November 2012

(Posted November 30, 2012 )

Mazey@BG Alumni and Friends Archive

Dear Alumni and Friends:

While BGSU may be far removed from the physical devastation of Hurricane Sandy, I know many of our alumni and other members of the BGSU family were impacted. I continue to keep all of the victims in my thoughts and prayers as they work to recover from this catastrophic event.

I'm proud of the support that members of the BGSU community provided in helping with the recovery efforts. Falcon Flames Gordon '87 and Laurie Hamm '89 opened their New Jersey home to dozens of their neighbors seeking shelter. Gordon, a volunteer emergency medical technician, also aided victims as a first responder.

I continue to be so impressed by the generosity and compassion of our students. Kayla Cyr, a junior in the College of Health and Human Services, collected donations in her hometown of Castalia, Ohio, in just four days through her nonprofit organization, Kayla's Community Closet. She and her mother then drove the supplies to a Staten Island church that was awaiting the delivery.

This week we're kicking off the holiday season with an array of music, arts and theater. "A Christmas Carol," the harmonies of the New York Polyphony, and Friday evening's ArtseXtravaganza offer something for the entire family. If you're in the area, I encourage you to join us for an event.

We are gratified to again receive designations as a "Military Friendly School" and a "Best For Vets Four-Year College" by two leading military publications. Learn more about our commitment to our service men and women in this story about one of our current students (and U.S. Army veteran) Geoff Roberts.

Earlier this month, four of our student composers in the College of Musical Arts - Evan Williams, Corey Keating, Mark Witmer and Zachary Seely - had the rare opportunity to have their original compositions performed by the 72-member Toledo Symphony Orchestra. A highlight of the experience was a critique of their work by Bill McGlaughlin, a conductor, composer, musician and national radio personality. McGlaughlin's visit was made possible by Dorothy '62, '69 and DuWayne Hansen. The Hansen Musical Arts Series brings top-level musicians to BGSU and the community each year. We are thankful for their generous support.

Our volleyball team won the MAC Tournament to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons play at 5 p.m. tonight (Friday) in the first round against Yale. If the team wins that match, they will likely play the No. 1 team in the country - Penn State - in the second round. Congratulations to the volleyball team on a wonderful season. We're rooting for you!

We're also proud of the Falcon football team. They finished the regular season with a 21-7 win over Buffalo to go 8-4 (three more wins than last year). We're waiting for news on a possible bowl game and should learn more this weekend.

Regards,
Mary Ellen Mazey, Ph.D.
President