Fall 2023 – Talon

Central Methodist University

TALON Fall 2023

A DECADE OF

LEADERSHIP 1 0 Ye a r s w i t h t h e D r a k e s

THE MAGAZINE FOR EAGLE ALUMNI

Ten Years of Achieving Together

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uring Homecoming this October, think we have succeeded in continuing I was blessed with the unique that momentum. We have achieved record privilege of being honored at enrollment when others struggled, made a banquet recognizing the 10 years of significant improvements to several service my wife, Judy, and I buildings, and seen the have thus far contributed to successful launch and use of Central Methodist University.

DigitalU, not to mention our It was a wonderful night, athletic teams’ championships filled with great food, lively and our sustained academic conversation, and many excellence. laughs.

The most important As I told the folks gathered example of our success is in the Inman Student and hard to write about, because Community Center that the greatest way to think night, I have no idea how I about what we’ve done is have been lucky enough to be to think of it relative to Dr. Roger Drake, President in the position I am now. As what’s happened to other one of 10 children in a family institutions during this residing in the poorest county in America, time. When people think about leadership, the opportunity to serve an institution like they often think that good leaders always Central Methodist in this way seems like it succeed and bad leaders always fail, but should have been out of reach. that’s not true. Sometimes great leaders can But my story is a testament to the have the odds stacked against them so badly importance of a good education – and the that they can’t possibly win, and there are importance of surrounding yourself with times when average leaders are at the helm good people. Ever since the late Glenn Cox of an organization that has so much going took a chance on me 10 years ago, this has for it that they can’t possibly lose. been the key to our success at Central in my I feel that I am much closer to the time here. Thanks to the leadership of my latter category. With this university’s predecessor, Dr. Marianne Inman, and the outstanding institutions like the wonderful Board of Trustees under Cox, I inherited Conservatory program, the Ashby-Hodge an institution that was in a great place and Gallery of American Art, and the attractive accomplishing big things. programs like marine biology, we have such Looking back over the last 10 years, I an array of strengths on our side. But none

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of it would be possible without the people – board chairs Tad Perry and Nancy Peacock, the amazingly dedicated and gracious Board of Trustees, the talented and tireless senior staff, the engaged and enthusiastic faculty and staff members. It is because of all these people that I feel as if this university can’t lose, even in a very tough education marketplace, even with a guy like me as its president.

In my first ever letter to alumni and friends of Central Methodist in the Spring 2013 Talon, I said I wanted to learn from as many people as I could what they believed made Central a special place, to understand the things that they value about this university. Ten years later, I have learned from many people – alumni, students, staff, faculty, and everyone in between – and I have drawn some of my own conclusions as well. Those very people are what make this place special, what keep our students and alumni coming back year after year. They are why I’m so proud of everything we have accomplished together.

I can’t wait to see how much more we can achieve.

CMU Senior Staff Dr. Roger D. Drake, President Dr. Rita Gulstad, Provost Brad Dixon ’07, Vice President for Student Life

Central Methodist University

TALON Fall 2023 Magazine

Chad Gaines, Vice President for Technology and Planning Dr. Melissa Mace, Vice President for Enrollment Management

Homecoming 2023 ................................................................................... 4

Dr. Bill Sheehan Jr. ’84, Executive Vice President

New Trustees ........................................................................................... 14

Julee Sherman, Vice President for Finance and Administration

Benner Photos Highlight of Fall Show......................................................... 15

Talon Staff

Distinguished, Young Alumni Awards.......................................................... 12

Flanders Named 2023 Perry Fellow........................................................... 16 Jones Gives 2023 Gaddis Lecture............................................................... 18 Alumni Speak on Futures at Friday Forum................................................... 20

Joe Waner Director of Marketing and Communications 660-248-6629 | jwaner@centralmethodist.edu

Alumnus, Novelist Speaks to Faculty, Students............................................ 21

Emily Kesel, Editor Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications 660-248-6684 | ekesel@centralmethodist.edu

New Master’s Degree Programs Added..................................................... 23

Katie Bedsaul Media Content Coordinator 660-248-6391 | kbedsaul@centralmethodist.edu

Alumni News, Notes & Events................................................................... 28

Rachel Moore Assistant Athletic Director / Director of Athletic Communication 660-248-6358 | rmoore@centralmethodist.edu Deanna Cooper ’15 Director of Development 660-248-6397 | dcooper@centralmethodist.edu Stasia Sherman Director of Alumni Engagement 660-248-6239 | ssherman@centralmethodist.edu Alissa Watkins Director of Annual Giving 660-248-6683 | awatkins@centralmethodist.edu

Contributing Writer: Zy’Shonne Cowans ’24

On The Cover: Judy and Dr. Roger Drake, president of CMU, look on while a speaker shares their appreciation of the couple’s contributions to Central at the Homecoming weekend dinner honoring the pair.

CMU, AUN Sign Historic Agreement......................................................... 22 CMU Community Pitches in to Help Hawaiian Student.............................. 24 Putting the Love in ‘Traveling While Black’................................................... 26 In Memoriam............................................................................................. 34 New Hall of Sponsors Scholarships Recognized.......................................... 38 Central Partners with Turnaround Collective for Pilgrimage......................... 40 UNITE Conference Comes to Campus..................................................... 41 2023 Luetjen Golf Recap............................................................................ 42 Central Celebrates Eagle Athletics.............................................................. 44 Central Welcomes New Head Coaches..................................................... 46 Anderson Maintains High Expectations for Track Teams............................... 47 Fall Sports Wrap-up.................................................................................... 49

Upcoming CMU Alumni Events: Hairston Hall of Fame Induction.............................................. January 27 Band Legacy Weekend.............................................................. March 2-3 Celebrating 50 Years of Women’s Athletics at Central............ March 23 Alumni Choir.................................................................................... April 6 CMU Day at Kauffman Stadium..................................................... May 5 Alumni Band...................................................................................... June 8 Luetjen Golf Tournament, Boonville, Mo....................................... June 8 Athletic Auction................................................................................ July 19 Visit www.centralalumnievents.com for more information

Our Mission CMU fosters a diverse and caring community, empowering students to become lifelong learners, committed to academic excellence, prepared to engage in a complex world.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 3

HOC CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY

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023 Central Methodist University Homecoming once again brought alumni, friends, and other guests back to Fayette in droves from October 27-29. The unforgettable weekend was highlighted by several big events and opportunities to reconnect and build new memories.

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HOMECOMING

—2023—

A Decade of Leadership The Central community came together on Friday to celebrate 10 years of service by President Roger and Judy Drake. The cocktail hour and banquet provided many opportunities for laughter and reminiscing about the first Drake decade, with featured speakers sharing their praise for the pair.

At the end of the evening, an announcement was made that the CMU board of trustees raised funds to create the Roger and Judy Drake Hall of Sponsors Scholarship.

The $100,000 raised by the board was matched by an anonymous donor, for a scholarship totaling $200,000.

The scholarship, which the Drakes wish to be dedicated to helping “the brightest of the poorest,” will be awarded in the fall of 2024.

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Hall of Sponsors Presentation New Hall of Sponsors scholarships were recognized on Friday, along with the students who received the awards. See more about these generous new scholarships on page 38.

Perry Fellows at Ashby-Hodge Previous winners of the Perry Fellowship award gathered at the Ashby-Hodge Gallery to visit with Tad ‘65 and Carolyn Perry ‘66, namesakes of the prestigious faculty award.

Alumni Awards Brunch This year’s winners of the Young Alumni Award and Distinguished Alumni Award were recognized at the annnual brunch on Sunday, wrapping up a weekend of memorable Homecoming events. See more on page 12.

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HOMECOMING

—2023—

Band Director Portraits Former Central Methodist band directors Keith House ’49 Roy “Skip” Vandelicht ’77 were honored with new portraits to hang in Classic Hall.

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On the Square Saturday was marked by nonstop fun on the Fayette Square. Despite the chilly weather, crowds gathered in the morning for the Homecoming Parade and stuck around for the interring of the Fayette Bicentennial Time Capsule on the northwest corner of the square.

Queen Karli Wolfe and King Tyrone Harris II

Princess Bella Fuller and Prince Evan Workman

Annabelle Maassen and Brody Armstrong

Alicia Zamora and Steven Sanchez

Avery Erway and Caleb King

Ava Nothies and Jaxon Hiser

The Eagles squared off against Missouri Valley in the Homecoming football game, falling 41-31 to the Vikings despite a fourth-quarter surge.

View photos from all of Homecoming on our Flickr page: Central Methodist University

HOMECOMING COURT 2023

CMU vs. MO Valley

Ashley Ritter and Austin Ennis

Leah Starnes ’23 and Matt Barker ’23 Fall 2023 | The Talon 9

HOMECOMING

—2023— Class Photos Members of classes with milestone anniversaries in 2023 got together for class photos in the Student Center.

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Class of ’78 – Row 1: Laurie Schaaf, Susan (Peters) Harbison, Vicki (Watt) Headley, Nancy Yuelkenbeck, Ruth (Allersmeyer) Randall, Pam (Hess) Huttsell; Row 2; Susan (Peters) Harbison, Ed Lammers, Dale Lang, Steve Barbee, Colleen (Byrne) Thurmon Class of ’63 – Bob Bryant, Lee Potts, Marian (Olson) Rusk, (Charles) Rick Huddleston Class of ’68 – Marilyn Caul, Marge (Nelden) Wantz, Gail (Raymond) Gampp Class of ’03 – Row 1: Amanda Culbertson-Kraemer, Laura Arthur Harbison; Row 2: Courtney Schwartze Jeremy, Abby Borgmeyer Beedy, Tammy Duncan Class of ’08 – Christina (Thompson) Shutt Class of ’13 – Jessica Powell Class of ’88 – Lynette Harrison Class of ’83 – Row 1: Beth (Unser) Lesemann, Jacque Knight Richmond, Susan Hardy-Mills, Cynthia (Grissum) Livingston, Susan (Evans) Spriggs, Craig Hobbs; Row 2: Mark Driver, Brian McCallister, Joy Flanders, Brian Leseman; Row 3: Kirk Meyer (Red), Peggy (Wolfrum) Marshall; Row 4: Ron Mills, Kirk Page, Larry Layden; Row 5: Mike Hanson, Elaine (Eversmeyer) Henderson, Terry Henderson Class of ’73 – Row 1: H.B. (Howie) Rice, Marilyn (Allersmyer) Schwartz, Evelyn (Morrison) Kinkade, Becky Huntsman, Paul Vivian; Row 2:: Charlie Bentley, John Cox, Calvin Brown Class of ’93 – Front: John Edmonston II; Row 1: Todd Lubker, Mindy Gregory, Jeff Shelby; Row 2: Scott Lappin, Jason Wisinski, Larry Rogers, David Stuckey; Row 3: Scott Silvey

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From left: Rev. Hadley Edwards ’81, Paden Kleinhesselink ’16, Lee Anne Barett ’81, Kevin Cantwell ’80, Randy Bartel ’92, John Brown ’94, Roy “Skip” Vandelicht ’77, Richard Strait ’07, ’10, and Shamika Pegue ’13

Distinguished, Young Alumni Awards Presented Nine Alumni Recognized on Homecoming Weekend

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he Central Methodist University Alumni Board of Directors celebrated the 2023 Alumni Awards Brunch with a full house as part of this year’s Homecoming festivities on October 29.

This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients included Skip Vandelicht ’77, Kevin Cantwell ’80, Rev. Hadley Edwards ’81, Dr. Lee Ann Barrett ’81, LTC Randy Bartel ’92, and John Brown ’94. Young Alumni Award winners this fall were Richard Strait ’07, ’10, Shamika Pegue ’13, and Paden Kleinhesselink ’16.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Roy “Skip” Vandelicht ’77 retired this spring from his post as director of bands at Central after serving for more than a decade in the role. Overall, Vandelicht enjoyed a teaching career of more than 45 years at Central and the Fayette School District.

He is a member of two Halls of Fame – Missouri Bandmasters Association (2013) and Missouri Music Educators Association

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(2020). Upon his retirement, he was awarded Professor Emeritus status from the University. A previous winner of the Young Alumni Award, as well as CMU’s Gold Chalk and Perry Fellow Awards, Vandelicht and his wife, Melody, reside in Fayette.

Kevin Cantwell ’80 is the president of Big River Communications and Circle Fiber, with more than 40 years of technology industry experience and leadership roles at various industry giants. Throughout his career, he has worked around the world promoting and delivering internet platforms to foreign and domestic telephone companies. Cantwell has served on many boards in the St. Louis region and has been involved with the CMU basketball program since he graduated. He and his wife, Mary (Presnell) Cantwell ’80, have two children and five grandchildren.

They reside in Weldon Spring, Mo. Rev. Hadley Edwards ’81 has been a pastor since his time as a Central student, preaching at both St. Paul UMC in Fayette

and Lewis Chapel UMC in Glasgow. After graduating with a degree in religion and working a year in the admissions office, Edwards went on to seminary at Southern Methodist University. In his decades-long career, he has served on various boards, committees, and agencies of the United Methodist Church. He retired from pastoral ministry in 2021 and now works to deliver messages through an online ministry called The Net Ministry.

Lee Ann Barrett ’81 is a distinguished doctor of optometry and leader in the industry who also serves her community. Practicing in Columbia since 1986, she also serves as the executive director of the Missouri Optometric Association and served on the board of directors for the Missouri Special Olympics from 2012-2019. Barrett was named a distinguished alumna of the University of Missouri - St. Louis in 1999 and awarded the Optometrist of the Year Award in 2002 from the Missouri Optometric Association and Heart of America Contact Lens Society in

Top left: Alumni board members Rick Cowert ’75, Caryn Jeffries ’13, Kathy Dempsey ’86, Julie Ziegler ’91, Suzanne Drummond ’67, Larry Yocom ’66, Renea Yocom ’65, Judy Rethwisch ’65, Ashley Angle ’01, Alex Buckman ’12, and Julie Parrish ’05. Top right: Darrell Bailey ’13, Caryn Jeffries ’13, Shamika Pegue ’13 and Spencer Seymer. Bottom left: Rev. Hadley Edwards ’81. Bottom center: Kevin Cantwell ’80 and Dr. Roger Drake. Bottom right: Lee Anne Barett ’81 2006. She and her husband, Bob ’81, have one son, Alex.

Randy Bartel ’92 is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army who has served his country for more than two decades.

Currently the Deputy Commander for the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” Bartel has also served as the commander of The U.S. Army Europe and Africa Band and Chorus, led the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, and led Army Bands across three continents.

Bartel began his career as a music teacher at Elsberry Public Schools near St. Louis before embarking on his military music career with the Quantico Marine Corps Band. He and his wife, Gina, reside near Washington, D.C. where he is stationed at Fort Myer, Va. John Brown ’94 is a news anchor, author, and public speaker who has had a great impact on the broadcast industry throughout his career. He has won numerous broadcasting awards, including an Emmy for his role as a news anchor and political moderator, and has been named the best large market news anchor in Missouri. As an

author, Brown has written a dozen books, mostly on Missouri and Florida history. He is also an inventor of a product used around the world in marathon races. A previous winner of the Young Alumni Award, Brown also gave the Gaddis Lecture at Central in 2019. He and his wife, Teresa, and two daughters live in Orlando, Fla.

Young Alumni Award

Richard Strait ’07, ’10, is a state and national leader in the area of suicide prevention. Over the past decade, he has dedicated his work to providing free suicide prevention conferences which train people on how to help save lives. Strait has won numerous awards for his work and volunteer service, and he serves on the boards for United Suicide Survivors International and the Missouri Association of Treatment Court Professionals. The current chair of the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network, he also served as an adjunct professor with CMU from 2014 to 2020.

Shamika Pegue ’13 is a board-certified behavior analyst at a long-term healthcare

agency, where she works with adults diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Her passion for providing healthcare for underserved communities led her to partner with several other Central alumni to create the Stand Up for Equity organization. In 2022, she gave the Gaddis Lecture, speaking on the topic of “Socially Significant Problem Behavior: A Behavior Analytic Examination of Cultural Control.”

Paden Kleinhesselink ’16 is Central’s director of athletic training services and has been at CMU for almost 10 years, first coming to Fayette as a graduate assistant in 2014. His skills and quick response helped save a life at a CMU soccer game in 2022, showcasing the importance of having welltrained athletic trainers on staff. In addition to his crucial role at Central, Kleinhesselink volunteers at his church in Columbia and recently earned his doctorate in athletic training from Temple University. He is married to fellow Central alumna Martha Bradley Kleinhesselink ’18.

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New Trustees Join Board

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ix new members joined the Central Methodist University board of trustees this year, adding to a team of 40 alumni and friends of the University to help make decisions for the betterment of the institution.

James Marchbank rejoined the board after a period away, while five members – David Lemke ’82, Paula Just ’86, James Mather ’87, Lynn Miner ’89, and Christina Shutt ’08 – joined as first-time members.

James Marchbank, one of the non-alumni members of the board, is returning for a second stint as a trustee. A retired marketing professional and adjunct professor from St. Louis, he was an entrepreneur with experience working for companies like Exxon and International Paper. In his second career as a professor, Marchbank taught business all over the world, from St. Louis to Bagkok to Beijing and several other stops along the way. He was named Teacher of the Year at three of his universities and has received numerous awards. He lives in St. Louis with his wife, Kay.

David Lemke ’82 is a bankruptcy attorney with Holland & Knight in Nashville, Tenn.

He has been named in the Best Lawyers in America guide and is known as one of the region’s leading attorneys in his field.

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Lemke is a member and past president of the board for the Mid-South Commercial Law Institute, former chair of the Nashville Bar Association’s bankruptcy court committee and local rules subcommittee, and continues to be a member of several other professional groups. While at Central, Lemke was a member of the soccer team and the MOKERs.

Paula Just ‘87 is the executive VP/chief administrative officer at Health First in Florida. A Fayette native, Just has spent her career in the healthcare field. She previously served as the vice president for HR effectiveness at SSM Health Care in the St. Louis area before joining Health First nearly 10 years ago. Just has also spent the last nine and a half years serving on the board for Brevard County’s Career Source organization, which develops the workforce pipeline for the county. Her husband, Randy ’86, and daughters, Katelyn ’15 and Kristen ’18, also graduated from Central.

James Mather ‘87 is a partner with Rubin Brown Certified Public Accountants and Business Consultants in St. Louis. He serves many clients in the manufacturing and distribution, hospitality, construction, and real estate industries. Mather is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public

Accountants and several other statewide and local organizations. Outside of his work, he serves actively with Ronald McDonald House, the Rubin Brown Charitable Foundation, and Boys Hope Girls Hope St. Louis, of which he is a past chair.

Lynn Miner ‘89 majored in chemistry at Central and worked for K.V. Pharmaceutical after graduation. She married her husband, Todd, and had three children, becoming a stay-at-home mother while the family resided in Texas. Miner was a member of the Delta Pi Omega sorority, for which she is a former president and has served on the reunion committee.

Christina Shutt ‘08 is the executive director for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill. Throughout her career, Shutt has championed efforts to make libraries and museums more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible. She has also worked with Illinois legislators to focus on underrepresented history and hosted the signing ceremony to make Juneteenth an official state holiday. Shutt has also recently been part of an ad hoc futures committee for Central, learning how the implementation of foresight and strategic planning can help the University (learn more on page 20).

Voted #1 in Missouri The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art was voted the number one art gallery in Missouri by readers of Missouri Life Magazine, beating out the larger galleries in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Scan the QR code to see more of the Best of Missouri Life 2023.

Benner Photos Highlight of Fall Show

by Emily Kesel

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he Fall 2023 exhibit at the AshbyHodge Gallery of American art featured a show of photography by one of Central Methodist University’s own, 1966 graduate Jerry Benner. Benner’s work, titled “War Is Not Healthy for Children and Other Living Things – Life in Vietnam,” was on display alongside a gift collection from the Harco Gallery from August 27 to November 9.

The Benner photos, titled after a poster that was also included in the exhibit, were on display in the Geist Gallery and featured images from the artist’s deployment in Vietnam. After enlisting in the Army in 1969, Benner was sent to Vietnam the

following year to join the 222nd Personnel Service Company at Long Binh Military Post. The company served not on the front lines but in service to the combat soldiers, and Benner lived a “blessed life” in Vietnam compared to some.

“I was a white man who enlisted, with a college degree, three years of professional work, and a wife,” he said, referencing his wife, Ruth, also a ’66 graduate of Central. “I got a good job – in a safe place – met good people and had a positive experience.”

Still, Benner said that the show was “not a patriotic exhibit.” Few of the members of the 222nd had any desire to be in the military or had support for the war by the

time the photos were taken.

As for the exhibit itself, the photos told a story of life in the 222nd, featuring the men at work and at play in the offices and barracks. The pictures were almost entirely in black and white, with the exception of an instance of spot color in the image of comedian Bob Hope’s visit.

“Black and white best describes my feelings about life in the military,” explained Benner. “The real world is in color, as was Bob Hope.”

Another unique aspect of the exhibit was the soundtrack that could be heard while viewing the show – a mixture of music, news, station breaks, and advertisements recorded from the Armed Forces Vietnam Radio Network from 1967 to 1971.

“We’ve never had a show with music before,” said Dr. Joe Geist, registrar of the Gallery. “You need[ed] some music to see this show because, believe me, it’s a heavy show.”

In addition to the Benner photos, the fall show featured a collection of works given to the Gallery last year by Harry B. Cohen of Oro Valley, Ariz. The pieces, now part of the permanent collection, were on display in the Yancey Gallery.

An In Memoriam exhibit was also on display in recognition of the friends of the Gallery who passed away in the last year, including artists Joanne Berneche, Sabra Tull Meyer, and Charles Strain, as well as patron Bill Kountz.

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Flanders Named 2023 Perry Fellow

by Emily Kesel

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f Central Methodist University economics professor John Flanders had retired in 2022 like he’d originally planned, he admittedly would never have received one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a CMU faculty member.

He would not have been named the 2023 recipient of the Carolyn and Tad Perry Fellow Award.

Flanders says he had begun throwing away some of his notes and lesson plans already when he got a call from Provost Rita Gulstad, asking him to delay his retirement for another year. He agreed, and now he can count himself among Central legends and past winners, including his wife, Joy ‘83, the 2018 Perry Fellow.

“I feel the way I felt when I came to Central and saw Joe Geist, Dick Winegard, Harold Momberg, and Harold Sunoo and all these professors who had helped make Central what it is today,” said Flanders, “and I wondered if I would ever measure up to the standards that they’d set. And 40 years later, I find that that’s the way people look at me. I’m not sure if that’s the way I feel, but it’s the way people look at me.”

Open to opportunity Flanders’s journey into becoming a Central professor was not a particularly intentional one, he says, but as he once shared in a

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chapel talk, listening to the little voices in one’s head and being open to unexpected opportunities can make all the difference.

The oldest of five children in his Maryland family, he graduated from high school in 1968 and was told his parents would help him go to the best college he could find, as long as he lived at home. He found a good one indeed and went on to Georgetown University, where he graduated in just over three years. During those years, he changed his focus from wanting to work for a corporation and “make lots of money,” to believing that “helping poor countries become rich countries was the best thing I could do.”

Flanders continued his studies at Stanford University, focusing on development economics before another change in perspective drove him down the path of U.S. economics and American economic history.

That concentration stuck, and he went on to land his first teaching job at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. Without his PhD, however, it seemed he would not be able to hold that job very long, and Flanders began to look elsewhere.

While in the middle of being vetted for a job with the CIA, he heard of a place called Central Methodist College, which was searching for an American economics professor, and the rest is history.

“None of it was an intention to teach at Central Methodist University,” Flanders recalled with a chuckle. “That said, this is a great place to teach. It’s a great place to work, and I come to work every Monday morning happy to go to work because I like my students and I love my colleagues.”

A family approach When Flanders began teaching at Central almost 42 years ago, he adopted the style of the time – standing in the front of the classroom and giving a lecture. While he admits it’s “a little too late” to change that style, he has always done his best to make those lectures engaging and relevant to his students.

“For my discipline, for economics, I guarantee that it’s going to be relevant to you every single day you have me in class,” he said. “I try to encourage my students to pay attention to the news and understand how they can understand that news better, by understanding the economics.”

Such a relationship between professor and students is hard to cultivate without effort, though, and Flanders takes pride in having achieved it through many hours of going the extra mile for his students.

While they were both still working at CMU, he and his wife used to spend “more time [on campus] than we did at home,” coming

to work but also attending honors society functions, events, and athletic games.

For a time, they even attended all the away football games, an effort to support the student-athletes which did not go unnoticed by a young man who Flanders says he had a hard time getting to come to class.

“He started coming to class and I said, ‘What changed?’” Flanders recalled. “He said, ‘You know, I saw you at all my games and I realized that if you could bother to come to my football games, then I could bother to go to your class.’

“I find that if I support them, they recognize that.”

The Flanders family’s support of international students in particular has been a source of connection and camaraderie. Over the years, they’ve had students regularly come to their home for meals, to cook dinner and talk about their lives. The Flanders even allow international students to use their garage for storage space, just another small act of support that the professor believes makes all the difference.

“Some of our students are really far away from home, and they just need support,” he said. “They don’t need to be told ‘you missed the test’ or ‘you need to work harder,’ they just need some support.

And I think I’m a person that they feel they can come to in tough situations.”

It’s that kind of connection that leads to some of Flanders’s favorite success stories as well. While he has had students who’ve gone on to do great things in the field of economics, it’s the family legacies created that feel like the greatest evidence of Central’s value.

“The true success stories, for me, are the students that send their kids to Central Methodist University, who I had as students. Because if they had a bad experience, they’re not going to send their kids,” Flanders reasoned. “I joke that maybe I should wait around until I get some grandchildren of those first kids, but I think maybe that’s not going to work out.”

Feeling at home Looking back at his history in higher education, Flanders notes that until coming to Central he had almost exclusively been at big schools where there was little overlap between departments. Now, as the only economist in the CMU faculty, he has opportunities every day to interact and cooperate with professors outside his discipline.

He also enjoys that Central Methodist is an institution where “you can believe what you want to believe.” Flanders notes his appreciation for conversations with colleagues about political correctness and points to one of the many LEGO building sets that take up space in his office as evidence of the open-mindedness of the institution under the leadership of President Roger Drake.

“I can proudly display my rainbow LEGO people over there and point it out to people and say, ‘We’re a church related institution, but…it’s a United Methodist Church, which is an affirming church.

And we affirm everybody,’” he said. “We’re all children of God, and you’re all welcome here. I love to be able to say that.”

As he reflects on his career at Central – and the opportunities to go other places that he ultimately turned down – Flanders says that unlike Central, the big schools never felt like home. And that he is grateful to have found a place where he can know the names of all his students and experience the everyday beauty of a place like CMU. “When I walk across campus some mornings when the sun’s just coming up and the trees are beautiful…it’s really hard to hold back the tears, when I know how beautiful this place has been and how meaningful it’s been to live a life here doing the things that I do,” he said. “Not everyone has that opportunity.”

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Fall 2023 | The Talon 17

Jones Gives 2023 Gaddis Lecture

by Emily Kesel

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he 2023 edition of the annual Gaddis Memorial Lecture was held on October 16, with Missouri advocate and attorney Sharon Geuea Jones ’02 returning to campus as the featured speaker. Jones’s talk for the 38th annual lecture was entitled “The Importance of Asking ‘Why?’” and took place in the Inman Lecture Hall.

In her work, Jones uses her two decades of nonprofit association experience to advocate for individual rights, government transparency, and corporate accountability.

Her experience in policy, politics, and relationship building allow her to connect advocates and organization leaders to key legislative decision-makers. She also has extensive experience managing grassroots and professional organizations.

Jones was introduced at the lecture by Dr. Kristin Cherry, professor of communication, before beginning her talk by inviting the audience members to continue asking themselves “why” they make decisions both big and small in their lives. She spoke about the importance of asking why as a tool for problem solving, connecting people, and practicing self-care.

“Toddlers have this skill built into them,” said Jones. “They do this naturally, and it can be irritating to adults. . . but it’s really an important way for them to try to figure out what the purpose of something is, what the root of that thing is, and get to the bottom of it.”

Jones suggested everyone can take a

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page from the toddlers’ playbook in asking why more regularly. Often, breaking down problems all the way back to their roots by asking why can keep them from being overwhelming.

Part of Jones’s job as a lobbyist, she said, was to ask why certain lawmakers support or don’t support the bills they do and use those answers to get them to collaborate on more laws despite their differing perspectives.

In terms of self-care, asking why can help recognize the reasons a person is procrastinating a task or be an early warning system for more extreme feelings of anger or sadness.

Aside from using the question of “why” as a tool, Jones outlined how it can help societies and organizations challenge preconceptions and traditions. Similarly, it can help individuals avoid allowing the momentum of society dictate their lives and instead make big life choices that make sense for them.

Ultimately, though, the answers to the why questions don’t always stay the same, and it’s important to always be open to change, Jones said.

The lecture wrapped up with Jones taking questions from the audience about her talk and her career.

A 2002 graduate of Central, Jones has written multiple articles for professional publications and is a frequent speaker on advocacy and legal strategy issues. She has been recognized in the Missouri Times 100 People to Know and the Missouri Lawyers Weekly Power List. She currently resides

in Columbia with her husband, Mark ’98.

In 2019, she founded the Jones Advocacy Group, which combines non-profit legal support, lobbying, communications, and membership management skills to provide a robust and customizable suite of services to clients. The Jones Advocacy Group’s mission is to help make government transparency and accountability a reality by guiding clients through the legislative, judicial, and regulatory systems.

The Merrill E. Gaddis Memorial Lecture is sponsored by the Kappa Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu international honor society for the social sciences. The lecture, established in 1984, honors the memory of Dr. Merrill Elmer Gaddis (1891-1958) who founded the Kappa Chapter at Central College in 1935 and later served as regional chancellor of the honorary society.

Dr. Gaddis, who earned a doctor of philosophy degree in history from the University of Chicago, joined the Central College faculty in 1929. A renowned lecturer, he was a professor of history and later chair of Central’s Department of History and Political Science until his death.

Members of Pi Gamma Mu choose the Gaddis Lecturer from persons suggested by Central Methodist social sciences faculty and other members of the University community, including alumni.

For more on Central’s annual lecture series, scan the QR code.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 19

Alumni Speak on Futures at Friday Forum

by Emily Kesel

A

s part of the new Friday Forum lecture series at Central Methodist University, alumni and board of trustees members Christina Shutt ‘08 and Keith Young ’86 spoke to the campus community on November 10. Their talk, “Higher Education in the Age of Traylor, Covid, and ChatGPT: What’s a University to Do?,” was an “invitation to consider the future,” as Young stated.

“At a time when our world is changing in dramatic ways in society, in our individual lives, and indeed in higher education,” he said, “how do we best equip ourselves to navigate this change?”

That was one of the questions on the minds of Central’s ad hoc futures committee, which Young and Shutt led as chair and vicechair, respectively. Made up of a diverse group of faculty, administrators, alumni, board members, staff, and students, the committee met and worked together over the past few years to receive futures training and

20 The Talon | Fall 2023

consider how it can be used to position the University for success.

The presenters shared with the crowd some of what they learned and what changes have already been made thanks to the committee’s work.

The importance of lifelong learning When planning for the distant future, Shutt and Young emphasized, it is important to remember the acronym “VUCA,” which stands for a future that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Understanding that the future we plan for will look drastically different from the world today is key to navigating it.

Thankfully, as Young and Shutt pointed out, Central’s mission of creating lifelong learners sets students up nicely for being able to adapt to such a rapidly changing world.

Young in particular noted that the overlap in his education between the sciences and the humanities has allowed him to navigate

change in his own career as a clinical psychiatrist. He cited professors Roger Lemke and Joe Geist as being influential to his life in regard to his passion for continued learning.

Shutt also spoke of the importance of lifelong learning for her work as the executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, in Springfield, Ill. By being open to the implementation of new technology and ideas, the museum has been able to not only make itself more environmentally sustainable but also to welcome new clientele through the use of augmented reality and other technology.

Not predicting the future In the field of strategic thinking and foresight, plans are not based on data – as there is no data on the future, Young reminded the crowd.

Rather, foresight employs a cycle of signals and drivers, scenarios, narratives, and insights. Signals and drivers are

evidence of changes in the future that can be used to envision possible scenarios and narratives, which then can provide insight for organizations’ strategic planning.

Identifying the multiple possible futures ahead and which of those are most preferred can help an institution like CMU make decisions in the present.

The presenters emphasized that futures work is not about “predicting the future” but about the ability to make decisions in the present that reflect an understanding of the multiple possibilities that could be encountered.

It is also important to look beyond the scope of one’s own interests when making these decisions, as any number of outside factors could contribute to different futures.

A broader context for the signals and drivers noted is always necessary.

The future at Central While strategic planning and other futuresfocused thinking continues to play out for the CMU administration and board of trustees following the ad hoc committee’s work, a number of changes have already been implemented or added to the agenda.

This year, Central added a second clinical counselor on campus to help address the mental health and wellness of students and staff. In a more stressful and fast-paced world, the need for mental health resources will continue to grow, and Central is now better poised to fill that need for its students.

In addition, the board is considering plans to create a center for wellness and belonging, which could further address mental health as well as the University’s stated mission of fostering a diverse and caring community.

These plans and many more will be crucial to helping CMU grow and adapt to the future.

“We want to keep Central Methodist University vital for the future,” said Young.

“But it’s a future that is in a world that is different and more complex and more challenging than the world has probably ever been.”

CMU Alumnus and Novelist Speaks to Faculty and Students

by Zy’Shonne Cowans

O

n September 28, Central Methodist University alumnus Daren Dean ’01 was invited by the CMU English Department and Cultural Affairs Committee to speak to faculty and students about his latest release, Roads.

Dean’s visit to campus was an important one, as he shared his success as a writer with students and faculty.

“I thought students, both English majors and others, would be interested in the writing success of a CMU graduate. It was a great experience for me overall in Fayette.

I was an English Fellow, editor of Inscape magazine, contributed to the newspaper, and worked as the evening supervisor at Smiley Library,” said Dean.

Dean spoke with Dr. Ryan Woldruff’s creative writing class and talked about writing and writing craft. He spoke about where to find ideas, writing in flow, and Natalie Goldberg’s 7 Rules of Writing. Dean and the class also did a writing exercise after reading Alison Townsend’s “The Barbie Birthday.”

Later that evening, Dean spoke about and read small excerpts from Roads. After

the reading, the audience asked Dean questions about his writing process and his inspiration behind writing his latest novel.

Audience members also had the chance to speak to Dean personally and purchase a signed copy of his novels, Roads, This Vale of Fears, The Black Harvest, and I’ll Still be Here Long After You’re Gone.

When asked about when he would write his next book, Dean said that he was “already at work on a new novel about a Vietnam vet who comes back home several years after the war has ended. He has to confront the lies he was told as a young man and his own inner demons. Most of all he has to confront his own misdeeds before he was sent overseas.”

Dean continues to teach at Lincoln University of Missouri as an assistant professor of English. He lives in Jefferson City, Mo. with his wife, Cassie, and their children.

For more information about Daren Dean and his novels, visit his website: https://darendean.wixsite.com/darendean.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 21

CMU, AUN Sign Historic Agreement University’s First International Partnership

by Emily Kesel

C

entral Methodist University entered into a historic partnership in August, signing an international memorandum of understanding with the American University of Nigeria on Wednesday, August 2. President Roger Drake of CMU and Dr. DeWayne Frazier, president and vice chancellor of AUN, signed the agreement in front of a crowd of staff and faculty in the Inman Student and Community Center.

“This is the kind of thing good colleges do,” said Dr. Drake of signing the memorandum, which will remain in effect for a three-year period. “What an honor it is to be positioned in such a way that [Central Methodist] would be attractive to folks like this to partner with an institution in Nigeria – the premiere educational institution in Nigeria.”

Located in Yola, capital of the Nigerian state of Adamawa, AUN is a private university that offers American-style liberal arts education at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. As a developmental university, AUN also works with world organizations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United Nations Population Fund, and the World Health Organization to provide

22 The Talon | Fall 2023

aid throughout the region. The university maintains an enrollment of about 1,500 students, more than half of which are women, according to Frazier.

With the signing of the MOU, Central and AUN formally agreed to pursue a mutually beneficial collaboration for education, cooperation, and research activities. The agreement will help facilitate study abroad opportunities for students at both institutions, as well as the exchange of projects and resources.

In a broader sense, the partnership is one more way for Central to fulfill its mission of fostering a diverse and caring community of lifelong learners prepared to engage in a complex world.

“As educators, we hold dear the responsibility of preparing our students for the life they will forge after graduation,” said Dr. Melissa Mace, CMU vice president for enrollment management. “We teach them to think critically, work across differences, and collaborate. Today, we again model what we teach, as we continue our rich history of collaboration with the signing of the [memorandum of understanding].”

Frazier expressed his excitement over partnering with Drake – a fellow Kentuckian

– and Central to provide new experiences for students from not only Nigeria, but all over the world.

“The students that come here will benefit greatly from a lovely, caring environment that Central has put together,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit for us because international students need a lot of extra support.”

With the help of Xiaobin Dai, CMU’s assistant dean and director of global engagement, as well as the rest of the staff and faculty, international students from AUN and all over the world will continue to receive that support.

“There are a lot of things in common between the needs of our students and the needs of AUN students,” said Drake. “We know how to serve those young people, and we have an incredibly vibrant international program because of that.”

The signing event culminated in an exchange of gifts between the two university presidents and a reception for those in attendance. To learn more about Central’s international student services, scan the QR code.

Xiaobin Dai Named Assistant Dean Assumes Global Engagement Duties

C

entral Methodist University’s new “and then I just never stopped working in director of global engagement and international education,” she said. assistant dean for international Since arriving in the U.S., Dai has held a student services has a number of jobs at all levels wealth of experience in of education. She taught the field, as both a student Chinese for the Toledo and a university employee.

(Ohio) Public School Xiaobin Dai joined the District as part of the Central staff this fall after distance learning program, making the move from teaching in-person at one Iowa Wesleyan University, high school and being where she worked in a streamed to five others similar role. at the same time. She Dai’s experience in then went on to become education goes all the way the district’s assistant back to her native country principal of curriculum of China, where she before moving on to Iowa Xiaobin Dai became an English teacher Wesleyan. after graduating from college. She went Now that she’s at Central, Dai says she is on to consult for students who wished happy to be in an environment with such to study abroad in the United States, nice people and a strong product to offer to Australia, Canada, and other countries, students.

“After I applied and started to do some research about CMU, I started to learn about its academic programs and I thought, ‘Wow, it’s rich,’” she said. “If we could turn these academic programs into dollars, we’d all be billionaires.”

Other than recruiting international students to take part in Central’s strong academic programs, Dai’s work involves providing assistance for domestic students to study abroad, maintaining compliance with immigration regulation, and helping international students learn about their new environment in Fayette.

Outside of work, Dai and her husband, Dong Han – who began work in the admissions office this fall as well – have three children and reside in Columbia.

They are avid travelers and look forward to getting to know their new home in Missouri.

Dai also recently earned a doctorate from Bowling Green State University.

New Master’s Degree Programs Added CMU Adds MBA and MHPE Degrees

C

entral Methodist University is now accepting applications to two new programs, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and the Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) program.

The MBA program is designed for busy professionals who want to develop their expertise and advance their careers as leaders in the business industry. Utilizing the field’s most current research and accepted managerial theories, this program prepares students for leadership roles as entrepreneurs, supervisors, managers, chief executive officers, and administrators capable of advancing any type of business toward achieving their financial and personal goals.

“CMU is proud to offer this affordable and convenient option for anyone looking to take the next step in their career,” said Dr. Rita Gulstad, provost. “We have a proven track record of excellence with our online offerings, and we are excited to add this in-demand degree to that list.”

Central’s MBA is offered completely online in an asynchronous format, meaning students

can “attend” classes whenever it’s convenient for them. With full-time and part-time options available and eight-week class blocks, the degree can fit around any busy schedule, all for just $470 per credit hour (tuition and fees included).

Admission requirements include a completed application, official transcript showing baccalaureate degree and undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and two letters of recommendation.

Prior to the Fall 2023 semester, the office of the provost announced the addition of a new Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) program and began accepting applications immediately.

Central already offered several health professions programs, including nursing, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapy assistant, exercise science, athletic training, behavioral health, and health science. Many of the programs also include a completion option for graduates of associate degree programs at community colleges across the state of Missouri and beyond.

Educating students to enter the healthcare

workforce requires individuals with not only professional experience in their health care profession but individuals who understand teaching and learning theories, evaluation strategies, course and program assessment methods, and the changing landscape of higher education. To meet these needs, Central has expanded on its graduate programs and added the MHPE. This new degree option provides healthcare professionals an opportunity to become wellprepared educators ready to share their love of their profession with the future of the field.

This new program was developed with the working adult in mind and can be completed in two years. Because this is an interdisciplinary program, the faculty comes from a variety of health professions backgrounds, but all have experience in health professions education.

Learn more about the program requirements and application process on our website.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 23

CMU Community Pitches in to Help Hawaiian Student

by Zyshonne Cowans

CMU Community Pitches in to Help Hawaiian Student

by Zy’Shonne Cowans

N

yles Pokipala-Waiohu was at Central Methodist University preparing for the school year and his final season of football when tragedy struck his homeland.

This August, disaster struck the citizens of Hawaii when fires spread across Maui, affecting many citizens, including those in Nyles’s hometown of Lahaina.

When Nyles first heard about the fires, he immediately thought about the safety of his family. However, he was also worried about his friends and homeland. Nyles knew he had to do something to help not only his community, but his family as well.

“Lahaina, which was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, is a very tight-knit community. We all know each other and we all take care of each other. When CMU helped me go home for a short time before my final season of football started, I first wanted to see for myself that my parents and sisters were okay. The rest of my time at home I wanted to see my family and friends. My sisters and mom took me into Lahaina for the weekend and we looked for my family and friends so I could see them.

We handed out t-shirts and Walmart gift cards that CMU graciously provided for me to distribute and I visited with them.

24 The Talon | Fall 2023

Most of the victims that I was able to see were my classmates and their parents and grandparents, who are like my own family.

We also gave out food to some of my friends that my mom’s work had available,” Nyles said.

Nyles encountered many feelings when he heard about the fires, which intensified upon returning to his homeland and seeing that everything he once loved and cherished was gone.

“I already had so many emotions and sadness, especially with not getting to hear back from a lot of people that I tried getting in contact with. When going through town, I immediately broke down just seeing the places where I would go as a kid. Places where I first learned to play sports and other areas where there were a lot of memories that I made growing up.

After meeting with friends, family, and community members, it really hit me when they were telling me their stories of that day [of the fires] because as horrific and as sad each story was, they still managed to put a smile on their faces as if nothing happened.

The one thing that hit the hardest for me, though, was being at the top of our one road hill in the main part of town, looking down, and seeing nothing but gray, black,

and white. I remember standing there for a while and my mom walked up to me and said, ‘You’ve now seen what your community went through. You’ve heard the stories from your people, now you go make each and every one of them proud.

You fight for them, you fight for the ones that didn’t make it out, you never give up on them. Lahaina will always be with you no matter where you are, let everyone you come across know how strong and loving our people are through you,’” said Nyles.

In the initial aftermath of the fires, Nyles stated, local residents were the only people who were providing food and shelter to citizens who lost everything in the fires.

“People couldn’t get into Lahaina by road, so family, friends, and those who live on the other side of the island, as well as people from other islands, went via boat to bring in food, medicine, generators, and much more. Lahaina Harbor burned in the fire, so the boats that came in went to beaches further out north, past Lahaina. It was the residents who set up hubs for food, clothes, and water and any and all necessary items. The civic center became a hub for housing people, and the surrounding hotels started to offer shelter for those displaced,” said Nyles.

Photos from Nyles Pokipala-Waiohu’s return to his home island in Hawaii following devastating August fires show a community ready and willing to come together to help each other in the face of disaster.

The fires have severely affected residents, as their homes, belongings, and loved ones are no longer around, but there is a lot that people can do to help the citizens of Hawaii throughout this troubling time.

“Donate directly to families through lahaina_ohana_venmo, don’t stop donating, and don’t forget Lahaina. During this time since the fires, the people I grew up with, the town I was raised in, and everyone in it still have not had the proper time to grieve all the loss of our community. It will be a long road to recovery and people still don’t have long-term homes. People are still living in hotels, but the governor opened tourism into Lahaina on November 1, so Lahaina residents are having to move out of hotels to accommodate the visitors.

Another thing that would be a big help is to understand as a tourist/visitor is that Lahaina is [recovering]. You have to think as well that the more the government tries to push normality back into our hometown, most victims have not fully recovered yet, which is a big issue, but you still can visit the other islands or parts of Maui that are open. Just simply have respect for the people of Lahaina during this time,” asked Nyles.

Even though most people may be aware of the situation that is happening in Hawaii,

there may be people who aren’t familiar at all with what’s going on. Nyles encourages people who aren’t aware of what’s happening in Hawaii to go online and research the history of Hawaii and to educate themselves about the fires that have impacted the area.

Nyles also wants people to understand that “if you ever plan on or end up visiting Hawaii, no matter what island [you visit], be respectful and loving of the aina, or land, and its people, because at the end of the day you are in someone’s [home].”

The recovery will be a long process for the citizens of not only Maui, but for all of Hawaii. And the Central family can still pitch in to continue to help.

“With the loving Ohana (family) spirit from CMU there was a fundraiser that took place, raising money to help out the families that were in need back at home. People can also donate money or clothes to any Venmo account or businesses you see online or any social media platforms that are valid. You can simply call businesses as well if you are wondering how your contribution may help, where it will go, and when it will get to the ones in need. Lastly, [you can help] just by simply spreading the word to others you know and just telling them my story

of how much loss that I have taken along with my community. I am forever grateful and thankful to CMU and the ones who have reached out and lent a helping hand for me during this time, checking in on me and showing a lot of love,” said Nyles.

Even though the recovery process will be tough for the citizens of Hawaii, Nyles has a lot of hope for the future of his people and homeland.

“I know it won’t be the same Lahaina as it once was, but I do hope and pray that it’ll be better than it was before while still holding onto the memories and history behind my hometown. I know we as a community will come back stronger than ever with help from one another,” said Nyles. “I pray that the many families throughout the town may return home and make peace with everything that has happened, no matter how long it takes. Lastly, I hope that years from now, if you ever get the chance to visit my hometown of Lahaina, you know we are more than just buildings, beaches, sunsets, and mountains. We are strong, smart, courageous, loving people who are fighters and are proud to be from Lahaina, Hawai’i.”

Fall 2023 | The Talon 25

Putting the Love in ‘Traveling While Black’

by Zy’Shonne Cowans

I

n 2012, Central Methodist University alumnus Anthony Love ‘08 married the love of his life, Marlie. Seven years later, after their trip to the Riviera Maya, the Loves’ lives would change forever when they decided to travel more and document their journeys together around the world on their YouTube channel, Traveling While Black.

“We both always loved to travel, but it wasn’t until we moved to Seattle in 2019 that we thought to start documenting our travels. On the way back home from a day trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, we were discussing how cool it was that in one day we could drive to experience Canada for the first time. There was an abundance of places like B.C. left for us to discover, being new to the state, but with fall coming and days getting shorter, we knew that we needed something to keep us accountable to getting out. That’s when we thought of creating a YouTube Channel. When deciding on what to make the channel about, we remembered there always being a lack of information in regards to a black perspective whenever researching for a trip or even when we were preparing to relocate. We knew how that perspective was important for us and other black travelers. We then remembered the copy of the Negro Motorists Greenbook we came across at Marlie’s grandparents’ house years ago and decided that our show would reflect the same mission. The following week, we went apple-picking out in a rural community in Washington, and on October 17, 2019 we posted our first episode. For us, doing the show is great. We get to travel and discover new places, but also and more importantly, serve as a valued resource to other black and BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) travelers,” said the Loves.

When the couple began to document their journeys online, their transition from a normal, everyday life to a life full of traveling wasn’t easy.

“It was definitely a challenge, especially being that our life wasn’t one hundred percent full of travel. We were still working full-time corporate jobs while also traveling and

26 The Talon | Fall 2023

Anthony ’08 and Marlie Love have made traveling their business, seeing the world together and sharing their experiences with the audience on their YouTube channel, Traveling While Black. doing the show. Trying to balance work and traveling has been a challenge, but in 2024 we will be doing the show full-time. We are sure that will also bring another transition for us,” said the Loves.

After documenting their journey on their channel, the Loves have had success not only on YouTube, but on their other social media platforms as well. Anthony and Marlie have gained thousands of followers across different social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram. The Loves stated that their goal is to be “a resource for black and BIPOC travelers interested in knowing more about locations worth visiting that are also welcoming and comfortable to [those] travelers.”

The couple has received lots of positive comments from their followers across their social media accounts.

“So far, we have received a lot of feedback that has been a valuable resource for other black travelers, which is the best thing about doing this, and it’s what keeps us going. It’s also been pretty nice that others outside of the black community have found value from our content, especially our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ followers and a large number of white followers who use our content to discover new places to visit. We truly love hearing the feedback of how our content is useful to people. That really makes us feel that our work is worth doing,” they said.

Even though the couple has received

positive feedback from the content they’ve posted on their social media accounts, there have also been challenges.

“Still to this day, we occasionally encounter individuals who don’t understand why we would need to do a show that speaks to race. Our aim is to focus on the positive, so we choose not to engage those individuals because the truth is that if they don’t understand historically why there would be a need for our show, then more than likely there are other important issues they need to educate [themselves] on,” said the Loves.

The Loves have unfortunately been in a situation where they were treated differently because of the color of their skin, but it was an anomaly.

“In regards to our show, we can actually say that out of 150 episodes, we’ve only had one bad experience,” said the Loves.

Even though the Loves have had challenging moments, they use those experiences to inform their black and BIPOC audience about places that may not be safe to them because of their skin color.

Since Anthony and Marlie post about their travels across social media to promote places where black people can be safe and welcomed, they encourage black people who are afraid of traveling “to not let fear hold them back from discovering the endless amounts of amazing places and also the opportunity to meet amazing people. Something could happen just

sitting in your living room. We would also encourage them to share their experiences because black travelers’ perspectives are always needed. We always say that our perspective is just based on our experiences and that may not always reflect everyone’s.”

The couple has traveled to more than thirty states in the United States and more than eight countries. Out of all of the places they’ve traveled, Anthony stated that the place he liked the most was “on our recent trip to Ecuador, where we went to an old town called Quito; the rainforest; and the Galapagos.” The place that Marie liked the most was Belize, because she loved the people and the food.

The Loves are currently mapping their future travel plans for 2024. When asked about their future trips, the couple said they plan on taking more international trips and more trips outside of the Pacific Northwest.

The couple also plans to revisit some of the places they’ve been in the past without having to worry about filming content.

To learn more information about Anthony and Marlie Love, check out their social media accounts: YouTube: Traveling While Black Instagram & TikTok: twbseattle

Fall 2023 | The Talon 27

Alumni News & Notes A Note from the Alumni Board President As we say goodbye to 2023, it is easy to say that we have made some fantastic memories. Homecoming was highlighted with the “Decade of Leadership” event celebrating and honoring Dr. Roger and Judy Drake.

Central Methodist has been very blessed with their leadership on campus and in the community. The weekend was full of wonderful celebrations and traditions! We ended Homecoming on a high note by honoring our very well-deserving Distinguished and Young Alumni Awardees.

Our alumni socials have become an alumni favorite! We had wonderful attendance at our socials held in Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, and Fayette. They offer an opportunity to renew our friendships and keep our amazing Central Methodist bond. The Alumni Board of Directors and I look forward to seeing all of you at next year’s alumni socials!

Central will always have a special spot in our hearts and keep us connected through the years. I hope all you Eagles have a wonderful holiday season!

1990s

Thad Requet ’92 is a fourth-grade teacher and middle school boys basketball coach with L.J. Daly Elementary School in Fayette.

Mindy Gregory ’93 retired from the St. Charles School District on June 30 after 26 years, 10 as a high school special education teacher and 16 as special education coordinator. Mindy worked in special education for a total of 29 years. She has started her own business, The Sped Specialist, LLC, where she will continue to work with families and businesses, helping both navigate the world of special education.

Jeanie White ’94 is the administrator at Eagle Ridge Christian School in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Tony Maltbia ’95 is the Columbia Public Schools transportation director.

Sincerely,

Doug Robinson ’99 was an honored veteran at a daily military flag retreat ceremony at the Missouri State Fair.

Julie Parrish, Class of 2005

2000s

President, Alumni Association Board of Directors

1960s

Terry Smith ’66 received an Honorary Alumni Award from Columbia College in June.

Jason Holmes, Jr. ’69 published a book titled And Then There Was Golf! The Lost Legends.

1970s

Chris Lincoln ’72 was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame on May 4 and into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on August 7.

28 The Talon | Fall 2023

Vickie Stroupe Gassman ’75 is now working for Fayette High School.

1980s

Kenny Wyatt ’84 was named the 2022-2023 Missouri State High School Activities Association Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.

Jeffery Guillory ’88 was elected to the board of directors of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC).

Sara Morrison ’00 is the director of service coordination with Howard County Sheltered Services.

Scott M. Tackett ’00 serves as vice president of global access, value, and economics and was recently appointed to chief of staff for the executive leadership team at Intuitive Surgical in Sunnyvale, Calif. Additionally, he was recently appointed to the board of directors and chair of the healthcare committee at the US Heartland China Association.

Ashley Angle ’01 was awarded the Delta Kappa Gamma Key Woman Educator award for 2023.

Darren Dean ’01 was invited to take his novel, The Black Harvest, to a panel with historical novelists Michelle Collins Anderson (author of The Flower Sisters) and Jocelyn Cullity (author of Amah and the Silk-winged Pigeons) at the Missouri Folklore Society on November 4 in Boonville.

Aimee Sage ’02 has been employed as a loan specialist at Veterans United since March 2022 and was recently promoted to an assistant team lead position.

Lindy Hern ’03 is the associate professor and chair for the sociology department at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. She was also the elected chair of the faculty senate for the College of Arts and Sciences at UH-Hilo for the 22-23 academic year.

Dr. Shawn Baker ’04 was awarded the Salute to Excellence in Education Award.

Samie Blattner Hill ’05 is the principal with L.J. Daly Elementary School in Fayette.

Chris Polizzi ’07 is the defensive coordinator and safeties coach with the University of Tulsa.

April (Steinman) Rustemeyer ’07 is the assistant principal at Southwest Early Childhood Center in Jefferson City, Mo. Nancy Sikobe ’08 is the director of athletics with Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.

Stacy Menees ’08 is the K-5 physical education teacher with L.J. Daly Elementary School in Fayette.

Ryan Hedick ’09 is the assistant principal with Russellville High School in Russellville, Mo.

CMU Events:

Kansas City Alumni Social — Boulevard Brewery June 22, 2023

Hailey Sage ’22 and Maureen Hennessy ’23

Back row: Alice Kennedy ’80, Jo Ellen Shroyer ’79, Nancy Yuelkenbec ’78, Rick Cowart’75, and Brenda Cowart ’75. Front row: Ron Shroyer Professor Emeritus, and Brenda Kueck ’78

Alumni board current and former members: Larry Yocom ’66, Bethany Freel ’17, Rick Cowart ’75, Julie Parrish ’05, Kiona Sinks ’18, and Rena Yocom ’65

Brian Riley and head football coach Dave Brown

Kyle ’06 and Erin Youngs ’07 with Brooke ’06 and Ryan Lutz

Nancy and Dave Bandy ’66

Christian Hildebrandt ’18 and head men’s basketball coach Matt Sherman ’10

Fall 2023 | The Talon 29

Alumni News & Notes

Several Central Methodist students and faculty members had the opportunity to dine with Tad ’65 and Carolyn Perry ’66 while on a science trip to South Dakota. Pictured in back: Carolyn Perry, Dr. Anna Slusarz, Maggie McGuire, Renee Finke, Dr. Shayna Burchett, Kaydee Hummel, and Tad Perry. Left to right around table: Austin Ennis, Gavin Bishop, Seth Beard, Dr. Jay Perry, Dr. Terese Zidon, Carter Hawkins, Zane Meyer, and Will DeLaughter.

Zach Niemeier ’09 has been promoted to bank president with Exchange Bank in New Franklin.

2010s

Diana Martinez ’10 is the assistant women’s basketball coach with Loyola University-Maryland.

Rob Ehlers ’10 is the head baseball coach at Shawnee State University in Ohio.

Brad Carter ’12 is the head football coach at Olympian High School in Chula Vista, Calif.

Aaron Shockley ’12 was appointed as the director for Columbia College Esports in 2020 and has since led the Columbia College Rocket League team to the Fall 2022 CRL Western Conference

30 The Talon | Fall 2023

playoffs, winning the Fall 2022 CRL Championship.

Tyler Bredehoeft ’12 is the head men’s basketball coach with Avila University in Kansas City.

Josh Kirby and Leremie Shaffer ’12 opened 3 Best Friends Farm in Fayette.

TC Berens ’13 has been serving in the United States Air Force since 2019.

Brad Smith ’14 is the band director with Missouri Military Academy.

Alex Kirby ’14 is an assistant professor with William Woods University in the School of Humanities.

Bryan Plenge ’13 is the assistant strength and conditioning coach with the University of South Dakota-Vermillion.

Carl Richburg ’15 is the assistant men’s basketball coach with Miami University in Ohio.

Jamie March ’13 is the new softball coach for the Sturgeon School District.

Courtney Laramore ’16 is the director of East Missouri Action Agency (EMAA) Head Start.

Dakota Melkersman ’13 is the Boonville High School dance team assistant coach.

Trenton Carl Pummill ’16 is the athletic director for Community R-VI High School.

Landon Ball ’16 opened a new ice cream shop, Henry’s, in Fayette in October. He previously opened State Farm Agency in July of 2020 and is a top producer each year in the KC East Territory. He also opened a media production company with another alumnus, Josiah Kee ’19, in May. Jennifer Buckingham ’19 is a family nurse practioner with Bothwell Eldenburg Family Practice in Sedalia, Mo. Lauren (Mann) Beasley ’19 is an emergency management specialist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Kansas City.

Stephen Main ’19 is the director of external affairs with Missouri Valley College.

CMU Events:

St. Louis Alumni Social – Missouri Athletic Club – West August 10, 2023

Gary Wideman ’77, Jeff Sherman ’83, Matt Sherman ’10, and Kevin Cantwell ’80

Richard ’79 and Lisa Marsh ’79 with Cliff ’82 and Patty Rice ’81

Terry Henderson ’83, Marshall Dotson, Elaine Henderson ’83, and Johnetta Dotson ’22

Jennifer Blanton, Jacque Knight Richmond ’83, and Rob Blanton ’94

Amy Frazier ’86, Wendy Sheehan ’87, Mary Thomasson ’85, and Linda Esser ’84

Jim and Kay Marchbank

Fall 2023 | The Talon 31

Alumni News & Notes Lajanea Kimbrough ’19 is the assistant women’s basketball coach with Missouri University of Science and Technology.

CMU Events:

Springfield Alumni Social – Springfield Brewing Company November 9, 2023

Dajhae Mullins ’19 is the assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator with Marshalltown Community College.

2020s

Amanda Allison ’20 is the head volleyball coach with New Bloomfield R-III High School.

Elliot Knernschield ’20 came in first place for the 10K male in the Great American River Run in Memphis, Tenn.

Grayson Patten ’22 is the head volleyball coach with Conway High School.

President Dr. Roger Drake with John ’70 and Jacque Cheary ’82

Erik Mays ’22 will be playing for the Oklahoma Oilers football team, starting in the 2024 season.

Trenton Byers ’23 is the assistant football coach with Fayette High School.

Ashley McGovern ’23 is an intern with the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel, Fla. She will assist with its Wildlife on Wheels mobile classroom program for the 2023-2024 school year.

Births, Marriages, Engagements

Chelsea ’10 and Nic Dykman ’10

Bob and Nila Vance ’95 with Nikki Rorabaugh ’97

Jessica Hessler-Travlos ’14 gave birth to Jack Crespo Hessler on October 16, 2023.

Danielle Franklin ’17 and Austin Gardner ’15 were married on July 21, 2023.

Emma Wyble Johnson ’18 and Parker Johnson ’17 welcomed the birth of their son, Corbin Luke Johnson, on June 18, 2023.

Megaen N. Krachmer ’21 and Grant C. Sandifer ’19 were married on September 16, 2023.

Marvin ’85 and Mary Ann Manring ’86 with John ’74 and Anne Watters

32 The Talon | Fall 2023

CMU Events:

Fayette Alumni Christmas Party — Bee’s Knees Taproom December 7, 2023

Assistant women’s soccer coach Tyler Watkins, head women’s soccer coach Dan Schmidlin ’10, and Mark Harbison ’76

Julee Sherman and Kathy Dempsey ’86

Jeff Sherman ’83, Darrell Widhalm ’86, and Mark Dempsey ’85

Garth ’09 and Stacy Menees ’08

Valerie and Tim Jackman ’81

Greg ’77 and Barb Thurmon ’02

Amia and Sean Pridgeon ’08

Candy ’94 and Alan Marshall ’92

Fall 2023 | The Talon 33

In Memoriam

Former Board Chair Glenn Cox Dies at 94 – A Life Well Lived

G

lenn Andrew Cox, Jr. died on Friday, September 29, in Dallas, Texas. He was 94 years old. After a life of many accomplishments, Glenn will be most remembered by his family and many friends for his mischievous sense of humor, gentlemanly grace, politeness, consideration of others, conviction, and generosity.

Glenn was born in 1929 in Sedalia, Mo. With his younger sister Helen, he grew up on a small farm outside of town and enjoyed a childhood that included lots of chores. He expressed particular distaste for having to clean out the henhouse, even though fried chicken remained his favorite meal for the rest of his life. For grades 1-8, Glenn attended Striped College, a two-room schoolhouse named for its vertically striped paint. His parents’ farmhouse was electrified when he was in the fifth grade, aiding his studies as he no longer had to read by kerosene lamplight.

34 The Talon | Fall 2023

After Striped College, Glenn transferred to SmithCotton High School in Sedalia. He tried out for the football team, but after absorbing several hard hits, he decided to focus on less painful extracurricular activities and eventually served as editor-in-chief of the 1947 yearbook. Between chores, studies, activities, and part-time jobs, Glenn also found time to earn his Eagle Scout badge.

Glenn planned to work at a paint store after graduation and had not considered college, but his Methodist minister intervened and arranged a visit by a representative of Central College in Fayette. Glenn received a scholarship from Central and attended for two years. During one summer, he worked on the grain harvest as it moved northward through western Kansas, and during the next, for the U.S. Forest Service in the Sierra Nevada mountains, fighting the blister rust tree infestation. In 1950, he enrolled at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, where he completed a BA degree in business administration. More notably, at SMU he met Veronica Martin (Ronnie), the love of his life and his wife of 67 years.

Immediately upon graduation, Glenn began four years as a B-29 and C-124 pilot in the Air Force, where he developed a love of flying and gained a treasure trove of formative experiences, lifelong friends, and exciting stories that he would later tell to his children and grandchildren (including one about a seat-of-the-pants night landing in Bermuda on the last possible pass before he would have been forced to bail out, relayed in his typically understated fashion). Glenn and Ronnie decided to get married as soon as he received his first commission, issued in December 1952, and Glenn became a 2nd Lieutenant and earned his wings. True to plan, Glenn and Ronnie were married at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tulsa a few weeks later, on January 3, 1953. They began a lifetime of shared love and effort as they moved around the country with the Strategic Air Command, started and raised a family, and as Glenn embarked on his business career.

Glenn joined Phillips Petroleum in 1956 with the treasury department in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. There were six transfers over the next several years before Glenn returned to Bartlesville, where most of his next ten years were spent on international finance, primarily related to Phillips’s operations in South America. He played an important role in arranging financing for the Ekofisk Oil Field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, which remains one of the most important fields in the region.

Glenn was promoted to chief financial officer and became a member of the board of directors and executive committee. The mid-1980s were a turbulent time in the oil industry and for

In Memoriam Phillips in particular. Phillips withstood two takeover attempts, first by Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens and then by Carl Icahn, the New York financier, during which Phillips acquired sizable debt. Glenn was instrumental in arranging the financing needed to maintain Phillips’s independence, and in 1985, he was elected president and chief operating officer, serving alongside Pete Silas, chief executive officer. Glenn retired in 1991 at the age of 62 after a career spanning 35 years.

Both during and after his career with Phillips, Glenn was a devoted supporter of the Bartlesville community and other causes that were important to him. In Bartlesville, Glenn was deeply involved with the First United Methodist Church, OK Mozart, the Bartlesville Public Library, the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, and the Price Tower Arts Center. Glenn was particularly proud of his local and national awards from the Boy Scouts, including the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Awards. In 2021, the Price Tower Arts Center exhibited “The Love of Art: The Cox Collection,” celebrating the art that Glenn and Ronnie collected during his retirement years. Glenn and Ronnie were inducted into the Bartlesville Hall of Fame in 2013, in recognition of their contributions to the community.

Among his many additional honors, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, where he was delighted to be included with Gene Autry, his favorite cowboy.

Glenn was a major supporter of Central Methodist University, the institution he credits for broadening his horizons, and he served CMU as a member and as chairman of the board of trustees for many years. He also served on the board of trustees for SMU, the Oklahoma State Board of Regents for Higher Education, and numerous corporate boards including Bank of Oklahoma, Helmerich & Payne, Cimarex, Union Texas Petroleum, and Williams Companies. To Ronnie’s consternation, Glenn piloted his single-engine Cessna to board functions and to their Colorado summer home whenever possible.

Glenn was a great dad, encouraging and supportive of his children. As is common, from the perspective of an adolescent, he could seem annoyingly certain, but with maturity and the passage of time, all of his children came to deeply appreciate his conviction, humor, vision, love, and guidance. He is beloved by his five grandchildren, and recently became a great-grandfather.

He has inspired his children and grandchildren with how he treated other people, truly embodying the Golden Rule.

Glenn lived at CC Young Senior Living in Dallas from 2021 until his death.

Glenn is survived by son Martin and his wife Sherry Tucker (Dallas), son Grant and his wife Elizabeth Sager (Redding, Conn.), daughter Cecelia and her wife Shelly Skeen (Dallas), five grandchildren (Avery, Helen, Ella, Sam, and Mateo), and greatgrandchild Ronan. A memorial service to celebrate Glenn’s life took place at Bartlesville First Church on November 18, 2023.

1940s

Robert W. Leech ’45 of Jefferson City, Mo. died Aug. 1, 2023.

Uriel Vincent Manion Jr. ’47 of Eugene, Ore. died Oct. 22, 2023.

William Parker Parrish ’44 of Laguna Niguel, Calif. died Dec. 5, 2022.

1950s

Lowell D. Allen ’51 of East Grand Forks, Minn. died Oct. 14, 2023.

Vernon Leroy Booker ’50 of Boonville, Mo. died July 24, 2023.

Pearl Darlene Reid Brake ’50 of St. Louis, Mo. died May 25, 2022.

Carroll Monroe Compton ’57 of Garner, N.C. died May 10, 2023.

Glenn A. Cox Jr. ’51 of Dallas, Texas died Sep. 29, 2023.

Bill J. Crigler ’51 of Fayette, Mo. died June 5, 2023.

Carol J. Prebble Crossley ’51 of St. Louis, Mo. died May 1, 2023.

Herbert Ralph Crump ’52 of Kilgore, Texas died May 28, 2023.

James Leroy Estep ’51 of Wentzville, Mo. died Aug. 4, 2023.

Kathryn Delois Line Evans ’57 of West Plains, Mo. died June 5, 2023.

Carol L. Mahoney Farmer ’57 of Clarence, Mo. died Nov. 14, 2023.

Robert H. Isbell ’55 of Dexter, Mo. died Sep. 4, 2023.

Chester A. Kirkpatrick ’50 of Sedalia, Mo. died Oct. 20, 2023.

Lily M. Sipes Klase ’57 of Longmont, Colo. died June 17, 2023.

William Paul March ’56 of Lenexa, Kan. died Feb. 10, 2023.

Frederick C. Nix ’57 of Washington, Mo. died Sep. 11, 2023.

Donald L. Northington ’52 of Washington, Mo. died Mar. 18, 2023.

Marjorie Hillebrand Nunnelly ’51 of Cape Girardeau, Mo. died Sep. 11, 2023.

Joy Settle Phillips ’52 of Independence, Mo. died Oct. 14, 2023.

John Eugene Towner ’50 of Lawrence, Kan. died May 7, 2022.

Elizabeth Neff Tyrer ’53 of San Antonio, Texas died Sep. 29, 2023.

Carolyn Whitener Walker ’57 of Nashville, Tenn. died Aug. 31, 2023.

Harold W. Westhues ’53 of Jefferson City, Mo. died Aug. 26, 2023.

1960s

Donald L. Barton ’61 of Farmington, Mo. died Sep. 29, 2023.

Martha E. Trumble Copeland ’61 of Branson, Mo. died Aug. 15, 2023.

James Elbert Cullison ’65 of Charleston, Mo. died Oct. 2, 2023.

Gary F. Graf ’66 of St. Peters, Mo. died Aug. 1, 2023.

Sandra Hickman Hanna ’68 of Tulsa, Okla. died Oct. 4, 2023.

Judith Gail Hebel Hawkins ’63 of Hamel, Minn. died Sep. 24, 2023.

William Bond Hughes ’60 of McKinney, Texas died May 20, 2023.

Richard W. Johnson ’68 of Gladstone, Mo. died Aug. 7, 2023.

Mary Phyllis Dreyer Lippelman ’68 of Huntsville, Mo. died Sep. 20, 2023.

Eugene F. W. Martin ’65 of Starkville, Miss. died Oct. 5, 2023.

Alan Christian Michel ’61 of Owensville, Mo. died July 19, 2023.

David D. Norbury ’68 of Blackwater, Mo. died June 10, 2023.

Robert A. Roe ’63 of Brookfield, Mo. died Sep. 9, 2023.

Marilyn F. Romines ’68 of Alexandria, Va. died Jan. 1, 2023.

Linda Keeley Vroman ’69 of Glasgow, Mo. died May 18, 2023.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 35

In Memoriam

Phyllis Richardson

P

hyllis Richardson, a legendary coach and member of the Central Methodist Athletics Hairston Hall of Fame, passed away on June 25, 2023. CMU Athletic Director Jeff Sherman represented the University at her service.

“Coach Richardson was an amazing teacher, coach, friend, and mentor,” said Sherman. “She had a major influence in growing and promoting women’s athletics at Central Methodist. I had the pleasure of having Coach Richardson as a college professor and was incredibly blessed to work alongside her my first four years as head basketball coach.”

1970s

Doris Davis Brown ’76 of Moberly, Mo. died Apr. 6, 2023.

Daniel K. Frank ’70 of St. Peters, Mo. died Apr. 28, 2023.

Walter Bryan Heaven ’70 of St. Louis, Mo. died July 30, 2023.

David Kallmeyer ’76 of Glasgow, Mo. died June 22, 2023.

Kevin C. McDaniel ’78 of Jefferson City, Mo. died Aug. 31, 2023.

William G. McFerron ’74 of Chaffee, Mo. died July 24, 2023.

Ronald A. McMillan ’74 of Columbia, Mo. died Sep. 8, 2023.

Michael D. Mueller ’73 of Washington, D.C. died July 12, 2023.

1980s

Gregory J. Faust ’86 of Columbia, Mo. died Sep. 23, 2023.

36 The Talon | Fall 2023

2000s

Kendal Woolf Clark ’02 of Fayette, Mo. died Nov. 17, 2023.

David W. Thompson ’03 of Jefferson City, Mo. died May 22, 2023.

Brandyn Erika Worley Yates ’03 of Urbana, Mo. died June 14, 2023.

2010s

Robert Dale Tripp ’10 of Russellville, Mo. died Oct. 3, 2023.

Paul Clinton Wald ’15 of Mendon, Mo. died June 20, 2023.

Toinette Denise Wilson ’14 of Fenton, Mo. died Aug. 23, 2023.

2020s

Jayda Nicole Fulkerson ’24 of Marine, Ill. died Sep. 15, 2023.

Kellen Mackenzie Schermerhorn ’20 of Huntsville, Mo. died Aug. 27, 2023.

Richardson’s career in education and athletics was groundbreaking and multi-dimensional.

In 1977, Dr. James Luetjen, then Central’s director of athletics, appointed her as head women’s athletic coach for the department, making Richardson the coach for both the tennis and volleyball programs. She earned Coach of the Year awards in both sports and led the volleyball team to the program’s first-ever regular season conference championship in 1979. This team compiled a 32-5 record and set several program records, including single-season wins (32), singleseason winning percentage (.865), and fewest single-season losses (5).

The team joined their coach in the Hairston Hall of Fame with induction in 2009.

Richardson led both programs until 1989. Her efforts and impact on women’s athletics at Central Methodist was monumental and, as mentioned above, Richardson was inducted into the Hairston Hall of Fame in 2005.

Prior to her time at CMU, Richardson was a physical education teacher in Moberly at St. Pius X School, Moberly High School, and was at Moberly Area Community College for over 19 years.

She graduated from the University of Missouri and was a 50-year member of the Delta Gamma Sorority. She was also a 50-year member of the PEO Sisterhood, an international organization of 230,000 members based in the United States providing educational opportunities for female students worldwide.

Sherman added, “I’ve heard from many former players saying that Coach Richardson had the amazing ability to help student-athletes reach their full potential through hard work and discipline, all while keeping the enjoyment of the game. She was truly a gift to the coaching profession and a blessing for Central Methodist Athletics. Coach Richardson’s legacy will live on forever at Central.”

CMU Friends, Former Faculty, Staff

Marian Anderson of Sedalia, Mo. died Nov. 11, 2023.

Donald E. Burke of Fayette, Mo. died May 18, 2023.

Patrick D. Costigan of Kansas City, Mo. died Oct. 15, 2023.

Murrell T. Cunningham of Ellisville, Mo. died Oct. 29, 2023.

Beverly Braun Denman of Nevada, Mo. died June 1, 2023.

Marjorie A. Fleming of Columbia, Mo. died Sep. 5, 2023.

Harry F. Foockle of Kansas City, Mo. died July 25, 2023.

Lora S. Hudson of Kansas City, Kan. died July 18, 2023.

Wilma Jarvis of Kansas City, Mo. died Sep. 4, 2023.

Brock M. Lutz of St. Louis, Mo. died June 2, 2023.

Carol Moczygemba of Austin, Texas died July 26, 2023.

William Morehouse of Browning, Mo. died Sep. 27, 2023.

Phyllis J. Richardson of Moberly, Mo. died June 25, 2023.

Clark A. Ridpath of Springfield, Mo. died Aug. 24, 2023.

Ralph Scott of Monett, Mo. died Oct. 16, 2023.

B. G. Sides of Bernie, Mo. died May 13, 2023.

MaryEmily Slate of Charlotte, N.C. died May 16, 2023.

Janice M. Smith-Walz of Fayette, Mo. died Oct. 18, 2023.

Eldon Delmar Wahlers of Grand Junction, Colo. died June 14, 2023.

Dr. Kendal Clark

D

r. Kendal Clark, age 43, passed away at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia on November 17, 2023, after a short battle with cancer.

Kendal Woolf Clark was born in Tuscumbia, Mo., on May 13, 1980.

He was one of two children born to Terry E. and Marita M. (Lamp) Clark.

Kendal graduated from Dixon High School with the class of 1998. He furthered his education, earning his undergraduate degree from Central Methodist University in 2002. Kendal then went on to earn a master’s degree in physics and a doctorate in electrical engineering from Ohio University in 2010. On July 17, 2004, Kendal married the love of his life, Tisha Flaherty, at Grace Fellowship Church outside of Fayette. The couple enjoyed over 19 years together.

Dr. Clark lived a very full life for the short amount of time he spent on Earth. He was very intelligent, and his career and list of accomplishments were remarkable. After earning his doctorate, Clark contributed to mass amounts of scientific research. He was recruited to work at the Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee to conduct high-tech research. He contributed to and was cited in numerous domestic and international publications for his research and work. For the last 10 years, Clark worked as a physics professor at Central. In his spare time, he loved working on automobiles and racing his stage rally cars with his brother for Clark Racing Team. He also enjoyed riding his motorcycle and was a member of the American Motorcycle Association for close to 20 years. Along with his loving wife, Dr. Clark was a faithful member of Grace Fellowship Church of Fayette.

Survivors include his wife of the home, Tisha Clark; son, Cameron Jones of Fayette.; parents, Terry and Marita Clark of Dixon, Mo.; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Belinda and Larry Threlkeld of Dixon.; and brother, Travis (Casey) Clark of Brinktown, Mo. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Harold and Gladys Clark; maternal grandparents, Ralph and Hazel Lamp; and an uncle, Larry Clark.

A visitation was held on Monday, November 20, 2023, at FriemonthFreese Funeral Home in Fayette. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at Grace Fellowship Church outside of Fayette, with Rev. Gary Wrisberg officiating. Interment followed the service at Ashland Cemetery.

A memorial service was also held in Assembly Hall chapel on the Central Methodist campus, where students, fellow faculty members, and other staff members gathered to remember Dr. Clark’s contributions to the University.

David “Larry” Diamond ’58

D

avid Laurence Dimond, 87, of Fayette passed away on March 26, 2023. Larry was born in St. Louis, Mo. on December 11, 1935, son of Joseph Earl and Dorothy Lee (Heady) Dimond.

Larry married Marilyn L. Dickinson in June of 1958 in Fayette and to that union, one son, Michael, was born. They separated in 1980, and in December 1981 he married Martha “Marti” Becker in Ferguson, Mo. Larry graduated from Ferguson High School and attended Central College in Fayette, graduating in 1958 with a degree in business administration. He also attended Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Ill. and graduated with a master’s in education and later attended the University of Missouri, where he was conferred the degree of Doctor of Education. He taught public school in the St. Louis area. At the personal invitation of Dr. Ralph Woodward, president of Central Methodist University, Larry was hired as the dean of men at Central in the summer of 1966. A few years later, he moved to the department of education at CMU, where he provided personal attention, education, and direction to hundreds of aspiring public

school teachers until 1983, when he left the University.

In 1980, Larry was elected municipal judge for the city of Fayette, a position he would hold for the next 30 years until reaching state mandated retirement age in 2010. Through those years, Judge Dimond heard countless cases in Fayette Municipal. After retiring as judge, Larry was elected to the city council in Fayette and continued serving his ward until 2020.

Larry was active in community and civic activities in Fayette, including past membership in the Fayette Lion’s Club, the Masonic Lodge, the Order of Eastern Star, and Boy Scout Pack and Troop 62. He was also a past member of the administrative board at Linn Memorial United Methodist Church.

Larry is survived by Marti, his wife, of Fayette; son Michael ’85 and his wife, Janell ’84, of Fayette; step-daughter Carolyn Gregg of St. Charles, step-son Don Becker and Donna Marsh of Veazie, Maine; grandchildren Mikela Dimond of Fayette, Jessica (Chris) Capati of Aurora, Ill., Sarah Dimond and Abigail Dimond of Las Vegas, Nev., Kelly (Logan) Huff of Mountain Home, Ark., Jacob Moor of Columbia, Mo., Amy (Steve) Burrows of Lee’s Summit, Mo., Robert Dunham of Medford, Ore.; and four great-grandchildren.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Jack and William.

Memorial gifts can be made to Central Methodist University’s Dr. David L. Dimond Scholarship.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 37

New Hall of Sponsors Scholarships Recognized

C

entral Methodist University celebrated several new Hall of Sponsors scholarships this semester at the annual presentation held the Friday of Homecoming.

Created in 1977, the Hall of Sponsors Scholarship is designed to provide students an opportunity to receive an education at a Christian school and is one of the most prestigious scholarship awards at the University.

The establishment of each scholarship requires a minimum of $30,000 to be fully endowed, through an outright gift, pledge, or estate gift. The scholarship may be named as a memorial or in honor of an individual or institution.

The following scholarships were added to the Hall of Sponsors program this semester: Dr. Farris Woods and Professor George Vaughn Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by Wallace Jacobs Turnage, Jr. ’65 and Dara M. Turnage Wallace Turnage was born in Fayette, Mo. and graduated from Central Methodist University in May 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. While at Central, he was a member of Alpha Phi Gamma, serving as the president in 1965, and also lettered in golf. After graduation, he attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating with a Juris Doctorate in Law in June 1968.

While attending school, he worked for

38 The Talon | Fall 2023

Commercial Trust Company in Fayette and a bank in Columbia, and after graduation he was employed with the Valley National Bank of Arizona. After becoming a branch manager, he went into loan administration.

Following mergers with Bank One and Chase Bank, he continued in loan administration, retiring in 1993. Afterward he joined Arizona Business Bank as its chief credit officer. Turnage fully retired after a merger with Colorado Business Bank in December 2009. He passed the Missouri and Arizona Bar exams but continued in banking, where he used his knowledge of the law. The Dr. Farris Woods and Professor George Vaughn Hall of Sponsors Scholarship was funded by Wallace and Dara Turnage. The professors were instrumental in Wally initially majoring in biology.

Dr. John J. Schade ’67 Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by Dr. John J. Schade ’67 Dr. John J. Schade ’67 graduated from Central High School in Cape Girardeau, Mo. in 1963 and earned his BA in English from Central Methodist College in 1967. He was actively involved in campus organizations, between football, student government, and campus Republican Party. He was also the KMOE radio sports director and announcer for CMC football games. John later earned a

bachelor of journalism from the University of Missouri in 1973. He received advanced degrees from Claremont Graduate School, an MA in government in 1975, followed by a PhD in government in 1981.

Dr. Schade taught high school English at Caruthersville and Perryville high schools for two years. From 1969 to 1972, John served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army, including a tour in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged as a 1st LT in 1972.

Following military service, John worked in public relations for a California advertising agency for four years. Beginning in 1977, he served six years as the executive assistant to the chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Orange County, Calif. John then moved to Sacramento to become the deputy director of the California Governor’s Office of Local Government Affairs.

In Sacramento, John continues his civic service commitment as a volunteer in his church and with the Land Park Homeowners Board. The importance of an education is a value John holds in high regard. A Hall of Sponsors Scholarship is his commitment to providing an opportunity for education for future Central Methodist University students.

John believes his undergraduate education at Central Methodist laid the foundation for his future career both professionally and

educationally. He feels starting with a good undergraduate education at CMU can put one on course toward many opportunities for success.

M. Kathy Vieth STEM Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by Kathy Vieth ’66 Kathy Vieth is a self-directed individual who has been a leader from the heart her entire life. Growing up in Nevada, Mo., Kathy spent the four years following her high school graduation at Central Methodist and finds humor in being one of a few who literally never left campus for four years.

Deeply involved with the Delta Pi Omega Sorority as treasurer and V.P., she was also the president of student body, demonstrating her desire to lead. And lead she did. After receiving her BA in mathematics and economics from Central in 1966, she enjoyed a successful career in the banking industry.

Kathy achieved the level of vice president of product development at IBM and earned recognition as the first female vice president on the development side of “Big Blue.” In 1992, she took early retirement from IBM and moved to Vail, Colo., where during her retirement she served on numerous corporate boards of directors, and worked as a management consultant.

Katherine Ann Swisher ’50 Presidential Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by Swisher Farms and the Swisher Family Born on April 17, 1928, in Kansas City, Mo., the late Katherine Swisher ’50 lived in Saline County most of her life. A 1946 graduate of Marshall High School and graduate of Central Methodist University in Fayette, she married Frank R. Swisher on August 9, 1950.

Katherine Ann was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, AAUW, DAR, and UDC. She was also active with the Democratic Party and served on the Saline County Democratic Central Committee.

Katherine Ann believed in our responsibility to give back to the community.

She donated her time, energy, and finances to the Clothes Closet so that folks in need would receive help. She loved people (especially babies) and cats. She relished a good book and delighted family and friends with her cooking expertise. One of her favorite occasions included a trip to Arrow Rock for dinner and the Lyceum Theater. She never ceased in sharing the many fond memories of her time at Central Methodist, and her family felt raising her scholarship to the

Trustee level Hall of Sponsors Scholarship would only be fitting to celebrate her Central experience.

Jane Belew ’56 Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by Dr. Joe Belew ’53 Jane Ash Belew earned her associate’s degree in business from Central, then went on to work for Monsanto for four years while her husband, Joe, was in med school at St. Louis University. Jane left Monsanto after the birth of their first child, Taina, who would later graduate from Central Methodist in the first class of the new nursing school.

While Joe’s career as an OBGYN took off, Jane took care of their growing family, as the Belews had two more children, Cindy and Mark. Joe went on to deliver an impressive 11,873 babies while Jane remained passionate about raising their children, who would later become successful and vibrant adults. She devoted her whole life towards their family, and Joe knows that he would not be as successful if it were not for Jane, who passed away in March 2021.

It is with great honor and undying love for his beloved wife that Dr. Belew established the Jane Belew Hall of Sponsors Scholarship.

Funds will be awarded to a nursing or premed student who lives in Missouri. He hopes that the recipients will be able to discover their passions within their field while relieving some of the financial burden that comes with earning a degree.

Dr. Kenneth Lassen Martin ’47 Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded Funded by Cari Shanafelt and Gil Martin Kenneth Lassen Martin was born February 2, 1925 to Kenneth Gilbert Martin and Aagot Lassen Martin in Portland, Ore. He grew up as their only child and was very active in his younger years.

He attended Central Methodist University for his undergraduate degree through the Marines, then returned to Oregon for medical school. While in medical school, he met a senior nursing student, Carolyn Balme.

They dated until he was called to serve in the Korean War, serving in both Korea and Japan as a medic in mobile hospital facilities.

His time in Korea ultimately sparked his interest in trauma and orthopedic surgery.

Ken and Carolyn were married in 1954 after he returned from Korea. His orthopedic career began with an internship in Virginia, followed by residency at OHSU in Portland and at the University of Washington. Ken

and Carolyn moved to the Queen Anne area in Seattle, where Ken completed his training and set up his first practice. They ultimately moved to Burien, where Ken opened the first orthopedic practice in the area.

His practice continues to this day at the new Three Tree Medical Building. It was Ken’s wish to establish a scholarship at Central to help students in need pay for their college education.

Marilyn E. Caul Math Legacy Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by Marilyn E. Caul ’68 Marilyn Caul grew up on a farm in southeast Missouri and graduated in 1968 from Central Methodist College with a BA in mathematics and a minor in education. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Marilyn taught junior high math in Independence, Mo. for one year. However, she was fortunate to join IBM in 1969 as a Systems Engineer working with educational institutions. She held several technical, marketing, and business management positions during her 30-year career with IBM. With early retirement, Marilyn continued her career in Houston as a business advisor at the University of Houston Small Business Development Center, as CFO of a manufacturing company, and as director of ministries at Chapelwood United Methodist Church. Marilyn returned to southeast Missouri in the fall of 2012, where she and her husband, Thomas, built a home in the countryside. She joined the Central board of trustees in 2020 and currently serves as secretary of the Fayette Together board of directors. Education and lifelong learning are cornerstones of Marilyn’s life.

As a student at Central, she benefited from the generosity of earlier scholarship donors.

She now carries that tradition forward by endowing this Hall of Sponsors scholarship for other math majors.

Robert Nicolay ’68 Endowed Trustee Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Funded by the Nicolay Foundation Robert Nicolay received his bachelor’s degree from CMU in 1968 and his master’s from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Mo. Bob retired from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as an obituary columnist.

He had a tremendous love of music and theatre and enjoyed attending performances throughout the St. Louis area. Bob and his wife, Lyn, passionately supported local music and theatre programs. Bob’s record collection was second only to the collection of Charles Menees, the first jazz critic for the Post-Dispatch and a jazz educator.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 39

Left to right: Maddie Thompson, V.C. Alexander, Rev. Kristen Banks, Vitor Antelo, Lucas Icartes Reyes, Lyna Williams-Whitehead ’23, Kayce Messnar, and Brady Banks performing a remembrance of baptism in the Jordan River at Qasr Al-Yahud, traditional site of Jesus’s baptism.

Central Partners with Turnaround Collective for Pilgrimage

W

hat began as a simple email introduction turned into the opportunity of a lifetime for several Central Methodist University students in the summer of 2023. In conjunction with the organization known as the Turnaround Collective, a cohort of Central students made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem’s Holy Land.

The opportunity came about through connections between Turnaround Collective founder Brady Banks and CMU Board of Trustees Chair Nancy Peacock ’82. The two have crossed paths in Nashville, Tenn., where Banks’s wife is pastor at the church Dr. Peacock attends. “[Brady] knows the Bible and listens for God in every part of the book. From the first lesson, I recognized he had a gift and I told him he should be on faculty somewhere,” said Peacock. “I also knew that he had a

40 The Talon | Fall 2023

heart for caring for groups of people.”

Based on this knowledge, an introduction was made between Peacock, Banks, CMU President Roger Drake, campus chaplain Rev. Scotty Wall, and Linn Memorial UMC pastor Rev. Bill O’Neal. Upon hearing about Banks’s work with the Turnaround Collective, Drake pledged to see to it that donors could help cover the costs for Central students to experience this once-ina-lifetime trip.

It all came together, and this summer the group made the journey to Jerusalem to visit such landmarks in the Holy Land as Nazareth, Mount Tabor, the Western Wall, and the Garden of Gethsemane.

According to Banks, the pilgrimage is a way to help people – especially young people – find meaning in their lives and build relationships of spiritual meaning with each other.

“If given the opportunity, a young person will always rise to the occasion to share their story authentically about where they see God in their world,” he said.

Following the success of this first trip, Central Methodist and the Turnaround Collective now seeks to continue this partnership for future pilgrimages. Next year’s trip will look a bit different, however.

“Given the volatility and fluidity of the situation in the Holy Land, we have made the decision to shift next year’s pilgrimage to sites related to [the apostle] Paul’s missionary journeys in the Mediterranean,” said Banks.

Students registering this fall will have the chance to experience Greece and other sites in the region in May. To learn more about the work of Banks’s organization, visit turnaroundcollective. org.

UNITE Conference Comes to Campus

T

Top: Students outside the partition wall between the west bank and Bethlehem; Bottom: Lyna Williams-Whitehead ’23 enjoying a meal in old city Jerusalem

his summer, the campus of Central Methodist University played host to 250 United Methodist students from middle schools and high schools across the state for the UNITE Youth Conference 2023.

With a mission to inspire students to become workers in God’s kingdom and a vision to “create an event to foster spiritual growth and development, helping our students use their gifts to serve their communities in the world,” the conference was a great success and is expected to be even bigger next year.

Students attending the conference experienced not only the usual amenities of the Central campus but also a special stage and light setup for worship in Puckett Fieldhouse. A number of faculty and staff members from Central taught classes and led sessions throughout the

conference, including a ministry class by Dr. Daryl Jefferies, Esports facilities tour

by Coach Tyler Molnar ’21, and ghost tour

by Rev. Bill O’Neal and security supervisor Don Clear. O’Neal and Missouri UMC Conference disaster response coordinator Scott Burdin also assisted participants in building flood relief and homelessness kits to be distributed to those in need.

O’Neal was enthusiastic about the week as both a driver for kids to attend church and a recruiting event for Central.

“Many of the students who attended don’t normally attend church and just came with their friends. Many of them are now active in these youth groups,” he said.

“Countless kids also stated they now know where they are going to college.”

Next year’s conference promises to be an even bigger event, with nearly 700 spots already reserved for the 2024 edition.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 41

2023 Luetjen Tournament

T

he Central Methodist Department of Athletics hosted the 32nd annual Dr. James M. Luetjen Golf Tournament on June 17 at Hail Ridge Golf Course in Boonville, Mo. The proceeds from the event, named after former athletic director and Hairston Hall of Famer Dr. James Luetjen, go back to directly support the department, its sports programs, and student-athletes.

The day featured more than 130 golfers and 70 sponsors.

Several contests were also held, including Longest Drive, Longest Putt, and Closest to the Pin. The event also provided the opportunity for many alumni and supporters to come together in support of CMU Athletics.

The 33rd annual tournament will be held on June 8, 2024, at Hail Ridge.

42 The Talon | Fall 2023

Fall 2023 | The Talon 43

Central Celebrates Eagle Athletics

by Rachel Moore

T

he Central Methodist Department of Athletics hosted the seventh annual Celebrating Eagle Athletics Auction on July 14 inside Puckett Fieldhouse.

The auction raised a record-high $110,000, of which all proceeds go back to support CMU student-athletes. More than 140 silent auction items and several bigticket live auction items were featured, including a weekend in downtown Nashville and a Chiefs football helmet autographed by two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Jones.

The night began with a special recognition for Dr. Roger Drake, who celebrated his 10th year as president of Central Methodist University. Under Drake’s leadership, CMU has garnered 190 NAIA All-Americans, 32 team conference championships, and four team national championships.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of a gift commitment in honor of Larry Anderson ‘67, for his 40plus years of service to CMU, including as head football coach, athletic director, director of admissions, and faculty member.

44 The Talon | Fall 2023

The funds from this commitment will help with renovations to the football, soccer, and track and field facilities.

These improvements to the outdoor facilities will enhance the experiences of the fans as well as Central’s student-athletes and, in turn, attract more students to Central and ensure enrollment stays strong in the coming years.

The live auction was hosted by Dick Hutchison ‘83 and Dick Hutchison Auction and Real Estate LLC. “The Eagles Athletic Auction has become one of the most amazing events at Central,” stated Director of Athletics Jeff Sherman ‘83. “We continue to grow and capitalize on the many wonderful relationships in our community. This highly popular event is most instrumental in supplying additional revenue to enhance the athletic and educational success of our studentathletes. This year’s auction was another Eagle victory.”

This page: Dr. Roger Drake, Bob Anderson, Larry Anderson ’67, and Dr. Nancy Walker Peacock ’82; Cole Horstmann and Brad Dixon ’07; Opposite page: Brooke and John Orscheln; Doug ’67 and Sally Burton; Tad Perry ’65; Bill Sheehan ’84 addresses the crowd of more than 300 alumni and friends.; Theresa and men’s head wrestling coach Graham Karwath; Seth Hutchison ’10; Dr. Roger Drake; Eric Trelz ’80; Dr. Melissa Mace talks with student-athletes Delaney Miller, Thomas Sowoolu, and Tanner Sears.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 45

Central Welcomes New Head Coaches This Fall

by Rachel Moore

Men’s Soccer – Adam Galla ’11 Adam Galla was tabbed as the next men’s soccer coach in May 2023. Galla recently completed his first season at CMU, where the Eagles advanced to the Heart Conference Tournament quarterfinals and finished the year with an 8-7-3 overall record. In addition, Galla coached four Heart AllConference selections.

Galla came to CMU after spending the previous seven seasons leading the men’s soccer program at Westminster College in nearby Fulton, Mo. While with the Blue Jays, Galla guided the team to back-to-back SLIAC Tournament championships in 2016 and 2017. In 2016, Westminster led the conference in fewest goals allowed and, in 2017, led the SLIAC in scoring.

Altogether, Galla coached 19 AllConference players, including two SLIAC tournament MVPs, all while leading the Blue Jays to two national tournament appearances.

Prior to Westminster, Galla spent four seasons as the head men’s soccer coach at Lakeland University in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. During his first two seasons he also pulled double duty, leading the women’s program at the university.

46 The Talon | Fall 2023

Galla is no stranger to Central, as he spent four seasons as an assistant coach under current head women’s soccer coach Dan Schmidlin ’10 from 2008-12, assisting in both the men’s and women’s programs while earning his master’s degree.

Prior to his coaching career, Galla played four seasons at William Woods University, where he was named team captain his senior year.

Men’s Wrestling – Graham Karwath Graham Karwath was named the next head men’s wrestling coach in May 2023. Karwath came to CMU after spending the previous two seasons as the head men’s and women’s wrestling coach at Avila University in Kansas City. He built both programs from the ground up and led the men to a runner-up finish in the KCAC tournament in 2022-23.

Altogether, Karwath has coached three conference champions and five national qualifiers.

Prior to his time with Avila, he coached one year at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. During Karwath’s time leading the Highlanders, he guided three NCWCC All-Americans, which were the first in the program’s history.

Karwath also spent time at Lindenwood

University - Belleville, where he was an assistant coach and ultimately head coach over both men’s and women’s programs. He coached an NAIA national runner-up on the men’s side and the first All-American in program history.

Golf – Shannon Jeffrey ’95 Central Methodist alumnus Shannon Jeffrey was announced as the head coach of the men’s and women’s golf programs in June 2023.

Jeffrey has more than 27 years of experience in public education and coaching, including extensive experience in softball, basketball, volleyball, and golf.

Jeffrey currently resides in Boonville and has spent time working at Hail Ridge Golf Course prior to coaching at CMU. “Shannon is a Central alumnus whom I have known and respected for a long time,” stated Director of Athletics Jeff Sherman.

“I am proud to have him become a member of our Eagle family. Both our golf programs will flourish under his leadership.”

Jeffrey just completed his first fall season as head coach as both programs competed in five tournaments, including the Heart of America Fall Preview in Moravia, Iowa.

Anderson Maintains High Expectations for Track Teams

by Rachel Moore

C

entral Methodist University’s director of track & field and cross country, Kenny Anderson, has built a CMU legacy that would take most coaches decades. The Florida native, who is entering his fourth year as head coach, won back-toback indoor conference championships on the women’s side in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

The women completed the sweep of the indoor and outdoor conference championships in 2022-23. Coach Anderson has produced 65 national qualifiers and 26 All-Americans -- all this in just three seasons at the program’s helm. He is a fivetime Heart Conference Coach of the Year and a three-time USTFCCA South Central Region Women’s Coach of the Year. Under his tutelage, all programs have seen steady improvement.

On the national stage this past season, the women climbed into the Top 10 and finished eighth at the NAIA Indoor National Championships in Brookings, South Dakota.

The group landed nine NAIA All-Americans, the most in a single championship meet in program history. Dayana Montenegro also finished as the national runner-up in the 600m run.

During outdoor season, Anderson guided sprinter Gizel Clayton to a runnerup finish in the 100m hurdles at the National

Championships this past May in Marion, Ind. When we first visited with Coach Anderson in 2020-21, he discussed the building of a successful athletic program.

“The empire isn’t built in a day; it’s built every day. Every day we work to accomplish that goal,” he said.

His philosophy is no different today than it was three years ago when he first stepped onto campus.

“You never stop building, because once you become complacent, that is when the empire starts to crumble,” said Anderson.

“There is always something more to be done, something more that can be accomplished.”

In 2023-24, he is aiming for a podium finish for the women at this year’s national championships, which can be accomplished with a finish of fourth or better.

With steady recruiting, Coach Anderson has built a perennial power on the women’s side while seeing a steady increase in success for the men, and his goal is to put the men’s team on par with the Eagle ladies.

“The goal for the men is to match the success of the women, finishing in the top three in the conference in both indoor and outdoor, getting recognition from across the region, and ultimately turning into a national caliber program.”

Anderson attributes the achievements of the programs to a combination of a strong recruitment base and having a vision of success.

“The expectation at Central Methodist is to win championships,” Anderson said.

“That is the standard in our program, so everything we do is focused on being or becoming a champion. The work ethic, consistency, and the day-to-day routines will help us get there, and that is our established standard.”

The bar will continue to be raised. With success and winning comes additional pressure to achieve more and to maintain success with a program that is flourishing on the national stage.

“With a different group of studentathletes each year, bringing in newcomers and mixing them with the returners, it’s all about finding different ways to win,” said the coach.

Both programs continue to trend upward even as the indoor season began with the Bob Timmons Classic on December 2.

Central has already qualified three athletes for the indoor national championships, highlighted by junior Renee Finke, who broke the school record in the high jump with a mark of 1.73 meters.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 47

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centralmethodist.edu/admissions/applications.html 48 The Talon | Fall 2023

Fall Sports Wrap-ups

Callie Henson

Grant Engel

The Central Methodist volleyball program finished the 2023 season with a 22-11 overall record and remained in the Top 25 of the NAIA Coaches’ National Poll for the entirety of the season. Senior opposite hitter Callie Henson broke the program record for career kills with her fourth kill against Columbia College on Oct. 30, finishing her career with 1,514 career kills. For the sixth consecutive season, at least seven members of the program earned Heart All-Conference selections. Henson was named both the Conference Player and Attacker of the Year, and Krystal Brauner the Defender of the Year. Both Annabelle Maassen and Delaney Miller earned First Team All-Conference honors, while Sydney Healy was named to the second team and Joana Milho third team. Morgan LeBlanc rounded out the All-Conference selections with an honorable mention nod. CMU finished second in the Heart Regular season standings with a 14-3 record and punched its ticket to the Heart Tournament Championship match for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Central fell to No. 1 seeded Park in five sets, but clinched a berth into the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round for the sixth consecutive year. The Eagles fell in Opening Round to Valley City State in four sets to conclude their season.

Isabella Ross

The men’s cross country team competed in five races during the season, including the Heart of America Championships on Nov. 4 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the Haskell Invite on Oct. 7, Meshack Kiptanui finished eighth in the 8K, while Grant Engel landed just outside the top 10 at 13th. Central’s best meet came at the St. Louis Fall Classic on Oct. 21 as three Eagles landed in the top 10, including Kiptanui (fifth), Elvis Kipkosgei (seventh), and Engel (ninth).

As a team, CMU finished second with 57 points, just four points shy of first place. The men concluded the year with a sixth-place finish at the Heart Championships on Nov. 4.

The women’s cross country team competed in three races during the season, including the Larry Young Invitational on Sept. 15, the Haskell Invite on Oct. 7, and the Heart Championships on Nov. 4. The women posted a ninth-place finish at the Heart Championships, led by Dayana Montenegro who placed 29th in the 6K.

Fall 2023 | The Talon 49

The Central Methodist football program posted a 1-10 overall record and an 0-5 mark in the Heart of America South Division. Under first-year head coach Dave Brown, the Eagles picked up their first win in a tightly contested road matchup against Culver-Stockton College, 16-11, in Canton, Mo. on Sept. 9. Two members of the program were recognized as Heart South Honorable Mention All-Conference honorees, as junior wide receiver Drake Dudley earned Honorable Men-tion honors on offense,while junior defensive back Nyjahl Vaughn earned the nod on defense.

Basil Erne

The Central Methodist men’s soccer team finished the year with an 8-7-3 overall record and a 5-4-2 mark in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Under first-year head coach Adam Galla ’11, the Eagles closed the last month of the regular season with a 4-2-1 record, highlighted by a 3-0 shutout of rival and No. 16 nationally ranked Missouri Valley College on Oct. 11 in Fayette. The Eagles qualified for the Heart of America Conference tournament as the No. 6 seed and ultimately fell to No. 3 seeded MidAmerica Nazarene in Olathe, Kan. to conclude their season. Four mem-bers of the program earned Heart All-Conference honors, including junior defender Basil Erne (First Team), sophomore forward Koen Schimmel (Second Team), senior forward Isaac Johnson (Third Team), and senior midfielder Matheus Storck (Third Team).

CMU women’s soccer continued its historic run with a tremendous 2023 season. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 15-1-1 overall record and a spotless 11-0 record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Central won its fifth straight Heart Regular Season Championship and stretched its undefeated streak at home at Davis Field to 64 straight games.

The Eagles remained in the Top 10 of the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 poll for the entirety of the regular season, climbing as high as No. 4. in the national rankings. Eight different Eagles earned Heart All-Conference selections, led

by Player and Defensive Player of the Year Alicia Zamora, Newcomer of the Year Kirstine Lykke, and Freshman of the Year Mariana Barreto. Head coach Dan Schmidlin ’10 was also named the Conference Coach of the Year. In addition, Nerea Munoz and Larissa Ozorio were named to the First Team, while Celine Witt, Kaede Yamaguchi, and Renee Berak earned Third Team honors. Despite the Eagles falling in the Heart Tournament Championship game, CMU clinched the No. 4 overall seed in the NAIA National Tournament and would host two other teams in mid-November as part of the first and second rounds. Receiving a bye, the Eagles posted a 4-1 victory against upstart UC Merced (Calif.) in the second round to punch their ticket to the Final Site in Foley, Ala. There, they advanced to the national quarterfinals before falling to Tennessee Southern, 1-0.

50 The Talon | Fall 2023

Alicia Zamora

ESports The Central Methodist University Esports team competed in four different gaming titles during the fall season, including League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant, and Rainbow Six Siege. Central’s best showing came in Valorant, posting a 4-2 record with wins over NCAA schools Missouri and Kansas State. The Eagles qualified for postseason tournament play in Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege, and Rocket League, making it all the way to the quarterfinals in each of the gaming titles. Central will resume competition this coming February. Additionally, Central took part in the first-ever Heart of America Athletic Conference League of Legends regular season.

The conference announced League of Legends as a championship sponsored sport starting this fall. The Eagles finished fifth in the Heart South Division of LoL and will partake in the Heart Rocket League season beginning in February. CMU posted an aggregate 1113 record for all gaming titles during the fall season.

Coach Tyler Molnar ’21 and Isaque Francisco

Eric Moore The Central Methodist men’s bowling program began its first season as an NAIA member this fall, competing in four tournaments throughout the midwest. The women’s program competed in its firstever tournament at the Lions Match Play Tournament on Oct. 28 and 29 in St. Charles, Mo. Junior Cole Johnson finished just outside the Top 20 at 21st in the Mid Iowa Bowling Tournament on Oct. 15, while Maya Elliott, Lauren Williams, and Janell Whitfield all saw their first action in an Eagle uniform for Central. Eric Moore posted a 16th place finish at the Mid-State Championship in Wichita the following weekend. Both programs have concluded fall competition and will next compete at the Midwest Collegiate Classic starting Jan. 13 in Addison, Illinois.

Under first-year head coach Shannon Jeffrey ’95, the Central Methodist men’s and women’s golf teams competed in five tournaments during the fall season. The men’s best performance came in the Culver-Stockton Fall Classic, where the team finished fourth. Freshman Cole Wiese garnered notable performances in his first season as an Eagle, posting a plethora of top 15 finishes. His best outing came in the fall opener, where the High Ridge, Mo. native landed in the top 10 of the William Woods Invite on Sept. 19. The CMU women shot their way to the top four in four of their five tournaments, including a third-place finish at the Culver-Stockton Fall Classic on Oct. 16. Sophomore Mechelle Vermillion led the way for the Eagles, posting top 10 finishes in four of five tournaments, including a second-place finish at the CulverStockton College Fall Classic and a sixth-place finish at the Heart of America Conference preview. For her efforts at Culver-Stockton, Vermillion was named the Heart Women’s Golfer of the Week for the first time in her young career.

Mechelle Vermillion

Fall 2023 | The Talon 51

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