Notables

General Mom

Col. Mary Ann Krussa-Dossin '74 admits she wasn't always wanted around during the 27 years she wore a Marine uniform. Some didn't like her being a military police officer. Or a pregnant woman on duty. Or even being a Marine in the first place.

"I fought it. I told an officer senior to me that I thought I could do my duty while pregnant and I would convince his superior if I had to," recalled Krussa-Dossin, now the deputy director of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C.

But she never quit, and the Corps is glad she didn't.

The 27-year military veteran now has earned a title she shares with only four other women in the Marines -- general. In February, Krussa-Dossin will be promoted to director of Public Affairs, a post that carries the billet of brigadier general, or one-star general.

And, in a first for the Marines, she'll be the first general who is also a mom.

"All of the junior officers who are MPs now feel they have something to brag about," she said. "That says something about how the Marines have changed."

At work, Krussa-Dossin is one of the official spokespersons for the Corps, handling media requests and specializing in community outreach. But at home, she is wife to husband Paul, a retired Marine chief warrant officer who served more than 30 years, and son Daniel, who is now 22 and in the Peace Corps.

"I had such great support through all of my career from Paul and our friends. There were crazy years, but it was all worth it," she said.

Helping hand

It doesn't take much for a college student to get by -- a Salvation Army couch here, some pizza coupons there and they're set.

But many international students arrive at their new home in Fort Worth with less than that. Sponsor families provide tuition assistance, but students don't know where to go for money to set up their utilities or for a ride to the doctor.

That's where Mary LaRue Clark '75 comes in. Last year, she founded her own nonprofit company -- Clark Educational Services, Inc. -- to help foreign-born music students find housing and financial support.

"I've set up water and electricity. I've furnished an apartment for $100. I drive some of them to places in town they need to go," said Clark, who is officially sponsoring one student but also helps four others.

There are twice as many needy students as sponsors, which must have $2,000 set aside for their student. Clark is hoping her efforts will pick up the slack.

She's had the budding professionals play mini concerts at private parties and at area public schools for donations. She brokered discounted rates with an apartment association and coaxed one donor into giving up an old car. Eventually, Clark wants to start a pantry and have a storage unit of furniture.

"They gives us so much through their music. I just want to give them something that makes their living here a little more comfortable," she said.

To help, call Clark at 817-237-5919.

Musical minister

The Rev. Terry Rothermich '93 never intended to be a minister.

He was a successful concert pianist in Europe and a Fulbright scholar, making recordings and studying music. Then suddenly the market dried up and Rothermich found himself without a job.

"I very much wanted to touch lives and I knew music did that, but I was afraid at that point I would have to give it up," he said.

That's when God called Rothermich into a life of ministry and he found himself at Brite studying divinity.

Now, almost a decade later, Rothermich has found a harmonious marriage of ministry and music. Minister of Memorial Christian Church in Midland, he is consumed with pastoral, educational and youth duties, but he's managed to record music -- in July, he released his second compact disc, Keys to the Kingdom, a collection of piano ballads selected from the classics. His first compilation came out in 1999.

"The best part is when you make a connection with parishioners. It's like being in the pulpit, but also like being on a concert stage. It's just a very strong spiritual feeling."