Christmas 2005
December 15, 2005
Last year we said goodbye to
Dr. Truman Turnquist after 39 years of service and said hello to Dr. Deb
Boyd-Kimball. Well after one year into
retirement, our new college President Richard Giese asked Dr. Turnquist back to
Mount Union to become our acting Dean yet once more while a search ensues for a
replacement. Welcome back
Truman! Dr.'s Holloway and Murdoch
still visit us at the occasional seminar or social event, but have preferred to
stay retired. Some highlights from
last year include:
- The continuation of a sponsored research agreement
between McGean-Rohco, where Dr. Gary Loar (1973) works, and the Chemistry
Department.
- Our first Biochemistry majors (3) graduated last
May. Rosetta Shallcross is
working at BenVenue Labs in Bedford Heights, OH as a full-time chemist. Ken Hovis is pursuing a Ph.D. in
Biological Sciences at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition at
Carnegie Mellon University.
Drew Kocher is currently looking for employment. Our one Chemistry major last year,
Lydia (Bell) Ellerhorst was recently married and is in dental school at
Ohio State University.
- The department was a Summer Internship site for
two high school chemistry teachers sponsored by a Math/Science Partnership
grant for Stark County from the NSF.
- The department officially expanded the Alumni
Scholarship Award to two students, one in Chemistry and one in Biochemistry
thanks to your generous support through the years. The recipients were Andy Smith in
Chemistry and Sean Trevino.
Both were involved in REU's last summer, Andy at the Polymer
Institute at the University of Akron and Sean at Kent State University. Sean also won the ACCESS
Award. Both are involved in
research projects as Juniors here at Mount Union as well.
- The number of Chemistry and Biochemistry majors is
now hovering around 20. This
is double our enrollment in the late 90's. A little more than 1/3 are Biochemistry majors.
- Lydia Bell received the Alumni Scholarship award
last year. She is currently a
senior Chemistry major and president of the Student Affiliates ACS.
- Rebekah Miller (2004) a 2nd Lt. in the
United States Air Force was recently deployed to Qatar and is the
assistant officer in charge of 120 plus aircraft mechanics. The college picked Rebekah as a
campus wide holiday service project and we sent 6 boxes of various items
to her and her platoon thanks to the efforts of our students in the
department.
If you happen to be in the
area, please drop by for a visit.
We would enjoy showing you Bracy Hall, the department, and the work of
our students. From all of us and
our families to you and your families, have a blessed Christmas and a joyous
New Year.
Sincerely,
The Mount Union College
Chemistry Faculty & Staff
