November 30, 2006
ETC. campus news & notes
TOSS A COIN: When the four captains of the Seattle Seahawks walked onto the field for the coin toss Monday night, a UW staffer and her sister were there with them. Lisa Edlin, manager of life income and endowment administration for the UW Treasury Office, and her sister Melinda Powers were the honorary co-captains, thanks to a Virginia Mason Team Medicine program that grants cancer survivors a special evening with the Seahawks.
Edlin was diagnosed with breast cancer last February. Since then, she’s had surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Just as she completed her treatments in mid-October, Melinda — who is married to Randy Powers, a research professor in Physiology and Biophysics — began hers. “My department and my co-workers were wonderfully supportive during my treatment,” Edlin said. “And Melinda was great too. Now it’s my turn to help her.”
In addition to the coin toss, the sisters got to hang out on the sidelines before the game, then watched it — naturally from great seats. They got pink jerseys as a souvenir of the occasion. Fortunately, Lisa and Melinda are both football fans with a Thanksgiving tradition of a family football game.
HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT: History Professor James Gregory has won the Philip Taft Labor History Award for his book, The Southern Diaspora: How the Great Migrations of Black and White Southerners Transformed America. The award, which comes with a cash prize of $1,500, is named in honor of Professor Philip Taft, an eminent labor historian and economist, who made outstanding contributions to the field of labor and working-class history. It is administered by the ILR School at Cornell University.
A DATE WITH SERVICE: Want to support undergraduate travel in health and social justice? You can do just that by buying a 2007 calendar produced by the campus organization Students for Equal Health. The calendar depicts student involvement in service, leadership and advocacy projects around the globe. All the money raised will go directly toward developing a scholarship to subsidize two UW undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds as they design and embark on their own service travel. The calendar is $16 and can be ordered through the Students for Equal Health Web site: http://students.washington.edu/seh1/.
GARDEN SURPRISE: When Sarah Reichard was invited to the Seattle Garden Club meeting, she thought it was to hear a speaker of interest. Instead, the associate professor of forest resources was presented with an award for significant contributions to conservation. Reichard is the head of conservation for the UW Botanic Gardens.
TIME TO GIVE: For the 21st year, the Giving Tree, a project of the Department of Housing and Food Services and the National Residence Hall Honorary, is asking you to help make a real difference in a child’s holiday experience.
Here’s how it works. Stop by a Giving Tree location, including HUB Information Desk, South Campus Center Information Desk, Ethnic Cultural Center, Schmitz 301 and Residence Hall Desks. The trees are “decorated” with gift tags that include the name of a particular children’s book and its author. Select a gift tag, purchase the book and return both the tag and unwrapped gift to a Giving Tree location by 5 p.m., Friday, Dec. 15.
The gifts will be distributed through Neighborhood House and Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center. And thanks for helping to make a child’s holiday brighter and warmer.
ENDURING ARTIST: Composer William Bolcom, a UW alum and winner of the University’s Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus, received a 2006 National Medal of Arts at the White House recently. He was one of 10 honorees being recognized for their “enduring contributions to America’s artistic life.”
ALUM HONOR: UW School of Law Dean and Professor of Law W.H. “Joe” Knight was honored with the 2006 Harvey E. Beech Outstanding Alumni Award by his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Knight, who earned degrees in economics and political science at UNC in 1976, was one of four alumni to receive the award named for the late Harvey Beech, the first African-American student to graduate from UNC. The awards recognize community leadership and support of UNC and the Black Alumni Reunion.
ELECTOR: Chemistry Professor William Reinhardt has been elected to the nominating committee of Phi Beta Kappa. The committee selects nominees for the honorary’s senate and for its elective leadership.
Do you know someone who deserves kudos for an outstanding achievement, award, appointment or book publication? If so, send that person’s name, title and achievement to uweek@u.washington.edu.
