Comments on: Share your university story! http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Alumni/alumniblog/2007/09/19/share-your-university-story/ UTC Alumni Affairs Blog Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:39:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mildred Perry Miller http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Alumni/alumniblog/2007/09/19/share-your-university-story/#comment-1988 Mildred Perry Miller Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:44:43 +0000 http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Alumni/alumniblog/2007/09/19/share-your-university-story/#comment-1988 I came to UC in 1945 as a voice major with the hopes of having a career in singing opera. In the summer of 1946 I was given the opportunity to sing the role of Queen Gertrude in Dr. Edwin Lindsey's opera, "Hamlet." What a thrill! I was nineteen years old, had never acted or even seen an opera, bbut under the direction of Doroty Ward, and the musical training of Dr. Werner Wolff and his wife, Madame Emmy-Land Wolff, I was able, I believe, to give a creditable performance which took place in Patten Chapel with hundreds of returned WWII GIs in attendance. On the strength of my singing that day, I made two lifelong friends, Macon Wilson and Carl Warren. Also in the cast of that performance were Sam Car- ter, Peggy Osborne, Harry Au, Milton Allen, and many other fine student and local singers, and Dr. Lindsey's opera was a tremendous success. I am sending along a picture made of the cast. To me it is beautiful and harks back to a time when the whole world was a stage and I was one of the actors. UC provided me with transforming musical experiences and I have used my degree in music and the expertise I gained, in school teaching,oper atic performances, church singing, and many other spheres of musical performance. I was a junior when I transferred to UC but those two years there were two of my life's greatest years. Thank you, UC, and I hope I have made you proud and never disappointed you. I came to UC in 1945 as a voice major with the hopes of having a career in singing opera. In the
summer of 1946 I was given the opportunity to sing
the role of Queen Gertrude in Dr. Edwin Lindsey’s
opera, “Hamlet.” What a thrill! I was nineteen
years old, had never acted or even seen an opera, bbut under the direction of Doroty Ward, and the
musical training of Dr. Werner Wolff and his wife,
Madame Emmy-Land Wolff, I was able, I believe, to
give a creditable performance which took place in
Patten Chapel with hundreds of returned WWII GIs
in attendance. On the strength of my singing that
day, I made two lifelong friends, Macon Wilson and
Carl Warren.

Also in the cast of that performance were Sam Car-
ter, Peggy Osborne, Harry Au, Milton Allen, and
many other fine student and local singers, and
Dr. Lindsey’s opera was a tremendous success. I
am sending along a picture made of the cast. To
me it is beautiful and harks back to a time when
the whole world was a stage and I was one of the
actors. UC provided me with transforming musical
experiences and I have used my degree in music
and the expertise I gained, in school teaching,oper
atic performances, church singing, and many other
spheres of musical performance. I was a junior
when I transferred to UC but those two years
there were two of my life’s greatest years. Thank
you, UC, and I hope I have made you proud and never disappointed you.

]]> By: Kayvon Sadrabadi http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Alumni/alumniblog/2007/09/19/share-your-university-story/#comment-927 Kayvon Sadrabadi Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:52:02 +0000 http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Alumni/alumniblog/2007/09/19/share-your-university-story/#comment-927 1. How did your college education prepare you for your career? My undergraduate degree was in Engineering, however I did not pursue a career in Engineering. It taught me how to “think” in general, specifically about problem solving, anything which I faced in my career or personal life. My MBA on the other hand has prepared me immensely for my current job. I work in the “corporate world” where it helps to have a well rounded knowledge of what it takes to run a business. Having studied Marketing, Finance, Management, Leadership, Accounting, Management Information System, Statistics, etc helps me understand how decisions made in one area of the company can have profound effects on other areas. These are not always direct relationships and understanding the subtleties of business has helped me enormously. 2. What are some of your favorite campus memories? I used to work full time so I was in and out most of the time unless I was studying in the library. Now this is not a “favorite” memory but it’s the one which stands out in my mind; studying for an exam on a Sunday afternoon when I knew my friends were out “playing”. I used to daydream about being done with school so that I could enjoy my weekends. :-) well, I was lucky enough to stick it out to the end. Hallelujah! 3. Looking back at your experience during your years at UTC and post-graduate, how have you changed? I have changed in many ways! I used to not worry about anything but paying the bills and having enough left over to have some fun. Going to school was a way to make sure that I would get a good job and make some money. I have a family now and working is more than just a paycheck. Interestingly, we spend more time with our co-workers than we do with our families, think about it… I want more from work than just a paycheck, I also look for some personal gratification. I am glad that I was lucky enough to get a good education which has opened doors for me with some real options. I also would like to point out that schools can not do it all for you, it is up to me to do well with what I have learned in school. 4. How did you feel when you walked across the stage at graduation and received your diploma? I can not remember, honestly it is all a blur. Not for the reasons you are thinking! I was so excited that I had finally done it I could not think straight. I will tell you however that my graduate degree had an entirely different feel to it. I had pursued my MBA for “me”, I wanted it, so it was quite gratifying to be walking down that stage. Of course part of me was thinking, “what you gonna do now?!” 5. What’s been your greatest accomplishment since you’ve graduated? I have two beautiful, happy and healthy children. Nothing will ever top that, believe me! 6. What goals do you have for the future? I want to continue to learn and grow. I have an internal drive which I really think it comes from being insecure in some ways! In any case, I continue to be curious and try to get just a little bit further ahead. Lord knows there’s plenty out there to learn. Thank you for asking. :-) 1. How did your college education prepare you for your career?
My undergraduate degree was in Engineering, however I did not pursue a career in Engineering. It taught me how to “think” in general, specifically about problem solving, anything which I faced in my career or personal life. My MBA on the other hand has prepared me immensely for my current job. I work in the “corporate world” where it helps to have a well rounded knowledge of what it takes to run a business. Having studied Marketing, Finance, Management, Leadership, Accounting, Management Information System, Statistics, etc helps me understand how decisions made in one area of the company can have profound effects on other areas. These are not always direct relationships and understanding the subtleties of business has helped me enormously.
2. What are some of your favorite campus memories?
I used to work full time so I was in and out most of the time unless I was studying in the library. Now this is not a “favorite” memory but it’s the one which stands out in my mind; studying for an exam on a Sunday afternoon when I knew my friends were out “playing”. I used to daydream about being done with school so that I could enjoy my weekends. :-) well, I was lucky enough to stick it out to the end. Hallelujah!
3. Looking back at your experience during your years at UTC and post-graduate, how have you changed?
I have changed in many ways! I used to not worry about anything but paying the bills and having enough left over to have some fun. Going to school was a way to make sure that I would get a good job and make some money. I have a family now and working is more than just a paycheck. Interestingly, we spend more time with our co-workers than we do with our families, think about it… I want more from work than just a paycheck, I also look for some personal gratification. I am glad that I was lucky enough to get a good education which has opened doors for me with some real options. I also would like to point out that schools can not do it all for you, it is up to me to do well with what I have learned in school.
4. How did you feel when you walked across the stage at graduation and received your diploma?
I can not remember, honestly it is all a blur. Not for the reasons you are thinking! I was so excited that I had finally done it I could not think straight. I will tell you however that my graduate degree had an entirely different feel to it. I had pursued my MBA for “me”, I wanted it, so it was quite gratifying to be walking down that stage. Of course part of me was thinking, “what you gonna do now?!”
5. What’s been your greatest accomplishment since you’ve graduated?
I have two beautiful, happy and healthy children. Nothing will ever top that, believe me!
6. What goals do you have for the future? I want to continue to learn and grow. I have an internal drive which I really think it comes from being insecure in some ways! In any case, I continue to be curious and try to get just a little bit further ahead. Lord knows there’s plenty out there to learn. Thank you for asking. :-)

]]>