A Texas Wesleyan University - Office of Communications Publication

August 23, 2006 

Texas Wesleyan Pre-Professional Program Gets $100,000 Grant from M.D. Anderson Foundation

The M.D. Anderson Foundation has once again renewed its commitment to the Texas Wesleyan Pre-Professional Program through a grant of $50,000 per year for two years. With this $100,000 award, the Fall 2006 semester marks the 26th anniversary of the Foundation's support, through which thousands of students seeking careers in the "helping" professions have received additional enrichment activities, including guest speakers, ethical studies, test preparation (LSAT, MCAT, etc), individual counseling, and mentoring.

     The 3PR Program is an integrated four-year program that prepares students for careers in medicine, law, dentistry, ministry, business, allied health professions, clinical/counseling, psychology, and university/college teaching. The program has been instrumental in strengthening the University's recruitment and retention of students and is well-known throughout the community for its success in preparing students for graduate school and their future professions.

Aramark Begins Food Service at Texas Wesleyan

With the new food service by Aramark this fall, several changes will be noticeable on campus. Three facilities will serve the campus community: Dora Residential Restaurant, Java City, and C3 Express. Aramark management and staff will hold a Meet and Greet in September for faculty and staff; watch The Wesleyan Flame for more details.

Academic Convocation Tuesday, August 29

The fall semester's Academic Convocation will be at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, in Polytechnic United Methodist Church. Anne Skipper, BA '78, chair of the Board of Trustees, will be the keynote speaker.

Wesleyan Chorale Begins August 28  

The Wesleyan Chorale begins rehearsals August 28 for its third season. The Chorale will begin work on Mendelssohn's Elijah, to be performed in November, at its first rehearsal from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Monday, August 28, in Martin Hall. The Wesleyan Chorale ensemble is comprised of music students, alumni, faculty and staff, and is intended to give a University community experience for all those interested in singing quality choral music. Anyone interested in singing with the choir this fall should email Steve Simons, director of the chorale, or attend the rehearsal on August 28. Music to Elijah will be provided.

Summer Reading Clinic Ends

After three weeks of intense work, the Summer Reading Clinic ended Monday, July 24, with an Authors' Tea, during which 14 participating children performed or presented material from their clinic experience. Each summer since the 1980s, master's students in the reading specialization with the School of Education have conducted a summer clinic for children in the community. The Summer Reading Clinic was designed to be a community service that fosters and enriches literacy development. Children work one-on-one with certified Texas Wesleyan master's students to address specific reading challenges and reinforce effective strategies. Children range in age from 5 to 14 and the program serves from 10 to 35 children each summer, depending on Texas Wesleyan class enrollment. The program was started by Dr. Chris Baker in the 1980s and has continued under the direction of reading instructors Dr. Cynda Mast, Dr. Twyla Miranda (who managed the project for 10 years) and Dr. Lisa Dryden, the current project manager.

Alexander Presents Paper at Academy of Management Annual Conference

Pati Alexander, vice president of enrollment and student services, co-presented a paper, "Did the Organizational Culture Really Change? Show Me the Data!" with Dr. Karen Whelan-Berry, associate professor at Utah Valley State, on August 16 at the Academy of Management's annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia.