy.
UWSP offers a new online program leading to a certificate of expertise in the use of technology and leadership in the workplace sponsored by UWSP Extension and the Division of Communication.
A campus allocation committee, under the leadership of Provost Bill Meyer, awarded $79,000 in unrestricted gifts from the 1999 Annual Fund drive. Among items purchased with the money was a defibrillating unit for use by Protective Services.
Rosario Alemparte, a native of Chile, was hired as a student outreach specialist in the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
United States Senator Herbert Kohl and Congressman David Obey secured $1 million for the College of Natural Resources Global Environmental Management Education Center (GEM) to launch the international component of its watersheds program.
Jarek Rokicki, a professor of sociology from Poland, came to campus to mark 25 years of international education and cooperation between UWSP�s International Programs and Jagiellonian University of Krakow.
The Indian residents of a small town in Ecuador are drinking clean water thanks to the efforts of anthropologist Barbara Butler and the support of her parents� philanthropic foundation in repairing the town�s water system.
Residents of a 13-county region participated in a videoconference �listening and discussion session� at sites throughout the region in preparation for the Wisconsin Economic Summit.
An inaugural recital featuring trumpeter Robert Kase, organist Barbara Harbach and soprano Mary Hofer was performed in the newly refurbished Old Main Founders Room.
Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center who has made it his life�s work to bankrupt white supremacists, was the speaker at UWSP�s annual fall assembly.
The fourth edition of Essays from Contemporary Culture, a textbook edited by Professor Kathy Ackley and published by Harcourt Brace College Publishers, includes material by several writers intended to spark discussion and encourage students to develop informed opinions.
The International Reading Association published Creating a Newspaper in the Classroom, a book co-edited by Leslie McClain-Ruelle, head of the School of Education, and retired language arts and reading Professor Emerita Kathleen Buss.
McClain-Ruelle and Maggie Beeber, education advising coordinataor, received a $60,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to help refugees and the children of refugees to become teachers.
The student chapter of the Wisconsin Education Association (SWEA) was selected as the best chapter with the best newsletter among universities in the nation.
At its fall meeting, the UWSP Foundation announced a 50 percent increase in unrestricted giving.
Chancellor Tom George, professor of chemistry and physics, has co-edited a book with Vadim A. Markel of Washington University entitled Optics of Nanostructured Materials, published by John Wiley & Sons.
UWSP has been awarded $6 million to provide environmental education training to teachers and professionals throughout the country. The award, which was garnered by Distinguished Professor Richard Wilke, College of Natural Resources, includes a $5 million federal grant, the largest competitive grant in the institution�s 106-year history, combined with about $1 million of in-kind support from partner institutions across the United States.
On Halloween, about 75 �trick-or-canners� from UWSP raised 2,000 pounds of food to help feed area people. The students donated the ton of goods to St. Vincent DePaul, a nonprofit organization which helps about 400 households a month in Portage County.
Professor Henry Lin of CNR, soils and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), was awarded a three-year $265,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study water quality in the Tomorrow/Waupaca River. He will be assisted by Byron Shaw, retired director of UWSP�s Environmental Task Force Program and two professors at UW-Madison.
The UWSP Chapter of the Student Wisconsin Education Association (SWEA) received a $1,000 grant from the National Education Association to provide two backpacks filled with books and games to every public elementary school in the Stevens Point area.
Emeritus Professor of Communicative Disorders Gerald Chappell and his late twin brother wrote Corpsmen: Letters from Korea, published by Kent State University Press. It is a personal account of the Korean conflict told through letters written to their parents.
An American Profession of Arms: The Army Officer Corps, 1784-1861, by Professor William Skelton, was named to a reading list of 11 books recommended by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff for the professional development of senior U.S. Army generals.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, one of the nation�s leading voices on higher education in the U.S., UWSP�s International Programs ranks 11^th nationally for master�s institutions sending students abroad.
Three of Professor Doug Henderson�s psychology students published their research findings on adoption and presented the results of their work at national conferences.
Professor Susan Brewer of history was elected chair of the Wisconsin Humanities Council and presided over the fourth annual Governor�s Humanities awards event at the Elvehjem Museum of Art in Madison. The group awarded more than $55,000 to humanities projects from around the state.
As part of the nationwide �America Reads Challenge,� students from UWSP tutored kindergarten through sixth grade students at four local elementary schools.

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Copyright � 2000 UWSP News Services
Revised: August 02, 2006