April 18, 2008

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Michigan News

The Dalai Lama will make his long-awaited return to U-M this weekend, delivering the annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on Sustainability at Crisler Arena on Sunday afternoon. Free tickets for the 2 p.m. lecture vanished in less than three hours when they were handed out last month. If you're not among the lucky ticketholders, you can view live streaming video of the lecture.

The Alumni Association is sponsoring the inaugural Michigan Alumni Community Service Day on Saturday, April 26. More than two dozen alumni clubs around the country will participate in local service events, ranging from 5K walks to cleaning up beaches and volunteering at food pantries. Go online to find out what your local club is doing and to get involved.

A new chapter of Michigan football begins this fall—and you can get ahead of the game by meeting new head football coach Rich Rodriguez. Make plans to join alumni and friends of the University at a reception featuring "Coach Rod," Athletic Director Bill Martin and Alumni Association President Steve Grafton. Join us in Detroit, Chicago, New York City, San Diego or Los Angeles, beginning Thursday, April 17, and continuing through Thursday, May 1. These special events are brought to you by the Alumni Association and the University's Athletic Department—exclusively for members of the Alumni Association, Victors Club donors and donors in U-M's Presidential Societies. Tickets are going fast—get yours now.

AAUM Member Benefits

For great Mother's Day gift ideas, turn to the Alumni Store. Our selection ranges from clothing to books, CDs and electronics. The Vineyard Vines Michigan Classic Tote, the newest arrival to the Alumni Store, is a great gift and the perfect accessory for our Campus Chinos collection of Michigan capris, skirts and shorts. Top off this great look with a silk reversible belt by Colony Sportswear. And don't forget that Alumni Association members get discounts on most items. To ensure delivery by Sunday, May 11, your order must be received by Friday, May 2, at noon Eastern time. For the complete selection of merchandise, visit the Alumni Store.

The Alumni Association provides educational content on-demand and on-the-go. Listen to speeches, lectures, interviews, special events and more. It's one more way we connect you to the University of Michigan. New podcasts include:

• Career Enhancement Series on career changes and rethinking your career path
• "You've Been Poked," a forum on online privacy
• Alumni Profile Series featuring Aaron Hurst, '96, founder of the Taproot Foundation
• Center for the Child and the Family lecture series on attention difficulties

To listen or see the selection of podcasts, visit the True Blue Podsquad. You can also find all of these and other U-M podcasts on the new University of Michigan site on iTunes at www.itunes.umich.edu.

The Alumni Association is hosting two special events in Ann Arbor. Looking for an event in your area? There are more than 70 alumni clubs in the United States that offer a wide variety of events. Find out what your local club is up to online.

• Thursday, April 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thirsty Thursday happy hour. Join Ann Arbor-area alumni for a free happy hour and networking event. We'll be in the Celtic Room at Conor O'Neill's Irish Pub and will have complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, chances to win prizes, and music by DJ Matt Styles. More than 150 alumni attended the last happy hour. Please bring business cards if you're interested in making connections. Conor O'Neill's Irish Pub, 318 S. Main St., Ann Arbor.
• Sunday, May 4, 1:30 p.m., Alumni Day at "Seussical," a musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss. The event is at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor and features discounted tickets to the performance, plus a special meet-and-greet reception with select characters after the show. This is a great way to experience live musical theater with your kids and enjoy the camaraderie of U-M alumni. Discounted tickets for the performance and the post-performance receptions with the characters are $12 each for AAUM members and their families, $17 each for nonmembers and their families. Tickets can be purchased only through the AAUM.

Science & Health

With the founding of a new Depression Center at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, a national effort to link centers focused on depression and bipolar disorder has shifted into full gear. John Greden, MD, is executive director of the U-M Depression Center, which became the nation's first comprehensive depression center in 2001. A national network has been the vision for depression treatment since the center's founding, he said. Cancer centers and heart centers have been cooperating for decades, and there's similar potential for treating depression. The two centers, along with others being planned at more than a dozen universities across the country, will soon form the National Network of Depression Centers. "Together, we will conquer these disorders," Greden said.

True Blue Travel

Begin your trip to the stunning cities of Prague, Budapest, Vienna with a festive welcome-to-Prague reception. The next day, a local expert introduces the graceful City of a Hundred Spires. Then it's off to Vienna; along the way you'll travel through Bohemian wine country and marvel at vineyards, castles and monasteries. In Vienna, you'll see the Houses of Parliament and the important historic buildings along the Ringstrasse. Cap off your trip in Budapest, where you'll see its many landmarks, including Heroes' Square, the Castle District, the Parliament and the Fisherman's Bastion. Learn more about this trip and the rest of our True Blue Travel collection online.

Sports

The No. 5 women's gymnastics team traveled all the way to Oregon to punch its ticket to the program's 16th consecutive NCAA Championships in a row, finishing second at the NCAA West Regional with a 196.375 Saturday night. Host No. 8 Oregon State (197.100) won the meet to claim its first regional title since 1992. Fifth-year senior Lindsey Bruck took runner-up in the all-around with a 39.375, tying for second on the balance beam (9.900) and third on the floor exercise (9.875), while sophomore Sarah Curtis was third in the all-around with a 39.350, placing third on the uneven bars (9.850) and tying for third on floor (9.875). Georgia will host the NCAA Championships April 24-26.

Despite the hockey team's loss to Notre Dame Thursday, April 10, in the Frozen Four, senior forward Kevin Porter has come up the big winner. The day after the loss, Porter was named the 28th recipient of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, college hockey's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Four days later Porter signed an entry-level contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. He graduates from U-M Saturday, April 26.

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Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, 200 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor, MI, 734.764.0384, 800.847.4764, malumni@umich.edu