Meet President Marc Johnson

52 Pages·2012·10.77 MB·English

The magazine of the University of Nevada, Reno • Summer 2012
Meet President LIVE UPSTAIRS,
Marc Johnson LEARN DOWNSTAIRS
The Nevada Living
GREAT FACULTY:
Learning Community
INSPIRING STUDENTS
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
RILEY BECKETT ’68
T
able of Contents
Summer 2012. Vol. 29. No. 4
Features
The magazine of the University of Nevada, Reno
www.unr.edu/silverandblue
4 14 22
Copyright ©2012, by the University of Nevada, Reno. All
rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without Live upstairs, What I’ve Learned: Student success in
written permission is prohibited. Nevada Silver & Blue (USPS# learn downstairs: Riley Beckett ’68 competitions shows
024-722), Summer 2012, Volume 29, Number 4, is published
The Nevada Living entrepreneurship
quarterly (fall, winter, spring, summer) by the University of
Learning Community focus on campus
Nevada, Reno, Development and Alumni Relations, Morrill
Hall, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89503-2007. Periodicals
postage paid at Reno, NV and at additional mailing offices.
Departments
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Nevada Silver & Blue,
University of Nevada, Reno Foundation/MS 0162, Reno, NV
89557-0162. Contact us by telephone: address changes (775)
1 42 – Gatherings: 2012 Spring
682-6541, editor [phone]; fax: [phone]; or Feature – Meet President Marc Johnson:
Commencement, Herz Gold Medalist
email: [email protected]. The University’s 16th chief executive
43 – Gatherings: Alumni Graduation
Contact us by mail, phone or fax: 6
Gatherings – The Nevada Living Celebration, Golden Reunion,
Morrill Hall/0007
University of Nevada, Reno Learning Community Grand Opening Distinguished Nevadan
Reno, Nevada 89557-0007 8 44 – Gatherings: Student
Feature – Great faculty: Leading Nevada
address changes/obituaries: [phone] Recruitment Events
fax: [phone] Feature – Faculty Awards 45 – Family Tree Challenge
Class Notes submissions: [email protected] and Accomplishments
46 – Remembering Friends
Address changes/obituaries: [email protected] 16
Find us on Facebook: “Nevada Silver & Blue” Good Medicine – New Internal 48
What I’ve Done With My Life
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/silverandblue Medicine chair to help clinicians balance
– Gene McClelland ’71
teaching, research and patient care
49
18 Fostering Nevada’s Future – Hopping
University for You – Master gardeners
Executive Editor John K. Carothers Endowed Professorship
bring University knowledge to
Senior Editor Melanie Peck ’06M.A. Nevada’s growers statewide
Art Director Patrick McFarland ’97 20 On Philanthropy – Griffin/Santini About the cover
Associate Editors Amy Carothers ‘01M.A., Juliane endowment honors Nevada legends
Di Meo, Roseann Keegan, 22 Jamie Kingham ’93 took this photo of President Marc Johnson
Christy Jerz ’97, Anne McMillin, University News – Student in the foyer of The Nevada Living Learning Community, which
Rhonda Lundin, Jim Sloan, Jane
success in competitions shows held its grand opening May 31.
Tors ’82, John Trent ’85/’87,
’00M.A., Keiko Weil ’87 entrepreneurship focus on campus
27 O
Staff Photographer Theresa Danna-Douglas Book Shelf – Memoirs provide a glimpse nly Online
Photographers Amy Beck ’09, John Byrne, into the past and a path to healing
Jeff Dow, Jamie Kingham ’93, 28
Edgar Antonio Núñez, Dave Pack Tracks – Roy, Darby win Doc Visit our website for photo galleries, full versions of the
Smith, Mike Wolterbeek ’02 Martie and Ruth Russell awards printed stories, plus video and audio clips. You can also access
Nevada Silver & Blue archives. In this issue:
Website Patrick McFarland ’97 31
HOME MEANS NEVADA
012 Gatherings – For more photos from all of our events.
mer 2 32 – Alumni President’s Letter What I’ve Learned – For the full-length interview with
m 32 – Class Chat Riley Beckett ’68.
u
•E S 34 – Senior Scholars University News – For University of Nevada, Reno summer
LU 35 – Kickin’ it with K-von | Companion Pass school diaries from 1912 - 1914.
B
R & 37 – Emeriti Notes Remembering Friends – For the full obituaries.
VE Marc Johnson • President 40 – Chapter Updates
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A SI Heather Hardy • Provost
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EV John K. Carothers • VP, Development and Alumni Relations LOOK ONLINE: When you see this LOOK ONLINE notice in the print magazine, it means there’s related bonus material at
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Bruce Mack • Assoc. VP, Development and Alumni Relations the website, so check it out: www.unr.edu/silverandblue
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University President Marc Johnson
visits with Nevada students in
the lobby of The Nevada Living
Learning Community, the newest
residence hall on campus.
Meet President Marc Johnson
The University’s 16th chief executive has shown strong shoulders
throughout his life, particularly during his time at the University
By John Trent ’85/’87, ’00M.A. Photos by Jamie Kingham ’93.
Marc Johnson learned responsibility early Then Johnson, who was appointed the 16th of National Merit Scholars on campus;
in life. president of the University of Nevada, Reno record faculty productivity levels, and being
Growing up on a farm/orchard south in April, paused. His experience as a young classified among the nation’s top 100 public
of Wichita, Kan., Johnson and his brother, man, when his parents, Leo and Mary, had universities as a “Tier I” institution by U.S.
Scott, were in charge of operations related to given both their sons “an evolving amount of News & World Report.
the family’s business. Operations included responsibility through time,” as Johnson put it, At a time when the wheels could have easily
growing everything from wheat, sorghum had certainly helped prepare him for much of come off the 138-year-old institution, Johnson
and soybeans, peaches, pears, cherries, what was to come. provided continuity and stability.
apples, strawberries, sometimes sweet corn In April 2011, Johnson, executive vice presi- “Marc Johnson has always kept the Univer-
and tomatoes, as well as selling local produce dent and provost of the University since 2008, sity’s fundamental priorities at the forefront of
from neighboring farms at the Johnson family received the worst possible news: Milton Glick, everything he has done,” said English profes-
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country store. the University’s 15th president, had died of a sor Stacy Burton. “My regard for him only E
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Scott disliked working outside. Marc, who massive stroke. increased in the year he was interim president. D
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“So we split duties,” Marc Johnson recalled. University through a final series of budget Nevada System of Higher Education Regent &
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He chuckled lightly at the memory. “My reductions. Yet, even with the reductions, Rick Trachok ’74 (plant science), a prominent LU
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brother took care of the air-conditioned coun- the University, amazingly, was continuing to local attorney, said Johnson has given the Su•
try store, and I did most of the outside work, excel at record levels. Milestones included: community an opportunity to “see how he m
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managing hoeing crews and picking crews. record enrollment of 18,004 students in fall performs, in good times and in bad. Don’t er 2
“We both liked it that way.” 2011; record graduation rates; record number ever underestimate the value of that. He is 012
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LEFT: President Marc Johnson congratulates 2012 Herz Medalist Mathew Neben ’12 during Spring Commencement 2012 on May 19. This spring, the
University conferred 2,215 degrees and certificates, representing the largest number of graduation applicants in the University’s history. RIGHT: President
Johnson addresses the audience gathered for the May 31 grand opening ceremony of The Nevada Living Learning Community.
somebody who has a vision, somebody who is a now are working on restoring some of what as well as to the Church Fine Arts Building.
constant presence in the community, someone we have lost out of our research infrastructure In the longer term, we really need to work on
who took a traumatized institution and kept it so that we can help faculty be more successful a new building for engineering and sciences.
moving on its upward trajectory.” in competitive research. Also, we are looking Engineering has some of the oldest facilities of
And to think that the personal strengths of at a new opportunity of keeping our tuition any college on campus.
accountability and responsibility were sown and fees on campus, which will assure further “The medical school is being transformed
early, on the family farm in Kansas. growth potential. in two dimensions, as well. One is to become
“My father and mother were very good at a truly balanced, statewide medical school in
teaching me by experience,” Johnson, 64, said terms of functional and geographic dimen-
“The people at our
with a smile. “As long as I was doing well, they sions. The second is to develop a robust
always gave me lots of latitude to learn how to clinical research mission to take discovery to
University have been
do things. That’s been very important. It gave treatment.”
me a very strong work ethic, and it gave me
confidence in my own abilities.” amazingly resilient through The University’s philosophy regard-
As Johnson begins his first full academic ing economic development:
“Economic
year in August as the University’s permanent tough times. We’ve really
development is based on building a base indus-
president, he has both short-term plans and a
try—which means that you have an industry
long-term vision for the campus. He is quick to relied on everybody doing at that is bringing in money from outside this
point out that the work won’t be easy; however,
economy, and you swirl this money around,
his confidence in the University’s students, staff
least their job, if not more. inside your local economy. The University does
and faculty has never been higher.
that all the time. Our 18,000 students are living
“The people at our University have been
They’ve all pitched in.” here, they’re studying here, and after about four
amazingly resilient through tough times,” he
years, they make themselves available on the
said. “We’ve really relied on everybody doing at
job market. So now we have just converted a
least their job, if not more. They’ve all pitched –President Marc Johnson
number of people into highly professionally-
in. That’s one of the really remarkable things
educated people, right here in Reno, and they
about our University.”
are ready for any of our businesses or nonprofit
In a wide-ranging interview with Nevada “Further, we’re developing a new enrollment
organizations to hire. Last year we brought in
Silver & Blue, Johnson articulated his expecta- management strategy so that we can pur-
$81 million of competitive grants—most of it
tions and hopes for the University: posely grow our student body, especially among
from federal sources, most of it taxpayer money
students who will have a high probability of
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& BL turned the corner. The 8 percent registration A couple of projects we have in mind are to ing the community attractive to bring in other
ER fee increase for next year allowed us to identify build a student achievement center so that we businesses. I carry around a business card with
DA SILV 1o5u rn feawcu faltcyu bltayc kp,o asnitdio int ss eton dstsa ar tv gerroy wstirnogn g ctoagne pthuelrl ,a tlol ohfe olpu trh seemrv igcreasd fuoart teh. eW setu adreen lotso king tTwraon pshfeorn Oe ffinucme abnedrs o: onne et oto t hthe eS mTeaclhl nBoulsoignye ss
VA message that we are building again. We also at some enhancements to athletic facilities, Development Center. I carry these so that any-
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Photo by Jeff Do
The file on Marc Johnson
Family: Wife, Karen Penner-Johnson; son, Joseph;
step-daughters, Allison Penner Disbrow, Ashley
Penner Coberly; granddaughter, Brooklyn Disbrow;
President Johnson with members of the University’s Concrete Canoe Team during the 25th Annual brother, Scott (retired public school teacher).
ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno June 14-16.
Parents: The late Leo J. Johnson and Mary Elizabeth
Nevada’s team finished fourth in the competition, which included 22 schools and 400 participants.
Johnson, 88, of Manhattan, Kan.
one bringing a business to town can gain access Most pleasant surprise since coming Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology from
and contact the University, and find technical to Reno in 2008: Emporia State University in Kansas, which named
and business services right here. That’s one way “Regarding the University, him a Distinguished Alumnus in 1994. Advanced
I think maybe my greatest surprise here oc-
we interact with the community to help bring degrees include a master of technology in
curred as I was reading promotion and tenure
businesses here. The University also makes international development from North Carolina State
documents as provost. It became obvious to
the community a great place to live with arts,
University, a master of economics from Michigan
me, pretty quickly, what a super quality faculty
sports and speaker events.”
we have here. We have a nationally well-recog- State University and a doctorate of agricultural
Capital campaign goals: nized faculty. Talented people have come to our economics from Michigan State University.
“Some of the
university and they’ve stayed, and they’ve done Johnson’s research and teaching have been based
planning has already started. We’re preparing a
outstanding, nationally recognized work. So in economics, with an emphasis on national and
request for proposal for a campaign consultant.
it becomes real easy to sell this place as a great
We will need more staffing. We have started international food distribution systems.
place to come to school, because we can tell our
some of the nuts and bolts elements, and now
students that they will interact and be taught by Professional career: Prior to joining the University
we’ll really engage the faculty in the fall to work
great faculty.” as executive vice president and provost in 2008,
through some of the fine-tuning of strategic
Johnson was dean of the College of Agricultural
plans and turn those plans into gifting goals.” Membership in the Mountain West
Sciences at Colorado State University. He joined CSU
The search for a new executive vice Conference:
“Our athletic director and our in 2003 as vice provost for agriculture and outreach
president and provost: coaches have been very good in paying atten- and dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences,
“I was given some
tion to the welfare of our student-athletes and
real opportunities by Milt Glick to work and also served as interim director of Colorado
the academic performance of our student-
alongside him, not only to handle budget issues Cooperative Extension and interim state forester of
athletes, and that is shown by the fact that we
on the campus, and to manage the internal Colorado State Forest Service. From 1992 to 2003,
have one of the higher graduation rates for
workings of the campus operation, but he also student-athletes in the country. The institutions Johnson was dean of the Kansas State University
involved me with some of our donors and I got
in the Mountain West are very like-minded in College of Agriculture and director of the Kansas
to know them pretty well. He prepared me well
this way, which is a good thing. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative
to step into the president’s role in a way that
“Moving to the Mountain is going to be Extension Service. Prior to that, he was a member of
I could carry on in a very consistent fashion
quite challenging. Their coaches’ salaries are
with what he was doing before. This is a feature the faculty at Oklahoma State University and served
significantly more than our
I have asked our search firm to add to the job in faculty and administrative roles at North Carolina
coaches’ salaries. The support
description. I think whoever’s in the provost State University.
for scholarships is higher LOOK ONLINE
role will have to be able to do that role and work
than for our student-athletes. For the extended Away from the job you might find Johnson …
pretty closely with me. Both minds should interview visit:
be working on strategic developments for the We will have to rise to that www.unr.edu/ hiking: “My wife, Karen, and I have hiked just a bit
challenge, do things like build
organization. silverandblue more than half of the Tahoe Rim Trail,” Johnson said.
nicer athletic facilities—not
“But other than that piece, a provost has to “It’s wonderful to be outdoors, getting exercise, and
Taj Mahals, but nice facili-
have very, very high academic standards so that this area is just beautiful, so you can’t go out around
ties—and build our scholarships and build our
we’re always pressing the campus for quality
salaries for coaches. If we do those things, we here without seeing beautiful countryside. It’s a great
teaching, quality research, quality outreach to
will be successful.” N time for my wife and me to be out and have a nice
the community.”
chat, and get some good exercise at the same time.”
LIVE UPSTAIRS, LEARN DOWNSTAIRS:
The Nevada Living Learning Community is the
next generation of student-centered education
G
ina Tempel can still remember her resi- ence and director of the University’s Women The $35 million Nevada Living Learning
dence hall as an undergraduate student in Science and Engineering (WISE) program, Community, at approximately 124,000 square
at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., whose first-year students will comprise one feet, has 320 dorm rooms, four classrooms
in the 1970s. of nine academic “learning communities” and 12 faculty offices. The nine living learn-
The building was new. It was considered housed in the new building, said the Univer- ing communities in the building include
state-of-the-art. The students loved living in it. sity is redefining the notion of “new” and what journalism, business, education, pre-nursing,
Yet, in hindsight, it was nothing like The it will mean to students. engineering, first-year, art, honors and WISE.
Nevada Living Learning Community, the Uni- “I remember what I had in college, and it Living group sizes will range from 18 to 64
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& B faculty offices, counseling and advising capa- New students arriving on campus in “They’ve put a lot of thought into how
ER bilities, as well social and community engage- August will live upstairs and learn downstairs students will interact in the building,” said
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DA SIL meTnetm opppelo, ratsusnocitiiaetse. dean in the College of Sci- ilena ar nbeurisl.ding created for a new generation of Tmeumnpiteyl ,i wn hlaot et oMuraeyd. the Living Learning Com-
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Photos by Ja
OPPOSITE: Gina Tempel, director of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program, works with students in one of the classrooms of The
Nevada Living Learning Community. ABOVE: Students gather in the Living Learning Community, the newest residence hall on the Nevada campus.
The University now offers nine living learning communities, which will all be represented in the new hall, including journalism, business, WISE,
education, pre-nursing, engineering, first-year students, art and honors.
“I like the classrooms, and the fact that there ered” approach to the student experience. experience, both academically and socially.”
will be faculty offices,” she added. “It looks like “We’ve taken a great deal of pride in making Tempel said she is already planning ways
a really positive way to interact with students.” this a student-friendly, student-centered cam- to make further use of the building for future
For a program like WISE, which brings to- pus,” Johnson said. “With the opening of The recruiting efforts.
gether female students majoring in the sciences, Nevada Living Learning Community, every She has reserved one of the larger class-
mathematics and engineering, the Nevada Liv- rooms for the spring semester, when every
ing Learning Community has become a promi- Friday at 4 p.m., WISE invites a successful
nent selling point for prospective students, “I remember what I had female professional from
Tempel said. WISE began in 2007 and will the community to share
include 38 students for the 2012-2013 academic in college, and it was her experiences in the LOOK ONLINE
year. A record 91 applicants were received for working world with the For more information
the fall 2012 WISE class, Tempel added. program’s participants. and photos about the
nothing like the Living
Tempel envisions The Nevada Living Tempel plans on inviting center, visit: www.unr.
Learning Center becoming a “hub” for WISE’s high school students to at- edu/silverandblue
Learning Community.”
offerings. tend some of the seminars.
“Students love new things, and this is a nice, “It will be large enough to not only fit our
brand spanking new building,” Tempel said. WISE students, but additionally any high
–Gina Tempel, director of WISE N
“The students have reacted very positively … school students who are interested in the pro- EV
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it’s a selling point for us.” gram,” she said. “Again, it’s a way of using the D
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University President Marc Johnson agreed, building to help make our prospective students SILV
noting that The Nevada Living Learning Com- aspect of a meaningful and memorable student aware of all the great things our University has E
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munity’s opening, coupled with completion experience has been covered in some way. to offer. Students have sisters and brothers, and & B
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of the Joe Crowley Student Union and the “It’s a truly remarkable building,” Johnson the good word always spreads.” N U
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Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center in recent added. “It’s going to change how our students in- —John Trent ’85/’87, ’00M.A. Su•
years, gives the University an “all bases cov- teract, and it will certainly enhance their overall mm
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(1)
(2) (3)
Photo by Theresa Danna-Douglas and Jamie Kingham
The Nevada Living Learning Community Grand Opening
On May 31, The Nevada Living Learning guests to experience the thoughtfully designed women in science and engineering and first-year
Community grand opening welcomed guests to student living, learning and social environment. majors (undecided and outside of the listed
012 preview the 124,000-square-foot facility that will The Nevada Living Learning Community communities).
mer 2 help immerse students in all aspects of an represents a unique integration of residential hall (1) Flash mob dancers featured College of Science Dean
m enriching and memorable educational experience. living with experiential connections to the
•UE Su The event began with a program where attendees University’s curriculum and social fabric. This new Jaenffd TNhaotmurpaslo Rne;s Cooulrlecegse Doef aAng rRicounl tPuarred, iBniio; taescshisntaolnotg vyi ce
BL were surprised by a dynamic flash mob residence hall will house 320 freshmen, who will
& president of Constituent Relations Patricia Richard ’89,
R performance. The celebration continued inside the be divided among the nine living-learning
VE ’92M.A.; cheerleader Karina Nelson; vice president of
L new facility with tours showcasing classrooms, communities: arts, business, education,
DA SI dorm rooms and multipurpose areas to allow engineering, honors, journalism, pre-nursing, Student Services Shannon Ellis; cheerleader Katherine
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(4) (5)
(6) (7)
(8) (9) (10)
Crowe; marching band director William Plenk; (4) Student volunteers Haley Dressel, Theo Meek, Sarah (8) Vice president of Development and Alumni Relations
cheerleader Rodel Maulit ‘11; Reynolds School of Haeberlin, Matt Rodman, Rebecca Zug and Emma John Carothers.
Journalism Dean Alan Stavitsky; and cheerleader Crossman. (9) Band members Anthony Landers, Kevin Conlin, Jason
Martika Tillman.
(5) Cheerleaders Katherine Crowe, Martika Tillman and Joyner, Edson Almachar, Peter N
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(2) Vice president of Student Services Shannon Ellis. Karina Nelson. Branch and Jesse Kilburn. VA
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(3) Nevada System of Higher Education Regent Jack (6) President Marc Johnson addresses the crowd. (10) Vice president of FLoOr OmKo rOe NphLoItNoEs of A SILV
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Great faculty: Leading Nevada through
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an era of unprecedented performance
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or more than a century, the University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. This at the Museum of Modern Art in New York
faculty have been the architects of the year, the department was ranked 109th in the City. He has been interviewed on CNN, NPR,
Nevada experience. They are not only ac- nation by U.S. News & World Report. CBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corpo-
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complished educators, they are noted research- Gordaninejad, a University of Nevada, Reno ration, among others. His works have been fea-
ers who bring the excitement of discovery into Foundation Professor, received his under- tured in The New York Times, The Australian
the classroom. graduate degree in mechanical engineering Morning Herald, Artweek, Art in America and
aThe University continues to be a place from the University of Tehran in 1977, and a in the 2010 book Joystick Soldier: The Politics of
where students, faculty and staff eagerly look doctoral degree from the University of Okla- Play in Military Video Games.
beyond what is possible today, making room homa in 1983.
Cynthia Birk
for tomorrow’s discoveries. Nevada attracts He has authored some 200 scholarly
eleaders with strong ideals who strive to make a publications and has 14 granted patents. Regents’ Academic Advisor Award,
positive difference in the world—scholars who Gordaninejad has also mentored more than 50
Undergraduate
blaze new paths and encourage those around graduate students and 15 postdoctoral fellows/
Cynthia Birk, a lecturer and academic in the
them to do the same. visiting scholars.
College of Business, says her role as an adviser
To honor and acknowledge Nevada’s top
Joseph DeLappe isn’t limited to helping students pick class-
sfaculty, the Board of Regents, the University,
es—advising students includes recruitment,
and local and national organizations present Regents’ Creative Activity Award
orienting students, career counseling and
prestigious honors each year. This year’s slate
Joseph DeLappe is a Department of Art pro- professional networking. Birk says she receives
of award winners share a commitment to
e fessor and director of the Digital Media pro- many calls from former students looking for
academic excellence that is the hallmark of a
gram. His online performance and electrome- advice on career prospects or updating her on
University of Nevada, Reno education.
chanical installation works have been shown their lives post-graduation.
Faramarz Gordaninejad throughout the United States and abroad. Birk earned her bachelor’s degree in indus-
RRegents’ Researcher Award DeLappe directs the iraqimemorial.org trial administration at Iowa State University,
project, an online and physical exhibition of and master’s degrees in business education and
For the past 28 years at Nevada, Faramarz memorial projects and proposals dedicated to accounting from the University of Iowa. She
Gordaninejad has had a major role in the ad- civilian casualties from the Iraq war. He has began her career as a lecturer at the University
vancement and expansion of the University’s lectured throughout the world, most recently
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