President Nick called the meeting to order at 12:30 and had everyone recite the 4-Way test of the things we think, say or do s Rotarians. Members are getting better each week at not having to look at the banner! A reflection about some of the greatest things about Michigan was presented by Bilky Joda-Miller. Our Patriotic song was God Bless America, masterfully played By Hari Kern. Lots of guests and visiting Rotarians were introduced and received a warm round of applause. Health of the Club Announcement: Jerry Granger’s wife Lynne passed away Wednesday, April 17. Services will be at Hope Community Church April 27. Members in the news: • Lisa Smith, InVerve Marketing, received the Lansing Regional Chamber’s Outstanding Small Business of the Year! Well deserved and kudos to Lisa! • Ben Rathbun, form Rathbun Insurance, will be rappelling down the Boji Tower on May 18th to raise money for the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing. Donations can be made online. Craig Stiles again gave insight into Paul Harris, while shuffling Nick’s agenda and notes on the podium to thoroughly confuse our poor president! Today was Paul Harris’ birthday – at the spry young age of 156 years old. Rotary hailed 200,000 members when he died. And in 2022, we boast 1.4 million members world-wide. Mr. Harris preferred donations in lieu of flowers for his funeral and 18 months later, $1.3 million was given, including scholarships for graduate studies abroad. Craig said our club is currently at $5200 for the year and encourages much more giving. Kim Garland, who chaired this year’s foundation grant process, announced the recipient of the foundation’s $50,000 Signature Grant to address housing or food disparity. The recipient is…Greater Lansing Food Bank! The money will be used for a van needed to transport foods for a federal senior commodity program recently taken over by GLFB. Once the program ramps us, 2500 seniors will be served every month with this program. Kim thanked the large committee for their work reviewing applications, and especially co-chair Sam Tucker. Pres. Nick announced the following: • New member Jenny Marr was welcomed today at the New Member Orientation. • There’s a hands-on volunteer opportunity on Tuesday, May 7, 9-11 am at Greater Lansing Food Bank. • This year’s Rotary Hero for our district is John Cauley for his many years as club secretary. Chair of the Day: Umakanth announced that Vennie Gore does not need an introduction, as witnessed by the many Rotarian friends who greeted at the start of this meeting. Vennie is senior vice president of student life and engagement, land management, licensing, and essentially all things university life outside of athletics and academics. Vennie talked about the new Multicultural Center, recently built at the university, and stressed the importance of having a global university. Seven percent of MSU students are international and 29 percent are students of color. He stated the building has been 40 years in the making. Other notes include: • Community-based design and used Michigan companies for the process • Students wanted it to be center campus • Took advantage of the natural habitat: campus is an arboretum so they kept that thematic • 85% of college is the outside-of-class experiences (only 15% is in class), so this center is designed to help students have a place that feels like home, including a living room area, place for academic supports, to help increase student success • Campus sits on indigenous lands, therefore the grounds include a ceremonial fire pit to allow indigenous people to celebrate their culture • Strong connection between international center and multicultural center, including co-programming. • Two of biggest reasons students stay or leave is: “Do I belong. Do I have the financial resources to stay?” • MSU has highest number of Pell grants than any other university in Michigan • MSU’s athletes graduate at the same rate as general students (81%) • Promise students from around the state persist at greater levels than other students because of their wrap-arounds. We need to figure out how to do those programs at scale (currently 9,300 Promise students at MSU) • MSU is one of the most accessible schools with acceptance rates very high in the Big 10 (75%) Nick wrapped up with his typical speech about donation to our own foundation $2.5 million Next week is social at Lansing Shuffle, Thursday, April 25, 4:30-6 Email for Michelle Lantz: michelle@glfoodbank.org |