August 2007
Chinese Partnership Results in Creation of
Confucius Institute at the U of M
U of M Unveils John Wilder Sculpture
Emergency Alert Text Messaging System Launched
Alumni E-News and Events
 It was announced earlier this week that the
University of Memphis has been selected to
house the Confucius Institute, one of only
24 such institutes in the United States and
one of just over 100 created since the initiative
began in 2004 with an institute in Seoul,
Korea. The U of M was chosen after a highly
competitive selection process. It is being
established with funds provided by the Beijing-based
Office of Chinese Language Council International.
Dr. Hsiang-te Kung, a 75th generation descendant
of Confucius and a U of M professor, will
head the Institute.
The Institute will
be instrumental in fostering closer ties between
mainland China and the United States. Its
specific goals are to promote understanding
of the Chinese language and culture among
Americans, to assist in developing friendly
relations between the two countries, to accelerate
the expansion of multiculturalism, and to
provide opportunities for students to study
the Chinese language.
The local Institute
will work closely with the University's new
Asian Studies and International Trade Program.
That program, which begins this fall, will
provide students with the critical skills
that more and more international companies
are seeking in their employees, such as foreign
language proficiency, cultural sensitivity,
experience abroad, and knowledge of international
business. The Asian studies program was funded
by a gift of $1 million from an anonymous
donor.
In announcing the creation of
the Institute, U of M President Shirley Raines
said, "Housing the Confucius Institute on
our campus will make the University of Memphis
a key player in the bilateral efforts to improve
relations between the Chinese and United States
governments and relations between the Chinese
and American people."
Confucius is
the Latinized name of legendary Chinese thinker
and philosopher K'ung Fu-tzu, who lived and
taught in China 551-479 BC. His teachings
and philosophy have deeply influenced thought
and life in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.
He emphasized personal and governmental morality,
correctness of social relationships, justice
and sincerity. A school of philosophy based
on his teachings has come to be called Confucianism.
Kung
is a professor of geography at the University
of Memphis, where he has taught since 1981.
He was born in China and grew up in Taiwan
before coming to the United States in 1969.
More
information about the Confucius Institute
at the University of Memphis is available
by phone at 901/678-3550 or online at http://cium.memphis.edu
 In honor of John S. Wilder's many years of
service to the people of Tennessee, the citizens
of his native Fayette County have given the
University of Memphis a bronze bust of the
former lieutenant governor for permanent display
just inside the main entrance of the John
S. Wilder Tower.
Wilder served in Tennessee's
81st and 85th-105th General Assemblies. He
was speaker of the Senate from 1971 to 2006
and in that capacity also served as the state's
lieutenant governor.
The tower was
built in 1967 as the University's library,
with more than 100,000 square feet of space. After
the new Ned R. McWherter Library opened in
1994, the tower was designated for its current
use. Partly through the efforts of Wilder,
the University obtained state funding to renovate
the building to accommodate all student services,
including admissions, registration, financial
aid and bursar's office. The reconfigured
building was formally dedicated as the John
S. Wilder Tower in 2003.
The sculpture
was created by Bartlett artist Ellen McGowan,
who is still sculpting at age 82. She earned
bachelor's and master's degrees from the U
of M. McGowan creates works in a wide variety
of materials, including bronze, concrete and
clay. Her award-winning pieces are included
in numerous corporate and private collections
throughout the United States and abroad. She
works by commission and also designs garden
sculptures for Mid-South Ornamental Concrete.
 To enhance our ability to communicate during
a crisis, the University of Memphis now offers
a free emergency alert text messaging service
to students, faculty and staff. This optional
service will only be used in the event of
an on-campus emergency, an unscheduled university
closing, or a delay or cancellation of classes
due to, for instance, inclement weather. There
is no charge for signing up; however, standard
text messaging rates apply.
The TigerText
text messaging service is just one of the
methods the University will use to communicate
emergency information to students, faculty
and staff. We will continue to use a variety
of other methods as appropriate, including
e-mail, telephone and, beginning the fall
2007 semester, an outdoor emergency warning
system. For more information about emergency
planning at the University of Memphis, visit
http://www.memphis.edu/crisis.
Students, faculty and staff can sign up for
TigerText at http://tigertext.memphis.edu.
The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Alumni Chapter will host its annual
Striving for Excellence in the Law Alumni
Dinner on Aug. 18, 2007, at the U of M Holiday
Inn. Please join the Law Chapter in honoring
16 of our legal community's Pillars of Excellence
from America's greatest generation as well
as other alumni and friends of the Cecil C.
Humphreys School of Law. The event will begin
with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed
by dinner and the program at 7 p.m. For more
information, contact Kelly Davis, alumni coordinator,
at 901/678-4299 or kdavis9@memphis.edu.
Travel
to Jonesboro with the Alumni Association
for this year's Memphis-Arkansas State game
on Sept. 8. The package is $75 for Alumni
Association members and $85 for those who
are not yet members. Transportation, game
ticket, boxed lunch, snacks, soft drinks and
entertainment will be provided. To sign up,
contact Holly Beuke at 901/678-1782 or habeuke@memphis.edu.
With
football season around the corner, the Alumni
Association is making plans to tailgate with
our Tiger family at our popular pre-game True
Blue Barn Bashes. Join us before
every home game for BBQ, beverages and live
music. Come visit the Alumni Association at
the big silver barn near Gate 3 at all home
football games and prepare to cheer on our
Tigers! Everyone is welcome: $5 for members,
$7.50 for not yet members.
Join us
for our Out of Town Pre-Game Tailgate
Events to support our Tigers!
Orlando
– Sept. 22 – U of M at UCF
Houston
– Oct. 20 – U of M at Rice
New
Orleans – Oct. 27 – U of M at Tulane
More
details to come. Questions? Contact Holly
Beuke at habeuke@memphis.edu
or 901/678-1782.
Join the Herff College
of Engineering for the Women in Engineering
Dessert Party on Thursday, Sept. 13, from
7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Alumni Center. Help the
women students in the Herff College of Engineering
start the new school year off on a sweet note
with a dessert bar and light refreshments.
For more information or to RSVP by Sept. 11,
contact Carolyn Oldenburg at 901/678-1537
or coldenbu@memphis.edu.
The
second annual Forensics Conference will be
held on Friday, Sept. 14, at 8 a.m. at the
U of M Holiday Inn, sponsored by the Loewenberg
School of Nursing Alumni Chapter.
Keynote speaker is Rachell Copeland, president
and founder of Global Forensics Solutions,
Inc., and guest speakers are Belinda Pratcher,
Julie Coffee, Hon. Phyllis Gardner, Sgt. Faith
Cunningham and Pat Bader. Contact hours are
available for an additional fee. E-mail Lauren
Isaacman at lauren.isaacman@memphis.edu
for details or to register.
The College
of Arts & Sciences Alumni Chapter
will be celebrating outstanding alumni and
friends at a dinner on Thursday, Sept. 20
at The Racquet Club. Dr. Reed Baskin (BS ’65),
Eric Robertson (BS ’03) and Peggy Turley (BA
’85) will be honored as outstanding alumni,
and Wallace Bruce and Olivia Bruce will be
honored as outstanding friends. For more information,
contact Holly Beuke at 901/678-4299 or habeuke@memphis.edu.
Get
ready for an exciting weekend of Tiger
Volleyball! Alumni Association members
and a guest will receive FREE admission (with
membership card) to a pair of Conference USA
matches on Friday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct.
7. The Tigers take on Southern Miss at 7 p.m.
on Oct. 5 and UCF at 12 p.m. on Oct. 7. Wear
Tiger Blue, bring your membership card and
get ready for some exciting volleyball action!
Fogelman
College of Business and Economics
alumni, save the date for the 15th Annual
Alumni Day luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 17,
at the U of M Holiday Inn. Debbi Fields-Rose,
of Mrs. Fields Cookies, will be the keynote
speaker. Eric Bolton, president and CEO of
Mid-America Apartment Communities, will be
honored as Outstanding Alumnus of the College.
Carolyn Hardy, majority owner of Hardy Bottling,
will be honored as Entrepreneur of the Year.
Contact Lauren Isaacman at 901/678-2333 or
lauren.isaacman@memphis.edu
for details.
Save the date:
The Journalism Alumni Club will host
its annual Outstanding Journalism Alumni Awards
Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 18, at The Racquet
Club of Memphis.
The Cecil
C. Humphreys School of Law Alumni Chapter
will host reunions for law school classes
of 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992,
1997, 2002 and 2007 on Saturday, Oct. 20,
at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Get ready for
a fun-filled evening with classmates and friends
as we enjoy complimentary drinks, hors d'oeuvres
and music. For more information, contact Kelly
Davis at 901/678-4299 or kdavis9@memphis.edu.
Please
Note Date Change: The University College Alumni
Chapter will host its awards reception
on Thursday, Nov. 8, at the STAX Museum of
American Soul Music. Mark your calendars and
enjoy a fun-filled evening of food, music
and awards with fellow graduates and friends. For
more information, contact Holly Beuke at 901/678-1782
or habeuke@memphis.edu.
The
Young Alumni Committee will host its
first True Blue Tigers to the Tailgate
5K on the evening of Friday, Nov. 16,
around the U of M campus. Alumni, students
and friends are invited to celebrate the beginning
of football season and the school year in
this race. For more information, call 901/678-2586.
Career/Job
Search Resources for Alumni: Career
and Employment Services (CES) is available
to alumni as well as students! In addition
to individual assistance, CES provides hundreds
of job listings to the U of M community each
year through their online eRecruiting system.
To browse the job listings, visit http://saweb.memphis.edu/ces
and click on the "eRecruiting Student
Login" link in the "Features" section. If
you need help using the online system or would
like to schedule an appointment with a staff
member, contact the CES office at 901/678-2239.
Travel
the world with other Tigers! Join
U of M alumni and friends on one of a variety
of trips being offered in 2008, including
trips to Paris, Spain, Ireland and the Swiss
Alps. To learn more, visit www.memphis.edu/alumni/tigertravel.html
or contact the Alumni Association at 901/678-2586.
|
