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FALL 2018
GRADUATES School of Business 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 commencement
Graduate degrees
Adrine M. Krikorian.....................MBA Alexandra L. Turner.......................MSA Alicia C. Mann.............................MBA Amanda J. Dussold........................MSA Amber S. Bolla..............................MSA Ariel Isaak......................................MSA Ashley N. Reeder..........................MBA Brandae M. Gill............................MSA Brandon M. Allen.........................MSA Brittany E. Wallendorf...................MBA Chau M. Nguyen........................MMR Cody A. Singer.............................MBA
Connor J. Emshousen...................MBA Dalton D. Newkirk.......................MSA Dathan L. Brooks........................MBA Deborah Chinwe Ifedola Atere.......MS Desiree Villaveces.........................MMR Elaine N. Beardslee.....................MMR Eric N. Huff.................................MBA Ethan M. Renko..........................MSA Evan M. Meder............................MSA Faith Decker..................................MSA Garrett E. Kochner.......................MBA Haley A. Miller...........................MMR
James Dumont.............................MBA Jared A. Schneider.........................MBA Jordan E. Mendez.........................MSA Joshua A. McLeod........................MBA Joshua R. Weidner.......................MBA Kara L. Husmann.........................MSA Keith J. Boyer....................................MS Kevin A. Reckert..........................MBA Lauren M. White..........................MBA Mark Schmidt...............................MBA Nameesh Shrestha............................MS Paige N. Kniepmann......................MSA
Rebecca R. Standefer.....................MBA Regan Yard....................................MSA Savannah Halbe............................MBA Sean E. Campbell..........................MBA Sravani Prasad Kalavakolanu............MS Stephen Kaline............................MMR Terrell L. Johnson........................MBA Tricia A. Martinez.........................MSA Van K. Pham...............................MMR Xu Li.............................................MBA Zodo Nicholas Agadi.......................MS
Undergraduate degrees Abbi A. Senger.................................BS Adam J. Mongold............................BS Adrianna E. Eberlin.........................BS Alexander W. Frank..........................BS Alexus R. Griffith...........................BSA Allison M. Lee..................................BS Alyssa E. Cox...................................BS
Amelia R. Pytlinski.........................BSA Andres A. Gonzalez........................BSA Andrew Locke................................BSA Andrew Petty.....................................BS Anna M. Talley.................................BS Ashlie N. Lowry.................................BS Austin C. Grant................................BS
Austin W. Fanger..............................BS Ayanna Wadlington...........................BS Barry M. Welper...............................BS Batul Dalal........................................BS Blake R. Haag..................................BS Brandon M. Bohmer.......................BS Brett R. Dunker................................BS
Brian A. Pickert................................BS Brian L. Epplin...............................BSA Brian L. Lager..................................BS Bryce Peters......................................BS Caleb H. Mckee................................BS Caleb J. Sweet...................................BS Cameron W. Pearcy............................BS
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School of Business Undergraduate degrees
Chadwick M. Hupp........................BS Christian A. Scharwark....................BS Christina M. Silies...........................BS Christopher F. Kelly..........................BS Christopher T. Nunley.....................BS Christopher Warren.......................BSA Clint S. Kircher................................BS Colleen Vonder Haar........................BS Connor J. Henrichs.........................BS Corey D. Houston...........................BS Corey J. Turner.............................BSA Dana L. Davenport.....................BSA Dana Thomas...................................BS Daniel Hehmann..............................BS Danielle N. Schultz.........................BS Darian M. Cazadd............................BS Darrion D. Sole................................BS Darrius R. Brown............................BS David R. Foppe..............................BS DeAnna L. Kinds............................BS DeAunna M. Thomas.......................BS Dennis Foster....................................BS Dustin A. Crye..................................BS Dustin A. Davis..............................BSA Dylan M. Thompson.........................BS Dylan R. Schmidt.............................BS Evan J. Billington.............................BS Garett D. Brangenberg..............BS, BSA Gary Stetler-Williams.........................BS Gina M. Richardson.........................BS Hannah J. Arnhart..........................BS Hannah L. Christmann....................BS Holli K. Crawford............................BS Hunter Brooks..................................BS
Hunter T. Schmidt...........................BS Ira Redmon......................................BS Jacob D. Tepen...............................BS Jacob R. Adams...............................BS Jacob R. Schuette.............................BS Jacob Z. Reichert..............................BS Jake T. O’Keefe................................BS Jalisa Casey.......................................BS James G. Farmer..............................BS Jared A. Rueter................................BS Jared Riemenschneider......................BS Jason Bergmann................................BS Jay E. Sterling..................................BS Jeremy M. Claunch..........................BS Jessica A. Green.............................BSA Jessica A. Rodriguez......................BSA Jessica A. Scott.................................BS Jessica D. Miller................................BS Jessica Garbe.....................................BS Jessica Lake....................................BSA Jessica Roman................................BSA JiYoon Chung...................................BS John P. Thomas................................BS John W. Rybolt.................................BS Jonce H. Scheffel.............................BS Jordan M. White............................BS Josef E. Bosnyak..............................BS Joseph A. Colyer...............................BS Joshua M. Abbett.............................BS Joshua R. Bodmer.............................BS Justin Greenwald...............................BS Justin T. Diecker...............................BS Karissa B. Pesavento......................BSA Katie R. Kube..................................BS
Keaton A. Easley..............................BS Keegan T. McHugh..........................BS Kelly A. Rupe................................BSA Kendra L. Chance............................BS Kimberlyn P. Kirkman.....................BS Kristen A. Turpin...........................BS Kristen N. Lohmiller....................BSA Kurtis J. Mraz..................................BS Kyle A. Hartnagel.............................BS Lance M. Ramsey...............................BS Latia M. Morgan.............................BS Leon H. Nguyen.............................BS Logan M. Kuhl...............................BS Logan W. Breitbarth........................BS Lukas M. Metz...............................BS Madison R. Meyer..........................BS Mark P. Mckinley.............................BS Mason C. Going.............................BSA Matthew Bretz...............................BSA Matthew M. Kissel............................BS Max Kohnz.....................................BSA Megan A. Urshan..........................BSA Megan T. Gooch.............................BS Michael A. White..........................BSA Michael J. Gavin............................BS Michael J. Johnson........................BS Michael R. Nigg.............................BS Michelle A. Fuehne.........................BS Michelle Porter...............................BSA Miranda N. Hickey........................BSA Monique N. Abbott..........................BS Nanette Horton..............................BSA Natasha D. Handy............................BS Nathan Randant................................BS
Nathaniel P. Higgins.........................BS Nicholas B. Hamilton.......................BS Paige M. Simmons............................BS Paul R. Philippe................................BS Payton Drury.....................................BS Reid C. Beaty....................................BS Ronald J. Richards...........................BS Ryan A. Feller..................................BS Ryan J. Fritz..................................BSA Ryan S. James...................................BS Samuel T. Coyle..............................BS Sarah A. McGeeney.......................BSA Scott A. Paddock.........................BSA Sean M. Mosby................................BS Shawn M. Porter..............................BS Shaye Suasillo...................................BS Shelby L. Jestes...............................BS Shelby R. Nolle............................BSA Silas M. Lasater...............................BS Sophia M. Garland...........................BS Stephanie L. Richardet.....................BS Stephen M. Sitze.............................BS Steven M. Snyder.............................BS Taylor Bosch...................................BSA Taylor J. Tobin.................................BS Taylor P. Knispel...............................BS Thomas C. Hull...............................BS Trey C. Search..................................BS Tyler D. Zuber.................................BS William A. Statz...............................BS Zackary S. Schmitt............................BS
School of Education, Health and Human Behavior 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 commencement
Graduate degrees Alexa N. McClaughry.....................MS Angel R. McCain......................MSED Angela N. Edwards.......................EDS Ashley Yockey...................................MS Bailey R. Lawson.....................MSED Barry M. Wittler...........................EDS Billie G. Turner........................MSED Bridget M. Winter.......................EDS Chaketa D. Riddle......................EDD Chellis L. Altenberger.....................MS Darius A. Smith........................MSED Destiny Krietemeyer........................MS
Dioblo A. Smith.............................MS Eboni M. Chism.......................MSED Hailey N. Edison...........................MS Haley Hart......................................MS Hanna A. Preston..........................MS Hannah L. Flatt........................MSED Heather N. Murphy Cox.............MSED Janelle M. Kuhn.........................MSED Jennifer Martin..............................EDS Jessi L. Luketich........................MSED Katlyn M. Hare...............................MS Kellie A. Wittig.............................MS
Kory A. Peppenhorst...................MSED Kristen K. White.............................MS Laura A. Tungett............................MS Laure A. Ryterski.........................EDS Mary Soderberg................................MS Matthew R. Roesch........................MS Megan Gilbertson............................MS Miranda L. Lidisky.........................MS Nicholas Niekra...............................MS Nicole Marconi.............................EDS Renaldo J. Jackson.......................EDS Renee N. Wilcox.............................MS
Shavonda Calhoun.....................MSED Shivani Ramanbhai Sabhaya............MS Tamara A. Palmier.....................MSED Tamyra S. Taylor............................EDS Tiffany Greathouse.....................MSED Tonya L. Shores.........................MSED Trisha M. Clark.........................MSED Vincenzo Pepe..................................MS Wesley Cummins........................MSED Yolandea M. Wood.........................MS Zachary A. Ziemba..........................MS
Undergraduate degrees Aaron Marcano................................BS Abie R. Vahlkamp............................BS Adrienne Nerini................................BS Alex M. Kelly....................................BS Alexandra K. Teasley..........................BS Alexis K. Simpson...........................BS Alexus Duncan..................................BS Alyssa N. Imburgia.........................BS Amy J. Bowling................................BS Andrew M. Washenko......................BS Anthony C. Land...............................BS Anthony M. Hagele...........................BS Ashlyn M. Cadle..............................BS Asia L. Walker.................................BS Azia E. Aldridge...............................BS Brenna M. Hilmes..........................BS Brittany N. Johnson.........................BS
Brooke L. Wilke..............................BS Calvin J. Heimann.............................BS Cassidy N. Merano.........................BS Chris Simmons................................BS Danika R. Harmening.....................BS Desiree M. Glynn..........................BS Devyn L. Fones...............................BS Eli M. McCormick...........................BS Elizabeth A. Kirkpatrick....................BS Gary A. Hunsche.............................BS Gary L. Wimberley..........................BS Gohar Ghazaryan..............................BS Izabelle N. Harvey............................BS Jacqueline L. Harris.........................BS Jade N. Monroe...............................BS Jakari D. Lowe-Ellis........................BS Jalela K. Mitchell.............................BS
Jaquaya Pointer................................BS Jason R. Brooks...............................BS Jessica R. Thomas...........................BS Juanita Whitelow..............................BS Kassandra L. Lowe...........................BS Kendall R. Hopkins.........................BS Kerry J. Nott...................................BS Kyle Jefferson...................................BS Lauren D. Graham.............................BS Lauren L. Holderfield........................BS Lexie A. Erwin..................................BS Lydia M. Durr..................................BS Mackenzie Harrison..........................BS Mariah J. Nelson..............................BS Maximillian D. Lister........................BS Megan E. Beachum...........................BS Meredith Brunner..............................BS
Molly E. Kamys ................................BS Nikolle L. Danner..............................BS Prairie J. Boschulte............................BS Ramsha K. Durrani........................BS Rebecca Wagner................................BS Rocco P. Losurdo............................BS Samantha M. Syfert.........................BS Samuel E. Reece...............................BS Sarah G. Taylor.................................BS Sidnee E. Sawyer...............................BS Skyla S. Phipps..................................BS Sonya M. Hill..................................BS Taylor A. Wilbert..............................BS Tynesha Oden...................................BS Vivian D. Rodgers............................BS Zachary T. Spahn..............................BS
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Fall 2018 Commencement Speakers Yelana Moton to speak at commencement for School of Engineering MADISON LAMMERT reporter
After careful consideration, construction management chose to nominate senior Yelana Moton, of East St. Louis, Illinois, to speak at the Fall 2018 commencement due to her involvement with the school. After Anne Werner, the head of the construction department, told Moton of her selection, Moton began crafting her speech. Moton plans to discuss how the school’s mission and values made an impact on her personal journey. She intends to conclude with some tips she has used throughout her undergraduate career and that her fellow graduates could apply throughout the next chapters of their lives. “When Dr. Werner made me aware of the nomination, I couldn’t stop thanking her,” Moton said. “I couldn’t wait to share the news with my parents and the rest of my family.” The faculty chose Moton partly because they felt she accurately represents SIUE’s construction management students. “This is the profile of the construction management students: from their first semester, they already are working,” Moton’s international construction professor Fernando Romero Galvao De Moraes said. “If you attend one construction management class, you’ll see when you arrive that they are dirty
because they came from their job site. From my understanding, because I come from the industry, this is a strength of these students.” In addition to her studies, Moton is currently interning at Kennedy Associates, Inc. Design and Build, a St. Louis based company that provides architecture, engineering, construction management and program management services. She has also been heavily involved in various major-related organizations throughout her time at SIUE. “She was an obvious choice because of how much she’s done for the department and how much she’s been involved,” Anne Werner said. Moton served as the president of SIUE’s chapter of the American Concrete Institute during half of her junior year and into her senior year. ACI students travel to conferences all across the country to compete against big-league engineering schools like University of Missouri Science and Technology and The University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “[ACI competitions] have just opened our eyes to what’s going on in other areas of the country, and we’ve made more connections for SIUE through those organizations,” Moton said. Constructors Club has been a part of Moton’s experience since the start of her time at SIUE. Eventually, she held a board position by the middle of her
junior year and continued it into the following school year. The club allows students to partake in Associate School of Construction competitions, which allow students to plan out a project that is executed in real life. “During class, you get assigned fictional projects, but this experience gives you real-life numbers, a real-life schedule and puts it in a better perspective of what you’ll be doing when you get out into the industry,” Moton said. Constructors Club also provides its members with volunteer opportunities. During her time in the club, Moton helped build the Early Childhood Center playground and a pavilion in Highland, Illinois. She also visited Florida twice with the club to work with Habitat for Humanity. “It was eye-opening because the families that we were building the homes for were right alongside of us,” Moton said. “They were so thankful, and to be able to help these families was just a wonderful feeling.” The club provides students with connections to companies within the construction management field. One such way this is done is by periodically bringing in speakers from various companies. “I think it’s really important to join organizations, especially ones that are geared toward your major because that’s how you get more exposure and get
| Photo courtesy of Yelana Moton
more networking opportunities or connections within your industry,” Moton said. “I’ve met a lot of professionals who have helped me along the way through the organizations that I’ve joined at SIUE.” In fact, a university-held networking night helped Moton land her current internship as a project engineer and design superintendent with KAI Design and Build. Moton not only credits SIUE with helping her find her current internship, but also in defining her future goals: either moving up the corporate ladder within a company or having her own company as a general contractor. “I think [SIUE] definitely had a big impact in helping me to figure out which route I actually
want to take, just from taking different classes and talking to different professors and also being able to talk to people in the industry while going to school,” Moton said. After experiencing first-hand how being involved in a collegiate setting can reap many benefits, Moton encourages other students to follow in her footsteps. “There’s a reason why the school has organizations available to us,” Moton said. “Something that an organization does is get you out of a classroom setting even though you’re still learning and you might be doing something toward your major, but it still gives you a different perspective on what’s going on around you and in your major or in your industry.”
Nursing student to speak on experiences at SIUE TREVOR OLIVER reporter
Selected for her work within the School of Nursing, senior Jessica L. Lohman of St. Louis, will be speaking on behalf of the School of Nursing at the Fall 2018 commencement. Interim Assistant Dean for the School of Nursing Ann Popkess chose Lohman after reviewing her transcript along with recommendations from several faculty members. “She was recommended by the faculty — by several faculty actually — and then I reviewed her resume and her transcript, and I interviewed her and asked if she’d like to do | Photo via Jessica Lohman that,” Popkess said.
“I wasn’t told the exact selection process, but as I understand it you had to get recommendation from your instructors at school, you had to be in good academic standing and you had to be involved on campus,” Lohman said. Along with her schoolwork, Lohman is involved in the Student Nursing Association and Meals on Wheels, an organization that brings food to those in need. “[I’m involved in] Student Nursing Association; we are involved with the School of Nursing itself which has events every year, and then we also are involved in the Meals on Wheels outreach. I do mine in my parents’ hometown,” Lohman said. Lohman is wanting to represent the 2018 undergraduate class with her commencement speech and is looking to discuss how SIUE has helped shape future nurses.
“It’s really a focus around making sure that I’m representing the undergraduate class of 2018. So, I really focus on just talking about our years at school and how we’ve grown and developed and just kind of tying in some personal experiences with friends and really how SIUE has helped us become the future nurses that we are,” Lohman said. Lohman chose nursing through experiences shadowing in high school and wanting to do something with people. “I chose nursing because, of all the fields that I had ever come into contact with, whether it be personal experiences [or] professional experiences, nursing really stuck out, and I knew that I wanted to do something with people,” Lohman said. “I shadowed my junior and senior year of high school in nursing units, and it clicked. I just knew it was what I wanted to do.” After graduating, Lohman
is starting a career as a labor and delivery nurse at DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, Missouri. “[The School of Nursing] was the best decision I ever made. I would really highly recommend it if you’re interested in being the best nurse you could be,” Lohman said. Junior nursing major Elijah Hughes of Waverly, Illinois, also finds the School of Nursing to be rewarding. “The nursing program SIUE has to offer is a challenging experience with an extraordinarily rewarding outcome. The curriculum teaches us a lot throughout the program and our clinical rotations around St. Louis and the Metro East area introduce us to many future opportunities,” Hughes said. TREVOR OLIVER 650-3527 @toliver_alestle toliver@alestlelive.com
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Sarah VanSlette to be granted Great Teacher Award on Saturday MIRANDA LINTZENICH managing editor
It’s easy to imagine professors sitting at home drinking wine, watching TV and grading papers. Although that may be true and acceptable for some, Sarah VanSlette defies this stereotype in every way, according to her past students. Sarah VanSlette, a seven-year faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences, an associate professor in the Applied Communication Studies Department and the ACS graduate program director, was recently given the 2018 Great Teacher Award by the SIUE Alumni Association. As the 48th recipient of the award, VanSlette will speak at commencement at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15., where she will be recognized for the award. VanSlette will receive a plaque and $1,000. VanSlette said those who recommended her gave her their letters to let her read what they wrote about her. “I was honored that my former students would do this for me and that I had made a difference in their lives. It was really special,” VanSlette said. Marketing Relations and Media Relations specialist Megan Wieser was a student of VanSlette’s in the ACS graduate program. Wieser said VanSlette is a professor that cares about her students. “I consider her a great teacher because she really puts her students first,” Wieser said. “It is clear she believes in her students
and goes out of her way to let them know they can do anything they set their minds to.” VanSlette said SIUE stands out and has its great reputation because of the way professors treat and care for the students. “To be honored along with those other great teachers is something that I’ll remember forever,” VanSlette said. “It’s an honor to be named with the people that shaped SIUE to what it is today.” Wieser said VanSlette is also encouraging and motivating. “Having her as a graduate student working full-time and having a couple of kids, she was always reminding me, ‘The juggle is real and difficult,’ but that we can all achieve our goals,” Wieser said. “She used her real-world experiences and research to keep up with the changes and the PR world and everything we were learning about was useful.” VanSlette said she is very willing to share her life outside of her Ph.D. and research with her students. In past years, she taught in-person for juniors and seniors, but recently more of her teaching has been online. “I got to make sure that at the end of their education that they were focused on what they wanted in life, and what their career goals were: getting their first job or wanting to start in a new city, I would help them network,” VanSlette said. VanSlette said these are the things that make her enjoy being a professor. “Those were special to
them — those are the things they wrote about in their letter. It was what I did outside of the classroom,” VanSlette said. One of VanSlette’s previous students is Dylan Stanley, who completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ACS at SIUE. He regards VanSlette as a shooting star in and out of the classroom. “She’s kind of one of those unique humans that you don’t realize — you know how you don’t really see a shooting star until you see one? Well, that’s her,” Stanley said. “You really want to learn what she is teaching and she really cares. She draws you in with her humanity and real-life experience.” Stanley said VanSlette impacted him. “I transferred in from community college, like a lot of students do, and she made me feel like I had a seat at the table,” Stanley said, noting that most students already had connections and friends while he was adjusting. “She was just really vocal and adamant, letting me know that I belonged there.” Stanley said VanSlette pushed him to go to graduate school, even though it wasn’t originally on his list. He also said VanSlette was open about her endeavors outside
| Jakob Ruffner / The Alestle
of the classroom, and VanSlette said this was a way for her to best engage her students — to find the common ground. “I think that it is something that students have — this perception that the professor is a big nerd that sits at their desk — I mean, we are huge nerds. That is a fact,” VanSlette said. VanSlette said having things outside the classroom can enrich the professor as a person and help build knowledge. “Any way in which the professor can find common ground with their students can help. It keeps students interested in the class, engaged in the coursework. You have to tailor to them and their interests,” VanSlette said. Along with being a professor, VanSlette is the ACS department’s graduate program director, the
secretary for Public Relations Division of the National Communication Association, a mom of three kids and a fitness instructor in St. Louis. “My experience as a mother and as a fitness instructor gives me an insight into how I teach, not just the degree,” VanSlette said. VanSlette wanted others to know she is more than just a professor. “I care about students’ success just as much, if not sometimes more than the student themselves, and I think that the professors, when you care deeply, it can be sad when you see potential and you see promise and you see a student who is not meeting their potential or not really applying themselves as far as they could,” VanSlette said.
Teaching Excellence Award winner encourages student growth
| Bre Booker / The Alestle DARIAN STEVENSON reporter
An educator with a sense of curiosity and the ability to provide students with the type of education and encouragement needed to grow is the recipient of the annual Teaching Excellence Award. Assistant professor of sociology and graduate program director in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences Sandra Weissinger is the recipient of this year’s award. “It’s rather surreal and getting a monetary award helps you to know it is happening, but still,
I’m getting an award for doing a job I signed up to do, and I don’t sign up for jobs unless I can do them to the best of my ability,” Weissinger said. Professor and interim chair of the sociology department Linda Markowitz encouraged Weissinger to apply for the award. “[Weissinger] has always been well-received by students. She gets wonderful student evaluations, and she’s very innovative in the classroom, and I wanted to convey to the university how valued she is in that regard,” Markowitz said. Markowitz said Weissinger deserves this award because she is
passionate about her job. “I think [Weissinger] gets really excited when students are engaged, and she’s willing to go the extra mile to create that excitement because it just gives her so much satisfaction,” Markowitz said. Weissinger said she decided to become a sociologist after having her first sociology class at the age of 17. “When I took the class, I was amazed,” Weissinger said. “We had a professor that called herself the Oprah Winfrey of sociology, and she’d bring to class people I never met or imagined I would meet. I was absolutely captivated that the world was so much larger than what I had been formally brought to know, and the rest is history; once you get that kind of introduction you just want more.” Although she enjoyed her classes, Weissinger said she had put her education on hold a few times for financial reasons. “I ended up dropping out of undergraduate a couple of different times just because of money. I didn’t have the money to pay for the tuition, and I moved around so I could get the money to pay for the tuition,” Weissinger said. Weissinger worked a number of jobs before finishing school and thinks the experience helped prepare her for the career she has today.
“By the time I went into my Ph.D. program I had a number of jobs,” Weissinger said. “I had worked for unions for a short stint, and I worked in retail for a longer stint than I had liked, but by the time I got into school I had dealt with people and I dealt with organizing and I had been in several jobs, but not careers.” Weissinger graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and began working at SIUE as a sociology professor in 2012. She said the best part about teaching is watching her students grow. “What I like most about [teaching] is, in a very short time, I get to see people grow,” Weissinger said. “I just spoke at black graduation yesterday, and I was amazed because there were students I saw when they first began and to see how they have matured and grown, and they went from being little kids to these young adults and I like the chance to see how people grow.” Weissinger will give a speech at this semester’s commencement ceremony. She plans to emphasize and encourage students to try. “There will be a lot of references to just showing up and trying,” Weissinger said. “This is the message I want to convey to graduates: nothing is easy, and nothing is straightforward and there are a lot of winding roads and your duty in this life is to
keep showing up and not to get hampered down with anxiety and fear, just keep showing up with one foot in front of the other.” Instructor of archaeology and cultural resource management in the anthropology department Michele Lorenzini is a good friend of Weissinger and said she is straightforward with her students. “One of the things about her that I have learned from our questions and conversations about teaching is she is one of those teachers that has those hard conversations with her students because they need them, kind of like the tough-love approach, rather than hand-holding and spoon-feeding,” Lorenzini said. Weissinger said one thing that drives her to teach and live life to the fullest is her curiosity. “I think that as long as you can keep that kind of curiosity it’s really what allows us to continue living through difficult times, and it’s really what allows us, perhaps, to get up every day with a sense of ‘I want to approach this day, I want to do something with this day, I’m happy to see what unfolds, come what may,’” Weissinger said. DARIAN STEVENSON 650-3527 @dstevenson_alestle dstevenson@alestlelive.com
| Commencement speakers continued on page 8
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School of Nursing 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 commencement
Graduate degrees Adam C. Schneider.....................DNP Amy N. Kief...................................MS Angela K. Gilbreth.........................MS Breana L. Lovel.............................MS Cara M. Crain..............................MS Danielle L. Bogue.........................DNP Danielle R. Hawkins........................MS
Felicia M. Johnson.........................MS Jennifer L. Mohr..............................MS Jessica L. Fowler...............................MS Jessica L. Walker.............................DNP Jovel Angela V. Broqueza..............DNP Kristie L. Goeckner..........................MS Latanya Arnold-Cowart....................MS
Lihua Yu..........................................MS Maria E. LaRose.............................MS Maribeth J. McCormack................DNP Melissa L. Ashley.........................DNP Mollie E. Ring.................................MS Paloma Reichert...............................MS Pamela A. Wickenhauser..................MS
Rebecca T. Blake..............................MS Regina R. Thomas........................DNP Shawanna F. Thompson....................MS Theresa L. Rawlings........................MS Wilhelmina Roney............................MS
Undergraduate degrees Abigail K. Hull................................BS Alexandra M. Treadwell.................BS Alexis N. Schultze.............................BS Amanda J. Frassato...........................BS Amy B. Terry....................................BS Amy D. Handegan...........................BS Amy LeFevers...................................BS Amy M. Kennedy.............................BS Andrew R. Lucker...........................BS Andy Tran.........................................BS Angela C. Pilbeam.............................BS Ann E. Jiter......................................BS Anna M. Gailius...............................BS Anna Wilson.....................................BS Ashley D. Proper..............................BS Ashley L. Sabo................................BS Ashley N. Highfill...........................BS Biridiana Salgado...............................BS Bobbi J. Dulaney..............................BS Bonnie Hemenway............................BS Brandi L. Boak................................BS Brandon Jones..................................BS Brianna M. Cox...............................BS Brittany J. Hardwick........................BS Brittany McCain...............................BS Callie N. Trader.................................BS Callie R. Priebe...............................BS Catalina M. Trevino..........................BS Chantelle M. Settles.........................BS Charles L. Ellington.........................BS Charles Williamson...........................BS Christina D. Isringhausen.................BS Courtney P. Seisser.........................BS Crystal J. Berg.................................BS Danete A. Keefer...............................BS
Danielle K. Ganassin........................BS Desiree Brand...................................BS Diana M. McKinley..........................BS Dreanalee Vanzo................................BS Edith S. Yarl.....................................BS Elizabeth H. Powell..........................BS Emily A. Anderson..........................BS Emily J. Gabbard............................BS Emily K. Glover...............................BS Emmily J. Lackey..............................BS Erica L. Gruzeski...............................BS Erica L. Nevois..................................BS Erin J. Rankin...................................BS Heidi Matherly..................................BS Jacqueline R. Richardson...................BS Jared W. Galeener..............................BS Jasmine M. Kolb..............................BS Jeni S. Krawiecki..............................BS Jennifer Fusaro..................................BS Jessica J. Trumpy...............................BS Jessica J. Zalewski............................BS Jessica McCaskill..............................BS John Sanchez.....................................BS Jon C. Wilkerson.............................BS Jordan L. Crow................................BS Josefina M. Acosta............................BS Josh A. Estes...................................BS Karen Mendez...................................BS Karina K. Priebe.................................BS Katelyn E. Myer...............................BS Katie White.......................................BS Kayle L. Wall.....................................BS Kaylee D. Thomae............................BS Keishauna M. Hayes.........................BS Kelsey P. Lox.....................................BS
Kennedy L. Moore..........................BS Keyunta Ingram-Phillips...................BS Kimberly D. Neathery......................BS Kimberly S. Edwards.......................BS Kristen Rodriguez............................BS Krystle Conreaux..............................BS Kyle J. Pierce.....................................BS Kyndall R. Ralston........................BS Lacey N. Ronzheimer.......................BS Latisha R. Edwards..........................BS Lauren E. Henderson........................BS Lauren K. Blanken............................BS Lauren M. Broeking.........................BS Leah Dyer.........................................BS Lisa O. Nusbaum.............................BS Lori J. Romo...................................BS Madison A. Leonard.........................BS Mandy J. Miller................................BS Marcella F. Willis..............................BS Maria R. Strohl.................................BS Marissa D. Shields............................BS Mary K. Elliston...............................BS Maryann Abalos................................BS Matthew W. Ehrhardt........................BS Meghan C. Champion......................BS Michael E. Meeks............................BS Mick J. Straub..................................BS Molly Neary......................................BS Monique D. Romeo..........................BS Nakeia S. Saddler............................BS Nicholas R. Bauder..........................BS Nichole M. Grzechowiak..................BS Nicole J. Bochtler..............................BS Nicole L. Pals...................................BS Nidia Garner.....................................BS
Olivia M. Norris...............................BS Paul C. Hauschild............................BS Perfect Agbai.....................................BS Rachel J. Whitaker............................BS Raven K. Seddon..............................BS Rebakah L. Streeb............................BS Rebecca A. Shaw..............................BS Robert F. Ehrhardt...........................BS Rose M. Bonk...................................BS Ruthelma King.................................BS Samantha K. Shannon.....................BS Sandra L. Gentry..............................BS Sarah A. MacKenzie..........................BS Sarah E. Kanable-Smith.....................BS Sarah L. Natanson...........................BS Sarah L. Penly.................................BS Sarah R. Panici.................................BS Shannon L. Stumpf..........................BS Shannon McGinnis...........................BS Shannon R. Meckel.........................BS Shelby R. Bayler................................BS Simon Rapacz...................................BS Stephanie E. Merriman.....................BS Susan M. Higgins.............................BS Sydney R. Colyott...........................BS Tanzania Hodges..............................BS Taylor A. Dunnette............................BS Teresa Knisley....................................BS Valerie M. Garner..............................BS William J. Sanders............................BS Zachary S. Norton...........................BS Zachary Schwabe..............................BS Zoie D. Frey......................................BS
School of Engineering 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 commencement
Graduate degrees Akhila Karlapalem............................MS Alexander T. Dickinson....................MS Amanda L. Fisher...........................MS Andrew A. Parcels............................MS Andrew Chapman............................MS Anoop Kasa.....................................MS Anshuman Chaudhary......................MS Anupama Umakant..........................MS Avinash Reddy Paduri......................MS Ayodeji Seun Egberongbe................MS Azarya Y. Habte...............................MS Colin K. Hale.................................MS Daniel R. Mccullough......................MS
Divyashree Tumakuru Ramesh........MS Ehren Wolfe.....................................MS Emily R. Clayton.............................MS Emmanuel O. Enumegukae.............MS Gita Pant..........................................MS Jack W. White.................................MS James A. Webb................................MS James M. Seyfert..............................MS John A. Ourth.................................MS Joon Bum Park.................................MS Joshua S. Griffey..............................MS Kathirvel Senthilvelan.......................MS Keertana Pilli Krupa........................MS
Kermit B. Christmann......................MS Ketul Patel........................................MS Kurt W. Unger.................................MS MD Monjur Ellahi Rafi....................MS Md Sarfuz Zaman............................MS Mersad Besic....................................MS Michael B. Miller.............................MS Nedret Ramic..................................MS NFN Jijo Punnamootil Varghese........MS Nicholas J. Caban.............................MS Patrick Bunetic.................................MS Priyank Kumar Shah.......................MS Rajesh Alamalakala...........................MS
Ramin Balouchzadeh........................MS Ramprakash Subramanian...............MS Ravi Kiran Alluri.............................MS Roya Mazrouei.................................MS Silvya Sanders.................................MS Stanley T. Eze..................................MS Surya Srujan Patneedi......................MS Tejeswara Raju Vutukuri..................MS Thomas J. Ryan................................MS Uday Kumar Vettigunta...................MS Uma Sindhu Charugundla...............MS Vikas Varma Alluri...........................MS Yaoguang Yuan.................................MS
Undergraduate degrees Aaron D. Borrowman.......................BS Aaron J. Bandy................................BS Aaron J. Hendrix.............................BS Abdallah A. Nassar..........................BS Adam DeRousse................................BS Adrian E. Arceneaux.........................BS Alec D. Drum...................................BS Alex M. Mitchell...............................BS Alexander J. Hunsaker.......................BS Alexander McCurrie..........................BS Allan D. Baglin.................................BS
Allison N. Smith...............................BS Andrea R. Markus.............................BS Andrew M. Henry...........................BS Anthony R. Moscardelli....................BS Austin E. Bundy...............................BS Benjamin A. Cebulske......................BS Bradley Peradotto..............................BS Bradley W. Miller..............................BS Brandon Shapiro...............................BS Bret L. Eilerman................................BS Brittany R. Brinkmann.....................BS
Caleb Miller.......................................BS Cameron J. Rohlfing........................BS Chad A. Carter...............................BSE Charles D. Garrison..........................BS Christopher M. Mitchell....................BS Christopher R. Watkins.....................BS Christopher S. Buckley......................BS Clayton E. Calabrese........................BS Clint T. Reilson.................................BS Cody J. Wilson.................................BS Colton T. McClintock.......................BS
Dale Auten........................................BS Dane A. Grote...................................BS Dane A. Johnson..............................BS Daniel P. Hopkins.............................BS Darius J. Harrison............................BS Donal Reagan...................................BS Edward L. Pisarski............................BS Edward M. Griesheim.......................BS Elijah R. Ball....................................BS Eric M. Niemeyer.............................BS Ethan D. Sisk.....................................BS
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School of Engineering Undergraduate degrees
Ethan R. Kasen.................................BS Gokberk B. Tugcu.............................BS Ian M. Gunn....................................BS Iqra H. Arshad..................................BS Jacob A. Leveling.............................BS Jared G. Laurent...............................BS Jared Williams...................................BS Jason A. Kunz..................................BS Jason M. Leonard............................BS Jeevani Kondepati..............................BS Jelani M. Brown...............................BS Jennifer Sanders................................BS Jessica M. Elder.................................BS John M. Wehner...............................BS John Michael L. Swarthout...............BA Joseph G. Tipton..............................BS Josh W. Huffstutler..........................BS
Joshua P. Eberhart.............................BS Joshua S. Case...................................BS Justin T. Miles..................................BS Lane T. Davis....................................BS Lauren C. Smith................................BS Lucas C. Smith.................................BS Lucas J. Reid......................................BS Lucas R. Knepp................................BS Madison L. Daiber.............................BS Matthew L. Fors................................BS Maximilian E. Spicer........................BS Michael M. Tierney.........................BS Michael S. McCann...........................BS Mitchell A. Langenhorst...................BS Nathan D. Cox................................BS Nathaniel W. Murray.........................BS Neil A. Ritz.....................................BS
Nicholas M. Bergmann.....................BS Nicholas Weishaupt..........................BS Nino T. Giganti................................BS Oktay Gelincik..................................BS Phillip D. Lorentz..............................BS Pratik Lamsal....................................BS Rishabh H. Patel..............................BS Ronakkumar S. Patel..........................BS Ronnie T. King.................................BA Ryan J. Onesky..................................BS Samuel I. Collins...............................BS Samuel Klatch...................................BS Scott A. Stauffenberg........................BS Shane M. Plocher..............................BA Shaun P. Gunter.................................BS Shayla R. Townsend..........................BS Spencer A. Lemay..............................BS
Steven T. Reynolds............................BS Tanner A. Burge-Beckley...................BS Thomas J. Maragos..........................BS Tien T. Nguyen.................................BS Timothy L. Atkinson.........................BS Tyler A. Haren..................................BS Tyler Stenzel......................................BS Tyler W. Friedel.................................BS Vaibhav Y. Patel.................................BS Varun S. Gowda................................BS William J. Strader..............................BS William W. Fry...................................BS Yelana C. Moton................................BS Zachery R. Wilson.............................BS
School of Pharmacy 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 commencement Melinda S. Schnietz..........................MS
College of Arts and Sciences 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 commencement
Graduate degrees Alexander D. Smith.........................MS Allan Sichei Juma.............................MS Allison J. Newton............................MS Alycia M. Sorensen.........................MS Anthony R. Ramuglia......................MS Aysha M. Hill...............................MPA Bradley T. Jones...............................MS Bradley W. Richards.........................MS Brandon C. Schack.........................MS Breann N. Speraneo.......................MPA Bridgette N. Hearn......................MPA Candice L. Johnson.........................MS Christina E. Gilliaum....................MPA Christopher T. Witruk.....................MA
Daniel M. Wescovich......................MA Dara J. Ward...................................MA David K. Seidel...............................MS Delano J. Redmond.......................MM Dierdra D. Renfroe..........................MS Dominic Essuman...........................MS Eric Adams......................................MS Fred J. Cornwell...............................MS Hope H. Cherry..............................MA Ian M. Wilson................................MS Jacob W. Miller................................MS Jaivionte D. Campbell....................MPA Jennifer M. Caldwell.......................MS Jeremy DeMond............................MPA
Jeremy Howard...............................MS Jessica Harris.................................MPA Jon Garrett...............................MM, PB Joy M. Munsch...............................MS Justin G. Leonchik.........................MPA Justy M. Rothe..............................MA Kara N. Gan...................................MA Kayla A. Halde..............................MA Letrice Young..................................MA Lisa M. Weekley...........................MPA Luke A. Warner..............................MPA Mary C. Sabo.................................MA Matthew C. Nelson.........................MS Matthew G. Lohman.......................MS
Matthew Sautman............................MA Miles C. Foltynowicz.......................MA Nicholas R. Urban........................MPA Paul M. Needham.........................MA Pin-Chieh Lai..................................MA Quentin R. Harris........................MPA Ryan R. Thies..................................MS Samantha D. Sorrick.......................MS Susan D. Hernandez.....................MPA Swathi Agiru....................................MS Thomas E. Dykas...........................MA Tiasha M. Jefferson..........................MA Toria M. Trost.................................MS Zachary Williams...........................MPA
Undergraduate degrees Aaron C. Semar..............................BS Aaron C. Wrigley............................BS Adam J. Bridges...............................BS Adam M. Hageman...........................BS Adam M. Poehls..............................BA Adeline M. Collins..........................BA Adriana Durbin................................BS Alexander J. Priestley.........................BS Alexandria N. Swallers......................BS Allison L. Behrens............................BS Amanda Luebke................................BA Amber M. Jacks...............................BS Amber N. Laurent...........................BS Amy L. Wilson.................................BA Andrew M. Crook............................BA Angela L. Little.................................BS
we
Angela R. Keeney..............................BA Angela R. Kramer.............................BS Angela Ruffin.................................BLS Antonio L. Perez................................BS Aretha M. Moore..............................BS Ashley A. Gustin..............................BS Ashley M. Eckhoff............................BS Ashley M. Mitchell............................BA Ashley N. Gagen..............................BS Ashley R. Pejakovich........................BS Ashlyn R. Walter..............................BS Aubrey A. Keilbach..........................BA Austin C. Chappell...........................BS Austin C. Crossley.............................BA Austin J. Rauscher...........................BS Austin S. Rue...................................BS
Ben R. Valette....................................BS Benjamin E. Foreman......................BS Brandon L. Banks............................BS Breanna K. Guppy............................BS Breanne N. Pelker............................BS Brenden M. Heaton........................BA Brett T. Aldridge..............................BS Briana C. Stallworth..........................BS Bridgette E. Connolly.......................BS Brittany A. Smith............................BS Brock A. Koelz.................................BS Brooke V. Little...............................BA Brooklynn M. Delong.....................BS Catharine Camero.............................BS Chad M. Melcher.............................BS Chance N. Goodwin.........................BA
you. do you
Chelsea M. Donald...........................BS Chloe E. Phelps...............................BA Christopher J. Rachal........................BS Christopher M. Lawrence...................BS Christopher Meyer............................BA Colin R. Suhre...............................BLS Corinthia G. Jordan............................BS Courtney R. Ford.............................BA Craig Proffer......................................BS Curtis L. Baird.................................BS Cynthia M. Holten...........................BS Dakota B. Tucker..............................BS Dale L. Rawson.................................BS Dalton J. Pollmann............................BS Daniel J. Friedel..............................BLS Danielle VanNote..............................BS
us?
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College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate degrees
Darion R. Hopkins...........................BS David C. Butz.................................BS Dawson G. Huelskamp....................BS Desiree E. Nelson.............................BS Dominique N. Robinson...................BS Douglas M. Morris..........................BA Dylan E. Petrich................................BS Elijah J. Accola.................................BS Emily L. Huff...................................BS Emily N. Clark..................................BS Eric C. Banker..................................BS Erika G. Martinez.............................BA Eric R. Metheny...............................BS Erika M. Schmidt..............................BS Garrett M. Krohne...........................BS Giovanni G. Vitellaro........................BS Grant V. Huegen..............................BS Gregory P. Takacs.............................BS Heather M. Rotter............................BS Holly L. Bluemner............................BS Holly Pikora.....................................BA Ian D. Steward...............................BA Ian M. Redman................................BS Isaac T. Forney..................................BS Jacob A. Mehallow............................BS Jacob D. Summers...........................BS Jacob E. Wernle................................BS Jaimee B. Palmer...............................BS James A. Zeveski...............................BS Jami L. Crowe..................................BS Jared L. Johnson..............................BS Jocelyn Padilla...................................BS Johan Frederik K De Picker..............BS Jon D. Thompson............................BS Jonah Wendling.................................BS
Joseph C. Cottrell.............................BS Joseph R. Kern.................................BA Joshua W. Russell............................BS Justin M. Lowry...............................BS Justin R. Gray...................................BS Kamran A. Mehmandoost.............BFA Karrissa M. Siegel............................BS Katelyn E. Kreutztrager.....................BS Katelyn N. Skipper..........................BA Katherine G. Vogl...........................BM Katherine M. Davis...........................BS Kayleigh S. Brummett......................BS Kaylie DePasquale............................BA Keenan M. Adams...........................BS Kelley M. Tanner...........................BFA Kellin J. Daniel................................BS Kendra T. Martin............................BA Kody P. Welch.................................BA Kori R. Barnes................................BS Kourtney N. Stallings.......................BA Kyle S. Fischer...................................BS Lakyn N. Bowman.........................BFA Lauren E. Pruitt...............................BA Lauren N. Godfrey............................BS Libby G. Christian.............................BS Mackenzie F. Ginger..........................BS Madyson Lord..................................BS Marrissa J. Cole...............................BA Matthew J. McDowell.......................BS Matthew J. McKay.............................BS Matthew L. Bauman..........................BS Matthew R. Dennis...........................BS Matthew S. Leininger......................BM Matthew T. Nika...............................BS Matthew W. Lafond..........................BS
Matthew Williams.............................BS Meagan E. Colley..............................BS Megan E. Morrow............................BS Megan Hollers..................................BS Melissa Simmons...............................BS Michael A. Sadrerafi.........................BS Michael B. Limmer...........................BA Michele L. Jacks.................................BS Miranda S. Klinger...........................BA Mitchell Leefers................................BS Morgan M. Moore..........................BA Natasha R. Trotter..........................BS Nathan A. Flaum.............................BS Nathaniel J. Wasson..........................BS Nicholas A. Kapp.............................BS Nicholas D. Swanson........................BS Nicholas R. Seyer.............................BS Nicholas S. Grote............................BS Nicole E. Stevenson..........................BA Nicole M. Arnold..........................BFA Olivia Daube.....................................BS Onaliesa M. Luebbers......................BS Paige A. Milenkoff.............................BS Paige L. Young..................................BS Paisley A. Stagner..............................BA Quentin M. Lyeth..........................BS Racheal M. Abbott.............................BS Rachel A. Green................................BS Rachel A. Rogers.............................BA Rachel L. Allen...............................BS Rebecca L. Allen...............................BS Robert L. Kindle.............................BA Robyn D. Coates..............................BA Ron C. Rojas..................................BLS Russell P. Santen..............................BS
Ryan Y. Ashford.................................BA Salim B. Dove................................BS Samantha Kubichek..........................BS Sandra D. Shields-Byrd......................BS Sara N. Holtmann............................BS Sarah A. Paitz..................................BM Sarah E. Turner.................................BS Sarah M. Ferrenbach.........................BS Savana M. Hubert...........................BA Scarlett R. Kitchens..........................BA Scott Antrobus..................................BS Scott M. Baird.................................BS Scott M. Otto...................................BS Scott R. Both...................................BS Sergio I. Bernal Rodriguez.................BS Shelby N. Lohrenz.............................BA Starsheanna B. Washington................BA Steffan W. Gluck...............................BS Summer M. Baer..............................BS Sydni V. Rubio..................................BS Thomas J. Antonacci.........................BS Thomas S. Feldman......................BA, BS Tiffani M. Tillman...........................BS Timothy M. Schaeffer........................BS Troy M. Schneider............................BS Tyler Dearing.....................................BA Tyler J. Pikul......................................BS Tyler R. Mahan..................................BS Vinay S. Gowda................................BS Webster M. Dyer...............................BS William J. Levi.................................BA William M. Mackey........................BA Yolanda M. Wachewicz.......................BS Zackary Carroll..................................BS
Graduate School 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 commencement
Graduate degrees Angela R. Campbell........................MS Beth E. Barrier................................MS
Mohammad S. Yousef......................MS Norvella Brown................................MS
Ontaria J. Washington.....................MS Sandy R. Strauser.............................MS
Army ROTC student to speak for School of Business TYLER PLETSCH reporter
‘Disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient.’ These are the characteristics of a soldier — and that is exactly who the School of Business’ commencement speaker is. Senior computer management and information studies major, John Thomas from Springfield, Illinois, will address all graduates of the School of Business Saturday, Dec. 15. Thomas enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard after turning 18 and began attending a year later In just three-and-a-half years, he is graduating with a 4.0 GPA and has had multiple internships. Thomas had the honor of being a battalion commander for SIUE’s ROTC program. Thomas had 90 soldiers under his command. Thomas maintained a 4.0
GPA all while serving as battalion commander, having multiple internships and having a full course-load, but believes the Army helped build him to be able to do so. “It has been a little challenging to balance all of the extra time commitment, especially because I was the battalion commander. I ran the entire program this semester as the top cadet. That was a lot of time commitment that you have to find a careful balance for … In general, that both my academic choices and choices with the military were kind of mutually beneficial in each other and driving me to want to finish strong and do as well as I could,” Thomas said. Thomas received praise from CMIS chair and professor Anne Powell, who had him in two classes. “I had him in system analysis and design course, which is a required course for all CMIS
majors. It is a 200-level, so it’s one of the early classes that they take. … He finished in the top one percent of all of the 1,500 students I have had in that class,” Powell said. Powell nominated Thomas for CMIS Outstanding Senior of 2018, after the CMIS staff voted, Thomas was chosen for the award. The dean of the School of Business, Tim Schoenecker, had the final say for nominees to become the speaker and was pleased Thomas won after a staff vote. “I have met [Thomas] several times and I think he is a great representation of what we would like to see from our business students. He is a great student, [has an] extremely high GPA, has gotten a lot of really excellent practical experiences while he was a student and a lot of that was through ROTC and his service in the National Guard. He has been working in his field
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of information technology and cybersecurity while he’s been our student; that has been something I wish all of our students would have is that quality of experience,” Schoenecker said. Upon graduation, Thomas looks to be recommissioned into
the Illinois Army National Guard and continue his work as both a soldier and a civilian. TYLER PLETSCH 650-3527 @tyler_alestle tpletsch@alestlelive.com