Did Wabash Win? YES!!!

It hasn’t been a great season for the Little Giants, but last night they rocked Chadwick Court with 40 minutes of great defense.  Here’s the link to the story.

More photos here and here.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS!

Find out here.

Kip Chase ’03

Kip Chase ’03 was selected as the next Vice President of the board of directors of the National Association of Wabash Men.  Kip will become Vice President at the conclusion of the May board meeting and will automatically serve as President two years hence.

Kip’s been very active on campus, serving Wabash as a class agent, a member of the Steering Committee for the Challenge of Excellence, and most recently as the alumni board representative on the Presidential Search committee.

Kip works at Eli Lilly, is married to Nicole, and has two sons.

Congratulations Kip!

Ray Jovanovich ’84

I knew when I walked into Baxter 114 a little before noon that there wouldn’t be enough room.  I knew, given the topic and speaker, that people would be standing side by side.  I was right.

He had everyone’s attention.

Trustee Ray Jovanovich, having just flown from Beijing to Chicago 36 hours prior, was going to talk about the challenges ahead for China.  For those of you who don’t know Ray let me give you the fighter pilot summary.  Personality of your best friend…the one you have know forever.  Wicked smart…no, I mean WICKED smart.  A communicator who can take the absolute toughest concepts and talk about them at your level – whatever that level is.  A life-long student who deeply admires the efforts of other students and who genuinely applauds their efforts.

Ray, with four slides and no notes, talked for 50 minutes about China.  In the space of that time, he wrote a plan for China for the next two decades.  Challenges and opportunities.  Gap analysis.  You name it and he covered it.  Not is tech talk – in real talk.  Forget some expensive consultants – Ray’s got it.  Heads nodded – faculty heads, student heads, even bio major staff member heads – repeatedly.

Ray crushed it – just as Eric Wetzel had done in Chapel only minutes before.

Two things though give you a look at the talents and personality of this great man.

1.  He encouraged the group to go see the presentation on China of Terrance Pigues ’14 the following day at the Celebration of Student Research.  Not in any way other than one expert plugging another’s work.

2.  Ray will be a broadcaster of the Super Bowl for Chinese Television.  He also does MLB and NBA games.  Yes, he loves and enjoys that as well.

Talk about the liberal arts in action!

This is the first-ever guest post for the Grunge.  It comes from an old flying buddy – Fred Trebleone, ASC.

Psst.  The Grunge prefers not to be called “Colonel”, especially when accompanied by a smear or a look down the nose.  He doesn’t consider service men and women as second class citizens.  Thought you ten would want to know and pass it along as you see fit.

FT

Professor Eric Wetzel

If you look Professor Eric Wetzel up on the Wabash web site, you’ll find out he is an Associate Professor of Biology.  That might be enough for anyone – certainly, given my Bio 1 grade, much more than ever possible for me!

But, with a little research, you’ll also quickly learn that Eric is an explorer and a game changer.  His blog is a great read.  Explorer is the easy part – what do I mean by game-changer?

Eric Wetzel wants our students to get out of their comfort zone, find a cause that turns them on, and go change the world.  Simply as that.  Rock their personal ecosystem.  Jump into something not just to learn about it but always with an eye toward making a difference…a better difference…a game-changing difference.  A better future for all mankind difference.

He said that all in Chapel…much better than I summarized.  Get on You Tube and check it out.  You won’t be disappointed.

The other day I featured our students, under the guidance of Media Center director Adam Bowen, and their professional-level work in televising the basketball games.  Last night, at an important point in the game, the referees used the Wabash replay to sort out a foul.

Using the Wabash replay

It’s not the first time the officials have turned to the work of Adam and his crew…well done!

Adam Bowen (left) making a few adjustments

Our multi-camera setup

The cameraman in action

I think his t-shirt sums it all up.  At Wabash, you do not have to wait to get involved in whatever you want to explore.  It’s all right here.  Just jump in!

That’s 3 Degrees

Had a chance to talk to freshman Alex Hernandez (That’s Class of 2016!!!) last night before he participated in a small focus group for the NAWM board.

Alex is here from “Da Region” – but the other “region” – South Texas.

Alex just pledged Kappa Sigma and is getting used to pledgeship and the transition from independent to a fraternity member.  Alex credits Chip Timmons ’96 for introducing him to Wabash and helping him through the process.

At the time of our meeting, the temperature outside was a balmy 12 degrees.  At that point Alex noted he was really cold – “this is the lowest temperature I have ever seen”, he said.

Checked my phone this AM – 3 degrees – and thought of Alex.  He has a new personal best!

Took these at the Max Servies Wrestling Meeting last weekend.  These young ladies would steal any Wally’s heart.

Look at those eyes and the pearls

Pearls and a rose!

Prof. Wally Novak’s daughter…she’s always photogenic.

Playing at a Pro level

As many of you know, Wabash made the move to purchase good equipment for doing web broadcasts of different events on campus.  In these photos, you get an inside look at the crew, behind the scenes, doing the Wittenberg game.

It’s serious work!

Check it out.  Sound control and balance, several cameras.  That equals cool and challenging.  Adam Bowen, director of the Media Center, is the master at these things and he has our guys learning the right way – good equipment plus hands on learning.

Serious learning in a different classroom.