Rip Powell Invitational Golf Tournament

To raise funds to name the Mulerider Football Field in Coach Powell’s honor.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

8:00 a.m.

Magnolia Country Club – Magnolia, AR

Four Man Scramble

$400 a team or $100 a player

Flights:

Gold Flight (Real Golfers)

Blue Flight (Pretenders)

Red-Shirts (Freshmen Golfers

Promising Recruits (Non-golfers)

Click Here for an entry form or for more information call toll-free 1-877-235-7409.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Sponsorships can be by individuals or businesses.

$200 – Hole Sponsor (Proper signage will be displayed at each hole.)

$100 Tee Box Sponsor (Proper signage will be displayed at each tee box.)

Click Here for sponsorship opportunities  at the Rip Powell Invitational.  For more information, please call toll-free 1-877-235-7409.

Discover Tuscany

Discover Tuscany
Presented by Southern Arkansas University Foundation

October 4 – October 13, 2011

Highlights of the trip:
Rome – Assisi – Basilica of St. Francis – Montecatini Terme – Siena – San Gimignano – Winery Tour – Florence – Tuscan Feast – Pitti Palace

10 Days – 13 Meals
(8 Breakfasts – 5 Dinners)

Per Person Rates:
Double $3349
Single $3649
Triple $3319

For more information and a detailed itinerary, please Click Here – Tuscany.

Give the gift of EDUCATION this year

No philanthropic opportunity offers a more meaningful path to impact the lives of individuals and the future of a region than education.

With state appropriations now falling to less than 40% of the University’s budget, the support of our alumni and friends has never been so crucial.  You can influence the future by making an investment in the students of SAU  today.

By giving to state-of-the-art facilities like the new University Science Center, endowed scholarships, and study abroad programs, to name but a few areas, you and your fellow alumni and friends ensure the continued excellence of the University.

Will you join with other alumni and friends to make a collective impact by making a gift before December 31,2010?  Click the Make a Gift button now to create more opportunities for our students.  For other donations forms and information on how to make a gift of stocks or bonds, please Click Here.

2010 SAU Foundation Honor Societies Dinner

2010 SAU Foundation Honors Dinner

On November 9, 2010, Southern Arkansas University Foundation recognized donors of the 2009-2010 fiscal year at a dinner in the Grand Hall of the Reynolds Campus and Community Center.  Tommy Clark, a nineteen-year-old junior from Hot Springs, AR, with a double major in finance and management, expressed appreciation on behalf of students for the generosity of the honorees.

SAU Students Tyler Orsak and Sara Caller hosted an informal art exhibit by students of Dan May, SAU Art Department Chair.

A commemorative coaster, the second in a series, was presented to those benefactors who had given over one thousand dollars during the fiscal year. Awards for lifetime giving were presented to donors who achieved membership in new lifetime giving societies; lifetime giving awards recognize donors whose cumulative lifetime giving is over ten thousand dollars. Receiving awards were the following: Stater Society, Mr. Donald Bustion, Mr. John Phillip Genestet , and Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Morrison; Tower Society, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Bearden ’61, ‘61, and Mrs. Julia Laney Machen; Hall of Honor, Dr. and Mrs. Rudy Eichenberger, and Mr. and Mrs. Therral Story ’85.

Those receiving awards but unable to attend were the following: Stater Society, Dr. and Mrs. Mark Dixon ‘78, Dr. and Mrs. B. C. Dodson, Mr. and Mrs. Don R. Johnson ‘57, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. William Mallett ’65, ‘65, Ms. DeAnna Rogers , Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Scott ‘43, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Sixbey ‘78, Dr. Betty Faye Smith ‘49, Ms. Adell Whitfield; Tower Society, Mr. and Mrs. Andy Franks, Mr. and Mrs. O. A. (Buddy) Franks, Jr. ‘54, Dr. and Mrs. James Tollett ’58, Mr. Ted Ward, Jr. ’47; Golden Circle, Mrs. Holly Hartrick Childs, Mr. James Freeman ’71.

Dr. David Rankin, President, Southern Arkansas University, and Mr. Louis Blanchard, President of the SAU Foundation presented special awards to the Top Five donors of 09-10: (in alphabetical order) Dr. and Mrs. Rudy Eichenberger of Magnolia, Arkansas, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fincher of Waldo, Arkansas, Ms. Cinda Ann Hallman Estate, Mrs. Mary Harsh of Magnolia, Arkansas, and Mr. and Mrs. Therral Story ’85 of Magnolia, Arkansas.

The highlight of the evening was the induction of Mr. and Mrs. Therral Story into the Mulerider Society, the highest recognition given by Southern Arkansas University Foundation.

Endowments Tell a Story

Endowments tell a story …

Each of the named endowments at Southern Arkansas University represents a treasured relationship – with a friend, teacher, mentor, family member. The endowments and the relationships they commemorate become a permanent part of the memory and the history of SAU. Three recent endowments exemplify the kinds of relationships that endowments celebrate.

Former students of the College of Business will remember Dr. James (Jim) Kimbell who taught accounting classes in the basement of Old Main under the Home Economics kitchen and later in Peace Hall. To celebrate his 80^th birthday, Kimbell’s family recently established a scholarship endowment for accounting students in his name. Although the Kimbells left Magnolia years ago when Kimbell accepted a position at Clemson University, Diane Lambert Kimbell ’77 expressed the ties commemorated by this endowment:

“Southern Arkansas University has remained close to my heart all these years.  Jim and I met there in the fall of 1962 when it was Southern State College.  As a graduate, former employee, and faculty wife, I felt it was a special way to honor my husband whom I met, dated, and married while at SAU in Magnolia.  Since Jim’s 80th birthday is a special time in our family, and SAU is special to me, I felt this was a wonderful way to combine the two while at the same time giving future students the same opportunity that I had for the quality education that SAU offers.”

At Homecoming 2010, members of Phi Lambda Chi gathered to remember their brother Trey Von Sutton with an endowed scholarship in his name. Sutton inspired his brothers and many others on campus as he courageously fought cancer while attending classes.  Sutton’s family were special guests for the occasion.

Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Dodson were first introduced to young SAU student Corbet Lamkin by Orval Childs, head of the Agri Department.  Later the Dodsons initiated an endowment to benefit the Business Agri Department in honor of Dr. Lamkin. At the recent Honors Society Dinner, the three gathered to celebrate the completion of the endowment.

All completed endowments are permanently recognized on the Endowment Honor Wall at the entrance of the Reynolds Campus and Community Center. Endowments added to the wall this fall include the following:

Class of 1948 Scholarship Endowment initiated by Mr. Ken Crain and funded by him and his classmates of 1948.

Harold and Betty Jameson endowment to benefit the Athletic Department

Dr. Corbet Lamkin endowment to benefit the Business Agri Department  initiated by Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Dodson and funded by Dr. and Mrs. Lamkin and their friends.

Earl Miller endowment to benefit the Athletic Department was initiated by Jay Adcox and Dr. Jack Harrington and funded by the friends of Earl Miller.

Patty Newton Hague (Hague) Miller endowment to benefit Magale Library was initiated and funded by Dr. and Mrs. Rudy Eichenberger in memory of Mrs. Eichenberger’s paternal grandmother.

Coach Rip Powell endowment to benefit the intercollegiate football program at SAU was initiated by Mr. Homer Stout and was funded by many of Coach Powell’s friends and former players.

Diana N. Pyle endowment to benefit the Special Education Department in the College of Education was initiated by Dr. Robert Terry and Dr. Diana Pyle and was funded by Drs. Jerry and Diana Pyle and their friends and family.

Ted G. and Maxine Harmon Ward scholarship endowment was initiated and funded by Ted G. and Maxine Harmon Ward.

For a listing of all endowments, please visit the SAU Foundation website at www.saufoundation.org/giving. State appropriations now provide less than forty percent of the University’s budget, making endowments critical for the pursuit of excellence.  We ask you to consider beginning your endowment today.

Honor an SAU coaching legend by becoming a member of the Rip Powell Society

CLICK HERE for information on the Rip Powell Invitational Golf Tournament.

You can move SAU Football to the next level of excellence.

Southern Arkansas University is pleased to announce a unique opportunity for players and fans to recognize the commitment and accomplishment of Coach Rip Powell by joining the Rip Powell Society.  Your gift of $1,000 or more will secure your membership in this prestigious organization.  Members of the Rip Powell Society will be listed on a permanent plaque at Wilkins Stadium.  The goal of the Rip Powell Society is to raise funds to replace the existing scoreboard with a modern LED version, which features instant replay.  The new scoreboard will display the new field name Rip Powell Field.

Your gift will

• honor Coach Powell for 28 years of service to Southern Arkansas University,
• benefit the program that Coach Powell lifted to a new level of excellence, and
• ensure continual facility improvements expected of a NCAA Division II program

If you would like to join the Rip Powell Society today, Click Here to make your donation today or download a Rip Powell Society Membership Form to mail in your donation.

For more information call SAU Foundation at 870-235-4078 or toll free at 877-235-7409.

Current Members of the Rip Powell Society are:

J. D. Williams – Tuscaloosa, AL
Dr. and Mrs. David Rankin – Magnolia, AR
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Adcox – Magnolia, AR
Mr. and Mrs. Homer Stout – Bossier City, LA
Mr. Richard Beach – Shreveport, LA
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Brooks – Plano, TX
Barron Christensen – Atlanta, TX
Bill Perry – Gulf Shores, AL
Dan Vela – Katy, TX
Bo Ray, Max Adcock, Boyd Rosser, Roger Bell

Donations provide state-of-the-art equipment

Article and pictures used with permission of Banner News.

CLASS ACT: Dr. Shawn Krosnick, Xi Wu, Dr. James Rasmussen, Candace Starr Canady and Kate Curtis-Dockter stand next to the newly installed Licor DNA sequencer that has been in use since the beginning of the semester. The machine was purchased through a matching grant by the Licor Biosciences company and Southern Arkansas University.

Although DNA studies are becoming more popular thanks to television programs like “CSI” and “Law and Order,” students at Southern Arkansas University are learning that the study of genetics goes much farther than TV.

Three genetics students at SAU, all in the SAU Honors College program, are using a new piece of equipment that sets them apart from students in universities of similar size, said Dr. Shawn Krosnick, SAU assistant professor of biology.

The new $100,000 Licor Biosciences DNA sequencer came to SAU after the Chair of the Department of Biology Dr. James Rasmussen’s grant proposal to Licor Biosciences for a matching grant in 2009.

“Licor offers matching funds through their Genomics Education Matching Funds (GEMF) Program,” said Krosnick. “The machine costs about $100,000 in total, but SAU Foundation  provided $40,000 from private donations to the University Science Center with $60,000 in matching funds from Licor because of Dr. Rasmussen’s grant proposal request.”

Students Candice Starr Canady, Kate Curtis-Dockter and Xi Wu are using the Licor sequencer in an independent study that not only prepares them for grad school programs, but also teaches them about the hard work it takes to complete professional research.

The students’ work is contributing to a larger project of Krosnick’s: studying the genetics of passionflowers to determine the relationships between species.

“They are learning these methods and will be able to apply them to any type of organism, not just plants. This is because the techniques for working with DNA are the same, no matter if it comes from a plant or an animal,” said Krosnick.

Dockter said that though she is a chemistry major, studying with the Licor sequencer has been something she has enjoyed this semester. “I really didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she said, referring to her major. “I just took a lot of different things and waited for something that made me say ‘Ooo.’ I’ve said that a lot, and though I’ve decided on chemistry, I’ve learned a lot about the proper way to do research.”

Canady added that she plans to take her new knowledge to grad school. “There aren’t a lot of students who get to work with things like this,” she said.

“We’re extremely appreciative,” said Dockter.

“Dr. Rasmussen had some great foresight in finding a way to bring this to SAU,” said Krosnick. “This machine sets SAU apart from other schools that compare in size.”

Krosnick added that she believes science students who are interested in SAU may take features like the new equipment into consideration when looking at what the university has to offer.

“This is where science is going,” Rasmussen said. “I knew that this is where we’re headed and this is what we needed.”

Other equipment like a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Thermocycler, which multiplies the number of DNA molecules to be read by the sequencer, also had to be purchased and made available to students for their research efforts.

“When you see those guys on TV get a little drop of blood and they walk out straight out of the lab with a result, you appreciate what these students are doing here,” said Rasmussen. “For them to show you the whole process on TV, you’d have an 18 hour show.”

Rasmussen said that the DNA in a drop of blood isn’t enough for a sequencer to pick out identifying factors. Those molecules must be multiplied again and again, a process completed by the PCR thermocycler, before there are enough molecules for the sequencer to provide an accurate reading, Rasmussen explained.

Krosnick said most of the independent study project in which the students are taking part this semester involves the multiplying of this genetic material in the PCR thermocycler.

“I think these kids need to be recognized for their research,” said Krosnick, “And I think Dr. Rasmussen definitely needs to be recognized for what he’s done for this department by bringing in this piece of equipment.”

Krosnick said a new course in molecular biology will begin next semester using the Licor sequencer and that among other things, students will learn how to trace their family lineages through their own DNA.

President’s Christmas Gala

The SAU Foundation Christmas Gala will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2o10.

This year’s gala will be held at the Magnolia Country Club at 7:00 p.m. and will feature live dance music.

Invitations for this event will be sent.

Please RSVP by calling the Office of the President at 870-235-4001.

New home of Mulerider Baseball takes shape

Construction is underway for an expansion of the Southern Arkansas University baseball stadium. The project includes an on-site locker room, coaches’ offices, concession stand and press box. The new facilities will enhance the educational experiences of the University’s student athletes while bringing the stadium up to the quality of a successful NCAA Division II baseball program.

Although some work has been completed at the stadium in the past, the new expansion will allow for services that are not presently available. The former facility consisted of a concession stand and a one-room office for all coaches that doubled as the press box during the baseball season. There was no locker room for the baseball team.

A new state-of-the-art score board will also be installed at the field.

The improvements will cost an estimated $1 million, and the University has received a $500,000 matching grant from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. Project funds are being raised from private donors through the Southern Arkansas University Foundation.

Several naming opportunities still remain, and there is still time to add your name as a member of the  Goodheart Society. Click here for more information on the Goodheart Society and for a current list of Members. Please call 870-235-4078 for more information on the opportunities to support Mulerider Baseball or to invest in  Mulerider Baseball and this facility click the Make a Gift button located at the top of this page .   Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2011.

For live construction progress, click below.

Mulerider Baseball Stadium

2010 SAU Foundation Honors Dinner

The SAU Foundation Honor Societies Dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Social and informal art exhibit will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

Dinner will follow at 7:15 p.m.

Invitations for this event have been sent.

Please RSVP by November 1, 2010 by calling 870-235-4078 or emailing mjbismark@saumag.edu.

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