June 22: Chicago
Reception for area alumni and friends from 6-8 p.m. It'll be more fun than a barrel of Big Blue monkeys. Your amiable and fun-loving hosts are Jim '53 and Donna Riechman Fitzgerald '54, President Doug Zemke '66, and Vice President for Development Peg Luy. If you are interested in attending, send an e-mail to Jackie
McFadden or call her at 217-424-3769 by Friday, June 17.

June 22: Decatur
Last chance to get some Food for Thought! The luncheon learning series wraps up June 22. See details at right.

June 28: Decatur
Millikin Alumni Night at the Decatur Park District's Summer Park Run program. Train for the Chicago Distance Classic, or run for fun. Registration is free for Millikin alums. For more details, see right.

July 22: Indianapolis
Millikin Club of Indianapolis Event at Marsh Symphony on the Prairie in Fishers, Ind. "1950s: The Golden Age of Black and White" will feature MU alum group Chapter 6. Details forthcoming. For info, send an e-mail to Louise Kidd in the alumni and development office.

July 31: Chicago
Annual Family Picnic and New Student Send-off Party, 1-3 p.m. Lombard Park, Grace Street and St. Charles Road, Lombard, Ill. All alumni and friends are welcome to attend. Bring a dish to pass; meat, beverages and tableware provided. Call the Alumni Office toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM for info and reservation or drop an e-mail to alumnews@millikin.edu.

Aug. 6: Chicago 
Join an alumni and friends pre-race gathering before Sunday's Chicago Distance Classic. We'll meet at 6 p.m. in the Hilton Chicago hotel lobby and walk to a nearby restaurant for dinner on your own. For more info, e-mail Mandi Landacre Poseschi '02  at apodeschi@millikin.edu or call her toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2586). (Locally, dial 424-6383).

Aug. 7: Chicago
Millikin will hold an alumni & friends event in at the Chicago Distance Classic, a half-marathon and 5K race. MORE

Aug. 7: St. Louis
Join alumni and incoming MU freshmen for a send-off picnic. The picnic is a chance to meet future Millikin alums and wish them well. It will be held at Horseshoe Lake State Park in Granite City, Ill., from 1-3 p.m. R.S.V.P. by calling toll free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM (568-2586) by Aug. 4. 

Aug. 11: Decatur
Informal get together and interest session for a proposed Greater Decatur Alumni Association group. See details at right.

Aug. 11-14: Chicago
SAEs from the '60s gather for fun and fellowship in downtown Chicago. For more info, e-mail Steve Mathias '67 at samathias@aol.com

Aug. 12: Springfield
Millikin Day at the State Fair is on Aug. 12. See details at right.

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 are being mailed now. Contact us if we do not have your current home address so you can receive the latest info.

Hot links
Big Blue Sports  

Big Blue  wedding album. New bride or groom? Submit your wedding photos and info by e-mail, or call toll-free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM for details..

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

Shop online: 
First Step Records
Millikin bookstore  
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 what

NEW BLUE.
Incoming freshmen explored Millikin's campus and registered for classes during orientation and registration week, June 7-13. Nearly 550 new students and their family members attended orientation and registration over the five-day period. Several of the new students are not the first in their families to attend MU, such as Derek Williams, whose mother is Bobbi Reed Williams, class of 1984. 

A second helping. 
Decatur-area alumni and community members are invited to learn about issues of critical importance during the third annual Food for Thought luncheon learning series. This year's topic is the controversial issue of stem cell research.  Dr. Robert Money, associate professor of philosophy, will speak about the ethical issues surrounding the research at the luncheon on June 22. The session will be held at Tuscany Steak and Pasta near campus and lunch is served promptly at noon. Luncheon tickets are $15 per person.  RSVP by Wednesday, June 15.  Register online or call 1-877-JMU-ALUM for more details or to register by phone. The series is co-sponsored by the Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni and Development.

SUMMER RUN FUN.
Area alums and friends: Tuesday, June 28, is Millikin Alumni Night at the weekly Decatur Park District's Summer Park Run. If you're looking to train for the Chicago Distance Classic (see details below), or just looking for a fun way to make friends and stay in shape over the summer, meet at at 6:30 p.m. in Fairview Park next to campus. Registration that night is free for Millikin alums, $1 for non-alums, and MU prizes will be given out. 

BIG BLUE IN A BIG WAY.
Looking to get involved further as an alum? Live in the Decatur area? The Millikin Alumni Association Board of Directors is determining interest in starting a Greater Decatur alumni club and needs dedicated alumni, "...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." For more info, come to an informal get together and interest session on Thursday, Aug. 11, at Tuscany Pasta and Steak House (1099 W. Wood St.) from 6 to 8 p.m.  

TWO TRUE BLUE RETIREES.
Dr. Neil Baird '65 and Dean Lin Stoner '73 retire this year after years of dedicated service to the Millikin community. As an associate professor, Dr. Baird is has taught at Millikin for 35 years. Dean Stoner has worked at the Big Blue for more than 30 years, guiding incoming students through the admissions process in his role as dean of admission.

It's in the bag.
Look for the Millikin name all over downtown Chicago in August. The Big Blue will be featured on the gift bags given to runners participating in John "The Penguin" Bingham's '70 Chicago Distance Classic. MORE

A STATE OF FUN. 
Millikin Day is Aug. 12 at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Come out to the Millikin building in the old Tech Town across from Food-a-Rama to visit with MU alumni, friends and current and prospective students. Beat the heat in the air conditioning and enjoy Big Blue bottled water and other giveaways. Don't miss the Caleb Keith band performing in the morning and Chapter 6 performances  from 1-3 p.m. The fun starts at 10 a.m. and continues until 4 p.m.

MU NEEDS YOU!
Have you entertained the idea of giving to the Millikin Fund? Wondering how to go about it? It's never been easier to give online. You may also call to make a gift using our toll-free number: 1-800-JMU-ALUM. This year, giving is up in each category over last year with the exception of the alumni category, which is behind $40,000. June 30 is your last chance to make a gift before the fiscal year comes to a close. Gifts must be made or postmarked by that date to count toward this year's effort. 

the sporting life.
Here's a fun sports trivia fact for this month. We all know about the achievements of our women's basketball team this year, but what about MU's past basketball triumphs?

What year did the Millikin men's basketball team finish second in the nation, losing to Hamline University in the finals?

A. 1948
B. 1984
C. 1951 
D. 1973 

Send your answer 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 --
Susan Gore Ahmad '64
Ralph McCurdy '88
Lisa Heaser Hixon '95
Doug Alberson '92
Sheila Bracken Vaughn '96

Last month's winners each won a nifty MU pen for correctly answering that Linda Slagell was the long-time Millikin employee honored at this year's honors convocation.