Tech Topics - Winter 2008 - (Page 7)

LETTERS FROM THE PUBLISHER Dancing in the Rain On Aug. 12, Jay Owen, HTS 03, and his brother, Reid Owen, expected to become just the fifth two-person relay to swim across the English Channel. Unfortunately, the British weather had another idea. Instead, the brothers swam 26.4 miles, the approximate distance of most English Channel crossings, in Dover Harbor. The swim was the main fundraising event for the Caroline Can! campaign founded by the Owen family. The goal is to endow a continuing education scholarship for therapists at the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center in Knoxville, Tenn., where Jay and Reid’s sister, Caroline, receives therapy for a traumatic brain injury suffered in a car accident in November 2006. When we left for England, the family had raised more than $42,000. Caroline has a quote book that she has been keeping since well before her accident. One of her favorites has always been: “Life is not about staying out of the storm, it is about learning to dance in the rain.” Jay and Reid had traveled to England in order to honor Caroline by swimming 26 miles. As friends and family, including Caroline, gathered to watch, Jay and Reid spent seven hours and 36 minutes swimming in the harbor. They weren’t in France when they stopped swimming, but everyone was dancing in the rain. Whitney Setzer Owen, IntA 03, wife of Jay Owen Falls Church, Va. Focusing on our Mission, Goals T he economic climate has everyone concerned, and it doesn’t look like things will settle down anytime soon. The state of Georgia’s tax receipts continue to trend down significantly, and the Board of Regents is cutting funding to all 34 universities in the system. Georgia Tech’s current budget reduction target is $16 million, which equates to a 6 percent reduction of state support (roughly 25 percent of Tech’s revenue base). And it’s very possible that the number will rise. The reductions are being strategically managed by the Institute with a focus on protecting the core academic mission. Our Association’s revenue streams are “under the gun” like everyone else’s. At the very least, we’re looking at a 5 percent to 7 percent shortfall in revenues. As a nonprofit corporation that essentially lives “hand to mouth,” it’s significant. Like all businesses, we’ll continuously evaluate and manage to the reality of what we’re faced with as we go along. We’re keeping three ideals in mind: 1. Focus on our core mission of serving and supporting the alumni and the Institute. 2. Focus on the most important strategies and goals. 3. Look for ways to reduce operating costs without reducing the quality of what we do. Your support of the Association at this time is crucial. You can help by advertising with us in our alumni publications and/or BUZZwords to help build your own business. You can help us by sponsoring events, participating in our activities and looking for ways to connect us to other potential business partners. You can help us by using our products and services, whether it’s the official Our First Ride in a Squad Car We thoroughly enjoyed the Homecoming band concert at the Ferst Center. Our granddaughter, Julie Champion, plays in the band, so we were happy to get to see her after the concert. Later, we walked to the stadium for Buzz Bash. We stayed about an hour and enjoyed it all — even the loud music. My wife, Judy, and I were going to walk back to the Georgia Tech Hotel. At the exit of Buzz Bash stood two of Tech’s finest. In complete jest, I said to them, “Would one of you like to escort us back to our hotel?” One of the police officers said, “Of course. Which hotel are you staying in?” I told him, and he said, “Come with me.” We walked out to North Avenue, where police cars were parked with blue lights flashing to block a lane. The officer opened the rear door of his cruiser and invited us to get in. Neither of us had ever been in a police car before, and we were very amused by this prospect. We did not realize that the rear of a police car is a very narrow and very hard plastic shelf. We managed to get in and proceeded to the hotel having a delightful conversation with this very nice officer. I am sorry to say I did not get his name. I’m also sorry we lost the game to Virginia, but we had a great weekend and are still talking about our first ride in a police car. Paul H. Williams, ChE 60 Charlotte, N.C. Jake Rudolph’s Tackle It was good of you to recall Jake Rudolph’s famous 1952 football tackle in his obituary in your Fall issue. Near game’s end, Alabama had the ball on Tech’s 4-yard line and first down. Alabama was now all set to score. On fourth down, here came big running back Bobby Marlowe around the left end, lugging the ball with nothing but daylight in front of him. Little Jake Rudolph (the Mouse) came in from the safety position and hit Marlowe in the knees, converting the running back’s lateral energy into rotational energy and dropping Marlowe to the ground. After four downs, Alabama was still on the 4-yard line. Jake’s hit preserved the 7-3 score. Jake was small! On that tackle, he was knocked unconscious. God rest his soul. Stephen Barilovits, EE 52, MS EE 52 Mauldin, S.C. Our Association’s revenue streams are “under the gun” like everyone else’s. At the very least, we’re looking at a 5 percent to 7 percent shortfall in revenues. Georgia Tech credit card or our sponsors like Gas South and AirTran. You can hire other Georgia Tech alumni through JacketNet Jobs. Thank you in advance for supporting Tech and for supporting your Association. Joseph P. Irwin President Georgia Tech Alumni Association TechTopics | Winter 2008 7

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Tech Topics - Winter 2008 Contents Letters Buzz Around Town Alumni House Rockin’ Good Time State of the Institute The Hill Presidential Search Going Airborne Student Life An Architect’s Eyes Weight Coach Robot Burdell & Friends Ramblin’ Roll Rural Readers Leading Ladies Yellow Jackets Beyond His Years Leading Change Real World

Tech Topics - Winter 2008

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