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.

Dr. Price Announces Her Retirement
On Monday, June 14, 2005, Marygrove President Glenda Price announced her retirement, effective June 30, 2006. "Marygrove continues to be the dynamic college I joined in 1998 with a bright future-an Ivy League-caliber gem in the city of Detroit."

"Under Dr. Price's leadership, Marygrove has continued to be a pioneer in higher education," said Joyce Hayes-Giles, chair of the Marygrove College Board of Trustees. "Marygrove introduced the Griots and SAGE programs; the Master of Social Justice Degree; the Institute for Detroit Studies; and many others. While we are sorry to see her leave Marygrove, it is a better institution for her contributions and influence, and we wish her health and happiness."

Dr. Price added, "As I reflect on my time at Marygrove, I am pleased to see the growth that has occurred. At the same time, I recognize the need for new and vigorous leadership to take the next steps forward."

A search committee comprised of board members, faculty and alumni will begin the search process in August.

Marygrove Welcomes New Provost Dr. David Fike
On August 1st, Marygrove welcomes David J. Fike, PhD, as its new provost. Dr. Fike comes from Holy Names University in Oakland, California, where he had been vice president for Academic Affairs and the dean of Faculty since 1997. He joined Holy Names in 1992 as associate professor of economics and a frequent guest lecturer and presenter on such topics as socially responsible investing, economic revitalization and community development.

Provost Fike will serve as Marygrove’s chief operating officer, responsible for all academic programs, as well as all activities related to the education of students, including Student Affairs. He will also act as lead decision maker in the president’s absence.

As the chief academic officer for Holy Names, Dr. Fike had oversight of the $6.5 million annual Academic Affairs Division budget, all academic programs, campus information technology, library services, student registration processes, learning support resources and advising services.

Dr. Fike holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park and a BA with high honors in Political Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

In 1999, he coauthored the book Everything You Need to Know about Economics with Gregg Stebben, published by Simon & Schuster.

…And Still Counting: Our First 100
A Commemorative Publication Celebrating 100 Years of Educating Leaders
2005 marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of Marygrove’s predecessor, St. Mary College in Monroe, Michigan. The founders of St. Mary’s, the IHM Sisters, renamed it Marygrove College and built a new campus on the current Detroit site in 1927.

To commemorate those who shaped the Marygrove experience over ten decades, the College will publish …And Still Counting: Our First 100. This keepsake will trace the legacy of St. Mary’s and Marygrove and profile 100 individuals who have most influenced the College and its students.

You can help identify the most influential 100 from each generation since those first collegiate days at the turn of the last century. The criteria are simple: Who most influenced the course of Marygrove’s history or who at Marygrove most influenced YOU during your time here? Nominees might be presidents or professors, students or alumni, administrators or staff.

Get the nomination form at http://www.marygrove.edu/alumni/stillCounting/. Please return in one of three ways. E-mail to tbell@marygrove.edu, fax it to (313) 927-1595, or mail it to Marygrove College, Office of Development, 8425 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221-2599. Please limit your nomination to 300 words and send along a good head and shoulders photograph if possible. Don’t forget to identify the person in the picture! We will not be able to consider anonymous nominations.

…And Still Counting: Our First 100 will be given to those who become members of the new “Century Club” with their donation of $100 to Marygrove, or who purchase the $125 ticket to our November 10th Have A Seat Chair Auction and Strolling Dinner Founder’s Day Celebration.

For more information, contact Tiffani Bell at (313) 927-1441 or tbell@marygrove.edu.

Marygrove Offers New Master of Education Degree in Educational Technology
Marygrove continues its tradition of excellence in preparing educators by offering the first Master of Education degree in Educational Technology (M.Ed in EdTech), beginning in Fall 2005. By partnering with Lawrence Technological University, the regional leader in technology based professional education, the program offers teachers advanced-level information-age tools and teaching methods.

“The Student-Centered Classroom, while still revolutionary to some, is the wave of teaching in the 21st Century,” explained Dr. Susan Claiborne, assistant professor and coordinator of Educational Technology at Marygrove. “Instead of ‘old school’ teaching methods where the instructor is the center of the classroom and the disseminator of information, tomorrow’s students will be much more self-directed, research-savvy and advanced users of information-age tools.”

A Marygrove student enrolled in the M.Ed in EdTech will complete some of the required course work at Lawrence Tech and vice versa. Each school will draw on its strengths to present specialized course work.

As a subset to the full Master’s degree, certified teachers may elect to receive the State of Michigan endorsement, the NP. Also, students now have Educational Technology as another cognate to complete their Master of Education degree.

For more information, contact Dr. Susan Claiborne at (313) 927-1381 or sclaiborne@marygrove.edu, (866) 313-1927 or Masters in Ed Tech.

Marygrove Celebrates Founders’ Day with
“Have A Seat” Chair Auction and Strolling Dinner
Marygrove College will celebrate Founder’s Day, Thursday evening, November 10, 2005, with a special event, “Have A Seat” Chair Auction and Strolling Dinner. This exciting fundraiser will feature the work of local artists who have transformed old Marygrove chairs into works of art. The event commemorates the 100th anniversary of Marygrove and its predecessor, St. Mary College in Monroe, Michigan. (more)

Last fall, Marygrove President Dr. Glenda Price challenged faculty, staff, alumni, students and local artists to convert old Marygrove classroom chairs into objets d’art that could still have value for the college. Over 30 of these chairs are already on display in the College Art Gallery on the 4th floor of the Liberal Arts building and soon will be available for viewing on the Web site.

Have A Seat guests will spend the evening strolling through the College’s Madame Cadillac Hall, enjoying a variety of delicious menu items, great entertainment and a silent auction of the chairs. VIP tickets are $125 and include entry to a special pre-reception, dinner and auction, and membership in the “Century Club.” Members of the club will receive a commemorative book…And Still Counting: Our First 100 and listing in the event program book. Patron tickets are $75 and include entry to the strolling dinner and auction event.

To receive your invitation to this event, please contact Tiffani Bell at (313) 927-1441 or tbell@marygrove.edu. For those who wish to bid on a chair, but cannot attend the event, an online auction of select chairs will take place from October 1 through November 1 on the Marygrove College website.

Sponsorships are still available for the event. For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact Rebecca Veale Sellers at (313) 927-1445 or rsellers@marygrove.edu. All net proceeds of this event will go to support the College in providing the highest educational experience for its students.

Home Economics/Human Ecology Department Alumnae Help Fund Marygrove Scholarship!
In 1998, the SoBheas Club began a scholarship fund to honor the three IHM Sisters who played a significant part of the Home Economics/Human Ecology Department. Srs. Ann Catherine, Frances Gabrielle and Ann Gabriel served the college for more than 90 years collectively. During its existence, the Department helped many students develop talents and fulfill aspirations. The tradition of student support from these sisters and the SoBheas Club can continue with your contribution to the new IHM-SoBheas Club Scholarship Fund.

Once sufficiently funded, this scholarship will not only honor these sisters who gave so much to Marygrove, but will allow today’s deserving Marygrove students to continue their education. You can donate today by visiting http://www.marygrove.edu/development/sobheas.asp or by mailing your contribution to the Marygrove College Office of Funds Development at 8425 W. McNichols, Detroit, MI 48221.

Marygrove’s Translation Certificate Program Receives ATA Approval
Marygrove College is now on the American Translation Association’s list of institutions qualified to prepare students for the national ATA certification examination. Students successfully completing Marygrove’s Translation Certificate Program are now entitled to take the ATA exam if they wish to become certified translators.

Entering its third year, the Translation Certificate program provides undergraduate and graduate students a career option in translating French, Spanish or Arabic into English. Undergraduate students enrolled in the program may also purse an International Studies Bachelor’s Degree concurrently.

“Marygrove recognized the critical need for translators and interpreters in the United States,” said Dr. Martine Danan, developer and director of the program. “It was the first institution of higher learning to address the demand for Arabic translators.”

To learn more about the Translation Certificate program, please contact Dr. Martine Danan at 313-927-1363 or mdanan@marygrove.edu. Or visit http://www.marygrove.edu/language_translation.asp.