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Lee L. Morgan |
Former board
chairman Morgan dies: Lee L. Morgan, 89, of Peoria, chairman of the
Monmouth College Board of Trustees from 1969 to 1975, died Jan. 21,
2009. The 28-year trustee was a former chairman and CEO of Caterpillar
Inc., retiring in 1985. He began his career with Caterpillar in 1946
after graduating from the University of Illinois and serving in the U.S.
Army during World War II, receiving the rank of major. Monmouth College
conferred an honorary doctor of law degree to Morgan in 1974 and
presented its Distinguished Service Award to him in 1977. He gave the
commencement address in 1982 and, 10 years later, presented the
college’s first Wendell Whiteman Memorial Lecture. Morgan established
two endowed professorships at Illinois colleges, including the Lee L.
Morgan Professor of History and International Studies at Monmouth. The
Morgan Room on the top floor of Poling Hall is named in honor of his
contributions to the college. Morgan was preceded in death by his wife
of 61 years.
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Brad Sturgeon |
Sturgeon receives $54,000 grant: Assistant professor of chemistry Brad Sturgeon will receive a grant
totaling $54,000 over the next two years from the Research Corporation
for Science Advancement after a proposal he wrote last May earned one of
the organization’s Cottrell College Science Awards. His research will
focus on “ESR investigation of the peroxidase activity of modified
cytochrome c.” Through electron spin resonance (ESR), Sturgeon and two
student researchers that he’ll hire this spring will be able to study
the peroxidase activity of cytochrome c and, as he wrote in his grant
abstract, “observe directly the free radical products resulting from the
cyt c oxidation of liquids. Free radicals serve many functions critical
to normal human physiology; in addition, they foster many
disease-related conditions.” Sturgeon and his team will have access to
the University of Iowa’s ESR instrumentation on six occasions during the
coming year to conduct their experiments.
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Bren Tooley |
Speaking of grants, meet Bren Tooley: Brenda Tooley, a
former faculty member and academic administrator at Colorado College and
Cornell College, has been named director of the grants program and
associate dean at Monmouth. Tooley previously served as associate dean
at Colorado and as dean at Cornell. Both colleges are, like Monmouth,
consortial members of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. As
director of the grants program, Tooley will assist with proposal
writing, identify sources of external funding that support the mission
and initiatives of the college and faculty, provide administrative and
editorial support throughout the grant application process and assist
faculty and staff in pursuing opportunities and implementing
grant-funded activities. As associate dean, she will support faculty
development and academic initiatives at Monmouth.
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UK is A-OK for 15 students:
Which sounds like more fun – taking a course called “Cross Cultural
Psychology Practicum,” or traveling with a dozen of your college friends
for a week in Ireland, Wales and England? Actually, the experiences are
one and the same at MC, according to associate professor Joan Wertz, who
credits department colleague Kristin Larson with conceiving the idea for
the course, which included a week of travel each year during winter
break. “International travel is part of the course,” said Wertz, who,
along with business professor Ken McMillan, led 15 students on the Jan.
5-13 trip. “No matter where we go, we study cultural differences in
behaviors – things like differences in communication or personal space.”
Upon their return, the students wrote final papers for the course about
their experiences abroad.
What they saw in Saginaw:
Thirteen MC students participated in the 41st Annual Kennedy Center
American College Theater Festival in Saginaw, Mich., in January. Hosted
by Saginaw Valley State University, the event was one of eight regional
festivals involving 18,000 students from 600 colleges and universities.
Janeve West, assistant professor of theatre at Monmouth, said, “I am
exceedingly proud of our students. They truly engaged in this conference
and proved their ability to stand with the ‘heavy-hitting’ universities
in terms of quality and creative passion. In only one semester since a
complete theatre major was established at Monmouth, our students have
proven that they are driven, energized and ready to represent MC with
professionalism.” The highlight of the competitions for Monmouth was
provided by sophomore Jenny Erbes, who reached the finals in sound deign
for her work on “The Shape of Things.” West said it was the first time
any MC student has reached the finals.
