The Carthaginian, Summer 2019

IN THIS ISSUE Feature Articles

cover story:

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150 years of Carthage Women Leading into a yearlong campus celebration, we pay tribute to some of the remarkable women who’ve helped shape the College.

28 #MyJobInSixPics As The Aspire Program™ inches closer to launch, alumni like Tessa Rundle ’16 take our challenge to depict their work in six photos.

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The Fear Slayer To clear the road for entrepreneurial dreamers, Carmelo Chimera ’10 held a contest to give away one of his comic book stores.

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IN THIS ISSUE Departments

THE CARTHAGINIAN Volume 98, Number 3

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On Campus

Carthage adds a Master of Music program, an undergraduate data science minor, and a medical/dental school partnership.

Faculty/Staff Notes

Theatre professor Kim Instenes and longtime staff member Jane Anderson Spencer ’80 win the College’s annual awards for distinguished service.

Athletics

Carthage College combines an environment of reflection and self-discovery with a culture of high expectation so our students uncover and ignite their true potential. A four-year, private liberal arts college with roots in the Lutheran tradition, Carthage has a prime location in Kenosha. The campus, a more than 80-acre arboretum on the shore of Lake Michigan, is home to 150 scholars, 2,600 full-time students, and 200 part-time students.

Carthaginian Editorial Team Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Four-year volleyball contributor Tony Allen ’19 dug deep to complete the rigorous nursing program and join its first graduating class.

Christine Sanni

Class Notes

Elizabeth Young

Meet the six recipients of the 2019 Beacon Awards.

Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Managing Editor

Photographers/Illustrators Ellie Cahue ’20 Mike Gryniewicz Steve Janiak

Contributing Writers Karen Anne Mahoney Mike Moore David Nelson Emmy Schwerdt ’19 Linc Wonham

Mike Moore

Page From the Past Serving as acting president in the early 1950s, Ruth Wick’s time at Carthage was as notable as it was brief.

3 President’s Message 11 Pastor’s Message

Design/Art Direction Steve Janiak Kim King ’06

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Jeff Hamar ’80

President John R. Swallow Vice President for Institutional Advancement Thomas Kline

Dear readers, The Carthaginian is shifting to a biannual publication schedule, with an issue published each summer and each winter. Beginning this fall, we will produce the annual Impact Report (including the Donor Honor Roll) as a separate mailing.

Between issues, we welcome you to keep up-to-date on Carthage news by subscribing to our free alumni or parent email newsletters. Go to carthage.edu/communications at any time to set your preferences.

Thank you for reading, and enjoy the rest of the summer!

Christine Sanni Vice President for Marketing and Communications

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For More Information The Carthaginian Office of Communications 2001 Alford Park Drive Kenosha, WI 53140 262-551-6021 • editor@carthage.edu CMYK

Update Address/Mailing Preferences carthage.edu/alumni-directory 800-551-1518 • alumnioffice@carthage.edu

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Transparent PMS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A milestone to mark women’s abiding influence

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ur Lutheran founders aspired to enlighten and strengthen humanity.

These early pioneers understood that educating women was a critical part of that endeavor, so in 1870 the College relocated to Carthage, Illinois, assumed the Carthage name, and became part of the first wave of institutions of higher learning that enrolled women.

Since it first accepted women nearly 150 years ago, Carthage has attracted women who saw college as a pathway toward careers and rewarding service to others, as well as a way to be liberated from boundaries

College’s advancement on the faculty side as well. From our beginning, these women faculty members were respected not only as inspiring, loyal, and caring teachers; their influence extended well beyond the courses they taught. As described in “The Miracle of Carthage” by former president Harold Lentz, these women “preserved the College during its most troublesome times and the Carthage of today has entered into their inheritance.”

Today, women account for more than half — 55 percent — of the student body. These women include those who are the first in their families to attend college, who juggle

“If ever there was a time for Carthage to celebrate, it is now.” rather than defined by them. While they may have had narrow paths in which to prove their knowledge and intelligence, they had an active part in the development of communities emerging on the rough frontier of the Midwestern plains.

Women have been integral to the

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courses with part-time jobs; they all are confident and self-driven women seeking the full spectrum of the college experience.

Our alumnae are succeeding in professions as diverse as business, law, education, health care, politics, and research.

And their philanthropy is advancing

Carthage. The College’s largest single gift — $15 million — was from a woman, 2017 Carthage Flame recipient Jan Tarble. It funds The Aspire Program™, which helps students better prepare for their life’s work after college.

If ever there was a time for Carthage to celebrate, it is now. We will seize this opportunity by paying tribute to the important role of women at Carthage since 1870; we will gather credible voices of women who have come before and who are here now, continuing to advance our reputation for excellence and innovation.

And we will focus on how Carthage today cultivates empowered women who strive, succeed, and lead.

Included in these pages are stories that I hope will both deepen your pride in Carthage and inspire your engagement and support for strategic priorities. I look forward to celebrating with you in the year ahead.

John R. Swallow

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ON CAMPUS

A glimpse of what’s happening in the Carthage community

A master’s for music theatre teaching

With hits like “Hamilton” demanding a broader vocal skill set from today’s music theatre performers, Carthage is launching a new graduate program to help quench that thirst.

Recruiting has begun for the Master of Music program in music theatre vocal pedagogy, which begins this fall. Full-time students can complete the 36-credit program in 10 months.

Professor Corinne Ness, director of music theatre studies at Carthage, expects the master’s program to appeal to professionals who want to teach at the K-12 or undergraduate levels, those operating private studios, and even “performers who just want to know how their voice works.”

She spotted a major need for performers who can cover a range of vocal techniques

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— and instructors who can teach them. Few schools offer such a comprehensive approach.

“Typically, those looking at graduate programs have needed to make a choice: classical or one that covers everything else,” Prof. Ness says. “There’s a realm where those voice techniques live together — and we can teach it.”

Besides existing faculty, Carthage will engage vocal coaches, directors, and choreographers from Chicago to Milwaukee. A practice room in the H. F. Johnson Center for the Fine Arts is being converted to a Vocal Pedagogy Lab. Students can enroll either part- or full-time in the graduate program, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the National Association of Schools of Music.

Faculty are seeking additional approval to recruit international students.

Financial aid options include a grant for Carthage alumni and a fellowship that covers 75 percent of tuition for a student from a historically underrepresented minority.

New undergraduate programs data science

Also starting this fall is a minor in data science, a field that sizzles near the top of many national “hot jobs” lists.

Through this new offering, students in any area of study can learn how to analyze and interpret data effectively, as well as how to communicate results to non-technical audiences. A recent report by LinkedIn pointed to a nationwide shortage of more than

150,000 workers with that skill set.

“As more industries rely on big data to make decisions, data science has become increasingly important across all industries, not just tech and finance,” the August 2018 workforce report summarized.

The interdisciplinary, 24-credit minor consists of two general data science courses, one statistics course — with variations oriented toward business or health — and three applied electives.

medical/dental school partnership Carthage pre-health students who meet certain academic criteria now can reserve a future spot at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine — the nation’s largest medical school.

A new agreement allows a limited number of students to secure advance admission to either the medical or dental programs at LECOM, a private institution with campuses in Pennsylvania and Florida. Those bound for the med school can even skip the Medical College Admission Test if their ACT/SAT scores and college GPA qualify.

Students can apply once they’ve accumulated 30 credits at Carthage, but no later than May 1 of their second year. There’s a separate application window for high school students who plan to enroll here.

Roughly 250 Carthage students have a pre-health concentration. Faculty coordinators help them design course sequences leading to advanced education in the medical, dental, physician assistant, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, or veterinary fields.

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Grads going places Check out some of the next stops for graduates from the Class of 2019:

Kai Cromwell

Charles Gallagher

graduate student in marine science university of new south wales – australia

software consultant appirio – indianapolis MAJORS: Computer Science, Mathematics

MAJORS: Geographic Information Science, Geoscience

Meghan Meehan Benjamin Braun resident playwright three brothers theatre – waukegan, ill.

MAJOR: Theatre Performance

Sierra Perry, MSc ’19 audit associate CliftonLarsonAllen – phoenix GRADUATE PROGRAM: Business Design and Innovation

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W

hile many students graduate from Carthage and go on to become leaders in their fields, Xiaomin Zhang (M.Ed. ’19) essentially did the reverse.

Among active stage actresses, Ms. Zhang was the first to earn the Chinese government’s highest award for original musical theatre. She’s held starring roles in operas and musicals for almost 20 years.

Pausing that career to complete the Master of Education program at Carthage, she plans to apply that newfound theoretical and practical knowledge as a vocal coach for China’s national original music theatre team. Admiration for Professor Corinne Ness, director of music theatre studies, and the beauty of Lake Michigan drew her to the College.

She’ll keep performing, too. Shortly after graduating in May, Ms. Zhang began rehearsals for a lead role in “Spring in a Small Town,” which will be staged later this year in Hong Kong.

fourth-grade teacher dean street elementary school – woodstock, ill.

MAJORS: Elementary Education, Special Education

Salinya Stulo-Rodriguez graduate student in nursing marquette university – milwaukee MAJOR: Neuroscience

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COMMENCEMENT 2019

Distinguished Senior Sabiella Gomez

Carthage gave 674 new graduates a celebratory send-off in May, including the first cohort in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Special honors went to: Dam Bich Thuy, founding president of Fulbright University Vietnam (honorary doctorate); Trustee Emeritus Loren H. Semler ’65 (Carthage Flame, accepted by his daughter); and Raymond Johnson ’60, co-founder of The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis (Distinguished Alumni Award).

Commencement speaker Dam Bich Thuy

Raymond Johnson ’60, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient

FACULTY/STAFF NOTES

Updates on faculty and staff achievements

2018-19 distinguished employees cut from same high-quality cloth Carthage closed the 2018-19 academic year by presenting two annual awards to distinguished employees at a faculty/staff luncheon May 23 in the Todd Wehr Center.

Kim Instenes, an assistant professor of theatre and costume designer, won the Distinguished Teaching Award.

Jane Anderson Spencer ’80, assistant director for major gifts in the Office of Institutional Advancement, received the Distinguished Staff Award.

The Board of Trustees created the faculty award in 1967 to formally recognize superior teaching. A confidential committee selects the yearly recipient.

Nominators praised Prof. Instenes, who joined the faculty in 2009, for her creativity, work ethic, and supportive mentorship.

One alumna called her “the second mother I always needed and the friend to lean on” in difficult times.

Prof. Instenes mentored Latora Lezotte ’20, who won a national costume design award this spring through the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The faculty member has also earned individual accolades for costumes in Carthage productions like “Ghost Bike,” “Lysistrata,” and “Into the Woods.”

“When I see a student really understand a concept, that look fuels my teacher’s heart and makes me remember the importance of what I am doing,” Prof. Instenes said in her acceptance remarks.

The Staff Council selected Mrs. Spencer for the staff award, which recognizes exceptional performance in service, teamwork, attitude, and reliability. Colleagues pointed to the patience, sincerity, and institutional knowledge she’s displayed in various roles at the College since 1986.

“As for attitude, have you ever seen her without a smile?” one nominator wrote. “… She embodies what’s best among the staff.”

Born in Carthage, Illinois, Mrs. Spencer is part of a family with deep ties to the institution. Her father, the late Alan Anderson ’50, devoted 40 years to the College (serving as president in 1986-87), while her mother, Irma (Niekamp) Anderson ’48, is one of the “Legacy Ladies” who have attended every groundbreaking ceremony on the Kenosha campus.

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Mrs. Spencer’s husband, Jack ’71, and her two children — Erick Nielsen ’19 and Annika Nielsen ’17 — are fellow alumni “Throughout my career, I have tried to honor one of Mother Teresa’s famous quotes: ‘Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier,’” Mrs. Spencer said at the luncheon. “… Knowing that I was able to offer even a sliver of help and happiness along the way brings me much purpose and meaning.”

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Matthew Borden, associate professor of modern languages, presented his paper, “Reading Literature in Spanish Class: Julio Cortazar’s ‘La noche boca arriba,’” at the International Congress of Literature and Hispanic Studies in March. The conference in Santiago, Chile, attracted more than 125 scholars from several countries.

Jonathan Bruning, associate professor of communication and digital media, wrote an original screenplay that was selected for the competitive Feature Film Screenwriting Workshop at the Sundance Institute. The screenplay is for “Second Best,” a biopic about Manchester United soccer legend George Best.

Denise Cook-Synder, assistant professor of neuroscience, was awarded a fellowship through the Neuroscience Case Network, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. She’ll attend workshops, design neuroscience case studies for publication, and mentor other faculty members.

David Garcia, professor of English, was elected to the arts and humanities division of the Council on Undergraduate Research. The organization’s activities include support and professional development for faculty, staff, administrators, and students.

Laura Huaracha, associate professor of

Steven Rogg, associate professor of education,

communication and digital media, spoke at the College Art Association conference this February in New York. Her research topic, “Strengthening Adjunct Support by Mobilizing a Customized Mentorship Program,” focuses on creating a support platform for artists who transition to teaching.

gave presentations and workshops at both national and statewide conferences for science teachers this spring. His workshop for the National Science Teachers Association in St. Louis asked participants “to solve a real salt marsh die-off mystery and consider evidence that we are heading toward a sixth mass extinction.”

Erik Johnson, assistant professor of

Darwin Tsen, assistant professor of modern languages, presented his paper, “Kyoto U, Four Tatami Rooms, and Nights at the Ramen Stand: Postsocialist Spectors in Morimi Tomihiko’s ‘The Tatami Galaxy,’” at the American Comparative Literature Association conference in March.

economics, published an article in the journal Energy Economics. Based on data from U.S. industrial sources over the past decade, he wrote that regulations curbing local air pollutants have had no effect on the more globally damaging greenhouse gas emissions.

Rebekah Johnson, assistant professor

retirements

of exercise and sport science, facilitated an idea exchange on the Education Teacher Performance Assessment at the Society for Health and Physical Educators national convention in April in Tampa, Florida.

Alex Lau, assistant professor of accounting and

Tracy Gartner, professor of environmental

finance, became the first Carthage representative selected as a judge for the CFA Institute Research Challenge in Milwaukee and Madison. The annual competition provides students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis.

science and biology, is chair-elect for the education section of the Ecology Society of America. During a three-year term, Prof. Gartner will work to increase diversity in related professions, to engage the public in dialogue on ecological issues, and to improve the quality of ecology education.

Jennifer Madden, associate professor of management and marketing, gave the keynote talk at an April 19 conference in Chicago. She spoke on “Organizational Change and Strategic Planning through a Design Lens.”

Andrea Henle, assistant professor of biology,

Joy Mast, professor of geospatial science,

published an educational video titled “How CRISPR Lets You Edit DNA” as part of TED’s youth and education initiative. Targeting high school and college students, the animated video discusses the original discovery of CRISPR in bacteria as a unique immune system to eliminate viruses, as well as its technological usage to edit and modify DNA sequences in virtually any organism.

presented research in April at a national meeting of the American Association of Geographers in Washington, D.C. Prof. Mast’s long-term study provides a model for forest managers to select longer-standing trees for wildlife after a highintensity fire or beetle outbreak.

Richard Meier, associate professor of English, led a “Writing the Walk” excursion at the Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival in May. The exercise allows language to emerge with the rhythm of walking.

Totaling more than 160 years of combined experience, several Carthage faculty and staff members retired at the end of the spring semester. That includes three who received the College’s traditional gift of engraved rocking chairs for 35 or more years of service:

Robert Maleske (43 years), professor of psychological science

Bill Hoare (41 years), associate vice president for business Dan Magurshak (35 years), professor of philosophy and Great Ideas Other new retirees include these faculty stalwarts:

Timothy Eckert (30 years), professor of chemistry, who will continue teaching as an adjunct faculty member Jan Owens (13 years), associate professor of management and marketing

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faculty artifact fridays

Match each office artifact with the professor who displays it.

1

art cyr

Professor of Political Science

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darwin tsen

Assistant Professor of Modern Languages

ellen hauser

2

Assistant Professor of Political Science, and Women’s and Gender Studies

jim ripley

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Professor of Music

jojin van winkle Assistant Professor of Art

jon bruning

3

Associate Professor of Communication and Digital Media

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lynn brownson

Associate Professor of Communication and Digital Media

mimi yang

4

Professor of Modern Languages and Asian Studies

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Explore the stories behind these artifacts and discover more faculty offices by heading to carthage.edu/faculty-artifacts and by keeping an eye out for more faculty artifacts on Fridays on Instagram! @carthagecollege Answer Key: 1) Jojin Van Winkle, 2) Darwin Tsen, 3) Ellen Hauser, 4) Jon Bruning, 5) Jim Ripley, 6) Mimi Yang, 7) Art Cyr, 8) Lynn Brownson

PASTOR’S MESSAGE John Swallow, president of Carthage, became the 25th person to receive the Bard Award from national fraternity Chi Psi. Named for 20th century New York activist Albert S. Bard, the award recognizes “contributions to the intellectual and cultural life of the community.” Past recipients include historian and best-selling author Stephen E. Ambrose; U.S. poet laureate Richard Wilbur; and SC Johnson company presidents Herbert F. and Sam Johnson.

Founded in 1841, Chi Psi aims to promote the social, intellectual, and moral development of those in its brotherhood.

President Swallow was an active member in the late 1980s as an undergraduate student at The University of the South.

The presentation took place during a small dinner ceremony June 4 in Chicago. In his acceptance remarks, President Swallow emphasized the importance of Greek organizations and other tight-knit groups to students’ growth in increasingly divisive and isolating times.

Richard D. Sjoerdsma, professor emeritus of music, recently received special recognition for his five decades of service to the College.

Carthage dedicated Prof.

Sjoerdsma’s former faculty office (room 131 of the H. F. Johnson Center for the Fine Arts) in his name and commissioned a musical tribute to him. Composer Tom Vignieri ’83 is preparing a recorded version of “Two Poems in Homage to Music,” which premiered at last fall’s Homecoming concert.

Over 39 years at Carthage, Prof. Sjoerdsma taught studio voice, opera, vocal literature and diction, and voice pedagogy while directing opera productions. A tenor who has performed widely, he remains active with the Music Department while serving as editor in chief of the Journal of Singing.

Reflecting his support for developing artists, a scholarship has been endowed in Prof. Sjoerdsma’s honor. It’s designated for full-time Carthage students who intend to major in music, with preference given to those studying vocal music.

To contribute to the Dr. Richard D. Sjoerdsma Scholarship Fund, contact Jane Anderson Spencer ‘80 at 262-551-5766 or jspencer@carthage.edu.

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To all who lift glass ceilings Each spring, the Religion Department offers a course called Women in the Bible, and one of the assignments is to interview a woman in religious leadership. So, each spring, a group of students comes to my office asking for the story of my call to ministry.

When they ask if my gender held me back from thinking I could be a pastor, the answer is no. I can say that with confidence because of the women who paved the way to ministry before I was even paying attention.

In 1979, my cousin, the Rev. Ellen Skatrud-Mickelson, graduated from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. I was 8 at that time, so I honestly don’t remember a world in which women weren’t pastors.

For me, the role models were my cousin and other women in the predecessor bodies of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who fought against the sexism of the church.

It would be easy to say it is no big deal that I’m the first female campus pastor at Carthage, but that doesn’t honor the legacy of the women who worked hard to make all these “firsts” possible. Who provided the inspiration for the trailblazers in this issue to follow their true call?

Could they have been inspired by Sojourner Truth or Susan B. Anthony,

Rosa Parks or Lady Bird Johnson, Billie Jean King or Wilma Rudolph?

Was it someone from their hometown, a woman who showed them not to hold back and urged them to use their gifts and talents where they could make a difference?

Or maybe a woman from the story of faith inspired the first female leaders at Carthage. It could have been Mary (pick your favorite one), Lydia, Ruth and the other women mentioned in the genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew, or the Canaanite woman who spoke up to Jesus on behalf of her ailing daughter (Matthew 15:21-28).

The biblical women who inspire me the most are the ones at the tomb whom Jesus sent to proclaim the good news of his resurrection. These women inspired my call to ministry and, later, to become the first female campus pastor at Carthage.

Which women inspire you? We stand on the shoulders of many great women who paved the way for us and those yet to come.

Peace,

Rev. Kara Baylor Campus Pastor

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COVER STORY

sculptors of sustained success A

cross the United States, fewer than 50 co-ed colleges and universities existed when Carthage College opened its doors to women in 1870.

Finding its bearings in Carthage, Illinois, after 23 nomadic years, the College issued the egalitarian invitation as part of a fresh start. Nearly a century and a half into that journey, we can pause and take stock of the impact.

In anticipation of the 150 Years of Carthage Women celebration, which kicks off in October during Homecoming weekend, these pages pay tribute to some of the women who shaped the thriving institution we know today.

Upcoming issues of this magazine will highlight a cross-section of alumnae whose contributions reverberate far beyond the two campuses.

“We’ve seen thousands of women graduate from Carthage and go on to make their place in this big world, in many cases challenging the status quo,” says Gina Madrigrano Friebus ’76, co-chair of the steering committee for the yearlong celebration. “Their influence is felt in law, education, science, ministry, art, advocacy, business — you name it.

“If there’s a common thread, it’s that these successful alumnae can point to amazing women from the College who, in turn, inspired and mentored them. Those professors, staff members, administrators, coaches, and other supporters deserve our gratitude.”

Strength without numbers For comparison’s sake, Carthage began to admit women the same year Cornell University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology did.

The intended audience was eager to accept. Of the 58 students who enrolled that first academic year in western Illinois, 21 were women.

From the start, female students were free to pick either of the academic tracks that Carthage offered: classical or scientific. In fact, it’s easy to imagine men of the era crying foul over a disparity in the otherwise unisex degree requirements — while they had to take Greek

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AL IC E K IB B E Preeminent in botany and endearingly eccentric, Professor Alice Kibbe headed the Biology Department from 1920 to 1956 on the Carthage, Illinois, campus and then continued as curator of the College’s museum until the transition to Kenosha was completed in 1964.

“Biology taught by Dr. Kibbe at Carthage was like taking oceanography from (Jacques) Cousteau,” John Bickers ’50 wrote in his book, “Carthage As It Was.” Peers regularly turned to Prof. Kibbe for guidance. A dedicated steward of nature, she referred to protected bald eagles as “my children” and kept vigil at the campus greenhouse.

“She would stay overnight in the biology building to make sure her plants didn’t freeze,” says Irma (Niekamp) Anderson ’48.

Frugal and unconcerned about appearances, she would wear a ring of keys around her neck and dresses from a bygone style. Her car, a green Plymouth nicknamed

“Beastie,” had its share of runins — including at least one with Kissing Rock.

“You could tell it was Alice’s, because there were plenty of dents in it,” says Bob Jooss ’61, a retired anesthesiologist. “She never drove fast enough to do any real damage.”

Prof. Kibbe died in 1969, leaving her home and collection to the city of Carthage. Many of the plant and animal specimens she collected, along with memorabilia from the former campus, remain on display at the 10,000-square-foot museum that bears her name.

As Mr. Jooss notes, “That was her life: the school and the town.”

Ronald ‘61 and Jane (Bonander) Geison ‘61 recently set up an endowed scholarship in the names of Prof. Kibbe and Mr. Geison’s mother, Alice (Schleuning) Geison, whose studies at Carthage in the early 1930s were greatly influenced by the iconic professor. The endowment provides financial aid for STEM students.

and calculus to graduate, those courses were optional for their female counterparts.

Those pioneering early graduates remained loyal to their alma mater. Women held five of the alumni association’s six officer positions in 1878-79, including Kate Thummel (Class of 1875) as president.

Degree in hand, many ultimately chose family as their primary vocation. Alumnae who went the career route

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COVER STORY

E UDORA H ANKE Returning to teach at her alma mater, Professor Eudora (Peterson) Hanke was one-half of the power couple who built the Carthage music program to a crescendo.

Hired in 1925, Prof. Hanke oversaw vocal studies for 34 years at Carthage, the first college or university in Illinois to offer a music major. Assisting her husband, Elmer, she provided direction for the widely touring a cappella choir.

Navigating the approval process with seven years of careful planning and research, she received the green light to install a College-wide music sorority, Alpha Tau, in 1935. Just two years later, Prof. Hanke received the national affiliate’s highest honor.

She filled in as acting director of the Music Department in 1936-37 while Elmer concentrated on his graduate studies, and there was no lull in the action. That year, under her direction, the choir performed at Chicago’s regal Orchestra Hall and NBC broadcasted it to a wider audience.

At a memorial service for Prof. Hanke, longtime Carthage registrar Pearl Goeller raved about her friend’s “keen insight and ability to recognize and develop the hidden, latent talent of a potential, polished performer.”

A full 92 years after it originated, the Carthage Choir continues the tradition of annual concert tours.

typically clustered in the handful of occupations that 19th century society deemed fit for them — not that they wasted time dwelling on the downside.

“Among the ladies, there are eight school teachers and one music teacher. Four are married, and three are useful members of the home circle,” boasted a September 1878 membership update on the College’s alumni association.

By then, kids had grown accustomed to seeing a Miss or Mrs. at the front of their grade-school classrooms.

Higher education was a different story — it would take decades more for the novelty of women faculty to wear off.

The quality of Carthage’s female educators far exceeded the quantity. The 1920s alone brought faculty members Juanita Jones ’26 (English), Alice Kibbe (biology), and Eudora Peterson Hanke (music), who collectively devoted more than 100 years to their departments.

Like everywhere Uncle Sam’s call to arms was heard, male enrollment at Carthage plummeted during World War II. Female students suddenly outnumbered them.

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The veterans’ triumphant return restored the numbers, but a sense of empowerment was already percolating. One by one, determined women began to push against educational barriers.

A child of Jamaican immigrants, Lorraine Wiggan ’46 pried open the gate to equity as Carthage’s first AfricanAmerican graduate. She’s one-half of the namesake for the newly established Wiggan-Kenniebrew Black Alumni Network and its related programming and scholarship funds.

Lorraine Wiggan ’46 As the menu of available majors expanded, so did female students’ professional ambitions. In 1947-48, for example, the College awarded degrees to women across nine disciplines — including Doris Stegeman ’48, the first business administration graduate.

Of course, no individual journey can quench the thirst for connection. Women across the campus community sought ways to bond over shared interests and experiences.

Initially designed for faculty, the Carthage Women’s Club added female staff members and spouses to its membership ranks in the 1950s. The group invited guest presenters to its monthly meetings and used its dues to put on campus-wide events.

More changes followed the College’s relocation to Kenosha. Tired of being spectators in Greek Life, students gained approval to start three sororities in 1965: Pi Theta, Kappa Phi Eta, and Kappa Chi Omega.

“We felt validation that day for all the women on campus,” Susan (Hidding) Maher ’67 recalled for a 2015 retrospective in The Carthaginian.

The competitive itch Likewise, the athletic program was ready to blossom.

Although Carthage had offered women’s sports on and off since the dawn of the 20th century, sturdy conference and national affiliations beefed up schedules and opened the door to postseason play.

Funds for things like equipment and travel were admittedly scarce in the 1970s, before the implementation of Title IX evened the playing field in college athletics. Lady Reds alumnae say the “uniforms”

Summer Carthaginian 2019

Shea’na Grigsby ’06

initially consisted of white shorts and shirt, a red “C” that players were expected to sew on the jersey, and masking-tape numbers on the back.

“We finally got a set of uniforms, and we wore them for everything,” recalls Jan Thieme ’73, a three-sport competitor.

Forty-some years later, those tales elicit head shakes of disbelief, but the players had no complaints. For many, it was the first chance to take part in organized varsity sports.

“Everybody just enjoyed it, because it was new,” says Kris Allison ’75. “It was special back then.”

While Carthage continues to chase that elusive first NCAA Division III team championship, individual Lady Reds athletes have accumulated 13 national titles. All but one have come in track and field.

“Our women who have reached the highest honor as national champions have taken our program to the next level in many ways,” says Stephanie Domin, women’s track and field head coach since 2003. “They were leaders while at Carthage and remain so today in their respective fields.”

By far, the most decorated champion is Shea’na Grigsby ’06. After helping to win the 400-meter relay as a freshman in 2003, the dominant hurdler won seven more NCAA indoor and outdoor events.

Educational equilibrium By the time Jockey International chairman and CEO Donna Wolf Steigerwaldt took her seat on the Carthage Board of Trustees in 1984, the institution was beginning to wobble.

Brought in as president, F. Gregory Campbell identified her as a primary source of stability. Over the next several years, he says, Ms. Steigerwaldt became the “go-to person” for extra helpings of both leadership and financial support.

Her election to the College’s top board seat in 1992 was no token gesture, Mr. Campbell

carthage.edu

PAT AN D JAN TAR B L E The Tarble family’s generosity to Carthage totals close to $60 million, and the resulting facilities make theirs the most widely recognized name on campus.

Although she had left the Midwest for California years earlier, Louise A. “Pat” Tarble enthusiastically backed the College from its earliest days in Kenosha. Her husband, Newton, had strong ties to the area as co-founder of Snap-on Inc. Since the couple’s deaths, their daughter Jan has continued — and even increased — that philanthrophy through the Tarble Family Foundation. Cumulatively, their donations have supported several campus buildings: • Science Center • Campbell Student Union • Tarble Arena •N . E. Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center • Pat Tarble Residence Hall Most recently, an unprecedented $15 million gift from Jan Tarble fueled the creation of The Aspire Program, a comprehensive four-year career development initiative that launches this fall.

In the Tarbles’ honor, Carthage established an ongoing scholarship for California students who embrace a “spirit of adventure.”

DIA N E M IZE R K A In the formative years, Lady Reds athletics was essentially a one-woman show. Diane Mizerka coached at Carthage from 1968 to 1980, juggling nine different sports in the early days of the women’s athletic program.

Although she eventually pared that list to three — volleyball, basketball, and softball — coaching was far from her only task. Ms. Mizerka also scheduled games and officiating crews, provided supplemental meal money, even washed the makeshift uniforms.

Players appreciated the lengths their coach went

for them. Though she’s forgotten which sport prompted the trip, Jan Thieme ’73 still chuckles while relaying the story of an eight-hour drive to Superior, Wisconsin, where the team ran into a blizzard that had already forced the cancellation of the event.

Rather than chalk it up to bad luck, Ms. Mizerka scrambled and found an opponent the team could play on the way back.

“She knew her stuff, yet she cared about you as a person. It was all a learning experience,” says Ms. Thieme. “A lot of us went on to coach after that, and we took that with us.”

After a three-year stint as the College’s first (and only) director of women’s athletics, she retired in 1985 and promptly entered the Athletic Hall of Fame. Ms. Mizerka now lives in suburban Chicago.

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COVER STORY

Ellen Hauser

emphasizes. Formidable and well-liked at the same time, Ms. Steigerwaldt guided deliberations.

“She was the undisputed leader,” he says, “just based on the strength of her perception and will.”

Women had already cemented a majority in the student body when an effort arose to rectify a different kind of imbalance — one much harder to quantify. In 1995, a group of faculty members created the Women’s and Gender Studies program.

Professor Christine Renaud had just arrived when the effort was entering the home stretch. She remembers the idea “was a simple but radical one: to give voice to those omitted from the curriculum at that time.”

Growth in the program has prompted faculty to add several classes over the past couple of years, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. As of the spring 2019 semester, 28 students had declared a minor in women’s and gender studies.

“There’s a new vitality now,” says Professor Ellen Hauser, director of the program. “We could not have supported these new classes with the enrollment 10

to 15 years ago.”

The interdisciplinary pool of 10 to 15 core faculty contributors includes the program’s initial director, Professor Pamela Smiley, as well as two male colleagues.

“For me, teaching in the Women and Gender Studies program is important because I have the opportunity to help students engage with important issues in our changing world,” says Professor Bradley Zopf ’05, “especially related to areas of diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging.”

Based on statistics from recent graduating classes, women are increasingly drawn to Carthage’s programs in the sciences (psychology, neuroscience) and business (management, marketing) — even as historically popular majors like elementary education, nursing, and social work remain favorites.

At the graduate level, women made up the bulk of the graduating cohorts for both the long-running Master of Education and the 2-year-old Master of Science in business design and innovation (BDI).

I R È NE KR AEM ER “We don’t do ‘no’ here.” That was Irène Kraemer’s directive to her staff as dean of the School of Professional Studies.

The woman who once told a Kenosha News columnist that “life is too short to give up anything” empathized with adult students who balanced school, family, and career.

“However we could help them attain their dream, she was on it,” says Professor Sandie Bisciglia ’94, who worked in the office before joining the faculty. “If you didn’t have that same work ethic, you heard about it.”

Colleagues marveled at Ms. Kraemer’s ability to develop innovative programs practically on command. Judith Schaumberg-Aigner, provost emerita, watched professional studies become a major success story for the College under the dynamic leader.

Ms. Kraemer championed accelerated evening classes that shortened the path to a

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degree — just not in the sterile setting many schools were using.

“She didn’t want us in a storefront,” says Prof. Bisciglia. “She wanted students to have that college campus experience.”

The dean formed partnerships with technical colleges and businesses. A modern languages professor who drew on her native French, she even taught distance-learning classes via closed-circuit television in the preInternet days.

Few knew about the lengthy, private battle Ms. Kraemer fought with breast cancer. She died in 2004 at age 57.

Prof. Bisciglia and Brainard Writing Center director Jean Preston ’02, both graduates of Carthage’s adult programs, established the Irene Kraemer Starting Over Scholarship. It’s awarded annually to a woman who exemplifies the late dynamo’s spirit.

Summer Carthaginian 2019

CHAR L OT T E C H E L L When she launched the precursor to today’s Carthage computer science program in 1984, Professor Charlotte Chell’s computer skills were almost entirely self-taught. Turns out that was plenty.

The College’s deep dive into the subject meshed with her Ph.D. in mathematical logic and her fascination with the machines’ inner workings.

Students seeking superficial mastery of the latest software had to look elsewhere.

Over 34 years at Carthage, Prof. Chell also taught math and Great Ideas. She was the first woman to be elected governor of the Mathematical Association of America’s Wisconsin section.

While she chaired it, the Division of Natural Sciences achieved a near-even faculty split between men and women. Prof. Chell says that came about organically, based on candidates’ merits.

“This is an incredibly talented group of students who will bring ideas, solutions, disruptive innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking to both everyday challenges Jennifer Madden and ‘wicked’ problems,” says Professor Jennifer Madden, director of the BDI program. “I am excited to see the impact they will have in the world.”

This isn’t the finish line, however. Besides cheering past progress, organizers intend for 150 Years of Carthage Women to supply insights and resources for generations more to learn and grow here.

Dozens of volunteers met on campus June 22 to begin organizing related programs in academics, career development, service, outreach, and giving. The celebration will run through Homecoming 2020.

“My education and relationships built at Carthage continue to have a profound impact on my personal life and professional success,” says steering committee co-chair Maria Markusen ’91. “As we celebrate 150 years of women at Carthage, we have the opportunity to build the next foundation for another century and a half of impact, change, and exceptionalism.”

Share your own reflections by sending an email to: ccwomen150@carthage.edu

“The people within the field, because it is so logic-based, they try to think carefully about what they’re doing,” she says. “We read all the resumes from the same perspective.”

Prof. Chell also produced the Christmas Festival for more than 20 years as it grew into a community tradition. She coordinated each year’s performances around a common theme.

Glitches tested her resourcefulness.

In a retrospective article, Prof. Chell recounted how, “wearing a black, hooded monk’s robe … [I] crawled among the Wind Orchestra members to replace” a light that had shattered mid-concert in 1996.

She retired in 2013, which theoretically freed up time to tinker with the six early model Apple computers she’s kept around.

MAJ OR LEANIN GS Figures from the Class of 2018 give a snapshot of the balance between men and women in popular majors (20 or more total students):

Highest % women

PSYCHOLOGY ENGLISH SOCIAL WORK ELEMENTARY EDUCATION NEUROSCIENCE 0

20

40

98% 95% 95% 86% 83% 60

80

100

Lowest % women

20% FINANCE 41% EXERCISE AND SPORT SCIENCE 45% CRIMINAL JUSTICE 48% BIOLOGY 48% MARKETING 0

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20

40

60

80

100

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1870 FIRST ENROLLED WOMEN

women of carthage:

a timeline of firsts 1875

1894

FIRST GRADUATES

FIRST FULL FACULTY MEMBER

Ida Harris Maggie Taylor Kate Thummel

These women joined the lone male graduate in the Class of 1875, and each spoke at Commencement.

Ms. Thummel discussed “Nature’s Mysteries,” Ms. Taylor spoke on “Death is Life,” and Ms. Harris delivered the salutatorian’s address in both English and Latin.

1920 FIRST ADMINISTRATOR

Pearl Goeller

Appointed registrar of her alma mater within months of graduating, Pearl Goeller held the position for 43 years.

Despite a “tiny wisp of a physical presence, (she) had a domineering spirit as wide as a boulevard,” wrote John Bickers ’50 in “Carthage As It Was.” Awarded an honorary doctorate in 1971, Ms. Goeller became the first to obtain three Carthage degrees.

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Elnora Cuddeback

Although Carthage had female instructors as early as 1882 (primarily for its preparatory academy), Prof.

Cuddeback was the first to secure a faculty position at the College. Her title was professor and principal of the Normal (Teacher’s Prep) Department.

1908 FIRST COACH

Grace Hanser

1900 FIRST WOMEN’S SPORT

Basketball

According to Carthage historical records, a women’s basketball team coached

by Cal Sifferd competed against at least one intracity opponent in 1900-01.

There’s no indication of the score, and the program apparently went dormant for several years.

Playing against other Illinois high school and college teams, Grace Hanser’s teams went 7-1 over three seasons.

All were home games.

1924 FIRST BOARD MEMBER

Mary Tressler Newcomer

An 1887 graduate, Mary Tressler Newcomer later became treasurer of the College and served on the board for 24 years. As executive secretary of the Alumni Association and editor of the monthly Alumnus publication, she often served as the primary contact for alumni. Her father, the Rev. David L. Tressler, was the fifth president of Carthage.

Summer Carthaginian 2019

COVER STORY

1983 FIRST NCAA CHAMPION

Glynis Payne

Setting the bar for future Lady Reds competitors, Glynis (Payne) Walker ’84 won an NCAA Division III outdoor track and field title in the high jump as a junior. She lettered in three sports at Carthage, and the Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed her in 1999.

Dismissing semantic distinctions like “chairwoman,” Donna Wolf Steigerwaldt served as chairman of the Board of Trustees for six years as the College began its upward arc. As chairman and CEO of Jockey International from 1978 until her death in 2000, she developed a popular line of women’s undergarments.

1992 1950 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

Ruth Wick (acting president 1951–52)

Inaugurated alongside the new president, Ruth Wick became acting president when Morris Wee abruptly resigned from the top position the following year. Ms. Wick guided the College from October 1951 to March 1952, when President Harold Lentz arrived.

See full story in Page from the Past, page 48

carthage.edu

FIRST BOARD CHAIR

Donna Wolf Steigerwaldt

1984 FIRST INDUCTEES ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

Ann (Mullins) Tindall Marsha Laird

2013 FIRST CAMPUS PASTOR

Kara Baylor

In her first five years as campus pastor, the Rev. Kara Baylor has worked to create a culture of inclusivity while maintaining the College’s strong roots in the Lutheran tradition. Under her guidance, the Center for Faith and Spirituality coordinates interfaith programs, a visiting scholar series, and worship services.

Read about her mentors in Pastor’s Message, page 11

2018 FIRST DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Michelle Manning

Heralded as “a rising star in athletic administration” by her former supervisor at Ithaca College, Michelle Manning quickly emerged as the top candidate from a pool of more than 100 applicants.

She has hit the ground running since landing at Carthage last July, adding three new sports.

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COVER STORY

HI G H L I G H TED EVEN TS Public Kickoff Oct. 11 | 7 p.m. | Todd Wehr Center Homecoming Concert Oct. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | A. F. Siebert Chapel

Opening Reception: ‘The Women of Carthage’ Alumni Art Exhibition Oct. 31 | 4:30 p.m. | H. F. Johnson Gallery of Ar t

The concert will feature performances by the Carthage Choir and the Carthage Wind Orchestra, with alumna Jennifer Jones as guest conductor.

This retrospective exhibition features a broad range of work from recent women graduates and long-standing alumnae of the studio art program. If you’re interested in submitting your work, contact gallery director Ryan Peter Miller: rmiller4@carthage.edu

Ada Lovelace Day Oct. 15 | Time and location TBD

Christmas Festival Dec. 6-8 | A. F. Siebert Chapel

Join in the international celebration of Ada Lovelace Day with an evening of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) career exploration and education.

Presentation: Women’s Suffrage Centennial Oct. 29 | Time TBD | Todd Wehr Center Nancy E. Tate, co-chair of the 2020 Women’s Vote Centennial Initiative and former executive director of the League of Women Voters of the United States, will discuss the women’s suffrage movement.

This year’s installment of the festival, a long-standing community tradition, will feature music by female composers.

Wrap-Up Celebration Oct. 3-5, 2020 The culminating event will take place during Homecoming 2020, featuring sorority and women’s athletic reunions.

For an updated schedule of events, visit carthage.edu/women150events M EET TH E C O- C H AIR S ◀ Gina Madrigrano Friebus ’76 serves as first vice chair of the Carthage Board of Trustees. The retired executive from W.O.W. Distributing Co. was instrumental in the formation of multiple professional organizations for women. She was part of the first class of sisters when Kappa Chi Omega affiliated with the national Chi Omega fraternity. ▶ Maria Markusen ’91 is a senior health care executive, consultant, and entrepreneur who most recently joined the VGM Group to reboot Simply Retail, a company she founded in 2004 as a one-stop shop for patients. Active in Pi Theta as a student, Ms. Markusen now serves on the President’s Greek Advisory Board at Carthage.

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Summer Carthaginian 2019

WE ARE CARTHAGE WOMEN

Join us as we celebrate this 150-year milestone by intensifying our commitment to women’s education at Carthage.

Financial Aid

Athletics

•E stablish a scholarship in honor of an influential woman in your life or contribute to an existing fund supporting:

Strengthen the holistic experience for Lady Reds student-athletes by designating gifts for:

• Women with financial need

• A specific team’s funds • Discretionary funds for pressing needs

• First-generation female college students • Adult women completing/enhancing their education • Women from historically underrepresented racial groups • Minors in women’s and gender studies

Long-Term Stability J oin the 500-plus members of the Denhart Society who have reinforced the quality of the College’s work for generations to come through an estate commitment, a beneficiary designation, an annuity, or another planned giving option.

Professional Development Eliminate financial barriers for women as they enter The Aspire Program, our new career development initiative, by giving toward: • Internships • J-Term study tours • Leadership development • Entrepreneurial activities

To pledge your support for any of these initiatives, please contact: Staci Carson Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement scarson@carthage.edu | 262-551-5703

CARTHAGE.EDU/WOMEN150

carthage.edu

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three stages of growth Through unique experiences, Dokmo women witness change in shared alma mater

22

F

lipping her cap’s tassel to the left, Sarah Polick ’18 extended a multigenerational legacy.

After completing her studies in December, Sarah made it official at Commencement in late May. She represents the third generation of women in her family to graduate from Carthage, following in the footsteps of grandmother Judy (Ferron) Dokmo ’61 and aunt Julie (Dokmo) Miller ’86.

Although Sarah applied to several schools, Carthage drew her in. A close bond with her maternal grandparents, Judy and her husband, Richard ’59, may have heightened the appeal.

“One of the first impressions I had of Carthage was the crewneck sweatshirt that my grandpa has been wearing for several decades,” says Sarah, who, along with her mother and sisters, lived with the Dokmos after her parents’ divorce when she was 4.

“My grandparents always spoke highly of Carthage and had high hopes that one of the four of us (siblings) would attend. The bonds they have from the ’50s and ’60s have lasted a lifetime.”

Summer Carthaginian 2019

COVER STORY

The trailblazer

The northern contingent

Her grandmother pioneered the way, attending the College during its final years in Illinois. There, she met Richard, although the first spark flew even before they were introduced.

“He saw me on Friendship Weekend the year before I came to campus as a freshman, and, though we had never met at the time, he wondered who the pretty girl was,” Judy says. “Many of our closest friendships were formed at Carthage, and we still correspond and visit 63 years later.”

With a degree in elementary education, Judy taught at several schools before shifting focus to raise her family.

The couple established a pair of scholarships: The Rolf and Eleanor Dokmo Scholarship recognizes leadership ability, organizational skills, and Christian stewardship. Rolf Dokmo, Richard’s father, served as chairman of the Board of Trustees when Carthage selected the site for its Kenosha campus.

The Harold and Leone Ferron Scholarship supports students with strong musical potential. The award is inspired by Judy’s mother and father, both gifted musicians.

Over three generations, Judy has witnessed the evolution of the College. The changes go well beyond the growth in enrollment.

“Class requirements are a bit more intense, and J-Term offers more opportunities,” she says. “Internships are in place for students today so they have work experience before graduation.”

In her Carthage years, women were required to wear nylons and skirts or dresses to the cafeteria for the Sunday noon meal. Judy recalls serving as a junior counselor, taking freshmen to the Home Economics house to learn table manners and how to properly set a table.

The evening curfew — 9 or 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, midnight on weekends — and strict rules against male visitors must sound foreign to new residential students.

“Today, there would be an uprising if the restrictions we had were imposed,” Judy jokes.

By the time Julie attended, the Kenosha campus was well-established. She studied elementary education, learning disabilities, and what are now known as intellectual disabilities.

Julie married Paul Miller ’87, who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After earning a master’s degree and teaching for 10 years, she stayed home to care for their two girls, eventually returning to the classroom when those daughters went to college.

She sees some similarities between her Carthage experience and that of her newly graduated niece. Both went on performance tours with the Carthage Choir, and both joined sororities.

Housing is the area where they diverged. While Sarah moved off-campus after her sophomore year, Julie spent all four years in campus residence halls — where many long-term friendships hatched.

“Since everybody lived in the dorms when I went to school, I believe Carthage students were more connected,” Julie says. “Everybody knew each other, because we all hung out at other dorms or at The View, which was a bar at the top of the hill.”

Sarah, too, appreciated the close-knit community at her alma mater.

“Receiving a great liberal arts education from a private school has meant everything to me,” she says. “It has truly set me up for success and led me to the beginning of an amazing career today.”

Finishing a semester early let Sarah begin work as a national stylist for Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service based in Chicago.

“I love being able to help other women feel confident and happy in high-quality clothing that fits their specific body,” she says.

All three women returned to campus for the 2019 Commencement. While Sarah took the ceremonial walk across the stage, Judy and Julie padded her cheering section.

Despite graduating decades apart, they left the Field House that day with the permanent common thread of a Carthage alumna.

carthage.edu

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“People make too many decisions in their lives based on fear. I wanted to lift those constraints. You can manufacture opportunity.�

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Summer Carthaginian 2019

FE AT U RE S TO RY

superhuman gifts ILLUSTRATION BY

CHAD LANGHOFF ’06

Comic store owner offers turnkey solutions — asking $0

I don’t have to be a superhero, Carmelo Chimera ’10 finally admitted to himself.

For a guy whose childhood enchantment with comic books has only intensified, that was a particularly hard admission to make. After years of reading, writing, promoting, and selling those stories, he’s gleaned plenty of empowering life lessons from the heroic exploits in their colorful pages.

Then again, while Peter Parker has the seemingly eternal luxury to drop what he’s doing, get his Spidey on, and confront the villain du jour, Mr. Chimera has to carefully parse his time and energy.

While practicing law full time in the private equity group at Chicago-area firm McGuireWoods, Mr. Chimera ran two comic book stores — one too many, in his estimation. On both counts, he was spread unsustainably thin.

Business-wise, the obvious solution was to offload the attentionstarved location in south-suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois. Like the original store 15 miles to the north in LaGrange, however, it had become more than a retail outlet. Closing the store would essentially evict the collectors who had made it their community hub. By selling it, he could ensure the building kept housing a comic shop rather than, say, a dollar store or insurance agency, but Mr. Chimera knew the person to preserve what he’d built “may not be the one with the fattest wallet.”

Instead, a radical alternative churned in his mind: Why not give it away for free?

carthage.edu

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Entrepreneurial freedom Ever since he first opened a copy of “The Amazing Spider-Man” No. 375 as a kid, comics have kept Mr. Chimera riveted. He pushes back against critics of the genre.

“It’s more than just distraction,” he says. “Stories are how we define what kind of people we want to be. When you stretch the bounds of reality, you can explore themes like power and responsibility.”

Mr. Chimera graduated from Carthage in three years, when his brother Vincenzo ’12 was a sophomore. The youngest of the three siblings, Nicholas ’23, will enter the College this fall on a Presidential Scholarship.

A friend from high school approached Mr. Chimera about upgrading their shared hobby to a business venture. In 2011, Chimera’s Comics opened its doors.

After clearing the mental landmines that stifle so many entrepreneurial dreams, he felt deeply liberated — a feeling he wishes everyone could experience. That affirmed something he’d taken to heart in his Western Heritage courses.

“My liberal arts education taught me you aren’t really free unless you have choices,” explains Mr. Chimera. “That journey, learning what your options are as a person, that’s how you flourish.”

Lightening his business workload could free up time to create more fresh comic content. After all, why should Marvel and DC hog all the fun?

Double giveaway In January, Mr. Chimera publicly announced an essay contest, with the keys to the Oak Lawn shop as the prize. He’d transfer ownership to the winner, with thousands of dollars worth of fixtures and inventory already in place.

“People make too many decisions in their lives based on fear,” he says. “I wanted to lift those constraints. You can manufacture opportunity.”

Anyone could enter “The Great Comic Shop Giveaway,” as Mr. Chimera dubbed the contest, by submitting $25 (to cover legal costs) and a short online essay answering this central question: “What makes a great comic book store?”

He promised to read each essay thoroughly. Although his decision would ultimately boil down to gut instinct, Mr. Chimera looked for a few key indicators: passion, creativity, and work ethic.

As word rippled out to hobbyists, the response was mostly supportive. A few naysayers dismissed the contest as a PR stunt.

“There are always people out there who would rather tear you down than dream big themselves. It’s scary to dream,” Mr. Chimera says. “I couldn’t wait to prove those people wrong with my actions.”

Whether intentionally or not, the giveaway did grab media attention. A trifecta of Chicago press — TV, radio, and digital/print outlets — lined up to interview Mr. Chimera, and applications steadily continued to flow in.

Naturally, then, his first original graphic novel — on the surface, a tale of a superhero held captive — served as a metaphor for college as a place to find intellectual liberation.

“Magnificent” was published in 2018, pairing a coming-of-age plot line Mr. Chimera crafted in his Carthage days with illustrations by business partner Steven Brown. A horror anthology, “Cellar Door,” followed this spring.

The budding author and artist offset the publication costs with successful crowdfunding campaigns. Using online platforms, Mr. Chimera has raised more than $100,000 for a variety of business and charitable projects. He leveraged that proficiency to write a how-to book, “Your Kickstarter Is About To Fail.”

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Summer Carthaginian 2019

Carmelo Chimera ’10, right, hosted a book release event at the Oak Lawn store for his brother Nicholas ’23 in December. Nicholas wrote a young adult novel, “The Crusader.”

By the time he declared the submission window closed, the entry pool had grown to 720. Mr. Chimera began the daunting task by winnowing any applicants who pinned their qualifications to their level of comic book or superhero uber-fandom.

Strategically scheduling the official announcement for the first Saturday in May — Free Comic Book Day, “the national holiday around which our business revolves” — Mr. Chimera awarded the Oak Lawn store to Christopher Cavanaugh of nearby Palos Heights.

Sure, he’s a collector, but the winner nailed the essay by openly acknowledging the intimidation he had to overcome just to apply.

“That showed me he had the boldness to do this,” Mr. Chimera says.

“Running a small business is challenging. This is not sunshine and rainbows all the time.”

In the same Facebook Live broadcast, the Carthage alumnus tossed out an even bigger bombshell. Besides gifting the existing shop to Mr. Cavanaugh, he plans to help launch a new, community-owned store in the impoverished Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago.

carthage.edu

The idea stemmed from an essay that Mr. Chimera initially glossed over.

“The closer I got to picking a winner, the more it stuck with me,” he says, “and I couldn’t get it out of my head.”

He reached out to the applicant, Patti Kosobud, who’s pursuing a graduate degree in community development. As they talked, a common vision began to gel: A local nonprofit would manage the operation and underprivileged students would staff the shop, with the potential to weave in programs that teach entrepreneurial and creative skills.

If the extra commitment keeps Mr. Chimera’s work-life balance out of whack a little longer, that’s a small price to pay. To him, the forecast for humanity looks a bit sunnier.

“I’m overwhelmed by the optimism and hope and courage of all the people who applied. I wish everyone could see it through my eyes now,” he says. “When I look around, I see nothing but possibilities.”

The final panels of this story clearly illustrate the underlying moral: It doesn’t take a cape or a bite from a radioactive spider to pierce the darkness that sometimes threatens to shroud our world.

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FE AT U R E S TO RY

#MyJobInSixPics Tessa Rundle ’18 spacesuit engineer

Students entering Carthage in September will be the first to follow The Aspire Program™ in its entirety, tailoring a custom professional development plan from their earliest days on campus. To give them a glimpse of what’s possible when you aspire like a Carthaginian, we’ve challenged alumni to tell the story of their jobs in six photos.

Originally a music major, Tessa Rundle ’16 changed her major to physics, joined Carthage’s space sciences program, and soon had more time in zero-g than any student who had flown before her. Today, she designs the next generation of NASA spacesuits that astronauts eventually could use in spacewalks on missions to the moon or Mars.

See other alumni submissions and submit your own: carthage.edu/six-pics

new job search tool In the lead-up to this fall’s launch of The Aspire Program, Carthage recently introduced an improved online search tool that makes it easier for employers to post job openings and connect with strong candidates.

Handshake, a recruiting platform used by colleges and employers nationwide, features a robust searchable database of jobs and internships. Free for students, alumni, and employers to use, it serves as an important cog in the College’s new, comprehensive four-year career development initiative.

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Using Handshake as a senior, Kenneth Hyllberg ’19 quickly lined up interviews with three Wisconsin companies. He appreciates that the website is designed specifically for job-seekers just entering the professional workforce.

“It is nice to know that employers who use Handshake know that and aren’t necessarily expecting us to have a crazy amount of experience, since we are obviously just out of college,” he said.

Handshake is also available for download as an iPhone or Android app. To create a free account, visit: carthage.joinhandshake.com

Summer Carthaginian 2019

Earn your master’s degree

in 10 months.

Master of Science in Business Design and Innovation Today’s workplaces are evolving more rapidly than ever before.

To help you succeed in this ever-changing environment, Carthage has developed an accelerated leadership program in business design and innovation (BDI).

Building on Carthage’s liberal arts education, our BDI program provides an educational experience grounded in independent and critical thinking, and creative problem solving. The curriculum streams of design, innovation, and organizational development are taught through the critical concepts of theory, knowledge, application, and continuous learning.

carthage.edu/bdi

ATHLETICS

What resting heart rate?

From bedside to courtside, nursing grad kept busy

A

complicated college search narrowed pretty quickly for Tony Allen ’19.

Going into the process, the all-conference high school volleyball player was looking to continue playing at the next level while pursuing a longtime career ambition in nursing.

“Carthage was actively recruiting me for volleyball and was also just starting up a nursing program, so I thought it was the perfect

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opportunity,” says Mr. Allen, from Minooka, Illinois.

I visited the school and absolutely loved the atmosphere.”

His instincts proved correct. This spring, as part of the initial Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduating class, Mr. Allen became the first student-athlete to complete the rigorous program.

“There were several athletes in the first cohort … but he was the only one who persevered in maintaining his athletic association,” explains Professor Frank Hicks, director of nursing.

“Managing both nursing and athletics is very difficult and takes the ability to multitask and balance the demands of both.”

All student-athletes must strike a delicate balance to succeed both in the classroom and in their sport, but the nursing curriculum also includes demanding clinical rotations. That presented a unique set of challenges that no other volleyball player in L.J. Marx’s 15 years of coaching at Carthage had faced.

How did Mr. Allen do it?

Summer Carthaginian 2019

Coaches pick Reinsel as national Player of the Year

No ordinary fellow “In a simple statement, ownership,” says Mr. Marx. “Tony owned everything he did and never compromised. He was committed to being a standout player, student-athlete, teammate, and person.

“The time demands in his life are not something most students will understand, and he would never complain or find an excuse. He simply would get whatever needed to be done accomplished with the highest standards.”

On the court, Mr. Allen played the specialty position of libero, acting as a serving and defensive specialist. A libero often dictates the offensive flow of a play, much in the way a point guard does in basketball.

Unfortunately, a knee injury in the first match relegated him to a motivational support role for the rest of his senior season. The torn medial meniscus required surgical repair, forcing him to wear a brace for several weeks in his recovery.

Reflecting on his broader career, however, Mr. Allen could hold his head high. He was part of a core group that led the Red Men to a 95-10 record and three NCAA Division III to urnament berths from 2016 to 2019.

Excelling in his studies, as well, Mr. Allen consistently made the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League’s All-Academic Team. In 2017, Carthage recognized him as a Men’s Volleyball Scholar Athlete.

“Tony was a dedicated student. He had a strong performance in his coursework, and especially excelled in his clinical rotations. He was a natural in those areas,” says Prof. Hicks. “Tony will make an excellent nurse, no matter what area he decides to practice.”

Before graduating, he accepted a position with Aurora Health Care. Gaining experience on a neurology and cardiac floor, he’s working toward an ultimate goal of entering pediatric care.

carthage.edu

A year ago, Mr. Allen and nursing classmate Emma Dresen ’19 became the first two recipients of the Smeds Fellowship in Population Health.

The College created the program with a gift from Trustee Emeritus Ed Smeds ’57 and his wife, Alice (Lawler) Smeds ’57. The initiative supports nursing majors who commit to improve health care results in Kenosha and beyond.

In the silver lining department, Mr. Allen’s volleyball injury freed up some unexpected time to organize the culminating project of his fellowship: a three-hour nutrition and physical activity course for middle-school kids.

“I got to focus on perfecting my event and making it the best it could be,” he says. “It was weird having more ‘free time,’ because I was so used to always jumping from practice to nursing.”

The event took place on campus in February.

Topics included healthy living, food choices, and the importance of physical activity, plus volunteerled activities such as volleyball, scavenger hunts, games, jogging, and relay races.

“It was a fun-filled day, and I had a few parents reach out afterwards indicating how much the program positively impacted their child,” Mr. Allen says. “It was gratifying and made me happy to see that the event could even make a small impact or change in a child.”

Closing out his collegiate career, setter Matt Reinsel ’19 became the second Carthage men’s volleyball player to win the nation’s top individual honor.

Mr. Reinsel won the Men’s Player of the Year award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Randy Hansen ’12 is the only other Red Men standout to receive that accolade.

That completed a 4-for-4 sweep, as Mr. Reinsel made the All-America team each year at Carthage. As a senior, he led all Division III players with 11.95 assists per set.

“Matt has been the definition of a teammate,” said L.J. Marx, who coached him all four years. “It is difficult to put into words the time, effort, and dedication he put forth in making our program better each and every day. His leadership and positive influence have been felt on the court, in the classroom, and on our campus.”

Two teammates joined the graduating setter as 2019 All-Americans: outside hitters Matt Slivinski ’21 (first team) and Evan Walsh ’19 (second team). Carthage (23-3) held the No. 1 ranking for six weeks in the national coaches’ poll.

Mr. Marx, the program’s only head coach since its inception in 2005, stepped down after the season to spend more time with his family. A two-time AVCA Coach of the Year, he led Carthage teams to 13 regular season championships, six conference tournament titles, and five NCAA tournament berths.

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ATHLETICS

Softball

Unprecedented NCAA run

Bonn makes ADs’ Hall of Fame In large part for presiding over the growth in Carthage’s athletic program between 1992 and his retirement in 2018, Bob Bonn was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ Hall of Fame on June 12 in Orlando, Florida.

Starting his career in coaching, he added administrative duties as director of athletics for Pacific University from 1983 to 1991. In 26 years at Carthage, Mr. Bonn oversaw the addition of nine varsity sports and renovations to athletic facilities totaling $50 million.

Earlier this year, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors presented him its Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Bonn established endowments for Carthage athletics that now total more than $3 million.

Football

Defensive back gets NFL tryout Receiving the invitation he had long sought, Carthage defensive back Amani Dennis ’19 took part in the Cleveland Browns’ rookie minicamp in early May. Over his three full seasons with the Red Men, Mr. Dennis accumulated 100 tackles and 11 interceptions. As a senior in 2018, Mr. Dennis made the D3football. com All-North Region second team and the All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin first team.

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The Lady Reds advanced deeper than ever into the NCAA Division III tournament, coming within one victory of the Softball World Series.

Carthage (3016) earned an at-large bid to the tourney in May and won its regional championship to advance to the Super Regional round for the first time. CCIW rival Illinois Wesleyan ended the team’s run, coming back to win the final two games in a best-of-three series.

Pitcher Stefanie Guercio ’20 became the second AllAmerican in program history, as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association voted her to the first team. She went 22-5 with a 0.80 earned run average and set single-season Carthage records with 244 strikeouts and 10 shutouts.

Swimming and Diving

Dual repeat as conference champs Carthage again doubled up on CCIW team swimming titles, as the Red Men won their third straight and the Lady Reds repeated.

On the women’s side, Mattea Arndt ’20 was selected Most Outstanding Participant. She won the 200-yard individual medley and contributed another pair of top-three event results.

At the NCAA championship meet, Sam Gabriel ’19 bettered his school record in the 100-yard backstroke and qualified for the consolation final. That secured a place on coaches’ All-America second team.

Women’s Track and Field

Throwers make All-America team Thrower Sarah Schmidt ’20 earned All-America honors in two events at the NCAA outdoor championships in May. She finished third in the shot put — one spot ahead of teammate and fellow All-American Elizabeth Willis ’20 — and seventh in the hammer.

Both Sarah (discus) and Elizabeth (shot put) won conference titles at the CCIW competition, where the former was recognized as Female Field Athlete of the Meet.

Summer Carthaginian 2019

Whether it’s to maintain consistency or promote plain old good luck, many athletes follow a specific routine on the day of a competition. This past spring, a few Carthage competitors shared their game-day rituals:

Nick Barker ’19 FOOTBALL

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

“I would wake up at the exact same time (7:45) every game day. I would then walk to the locker room with quarterback Kyle Friberg. Then, right before we took the field, I had to listen to ‘Cadence to Arms’ by the Dropkick Murphys, and then ‘X Gon' Give It to Ya’ by DMX immediately after.”

“Listen to ‘Gassed Up’ by Nebu Kiniza before I walk out.”

Hannah Pearson ’19

Erin Otto ’21

WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

“Bagel with peanut butter and banana, listening to Eminem on repeat, five jumping jacks behind the blocks before every race.”

carthage.edu

Parker Connolly ’21 MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

“Listen to relaxing music, watch film of opponent, drink coffee an hour before the game, drink lots of water.”

WOMEN’S SOCCER “I have to eat an apple with peanut butter and Baked Cheetos during the day. A bunch of us take game-day Snapchats, I post on Instagram, and I have to be wearing red pre-wrap. If it's an away game, I always take a nap on the bus.”

game day rituals

33

ATHLETICS

Carthage adds two sports, reactivates a third Carthage plans to broaden its athletic offerings, reviving men’s wrestling and adding a pair of women’s sports — wrestling and bowling — in time for the 2020-21 academic year.

In the June 10 announcement, Director of Athletics Michelle Manning said this “continues our history of offering emerging sports that meet our prospective students’ needs.” With the expanded lineup, the Athletic Department will sponsor 27 varsity programs.

Men’s wrestling will return after a 26-year hiatus.

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Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Ron Zalokar was the head coach for all 33 seasons (1962-1994) of the program’s previous incarnation.

Women's wrestling is one of the country’s fastest-growing high school sports, prompting an NCAA committee to endorse it as a potential future championship-level program. Last year, 23 NCAA institutions sponsored teams.

The other planned addition, women’s bowling, has already achieved NCAA championship status.

All teams compete in a single division.

Ms. Manning noted that many of the top prep wrestlers and bowlers are concentrated in the Midwest. Only a handful of Division III women’s programs exist in those two sports, giving the College to gain a foothold in something of an untapped market.

National searches have begun for head coaches.

Carthage will also hire a club sport coordinator focused on men’s water polo, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and men's bowling.

Summer Carthaginian 2019

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red men and lady reds from anywhere!

Stream events live at

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CLASS NOTES

Beacon winners press on with vital solutions

Carthage recognized the work of six alumni during the 2019 Beacon Award ceremony on April 27.

The award honors each recipient for a specific accomplishment, act of service, professional or personal achievement, event, or program that illuminates those around them.

The recipients were:

From left: Mary Hooks, Veronica Hunter Moore, Michael Rust, Scott Peterson, and Brett Harmeling (Tyler Johnson not pictured.)

Brett Harmeling ’10

Tyler Johnson ’06

Scott Peterson ’01

Houston

Elburn, Illinois

Harrisburg, North Carolina

In the days after Hurricane Harvey struck the Houston area in 2017, Brett Harmeling rescued dozens of residents from severe flooding.

Temporarily setting aside his independent financial practice, he fielded distress calls from strangers and transported them to safety in his custom-built Jeep Wrangler. An article in the Fall 2017 issue of The Carthaginian described Mr. Harmeling’s role in the relief effort.

On Jan. 1, 2016, sheriff’s deputy Tyler Johnson saved a driver as her car sank into a pond in Oswego, Illinois. Shrugging off the subzero wind chill, he reached the vehicle about 100 feet offshore and brought the trapped motorist to safety. For his bravery, the district’s U.S. congressman made Mr. Johnson his guest at the State of the Union address. He’s now an officer with the Aurora (Illinois) Police Department.

By raising $378,000 in 10 weeks to support blood cancer research and patients, Scott Peterson won the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2017 Man of the Year competition. Aided by a team of family members, his campaign marked 10 years in remission from non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Mr. Peterson supports client services and business development at Info-graphics, a company based in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Mary Hooks ’04

Veronica Hunter Moore ’05

Michael D. Rust ’02

Atlanta

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Mary Hooks co-organized the Black Mama’s Bail Out Day campaign, which reunites low-income mothers with their children for Mother’s Day as they await trial for minor offenses such as drug possession, interrupting a funeral procession, and urban camping. She is co-director of Southerners On New Ground, an organization focused on the shared interests of the LGBTQ community, women, people of color, and immigrants.

Veronica Hunter Moore was the first AfricanAmerican elected president of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors, completing her term in 2016. The AFA presented Ms. Moore, director of educational programs at Delta Upsilon Fraternity, the Sue Kraft Fussell Distinguished Service Award in 2017. In addition to her service work, the alumna runs Alma & Eva, a company devoted to women’s empowerment.

Michael D. Rust is president-elect of the international Association for Conflict Resolution.

As executive director of the Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center, he manages volunteer mediators and personally handles disputes in special education, mortgage modifications, foreclosures, and other areas. For his work, the Wisconsin Association of Mediators presented Mr. Rust its President’s Award in 2016.

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Summer Carthaginian 2019

Giving Day 2019 topples goals Matching the theme of the Giving Day 2019 from 12 mini-challenges that targeted classmates, celebration, Carthaginians demonstrated the power teammates, and other like-minded donors. A new of the domino effect on April 4. scholarship fund honoring professor emeritus As students built elaborate domino creations Dudley Riggle proved especially popular, raising at two campus “DomiZones,” the fourth annual nearly $15,000 and securing a $50,000 pledge from fundraising sprint picked up momentum with Hugh Foster ’65 and Liz (Dean) Foster ’66. each successive gift. The generosity of 1,673 A new giving option allowed students to obtain alumni, students, parents, employees, and other short-term naming rights to popular spaces and supporters allowed Carthage equipment. For $5 In those 24 hours, gifts totaled to $20, they could to topple its goals.

The College reached temporarily affix its original target of 1,200 a decal with their for student-centered programs names to a pool table, contributors with roughly 90 minutes to spare, unlocking one of the signature and financial aid. $200,000 in trustees’ red Adirondack chairs “challenge” gifts. Board chair Jeff Hamar ’80 on campus, or the ice cream machine in The Caf. promptly raised the bar by offering an additional Several alumni hosted Giving Day gatherings $10,000 if the donor count reached 1,400 before in parts of the Midwest, and others expressed midnight, which it did. their support on social media platforms. Posted In those 24 hours, gifts totaled more than images showed Carthaginians, their kids, and even $475,000 for student-centered programs and the family dog wearing complimentary “Red & financial aid. The fundraising total includes funds Ready” T-shirts.

MORE THAN $475,000

carthage.edu

37

CLASS NOTES

1950 Mildred (Whitney) Bridgeland – Winnebago, Illinois, celebrated her 90th birthday on March 24.

1954 Rev. Wayne Wachholz and Alzada Spath ’55 – Prophetstown, Illinois, this year celebrate 64 years of marriage.

1955 Ronald Glossop – St. Louis, gave a talk in September on “A World Parliament in Our Future?”

He remains active as president of the Citizens for Global Solutions chapter and attended the parent organization’s board meeting in Washington last November.

1961 Judith (Reed) Kese – Santa Rosa, California, has returned to the United States after living in Caracas, Venezuela, for 56 years. Although the adjustment is ongoing, Mrs. Kese reports that she’s thankful to be “home” again.

1963

1974

1976

Tom Lentz – Gulfport, Florida,

Sarah Bryan Miller – Ballwin,

Ann (Busse) Tucker –

published “The Faith of a Skeptic: Seeking Truth and Balance in Religion and Politics” in 2018. The book by the longtime pastor and entrepreneur has sparked discussions in book clubs, workplaces, and homes.

Missouri, received the Avis Blewett Award from the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists on May 20 for support and advocacy in the organ and choral music community.

In addition, the St. Louis Press Club plans to honor Ms. Miller, a classical music critic for the St. Louis PostDispatch, as a Media Person of the Year at a Nov. 21 gala. 1

Sycamore, Illinois, recently was named the Illinois Council of Orchestras’ 2019 Board President of the Year. Ms. Tucker is president of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. 2

1971 Patricia “Pixie” Pixler – Minneapolis, was honored recently by the University of Minnesota for her volunteer work with a variety of affiliated nonprofit organizations.

She also joined the board of directors for the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and began a volunteer position as a community resource teacher for first-year medical students.

1977 Steven Anderson – Racine,

1975 Elisabeth Wittman – Chicago, retired Nov. 30 after working as a professional archivist since her graduation.

Wisconsin, met last summer with Jaclyn Corin, co-founder of the March for Our Lives movement, for a book he is writing: “Parkland Teens – American History Makers.” Jaclyn became an activist after a gunman killed 17 people at her school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. 3

1972 Lawrence M. Bauer – Roscoe, Illinois, received the 2018 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. The company behind the “Who’s Who” publications selects recipients for “leadership, excellence, and longevity” in their fields.

1973 Jill (Pryse) Svoboda – Kenosha, welcomed her fifth grandchild in November.

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Tau Delta Psi reunion Fraternity brothers from Tau Delta Psi held a reunion April 13 at Roma Lodge in Racine, Wisconsin. Organized by Greg Pierangeli ’78, the event attracted “Buffs” representing class years from the mid-1970s to the group’s final active year at Carthage in 2008. To Craig Murdoch ’77, it affirmed that a fraternity is “a brotherhood for a lifetime.”

Summer Carthaginian 2019

Steven R. Anderson – Loves Park, Illinois, recently won re-election as vice chairman of the board at Pekin (Illinois) Insurance Group. He has held the office since 2010 and has served on the board since 1996.

1979 Diana (Sahagian) Booth – Zion, Illinois, was promoted to registrar at Lake Forest (Illinois) Graduate School of Management.

She recently celebrated 20 years with the school and is studying toward a master’s degree in science management.

1981 Christine (Anderson) Rehagen – Lansing, Michigan, retired as director of the state’s Division of Child Welfare Licensing with more than 30 years of social work experience.

1986 Michael Eisele – Woodstock, Illinois, retired as supervisor from the McHenry County Health Department in July 2018. Mr. Eisele put in more than 28 years of public service work.

1994 Christine Gabron – Kenosha, opened a law practice in Kenosha and Racine counties. Ms. Gabron practices in estate planning, contract, criminal, guardianship, juvenile, and mental health law. 4

1995 Charmayne Horton – Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, had the rare opportunity to visit North Korea for 20 days through an acquaintance at a travel agency in Sweden. The trip included a visit to the demilitarized zone, where she reports the military personnel “were just as interested as I, since to see or even talk with an American is rare.” Ms. Horton saw the other half of the DMZ the previous year while visiting South Korea.

1998 Jeff Weiss (M.Ed.) – Kenosha, was selected as superintendent of the School District of South Milwaukee (Wisconsin), effective July 1.

1999 Brian Plott – Brighton, Michigan, was hired in April as executive director for the Equipment and Tool Institute, a trade association for the automotive aftermarket.

2000 Marc Brash – Wheaton, Illinois, joined Colliers International as vice president for Chicago corporate solutions. The company provides global real estate services and investment management.

1

2

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3

4

39

CLASS NOTES

2000

2003

2007

Nick Geiken – Batavia, Illinois,

Lindsay Jones-Parkis –

married Alison Guarino on March 22.

Groomsmen included fellow alumni Bart Pryputniewicz ’99, Patrick Nelson ’00, and Steve Jenne ’03.

Libertyville, Illinois, and her husband, Mike, welcomed a son, Hayden James, on Feb. 28. Hayden weighed 11 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 20.5 inches long. He joins big sister, Norah, 2. 6

2002

2004

John Hensley – Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was appointed master brewer at Leinenkugel’s facility in Chippewa Falls and began those duties Jan. 1. According to the website for MillerCoors, which owns Leinenkugel’s, his role encompasses “crafting recipes, supplier relationships, the brewing process, brewery scheduling, quality and safety.” He has 16 years of experience with the company. 5

5

9

40

Danyelle (Finley) Bruha – Roscoe, Illinois, married Ryan Bruha in Rockford, Illinois, on Oct. 20. 7

Kristen (Martin) Bergman and Bryan Bergman ’09 – Lombard, Illinois, welcomed their second daughter, Chloe, on Jan. 1.

2008 Stephanie Stein – St. Petersburg, Florida, graduated from Stetson University College of Law in December.

2009

2005 Leanne Valdes – Geneva, Illinois, celebrated the 10-year milestone of her business, You Name It Events, in November. Susan (Bosma) Sjogren ’04 joined the team as operations and client manager. 8

Kim (Schroeder) LaMacchia – Kenosha, and husband Rocco, a director of admissions and financial aid with Carthage, had a daughter, Liliana Catherine, on March 22. 9

6

10

7

11

12

Emily (Cahoon) McFarland ’07 – Watertown, Wisconsin, was elected mayor of Watertown this spring. Ms. McFarland, the first woman to hold the office, was sworn in April 16.

Before starting the full-time mayor position, she worked for state agencies as a manager and policy adviser. A lifelong resident of the city, she served on the Common Council for six years.

8

13

Summer Carthaginian 2019

Cassandra Torgerson – Viroqua, Wisconsin, welcomed a daughter, Penelope Ember Lee, on July 4 with wife Kaitlyn Torguin. 10

2010 Courtney (Snelten) Civik and Kyle Civik ’13 – Palatine, Illinois, were married Sept. 12 in Santa Barbara, California, after 10 years of dating. 11

Josh Lamers and Lauren (Landem) Lamers – Chicago, were married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Feb. 16. They were joined by fellow Carthage alumni. 12

David Yelk and Samantha (Cruz) Yelk – welcomed their second daughter, Arya, in December.

2011 Allie (Marshall) Detert – Lodi, Wisconsin, and her husband, James, welcomed their first daughter, Alivia Estelle Detert, on Feb. 15. She weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and measured 20.5 inches long. 14

2012 Elena (Tobolt) Procaccini – Saint Paul, Minnesota, and her husband, Tony, welcomed a baby, Molly Suzanne, on Sept. 16. 15

2013

Brian Konieczny and Alexa Cairo – Lisle, Illinois, were married

2016

on Oct. 26.

Hailey Habenicht – Frankfort,

2014

Illinois, became engaged to Michael Duffy. They plan to tie the knot on March 21 at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. 18

Tyler Prochnow – Manitowoc, Wisconsin, received a grant from the Baylor University Research Council.

He will study the impact that physical activity and friendships have on children at Boys & Girls Club sites in Kenosha and Waco, Texas, where Baylor is located. He’s on pace to complete the university’s Ph.D. program in 2020. 17

2018 Kaelyn Scull – Yorkville, Illinois, has been accepted into the master’s program in occupational therapy at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Ms. Scull works for the Yorkville (Illinois) School District. 19

Margaret (Knowles) Kamm – Lockport, Illinois, along with husband Nathan and daughter Alice, welcomed a son, Lukas Benjamen Kamm, on Dec. 4. 16

13

14

17

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15

18

16

19

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IN MEMORIAM 1938 Marjorie Guthrie Bloomington, Ill., Jan. 22, 2019

1946 Paul Boatman Philo, Ill., Feb. 25, 2019

Richard Howell Glenview, Ill., Oct. 21, 2018

1957 Arylynn (McCree) del Greco Fairhope, Ala., Dec. 24, 2018

Carl Kraus

1970 Martha Genung

1983 Kathryn (Snyder) Wolfgram

Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2019

Wisconsin Dells, Wis., Dec. 1, 2018

1971 John Franklin

1985 Marlaine Cruz

Byron, Ill., April 10, 2019

Waunakee, Wis., Feb. 5, 2019

Rev. Nels Ritola

1986 Greg Chastain

Fort Madison, Iowa, March 4, 2019

Rev. Charles Hanson Springfield, Ill., Nov. 3, 2018

1948 Rogene (Hartje) Poppen Mt. Morris, Ill., March 4, 2019

1950 Doris (Widner) Thurmon Palm Desert, Calif., March 25, 2019

1951 Jean (Burr) Boehm Newnan, Ga., March 22, 2019

Tessie (Twietmeyer) Pringle Tribune, Kan., Sept. 23, 2018

1952 Patricia (Henderson) Grady Stanwood, Wash., July 19, 2018

Allan Henrichsen Osceola, Wis., Dec. 12, 2018

Richard Opie Des Moines, Iowa, March 23, 2019

William Salvadori Waukesha, Wis., Aug. 13, 2018

Elizabeth (Jones) Walker Port Republic, Va., Jan. 25, 2019

1953 Luella (Espy) Trecker Park Ridge, Ill., Dec. 22, 2018

1955 Bonnie (Aden) Houston Holliday, Mo., Aug. 15, 2018

Frank Rutter Jr. Freeport, Ill., March 6, 2019

1958 Rev. Daniel Hamlin

1972 Gregory Huster Sr. Ingleside, Ill., March 25, 2019

Fort Wayne, Ind., March 9, 2019

Joanne (McHugh) Hildebrandt

Gregory Price Chicago, April 6, 2019

Beloit, Wis., March 26, 2019

Barbara Wegner Kenosha, Feb. 17, 2019

1960 Rev. Frederick Overdier Traverse City, Mich., April 13, 2019

Ruth Ufkes Des Plaines, Ill., Jan. 6, 2019

1962 Richard Hentschel Fennimore, Wis., Nov. 16, 2018

Thomas Spannraft Huntley, Ill., March 26, 2019

1963 Richard Gronning Northfield, Minn., Feb. 21, 2019

1966 John Schroeder Dallas, Jan. 10, 2019

1967 Robert Unglaube Woodstock, Ill., Dec. 31, 2018

1968 Kathryn (Goodwin) Philo Medford, Ore., Dec. 31, 2018

Wayne Rosentrater 1956 Carol (Torkelson) Cogell

Leesburg, Va., Nov. 8, 2018

DeMotte, Ind., April 19, 2019

1973 John “Jack� Fordham Kenosha, Dec. 8, 2018

1976 Douglas Grant Eden Prairie, Minn., Feb. 2, 2019

1977 Mitchell Engen Kenosha, Feb. 4, 2019

Donald Puschak Phoenix, Feb. 18, 2019

1979 Scott Schmidtke Naples, Fla., March 4, 2019

1980 Daniel Mackey Summerville, S.C., Dec. 28, 2018

Springfield, Ill., Feb. 3, 2018

1987 Carmen (Tower) Anzalone Racine, Wis., Jan. 12, 2019

1989 Daniel Jordan Antioch, Ill., Feb. 27, 2019

1999 Ryan Hoskinson Rockford, Ill., May 10, 2019 enrolled students

Jason Killips Kenosha, Nov. 22, 2018

Gene Smith Racine, Wis., May 30, 2019 friends of carthage

Jane (Baumgart) Christman Kenosha, Jan. 9, 2019

Rev. James Echols Philadelphia, Dec. 23, 2018

Marianne Goergen Kenosha, Dec. 15, 2018

William Kammerait Wautoma, Wis., Dec. 10, 2018

1981 Randall Bednar

Roy Kruse

Seneca, S.C., Feb. 1, 2019

Oak Park, Ill., Nov. 13, 2018

Harriett (Peterson) Goetluck

Donna Langan

Venice, Fla., May 9, 2019

1982 Martha (Sackett) Fowler Kenosha, Feb. 4, 2019

Carthage, Ill., Feb. 10, 2019

Douglas Schrandt Kenosha, Feb. 27, 2019

W. Scott Thom Atlanta, March 7, 2019

Statesboro, Ga., March 27, 2019

See full obituaries at carthage.edu/alumni/inmemoriam/

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Summer Carthaginian 2019

Thank you, Jane Slezak Sturgeon ’75 and Lester Sturgeon, for making Carthage one of your philanthropic priorities.

Mrs. Sturgeon, along with her husband, Les, want to help women pursue an education at Carthage.

Their generous donation created the Jane Slezak Sturgeon and Lester Sturgeon Endowed Scholarship, which will provide much needed financial support for young women majoring in the natural sciences.

Mrs. Sturgeon knows firsthand the financial strain that can come with higher education. Her older sister, Cathleen ’72, was already enrolled at Carthage when she also decided to attend. It was only through the support of her parents and the help of three different scholarships that she was able to pursue an education at Carthage. It is because of the Sturgeons’ awareness of the financial burden that comes with pursuing higher education that they are endowing this scholarship.

This endowed scholarship isn’t the only way Mrs. Sturgeon, a 2001 Distinguished Alumni Service Award recipient, has made an impact at Carthage. She was instrumental in establishing the Alumni Association Scholarship more than 20 years ago.

Mrs. Sturgeon also served on the President’s Leadership Council and is a member of the Leadership Giving Society and the Denhart Society.

The Sturgeons’ gift will count towards the 150 Years of Carthage Women fundraising goals. We hope this yearlong celebration commemorating 150 years of educating women will inspire meaningful donations by women, for women, and on behalf of women.

leaders in philanthropy Leadership Giving Society members give $1,000 or more in the most recent fiscal year. Tiers within the society recognize higher levels of giving, and graduated giving levels are available for recent alumni.

Membership is renewable annually.

Members of the Enduring Gift Society have cumulative lifetime giving totaling $100,000 or more (exclusive of estate commitments).

Tiers within the society recognize higher levels of giving.

Membership is lifetime.

Coming soon: the Alford Park Loyalty Society, which recognizes donors who contribute to the College year after year at any level.

Members of the Denhart Society have included Carthage in their estate plans.

Membership is lifetime.

See honor rolls and learn more about all levels of giving at carthage.edu/give/recognition

IN MEMORIAM Rev. Erno Dahl The Rev. Erno Dahl, who worked to strengthen ties with the community and the Lutheran church as Carthage president from 1977 to 1986, died March 12 at age 90. He lived in San Antonio with his wife, Suzanne.

Pastor Dahl, whose presidency was the fourthlongest in the College’s history, emphasized in a 1977 interview that “small colleges like Carthage have much to offer simply because they are ‘small’.” He also served as president of the Council of Lutheran Church in America Colleges.

“To his credit, even 40 years ago Erno Dahl deeply understood the enduring value of a Carthage education,” said President John Swallow. “The higher ed landscape has certainly changed in the ensuing years, but his contributions should remind us that our roots remain a major source of the College’s

Patrick Pfaffle

distinctiveness.”

After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Pastor Dahl earned a Ph.D. in British religious thought from the University of Durham in England. He held faculty and administrative positions at small Lutheran institutions in Texas and Ohio before accepting the top position at Carthage.

“I remember him as a kind and gentle man, fully engaged in all aspects of the institution,” said Professor Kurt Piepenburg ’77, who joined the faculty in 1984. “He was simultaneously reflective and inspirational, and Carthage is a better place because of his leadership.”

Pastor Dahl later ministered to Lutheran congregations in Texas on an interim basis and served as an ambassador for Lutheran Social Services. The College awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2009, and five scholarships are presented annually to incoming students in his name.

Pamela Sherer Patrick Pfaffle, a professor of biology whose vibrant spirit rubbed off on students and infused humanitarian work 3,000 miles away, died May 25 from pancreatic cancer. He was 59.

He had taught at the College since 1997, chairing the Biology Department for 15 of those years. Professor Paul Martino marveled at his colleague’s “ability to mesmerize students” with

passionate teaching.

Prof. Pfaffle is perhaps most associated with the popular J-Term study tour to Nicaragua, which has drawn more than 1,000 students since he first offered it in 2002. In 2005, he brought geospatial science professor Matthew Zorn on board.

“Pat and I had a chemistry. The students could sense that,” Prof. Zorn says. “They would always see us clowning around, sharing life experiences — pretty much like brothers.”

The two faculty members expanded the course’s service scope to include water supply and renewable energy projects. With support from a group of donors, they built Carthage’s first international field station in 2013.

Friends in the Carthage community plan to honor Prof. Pfaffle by installing a wayfaring sign that points toward Nicaragua and by establishing a scholarship fund for students to travel on the study tour.

To contribute to either initiative, contact Bridget Haggerty, executive director of institutional advancement, at bhaggerty1@carthage.edu or 262-551-6572.

Groundbreaking educator and management consultant Pamela Sherer ’71 died April 7 in Providence, Rhode Island. She was 69.

Prof. Sherer devoted the last 27 years of her higher education career to Providence College, retiring in 2018. Her articles and lectures contributed to the use of technology in instructional design and the study of classroom and workplace diversity. She and her husband helped set up an industrial management academy in China in the early 1980s.

Carthage presented Prof. Sherer the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in 2011, and she served on the President’s Leadership Council.

Mark Barmak Trustee Emeritus Mark E. Barmak, age 77, passed away May 5 in Encinitas, California.

Mr. Barmak joined the Carthage Board of Trustees in 1998 and became secretary two years later. He held that office until completing his board service in 2013, chairing the Human Resources Committee for several years along the way.

Born and educated on the East Coast, Mr. Barmak settled in Lake Bluff, Illinois, where he spent 30 years as an attorney for health care giant Abbott Laboratories. He retired as vice president for government affairs in 2002.

See full obituaries at carthage.edu/alumni/inmemoriam/

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Summer Carthaginian 2019

Brothers... Teamates... Mentors

3 1 Carthage alumni participated in a variety of events over the spring semester, including: 1 – Delta Upsilon 25th Anniversary Reunion

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2 – Men’s Soccer (1967-1973) Reunion 3 – Seniors in the City – Zywave, Milwaukee 4–S eniors in the City – Grant Thornton, Chicago 5 – Track and Field Alumni Gathering

2 5

connect with

carthage The alumni newsletter is getting a new look this summer! Subscribe today to learn about alumni news and events.

For more information, visit carthage.edu/alumni

carthage.edu

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SHOW YOUR

PRIDE!

Visit us online at

carthage.bncollege.com or in the Campbell Student Union!

Barnes & Noble at Carthage is the official campus bookstore.

Find Carthage apparel and souvenirs, reading or textbooks, and an assortment of gifts and gift cards, in addition to all of your supply needs!

262-551-5778 • 800-551-6202 • 2001 Alford Park Drive • Kenosha, WI 53140

Class Notes Submission Form

Deadline for the next issue is Nov. 1, 2019

Name (first/maiden/current last name)

Professional Title

Spouse’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)

Class Year

Employer

Class Year

SPRE ADING THE WORD

Street Address

City

Home Phone

State ZIP

Business Phone

Email

Marriage Announcement News

(attach additional sheets as necessary)

Photos are welcome! (Please send non-returnable photos) Besides family updates, here are some other examples of news for alumni to share: • Job changes, promotions, or retirements • Awards and other milestones (professional or recreational) • Publications, studio recordings, art exhibitions, etc.

• New service projects, civic appointments, etc.

• Third-generation (or more) Carthage students

Name (first/maiden/current last name)

Class Year

Spouse’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)

Class Year

Date of Marriage

City and State of Current Residence

Birth/Adoption Announcement Mother’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)

Class Year

Father’s Name (first/last)

Class Year

Daughter’s Name (first/middle/last)

Son’s Name (first/middle/last)

Place of Birth

Date of Birth

Death Announcement Name of Deceased (first/maiden/current last name)

City and State of Residence

Class Year

Date of Death

Survivor (first/maiden/current last name)

Relationship

Class Year

Survivor (first/maiden/current last name)

Relationship

Class Year

Tear off this form along the perforated edge and mail back to: Carthage College, Alumni Relations, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha WI 53140 Class notes and photos also may be submitted online: carthage.edu/alumni/class-notes

PAGE FROM THE PAST

A slice of Carthage history from the Staubitz Archives

The brief, compelling Ruth Wick administration Though short in duration, Ruth Wick’s role as a senior administrator at Carthage deserves to be freed from the file cabinet of historical footnotes.

Brought in by new president Morris Wee in 1950, the new vice president for student personnel was clearly held in high regard.

That October, the College took the unusual step of inaugurating both of them.

Pomp and circumstance aside, few women in that era held senior offices in higher education.

“In fact, I know of no coeducational college or university which has this arrangement,” Gould Wickey, an official with the former United Lutheran Church in America, said at the inauguration.

In his authoritative history, “The Miracle of Carthage,” Harold Lentz — who entered the story a tad later — noted that the two administrators drew from a wide knowledge of best practices.

“Together they dared to try a number of plans that altered student outlook and replaced pessimism and fault finding with a positive and

enthusiastic attitude,” he wrote.

When President Wee abruptly announced his resignation less than a year into his term, however, it thrust Ms. Wick into the role of acting president.

Even on an interim basis, her promotion came at a time when only two co-ed colleges in the United States had previously elected a woman as their top administrator. There’s no indication that she sought the permanent position.

Steering with a steady hand for five months until President Harold Lentz took office in March 1952, Ms. Wick left the College at the end of that semester. In her only presidential report, she cited reasons for concern (declining enrollment) and encouragement (first appearance in Good Housekeeping magazine’s list of top small colleges).

“One can hardly conceive of a more difficult position in which to be placed than the one in which she found herself this past year,” Mr. Lentz stated in his first Report of the President. “She has given ample evidence of her high qualities of mind and spirit.”

Dr. Margery Johnson, whose adoptive mother and Ms. Wick were sisters, was unaware of the Carthage chapter in her aunt’s lengthy Lutheran educational career. In her earliest memories, Ms. Wick ran a student exchange program at the national church headquarters in New York.

In describing Ms. Wick, who died in 1994, Dr. Johnson paints a picture of an articulate woman who expressed strong opinions but fit in socially as “one of the guys” with a cocktail and a smoke. A church official once confided that, if Ms. Wick had been born a man, a bishop’s seat would’ve awaited.

“She had quite a presence in a male-dominated field,” says Dr. Johnson, a children’s psychiatrist and Northwestern University professor in Chicago.

“She was not a shrinking violet.”

Dedicated to her profession and, later, her mother’s care, Ms. Wick never married. Her churchrelated duties necessitated frequent trips, and she’d bring back dolls from exotic locales.

“We all just absolutely adored her, because she traveled the world,” Dr. Johnson says. “Ruth had this whole different lifestyle than anyone else I knew.”

Explore the rich history of Carthage at carthage.edu/library/archives

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Summer Carthaginian 2019