Contents

Sports

Alumni

Classnotes

Editor's Page

Philanthropy

Tech support at UVa.

The rich history of the University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association's new headquarters now includes Virginia Tech. When the association bought the building a few years ago, it needed renovation. William Park (animal science '84; M.S. agricultural economics '86), Richard Park (landscape architecture '90), and Jolene P. Park (interior design '85) of Pinnacle Construction stepped in as construction management. Jeff Collins (landscape architecture '84) of Jeff M. Collins Associates served as the landscape architect, and Preston Tucker (agricultural economics '85; M.S. '87) of Tucker Systems provided all communications wiring and consulting. "When it came to actually producing something, they [UVa.] realized that Tech grads had to be involved or it wouldn't get done," jokes William Park.

Listed on the National Register as a historic property, it is the only UVa. alumni building historic in nature. Located along the path between what used to be the main grid of town and the then-developing university, the site was owned by James Dinsmore, Thomas Jefferson's master builder. Brian E. Campbell, director of the UVa. Medical Alumni Association and editor of the Medical Alumni Magazine at UVa., sent Virginia Tech Magazine the story, noting, "There are already a lot of jokes around Charlottesville about our reliance on Virginia Tech expertise."

Readers may remember that Mark Lindsey (architecture '82) also left his mark on the University of Virginia by designing a T-shaped building next to an already existing V-shaped building, UVa.'s Bryant Hall, which opened in 1985 but was completely rebuilt in 2000.

No shortcuts to education reform

"Successful reform takes time and effort--there are no shortcuts," says Nina Shokraii Rees (psychology '89). Vice President Dick Cheney's deputy assistant for domestic policy, specializing in education policy, adds, "The first step to assure a good educational system is to accept the fact that all children can learn and make no excuses for chronic student failure." She asserts that most learning takes place in early childhood education, and a focus on developmental psychology while at Tech augments her work for Cheney.

Rees, who enjoys working on education reform with the most potential for systemic change, says the best part of her job is the "ability to translate ideas I had advocated as a think-tank analyst into legislation...hopefully helping improve the quality of education in America's schools--especially in the inner cities." Most recently, she has worked on the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which concerns the issues of accountability, choice, and effective funding and which both houses of Congress have already passed.

Before working with Cheney, Rees worked for other governmental figures, including Virginia Senator John Warner, at the Institute for Justice and the Heritage Foundation, and as a campaign advisor for President George W. Bush.

Preschool pioneer provides webcams

Keeping up with technology and concern for our nation's childcare system converge positively in Dawn Knight's (psychology '95) Turtle Tots Preschool in Blacksburg, Va., where webcams allow parents or out-of-town relatives to watch their children on the Internet. Everyone benefits when parents can see that the teachers "don't just sit around and watch their children play," she comments. Whereas some daycares might not feel comfortable being so visible, Knight says she enjoys providing security to parents and notes that the cameras could also protect staff and act as a training tool. A frequently changed password keeps children safe from unwanted watchers, and the site is free.

Knight, who has a minor in family and child development, says the expense keeps many daycares from implementing webcams, but Henry Bass (M.S. mechanical engineering '96), president of Automation Creations, and Sam Cimilucca of Barry & Barry Electrical Company, provided the means to make that idea reality. Bass, whose two sons are enrolled at Turtle Tots, says, "It wasn't a question of "How can we do it?' but rather, 'When?'"

The children don't mind the cameras, says Knight. "Some of the kids have asked, while in my office, how they can turn the channel to see Mommy and Daddy at work."

Village Habitat at home with smart growth

Co-founder and co-owner of Village Habitat Design, LLC, Clayton Preston (M.Arch. architecture '84) remarks that people are more likely to die in traffic than from cancer, yet communities are still car-centered. That's why his company's housing design focuses on eco-effective spaces based not on automobiles but on humans and preserves more green space than traditional developments--a solid strike against urban sprawl.

For its project at East Lake Commons, just four miles from downtown Atlanta, Village Habitat won the 2001 American Institute of Architects/U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing and Community Design Award in the Mixed Use/Mixed Development category. The firm's co-housing project design also won the World Habitat Award presented by the International Building and Social Housing Foundation. In September, Village Habitat will host a two-session workshop for Habitat for Humanity's 25th annual conference.

Preston, addressing misconceptions over the profitability of eco-effective development, states that the homes are better investments for all concerned. "This is not about sacrifice. It is about having more choice, more freedom, a better quality of life." For more details, go to the project's web site at www.VillageHabitat.com.