Metro State has its 40th anniversary during the 2005-06 academic year and planning for the months-long celebration has begun.

Interim President Ray Kieft has formed a 40th anniversary planning committee, co-chaired by Cathy Lucas, interim assistant vice president for College Communications, Joan McDermott, director of Athletics, and Cherrelyn Napue, director of Alumni Relations.

The committee has held several meetings so far and has created a theme and a logo for the anniversary: 40 years, one great college.

According to Lucas, one event that already has been scheduled is the celebration's kick off "A Night of Legends and Champions," a concert by Brian Wilson at the Universal Lending Pavilion August 26 to benefit scholarships for Metro State student athletes. Watch for details in future editions of This Week @Metro.

"There will be other special 40th anniversary events," Lucas said. "For instance, we're planning a Founders Day that will also serve as Stephen Jordan's investiture as Metro State's 15th president. We'll tie in annual events as well, such as commencement and the Rachel Noel visiting professorship."

The committee will be compiling a list of 40 great Metro State accomplishments over the years, which will include programs and people, for instance faculty who've achieved national recognition, up-and-coming students and alumni who are leaders.

"There are so many outstanding accomplishments, it's going to be hard whittling the list down to 40," Lucas said. "But with the range of faculty, staff and students we have on the committee, I'm sure we'll come up with a list that the college can really boast about."

If you'd like to submit an idea to the committee, please contact one of the following committee members:

Co-Chairs:
Chair: Cathy Lucas, Interim Assistant Vice President for College Communications, lucascat@mscd.edu
Joan McDermott, Director of Athletics, mcdermoj@mscd.edu
Cherrelyn Napue, Director of Alumni Relations, napue@mscd.edu

Karen Bensen, Director of GLBT Services, bensenk@mscd.edu
Kendra Brooks, Director of Development, kbrook18@mscd.edu
Brenda Byrne, Director of Development, byrneb@mscd.edu
Ferdinand Fiofori, Professor of Marketing, fiofori@mscd.edu
Joan Foster, Chair of Biology, fosterjl@mscd.edu
Donna Fowler, Coordinator of Editorial Services, fowlerd@mscd.edu
Amanda Garrison, Assistant Director of Alumni Programs and Services, garrisoa@mscd.edu
Candace Gill, SGA President, gillcan@mscd.edu
Kathy Heyl, Interim Assistant Dean of SPS, heyl@mscd.edu
Kishore Kulkarni, Professor of Economics, kulkarnk@mscd.edu
MacKenzie Lintz, student, kenzie883@yahoo.com
Larry Lombard, Professor of Accounting, lombardl@mscd.edu
Ed Low, Professor of English, lowe@mscd.edu
Natalie Lutes, Interim Vice President of Administration and Finance, lutesn@mscd.edu
Paulette McIntosh, Interim Director of High School Upward Bound, mcintosp@mscd.edu
Amber Michael, student, michaem@mscd.edu
George Middlemist, Interim Vice President of Information Technology, middlemi@mscd.edu
Nancy Moke, Professor of Human Services, moke@mscd.edu
Tiffany Pendleton, student, froggiechick152003@yahoo.com
Tony Price, Director of Campus Recreation, pricean@mscd.edu
Karen Raforth, Interim Vice President of Student Services, raforth@mscd.edu
Mark Schultz, Finance Systems Analyst, schultzm@mscd.edu
Jenny Schwem, Manager of Information Services for Alumni and Development, jschwem@mscd.edu
Tara Tull, Interim Assistant Dean of LAS, tullt@mscd.edu