Focus, Summer 2007

2007·2.4 MB·English

by  Maryville College

.MER 2007
BLICATION
SCHOLARS:
^
15 years ofputting service in the
^
hearts and minds ofstudents,
and
faculty staff
>
m
m±*&
m
^ MC SELECTED FOi
0>lt^d? rM, $4.5 MILLION BONNI
\ ENDOWMENT
PAGE
*<*!£j
Main
Entrano 'OUR WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY"
CAMPAIGN UNVEILED
PAG
E 5
COLLGE SAYS FAREWELL
TO CLASS OF 2007
PAGES 6-7
RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES &
CONSTRUCTION
ABOUND CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN
IN
IN FEBRUARY, Maryville College President Gerald Gibson announced
details of a $20 million Campus Improvement Plan (CIP). Funded by a board-
approved bond issue, the CIP calls for:
mechanical and cosmetic renovations to Gamble, Davis and Copeland halls;
renovation of the Thaw Hall basement, construction of new offices for
temporarily displaced fine arts students, faculty and staff;
renovation of the Alumni Gym;
installation of air-conditioning in Cooper Athletic Center and upgrades
to the aquatic areas;
renovation of the International House;
mechanical and cosmetic renovations to the Court Street Apartments;
HVAC upgrades to Sutton Science Center;
improvements to the steam plant;
construction of a third physical plant building;
mechanical and plumbing improvements to Crawford House;
addition of new smart classrooms;
information technology upgrades;
science and lab equipment purchases; and
heavy vehicle and equipment purchases
Afew ofthe projects included in the plan have already been com-
pleted this spring and summer, while work is underway on others and
—
expected to be wrapped up in August just in time to break ground
on a new residence hall that will mirror Lloyd Hall.
When coupled with the efforts planned through the OurWindow of
Opportunity campaign, the CIP represents a total ofalmost $70 million
nvested in buildings and campus infrastructure overthe nexttwo to three years.
"By assessing our entire campus as not only a collection ofbuildings and
grounds but as a place that has the powerto transform the lives ofourstudents,
ourstaffand ourfaculty," said President Gibson, "we have created a bold plan
for giving backto the campus and aiding in its nexttransformation.
"We're doing something responsibleforourstudents, staff, faculty, alumni and
entire community," he continued, "and especiallyforthe generationsto come."
Ron Appuhn, formervice president and treasurer, has rejoined the MC family and is over-
seeing CIP projects as project manager.
To view morephotos ofthe plan, visit maryvillecotlege.edu.
FROM OUR
PHOTO
FILES
WHAT DOES CAR -
THIS
a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville - have to
do with Maryville College's Bonner
Scholar Program?
you know, email
If
us at [email protected] or
send us a letter - FOCUS, Maryville
College, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Pky.,
Maryville, TN 37804
Ifyou have any stories associated
with this car, we'd love to have
those, too!
From Our
Readers:
We askedfor it, and wegot it!
The photoofthe campus topi-
aryaroundAnderson Hall
apparendypredated most
alumni, butwe did hearfrom
one alumna, MaryElizabeth
"Betty" HuntBerlin '32,
who had an explanation and
fondlyremembers taking
classes inAnderson 75 years
ago! Below,we've reprinted
the email she sent the College
backin September:
"I'm a 1932 graduate of
MC, and 'in mytime' there, those shrubswere laughinglyreferred to as
the college 'graveyard' because theyspelled out 'Founded 1819' (trans-
lated 'founddead!' Humorwassimplerthen.).
"Ihadphilosophy inAnderson Hall in Dr. Orr's class. I also remem-
ber Dr. Hunterand ProfessorQueener,whoknewhowtomakeAmeri-
canhistorycome alive," she wrote.
Afterseeingthephotoin the magazine,AndyMcCall,directorofthe
College'sphysicalplant,calledthe CommunicationsOffice toletstaff
membersknowthathe had anoldlandscapedesignof"Founded 1819"
storedinhisrecords. (See photobelow.)Thedrawingindicatesthatthe
topiarywaslocatedonthe sideofAnderson HallthatnowfacesSuttonSci-
ence Center. McCallguessesthat,giventhetimeperiod,thetopiarywas
probablyaprivethedge,ashybridsandmore exoticshrubberydidn'texist.
Healsosuspectsthattheshrubdesignwasshort-livedonthecampus.
"Topiaries are veryhard to maintain," he explained. "Theyhave to be
worked almostdaily
and because the Col-
lege didn'thave a
grounds department,
as such,theyprobably
grewup quickly."
FollowingtheSummer
2006 issueofFOCUS,
theCollegereceivedsev-
eralmoreAnderson
Hallmemoriesfrom
formerstudents. These
havebeen addedtothe
website. Besureto visitmaryvillecollege.edu/news/pubs/focus/summer-
2006/index.aspandclickon the "CelebratingOurIcon"link. Alumni
memoriesarepostedin the "IRemember"section.
FAPublicatiOonforAlumnCi and FrienUdsofMaryvilSleCollegeCONTENTS
MARYVILLECOLLEGE
FOCUSMAGAZINE2007
(ISSN313)PUBLISHED
TWOTIMESAYEAR
502E. LamarAlexanderPkwy
Maryville,TN37804-5907
865.981.8000
maryvillecollege.edu
Copyrigshutbs©cr2i0p0t7iMoanrypvrililceeC-olnloegnee. 5 "Our Window of Opportunity"
Contentsmaynotbereproduced
inanymanner,eitherwholeor campaign unveiled
inpart,withoutpriorpermission
ofMaryvilleCollege.
A$47-million CivicArts Center, a $6-million renovationofAnderson Hall, the addition to
$20 million to endowment andanother $10 million to theAnnual Fund are all focusesof
the College's most ambitiouscampaign in history.
IDENTITY
Maryville College 7 Veteran faculty members retire
isan undergraduate,
liberalarts, residential Dr. Dean Boldon,professorofsociologyand formerdean ofthe faculty, and Dr. Harry
communityoffaithand Howard, professorofpolitical science, both made the Spring 2007 semestertheirlastas
learningrootedin the faculty members ofthe College.
Presbyterian/Reformed
traditionserving
studentsofallages 9 Maryville College Athletics Sport
andbackgrounds. New
Logos
MISSION
The College's sports-relatedprinting, apparel, banners and field
Maryville College andcourtdecoration underwenta makeoverlast fallwith a new
preparesstudentsfor family oflogos thatincorporates a fierce-lookingScot and a bold "PowerM.
livesofcitizenship
andleadershipaswe
challengeeachoneto 13 Bonner Scholars: Putting
searchfortruth,grow in toaus service in the hearts and minds
wisdom, workforjustice
anddedicatealifeof of students, faculty and staff
creativityandserviceto
thepeoplesoftheworld. The firstclass ofBonnerScholars at Maryville College
enrolled forthe 1991-1992 academicyear. History-makers of
sorts, these Bonners helped change the culture ofthe
Maryville College campus more than 15 years ago.
ABOUT
THE
2 Message from the President
COVER:
3 Campus News
Photographs 10 Faculty News
" illustratethe
24 Class Notes
spectrum of
service placements pursued -
and populations served - by
current Bonner Scholars.
.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT:
Greetingsfrom theMaryville Collegecampus! Dr. Gerald W. Gibson
EDITORIAL BOARD:
The Commencementspeakerin May2000 wasWayne
Meisel,presidentofThe Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Mark E. Cate
Vice Presidentfor
Foundation. The College bestowed an honorary Doctor Advancement and Finance
ofHumaneLettersdegree thatMayonMrs. Corella Bon-
Karyn Adams
ner, butitwasn't herfirstvisitto the Maryville campus. Director ofCommunications
She made it apractice to travel often tosee herBonner
Karen Beaty Eldridge '94
Scholars atmore than two dozencolleges around the DirectorofNews and
country,andshe had included Maryville in hertourat Public Information
least twice before.
DESIGN:
Itwaswonderful towitness herwith ourBonnerSchol-
MaryWorkman
ars. Diminutive, neatlydressed, everysilverhairinplace,
Publications Manager
regal in bearing and asmile lighting herface,she asked
"[Bonner Scholars]
them about their Bonnerservice workandabouttheir
demonstrate every lives. She cared about them, and theywere inspired byher.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
day what ourslogan The Bonnerexperience thatwas the productofhervision EXECUTIVE BOARD
- cBesuccessful. AalntdhtohueglheaCdoerreslhliapBoofnWnaeyrnpeasMseeidsealwasyhaopneldytthwooseyesacrhsolaafrtse.r KenTuck'54
Make a difference.3- that2000 Commencement, her Bonnerprogram lives on RoanPorkees,idVeinrtginia
really means.. 33 and is shapingstudents on this campus today. G. Donald Hickman70
In this issue,you'll read about the BonnerScholars of Knoxville,Tennessee
2007, aswell asplans forfuture Bonners-thanks to arecent $4.5 million grant from President-Elect
the BonnerFoundation toendowthe program. SylviaSmithTalmage'62
Quite afewreadersofFOCUS are membersofthatgenerationknown as Baby OakRidge,Tennessee
Vice President
Boomers, bornin theyears between 1946 and 1964, andstudentsatMaryville from
Erin Palmer'99
the mid-1960sthrough the mid-1980s. Ifyou're a Boomer,youmayrejectthe "me" Nashville,Tennessee
generation label sooften assignedtoyourcohorts bythosewho see self-indulgence as Recording Secretary
aprimarycharacteristic ofthe Boomersduringtheircollegeyears. Howeveraptthat JudyM. Penry73
appellationmayhave been forMaryville studentsafewdecadesago, itmissesthe mark Knoxville,Tennessee
forthe BonnerScholars and theirclassmateson campusin 2007. Theirtrademarkis Past President
service toothers. Youwillsee thatinthe reports bycurrent Bonners andinreflections CLASS OF 2007
bypast Bonners in this issue ofFOCUS. RickCarl 77
Itis encouragingto note thatin October2006, the Corporation forNational and IbbyShelleyDavis'68
CommunityService reported asignificantrise in civic engagement bycollege stu- CarrieOsikowiczEaton'67
dents inrecentyears. Overthe three-yearperiod between 2002 and 2005, student JeffFlickinger'87
Heidi Hoffecker'89
volunteerism increased byabout20 percent. All told,some 3.3 million college stu- Erin Palmer'99
dents, theytell us, are servingtheircommunities and ournation. No self-indulgence PatD'AlbaSabatelle73
there! AtMaryville, the BonnerScholars have led the way. Theydemonstrate every JohnTrotter'95
daywhatourslogan- "Be successful. Make adifference." -reallymeans, andso CLASS OF 2008
inspire otherstudentsto get involvedinservice activities thatmake adifference on Marvin Beard'67
thiscampus andin thewidercommunity. JeffDenton '87
Mrs. Bonner's refrigeratordoorin Princeton, N.J.,was alwaysplasteredwithpho- ClaraGowansHardin'57
tos ofher BonnerScholars. Once when I wasvisiting, she tookme backintoher KathyCMaaryluLrinnidksaNy,enJrn.i'n5g0er73
kitchento showme apicture ofacurrentMaryville Bonnerwhose service had AdamRay'97
brought herspecial pride. She would take pride, I know, in the difference that her AundraWareSpencer'89
HaroldTurner'03
scholars are makingin 2007, and in the difference thatthe BonnerScholars Program
is makingin theirlives, not merely byproviding scholarship supportforthem, butof CLASS OF 2009
greaterimportance,creating in them a commitmentto helpingothers. H9 TammyReneeTaylorBlaine'89
CarrieCallaway Denkinger'92
^^fcJ,SZ^~-
PatJones'55
LJeanneWilson Kruhm '62
Adriel McCord '00
Ryan Stewart'99
KristineTallent'96
LindaGreyWiley'81
FOCUS SUMMER
2 7
mp
news
c
s
FOUR JOIN BOARD
This spring, Marvville Collegewelcomed fourmembers to its sity. Thewidowofthe late BaxterLee,aformermemberoftheMC
board ofdirectors: RobertKallstrom '60, Sherri Parker Lee, BoardofDirectors,she has threechildrenandresidesin Knoxville.
Alvin Nance '79 and SteveWest. Nance ispresident and CEO ofthe Knoxville
Kallstrom is presidentand CEO ofSoftrac CommunityDevelopment Corporation and
America, Inc. He serves on the board oftrustees serves on the boardsofEastTennessee Children's
forHood College, the Historical Society, the Hospital, UnitedWayofGreaterKnoxville and
CommunityFoundation ofFrederick Countyand FirstTennessee Bank. He is also thevice chair-
RecordStreet Home. He is also on boards for the ^ manofLeadership Knoxville,the Tennessee
NationalMuseumofCivilWarMedicine andthe Housing DevelopmentAgencyand serveson the
InteragencyInformationSystemsAuthority. He HabitatforHumanityadvisory board. Nance andwife Nancyhave
earned amaster's degree in management from FrostburgState two children and reside in Knoxville.
Universityand attendedthe Installation Managers Institute at the Westischairman ofWestChevrolet, Inc.,and
UniversityofNorth Carolina. He andwife Maureen have two West Properties, LLC. The formermayorof
sons and reside in Frederick, Md. Maryville, he currentlyservesonthe Maryville
^^m^^^^h Lee->analumnaofTexasChristianUniversity,is City Council,isa board memberofthe Blount
*^SiA^ I chairpersonofthe boardofSSCServiceSolutions. CountyParks and Recreation Commission and has
-W^j^ I She isafoundingmemberandexecutive board previouslyserved as presidentofthe Blount
HI memberofthe UniversityofTennesseeWomen's CountyIndustrial Development Board and Blount
\ > I PhilanthropyCouncilanda memberofthe Interna- CountyChapteroftheAmerican Red Cross. An alumnusofthe
I tionalWomen'sForum, aswellasanemeritus LTniversityofTennessee, he is a memberofUT's President's Club.
^^™
board memberofIjamsNature Center. Sheserves The formerpresidentoftheTennesseeAutomotiveAssociation, he
on the boardofthe EastTennessee Foundationand on the National nowservesasamemberofNADACharitable Foundation Board of
Advisory BoardofChurchillArchivesCenteratCambridge Univer- Directors. He andwife Ruth have twochildren and reside inAlcoa.
WEB SITE ADDITION SHOWCASES MC hosts Appalachian Studies Association
SENIOR STUDIES
30th Anniversary Conference
ACE, "ACelebrationofExcellence" in Undergradu-
ate Research andCreative Expression, is anewaddi- Maryvillewas proudtoserveashostfor
tion tothe Maryville Collegeweb site createdto "PiecingtheAppalachian Experience,"
showcase studentswhoseSeniorStudies have been
the milestoneconference honoringthe
deemedexemplarybytheiracademic division.
TheSeniorStudy(whichalumnimayrememberas Appalachian StudiesAssociation's(ASA)
"SpecialStudies," "IndependentStudies" and"Senior 30th anniversary. Held March 23-25,the
Thesis") isoneofthedistinctivefeaturesofaMaryville eventattracted morethan 650participantswhochosefrom nearly300pre-
education.Therequirementcallsforstudentstocom- sentationsencompassingAppalachian history, culture, live music, literature,
pleteatwo-semesterresearchandwritingprojectthatis
guided byafacultysupervisor. photography, planning andservice initiatives.
In this areaofthe site, maryvillecollege.edu/ace,
Pam McMichael, directorofHighlanderResearch and Education Center,
people canexplore theworkofselect2006 gradu-
ates,whose studies range in theme from "ADayof providedthe keynote address. Dr. Kathie Shiba, Maryville Collegeassociate
Grace:EvangelicalTheologyin Uncle Tom'sCabin"to professorofpsychology, served as program chair, and Dr. SusanAmbler,
"ASurveyofArthropodBiodiversityin theCanopiesof associate professorofsociology, wasresponsibleforlocal arrangements.
Southern Red Oak Treesin theMaryvilleCollege
Woods."ACE features aprofile ofeach studentaswell Established in 1977 by a group ofscholars, teachers and regional activists
asan abstractoftheirproject. The SeniorStudyinits
entiretyisavailable in .pdfformat. who believedthatshared community is importanttothosewriting,
Members ofthe Class of2007whose studieswere researching and teaching aboutAppalachia, theASA is nowmorethan
selected forinclusion will soon be added to the site. 750 membersstrong.
FOCUS SUMMER 2007
WALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Members ofthe Classof 1956 Reunion GiftCommittee pres-
enttheirgenerous giftto PresidentGerald Gibson. From left
The 2007 inductees into the Wall of Fame included (l-r) Leah to right: Betty McKenney Horn, Ethelyn Cathey Pankratz,
Onks-England '94, William Napier '65, James Thurston '51, Bill Wheatley, Roberta Myers Petree, Jim Cummings and
Maryville College Associate Athletic Director and Head Kathy Kerns Vousden. (Not pictured: Harold Jones)
Volleyball Coach Kandis Schram '85 and Dr. Ken Bell. At right
is Maryville College Athletic Director and Head Men's CLASS OF 1956 RAISES BAR IN
Basketball Coach, Randy Lambert '76, emcee for the event. REUNION GIVING
Presentingagenerous giftto President Gerald Gibson dur-
Three presented alumni awards ingtheAlumni BanquetlastOctober, members ofthe class
of1956 raised the bar-again-in the arenaofreunion
during Oct. 14 banquet
class giving. Reunion Class Gift Committee Co-Chairman
BillWheatley '56 handed overacheckfor$305,239 and
Maryville College hon-
ored three alumnae dur- announced aclass givingpercentage of74percent. In addi-
ing the National tion tosupportingtheAnnual Fund, the moneywillendow
Alumni Association's "the Classof1956 EndowedScholarship."
annual meetingand "Weinitiallysetagoalof$200,000and bypassedthat
banquet held Oct. 14 in amountrelativelyeasily.Whenwewerepresentedwitha
the CooperAthletic challengeofa2-for-l matchfromaclassmate,we thenasked
Centeron campus. ourclassmatestoreachfor$300,000," saidWheatley. "We
Erin Palmer '99was
hopethiswillserveasachallenge tootherclassesthatfollow
named the recipientof
tostretchtheirgivinginsupportoftheir50threunion."
the Kin Takahashi
Award forYoung Fromlefttoright:Corita ErwinSwanson '58, Wheadeyconcludedwith furtherpositive announce-
Alumni duringthe ban- MaryLeeWitherspoon'56andErinPalmer'99. ments,statingthe Class of1956 nowboasts 11 members in
quet. The College'sAlumni Citationwas presented to Corita the Societyof1819 (thosewho havemade plans to include
Erwin Swanson '58 and MaryLeeWitherspoon '56. the College intheirwills ormade otherplanned giving
To read more aboutthe recipients' livesofsuccess and service, arrangements).
visit maryvillecoIlege.edu.
MC TARTAN INTRODUCED
Maryville College vice presidentsJason McNeal, left, and Mark Cate
reveal the school's official tartan to attendees ofthe College's Founder's
Day Banquet last October. Commissioning tartan designer Marjorie
Warren of North Carolina, the College began the projecttwo years ago
with the desire to honorthe College's Scottish heritage. The tartan, a
design thatfeatures prominent orange squares outlined in light gray on a
field of rich garnet, has been authorized and approved bythe Scottish
Tartans Authority and registered in the International Tartan Index. It is
unique in name, sett (the pattern ofsquares and lines) and color.
FOCUS |SUMMER 2007
DURING MARYVILLE COLLEGE'S
COLLEGE
amnenmubaelrsF,ouvnodleurn'tseeDrasyanBdanaqdmuientisltasrtatOocrtsobpuebrl,icbloyard (frrr? j . | |j j|j j
announceddetailsofthe College's "OurWindowof Mlitli asfsSsp*S**b ANNOUNCES
Opportunity"campaign,an $83-millionendeavorthat ,
PLANS, PROGRESS
Our
)N $83 MILLION
"AMPAIGN
The "OUR WINDOW
FOUNDER'S DAY BANQUET OF OPPORTUNITY"
2006
campaignfocuses on
raising moneyforfour
initiatives:
Theconstruction of
theCivicArtsCenter
(CAC), a$47-million
willfundtwo bricks-and-mortarprojects,growtheinsti- poisedtotake advantage ofthiswindowofopportunity
partnershipfacilitywith
tution'sendowmentandstrengthenitsAnnual Fund. to broadenourreputationandenhance the educational
"Fouryearsago,theMaryville College Boardof experience forstudents," he added. "We havethe thecities ofMaryville
Directors approved 'theWindowofOpportunityStrate- unique opportunitytocreate aMaryville College thatis andAlcoa;
gic Plan,'" Dr. GeraldW. Gibson,presidentofdie Col- anassettoourstudents,ourregion,ourcountryand
lege, toldthe crowd ofmorethan 300 peoplewho had ourworldfordecadestocome." The$6-millionreno-
gatheredforthe banquetin CooperAthletic Center. Atthe banquet, Jason McNeal,vice president for vationofAndersonHall,
"With fouroverarchinggoals,orwindows, thevery development, reported that the College had raised theCollege's 136-year-
nameoftheplansuggeststhatwepresendyfindour- $46 million during a "quiet phase" ofthe campaign, oldeducationalfacility
selves in auniqueperiodofMaryville College history." which began twoyears ago. andcampusicon, which
Gibsonwent on to describe a "tremendous Kexin Clayton, CEO ofClayton Homes and mem- providesclassroomand
momentum" currently experienced at the College: berofacivic arts centerfundraisingcommittee, spoke officespaceforthe
record-settingenrollments, arigorous academic pro- aboutthe CAC,which is the highest-dollarcompo- humanitiesandeduca-
gram, a highlyqualified and committed faculty, nent ofthe campaign. Hewas recognizedduringthe tiondivisions;
improvement in student quality, a stable and solid banquetforthe volunteerleadership role he tookin
financial position and improvedfacilities and grounds. encouragingcommunitysupport ofthe newfacility. * The addition of$20
"But perhaps more importantthan ourprogress to "I have beeninvolved nowwith tiiis project and million to the College's
date is howwecanleverage thatprogress forourstu- with this campaign forovertwoyears," the Clayton endowment, with the
dentsandourinstitutionfordecadestocome," thepresi- Homes CEO said. "And I can tellyou that I have goalofreaching$50
dent continued. "Nowisthe time forustoact boldlyin neverbeen involvedwith anyotherproject thathas as millionbytheendof
lhingoutthe dreams thatwe togetherdreamed inour much promise forthis College, ourcommunityand thecampaign;and
strategicplan. Nowisthe time to marshal the good ourregion as the CivicArts Center."
efforts andsupportthathaveprovided usdiis momen- Providing the entertainment forthe eveningwas m Thestrengtheningof
tum andlive toourfullpotential as aCollege." Delores Bowen Ziegler '73, professorofvoice at the theAnnualFund, which
Gibson toldthe crowdthathe believed the College UniversityofMaryland School ofMusic and interna- provideskeysupport
could become a national leader, known for its scholar- tional operasinger; Dr. Robert Bonham, classical forscholarships, library
ship and values, church-relatedness and quality liberal pianist and professoremeritus; and studentvocalists resources, department
arts education. "... ourpresentmomentum has us from the ensemble OffKilter. budgets, academic
programsandathletics.
OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY PROGRESS The Collegehopesto
PROJECT Civic Arts Center GOAL $47.3 Million PROGRESS $34,900,000 TOTAL GOAL Araninsuea$l10Fumnildlidounrifonrgthe
Anderson Hall $6 Million TO DATE $1,160,000 $83.3 Million the campaign.
Endowment $20 Million $11,500,000
Maryville Fund $10 Million $8,600,000
FOCUS SUMMER 2007
|
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COMMENCEMENT
2007
FERREN draws lessons from MC's Wiley Rutledge in
commencement
address
In his commencement address to Maryvuie college's
(Below)Vice Presidentand Dean Dr. RobertNaylor, left, Class of2007, Dr. John M. Ferren, noted biographerand seniorjudge in the
and Dr. Dorsey D. Ellis, Jr. '60, chairman ofthe Board of DistrictofColumbia Court ofAppeals, implored newgraduates to "find
Directors, placethe hood on Dr. Bryan Cureton '60.At courage" and "live with honor" just asWiley Rutledge, a Maryville College
right, PresidentGerald studentfrom the early20th century, did.
W. Gibson, readsthe
Ferren,whowas awarded an honorarydegree fromthe College alongwith
citation forhonorary
degree. (Below) Dr. Elmhurst College President Dr. BryantCureton '60 onMay20,published
John M. Ferren deliv- SaltoftheEarth, Conscienceofthe Court: TheStoryofJustice WileyRutledgein
ersthecommence- 2004. Ferren toldthe 223 graduatesandcommencementcrowdthat Rut-
mentaddress. ledge, an associatejustice ofthe UnitedStatesSupreme Courtfrom 1943
until hisdeath in 1949, heard the "still smallvoice" described in the biblical
storyofElijahin 1 Kings 19:9-13.
"[Rutledge] heardthatlirtievoice-the 'stillsmallvoice'-thatcallsustodo
the rightthingasweperceiveit," thespeakersaid. "Evenwhenwearevirtually
alone."Throughouthistimewiththe Supreme Court, Rutledgewasadissent-
ingvote,Ferrenpointedout,buthisargumentsoftenledtochangesinthelaw
andgreaterlegalprotectionfordisadvantagedpopulations.
"... dissenthaspower. Itcan beprophetic," the speakersaid,usingaWorld
WarIIwarcrimescase toillustrate the point. Inthe 1946case ofTamashita v.
Styer, Rutledge dissented and argued againstthe hangingofJapanese General
TomoyukiYamashita,citinginternational lawofwar, theArticlesofWar,the
Geneva Convention and the U.S. Constitution. "Within afewyearsafterthe
Supreme Courtdecided Yamashita,courtsaroundtheworldbegantofollow
the Rutledge dissent, holdingthatacommander'scriminal responsibilityfor
warcrimescommitted byhis troops is limitedtocrimesthe commanderknew,
orhadreasontoknow, about," Ferrensaid, addingthatthe dissentbrought
aboutclarification ofthe Uniform Code ofMilitaryJustice andamendments
to the Geneva Conventions.
Ferrenencouraged graduatesto notonlyfollowthelawwhenhardchoices
« presentedthemselves butto take action. "Howmuch time-qualitytime-
To read Ferren'scompleteaddresstothe Classof willyou give toothers in need? Whatjustcausewillyoumake an effortto
2007 andtosee more photosfrom Commencement support because the cause needsyou -reallyneedsyou? Whatwill the small
Weekend, visitmaryvillecollege.edu.
voice say? Willyou listen? Willyou act?" he asked.
FOCUS SUMMER 2007
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