HURRICANES WIND UP FOR ANOTHER WINNING SEASON

The Perfect Storm

obody’s perfect, unless you’re talking about the University of Miami Hurricanes football team, which hasn’t lost a game since September of 2000. The culmination of their 2001 undefeated season was a 37-14 victory over the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 88th Rose Bowl, the fifth National Championship title for the ’Canes and their first in ten years. The coveted Sears Trophy was the pinnacle mark in a series of record-breaking accolades for the team this season.

“We talked about talent all along, but the thing that sets this team apart is character,” says Larry Coker, the first head football coach since 1948 to lead a team to the National Championship in his rookie year. “They refuse to give in, refuse to flinch. They’ve done what they’ve had to do, week in and week out.”

Coker, who had been an assistant coach for 22 years before becoming 19th to take the helm at the University of Miami, was named a Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. He also is the only first-year head coach since Army’s Tom Cahill in 1966 to receive the Bear Bryant Award, presented by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey, who finished third in line for the Heisman Trophy, shares Rose Bowl most valuable player honors with wide receiver Andre Johnson. During the game, Dorsey threw for 362 yards, breaking George Mira’s 40-year-old Hurrianes bowl record, while Johnson caught seven passes for 199 yards.

Proving that the championship is a result of brains as well as brawn, Dorsey joins nine fellow teammates selected to the 2001 Big East All-Academic Football team, which recognizes student-athletes who achieve greatness in the classroom and on the field. Eligibility includes a posted grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Being national champions also earned the football and baseball teams a trip to our nation’s capital. The ’Canes, along with other NCAA victors, received personal congratulations from President Bush, who gave a special acknowledgement to President Donna E. Shalala: “Welcome back to the White House, and thank you for serving the country.”

But in an era of triumph comes tragedy. The Hurricanes mourn the loss of senior linebacker Chris Campbell, from Mount Pleasant, Texas, who died in an automobile accident in February. Despite the tremendous sadness felt by the entire team and community, the Hurricanes now must focus on a steadfast commitment to maintaining their winning tradition in the new season.

“The situation now is not a projection,” Coker says. “We are the national champions. We have won some national titles and in a recent time. We want to compete at this level every year.”

See DateBook for the complete 2002 Hurricanes football schedule.

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Tragedy Strengthens University Bonds

n the order of life, we’re not supposed to bury our children,” says Ira Lassman (A.B. ’60), whose son, Nicholas, was working as a computer technician for Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11. “He was the sweetest, kindest boy.” The father’s pride is undeniable as he talks about the young man who taught himself to play the guitar and to read history books in Russian and German, who excelled at golf, who loved his family, and who was “the friend of all friends.”

In the time of his greatest grief, Lassman found comfort in friendships that began at the University of Miami over 40 years ago. Earlier this year, nine brothers of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity who graduated between 1958 and 1960 traveled from as far as California to the Coral Gables campus in a gesture that was “monumental in the sense of brotherhood, love, and compassion,” Lassman says. An Alumni Association VIP campus tour culminated in a tribute at the Sigma Alpha Mu Panhellenic Suite, where there hangs a picture of Nicholas, a brother while a student in the early 1990s.

The University also mourns the loss of Stephen M. Fogel (J.D. ’89), who was vice president, assistant general council, and assistant secretary of Cantor Fitzgerald, as well as a loving husband and father. He graduated cum laude from the School of Law, where he served on the staff of the Law Review. In his honor, the University of Miami Alumni Association has established the Stephen Mark Fogel Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund for children of those who lost their lives on September 11.

Owen May (B.S. ’81) witnessed the impact of the first plane from the street below the World Trade Center office of the May Davis Group, a financial services firm he founded with Kevin Davis (A.B. ’81). All but one of 50 employees survived, and the company now is focused on recovery of both structure and spirit.

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President’s Council Is a Source of Insight

ifferent ages, occupations, and expertise—but one thing in common was pride in their alma mater, the University of Miami. The annual President’s Council meeting, February 20 through 22 this year, brought more than 50 members across the country to the Coral Gables campus on a whirlwind tour of new faces, facilities, and focal points in an ambitious agenda for University growth.

To foster discussion on today’s greatest challenges in higher education, a panel of five deans presented their views. Paul Sugrue, dean of the School of Business Administration, placed the cost of education at the top of his list, offset by stronger-than-ever demand for higher education. School of Music dean William Hipp noted that despite a troubling era for symphony orchestras and for music programs in primary and secondary education, employment among School of Music graduates has been remarkably high. School of Architecture dean Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk pinpointed the struggle between the needs of the personal artist, the client, and society at-large. “The richest environment would be able to serve all three,” she said, highlighting the purpose behind the New Urbanism movement.

Daniel Pals, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said students must understand that “it’s not just a degree, but a quality of mind that will last for the rest of their lives,” while faculty must strive for excellence in both teaching and research. Donors, he said, must remember that “cultivation of the intellect is a long-term project.” M. Lewis Temares, dean of the College of Engineering, called for more emphasis of math, science, and technology among young children, especially girls.

Also on the meeting circuit were activities at the School of Medicine and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, as well as engagements with President Donna E. Shalala. Reinforcing the president’s commitment to excellence both on and off the playing fields, a panel of coaches from football, baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball described how they nurture responsibility and depth of character among student-athletes. The council also enjoyed a sneak “hard hat” preview of the new home to Hurricane basketball and other social and civic events, slated for completion in the coming months.

Over the course of the three-day meeting, President’s Council members offered real-world perspectives on University issues. For participants like David D’Eugenio (A.B. ’80), a member for eight years and an entrepreneur in the communications industry, involvement is an opportunity to reciprocate. “The University enabled us to grow, not just in our academic pursuit, but it taught us how to become great leaders and citizens,” he says.

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Grab Your Passport to Adventure

re you yearning to be captivated by the romance of the Old World? Let the University of Miami Alumni Association be your gateway to an unforgettable overseas adventure. There’s no better way to experience the rich culture, cuisine, and je ne sais quoi of a European town than with the association’s recently expanded Travel Program. Partnering with Alumni Holidays, Inc., the program offers several adventures in 2003:

Alumni College in Provence Rolling hills, majestic mountains, and verdant plains, dotted with olive trees and aromatic lavender—this is the essence of Aix-en-Provence. Join us at this all-inclusive French countryside retreat, with excursions to Cassis, Arles, and St. Remy.

Alumni College in Sorrento Originally a Greek village, Sorrento is a colorful settlement on the west coast of Italy, perched on a robust line of cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples. Your visit to this all-inclusive destination includes Naples, the Isle of Capri, and the Forgotten City of Pompeii.

The Escapades Based on the notion that your sense of adventure should never be stifled by your wallet, The Escapades tours feature budget-minded journeys that are rich with excitement. Spend six nights in Rome—The Eternal City, or in Prague—the architecturally magnificent epicenter of the Czech Republic.

Christmas Market Tour in Germany If mulled wine, baked apples, grilled bratwurst, and hot lebkuchen on a crisp winter day sounds like the perfect holiday season scenario, you’ll love a cruise to Christkindlmarkt, Germany’s legendary Christmas Market. Figurines, woodcarvings, and candles are just some of the handmade crafts on display as you tour the ports of Miltenberg, Wertheim, Wurzberg, Bamberg, and Nuremberg.

Can’t wait until 2003? There’s still time to book an excursion to the fabulous “City of Light” on the Paris Escapade, November 1-8, 2002.

For added convenience, Alumni Holidays now offers Any Reason Cancellation, an option for travelers purchasing the regular trip insurance.

For dates and further information about the Alumni Travel Program, contact Lana T. Monchek (M.Ed. ’69, J.D. ’81) in the Office of Alumni Relations at 305-284-2872, online at lmonchek@miami.edu, or visit the UMAA Web site at: www.miami.edu/alumni.

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