EKU Magazine Spring 2019

SPRING 2019

MEET EKU’S ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS

A World-Class Education

Contributors EKU Magazine is a collaborative effort between EKU Alumni Engagement and EKU Communications and Brand Management.

EKU President Michael T. Benson Associate Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Dan McBride, ’89 Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategic Initiatives David McFaddin, ’99 ’15 Assistant Vice President, Communications and Brand Management Doug Cornett Photography Amanda Cain Chris Radcliffe, ’04 EKU Special Collections & Archives Contributing Writers Samantha Barlow, ’19 Kevin Britton, ’00 ’11 Steven Fohl, ’07 ’12 Madison Janae Harris, ’19 Jenny Holly, ’08 Joshua Kegley, ’07 Veronica Lawson ’22 Caitlyn Rahschulte ’19 Morgan Romans, ’17 Jerry Wallace

Coordinator of Engagement and Communications Alex Hanavan, ’15 ’17 Coordinator of Alumni Programming and Student Philanthropy Sarah Baker, ’15 Administrative Assistant II, Alumni Engagement Jessica Duerson International Alumni Association Board President Amy Jo Smith Gabel, ’05 ’08 Immediate Past President Tom Martin, ’93 ’01 Vice President; Chair, Alumni Awards and Recognition Bob Sullivan, ’72 (ROTC Representative) Secretary; Chair, Development Ray Arnold, ’09 ’13

Design Management Jessica Holly

Board Members: Deborah Alexander, ’77, Allison Allgier, ’92, Rodney Bussell, ’95, Tichaedza Chikuni, ’05 ’11, Mikayla Courtney, ’19 (Student Alumni Ambassador President), George Demaree, ’82, Christopher Eden, ’09, David Fifer, ’07, Dana Daughetee Fohl, ’07, Kelvin Ford, ’94, Tonita Goodwin, ’80, Roger Hardin, ’75, Kristine Herrera, ’18, Jeffery Humble, ’07, Barbara Phillips, ’73, Chris Radcliffe, ’04 ’12, Lucy Riffle, ’77, Laura Rudolph, ’08, Lori Tatum, ’01, Lelani Turrentine, ’71, Andrea Tyra, ’19, Ray Walker, ’79, Randy White, ’90

Eastern Kentucky University

Visit us online:

Editorial Director, Brand Management; Managing Editor Brandon Moore, ’14 Design and Layout Art Director/ Senior Graphic Designer Mickey Thomas Graphic Designer Tara Leisure, ’16

You can be part of it.

Alumni Engagement Staff Senior Director for Engagement and Communications Steve Greenwell, ’06

521 Lancaster Ave. Richmond, KY 40475-3102

eku.edu stories.eku.edu alumni.eku.edu development.eku.edu

MODEL LABORATORY SCHOOL AT EA ST E R N K E NT UCK Y UN IVERSITY

Preparing the next generation of leaders in grades K through 12. model.eku.edu/application-admission

Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice. Any complaint arising by reason of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Eastern Kentucky University, Jones Building 416, Richmond, Kentucky 40475, (859) 622-8020, or the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. 20202, 1-800-421-3481 (V), 1-800-877-8339 (TTY).

SPRING 2019 2 A Letter from President Benson

4 EKU Stories

30 Into the Breach

22

BEST OF EASTERN 2018 Meet the 2018 Alumni Award winners who represent the best of Eastern.

38 Athletics Highlights

40 Social Media Highlights

42 Alumni News

47 In Memoriam

13

OBJECT LESSONS: In the fall of 2018, EKU Special Collections and Archives presented “EKUx100,” an exhibit curated by Jenny Holly, ’08, that tells the unique story of EKU through 100 objects, people and places.

ON THE COVER: Myron Douglas, ’13, 2018 Distinguished Service Honoree.

Story on page 22

10

18

34

STAYING ON TRACK

SURVIVE AND SUCCEED

21 AFTER 21 YEARS

As an EKU student, Bob Elliston, ’86, spent many fun weekends at Keeneland.

Now he serves as a Vice President of Sales and Racing. Elliston reflects on finding a world-class industry a stone’s throw from his alma mater.

Despite the rigors of military life, Butch Morgan, ’74, excelled, rising through the ranks and raising a family during his world travels in the U.S. Marines. Today, he is a high-ranking officer with the U.S. Department of Transportation, continuing his lifelong public service.

In the 1980s, an injury dashed her dreams of playing, but this EKU volleyball player found a new passion — coaching.

The University now bids farewell to Lori Duncan, head volleyball coach for 21 years and a shining example of what it means to be a Colonel.

The previous academic year was a difficult one for the Eastern Kentucky University community. Declining state appropriations, coupled with rising fixed costs, necessitated cuts in academic programs and personnel. It is little consolation that many of our sister universities, across the Commonwealth and nationwide, are enduring similar hardships.

But we began the 2018-19 year with renewed optimism. And it is largely because of you, our alumni and friends, that we can confidently face the future.

At a time when Eastern needs you more than ever, you have stepped up in recent years with record amounts of private support. Not only that, but you continue to do us proud in your professions and in your communities. This year’s newly named J.W. “Spider” Thurman Alumni Awards and Pioneer Celebration reminded me, in a way that perhaps no other event can, what makes Eastern special. It’s our forebears, like “Spider.” It’s people like you following in his large footsteps.

Our 15 award recipients this year are at various stages of their remarkable lives and careers, but an unmistakable common thread runs through each: Eastern shaped their lives in immeasurable ways, and, through their success, they are reflecting great honor on their alma mater. For example: Young Alumni Award recipient Dana (Daughetee) Fohl, ’07, now our University Counsel, talks about the giants in her life here that helped her see something in herself even she didn’t see at the time. Distinguished Service Award winner Myron Douglas, ’13, now a health communications specialist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, attributes much of his “success and sanity” to his academic and research adviser at Eastern. Professional Achievement Award recipient Dr. Julia (Hogan) Bohannon, ’03, a burn victim as a child, took her first steps as a student in our science labs on a journey that would lead her a decade later to Vanderbilt University, where now she performs research that might one day help future burn victims. Lastly, Hall of Distinguished Alumni inductee and retired educator Dr. Elaine Farris, ’77 ’81 ’12, recalled the encouragement and inspiring words of her EKU professors

2 SPRING 2019

any time she faced a new challenge in a trailblazing career that required a special toughness.

And that’s just a sample — one from each category of winners, four of the best of our best. You can read a little more about all these distinguished sons and daughters in this issue of EKU Magazine and even more at the Alumni Association’s website. The success of our graduates will always be our most effective advertisement. And that’s true whether you’re one of our Pioneers or the ink has barely dried on your diploma. What wonderful ambassadors we have from all eras of Eastern!

It is important to note, too, that many of these 15 honorees were aided in some way by the generosity of those who walked these halls and grounds before them — loyal Eastern alumni and friends who have found that the best legacy they can leave is to help current and future Colonels with scholarship endowments and other contributions.

As we prepare now to enter the public phase of a vitally important capital campaign this fall, it is comforting to know that Eastern is still changing lives and that our alumni and friends are still shaping Eastern.

Who knows? Maybe that very student you help today will someday be honored by our alumni association for their own achievements.

Dr. Michael T. Benson President

CARRY ING ON ­­­­­

THE

LEGACY

Honoring Our Past, Pointing to Our Future

President Benson on the steps of Turner Gate, September 2018.

EKU MAGAZINE 3

EKU STORIES

– EKU STORIES – In this

Dr. Margaret Ndinguri, LEFT, and Dr. Lindsay Calderon.

issue Professors Earn Cancer Drug Patent Pact With Blue Grass Airport Aids Students Mock Trial Team 2nd in Tournament Paralegal Program Earns National Recognition Big Wins for EKU Communications Department Junior Overcomes Violence to Succeed EKU Board Bids Farewell to Turner, Welcomes Diaz EKU Reaches Success Milestones Science Building Phase 2 Earns LEED Gold

PROFESSORS EARN CANCER DRUG PATENT Two EKU faculty members recently received a U.S. patent, with 15 claims approved, for their discovery of a chemical compound that better targets specific types of hard-to-treat and reproductive cancer tumors.

For Dr. Lindsay Calderon, associate professor of biological sciences, and Dr. Margaret Ndinguri, associate professor of chemistry, the patent is the culmination of painstaking and time-consuming research that merged two academic disciplines, capitalized on the University’s state-of-the-art new Science Building and involved the assistance of dozens of EKU undergraduate and graduate students.

Read more about these stories and access additional content.

stories.eku.edu

The duo’s compound selectively targets cancer cells that have the elevated hormone receptor LHRH. That includes breast, prostate and ovarian cancers, as well as various non-reproductive cancers such as lung, pancreatic and bladder.

For Calderon and Ndinguri, the patent is a source of pride for many reasons. Because EKU is primarily a teaching institution, it’s not often that research on the Richmond campus results in a patent. The faculty duo is also deeply aware that their achievement comes in a maledominant field, and positions them as role models and trailblazers for females of all ages.

Most of all, though, they are happy for all the EKU students who benefited from the opportunity to participate in such important work.

“The bigger picture here is that our undergraduate students learn that they’re capable of doing meaningful research, and that we’ve got the skill set here at EKU to do it,” Calderon said.

4 SPRING 2019

EKU STORIES

PACT WITH BLUE GRASS AIRPORT AIDS STUDENTS A partnership between Eastern Kentucky University’s nationally prominent aviation program and Blue Grass Airport has taken another step forward.

With the recent opening at the airport of a new facility for general (private) aviation aircraft owners, EKU students are enjoying yet another opportunity for valuable internships and part-time employment. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 14, airport officials were joined by members of the general aviation community and EKU representatives and students to open WestLEX, a new facility specifically designed to provide support services to airport tenants leasing hangars on the west side of the airfield.

“With this new facility, EKU students can work part time to learn more about the general aviation community, and better understand airport operations and customer service.

Three EKU aviation students are already employed part time at WestLEX. Eric Frankl, executive director for Blue Grass Airport, said the partnership between the airport and the EKU aviation program is “mutually beneficial. It has added tremendous value for the University and the airport, (and) we want to develop it further … We are thankful for the exceptional partner we have found in Eastern Kentucky University.”

MOCK TRIAL TEAM 2ND IN TOURNAMENT EKU’s lauded mock trial program kicked off its season in style, finishing second at an invitational tournament hosted by EKU at Fayette County Circuit Court in Lexington, Kentucky, Oct. 6 and 7. EKU’s second-place team went 6-2 in the tournament, taking both ballots from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and the University of Cincinnati, and splitting ballots with Loyola University Chicago and Bellarmine University.

Ryan Wiggins, a senior from Georgetown, Ky., pulled off the impressive feat of winning both outstanding witness and

outstanding attorney awards on opposite sides of the case for EKU’s second-place squads. Other members of EKU’s secondplace team included Riley Alexander, Megan Baumgardner, Lexi Fellows, Ethan Fowlie, Maya Gulliford, Kaisee Riddell, Reagan Roberts and Ashley Thompson.

EKU’s other two teams in the tournament also performed well, going 5-3 and 4-4, respectively. Three other students — Brianna Palmer, Yeimy Pina-Perez and Kenny Hopper — earned individual awards.

EKU MAGAZINE 5

EKU STORIES

BIG WINS FOR EKU COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

© AA+W. stock.adobe.com

Last year was a productive one for EKU’s Department of Communication, which received a prestigious recertification, and saw a lecturer and a student receive high awards.

PARALEGAL PROGRAM EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION In its recently released list of the 2018 Top Online Paralegal Programs, Paralegal 411 named EKU Online among the nation’s best degree providers. Eastern Kentucky University ranked No. 8, and it was one of only three programs in the top 10 approved by the American Bar Association.

The EKU Public Relations major in the Department of Communication has once again earned Certification in Education for Public Relations (CEPR) administered by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Educational Affairs. EKU is the second-longest university in the world to hold this distinction. Only 40 programs worldwide are certified, with 34 of them being in the United States.

The Kentucky Communication Association (KCA) selected EKU Junior Kaylyn Perkins as the winner of the 2018 Communication Professional of the Year award. Perkins, a 2016 graduate of South Laurel High School in London, Kentucky, has served as a reporter, opinions editor and news editor for the Eastern Progress. She was recognized particularly for her coverage of the EKU Board of Regents during the 2017-18 academic year.

John Strada, a senior lecturer in the communication studies program in the Department of Communication at Eastern Kentucky University, received the Vernon Gantt Award for Distinguished Service from the KCA. Among the reasons given for Strada’s selection were his outstanding record of service to the University and the community, as well as his commitment to service and experiential learning in the classroom.

Paralegal 411 recognizes programs demonstrating quality and value that can position graduates for success in the job market. First, it identified not-for-profit, regionally accredited paralegal programs across the United States that offer online classes. Programs were then evaluated using data from sources that included the National Center for Education Statistics. The top online paralegal degree programs were ranked based on methodology comprised of graduation rate, tuition, faculty expertise and national rankings by U.S. News & World Report.

Earlier in 2018, EKU ranked No. 4 among the Top 20 Paralegal Degree Colleges Online based on research compiled by Online College Plan.

6 SPRING 2019

Dr. Jim Gleason, PR student Mikayla Estepp and Dr. Kathy Previs accept a plaque from the PRSA.

JUNIOR OVERCOMES VIOLENCE TO SUCCEED Seven years ago, Stephen Jones stepped outside his West Louisville home and was grazed by a bullet from a drive-by shooter. Today, he steps outside his comfort zone to seize opportunities at Eastern Kentucky University.

The story of Jones’ life reads like a movie script.

urban environment that nurtured him, it felt like the right fit: not too big, but not too small. Not too close to home, but just close enough. He embraced the discomfort, believing it will pay off. “You have to step outside your comfort zone,” he shared.

“I feel like if you’re inside your comfort zone, you’re doing something wrong.”

When he was 9, his parents separated, leaving him without a Some of the most impactful people Jones has connected with father figure. When he was in the fourth grade and then again have been from EKU’s Diversity Office. “Everybody in that office in middle school, an older plays a key role in where I brother was tried for am today,” he said. He entered murder. In seventh grade, There aren’t any excuses for me. I’ve been college with no scholarships. the drive-by shooting He has since earned the around gangs, drugs and violence, but it was up outside his home occurred.

Diversity Office Scholarship, A year later, he lost a close to me to make the right decisions. And I did. the Pay-It-Forward friend to gun violence.

Scholarship, the McNair Jones didn’t let those obstacles stop him. “There aren’t any excuses Scholarship and the Rodney Gross Diversity Scholarship. for me,” he said. “I’ve been around gangs, drugs and violence, Jones stays involved both in his campus and home communities. but it was up to me to make the right decisions. And I did.”

During the summer, he returns to Louisville to coach a youth One of those choices was to pursue a college education at EKU. football team. He hopes to be the mentor that he missed as a He plans to keep going, eventually pursuing a doctoral degree. child but found at EKU. “I give them an image of somebody to look up to. If any of the kids need advice or anything, they can West Louisville has calmed since his childhood, according to come to me and I’ll lead them in the right direction.”

Jones, but after everything he faced in adolescence, EKU was a welcome change. Though the campus is much different than the

“

”

EKU MAGAZINE 7

EKU STORIES

LEFT TO RIGHT: Newly elected EKU Board of Regents Chair Lewis Diaz, Chair Emeritus Craig Turner and President Michael T. Benson.

EKU BOARD BIDS FAREWELL TO TURNER, WELCOMES DIAZ Eastern Kentucky University’s Jan. 9 Board of Regents meeting was uncharacteristically emotional as the Colonel Community bid a fond farewell to outgoing Chair Craig Turner.

The board unanimously elected Regent Lewis Diaz as Turner’s successor. A Cuban native, Diaz is EKU’s first minority Board of Regents Chair. He graduated from EKU with an undergraduate degree in 2000 and a master’s degree in 2002. Today, he is a partner at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, a national law firm comprised of more than 650 attorneys with locations from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles.

Turner chose to step down last year after serving nearly 13 years on the board. The former chair’s emotional farewell remarks drew a standing ovation from the attendees gathered in the EKU Center for the Arts’ Black Box Theater. His firm, CRM Companies, develops, owns and manages commercial properties all over the region. He was instrumental in many of the revitalization projects on EKU’s campus. He and his wife, Madonna, donated funds for Turner Gate, which has become the new face of the University.

EKU REACHES SUCCESS MILESTONES The four-year graduation rate at Eastern Kentucky University more than doubled in an eight-year span and, in just one year’s time, EKU Online experienced 13-percent growth in enrollment.

These figures are the latest in years of steady incline that show EKU is attracting higher-achieving students and producing more in-demand online degree options.

Roughly one in three students from the Fall 2014 freshman cohort graduated in four years. The 32.7 percent record is up from 29.98 percent in 2017 and well above 15.67 percent for the 2006 freshman cohort, according to figures released in 2018.

8 SPRING 2019

On the online-learning side, five new online degree programs were launched in 2018. The EKU College of Justice and Safety added a 100-percent online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice to its list of programs. The College of Business and Technology introduced fully online bachelor’s degrees in general business and accounting. Online bachelor’s degrees in sport management and communication were also created. Relatively young programs, like the online bachelor’s degree in social work, which began in Fall 2017, have also seen rapid growth. In total, EKU now offers more than 40 degree and certificate options.

EKU STORIES

SCIENCE BUILDING PHASE 2 EARNS LEED GOLD Where better for Eastern Kentucky University to model its commitment to sustainability than in its Science Building?

The LEED Gold plaque that now adorns a wall in the facility’s atrium testifies to the University’s leadership in energy conservation and environmental design.

A ceremony was held in September to recognize that Phase 2 of the building had earned the coveted distinction from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The second phase of the building opened in 2017, five years after the first phase. In its short history, the 340,000-square-foot Science Building, the largest such facility on any college or university campus in the Commonwealth, has transformed science teaching and research at the University, strengthened faculty collaboration and enhanced the College of Science’s capacity for engagement with the community, according to Dr. Tom Otieno, dean of the college.

Now, thanks to sustainable design strategies and best practices undertaken during the building’s design and construction, the building “is able to serve as a test bed for campus initiatives in recycling, energy consumption awareness, sustainable construction methods, and water conservation,” Otieno said.

“Indeed, the entire building is an instructional tool.”

WEKU CELEBRATES GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY On Oct. 7, 1968, radio listeners in Central Kentucky woke up to a new and exciting alternative — WEKU-FM. This academic year, WEKU celebrated 50 years of keeping Kentuckians well-informed and entertained.

MIGRANT STUDENT ASSOCIATION ADVOCATES WIN AWARDS The Kentucky Migrant Education Program’s (KYMEP) southern region piled on the accolades at the annual Fall Academy in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Award winners included: Betty Perkins, outreach specialist, regional recruiter and advocate assistant; Jeff Vincent, assistant director and regional advocate; and Kelsey Flores, recruiter.

KYMEP is a federally funded grant program designed to remove educational barriers for children in families who move frequently for agricultural labor. Since 2002, the southern regional office has been located at EKU, within the College of Education.

RENOVATED STARBUCKS OPENS IN POWELL Colonels have a new way to get their caffeine fix. In fall, Starbucks was the first location to open in the vrenovated Powell Student Center.

EKU CHANGES ITS TWITTER HANDLE Looking for the latest University news on Twitter? EKU recently changed its handle. Find us @EKU.

EKU MAGAZINE 9

STAYING ON TRACK

EKU ALUM SERVING AS KEENELAND VP REFLECTS ON WHAT MAKES THE VENUE SPECIAL

Bob Elliston stands trackside at Keeneland in October 2018.

10 SPRING 2019

As the morning sun’s light cascaded across Keeneland racetrack, hours before the bulk of the day’s guests arrived, an employee gently washed a row of colorful jockey statues with a rag.

She spent about 20 minutes wiping down every nook, polishing each statue until it glistened.

In the fast-paced business world of today, 20 minutes is a lifetime. That 20 minutes could have been spent ideating a new go-to-market strategy, moving the needle or enacting some other form of corporate jargon. But the racing side of Keeneland is not a typical business, and Bob Elliston, ’86, is not a typical businessman.

“It demonstrates how special we make every detail here at Keeneland,” he said. “There will be 500 people who stand in front of those jockeys today and get their picture taken. We want those pictures to be as special as they can be. That’s uniquely Keeneland.”

Elliston is the vice president of sales and racing at the Lexington, Ky., horse track. With about 12,000 guests per race day and 32 race days per year, Keeneland sees a fraction of the action of Kentucky’s biggest racing venue, Churchill Downs.

That’s by design.

“Our hospitality is so forward-focused that you never have to open a door while you’re here — we’ll do that for you,” he said.

“It costs more to run your affairs that way, but it adds to the demand. People know they’re going to be treated well and their visit is going to be a special occasion.”

In short, “this is boutique.”

The sales side of Keeneland, however, is another animal.

Regularly bringing in $500 to $600 million annually, it is the largest thoroughbred auction company in the world. It’s the

A handler walks a young horse around the pre-sale arena at Keeneland in October 2018.

kind of place where hosting a ruling family from a foreign nation is all in a day’s work. The world’s wealthiest people come here to purchase Kentucky thoroughbreds that were bred, born and raised in the heart of the Bluegrass.

president of Turfway Park, a job he held for 13 years. In 2012, he was named chief operating officer for the Breeder’s Cup. Four years later, he was brought on at Keeneland, where “it all came full circle,” he said.

“A lot of people don’t recognize that this

“It was like being a kid who loved baseball, growing up in the shadow of Yankee Stadium and getting a call one day that said ‘How would you like to come work for the Yankees?’”

is here, in Central Kentucky. I know I didn’t realize it growing up until I got immersed into it. It’s a huge economic engine for our region.

There are incredible things right in our back yard. I didn’t have to go to New York or Florida or California to find the best in class. I got that right here, a stone’s throw from Eastern.”

It was at Eastern where Elliston’s passion for horse racing began.

Every April and October in the mid-1980s — on Fridays, when his class load was lightest — he and his friends could be found at Keeneland. However, the pastime didn’t translate to a dream job right out of college. The thoroughbred industry wasn’t his first or even his second career. Elliston, who double majored in political science and economics at EKU, first worked in public affairs and finance.

He enjoyed those careers, but his interest in racing never lapsed.

Eventually, he bought a few budget thoroughbreds, racing them as a hobby. Then, while working as an investment banker, he learned that the Keeneland Association was interested in purchasing a stake in Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. He jumped at the opportunity to help finance the deal.

While he didn’t manage to land Keeneland as a client, he did manage to do something else — impress them with his knowledge of both finance and the horse industry. He was brought on to be

12 SPRING 2019

Since the start of his equine career, Elliston has found that a hard-nosed business acumen pairs well with childlike excitement for the sport. He also knows that, while it’s important to enter any new business opportunity with a passion for growth, you can’t do so at the expense of decades of tradition. For Keeneland, that tradition is sparkling statues and good times shared with friends, not to mention the company’s mission to invest every cent back into the sport and the community.

That history keeps him grounded.

“Everybody wants to make their bones. You want to make your deals, you want to excel for your own personal ego,” he said. “While yes, that’s important, and maybe that was really important when I first got out of college, and I needed to demonstrate my capabilities, I’m now 54 years old. To me, the most important thing is I’m entrusted with this 83-year-old, mission-based, community-driven company. I’m a steward of this responsibility, and I want to make sure it’s in great hands when I’m done.”

Around him, the quiet bustle of employees doing their own small part to make the day’s events memorable gave way to the clamor of the day’s first guests filing in.

“Everything comes from that. How we treat our people, our guests, the people that race here and the people that sell their horses here, it’s all born out of that responsibility.” n

1925

Registration Card

Prior to computerized registration in the 1980s, students stood in line to register for classes and filled out physical paperwork.

1950s - 60s

Mozart’s Collar Mozart, Eastern’s only dog mascot, practically ran the campus for 17 years until his death in 1964. His spirit remains in his collar and his influence on Eastern’s history.

BJECT LESSONS IN THE FALL OF 2018, EKU SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES PRESENTED “EKUx100,” AN EXHIBIT THAT TELLS THE UNIQUE STORY OF EKU THROUGH 100 OBJECTS, PEOPLE AND PLACES.

1936

“Belles Lettres” Literary Magazine

Aurora, EKU’s online literary magazine, was first published in 1935 under the name “Belles Lettres,” a term meaning beautiful, artistic literature.

What does a 50-year-old football have in common with the Lord’s Prayer written in Chinese? Both represent seminal moments in EKU’s history, and both are featured in the latest exhibit by EKU Special Collections and Archives. The department has painstakingly curated 50 historical objects from the University’s long history, and identified 50 influential places, to create the EKUx100. These are just a few of the objects featured. Each one tells a story of a moment in time that has made EKU what it is today.

To view the entire collection, visit go.eku.edu/EKUx100

ABOVE, LEFT:

Early 1900s / Freshmen from the 1920s to the 1970s wore beanies, like this one from the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School era.

1940s / Postcard shows EKU’s WAAC members exercising in front of the Weaver Building.

1984 / This autographed game ball from the Miami Masonic Classic features the signatures of all the Eastern women’s basketball players.

EKU MAGAZINE 13

1941

YWCA Pamphlet

The Young Women’s Christian Association was active at EKU from 1911 to 1978.

1966

University Status Pen

1971 - 72

In 1966, after a battle in the state legislature, House Bill 238 was passed and Eastern Kentucky State College became Eastern Kentucky University. This pen was used by Governor Edward T. Breathitt to sign the bill into law.

1981

Fraternity Rush Brochure

Greek life has played a huge role in EKU’s student experience since the 1960s, when the first fraternities were established on campus.

1908

Eastern Kentucky Review

A precursor to today’s online catalogs, this catalog allowed students to look up important dates, classes and the names of professors.

14 SPRING 2019

1903 - 04

Campus Living Publication

This publication from the early 1970s gave students information about housing on campus.

Walters Institute Catalog

Between Central University’s closing and EKU’s founding, the Walters Institute taught Latin, Greek, math and English from 1901 to 1906.

1967

Grantland Rice Bowl Ball

Commemorating the first Mideast Regional Championship, the winning game ball features the score and signatures of all players.

1948 - 66

College Dining Tickets

A precursor to student IDs, meal tickets were used in campus cafeterias.

Keen Johnson’s Top Hat Governor of Kentucky from 1939 to 1943, Keen Johnson served on the EKU Board of Regents in the ’40s and ’50s.

1997

Poker Set

Industrial Arts degrees have been offered at EKU since the ’20s. This was designed in the Industrial Education and Technology Department in 1997.

1937

Military Ball Program

The incorporation of ROTC at EKU brought a tradition that continues today: the Military Ball.

1922

1939

Eastern’s Alma Mater

Eastern’s Alma Mater was written by Nancy Evans and arranged by orchestra professor Jane Campbell.

Eastern Progress, First Edition

First edition, produced by a staff of 18 students, including first editor in chief Lucille Strather. It continues today as the source of campus news.

1970 / Jim Pellegrinon led protestors on Richmond’s Main Street, following the shooting of Kent State student protestors by the Ohio National Guard.

Vintage EKU Sweater Colonels have long shown their school pride by donning the school’s colors: maroon and white.

1960 - 76

Martin Shovel

President Robert R. Martin used this shovel to dedicate grounds for construction projects.

EKU MAGAZINE 15

Early 1900s

1958

Commencement Cap

The goal of an Eastern student has always been to leave with a diploma in hand. In 1907, the first five women graduated from what was then Eastern Kentucky State Normal School, wearing mortarboards much like this one.

The Milestone Yearbook

Milestone was published from 1922 to 1999, and again briefly from 2008 to 2010. Its predecessor, the Bluemont, was published only once in 1910.

Lord’s Prayer in Chinese International students arrived at EKU after WWII. This Chinese translation of the Lord’s Prayer was gifted by 1950s-era Chinese alumni Kou Chou Wu.

1930s

Marching Band Uniform Patch

After the formation of Eastern’s marching band in the 1920s, uniforms were ordered in 1929.

This patch, containing an early version of the “E” logo, buttoned onto the uniforms.

1978

ROTC Photo

Since the Eastern unit of ROTC graduated its first 11 cadets in 1940, it has graduated 2,050 Second Lieutenants for duty in the U.S. army.

16 SPRING 2019

Earle B. Combs Signature Louisville Slugger Mini Bat Hall of Famer Earle Combs, the namesake of the new EKU baseball complex, attended Eastern Kentucky State Normal School in 1916 before going on to play baseball for the New York Yankees. This Louisville Slugger baseball bat is engraved with Combs’ signature.

EKU LIBRARIES Did you know that EKU alumni can continue to access many library research databases after graduation?

Visit libguides.eku.edu/alumni for details.

Follow Us @ekulibraries |

@eku_libraries

facebook.com/ekulibraries

Major Butch Morgan walks past the U.S. Department of Transportation, December 2018.

DOG, THE SCENERY NEVER CHANGES.” For Retired Major Butch Morgan, ’74, survival isn’t enough. “Surviving” is what people who’ve led small lives reply when someone asks, “How you doing?”

Morgan has always wanted more — to thrive where others struggled. He’s not exactly sure why.

It’s instinctual.

“There’s just something inside me,” he said. “I have to survive and have to succeed.”

He has done so, despite relatively humble beginnings in Roanoke, Virginia, and despite growing up during the Civil Rights movement, when racial tensions were high and opportunities were few and far between for young black men. His instinct to survive and succeed kept doubt at bay. It’s how he never backed down from anything just because it seemed too hard.

Today, at age 67, Morgan is a high-ranking member of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Recently stepping into a new role as senior adviser for partnership engagement, he has also served as manager of the DOT’s Crisis Management Center, which monitors the nation’s transportation systems and infrastructure, as well as coordinates emergency responses when disasters strike.

Prior to his current career path, he spent more than 20 years as an officer in the U.S. Marines, where he saw the world, led America’s brave men and women and witnessed world history from the front row.

He’s lived a life empowered by his natural drive, the support of his family, and the education he received at Virginia Western Community College and Eastern Kentucky University. Morgan went on to receive a master’s degree from Ball State University.

“I always wanted to go into the military. That was my dream from day one,” he said, recalling one childhood Christmas during which, despite financial struggles, his father bought him a bag of toy army men. “I played the color off of those little plastic toy soldiers,” he said. “I don’t think I would’ve done anything else.”

SU RV I V E

“IF YOU’RE NOT THE LEAD

“I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO INTO THE MILITARY. THAT WAS MY DREAM FROM DAY ONE,” HE SAID, RECALLING ONE CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS DURING WHICH, DESPITE FINANCIAL STRUGGLES, HIS FATHER BOUGHT HIM A BAG OF TOY ARMY MEN.

“I PLAYED THE COLOR OFF OF THOSE LITTLE PLASTIC TOY SOLDIERS. I DON’T THINK I WOULD’VE DONE ANYTHING ELSE.”

­­— MAJOR BUTCH MORGAN, ’74

His father was a retired Army veteran who had served when the U.S. armed forces were still segregated. After having dropped out of high school, his father eventually went back and got his diploma. He encouraged Morgan to pursue his own military career by first attending college and then being commissioned as an officer.

“My dad always pushed us to do the best we could through education,” he said.

Morgan began his education at Virginia Western Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in police science.

He discovered EKU through a professor, who ranked it as the nation’s top four-year law enforcement program. When he graduated from EKU, he walked across the stage in his pristine, white Marine uniform, then immediately headed to Quantico to begin his military career.

Leadership came naturally to the young officer. “I just look at life as though if you’re not the lead dog, the scenery never changes.”

As a Marine, Morgan’s scenery changed often. Deployments took him to places like Africa, Japan, the Caribbean and, his favorite, Puerto Rico. “There, I met phenomenal people that I’ll never forget,” recalled Morgan.

One of those people was Alford L. McMichael, his first sergeant, who would go on to become the first black sergeant major in the United States Marine Corps. McMichael mentioned Morgan as an example of superb character leadership in his 2011 book, “Leadership: Achieving Life-Changing Success from Within.”

Morgan’s wife, Karen, whom he married while a student at EKU, and their two children, Jennifer and Eric, followed him on his many military assignments around the world. Despite the

20 SPRING 2019

rigors of military life, Morgan fondly recalls the good times — scuba diving in the Caribbean; leaving the base in Japan to go holiday shopping in Thailand, Korea and the Philippines; and his son competing and winning grand championships in horseback riding competitions.

That global upbringing gave Morgan’s children an advantage in their education and their careers, but when Jennifer was 17 years old, she confessed to her father she was ready to come back to the States.

“She said, ‘Dad, we’ve had lots of fun living in great places around the world, but we know very little about living in the Continental U.S.’ She missed our extended family —grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles — plus, it was time for her to attend college. We all sat down at the table and we decided, ‘Okay, let’s go home.’

He retired in 1994.

“I was ready to take on something new,” he said. “I had met most of the challenges I had always wanted to.”

That “something new” was the Federal Highway Administration, the start of a new set of challenges.

In his career, both in the Marines and the DOT, Morgan has helped others do what comes naturally to him: surviving and succeeding. Though in his line of work that comes at a price, he wouldn’t change a thing.

“There are things that you do because you have to in the Marine Corps, things you don’t like to bring up again,” reflected Morgan.

“But I don’t allow them to overshadow the good times that I have had. Not one. I’m very proud of my career.” n

HOW WILL YOUR GIFT HELP A COLONEL GROW?

$1,000 a student tutor’s salary

BRITTANY FISHER NURSING MAJOR CLASS OF 2020

“ The moment when you know you have helped someone through a hard time or saved a life is the best feeling

$500 a student’s books for a semester

$100 the cost of a study-abroad student’s passport

you could imagine.” $50 a week’s worth of dining hall meals

Any amount you give to EKU’s Annual Fund, no matter the size, supports our mission of growing the next generation of nurses,

$20 a semester’s printing costs

teachers, police officers, firefighters, social workers and much more. You can also direct how your gift is used. However you choose to give, your donation will support EKU in nurturing lifesavers, leaders, heroes and helpers.

Submit your gift in the included envelope, or at

go.eku.edu/annualgiving EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

—2018 —

HALL OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI HONOREES OPPOSITE PAGE

DR. ELAINE FARRIS, ’77 ’81 ’12 Education wasn’t her planned career, yet somehow Dr. Farris always found herself serving as the teacher when she and her childhood friends played school.

She was a natural. Among her many career highlights, in 2004 she became the first African American school superintendent in Kentucky and the first African American deputy commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education.

JERI ISBELL, ’79 Rising through the ranks at IBM and Lexmark while raising three children is no small task. Isbell didn’t just manage it, she thrived, serving as a financial planner, accountant and chief of human resources for the company. Today, she mentors young women “to help them understand and believe that they can be themselves and be successful and be a mother.

You really can have it all.”

COL. (RET.) JAMES MONTGOMERY, ’62 In his highly decorated, 26-year military career, Col. Montgomery constantly witnessed — and influenced — history. He investigated Vietnam war atrocities; helped establish military satellite communications and GPS; and was a point person for the Strategic Defense Initiative that caused the Soviets to blink during the Cold War. In retirement, he started a business and worked with a charity that provides for Appalachian children.

22 SPRING 2019

BEST EASTERN 2 0 18 A L U M N I A WA R D W I N N E R S Eastern Kentucky University does more than provide education to Colonels — it provides Colonels to the world.

That is a great gift, because every Colonel graduates with the knowledge and drive to be a helper. The annual EKU Alumni Awards recognize those who fulfill that potential. Each year, the University selects winners in several award categories, including: HALL OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

This, the most prestigious Alumni Award, is reserved for those

Creative leadership and service to society are the hallmarks

who maintain high stations in their chosen fields and in their

for this award, recipients of which have exemplified the ideals

service to society.

taught by EKU for more than 100 years.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

YOUNG ALUMNI

This award recognizes an alumnus who has achieved

It’s not easy to make your mark less than 10 years after

prominence professionally and made significant contributions

graduation, but recipients of this award have done so, serving

to society, reflecting credit on the University.

as outstanding role models for current and future students.

These photos, taken at EKU’s historic Elmwood Estate, capture the leaders, mentors and protectors who have earned this year’s honors. Congratulations to the winners, and may they continue to serve as an example to all Forever Colonels. n

EKU MAGAZINE 23

—2018 —

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT HONOREES LEFT, TOP TO BOTTOM

MELODY (KELLEY) TRIMBLE, ’80 She was the first female ever to be named the Arkansas Auxiliary CEO of the Year, and she was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Healthcare in Arkansas. But Trimble didn’t do it for the recognition. “I led with vision, passion and purpose, and the awards came,” she said. Overseeing multiple hospitals and medical practices, Trimble’s many victories have helped save lives.

DR. JULIA (HOGAN) BOHANNON, ’03 Just one year after graduating with her Ph.D., Dr. Bohannon, an assistant professor on the basic science tenure track at Vanderbilt Medical School, received her first National Institutes of Health R01 grant in 2017 — on her initial attempt, no less. The highly competitive grant will help her research new treatments to protect burn victims and other high-risk patients from deadly infections.

BILL REDDICK, ’07 Reddick’s parents — a dentist and a nurse — urged him and his 11 siblings to simply be useful to others. Three siblings became nurses. “I didn’t have any apparent clinical gifts, but instead focused on financial management.” Now the managing director of Reddick and Murphey Consulting and CFO of Pharma Strategies, Reddick has helped fund research into a new anti-inflammatory drug, cystic fibrosis treatment and more.

RIGHT

TONY “CRUISE” TABOR, ’82 Tabor made two dreams come true for the price of one. When he joined WHAS Radio in his hometown of Louisville in 1992, he longed to someday take over for one of his broadcasting heroes — either the sports talk show hosted by Van Vance or the morning show hosted by Wayne Perkey. After the Louisville radio legends retired, Tabor is now hosting both programs.

24 SPRING 2019

EKU MAGAZINE 25

MYRON DOUGLAS, ’13 He’d planned on working in a hospital, but Myron Douglas found his passion lacking once he held a degree in biology. A Google search led him to EKU’s master of public health program, which led to a job in health communications for the CDC. He was deployed to the U. S. Virgin Islands after hurricanes Irma and Maria, helping communicate strategies to protect people from environmental and health threats.

26 SPRING 2019

—2018 —

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE HONOREES PEGGY CARTER SEAL, ’67 Peggy Carter Seal grew up in Nonesuch, Ky., but she’s become quite something to generations of Woodford County students.

In her 38-year career as an elementary teacher at Woodford County schools, she’s earned many teaching awards. Her service hasn’t stopped since retirement — she works with several community nonprofits. “Giving back doesn’t mean doing great things. It means doing the little things that touch people’s lives.”

LCDR MATTHEW ELLIS, ’06 ’09 For most of his adult life, LCDR Ellis has proudly worn a uniform representing the United States, serving as an Army infantryman and working with the Nuclear Biological and Chemical Team managing hazardous materials/ammunitions process at the battalion level. Today, he serves the Indian Health Service within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, coordinating health care to 43 federally recognized Native American tribes.

EKU MAGAZINE 27

28 SPRING 2019

—2018 —

YOUNG ALUMNI HONOREES OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

KIMBERLY CURTIS, ’10 ’12 Kimberly Curtis originally used her bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language interpretation as an educational interpreter. She soon recognized a need for more educators and service providers who are fluent in ASL. She put her belief into action, returning to EKU to earn a master’s in teaching, and today serves as a high school English teacher and ASL tutor coordinator at Kentucky School for the Deaf.

DR. KEVIN STEINMETZ, ’08 ’10 A self-professed “terrible” high school student lucky to get C’s in his classes, Dr. Kevin Steinmetz never thought he could graduate college. EKU opened his eyes by putting him in charge of his future. Today, he is an author and a tenured professor whose research focuses on techno-crime and control, and racial inequalities in the criminal justice system.

CHAD TERRELL, ’09 ’11 Between his freshman year, when he failed his first two physics exams, to his senior year, where he took home a prominent physics award, it’s safe to say something changed in Chad Terrell. That ‘something’ was a wealth of professors who took a personal interest in his learning and helped him one-on-one.

Now in his fifth year as a science and math teacher in Burgin, Ky., Terrell does the same for his students.

NICHOLAS SEXTON, ’11 ’13 Nicholas Sexton’s success can be traced back to his senior year at Lebanon (Ohio) High School, where a tie for valedictorian was decided by overall involvement. “Although academics were critical, they were not the sole factor in becoming successful.”

He dove into campus life, looking for any opportunity to get involved. Today, he is one of the youngest technical consultants in the long history of Liberty Mutual.

RIGHT

DANA (DAUGHETEE) FOHL, ’07 Dana Fohl had three possible careers in mind — doctor, lawyer or teacher — but “a pretty narrow view of the world,” she said.

At EKU, she met staff, professors and even former president Joanne Glasser, who “saw something in me I had yet to see myself.”

Today, she is EKU’s University counsel, serving the institution and alongside the people who helped her find her purpose.

EKU MAGAZINE 29

30 SPRING 2019

It’s not alarmist to say that no one's information is safe — not the largest corporations with the strictest security protocols or blue-collar individuals who just want to browse social media in peace.

For every Equifax data breach that compromises the personal data of 145 million people, there are thousands of people phished online with a simple bogus email.

Hacks vary in scale, sophistication and impact, but the hackers almost always have the same goal — to access data that doesn’t belong to them for their own nefarious purposes. In this Wild West, there are far too few sheriffs.

“Starting around 2005, there have been more and more large cybersecurity breaches, and these breaches have been happening more and more frequently,” said Dr. Shuangteng Zhang, a professor in EKU’s Computer Science Department. “This has resulted in a large demand for cybersecurity professionals so the affected industries can protect their systems from those attacks.”

In other words, there is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals to prepare for and respond to the ever-present threat. Zhang is one of two EKU faculty members who — along with administrators and faculty at colleges all across the country — are trying to change that, by developing digital forensics and cybersecurity programs to train the next wave of good guys.

“Today, every industry uses and heavily relies on the internet to do business. Information such as banking data, customer information and patient profiles is stored and accessed online...” Zhang said. “Every enterprise or organization, no matter how small or large, needs trained and skillful professionals to secure their systems and protect the information stored on them.”

Cybercrime is defined, loosely, as any crime that involves the use of an electronic device connected to a digital network. That includes data theft and identity theft, but also includes stalking, child exploitation, terrorism, election meddling and more.

Devices such as computers, smartphones and servers may either be the tool with which the crime is committed or the target of the crime. In short, there are a wide range of illicit activities that fall under the umbrella.

While the terms “cybercrime” and “cybersecurity” have gained widespread use in the last decade or so, instances of malware and data theft date back almost to the beginning of the internet itself, becoming visible in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as adoption of the internet began growing at a rapid pace. Every new advance in functionality leads to a new, more sophisticated breed of cybercriminal.

For example, in 1988, a Cornell University student released the Morris worm, a self-propagating program that spread through a collection of about 60,000 computers

EKU MAGAZINE 31

networked together primarily at universities and government facilities — an early version of the internet. The malware was intended, according to the creator, as an experiment to test network security and highlight vulnerabilities, not to cause damage.

However, the processing power required to run the program caused many computer systems to slow to a crawl, leading to an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost productivity and repairs.

With the rise of email came spamming and phishing, methods with which hackers could employ a variety of psychological techniques to convince people to open malicious attachments or voluntarily type in personal data. One of the earliest widespread email attacks was the Melissa Virus, which spread to thousands of computers within just a few hours in 1999. The email tricked users into opening an attachment that essentially hijacked the victim’s Microsoft Outlook contacts list, sending the same email to 50 more recipients. The resulting network slowdowns cost companies an estimated $80 million.

As WiFi became widely available, hackers were quick to learn ways to exploit that as well. The most significant breach occurred in the mid- to late 2000s, when a hacker collective managed to steal the credit and debit card information of more than 140 million shoppers by breaching the point-of-sale at retail stores. One of the methods used to carry out the attacks was “wardriving,” the practice of driving around scanning for unsecured retail WiFi networks vulnerable to hacking.

Today, the hottest tech trend is artificial intelligence and machine learning — methods of automating workflow highly valued by corporations — and already hackers are co-opting innovation in this field.

“Today’s cybercriminals use automatic tools to scan the internet for targets and launch the attacks,” Zhang said. “It is very difficult to match the speed and scale with which the criminals launch the attacks using traditional cyber defense methods.”

With AI and machine learning knowledge, cybersecurity professionals can truly set themselves apart in the job market by demonstrating the ability to implement new ways to automatically detect attacks and defend networked systems. Yet, data shows companies are willing to pay top dollar to hire tech team members with even the most basic cybersecurity skills.

“Within a company or organization, cybersecurity is typically a job function of the IT department,” Zhang said. “The professionals performing this job responsibility are required to have specific training beyond the training a system or network administrator usually receives.”

That’s the positive — those who stand to benefit from the rise in cybercrime, aside from the criminals themselves, are honest techies looking for a secure, meaningful career.

32 SPRING 2019

Estimates vary on the scope of the job shortage, but by all accounts, it’s significant. The ISACA, a nonprofit information security advocacy group, estimates a global shortage of more than 2 million cybersecurity professionals. Every year in the U.S., 40,000 jobs for information security analysts go unfilled, and employers are struggling to fill 200,000 other cybersecurityrelated roles, according to CyberSeek. The job-hunting service Indeed reports that for every 10 cybersecurity job ads that appear, only seven people even click on one, let alone apply.

Additional job openings exist in digital forensics. While cybersecurity is preventive in nature, digital forensics is the process of recovering and preserving digital data after an incident occurs, data that can be used as evidence in criminal cases and other investigations.

Digital forensics investigators typically work as a function of law enforcement and often help solve traditional crimes as well. For example, they may uncover text messages on a confiscated cell phone that points to drug activity or analyze the “black box” of a car involved in a fatal collision.

EKU professor Ka-Wing Wong, Zhang’s contemporary who is spearheading efforts to grow EKU’s security-related course offerings, recently helped negotiate a partnership with the Kentucky State Police to open a satellite digital forensics laboratory on campus. The partnership will provide hands-on experience to students, while simultaneously lightening the workload for investigators, which is incredibly heavy. At a news conference announcing the opening of the facility, police called it a win-win, not only for the justice system, but for KSP’s ranks as well.

“It enables us to identify some people that we would like to hire,” KSP Lt. Col. Jeff Medley said at the news conference. “And boy do we need them. We need all the people we can get.”

EKU’s course offerings in digital forensics and cybersecurity, like technology, are continually evolving. Originally introduced as a computer security concentration in 2009, and later switched to focus primarily on digital forensics, the program made its latest transformation just last year. In 2018, the University approved the creation of a bachelor’s degree in digital forensics and cybersecurity, which gives equal weight to both possible career paths. This and programs like it across the country open doors of opportunity for students who then close them for cybercriminals.

“Any enterprise or organization that stores sensitive information online will need cybersecurity professionals,” Zhang said. “Such enterprises or organizations include financial companies, insurance companies, hospitals, retail stores, manufacturers, tech companies, universities, government agencies and so on. There is no limit to where graduates can go.” n

Learn more at go.eku.edu/KSPLab

Twenty-one.

For some this number means nothing, but to those involved with Eastern Kentucky University volleyball, it’s correlated with the number of years head coach Lori Duncan has been at the helm of the program. For Duncan, who has announced she will retire at the end of the 2018 season, the number 21 brings back a lifetime of memories — memories of her father, Weaver Gymnasium and even baseball great Roberto Clemente.

LORI DUNCAN HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACH

A F T E R

Y

E

A

R

S

1981 Volleyball team

The 1981 Colonel Volleyball Squad poses for their team photo on campus in the Ravine. #21 Lori Duncan, ’85 ’86 ’87, fourth from left, and former Coach Geri Polvino, far right.

Let’s start at the beginning: Valentine’s Day, 1980.

Duncan, who had already committed to Penn State, loaded a car along with her father, one of her brothers and her best friend in the wee hours of the morning to head to Richmond, Kentucky. She admits she took the visit only because she could get out of school.

“I had never even heard of EKU,” Duncan reminisced. “But I could get out of school for so many visits. Back then, coaches could run you through an entire practice. To me, the way they ran the tryout spoke volumes of how seriously they took their program. So we met with head coach Dr. Geri Polvino, we practiced, and it was really good.”

After that, the puzzle pieces of history slowly began to fall into place.

“My friend looked at me in the car and said, ‘I can really see you here,’” Duncan recalled. “To make a long story short, a couple things ended up happening with Penn State and I didn’t know if I wanted to go, so I decided to come to EKU.” Unfortunately, when Duncan got to campus, her beloved number was taken.

“When the girl that wore 21 was no longer on the team, I immediately took it,” Duncan stated. “I was number 21 by the end of my freshman year, and all things were right with the world.”

And much pride to that number, and Polvino, she brought.

The kid from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, played an intricate role on three straight Ohio Valley Conference championship teams and one NCAA Tournament squad. She was a four-time All-OVC selection, an OVC All-Tournament team honoree and an AIAW All-Region choice. Duncan was chosen as EKU’s Female Athlete of the Year and won team awards for Best All-Around Player and Best Defensive Player.

A pivotal moment for Duncan’s future came during her senior season, in the form of an ACL tear.

“

I had never even heard of EKU. Back then, coaches could run you through an entire practice. To me, the way they ran the tryout spoke volumes of how seriously they took their program.

“

This stroll down memory lane makes quite a few stops that can only be described as fate.

“I was focused on one thing — volleyball,” Duncan explained.

“I had played two sets too many to get my redshirt. I was beyond disappointed. I was here to play volleyball, period. The next thing was to play volleyball as long as I could.”

EKU MAGAZINE 35

Had the injury not happened, Duncan never would have pursued coaching.

“When God closes a door, look for that window,” she said. “Dr. Polvino said, ‘I know you’re in this to play, not coach, but give it a chance.’ I couldn’t see myself coaching. I began to come to practice early, go to a staff meeting as coaches, execute practice, then we would have feedback after practice. I would think, ‘Where was the good in that?’ I wasn’t hitting a ball.”

As time unfolded, Duncan found a reason to love her new normal.

“I realized I had a passion to start creating the wonderful experience I had for as many people as I could,” Duncan explained. “It became my drive.”

Post-college, Duncan found herself back in Pittsburgh coaching, but then history started to repeat itself. She was offered a first assistant position at Penn State but declined because she “couldn’t do the flying thing.”

Shortly afterward, Polvino retired.

“I didn’t think I could apply because my dad had just passed away, and I couldn’t leave my mom by herself.

She told me that my dad would want me to,” Duncan recalled, “so I did. Ever since, EKU has been like my family and theirs.”

Clemente, Duncan’s favorite baseball player of all time, wore the number 21. He went down in history as a humanitarian, someone who applied his resources to help others. That fits with the legacy Duncan is leaving.

The rest will be 21 years of history — 21 years for number 21. Furthermore, for Duncan’s final season, her two seniors, Cassie Knutson and Chloe Rojas, will wear the numbers 2 and 1, respectively.

“This is a program built by Dr. Polvino’s desire to be a great DI volleyball program,” Duncan said. “She worked endlessly to do that. I think when she turned it over, she felt how I feel now. It’ll be hard. It’s going to be bittersweet, but it should be. If it wasn’t, maybe I stayed too long. When she handed the program over to me, it was, ‘Keep finding a way, make it better.’ When I turn the program over at the end of the year, it will be, ‘Find a way, make it better.’” n

(ABOVE, FROM TOP) Seniors Cassie Knutson #2 and Chloe Rojas #1 and their families recognized on Senior Day 2018 with Coach Lori Duncan. Coach Duncan and Assistant Athletic Director Kirk Moats present Senior Chloe Rojas with the OVC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award. Coach Duncan instructing her team huddle during the match against Belmont University

36 SPRING 2019

See Lori Duncan discuss coaching her last season go.eku.edu/Duncan21

© RAWPIXEL LTD; RIGHT, 2ND FROM TOP © Phovoir/auremar stock.adobe.com; RIGHT, 3RD FROM TOP © New Africa stock.adobe.com; BOTTOM CENTER © saksit stock.adobe.com; BOTTOM LEFT © Sarah Howling; LEFT CENTER © Lev Dolgachov/Syda Productions; CENTER © Monkey Business Images stock.adobe.com PHOTOS: TOP RIGHT

NEVER STOP BEING A STUDENT Give yourself the gift of lifetime learning. Eastern Kentucky University’s noncredit Community Education programs are a great, affordable way to learn new skills, meet new friends and keep your mind sharp. Keep on learning, Colonels.

FIND CLASSES FOR ALL AGES go.eku.edu/CommunityEd

– ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS – CHLOE ROJAS SELECTED FOR SECOND TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA Senior Chloe Rojas was chosen to the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America Volleyball Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Rojas was a second team selection. She was the only Division I volleyball player from an institution in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and one of only two from the Ohio Valley Conference, to be chosen to one of the three Academic All-America️ Volleyball Teams.

She also earned the highest Ohio Valley Conference individual academic/athletic honor, being awarded the OVC Scholar-Athlete Award for 2017-18.

EKU SOCCER SIGNS AN EXTRAORDINARY 6-YEAR-OLD The EKU soccer team added some local talent with the signing of Leighanne Hastie, a 6-year-old from Richmond who inked her National Letter of Intent through Team IMPACT. Leighanne, who has been courageously batting epilepsy since 2015, made her announcement at a press conference at Alumni Coliseum. It was standing room only, filled with Leighanne’s family, friends and all of her new teammates and coaches.

Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming lifelong bonds and life-changing outcomes.

Through Team IMPACT’s program, Leighanne will become an official member of the EKU soccer team. As a team member, she will attend practices, games, team dinners, events and more.

Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched nearly 1,600 children with more than 500 colleges and universities in 48 states, reaching over 50,000 participating student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child’s support team.

Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support, while the student-athletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective. Those are the types of lessons they won’t find in the classroom.

38 SPRING 2019

The St. Charles, Illinois, native has a 4.0 grade-point average, while majoring in journalism and Spanish.

In addition to her perfect grade-point average, Rojas’ other academic accomplishments include: Dean’s List and President’s Award every semester during the past three years, OVC Medal of Honor (2016, 2017, 2018) and OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (2016, 2017, 2018).

Rojas was chosen as the 2017 OVC Defensive Player of the Year, and she has been chosen as the conference’s defensive player of the week on three occasions during her career. This past season, she played in all 104 sets and led the team with 468 digs, an average of 4.50 per set. Rojas ranked fifth in the conference in digs.

NICK MAYO BREAKS EKU SCORING RECORD Senior Nick Mayo became the all-time leading scorer in Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball history in the Colonels’ December 15 matchup against Xavier.

Mayo finished the game with 25 points, six rebounds, two assists and a careerhigh five steals. His three-pointer 11 minutes into the first half gave him 1,835 career points, moving him past Matt Witt to No. 1 on EKU’s all-time scoring list. Witt was a four-year starter at EKU from 2002 to 2006, ending his career with 1,832 points.

In mid-January, Mayo surpassed the 2,000-point plateau in a home game against Southeast Missouri.

HALF-COURT SHOT WINS A NEW CAR FOR COLONEL

SUGIRA LEADS COLONELS TO SECOND-BEST FINISH AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

An Eastern Kentucky University student nailed a half-court shot and won a car during EKU’s men’s basketball season opener against Marshall University Nov. 7.

Redshirt freshman James Sugira delivered an All-American-worthy performance to lead the Eastern Kentucky University men’s cross country team finish 16th at the NCAA Division-I Cross Country Championships at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.

Sameel Patel, a criminal justice major from London, Ky., made the basket watched ’round the world during a time-out in the first half.

He won a new Ford EcoSport from Madison County Ford.

The November race was the second-best national finish in program history, nearly topping the Colonels’ 15th place finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships.

EKU came into the meet ranked No. 21 in the country, but finished with 430 points on the day to take 16th place.

Nearly 5,200 fans who had gathered at Alumni Coliseum erupted into cheers as Patel’s leaning jump shot passed through the net after just barely touching the hoop. The carwinning shot was the No. 8 play on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.

It was Sugira’s first-ever NCAA Championships appearance. He battled snowy Wisconsin conditions to finish 14th out of 252 of the best distance runners in the country, covering the rugged 10K course in a time of 29:35.6. Senior Jaime Romo was second on the team and 82nd overall with a time of 30:29.4.

Sugira’s performance earned him All-America honors and marks the 14th time an EKU runner has earned NCAA cross country All-America honors.

Watch video highlights at go.eku.edu/Spring18Sports

EKU MAGAZINE 39

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

# Go Big

E

Moments

09

10

Life is a collection of moments, big and small. The same is true for your Eastern Experience. Whether you’re taking a break to appreciate The Campus Beautiful’s colorful fall leaves; receiving an award for a hard-earned academic achievement; witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime athlete break a University record; gazing out over a foreign country on a study abroad trip; or proposing to the love of your life, the collection of moments you experience at EKU will shape you in ways you couldn’t imagine. Share your

11

13

moments and memories on social media with the hashtags #EKU and #GoBigE.

14

15

12

16

@easternkentuckyu

@EKU

Share your photos using

#CampusBeautiful

@Eastern Kentucky University

“ EKU helped develop my networking skills and “ I feel like I have become a better person encouraged me to meet new people.” from attending EKU. I am excited about what is in store for me.”

— Emily Boultinghouse, Class of 2018 — Sidney Dixon, Class of 2018

“ EKU provides a safe, welcome, warm

home away from home. It offers many opportunities and activities, some that I’ve never heard of before. The faculty and staff express they truly care for the students.”

“ EKU pushed me toward my academic goals,

— Stephanie Caudill, Class of 2018

— Zachary Bolen, Class of 2018

while helping me every step along the way.

They worked with me to help me overcome early obstacles and reach my dreams.”

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

01. An @ekufootball game away from Roy Kidd as the season comes to an end 02. The ‘Power E’ ice sculpture tradition at #EKUWinterFest @eku 03. @ekucampusrec spreading Christmas cheer with some carols at #EKUWinterFest 04. @EKUPrez showcases the students behind KET’s winter phone pledge 05. @ekubands cheering from the stands at Roy Kidd Stadium 06. #EKU Student Justin Bowman proposed to student Holly Blades following the #EKUHC2018 5k @eku 07. @ekuhonors representing at the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) 08. @ekualums with #EKU spirit during Halloween 09. Senior Nick Mayo celebrates after sinking the game-winner against NKU on Dec. 8, 2018 @ekusports 10. @ekustudentlife on an Alternative Break trip with Asheville Greenworks #EKUServes 11. @ekustudentlife captures all the smiles during #EKUFamily weekend 12. Leaves falling in early December @eku 13. #EKU remembers 9/11 #NeverForget @eku 14. #EKUGrad Fest captures all the feels @eku 15. #EKU Student Randall Heite representing #EKUHonors in Austria. #EKUAbroad 16. @ekulibraries ‘Speaking from the Margins’ event with student veterans 17. @EKUGraduateSchool captures students attending #EKUGrad School Blitz event 18. @ ekugreendot leading trauma-informed yoga during #DVAM2018 19. @EKUCJS Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society Receives Numerous Awards at National Conference 20. Fall Break welcomes leaves changing on the #CampusBeautiful @eku 21. @ekuhoops and @ekuwbb players win #EKUHC2018 King and Queen 22. @EKU_Science Recognizing Kentucky State Police and @EKUPrez at the Digital Forensics Lab ribbon-cutting ceremony 23. @eku honors veterans at the Veteran’s Day ceremonies #EKUPeople 24. @ekusoftball post-game smiles during mid-season

– ALUMNI NEWS – In this

issue Class Notes Alumni Profiles Kenna Smith Brigadier General Steven T. King ’88 Mae Suramek ’98 Dr. Hayward “Skip” Daugherty ’69 ’70 Morgan Bow ’15

In Memoriam

Dear Fellow Alumni, Clay. Sullivan. Telford. Case. Wallace. Combs.

Moore. Powell.

Where did you spend your time while at EKU? Where did you sleep (or stay up way too late), and learn ( from your favorite/toughest professors), and live (discovering things about yourself you never knew)? I have a number of favorite spots on campus, and they are all favorites because of the memories tied to them — the first residence hall I lived in, my sorority chapter room, the SGA office. I know you must have them, too.

Looking around campus now, all of my favorite spots are still there; however, in some cases, a different building stands on the spot or the same building is getting an upgrade or the Greek letters are gone from the windows.

No matter the change though, the memory remains. And for that, I am grateful.

I am also grateful for the “new” that is in its place. These spaces are and will allow a new

generation of Colonels to make memories that will last long after they have left campus and started their careers.

I am so proud of all that is happening on our campus to better the experience that current Colonels are having. I am proud of the resolve and courage and thoughtfulness of the decision makers who are leading our Eastern at this time. I am proud of the alumni who continue to support and love The Campus Beautiful in every way they can.

Thank you for all that you do to show pride in, and bring pride to, Eastern Kentucky University. See you soon on The Campus Beautiful.

With Colonel Pride,

Amy Jo Gabel Classes of ’05 and ’08

For a comprehensive list of Class Notes or to share your good news with fellow alums, visit

alumni.eku.edu/ Class-Notes.

We want to hear from you!

Amy Jo Gabel, ’05 ’08, CENTER, enjoys a favorite campus pastime — cheering on the Colonels at Roy Kidd stadium — with fellow graduates Jessica Barnard, ’05, LEFT, and Emily, Barnard ’09.

42 SPRING FALL 2018 2019

Class Notes George Griffin, ’57, received the 2018 Statesman of the Year Award from the South Carolina Insurance and Financial Advisors Association.

Dr. Marshall Myers, ’66, professor emeritus of English and former coordinator of composition at EKU, published the book, “The Rhetoric of Lincoln’s Letters.” He is also the author of more than 300 poems, short stories, and various popular and academic pieces, and president of the Madison County Civil War Roundtable.

William Young, ’68, published his children’s book, “The Day Oscar the Eagle Learned to Fly” in September. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Connie Strehle, ’72, retired this year from Springcreek Elementary School as principal, after 44 years in education.

The late Charles Anderson Black Sr., ’73, was honored by The Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee for his role at the Oliver School in Winchester, Ky. Black was the last male African-American educator at Oliver.

Roy Cornett, ’74, was selected as this year’s grand marshal of Georgetown’s Festival of the Horse parade.

Larry May, ’75, had artwork featured in the exhibit “Brothers at HeART” at the Grayson Gallery and Art Center in Grayson, Ky. Berl Perdue, ’79 ’81, Clark County Sheriff, was reappointed to the National Public Service Safety Officer Medal of Valor Review Board. Perdue is a 36-year veteran of local law enforcement, and current president of the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police.

Dr. Aaron Thompson, ’79, has been named the fourth president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

Douglas Dearn, ’80, owner of DerbyBox.com, was recently named one of “20 People to Know” by Business First Magazine.

Judge John Kennedy, ’80, has retired from serving as a judge in York County. He is now “of counsel” with CGA Law, and a regional liaison with the American Bar Association and the National Highway Safety Administration regarding repeat driving under the influence offenders.

Dr. Steven Pollock, ’80, is the program manager at Farm Credit Mid-America in Louisville, Ky. He is also an adjunct faculty at Indiana Wesleyan, Southern New Hampshire and Grand Canyon universities.

Thomas T. Ross, ’81, recently became vice president of NEA-Danbury, local union of the National Education and Connecticut Education associations. Ross works at Danbury High School, where he teaches British literature and journalism, and is faculty adviser to the awardwinning student newspaper, hattersherald.com.

Douglas Carmichael, ’82, ’85, retired from the Cincinnati Police Department in January 2018 after 32 years of service. He is currently working as a law enforcement instructor with the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training in Richmond.

Kenna Smith

CUSTODIAN BECOMES STAR STUDENTKENNA

SMITH SIDEBAR

Five years ago, you could find Kenna Smith, an Eastern Kentucky University custodian, attending class in uniform.

Today, she is a full-time student, finishing her bachelor’s degree in recreation and parks administration.

After graduating from Garrard County High School in 2008, Smith “didn’t have the slightest clue” which career path to choose. She decided to postpone college until 2012. To afford her education, she accepted a full-time custodial position at EKU, which gave her a tuition waiver.

“After discovering parks and recreation as a career path, I knew that’s what I wanted to pursue,” Smith said.

She maintains a GPA of 3.87 and earned the Blue-Ribbon Award, which recognizes excellence among students in her program. She has also garnered admiration from her professors. “The courage it took for Kenna to sit in a classroom wearing her EKU custodian uniform is significant,” said department chair Dr. Jon McChesney. “Her attitude during class and in the field has been consistently professional.”

When EKU contracted maintenance positions, Smith’s education was rerouted, but not defeated. As part of her severance package, she was able to keep her tuition waiver and become a full-time student.

“Not many people can say they graduated college debt-free, and EKU gave me that opportunity.” Smith is now in a paid internship with the U.S. Forest Service. n

EKU MAGAZINE 43

Brigadier General Steven T. King, ’88

KENTUCKY NATIONAL GUARD LEADER PROMOTED

Kentucky National Guard Col. Steven T. King, ’88, was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in Frankfort, Ky., on Sept. 6.

“With every opportunity comes an aspiration to make a great contribution,” he said. “As grateful as I am to receive this distinction, I recognize that this day is not just about me. It’s about every single person that has helped me get to this point.”

King, the Guard’s Construction and Facilities Management Officer (FMO) was pinned by his wife, Becky, his son, Benson, and Major General Stephen R. Hogan during a ceremony at the Army Aviation Support Facility on Boone Center.

King has spent the last 34 years in the Kentucky National Guard, enlisting as a private first class in 1984. He graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor’s in industrial education and technology, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1988. King also earned a bachelor’s of architecture from the University of Kentucky and is a graduate of the United States Army War College with a master’s degree in strategic studies.

With his new rank, King will take on the responsibility of deputy division commander of the 38th Infantry Division out of Indianapolis. He will serve in that role in the traditional part-time Guard status, while maintaining his full-time federal technician position as the FMO.

Leadership positions King has held include commands from the platoon level to the brigade level, most recently serving simultaneously as the FMO and as the Garrison Training Center Commander of the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center. n

CHECK OUT THE ONLINE HOME FOR EKU ALUMNI AND

COMPLETE YOUR PROFIle

Stay Connected as a #ForeverColonel

ALUMNI.EKU.EDU EKUAlums

@EKUalums @ekualums

44 SPRING 2019

Loudetta Robertson, ’84, was elected treasurer for the Danville Schools Education Foundation Board. She has worked in accounting for over 30 years, including as controller for the Council of State Governments.

April Russell Perry, ’86 ’96, board chair and CEO of Kentucky Farmers Bank, is the 2018-19 Executive-inResidence/Distinguished Speaker for the EKU College of Business and Technology.

James E. Rainey, ’87, was promoted to Lieutenant General and assumed command of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. The position makes him one of the most important leaders of NATO’s Resolute Support mission.

Gregory F. Simpson, ’88, was named to the 2018 #Engagement101 list of the top influencers and experts in the world of employee engagement by The Employee Engagement Awards.

Brian Haney, ’89 ’91, has been named city administrator of Taylor Mill, Ky. Robert (Bob) Ray, ’90, will be joining the Decatur County, Ind., Sheriff’s Office as Chief Deputy Sheriff. Ray’s 25-year federal law enforcement career includes stints in the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Scott Recker, ’90, serves as the Environmental Remediation Practice Leader for Antea Group. He focuses on the strategic development and management of regional and national project teams to solve environmental business problems.

David Gilliam, ’92 ’94, has been selected as superintendent of Madison County Schools.

Jon Gilbert, ’93, has been named as East Carolina University’s new athletics director. He worked as a graduate assistant football coach, while earning a master’s degree in sport administration from EKU. Under him, the Colonels won an Ohio Valley Conference championship and earned two berths in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.

J.C. Hacker, ’93 ’95, has been named special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Atlanta Field Office.

Neil Thornbury, ’96, was appointed as CEO of T.J. Regional Health in Glasgow, Ky., in August after a 19-year tenure with the hospital.

Kenneth Burnett, ’97, will retire from the Kentucky Department of Corrections after 20 years of service.

Anthony W. Powers, ’97, RN, MSN, MBA, was named president at Baptist Health Corbin in Sept. He has worked for the hospital for 20 years.

Kenton Buckner, ’99 ’08, has been sworn in as the Syracuse, N.Y., police chief.

Kimberly Greenwell, ’99 hosts, sells and produces My Southern Home in the Louisville area. The show airs on Saturdays at 10 a.m. on mytv30, Sundays at 12:30 p.m. on WBNA21, mysouthernhometv.com or on the show’s YouTube channel.

Jeremy Rigney, ’99, recently became vice president and a commercial lender at Cumberland Valley National Bank’s Madison County market. Rigney will work out of the Richmond branch.

Mae Suramek, ’98

NOODLES + WORLD PEACE For more than 15 years, Mae Suramek, ’98, was an administrator for the region’s most prominent human rights nonprofits.

Today, she owns a noodle shop in Berea, Ky. That may seem like a big career leap, but it’s not for Suramek, a practitioner of social entrepreneurship. Fairness, social equality and cultural awareness are still at the forefront of her day-to-day affairs — they are foundations on which she built Noodle Nirvana.

Serving fresh, made-from-scratch noodle bowls with Thai and Pan-Asian influences, Noodle Nirvana is located on Chestnut Street in Berea. Guests can build their own bowl by selecting the type of noodle, sauce, protein and fresh ingredients they prefer (with guidance from a knowledgeable staff.)

The restaurant has experienced quite a bit of success — Suramek is currently in discussions about starting Noodle Nirvana franchises in other locations. However, success, to her, means more than turning a profit. Noodle Nirvana has proven to be a force for good in Berea and beyond.

The restaurant designates 25 percent of first-Tuesday-of-themonth profits, as well as all tips, to annual nonprofit partners, which have included God’s Outreach Madison County Food Bank, the Madison County Backpack Program and New Opportunity School for Women.

In total, Noodle Nirvana has sold more than 100,000 bowls and raised more than $90,000 for nonprofits, also serving as board meeting and fundraising space. Now that’s food for the soul. n

EKU MAGAZINE 45

Dr. Jamie Harris, ’00 ’04, is the 2018 recipient of the Harold Mooney Award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. He teaches introductory geology courses and upper level courses in geophysics and structural geology at Millsaps College.

Stephen Isaacs, ’01, was elected to a second term as Director of National Nurses United at the Lexington VA Medical Center.

Eliza Clontz, ’02, has been named executive director of recently opened Recovery Works Residential Addiction Treatment Center in London, Ky. Jason Overfield, ’03, was recently appointed as chief of police for the City of Rockport, Ind. Overfield has been in law enforcement for 26 years.

Neil Furnish, ’05, has been appointed head football coach for the Northwest High School Vikings in Clarksville, Tenn.

DR. Hayward “SKIP” daugherty, ’69 ’70

Well-known Personality receives high honor

One of EKU’s best-known personalities, Dr. Hayward “Skip” Daugherty, was presented with the Wallace G. Maffett Award, the highest distinction given by the Chamber of Commerce, at the Chamber’s Awards Banquet in November.

After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University, Dr. Daugherty’s long and celebrated career began in 1970 as an admissions counselor.

The following year, he began a 29-year stint in student life with 15 years as director of student activities and organizations, earning a doctoral degree in higher education administration along the way.

He also served for 14 years as dean of student development. He then turned his attention to serving Eastern graduates as associate vice president and executive director of the EKU National Alumni Association from 2000 to 2004.

Since 2004, he has served as special events coordinator in the Office of the President and as general manager of the University Club at Arlington, as well as a three-year stint as executive assistant to the president. He currently serves as the executive director of the EKU Center for the Arts.

Dr. Daugherty said EKU was “definitely a school of opportunity for me.”

“I came to EKU with $300 in my pocket and was a walk-on football player-wannabe. I was welcomed with open arms and given the opportunity to succeed,” he said. n

46 SPRING 2019

Doug Nagel, ’06, was promoted to sergeant in the Vandalia, Ohio, Division of Police and awarded the department’s Distinguished Service Medal for the second time.

Angela Koester, ’09 ’16, joined the faculty of University of Virginia’s College at Wise as a mathematics instructor and intervention coordinator for the math and computer science department.

Mandy Moore, ’10, was named the new women’s golf head coach at Eastern Kentucky University. Prior to accepting the position, she coached at other universities for nine years and played professionally.

Jonathan Shell, ’10, will join Pegasus Institute as the Director of State Initiatives. Formerly, he was the youngest member of the Kentucky General Assembly and elected the first Republican House Majority Leader in state history at the age of 28.

Kerrie Bal, ’11, and Andrew Gill, ’12, are engaged. Andrew took Kerrie on what he claimed was a “training flight” over EKU’s campus. While in the air, Andrew told Kerrie to look closely at the football field, as he’d written “Kerrie Ann, marry me?” on the marquee.

Courtney Collins, ’11, has been named EKU director of parking and transportation services at EKU. Katie Johnson, ’11, and husband Stephen have welcomed their first child to the world, Tucker Matthew. The two met at EKU in Dupree Hall on move-in day 2007.

Ashlee Pickle, ’11 ’14, and Taylor Andrew Baldwin, ’14, were married on June 25, 2018, in Maui, Hawaii.

Darren Zancan, ’11, debuted the pilot of his new television show, “History Alive,” this October at the Kentucky Theatre. The show explores local history through paranormal investigation.

Steven Crown and Drew Brewer, ’12, competed in the 2018 American Criminal Justice Association-Lambda Alpha Epsilon Regional Conference in the Professional Division and brought home multiple awards. Drew is heavily involved in the fire/rescue/EMS community in Rockcastle County, Ky., and Steven is a fire investigator for the King County Sheriff’s Office in the Seattle area.

JIM WARD, ’67 Jim Ward, who led the Colonels’ baseball team to more than 628 victories in his 22-year career, passed

George Crabb, librarian

away on Oct. 18, 2018. He was 82.

Stella (Griggs) Cobb, dining services

Ward coached from 1980 to 2001, during which time

Walter Davis, custodian

he led Eastern Kentucky to five Ohio Valley Confer-

Ronald Neil Doan, facilities

ence regular-season titles and four OVC Tournament championships. The Colonels made four NCAA

Sandy Douglas, student services

Regional appearances (1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989)

John Leonard Flanigan, retired assoc. dean, nontraditional studies, former member psychology dept.

under his direction. In his second year at the helm, Ward’s Colonels led the nation in biggest turnaround,

Joe Hamm, facilities

winning 26 more games than the previous season.

Greg Lemons ’81, public safety

The former Colonels’ skipper was inducted into Eastern

Karen Purvis, administrative assistant

Kentucky University’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.

Prior to coming to EKU, he coached for 11 seasons at Stetson University in Florida and was inducted into Stetson’s Hall of Fame in 2000.

The winning legacy left by Ward is felt strongly at EKU. Current coach Edwin Thompson credited Ward with

BEVERLY ANN BURRUS, ’88 ’01 Beverly Burrus, ‘88 ‘01, a valued presence on campus for nearly 40 years, passed away Jan. 17, 2018. She was 71 years old.

putting EKU baseball on a national level. “His love for

Burrus was hired at EKU in 1976 as an administrative assistant, working

EKU is as strong as anyone I have been around, and he

alongside many influential former leaders such as Vice President for

will be deeply missed,” Thompson said.

University Advancement Don Feltner, President Bob Kustra and Interim

Visitation for Ward was held Oct. 21, 2018, at the EKU Center for the Arts, drawing guests from far and wide to say goodbye. Selected as his honorary pallbearers were every player he ever coached. n

President Gene Hughes. While working full time, she also pursued her education, earning a bachelor’s in general business in 1988 and a master’s in student personnel services in 2001.

She retired in 2013 as a senior coordinator for student and client services in the Division of Continuing Education and Outreach.

Known for her sharp wit and dry sense of humor, Ms. Burrus was well liked and respected by her many colleagues over the decades. In 2006, she was elected chair of the EKU Staff Council, evidence of the high esteem in which she was held.

Visitation was held Jan. 25 at Oldham, Roberts & Powell Funeral Home. n

Pamela Bradley, ’82

Tom Noe, ’64

Joe Kelly Smith, ’52

Kenneth Allen Collins, ’74

Robert Plotts, ’69

John Sword, ’59

Donald Estes, ’64 ’73

Daniel Presnell, ’64 ’71

Alfred Thompson, ’74

Lowell D. Flanary, ’70

Billie Roberts, ’62

Robert M. Tracy, ’68

Clara Goss, ’62

Philip Ruchka, ’69

Christine Waddle, ’60

EKU MAGAZINE 47

2018 EKU Athletics Hall of Fame inductees (L-R): Bob McIntyre, Nichole Gibson, Randy White, Richie Bancells, Yeremiah Bell, Sheyenne Hussey, Rick Erdmann, George Bryant

Eight Inducted into the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame Eastern Kentucky inducted eight distinguished individuals into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 6.

Following his time on EKU’s training staff, Richie Bancells (1979-81) served with the Baltimore Orioles organization for 40 years. In 1999, he received EKU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Yeremiah Bell (1999-02) earned Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and first-team AllAmerica recognition as a junior. He then had an illustrious 11-year pro career.

As a senior, George Bryant (1968-72) averaged 21 points and led the Eastern basketball team to an OVC Championship.

In 2005, Nichole Gibson (2001-05) was named OVC Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Championship. In 2016, she received the Lexington Police Officer of the Year award.

Sheyenne Hussey (2007-11) was a first-team All-OVC softball player in 2008 and 2009, and a second team allconference choice in 2007 and 2011.

Linebacker Bob McIntyre (1976-79) was a first-team AllOhio Valley Conference choice and selected to the Kodak First-Team All-America team in 1979.

Pitcher Randy White (1986-89) was named OVC Player of the Year and chosen All-South Region as a senior.

In 39 years as head coach, Rick Erdmann (1979-2018) guided the Colonels to 73 OVC titles and tutored 46 All-Americans.

Learn more about the Athletics Hall of Fame at go.eku.edu/HOF2018

48 SPRING 2019

Shaun Turner, ’12, was awarded the 2018 Emerging Artist Award by the Kentucky Arts Council. Turner’s works have been published in more than 35 local and national literary journals.

Alex Carson, ’13, former SGA Chief of Staff, and wife Brandi welcomed their first baby girl, Adalyn Grace, on Aug. 7, 2018.

Anthony E. Jones, ’13, was named associate dean for diversity and inclusion at Thiel College. He previously served as the director of multicultural affairs at Eastern Kentucky University, where he is currently completing his doctoral studies.

Daridge Saidi, ’14 ’16, serves as a coach at Love Tennis Academy in Shanghai, China.

Before going to China, he coached and mentored young people with physical or mental disabilities at Kentucky Adapted Physical Education School.

JP Fisher, ’15, Americares Emergency Response Manager, was recently deployed to Butte County, Calif., to lead Americares’ field response to the Camp Fire, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in history. There, his team conducted needs assessments and coordinated deliveries of medicine and supplies to health facilities and shelters in affected communities.

Veronica Seawall, ‘16, studied primates in Borneo this summer and developed new ways to engage communities in primate conservation. She’s currently a zookeeper at Cosley Zoo and a graduate student in Miami University’s Global Field Program.

Liliana Gomez de Coss, ’17, has been named the new director of multicultural student affairs at EKU. Gomez de Coss formerly served as Associate Director of Latino Retention and Outreach.

Marcus Kuhl, ’17, a realtor in London, Ky., was selected for Leadership Tri-County’s class of 2019.

Maile Delores Mills, ‘17, and Greggory James Signorotti were engaged in October 2018 in Gordola, Switzerland.

After hiking the mountain peak Sassariente, north of the Monti di Motti village in the mountains, Gregg proposed to Maile on the top peak of the mountain. They married on Nov. 16, 2018, in Edwardsville, Ill. Jordan Adkins, ’18, joined Valley Health Wayne as a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

After attaining her master of science in nursing at Marshall University, she completed a post-master’s psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner degree from EKU. Kelli Chaney, ’18, has been named the next president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Knoxville. She was previously the Dean of Career Education and Workforce Development at Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg, Ky. Nathan Nussbaum, ’18, will become an officer in the Aberdeen Police Department in June 2019 after passing physical agility tests at the Washington State Training Commission’s Burien Police Academy.

Rose Pidgorodetska, ’18, was one of 21 finalists in the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Student Entrepreneurship Program Pitch competition, with her jewelry and candle company, Simply Rose and Co.

MORGAN BOW, ’15

Protecting Victims’ Rights Just three years after graduation, Morgan Bow, ’15, is making a big difference in the lives of crime victims. She works as a victims’ assistance advocate in Lafayette, Ind., putting her criminal justice master’s degree (with a research focus on human trafficking) to good use.

As an advocate, Bow’s most important role is to make sure crime victims are heard and are kept up to date on criminal cases by investigators and prosecutors. She assists victims in many ways, such as: explaining their legal rights; navigating difficult-to-understand criminal justice systems; preparing victim impact statements; preparing for testimony at trial; and accompanying them to hearings and trials, all of which can be overwhelming for crime victims and their families, who are often reliving the worst days of their lives.

Bow also works with the Indiana Trafficking Victims Assistance Program (ITVAP) and the Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficked Humans (IPATH) Task Force’s Labor Trafficking Committee, addressing needs of the abused and creating training to help communities understand, identify and respond to human trafficking.

In addition, she is authoring a chapter for “Punishing Gender Past and Present: Examining the Criminal Justice System Across Gendered Experiences” with fellow EKU alum Lisa M. Carter. n

EKU MAGAZINE 49

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Lexington Ky Permit #879

Office of Alumni Engagement Alumni Center at Blanton House Eastern Kentucky University 521 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, KY 40475-3102 EKU.EDU

A Special Offer for Our Faraway Friends Alumni outside of Madison and surrounding counties can now enjoy several days of fun and relaxation at EKU for less than $100.

Golf, swim, catch a sports game, enjoy a meal and more. Whichever Alumni Membership package you choose, you’ll bank several mini-vacations hosted by The University Club at Arlington. It’s like your own personal homecoming celebration.

Alumni Golf Membership (Annual Fee $99)

Alumni Social Membership (Annual Fee $49)

Membership Benefits

Membership Benefits

• • • • • •

Two Golf Rounds and Cart (membership holder only) Two Tickets to EKU Sports Game of Your Choice Personalized EKU/University Club Bag Tag Discounted Alumni Green Fee Rate of $45 (plus tax) Complimentary Member Practice Range + More

• • • • • •

Club Dining Access Five Complimentary Pool Passes Two Tickets to EKU Sports Game of Your Choice Club Special Event Access Member Rate on Banquet Rentals +More

Visit go.eku.edu/arlington to learn more.

Note: These packages are only available to alumni who do not live in Madison County or a contiguous county, or own a business in Madison County.