FYI, Spring 2010, Vol. 2, No. 1

Spring 2010 Vol.2, No. 1

Elmhurst College

ALUMNI NEWS

A Soothing Touch Judith Paice ’79 works with cancer and HIV patients so they can focus on what matters most

FYI IN THIS ISSUE

WHAT’S NEW ON CAMPUS Reaching Higher | 2 A year-long project on poverty, the College names its first Leadership Award recipients, and meet the members of the phonathon team.

SPORTS Armed and Ready | 8 Baseball star hitter Zach Hofer hopes to complete his comeback from injury by contributing from the pitcher’s mound.

FIRST PERSON STORY Easing Their Pain | 10 Judith Paice of Northwestern University helps cancer patients so they can focus on important questions.

CLASS NOTES Where Are They Now? | 12 Find out how your classmates are advancing in their careers and how they’re serving their communities.

DROPPING IN Schick Hall | 18 The first in a series of occasional visits to the College’s residence halls.

WHAT’S NEW ON CAMPUS One Cup of Coffee | 20 That’s all it takes for Mick Savage’s service-learning students to get comfortable with people they have never met.

Welcome Fellow Alumni and Alumnae, The fall season at Elmhurst boasted a rich array of engaging lectures, Homecoming nostalgia, and all the energy of a lively college campus. And with a full roster of alumni activities and college events to come, the Spring term is off to an equally great start.

On April 12, alumni and friends will depart for Greece, where they’ll soak up culture, history, and sunshine as part of the Alumni Association’s tour program. Stay tuned for information on our next adventure.

For those of you who met your spouse at Elmhurst, be sure to join us for the Met & Married reception.

Scheduled for May 22, this romantic event features music and dancing, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails—and plenty of reminiscing.

Meanwhile, your alumni team is working to help you stay engaged with Elmhurst and with one another. We’re planning a series of regional events that will bring the College to you—wherever you work and live. And we’re ramping up our professional networking events to help you make the most of your career.

As president of the Alumni Association Board, I have been honored to serve and support my fellow alumni for ten great years. In May I will step down from the presidency, but I will continue to play an active role on the alumni team. The College is blessed with many talented, capable alumni, and I look forward to our ongoing partnership.

Sincerely, Shaheen Wolff ’87 President, Elmhurst College Alumni Association

Alumni Association President Shaheen Wolff ’87 Members of the Board Brittany Ashcroft ’05 Cathryn Biga ’98 Sara (Douglass) Born ’02 Sarah Clarin ’04 E.J. Donaghey ’88 Tom DuFore ’04 Cami Kreft ’08 David Jensen CPA ’00, MPA ’02 Cheryl Tiede ’74 Frank Tuozzo ’72 Rick Veenstra ’00 Director of Alumni Relations Samantha Kiley

Assistant Directors of Alumni Relations Kristen Greenstreet Monica Lindblom Office of Alumni Relations (630) 617-3600 alumni@elmhurst.edu Editor Judith Crown Contributing Editor Margaret Currie Design Director Marcel Maas

What’s New AT ELMHURST

Reaching Higher During the fall, the College attained new intellectual and creative heights. It launched a year-long project to raise awareness of poverty. The fall lecture series highlighted health care, gay equality, and the promise of Obama. And the state of Illinois recognized an Elmhurst basketball player who overcame obstacles of poverty and racial identity to achieve success.

Raising Awareness of Poverty

The College’s year-long Poverty Project, which aims to raise awareness of those in need, includes speakers and a film festival. Robert J. Strzemp (below), a dean’s list accounting major and allconference basketball player, was named a Lincoln Student Laureate.

The College is midway through its year-long Poverty Project to raise awareness of those in need at home and abroad. In September, the College presented its highest honor, the Niebuhr Medal, to Gustavo Gutiérrez, the Roman Catholic priest and acknowledged “Father of Liberation Theology,” for his lifetime of service to humanity, especially the poor. A month later, the Global Poverty Club sponsored a week-long program, Poverty Week, to educate the community on ways it can lessen the suffering caused by poverty.

In March, the College explores how Hollywood has viewed the poor with a film festival, Poverty and the Movies.

The first of five films, The Grapes of Wrath (1940) will be shown on March 8. The other films in the series are They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969) on March 9, Gangs of New York (2002) on March 10, Wendy and Lucy (2008) on March 15 and Slumdog Millionaire (2008) on March 16.

Other upcoming speakers are community organizer Gerald Kellman on Feb. 25 and award-winning journalist Alex Kotlowitz on April 8. On March 18, a panel of experts led by journalist Barbara Rose will explore the ramifications of poverty in the College’s home county of DuPage.

Basketball Player Recognized In November 2009, senior Robert J. Strzemp ’10, a dean’s list accounting major and all-conference basketball player, was named a Lincoln Student Laureate by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. A statewide honor, the award recognizes exceptional students who reflect the spirit of Abraham Lincoln and who have overcome obstacles to achieve success.

Strzemp has confronted poverty and issues of racial identity throughout his life. Born to a white mother and an absent black father, he never felt at home with his mother and his white siblings. When he was 13, he convinced his mother to give up her parental rights, and he moved from his family’s home in Joliet to Oak Park.

Eventually, Strzemp found relief in sports, playing both basketball and football at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Then things got even better when Nick Sakellaris, a

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Native American history and culture was celebrated with art exhibits, panel discussions, performances and a talk by President S. Alan Ray.

coach on the school’s basketball team, offered him a home.

“I say to this day he saved my life,” Robert says of Sakellaris.

“Once he took me in, I didn’t have to worry about anything.

He really let me enjoy the rest of my high school years and I got to be a teenager for once.”

Strzemp hopes to start his own business some day. He also wants to inspire other young people by telling his story.

College Celebrates Native American Culture The College celebrated Native American history and culture in November with four days of art exhibits, panel discussions, music performances, film presentations, and more.

President S. Alan Ray opened the festivities on November 16 with a talk about the power of naming and the importance of history, culture, and identity. “The power to name is the power to assign qualities to things and to people,” Dr. Ray said. When tribes today reclaim the power of naming, they are saying ‘we are not the stereotypes you think we are.’”

For more information, including the full text of President Ray’s speech, go to www.elmhurst.edu/news.

Fall Lecture Series Highlighted Health Care, Gay Equality, and More Continuing its tradition of thought-provoking discussions and lectures, the College welcomed several prominent figures to campus for a series of lectures last fall.

On October 6, more than 300 people filled the Founders Lounge to hear former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber speak about the spiraling costs of health care reform and the urgent need to address fundamental system failures. Unless we as a nation accept the responsibility to reform the system, Kitzhaber warned, “we leave [our kids and grandkids] with a staggering debt.”

The following week, activist Tracy Baim spoke with the Elmhurst College community about the long struggles of Chicago’s gay rights activists.

“Generations of Chicago gays and lesbians have grown up deprived of their evidence in history, denied role models

and reinforcement for a positive self-image,” said Baim, a 25-year media veteran and editor of a new book, Out and Proud In Chicago: An Overview of the City’s Gay Community.

On October 29, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson spoke in Hammerschmidt Chapel about President Obama’s first year in office. Citing economic progress, a new American image across the world, repudiation of torture, and progress on health-care reform, Robinson said, “I would argue that this is a pretty good record for ten months.”

Robinson, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the 2008 election, concluded his lecture with a call to action.

“What are we doing to make possible the kind of change that the President is promoting?” he asked. “Those who believe he is moving too slowly, we need your voices.”

March Dinner to Honor Leadership Award Winners The College recently announced that it will present its first Leadership Awards to Irene S. Phelps, president of the Siragusa Foundation, and the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

The winners will be recognized at a March 20 dinner to raise scholarship funds for Elmhurst students.

The two leadership awards, the College’s newest honor, will be given each year, one to an individual who embodies the values of the College, and the other to a business or organization that makes a significant difference in the community.

As president of the Siragusa Foundation, Irene Phelps oversees a robust grant-making organization that supports the arts, education, the environment, and health and human services. Since 1986, the foundation has given away more than $30 million, including $370,000 in scholarship funds for Elmhurst College students.

Northern Illinois Food Bank works to end hunger in the region by distributing food to hungry families in partnership with local agencies. In the past two years the food bank has dramatically stepped up its work in response to the ongoing economic crisis. Last year it distributed 27.2 million pounds of food and fed 902,000 meals to low-income children.

ALUMNI NEWS

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What’s New AT ELMHURST

Ashley Bonk (left) of Berwyn and Kiera Timko of Homewood received the Rev. Albert W. Buck award, which funds educational travel.

Elmhurst Students Win Buck Award The Elmhurst College Alumni Association recently awarded its Rev. Albert W. Buck/Alumni Association Student Award to Ashley Bonk of Berwyn and Kiera Timko of Homewood.

The award, established by an initial funding gift from the estate of the Rev. Albert W. Buck ’31, provides funding for educational travel opportunities within the continental United States or abroad.

Ashley Bonk ’10, a business administration major with a concentration in general management, traveled to Rome in January 2010. “I look forward to widening my knowledge of Rome’s history as well as its culture, social customs, cuisine, religion, and architecture,” Bonk said.

Kiera Timko ’10, a geography major concentrating in human geography, studied art and music in India. “I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to travel abroad. I have wanted to go to India since I was young, so this will be a very rewarding experience,” Timko said.

“The study-abroad experience prepares our students to live, work, and compete in the global society,” noted Samantha Kiley, director of alumni relations. “The Alumni Association recognizes the importance of travel, and by way of the Rev. Buck Award, is able to support Elmhurst students in this invaluable endeavor.”

Coming Soon: Your Elmhurst Connection As an alumnus or alumna of the College, you share the bonds of your Elmhurst Experience with more than 23,000 fellow alumni across the world. And you’ll always be an important member of the Elmhurst family.

The College offers myriad ways for you to stay connected and get involved. From career resources and special events to recruiting students and hiring interns, you’ll have lifelong access to resources, services, and opportunities to share the Elmhurst Experience with today’s students.

To help you learn more about how you can get involved, the Alumni Association has published The Elmhurst 4

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Connection, a useful resource guide for alumni. In this publication, you’ll find information about how you can contribute to the life of the College. You’ll also find details about the ongoing benefits of your Elmhurst education, including travel programs, discounted event tickets, lifelong career services, and much more.

Please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (630) 617-3600 to request a copy of the new alumni resource guide.

Alumni Directory Update Earlier this fall, the Elmhurst College Alumni Association announced plans to create a 2010 alumni directory in partnership with Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI). Since then, PCI has been reaching out to alumni across the nation to verify or update the contact information that will appear in the directory.

Printed directories will be available in September 2010.

We encourage you to order your copy today, though you are under no obligation to do so. The primary goal of the project is to gather accurate information so we can better serve you.

As of January, more than 5,800 alumni have updated or verified their contact information, and we’ve sold more than 450 directories.

We welcome your feedback and your questions. Feel free to contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (630) 6173600 or alumni@elmhurst.edu.

It’s Class Reunion Time Homecoming 2010 is scheduled for October 8-10. And the Office of Alumni Relations is planning reunion celebrations for the classes of 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, 1980, 1975, 1970, 1965, and 1960.

But we can’t host your reunion without your help. If you’d like to help plan your class’s upcoming reunion as a reunion representative, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (630) 617-3600 or alumni@elmhurst.edu.

Up Next: Regional Events, Professional Networking Your alumni team has been working to fill the 2010 calendar with rewarding events, career programs, networking opportunities, and more.

Among our top priorities this year is a renewed focus on regional programming in Illinois and across the nation. If you can’t get to Elmhurst, chances are we’ll be hosting an alumni event in a city near you.

We’re also increasing our focus on professional networking.

In collaboration with the College’s Center for Professional Excellence, we’re planning networking events throughout the year to help you connect with classmates and advance your career.

New Committee Will Foster Partnerships In the beginning of 2010, the College formed a new Strategic Planning Committee to help guide the Office of Alumni Relations in meeting its goals and planning for the future.

The new group, an ad hoc committee of the Alumni Association Board, is charged with identifying potential partnerships to help meet the needs of current and future alumni.

“We want to focus on how we can best bring tailored, flexible programming to our alumni—where, when, and in the form they find most beneficial,” says Shaheen Wolff ’87, president of the Alumni Association Board. “I strongly

believe that Elmhurst College is fortunate enough to have many capable alumni whose perspective would enrich the strategic planning process.”

The committee will meet for the first time in February.

Monica Lindblom Joins Alumni Team The alumni relations team is now complete. Samantha Kiley ’07, was named director of alumni relations in October 2009, leaving open her previous position as assistant director of alumni relations for events.

After a search to fill that position, we’re pleased to announce that Monica Lindblom, a 2007 graduate of St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, joined the alumni team at the beginning of February.

Monica comes to Elmhurst from Peace House Africa, a not-for-profit organization that supports a boarding school for AIDS orphans in Tanzania, East Africa, where she served as development associate. Her work experience also includes an internship in special events and development at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

An Elmhurst native, Monica has a particular interest in working for institutions of higher education. In her new role at Elmhurst, she will focus on planning and implementing events, reunions, and programs, with the goal of building and maintaining strong relationships with alumni, students, and campus partners.

Homecoming 2010 is set for October 8-10, and expanding networking opportunities are a goal of the Alumni Association.

ALUMNI NEWS

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What’s New AT ELMHURST

Meet the Members of the Phonathon Team Four evenings a week during the school year, student members of the Phonathon Team hit the phone bank on the first floor of Old Main to make calls on behalf of the Elmhurst College Fund. With the help of headsets and a computer database, they phone hundreds of alumni and parents of current students to thank them for past support and ask them to contribute for the current year. It can be tough to stomach the occasional hang-up or curt

Supervisors Alison Colman, senior, Shorewood As a supervisor, I help the callers when they get frustrated. I tell them, “don’t take it to heart. Just keep going. You’ll get great conversations and learn a lot about the college.”

rejection. But the students say it’s ultimately rewarding to engage alumni in conversations about their Elmhurst years and there is nothing like the feeling of landing a pledge. Here are some of the students who have been calling you this year.

Danielle England, junior, Morris It’s hard work, although it doesn’t feel like work because you are hanging out with friends. Being a supervisor, I try to encourage callers to keep up the good work. It’s easier if you are upbeat.

Matt Duntemann, senior, Arlington Heights I enjoyed talking to grads and finding out what they thought about the College. Last summer I became a supervisor. It’s a fun working environment and everyone enjoys each other’s company.

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Callers Amie Vargas, junior, Plainfield I like to find out if graduates are still connected to the College. I spoke to someone for an hour and I didn’t get a pledge—it took the majority of my shift. But I almost always get a pledge. I don’t get too many hang-ups.

Tess Smith, freshman, Cedar Rapids, Iowa We play fun games like Hangman. For every pledge you land, you get a letter. The more letters you get, the better chance you have of winning the game. Winners are entered into a raffle at term’s end for extra rewards.

Amanda Adams, freshman, Woodridge Some alumni love talking, they will keep you on the phone forever. Some people met their spouses here, built their lives from here. The College for them was not just about courses.

Michelle Boyer, freshman, Rockton People like to talk even if they don’t donate a lot. We let them go on as long as they want.

I met people who knew my family. We go to the same church. What are the chances of that happening?

Joey Carillo, freshman, Zion I told one man that I was in theatre, and he told me he was a star in his high school and college productions. Then I found out he lived in the same dorm that I live in now. I got a $1,000 pledge.

Danielle Littrell, junior, Farmington, Mo. One alumni said he would double his $25 pledge if I knew the school song. Though I didn’t know it, I learned parts by the following year when he made the same offer. That was enough for him to double his gift to $50.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Sports GO BLUEJAYS!

Armed

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and Ready Baseball standout Zach Hofer had a breakthrough year at the plate in 2009. Now he hopes to complete his comeback from injury by contributing on the pitcher’s mound, too. ach Hofer’s 2009 baseball season, his first full one in an Elmhurst uniform, was one to remember. He led the Bluejays in hitting (with a .405 average) and was named Co-Player of the Year in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

But what might be just as remarkable about Hofer’s season is that he was able to take the field at all.

Two springs ago, Hofer was making one of his first pitching appearances in an early-season game against Knox College when he felt a sensation every pitcher dreads.

“I threw a curveball and I felt something in my arm pop,” Hofer remembers. “It was pretty painful.” Hofer had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. His season was over. The pain and anxiety that goes along with a serious sports injury was just beginning.

“One of my first thoughts was, A ‘ m I going to need surgery?’

I wondered if I’d be able to pitch again,” Hofer says.

Hofer would indeed have to endure surgery and a grueling rehabilitation before he was able to return last season, and as a full-time third baseman, produce his standout offensive numbers. This spring, when Hofer and the Bluejays open the season with a March 5 game against Concordia College at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, he will aim to complete his comeback. Hofer hopes to answer lingering questions about his ability to return to the pitcher’s mound and to help the Bluejays not only with his bat but with his surgically reconstructed throwing arm.

“Last year it was awesome to come back and show the league what I could do,” Hofer said during a break from a fall workout in Faganel Hall. “This year there is a little added pressure with the pitching factored in.”

Mainly, though, Hofer sounds relieved to be back at full strength playing the game he loves. Working his way back

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from surgery was a test that he is glad to have behind him.

“I’d never had any serious injury like that before,” Hofer says. “I was scared. It really affected my whole life.”

In the immediate aftermath of the surgery, everyday tasks like tying a pair of shoes was painful. And it would be nine months before he could even throw a baseball. But Hofer applied himself to his rehabilitation, and the work paid off in his breakthrough 2009 season. In addition to leading the team in hitting, in 31 games Hofer contributed five home runs and 31 runs batted in and recorded a .448 on-base percentage.

“You want your best players to be your hardest workers, and that’s Zach,” says Bluejay head coach Joel Southern. He is counting on Hofer to be one of the team’s top pitchers, in addition to a force on offense. The Bluejays are aiming to improve on last year’s 13-23 record. When Hofer is not on the mound, Southern plans to play him at third base or in the designated hitter slot. The junior from Algonquin also serves as a Bluejay tri-captain, along with senior pitcher Cody Boals and senior infielder Vince Mathe.

“He’s ready to lead,” Southern says. “He combines all the elements of leadership as well as any captain I’ve had here. He leads by example and he can be vocal, too.”

Hofer’s work over the off-season included developing a pitch new to his repertoire: a cross between a changeup and a splitter. He says he’s pleased with the pitch, but knows that he will still need to trust his curveball. That, of course, is the pitch he was throwing when he injured his arm two seasons ago.

“I still sometimes kind of cringe a little when I throw it, wondering what’s going to happen,” Hofer admits. “But I’m ready to go.”

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First Person STORY

She Helps to Ease Their Pain Judith A. Paice ’79 is director of the Cancer Pain Program at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. After receiving her B.S. in nursing at Elmhurst, she went on to obtain a Master of Science in Oncology Nursing from Rush University and a Ph.D. in nursing science from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before joining Northwestern as a clinical research scientist in 1999, she was a clinical nurse specialist for pain management at RushPresbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. She has been in her current position since 2002. Dr. Paice’s clinical work has focused on the relief of pain associated with cancer and HIV disease. She is the author of more than 150 scientific manuscripts, abstracts, and book chapters.

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have always loved science. And I wanted to help people.

I was the first person in my family to go to college but I knew I wanted to pursue nursing and that I wanted university training.

Elmhurst had a relatively new nursing program. When I started, the College had only graduated one class. During my clinical rotations, I found I enjoyed the oncology unit, particularly at the Hines Veterans Administration Hospital.

The veterans were wonderful. Pain was clearly a primary problem for many of these individuals.

My first job after graduation was as a staff nurse on the inpatient oncology unit there. Most of the people had pretty advanced cancer. At that point we could hope at best for prolonging life. Yet there were still a lot of symptoms patients experienced, from the cancer and from treatments, frankly, such as mouth sores and other toxicities.

As a nurse I always saw my role as being particularly attentive to these symptoms. It’s not just about prolonging life or giving chemotherapy. It’s also assessing symptoms, identifying pain, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, painful breathing, and emotional or existential distress.

The patients were mostly World War II vets, and some Korea vets, too. These were guys (and a few women) who had been through hell. They stood by one another. They would needle one another, “Get up! Get moving!” always in a very compassionate way. The rooms were mostly five beds to a ward, then a few single rooms. We would move patients into those rooms when they were close to death so as not to disturb their colleagues.

At one point we were ready to move one man to a private room. The other guys in the room said, “No, don’t move him.

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We know what’s happening. We know his wife, we know his daughter. We want to be here for him and for them. Leave him here.”

This was incredibly brave. Some of these men had the same cancer and were looking at the same exact outcome that this man was experiencing.

For the past 10 years I’ve been working in cancer pain management at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I am passionate about helping patients understand how to take their pain medicine, how to prevent side effects, and assist them to more independently manage their own symptoms.

This isn’t something people know about before they get cancer.

I have to correct a lot of misperceptions about addiction, or fears that they’re going to lose their ability to function because of the medications. That’s not the case at all.

Once they’ve got their pain under control, now they can look at important questions about the meaning of their life and what they wish to do with whatever time they have left. We have frank conversations with the patient and their family.

Helping people manage their pain helps them focus on their priorities, what they want to accomplish in their remaining time. It’s about legacy building and life review.

Recently I saw a patient in the hospital who had such horrible pain that she couldn’t interact with her family. She was distressed and anxious as a result. After better pain control, she was dictating family recipes to her son that she didn’t want lost. This was her gift, what she was known for in her family. She wanted her son to have those recipes.

Getting pain under control allows people improved quality of life. Helping people live as fully as possible with their diagnosis is what gives me the passion to do this work.

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Alumni CATCHING UP

Class Notes

Let us hear from you! Send us a note to alumni@elmhurst.edu, or call us at (630) 617-3600.

Better yet, stop by the Office of Alumni Relations on the first floor of Lehmann Hall.

1950s Correction. A class note in the Fall 2009 issue incorrectly identified the spouse of Patricia Holmes Schaaf ’59 of North Fort Myers, Florida as Ray Bode. Patricia is married to Daniel John Schaaf ’58.

FYI regrets the error.

Joanne (Preuss) Skinner ’64 (right) was commissioned as a minister of music at United Church of Christ (UCC) in La Mesa, California, on October 4, 2009.

“My chancel choir wore ethnic dress instead of their choir robes to show the diversity in the UCC; then we celebrated communion to emphasize the act that unites us as Christians,” writes Joanne. “I taught public school junior/senior high school band and chorus for 40 years before retirement.

I have been the director of music at UCCLM for more than 35 years.

After earning a master of religious studies degree in 2000, I worked toward becoming a commissioned minister of music at this church.”

At Elmhurst, Joanne was the student director of Polyhymnia.

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1960s Clifford Schrupp ’60, director of the Fair Housing Center (FHC) of Metropolitan Detroit, was awarded the 2009 Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award by the Michigan Bar Association. Clifford has worked with the FHC, an organization that focuses on housing discrimination in southeastern Michigan, since its inception in 1977. He is widely recognized as the “father of fair housing,” and organizations across the nation have emulated his strategies, programs, and procedures.

In the summer of 2009, Bill Batte ’63 and his wife, Jane (Radspieler) Batte ’63, traveled through Lutherland, Germany, on a group tour. Coincidentally, Margaret “Peggy” (Hintz) Kleinhans ’82 was on the same tour. The tour, led by Rev. Robert and Barbara Grosch of California, attracted travelers from Illinois, Texas, California, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.

Richard “Dick” Kroll ’65 writes, “My wife Linda (Benzel) ’65 is still living with cancer, vibrantly! We just had a two-week trip to Buenos Aires, Iquazu Falls, and Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

Fantastic! I am retired and loving it!”

Judge Karl B. Grube ’67 retired from the Florida judiciary in 2006 after 30 years of service. Upon retiring he assumed senior status; as a senior status judge, he accepts assignments from Court Administration to handle civil, criminal, and family law cases throughout the state of Florida. He also serves as the associate dean of the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies and a faculty member of the National Judicial College.

1970s John Kurth ’72 stopped by the Office of Alumni Relations with an update: “After 37 years in the field of special education, the last 30 spent at Kirk School in Palatine, I have retired. Presently, I am a hospital magician with Open Heart Magic, a volunteer organization that does bedside magic for children in hospitals throughout Chicago.

My wife, Debbie (Daussman) ’73, retired two years ago after 30 years with IBM.” James J. Poore ’73 tells FYI: “Jane Phee and I celebrated our eight-year-and-sixmonth anniversary on May 8, 2009. In June, we celebrated the longest day of the year (June 21, 2009) with family and friends.”

Jerome Watkins ’73 is the director of Law Camp, an intense summer program he launched in 1991 to enhance interest in the study of law. Two sessions will take place in June 2010 in Honolulu and Chicago.

Harry Ewert ’74 has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who, an organization dedicated to recognizing executive achievement throughout the world, for his dedication, leadership, and excellence in all aspects of management. Harry became a certified public accountant in 1975. His 32 years of professional experience includes seven years of preparing taxes for 30 state-initiated tax reporting systems.

He retired as assistant manager of taxes for Amsted Industries Inc., a manufacturing company that provides components for the railroad, vehicular, and construction industries.

Pamela Dittmer McKuen ’74 won first place for fashion writing in the National Federation of Press Women’s 2009 Communications Contest for two stories published in Chicago Life magazine about fashion trends. She also submitted three additional entries that earned places in the state competition. Pamela is a freelance writer whose articles have been published in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Architect,

and Midwest Construction, among others. She is also an adjunct instructor of journalism at Columbia College-Chicago. As a student at Elmhurst, Pamela was editor of the campus newspaper, which was then called The Elm Bark.

Hal Carlson ’76 was named chief of the Aurora Fire Department in July 2009. In naming Hal to the post, Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner said, “Hal has served the city well. He leads by example, and his example over the years has been exemplary. He lives the core values all firefighters should possess: teamwork and the drive to help others.” A 26-year veteran of the Aurora Fire Department, Hal previously served as deputy chief.

Bruce Hill ’76 joined National-Louis University as director of major and planned giving in July 2009. With more than 25 years of development experience, Bruce looks forward to helping the university prepare for its first capital campaign in several years. He and his wife, Jean ’91 continue to live in Villa Park with their children, Adam and Molly.

In August 2009, Rita (Allen) Brennan ’78 gave a presentation at the 4th International Conference on Patient- and FamilyCentered Care in Philadelphia. The outcomes manager for women and children’s services at Central DuPage Hospital, Rita spoke about Assessing Family-Centered Pediatric Care in a Community Hospital Setting. After graduating from Elmhurst, Rita earned a master of science degree in parent-child nursing and a doctorate of nursing practice at Rush University Medical School in Chicago. She lives in Lombard.

Joe Ramirez ’78 recently became chief financial officer of Intermountain, a Montana-based non-profit organization specializing in adoption and family support programs. After graduating from Elmhurst, Joe earned a master’s degree in business administration at the Crummer Graduate School of Business Administration at Rollins College and amassed 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, and operations.

John Watkins ’79 walked more than 500 miles recently in honor of his mother, Laurel Beth Watkins, who died seven years ago of breast cancer. His 540-mile journey began on July 6, 2009, in Duluth, Minnesota, ending three weeks later at

Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois, where his mother spent the end of her life. A professor at the University of Kentucky, Watkins got the idea for a multi-state walk after friends in Chicago invited him to participate in a Susan G. Komen three-day walk. John walked at a steady pace of 26.2 miles each day, while pulling a trailer filled with supplies.

“Physically, I’ve never been so wiped out in my life,” John said. “Emotionally, it’s indescribable.” His story was featured in the July 27 edition of the Daily Herald.

1980s Marie L. Lorden ’82 was promoted to co-portfolio manager for mid-cap strategy at Optimum Investment Advisors. In her new role, she manages the company’s mid-cap institutional accounts. Marie joined Optimum in September 2003 as a senior research analyst on the mid-cap strategy team. Previously, she was a project manager at Radio Free Europe in Prague. After graduating from Elmhurst in 1982, Marie earned an MBA in finance from the Keller Graduate School of Management in 1990.

Ronald Ally ’83 took over as chief financial officer of Elgin School District U46 in August 2009. Since 2000, Ronald had served as the vice president for administrative services and treasurer for McHenry County College in Crystal Lake. Prior to that, he worked for the College of DuPage as the director of financial affairs. After earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elmhurst, Ronald continued his education at Northern Illinois University, earning a master’s degree in education, an educational specialist degree, and a doctorate in educational administration.

James F. McCluskey ’76 was elected to the board of governors of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) in June 2009. A partner in the firm Momkus McCluskey, LLC, of Lisle, James is a trial lawyer concentrating on professional commercial liability cases. Long active in the ISBA, he previously served as a member of its Assembly and was chairman of its Agenda and Practice Committee. In 2008, James won the DuPage County Bar Association’s prestigious Lawyer of the Year award for distinguished leadership and meritorious service.

James lives in Batavia with his wife Jeanne and their two children.

After Elmhurst, he earned a J.D. from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1979, and his L.L.M. in 1988 from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Jim Pletcher ’84 joined BrassCraft, a leading manufacturer of plumbing products, as senior director of wholesale sales in August 2009. Before joining BrassCraft, Jim served for six years as the vice president of national accounts for M/I Homes. He lives in Northville, Michigan, with his wife and daughter.

executive and Leslie worked in graphic arts and design.

Leslie Nikolich ’87 and her husband Gojan (“Nick”), were featured in Colorado’s Vail Daily newspaper on August 10, 2009.

The article focused on the couple’s business, Eagle Valley Printing & Graphics, Inc., which provides commercial and quickprinting services. The couple have owned Eagle Valley since moving to Colorado in 1990 from Chicago, where Nick was a newspaper editor and public relations

1990s Kasindra (Mladenoff) Dayton ’92 spent the past 17 years working for a variety of finance firms in Arizona and Tennessee. A single mother of three, Kasindra returned recently to Elmhurst, where she plans to open a new childcare facility. The business, Kidz Drop In, combines day care with an innovative curriculum featuring music, culinary arts, and visual learning.

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Alumni CATCHING UP Anthony DeLuca ’92 was appointed to succeed George Scully in the Illinois House of Representatives as a Democrat from the 80th District. In the House, Anthony serves on four committees: Business Occupational Licenses, Tollway Oversight, Mass Transit, and Tourism & Conventions. Before joining the Legislature, he served as mayor of Chicago Heights from 2003 to 2009. Anthony and his wife, Sarah, have three children.

Kelly (Jourdan) Duff ’92 is an executive assistant and office manager at Tribune Interactive. She and her husband, Ryan, live in Elmhurst with their dog, Buster.

Allison Stanger ’82 draws a disturbing portrait of the privatization of American foreign policy and its consequences in her new book, One Nation Under Contract: The Outsourcing of American Power and the Future of Foreign Policy. Published by Yale University Press, the book demonstrates how private contractors have become an integral part of American foreign policy, often in scandalous ways.

Allison is the Russell Leng ’60 Professor of International Politics and Economics and director of the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs at Middlebury College. The author of numerous articles and essays, she has written opinion pieces about the privatization of American power for The New York Times, Washington Post, and Financial Times.

Candace M. Murphy ’94 was recognized recently by Cambridge Who’s Who for dedication, leadership, and excellence in all aspects of staffing. A senior technical recruiter for Addison Search, Candace specializes in connecting information technology professionals with career opportunities.

Lauretta Pominville ’94 joined Zausmer, Kaufman, August, Caldwell & Taylor, a law firm based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, as an associate attorney specializing in representation of no-fault insurance carriers.

Prior to joining the firm, she was an assistant vice president of casualty claims at North Pointe Insurance Company. A resident of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, Lauretta earned her law degree through the evening program at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law while working full time.

Kimberly (Perri) Elders ’96, a teacher at Abbott Middle School in Elgin, developed a partnership with the Elmhurst Office of Alumni Relations to help her students learn more about college. “We should really be preparing our students for college, not just high school!” Kim wrote. Among other activities, the College sent letters and Elmhurst gear to the class. “We were so excited to receive the letter along with the wonderful Elmhurst College bags of goodies,” Kim continued. “It really got the kids excited to learn more about Elmhurst and the differences between private colleges and state schools.” Kim and her class currently are arranging a trip to campus in the spring.

Carol (Schlundt) Pavlik ’96 writes, “Our daughter, Eva (2), truly enjoyed the 2009 Summer Extravaganza on the Elmhurst College Mall. Eva has many connections to Elmhurst College: her grandparents (Rev. Arlan Schlundt ’57 and Sharon (Straube) Schlundt ’58) met while they

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were attending Elmhurst College, and her parents (Michael Pavlik ’96 and myself) met and were married right here on campus.

Michael played trumpet in the Elmhurst College Jazz Band from 1991 to 1996, and we always come back to campus to enjoy the great jazz music offered both by the band and by visiting artists.”

Cynthia (Wasik) Hinojosa ’97, an advanced practice nurse in heart and vascular care at Central DuPage Hospital, gave a presentation at the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses’ (AAHFN) annual meeting in Minneapolis, in the summer of 2009.

After graduating from Elmhurst, Cynthia went on to earn a master’s degree as an adult nurse practitioner at Northern Illinois University. She is an active volunteer with Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy and is currently involved with “Reading with Rover,” a library program that encourages children to develop their reading skills by reading aloud to a specially trained therapy dog. Cynthia and her husband, Daniel, reside in Carol Stream.

Criselda “Cris” Yulo ’98, director of surgical services at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital, recently won a Pillar Award from Adventist Midwest Health in recognition of her commitment to her staff. At Adventist, Cris manages 23 employees while budgeting for the department, mediating physician and employee engagement, conducting employee evaluations, educating staff members, meeting with vendors, and organizing surgical equipment for physicians.

Cris lives with her husband and two children in Glendale Heights.

2000s Mary Carol Farber ’00 was awarded the City of Elmhurst Character Counts Service Award on May 27, 2009, in a ceremony sponsored by Elmhurst College.

Mary Carol is a substitute teacher at York Community High School.

Rene Hernandez Jr. ’00 was appointed to the State of Illinois Latino Family Commission, where he will work with other commission members and state agencies to improve and expand existing policies, services, programs, and opportunities for Latino families. He was appointed by Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno to a three-year term.

Ryan Skinner ’00 joined Country Financial as a financial representative in August 2009. After completing extensive training on helping clients secure their financial futures, Ryan is qualified to provide

guidance on auto, home, life, and longterm care insurance, as well as annuities, mutual funds, and college education funding options. He lives in Leland.

Jeff Hedberg ’02, a jazz singer and flugelhorn and trumpet player, celebrated the career of Mel Tormé with a concert on September 13, 2009, at the Skokie Theatre. The event highlighted music from the Marty Paich Dek-tette series (1955–1957), widely considered to be Tormé's highest vocal achievement. After graduating from Elmhurst with a bachelor of music in music education, Jeff went on to Northwestern University to earn a master of music in jazz pedagogy.

Ben Blaiszik ’03 completed the requirements for the Ph.D. program in theoretical and applied mechanics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in August 2009. Ben wrote, “A total of five high-impact, peer-reviewed publications (with an additional four in the queue); countless conference talks; and six patents filed have come directly from my Ph.D. project.”

Jennifer Randall ’04 was named an assistant women’s basketball coach at Loras College, a private school in Dubuque, Iowa, that competes in NCAA Division III. Before joining Loras in July 2009, Jennifer coached the Arthur-Lovington (Illinois) High School girls’ basketball team for four seasons. She finished her high school coaching career with a 52-56 record, including the third best record in school history in 2006-07 (21-5) and the first regular-season title since 1997-98.

While at Elmhurst, Jennifer played for the Bluejays, averaging 5.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.7 steals per game.

Jessica (Blohm) Vogt ’04 writes, “I am an instructor for the School of Nursing at Harper College. I began in 2008 teaching RN refresher courses and am currently a clinical instructor for the CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) program. I am also an IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) Certified Evaluator and very excited about teaching nursing. Elmhurst played a big role in my desire to pursue nursing education, since my experience there was exceptional.”

Eric Stone ’06 competed at the 2009 World Powerlifting Congress, an annual event that brings together powerlifters from across the world to compete in three events: squat, bench press, and deadlift.

Eric typically participates in two full

meets and one or two smaller meets each year, traveling to Nevada, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, and beyond. In his day job, he works as a sports performance coach at Velocity in Willowbrook.

Brooke Danielle Broederdorf ’08 has announced her engagement to Vincent Albert Louis De Bartolo. Brooke works with special-needs students at Grove Avenue Elementary School in Barrington.

Brooke and Albert live in Algonquin and are planning an October 9, 2010, wedding.

Justin Edell ’08 recently was hired as an internal wholesaler at Turner Investment Partners, an employee-owned investment firm in Chicago that manages more than $15 billion in stocks on behalf of institutions and individuals. In his new role, Justin helps Turner’s private client group win new investment-management business from institutional and individual investors.

Before joining Turner, Justin was an internal sales consultant at Keeley Funds.

Mike Heffernan ’08 has been named offensive line coach for the College of St. Scholastica’s football team in Duluth, Minnesota. Before joining St. Scholastica, Mike served as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point, where he developed an all-conference tackle and helped his team to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Mike has also been the assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at Steven’s Point Area Senior High School, the largest high school in Wisconsin. A native of Hawthorn Woods, Mike was a two-year letterman at Elmhurst, where he was a two-year starter at defensive tackle and an all-conference performer his senior season.

Christina “Chrissy” Martens ’09 works at Springman Middle School in Glenview as a Spanish teacher and tech associate.

Jeff Quinn ’84 was named head football coach at the State University of New York at Buffalo in December 2009.

Previously University of Cincinnati offensive coordinator, he was serving as interim head coach for the Bearcats when the former head coach, Brian Kelly, became head coach at University of Notre Dame.

His final assignment for Cincinnati was coaching the Bearcats— undefeated during the regular season—in the Sugar Bowl against the University of Florida. At Buffalo, he replaces Turner Gill, who accepted the head coaching position at the University of Kansas. Jeff, who has coached college football for more than 25 seasons, was one of five finalists for the 2009 Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Courtney Russell ’09 completed a rigorous training program for a 10-month stint of full-time service with the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), an AmeriCorps program. The training, which took place in Denver, emphasized teamwork, leadership development, communication, service learning, and certification by the American Red Cross. As a Corps member, Courtney will complete a series of six- to eight-week-long service projects as part of a 10- to 12-person team. Her first service project began on November 14.

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Alumni PASSAGES

Births

Marriages

Cary Adams ’75 shared the following announcement with FYI: “I am blessed and excited to be the father of two-year-old Paul Kai Adams, who I adopted one year ago from Vietnam. We are doing great!

Hello to old friends from Elmhurst.”

Christina M. Royer ’01 married Steven W. Luxbacher on August 1, 2009. The couple lives in Pennsylvania.

Justine (Williams) Dunn ’91 gave birth to Teagan Sean on October 2, 2008. Justine and her husband, Ray, live in Aurora.

Justine tells FYI, “Teagan was born exactly 16 years after our first date!”

Amy Jo (Marco) ’93 and Dale Hoyd ’95 announce the birth of their fourth child, Julia Elizabeth, on March 30, 2009.

Kimberly (Cantrell) Luchetta ’95 and her husband, Geoff, announce the arrival of their daughter, Camille Grace, on September 25, 2009. Camille was welcomed home by her proud big brother, Giovanni. The family lives in Denver.

Beth (Brychta) Frederick ’02 and her husband, Adam, welcomed a baby girl, Jenna Dee, into their family on June 25, 2009.

Jenni (Markanich) McGinnis ’02 gave birth to a baby girl, Madison Grace, on July 10, 2009. Jenni writes that she’s already talked to the cross country coaches at Elmhurst about signing Madison up for the team in 18 years. “She has nice long legs, perfect for record-breaking. She will be attending her first cross country race, the Earlybird Meet, in September.”

Mark Roberts ’02 and Dr. Michelle Applebee, associate professor of chemistry at Elmhurst, were married on June 13, 2009, at Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on the campus of Elmhurst College. The wedding was officiated by Rev. H. Scott Matheney. Drew Barczak ’02 and Chris Bonavolonta ’02 were members of the wedding party. The couple resides in Glen Ellyn.

Victoria Fallon ’03 and Jeff Golden ’05 were married on March 21, 2009. The wedding party included Cathy Fallon ’05, Nicole Montmarquette ’03, Sean Diatte ’05, and Mario Godoy ’04. Vicky writes, “Ten additional alumni were also in attendance and kept the dance floor packed all night!” Jeff is a senior publisher for Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Lake Forest, while Vicky is a financial analyst for Kimco Realty Corp. in Rosemont. They live in Vernon Hills.

Erica Ortiz ’03 married Rodger Souders on August 1, 2009. After graduating from Elmhurst, Erica went on to earn a master’s degree in nursing at Loyola University Chicago and now works as a pediatric nurse at the Ronald McDonald Children’s Hospital of Loyola University Medical Center. Rodger is a graduate of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, and Northern Illinois University. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in sport management.

Thomas Herion ’04 married Nicole Ruscheinski ’05 on June 13, 2009. The wedding party consisted of Dr. Breanne Briskey ’04, Thomas DuFore ’04, Jennifer (Moninger) DuFore ’05, Jeremiah Barr ’03, Samantha (Hahn) Barr ’03, Emily Stanko ’06, Frank Tomasselli ’07, Anthony “Tony” White ’04, Karin (Politzki) Welsch ’98, Lynn (Repking) Politzki ’00, and Margaret (Hester) Jung Verhoog ’87. The couple honeymooned in the Hawaiian Islands.

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ELMHURST COLLEGE

Nora Degnan ’08 married Brett Siebert on May 30, 2009. Lyndsi Kraus ’08 and Emily Hart ’13 attended the wedding.

Nora works as a project estimator at Thorne Associates, Inc. She and her husband live in Elmhurst.

Jacob Lindhorst ’08 married Jennifer Lynn Dinges on October 10, 2009. Jacob works for AT&T Elmhurst, and Jennifer works at comScore in Chicago.

Melanie (Hanson) Jamerson ’09 was married on September 12, 2009, to Brandon Jamerson. Melanie works for Life Fitness in Schiller Park, Illinois, as a compensation, benefits, and HRIS analyst. The couple resides in Wheaton.

Deaths Carl Stillwell ’38, of Springfield, Missouri, on September 6, 2004.

William ‘Jim’ Cody Jr. ’51, of Glen Ellyn, on June 26, 2009.

Mary (Woodward) Caesar ’69, of Rapid City, North Dakota, on August 23, 2008.

Paul E. Blasberg ’41, of Galion, Ohio, on July 16, 2009.

Shirley (Huntman) Taylor ’51, of Holiday, Florida, on July 9, 2009.

Russel Smith ’69, of Eugene, Oregon, on January 14, 2008.

Charles Turner ’41, of Hamilton Lakes and Indian River, Michigan, on September 19, 2009.

Lela (Teichman) Blesi ’52, formerly of Washington, Missouri, on May 13, 2009.

Dr. H. Wade German ’70, of Omaha, Nebraska, on March 15, 2009.

Charles Bowman ’52, of Jackson, Georgia, on February 11, 2009.

Margaret (Schneider) Gill ’70, of Kirkwood, Missouri, on September 30, 2008.

Judith Cleland Waite ’41, of LaGrange Park, on July 9, 2009.

Marcia R. (Powell) Evans ’42, of South Beloit, Wisconsin, on August 27, 2008.

Diane (Seeberger) Lutzow ’43, of Evanston (formerly of Scottsdale, Arizona; LaPointe, Wisconsin; and Mequon, Wisconsin), on November 3, 2009.

Jean (Rose) Krueger ’44, of Saint Clair Shores, Minnesota, on July 13, 2002.

Merle (Beach) Westland ’45, of St. Charles, on June 1, 2009.

Eleanor (Eigenbauer) Dudich ’47, of Chicago, on August 17, 2009.

Bernice (Westerman) Amundsen ’47, of Elmhurst, on August 19, 2009.

Marie (Hullcranz) Moore ’48, of Columbia, Maryland, on October 3, 2009.

Elba Lamborn ’54, of Elmhurst, on June 25, 2009.

Robert Heidelbach ’55, of Anchorage, Alaska, on September 11, 2009.

William J. Adelman ’56, of Oak Park, on September 15, 2009.

Norma L. (Rohrkasse) Suhre ’58, of Wisconsin (formerly of Edwardsville), on May 18, 2009.

Raymond Machinek ’59, of Lisle, on February 16, 2008.

Richard Sather ’60, of Waverly, Ohio, on January 30, 2009.

William Gant ’61, of Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 2, 2009.

Harry Ewert ’74, of Antioch, on August 14, 2009.

Terrence “Terry” S. Paeth ’76, of Naperville, (formerly of Lombard), on June 9, 2009.

Joseph Karius ’78, of Lexington, Kentucky, on March 14, 2008.

Cindy L. Milligan ’79, of Vernon Hills, on July 25, 2008.

Mary (Cunningham) Seaman ’81, of Roselle, on August 24, 2009.

Priscilla Wilder ’81, of Durango, Colorado, on July 29, 2009.

Margaret (Barrett) Sandonato ’84, of Naperville, on October 5, 2009.

Dennis Luecke ’61, of Jamaica (formerly of Miami Gardens, Florida), on January 9, 2009.

Eric Pfister ’85, of Elk Grove Village, on May 20, 2009.

Thomas A. Gibbons ’64, of Elmhurst, on January 26, 2009.

Joyce A. (Peralta) Thompson ’89, on April 12, 2000.

Mary (Litzsinger) Temple ’64, on June 15, 2009.

Eleanor R. (Cittadino) O’Toole ’91, a 46year resident of Elmhurst, on July 10, 2009.

Sally (Schowalter) Walters ’64, of Chicago, on July 18, 2008.

Deanne M. (Utter) McKenzie ’01, of Lombard, on November 11, 2009.

Pearl (Preban) Stejskal ’66, of Glen Ellyn, on May 18, 2009.

Amy E. Lottman ’04, of Lombard, on March 21, 2009.

William Moenkhaus ’50, of Richfield, Minnesota, on July 5, 2009.

Ralph Fletcher “Rafe” Seymour II ’67, formerly of Tucson, Arizona, on August 13, 2008.

George Stoyanov ’09, of Bulgaria, on June 22, 2009.

Daniel Rose ’50, of North Chili, New York, on March 4, 1999.

John H. Lombardi ’68, on February 4, 2007.

Thomas “Tommy” Allen Whitcomb ’48, of Weslaco, Texas, on July 13, 2009.

Sherman Cunningham ’49, of Pinellas Park, Florida, on April 24, 2007.

Rev. Roy Lausman ’49, of Dearborn, Michigan, on February 20, 2009.

Edna A. Tourangeau ’49, formerly of Brookfield, on April 20, 2009.

Dr. Charles Domermuth ’50, of Newport, Virginia, on June 28, 2009.

Kristin Spangler, adjunct faculty member in the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, on November 12, 2009.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Alumni DROPPING IN ON

Schick Hall This is the first in a series of occasional visits to the College’s residence halls.

Built: In 1922 as South Hall, at a cost of $145,000. It originally offered 50 rooms for 100 students, plus apartments for faculty and the College president. Schick was expanded in 1967 and 1970, with wings added to create its distinctive U-shape.

Students in residence: 209 Named for: Herman J. Schick, Elmhurst’s fifth president, who served from 1919 to 1924. He was the first head of the College to be given the title of president.

(Previous leaders had been called directors.) During his tenure, the College’s first student newspaper and first social fraternities appeared, and he oversaw the opening of Memorial Library, the College’s first formal library, in 1921.

Bragging rights: Schick is the oldest and largest of the College’s residence halls.

Traditions: Schick Hall Council sponsors Rock the U, an annual spring outdoor benefit concert for Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The concert is one of the oldest fundraisers on campus.

A Sense of History: Rooms in the original portion of Schick Hall boast wood floors, walk-in closets and distinctive architectural details such as crown mouldings and ornate doorknobs. “There’s a sense of history here,” says Susie Regan, the area coordinator who oversees Schick for the College’s Office of Residence Life. Not surprisingly, she says, the rooms are in high demand.

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Why I Give

David A. Juergens ’59 Jackson, Mississippi

endowed scholarship for members of Bethel UCC. The College gained a new scholarship, and members of Bethel Church had an incentive to attend Elmhurst.

When I attended Elmhurst, I was a member of Bethel United Church of Christ in Elmhurst. One semester, without my knowledge, the church paid my college tuition. This was one of the nicest surprises of my life, and I never forgot how much it meant to me.

In my view, money has no value unless it is put to work.

Giving to Elmhurst helps others benefit from a first-class education. Giving back is also a tangible expression of my gratitude to those who gave to me.

By 2004, I had been thinking about the people and institutions that had contributed to my success and happiness, and Elmhurst and Bethel certainly came to mind. I wanted to honor both the church and the College, so I created an

David Juergens ’59 is head of collection development and archives manager at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Rowland Medical Library, where he has worked since 1968. He supports the College through two endowed scholarships.

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Faculty OFFICE HOURS

One Cup of Coffee Catching up with Mick Savage Mick Savage is the director of Elmhurst’s service-learning program and a professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Here, he talks about the impact of service-learning, some memorable projects, and what has kept him at Elmhurst for 11 years.

You’re from Australia. How did you end up at Elmhurst College?

I came to this country many years ago at the invitation of a couple of American teachers I had met. I started out in Kansas, then spent some time teaching at universities in Idaho and Indiana. But I wanted to be at a place where teaching was the primary focus of the institution, so I came to Elmhurst for a one-year appointment that became a permanent job.

You mentioned the word “engaged” in describing Elmhurst students. Does that characteristic play a role in the success of the service-learning program?

Yes. In fact, the whole program works because of the graciousness and generosity of our students. When you’re in another country, you’re a guest. You have to be willing to sit in the local diner, have a cup of coffee, and listen. Our students can sip coffee with people they never met, feel comfortable, and learn from them.

What keeps you at Elmhurst?

What keeps me here is, in a word, the people. Students here are engaging and engaged. I do a lot of working and traveling with students, and I’m excited by what they bring to the table. They ask good questions about what they’re learning, and they want to know more.

What are some especially memorable service projects?

One class worked locally with candidates for United States citizenship, translating documents, helping people study for the citizenship test, and taking part in the citizenship ceremony.

Afterwards, a student in that class wrote about how overwhelming it can be to make a difference in someone’s life.

Internationally, we took a group of students to South Africa to teach in a multi-ethnic kindergarten in a part of Capetown that had been whites-only under apartheid. Now that other ethnic groups have moved back in, the school was filled with children of different backgrounds. For our students, it was a powerful opportunity to get a real look at how the world could be.

How did you get involved in the service-learning program?

I did some activities for the program under the previous director, and I became intrigued. When she retired seven or eight years ago, I was asked to take it over. It’s an exciting program, because the faculty have bought into it and our students really get it.

What’s the program all about?

Service-learning combines intellectual development with social responsibility. There’s a classroom component, in which the students think about creative ways to address social problems.

Then they take what they’ve learned out into the world and apply it in service placements across the world.

What does the service component involve?

Here in the Elmhurst area our students tutor schoolchildren, serve the homeless, and help refugees settle into new homes.

Internationally, they work with orphanages, schools, and other organizations in places like South Africa, London, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, and Jamaica.

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What’s the long-term impact of participating in the service-learning program?

This experience is a forever thing with our students. It stays with them and changes them. Some change majors, some become advocates for a particular group of people. They come back more aware of the world, and they begin to see issues of global significance—poverty, disease, war—within the context of an individual face. That’s when I know that getting them to the café for that cup of coffee has been worth it.

Get Your Gear!

Show off your Bluejay spirit with Elmhurst College sweatshirts, jerseys, hats, and coffee mugs. For information about ordering the items shown here plus a lot more, visit elmhurst.edu/alumni and click on the EC Gear link.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Chicago, Illinois Permit Number 5525

190 Prospect Avenue Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-3296

Events COMING SOON

Mark Your Calendar

Met & Married Saturday, May 22 A reception celebrating couples who met and fell in love at Elmhurst College.

The night is an evening of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, entertainment and dancing.

Spring Commencement Sunday, May 30 Help us congratulate the graduates of the Class of 2010. The ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m. on the College Mall, followed by a reception in Kranz Forum.

Bluejay Backer Golf Outing Tuesday, June 15 Support Bluejay athletics at the 28th annual golf outing.

The day includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, dinner, gifts, prizes and a raffle.

Summer Extravaganza Saturday, June 19 Join us for an annual outdoor concert featuring jazz artist, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the Elmhurst College Jazz Band. Bring the family to this event on the College Mall, now in its 15th year.

Homecoming Friday-Sunday, October 8-10 Mark your calendar for Homecoming 2010, a weekend when hundreds of Elmhurst alumni gather on campus for class reunions, football, theatre performances, and more.