Summer 2020 - The Talon

Thankfully, Some Things Never Change

I

t is difficult for me to imagine a May At Central, we have a great deal for without a Kentucky Derby. Far, far which to be thankful. Recently, we added beyond that level of sacrifice for a to that list when Bill Sheehan, ’84, and his Kentuckian like me, knowing that our 2020 wife, Wendy, ’87, returned to our campus graduates did not have as vice president the May commencement for advancement ceremony they deserve and assistant golf is truly heartbreaking. coach, respectively.

When we can hold the It has been a joy to event safely, we will do watch the Sheehans all we can to celebrate reconnect with the academic success of Central friends this group of deserving and family. I know young people. that Bill is eagerly While it will come awaiting the time as no surprise to the when it is again typical Talon reader, our safe to travel so that teaching faculty have he can reconnect once again stepped up to with you and other ensure our students the Central alumni and Dr. Roger Drake, President very best educational supporters. experience possible in the midst of this This is a time of great uncertainty. If I crisis. As other institutions may have had but one wish, it would be for a return struggled to develop meaningful online to normalcy for our students, faculty, and educational experiences for the remainder staff. If that wish were not granted, I would of the term, our faculty successfully next wish for clarity to help us understand transitioned their pedagogy to ensure how the pandemic will play out in the student learning outcomes were met. months ahead. Sadly, I know neither of Given the short timeframe within which these requests is likely to happen. the faculty had to work, their efforts were As many of you know, I am perhaps the nothing short of heroic measures aimed at largest fan of Eagle athletics. Sadly, that serving their students. may be true both in terms of enthusiasm It is appropriate that I express my and geometry (I’m working on the geometry appreciation to another group of dedicated part). When our women’s basketball team supporters of this university. The Central was denied the opportunity to win their first Methodist University Board of Trustees, national championship, I was heartbroken. over the past several years, has approved When baseball and softball weren’t allowed a cumulative investment of more than $5 to even begin conference play, I was saddened million dollars in Digital U—an ambitious for those talented student-athletes. While initiative to enhance our “high-touch” we may have to make significant sacrifices, learning experience with “high-tech” such as limiting attendance, delaying starts, tools, including placing iPads in the hands and implementing stringent precautionary of every student on the Fayette campus. safety measures, it is my hope that our With this investment in technology, and students will soon be able to continue their with a caring and talented faculty, we were winning ways within the NAIA. uniquely positioned to serve our students At this time, the senior staff is actively remotely in this time of great need. planning for students to be back on campus

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this fall. I am particularly thankful for a group of trustees and alumni, folks that have distinguished themselves in the fields of medicine, science, research, and law, for serving on a committee to inform the administration as we prepare to keep our campus community healthy and safe.

In closing, I could not be more pleased with the effort and the results of our swift transition to remote learning in this time of crisis. Again, I am thankful for our timely investment in technology-enhanced learning such as Digital U. With that said, I am excited about our students returning to this vibrant campus, rich with learning opportunities not only in the classrooms but in our student organizations and other co-curricular programming.

Far too many times, we hear pundits and television news personalities describe a situation as a “new normal.” I submit that these supposed fundamental shifts are actually very few and very far between.

Admittedly, Central was forced to change our delivery methods and meet our objectives in very different ways in the midst of a global pandemic. There is a strong chance that there will be lasting effects in the higher education landscape directly attributable to this disruption. However, some things will never change. Among those immutable principles, Central Methodist will always meet the needs of students and prepare them to make a difference in the world.

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger D. Drake, President Chad Gaines, Vice President for Technology and Planning Dr. Rita Gulstad, Provost Dr. Joe Parisi, Vice President for Enrollment Management

Central Methodist University

TALON

magazine

Spring 2020 Table of Contents

Dr. Bill Sheehan Jr., Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Julee Sherman, Vice President for Finance and Administration Natasha Wilson, Vice President for Student Development and Athletics

Talon Staff Scott Queen, Editor Executive Director for Marketing and Communications 660-248-6238 squeen@centralmethodist.edu Joe Waner Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications 660-248-6629 jwaner@centralmethodist.edu Emily Kesel Media Content Specialist 660-248-6684 ekesel@centralmethodist.edu Deanna Cooper Director of Development 660-248-6397 dcooper@centralmethodist.edu Stasia Sherman Director of Alumni Engagement 660-248-6239 ssherman@centralmethodist.edu Andrea Waner Director of Advancement and Operations 660-248-6260 awaner@centralmethodist.edu

4 | CMU Responds To COVID-19 15 Hall Of Sponsors

40 Rumsey Testifies At State Capitol

26 Sheehan New VP For Advancement

43 Elmore Joins NY Giants

30 Claude Westfall Retirement

DEPARTMENTS Alumni News and Notes............................... 20 New Faculty, Staff.......................................... 27 Campus News............................................... 34 Sports News and Recaps............................... 42

On The Cover: An illustration of CMU class Zoom sessions after Spring Break 2020.

Our Mission Central Methodist University prepares students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 3

4 The Talon | Summer 2020

CENTRAL RESPONDS TO THE PANDEMIC Campus Moves To Online Coursework After Spring Break No community was spared when COVID-19 raged across the nation, and Central Methodist University’s leadership took a proactive approach before the virus ever reached Howard County.

Just before Spring Break, CMU took the unprecedented step of sending students home for the remainder of the semester to work online, allowing students the chance to finish the term in the safety of their own homes and taking advantage of the full potential of Digital U for online coursework.

“Central is well-positioned to transition to virtual delivery of coursework with our Digital U platform,” said President Roger Drake. “In many cases, students were already engaging with their faculty online.”

Not long after, CMU took an additional cautionary step, directing all employees to work from home, and postponing graduation ceremonies. To date, there have been three cases in Howard County.

No cases have been reported in Fayette.

Many of the upcoming pages in this edition document how your alma mater has responded to the pandemic.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 5

Central Methodist Back This Fall With COVID-19 Testing With counsel from a team of medical professionals from across the country, Central Methodist University President Roger Drake has announced the campus will be open this fall for resident students.

But it will be far from business as usual.

Drake said CMU’s board of trustees has authorized COVID-19 testing for all students, faculty, and staff, along with sweeping new safety protocols. He said a special advisory team of alumni and trustees, which includes research scientists, physicians, biologists, attorneys, and community health professionals, has assisted CMU’s senior leadership with a plan for returning to inperson classes that will include: • Coronavirus testing • Frequent sanitizing • Social distancing in classrooms and dining halls • A campus care facility for those who are symptomatic or test positive • Increased nursing resources “Families have historically chosen Central because of the safe and caring spirit here,” Drake said. “We feel these steps are necessary to protect our students and our community and assure them that we are doing everything we can.”

Drake said this higher-level response could be a model for other colleges, and “will likely provide a plan for moving into the future – beyond the pandemic.”

While higher education deals with the pandemic and many institutions face declining enrollment, Central’s metrics for the fall are strong. The institution has a record number of applications for fall enrollment.

One of the big reasons CMU continues to prosper is its faculty. They continue to receive high engagement rankings on the annual NSSE survey, Drake said, because “they care.

They go above and beyond. Their caring spirit

is a part of the culture here.”

Dr. Tiger Gordon, professor of chemistry, said that caring spirit, combined with being an iPad campus that deployed its Digital U culture three years ago, allowed faculty to continue to communicate and engage in content and discussion when students returned home after spring break.

Gordon said faculty creatively redesigned courses, expectations, and assessment methods.

“I saw lots of laughter and tears between faculty and students during that time of transition,” Gordon said. “I couldn’t be more proud of my faculty colleagues, our students, staff, and the administration in how things have gone.”

Central’s plan for returning to in-seat classes this fall has many contingencies, Drake said, and Digital U, the university’s iPad and

Community Expresses Optimism About CMU’s Return In Fall When President Roger Drake announced in April that he was optimistic about students’ return to campus in the fall to continue their coursework in person, the announcement was welcomed by Fayette businesses already starved by the regulations put in place to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores are among businesses in Fayette that rely on the student body for regular business

6 The Talon | Summer 2020

nine months out of the year. That was cut short in March when students went home and finished coursework online.

“We miss our student neighbors in Fayette, and we’re anxious for things to return to our new normal when the students return in the fall,” said Mike Dimond, ’85, director of Fayette Main Street. “CMU is a huge part of Fayette in so many different ways, including sports and music events.

The Main Street businesses are looking forward to the students, their families, and other CMU guests returning to town. Our ‘Welcome Home’ mat is out and ready.”

Drake said that one merchant had told him their sales are currently 25 percent of where they are “when students are in town.

So we want to give some hope to this town and express our confidence.”

digital learning initiative, will play a critical role.

“Our faculty members and administrative leadership are looking at ways to implement temporary online learning, for instance, if someone cannot attend classes after a positive test,” Drake said.

The university has a facility designated for those who test positive for the virus, and CMU plans to add nursing resources. Drake pledged that nursing resources and on-duty hours would be adjusted to meet demand.

CMU’s plant operations crew will be focused on frequent sanitizing across campus, heavily using electrostatic sanitizing that uses bleach tablets and other products to disinfect on a widescale basis.

Dining arrangements will include significant changes, as CMU’s food service

provider, Fresh Ideas, adds additional food stations and grab-and-go options across campus to allow for proper distancing.

Additional hand washing stations and touchless dispensers are also being discussed.

Athletics has always been a big part of Central, so alumni and students were anxiously awaiting the decision of the NAIA on whether there would be fall sports. While the decision was to have been made July 1, the NAIA made its announcement early, declaring fall sports would occur with adjustments.

Natasha Wilson, vice president for student life and athletics, said she and campus partners were planning and covering “all possible scenarios” for the return of competition in the fall, with health and safety being the institution’s top priority. She said those plans also include various scenarios for the safety of

alumni/fans who support CMU. “I’m sure our plan for athletics and everything else will adapt and change as we go through the spring and summer,” Drake said. “No matter what adaptations occur, students and families should always know we will remain focused on the health, safety, and education of our community.”

Drake said that CMU “did the right thing” by its students and issued room and board refunds and credits when they returned home earlier this spring. In addition to room and board refunds, he said the institution this month has been disbursing CARES Act grant funding directly to nearly 350 students who have applied.

“Students are always first at Central,” he said. “Always.”

Summer 2020 | The Talon 7

Stagecraft Class Adapts To Online Setting, Helps Community in Process Transitioning from a classroom to the virtual world is one thing when a course is mostly lecture-based, but what happens when a class relies heavily on hands-on experiences to teach real-world skills?

That was the question that had to be tackled by many members of the Central Methodist faculty this spring, including Assistant Professor of theatre Lonna Wilke, ’89.

When the remainder of the semester was moved online after Spring Break, Wilke’s Basic Principles of Theater class easily transitioned. But, her Stagecraft course and adjoining lab took a little more creativity.

“Stagecraft is very much a hands-on, interactive class where students learn the basic fundamentals of theatrical production techniques,” she said. “So, the question when we went online became how to translate a

Professor Lonna Wilke

8 The Talon | Summer 2020

hands-on, specific course to one that would keep students engaged for the rest of the semester.”

In its usual setting, Stagecraft teaches students to build and paint scenery, use lighting equipment, build props, and sew costumes. The class has a lecture component, complete with quizzes and tests, but much of its focus is working with the Little Theatre and Music Department on their shows and other needs.

With those events canceled and her students suddenly spread across the country to learn from home, Wilke had to figure out how the students who still needed lab hours could get them in a home environment.

“I was at a loss,” she admitted, saying it took a while to come up with activities for labs. But, when she noticed that the area around St. Louis, where she resides, was already heavily impacted by the virus and a lack of protective gear, she had a breakthrough.

“It was then that I finally thought outside of my own technical theatre box and realized that students could be doing activities that would reinforce the basic fundamentals they had learned in class [and] give them a way to support our communities during this time of need.”

Wilke gave a number of options to the handful of students still looking for lab activities, including making thankyou cards for essential workers, building signs of encouragement, performing other construction, or making masks.

Olivia Soliz of Port Isabel, Texas, took on the latter task.

A sophomore biology major, Soliz went home to Texas when campus was closed and has been living with her grandmother, Mavelia Calvillo.

Even before her granddaughter joined her efforts, Calvillo was already hard at

work on making masks for her family and community. An avid seamstress, she began sewing masks for the family, later expanding her efforts to provide for her brother’s employees and other neighbors.

Soon, those efforts aligned with Soliz’s studies, and the two have been a maskmaking team ever since.

“Little by little she’s learning,” Calvillo said of her granddaughter. “Hopefully, she’ll pick up the craft of sewing from me.”

While she gives her grandma most of the credit for the mask-making, Soliz is proud that her class is able to take what they’ve learned and help out where they can.

“It’s honestly a really great feeling knowing that a lot of the Central community is doing their part in this pandemic,” she said. “It just shows the type of people the students and faculty are, and I’m glad to be a part of it all.”

Wilke agrees. Aside from Soliz, her students have been hard at work making signs, sending thank-you cards, and rebuilding hail-damaged property, among other tasks. All the while, those same students are still busy with the rest of their courses -- and some even more so with jobs to help support their families. This has led to a need for flexibility in teaching.

“They all have different levels of stress and anxiety as we all work through this situation,” Wilke said. “I am thankful that my colleagues are [being flexible] and administrators understand the need for faculty to teach in consideration of the individual student and their situation.”

In an unprecedented time and situation, CMU students and students everywhere are learning much more than just what’s in their textbooks, and in the case of Central students, the world is learning how resilient and strong they are.

“It makes me happy and brings joy in a time of extreme anxiety and loss,” Wilke said of the CMU community stepping up in so many ways. “I am proud of the effort our students take in helping others or making someone feel better for a little while. Their efforts give me hope.”

University Extends Pass/Fail Grading Option; Choice Applies Only To Spring Semester The spring 2020 semester presented many expected.” unprecedented circumstances for Central Gulstad continued, saying, “When the Methodist University’s students, faculty, and needs of physical/mental health, family, and staff as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. survival are a priority, it is difficult to ask In recognition of these students to place school at challenges and out of the same level. The CMU compassion for its students, faculty holds its students in CMU modified its grading high regard and believes that options for the semester. At the offering of the changed the end of the semester, all grading system is the right undergraduate students had choice.” the opportunity to elect to All students were convert their spring course encouraged to discuss the grades to Pass/Withdrawal. implications of selecting The policy modification was the Pass or Withdrawal for for the spring 2020 semester course(s) with their academic only and did not apply to advisor and other university courses that ended prior to offices (e.g.

Financial Dr. Rita Gulsted March 16, 2020.

Aid, Veteran’s Services, “Our students’ lives have been disrupted,” International Services, Athletics, Business Provost Rita Gulstad said when the changes Office). Additionally, students enrolled in were announced. “They have been torn from programs with additional licensure and their friends, their teams, and their faculty. accreditation expectations were counseled to To expect them to be able to put forward work closely with their program directors to their best effort toward academics cannot be ensure they were adequately informed.

Basic principles of the Pass/Withdrawal option included the following:

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•

•

•

•

A student had the opportunity to elect to earn a grade of Pass “P” in any course for which they earned an assigned letter grade of A, B, or C. The “P” grade receives course credit but does not impact GPA. A student could elect to Withdraw “W” from any course in which they earned an assigned letter grade of D or F. The “W” does not receive course credit or impact GPA. The course instructor will have entered the appropriate letter grade (A/B/C, etc.) in the grade roster on myCMU at the end of the semester, as is the normal procedure.

Once the student chose the P/W option after the course letter grade was submitted, the grade was converted on the student’s transcript.

Grade changes were not automatic.

Students must have completed the online form for a change to be made.

Students were encouraged to visit the coronavirus FAQ page on the CMU website to learn more about the option and consult with an advisor to make the best decision for their individual situation.

Central Methodist Donates Unused PPE To Hometown Homecare Central Methodist University’s allied three cases of COVID-19 in Howard County, health program played a role in keeping Missouri currently has the highest growth Fayette and Howard County a little safer rate of any state in the country. in the face of the (COVID-19) pandemic. “it is coming,” she said. “and It is going CMU has donated nearly to multiply, not just add a $2,000 worth of personal case here and there. We will protective equipment (PPE) be serving patients soon.” to Hometown Homecare.

Wiehart said University Serese Wiehardt, ’78, a Hospital in Columbia called CMU alumna and CEO of all area hospices to see if Hometown Homecare, said they would serve COVID-19 the gift is “a blessing.” patients. She said she and “PPE is in short supply her nurses met, discussed nationwide,” she said. the matter, and accepted.

Hometown Homecare “I’m seeing God work provides home health in amazing ways,” she said. hospice and private care “[Dr. Megan Hess] is one of Dr. Megan Hess, ’84 to Howard, Cooper, and them. Megan brought us the Sheridan counties. Wiehart, whose type of PPE we are having trouble staff consists of eight nurses (three CMU getting.” alumni), said that although there are only In a two week span in March, Wiehart

said, Hometown Homecare had five suspected cases that turned out to be negative. She said the PPE donated by CMU will be used in suspected and confirmed cases to provide protection for nurses caring for those who are ill.

Hess, ’84, chair of the division of health professions at Central, said that the Thogmorton Center for Allied Health, which houses the nursing program, has along with all of CMU switched classes online.

“The SIM lab activity is over for the semester,” she said. “And all nursing supplies have an expiration date. So why not get the PPE in the hands of people who can benefit from it?

“COVID-19 is something we are all confronted with,” Hess continued. “It takes a family working together to get out of this.”

Summer 2020 | The Talon 9

Sophomore Taylor Scully, left, bumps elbows with Lynette Harrison rather than shaking hands as Donn Harrison looks on.

CMU Alumni Lend A Hand During Pandemic Grant Harrison is in eastern Canada attending college at the University of Prince Edward Island. And, thanks to COVID-19, he’s pretty much stuck there—a distant 33hour drive from home, which is Cameron, Mo. Mom and Dad, Donn, ‘89, and Lynette ’88 Harrison, miss him dearly. They haven’t seen him since January 4. He’s okay, but they still worry, which gave them an idea.

“I wondered how many kids are sitting in Fayette in the same situation,” said Lynette.

“How many are not able to go home? And, I thought if it was my child I would want someone to take care of them and show

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them some love.”

And that’s exactly what the Harrisons did.

The Harrisons collected all sorts of food and toiletries and activated CMU’s vast alumni network for donations. The money was still coming in by delivery day on April 23, but more than $2,000 was collected to generate gift cards to go along with the Swiss Rolls, Little Debbie snack cakes, playing cards, and microwavable mac and cheese.

They created goodie bags and stuffed each with a loving personal note.

“It was a really generous thing to do,”

said freshman Isaiah Studer, who is staying in McMurray Hall. “I was kind of surprised.

They drove all the way here to do this and help us.”

Central had 10 students and five hall directors staying on campus during the pandemic, according to Brad Dixon, ’07, dean of students. He said another 30-40 students were living off-campus in Fayette.

“Our alums were so generous, we are going to be able to help all of the students in some way,” said Dixon, who greeted the Harrisons on campus along with Stasia Sherman, director of alumni engagement.

Nicolette Yevich

Sarah Munns ‘98

Adrea Gracia

Career Services Stays Connected With Students Remotely

By TRACI BALLEW

Like many other departments on the Central Methodist University campus, the Career Development Center has had to get creative in adapting to virtual student services.

With all the end-of-school events being canceled, the career center was looking for ways to connect with students. Director Nicolette Yevich and her team introduced Zoom personal meetings to assist students with resumes and cover letters and held virtual employer panel discussions.

Throughout April, Yevich hosted multiple virtual panels. The first panel, called “Advice for College Students: Career Success While In Quarantine,” discussed the uncertain situation and six ways that students make most of their time to maximize their career development. Suggestions ranged from updating your resume and creating a professional online presence to practicing virtual interviewing skills and seeking assistance from the career center.

During this webinar, Yevich urged students to stay engaged by taking advantage

of online resources, virtual appointments, workshops, and digital networking opportunities. She reminded students, “Whether you’re exploring academic majors, looking for an internship, or getting ready for life after graduation, your career center is here to help and can provide guidance specific to your goals as well as the current situation.”

The second event the Career Development Center hosted was the “Ask a Recruiter Virtual Panel.” This event included three human resources professionals from companies that have hired many CMU alumni in the past.

Sarah Munns, a ‘98 alumna with Equipment Share, a company based in Columbia, joined Andrea Seeley from Columbia Safety & Supply and Adrea Gracia with the SherwinWilliams Company.

This employer panel discussed several topics surrounding the hiring process centered on the current pandemic. All three employers agreed that although the hiring process has slowed, this is the ideal time

Andrea Seeley

Alissa Riegler

for students to network and improve their resumes and cover letters. Students were encouraged to put as much effort as possible into their cover letters and to take advantage of the connections they’ve already made on the Central Methodist campus.

In parting, Munns encouraged students to “be resilient” during this confusing time, while Seeley and Gracia advised “investing in yourself” to make students more marketable to employers.

Orscheln Facilitates Additional PPE For Mid-Missouri Barry Orscheln, ’72, saw a could do something about need in mid-Missouri, and he hospital gowns, protective found a way to help. clothing,” said Orscheln.

The Central alumnus, chief “As it turned out, they were executive officer of Orscheln already working on it.”

Industries, saw that healthcare So, Orscheln Farm & workers were clamoring for Home created a new pipeline protective equipment amid to bring much-needed the COVID-19 pandemic. protective clothing to midHe thought about one of Missouri. He connected state the strongest relationships officials to Carhartt directly Orscheln Farm & Home and even assisted the state’s Barry Orscheln, ’72 has—with Carhartt, a global emergency management team garment company producing clothing in in acquiring a large quantity of shipping Kentucky and Tennessee. pallets.

“We reached out to them to see if we “We’re just trying to do our part and play

a role in helping solve this crisis,” Orscheln said. “There are a lot of people stepping up.”

Orscheln, from Moberly, is no stranger to helping out in Missouri. He was recently appointed by Governor Mike Parson to the Missouri Conservation Commission. He is an avid hunter and fisherman, but his goal on the commission is to serve, make a difference, and make sure that his grandchildren and everyone else’s future generations have the same opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of conservation in Missouri that he did.

Orscheln Industries has global annual sales of $500 million and employs more than 3,500 people. In 2017, the company celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 11

Dr. Herman Crisler, ’59, has seen multitudes of pediatric patients since 1969.

Dr. Crisler Knows A Thing Or Two About Pandemics

By ANDREA WANER

Before Herman “Andy” Crisler ‘59 was a Central graduate and a doctor, he was a kid in New Madrid, Mo., wandering around a cemetery.

The cemetery near his home was overgrown and untouched. Andy saw it on Saturdays in the early 1950s when he went rabbit hunting as a young boy. His curious and always active mind thought it was almost 100 years old, but one day, he worked up the gumption to explore the cemetery on his own. Instead of finding a multitude of headstones from the 1850s, he found approximately 50 graves, arranged in family plots, with dates of death all occurring between Dec. 15, 1918, and Jan. 7, 1919.

That’s how Andy first learned about the Spanish Flu. “Even before I became a physician, I’ve had a special interest in pandemics,” Dr. Crisler said. “As a kid, I remember I read everything I could find about it.”

Dr. Crisler describes himself akin to “someone in California, waiting for the big one.” Throughout his decades in medicine, he has waited for the next “big one” to arrive, a pandemic on such a grand scale that it would rival that of the 1918 Spanish Flu. Despite ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 global pandemic, he doesn’t think this is it, but he’s quite sure “it’s close.”

Pandemic or not, the quiet and unassuming Army veteran has seen multitudes of patients in the Memphis area since establishing his private pediatrics practice there in 1969. After graduating from Central Methodist College, Andy sought to complete his medical degree at the University of Tennessee. At the culmination of medical school, he served a three-year, threemonth stint as an Army flight surgeon during the Vietnam War, followed by a residency at Memphis City Hospital. It was then that Andy opted for a career in pediatrics over a path in general medicine that he originally planned for.

He turned his on-going quest for knowledge

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toward establishing one of the area’s most trusted private practices.

“I used to be a seven-day-a-week doctor, receiving seven to eight calls a night from patients,” Dr. Crisler said. “Now it’s more like a five-day-a-week doctor with fewer phone calls, but I’m still here for them.”

Dr. Crisler is a self-avowed “dinosaur” in the Memphis pediatric world, operating his practice as a sole practitioner. He also is known for something far more tangible: offering an accessible clinic to the community’s most vulnerable. When his private practice’s overhead costs rose to a tipping point over 10 years ago, he chose to continue practicing without taking a salary. That small-town physician mentality in the Memphis metro area led him to infuse cash into his business via his retirement savings in order to keep things running. He hasn’t taken a salary since. He has continued to serve Memphis’ children – particularly those with Attention Deficit Disorder (something he and others in his family have struggled with) and Asperger’s Syndrome, at little cost to families.

“We’re not quite a free clinic, but if you don’t have insurance, we’re not going to charge you – or if we do it will be very little,” Dr. Crisler said. “I keep waiting for me to not remember my name or something so I can quit, but as long as I’m physically and mentally able to do it, I don’t want to stop helping people.”

He likens private pediatric medicine to duck hunting.

“Duck hunting costs me $3,000 for two months of hunting each year, and I have fun. But I have just as much fun working in the office,” Dr. Crisler explained. “So, if I have to spend money to keep my office open, that’s what I’m going to do. I enjoy treating patients who otherwise would have to go to the emergency room. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

First-Year Teacher Adjusts to Working Remotely

Those adjustments took many different forms on the CMU campus itself and were integrated smoothly thanks to the Digital U initiative. But for elementary school teachers like Linhart, teaching remotely came with different challenges.

“I am used to seeing my students every day, so being apart from them has been heartbreaking,” she said. “There were some

By EMILY KESEL challenges in the beginning with figuring Chrissy Linhart, ‘19, was having a out new technology and coordinating perfectly normal and enjoyable first year schedules, but all of the students and of teaching after finishing her degree at parents have done an amazing job of Central Methodist. The Fayette native being flexible and making school work a was fortunate enough to secure a job in priority.” her hometown following her graduation Linhart says she went from seeing all of last May, and teaching third grade at Daly her third-graders every day to only seeing Elementary was going off without a hitch them as a whole class once a week, when Chrissy Linhart hosting a class Zoom call for the majority of the year. they have a Zoom meeting to read stories, with her third-grade students.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more do scavenger hunts, and “fill each other wonderful first year,” said Linhart, daughter in on the fun things that are happening of CMU alumni Gary ‘91 and Sarah ‘92. “I at home.” Lessons went from a full class am so thankful for the amazing co-workers, activity to one-on-one sessions with students, and families that I have had the students for 30-45 minutes each per day, I think that our Zoom class meetings and chance to work with.” focusing on math, reading, and grammar. lessons offer them a sense of normalcy from Then, as a pandemic disrupted Overall, she’s been happy with the way her our school routine, and they really look almost every aspect of daily young students forward to them.” life, teachers at every have adapted.

Linhart looks level of education had “It has been “I am used to seeing my students forward to them, to make some big amazing to see every day, so being apart from them too, as it gives her a a d j u s t m e n t s . how naturally chance to check in the kids have has been heartbreaking.” with her students, adjusted to using even if she can’t technology and see them in person. how many wonderful online resources “This is a difficult time for all of our there are out there,” Linhart said, adding students and families,” said Linhart. “As that her Zoom calls with the class are “fun long as each child is safe, happy, and and unpredictable” and always put a smile healthy, that’s all that matters.” on her face.

And while she says she can’t wait to Aside from the learning part of school see and hug each of her “kiddos” again, needing to be changed in the remote she recognizes that the way the 2019environment, students 2020 school year has ended is a unique and teachers alike opportunity for learning. had the tough task of “This quarantine offers an opportunity Alumna Chrissy Linhart, ’19, navigating life without for children to learn in unconventional delivers school work to the daily routine of the and hands-on ways. They have been able students. classroom and seeing to spend time exploring outside, reading a each other regularly. book with loved ones, cooking and baking, “I have heard from many creating art or music together as a family,” of them how much they miss said Linhart. “We can pick back up with their friends, teachers, and the curriculum and get each student our classroom,” Linhart caught up when we return to school, but said of her students. “They right now it’s an opportunity for families to seemed to be confused and laugh, play, and create memories together. sad in the beginning, but That is something that can’t be replaced!”

Summer 2020 | The Talon 13

Braxton Rethwisch, ’64.

The Road Warrior Changed Many Lives In Missouri

By DR. JOE PARISI

A

dmissions counselors are mostly known for making admissions decisions and financial aid planning.

But that only covers a third of their job. They’re marketing strategists, data analysts, event planners, and, in the fall, traveling salesmen.

The term “road warrior” might be the best description of all.

Admissions counselors are assigned territories — a few counties local to the college, a cluster of states, or a mixture of the two.

Aside from communicating with applicants and reading the applications, they’re also responsible for recruiting students in those areas. This includes attending college fairs, hosting regional events, and visiting anywhere

14 The Talon | Summer 2020

from 50 to 150 high schools each fall.

These initiatives necessitate travel with a goal of building relationships and sharing the unique value propositions of CMU. And no one did it better than Braxton Rethwisch, ’64, a true road warrior and an exemplar of what it takes to be successful in college admissions.

Born and raised in Fayette, Rethwisch, remained in town to attend Central Methodist.

He started working as an admissions counselor and ended as a senior regional director of admissions. He started working at Central Methodist in 1964 and became the regional admissions director for the St. Louis area in the late 1960s.

For five decades, Rethwisch worked with

high school students and their families to find the best college fit. He used a relationshipfocused model that served him well with students, families, high school teachers, counselors, coaches, and music directors.

His territory was the St. Louis area north to Troy, into the Bootheel and over into parts of southern Illinois. He averaged 50-55 incoming freshmen each year, and in some years upwards of 70.

Rethwisch and his wife, Judy, ’65, a nationally acclaimed theatre teacher at Affton High School, live in Fenton, Mo., but keep a home in Fayette as well.

Rethwisch was honored by CMU during Homecoming 2016 when the university designated an endowed Hall of Sponsors Scholarship in his name. Much of the funding came from members of his Central fraternity, Alpha Phi Gamma.

Just weeks after his graduation in 1964, Rethwisch went to work as an assistant to President Ralph Woodward. Two years later, he found his home in admissions, his passion for half a century.

“Braxton Rethwisch will go down in CMU history with such icons as E.P. Puckett and James Thogmorton,” said President Roger Drake.

Mary Hrdina, a 28-year CMU admissions guru, who is retiring this year, worked many years with Rethwisch.

“I have a great respect for him,” she said.

“He always had a story to tell whenever he came to campus. He had a great rapport with high school counselors and our staff. One of our bosses gave him the nickname ‘Colonel,’ because no matter where they traveled together everyone knew him and had great admiration for him. He is a legend at CMU and will be for years to come.”

The Missouri Association for College Admission Counseling (MOACAC) recognized Rethwisch’s commitment to young people over the years by creating the Braxton Rethwisch Scholarship for high school seniors who exhibit a commitment to learning and have demonstrated leadership skills and community service involvement. Five one-time $1,000 scholarships are awarded annually.

Make no mistake about it, Braxton Rethwisch is a road warrior who remains legendary for changing Missouri lives.

Hall Of Sponsors: 2020

Jerry and Frances Hoxworth

G

erald (Jerry) Monroe, ‘49, and Frances Hardy Hoxworth have flourished during their 70 years of marriage, which began with their meeting at Central Methodist University. As firstgeneration college graduates from very humble beginnings, they have always valued the impact of a college degree when coupled with drive, perseverance, and a commitment to humanity.

Dr. Gerald and Frances Hoxworth created this scholarship to enable first-generation students like them to achieve their educational goals and pursue their dreams.

Jerry was born in 1927, the fifth of eight children in his southeastern Missouri family.

His father, William Dan, and his mother, Della, eked out a living as cotton sharecroppers in the Bootheel region. His family struggled, and life turned especially harsh in the Great Depression. Jerry joined his siblings and parents in hand-picking cotton at age 5. From sunrise to sunset, he and his family did this backbreaking, painful work. As they stooped over the cotton plants dragging the picking sack, their hands were shredded by the cotton bolls, like a thousand paper cuts, day in and day out. Gloves were not an option due to the dexterity required to pull the cotton out of the boll. At an early age, Jerry vowed to never pick cotton as an adult. Despite the hard times and difficult work, Jerry kept his eyes on his prize—an education. His focused efforts allowed him to skip several grades, so at 16 he was the first in his family to graduate 12th grade. Education truly would be his ticket out of poverty!

Jerry leapt at the chance to serve his country and follow his two brothers, Lewis and Carl, into the military during World War II. His brothers, having already seen the rigors and dangers of combat in the Army, insisted he join the Navy instead. For Jerry, the military was like a vacation compared to cotton picking. Jerry’s commitment to his high school education granted him the opportunity to train as a Corpsman in San Diego, Calif. During the war, he served at the Oakland Naval Hospital in Oakland, Calif. One Naval physician was so impressed with Jerry’s skills he suggested Jerry consider becoming a doctor. Jerry took this advice to heart. After the war, using the GI Bill, Jerry became the first in his family to

enroll in college. He chose Central Methodist College. Little did he know that he was about to meet the love of his life, who would become his wife and business partner, Frances Hardy.

Frances (Frankie) was from the northern Ozarks of Missouri, growing up with her sister, Marcy, in Belle, Mo. Her father, William Clyde, worked on the oil and gas pipeline and they lived in company housing. Her mother, Helen Coleman, worked in the glove factory during the war, and she also cooked and fed the “pipeliners.” Frances learned to cook by helping her mother in the kitchen. One afternoon, her mother went to Rolla to pick up groceries but had a flat tire and was not able to make it back in time to fix and serve dinner to the pipeliners. At only age 13, Frances stepped in and made a meal for everyone. Her mother arrived just as the meal was being served.

Frances graduated from Belle High School in 1946; she then followed Marcy to Central Methodist College. There in her freshman year, she met Jerry. They became inseparable.

In three years, Jerry graduated with a B.S. in chemistry and minors in biology and English. Then, he enrolled in the University of Missouri-Columbia’s two-year medical school program. Frances followed and continued to complete her coursework in home economics/ nutrition. On Feb. 1, 1950, they borrowed her parents’ car, picked up Jerry’s sister and her boyfriend and eloped to Piggott, Ark. After Jerry finished his first year of medical school, he asked his professors if he was in “good standing.” They said he was and with medical college approval, Jerry was able to take a year off to earn money as a pharmaceutical salesman in order to pay for his second year of medical school. Then, sure enough, a year

later, Jerry was back in Columbia and earned his two-year medical degree. At the same time, Frances worked as a saleswoman in a dress shop and she graduated with a B.S. in home economics/nutrition.

Jerry’s education was not over. He completed his last two years of medical school at the prestigious Washington University Medical School in St. Louis. Frances continued to support them by working to help families have nutritious meals. Jerry finished at the top of his class in surgery with his M.D. degree in 1954. The new Dr. Hoxworth then served a one-year internship in general practice at Denver General Hospital. They welcomed their first child, Greg, while in Colorado.

After finishing Jerry’s internship, the couple moved back to Missouri to start practicing medicine. After one year in Moberly, the family moved to Cape Girardeau, where Jerry worked in a general practice.

During this decade, their daughters, Karen and

continued on page 16

Summer 2020 | The Talon 15

HALL OF SPONSORS 2020 Deborah, were born. With their fourth child, Dan, due in June, the couple built their own home in 1960.

Ambitious by nature, also in 1960, Jerry decided to create a state-of-the-art office and go into private practice. The new facility included an X-ray machine and its own lab for analyzing blood so that patients could get quick answers to their medical concerns. Frances managed the front desk and the business operations of the clinic. Dr. Hoxworth, with Frances by his side, continued to practice patient-centered medicine in Cape for 11 more years. He was known to make house calls to all parts of the region. Indeed, on one Christmas he made 25 house calls. Jerry never forgot his modest beginnings: he saw all patients who came to him regardless of their ability to pay.

While Jerry enjoyed an outstanding reputation and thriving practice, the long hours took a toll on him and his family. Heeding Frances’s advice, he decided to go back to school to specialize. In August of 1971, he started a threeyear residency in radiology at the University

of Missouri Medical Center in Columbia, Mo., where his medical studies had begun. Frances and the children were delighted to be closer to her parents in Belle. Unfortunately, both of her parents passed away in 1972. Frances graciously stepped in to manage their estate.

Jerry finished his radiology residency and the family moved to Mexico, Mo., in the summer of 1974 to become the chief radiologist for Audrain Medical Center. Frances set up and managed the Hoxworth Radiological Services and handled all the private and insurance billing. Many of the patients were farmers and low-income at the Medical Center. Frances routinely would write off a significant portion of billings each year.

Jerry was committed to bringing the best care and technology to his practice. He stayed abreast of new developments in the field, bringing ultrasound and MRI to the hospital.

As Frances and Jerry contemplated their retirement years, they built a home in 1992 on the farm left by Frances’ parents outside of Belle.

They established the H&H (Hardy & Hoxworth) farm and, never to be idle, Jerry even was a

cattle rancher for a decade. Frances and Jerry lived on the farm, entertained, and visited family, including their four children and seven grandchildren.

Family has always been a big part of their lives.

Jerry and Frances were committed to ensuring their children achieved college degrees without student debt. They modeled the value of education and provided material support for their children, which allowed them to pursue and achieve advanced degrees in business administration, medicine, exercise physiology, and public administration.

Indeed, the grandparents provided financial support to their grandchildren to ensure that all seven of their grandchildren have graduated from college. Every step of the way, Jerry had an equal partner in Frances. No challenge was too big for her—whether raising four children, developing a new private practice, or creating and managing Hoxworth Radiological Services. Jerry knows that his dreams would never have materialized without his loving, dedicated partner. On Feb. 1, 2020, Jerry and Frances celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary surrounded by their loving family.

Hall Of Sponsors: 2020

Honoring Sally Marble

S

ally Spickelmier Marble, ‘71, lived from March 20, 1950, to June 4, 2019. She was the daughter of the Rev. Harold (a Methodist pastor) and Elizabeth Spickelmier.

She was a 1968 graduate of Central Methodist College (University). She held a master’s degree from Missouri University.

After earning a degree in education – which she finished in three years – Sally married Max Marble, ‘71, and followed him to seminary school. She then taught third grade in the Kansas City area for three years. When Max became a United Methodist minister, they formed a team and served congregational and extension ministry appointments in Missouri, coordinated for Volunteers in Mission in Dallas, Texas, and the U.S.A. board for the Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana, India.

“She graduated on a Friday, and we got married on a Sunday,” Rev. Marble said.

“We were a real team in our church work.

Everywhere we went, we went together and did it together.”

In addition to filling many roles in the local church, Sally enjoyed several part-time jobs. She taught children of seasonal migrant workers, worked one-on-one with children with disabilities, gave piano lessons, and wrote

16 The Talon | Summer 2020

Sunday school curriculum for children and youth for the United Methodist Board of Education that was used across the country.

“When I was a pastor in Waverly, they had a program during the summer for seasonal migrant workers that Sally helped with,” Rev. Marble explained. “She wasn’t fluent in Spanish and for some that was their only language, but they got along well and she loved having that opportunity to teach.”

Her main mission in life was to be a mother and raise a family. She was a mother to Laura Marble, a Montessori teacher, and Andrew Marble, Ph.D. in astrophysics. She enjoyed two grandchildren, Emma and Neill Marble.

“I fell fast and hard for Sally,” Rev. Marble said.

“Having a Hall of Sponsors in her honor will be a wonderful way to remember her.”

Sally Marble, ’71

Hall Of Sponsors: 2020

Edward and Kathleen Caul Faculty Endowment

By MARILYN CAUL, ’68

E

d and Kathleen Caul, my parents, were products of the Great Depression. My father was forced to stop his formal education at the fifth grade level to help provide for his family.

My mother was able to complete her high school education and become a junior high math and social studies school teacher.

When my grandfather passed away suddenly during the early days of World War II, my father took over the responsibility of farming the family land, a career move that became his life’s work and passion. My mother began her teaching career in 1938 until ill health brought early retirement in 1967. In the early ’50s, she received a B.S. in education from Southeast Missouri State College in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The career choices my parents made positively impacted all those they met.

Although my father never received a diploma, he modeled a life of continual learning. He was always one of the first farmers in the area to implement new technology and to find new ways to improve the production of crops. He was committed to the land and enjoyed hiring young high school students during the summer to teach them the ins and outs of farming. He was a man who could fix anything, could engineer solutions from whatever discarded pieces might be laying around. My father was an active member in the community, serving in various leadership positions at the First United Methodist Church. He also served on the board that brought a much-needed hospital to Chaffee, Mo. In his retirement years, age 70-91, he turned his focus to stewardship of the land and wildlife conservation. His dedication to conservation led to the planting of over 20,000 trees to reforest pasture land and the planting of food plots to encourage wildlife on the property, a tradition that we uphold to this day. My father had a ready laugh, a generous heart, a quick wit, and a central core of integrity.

My mother was a dedicated teacher,

Ed and Kathleen Caul (left), photo taken in the early 1940s near where Kathleen grew up. Ed (below) is pictured on the land he loved and owned for years.

wife, and mother. She was known by her students to be a great teacher who ran a tight ship. To this day, I still encounter her former students who remember her commitment to their education. She was known for being a wonderful cook who could put a meal on the table at a moment’s notice. She was never idle and filled her summers with gardening, canning, and managing the household. Mother was very active in the United Methodist WSCS and would attend Central Methodist College (CMC) in the summer for either an annual conference or studies. On several occasions, I joined her. From an early age, it was a given I would attend CMC. Unfortunately, in her early 50s she developed rheumatoid arthritis, which shortened her life at age 64.

She was able to see me graduate from CMC in 1968 with a B.A. in mathematics.

My parents exemplified the value of hard work, of integrity, of education, of learning, and of stewardship. Therefore, it only seemed fitting to honor their lives in a way that encourages those who teach-the faculty. The Edward and Kathleen Caul Faculty Endowment is designed to support faculty excellence in teh academic disciplines of mathematics and environmental science, with a focus on.

Earnings from the endowment may be used for faculty professional support in areas other than salary to explore avenues of learning that enhance excellence in academics or research areas. In this way, Central Methodist University students will benefit through the support of faculty members.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 17

Hall Of Sponsors: 2020

Biswell and Forbes Scholarship

T

he Biswell and Forbes families have been leaders of the Howard County community since the early 1800s. Some have been farmers or teachers, while others have served as a deacon at the First Baptist Church, a board member of the Howard County Electric Co-op, and a judge. Over the years, more than a dozen family members have attended or graduated from what is now Central Methodist University: Charles Bedford Biswell, ’29, Hubert Harold Biswell, ’30, Mary Josephine Biswell, Myrtle Edith Biswell Sanford, ’33, Diane Elizabeth Biswell Ferrier, ’63, Frederick Orin Biswell Jr., ’76, Kathy Jo Biswell Brady, ’84, Richard Alexander Forbes, Charles Theodore Forbes, ’38, Missouri Maurice Forbes Long, Helen Elizabeth Biswell Forbes, Kenneth Cecil Forbes, ’60, Debra Kay Forbes, and Dayna Beth Forbes Salsgiver, ’77. The education that they received helped them immensely in their respective paths through life. This scholarship is to honor the members of those families that have come before in hopes that the support will spur the recipients on to great things.

Dayna and Bill Salsgiver

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18 The Talon | Summer 2020

Kadee Dempsey ’20 with parents Mark ’85 and Kathy ’86 Dempsey.

Legacy At CMU Means Opportunity

By DR. JOE PARISI

I

n college admissions, a “legacy” student is defined as someone whose parents attended and/or graduated from the institution to which the student is applying. In some cases, legacy status can also apply to other relatives who are currently attending or previously attended the institution, including siblings and grandparents.

For the most part, the familial ties of a legacy student include the immediate family– mothers and fathers to sons and daughters.

However, some universities will extend the definition of legacy much further–to nieces, nephews, grandsons, granddaughters, and sometimes even siblings.

Over the last two years, Central Methodist University has invested a significant amount of time identifying and recruiting legacy students. The institution identified 218 potential legacy students, reached out to them within the marketing and recruitment process, and enrolled 11 high school senior students.

In addition, CMU constructed a legacy pipeline of 559 students who will be graduating from 2021 to 2025.

CMU had 55 legacy students enrolled and attending classes in the spring 2020 semester. The Enrollment Management and Advancement team will continue to engage legacy students with new activities this fall.

Excitement is building to engage, highlight, and learn more about the continued generational legacy students currently attending CMU. Kadee Dempsey, ’20, the daughter of alumni Mark, ’85, and Kathy, ’86, Dempsey, is a legacy student who graduated this spring.

“I loved being able to share a piece of my life with my parents,” she said. “I was able to share their college stories with my friends and talk about how campus has changed and how it hasn’t! I felt proud to wear the same letter (almost) that they did during their time at CMU! I knew that when I came to Central I wanted to make memories like the ones they would tell me, and that’s exactly what I did!”

Dempsey stressed the experience she had with CMU’s faculty and how grateful she is for their efforts.

“I had an amazing experience with all of the faculty and professors over my four years,” she said. “My professors truly cared about my future. They pushed and helped me get into medical school, which I will start this coming August! Without the support and family of CMU, I never would’ve had the confidence to chase my dreams.”

Since 1854, CMU students have learned, lived, and grown as individuals destined to make a difference in the world.

At Central Methodist University, they experience a life-changing transformation that leads to success. If you know another legacy student that we can connect with, please let us know. Help them find where they belong – as Eagles at CMU!

Summer 2020 | The Talon 19

Alumni News & Notes Central Connects Us, Even In Quarantine What did I do today, you ask? I had a virtual happy hour with some of my dearest friends, witnessed a hilarious Live Jive from comedian Bill Chott, ’91, and ended my evening listening to a virtual concert from the very talented Steve Watts, ’88. In this time of social distancing and isolation, it seems I’ve become more connected, in some ways, to friends from my days at Central. While these strange times are in many ways confining, they also provide us with opportunities to connect in ways we never imagined.

When I was on campus in 1986, none of the things I did today would have been possible. I love how many creative connectivity options we have at our disposal.

I often use this letter to talk about the importance of connection, but that word means more now than ever before. I ask you, how you are connecting to your friends from your college days? Who are you following on social media? Who are you checking on? How are you connecting to Central?

Did you know that you can take a virtual tour of the campus? There are more opportunities to follow Central on social media and keep up with the latest. Have you thought about connecting with a favorite professor? There are so many ways to connect. Our alma mater is a special place, and now is a great time to reconnect.

The point is, our time at Central created amazing relationships for each of us. Don’t let another moment go by before reaching out to those people who impacted your life. I was recently reminded of the importance of this when I learned of the untimely passing of Jeff Huckaba, ’85, who was a friend to all who knew him. The time we have is unknown, and that fact is amplified in our current world situation. How are YOU connecting, safely?

Peace, safety, and love,

Laura Blair, Class of 1986 President, Alumni Association Board of Directors

1960s

Kent B. Van Landuyt ’68 and Alice J. (Weil) Van Landuyt ’69 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Jan. 25, 2019 by taking their children and “grands” to Oahu, Hawaii. They have three grown children, Erik, Andria (husband Cheng) and Karra, and three grandchildren Amilia, Karson, and Liam.

Kent retired from the Missouri Department of Transportation as assistant to the director and Alice from Eldon R-1 as a literacy coach. Both worked over 40 years.

In 2016, Kent and a Versailles High School classmate co-authored a book entitled A People’s History of the Lake of the Ozarks.

20 The Talon | Summer 2020

1970s

Howell Rice ’73 has retired after selling his insurance agency at the beginning of 2020. He looks forward to spending time with his wife, Kathy, and grandchildren in Jackson and Osage Beach. Last August, he and Kathy went camping at Logger’s Lake with alumni Dave Moller, ’73, and Dan, ’74, and Kathy Poggemoeller, ’93.

Dave Neier ’75 was inducted to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mo., on Jan. 26, 2019.

Tami (Bertrand) Trabue ’78 received the DAISY Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. Tami has been a nurse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Mexico, Mo., for over 40 years.

1980s

Timothy Jackman ’81 was named the interim president and CEO of Previsor Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Missouri Employers Mutual in Columbia, Mo. Donald Parker’s ’84 group, the Blue Heron Sextet, was part of the Sarasota Concert Association’s free music matinees program.

Mike Dimond ’85 retired from a very successful 35-year career with the Boy Scouts of America (four different councils throughout Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) on Dec. 31, 2019. Upon retirement, Mike, Janell, ’84, and Mikela (youngest of six children) moved back to

Alumnus Josiah Kee, ’19, caught a special moment at the C bench! Luke Knoble of Auburn, Calif. proposed to Brooke Striegel of Jefferson City, Mo., on February 17. Both graduated in May 2019. Their wedding is Sept. 5, 2020 – three years to the day they met at a Navigators event.

Zach Templeton ’97 announced his retirement as superintendent of the Mexico Public Schools.

Julie (Spurgin) Crabdree ’98 is the new financial aid and admissions representative for Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo.

2000s

Tiffany (Huey) Treadway ’05 was promoted to assembly production scheduler with Emerson Climate Technologies.

Ryan Harrington ’06 is the interim library director at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo.

Fayette (Mike’s hometown). Mike accepted the position as executive director for Fayette Main Street, Inc. Deborah (Telgemeier) Dodge ’89 was elected to serve on the 31st Circuit Judicial Commission.

1990s

Angela (Gebhardt) Littrell ’90 is the president and chief executive officer of Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall, Mo. Patrick (Pat) Reardon ’90 reached 800 career wins as the head coach of the Central Methodist University softball team on March 8, 2020.

Holly (Loveall) Statler ’92 joined the United Way of Southeast Missouri as the director of donor development.

John Brown ’94 won 2020 “Best News Anchor” in Missouri from the Missouri Broadcasters Association. John’s newest book, Missouri: An Illustrated Timeline, was also released in April of 2020 to commemorate Missouri’s bicentennial in 2021. John is the evening news anchor at KTVI, Fox 2 in St. Louis.

William (Billy) Huthman ’95 has been named head football coach at North Port High School in North Port, Fla. Huthman was the North Port Bobcats assistant football coach during the 2019-20 season and was responsible for quarterbacks and special teams. He also teaches HOPE and physical education at the school.

Miguel Paredes ’09 was named the athletic director at Stephens College in Columbia, Mo.

2010s

Brock Edris ’10 was named the 2020 Quincy Herald Whig Coach of the Year.

Cassie (Nappier) Frink ’11 and husband, Cody, announce the birth of son Jameson Aloysius born Jan. 27, 2020.

Daniel Jacobs ’11 and his wife, Ashley (Epperson) ’11 announce the birth of son Donovan born June 5, 2019.

Tyler Bredehoeft ’12 is the head men’s basketball coach at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 21

Kyra (Clements) Yung ’12 received the Outstanding Assistant Principal Award on March 1, 2020, from the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals.

Derek Freeman ’12 has been named head track coach of Salem High School in Salem, Mo. Caryn (Jackson) Jeffries ’13 is a new admissions representative for the College of Graduate and Extended Studies at Central Methodist University. She married Micah Jeffries Aug. 10, 2019.

Patricia Peterson ’13 recently joined the Poplar Bluff Neurology Specialists group.

Stephanie Suttmoeller ’13 and Eric Jarvis are engaged to be married in May of 2020.

Kelly Asbury ’14 was recognized by the Missouri Small Business Development Center for accomplishments for the recent fiscal year.

Sabrina (Eaves) Shockley ’14 is an addiction recovery technician for Compass Health Network McCambridge Center for Women and Children, in Columbia Mo. Kyle Schenewerk ’15 and Taylor Grellner ’14 were married Dec. 7, 2019.

Kelly Jo Davis ’16 and partner Jason Dobbins announce the birth of their daughter, Wren Lorelai Dobbins, born Oct. 27, 2019.

Briley Palmer ’16 is the head coach of women’s basketball at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo. Jessica Harman ’17 has been named the director of behavioral health nursing at Centerstone.

Stephanie Hampton ’19 was appointed treasurer for Wright City, Mo. Layne Crump ’19 has been hired as an admissions representative at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo. Sarah Rodgers ’19 is the new study/dual credit coordinator at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo. Catherine (Catie) Dovin ’19 and Gabriel Dudley got married on May 2, 2020 in Jackson, MO

22 The Talon | Summer 2020

Alumnus’ High Standards Keep His Students, Everyone Else Safe

By EMILY KESEL

M

itchell Hurt, ’01, has a really important job. When the power goes out in areas all across the state of Missouri, it’s often his former students who answer the call to fix the problem. If they haven’t received the best education possible, their safety and the safety of others is at risk.

That’s why Hurt considers his own education to have been so significant, as unconventional as it might have been.

Now an electrical distribution instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College, Hurt had been through a few careers and schools before landing at Central Methodist in the fall of 1998. He worked for a contractor that built rural electric distribution lines, he owned barber shops, and he worked as a journeyman lineman for Consolidated Electric Cooperative.

After 13 years with CEC, a shoulder injury forced him out of the business and he enrolled at another four-year institution near Central Methodist.

When he needed a different school, though, there was one clear choice: Central.

“My wife had gone to Central Methodist and graduated in 1983,” said Hurt of his wife, Cindy, who recently retired after 34 years as a teacher. “She always spoke highly of how she enjoyed the small-school feel and the great education she received there.”

Hurt began his Central education at the Waynesville location in 1998, moving to online instruction later.

“I was touched by so many instructors and people who genuinely cared about each of their students,” he said, praising

in particular his advisor, the late Dr. Paul Rorvig.

Since his graduation, many people in Hurt’s life have heard his praise of CMU, from his high school social studies students during a stint as a teacher to his linemen, to his family. Mitch and Cindy’s daughter, Teri Lynn Hurt, ‘13, even attended and earned a business degree from CMU in 2013.

Like Teri, whose degree has led her to a successful career with Auto-Owners Insurance, Hurt received a Central education that helped him hone vital skills and knowledge that he’s since used day in and day out.

“It felt like home [at Central], and the work I did forced me to be so detailoriented, a trait that serves me well as I write curriculum for and teach classes,” he said.

With the safety of his students on the line, those details are critical every day for an instructor like Hurt.

“It is very important that all of my students achieve at an A-plus level,” he said. “The occupation is far too dangerous for anyone to get by with a ‘C’ or a ‘B.’ It has to be right.”

And between his own experience as a lineman and his top-notch CMU education, Hurt is just the man to set the right example.

“My CMU education was exactly what I needed at that time in my life,” he said.

“My hope is that other students can see [my experience] and know that their path to where they want to go isn’t always the one that is the most-traveled.”

Above: Class of ’95 graduates Doug Boyer and Tina DeClue (right) pose for a photo with Clyde and Mary Lear, class of ’66. The two couples met this year after Boyer took a job with Learfield IMG College, part of Lear’s communications company, in Jefferson City, Mo., and soon realized they were all Central alumni.

Below: Fayette native Murphy Quint surprised her parents, CMU alumni Jessica, ’97, and Billy, ‘97, Quint by committing Dec. 4 to follow her parents’ footsteps and become an Eagle. She’ll study athletic training.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 23

In Memoriam 1940s

Ruth Marie Meyer Rosegrant ’41 of Kalamazoo, Mich., died March 14, 2020.

Stanley K. Thurston Jr. ’44 of Virginia Beach, Va., died April 3, 2020.

William D. Hartzler ’48 of Falls Church, Va., died Dec. 13, 2019.

Patricia N. Sasse Kirby ’48 of Columbia, Mo., died Oct. 15, 2019.

Rhoma D. Smith Powers ’49 of Bellevue, Mich., died Dec. 17, 2019.

1950s

Hank Steinbrenner Central Methodist University joined the New York Yankees and many others this spring in mourning the loss of Hank Steinbrenner, who passed away on April 14 due to longstanding health issues.

Steinbrenner, the oldest son of George Steinbrenner and one of the four siblings who own the controlling shares of the Yankees, was a member of the soccer program and resident assistant at Central in 1979. He also served as a member of the Board of Curators for Central Methodist from 1997 to 2005.

Steinbrenner, who passed away at the age of 63 in his home in Clearwater, Fla., was in his 13th season as the Yankees’ general partner and his 11th season as the club’s cochairperson, according to the team.

Born on April 2, 1957, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the oldest of four children to former Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner and his wife, Joan.

Along with his brother, Hal, Steinbrenner began overseeing day-to-day operations of

24 The Talon | Summer 2020

the club in 2007 and played a vital role in building the team that would go on to win the 2009 World Series, the 27th championship in the club’s history.

In addition to his Yankees duties, Steinbrenner served as a vice president and director of Bay Farms Corporation since 1985 and longtime member of the board of the Ocala Breeders Sales Company. A member of the board of the YES Network and the Gold Shield Foundation, Steinbrenner was also involved in several not-for-profit causes and children’s charities in New York and the Tampa Bay area.

Before attending Central Methodist, Steinbrenner went through the Culver (Ind.) Military Academy. He later served as chairman of the Minch Transit Company and vice president of the Mid-Florida Hotels Corporation.

He is survived by daughters Jacqueline and Julia, sons George Michael IV and John, granddaughter Anabel, and his three siblings.

Robert J. Otto ’51 of Sunset Hills, Mo., died Jan. 27, 2020.

Rosemary Vineyard Richardson ’51 of Desloge, Mo., died April 3, 2020.

Charlotte M. Bodamer Blakemore ’52 of Liberty, Mo., died Jan. 4, 2020.

Wendell L. Evans Jr. ’53 of Dallas, Texas, died Feb. 15, 2020.

Latham Bennett Henkey ’54 of Saint Charles, Mo., died Dec. 22, 2019.

Joanne Madden Yaeger ’54 of Marshall, Mo., died Jan. 25, 2020.

Gilbert Fleer ’55 of Rogers, Ark., died Feb. 19, 2020.

Elbert Haenssler ’56 of Saint Charles, Mo., died Nov. 12, 2019.

Robert E. McPherson ’56 of Anthony, Kan., died Jan. 6, 2020.

Keith T. Berry ’58 of Overland Park, Kan., died Nov. 10, 2019.

1960s

Charles Baker Brown ’62 of Kennett, Mo., died March 31, 2020.

Linda Blank Boehlen ’63 of Clarksburg, Mo., died March 28, 2020.

James Eric Haddock ’63 of Neosho, Mo., died April 17, 2020.

Thomas Christy Tebbs ’64 of Salinas, Calif., died Feb. 19, 2020.

Camilla Womack Dollins ’65 of Unionville, Mo., died Nov. 1, 2019.

Sharon Kay Powers Prokovich ’66 of Saint Charles, Mo., died Dec. 17, 2019.

Thomas Earl Clatworthy ’67 of Columbia, Mo., died Nov. 14, 2019.

David Washington Ober III ’67 of Lancaster, Pa., died Nov. 13, 2019.

Michael G. Rodick ’68 of Belleville, Ill., died March 9, 2020.

1970s

Evelyn Elaine Burns Frazier ’71 of Macomb, Ill., died March 10, 2020.

Colleen Hagerla Pease ’75 of Columbia, Mo., died Nov. 24, 2019.

Marc Hibbard ’76 of Sedalia, Mo., died Nov. 9, 2019.

M. Lynn Malone ’76 of Saint Louis, Mo., died Oct. 19, 2019.

1980s

Elaine M. Yunker ’80 of Columbia, Mo., died Jan. 12, 2020.

Henry G. Steinbrenner ’81 of Tampa, Fla., died April 14, 2020.

Ann Marie Bailey ’84 of Boulder, Colo., died Nov. 6, 2019.

Jeanne M. Gaughan Casadei ’85 of Fulton, Mo., died Feb. 5, 2020.

Warren Brent Meyer ’85 of Kirkwood, Mo., died Jan. 2, 2020.

1990s

Roxann M. Menning ’90 of Westminster, Colo., died Oct. 25, 2019.

Patricia L. Jarrett ’92 of Glasgow, Mo., died March 16, 2020.

Kevin Lee Gerke ’95 of Belton, Mo., died April. 9, 2020.

Shery’ll Marie Schierhoff ’99 of Montgomery City, Mo., died Dec. 21, 2019.

2000s

Matthew Alan Hughes ’03 of Farmington, Mo., died Feb. 3, 2020.

Alyssa Nicole Schell ’16 Central Methodist University lost one of its prized criminal justice graduates on April 14 with the passing of Alyssa Nicole (Webb) Schell, ’16, of Higbee.

According to Professor Teri Haack, Alyssa was “determined to be a trooper with the Missouri Highway Patrol before she ever walked into my office door or classroom.”

Alyssa was a graduate of Grain Valley High School, and she earned her bachelor’s in criminal justice at CMU. She was a cadet with the Missouri Highway Patrol. She continued to work as a 911 dispatcher

Braden Tyler Crane ’06 of Marshalltown, Iowa died March 25, 2020.

2010s

Jillian Nicole Worley ’15 of Columbia, Mo., died Jan. 24, 2020.

Alyssa Nicole Webb Schell ’16 of Higbee, Mo., died April. 14, 2020.

CMU Friends, Former Faculty, Staff

Howard J. Barnhard of Roland, Ark., died Oct. 7, 2019.

Lanie Bobbitt of Centralia, Mo., died Oct. 15, 2019.

Alice Burke of Fayette, Mo., died Feb. 13, 2020.

Gary A. Carter of Saint Joseph, Mo., died Dec. 20, 2019.

Paul C. Copenhaver of Moberly, Mo., died Feb. 7, 2020.

John F. Horton of Wichita, Kan., died March.

14, 2020.

James C. Hunter of Leawood, Kan., died Dec. 8, 2019.

David J. Malmo of Goodyear, Ariz., died April 20, 2020.

Neva M. Reece of Fayette, Mo., died Jan. 31, 2020.

Martha M. Ridpath of Springfield, Mo., died Jan. 28, 2020.

Karen Schweighauser of Fayette, Mo., died March 21, 2020.

with the University of Missouri Police Department as she battled cancer.

Alyssa was born Sept. 20, 1993, to Arnold and Jennifer Webb of Holden, Mo. She married John Schell of Higbee.

She is survived by her husband, her parents, stepsons John and Alex, her maternal grandparents Patrick and Beverly Baker, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a large extended family.

Private family services were April 21 at Million Taylor Funeral Home in Moberly. Her funeral procession included representatives of six different law enforcement agencies.

Burial was in Higbee.

Central Loses Retired Professor Neva Merle Reece Central Methodist University lost a longtime faculty member in Neva Merle Reece, ’88, of Columbia, who passed away Friday, January 31, 2020 at Tipton Oak Manor in Tipton, Mo. Visitation and services were February 5 at Memorial Funeral Home with Rev. Jennifer Essary officiating. Burial was in Graham Baptist Church Cemetery near Butlerville.

Neva was born on Dec. 21, 1931, in Madison, Ind., the daughter of Roy and Ivy Reece (nee Isaac), who preceded her in death. She was an associate professor until her retirement in 2012. She also served as the campus minister from 2007 to 2009 and then was the pastor at United Methodist in Keytesville, Mo., and Armstrong Methodist Church in Armstrong, Mo. Neva was a strong and tenacious teacher and Christian. She touched many lives in the classroom and between all her many community works. A talented performer and author, she was an example of living life bravely and with passion.

Survivors include her three children, Vernon Forbes (Marie) of Columbia, Mo., Doug Forbes of Lincoln, Neb., and Leslie Forbes of Duluth, Minn.; one niece, Susie Reece, and one nephew, Jeff Reece (Anita). She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Nolan Reece and Nathan Reece.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Graham Baptist Church Cemetery, c/o Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, MO 65202.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 25

Bill Sheehan Jr. Named Central Methodist VP For Advancement Alumnus Begins Second Stint In Fayette

O

nce in a while, you can go home again. Dr. Bill Sheehan, Jr., ‘84, and his wife, Wendy, ’87, certainly believe that, and so does Central Methodist University President Roger Drake.

Drake introduced Sheehan this semester as Central’s vice president for advancement and alumni relations. He started in his new role as a member of the senior staff in February.

“We are excited about Bill coming back home,” said Drake. “His success is well-documented, and he and his wife are just natural fits for Central.”

Both Sheehan and his wife are Central alumni, and both worked at the institution in the 1990s. They both previously worked at CulverStockton College in Canton, where Dr. Sheehan served as vice president for advancement and his wife was women’s golf coach.

“To say that we’re excited is an understatement,” Sheehan said.

“Central has done so much for us and is ingrained in our family and our hearts. I’m passionate about Central.”

Sheehan has had great success in higher education advancement and has worked in development for 23 years. Most recently he led the highly successful Changing Lives campaign at Culver-Stockton.

“We surpassed the $32 million mark, and that’s 125 percent of our goal with two years left in the campaign,” Sheehan said.

Sheehan attributes the success of the campaign to generous donors who believe in the mission and leadership of the institution, and he looks forward to having similar success at CMU. Prior to his work at Culver-Stockton, Sheehan spent three years as vice president for institutional advancement at Westminster College in Fulton, and he spent seven years as associate vice chancellor for development at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Sheehan also worked two years as executive director for development and alumni services at Columbia College.

In 1997, Sheehan earned his doctorate in philosophy at the University of Missouri, where he also received his master’s. He earned his bachelor’s in 1984 at Central.

Sheehan is now enjoying another Central homecoming by leading the advancement efforts at his alma mater.

“I’m so happy to be connecting and/or reconnecting with CMU alumni and friends,” he said. “What an honor it is to be able to serve Central Methodist University and help continue the trajectory of success and legacy of the institution for years to come.”

Wendy shares in the homecoming excitement as well. She is working at Central as assistant men’s and women’s golf coach.

26 The Talon | Summer 2020

New Employees Join CMU Team Caryn Jeffries – Admissions Central Methodist University alumna Caryn Jackson Jeffries, ‘13, recently began a new chapter in her CMU story, moving from communications specialist to admissions representative in the College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES) realm. The Fulton native first joined the Central staff in 2015 as color guard director and in 2018 accepted the position of CGES communication specialist. On March 23, Jeffries began her new role as the representative for CGES psychology, child development, and education students.

She will be working directly with students regarding those programs and ensuring completed application processes. In addition to her on-campus responsibilities, Jeffries will get the opportunity to attend recruitment events and further develop professional relationships between institutions.

Stasia Sherman – Alumni Going from majoring in fine arts to working as a director of alumni engagement may not be a typical career path, but it has proven to be a successful one for Stasia Sherman. After graduating from the University of Missouri with a fine arts degree, the Kansas City native was working at Graceland University when her career took an interesting turn. The donation of a sizable art collection called for someone with her expertise to make a move to the Alumni and Donor Relations Office, and Sherman stepped up to fill the role. Since then, alumni engagement and event planning has been her life. Sherman joined the Central Methodist University Advancement Office on Monday, March 23, as the new Director of alumni engagement, fulfilling a long-time goal.

She spent almost five years as the assistant director of alumni relations, events and special projects at Columbia College, where her job responsibilities were similar to what they will be at Central. Sherman will play a big role in organizing and planning alumni events for the university.

Marnie Ritter – Admissions Central Methodist University’s newest admissions representative is ready and excited to get to work recruiting new Eagles. Marnie Ritter, a graduate of Columbia College and Rock Bridge High School, started her new job on Monday, March 23, and is recruiting in the Kansas City area. Ritter worked for more than four years at Columbia College, where she previously graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. As the senior admissions recruiter there, she served as the initial point of contact for prospective students and worked closely with high school counselors and students. That, she said, is what most excites about her about jumping back in to recruiting for CMU. Angie Cloughly – Business Office After a long stint with Conagra Brands in Macon, Angela Cloughly has started a new career as a member of the Central Methodist University staff. Cloughly, who worked as a senior financial analyst for Conagra since 2002, recently started her new job as the CLAS billing specialist at CMU. At her previous job, she was in charge of handling all the financial responsibilities of the production plant. Cloughly, formerly of Slater, earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Missouri Valley College. She later received an MBA from Columbia College.

Mikki Shelton – Tech Services The newest member of the Central Methodist University Technology Services department is Michaela “Mikki” Shelton, a former CMU student and native of Boonville.

Shelton started work on Feb. 17 as the new administrative assistant for the Help Desk, where her main responsibilities include working with students and university employees to determine how best to help with their IT concerns. Prior to joining the CMU staff, Shelton attended the university as a student and eventually earned an associate’s

degree from State Fair Community College in Boonville.

Layne Crump – Admissions After graduating in December 2019, Central Methodist University alumnus Layne Crump has returned to campus to take a new position as an admissions representative.

Crump, from Ashland, previously served as a student ambassador for the Office of Admissions. He will use his knowledge of CMU to recruit prospective students from the southeast part of Missouri. He will regularly communicate with these students and their families, develop relationships with various high school representatives, and spend time traveling to college fairs and other special events.

In addition to working in the admissions office, Crump will serve as assistant coach for CMU’s Esports team alongside Coach Aaron Shockley.

Suzi Kidd – Regional Coordinator Central Methodist University’s Neosho location started the new year with a new member of the staff for the College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES). Suzi Kidd was hired as the area’s new regional coordinator, working in Neosho, where CMU partners with Crowder College. In her role, Kidd will be responsible for recruiting and providing student support and advising to online degreeseeking students, as well as support to designated community college partners. She will specifically work closely with students in the RN to BSN program and Health Sciences. Prior to joining the CMU staff, Kidd spent 27 years with the Missouri Division of Youth Services, where she was most recently a service coordinator supervisor in the juvenile justice department. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Crowder since 2010, teaching sociology.

Kidd earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State) before earning a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 27

Megan Roemer - PTA Director An important factor in selecting a leader for an academic program is finding someone with real-world experience in the field, someone who knows the ins and outs of the job and the landscape of the career market. That’s certainly what Central Methodist University is getting in its new physical therapy assistant program director. Megan Roemer, who taught the orthopedics class as an adjunct professor last semester, began the new year as the head of the PTA program, coming in with plenty of experience in the field.

Originally from the Joliet, Ill., area, Roemer graduated from nearby Governors State University, 30 miles south of Chicago. Since then she has been busy as a practicing physical therapist, working in orthopedics, outpatient, skilled nursing facilities, home help, and other branches. In her new position, Roemer is responsible for the oversight and day-to-day operations of the PTA educational program. She is tasked with fostering the development of appropriate operational standards and coursework, overseeing the function of the program and faculty, and marketing the program to the healthcare community, among other duties.

28 The Talon | Summer 2020

David Witter - Music Ministry In its new director of music ministry, Central Methodist University is getting an experienced musician, composer, and teacher. A native of central Missouri, David Witter is joining the CMU faculty in the spring semester as an assistant professor of music, on top of his director role. It is a natural fit for Witter, who has spent much of his career as a teacher.

Witter’s experience doesn’t just extend to schools, however. He spent six years as a musician with the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet Band before electing to further his education at MU. There, he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music composition. Witter is currently working towards his doctorate in the same subject and is on track to earn said degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in May. In his new role at CMU, Witter will teach composition and theory and will take over leading the Worship Bands. He says he is looking forward to continuing to build on the success of his predecessor, Dr. Ryan McLouth.

Morgan Kaune - Student Accounts Advisor Boonville native Morgan Kaune began the new year as one of the newest members of the Central Methodist University staff, taking over the position of CGES (College of Graduate and Extended Studies) student accounts advisor. She comes into the new position well-equipped for the responsibilities of coordinating the billing processes, monitoring student accounts, and providing office back-up. Prior to joining the CMU team, Kaune worked as a patient representative at Columbia Orthopaedic Group. There, her job duties involved assisting with the patient check-in process, collecting payments, and making sure insurance was eligible for visitors.

Kaune says she has always worked in the customer service field, so that aspect of her new job is familiar, but she is also looking forward to a different environment and potential for growth. Kaune is a graduate of State Fair Community College in Sedalia. She currently resides in Fayette.

Herman Fortman, center left, spends a little time with Eldon Montgomery, left back, Michael Montgomery, Wally Eaton, and Don Brucks.

Fortman Kept Central Running For 38 Years

By SCOTT QUEEN

M

aintenance Supervisor Herman Fortman took a job at Central Methodist College in 1982 as a plumber. He thought he’d just stay a year or so. This spring, he retired.

“It was supposed to be temporary,” he said. “I really loved machine work. That’s where I was headed.”

While he loved machine work, he knew he fell short in math. And he found out he could take classes at Central.

“You could take one three-hour course at a time as an employee,” he said. “So I made my way through algebra, trig, and geometry.

I ended up with a bachelor’s in math with a minor in physics. Now I have what it takes to work in a machine shop.”

But Fortman said that opportunity has passed him by.

“It’s kind of a dying art,” he said. I do some odds and ends at home. Now it’s all done with computer-operated machines. All the work is what a person used to do himself.”

What Fortman did for 38 years at Central was nothing short of monumental. He’s been a plumber, an electrician, a carpenter, and more – just about anything Central has needed.

And he has quite a few stories to tell.

“Not long after I started, I was working on a shower drain in the girls’ dorm,” Fortman recalled. “I announced ‘man on the floor’ like I was supposed to, banged on the door, etc...

Then, I went to work. Not too far in, a girl walked in there in her robe. Man, I thought I was going to get fired. I got out of there pretty quick.”

Another story he likes to tell also happened in his early years. It was when Central still hosted the large Methodist conferences on campus right after graduation.

“I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing or where anything was,” Fortman said.

“Graduation happened on Sunday, and before we could even get the dorms cleared out the Methodists were moving in on Tuesday. There were probably 1,000 people. That was crazy. “ Eventually, Fortman did learn what he was doing. And he learned it well. He has earned the respect of his peers, his presidents, and everyone in between.

“He has amassed such a great amount of knowledge over the years,” said Fortman’s boss, Derry Wiswall. “His contributions have been endless. He can do just about anything, and he is so frugal. If you needed a part, he would go find it for you or figure out a way to make it himself.”

Fortman is a licensed chief engineer, having received certification through that National Institute for the Uniform Licensing of Power Engineers, Inc. Wiswall said one of Fortman’s biggest contributions to Central has been development of its energy management system. From the

days of absorption chillers through today’s energy-saving controls, Fortman has learned how to do it all. And he’s taught others, too.

“Building the automated (energy management) system was quite a project,” he said. “I started on that in its infancy.”

He’s also proud of some renovation projects he was involved in at the president’s office in Brannock Hall and the main entry to the Smiley Library.

Fortman will of course miss the relationships he’s built with his plant operations team, the faculty, the staff, and the students.

“I really have enjoyed getting to know the students over the years,” he said. “The work study students we have over the summer sometimes work with us. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about them. For instance, this past summer I got to know a young lady in the track program from Germany. It helped me learn a little more about my own heritage.”

Looking ahead into retirement, Fortman plans to take a long summer motorcycle trip through Canada, Alaska, Washington, California, and back home.

He’ll nurture his collection of 14 (12 of them vintage) motorcycles, maybe put his amateur radio license to use, and find time to take care of the family farm south of Boonville.

And of course, he’ll cherish the memories at Central.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 29

RETIREMENT Won’t Keep Westfall From Making Personal Connections

By SCOTT QUEEN

It ended with a prayer.

One of Central Methodist University’s most cherished faculty members, Dr. Claude Westfall, bid farewell to his Chorale students in an impromptu final gathering.

Chorale formed a warm circle around their beloved professor in the Recital Hall, held hands, and sang Beautiful Savior. Then Westfall, with tears flowing from many in the room, prayed.

It wasn’t the end anyone envisioned.

Everyone thought the emotional end would be April 26, when the final Chorale concert was held in Linn Memorial United Methodist Church on campus. Westfall had already picked out his favorite numbers. But the coronavirus changed everything. To keep students safe, Central sent students home before spring break to finish the semester online.

“I guess there really never will be a sense of closure,” Westfall said.

While still teaching online, retirement has, in a way, come early. With an emptiness.

“Music is so personal and so grouporiented, it is almost impossible to teach online,” Westfall said. “You need that personal connection.”

Clearly, making personal connections has been the cornerstone of the Westfall teaching philosophy for his entire career. He values the constant phone calls, emails, and texts from all the generations of students he has taught, like the 6-foot-7 tenor who was playing defensive lineman for the New York Jets.

“He called me to tell me he was married, had a child, and wanted advice on exposing his child to music the way he was by me,” Westfall said. “And there’s my informally adopted child that stays in contact. She’s a choral teacher in Louisiana who didn’t have a dad in her life, so she started calling me ‘Dad.’ She still does today, and I get an email from her every day.”

Westfall had a wonderful career and built amazing memories teaching in the Parkway School District. But higher education was calling. He earned his doctorate, and one day he ran into Dr. Ron Shroyer, then-dean of the Swinney Conservatory of Music.

30 The Talon | Summer 2020

“I thought we’d just chat for a minute,” Westfall said. “But it was basically an hour and a half job interview. Right there on the spot. I was holding books. I remember my arms being tired.”

A couple of days later, Westfall headed to an interview in Oregon. That’s when Shroyer called and offered him the job.

“Central Methodist was a perfect fit,” Westfall said. “My mother in Centralia was getting older, and I was the only one who could care for her.”

So he and his wife, Diana, committed to Central Methodist. There were just 16 Chorale members when Westfall walked in the door, and 16 Conservatory Singers. With

Westfall’s people-centered approach, growth didn’t take long.

“I think we got the program up to 110 or so at one time,” Westfall said. “I just try to help them have a good day. You never know what people are going through in their life.”

One of his current students, Keaton Denney, ‘20, says there’s far more to his professor.

Denney describes him as a role model, follower of God, teacher, father, grandfather, colleague, and friend.

“If we could all learn at least one thing from how he lives his life, the world would be a much better place,” Denney said. “Thanks to Dr. Westfall, I am more than prepared for my journey after college, and I am happy to say

(Direct left) Dr. Westfall in dress rehearsal with Chorale.

(Far left) Keaton Denney, ’20, and Cori Bryan, ’20, ham it up with Dr. Westfall. At right is Amanda Lewis, Hadley Wiggins, and Rachel Martin.

that I, along with all of my peers, will be able to take the legacy and expertise of Dr. Claude Westfall with me.”

Of course, Westfall changes the subject when such adulation enters the conversation.

And he attributes the Chorale and band growth to Central’s $5 million restoration of Classic Hall, providing a home for Chorale, band, and the Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, as well as CMU music students.

Others, though, give plenty of credit to Westfall, like band director Skip Vandelicht, who was hired at about the same time as Westfall.

The band and the choir didn’t get along well

prior to their arrival, but that is all now just a distant memory. Shroyer knew he’d hired the right people when one day he saw Vandelicht and Westfall sitting on the floor together, assembling his office chair. The way the story goes, Shroyer said, “Oh my gosh, I’ve got a band director and choir director working together.”

And it continued for nearly 12 years.

“Claude brought so much digintiy and respect from his peers,” Vandelicht said. “He is so highly thought of.”

So much so that Westfall’s current and former Chorale students have been sending heartfelt letters to commemmorate his retirement. On the day the Chorale sang Beautiful Savior, Westfall

was given a chest full of letters. There are 40 “and they’re still coming in,” Westfall beamed.

He’s grateful for the opportunity he’s had at Central, and appreciative of his students now and yesterday.

“Central is a wonderful place,” he said. “I love the students, and my colleagues. And the alums. My goodness.”

Westfall said the alumni support at Central is second to none.

“Our Chorale tours are top notch because of our alumni support,” Westfall said. “Earl and Sunny Bates. Nancy Peacock. Chuck and Nancy Fischer. Fred and Jenny Bergsten. They make so much good happen.”

But the man in the front – and the back, the coach, the inspirer, the mentor – is Westfall.

Westfall is, of course, a delightful singer, and he still has chops on the trombone. His final teaching schedule is as aggressive as it gets: choral conducting, choral literature, student teaching, methods and materials for music, and, of course, Chorale, along with recruiting, auditions, texts, phone calls, and email.

For years now, he has built that schedule to be lighter on Tuesdays and Thursdays not to slip home early but to hit the road recruiting.

“It’s so easy to sell Central,” Westfall said.

“The beauty of the campus, the quality of the teaching. And, we can compete with the big guys for the best choir and band students.

They know they’ll get quality at Central.”

This leads to Westfall’s replacement. Patrick Dill, previously of Carroll University, will have some big shoes to fill, after completing successful interviews throughout April.

Westfall particpated, along with department leadership and, of course, students.

“This is a program I’ve helped build,” he said. “I’m honored to have a part in the interviews. I don’t want things going in the wrong direction.”

So what does retirement look like for Westfall?

“Oh, maybe start up a community choir,” he said. “I’m working on some plans. Maybe some clinics. I’ll still have my finger in the pot.”

You can bet he’ll stay in contact with his students. Maybe it is supposed to end this way.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 31

Jimerson Retires from Full-Time Teaching Career With Central Methodist University Is Coming Full Circle

By EMILY KESEL

P

rofessor Joe Jimerson’s career with six years. He also spent 25 years working Central Methodist University at ATT in the area of information systems is coming full and networking, serving circle. Having started his last four years as teaching for Central at the the principal technical Columbia campus in 2012, architect and director of the assistant professor information security. That of computer science and real-world experience, mathematics is set to retire along with his master’s from full-time work and degree in mathematics return to the CGES realm. from Arkansas State Jimerson joined the University, gave him full-time faculty at CMU useful insight into the in the fall of 2014 and has computer sciences field. since taught various math It also gave him an classes, along with the approach to teaching and Professor Joe Jimerson increasingly in-demand advising that demanded computer science courses, the best out of his such as Basic Programming, Computer students. Like Parker Johnson, ’17, who Networking, and Management Information now works for his alma mater as the Systems. webmaster and an adjunct professor.

Prior to his CMU teaching career, Johnson recalled an instance in which he Jimerson earned a Master of Divinity turned in a rushed portion of his thesis, degree from Eden Theological Seminary only to be called out by Jimerson, who in 2006 and served as the senior minister knew he could have produced better at First Christian Church in Centralia for work.

32 The Talon | Summer 2020

“Jimerson, like all the great instructors, knew the capabilities of his students like the back of his hand,” said Johnson, who was advised by Jimerson while an undergrad. “There was little tolerance for slacking off and knowingly turning in subpar work when your past grades showed that you were capable of a lot more. His classes were a place to thrive.”

That dedication to bringing out the best in his students is one that is shared by the whole of the Central faculty, something Jimerson says has been one of his favorite aspects of teaching here.

“I have really enjoyed the collaborative nature of the CMU faculty with whom I’ve worked,” he said. “The faculty really is student-focused and devoted to student success.”

Jimerson will undoubtedly keep doing everything he can to contribute to the success of his students after his retirement, with the plan being to teach online classes for the College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES).

Apart from that work, he is also looking forward to spending more time focused on his family and hobbies. He hopes to be able to travel with his wife of 44 years and says he would like to be able to hike national parks in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Jill Smith Closing Out Career of Educating

By EMILY KESEL

F

rom working as a teaching assistant to her dance instructor in junior high to training the teachers of tomorrow at multiple universities, Dr. Jill Smith’s life has been dedicated to education. Now, after decades in front of the classroom full-time, she’s looking forward to new opportunities in retirement.

Smith has taught education classes both on campus and online for Central Methodist University for five years, starting in 2015, but the majority of her career has been spent with much younger students.

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree from Hannibal-LaGrange University in 1985, Smith went on to earn a Master of Education from the University of Missouri in 1991, focusing on curriculum and instruction for early childhood education.

Her early teaching career included opening two schools of her own: a dance school in Louisiana, Mo., where she taught

for four years, and a preschool in Bowling Green, Mo., where she spent three years.

She also spent time working in the public school realm, with 10 years at the firstthrough third-grade level and 14 years teaching kindergarten.

During her time teaching public school, she began working toward her doctorate at MU. That work was completed in 2008, when Smith retired from public school teaching. Three years later, she started a new job at the University of HoustonClear Lake in Houston, Texas, and in 2015 her journey in higher education continued at Central Methodist.

At Central, she has enjoyed working with her students and fellow professors alike.

“Students at CMU are among the most kind, caring, respectful, hard-working, and polite students I have worked with anywhere,” Smith said, adding that a favorite memory from her time at Central is when her early childhood education majors surprised her by decorating the outside of her Columbia home on her birthday.

“I have enjoyed working with my colleagues in the Education Division,” she continued. “They have been genuinely caring, have a spirit of camaraderie, and work as a ‘team’ for the good of our students.”

Smith praised division chair Sally Hackman and former colleague Sherri Griffin for their support and help, as well as administrative assistants Peggy Robb, ’76, and Jane Bethel.

Despite stepping away from full-time teaching work, Smith plans to stay busy in retirement. In addition to her plan to work as a part-time professor for HannibalLaGrange, she is looking forward to moving back home to Eolia, Mo., where she can spend more time with friends and family.

Two of her children, Hollie and Joel, live in Missouri, but she also hopes to get to Arizona more often to visit her daughter, Nikkol. The prospect of spending more time with her four grandchildren is also one she’s looking forward to.

If all of that–plus her hobbies of gardening, exercising, singing, and attending the Fox Theatre–isn’t enough to keep her busy, Smith says she’ll spend any free time volunteering in her natural element: the classroom.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 33

At left: Vandelicht in class. Above, Vandelicht and Miner with his award.

Vandelicht Inducted to MMEA Hall of Fame

By EMILY KESEL

W

ith decades of teaching music, numerous awards, and countless leadership offices to his name, it may seem to some that the induction of Professor Roy “Skip” Vandelicht, ’77, into the Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Hall of Fame was overdue.

Vandelicht is not one of them. For Central Methodist University’s director of bands and associate professor of music, his induction was a bit of a surprise.

“Skip’s a very humble person,” said Vanessa Miner, ’92, who nominated Vandelicht for induction, “so he was very surprised, even after all he’s done for the community, for the state.”

Vandelicht was one of two inductees at this year’s MMEA Conference. His nomination was accepted unanimously by the selection committee.

“It’s a great honor, and for me it was quite unexpected,” said Vandelicht. “Professionally, this is probably the greatest honor I could receive, because it’s based on what I’ve achieved over my career being a music educator.”

What he has achieved includes an almost endless list of awards and recognition for the

34 The Talon | Summer 2020

bands and performers under his direction, but also a legacy of high-quality music education in a small-town setting. Miner, who worked with Vandelicht during part of his 31 years at Fayette High School, saw that as one of the most important aspects of his career achievements.

“It was so nice to see somebody [honored] who stayed in a rural area his whole career,” she said. “He chose to stay here, and I think sometimes people forget what happens in small towns.”

Marvin Manring, ’85, one of three other CMU alumni to submit letters of recommendation to the selection committee on Vandelicht’s behalf, agreed.

“Skip’s Fayette High School bands were renowned throughout the state for energy, excitement, and exceptional musicianship throughout his tenure,” Manring wrote. “His groups provided the model for countless generations of music educators. . . in the heart of the state.”

CMU Division of Fine Arts chair and associate professor of music Dr. Dori Waggoner, ’92, also recognized Vandelicht’s legacy of inspiring music educators in her letter of

recommendation.

“Music education in Missouri is strong, because we have mentors and leaders who are willing to go the extra mile for students. Skip is a wonderful example of this type of person,” she said. “There seems to be a cycle of service that continues to grow as his career progresses.”

“I challenge you to find any instrumental educator in our state that hasn’t been influenced

by Skip on some level,” wrote Keith Ruether, ‘86. “Our state has had so many world-class music educators, but I can’t think of any that are more deserving of this [honor] than Prof.

Vandelicht.”

For Vandelicht, being nominated and recommended by his Central family was one of the most special aspects of the whole experience.

“It really goes to the fact that this place means a lot to everyone who’s gone to school here,” he said. “We’re all very close and have a great relationship with this place.”

Vandelicht received the Carolyn and Tad Perry Fellow Award from CMU in 2014. He and his wife, Melody, reside in Fayette.

100 Years Young Alumna Ruth Nickerson Remembers Her Central Roots

By SCOTT QUEEN

O

nce in a great while, a few happy and healthy people are fortunate to see their 100th birthday. Central alumna Ruth Nickerson celebrated the milestone earlier this year at her home in Webster Groves, Mo. Nickerson, ’43, has wonderful memories of her time in Fayette, where she studied music and English. She visited campus just a few years ago.

“Fayette really hasn’t changed much since I was there,” she said.

Nickerson is an only child, and she lives in a senior apartment complex. Visiting nurses come by regularly, and she has cousins “who bring me food and take good care of me.”

She said COVID-19 is frightening, and generates nearly as much fear and emotion as the uncertainty of World War II. She was in Fayette some of that time.

“Central almost had to become a girls’ school because the war took all the fellows,” she said.

Another one of her memories was watching a budding romance between two of her classmates,

1920 Highlights

Women Gained The Right To Vote

Helen Puckett, ’43, and James Thogmorton, ’43, who went on to become legends at Central.

Nickerson said her music education was focused on piano and the pipe organ and served her well throughout her teaching career in public and private schools. Her education came in handy playing the organ at local churches, and it continued serving her into retirement.

“I wanted to join a community chorus,” she said, “and people had to try out for that. But once the supervisor learned I was from Central, she told me I didn’t need to try out because she knew I was trained properly. I really appreciate what Central did for me.”

She said she has slowed down in recent years but maintains “fairly good health for being 100 years old.

“I have some arthritis and low energy once in a while, but that’s pretty much it,” she said. “I guess I’m pretty lucky. I even have a doctor who makes house calls.”

A Guy Named Ponzi Came Up With A Scheme

Edgar Hoover Began His Ascent

John Orscheln, Sharon Cravens, and CMU Vice President Julee Sherman cut the anniversary cake.

CMU, Fresh Ideas Celebrate 20 Years

C

entral Methodist University is known for serving up a high-quality education. That happens thanks to our incredible faculty. CMU also serves up quality food. And THAT happens with Fresh Ideas.

Fresh Ideas has been CMU’s food service provider for 20 years. The institution took a chance on a fledgling food service company started in 2000 by John Orscheln, and this

spring, they celebrated 20 years together.

Orscheln, who remains at the helm of Fresh Ideas, picked Sharon Cravens as his first employee 20 years ago. The company has grown exponentially from its modest start, now serving more than 30 colleges, and Cravens has grown along with it, overseeing the operation at Central Methodist.

“My employees here have longevity, too,”

Ruth Nickerson, ’43 America Had A De-Facto Woman President

A Terror Attack Killed 38 On Wall Street

Cravens said. “We’re a family. We’re part of the Central Methodist family.”

Cravens is quick to credit Fresh Ideas’ leadership as well as her chef, Beth Thompson one of just a handful of female chefs in the industry. Chef Beth finished second place earlier this year in a top chef culinary competition among the best chefs in the Fresh Ideas network. There were 16 chefs in the competition, and Thompson cruised through the first round. She made it past the semifinals and was runner up in the final competition– live lobster and sea bass.

The competition was held at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson in conjunction with Fresh Ideas’ annual conference, said Kris Linsemeyer, chief innovation and experience officer at Fresh Ideas. She also said the conference was the perfect opportunity to commemorate the Central Methodist/Fresh Ideas relationship.

“We really value the partnership we have with CMU,” Linsemeyer said. “They took a chance on us 20 years ago, growing with us, changing with us, and challenging us to be a better company.”

Summer 2020 | The Talon 35

New Exhibit Opening This Fall At Central Museum Of History

C

entral Methodist University alumnus Jim Steele, ’64, is a collector of things.

Lots of things. Interesting things.

So it is no surprise that when Professor Bob Wiegers, director of the Central Museum of History, offered him a chance to display his collection of vintage household and recreation items, Steele jumped at the opportunity.

Steele will feature cameras, microphones, and typewriters, to name a few, along with an assortment of items that date back to more than 100 years ago. There are old tools, a 1920s-era martini shaker, and more.

“I’m not a collector in the truest sense of the word,” Steele said. “I’m an amateur. I don’t do it big time.”

But what Steele, did do big time was work in communications. He had a five-year stint in public relations at Central Methodist, and he worked in a variety of places around the country in Methodist communications. He is well-known in Fayette as former ownereditor of the Fayette Advertiser.

So much of what he will show this fall in an exhibit at the Central Museum of History leans toward communications. Wiegers said much of the display, which will open in August, will come from Steele, but there are a few other notable items from other contributors.

“A lot of it might not seem significant to some people,” said Steele, who is president of the Boonslick Historical Society. “But some of our students might not even know that cameras once had to have film, or that phones hung on the wall.”

Wiegers said other items of note include a reel-to-reel tape player, old clocks, vintage telephones, radios, an old-fashioned toaster, and much more. The display will open at the beginning of the fall semester in the Central Museum of History, located in T. Berry Smith Hall.

36 The Talon | Summer 2020

Jim Steele, ’64, previews a few of the items that will be on display.

Dana Battison, below, with her book, First Born, at left.

Adjunct Professor Publishes Book

W

hen a longtime hobby and lifelong devotion come together, it can be a beautiful thing. That’s just what happened for Central Methodist University adjunct professor Dana Battison. Her debut book, First Born, was published last year, and she already has plans to continue the story in a series.

She describes the book as one that tells the story of first sons Cain and Abel, staying “true to the biblical narrative but color[ing] it in using fiction.”

“It has adventure, romance, history, and a dynamic family saga,” said Battison, who teaches psychology. “It is about their choices and their impact on self, family, and society in colorful, ancient settings rich with drama.”

Growing up as an “Air Force kid” and living all over the United States and Guam, Battison has always seen the Bible as a collection of family stories from God. But, she says, that perspective isn’t shared by everyone, and her friends have said that the Old Testament is “lost on them.”

“They don’t get it, don’t like it, and it seems...old,” she said.

“This story, and others like them, are so human to me, so full of pathos and drama that they beg to be told anew.”

A longtime writer of poems and songs as part of her personal worship, Battison said the creative writing for this project came easily, but she never had plans to write a book before starting it.

“That was never a goal of mine,” she said, “but life is full of surprising twists and turns. This was a joyful one for me.”

After making it through the “thrilling and terrifying” process of writing and publishing once already, Battison is ready to keep going. She hopes to have a new book out early next year.

“The characters just will not be still in my head,” she admitted.

“There are generations to follow the characters in First Born who all have stories to tell.”

First Born can be purchased on Amazon under Battison’s pen name, Dana Louise.

Pave the way.

The 1854 Society recognizes those who are committed to supporting the Central Annual Fund by giving $1000 or more in a fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).

Members of the 1854 Society affect every aspect of Central and contribute directly to the experiences and success of each student.

Join today!

To learn more, contact Andrea Waner at 660-248-6260 or email 1854society@centralmethodist.edu

Summer 2020 | The Talon 37

CMU Archives Going Digital With JSTOR Open Community Collection Available and Growing

T

he University Archive at Central Methodist is a treasure trove of material. With hundreds of artifacts, documents, and photos of intrinsic and historical value, the archive is an essential tool for teaching and research.

The only problem, until now, is that it’s not been all that accessible.

“Every archive is analog. Every archive is papers,” said Jennifer Parsons, digital resources librarian at CMU. “The problem with the archive itself is that it’s in a couple of small rooms in Cupples Hall. It’s not very accessible.”

Students who visit the archive are even asked to leave their backpacks downstairs so they don’t knock anything off the shelves, she says.

38 The Talon | Summer 2020

But with the unveiling of the university’s JSTOR Open Community Collection, Central faculty and students–as well as the general public – will be able to access the archive without worrying about damaging precious items.

Parsons and other library employees have been at work for years digitizing items from the archive for public access. Working with JSTOR–a widely used online digital library – and other universities and institutions, Central has been part of developing a platform called JSTOR Forum. The idea was to make a web-based program with a searchable repository of archival material that can be accessed by anyone with a web browser.

“When the physical material is in the

archives, that’s great because we’re keeping it as part of Central’s history, but only one person can access that at a time,” Parsons said. “But when it’s digitized, anyone can share it. That also includes students who right now are studying and working from home.”

Digitized archival material has been available on CMU’s Artstor profile for a while, but the new JSTOR collection is making it more user-friendly, and just in time.

“It’s more important than ever to make sure people can access it,” Parsons added.

That importance, underscored by ongoing stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, also extends past just the academic value of the archives, Parsons believes. She has been in contact with the Ashby-Hodge Gallery about the possibility of digitizing parts of the art collection, and there are plans to add photographs of the Jordan Coller collection at the Central Museum of History to the online archive.

With a number of interesting artifacts from the Civil War union soldier’s life, the collection is a draw for history buffs in normal times but now is unavailable due to the campus closure.

“Those [artifacts] are not as easily digitized as, say, a document or old faculty minutes from the 1920s,” said Parsons, “but we can at least easily put up a series of photographs that describe the artifact so people can still look and learn from them, even if they don’t have the joyful experience that is seeing it in a museum.”

While only a fraction of the archive’s digitized items are available to view now, the CMU landing page will soon be chock full of all the papers, documents, photographs, student publications, and faculty writings that Central history has to offer. To view the collection, visit https://www.jstor.org/site/ centralmethodist/.

CMU, Mineral Area Celebrate 30 Years Updated Articulation Agreement Signed CMU Vice President Joe Parisi, left, with the Mehl family at Cuba High School.

Cuba’s Madelyn Mehl Wins Eagle Select Scholarship

T

he Eagle Select Program at Central Methodist University pits some of the most outstanding high school seniors in Missouri against one another, facing highpressure interviews and testing.

The winner comes away with more than bragging rights. He or she takes the prize of four years of tuition-free attendance at Central, valued at more than $100,000.

Madelyn Mehl, a senior at Cuba High School, won the prestigious and competitive scholarship this year. Madelyn shined in the competition in early February, among many other outstanding students from across the United States who participated.

Dr. Joe Parisi, vice president for enrollment management, along with admissions counselors Aaron Shockley and Layne Crump, surprised Madelyn and her family by visiting Cuba and presenting the award.

Many of her classmates were on hand and gave her a standing ovation.

“I was impressed with Madelyn and her parents,” Parisi said. “I am very confident she will thrive at Central.”

To compete, Madelyn and the others were required to have at least a 3.5 grade point average and a minimum ACT score of 26. Contestants came to CMU the day of competition to undergo a series of interviews and tests involving math, verbal, and written skills.

Madelyn wowed a number of CMU faculty, staff, and administrators with her knowledge and poise, Parisi said.

Madelyn participates in drill team, student council, and band at Cuba High School and serves as president of the National Honor Society. She plans to attend CMU in the fall.

Professor Hickman Advising State On Workforce Development

C

entral Methodist University business professor David Hickman has been appointed to serve on a select committee advising the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on workforce development at the secondary, postsecondary, and adult levels.

Hickman, who teaches economics and business at CMU, is joining DESE’s BMIT advisory committee (business, marketing, and information technology). The committee’s charge is to develop closer cooperation among schools, workforce personnel, and other

stakeholders to ensure business and marketing education programs in Missouri are rigorous and remain relevant.

Hickman will bring expertise to BMIT in management. He taught at Moberly Area Community College and Columbia College prior to joining the faculty at CMU, where he serves as advisor for DECA. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree at Columbia College and is pursuing his doctoral degree in business administration.

Hickman and his wife, Suzanne, live in Fayette.

C

entral Methodist University and Mineral Area College (MAC) recently marked their 30th anniversary as educational partners. The two schools made history in 1989 when they established the “2+2” program for community college students who wanted to pursue a bachelor’s degree, the first such partnership in the state of Missouri. Since then, 2,500 students have completed degrees at CMU’s Park Hills campus.

MAC President Joe Gilgour and CMU President Roger Drake met on Feb. 13 to celebrate the 30-year milestone and update the articulation agreement between the two schools.

The agreement ensures that MAC students will continue to easily transfer to CMU for bachelor’s degree completion.

CMU has offered fully accredited degree completion programs on the campus of Mineral Area College in Park Hills since the partnership began in 1989. Staff of Central Methodist University, including CMU Regional Site Coordinator Jeff Williams, are available on-site to help students enroll in classes and to provide information about courses and degree programs.

CMU classes at MAC are primarily designed for students who have already completed a twoyear college degree, or degree at the associate’s level, and who wish to complete requirements for a baccalaureate, or four-year, college degree.

Dr. Rita Gulstad, CMU provost, credits former Mineral Area College President Dr. Dixie A. Kohn and former Central Methodist College (now Central Methodist University) President Dr. Joe A. Howell with having the vision 30 years ago to initiate the partnership that would provide new educational opportunities to advance the workforce and benefit the region.

“We continue to graduate students every year, and everyone goes back and adds something to their community, to their school district, to their business,” said Gulstad. “It’s because of this partnership and the vision that we’ve been able to provide this and, I think, enrich the lives of so many.”

Since the CMU-MAC inception, other community colleges in the state have formed partnerships with private and public four-year colleges and universities, but Mineral Area College’s partnership with CMU was a first. Park Hills is one of almost 20 locations with CMU partner schools in the College of Graduate and Extended Studies.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 39

Taylor Rumsey, ‘20, testifies before the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee in January

Rumsey Testifies at State Capitol

F

rom the moment she arrived on the simply because she had to.

Central Methodist University campus As one of two children in college from a as a freshman, Taylor Rumsey, ‘20, was middle-class Missouri family, Rumsey wasn’t involved in just about every able to rely on her parents to pay for facet of student life. She played her education in full. Even with scholfour seasons of volleyball, served arships and her part-time income -as the president of the Student and staying “extremely conscientious” Government Association (SGA), about her personal spending -- she’s was an active member of Kappa graduating with debt.

Beta Gamma, and was once inHer story, of working as hard as volved with Enactus. humanly possible and still coming She stayed active in the comup financially short, is all too familiar munity and at Faith Baptist to so many students across Missouri.

Church, helping with children’s Taylor Rumsey, ’20 That’s why she traveled to Jefferson ministry and participating in mission trips to City to testify at the Capitol twice in January, help Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico. as a student ambassador for the advocacy group She took at least 15 credit hours each semester known as Keep Me In College. of her college career, double-majoring in acThe coalition has around 3,000 members counting and business administration and mi- from colleges and universities all across the noring in political science. And she succeeded state, fighting to protect scholarship funds like at all of it, earning a 4.0 grade point average and Access Missouri and Bright Flight. Out of all of inclusion on the Dean’s List each semester. them, Rumsey was selected to testify in front On top of all of that, Rumsey worked part- of the Senate Appropriations Committee and time. At one point last year, she had three part- again in the House committee a few days later. time jobs on top of all her other activities -- not The committees were considering a proposbecause she had an aversion to free time, but al by the Missouri Department of Higher Edu-

40 The Talon | Summer 2020

cation and Workforce Development to increase funding for Access Missouri, the state’s only need-based scholarship program. The proposal included a multi-year phase-in plan that would eventually get students the maximum awards outlined in the statute. As of this winter, students with Access Missouri scholarships were only receiving 72 percent of what the statute deems the maximum, adding more potential debt for students who can’t get additional help.

“Keep Me In College members understand the constraints of a tight budget, but we respectfully ask you to continue to look for ways to increase funding for need-based financial aid,” Rumsey said in her public testimony.

“While the employment picture is bright in our state, far too many families are still struggling.

As a result, many parents simply are not able to contribute a single dollar to their child’s college education.”

Rumsey said it was meaningful for her to have been the one testifying on behalf of the group and to show members of Congress that this is an issue that affects so many young Missourians.

“It’s something I’m passionate about,” she said. “I think that Access Missouri is important to students, and it’s important to be the face of a group saying, ‘We need this,’ because it’s easy to accumulate a lot of student loans.”

Her next step after testifying was to recruit CMU students to participate in Keep Me In College, which she said she had become more involved with around the annual Advocacy Day last spring. She said the 2019 Advocacy Day at the Capitol was cancelled because the committees had unexpectedly moved up their votes on the issue to the day before the students were to come. Since then, she made it a priority to make sure lawmakers were seeing the effects of their decisions.

“It was important to show that involved students are also trying to pay for college and avoid drowning in debt [after graduation],” she said. “Students aren’t just sitting around accumulating debt, they’re out there working.”

Rumsey believes her testimony was well-received, but it remains to be seen whether or not the legislators will prioritize the Access Missouri funding, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic has caused citizens and governments alike to reassess their priorities.

But one thing is certain: Rumsey will continue to exemplify the hard work and dedication of a CMU student.

“As you move through the budget process, I respectfully ask that you remember the financially deserving Missouri students who depend on Access Missouri,” she said in her January testimony. “It’s a critical investment in Missouri’s citizens that continues to give them -and our state’s economy -- a bright future.”

Compassion the Central Topic at MLK Luncheon Tim Jackman Receives Tindall Award

Sen. Rowden Touts Lower Prison Population Facing ‘A Trend We Couldn’t Afford’

M

issouri Senator Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, told a crowd of Central Methodist students in late January that the state has turned its prison population around in the past three years, decreasing it from 40,000 to 27,000 since 2017.

Rowden, who was speaking as part of a new Pi Lambda Alpha criminal justice speaker series, said new legislation and the arrival of Anne Precythe as director of the Missouri Department of Corrections led to the change.

“The prison population was growing so much that we were facing the construction of two new prisons within 5-7 years,” Rowden said. “It was a trend we couldn’t afford.”

Rowden said policy evaluation and changes like the Justice Reinvestment Initiative contributed to the difference.

“It was a bipartisan initiative,” he said.

“We went from potentially opening two prisons to actually closing one.”

The Justice Reinvestment Initiative has a primary purpose of reducing recidivism and incarceration rates by focusing on behavioral health, public safety, recidivism reduction, and information technology infrastructure.

Rowden, who serves as the Senate Majority Leader, says next on Missouri’s agenda is a deeper dive into public policy to make sure there is a differentiation between violent crime and non-violent crime and giving nonviolent offenders a chance to rehabilitate.

Rowden also discussed the political climate in the state and said 75 percent of his business was nonpartisan. He told the students that much of the legislation being evaluated was “generational.”

A

cold and snowy morning couldn’t keep Central Methodist University and Fayette from celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, as the annual MLK Luncheon highlighted the legacy of compassion left behind by the civil rights leader.

The gathering began with lunch, catered

by Fresh Ideas, before Brad Dixon, ’07, dean of students, recognized members of the African American Student Union. Cosponsoring the event along with the Office of Student Development, AASU chose to honor CMU alumnus Tim Jackman, ’81, with this year’s Lea Tindall Memorial Award.

AASU President Precious Kamudzandu and Vice President Marchya Jackson both spoke to those in attendance about Jackman’s commitment to serving others and his willingness to assist their organization in any way possible. His passion for helping others, in the spirit of Dr. King, made him a worthy recipient of the award, which honors the legacy of Lealure Tindall, a CMU staff member from 2003 to 2017 and the original staff sponsor of AASU. In accepting the award, Jackman reflected on how special it was to be honored and to receive an award bearing Tindall’s name.

Throughout his youth, he and his brothers were often looked after by Tindall and her family, and when he was older, he had the opportunity to work with her in the community.

Jackman also took the time to encourage those in attendance to “think about how much better this world would be if we centered ourselves around people who are different from us and think Marchya Jackson and Tim Jackman, ’81

in different ways than we do,” as he believed Dr. King would. He then closed with a quote from a song he remembered singing at St. Paul United Methodist Church: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, If I can cheer somebody with a word or song, If I can show someone he his traveling wrong, Then my living will not be in vain.”

Following his brother’s recognition, Rev. Mike Jackman, ’79, addressed the crowd as the guest speaker for the event, which he called “a family reunion,” because so many of his relatives and Central Methodist family were in attendance.

Jackman quoted from the book of Colossians, Chapter 13: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you have a grievance against one another.”

“I do believe Dr. Martin Luther King had nothing but compassion for his fellow men,” he continued.

Jackman took the audience through Dr. King’s life, emphasizing how he had been driven by compassion through everything.

He also took time to address the impact that Tindall had on his life, both as a young boy and even when he became a pastor. And he related the song previously quoted by his brother to her commitment to CMU. “’I can help somebody. I can change somebody. I can show somebody how to get along the way a little easier.’ That was the Lea Tindall I knew,” he said.

Mike wrapped up his speech by praising Tim, who he said is “nothing but a gift,” and by sending the audience away with one final lesson from the luncheon’s namesake.

“If there’s anything you can take from the Dr. King meeting today, remember that you, too, need to have compassion, not only for the person that lives next door, but for the man around the corner, for the man on the east side of town, or the west side of town,” he said. “You see, it doesn’t matter what side of town we’re on, as long as we’re all on God’s side.”

Summer 2020 | The Talon 41

Celebrating on the floor of Puckett Fieldhouse.

Back-To-Back National Champs Eagles Dominate National Tournament, Beat Hastings To Claim Crown

W

ith a dominant December performance against upsetminded Hastings College, the No. 1-ranked Central Methodist men’s soccer team did what no other NAIA men’s soccer program has done since 2001: win back-toback NAIA national championships.

The Eagles did it with a 3-1 victory over Hastings College of Nebraska.

Hastings appeared to have a good scoring chance early in the game with a free kick from about 30 yards out, but the wall held strong for Central to thwart any opportunity.

The Eagles got on the board in the 15th minute as Junior Kazeem (SR/London, England) placed the ball into the bottom right corner for a goal. Daniel Hernandez (SO/Bogota, Colombia) set up the play with a beautiful through ball that split the last two defenders and found a streaking Kazeem.

“That goal was nothing without my teammates because it’s my teammates, that make all of this possible,” said Kazeem. “I was full of emotion, but just knowing that this was my very last game and to finish it off with a goal was something special.”

Just a few minutes later, Hastings found itself lurking in the box with a couple of nifty passes, but Fabio Tarnowski (SR/Avigliana, Italy) stepped in front to keep the Broncos scoreless.

Central found some breathing room in the 36th minute. One possession after Rian Marques (SR/Itabuna, Brazil) almost knocked

42 The Talon | Summer 2020

a header into the net, he passed to an open Rodrigo Paredes (JR/Asuncion, Paraguay), who stepped into the ball from about 25 yards out and hit a rocket into the bottom left corner for a 2-0 advantage.

A two-goal cushion at the intermission was not satisfactory for the Eagles, however.

They had a point to prove.

In the 44th minute, Guzman Pery (JR/ Madrid, Spain) expertly placed a long ball into the box to Jayton Johnson (FR/Columbia, Mo.), who beat the last defender and guided the ball into the top right corner with a short chip shot past the goalie’s outstretched hand.

A flurry of chances late in the second half for Hastings were negated by strong defensive play by Central Methodist. Those chances eventually resulted in a penalty kick for Hastings after a CMU foul inside the 18-yard box. Vince Gelei (SR/Dunakeszi, Hungary) was able to get a hand on the penalty kick, but it snuck past for the only Broncos goal of the night.

“Our back line, across the board with everyone interchanging, has been amazing,” said Coach Alex Nichols. “It’s going to be tough losing Vince and Fabio, the best goalkeeper in the NAIA and the best one-onone defender I’ve ever seen in my coaching career. I’m going to miss Fabio and Vince bigtime, because they’re class players.”

The victory represents the first time since Bellhaven beat Mobile 2-0 in 2012 that the national championship was decided by more

than one goal.

“The players that came in this year had to buy into the culture,” said Gelei. “Last year’s team was the foundation of success. These moments remind us that all those tiring, long hours were worth it.”

Hastings proved to be a Cinderella story, advancing as an unseeded team all the way to the title game by defeating the No. 14, No. 3, No. 6, and No. 2 overall seeds in consecutive games. The Broncos won the national championship as recently as 2016 but couldn’t overcome the Eagles.

Central controlled the majority of the game, outshooting the Broncos 23-9.

Hastings did hold a 6-3 advantage on corner kicks but was unable to cash in on any of those chances.

“I have been amazed by the poise and resiliency of our men’s soccer team all season,” said Vice President for Athletics and Student Life Natasha Wilson. “To win one national tournament is tough enough, but to go out and win a second one takes a great amount of focus and determination. This championship is proof of the type of experiences our CMU coaches and staff work hard to provide for our student-athletes on a daily basis.”

In the national tournament, Central Methodist outscored its opponents by a remarkable 18-2 margin.

Central Methodist finished the season with a 25-1 record, breaking numerous school records along the way, including most wins in a season, fewest losses in a season, and highest single-season winning percentage.

In two seasons with the Eagles, Daniel Hernandez became the all-time career leader in goals. With 23 goals in 2019, Alberto Pangrazzi (SR/Lavis (TN), Italy) broke Hernandez’s single-season goals record set a season ago. Vince Gelei added to his career records for goalkeeper shutouts and victories.

The Eagles won a second-straight regularseason conference championship, the first conference tournament title in school history, and added to their legacy with a secondstraight national championship.

Elmore Joins NY Giants as Undrafted Free Agent

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ootball players across the country saw their ultimate dreams come true on April 23-25, as the 2020 NFL Draft was held virtually. That same weekend, a football dream came true for a Central Methodist University Eagle, as well.

Though he didn’t hear his name called in the draft, CMU senior Malcolm Elmore achieved his NFL dream by signing as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants.

“As of today, I am officially a New York Giant,” Elmore said with a wide smile on a YouTube video for Central Athletics. “I can’t say that this isn’t a dream come true, because this is what I’ve been working for my entire life.”

A standout defensive back for the Eagles, Elmore certainly put in the work during his time in Fayette. Over four seasons, he amassed 133 tackles, 15 breakups, and eight interceptions for 233 yards.

His senior season was especially successful, as he recorded 58 tackles, including two for lost yardage, as well as a team-high and nationally ranked total of four interceptions. His impressive numbers were enough to earn recognition as a second team all-conference selection for the Heart of America

Athletic Conference.

The Higginsville native took time to thank his coaches in his video, specifically crediting CMU Defensive Backs Coach LaQuentin Black for his guidance.

“We’re super proud of Malcolm and everything that he represents. He is the true definition of what Eagle football is all about,” Black said. “He trusted the process and loved the grind, and we are super ecstatic for him and his family. He deserves it all.”

Head Coach David Calloway agreed, congratulating Elmore, who is the first player under his tenure to reach the NFL in some capacity. “We are so happy for him. He absolutely deserves this.”

Wherever his football career goes from here, Elmore will carry the honor of being one of the select few who have made it to such an elite level.

“It’s something that I always knew could happen but never has happened where I’m from,” he said. “I’m still in shock from it.”

Navarro Exemplifies Determined Eagle Women

I

f you pay Madlyne Navarro a compliment for becoming the first Central Methodist University women’s wrestler to be named an All-American, be prepared.

Her response is very telling about the bright future for the program.

“It was a big deal for the school,” said the Oceanside, Calif., native. “And I’m happy to do it my freshman year.

But honestly, I expect more of myself, and I will do better.”

In early February and in the inaugural year of CMU wrestling, Navarro captured All-American status at the WCWA nationals in Marietta, Ga., battling her way through the 191-pound weight class and

earning an 8th place finish.

Navarro, a pre-athletic training major, takes the same determined approach to her studies, taking classes like physiology, algebra, and religion.

She also battles her way through CMU practices under the direction of a hard-driving coach, Brieana Delgado.

“Our coach really is tough,” said Navarro. “But if you step back and look at it, everything she puts us through makes us better.”

And better is something we can all look forward to when the Eagles wrestle in 2021.

Navarro, right, with her plaque, and Coach Brieana Delgado.

Historic Season for Davis, Eagles Turns Out Bittersweet

By EMILY KESEL

S

o much of life at Central Methodist University–along with the rest of the country–was upended in the middle of March.

The global COVID-19 pandemic saw unprecedented changes to the way the semester ended, but CMU staff and students were up to the task. Classes continued online and business went on, from admissions to advancement, thanks to technology and the Digital U initiative.

But there was one aspect of student life that couldn’t be moved online: sports.

And while all Eagles who were meant to compete in the late winter and spring felt the disappointment of having their seasons cut short, perhaps no team felt it as acutely as the women’s basketball squad.

The 2019-20 season was supposed to be their year, after being snubbed from the national tournament the season before. And by all accounts, it was turning out exactly as planned. The Eagles went 31-2, setting a new program record for victories. Coach Mike Davis, ‘83, reached 700 wins in his career.

The team dominated the Heart of America Conference, winning the regular season and conference tournament. It earned a No. 7 seed in the NAIA National Championship tournament Then it all came to a screeching halt.

“I was in shock, I couldn’t feel anything.

I was numb;” said senior guard Lauren Godbold of finding out the tournament had been canceled.

Numbness seems an appropriate response, considering how quickly and unexpectedly the season ended.

“On Monday, we won our conference

44 The Talon | Summer 2020

tournament, on Wednesday night we find out the bracket for the national tournament, and by Thursday at noon the national tournament is canceled,” said Davis about the timeline of events on the week of March 9-13. “I think the highs and lows that this team went through during that period of time–that’s like nothing I’ve been through as a coach.”

Over the course of 700 wins, Davis has seen a lot as a coach, but this year’s team, he said, is one that “would have made some history here.”

“They were amazing–the talent level, the energy that they played with,” said the coach. “There was a great love of each other.

That doesn’t always happen. There was a bench that laughed and danced and cheered everything that happened. We talked all year long about how this team had a special spirit.

And I think that, as much as their talent separated them, there was a great spirit to this team as well.”

“We knew as long as we worked together we were unstoppable,” said Godbold, who recalled a metaphor Davis used in which the season was like a boat and all the players had to paddle in sync to make it go in the right direction: toward the national championship.

“Everyone paddled in the same direction, and if anyone looked like they were about to steer out of the way, we stopped them. We were close enough to let someone know to get their stuff together.

“If you look at our team, we are all from different places and we all look different,” Godbold continued. “We capitalized on this.

We proved to people that no matter where you’re from and who you are, everyone can

reach common ground if you want it bad enough.”

Despite the bitter ending, Godbold says she’ll remember this season for all the history that was made and the “last dance” for the group of 12 seniors.

“To be a part of a dance so beautiful is amazing,” she said. “We knew something greater put us all together for a reason. This year defines ‘one for the books,’ and I wish more people could experience this euphoric feeling.”

For Davis, an alumnus and former player who has CMU green in his blood–his grandmother played basketball for Central from 1919 to 1921–this historic season has given him a chance to look back at everything and everyone it’s taken to get where he is. He admits, he didn’t even realize in the moment that he’d reached a significant career milestone.

“It tells you you’ve been around a lot of really good people,” he said about what winning 700 games means to him. “If you win 700 ball games, you’ve had a lot of great players. You’ve had a lot of great families, unbelievable families. And I’ve been fortunate to have great assistant coaches as well. It’s not a one-man, one-coach success story if you have success. It takes a lot of people.”

In addition to the players, families, and assistant coaches, Davis credits CMU President Roger Drake with cultivating an even better athletic approach since joining the university.

“When he came in here, he had some very clear-cut ideas of what he wanted athletic programs to look like, and when you look at all of the programs here, they’re done at a very high level right now in the NAIA,” Davis said. “Overall, the athletic program has a real high expectation, and it starts with him.”

It’s no question that the team Davis put together this year met those high expectations, even though it was denied the opportunity to reach its full potential. But in the end, that denial doesn’t take away from everything that made this season and this school special, says Godbold.

“You don’t forget something this magical,” she said. “I just refuse to think this season was ruined because then we take away from the greatness we accomplished.

“It would’ve been nice to claim the crown in Billings, Mont.,” she continued. “But in all honesty, we claimed that crown the day we all bought in to being a Lady Eagle in Fayette, Mo.”

Winter Teams Finish Up Great Year Men’s Wrestling Powers Through Inaugural Season – Men’s wrestling collected one team victory and a number of individual wins over the course of its inaugural season.

The program battled through a tough conference, which features five top20 programs, and earned a ninth-place finish at the Heart of America Conference Championship. Brenden Shelton narrowly missed out on an all-conference finish after placing fourth at in the 197-pound weight class.

Other individuals claiming wins on the season were Andrew Godier (133), Tallon Heimbach (141), Jose Resendez (165), Jesse Imbierowicz (174), Alex Drmac (184), and Cody Imbierowicz (285).

Women’s Wrestling Concludes Season Ranked – Women’s wrestling tackled a number of milestones in its inaugural season and wrapped up competition as the No. 20-ranked program in the NAIA. Madlyne Navarro headlined the season after earning All-American status with a seventh-place finish in the 191-pound weight class at the Women’s College Wrestling Association (WCWA) Championship.

The program collected two team wins on the season and qualified five individuals to the NAIA National Invitational, which was later cancelled by the national office due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wrestlers who were set to appear at the big event were Navarro, Da’Viona Bonner (123), Giovanna Loza (130), Andrea Montoya (136), and Treasure Smith (155).

Men’s Basketball Falls Short Of Conference Tourney – The men’s basketball program, which finished the season with an overall record of 12-18, saw its season come to an early end after narrowly missing out on the Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Senior guard Josh Robinson, a second team all-conference selection, led the program offensively with 13.77 points per game. He was joined by a trio of honorable mention

all-conference selections in James Byrd II, Rijnard Hartman, and Kyle McDermed. The Eagles will look to return a number of letter winners next season with just four athletes set to graduate.

Indoor Track & Field Shatters Records – The indoor track and field programs saw 10 school records fall en route to a successful showing this winter. Hayden Hackman headlined the group with an All-American finish at the NAIA National Championship while setting a new school record of 4,776 points in the heptathlon.

Hackman joined five individuals and one relay team at the national event. The program also saw two conference champions on the season: Jesse Pinkley (pole vault) and Joseph Bruemmer (3000m racewalk). The program totaled 20 individual and four relay team All-Conference finishes.

Cheer Wraps Up Season Ranked 12th – Competitive cheer finished the season ranked 12th in the NAIA with an average score of 78.80 points per competition.

The Eagles earned a runner-up finish at the Heart of America Conference

Championship and placed five athletes on the All-Conference roster: Jerome Asbury, Bethany DuCharme, Josh Hearst, Ashleigh Olguin, and Isabella Sizemore. Asbury also earned an NAIA Honorable Mention AllAmerican nod, becoming the 10th Central Methodist athlete on record to become a three-time NAIA All-American in any sport.

Dance Has Five All-Americans – The competitive dance program finished the season ranked 18th in the NAIA with an average score of 73.91 points per competition.

The program earned a fourth-place finish at the Heart of America Conference Championship while placing Kadee Dempsey and Matt Fohn to the all-conference list of honorees. The program set a new record after five members were recognized as NAIA AllAmericans: Kaitlin Larison, Grace McIntosh, Kelsey Brown, Dempsey, and Fohn.

Larison became the first athlete in program history to receive above Honorable Mention status, while Dempsey became the sixth Central Methodist athlete on record to become a four-time NAIA All-American in any sport.

Summer 2020 | The Talon 45

Addy, Pat, and Gene Reardon celebrate Pat’s 800th win for Central.

Reaching 800 Wins a Family Affair for Reardon

By EMILY KESEL

T

here aren’t many coaches–at any level, in any sport–who reach the milestone of 800 total wins. There are even fewer who can say they’ve done it surrounded by their families.

Central Methodist University softball coach Pat Reardon is one of those fortunate few.

The 1990 graduate of CMU and former Central soccer player reached that milestone this spring in the Eagles’ final game before the season was suspended. And although that juxtaposition has caused him to describe the event as “bittersweet,” Reardon has been able to recognize just how special his career has been to this point.

“If you’d have told me in 1993 that I’d win 800 softball games, I’d have thought you were absolutely crazy,” he said.

That’s when Reardon’s tenure as head of the CMU softball program began in earnest. After graduating, he’d stayed in Fayette, “just trying to kill time” until his then-fiance graduated and coaching everything from women’s soccer to tennis to cross country. When the softball

46 The Talon | Summer 2020

head coaching job came open in the fall of ‘92, Reardon went to the athletic director and pitched the idea of trading his tennis duties for softball.

“He had a meeting with the president playing racquetball that day,” he said. “And about three hours later, I was named the new head softball coach.”

For the next 12 years, he pulled double duty as both women’s soccer and softball coach. But a turning point in his career came in 2005, when he gave up the soccer job and focused solely on the diamond. Soon after that, he added what would become a crucial member to his staff. “[My dad] was a great baseball player when he was in college, so I said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come work with the hitters every once in a while?’ and that quickly turned into him having his own office, being my recruiting coordinator, going to practice every day, and knowing every summer coach and player across the country,” said Reardon of his father, Gene.

Over more than a dozen years working

side by side, the Reardons have cultivated the CMU program into a force to be reckoned with.

“Those first couple of years it was quite a challenge,” Reardon said of working with his father, “but we’ve gotten along so much better in the last 10 years and it’s been great to see him around the office every day and just have him around. And he’s been a big part of our success.”

That success, aside from personal accolades for each of them, including head and assistant coach of the year awards, has added up to eight regular season conference titles and four conference tournament championships. While he cherishes all of them, one of those titles holds an extra special place in his coaching memories: the one he won with both his father and daughter, Addy.

“Her freshman year, we won our sixth consecutive conference championship,” Reardon explained. “So, to be able to have a championship ring that she’s earned, I’ve earned, and my dad’s earned together–that was a big moment for me.”

Another big moment was when Addy opted to stay in Fayette and become the third Reardon coach on the team this year, although her first season as a graduate assistant was cut short.

“It is a disappointment, but it was great to have her along,” her father said of the suspended season, “and she’ll be back next year.”

As for next year, it’s hard to predict what to expect beyond that. Reardon admits that the end to the 2020 season had him “almost in shock” for the first two weeks, adding that he still would drive to the softball field on some game days and envision what it would have looked like to be playing that day. The seniors on the team will get another year of eligibility and an opportunity to play next season, but he says most will likely be moving on to their post-college lives, and he encourages that.

Ultimately, he can only hope that losing a season will only motivate the remaining players and new recruits.

“Maybe it’ll make us hungrier,” he said, “and we’ll go from there.”

In the meantime, Reardon will have time to reflect on all the games he’s won and lives he’s touched across 28 years of coaching–and 34 years total at Central.

And maybe he’ll have time to decorate his office a little as well.

“I’m not a big award guy, but I’ve got a bunch of them in a box, and I need to do a better job of displaying some of them,” he said.

Spring Sports Were Headed To The Top

S

Kenny Otero

pring sports were abruptly ended as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the nation. On March 16, the NAIA announced the cancellation of spring sports through the remainder of the academic year, effective immediately. In an effort to provide relief, no spring sport student-athlete will be charged a season of competition. Any spring sport student-athlete who was enrolled full-time in 2020 will be awarded two additional semester terms of attendance or the equivalent.

Baseball was off to a red-hot start, boasting a 16-5 record in the first six weeks of play. The Eagles set a new program-high after being tabbed at No. 10 in the first edition of the NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The program was nationally ranked in 14 categories, led by a No. 3 position in opponents batting average (.205) and a No. 5 ranking in slugging pct (.572) and homeruns per game (1.57). Four individu-

als led the conference in a number of categories: Sergio Macias (RBI - 32 / HR - 11), Kenny Otero (ERA - 0.79), and Nick Merkel (Opp. Batting Average - 0.132).

Softball closed out the season with an overall record of 9-5 and was in the “others receiving votes” category for the national ranking race. The program was nationally ranked in 11 categories, highlighted by a fifth-place standing in at-bats per game (29.571) and a sixth-place standing in doubles per game (2.357). Returning NAIA All-American Kelli Gorman led the program in hits (19), batting average (.452), and RBIs (23). Keighlan Cronin led the Eagles in the circle with 45 strikeouts on the season and led the conference by holding opponents to a 0.194 batting average. Head Coach Pat Reardon, who has spent 28 seasons with the Eagles, collected his 800th career win during the final game of the season.

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