In This Section:
125th celebration kicked off with inspiring recollections
Runowicz leads American Cancer Society
Supreme Court Justice Scalia to lecture at School of Law
Big East titles, tournament play highlight fall
Neag School creates fund for student soldiers
UConn Health Center magazine debuts
Explorer Ballard addresses December graduates
UConn chefs reach a Boiling Point before Food Network cameras
Global commerce center opens at UConn Stamford
Stem cell expert named to lead UConn laboratory

Photo: Peter Morenus

Alfred Rogers ’53 (CLAS), ’63 J.D., speaks during the 125th anniversary kickoff ceremony in the Wilbur Cross Building.

Alfred Rogers, ’53 (CLAS), ’63 J.D., couldn’t hold back his emotions as he recalled being a UConn student in the early 1950s, one of a small number of minority students on campus at the time, and the sense of community he found.

“At Storrs, in ’49, exclusion by color or race was not a factor,” he said during the Jan. 25 kickoff of UConn’s 125th anniversary celebration. An African American, Rogers had been accepted enthusiastically into UConn’s Phi Epsilon Pi, a white, Jewish fraternity, but his application was rejected by the national governing body. Outraged, the UConn chapter threatened to secede from the organization and “worked tirelessly” recruiting other chapters to do the same. “Ultimately, but not right away, the national chapter backed down,” he said.

The stand taken by Rogers and his fraternity brothers represents an important milestone in UConn history.

“The experience with Phi Epsilon Pi was an example of a team of committed Americans who were determined to strike a blow against intolerance and bigotry on their watch,” he said. “The decades of the 1940s and ’50s were a period of social and economic change. After the war, the world would never be the same.

“Industrial mobilization brought an end to the depression of the 1930s. Returning vets had a greater opportunity for higher education and a larger piece of the American pie. African Americans, many of whom moved from the agricultural south to work in northern cities, would stake a claim for equality and greater opportunities.”

But, Rogers said, “Patterns of discrimination denied them economic and social equality. Although laws did not mandate segregation, tradition and practice often brought about the same results.”

Rogers said he decided to join Phi Epsilon Pi because he liked the fraternity members. “I was impressed by their candor. Many were vets of World War II. I truly enjoyed their company.

“The lessons I brought away—there were several—never judge a man by the color of his skin. If you want to achieve something, make a plan, establish a set of objectives, analyze your resources, establish strategies and give it your best shot.”

Rogers spoke before the opening of an exhibition of 125 years of UConn history on display during 2006 in the center gallery of the Wilbur Cross Building. He received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his remarks.

Carolyn Runowicz ’73 (CLAS), director of the UConn Health Center’s Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center and a nationally prominent expert in gynecologic oncology, became president of the American Cancer Society this past November.

She is the first breast cancer survivor to become president of the ACS and has devoted her career to advances in the treatment, early detection and prevention of cancer, including serving as the first female president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

Antonin Scalia, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, will spend two days at the UConn School of Law on April 11-12 as the 2006 Day, Berry & Howard Visiting Scholar and Jurist-in-Residence.

Justice Scalia will deliver a lecture to students and invited guests during his visit and also teach two classes, one in administrative law and one in constitutional law.

He is the second Supreme Court jurist to visit UConn in recent years. Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg delivered the Day, Berry & Howard lecture in 2004.

Photos: Stephen Slade

Above: Laura Puddle ’06 (CLAS) earned second team All-America honors in field hockey. Below: Julius James ’08 (CLAS) earned first team All-America recognition in men’s soccer.

Below: Alison Koch ’09 (ED) is one of top performers on the women’s tennis team.

The fall season of UConn athletics resulted in another successful year as three teams advanced to NCAA tournament play and Husky squads won two Big East regular season and two conference tournament titles.

The men’s soccer team won the Big East tournament title and finished the year with a 15-4-1 record. Under head coach Ray Reid, UConn advanced to its eighth consecutive NCAA tournament, making it to the third round. Julius James ’08 (CLAS) was a first team All-America pick while O’Brien White was a Freshman All-American. Junior Moshe Shalcon ’07 (BUS) was a second team Academic All-America selection.

Head coach Nancy Stevens and the UConn field hockey team won both the Big East regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA national quarterfinals with a 17-6 record. Laura Puddle ’06 (CLAS) was a second-team All-America selection while Rebecca Helwig ’06 (CANR) was a third team selection.

The UConn women’s soccer team and head coach Len Tsantiris compiled a 15-5-2 record to win the Big East Division A title. UConn played in the NCAA tournament and remains just one of two teams, along with North Carolina, to play in all 26 NCAA Championships. Elizabeth Eng ’09 (CLAS), Brittany Taylor ’09 (CLAS) and Meghan Schnur ’08 (PHR) all were named to the All-Big East Conference first team.

First-year head coach Holly Strauss ’05 M.A. led the Huskies volleyball team to five wins in the team’s final six matches enroute to a 15-13 record. Jenny Neelands ’06 (CANR) was named to the All-Big East Conference second team.

Head coach Ron Dubois and the golf team finished in a tie for third place at the ECAC Championship, third at the New England Championship and won the team title at the University of Hartford Invitational. Senior Jason Parajeckas ’07 (CLAS) was the individual medalist at the New England Championship and the Hartford event.

The women’s cross country team under Bill Morgan won the Blue Devil Invitational held in New Britain, Conn., and the men’s cross country team under Greg Roy won the Ted Owens Invitational — also in New Britain.

In men’s tennis for head coach Glenn Marshall, the duo of Jeff Klar ’09 (BUS) and Nate Carvalho ’09 (ENG) won the B Doubles title at the UConn Invitational and women’s team standout Alison Koch ’09 (ED) won the D Singles at the Quinnipiac Invitational.

The UConn football team finished 5-6 overall and sold out all six games at Rentschler Field. Linebacker James Hargrave ’06 (CLAS) was a first team All-Big East pick and defensive tackle Rhema Fuller ’07 (CLAS), defensive tackle Deon McPhee ’06 (CLAS) and tight end Dan Murray ’07 (CLAS) made the second team.

The Neag School of Education has created an education fund for UConn students who are either current U.S. service members or veterans who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The funds, which may be used for tuition, course materials, and other education expenses, are also available to family members enrolled in the school.

“If we can make life a little easier for these folks who have given up so much in their personal lives to serve our country, then this investment is worth every dollar we can raise for it,” says Neag Dean Richard Schwab.

The Neag Veterans Fund was created by the Dean’s Advisory Board. The board, comprising 21 leaders in business, education and government, including U.S. Rep. John Larson and State Rep. Lawrence Cafero ’79 (CLAS), provides feedback to the dean on strategies and issues related to the school.

The idea for the veterans fund came about after Schwab conveyed a story to his board about Dirk Olmstead, a Hartford elementary school teacher and student in the UConn Administrator Preparation Program who was called up for duty in Iraq in 2004.

Several months into his tour, Olmstead e-mailed UConn asking if it would be possible to have a textbook sent to him. During his off-duty hours, he hoped to continue his studies to help take his mind off the dangers of duty and the family and students waiting for him back at home. Within days, Schwab arranged for a box of textbooks, along with a UConn shirt and jacket, to be shipped to Iraq.

Advisory board members Cheryl Dickinson and Anita Torrizo soon organized a fund-raising event in Torrington. An audience of 50 people gathered at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts for a colorful demonstration by UConn lecturer and floral designer Louise Pastormerlo. More than $5,000 was raised. The board hopes to raise more funds through future events and individual donations. To make a donation, contact Terry Gellin, director of development for the Neag School: tgellin@foundation.uconn.edu. To apply for funding, contact Christine North in the dean’s office: christine.north@uconn.edu or 860-486-6186.

UConn Health Center is a new magazine that details the story of the programs, innovations and activities that have established the Health Center as a leader in the field of medical and dental education, research and clinical care. The magazine, to be published three times a year, will explore the critical interconnections between research, education and clinical care. UConn Health Center’s audiences are Health Center alumni, donors, opinion leaders, members of the health care community, faculty, staff, volunteers and students.

Famed undersea explorer Robert Ballard urged 900 graduates at December commencement ceremonies to “think big, have big dreams, climb tall mountains” after receiving an honorary degree from UConn. He noted that even after attaining goals, the journey of seeking knowledge is not over until what has been learned is shared with others. “Then and only then can you begin preparing yourself for your next adventure,” he said. “Sharing is the final step in a journey when you pass on what you have learned.”

Photo: Peter Morenus

Photo: Peter Morenus

Chef Scott Chapman indicates which vegetables he would like to use during the Boiling Point competition in Putnam Refectory.

For the past six years during the break between semesters, UConn Dining Services has conducted Boiling Point — the UConn version of Iron Chef America, the popular Food Network program that is a competition between teams of chefs preparing a menu of dishes based on a secret ingredient in a race against time.

On Jan. 13, 2006, the Food Network, which had learned of UConn’s competitive program, brought its cameras to Putnam Refectory for a daylong food extravaganza that began with a recipe contest and a cake decorating competition.

The winner of the recipe contest goes on to represent UConn in regional competition sponsored by the National Association of College and University Food Service (NACUFS). Last year’s recipe winner was Lisa Charbonneau, who teamed up for this year’s main event with Patsy Potvin and Amy Maloney.

11:45 a.m.
A large crowd of spectators has arrived. They alternately watch the recipe judges evaluate the morning contest, mill around display tables sampling the dishes and observe the decorated cakes.

Photo: Peter Morenus

Chef James Watt prepares Napoleon cheesecake mousse.

Noon
The main event judges arrive: Linda Giuca, food editor of The Hartford Courant; Wayne Norman, WILI-AM host and radio analyst for UConn basketball and football broadcasts; Greg Hopkins, director of dining services at Connecticut College; and former UConn professor and noted author Wally Lamb ’72 (CLAS), ’77 M.A. They look hungry.

12:50 p.m.
After the teams film several takes for a Food Network promotional announcement, groups are introduced to the audience. When Boiling Point began in 2000, there were six teams of three chefs. Now there are 15 teams.

1:05 p.m.
The secret ingredient, concealed by a drop cloth, is wheeled out for the audience. “This is not your standard cafeteria fare,” says Robert Landolphi, a UConn dining services manager, whipping off the cloth to display a wide selection of venison cuts. To accommodate the 15 groups of competitors, teams come out every seven minutes to learn the ingredient and begin cooking.

1:15 p.m.
While the first contestants descend upon the kitchen, Azul of West Hartford chef Michael Kelley teaches a mini-course, filling the room with the smells of pan-seared tuna with wild mushroom Pad Thai, and baby pumpkin/balsamic hazelnut butter.

2:30 p.m.  
Maloney, Potvin and Charbonneau enter the busy kitchen and are elated to learn that the secret ingredient is venison. They have been considering various possible meats and fishes and strategizing how to handle each. They have decided to serve risotto, a Charbonneau specialty, with whatever meat must be prepared. Maloney concentrates on the entree. Potvin begins preparation by gathering vegetables.

Photo: Peter Morenus

Venison medallions served with vegetables and rice.

2:40 p.m.
The judges are introduced, and they sample the first dish­—stuffed venison with an herb and almond crust accompanied by julienned vegetables with fennel — prepared by Lorraine Kjellquist, Denny Hartigan and Scott Chapman, one of the South Campus dining hall teams. They are relaxed as they present to the judges.

5 p.m.
After a long afternoon of noshing, the judges emerge with their verdict: bacon-wrapped cranberry Marsala venison loin prepared by Malony, Potvin and Charbonneau. It is a doubly special day for Charbonneau, who also repeats as the winner of the recipe contest for her Gulf Coast ragout in a hushpuppy bowl. In March she will represent UConn at the regional NACUFS competition at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, N.Y.

To see UConn on The Food Network, go to: http://howdoyouironchef.com

— Jim H. Smith

A center that will focus on research and scholarship related to global and international commerce is being established at UConn’s campus in Stamford.

The Center for Globalization and Commerce will engage in empirical and applied research over a wide range of academic disciplines with global partners in industry, business, government, education and commerce in Stamford and throughout Fairfield County.

“The center’s focus will be at the Stamford campus where there will be access to multinational businesses and corporations and a growing international and immigrant population and where resources are going to be readily provided by the Stamford Chamber of Commerce,” says UConn Provost Peter J. Nicholls.

The Stamford area is home to many global companies, including Pitney Bowes, Purdue Pharma, UBS—a Swiss bank—and the soon-to-be opened headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland, among others.

The center will provide opportunities for faculty exchanges and research collaborations with colleagues at universities around the world and will provide students with opportunities for fieldwork and internships.

“Stamford is the strongest international trade center between New York and Boston, and the new center will help promote this fastest growing segment of our business community,” says Jack Condlin, president and chief executive officer of the chamber.

The center will also create a teaching and learning environment for workshops, seminars and lectures offered by business faculty, professionals and community members.

UConn’s commitment to stem cell research has been enhanced with the appointment of Ren-He Xu, a leading expert in growing human embryonic stem cells lines, as director of UConn’s new human embryonic stem cell core laboratory.

Xu’s principal research has explored the mechanisms that govern the early fates of human embryonic stem cells and the self-renewal and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. The ability to grow stem cells in the laboratory and, someday, direct them to become specific kinds of cells, has the potential to revolutionize transplant medicine and underpin lifelong treatment for a host of diseases, especially cell-based disorders such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and some forms of leukemia.

Xu, a developmental biologist who has published more than 25 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, is currently a senior scientist at the WiCell Research Institute, a private laboratory affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Xu will become a faculty member of the UConn Health Center’s department of genetics and developmental biology, with a joint appointment at the Center for Regenerative Biology in Storrs.

Last year, a team led by Xu discovered a way to eliminate animal materials from human embryonic stem cell cultures. The discovery was the focus of a special commentary in the journal Science.