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Athletic and wellness facility to be named the
Leonard Center
The new athletic and wellness facility opening this fall will be named the Leonard Center in honor
of the late George P. Leonard '27, his wife Wilma Fox
Leonard '27 and their descendants who have been long-time supporters
of Macalester.
"It is important to recognize families who have had such a significant and long-lasting impact on the college," President Brian C. Rosenberg said. "The Leonard family has been one of the families for whom Macalester has been a top priority and to whom the college owes our deepest gratitude."
George P. Leonard was in the construction business and managed major projects including the Kingsley Dam in Nebraska and the Pan American Highway in Costa Rica.
George, Wilma and their descendants have supported Macalester's dance program, athletics program, the old Fieldhouse and Leonard Natatorium, the DeWitt Wallace Library, the Alexander G. Hill Ballroom in Kagin Commons as well as renovations to Wallace Hall and the Alumni House.
· Read more about naming of the Leonard Center
Third consecutive record year for contributions, up 15 percent
Donors contributed more than $18.6 million, excluding bequests, in fiscal year 2008, making it the third consecutive record-setting year of philanthropic support for the college. The total represents a 15 percent increase over the $16.2 million contributed in 2007.
A record 11,851 donors contributed during the fiscal year, which ended May 31. Alumni contributions increased nearly $4 million to $14.3 million.
"I'd like to express my deepest appreciation to our many generous donors and to our dedicated volunteers who play an all-important role in this success," said President Brian C. Rosenberg. "I also thank the campus community -- the faculty, staff, and students -- whose work inspires this support."
· Read more about 2007-2008 contributions
Two students receive awards from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation
The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation has selected
Kristina Doan '10 and Elizabeth McCreary '09 as
recipients of 2008 Carter Academic-Service Entrepreneur (CASE) grants
in recognition and support of their academic civic engagement work.
They are the first Macalester students to receive this honor from
the foundation. Professors Patrick Schmidt, Political Science,
and Daniel Trudeau, Geography, as well as Civic Engagement
Center staff, are supporting Doan and McCreary in their CASE projects.
 Political
science major Doan is working with the Catalyst Foundation in Northfield,
Minn., to establish a mentorship program connecting adopted Vietnamese
youth and local Vietnamese American professionals or college and
graduate students. During the school year, each mentor-mentee pair
will participate in a service project through which mentees will
develop an understanding and knowledge of public leadership.
 Geography
major McCreary is working with the Family Place in St. Paul, a day
shelter for homeless children, to provide arts education and therapy
programs for Minnesota's homeless youth. With a goal of providing
them a chance to express and face their feelings in a supportive
and creative way, she is planning a program of weekly art activities,
guest speakers and field trips. The participating children will
engage in a variety of art forms including photography, sculpture,
and puppetry. A weekly public exhibit will showcase their work.
·More about the CASE ServiceBook awards
College welcomes new provost
Kathleen M. Murray started as Macalester's
new provost on Tuesday, July 1. She was selected for the top academic
position at the college after an exhaustive search that included
input from faculty, staff, and students.
"I am thrilled to be joining the administrative team at Macalester at this exciting time in the college's history," Murray said, "Macalester has an extraordinary faculty and exceptional students -- I look forward to getting to know them and working with them in the coming years."
Murray comes to Macalester from Birmingham-Southern College (Birmingham, Ala.), where she was provost and vice president of academic affairs since 2005. From 2003-2005, she was dean of the faculty and a music professor at Lawrence University (Appleton, Wis.), and from 1999-2004 was dean of the university's conservatory and a music professor. She began teaching at Lawrence in 1986.
Murray succeeds Diane Michelfelder, who will return to teaching in Macalester's Philosophy Department.
Kim Chandler named athletic director
Kim Chandler has been named athletic director the college and will begin her new role Monday, July 14. Chandler has headed the Beloit College (Beloit, Wis.) Athletic Department for four years, overseeing its 18 varsity programs, academic course offerings and intramurals. During her time at Beloit, Chandler initiated and developed a master plan involving a multi-million dollar enhancement to Beloit's athletic facilities.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Macalester's Athletic Department and to become part of an outstanding institution and campus community," Chandler said. "My staff and I will work hard to continue the momentum to build an athletic department, student-athlete experience and campus athletic and recreation center [the Leonard Center] that mirrors the academic excellence of one of the nation's finest institutions."
Chandler succeeds Travis Feezell, who is now teaching Sports Administration at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.
· More about Kim Chandler
Mellon Foundation million innovates four academic concentrations
Macalester announced in May that it received an award of $1 million from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to be used in developing innovative curriculum in four new or revised interdisciplinary academic concentrations: Global Citizenship, Human Rights & Humanitarianism, Urban Studies and Community & Global Health. The award will also fund the Urban Faculty Colloquium and the Faculty Development International Seminar.
The three-year "Curricular Pathways Project" underwritten by the grant includes curriculum development, student research and internships, civic engagement opportunities as well as faculty development workshops and seminars. It will be co-directed by professors Jan Serie, Biology, and Karin Aguilar San Juan, American Studies.
· Read more about Curricular Pathways Project
First Green Star Awards presented to graduation gown donation program organizers
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| Carolyn Loeb '08 collecting
caps and gowns after graduation |
The Macalester Sustainability Office presented its first Green Star Awards to Carolyn Loeb '08, Karin Trail-Johnson, Christie Manning, John Mountain, Denise Ward and Sylvester Gaskin who helped organize Graduation Gown Donation Program for May's commencement in response to news stories about the growing number of caps and gowns ending up in landfills.
Through the program, the Class of 2008 donated 130 of its gowns and 109 caps to the Minnesota Internship Charter High School. The program not only kept eight giant bags of garments out of landfills, but will also save the recipient school about $2000.
The Green Star Award is a new program designed to congratulate students, staff, or faculty who have done something to improve sustainability on campus.
· More about sustainability at Macalester
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