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eiu alumni newsletter
september | 2007
![[photo: looking up at fall trees with yellow leaves]](http://easternillinoisuniversity.cmail1.com/email/245282/wwweiuedu/~alumni/bulletin/img/phFall.jpg)
Finalize Your Plans for Homecoming 2007
Come home and see the new sites and sounds, experience new traditions and relive great memories. Homecoming 2007 is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 19-21. This year’s events include an array of fun-filled activities sure to excite the entire family! Friday's events will include a pep rally, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Lantz Arena; Celebrating the Legacy and Embracing the Future, an EIU Foundation and Alumni Association Board of Directors reunion; and the 50th reunion for the Class of 1957. Events on Saturday include the annual Homecoming parade (9:30 a.m.), Alumni Tent City (11 a.m.) and the alumni awards dinner. Also, plan on coming to watch and cheer as EIU hosts Tennessee- Martin at O'Brien Stadium. Kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. Be sure to wear your blue and gray and join us for a fun-filled weekend of spirit and tradition. To preview a complete schedule of events please visit the alumni events page.
Baker Named Interim Athletic Director at EIU
Ken Baker ’72, ’73 was recently named the full-time interim athletic director for his alma mater. He will serve until a permanent athletic director is in place, with a national search expected to begin this fall. Baker has served as director of Campus Recreation since 2000. He previously served as a physical education instructor at Eastern, an adjunct health instructor at Lake Land College and an optician. Baker, a longtime Big Ten and National Football League referee, currently also serves as a replay official for the NFL.
Eastern Again Ranked Among Best in its Class by U.S. News & World Report
For the eighth consecutive year, EIU has been named one of the top Midwestern public universities in its class by U.S. News & World Report. Eastern is ranked 14th among all Midwestern public universities. The rankings – part of the magazine’s 2008 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” – are based on schools’ academic reputations, student selectivity, faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, financial resources and alumni giving.
The numbers show that Eastern has been able to retain its focus on personal attention despite record enrollment. For example, the student-faculty ratio remains 16:1, and only 5 percent of all classes have 50 or more students. In addition, EIU touts the highest freshman retention rate and the highest graduation rate among all Illinois public universities in its class.
Enrollment Down Slightly as Officials Work to Keep Numbers Manageable
Fall enrollment is down slightly from last year's record-setting figure, the result of officials' decision to pull in the reins to keep class sizes low and personal attention high. Altogether, EIU has enrolled 12,179 students this semester. Although that's down 1.4 percent from last fall's 12,349 figure, it's still the second-largest in the university's history.
“A student enrollment of 12,000 is the right size for Eastern with its current resource base,” said President Bill Perry, upon review of tenth-day numbers. “We're right where we wanted to be.”
“Our students come to Eastern, in part, because we offer small classes and offer them the personal attention that they both want and need. By adjusting our enrollment in measured but moderate ways, we can ensure our students that they, too, will benefit from Eastern's tradition of offering a quality education this year and in the future,” said Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
New Nursing Program Welcomes First Class of Students
Sixteen registered nurses from throughout the area have officially become the first to take classes in the newly established baccalaureate nursing program. The program, often termed an “RN to BSN completion program,” aims to help registered nurses improve clinical practice, gain expanded career opportunities or move on to graduate school. Nurses who have the opportunity to advance their education are more likely to remain in the profession, said the program’s director, Dianne Nelson, Ph.D., R.N. Students will be admitted each fall and spring, on either a full-time or part-time basis. Applications for the spring semester will be due Nov. 15, and Nelson expects seats to fill quickly.
Professor Named an IDNR Volunteer
of the Year
EIU Professor Marylin Lisowski has been named a recipient of the 2007 Illinois Department of Natural Resources Volunteer of the Year award. Since 1993, she has been a volunteer facilitator of the IDNR’s Project Learning Tree. Through those efforts, she has instructed nearly 500 pre-service teachers, teachers and nonformal educators about the program, both in her EIU classes and elsewhere. “Marylin is a tireless advocate for environmental education, and her enthusiasm for her subject matter is infectious to her students,” read an IDNR press release announcing the honor.
— Journal Gazette/Times-Courier
Faculty Laureate Fritz Touts Value of a Liberal Arts Education
Students in Ann Fritz’s biology classes certainly learn about the world’s plants and animals, but along the way, they also learn to be better global citizens. As a tribute to her emphasis on critical thinking skills and strong support of a well-rounded education for students, Fritz was named the 2007 Faculty Laureate. As the university's official spokesperson Fritz spoke at Fall Convocation, a welcoming ceremony for incoming students.
Family Weekend Tailgate Planned
The Alumni Association will be out and about during Family Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 6. Prior to the Panthers kicking off against Eastern Kentucky, the Alumni Association will be hosting a pre-game celebration, complete with free food and EIU giveaways. The celebration is schedule for 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the tailgating area south of O’Brien Stadium. All alumni, students, family and friends are encouraged to attend!
Panther Pulse Video Now Available
Panther Pulse videos are now available online. Now showing are clips from the Panthers’ football victory over Tennessee Tech in the season opener, as well as the latest editions of EIU Sports Talk. Each week, a new video feature will be added. Don’t miss out on the action!
Want make a Difference? Become a Career Mentor.
As an EIU graduate, you have the opportunity to mentor, lead and educate the next generation of leaders. The Career Services Office is seeking alumni volunteers to participate in its mentoring program. A career mentor is an adult professional who provides college students with counsel, friendship, career insight and a constructive example of the transition from college to work. Your mentoring experience can be personally rewarding, flexible around your schedule and make a valuable contribution toward our alma mater. For additional information or to sign up as a mentor, please visit here.
EIU Alumni Information
Join the Alumni Association Today
Please consider joining the EIU Alumni Association. Your membership will allow us to continue to expand our programming and offerings to the university community.
The association has been able to steadily increase its financial support to the university over the past several years in the form of student scholarships and grants because of the support of members like you.
In addition, you don’t want to miss receiving Old Main Line, the alumni magazine which is for members only. It’s a great way to stay on top of what’s happening on campus for only $30 annually. Join online or call us at 800-ALUM-EIU. We appreciate your continuing support!
Show Your Panther Pride! Order EIU Merchandise Online
Purchase your EIU merchandise by visiting our online bookstore.
EIU Radio
Listen to WEIU via the web at weiuhitmix.net
On Our Website
Upcoming Events
Registration information and a complete listing of events is available on our website.
- The Tarble at 25 Community Celebration
- September 30th
Tarble Arts Center,
Charleston, IL - EIU Afternoon in Oakbrook
- September 30th
Oakbrook, IL - Family Weekend Tailgate
- October 6th
O'Brien Stadium
Charleston, IL - Annual Principals Association Conference and Peoria Educators Networking Reception
- October 15th
Peoria, IL - EIU Homecoming
- October 19-21st
EIU Campus
Charleston, IL
Feedback
Each month, we hope to bring you a taste of what's happening at your alma mater. Our alumni are important to us. It doesn’t matter if you graduated five years ago, 25 years ago or 50 years ago…you are still EIU. Let us know what you think about the newsletter, including the types of items you’d like to see in it. We'll do our best to accommodate you.
©2007 EIU Alumni Association, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920. 217-581-6616 or 1-800-ALUM-EIU. Forward to a Friend | Unsubscribe
