Hilltopics Winter 2008 by Bradley University

Bradley University Winter 2008

bradley.edu/hilltopics

Embracing Bradley See page 13

Winter 2008 Volume 14 Issue 1

10 duane zehr

From surgeon to inventor

Dr. Lindsey Rolston ’85, an orthopedic surgeon and former Bradley baseball player, has revolutionized knee replacement surgery.

The innovators of Peoria NEXT

Bradley plays a key role in the success of a new initiative to foster technology-based businesses, such as the inventors of the pac2 (shown).

Embracing Bradley…our new president

With a solid record of success in higher education in Kentucky and Maryland, President Joanne K. Glasser (pictured on Founder’s Day) shines as the new leader on the Hilltop. (Cover photo by Duane Zehr)

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History sets sail

Ron Bezouska ’56 is a deck sailor on Landing Ship Tank 325, a World War II ship that now serves as a floating museum.

Standing tall through adversity

Last winter, Darin Strenzel ’08 was shot and lost his left leg. Now he is back in class and adjusting to his new life (shown with girlfriend Carla Renken).

Departments

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ViewPoint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

ClassNotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

NoteBook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

InMemory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

SportScene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

AlumniNews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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CampusView. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Staff

Administration

Karen Crowley Metzinger, MA ’97 editor

Joanne K. Glasser president

Nancy Ridgeway associate editor

William Engelbrecht vice president for advancement

Justin Phelps ’05 assistant editor Gayle Erwin McDowell ’77 contributing editor Aimée Roy contributing writer Sarah Dukes designer Duane Zehr university photographer

Daniel Manson director of web communications

Kathy Fuller assistant vice president for university relations

Student Staff Assistants katie hamill ’08 taija jenkins ’08 Abby Wilson ’10 jason whang ’08, photographer

ViewPoint Send your letters & e-mail

Touching hearts

We need ClassNotes!

The story about Renée Byer ’80 moved me tremendously and changed me (“A Mother’s Journey,” Fall 2007). I even e-mailed Renée and she e-mailed me back! I told her that I, too, am a Bradley alum.

In response to the letter from Wally Zellmer ’62, I think his viewpoint of what Bradley Hilltopics should be is way off base. Bradley Hilltopics is an alumni magazine designed to keep alumni informed of what is happening at Bradley and to its alumni. Wouldn’t it be nice to hear about a friend, or just someone you attended class with, who has just won a Pulitzer Prize, has been elected to Congress, or has just written a best seller? What really upset me most is his saying, “What is going on at Bradley is not one of those topics.” Keep Bradley Hilltopics as it is — an interesting and informative alumni magazine.

David Potter ’93 Elkhart, Indiana

Perfect model of a scientist I read with such pleasure about Dr. Bjorklund’s amazing volunteer work (“Nature & Nurture,” Fall 2007). I was his student and lab assistant in the ’60s. He was then, and is now, the perfect model of an enthusiastic, dedicated scientist. His encouragement to this neophyte biology student to learn completely, continuously, and energetically created the drive to become the lifelong learner I am today. Thank you, Dr. Bjorklund and Bradley for providing an education that has enriched my life! Karen West Constan ’69 Saginaw, Michigan

“Keeping the faith” revisited Thank you for the interesting article, “Keeping the faith” (Summer 2007). I was a “member” of Hillel, Newman, and Chi Rho. I had friends from each group and feel that I was enriched by them. I am Jewish, but each group welcomed me. It was important for me to learn the beliefs of others. I especially remember the religious leaders of each group: Mr. Ostreicher from Hillel, Father Thomas Kelly of the Newman Club, and especially the kindness extended to me by Rev. Perry Tudor. I am sorry that Chi Rho isn’t on campus any more. I hope Newman and Hillel are still active. I remember the time I went with an interfaith group to a convent. It was an experience I will never forget. These groups were a very important part of my college experience. Thanks for reminding me of such a wonderful time in my life. Cynthia Florsheim ’68 Des Plaines, Illinois

Robert Luzzo ’69 Whippany, New Jersey The ClassNotes section of Hilltopics is one I have consistently read since my graduation in 1974, and InMemory is also appreciated. Please DON’T consider those pages “a redundancy,” as was suggested in the Fall 2007 issue. There are other sections I would much rather see you cut, but I appreciate that Hilltopics provides a little something for everybody. Miriam Smith Olson ’74 Peoria, Illinois I have to respectfully disagree with the idea of eliminating the ClassNotes and InMemory sections of Hilltopics. It is precisely those classmates with whom you’ve lost touch that make these sections so important. What better way to rekindle a friendship than through a note of congratulations or sympathy after reading about an important piece of news in a classmate’s life? That being said, the Fall 2007 issue was superb. I liked the new format, paper, and information. What a fantastic job of showcasing the talent and news of Bradley students and alumni. I will definitely be reading more of Hilltopics from now on if this format is consistent! Nikki Nelson ’04 Chicago, Illinois I want to express an opinion contrary to the letter that states that there is no reason to have ClassNotes. I have taught at Bradley for 35 years, and I sometimes read about alumni and what has happened in their lives that I would not have known about otherwise. In fact, in the last issue of Hilltopics,

I learned Frank Cohen ’91, who was a major of ours and is a professor of political science at Franklin Pierce College, was selected as professor of the year. I’ll now write him and congratulate him. I would never have known about this if it were not in ClassNotes. Dr. Emily Gill Professor of Political Science I write to disagree, in a major way, with my classmate Wally Zellmer ’62. ClassNotes is the section I turn to first when Hilltopics arrives. I know several hundred Bradley alums, but I don’t keep up with their happenings on a regular basis. Hilltopics helps me do that. In addition, my mother is a Bradley alumna (1933) and my father attended the University. I noticed in the Fall 2007 Hilltopics that Eleanor Easton Whelan ’35 had recently passed away. She was a close friend of my mother’s. I would have learned of her passing in no other way. Keep the ClassNotes and InMemory sections. They work for me. Dr. Fred Brown ’62 Los Angeles, California If you published the letter “Who needs ClassNotes?” to get a rise out of your readers, I fell for it — hook, line, and sinker. I never find ClassNotes and InMemory redundant. Each issue has information about people I haven’t seen or heard from in over 50 years. In some cases, I see names I recognize, but never even knew they were Bradley alums. Please keep those sections in print. Ron Erickson ’56 Downers Grove, Illinois If a poll is being taken, here is a vote for ClassNotes and InMemory. Time and distance create obstacles to staying informed about classmates. The two departments in question bridge the years and miles and rekindle good memories. Walt Beiter ’62 Chesterfield, Missouri Editor’s note: Thank you to all who took the time to write in and voice an opinion concerning Bradley Hilltopics’ ClassNotes and InMemory sections. We value both, as well, and will continue to share your classmates’ news.

© Bradley University 2008 Bradley Hilltopics is published in winter, spring, summer, and fall by Bradley University for alumni, faculty, staff, parents of students, and other friends of the University. Send letters and address changes to: Hilltopics, Bradley University, 1501 West Bradley Avenue, Peoria, IL 61625. 309-677-2249 fax 309-677-4055 e-mail: hilltopics@bradley.edu Web site: bradley.edu/hilltopics campus information: 309-676-7611 Bradley University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and the promotion of equal opportunities for all persons regardless of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The University also is committed to compliance with all applicable laws regarding non-discrimination, harassment, and affirmative action. Bradley Hilltopics reserves the right to edit all letters to the editor based on length and content.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

NoteBook BU news, views & updates

the Apprentice by justin phelps ’05

comes home to Bradley

Bill Rancic, the inaugural winner of The Apprentice who attended Bradley as a freshman, was the keynote speaker for the Smith Career Center’s The Big Event, which attracted a standing-room-only crowd of about 500 students to the Bob Michel Student Center on September 11. Rancic said he succeeded at The Apprentice for a couple reasons. First, his actions spoke louder than words, and he delivered results week after week. His ability to bring different styles and change up his plan in producing results also propelled him to the top. Rancic held the audience captive for an hour with his advice and stories, including one of how he thought “outside the box” to succeed in his first business, Cigars Around the World, a Web-based, cigars-ofthe-month club. He started the business with $24,000 and an office in his friend’s studio apartment. Using about $9,000 for a marketing plan, he wrote a letter to the top 10 morning radio stations in Chicago. Rancic put the letter in an envelope, and the envelope in a box because, “envelopes get thrown away; people open boxes,” he says. In the box with the envelope, he put a pair of black-rimmed, Coke-bottle glasses with a note attached to the bridge. It said, “Take a closer look at my idea.” One week later, Rancic received a call from a local radio producer. Rancic was told he would be given five minutes on the station’s

Rancic, right, came to BU with Justin Singer ’94, a self-employed trader in Chicago, to speak at The Big Event hosted by the Smith Career Center in September.

morning drive-time show to discuss Cigars Around the World. Rancic built a rapport so quickly with the host that his five minutes turned into 35, with the cigar business’s phone number and Web address mentioned many times. It took a couple months for business to pick up, but Cigars Around the World continued to grow when Rancic left five years ago. Rancic continues to work for the Trump Organization. He is also one of three co-hosts of “In the Loop with iVillage,” a new iVillage television show originating from the NBC Tower in Chicago.

Off-Broadway play performed on Hartmann stage

Derek VanOss

by aimée roy

New York actress Leslie Lewis Sword portrays 22-year-old genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza as she experiences a spiritual transformation from the depths of revenge and hatred, to hope and forgiveness for her family’s murderers. Sword was so inspired by Ilibagiza’s life-altering experience that she and her husband adopted two Rwandan children. Visit miracleinrwanda.com for more information.

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Immaculée Ilibagiza, a Rwandan Tutsi, survived the 1994 Hutu machete holocaust by huddling with seven other starving women in a 3-by-4 foot hidden bathroom inside a Hutu pastor’s home. She has told her story on CBS’s 60 Minutes, on the Oprah Winfrey Show, on the international stage, and in October at Bradley’s Meyer Jacobs Theatre. Ilibagiza’s passionate account of her 91-day ordeal followed a compelling performance by theatre, film, and television actress Leslie Lewis Sword, who created Miracle in Rwanda. The one-woman play, featuring Sword portraying 10 characters immersed in the genocide, completed a month’s run “off Broadway” last spring. Sword was inspired to write the play after hearing Ilibagiza lecture about her genocide survival. As a result, she traveled to Rwanda with Ilibagiza while 60 Minutes shot footage and chronicled the unspeakable tragedy that took the lives of Ilibagiza’s parents, brothers, cousins, and almost one million Tutsis. Her play is also based on Ilibagiza’s book, Left to Tell. The actress, a graduate of Harvard University with a master’s from UCLA, led a workshop for Bradley theatre students, sponsored by the Iben Endowed Lectureship at Bradley University. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts of community benefactors, especially Penny Scherer, who shared an urgent desire to bring this play of healing to Peoria, we are talking about genocide, a topic that should be discussed on college campuses to increase awareness,” says George Brown, associate professor of theatre arts and chair of Bradley’s theatre department. Ilibagiza also spoke to about 1,000 area high school students at a public forum on violence. After its three-day run at Bradley, the play moved on to Stanford University, followed by performances in Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Naples, Florida.

Alum publishes Vonnegut’s last interview by Gayle Erwin McDowell ’77

2006 / getty images / jean-christian bourcart

When journalist Heather Ransford Augustyn ’94 learned Kurt Vonnegut would be honored by his hometown of Indianapolis last April, she was determined to find a unique angle for her story. After attempting to contact the famous novelist through his publisher, editor, publicist, and even his attorney, she landed an interview on February 28. While Augustyn looked at the job as the writing assignment of a lifetime, it never crossed her mind that her interview would be Vonnegut’s last. The author of Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat’s Cradle, and a dozen other well-known novels fell in his Manhattan home just days after the interview. He died a few weeks later on April 11 at the age of 84. Six months after that unforgettable phone interview, Augustyn remained a little star-struck: “I was just so excited. He’s my idol. I’ve read so many of his books and just love his writing and his political point of view. It was such an honor to have this opportunity.”

In what turned out to be his final interview, novelist and humanist Kurt Vonnegut spoke with Heather Ransford Augustyn ’94 weeks before his death last spring. A POW during World War II, Vonnegut was a frequent lecturer and one of the most famous authors of the 20th century.

Augustyn made sure she was well prepared for speaking with an American icon. “I read all of his essays. I was going to ask specifically about how living in Indiana had shaped his writing. I prepared four pages of questions, just in case,” explained Augustyn, a fellow Hoosier. “I was very, very nervous. I checked my tape recorder about three times to make sure it was working,” she admitted. “About three minutes into the conversation, he had a bit of a cough.” Augustyn, a wife and mother of two young boys, asked Vonnegut about childhood memories in Indiana. He talked about the importance of the extended family and noted that in speeches he had referred to loneliness as the great American disease. Finally, eight minutes into the conversation as his coughing spell continued, Vonnegut said, “I’m sorry. I’m not well. Do you have what you need?” And then the prolific writer wished her good luck. While disappointed she couldn’t ask more questions, Augustyn was confident she could round out her story with comments from Vonnegut’s upcoming speech on April 27. There was, however, to be no appearance and speech as part of the “Year of Vonnegut” that the city of Indianapolis had proclaimed. Because his deadly fall hadn’t been publicized, Augustyn remembers gasping as she read the news of his death online. Later, once it occurred to Augustyn that her conversation with Vonnegut might have been his final interview, she contacted In These Times, the Chicago-based publication for which Vonnegut had written for the past five years. Although two others claimed to have conducted the final Vonnegut interview, the editor confirmed that hers had been the last. Augustyn wrote about the experience in In These Times and Shore Magazine, for which she is a contributing editor. Formerly an alumni director in development at the Latin School of Chicago, Augustyn and her family opted for a simpler lifestyle two years ago. They relocated to be near family in her hometown of Chesterton, which borders Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes. She works as a newspaper correspondent for The Times of Northwest Indiana. An English and philosophy major at Bradley, Augustyn credits professors Kevin Stein, Michael Greene, and professor emeritus James Ballowe with shaping her academic and professional career, and her “spirit for life.” She can’t credit them for making her a Kurt Vonnegut fan, however. That honor goes to her younger brother, Charlie. To read Augustyn’s articles about Kurt Vonnegut, visit bradley.edu/hilltopics.

In campus construction news: • Work

began this fall on a three-phase, three-year project that will more than double the number of light poles on and around campus. The first phase, which adds lighting along Bradley Avenue from Glenwood Avenue to Duryea Place, is scheduled to be completed in February. The additional phases of the estimated $4 million project will light the remainder of campus. The new lamps, shown above, will have white lights with reflectors that aim light toward the ground, compared to the current yellow lights without reflectors. The new lights are also more efficient. • Visit explore.bradley. edu/construction/ to watch construction of the Markin Family Student Recreation Center.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

NoteBook Founder’s Day Awards

Breaking the (plastics) mold Distinguished Alumnus Award Glenn Beall ’57 received the Distinguished Alumnus Award at Founder’s Day on September 27, 2007. The award is given to a graduate whose professional or civic activities bring the highest distinction to themselves, their community, and to Bradley. In 1968, he founded Glenn Beall Engineering Inc., a plastic product design and development business, followed by Glenn Beall Plastics Ltd. in 1993. He holds 35 patents for medical devices, plastic packaging, and other products. A Fellow and Distinguished Member of the Society of Plastics Engineers, he received the International Education Award and the International Award, the most prestigious annual award given in the plastics industry. The society named its product design competition in his honor in 1995. Beall is the first American citizen to be initiated into the

Worshipful Company of Horners, a 700-year-old British-based society whose mission is to maintain and support the ancient crafts of the horner and to promote plastics, the plastics industry, and scientific education. He was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Rotational Molding Hall of Fame in 1998. He is a Fellow of the British Institute of Materials, member of the British Plastics Consultant Network and American Mold Builders Association, design editor of Injection Molding magazine, former contributing editor of Kunststoffe (German Plastics) magazine, and former technical director of the Association of Rotational Molders International. He is credited with 251 publications, and has taught more than 950 plastics technology seminars attended by about 37,000 people. Beall and his wife Patsy reside in Libertyville.

Retirees have alum to thank for ILR Lydia Moss Bradley Award Nancy Hinrichs Proehl ’64 MA ’70 was named the Lydia Moss Bradley Award recipient. The award recognizes outstanding commitment and service to Bradley. She has been a forensics instructor, a member of the BU Council (1986–1994), and member of the College of Education and Health Sciences Advisory Board (1994–1998). Proehl was a director and an officer of the Bradley University Alumni Association from 1983 to 1989. She recently completed a term as BUAA representative to the Board of Trustees (1999–2005). Her commitment to Bradley led to an appointment as

coordinator of alumni education in the Office of Continuing Education (1994–1997). There, Proehl launched the highly successful Institute for Learning in Retirement. She started the study/travel program featuring local, regional, and international travel programs and organized the University’s first Alumni College and an Elderhostel program. She has served on the Forman Board of Education, Tazwood Mental Health Board, Pekin Memorial Hospital League, and the Manito Area Regional Economic Development. Proehl holds a master’s degree in speech, secondary education. She and her husband J.D. Proehl ’65 live in Manito.

Revving up success at Harley-Davidson Outstanding Young Graduate Award David Bozeman ’91 is the Outstanding Young Graduate Award recipient. The award recognizes a graduate who has gained early and exceptional professional or civic achievement with continued involvement in the University. Beginning his career at Harley-Davidson Motor Co. as a manufacturing engineer/production supervisor, Bozeman currently holds the position of vice president advanced engineering and general manager powertrain operations. Bozeman is active in the National Society of Manufacturing Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, and National Black MBA Association. He is co-holder of a U.S. patent in powertrain component design. Bozeman is an active member of the Industrial Advisory

bradley.edu/hilltopics

Committee for Bradley’s Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and Technology Department. His work with the Next Door Foundation has helped to raise thousands of dollars to support literacy, leadership, and early childhood education programs for inner city children. He is a motivational speaker to elementary and high school students, the recipient of the 1995 YMCA Achievers and 2007 Milwaukee Business Journal “40 under Forty” awards, and is co-executive chair of the 2007 United Way campaign. Bozeman holds a master’s degree in engineering management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He and his wife Dawn Bonner Bozeman ’92 and their four children live in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

Five alumni inducted as Bradley Centurions Five alumni recently were inducted into the Centurion Society, which honors alumni who are national and international leaders in their fields. As the 2007 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, Glenn Beall ’57 was named a Centurion. His biography is on page 4. Also inducted were: Howard Lance ’77; MS from Krannert School of Management at Purdue; chairman, president and CEO, Harris Corporation, since 2003 (the youngest CEO in the company’s 108-year history); previously, president of NCR Corporation and chief operating officer of its retail and financial group; worked for 17 years with Emerson Electric Co.; presidential appointment to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee in 2006; director, Eastman Chemical Company and Harris Stratex Networks; governor, Aerospace Industries Association; trustee, Manufacturers Alliance and Florida Institute of Technology; chairman, United Way of Brevard County board; 2006 Best Chairman in the American Business Awards competition; 2005 Technology Executive of the Year in Florida, American Electronics Association; 2006 Citizen of the Year Award, Florida Today magazine. Kimberly Armstrong ’80; account director, Progressive Impressions International, Bloomington, specializing in direct marketing for companies in insurance and financial services; former Peoria Art Guild executive board member for 10-plus years, including one term as vice president; lead strategist and visionary for the development and growth of the Art Guild’s Fine Art Fair, now considered one of the top art fairs nationwide; former member of Bradley University Alumni Association board and the Bradley Braves Club advisory board; Chi Omega alumnae advisor for 20-plus years, current president of Chi Omega house corporation.

New Centurions in 2007 are, from left, Glenn Beall ’57, Howard Lance ’77, Kim Armstrong ’80, Max Wessler ’52, and Howard Carver ’66.

Max Wessler ’52; MS from University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from Purdue; Bradley professor of mechanical engineering, emeritus, serving from 1956–97 (22 years as department chair); noted by hundreds of alumni as “the individual at Bradley who made the most positive impact;” CIBAC board member; founder, Mechanical Engineering Alumni Advisory Council; 2001 Lydia Moss Bradley Award; lieutenant, USAF, Project Officer B-58 Weapon System, 1954–56; Hughes Research Labs, electron dynamics department, 1960–62; Society of Automotive Engineers board; American Society for Engineering Education executive committee chair, accreditation board for Engineering and Technology; 1993 Peoria Area Engineer of the Year; InterVarsity Christian Fellowship advisor for 25 years; Central Illinois District board member, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Howard Carver ’66; MBA from the University of Wisconsin; CPA; Fellow of the Life Management Association; retired partner and director of audit services, Ernst & Young, Hartford, Connecticut; held positions in the company in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Boston and Springfield, Illinois; served as regional director of insurance services for the firm’s East Region practice and director of the Boston Area Investment Company Group; retired as managing partner of the Hartford office; served in Hartford on the boards of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, United Way of the Capitol Area, Hartford Region Economic Alliance; 2005 United Way of the Capitol Area Community Service Award; 2006 Distinguished Alumnus Award, UW School of Business; Metro Hartford Economic Alliance Rising Star Award.

Accolades for faculty Faculty award recipients were announced on Founder’s Day. Recipients of The Putnam Award for Excellence in Teaching were Dr. Ron Koperski, associate professor of communication, and Dr. Kurt Field, professor of chemistry. Dr. Kyle Dzapo, professor of music, was named the Samuel Rothberg Award for Professional Excellence recipient. The Caterpillar Inc. Faculty Award for Scholarship was presented to Jim Ferolo, assistant professor of multimedia, and Dr. Shari Britner, assistant professor of education. Steven Snyder, assistant professor of theatre arts, was selected for the Caterpillar Inc. Faculty Award for Teaching honor. Dr. Molly Drew Cluskey ’77, associate professor of nursing, was awarded the Francis C. Mergen Award for Public Service. Pictured from left: Dr. Kurt Field, Dr. Kyle Dzapo, Dr. Ron Koperski, Steven Snyder, Dr. Shari Britner, Dr. Molly Drew Cluskey ’77, and Jim Ferolo.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

NoteBook BU news, views & updates

bu earns high marks in preparing teachers by Abby Wilson ’10 The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) recognized Bradley’s professional education unit in 2007 for its STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs. The organization seeks to distinguish universities that integrate these core subjects into their teacher education programs. Bradley was one of 59 universities acknowledged nationwide and one of four from Illinois in an AACTE publication entitled Preparing STEM Teachers: The Key to Global Competitiveness. According to Dr. Joan L. Sattler, dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences, approximately 1,200 institutions in the country provide teacher education programs. “We’re not being recognized for one particular program,” says Sattler. “It’s a combination of what we’re doing University-wide in the areas of science, technology, and math education and what we’re doing in preparing teachers to teach about these subjects in new ways to help students learn.” The combination is indeed working. Part of the recognition was the quality of the assessment system the college conducts with its students. For example, before graduation, each education major is required to complete an electronic portfolio; after graduation, faculty survey alumni and their new employers in follow-up reviews. The data is used to continually change and improve the programs, which maintain a 99 percent placement rate. One reason the Department of Teacher Education is so effective is its collaboration with other departments in the University. Dr. Kevin Finson, professor of education, works with science education and science faculty to bring innovative instructors to the Science 101 classroom. This two-semester class for elementary education majors allows instructors to not only impart their knowledge of science, but also their teaching methods into the classroom. In a room designed especially for the class in Olin Hall, the class integrates the teaching of biology and chemistry in one semester followed by physics and earth science during the second semester. Finson has studied science and education for most of his professional career. He enjoys being involved in both. “It gives me a good opportunity to help educate [other science-education majors] about the educational aspects of our enterprise,” he says. “I find it stimulating. It’s invigorating.” The integrative program also provides resources for people in the community. Teachers One of Bradley’s STEM programs at work in the Peoria can take classes during the summer or use internship-style opportunities to further their community is on display at Science in Motion, a garden knowledge in the classroom. Area high school students can also use Bradley’s connections containing structures combining art with math for summer internships in area businesses such as Caterpillar and the National Center for and science at Roosevelt Magnet School. Agricultural Utilization Research.

Help Hilltopics go green! Let us know if you receive duplicate or unwanted copies of Bradley Hilltopics. Please e-mail pthomas@ bradley.edu or call 309-677-3628.

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Fall Job Fair The Smith Career Center expanded the annual Fall Job Fair in 2006 to two days in order to accommodate more employers but still turned employers away both days in 2007. Day one of the job fair is for civil engineering and construction majors, and day two is open to all majors. The fair hosted more than 200 employers. Visit bradley.edu/scc.

Accounting connects Bradley to Tokyo by Katie Hamill ’08 Dr. Stephen Kerr, assistant professor of accounting, arrived on Bradley’s campus in August 2007. By September, he was traveling to Tokyo as part of the Bradley University – Tokyo Accounting College program (BU-TAC). Kerr began helping Japanese students prepare for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam about 10 years ago while teaching at Athabasca University in Canada. He brought the program with him to Bradley after leaving the University of Nevada-Reno last spring. The program began as a way to help Japanese students facing a highly competitive job market achieve accounting proficiency in another country’s accounting standards. Students who participate in the BU-TAC program can enter the program with any undergraduate degree, and then take about 30 hours in Bradley accounting courses taught in Tokyo to fulfill CPA exam requirements. Approximately every three months, Kerr travels to Tokyo to administer Bradley exams and explain more about Bradley University and the current climate of U.S. accounting. Kerr believes experience in other countries is necessary for career advancement, particularly in Japan with giant global companies such as Sony, Mitsubishi, and Toshiba, which maintain a strong presence in the U.S. Young people, he believes, have the time and opportunity to learn another language and learn another country’s standards in order to set themselves apart. “For young students, this is an appealing way to grow your career and show your company a greater understanding of business on a global scale,” Kerr says. BU-TAC allows Bradley faculty to have a relationship with professors in Tokyo, opening up windows of research opportunity. Additionally, the program has helped with international recruitment, as some students have chosen to enroll at Bradley for a master’s degree. “It extends Bradley’s international reputation,” Kerr says of the program. “Right now, we have 300 students in Tokyo taking Bradley University courses. Over time, they will find jobs and take positions, and when they do so, they will still have that Bradley connection.”

While preparing Japanese students to take the U.S. Certified Public Accountant exam, Professor Stephen Kerr, right, ensures that the exam is given according to Bradley standards. Kerr says the CPA exam is valuable to Japanese accountants because it is the world gold standard.

TV reporter broadcasts live as wildfires rage by TAIJA JENKINS ’08 Larry Himmel ’68 MA ’69 is one of thousands of people who fell victim to the California wildfires that claimed over 1,800 homes in October. Unlike the other victims, Himmel watched his house burn to the ground on live television. “On any given day, I’d say welcome to my home, but this is what is left of my home,” Himmel, a reporter for Los Angeles’ CBS 8 News, told viewers. Himmel woke up at 5 a.m. on October 22 to the smell of smoke. His first thought was to evacuate his wife and son and return for everything else later. He thought he would have enough time to retrieve the rest of their belongings, but he underestimated how close the fire was to his residence. “Winds are traveling at 60 to 70 miles per hour and there’s a 34-foot wall of flame,” says Himmel. “It’s like a fire tornado taking out everything.”

Residents were not allowed near their homes due to obvious safety concerns. Himmel, however, had access to the fire that no one else had due to his press affiliation. This, he says, is why it was important for him to report what he saw. “I had to be the eyes and ears for people so they could understand what was happening,” says Himmel, who stayed on the scene for nine hours. “It was an adrenaline rush, but I took a deep breath and reported on what I saw.” Himmel says as a journalist he had to report on what he saw and heard, and states that is the reason he was able to keep his composure on screen. Himmel and his family lost everything except the few items they grabbed when they evacuated — a few pictures, a few day’s worth of clothes, their pets, and wedding rings. Yet, he still insists that he’s one of the lucky ones. Visit bradley.edu/hilltopics for a video link to view Himmel reporting on the wildfires.

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Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

SportScene

BU soccer heads to sweet 16 A season of firsts for the soccer team was topped by a second. The Braves won their second NCAA men’s soccer tournament match, stunning No. 4 seeded and nationally ranked Indiana in penalty kicks 5-4 to settle a 1-1 tie after regulation and two overtime periods in November at Yeagley Field in Bloomington. The victory over the seven-time national champions sent the Braves to the Sweet 16 and came four days after the team won its first NCAA tournament match in program history. This season, the Braves also won their first State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title, tied Creighton for first for the regular-season MVC title, and Joe Donoho ’08 became Bradley’s first MVC Player of the Year in the 17th year of MVC soccer. Bradley defeated nationally ranked Creighton 1-0 in Omaha for the tournament championship and the Valley’s automatic bid to the 48-team NCAA tournament. The Braves claimed a share of their third consecutive regular-season title with co-champions Creighton. Donoho was joined by Drew DeGurian ’08 on the 11-player, all-MVC first team, and coach Jim DeRose’s staff was named the MVC’s Coaching Staff of the Year. At press time, the Braves were scheduled to play No. 13 Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen. Visit bubraves.com for the latest updates.

Fro

fall sports round-up

Cross Country In an NCAA Regional hosted by Bradley, Chris George ’08 ran a careerbest time of 31:52 in the 10K race and finished 58th. In the women’s 6K race, Katie Nowak ’09 led Bradley with a 69th place finish in 21:56.

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mike McKown

Volleyball Melissa Collins ’11 topped 200 kills in her first year on the Hilltop, making her the first Bradley freshman with 200 kills since Lindsay Stalzer ’05 recorded 259 kills as a frosh in 2002.

Once a leader on the field as co-captain of the Bradley baseball team, Dr. Lindsey Rolston ’85 is now a leader — and inventor — in the field of orthopedic surgery.

r. Lindsey Rolston ’85, an Indiana orthopedic surgeon, has invented a knee replacement implant that results in easier recovery in less time. The surgery preserves parts of the knee often not affected by osteoarthritis. He explained, “The outside part of the knee was normal about 50 to 70 percent of the time, but I had to take it away with conventional total knee replacement. Also the anterior cruciate ligament, which we try to preserve in athletes, had to be cut out with the old replacements,” Rolston said.

third area (the lateral portion of the femur and tibia) intact. The device also keeps the cruciate ligaments in place, allowing for more stability and mobility. After submitting a patent, Rolston contacted Smith & Nephew Orthopedic Reconstruction and teamed up with the company to produce and distribute the implant. After a six-year process of working with engineers to create prototypes, doing surgeries with the device for the past four years, gradually releasing the device to 20 other surgeons for their input, and

He added, “Smith & Nephew is the fourth largest orthopedic company in the world, so it’s been fun. I’ve met a lot of people along the way as surgeons visit our operating room for nearly every Deuce procedure. The most important thing this has done is to allow us to see patients recover easier, have less blood loss, and experience less pain than they would with a conventional total knee replacement.” Rolston, who can now add “inventor” to his list of achievements, began his college career as an athlete. A pitcher for the

om surgeon to inventor by Nancy Ridgeway

overseeing numerous revisions to the implant, it was unveiled in July 2007. Rolston estimated he has trained about 200 surgeons worldwide and still has a full schedule of training sessions ahead. Affiliated with the Henry County Center for Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine in New Castle, Rolston said his first patient returned a year later to have her second knee replaced. “I figure that’s a testament to the device,” he said.

Bradley baseball team from 1981 to 1985, he was co-captain his senior year, but always dreamed of a career in medicine. “I had a shoulder problem as a pitcher at Bradley, and orthopedics became a natural fit for me because of my experience with sports.”

far lEFt: dr. lindsey rolston ’85 shows the knee replacement implant he invented. He now travels worldwide to demonstrate the implant procedure to other surgeons. lEFT: The diagram shows the Journey Deuce Knee System, manufactured by Smith and Nephew, and released in July 2007. The implant replaces the kneecap and inner portion of the thigh and shin bones — the areas of the knee most commonly damaged by arthritis — and leaves the cruciate ligaments in place.

smith and nephew

With a goal of making patients’ recoveries as smooth as possible, Rolston created a knee replacement that offers a minimally invasive, bone- and ligament-preserving treatment alternative to traditional knee replacement surgery. Called the Journey Deuce® Knee System, it replaces only the two areas of the knee most commonly affected by osteoarthritis, the kneecap and medial compartment (inner portion of the thigh and shin bone), while keeping the

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

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Peoria NEXT is focused on stepping out of the box and into the future.

t o a rs By Nancy Ridgeway photography by duane zehr

Creating new jobs isn’t enough for the civic leaders who spearhead Peoria NEXT. They want to foster a new business environment that will put Peoria on the map as a leader in technology innovation and, in so doing, increase the number of highly paid career opportunities in the area. The group’s dream of building an Innovation Center became a reality with the August grand opening of a new $12 million building three blocks east of campus. The Innovation Center provides an environment for support and networking among startup companies and hopefully re-energizes a bleak section of Main Street into a corridor of opportunity. Even before the Innovation Center opened, Peoria NEXT leaders were busy helping professors secure research grants, working with entrepreneurs to create technology-based businesses, and fostering a climate of innovation.

Bradley’s connection Dr. Peter Johnsen, Bradley’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, chairs the Peoria NEXT board. He recalls, “Peoria NEXT began in early 2000 as a conversation in the Bradley boardroom during a meeting convened by [former Bradley president] David Broski, who was interested in promoting collaborative research. As we began to talk about what we wanted to do in our community, we developed a philosophy of how we were going to work. We determined Peoria NEXT’s role is to champion a point of view, create new ideas, be a rallying point, but the work is to be done by anchor and partner organizations.” Anchor organizations come from medical, educational, federal, state, and business entities, including Bradley. For a list of organizations, visit bradley. edu/hilltopics. Though individual interests vary, participants have a common goal: to focus on research and development as a means to stimulate economic development. Peoria NEXT accomplishes this through three strategies: discovery, innovation, and commercialization.

Jamin Williams ’07, left, and Nick Viera ’07 are electrical engineering interns at Firefly, a Caterpillar Inc. spinoff company involved in the research and development of a lightweight lead acid battery. Firefly is one of several companies launched with the help of Peoria NEXT, an organization whose focus is to promote research and development as a means to stimulate economic development in the area. Firefly employs several Bradley alumni. Read more at bradley.edu/hilltopics.

www.bradley.edu/hilltopics

Amanda Gillett ’10 and Dr. Craig Cady, assistant professor of biology, adjust the microscope as they analyze ovarian cancer cells used in their stem cell cancer research project. Funds made available through Peoria NEXT enable Cady and other Bradley professors to expand their research efforts.

Johnsen explains, “Bradley University played a key role particularly in implementation of the discovery strategy that supports research. Many Bradley faculty members receive seed money for research. The late Ellen Durges Foster ’52 made a $1 million gift to launch Peoria NEXT. That money was used for early organizational activities and programs, but the majority continues to be used to promote collaborative research.” He adds, “Our first task to support commercialization was to raise funding for startup companies based on intellectual property coming out of the anchor organizations. We began with spinoff companies like Firefly from Caterpillar and zuChem and iSoy from the Ag Lab.” Discussing Bradley’s involvement in Peoria NEXT, Johnsen comments, “Our strategic plan calls for the University to enter into partnerships to provide benefits to the community and society. Many universities have seen multiple benefits from becoming involved in outreach activities. We want to create opportunities for our students and graduates. By partnering, we help each other, but also help ourselves.”

The NEXT step in stem cell research Providing summer internships for research projects at Bradley and other organizations is among Peoria NEXT’s endeavors. For example, Dr. Craig Cady, assistant professor of biology, hired two summer interns, one Bradley student and one high school student, to assist in his research efforts. Last summer, Amanda Gillett ’10 assisted Cady in researching how stem cells from umbilical cord blood can be used to treat ovarian cancer. Cady, who is collaborating with the obstetrics-gynecology department at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, will soon test the use of stem cells in a novel approach to treating ovarian cancer in a model system. He explains, “We now understand stem cells are attracted to cells under stress, including cancer cells. We have found through experimentation that if we put stem cells close to cancer cells, they tend to migrate toward the cancer cells.”

Cady’s second Peoria NEXT intern, Richwoods High School student Jessie O’Neal, assisted in researching how estrogen protects the brain from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Cady explains, “We want to optimize how estrogen is given to a woman post-menopausal to protect the brain. We know estrogen protects it from stress, but no one understands how. We’re looking at a lab model of damage to neurons.” Cady says Peoria NEXT provides summer internships for high school students in Bradley’s biology and chemistry departments, USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, the University of Illinois School of Medicine, and at OSF Saint Francis and Methodist medical centers. Cady has been involved in several Peoria NEXT committees. “It’s a wonderful program. I received a Peoria NEXT grant for stem cell research when I first came to Bradley. The support money I get for supplies and for students takes the load off my grants, so I can do other research. Most of my research is very expensive. The community benefits, too. Peoria is lucky to have an organization that promotes this level of stem cell research.” Cady encourages expectant mothers to consider making a cord blood donation when their babies are born. He can be reached at ccady@bradley.edu or 309-677-3020.

Where progress is showcased The Peoria NEXT Innovation Center is a landmark in many ways. Not only does the 50,000-square-foot building spruce up the neighborhood, but the activity inside holds promise for the entire community. Walk through the doors and enter a world where people of diverse backgrounds and interests come together; exchange, develop, test, and nurture entrepreneurial ideas; and eventually graduate into their own facilities. Under the leadership of Nancy Wright MA ’86, who carries dual titles as executive director of the Innovation Center and of the Bradley Technology Commercialization Center (BTCC), the center is an incubator for technology-based businesses.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

Dr. Peter Johnsen, Nancy Wright MA ’86, and Shirley Dawdy discuss opportunities the new $12 million Peoria NEXT Innovation Center will bring to the Peoria area. Located on Main Street, the center serves as an incubator for technology-based businesses. It is equipped to allow entrepreneurs with a variety of technology needs to do research and development for their products.

Wright comments, “Technology-based companies have a 75 percent failure rate without incubators like this. With incubators, they have an 80 percent success rate. Our definition of success is if a business has found its place in the marketplace, is generating revenues, and is providing technology-based employment.” The center, funded with state, federal, and private financing, offers office space, conference rooms, meeting rooms, business office equipment, and equipped labs. Wright helps entrepreneurs find investors, build their businesses, and bring their ideas to fruition. Wright says, “It’s important to assist these companies to meet established milestones and to create an environment where investors can see the research being done and evaluate the commercialization potential. Each technology may need anywhere from $750,000 to $4–$5 million during the first round of investment, going through fundraising rounds three or four times before the technology is fully commercialized. We help these companies find management team members, research partners, grants, and investment capital. These are high-risk ventures. They do not have a revenue stream, are not recognized in the marketplace, and do not fit the criteria for a traditional lending institution.” Entrepreneurs are encouraged to consider Bradley students as interns. Shirley Dawdy, office manager for BTCC and the Innovation Center, comments, “This is a great opportunity for our students. They’ll learn so much by working with these tenants.” She notes that Katie Sowa ’08, an entrepreneurship major, works with her, Wright, and administrative assistant Deanna Denny. “She’s a perfect fit for this building and our mission.” Also interning in the building is Emily Johnson ’07, an accounting and entrepreneurship major who works for InformMed. The company, the first tenant in the building, has created the pac2, a handheld software system that allows nurses to quickly calculate proper medication doses for their patients. Discussing InformMed, co-founder and chief clinical officer Kathy Francis says, “Our goal is to provide a new standard for safe patient care. We have developed a performance support system that provides the tools nurses need to shield patients from medical errors. The pac2 recognizes unsafe doses that have made their way

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through the system and helps nurses quickly calculate safe doses and recall essential drug information.” The pac2 is in the pilot stage at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center’s pediatrics intensive care unit. “Over the next quarter, we expect three to five more pilots. I believe the pac2 is going to change medicine and also save lives.” Speaking of the Innovation Center, Francis comments, “Networking opportunities are one of the best aspects about being here. Knowledgeable people interested in making companies grow are walking through these halls every day.”

Collaborating with Caterpillar On the third floor of the center, Bradley’s College of Engineering and Technology is collaborating with Caterpillar Technology and Solutions Division. Dr. Martin Morris ’77 MSE ’79, professor of mechanical engineering, is taking a one-year sabbatical to help teach Cat’s approach to Collaborative Product and Process Development (CPPD) to members of product development teams. This effort will help position the company to address new EPA standards for diesel emissions for Caterpillar product lines. New certificate programs are being developed at Bradley with an emphasis on new product design, development, and manufacture. These programs will complement activities at Cat and provide opportunities for employees to earn graduate credits at Bradley. Benefits to Bradley are the development of new and industry-based course content for engineering senior design courses; expanded interaction between Caterpillar employees and Bradley faculty and students; and in the long-term, development of a more general set of courses and workshops that address the product design and development process in a global context. Francis speaks for everyone involved at the center as she concludes, “The leadership in Peoria has a vision where innovation can happen, people can dream, and dreams will come true. They put the opportunities in place with resources like this building and access to funding. Here, progress is showcased.” Visit peorianext.org for more information.

Stepping up to the Bradley challenge, President Joanne K. Glasser embraces her leadership role on campus. Four months into her first season, she has certainly been a hit.

By karen crowley metzinger, ma ’97 Bradley University students now have their own personal cheerleader on campus. President Joanne K. Glasser has arrived, and the BU community is infused with her contagious enthusiasm. The Baltimore native exudes warmth, wit, and a willingness to make a major difference in everyone’s lives — especially the students’. “I’ve always believed, for my own two children as well as everyone’s children, that they must find their passion in life,” says Glasser. “You have to find your own area of interest and creativity, if you will. When you find your life’s calling, something you love doing every day, then it’s really not work.” Glasser has been busy meeting and listening to students, faculty, and staff, while learning the campus culture. She encourages students to explore many options, opportunities, and venues at Bradley. She says what interests them in their 20s may not be a career choice they’ll continue later in life. She cites her own experience as an example of why she stresses the significance of lifelong learning and exploring.

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President Glasser prepares to throw out the first pitch at a Peoria Chiefs game at O’Brien Field.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

hen Joanne Glasser worked for a Baltimore newspaper as a high school student, she caught the “journalism and public relations bug.” She says being immersed in that early newsroom experience, the constant responsiveness, intense interaction, and quick pace of events have brought her where she is today.

“I love the unpredictability of a day’s events,” says the energetic president. “I find it very, very exciting and constantly challenging.” Nevertheless, a career in journalism or public relations was overshadowed by a powerful epiphany. Her sense of social justice and her social conscience was raised after reading To Kill a Mockingbird. She reflects on the influence of the author, Harper Lee: “Oftentimes, we don’t realize the impact that we have or that we’re going to leave in that moment in time. It’s later, when others reflect upon our life’s work and our contributions, that it takes on more significance than any of us ever thought possible.” She decided to pursue a law degree in an effort to help people in a meaningful way. “I loved practicing law, loved the challenge intellectually, socially, and personally,” says Glasser. “Somewhere down the road, around midlife, I couldn’t quite figure out what was missing. When I had the opportunity to move into higher education, I realized that was it. Working with young people has been so fulfilling personally and professionally. And who knows what the next chapter in my life’s journey will be? I really look at life as a journey, not a destination.” Although she was not looking for a new position, the Bradley presidency came to her attention through a search firm and other contacts. She notes

Alicia Pettigrew ’10, Darius McGee ’11, and Ariana Lee ’11 join Glasser at the annual Block Party on Fredonia Avenue during Welcome Week.

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Bradley is viewed in the world of higher education as an elite, private, comprehensive institution with nationally recognized academic programs. In addition, faculty, scholars, and researchers are doing cutting-edge work in their disciplines and are committed and dedicated to teaching and passionate about opening doors of opportunities for young people. “It didn’t take long for Bradley to captivate my interest,” says Glasser. “I was also impressed with the larger Peoria region in terms of the relationship it holds with major healthcare organizations, the fine and performing arts, and Bradley’s unique relationship with Caterpillar and all it brings to the University and region. I was intrigued and incredibly interested by the success of alumni who have passed through the doors throughout the years.”

During a mid-September interview in her Swords Hall office, the diminutive president cited connecting with and engaging as many alumni as possible as a top priority. She plans to travel the country and listen to what made their experiences so meaningful. “If we truly believe that the past is prologue, it’s important that I reconnect with our alumni to help shape and define our vision for the future and our road map of how we’re going to get there,” says Glasser. As the vice chair of the NCAA Division Committee on Athletics Certification and vice chair of the Executive Subcommittee, Glasser values what intercollegiate athletics brings to the University, the student-athletes, and the “proud alumni who continue to follow their teams.” The former high school cheerleader maintains that she will be visible at sporting events and be the “number one cheerleader and supporter for the Braves.” In the short time she has been here, Glasser has formulated some initial thoughts about the physical campus. After all, she came to Bradley from Eastern Kentucky University, which touts itself as one of the most scenic college campuses in the nation. She finds the Quad area and its surrounding academic buildings to be “absolutely charming and quite lovely. It seems to be a gathering

duane zehr

“It helped shape and define who I am as a person.” She said she has raised her children to realize more unites people as human beings than divides them. The diversity scholarship enables deserving minority students access to higher education. It continues to produce enough revenue to award scholarships for decades to come, and she is “very proud of that legacy and all the lives it has touched and will continue to enrich.” While Glasser has discovered beauty, friendliness, history, and culture in each area of the country she’s lived in, she looks forward to exploring the Midwest and feeling at home on the Hilltop. “While I will always look back on my Chesapeake Bay crab cakes and Kentucky mint juleps with great affection, I look forward to developing new tastes, acquiring new interests here, and starting new memories in my scrapbook of life.”

just the facts... Family Widowed, two children: Jared, a graphic designer in Baltimore; Jacqueline, a senior at Duke University.

Education George Washington University, BA in political science University of Maryland School of Law, Juris Doctorate Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Institute of Education Management Certificate

Career Path max taylor

place and gives a sense of community.” She adds, “I would like to look at some different kind of signage that will showcase that you are entering the Bradley campus.” Glasser also wants to add more color around the Lydia Moss Bradley statue. “Lydia Moss Bradley was such an extraordinary woman of great courage, vision, character, and compassion that I hope she is smiling with pride, not only about how her dream has grown and flourished over the past 110 years, but how she paved the way for a woman to continue that dream and her mission for this institution,” says Glasser. Although she has the distinction of being both Bradley’s and EKU’s 10th president and first female president, Glasser does not want gender to be the defining characteristic of her leadership. She prefers to be defined by the experience, traits, and values that she brings to the position. “I think integrity is the cornerstone of anyone’s reputation,” comments Glasser. “At the end of the day, all we have is our reputation, and that’s what we leave behind us. I’ve tried to live my life through my mother’s wonderful heart. Her philosophy is that it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice. I try to be mindful of my remarkable 86-year-old mother’s many life lessons. I try to wake up every day and hopefully enrich the lives of others, try to treat people right, and always have a sense of kindness and compassion, because you never know what’s going on in someone’s life.” Her passion for diversity turned into the Joanne K. Glasser Leadership Endowment Scholarship following an outpouring of financial support at her EKU inauguration. “Growing up in Baltimore and going to school in Washington, D.C., I was the product of a very diverse neighborhood, school system, and community,” says Glasser.

Top: Glasser visits with Marty Weiss ’08 at Sigma Theta Epsilon’s table as she meets students and learns about various student organizations during the Activities Fair. Above: Former Congressman Robert Michel ’48 HON ’81, left, and Congressman Ray lahood ’71 recently co-hosted a reception for alumni and friends to meet Glasser at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C.

Eastern Kentucky University, president (2001–2007) Towson University, executive vice president; chief advancement officer; executive assistant to the president; and affirmative action officer Baltimore County Labor Commissioner; assistant county attorney; and bailiff and law clerk for the Baltimore City Circuit Court

Fun Facts One trait people notice about her: She stands 5 ft. tall. One trait people may not notice about her: She’s left-handed. One thing she can’t live without: A sense of humor. One daily indulgence: Chocolate!

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

duane zehr

by justin phelps ’05

“ This is the ship that won World War II, because it did everything.”

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Ron Bezouska ’56 wanted to experience the enlisted side of the Navy, so the slender 73-year-old commissioned Naval officer became a volunteer on an old World War II ship. Bezouska is a deck sailor on Landing Ship Tank (LST) 325. Instead of protecting America from threats, he’s helping preserve and share America’s history on the only original configured, operational World War II vessel of its kind in the United States. “You have a lot of static museum ships, but this one brings history to your city,” said Bezouska, the board vice president of LST 325 Ship Memorial Inc., a nonprofit group that brought the vessel back to America from Greece. As the historic ship-turned-floating-museum made a trip up the Illinois River last summer, including a two-and-a-half-week stop in Peoria, Bezouska’s day started at 6 a.m. with chores. Breakfast followed at 7 and quarters at 8, when the day’s plan was set. “By virtue of my position on the board, I could be living in officer country,”

what is an lst?

stan barish

“This type of ship was the workhorse of World War II,” said Ron Bezouska ’56. “This is the ship that won World War II, because it did everything.” After a lengthy career, the LST 325 was reactivated for a second time in 1963 and transferred to Greece in May 1964. The Greek Navy decommissioned the ship in December 1999. In 2000, the ship was acquired by LST 325 Ship Memorial, Inc. A group of about 60 men went to Crete to prepare the ship for its 6,500-mile trip to

navy archives

LST 325 is a Landing Ship Tank, used in World War II and other wars to transport troops and equipment to coastal areas. According to the LST 325 Ship Memorial Inc. Web site, LST 325 was launched on October 27, 1942, and commissioned on February 1, 1943. In 1944 and 1945, the ship made 44 trips between England and France. In December 1944, it helped rescue more than 700 men from another ship that had been torpedoed off the coast of France.

evansville, iNdiana, convention and visitors bureau

said Bezouska, a veteran of World War II. “We live in aft crews quarters. I’m closer to the crew this way, and I hope they relate to me in an easier fashion than if I were up here in officer country.” The days at port on LST 325 are often spent answering questions from the thousands of ship visitors. The ship’s homeport is Evansville, Indiana, but it is allowed to travel for five weeks during the year. It has navigated the Ohio, Illinois and Mississippi rivers and sailed to the Atlantic Ocean for celebrations. A native of the Chicago suburb Berwin and a retired field auditor for the state of Ohio, Bezouska dedicated 31 years to the Navy after graduating from Bradley with a business degree. He served on a cruiser, an ammunition ship, and a destroyer before joining the Reserves. “I didn’t sail on them in my Navy career,” Bezouska said of the LST. “But after not being at sea for over 20 years, you take a ride any way you can get it.”

America. Many of the group returned home upon the ship’s departure, while 28 sailed the LST 325 into Mobile, Alabama, on January 10, 2001. The ship was “unveiled” in September 2001 after being restored. Restoration projects continue to improve the ship while in its homeport of Evansville, Indiana.

LEFT: Troops on LST 325 witness USS Boise fire its weapons during the invasion of Sicily on July 11, 1943. Troops sat poised on top of cargo as back-up gunners. ABOVE: A well-attended pre-invasion church service was held on the forecastle of the ship on June 4, 1944.

Visit lstmemorial.org or call 812-435-8678 for more information and the ship’s schedule of tours.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

With three daughters who love tennis, Mark and Vicki Petersen decided to add one more player to the family. The Braves Scholarship Society is comprised of Bradley University alumni and friends of intercollegiate athletics who have chosen to support one of 14 varsity programs. Through membership in this society, donors have the opportunity to personally follow an athlete’s growth throughout his or her Bradley career. “Our first athlete was volleyball player Lindsay Stalzer ’05 from our hometown of Kewanee,” says Mark Petersen. “Now, our girls love tennis, so we thought it would be natural for them to have a tennis player as a role model.” They recently chose their second athlete, Kim Braun ’09, through their support of the Braves Scholarship Society. “I think it’s great if you can make a difference in the life of a college athlete, help support the University, and provide a family for an athlete for four years,” says Vicki Petersen.

Benefits include: 100% tax-deductible gift Top priority for season, individual, and post-game ticket requests and perks • Invitations to private pre-game and halftime receptions and exclusive Braves Scholarship Society functions • VIP parking privileges • Braves Club membership benefits at the highest level, and more • •

The most important benefit is the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to make the Bradley athletic program one of the best in the nation.

How to get involved: Call 309-677-3946 or e-mail Rick Gaa at rgaa@bradley.edu for more information.

InMemory 1930s

Roy Wiegand ’32, March 5, 2007, Reno, Nevada. He pastored Baptist churches in five states for 35 years and then worked in part-time ministries for 20 years. He was honored as alumnus of the year by Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard. Roy enjoyed fishing and gardening. He was 100. Surviving are his wife Helen, two children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Grace Siepert Lewke ’34, June 2007, LaGrange Park. Survivors include four children, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Maxwell Bass ’36, September 20, 2007, Downers Grove. An employee of Caterpillar for 36 years, Max was instrumental in developing the employee publications program. He retired in 1977. He was initiated into Sigma Chi in 2006, becoming the fraternity’s oldest initiate. Max was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran. His daughter, three grandsons, and a great-granddaughter survive. Wesley Nothdurft ’37, August 3, 2007, Bloomington. He taught social studies and English in Peoria for many years. He held a master’s degree from Northwestern. Wesley managed the library at First United Methodist Church in Peoria. He was a World War II Army veteran. His wife Vivian survives. E. John Saare ’37, May 12, 2007, Jacksonville, Florida. A high school teacher and coach, he became director of vocational and adult education for Duval County in 1958. He retired from the Florida Junior College at Jacksonville in 1983. John was a football and basketball official, and founded several boating clubs. His wife Mary, two children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive.

1940s

Mildred Arends ’42, July 28, 2007, Peoria. An active volunteer, she was Peoria city treasurer for 34 years. Mildred also was a travel agent and a teacher at Franklin School. She co-owned Global Tours. Survivors include her sister. J. Allen Blair ’42, September 9, 2007, Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the co-founder and director of Glad Tidings Radio ministry, currently in its 50th year of daily 15-minute programs. He wrote 12 books, including his autobiography Shining the Light. He held a doctoral degree from Wheaton College and also graduated from Moody Bible Institute and the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. Surviving are his wife Elva, three daughters, nine grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Lyman “Bud” Hunt ’44, September 23, 2007, Henry. He was a partner in Siegle and Hunt Lumber

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Co. for 45 years. A World War II and Korean War veteran, Bud served 34 years in the active Naval Reserve. He was involved in the American Legion and Masonic work. At Bradley he was president of Sigma Nu. He is survived by three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Mathew Lauck ’44, June 15, 2007, Sun City Center, Florida. Matt was an engineer for DuPont in New Jersey for 36 years. He helped select the first U.S. kayaking team for the 1972 Olympics. An award-winning watercolor painter, Matt was president of a local art club. He was a World War II Navy veteran. Survivors include his wife Margaret, four children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Charlotte Cisna Cady ’45, September 1, 2007, Peoria Heights. She worked at Cady Oil Co. and earlier taught at Blaine Sumner School. A choir member at First Presbyterian Church, Charlotte performed as a soloist at weddings. She was a member of Chi Omega at Bradley. Her two children and three grandchildren survive.

1950s

Hollis Benjamin ’50, August 29, 2007, Peoria. He was editor of the Illinois Law Forum as a law student at the University of Illinois. Hollis was assistant court secretary to an Illinois Supreme Court justice from 1955 to 1966, and then operated his own law practice. He served as president of the county bar association and also of Theta Xi at Bradley. He was an Army veteran. Surviving are his wife Dolores Manuel Benjamin ’52 and two children. Richard H. Carlson ’50, September 2, 2007, Carmichael, California. A World War II Army Air Forces veteran, he earned a Bronze Star for devising a chart system to decipher code. Dick was chief time-study engineer at Admiral Corp. in Galesburg until 1961. Later he worked at Aerojet-General Corp. in California. He became a professional engineer there in 1969 and retired in 1985. At Bradley he was a member of Theta Xi. Survivors include his wife Alice, their daughter, and two grandchildren. Clarence Fischer ’50, September 9, 2007, Brookfield, Connecticut. He worked as an editor and writer in New York City. Charles “Frankie” Johnston ’50, July 29, 2007, Washington. A World War II Army veteran, Frankie served the American Legion at the local, state, and national levels. Employed by the state, he authored the Illinois Vietnam Veterans’ Bonus Bill. Frankie

owned several local businesses in the ’50s and ’60s, and received the Washingtonian Award in 1994. Surviving are his wife Wilma, three children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. William Maher ’50, August 2, 2007, Sunnyland. A graduate of Butler University College of Pharmacy, he operated Bill Maher Drugs from 1960 to 1992. Bill served as president of the Sunnyland Business Association and the Lions Club. He won numerous awards as a pharmacist and as a community and church volunteer. He was a veteran of the Merchant Marines. Six children, 19 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive. Paul G. Anderson ’51, February 23, 2007, Farmers Branch, Texas. He was a corrugated box designer and salesman. An Army Air Forces veteran, Paul was an avid golfer. Survivors include his wife Kay and one daughter. Marion “Bruce” Ploussard ’51, September 8, 2007, Irmo, South Carolina. He worked at Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. for 35 years, retiring as general manager. Bruce was a member of Theta Xi at Bradley. He was a World War II Army Air Forces veteran. Surviving are his wife Ange, five children, and 11 grandchildren. Anton “Tony” Gregg ’52 MEA ’67, September 13, 2007, East Peoria. He worked at Caterpillar for 38 years, retiring in 1990. Tony was an adjunct faculty member at Bradley and Illinois Central College. Survivors include his wife Sharon, five children, and nine grandchildren. Paul “Buddy” Hollatz ’52, June 2007, Antioch. He was retired from Travelers Property Casualty Corp. Ikuo Nakagawa ’52, April 2, 2006, Wahiawa, Hawaii. Gene Duvendack ’54, September 3, 2007, Peoria. He owned Cohen Kitchen Center. A Korean War Army veteran, “Duvy” was well known as a fast-pitch softball pitcher. His wife Susan survives, along with three children and several grandchildren. James Kerr ’56, July 31, 2007, San Antonio, Texas. He was with Kimberly-Clark Corp. for 38 years, last working as an account manager. An Air Force veteran, he enjoyed golf and was active in his church. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha at Bradley. Survivors include his wife Shirley, three children, and six grandchildren.

1960s

Glen Vanderwater ’60, August 9, 2007, Covington, Georgia. He retired in 1997 from Lithonia Lighting as senior vice president of finance

and administration after 33 years of service. Survivors include his wife. Jerry Lee ’62 MA ’65, September 18, 2007, Punta Gorda, Florida. He was president of community colleges in Platte, Nebraska, and Poughkeepsie, New York. He held a doctoral degree from Southern Illinois University. A Navy veteran, Jerry was active in United Way and other civic activities. Surviving are his wife Marilyn “Lynn” Crilly Lee ’60, four children, and nine grandchildren. Peggy O’Hearn Walter ’63, August 9, 2007, Peoria. A flight attendant for Delta Airlines, she later worked as a hospice nurse in Florida. She returned to Peoria in 1999. Peggy was an active volunteer and a master gardener. Three children and two grandchildren survive. Louise Hagemann ’64 MA ’67, September 11, 2007, West Peoria. She was a teacher in District 150 for 20 years, retiring in 1982. Louise was active in her church. Her son, three grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter survive. D. Larry Sours ’66, August 27, 2007, Pekin. He retired from Caterpillar in 2002 as a buyer in global purchasing. Larry exhibited and bred Tennessee Walking Horses and served on the organization’s international board of directors. He managed several horse shows. Surviving are his wife Barbara, four children, and seven grandchildren. Virgil Boucher, MA ’67, August 8, 2007, Peoria. A high school teacher for 43 years, he was head football coach at Woodruff High School for 20 years. He also was coordinator of a crime prevention program for seniors. As a member of the Federal Council on Aging, Virgil attended three White House conferences. He was a member of the Greater Peoria

Sports Hall of Fame and received the Tom Connor Award for his community service. Dennis Krause ’67, August 18, 2007, Dunlap. He owned and operated Tri County Water Treatment. Dennis was active in Jaycees and Masonic work. He was a Korean War Navy veteran. His wife Helen Birbiles Krause ’70 MA ’71, one son, and two grandchildren survive.

1970s

Glenn Haslett, MEA ’70, July 7, 2007, Tucson, Arizona. He and his wife Jo ran a greenhouse in Kansas from 1956 to 1966. Glenn later worked at Caterpillar as an engineer, retiring in 1991. He was a World War II Army veteran. His wife, three children, and four grandchildren survive. Carol Winship Blease ’71, July 31, 2007, Delavan. She was a speech and English educator, and then worked as a product support facilitator at Caterpillar for 15 years. Carol was a Navy veteran. Survivors include her husband David, her parents, one daughter, three stepchildren, and seven grandchildren. Dan Felean ’71, November 6, 2006, Montreal, Quebec. As a principal of PensEra Knowledge Technologies, he contributed to the development of time capture for law firms. Dan was an attorney and served as president of Theta Xi at Bradley. His wife Rejeanne and one brother survive. John McDonald ’71, September 3, 2007, Peoria. He was an HVAC engineer. Surviving are his wife Mimi, four children, and a granddaughter. Susan Dahl Fulkerson ’72, September 3, 2007, Palos Heights. She taught accounting at Trinity Christian College for many years before joining

the finance division of Panduit Corp. Susan held a master’s degree from DePaul. She was active in her church and community. Susan was editor of the 1972 Anaga and a member of Pi Beta Phi. Her husband Alan, two sons, and her parents survive. Fern Boatright Johnson ’73, July 2, 2007, Norwood. She was a grade school teacher in Hanna City, Bartonville, and Eden. Surviving are five children, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. Richard Lane, MA ’77, May 13, 2007, Largo, Florida. He was a teacher in Peoria and Florida. He maintained a private practice as a counselor. Dick also held a master’s degree from Illinois State University. He earned a doctoral degree from Argosy University just before his death. He was a veteran of the Marine Corps. Survivors include his wife Janet, a daughter and stepson, and his mother.

1980s

Charles Tuggle Jr. ’83, September 26, 2007, Hanna City. A biology teacher at Peoria High School, he also coached football, girls track, and chess. Chuck excelled in the shot put and hammer throw at Bradley. He was a BU assistant coach in the mid 80s. Chuck held a master’s degree from St. Xavier University. He was an avid outdoorsman. Surviving are his wife Marita, two children, and his parents. Robert Fortino ’89, September 19, 2007, Denver. He held a master’s degree from the University of Colorado, and did data research for the telemarketing industry. Rob was to serve as president of his neighborhood’s historic district association in 2008. Survivors include his wife Carolyn, two children, and his parents.

Staff Harold Benner, former director of the counseling center, died August 28, 2007. He lived in Longwood, Florida. Harold was employed by Bradley from 1968 to 1988 and retired as associate director of community testing services emeritus. He held master’s and doctoral degrees from Michigan State University. Surviving are three children and three grandchildren. His wife Lucille preceded him in death on August 23. Jim Spink, former coach of three sports at Bradley, died in Peoria on September 23, 2007. He was head golf coach in three stints from 1960 to 1985, swimming and diving coach from 1959 to 1987, and assistant football coach from 1959 to 1970. Earlier he was athletic

director and coached at Illinois School for the Deaf. A World War II Navy veteran, Jim held a master’s degree from the University of Illinois. For 35 years he was a safety instructor for the American Red Cross. Survivors include his wife Harriett, their daughter, and two granddaughters. Kay Elwood died on August 5, 2007 in Longwood, Florida. Kay had worked in the controller’s office. She and her late husband Fred, an education professor, retired in 1972. She is survived by a son, three grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and five great-greatgrandchildren.

“In Memory” Guidelines: To submit an obituary, please mail a newspaper clipping or memory card from the funeral home to: Bradley Hilltopics, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625. Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

AlumniNews

people & events

Alumni Events January 17 Los Angeles Hollywood Gala, Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., 6:30 p.m.

Friday, January 18 Bradley Braves Club Hall of Fame Luncheon Michel Student Center Ballroom, doors open at 11:15 a.m., lunch at 11:50 a.m.; $20, call 309-677-2667 for reservations

January 18–19 Peoria Alumni Weekend

Alumni Night at Jimmy’s Jimmy’s Bar & Grill, 2801 W. Farmington Road

April 16 Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors basketball game; pre-game party, Moretti’s, 1645 W. Jackson, 5:30 p.m.; $38 includes game ticket and party

Women’s Basketball vs. Missouri State Robertson Memorial Field House, 2:05 p.m. Halftime complimentary ice cream bar; see below for details about free tickets.

April 18–20 Peoria Black Alumni Alliance reunion May 2 Peoria CIBAC wine tasting event, Prairie Center of the Arts, 1506 S.W. Washington, 5:30–8 p.m. For more information, visit bualum.org or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 309-677-2240 or 800-952-8258.

Saturday, January 19

Game Day Party Peoria Civic Center, Suites 220-222, 5–7 p.m.; free admission, complimentary ice cream sundae bar and snacks, cash sandwich station, and cash bar available Men’s Basketball vs. Evansville Carver Arena, Peoria Civic Center, 7:05 p.m. Purchase tickets (limit of eight) through the Office of Alumni Relations at half-price ($9 each for lower bowl, $4 each for upper bowl) and receive a free ticket to the women’s game for each men’s ticket ordered. Visit bualum.org and click on the Event Calendar link or call 800-952-8258 or 309-677-2241 for more details.

be part of the alumni directory

Reconnect with friends and former classmates with the upcoming alumni directory. This resource will include personal, academic, and business information about Bradley alumni. The book is being researched and compiled by Harris Publishing. When you receive your directory questionnaire, please take a few minutes to update and return your information. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this important project.

Meet our new president

rally for red and white tv viewing parties

Bradley President Joanne K. Glasser plans to meet alumni and friends across the nation at events scheduled in the following cities:

Gather with other alumni to watch Bradley men’s basketball! TV viewing parties have been planned for the following dates, times, and locations:

January 17. . . . . . . . Los Angeles January 31. . . . . . . . West Palm Beach February 1 . . . . . . . . Marco Island February 2 . . . . . . . . Tampa February 3 . . . . . . . . Sarasota February 12 . . . . . . Denver April 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dallas April 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raleigh April 15. . . . . . . . . . . . Seattle For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 800-952-8258 or visit bualum.org.

bradley.edu/hilltopics

January 8 BU at Southern Illinois • Peoria Sully’s Pub, 121 S.W. Adams St., 5:30 p.m. City Fox and Hound Pub & Grill, 10428 Metcalf, Overland Park, Kansas, 5:30 p.m.

• Kansas

• Milwaukee Miller Time Pub, 509 W. Wisconsin

Ave., 5:30 p.m. January 26 BU at Wichita State • Kansas City Fox and Hound Pub & Grill, 6:30 p.m. February 16 BU vs. Creighton • Kansas City Fox and Hound Pub & Grill, 12:30 p.m. • St. Louis Ozzie’s Restaurant & Sports Bar,

645 Westport Plaza, 12:30 p.m.

February 19 BU at Drake • Kansas City Fox and Hound Pub & Grill, 7 p.m. February 26 BU vs. Southern Illinois • Kansas City Fox and Hound Pub & Grill, 5:30 p.m. • Springfield Sammy’s Sports Bar & Grill,

217 S. Fifth St., 5:30 p.m. • Chicago Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Restaurants in

Naperville, Lakewood, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, and Schaumburg; Harry Caray’s downtown; and Bocce’s Sports Bar & Grill, Matteson, 5:30 p.m.

Peoria The Bradley soccer team held a training session for youth as part of CIBAC’s annual Bratfest at Shea Stadium on August 30. About 150 Bradley students, alumni, and their families enjoyed brats and hot dogs as they watched a soccer team scrimmage. Leadership Conference About 40 alumni volunteers attended the BUAA Alumni Leadership Conference over Homecoming weekend, September 27–29. Activities included meetings with Bradley administrators and workshops on leadership, chapter and affinity group development, event planning, and career and admissions assistance programs. Shown from left are front row: Sherry Gordon ’94, Bob Carroll ’88, Michelle Noe ’98, Kristin Clark Miller ’97, Shelly Heiden ’85, David Mainella ’90 MA ’96, BUAA president Phil Bach ’91. Second row: Vance Pierce ’03 ’05, Dave Karlin ’79, Lin Mourning ’70, Lori Winters Fan ’80, Mike Davis ’75, Richard Jankowski ’83, and Ed True ’54. Back row: Nora Wilburne ’93, Renee Jones Webb ’74, Michael Noren ’83, Kristin Smith Ladewig ’93, Paul Moore ’62, Valerie Isbell Miller ’03, Amy Turk ’97, Glenn Ross MBA ’87.

Denver Twenty-four alumni enjoyed dinner and a production of “Too Old To Be Loud” at Heritage Square Music Hall on September 8.

New York President Joanne Glasser, right, was Virginia More than 15 Bradley alumni and friends introduced to 42 New York alumni and friends gathered at the Virginia Wine Festival at Morven Park during alumni events in Long Island and Manhattan Equestrian Center in Leesburg on September 15. on November 7 and 8. Shown in Long Island with Glasser are Nathaniel Lazan ’54, Jeffrey Greenfield ’74, and Marion Blumenthal Lazan ’57.

Bradley Hilltopics Winter 2008

Standing The end-of-the-semester frenzy was over. The holidays were approaching, and Darin Strenzel ’08 was looking forward to a relaxing break. He and his family traveled to Michigan to visit relatives and to go skiing. They were staying with Strenzel’s aunt and uncle on December 23, 2006, a day that would change Strenzel’s life forever. Strenzel and his father were in the basement playing pingpong. His aunt, uncle, and their two young daughters were hosting a dinner party with his uncle’s sister, recently divorced, and her new boyfriend. The sister’s enraged ex-husband came to the house, then went to his truck to get his guns. Strenzel said, “My uncle went to Darin Strenzel ’08 is not the kind of guy who likes the garage to talk with him. The guy had a rifle and a handgun, and the ex-husband shot my uncle in the chest. They had been sitting on the sidelines. The lanky young man is friends as brothers-in-law.” in the game…and he’s in it to win. With a double Strenzel and his father stood shoulder to shoulder against the door to keep the ex-husband from coming into the house. “He major in accounting and entrepreneurship, he started shooting through the door and hit me right at the pocket of my jeans. I got down on the floor and crawled behind the caught the attention of managers at Cat Logistics island in the kitchen facing down. There were at least 12 bullet and has worked part-time there for the past two holes in the door.” By the end of the ordeal, the shooter had killed himself after years. In his spare time, he competed in intramural murdering his ex-wife’s boyfriend and Strenzel’s uncle. Strenzel sports — men’s and co-ed basketball, volleyball, had been shot in the femoral artery, and the bullet went out back of his leg. flag football, indoor soccer, softball, and bowling — theStrenzel said, “The shooting was extremely fast. It’s a big blur.” His father rushed him to the hospital. He was then transported and won six championship T-shirts in one to the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor, where he semester. “I’m not the kind of person who likes to remained until January 21, 2007. Strenzel recalled, “I knew when I was shot that my leg was be out of the game. Sitting on the sidelines is hard pretty much gone. A bullet almost always destroys something vital. I was just hoping I would live. I’ve looked forward to the for me.” The game of life became a fight for life future with my girlfriend [Carla Renken, whom he’s known

last December when Strenzel was the victim of a shooting in Michigan. Now, even though he must adjust to life without a left leg, his enduring ‘can-do’ spirit keeps him ahead of the game. by nancy ridgeway photography by scott cavanah, mfa ’04

through adversity since his high school days in Streator] and graduating from college. I’ve been working so hard to have a good life when I got out of school, and everything changed in a split second because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Doctors tried to save his leg, but eventually amputation was the only choice. Strenzel said, “We had a lot of tough times in the ICU. I was in total discomfort 24 hours a day. That was emotionally draining on everyone. My leg was in pain, and when they finally removed my leg, I had phantom pains. It felt like my leg was bent back under me, and it was going through a meat grinder. I was on the highest pain medications allowed, and I could still feel pain.” A week after his release, he was hospitalized for two weeks with an infection in his stump. Healing with an infection was a slow process, and he couldn’t be fitted for a prosthesis until the infection cleared up. Finally, last summer, he was fitted, but he was discouraged with the new hurdles ahead. Now adept at getting around with crutches, his challenge was learning to walk again. In addition, the socket where the prosthesis attached was not properly fitted, so he had to wait longer for more adjustments. He commented, “When I got my leg, it seemed like an extreme step backwards. I was wobbly; curbs, steps, and elevations were all hard. It’s been a slow climb back

up. I wear the leg when the leg is better to use, and I take the crutches when crutches are better. I can wear the leg three to six hours in a day, and by the end of the day, I will be rubbed raw in three or four spots. I’ve been told it takes six months to adjust to wearing it all day. It’s a big learning curve. I’m glad to have the leg, though. I’ve done things I want to do, like softball [where he hits the ball, runs to first base, and a designated runner takes over] and dates with my girlfriend.” strenzel resumed classes in the fall, and more than anything, he simply wants to fit in. “I don’t want people to make exceptions for me. I want to be like everyone else. It’s nice having help, especially when I’m tired, but when I’m strong, it gets to me a little bit.” He gets frustrated sometimes: “I’ve never been on crutches, never taken any pills. I pretty much base my activities around pill times now. I go to my grandparents’ house and see their big pill box, and now, at 20 years old, I have my own big pill box.” And yet, he remains optimistic: “This is what I have now, and there’s always further hope. When I get used to my leg, I’ll be hoping for an athletic leg. When I get that, I’ll be looking at the technological advances they come up with. Life is full of setbacks, but I have so much more than before. Being positive is my only option. I’m not going to

roll over and quit. My parents, my girlfriend, my roommate, Caterpillar, Bradley, people I don’t even know — all have been very supportive. Setbacks don’t stop me with the people I have around me.” He concluded, “All of this has shown me how great people can be. That’s what has changed in me — my faith in people. Random shootings, people slashing tires… those incidents make me lose faith in the human race. But the way people have treated me, a person they barely know, is unbelievably amazing.” For more information on Strenzel, including additional photos, visit myspace.com/ strenzelbenefit or bradley.edu/hilltopics.

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