'ews: 76-DAILY cfiertising: 764-3554 i ss4 A y Janet Adamy Daily Statf Reportcr Like most University students, Engineering senior Kimberly Stec is getting excited fr a big competition this Saturday. t instead of grabbing a stadium blanket and thro wing on a Wolverine T-shirt, Stec will slip into an evening gown to prepare for an event she's been waiting for since 1994 - the Miss America Pageant. The winner of this June's Miss Michigan Pageant, Stec arrived in Atlantic City on Labor Day to begin competing against 50 other women for the coveted Miss America crown that will be warded Saturday evening. "TO think about the fact that I could be Miss America is really scary, but it's something that I'm r.4 for," Stec said. As the pressure mounts later this week. Stec will be joined by supportive friends and family. Nursing junior Dana Schaither plans to take a Greyhound bus to Atlantic City on Friday night to ttiftutt Et, i Amlk One hundred six years ofeditondfeedom Wednesday September 10, 1997 / / ti/r '' .. ,\, r: B d ' r.. .' '\ ,,a h \' j h-t}Yh3 T P .: s.,/., .. ..r..,.w,}of.rot>Y.. '.Y.a /. .:3, ...,_.r.-.. .. . r., ... , , .., ,. s' ., z . ,. 3 . ?FAAv:.uC ". ,Z, a1: _.1yi 4a Vffi .;5 watch Stec in the pageant. "I know it's the most important day of her life and I want to be there to support her," Schatfner said. "What's going to stand out is that she's incredibly down to earth and I think that's going to help her out.' The road to the Miss America Pageant began when Stec started dancing at age five. She partici- pated in her first pageant at age 17. saying it pro- moted academics by awarding contestants scholar- ships. It also gave her an opportunity to showcase her dancing skills, Stec said. "Someone mentioned to me that the Miss America Pageant program really promotes talent ... so (as a dancer) it was kind of a natural step:' Stec said. Stec claimed her first crown in 1995 at the Miss Heart of Michigan Pageant in Kalkaska. in north- ern Michigan. Winning the Miss Washtenaw County Pageant in the fall of 1996 qualified her for the Miss Michigan Pageant -- which she went 19979? on to win this past June. So far. Stec has receix ed S13,000 in scholarship money that she has put toward earning her degree in industrial operations engineering S-3.000 of which she just receix ed for bein a Miss America Pageant contestant. Stec is taking the year off to serve as Miss Michigan, but plans to return for her senior year next fall. Miss America Pageant festivities began Aug. 28, when Stec met the rest of the contestants at Disney World for pre-pageant events like photo shoots and appearances at places such as the H ard Rock Cafe. "It was a nice, relaxing time to get to know each other before the competition gets started:" Stec said. Since their arriual in Atlantic Cit.. the contes- tants have spent their time practicing group perfor- mance numbers, as well as fine tuningii logistics to ensure that the shov runs smoothly1 for Saturday's televised performance. Road to the Crown Watch for the Daily's on-location coverage of the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. The Daily will cover Engineering senior Kimberly Stec as she vies for the national crown: Thursday: Reports from the scene in Atlantic City and Stec s preparations for Saturday night. Friday: Preliminary round competition and the emotions the day before the pageant. Monday: Results of Saturday night's crowning. A Rochester native. Stec is a member of the jalz company at Ann Arbor's Jazz Dance Theater and is a member of the Uniersity's Society of Women LInuineers. 1 ast year, she served as the rush chair of the Delta Gamma sorority. Despite her nervousness, Stec said she's \erv anx- ious for the competition to begin. "The minute, I got (to Atlantic City), I wanted the See PAGEANT, Page 7 Engineering senior Kimberly Stec is gearing up for the Miss America pageant this weekend. This competition follows her win in the Miss Michigan pageant in June. Stec will compete against representatives from each state for the coveted title. Keeping up a Corps Tradition 1' ranks 5th in Corps Tolunteers By Beth Shyken For the Daily When Andrew Brush was in Sri Lanka, he had to cross the street to a Buddhist temple in order to make a phone call. If there was no one in the temple, Brush, a 1984 University Graduate, would go down the street to local post office. Today, Brush works for a computer firm that requires him to use the Internet and communicate across con- tinents. Vie is in contact with people all over the world. But communications were very different in 1991-93, when he volunteered in the Peace Corps. Commitment, adaptability, spirit of adventure and willingness to serve oth- s are just a few qualities required for a ace Corps volunteer. The University has a long past of producing students who fit this description - in fact, the University is the fifth-ranking institu- tion for the number of Peace Corps recruits it sends out each year. After 36 years, 1,281 University alumni have participated in the service program. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Brush Itaught English in the only English training college in Sri Lanka, an island Stion off the coast of India. lie expe- nced a new culture, language, fami- ly and attitude. I rode on buses for two years, and they were always crowded. Sometimes I'd have a seat, sometimes I wouldn't," Brush said. 'If there were six inches of space next to me, I would be asked to move over for another person. When I got back it was lonely driving in my own car. Perhaps the University's historical involvement in the Peace Corps has contributed to its high ranking. John F. Kennedy announced the concept of the Peace Corps from the steps of the Michigan Union on Oct. 14, 1960, when he was running for president. He expressed the need for volunteers and within weeks, 1,000 University students signed a petition calling for the establishment of the Peace Corps program. Court case affects Texas admissions . State lawmakers say the law firm that prosecuted the Hopwood case may file a suit against the 'U' By Jeffrey Kosseff Daily Sai tReporter When CherylI lopwood filed a lawsuit challenging the admissions program at the University of Texas School of Law. she was unaware that three yeats later her name would symbolize the nation's anti-affirmative action movement. "I would never have planned it," I opwood told the Michigan Daily yesterday. "I really had no idea it would be so big. I hopwood's successful lawsuit claimed she was not admit- ted to Texas's law school because of affirmative action pro- rams that faxvor minorities. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the law school's preferential treatment of minorities violated the 14th Amendment. Since the ruling. the Texas attorney general has abolished many state affirmative action programs that lie believes to be against the Ilopwood ruling. His decisions have greatly affected minority enrollment in the Texas law schools. In 1996, 3I black and-42 Mexican=Americnn students began studies in the law school, and this year. four black and 25 Mexican-American students started at the school, which has a !raduating class of about 475 students. "I am glad the case has brought the issue to light," Ilopwood said. "The changes they have made so far are good. Since May, the Center for Individual Rights, the law firm that represented Hopwood. has interviewed about 70 people who claim the University of Michigan's affirmative action policies have unfairly denied them financial aid or admis- sions. State Rep. David Jaye (R-Macomb), one of four Michigan lawmakers spearheading the lawsuit, said lie expects a class action lawsuit to be filed later this fall. Hopwood said that during the suit, the law firm was devot- ed to her case. "They are very enthusiastic." Hopwood said. "They've all been very supportive." See HOPWOOD, Page 8 Blood shortage plagues region By Heather Wiggin Daily Sti Reporter Ihospitals nationxide are on the verge of a blood shortage that one local official says could be "a catastrophe." "Our situation now has been a sustained.shortage this entire summer" said Jeff Weathers, director of hospital ser- vices for Red Cross. "Nobody has died yet, but we're very close to a catastrophe happening." Donor blood is in huge demand on a national level. Since B3OHDA DA MIN CAP D h Joseph Dorsey, the Peace Corps campus coordinator, informs students about Peace Corps opportunities at Festifall Friday on the Diag. The University sends the fifth largest number of volunteers to the Peace Corps of any university in the country. This strong interest in the Peace Corps has continued over the past 37 years. While the University of Michican is fifth in recruiting. the University of Califiornia at Berkeley is at the top otthe list with 2.960 students having joined the Peace Corps. Berkeley is fbllowed by the University of Wisconsin with 2.237 volunteers and the University of Washington. with 1.990. 1 ar'ard University, one ofonly three private uni- versities in the top 20. comes in at No. 4, with 1,966 volunteers. According to Joseph Dorsey, the Peace Corps campus coordinator, the birth of the Peace Corps came on the steps of the Unioii. "The nature of this campus breeds volunteers." Dorsey said. Dorsey explained that as a volunteer in the Peace Corps, one must have a sense of mission - not necessarily a mission to humanity, but rather a mission of self- improvement. As a return Peace Corps volunteer See PEACE CORPS, Page 8 CU, alumnus remembers days in Peace Corps By Gary Marsh Speeial to theI)ly There it was, spelled right out on the radio: The Peace Corps: a two-year adventure to some remote. exotic place in the world compliments of Uncle Sam. You don't ha'e to carry a tun. (a very big deal in 1961) ... and you are going to loxe it." BIut there was no mention of snakes. intestinal parasites. skin fingus. malaria, mud houses, civil revolts and 130 Marsh inches of raiii. When the telegram arrived inviting me to train- ing, few of my friends could pIronounce my desti- nation and nobody knew for certain where it was. But 12 weeks after dropping out of school, quit- ting my job and selling my car, I arrived in Gabon - 104.000 square miles of' tropical rain forest on the west coast of Africa - ready to build a school ill OCeryjungle clearing. Thirty-seven other guvs from as many camnipuses across the cotntirv had the same idea. Toether. we were Peace Corps Project Gabon I. (Tanganyika 1. a group of' sur- xevors. preceded us in east Africa by a I'w months.) There was no limit to our enthusiasm and idealism. Il the (first month, fungus grew on the roofs of our tents, and they leaked. By the second month. our tents had thatched roofs. By the third month. we abandoned the tents to life in mud wattle hoiUs- See EXPERIENCE, Page 8 MSA opens doors for meeting By Susan T. Port Daly Staff Reporter University students yesterday had their first look at what Michigan Student Assembly members say is a new and more organized student government. SA hosted an open house yesterday to intro- tce new University students to the assembly, which serves as their voice to the administration. Following the meeting, MSA met for the first time to discuss the agenda for the semester. MSA Vice President Olga Savic said that not only first-year students, but also many student leaders came in to learn about MSA. The atten- dees discussed campus issues had the opportunity Benninghoff said that after listening to MSA President Mike Nagrant speak at the New Student Convocation he decided to find out more about MSA. Benninghoff said lie decided to stay for the meeting to get a stronger grasp on the role MSA plays at the University. "I am glad I.came today to the open house," Benninghoff said. "I think it would be more help- ful for me to watch a meeting." During the meeting, committee and commis- sion chairs outlined their goals for the semester. The meeting agenda also included discussion of student tenant issues and MSA election dates. . As the meeting began, an MSA member pro- the beginning of'luly. the blood supply has been extremely lowy in southeast Michigan. Type 0 is the blood type iii highest demand. Carried by 40 percent of the population, Type O can be safely infused to nearly all patients in jeopardy. Weathers said when he counted blood levels Monday morning, there were only four units of Type O: he usually sends out 260 units each day to 57 hospitals around the region. Each unit of donated blood is separated into red blood cells, Giving Blood *To donate blood, you must beat least 17 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds and be in good health. The closest American Red Cross blood drawing site is 2725 Packard Rd. To make an appointment to give blood, call 800-GIVE-LI FE. plasma and platelets. Patients usually need only one of the three blood components. "Your blood can save three lixes" Weathers said. "You - -