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Next Meeting:
When:Friday, November 8, 2019
Where:The Lansing Center, First Floor
Time:Noon
Speaker:Bill Beekman, Athletic Director at MSU
Title: "MSU Athletics:  25 Varsity Sports and Over 700 Athletes, It's More Than a Game"
Chair of the Day:Janet Lillie
Invocator:Barb Whitney
Greeter:Justin Sheehan
Chair of the Month: Janet Lillie
Remembrance:Diane Sanborn
Editarian:Chris Swope
Biography for Bill Beekman
Bill Beekman officially assumed the role of MSU’s 19th athletics director on July 17, 2018. He was appointed interim athletic director on Feb. 5, 2018, before taking over the position full time.
 
Beekman is responsible for oversight of MSU’s 25 varsity sports teams as well as the care of more than 700 Spartan student-athletes. He provides leadership in the areas of sports management, game operations, financial administration, personnel, advancement, corporate interaction, facility management, marketing and communication.
 
In his first full season as athletic director, the men’s basketball team advanced to the Final Four and won Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, men’s soccer reached the College Cup for the first time since 1968, and the football team earned a bowl bid for the 11th time in the past 12 seasons. In addition, the men’s and women’s golf teams both played in the NCAA Regionals, the women’s cross country team placed 11th at the NCAA Championships, and the women’s basketball team earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time under head coach Suzy Merchant.
 
The Spartans were just as impressive off the field, posting the highest all-time cumulative grade-point average (3.1771) in the history of the athletic department during the 2019 spring semester. It also marked the 17th consecutive semester the department has achieved over a 3.00 cumulative GPA. Nineteen teams delivered a cumulative GPA over a 3.0, tying a department record, and an all-time high 88 students posted a perfect 4.0 semester GPA in the spring semester of 2019. Six student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors and 316 were recognized on the Academic All-Big Ten team. In addition, the men’s basketball, men’s swimming and diving and volleyball programs earned NCAA APR Public Recognition Awards (ranked among the top 10 percent of their sports in the most recent Academic Progress Rate results).
 
Michigan State also measured at an all-time department high of 88 percent according to the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in 2018-19. The men’s basketball program produced a perfect 100 percent GSR and the football program posted its all-time high GSR of 82 percent in the most recent NCAA figures that were released in November 2018 (graduation rates for classes 2008-11). MSU Athletics is succeeding at record levels in the Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) as well, posting record highs in both the four-year (75 percent) and single-year (80 percent) marks. The single-year 80 percent FGR topped the general student population for the first time (79 percent).
 
An MSU alumnus, Beekman has served his alma mater since 1995, assuming his most previous recent role as vice president and secretary of the Board of Trustees in 2008. Previously, he served as executive director of the MSU Alumni Association, senior adviser to the provost and assistant dean for finance in the College of Human Medicine. Beekman also served briefly as acting president at Michigan State University in January 2018.
 
Beekman received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, his Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School, and his undergraduate degree in justice, morality and constitutional democracy from James Madison College at MSU.
Veterans from the Rotary Club of Lansing
 
Kenneth BeachlerArmy/Navy
Darwin BrewsterAir Force
Michael CavanaughArmy
Frank CherfArmy WW II
Michael ClarkNavy
Donald ColizziMarines
Jefferey ConnellArmy
Robert CorwinArmy
Jack DavisArmy
Jeffrey DettloffNavy
James DixonNavy
Jack DraperMarines
Lars Egede-NissenNavy
Ronald FlinnArmy
John Grettenberger, Sr.Navy
Rick GuilfordAir Force
Kurt GuterArmy
Donald HinesNavy
Joel HoffmanNavy
Paul LinnellNavy
James McGillicuddyAir Force & Army
Irv NicholsNavy
George NugentArmy
David O'LearyArmy
Ronald SeelyAir Force
Ronald SchuonArmy
Dean SienkoArmy
Curt SonnenbergArmy
J. Clyde SpencerArmy
Craig SpencerNavy
John StephensonMarines
Craig StilesArmy
Frank Tegge25th infantry Div.
Duane VernonArmy
If anyone has been missed, please email:   cathy@lansingrotary.com
International Committee Grant Proposals
If you have an International Project Grant Proposal, the link is below to submit your application.  The deadline is November 8th, 2019 for this fiscal year 2019-2020If you have questions, please don't hesitate to emailattorney@sonnenberglaw.comThank you,
 
Editarian Report for November 1, 2019
After a 4 week hiatus, we were back in familiar digs, our Friday home away from home, the Lansing Center. They were so happy to see us the rolled out the red carpet, but rolled up the parking lot as there were precious few spots left for Rotarians. President Patrick Hanes called our meeting to order and Bob Hoffman gave an invocation which roughly translated was, “Life’s the greatest party to which you’ll be invited, try to enjoy the ride.” We sang God Bless America once again accompanied by John Dale Smith.
 
There were a few guests and visiting Rotarians sprinkled in the crowd and Rachelle Neal made sure they each were given their due. Diane Sanborn sounded like a broken record with her weekly report that the health of the club is once again good (knock on wood). President Pat reminded us to not forget to move our clocks ahead an hour this weekend. It’s ironic when a lawyer lectures you about how many hours there are in a day. (I was in bed for 7 hours Saturday night, but when I woke up it was EIGHT HOURS LATER!!!! Somebody’s getting billed for that time). Pat gave Curt Sonnenberg a minute to make an announcement about our Foundation’s upcoming deadline for submitting International Grant Applications. Curt took 5. Whether its 30 seconds or a minute, Pat’s perception of time at the podium rivals that of Salvador Dali.
We were treated to the new member presentation of Scott Wheaton. He’s only been around for 20 years so he focused on just the last 15. A realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, Scott’s love of sales was discovered at an early age (12), but his love for giving back to the community took until his later teens to develop. He sees in Rotary and Big Brothers-Big Sisters a way to give back to the community. I’m thinking he must hold a record with our Club as the youngest new member. Anyway, the red badge was replaced with the blue one so the training wheels are off! We were then treated to Special Music, 3 piano solos from Caroline Beachler, Hail Mary, Allelujah and the irresistibly joyful, Mamma Mia. Her father Tony Beachler introduced her. And yes, they are related to Ken, aka, “Unk” to Tony.
 
With that, Janet Lillie introduced Distinguished Professor Dr. Wolfgang Bauer of MSU. Distinguished Professor is the accolade for one who has been highly recognized in both the classroom and research arenas on a national and international level. “Go Green” was the title of his presentation but we didn’t respond with “Go White” because the focus of his speech was how environmental “green” and monetary “green” are being maximized at MSU. First up, climate change. It is real. It is measurable. We should probably listen to the scientists on this one. From the beginning of measurable history through the end of roughly the 19th century, atmospheric CO2 didn’t exceed 280 ppm. We’re now at 410 pushing to 420 ppm. The people on the planet, living right now, have created more greenhouse gases than all of the world’s deceased inhabitants combined. The advent of the use of coal in the 1750's and the industrial revolution marked major turning points. At the equivalent of 50,000 households, MSU’s energy usage leaves both an environmental and fiscal mark. We were treated to pictures of MSU food waste en route to MSU’s anaerobic digester (always fun after lunch). The digester ferments waste (burp) creating biogas which is then burned to generate electricity. MSU also uses 40,000 3' x 6' panels to re-green (pasturize?) 5,000 asphalt parking spots generating enough electricity to run 1,800 households (roughly 5% of MSU’s energy budget). Not content with just operating car pastures, MSU is electrifying its sheep pasture with a 100 acre project that is currently (get it?) out for baaahbid. MSU’s not sheepish about the fact that this will lock in energy costs at 1/3rd the cost of retail for the next 25 years. The traditional Rotary coin was given to our speaker, a donation was made on his behalf for clean water and we were sent on our way for the weekend. Have a great week all!
 
Kevin Schumacher's email is:  Schumacher@glassenrhead.com
Speakers
Nov 15, 2019
Institute for Quantitative Health & Science @ Lansing Center
Nov 22, 2019
"The MSU Union: A Storied Past, Inspired Future" @ Lansing Center
Nov 29, 2019
Dec 06, 2019
at the Lansing Center, First Floor
View entire list
Rotary Club of Lansing
P. O. Box 13156
Lansing, MI   48901-3156
Meeting Responsibilities
Chair of the Day
Lillie, Janet
 
Invocator
Whitney, Barb
 
Greeter
Sheehan, Justin
 
November Birthday Chair
Adams, Timothy
 
Remembrance
Sanborn, Diane
 
Editarian
Swope, Chris
 
Chair of the Month
Lillie, Janet