Calendar of Events

June 9-10, 12-13
On campus - New student orientation and registration. Welcome class of 2012!

Wednesday, June 11
Chicago - Chicago Business Forum and Networking Luncheon. Click here for more info or see at right for details. Deadline to RSVP is June 6.

Saturday, June 21
Decatur - Greek reunion at 4 p.m. at Lock, Stock & Barrel. Drink and food specials will be available, and a cover band will begin at 8 p.m. Planning to join the fun? Call the alumni and development center at 217-424-6383 or toll free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2586) by Wednesday, June 18, so that we can give a count to LSB.

Sunday, 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 lower right.

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.

Oct. 10-12
On campus - Homecoming 2008! Classes ending in three or eight, it's your reunion year! Also a reunion for communication majors of the '70s, featuring special guest Stacy Myers, former communication department chair, and a haiku anthology reading and dinner are in the works. 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 Anniversary Vespers Celebration (1949-2008), reception from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Richard 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 speaker 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 complimentary event! For more information, call the alumni office toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2586). 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. Highlights include visits to the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Fisherman's Bastion in Buda and St. Charles Church in Vienna. The cost is about $2,500 per person (plus fees and insurance) for double occupancy and includes hotel accommodations, round-trip airfare and coach travel from Central Illinois, a highlight dinner in Vienna, breakfasts and dinners and a $50 gift is made to the Millikin Fund for every trip booked. Want 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, and a $50 gift is made to the Millikin Fund for every trip booked. 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.
Big Blue cookbooks

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 (568-2586) for details. 

CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2008!

More than 400 undergraduates and 20 master’s degree students walked across the stage at this year's spring commencement ceremonies held this past weekend, including one of the youngest graduates in Millikin history. MORE

AND THANK YOU FOR THE E-MAIL ADDRESS.
Thanks to the outstanding fundraising efforts of the class of 2008, who raised several thousand dollars to purchased equipment that will provide free, permanent e-mail addresses for all Millikin alumni as their senior class gift. Because of their efforts, all alumni will soon be able to display their Big Blue pride and get access to Millikin networks on social networking groups, such as Facebook. Classes of 2007 and 2008 will keep their current Millikin e-mail address and other alumni will be able to get a free Millikin e-mail account. Watch for more information in future issues.

IT'S NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL.
Concerned about what changes in the economy may mean for your finances? Don't miss this year's annual Chicago Business Forum and Networking Luncheon, "Navigating Today's Troubled Economic Waters: What Happened, What You Can Do About It and What To Expect From Your Investments in the Future," 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. at the University Club of Chicago. This year's event, moderated by by Cheryl (Cohn) Chamblin, professor of economics in the Tabor School of Business, features alumni panelists Melinda Kautz '92, Jim Roth '81 and Thomas C. Munz '73, and special guest David Marshall, professor emeritus of accounting. The cost is $30 per person and reservations are required by June 6. MORE

Click here to RSVP.

CARE 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

THEY WERE THE KEY TO KEEPING
THE DOORS UNLOCKED.
A group of 10 students and a professor played a key role in efforts to keep a Decatur center for the homeless from closing due to a lack of funding. MORE

MOORE NAMED ACI SHINING EXAMPLE.
The Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) has named alumna Jean Moore ’89 a 2008 Alumni Shining Example. MORE

PACE ALUMNI, FACULTY HONORED.
As a part of the fifth anniversary of PACE, Millikin’s adult education program, five alumni and three faculty members were recognized with awards. MORE

CARDS VS. CUBS. WHAT COULD BE BETTER?
Less than 15 tickets remain 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. For tickets or more info, call toll free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2586).

Round trip transportation, including beverages and snacks, from Decatur to the game is also available for $25 per person. Be sure to let the alumni office know if you are interested.

THE BEST OF THE BEST.
Eight students received the Scovill Prize during the annual honors convocation program in April. The highest student award for overall excellence at Millikin, Scovill Prizes are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and service, with major consideration given to scholarship. MORE

WE HONORED OUTSTANDING FACULTY, TOO.
Several faculty members were also recognized for excellence and their outstanding contributions to the university with four awards presented during the annual honors convocation program in April. MORE

Additionally, Dr. Eduardo Cabrera was recently selected to receive the Order of the Descubridores Award from Sigma Delta Pi, a national Spanish Honor Society. MORE

THEY MIGHT BE FLYING OVER THE
GREAT WALL OF CHINA RIGHT NOW.
The University Choir is performing in China and Taiwan during a 12-day tour May 19-31 as part of the 2008 American Celebration of Music in China. The choir is performing special concerts at Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan, and the Subsidiary Experimental School of Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China, and will also perform joint concerts with school choirs in Shenzhen and Beijing and at the Great Wall of China. MORE

SPEAKING OF MUSIC AND TRIPS...
Millikin's chamber percussion ensemble has been selected to perform at this fall’s Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 5. MORE

ENTREPRENEURS IN THE MAKING.
A group of students recently competed in the second annual Business Creation Challenge sponsored by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization, a student organization in the Tabor School of Business. MORE

IT'S HER PERFECT DAY.
Lindsey Ridgway '06 is featured in MTV's "Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods," a new reality show about the search for a replacement for Laura Bell Bundy in the Broadway company of "Legally Blonde." The show premieres June 2 at 9 p.m. (CST). For more info, click here.

GET LINKED IN.
More than 60 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 600 alumni have joined to reconnect - click here and join the crowd!

DID YOU SAY MARGARITAS?
Mi Pueblito is a current favorite on the student hangout list - how about you? 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.

THE GIFT THAT GIVES BACK TO YOU.
Interested in making a meaningful gift that gives back to you in the form of guaranteed payments for life? If you’re age 50 or older, a deferred or current charitable gift annuity may be just the thing. Click here to learn more.

IT'S JUST ABOUT SUMMER...
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR READING LIST?
If not, you may want to check the English department's annual summer reading list for suggestions. Until then, how about some reading-related trivia:

At left, are two future Millikin hopefuls and daughters of Carrie Pierson, learning resource specialist at Millikin, Lillie, 3, and Reed, 4, reading with campus icon, "Mr. B.B." What is the name of the book the Bronze Man is eternally reading?

A. "The Pursuit of Meaning"
B. "The Search for Truth"
C. "Man's Search for Meaning"
D. "Man's Pursuit of Truth"

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 --
Jane Looft Turner '65
Elaine Sharp Holloway '68
Laura Dopheide Dotson '97
Deborah Sullivan Little '89

Each won a Millikin luggage tag for correctly guessing that 42 percent of the freshman class were the first generation in their family to attend college.