Centralight Summer 2019, Central Michigan University

President Robert O. Davies is quickly becoming a familiar face on CMU’s campus

Centralight Summer 2019

+ FEATURES 10

Cover story

PHOTO BY MACKENZIE

BROCKMAN

Career connections

CMU President Robert O. Davies makes a habit of walking around campus, shaking hands and introducing himself to people.

He puts students first, and he knows the value of celebrating success. Read more about him on Page 7.

CMU is fired up about career development. The Career Development Center and Office of Business Engagement strengthen important networking connections. Large companies deploy their own Chippewa staffers to recruit new employees, and faculty help students navigate the job hunt. If you’re looking for a career, start with your alumni network.

COVER PHOTO BY STEVE JESSMORE/STEVE JESSMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

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CMU’s recreation alumni create a large network Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration faculty member Tim Otteman spent spring break on a nine-city, 10-day cross-country trip to visit alumni working in recreation. His “Best of the Best Recreation and Event Management Industry Tour” checked in with nine CMU grads selected from 51 applicants in 15 states, and he posted his adventures for social media followers.

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Executive Editor and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Marcie Otteman Grawburg, ’87 Editor

Betsy Miner-Swartz, ’86 Managing Editor

Robin Miner-Swartz Graphic Designer Nate Jones, ’10

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Helping the Chibok Girls heal

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10 within 10

Photographer

Steve Jessmore, ’81 Writers

Terri Finch Hamilton, ’83 Robin Miner-Swartz Research Associate Bryan Whitledge Editorial Assistants Vicki Begres, ’89; Lori Conroy Vice President for Advancement Michael Alford, interim Associate Vice President of University Communications Sherry Knight, ’86 For advertising information Call Cindy Jacobs, ’93 (800) 358-6903

Stay connected Send change of address information to: Alumni Relations Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Phone: (800) 358-6903 Fax: (989) 774-7159

CMU alumna Somiari Fubara Demm is an international mental health consultant and trauma specialist working with some of the young women who survived kidnapping by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria.

10 young CMU alumni are making strides to transform their communities and workplaces in their first decade after graduation.

Email: alumni@cmich.edu Web: cmich.edu/alumni/Centralight

+ DEPARTMENTS Body contains 30% post-consumer waste

3 Calendar of Events There are lots of ways to connect with fellow Chippewas across the country throughout the year.

34 Alumni News Cheering Chippewas make sure veterans receive a warm welcome to visit D.C. war memorials.

4 CMU Today CMU celebrates 25 years of reaching students through charter public schools.

38 In Memory 40 Do You Remember

Centralight is published three times each year by the Central Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations. It is printed by Quad/Graphics, Midland, and entered at the Midland Post Office under nonprofit mailing. CMU, an AA/EO institution, provides equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). Copies of Centralight are distributed to alumni and friends of the university who are paid Gold Members or donors to CMU. A virtual edition of the magazine is available free online at alumni.cmich.edu/centralight. UComm 10044–21,700+ (5/19)

CentralightSummer Winter’19 ’18 Centralight

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Your

DENty GOLOpportuni MEMORIES and FRIENDS

The

you share with your alma mater didn’t end with graduation.

Continue to make new ones!

Become a

Gold Member of the CMU Alumni Association today! cmich.edu/alumni

Keep the old, and bring the

GOLD!

CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9794 - 2017

CHIPPEWA PRIDE TRAVELS FAR AND WIDE

CMU alumni and fans are everywhere we go “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” — Mark Twain I recently returned from back-to-back trips that reminded me just how broad our alumni reach is. In Florida, I connected with alumni in The Villages and the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. At a Detroit Tigers spring training game, I chatted with CMU alumni including Ron Myers, ’80, Lakeland Tigers vice president, and nearly 100 alumni there. And I enjoyed time with another 60 alumni at our annual golf outing in The Villages.

Marcie Otteman Grawburg, ’87, Executive Director of Alumni Relations

A week later, I headed to New York City. I got the chance to visit past 10 within 10 alumni award winner Jenny Robertson, ’08, who gave me a tour of the iconic Rainbow Room at the top of 30 Rockefeller Center. Jenny coordinates corporate events there, with one of the best views in the city.

At the NYC Hard Rock Café, a salesperson asked where I was from, and when I said Michigan, she asked if I had heard of Central Michigan University and Mount Pleasant.

Her brother moved to Michigan to go to school here.

I love that wherever my travels take me, I know I’ll cross paths with people who share a connection to CMU. As commencement season is upon us, I’m thinking of all the high school seniors and transfer students who soon will head to Mount Pleasant to begin their journey.

And I’m thinking of all our new graduates who are heading out to put their stamp on the world, their communities and their workplaces with the spirit of CMU in their hearts and minds.

Travel is indeed fatal to prejudice. Best of luck to all on their journeys. And wherever your road takes you, remember you always have a home here with your Chippewa family.

Forever maroon and gold,

+ CALENDAR JUNE

18-20

Grandparents University, Mount Pleasant

JULY

15

Grand Traverse Scholarship Golf Outing, Traverse City

20

CMU Night at Comerica Park, Detroit

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Michigan’s Adventure, Muskegon

AUGUST

24

CMU Night at Chicago Cubs, Chicago, Illinois

OCTOBER

12

Homecoming vs.

New Mexico State, Mount Pleasant

25-27

Mackinac Island alumni weekend, Mackinac Island

PHOTO BY BRIANNA

HUGES

This is a small sampling of the many alumni events.

Please visit alumni.cmich.edu for a comprehensive list.

Correction: In the Winter 2018 issue of Centralight, Nina NashRobertson’s name was misspelled in a caption on page 14. We apologize for the error.

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CMU TODAY Meteorite makes fresh impact Smithsonian geologist who confirmed discovery at Central Michigan draws a curious crowd Before a standing room-only crowd in Park Library, Central Michigan University earth and atmospheric sciences faculty member Mona Sirbescu welcomed a guest of honor.

“Thank you so much for traveling all over from the asteroid belt to be with us on Planet Earth,” she said with a smile to the Edmore meteorite, the former doorstop she famously identified in 2018 as a rock from outer space.

LEARN MORE

The 22-pound chunk of iron and nickel rested on a cart in front of her on the Opperman Auditorium stage. It shared top billing with the event’s flesh-andblood star: geologist Catherine Corrigan, curator of Antarctic meteorites at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

A Michigan native and onetime CMU instructor, Corrigan helped authenticate and analyze the Edmore meteorite in Washington, D.C., after Sirbescu sent her a slice of the rock. Her visit this spring was her first chance to see the entire meteorite in person.

Corrigan told the crowd how meteorites offer clues to the formation of the solar system. She also shared her experiences collecting hundreds of samples near the South Pole through the Antarctic Search for Meteorites program.

LEARN MORE

CMU celebrates 25 years of reaching students through charter public schools In 1994, Central Michigan became the first university in the nation to authorize a charter public school. For the past 25 years, CMU has been a leader in the quest to ensure every child in Michigan has access to an innovative, high-quality public school education. Central has connected students with specialized learning opportunities with passionate public school teachers using approaches and environments as unique as the children they’re educating.

As the university commemorates this quarter-century milestone, you can learn more about how CMU alumni are involved in these dynamic schools. Read their stories at www.TheCenterForCharters.org/25Years. •

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The meteorite’s owner, David Mazurek, from Grand Rapids, took the rock to Sirbescu for analysis last year and learned it could be worth tens of thousands of dollars to a museum or collector. •

Advancement VP Martin retiring Successful fundraising campaign wraps up; search for replacement begins Robert Martin, CMU’s vice president for advancement, will retire June 30 with the successful conclusion of the Fire Up for Excellence campaign.

WCMU’s Adam Miedema (from left), Stefanie Mills, Matthew Ozanich, Chris Ogozaly and Steven Smith

The campaign surpassed its $100 million goal more than three years ahead of schedule.

“I have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of others,” Martin said. “The work we have done through the Fire Up for Excellence campaign will positively change the lives of thousands of students and families for generations to come. I am honored to have been a CMU Chippewa.”

Martin joined CMU in February 2016. Since then, the university set new records for the most donors, largest gifts, largest Day of Giving events, and highest percentage of faculty and staff giving.

Of the more than $103 million raised, 82% supports academics and 18% supports student-athletes.

The campaign included 165 new endowments and naming opportunities.

“We have changed the culture of philanthropy at CMU,” Martin said. “The advancement team, our alumni and President-emeritus (George E.) Ross combined to make this a phenomenally successful campaign. It has been a tremendous honor to work beside each of them.”

Martin also held senior leadership roles in advancement at Eastern Illinois University, Auburn University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He raised more than $2.3 billion during his career.

CM Life, WCMU earn more top honors CMU’s student media company wins sixth consecutive national award; public TV and radio collect six trophies Central Michigan Life was named College Media Company of the Year by the College Media Business and Advertising Managers organization at the 2019 National College Journalism Convention in La Jolla, California.

This was the sixth consecutive year CM Life earned the top award.

“It is an honor to be recognized among so many other successful student media companies,” said Kathy Simon, assistant director of student media at CMU. “It validates to our students that they are doing outstanding work.”

CM Life took home 23 awards, including: • College Media Company of the Year.

• First Place: Best College Media Design Program.

• First Place: Best College Media Sales Program.

• First Place: Best Sales Proposal.

• First Place: Best Innovative New Idea.

• First Place: Best Training Program.

• First Place: Best Social Media Strategy.

• First Place: Best Guerrilla Marketing Strategy.

He is now turning his attention to family, including three grandchildren.

CM Life received second place, third place and honorable mention in 14 other design, sales, marketing and multimedia categories.

CMU President Robert O. Davies appointed athletic director Michael Alford to lead the university’s advancement and alumni relations division in the interim. Alford, who joined CMU in 2017, has extensive fundraising experience and a successful history of engaging external audiences.

On the TV and radio side, the Michigan Association of Broadcasters recognized WCMU Public Media programming with six MAB Broadcast Excellence Awards for outstanding programming at its annual meeting earlier this year.

Alford and Dave Keilitz, chair of CMU’s advancement board, are co-chairing the search committee. •

Four of WCMU Public Media’s television programs received awards: “Destination Michigan,” “Destination Michigan Pledge Special,” “Native American Stories” and “WCMU in the Community.”

WCMU Public Media also earned awards for its radio program “Michigan Politics” and its coverage of PFAS contamination in Michigan. • Centralight Summer ’19

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Star teacher casts his spell Education alum ‘Mr. D’ brings his positive message to campus Before fifth grade teacher and spelling test prankster Joe Dombrowski graduated from Central Michigan University in 2012, no one could have known the viral fame that lay in his future — or how he would parlay it into even greater success.

Returning from Seattle to CMU to catch up with his professors and mentors is special, Dombrowski said, but travel is nothing new: He tours the country as both a motivational speaker and a stand-up comic (he got his start in comedy with CMU’s Trap Door Improv).

But he limits his touring to weekends, at least during the school year.

“On top of all the comedy and everything I’m doing, I’m still a fifth grade teacher,” he said.

Wherever he goes, Dombrowski stresses the importance of quality — and authentic — teaching.

“I keep it so real,” he said. “I push the teachers to be their true selves.

Kids can smell fake.”

Earlier this year, undergraduate honorary society Kappa Delta Pi and the College of Education and Human Services brought Dombrowski — now widely known as “Mr. D” — to campus for his second visit since he first gained internet fame in 2017.

That happened when Dombrowski recorded his Royal Oak, Michigan, fifth graders taking a pop spelling quiz of words he had made up for April Fool’s Day. The video of his baffled students slowly catching on quickly tallied millions of YouTube views. Watch it here: cmich. ly/2UmzdCk. “When that took off, it really opened up a lot of doors,” he said.

One of those doors was to “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” where Dombrowski appeared as a guest and received gifts of $20,000 for himself and his elementary school. See that appearance here: cmich.ly/2Uyqayo. •

Match Day aligns with CMU’s College of Medicine mission Seven in 10 medical students chose primary care for residency; 45% will serve in Michigan Cheers, hugs and sighs of relief erupted this spring as students in the Class of 2019 from Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine discovered where they “matched” into residency programs across the nation.

This year, 71% of the class matched specifically into primary care residencies, and 45% matched to programs in Michigan. Three students matched into military residencies, two in the Army and one in the Navy.

“To have such high percentages of our students match into Michigan residencies is evidence that we are staying true to our mission of preparing physicians to serve in rural and medically underserved regions of Michigan,” said Dr. George Kikano, dean of the CMU College of Medicine.

The matches are determined by a computerized mathematical algorithm used by the National Resident Matching Program to align the specialty and location requests of students with the preferences of program directors at U.S. teaching hospitals. The organization estimated the 2019 match to be the largest ever, exceeding the more than 43,000 applicants who registered for the 2018 match and the more than 33,000 residency positions. • LEARN MORE

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Bob! Hi,

On one of his first days on campus as CMU’s new president, Robert O. Davies was in line at Starbucks, shaking students’ hands.

“Hi,” he said, over and over again. “I’m Bob.”

People were perplexed. Who’s this Bob guy?

Five months later, he was in line at Starbucks again, with Tricia Keith, CMU Board of Trustees chair.

“She said, ‘This time they didn’t have to ask your name to put on the cup,’” Davies said. He laughed.

“The word is out.”

The word is out because Davies is everywhere.

Ever since stepping onto campus last September as CMU’s 15th president, he’s been eating lunch with students in dining halls, visiting faculty in their offices and hosting student leaders for dinner at his house.

CMU’s new president is student-focused, omnipresent and fired up

BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83 PHOTO BY STEVE

JESSMORE/STEVE JESSMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

LEARN MORE

“I think we asked the Energizer Bunny to be president of CMU,” Richard Studley, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, quipped at Davies’ Investiture ceremony in March.

Davies calls his frequent forays around campus his “walkabouts.”

“It’s important to be visible on campus,” Davies said. “By being accessible, by having what I call ‘constant conversations,’ I have a better hand on the pulse of the university.

“I want to get to know them and let them get to know me — not just as the university president, but as a person,” he said. “Everything is based on relationships.”

“He’s come to campus and been embraced,” Keith said. “And he embraced us, too.” >

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‘We need to be bold’ Certain words pop up often as Davies talks: Bold. Flexible.

Innovative. Adaptable. Rigorous. Relevant. Put them all together and you get a sense of his plan for CMU’s future, from attracting more students to boosting research to positioning an already exemplary school in the national and international spotlight.

In his first few months on campus, he faced some serious issues.

Racial hate comments were scrawled on a student’s residence hall whiteboard. Sexual assault survivors brought the issue of sexual violence on campus to the forefront. Enrollment figures showed a continuing decline.

Davies took on the issues, writing heartfelt, bold letters to the campus community sharing his action plans.

He appointed a Presidential Title IX Advisory Board to address sexual assault, including training, education, support services, prevention programming and resources.

He wrote a comprehensive letter to the campus community about declining enrollment, suggesting a host of strategies.

That’s what CMU needs, said Keith, ’93, who led the presidential search committee.

“Transparency at all levels was incredibly important to us,” she said. That’s one reason the committee selected Davies.

“We have to be clear and concise about the issues the university is facing,” Keith said. “You can’t not talk about them because they’re uncomfortable.

“There will always be challenges,” she continued. “What matters is how they’re handled. He starts with a fact base, communicates openly, brings people together, listens to many perspectives.”

In his letter about declining enrollment, Davies asked for those “many perspectives.”

“I asked people, bluntly, to give me their ideas,” he said.

More than 100 responses rolled in, and they keep coming.

“That’s a sign we have a healthy community,” Davies said.

“They aren’t pulling any punches. They’re not being Midwest nice. They say, ‘Here’s what we’re doing wrong and here’s what we need to do.’

“We’re dealing with some difficult issues, at Central Michigan and across the country,” Davies said.

“We will confront the brutal facts,” he said. “We won’t hide them or sugar coat them. It’s a difficult time. We need to be bold.”

PHOTO BY ADA M

‘An exciting new day on campus’

“I love it,” he said.

SPAR KES PHOTO BY ST

President Robert O. Davies:

Every day is Everybody talks about Davies’ warmth, humor and positive energy.

Here’s a glimpse of the head guy in the CMU tie.

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‘fantastic’

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PHOTO BY STEV E

+ At CMU’s December commencement, Davies shook hands with every graduate — more than 2,000 of them.

+ When a student at commencement requested Davies “floss,” a popular dance move, he obliged.

“I’ve never seen that before,” said Bradley Swanson, biology professor and chair of the Academic Senate.

“He pulled out dental floss,” said Abbey Claes, a student assistant in Davies’ office. “He’s hilarious.”

“It was really impressive.”

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So does Bradley Swanson, biology professor and chair of the Academic Senate.

Abbey Claes, an Escanaba junior, works as a student assistant in Davies’ office, so she sees him more than most students.

“Bob is being incredibly proactive,” Swanson said. “He doesn’t think all decisions and answers have to come from the administration.

“Every time you have an exam or a job interview, he doesn’t say, ‘Good luck’ — he says, ‘When you get 100 percent,’ or ‘When you get the job,’” Claes said. “It’s like he believes in every CMU student here.”

“He’s one of the most personable presidents I’ve known,” he said, describing Davies’ enthusiasm as infectious.

Davies smiles and laughs a lot, Claes said, but when weighty issues arise, “He puts his more serious face on. He involves who needs to be involved and gets their opinions, which I think is important. His main focus is always the students.”

“I look forward to a change in atmosphere — a friendlier, happier, more upbeat campus,” Swanson said. “It’s an exciting new day on the CMU campus with him.”

Davies knew the right way to holler “Fire Up Chips!” from his very first press conference. He was loud and proud.

‘He makes students feel important’

“It’s not just a rallying cry of CMU pride,” Davies said. “It’s about this amazing passion. If you put any obstacle in front of us, we’ll overcome it.”

Jake Hendricks, president of the Student Government Association, meets monthly with Davies.

“He’s open and willing to talk about the things we care about,” said Hendricks, a Traverse City junior. He said students appreciated Davies’ letter addressing sexual assault on campus published in Central Michigan Life.

He was wearing his CMU tie, of course, because it was Fire Up Friday.

“I’m the eternal optimist,” Davies said. “The best days of Central Michigan are ahead of us.”

“That not only showed he cares about students, but he used a student resource to reach out to us,” Hendricks said. “He really connects to students on a personal level.

“He makes students feel important,” he said. “I’m a big fan.”

PHOTO BY MAC KEN

+ Faculty tenure letters are typically sent through campus mail, but Davies hand-delivered them, popping into professors’ classrooms and presenting them in front of their students.

“This is a pinnacle moment in their careers,” Davies said. “I wanted to take a brief moment to celebrate with them.”

Getting the letter in the mail and opening it by yourself isn’t much fun. This was fun. (Related fact: One of Davies’ childhood cats was named Tenure.)

ZIE BRO CKM AN

+ When Student Government Association President Jake Hendricks walked across campus with Davies to grab lunch, “He shook every student’s hand on the way over there,” Hendricks said.

“When he saw a guy wearing a University of Michigan shirt, he said, ‘Come to my office and I’ll give you a new shirt so you don’t have to wear that.’”

VE JESSM OR E/ Y E PH OTOG RA PH

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+ Davies tucked his business card on the windshield of a car at the airport when he noticed it had a CMU alumni license plate. + Ask Davies how his day is going, and he answers, “Fantastic!” Every time. •

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Meet the

career starters CMU alumni highlight the power of ‘who you know’

Some of Michigan’s biggest employers have Chippewas working within their ranks, part of a powerful career pipeline enthusiastic about hiring fellow CMU alumni.

Top brass at Ford Motor Co., DTE Energy and Quicken Loans host student tours, foster internships and hand over their phone numbers, inviting students to call.

Back on campus, career development pros are working all the angles, connecting students with promising internships and great jobs through relationships with alumni in the field.

And professors are serving up their own brand of career prep, coaching students for life beyond CMU. The lessons? Be nice. Speak with a strong voice. Dress well. Believe in yourself.

When it comes to career development, CMU is fired up.

TEXT BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON, ’83 PHOTOS BY STEVE JESSMORE/ STEVE JESSMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

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DTE Energy: Harnessing the power of CMU alumni Bob Richard had a lightbulb moment.

The senior vice president at DTE Energy in Detroit was thinking about how the burgeoning energy industry needs workers.

CMU students want to graduate with jobs.

Gina Tate-Johnson, M.A. ’08

Richard’s daughter, Kayla McClung, ’16, is an alum. And while Richard isn’t one himself, he does sit on CMU’s engineering advisory committee. And his wife, Dina, is on Central’s Advancement Board.

Hmmm.

To be upfront, there’s definitely something in it for DTE Energy.

When he discovered 180 CMU alumni already were working at DTE, he emailed them. How about joining a CMU alumni steering committee to start forging relationships with students?

“Our demographics are startling,” Richard said. “Thirty percent of our employees will be retiring in the next five years. Michigan is starved for people in technology and engineering.

They loved it.

“This is an industry that hasn’t been thought of as cool,” he said. “But it is.”

Think solar and wind power. Metering technology. Smart grids. 3D mapping.

Robots. Drones.

He wants CMU students to see it all.

And those 180 Chippewas on staff are the perfect tour guides.

“Anytime a young person knows a person at a company, it absolutely gives them a leg up in employment,” Richard said. “This can be a really cool journey alumni can go on with students.”

Gina Tate-Johnson, M.A. ’08, couldn’t wait.

She led a tour of DTE for a CMU engineering class, happily connecting students to DTE employees who showed off careers in everything from safety to social media.

After the tour, students eagerly shared their résumés.

“They were face to face with the movers and shakers who could help them,” said Tate-Johnson, senior project controls specialist.

She’s excited about the possibilities.

“We want to attract graduates before they’re even graduates,” she said. “I want to do whatever I can to put them face to face with people here. Pique their interest.

Attract them to this great company.”

Come on over, she said.

“I want to keep the momentum going.” >

Bob Richard

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Quicken Loans: Lending alumni connections There are so many alumni working at Quicken Loans — 550 — that they have company events just for Chips.

Want to make it 551? 552? Talk to Buddy Henika, ’14.

“I was hired by a CMU alum, and they were hired by a CMU alum,” said Henika, senior university relations manager at Quicken Loans.

He wants to keep it going.

Henika brings alumni back to the CMU campus to tell students about job opportunities at Quicken Loans.

He visits classrooms, attends CMU career fairs and hosts career development events off campus.

He helped host a unique event at his company for students who weren’t even Chippewas yet, showcasing the strong partnership between Quicken Loans and CMU. The audience: students who were accepted to CMU but hadn’t yet committed to attending.

The goal: convince them that CMU business partnerships are so strong, they’ll have no trouble landing a job after graduation.

“We wanted to show them the great opportunities at Central before they even step foot on campus,” said Henika, who won an award for his work from the Michigan Career Educator and Employer Alliance.

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A Quicken Loans vice president shared his path from CMU to the company.

A panel of recent CMU grads talked about their internships and jobs there.

Alumni handed out their business cards — and more.

“It was very impressive,” said Lee Furbeck, executive director of admissions at CMU and a co-host of the event. “A Quicken Loans vice president and CMU alum gave out his personal number. He said, ‘Do you want to know what it’s like to work here? Hear about internship possibilities? Call me. Put my number in your phones right now.’”

Across the street at CMU’s Detroit office, faculty and staff answered questions and happily accepted deposits from students ready to become Chippewas.

“Outcomes are important to students and families,” Furbeck said. “We showed them, ‘Look what our students are going on to do. They have these great careers that started with internships they had as CMU students. Look, Mom and Dad — they won’t be living in your basement, unemployed. They’ll be able to make a living for themselves.’”

That’s a big comfort, Henika said.

“The reason we go to college is to get a job,” he said. “They left with a sense of comfort that, yes, this is the right school to help me do that.” >

Buddy Henika (bottom right), senior university relations manager at Quicken Loans, organizes events for Chippewas to learn about opportunities his company offers to CMU grads.

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Professor John Nichol: Teaching what it takes Not all career development happens on a bus tour to DTE or an event at Quicken Loans.

Some happen in John Nichol’s music classroom — and have nothing to do with mastering the saxophone.

“After 38 years of teaching, I’ve learned what it takes to make it in the profession,” said Nichol, a saxophone professor.

“Be kind. Be understanding. Write thank-you notes. If someone else wins the competition, walk up and say congratulations.

Don’t be negative. Know when to shut up. Speak with a strong voice. Dress well. Shake hands. Believe in yourself.”

All of this is just as important as the musical training, he said.

“That helps them get the job.”

Nichol took a group of students to Italy for a music camp, then they performed in Croatia at the world saxophone Congress, the greatest gathering of classical and jazz saxophonists in the world.

That kind of experience changes students, he said.

Back on campus, he conducts mock job interviews with students. He reviews their résumés and CVs. He directs them where to audition.

Along the way, he dispenses tips — a sort of “pre-professional training program,” he said.

“Look at me, don’t look down,” he said. “Keep smiling.

Little things like that.

“I’m no counselor,” he said with a laugh, “but I try to guide them.”

Many of his students go on to be music educators, teaching in elementary, middle and high schools. Some earn advanced degrees and teach in higher education.

Nichol stays connected to band directors so he can recommend students for jobs. He writes countless letters of recommendation.

And the students land jobs.

“You might have to start at a small school,” he said. “But after you have four or five years of experience, you’re highly desirable and hireable.

“Maybe they won’t all go into music,” he said. “That’s OK. I just want them to be happy and successful.” >

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CMU’s Office of Business Engagement: Opening doors to the big time Last fall, Rob VanDorin took a busload of 50 CMU students to three Ford Motor Co. locations, including its impressive new Advanced Manufacturing Center not yet open to the public.

The $45 million complex in suburban Detroit is packed with the latest wow-inspiring tech — 3D printers, collaborative robots and augmented reality simulators.

“We were the very first school to get a tour,” said VanDorin, director of CMU’s Office of Business Engagement.

Their connection? Gary Johnson, Ford’s group vice president of manufacturing and labor affairs, who oversees the global operations of every Ford assembly, stamping and powertrain plant around the world.

He’s kind of a big deal.

And Johnson graduated from CMU. “We asked Gary, and Gary said, ‘Let’s do it,’” VanDorin said.

“That doesn’t happen with cold calling. Alumni relationships open doors for us.

“You know that old saying it’s who you know? You have to have the right skills and knowledge first,” VanDorin said. “Our faculty do a great job of teaching students what they need to know.

Then my office can open doors to who you need to know.”

Those doors are open at some impressive companies.

CMU has great partnerships with Ford, General Motors, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Consumers Energy, Quicken Loans, DTE Energy and more, VanDorin said — all because of alumni connections.

Rob VanDorin

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“Alumni are absolutely vital to this,” VanDorin said. “We can connect to people in human resources at a company and get a posting on a job board. But a job board is not a relationship. You need a champion on the inside to fight for you when you’re competing against dozens of other universities who also want opportunities for their students.”

He tells of a recent CMU grad who works in logistics at Gordon Food Service in Grand Rapids. He called VanDorin because his boss said he wants more employees like him — but CMU isn’t on the company’s radar. He thought it should be.

“If I knocked on the door at Gordon’s they might say, ‘We already have relationships with 13 other universities.

Thanks, and have a nice day.’ But having alumni inside can make a world of difference,” VanDorin said.

“My No. 1 goal is student success — anything that drives toward them getting a career,” he said. “That starts with relationships.”

It doesn’t have to be a huge company.

“Everyone has their right fit,” VanDorin said. “Not every student wants to work at a major corporation. If you’re a shop of 50, we still want to have a relationship with you.”

Partnering with CMU students or faculty can help a smaller company with fewer resources complete projects they couldn’t do otherwise.

“If you think there’s an opportunity for CMU and your company to have a relationship, I’d love to hear from you,” VanDorin said.

Career Development Center: Use it for a lifetime Maybe your favorite Central hoodie is threadbare and there’s a layer of dust on your diploma.

You can still come back for career advice.

“We offer lifetime services,” said Julia Barlow Sherlock, director of CMU’s Career Development Center.

“We get a lot of questions about LinkedIn,” Sherlock said. “How to use it, what to include, is it worth it? Yes, it is.”

Need help with your social media profile? (Did you just say aloud, “What social media profile?”

Then, yes, you do.)

Even the job interview process may have changed since you started your career.

“It’s no longer one and done,” Sherlock said. “It’s a whole process.

It often includes several people.

It might include Skype.”

If you graduated within the past 10 years, your CMU Handshake account is still active, Sherlock said.

Use that to set up appointments or view upcoming career events.

There’s a huge array of help, and it’s not just for recent graduates.

Visit the Career Development Center website at careers.cmich.edu.

Take an online career assessment.

Make an appointment to review your résumé — either in person or over the phone.

There are plenty of reasons to reconnect.

“Maybe parents stayed at home for a while to care for children or a loved one,” Sherlock said, and they need advice as they re-enter the work force.

“Maybe you lost touch with what a résumé looks like,” she said. “A résumé is no longer a career history. It’s a brand, marketing you. You give an employer what’s relevant, not your whole career history.

If you’ve been away longer, call the Career Development Center office at (989) 774-3068 to schedule an appointment.

And as long as you’re getting some career help, why not return the favor?

Share your career story with today’s CMU students, Sherlock said.

Come back to campus to talk to a class. Be part of a panel discussion.

“Your story makes it personal for students,” she said.

“Share how you made your choices, what worked for you, what resources you used, what strategies you had.

“It’s very, very valuable.” •

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CMU alum uses her trauma and mental health training to support Nigerian women through their recovery PHOTOS BY CBS

Somiari Fubara Demm has taken on a heavy task.

She is the therapist for some of Nigeria’s Chibok Girls, young women who survived being kidnapped by Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group.

In 2014, 276 female students were taken from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Nigeria, with the intention of selling them into slavery.

Fifty-seven escaped after a few months in captivity, and some have been freed or rescued in the ensuing years. Many remain unaccounted for.

“Despite everything that they’ve been through, they push forward,” Demm said in an interview with CBS correspondent Lesley Stahl. “They come back even with greater force, with greater determination. And they blow me away.”

Demm, ‘01, is an international mental health consultant and trauma specialist. She meets with the young women who live and study in a prep school created for them and paid for by the Nigerian government and donors.

The story of the Chibok Girls — and Demm’s work with them — was featured on the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes” in February.

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CMU alumna Somiari Fubara Demm talked with CBS correspondent Lesley Stahl about her work with Nigeria’s Chibok Girls for a “60 Minutes” story that aired in February.

Demm, who was born in Nigeria and raised and educated in the U.S. — including earning her degree in psychology from CMU — has

counseled the Chibok Girls since they arrived at their new school more than a year ago.

She’s using a variety of therapeutic treatments to help the girls heal, though working with them requires a nimble approach.

“Trauma really changes the brain whether memory, cognition, recall, retrieval,” Demm said in the “60 Minutes” piece. “We have to meet them where they are. If not, all we’re doing is making the situation worse.”

Demm leads the women in yoga and relaxation exercises, and she offers individual and group therapy — though she said most of the women still have difficulty talking about what they endured.

You can watch the entire “60 Minutes” story here: cmich.ly/2Us4zqZ. •

CMU may be

behind you never far away but it’s

Order your CMU

license plate

today! cmich.edu/alumni CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9789 - 2017 Centralight Winter ’18

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Centralight Summer Winter ’18’19

The Chippewa Battalion of the CMU Army ROTC carry out the Posting of Colors at the Investiture for President Robert O. Davies, Central’s 15th president.

PHOTO BY ADAM

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CMU Bookstore Summer Hours Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see http://www.cmich.edu/ocrie). Ucomm 10041

YOUNG ALUMNI CARRY THEIR CMU PRIDE INTO NEW CAREERS AND COMMUNITIES

BY ROBIN MINER-SWARTZ

The 10 Within 10 program celebrates young alumni who have used what they learned at Central Michigan University to build their careers and uplift their communities. This year’s group of exceptional Chippewas is putting their stamp on the world in meteorology, special education, entrepreneurship, graphic design and more.

JESSICA SEVECKE-HANRAHAN, M.A. ’12, PH.D. ’15 Major: School psychology Job: Associate psychologist, Geisinger Health System, Behavioral Health Primary Care Pediatrics. Lead pediatric psychologist in Geisinger’s first integrated pediatric primary care location in northeastern Pennsylvania.

City: Scranton, Pennsylvania What is your favorite memory of CMU? I enjoyed participating in department-led community service like the Mobile Food Pantry and a variety of summer programs for youth, as well as serving as an adviser for 24

Centralight Summer ’19

the Delta Iota Chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma.

I also enjoyed volunteering at Camp Michitanki Transplant Camp for Kids.

What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

This past Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to be a balloon handler in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City!

What are you proudest of?

Last year, I was honored to co-direct Geisinger’s first systemwide Transgender Health and Wellness Conference. We partnered with members of the transgender community and care agencies across the state to increase knowledge, awareness, advocacy and affirmative health care for transgender patients in Pennsylvania.

What advice would you give new graduates?

Learn as much as you can and teach as much as you can. If you have an

opportunity to be a trainee or a trainer at the internship, apprenticeship or postdoctoral level, take it! Be a lifelong learner and give back. It is so rewarding to take the knowledge you learn, share it with others and better someone’s life.

What has your work life taught you?

It’s all about balance. As an early career professional, it’s tempting to take on the world. Although that’s exciting, it’s important to take care of yourself and balance your personal values with your work life.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

I completed a postdoctoral fellowship and was offered the chance to be the lead clinician in my first-ever professional position. It has been an honor to be a mentor to my trainees and provide care to children and families in our community.

ERIC REED, ’10, M.S.A. ’12

ZACH ROSZCZEWSKI, ’12

Majors: Health administration, public administration Job: Director, TRiO Student Support Services, Eastern Michigan University.

TRiO SSS is a federally funded college support program for first-generation college students from economically challenged backgrounds.

City: Westland What is your favorite memory of CMU? I met some of my closest friends at CMU, and we reflect almost daily on dorm and apartment life, going to the gym, and just hanging out and having fun. I’m glad I stayed at CMU for graduate school because I established lifelong friendships with international students from Nigeria, Kenya, China, India and many other countries.

What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

Traveling to almost every major city in the U.S. and to a few countries. I really value learning about different cultures and making new connections. I love attending sporting events or concerts when I visit other cities.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

I’d like to sincerely thank Kevin Williams, Traci Guinn, Sean Novak, Dale Sanders, Wallace Weiss and Tim Pletcher for helping me get through the challenges of college life. During my first year, I struggled academically and could have been dismissed if it wasn’t for their help. MAC Scholars helped me graduate within four years and provided the cultural awareness I needed for the work I do now. Also, these people helped me earn the King Chavez Parks fellowship, which allowed me to continue my graduate studies at CMU. What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

Earning a Ph.D. while running two of my own businesses (a real estate company and college tour company), working full time, making career advancements, getting married, being an active community member, and still making time for family, friends and fun. I thank God for blessing me with discipline, and I thank my family for their continuous love and support.

JENNA BETKA-POPE, ’15

Major: Graphic design

GoPro and Turbotax.

Job: Freelance icon and illustration designer, specializing in creating large iconography systems for major brands such as Airbnb, Bose,

City: Encinitas, California What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

Because of the flexibility of my work-fromhome schedule, my wife and I have traveled to Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.

Jet skiing around the French Polynesian islands to an area where we got to feed sharks and swim with the stingrays is something I will never forget.

What are you proudest of?

Working with the fine folks at GoPro to design the entire icon system for the GoPro camera, and then being able to use that camera in real life and engage with something that I had a hand in crafting was very rewarding.

What advice would you give new graduates?

Work really hard right when you get out of college, even if it means working on passion projects outside of work, because that’s when you will have some of your greatest ideas, energy and time to do so.

If you work hard enough in the beginning, you can set yourself up to work more efficiently and less often when you’re in your late 20s and early 30s, and your older self will thank you for it!

What has your work life taught you?

Work-life balance is essential for longevity and productivity. Every morning, I try and go out for a surf or do something outdoors, even when the waves are flat, to get inspired for the work day.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

I have CMU to thank for guiding me to the right career path. I was originally going to study coding, and I quickly realized it wasn’t the right match for me. Luckily, I was in the library one day and found myself at a booth advertising the graphic design major. I was amazed I could create fun stuff and get paid for it. Ever since that day, I had my eyes set on graphic design and never looked back.

Major: Special education with a concentration in cognitive impairments, English education (6-12) and Spanish language Job: Middle school resource room teacher at Excel Charter Academy working with sixth through eighth graders in a full inclusion model. Also the coordinator for Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s summer camp and low-sensory night.

City: Grand Rapids What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

The first low-sensory night at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. It’s the first theater in our region that has sponsored an event of this sort, and I was honored to coordinate it. It was incredibly humbling to see so many people with various sensory needs attend live theater for the first time and get to experience its magic.

What are you proudest of?

I am proudest of coming out as the person I truly am and getting married to the love of my life. She constantly inspires me to follow my passions, work as hard as I can, and challenge myself professionally and personally.

What advice would you give new graduates?

Take time to find a job you love. It’s easy to take one of the first that’s offered to you because you’re afraid you won’t get another.

It’s so important to take risks and find a job you are truly passionate about, even if it isn’t a full-time job with benefits yet. I would also highly recommend traveling as much as you can to explore other people and cultures.

What has your work life taught you?

I am capable, and I should trust myself and my training. I am much more willing to speak up to my colleagues and advocate for myself and my students based on my work experiences. I have realized I should use my intuition and my knowledge to assist others.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

I have become the coordinator for multiple and major events at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, developed schoolwide procedures at Excel Charter Academy, and I’m vice president of a comedy collective called Funny Girls. I’m very proud of making change in all these fields. > Centralight Summer ’19

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ANN MARIE LAFLAMME, ’09 Majors: Integrative public relations, journalism, and broadcast and cinematic arts Job: Anchor, WXYZ ABC 7 Detroit City: Detroit What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

Landing a job at WXYZ! It’s the station I grew up watching and worked my whole career to get to. Being able to share the stories of my community and connect with people in my hometown is a dream come true.

What advice would you give new graduates?

Accept help and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. I wish I could whisper to my 21-year-old self as I walked across the stage to accept my diploma, “You don’t have to be so tough.” We’re meant to live as a community and lean on each other through successes and failures. Life is so much easier when you accept that sometimes things are hard and you open yourself up to learn from others.

What has your work life taught you?

Never let anyone else determine your value. As long as you work hard, stay true to what you believe in and do the right thing, YOU define who you are and what your success is.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

When I started college, I was an insecure, anxiety-ridden teen whose high school English teacher had told, “Some people are just average.” But my college professors believed in me, and the university invested in me, providing every opportunity to grow and succeed, and I did. Sure, being on TV is cool, but it’s that spark the CMU community lit inside of me that made me believe I could actually make an impact through my work. When people ask me about CMU, I always say it’s the place where people believed in me and poured love and confidence into me when I had no love and confidence in myself.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

Winning my first Emmy!

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SCOTT GEORGE, M.A. ’11

SHARON R. ELEFANT, D.H.A. ’17

Major: Sports administration Job: Manager of university engagement for Unified Champion Schools, supporting the 52 Special Olympics state programs at colleges and universities.

City: Washington, D.C. What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

I attended the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle and saw the impact Special Olympics Unified Sports is having.

It was the first national games I attended, and meeting partners and athletes from all over who were so similar to those in Mount Pleasant was great. This spring, I attended and worked the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, UAE. What advice would you give new graduates?

Pursue experiences you love, and enjoy your career. There can be a lot of pressure as you enter that next stage in life, and it can be challenging to avoid getting caught up in the stresses and activities of life. Figure out what experiences fill your bucket, and make sure you have opportunities to experience those as a part of your job. This will hopefully lead you to a career full of purpose and joy.

What has your work life taught you?

Be yourself, and be genuine toward others.

That’s something I learned from my teammates during my time at CMU, and it’s something I learn from every interaction I have with a Special Olympics athlete.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

The social and emotional learning experiences I had outside of the classroom.

The faculty and staff members who had the biggest impact were the ones who pushed me to participate in extracurricular work and activities, whether it was intramural sports, student organizations, or internships and employment. I spent so much more time in the Student Activity Center than I did in my apartment that I felt like I should have been paying rent to URec. But those are the times when you’re interacting with people and building relationships, and that is so much of what my career has been to this point.

Majors: Health administration, international health Job: Executive director, Engage the Vision. ETV encourages and empowers fourth and fifth grade boys from inner cities through consistent weekly mentoring. Adjunct instructor at Florida International University for undergrad health administration and the online M.H.A. program.

City: Los Angeles What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

Hearing “Dr. Elefant, we love you!” yelled by 30 fourth and fifth grade boys at an Engage the Vision mentoring session melted my heart. THEY inspire me.

What are you proudest of?

While in the doctor of health administration program, I directed an outreach program for military veterans, competed in a bodybuilding competition (placed!) and maintained my high GPA. Now, I’m a self-employed consultant and instructor. I travel the world, see my family and have a professional life wherever the adventure takes me!

What advice would you give new graduates?

Stay connected with your colleagues and professors. Be a mentor to new and current students. Be involved in your network and alumni associations. Find a way to stay connected to the academic community through continuing education at CMU or other universities local to you. During your academic program, go on every single international immersion you possibly can.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

The relationships I built with the other D.H.A. students and professors tremendously helped me succeed. Their encouragement, their instructing, their mentoring and their friendships helped me complete my D.H.A., stay positive and constantly learn from a variety of global perspectives.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

I’ve helped several nonprofit organizations fundraise over $1 million! I have helped more than 4,000 homeless veterans receive housing in Southern California. And I have helped sustain a mentoring program for young boys in Los Angeles, where over 90% don’t have a positive male role model.

JESI PARKER EKONEN, ’10 Major: Interpersonal communication, organizational communication concentration Job: Associate director of the Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute at CMU, overseeing a comprehensive four-year leadership development program and scholarship cohort.

City: Mount Pleasant What is your favorite memory of CMU? I absolutely loved serving as an academic orientation mentor. Guiding a team of diverse student leaders made me a better person. My favorite part was assisting new students during their transition to CMU. What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

During graduate school, Dan Gaken asked me to be a facilitator for LeaderShape, a program offered through the Sarah R. Opperman Institute. I worked closely with college student leaders to develop their vision for a better world. LeaderShape was a powerful experience personally and professionally. Not only did it fuel my commitment to student development, but I also reconnected with another CMU alumni facilitator, who I eventually married.

LeaderShape was truly life changing!

What advice would you give new graduates?

Keep yourself open to learning and unlearning. Education doesn’t stop once you receive a degree. We have more access to information than any generation before us, and we have an obligation to use this information to make positive change in our communities.

What has your work life taught you?

Stress is not a badge of honor. Everyone you work with is handling major personal and professional challenges. Work life has taught me the importance of remembering we are all human beings, not human doings.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

I was drawn to CMU because of my older brother, but I love that we were able to pursue unique paths during our time on campus. CMU helps people succeed because it is large enough for me to meet a new connection each day, yet small enough to feel like my voice matters.

AHMAD BAJJEY, ’15

KYLE BAZZY, ’10

Major: Meteorology, minor in mathematics Job: Morning meteorologist for WEYI NBC 25 and WSMH FOX 66 newscasts.

City: Clio What is your favorite memory of CMU? Running out onto the football field as part of the Marching Chips. There is no better feeling than hearing the crowd and knowing those around you are excited to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

Working more than 40 hours straight without sleep covering destructive tornadoes. I got to see the damage they can do firsthand, and I gained a new understanding of what viewers need from me to have the safest information possible.

What has your work life taught you?

What may seem insignificant to you could be astronomically important to someone else. The truth is important to tell, even when it’s sometimes hard to hear, and earning someone’s respect and trust is the highest honor they can give you.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

I made connections with professors and students that led me to finding an extremely important internship and eventually to my first job. My broadcasting professor and my meteorology professor helped me find my way into a difficult career field.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

I was hired to teach the first-ever broadcast meteorology course CMU has offered. It’s a new way to help students prepare for a career as a broadcast meteorologist. It’s an honor that cannot be put into words, and one that means a lot to a person who struggled and persevered to graduate and succeed in their career path.

Majors: Pre-law, economics Job: Chief Growth Officer for Grand Circus, the largest coding bootcamp in Michigan. Also a founding partner in Venture Catalyst, an entrepreneurial ecosystem development, and co-founder of Detroit Startup Week, the largest entrepreneurial conference in Michigan.

City: Detroit What is your favorite memory of CMU? Writing business plans and building businesses at CMURC with Cason Thorsby.

What has been your coolest moment since graduation?

I partnered with Techstars, one of the premier technology accelerators in the world, to bring Startup Week to Detroit.

What are you proudest of?

Marrying the strongest and smartest woman I’ve ever met — Katelynn.

What advice would you give new graduates?

Never stop learning. Be the boss of your own life. If “it” scares you, that usually means you’re onto something.

What has your work life taught you?

We spend the majority of our lives working.

Find what you love and figure out a way to get paid doing it. Everything else gets so much better when you’re excited to get up each morning.

What about CMU helped you succeed?

Several people took an interest in my success at CMU. Robert Miller is the reason I believed in myself enough to get started on this journey. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know if I’d be here. I also found my first-ever investor for my first technology startup at CMU. Overall, connections!

What has been your biggest accomplishment since graduation?

Coming soon … •

Know a recent grad who’s doing amazing things? Nominate them for next year’s 10 Within 10 awards: cmich.ly/10in10.

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CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

Your dollars

MAKE CHANGE STUDENT EMERGENCY FUND

$600,000+

Total awarded to CMU students in five years

593

Students awarded emergency dollars in the past five years

$159,819

Dollars raised in 2017-18 All donations to Central Michigan University’s Student Emergency Fund were matched up to $50,000 in 2017 by an anonymous donor.

Life is full of twists and turns – events that can threaten a student’s college education. At CMU, our Student Emergency Fund is there when our Chippewas need a boost, often allowing them to stay in school through difficult circumstances.

donate.cmich.edu

The Student Emergency Fund allowed Candy Boakyewaa to realize her dream of achieving a college degree.

Due to insufficient financial aid, she was in danger of being dropped from her classes in her senior year. With support from donors, Candy earned her degree in integrative public relations with a minor in public affairs.

Candy Abena Boakyewaa, ’18 Integrative public relations major, public affairs minor

CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sexbased stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight. (see cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 9920 (5/19)

3,712

Donors in 2017-18

President Nathan Tallman, ’07, M.A. ’09 Macomb Vice president Kandra (Kerridge) Robbins, ’90 Portland Past president Thomas Olver, ’98 Weidman Directors Rebeca Reyes Barrios, ’00, MBA ’02 Canton Carrie Baumgardner, ’99, M.A. ’02 Durand Lisa (Laitinen) Bottomley, ’97 Kentwood Megan Doyle, ’03 Chicago Jonathan Eadie, ’93 Grosse Pointe Park Norma Eppinger, ’91 Lansing Chris Gautz, ’04 Adrian Jacalyn (Beckers) Goforth, ’82 Beverly Hills Laura Gonzales, ’79, M.A. ’89 Mount Pleasant Scott Haraburda, ’83 Spencer, Indiana Sean Hickey, ’88, M.A. ’90 Chelsea Bret Hyble, ’82, M.A. ’86 Mount Pleasant Linda (Scharich) Leahy, ’82 Midland J.J. Lewis, ’06 Simi Valley, California Scott Nadeau, ’89 Dexter Darryl Shelton, ’85 Grand Rapids Amy (Rousseau) Uebbing, ’86 Rochester

PHOTO BY ADAM

President Scott Hillman, ’10 Chicago Vice president Brittany Mouzourakis, ’11 Royal Oak Directors Cyril Agley, ’09 Traverse City Michael Decker, ’07 Birmingham Spencer Haworth, ’12 Grand Rapids Anthony Lazzaro, ’15 Grand Rapids Danielle Leone, ’10 St. Clair Shores Gregory Marx, ’08 Troy Benjamin Moxon, ’17 St. Clair Shores Jason Nichol, ’12 Chicago Kelly Pageau, ’08 Chicago John Reineke, ’09 Oxford, Ohio Joshua Richards, ’08 Rochester Michelle (Curtis) Rush, ’07 St. Joseph Kimberly Sampson, ’17 Midland Steven Santostasi, ’17 Dearborn Christine Simon, ’13 Lansing Jeffrey Stoutenburg, ’10, M.P.A. ’13 Midland Michael Wiese, ’09 Grand Rapids Mary Witherspoon, ’14 Royal Oak

JESSMORE/STEVE JESSMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

ALUMNI BOARD

PHOTO BY STEVE

YOUNG ALUMNI BOARD

SPARKES

ALUMNI NEWS

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ALUMNI NEWS Mount Pleasant’s new mayor is a Central Michigan alum

CMU alumni welcome Michigan veterans on a special visit to Washington, D.C.

PHOTO BY ADAM

SPARKES

Former Mount Pleasant City Commissioner Will Joseph, ’18, is the city’s new mayor.

Joseph has risen rapidly through the city government ranks. He was appointed to the planning commission in 2016 and elected to a three-year term on the City Commission in 2017. He was appointed mayor by the city commission this year, and his term lasts for one year.

He’s joined on the council by Chippewas Lori Gillis, ’92; Amy Pershbacher, ’13, ’15; and Petro Tolas, ’80. •

CMU Chippewas cheered veterans from across Michigan as they arrived on an Honor Flight to tour the nation’s capital April 20.

CMU’s international film festival shines the spotlight on alumni talent

Honor Flight is a nationwide network of nonprofit organizations that fly veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials built in their honor.

For the 16th year, the CMU Film Society brought international and independent films to the campus and Mount Pleasant community.

“These veterans amaze me on every flight,” said Bobbie Bradley, president of Talons Out Honor Flight, southwest Michigan’s hub for the network. “It is such a joy to watch the events unfold before their eyes.”

CMU’s D.C. alumni and family gathered at Reagan International Airport to welcome 14 veterans from World War II, 14 from the Korean War, 56 Vietnam War veterans and 76 escorts. They were met by applause, handshakes and thanks from the Chippewas.

The 2019 festival showcased 24 movies, from student shorts to international features, and among them were works by CMU alumni.

The documentary “Breaking the Sound Barrier,” co-directed by Patty Williamson, ’92, M.A. ’99, an associate professor in the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, spotlights women working in the male-dominated world of radio. The feature film “My Soul to Keep” was co-written and co-produced by Justin Hynous, ’95. It’s a horrorthriller film about a 9-year-old boy confronting his worst nightmare.

The festival will return for its 17th year in 2020. Keep an eye on cmfilmfest.com for details. •

Taylor Gehrcke, ’15, co-lead for the CMU Alumni D.C. group, said the welcome group included not only Mount Pleasant campus alumni, but also global campus students, who are well-represented in the D.C. area. •

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PHOTO BY PATTY

Kara Covert Maser, ’03, and her husband, Dennis, an Air Force veteran, attended the Honor Flight welcome.

Their sons, Davis and Dalton, were probably the favorite part of the CMU alumni welcome wagon for the veterans, as they both eagerly ran up to each veteran to shake their hands and thank them for their service.

WILLIAMSON

Their tour included visits to a number of war memorials and the changing of the guard ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

CMU’s recreation alumni create a large network Want a career in recreation? Start by going to Central Michigan University.

Faculty also value their connections to successful recreation alumni.

A study by the Michigan Recreation and Park Association found 65% of Michigan recreation professionals are CMU alumni.

And at a recreation summer job fair for students held in March, it was clear CMU students continue to dominate the field.

RPL faculty member Tim Otteman spent spring break on a nine-city, 10-day cross-country trip to visit alumni working in recreation.

In practically every field, CMU alumni return to recruit current students.

“The formula works,” said Julia Barlow Sherlock, director of CMU’s Career Development Center. She said alumni know what they’re getting in CMUeducated candidates, and students benefit from seeing how alumni have forged careers.

“It just strengthens and gives value to their experiences as students,” she said.

“I think one of the biggest takeaways was how quickly students go from being in the hallowed halls of Finch Fieldhouse to being incredible professionals in recreation and event management,” Otteman said.

“The majority of students I visited with are leaders in their niches of our field in just four to six years after graduation from CMU.” • LEARN MORE

ERLEWINE PHOTO BY MICHAEL

Dozens of CMU alumni returned to campus to represent more than 50 summer camps, adventure centers, nature centers, municipal parks departments and more. Those employers listed at least 131 CMU alumni on staff, said Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration faculty member Jill Almasi-Dole.

His “Best of the Best Recreation and Event Management Industry Tour” checked in with nine CMU grads selected from 51 applicants in 15 states. He also encountered 22 more RPL alumni, interns and current students along the way, and he tweeted his adventures for his social media followers with his Twitter handle @teeohhcmu.

Dance Magazine highlights CMU alum as an artist to watch Dance Magazine’s 2019 list of the dancers, choreographers and companies on the verge of skyrocketing includes a CMU alum who’s spent two decades honing his craft and making his name in the percussive dance movement.

Nic Gareiss, ’10, who the Boston Herald called “the most inventive and expressive step dancer on the scene,” draws inspiration from many percussive dance traditions to weave together a dance technique incorporating his love of improvisation, traditional footwork and musical collaboration.

He has performed with many of the luminaries of contemporary traditional music and dance, including The Chieftains, The Gloaming, Solas and Liz Carroll, and with his own quartet, This is How We Fly. Gareiss spends an average of 36 weeks a year on the road. See a sample of his work here: cmich.ly/2Uq1AzE. •

As part of his spring break tour, Tim Otteman (second from right) hosted an alumni event with the Lakeland Magic, where alum Erin Hayes is the director of game operations. Erin was too busy calling the NBA G League game to come down for the picture.

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ALUMNI NEWS Alum partners with CMU Research Corp. to clean, reuse water In 2015, Mike Schuette, ’05, and his brother-in-law Josh Lauderman began exploring how to clean the billions of barrels of water used in the oil and gas industry.

With the backing of two Chicagobased investors, they formed GCI Water Solutions. They’re testing technologies to transform production water to fresh water instead of having to dump it — a feat not possible using traditional treatment methods.

potential technologies on the market.

GCI was honored as CMURC’s 2018 SmartZone Small Business of the Year.

This year, GCI was named a SmartZone Best Small Business by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

“GCI Water Solutions came to CMURC while in the early development phase.

By utilizing surrounding resources and funding opportunities, they progressed into a full-scale facility,” said Erin Strang, president and CEO of CMURC. “The persistence and dedication of these entrepreneurs is why they were chosen for this honor.” • LEARN MORE

GCI Water secured a $30,000 grant in 2017 to accelerate its growth, working in collaboration with the CMU Research Corp.

The company’s technology, now verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, removes harsh contaminants without using more chemicals. It is more cost effective and uses less energy than other

GCI’s proprietary system removes impurities from water for a fraction of the cost of traditional treatment options.

Pair of alumni named to Michigan’s high school football coaches hall of fame Charlie Otlewski, ’90, one of Mid-Michigan’s all-time winningest high school football coaches, and Jim Webb, ’80, a coach and teacher for more than three decades, were among 14 coaches inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in Lansing.

Charlie Otlewski, ’90

Jim Webb, ’80

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Otlewski has a career record of 213-121-1 over 29 seasons.

Prior to joining Haslett in 1994, Otlewski coached at St. Ignace LaSalle and CMU. His record at Haslett is 171-82.

Webb, who taught for more than 30 years at Hartford and Cadillac high schools, is the longest tenured coach in Cadillac’s history. Under Webb, Cadillac won four Big North Conference championships and four district championships. The Vikings qualified for the MHSAA playoffs 10 times under Webb and had undefeated regular seasons in 2000, 2013 and 2014. His overall record is 194-112 over 31 years as a coach. •

Centralight Summer ’19

Honors for Chippewas Sarah Anthony, ’06, was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November, representing the 68th district (Lansing). As a new member of the House, she was elected chair of the House Democratic Caucus, and she also is a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Darren Werner, ’89, was promoted to the fifthhighest-ranked position in the U.S. Army — brigadier general. Werner served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, South Korea and Germany. He entered active duty in the Army in 1989 after he was commissioned as a second lieutenant from CMU’s ROTC program.

Kelly PeLong, ’93, is the new executive director of Disability Network of Mid-Michigan. She is a licensed social worker and has been working with people with disabilities her entire career.

“Having had a disability since birth, I have learned to adapt to a world that is not always welcoming to those who are different,” she said. “We all have challenges, some visible and some hidden. My approach is to find ways to meet people where they are in life and to work with them to help them become the best version of themselves.”

Joshua Hudson, ’12, National Native Network program manager at Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, was selected as a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellow.

It’s an innovative program for local leaders to connect, grow and lead transformational change on behalf of children, families and communities. Hudson, of the Bay Mills Indian Community, is passionate about healing intergenerational trauma and creating safe spaces in Indian Country for two spirit and LGBTQ youth. He is an elected judge for Bay Mills Indian Community.

Dan Eichinger, ’14, was appointed director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in December. Prior to his new appointment, he was executive director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs. Eichinger is an avid hunter and angler. Early in his career, Eichinger was an administrator at CMU, supporting the university’s educational programs offered to active-duty military and veteran students. At 38, he’s the DNR’s youngest director in the state’s history.

Flintside publisher and managing editor Marjory Raymer, ’95, was chosen to participate in the 2019 Images and Voices for Hope Restorative Narrative Fellowship. She was among a dozen journalists and others selected nationwide for the opportunity to report on resilience and recovery in their community.

The Chicago-based nonprofit began in 1999 with a focus on the meaningful, positive change that media can create. It launched its fellowship program in 2015 to encourage and develop an avenue for the creation of restorative narrative projects.

Carolyn Allen, M.H.A. ’93, a veteran health care professional with 30 years of progressive accounting, auditing, reimbursement, business planning and leadership experience, has joined St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey, as its new chief financial officer.

Two CMU alumni were named to the Crain’s Detroit Business 2019 list of notable women in real estate. Jeanette Schneider, ’07, was recognized for being the first female and nonowner to become a vice president for the Detroit region of Re/Max of Southeastern Michigan. Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges, ’03, earned her spot on the list for developing forward-thinking solutions to complex challenges at Detroit Economic Growth Corp.

Hairston-Bridges also was recently promoted to executive vice president of the economic development and investment services team for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp.

Patty Jobbitt, M.S.A. ’91, was named CEO of Detroit Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. The center provides physical medicine and rehab services for sports or other injuries, as well as strokes, brain injuries and other traumas. Jobbitt began working for DMC as a staff physical therapist in 1983.

Dilcie Perez, ’00, has been named vice president/ assistant superintendent of student services at Cerritos College, a community college in Norwalk, California. Prior to her new role, she served as dean of student life and judicial affairs at MiraCosta Community College District.

Bronson High School athletic director and head volleyball coach Jean LaClair, ’02, was honored

by Michigan’s state high school athletic directors with the George Lovich State Award of Merit, recognizing her long-term contributions, leadership and meritorious service to the profession of interscholastic athletics. LaClair has been at West Michigan’s Bronson Jr./Sr. High School for 19 years, starting as athletic director and head volleyball coach before adding the duties of assistant principal during the 2011-12 school year.

The Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash have named highly decorated sales executive Dionna Widder, ’06, chief revenue officer of the soccer clubs.

Widder joins the Dynamo and Dash after spending the previous four-plus years with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, where she was the team’s vice president of ticket sales and service.

The Michigan College Access Network has named Ryan Fewins-Bliss, ’02, M.A. ’04, interim executive director. He was the deputy director of community and partner mobilization for five years. FewinsBliss is the current past president of CMU’s alumni board.

CMU Police Sgt. Riley Olson, ’02, was the only Michigan officer chosen to go to Abu Dhabi as part of the final team carrying the torch for the 2019 Special Olympics World Games. Olson was part of multiple runs and ceremonies in cities and towns in the UAE, averaging about five to six miles of running each day. This is the first time the games have been held in the Middle East.

Former CMU basketball player Mary Sheltrown, ’90, was named Farmington Public Schools’ teacher of the year. She’s been teaching physical education at the high school for 23 years.

Nancy McKeague, M.S.A. ’93, has been named chief operating officer of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. She oversees human resources, IT, graphic services, and accounting and finance.

Previously, McKeague was senior vice president and chief of staff for the organization, representing all community hospitals throughout the state.

Shari Brand Robertson, ’82, has been named the 2019 President of the American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association. In her term as ASHA’s president, Robertson will work to advance the objectives of ASHA and its nearly 200,000 members and affiliates. •

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ALUMNI NEWS Detroit Tigers draft a Chippewa as new voice of the team

In addition to some Tigers work, Shepard’s time with FSD has included covering games from the Red Wings to the Pistons to Lions preseason. He also has extensive sports radio hosting and play-by-play experience, broadcasting University of Michigan men’s basketball and Eastern Michigan football games.

PHOTO BY FOX

Shepard, ’88, filled in for Impemba a handful of times last season and has worked for FSD for nearly two decades.

Former Tigers Kirk Gibson and Jack Morris will be Shepard’s in-booth analysts, while Craig Monroe will continue as a pregame and postgame host. The network also has plans for about 17 “players-only” broadcasts throughout the season, featuring Morris, Gibson and Dan Petry.

SPORTS DETROIT

Fox Sports Detroit and the Tigers have named Matt Shepard as the new play-by-play announcer, replacing Mario Impemba.

Matt Shepard, ’88 (left, with broadcast partner Jack Morris), is the Detroit Tigers’ play-by-play announcer on Fox Sports Detroit this season.

Shepard was a baseball team walk-on at Eastern Michigan before transferring to CMU for his junior and senior years, and he worked football, basketball and baseball games on both the campus radio and TV stations. •

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+ DO YOU REMEMBER? 1990

PHOTO BY MACKENZIE

BROCKMAN

2004

Farewell

Barnes

2018

CMU’s beloved Barnes Hall has housed its final group of students.

The nearly 70-year-old residence hall — the only one remaining with community bathrooms — is being razed as part of a three-year project to upgrade residence life across campus.

After it’s demolished, the north campus land will become green space and will feature a commemorative sign marking the site of the hall, built in 1951.

1950s HISTORICAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLARKE

HISTORICAL LIBRARY Centralight Summer ’19

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Embrace change If you want to move up, move on or change course, CMU has master’s, doctoral and certificate programs On campus · online · at satellite centers across the U.S.

cmich.edu/global

Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see http://www.cmich.edu/ocrie). 3811449 4/19

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+ IN MEMORY Thelma W. (Western) Dibble, ’37, Bad Axe, Mich., died Oct. 5, 2018, age 103.

Gloria A. (Lehman) Blazo, ’51, Northville, Mich., died Oct. 29, 2018, age 89.

Henry Verberkmoes, ’57, M.A. ’62, Lake Linden, Mich., died Jan. 15, 2019, age 88.

Maxine R. (Williams) Rowley, ’40, Elgin, Ill., died Oct. 2, 2018, age 100.

Kathleen M. (Merkling) Hayward, ’51, Port Huron, Mich., died Oct. 14, 2018, age 89.

Ralph V. Wolfe, ’57, M.A. ’69, Midland, Mich., died Dec. 10, 2018, age 84.

Mary A. (Stacey) Wellwood, ’40, M.A. ’68, Carson City, Mich., died Sept. 8, 2018, age 101.

Arlene L. (Derrer) Meeder, ’51, Mancelona, Mich., died Jan. 28, 2019, age 89.

Joseph C. Bommarito, ’58, Saginaw, Mich., died Oct. 7, 2018, age 82.

Eileen M. (Ruetz) Ballard, ’42, Lock Haven, Pa., died Feb. 5, 2019, age 97.

Alvin L. Sprague, ’51, M.A. ’59, Bay City, Mich., died Oct. 21, 2018, age 95.

Rhea R. (Raven) Ferrier, ’58, Taylor, Mich., died Oct. 15, 2018, age 81.

Kenneth D. Sohmer, ’42, Flemington, N.J., died March 4, 2019, age 99.

Shirley “Kris” Hansen, ’52, Lake Placid, N.Y., died Feb. 22, 2019, age 89.

John D. Putnam, ’58, Oscoda, Mich., died Jan. 5, 2019, age 82.

Kenneth J. Myles, ’62, Tawas City, Mich., died Sept. 30, 2018, age 78.

Gordon B. Williams, ’42, Traverse City, Mich., died Oct. 6, 2018, age 97.

Leonard D. Harper, ’52, Tulsa, Okla., died Dec. 11, 2018, age 90.

Francene M. (Blasius) Smith, ’58, Mayville, Mich., died June 29, 2018, age 98.

Glenn F. Sanford, ’62, M.A. ’65, Midland, Mich., died March 12, 2019, age 81.

Dorothy L. Sanchez, ’43, Dallas, Texas, died Jan. 31, 2019, age 98.

Beverly A. (Huffman) Johnson, ’52, Tustin, Mich., died Oct. 17, 2018, age 87.

Grace I. (Baumbach) Warner, ’58, Bellaire, Mich., died Nov. 8, 2018, age 99.

Joseph Winiarski, ’62, Davison, Mich., died Oct. 25, 2018, age 83.

Donna R. (Hether) Wurtz, ’4 4, Saginaw, Mich., died Nov. 14, 2018, age 96.

Dorothy J. (Bailey) Johnson, ’52, Crivitz, Wis., died Feb. 1, 2019, age 91.

Lewis J. Fenton, ’59, Saginaw, Mich., died Feb. 3, 2019, age 82.

Lynn D. Middlebrook, ’63, Spring Lake, Mich., died Dec. 1, 2018, age 78.

Dorothy (Barritt) Juterbock, ’45, Shelby, Mich., died March 2, 2019, age 95.

Robert W. Stephenson, ’52, Monroe, Mich., died March 18, 2019, age 87.

Joseph B. Galiardi, ’59, Port Orange, Fla., died Nov. 29, 2018, age 87.

Carol (McNally) Middleton, ’63, Midland, Mich., died Nov. 4, 2018, age 77.

Lila A. (Nott) Fierstien, ’46, Conroe, Texas, died Oct. 12, 2018, age 94.

Betty J. (Smith) Foust, ’53, Traverse City, Mich., died Feb. 28, 2019, age 87.

James E. Love, ’59, Avon, Conn., died Nov. 9, 2018, age 81.

Charles L. Rupp, M.A. ’63, Archbold, Ohio, died Sept. 1, 2018, age 94.

Marjorie A. (Lynch) Arsen, ’49, Clarkston, Mich., died March 15, 2019, age 92.

Mary H. (Nickless) Lavrack, ’53, Jackson, Mich., died Nov. 7, 2018, age 86.

Donald O. Boulanger, ’49, Iron Mountain, Mich., died Nov. 7, 2018, age 92.

Dorothy L. (Attaway) Wright, ’53, Berkley, Mich., died Oct. 23, 2018, age 89.

Dale V. Burdy, ’49, Flushing, Mich., died Nov. 22, 2018, age 94.

Maureen K. (Quinlan) Ayre, ’55, Flint, Mich., died Dec. 5, 2018, age 84.

Phyllis H. (Hartman) Eastman, ’49, Midland, Mich., died Oct. 30, 2018, age 93.

Elinor E. (Peck) Bishop, ’55, Holland, Mich., died Oct. 12, 2018, age 85.

Evridiki K. (Mitchell) Sebestyen, ’49, Traverse City, Mich., died Nov. 10, 2018, age 90.

Carolyn J. Fretz, ’55, Midland, Mich., died Oct. 15, 2018, age 85.

Mona (Gunberg) Halladay, ’50, Ludington, Mich., died Jan. 10, 2019, age 96.

William A. Gordon, ’56, Traverse City, Mich., died March 29, 2019, age 85.

Marco C. Marcet, ’50, Frankenmuth, Mich., died Dec. 17, 2018, age 94.

Ruth A. (Anderson) Gundry, ’56, Petoskey, Mich., died Nov. 1, 2018, age 92.

Jean A. (Liberty) Pickett, ’50, Petoskey, Mich., died May 2, 2018, age 93.

Harold J. Reenders, ’57, Grand Rapids, Mich., died Feb. 1, 2019, age 84.

Jay D. Wildfong, ’50, Union Grove, Wis., died Feb. 16, 2019, age 94.

Lewis E. Twining, ’57, Midland, Mich., died March 21, 2019, age 85.

Jack E. Morley, ’59, Lansing, Mich., died Nov. 22, 2018, age 82.

Alvin C. Schmidt, ’59, Weidman, Mich., died Dec. 31, 2018, age 88.

Gerald G. Smith, ’59, M.A. ’73, Saginaw, Mich., died Sept. 28, 2018, age 86.

Richard L. Smith, ’59, Midland, Mich., died Dec. 17, 2018, age 84.

Darryl K. Crabb, ’60, M.A. ’64, Midland, Mich., died Feb. 7, 2019, age 81.

Lorry M. Huested, ’60, M.A. ’66, Newaygo, Mich., died Feb. 14, 2019, age 81.

John M. Lett, ’60, M.A. ’64, North Street, Mich., died Dec. 10, 2018, age 81.

Rudolph R. Leutzinger, ’60, M.A. ’67, Granger, Ind., died March 19, 2019, age 81.

Jerome K. Albright, ’61, M.A. ’63, Escanaba, Mich., died Nov. 8, 2018, age 82.

John R. Harkins, ’61, M.A. ’66, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Jan. 23, 2019, age 79.

Lyle W. Stieg, ’61, Dayton, Ohio, died Dec. 26, 2018, age 80.

Lois I. (Holland) Helmboldt, ’62, M.A. ’67, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Oct. 23, 2018, age 92.

Eugene O. Knobloch, ’62, Hopkins, Mich., died Dec. 14, 2018, age 80.

Duane E. Lane, M.A. ’62, Wakefield, Mich., died Sept. 29, 2018, age 87.

Albert J. Snyder, ’63, Cadillac, Mich., died Nov. 22, 2018, age 77.

Marvin J. Boersma, ’64, M.A. ’65, Detroit, Mich., died Feb. 27, 2019, age 82.

Denise M. (Goovert) Forstorm, ’64, Kingsford, Mich., died Nov. 26, 2018, age 77.

Mary Jo (Twitchell) Gorsuch, ’64, Crystal, Mich., died Jan. 9, 2019, age 76.

Charles L. Gum, ’64, Lakeland, Fla., died Nov. 28, 2018, age 77.

Janet S. (Albrecht) Hillaker, ’64, Port Huron, Mich., died June 1, 2018, age 76.

William D. Johnston, ’64, M.A. ’69, Sanford, Mich., died March 25, 2019, age 80.

Mary A. (Post) Rohde, ’64, Saginaw, Mich., died Jan. 17, 2019, age 76.

John A. Soyak, ’64, M.S. ’66, Hendersonville, N.C., died Jan. 7, 2019, age 76.

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+ IN MEMORY Judith A. (Perle) Todd, ’64, Warren, Mich., died Nov. 25, 2018, age 77.

Inez H. (Slater) Melvin, ’68, Petoskey, Mich., died Oct. 23, 2018, age 87.

Gayle D. (Gaiser) Bachman, ’72, Whitmore Lake, Mich., died March 9, 2019, age 69.

Barbara A. (Flint) Amundson, M.A. ’75, Helena, Mont., died March 8, 2019, age 71.

Jon M. Whan, ’64, M.A. ’66, Byron Center, Mich., died Jan. 1, 2019, age 77.

David E. Palmateer, ’68, Bay City, Mich., died Dec. 20, 2018, age 76.

Royal E. Bingham, ’72, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Dec. 9, 2018, age 71.

Joseph R. Bunce, M.A. ’75, Centreville, Md., died Nov. 28, 2018, age 81.

Joan L. (Cogsdill) Johnson, ’65, Detroit, Mich., died March 11, 2019, age 76.

Barbara P. (Prince) Sovereen, ’68, M.A. ’69, Midland, Mich., died Dec. 9, 2018, age 89.

Marjalee E. (Dull) Kelly, M.A. ’72, Cadillac, Mich., died Nov. 5, 2018, age 87.

Thomas L. Culver, ’75, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Feb. 2, 2019, age 89.

Patricia A. (Takacs) Nagy, ’65, Plymouth, Mich., died Dec. 7, 2018, age 75.

Ronald L. Bebernes, MBA ’69, Roswell, Ga., died Feb. 12, 2019, age 81.

Gloria (Hunt) King, ’72, Saginaw, Mich., died Jan. 7, 2019, age 81.

Linda A. (Skinner) Handlon, M.A. ’75, Midland, Mich., died Oct. 30, 2018, age 74.

James F. Borough, ’66, Lansing, Mich., died Nov. 9, 2018, age 74.

Kay E. (Snyder) Furst, ’69, Midland, Mich., died Dec. 31, 2018, age 71.

Kay E. Tilley, ’72, Hale, Mich., died Nov. 21, 2018, age 71.

Richard B. Hanna, M.S. ’75, Big Rapids, Mich., died Jan. 26, 2019, age 80.

Carol J. (Musselman) Brannan, ’66, M.A. ’70, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died March 14, 2019, age 75.

Betty L. (Pittman) Frye, ’66, Grand Rapids, Mich., died March 17, 2019, age 88.

Jim W. Huffman, ’66, M.A. ’73, Barryton, Mich., died Jan. 1, 2019, age 91.

Gerald R. Milligan, ’66, Big Rapids, Mich., died Oct. 16, 2018, age 79.

Arthur I. Nixon, M.A. ’66, Bay City, Mich., died Nov. 30, 2018, age 88.

Thomas H. Shepard, ’69, M.A. ’74, Shepherd, Mich., died Feb. 2, 2019, age 73.

Alfred D. Armstrong, ’70, M.A. ’76, Bay City, Mich., died March 20, 2019, age 72.

Nancy L. (Miller) Clark, ’70, Greenville, Mich., died Jan. 19, 2019, age 70.

Dwight R. Bowerman, ’73, Sebring, Fla., died Feb. 21, 2019, age 69.

Linda D. (Welch) Campbell, ’73, M.A. ’78, Brown City, Mich., died Feb. 17, 2019, age 75.

Robert K. Feist, M.A. ’73, Columbus, Ohio, died March 13, 2019, age 95.

Anthony W. Fox, M.A. ’73, Lompoc, Calif., died March 5, 2019, age 74.

Richard R. Johnston, ’75, Rockford, Mich., died Jan. 17, 2019, age 66.

Richard D. O’Connor, ’75, Fairgrove, Mich., died Nov. 10, 2018, age 65.

George H. Oliver, M.A. ’75, Smithville, Tenn., died Nov. 20, 2018, age 75.

John H. Pool, ’75, Kingman, Ariz., died Dec. 30, 2018, age 78.

Palmer C. Lesch, ’70, St. Joseph, Mich., died Jan. 22, 2019, age 72.

Robert W. Nims, ’73, MBA ’74, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Dec. 12, 2018, age 68.

Virginia M. (Flathau) Radina, ’75, Saginaw, Mich., died Feb. 4, 2019, age 84.

Nancy L. (Johnson) Benedict, ’67, Oklahoma City, Okla., died Feb. 9, 2019, age 75.

Janet Taglauer, M.A. ’70, Auburn, Mich., died Dec. 13, 2018, age 80.

Marilyn L. (Turner) Cech, ’74, South Lyon, Mich., died Jan. 9, 2019, age 66.

Paul G. Rolewicz, ’75, Ludington, Mich., died Feb. 23, 2018, age 70.

Sherryl (Law) Dillon, ’67, M.A. ’71, Cass City, Mich., died Oct. 26, 2018, age 73.

Linda S. VanLoon, ’70, Vernon, Mich., died March 11, 2019, age 70.

Steiner C. Garthe, ’74, Northport, Mich., died Sept. 28, 2018, age 69.

Steven H. Spencer, M.A. ’75, Cambridge, Wis., died Nov. 7, 2018, age 71.

Curtis C. Freudenburg, M.A. ’67, Bay City, Mich., died Feb. 25, 2019, age 81.

Robert D. Brugger, ’71, Milford, Del., died Feb. 10, 2019, age 77.

Samuel G. Glover, ’74, Nashville, Mich., died March 5, 2019, age 69.

Phillip H. Karner, ’71, Tecumseh, Mich., died Jan. 23, 2019, age 69.

Craig C. Griffith, ’74, Raleigh, N.C., died Nov. 24, 2018, age 66.

George D. Atwood, ’76, M.A. ’83, Farwell, Mich., died Feb. 7, 2019, age 65.

Syed Naqvi, MBA ’67, Grand Rapids, Mich., died March 15, 2019, age 77.

Marvin R. Rosa, ’67, Frankfort, Mich., died Feb. 1, 2019, age 82.

John E. Schuberg, M.A. ’67, La Salle, Mich., died Nov. 24, 2018, age 80.

Richard S. Fabus, ’68, Saginaw, Mich., died Oct. 30, 2018, age 72.

Candace L. (Wood) Laufer, ’68, Paw Paw, Mich., died March 25, 2019, age 72.

Virginia “Dawn” (Drake) McKnight, ’68, M.A. ’74, Rosebush, Mich., died Jan. 23, 2019, age 87.

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Konstantin G. Prokos, M.A. ’69, Flint, Mich., died Feb. 5, 2019, age 82.

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David M. Dow, M.A. ’71, Stowe, Vt., died Nov. 2, 2018, age 75.

William S. Holmes, ’74, Traverse City, Mich., died March 22, 2019, age 67.

Douglas F. McLeod, ’71, Port Huron, Mich., died March 6, 2019, age 70.

Eugene F. Portwine, ’74, Waycross, Ga., died Oct. 13, 2018, age 66.

J. Robert Minich, ’71, Midland, Mich., died Oct. 29, 2018, age 79.

James R. Sawyer, M.A. ’74, San Antonio, Texas, died Dec. 12, 2018, age 78.

Karen E. (Fredericks) Onstott, ’71, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died April 4, 2019, age 72.

Donald A. Verduin, ’71, M.A. ’78, Ludington, Mich., died Feb. 7, 2019, age 72.

Jerry S. Wade, M.A. ’74, Columbus, Ohio, died Oct. 5, 2018, age 75.

Lee V. Waldron, M.A. ’74, Buffalo Grove, Ill., died March 16, 2019, age 94.

Deborah A. (Davis) Baker, ’76, Sturgis, Mich., died Oct. 16, 2018, age 64.

Irvin W. Frutchey, M.A. ’76, Daytona Beach, Fla., died Feb. 17, 2019, age 77.

John A. Long Jr., M.A. ’76, Bellbrook, Ohio, died Nov. 21, 2018, age 72.

Charles A. Randolph, ’76, Big Rapids, Mich., died Feb. 24, 2019, age 66.

Alan M. Yokobosky, ’76, Clio, Mich., died Oct. 16, 2018, age 64.

Arthur L. Anderson, M.A. ’77, Shreveport, La., died Nov. 15, 2018, age 69.

Pearl L. (Layne) Bobson, M.A. ’77, Columbus, Ohio, died Jan. 16, 2019, age 92.

June B. Williams, M.A. ’79, Lenexa, Kan., died Nov. 5, 2018, age 80.

Kathleen H. (Dowling) Kelly, M.S.A. ’85, Camden Wyoming, Del., died Jan. 12, 2019, age 81.

Kimberly A. (Bozzer) WagarHart, ’87, Gaylord, Mich., died Oct. 16, 2018, age 53.

Dale M. Glenn, M.A. ’77, Columbus, Ohio, died Sept. 30, 2018, age 79.

Thomas A. Gregg, M.A. ’80, Effingham, Kan., died Feb. 26, 2019, age 76.

David S. Merritt, ’85, Battle Creek, Mich., died March 5, 2019, age 62.

Winston W. Isaac, M.A. ’88, Ontario, Canada, died Feb. 15, 2019.

Carol P. (Phelan) Hacala, M.A. ’77, Grosse Pointe, Mich., died Jan. 28, 2019, age 82.

Merald L. Matthews, M.A. ’80, Rogers, Ark., died Nov. 28, 2018, age 81.

Susan S. (Smith) Parco, ’85, Chico, Calif., died Dec. 5, 2018, age 55.

Janice B. (Butler) Ryckeley, M.S.A. ’88, Tar Heel, N.C., died Feb. 25, 2019, age 63.

Ida D. Napier, ’77, Lapeer, Mich., died Oct. 9, 2018, age 64.

William P. Osentoski, ’80, Greeley, Colo., died Jan. 25, 2019, age 66.

Joseph D. Simko, M.A. ’85, Sharon, Pa., died Feb. 18, 2019, age 69.

Brian D. Benjamin, ’89, M.S. ’00, Rose City, Mich., died Nov. 9, 2018, age 52.

Steven M. Baker, ’81, Bay City, Mich., died Feb. 27, 2019, age 63.

Evelyn D. (Walsh) Woodbury, ’85, Flint, Mich., died Feb. 7, 2019, age 89.

Alfred B. Clowser, M.S.A. ’89, Colorado Springs, Colo., died Oct. 11, 2018, age 85.

William E. Babcock, M.A. ’86, Flint, Mich., died Feb. 26, 2019, age 73.

Dwayne Holt, ’89, Holland, Mich., died March 14, 2019, age 82.

Ralph A. Benman, ’86, Detroit, Mich., died Nov. 23, 2018, age 67.

Linnea A. (Bankey) Jackson, ’89, Jacksonville, Fla., died Dec. 11, 2018, age 51.

William N. Stowe, M.S. ’77, Boise, Idaho, died Nov. 20, 2018, age 79.

Norris G. Turner, ’77, Detroit, Mich., died Feb. 13, 2019, age 82.

Steven D. Ward, ’77, Manistee, Mich., died Dec. 11, 2018, age 63.

Daniel B. Cress, ’78, Cadillac, Mich., died Feb. 27, 2019, age 62.

Harlan K. Halvorsen, MBA ’78, Big Rapids, Mich., died March 28, 2019, age 73.

Walter H. Murphree, M.A. ’78, Zainesville, Ohio, died Jan. 19, 2019, age 88.

Robert L. Swindell, ’78, New London, Wis., died Jan. 27, 2019, age 63.

David M. Tait, ’78, Troy, Mich., died Nov. 27, 2018, age 63.

Jeffrey T. Tefft, M.S.A. ’78, Ann Arbor, Mich., died Jan. 9, 2019, age 67.

Danelle A. (Ruohomaki) Jones, ’79, Saginaw, Mich., died Oct. 3, 2018, age 64.

Timothy P. Kennedy, ’79, Wakefield, Mich., died March 14, 2019, age 62.

Donna M. (Leisenring) Lasu, ’79, M.A. ’81, Dewitt, Mich., died Dec. 23, 2018, age 62.

Kristina C. (Beckman) Laurent, ’79, Dewitt, Mich., died Nov. 20, 2018, age 61.

Parkash Samuel, M.A. ’79, Washington, D.C., died Oct. 17, 2018, age 90.

Thomas R. Halsey, ’81, Punta Gorda, Fla., died Feb. 8, 2019, age 65.

Annette M. Neeson, ’81, Boulder, Colo., died Feb. 13, 2019, age 63.

James P. Schuback, M.A. ’81, Gettysburg, Pa., died Nov. 6, 2018, age 72.

Terry L. Chamberlin, ’86, Grand Ledge, Mich., died Sept. 13, 2018, age 74.

Toni J. Thomson, ’81, Lansing, Mich., died Dec. 19, 2018, age 63.

Amy E. Dietz, ’86, Grosse Pointe, Mich., died Jan. 15, 2019, age 55.

John F. Cope, M.A. ’82, Washington, D.C., died Dec. 16, 2018, age 86.

Carol A. (Morton) Nash, M.A. ’86, Grand Rapids, Mich., died Nov. 17, 2018, age 80.

William G. Horsley, M.A. ’82, Beaver, Ohio, died Oct. 19, 2018, age 80.

Kimberly J. (Bischoff) Peters, ’86, Troy, Mich., died Nov. 21, 2018, age 54.

John B. Walters III, M.A. ’82, Montevallo, Ala., died Feb. 6, 2019, age 79.

Dianna M. (Wonders) Thomson, M.A. ’86, Heath, Ohio, died March 7, 2019, age 77.

Alison E. Haas, ’83, Gainesville, Ga., died Oct. 29, 2018, age 61.

David Witucki, ’86, M.A. ’90, Grand Rapids, Mich., died March 19, 2019, age 54.

Edward E. Lee, M.A. ’83, Dayton, Ohio, died Nov. 1, 2018, age 76.

Christopher J. Merlo, ’83, Dallas, Texas, died Nov. 13, 2018, age 58.

Ronda K. (Essig) Turner, ’83, Buchanan, Mich., died Dec. 22, 2018, age 58.

Kevin P. Battjes, M.S. ’84, Midland, Mich., died March 27, 2019, age 63.

Edgar Boyd, M.A. ’84, Dayton, Ohio, died Oct. 28, 2018, age 74.

William C. Tysinger, M.A. ’79, Mount Dora, Fla., died Dec. 7, 2018, age 76.

Glenn T. Ware, ‘84, Grand Rapids, Mich., died Jan. 6, 2019, age 56.

Thomas L. Waldrop, M.A. ’79, Portland, Ore., died Oct. 3, 2018, age 82.

James E. Daust, M.A. ’85, Lansing, Mich., died Dec. 8, 2018, age 84.

Edward C. Cline, ’87, M.S.A. ’90, Oxford, Mich., died Nov. 2, 2018, age 74.

Katherine M. (Kaunitz) Jones, ’87, Midland, Mich., died Nov. 22, 2018, age 77.

Phillip J. McGuire, M.S.A. ’87, Bethesda, Md., died Aug. 7, 2018, age 68.

Deborah S. (Sias) Reger, ’87, Beaverton, Mich., died Feb. 27, 2019, age 67.

Hugh J. Robinson, ’87, Shepherd, Mich., died Feb. 7, 2019, age 79.

Lori M. (Anderson) Schreier, ’87, Stevens Point, Wis., died Feb. 21, 2019, age 54.

Ronald K. Smith, M.S. ’89, Midland, Mich., died Nov. 9, 2018, age 66.

Norman J. Udovich, M.S.A. ’89, Ridley Park, Pa., died March 1, 2019, age 92.

Thomas J. Darland, ’90, Midland, Mich., died March 3, 2019, age 78.

Kareen E. (Beck) Latoski, ’90, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Oct. 30, 2018, age 51.

Charles E. Marquardt, M.S.A. ’90, West Branch, died Oct. 8, 2018, age 70.

Susan D. (Routly) Muirhead, M.S.A. ’90, British Columbia, Canada, died Jan. 9, 2019, age 67.

Joseph C. Tancredi, ’90, Boulder, Colo., died Feb. 18, 2019, age 51.

Kendall W. Harrington, ’91, Saginaw, Mich., died March 7, 2019, age 62.

Joseph Kazen, ’91, M.A. ’97, M.S. ’01, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died March 8, 2019, age 50.

Kenneth P. Foust, M.A. ’92, Jackson, Mich., died Dec. 7, 2018, age 83.

Marilyn W. (Gangerdeen) Litz, M.S.A. ’92, Bangor, Maine, died Nov. 18, 2018, age 75.

Centralight Summer ’19

39

+ IN MEMORY

Marilyn F. (Torina) McCormick, M.A.H. ’93, Traverse City, Mich., died Oct. 6, 2018, age 76.

Wayne M. Wrobe, M.S.A. ’93, Novi, Mich., died Oct. 15, 2018, age 64.

Edwin Jeter, M.A. ’12, Atlanta, Ga., died Nov. 25, 2018, age 68.

Teresa L. (Klemens) Oliver, M.A. ’15, Midland, Mich., died Jan. 18, 2019, age 56.

Paul E. Gesling, M.S.A. ’94, Virginia Beach, Va., died Sept. 26, 2018, age 60.

Kevin R. Schuette, ’18, Turner, Mich., died Jan. 6, 2019, age 24.

James R. McDonald, M.S.A. ’94, Highland, Mich., died Nov. 2, 2018, age 69.

Faculty

Catherine P. (Parker) Yascolt, M.A. ’94, Midland, Mich., died Jan. 26, 2019, age 70.

Kirby S. Steil, ’95, Grand Rapids, Mich., died Nov. 20, 2018, age 47.

Anneliese Bowlby, Ann Arbor, Mich., died Aug. 26, 2018, age 83.

Patrick Rode, Grand Rapids, Mich., died Dec. 9, 2018, age 90.

Phyllis J. Covey, ’98, Clio, Mich., died Nov. 27, 2018, age 66.

Staff

Chrysanthe (Kilimas) Ewing, ’99, Troy, Mich., died Jan. 12, 2019, age 62.

Jessica L. (Hartford) Robinson, ’02, Holt, Mich., died April 5, 2019, age 37.

Roy W. Lowell, M.A. ’04, Clio, Mich., died Oct. 21, 2018, age 70.

Zachary S. Lytle, ’04, Higgins Lake, Mich., died Oct. 2, 2018, age 40.

John M. Noraian Jr., ’04, Pleasant Ridge, Mich., died Oct. 4, 2018, age 61.

Centralight Summer ’19

Jack supported many causes in his home town and beyond.

Through a grant from the John R. and Constance M. Harkins Community Fund, Jack paid for school field trip busing to the Museum of Cultural and Natural History at CMU, drastically increasing the museum’s attendance.

Diane E. Newby, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Jan. 15, 2019, age 76.

Barry Jacobson, Wynnewood, Pa., died Feb. 21, 2019, age 93.

Carl J. Olson, M.S.A. ’98, Royal Oak, Mich., died Feb. 20, 2019, age 71.

Jack was not an exceptionally diligent college student, and he left another university only a few semesters into his college career. But he received a second chance at CMU as one of “Charlie’s boys,” a group of young men CMU President Charles Anspach singled out as people who he believed held great promise if encouraged to succeed.

Emmett Mason, Ohio, died June 16, 2017.

D. Patrick Loveless, ’97, Midland, Mich., died Jan. 31, 2018, age 67.

Mary Jo (Swidersky) Jordan, M.S.A. ’98, West Bloomfield, Mich., died March 12, 2019, age 58.

Jack Harkins, ’61, M.A. ’66, died Jan. 23, 2019; he was 79. The Mount Pleasant property his parents owned during his high school years is now the heart of CMU’s campus, encompassing much of the area between Park Library, the Music Building and Brooks Hall.

Julie S. (Kroontje) Bontrager, M.A. ’08, Sturgis, Mich., died Jan. 5, 2019, age 69.

Lee A. Dziduch, ’93, North Branch, Mich., died March 9, 2019, age 48.

Wayne M. Smoot, M.S.A. ’94, Grand Blanc, Mich., died Oct. 17, 2018, age 58.

40

Samantha A. (Day) Gibson, ’06, Gaylord, Mich., died Oct. 27, 2018, age 35.

Remembering Jack

Bruce Ellsworth, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Oct. 17, 2018, age 72.

Marian L. Beutler, Weidman, Mich., died Jan. 25, 2019, age 85.

Agnes Hamilton, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Jan. 2, 2019, age 87.

Dorothy A. Kowallic, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Dec. 25, 2018, age 95.

Alice C. Paisley, Shepherd, Mich., died Jan. 21, 2019, age 89.

Harold W. Tremain, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Jan. 6,2019, age 87.

Carol J. (Musselman) Brannan, ’66, M.A. ’70, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died March 14, 2019, age 75.

JESSMORE/STEVE JESSMORE PHOTOGRAPHY

Kim S. (Kokko) Davids, M.S.A. ’93, Saline, Mich., died Dec. 6, 2018, age 66.

Melissa L. (Volway) Schanck, ’04, Farwell, Mich., died Jan. 13, 2019, age 50.

PHOTO BY STEVE

Joseph L. Curtin, Ed.S. ’93, Evart, Mich., died Dec. 5, 2018, age 73.

Giving students

the world

Two alums provide students with a doorway to the world Richard Telfer, ’70, ’72, and Veronica Telfer, ’70, ’75, are helping Central Michigan University students put their stamp on the world by sending them around the world.

Richard and Veronica know firsthand that some of the greatest learning experiences happen internationally. Both are former educators and administrators, as well as world travelers. They see tremendous value in the life-changing experience of being in a foreign environment.

Richard and Veronica Telfer

“International travel and study helps students learn more about others and themselves,” Veronica said. “We feel that stepping out of your comfort zone is an essential learning experience, and we want all students to be able to take that step.”

The Telfers are translating their passion for travel into an endowed scholarship for study abroad. The award is open to all students who demonstrate financial need, regardless of major.

Spirit of giving back Veronica and Richard Telfer support students who are making the world their classroom. To learn more about helping students and giving back to Central Michigan University, contact: Ted Tolcher Senior Philanthropic Advisor, National Director of Planned Giving, Advancement Central Michigan University, Carlin Alumni House, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 989-774-1441 · ted.tolcher@cmich.edu

giftplanning.cmich.edu CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see http://www.cmich.edu/ocrie). UComm 10042 04/29

Centralight Winter ’18

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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIDLAND MI PERMIT NO. 260

Centralight

Carlin Alumni House Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859