M. Blouke Carus	Marianne Carus

Illinois Wesleyan Awards Honorary Degrees to Marianne and M. Blouke Carus

April 1, 2003

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Marianne Carus, founder and publisher of magazines for children, and M. Blouke Carus, a business leader who has exhibited a lifelong passion for educaton, will receive honorary degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University during Commencement exercises on May 4.

In addition, Wayne Messmer, a 1972 graduate of the University and principal speaker at Commencement, will receive an honorary degree. The commencement ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on the Eckley Quadrangle. The rain site is The Shirk Center.

Marianne Carus began publishing CRICKET® magazine in 1973 as the first in a series of top-quality publications for children. The Cricket Magazine Group, published by Carus Publishing Company, comprises magazines for children of all ages: CICADA® , CRICKET®, SPIDER®, LADYBUG®, and BABYBUG®. In a joint publication effort with Smithsonian Magazine, Cricket also publishes the non-fiction science magazines MUSE®, ASK®, and CLICK®.

A native of Germany, Mrs. Carus majored in English and German literature at the University of Freiburg and completed additional studies in French Literature and Art History at the Sorbonne and the University of Chicago. She writes and speaks about children’s literature, creative writing, and children’s magazines throughout the world. She has been a director on the American Library Service for Children’s Board and the International Board on Books for Young People’s Executive Board.

M. Blouke Carus, chairman of Peru, Illinois-based Carus Chemical Co., earned a degree in electrical engineering from California Institute of Technology and then took postgraduate studies in chemistry at the University of Freiburg in Germany.

Mr. Carus’s education activities include serving, by Presidential appointment, as a member of the National Council on Education Research, as Chairman of the Citizens’ Committee to establish Illinois Valley Community College, and as Chairman of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Education Committee. He established the International Baccalaureate North America in 1973 and was a Council member for International Baccalaureate in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Carus Corporation has been active within its local community in chemical education initiatives by sponsoring a summer chemistry camp and internships for college undergraduates, educators, and foreign students.

In partnership with his wife, Marianne Carus, Mr. Carus has been involved with Carus Publishing, which includes Open Court General Books. Mr. Carus has developed both a reading and language arts programs based on the work of successful teachers and an elementary mathematics program.