The Carthaginian Magazine – Winter 2025

Rise and Shine

CARTHAGE IN THE YEAR 2030: President Swallow’s bold vision for a bright future

People on campus were treated to stunning views of the aurora borealis, better known as the northern lights, on Oct. 10. Unusually strong solar storms made the colorful display visible across a much wider area than normal.

Carthage in the Year 2030

In this Q&A, President John Swallow details his ambitious but realistic vision for the College.

Building Up to the Takedown

Since their first women’s wrestling meet in 2021, the Firebirds have soared in both numbers and stature.

Meet the Programming Playwright

Making use of his two majors, Professor Rick Bingen ’15 teaches computer science by day and develops theatrical scripts by night.

THE CARTHAGINIAN

Volume 104, Number 1

President’s Message

Yes, Carthage is a private college, but one that serves the wider public.

On Campus

With $2.6 million in grant and donor funding, the Nursing Department’s footprint will soon grow.

Athletics

See what’s trending for the Firebirds, including the impending retirement of baseball coach Augie Schmidt IV.

The Arts

As the Christmas Festival tradition turned 150, Carthaginians shared their favorite memories.

Alumni

Stay in the loop with news from our accomplished graduates.

Homecoming 2024

Meet the Beacon Award recipients and two alumni comedians, plus see changes coming to Carthage reunions.

Class Notes

Alumni share milestones from their careers and families.

In Memoriam

Faculty & Staff

Carthage remembers the Rev. Dean Peterson, Annette Kilver ’52, and others who touched our lives. 28 34 37 3 46 4 22 27 41 16

Our professors are breaking new ground in computer science, biology, and public policy — all to enhance student learning.

A Crimson Thread

See how Carthaginians of all eras and roles are connected, from a family of rockers to the man who brought us a breakfast staple.

The Carthaginian, produced biannually in winter and summer, is the official magazine of Carthage College. The Office of Marketing and Communications compiles the content in collaboration with the Office of Advancement to inform and engage alumni, students and their families, employees, and friends of the College. All issues published since 2013-14 can also be viewed online: carthage.edu/carthaginian

Carthaginian Editorial Team

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Elizabeth Young

Managing Editor

Mike Moore

Design/Art Direction

Steve Janiak

Kim King ’06

Jess Thierfelder ’20

Photographers/ Illustrators

Steve Janiak

Hunter Montano

Mike Gryniewicz

Kassidy Nader ’27

Kamren White ’26

Kayleigh Wieska ’26

Contributing Writers

Mike Moore

Julie Thomas

Jason Bennett

Freedom Tomasello ’27

Destiny Garcia ’28

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Jeff Hamar ’80

President

John R. Swallow

Vice President for Advancement

Philip Hood

For More Information

The Carthaginian

Office of Marketing and Communications 2001 Alford Park Drive Kenosha, WI 53140 262-551-6021 • editor@carthage.edu

Update Address/Mailing Preferences carthage.edu/mycontactinfo 800-551-1518 alumnioffice@carthage.edu

Among the many confusing words we have to describe colleges, one that can get in the way for Carthage is “private.” That’s particularly the case when people conclude that we can’t use the word “public” to describe the good work we do.

Carthage is private, of course, in the sense of private enterprise, and that is one of our greatest strengths. Over our long history, Carthage has been more enterprising than most private colleges. We are also far more enterprising than slower-moving, often bureaucratic agencies and institutions of government that we term “public.”

The confusion comes when prospective students associate “private” with “exclusive” as well as “expensive,” or when community-minded philanthropists associate communitymindedness more with public institutions than private ones. In short, the nub of the confusion is believing that Carthage’s mission and impact are private, only for some, and not for others.

The College is most emphatically not here only for the benefit of a certain group of people, separate from the rest of society. Certainly Carthage has a distinct history, a distinct identity, and a distinct understanding of education — but our

A private college of public purpose

intention is to benefit as many people as we can.

Many colleges, especially in New England, have a different history, and you can feel that legacy today. Walk onto some of those campuses and you gain the sense, perhaps unspoken, that some people won’t belong there, and that it’s part of the college’s identity. That’s not the Midwestern model, however.

Carthage has chosen a different path — one of openness — from the beginning. Francis Springer, the first president of what was then named Hillsboro College, was clear from the beginning that Carthage sought to educate many students, certainly not only Lutherans.

Later, about the successor institution to Hillsboro, then in Springfield, Illinois, he minced no words about the intent to educate more people in “thorough and practical” ways: “the organization of our institution is on a scale of comprehensive usefulness.”

The College’s aspirations to educate the entire state was evident even in its name at the time: Illinois State University. What private university would put the word “State” in its name? One with truly public purposes.

Today, as Carthage College, the same

public commitment shines through. The State Building Commission recently granted Carthage $1.3 million to expand our nursing facilities so we can educate more nurses for Wisconsin’s needs.

Trustee Tom Duncan (also the parent of a Carthage graduate) pledged the matching funds — again, because he and his family have long seen needs in healthcare and wanted to be part of a solution. (You can read more about the nursing program expansion on page 5.)

Retired Kenosha cardiologist Tim Sanborn recently committed a $1 million endowment gift for Carthage pre-medical students, with a preference for students from Kenosha. He knows the community will need medical practitioners in the future.

Too many people, unfamiliar with Carthage, may assume that publicly funded institutions are the only ones whose missions are truly public in purpose. If you encounter one, tell them our history and our future trajectory. We are a private college of public purpose and ever-growing impact.

John R. Swallow

on campus

As part of the year-opening Carthage Kickoff Days in fall 2024, students could take rides in a tethered hot air balloon.

Carthage receives $2.6M for nursing expansion

Thanks to $2.6 million in outside funding, Carthage plans to expand its nursing facilities to accommodate that steadily growing program.

In October, Wisconsin’s State Building Commission awarded the College $1.3 million through a grant program designed to boost critical infrastructure and services in communities across the state. Carthage trustee Tom Duncan and his wife, Jan, pledged a matching donation.

The new funding equips the College for an essential buildout as the number of nursing students and academic offerings continues to climb. To supplement existing classroom and lab space in Lentz Hall, part of the lower level of Hedberg Library

will also be renovated for future nurses to practice skills.

“Seeing what could come knocked our socks off,” said Mr. Duncan, a retired healthcare executive, after the couple toured Carthage’s current and future nursing spaces.

With a separate $70,000 grant from the Franklin I. and Irene List Saemann Foundation, Carthage recently purchased a set of advanced virtual reality headsets and a robust medical simulation library. The highly responsive technology lets nursing students navigate thousands of patient care scenarios.

The new Virtual Reality Lab and the original simulation lab (with programmable

mannequins) conveniently provide extra experiential learning right on campus. Nursing students raved to Mr. Duncan about the confidence that instills as they prepare to enter clinical sites in the community.

“How significant is that to give them hands-on experience before they ever interact with a real patient?” he said.

Student demand has spiked since Carthage launched the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in 2015, making it consistently the most popular major offered. BSN enrollment rose to 361 last fall, and the additional space means the College can soon admit even more nursing students.

Carthage has a 100% job placement rate for its nursing graduates. Administrators link that remarkable success to the department’s compassionate, expert faculty and comprehensive program.

Paul Martino, dean for the Division of Professional Studies, says the new funding will “move us one step closer to solving the Wisconsin nursing shortage.” By 2035, an estimated 23,000 registered nurses will be needed annually to meet the state’s healthcare needs — far more than the 3,500 or so who graduate each year from Wisconsin’s colleges and universities now.

The facility expansion will also support Carthage’s year-old Certified Nurse Aide training program, which equips participants with the essential skills they need for an entry-level healthcare position in less than a month. The Duncans previously established a scholarship that continues to cover the tuition of selected CNA students.

Carthage designed a similar session for high school students in Brookfield, a Milwaukee suburb. The first group graduated in November, completing much of their clinical work right at Brookfield East High School.

In the process, the students earned two general education credits toward a bachelor’s degree.

Carthage’s new Virtual Reality Lab in Lentz Hall gives nursing students the ability to simulate a wide array of patient scenarios.

During the fall semester, Carthage …

SPARKLED inside the brand new Engineering Center, which crews completed shortly before the fall semester. In the second phase of renovations on the lower level of Lentz Hall, the thriving engineering program added an Electro-Mechanical Lab, a Thermal-Fluid Lab, a seminar room, faculty offices, and a research space.

CAPTIVATED

the campus community with a Firebirds mosaic that visiting artist and magician Steven Brundage created in about six hours Oct. 1 using 800 mini-Rubik’s Cubes. He’s built similar mosaics depicting the late Kobe Bryant and other celebrities. This one hangs in the Campbell Student Union.

FULFILLED

a dream of education professor Jacqueline Easley, who established a Carthage Community Literacy Center at the new Kenosha Emerging Leaders Academy in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. Activities at the center will serve elementary and middle school students, parents, multilingual residents, and K-12 reading teachers.

INVITED

speaker roundup

Reinforcing its standing as the epicenter of innovative ideas in the region, Carthage brought in an array of expert guests to share their insights with students and the wider community. These were some of the highlights from fall 2024:

Sept. 12 – Susan Crawford, a climate adaptation expert who advised the Obama administration, spoke to the Business and Professional Coalition regarding Wisconsin’s power and data outlook.

Sept. 20 – Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren fielded a range of questions about “Leading Change in Sports” in the keynote session at the second annual Spotlight on Sports conference, held in connection with the College’s fast-growing graduate business program in sports management.

Oct. 10 – Neil Hoyne, chief strategist at Google, told the Carthage community how existing skills equip innovators to take more risks and move faster. The Aspire Center, which coordinates career services at the College, sponsored the event.

Nov. 12 – Three alumni tech leaders delved into “AI and Cybersecurity” at the Business and Professional Coalition’s final fall luncheon: Kristopher Keckler ’97, chief information officer for Kenosha Unified School District; Andrew Munson ’98, senior manager of information risk management and governance for the McDonald’s Corporation; and Victoria Nguyen ’05, co-founder of Servitium Cyber.

qualified applicants to campus to compete for two new, full-tuition scholarships that advance the College’s commitment to affordability. The History/English/ Creative Writing Scholarship competition took place Nov. 15, and the first Teacher Education Scholarship competition is scheduled for Jan. 24.

Carthage College Community Literacy Center

Pastor Adam embraces campus learning curve

Six months into his ministry at Carthage, Pastor Adam is building bridges.

After his appointment as campus pastor in July, the Rev. Adam Miller-Stubbendick spent the fall semester getting to know the community and assessing how the Center for Faith and Spirituality can support students’ needs. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the College welcomes students from all faith and non-faith traditions.

Since his ordination in 2008, Pastor Miller-Stubbendick has sought out opportunities for spiritual growth in many places. His diverse pastoral journey exemplifies the “rooted and open” blueprint that Carthage and other ELCA schools follow.

Previously, he and his family spent 18 unforgettable months in Jerusalem and the West Bank, coordinating an ELCA service program for young adults. The placement was supposed to last four years, but the Israel-Hamas war forced them to evacuate in October 2023.

Pastor Miller-Stubbendick also served congregations in Nebraska and New York, as well as students at Elon University in North Carolina. He considers it a privilege to walk alongside college-aged students

as they encounter life’s triumphs and challenges.

“Being a caring adult who helps them discover how their passions and talents and gifts align is holy and life-changing work,” he says.

The Rev. Tom Gaulke served as interim pastor for the 2023-24 school year, allowing Carthage to conduct an expansive search for a long-term successor to the Rev. Kara Baylor. After nine impactful years in the position, she passed away from cancer in May 2023.

Throughout the interview process, Pastor Miller-Stubbendick was drawn to the Carthage mission statement: Seeking

attend the installation

Truth, Building Strength, Inspiring Service — Together. That last unifying word, “together,” particularly resonates with him.

“We need one another,” he explains. “I’m grateful to be welcomed to Carthage by incredible faculty and staff colleagues. I’m excited to get to know who the students are and what we might be able to do together along this little patch of Lake Michigan.”

Born and raised in Nebraska, Pastor Miller-Stubbendick has a bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He and his wife, Jordan (likewise an ordained ELCA minister), have two sons.

Join us Thursday, March 27, for the formal installation of the Rev. Adam Miller-Stubbendick as campus pastor at Carthage. Planned public events will begin at 11:30 a.m. that day and include an installation ceremony led by the Rev. Paul Erickson, bishop for the ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod; a community luncheon; and a panel discussion examining Lutheran identity in higher education. For details and registration information, check upcoming issues of your monthly email newsletter (The Beacon or Parent and Family Connection) or visit: carthage.edu/pastoradam

Teach for America chooses Carthage to help alleviate teacher shortage

Teach for America recently selected Carthage as its new regional partner to address an ongoing teacher shortage in Milwaukee.

A diverse cohort of 20 Teach for America (TFA) Milwaukee corps members began Carthage’s well-established Accelerated Certification for Teachers (ACT) program last fall. Under a teaching license with stipulations, these new educators can provide classroom instruction while they progress toward full Wisconsin licensure.

Teach for America attracts college graduates and career changers from a wide range of fields through a rigorous recruitment and selection process. Corps members make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become long-term stakeholders in the effort to end educational inequity.

“At Carthage, we share Teach for America’s goal to ensure that all students receive an excellent education, regardless of their neighborhood ZIP code,” said Education Department chair Nina Weisling, a 2003 alumna of TFA Philadelphia. “Together, we’re

responding to the urgent call for more teachers in the buildings where they’re needed most.”

The new partnership dovetails with the mission of Carthage’s immersive Urban Teacher Preparation Program, as well as broader institutional goals designed to close opportunity gaps.

This new section of the Carthage certification program is exclusively open to TFA Milwaukee corps members, with faculty providing the training in person. Participants can obtain Wisconsin teaching licenses in as little as two years, with the option to complete the College’s full Master of Education program.

“We are excited to partner with Carthage to develop our corps members into exceptional educators who will make a lasting impact in their communities,” says TFA Milwaukee executive director Michael Nguyen.

Approximately 550 Teach for America alumni have served in Milwaukee schools since the organization began local operations in 2009.

Teach for America Milwaukee corps member Isac Wineke teaches world history at the Milwaukee Academy of Science while enrolled in Carthage’s accelerated certification program.

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MyCarthage

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Find links to this and other digital content, plus current and past issues of The Carthaginian magazine: carthage.edu/carthaginian

This vision sets out an ambitious and realistic future for a strong, successful Carthage during a challenging and dynamic decade. It hearkens back to some of our most energetic and enterprising days, in the 1960s and later in the early 2000s, when we successfully expanded our educational offerings, taught more

students, and brought them a quality education that has always characterized Carthage.

I am incredibly energized by the challenge, and I am confident that together we can achieve each one of these goals, completing the next chapter of Carthage’s future, on our way to the many chapters that will follow.

Carthage in the Year 2030

A Q&A with President John Swallow on his bold vision for Carthage’s bright future

Goals:

3,000 total students

85% retention from students’ first to second year, with NO DIFFERENCE by race, gender, or income level

$10 million per year in giving Modernization of four iconic spaces at the heart of campus life: A. F. Siebert Chapel, Wartburg Theatre, Todd Wehr Center, and Campbell Student Union

As we march into the second half of the 2020s, President John Swallow has put forward a clear vision for Carthage in the year 2030. In this Q&A, we asked President Swallow to elaborate on that vision and its quantifiable targets.

President Swallow, what are the core goals of your vision for Carthage in 2030?

Over the next five years, we will work relentlessly to fortify Carthage’s existing strengths: opportunity, quality, and affordability. My vision for 2030 hinges on these goals:

We will grow the College’s enrollment — combining undergraduate and graduate students — to 3,000, a 9% increase from the 2,763 we totaled last fall.

We will raise the first- to second-year retention rate to 85% and the four-year graduation rate to 67%, with no gaps by race, gender, or income.

We will upgrade A. F. Siebert Chapel, Wartburg Theatre, the Todd Wehr Center, and the Campbell Student Union while finalizing preparations to modernize our legacy residence halls. We will bring in $10 million per year in total giving, doubling the current fundraising level.

By working together to accomplish these goals, we will draw the supportive Carthage community together more closely than ever.

Declining birth rates and rising public skepticism about the value of a college degree have schools across the country competing for a dwindling pool of students. How can Carthage navigate the stormy sea to accomplish these ambitious goals?

Simply put, we have built a better boat than the rest.

We know what families want: real affordability, wide opportunity and support for students, and programs of high quality. Today, as public frustration grows with institutions that fail to deliver, our families find all these things at Carthage and trust us. As a result, our undergraduate and graduate enrollment has grown over the last three years, even as most schools face declines.

We’ve been relentless on affordability. In 2019 we became the first private institution in Wisconsin to announce a significant tuition reduction of 30%. Later, we launched the Carthage Commitment, whereby lower-income Wisconsin residents can attend Carthage with no out-of-pocket tuition costs. A family at Carthage now pays, on average, 30% less in tuition than families did over a decade ago. That’s real affordability.

On the other side, we’ve been relentless on opportunity and value. We set out a four-year graduation guarantee, added 17 undergraduate and four master’s degree programs, and launched four new varsity sports. We developed The Aspire Program, now nationally recognized for career development. That’s real opportunity. Together with real affordability, that’s real value.

And so, while other colleges bail water, Carthage’s boat has strengthened year after year. Even during the pandemic, faculty and staff gathered to crystallize the team attributes that define us: curiosity, courage, and compassion; clarity, teamwork, and accountability. As new faculty and staff join us, we share these attributes to reinforce and sustain the culture at Carthage’s heart.

Looking over Carthage’s history, we see that relentless enterprise and resolve are in our DNA — precisely what presidents Harold Lentz and F. Gregory Campbell harnessed and what our forebears bequeathed to us.

As President Lentz put it in 1974, in a decade of similarly extraordinary challenges for higher education, “Carthage lives now … with widespread recognition as a strong college, succeeding while many institutions are dying, moving steadily forward in times of great difficulty for higher education in general. As a battle-hardened veteran among the older colleges in the Midwest, it has learned the secrets of success.”

How integral is Carthage’s long-term presence to the region?

We live in a time when institutions across the country have lost traction and are struggling to serve their purposes effectively. The reasons are many and interrelated: an emphasis on process over outcome, a tolerance for inefficiency, and a failure to adapt.

Against this backdrop, Carthage’s presence in this region is more integral than ever. There is no doubt in my mind that Carthage stands apart as the nonprofit institution best positioned to accomplish the most in our region. Certainly we are part of the economic backbone; a recent study found that Kenosha County’s economy alone would shrink by 2% without us.

But our impact is far more than economic. Our liberal arts-educated graduates, alongside our talented and committed faculty and staff, lead the region toward a richer culture. From nurses to engineers to scientists, from musicians to theatre professionals, from accountants to teachers to entrepreneurs, from artists to arts administrators, we develop talent for our whole region.

Our graduates already drive nonprofits like United Way of Kenosha County and The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread in Racine, while businesses from AbbVie to Northwestern Mutual employ many of our alumni. Prestigious organizations nationwide, from Deloitte to NASA, regularly hire our students, showcasing the capacity we have to support our growing region.

Carthage’s ability to solve problems in the region, directly and through

partnerships, is why we matter. We are fulfilling the promise made when we arrived in Kenosha: to make a difference. We have, and we will.

Why is growth such a key component in your vision?

When you step back and view Carthage’s long history, you see that growth in enrollment has always been part of its vision for the future — and growth has certainly been part of Carthage’s best years.

From the very beginning in 1847, Carthage sought to teach not only Lutherans, but students regardless of denomination. In 1870, the College first enrolled women. Then, in the 1940s, Carthage offered its first off-site classes and started new master’s degrees.

Once in Kenosha, Carthage grew from 300 traditional undergraduates in 1962 to more than 2,600 today, a fact our alumni proudly celebrate. This growth encapsulates our purpose: to transform more lives, help all students achieve their potential, and, through our

“ We live in a time when institutions across the country have lost traction and are struggling to serve their purposes effectively. … Against this backdrop, Carthage is more integral than ever.”

graduates, share our light with others. We are the second-largest private college or university in Wisconsin, and certainly the largest devoted to teaching.

What does growth mean? Growth means greater affordability for our students. Growth ensures our residence halls remain full even if more students choose to commute. Growth fills opportunity gaps left as other institutions decline and close. Growth means being responsive, not static; inclusive, not exclusive.

By growth, I do not mean unrestrained growth, or growth we cannot handle organizationally. But I do mean using our resources effectively to achieve greater impact.

We should recognize that our forebears have bequeathed to us significant resources for the development of students, and we are called to grow those resources further for the same purposes. At the moment, many of our facilities are in outstanding condition, attracting students and serving them well, but it is now our turn to renovate some of our oldest facilities.

Similarly, our endowment, while small on a per-student basis compared to many other private colleges, is nevertheless a vital aspect of our capacity to educate with excellence. With effort, it can be built to support even more students.

Giving students the resources they need to excel remains central to President Swallow’s vision for Carthage in 2030.

As Carthage expands in size and academic focus, how will it maintain its roots?

One of the most powerful themes in Carthage’s long history is its ongoing efforts, decade after decade and in locale after locale, to expand in enrollment and scope. Carthage’s roots have sought growth and enterprise as much as they have sought stability.

Even as we push ahead in this necessary evolution, rest assured: The very attributes that shaped the vibrant institution you know and love will remain central to Carthage’s identity.

Our faculty will continue to teach small classes — treating every student not as a number or a name on a seating chart, but as a multidimensional person with gifts to contribute and potential to unlock. The general education requirements that faculty passed in 2019 ensure all bachelor’s degree students have a liberal arts education suited to them, whether English and math majors (as I was) or nurses and engineers.

Our faculty actively seek new courses,

subjects, certifications, and degrees that Carthage can offer. They stand at the forefront of bringing the liberal arts to more students. This is innovative liberal arts. This is forward-thinking liberal arts.

We remain firm in our belief that a Carthage education should cultivate vital habits of mind and spirit, benefiting all students in their practical vocations, regardless of discipline or trajectory.

Numbers aside, how do you picture the atmosphere on campus in 2030?

That is an important question. I envision an atmosphere that combines the joy and wonder that Carthage experienced under President Campbell in the early 2000s, together with the clear-eyed realism and confidence in Carthage’s relentless resolve that this community experienced in the late 1960s and early 1970s under President Lentz.

Alumni and friends will return to see the same Carthage they know, where every student has what they need to succeed, now expressed even more impressively. The campus will remain

lively, full of activity, with earnest, hardworking students walking Campus Drive in red Firebird gear, their hearts full of spirit.

Carthaginians will marvel at their role in helping Carthage upgrade older facilities, enroll more students, and offer new programs. They will smile with satisfaction at the elevation of Siebert Chapel, Wartburg Theatre, and the Todd Wehr Center, and talk enthusiastically about plans for the original residence halls.

The shared pride in Carthage’s achievements, combined with the constant love felt on campus in teaching and guiding students, will bring the college closer in a sense of purposeful community unique in our lifetimes.

What makes you confident that vision will become reality?

The fact pattern is simply there, in area after area. When we set our minds to something, we achieve great progress. When we set to work closing equity gaps in retention, we saw a 40 percentage-

point increase in Black student retention, and 10 percentage points for Hispanic students, first-generation students, and Pell grant students — and overall retention improved.

When we launched new programs, they’ve met demand and attracted students: nursing, engineering, healthcare administration, sports management, and others. And we’ve found ways to attract more students into existing programs, like musical theatre.

This is not to say that all programs are growing, because student interest is changing. But the growing programs outpace declines, allowing Carthage to serve more students.

We have a solid foundation from which to build further. Our facilities are mostly in fine shape, allowing us to focus on Siebert Chapel, Wartburg Theatre, the Todd Wehr Center, and eventually the legacy residence halls. Our budget is balanced, our enrollment is growing, and our campaign is progressing.

It may surprise some to know that our resource base — as measured by net assets for a nonprofit or net position for a

“ T here is no greater urgency in these times than helping Carthage deliver our promising education to hard-working, talented students who see us as the path to a prosperous and meaningful future.

Simply put, this effort matters.”

government agency — is, on an absolute basis, greater than the taxpayers of Wisconsin have invested in all but four of the two- and four-year public institutions in the state.

All of this tells us we have an incredible foundation to build upon, and with additional resources, we will educate even more students with even greater excellence.

What actions are you hoping alumni, families, and other readers will take after learning about your vision?

I know Carthaginians are justifiably proud of our past, practical about the present, and eager to accomplish all that we can through the joy of educating students in the liberal arts and beyond. I hope alumni, families, and others will raise their hands and say, “I join this most important cause in celebration and support.”

There is no greater urgency in these times than helping Carthage deliver our promising education to hard-working, talented students who see us as the path to a prosperous and meaningful future. Simply put, this effort matters. Their future depends on it. The future of Carthage depends on it.

This is no time to be on the sidelines, but to take action. Only the strongest and most trusted institutions will secure a share of the future. Carthage is one of them now and will remain so, thanks to the support we have received in the past, the growing strength of supporters of the present, and our sharp focus on the future.

Building up to the takedown

Women’s wrestling program surges in numbers and stature

Persevering through injury, Firebirds wrestler Adele “The Animal” Senzig ’24, MSc ’25, pinned her opponent from UW-Stevens Point on Senior Night in January 2024. This powerful image, captured by student photographer Kayleigh Wieska ’26, earned NCAA Division III Photo of the Year recognition in the College Sports Communicators’ annual contest.

On the cusp of its inaugural season in 2021, the Carthage women’s wrestling program stood one person short.

Needing a fourth wrestler to reach the competitive minimum, then-coach Alberto Quiros persuaded Adele Senzig ’24, MSc ’25, to join the team. She came in as a true novice to the sport, unlike the other founding Firebirds — decorated Illinois high school wrestlers Natalie Majer ’25, Nadia Flores ’25, and Hilda Gonzalez ’25.

In the years since, the quantity on Carthage’s roster has begun to catch up to the quality. This season, the team swelled to 23 wrestlers — more than doubling the previous year’s 11.

“I got chills the first practice, seeing all the girls in there,” says Adele, who has developed into a team leader.

The program’s growth reflects a broader explosion in interest. Having written a senior thesis for her business management major on the rise in women’s athletics viewership and participation, Adele knows the metrics all point to girls’ wrestling as the fastest-growing high school sport nationwide.

That trend is likely to continue in the wake of the 2024 Olympics. Young girls and their parents watched four American women win freestyle wrestling medals in Paris.

Snowballing momentum has brought the sport to an important threshold at the collegiate level. Categorized as an “emerging sport” in recent years, women’s wrestling could soon get a promotion to full status — complete with annual NCAA championships.

from the ground up

Capitalizing on an unmet demand in the region, Carthage Athletics was an early adopter of women’s wrestling. For Nadia Flores, a two-time state qualifier with Morton West High School in suburban Chicago, that proved to be a “huge deciding factor” in the college search.

“Carthage has an amazing business program, but it had also just started the women’s wrestling program here,” she says, “which made it an easy choice for me.”

The core group of four embraced the responsibility of getting the program off the ground. In part because of that shared mission, team chemistry is off the charts.

“From the jump, we knew the goal was to help build it up,” Nadia says. “To see how far women’s wrestling has grown — not only on our team, but in general — over the past three years is a really great feeling.”

After gritting through that first season, Carthage promoted graduate assistant Jake Calhoun, MSc ’22, to head coach so both wrestling teams could have a dedicated leader. Coach Quiros continues to guide the men’s program, which he restarted after a 26-year hiatus.

Coach Calhoun likes the mental makeup of his team, noting the wrestlers’ commitment to service. They choose causes that are important to them and arrange to volunteer together, whether that’s packing meals to ship to malnourished children, making Christmas ornaments with senior citizens, or distributing diapers to foster families.

“Wrestlers are, quite frankly, built different.”

With tons of encouragement from her new best friends, Adele — who at first agreed to try wrestling simply as a one-time path to peak fitness — overcame a rough start to find a comfort level on the mat. Teammates nicknamed her “The Animal” for her ability to instantly power up during a match.

“Wrestlers are, quite frankly, built different,” she says with a smile.

Granted an extra year of eligibility due to the lost COVID-19 season, Adele returned midseason after recovering from ankle surgery. She’s pursuing a master’s degree in the Carthage sports management program, with plans to work in college athletics.

There’s still plenty of room for the sport to scale up. For the time being, Division I, II, and III schools are all lumped together for rankings and postseason competition.

Carthage isn’t backing down. Late last season, the Firebirds earned a top-25 rank in the coaches’ poll — a first for the program.

Standout Natalie Majer even defeated a D-I opponent last March in her third straight appearance at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships. Until the NCAA agrees to take over postseason competition — potentially as soon as 2026 — a coalition of U.S. wrestling organizations has filled

the gap by sponsoring that tournament. Natalie entered this season ranked No. 9 in the country at 117 pounds. That’s a promising endorsement as the senior takes one last run at elusive All-America status.

Most of the 2023-24 team returns, joined by a major influx of freshmen. For the first time, everyone has a practice partner in the same weight class.

“I love this sport, and I love helping the wrestlers learn life skills that not only help them on the wrestling mat, but also help them navigate their future careers, relationships, adversity they may face, and their lives altogether,” says Coach Calhoun. “I’m incredibly excited for the future of women’s wrestling at Carthage, and to continue building this program for years to come.”

Home meets and tournaments are streamed live on Carthage Athletics’ YouTube channel. See the upcoming schedule at: youtube.com/carthageathletics

Lessons from Grandpa T

The friendly volunteer assistant coach known around the wrestling room as “Grandpa T” won Carthage’s first national championship back in 1973.

Tom Adams ’73 capped off a 37-0 senior season by winning the 150-pound division title at the NAIA tournament. A newly fortified travel budget covered his travel expenses, unlike the previous season — when supportive students had to pool a week’s worth of unused lunch money to send him to Portland for the competition.

Mr. Adams lost just one match in two years after transferring to Carthage. For his success in wrestling as well as baseball, he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame with the first class in 1984.

Reinventing his career several times, Mr. Adams taught for 16 years and enjoyed stints as a police officer and nonprofit administrator while often coaching on the side. Now retired, he gives the Firebird women wrestling tips with a dose of spiritual encouragement.

His main messages? Commit to work hard year-round, but don’t base your own self-worth on winning and losing.

The Firebirds’ original four wrestlers are shown at the 2024-25 media day: (left to right) Adele Senzig, Hilda Gonzalez, Natalie Majer, and Nadia Flores. Although an injury prevents Hilda from competing this season, all four remain part of the women’s wrestling program.

Augie’s swan song

Hall of Fame baseball coach preps diamond heir

Another Carthage coaching legend is passing the torch.

Augie Schmidt IV, the driving force behind the baseball program for nearly four decades, announced he will retire as head coach after the upcoming 2025 season. Assistant coach John Lequia ’09 will succeed him.

In April, Coach Schmidt became the fourth active NCAA Division III baseball coach to reach 1,000 career wins. An article in the Summer 2024 issue of

The Carthaginian detailed his legacy at the College.

“I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been to be the head baseball coach at Carthage for the last 38 years,” he said in an Oct. 1 news release announcing the move. “My career at Carthage has allowed me to work with so many amazing people over the years — administrators, assistant coaches, and especially the players — without whom none of our success would have been possible.”

After the final out this spring, Coach Schmidt will hand over the keys to one of his former players. Transferring to Carthage as a senior, Coach Lequia made the all-region second team in 2009 as a first baseman.

Soon after graduating, he joined the coaching staff part-time. Since 2017, he’s been a full-time assistant for the Firebirds.

“I’m really excited to turn the baseball program over to John Lequia,” said Coach Schmidt. “He’s a Carthage guy through and through, played and coached here for the last 15 years. He’s going to do a great job, and I look forward to supporting him in the coming years.”

A native of Racine, Wisconsin, Coach Lequia has also provided hitting and highlevel athletic performance instruction to players from 12 to 22 at Hitters Baseball Academy in nearby Caledonia.

the stupendous seven

When John Lequia ascends to the top spot in baseball, he’ll join six other Carthage alumni who are molding student-athletes as head coaches for the Firebirds:

Maddie Berni ’23

Women’s Lacrosse

Jake Calhoun, MSc ’22

Women’s Wrestling

Steve Djurickovic ’11, M.Ed. ’18

Men’s Basketball

“Augie has meant a ton to me, and that is an understatement. I always say I have my college degree from Carthage and my baseball degree from Augie,” said Coach Lequia. “More importantly, Augie, the other coaches, and teammates at Carthage revived my passion for the game.”

The 2025 team looks to build on last year’s resurgent 23-19 mark and add to Coach Schmidt’s win total. He enters his final season with a remarkable 1,002-551-5 career record — all at Carthage.

He’s a shoo-in to join his father, Augie Schmidt III, in the Carthage Athletic Hall of Fame. Coach Schmidt has already been

Amy Gillmore ’94, M.Ed. ’04 Softball

Brady Lindsley ’95

Men’s and Women’s Tennis

Robert Xiong, MSc ’23

Esports

inducted into the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2013) and the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2014).

“Coach Schmidt has been the heart and soul of our baseball program,” said Ryan Kane, Carthage’s director of athletics. “His commitment to excellence, passion for the game, and dedication to shaping young student-athletes — not only into great players, but also exceptional individuals — has left a lasting legacy. His presence on and off the field will be deeply missed, but his influence will remain part of our program’s foundation for years to come.”

World Series shout-out

Second baseman Gavin Lux, who emerged as a key player in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2024 championship run, openly credits Uncle Augie for reviving his baseball career.

Mr. Lux, a nephew of Carthage coach Augie Schmidt IV, drove in the tying run in the World Series title-clinching game. Few could have envisioned that scenario just a few months earlier, when he came home to Kenosha in search of a solution to his lingering hitting woes.

Just as he’s done since childhood, Mr. Lux took batting practice at Carthage with his uncle. Together, they analyzed his swing, and the former top prospect regained his confidence.

After limping into the All-Star break with a .213 batting average, Mr. Lux hit a scorching .304 over the second half of the season. In interview after interview, the 27-year-old attributed the turnaround to that midseason work with Coach Schmidt.

Mr. Lux, who was traded to the Cincinnati Reds after the season, and his uncle share more than a family bond. Both were first-round Major League Baseball draft picks.

“It’s really great to have someone like that who’s been in your shoes and can relate to how you’re feeling,” Mr. Lux said during a practice session on campus in 2022. ”I’m really lucky to have that relationship.”

Longtime assistant John Lequia will succeed Augie Schmidt IV as Carthage’s head baseball coach after the 2025 season.

... and still going strong

In December, the College marked 150 years of the Carthage Christmas Festival with a series of three anniversary performances. Tens of thousands of Carthaginians have been touched by this shining community tradition, either as talented musical performers or joyful attendees — or both. As part of the celebration, we collected memories from alumni and students.

The Carthage Choir performs during the College’s 150th annual Christmas Festival in early December.

what’s your favorite memory of the christmas festival?

“Singing next to my good friends and hearing the harmonies resound in the chapel.”

– Robyn (Anderson) Muff ’80

“The buffet beforehand. It was so great seeing all my friends dressed up and enjoying delicious food while meeting lovely new people! It was an excellent way to unite before basking in the glorious musical experience later that night!”

– Kelly Sibert ’25

“Playing in the Carthage Wind Orchestra, Carthage Christmas Fest … constituted the greatest gift to the Carthage community in which I could participate as a student. Christmas Fest is as (if not more) intrinsic to my memory of my time at Carthage as Homecoming or Commencement. I will always treasure it.”

– Nate Card ’12

“When the chapel is filled with people, twinkling lights, and all of the student musicians coming together to make music, it is an experience that is hard to describe.” – Emma Conran ’25

“The holiday spirit filled every corner of the church when I sang in the Women’s Ensemble. My favorite piece at the Christmas Festival was when we performed from the center balcony instead of the main stage. I felt our voices pouring over, spreading joy to the sold-out audience.”

– Karissa Secora ’12

“It is life-changing, to say the least. You hear from all the beautiful choirs, the Wind Orchestra, and the Philharmonic Orchestra. It is beyond beautiful, and I look forward to it every year!”

– Jana Paulsen ’26

“The second verse of ‘Silent Night’ is a very special moment every year. This arrangement was created during my first year of teaching at Carthage. … The text ‘Christ the Savior is born’ is accompanied with a bold, affirmative statement in the brass. What better way to think about Christmas?”

– James Ripley, Director of Instrumental Music Activities

“The first Christmas concert in Siebert Chapel was particularly memorable. We were joined that historic afternoon by such an overflow crowd that we soon had to offer a second and then a third performance. For nearly a decade, we had shoehorned so many into the resonant Wartburg lobby … that the fire marshal finally forced us to move prematurely to Siebert. How lucky to have been a part of all that.”

– John Windh, Professor Emeritus of Music

To mark 150 years of the Carthage Christmas Festival, the Music Department commissioned a celebratory new piece. Composer Katherine Webb and lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri collaborated to create “Shining Star Carol,” which the College’s choral and instrumental ensembles premiered at the 2024 festival Dec. 6-8. View the recording at: youtube.com/carthagecollege

One month when the ink is always flowing

Inktober, a budding campus tradition, brings artists of all skill levels together each October to put pen to paper. Or pen to anything, really.

After starting it the previous year, Art Department faculty members Ryan Miller and Lisa Bigalke boosted the visibility of Carthage’s event last fall by linking it to the worldwide Inktober challenge. Each day throughout the month, a new theme guides participants — a one-word prompt like “Backpack,” “Discover,” or “Trek” that allows room for creative interpretation.

It’s not just designed for studio art majors. The College invites everyone to participate: students in all academic areas, faculty and staff members, even artists from the wider community.

Carthage held a series of workshops in October 2024 for those looking to experiment with

new methods and materials. Faculty demonstrated techniques in specialties like printmaking, illustration, and ceramics.

“The demonstrations allow nonmajors and minors to get some access to the Art Department without the commitment to a full semester of classes — and without the burden of being assessed,” says Prof. Miller.

Artists were encouraged to share their creations on social media using the #carthageinktober24 hashtag. Some displayed their work in the Visual and Performing Arts Lab, a space located just west of the College’s main art gallery.

Compared to the first year of Inktober on campus, participation increased across the board in 2024. Three students submitted pieces for all 31 Inktober prompts, earning exclusive T-shirts for completing the 2024 challenge.

Carthage students learned printmaking techniques in October, one of many art forms that Professor Jojin Van Winkle teaches in the course Foundations, Surface: Images + Design.

Taking inspiration from a single-word prompt each day, Inktober participants expressed their creativity using ink at Carthage throughout October.

Do you have a bachelor’s degree but want to further your education and advance your career? Enroll in a graduate program at Carthage. We offer master’s degree programs and certifications in a variety of fields.

master of science*

1 year

Business Design and Innovation

Product Management

Sports Management

master of education*

1.5 to 2 years

Accelerated Certification for Teachers

Bilingual Curriculum and Instruction

Sports Leadership in Education

Teacher Leadership

master of music

1 year

Music Pedagogy

Music Theatre Vocal Pedagogy

master of arts

2 years

Athletic Training

*These programs can be taken partially or entirely online.

Learn more at: carthage.edu/graduate

LEADERS IN PHILANTHROPY

Filled with positive energy

While visiting the campus with his church youth group as a high school freshman, Nathan Giebel ’12 immediately knew he wanted to attend Carthage.

Once he enrolled, Mr. Giebel made the most of the experience. Although he majored in economics and finance (even studying international finance in London during J-Term), his favorite class was one that Professor Eric Pullin taught on 19th century American history.

“I’ve always been interested in history,” he says, “and thankfully the flexibility of Carthage’s curriculum allowed me to pursue a variety of academic interests.”

Today, after several promotions, Mr. Giebel works as vice president of energy services at Satori Energy in Chicago. His duties primarily focus on sustainable energy sources.

“I would not be where I’m at today professionally without Carthage,” he acknowledges.

He met Satori founder and longtime Carthage trustee David C. Wiers ’98 while serving as a student representative to the Board of Trustees. Later, a recommendation letter from economics professor Ronald Cronovich helped Mr. Giebel gain graduate admission to the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, where he earned an MBA in 2018.

Over the years, he has remained involved at Carthage. While raising a young family, Mr. Giebel and his wife, Sarah Goldenberg, support the College financially as members of the Leadership Giving Society and the Alford Park Loyalty Society.

“There’s no amount of support for Carthage that’s too small,” he says. “I’m a true believer that it’s not how much you give, but rather the fact that you give at all.”

Now vice president of the Alumni Council, Mr. Giebel urges graduates to contribute in other ways, too — by attending Homecoming and other campus events, providing career opportunities and mentorship to students through The Aspire Program, or conducting scholarship interviews.

“Staying involved as a volunteer has made me realize the ways the school continues to respond to the needs of today’s students and their families,” he says. “It’s very encouraging to me.”

If you would like to create or contribute to a Carthage scholarship fund, please contact Angie Peterson in the Office of Advancement at apeterson5@carthage.edu or 262-551-5765.

Leadership Giving Society members give $1,000 or more cumulatively ($250 for alums 0-5 years out; $500 for alums 6-10 years out) to any area of the College in a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. Tiers recognize higher levels of giving. Membership is renewable annually.

Enduring Gift Society members have cumulative lifetime giving totaling $100,000 or more (exclusive of estate commitments). Tiers recognize higher levels of giving. Membership is lifetime.

Alford Park Loyalty Society members have contributed any amount to the College for three or more consecutive fiscal years (July 1 through June 30). Tiers recognize greater consecutive years of giving. Membership is renewable annually.

Denhart Society members have made Carthage a part of their legacy through estate commitments and planned gifts. Membership is lifetime.

Sustainer Society members have demonstrated an ongoing commitment by setting up recurring gifts that provide steady, reliable support for Carthage.

To learn more about our philanthropic societies and see online donor honor rolls, please visit: carthage.edu/leaders-in-philanthropy

Alumni

2024 Beacon Awards

At the biennial Beacon Awards ceremony Oct. 5, Carthage honored three alumni who provide light to their communities.

professional achievement

John McGinty Jr. ’72

Beacon Award recipient John McGinty Jr. has dedicated his career to healthcare leadership, transforming institutions and improving patient care across the country.

HOMETOWN: Columbus, Indiana

OCCUPATION: Founder and president of Peregrine Associates Inc., which provides healthcare consulting, legal consulting, and expert witness services

CARTHAGE REFLECTIONS: The Rev. Dudley Riggle’s teachings on Christianity encouraged Mr. McGinty to reflect deeply on his purpose in life, and his Carthage friendships — especially through Delta Omega Nu and the track-and-field team — remain a vital part of his life.

Compiling decades of expertise in governance, medical staff leadership, credentialing, and quality improvement, Mr. McGinty has earned roles on prominent boards — including the governor’s appointment to the Indiana State Department of Health Licensing Council.

personal achievement

Lauren Hansen ’10, M.Ed. ’15

Beacon Award recipient Lauren Hansen is a natural storyteller, a compassionate connector, and a leader whose heart for service has impacted countless lives.

HOMETOWN: Grayslake, Illinois

OCCUPATION: Author and podcaster

CARTHAGE REFLECTIONS: She thrived in leadership roles as a Carthage student and extended that commitment as director of alumni and parent programs from 2011 to 2017. In that role, Ms. Hansen worked alongside the Alumni Council to create these Beacon Awards.

Ms. Hansen has written two uplifting books: “Strangers on The Way: Finding God Through the People We Meet” and “Behind the Waterfall: Navigating the Uncharted Waters of Grief.” She’s also the founder of Fusion USA, a nonprofit that aims to empower communities, and hosts the weekly “Strangers on the Way” podcast.

young alumni achievement

Matthew Richer ’14

Beacon Award recipient Matthew Richer is a dedicated attorney, service member, and mentor who has used his talents to serve both his community and country.

HOMETOWN: Kenosha

OCCUPATION: Attorney at Alia DuMez & McTernan, officer in the U.S. Army Reserve

CARTHAGE REFLECTIONS: After transferring here, he found a home on the baseball team. Mr. Richer credits his Carthage coaches for instilling perseverance, leadership, and humility. He now assists the Firebirds’ catchers, in addition to mentoring pre-law students and the Mock Trial team.

Early in his career as a trial attorney, Mr. Richer’s highlights include successfully defending the city of Kenosha in federal lawsuits. As a reservist, he holds the rank of first lieutenant, serving in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

DANA EHRMANN ’15

ROBERT DORTCH ’18

Now living in Phoenix, Robert Dortch puts his Carthage communication major to use as the social media manager for Paul Davis Restoration. As a comedian, he has performed all over Arizona, as well as in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.

Punchline pros

Alumni comedians keep killing it

Adding more laughs to Homecoming and Family Weekend, Carthage held a comedy show featuring two talented alumni. Both are touring comedians alongside their day jobs, so we asked them what stand-up life is like.

Have you always been able to make people laugh?

R: Yeah, life is funny and beautiful if you let it be.

D: Yes. I grew up in a very funny household and had quiet-kid-in-the-back-makingjokes energy in school. Sometimes people laugh at what I say even when I’m completely serious, and I think, well, I must be even funnier than I thought.

What led you to try stand-up comedy?

R: I had a roommate and friend who kept pushing me to try it. He would have stand-up on TV and constantly say “That could be you,” and that went on for about a year.

D: Coming to Carthage, I knew I had to do something new to try to grow and make

With a degree in English and film studies from Carthage, Milwaukee resident Dana Ehrmann works as a marketing communications manager for the Wisconsin chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. She has done comedy shows all over Wisconsin but also frequently performs in other parts of the Midwest.

sure college wasn’t just high school 2.0. Stand-Up Comedy Club was an extracurricular, and I joined. Our first show went really well, so I just kept going. If it had gone poorly, there’s a good chance you wouldn’t be asking me these questions.

How long did it take you to get comfortable on stage?

R: Probably five months. It took a while to find my style and what made me comfortable, and even longer to find my voice.

D: For a few years, having a show later that night ruined my entire day because of nerves. Then I got to open for Charlie Berens in front of 600 people and, ever since, not even bigger crowds make me nervous.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned after performing this long?

R: No one can tell the story of you better than you can.

D: I’ve learned to have confidence. I’ve also learned that sometimes, no matter what, it’s just not your night. That’s what is awesome about comedy: You can crush a huge theater show one

night in front of hundreds and bomb the next night in a bar in front of 10 people. Always humbling.

What’s the least enjoyable experience you’ve had in comedy?

R: A brawl almost broke out between a drunk heckler and his group of friends who tried to come backstage and fight me during a show. Ironically, my friends and I are banned from that club now.

D: Oof. I got hired for an eighth grade graduation party. The adults didn’t laugh, the eighth graders were mortified I was even there and were on their phones the whole time, and toddlers ran through the bubble machine directly in front of me. But you have to do your time to get paid! And 45 minutes later …

What

are your go-to joke topics?

R: My life and my experiences. You’d be surprised at how much people can relate to just being vulnerable and honest.

D: When in doubt, make fun of yourself! I’m very self-deprecating. Sometimes it feels like a superpower, and sometimes it feels like a very bad idea. I also mine a lot of material from jobs (but never my current job ).

More reunions, more fun!

Homecoming 2025 celebrations shift to five-year increments

Why wait 25 years to celebrate? Starting this year, Carthage is greatly expanding reunion opportunities for alumni.

The bonds of friendship that develop between Carthage students last a lifetime. To better honor those relationships, the College will welcome all alumni with class years ending in a 0 or a 5 back to campus for reunion celebrations Sept. 26-28 during Homecoming and Family Weekend.

From the Class of 1975 down to the Class of 2025 and every five-year increment in between, Homecoming 2025 promises to be the largest reunion weekend in Carthage’s history. There will even be special gatherings for those who graduated 51 or more years ago.

New Vice President for Advancement Philip Hood and his team are working in tandem with class leaders to encourage attendance and support these alumni gatherings. To learn more about ways to get involved in the reunion weekend, please contact Carthage’s volunteer coordinator, Melanie Landro, at mlandro@carthage.edu.

“Our job is to sustain connections among our alumni with today’s campus community. Current students and their families are choosing Carthage at record-setting levels, and we want our alumni back on campus to see why,” says Mr. Hood. “Beyond reconnecting with classmates, alumni will see a vibrant campus, engaged students, and strong programs, from academics to athletics to the arts. As a campus community, we’re eager to welcome alumni back to Carthage.”

Activities for returning alumni will extend beyond class-based gatherings.

“Enterprising alumni and campus partners are actively developing plans for a variety of alumni groups,” says Mr. Hood, “including past student-athletes, choir members, the WigganKenniebrew Black Alumni Network, and Greek life, among others.”

Online registration for reunions and other Homecoming events will open in mid-April. The latest schedule of events for Homecoming and Family Weekend can be found at: carthage.edu/homecoming

One doggone happy ending

Alumna reunites with beloved pet missing for 55 days

A Murphy’s Law kind of summer for Sharon (Keller) Matusevicius ’70 ended on an unbelievably high note.

Fifty-five long days after her beloved dog, Leesie, disappeared into the remote wilderness, Sharon reunited with the 6-yearold German shepherd. What happened in between is a testament to canine ingenuity and human compassion.

A local TV station and other media outlets agreed, pouncing on the story. News coverage of the happy reunion amplified the themes of hope and perseverance.

The tale began ominously in late June. While Sharon was in the hospital undergoing treatment, her husband, Alex, got in a serious car accident 15 miles from their summer home in northern Minnesota. In the chaos of the rescue, Leesie bolted from the vehicle and into the dense woods.

Sharon felt helpless. She learned that Alex was transported to a different medical center, but there was no immediate word on Leesie’s whereabouts. The rugged forest of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is an especially harsh place for a lost dog.

Leesie wears a tracking collar, which allowed Sharon — from her hospital bed — to relay the dog’s location to concerned neighbors. When the battery died, the locals found other ways to help.

“We tried cutting up my clothing so she could track my scent,” Sharon said.

The Retrievers, a Minneapolis nonprofit that works to bring missing dogs home, heard about Leesie’s situation. Its supportive volunteers spread the word through flyers and social media posts.

After doctors released Sharon and her husband from their respective hospitals, the couple considered returning to their permanent home near Kenosha. But Sharon refused to leave Minnesota without Leesie.

As weeks passed and the trail went cold, she clung to hope that her shy companion would come home. Movies have been made about dogs that turned up sooner.

Incredibly, seven weeks into the ordeal, someone spotted Leesie three miles from the original accident scene. A volunteer stepped up in coordination with The Retrievers, offering to camp nearby. He set up a trail camera, which recorded Leesie the first night.

Gradually gaining her trust over the next several days, the volunteer walked the gaunt shepherd out of the forest on Aug. 21.

Recognizing a familiar voice, Leesie burst forth to “slurp” Sharon’s face and put paws on her shoulders, communicating “I’m

home” the way only a dog can.

“For Leesie to be gone nearly two months and survive, that is amazing,” Sharon said.

Fending for herself in the woods night after night, the resourceful dog had apparently subsisted on a combination of fish guts and moose dung. Since coming home, Leesie has gained back the 20 pounds she lost and has become her usual lively self again, walking four miles with Sharon each day.

Sharon shook off the summer’s emotional toll to extend a Carthage Homecoming football tradition, delivering the game ball on the field named for her father, the late Art Keller ’44. A lesson in resilience was obviously still fresh in her mind.

Class Updates

Not all Carthaginians are human, as this nugget from SUSAN (GILLIS) RINGER ’70 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, proves.

“When I was a student worker at the Carthage library in 1974, I received a cutting from one of the pothos plants,” she wrote. “I still have it.”

In the photo, you’ll see three separate plants. Over the past 50 years, she made multiple cuttings from the original.

1970s

TOM MORTENSON ’70 of Temple Terrace, Florida, completed a Ph.D. in business from National University in September. His dissertation explored federal electronic communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on public trust. Mr. Mortenson is frequently asked to speak on topics such as women’s suffrage, the Spanish-American War, Teddy Roosevelt, and government ethics and accountability.

ALAN RICHARDS ’70 of Windsor, Colorado, wrote “What’s Done Is Done,” a play that was performed in August at the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival in New Canaan, Connecticut. His was one of seven plays chosen in a nationwide submission process.

DAVID MACK ENDRES ’72 of Leander, Texas, recently participated in an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Computer Society project to define tasks and knowledge requirements for the next round of software engineering certification exams. He was also a reviewer for the latest version of the SWEBOK Guide, which defines the scope of knowledge expected of a qualified software engineer.

DR. TIM HART ’74 of Denver established Trumergence LLC, a company that provides surgeons across the country with 3D-printed drill templates for implant surgery as well as medical models for surgical rehearsals and titanium barrier fabrication. Now retired from his prosthodontic practice, he cycles more than 2,000 miles a year and runs both 5K and 10K races with his grandkids, often winning medals in his age group.

WAYNE FAUST ’75 of Evergreen, Colorado, wrote “Calek’s Tale,” a newly published trilogy set in a post-apocalyptic landscape. These are the first full-length novels for Mr. Faust, a longtime short story and song writer.

REV. DANIEL GARD ’75 of Fort Wayne, Indiana, received the Silver St. Martin of Tours Medal at the Lutheran Church –

Missouri Synod national convention in August 2023. Pastor Gard, a military chaplain for almost 30 years, was recognized for “exceptional and long-standing service” to the LCMS’ Ministry of Armed Forces. A retired rear admiral for the U.S. Navy, he now serves as a guest professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.

Photo courtesy of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod/Erik M. Lunsford. Used with permission.

TERRY OWENS ’79 relocated to Berlin, Maryland, to be closer to his grandchildren after retiring. Last summer, Mr. Owens was the official scorer for the Delmarva Shorebirds, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.

The REV. CHARLES MILLER II ’78 of West Bend, Wisconsin, and the REV. DAVID SCHOOB ’80 of West Palm Beach, Florida, co-wrote a newly published book titled “The Gospel Abducted.” From a biblical and theological perspective, it examines the movement known as Christian nationalism.

1980s

DEB DINELLI ’81 of Mundelein, Illinois, “happily retired” after 40 years as a supervisor with American Airlines and now enjoys “time with her wonderful grown kids and volunteering in many different places.”

DAVID KREUTZ ’88 of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, has been elected as the advocate for the Wisconsin Knights of Columbus state office in Madison.

POLLY (GALL) AMBORN ’89 of Kenosha recently retired after 35 years as a choral music teacher in Kenosha Unified middle and high schools. This past fall, Ms. Amborn conducted the Treble Choir at Carthage. She and her husband, MARK AMBORN ’89, celebrated 30 years of marriage.

1990s

LYNN (MEAGHER) TRACY ’90 and her husband have retired to New Port Richey, Florida, to be close to her son and his family. Ms. Tracy, who taught Carthage’s signature Issues in Living and Dying course for 15 years, now leads a similar program for her retirement community titled “Coping with Loss and Grief.”

SEAN FITZGERALD ’96 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, accepted the position of economic development director for the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce.

JASON LANGWELL ’96 of West Bloomfield, Michigan, joined TMRW Sports in July as chief revenue officer. The new company, co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, partnered with the PGA Tour to launch the “hybrid reality” golf league TGL. Mr. Langwell serves on Carthage’s own Sports Management Advisory Council.

TORI (SCHRAM) SCHNEIDER ’96 of Racine, Wisconsin, recently earned an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with a concentration in finance.

JEREMY MAUTHE ’97 was appointed chief of the St. Charles (Illinois) Fire Department, where he’s been a firefighter since 2004. Mr. Mauthe is also pursuing a Master of Public Administration from Columbia Southern University.

2000s

ANGELA LUKOWSKI ’01 summarized new research findings regarding parental reactions to a Down syndrome diagnosis in an article that the Journal of Genetic Counseling published last July. She is an assistant professor of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine.

DANIELLE TESKA ’04 of Seattle was recognized as one of “The Rising Star Women of Technology for 2024.” In its online feature, the nationwide professional network Women We Admire highlighted her leadership in “crafting easy and enjoyable shopping experiences.” For over 20 years, Ms. Teska has lent her expertise in user experience and product design to companies like Kohl’s, Amazon, Chewy, and now Salesforce.

NICK DEMSKE ’06 of Racine, Wisconsin, became executive director of the Racine Public Library in July after serving in that role on an interim basis for the previous year. Mr. Demske has enjoyed a 17-year career with the library.

VALERIE (CODUTO) MULVENNA ’06 of Rockford, Illinois, earned a doctorate degree in education from Hamline University last July. Her research examined student engagement before and after outdoor recess and educators’ perspectives on Illinois’ Right to Play Every Day law. Ms. Mulvenna thanked Julio Rivera, professor emeritus of management and marketing, for his assistance with data analysis.

ALLISON (BENTHUSEN) REMNES ’09 of Elgin, Illinois, was honored as the Illinois Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. The Forty & Eight veterans organization presented the award for her work as a school resource officer with the DeKalb (Illinois) Police Department, where Ms. Remnes has served for 11 years.

Births

RYAN KOESSL ’10 and TRICIA (O’KEEFE)

KOESSL ’11 of Kenosha welcomed their third child, Brady, on Aug. 17.

KAYLIE (MCCORMICK) MERRILL ’15 and her husband, Sam, of Syracuse, New York, welcomed a daughter on July 11.

RACHAEL (FELTON) DURIE ’18 and TROY DURIE ’18 of Chicago welcomed their first baby, a girl named Charlotte Jean, on Aug. 9.

Weddings + Anniversaries

REV. PAUL DUMKE ’51 and his wife, Marilyn, of Willmar, Minnesota, recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Pastor Dumke also marked his 70th year of ordination.

RONALD FRENK ’73 and his wife, Elaine, celebrated their 50th anniversary last June. Both are retired from the nursing profession and enjoy playing golf, gardening, and spending time with their four grandchildren.

ALICIA (FATKA) COWAN ’07 of Fairbury, Illinois, and Micah Cowan married Aug. 16 in Vancouver, Washington. The couple met via a dating app in 2019 when Mr. Cowan had a layover in Chicago.

ANNA (KULVIK) ACCIARI ’14 of Kenosha and TONY ACCIARI ’12 married Oct. 21, 2023. They reside in Chicago with their two cats.

ERIN (HOLST) BUKARI ’15 of Rochester Hills, Michigan, and BRETT BUKARI ’14 married on Sept. 21 in Birmingham, Michigan.

2010s

ANNA NIELSEN ’12 of Racine, Wisconsin, was elected vice president of the Danish Sisterhood of America. The organization strives “to strengthen, maintain, and preserve the Danish heritage and traditions for future generations.”

MARIE SARANTAKIS ’12 of Genoa City, Wisconsin, was inducted into the Wilmot (Wisconsin) Union High School Hall of Fame on Sept. 19. She has won several awards as a rising attorney in family law.

MICHAEL ZASADIL ’12 of Fox River Grove, Illinois, was appointed to the 22nd Judicial Circuit as an associate judge in May.

KATRINA (PUNZEL) GILBANK ’13 of Janesville, Wisconsin, graduated with a Master of Jurisprudence in environmental law from Tulane University. She started a new role as environmental, health, and safety director at Milk Specialties Global, a leading global milk and whey protein ingredients manufacturer.

KRISTIN ORBAN ’16 joined the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee as a physician assistant, practicing in orthopedic urgent care facilities and emergency departments around Nashville.

GABRIELLA (LAY) THEISS ’17 of Wausau, Wisconsin, and her husband, Ian, opened Learning Grove ABA. The business delivers home- and center-based applied behavior analysis services for those affected by autism spectrum disorder.

MENGYA WANG, M.ED. ’17, joined Oklahoma State University as an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and a personal finance specialist with the OSU Extension.

ABIGAIL MCGOWAN ’19 of Milwaukee joined Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren law firm. She advises clients on the complex issues surrounding trust, estate, and fiduciary litigation.

2020s

OWEN LEWER ’20 of Waseca, Minnesota, received the 2024 President’s Medallion from Loyola University Chicago, where he’s a graduate student in the Stritch School of Medicine. A university announcement noted that “he provides low-barrier medical care to people experiencing homelessness” on Chicago’s public transit system.

DR. RACHEL ROSCHI ’20 of Charlotte, North Carolina, graduated in May with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has a small animal practice in Charlotte.

MARY

SEIGEL ’21 of Milwaukee directed “KILN,” a new theatrical work that was performed at the prestigious Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. In the story, three siblings grapple with their late father’s legacy and influence on each of them.

“KILN” emerged from her yearlong collaboration with a producer and four actors from across the world. Ms. Seigel had taken part in the Edinburgh festival once before, with the Carthage Theatre production of “Up and Away” in 2019, and that paid major dividends.

“Part of the ‘Up and Away’ marketing technique involved walking around with enormous red balloons on the Royal Mile,” she explains. “The producer remembered our balloons, and that technique inspired the ‘KILN’ team when we also went busking on the Mile.

“My experience with the Carthage New Play initiative informed so much of how I went through the production process of ‘KILN,’” she continues. “Having that opportunity in college has been so valuable in my post-academic career.”

NATALIE (KRAUSE) STREMLAU ’22 of Milwaukee is the founder and owner of NRS Quilting, a business that creates quilts from T-shirts. She and her husband, Kyle, have two children.

G. THOMAS ALLEN, M.M. ’23, joined Berklee College of Music as an associate professor of voice. Prof. Allen has more than a decade of teaching experience, and his own work as a celebrated countertenor spans opera, sacred music, and jazz. His latest album, “Love Affair: Serenades of the Heart,” has drawn critical acclaim.

LEXI MENENDEZ ’23 of Madison, Wisconsin, completed a yearlong postbaccalaureate program through the Morgridge Institute for Research in 2023-24 and began graduate work last fall in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In Memoriam

FLOWER WANG, M.M. ’23, portrayed Judy Bernly in “9 to 5: The Musical” at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, Illinois, last May. In a press release, Metropolis praised Ms. Wang for captivating audiences with the character’s “transformation from a timid newcomer to a confident and empowered woman.”

REV. DEAN PETERSON

The Rev. Dean Peterson, who served as campus pastor and director of church relations from 1994 to 2002, passed away July 15 in Naperville, Illinois. He was 84.

Carthage was the last full-time call for “Pastor Pete” after decades of ministry. He provided spiritual counsel to students, collaborated with other faith-based groups to put on interfaith events, and advised campus organizations as

ANNETTE KILVER

Annette (Walser) Kilver ’52, who helped build a four-generation Carthage family legacy, passed away Oct. 23.

She devoted her life to others as a special education teacher, volunteer, and philanthropist. Mrs. Kilver and her husband, Jack ’52, established a scholarship fund at the College and contributed to it for decades, becoming

LAUREN OLIVIER, MSC ’24, was hired as head coach of both the men’s and women’s swimming teams at her undergraduate alma mater, Austin College in Sherman, Texas. She assisted the Carthage women’s water polo team last season while earning a graduate degree in sports management.

distinct as CUMBYA (Carthage Undergrads Making Big Youth Activities) and improv troupe Merely Players.

The death notice prompted tributes from many alumni whose weddings he officiated. Among the surviving family members is his son Joel ’96, whose time at the College overlapped with Pastor Peterson’s.

members of the Enduring Gift Society with more than $100,000 in lifetime giving.

Her father, 1925 alumnus Delferd Walser, was a driving force in the relocation of the campus from Carthage, Illinois, to Kenosha. Mrs. Kilver’s surviving relatives represent two more generations of alumni: her daughter, Julie (Kilver) Cary ’82, and grandson, Maxwell Cary ’12.

In Memoriam

1940s

Rev. Milton Whitney ’48 Freeport, Ill.

July 18, 2024

1950s

Donald Hinnenthal ’52

Jacksonport, Wis.

Aug. 23, 2024

Mary Ann (Procek) Campbell ’55

Blue Bell, Pa.

Aug. 12, 2024

Chuck McCreary ’55 Phillips, Wis.

Oct. 23, 2024

Rev. Carl Satre ’56

Fort Wayne, Ind.

July 3, 2024

Lyle Sucher ’57 Glenview, Ill.

Oct. 28, 2024

1960s

Dan Wachholz ’60 Elmhurst, Ill.

Sept. 10, 2024

Harold Jahnke ’61 McHenry, Ill.

July 21, 2024

Marge (Olson) Luth ’64 Waterford, Wis.

Oct. 18, 2024

William Martin ’65 Richfield, Wis.

July 8, 2024

Fred Vite ’66 Centennial, Colo.

May 2, 2024

Robert L. Brandt ’67

Peoria, Ariz.

June 28, 2024

Robert Fedders ’67

Mason City, Iowa

Sept. 11, 2024

Frank Gattolin ’67 Davis, Ill.

Oct. 3, 2024

Susan (Harris) Brandt ’68

Peoria, Ariz.

Sept. 11, 2024

Roger McGrath ’68 Bedford, Mass.

Sept. 19, 2024

Doug Feiler ’69

Cozumel, Mexico

March 21, 2024

Lynn (Behling) Kieffer ’69

Princeton, Wis.

Aug. 28, 2024

1970s

Georgine (Aronson) Steinmiller ’70

Coppell, Texas

Oct. 1, 2024

Dwight Callagan ’71

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

July 9, 2024

Loretta Bagby ’72 Cornucopia, Wis.

Sept. 10, 2024

Dan Cassity ’72

Silver Cliff, Wis.

July 5, 2024

Phyllis Lofton ’72

Milwaukee

June 5, 2024

Jack Spencer ’72

Racine, Wis.

Aug. 8, 2024

Pam (Filka) Irwin ’74

Muskegon, Mich.

July 11, 2024

Jane (Cote) Wierschem ’74

Champaign, Ill.

July 12, 2024

Karla (Weiss) Roth ’75

Colorado Springs, Colo.

June 14, 2024

1980s

Bob Eichen ’80

Godfrey, Ill.

April 5, 2024

Edna Hileman ’80

Kenosha

Sept. 28, 2024

Ted Schulz ’81

Littleton, Colo.

Feb. 19, 2024

Phil Swasko ’81

Berwyn, Ill.

July 8, 2024

Pat Kummings, M.Ed. ’83

Genoa, Nev.

March 18, 2024

David Blythin ’87 Shawano, Wis.

Oct. 15, 2024

Harry Borth ’87 Racine, Wis.

Aug. 6, 2024

1990s

Mike Honold ’97 Union Grove, Wis.

Nov. 24, 2024

2000s

Chuck LeCrone ’09

Racine, Wis.

Sept. 11, 2024

2010s

Mike Sigman ’14 Kenosha

Oct. 10, 2024

Friends of Carthage

Judy Glover Kenosha

July 2, 2024

Norman McPhee Payson, Utah

Nov. 3, 2024

Bea Olsen Waupaca, Wis. Oct. 10, 2024

Bette Peltola Richfield, Minn. April 14, 2024

Elaine Peters Racine, Wis.

June 10, 2024

Cornelia Zerban Bad Rappenau, Germany

July 2, 2024

Class Notes Submission Form

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Other News (attach additional sheets as necessary)

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

Or tear off this form along the perforated edge and mail to: Carthage College, Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha WI 53140.

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Meet the programming playwright

Computer science professor Rick Bingen ’15 stays active in theatre

Don’t call it a day job. That’s severely underselling everything Professor Rick Bingen ’15 does for Carthage computer science students.

Don’t dismiss his theatrical pursuits as a mere hobby, either.

The two halves of his life, as the young alumnus describes his distinct interests, hold equal weight. One might bring the paycheck, but they come as a package deal.

An Advanced Placement class in high school first inspired him to pursue a career in computer programming.

“That class ended with an open-ended project to code ‘something,’ and I ended up coding a video game instead of just a program,” Prof. Bingen remembers. “It

was the experience of wanting to take that project beyond that told me this is what I should be doing.”

Not surprisingly, he declared a computer science major at Carthage. Challenging coursework and encouraging mentors made sure he never had to second-guess that decision.

Underscoring the importance of a holistic education, the College encourages students to cultivate all of their passions — the analytical ones, the artistic ones, and more. Prof. Bingen took that advice to heart.

As a freshman, he enrolled in Introduction to Theatre — and loved it. That inspired him to take more theatre classes and participate in Carthage’s productions

throughout his undergraduate years.

Heading into senior year, realizing he was only one class (and a senior thesis) away from a second major in theatre, he went for it. Faculty advisors from the two departments gave him the go-ahead to design a unique thesis.

Carthage Theatre was planning an original play called “Afghanistan/Wisconsin” based on interviews with military veterans. Realism was important, and the Airsoft rifles they were using as props didn’t make noise.

Drawing on both of his divergent majors, Prof. Bingen created a system that simulated a gunshot. Using Bluetooth technology and miniature Raspberry Pi computers, it sent a signal to the Wartburg Theatre sound system

when the trigger was pulled.

“It was kind of like magic,” says theatre professor Martin McClendon. “He was able to pull all the pieces together and write the software. It sounds simple, but it really wasn’t.”

Marrying fellow theatre devotee Kaila (Banaszak) Bingen ’15, M.M. ’20 constituted the perfect epilogue to Prof. Bingen’s student experience.

Of all places, he popped the question on the Wartburg stage during a postperformance Q&A session their senior year. “Day After Night,” which premiered in fall 2014, was the first Carthage Theatre production they’d worked on together — Rick as a prop designer, Kaila as a cast member and musician.

beyond writing code

Shortly after graduation, the couple relocated to West Bend, Wisconsin, about 70 miles north of the Carthage campus. While working as a programmer for an insurance company, Prof. Bingen renewed his involvement in theatre by auditioning for a play in Milwaukee. He got the part.

The camaraderie drew him and Kaila

deeper into the thespian community, and together they started the West Bend Theatre Company. Its emphasis on classical plays complemented the city’s high-quality contemporary theatre scene.

Along the way, Prof. Bingen decided to try his hand at writing.

“It was really just to see if I could do it, at first,” he says. “I never had any thoughts of the play being produced. I just did it for the enjoyment.”

After finishing his first play, he almost immediately began another one. About halfway through, Prof. Bingen took what he intended to be a short break.

The hiatus dragged on, though, and the exhausted programmer’s script sat unfinished.

“I was working incredibly long hours and was on call almost all the time,” Prof. Bingen explains. “I was getting burned out and wanted to continue writing, but I just didn’t have the energy.”

He needed to do something to restore the balance.

A master’s degree in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, better known as Georgia Tech, opened the

door for a career change. He reasoned that a shift to academia could keep him engaged in the computer science world and leave time to resume playwriting.

The alumnus reached out to one of his Carthage mentors, longtime computer science professor Mark Mahoney, about a faculty opening in the department. Hired in fall 2019, Prof. Bingen began a new phase at his alma mater.

“I knew before he started that he’d be great,” says Prof. Mahoney. “I felt very lucky we got him.”

a well-timed reboot

Alongside his teaching courseload, Prof. Bingen has created a groundbreaking program in game development. The avid gamer collaborated with digital media and art faculty members to mold an interdisciplinary curriculum.

Gauging interest with a minor and an add-on concentration, the College saw enough to launch a full degree program in fall 2024. Quickly, 32 students declared a game development major leading to either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science.

“Without Rick, this never would have

By day, Carthage professor Rick Bingen ’15 teaches computer science and game development courses. The faculty job allows him to pursue theatre in his free time.

happened,” Prof. Mahoney says. “This program is a great way to draw students to Carthage, and it also prepares them to work in the broader computer science field.”

The COVID-19 pandemic struck during Prof. Bingen’s second semester of teaching, forcing a pivot to remote instruction. Suddenly finding extra time, he picked up that manuscript he had abandoned.

“I finished act two in roughly a week,” he recalls. “It all just came flooding back.”

A friend agreed to workshop his manuscript — that is, to have actors read it on stage to explore the story and characters — and Prof. Bingen was thrilled with what he saw. The result was “Whirligig of Time,” which Sunstone Studios staged in Milwaukee in 2023.

Inspiration struck again and again, motivating the budding playwright to keep going.

“I decided I wanted to try to draft one play per year,” Prof. Bingen says. “That seemed like an attainable goal, and I was really enjoying the process.”

Since then, he’s written 10, several of

which have been performed or workshopped in Wisconsin and New York. Some are what he terms “Shakespeare-adjacent” plays, while others push into sci-fi territory.

In writing “The Memory Leak,” a finalist in last year’s Wisconsin Wrights New Play Festival and a semifinalist in a prestigious national contest through the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Prof. Bingen borrowed liberally from the other half of his life. The plot centers on an ailing computer programmer whose loved ones “race against the clock to create a device to save [his] leaked memories.”

The Carthage faculty member’s distinct passions do more than just coexist. They enhance each other.

“Computer science – coding – is very logical,” he explains. “When building a story for a play, the logical programmer’s mind is helpful in structuring things like foreshadowing and other elements.”

It works in the other direction, too.

“Both as a professor and programmer, I’ve found that having a creative side allows

“Computer science is often about problem solving and looking at problems in different ways. Sometimes there isn’t a satisfactory solution. Sometimes you just have to come up with something that works.”

Without curtain calls in computer science, his resourceful students will have to take an imaginary bow.

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research corner

angela dassow, associate professor of biology, presented her research at the 4th International Workshop on Vocal Interactivity in-and-between Humans, Animals, and Robots on Sept. 6. Her talk focused on ways to reduce wildlife conflict between humans and tigers in Nepal by using passive bioacoustical monitoring techniques that her lab has pioneered. Starting a multi-phase project, Prof. Dassow and her research team collected audio recordings of warning calls from birds, monkeys, and deer to indicate the presence of tigers.

erin weber, assistant professor of chemistry, has been awarded a nearly $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop tools that detect a virus that often devastates potato crops. The grant will provide stipends for nine research students over the next three summers, as well as funding for high-end lab equipment, a full-time technician, and student travel to major conferences. While the Carthage team will study the virus in tobacco plants because of their shorter growing cycle, this line of inquiry could ultimately help potato farmers by preventing the spread of the virus.

A National Science Foundation grant worth more than $250,000 enabled Carthage to acquire an atomic force microscope.

kathryn hasz, assistant professor of engineering, and john kirk, associate professor of chemistry, led an interdisciplinary team of applicants. Faculty and students will use the new microscope for original research and industry collaboration. It captures images of surface features at much smaller sizes than an ordinary light microscope and can measure other properties like hardness and adhesion.

New teaching fellows

Carthage started the Wagner Teaching Fellows program in 2018 to encourage new educational practices. Three professors earned fellowships in the latest round of funding:

melanie nyhof, associate professor of psychological science, has begun a one-year study to integrate service learning into an Adult Development and Aging course.

colleen palmer, associate professor of communication and digital media, is examining artificial intelligence’s future role in public relations.

emily wollmuth, assistant professor of biology, is designing models to help students learn about the flow of genetic information in cells.

Other Updates

anthony barnhart, associate professor of psychological science, is featured in a new popular science book for young readers titled “Do You Believe in Magic?” It explores the history of scientific interest in magical phenomena and the reasons humans tend to believe in the supernatural.

ben desmidt, associate professor emeritus of classics and Great Ideas, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in November and took office Jan. 6. Representing District 65, which includes much of the city of Kenosha, he will serve a two-year term.

anna hegland, director of the Brainard Writing Center and peer tutoring, received the Young Alum Award at Coe College’s homecoming weekend in honor of her work in early modern drama and literature, along with her contributions to both the Coe and Carthage campuses.

gary keller, associate professor of management and marketing, was named a program monitor for NHK World Japan (Japan’s national broadcaster).

Prof. Keller’s assignment is to critique news and selected programs. He previously taught at several universities in Asia.

nancy reese, director of nursing, was featured in BizTimes Milwaukee’s special “Notable Health Care Leaders” section in December. The publication especially highlighted her lengthy commitment to service, which totals more than two dozen global medical missions.

Last summer, j.j. shields, assistant professor of management and marketing, completed his fourth walking pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago. He hiked 511 miles in 35 days, from the foothills of the Pyrenees in southwest France to the tomb of St. James in northwest Spain. He introduced recent Carthage graduate Rosie Ehle ’24 and her boyfriend (now fiance), Ethan Klein, to the Camino and hiked with them for the first several days before allowing them to experience it on their own. Prof. Shields has met people from 44 countries on these journeys.

Science meets public policy

Carthage professors Andrea and Steve Henle were both selected for prestigious Science & Technology Policy Fellowships in Washington, where they’re spending a year learning how federal policies are shaped and implemented.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science offers the program “to help ensure that the nation’s policies are informed by science.” On leave from their faculty positions at Carthage, the married couple are among 291 STEM professionals in the 2024-25 fellowship class.

andrea henle, associate professor of biology, is an artificial intelligence and communities fellow at the National Science Foundation.

“I look forward to supporting research that uses AI to benefit the public and provide resources to communities,” she said, “particularly in the face of environmental changes and disasters.”

steve henle, associate professor of neuroscience, will spend the year as a program officer at the National Eye Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health).

“I’m able to see how the NIH sets priorities for biomedical research,” he said, which can lead to “new funding opportunities that advance healthcare across the country.”

a crimson thread

A family in tune

Ike Reilly’s vocal cords hardly ever get a rest. When he wasn’t rocking out on stage with his semi-famous band, the proud Firebird dad would use that gravelly voice to cheer on his soccer-playing sons from the Art Keller Field bleachers.

Now that the last of the three boys has graduated from Carthage, a new family pastime is filling the void — one that divides up the vocal wear and tear. Brothers Shane ’16, Kevin ’21, and Mickey Reilly ’24 have become regulars in their dad’s band, The Ike Reilly Assassination. All three sing, and Shane plays guitar.

That unique father-son dynamic features heavily in an award-winning film about Ike’s life and career, “Don’t Turn Your Back on Friday Night.” Carthage hosted the Wisconsin premiere Oct. 11 in the Campbell Student Union auditorium, and the band put on a mini-concert afterward.

Written and directed by Michael O’Brien and Mike Schmiedeler, the film’s nonlinear format sets it apart from standard “rockumentary” fare. Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello is the executive producer.

Ike, a former hotel doorman and gravedigger, was a late bloomer in the music industry. While his band’s large grassroots following hasn’t translated to a commercial windfall, others note that Ike redeemed one prize that has eluded his rock star peers.

“A lot of people have tried to incorporate their families and their lives and their kids into their rock business,” explains David Lowery, vocalist for bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. “He somehow managed to pull it off, and it’s charming.”

Growing up in the Reilly household meant

Exploring the through lines that connect Carthaginians of all ages and roles

music was unavoidable. To supplement their income, Ike’s band would perform in the family living room for hundreds of invited guests at a time.

During the pandemic, they pivoted to live streaming. Loyal fans who logged on to see the familiar frontman during “The Ike Reilly Family Quarantine Hour” also caught glimpses of his musically talented offspring.

“After we did our first livestream show, we realized we got, like, 30,000 views and tons of love and comments,” says middle son Kevin Reilly. “People were itching to see more of all the boys together.”

When in-person gigs resumed, the brothers solidified their place in the group. Although they’ve played bigger venues, the Reillys brought a little extra juice to the campus show. Ike calls Carthage “instrumental” in his sons’ growth.

“The boys were far enough away that they

could live their lives free of our influence but close enough that we could come and watch their games,” he says.

Besides supporting their sons’ academic pursuits, Ike and his wife, Kara Dean, often drove up from Libertyville, Illinois, to watch them compete for the Firebirds. The siblings, all team captains, took turns occupying the same room in the unofficial “soccer house” just west of campus.

The youngest son, Mickey, closed that chapter last fall. Before completing a degree in marketing, he broke a long-standing Carthage record with 48 career goals.

The whole clan contributes to the storytelling in “Don’t Turn Your Back on Friday Night,” which is named for one of Ike’s songs. After collecting critics’ awards in Texas, California, Florida, and Ontario, the film is available for rent on various streaming platforms.

Ike Reilly and his sons — Carthage alumni Mickey ’24, Kevin ’21, and Shane ’16 — pose outside The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, where a documentary about the musical family was screened in August.

Did you know ... that a Carthage alumnus helped create Cap’n Crunch cereal?

Although the four years he worked at Quaker Oats represent only a fraction of his career, Jack Blaydes ’63 helped formulate several of the company’s iconic products — including Cap’n Crunch cereal.

Quaker recruited him out of college to join its research team in Barrington, Illinois. Already married with two children when he graduated from Carthage with majors in chemistry and biology, Mr. Blaydes eagerly accepted.

As a senior food technologist, he had a big hand in the development of Cap’n Crunch. His contributions involved modifying the combination of flavors to bring out the desired taste, adjusting the sugar content, and refining the texture to keep it crispy in milk.

When the product first reached stores in the mid-1960s, Mr. Blaydes recalls, the company set out to grab a 1% market share. Instead, boxes sailed off shelves, making it one of America’s top-selling breakfast cereals.

The success spawned a few Cap’n spinoffs in his short time there: some lasting (Crunch Berries) and some shortlived (Ship Shake, a drinkable oatmeal product that was supposed to compete with Slim-Fast). The food industry aligned perfectly with Mr. Blaydes’ skills, leading to a career that spanned more than 40 years.

There’s no guarantee things would’ve fallen into place at another college, so he’s forever grateful to the late Art Keller for recruiting him to Carthage. The chance to play football for Coach Keller, along with abundant financial aid, drew him to the College’s

previous campus in western Illinois. Retired since 2006, Mr. Blaydes lives near Phoenix. Cap’n Crunch, on the other hand, is in no hurry to pull into port. The cereal and its cartoonish naval mascot can still be found in millions of cupboards.

the past

Chef Ted always served an extra helping of care

If the Carthage cafeteria had a sign with a running total like McDonald’s, it would’ve read “MORE THAN 24 MILLION SERVED” by the time Ted Nicholson retired. But, in the 43 years he guided food service operations at the College, “Chef Ted” went out of his way to ensure the food never tasted mass-produced.

Mr. Nicholson’s career in food service began as a chief commissary steward in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Later, as the Allies neared victory in the European theatre, he was assigned to the presidential honor guard for the Yalta Conference in Russia.

Shifting from feeding sailors to students, he arrived at Carthage — then located in western Illinois — in 1946. Chef Ted showed it’s possible to put as much care into a random Tuesday dinner for hundreds as you do for a special family meal.

Out went the daily dose of “boiled meat, thick mashed potatoes, and string beans” that students like Bob Van Osdol ’49 and his future wife, Ellen ’50, had come to dread. In came a varied menu that suppressed those cravings for home cooking.

Resourcefulness was critical to the job. Like a student cramming for a final, Mr. Nicholson was game for an all-nighter if he needed to pluck chicken feathers or butcher a cow on short notice.

As a side hustle, Mr. Nicholson and his head chef, Marlin Long, raised hogs on several acres they rented from the College. Close friends Jim Schroeder ’58 and Bob Nordengren ’57 assisted them as hoggers,

boiling food waste from the cafeteria to supply some of the livestock feed. How’s that for a campus job?

When Carthage moved northeast to Kenosha, Mr. Nicholson came along. A community open house in 1962 drew an unexpectedly large crowd that emptied six large bowls of his fresh punch just 90 minutes into the all-day event.

Chef Ted employed a large student staff. After successfully playing matchmaker for quite a few Carthage couples, his longevity allowed him to see some of their children enroll and even work in the dining hall.

Mr. Nicholson, whose childhood friend Billy Graham grew up to be one of the world’s most influential preachers, regularly prayed for the College and each successive class. The loyal Carthaginian also got to see the institution from a parent’s perspective as the father of Lindsay Nicholson ’71.

In the last official act of his Carthage presidency before retiring in 1976, Harold Lentz designated the cafeteria Ted Nicholson Dining Hall. Like many formal names, that proved too much of a mouthful for busy students, who to this day simply know the place they eat as The Caf.

Chef Ted finally retired in 1989, and seven years later a grateful College awarded him the Carthage Flame. He died in 1998, but an endowed scholarship named for Mr. Nicholson and his late wife, Millie, continues to yield valuable aid for students — naturally, with a preference for the Carthage Dining staff.

This article borrows from a Fall 1989 feature in The Carthaginian by Jane Anderson Spencer ’80 and written reflections by the late Jack Harris ’49.

More than once, Ted Nicholson had to hunt for silverware that students took from the cafeteria and hid elsewhere on campus. After following the pranksters’ clues in 1968, he eventually unburied the cutlery (preserved in bags) from the sand along the shore.

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carthage giving days april 10 -11, 2025

Red and Ready Giving Days are dedicated days of philanthropy with the goal to unite the Carthage community in a collective effort to support the areas at Carthage that mean the most to them. These days serve as a celebration of the College’s values and a demonstration of its commitment to its continued growth and success.

Step up and become a #REDandREADY Ambassador to compete for the top spot on our leaderboard!

Rally support, gather donations, and show your Firebird pride by making a lasting impact. The ambassadors with the most donations by the end of Red and Ready Giving Days will earn exclusive prizes and major bragging rights.

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Are you #REDandREADY to rise to the challenge? Sign up now and start championing a cause that matters to you!

To learn more about the Ambassador Challenge and to sign up, visit givingday.carthage.edu

Spread the word about #REDandREADY for April 10-11, 2025!

UPCOMING EVENTS

For details about these and many other events, go to: carthage.edu/calendar

Feb. 27

Business and Professional Coalition Event: Equity and Property Development

Feb. 28

3rd Annual Black Gala

March 1

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

March 27

Campus Pastor Installation: Rev. Adam Miller-Stubbendick

April 10

Class Reunion Virtual Gatherings

April 10-11

Red & Ready Giving Days

April 25-27

Celebration of Scholars

April 25-27, May 1-3

Musical: Head Over Heels

May 23-24

Commencement Weekend

July 19

President’s Dinner

Carthage’s Theatre Department performed “Life Cycle of a Star” Nov. 7-9. Written by Ali Viterbi and directed by Professor Herschel Kruger, it’s the 16th installment in Carthage’s award-winning New Play Initiative. Explore the spring 2025 schedule of visual and performing arts events: carthage.edu/arts