Rotary News

President Judy Moore called the meeting to order and invited Deb Chope Hughes to the podium to offer the invocation. WKZO's Richard Piet provided the news of the day, followed by Kristen Chesak's Arts News. Several visiting Rotarians and a large number of guests were welcomed.

Rotarians and guests celebrated WMU and our speaker by singing two special songs that had WMU fans on their feet.

New Member: Anna Reddy introduced Patrick Socia, who had been proposed for membership by Suzanne Rhoades-Tidey. Patrick came to Kalamazoo to work for LaSalle Bank, which is now Bank of America. He shared that he was born in Detroit and raised in Grosse Pointe, where he lived until moving to Kalamazoo in 2003. Patrick received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Detroit and his Master's Degree from Walsh College. After career stints at Comerica and Old Kent Bank, Patrick was tapped by LaSalle Bank to work in consumer lending in Kalamazoo. In 2006 he moved into product management with the bank. His wife, Madeleine, works for KRESA and is a feature writer for Family Talk Magazine. The Socias have a son at WMU and a daughter at Portage Central. Patrick and Madeleine were previously involved with a nonprofit in the Detroit area that helps individuals with emotional difficulties. In addition, he golfs and enjoys doing home improvements. Our welcome goes out to Patrick and our thanks to Anna and Suzanne for introducing him to our club.

President Judy invited Rotarian Dr. David Shields to come to the podium to replace his red (one-year) badge with his more permanent blue one. One year down - and many more to come, we hope!

President Judy then asked Past President Jack Hopkins to come to the podium to present a Paul Harris award. Jack bestowed this special award on his long-time assistant (about 22 years), Sue Bos. This was yet another example of a special way in which a Rotarian can honor someone special while supporting Rotary.

Anne Drummond shared with Rotarians about a new project developed by the Literacy Committee and the Community Projects Committee. Called "Kalamazoo Literacy: A Story By Rotary," it offers Rotarians three ways to participate: learn, donate and volunteer. Rotarians can learn about the literacy needs in our community; donate books for students (or make a contribution for the cause); or volunteer to read to a classroom or a child. A handout on tables gave the details, including books selected for applicable grades, and information will be available on our Web site. The goal for this program, which parallels a program of Rotary International, is 600 books and 200 community service hours. See Anne or Pam Kingery if you have questions, and stay tuned during the month of February.

President Judy reminded Rotarians to review Rotary's new Bylaws on the Web site.

Program: Dr. Diether Haenicke introduced Dr. John Dunn, WMU's 8^th president, who came to WMU last July. With a long list of credentials, publications, academic experiences and energy, Dr. Dunn is well prepared to face WMU's current challenges, according to Diether.

After thanking Ken Miller, who chaired the search committee, and Rep. Bob Jones - for his leadership - Dr. Dunn acknowledged the many other great legislators, board members, students, associates and his wife for their support. Dr. Dunn enthusiastically noted that "This is a great community!", citing the area's rich history and the genuine warmth and hospitality he'd experienced during his seven months in Kalamazoo. A pivotal point, according to Dr. Dunn, was the introduction of The Kalamazoo Promise, and we need to grab onto the Gazette's reference to Kalamazoo as "the education community."

Dr. Dunn had been aware of WMU's credentials before coming here, and he focused on several special "points of pride." For example, there are only 199 public/private research facilities in the U.S., and five of them - one of them being WMU - are in Michigan. Illinois, he noted, has only four. And WMU is widely respected internationally, as well. Dr. Dunn just returned from the Dominican Republic, where he signed a document that will help ensure that no fewer than 50 students from that country will come to WMU to study (there are 65 already). He emphasized the need to focus on a strong international component in the student population so that U.S. students can meet people from all over the world. Whereas WMU's international student population was once 2,000, it now is around 1,000. WMU will be opening an office in the Detroit area, and a similar office is needed in Chicago. (Total enrollment, which was once as high as 29,000, is now about 24,500, but the school is on a positive trajectory.) Besides other challenges, these students have no place to go on school breaks.

WMU is serious about exploring a medical school, he said, referencing the physician shortage nationally as well as in Michigan. Consultants will be coming in next week to discuss this. Above all, Dr. Dunn said, we need to tell the WMU story better. The school's Science Education curriculum is one of the three best in the nation, and Applied Economics is among the nation's top 10. Longtime faculty member / author Stuart Dybek was a recent recipient of the MacArthur Foundation "genius" award. And WMU's Lee Honors College students compare favorably with students elsewhere.These are just a few of the many reasons Bronco fans should be proud to wear Bronco garb!

- Submitted by Deb Chope Hughes