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Friday, April 29, 2011

Back to the Future

In 2010, the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston chapters participated in the Lone Star Challenge, a challenge to increase awareness of Campaign Emory and overall campaign participation within these two cities. By a very small margin, the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter won the challenge, and as a result, was awarded a visit by one of Emory’s most distinguished professors in the Goizueta Business School.

On Tuesday, April 26th, fifty local alumni and friends of Emory gathered at one of the newest hotspots in Dallas – The Ritz Carlton. The evening included an opportunity to network with fellow guests, learn more about upcoming chapter events, and hear Benn Konsynski’s, the George S. Craft Distinguished University Professor of Information Systems & Operations Management, lecture “Toys Becoming Tools: Emerging Technologies and Future Possibilities.”

Dr. Konsynski captivated the audience with stories from helping the founders of Yahoo with their start up business model to assisting other large players leverage the first generation Web. He invited all members of the audience to join the “Student of Benn or S.O.B” Club, and challenged us to think outside the norm with regard to how technology will drive the future world order. (Click here to view photos from the event.) Here are some highlights:

“Traditional thought says strategy drives technology. I wholeheartedly disagree. Technology changes strategic possibilities”

“The customer has left the building. You are no longer able to affect the customer directly.”

“Predict often. Future is best seen with a running start. You always need to see where the past saw the future.”

“Challenge all assumptions.”

“Be relentless in the pursuit of interesting.”

“What is worth retaining and what is going to change? We can't hold back the tide but how do we embrace it?”

When asked “Who will run large business in the future?”, Benn responded, “who says there will be big companies?”

These thought-provoking remarks were the highlight of one of the best attended chapter events since President Wagner visited a few years ago. And it surely created a buzz of conversation following the session. As a long-time member of the S.O.B. Club, I encourage alumni and friends of Emory from other regions to take time to get to know Benn and leverage his insights.

Listen to Benn Konsynski’s lecture here.

--Tara Whitehead-Stotland 93B, alumni volunteer

Monday, April 25, 2011

Photo of the Day: Meet Emory in Chicago


A group of high school students admitted to Emory gathered in the home of a Chicago alumni to learn more about Emory. Students mingled with alumni, faculty, and each other to get a sense of what Emory is all about.

To find a Meet Emory event in your city, visit the admissions website.

Friday, April 22, 2011

The wedding of the century

You'd think that listening to a podcast about the royal weddings of British monarchs would be...well...boring. But it was far from that and overflowing with gossip, scandal, and promiscuity.

Yesterday's Faculty Within Your Reach Webinar titled "Love Match or Political Convenience? The Weddings of British Monarch Past and Present" took listeners through the sensational British weddings dating back to the 1400s. And in light of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding next week, looking back at British weddings is all the more relevant.

Patrick Allitt, the Cahoon Family Professor of American History, led the webinar with his distinguishable British accent, which was quite appropriate for the subject matter.

Allitt highlighted some of the most important weddings throughout British history and what made them so memorable. Here's a bit about a few of them...

He started with the matrimony of
King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, who was incidentally beautiful--uncommon for an arranged marriage. And she had three sons, which is like hitting the jackpot for a British king.


He continued with King Henry VIII, whom Allitt described as the most famous fat man in English history. To ensure he had a male heir, he was married six times to a variety of royal women, including Anne Boleyn who was later executed by King Henry's order.

Queen Elizabeth I
, the daughter of Anne Boleyn, refrained from the institution altogether, focusing more on her duties to her country.

I'll skip to the more scandalous kings, like Charles II who was notoriously promiscuous and had 14 illegitimate children, or like George IV who illegally married a Catholic common woman before marrying his royal Protestant wife.


The English monarchs also instated a few marital traditions that we still practice today, like wearing a white wedding dress and serving a wedding cake.

Allitt of course spoke about Prince Charles and Princess Diana marriage and how they were married at a time when the media began turning royalty into celebrities.

Now, Allitt couldn't predict anything for the future of the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Prince William, but he did wish them the best.

They're wedding is definitely not as shrouded in controversy as their royal predecessors, but it will certainly be the one with the most media attention.

If you missed Allitt's webinar, you can watch it online here.

--Lindsey Bomnin 12C, EAA communications intern

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Georgia on Our Minds

“Emory and Georgia: A Partnership of Heart and Mind.” Hanging on banners around campus and metro-Atlanta, this simple phrase is the theme of Emory’s demisemiseptcentennial celebration.

As Emory celebrates our 175th anniversary, what better time to reflect on the impact Emory has made on our local community and how our community continues to shape the University?

In light of this year’s particular focus on the relationship between Emory and Georgia, it is only fitting that on April 12, alumni and friends of the University gathered together to honor the Georgia Congressional Delegation. President Wagner and several members of the Emory Board of Trustees hosted a reception in the Russell Senate Office Building to celebrate the partnership between Emory and Georgia, and to honor our state leaders. (Click here for more pictures from the reception.)

Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson were joined by Representatives John Barrow, Sanford Bishop 71L, Tom Price, Austin Scott, and David Scott as our guests of honor for the evening. Throughout the evening, President Wagner presented each member in attendance with a special plaque with a picture of the iconic Haygood-Hopkins Gate and an inscription recognizing the important work our leaders are doing on behalf of the University.

Each member addressed the crowd and emphasized the vital connection between Emory and the local community. All of the speakers noted Emory’s role as a national leader in higher education and health care. Each speaker pledged to continue to support Emory in his work on the Hill.

Despite the intense budget negotiations captivating the Capitol and the nation during the week preceding our reception, the air was certainly convivial and the mood, celebratory, as alumni, administrators, congressional staffers, and friends took a moment to celebrate the dynamic partnership of heart and mind between Emory and Georgia.

--Shawn Scott 09T, Assistant Director of Regional Volunteer Programs, EAA

Monday, April 18, 2011

Faulkner goes to Nashville

Sixty Nashville area alumni and friends came out on a beautiful, warm Southern evening for the Emory "Faculty Within Your Reach" event held at the University Club last Thursday.

Guests were treated to a wonderful program on "Southern History, Literature, and Friendship: An Evening of Discussion and Discovery" by Emory English professor Dr. Sally Wolff-King, Dr. Edgar Francisco, III 56G, and Vanderbilt University English professor Dr. Michael Kreyling.

Along with hearing about fascinating research by Dr. Wolff-King and Dr. Kreyling, the audience was regaled with stories by Dr. Francisco, about his father's boyhood and lifelong friendship with noted Pulitzer Prize-winning author, William Faulkner in Oxford, Miss.

Dr. Francisco's personal tales gave an amazing glimpse into William Faulkner's genius and personality and the little-known history behind many of Faulkner's celebrated writings.

You can read up on Dr. Wolff-King's research in an article written for Emory Magazine.

And for more photos of the event, view the Emory Alumni Association's photo gallery.

--Susan Gregory 77Ox 79C, alumni volunteer

Friday, April 15, 2011

"The most resilient parasite is an idea..."

If this is starting to sound like Inception, then stay with me, because next week's TEDxEmory event is all about ideas...minus the dream-within-a-dream confusion.

Now, before I started writing this post, I barely knew what TED was save for all the ambiguous flyers hung around campus, but they piqued my interest, which was surely the point.

TED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to "ideas worth spreading," their mission. It debut in 1984 as a conference that brought people together with three different interests: technology, entertainment, and design. TED has grown internationally on a local level with organizers putting together events for their communities. That's what the "x" stands for: independently organized TED event.

TEDxEmory will be the University's first TED event organized by Ishaan Jalan 13C. With the theme of "Experience Eternity," a panel of five Emory faculty and political campaign consultant and business leader David Wilhelm will lead discussion about their projects and interests. Joining them on the panel are two student speakers, selected from a speaker competition held earlier this month.

Check out TEDxEmory's website for more background on the speakers and the event.

For more information, you can also read Emory Report's article on the upcoming event.

And if you're interested in attending the April 23 event, you can buy tickets online.

--Lindsey Bomnin, EAA communications intern

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Happy Birthday, Dr. Ward!

April 14, 1912 is the day the titanic struck the iceberg. No, I don't know this because I've seen the movie Titanic dozens of times, but I know this because it's the day after Judson C. Ward 33C 36G was born.

Dr. Ward, Jake, Dean of Alumni, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher, mentor, and friend. These names barely begin to scratch the surface of the long and purposeful life that Dr. Ward lived.

I knew Dr. Ward as the Dean of Alumni and one of the namesakes of the Miller-Ward Alumni House. It was a treat to spend time with him, whether it was a passing hello in the hall or when he stopped by my office for a visit. He would sometimes give me a kiss on the cheek or squeeze my hand. He knew how to make you feel appreciated. The handwritten notes, the correspondence he fired off on his typewriter, the favors he did without hesitation--these are treasured memories by all who received them.

I will always remember April 13, the birthday of a wonderful, giving man and the weekend the Titanic sank. I only know this because Dr. Ward told me so. He thought that it was the biggest event that took place the weekend of his birth--not in my eyes. Happy Birthday Jake!

Everyone has their favorite Dr. Ward story. Please share your story with us.

For more information on Dr. Ward, read a commemorative blog post from our archives or view his 96th birthday in photos.

--Missy Rodil, EAA Miller-Ward Alumni House director

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Photo of the Day: Tip me over


Emory got caught right in the middle of what felt like a hurricane Monday night that knocked down trees and upturned sidewalks all over campus. There were quite a few downed trees in front of the School of Law, including this one in the picture above.

Many students and faculty were left without power in the days following the freak storm. And the roads surrounding campus have been jammed with traffic because of fallen trees and broken traffic lights.

It looks like Emory will have more of a reason to celebrate Arbor Day in a few weeks.

For more photos of downed trees at Emory, check out the Emory Report's Facebook page.

Photo by Ann Borden, Director Emory University Photo/Video