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May 2003
Spring
Commencement Produces More Than 1,600 New Alumni
U of M Holiday Inn Earns Top Marks
Wilder Tower Becomes One-Stop Student
Services Shop
U of M Joins Breast Cancer Center of Excellence
Network
Upcoming Alumni Events
One
professional basketball star, one mayor and 1,648 graduates
gathered with family, friends and University faculty and staff
on May 11 to celebrate Spring Commencement at The Pyramid.
Among
the graduates was former Tiger basketball standout Anfernee
"Penny" Hardaway, who earned his bachelor's
degree in professional studies 10 years after leaving the
U of M to pursue NBA stardom.
Also
crossing the stage were 58 summa cum laude, 131 magna cum
laude and 160 cum laude graduates.
Shelby
County Mayor A C Wharton was the featured speaker.
After
its first year of operation, the Holiday Inn at the University
of Memphis has plenty to celebrate. For the first quarter
of 2003, the hotel ranked No. 1 in guest total satisfaction
for the geographic region. It also is a candidate for the prestigious
Holiday Inn Newcomer of the Year Award.
The
82-suite hotel is home to the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality
and Resort Management, the legacy of late Holiday Inn founder
Kemmons Wilson. Wilson made a $15 million gift to the University
to build the hotel for the purpose of giving students practical
experience in the hospitality industry.
In
addition to the suites, the hotel boasts a 1,000-seat banquet
room, an exercise facility, a restaurant and classrooms.
For
reservation information, call 901/678-3700.
May has been a month of transition at the U of M as several
campus offices are relocating to the newly renovated Wilder
Tower. Originally home to the campus library, Wilder Tower and
Brister Hall will now serve as a one-stop shop for student services
on campus.
Student
services, which had been scattered across campus, will be
under one roof, including admissions, registration, financial
aid, student relations and continuing education. To assist
students, the new "Ask TOM" Student Answer Center
will be housed in the lobby. The answer center will provide
a coordinated network of core student service information
and will serve prospective, new and continuing students as
well as faculty, staff, alumni and the public.
Also
included in the new Wilder Tower/Brister Hall Complex will
be the Heritage Room, featuring historical U of M photos,
books and memorabilia. The Heritage Room will be free and
open to the public.
The
University of Memphis W. Harry Feinstone Center for Genomic
Research has been designated a Breast Cancer Center of Excellence
as part of a major award from the U.S. Department of Defense.
It is one of fewer than 10 such centers in the United States.
The
U of M will receive $900,000 to study breast cancer prevention
and the role estrogen plays in causing cancer.
The
University will provide genome analyses for the entire Breast
Cancer Center of Excellence network. Other participating institutions
include the University of Virginia Medical Center, the Fox
Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and the Stehlin Foundation
for Cancer Research in Houston.
"I'm
very excited about this research," said Dr. Thomas Sutter,
professor of microbiology, holder of the Feinstone Chair of
Functional Genomics, and director of the Feinstone Center,
"because it will have an important impact on women's
health. We will be able to prevent breast cancer without blocking
the beneficial effects of estrogen."
The
Atlanta alumni chapter will hold a potluck luncheon featuring
Corky's barbecue June 14 at 1 p.m. For details, call 901/678-5314
or e-mail acantrll@memphis.edu. Please RSVP by June 9.
The
Office of Alumni and Special Events is planning spring events
for alumni in Nashville and New York City. For
more information, please contact acantrll@memphis.edu or call
901/678-5314.
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