WELCOME BACK!
Mohr speaks at Convocation

Adrian College alumna Kathryn Mohr ’84 welcomed in the 2003-2004 academic year with some friendly words to students about leaving your blankie at home.

Mohr, who is a partner at the regional law firm of Robison, Curphey & O’Connell in Toledo, was the keynote speaker at Convocation Aug. 27. Her speech was called “Stepping out of your comfort zone: Leaving your “blankie” at home.”

In it, Mohr described the difficult but exhilarating changes that come with leaving for college, and gave advice on how to make the most of the opportunity by getting good grades, getting involved, and developing that “spark” that makes a positive impression. She ended by pulling out a stuffed yellow dog that had served as her blankie during her years at Adrian College.

Pre-Convocation release.

PROFESSORS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENT TEACHING posted 9/5/03

Above (L to R): Bush, Benio, Dr. Caine

Two Adrian College professors were recognized for their excellence in teaching during the Convocation ceremony Aug. 27. Pi Benio, art, received the Ross Newsom Award for Outstanding Teaching, and Wilnella Bush, music, received the Teacher Excellence Award.

When VP of Academic Affairs Jim Borland presented the awards, he noted several outstanding qualities and accomplishments of the recipients.

Pi Benio’s work has been displayed at more than 100 exhibitions, in locations ranging from the Detroit Institute of Arts to New York, Chicago, and Japan. She has received many grants and awards, including the Best of Show (out of 1,000 entries) at the Toledo Area Artists Exhibition. She chaired the art department for 11 years, and greatly strengthened the size and quality of the department. Students call her a “fabulous teacher,” “awesome,” the “goddess of the art department.”

In addition to serving as the College organist, Wilnella Bush has been organist and choir director of the Tecumseh United Methodist Church for 38 years and has sometimes served as organist for both the Detroit Annual Conference and the North Central Jurisdictional Conference. She has played recitals not only at Adrian College, but at the University of Michigan – her alma mater – and for the American Guild of Organists and at many churches in Michigan. Her students uniformly praise her as a “great teacher” who “cares about her students.” They say that “her teaching style is superb,” that she is patient, interesting, knowledgeable, and understanding.

The Ross Newsom Award honors the memory of Ross Newsom ’36 and is sponsored by his sons.

The Teaching Excellence Award is sponsored by the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church.

The Convocation ceremony, which serves as the traditional beginning to the academic year, included welcomes by Stanley Caine, AC president; Janet Salzwedel, biology professor and new faculty president; Kirk Cleland, student government president; and alumnus Kathryn Mohr ’84 (see left column). The invocation and benediction were provided by AC chaplain Rev. Chris Momany.