|
Summer 2006 Common ground along party lines Marketing professor earns two top honors for teaching excellence CMU Trustees honor Fabiano family Education Building project moving forward About the New Vision of Excellence Campaign
Central Michigan University will celebrate the successful conclusion of its history-making New Vision of Excellence Campaign with a reception and program for invited guests on Friday, September 15, and a community lunch on Saturday, September 16. The five-year campaign – the first since CMU’s founding more than 110 years ago – has far exceeded the initial campaign goal of $50 million. The campaign has provided outstanding impetus and foundation for visionary progress in four critically important areas identified at the outset:
“Central Michigan University sincerely appreciates the many generous donations made during this campaign,” CMU President Michael Rao said. “CMU increasingly holds distinction as one of Michigan’s most vibrant public universities thanks in no small part to our growing legacy of donor support and endowment.” Campaign records more than 60,000 individual donations “A $5 million commitment from the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation at the outset really helped launch this campaign,” Leto said. “By the conclusion this fall, we will have recorded more than 60,000 individual donations, including several additional significant gifts that have resulted in the naming of our new residence halls and other key facilities around campus.” The Friday, September 15, reception and dinner will feature a campaign video and historical re-enactment paying tribute to CMU’s founders, whose vision inspired the New Vision of Excellence Campaign. The community lunch – which begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 16, near Kelly/Shorts Stadium – will extend the celebratory atmosphere to the entire university community. After the lunch, tickets to CMU’s football game against Akron at 1 p.m. will be available. “CMU’s faculty, staff, students, friends, and partners would like to invite the entire university community to join us in this celebration of CMU’s bright future,” Leto said. For additional information or to inquire about football tickets or overnight accommodations Friday or Saturday, call (989) 774-7155 or (800) 358-6903. Inquiries may also be made through e-mail by contacting Christine Alwood, director of stewardship and alumni relations. Come join us!
Proposed Hart/Milliken speaker series encourages civil approaches to politics Partisanship and divisiveness are increasingly common obstacles that work to tarnish, rather than enhance, the legislative process in America. In response to this trend, Central Michigan University is raising funds to establish an endowment that will honor the legacies of two respected Michigan politicians and will challenge students to approach politics in a way that embraces America’s diversity of ideas and perspectives. The Philip A. Hart and William G. Milliken Endowed Speaker Series for Integrity in Politics will bring to campus individuals from the public and private sectors who have demonstrated a commitment to stimulating positive change in American politics and policymaking. “Politics in America has become such an ugly game weighed down by partisan bickering and an unwillingness to listen and compromise,” said E. Gary Shapiro, dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences. “There is no better time than now to teach our students to be fair leaders and to learn how to do politics in a better way, similar to Philip Hart and William Milliken.” The College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences has set a goal of raising $1 million to establish the speaker series endowment honoring the two esteemed leaders. Hart and Milliken built bridges across the aisles The distinguished careers of Hart and Milliken remain as shining examples of cooperation and tolerance, Shapiro said. The late Philip A. Hart, a Democrat, served Michigan as a U.S. Senator from 1958 to 1976 and was regarded by his colleagues in both parties as “the conscience of the Senate.” Milliken, a Republican (pictured above), served as Michigan’s governor from 1969 to 1982 and is remembered as a moderate governor whose pursuit of cooperation and consensus among Michigan legislators earned the love and respect of citizens throughout the state. “Republicans and Democrats don’t have to agree on everything,” Milliken said. “What is important is to not demonize the opposition and to recognize that they might have good arguments and reasons why they feel the way they do. “If both sides understand that of each other, they can work together to find common ground to benefit the people they serve.” Endowment to support speaker series The Philip A. Hart and William G. Milliken Endowed Speaker Series for Integrity in Politics will provide a forum where students can listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue focusing on a range of current political and policymaking issues. Milliken said he is honored to have his name paired with Hart’s for a lectureship that will facilitate and encourage a spirit of political compromise, cooperation, and inclusiveness. “Senator Hart was a very fine statesman who was respected and admired by members from both political parties,” he said. Milliken said such a speaker series, which will help to shape the ideologies of tomorrow’s political leaders, is needed to change the “excessive partisanship and meanness” he sees in today’s political climate. “I feel strongly that we have moved away from civil approaches to civil problems,” Milliken said. “What CMU is attempting to do with this speaker series is commendable and important.” Shapiro said the speaker series, to be hosted annually on CMU’s main campus, will complement the Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government and its twice-yearly forums addressing public policy issues. He pointed out that the speaker series will connect with students from a variety of other academic disciplines. “This endowment will offer students opportunities to interact with professionals they normally wouldn’t be able to interact with,” Shapiro said. “It also will provide stability within the college that will enable us to better prepare our students to be future leaders."
Wilson receives Campbell and Halzelton awards Marketing professor J. Holton Wilson (pictured left) has received the College of Business Administration’s first Jerry and Felicia Campbell Endowed Professorship, worth $18,000 a year for two years, and the first Hazleton MBA Faculty Excellence Award, worth $2,600. Wilson plans to use these professional development awards to fund activities he has not been able to afford previously, such as attending meetings to enhance his expertise in marketing research and forecasting. “It’s important to keep up, and one way is to get out, talk to colleagues, and listen to what other people are doing. But that kind of travel gets expensive, so these awards will really help,” Wilson said. Wilson, who has taught at CMU since 1985, coauthored what is considered a leading book in forecasting both in the United States and internationally. The text, Business Forecasting, written with Barry Keating from Notre Dame University, is published by McGraw-Hill and is in its fifth edition. Wilson has published more than 10 textbooks and numerous academic articles in economics, forecasting, and marketing journals. “In teaching, it’s wonderful to work with good students, to help them learn and guide them,” Wilson said. “When I wake up in the morning, I’m anxious to get to CMU, that’s how much I like what I do.” The Jerry and Felicia Campbell Endowed Professorship, endowed through a gift from Republic Bancorp founder and CMU Trustee and alumnus Jerry Campbell ’62, and his wife, Felicia, honors tenured professors who are nationally or internationally prominent in their fields, are recognized as outstanding teachers, and have contributed to and improved the college’s academic programs. The Hazleton MBA Faculty Excellence Award – endowed through a gift from former Dow Corning Corporation executive and CMU alumnus Richard Hazleton, MBA ’72, and his wife, Mary Lou, MA ’86 – recognizes CMU MBA faculty members who foster an exceptionally high quality educational experience for students and improve the program’s reputation among potential applicants and business professionals. “We are fortunate to have many outstanding and dedicated faculty teaching in the MBA program, and I am proud to be among them,” Wilson said.
Named residence hall recognizes family's contributions A family whose business roots started in Italy is extending its legacy to Central Michigan University. The CMU Board of Trustees recently named the Fabiano Family Residence Hall to honor the significant contributions and history of the family that built Fabiano Brothers, Inc. – owned by James C. and (Evangeline) Lee Fabiano and their sons, James C. II and Joseph R. II. James and Lee also have two daughters, Claudia and Maureen, and 14 grandchildren. “Central Michigan University has been fortunate to count the Fabiano family among its most loyal and generous supporters for generations,” CMU President Michael Rao said. “A residence hall bearing the Fabiano name is a great tribute to the incredible impact this family has made on CMU students, graduates, and the Mount Pleasant community.” In a country where more than 80 percent of family businesses fail after the first generation, the fourth generation is at the helm of Fabiano Brothers, Inc. The company is one of Michigan’s largest beverage distribution companies and is in the top 10 percent of volume in Anheuser-Busch’s national distribution system. “We think it’s important that the whole family is recognized; it is because of our ancestors who came here long ago that we are here today,” said James C. Fabiano. Family business began in Italy The business began circa 1885 in southern Italy where grandfather George Fabiano opened a small cantina that sold fruits, vegetables, and wine. George Fabiano immigrated to the United States in 1899 and worked on the railroad, returning annually to Italy. By 1911 he had saved enough money to bring his wife and seven children to America. In the early years, the Fabiano family struggled to make a living at their stores in Lansing and Eaton Rapids. George also financed a store in Mount Pleasant for his daughter and son-in-law to operate. The couple died when the flu epidemic of 1919 struck, and George moved his family to Mount Pleasant and raised the couple’s four children along with his own. That year, George and his two sons, Frank and Joseph (James C. Fabiano’s father), opened the George Fabiano Fruit Market in downtown Mount Pleasant. During Prohibition, the business sold “near beer.” After Prohibition was repealed, the company began distributing beer and wine. Four generations of family have supported CMU “I can remember my father used to tell me about attending events at CMU when it was a normal school and college,” said Richard Fabiano, who lives with his wife, the former Mary Jane Sowle, in Grand Rapids. “He and my Uncle Frank were strong supporters of CMU.” James C. Fabiano has shown his support for CMU and the community in many ways. He served as chairman of the CMU Development Board and president of the CMU Century Club. From 1999 to 2004, he served on CMU’s Board of Trustees and presided as chairman the last year of his tenure. “We have always had a strong allegiance to education,” Fabiano said. “We’ve had and continue to have many CMU students and alumni employed in the marketing, warehousing, and technology areas.” The Fabiano family helped make the university’s New Vision of Excellence Campaign an overwhelming success, said Michael Leto, vice president of development and alumni relations. “The generosity of the Fabiano family helped make CMU’s first capital campaign exceed its fundraising goal, and their gifts help ensure that the academic quality of programs being offered to students will continue for generations to come,” Leto said. EDUCATION BUILDING PROJECT MOVING FORWARD Plan calls for new facility Increased construction material costs related to Hurricane Katrina and preferences expressed by the Central Michigan University College of Education and Human Services’ faculty and staff have architects finalizing a new plan for the Education Building project. Instead of renovating and expanding Ronan Hall as originally discussed, a new Education Building will be constructed on campus. “The new plan will allow our programming needs to dictate the building’s design, classroom configuration, and lab spaces,” said Karen Adams, dean of the College of Education and Human Services. “Staying in our present location would have limited our options.” DSA, the architect and engineering firm hired to design the building, came forward with the new proposal after meeting with faculty and staff members, touring current facilities, and reviewing the escalating costs of construction materials. Groundbreaking scheduled for spring 2007 The Education Building construction is set to begin in early 2007 and be completed by summer 2009. The building will be constructed where the middle quad of Washington Street Apartments currently stands. Four apartment buildings will be demolished to make room, and the two other quads will continue to serve as university housing. This technologically advanced facility will bring all education-related faculty and programs together into one environment that models the integrative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative nature of the teacher education profession. The state of Michigan has committed $37.5 million toward the cost of the $50 million project. The college and university will raise the remainder of the funds. “There has been a lot of enthusiasm surrounding the new building and what it means for the college and the university,” said Cindy Hales, director of development for the College of Education and Human Services. Hales said that she and Adams began traveling throughout the state in late June to meet with individuals and host small gatherings and major events to share information about the new Education Building and how college and university donors can help support the project. To learn more about the Education Building project and how you can contribute, contact Cindy Hales, director of development for the College of Education and Human Services, at (989) 774-1554, or by e-mail at hales2ce@cmich.edu.
Donor Support needed for Kelly/Shorts Stadium lighting project CMU Athletics is confident that permanent Kelly/Shorts Stadium lighting will help bring increased revenue and national media coverage to CMU and the Mount Pleasant area. So are members of the CMU Board of Trustees, who, seeing the opportunities the lights will present, provided up to $650,000 for the lights to be installed this season while CMU Athletics raises funds to support the lighting project. This is why your help is needed to light up the nights at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. “The opportunities for national exposure that accompany this project will showcase the people and programs that make CMU an outstanding institution for research, public service, student-centered learning, and NCAA Division-I athletics,” said CMU President Michael Rao. “Please join us in supporting this campaign for excellence.” The investment already is paying off for the university. All three of the Chippewas’ home night football games will be nationally televised on the ESPN family of networks – more national coverage than any other Mid-American Conference football team this season. CMU previously was the only MAC member to have a football stadium with no lights. “Going into year three of our program, national exposure is what we were hoping for,” said Brian Kelly, CMU football coach. In addition to the increased national television coverage, Kelly/Shorts Stadium lights will:
Fundraising for the Kelly/Shorts Stadium lights kicked off in July. Gifts to CMU qualify as charitable contributions to higher education, and donations of $10,000 or more can be made as multiyear pledges. Consult your tax advisor for specific details on tax benefits. Also, contact the Chippewa Club to find out whether you work for a company with a matching gift program. Donor levels and recognition The Kelly/Shorts Stadium lights project offers donors several name recognition opportunities based on the total gift amount. Giving levels and amounts are:
Donors at all giving levels will be recognized in the 2006 CMU Football game program. Each donor at the 75-Watt level and above also will be recognized on the stadium scoreboard during all 2006 home football games. All donors at the 100-Watt level and above will be recognized by their respective giving level on a Kelly/Shorts Stadium memorial plaque. All donors at the 150-Watt level and above also will be invited to a special Boston College pre game donor appreciation event and on-field presentation prior to kickoff. In addition, donors at the Kilowatt level will receive light pole donor recognition. Donors at the Megawatt level will have an exclusive light pole naming opportunity. To learn more about how you can support the Kelly/Shorts Stadium lights project, contact Craig Willey, Chippewa Club Director, at (989) 774-6680, or by e-mail at craig.willey@cmich.edu. About the New Vision of Excellence Campaign
The opportunity to reach CMU's potential in each of these four important
areas has inspired an unreserved belief that CMU's traditional strengths
comprehensive undergraduate education and niche-area applied graduate
programs provide an outstanding impetus and foundation for visionary
progress at this moment in the university's history. |
CELEBRATION PLANNED TO MARK NEW VISION CAMPAIGN SUCCESS 
COMMON GROUND ALONG PARTY LINES 
MARKETING PROFESSOR EARNS 
CMU Trustees honor Fabiano family 
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
 |
| requires quicktime |
| [Archived_Newsletters/includes/inc_footer.htm] |