May 2007

Congratulations to our May 2007 graduates! Purchase the perfect gift for your special U of M alum – a membership in the University of Memphis Alumni Association. Click here to join!

Grover Named New Dean and Chair of Excellence
Spring Commencement Produces 1,800 New Alumni
U of M Offers Summer Programs for All Ages
U of M Jackson Center Wins Award for Master's Program
Alumni Association Board of Directors Review Begins May 21
Alumni News and Events

Grover Named New Dean and Chair of Excellence

The University of Memphis has appointed Dr. Rajiv Grover as dean of the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University and Chair of Excellence in Sales and Marketing, replacing Dr. John J. Pepin, who will retire in June.

Dr. Grover comes to the University of Memphis from the University of Georgia, where he is the head of the Marketing Department and holds the Terry Chair of Marketing in the Terry College of Business. He has also taught at the University of Pittsburgh and has served as senior VP of marketing and business development in a Silicon Valley high-tech start-up company.

Dr. Grover will assume his duties officially August 1.

Spring Commencement Produces 1,800 New Alumni

Family, friends and University faculty and staff gathered on Saturday, May 5 at FedExForum to celebrate spring Commencement. The University awarded a total of 1,800 degrees, including 36 doctorates, during two ceremonies.

Philanthropist and retired cotton executive Rudi E. Scheidt was awarded an honorary doctorate during Commencement. He was also the featured speaker at both the morning and afternoon ceremonies.

The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law awarded 91 degrees in a separate ceremony Sunday, May 6 at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

Congratulations to all May 2007 graduates!

U of M Offers Summer Programs for All Ages

If you are looking for something to keep you busy this summer, the University of Memphis offers a variety of noncredit summer programs. From camps for kids to professional classes for adults, there's something for everyone.

Programs include:

For more information about these events, visit www.memphis.edu/noncreditsummer07.htm, or for a complete list of camps and events, visit the University's Events Calendar.

U of M Jackson Center Wins Award for Master's Program

The University of Memphis' Master of Arts in Liberal Studies – Strategic Leadership degree has received the Distinguished Program Award for credit programming at the Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VII Conference in Athens, Ga. The U of M Jackson Center has offered this program for five years.

The Strategic Leadership degree is an accelerated graduate degree that is designed for busy adults who are in leadership or management roles. Students attend class one night per week and meet four weekends during the semester; they can complete the degree in 15 months. The program does not require the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) or MAT (Miller Analogies Test), and all of the classes are offered on the Jackson State Community College campus.

Details about the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies – Strategic Leadership degree are available by phone at 731/427-4725 or online at http://jackson.memphis.edu

The Jackson Center of the University of Memphis offers eight undergraduate degrees and four graduate degrees. Classes are now being scheduled in Savannah and Humboldt, in addition to Dyersburg and Jackson.

Alumni Association Board of Directors Review Begins May 21

From May 21 to June 1, Alumni Association members are asked to go to www.memphis.edu/alumni to review and affirm the slate of candidates for the National Alumni Association Executive Board of Directors. Information will also be e-mailed to the Alumni Association membership. Please get involved in your Alumni Association today.

Alumni News and Events

Are you a parent of a current U of M student or incoming freshman? If so, join the ranks of the Alumni Association Parents Club. Membership in the Parents Club is free for Alumni Association members. If you are not currently an Alumni Association member, you can join the Alumni Association and Parents Club for just $35. E-mail Lauren Isaacman at lauren.isaacman@memphis.edu for details.

The Young Alumni Committee will host its 2007 Summer Symposium: Eat, Drink & Be Enlightened, with featured speaker Dr. Don Carson, on Tuesday, June 26 at the Alumni Center, 635 Normal Street. Join fellow young alumni and friends of the U of M for complimentary beverages and hors d'oeuvres beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the program to follow. Dr. Carson will speak about having a life-long relationship with the University. Please RSVP to 901/678-3119 or alumnievents@memphis.edu. For more information, contact Kelly Davis at 901/678-4299 or kdavis9@memphis.edu.

The Nashville Alumni Club will host its annual Alumni Night at the Ballpark on Thursday, May 24 at Greer Stadium as the Nashville Sounds host the Memphis Redbirds. Join your fellow U of M graduates and friends for the game, an all-you-can-eat buffet, ice cream and soft drinks, all free of charge thanks to the generosity of Nashville alumnus Joe Wolf. For more information, contact Kelly Davis at 901/678-4299 or kdavis9@memphis.edu, or Nashville Club President Mike Dodd at mdodd@taylorcos.com. Tickets are limited, so reserve your spot today!

The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Alumni Chapter will team with the Young Lawyers Division of the Memphis Bar Association and the Memphis Redbirds to host their annual CLE/Redbirds event on Thursday, June 28. The day's activities will begin with a CLE opportunity from 2 to 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Memphis to be followed by a night at AutoZone Park as the Redbirds host the Round Rock Express at 7:10 p.m. For more information, contact Kelly Davis at 901/678-4299 or kdavis9@memphis.edu.

The Herff College of Engineering Alumni Chapter is currently accepting nominations for the 2008 Outstanding Alumnus Award. If you know of an exceptional Herff graduate, nominate them today. Download the nomination form from www.memphis.edu/alumni/eng_oaa.pdf. The deadline for nominations is August 1.

The second annual Forensics Conference will be held on Friday, Sept. 14 at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis and is sponsored by the Loewenberg School of Nursing Alumni Chapter. The keynote speaker is Rachelle Copeland and guest speakers include members of the counseling, assault, legal and elder communities. Nurses will be able to use this for CEUs. E-mail Lauren Isaacman at lauren.isaacman@memphis.edu for details.

The College of Arts & Sciences will be celebrating outstanding alumni and friends at a dinner on Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Racquet Club. Dr. Reed Baskin (BS '65), Peggy Turley (BA '85) and Eric Robertson (BS '03) will be honored as outstanding alumni. For more information, e-mail Lauren Isaacman at lauren.isaacman@memphis.edu.

Make plans to travel this fall with fellow U of M alumni and friends on one of two exciting trips. Trip one, Prague & Bavaria, includes a stop at the spectacular Semper Opera House as well as many other exciting locations. Trip two takes you to visit Tuscany & Venetian Treasures, touring historic Chianciano, as well as the seaside resort of Lido di Jesolo. For additional information including costs and dates, please visit www.gonext.com/memphis/germanyf07.html for Prague & Bavaria and www.gonext.com/memphis/tuscanyf07.html for Tuscany & Venetian Treasures.