ASU Retirees Association (ASURA) Video History Project Interviews

Frank Joseph Kush is best known for his outstanding achievements in football, both as an All-American player at Michigan State University and as the head coach of ASU. Upon completion of his two-year commitment to the U.S. Army, Dan Devine, Head Coach at Arizona State, offered Frank an assistant coaching position in 1955 where he served as an Assistant Coach until 1958 when Dan Devine left and Frank assumed the role of Head Coach until 1979.

Panel Discussion by J. Russell Nelson, Frank Sackton and Brent Brown on the history of ASU during the presidency of Russell Nelson, 1981 -- 1989. Recorded in February 2006. It was a wide ranging discussion including the birth of West Campus, the coming of the Cardinal football team, handling NCAA violations including protecting Jim Brock, moving the research agenda forward toward a Research 1 University.

Kristin Valentine came to ASU in 1976 and joined the Communication faculty in the Fine Arts College. She retired as professor of Human Communication in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication twenty-eight years later. Kristin describes what oral interpretation of literature is and the interview includes numerous examples of oral interp and how it enhanced the transfer of new ideas to an audience / community. The interview covers the creation of the School of Public Programs and the changing role of women at ASU. The interview ends with a discussion of the importance of community.

Brian Foster came to ASU in 1980 as Associate Professor of Anthropology. He became chair in 1982, then was Dean of the Graduate College from 1986 to 1994. He went on to the University of Nebraska as Dean of Arts and Sciences. He served as Provost at the University of New Mexico ( 2000 - 2005) and at the University of Missouri (2005 - 2014). He is Provost Emeritus and Professor of Anthropology Emeritus at the University of Missouri - Columbia. In the interview, Brian describes his early life and education in Dixon IL before entering college at age 28. Brian's varied University academic experiences bring a unique view of the current state of University education and particularly of the pioneering changes taking place at Arizona State University.

An interview about the life and professional career of Linda Wells who was ASU's Women's softball Coach from 1989-2005. Linda was active in many sports and school activities from an early age, growing up in Pacific Missouri. She graduated from SE Missouri State and the University of Minnesota, majoring in Exercise Physiology. After graduating, she was the School's first full time women's coach. She was an All-American, professional softball player and coach. She came to ASU in 1989 as Women's Softball Coach. While there, she competed at the highest level, being involved in international and Olympic softball. She retired in 2005. Her team scrapbooks from ASU 1989 -- 2005 are available through the ASU Library Archives.

Troy Crowder received his undergraduate degree in journalism with a minor in education from the University of South Dakota. He received his masters degree in journalism from the University of Iowa. He began his college/university career serving in university relations at various college/universities across the nation. He came to ASU in 1970 and remained here until he retirement in 1986. He talks about many things in this interview, but almost always refers, in some sense, to the financial difficulties of running the University.