Centrepiece Spring 2022 by Centre College Alumni

Centrepiece Spring 2022

CONTENTS

Volume 63, Number 1 Centre College 859.238.5200 www.centre.edu Editor Diane Fisher Johnson 859.238.5717 diane.johnson@centre.edu Class News Cindy Long Design Tom Sturgeon Intern Lane Cannon ’22 Centre College President Milton Moreland Director of Alumni and Family Engagement Megan Haake Milby ’03 Centrepiece Office 859.238.5717 alumnews@centre.edu Chenault Alumni House 859.238.5500 or 877.678.9822 Centrepiece Published by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications for alumni and friends of the College.

Centre’s mission is to prepare students for lives of learning, leadership, and service. The Centrepiece is 100 percent recyclable.

Cover Nico Hulkenberg on a near-perfect line while qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix in his Renault F1 car. “There is nothing like feeling your hair stand on end from a car ripping by you at 160 miles per hour,” says Jamey Price ’10. Photo by Jamey Price ’10 Inside Front Cover Henry Lang '23 plays the pan flute he made for his final project in Lauren Falco’s CentreTerm class on acoustics. He used a physics formula to determine the length of each tube and therefore the note it would produce. He ended up with A (at a frequency of 440 hertz), G, B, and D so that he could play “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Photo by Matt Baker Contents Page Kelsey Jenks ’25 is “flameworking” in David King’s CentreTerm class. The process involves holding the glass directly in a flame then manipulating it to stretch it. Photo by Matt Baker Back Cover Students recreate the Battle of Naseby, the critical battle of the First English Civil War in 1645, for historian Amos Tubb’s CentreTerm class on the three wars fought between King Charles I and Parliament. Photo by Matt Baker

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Features

Departments

Esports Take Off at Centre

2 President’s Message

Centre’s esports community consists of two intercollegiate teams, including a 2021 national champion, as well as an esports club.

3 Around Campus

Centre Adds Young Trustees to the Board The Centre board has announced three Young Alumni Trustees: Briana Lathon Bluford ’15, Prashant Chakradhar ’19, and Henry Snyder ’20. The new trustees are part of a two-year pilot program to bring younger voices to the board.

The Need for Shutter Speed Profile of Motorsports Photographer of the Year Jamey Price ’10 by Laura Boswell Milliken ’94

15 Class News 24 Faculty and Staff News 25 In Memoriam Life Trustee Nelson D. Rodes ’54 Distinguished Alumnus James H. Rucker ’55

28 Endpiece Ceramics Gave Me My Start by Kristin Coleman McGinley ’00

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Strategic Planning, Now and for the Future

Success must include a renewed commitment to the foundation upon which Centre has thrived for two centuries: providing a superior education in the liberal arts tradition. MILTON C. MORELAND

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Over the last 18 months, many on our campus participated in strategic planning efforts. We created the Seven Pillar Subcommittees last year to look at Academic Life; Access and Availability; Athletics; Community Connections; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Residential Experience and Engaged Learning; and Sustainability. Each subcommittee gathered ideas from focus groups, brainstormed, identified themes, participated in a campus-wide poster-session, and gathered feedback. We also retained the Art & Science Group, a higher education research firm, to explore the competitive landscape, determine how the College is positioned among prospective and current students and their families, and, through market research, identify which initiatives being explored by the subcommittees would distinguish Centre among our peers. The results have been consistent: Centre is providing a rigorous education and is outperforming expectations for alumni connections and study abroad opportunities. At the same time, there are opportunities for Centre to devote additional attention to student success and support, career readiness, community engagement and experiential learning, and a more vibrant, diverse, and inclusive campus community. Further, our strategic planning process should be dynamic and ongoing. We must start with initiatives that will strengthen the College in the next three years and measure their impact, while continuing to invest in long-term foundational programs and raising and researching critical strategic questions that look ahead to the next decade. Our strategic plan must provide the guiding vision for the future of the College and, at the same time, our strategic efforts must continue to evolve based on ongoing research, assessment, and response to the ever-changing needs of our students, faculty, and staff. Success must include a renewed commitment to the foundation upon which Centre has thrived for two centuries: providing a superior education in the liberal arts tradition. Indeed, preparing students to lead lives of learning, leadership, and service begins in the classroom with our new General Education curriculum.

In the coming 18 months, we will work with College-wide committees to support this continuous planning process. This work will utilize and build on the important contributions of the Seven Pillar Subcommittees, recognizing the extensive time, careful consideration, and thoughtful ideas included within the committee reports. The executive director for strategic initiatives will work with relevant offices, programs, and committees—and with the Student Government Association—to plan for the implementation and to measure the impact of our strategies. To ensure Centre remains strong into the future, we are committed to ensuring these initiatives receive the resources needed for success, including supporting those who give of their time and efforts. I extend my deepest gratitude to the faculty, students, and staff who have contributed to the strategic planning process to date. This effort and the next steps for our foundational framework are a result of this community’s collective vision and hard work. I invite you to view the Centre College Strategic Plan 2022–2025 at www.centre.edu/strategic-planning. Sincerely,

Milton C. Moreland President

AROUND CAMPUS

Centre Adds National Posse Centre has expanded its 15-year relationship with the Posse Foundation by accepting a second cohort of Posse Scholars. All Centre’s previous Posse Scholars have come from the Boston area. This fall, in addition to the usual 10 students from Boston, Centre added a second group of 10 who come from cities around the country. An innovative mentoring and leadership program based in New York, Posse recruits promising urban high school students, works with them for several months during their senior year in high school, then matches them to mostly liberal arts, mostly non-urban colleges. The goal of the Posse Foundation is to prepare leaders. In the face of COVID-19, Posse adapted to a virtual model in 2020 for recruiting and supporting its scholars in 10 cities. When the online program proved so successful, Posse expanded it to recruit geographically diverse Posses, which they call “Virtual Posses,” from 11 additional states. Francisco Lacson ’25, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, originally got to know his Posse cohort via five months of Zoom meetings. “Finally, on August 22, we met in person,” he said. “It was awkward (at least for me; I was an introvert at the time) but after hanging out in the Nevin basement enjoying the last few

days before classes started, eating nachos, dancing, and playing games like charades and Uno, we were able to bond with each other.” Like many first-years, he initially was homesick, but he found comfort with his “posse” since “some of them were experiencing the same thing,” he says. In bi-weekly check-in meetings with Eva Cadavid, a philosophy professor who serves as his Posse mentor, he found that before long he went from “I want to go home” to “Centre is my second home.” Joey Bailey ’25, from Memphis, also found that bonding with his posse helped him feel connected to the College. “The thing in Posse that has been so effective is the community—coming in with a group of people who I knew I could always count on and go to talk to or ask for help,” he says. And that is the founding principle of Posse: the notion that beginning their college adventure as a group—a posse—will help Posse students make it through to graduation.

Centre’s first “national” Posse students began their first year at Centre in the fall: (front row) Janea Bottinelli ’25, Kali Hernandez-Fraire ’25, Angela Asonye ’25; (middle row) Lauren Silva ’25, Madjo Doumbia ’25, Leah Carty ’25, Sol Cabrera ’25; (back row) Joey Bailey ’25, Ayomide Adeyemi ’25, and Francisco Lacson ’25.

Cadavid has wanted to be a Posse mentor since she interviewed for a position teaching at Centre 13 years ago. Centre’s relationship with Posse “signaled a commitment to inclusion as a way to strengthen the community as a whole,” she says of her interest. For Bob Nesmith ’91, Centre dean of admission and financial aid, one of the benefits Posse students bring the College is that they have been taught how to talk about diversity issues. “Most students don’t come in having had the opportunity to develop those skills,” he told a Posse newsletter in 2018. “Posse Scholars do. That’s a gift they bring immediately.” Cadavid says that working with her Posse cohort has been rewarding—and an education in itself. “What I have learned this semester: my job is to walk this path with them and help them navigate their college career,” she says. “It has been striking to me to see their leadership abilities shine from the start. There are different ways to be a leader, and they have all displayed leadership.” Posse is one of many programs that demonstrate the College’s commitment to making Centre affordable. In addition to Posse, Centre offers Brown, Grissom, and Lincoln scholarships, the Bonner Scholars program, and other gifts and grants. And Posse students do well after graduation. To name a few, Cindy Estremera Marinelli ’10 is a bilingual school psychologist in the Boston public schools. Greg Chery ’11 started out in Centre’s admission office and is now senior associate admission director at Dartmouth. Taylor Barnes ’12, who worked for Posse after Centre, is now global talent acquisition program manager for the restaurant technology company Toast, Inc. And Jasmine Watts Patterson ’12 is in medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. —D.F.J.

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AROUND CAMPUS

Frog Research Wins Junior a First Idris Irihamye ’23 (Lexington, Kentucky) received first place at the recent virtual Kentucky Academy of Science annual meeting for work titled “Morphological Plasticity of Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans) and Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) as Indicators of Eutrophication Levels.” Eutrophication is a series Green frog

of changes in an ecosystem that result from excessive nutrients in a body of water. Amphibians can often serve as indicators of environmental health in general. Irihamye, a Brown Scholar and environmental studies major, did research last summer at Eastern Kentucky University through a National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. “I know a whole lot more about frogs now,” Irihamye says. “Research has also shown me how much the world relies on interconnectivity.” The project involved work with Cy Mott, associate

professor of biology at EKU, along with graduate students, to study amphibian morphology and ecology. They looked at how fertilizer exposure influences green frog and wood frog tadpole development, using computer software, trapping and counting tadpoles in the field, and measuring dissolved nutrient levels. Wood frog

FIRST DOG Since his arrival with the first family in 2020, Blue, President and Dina Moreland’s rescue dog, has quickly become a campus

CAMM MEDIA

favorite. This dutiful ambassador can be found cheerfully bringing snacks to Phonathon callers, getting to know the staff, and encouraging study-weary students during finals. Frequently seen enjoying the Centre community’s loving attentions during campus walks with the first lady, Blue also attends football games, visits the campus garden, and hopes wistfully for treats when students visit Craik House for cooking classes with their professors. Follow Blue on Instagram @centrefirstdog. —C.L.

“Did I hear somebody say ‘walk the dog’?” Chole Butler ’24 and Alex Mozingo ’23 take a break from lacrosse practice to give Blue a couple of pointers.

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AROUND CAMPUS

Books and Bagels

WINTER SPORTS NEWS

Last year’s library renovations established a new eatery on Centre’s campus: Einstein Bros. Bagels. The bagel shop opened in 2021 and has been popular ever since. “Einstein’s is the place to be,” says Maia Sudbrock ’24 of Fairview, Tennessee. “I love bagels, and it’s very convenient because it’s good, quick, easy food to eat on campus.” Students can take advantage of the location to grab a bite to eat while studying or chat with a professor over coffee. The new layout of the library provides plenty of nearby tables and chairs. In addition, the main floor also features a Serenade Coffee Machine that serves coffee, hot chocolate, and tea during all library hours. It was incorporated into the Grace Doherty Library in 2019 by the College’s Student Government Association. —L.C.

Men’s Basketball: 11-13, 5-7 SAA The team made it to the Southern Athletic Association Tournament quarterfinals. Dustin Gerald ’22 (Richmond, Kentucky) made the All-SAA First Team. Women’s Basketball: 11-15, 7-6 SAA The team fell in overtime to Rhodes at Rhodes in the SAA Tournament semifinals. Bailey Rucker ’25 (Catlettsburg, Kentucky) was named SAA Newcomer of the Year. Presley Chirico ’22 (Richmond, Kentucky) was named to the All-SAA First Team. Swimming & Diving The women’s team came in third in the SAA championships, while the men came in fourth. Callie West ’25 (Lexington, Kentucky) competed in three individual events at the NCAA Div. III Championship in March. Her 100-meter championship butterfly time of 55.64 broke the program mark and made her the fastest women’s 100 flyer in SAA history. She also won SAA Newcomer and Swimmer of the Year honors. Coach Dean Brownley earned SAA Coach of the Year for the 11th time.

Sophomore Named a Lewis Scholar Jason Wong ’24 (Brooklyn, New York) has been named to the inaugural class of the John Robert Lewis Scholars and Fellows Program. The Faith & Politics Institute created the program to honor the late congressman after his death in 2020. The program seeks to develop effective changemakers in civic life through their engagement in an applied year-long learning program of the nonviolent social impact philosophy that grounded John Lewis. “I hope through this program I will be able to further shape my understanding of what I can do to be a voice of change,” says Wong, a Grissom Scholar at Centre, who has already begun fellowship activities. He is especially looking forward to meeting other young leaders and learning, he says, how

“diversity in opinions and backgrounds is what makes America’s democracy work.” He adds, “My parents’ stories of hardship and coming to America have motivated me, and I am grateful for all the support of my family and my teachers.” The scholars (undergraduates) and fellows (graduate students) will connect with leaders engaged in social impact work during the yearlong program that includes two trips to Washington, D.C., and completing an oral history project. “It’s very exciting to have Jason in the inaugural cohort,” says Robert Schalkoff, director of the Office of Fellowships. “He and the other scholars and fellows are engaging in meaningful and important study and work."

Jason Wong ’24 has been named to the inaugural class of the John Robert Lewis Scholars and Fellows Program.

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AROUND CAMPUS

KYLE PIERCY

Chez Moore ’24, a guard and forward from Louisville, co-led the basketball team with eight rebounds in an exhibition game against Western Kentucky University in E.A. Diddle Arena, named for Centre alumnus Edgar Allen Diddle-1921. The team also brought resources for the area relief efforts since they played just days after the tornado that devastated Western Kentucky.

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TAKES OFF

AT CENTRE

ESPORTS “The team often jokingly refers to Rocket League as car soccer,” says Joseph Green ’22, captain of the championship-winning Rocket League esports team at Centre. “The way I would describe it is soccer—but with cars that have rockets attached to them allowing for a lot of flight.” The Rocket League team won the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) White League Championship in December, a remarkable come-from-behind achievement since it started the championship as eighth seed.

Leif Pellant ’24 is a member of the championship Rocket League team.

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Esports are video games played in an organized competitive environment. Centre’s first esports community was a student club organized in the fall of 2015 by Ben Wells ’17 and Adam Johnson ’17. In recent years one of the club’s signature events has been its annual Smash Bros. tournament called “The Flame,” says Grant Lyon ’21, former president and a founding member of the Overwatch team. He is now an assistant esports coach and graduate student at King’s College in Pennsylvania. The formal intercollegiate program got its start in the fall of 2019 when two faculty members, John Harney (history) and Michael Bradshaw ’99 (computer science), invited students to consider forming a college-sponsored esports team. They chose Overwatch because many students had played similar games. “It helped that Overwatch is not very difficult to run on most computers and does not depict blood or gore,” says Josh West ’22,

“One of the great things about the creation of the esports team was that it brought a lot of PC gamers out of the woodwork and allowed them to connect and play together. Josh West ’22, Overwatch team captain

The Rocket League team (from left) Porter Kelley ’25, Everett Hauser ’23, Ethan Redmond ‘24, Leif Pellant ‘24, and Andrew Samples ’23 dream of another National Esports Collegiate Conference championship to match their victory in the fall. captain of the Overwatch team. “One of the great things about the creation of the esports team was that it brought a lot of PC gamers out of the woodwork and allowed them to connect and play together. The esports club was more focused on console games.” According to Harney, early video games such as the Nintendo gaming system became a defining element of the 1980s. They turned what had been a commercial arcade experience played in public into games played privately in homes. In recent years, the commercial success of the video game industry has exploded. “The video game industry now dwarfs both the music and film industries combined,” says Harney. For example, a recent Sony game sold 2.4 million copies in the first three days it was

The Overwatch team (from left) Joseph Matthews ’24, Jonathan Kromer ’25, Blake Brigham ’24, James Perry ’24, Gus Crow ’22, Micai Benford ’22, Josh West ’22, and Eli Gooch ’23 ended the fall season with a 5-2 record. (Not pictured: Feng Yue ’22 and Kevin Wu ’23)

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available. The typical game costs $60 per game, so industry profits are pretty healthy, Harney adds. In addition to teaching history, he is the esports head coach. The Rocket League team practices weekly on Sunday and Monday evenings in a computer lab in Young Hall with games played on Tuesday evenings. Although there can be a colossal amount of money involved in esports, the Rocket League team plays only for the thrill of winning. “The NECC gave participating teams two options,” says Green. “The first was to put money in and receive money back as scholarships if you won. The second was to play for free. We chose the second option so we received a trophy, but no money.” West is proud that the Overwatch team also did well in NECC competition in the fall with a 5-2 record and a spot in the playoffs, despite the NECC moving the team to a more challenging division in the middle of the season. “Esports means a lot to me,” says West. “Since high school, I have wanted the chance to represent my school in a competitive environment while doing something I love. There is no judgment on gender, race, class, or any physical characteristics because you never see the other team. It takes a lot of the bias out of sport and allows the teams to be judged on their teamwork and raw skill. It means you can easily have diverse co-ed teams from many different backgrounds.” —D.F.J.

CENTRE ADDS YOUNG TRUSTEES TO THE BOARD The Centre board has announced three Young Alumni Trustees: Briana Lathon Bluford ’15, Prashant Chakradhar ’19, and Henry Snyder ’20. The new trustees are part of a two-year pilot program to bring younger voices to the board. Young alumni trustees will have graduated within the last 10 years and are elected to non-renewable two-year terms with full voting rights. They could be considered later for traditional four-year terms as appropriate. President Milton C. Moreland notes that these young alumni trustees are closer in age and perspective to the prospective students the College seeks to recruit. “Our new trustees were dynamic campus leaders as students and can offer insights into the undergraduate experience,” he says. “They will bridge the gap in experience between those who govern and those we aim to serve. They are also well-connected to their alumni peers and the Centre community.”

Briana Lathon Bluford ’15 Briana Lathon Bluford is a lawyer with Humana, where she works in commercial healthcare compliance. “The only thing I’ve ever wanted to be was a lawyer,” she says. “Law is a very special tool that can make things better. It’s a privilege to be a member of the bar, especially since only 2 percent of lawyers are Black women.” Bluford was president of the Black Law Student Association at the University of Louisville and won the Trailblazer Award from the Louisville Bar Association. She currently is chair of the bar association’s Young Lawyers division. A politics major at Centre, a resident assistant, and an admission interviewer, Lathon studied abroad in Ghana and Strasbourg, France. She counts one of the highlights of her life as being crowned 2015 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen. A Louisville native, she continues to be involved with her city’s signature event as a director on the boards of both the Kentucky Derby Festival and the Kentucky Derby Museum. She is co-founder of Colorful Conversations, a lifestyle website for professional women

of color. “We discuss such topics as corporate strategy, parenting, mental health and wellness, and politics,” she says. The result has been a platform for “stories and experiences that may not be told in the mainstream.” Bluford says that she is thrilled to be a Centre trustee because of the impact the College has had on her life. “I learned a lot in law school, but it is my time at Centre College that set the stage and acted as a catalyst for the Briana that my colleagues, friends, and family experience today,” she says. “It’s important to me that other students, especially those who look like me, have

access to that kind of transformative education.” Bluford admits that she organizes her life and leisure time around good food. “I loved food before Centre, but my time in Strasbourg, France, made a good meal nonnegotiable,” she says. Her husband’s present of an espresso machine in 2020 “is in the lead for things that have kept me sane during the pandemic,” she says. “A good latte can turn my entire day.” Cooking and baking remain favorite diversions, including, recently, a strawberry matcha cake with matcha buttercream and strawberry puree that she baked for her husband’s birthday.

“I learned a lot in law school, but it is my time at Centre College that set the stage and acted as a catalyst for the Briana that my colleagues, friends, and family experience today.” Briana Lathon Bluford ’15

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Prashant Chakradhar ’19 Prashant Chakradhar is an associate for decision modeling and economics with Ernst and Young, a public accounting and consulting firm. In his role with EY, he creates financial and operational models to help executives of organizations, including multi-million and multi-billion-dollar ones, better understand the variables that impact their businesses and affect strategies to meet their objectives. He is convinced that institutions whose goals include positive impacts on society can thrive. “I view my work as both a learning experience in understanding how modern executives run successful organizations but also as an opportunity to imbue the decision-making processes of these organizations with some of my own perspectives,” he says. “The bottom line isn't always measured in dollars and cents.” He sees that optimism in his personal life as well. Music, for example, has always been important to him. At Centre he was a principal in the Wind Ensemble, and he has also played the euphonium with the nationally competitive Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. “My time with the organization taught me what it meant to truly perfect a craft,” he says. “Most importantly, it taught me how I could so easily find happiness outside of professional success.” He now lives in Chicago and is enjoying exploring the Windy City, especially the “abundance of delicious food the city has to offer,” he notes. Chakradhar was a double major in economics & finance and mathematics at Centre and received the Charles Campbell Economics Prize among other honors. He was also a resident director, a member of the student judiciary, an admission interviewer, and a treasurer and vice

“Having cultivated a passion for operational strategy, decision economics, and business transformation during and since my time at Centre, I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to serve in an oversight and advisory role for the College . . .” Prashant Chakradhar ’19

president within Phi Kappa Tau. A student-led investment firm he co-founded beat its equity benchmarks by at least 2 percent for every year it was in operation. After Centre, he earned a master’s in finance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chakradhar believes that higher education is at “an inflection point” brought about in part by the pandemic and also by other trends that affect the next generation of college students. A liberal arts education, such as he received at Centre, can benefit our society. “Having cultivated a passion for operational strategy, decision economics, and business transformation during and since my time at Centre, I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to serve in an oversight and advisory role for the College as a trustee during this period of momentous change.”

Henry Snyder ’20 Henry Snyder started researching the thoroughbred industry as a sophomore and joined Churchill Downs right after graduating. He is currently director of finance. Earlier, he was part of a two-year leadership rotation program with Churchill Downs. “I am passionate about Kentucky and strengthening my home state,” he says. “Working in the thoroughbred industry offered me the chance to combine these two areas.” As a “Live in Lou City Champ,” a program

“Centre’s profound impact on my development drives my desire to serve the College as a trustee. The opportunity to serve Centre and help strengthen our mission so that more students may have a life-changing experience is an honor.” Henry Snyder ’20

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sponsored by Greater Louisville Inc., he has a platform to share his appreciation of his native city with a wider and curious audience. On the weekend, he says, he often explores Louisville’s parks and restaurants or cheers on the University of Louisville and Louisville City, a professional soccer team. Snyder volunteers with several charitable organizations, and he is also an ordained ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In his free time, Snyder loves to travel, everywhere from an international trip to a drive to a new place in Kentucky. “Exploring the world is fascinating,” he says. As a student, he spent a summer in France as a Brown Fellow (premier scholarship program) and later a term with the Centre-in-London program. On campus, Snyder was a leader, serving as president of both the Student Government Association and his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi. He also was a voting member of the presidential search committee that successfully hired Milton Moreland in 2020. He did summer internships with Brown-Forman and with several Kentucky thoroughbred organizations. An economics & finance major, Snyder graduated summa cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the leadership honorary Omicron Delta Kappa. He counts graduating from Centre as one of his most noteworthy accomplishments to date. “It was earned after many late nights in the Doherty Library, lots of office hours with professors, and many formative experiences that challenged me to grow as a scholar and person,” he says. That achievement influenced his accepting the responsibilities of a trustee. “Centre’s profound impact on my development drives my desire to serve the College as a trustee,” he says. “The opportunity to serve Centre and help strengthen our mission so that more students may have a life-changing experience is an honor.”

Jamey Price ’10 covering the IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) Road Atlanta 10-hour race. “Headlights, windshields, windshield wipers, and seatbelts all came out of endurance racing,” says Price. Centrepiece Spring 2022

Long before Jamey Price ’10 was named the 2019 Motorsports Photographer of the Year, his career began on four legs, not four wheels. He began riding horses when his parents, both equine enthusiasts in Charlotte, N.C., first put him in a saddle at age 2. By the end of high school, Price was an accomplished steeplechase jockey with 50 races and 11 wins under his belt across the U.S., England, and Ireland. “I just fell in love with it and thought it might be my career,” says Price. “Horses are incredible creatures, and racing them required both intense mental and physical abilities. It was the best time of my life.” Price continued to race while at Centre, but he also discovered some new passions: his history major, the swim team, a CentreTerm in Vietnam, and the camera he received as a birthday present sophomore year. The Cento student newspaper lacked a photography director at the time, so Price stepped in and enjoyed the freedom of covering swim, football, and other campus activities. He also shot steeplechase races in his spare time, eventually self-publishing a book, Chasing: Racing Life in England & Ireland. But Price’s photography switched gears when internships with the Danville AdvocateMessenger and Charlotte Observer newspapers exposed him to a different kind of racing: motorsports. “Before I fully understood how photography worked, I always loved looking at pictures of cars.” he says. “While I was at the Advocate-

Messenger, my assignment was to find cool subjects in the Danville area that interested me. I found a dirt racing track outside of Danville. I just showed up one night and went back three or four times. It was as close to being a Formula 1 photographer as I thought I would ever get.” While shooting for the Charlotte Observer, Price took every opportunity to attend the city’s renowned auto racing events and learn from the industry’s most seasoned photographers. “One thing leads to another and you meet people, and it turns from a dirt track in Kentucky to a Formula 1 test in 2012,” he says. “It was a slow build to get to that point, but I did it with the right people and a lot of luck.” Today, Price’s images have been published around the world in outlets such as MotorTrend, New York Times, Road & Track, and Sports Illustrated. He freelances for brands such as Ferrari, Ducati, and Red Bull and has worked as Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series photographer since 2013. In between, he has shot for the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup, NFL games, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, and just about every other great sporting event there is. But motorsports remain his true love, and he has shot in more than 17 countries, including Malaysia, Italy, Spain, and China. “Motorsports are exotic, and that’s part of the allure,” he says. “It’s an amazing assault on your senses. You smell the brakes, the hot dogs, hear music, racing engines, fans cheering and having fun. There is no such thing as a boring race car—they are moving billboards, and there is nothing like feeling your hair stand on end

from a car ripping by you at 160 miles per hour.” Although Centre did not have a photography program, Price credits the College with giving him a “well-rounded, rational-thinking education” that gives him an advantage over his peers during all that travel. “Having an understanding of the history and politics of different countries beyond your tiny bubble is so helpful,” he says. Like all of us, Price has faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic that has decimated many freelance artists’ opportunities. “A client can disappear just like that, and it takes four more to make up for it,” he says. Motorsports are also dangerous to cover, and Price—always wearing a fire suit—has seen some near misses. “I’ve never had to dive for my life, but I’ve had friends injured,” he says. “The force a wreck carries sends shock waves through the air. It literally takes your breath away.” However, the biggest obstacle is being away from wife Emily and children James (almost 3) and Juliette (a newborn). “It’s not easy anymore to take three weeks off to go to China,” he says. “I’ve missed birthdays, funerals, and weddings, and my children are growing so fast.” When he does have free time, Price loves to fly fish. “Instead of just a rod and a bobber and worm, it’s very active, like racing—you have to always think four steps ahead to outsmart a fish,” he says. Fishing, photography, family—gratitude is what drives Price most. “I love capturing and sharing my work with other people. I get up every morning excited to go to work, and not everyone gets to say that.” Laura Boswell Milliken ’94 is a writer and content director for a mortgage company in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Left: Price began riding at 2 and was a steeplechase jockey straight out of Centre. Later, he shot such horse races as the Breeders’ Cup, the Kentucky Derby, and this 2019 Kentucky Oaks race for fillies. Top, opposite page: Price typically shoots a couple of Formula 1 races a year, such as this pitstop during testing for the world championship in Barcelona. The most F1 races he ever covered was eight in 2014.

Bottom, opposite page: COVID has changed the overall number of races Price shoots. Nowadays, he primarily covers endurance races, NASCAR, and Indycar, of which the Indianapolis 500 is the “crown jewel,” he says. Here, Fernando Alonso does a burnout leaving the pits during a qualifying session for the Indianapolis 500. Centrepiece Spring 2022

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The Wright Motorsport Porsche in the rain during a wet IMSA race at Road America

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CLASS NEWS

1 Homer Rice ’51 speaks during a ceremony

unveiling a statue in his likeness at Georgia Tech. 2 Beverly White Yeager ’54 3 Jim Claypool ’60

GEORGIA TECH ATHLETICS

4 SAE friends gathered in Myrtle Beach, S.C.,

in September 2021: (from left) Martha Sharp, Norman Sharp ’67, Jim Sewell ’67, David York ’69, Amy York, Janet Thomas, Joan Crawford, Al Schenker ’67, Jim Forbes ’69, Pat Thomas ’69, and Vickie Sewell. Participating but not pictured were Bill and Elaine Wallace Deutsch ’69 and ’69.

1951

Homer Rice was honored at the unveiling of a statue in his likeness at the Georgia Institute of Technology in November. Homer was the Georgia Tech athletic director from 1980 to 1997 and is considered the architect behind some of its greatest sports history. It was his vision to create a department that focused on developing the “whole athlete” through the Total Person Program, and his ideas are considered a model for life skills initiatives in college athletics across the country.

1954

Beverly White Yeager was inducted into the 2021 class of the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame on Nov. 14, 2021. The achievement was highlighted in the Palm Beach Daily News (Dec. 11, 2021) noting her decades of philanthropy and government service.

1955

Sally Lobaugh Shevlin lists her new address as 714 Cobblestone Drive,

Ormond Beach, FL 32174. Her sister is Nancy Lobaugh ’62.

the athletic program at Northern Kentucky University in 1970. His wife is Sharon Hayes Claypool ’63.

1959

1962

1960

1970

Philip Taliaferro was inducted into the Veterans Hall of Fame and the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. He is founder of the law firm Taliaferro, Carran & Hampton in Covington, Ky. His son is Philip Taliaferro ’13, and his sister is Betsy Taliaferro Mann ’64.

Jim Claypool was honored by the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame with an annual award in his name. The “The Jim Claypool Pioneer Award” will be given to someone from Northern Kentucky who makes pioneering contributions in the field of sports. Jim competed in five sports for Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, Ky., lettering in varsity football, basketball, and baseball, and played football at Centre. He created

Class News Details Submit class news and address changes at alumni.centre.edu/centrepiece or email them to alumnews@centre.edu. Digital photos MUST be at least 300 DPI when sized to four inches wide. Low-resolution photos taken with a phone are too small to run in print. Alumni names will continue to be in bold type in the Class News and In Memoriam sections of the magazine. Alumni names elsewhere will continue to include class years but will not be in bold type. This issue reflects information received as of Jan. 15, 2022.

Nancy Lobaugh lists her new address as 725 Cobblestone Drive, Ormond Beach, FL 32174. Her email address is nannyjolo@ yahoo.com. Her sister is Sally Lobaugh Shevlin ’55. Jay van Arsdale team-taught a winter-term class with two other professors at Stanford University titled Japanese Functional Objects. He focused on traditional tea house construction methods and tools, with the primary focus on tokonoma use, meaning, and design, and traditional and more modern renderings. He will also be teaching at Laney College for a 23rd year before turning over some of his sections to his apprentice next fall. He lists his new address as 3537 69th Ave., Oakland, CA 94605.

1971

Robin Jennings published his third book in a series on spiritual growth, A Letter to the Church and the Next Generation:

Centrepiece Spring 2022

CLASS NEWS

PRESIDENTIAL WELCOME TOUR Join Centre alumni, parents, and friends as we officially welcome Milton and Dina Moreland to the Centre family and learn more about the emerging priorities of Centre’s strategic plan and the new Initiative for Wellness and Athletic Excellence.

More regions, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Charlotte, and Florida, will be added in 2022-2023.

Spiritual Growth Through the Witness of James (Elk Lake Publishing, 2021). His wife is Mary Moore Jennings. Robert Jennings ’00 and John Jennings ’04 are their children.

1973 ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Thursday, April 28, 2022 6 p.m. ET Buckhead Club

Co-hosted by Sheila Burks ’75 and Jane Hale Hopkins ’94

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Tuesday, May 24, 2022 6 p.m. CT Home of Laurie and Jim Seabury ’87 Hosted by the Seaburys

DANVILLE, KENTUCKY

Tuesday, May 10, 2022 6 p.m. ET Craik House, Centre College

1974

CINCINNATI, OHIO

1975

Hosted by Greg and Melissa Caudill

Tuesday, June 7, 2022 6 p.m. ET Queen City Club

Co-hosted by Paul Chellgren and Wijdan Jreisat ’91

For more information and to register, go to

http://alumni.centre.edu/morelandtour 16

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Theodore Baumgartner lists his new address as 5426 SW 21st Place, Cape Coral, FL 33914. William Glass received an award for teaching excellence from the rector of the University of Warsaw, in Poland. He is professor of American social history at the university’s American Studies Center, where he has taught since 2005.

Eric Leininger retired from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University 50 years to the day after matriculating at Centre. He is enjoying life with his wife of 45 years, Claire, and a 2-year-old granddaughter. He is still executive coaching and advising young companies while splitting time between Sarasota, Fla., and Barrington Hills, Ill. He lists his email address as ericwleininger@outlook.com.

1977

Connie Varner visited Tim Culhan ’78 in Merida, Mexico, at the end of

CLASS NEWS

1 William Glass ’74 2 Good friends since their first day at Centre

in 1972, Centre friends celebrated life at the Bluffton, S.C. home of Faith Flanner Hull ’76 in 2019: (from left) Karen Marple Long ’76, Faith, and Mary Logan ’76. 3 Jeff Bradford ’78 4 Connie Varner ’77 visited Tim Culhan ’78, who

is spending the year in Merida, Mexico, near the Centre program. They traveled to Uxmal, a historic Mayan site, during her visit. 5 Mike Sandifer ’78 (center, in black hat and shirt)

and his wife (in red) participated in a Civic Works of Baltimore 9/11 Day community service project, turning a vacant lot into a neighborhood park with new trees, bushes, mulching, hardscape, and defining walkway. “If you look to my right, you’ll see a Centre cap I lent to one of the volunteers,” he says. 6 Centre alums and Alabama parents, Susan

5 2021 and beginning of 2022. They went to the historic Mayan site Uxmal. Tim recalled several trips he had taken with groups from Centre when he visited during CentreTerm.

1978

Jeff Bradford sold his 20-year-old Nashville-based public relations firm to the Dalton Agency of Jacksonville, Fla., and has purchased a 170-year-old home in Lexington, Ky., horse country, where he and his wife, Jeanne, plan to move in March 2023. He has also been named to the advisory board of CentreWorks, the College’s entrepreneurial community program. Cathy and Lance Dosch list their new address as 2967 North 156th Dr., Goodyear, AZ 85395. Ross Hall has retired after more than 40 years of teaching, coaching, and administration at high schools and colleges. He had more than 20 finishers as state champions or runners-up in a variety of sports and activities. His basketball teams played in state championship games 10 times in an 11-year period and ranked nationally. His 1996-97 women’s basketball team averaged more than 88 points a game, No. 6 highest in U.S. history. He retired in Wyoming with a .900 career winning percentage. He was also named Southern Oregon Teacher of the Year. “Playing with my five grandkids in

6 Spokane (Wash.),” he writes. “I have an extra chair and bench on the porch and lots of Diet Pepsi if anyone wants to drop in and sit a spell.”

1979

Don Rives retired in June after 42 years in the flavor and fragrance industry. After realizing that retirement wasn’t for him, he now works for McCormick as their Americas region flavors network design and technology director. He and his wife, Terry, moved from Bethlehem, Pa., “and now live in the beautiful horse country of northern Harford County, Maryland.” They list their new address as 1717 S Laura Court, Jarrettsville, MD 21084. His email address is drrives@yahoo.com.

1988

Charlotte Lacy graduated with a master’s degree in humanitarian disaster leadership from Wheaton College in December. She will complete a trauma certificate through Wheaton in the spring of 2022. She plans to work with women recovering from sex trafficking or exploitation. Her sister is Suzanne Lacy ’81. Her parents are Homer and Barbara McClung Lacy ’55 and ’54. She lists her address as 501 Falkirk Court, Louisville, KY 40243.

Duane Donovan ’92, Todd Lyles ’83, Kevin Lavin ’87 and Bob Duane ’87 tailgating at the Alabama homecoming

DIVINE CONNECTION “The Centre College connection is often divine,” writes LeRoy McEntire ’78. “In January, Rev. Sarah Smith Halloran ’05 was named fulltime rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Pike Road, Ala. A longtime member of Grace Church, I was on the search committee that recommended Sarah for the position. A month after Sarah and her husband, Colin, moved to Montgomery, Ala., their daughter, Arden, was born. In November, Sarah’s mentor, Rev. Richard Elliott ’75, rector of Saint Andrews on the Sound in Wilmington, N.C., conducted Arden’s baptism. A former member of the Centre College Players, Father Elliott gave a wonderful baptismal message.

Pictured from left: LeRoy McEntire ’78, Rev. Sarah Smith Holloran ’05, and Rev. Richard Elliott ’75

Centrepiece Spring 2022

CLASS NEWS

CENTRE COLLECTION

TAPESTRY THROW Exclusive 100 percent cotton tapestry throw (68" x 52") for couch or bed. These custom tapestries are produced using the same jacquard weaving process found in high quality retail stores. Machine washable. $64 includes s/h

Centrepiece Spring 2022

TO ORDER YOUR ITEMS Contact MacKenzie Snow ’19 EMAIL: mackenzie.snow@centre.edu WEB: alumni.centre.edu/shop MAIL: Centre College, 600 West Walnut Street, Danville, KY 40422 PHONE: 859.238.5500 Make checks payable to Centre College.

OLD CENTRE SOCKS Cotton Old Centre socks. Custom designed for the Alumni Association. One unisex size fits most. $22 includes s/h

BASEBALL CAP Adjustable cloth hideaway back strap relaxed unstructured fit with two gold C's (representing Centre College, but also 200 years). Features side embroidery Centre College 1819-2019. 100% cotton twill. Pre-curved visor and cotton sweatband. Under the visor is same as cap color. White or Gray $25 includes s/h

OLD CENTRE PINS Custom sterling silver gold or silver-plated pin with outline of Old Centre. Gold or Silver $63 includes s/h

CLASS NEWS

1 Even at a small venue for a birthday, Centre folks make a surprise connection: (from left) Carl Stimmel ’87, Betsy Lane Klump ’85, Lance Beck ’84, and Martha Prewitt Levy ’85. 2 David and Jill Slater McCurry ’90 with sons Matthew and Thomas 3 A group of Centre graduates joined Juliana

Hauser ’93 to celebrate in Lexington, Ky. 4 John Farris ’95 (front row, fifth from left) was

part of the closing bell ceremony on Dec. 13, 2021, at the New York Stock Exchange. Photo includes Green Brick Partners executives Kathy Olson, director, Jim Brickman, CEO, and David Einhorn, chair. 5 Phi Tau friends and family gathered at Caldwell

House in Danville in November 2021: (from left) Ben Adams ’95, Sam Adams ’24, Hampton Adams, Jan Adams, Elizabeth Reiss, Kieran Cloonan ’95, Bryce Cloonan, Creighton Reiss ’94, Amanda Kinard ’93, Holly Meyer, and Dudley Wagner ’95.

1989

Susan Hyde Brown wrote a blog entry for Brownielandpicturesblog.com about her journey with early-onset Parkinson’s. She was diagnosed in 2017. Meg Amstutz and Krista Anderson Boling joined her team, called Atlanta Movers and Shakers, for Atlanta Moving Day, a walk to support the Parkinson’s Foundation. Their team raised nearly $30,000 this year.

1990

David and Jill Slater McCurry announce that in October 2021, their younger son, Matthew, earned his Eagle rank in Scouts BSA, as did his older brother, Thomas, and his father before him.

1993

Eric Gilliland is now director of golf at Audubon Country Club. He received the 2021 Kentucky PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award from his peers for “Distinguished service in mentoring PGA professionals, integrity, and character reflecting positively upon the Association, and outstanding involvement in charitable and community activities.” Audubon Country Club has been the host of the Centre Louisville Open since its inception in 2017. Kyle Reardon is U.S. magistrate judge in the District of Alaska. He previously worked for

more than 14 years for the Justice Department, first as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of California and the District of Alaska, and then as deputy criminal chief in the District of Alaska. He and his wife, Kristin, have been in Alaska for seven years with their children, Luke (12) and Owen (11). He writes, “For those who make their way to Alaska and need a recommendation for a fishing charter, glacier cruise, dog sled tour, or any of the other oncein-a-lifetime activities that can only be had in Alaska, I can be contacted at kylereardon@ icloud.com.” Susan Viers completed a certification in classical Pilates through Alycea Ungaro’s Real Pilates Teacher Training Program in New York City and opened Viers Inspired Pilates Studio in Louisville.

1994

Chip Greene’s annual fundraiser concert for the Warren County (Tennessee) Emergency Food Bank held in the Park Theatre in McMinnville, Tenn., had to be canceled for the last two years due to COVID, but he has continued fundraising through Facebook. He has raised more than $18,000 for the food bank since the first fundraiser in 2016. He is a singer/songwriter living in Nashville.

6 Nhi Hearn Aronheim ’96 with Jamey Elliott ’96

(development) in Denver 7 Centre friends in Ouray, Colo., in July 2021: (from left) Dan Ricci, Erin Gregory Ricci ’97, Kathryn Pierzala Stringer ’98, and Michael Stringer ’96 8 Jim Higdon ’98 9 Nicki and Travis Powers ’98, with children Rory

and James 10 Matt Lorch ’01 11 Alexandra and Patrick Riley ’02 with baby Charles Ross and Philip 12 Batoul and Dominic Barbato ’03 with

daughters Sophia Joy and Naima Grace 13 Lindsey Luttrell Hix ’04

1995

Greg Gerdeman was interviewed for a Nashville Scene article, “Getting in the Weeds: Examining the legal and chemical differences between CBD, Delta-8 and THC” (Aug. 19, 2021). He is president of commodities exchange NASHCX and the chief scientist at CBD company Tennessee Farmaceuticals.

1996

Mac Cooley was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 15, 2021. He is the principal of Tichenor Middle School.

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CLASS NEWS

6 9

1997

Erin Gregory Ricci is director of principal gifts, philanthropic partnerships, and strategy at Health Care Without Harm, a 25-year-old nonprofit organization that works to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint. While the organization is headquartered in Reston, Va., Erin, husband Daniel Ricci, and their family continue to live in Fort Collins, Colo. Her email is erin.m.ricci@gmail.com. Daniel’s sisters are Chloe Ricci Hurley ’93 and Angelina Ricci Eisenhauer ’04.

1998

Jim Higdon presented a convocation at Centre in January. He discussed his book, Cornbread Mafia, his work with his business, Cornbread Hemp, and opportunities for the hemp/CBD industry in Kentucky. Travis Hughes is Canada asset management head at JPMorgan Chase. His wife is Crissy Vatter Hughes ’97. Travis Powers returned home to Louisville after nearly 18 years in New York City. He will remain head of U.S. and European gas options trading for ICAP Energy with offices in New York, Houston, and now Louisville. He and his wife, Nicki, along with Rory (9) and James (7) list their new mailing address as 5600 River Knolls Drive, Louisville, KY 40222.

Centrepiece Spring 2022

Nate Watson was a featured artist of an exhibition at Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in Louisville through April 3, 2022. The show, “Crafting the Vernacular,” featured contemporary artists using the medium of glass to reflect on their own experiences, culture, and upbringings. He discussed his installation, “Come Hell or High Water,” in an interview with WFPL radio’s Stephanie Wolf. Nate is the executive director of public glass for an arts nonprofit in San Francisco. Ché Rhodes ’95 was also a featured artist in the exhibition. Ashley Dye Wilmes is the new director of the Kentucky Resources Council.

2001

Andrea Zawacki Beaton is lead author of an article, “Secondary Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Latent Rheumatic Heart Disease,” in the New England Journal of Medicine (January 2022). It is based on research she conducted in Uganda concerning children with latent rheumatic heart disease. The article earned Research Abstract of the Year honors from the American Heart Association. She is a pediatric cardiologist based in Louisville with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Her husband is Ben Beaton ’03. Penny Cline Holler is the assistant city manager for Leavenworth, Kansas.

Matt Lorch is the chief public defender in Floyd County, Ind., as of March 2022.

2002

Jed Keith is the social media coordinator for Tour de Donut, a company that handles various aspects and timing of biking events. Alexandra and Patrick Riley announce the birth of their son, Charles Ross, on Oct. 27, 2021. He joins big brother Philip. Scott Spence is minister of Somers Congregational United Church of Christ. He was interviewed about his new ministry by the Journal Inquirer (Nov. 20, 2021). His wife is Tara Nelson Spence.

2003

Batoul and Dominic Barbato announce the birth of their daughter, Sophia Joy, in April 2021. She joins sister Naima Grace (2). Stacy Ann Hixon Durham (writing as Stacy Ann Hixon) published Penelope’s Preschool Problem (Christian Faith Publishing, 2021), an encouraging children’s tale with important biblical lessons. Her sister is Suzi Hixon ’00.

CLASS NEWS

1 Kerry and Nathan Thompson ’04 with children Whalen, baby Nolan, Lincoln, and Waverly 2 John and Katie Kelley Kramer ’05 and ’05 with daughters Leah and Sara 3 Tyler and Mollie Ronald Boron ’08 and ’08 with

baby Peter and Nellie 4 The wedding of Jennifer Abraham ’12 and Daniel

Frolish

4 6

5 Kyle and Chloe Toohey Binder ’12 and ’12 with

Jackson and baby Lena 6 The wedding of Caroline Curry ’12 and Michael

Wieczorek

8 14

2004

Lindsey Luttrell Hix became director of operations and analysis for the University of Kentucky Police Department (UKPD) in September 2021. In this role, she oversees the Central Kentucky Information Sharing and Threat Analysis Center, which serves as an intelligence unit, providing resources and support to UKPD. It allows UKPD to take a leading role in monitoring threats that could impact university students, faculty, staff, patients, visitors, and business operations. Kerry and Nathan Thompson announce the birth of their son, Nolan. He joins siblings Whalen, Lincoln, and Waverly. Nathan is a medical physicist supporting oncology services in Central Kentucky.

2005

John and Katie Kelley Kramer announce the birth of their daughter, Leah Mikal, in October 2019. She joins sister Sara (6). Katie is diversity and inclusion advocate with Fit4Mom Louisville in addition to being a full-time mother. John continues at Northern Trust Bank.

2007

Candice Hensley had an exhibit featuring porcelain and shino glaze, “Shino She Yes: Porcelain Pottery by Candice Hensley ’07,” at Centre’s AEGON Gallery in

10 the Jones Visual Arts Center during fall 2021. MaryJane Morris is director of implementation and customer success at Psych Hub in Nashville. She oversees the deployment of a mental health education platform and a portfolio of tools to combat the national suicide rates and opioid addiction crisis. She lives in Knoxville with her 5-year-old daughter. She lists her email address as mjmorris@psychhub.com.

2008

Tyler and Mollie Ronald Boron announce the birth of their son, Peter Bridges, on May 3, 2021. He joins sister Nellie (3). Mollie’s sister is Sarah Ronald Mullins ’11. Her grandfather is Ed Hayes ’53. Natalie Bota is the special needs resources librarian for Westlake Porter Public Library in Westlake, Ohio. Two programs she runs, ArtWalk and Vision Boards, are featured in a book titled Library Programming for Adults with Developmental Disabilities by Barbara Klipper and Carrie Scott Banks (ALA Editions, 2021). Ezra Howard completed a Ph.D. at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic and another at the University of Lisbon in Portugal with the European doctorate in teacher education. The focus of his research was the professional development and professional identity of teachers trained, certified, and working in the private

7 The wedding of Brian Saulino ’12 and Hillary Botts ’13: (front row, from left) Maddie Mescher Duzyk ’14, Evyn White ’13, Linda Rueff Johnston ’85, Laura Rueff Christenbury ’83, Javod Sewell ’12, Ryan Gallas ’12, Jonathon Pinque ’12, John Dickens ’12; (second row) Sandra Gregor Geisen ’13, Christianna Parell Durfee ’13, Holly Oatman Cowley ’13, Shannon Wofford Wildman ’13, Tayllor Vetter Aziz ’13, Fran Geralds Rohlfing ’83, Lisa Sanders Lautner ’84, Kathy Iler Botts ’83, Brian and Hillary, Ben Newstadt ’12, Katherine MacMurray Kersey ’10, Mack Kersey ’12, Les Bolden ’12; (back row) Andy Frye (football), Kent Crick ’12, Will Geisen ’11, Stuart Cowley ’13, Bekah Rehkamp Kramer ’12, Zack Kramer ’11, Tom Cecil ’12, Nate Lambert ’12, John Coomer ’12, Clifton Iler ’87, Charles Fletcher ’12, Ben Hume ’12, Beau Sauley ’13, Jameson Stephens ’12, and Pearce Nesbitt ’12 8 Chelsea Kiss Knox ’12 with twins Desmond and Elaine 9 Agnes Gakpo ’13 10 Timothy and Karenna Kiper Keller ’14 and ’16

with RJ

TEFL industry. “Shout out to Dr. David Hall for his advice along the way,” says Ezra.

2009

Virginia Reynolds Badgett completed a Ph.D. in the history of art and architecture at the University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara in March 2021. She is currently assistant curator at the Boston Athenaeum, one of the most distinguished independent libraries and cultural institutions in the United States.

2012

Jennifer Abraham married Daniel Frolish on Aug. 14, 2021. Jen is an operations manager at Constellation Health Services. Centrepiece Spring 2022

CLASS NEWS

Kyle and Chloe Toohey Binder announce the birth of their daughter, Eileen “Lena” Jane, in September 2021. She joins brother Jackson (1). Caroline Curry married Michael Wieczorek on Oct. 16, 2021. Caroline is the operations administrator for a large apartment co-op in Fort Lee, N.J. Michael is a compliance associate for Actors Federal Credit Union in New York City. Richard and Chelsea Kiss Knox announce the birth of twins, Desmond and Elaine, on July 13, 2021. Brian Saulino married Hillary Botts ’13 on July 31, 2021. Hillary’s mother is Kathy Iler Botts ’83.

2013

Agnes Gakpo received a doctor of education degree from Northeastern University in September 2021. Patrick Deffendall married Catherine Mannon on June 27, 2020, but delayed the reception until 2021. His sister is Jessie Deffendall ’11 Emily Mills married Kevin Calvin on Oct. 17, 2020. Kelly Hogan, Khaki Lacy, and Macy Begley Kommor were in the wedding party. Preetha Suresh Rini, a business litigator at the law firm Robinson Bradshaw, was interviewed for an article, “Attorney, Artist, Activist,” in Super Lawyers North Carolina 2022. She has

Centrepiece Spring 2022

turned her artwork into a small business, Prints by Preetha, with the help of her business partner and husband, Woody Rini ’15. She often incorporates advocacy and activism into her art.

2014

Mary Tanner Bryson co-authored the Kentucky chapter in the newly published third edition of the American Bar Association’s A Practitioner’s Guide to Class Actions. The book offers a comprehensive guide to federal class action law, along with a 50-state survey, including the Kentucky chapter, of distinctions found in state law. Timothy and Karenna Kiper Keller ’16 welcomed their first future colonel, Ruby Jeanne “RJ,” on Aug. 10, 2021. Ward Roberts married Sarah Smith ’16 on Sept. 25, 2021. Sarah’s sister is Megan Smith ’17.

2015

Jessica Craig and Steven Fortner announce the birth of their son, Oliver Fortner, on Nov. 27, 2021. They list their address as 1426 Land O Lakes Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146. Eamon DeLay married Mary Maloney on Oct. 23, 2021. Lex Ehrenschwender is now an in-house attorney for Case Western Reserve University.

Jocelyn Kantor was promoted to senior associate director of development for the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Parker Lawson successfully defended his Ph.D. at Cambridge University as a Gates Cambridge Scholar and is now teaching Spanish at Sewanee. Josh Rieskamp received a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Ohio State University. Josh and his wife, Cristin Palmer Rieskamp, moved to Bradenton, Fla., where Cristin is an associate veterinarian at the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch and Josh started a medical writing internship with Global RWC.

2016

Brooks Holton won an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Ohio Valley Chapter, for investigations into the death of Breonna Taylor while he was a digital producer for WDRB in Louisville. He is now a digital producer for USA Today. Lauren Samuelson was named a fellow in the 10th cohort of New Leaders Council’s Kentucky Chapter. As a fellow, Lauren will participate in six months of leadership development, collaborative learning, and capstone projects. She is assistant director of admission at Centre.

CLASS NEWS

1 The wedding of Ward Roberts ’14 and Sarah Smith ’16

2017

Jasmine Cline-Bailey received the 2021 National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) Greater Boston Chapter Member of the Year Award. Her work with NAHSE promotes minority voices in healthcare and advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Casey Bradley has established Founders Financial to help entrepreneurs with business valuation, exit strategy planning, key employee retention, and personal financial planning. He lists his email address as caseybradley@financialguide.com. His brother is Colin Bradley ’18. Hannah Welch was featured in a Louisville Courier-Journal article titled “Why we hire graduates from Kentucky colleges and think you should, too” (Oct. 29, 2021), about Deloitte Consulting’s hiring practices. Hannah leads a team at Deloitte dedicated to expanding opportunities for Medicaid beneficiaries.

2018

Jack Harrison married Sidney Spivey on Oct. 2, 2021. They live in Atlanta. Jack is working on an M.P.A. at Georgia State University. Sidney is working on an M.B.A. at the University of Georgia. Tyler Seabolt graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2021 in the master’s in Christian leadership program, which specializes

9 in theology and corporate leadership skills. He is production director for a North Point Ministries partner location.

2019

Mariama Minteh was named a fellow in the 10th cohort of New Leaders Council’s Kentucky Chapter. As a fellow, Mariama will participate in six months of leadership development, collaborative learning, and capstone projects. She is an admission counselor at Centre. Derek Nafziger is an investment advisor in Centre’s finance office.

2020

Jacob Bates signed to play professional basketball this season for the Starlites Basketball Club, the top division in Malta.

2021

Will Britt is a football analyst for NFL football’s Pittsburgh Steelers. Sophia Casto won first place in the American Journal of French Studies 2021 writing contest in the university student category. She is legislation and operations coordinator at Clifton Government Relations and does contract social media work for Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services.

2 The wedding of Robbe Tarver ’14 and Kelsey Gordon ’17: Josh Settle ’13, George Laventis ’14, Luke Hart ’17, Adam Boyer ’09, Whitney Miller Seither ’13, James Kusak ’10, Will Frentz ’13, Jeremy Carlson ’15, Miles Hill ’15, Alex Seither ’15, Katie Stevenson ’15, Jeb Burch ’94, Ohan Missirian-Dill ’15, Ward Roberts ’14, Sarah Smith Roberts ’16, Julie Gates ’16, Eric Muth ’17, Carson Hart ’20, Olivia Colliver Harris ’17, Maggie Hartlage Carlson ’15, Evander Harris ’16, Geosh Connors ’14, Alexis Hebert ’14, Kathryn Hardesty ’17, Emily Lindon ’14, Courtney Kuiper Van Nevel ’14, Ben Van Nevel ’12, Jack Goblirsch ’14, Natascha Loeb ’18, Cole Jordan Chandler ’17, Christine Semple ’18, Quinn Andrews ’20, Andy Karel ’13, Mary Andrews ’18, Hayley Barker ’18, Nick Hoffman ’19, Aaryn Chandler ’19, Will Troy ’13, Jesse DiLuzio ’18, Ryan Garvey ’13, Kirby Black ’17, Mark Priebe ’17, Shelby Foote ’17, Hannah Hardy ’19, Henry Lynch ’17, Alejandro Ariza ’12, Patrick Martin ’12, Kyle Settles ’17, Matt Wilson ’17, Tony Distler ’12, Erin Keifer ’17, Mack Cox ’20, Caroline Brotzge ’20, Tori Dillard ’17, Jackson Alford ’20, Lucie Thurman ’16, Jorge Florez ’14, Abby Patterson ’17, Christian Gateskill ’17, Lucy Yanckello ’17, Matt Hughes ’16, Will Maguire ’18, and Harrison Dunn ’18 3 The wedding of Eamon DeLay ’15 and Mary Ma-

loney: (front row, from left) Sarah Smith Roberts ’16, Gil Richards ’15, Wes Hardman ’15, Miles Hill ’15; (second row) Ward Roberts ’14, Crystal Montes ’13, Gwynne Rose Oser ’14; (back row) Rob Becker ’16, Drew Redmond ’14, Eamon, and John Wyatt ’15 4 Lex Ehrenschwender ’15 5 The wedding of Jack Harrison ’18 and Sidney

Spivey ’18: (from left) Clarence Lewis ’18, Erica Arbuckle ’18, EmKat Ford ’19, Alex Hesse ’18, Trevor Blair ’18, Austin Lotspeich ’18, Eli Kirk ’18, Sidney, Andrew Hay ’18, Jack, Dzeneta Velic ’18, Bryce Marshall ’18, Samantha McCutchan ’19, Colin Bradley ’18, Cara Barnett ’18, Ellen Stephens ’18, Carlos Hilander ’18, Mariah Creason, Emily Hagan ’19, Zack Korby ’18, and Chandler Sneed ’18 6 Andrew and Caroline Tyler Horn ’17 and ’17 with

baby Ada 7 Casey Bradley ’17 8 Tyler Seabolt ’18 9 Will Britt ’21

Centrepiece Spring 2022

FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS David Anderson (business and economics) had an article, “The Aggregate Cost of Crime in the United States,” published in the Journal of Law and Economics (University of Chicago Press, November 2021). The article estimates the total annual cost of crime, including such direct costs as law enforcement and indirect costs such as time lost to avoidance and recovery, to be $4.71-$5.76 trillion. With Mykol Hamilton (psychology), Gabrielle Gilkison ’22, and Skyler Palmer ’21, he had an article, “Gender Socialization, Family Leadership, and the Invisible Father in Children’s Literature,” in the Journal of Family Issues (December 2021). Their analysis of 200 top-selling children’s picture books showed that parenthood is the one role in which male characters rather than female characters are under-represented. Chelsea Ebin (politics) had an article, “Threats to Women/Women as Threats: Male Supremacy and the Anti-Statist Right,” in the journal Laws (May 2021). Sara Egge (history) published “Woman Suffrage and Ethnicity in Rural Minnesota” in Minnesota History (fall 2020) and “Responsible Citizens: Comparing Woman Suffrage in Arizona and South Dakota” in the Journal of Arizona History (summer 2020). Benjamin R. Knoll (politics) and Cammie Jo Bolin ’16 had a chapter, “Religious Communication and Persuasion,” published in Oxford Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion, (Paul A. Djupe, Mark J. Rozell, and Ted G. Jelen, eds., Oxford University Press, 2020). He and Matthew Baker ’16 had an article, “Politics at the Pulpit: Elite Religious Cues and Immigration Attitudes,” in Commonwealth Review of Political Science (2021). Nathan J. Meissner (anthropology) had an article, “The Porous Boundary: Comparing Late Postclassic-Early Colonial Maya Projectile Technologies across Peten and Belize,” in a special issue of Ancient Mesoamerica (Christina T. Halperin and Carolyn Freiwald, eds., 2020). Preston Miles ’70 (chemistry, emeritus) received the Sue Anne Salmon Community Advocacy

Centrepiece Spring 2022

Award in November, given by the Kentucky Resources Council, for his long commitment to sustainability (including his work while at Centre). Jamie Shenton (anthropology) had an article, “Divided We Tweet: The Social Media Poetics of Public Online Shaming,” in Cultural Dynamics (2020). Shana Sippy (religion) had an article, “Ambivalent Belonging in the Fields of Home,” in a special issue on India of Fieldwork in Religion (2020). William J. “Beau” Weston had an article, “Heroic Centrism in a Time of Polarization,” published by the Niskanen Center, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

TENURE AND PROMOTION The Centre Board of Trustees granted tenure and promotion to associate professor to 10 members of the faculty at its January meeting. The promotions go into effect in September. • Thomas Allen (computer science and data science) has a B.S. in information and computer science from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Kentucky. • Amanda Falk (biology) has a B.S. (honors) in biology from Lake Superior State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in geology from the University of Kansas. She was named a Centre Scholar in 2021. • Satty Flaherty-Echeverria (Spanish) has a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. • Amy Frederick (art history) has a B.A. in English and art history from Duke University and an M.A. in art history and museum studies and a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University. • Megs Gendreau (philosophy and environmental

studies) has a B.A. in humanities and social sciences from Hampshire College, an M.A. from the University of California-Santa Cruz, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of California-Riverside. • Karin Gill (behavioral neuroscience) has a B.S. in psychology from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and psychopharmacology from the University of Kentucky. • Chantell Limerick (Spanish) has a B.S. in secondary education language arts and secondary education Spanish from the University of Alabama, an M.A. in Hispanic studies from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. in romance languages from the University of Georgia. • Daniel Scott (chemistry) has a B.S. in chemistry from Georgetown College and a Ph.D. in bioanalytical chemistry from the University of Kentucky. • Robert Seebacher (music and director of instrumental programs) has a B.A. in music education from Youngstown State University, an M.M. in orchestral conducting from Bowling Green State University, and a D.M.A. in orchestral conducting from the University of Kentucky. • Shana Sippy (religion) has an A.B. in history and religion from Barnard College, an M.A. from Harvard Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Her book Diasporic Desires: Making Hindus and the Cultivation of Longing will be published by New York University Press in 2022.

RETIREMENTS Dana Bart, award-winning graphic designer for the Norton Center for the Arts, retired in November after more than 14 years at the College. Glenda Beaven retired in January as executive administrative assistant in the human resources department after nearly 24 years at the College. In 2002, she received a Centre Recognition Award.

IN MEMORIAM

Nelson D. Rodes ’54 Longtime Vice Chair of Centre Board Nelson D. Rodes Jr. ’54, lawyer, banker, farmer, and a member of the Centre trustee for more than four decades, died Dec. 1, 2021, in Louisville, where he had lived since 2018. He was 89. A Danville native, Rodes left town briefly to earn a law degree at Harvard followed by a short stint with the Army before returning home to practice law with Pierce Lively ’43. They worked together for 15 years before Lively was appointed to the Federal bench in 1972. “Pierce and I thought many times that we never had a serious disagreement on anything,” Rodes once recalled. “We had no written partnership agreement. It was just the two of us. It was a wonderful relationship.” Rodes continued to practice law for another eight years but without Lively, he once recalled, “It wasn’t as fun as it used to be.” When Farmers National Bank came calling, he switched careers. He was president of Farmers for 15 years before retiring completely in 1997. He was president of the Kentucky Bankers Association 1986-87. Over the years he was president of the Danville Chamber of Commerce, the Historical Society, and the Jaycees and chair of the Boyle County Public Library. A staunch Presbyterian and deacon, elder, and trustee in the church, he and Lively were instrumental in uniting First and Second Presbyterian in the 1970s. He was an indispensable resource to his alma mater, serving

as legal advisor and secretary of the board of trustees (then a nonvoting position) until he was elected to the board in 1978. He was vice chair from 1988 until 2006, when he became a life trustee. “Nelson Rodes was a consummate gentleman, who served the College for many years as a key member of Centre’s board,” says J. David Grissom ’60, Centre board chair for most of Rodes’ tenure as vice chair. “He was always generous with his wise counsel and his financial support of the College. He will be sorely missed by the entire Centre family.” Centre’s current board chair, Mark Nunnelly ’80, concurs. “Nelson was a giant in the life of the College,” he says. “His keen and curious mind as well as his kindness and warm spirit were appreciated by all who knew him.” Milton C. Moreland, Centre president since July 1, 2020, notes the lasting influence and legacy that Rodes left. “He was an inspiring role model and leader not just to the College, but to his beloved Danville community,” says Moreland. Rodes was named Outstanding Lawyer by the Kentucky Bar Association in 1981 and received the Kentucky Bar Center Award in 1988. He received an honorary degree from Centre at the 1999 Founders Day. “Nelson had an understated, winsome, comic side,” says Milton Reigelman, who first met Rodes as a young faculty member in the 1970s. He notes that Rodes was a “huge part” of what made Danville

and Centre so attractive. The Rodes family has a long connection to both Danville and the College. Members of his family have lived in the same house on the corner of Lexington and Third since 1848. His son and daughter-in-law live there now. His parents were Mary McDowell Rodes-1911 and longtime Centre trustee and treasurer Nelson D. Rodes Sr.-1907. Three of his four brothers attended Centre as did two of his children and two grandchildren. Rodes had been a member of the Danville Rotary Club since 1959 and the Danville Literary and Social Club (known as Anaconda) since 1960. He also enjoyed golf, tennis, skiing, summer vacations at Crystal Lake, Mich., and raising cattle on his farm in Danville. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Martha Butler Rodes ’55; their children, John Butler Rodes ’80 (wife, Julie Clemmens Rodes ’80), Charles H. Rodes, and Martha “Priss” Rodes Hovious ’88; six grandchildren, including Nelson D. Rodes IV ’08 (wife, Mary Jane Saunier Rodes ’07), and Mary Rodes ’15; and three great-grandsons. Also surviving is a brother, Charles O. Rodes. He was predeceased by a son, Nelson D. Rodes III; and three brothers, Clifton Rodes ’49, Robert Rodes ’51, and Joe Rodes ’53. —D.F.J.

Nelson D. Rodes ’54 served as legal advisor and secretary of the board of trustees before he was elected vice chair.

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IN MEMORIAM

1949

Margaret “Peggy” McLendon Bartley, 94, of Trinity, N.C., died April 19, 2021. She was a homemaker, a member of First Presbyterian Church of Bluefield, W.V., for more than 50 years, and later a member of Providence Wesleyan Church in High Point, N.C. She was an avid golfer, loved her garden, and enjoyed playing bridge. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Survivors include sons Mike Bartley and Charles Bartley and four grandchildren.

1950

The alumni office has learned of the death of Mary Lou Walker of Millbrook, N.Y., on June 6, 2019.

1953

Eleanor Rowe Taylor, 88, of Fort Pierce, Fla., died Oct. 8, 2021. She earned a master’s degree at the University of Florida. She taught science at Dan McCarty Middle School and later reading enrichment at Sungrove Montessori School. She had such a passion for dance that she opened her own business, Eleanor's Barre Wear, where she taught exercise classes. She later taught yoga. She and her late husband enjoyed traveling to the Bahamas and operated a charter sailing business on their sailboat, Wings. Survivors include her children, Tish Chapman and Thomas Taylor ’95; her sister, Mabel Lineberger; and four grandchildren.

1955

Patricia Perkins Lovington, 87, of Bluffton, S.C., died May 5, 2021. For most of her career she worked at the University of Memphis in career counseling. She was a lifelong member of Trinity Methodist church in Memphis. Survivors include her children, Pamela Rendfeld, Sharon Bellott Luck, and David Lovington; and eight grandchildren.

1956

The alumni office has learned of the death of Susan Burlingame Dosker of Louisville on Oct. 27, 2017.

1957

Ann Jennings Sly, 87, of Germantown, Md., died Nov. 10, 2021. She led the music with her husband at the organ or keyboard at Travilah Baptist Church for 41 years and previously led the music at Southern Baptist churches in South Dakota, California, and Louisiana. Survivors include her husband of 64 years, R. Michael Sly; daughters Terri Perper and Cindy Schattenfield; and six grandchildren.

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

1955

James H. Rucker, 88, of Cynthiana, Ky., died Jan. 27, 2022. He was a leader at the state and national level in the Presbyterian Church, having served as the United Presbyterian Church’s Stated Clerk for the Synod of Kentucky, as moderator of the Transylvania Presbytery, and as a member or chair of several national committees of the United Presbyterian Church. As a member of the General Assembly Council, he was part of a group of 50 church leaders who worked out the details of rejoining the northern and southern branches of the church that had split during the Civil War. A psychology major at Centre, he later earned a master’s in divinity at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He served half a dozen churches in Kentucky, then went west, where he led churches in New Mexico and Wyoming, before returning to Kentucky and a number of interim positions. “I enjoy what I do,” he once said. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s interesting to get to go places.” In 1999, he was named a Distinguished Alumnus. Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Margaret Kagin Rucker ’56; three children, Molly Rucker Hunt ’80, Julie Rucker Olt ’82, and James H. Rucker Jr. ’82; seven grandchildren, including Annie Maggard Thacker ’08, John Rucker ’12, and Katherine Rucker ’13; and Distinguished Alumnus eight great-grandchildren. Jim Rucker ’55

1958

The alumni office has learned of the death of Richard O’Neil of Maitland, Fla., on July 5, 2016.

1960

The alumni office has learned of the death of Irving Smith of Glassboro, N.J., on Jan. 10, 2018.

1961

The alumni office has learned of the death of Edwin Beresford Tutt of Frankfort, Ky., on Jan. 9, 2021.

1963

James Ashbrook Perkins, 80, of New Wilmington, Pa., died Jan. 27, 2022. He was professor emeritus at Westminster College, having retired from the English and public relations department in 2008. In addition to Centre, he held degrees from Miami University and the University of Tennessee. His edited books include volumes on Robert Penn Warren, Robert Drake, David Madden, and other Southern writers. In 2021, he published Black Jack Burden?—Night Thoughts on the Genetics of Race in Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. He also wrote poetry and short stories. He was a Fulbright senior lecturer at Seoul

National University in 1998, and Westminster College gave him its Distinguished Faculty Award in 2006. Survivors include his wife, Jane Allen; two sons, James Allen Perkins and Jeffrey Ashbrook Perkins; and two grandsons.

1964

H. Price Sewell III, 78, of Lexington, Ky., died June 27, 2021. He was a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and was a family practitioner in Jackson, Ky., for many years. He loved flying and was an instrument-rated pilot. In his retirement, he was an Alabama tree farmer and “The Compleat Angler” (after the book of the same title by Izaak Walton). Survivors include his wife, Betsy Sale Sewell ’64; children David Sewell and Elizabeth Pittman; three grandchildren; and his brother, Jim Sewell ’67. Sally Seibert Walters, 79, of Southgate, Ky., died Jan. 5, 2022. She began her career teaching at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Ky. While raising her children, she graduated from Chase College School of Law at Northern Kentucky University and earned a master of education at Xavier University. She had her own law firm for a few years before returning

IN MEMORIAM

to teaching at Highlands Middle School until her retirement in 2008. She loved teaching, as well as being the head coach for the Highlands varsity cheerleaders, who fondly called her “Big Sal.” She led them for more than 23 years, coaching three of her four children. She was a lifelong member of St. John’s United Church of Christ in Newport, where she sang in the choir. She also was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society for Women Educators. Survivors include her husband, Bob Walters; children Katie Walters ’92, Karalee Walters Massie ’96, Robbie Walters, and Kacie Walters Bryant; and 11 grandchildren.

1966

Mary Ann McKay Bruda, 76, of Jacksonville, Fla., died June 7, 2021. She had owned Sassafras, an Avondale, Fla., interior design and home accessories shop, and held a real estate license for 20 years. She was an avid gardener and loved to read. She was also an Honorary Kentucky Colonel. She was a past president of the PTA at Ortega Elementary School and a former member of the Altar Guild at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Survivors include two daughters, Lisabeth McClaskey Bruce and Katherine McClaskey Hatfield; siblings Penny McKay Updike and John Mitchell McKay; and five grandchildren.

1967

The alumni office has learned of the death of Cheryl Kottler Gray of Riverside, R.I., on May 9, 2019.

1968

The alumni office has learned of the death of Patricia Ponder Smith of Danville on Feb. 10, 2020.

1971

Laurel Purcell Garrity, 72, of St. Augustine, Fla., died Jan. 15, 2022. She was a retired administrative assistant. Survivors include her husband, Brad Garrity ’70, and children, Shannon and Patrick.

1972

The alumni office has learned of the death of Theodore Bickel of Fern Creek, Ky., on Aug. 11, 2017.

1982

Ray M. Edwards, 60, of Lexington, Ky., passed away unexpectedly on April 15, 2021. A consummate salesman, he had recently launched a second career as a voice-over artist and spokesperson, a vocation that perfectly suited his warm and congenial

manner. Ray was a proud father and grandfather and a friend to all. He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and the glue that held so many friendships together for years. In addition to his son, Ryan, and his grandson, Blake, he is survived by his mother and stepfather, Lolly and Jim Harris, his sister, Laura Brooks, and his loving partner, Kathy Hager.

2000

Allison Hoffert Faith, 43, of Corydon, Ind., died Dec. 17, 2021. She was an English teacher at Corydon Central High School and served as the National Honor Society sponsor. She earned master’s degrees in English and education at the University of Louisville. She was a fan of both the Kentucky Wildcats basketball and the Cincinnati Reds. She especially cherished discussing the results of each game with her father. Survivors include her husband, Matthew; children Nathan and Madeline; her parents, John and Kim Hoffert; her sister, Meagan Krift; and her dog, River.

FRIENDS Richard “Dick” Burchett, 82, of Lexington, Ky., died Nov. 23, 2021. He had owned Gwinn Island Marina and later worked at John’s Run/ Walk Shop. An enthusiastic runner and cyclist, he coached the Centre cross-country team 1985-90 to several conference championships. Survivors include his wife, Leslie; two daughters, Kris Burchett and Kerrin Omer; four stepchildren, Paige Davis, John Patterson, Julie Spittler, and Lucy Vose; and grandchildren. J.P. Brantley, 81, of Danville died Jan. 26, 2022. He taught music at Centre from 1974 to 1991. “He never lost his sweetness, his sense of humor, and his deep affinity and love for music,” said his former colleague Barbara Hall, Stodghill Professor Emerita of Music. He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Jane Brantley; his children, Christopher Brantley and Elizabeth Brantley Lau; a brother, Daniel Brantley; and grandchildren and godchildren. Anne Lubbers, who taught biology at Centre for 28 years, died March 4, 2022, at press time. She was to have retired in May. A more complete obituary is on Centre’s website, and a version will also run in the summer Centrepiece. Her love for the natural world stemmed from early walks in the woods near her Wisconsin home with her siblings. Among her proudest accomplishments at Centre was her work on

Anne Lubbers the development of the environmental studies minor, now the ENS major. She was also on the committee that developed Centre’s natural science curriculum, and she taught NSC courses for years. In the classroom, her passion for the natural world was contagious. Among the many tributes to her that came in after her death, was this from Cristin Palmer Rieskamp ’15: “Josh [’15] and I had BIO 110 with her our first year at Centre. One of our fondest memories is that during one lecture she got really excited about hornworts, and she did this cute little dance when she described finding them. It was so pure.” Survivors include her mother, Pat Lubbers, and her siblings, Jane Michalski, Julie Lubbers, and John Lubbers. Truly Brown Mount, 84, died Feb. 3, 2022. She taught French at Centre for about 20 years, retiring in 2001. She also taught French at Danville High School and elsewhere. She discovered her love of French language and culture at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), where she met her husband, Eric Mount, Rodes Professor Emeritus of Religion. The two led the Centre-in-Strasbourg program three times and a January-term program in Strasbourg and Switzerland, as well as alumni trips to France and Scotland. In all she went to France 29 times. She was a devoted Presbyterian, Democrat, Francophile, and volunteer. In addition to her husband of 63 years, she is survived by four daughters, Diane Mount Nisbet, Laurie Mount Grimes, Marcia Mount Shoop ’91, and Mary Faith Mount-Cors; and 10 grandchildren, including Will Nisbet ’13, Matthew Nisbet ’16, and Sarah Nisbet ’18. She was predeceased in death by a daughter, Allison.

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ENDPIECE

Ceramics Gave Me My Start by KRISTIN COLEMAN Mc GINLEY ’00

I’m training a new team member at work. He’s told me that he wants to learn as much as he can from me so he can have a successful career like mine. This makes me laugh. I write about mutual funds for a living. Do you remember the old 1980s commercial with the line, “No one ever says, ‘I want to be a junkie when I grow up’”? You could say the same thing about investment writing. But I like what I do and where my career has taken me. Centre was central to my professional journey, but not in the way you might think. Sure, my economics degree has been useful. But ceramics classes were what opened the door to a career in financial services. When I graduated from Centre, I moved to a town far away from home and needed to find a job quickly. I took the leather folio I’d been given as a graduation gift and handed out my resume to every bank in town. In late summer, I got a job working as a bank teller. To say it wasn’t the best fit would be an understatement. One of my responsibilities was calling customers—first thing in the morning—to tell them about their bounced checks and overdraft fees. How I dreaded making those calls! And I hated the parade of cars at the drive-through windows, the frustration of waiting customers, and the boredom of account forms and other paperwork. One day when I was walking around town, I saw a ceramics studio offering evening classes. When I looked at the class schedule back at my apartment, I was both excited and nervous. It was an extra expense, and I didn’t have much in savings. But I remembered how much I loved my two semesters of ceramics at Centre, so I signed up for a weekly session. I looked forward to my ceramics class each Thursday. It let me forget the stress and monotony of my job for a little while and enjoy creating with my fellow classmates. As all of us

Centrepiece Spring 2022

were working on our projects one night, someone asked about work. I told them I wished I could find something different that would allow me to put my economics degree to good use. As I was leaving the studio, a woman from my class stopped me. She gave me her phone number and said, “I work in sales at an investment company. We’re looking for a research analyst, and I think you’d be a great fit. Give me a call, and I’ll tell you all about it.” I called her the next day to find out more about the position, making sure to take careful notes so I’d be prepared if I was offered an interview. I got the job just before Christmas. With it came a large oak desk in a beautiful old brick building, a pay increase, and better hours. Later, I obtained my Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Series 7 and 63 licenses and began studying for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) exams, which I would eventually pass. These became the building blocks for my career.

I’ve kept the same leather folio from when I graduated, and to this day I keep the phone number from the woman in my ceramics class tucked inside. I’ve held many different positions in the investment industry thus far, but I don’t know if any of it would have been possible if I hadn’t taken that ceramics class so many years ago. What I do know is that I feel very lucky to have attended Centre, where I could study arts and humanities alongside economics and math. All of these helped me become who I am today, both personally and professionally. Kristin Coleman McGinley ’00 lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. When she isn’t writing about mutual funds, she enjoys running, sewing, and gardening.

SUPPORTING SPECIAL PLACES

“I think special places in one’s life deserve ongoing support,” says Sheila Burks ’75. It’s why she not only gives generously each year to Centre but also has made provisions in her estate plans to help secure the College’s future. Burks credits Centre with launching her into a career she has enjoyed and for enhancing her adult life. “Centre provided me with an educational foundation that was rigorous and flexible enough to give me options,” she says. Her professors took a deep interest in her and remained caring and helpful resources long after college. And she found Centre a rich environment, citing the convocation series and the Norton Center, in particular, as instrumental in her development. “I was a sponge, like a kid in a cookie jar,” she says. Now in-house counsel to a multinational corporation in the Atlanta area—and a member of the Centre Board of Trustees—she believes her gifts to the College are about more than just the dollars. “I think giving to Centre has a significant impact that reverberates in and outside of Kentucky,” she says. “It’s my way of paying it forward in Kentucky, even though I don’t live there anymore.” It’s also a way to honor her parents, who valued education. “I stand on their shoulders,” she says. “Any money I give is much more theirs than it is mine or my children’s.” Burks is smart about her giving, too. She included Centre as a beneficiary of her 401k, a method that optimizes her gift and minimizes taxes on her estate. Now that her children are grown and on their own, she says that she feels comfortable including Centre in her estate. “Even if you can’t leave a huge amount, it is still worth giving back,” she says. “It is just the right thing to do for all Centre means to me.”

To learn how you can make a similar investment in the lives of Centre students and faculty, please contact Jamey Leahey ’92 at 859.238.5224 or jamey.leahey@centre.edu. More information on ways to include Centre in your estate plans is at http://plannedgiving.centre.edu.

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