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UMD Updates Swenson Landscape | DECC Hockey | Chee Art | Prometheans |
Science Academy | Orchestra Hall | Glensheen Facts | Isle Royale | LaBounty

News About UMD, Alumni, The Campus, and Beyond

Swenson Science Building Captures
National Landscape Architecture Award

Landscape Architect Thomas Oslund and Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin were presented the 2007 American Society of Landscape Architects’ General Design Honor for work on UMD’s Swenson Science Building. The unique design incorporates an upper and lower courtyard and pays homage to Duluth’s natural resources. It uses steel as the structural base for the courtyards, as well as a garden that is suited for wild rice cultivation. The area also features native plantings, a tribute to the Native American population of Minnesota.

Not only is the design symbolic, it is also functional. The courtyards are used as a gathering space for UMD students, faculty, and staff. In addition, in the lower courtyard, pool drainage is collected from the roof of the building as well as areas surrounding the site. The upper pool serves as a garden which is specifically designed to cater to wild rice cultivation by using underwater circulation to maintain water flow. The simple forms of the core-ten steel building material combine with a plant palette to create an overall award-winning project.

UMD Hockey and the DECC

An artist rendering of the interior of the new DECC arena, the future home of Bulldog hockey.

The DECC, Duluth’s waterfront entertainment and convention facility, will receive $38 million in renovation dollars for an arena in the Minnesota state bonding bill.

Primarily, the DECC will add a new ice hockey arena for UMD hockey teams. It will replace the DECC’s current arena which has been in use since 1966. The new, larger arena will seat 6,630 for hockey, or 8,200 for other events like concerts.

“UMD is very pleased and excited as we look forward to this great facility for UMD men’s and women’s hockey,” UMD Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin said. “The new arena will also provide a wonderful entertainment center for the entire community.”

Construction on the arena is expected to begin in April 2009, with up to 300 union construction workers being on the job for about 19 months. The new arena’s opening date is set for December 31, 2010. For more information, contact Mark Rudolph at 218-726-8483.

Cheng-Khee Chee Coordinates International Art Exhibit in China

UMD associate professor emeritus and watercolorist Cheng-Khee Chee presented his work at the Nanjing Library Exhibition Hall in Nanjing, China in late 2007. He showed his artwork, presented lectures and gave painting demonstrations at the First Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary International Watermedia Masters.

To showcase the event, more than 68 artists from countries around the world were invited to participate. Chee, the coordinator of the event, was also responsible for the selection of works from 28 American and Canadian artists.

During his career, Chee, who lives in Duluth, captured 200 national awards and is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, American Watercolor Society, and others. He illustrated the best-selling children’s book Old Turtle.

This spring Cheng-Khee and his wife, Sing-Bee Chee were awarded the Labovitz School of Business and Economics Business Persons of the Year award. The couple has grown a successful business around Cheng-Khee Chee’s watercolor paintings.

School of Fine Arts Honors Four with Society of Prometheans Award

Above top: The painting, “American Gothic: Dorothy and Richard Nelson on the Shores of Gitchi Gami,” by David P. Bradley was a gift to the Tweed Museum of Art from Richard E. Nelson (photo above).

Each year the UMD School of Fine Arts bestows its Society of Prometheans award on accomplished alumni and friends of UMD. The UMD Society of Prometheans recognizes those “who have demonstrated success and passion in their chosen professions and contributed to the success of UMD School of Fine Arts programs.”

The program is hosted by UMD Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin and Jack Bowman, Dean of the School of Fine Arts.

Richard E. Nelson

Richard Nelson, along with his late wife Dorothy Rawlings Nelson, has demonstrated passion and commitment to the arts by distinguishing himself as a collector of art and supporter of artists, particularly with regard to the historical and contemporary arts of Native Americans.

The Nelsons donated their collection of over 400 American Indian artifacts and artworks to the Tweed Museum of Art and UMD. Selected portions from the Nelson’s collection of baskets, weavings, beadwork, paintings, and drawings are on view at the Tweed Museum of Art through September 13, 2009.

James Hepokoski

A graduate of UMD and professor of music history at Yale University, is one of this nation’s pre-eminent musicologists. He teaches a wide variety of music courses, ranging from European music history to graduate and undergraduate seminars on numerous composers and styles. He has also engaged thousands of concertgoers with his preconcert lectures at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

Brett Rickaby

Brett Rickaby, a UMD alumnus, has followed his heart with passion and perseverance and has worked with many of today’s best actors and directors both on stage, in film, and in television. Dedicated to developing the talent of others, Brett is the founder of Oracle Filmworks, a production company for actors and also teaches at the prestigious David Kagen School of Film Acting.

James Hepokoski Brett Rickaby Kirk Tingblad

Kirk Tingblad

Kirk Tingblad, a graduate of UMD, is a talented artist and possesses the highly sought-after skills of a multi-faceted animation professional, serving roles as storyboard artist, timing director, animator and animation director, writer, producer, and illustrator. Kirk has shown unselfish generosity through donation of his artwork to the Tweed Museum of Art and has demonstrated his commitment to education by lecturing and giving an animation workshop at UMD.

Leaders Honored for Professional
Accomplishments and Outstanding Leadership

The Swenson College of Science and Engineering (SCSE) inducted new members into the Academy of Science and Engineering in September 2007 and October 2008. The academy was established to give public recognition to distinguished alumni and special friends of SCSE, who have brought distinction to themselves through their participation, commitment, and leadership in their chosen profession. To view more in depth information, visit www.d.umn.edu/scse and click on administration.

Terrence M. Tumpey
’86 (BA Biology) is a Senior Microbiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sonja A. Rasmussen
’81 (BS Mathematics/BS Biology) is a senior scientist at CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

Nathan Ballou
’41 (BS Chemistry) is employed, at age 88, at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory operated by Battele in Richland, Washington. He conducts research in radiochemistry, mass spectrometry, and new analytical techniques.

Thys B. Johnson
now officially retired, still teaches
Industrial Engineering Operations Research as professor emeritus. In addition to his many contributions to North America’s mining industry, he helped establish the NRRI and set the path of progress for industrial engineering at UMD.

Mylan Radulovich
’60 (BA Physics) worked for Exxon for 30 years. While officially retired, he continues as a consultant to Esso Norway assisting on the final phases of the Balder project.
2008 Honorees

Antoinette Moran
’80 (BS Biology) Professor of Pediatrics and a leading researcher on cystic fibrosis and diabetes. Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Program and Division Chief, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at the University of Minnesota.

Edward Ripley
’73 (MS Geology) Geological Sciences professor at Indiana University. He is currently an associate editor of Geochemica et Cosmochimica Acta. He has authored or coauthored over 100 peer reviewed papers and countless abstracts. Over 40 of them deal with the geology and ore deposits of the Duluth Complex and other intrusions of northern Minnesota.

William Lokke
’57 (BA Mathematics/BA Physics) is a retired staff member at Livermore National Laboratory in Northern California. He received the prestigious Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award in 1975 for his work in theoretical physics, engineering, and technology.

Thomas Jordan
’58 (BA Physics/BA Mathematics)
retired from UMD in 2001 as a full
professor. Jordan, whose research interests revolved around basic issues in quantum mechanics, has work published in over 80 books and journals.

Sounds of the Season
UMD Holiday Concert at Orchestra Hall

Chamber Singers

A Memorable Celebration Planned
Join UMD at 8 pm on Friday, December 5 for what School of Fine Arts Dean Jack Bowman calls a “magical event” at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. “There’s something about performing in a premier concert venue that makes all of the performers better musicians. We know magic happens, because we’ve seen it when our students have performed in Carnegie Hall or the Montreux Jazz Festival. When you combine the excitement of the holidays with performing in an impressive space, it’s sure to be memorable.”

The UMD Holiday Concert, Sounds of the Season, will feature performances by the Lake Effect Vocal Jazz Ensemble, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble I, University Singers, Chamber Singers, and the UMD Symphony Orchestra.

“The wide range of music offered means a lively and entertaining performance,” said Music Department Head Theodore Schoen. The program includes a spiritual medley, a Chanukah song sung in Hebrew, and an old-fashioned sing-along. The full UMD Symphony Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Dean Bowman, will perform Holst’s “Christmas Day.”

Begin the Evening with a Pre-concert Buffet
To add to the festivities, UMD is presenting a pre-concert buffet at 6 pm that evening at the Hilton Minneapolis. It’s only a skywalk away from the concert at Orchestra Hall. The buffet and concert package tickets are $38 and reservations can be made by calling UMD toll free at 866-726-7164 by December 1. For concert tickets only ($17 adults, discounts for children and students) call the Orchestra Hall Box Office at 800-292-4141 or visit their website on-line at www.minnesotaorchestra.org.

How Do You Get to Orchestra Hall? Practice. Practice. Practice.
Seniors Lisa Zylstra, a flutist majoring in music education, and Luke Wallrich, a singer majoring in vocal performance, are both excited about performing at such a celebrated venue. As Wallrich pointed out, it’s also a way to let Twin Cities people know about Duluth’s “very energetic music program.”

Zylstra and Wallrich credit their instructors for much of that energy. “We have an awesome faculty,” Zylstra said. Wallrich agrees. “We have some great individuals with great qualifications. All of us are amazed at some of the people they’ve studied with,” Wallrich said.

The caliber of the faculty is high but so is the caliber of the students, who devote long hours honing their craft in class and practicing. “Not only by yourself, but with ensembles,” Zylstra said.

Scholarships Make All the Difference
“Students perform in the pep band and marching band,” said Schoen. Student musicians also make up the orchestra at the UMD musicals. “That’s where scholarships help the students. They can’t work at an outside job on weekends because they have performances,” Schoen said.

“My scholarships help so much . . . I’m so grateful,” Zylstra said. This year Zylstra received a General Music Scholarship. “The more scholarship money I get, the less I have to work,” she added.

Taking Performance on the Road
UMD music students are often invited to perform around the region in auditoriums or gymnasiums. “Orchestra Hall is a lot better than a school gym,” Zylstra said. The students appreciate the facilities they enjoy at UMD. Wallrich describes Orchestra Hall as simply “Weber Hall, super sized.” But, he is quick to add, “Performing in the Twin Cities is no small feat. They get some big-name acts.” Not the least of which are the ensembles and orchestras from UMD.

Glensheen Facts
Did you know . . . .

- 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Glensheen mansion. The Congdon
family moved in November 1908.

- Glensheen originally took two years to plan, three years to build, and cost just over $850,000.

- The name “Glensheen” is derived from two words: “glen,” which means a secluded narrow valley, and “Sheen,” the village in Surrey, England, where the Congdon family had its roots.

- This 39-room Jacobean Revival structure boasts 15 bedrooms and 15 fireplaces.

- Most of the furnishings on display are original to the estate when it was first occupied.

- Glensheen is a museum property of the University of Minnesota Duluth and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information, visit
www. www.d.umn.edu/glen/
or call 218-726-8910.

UMD and 50 Years of Wolf-Moose
Research on Isle Royale

In November 2008, UMD joined institutions across the country in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of wolf-moose research on Isle Royale. UMD alumnus Rolf O. Peterson (’70 BS Zoology), along with John Vucetich, were on campus. Peterson is the lead researcher for the Isle Royale wolf-moose study, the world’s longest wildlife study.

In addition, George Desort’s documentary on the Isle Royale wolf and moose study, Fortunate Wilderness, was shown.

Isle Royale, located near the Canadian border, became home to a herd of moose who swam across Lake Superior from Minnesota in the early 1900s. They thrived without predators until 1949 when a pair of wolves wandered across an ice bridge.

The relationship between wolves and moose on Isle Royale has been studied and researched for an unprecedented amount of time, providing a rich background of research to aid in the understanding of the two species and their interaction.

UMD has strong connections to the project. It is a member of the Isle Royale Institute, UMD professor John Pastor has joined Peterson to conduct research on the island, and UMD conducts a yearly series of student trips. For two consecutive summers UMD students have served as intern naturalists on the island.

UMD faculty Tim Bates, Tom Beery, Bruce Munson, Cindy Hagley, Marie Zhuikov, and Jerry Niemi led the effort to commemorate this ground-breaking research.

The late Roy LaBounty with LSBE Dean Kjell Knudsen in 1999. Knudsen said “Roy had the entrepreneurial spirit that is the heart of a business.”

Roy LaBounty Center for Entrepreneurship
LSBE: a leader in training future entrepreneurs

A gift from Two Harbors entrepreneur Roy LaBounty will help sustain the small-business and entrepreneurship programs offered through the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE). In fall 2007, just a few weeks
before Roy LaBounty passed away, LSBE announced the establishment of the Roy LaBounty Center for Entrepreneurship. LaBounty was the founder of LaBounty Manufacturing and a generous supporter of UMD.

LaBounty’s endowment for the new center promotes entrepreneurship and business development initiatives throughout Northeast Minnesota. LSBE is a leader in training future entrepreneurs. The new center will partner with existing LSBE programs: the Center for Economic Development and its Small Business Development Center, the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, the Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards, and the Center for Economic Education.

LSBE Dean Kjell Knudsen said he expects the center will stimulate research on entrepreneurship and help fund an internship program.

Pat Borchert, assistant professor, Department of Management Studies, has been teaching entrepreneurial studies for three years. She said there’s always a waiting list for her introductory class.

“Entrepreneurs in general have distinctive personality characteristics: the desire for independence and the passion to start something new, in spite of the possible risks,” she said. “In my class, we concentrate on learning skills that can help the entrepreneur succeed.”

There are plenty of UMD students interested in the world of entrepreneurship. “Dozens of students each year say they are considering starting a business right after they graduate,” Borchert said.

These young future entrepreneurs are following in LaBounty’s footsteps. He founded LaBounty Manufacturing in 1973 when the company began producing industrial grapples used in the construction trades. Later the company expanded its product line into shears, processors, and other custom and specialty products sold world-wide. In 1992, LaBounty Manufacturing merged with a subsidiary of the Stanley Works. The company continues to be a major employer.

Roy LaBounty received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1999 Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards event for his leadership as an entrepreneur. Knudsen said, “It is truly fitting that LSBE honors Roy’s legacy with the establishment of the Center for Entrepreneurship.”

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