Alumni Board Meeting Date - Fall 2011 Meeting

The next meeting of the McMurry University Alumni Association Board of Directors will be August 27, 2011. The Board will meet on the McMurry University campus.

This week's eSmoke Signal!

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Alumni Board Announces Homecoming 2011 Theme

The Alumni Association Board of Directors announced at TIP's Sing Song on campus Saturday evening (April 16) that the theme for Homecoming 2011 will be "Traditions Reign, Spirit Unchanged." Homecoming at McMurry University will be October 6-9, 2011.

Alumni Board Rolls Out Family Legacy Network

The Student Relations Committee has rolled out the full version of the Family Legacy Network that many members of the Alumni Board piloted for the committee last year. There is more information about the program and a link to sign up here!

eSmoke Signal - April 11, 2011

If you cannot see the graphics in the email below, please click here to view this issue on our webpage. To unsubscribe, reply with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. April 11, 2011 Vol. 4, Issue 30 War Hawks Logo Unveiled! McMurry University revealed its new "War Hawks" logo Saturday afternoon at an unveiling event held on campus. At the event, every student on campus was given a free t-shirt with the new primary logo across the chest, and several administrators bore new white polos with the War Hawks' head logo on the chest. McMurry hired Studio Simon, a sports brand identity development firm out of Louisville, Ky. to re-brand the athletic department's logos. Their portfolio of work includes official marks for two NFL Super Bowls, two NFL Pro Bowls, the brand identity systems for the MLB Winter Meetings from 2003-10, and several notable minor league baseball teams including the latest brand for the Texas Rangers' newly acquired minor league affiliate, the Round Rock Express. "When we began to research the possibilities of a design firm to help us rebrand, we ended up selecting Studio Simon because of the quality of their overall body of work," said McMurry sports information director Kyle Robarts. "While other firms had put out some good sports identities, we felt that Studio Simon stood alone in its ability to consistently put out impressive and appealing looks for its respective clients. We are pleased with the outcome, and look forward to the McMurry War Hawks becoming a truly recognizable brand." The logo identity committee was headed by McMurry vice president of institutional advancement Steve Crisman, executive director for university relations Nancy Smith, and Robarts along with two members of the board of trustees, one coaching staff member, two student-athletes, a staff member from student services, a staff member from university relations, a staff member from alumni relations, a staff member from sports information, and McMurry president Dr. John Russell. Studio Simon also helped standardize the "McM" logo implemented in 2007 after the loss of the "Indians" nickname, which will remain as the secondary logo for the athletic department. Robarts said that the need for several elements was essential to the new brand for McMurry and its athletic department. "That was one of the major concerns I had when we went into discussion about something new. We had been restricted without a nickname for the past four years to use only the "McM" logo," Robarts said. "Now, with our new brand, our teams will have a multitude of creative and quality options. We have landed a big-time sports brand identity with Studio Simon's product, and I look forward to the ways our teams will put them to use."           MORE ABOUT THE MASCOT AND LOGOS: Click here to access the War Hawks web page. On this site, you can find logos to download and a desktop wallpaper background. New logos will soon be placed on the T:// drive for faculty/staff use. Keep an eye on your inbox today for more information about how to use the new logos. Stay connected by "liking" the War Hawks Facebook page and the McMurry University Facebook page.         McMurry community participates in Charitable Causes McMurry has shown its support for charity recently in many outstanding ways that have gotten the attention of the Abilene community and press. Each of the following are ventures they have undertaken in the past week to help change the world. City of Hope raises over $4000 for Haiti relief Tomorrow, McMurry students will complete an initiative they have been participating in since last Tuesday to garner support and exposure for the upcoming Haiti mission trip. On April 5th - 12th, student missionaries participating in the summer Haiti mission tip have given up the comfort of their dorm rooms and have taken to make shift tents on Wah Wahtaysee Park to live in a "tent village" for one full week, inspired by Centenary College of Louisiana, who created the City of Hope, or Cité Lespwa in Creole, last year to raise funds and awareness of the plight of the Haitian people. The student missionaries hoped to raise awareness for the continuing struggles of the Haitian people who are still working to recover from last year's devastatingearthquake, and their efforts have caused the Abilene community to take notice in amazing ways. They have currently raised over $4000 and still have a day to go. To raise awareness among students, the student missionaries have invited other students to come spend time at the tent village throughout the week to learn about the struggles of Haiti and how they can help, or to even bring their own tent to camp out and to gain a first-hand account of the struggles facing people who live in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. If students could not spend time at the tent village, donations were accepted with 100% of the money raised going to fund the costs for the mission trip. To find out more about the Haiti benefit tent village, contact the McMurry Religious Life Office at (325) 793-4775 or stop by CampusCenter 107. Barefoot Mile Cite Lespwa kicked off at 7pm on April 5th with the first annual McMurry Barefoot Mile, a time of fellowship and solidarity. Participants walked a full lap around McMurry's campus to gain a firsthand perspective on what it's like to live barefoot. Japan Relief Effort raises $1000 The McMurry community exhibited their passion for charity as well last week by donating $1000 to the Relief Fund for Japan. The money will be divided evenly among UNICEF, MeySen Academy/Kids Without Borders, and Global Samaritan. Voices From Japan Last Tuesday, Chapel attendees got the unique opportunity to hear more about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan through the perspective of McMurry graduate Kelsey Heinrich. Kelsey was teaching in Japan when it all happened, and she shared with the McMurry audience heartfelt details of her experience. If you missed Tuesday's chapel, you can hear it at: http://www.mcm.edu/newsite/web/religious_life/audio/20110405-Mosaics.mp3 Tomorrow's Chapel, which takes place in the McMurry campus center at 11:00 a.m., will feature the senior story of Lindsey Lowry. Come support Lindsey and hear how her McMurry Experience has shaped her vision for ministry with children around the world. Plus, join in celebration for the successful conclusion of Cite' Lespwa. Change For Change Rummage Sale The giving doesn't stop this week. McMurry's student-led organization "Change for Change" has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to help a family in need in Abilene. Change for Change will host a large Rummage Sale in Wah Wahtaysee Park on Saturday, April 30th. Donations will be accepted from anyone wanting to participate in the sale (which will function much like a communtiy-wide garage sale) until April 28th. For more details, contact Zach Kerzee at (325) 428-9266 or Josh Stueve at (806) 584-8461.     "La Divina": One-act comic opera presented by McMurry's Opera Workshop. April 29-30, 7:30 p.m., Ryan Recital Hall Starring Cecilia Martinez, Tess Williams, Edward Tovar, Crystal Garcia The opera is about a farewell performance of a stellar but aging diva whose maid and manager are not displeased to see an end to the confusion constantly created by the prima donna's temperament and "star complex." Left alone for a tender moment in her dressing room, the diva reflects on the past and expresses fear for a future without the glamour of the spotlight. To the ecstasy of the crowd and the chagrin of her staff, the opera ends with the diva's announcement that she will sing yet another "farewell" concert next week. The 40-minute production runs Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Amy Graves Ryan Recital Hall. Directed by Dr. Kate Carr; accompanied by Mrs. Martha Taylor.   April is Alcohol Awareness Month  Among college students and other 18- to 24-year-olds, binge drinking (consuming 5 or more drinks for males, 4 or more drinks for females, in about 2 hours) and, in particular, driving while intoxicated (DWI), have increased since 1998. The number of students who reported DWI increased from 2.3 million students to 2.8 million. The number of alcohol-related deaths has also increased. April is Autism awareness month Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.   American Cancer Society seeks McMurry participants for Relay for Life The American Cancer Society is looking for teams to participate in Relay for Life, which is scheduled to take place April 29-30, 2011. Last year, McMurry fielded over a dozen teams and we want to break that record this year! All academic, athletic, social and other clubs are encouraged to sign up for this exciting event. We also encourage administrators, faculty and staff to create teams as well. If you are interested in a staff team, contact Mike Stephens at (325) 793-4907 or stephens.michael@mcm.edu. If you are interested in creating a faculty team or if you would like additional info about the event, contact Tina Bertrand at (325) 793-4616 or bertrant@mcm.edu. For more information on Relay for Life, visit: http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11PL?fr_id=32261&pg=entry.   2011 Spring Commencement Spring Commencement will take place Saturday, May 14, at 10:00 a.m. in Kimbrell Arena. Chris Montoya ('00) will be the commencement speaker. Mr. Montoya currently serves as Chair of McMurry's Alumni Association Board of Directors. He serves as Vice President at First Financial Trust and Asset Management Company located in Abilene, where he and his wife Jennifer reside.   Spring McMadness Above, Below Left: Student volunteers get hypnotized by CJ Johnson and do wacky things to the crowd's amusement. Above Right, Below Left: Students and other guests battle on the inflatables. Above Right: Students enjoyed free Henna tattoos as part of the day's offerings. Above: The day wasn't complete without getting a little messy!   Student presents outstanding research at symposium Erika Mitchell attended the Texas Tech Annual Biological Sciences Symposium this past Saturday.  Erika Mitchell presented her research at this meeting & was awarded the Outstanding Oral Presentation by an Undergraduate from Dr. Lou Densmore, Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at TTU. http://blogs.mcm.edu/sncs/?p=601   Student selected for SMAB stipend Jared Land was selected to receiving the Bloomer Research Stipend by members of the Science and Math Advisory Board. http://blogs.mcm.edu/sncs/?p=595   SNCS connects students to internships, jobs and other programs online http://blogs.mcm.edu/sncsops/ The School of Natural and Computational Sciences has created a new service for connecting students to internships, special programs, and jobs in the sciences. McMurry students usually find themselves very competitive, and several have participated in some great programs that helped them develop new skills and learn more about their discipline and prospective career fields. Science faculty contribute announcements as they come in, so the content on the site is updated often. Students interested in opportunities are invited to subscribe to the feed. Bill Libby to participate in Middle East political science fellowship Bill Libby has received a fellowship to the July Symposium on Political Science and Middle East Studies at the Galilee International Management Institute in Nahalal, Israel. Students in the symposium, graduate students and visiting faculty will live in a Kibbutz in the Jezreel Valley south of Haifa, near Megiddo and Nazareth. The symposium will develop the history of Israel from ancient times through the creation of the modern state of Israel and the current relationships of Israel with other modern nation states. The symposium will include 100 hours of classroom study plus tours to a variety of ancient and modern historical locations. Libby will be away from McMurry July 1-30. McMurry Family Legacy Network calls for volunteers During Homecoming 2010, Alumni who participated in a new pilot project met students with whom they were paired in the McMurry Family Legacy Network. Barbara Whorton-Farley met "her freshman" Miranda Priddy, and the two have become fast friends.  We know that alumni are integral to helping McMurry's retention of students and passing on of university traditions. We know Alumni form important bonds that help the university recruit and retain students. The Alumni Board's current effort is being called The McMurry Family Legacy Network. All alumni are being offered the opportunity to participate and be paired with a new McMurry student. Commitments for Legacy Network alumni vary, depending on the level of interaction desired. As a minimum, mentors are asked to make a year-long commitment and correspond at least once monthly with their students via electronic or traditional mail means.   In order to insure all students have an alumni mentor, a commitment is needed from at least 300 alumni volunteers. Say "YES" TODAY to become part of the McMurry Family Legacy Network and make next year a "year to remember" for you and a McMurry student.   Interested? Complete the registration and join our family tree.     Nominate an alumnus for the Cross and Flame Award The Cross and Flame Award was established in 2000 by the McMurry Alumni Association. This award is given to strengthen the relationship between McMurry University and the United Methodist Church by recognizing individuals for service to their churches and to McMurry University. If you know someone who you believe is deserving of this award, nominate them online by April 15, 2011 at http://nation.mcm.edu/s/972/index.aspx?sid=972&gid=1&pgid=464. Income Tax Forms Tax forms for 2010 have begun trickling into the Library. Because of some changes in the tax laws, there have been delays. Please stop by and see what is available. If what you need is not available, go to www.irs.gov to download additional forms from there. McMurry sun shields for sale The Student Ambassador Board is selling McMurry sun shields for your car! Proceeds from this fundraiser will go to support the Betty Gilbert Scholarship Fund. Specs: 0.45 lbs, and is 38" by 59".  For more information or to get an order form, email poorman.joshua@mcm.edu. McMurry flags for sale by Student Government and the Class of 2011 Flags are being sold for $40 and $30 for students. All proceeds will go to pay for the initial cost of flags and to the Class of 2011. In the spring of 2011, the money that has been raised over all four years will be gifted back to the university.  The class president and officers will decide the gift at the end of the school year. There are limited supplies of these life size flags, so get yours now! Show your school spirit and help the Class of 2011. For more information, call (325) 793-4826 or email msg@mcm.edu. To order, send checks or cash to: McMurry Station Box 335 Abilene, Texas 79697 Memo: MCM Flag Include address to which the flag is to be delivered.  (If on campus, please e-mail to set up arrangements and the flag will be delivered in person.) Senior Class Fundraiser Shirts The Class of 2011 are selling shirts for $10. Email msg@mcm.edu for more information. INVESTING IN EXCELLENCE by Clark WIlliams Dr. Russell crafted a fine statement to guide our mission at McMurry: "Cultivating leadership, excellence, and virtue in every student every day."  Those qualities are hard to beat. It's obvious that our faculty and staff live by that statement as they work with students every day. It's equally obvious that it's working! Observe our students and alumni and you will see many virtuous, excellent leaders. This year the state and federal governments are reducing funding for education. These cuts will make it more difficult for McMurry to do what we do, and more difficult for students to attend school. In times like these, we need all hands on deck giving to McMurry.  Have you benefited from your McMurry experience? Did McMurry enrich your life? Did anyone help you attend school with scholarships, grants, or other financial aid? If so, now is the time to give back. Your gift this month, no matter how small or large, will go a long way toward giving students access to excellence. Now available through streaming audio on the McMurry website by clicking on "radio shows" at the left hand side of your screen, then, "click here to listen." This week on the "The Professors" on KWKC 1340 AM, 4-5 p.m. weekdays: April 11-15 Monday: Paul Fabrizio and Kenneth Pybus, Journalism Professor at ACU, will discuss current news. Tuesday: No show - baseball Wednesday: Bill Libby will host Dr. Robert Maberry, history professor at McMurry, to discuss the anniversary of the Civil War. Thursday:  Bill Libby will host Jared Reynolds, economics professor at McMurry, to discuss current economic news. Friday:  Bill Libby and Paul Fabrizio will discuss current news. Thanks to the following for contributing to this week's eSmoke Signal: Clark Williams Gary Ellison Barbara Havard Judy Surles Charlotte Martin Peter Anzollitto Josh Poorman Alicia Wyatt Phil LeMasters Tim Kennedy Kate Carr Bill Libby Barbara Whorton-Farley       April 5-12 Cite' Lespwa Wah Wahtaysee Park April 12 Baseball v. Southwestern 2:00 p.m. Walt Driggers Field April 15 Baseball v. Sul Ross State 7:00 p.m. Walt Driggers Field April 16 Tennis v. Texas Lutheran 10:00 a.m. Seidel-Swagerty Tennis Center Ring Ceremony 11:00 a.m. Mabee Room Baseball v. Sul Ross State 1:00 p.m. Walt Driggers Field Tennis v. Schreiner University 3:00 p.m. Seidel-Swagerty Tennis Center TIP Sing Song 7:30 p.m. Radford Auditorium April 18-21 Holy Week April 19 Iris Tea 2:00 p.m. Furr Welcome Center Ring Ceremony 7:30 p.m. Ryan Little Theater For a list of McMurry Sports away games, go to: http://mcmurrysports.com/ calendar.aspx   Linda Price - April 13 Paul Cortinaz - April14 Rachel Martin - April 15 Tim Renfro - April 16 Paul Smith - April 16 Hyunshun Shin - April 17 3 Years: Cammie Petree 4 Years: Debbi Lehr 9 Years: Sandy Lane 12 Years: Carrie Copeland   FOR SALE: - Tan Couch ($100) Purchased less than a year ago from Ashley Furniture for $300. Contact mcmumme@yahoo.com. - White Refrigerator ($100) White, standard size. Contact mcmumme@yahoo.com. - Antique Wooden Four-Post Double Bed ($300) With box springs and mattress. Contact mcmumme@yahoo.com. - King Sleigh Bed ($500) Wooden bed purchased 2 years ago from Ashley Furniture for $1,000. Contact mcmumme@yahoo.com. - Antique Dresser ($50) Wooden, 3 drawers. Contact mcmumme@yahoo.com. - Free-Range Chicken Eggs $3 per dozen. Call Blythe Pritchett at (325) 793-4750. SERVICES: - Air conditioning repair and installation Scott Bowden (325) 733-4871 AIRCO TACLB # 21453E Selling something? To have it added here, send information to Mallory Edens at edens.mallory@mcm.edu.   Find and submit prayer requests online at www.mcm.edu/prayer.

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Homecoming 2011: Save the Date!

Homecoming 2011 will be October 6-9. Hope to see anyone reading this there!