Welcome to Marygrove Minute -- the e-newsletter with the latest information on Marygrove College. We hope you enjoyed the updates from last month and we look to you for feedback. Your input is essential to the success of this effort to stay connected with our friends. We look forward to hearing from you at dpuhl@marygrove.edu.

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS GOLF SCRAMBLE SELLS OUT
Marygrove College’s 6th Annual Alumni and Friends Golf Scramble kicked off homecoming week on Monday, September 10. The beautiful Inn at St. John’s Golf and Conference Center in Plymouth, Michigan was the location for a great day of golf and fun. The outing has grown from 12 players in 2002 to 144 golfers this year - a sellout!  Proceeds from the event will be used to award scholarships to deserving students and benefit the men’s and women’s basketball program.

The presenting sponsor was Michigan First Credit Union. Other title sponsors included Henry Ford Health System (dinner); Ameraplan, Inc. (golf carts); Tom Holzer Ford (golf balls); Patterson-Bryant, Inc. (auction); and Ed Schmid Ford (hole in one). Hole sponsors included Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network of Michigan; Detroit Commerce Bank; Detroit Medical Center; DTE Energy; Ford Motor Company; Lamos Management Services; MGM Grand Detroit Casino; Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, P.L.C.; TCF Education Financing; The Midnight Golf Program; Trinity Transport Group; and W.J. O’Neil Company.

BASKETBALL PHOTOS

Diane Puhl brings the ball up court during the "Green and Gold " basketball game during homecoming	Sally Janecek '71, Renee Ahee '72 and Lynn Brauner share a laugh during the game
The men's green and gold teams take the court	Players "high-five" at the end of the game

POETRY READING PHOTOS

Don Levin, professor of English, organized the poetry event	Tom Galasso, a current student in the English masters program, reads from a novel in progress
Zola Masembuko (Joan Hooks-Polk), a Marygrove alumna, reads from her poetry	Sharon Wallace, an alumna, reads from play

MUSICAL CELEBRATION PHOTOS

Mary Walton '89 & '97	Rose Carmel Burgess, IHM '52
Megan Higle '07	Hamilton Moore '08

JOHN NOVAK DIGITAL INTERVIEW COLLECTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY
Marygrove College will debut the John Novak Digital Interview Collection of African-American migration stories on Tuesday, October 9th, at 5:30 p.m. in the Marygrove Library.  This totally Internet-based collection tells the stories of African-Americans who moved to Detroit after experiencing discrimination and Jim Crow laws in the south.  The stories were collected by Professor Dena Scher and Marygrove students as class projects from 2005 through 2007.

Dr. Scher said, “Through their own words and in their own voice, seven African Americans chronicle their life stories and experiences in the south and their decisions to move to Detroit.  These stories provide rich lessons that classroom teachers can present to their middle and high school students.  They are also valuable tools for librarians and social science and history researchers. “They’re lessons in perseverance, determination and hope.”

In addition to the uniqueness of the stories themselves, the distinction of this collection comes in its digital format.  All the stories can be downloaded, listened to and read simultaneously, said Michael Barnes, Marygrove College Librarian.  Because they’re keyword searchable, researchers do not have to wade through reams of paper to locate their topic.  The Collection will eventually contain oral interviews of other Detroiters, many of whom attended Marygrove College in its early years.  The link is www.marygrove.edu/library/special.asp. 

The Collection is named in honor of Dr. John Novak, Marygrove’s late provost, under whose administration and encouragement the College was brought into the technological age.  “John would have been proud of this Collection,” said Dr. Scher. 

A reception and demonstration of the John Novak Digital Interview Collection will take place on Tuesday, October 9, in the Marygrove College Library, Liberal Arts Building, 8425 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, MI 48221.  The reception and collection debut is free and open to the public.  In attendance will be Joann Novak, wife of John Novak, 92-year old Daisy Gary and her great granddaughter, Marygrove student and interviewer, Danielle Washington.

Marygrove President Dr. David Fike said, “The involvement of our students in gathering these wonderful Detroit migration stories and the collection itself demonstrate the College’s commitment to ‘Urban Leadership.’ Urban Leadership is a strategic vision that commits us to preparing our students to become leaders in their professions and in their urban communities as well as commits Marygrove to take an expanded leadership role in Detroit.”

HAVE A SEAT IS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8: PARK WEST GALLERY PREMIER SPONSOR!
Due to its popularity and success of the past two years, Marygrove College will again host Have A Seat … and more!

Chair Auction and Strolling Dinner on Thursday, November 8, 2007. The occasion commemorates the founding of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1845, as well as the founding of Marygrove in 1927, which they continue to sponsor.

Internationally renowned artist and designer Dominic Pangborn and his wife Delia have graciously agreed to serve as Honorary Co-Chairs for this year’s event. Mr. Pangborn will also donate original works of art for the auction.

This exciting fundraiser will feature the work of local and national artists who have transformed vintage Marygrove chairs and other items into collectible works of art. Artists include Charles McGee, Gilda Snowden, Nora Chapa Mendoza, Shirley Woodson, and many more. Auction items will include such non-chair items as paintings, sculptures, gift certificates and other non-art related items.

If you are interested in sponsoring the event, donating an item or gift certificate from your place of business or attending the event, please contact Maureen Leonard at mleonard@marygrove.edu or (313) 927-1308.  Your support will help Marygrove College turn today’s students into tomorrow’s urban leaders.

DINNER AND THEATRE
Over the last several years, the Dinner/Theatre events sponsored by the Marygrove Alumni Association Program Committee have met with great success.  This season we are pleased to bring you two exciting plays from the UDM Theatre Company in the Marygrove Theatre, preceded by lunch or dinner in the Main Dining Room in Madame Cadillac Hall.

Glass Menagerie
Written by Tennessee Williams and directed by Greg Trask

Sunday, October 14, 2007  •  Lunch 12:30 p.m.  •  Stage Play 2:00 p.m.

Amanda Wingfield is a faded, tragic remnant of Southern gentility who lives in poverty in a dingy St. Louis apartment with her son, Tom, and her daughter, Laura. Amanda strives to give meaning and direction to her life and the lives of her children, though her methods are ineffective and irritating. Tom is driven nearly to distraction by his mother’s nagging and seeks escape in alcohol and the unrealistic world of the movies. Laura also lives in her own illusions. She is crippled, and this defect, intensified by her mother’s anxiety to see her married, has driven her more and more into herself. The crux of the action comes when Tom invites a friend to have dinner with the family. Jim, the caller, is a nice ordinary fellow who is at once pounced upon by Amanda as a possible husband for Laura.

Back of the Throat
Written by Yussef El Guindi and directed by Arthur J. Beer

Saturday, December 1, 2007 • Dinner 6:30 p.m.  •  Stage Play 8:00 p.m.

Back of the Throat is the tale of an apparently friendly visit by two government officials, which soon devolves into a full-blown, no-holds-barred probe. Khaled, an Arab-American writer and the focus of the inquiry, finds himself, to his astonishment, suddenly accused of possible ties to terrorists. As the interrogation proceeds, the officials reveal their evidence, but is it evidence? Or have innocent events been distorted through the lens of paranoid suspicion? As the situation turns increasingly surreal, and the menace to Khaled increasingly real, the question of what it means to be an American takes on a very personal and charged significance. An enthralling and ultimately chilling black comedy, Back of the Throat confronts bureaucratic euphemisms like “person of interest” and “extraordinary rendition” with the frightening reality they seek to obscure.

The cost of each event is $30 per person, which includes lunch or dinner and a theater ticket. Space is limited and reservations must be received no later than September 26, 2007, for the Glass Menagerie and no later than November 21, 2007, for Back of the Throat. To make reservations, send a check made payable to Marygrove College, attention Marianne Gaynor, IHM, 8425 West McNichols, Detroit, MI 48221-2599.

BOOK DISCUSSIONS GALORE!
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini

Thursday, October 4, 2007, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Royal Oak, MI

A Thousand Splendid Suns continues the breathtaking story of Afghanistan’s last thirty years from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding as recounted by Khaled Hosseini whose first novel, The Kite Runner, became an instant bestseller.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a tale of two generations of characters, Mariam and Laila, who are brought together by the sweep of war and where their personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inseparable from the history happening around them. It is a novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship and an indestructible love.

Kay Hughes ’66, recently retired Marian High School English teacher, will facilitate this book discussion at her home in Royal Oak, MI. Confirm your participation with Kay at (248) 549-3853 or khughes716@sbcglobal.net. Directions will be provided upon registration.

Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a Grown-up Black Woman
by Jill Nelson

Friday, February 22, 2008, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Marygrove College

Dr. Loretta Woodard, associate professor of English, will lead another engaging and enlightening book discussion on journalist Jill Nelson’s Straight, No Chaser. We welcome all to join us to discuss Nelson’s highly praised and insightful work.

The discussion will take place on Friday, February 22, 2007, in the Faculty Lounge located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Building from 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. Enjoy light refreshments while we share our views.

Book summary: Full of candor, courage, wit, and passion, Nelson uses a blend of autobiography, political analysis and self-help to examine the roles and status of black women in their communities. As she unveils the “secrets, silence and invisibility” that defines their lives, Nelson challenges black women, and by extension, all women, especially young women, to “speak up and out,” as a collective voice, about the ills of their communities and the larger culture.

If you plan to attend, please mark your calendar now and contact Alumni Program Committee member Druel Outley at (313) 342-3208 or drueloutley@ameritech.net.  

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES AND DEATH NOTIFICATIONS GO ONLINE
No longer will you have to wait until the annual Contact magazine is published to find out what your classmates are up to. Beginning in August, Marygrove’s alumni web site (www.marygrove.edu/alumni/class_notes.asp) will include class notes and photos that have been submitted to the alumni office since the most recent edition of Contact magazine. Death notifications, both for alumni and their family members, will also be included. The information will continue to be published in Contact, but we hope this will provide a useful, up-to-date resource that will help you stay connected with your fellow graduates.

Marygrove Minute, an electronic newsletter published once per month, is another great way to stay abreast of the events and happenings at the College. If you are interested in receiving the Marygrove Minute or would like to submit a class note or death notification, please contact Diane Puhl, director of Alumni Relations, at dpuhl@marygrove.edu or Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols, Detroit, MI, 48221 or (313) 927-1443.

ALUMNI-SPONSORED TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES TO SPAIN, SOUTH AFRICA AND BEIJING IN 2008
Spain’s Classics
February 24 – March 5, 2008
10 Days - 14 Meals
$2,399 – Includes roundtrip air from Detroit, hotel transfers and departure taxes.

Spain is a land of fiery excitement and wild, untamed beauty, steeped in romance, tradition and culture. Widely known for flamenco music and dance, bullfights, fantastic beaches and sunshine, Spain also offers cultural cities filled with art and history and breathtaking scenery. The expedition begins in Spain’s capital, Madrid, a modern city with classical palaces, wide boulevards and the world-famous Prado museum. You’ll also visit Toledo, the ancient Castilian capital; Seville, home of flamenco; Granada, Cordoba, Valencia; and end the tour in Barcelona, one of the most vibrant and lively cities in Spain.

Spectacular South Africa: Culture and Nature in Harmony
March 27 – April 9, 2008
14 Days – 20 Meals
$4,099 – Includes roundtrip air from Detroit, hotel transfers and departure taxes.

South Africa is an amazing and diverse land unrivaled in beauty and splendor. This extraordinary land contains some of the world’s most astonishing creatures and remarkable landscapes. Explore bustling Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautiful cities, perched on a lush peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic, with penguins frolicking on one side and a dramatic Table Mountain backdrop on the other.  Experience magnificent scenery as you travel South Africa’s Garden Route coastline from Port Elizabeth to Knysna. Enjoy the wild excitement of an open-air vehicle safari game drive in Kruger National Park. You’ll also visit the Apartheid Museum in Soweto, an ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn and one of South Africa’s oldest wineries near Cape Town.

Beijing City Stay
October 14 – 22, 2008
9 Days – 15 Meals
$2,029 – Includes roundtrip air from Detroit, hotel transfers and departure taxes.

Experience the best of Beijing, home of the 2008 Summer Olympics, while spending each night of your tour in one of the city’s finest hotels. You’ll visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and The Great Wall. You’ll also experience ancient Beijing on a rickshaw tour, have a traditional Chinese dinner with a local family in their home and attend the Peking Opera.

Alumni-sponsored travel is open to all alumni, family and friends of Marygrove College. To view the full itinerary for these trips, please visit www.marygrove.edu/alumni/travel. Special accommodations can be made for people who need a departure city other than Detroit. If you have questions or need more information, contact Diane Puhl, director of Alumni Relations, at (313) 927-1443 or dpuhl@marygrove.edu.

LESLIE MURPHY WILL GIVE BUSINESS LECTURE OCTOBER 3: “VIEWS FROM THE TIGHTROPE”
Plante & Moran’s Group Managing Partner Leslie Murphy will keynote the Marygrove College Annual Business Lecture on Wednesday, October 3, 2007.  The presentation will take place in the Denk Chapman Hall of the Madame Cadillac Building from 7 to 9:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. 

A noted speaker throughout the country on the CPA profession, corporate governance and regulatory issues, as well as culture and work/life initiatives in CPA firms and corporate America, Ms. Murphy will share her “Views from the Tightrope.” She has consistently used her leadership skills to effect positive change at her firm, within the accounting profession and in the realm of community service.  She co-founded the firm’s Personal Tightrope Action Committee, whose groundbreaking policy recommendations helped to gain Plante & Moran a place on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the past nine years.

At P&M, the nation’s 11th largest public accounting and management consulting firm, Ms. Murphy has responsibility for oversight of the Litigation, Valuation and Forensic Services group, Large Corporate Services and the P&M network of affiliated firms.  She is the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which represents approximately 330,000 CPAs and affiliate members.

She is widely recognized for her community and professional contributions, among them: The “Outstanding Visionary” Award of the Michigan Association of CPAs in September 2005; one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners for 2005” by CPA magazine; one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People for 2005 by Accounting Today and one of Business Finance's "2006 Influencers:  60 Authoritative Voices."

For more information, visit the Marygrove website or contact Jane Hammang-Buhl, chair of the Business and Computer Information Systems Department, at (313) 927-1465 or jhammangbuhl@marygrove.edu.

HELP RECRUIT STUDENTS TO MARYGROVE AND THEY RECEIVE SPECIAL BENEFITS!
Alumni who care about the future of their alma mater can help the Marygrove Alumni Recruiting Students (MARS) committee and the Office of Admissions by identifying potential Marygrove students for the Winter 2007 class. If you refer a student to Marygrove, he or she will have the $25 application fee waived and, if admitted and enrolled, a $250 gift card for books will be awarded to be used at the College Bookstore.

You can become a very important member of our staff as a volunteer alumni admissions representative by telling others of your experiences at Marygrove College. Do not discount the value of your experience as an opportunity to help people choose wisely about the future of their education.

Please use the Alumni-Referred Admission Application and feel free to make copies. If you know someone who would make a good addition to the Marygrove student community, give him or her an application to fill out and send in. Remember to include your name and graduation year in the “Referred by” line below so we know whom to thank! If you have questions, email info@marygrove.edu or call the Office of Admissions at (313) 927-1240. Thank you in advance for your continued support and commitment to Marygrove College.