May 12-14: Evanston, Ill.
SAEs from the '50s will gather to renew their initiation vows at the SAE temple adjacent to Northwestern University campus. For info, e-mail Dean Jacobsen '51 or call him at 520-615-5266.

May 14: on campus
8:30 a.m. on campus
Join alumni and friends for a social run hosted by running expert John “The Penguin” Bingham ’70. Learn all about this year’s Chicago Distance Classic from the man who owns it. Open to the public. Free.

May 21 and 22: Decatur Commencement. Saturday's ceremony for PACE and MBA graduates will be held at 7 p.m. in Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Sunday's ceremony for all other graduates begins at 2 p.m. at Decatur Civic Center. Baccalaureate will be held Sunday at 10 a.m. in Kirkland Fine Arts Center for all MU grads. MORE

May 25: Chicago 
Dine with a dean: Chicago Business Forum and Networking Luncheon, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. See details at right. Call toll-free to register at 1-877-JMU-ALUM or register online.

June 3: Decatur
11th Annual Big Blue Golf Outing, Scovill Golf Course. See details at right.

June 15 and 22: Decatur
Food for Thought luncheon learning series. See details at right.

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 and President Doug Zemke '66. For more info, call toll-free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM.

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. 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

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. Details about the reunion will be sent over the summer. For more info, e-mail Tom Mahoney '90.

Oct. 14-16: on campus 
Homecoming 2005. Class reunion packets including class rosters and reservation forms will be mailed in early summer: Contact us if we do not have your current e-mail address so you can receive the latest info.

Hot links
Big Blue Sports  

Open a pdf file of the spring School of Nursing newsletter.

Open a pdf file of the spring  Tabor School of Business newsletter.

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  

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's posted.

two faculty recognized.
One had been here 18 years, another only two. Both were recognized for excellence at this spring's honors convocation. MORE

it's his business to be here.
Bruce Nims '72 of Decatur is the Tabor School's first entrepreneur-In-residence. MORE

Don't Dress like a zebra, they said.
Biology majors Mollie Kimmel of Warrensburg, Ill., and Kelly O’Connor of Seymour Ill. (at left, petting a pretty big kitty), were two of about 40 students who recently got up close and personal with South African cheetahs. MORE  

HAVE A NEED FOR NETWORKING?
Get out your business cards and make plans to attend the Chicago Business Forum and Networking Luncheon on Wednesday, May 25, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Union League of Chicago, 65 West Jackson Boulevard. Speaker Dr. Jim Dahl, new dean of the Tabor School of Business, will discuss Tabor's upcoming move to a new home on campus (ADM-Scovill Hall) as well as new developments in entrepreneurship. Cost is $25 per person, lunch will be served promptly at noon, and there will be door prizes and giveaways. Register online or call toll-free to 1-877-JMU-ALUM.

catch this penguin 
on the run.
Join this weekend's campus 8:30 a.m. fun run for alumni and friends followed by some words of advice from John "The Penguin" Bingham '70, a nationally known runner, motivational speaker and columnist. It's the first running-related event leading up MU's participation in Bingham's Chicago Distance Classic in August. MORE

tee for four
The 11th Annual Big Blue Golf Outing tees off at 1 p.m. at Scovill Golf Course on Friday, June 3. The four-person scramble costs $100 per player and includes complimentary gifts.  A noon luncheon precedes tee-time, and an awards ceremony will be held at the end of the outing.  All proceeds go to the Big Blue Club to help support MU athletics.  For more info, e-mail Athletic Director Lori Kerans or call her toll free at 1-877-JMU-ALUM.  

professors will give us 
food for thought. 
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. Sam Galewsky will speak at the June 15  session and Dr. Robert Money will speak at the second.  Both sessions will be held at Tuscany Steak and Pasta near campus and lunch is served promptly at noon. Tickets are $15 per person or $30 for both luncheon sessions.  RSVP by Wednesday, June 8.  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. 

send art, make money. 
Blue Connection, MU's student-run gallery of fine arts, seeks to expand its current base of offerings. Artists interested in consigning work with Blue Connection should e-mail Manager Jamie Kotewa or call her at 217-420-6766. Painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewelry and recordings are welcome. Slides or images of artwork will be needed for prior review, and they may be forwarded to the e-mail address above or mailed to Jamie at Blue Connection, 117 N. Water St., Decatur, IL, 62523. To be eligible, artists must be Millikin alumni, faculty, staff, students or friends of the university.

No Hablo Espanol? 
Maybe it’s time for a change…
Millikin has restructured its Spanish curriculum to better prepare students to communicate and prosper in a more global society. MORE

Do you know the answer?
Here's a check to see if you actually read this month's issue (or motivation to go back and read it now if you just skipped down to this point):

Who was the long-time Millikin employee recognized at this year's honors convocation?

A. Jamie Kotewa
B. John Bingham
C. Linda Slagell
D. Lori Kerans

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 --
Peter Churukian '73
Jack Parker '49
Howie Vitek '99
Ann Seaney '55
Christopher Logan Webb '04

Each correctly guessed that the first national fraternity chapter chartered at Millikin was Tau Kappa Epsilon. Each won an MU mini-flashlight (a nifty little item, by the way).