In August of 1965, Western Michigan University saw a Yugoslavian exchange student reflecting on her experience at WMU, the formation of a cooperative to facilitate research, and the return of the NCAA winning Cross-Country team for the fall season.
“Yugoslav Student Calls U.S. Education ‘Different’”
A 22-year-old Yugoslavian woman who has been studying English at Western Michigan University this summer as part of the first exchange ever of students between the U.S. and Yugoslavia says there are many differences between American and Yugoslavian teaching methods.
Miss Marija Karusa, a senior at the University of Ljublijana majoring in English, says the most noticeable is that students in Yugoslavia are required to do more independent study based upon their own direction than what she experienced this summer at WMU. She said a student in Yugoslavia spends an average of 30 hours weekly in class in college courses. At Western, Miss Karusa took six hours of American literature and English courses. She is the most experienced with the English language of the four Yugoslav students who studied at WMU.
She said none of the four knew what to expect when they arrived in Kalamazoo for the six week summer session but that all four of them agree that they have enjoyed their stay immensely. She said it has been quite an experience to see things from a different point of view in her classes, and hinted that her light schedule of classes made possible a heavy social schedule that much more enjoyable.
“Western Joins ‘Central States University, Inc.’ Cooperative”
Graduate education in science at Western has been given a big boost with the incorporation of a dozen universities to work with the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago.
Announcement of the formulation of the Central States Universities, Inc. was made by Dean George G. Mallinson, head of WMU’s School of Graduate Studies and Dr. Charles A. Randall Jr., chairman of the physics department at Ohio University.
“It will make available to Western the scientific capabilities of experts from many universities who have a particular interest in working with graduate students.” Said Mallinson.
“It will also provide Western with access, without cost, to millions of dollars’ worth of scientific equipment which could not be purchased by a single university and which is necessary to advanced study in virtually all fields of study.”
“Western Cross-Country Team Returns Six Letter Winners This Fall”
Western won its first national title last fall when coach George Dales’ cross country team swept to the NCAA championship at East Lansing. Two Broncos gained All-American recognition for their performances. Bruce Burston became a two-time All-American, finishing 11th. Mike Gallagher crossed the finish line ahead of his teammate in the seventh spot.
Burston is graduated, but Gallagher remains for one more season.
Six letter winners will form the nucleus of another potential cross country champion this season.
The Broncos finished second in the Mid-American conference last autumn behind Ohio University. WMU has claimed six of the last eight Mid-Am titles.
Returning monogrammers include Gallagher, a senior, senior Jim Carter, senior, John Flaminio, junior Gary Myers, senior Ted Nelson and senior Steve Smith.
When Western ran off with the NCAA championship, it was with comparative ease. Coach George Dales’ team took the crown with a low score of 86 points, well ahead of runner-up Oregon with 116 points.
The image above was taken from the 1965 Brown & Gold Yearbook.
Compiled by Samantha Macy