Hot summer days often call for jumping into a pool, but last week many young students spent the sweltering hot days on campus, immersing themselves in basketball and broadcasting. With the Jim Les Basketball Camp and the Multicultural Broadcasting Workshop both in session, campus welcomed many enthusiastic students from around the state.

Bradley coaches and staff, area coaches, and Bradley Braves basketball players all helped out at basketball camp, where boys age 8-16 came to learn new skills. The camp offered a fun, competitive environment. The players learned offensive and defensive fundamentals, and the camp stressed the importance of teamwork.  These young men appeared to be having a great time, and I am so glad they were able to take advantage of our wonderful (air-conditioned) Markin Family Student Recreation Center.

A group of creative juniors and seniors from Illinois high schools were able to attend an expenses-paid, hands-on broadcasting workshop, thanks to scholarships provided by Bradley and the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Our own Emmy-award-winning professor Bob Jacobs directed the workshop, which was held in our state-of-the-art Caterpillar Global Communications Center. The students were exposed to the most advanced broadcasting technology and benefited by studying with industry professionals.

I hope to see some of these students back on campus in a few years, either on the basketball team or studying in our Communications Department.

Students create their own “Rube Goldberg Machine” during World of Wonder.

Bradley’s youngest scholars were on campus last week, studying subjects such as cryptology, Renaissance art, folk tales and fairy tales, and the life and work of Rube Goldberg. I look forward every summer to World of Wonder, which pairs talented teachers from area schools with Bradley student aides to create a challenging environment for gifted and talented students in grades 1 through 8. This year over 200 students attended, taking one to three classes each day.

Whether the focus is math, art, or science, these lively classes create hands-on experiences for the students, all of whom come because of their love of learning.

In “Rube and You,” groups of students created their own Rube Goldberg machine — a complicated invention contrived to carry out a simple task, such as breaking an egg or turning on an appliance. The students used tubes, balls, dominoes, and even a toy train to create a complex series of events that ended with the desired task. The room was filled with anticipation and excitement on the final day, when the students’ families came to watch the inventions in action.

Since 1983, children have had the chance to spend a week of their summer vacation studying fun subjects such as this on campus. World of Wonder is sponsored by the Bradley University Institute for Gifted and Talented Youth.

A second week of WOW will take place August 3-7, with topics such as Histories Mysteries, Herpetology, Robots, Improv Acting, and more. For more information, visit the World of Wonder online.

In addition to the WOW students, over 60 high schoolers were on campus June 9-12 for Rocket Engineering Camp. During the camp, students design and build a rocket, predict its course, and, on the final day, test-fire it through a football goal post. The camp is designed for young women and men interested in engineering, technology, and the sciences. See a slide show of photos from camp activities, including the rocket launch. Go>

In “Kitchen Chemistry” third graders in the World of Wonder program learn how everyday kitchen items can be used to do extraordinary things.

What a beautiful day here on campus! This afternoon we had sunshine with a cool breeze.

And, thanks to the help of our dedicated grounds crew, everything’s coming up roses. . . and petunias, cleomes, and geraniums. I know everyone has been enjoying the great variety of colorful flowers planted around campus the last couple of years.

Today, grounds maintenance employee Eric Christy was out tending the flower beds near Bradley Hall.

Above: graduating senior Matt Davidson, second from right, introduces his parents, Phil and Shirley Davidson of Rockford, to fellow graduate Caleb Walk. Both Matt and Caleb are entering the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Bradley.

The Graduation Reception, held the afternoon before commencement, is one of my favorite events of the year. I’m so happy to see graduating seniors and their families visiting with faculty-staff and with each other. The rain pushed the event inside to the Michel Student Center ballroom, where there were smiles and congratulatory remarks all around.

Matt Davidson, a health science major from Rockford, was among those attending, along with his parents, Phil and Shirley Davidson. I’m happy to know that while Matt is graduating (with honors!) with a bachelor of science degree, he will still be on campus as he enters into the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.

Matt has wanted to work in physical therapy ever since he visited Mayo Clinic with his mother. “I was sitting in the waiting room and on the other side I could see physical therapists working with people. I liked those surroundings. There’s something about being in a facility where everyone’s having a good time but helping people that made me really look forward to a career in physical therapy.”

As he concludes the first phase of his college career, Matt said, “I’m excited to have my degree and be able to go after new goals now. I’m looking forward to grad school. I’m privileged to stay at Bradley another three years.

“The DPT program is one of the factors that drew him to Bradley. “I really wanted a doctorate, and I knew Bradley was one of the schools moving in that direction. I could have gone to another university and worked toward a master’s degree, but it was a big plus that Bradley offered a doctorate.”

Another factor in his decision was he became familiar with Bradley when visiting his sister, Susan Davidson Krippelz ’04, when she attended. Matt is expecting Susan and her husband, Jake Krippelz ’04, to be at commencement.

A dedicated student, Matt is an avid Bradley basketball fan, played intramural racquetball, and was in a percussion ensemble this past semester. Several members of our faculty-staff appreciate Matt’s abilities as a personal trainer, as well. I send my congratulations to Matt and the entire Class of 2009.

Activity was buzzing in the Michel Student Center ballroom today as I saw several hundred graduating seniors fill the facility to enjoy a brunch given in their honor and to listen to inspirational remarks made by Dr. Alan Galsky, President Joanne Glasser, and Student Body President Kyle Malinowski.

Dr. Galsky opened the presentation by telling the students four statements he said “you’ll hear over and over again” during the next few days. He extended his congratulations to the students; thanked them for being part of the Bradley family; wished them good luck; and asked them to come back to visit.

President Glasser also expressed her congratulations to the graduating seniors and said their degree would be “a badge of accomplishment” that no one could take away from them. She encouraged the students to express their appreciation to the ones who supported them throughout their college life. She also advised the students on something I learned the importance of during my lifetime: having a plan B is vital. President Glasser said to the students, “You just never know what life has in store for you … just have confidence and have faith.” She also offered words of advice from one of her favorite philosophers, Dr. Seuss: “Don’t be sad because it’s over, be happy because it happened.” Trying to hold back her tears, she told the students, “It has been a blessing to be your president. You have left footprints on my heart.”

Malinowski summed up his advice by paraphrasing a favorite quote of his: “Do good.”

Some lucky students walked away not only with a favorite T-shirt, but many won door prizes.

I, too, would like to congratulate our graduating seniors on a job well done, and I also would like to echo President Glasser in saying “Go Braves!”