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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 7, 2004
Contact: Scott Hirko, Public Relations Officer
(517) 372-7770 -- shirko [at] michiganhumanities.org

COUNCIL NAMES THREE TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John X. Miller of Detroit Free Press, Sue Ann Martin of Central Michigan University, Judith Rapanos of Midland

(LANSING)-----Michigan Humanities Council announces that it has recently elected three individuals to serve on its board of directors.

Sue Ann Martin, Ph.D., of Mount Pleasant, is the founding Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Central Michigan University. She has served in that role since 1997. Previously, Dr. Martin worked in the School of Dramatic Art at the University of Windsor from 1971 through 1997, serving as Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1991 through 1997. Dr. Martin owns a Ph.D. in Speech/Theatre and Interpretation from Wayne State University. Her term expires in December 2004.

John X. Miller, of West Bloomfield, has served as the Public Editor of the Detroit Free Press since September 1999, handling corrections, accuracy, credibility and readership issues for the newspaper. He previously worked as Managing Editor for The Sun News in Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina from 1996-1999; as Executive Editor for The Reporter in Lansdale, Pennsylvania from 1991-1996; and, as the Deputy Managing Editor/Sports for USA Today from 1982-1991. Mr. Miller has served as a Pulitzer Prize Juror and is involved in a variety of non-profit journalism associations. He has a B.A. in Journalism from Washington & Lee University. His term expires in December 2005.

Judith Rapanos, of Midland, is currently a board member of ArtServe Michigan and is chair of the National Museum and Library Services Board. She also is a member of the Midland Foundation and the Midland County Republican Executive Committee. She has extensive public experience with service to arts and cultural organizations, most recently serving on the Executive Committee of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (1991-2003) and as Chair of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (2001-2003). In 2003, Ms. Rapanos received an Honorary Doctorate of Public Services from Central Michigan University. Her term expires in December 2005.

Michigan Humanities Council board currently consists of 22 members whose responsibilities range from program and proposal review, planning, fundraising, advocacy for the humanities, liaison to projects and other representation of the Council at activities around the state. Three members of the Council are gubernatorial appointees while 19 are elected by the Council Board.

Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is the state’s independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.