English Professor Jim Dawes talks about his book That the World May Know: Bearing Witness to Atrocity (Harvard University Press, 2007) which examines the roles storytelling plays in the successes and failures of the modern human rights movement. Part of the Alumni College program for 2007-2008. No registration required.
· More about Alumni College Faculty Lectures
· Listen to an interview with Professor Dawes (.mp3)

Shelby M.C. Davis commits $1 million as fundraising challenge for IGC

Rendering of the new IGC building. Groundbreaking is Friday, May 16.

Philanthropist Shelby M.C. Davis committed $1 million toward a challenge grant that will match gifts made toward the construction of the Institute for Global Citizenship building at a 50 percent rate. This commitment is in addition to the $13.5 million Davis gift announced in March that will be used for need-based scholarships. So far, $6 million has been raised toward the $7.5 million goal for the IGC building. The building will be located where the Winton Health Center currently is, on the northwest corner of Grand and Snelling. Groundbreaking for the new building will happen 11:45 a.m. Friday, May 16.

Macalester is seeking LEED Platinum certification, the highest level possible. LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely accepted green building rating system in the world.
· Explore plans of the new IGC building

Professor Henry West and Bruce B. Dayton to receive Honorary Degrees

Henry West (left) and Bruce B. Dayton. Dayton photo courtesy Minneapolis Institute of Art.

Philosophy Professor Henry Robison West, who has taught at the college for 40 years, and Bruce B. Dayton — local corporate leader, philanthropist, arts benefactor and Macalester supporter — will receive honorary degrees from the college in May. The honorary degree for Dayton will be conferred at a special ceremony on May 15. West will be honored during Commencement on May 17.

Donor families commit $1 million challenge grant for MARC

MARC under construction on April 12, 2008. Photo: Mark Dickinson.

Two anonymous donor families have committed $1 million to match major contributions of $50,000 or more to fund construction of the Macalester Athletic and Recreation Center (MARC). These two families were among three families who contributed to a $1.5 million matching challenge last August, which resulted in gifts and pledges of more than $4 million for the project. Because of the success, the two families decided to add to their original challenge. So far, $21.5 million has been raised toward a goal of $26 million for the MARC. Construction of the MARC is on track for completion in August.

Professor Peter Rachleff selected to give Annual David Noble Lecture

Professor Peter Rachleff, History, gave the Annual David Noble Lecture on Tuesday, April 15. His talk was entitled "Hard-Pressed in the Heartland: the Making, Unmaking and Remaking of Minnesota's Labor Movement in the 20th and 21st Centuries."

The lecture was sponsored by University of Minnesota American Studies Department, the Minnesota History Center and The Charles A. Lindbergh Memorial Fund through the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Foundation.

Model United Nations team honored as Outstanding Delegation

Macalester's Model United Nations (MUN) team was honored as an Outstanding Delegation at the National Model United Nations conference at the United Nations in New York, March 18-23.

The team members participating in this year's conference were Joanna Clark '10, Colleen Good '10, Besjona Kreka '10, Yanchuan Liu '10, Krista Moore '10, Jamie Moore '10, Eshita Sethi '11, Varini Sharma '11, Catie Skluzacek '10, Helena Swanson-Nystrom '10, Dharshana Tennekoon '11 and Elias Tezapsidis '10. At one point, Macalester students sat in the UN Assembly room to cast votes on model resolutions — seeing the “yes's” and “no's” light up on the large board used for real UN business. Macalester team members who were missed at the conference were Fiorella Ormeno Incio '09 and Mina Shahin '10.

Outstanding Delegation is the highest honor awarded at the conference and only 17 of the 190 participating student teams received the award. Last year, Macalester's Model UN team received an Honorable Mention.

Wang Ping receives a 2008 Minnesota Book Award

Professor Wang Ping, English, received a Minnesota Book Award for her collection of short stories, The Last Communist Virgin, at the award's sold-out gala held Saturday, April 12. Wang's book was nominated for the Novel & Short Story category along with three other selections, including Pontoon by Garrison Keillor. At the gala, alumnus Charles Baxter '69 also received an award in the General Nonfiction category for his book, The Art of Subtext. Two of the four nominees for the nonfiction award were That the World May Know by English Professor Jim Dawes and Looking for Asian America by Alumni College Summer Session presenter, Wing Young Huie.
· Listen to an interview with Wang Ping about the award-winning book (.mp3)

On the MainStage: "The Witness Project"

The Theater and Dance Department presents "The Witness Project: Three Plays About Power and the State," starting April 25 in the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center Main Stage Theater. The three plays in the performance are Press Conference by Harold Pinter, The Conduct of Life by Maria Irene Forne and Far Away by Caryl Churchill. Tickets are $7 general admission and $5 for seniors and groups. Performances are Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, and Thursday-Saturday, May 1 - 3, at 7:30 p.m. There is also a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday, April 27.
· Ticket information

Jerry Webers died in February

Gerald Frank Webers passed away peacefully at home after a decade long battle with cancer on Feb. 14, 2008. Jerry taught Geology at Macalester College for 32 years and was chairman of the department for seven years.

He traveled to Antarctica 19 times — four on scientific expeditions from 1960-65 as a graduate student and one as leader of his own scientific expedition in 1979-80 as a Macalester professor. Thirty internationally known geologists and four Macalester students joined him on the expedition he led. Webers Peaks in Antarctica is named in his honor for contributions made to Antarctic research. He was also awarded the Antarctic Service Medal by the Federal Government.

When not teaching or traveling, Jerry loved spending time with his wife Kathleen at the Leech Lake cabin he built with a long-time friend, and fishing at Leech Lake and Port Aransas, Texas. He is preceded in death by parents, Leo and Theresa Webers and son, Paul, and survived by his wife of 49 years, Kathleen; daughter, Julie Rogers; son-in-law, Brad; two grandchildren, Paul David and Max Webers; brothers, Vincent, Robert, and James; and sister, Rosemary DeMark.

Peter Berg '84 to deliver 2008 Commencement address

Peter Berg '84, the Hollywood director, writer, producer and actor, will be the keynote speaker at Macalester's 119th Commencement at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17, 2008, on the lawn outside Old Main. Berg is known for directing a number of films including The Rundown, Very Bad Things, the critically acclaimed Friday Night Lights and The Kingdom. His latest film, to be released this summer, is Hancock, starring Will Smith as a superhero in an existential crisis, and Charlize Theron. As an actor, Berg starred for three years in the television series Chicago Hope, for which he also wrote and directed episodes. He played the role of Dr. Billy Kronk, the cocky hockey-playing surgeon. Berg works as a producer through his Film 44, a Universal-based development and production company.

“We are very pleased to have one of our own return to campus to help send our senior class on their next journey,” said Macalester President Brian Rosenberg. “Peter has had an outstanding film career and is a great example of the importance of theater and arts education at a liberal arts college.”

Zachary Devlin-Foltz '08, an economics and political science major from Silver Spring, Md., will be the senior class speaker.

Less than a month remains before Reunion 2008 registration deadline

Reunion 2008 is coming up in less than two months and the deadline to register is even sooner — Friday, May 9. If you're a member of a reunion-year class, make your attendance plans official by registering today.
· Register for Reunion 2008
· See list of reunion-year classes

Alumni living in Boston invited to a chapter planning session

There are over 600 Macalester alumni in the Boston area — physicians, students and artists, business people and computer scientists, stay-at-home parents, teachers and many others. It's an interesting group of people who share a common set of experiences and values. The Alumni Office is looking for volunteers to help bring the alumni community together in the Boston area. 

Please join Gabrielle Lawrence '73, director of Alumni Relations and Jill Lenhardt '95, president of the Macalester Alumni Association for an informal conversation and planning session 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at Peet's Coffee and Tea, Newton Center, 776 Beacon Street (on the green line). Email Gabrielle to let her know you plan to attend.

Danai Gurira '01 makes her film-acting debut in The Visitor

Danai Gurira '01, who received critical acclaim for the play In the Continuum which she co-authored and in which she co-starred, has a leading role in the new film The Visitor which was released at select theaters Friday, April 11. The film is directed by Tom McCarthy and, along with Gurira, stars Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass and Haaz Sleiman. 

Two alumni viewing events are planned to celebrate Gurira's accomplishment — the first on Thursday, April 29, at the E Street Cinema in D.C. and the second on Thursday, May 1, at the Edina Theater near Minneapolis.
· Watch the trailer at Apple.com
· Find local show times
· Read about Gurira's play in the Winter 2006 edition of Mac Today

Bay area alumni plan symphony outing on Friday, June 6

The San Francisco bay-area alumni who won't be on campus for Reunion 2008 are invited to attend a Friday 6.5 Concert by the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall on Friday, June 6. The program, called Conductors on the Podium, features James Gaffigan, Benjamin Shwartz and Ragnar Bohlin taking turns at the podium conducting performances of Turnage, Prokofiev and Bartók. $52 per person. Space is limited. Contact Mindy Lechman '05 with questions.
· Register online
· More about this Friday 6.5 Concert

Professor Gary Erickson invites alumni to explore mingei ceramics in China

Ceramics artist and Art Professor Gary Erickson is offering a trip for alumni titled "The Mingei Traditions in Central China" co-hosted by the Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute in Jingdehzen, China. Mingei refers to handcrafted art of ordinary people. The 23-day trip is scheduled for June 11 to July 1, 2008 and offers chances to understand the arts in China while traveling with both a Chinese and American artist. Participants will visit small villages of artists working in ceramics, textiles and silver while bypassing typical tourist traps and restaurants.

The trip's cost of $3000 includes hotel, three meals and all in-China transportation; roundtrip airfare to China is not included. A $200 deposit is required to become one of the 10-16 travelers. At least 10 travelers are needed to make the trip run. Email Gary to request a complete itinerary or to sign up for notifications of future China trips.

Sharon Cormany Ornelas '91 receives Milken Educator Award

Sharon Cormany Ornelas '91 was one of 75 outstanding educators across the U.S. to be recognized with the 2008 Milken Educator Award presented by the Milken Family Foundation on March 30 in L.A. Ornelas is a teacher and Professional Practice School coordinator for Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis. Over 2,300 outstanding K-12 educators across the nation have been recognized with unrestricted, individual Milken Educator Awards of $25,000 since the award's inception in 1987.

Eddy West '95 and Tony Williams '02 join the Alumni Board

Eddy West '95 and Tony Williams '02, along with two new student representatives, were elected to serve on the Alumni Board in March. Jeremy Hanson '95 was also elected vice president of the board at the board's spring meeting.

West is a health care executive and lives in Seattle, Wash. He majored in economics and sociology at Macalester and went on to earn his master's degree in health care administration. He is a member and regional director of M Club, and started a running group for alumni in his community.

Williams is manager for government affairs at Comcast in Philadelphia, Penn. He majored in international studies at Macalester, and went on to earn his master's degree in journalism from American University. He is an active member of M Club and was involved in hockey at Mac. Williams also ran for Washington, D.C., city council in 2006.

Eric Engstrom '11 and Gayatri Sarin '11 were elected, replacing seniors Carmen Phillips '08 and Shathel Haddad '08. Engstrom is from Apple Valley, Minn, and is involved in football, choir and the sports-booster group, Kilt Krew. Sarin is from Bombay, India, and is currently Dupre dorm rep, student caller for Annual Fund and member of Women's Ice Hockey team.

The newly elected board members begin their terms in June. The Alumni Board governs Macalester's Alumni Association and works with the Alumni Office to foster lifelong relationships between Macalester College and its students and alumni.