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Message from Lisa Tilma,
Executive Director of Alumni Relations

Friends University has created a new 60-second television commercial that began airing Monday, Jan. 28. The commercial can be viewed on the Friends University website at friends.edu/video/commercial-are-you-ready.

On behalf of the Friends University Communication Office, thanks to all our students, faculty and staff who helped with the filming of the commercials this fall and winter!

TABLE OF CONTENTS – JANUARY 2013 EDITION

Upcoming Events for Spring

News You Can Use

Frequently Featured Articles

Giving Opportunities to Friends University

WARM UP AT THE 15TH ANNUAL CHILI COOK-OFF

The 15th annual Chili Cook-off will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, in the Garvey Physical Education Center Multipurpose Room.

This event is FREE for all students, staff, faculty, alumni and their families. It includes the chili contest and a buffet of hot dogs, chili, beverages and ice cream.

Be sure to stick around for the men's and women's basketball games when the Falcons take on the McPherson College Bulldogs.

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APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2013-14 ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIPS DUE FEB. 28

Each year the Friends University Alumni Association awards a $1,000 scholarship to four first-time freshmen who have a 3.0 GPA and whose parent(s) is a graduate or former student of Friends University (defined as having completed 12 credit hours).

To have your child be considered for this scholarship for the 2013-14 academic year, please click here to download instructions and the application form. The deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28.

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SINGING QUAKERS TO PERFORM IN NORTHEAST KANSAS

The Friends University Singing Quakers will be performing this spring in the following cities in northeast Kansas:

  • Friday, March 1 at the First United Methodist Church located at 600 SW Topeka Boulevard in Topeka, Kansas.
  • Saturday, March 2 at the Cherokee Christian Church located at 75th & Bellinder in Prairie Village, Kansas.

The concerts will include a diverse repertoire of music, including traditional classical, acapella, spirituals, folk songs and a performance by the Friends University Madrigal Choir. Both concerts begin at 7 p.m. and are free to attend. A dessert reception will be sponsored after each concert by the Topeka and Kansas City Alumni Advisory Boards, respectively.

Help from our Topeka and Kansas City-area alumni is needed. The choir is in need of overnight accommodations following both concerts. Students will be divided into groups of 2 or 4 and will need a place to sleep, breakfast, and transportation from the concert that evening and back to the church the following morning. If you are able to open your home to a few of these students, please click here to contact the choir director, Dr. Bartel.

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2013 GRADUATES: BE SURE TO STOP BY THE GRADUATION FAIR!

The 2013 Graduation Fair is scheduled for Thursday, March 7 at the Wichita campus and will provide those graduates who will walk in the May Commencement Ceremonies with the following services:

  • graduation announcements and class rings ordering information;
  • convenience of picking up their cap, gown, tassel and master's hood (if applicable);
  • information about the Friends University Alumni Association and opportunity to win door prizes;
  • meet with staff from the Financial Aid Office, Student Account Services Office, and Campus and Career Transitions Office;
  • learn more about Friends University graduate programs.

For more information about the 2013 Commencement Ceremonies in Wichita or Topeka, please click here.

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EARLY BIRD REMINDER FOR THE 30TH ANNUAL WICHITA EASTER EGG HUNT AND CARNIVAL

This year's annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Wichita campus will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30 and will be held at Adair-Austin Stadium. Immediately following the Hunt will be the ever-popular Easter Carnival located on the lower level of Casado Campus Center.

Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early for the Hunt. Just a reminder that this event is FREE for children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other young family members of alumni, faculty, staff and students.

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2ND ANNUAL FRIENDS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT'S RUN SCHEDULED FOR APRIL

You are invited to come "Run With Friends" Saturday, April 6 at the Wichita campus for the 2nd Annual President's Run! In addition to the competitive 5K race, there will be a one mile fun run/walk with all kinds of area mascots cheering you and your family on to victory!

Afterwards, be sure to stick around for the always favorite pancake feed as served by Chris Cakes, special performance by local band and Friends alumni Abandon Kansas as well as the awards ceremony and prizes.

For more information or to register, please click here.

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MARTIN LUTHER KING, III TO SPEAK AT FRIENDS UNIVERSITY IN APRIL

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, the Willard and Jean Garvey Lecture Series will feature Martin Luther King, III in its upcoming lecture "My Father’s Dream, My Mission."

The lecture is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19 in the Davis Administration Building's Alumni Auditorium. A reception and autograph session will follow the lecture.

The lecture is free and open to the public, however, tickets are required for admission. Seating is first-come, first-serve and will be limited. To reserve your ticket, click here. For more information about the lecture, call Dixie Madden at 316-295-5611 or email garveylecture@friends.edu.

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FALL REUNION PLANNED FOR SCIENCE AND HEALTH MAJORS

In conjunction with the annual fall Homecoming events scheduled for the week of Oct. 13-19, 2013, the Alumni Association is excited to welcome back to campus those alumni who majored with a degree in environmental science, agriculture, pre-med, pre-dental, and/or health.

More information will be mailed to these alumni in February. Additionally, updates regarding the various reunions and other Homecoming events planned for all our alumni and their families will be shared in future issues of Friends Flash!.

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USHERS NEEDED FOR SPRING FINE ARTS PRODUCTIONS

The Friends University Division of Fine Arts provides opportunities for you and your family to attend choral concerts, ballets, drama and musical performances throughout the academic year. Volunteers are especially needed to help usher the following spring performances:

  • Feb. 5 – Friends University Community Orchestra Concert (7:30 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium
  • Feb 11 – Concert Band Concert (7:30 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium
  • Feb. 15 – Jazz Vocal Invitational Concert (7:30 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium
  • Feb. 21-24 – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (7:30 p.m.) Alumni Auditorium
  • March 1-2 – Spring Ballet (7:30 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium
  • March 3 – Spring Ballet (2 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium
  • March 9 – Singing Quakers Home Concert (7:30 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium
  • March 10 – Singing Quakers Home Concert (2 p.m.) Sebits Auditorium

For more information, please call 316-295-5677 or send an email to finearts@friends.edu.

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ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD LEADERSHIP TEAMS PLAN FOR SPRING EVENTS

Executive Officers of the Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City Alumni Advisory Boards met January 12 to plan various events at all three sites for the spring 2013 semester as well as begin strategically planning for the 2013-14 academic year.

Many thanks to these alumni volunteers for their leadership and the time that is volunteered by each of the alumni advisory board members!

Pictured left to right: Neil Trickey, G'95/M'07; Monica Swift, G'94/'06/M'96; Craig Zernickow, G'96; Scot Pierce, G'96; Andi Stipp, G'01/M'07; Joyce Hladky, M'09; Sheryl Crawford, G'07/'10; and Mary Duncan, M'09.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2013 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Inductees into this year's Friends University Athletic Hall of Fame were announced prior to the start of the men's basketball game against Ottawa University. Congratulations once again to the following alumni athletes and coaches:

  • Jim Littell of Stillwater, Okla. (pictured below, center). Littell served as a former Friends University basketball coach from 1983-1988. He currently serves as the head women's basketball coach at Oklahoma State University. He was recognized for his involvement with the basketball program at Friends University.
  • Lance Deckinger of Wichita (pictured below, left). Deckinger is a 1989 and 2002 graduate and former assistant soccer coach. He currently serves as athletic director at Northwest High School in Wichita. He was recognized for baseball and soccer and for his service as assistant soccer coach.
  • Shelby Swindle-Naccarato of Valley Center (pictured below, right). Naccarato is a 1985 graduate. She currently serves as an Outside Procurement Agent at Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. She was recognized for volleyball and softball.
  • Orla Morton, formerly of Richardson, Tex. Morton was a 1935 graduate of Friends University and is receiving the award posthumously. He was recognized for football, basketball and track.

The Athletic Hall of Fame currently consists of 64 inductees including athletes, coaches and supporters and is on display in the south lobby of the Garvey Gymnasium. To learn more about all the Friends University Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, please click here.

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FRIENDS UNIVERSITY LICENSE PLATES AVAILABLE FOR OVER-THE-COUNTER PURCHASE IN FEBRUARY

The Alumni Office received notice from the State of Kansas January 31, 2013, that the Friends University license plates would be available for purchase directly from the individual county tag offices beginning February 15. This means that anyone wishing to purchase a plate will not have to obtain a certificate first from the Alumni Office after that date.

Just a reminder that the cost for the plate is $30.00 which will go into a student scholarship fund. Additionally, current fees, payable at the time of registration, will include a one-time specialty plate fee of $40.00, plus a one-time reflectorized plate fee of $0.50; annual regular registration fee, including a $5.00 county transaction fee; property taxes; and sales tax, if applicable.

If you have any questions regarding the Friends University license plate, please click here to email the Alumni Office.

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FRIENDS' COMMUNITY SAYS GOODBYE TO ALUMNA AND WICHITA PHILANTHROPIST JEAN GARVEY

It is with great sadness that we share with you that Jean Garvey, G'88, and local Wichita philanthropist, passed away this past December 30. Garvey was a huge supporter of Friends University and its students, and she will be greatly missed by all those who knew her.

To read more about Garvey's passion for education and support of Wichita, please click here.

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MYSTERY IN HISTORY TRIVIA QUESTION

In each issue of the Alumni Association e-newsletter, Friends Flash!, we ask a trivia question and give our readers the opportunity to win a prize. Congratulations to our January winners, DeeAnn Moss, G'07, of Wichita; James McKinley, G'04, of Kansas City, Mo.; and Bonnie Dexter, FS'02, of Wichita. They knew that 19 students traveled to Cuba this past December to participate in the Havana International Jazz Festival.

For this month's trivia question, we want to know who the guest speaker will be at the Willard and Jean Garvey Lecture Series on April 19.

We will place the name of EVERYONE who submits a correct response to alumni@friends.edu in a drawing to win a "We Are Falcon Nation" Nike t-shirt. One lucky winner will be drawn no later than Feb. 11, 2013. Good luck!

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BECOME A MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK GROUPS

  • Click here to join the Friends University Alumni Association group.
  • Click here to join the Friends University Topeka-Area Alumni group.
  • Click here to join the Friends University Kansas City-Area Alumni group.
  • Click here to like the official Friends University page.

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UPCOMING ATHLETIC EVENTS

Please click here to check out the Friends University Athletic website for more information about all our athletic programs, including the latest stats, rosters and news items.

Just a reminder that tickets for home games are $7 for adults, $2 for students and seniors, and children under the age of 12 are free. For more information about Athletics at Friends University, please contact 316-295-5700 or athletics@friends.edu.

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UPCOMING UNIVERSITY EVENTS

For more information about any of these upcoming events, please contact the Friends University Alumni Office at 316-295-5900 or alumni@friends.edu.

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