Sunday afternoons are normally quiet on the Hilltop—students finish the weekend’s homework or watch a movie and relax. This Sunday, however, was different.

I heard Creole music mixed with laughter floating from the third floor of Bradley Hall and students talking about a new game called anthology mini golf. It wasn’t until I saw Mardis Gras decorations that I realized it was time for the English Department’s fourth annual Dimanche Gras, or “Fat Sunday,” celebration.

“Mssrs. Frolic and Whimsy,” a.k.a. Dr. Seth Katz and Dr. Tim Conley, respectively, put on quite an affair. Everyone enjoyed the good food and lots of games. Particular favorites included Boggle (what’s an English party without a word game?), miniature pool, pinball, name the author, and bowling.

Those are all fun, but I thought the most interesting game was anthology mini golf. Apparently, large anthologies and other books served as obstacles on the golf course that wound through the English Department hallways. Quite clever, if you ask me! And, that’s not the only hallway game. A Dimanche Gras tradition is throwing a tennis ball from about halfway down the main third floor hallway into a recycling bin in Dr. Katz’s office.

In fact, the idea of this “extended bowling alley” is what started Dimanche Gras. The idea evolved into a new holiday to take place on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of winter to brighten the spirits of English students and faculty.

It was great to see students and faculty having a fun time together outside the classroom. Professors brought their kids to the party; it seems to have become a family tradition for more than one professor’s family. Even some canine friends joined in the festivities.

I’m happy to see one of our oldest departments on campus still thriving and having fun.

Hundreds of people filed out of Dingeldine Music Center yesterday, bursting their buttons with pride at being Americans after enjoying a Tribute to John Philip Sousa. Bearded and bespectacled, Dr. David Vroman, was outfitted in a white suit, just as Mr. Sousa would have been for a Sunday afternoon concert. You see, Mr. Sousa had promised his mother he would never direct a band concert on a Sunday. Shame on him for not keeping his word to his mother, but he compromised by always wearing white for Sunday concerts–and he never composed music on Sundays. Dr. Vroman shrugged his shoulders when our narrator, President Joanne Glasser, told the audience about that promise. All of us in the audience were grateful that Dr. Vroman had not made a similar covenant with his mother–or at least one that he kept!

We all enjoyed a wonderful, rousing afternoon of music as we tapped our toes to a variety of marches composed by Mr. Sousa and others. In addition to President Glasser’s narration, we learned about Mr. Sousa during a pre-concert lecture given by television personality Lee Ranson. Mr. Sousa was a contemporary of mine, and I remember the excitement that rippled through Peoria whenever he and his band were coming to town. In all, his band “played in Peoria” 17 times. Sadly, I wasn’t here for all of his performances. He was a legendary composer and band leader in his own time, and many world-class musicians played in his band.

Our Bradley students may not be famous—yet—but their talent is indisputable. Mr. Sousa would have been proud, and I’m sure Dr. Vroman was! They also wore turn-of-the-20th-century costumes, and the stage was decorated with red, white, and blue banners.The concert ended with a stirring tribute to servicemen and veterans who have served in the Armed Forces, all of whom were asked to stand when the march representing their branch was played. I was honored to see so many veterans in our audience, and they stood so proudly as the rest of the audience clapped.

I even heard one gentleman lean over and whisper to one of the veterans, “Thanks for serving.” And, as the audience left the building after the concert, I heard someone exclaim, “God bless America!”

A full gallery of photos from the performance can be viewed online. Go>

I am so proud of our Bradley community. The Bradley Ambassadors organized a clothing drive to benefit the Salvation Army, and faculty, staff, and students responded generously. On Friday, the last day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, our Ambassadors picked up clothing from 20 departments, three Greek houses, and all of our residence halls. In all, they collected about 300 bags of clothing!

It was inspiring to see these students visiting with people campuswide as they collected the donations. The students then stacked all of the bags on the porch of Comstock Hall, our alumni center, and climbed on top for some photos. They then got to work, passing each bag from one to the other in assembly-line fashion and filling seven large trucks and SUVs with the clothing. The students were laughing and having a great time as they did their work, and I was beaming as I watched them having fun for such a great cause.

I’m proud of each of you who donated to this wonderful charity event. Congratulations go to the winners of the three competitions: Department of Teacher Education, office competition; Alpha Epsilon Pi, Greek competition; and Williams Hall, residence hall competition.

Students who helped with the drive included junior Catie Taylor, junior Carolyn Gabanski, senior Paul Bohmann, junior Michael Vroman, junior Alyssa Reginetz, junior Cecelia Reginetz, senior Kari Gersch, freshman Matthew Vroman, senior Anne Kross, sophomore Jennifer Miller, and junior Diane Petersen. The Bradley Ambassadors’ advisor is Julie Pfleeger Holmes ‘06.

One thing about Bradley is there is always a flurry of activity going on. Thursday was no exception.

A lot of people around campus were looking to the sky Thursday afternoon. I heard several from our campus community were hoping to glimpse Air Force One as it flew President Barack Obama and his entourage into town. Two Bradley alums, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, accompanied the U.S. leader to Peoria.

President Obama spoke at a Caterpillar plant in East Peoria before heading down to Springfield to honor the 200th birthday of one of the presidents I remember very well—Abraham Lincoln.

I also saw a lot of folks heading into the Student Center to view the numerous artifacts at the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, which was showcased in the SC Ballroom Thursday. The 1,500 memorabilia pieces ranged from newspaper articles to baseball cards.

Professor Griff, a founding member of the pioneering and revolutionary rap group Public Enemy, speaks with students who visited the Black History 101 Mobile Museum.

It was so uplifting to hear that 37 student-athletes were honored today at the Athletic Department’s 11th annual Academic Honors Luncheon, which recognizes students who have maintained a 3.5 cumulative GPA throughout their time at Bradley. These students have completed at least one full year at BU.

Not only were the students honored today, but political science professor Dr. Craig Curtis was named the recipient of the annual Rev. Dr. Joanne “Pep” Cooke Special Recognition Award. Cooke presented the award.

It was also inspiring to learn that 123 of our 180 student-athletes posted a minimum 3.0 semester grade point average during fall 2008, thereby earning a spot on the Bradley Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. That’s almost 70 percent.

Other impressive facts I heard uttered around campus were that 24 student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during fall; 83 percent of female student-athletes, 54 percent of male student-athletes, and 60 percent of nine of the department’s 13 teams qualified for the Honor Roll.

Hearing news like that makes me want to shout “Go Braves!” We are all proud of your achievements.

Above: Cross country and track athlete Katie Nowak spoke at the 11th annual Academic Honors Luncheon.