Six Degrees to a Bee


02/07/2011

You've heard of "Six Degrees to Kevin Bacon," the theory that no one on earth is more than six links away from actor Kevin Bacon. Well, here's a variation on that premise for you: Every person is just six degrees away from a Bee, and we can prove it. Below you'll find the names of famous (or infamous) people, both past and present.

Your challenge: Connect that person to a current St. Ambrose faculty or staff member in six steps, the minimum connection being at least one personal meeting. (In other words, being one of thousands of Little Monsters at a Lady Gaga concert doesn't count.)

For example:

1. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Rev. Charles Adam '80

For which the links connecting them are:

1. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev came to the U.S. in 1959 for a famous summit with
2. President Dwight Eisenhower, who was succeeded in his Cold War fight by
3. President John F. Kennedy, who in 1963 met at the White House with civil rights leaders, including
4. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who, while at St. Ambrose to accept the 1965 Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award, met young social justice activist
5. Msgr. Marvin Mottet '52, who taught at Ambrose, including former student
6. Rev. Charles Adam '80, St. Ambrose chaplain and director of campus ministry

Ready to follow the buzzing bee?

Here are a few tips to assist you on your way:

  • Start with the Ambrosians and work outward. We'll even give you a little help on the first few challenges.
  • You should be able to connect the dots by knowing both your general and Ambrose history (and maybe a little pop culture).
  • Connections can be found on the Web, so if you've been looking for a way to earn your black belt in Google-fu, here it is. In fact, many connections originate from a past story, media release, or link found on Ambrose's website at sau.edu
  • There's more than one way to get from A to Bee, especially once you've made the key connection between an Ambrosian and the famous person they met.

Answers can be found by scrolling down.


6d2bee #1

1. Entertainer Beyonce Knowles
2.
3.
4. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres
5.
6. Mara Adams '82, '95 MPS, PhD, associateprofessor of theology

6d2bee #2

1. "The Office" star Steve Carrell
2.
3. "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart
4.
5.
6. Katie Van Blair '92, '05 MSW, PhD, associate professor and director of the School of Social Work

6d2bee #3

1. Actress Lori Singer (experienced Bacon-makers should get this one)
2.
3. Actor William H. Macy
4.
5.
6. Jon Turnquist '92, MOL '10, director of the Occupational Therapy Assistive Lab

6d2bee #4

1."Dancing With the Stars" professional hoofer Mark Ballas
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Corinne Johnson, professor of theatre

6d2bee #5

1. White House party crashers Michaele and Tarq Salahi
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Michael Puthoff, PhD, associate professor and assistant director of physical therapy

6d2bee #6

1. Legendary Major League Baseball catcher Yogi Berra
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Ray Shovlain '79, '82 MBA, athletics director and men's basketball coach

6d2bee #7

1. "Dawson's Creek" actor James Van Der Beek
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Donald "Duke" Schneider '76, TV-11 operations manager

6d2bee #8

1. Malcolm X
2.
3. Pope John Paul II
4.
5.
6. Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, president of

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Answers to Six Degrees to a Bee

6d2bee #1

1. Beyonce Knowles, who starred in "Dreamgirls" with
2. Jennifer Hudson, who was once found lacking by "American Idol" judge
3. Paula Abdul, who left "Idol" to be replaced by
4. Ellen DeGeneres, who once interviewed on her show
5. Abbey Curran, Miss Iowa USA 2008, who was taught by
6. Mara Adams '82, '95 MPS, PhD, associate professor of theology

6d2bee #2

1. Steve Carrell, who was understudied at Second City by
2. Stephen Colbert, who is a former "correspondent" on the "The Daily Show" with
3. Jon Stewart, who once interviewed "Nickel and Dimed" author
4. Barbara Ehrenreich, who was brought to speak on campus by the Ambrose Women for Social Justice, including member
5. Brenda DuBois, who was succeeded as director of the master of social work program by
6. Katie Van Blair '92, '05 MSW, PhD, associate professor and director of the School of Social Work

6d2bee #3

1. Lori Singer, who got "Footloose" and fancy-free with
2. Kevin Bacon, who was tried for "Murder in the First" by
3. William H. Macy, whose film "Wild Hogs" included a cameo by
4. Ty Pennington, whose TV show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" built a home for the patient of
5. Angela DeLost '98, occupational therapist extraordinare, mentored by
6. Jon Turnquist '92, '10 MOL, director of the Occupational Therapy Assistive Lab

6d2bee #4

1. Mark Ballas, whose "Dancing With the Stars" partner was
2. Bristol Palin, who is the daughter of Alaska's former governor
3. Sarah Palin, who was impersonated on "Saturday Night Live" by
4. Tina Fey, who has been costumed on that show by
5. Brian Hemesath '94, who returned to St. Ambrose this year to design costumes for a production directed by
6. Corinne Johnson, professor of theatre

6d2bee #5

1. Michaele and Tarq Salahi, who while crashing a White House state dinner, had their photo snapped with
2. Vice President Joseph Biden, who was selected to run on the 2008 Democratic ticket with
3. President Barack Obama, who served in the U.S. Senate with
4. U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who toured the new health sciences education center with
5. Associate Dean of Education and Health Sciences Sandra Cassady, who is colleagues with
6. Michael Puthoff, PhD, associate professor and assistant director of physical therapy

6d2bee #6

1. Yogi Berra, the legendary Major League Baseball catcher who taunted batters like home run great
2. Hank Aaron during the 1958 World Series, who played on the Milwaukee Braves alongside a young
3. Joe Torre, who hit the first major league home run ever off Hall of Fame pitcher
4. Nolan Ryan, current president of the Texas Rangers, for whom
5. Ryan Maxwell '01 is a baseball associate and professional bat boy, as well as a former basketball player for
6. Ray Shovlain '79, '82 MBA, athletics director and men's basketball coach

6d2bee #7

1. James Van Der Beek, starred on "Dawson's Creek" with
2. Katie Holmes, the actress who inspired
3. Tom Cruise to jump on the sofa of
4. Oprah Winfrey, whose show has had as long-time senior associate producer
5. Colleen Sheehan '02, who was taught by
6. Donald "Duke" Schneider '76, TV-11 operations manager

6d2bee #8

1. Malcolm X, the Black Nationalist leader who in 1960 met with another revolutionary, Cuban dictator
2. Fidel Castro, who in 1998 welcomed to his communist country
3. Pope John Paul II, credited with helping end communism in his native Poland, along with
4. Lech Walesa, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who delivered the 2001 commencement speech at the invitation of
5. Retired St. Ambrose President Edward Rogalski, who was succeeded in 2007 by
6. Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, president of St. Ambrose

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