lie^cli high, for st^r§ Ite hkf^feD id yoar soaL ^^pd Jeep, fc of CoDteDts /V ^ EA^eDtS ? ItacJeDt Life . . . : . People 7^ i ^C'^dwm .120 ^{ihkm .... .BK . mchx 172 . , 11 i V One little spark of ImpmiUoV) can bring to light an entire world of new ideas. We can encounter it at anytime, any- where. Words of wisdom from great thinkers of the past, advice from a professor or mentor, encouragement from a coach, a kind word from a friend: they all can set in motion our own imagma- tion. Each person we encounter has the potential to motivate us to be even greater. They encourage us to go beyond ourselves, to seek more than what we know. With their Impintm:) we can exceed our own limita- tions. One little spark of iDSpir^tioD forms the basis for each shining new idea. With each original, creative thought we expand our boundaries, opening for ourselves a world of endless possibilities. We begin our journey by reflecting on moments of this year at Elmhurst College. Our past becomes the iDtpmtkm for our future. At the heart of all our success is one little spark. Look here, inside these pages, to find and remember the ImpmfAom that brought you where you are today. Going away to college can create a swirl of emotions. However, Elmhurst College tries to ease that swirl with our Orientation pro- gram. The moment that a new student at Elmhurst College sets foot on campus in August they are unaware of the great experience that lays before them. Each student is greeted by a swarm of Orientation Student Leaders, Jay Crew members, Resident Advisors and members of the Orientation Planning team. The orientation events and activities such as the Western Night, Hawaiian Luau, and rotations about the college help to calm the new students' churning emotions. The Orientation experience works to include all aspects of the new student's life. This begins with the opening Convocation in the Chapel where their fam- ily and friends are introduced to the college. The convocation begins the journey of the college stu- dent's life at Elmhurst College. From this convocation the new student stepped into a group Scavenger Hunt, exploring the realms of the College. As each day ofOrientation unfolded, future scholars took another step along their journey. The College life ofbarbeques and ice cream socials on the Patio and a dunk tank on the mall allowed new students to experience the EC smor- gasbord of fun. Numerous other events were held through the week from a Block Party to a cruise on Lake Michigan. Throughout these presentations the new students jour- ney progressed and lifetime friend- ships were built. "Seize the moment," exclaimed Mary Lou Retton, the 1984 Olympic gold medallist. A West Virginia native, this 14 -year-old girl left home one day to follow a dream: to become an Olympic gymnast. Little did she know that she would break down barriers that were set by her doctors. Six weeks before here competition, Mary Lou had a disappointment of a lifetime: she could not straight- en her leg. She had emergency surgery to reconstruct the torn cartilage within her knee. Doctors explained to her that her dreams for the 1984 Olympics were over and better luck next time. She did not listen. "Nobody was going to tell me what I could and could not do," she told a large crowd at Hammerschmidt Chapel on September 29. She pushed herself to the limits trying to rehabili- tate herself If the doctors said twenty leg lifts, she did one hundred. She was swimming, biking, and even practicing the uneven bars until three weeks before the Olympics, when doctors gave her the okay to try the vault. She went right up to the vault and performed her routine, as if she never missed a day. She was ready for the Olympics. As she walked up to the vault, she looked around with butterflies in her stomach. She had to tie or beat her competition with a 9.95. She knew she did not want to get just a 9.95. She had to get a 10. As she finished, the suspense was over- whelming, a 10. She had done it. She beat her competition and won the gold medal. As she spoke of her triumph, she added, you need to believe in yourself and your abilities. "Leave your comfort zone, don't be afraid" because you never know when your next opportunity will be. Finally she said, "Don't let anyone put limits on you." After receiving the gold medal, she became the first woman on a Wheaties Box. w