IN THIS ISSUE Feature Articles
‘W’ for Women The 150 Years of Carthage Women initiative provided a long-term boost.
cover story:
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Beyond Diversity The College makes a bold commitment to equity and inclusion.
34 Scent to the Front Prof. Leslie Cameron deploys her smell research versus COVID-19.
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IN THIS ISSUE Departments
THE CARTHAGINIAN Volume 100, Number 1
4 12 36 41 48
On Campus
After retiring its team names, Carthage trims the list of new options.
Faculty/Staff Notes
See the Distinguished Staff Award winner, plus other recent achievements.
Located on the shore of Lake Michigan in the thriving Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, Carthage College enrolls 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students. Named a Best Midwestern College by The Princeton Review and a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, Carthage is ranked No. 3 in the country for participation in short-term study abroad. The Aspire Program™, a comprehensive four-year career development initiative for all students, builds on Carthage’s strong history of providing students with the skills they need to succeed after college.
Athletics
The Djurickovics complete a father-son coaching handoff.
Carthaginian Editorial Team
Class Notes
Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Photographers/Illustrators
Page From the Past
Elizabeth Young
Contributing Writers
A Japanese American student overcame injustice during World War II.
Managing Editor
Alumni share milestones from their careers and families.
Mike Moore
Design/Art Direction
3 President’s Message 15 Pastor’s Message 43 Alumni Message
Steve Janiak Kim King ’06
Steve Janiak
Daniela Avilez ’21 Kathryn Milschewski ’21 Mike Moore Traci Parker Mike Swartz Madeline VanGroll
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Jeff Hamar ’80
President John R. Swallow Vice President for Institutional Advancement Thomas Kline
Cover and feature illustration by Michael Austin
For More Information The Carthaginian Office of Marketing and Communications 2001 Alford Park Drive Kenosha, WI 53140 262-551-6021 • editor@carthage.edu CMYK
Update Address/Mailing Preferences carthage.edu/mycontactinfo 800-551-1518 • alumnioffice@carthage.edu
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Transparent PMS
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
One giant leap for equitable education
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n this issue, we focus on Carthage’s growing efforts and aspirations in equity and inclusion. As you will read, there is much to be proud of — and much more to do. It is clear that a new racial reckoning across our country is underway. Captured on video here in Kenosha, the police shooting of Jacob Blake sparked protests and destruction. Storefronts were boarded up in both Downtown and Uptown, and the city is still wrestling with how to move forward. Our city became the focus of national attention, prompting visits from both major party presidential candidates. But the work of healing, reconciliation, and progress cannot wait for Washington. We must do it ourselves. After all that happened in 2020, I find it meaningful to take a longer view — to see our current moment in a wider context. The American experiment, from the very beginning, sought to form “a more perfect Union” with equality of opportunity, a truly democratic nation where all people had a fair chance at achieving the American dream. Many of the founders understood that was not yet the case. Change came terribly slowly but surely. The evil of slavery had to be eradicated. Black people had to be granted the vote. Schools and the armed forces had to be integrated, and not only by race. In these ways and many more, Americans knew that the ideals on which the nation was founded and defined must be made real. Otherwise, they would need to admit that the
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nation’s founding was in vain. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, who had served as a Carthage trustee, made precisely that point in his Gettysburg Address. Even more broadly than the racial reckoning of 2020, it is fair to ask whether we are entering a period of greater or lesser national resolve for our ideals. When we think of national resolve, we remember that we once put a man on the moon. Before that, backed by the “arsenal of democracy,” we sent troops around the globe to win two world wars. Today, our energies seem directed more to political polarization than to contending with the COVID-19 pandemic. What can we learn from history? In the 2020 book “Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again,” Robert D. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett write that, out of the excesses of the Gilded Age, Americans moved toward greater economic equality, political comity and compromise, cohesion in social life, and altruism in cultural values. Social purpose organizations — churches, volunteer groups, parentteacher associations, and fraternal clubs — gained membership. What drove that “Great Convergence,” as the authors call it, from 1870 to the 1960s? Mr. Putnam suggests it’s the same distinctively American thing Alexis de Tocqueville observed in the 1830s: “self-interest, rightly understood.” In other words, a spirit as passionate about improving
our nation as about improving our individual lives. It is no surprise, then, that our stories of national resolve come from this period. Out of the shocks of the 1960s, however, the country changed again — toward a “Great Divergence” that has lasted to this day. Membership in social purpose organizations declined. We became more and more isolated. No longer “rightly understood,” simple self-interest reigned. Today, everyone talks of liberty: the left about the liberty of diverse identities, and the right about the liberty of limited economic intervention. But our history shows that the best American spirit can do more, weaving together individual liberty and “a more perfect Union” through greater access to opportunity. Carthage cannot, by itself, solve our national yearnings and polarization. But we can focus on our core operation, education, determined to raise graduation rates across the board and eliminate the equity gaps at the same time. It is in that spirit that Carthage seeks to move forward in equity and inclusion — to be, with your support, a college where all belong. A college where race and income no longer predict graduation rates. And a college whose example inspires others.
John R. Swallow
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ON CAMPUS
A glimpse of what’s happening in the Carthage community
Carthage closes in on new team name Suggestions flood in after board votes to retire Red Men, Lady Reds Fill in the blank: Here we go, After retiring its longtime team names last fall, Carthage has advanced deep into the search for a new, unifying athletic identity. From an initial pool of nearly 500 suggested names, a dedicated task force plans to announce the finalists in February. Throughout the process, the Task Force on Team Names and Mascot has collected feedback from the entire Carthage community to compile suggestions and then whittle down the list. The Board of Trustees is expected to make a final decision this spring, allowing the new name to be implemented for the 2021-22 year. Alumni, students, trustees, and employees of the College serve on the task force. It’s chaired by the Rev. Paul D. Erickson, a Carthage trustee and a bishop for the local synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Coordinating the search, the panel seeks a new name that: • unifies the Carthage community; • represents positive qualities, ideals, or associations around which people can rally;
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, here we go! • holds broad relevance among the student body and generations of alumni; • represents Carthage experience and history; • works equally well for women’s and men’s sports teams; • has the potential to translate in a visually pleasing manner. Student-athletes make up nearly one-third of the undergraduate enrollment at the College, which competes in 27 NCAA Division III sports. “I am thrilled with the forward progress we are making. The enthusiasm among the community and the overwhelming number of ideas is inspiring,” says board chair Jeff Hamar ’80. “Like many, I’m anxious to cross the finish line with a new and exciting name.”
a new chapter Acting on a recommendation from President John Swallow, trustees voted in August to cease using Red Men and Lady Reds as Carthage’s team names and Torchie as its mascot. “While we deeply respect the generations
of student-athletes who competed under our former team names and the history they represent, the trustees believe a change is appropriate,” Mr. Hamar said at the time. “This provides an excellent opportunity to brand our college and athletic program in a positive, inclusive, and dynamic way.” During a nine-month review that began in fall 2019, the task force issued a survey to gather input from all corners of the Carthage community. Almost 3,000 Carthaginians responded, expressing — by a significant margin — their desire to adopt a new team identity. Citing widely held concerns about the connotations for racial and gender equity, the task force concluded that the previous nicknames were “not unifying symbols for our community.” Carthage sports teams had been identified as Red Men (or Redmen) since the early 1900s at the previous campus in western Illinois. Women’s teams, once known as Lady Redmen, took on the Lady Reds nickname in 1988. Like the Blue Boys from a rival team, the
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timeline NOVEMBER 2019 A Task Force on Team Names and Mascot is appointed as part of a periodic review.
FEBRUARY 2020 The task force issues a survey to Carthage students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
APRIL-JUNE 2020 The review is temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. moniker originally reflected the color scheme of the College’s team uniforms. However, the program later incorporated Native American imagery, including a previous mascot and a feather that remained part of the athletic logo until 2005. Many in the Carthage community also viewed the former team names as unnecessarily gender-specific. Administrators saw an opportunity to create a new athletics brand that builds school spirit and increases positive perceptions of the College. The retirement of the team names took effect immediately, although leaders cautioned that it may take some time to completely remove them from uniforms, merchandise, and campus signage. Teams competing in 2020-21 will identify simply as Carthage College. Torchie, Carthage’s mascot since 1997, will receive a proper send-off as he prepares to “graduate.” Symbolizing the flame of knowledge, the character isn’t directly tied to the outgoing nicknames, but the community expressed equally strong support for a change. The mascot search will begin after the new team name is selected.
AUGUST 2020 The task force reports that Red Men, Lady Reds, and Torchie “are not unifying symbols.” The Board of Trustees votes to cease using the team names and mascot.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 Carthaginians submit nearly 500 team names for consideration.
NOVEMBER 2020-JANUARY 2021 The pool of submissions is narrowed to 16 semifinalists. With community input, the task force evaluates each potential team name.
FEBRUARY 2021 Carthage announces a list of finalists.
SPRING 2021 President Swallow makes a recommendation to the board. The board votes to finalize the next team name.
APRIL 2021 Torchie “graduates” as the search for a new mascot begins.
FALL 2021 Carthage teams begin to compete under the new name.
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ON CAMPUS
How campus came to life again Expanded walkway
Distanced seating
With important modifications designed to keep the community safe and healthy, the Carthage campus reopened for the 2020-21 year. Professors taught most fall courses in person, and students returned to their assigned halls for the full residential experience.
College leaders developed the plan after conducting extensive research and consulting with public health officials and other experts. Besides requiring face coverings indoors and promoting physical distancing, Carthage made adjustments to nearly every aspect of campus life.
Bucking the trend Enrollment changes for first-time freshmen, fall 2019 to fall 2020 all u.s. institutions
private 4-year colleges
carthage
-13.1%
-10.5%
+6%
Source: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center
UV lighting
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traditional adaptations Some of Carthage’s signature events proceeded as planned, dodging the pandemic by going virtual:
ACADEMIC CALENDAR Staggered fall arrival dates for students 2021 Spring Term and J-Term flipped
TRAFFIC PATTERNS uto traffic restricted, allowing more walking space A on Campus Drive
HOMECOMING Although Art Keller Field was quiet, staples like the Homecoming royalty ceremony, worship service, and concert could be streamed live the weekend of Oct. 2 to 4. Other events included a State of the College webinar with President John Swallow and a panel discussion with tips for parents during the pandemic.
sing wi-fi data, online tool lets students gauge U crowds in buildings
SANITATION Classrooms disinfected before each period Disinfecting UV lights installed in ventilation ducts
CAMPUS DINING Take-out orders available using Grubhub app af meal points accepted at three grab-and-go C locations
HEALTH MONITORING Daily reminders to check for, report any symptoms Carthage research project tests for smell loss
ASPIRE CONFERENCE At the second Aspire Conference from Oct. 13 to 16, presenters shared insights with students about networking, habits of high achievers, and mental wellness. For once, doodling was strongly encouraged, as part of NatterDoodle founder Natalie Keller Pariano’s keynote on community-building in uneasy times.
DIAGNOSIS OVID-19 testing for those with symptoms or C exposure Random testing for those without symptoms
QUARANTINE Isolation space for residents who contract the virus Contract tracing by faculty/staff volunteers
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CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL An online recording of the annual Christmas Festival received more than 5,500 views. Carthage made the performance available for free, preserving tradition by streaming it three times from Dec. 11 to 13. Viewers were invited to submit their own videos of caroling at home.
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ON CAMPUS
The show goes on FALL 2020 FINE ARTS
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TOTAL FINE ARTS EVENTS
8,712
TOTAL STREAMING VIEWS
386
STUDENT PARTICIPANTS
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FACULTY PARTICIPANTS
Students in the costume shop produced masks that coordinated with the play’s costumes.
ROMEO AND JULIET WALK INTO A BAR “Being able to walk into the theatre each night gave me the strength to go back out and face what awaited me outside the theatre.” – Ella Spoelstra ’21
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“We had to make two masks for every actor so they could always have one clean one to wear while the other was being washed.” – Mary Seigel ’20
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PATIO POPS COMBINED BAND CONCERT “It was truly inspiring to see the collective energy and determination of our students who came together under some very challenging circumstances in performance.” – Professor Jim Ripley
Adjunct faculty member Barbara Drapcho used pop-up tents and space heaters to maintain the benefits of in-person music lessons.
PUFFS “The biggest thing I’ve learned from this process is you don’t need someone
to clap for you in order to do – Christine Barreca ’21 what you love.”
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ON CAMPUS
Sign memorializes beloved professor Contributions from friends, former students, and colleagues of the late Patrick Pfaffle funded a wayfaring sign honoring the memory of the beloved biology professor, who died in May 2019. Installed in November, the 12-foot sign stands outside the south entrance of the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Natural and Social Sciences. It points to many of Carthage’s international J-Term destinations — including Ometepe, Nicaragua, where Prof. Pfaffle led a study tour for 17 years. A dedication service will be held at a later date when public health conditions permit in-person gatherings. Supporters also established a memorial scholarship in his name. It will enable students with financial need to take the Nicaragua study tour, starting as early as summer 2021. Additional contributions to the Dr. Patrick Pfaffle Memorial Scholarship are welcome. To make a gift, enter the scholarship’s name in the “Designation” field at: www.carthage.edu/givenow
Aspire Center expansion Carthage expanded The Aspire Center, the career development hub in Lentz Hall. Using previously designated funds from the Tarble Family Foundation, the College doubled the size of the main suite and converted offices to a multipurpose space with videoconferencing technology and a lake view.
New minor: interfaith studies The new interfaith studies minor raises students’ awareness of the ways that religious beliefs, values, and practices sustain life and contribute to a better world. Understanding can prevent conflict by counteracting stereotypes, negative assumptions, and outright fear of religious “others.”
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Sports management gets $1 million lift Donor Craig Leipold also helped shape graduate curriculum Longtime NHL team owner Craig Leipold and his wife, global business executive Helen Johnson-Leipold, have pledged $1 million to help Carthage College become a regional leader in advanced preparation for sports management careers.
The large gift primarily enables Carthage to fortify its graduate specialization in sports management, the newest option available to students pursuing a Master of Science degree in business. The master’s track welcomed its first cohort last fall. These funds will allow the College to hire top faculty and guest lecturers, award scholarships to promising students, establish industry partnerships, augment experiential learning opportunities, and develop distinctive programming. “The business side of sports continues to grow, and we believe Carthage can quickly emerge as a top destination for students who want to rise above the pack,” said Mr. Leipold, majority owner of the Minnesota Wild. “The building blocks are all there — the location, the facilities, the passionate students, and especially the faculty commitment to meet true workforce needs.” After a variety of successful business ventures and an initial foray into the NHL as owner of the Nashville Predators expansion
team, Mr. Leipold purchased the Wild in 2008. He’s among nearly two dozen professional sports executives who helped Carthage to design a master’s curriculum that closely aligns with today’s hiring preferences. To ensure that continues, the College is forming an advisory committee of senior leaders. “Partnerships with industry leaders like Craig Leipold enable Carthage’s academic programs to offer the finest expertise and experience available anywhere,” said President John R. Swallow. “No institution will be better positioned than Carthage College to help management students skate to where the puck is going.” The gift also empowers the College to expand offerings for undergraduate students and the public. Most recently, as part of the Spotlight on Sports series, retired NBA star Caron Butler described (via Zoom on Nov. 17) how he overcame a troubled childhood to find success as a player, TV analyst, coach, entrepreneur, and activist.
Please consider making
carthage your AmazonSmile charity. AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) offers all of the same items, prices, and benefits of its sister website, amazon.com, but with the added benefit of helping the charity of your choice. When you shop on AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases to Carthage. If you already have an AmazonSmile account, you can change your charity under “Your Account” options.
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FACULTY/STAFF NOTES
Updates on faculty and staff achievements
Fatih Harpci, associate professor of religion, is featured in “Interfaith Engagement in Milwaukee,” a new text that offers a brief history of ChristianMuslim relations in the area.
Three faculty members from the Geospatial Science Department — Matthew Zorn, Wenjie Sun, and Joy Mast — received a $24,000 grant from the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium to connect courses and research on remote sensing, geographical information science, drones, and geoscience. The funding provides support for student researchers and enables the department to acquire multispectral infrared and thermal sensors, as well as high-precision GPS units.
Melissa Burwell, director of the Center for Student Success, joined the Carthage staff last fall. She relocated from the Minneapolis area, where she previously worked as director of scholar programs at Wallin Education Partners. Thomas D. Carr, associate professor of biology, led an extensive study that determined size and weight aren’t accurate indicators for the age of a Tyrannosaurus rex. The vertebrate paleontologist analyzed 1,850 features, resulting in the most complete growth series ever obtained for the iconic beast. The study included 31 specimens, from pintsized juveniles to multi-ton adults.
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Andrea Henle, associate professor of biology, and student researcher Melanie Gucwa ‘21 gave a virtual presentation in August to scientists, students, and interns at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Prof. Henle discussed the space biology course that she developed at Carthage, while Melanie shared results of space research from the class and a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. Katherine Hilson, assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice, was an expert participant in the INTEGRAL Adult Autism Conference, a virtual event in October. She shared insights on social justice.
Jacqueline Easley, professor of education, posted videos of herself reading children’s books last summer to help fill the gaps after COVID-19 forced many libraries to cancel storytime sessions. The “Professor Jackie Reads” playlist is available on Carthage’s main YouTube account.
Kim Instenes, associate professor of theatre, designed the costumes for Door Shakespeare’s film-edited stage play “Rosalind,” which can be viewed on demand. The theatre company is based in Door County, Wisconsin.
Results of research by Timothy Eckert, professor emeritus of chemistry, and three Carthage alumni were detailed in the refereed journal Letters in Organic Chemistry last fall. Former student researchers Steven Mathe ’13, Steven Legate ’15, and Grace Harmeyer ’16 were the co-authors for the article, which addresses a long-standing puzzle in organic chemistry called the ortho effect.
exercise and sport science, and Nicholas Brummitt ’18 created an online guide to help aspiring physical education teachers brush up for the edTPA, an assessment that’s required for teaching licensure in many states.
Rebekah Johnson, assistant professor of
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John Kirk, associate professor of chemistry, coauthored an article that was published in a special issue of the Journal of Chemical Education. The article discussed the challenges and advantages of teaching a chemistry course that draws on current topics during a pandemic like COVID-19. Brandon Koltz, adjunct professor of
Mike Love, director of media and end user services, received Carthage’s 2019-20 Distinguished Staff Award. The annual award recognizes staff members who demonstrate service, teamwork, attitude, and reliability in their contributions to the College. Nominators referred to Mr. Love, who came to Carthage in 1997, as “a Carthage treasure” and “the definition of what it means to be Carthage.” He collaborates with departments across campus to integrate technology into the Carthage mission, assisting with classroom technology, media production, personal computing, and event management.
Janet Levey, associate professor of nursing, received a pin recognizing 45 years of service to the American Red Cross as a volunteer instructor and instructor-trainer in CPR, first aid, babysitting, and water safety. Over the past 20 years, Prof. Levey has primarily taught swimming lessons for children with disabilities.
environmental science, received the Water Environment Federation Volunteer Service Recognition Pin at the organization’s virtual conference for water and wastewater industry professionals. Prof. Koltz has been a WEF member since 1977 and has served on its Government Affairs Committee since the mid-1990s.
Dan Miller, professor of neuroscience, recently
“Dancing Bear and Savoyard,” a painting by Diane Levesque, associate professor of art, has been featured in the Rockford Art Museum’s 2020 Midwestern Biennial, a juried exhibition of new work by contemporary artists from across the Midwest. The painting also was selected for the Summer 2020 issue of Circle Quarterly Art Review.
Nora Nickels, assistant professor of
published his research on the open science online platform Frontiers in Psychiatry, Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Studying rats’ behavior could shed light on avoidance, a key symptom in anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessivecompulsive disorder.
psychological science, was awarded a grant from the Association for Psychological Science to support her research into virtual teaching adaptations and their unintended consequences. The study centers on questions such as: Does learning (or student perceptions of it) change if the professor’s face is not visible during a virtual lecture?
Melanie Nyhof, professor of psychological science, joined the faculty in fall 2020. Prof. Nyhof came from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, where she taught for three years. Eric Pullin, associate professor of history and Asian studies, led Missouri high school teachers in a three-part seminar in November. Based on recently declassified documentary evidence, the seminar addressed how the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration responded to the Holocaust.
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Barnes & Noble at Carthage is the official campus bookstore. Find Carthage apparel and souvenirs, reading or textbooks, and an assortment of gifts and gift cards, in addition to all of your supply needs!
Visit us in the Campbell Student Union or online at
carthage.bncollege.com
SHOW YOUR
PRIDE!
262-551-5778 • 800-551-6202 • 2001 Alford Park Drive • Kenosha, WI 53140
FACULTY/STAFF PASTOR’S MESSAGE NOTES
James Ripley, professor of music, wrote an article exploring how the 1918 flu pandemic influenced musical activity. The essay for the March 2020 issue of WASBE World, a magazine of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, describes how events like the pandemic and the close of World War I led Howard Hanson to compose “Triumphal Ode.”
Isabel Rivero-Vila, associate professor of modern languages, has been accepted to the Cinema Institute of Madrid in Spain to pursue a Master of Creative Documentary Film in 2020-21.
Deborah Tobiason, associate professor of biology, gave a presentation about the course-based research experience Phage Hunters during the American Society of Microbiology’s virtual meeting in July. Then her teaching module, “Introduction to Phylogenetic Trees for Comparative Genomic Analysis,” was published on QUBES, a website with resources for math and biology instructors. Erin Weber, assistant professor of chemistry, joined the faculty in fall 2020 after several years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Jojin Van Winkle, assistant professor of art, created “The Destruction Project,” a multimedia exhibition that was featured at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art last fall. The documentary-based installation explores the complex roles of destruction and its counterpoints of resilience in rural areas. She also presented virtually at two academic conferences in July, discussing experiences from her Sound Art course and e-residencies for artists.
Yan Wang, associate professor of modern languages and Asian studies, received a $1,000 grant from the Japan Foundation to cover judges’ honoraria, prizes, and publicity materials for a virtual Japanese Storytelling and Singing Contest that Carthage has scheduled in February. Organizers plan to invite participants from high schools and universities across the Midwest. An article by Mimi Yang, professor emerita of modern languages, marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment’s ratification in August. “An Intimate Dialogue between Race and Gender at Women’s Suffrage Centennial” was published in a peer-reviewed journal, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.
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Diversity’s rewards worth the effort There are more than 100 types of squash. Hummingbirds, some of the most awe-inspiring creatures around, come in more than 300 species. The world’s smallest frog (discovered in Papua New Guinea) is only 7 millimeters long, and the largest is 32 centimeters. A soil map shows at least 12 types of soil in Wisconsin alone. There are seven types of stars. Plants. Animals. The soil under our feet. The stars over our heads. We are surrounded by diversity. Likewise, in humanity, we continue to see God’s creativity. From the color and texture of our hair to the diversity in our facial features to our range in height, we all are made in the image of God. We are all made of the same material that makes up the stars. We are all beautifully and wonderfully made. That diversity has led to a struggle. Instead of seeing it as something to celebrate, we have done the opposite by dehumanizing and demonizing those who are different. History tells us that, instead of being amazed by the diversity within humanity, we were fear-filled. Imperialists used the Doctrine of Discovery and other writing to justify an imbalance of power and privilege between peoples. To deal with these fear-filled reactions, writers have created stories to help us see one another through eyes of compassion. Scientists have shown us that we share the same DNA. Friendship across difference can help us celebrate our uniqueness, but we also need to approach our DEI
(diversity, equity, and inclusion) work purposefully if we want to make the world better for generations to come. Purposeful DEI work is hard. It’s fun to think about and see all of the diversity around us in the plant and animal world. It’s harder work to see the policies and procedures baked into our education system that keep students of color from feeling welcome and finding success in a predominantly white institution. It’s fun to think about the sand between our toes and the stars that sparkle over Lake Michigan. It’s harder to untangle centuries of false narratives about race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity (to name just a few). Purposeful DEI work challenges us to open our hearts and minds to hear the stories of others, which will alter the story we thought we knew. It sets us free from fear and moves us to celebrate those once seen as on the fringe. One of Martin Luther’s most famous writings is “The Freedom of a Christian.” In it, he states that Christ has set us free and love binds us to be dutiful servants to our neighbor. We are set free through the love of Christ to do the hard work of living a fearless life and to celebrate the amazing creativity of God our Creator. Peace,
Rev. Kara Baylor Campus Pastor
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With major commitment to equity and inclusion, Carthage vows to become a place
where everyone has your back
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COVER STORY
meet the directors
L
ogging in for the virtual grand opening of the campus Intercultural Center for Equity, Advocacy, and Engagement, Veronica Hunter Moore ’05 reveled in the moment. Fifteen years after graduating from Carthage on pure self-determination, Mrs. Hunter Moore could finally exhale. Rather than having to sink or swim on their own, as she and many of her peers felt, current and future students of color can draw strength from a supportive corner. “I’m so proud of my alma mater, because I thought this wasn’t possible,” she said. Located on the main floor of the Todd Wehr Center, the new facility serves both as a gathering spot for students and a hub for inclusive campus programming. Tears of joy flowed at its formal opening Oct. 28, as Carthaginians tuned in or turned out in person to celebrate a milestone more substantial than the physical space. “I really feel like the school has made a great validation for someone like me,” said Caidon Conner ’24 , who’s involved in Black Student Union and the LGBT Student Association. Non-white students made up a record 27 percent of the traditional full-time student body in fall 2020, a major leap from 11 percent in 2011.
Roger Moreano is the director of equity and inclusion for the Division of Student Affairs. Before coming to Carthage in 2017, Mr. Moreano was the director of intercultural student affairs at Elmhurst College in suburban Chicago. He’s also founder and president of BRIDGES Consulting, which conducts organizational leadership, LGBTQ+, and anti-racism training for K-12 schools. A resident of Gurnee, Illinois, Mr. Moreano co-authored the village’s diversity statement.
percent of diversity in full-time student enrollment Cicely Hunter, a Kenosha native, accepted the newly created position of assistant director of equity and inclusion in 2020. With a master’s degree in American studies from Saint Louis University, her research intertwines diasporic histories, racial relations, and 20th century social movements. Previously, Ms. Hunter served as a research assistant for the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project in Canada and the United States, and she has teaching experience with high school and college students.
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COVER STORY
GENDER he recent 150 Years of Carthage T Women initiative raised millions to fund women’s scholarships, experiential learning, and athletics (story on page 32). Since 2019, New Student Orientation has included bystander intervention training, which points out warning signs for sexual violence and shows participants how to intervene safely.
POLITICAL oughly evenly split between R Republican and Democratic voters, dozens of faculty, staff, and students participated in “With Malice Toward None,” a two-part event in November to heal the rift from the 2020 election. Carthage presidential spouse Cameron Swallow is the state co-coordinator for Braver Angels, a grassroots movement that organizes the program.
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The Intercultural Center is one of many layers in the College’s strengthened commitment to an equitable and inclusive educational environment. “Enrolling a student body as diverse as our region of the nation reflects our twin commitments to equitable access and full preparation for the society students will enter upon graduation,” says President John Swallow. “But enrollment is only the beginning of our work with students. “Assuring them that they belong here, precisely because of who they are, where they come from, and what gifts they possess, and ensuring that we have designed every component of the Carthage experience for their success — those are our further commitments to inclusion and equity.”
dismantling racist systems While Carthage has bolstered support for all kinds of marginalized people, the push for racial justice took on particular urgency in 2020. The killing of George Floyd, the shooting of Jacob Blake just a few miles south of campus in Kenosha, and painfully honest feedback from the campus community spurred the College to immediate action. Because overt prejudice still rears its ugly head in the world, Carthage has made its condemnation of bigotry more visible. And a new online form makes it simpler for Carthage students to confidentially report any incident involving bias based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or ability level. Apart from any disciplinary action that the incident might warrant, a designated Bias Education Response Team then shifts into motion on two fronts. The team provides prompt support for affected students and,
when appropriate, turns it into a teachable moment for the wider campus community. However, the battle has shifted to a new front: systemic injustice. In President Swallow’s anti-racism plan of action, as reported in the Summer 2020 issue, Carthage has committed to: • close the equity gap in graduation rates • e xpand resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion • i nfuse the legacy of race and racism in the United States throughout the curriculum. Since then, the College got an early jump on the first and most ambitious of those goals by joining Moon Shot for Equity, a new national initiative that aims to eliminate racial graduation gaps by 2030. Along with Milwaukee Area Technical College, the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, and UW-Parkside, Carthage formed the first regional consortium. The four partners will collaborate with EAB, an education services firm rooted in research, to ensure that more students of color finish college. Recent data from the Higher Education Regional Alliance shows that 63 percent of white students in the seven-county Milwaukee region earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of starting college, compared to 49 percent of Hispanic students and 35 percent of Black students. “These disparities have existed far too long in every sector of higher education, public and private,” said President Swallow. “In the same way that a national effort brought the moon within reach in the 1960s, we can plant a flag for equity in southeastern Wisconsin by channeling our collective will and expertise.”
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Together, the four schools plan to establish academic pathways that simplify transfers between two- and four-year institutions. For its part, EAB will provide training, technology, and 15 best practices to remove educational barriers. Carthage will consult with Moon Shot mentors like Georgia State University, which has proven the daunting goal is attainable. The school’s graduation rate has risen by 23 percentage points over the past decade, effectively eliminating race and income as predictors of college completion. Shortly before the holidays, Carthage parents Patrick Anderson ’85 and his wife, Kim, threw their support behind the latest initiatives by establishing the Intercultural and Anti-Racism Programs Fund. Mr. Anderson is a prominent defense attorney in Virginia, and Mrs. Anderson is the first person of color to serve as executive director of the National Education Association. Their $100,000 gift helps the College to accelerate its bold commitment. “We changed how and when we communicate with students and have understood more deeply how we can help them overcome their obstacles,” President Swallow said. “But we have more to do.”
pausing to look back How far has Carthage come as an advocate for multiculturalism? Mrs. Hunter Moore can field that one. Walking into class for the first time in 2001, she slammed head-on into culture shock. Drawn here primarily for the chance to compete in NCAA Division III track and
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field, she figured the student body would mimic the diversity of her sport and the urban Chicago schools she had always attended. That assumption fizzled on syllabus day. “I told myself, ‘Yours is the only Black face in this classroom,’” Mrs. Hunter Moore said. “That was the very first time I had experienced that.” She struggled to relate to classmates, and the uncomfortable requests — like professors singling her out to speak on behalf of “the Black experience” — grew tiresome. Today, those are considered microaggressions, the small and often unintentionally hostile acts that can cumulatively inflict harm. With her willpower waning, the despondent freshman called home one day in search of a sympathetic ear. She didn’t find one. “You can’t run away from every situation you encounter that’s hard,” her mother scolded. “You need to suck it up.” Taking Mom’s tough love to heart, Mrs. Hunter Moore dug in and gritted it out. There was a kind of solidarity among the Black students that fueled them all. After graduating, she maintained strong connections to the friends and mentors she developed at Carthage but packed away her school spirit in long-term storage. She remembers telling the College, “Don’t call me to get involved as an alumna until you have a plan to actively support students of color and others from marginalized identities.” For her and others, the thaw began in 2018 when a group of committed graduates formed the Wiggan-Kenniebrew Black Alumni Network. Mrs. Hunter Moore cochairs the group’s reunion committee. which held its first gathering during the 2019
RELIGION hile maintaining its firm W Lutheran roots, Carthage welcomes students of all faith and secular traditions. The Center for Faith and Spirituality holds interfaith programs (including a weekly lunch discussion and an annual speaker series) to cut through stereotypes, identify shared values, and promote peace.
LGBTQ+ he long-running SafeZone T training program has helped many in the campus community to understand and support those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. T hrough the Intercultural Center, LGBTQ+ student liaisons serve as trusted contacts for current and prospective students.
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VETERANS I n August, the first Green Zone trainees strategized how to better aid veterans and active service members studying at Carthage. Led by professors Martin McClendon and Rebecca Hornung with funding from the William E. Dean Charitable Trust, faculty and staff learn to help those students transition from military life to higher ed (and then into the civilian workforce) and harness their unique strengths in class.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES o ensure equal access, Learning T Accessibility Services arranges academic accommodations for Carthage students with documented disabilities such as mental health disorders, learning disabilities, and chronic medical conditions. Determined on a case by case basis, accommodations could include extended time for tests, accessible textbooks, and note-taking support.
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Homecoming weekend. The W-K Network established two funds to support multicultural education: one for scholarships and another for experiential learning such as study abroad, professional conferences, and internships. Already, more than 50 students have benefited. The network and funds are named for Lorraine Wiggan ’46 and Alonzo Kenniebrew ’54, respectively the first African American woman and man to earn Carthage degrees. Knowing how hard past classes labored to clear their own path, Mrs. Hunter Moore practically insists that today’s students of color take advantage of the resources Carthage has made available.
toward cultural fluency At the emotion-filled launch party for the Intercultural Center, Professor Sandie Bisciglia ’94 reflected on the faculty and staff champions at Carthage who, without fanfare, started the long march toward equity and inclusion decades earlier. From that “under-the-radar diversity” work, it has graduated to a core institutional priority. “Carthage has a history of finding a way when there is no way,” said Prof. Bisciglia, who served as its first director of diversity from 2013 to 2016. Assisted by a team of student liaisons, full-time staff members Roger Moreano and Cicely Hunter guide the new center’s mission. They encourage students from differing backgrounds to exchange ideas, develop relationships, ask questions, and work together to create change. In its first semester alone, the center held events tied to monthly cultural celebrations and launched a podcast-style interview
program called “Java & Justice” to amplify diverse viewpoints. It also hosts training workshops like the new love-over-hate series Building Beloved Community, which borrows its name and spirit from a quote by the Rev. Martin Luther King. Carthage’s deep commitment flows out from there, guided by a campus-wide Equity and Inclusion Committee that’s approaching 40 members. Following a directive from President Swallow, each department at the College chooses a DEI project each year to boost employees’ personal and professional growth. And the Athletic Department announced its own 17-point advocacy plan to support hundreds of student-athletes. A new requirement for first-year students, the Anti-Racism and Intercultural Seminar Experience (ARISE), challenges them to fill the gaps in their understanding. After gauging their intercultural competency in a baseline assessment last fall, they’ll work with one of 23 trained equity coaches on campus to design and carry out a service learning project this spring. “Understanding how to work with, connect with, and support people who are different from yourself is a crucial life skill that all of our students need to be successful in any career,” says Mr. Moreano, director of equity and inclusion in the Division of Student Affairs. In many ways, as the gateway to adulthood, college is meant to be difficult. Feeling like you belong, on the other hand, should come automatically. The dawn of this “new era in Carthage history,” as Mr. Moreano calls it, means there’s hope for a day soon when no student feels the only choice is to suck it up.
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leaders to lean on My Brother’s Keeper, a leadership excellence group for men of color, consistently draws rave reviews from Carthage participants. Roger Moreano, director of equity and inclusion, leads weekly sessions focused on personal development, academic excellence, professional preparation, civic engagement, and purpose. It’s inspired by but unrelated to the identically named program started by President Barack Obama.
“it helped me to evolve as an african american man and realize my potential outside of athletics.” thomas edwards ’21
“My Brother’s Keeper is not just a name of a group on campus here at Carthage College. Once you join this group, you really do gain brothers — ones who will look out for you and be there for you lex fitzpatrick ’21 in a time of need.”
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COVER STORY
Toward liberty and justice for all As anger in the country and the Kenosha community boiled over, Carthaginians intensified their efforts to eliminate discrimination and inequality on many fronts.
REV. ANGIE KHABEB ’05
A sanctuary from despair and destruction Somehow, as fire from the protests of George Floyd’s killing destroyed most of the surrounding buildings, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church was spared. So the church became something of a round-the-clock relief spot for residents in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis. For the Rev. Angie Khabeb ’05, the congregation’s associate pastor, the days and weeks passed in a blur. First, the building became a makeshift medical station, mostly to treat burns people suffered from tear gas. Then clergy and volunteers turned it into a distribution site for food and household supplies. With grocery stores burned and bus service offline, Pastor Khabeb says the neighborhood “became a food desert, like, overnight.” Holy Trinity kept giving out food throughout the summer, serving 1,500 people in one day when the need peaked. Some came in from the suburbs to replenish their cupboards. This, after all, was a community still reeling from massive job losses brought on by the pandemic. “You know it’s not enough, but you’re doing
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something,” says Pastor Khabeb, who made it through more than one sleepless night on adrenaline. Shortly after a citywide curfew was enacted and the chaos was confined to daylight hours, she and two other members of the pastoral staff spent a night in the church. “The next morning, we had Communion on the roof overlooking this charred chaos,” says Pastor Khabeb. “Something was breaking in our nation, and, as a Black woman with Black children, I just could not stay home at that time.” If the status of race relations in 2020 needed to strike any closer to home, it happened when she and her husband tried to redeem a restaurant gift card a parishioner had given them (along with the receipt). The staff refused to accept it until the purchaser — who is white — arrived to vouch for its legitimacy. “We think of racism as people wearing Klan garb and using the ‘N’ word,” says Pastor Khabeb, “but it’s the subtle, implicit bias.” The year’s events took a cumulative toll on her. She took a leave of absence and began trauma therapy before returning to ministry in December. A daunting rebuilding process lies ahead for the community, but Pastor Khabeb is warmed by the lingering memory of her congregation stepping up. “When the community needed us,” she says, “our doors were propped open.”
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ANGIE HARDEN ’10
Tipping the Supreme Court scales There’s no way for Angie Harden ’10 to verify that the legal brief she and her colleagues submitted to the Supreme Court swayed the justices, but the reasoning in a landmark ruling for LGBTQ+ rights sure sounded familiar. “We saw a lot of the arguments we made stated in the decision,” says Ms. Harden, an attorney with Husch Blackwell in Milwaukee. Siding with the plaintiffs in Bostock v. Clayton County last June, the court determined employers cannot fire someone merely for being gay or transgender. In the opinion, the majority indicated that the civil rights law prohibiting employment discrimination because of a person’s sex extends to gender identity and sexual orientation. Although the Husch Blackwell team didn’t represent anyone in the case — a consolidation of three
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lawsuits — the firm encouraged Ms. Harden to submit an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief supporting the fired workers’ arguments. She’d already given presentations to other lawyers on nearly identical topics. It was her first taste of the laborious Supreme Court process. Squeezing in time here and there between her own cases, Ms. Harden spent four or five months compiling and formatting the brief, which her team filed on behalf of 10 statewide advocacy groups. Openly gay as far back as her time at Carthage, where she was a Lincoln Scholar, Ms. Harden serves on the board of directors for both the LGBT Bar Association of Wisconsin and the Cream City Foundation (where she chairs the LGBT Scholarship Committee). “I’m glad I can use my legal skills to advance the rights of my community,” she says.
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MINNIE BORDEAUX ’06
A culture to celebrate, not pity Raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Minnie Bordeaux ’06 of the Sicangu Oglala Lakota people isn’t looking for your sympathy. Most media accounts focus on what her people have lost, starting from the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. Time can’t erase that historical black mark, but this is 2021 and Lakota artists like Ms. Bordeaux have joy to spread. “My culture is really cool and important,” she says. “We just want to be able to express ourselves as current people.” She uses digital media and performance art to tell uplifting stories about Indigenous communities — and not just for outsiders. As someone who once had the misconception that “only Native Americans are alcoholics,” Ms. Bordeaux has seen what happens when people internalize those toxic narratives and rely on harmful stereotypes. One interactive exhibition featured interviews she did with Lakota women examining the tribe’s credo that “we are all related” — to one another and the earth. And her dissertation while pursuing a Ph.D. in the World Arts and Cultures Department at UCLA (with eyes toward a full-time faculty position) examines how artists express a Lakota sense of place. During her days at Carthage, the alumna took part in a lot of “cross-cultural solidarity-building.” Active in United Women of Color, Black Student Union, and the Sigma Omega Sigma sorority at Carthage, she credits African American friends for encouraging her to form alliances based on common goals. “I owe them a huge debt,” Ms. Bordeaux says. “Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty go hand-in-hand.”
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EMBER MCCOY ’14
Clean air for the have-nots Building on her Carthage senior thesis, Ember McCoy ’14 works on behalf of those who unfairly bear the brunt of air pollution: primarily, that is, people of color. She recently started toward a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, one of the few schools to offer a full-fledged program in environmental justice. Mounting evidence that marginalized groups face disproportionately high health risks — and receive disproportionately little in the way of benefits like parks and energyefficient homes — has given rise to this niche field. In her work, Ms. McCoy sees the hidden downside of the environmental movement. Although the loudest opponents might fend off a controversial project, it usually ends up in someone else’s backyard — along with the potential health complications. Ever since that undergraduate thesis on coal-fired power plants, her primary concern has been air quality. Using the GIS skills she sharpened at Carthage, Ms. McCoy helped community leaders in a diverse part of Detroit choose the optimal location for an air pollution monitor and select which pollutants to measure. Next, she plans to research whether the legal threshold for emissions is strict enough to protect residents’ health. Even if each individual pollutant stays within acceptable limits, she points out that the cumulative effects could cause trouble. Before entering the Michigan doctoral program, she spent three years working as project manager for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the university’s School for Environment and Sustainability. There, she coordinated multiple “pathways” programs designed to open up a field that has traditionally lagged in diversity.
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COVER STORY
DEONTE WARREN, M.M. ’21
Broadening Broadway’s horizons Things were rolling for Deonte Warren. A standby in the Broadway production of “Aladdin” for three-plus years, he had performed in roughly 150 shows as The Genie, The Sultan, and Babkak. He even got to sing on “Good Morning America.” Then COVID-19 struck, closing the curtain on the New York theatre scene last March. So Mr. Warren put The Genie back in the bottle and returned to school as one of 12 students in this year’s Master of Music cohort at Carthage. Introduced to the program by a mutual friend he shares with Carthage professor Jeremy Mossman, he found it to be a perfect fit. Devoting his master’s thesis to diversity in the field, he wants to work with singers “who are normally ignored” because they embrace nonclassical styles like R&B, pop, or jazz. “The industry never wanted that from me,” said Mr. Warren, who was advised to focus exclusively on gospel. “We have more to offer as artists of color, and we need to make sure the industry stops pigeonholing people into being one thing.” Awarded a Diversity Fellowship, Mr. Warren teaches the Music Theatre Boot Camp for Carthage freshmen when he’s not plugging away at his own coursework. After completing the graduate program in July, he intends to teach at the college level while operating his private studio and performing. Insistent that “the gatekeepers in the industry can’t all look the same way,” he’d also like to help diversify behind-the-scenes roles in direction, choreography, and technical production. The Carthage music theatre courses address stereotypes head-on, Mr. Warren adds, so he’s convinced the inclusive focus is “not just lip service.” Although he’s had memorable gigs with theme parks, cruise lines, and international tours for “Dreamgirls” and “Sister Act,” Mr. Warren isn’t bitter that the pandemic yanked him away from that performance career. Things are falling into place for him at Carthage. “I’m getting the exact info I wanted and then some,” he says.
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MARCUS KNIGHT ’06
Black-owned business turbocharger When you help one promising tech company to hit ambitious sales growth targets, it could be dismissed as a fluke. Three times? That meant Marcus Knight ’06 had reached unicorn status. Rather than stand pat, a year ago Mr. Knight redirected his expertise as a go-to-market strategist to start Cultured Perspective Inc. The consulting firm helps Black entrepreneurs to convert their ideas into successful businesses. “Black and brown founders are not receiving venture capital at the same rate,” Mr. Knight says. Even when investors do look their way, the funds often come with strings attached. Of course, to gain that reputation for the Midas touch, the Carthage alumnus first had to prove his own acumen. The rapid rise of MyButler, a personal butler service Mr. Knight launched in 2013, put him on the map. Mr. Knight employed the same sales strategies to guide growth at Groupon, Talent Bin (later acquired by Monster), and Textio — an augmented writing platform that suggests alternative wording to make job postings, blogs, and other employer messaging more inclusive. “I have a repeatable process that no one has been able to replicate,” he says. Impatient to start his career, Mr. Knight left Carthage with just a few credits to go to complete his degree — a box he’s still determined to check off. He traces his resilience, grit, and curiosity to “keep digging into the ‘why’ until you understand” directly back to his days as a business student and cross country and track athlete. Now living in Seattle, the heart of tech country, Mr. Knight divides his energy among four growing ventures. Besides the consultancy, those include Black With No Chaser, a multimedia platform with 15 million monthly viewers across the African diaspora; KIDKLTURE, an inclusive kids’ clothing line; and an online mentoring community for Black sales professionals. He's at home in the startup scene. “You have to be comfortable with ambiguity and risk. I love building the rocket ship while it’s in midair,” Mr. Knight says. “And it’s paid off.”
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COVER STORY
MARY HOOKS ’04
Refueling communities for a protracted battle Community organizer Mary Hooks ’04 sees the fight for liberation as a long-term battle on many fronts. She’s co-director of Southerners on New Ground, an organization focused on the shared interests of the LGBTQ+ community, women, people of color, and immigrants across the southern states. SONG is a leader in the broader Movement for Black Lives. “We’ve been galvanizing the energy from the uprising into the ongoing work of organizing,” Ms. Hooks says. “That’s our greatest infrastructure: our relationships to each other.” Convinced the struggle will take generations, she’s playing the long game. To invigorate southern communities that are “spiritually malnourished,” the Carthage alumna has tried to build lasting connections with food, music, mural-making, and, in the throes of a deadly pandemic, grief support. Since COVID-19 precautions first tethered people to their homes, Ms. Hooks has begun to write more. That includes a series of articles she’s doing for Prism, a social justice-focused news publication, to reimagine the modern approach to public safety.
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SONG’s work is being felt far beyond America’s borders. Showing solidarity across the African diaspora, the group is part of a joint effort to help relocate Black LGBTQ+ refugees who have endured systemic violence at the Block 13 refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya. She still remembers a provocative talk that Black activist Elaine Brown gave at Carthage. The former Black Panther Party chairwoman described the lasting effects of the war on drugs on Black residents, something Ms. Hooks saw firsthand growing up in nearby Racine. “I grew up thinking we just made bad choices. Me and my homies lived to tell about it, but I know way too many who didn’t — through no fault of their own,” she says. “The conditions that Black and oppressed people face are a side effect of generations of state-sanctioned genocide, both here and abroad.” Looking back, the alumna sees that as a critical moment in her growth, as she began to ask critical questions: What is power? Who has it, and who doesn’t? How do those without power build it and take it? And what do we do with it once we have it? “Seeds were being planted,” she says. “It may have just taken a few years for them to sprout.”
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FE AT U R E S TO RY
Mission accomplished Celebration sets stage for alumnae to come
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lthough the celebration marking a century and a half of women’s education at Carthage officially drew to a close with the arrival of 2021, it laid the groundwork for a long-term benefit. To commemorate 150 Years of Carthage Women, a legacy that began on the previous campus in western Illinois, the College tapped into its network of successful and devoted alumnae. More than 70 volunteers served on various planning committees for the 14-month celebration. Launched in October 2019 with a modest goal of $1.5 million, the fundraising component ultimately brought in nearly five times that amount. The initiative raised more than $7.1 million (including pledges) toward scholarships, experiential learning, and athletics for women. Deep relationships inspired Carthaginians to pay it forward. Of the more than two dozen new scholarship funds established, many bear the names of familiar figures in Carthage lore: Alice Kibbe, Juanita Jones, Ruth Fangmeier, Beverly Keller, Irma Anderson, Betsy Brown, and Barbara Campbell. Additionally, many donors made gifts in honor of powerful role models, such as Terri Wruck, who hired Rachel (Jason) Gamarra ’13 for an internship at Snap-on Inc. and became a mentor for her charitable work. Or the late Jean Burkee ‘75, who was Kenosha’s first lady by day and Carthage student by night; she would rise at 3 a.m. to do homework, recalls her daughter Christine (Burkee) Hobbs ’71. The focus stretched well beyond financial support, with volunteer committees organizing events that showcased women’s contributions and challenges from 1870 to today. Commemorating 100 years since the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Professor Stephanie Mitchell interviewed visiting fellow Nancy Tate about the Women’s Vote Centennial Initiative. Carthage Fine Arts highlighted women’s works and concerns through original performances and an alumnae exhibition.
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FUNDING THEIR FUTURE Totals raised through Dec. 15, 2020, as part of the 150 Years of Carthage Women initiative: Estate Commitments and Deferred Gifts
$4,584,880
Endowed and Annual Scholarships
$2,278,876
Professional Development
$126,942 Athletics
$125,935
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PRESIDENT WICK GETS HER DUE
Unfortunately, the pandemic forced the cancellation of some promising events. College officials still plan to schedule an in-person closing ceremony. That, along with reunions for women’s athletic teams and sororities, is tentatively planned for Homecoming 2021. Watch for future messages with details. “The 150 Years of Carthage Women celebration and fundraising campaign surpassed our expectations in nearly every way. Thanks again to all who helped us commemorate this important milestone,” said Thomas Kline, vice president for institutional advancement. “We are excited to embrace the next chapter in our story with the same courage and pioneering spirit as the first Carthage women.” The Office of Institutional Advancement is determined to engage women students and their supporters into the future. Contact Mr. Kline at tkline@carthage.edu with any suggestions.
Nearly 70 years after Ruth Wick’s temporary yet significant stint as leader of the College, the Board of Trustees has officially recognized her as Carthage’s 18th president. As described in the Summer 2019 magazine issue, she served as acting president for several months in 1951-52. Until then, only two co-ed colleges in the United States had elected a woman as their top administrator. A vice president thrust into the top job after the abrupt resignation of newly inaugurated president Morris Wee, she kept Carthage on a steady course until President Harold Lentz took office. Although the formal list of past Carthage presidents traditionally excludes interim leaders, the College has made exceptions in special circumstances. President Wick, who didn’t seek the position long-term, went on to other leadership roles in Lutheran education. She died in 1994.
Will you help us light the way for future Carthage students? Planned gifts (established now but funded in the future) make it possible for students to fulfill their dream of a Carthage education. These gifts impact every aspect of a student’s education, including financial aid, research, faculty, and academic programs. To discuss how your legacy gift can light the way for others, please contact Tim Knutson, director of planned giving. tknutson@carthage.edu • 262-551-5786
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The Henry Denhart Society recognizes individuals who support the College through a planned gift.
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FE AT U R E S TO RY
Scent to the front Undervalued among the five senses, smell deployed in Professor Leslie Cameron’s COVID-19 research
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ach semester, Carthage professor Leslie Cameron poses a hypothetical question to the students in her psychological science classes: If forced to relinquish one of the five senses, which would you pick? While they shudder to imagine life without sight or hearing, smell goes largely unappreciated in that exercise. Wouldn’t be fun, students admit, but they’d plug their noses and get by without it. After all of the relevant research she’s conducted, Prof. Cameron feels compelled to rise in defense of the nose and its olfactory sidekicks. “I explain to my students, if you give up smell, you’re actually giving up two senses,” she says. That’s because smell and taste are deeply intertwined. Not only would they miss the mouth-watering scent of cookies wafting from the oven, but they’d also find the flavor altered too. Over the past 13 months, that hypothetical classroom debate has graduated into a very real global concern affecting millions of people. Anosmia — the loss of smell — emerged as a telltale symptom of COVID-19. Suddenly, the often overlooked sense commanded the world’s attention.
a timely study While Big Pharma put its nose to the grindstone to develop a vaccine, other researchers tackled a more immediate need: limiting the spread of the nasty coronavirus. Convinced that the key to early detection lies in understanding COVID’s unique symptoms, Prof. Cameron and Medical College of Wisconsin professor Adam Greenberg launched a smell study at Carthage. Initially, anyone in the campus community could participate,
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whether they’d experienced symptoms of the virus or not. Nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff members signed up as the campus reopened last fall. The self-testing consisted of two parts: a daily test that monitored their ability to smell familiar items in three provided vials and a weekly test using a commercially available scratch-and-sniff card. Seven Carthage psychology students assisted the project leaders, getting a rare chance to do research with potentially immediate applications. “It was really fascinating to be able to help with a study about COVID-19 in the midst of the pandemic,” says Anna Faust ’21. “I don’t think that is something many undergraduate students get the opportunity to do.” The meatiest data came from the 10 participants who submitted
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their test results after contracting the new coronavirus. Although the sample is too small to offer any scientific validity, all suffered some form of smell loss (most acutely in the apparent intensity of odors). This spring, as the Carthage project’s focus narrows to exclusively monitor those with positive COVID tests, she’s embarking on a parallel study with MCW that will monitor patients’ changes in smell after they’re discharged from the hospital. Anecdotally, many people have reported that their ability to detect scents and flavors returned once they recovered from the virus. Scientifically, the jury is still out. An avid cyclist and competitive squash player, Prof. Cameron doesn’t fall into any of the high-risk health categories. So what motivates her to stay home during the pandemic? That’s simple: “I do not want to lose my sense of smell.”
what a passion smells like She understands why students are quick to dismiss smell’s significance. Research-wise, it wasn’t her initial choice, either. While completing a Ph.D. at the University of Rochester in New York, Prof. Cameron found a niche studying visual perception. Then life opened a new line of inquiry. While pregnant with the first of her two children, she noticed that familiar smells in Manhattan had become more intense — in a make-you-gag way. The nosy postdoctoral fellow wanted to know why. The research literature offered no more answers than you’d find in “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” “It surprised me that there was very, very little actual scientific data on pregnancy and the sense of smell,” Prof. Cameron says. That curiosity simmered on the back burner for a while, until a position at Carthage granted her the freedom to dig for answers. She lined up dozens of expecting or postpartum women for a smell study. Prof. Cameron and her student assistants found only that participants rated scents less pleasing than before. Although women typically perceived that pregnancy had intensified their overall sense of smell, the study turned up little empirical evidence to confirm that.
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The findings poked holes in conventional wisdom, recasting the faculty researcher as a kind of pregnancy myth-buster. They also clashed with her own experience, presenting a dichotomy between the scientific and the personal that she’s learned to embrace. After collaborating with the psychological science professor for 2 1/2 years at Carthage, Holly Pelnar ’20 considers her a mentor on both counts. On one hand, Holly appreciates that Prof. Cameron “challenges students to be cautious and informed consumers of information.” Nothing is exempt from that critical eye. But the recent graduate equally values the “atmosphere of community” that her mentor established. Supplying the snacks, Prof. Cameron invokes the Swedish tradition of fika — a communal coffee break — at lab meetings. “When I started working with her as a freshman, that really helped put me at ease,” Holly says. “It made me feel much better about sharing ideas or even concerns with her and my fellow lab partners.” Diversifying her research portfolio over the years, Prof. Cameron has studied topics like humor development and students’ understanding of graphs and charts. Still, the way to her heart is through the nasal cavity. An ailing patient’s. An expectant mother’s. Everyone’s. “That’s where my heart is going to be for the next decade,” she says. Spotting a silver lining in the gloom of a public health nightmare, Prof. Cameron expects funding for olfaction research to flow more freely in the post-pandemic world. “The sense of smell is so relevant that we’re going to have a much easier time convincing people this is important,” she says. “The case sort of makes itself now, after COVID.”
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ATHLETICS
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Line of succession Bosko, Steve Djurickovic complete men’s basketball coaching handoff
I
t’s hard enough to fill the shoes of a school’s winningest coach. Now imagine those are your father’s shoes.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Steve Djurickovic ’11, whose shoes are, in fact, a size and a half larger than his dad’s. More importantly, he stood up to plenty of pressure as one of the most decorated men’s basketball players in Carthage history. Steve’s promotion to head coach took effect Aug. 1, a few weeks after his father, Bosko Djurickovic, announced his intent to retire from the position he held for 24 years. Bosko walked away as one of the most successful men’s basketball coaches in NCAA history, amassing 567 victories to rank among the top 30 in Division III. Of that total, 371 wins came at Carthage, more than doubling the previous school record. Before Bosko arrived in Kenosha in 1996, the program had won just one College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title. His teams won five of those and made NCAA tournament runs to the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four. The end of one storied career ushered in a new one. Steve spent the past six seasons as an assistant on his father’s staff. “It was obviously a little overwhelming at first,” says Steve of the transition to head coach. “I think every assistant coach thinks you’re ready to be the head coach and take over right away, but then you find out really quickly there’s a lot more to do. From scheduling to different meetings that you have to
carthage.edu
go to that you didn’t as an assistant coach, you learn pretty quickly how you have to adjust and learn as you go.” That’s an adjustment Bosko had to make, as well, 35 years earlier at North Park College (now a university) in Chicago. “I remember when I took over in 1985, we had just won three national championships,” recalls Bosko. “I said ‘Hey, I’ve been doing this for 10 years. I’m ready to go, and we’re going to win and win.’ The first game I coached, we played down at (the University of Illinois at Chicago). It was one of their better teams, and they beat us by 30.” Later in the season, North Park improved enough to win another national title — the first of two for the Vikings under Bosko’s leadership. After 10 years there, he moved on to Carthage, where the Djurickovics established deep roots. All three of Bosko’s children are alumni: Amanda ’09, Steve, and Pete ’13. With 2,547 career points, Steve remains the program’s all-time leading scorer. The National Association of Basketball Coaches twice named him an All-American, and his 839 free throws made is a Division III record. He’s the only player ever to lead the CCIW in scoring and assists four years in a row. Like everything in 2020, the coaching transition was unusual. “So much has changed because of COVID,” said Bosko. “Therefore, it wasn’t the normal transition where I’m sitting there on my last day and walking out with a big box of stuff.” Steve’s success under his father’s guidance, both as a student-athlete and an assistant coach, has helped prepare him for this next challenge. “It’s been a fun transition, and the guys on the team have
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ATHLETICS
been really good at being adaptable to everything that’s going on,” he says. “The seniors on the team this year have really stepped up in a leadership position and helped the young guys out. It’s not a normal season, but we’re trying to make it as close as possible.” When this issue went to print, it remained uncertain when Steve could send his team onto the court for the first time. However, there’s one thing he can count on: He’ll have not only one of the greatest coaches in his corner, but also a loving and supporting father. “This is Steve’s opportunity to coach the team, but I want to be available,” says Bosko. “He needs to be able to put his own fingerprints on what he does, and that’s exciting. I am very close with all of our kids, so this is an important step for Steve, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Men’s golf coach Roehl retires Capping a 21-year Carthage career, multisport coach Dave Roehl retired in August. During his 18-year watch as head men’s golf coach, Carthage produced 40 all-conference players and three All-Americans. Coach Roehl guided the team to back-to-back College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships in 2006 and 2007, and the latter season culminated in a top-10 finish at the NCAA Division III tournament. He came to the College in 2000 as a part-time assistant men’s basketball coach. Elevated to full time after four seasons, Coach Roehl successfully juggled both sports until 2013, when he stepped away from basketball to focus exclusively on golf. To succeed him, new athletic director Nate Stewart promoted Brandy Johnston to director of golf. The reigning CCIW Coach of the Year in women’s golf added the men’s golf program to her duties in 2020-21.
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Hall of Fame grows by 10 Carthage has announced the 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class. Public health concerns forced the postponement of the induction ceremony until fall 2021. Meet the 10 newest inductees:
Bob Bonn Administrator Longtime director of athletics Bob Bonn, who passed away unexpectedly in June, will be honored posthumously. On his watch from 1992 to 2018, Carthage raised 117 championship banners, added nine NCAA Division III sports, completed more than $50 million in facility renovations, and built a $3 million endowment.
Elizca Buys Women's Tennis Originally from South Africa, Elizca Buys ’07 set Carthage career records for singles victories (100) and total victories (206). She made the All-America team with two different doubles partners, and coaches selected Ms. Buys for the All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin first team in each of her four years.
Rachel (Swoboda) Collison Women's Volleyball Outside hitter Rachel (Swoboda) Collison ’11 started quickly, winning Freshman of the Year nods in both the CCIW and the Midwest region. She twice made the AllAmerica squad (first team as a sophomore) and still ranks among Carthage’s all-time leaders in block assists, hitting percentage, and kills.
Winter Carthaginian 2021
Steve Djurickovic
Stephanie Kuzmanic
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
The only player to lead the CCIW in scoring and assists four times, Steve Djurickovic ’11 remains the College’s all-time leader in both. Coaches twice voted Mr. Djurickovic to the All-America team, and D3hoops.com named him national Player of the Year in 2010. He’s the only Carthage winner of the Jostens Trophy as the top NCAA Division III men’s basketball student-athlete.
Point guard Stephanie Kuzmanic ’14 led Carthage to the NCAA tournament in all three seasons as a starter, including the Sweet 16 as a senior. She twice received All-America recognition from coaches, plus two CCIW Most Outstanding Player awards. Ms. Kuzmanic capped that career as the Capital One Academic All-American Player of the Year in 2014.
Kyle Drake
Connor Wexter
Men's Swimming and Diving
Men's Volleyball
Four-time All-American Kyle Drake ’12 is the program’s most decorated alumnus. CCIW Men’s Swimmer of the Year in both 2011 and 2012, Mr. Drake won nine individual conference titles and swam on five winning relays in his college career. He holds the Carthage record in the 200-yard backstroke (1:47.92).
Spearheading the Carthage offense as a setter from day one, Connor Wexter ’14 helped his team to 99 wins from 2011 through 2014. He was a three-time AllAmerican, making the first team twice. The four-year all-conference honoree maintains a firm grasp on the school record for career assists (4,633).
Trevor James
Kelsey (Epping) Wickenhauser
Men's Track and Field
Softball
Despite coming to campus with no high school track and field experience, Trevor James ’14 excelled with two NCAA championships in the high jump: outdoors in 2012 and indoors in 2014. Mr. James also won five conference titles in that signature event, and his school records (both above 7 feet) still stand.
Standout pitcher Kelsey (Epping) Wickenhauser ’10 won 47 games in a career that culminated with a CCIW championship and the program’s first NCAA regional win in 2010. Coaches named Ms. Wickenhauser to the all-region team three times, and, among Carthage pitchers, she’s still in the top three for strikeouts, ERA, and complete games.
Tom Joerres Men's Cross Country / Men’s Track and Field Tom Joerres ’74 led Carthage to three consecutive top-five finishes in the NAIA cross country championship meets (1971 through 1973). At one point, he held school records in four track and field events; his 1973 time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase would have qualified for the previous year’s U.S. Olympic team trials.
carthage.edu
Women’s Volleyball
First CCIW Woman of the Year Outside hitter Megan Behrendt ’20 became the first Carthage student-athlete to receive the CCIW Woman of the Year award since its inception in 2005. “She is a fierce competitor, terrific student, amazing teammate, and gives back to her community,” said women’s volleyball coach Leanne Ulmer, who welcomed the recent alumna to the coaching staff as a graduate assistant. On the court, Ms. Behrendt was named conference Player of the Year as a senior. She ranks fifth in program history for both career kills (1,366) and digs (1,540). She earned academic all-conference honors all four years, making the CoSIDA Academic All-America first team last year.
Wrestling / Bowling
Home venues for new sports Carthage selected the sites where its three newest teams will hold their home events. WRESTLING: The men’s and women’s wrestling teams will practice in the Van Maren Skybox Conference Center, with meets taking place in the adjacent Tarble Arena or the TARC Field House. BOWLING: One of eight CCIW women’s bowling teams, Carthage will host events at Castle Lanes in nearby Racine.
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ATHLETICS
Meet new Director of Athletics Nate Stewart Nate Stewart, an effective collegiate administrator and coach for more than 15 years, joined Carthage as director of athletics in August. Carthage hired Mr. Stewart away from Centre College, a fellow NCAA Division III program in Danville, Kentucky. As deputy director of athletics for the past three years, he was actively involved in all facets of the day-to-day operations. Before that, he was the athletic director at Eastern University in Pennsylvania and Valley City State University in North Dakota. “Nate Stewart brings to Carthage a truly outstanding background. He’s an experienced athletic leader, he thrives in making strong community connections, and he has established himself as a strongly relational fundraiser on a national scale,” said President John Swallow. “I’m thrilled that he is joining us.” Mr. Stewart’s affinity for the small, private liberal arts setting stems from his undergraduate studies at Roanoke (Virginia) College, where he was a four-year letterwinner in basketball. He went on to earn a master’s degree in athletic administration from Marshall University. “Carthage has a great reputation, both athletically and academically,” Mr.
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Stewart said. “I felt an instant connection to the people and the campus and really fell in love with the place.” He succeeds Michelle Manning, who stepped down from the position in December 2019. Associate director Kelsey Peterson guided the department in the interim, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the College to pause the search. As an administrator, Mr. Stewart: •h elped to secure a $250,000 gift for gymnasium renovations at Centre. • e liminated a deficit in one year at Valley City State. •o versaw a $1.5 million fitness center renovation at Eastern. He also has extensive coaching experience in men’s basketball, including four years as head coach at D-III Eastern. Taking over a program that had posted a winning record in just three of its previous 19 seasons, he guided the Eagles to a 15-11 record in his first year (2011-12), But he’s proudest of the accomplishments that don’t show up as bullet points on his resumé. “To me, it’s all about the relationships I build,” he said. “That’s the thing I’ve enjoyed first and foremost about my job.”
Winter Carthaginian 2021
CLASS NOTES
1953
1967 Kathleen (Tostrud) Imhoff – Lexington, Kentucky, received the
Cynthia (Hinrichs) Schultz – Harvard, Illinois, celebrated her 90th birthday Nov. 4. Still living at home on her own, she enjoys quilting, baking, and “keeping her family in line.” Her late husband, both of her children and their spouses, and two of her grandchildren also graduated from Carthage.
1957 Rev. Andrew Carlsson – Mars, Pennsylvania, retired after 60 years of ordained ministry in the Lutheran church. In his first 30 years, he served five congregations in Texas and Pennsylvania as well as a social ministry institution. During his last 30 years, Pastor Carlson served more than 20 congregations as intentional interim minister while conducting training for the Interim Ministry Network and the National Association of Lutheran Interim Pastors. Rev. Richard Hanson – Peoria, Illinois, celebrated 45 years of marriage on May 2 and 60 years of active ministry on May 18.
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2020 Good Neighbor Award from the Lexington-Bluegrass Realtor Association for her role as volunteer coordinator of the Christ Community Cupboard. The award recognizes realtors who make extraordinary commitments to improve the quality of life in the community.
1969 Donna (Lyon) deOliveira – DeKalb, Illinois, has been assisting part time at Founders Elementary School in DeKalb and West Elementary School in Sycamore, Illinois.
1970 John Michael Karnatz – Park Ridge, Illinois, released his debut digital LP, “Classic Rock for Classic Rockers,” in October. After devoting much of the past five years to writing and pitching songs for licensing to the film, television, and recording industries, he fulfilled a longtime goal by putting together an album of original songs in one of his favorite musical genres.
1971 Michael Connor – Greendale, Wisconsin, became a grandparent on March 19. Ezra Josef Connor was born 8 pounds and measured 20 inches.
1977 Sandra (Matsen) Poisel – Louisville, Kentucky, self-published a book, “Climbing Kilimanjaro: My Dream, My Journey.” In it, she details her spiritual journey on Africa’s highest mountain.
1979 Michael Hooks – Herrin, Illinois, retired from the Illinois State Police. Looking back on a 33-year career in law enforcement, he’s “amazed how many Carthage graduates held senior command positions with me.”
1980 Julie Starks – Milwaukee, retired
1974 Vicki Grant – Eden Prairie, Minnesota, retired in March after a 45-year career in information technology that included positions with AAL, Pillsbury, and US Bank.
1975 Joe William Trotter Jr. – Penn
James Weber – Murrieta,
Hills, Pennsylvania, wrote and released a book titled “Pittsburgh and the Urban League Movement.”
California, retired after 17 years as controller for Moorefield Construction Inc. He and his wife relocated from Santa Ana to Murrieta in May.
from teaching last summer. Over the years, Ms. Starks taught physical education at all school levels. She also serves as president of the Meru Partnership Executive Committee for the Greater Milwaukee Synod and looks forward to a fifth trip to Tanzania when conditions allow.
1981 Mary Ann Zellman – Daytona Beach, Florida, has retired after teaching yoga for 20 years and looks forward to new adventures in the Sunshine State.
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CLASS NOTES
1985
1987
1997
2001
Pamela (Downie) Mix – Third Lake, Illinois, was promoted to senior vice president for communications, governance, and human resources at the College of American Pathologists, an organization that fosters and advocates excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine. Under Ms. Mix’s leadership, the CAP has made The Companies That Care Honor Roll as a socially responsible workplace and has been honored as one of Chicago’s Top Workplaces (by the Chicago Tribune).
Rev. Devin Strong – Richmond Hill, Georgia, became pastor of Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church in April. The formal installation took place via Zoom on Aug. 23, and parishioners held a drive-by parade afterward.
1989 John Gehring – Kenosha, recently completed a portrait of the late Grace Kelly, a prominent actress and Princess of Monaco. Mr. Gehring, a retired art instructor, sent copies to the princess’s family for each of her three children. He received a thank you letter from the secretary to Prince Albert II, her son.
Yolanda (Santos) Adams – Kenosha, was elected to the Kenosha Unified School District’s Board of Education in April. Since retiring as president and CEO of the Urban League of Racine and Kenosha, she has also been elected treasurer for the NAACP Wisconsin State Conference of Branches and re-elected as deputy state director for the elderly with the League of United Latin American Citizens.
husband, George, welcomed their fourth child June 26: August “Augie” Edwin Robinson. In March, Ms. Robinson also took on a new role at Amazon as human resources director for global HR4HR, supporting more than 20,000 Amazonians.
2002 1999
Marco Bottigliero – Yorkville, Illinois, became a fashion consultant with LuLaRoe.
2005 Kelli Keys – Burlington, Wisconsin,
1996 Susan (Grunwald) Richardson – Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was chosen to represent Wisconsin in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ 2021 National Teacher of the Year program. She teaches third grade at the Milwaukee German Immersion School. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, which previously named Ms. Richardson one of five statewide Teachers of the Year, recognized her for “promoting equity in her instruction and reaching out and building relationships with students to serve their individual needs.” As state representative, she will speak on education topics and advocate for students. The National Teacher of the Year will be recognized at the White House in April.
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Cherie (Matthaidess) Robinson – Seattle, and her
David Hoeppner – Hartford, Wisconsin, was promoted to lieutenant for the South Milwaukee Police Department in a small ceremony on Sept. 21. During his 21 years with the city, he has won several awards and commendations. Lt. Hoeppner continues to serve on the late shift, with additional department roles as a use of force instructor, motor officer, and evidence technician.
joined Vrakas Advisors LLC as an audit principal with the Kenosha office. Ms. Keys has 15 years of experience in assurance and consulting services, primarily focused on construction contractors.
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ALUMNI MESSAGE
Pressing on in the spirit of Lincoln
Krissy (Komarchuk) Pierce – Antioch, Illinois, and her husband, Ryan, adopted two sons: Isaac, 13, and Kaleb, 10.
2006 Lauren (Neverman) Wheeler – Watertown, Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in May with a master’s degree in business administration – human resources. She is teaching her children this year before entering the workforce.
2008 Amy (Anderson) Osinga – Mount Prospect, Illinois, and her husband, Oliver, welcomed daughter Raya Hope Osinga in August.
2009
Christina Laur – Pittsburgh, has been appointed assistant professor of speech – language pathology at West Liberty University in West Virginia.
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Living and working in the Twin Cities, I can’t visit Carthage as often as I’d like. In reminiscing, I often take a slow ride down Campus Drive in my mind’s eye. Making my way north, as the road begins to bend back toward the Pike River, there stands the striking bronze sculpture of early trustee Abraham Lincoln dispensing some wisdom to young alumnus John Hay in “A Learning Moment.” The strategic placement of the statue — which was sculpted by Michael Martino and generously funded by the late Donna Wolf Steigerwaldt — almost suggests that Mr. Lincoln is stating in a parting goodbye, “Before you leave, remember what I taught you.” In 2020, the Carthage community, and the rest of the world, has been called to an unenviable learning moment. From the COVID-19 pandemic to racial injustice, civil unrest, and climate change, the nightly news cycle has felt like a TikTok compilation of worstcase scenarios. Yet, in these trying times, there are glimmers of hope emanating from Carthage: extraordinary students making sacrifices to keep others safe; a world-class faculty working tirelessly to deliver their courses in new ways; an administration committing to unprecedented anti-racism efforts; and generous alumni stepping up to serve their alma mater like never before. For its part, the Carthage Alumni Council is deepening and strengthening our support of the College we know and love. We are building on the great foundation laid by our immediate past president, Andy Boncher ’99, and working in close partnership with the Office of Institutional Advancement on five key areas of support: 1. Crafting a new strategy to engage alumni based on the results from the latest Carthage alumni survey;
2. Connecting students and recent graduates with experienced Carthage alumni through the Aspire Network; 3. Restructuring the Alumni Council bylaws to expand our committee structure and better meet the College’s needs; 4. G iving generously to the College and helping support fundraising initiatives; and 5. Ensuring a diverse, active, and engaged membership that reflects all Carthaginians. On the last point, I am heartened to see Carthage undertaking the work outlined in President John Swallow’s anti-racism plan of action. The Alumni Council is fully committed to supporting this initiative whenever and wherever possible. As a first step, we have tasked each of our committees with establishing specific goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure they are at the heart of our work together. There are still many challenges in the road ahead. Yet, why do we remember and revere Abraham Lincoln? Why do we commemorate his life and lessons with a statue on campus? Because he held our nation together and pushed us forward at a critical moment. During the Civil War, President Lincoln received criticism for his strategy to send troops through Maryland. His quick-witted reply can be read as a simple yet clear case for tackling challenges head-on: “We must have troops; and, as they can neither crawl under … nor fly over … they must come across it.” And, so it will be for Carthage. With a diverse, talented, and committed community, we will meet this moment and come across it together. Aaron Tinjum ’09 is president of the Alumni Council. He is eager to connect with other Carthage alumni and can be reached at atinjum@carthage.edu.
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your memories – carved in stone. Yes, 2020 was a year defined by change. Some of the personal changes were joyful — marriages, milestones, and growing families — and some were hard, like the loss of a loved one. Give permanence to your special memories with a commemorative Carthage paver. Celebrate graduations, anniversaries, and the lives of those who mattered most.
Visit carthage.edu/paver
to learn more and carve your place in Carthage history.
Marilyn Wikner – Kenosha, and her husband, Steven, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary May 13. The couple met at a laundromat and married in 1995.
Kelly (Munger) Hinck – South Beloit, Illinois, and her spouse, Rem, gave birth to Maddox Stephen Wesley Hinck on May 7.
2013
2011 Charles “Buzzy” Brown – Aurora, Illinois, teaches physical education at Doerfler Elementary School in Milwaukee and hip hop classes at four studios. A two-time track and field All-American at Carthage, he continues to train in the long jump with a goal to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.
Clay Robertson – Greendale, Wisconsin, now lives and works in Tallinn, Estonia. He served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division for five years after graduating from Carthage, then earned a master’s degree in international relations from Tallinn University in June 2019.
2012
Sarah (Brown) Cahill – Madison, Wisconsin, married Tony Cahill on Aug. 8 in a private ceremony during the Cedar Creek Open, a disc golf tournament held in Fairmont, Minnesota. The couple will reside in Monona, Wisconsin.
Andrea (Winbigler) Eiter – Hainesville, Illinois, earned a Master of Arts in Spanish education from the University of Nebraska-Kearney last summer.
2015
Nathan Giebel – Chicago, married Sarah Goldenberg on Sept. 26 with a socially distanced outdoor ceremony in Highland Park, Illinois.
Ashlynn (Rickord) Werner and Brad Werner – Foxboro, Massachusetts, married on Sept. 28, 2019.
Winter Carthaginian 2021
2016 Cami Christopulos – Chicago, earned a Master of Science degree in higher education administration and policy from Northwestern University in June.
IN MEMORIAM 1941 Charles “Hop” Hopson Metropolis, Ill. Sept. 4, 2020
1942 Katharine Guither Quincy, Ill. Oct. 17, 2020
Lillian George and Scotty Adamczyk – Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, got engaged on Oct. 9. They plan to marry this September.
Peter Sproule – Houghton, Michigan, earned a master’s degree in art history at the University of Toronto last fall. He is enrolled in a doctoral program at Queen’s University in Ontario, specializing in German illustration.
2018 Daniel Jensen – Kenosha, graduated from the University of Arizona in August with a master’s degree in international security studies. His primary research interests were geopolitics and the impact of psychology in sparking conflicts.
Amanda Rico – Roseville, Minnesota, married Tony Dalsted on Oct. 10.
2019 Joshua Kundert – Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has been appointed to the staff of the 104th volume of the Marquette Law Review. He credits his experiences in the Carthage Mock Trial program with professors Michael Phegley and Arthur Cyr.
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1949 Christine (Niekamp) Fisher Coatsburg, Ill. Nov. 13, 2020
1950 Joy (Bewersdorf) Christensen
Herbert “Jim” Wrath
1959 Dennis Bryan
1965 Jim Beaumont
1983 Darrell Erdman
Plainfield, Ill. May 10, 2020
New Franken, Wis. Aug. 21, 2020
Appleton, Wis. Jan. 1, 2020
Middleton, Wis. Feb. 11, 2020
1951 Rev. Earl Meissner
1960 Marianne (Mosley) Gahle
1966 Karen Ecklund West
1984 Joanne (Riess) Zmuda
Carthage, Ill. Aug. 8, 2020
Scottsdale, Ariz. Aug. 19, 2020
North Canton, Ohio
Michael K. Taylor
1967 David Mueller
Overland Park, Kan. Sept. 27, 2020
1954 Bob Gerding Chicago April 17, 2020
Nashville, Ill. July 31, 2020
Jimmy D. Scott
1961 Gail (Mitchell) Carr
Bloomington, Ill. Oct. 15, 2020
Rockford, Ill. Aug. 4, 2020
David Walther
Lostant, Ill. June 18, 2020
Davenport, Iowa July 19, 2020
Vivian (Smith) Herdman
1968 Donald Hill
Marietta, Ga. Aug. 22, 2020
1956 Rev. Prosper Tournear
Clifford Crone
Princeton, Ill. July 11, 2020
Battle Creek, Mich. July 3, 2020
Waukegan, Ill. Aug. 20, 2020
1957 Ronald Stamer
1962 Doug Donoho
1972 Carla Haubrich
Naperville, Ill. May 4, 2020
Spring Hill, Fla. June 5, 2020
Arlington Heights, Ill. Oct. 15, 2020
Sterling, Ill. Oct. 19, 2020
Silverdale, Wash. July 24, 2020
Delores Vojtko
Robert Halsey
Joan Frey
Libertyville, Ill. Sept. 5, 2020
1974 Sadie L. Watts
Evelyn (Kraemer) Flegel
Liberty, Ill. Sept. 15, 2020
David Knowles Keokuk, Iowa July 30, 2020
1958 Marjorie (Walker) Schleuning Morrison, Ill. Oct. 26, 2020
Milwaukee May 4, 2020
Zion, Ill. Aug. 22, 2020
Howard Reblitz Leesburg, Va. April 6, 2020
1964 Janet Nicholas Carthage, Ill. Sept. 17, 2020
1980 Jane (Frye) Barnes Sun Prairie, Wis. Aug. 31, 2020
1982 Todd Diener
1986 Gary Lamberty Mount Pleasant, Wis. Sept. 2, 2020
1987 Susan Dunk Oak Park, Ill. June 17, 2020
1988 Cynthia Lichter Kenosha April 25, 2020
1989 Anna Rindfleisch Franksville, Wis. June 29, 2020
1991 Moses K. Ndjarakana Windhoek, Namibia Aug. 18, 2020
1998 Karen (Kitchen) Sax Union Grove, Wis. July 28, 2020
Kenosha May 20, 2020
Gary Larson
Sandy Matrise
Gary Larson ’61, one of Carthage’s first employees at the current campus, passed away July 29 in Kenosha. He was 83. An alumnus of Carthage’s previous campus in Illinois, Mr. Larson then joined the staff and recruited the first class to Kenosha. In 17 years with the College, he also served as alumni director, assistant director for development, and purchasing agent before finishing his career with Snap-on.
For 27 years, Sandy Matrise was often the first person at Carthage to greet callers and visitors. The longtime campus receptionist passed away Nov. 10 in Kenosha at age 79. Ms. Matrise worked at the College from 1979 until her retirement in 2006. From her desk on the ground floor of Lentz Hall, she operated the switchboard for the main campus phone line while providing a personal welcome and directions to guests.
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BRIDGE PROJECTS VIA THE ASPIRE NETWORK
you have projects. we have talent. Besides the many ways you’ve traditionally helped Carthage students and recent graduates to gain professional experience — office visit days, job shadowing, and on-site internships — alumni, parents, and others can now enlist their help virtually with short-term (up to 40-hour) projects. It’s as simple as unbundling a traditional internship into smaller projects that can be done remotely. We call them Bridge Projects, because they act as a bridge from course knowledge to real-world experience.
could you use help: • Creating a logo? • Conducting market research? • Developing a social media plan? • Analyzing large data sets?
• Doing political campaign tasks? • Performing a literature review? • Designing a presentation deck?
how it works: YOU choose a project from our template library (or create your own). WE provide step-by-step guidance to students or recent alumni. YOU check in with students for about 30 minutes per week. It’s a simple way to pay it forward, help your company, and potentially find your next star talent in the process.
learn more and post a project https://aspirenetwork.carthage.edu
aspire@carthage.edu 262-551-5959 carthage.edu/aspire
Class Notes Submission Form
Deadline for the next issue is March 15, 2021
Name (first/maiden/current last name)
Professional Title
Spouse’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)
Class Year
Employer
Class Year
SPRE ADING THE WORD
Street Address
City
Mobile/Home Phone
State ZIP
Business Phone
News
(attach additional sheets as necessary)
Photos are welcome! (Please send non-returnable photos.) Besides family updates, here are some other examples of news for alumni to share: • Job changes, promotions, or retirements • Awards and other milestones (professional or recreational) • Publications, studio recordings, art exhibitions, etc. • New service projects, civic appointments, etc. • Third-generation (or more) Carthage students
Marriage Announcement Name (first/maiden/current last name)
Class Year
Spouse’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)
Class Year
Date of Marriage
City and State of Current Residence
Birth/Adoption Announcement Parent’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)
Class Year
Parent’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)
Class Year
Daughter’s Name (first/middle/last)
Son’s Name (first/middle/last)
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Death Announcement Name of Deceased (first/maiden/current last name)
City and State of Residence
Class Year
Date of Death
Survivor (first/maiden/current last name)
Relationship
Class Year
Survivor (first/maiden/current last name)
Relationship
Class Year
Tear off this form along the perforated edge and mail to: Carthage College, Alumni Relations, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha WI 53140. Class notes and photos also may be submitted online: carthage.edu/alumni/class-notes
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PAGE FROM THE PAST
A slice of Carthage history from the Staubitz Archives
Torch stayed lit during an American injustice Throughout Carthage history, you’ll find stories of students making epic journeys to continue their education. A prime example is the late Isabel (Miyata) Benson ’47, who enrolled during World War II — a particularly difficult time for Japanese Americans. Despite being born in Baltimore and sharing a July 4 birthday with Uncle Sam, she discovered what can happen when a country chooses paranoia over patriotic sensibility. Like more than 100,000 U.S. residents with varying degrees of Japanese ancestry, the Miyata family was uprooted from its California home and held for several months at the Topaz internment camp in central Utah. Isabel’s father had emigrated from Japan years earlier, and her mother was white. On-site schools kept K-12 learning somewhat on track in the camps, but students seeking a college education had to wait unless they could gain clearance to enroll somewhere outside the exclusion zone. Religious organizations and higher ed leaders came together to form a Student Relocation Council, which helped to match students with institutions in the Midwest and East Coast. Many universities declined to accept the detainees, hiding behind flimsy public relations excuses. Carthage president Rudolph G. Schultz, on the other hand, worked with the council to bring three students to the small college in western Illinois. Isabel arrived at the Carthage, Illinois, campus
Isabel Miyata ’47, right, with Margaret McNeill ’48
midway through World War II in need of a warm welcome. While residence halls never get confused with five-star hotels, the Carthage women’s dormitory must have seemed like a five-star hotel compared to the hastily built barracks at the Topaz camp. For at least a portion of her time on campus, Isabel roomed with another Carthage trailblazer: Lorraine Wiggan ’46, the College’s first Black graduate and one-half of the namesake for today’s Wiggan-Kenniebrew Black Alumni Network. The 1945 Crimson Rambler yearbook gives us a snapshot of life at Denhart Hall. Reaching their room on the second floor’s north wing, the writer finds “Isabel busily pecking away at the typewriter while Lorraine prepares to leave for her second home — the music hall.” Of the relocated students who enrolled, Isabel was the only one to stay at Carthage for the entire four years. She earned a degree in history with
minors in English and French while participating in choir, student government, the yearbook, the Home Economics Club, the YWCA, the Missionary Society, and the Luther Society. Records show the Miyata family resettled in the Fort Wayne, Indiana, area after the internment camps closed. Isabel went on to earn a graduate degree and ultimately returned to the West Coast after marrying fellow librarian Joseph Benson. Both enjoyed lengthy careers in Stockton, California. Decades after the war, the U.S. government formally acknowledged that Executive Order 9066 — which also authorized the internment of thousands of Americans of German and Italian descent — had been an inhumane mistake. By extending the only olive branch they possessed — a strong and accepting place to learn — colleges like Carthage fought to make sure the affected students emerged from that dark period with their future prospects intact.
Explore the rich history of Carthage at carthage.edu/library/archives
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Winter Carthaginian 2021
