Wednesday; July 2, 1997 -The Michigan Daily -- 3
Eesident
iwarded
,e1owshi
Katie Plona
ily News Editor
t 27, senior neurosurgery resident
y Gupta is the youngest of 15
dividuals selected nationally to serve
r one year as a White House Fellow
one of the U.S. government's most
estigious fellowships.
Gupts, a Novi nstive sand graduate of
e University's Inteflex program,
dured a rigorous nine-month applica-
on process consisting of numerous
says and a series of interviews to win
e position and a trip to the nation's
gal.
~ite House Fellows work as ape-
al assistants to leading government
fficials, including cabinet secre-
ries, senior White House staff mem-
rs or heads of executive branch
encies.
Gupta said people from all walks
f life, ranging from an investment
anker to a professor of cinematogra-
hy, were named
e House "
e ws this year.
owever, they
ave one
ttribute in com-
ion - they are.
eveloping lead-
rs in their
spective fields
ho have outside
terests. Gut
"I think they
* looking for
n extremely well-rounded person
ho demonstrates significant leader-
hip potential early in their careers"
upta said.
Gupta said applicants were asked
luestions on a wide assortment of top-
es regarding anything from Chilean
>oetry to government policies.
"I think most importantly, they were
o ng for a general level of knowl-
d,' Gupta said.
Gupta said he is excited to embark
n the fellowship and hopes he can
erve the public, in addition to learning
great deal about the government's
nany facets, such as foreign policy and
lomestic trade.
Jackie Blumenthal, director of the
'resident's Commission of White
Douse Fellowships, said Gupta will
>e participating in "America's most
>r ,ious fellowship program for
ea rship development and public
ervice."
The White House Fellow program
vas initiated by President Lyndon
ohnson to give U.S. citizens a unique
md challenging opportunity to have
lirect interaction with the federal
;overnment, Blumenthal said.
"This is not only an opportunity to
earn from the government, but to con-
rie to the country." Blumenthal
In addition to the full-paid position
n a high-ranking office, the White
See FELLOW, Page 8
Volunteer David Thomas looks through plants to record whether they are blooming
at the Matthael Botanical Gardens.
Gardens brighten 'U'
By Dolores Arabo
Daily Staff Reporter
There is one place on campus where
students can find a desert in the middle
of winter.
The Matthaei Botanical Gardens,
located on North Dixboro Road, pro-
vide a year-round natural experience
that the public and students alike can
appreciate.
The gardens include a conservatory
that houses three different climates,
four scenic nature hiking trails and var-
ious specialty gardens.
"It's really beautiful," said
Information Officer Margaret Vergith.
"Everyone calls it an oasis. It's serene
and it's a getaway from all the hustle
and bustle on campus."
The University developed the gar-
dens in 1958, from land in the estate of
former University Regent Frederick
Matthaei, Jr. The conservatory was later
completed in 1965. LSA now shares the
grounds with other departments and
roughly six other universities.
The gardens also offer memberships to
the general public that include many ben-
efits, such as free conservatory admis-
sion, free flower show viewings, reduced
lecture fees and discounts during various
plant sales. There are currently over
1,700 members, or "friends" as they are
called by the staff of the gardens.
"What we're trying to do is educate
the public in the broadest sense, which
is to teach the interaction between
humans and plants," said Associate
Director Brian Klatt.
There are many educational pro-
grams offered at the gardens, including
adult-education courses such as "how
to landscape your land."
"We went to the Botanical Gardens
for my art class," LSA senior Ron
Watters said. "I liked it because it was
hands-on learning."
Yet many other students are unaware
that the gardens even exist.
"I never heard of them," said LSA
junior Rajal Pitroda.
Administrators at the gardens take
pride in their strong educational pro-
grams. For one program, volunteera
give tours of the grounds. This particu-
lar program is geared towards elemen-
tary-level students.
The gardens occupy 600 acres and
attract more than 40,000 visitors annual-
ly. Faculty and students conduct many
research projects in the gardens and lab-
oratory space.
The mission statement of the
Botanical Gardens is "to study and dis-
seminate knowledge of plants as they
exist in nature, contribute to human cul-
ture and support life on earth"
The Conservatory is open daily from
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, the
grounds and trails are open from 8 a.m.
until sunset. Students with an Univeristy
ID are admitted free of charge.
Wolverine places
6th in Sunrayce '97
By Maria Hackett nology and equipment, which were more
Daily Staff Reporter advanced than many of the other teams.'
Relief and accomplishment lit up the "We won the first two races on tech-
faces of the University's solar car team nology. The last one got a little too hi-
as the Wolverine crossed the finish line tech," said Prof. Charles Klemstine, the
of Sunrayce '97 on June 29. team's financial advisor. "We thought
"I was standing at the finish line with we'd scale it back a little this time.'
some of the members of the SolarVision The $600,000 budget and top-notch
team (the 1995 group) including one of equipment they acquired gave the race
the drivers," said Steven McGillivary, team a few advantages over some of the
co-director of design and member of the 40 other teams involved in the race.
1995 race team. "We had a feeling of While many of the other teams had to
relief that we finally did it" rely on The Weather Channel for fore-
The race route began in Indianapolis, casts, the University's solar car team had
Ind., and extended across 1,200 miles of it's own weather equipment.
surface roads to Colorado Springs, Colo. "No other college has weather fore-
The Wolverine placed sixth in the 10- casters on their crew. We're unique in
day race. The team from Califormia State that respect," said Jed Christiansen,
University won the race. short-term weather specialist.
"It's not what we were hoping for, but Talent and teamwork proved to be a
we'll take it," said Aaron Bragman, team major asset as well.
administrative director and race manager. "We have the strongest strategy. We
Although team members were disap- really plan ahead," said Paul Edwards,
pointed that they did not win the race, one of the team's strategists. "You can't
many said they were proud simply to be too prepared.
see the car cross the finish line. "Unfortunately, this time, no real
The team redeemed themselves after strategy was needed because it was
technical difficulties that forced sunny the whole time;' Edwards said.
SolarVision to withdraw from the bian- On day two of the race, the team pre-
nual race in 1995, following two consec- dieted bad weather for the next day and
utive national championships. conserved energy by driving slower than
The team has spent the past two years normal speed, but the sun continued to
working on the Wolverine. shine. Bragman said the error caused
"This car has been completely rebuilt them to lose an hour and a half- a mar-
from the previous one so it's much gin they could not make up.
stronger and more reliable;' Bragman "We made a gamble, and it didn't
said. work for us,' Edwards said.
McGillivary said the significant dif- If the hunch had been right, the race
ferences between the twocams"comes results may havebeen radically different,
directly from the lessons we learned in he said.
1995." The University's team is always con-
Organizers attribute some of the sidered one of the top contenders.
team's success to the University's tech- Christiansen said.
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