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May 2, 2011
As a teenager growing up in the 1950s near the University of Cologne in Germany, Brigitte Maassen visited with people from all over the world. Her brothers often brought home Iranian classmates who had come to Cologne fleeing political upheaval. Seeing her parents welcome them with open arms left a strong impression. “I grew up…
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April 25, 2011
Klementina Sula immigrated to the United States from Albania at age 9 when her father won the green card visa lottery. Since arriving in America, Sula has made the most of the experiences and opportunities available here. “I know that my life in Albania would have been very different. Given the sacrifices that my parents…
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April 18, 2011
Kim Smith went on a mission trip to Haiti 13 years ago to help build a school, church and medical clinic in a village called Seguin. As a registered nurse, she helped assess people from the surrounding area and provide much needed medial care. About 250 ill villagers lined up each day seeking care, including…
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April 11, 2011
For 20 years, Gerald White worked at an Adrian plant that produced cooling systems for the auto industry. “I ran a press that made aluminum tubing for radiators,” he says. But when he heard the factory was likely to move operations to Mexico, the married father didn’t wait for the axe to fall. Photo by…
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April 4, 2011
Sonja Botes knows the impact a community can make. As a member of the youth leadership team at Crosswinds Church in Canton, Botes and other leaders meet weekly with junior high school and high school students to discuss faith, life and personal experiences. “It is of great value to see the kids grow in their…
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March 28, 2011
Cat Meyer’s husband, Earl, suffered a massive stroke 12 years ago that affected his memory. When Earl no longer could work as a mechanic, Meyer refused to see her husband lose hope dealing with health issues and unemployment at the same time. So she asked her husband what he loved to do, even with his…
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March 21, 2011
To celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, international travel-lover Linnea Chervenak and husband, Andrew, entered a patisserie in Paris and bought a baguette, found cheese and olives at an open air market, purchased a bottle of wine, and had a picnic right outside the Eiffel Tower. But that memory — and others of travel to Africa,…
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March 7, 2011
Judy Dooley is a true artist at heart. “I find serenity in the act of creating art,” says Dooley, an operations analyst for the Stephen M. Ross School of Business Division of Executive Education. “I enjoy film and digital photography, jewelry-making, sculpting and fiber arts, and graphic design.” Photo by Scott Soderberg, U-M Photo Services.…
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February 21, 2011
Amanda Krugliak stood in a wing of the Detroit Institute of Arts in November 2009 to perform a monologue from her collection “Swoon and Drench.” The piece was an autobiographical account of her return to Ann Arbor after 12 years away. Surrounded by abstract expressionist paintings and standing before the crowd, Krugliak recounted how it…
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January 31, 2011
Emily Manship is a fitness buff. When she’s not working as an administrative assistant at UM-Flint’s Psychology Department or spending time with family, she stays active doing yoga, training with kettlebell weights or hiking. “In time I’ve become more and more interested in physical fitness and found what I really enjoy. It doesn’t seem like…
