SHSU
Update For Week Of Aug. 27
Alumni Director Retires
Karen Gray, director of Alumni Relations, has announced
that she will retire at the end of August to spend more time
attending to personal family matters.
"I have enjoyed the pleasure and benefits of serving
as alumni director for Sam Houston State University,"
Gray said. "However, personal responsibilities have created
more demands on my non-professional hours.
"I will miss the challenges and adventure my role offered,
as well as the many people with whom I worked," she said.
"I will always be a Bearkat and will continue to be a
part of this wonderful Alumni Association."
Charlie Vienne, who has served as assistant director for membership
and marketing, will serve as interim director.
Frank Holmes, vice president for university advancement, said
that a screening committee will be appointed and a search
conducted immediately to fill the position.
"Karen has been an excellent colleague and will be greatly
missed," Holmes said.
"She has worked very effectively with the Alumni Association
board of directors," he said. "Activities and participation
have increased tremendously. Membership is at a record level."
Gray, a former public school teacher and administrator, has
served as director of alumni relations since April 2005.
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Program To Make Money A Laughing
Matter
Award-winning speaker and author James Cunningham will teach
the essential skills in earning, spending and saving money
properly with his financial seminar “Funny Money-Budgeting,
Saving and Investing” on Tuesday (Aug. 29).
The program, sponsored by the Office of Student Activities,
will be held at 7 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Theater.
Known for its ability to “radically change the lives
of fiscally-challenged students everywhere,” the program
uses razor-sharp wit, comedy, and a multimedia presentation
to teach the essential skills in earning, spending and saving
money properly.
“James Cunningham's ‘Fun’-ancial seminar
‘Funny Money’ is extremely informative about real
money issues,” said Leah Mulligan, director of Student
Activities. “This program will help our students learn
the importance of saving money and financial responsibility.
“I have personally seen this program, and it is wonderful,”
she said.
Cunningham, a graduate of the University of Toronto, has been
performing at campuses across Canada and the United States
for the past eight years.
The two-time “Lecture of the Year” recipient,
from the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities, has been
featured on “Open Mike” with Mike Bullard, “Comics”
and “Madly Off In All Directions.”
In addition, Cunningham wrote and performed his own hour-long
comedy special entitled "James and the Giant Speech”
for the Comedy Network and has been showcased at the prestigious
Montreal “Just For Laughs” International Comedy
Festival.
For more information, call the Office
of Student Activities at 936.294.3861.
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Hunt To Familiarize Participants
With Campus
The Vice President For Student Services office is giving
students, faculty and staff the opportunity to explore the
campus for hidden treasure with a pirate-themed scavenger
hunt on Wednesday (Aug. 30), from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The hunt will begin in the Lowman Student Center Mall Area,
where participants will receive an easy-to-navigate map that
will take them across campus to various departments.
Giveaways will be distributed throughout the hunt, and grand
prizes will be given after the contest.
In addition, a pirate costume contest will be held from 11:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the LSC Mall Area, and prizes will also
be awarded for the top three costumes.
For more information, call the Office of the VPSS 936.294.1784.
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CMIT Speaker To Engage Leadership
Clint Swindall, the president and chief executive officer
of Verbalocity, will discuss the importance of all three aspects
of an engaged leadership and stress the overall importance
of having what he calls a “character core” during
a free leadership training workshop on Tuesday (Aug. 29).
“Engaged Leadership,” sponsored by the Correctional
Management Institute of Texas, will be held from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Theatre.
Registration will be held at 7:45 a.m.
“In this training program, Clint will share a considerable
amount of useful information, and deliver his message in an
entertaining and inspirational style,” said Amanda Bilnoski,
coordinator for the Texas Probation Training Academy and Community
Corrections Division.
Swindall began his career at SBC Communications, Inc., now
AT&T, upon his graduation from Texas State University—San
Marcos.
As a participant in the company’s Leadership Development
Program, he quickly gained hands-on experience in sales, marketing,
customer service, finance and technology.
Although successful in the corporate environment, Swindall
chose to use the skills he developed in this advanced leadership
program, as well as the experiences gained as the vice president
of communications for TSC Communications, Inc., to change
lives and help organizations enhance their personal and professional
leadership skills.
In 2005, he received the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional
designation, which is held by less than 10 percent of speakers
worldwide who belong to the National Speakers Association
and the International Federation for Professional Speakers.
Although this training is free, registration is required due
to limited space. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available.
CMIT is located in the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center.
For more information, contact Bilnoski at bilnoski@shsu.edu
or 936.294.1227.
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Alumni Association
Prepares For Tailgating Season
With football season kicking off soon, the SHSU Alumni Association
is preparing for its first tailgate party on Sept. 9, when
the Bearkats take on Arkansas Monticello.
The Alumni Association provides food and beverages at no cost
for alumni, students, and other fans during each home ballgame,
which builds relationships and develops spirit, according
to Charlie Vienne, assistant director for Alumni Relations.
“With tailgating activities planned for eight of the
eleven SHSU football games this fall, the Alumni Association
is reaching out to alumni, students and friends of the university
to bring everyone together for one common cause, their love
of SHSU and support of the Bearkats,” Vienne said. “We
want to provide a family atmosphere with high energy and excitement
for individuals of all ages.”
The association will also take its tailgating atmosphere on
the road for games at Southern Methodist University in Dallas,
the University of Texas in Austin, and Stephen F. Austin State
University in Nacogdoches.
A charter bus is being made available for the away games at
SMU and SFA departing from the Bowers Stadium parking lot,
and a minimal charge will apply for the road tailgates, Vienne
said.
Tailgating activities will begin approximately two hours prior
to kick-off for each contest and conclude just prior to kick-off.
For home games, the Alumni Association tents will be set-up
in Bearkat Alley, directly behind the new scoreboard on the
north end of the stadium.
Tailgate parties are open to all SHSU alumni and friends,
as well as students.
For more information on the Alumni Association tailgating
activities or a schedule of dates, call Alumni Relations at
936.294.1841 or visit http://alumni.shsu.edu.
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Exhibit Celebrates
The ‘National Game’
 |
| A picture of President Woodrow Wilson
throwing out the first ball on opening day in 1916 is
one of many on display at the Walker Education Center's
Exhibit Gallery. |
“Baseball: Our Game,” an exhibit of photographs
and other memorabilia from the Library of Congress, is currently
on display in the Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education
Center's Exhibit Gallery.
Photos of such events as President Woodrow Wilson throwing
out the first ball on opening day in 1916; the grand match
for the championship at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, N.J.,
dated 1866; and the Negro League champion Homestead Grays,
which were located in the mill town of Homestead.
The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 10.
For more information, call the
Sam Houston Memorial Museum at 936.294.1832.
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Library To Host Open House
The Newton Gresham Library will update students, faculty
and staff on services and resources that will be offered throughout
the year with an open house on Tuesday and Wednesday (Aug.
29-30).
Both open houses will be held from 2-4:30 p.m. in NGL Room
155.
The event will be come-and-go, and refreshments will be served.
For more information, call the NGL
at 936.294.1614.
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Send Update Items Here
Please send information for the SHSU Update to the Office
of Public Relations at SHSU. For electronic access to SHSU
news see the public relations Web page Today@Sam.
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- END -
SHSU Media Contacts: Frank
Krystyniak, Julia May,
Jennifer Gauntt
Aug. 27, 2006
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu
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