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Featured Events Journalist Mike Wallace visits CMU Faculty, students take on Hurricane Katrina Griffin Forum addresses Michigan's economy Author, undertaker Tom Lynch visits campus Snapshots from the Michigan Story Festival Other events - sorted by department
Tobacco control advocate Jeffrey Wigand talked to Wallace about some of his most memorable interviews over his 50 years at CBS, including the controversial interview that he conducted with Wigand about the tobacco industry. Wigand, former vice president of research for Brown & Williamson Tobacco, is the highest-level tobacco executive to speak out against the industry to date. His life, and the story that brought him and Wallace together, inspired the movie “The Insider.” Wallace, who has been a correspondent on “60 Minutes” since its 1968 premiere, is noted for interviews with several American presidents, as well as international figures such as Deng Xiaoping, Manuel Noriega, and the Ayatollah Khomeini. His new book, “Between You and Me: A Memoir,” was released in October by Hyperion. His visit to CMU was sponsored by the Dr. Jeffrey Wigand Ethics Lecture Series and organized by the Center for Professional and Personal Ethics.
Faculty, students take on Hurricane Katrina When the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina unfolded at the beginning of last semester, faculty members in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work knew they had to offer the CMU community a platform to express their sadness, confusion, and anger about the disaster and, most importantly, to understand the factors contributing to such events. Their answer was to host an interdisciplinary discussion series about the causes and human impact of Hurricane Katrina. Faculty from the SASW, political science, and speech communication and dramatic arts departments took turns organizing the panels and leading discussions on topics such as race, inequality, displaced children, the role of the government, and the role of the helping professions.
Joyce Henricks (PHL and REL), pictured with Alice Tait (JRN), Sterling Johnson (PSC), and Robert Newby (SASW), answers a question during a panel discussion called “New Orleans: A Metaphor for Race in America.” “The series addressed several social and political dimensions of the tragedy,” said Mary Senter, coordinator of the discussion series and SASW department chairwoman. “By understanding the factors that contributed to this disaster, we are in a better position to avoid such situations in the future.” The series, aptly titled “How We Lost New Orleans,” was a big success, drawing audiences of more than 200 students, faculty, and community members to nearly every discussion. “We were very pleased with student interest not just in the immediate days after the hurricane but throughout the semester,” said Senter. “Faculty involvement and encouragement of student attendance kept the discussion going both inside the classroom and without and helped students see the connections between what is learned in the classroom and the world around them.” Hurricane Katrina Discussion Topics Sept. 15: Introductory discussion to the “How We Lost New Orleans” series Sept. 29: “New Orleans: A Metaphor for Race in America” Oct. 11: “Rising Tides and Leaky Boats: Navigating the Gulf of Inequality” Oct. 27: “Katrina’s Displaced Children and Youth: Perpetuating Failure or Seizing Opportunity” Nov. 9: “We the People: An Antidote to the Assault on Government” Nov. 29: “The Victims of Katrina: The Role of the Helping Professions and the Building of Community”
Griffin forum addresses Michigan's economy Question: What do you get when you ask two business columnists, an entrepreneur, a Big Three executive and a policy maker, “Can the Michigan economy be saved?” Answer: One interesting Griffin Policy Forum. The fall Griffin forum, moderated by Griffin Endowed Chairman Bill Ballenger, featured Alan Gilmour, retired Ford vice chairman; David Hollister, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth; Daniel Howes, business columnist and associate business editor for the Detroit News; Sharon Miller, president of Immediate Temporary Help Inc.; and Tom Walsh, chief business columnist for the Detroit Free Press. The panelists discussed Michigan’s challenges in economic competition with other states, outsourcing, globalization, unemployment, and the decline of the domestic automotive industry and other heavy manufacturing. CMU’s Griffin program seeks to build interest and increased engagement in politics among young adults, faculty, and the general citizenry. The endowment honors Robert and Marjorie Griffin, both distinguished CMU alumni.
Panelists at the Griffin Policy Forum discuss the challenges of improving Michigan's economy. Seated from left to right: Tom Walsh, Daniel Howes, Sharon Miller, David Hollister, and Alan Gilmour.
Award-winning author, undertaker visits campus Thomas Lynch, the author of a collection of essays that became the inspiration for the HBO series “Six Feet Under,” visited CMU in November to discuss his work as a funeral director and author and to read excerpts from his new book, “Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans.” His latest publication recounts his own experiences in Ireland and contrasts life — and death — in a remote Irish village with the modernity of American life.
“Lynch
hits on a wide range of
topics with an unusual combination of humor, heart, and
intelligence,” said Merlyn Mowrey, associate philosophy
and religion professor. “He can get ‘embalming’ to ‘iambic pentameter’ into a single coherent sentence, and after the initial laugh, leave you with something to think about. He’s a good reminder of the power and pleasure of good writing and reading,” she said. “Six Feet Under” creator Alan Ball came up with the idea for his award-winning show after reading Lynch’s “The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade.” Lynch’s visit to CMU was sponsored by the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, the English department, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, and the philosophy and religion department.
Snapshots from the Michigan Story Festival Mythical stories, insightful songs, and a bevy of artistic performances returned to Mount Pleasant during the annual Michigan Story Festival in October. The festival allows storytellers to share their tales and life experiences with people of all ages and backgrounds. The festival featured more than 20 performances and exhibitions by national storytellers, entertainers and artists, including headliners James Bruchac, Carmen Deedy, Rex Ellis, Laura Simms, pianist Vladimir Svoysky, Linda Park-Fuller, Peter Sis, and Robert and Terri Lynn TallTree, as well as a host of regional presenters. The third annual festival was held at venues throughout the Mount Pleasant community. It was developed — and is sponsored annually — by CMU, the Mount Pleasant community, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. To learn more about the performers or upcoming events, visit the MSF Web site at www.michiganstoryfestival.org.
Carmen Deedy James Bruchac
Robert and Terri Lynn TallTree used music, art, and motivational storytelling in their presentation.
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Sorted by department Philosophy and Religion Department
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The main office of CHSBS is located at:106 Anspach Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: (989) 774-3341 FAX: (989) 774-7106 E-mail: chsbs@cmich.edu |
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Acclaimed
journalist Mike Wallace, known for asking difficult and
sometimes confrontational questions of many high-profile
individuals, found himself in the hot seat when he visited CMU
in October to be interviewed by one of his former subjects.
Linda
Park-Fuller,
a cancer survivor and motivational performer, presented
"Surviving Cancer: Health and Healing."
