Sept. 16: Alton 
Millikin Club of St. Louis event at the legendary Fast Eddie's Bon-Air in Alton, Ill. We'll meet in the back of the restaurant at 6:30 p.m. No RSVPs required; just show up and have fun. This is one of a planned series of upcoming "Night on the Town" events to be sponsored by the club.

Sept. 24: on campus 
Reunion of 1989 CCIW championship football team. The team will be  honored at half-time of the MU vs. Albion football game. For more info, e-mail Tom Mahoney '90.

Oct. 14-16: on campus 
Homecoming 2005. Class reunion packets, including class rosters and reservation forms, were mailed this summer. Contact us if this is your reunion year and you haven't received a packet, or click here for more info.

Oct. 29: Lisle, Ill.
The Annual Howard Nyberg Football Party immediately follows the 1 p.m. Millikin football game at North Central College in Naperville, Ill.

Hot links
Big Blue Sports  

Big Blue wedding album. New bride or groom? Submit your wedding photos and info to be included in our online album. Send them to us by e-mail, or call toll-free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM for details..

Business owners: Have you added your business information to Big Blue Biz, our online directory of  alumni-owned businesses? Send in your info to us by e-mail..

Add high school students to MU's mailing list for prospective students. MORE

Junior Stephen Larson has created a website devoted to historical images of Millikin's campus buildings. 

Former Millikin cheerleader Morgan McDevitt will be one of the tribe members on the new season of CBS-TV's "Survivor," which premieres Sept. 15.

Shop online: 
First Step Records
Millikin bookstore 
(the bookstore site may be down temporarily, so check back soon if so) 
First Step Publishing

All alumni actors, artists, writers, singers, dancers and musicians: Send us details of upcoming engagements or releases for the Millikin website. Drop a line to alumnews@millikin.edu, or fax your performance schedule to 217-424-3755. Click here to see where your fellow alums are performing.

THE POSITIVE TREND CONTINUES.
For the 13th straight year, U.S. News & World Report magazine has named Millikin as one of the best comprehensive colleges in the Midwest. MORE

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE. 
Those familiar with the former Scovill Science Hall will be stunned to see the building's amazing transformation into ADM-Scovill Hall, the new home for the Tabor School of Business and a campus center for technology. The outside exterior remains the same, but inside boasts a sleek modern look plus the latest in classroom and computer lab technology. Faculty and staff moved in earlier this month, and students will have classes in the building once school starts Aug. 30. The building will be open to alumni and friends for tours on Saturday, Oct. 15, during Homecoming weekend. Be sure to stop by and check it out for yourself.

IT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
Recent medical studies have shown that alumni who attend Homecoming at their alma mater tend to live longer, happier lives, plus they make more money and have better behaved children. We could be pulling your leg, but, then again, why risk it? Make your plans now to attend this year's Homecoming, Oct. 14-16. Watch for complete details in the fall issue of Millikin Quarterly magazine, due soon in your mailbox, or click here. You can even register online! And keep reading this issue for more items about Homecoming...

THEY GOT JUST WHAT THEY DESERVED -- CHEERS AND STANDING OVATIONS.  

Members of the NCAA Division III National Champion Millikin women’s basketball team and Head Coach Lori Kerans '85 were featured as grand marshals of the Celebration’s Mueller Company Razzle Dazzle Parade. In addition, the Big Blue’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and the football team were featured at the ESPN Radio 95.9-FM WHOW tent during the Celebration. 

All former women's basketball players are invited to a reunion at Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 15, the same weekend that the 2004-05 team members will receive their championship rings. RSVP to Coach Kerans so she'll know you're coming.

SPEAKERS NEEDED.
On Monday, Oct. 10, (Columbus Day holiday) during homecoming week festivities, alumni who have earned special teaching honors will share their award-winning experiences and insights with current students through the School of Education's "Excellence in Teaching" program. If you qualify and are interested in sharing your expertise, contact Dr. Darlene Hoffman, department chair, at 217-424-6244, or send her an e-mail at dhoffman@millikin.edu. 

PANELISTS NEEDED, TOO.
Coming back for Homecoming? Want to share your wisdom with Millikin students? On Sat., Oct. 15, during Homecoming, young black alumni will hold a roundtable discussion with current students from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Fireplace Room of Richards Treat University Center. The event will feature Darren Washington ’92, the 2005 Young Alumnus of the Year. If you are interested in participating in the event, send an e-mail to Jan Devore, director of alumni relations.

COME ON, RIDE THE TRAIN. 
Join alumni and friends on an exciting 10-day train vacation through the beautiful Canadian Rockies, June 22 to July 1, 2006. The trip starts with three nights in Vancouver, British Columbia. Destinations include Kamloops, B.C., Jasper, Lake Louise – Banff, and Calgary, Alberta. See the icefield glaciers, view Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and stay in the highly praised "Castle in the Mountains." The cost, which includes round trip air from Chicago, hotel transfers, departure taxes, 16 meals (nine breakfasts, two lunches and five dinners), is $3,399 per person for a double room ($4,299 for a single room ). A $100 per person deposit is required, and the travel agency gives $50 to the Millikin Fund for each trip purchased. Final trip payment is due April 23, 2006. For more info, send an e-mail to Jan Devore, director of alumni relations, or call her at 1-877-JMU-ALUM.

ANOTHER CHAPTER CLOSES.
Millikin’s favorite alumni a cappella ensemble, Chapter 6, is making headlines again. The group recently received five a cappella community awards, including favorite jazz group from the Contemporary A Cappella Society. The award-winning group is made up of Millikin alums Chuck Bosworth ’01, Mark Grizzard ’01, Jarrett Johnson ’01, Luke Menard ’01, John Musick ’01, Nathan Pufall ’03 and A.D. Stonecipher ’01. Chapter 6 performed at the MU event at the Illinois State Fair earlier this month and will return to campus for a Dec. 5 performance.

YOWSA, WHAT A RESPONSE.
Decatur-area alumni and friends turned out in force to have a fun evening and show their support for forming a Millikin Club of Decatur at a gathering held Aug. 11 near campus. The club is for those living in the Greater Decatur area "...who would like to network and socialize with fellow alumni, volunteer their services to Millikin, become ambassadors to support and champion the university and become greater involved with the campus community." Unable to make the meeting but still want to get involved in this new organization? Complete the form on our website or call 217-424-6383.

YOUR THOUGHTS SOUGHT. 
Chicago-area alums: The board of governors for the Millikin Club of Chicago -- the group that plans events for alumni and friends in the Chicago area -- is seeking additional volunteers. Want to learn more? Call Renee Lahey Solano '92 at 847-322-4371.

THE BIG BLUE CLUB WANTS YOU. 
As the fall sports season begins, now is a good time to consider joining the Big Blue Club, Millikin’s official athletic booster club. Membership dues are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law and 100% goes to the athletic department or team(s) you have chosen to support. Semi-monthly newsletters keep you "in-the-know."  MORE

cardinal fans: BUY a seat 
in support of Millikin. 
Buy a chance at winning two seats from historic Busch Stadium, and you'll be helping a Millikin student from the St. Louis area with his or her education. Purchase a chance for $20 -- or pay $25 for two chances -- and you could win two joined seats from the stadium. The stadium will be demolished shortly after their last game at Busch Stadium this year to make way for a new stadium going up next door, and the drawing will be held Nov. 1. All proceeds from the raffle benefit Millikin's Gateway Award, which is presented to a deserving student from the St. Louis area each year. MORE

WE'VE LABORED HARD
ON THIS MONTH'S TRIVIA.
School starts Aug. 30 this year, which means that Millikin students will have four quick days of classes before taking off for a long Labor Day weekend. That wasn't the case for a few years, though, which makes a great question for  this month's trivia contest.

Why were classes held on Labor Day in the 1980s?

A. The university decided to recognize the holiday on Friday rather than Monday.
B. Some administrators felt that the long weekend was too soon after the start of classes and thought that it encouraged homesick students to drop out.
C. The fall term began late that year.
D. All universities held classes on Labor Day that year.

Send your guess to alumnews@millikin.edu and be sure to include your name and address. Five winners will be selected from a random drawing of all who respond correctly and each will receive a prize! 

Last month's winners --
Carissa Baker Rasmussen '03
Robin Kuykendall '75
Patty Ranken Hunter '69

...each won an MU hydraulic miniature book light for correctly guessing that Sig was the name of the SAE mascot who received an honorary degree in canineology in 1935. (And no, I have no idea how a book light can be hydraulic, but it obviously makes it seem an even more exciting prize.) Good luck!