Torchlite
December 2008 For a printable version, click
here.
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Students and alumni took part in a Hurricane Ike clean-up in Galveston on Nov. 15, a project of S.A.U.C.E.Y! (Students and Alumni Unite in Civic Engagement. Yeah!), organized by the Jon and Sandra Moline Center for Servant Leadership and the Office of Alumni Relations. S.A.U.C.E.Y! encourages alumni to suggest and volunteer for community service projects in their cities. There are plans for future trips to help those on Galveston Island who are still in need of help. For more information, contact Taylor Carleton (tcarleton@tlu.edu), alumni director, or Tim Barr (tbarr@tlu.edu), Moline Center director.
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TLU Today
Winter Commencement – Dr. David Wasmund will deliver the commencement address at Texas Lutheran’s winter graduation Dec. 13. Dr. Wasmund, professor of chemistry and holder of the Adolph Krause Professorship in Natural Science at TLU, will retire from the university at the end of this academic year.
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| Wasmund |
Wasmund holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and a doctorate from Southern Illinois University. He came to Texas Lutheran in 1976 and was given the Distinguished Faculty Award by the Texas Lutheran Alumni Association in 1994. He was named Freshman Professor of the Year in 1995, 2005 and 2007 by Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society for First Year Students.
A scientific consultant for several companies, including Pure & Gentle Soap Products in Seguin and Southern Clay Products in Gonzales, Wasmund has an active research program involving the synthesis of titanium complexes. Over the years he has involved numerous students in his research, mentoring and guiding them as they have presented papers at chemistry conferences and gone on to earn advanced degrees.
TLU’s winter commencement ceremonies will begin with baccalaureate in the Chapel of the Abiding Presence at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 13, and graduation at 3 p.m. in Jackson Auditorium. Tickets are required. Approximately 80 students are expected to graduate.
Walt Wangerin to speak – Plan now to attend a lecture by award winning author Walter Wangerin Jr. on Jan 21, 2009. Wangerin will deliver a homily at the Chapel of the Abiding Presence at 10 a.m. and a lecture, at 7 p.m. in Jackson Auditorium. Both events are free and open to the public.
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| Wangerin |
Wangerin has worked as a university professor, an announcer for “Lutheran Vespers” radio program, and a pastor of an inner-city church. He is a contributing writer for
The Lutheran magazine; a frequent speaker throughout the nation on topics of faith, story telling, and writing; and a prolific author with than 40 books encompassing a variety of genre: fiction, essay, short essay, children’s story, meditation, and biblical exposition. Wangerin has won the National Book Award, New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year Award, and several Gold Medallions, including best-fiction awards for the
Book of God and Paul: A Novel.
His most recent work released last May is
Father and Son: Finding Freedom, which is written with his son Matthew. The book tells each writer’s personal story and the relationship of fathers and sons, and it is a meditation on fatherly love and a son’s independence.
In February 2008, Wangerin also released the illustrated children’s story,
I Am My Grandpa’s Enkelin, an original tale told by a granddaughter looking back at all that her German-American grandpa taught her.
After earning a B.A. from Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Ind., Wangerin attended Miami University of Ohio where he earned a master of arts degree. He also earned a master of divinity degree from Christ Seminary-Seminex in St. Louis.
Wangerin was speaker for the Lutheran Vespers radio program from 1994 through January 2005 and served as an inner-city pastor in Evansville, Indiana for 16 years before joining the faculty of Valparaiso University in 1991 as the Emil and Elfriede Jochum University professor. He holds professorships in the English and theology departments at Valparaiso.
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Growing & Giving
December is a great month to purchase a brick in Alumni Park to honor the December and Spring graduates or as a great gift for the hard to buy for alumnus! Orders must be placed before Jan. 15 for the brick to be installed in Alumni Park by Spring Commencement. Order at
www.tlu.edu or call the alumni relations office 830-372-8037.
The development office will close for the New Year’s Holiday at 5 p.m. Dec. 30 and will reopen at 8 a.m. Jan. 5. If you wish to make an end of the year gift on Wednesday, Dec. 31, please consider giving online by clicking here (Giving to TLU and Event Registration). If you wish to hand deliver your gift, please stop by the office before 5 p.m. Dec. 30. We appreciate your generosity.
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Happenings
Christmas Vespers 7:30 p.m., Dec. 5, 6
4 p.m., Dec. 7
Jackson Auditorium
(Tickets required)
President's Associates Dinner 5:30 p.m., Dec. 7
Hein Dining Hall
Winter Baccalaureate 10:30 a.m., Dec. 13
Chapel of the Abiding Presence
Winter Commencement 3 p.m., Dec. 13
Jackson Auditorium
For more information on these and other TLU events, to update your contact information, or to receive e-mail notification of Torchlite, please e-mail
alumni@tlu.edu, or call 830-372-8026.
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