SPIRITof GIVING
FALL 2017
Called to Greatness EDITOR Tom Hoopes G’10
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amy Nell
DESIGNER Hayleigh Diebolt
WRITERS Steve Johnson G’12 Doug Longstaff G’07 Rosemary Wilkerson
CLASS WAYS TONOTES GIVE Kathy Garrison GIVE BY MAIL Gifts made by check should be payable to PHOTOGRAPHERS Benedictine College and mailed to: Kelly Elias ’85 Office of Advancement Benedictine College Marketing Office 1020 North Second Street Atchison, KS 66002-1499
WAYS TO GIVE
GIVE GIVE BY BY PHONE MAIL Gifts made by check should be payable to 1-800-766-0078 ext. 7416 Benedictine College and mailed to: Office of Advancement ONLINE GIVING 1020 North Second Street Visit http://my.benedictine.edu/bcannualfund. Atchison, KS 66002-1499
GIVE BY GIFTS OFPHONE STOCK
1-800-766-0078 ext. 7416securities or mutual fund By donating appreciated shares, you can provide a lasting contribution while ONLINE receiving tax GIVING benefits, such as capital gains tax Visit http://my.benedictine.edu/bcannualfund. savings.
GIFTS OF STOCK REAL ESTATE By donating appreciated securities or mutual fund shares,
Your giftprovide providesa alasting convenient way for while you toreceiving enjoy tax you can contribution abenefits, charitable deduction current fair such as capitalbased gainson taxthe savings. market value of your property, and it can reduce the size and complexity REAL ESTATEof your estate. Your gift provides a convenient way for you to enjoy a charitable deduction based on the current fair market value ESTATE PLANNING of your property, and it can reduce the size and complexity of Remember Benedictine in your Will or estate your estate. plan. We also offer life-income gifts that provide income and immediate tax benefits. Please contact ESTATE PLANNING Tim Andrews, ’88 at 913-360-7363 or tandrews@ Remember Benedictine in yourhave Willnamed or estate plan. We also benedictine.edu. If you already offer life-income giftsinthat provide and immediate tax Benedictine College your estate income plan, contact us benefits. Please contact Tim Andrews ’88 at 913-360-7363 so we can welcome you into the Benedictine Legacy or tandrews@benedictine.edu. If you already have named Society. Benedictine College in your estate plan, contact us so we can welcome you into the Benedictine Legacy Society.
Right outside my office door...
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he hallway outside of my office in St. Benedict Hall comes to life each morning with the excited chatter of prospective students and their families who are here for their college visit day. It always makes me smile because I know what lies ahead of them. I know what they are about to discover. For some it will wash over them and disappear, but for others it will be visceral and they will find that, while hard to describe, they know they want more of it. They want to be a Raven. They won’t know or fully appreciate the impact of their decision, but their lives will be forever changed. The college launched a new marketing campaign this fall. In our search for a meaningful way to describe and package what happens here the marketing department created ‘Where Greatness Begins.’ The video, which appears on our website and social media, does an amazing job in my opinion of conveying what this means to Benedictine College. “Greatness takes commitment. Greatness takes faith. It takes a heart that never gives up.” All of this wrapped up in community, faith and scholarship in a very intentional manner. This is visible throughout campus, in the classroom and the dorm room. On the field, court and in the weight room. At Mass and Bible study. Across the globe through our mission trip program. I see this everyday as I pass students, faculty and staff on the Raven Walk. It goes with us when we leave here, as well, and is lived out in our lives and that of our fellow alumni. Ravens strive for greatness in their families, their work and in their communities. On the following pages you will meet members of our Benedictine family who embody the words and sentiment you find in our greatness video. Great men and women who are living their lives for others. As I listen to the commotion in the hallway I know that in a few years you will be reading about some of the future Ravens who gather outside my office. They are excited to become a part of this community Where Greatness Begins.
Kelly J. Vowels ’85 Vice President for Advancement
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The Men of Newman Look to St. George
Lené Westerman ’85
Westerman gift builds College’s fourth dorm chapel
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hanks to funding from Lené Westerman ’85 and the Laura Jane Westerman Foundation, the new Chapel of St. George has been created from space occupied by two dorm rooms. The chapel is located in Newman Hall on campus. The name is in honor of St. George, the patron saint of the late Howard George Westerman, Sr., Class of 1950. “On behalf of myself and The Westerman Foundation, we were very pleased to have the opportunity to fund this grant in 2016,” said Lené. “Providing a chapel for the students residing in Newman Hall was something our founder, my mother, Jane Westerman, would have just loved,” she said. “She and my father, Howard George Westerman, Sr., were dedicated Catholics and very dedicated to Benedictine College and the founding sisters and monks of the community. I think they would be thrilled to have another place of solitude for these young men to be able
www.benedictine.edu
to access within their own space for spiritual growth and prayer 24/7.” Currently, there are chapels in Guadalupe Hall, St. Michael Hall and St. Martin Memorial Hall. Now, the men of Newman Hall will have their own chapel available. The new chapel seats 22, making it the second largest chapel in a residence hall. It is on the ground floor on the south side of the building, so the windows look out across the lawn to the Clock Tower and Dining Hall. Plans are to dedicate the chapel on April 23, 2018, the feast day of St. George. “Having a chapel in the dorms is a game changer for the spiritual life of the students,” said Fr. Simon Baker, OSB, Benedictine College Chaplain. “To the students who live in those dorms, the Eucharistic presence brings a mental peace and safety just knowing the Lord lives among them in their home.” B
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MISSION ACCOM PLIS HED
Daglen Observatory now Operational
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or several years, Dr. Joe ’69 and Frankee Wright ’69 Daglen have invited Benedictine College students studying astronomy to spend academic breaks using the private observatory at their winter home in New Mexico. The Daglens generously provided their guests with food and lodging during their stay and the students came back to Atchison with a better understanding of how to use the equipment and software for astronomical data collection. Joe is a 1969 Physics alumnus of St. Benedict’s College, and his wife Frankee, is a 1969 Biology alumna of Mount St. Scholastica College. Joe retired from family practice medicine after 28 years in 2004, and went back to school to take physics, math, and education courses. He spent a year teaching high school geometry, physics, and calculus, and then began part time at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, where he taught business math, human anatomy, human cadaver dissection, pathobiology, and astronomy. Frankee retired after 25 years as a financial advisor for UBS. The couple, who reside in Caldwell, built a winter home and observatory in Mayhill, New Mexico, an astronomy community located at 7,300 feet elevation and surrounded by National forests.
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Astronomy and astrophotography have been Joe’s passion for decades, so as the Benedictine astronomy program became more popular and the student interest in the major began to grow, the Daglens decided it was time to build an observatory on the Benedictine College campus. Having hosted Benedictine students in the past, they could see that the direct, hands-on experience that these students gained by using an observatory was important. “Frankee and I supported the observatory project in order to allow Benedictine College to provide actual student astronomy experience by using and understanding equipment, systems, and software,” said Joe. The new Daglen Observatory, just west of campus, is now operational with an automatic roll-off roof, functioning control room, and two large telescopes pointed towards the sky. The facility will help expand Benedictine’s astronomy program, both academically and in the community. “The telescopes will be used for precision upper level labs, basic research, and public open houses,” said Dr. Ryan Maderak ’03, assistant professor of astronomy. The roll-off design allows for the placement of multiple
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telescopes, rather than the single telescope found in a traditional domed observatory. In addition to the rolling roof, the observing chamber houses two 14-inch telescopes on permanent mounts attached to piers that are isolated from the foundation to eliminate vibration. Faculty and students will operate the computer-controlled telescopes from the comfort of the adjacent control room. There are piers in place to allow for the installation of two additional large telescopes. In addition to the increased opportunities for students, the Daglen Observatory hosted its first monthly Benedictine community viewing night on November 17, to take advantage of the dark skies during the New Moon. Attendees were invited to take their own pictures through the telescopes using cell phone camera mounts. “This remarkable facility is one of the premier liberal arts college observatories in the country,” Dr. Maderak said. “It will give our students hands-on experience that will send them on to strong careers in astronomy and the sciences.” B
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Frankee and I supported the observatory project in order to allow Benedictine College to provide actual student astronomy experience by using and understanding equipment, systems, and software.
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-Joe Daglen
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Inspiring Endowments
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FROM SHANGHAI TO ATCHISON
RUNNING AND GIVING
CHRISTOPHER P. LIANG SCHOLARSHIP
THE SUSAN M. ANDRADE SCHOLARSHIP
hristopher P. Liang was born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong. He attended Wah Yan College and then St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kan., where his older brother, Anthony, had graduated with a degree in chemistry in 1962. Chris received his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1967. He was also a member of the International Club and the Newtonian Society. After completing his MBA, he started work in San Francisco in the Asia Division of Bank of America's headquarters. This soon led to overseas positions in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Taipei. His extensive travels working worldwide for First National Bank of Chicago/JP Morgan gave him an invaluable insight into the problems of poverty around the world. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Stella, and father to their son, Patrick. He always had time for his family and loved his two grandchildren, Ethan and Isabelle. He also cared for his 105-year-old aunt, his mother, and his in-laws. After his early retirement from corporate banking, Chris assisted seminarian Catholic priests in completing their theses and taught English to high school students in Macau, some of whom where troubled or challenged in various ways. Chris passed away in February of 2017. In memory of an incredibly generous and kindhearted man whose faith in God allowed him to always do good in his own silent unassuming style, the Liang family remembers Chris with the Christopher P. Liang Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to a Benedictine College student majoring in the sciences with secondary preference for financial need.
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usan Andrade was the first member in her family to graduate college when she received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Spanish from Benedictine College in 1989. The Susan M. Andrade Scholarship was created with a life insurance policy because Susan didn’t have the means to make a lump sum donation. The policy was a simple way of giving, which in turn will provide a big impact to future generations. Susan lives in Denver, Colorado. She is a Senior Business Analyst with TIAA, a financial services organization for those who work for non-profit organizations. Prior to her current position, she worked with AT&T in their Professional Services organization. Susan also cares for her elderly mother and runs in 5Ks for such charities as St. Jude’s, Parkinson of the Rockies, and the Colorado/ Wyoming Chapter for MS. She knew that she would want to pay it forward and give thanks to Benedictine for the impact the institution had on her life, from receiving a great liberal arts education to strengthening her faith and maintaining an identity that sometimes can be easily lost. Andrade says she is grateful for the lasting relationships in the community that Benedictine provided. She determined what amount the policy could be according to what she would be able to give annually. The Susan M. Andrade Scholarship will benefit a graduate of Holy Family High School in Denver, a student of Hispanic descent or a student athlete who is a member of the Raven Softball or Women’s Soccer Teams.
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For information on creating an endowed scholarship, please contact Rosemary Wilkerson, Executive Director of Development, 913-360-7417 or rosemaryw@benedictine.edu.
A FAMILY HISTORY
LOVE THAT LASTS
SCHIEBER/HEITMAN/SHACKELFORD FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
MILTON AND MICKIE TRUJILLO SCHOLARSHIP
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elores “Dee” (Schieber) Heitman ’65 created the Schieber/Heitman/Shackelford Family Scholarship to honor the Benedictine bond that she and her daughter, Elizabeth “Eli” (Heitman) Shackelford ’99 share. Dee attended Mount St. Scholastica Academy and Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison. She married Richard Heitman and raised five children in Maryville, Mo. Dee retired in 2017, after a 35-year career as a funeral director. Eli attended St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic School in Maryville and Mount St. Scholastica Academy. At Benedictine College, she participated on the Raven Volleyball Team and the Student Organization for Alumni Relations (SOAR). She earned degrees in biology and psychology in 1999. She also met Doug Shackelford ’98, a journalism/mass communications major from Hot Springs, Arkansas, at Benedictine College. Doug was a member of the Raven Tennis Team and served as editor of The Circuit campus newspaper. Doug and Eli married in May 2000, and live in Little Rock, Ark., with their three children. Doug is Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Central Arkansas Water, and Eli works at Christ the King Catholic School in Little Rock. In 2012, Benedictine College honored Eli with the Young Alumni Award, and her mother, Dee, was there to see the family’s legacy come full circle. The Schieber/ Heitman/Shackelford Family Scholarship is awarded to descendants of Mount St. Scholastica College alumnae, and St. Benedict’s College and Benedictine College alumni.
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t wasn’t love at first site, but it was a lasting love – eventually. Margaret “Mickie” (Goehl) Trujillo ’56, hated Mount St. Scholastica College the minute she got off the train in Atchison. She packed to go home to San Luis Valley, Colorado, but her parents made her go back to college. It was a good decision, as Mickie became friends with many of her classmates. Even today, Mickie meets annually with a group of 20 MSSC alumnae. The women made gifts to name a room in St. Cecelia at Mount St. Scholastica to remember the Benedictine Sisters who taught them. Attending college is also how Mickie met her husband, Milton M. Trujillo ’58. Although they were both from San Luis Valley, they didn’t know each other until they met on a blind date. After graduating from MSSC, Mickie taught school in California and Colorado. Milt was taught by the Benedictine Sisters at Conejos High School in Antonito, Colo. They encouraged Milt to attend St. Benedict’s College, which he did after serving in the United States Navy, and before transferring to the University of Colorado. Milt worked in California as an auditor for Wells Fargo Bank and then taught at Kansas State University and Fort Hays State University in Kansas. He returned to Colorado, and taught accounting for 18 years at the University of Southern Colorado until his retirement in 1980. The Milton and Mickie Trujillo Scholarship was created in memory of Mickie’s mother, Laura D. Goehl. The scholarship is awarded with preference for students from Antonito High School in the South Conejos School District in Antonito, Colo. B
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Ravens Come Home Let’s Take Some Time to Reflect How You Can Connect with Today’s Young Ravens With the changing of the season, we can look back at a busy fall filled with active students and many visiting alumni. Our Student Alumni Board spent every home football Saturday under the alumni tent in the Amino Center parking lot, handing out pompoms, foam fingers, alumni cups with a free drink at the concession stand, and putting Raven tattoos on very little and very BIG fans! Visiting alumni enjoyed the beautiful campus and interacted with our students. We had many Ravens here talking to students about their future plans! We love welcoming alumni onto campus, especially when they are here to help our current students — whether it’s to share their postgraduation experiences or to help students get ready to land that first job out of school. We’d love to see more of it in the future. Please help us raise our next alumni generation! Our current Ravens can
benefit so much from your life stories and professional experiences. Katie McDowell ’08, Director of Career Development, and I are working hard to create alumni/ student programing that serves both our alumni and student communities. This is a wonderful way to meet our amazing students and to be engaged with Benedictine College. On another note, I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at our regional Christmas events! Come join President Minnis, Benedictine staff, alumni, families, and me at one of many cities across the country. Register now for your nearest event! Once a Raven, Always a Raven,
Amy Pulk Meara ’99 Director of Alumni Relations
For more details regarding these events, go to www.my.benedictine.edu
BENEDICTINE COLLEGE
2017 Alumni and Friends Christmas Parties Dallas, Dec. 3 • Omaha, Dec. 5 • Atchison, Dec. 7 • Denver, Dec. 12 • St. Louis, Dec. 14 • Kansas City, Dec.19
Save the Date
Class of 1977
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June 8-10
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Family’s Flock of Ravens
Joseph Buessing Family Named 2017 Family of the Year
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eptember 23 was a hot day for the beginning of fall, but the heat did nothing to dampen the joy that is Family Weekend each year. Students were excited to see their parents and the traditional events. Events from the dance in the Murphy Recreation Center to athletic competition to the annual Pops Concert saw huge attendance. One of the Family Weekend traditions is the naming of the Family of the Year. This year, that honor went to the Joseph Buessing Family. “Each year, the College honors a family that has truly lived out the Benedictine mission through their involvement on the campus and their commitment to building a fruitful and supportive community in the Benedictine tradition. The entire Buessing Family has always been very supportive of the college, the Church and the community throughout the generations,” said Benedictine President Stephen D. Minnis ’82.
Joseph came to Kansas with his parents in the late 1800s. He and his wife, Helena, had 10 children; six boys (John, Louis, Vincent, Paul, Joseph and Bernard) and four girls (Norene, Hermena, Helen and Marie). Raised as faithful Catholics, Joseph’s children started sending the next generation to St. Benedict’s College or Mount St. Scholastica College. Today, the family comprises the Buessings, Hirsches, Skalskys, Muetings, Shaughnessys, Renyers, Stecs, Rottinghauses, Meysenburgs, Claases, and Humburgs. They have sent at least 16 family members to Benedictine College or its founding institutions, have had graduates in the 1960s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2010s, and have two current freshmen on campus. They have had family members join the priesthood and become sisters at the Mount. Accepting the award on behalf of the family was Larry Buessing ’60. He and his wife, Tresa, created the
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Larry and Tresa (Murphy) Buessing Scholarship, and have received other honors from the institution. Larry received the Kansas Monk Award in 1991 and Tresa received the Mount St. Scholastica Academy's Fidelis Award in 2001. Larry and Tresa received the Cross of the Order of St. Benedict in 2004 and Larry currently serves on the Benedictine College Board of Directors. This year, Family Weekend also included Founders’ Day and the Benedictine sisters from Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, led by the new prioress, Sister Esther Fangman OSB ’72, and monks from St. Benedict’s Abbey, led by Abbot James Albers OSB ’94, were recognized during halftime of the football game. For generations, the sisters and monks have been strong influences in Atchison. They have kept the faith burning bright on the Benedictine campus, and have been courageous role models through their schools, parishes, retreats and missions. B
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HOMECOMING Your annual gifts to the Benedictine College Fund help keep traditions alive.
Thank You!
2017
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The Raven Football team beat Culver-Stockton College, 59-7.
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HALL OF FAMERS
PUSH EACH OTHER TO GIVE BACK The Ravens Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members at Homecoming Weekend on November 21, 2017. The 1967 National Champion Men’s Basketball team was inducted, along with the 1992 Hear t of Amer ica Conference Champion Football team, and long-time intramurals director and physical education instr uctor, the late Thad Nowak, Sr. Members of both teams were present, as was the family of Mr. Nowak.
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reg Bower ’93 was one of dozens of Benedictine College alumni and friends who traveled to Nashville in January to see Coach Larry Wilcox ’72 inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. As one person after another offered grateful reflections on the positive effect Coach Wilcox has had on their lives, an idea for giving back began to form in Greg’s mind. At the time, Greg and his football teammates were coming up on the 25th anniversary of their historic 1992 season, one which saw the Ravens win their first Heart of America Conference championship and come within one game of playing for the national championship. Some of the defining strengths of that team were the way each member pushed his teammates to be both better players and better people, as well as their attention to detail in small things to contribute to a greater whole.
1992 Heart of Amer ica Conf erence Champion Football team 12
S pirit of G iving
“You don’t get anywhere in life by yourself,” Greg said at his team’s recent induction into the Raven Athletics Hall of Fame. “It takes other people to help you along. So you don’t do it by yourself. And none of us (the 1992 team) did it by ourselves.” Greg had a feeling that the same principles that made the 1992 squad a great team could be put to use to thank Coach Wilcox and serve the College today and in the future. So he called his fellow team captains, Chris Tabor ’93, Dave Sellinger ’94 and Steve Torline ’93, and the four of them went to work recruiting their teammates to help create a new endowed fund for the football team. “We set a big goal,” said Greg. “It was 25 years, so we thought maybe we ought to try and do something about this football endowment. So we set a goal to raise $25,000 as a team.” The captains never doubted their ability to rally the team, but they also knew it wasn’t going to happen overnight. The project took multiple letters, calls, emails and personal contacts, all coordinated through the College Advancement Office. Just as the team didn’t rely on one or two guys to get the job done when they were playing, the plan for hitting the goal for the endowment was never about trying to find one or two people willing to take on the lion’s share of the gift. “We did the little things,” said Greg about the team’s key to success. “We did all of the little things that it takes to do great things. Everybody wants to focus on the big picture in life. Nobody has ever been bitten by an elephant. But everybody in this room has been bitten by a mosquito. It is the little things that matter, and we applied those little things in life.” “All of that led to where we are today, and it’s as a team we decided we were going to give back.” The team didn’t just work together to meet their original $25,000 goal. By the time of their induction at the Hall of Fame banquet, they were able to present Coach Wilcox with a check for over $35,000 in gifts and pledges—and that number has continued to grow past $40,000! The new football endowment will be a long-lasting foundation of support for current and future Ravens, and Greg and his teammates hope their commitment will serve as an example for other alumni wanting to help the college now and for years to come. Working together on the little things to build upon greatness is more than the mark of ’92 Raven football. It’s a way all Ravens can continue to be a part of the success of a one-of-a kind community of faith and scholarship. B
www.benedictine.edu
1967 National Champion Men’s Basketball team
Dave Sellinger '94, Larry Wilcox '72, Steve Torline '93, and Greg Bower '93
Thad Jr., Joe and Barbara Nowak Wallace, Carol Nowak Ganey and Rod Ganey, Ray Nowak and his wif e Nancy
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Building for Greatness Donors’ 2020 Science Vision Drives Largest Capital Project Ever
The Science and Engineering Building addition and renovation campaign is rising as a symbol of how philanthropy can make exceptional science education at Benedictine College even better. Key donors are helping make the $26 million project possible. Leading donors include Jim and Zibbie Ferrell from Mission Hills, Kansas; Kim Keutzer ’74 from La Salle, Illinois; Chuck ’74 and Marty (Latz) Raplinger ’76 from Kansas City, Kan.; and Ralph ’71 and Mary Kay (Holle) Schramp ’73 from Leawood, Kan. For more information, please visit: www.benedictine.edu/westermanhall
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The Atchisonians
or James E. and Elizabeth J. (Gillespie) Ferrell, an investment in Benedictine College is an investment in their hometown. Jim and Zibbie, as they are better known, were both born and raised in Atchison. They have been successful partners at home, in the community, and in business. They have shared the success of Ferrellgas, now public, founded in Atchison by Jim’s father in 1939, which Jim later built into one of the largest propane retailers in the United States, and now in every continental state. It has been listed on the NYSE since 1994. Privately they own separate Ferrell Capital, a diversified investment company. Headquarters for both are in the Kansas City area. Jim and Zibbie have been married since 1959. They have two daughters and six grandchildren. Over the years, the Ferrells have provided leadership and financial support to numerous organizations, including Benedictine College. Their gift to the Westerman Hall science and engineering building expansion and renovation project is one of many that have transformed the campus. Elizabeth Hall for student residents and the Ferrell Academic Center honor their family name in appreciation for capstone gifts to the Faithful to the Story and Investing in Excellence campaigns.
A New Home for Benedictine Science
With the renovated Westerman Hall and the new Engineering building, Benedictine College will attract more students with opportunities to learn science using the latest cutting-edge technology. We will continue to provide students a faith-based, liberal arts education that will give the world: engineers, doctors, scientists, and health care professionals who will serve with integrity, excellence, and caring.
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The Musician
t was music to the ears in the College’s Physics Department when alumnus Kim Keutzer ’74, made the decision to pledge $25,000 to name a faculty office on the physics floor of the renovated science building. Kim felt an obligation to help the sciences to honor his mother, sister, wife, and daughter; who have all been nurses, and a brother who was a biology major. “Even though music is my first love, I know that there is a greater community to support,” said Kim. Kim’s years at Benedictine College were the experience of a lifetime. It gave him a fertile place to put down roots and blossom. Encouraged by his professors and supported by the many friends he made. Kim was also blessed with a year of education in Vienna, where he studied German and was exposed to a host of musical experiences, allowing him to graduate with degrees in Music Education and German. Although Kim might have been a great music teacher, his life’s path veered in another direction. He went back to school to study electronics, and ended up with a career in Nuclear Power. Music, however, never ceased being his true vocation, and in 2013, he endowed the Keutzer-Jedermann Scholarship at Benedictine College to encourage the growth of other students who possess the heart of a musician. Kim made a simple request for his Science Building gift. He asked that the faculty office that bears his name have a window that faces St. Benedict’s Abbey to honor the monks that nurtured his education.
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The Givers
our of the five children of Chuck ’74 and Marty Latz ’76 Raplinger were educated on the Benedictine College campus during the new construction years. Their sons, Dan Raplinger ’01, and Eric Raplinger ’10, graduated with degrees in accounting without ever experiencing the new School of Business classrooms in the Ferrell Academic Center, which opened in the Fall of 2012. Likewise, their daughter, Christina Raplinger Newman ’08, an elementary education major, graduated before the new education floor in the same building was completed. Their daughter, Jessica Raplinger Duff ’13, a nursing graduate, took all of her pre-nursing classes in the 50-yearold Westerman Hall, which had changed little since her parents took their science courses 40 years earlier. Even though their children won’t benefit from these new and renovated academic buildings, Chuck and Marty were thinking about a Benedictine College that would be worthy of future Raplingers. Their gift supporting the renovation and expansion of Westerman Hall is just one example of a long history of family generosity. They have provided support for the volleyball, soccer, basketball and football programs; mission trips; Murphy Recreation Center, endowment funds, Benedictine College fund, and the Investing in Excellence campaign. Chuck Raplinger and Marty Latz met on the Benedictine College campus and they were married September 11, 1976. He graduated with a degree in accounting and worked in the accounting department at UMB of Kansas City, Mo. In 1985, he joined Country Club Bank in Kansas City, and retired after 30 years of service and remains on the board as an advisory director. Chuck and Marty also helped create the Bob ’45 and Pat ’47 Latz Scholarship in 2008. Chuck was honored with the Kansas Monk award in 2014.
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The Generations
alph Schramp’s destiny was written in his baby book as an infant. His father, William J. “Art” Schramp ’42 and mother, Miriam (Correa) Schramp ’45 had written, “SBC Class of 1971,” in his book before he was even old enough to read. “My dad died when he was 42, so he never saw me go to college,” said Ralph. “My class was the last class to graduate from St. Benedict’s College.” Ralph’s mother was one of three women from Puerto Rico who attended Mount St. Scholastica College in the early 1940s. She was the only child of a dentist who graduated from Ohio State University. When Miriam's father passed away, her mother’s pastor suggested that Miriam go to MSSC in the States. While studying sociology at MSSC, Miriam met Art Schramp from Chicago, who was studying business and economics at SBC. The two were married at St. Benedict’s Church in Atchison. "We have a huge history with the college. The college was really a second home for me," said Ralph. Ralph grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and met his own wife, Mary Kay Holle ’73, from Marysville, Kan., in Atchison, just like his parents had met 30 years earlier. The couple has three grown children, Joe, Holle, and Mark, who is an assistant professor of biology at Benedictine College. Ralph and Mary Kay’s gift to the Westerman Hall science building remembers a love story that spans two generations and honors the profession of his son, Dr. Mark Schramp, who has found his vocation on the Benedictine College campus. B
We invite you to be a part of the 2020 Science Vision at Benedictine College. Contact Rosemary Wilkerson at 913.360.7417 or: rosemaryw@benedictine.edu.
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Countdown Begins B Scholarship Ball 2018 to honor two Raven couples
e sure to save February 24, 2018, for the 47th annual Scholarship Ball. The event has become one of the premier charity galas in Kansas City and is the largest single day of support for Benedictine College. Last year’s Scholarship Ball saw more than 800 alumni and friends of the College rally to raise over $800,000 in scholarships for Benedictine College students while enjoying an evening of fun, food, and dancing. Co-chairs for the evening will be Lené Westerman ’85 and Patrick ’94 and Kate McClard ’93 Carr. One of the highlights of the event will be the honoring of two dedicated Raven couples, Thomas ’83 and Joan Moyer ’85 Kemlage, and Kevin ’89 and Pamela Schaefer ’88 Kramer, with the Cross of the Order of St. Benedict.
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Thomas ’83 and Joan Moyer ’85 Kemlage
Tom and Joan Kemlage have lived in St. Louis since Tom set up his dental practice there in 1989, shortly after completing dental school at UMKC. They have three grown sons — Thad (named in honor of newly-inducted Raven Athletics Hall of Famer, Thad Nowak), Andrew, and Mitch. Tom and Joan are active at Queen of All Saints Parish, serving through Christ Renews his Parish and leading Bible studies. Tom coached youth athletics for 23 years, and as a couple they’ve served their community with the St. Vincent DePaul Society for over 15 years. Joan has taught in Catholic and Christian schools for 21 years. The Kemlages exude a nearly-unrivaled passion for all things Benedictine, with a special fondness for supporting the sciences. For many years they have been a dependable go-to couple for anything the College or the Abbey needs, particularly in the St. Louis community. Tom and Joan have spent many hours on the phone, promoting regional alumni and fundraising events, and making sure their fellow Ravens are involved in the life of the College. Friends say that Tom has carried the Benedictine way of life into his dental practice, welcoming his patients as he would Christ— even sacrificing personal gain at times to be sure all get the care that they need. “Benedictine helped us continue the values we both learned at home about our catholic faith and prayer life,” said Tom and Joan. “We both came from a close family environment and Benedictine strengthened those values.”
S pirit of G iving
2.24.2018 SATURDAY,
FEBRUARY
T W E N T Y- F O U RT H
OverlandPark
convention center 6000 COLLEGE BOULEVARD OVERLAND PARK KS 66211
The Kemlages also talked about the kind of relationships they formed at Benedictine College. “We met our best friends there who we are still very close with today. The Benedictine community and lifestyle instilled in us the importance of caring for others and being leaders in our community. This type of faith community is hard to find and we were blessed to have had this experience during those formative college years.” The Kemlages feel a strong sense of gratitude for their time at Benedictine, and are quite touched to receive the Cross of the Order of St. Benedict. “We are both very humbled by the honor. We are very grateful to Benedictine for all they have given us so it easy in turn to give back to the college.”
Kevin ’89 and Pamela Schaefer ’88 Kramer
Kevin and Pam Kramer are past chairs of the Scholarship Ball. Both served on the Benedictine College Board of Directors and they have two daughters, Claire and Libby. They recently moved from the Kansas City area to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Kevin accepted the position of COO of MidWestOne Financial Group. Kevin and Pam’s volunteer interests in Iowa include serving Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish and Xavier High School. In Kansas City, Pam was a long-time Director of Consumer Marketing for Sprint, while Kevin was Executive Vice President for Bank Midwest, and Senior Vice President for UMB Bank before that. Both were active members of Ascension Parish and the Ascension school PTA. Kevin served as Chair of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City, while Pam was Co-Chair of the Mothers Club Gala at Notre Dame de Sion School.
www.benedictine.edu
Pam received the Offeramus Medal in 2009 and is a past president of the Benedictine College Alumni Association. “It’s humbling, to be sure,” Pam said about learning she and Kevin were to be honored. “We are so grateful for everything Benedictine College has taught us and the experiences we’ve had, and we try to express that gratitude with service in every way we can, knowing it will never be sufficient.” Kevin echoed those sentiments. “It’s humbling. Many past honorees have given so much to the college, and a lot of them did it at a time when Benedictine really needed their help. Their example is one that we try to emulate.” For Pam and Kevin, Benedictine College provided a model for how they wanted to build their later lives together. “During our time at Benedictine College, we formed so many great relationships and learned so much about the importance of community,” said Pam. “And, building on the foundation our parents laid for us, we grew to understand the Benedictine value of Ora et Labora— prayer and work. It’s something we try to live in our daily lives as a family and we hold it very dear.” “Benedictine College has given us so much more than we have given to Benedictine,” said Kevin. “We feel like we should be honoring Benedictine.” B
Benedictine.edu/scholarship-ball To sponsor a table at the Scholarship Ball: Doug Longstaff dlongstaff@benedictine.edu (913) 360-7452
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Class Notes JULY 1 THROUGH OCTOBER 12, 2017
Class notes are condensed. Please refer to http://my.benedictine.edu for full stories and photographs. Blanche Constance “Dolly” Mangelsdorf Menze ’33, St. Paul, Minn., turned 106 years old in June 2017. She is part of a legacy family – her grandfather, Ernst August Mangelsdorf, from Germany, settled in Atchison, Kan., and with his brother started the Mangelsdorf Seed Company. Ernst’s family home on Q Street was purchased by Mount St. Scholastica College in 1944 and used as the Marywood dormitory for senior women for many years. It currently is used as a formation house. Dolly and her sister, Frances Mangelsdorf Seeber ’38, are graduates of Mount St. Scholastica College, and their great-nephew, Jared Arthur Mangelsdorf Oshel ’11, is a graduate of Benedictine College. Dolly’s parents were Friedrich W. and Blanche E. Mangelsdorf – he was vice president and director of the Mangelsdorf Seed Company, and served two terms as a mayor of Atchison. Fred personally was responsible for planting thousands of German Iris lining the drive of Jackson Park to Guerrier Hill in Atchison. Dolly’s husband, Edward Menze, was principal at Trinity Lutheran School in Atchison; before moving his family to Minnesota in 1947. He was hired as professor of German at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis; and retired from the university in 1976. Dolly’s career was also in the field of teaching and she taught in Minneapolis schools. Dolly and Edward had two children and celebrated 61 years of marriage; before he passed away Aug. 3, 1999. Dolly passed away Oct. 17, 2017. Ed O’Rourke Jr. ’66 and his wife, Silvia O’Rourke, Medellin, Colombia, South America, traveled to the United States in October 2017. They spent several days in Atchison, Kan., and attended Homecoming events at Benedictine College. Bill O’Leary ’68, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich., wrote a poem, “I Would be Remiss If I Didn't Consider the Possibility of Gratitude,” and it was printed in America, The Jesuit Review, August 7, 2017, issue. Jeannine A. Kiehl Wyatt ’69, Lawrence, Kan., has authored her first book, "Amelia: The Town and the People Who Loved Her." The book, written under the pen name of J. A. Kiehl, was published in June 2017, tells the story of Atchison and its hometown heroine, Amelia Earhart. Currently, Jeannine’s book is available at Blurb.com Bookstore/History, also at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, the Atchison Depot Museum, Barnes and Noble, and also on Amazon.com sometime in early December. David L. Tornetto, ChFC ’76, St. Louis, Mo., is honored to join the Board of Directors of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis. He is also the current Chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Planned Giving Committee supporting the long range planning needs of the three local RMHC houses. Brandon S. Huckeba, MBA, MIM, CISSP ’88, Mesa, Ariz., has joined the global infrastructure firm Gannett Fleming, Inc. He is with the firm’s Cybersecurity and Compliance Group, and has more than 25 years of experience in digital forensics, cybersecurity analysis, and instruction. In addition, Brandon continues his nearly 30-year military career as a chief warrant officer and cyber counterintelligence technician with the U.S. Army Reserve, for which he is a Department of Defense Certified Instructor. He deployed to Afghanistan in support
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of Operation Enduring Freedom as the chief officer in charge of the Operational Management Team for the 368th Military Intelligence Battalion. Stephanie Colclasure Barnes ’01, Atchison, Kan., became the new Executive Director at Project Concern in July 2017. The non-profit organization provides public transportation and meals to people in Atchison County. Her husband, Jeremiah Barnes ’01, is the Assistant Street Supervisor for the City of Atchison. Stephanie and Jeremiah are the parents of two sons, Brody and Nolan. Gianna Catherine, born to Ryan Maderak, Ph.D. ’03, Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy at Benedictine College, and his wife, Therese Bergkamp Maderak ’02, July 5, 2017. She joins older siblings, Kristen, Patrick, Maria, and James at the family home in Atchison, Kan. Lucy Renee was born to Trina Burenheide Schropfer ’03, and her husband, Benjamin Schropfer, July 11, 2017. She joins older sisters, Amber, Sarah, and Rachel, at the family home in Nebraska City, Neb. Ben is a Sergeant with the Nebraska State Patrol and Trina is a stay-athome-mom. Shae Crowley ’07, Kansas City, Mo., graduated from Benedictine College with a bachelor’s of arts degree majoring in history. Her degree truly fits her current job as Group Tour and Event Sales Consultant at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. The museum holds the most diverse collection of WWI objects and documents in the world; and hosts an array of events for young and old to learn about WWI. Shae has been employed at the Museum since June 2017 and is in charge of scheduling all the group tours as well as renting space for events including meetings, business receptions, speakers, etc. She also works closely with the Military, helping them set up off-site events and meetings as well as Military ceremonies. Shae previously was employed by Apple for almost five years in their sales department. Theo Michael, born to Desirae Jensen Cox ’08, and her husband, Andrew Cox, June 12, 2017. He joins older siblings, Anthony and Rosalina, at the family home in Bella Vista, Ark. James Anthony, born to Andi Miller DuPré ’09, and her husband, Sean DuPré, Sept. 24, 2017. He joins older sisters, Gianna and Monica, at the family home in Shawnee, Okla. Andi is a stay-at-home mom, and Sean is the Executive Director for Development at St. Gregory’s University. Elizabeth Watkins, CPA ’09, Nasvhille, Tenn., is a tax preparer with Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc., an entertainment business management firm. She was one of 38 individuals in the U.S. selected by the Association of International CPAs to participate in their four-day Leadership Academy program, held Oct. 1-5, in Durham, N.C., and is a member of its ninth graduating class. Elizabeth is a licensed CPA in Tennessee, and specializes in multi-state and international tax accounting and reporting.
S pirit of G iving
Virginia Mae, born to Meredith Wright Crandall ’10 and her husband, Bryce Crandall, May 1, 2017. The family resides in Omaha, Neb. Kaela Stratman ’11, G’13, wed Ashton Stephens ’13, Aug. 12, 2017, at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Basehor, Kan., with Father Richard McDonald officiating. Currently, Kaela in an Inventory Specialist at Murphy-Hoffman Company in Leawood, Kan., and Ashton is a Credit Analyst II at Brotherhood Bank & Trust in Shawnee, Kan. Christine Baehr ’12, Kansas City, Mo., is employed with George King Bio-Medical, Inc. in Overland Park, Kan., and handles customer service and marketing for the family-owned small business that sells plasma. She previously worked at Off Broadway Shoes as an assistant manager. Louis Donald, born to Therese Mauro Loew ’12, and her husband, Andrew Loew ’13, Aug. 2, 2017. He joins older brother, Joachim Joseph, at the family home in Atchison, Kan. Therese is the Residence Director of St. Martin’s Memorial Hall at Benedictine College, and Andrew is a teacher at Atchison High School. Millie Katherine, born to Brad Lorang ’13 and Lizzie Stackpole Lorang ’14, May 2, 2017. She joins older sister, Liesel, at the family home in Shawnee, Kan. Joe Heron ’13 wed Cayleigh Shaw ’08, May 27, 2017 at St. Benedict’s Parish in Atchison, Kan. The couple now resides in Olathe, Kan., with their daughter, Nikki Shaw, and their two new puppies, Bass and Buttercup. Joe currently works as the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Paul’s in Olathe, where he also teaches music to grades K-8 while Cayleigh is teaching art to grades 1-8 at Holy Trinity in Lenexa, Kan. Alexander Engelkamp, J.D. ’14, Omaha, Neb., earned his law degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law in May 2017. He is employed by Kutak Rock LLP, a national law firm, at their Omaha office in the employee benefits group. Alex joined the company as a law clerk in 2016 and in September 2017 was named an associate of the firm. Alex and his wife, Hilary Pflug Engelkamp ’14, are the parents of three sons, Abraham, Benedict, and Francis. Sr. Abigail Marie Fuenning, M.S. ’14, is a member of the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., and made her final profession of vows July 23, 2017. She attended Benedictine College (Abbie Fuenning) for two years from the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2009 before entering the convent. After making her first vows in 2012, she returned to finish her degree and graduated in 2014. Mark Ebelhar ’15 wed Annette Dobihal ’15, Dec. 12, 2015, in Saint Paul, Minn., at Saint Agnes Church. The couple was blessed with the birth of their daughter, Maria Rose, Oct. 15, 2016. Mark is employed as a Customer Service Representative with Willis Towers Watson and Annette is home with Maria. The Ebelhar family resides in Maplewood, Minn. Mark Mast ’15 wed Emily Riscoe ’15, and Eric Huber ’16 wed Molly Riscoe ’15, in a double wedding ceremony, June 17, 2016, in Overland Park, Kan., at Saint Michael the Archangel Parish. Mark is a Software Developer at CD2 Learning in Overland Park, and Emily is a first grade teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Shawnee. Mr. and Mrs. Mast reside in Olathe. Eric is an Electrical Engineer at Burns & McDonnell. Molly is a Pediatric Registered Nurse at Orange Regional Medical Center. Mr. and Mrs. Huber are currently living in Middletown, N.Y., but hope to move back to Kansas City soon.
www.benedictine.edu
Derek Pagel ’15 wed Hannah Flournoy ’16, July 4, 2015, at Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco, Ark. The best men were Gregory Fredrick ’15, John Paul Thomas ’15, and Zach Boyer ’15 (now Br. John Paul Boyer, OSB). Derek is employed by the Kansas National Guard as a 1st Lt. Tanker and also a tree trimmer at Ryan Lawn and Tree in Overland Park, Kan. Hannah is a paraprofessional teacher’s aide at Shawnee Mission School District. The Pagels reside in Overland Park, Kan. Nicholas Sparks ’15 wed Madeleine Lopez ’17, June 24, 2017, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif. They currently reside in Tallahassee, Fla., where Nick is pursuing graduate studies in philosophy at Florida State University and Maddie works with Seminole Sitters. David St. Hilaire ’15, New Haven, Conn., is the new Knights of Columbus College Council Coordinator. He accepted the position in April 2017, after completion of an 18-month management development program with the Knights of Columbus. (David was one of two people chosen for the program from a field of 200 college seniors.) In his new position, David travels to colleges and universities across the United States and Canada to help start up and to assist existing Knights of Columbus College councils, as well as planning and running the annual College Council Conference. Katherine Dea ’17, Carroll, Iowa, is a full-time Campus Minister at Kuemper Catholic High School. The position allows Katherine to be on campus daily to facilitate activities such as group Bible studies, retreats, service projects and prayer services with the seventh through 12th grade students. Hanah Suarez ’17, Holton, Kan., is a Registered Nurse at StormontVail Hospital in Topeka, Kan. She works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and takes care of babies who are sick or premature.
FAMILY DIRECTED MEMORIALS:
Memorials for the following may be sent to Benedictine College, Attn: James Kew, Office of Advancement, 1020 North Second Street, Atchison, KS 66002. Lee C. Arensberg Jr. ’50, Atchison, Kan., passed away May 27, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Luetta Arensberg, four children, two siblings, Jack Arensberg ’50 and Gay Arensberg Lacy ’51, and brotherin-law, Vincent Lacy ’50. Ronald J. Staudinger ’57, Great Bend, Kan., passed away Feb. 25, 2017. Among the survivors are his wife, Joan, and two daughters. He was a cousin to Henry J. Staudinger ’65, who passed away in Oct. 2015. Lawrence G. Hoff ’72, Belleville, Ill., passed away Aug. 18, 2017. Among the survivors are his wife, Teresa, and three children. Rita M. Domann Jacobs ’73, Lincoln, Neb., passed away July 30, 2017. Among the survivors are her son, Tom Jacobs ’76, her daughter, Elizabeth Lynn Jacobs-Fitzgerald ’78, daughter-in-law, Mary E. Gurnon Jacobs ’75, son-in-law, Michael Fitzgerald ’79, and a granddaughter, Fiona Fitzgerald, a current student at Benedictine College. J. Joanne Krupinski, Atchison, Kan., passed away Aug. 29, 2017. She was a former employee of Benedictine College. Her husband, Raymond Krupinski ’60, associate professor of accounting and business administration at Benedictine College, preceded her in death on Nov. 26, 1992. Survivors include her daughter, Robin Krupinski Hennigh ’82, son, Thomas Krupinski, son-in-law, Dan Hennigh, and three grandchildren. B
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NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID KCMO 6412 BENEDICTINE COLLEGE OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT 1020 North Second Street Atchison, KS 66002 913-360-7414 www.benedictine.edu/giving
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REDUCE YOUR 2017 TAXES WITH AN IRA GIFT! Support the mission of Benedictine College directly from your IRA
THE IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER IS PERMANENT: • Age 70.5 and older can transfer up to $100,000 per year • Transfer must be directly from your IRA provider to Benedictine College • Pay no tax on the required withdrawal, but this does not qualify for a deduction • Enjoy lower taxes and support the Benedictine College mission • Act before December 31, 2017, for immediate impact For more information and details, please contact: Tim Andrews ’88, Benedictine College Gift Planning tandrews@benedictine.edu, 913.360.7363 www.mybenedictinelegacy.org/other-ways-to-give