Calendar of Events

Tuesday, Jan. 15
On campus - First day of spring semester classes.

Wednesday, Jan. 16
Decatur - Join the MCIA for the popular taco bar at Lock, Stock and Barrel, 129 S. Oakland, from 5-7 p.m. as a warm up for the Big Blue men’s basketball game versus the Illinois Wesleyan Titans at 7:30 p.m. in Griswold Physical Education Center. See details at lower right.

Friday, Jan. 18
Peoria, Ill. - The University Choir performs at United Presbyterian Church of Peoria, 2400 W. Northmoor Rd. Join us for an alumni and friends reception following the 7:30 p.m. performance.

Saturday, Jan. 19
Chicago -The University Choir performs at St. Luke Church, 1500 W. Belmont. Join us for an alumni and friends reception following the 7:30 p.m. performance.

Sunday, Jan. 20
Decatur -The University Choir concludes its 2008 tour with a performance at St. Patrick Church, 407 E. Eldorado St. Join us for an alumni and friends reception following the 7 p.m. performance.

Monday, Jan. 21
On campus - Campus visit day

Monday, Jan. 21
On campus - The Millikin alumni board meets at 6:30 p.m. (CST), with featured speaker, Sharon Alpi, Coleman Foundation professor in entrepreneurship and director for the Center for Entrepreneurship. Join in by clicking here to watch live streaming video of the meeting, or view a recording of the meeting after it happens.

Friday, Jan. 25
On campus - The Hanser McClellan Guitar Duo (Kirk Hanser '91 and John McClellan) performs in Kaeuper Hall at 7:30 p.m. For more info, check out their website and YouTube performance.

Tuesday, Jan. 29
Cincinnati - Join hosts President Doug Zemke '66 and his wife, Ellen, and Peg Smith Luy '75, vice president for alumni and development, for a Cincinnati-area alumni and friends dinner at University Club, 401 East 4th Street. This complimentary dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. For more info or to RSVP, e-mail Angie Hawk '06 of the alumni and development office or call toll free to 1-877-568-2568.

Thursday, Feb. 21
St. Louis - Join the Millikin Club of St. Louis for a social networking event from 6-7:30 p.m. at 5200 Shaw Avenue (The Big Club Hall building across from Giovanni's on the Hill), hosted by Jon Tiede '92 and Jump Co. Featured guest, Rick Bibb, associate professor of marketing. RSVP to the alumni office by Monday, Feb. 18.

Thursday, March 27
Decatur - Join the MCIA for a wine and cheese party from 7-9 p.m. at the James Millikin Homestead. Kevin Graham ’76, Millikin’s director of counseling services and co-owner of The Decanter Fine Wines, will share his wine expertise as you enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship in the historic home of James Millikin.

Saturday, March 29
Decatur - Join alumni and friends for the annual Penguin in the Park 5K run at 9 a.m. in Fairview Park. A 10:30 a.m. awards ceremony will feature running expert and motivational speaker John "The Penguin" Bingham '70 of Runner's World magazine. Other highlights include a post-race party in Griswold Physical Education Center. Alumni, students, faculty and staff receive a discount if they register by March 22. For complete details, click here.

Thursday, May 4
Decatur - Join the MCIA friends in the lower level of Richards Treat University Center for Sunday brunch, with entertainment from the School of Music. The cost for brunch is $12. For more info, contact the alumni office at 424-6383 (toll free dial 1-877-568-2586). After brunch, you're invited to attend the Department of Theatre and Dance's annual Equinox Dance Concert at Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Ticket price is $6. Contact the Kirkland Box Office for tickets at 217-424-6318.

May 21-June 1
Argentina
Join alumni and friends for a trip to Buenos Aires! See more details at upper right.

July 6
St. Louis - Millikin Day at Busch stadium. Join alumni and friends at the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs. See more details at upper right.

July 24-30
Danube bike trip
Join alumni and friends for a seven-day, six-night bike trip from Passau, Germany, to Vienna, Austria, on a flat bike path along the Danube. The cost is approximately $1,414 per person and includes hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, six evening dinners with three-course meals (including a farewell dinner at a Vienna wine cellar), guide and all transfers, including daily luggage transfers between route stops. A $50 gift in your name is made to the Millikin Fund for every trip booked. Airfare cost is still being finalized; be sure to look for updated details future issues of this newsletter. For info, contact Mandi Landacre Podeschi ’02 of the alumni and development office toll free at 1-877-568-2586 or send her an e-mail at apodeschi@millikin.edu.


Click here for the complete calendar of upcoming events.


Hot links
Online resources:
Milli-Link XP, online directory
Millikin Quarterly magazine
Wallpaper for your desktop
Listen live to WJMU-FM
Young alumni news/info
History of MU.

Support MU:
The Millikin Fund,
The Big Blue Club, Millikin's official athletic booster club.

Shop online: 
Blue Connection art gallery
First Step Records
Bronze Man Books
Millikin bookstore

Help a future student:
Big Blue VIP program.
Legacy scholarship.
Sibling scholarship

Tell us about yourself:
Submit a class note
Update your info

Alumni performers, actors, artists and authors can post details of upcoming engagements or releases on the Millikin website:
Add your event/release
View the list

Submit wedding photos for the online Big Blue wedding album by e-mail, or call toll-free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM for details. 

Business owners: Is your company listed in Big Blue Biz, the online directory of  alumni-owned businesses?Add your info

KERANS STEPS DOWN AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.
Millikin will begin a nationwide search for a new director of athletics and recreation in order to allow current Athletic Director and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Lori Kerans to devote her full attention to the women’s basketball program. The search process will begin immediately, but Kerans will remain in the dual roles until June 30. MORE

In other Big Blue women's basketball news, senior Lindsay Ippel set a new Big Blue record for most career points scored with 1,652. A two-time CCIW Player of the Week and the National Preseason Player of the Year, Ippel became Millikin's career scoring leader on Jan. 12 in Millikin's 68-63 upset of No. 5 ranked Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington. The previous record was held by Jodi Foster '84. MORE

WHY NOT GO SEE A MOVIE?
And see a fellow alum all at the same time! Michael Maize '96 performs the role of henchman Daniel Wilkinson in the Disney film "National Treasure: Book of Secrets." The film debuted at No. 1 when it was released four weeks ago. MORE

IT'S FOR THE BIRDS.
A new on-campus ornithology research laboratory provides students with opportunities for hands-on, real world research experience. MORE

DREAM ABOUT OWNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
First Step FastTrac, offered by SCORE, is an 11-week course on business ownership that can help you make that dream a reality. Click here to learn more about the program. An informational meeting will be held on Thursday, Jan. 17, from 6-7 p.m. in ADM-Scovill Hall. For more info, contact Pam Angel at the Center for Entrepreneurship Office at 424-6296.

TACOS + BASKETBALL = FUN.
Who doesn't love tacos and cheering for the Big Blue? Do both Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the upcoming Millikin Central Illinois Alumni (MCIA) event. Join alumni and friends for the popular taco bar at Lock, Stock and Barrel, 129 S. Oakland, from 5-7 p.m. as a warm up for the Big Blue men’s basketball game versus the Illinois Wesleyan Titans at 7:30 p.m. in Griswold Physical Education Center. RSVP by Tuesday, Jan. 15, to the alumni office at 424-6383 so that we know how many to expect at LSB. Tacos on your own at LSB; admittance to our reserved section at the game is free with your Alumni Association card. (Don’t have a card? Let us know when you call in your RSVP and we’ll send you one.)

IT'S REALLY WIN-WIN.
Kirkland Fine Arts Center’s community learning program, KirkOut, invites patrons to join its "Catch 22" book club in conjunction with the Feb. 23 Kirkland performance of "Catch 22" by the Aquila Theatre Company. MORE

Additionally, Kirkland will showcase work by alumni artists on their new alumni arts wall, located on the south end of the Kirkland lobby, starting Jan. 31. Jami Andreasen Wong ’01 and Vitus Wong ’00 will open the showcase at the end of January. Visit www.kirk-out.com for updates on the alumni showcase and the artists to be presented. Pieces by alumni will be showcased for several months before moving to Millikin’s Blue Connection art gallery and will be available for purchase through the gallery's website.

Interested in learning more about having your work displayed? Contact Kirkland Assistant Events Coordinator B.J. Warren at wwarren@millikin.edu.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS.
Check out the Jan. 21 Millikin alumni board meeting with featured speaker, Sharon Alpi, Coleman Foundation professor in entrepreneurship and director for the Center for Entrepreneurship. Click here to watch live streaming video of the 6:30 (CST) meeting, or view a recording of the meeting after it happens.

THE BIBBER IS GOING TO BE THERE.
And so should you! Join the Millikin Club of St. Louis for a Feb. 21 social networking event from 6-7:30 p.m. at 5200 Shaw Avenue (The Big Club Hall building across from Giovanni's on the Hill), hosted by Jon Tiede '92 and Jump Co. Featured guest, Rick Bibb, associate professor of marketing. RSVP to the alumni office by Monday, Feb. 18.

WE'RE GOING TO BUENOS AIRES IN MAY.
Want to come? Join Millikin alumni and friends for a trip to Buenos Aires! This unique travel opportunity features eight nights of all that Buenos Aires has to offer, including a cultural and educational look at Argentina through the eyes of Dr. Eduardo Cabrera, associate professor of Spanish and a native of Buenos Aires. The cost is $3,220 per person for double occupancy ($4,100 for single) and includes hotel accommodations, round-trip, non-stop airfare from O’Hare to Buenos Aires, an overnight trip to the popular Iguazuu Falls (pictured above), all transfers, and a $50 gift in your name is made to the Millikin Fund by the travel company for every trip booked. Want to know more or be put on the mailing list? Call Dave Brandon in the alumni and development office toll free at 1-877-568-2568 or send him an e-mail.

IT'S GOING TO BE FIERCE.
Join us for Millikin Day at Busch Stadium, Sunday, July 6, as the St. Louis Cardinals take on top rival Chicago Cubs at 1:10 p.m. The seats are right outside and include access to the air-conditioned Bank of America Clubhouse. Cost is $115 per person and includes a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet and beverages of the adult and non-adult variety. But act quick - a limited number of tickets are available. For tickets or more info, call toll free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM.

Transportation to the game from Decatur is also in the works if enough interest is expressed. Be sure to let the alumni office know if you are interested.

BIG BLUE WHAT?
Should the home of the Big Blue have an official sports mascot? So far, the majority (61 percent) says no. Have you voiced your opinion yet? There's still time! For your last chance to vote, click here.

SHE'S FABULOUS.
Or so the critics are saying, and we are not about to disagree. Click here to see Sierra Boggess '04, starring as Ariel in the new Broadway production of Disney's "The Little Mermaid," perform "Part of Your World"on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America."

IT'S NOT TRIVIAL...
but it is trivia. Do you know the answer to this month's question?

This campus newsletter, edited by Desmond Anderson '94, premiered in December 1991 and dealt with minority issues, culture and viewpoints. Although no longer in publication, it was the predecessor of the current on-campus diversity newsletter, D-Talk. What was the publication's name?

A. D-Speak
B. Decatur Diversity
C. Diverse Chat
D. N Da Mix

Send your best guess to alumnews@millikin.edu, and be sure to include your name and address. Five winners will be selected in a random drawing of all who respond correctly and each will receive a Millikin prize.  

Last month's winners --

David Gendry '59
Mark Massey '05
Peter Churukian '73
Lindsey Brantley '07
Brianna Bielecki '06

...each won a Millikin note pad and pen for correctly guessing that Millikin awarded degrees to three students at its first commencement in 1904.