Lawrence University

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Lawrence Welcomes Class of 2017 for 165th Academic Year

As one of Lawrence University’s academically talented incoming freshmen, it is no surprise Paige Witter is a quick study.

But with an epee and a laser pistol?

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Paige Witter ’17

Witter, a budding standout pentathlete, will be among 400 Lawrence freshmen and 17 transfer students arriving on campus Sept. 10 for the start of Welcome Week new student orientation activities. Classes for Lawrence’s 165th academic year begin Monday, Sept. 16.

An accomplished swimmer (a three-time state meet qualifier), Witter decided to try her hand at fencing after her sophomore year of high school. Two weeks later, Witter found herself at a modern pentathlon camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She so impressed, she was invited to participate in the 2011 U.S. Youth Nationals Competition.

Competing in swimming, fencing and the biathlon (laser pistol shooting at a series of targets with three, 1,000-meter runs in between), Witter placed fourth at the national championships, earning an invitation to the Youth World Championships in the process.

Opting to train rather than compete in the world championships, she returned to the 2012 National Youth Championships, finishing second among 20 pentathletes. Her silver medal earned her a trip to the Modern Pentathlon Youth World Cup competition in Tata, Hungary, last September, which attracted 80 female and 90 male competitors from 27 countries. Completing a 200-meter swim, a one-touch fencing bout with all 79 other athletes and the combined biathlon, Witter finished second among four women representing the United States and 60th overall at her first taste of international competition.

“I’m definitely competitive,” said Witter, 18, of Denver, Colo., who cites swimming as her strongest event, but fencing as her favorite. “With pentathlon, you’re doing so much and every sport challenges a different part of you. I was a little bit scared—actually I was a lot scared—the first time I competed, because there were a lot of people who were a lot better than me, but that just got me really interested in training more and trying to get better.”

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Paige Witter, a member of Lawrence’s incoming freshman class, represented the United States at the 2012 Modern Pentathlon Youth World Cup competition in Tata, Hungary.

Despite her passion for fencing, and the fact the captain of Lawrence’s fencing team, Mariah Wilkerson, is from the same Denver, Colo., high school Witter attended, she will compete for the Vikings in swimming, not as a member of the Lawrence fencing team.

“That was a really hard decision,” said Witter. “I talked to my coach about it. She tells the people who train with her full-time you have to swim every day, but you can get away with fencing just a couple of times a week. It’s obviously preferable to train more, but you can get away with less fencing if you keep up with your swimming.”

Witten is a member of Lawrence’s 400-member freshman class drawn from 292 different high schools from 30 states and 22 countries. A snapshot of the Class of 2017:

• Approximately one-fifth of the freshmen are domestic students of color, continuing a seven-year increase in ethnic diversity.

• China, Bangladesh, Canada and South Korea collectively account for nearly half of this year’s class of international students (47). This year’s international students represent the largest percentage (12 percent) of a Lawrence freshman class since at least 2000.

• Academically, the plurality ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating class, including more than one-quarter of them in the top 5 percent.

• The average grade point average among the freshmen tops 3.61 with an average ACT score of 28.

• Approximately 80 percent of the freshmen are enrolling in Lawrence’s college of liberal arts and sciences while 20 percent are enrolling in the conservatory of music.

• Ninety-six percent of incoming freshmen received need- or merit-based financial aid with need-based financial aid packages averaging $33,000.

“One of my favorite times of year is our convocation during Welcome Week,” said Ken Anselment, dean of admissions and financial aid. “All of us get to greet, for the first time, the entire class of new students in Memorial Chapel together at once. You could light Appleton for weeks if you could harness the energy that comes from that event.”

Understandably excited for the start of classes, Witter admits she has “no clue” as to what course of study she wants to pursue at this point.

“It changes literally every day, sometimes every hour,” Witten says with a laugh. “I found Lawrence because it was a small liberal arts school that had fencing and neuroscience, but now I’m doing swimming instead of fencing and I’m still interested in neuroscience, but I’m not sure if that’s going to be my major.”

As for a possible future date with an Olympic Games venue, Witter is keeping an open mind.

“That would be amazing. I know I would have to put in a lot of hard work to do that, and it would be a goal for after college. It’s something that’s still in the back of my mind as something I would love to have the opportunity to train for. I’m lucky to live in Colorado, so I’m in pretty close proximity to the Olympic training center. I got to meet and train with the pentathlon competitors who went to the Olympics last year.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Wellness Council of America Recognizes Lawrence with Gold Workplace Award

Lawrence University’s commitment to the health and well being of its employees has earned it a Gold Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) in conjunction with the Wellness Council of Wisconsin.

Well-Workplace-Logo_newsblogThe Gold Well Workplaces Award recognizes organizations that have successfully built comprehensive worksite wellness initiatives and are demonstrating concrete results.

“As a Well Workplace Award recipient, Lawrence University has joined the ranks of ‘America’s Healthiest Organizations,'” said Patty Leiker, associate director of human resources and Lawrence’s employee wellness coordinator. “Becoming a Well Workplace demonstrates an unparalleled commitment to improving and maintaining the health and well-being of our most valuable asset — our faculty and staff — making quality of life a top priority.”

WELCOA’s Well Workplace awards are based on a criteria of seven “Cs”: Capturing CEO support; Creating a cohesive wellness team; Collecting data to drive health efforts; Carefully crafting an operating plan; Choosing appropriate interventions; Creating a supportive environment; and Carefully evaluating outcomes.

Lawrence’s recent wellness initiatives focused on five specific interventions:

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Lawrence is committed to being aware of health-related issues regarding the heart.

• Healthy Eating/Weight Management. A competition for teams of three people was held from Nov. 13 to Jan. 9 to encourage participants to maintain or lose weight during the holidays. The competition attracted 60 participants (20 teams of three), with 18 teams completing the program. – Total weight lost for all teams was 201 lbs., a 2.2 percent decrease, with one team losing a competition-best 5.72 percent of its combined weight.

• Stress Management. Lawrence partnered with local masseuses to provide on-campus 30- and 60-minute massages in the Wellness Center at reduced costs to participants to promote stress management, relaxation and work/life balance opportunities. Post-massage questionnaire comments indicated the program superseded expectations and participants recommended it to their colleagues.

• Tobacco.  In conjunction with the Lawrence University Community Council, plans were approved for an entirely smoke-free campus with the exception of only two designated outdoor smoking areas, one on each end of campus, strategically located away from high-traffic areas. The wellness committee has not received any complaints or concerns since the policy was implemented.

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The Lawrence Wellness Center provides numerous workout options.

• Physical Activity. In addition to free access to the on-campus wellness center and its pool, gymnasium, cardio equipment, weights, a running track and locker rooms, an on-campus fitness program features yoga, pilates, zumba, a noon walking group and intramural sports, among others, all at no cost to employees. Athletic training services also were available.  Average faculty/staff usage increased from 551 visits per month from January-May 2011 to 620 visits per month in January-May 2012.

• Medical Self-Care. Campus-wide QPR (Question-Persuade-Refer) training on suicide awareness was offered to all faculty, staff and students. The “Lawrence Lifeline” program certified individuals as QPR gatekeepers on campus who were trained to identify and initiate discussions with others who might be having thoughts of suicide. More than 90 percent of participants reported increased knowledge of suicide and its prevention and more than 80 percent of participants reported enhanced confidence in incorporating that knowledge into interactions with students.

“The Well Workplace process has been instrumental in helping us to target and develop strategic interventions, evaluate the outcomes of these programs and provide a campus culture that encourages and supports well-being,” said Leiker. “We are thrilled to have had this opportunity and with the support of President Mark Burstein, his cabinet and other campus leaders, we look forward to building an even stronger program and eventually achieving the platinum award.”

Since WELCOA’s inception in 1991, more than 1,000 organizations in both the non-profit and profit sectors have joined the list of “America’s Healthiest Companies” by earning the Well Workplace Award.

“Lawrence University worked hard to successfully meet the rigorous standards set by the Well Workplace process. It is our pleasure to recognize them as the newest Wisconsin employer to achieve Well Workplace status” said Jessica Raddemann, executive director of the Wellness Council of Wisconsin.

Lawrence will host the annual Fox Cities Well Workplace awards ceremony Oct. 29 from 4:30-8 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center.  An announcement regarding the status of the Fox Cities as a “Well City USA” will be made that evening. Achieving a Well City designation requires that 20 percent of a community’s entire working population must be employed by at least 20 Well Workplace award-winning organizations.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Sierra Magazine Cites Lawrence University Among Nation’s “Greenest” Colleges

Lawrence University is among the country’s top “green” colleges according to Sierra Magazine’s seventh annual “cool school” rankings released in the September/October edition of the environmental publication.

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Solar panels atop Hiett Hall generated more than 25,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the past year and saved more than 40,000 pounds of carbon emissions.

Lawrence was ranked 53rd nationally in the magazine’s list of 162 institutions, which included just four other Wisconsin colleges (UW-Oshkosh 30th; UW-Stevens Point 58th; UW-Green Bay 98th and Northland College 107th).

In compiling its ranking, Sierra relies on a point scoring system based on goals and achievements in 11 categories: co-curricular, energy supply, food, innovation, planning, purchasing, transportation, waste management, financial investments, water management and instruction/research. Possible points per category varied from 34 (purchasing) to 249 (energy) with a total maximum score of 1,000. Lawrence finished with a total score of 627.19.

The sustainability efforts that helped Lawrence’s ranking include:

• Obtaining 25 percent of all of its food use from local sources.

• 100 percent use of recycled paper on campus for photocopying and letterhead.

• Diverting 35 tons of kitchen waste to the on campus, student-run sustainable garden for composting.

• Generating 25,364 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the past year through solar panels on Hiett Hall , saving more than 40,000 pounds of carbon emissions.

• Initiating a $5 per student, per term sustainability fee, proposed and approved by students, last fall to support proposals for infrastructural changes contributing to the sustainable operation of the university.

• Operating a 120-foot, 50-kilowatt wind turbine at Björklunden, the college’s northern campus in Door County, that provides approximately 30 percent of the lodge’s energy. The turbine eliminates nearly 75 tons of carbon emissions per year and reduces annual electrical costs at the lodge by more than $8,400.

• Recycling more than 319 tons of construction and demolition materials (concrete, steel, wood, cardboard).

•  Reducing water consumption by 27 percent since 2005 (base year).

“It’s always gratifying to be recognized for our sustainability efforts by Sierra Magazine,” said Gregory Griffin, director of the LEED gold-certified Warch Campus Center and longtime member of the University Committee on Environmental Sustainability. “It publicly underscores Lawrence’s commitment to being a more sustainable campus. But we’re certainly not complacent and want to do even better moving forward. A car share program and a partnership with a local biodigester to process post-consumer food waste are two of the new initiatives we’re planning to launch during the upcoming academic year.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

$250,000 Gift from Sentry Insurance Honors Retiring Chair, Lawrence Alumnus Dale Schuh ’70

Lawrence University has received a $250,000 gift from the Sentry Insurance Foundation in honor of retiring Sentry Chairman Dale Schuh’s leadership and more than 40-year career with the company.

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Dale Schuh ’70

A 1970 Lawrence graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Schuh also has served on the college’s Board of Trustees since 2008. The $250,000 gift will be used to continue Schuh’s commitment to Lawrence students. He and his wife, Annette, endowed a scholarship at Lawrence in 2009 that assists students who are the first in their families to attend college.

“As a first generation college student, I have a fond spot in my heart for Lawrence University,” Schuh said.

Since joining the Board of Trustees, Schuh has served on numerous committees, including recruitment and retention, executive committee and finance committee, which he has chaired since 2011. He also has been active as an admissions volunteer. From 2010-2012, Schuh served as president of Lawrence’s Founders Club, providing extraordinarily important leadership to the college’s most generous donors.

Most recently, Schuh served as the chair of a 15-person presidential search committee that led to the selection of Mark Burstein, executive vice president at Princeton University, as Lawrence’s 16th president.

“Dale Schuh’s leadership of the Presidential Search Committee was my first experience of how dedicated Lawrence alumni are to their alma mater. His enthusiasm for Lawrence continues to be contagious,” said Burstein, who took office July 1. “I thank Sentry for honoring Dale’s extraordinary career in this way. Lawrence, and more importantly, our students, will benefit significantly from their generosity.”

Schuh joined Sentry as an actuarial intern while still a student at Lawrence. He became a full-time employee in January, 1972 and spent his entire career with the company. Within eight years of joining Sentry, Schuh was named vice president of corporate planning. He also held the roles of vice president actuarial and control and senior vice president of marketing. Schuh was named president and chief operating officer in 1996 and two years later was elected chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors.

“During Dale’s period as a senior executive, he has either been in the engine room or directly at the helm during some of the most pivotal moments in Sentry’s history,” said Peter McPartland, Sentry president and CEO. “When I began working with Dale, one of the first things I noticed was his intelligence, total understanding of how the insurance business works and his grasp on all aspects of Sentry. He never stopped thinking about Sentry and how to make Sentry better.”

Under Schuh’s leadership, Sentry’s financial strength and position significantly improved. It now holds an A+ financial rating from AM Best Company.

“The past dozen years have slipped by quickly,” said Schuh. “I am proud to have been with the company through thick and thin. I feel very confident about this company’s future.”

The gift to Lawrence was one of two   the foundation made in Schuh’s honor. A $50,000 contribution was also presented to United Way of Portage County to kick off the organization’s 2013 campaign.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Lawrence University Cited in 2014 “Fiske Guide to Colleges”

Citing its “outstanding liberal arts curriculum, knowledgeable and caring faculty and an administration that treats students like adults,” former New York Times education editor Edward Fiske included Lawrence University in his 30th edition of the just-published “Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 (Watermarked PDF).”

The guide, a selective and systematic look at more than 300 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and Great Britain, is published annually as a resource for college-bound students and their families on which to base their educational choices. Institutions selected for inclusion are profiled on a broad range of subjects, including student body, academics, social life, financial aid, campus setting, housing, food, and extracurricular activities.

In a profile of Lawrence, Fiske cites the college for its “eclectic approach to learning that attracts interested and interesting students from around the world.”  The guide also highlights Lawrence’s commitment to individualized learning, the expertise of the faculty and its broad, off-campus study opportunities.

Among the features included in the guide are:

  • Overlap school suggestions based on which colleges share the most common applications
  •  a listing of schools that no longer require the SAT or ACT of all applicants, of which Lawrence is one.
  • a preprofessional guide that outlines the best schools based on majors or course of study
  • a Sizing-Yourself-Up questionnaire that will help you figure out what kind of school is best for you

Fiske, who spent 17 years as education editor of the New York Times, compiles his guide as a tool to broaden students’ horizons about American higher education and help them select the right college that coincides with their particular needs, goals, interests, talents and personalities.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Two Lawrence Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships for Off-Campus Study

Two Lawrence University students have been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Senior Tammy Tran and junior Zechariah Meunier are among more than 850 American undergraduate students from 324 colleges and universities across the United States selected for the scholarship.

Tammy Tran ’14

Tran, an English and Chinese languages and literature major from New York City, will study abroad at Minzu University in Beijing on the Associated Colleges in China Intensive Chinese Language program this fall.

Meunier, a biology and environmental studies major from Marshall, will spend 11 weeks in Madagascar on a study-abroad program based at Centre ValBio, a research station in Ranomafana National Park.

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad program costs. The program aims to diversify the students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.

Tran, who will spend three months in Beijing beginning in September, is looking forward to making her first to China, where her grandparents were born.

“Extending my studies in Chinese language and culture beyond the Lawrence classroom will enhance my liberal arts education and challenge me to grow into a more globally minded individual,” said Tran. “I am really excited to continue learning Mandarin by immersing myself in China and opening my mind to a culture that I have always felt deeply connected to through my family.”

In addition to classes, Meunier will complete an independent research project as part of his program, which includes a 10-day trip across the island. With his interests in ecology, botany and entomology, he is focusing on a project involving plant-insect interactions.

Zach Meunier ’15

“The Madagascar program is an ideal opportunity to further my interdisciplinary education and the Gilman Scholarship helps make this experience affordable,” said Meunier. “By studying the country’s tremendous biodiversity and participating in conservation initiatives, I will advance my life’s goals of researching and preserving the natural world.”

Gilman Scholars have opportunities to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies, making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.

Administered by the Institute of International Education, the program is named in honor of Benjamin Gilman, who represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973-2003. According to Gilman, a strong advocate of studying abroad programs, the scholarship “provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Former President Curtis Tarr Dies, Led Consolidation with Milwaukee-Downer, Oversaw the Acquisition of Björklunden

Curtis Tarr, who served as Lawrence University president from 1963-69, died Friday, June 21 of natural causes at his home in Walnut Creek, Calif. He was 88.

Curtis Tarr served as Lawrence University’s 12th president from 1963-69.

An American historian and economist, Tarr came to Lawrence as the college’s 12th president at the age of 39 from Stanford University, where he was the assistant dean of the humanities and director of the summer school, a position that included faculty relations, financial affairs and advising undergraduates. Earlier in his career at Stanford, he served as assistant to the vice president and provost and assistant director of the summer school.

A striking 6-foot-7-inches tall, Tarr led the college during one of the most significant events in Lawrence’s history —the consolidation with the all-women’s Milwaukee Downer College in 1964— as well as one of the most turbulent times in the nation’s history as student protests over the Vietnam War erupted on campuses across the country.

He earned praise for his handling of the negotiations that led to the successful consolidation with Milwaukee-Downer and helped ease the potentially difficult transition for Milwaukee-Downer faculty, students and staff to Appleton.

He also successfully managed to keep student unrest from engulfing Lawrence, where he made student responsibility a priority. His administration worked with faculty and students to adopt a demonstration policy, establish dormitory regulations, expand campus social life and create a governing council that represented all factions of the Lawrence community.

Expanded Overseas Opportunities

Under Tarr’s leadership, academic offerings at Lawrence enjoyed a broader dimension. He oversaw the establishment of an overseas study center in Germany and an association with the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. A master of music education program in the Conservatory of Music was added to the curriculum.

President Tarr (far left) lays the cornerstone for Trever Hall in October, 1963, one of a half dozen campus buildings he dedicated during his tenure.

He also dedicated numerous buildings during his tenure, including Trever Hall, Youngchild Hall of Science, the Lawrence Bowl (later renamed the Banta Bowl), the Landis Health Center, Kohler Hall and Jason Downer Commons.  In addition, Memorial Chapel underwent an extensive remodel and North House was converted to Mursell Education Center. Lawrence acquired its “northern campus,” the Björklunden Estate outside Baileys Harbor in Door County, in his presidency.

Tarr nurtured a lifelong interest in art and literature. He spoke French, played the flute and amassed a beautiful collection of his own pen and ink drawings, drawn with creative detail throughout his life. Beginning in 1964, he diligently maintained a daily journal, which can be found in the Lawrence University library.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, who died on his birthday last September, enjoyed hosting parties for the faculty at their home. Mrs. Tarr, a concert pianist who often entertained guests by playing the grand piano in the president’s residence, was instrumental in the development of the conservatory of music.

Tarr loved to travel by all means of transport. He had visited every U.S. state by age 25 and traveled to 70 countries on business, government assignments and for pleasure during his life. He hiked 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail, bicycled widely and paddled his canoe in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters. He also flew light planes throughout his life and once broke the sound barrier in an F-4 fighter jet piloted by Chuck Yeager.

Reformed the Military Draft

Active in politics before coming to Lawrence—he ran for Congress in California and served on the state Republican Central Committee— Tarr returned to public service after leaving Lawrence, holding three presidential appointments in the Nixon administration during the Vietnam War: Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, where he worked on the transfer of arms and equipment to the government of Vietnam as American units withdrew from combat; director of the Selective Service System, where he sought equity to the drafting of thousands of young American men by instituting a lottery system based on birthdays that were picked on national television.; and Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, where he had responsibility for military programs with foreign nations.

President Tarr Tarr passes the gavel to the new Student Senate president, Craig Harris ’68 on February 7, 1966, while outgoing president Mark Saltzman ’66 looks on.

Following his service in Washington, D.C., Tarr became vice president of Deere & Co. in Moline, Ill.  Retiring after a decade at Deere, he became Dean of the Samuel Curtis Johnson School of Management at Cornell University.

He left Cornell in 1990 to become vice president of Intermet Corporation, in Atlanta, Ga., an international automobile parts manufacturer, where he oversaw foundries in Germany and Sweden.

In retirement, he served on numerous boards, including that of Morehouse College, State Farm Insurance Corp., Banta Corp., and Bethesda Home in Savannah, Ga., the oldest children’s home in the United States.  During his lifetime, he was recognized with five honorary doctoral degrees.

Born Sept. 18, 1924 in Stockton, Calif., Tarr saw combat in World War II as a member of General George Patton’s Third Army in Europe, earning three battle stars. After the war, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard University. He returned to Stanford to earn a Ph.D. in American history in 1962.

He is survived by his wife Kay (Katherine), Walnut Creek, Calif., two daughters, Pamela Tarr of Los Angeles and Cynthia Tarr (Cliff Hugo) of Sonoma, Calif., a grandson Ace Buckley, Sonoma, and two sisters Muriel Kurtz of Eugene, Ore., and Marian Schreiter, Sacramento, Calif.

A memorial service is planned July 21 at 2 p.m. at San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church, 902 Danville Road, Alamo, Calif. Condolences can be directed to Kay Tarr, 3711 Terra Granada Drive #3B, Walnut Creek, CA  94595.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

David Cordie Receives Research Award at Parasitologists Conference

Lawrence University biology major David Cordie was recognized for the best undergraduate presentation at the recent Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists (AMCOP) held at Purdue University.

David Cordie ’13

Cordie received the Raymond Cable Award for his presentation “Testing alternate hypotheses of parasitic communities and aquatic invasive species interaction in Green Bay, Lake Michigan.” The award included a $200 cash prize.

Seniors Briana Harter and Samantha Luebke joined Cordie at the conference as poster presenters.

Cordie’s presentation focused on research he began last summer on the round goby, an invasive fish species that competes with and preys upon native fish species, disrupting the food chain. Round gobies were introduced in the 1990’s though ship ballast water and have since established themselves throughout the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan and the Fox River.

Specifically, Cordie investigated whether round gobies carry non-native parasites that could potentially be transmitted to native fish populations.

“I am so happy David received this award,” said Judith Humphries, assistant professor of biology, who served as one of Cordie’s research supervisors along with Professor of Biology Bart De Stasio. “It reflects the hard work he put into this project during the last year.”

Cordie’s project was supported by a Mielke Foundation grant and a research grant awarded by AMCOP in 2012. A 2013 magna cum laude graduate of Lawrence, Cordie will pursue graduate studies this fall at the University of Iowa.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Lawrence Honoring Seven Alumni for Career Achievement, Service to the College

When Hurricane Sandy pummeled the East Coast last October, some of the homes destroyed by its might included the music students of Javier Arau. Using his musical talents and connections, Arau helped raise thousands of dollars to help his students’ families rebuild.

Javier Arau ’98

The 1998 Lawrence University graduate and award-winning musician will be one of seven alumni recognized by their alma mater for career achievements, contributions to the betterment of society or volunteer service to Lawrence June 14-16 during the college’s annual Reunion Weekend Celebration. The awards will be presented Saturday, June 15 at the Reunion Convocation at 10:30 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.  The event is free and open to the public.

Nearly 900 alumni and guests from 40 states as well as Canada and Mexico are expected to attend this year’s festivities.

For the second year in a row, members of the Lawrence 50-Year Connection, a cohort of alumni who have graduated 50 or more years ago, will unofficially open Reunion Weekend June 13 with a special series of panel presentations followed by small-group discussions. Conducted in the Warch Campus Center, the scheduled topics include “College Experiences that Mattered Later On,” “Paths Not Taken: What I Wish I Had Tried” and “Inspirational Moments.”

George B. Walter Service to Society Award

Arau will receive the George B. Walter Service to Society Award. A saxophonist who won two Downbeat Magazine awards as a student, Arau shares his love of jazz with people of all ages and abilities and inspires them to pursue their passions in music as the founder of the New York Jazz Academy. Since opening in 2009, the NYJA has grown into the largest jazz school in New York City, with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island and instrument instruction ranging from viola and vocals to saxophone and harp! An online option began operating last December and is now offering free music classes to students worldwide.

To support school music programs that had difficulty in acquiring new music, Arau launched The Commissioning Project, which allows multiple ensembles to jointly commission a piece of music, making it affordable for all involved.

“The hurdles have changed at each stage in life,” says Arau, who lives in Jackson Heights, N.Y. “Invariably, however, I still find myself calling upon that confidence I developed at Lawrence whenever I need a boost to meet each new challenge along the way. Now I look at the world and recognize there is no limit to our capacity.”

Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award

Sara Quandt, Winston Salem, N.C., and José Luis Romero Hicks, Mexico City, will each be presented the Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award.

Sara Quandt ’73

Quandt, a 1973 Lawrence graduate, is a professor in the department of epidemiology and prevention at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

As an applied medical anthropologist, Quandt works to correct health disparities experienced by rural and minority populations. Her research focuses on occupational health concerns of Latino immigrant farm workers and poultry processing workers, particularly pesticide exposure and occupational injuries and illnesses. She also investigates food and nutrition issues among older rural residents. She is the co-founder of the North Carolina Field Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increase awareness of the plight of the farmworker.

“Lawrence was where I first encountered challenges to using the Euro-centric lens for interpreting history and social relations that I pretty much took for granted,” says Quandt, who grew up in a small, all-white Midwestern town and attended school K-12 in the same building. “This dramatic change in viewpoint has shaped much of what I do today. I realize now that Lawrence provided the opportunities and support I needed to follow this path.”

Jose-Luis Romero Hicks ’79

Romero Hicks, a 1979  Lawrence graduate, is an attorney and the founder and managing partner of Romero Hicks & Galindo, a legal and consulting firm based in Mexico City. His professional accomplishments range from professor of law and economics at Guanajuato State University, where he later became a member of the Board of Trustees, to president and CEO of BANCOMEXT, the Mexican Bank for Foreign Trade.

He has served under both President Carlos Salinas and President Vicente Fox, holding appointments as director general for housing policy at the Ministry for Social Development and co-chair of the National Housing Policy Committee, respectively.

A frequent national radio and television commentator in Mexico, Romero Hicks has been recognized as one of the country’s 100 best CEOs and one of the 300 most influential leaders in Mexico.

“Lawrence laid the foundations for my professional career,” says Romero Hicks. “The unmatched quality of Lawrence professors has become more than evident over time. All courses seem like they were taught only a few weeks ago, although I still awake at times thinking that somehow I didn’t meet a deadline on a term paper. After Lawrence one never awakes as before. Now I sleep with the satisfaction of having served my community well, thanks to a Lawrence liberal arts education.”

Presidential Award

O.B. Parrish, Chicago, Ill,  and Marlene Crupi Widen, Milwaukee, will receive the Presidential Award, which recognizes a graduate of Lawrence or Milwaukee-Downer whose exemplary leadership and actions have contributed to the betterment of the entire Lawrence University community.

O.B. Parrish ’55

A 1955 Lawrence graduate, Parrish has been a member of the college’s Board of Trustees for 30 years, serving on the finance, investment and academic affairs committees, among others. One of Lawrence’s most loyal donors, Parrish helped lay the foundation for the successful More Light! campaign, which raised more than $160 million, by serving as a member of the campaign working group.

A successful entrepreneur, Parrish is president of Phoenix Health Care, a private company which invests in innovative health care opportunities, and chairman and CEO of the Female Health Company, a public company which developed the female condom. He also serves as chairman of Abiant, a private company that focuses on the early detection of and assessment of potential drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In March 2013, the financial website the Motley Fool named the Female Health Company one of the 25 best companies in America.

“Lawrence opened an intellectual door that enabled me to see life in a broad and total perspective as opposed to one that’s self centered,” says Parrish. “It encouraged me to always become involved in something more important than myself. I discovered this led to a unique sense of satisfaction combining personal and professional success and societal contribution. As a result I found that life became a challenging adventure where I have seldom felt I was working. Without Lawrence this door may have remained closed.”

Marlene Crupi Widen M-D ’55

Widen graduated from Milwaukee-Downer in 1955. As president of the M-D alumnae association, she helped assure a smooth transition during the school’s 1964 consolidation with Lawrence College and the spirit of Milwaukee-Downer and its proud traditions are ever present in Appleton because of her efforts. She has served as a class secretary for 30 years as well as a class agent and a member of the Lawrence Alumni Association Board of Directors. She has served as the co-chair of the Legacy Circle National Council, inspiring many to make planned gifts.

“Lawrence University is alive and well and so is my alma mater, Milwaukee Downer College,” says Widen.  “The consolidation in 1964 provided the opportunity to meet Lawrence College alumni and become familiar with the campus and buildings. In cherishing each and every interaction with Lawrence, I realize that due to the past 49 years my Downer roots are truly embedded in my personal Lawrentian legacy today.”

Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp Outstanding Service Award

Harry Jansen Kraemer, Wilmette, Ill., and Elizabeth Kortenhof Kumbalek, Houston, Texas, will be presented the Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp Outstanding Service Award.

Harry Jansen Kraemer ’77

A 1977 Lawrence graduate, Kraemer spent 12 years on the Board of Trustees (1999-2011), including three years as board chair. While on the board, he served as co-chair of the More Light! campaign, the most successful fund-raising effort in the college’s history, and has shared his talents with numerous other university committees. He has participated in the Lawrence Scholars in Business Program, been a Career Conference panelist and was the featured speaker for the college’s 2011 matriculation convocation.

The former chief executive officer of the multibillion-dollar global health care company Baxter International, Kraemer currently is an executive partner at Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity investment firm based in Chicago. He also is a clinical professor of management and strategy at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

“As I reflect on the first 58 years of my life, I realize that the four years I spent at Lawrence University were the most meaningful and impactful,” says Kraemer. “I remember my very first day at Lawrence when the president stated that the goal for the next four years was to enable each student to develop the skill set to educate ourselves for the rest of our lives. The skill sets that I learned at Lawrence —the ability to critically read, write and articulate my position on a wide variety of issues — prepared me in ways no other education could have prepared me.”

Elizabeth Kortenhof Kumbalek ’78

A 1978 graduate of Lawrence, Kumbalek’s devotion to alma mater is legendary. For more than 20 years, she has served the college as an admissions volunteer, attending and hosting admissions receptions and representing Lawrence at numerous college fairs throughout the Houston area. She has represented her class on several reunion steering and gift committees and is a former president (2007-09) of the Lawrence University Alumni Association. She also served as a More Light! campaign volunteer and is currently a member of Lawrence’s Parents Committee.

Kumbalek has held various positions in the petroleum business and is currently a self-employed geophysical consultant.

“To me Lawrence is family, literally and figuratively,” says Kumbalek. “I believe the values imparted by a liberal arts education link all members of the Lawrence community as extended family. My student years at Lawrence gave me great confidence in my ability to learn, and deepened my understanding of the societal responsibilities incumbent on those of us fortunate to have had such an exceptional educational opportunity. Lawrence continues to inspire me to make my best effort to continue to grow intellectually and act compassionately.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Martha Nussbaum: Liberal Education Crucial to Producing Democratic Societies

In her charge to the class of 2013 at Lawrence University’s 164th commencement June 9, honorary degree recipient Martha Nussbaum told the 289 graduating seniors liberal education is critically important in producing democratic citizens and urged them to become advocates for it.

Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago.

“What you can all do is to keep institutions like Lawrence strong,” said Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago. “You can also lobby with your local school board, your state and national representatives, for more attention to the liberal arts in public education at all levels. And, above all, just talk a lot about what matters to you about the education you’ve had here. Spread the word that what happens on this campus is not useless, but crucially relevant to the future of democracy in this nation and in the wider world.

In an interview prior to her commencement address, Nussbaum said liberal education is more relevant today than ever “because it stimulates a kind of respectful and deliberative political debate, and there’s no time in American history when we need that more.”

“It also stimulates curiosity and involvement in the different groups that make up our world,” added Nussbaum, “This is more crucial than ever if big problems, like environmental problems, racial animosity, religious animosity, are going to be solved. When people think narrowly about jobs, they’re selling short democracy, and we need to think, “What is it that keeps democracy healthy?’”

Nussbaum discussed several other higher education topics, including the emergence of MOOCs — Massive Open Online Courses, which she says may have a role for those with limited access to higher education, but are “just no substitute” for a traditional education

“It’s a poor second place, if second at all, because the interaction is the key to the education — interaction with other students in the classroom and the interaction with faculty,” said Nussbaum, a self-described “Luddite” who has no interest in teaching an online course. “I’m sure people try to make it more interactive, but it just isn’t the same thing.”

Martha Nussbaum received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Lawrence’s 164th commencement.

During a few visits to campus to visit a family friend’s son, who was a freshman at Lawrence this past academic year, Nussbaum sat in on several classes and came away impressed.

“One was a political science class about American politics and another was an introductory econ class,” said Nussbaum, “and I just thought, ‘I want to stay here the whole semester to have this class!’ I’m just amazed at the way these teachers can combine sophistication with absolute clarity. These introductory courses that a freshman was taking were of course accessible to freshmen, they were very clear. But I was also stimulated. I was getting something out of the way the issues were presented. I just think they’re just so lucky to have that.

“Of course, in Freshman Studies, they do music!,” Nussbaum added. “This is the only place I’ve ever seen of which that’s true. Most places, they expect that every faculty member could teach Shakespeare, but they don’t ever expect that faculty could teach Stravinsky, but here they are in Freshman Studies. They’re all doing Stravinsky and I think that’s fantastic.”

Download the entire conversation with Prof. Nussbaum or listen online

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.