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.

MARYGROVE COLLEGE WELCOMES SAMUEL R. DELANY AS 20TH CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN AUTHOR APRIL 11
Marygrove College hosts award-winning science fiction author Samuel R. Delany for a reading and book signing on Friday, April 11, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. in the Madame Cadillac Building.  The lecture is free and open to the public.

Samuel R. Delany is the 20th writer to present his works at the annual Bauder Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series.  He is the author of nearly fifty book-length works: novels, short stories, essays, memoirs and literary criticism.

Delany grew up in Harlem and began his career as novelist at age nineteen. By the time he was twenty-five (1967), he had published nine novels and had won two Nebula Awards, given to the year’s best works of science fiction. He has continued to produce groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy including novels Equinox (1994) and Phallos (2004) and short-stories Driftglass: Ten Tales of Speculative Fiction (1971) and Aye, and Gomorrah: Stories (2003). His nonfiction includes critical essays about literature and about language, sexuality and race—among a wide range of other subjects. In addition to four Nebula Awards, Delany has twice received the Hugo award for science fiction, the Science Fiction Research Association’s Pilgrim Award for Excellence and the William Whitehead Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement for Gay and Lesbian Literature. He has also been elected to the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

Delany is professor of English and creative writing at Temple University in Philadelphia.

For more information, call (313) 927-1383.  For sponsorship information, contact Janet Kuras at jkuras@marygrove.edu or (313) 927-1436.

MARYGROVE COLLEGE TO ADD SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL AND CROSS COUNTRY IN 2008-09
Marygrove College, a first-year member of the NAIA, will be adding four sports to its Mustang Athletic Program.  Marygrove will add men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s cross country and women’s cross country to begin competition in the fall of 2008.  The Mustangs have been competing in men’s and women’s basketball since 2002.

“With these new sports, our goal is to enhance the visibility of Marygrove College, increase enrollment and further develop the spirit of our campus community,” said Dave Sichterman, Marygrove’s director of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation.

Searches are underway for coaching staffs for the new programs.  The new sports’ schedules will be similar to those of the Mustang basketball teams.  The Mustangs compete against schools from across the state and the Midwest including those from NCAA Divisions I & II and the NAIA.  Sichterman says the College looks forward to adding women’s soccer and joining a conference is also on the agenda for the Mustangs in the near future.

FOUR NEW ONLINE MAT PROGRAMS, EIGHT ONLINE GRADUATE COURSES AND MORE TO COME!
Marygrove College prides itself on its history of providing practical solutions to the challenges teachers face in balancing the desire to earn an advanced degree with the demands of a job and family. The institution has been known for excellence in teaching since 1927, and was a pioneer in the use of distance learning with our Masters in the Art of Teaching (MAT) degree program. To date, more than 22,000 teachers have graduated from our programs and have gone on to great success in the classroom and as administrators.

To maintain the rigor and relevance of our degree programs, we are pleased to announce that Marygrove is transitioning to four new online MAT programs. These programs are offered in partnership with Teachscape, a leader in online professional development for K-12 educators.  As we say, a new door opens and we have new and exciting opportunities to share with you!

There are four online MAT Degree programs with a focus on:

• Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, K-12
• Elementary Reading and Literacy, K-6
• Elementary Mathematics, K-5
• Middle Level Mathematics, 6-8

The new programs are designed for working teachers, and can be completed in less than two years. The online format allows teachers to work from any location and complete their coursework at their convenience.

Courses feature video case studies and commentary from classroom teachers and renowned education experts that enables participants to link education research theory to the realities of the classroom. Course assignments are designed to be relevant by asking participants to use their classroom as a lab.

Support and guidance are provided by Marygrove Mentors and fellow cohort participants, and the technology is intuitive and easy-to-use.

Additionally, the new programs are still affordable at $11,700, and no longer require a minimum cohort group in order to sign up.

The application deadline for the May 2008 term is March 16, 2008.

Help Spread the Word!
We’re looking for folks interested in helping us spread the word in your school and district.  If you are interested in helping us spread the word, or know someone interested in joining the new MAT program, please email stacey.mcnally@marygrove.edu or call toll-free 1-877-984-7277.

A Special Offer for MAT Alums!
Experience the quality of this state-of-the-art program by taking an online professional development graduate course.  As a MAT alum, you will receive a $200 scholarship if you enroll by March 31, 2008 in an online graduate course developed in partnership with Teachscape.  Take advantage of this special offer and experience first-hand the quality of our newest online graduate courses.

MARYGROVE COLLEGE PRESENTS "STANTON AND FRIENDS" CONCERT MARCH 28 FEATURING UNIQUE ORGAN/SYNTHESIZER COMBINATION
Dr. Geoffrey Stanton, composer-in-residence at Marygrove College, will present "Stanton and Friends," an annual concert of chamber music and electronics on Friday, March 28, 2008, in the Sacred Heart Chapel on Marygrove's campus, 8425 West McNichols Road, Detroit. The 7:30 p.m. concert is free and open to the public.

Stanton will be joined by fellow faculty member Dr. Donald Levin, head of the English and Modern Languages Department. Stanton, an artist/clinician for Rodgers Instruments, LLC (Roland Group), will be performing on a new state-of-the-art Rodgers organ (provided through Hammell Music), which will in turn be connected to computers and synthesizers to create a hybrid organ/synthesizer capable of producing unique, live, complex electronic sounds coupled to the organ's self-contained sounds.

Stanton will present new pieces for organ-controlled synthesizers commissioned by Marygrove College in addition to repertoire from classical to contemporary. Stanton has been cited by the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York as "a composer of extraordinary talent." His past concerts have featured collaborations with poets, dancers, artists and other musicians and at least one new work by Stanton, ranging from short electronic studies to full-length song cycles.

For information, contact Dr. Stanton at (313) 927-1310 or gstanton@marygrove.edu.

MEET STUDENT JI “MINDY” ZHANG
My name is JI ZHANG. Everybody here calls me Mindy. I am an international student at Marygrove College majoring is English. I'm from Beijing, China. As you know, the Olympic Games of 2008 will be held in Beijing and the eyes of the world will be on this ancient city.

I am so glad that I have the opportunity to join Marygrove College.  It's a harmonious, exciting family. The teachers here are so kind.  They help every student but especially international students because we are far away our parents, family and country. Even though English is my second language, sometimes there are some problems communicating. Not only the teachers, but also the students, help me and teach me so much. I am so appreciative of them. Marygrove has organized lots of activities for students.

The International Taste Festival on April 9 is being planned. I have this opportunity to work at the International Taste Festival with 13 international students. Not only is it a fun environment, but it is a great way of meeting people from different countries and different backgrounds. The environment will be very friendly and we will do all we can to make the international students feel welcome. Everybody at Marygrove College is willing to help one another with any problems or queries they may have. I am looking forward to it!

COLLEGE STAGES THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES FEBRUARY 24, TO COMMEMORATE V-DAY UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS
On Sunday, February 24, 2008, at 2:00 p.m., the Marygrove College Theatre will be the site of the 2008 V-Day performance of The Vagina Monologues, a recitation of collected stories of women’s experiences by author Eve Ensler.  V-Day Until the Violence Stops is in its 10th year.  Marygrove College joins other U.S. college campuses in raising awareness of and remediation of violence against women and girls. 

This production occurs annually at this time on college and university campuses around the country to decry injustice to women and girls.  All ticket sales for the Marygrove production this year will go to support Looking for My Sister, Inc., a local non-profit organization that helps abused women, and National V-Day, a national charitable organization. Since the play began its Detroit performances, over $30,000 have been donated to local charities that help women.  Nationwide, the amount is over $3 million.

Leslie Love, Marygrove Theatre director and performance director, said, “Several Marygrove students and members of the community at large have joined the cast to make their voices heard on the subject of violence against women and girls.  It is one of the critical social justice issues of our time and must stop."  The cast includes Coco, WJLB radio morning drive personality; Judge Denise Page Hood; State Representative Shanelle Jackson; Detroit Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel; WXYZ anchorwoman Carolyn Clifford; radio/TV host Karen Dumas; local business owner Jeanne Wardford and Marygrove students Erica Cole; Sarah Conlin; Antoinette Cartwright; Brandi Christmas; Angelina DeAngelo; Ziana Taliaferro; Marva Jackson; and Jacqueline Streeter.

General admission tickets are $25 each; students and seniors 65+ tickets are $12.50.  For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Leslie Love at (313) 927-1522 or llove@marygrove.edu.  Sponsorships and advertising opportunities are available by contacting Dr. Karen F. Davis at (313) 927-1352 or kdavis@marygrove.edu.

UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS
Friday, February 22

Book Discussion: Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a Grown-Up Black Woman by Jill Nelson
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, 2008, 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,” which 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.     

Friday, March 14

Beer Tasting, Tour and Dinner
6:00 p.m.; Traffic Jam & Snug Restaurant, Detroit

Enjoy a buffet dinner and beer tasting at The Traffic Jam & Snug Restaurant, a very popular and well known Detroit establishment.  Family, friends and alumni are welcome.  Nominal price of $20.00 per person includes buffet dinner, beer sampling, brewery tour, tax and gratuity.  The restaurant is located at 511 W. Canfield, Detroit, MI, 48201 and has free parking.  Please register by February 22, 2008

March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24

Ballroom Dance Classes
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Ballroom dancing is making a comeback and here is your chance to learn this elegant and graceful art form. The Marygrove College Alumni Program Committee is offering six 1 ½ hour lessons followed by a dance where you can show off your newly acquired or finely honed skills. Wear leather healed shoes.

Reuben Collier and Margo Lee ’00, both experienced instructors who love to dance will guide you through the lessons and have you dancing like Fred or Ginger in no time. In addition to being fun, ballroom dancing is also very healthy, a s it has physical, mental and social benefits.

Lessons, which are $5 for alumni and $3 for students, will be held in the gym the following Thursdays: March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24. The dance will be held in the Main Dining room in Madame Cadillac Hall on Friday, May 2, 2008. Tickets are $10 and should be purchased in advanced. To register for the lessons, purchase tickets for the dance or for more information, contact Margo Lee ’00 at (313) 538-8611 or margolee2000@sbcglobal.net. Let’s show those “Dancing With the Stars” celebrities they have nothing on Marygrove Alumni!

ALUMNI TRAVEL TO CHINA AND EGYPT
Collette Vacations and Smithsonian Journeys partner on an Egypt Trip!

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 our tour in one of the city’s finest hotels.  We’ll visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and The Great Wall.  We’ll also experience ancient Beijing on a rickshaw tour, have a tradition Chinese dinner with a local family in their home and attend the Peking Opera.

Splendors of the Nile
March 11 - 22, 2009
12 Days - 22 Meals
$3,449 - Includes roundtrip air from Detroit, hotel transfers and departure taxes.

Step back in time and explore thousands of years of history, legend, and lore as we view the timeless wonders of Egypt.  Discover the world of the ancient Egyptians as we visit the incomparable sites of the pharaohs – Memphis and Sakkara, the Pyramids of Giza, Luxor and Karnak temples, and the tombs on the West Bank and ancient Thebes.  Cruise along the legendary Nile River, pass colonnaded temples, and stop at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, situated at the crossroads of ancient caravan routes.  We’ll learn about ancient Egyptian history during lectures in Cairo and on board the cruise from our Egyptologist/National Guide who will accompany us throughout your journey.

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.

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 upcoming year. If you refer a student to Marygrove, they will have the $25 application fee waived, and if they are admitted and enroll, they will get a $250 gift card for books 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. Your experience is valuable in helping young people make wise choices about 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. 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.