May 2014

Dear Alumni and Friends,

We concluded our spring semester May 9-10 with commencement ceremonies that featured four outstanding speakers — Laurence Benz '84, Dr. Brenda Hollis '68, '14, Jacien Steele '77, and Dennis Murray Jr.

Now, we are looking forward to a busy summer of students on campus for summer class sessions, camps including Buckeye Boys State, new student orientation, and many other activities.

I hope you'll take a few moments to read about our outstanding May graduates. I think you'll be amazed at what some of our students have accomplished, from a young woman who has been helping people her whole life, to a young man whose will and determination helped him realize his dream of being a musician. Two of my favorites are Richard Larabee, who graduated at the age of 79, and Thomas Chapman, our 18-year-old graduate who received both his high school diploma and earned an associate degree at the same time!

Have you heard about BGSU Hall of Fame baseball player Gary Haas? This alumnus made a $1 million commitment to the baseball program, making it the largest commitment to the Athletic Department by a former student athlete. 

I do have sad news to convey about another of BGSU's most ardent supporters. Just this week, Bill Frack passed away. As I let you know last month, Bill was a true friend and very generous donor, giving BGSU its largest private gift in the University's history.

If you are looking for an inspiring new book to read this summer, consider "Dangerous Women: The Rhetoric of the Women Nobel Peace Laureates," written by our own Dr. Ellen Gorsevski, associate professor of communication. The book looks at the lives and contributions of 15 women who used nonviolent means of communication to advocate for peace, often at great risk to themselves and their families.

If you are going to be in Bowling Green this summer, you will certainly want to look into the Summer Concert Series. Performances including a "Sound of Music" sing-along, The Moxie Strings, the improv troupe "Broadway's Next H!t Musical," and the return of New York Voices.

And it's never too early to start planning for Homecoming! This year's theme is "Once a Falcon, Always a Falcon," and will be Oct. 2-4 when BGSU faces Buffalo. Keep an eye out here for more details on events.

Speaking of being a Falcon, if you have a couple of minutes, you really should take a look at "My Falcon Moment" where our new graduates talk about that moment they knew they would forever be a Falcon. I hope you'll tell me about your own Falcon Moment on my Facebook page.

Regards,

Mary Ellen Mazey, Ph.D.
President