Announcements
(Notes provided by Allan Penwell).
Brief Bio Time with Chuck Reifsteck: Chuck is married to Lisa Courtney, and they have two daughters. Elsa is in the UIUC graduate school of architecture, and Jhane is a producer of Channel 3 News. Chuck has his own architecture firm, Gorski Reifsteck, which employs 15 people.
Ata read a touching eulogy to Ray Lytle prepared by Gary Olsen. Ray and Gary had their own architecture firm for 20 years, and Gary described Ray as an outstanding talent. Ray was the father of current C-U Sunrise Rotarian, B.J. Lytle. Ray was also a member of Champaign West Rotary and its long-time sergeant-of-arms.
Chuck reminded everyone that the Rotary District Conference will be held May 3 & 4, 2014 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign. Sign up forms can be found on our web page.
Paul Conforti was really absent from this week’s meeting even though Tod was wearing his name badge. That Paul, always playing pranks even when he’s not present.
Program
Gary Olsen introduced his neighbor, Varkki (George) Pallathucheril who has a PhD in city and regional planning from Ohio State. He is currently teaching in the UIUC Department of Urban & Regional Planning, but he is also on the faculty at the American University of Sharjah. His program was about the University of Sharjah, which was founded in 1997, as well as the geography, culture, and politics of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) region.
The University of Sharjah has 5,500 students, and it uses the American model of education. Twenty percent of the students are from the UAE, and eighty percent are from other countries. Classes are taught in English, and offerings are in professional degrees such as architecture, engineering, and business as well as the arts and sciences. Degrees are accredited to international standards.
Sharjah is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). George lives in Dubai which is part of the UAE, and it is near Sharjah where he teaches. UAE is on the Persian Gulf and has controversial neighbors such as Yemen, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. George described Arabic tendencies regarding privacy, the encroachment on the desert due to urban sprawl, and the dramatic economic expansion of Dubai.
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| April 24th | May 1st | May 8th | |
| Introductions | Tod Satterthwaite | Jen Shelby | Lou Simpson |
| Invocation | Molly Delaney | Ata Durukan | Jim Gould |
| Greeters | Tod Satterthwaite | Jen Shelby | Lou Simpson |
| Neal Chamberlain | Reuben Chambers | Paul Conforti | |
| Song Leader | Oktay Baran | Eric Batsie | Keith Brandau |
| Notetaker | Lintner | Conforti | Chamberlain |
| Rotary Minute | Satterthwaite | Durukan | Roberts |
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Upcoming Schedule
April 24th – Dr. Stephen Boppart , Bliss Professor of Engineering at UIUC, will discuss biophotonics
May 1st – Samual Byndom, Director of Urbana Adult Education
May 8th – Joe Murphy, board member for the Champaign Urbana Theatre Company
May 15th – Pat Titus, Titus Farms, representing the Illinois Pork Board
May 22nd – Tom Ulen will discuss Issues in College Athletics
May 29th – TBD
June 5th – TBD
June 12th – Daniel Bronson Lowe, PhD, Senior Infection Specialist at Carle
