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Colorado College Bulletin

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HOME PAGE features a series of brief articles on recent happenings at Colorado College. This issue includes stories on new faces at Tutt Alumni House, Benezet/Riley/Worner awards, Bemis Hall restorations, a Beta reunion, and hall of fame inducted eighth class.

New faces at Tutt House

Karrie Williams, the new alumni director, has worked at CC since 1995 as editor of the alumni magazine and associate director of college relations. She joined the Tutt House staff in October 2001, and reports to Diane Brown Benninghoff '68, now senior advancement officer for alumni and parent programs. Karrie works closely with the Alumni Association Board, reunion classes, the nominating and international committees and the Alumni Leadership Forum.

Lori Ann Summers, a South Carolina native, joined the staff as alumni relations officer in July 2001. She oversees event planning, coordinates the 50 Year Club and works with Homecoming and travel programs for alumni. She has spent much of her career in the nonprofit arena, including positions with the American Red Cross, Special Olympics and Girl Scouts of America. Contact Lori Ann, Karrie and other Tutt House staff at (800) 852-6519 or alumni@coloradocollege.edu

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Distinguished Alumni and Faculty Emeriti Recognized

Pictured right: After the Alumni Awards ceremony, President Kathryn Mohrman congratulates Professor Ray Werner, left, Ron Rubin '73, Professor William Fischer, and Thomas Malone '65.

Two alumni and two retired faculty members were honored for professional excellence in an awards ceremony during Homecoming Weekend in October. The college’s Alumni Association presents three types of awards each year to recognize faculty or staff members who inspire students to achieve as well as former students who are proof of the college’s success.

This year, the Louis T. Benezet Award for career achievement went to Thomas C. Malone ’65, an expert on marine ecosystem dynamics, phytoplankton ecology, and coastal eutrophication. His work in global environmental studies has helped provide the data required for rapid detection and reliable predictions of the effects of global climate change and human activities on ecosystems. He has directed the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Environmental Laboratory for 11 years.

The Lloyd E. Worner Award for service to the college went to Ron Rubin ’73, whose contributions have included challenging tasks like planning reunions, raising money, and serving in many capacities on the Alumni Association board as well as less demanding tasks such as wearing the Tiger mascot suit. Through his varied work as an extraordinarily dedicated CC volunteer, Rubin has devoted enormous time, energy and wisdom to his alma mater.

The Gresham Riley Award for outstanding commitment to the college community was presented to two retired professors, Dr. William A. Fischer and Dr. Ray O. Werner. Dr. Fischer, a professor of geology at CC from 1949 to 1982, brought his love of fieldwork and his enthusiasm for integrating teaching and research to the college after his own fieldwork as an oilfield geologist and Yellowstone Park naturalist. One of Dr. Fischer’s longest projects was leading students in excavating the site of an ancient lagoon near Canon City, unearthing a number of 450 million-year-old fossils previously unknown in the area.

As a professor of economics from 1948 to 1987, Dr. Ray O. Werner set high standards for his students, insisting on clear thinking and communication. His legendary panel discussion examinations tested students’ in-depth understanding of a topic and developed their self-confidence. Dr. Werner developed several economics courses for CC and started the interdisciplinary major in Political Economy, as well as serving as debate coach and supporting the college’s athletics program.

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Grants Help Restore Bemis Hall

One great need which has become more and more apparent with the rapid growth that has come during the past four years is a place where the men and women of the College can come together under dignified and cultivated conditions. Colorado College stands, among other things, for a refined social life, and part of its educational value is the influence which it exerts as a center of such cultivation.
— The Tiger 9/13/08, regarding the soon-to-be dedicated Bemis Hall

Bemis Hall has played an important role in the social life of generations of CC students. Now, to ensure the structural health of this monumental women’s dormitory and to preserve its grand history, the college has embarked on a comprehensive preservation and rehabilitation project.

The first phase of this project was the restoration of the building’s slate roof, badly damaged by almost 100 years of harsh Colorado winters. That project, completed in September 2001, will be followed by restoration and repair of the exterior windows and woodwork.

In addition to substantial institutional investment in these projects, the college has received two generous grants from the Colorado State Historical Fund, the funding arm of the Colorado Historical Society, whose mission is “to foster heritage preservation through tangible and highly visible projects for direct and demonstrable public benefit.” The Fund has also provided grants for many other restoration projects at the college, including restoration of the Cutler Hall roof and cupola.

--Andrea Lucard

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Betas Host Reunion, Establish Endowment

By Patrick Gorman ’87

A handful of CC Betas from the classes of '84 – '87 gathered at a New York City Italian restaurant in February 2001, and after much cavorting, decided it had been too long since we had seen each other. A reunion was in order!

Justin Magruder, Beta president in '85, created a web site to inform all interested parties, and contacted several former Beta presidents, including Jim Johnson ’82, Eric “Stretch” (formerly Marshall) Arnston '83, Rick Endacott ’84, Mike Russell '86 and Patrick Gorman '87. Via e-mail, we started putting together the reunion.

Justin visited CC and paved our ways with administration contacts. David Haraway took the lead for the Development Office, and through his magic, CC agreed to provide the former Beta House for a cocktail party. We, in turn, decided to show our appreciation by establishing an endowment at the college. The success that followed, we are told, represented uncharted territory for CC by fundraising around a single organization, across classes.

To date, we have raised $11,500, with pledged gifts that will bring us near $15,000. Inasmuch as we were soliciting donations from people who had not made supporting CC a habit, we were happily surprised by the enduring loyalty of our fraternity brothers, easily surpassing our initial goal of $5,000. Betas have committed to building this endowment for the next few years until it is large enough ($50,000) to continue to grow while providing a worthy student or organization with significant funding.

As for the reunion, 75 Betas from all over the country congregated back at 1001 N. Nevada Ave for a cookout, a few beers, old movies of Beta parties, and general reminiscing — telling all kinds of stories with no basis in fact.

The next afternoon, we assembled at a local deli, Wooglin's — named by its former Beta owner for the fraternal spirit that binds us —and headed to our old campsite in the Tarryall Mountains. Stretch and Steve Gichner '87 cooked Colorado Black Angus beef over an open fire while we relaxed, enjoyed the view, and laughed a lot.

Unanimously, we passed a resolution to do it all over again. Next gathering: CC’s Homecoming in October 2002.

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Hall of Fame to Induct Eight Class

By Dave Moross, sports information director
Colorado College will officially induct the eighth class into its Athletics Hall of Fame on April 27, 2002.

This year’s list of honorees represents a wide range of eras, from football and track legend H.R. Vandemoer ’13 to women’s soccer star Tara Nott ’94. It also casts two other Tiger programs in the limelight, with the induction of hockey standout Dave Delich ’79 and lacrosse captain Jim Soran ’74. William J. Hybl ’64, chairman of the El Pomar Foundation and major supporter of CC athletics, joins longtime benefactor George Lyon in rounding out the 2002 class.

In alphabetical order, the inductees are:

Dave Delich, who remains the hockey program’s all-time leader in career points (285) and assists (174). Delich also was a member of the 1979-80 U.S. national team during its pre-Olympic tour, which culminated in a gold medal at Lake Placid, N.Y. He went on to skate for Team USA at the 1983 IIHF World Championships in Tokyo, helping the Americans finish first in pool B play and qualify for the 1984 Olympics with a 5-0-1 record. A two-time all-WCHA selection during his college career, Delich won the league scoring championship as a senior in 1978-79, when he amassed 70 points (25 goals and 45 assists) in 30 league games. He finished with 84 points (32 goals, 52 assists) overall that season, another school record which still stands.

William J. Hybl, chairman and CEO of the El Pomar Foundation, which has strongly supported the CC hockey program for decades. He ranks among the college’s most distinguished graduates and former trustees, and was a member of the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2000. Hybl currently serves as U.S. Representative Designee to the General Assembly of the United Nations. His resume includes stints as a member of the International Olympic Committee and as president of the U.S. Olympic Committee (1996 - 2000). During his four years at the USOC helm, he presided over our nation’s most successful Olympics held on foreign soil, in Sydney, Australia. He is also the father of B.J. Hybl ’91.

George Lyon, who served on the Board of Trustees from 1985 until his death in 1992. Lyon was deeply committed to the principles of a strong athletics program in the liberal arts environment, and ardently supported CC football and hockey. The Carle Weight Room and Fitness Center, as well as upgrades to Juan Reid Gymnasium, became reality in the 1990s due largely to his efforts. In 1994, a new athletic awards display in the El Pomar Sports Center was dedicated in memory of all he did for CC athletics. Although he did not attend Colorado College, Lyon was the father of two CC alumni, Susan Shunk ’78 and David Lyon ’88.

Tara Nott, who started on the women’s soccer team all four of her years at Colorado College (1990-93), went on to become a world-class weightlifter and won Olympic gold at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney — the first weightlifting gold for the U.S. since 1960. As a senior in 1993, Nott served as captain of the soccer team and led the Tigers in scoring with 12 goals and three assists for 27 points. A versatile athlete who played forward, midfield and defense, she still ranks among the program’s top 10 in all-time goals (tied for sixth with 21) and total points (seventh with 54).

Jim Soran played only three seasons of lacrosse, yet still ranks twelfth on CC’s all-time scoring list with 156 career points, including 85 goals. Only six Tigers, all of whom played four years, have recorded more assists than he did (71). Soran served as lacrosse team captain his junior and senior years, and played varsity football for two seasons (1972 and 1973). Now a successful attorney in Denver, Soran coaches lacrosse at Regis High School. He has helped organize and run the world’s largest lacrosse tournament in Vail, Colorado, each summer since graduating in 1974. Soran also is a former chair of the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

H.R. Vandemoer, who captained the Tiger gridders to an undefeated season (7-0) in 1910, also was a standout for the CC baseball and track teams. In football, he earned All-Rocky Mountain Conference honors as an end and a halfback in an era that included games against universities such as Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In one dual track and field meet with CU-Boulder, he set school records in the 100-yard and 220-yard dashes as well as the broad jump. Three of his children — Herb Vandemoer ’44, Nancy Vandemoer Hill ’48 and Marion Vandemoer ’52 — also graduated from Colorado College.

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