Centralight

Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Marcie Lehr Otteman, '87 Editor Sarah Chuby, '03 M.A. '11 26 departments 2 CMU Today Learn how design students gave back to a nonprofit organization; see Mount Pleasant campus renovations; and get information about the education program's new accreditation. 4 Up Close With… Walter Beach, CMU Chippewa, former NFL football player and Amer-I-Can CEO 30 Sports 34 Connections Your Alumni Association source 36 Alumni News 37 In Memory 40 I am Central 24 Scan the QR Code to hear a message from your Executive Director of Alumni Relations. 2 Photographers Robert Barclay Peggy Brisbane Graphic Designer Amy Gouin Writers Dan Digmann Danny Goodwin Jr., '11 Sharasa Henley, '11 Scott Rex Jennifer Sula Cierra Wallace Communications committee Jeffrey L. Benjamin, '86 Kevin Campbell, '74 M.A. '76 Kevin H. Richman, '93 Vice President of Development and External Relations Kathleen M. Wilbur Associate Vice President for University Communications Renée Walker, '00 For advertising information Call Cindy Jacobs, '93 800-358-6903 stay connected Send change of address information to: Alumni Relations Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: 800-358-6903 Fax: 989-774-7159 Email: alumni@cmich.edu Web: cmualum.com 30% post-cosumer waste Centralight is published four times each year by the Central Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by Quad/Graphics, Midland, Mich., and entered at the Midland Post Office under nonprofit mailing. CMU (an AA/EO institution) strongly and actively strives to increase diversity within its community (see www.cmich.edu/aaeo). CMU provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in the activities, programs and services announced in this publication. Individuals with disabilities requiring an accommodation to participate in a program should call the event sponsor. UComm 8617–24,640 (3/12) centralight spring '12 1

• Cover