Calendar of Events

Saturday, June 21
Decatur - The Greek reunion scheduled for this date has been cancelled.

Sunday, July 6
St. Louis - SOLD OUT Millikin Day at Busch stadium.

Saturday, Aug. 9
Chicago - Join our alumni and friends’ pre-race gathering before Sunday’s Chicago Distance Classic at Buca di Beppo restaurant at 6:30 p.m., Dutch treat. Click here for more info.

Sunday, Aug. 10
Chicago -Millikin hosts an alumni and friends event at the Chicago Distance Classic, a half-marathon organized by running expert John "The Penguin" Bingham '70. Join us for a gear check prior and goodies after the race in the MU tent, which is sponsored by Bingham. Click here for more info.

Sunday Sept. 14
Decatur - MCIA (Millikin Central Illinois Alumni) BBQ, 5-7 p.m. See lower right for details.

Oct. 10-12
On campus - Homecoming 2008! Click here to check out this year's list of hotel accommodations, available at a limited-time special rate!

Saturday, Dec. 6
On campus - 50th Vespers Celebration, reception from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Richards Treat University Center (immediately preceding the 3 p.m. Vespers performance in Kirkland Fine Arts Center), hosted by Dr. Brad Holmes, director of choral activities, and featuring special guest Kay Hoffland, wife of the late Richard Hoffland, founding director of the Vespers concerts. Alumni who have performed at Vespers through the years are especially encouraged to join us for this event! Watch for more details in the fall issue of Millikin Quarterly, and upcoming issues of Out of the Blue.

Dec. 13-20
Europe
Join Millikin alumni and friends for an eight-day, seven-night trip to Vienna, Prague and Budapest. Click here for more info. The cost is about $2,768 per person (with a slight variance for insurance depending on age). To learn more, call Peg Smith Luy '75 in the alumni and development office toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2568) or send her an e-mail at
pluy@millikin.edu

Jan. 3-12, 2009
Galapagos Islands
Join alumni and friends for a cruise to the Galapagos Islands led by Dr. David Horn, assistant professor of biology. Visit islands, explore caves and view underwater life, including dolphins and sea turtles Cost is $5,950 per person for double occupancy ($8,258 for single) and includes hotel and cabin accommodations, round-trip airfare and coach travel from Central Illinois, admission to Galapagos national park, all meals and transfers. To learn more, call Dave Brandon in the alumni and development office toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2568) or send him an e-mail at
dbrandon@millikin.edu.

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
Big Blue cookbooks

Know a
prospective 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 (568-2586) for details. 

ALL SMILES IN CHICAGO.

More than 40 alumni and friends attended this year's Chicago Business Forum and Networking Luncheon at the University Club of Chicago on June 11. Pictured above were this year's alumni panelists and moderator: (from left) Thomas C. Munz '73; moderator Dr. Cheryl (Cohn) Chamblin, professor of economics in the Tabor School of Business; Melinda Kautz '92; and Jim Roth '81.

ARONSON JOINS MILLIKIN.
Dr. Donna Aronson joins Millikin as the new vice president of academic affairs. She was previously dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, where she worked for 19 years, nine of which she served as dean.

LOVE LINCOLN?
Rare photographs of Abraham Lincoln, taken by renowned photographer Alexander Hesler in 1860, are now available for purchase through Millikin’s Blue Connection gallery in anticipation of the Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009. MORE

In addition, a new book of poetry written by professor emeritus Don Guillory was recently published. Check out the summer issue of Millikin Quarterly magazine for more information.

MAIN STREET IS GETTING A MAKEOVER.
Due to a street scape project, West Main Street in front of Shilling Hall is closed from Oakland Avenue to Fairview Avenue. The arrival court and Staley lot on campus will not be accessible. The project is slated for completion before students return for the fall semester, approximately Aug. 15.

KIRKLAND ANNOUNCES 2008-09 SEASON.
Tango, blue grass music and Chinese acrobats are just some of the highlights coming to Kirkland Fine Arts Center this season. MORE

SHE'S GOING FOR THE CROWN.
Erin Madden '04, the reigning Miss Greater Lakes, will compete for the title of Miss Illinois June 7-22 in St. Charles, Ill. Although the pageant isn't televised, Renee Lahey Solano '92 will be cheering for Madden. Solano, executive director for the Miss Greater Lakes, and Madden met and learned of their Millikin connection when Madden competed and won the Great Lakes pageant in March. MORE

THEY WILL BE MISSED.
We recently said goodbye to two individuals who had significant impact on the life of the university, Dr. William Requarth '35 and William Eichenauer '51. Both men were trustees emerti, members of the Millikin Medallion Society and died in early June.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
Join the MCIA (Millikin Central Illinois Alumni) for their annual BBQ, Sunday, Sept. 14, from 5-7 p.m. at home of Jim and Kathy Farleigh Gresham ’70. Games for kids and entertainment provided. Minimum donation for food and beverages is $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Proceeds support the MCIA Scholarship Fund for deserving students from Central Illinois. For more info, to get directions or to RSVP, call the alumni office toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM (locally, dial 217-424-6383) or send us an e-mail.

HELD RETURNS TO MU.

Alan Held '81 served as an artist-in-residence for two weeks at Millikin in April. A renowned international opera singer, Held presented at several music and musical theatre classes and coached voice students. Pictured above, sitting: accompanist Dr. Bruce Gibbons. Pictured above from left, standing: Lexie Batsios '08, Tara Campbell '10, Andrew Brown '09, Allison Lingren '08, Zach Devin '08, Adam Stefo '08, Alan Held '81.

HAIKU + HOMECOMING = GOOD TIMES.
Save the date for Homecoming 2008, Oct. 10-12! Not only is it a reunion year for classes ending in three and eight, but a reunion for communication majors of the '70s, featuring special guest Dr. Stacy Myers, former communication department chair, a reunion for SAEs of the '60s and a release party for a haiku anthology, which features submissions from more than 100 alumni, are in the works. A brochure with details on more than 50 Homecoming activities will be mailed out later this summer. Questions? Contact the alumni office at 1-877-568-2586 or click here to send us an e-mail.

THEY ROCKED THE GREAT WALL.

The University Choir recently returned from China and Taiwan where they performed six concerts on a 12-day tour as part of the 2008 American Celebration of Music in China. MORE

ARE YOU READY TO TANGO?
Kirkland Fine Arts Center, the Decatur Park District, Decatur 501 Club, Cromwell Radio Group and 9:01 Club are sponsoring "Tango Decatur," a Decatur-area community event to be held in February 2009. The event features a Guinness World Record attempt for couples dance, downtown restaurant walk, master class workshops with Tiempo Tango Chicago and an evening performance at Kirkland Fine Arts Center. MORE

SHE'S PART OF OUR WORLD.
Sierra Boggess '04, Ariel in the Broadway production of Disney's "The Little Mermaid," recently won a Broadway.com award for breakout performance. She performed “Part of Your World” at this year’s Tony Awards on Sunday and was also nominated for a Drama Desk award in the Outstanding Actress in a Musical category.

In other Broadway news, Lindsey Ridgway '06 finished 9th on MTV's "Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods," a reality show about the search for a replacement for the lead in the Broadway company of "Legally Blonde."

GET LINKED IN.
More than 100 alumni have already joined and are networking on the Millikin alumni group on LinkedIn, a professional networking website. Come join us by clicking here. Eager for some social networking, too? We're also on Facebook! More than 650 alumni have joined to reconnect - click here and join the crowd!

MI PUEB IS THE PLACE TO GO.
Mi Pueblito is a current favorite on the student hangout list - what's yours? Were you a LSB groupie? Did you spend every Friday night at the Winery? Did you spend hours studying and chatting in the Sub? We want to talk to you about your favorite student hangouts for an article to appear in the fall issue of Millikin Quarterly magazine. Tell us more here.

AND SPEAKING OF QUARTERLY...
The summer issue will be hitting your mailbox in early July. Several new features have been added, including a "blast from the past" feature photo in Class Notes - so be on the lookout and let us know what you think at millikinquarterly@millikin.edu.

IS IT REALLY ALMOST JULY?
Haven’t made your 2007-08 year gift yet? By making a gift by June 30, you can help the Millikin Fund meet its $2.2 million goal and supports student scholarships, off-campus learning, faculty-staff development, technology upgrades and so much more!

To make sure your online contribution is listed in the 2007-08 Honor Roll of Donors, visit www.millikin.edu/alumni/gifts.asp prior to June 30. If mailing your gift, please make sure it is postmarked by June 30. Questions? Call Amanda Landacre Podeschi ’02, associate director of development, toll-free at 1-877-568-2586 or e-mail apodeschi@millikin.edu.

A SCULPTURAL SENSATION.
Several Millikin alumni have contributed their work to be displayed on campus. For this month's trivia, let's see how well you know the work of your fellow alumni:

The sculpture pictured at left sits at the northeast side of Perkinson Music Center. What is the name of the sculpture, created by Peter Smith-Phillips '95?

A. "Of Voices and Victories"
B. "NON TIMERE"
C. "Really Truly Virtually"
D. "Musically Inclined "

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 --

Debra Gelfo '88
Mary Joyce Watkins Minasian '54
Lindsey Brantley '07
Paula Weiss Stickles '94
Chrissy Smedberg Patterson '04

Each won a Millikin mouse pad for correctly guessing that "Mr. B.B." is eternally reading Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning."