Beta Theta Pi - Miami University

PAGE 5 Alpha Slants of Beta Theta Pi Our Mystic Shrine Gardner H. Russell '45 passed on to Our Mystic Shrine November 19, 2012. At the time of his passing he was still working, at 92 years of age, as business advisor to Synergy Companies of California. After spending 30 years in Puerto Rico as an entrepreneur, he was called to serve for three years as mission president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑Day Saints over Uruguay and Paraguay. For the last 20 years, his work included installing non‑profit trade schools in Latin America. Alumni News Norman F. Heydinger '42 reports that he, Paul Smith '42, and John Dolibois '42 are the only living Betas initiated into the Alpha Chapter at the 100th Convention at Miami in 1939. Norm lives in Toledo, Ohio, with his wife, Dorothy. E-mail: n22h@aol.com William M. Summers '44, at 90 years old, lives at an assisted living facility in Vermilion, Ohio. His son is mayor of Lakewood, Ohio, and his daughter who is an R.N. in Concord, Calif. Walter R. Shafer '50 says he celebrated his 61st wedding anniversary with Joanne last April. He plans on attending three Navy ship reunions, three magic conventions, a family reunion, and is taking a European river cruise in 2013. E-mail: fuzs@aol.com Jay C. Fry '52 has been the head coach of Miami University Club Football for the last six years. Their 2012 record was 8‑0. James R. Richardson Sr. '53 retired as a PGA golf professional and now lives with his wife, Jane, in The Villages, Fla. He plays golf four times a week and has shot or bettered his age 430 times as of March 12, 2013. E-mail: diamondjj@ embarqmail.com Robert W. Olson, M.D. '54 retired in 2003 after 40 years practicing radiology in Santa Barbara, Calif. Since then he has enjoyed his love of golf and has found a new activity: bird watching. E-mail: robertoson30@aol.com Bruce H. Baker, Ph.D. '57 lives in Dayton, Ohio, with his wife, Gale. Over the years, Bruce has won the Seniors Golf Championship at Shaker Run Golf Course and the 60 and Over Golf Championship at Yankee Trace Golf Course. E-mail: BGBaker@aol.com John C. Soller '57 has been married for over 50 years to Patricia and has four children and 10 grandchildren. He has been involved in building/ rehabbing more than 50 Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity homes, watched his son‑in‑law swim the English Channel, finally made a hole‑in‑one at Kenwood Country Club, and downsized to a one-floor condo in Mason, Ohio. E-mail: jsollersr@aol.com Walter "John" Hussey '61 retired in 2009 as principal director at The Aerospace Corporation. John is very much involved with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) as the chairman of the Earth Observation Committee. Each year IAF sponsors a large international astronautical (space) congress. Last year it was in Naples, Italy, and this October it is in Beijing, China. E-mail: wjhusey@verizon.net Robert D. Wertz, M.D. '61 celebrated his 51st Thanksgiving with Stu Opdycke '64 last November. Several members of the class of 1963 e-mail each other daily. He says he is an honorary member of this group. Walter "Joe" Shaw '64 was inducted into Miami's Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 for swimming. In fall 2012, he was invited to lecture on a tall ship crossing the Atlantic. The lecture topic was the history and legacy of Christopher Columbus. Christopher Blatchford '69 is a news reporter for KTTV Fox 11 in Los Angeles. Although he is best known for his work in the investigative area, he is arguably the only L.A. TV reporter to receive Emmys and Golden Mikes in all major categories of reporting: best investigative, best writing, best feature reporting, best documentary, best hard news reporting, and best news series. He is a frequent panelist on gang issues, including several sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice. Eric K. Graves '71 is approaching 40 years of being a part of an annual golf trip with several Alpha Chapter brothers: Craig Loveless '70, Jack Alderman '70, Tim Boese '71, and Bill Strauch '71. Rick is vice president of sales for Crystal Cruises in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Newbury Park, Calif. E-mail: egraves@crystalcruises.com David A. Long '72 has been a career salesman, working for 12 companies, living in three states, and owning four homes. He and his wife, Sue, adopted two infant boys, put them through college, and they are now both successfully making their own way in life. He attributes much of his successful "ordinary" life to the excellent education he received at Miami and at 200 E. High Street. E-mail: dalongtx@aol.com Philip S. Fernandez '06 married Nicolette on January 12, 2013. He is the director of advancement for Beta Theta Pi and lives in Oxford, Ohio. E-mail: phil.fernandez@ betathetapi.org Around Campus Room and Board Rates Up Less Than 2% Miami University trustees approved raising room and board rates for the 2014-15 academic year by 1.64% combined, the lowest increase in at least 18 years. For the most common room and meal plans, students will pay $11,058 per year. Entrepreneurship Program 12th Best in Nation The Princeton Review has ranked Miami University's Institute for Entrepreneurship in the Farmer School of Business as one of the best-ranking it the No. 1 school with an exclusively undergraduate focus, the No. 5 public institution and overall 12th in the nation for best entrepreneurship education. Miami's Commitment to Teaching Tops in U.S. News Rankings Miami's "unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching" earns it third place in a special list in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2014. Miami ranks behind only Dartmouth and Princeton and is tied with College of William and Mary as the top two public universities for commitment to teaching. Welcome Smart Miamians The most academically accomplished and diverse class described this year's approximately 3,650 first-year students. From a pool of more than 22,500 applications —a Miami record—this year's class of 2017 brings with it impressive academic achievements. The average ACT score is one full point higher than last year, with an increase from 26.5 to 27.5. Of this year's class, 29% scored a 30 or higher on the ACT and 37% scored a 29 or higher. The average GPA rose from 3.63 to 3.72, including a significant increase in the rigor of high school curriculum completed. Just as impressively, 39% of the incoming first-year students graduated in the top 10% of their class. Miami Nation Historical Collection Now Online A new digital collection from the Miami University Libraries will highlight the history of the Miami people. The Myaamia Collection Online will showcase digital versions of significant resources held in the Walter Havighurst Special Collections that document the history and culture of the Miami (Myaamia) people. The result of an agreement between the University Libraries and the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the Myaamia Collection is a growing collection, open to all.

• Cover