W. Scott Nobles honored
Professor Emeritus W. Scott Nobles deeply influenced many alumni. His former students and friends share stories in memory of him.

Kofi Annan '61 visits Macalester

The 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Laureate Kofi Annan '61 visited Macalester on Wednesday, May 20.

Kofi Annan '61 and President Rosenberg pose with Macalester students on Bateman Plaza. View larger photo. Photo: Joey McLeister

During his visit, he held a Q & A session with Macalester students; attended the unveiling of a bust given to Macalester by the U.N. Association and installed in Markim Hall, home of the Institute of Global Citizenship; spoke with President Brian C. Rosenberg at a luncheon; and took a brief tour of the Leonard Center where he autographed the ping-pong table named after him.

During the morning Q&A session, students asked Annan about everything from how UN funding is affected by governments' spending on economic bailouts; the role faith-based dialogues can play in achieving peace; what he is working on now; what their generation can do to avoid mistakes of the past; his most influential Macalester experiences; what he thinks his greatest legacy at the U.N. will be; and his favorite place on campus.

Annan advised students, "Globalism starts at home. Get involved in your local community. Don't be afraid to make mistakes."
· Listen to recordings Annan's talks and photos from his visit
· View links to media stories about Kofi Annan's visit

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Annual Fund Update: Alumni rally in 10 days leading to end of the Fiscal Year

May is the last month of Macalester's fiscal year, and a time when thousands of alumni make their gifts to the college. This year, the news of the 12 percent increase in Macalester's financial aid budget for the next academic year is motivating alumni to help. So far this fiscal year, 7,127 alumni have made gifts. To keep pace with last year's participation rate, at least 1,344 more alumni gifts are needed by Sunday, May 31.
· Make a gift to the Annual Fund
· Learn more about how the Annual Fund helps the college

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Professor John Cannon discovers extreme galaxy

Professor John Cannon will present a Back-to-Class lecture on this topic at Reunion 2009.

Professor John Cannon, astronomy, along with two co-investigators, discovered an extreme galaxy where gas is distributed over an area much larger than expected. Compared to other systems investigated to date, this "giant disk" dwarf galaxy named "ADBS1138" has the largest size difference between stars and gas of any known galaxy. Their discovery furthers our understanding of how galaxies form and remain stable over time. The Astrophysical Journal published the finding earlier this month.
· Watch an TPT Almanac interview with Professor Cannon
· Read more about Professor Cannon's discovery

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President Brian Rosenberg talks about the future of college with the Chronicle

President Brian C. Rosenberg

While in D.C. speaking at the Education Writers Association meeting, President Rosenberg was interviewed for a Chronicle of Higher Education Audio Extra. In it, he discusses the future of small liberal arts residential colleges and describes the features of institutions he believes will survive and remain relevant through these challenging times.
· Listen to Rosenberg's interview

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Macalester students win Fulbright, Watson and Goldman Sachs awards

Award winners Skadi von Reis Crooks ’09, Eshita Sethi ’11, and Keaton White ’09.

Three Macalester students won important awards this spring—Skadi von Reis Crooks ’09, Keaton White ’09, and Eshita Sethi ’11.

Von Reis Crooks, biology, won a Watson Fellowship that will fund her one-year independent study of wolf conservation efforts in rural parts of Canada, Spain, and Sweden.

White, economics and Japanese, won a Fulbright award that will take him to Japan to research why consumers often buy domestic video games over foreign ones.

Sethi, economics, won a Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Award and will attend an upcoming leadership institute in New York with world business and political leaders.
· Read more about these award-winning students

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The Class of 2009 become alumni

President Rosenberg and commencement speaker Tonderai Chikuhwa '96.

The Class of 2009 became alumni, celebrating their Macalester journey with family and friends at the college's 120th Commencement held on the Great Lawn.

In his opening talk describing the remarkable world events of the last academic year, President Brian C. Rosenberg said, "I am extremely confident that your experience at Macalester [have] prepared you... I am hopeful about a future in which individuals such as yourselves will occupy positions of leadership."

Andrew Ver Steegh '09.

In his often humorous senior speech, Andrew Ver Steegh '09 asked his class, "Are we educated?" and concluded, "there is one thing we have all learned -- a passion for the pursuit of education, in whatever form it manifests itself."

Commencement speaker Tonderai Chikuhwa '96, senior program officer in the U.N. Office for Children and Armed Conflict, described the many challenges and grave circumstances facing many of the world's children and said, "In your lives now, and into the future, you will always have opportunities to contribute to fundamental change to improve the human condition. It is a battle that must be joined at all levels and relentlessly pursued. It may be certainly, to do big things in the future. But equally, perhaps more importantly, it must be a determination to do whatever one is able in the here and now, in our immediate lives, in our immediate circle... We must challenge, without compromise... injustice." Chikuhwa will be honored with the first-ever Charles J. Turck Global Citizen Award at Reunion 2009.
· Listen to Chikuhwa's commencement address
· Listen to Ver Steegh's senior speech

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Only seven seats left for Summer Session 2009

Have you ever wondered how geography shaped the political and social landscape of the Middle East? How the history of Islam influences current events? If so, register for the Alumni College's second annual Summer Session, Islam and the Middle East.

The session offers three days of lively investigation into Islam with Sociology Professor Khaldoun Samman and distinguished faculty members from Macalester and other colleges. Only seven seats remain for this exciting no-credit, no-exams alumni program.
· Explore the Summer Session 2009 itinerary
· Register to attend

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Alumni travel to Turkey in September

Alumni travelers will tour the Turquoise Coast in a chartered yacht.

Alumni and their guests are invited to travel together to Turkey this fall. Taking place September 7-22, "The Blue Voyage" will take 28 travelers from Istanbul to the dramatic Turquoise Coast. There, the Macalester group will board a privately chartered yacht for a five-day voyage. Contact Carol Polk for more information.
· Download the brochure and registration form for this trip

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Dennis Stromberg '68 helps organize an Ambassadors for Friendship reunion

Photo of the start of an Ambassadors for Friendship tour from the July 1, 1960, Mac Weekly. Front: Harry Morgan and his wife. Back (L to R): Narinder Mehta, India; Nasser Mazaheri '62, Iran; and Kofi Annan '61, Ghana.

Dennis Stromberg '68 is working with Alumni Relations to organize an Ambassadors for Friendship reunion next year. Were you one of the few students who spent a summer traveling the country in an un-airconditioned Rambler station wagon for six weeks with students from around the world? Everyone who participated in the program, founded by Harry Morgan in 1958, is invited to email Gabrielle Lawrence, director of Alumni Relations, to share their experiences and ideas for the event.

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Twin Cities and D.C. retreats planned for alumni of the Lilly Project

The Lilly Project at Macalester invites former participants from the Classes of 2001-2007 to two regional retreats for continued reflection on their lives' directions. The first is July 25-26 in St. Paul, the second is August 22-23 in Washington, D.C. "Continuing the Conversation: Renewing our Lives of Contribution” will provide space to reflect on the values these alumni nurtured at Macalester and where they see or envision them in their current vocations. The retreats will be led by current Lilly Project and Civic Engagement Center staff. To participate, email Eily Marlow.
· Details for the Lilly Project alumni retreats

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June 4 - Thursday
6 p.m.

James Wallace Society Dinner
On Campus

By invitation only for those who have included Macalester in their estate plans. Email Chris Solso for more information.

6 p.m.

MATCHA Night at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St., San Francisco

Enjoy MATCHA night at the Asian Art Museum with Bay area alumni. MATCHA kicks off its third season with multi-sensory offerings of healing arts from all over Asia: acupuncture, cupping, Japanese shiatsu, Thai foot massage, and more. Sample tea, check out medicinal herbs from China, Japan, India and Tibet, have your pulse diagnosed, tour the galleries, or unwind with cocktails and live music. $5, or no cost with museum admission. Contact Julie Zhu '97 to RSVP or with questions.
Details at asianart.org

7 p.m.

Mac Reads:
Portland, Ore.
At the home of Valerie Plummer '99, Portland, Ore.

Discuss Red Scarf by Kate Furnivall with Portland-area alumni. This historical novel tells the story of Sophia Morozova, a prisoner in a Siberian labor camp in the 1930s. Vowing to save her friend and fellow prisoner Anna Fedorina from certain death, Sophia escapes and attempts to find Anna's lifelong love and convince him to help her rescue Anna from the camp. Food and beverages will be provided. To RSVP, email Valerie.

June 5 - Friday

Reunion 2009 Begins
On Campus
Details

1 p.m.

20th Annual Mac Hac Golf Scramble
Oak Marsh Golf Course, 526 Inwood Ave. N, Oakdale, Minn.

Golfers are invited to enjoy the 20th annual golf outing and help support Macalester's student athletes. For more information or to request a paper registration form, contact Deanna Cahoon.
Register and read details

June 7 - Sunday
7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Puget Sound Komen Race for the Cure
Qwest Field, 800 Occidental Ave S., Seattle, Wash.

Portland- and Seattle-area alumni, family and friends raise money to fight breast cancer by participating in Race for the Cure. Detailed information about the team's meeting time and location will be provided closer to the event date. Join the Macalester College Scots Race for the Cure team (sign up here). Email Edward West '95 or Firat Taydas '91 for more information.

June 13 - Saturday
9 a.m.-noon

Friends of Terwilliger Restoration Work Party
Terwilliger and Hamilton Streets, Portland, Ore.

Portland-area alumni join Friends of Terwilliger and the West Willamette Restoration Partnership to restore our urban forest in southwest Portland. Email volunteer leader Amanda Wilson from Three Rivers Land Conservancy to sign up. Tools, gloves, water, and snacks will be provided. Bring your rain boots and a friend, and come ready to work! Meet near the public restrooms at the corner of SW Terwilliger and SW Hamilton Streets.

9 a.m.-noon

Volunteer Day at Greater Chicago Food Depository
Greater Chicago Food Depository, 4100 W. Ann Lurie Pl., Chicago

Chicago-area alumni volunteer a morning at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. To sign up or find out more, contact Susan Perry '83.

June 17 - Wednesday
5-7 p.m.

East Bay Happy Hour
Jupiter Beerhouse, 2181 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, Calif.

Join Mac alumni for a happy hour at Jupiter in Berkeley. Email Emily Stone '98 to RSVP.
Visit Jupiter's website

June 19 - Friday
5-7 p.m.

D.C. Jazz in the Garden
National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.

Enjoy jazz, picnic food, and great company at Jazz in the Garden, held every Friday, May through October, at the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden. Please bring a picnic blanket and food and beverages and friends for a relaxing evening. Specific gathering time and location to be announced. Email Rachel Firgens '07 to RSVP.

June 28 - Sunday
8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Macalester at Twin Cities Pride
Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis

March in the Twin Cities Pride Parade, the largest LGBT festival in the region, with Macalester. The Macalester Bagpipe Band leads our delegation. To sign up, email Stephen Sporer.

IMPORTANT
SUMMER EVENTS:

Reunion 2009
June 5-7

Summer Session 2009
August 2-5

Alumni Trip to Turkey
September 7-22 (PDF)