Elmhurst University - Summer 2024 Prospect Magazine

FRONT

COSCARELLI

24 Partners in Action!

A new partnership with a Chicago nonprofit uses music and film to nurture the talents of a new generation. 30

Found in Translation

A new program will prepare multilingual special educators and therapists to better serve kids with disabilities.

AI Explorer

Elmhurst’s data guru, Jim Kulich, is leading the campus conversation about the future of AI and us.

The Magazine of Elmhurst University

Summer 2024 volume v 11, number 1

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Debra Lukehart

SENIOR DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Desiree Chen

CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN

Laura Ress Design

EDITOR

Margaret Currie

PROJECT MANAGER

Natalie Bieri ’18

CONTRIBUTORS

Emily Ayshford, Aron Gagliardo, Molly Heim, Amy Merrick, Brian Moore, Lisa Morema-Murphy, Andrew Santella

PHOTOGRAPHY

Bob Coscarelli, Emma Filipsson, Rob Hart, Star Herring, Victor Hilitski, John Klein, Sarah Nader, Steve Woltmann

ILLUSTRATION

Chelsea Beck, Taylor Callery, Bruce Hutchison

ALUMNI NEWS AND CLASS NOTES Andrew Knap, Colleen Radzevich, Amy Young ’21

CONNECT WITH US

We welcome your comments! Email us at marketing@elmhurst.edu.

Prospect is published twice a year by the Office of Marketing and Communications.

Elmhurst University 190 Prospect Ave. Elmhurst, Illinois 60126

© 2024 Elmhurst University All rights reserved.

BEYOND ACADEMIC

One of our favorite Commencement traditions takes place after the ceremony, as the long line of new graduates begins to leave the tent. As they emerge, they’re greeted with cheers and applause by our faculty, who have lined up on both sides to form a jubilant corridor of appreciation for all the students have achieved.

It’s a fitting tribute to the relationship that develops between faculty and students here—one of support, engagement and care in both the sharing and acquiring of knowledge. And it’s one more way we walk the talk of academic excellence, described in our strategic plan as “a culture of critical inquiry and engaged learning led by faculty who are experts in their fields, excellent instructors and active scholars.”

That culture is on full display in this issue of Prospect. You can read about how Associate Professor Kristyn Jo Benedyk and her digital media students are making a difference by helping a group of Chicago middle school students put their stories to music and film. You’ll learn about an exciting new project to prepare multilingual graduate students to better serve young learners with disabilities. And you’ll hear from our data science guru, Jim Kulich, who is exploring the potential of AI at Elmhurst University and beyond.

TROY D. VANAKEN President

THE CLASS Introduction to Music Education

FINDING A RHYTHM

THE PROFESSOR

Deborah Peot

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

AND DIRECTOR OF MUSIC EDUCATION

First-year students prepare to lead classrooms of young musicians through a combination of practical training and philosophical reflection.

SHIFTING FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER

This is the first class where students get a sense of what it might look like to become a teacher. Children already have a wealth of information about music. They listen to music at home; their parents sing; there’s music in the car. They just don’t have any formal constructs. Learning to teach music is learning how to break things down into small increments and sequence them in a way that a pupil can understand.

One assignment asks students to watch a video and list every single thing the teacher did. The first time, students might give me five to 10 examples. I’ll send back the assignment with a few prompts: “What did the teacher say to get the students to form a circle?” The final time through, they have to come up with a minimum of 50 things the teacher did. Now they’re thinking critically about the teaching.

DEVELOPING A PHILOSOPHY

A teacher’s philosophy about music education influences everything: how they manage the classroom, what literature they choose, whether they hold auditions. The teaching philosophy affects decisions such as whether to schedule rehearsals outside the school

day or whether a music program will provide instruments for students whose families can’t afford to buy them.

I have students explain their philosophy in their first year and then again in their fourth year, right before they student teach. For many, it’s the same philosophy, just supported differently. For some, it’s changed slightly. Many students come in with a broad, open philosophy—music should be for everyone. I want them to embrace that.

PRACTICING THE CRAFT

Students give presentations on one of the six major music-teaching methodologies, and then they do an activity with our class in the style of that methodology. Often, this is their first time teaching. They might stop and say, “I forgot to remind you to stand up,” or “I forgot to put a steady beat in your feet.” When they’re done, the other students give feedback.

We also go to K–12 schools for observations, so students can get a sense of what they’ll be asked to do later. One thing that is especially strong about the Elmhurst experience is hands-on learning, and this class represents that, actually trying things in practice. It gives students a chance to decide if this is the right path for them.

Elmhurst’s Introduction to Music Education course gives students hands-on experience with teaching.

THE STUDENT VIEW

“I get giddy thinking about being a band director. I really like the community, the experience and the satisfaction of teaching kids to love music. Professor Peot lets us experience teaching activities firsthand, which is really helpful. For one activity, we sat in a circle and passed a beanbag while singing and tapping a rhythm. We talked about how this exercise teaches memorization with singing the song, hand-eye coordination with moving the beanbag and rhythm with tapping the beat. It surprised me that she was assessing so many things at once.”

— CAMRYN NOWAK-BROWN ’27 MUSIC EDUCATION MAJOR

CAMPUS TREES ���

SPEAKER

Q&A

Before giving this year’s Rudolf G. Schade Lecture on History, Ethics and Law, the historian, author and professor spoke with Prospect about his work, the seminal issues of the day and his hopes for young people.

Early each spring, the redbud in front of Irion Hall celebrates the end of winter with a cheery display of delicate pink blossoms. A campus favorite, the redbud features darkgreen, heart-shaped leaves that emerge as the flowers fade.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

If I’m working on a biography, I love to learn everything about the person, and every day I keep leaning forward because I’m learning a new fact or a new line of thought. And that makes me wake up excited to work.

What about the writing process?

The novelist Sinclair Lewis said the first rule of writing is to apply the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair. It’s sweat equity and there is no shortcut. But when your book comes out and the Champagne’s being poured, it’s like, isn’t it wonderful to be a fanciful writer when, like anything else, you just have to work hard to achieve the result you want.

What are the issues that will define this time in our country’s history?

If by “this time” we mean the year 2024, then this upcoming presidential election is the seminal moment. There are two different visions on the table, and they’re clashing in a very hard way right now, but democracy will go forward. And then we’re going to have to deal with saving planet Earth because hyper-

Douglas Brinkley spoke on April 16 about history-making business innovators, from Henry Ford to Jeff Bezos.

industrialization has mauled the planet. We have to think in planetary terms, not “my country, do or die.”

What do you want people to take away from your lectures?

I’d like them to go home afterward and say, “I didn’t know that until tonight.” All you can do as an educator is point toward the door of learning and hope to trigger someone’s interest.

Do you have any advice for today’s college students?

I hope they take classes that might open their minds and help them find a path they love. And I’d urge them to not be takers—to be able to give back to their country in some form. College should be a springboard for giving more than you’re taking in life.

HAS HTAG

HIGHLIGHTS

Spring fun on campus included dancing with the president, preparing for job interviews and refereeing volleyball games. Join us on social media for more highlights!

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Don't stress if your wardrobe isn't "businessready" for that job interview. The WCPE's Career Closet has got your back.

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A special thank you to some of our referees from our Elmhurst University Volleyball athletics team! We wouldn't be able to pull off this Intramural season without you!

AI IN EDUCATION

K–12 teachers have long used artificial intelligence and machine learning to bring lessons to life. But with the meteoric rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, how can teachers prevent academic cheating and capture the benefits of these revolutionary technologies? Check it out: elmhurst.edu/Blog.

BY THE NUMBERS

At the heart of the Elmhurst experience is a well-rounded curriculum that sparks limitless thinking and prepares students for enduring success. Here are some numbers that help tell our academic story.

REGIONAL RANKING*

6

FULL-TI ME FACULTY WITH THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN THEIR FIELD

82%

STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO

13:1

UNDERGR AD S WHO DO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

100%

ACADEMIC CENTERS

7

ANNUAL SERVICE LEARNING HOURS

9,000

INTERNSHIP SITES

225

* “Best Regional Universit ies Midwest,” U.S. News & World Report

^ eu_jaylightz Featuring President Troy VanAken in Jaylightz tiktok @troyvanaken

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Each year, Elmhurst awards scholarships to outstanding admitted students to celebrate their service to society and other achievements.

An Advocate for Animals

Inspired by a deep love for animals, Benjamin Sobczak has spent many hours as a volunteer veterinary technician at the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago. This spring, his long-time service was rewarded with a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend Elmhurst University as part of the Niebuhr Service to Society Scholarship Competition. A resident of Elk Grove Village, Sobczak graduated from James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates this spring. He plans to major in biochemistry at Elmhurst and then go on to study medicine.

Pursuing the American Dream

Gia Nitti has been awarded a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to Elmhurst as the winner of the University’s American Dream Scholarship Competition. Designed to support the enrollment of first-generation college students, the scholarship is awarded to high school seniors whose parents or guardians did not earn a bachelor’s degree. Winners are chosen in part on the basis of short videos participants create about their vision of the American Dream. Nitti is a graduate of South Elgin High School.

BLUEJAYS SOAR

The men’s basketball team takes its third CCIW title, and women’s track and field stars compete in national championships.

The Elmhurst University men’s basketball team won the 2024 CCIW Tournament Championship for the third time in five seasons with a win over Illinois Wesleyan on Feb. 24. The CCIW title sent the Bluejays to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the eighth time. In the NCAA tourney, the Bluejays fell to Calvin University. Forward/center Jonathan Zapinski earned Third Team All-American honors after averaging 10.5 points and 8 rebounds overall for Elmhurst for the season.

Elsewhere, the women’s track and field team finished second at the CCIW Indoor Track and Field Championships at North Central College. Bluejays stars Tiana Grady ’27 (left) and Nakala Nadeau ’25 qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships. Both competed in the 60-meter hurdles, and Grady also qualified for the 200-meter hurdles.

MEMORIAL MEMENTOS

Architectural treasures from one of the campus’s oldest buildings will be preserved and given new homes.

For more than 100 years, Memorial Hall has evolved to meet the needs of Elmhurst University students. In 2025, the building will be razed to provide green space as part of the $30 million Health Sciences Building project. Before that happens, the University will remove architectural and historical treasures from Memorial Hall and then repurpose them or relocate them around campus.

Items on the preserved list include the exterior pillars at the entrance, the engraved limestone rosette and cornerstone, the “Memorial Library” limestone piece over the entrance, the stained-glass skylight in the lobby, and bronze plaques with the names of members of Elmhurst’s foundational church who died in World War I.

FIRED UP FOR THE

SOLAR ECLIPSE

North America’s second total eclipse in seven years had campus buzzing in April. Before the big day, associate professor of physics Brian Wilhite discussed the history and science of eclipses during a lecture on April 2. For the main event on April 8, the Elmhurst community gathered on the Brune Patio of the Frick Center to view the eclipse, which was partial in northern Illinois. The event was also livestreamed in the Founders Lounge.

A SISTER’S INSPIRATION

and her

Kristyn Jo “KJ” Benedyk, associate professor and director of the digital media program, has been teaching Elmhurst students how to tell stories for almost six years. In February, she shared a story of her own with the world, authoring a piece on the HuffPost website about her sister, Kim, who battled a rare cancer for eight years and died in 2020. The story received more than a million views within 24 hours of posting. Kim’s journey inspired Benedyk to start A Pint for Kim, an organization dedicated to spreading awareness about the importance of donating blood and to hosting lifesaving blood drives in Kim’s memory. memory. In May, the organization’s annual blood drive set a new record for Illinois’ largest one-day blood drive— for the fifth year in a row.

Benedyk

extended family accept their fifth annual award for the Pint for Kim blood drive.

EXPANDING THE CYBER PIPELINE

Elmhurst wins an NSF grant to boost cybersecurity education. Elmhurst University is part of a national effort to attract more people to the rapidly growing cybersecurity profession. The National Science Foundation recently awarded assistant professors David W. Brown and Dean Jensen a $500,000 grant to put toward furthering this goal. The Department of Computer Science and Information Systems faculty members will work with Arcadia University in Philadelphia to train high school teachers in Chicago and Philadelphia how to be more comfortable teaching cybersecurity.

ROLLING OUT

THE RED CARPET

The inaugural Elmhurst University Film Festival showcased the creative work of Elmhurst digital media students.

An enthusiastic audience turned out on May 10 to see a wide range of studentproduced music videos, animated films and traditional shorts. The films were considered for awards in such categories as Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Acting, and digital media faculty members Kristyn Jo Benedyk and John Klein served as judges. The screenings were followed by an awards ceremony along with photo ops on the red carpet.

EXPERT TESTIMONY

Professor Constance Mixon gives jurors a crash course on the Chicago City Council during a landmark corruption trial.

When Chicago Ald. Edward M. Burke was found guilty on racketeering, bribery and extortion charges in December 2023, it was the end of a landmark corruption trial that featured political science professor Constance Mixon as the federal government’s first witness. Mixon was key in telling the jury how Burke used his role as chair of the Finance Committee to consolidate his power and influence. “We all pay a price for this corruption,” Mixon told WTTW News in January.

THE DEPARTMENT OF NURSING received a $25,000 Healing Illinois grant in support of its efforts to ensure that its MSN curriculum fully integrates concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion.

THE CENTER FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND TEACHING celebrated the grand opening of its new home in the A.C. Buehler Library. The center supports professional development opportunities for Elmhurst faculty and fosters efforts to improve teaching and learning.

WOMEN’S WRESTLING will launch at Elmhurst in fall 2024. The new team will bring the University’s total number of varsity sports teams to 21.

THE SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM partnered with the A.C. Buehler Library to offer voter registration services for the Elmhurst community. Staff members trained to become deputy registrars, enabling them to register Illinois residents to vote in local, state and national elections.

FACULTY FAREWELL

A prolific author and researcher, philosophy professor WILLIAM HIRSTEIN has written dozens of articles and books about phantom limbs, aesthetics, autism, consciousness, sociopathy, responsibility and the misidentification syndromes. He’s also a sought-after speaker who has given a TED x talk about consciousness and the possibility of mindmelding.

Associate professor PENNY REISS possesses deep knowledge in a range of nursing specialties and topics, including adult health, complex medical-surgical nursing, outcome measurement, quality of care and geriatric complex care. She is a member of the Academy of MedicalSurgical Nurses and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Professor of management KATHLEEN RUST joined the faculty in 1999 and has been teaching students the importance of becoming responsible citizens and managers ever since. She’s also held campus leadership roles, including chair of the Department of Business and Economics and the Department of Intercultural Studies, and director of intercultural faculty development.

During RUTH SCHUMACHER’s time as assistant professor of nursing and health sciences, she has also maintained her clinical practice in pediatrics. She holds professional

NEWS BRIEFS

“A LOVE SUPREME,” a jazzinfluenced spring exhibition at the Elmhurst Art Museum, featured performances by the University’s jazz combo and other ensembles. Art student Rachel Fratt ’24 designed the exhibition’s bold graphic identity.

SIX NEW MAJORS LAUNCHED IN FALL 2023, dramatically expanding opportunities for students. The new majors are Latino studies, music industry, music production, game and animation art, audio and visual production, and writing for the cinematic arts.

Several esteemed faculty members announced their retirements this year. We wish them all the best in their next chapters.

certifications as a clinical nurse leader and pediatric nurse and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Society of Pediatric Nursing.

ALAN WEIGER ’72, associate professor of theatre, has seen a lot of change at Elmhurst University, having been a student in 1971 during its centennial, a professor in 1996 for the 125th anniversary, and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance for the sesquicentennial in 2021. He has also served as faculty marshal during commencements.

MARY E. WEYER’s impact on the Department of Nursing and Public Health cannot be overstated. A recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Illinois Board of Higher Education Nurse Educator Fellowship, she has served the University as a member of Academic Council and many other committees in addition to her role as professor.

Associate professor of accounting JOHN WHITE has served in many roles in the School of Business. In addition to teaching courses in intermediate accounting, consolidations, accounting theory, international accounting and accounting research, he served for many years as Elmhurst’s faculty athletics representative. His research covers financial and international accounting.

EADEN HVARRE was honored as Elmhurst’s Senior of the Year at a ceremony on May 9. In addition, seniors Rachel Fratt, Payton Schmidt and graduate student Paul Sebedyn won Founders Awards, and graduate student Jared Szaltis was named Bluejay of the Year.

THE UNIVERSITY HAS ESTABLISHED A NEWMAN CENTER to provide support, resources and fellowship for its Roman Catholic community. In addition to weekly student Mass, the center will offer lectures, discussions, service opportunities and more.

THREE CHEERS FOR THE CLASS OF ����!

On May 18, the Bluejay community gathered on the University Mall to celebrate the achievements of more than 350 graduate students and nearly 750 undergraduates. Please join us in welcoming our newest alumni!

See the highlights at elmhurst.edu/Commencement.

A generous gift establishes a new student-managed investment fund.

AN INVESTMENT IN KNOWLEDGE

Finance students who don’t want to wait until graduation to apply their skills in the stock market now have an opportunity for hands-on practice at Elmhurst: a student-managed investment fund.

The new, $1 million Kloet StudentManaged Investment Fund was established with a lead gift commitment from Elmhurst Trustee Emeritus Thomas Kloet and his wife, Margaret. The fund, which is scheduled for a soft launch this fall, will be a part of the University’s endowment.

“Margaret and I believe strongly in the mission that higher education aspires to,” Kloet says. “We hope our funding of the seed capital for the Kloet Fund will result in a rigorous program that provides students with hands-on experience studying asset allocation, investment in financial markets, and financial analysis of market sectors and individual companies.”

Business students will manage the fund in collaboration with School of Business leadership. After learning to analyze and value companies in a class, they will apply their knowledge by choosing stocks for the fund’s portfolio and pitching them to Siaw-Peng Wan, the Kloet Fund’s faculty advisor, and a panel for inclusion..

This spring, juniors Rob Grant (pictured) and Mike Zimmerman worked with Wan to develop the course. “I never thought I would be able to take a class like this in college,” says Zimmerman, a finance major who already invests in the stock market as a day trader. “I’ve heard of funds like this in bigger schools, so it’s a great opportunity for a place like Elmhurst.”

As part of the course, students will hear talks from financial-industry professionals, including analysts who will provide tips on valuing and picking stocks.

“I’ve learned how to analyze financial statements in other courses, but this takes it to the next level,” says Grant,

a finance and mathematics major who has an internship as a credit analyst this summer. “We are learning how to analyze the value of companies, which will help us be much better situated for our careers.”

A global business leader, Kloet served as the CEO of Toronto’s TMX Group Limited, parent of the Toronto Stock Exchange and other Canadian financial markets. He is currently an independent director of Nasdaq Inc., and chairman of the board of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

“We believe this investment experience will give participating students an advantage as they compete for jobs in the finance industry,” Kloet says.

“Imagining a graduating Elmhurst student proudly showing his or her financial analysis of a company, and the results of the fund’s actual investment following that analysis, is an exciting outcome for us—and, we hope, a difference-maker for the student.”

PHOTO BY BOB COSCARELLI

FACULTY

Andrew Sobol leverages his professional experience as an award-winning graphic designer to prepare his students for success of their own.

ART OF WORK

Andrew Sobol has worked for some high-profile clients in his nearly two decades of graphic design practice: 20th Century Fox, the Library of Congress, MGM Studios.

But one of his favorite clients can be found just across campus. Over the past few years, Sobol, chair of the art department and an assistant professor, has designed posters and other materials to promote the student productions of the University’s theatre department. Enlisting the services of a seasoned pro such as Sobol is definitely a boon for the department, but, Sobol says, “it’s a great deal for me too.”

The projects have given Sobol the chance to exercise his creativity, and his work for the theatre department has earned awards in juried competitions sponsored by industry publications and publishers such as Graphis, Creative Quarterly and Graphic Design USA.

“I have always loved making posters,” says Sobol, who served as creative director of the indie film distributor Olive Films before coming to Elmhurst. “I share my professional experience and my insider’s view of the industry with my students, so it’s great to continue doing creative work, partnering with a client and producing something we can proud of.”

Sobol’s industry experience has always informed his teaching. He says

his courses emphasize what he calls “showing your work.”

“It’s like back in math class. You have to show how you arrived at your solution,” Sobol says.

“It’s not just about the beautiful, shiny object you created. Employers want to know about your process.”

Sobol’s students create case studies and competitive analyses, generate sketches and revisions, and—in every one of his courses—practice presenting their work. Sobol says that by the time his students arrive at the culminating portfolio course as seniors, they are “super-ready to manage projects, think creatively, and work quickly and pragmatically.” The real-world preparation extends to dauntingly tight deadlines on some course assignments.

“Right off the bat, I talk to them like they’re designers, and I demand a lot of them, because that’s what’s going to happen out there in the professional world,” says Sobol. But along with his great expectations comes permission to mess up. “I tell them this is a safe place to make mistakes. The most gratifying thing is seeing students who start out unsure of themselves develop the confidence to believe in their ability. It’s thrilling to see them produce quality work.”

PHOTO BY BOB COSCARELLI

Walking the runway at New York Fashion Week gave Dayna Dobias an opportunity to expand the view of what modeling looks like.

ROLE MODEL

Dayna Dobias ’19 was ready for her modeling debut as soon as the casting call went out. One of her favorite clothing brands, a Swedish label called Djerf Avenue, was looking for customers to participate in its show at New York Fashion Week this past September. Dobias, a social media specialist for Advocate Aurora Health, sent in her photos and waited nervously for a response.

She had always been fascinated by fashion, but growing up, she had never seen anyone who looked like her in magazine ads or on a runway. Dobias has cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects her movement, and she uses a walker.

For a while, reactions to her disability hurt her confidence. When she transferred to Elmhurst, “I really came out of my shell,” Dobias says.

“My communications classes helped me become a better communicator and open up as a person, speaking more freely about having a disability.”

A communications major at Elmhurst, she joined Alpha Phi and became president of the Elmhurst Panhellenic Council.

As she became more outgoing, Dobias returned to her love of fashion, posting outfit videos on TikTok. That led to a three-month campaign with the brand Free People and a sponsored TikTok for Good American, Khloé Kardashian’s denim brand. Then Dobias reached out to Djerf Avenue, which sent her an outfit for a post. When she applied for the fashion show, she hoped they would remember her—and soon, she received her invitation to walk the runway.

Dobias had visited New York only once before, in sixth grade, when she had surgery to address muscle tightness in her legs that temporarily required her to use a wheelchair. Now, she would be walking in the spotlight at the Guggenheim Museum on Fifth Avenue. “It was really a full-circle moment to go back to New York and get to walk in a fashion show,” she says. “It was a special, surreal experience.”

After receiving many supportive responses, Dobias has set her sights on bigger goals: modeling for larger fashion houses and writing a book. “I want to be the representation that I needed,” she says, “and the representation for people who relate to me.”

Happiest day !!!

I walked in the first-ever Djerf Avenue fashion show at the iconic Guggenheim Museum in New

I’ve loved Fashion Week my entire life, but I had never seen a model who looked like me on the runway.

I was able to show the world my unique walk, and I have never felt more free.

This was such a full-circle moment.

Remember, no dream is too big. You are not too much; you are perfect as you are. Embrace what makes you unique.

So honored I was able to help bring this incredible vision to life.

My biggest thank you goes to the icon herself,

You have inspired me for years, and I look up to you so much.

The sweetest surprise!!!

York City.

Matilda Djerf.

PHOTO BY STEVE WOLTMANN

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

Tagen Pearson isn’t letting diabetes stop him from reaching his goals.

Every year, the men’s basketball team at Elmhurst plays a softball game to raise money for a select charity. This year, the choice was clear: JDRF, a national not-for-profit organization that supports life-changing research on Type 1 diabetes (T1D).

JDRF was chosen in honor of one of the team’s own: guard Tagen Pearson ’24, who was diagnosed with T1D at age 8. A chronic condition without a cure, T1D destroys the cells that produce insulin, requiring a lifelong balancing act of monitoring blood-sugar levels and dosing with insulin.

The game was a great success, raising nearly $1,000 for JDRF. Energized by the experience, the team signed up to participate in JDRF One Walk, the organization’s annual 2K walkathon.

“The guys on the team, they’re like my brothers,” Pearson says. “Having them all come out for the fundraiser and walk right behind me was a powerful experience.”

Pearson, who joined the team as a first-year student, says the support he gets from his teammates and coaches has been a key highlight of his Elmhurst experience. “It’s not always easy, having diabetes, but knowing I have people I can rely on is a big help.”

The JDRF fundraiser turned out to be just one of this year’s highlights for Pearson. In February, the Bluejays captured the 2024 CCIW Tournament title and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III men’s basketball championship.

“I’ve always dreamed about winning the tournament and playing in the championship,” Pearson says. “Contributing to the team’s win against Illinois Wesleyan was an unbelievable experience. It felt like we weren’t just playing a game—we were representing Elmhurst and getting its name out there.”

Pearson credits his Bluejay experience with keeping him on track and showing him that anything is possible. And he’s determined to pass that inspiration along to the next generation.

“I want kids who have diabetes to know that they can do anything,” he says. “You can be a lacrosse player; you can be a basketball player; you can be a swimmer. I’ve always wanted to inspire people, and showing kids that you don’t have to let diabetes conquer you is one way I can do that.”

BY SARAH NADER

Aron Ryan ’15 is on a mission.

Earlier this year, Ryan was named poet laureate of Elgin, a city of about 115,000 people situated 35 miles northwest of Chicago. His goal is to use his two-year term in the position to demonstrate that poetry can be empowering, inclusive and, yes, even fun.

“Poetry doesn’t have to be this intimidating, inaccessible art form,” Ryan says. “It’s a fun way of playing with rhythm and sound that can help us connect with the world around us.”

Ryan has already begun spreading his message, contacting schools and local community organizations to plan readings and other poetry-related events. He delivered a reading of his own work at the main library of Elgin’s Gail Borden Public Library System in March to an overflow audience. Ryan was so encouraged by the response to the event that he made plans to offer more readings featuring local poets, with a focus on celebrating the community’s diversity.

“I want to bring more poetry to Elgin and to welcome writers whose work deserves attention,” Ryan says.

PHOTO

WELL VERSED

As Elgin’s poet laureate, Aron Ryan says everyone should experience the power of poetry.

One of his first acts as poet laureate was to create a poem, commissioned by the Elgin History Museum, that he read at a ceremony honoring the museum’s volunteers. “Timekeepers” drew on his research into Elgin’s history as home to one of the world’s largest watchmaking operations.

An English major while a student at Elmhurst, Ryan published in MiddleWestern Voice, the University’s literary and arts journal, and worked in the A.C. Buehler Library and as a tutor in the Writing Center. “All those experiences allowed me to grow in so many ways,” Ryan says. He credits English professor Ann Frank Wake with helping him develop as a poet. Ryan’s work has also appeared in other literary journals, including Spire and Oberon Poetry.

Ryan works in the children’s services department of Elgin’s public library, where he mentors young writers. He is completing a master’s degree in library science and hopes to work as a community librarian in Elgin.

But for the remainder of his laureateship, Ryan expects to be busy promoting his vision for a more inclusive poetry community.

“There are voices out there that should be heard,” Ryan says. “I hope people feel welcome to share their stories.”

BOB COSCARELLI

BY

PHOTO

Elmhurst students Ian Murphy ’26 (left) and Gianna Cabrera ’25 (right) in the studio with John Klein, assistant professor of digital media.

BY AMY MERRICK

PARTNERS IN ACTION!

A groundbreaking partnership with a Chicagobased youth services program uses music and film to nurture the talents of a new generation.

With a fog machine blasting, colored lights setting a dramatic mood and cameras recording, the musicians posed among the Porsches and Lamborghinis in The Hamilton Collection, a fleet of high-performance cars in Naperville, Ill.

It was a scene fit for a Hollywood studio, but the musicians are middle school students from the West Side of Chicago, and the crew filming their music videos are Elmhurst students participating in an exciting new partnership between the university’s digital media program and The BASE Chicago.

The team was set to premiere the music videos at the historic Music Box Theatre in Chicago on June 5, the culmination of a project that has taught the Elmhurst students about

music recording, film directing and producing—and mentoring.

“From the conversations we’ve had, I got to learn more about the kids’ ambitions, goals and dreams,” says Gabriel Galindo ’24, who is majoring in digital media, graphic design and Spanish. “Capturing all those takes with the students and getting to see them shine on camera are my favorite moments.”

CREATING MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

The project is led by Kristyn Jo “KJ” Benedyk, associate professor and director of Elmhurst’s digital media program; and Eric Davis and Frank Brim, co-founders of The BASE Chicago, an organization focused on youth sports, academics and community service.

Eric Davis (left) and Frank Brim, co-founders of The BASE Chicago, are collaborating with Elmhurst's Kristyn Jo Benedyk on a video and music program.

“I got involved with this program because I was inspired by The BASE and its mission to provide academic support to students, especially when it comes to the arts.”

– GIANNA CABRERA ’25

“There are some amazing organizations using hip-hop as a catalyst to get kids engaged— like Elmhurst University and The BASE Chicago. These organizations saw a need to support a school like Leif Ericson, and because of it the possibilities are endless for youth pursuing their dreams from Chicago’s West Side.”

–

CHRIS CRATER, THE OBAMA FOUNDATION

Gianna Cabrera

John Towner

Davis and Brim were looking for more opportunities for their students to get involved in music and film. Collaborating with Benedyk, who is on the board of The BASE, they created a pilot program at Leif Ericson Elementary Scholastic Academy, a public magnet school that emphasizes academics and the arts in the Chicago neighborhood of West Garfield Park.

Ericson students were chosen to write original songs, record them and then make music videos with the help of Elmhurst digital media and music students and faculty. The songs’ themes range from a lighthearted take on excelling at basketball practice to more serious reflections on challenges the middle school students have overcome.

“The young people live in this community that has many issues: high unemployment, high violence, poor housing,” Davis says. “Yet we have young people advocating for their community. They’re the voice, speaking about the things that are beautiful about Garfield Park in their words.”

Benedyk says the program is a chance for the Elmhurst students to apply their knowledge and skills to creating social change while getting relevant, hands-on experience. “People want to change the world,” she says. “If you

look at all the problems globally, it can feel extremely overwhelming. ‘How am I ever going to make an impact?’ I’m a big believer in looking at what you have to offer.”

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Elmhurst students and faculty worked long hours to help the Ericson students bring their visions to life.

John Towner, acting director of music business, volunteered to guide Elmhurst students as they helped the middle schoolers record their songs at the University’s Gretsch Recording Studio. The music department donated equipment and studio time.

John Klein, assistant professor of digital media, taught a January Term class on making music videos. In the spring, some of the Elmhurst students who took his course were paired with students from The BASE to produce and direct their music videos.

For the middle schoolers, the trip to Elmhurst was the first time they had stepped onto a college campus. They were shy at first but slowly warmed up and shared their excitement, says Sarah Glees ’24, a digital media major and film studies minor who produced the music videos. In her role, she helped participants develop their creative ideas, rounded up props and equipment, and assisted with shooting videos on location at the Garfield Park

A nonprofit youth organization in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood, The BASE Chicago uses sports and the arts to get students invested in finishing high school and volunteering. Students receive after-school tutoring, visit museums and learn leadership skills.

Since launching in 2017 with a focus on baseball and softball, the group has added new sports, such as lacrosse and hockey; a dance program; and now, with the Elmhurst partnership, a music and film program. The BASE currently serves about 300 students on the West Side. None of the young people who have participated in the program have dropped out of school—and at least 60 have gone on to college. ALL ABOUT

PARTNERS IN ACTION!

MAKING BIG MOVES

A premiere showing of the music videos at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre—complete with red-carpet photos—was an opportunity for the Ericson students and their Elmhurst mentors to showcase their skills and knowledge to a larger network. It also served as a fundraiser to help Elmhurst and The BASE expand their relationship.

Next year, Benedyk plans to partner with The Recording Academy, the professional association that produces the Grammy Awards, to help the students record their songs. In addition, Elmhurst students filmed each stage of the project this year to create a long-form documentary about “the young musicians, what they have had to contend with to be successful in this program, and how they are changing the narrative that is coming out of West Garfield Park,” Benedyk explains.

“This program is an investment,” Elmhurst student participant Sarah Glees says. “It’s an investment in the students here, and an investment in the middle school students in West Garfield Park. The goal is that this can continue indefinitely.”

Conservatory, North Avenue Beach and other venues. The experience opened her up to the possibilities of producing as a career.

“Part of producing, and part of my nature, is to be a supporter,” Glees says. “I love seeing people flourishing and doing something they love. These kids clearly love making music and are very talented at it.”

Now, the middle schoolers FaceTime with their Elmhurst mentors to swap ideas about their music videos and catch up on each other’s lives. The discussion among the Ericson students is no longer if they’re going to college, but where. “It really does my heart good to see that connection with those young people,” says Brim, director of operations for The BASE Chicago. “I didn’t think it would be like this—I thought we would make some good music, and that’s it. We’re helping these kids broaden their vision.”

Elmhurst student Ian Murphy ’26, a digital media major with a minor in theatre, says he’s learned a lot about filmmaking and production through the project. But the connections he’s forged with the Ericson students also have made a lasting impact. He recalls walking into The Hamilton

Collection and overhearing his middle school partner talking with his friends about how excited he was to film with Murphy. “That was really fulfilling,” Murphy says. “It showed me that what I’m doing, even though I think of it as a fun project for class, really is making a difference in people’s lives.”

Benedyk has seen the project’s impact on both the middle schoolers and her Elmhurst students. One of her favorite moments came on the first day of filming the music videos, when she arrived at 9 a.m. on a Saturday to see an Ericson student already waiting to be let in. A few months earlier, the same student often skipped school and had trouble engaging. Now, he was fully committed. “The power that providing a creative outlet and a sense of being on a team can have on a young kid is truly remarkable,” she says.

For their part, the Elmhurst students have responded with flexibility and determination. “I cannot count the number of times that we had to pivot,” Benedyk says. “We would have to make changes, sometimes with short notice. What was amazing was the way that our Elmhurst students handled all of it with so much compassion and grace. I could not be prouder of them.”

Photo courtesy of the Music Box Theatre

In June, Elmhurst announced that all of the middle school participants will receive a generous scholarship to the University when they graduate from high school.

“To have a space where I am allowed to experiment, learn and grow while feeling comfortable to ask for help and guidance, it fills my cup. I couldn’t have asked for a better environment or for better people to do this project with.”

Sarah Glees

– BAYSIA YOUNG ’25

Baysia Young

BY EMILY AYSHFORD ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHELSEA BECK

FOUND IN TRANSLATION

A new program will prepare multilingual special educators and therapists to better serve kids with disabilities.

Professor Brenda Gorman knows that parents of bilingual children with disabilities are often advised against letting their children learn in a second language. Dual-language instruction could hinder the child’s language development, they are told.

But Gorman, professor of communication sciences and disorders, was not convinced. When she and her students worked with a 15-year-old girl with Down syndrome one summer, they used teaching interventions in both English (the language spoken in her school) and Spanish (the language spoken at home). They found that her language development wasn’t hindered— it was enhanced. The girl gained narrative skills in both languages.

“The mother’s feedback was so positive on our work with her daughter and the support we provided for her growth in both languages,” Gorman says. “She said she wished her daughter had had this opportunity at school.”

Now Gorman and other Elmhurst faculty members are working to train more educators and therapists to provide such opportunities for children.

Speech-language pathologists, special educators and occupational therapists work with children who have individualized education programs (IEPs) to identify which services could benefit each child. But if the child comes from a different culture or speaks a language other than English, information can get lost

FOUND IN TRANSLATION

in translation. Studies show that minoritized children with disabilities can be both overidentified and underidentified for special education.

“The severe shortage of fully qualified, diversified and multilingual personnel perpetuates this problem,” Gorman says. “We keep hearing that professionals just don’t know how to appropriately work with families who speak additional languages. That means these students don’t receive the same quality of education.”

A new program at Elmhurst funded by a federal grant aims to change that. The Excellence in Multilingual Personnel in Illinois Schools (EXCEMPILS) project will prepare multilingual graduate students to provide the interdisciplinary services necessary to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.

Funded by a five-year grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the U.S. Department of Education, EXCEMPILS will cover a significant portion of tuition for 24 multilingual scholars in three graduate programs—special education, communication sciences and disorders, and occupational therapy. Students in the program will complete regular coursework while also collaborating across disciplines on research and in field placements. This interdisciplinary approach will prepare students to be creative problem solvers who embrace challenges with an open mind and have the skills they need for enduring success.

The project addresses a critical need that Gorman cares deeply about and to which she has committed much of her career. “I was ecstatic to receive the grant,” says

Gorman, who put together the application. “We had a lot of the mechanisms already in place, and now we’re going to be able to offer this new interdisciplinary education to help meet the needs of students.”

LOST IN TRANSLATION

According to 2022 data from the Illinois State Board of Education, nearly 14 percent of Illinois students identify as English learners (students whose primary language is not English). And 17 percent of all Illinois students have IEPs.

When those two populations intersect, communication problems can abound, resulting in both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of speech and cognitive issues. One study showed that a third of bilingual students were misidentified as having language difficulties. Another showed that Latino students might be misdiagnosed as having a dual-language issue rather than an accurate diagnosis of autism.

“School districts are often not equipped to tease out language differences from disability,” says Beverly Troiano, associate professor of education, director of the M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership Program and ESL/ bilingual endorsement coordinator. “What it really requires is a multilingual special education teacher who has the ability to provide not only the services in two languages but also the assessments to look at language difference versus disability.”

These misdiagnoses can have big implications, especially since studies show that the sooner children with autism start receiving speech and occupational therapy, the better the outcomes.

COMING FULL CIRCLE

For Brenda Gorman, who speaks Spanish and received a similar scholarship toward her M.S. in speech-language pathology when she was a student, EXCEMPILS marks a full-circle moment in her career. She spent hundreds of hours writing and preparing the grant application, and it gave her a new connection with faculty in the occupational therapy and special education master’s programs. Together, she and her colleagues hope to provide an even better opportunity for the next generation of educators and therapists.

“We are excited to get these students together across disciplines,” she says. “We want to plant these seeds of understanding cultures and collaborating with each other. Then they can really work to improve outcomes for children with disabilities in Illinois schools.”

FOUND IN TRANSLATION

Misdiagnoses can go beyond language, as well. “In the U.S., we expect children to feed themselves between the ages of 1 and 2, but in other countries, a parent might feed the child for longer,” says Elizabeth Wanka, associate professor and director of the Master of Occupational Therapy Program. “When we don’t take into account cultural information like that, we don’t have the right plan to get the right outcomes. It’s really important to change our expectations based on cultural components.”

Scholars in the EXCEMPILS program will come from racially and linguistically diverse backgrounds. They will complete their degree requirements while receiving specialized training to provide evidencebased, culturally and linguistically responsive services to school-age bilingual learners with disabilities and their families. By the time participants finish their graduate programs, they will also have met the standards to achieve status as a bilingual provider.

LEARNING TO COLLABORATE

Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and special educators often work together to provide services for the same student but are not taught how they should work together. EXCEMPILS scholars will be grouped together in cohorts as a way to make this collaboration feel seamless before graduation. In addition to their coursework, they will participate in

This story draws on data from the following sources:

monthly cohort meetings, complete an externship at the same place and collaborate on a research project related to school-age bilingual/multilingual learners with disabilities and interdisciplinary needs.

“Too often we’re siloed in our own disciplines, when we need to be thinking holistically to understand how each of our services affects the others,” Gorman says. “We want students to understand how to put their heads together and come up with deeper, more meaningful questions based on this holistic point of view.”

The first scholars were admitted this spring and will start their programs in the fall.

Natalie Garcia ’23, who is bilingual in Spanish and English, spent a year as an educator before deciding to come back to Elmhurst to pursue her master’s in special education. As an EXCEMPILS scholar, she hopes to learn equitable practices that serve bilingual special education students.

“I am a strong advocate for early childhood education, as it plays a critical role in identifying and serving students in need of further support,” she says. “If we are able to provide culturally responsive services and serve our students and families in their primary language, we can create a much more equitable space for emergent bilinguals in special education to flourish.”

Beatriz Barragan et al., “Performance of Low-Income Dual Language Learners Attending English-Only Schools on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fourth Edition, Spanish,” Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, April 2018.

Jason Travers et al., “Racial Disparities in Autism Identification in the United States During 2014,” Exceptional Children, July 2018.

Patricia O. Towle et al., “Is Earlier Better? The Relationship Between Age When Starting Early Intervention and Outcomes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Selective Review,” Autism Research and Treatment, 2020.

A NEED FOR BETTER REP RESENTATION

EXCEMPILS aims to educate multilingual scholars from diverse backgrounds. That’s important because many educators and therapists aren’t representative of the students they serve.

While more than 80 percent of Illinois teachers are white, more than half of their students come from communities of color, according to the Illinois Report Card. Only 8 percent of speech-language pathologists and only 14 percent of occupational therapists nationally identify as racial minorities.

BY ANDREW SANTELLA ILLUSTRATIONS BY TAYLOR CALLERY

AI EXPLORER

Elmhurst’s data guru, Jim Kulich, is leading the campus conversation about the future of AI and us.

After the generative AI platform ChatGPT made its debut in November 2022, some educators began expressing concerns about students misusing the technology, which combines the conversational capabilities of a chatbot with the automated power to master tasks ranging from telling a joke to writing a term paper. Some fretted that it could compromise students’ learning and provide ready shortcuts for slackers and plagiarizers.

So it may surprise you to learn that in at least one Elmhurst course, the use of ChatGPT is not just tolerated but required.

In his undergraduate course Visual Thinking with Data, Professor Jim Kulich asks his students to learn how to use the platform— not as a workaround for their course assignments, but as a potentially game-changing tool that likely will be an essential part of their professional lives.

“Instead of forbidding it, we want students to explore the possibilities,” says Kulich, chair of Elmhurst’s Department of Computer Science and Information Systems. “Are there times when it is inappropriate for them to use it in class? Of course. Sometimes they have to turn it off entirely. But they should get to understand it now, because once they get 5 feet outside our doors, they will need some facility with it.”

HOT TOPIC

ChatGPT is just one of several large language models now available; others include Google’s Gemini Advanced and Microsoft’s Copilot Pro, and Kulich says thousands more are in various stages of development. All these products have the ability to process human language and generate a response. AI has already worked its way into our everyday lives in other ways, as well. Think of AI assistants such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, or the recommendation engines familiar to any online shopper. Organizations large and small are looking to AI to help them cut costs, increase productivity and improve customer satisfaction. In short, AI is reshaping the way we work, learn and live.

It’s no wonder that the technology has been a hot topic of conversation recently at Elmhurst. And Kulich is at the heart of many of those conversations. He writes frequently about AI, including in Unlimited Data, his blog on Elmhurst’s website. His research publications have focused on the use of data in higher education. And in his role as director of the graduate program in data science and analytics, he is overseeing a growing focus on AI in graduate offerings at Elmhurst.

“We’re at the point with AI now that we were some years ago with the internet. It’s still the Wild West in some ways,” Kulich says. “Now is the time to experiment and learn what this technology can do, and also what ethical risks need to be addressed. We can’t afford not to.”

PERSPECTIVES ON AI

In March, Kulich was part of an on-campus “teach-in” focusing on artificial intelligence, where he exchanged perspectives with Katrina Sifferd, professor of philosophy and Genevieve Staudt Endowed Chair, and others. Also that month, Elmhurst hosted the Rev. Dr. Kristel Clayville, a lecturer in ethics and technology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who presented Elmhurst’s annual Genevieve Staudt Intercultural Lecture. Clayville’s lecture drew

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Josh Bullers, M.S. ’18, earned his master’s in data science at Elmhurst several years ago, but he says the experience is still helping him stay on top of his ever-evolving industry. “Our field is always changing, so you’re on a never-ending learning curve,” says Bullers, head of AI at Strike Graph, a cybersecurity compliance company.

“Elmhurst’s analytical approach gave me a foundation to build on. I can attribute the role I have now to the preparation I received from Elmhurst.”

connections between theological and technological ways of talking about AI; she pointed out that AI is often attributed a God-like omniscience. Perhaps as a result, she speculated, discussion of AI often takes on an apocalyptic tone.

And last fall, Kulich led a panel of experts from Elmhurst’s data science faculty in an on-campus discussion of the impact of AI on career paths. “Data literacy is going to be a part of just about everyone’s job,” said adjunct professor Debra Chafee, M.S. ’18, MBA ’22, of J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Adjunct professor Ryan Elmore, M.S. ’16, pointed out that new positions are emerging too; for example, people employed as “prompt engineers” craft prompts that produce the most relevant and accurate responses from generative AI models.

“To get responses that are useful, you have to ask the right questions,” said Elmore, who recently started a new role as national data and AI solutions managing director at Unify Consulting.

Kulich is also leading Elmhurst’s efforts to expand its degree offerings in fields related to AI, in keeping with the University’s commitment to provide students with versatile skill sets while enabling them to acquire timeless knowledge and skills for enduring success. Earlier this year, he and President Troy D. VanAken traveled to India to formalize a partnership with Amal Jyothi College of Engineering in Kerala. The institutions plan to collaborate on a new business incubator in Kerala and on other initiatives. And Kulich expects a cohort of students from Kerala to enroll in Elmhurst’s Master of Data Science and Analytics Program next year.

“It’s an exciting time,” Kulich says of Elmhurst’s AI-related initiatives. “We’re just beginning to see the kind of value these tools can create.”

Even ChatGPT can’t predict where it will all lead. Not yet, anyway.

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WIDENING THE CIRCLE

JOIN THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE AND MAKE AN IMPACT THAT ENDURES.

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WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE WITH AN ANNUAL GIFT OF $ �,��� OR MORE. You have the power to change lives.

ALUMNI

ALUMNI NEWS

On the Road with the President

Bluejays gathered across the country this spring to reconnect with classmates and hear University updates from President Troy D. and Dr. Annette VanAken.

In February, Florida-area alumni gathered in Sarasota and Naples for two lively receptions. In March, more than 100 alumni came together in Mesa, Ariz., to cheer on the Chicago Cubs in an MLB Spring Training game against the Milwaukee Brewers. And in April, two events in St. Louis provided opportunities for Bluejays to connect, reminisce and catch up on campus news. Stay tuned for our next cross-country trip!

Did You Know?

Old Main, the oldest building on campus, was dedicated in 1878, just seven years after the University’s founding. But Elmhurst isn’t the only college campus with an Old Main. From the University of Arizona in Tucson to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., some 75 U.S. institutions of higher education have had a building known as “Old Main” at some point in their history.

Jaying It Forward

On April 4, nearly 850 members of the Elmhurst University community celebrated Giving Day by making gifts to the University. By the end of the day, the 24-hour #JayItForward campaign had raised more than $350,000 for programs and initiatives that empower students to excel at Elmhurst and beyond. Go Bluejays!

NAPLES, FLORIDA

MESA, ARIZONA

CLASS NOTES

1907 Elmhurst students gathered on the steps of Old Main to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style.

1963 Lynda Lokay ’64, a history major from Cicero, Ill., demonstrated her map-making skills in a geography class.

1970 Elmhurst students spent January Term in Spain and Morocco, where they practiced their Spanish and got a close look at camels.

1960s & 1970s

Gerald Ritter ’61 writes that his granddaughter Marissa Ritter and her husband, Austin, live in Kenya with their daughter, Naira. Marissa is a qualified special education teacher, and Austin is an engineer.

Roberta Sejnost ’64 is a university professor and literacy consultant who has taught secondary-level courses in social studies, reading and English, as well as college-level courses in literacy, authentic assessment, brainbased learning, multiple intelligences and cooperative learning. She has presented at more than 200 educational conferences across the country, and she was named 2003 Reading Educator of the Year by the Illinois Reading Council. In 2014, she was inducted into the IRC Hall of Fame.

Andy Fulton ’67 lives in Southern California with Rich Benbow ’69 . They enjoy reminiscing about their time at Elmhurst, especially their days on the track team with coach Oliver “Uncle Pete” Langhorst.

Maureen McGrath ’76 retired in 2019 and joined The Saints, a Chicago-based organization that connects volunteer ushers with performing arts venues. She now ushers for plays, concerts and dance events at more than 100 venues. She also teaches the Cozy Classics Films course at the North Shore Senior Center in Northfield, Ill., and is coordinating a class about giving TED Talks.

1980s & 1990s

Steve Klenke ’83 composed an orchestral piece, “Fanfare and March,” in 1985 for an Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra contest. In 2023, he rediscovered the work and brought it back to life with the help of MuseScore, a music-notation software program.

Melvin De La Cruz ’95 was an international student from the Philippines at Elmhurst, where he earned a bachelor of science in nursing. He returned to his home country to complete a medical degree at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines, graduating cum laude, and then completed his residency in internal medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Now an internist, he is affiliated with numerous hospitals in California.

William “Bill” Pearch ’95 is the author of two articles in Ebbets Field: Great, Historic and Memorable Games in Brooklyn’s Lost Ballpark (Society for American Baseball Research, 2023).

Paul Lubenkov ’96 had several poems published in the anthology Mud Flat Verse (2023), and his collection of poems, Tap Dancing on the Razor’s Edge (David Robert Books, 2018) was added to the Illinois State Library’s collection. In addition, his short story “The Exorcism of Frankie Vlaha” was accepted for publication in Cutthroat, A Journal of the Arts.

BLUEJAY LOVEBIRDS

Many alumni couples have happy memories of meeting and falling in love at Elmhurst. In celebration of those love stories, the Alumni Association hosted a Bluejay Lovebirds Gathering in February. Held at Cooper’s Hawk Winery in Downers Grove, the event brought together nearly 50 alumni to reconnect, participate in know-your-partner challenges and compete for prizes.

Herbert F. Schulze Jr. ’97 completed his master of accounting and financial management degree at DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management in 2012.

2000s

Jennifer “Jen” McGinnis ’02 was named 2023 District Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Dripping Springs Independent School District in Texas. She teaches third grade at Walnut Springs Elementary in Dripping Springs.

DeeDee Prochaska ’02 graduated from Northern Illinois University with a master of science in education in behavior analysis on May 12, 2023. A member of Phi Kappa Phi, she graduated with a 4.0 GPA .

Katie Mayworm ’06 was named the 2023 Nurse of the Year by Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. An OB-GYN nurse, Mayworm was chosen for the award based on her “exemplary demonstration of Advocate Health Care’s core nursing values and unwavering delivery of best-in-class care.”

Edward Breitweiser ’09 was appointed instructional assistant professor in the Creative Technologies program at Illinois State University’s Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts.

2010s

Jessica Wozniczka ’10 welcomed her second son, Miles Alexander, on Oct. 10, 2023.

Coley Nelson ’12 graduated from UCLA Fielding School of Public Health on June 16, 2023, with a master of public health degree. She also earned a graduate certificate in food studies.

Championship at 184 pounds and was named the CCIW ’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. He ranks second in school history in all-time victories, and his .846 winning percentage remains the highest in Elmhurst history.

works as a pediatric speech-language pathologist in Oak Park with a specialty in sensory processing and integration.

Jennifer Stankiewicz ’12 was recognized in 2023 with two awards from the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance: the IAHPERD Northeastern District Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year award and the IAHPERD State Middle School Teacher of the Year award.

Joe Rau ’13 will represent the 2024 U.S. Olympic team in Greco-Roman wrestling at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. A three-time member of the Greco-Roman Senior World Team, Rau won both the U.S. Open Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Trials Championships in 2016. At Elmhurst, Rau won the CCIW Individual Championship each of his four years. During the 2012–13 season, he captured the NCAA

Jennifer Busser ’16 completed her residency in foot and ankle surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago in 2023. She is the owner of Norridge Foot and Ankle Clinic in Chicago.

2020s

Emmy Jezek ’20 graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind., with master’s degrees in autism studies and speech-language pathology. She

Elizabeth Gabrek ’21 joined the staff of Argo Community High School in Summit, Ill., in December 2023 as an instructional aide.

Hazem Dababneh ’23 came to the United States from Jordan with many years of banking experience. After graduating from Elmhurst, he earned his first graduate program certificate and is now working toward certification to become a financial solutions advisor at Bank of America.

ANYTHING GOES

Luke Nowakowski ’18 played a starring role as Billy Crocker in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of Anything Goes this winter. A semifinalist in the 2021 National Musical Theater Competition, Nowakowski has also appeared in productions at Ravinia Festival, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Paramount Theatre, among others, but his role at Porchlight was his first professional appearance as a principal character. “This is my big Chicagoland debut, so there’s a lot of pressure,” he told the Daily Herald, “but it’s all swept away the minute you walk into the theater.”

CONNECT WITH US Share your news with your classmates! Go to elmhurst.edu/ClassNotes to submit your updates.

Photo courtesy of Liz Lauren/Porchlight Music Theatre

IN MEMORIAM

DEDICATED TEACHER

Merle Baker ’51, a long-time teacher and administrator for Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205, passed away in March 2021 at age 93. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Baker enrolled at Elmhurst, where he met his future wife, the late Leatrice Lemont. He started his teaching career shortly after graduation and went on to serve in increasingly prominent administrative roles, becoming superintendent of District 205 in 1979. After Baker retired in 1983, he and Leatrice moved to California, where he was an active volunteer with the Rotary Club, Meals on Wheels and other organizations.

THEATRE LEADER

Ken Ross ’64, professor emeritus at Las Positas College in Livermore, Calif., died on Oct. 6, 2023. An actor, director, producer, singer and educator, Ross held master’s degrees in musical theatre and divinity. He launched his acting career at age 10, when he portrayed a munchkin in a professional production of The Wizard of Oz. He went on to teach theatre and direct productions at colleges and high schools in California, eventually joining the faculty at Las Positas, where he led the theatre program for 20 years. He also wrote several successfully produced musicals.

LIFELONG EDUCATOR

Joyce M. Fraccaro ’70 passed away on Dec. 1, 2023. A lifelong educator, Fraccaro majored in speech-language pathology at Elmhurst and devoted her career to helping children overcome communication issues as an elementary school speech therapist. She and her late husband, William F. Fraccaro ’70, met at Elmhurst and went on to make significant gifts to support student scholarships, the Annual Fund, the physical sciences, jazz and art at the University. In 2011, the University awarded the Founders Medal to the Fraccaros in recognition of their dedication to helping others. “When asked what Elmhurst has given us, the answer is easy,” the couple wrote in 2009. “It gave us a superior education, our lifelong profession as educators, exposed us to a variety of viewpoints, and provided us with a solid character foundation. But, most importantly, Elmhurst gave us our life filled with love, laughter, compassion and appreciation for what a liberal arts college truly should be.”

Colleen M. Hafner ’50

Dec. 11, 2023, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Paul Neuman ’51

Nov. 5, 2023, Holiday Island, Ark.

Barbara C. Cave ’52

Jan. 4, 2024, Burlington, Iowa

Barbara L. Ford ’52

Sept. 18, 2023, Belleville, Ill.

Violet Hansen ’53

Nov. 1, 2023, Plano, Texas

Marilyn J. Mittelhauser ’53

Jan. 17, 2024, Whitewater, Wis.

Harry E. Cook ’54

Nov. 25, 2023, Charlottesville, Va.

Rev. Dr. Paul Rahmeier ’54

Feb. 13, 2024, Winchester, Mass.

Darlene Christiansen ’57

Sept. 10, 2023, Lancaster, Pa.

Rev. Robert M. Schmidt ’57

Dec. 17, 2023, Rockford, Ill.

Robert O. Birkner ’58

Dec. 29, 2022, Shoreline, Wash.

Ruth M. Dalenberg ’58

Oct. 7, 2023, Addison, Ill.

Rev. Leslie R.F. Papp ’58

Jan. 16, 2024, Huntingdon, Pa.

Edna Sickbert ’58

Jan. 2, 2024, Mount Carmel, Ill.

Carol S. Snyder ’60

Dec. 15, 2023, Rockford, Ill.

Itha J. Young ’60

Sept. 4, 2023, High Ridge, Mo.

Ralph J. Marco ’61

Dec. 11, 2023, Haymarket, Va.

Joseph S. Podpora ’61

Dec. 10, 2023, Wonder Lake, Ill.

Marjorie Barger ’63

Jan. 3, 2024, Elmhurst, Ill.

Charlene C. Edwards ’63

Oct. 4, 2023, West Chicago, Ill.

Lynn C. Knutson ’63

Aug. 23, 2023, Barrington, Ill.

Ellen R. Pecoul ’63

Aug. 17, 2023, New Orleans

Kenneth K. Riemer ’63 Jan. 15, 2024, Victor, Mont.

Richard W. Hoglund ’64 Dec. 1, 2023, Tempe, Ariz.

Gerald M. Stringer ’64 Jan. 18, 2021, Midlothian, Ill.

Kurt K. Kunze ’65 Dec. 14, 2023, Buchanan, Va.

Jon J. Ritt ’67 Jan. 8, 2024, College Park, Ga.

Arnold A. Trillet ’67 Nov. 24, 2023, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Virginia R. Wachenheim ’69 Feb. 4, 2024, Belmond, Iowa

Bruce Holman ’70 Dec. 30, 2023, Bellevue, Neb.

Peter W. Mastro ’70 April 13, 2023, Bartlett, Ill.

Barbara A. Deli ’71 May 20, 2023, Arlington Heights, Ill.

William B. Hinkle ’72 Oct. 5, 2023, Rockford, Ill.

Carole M. Babowice ’73 Sept. 24, 2023, Melrose Park, Ill.

Solomon Williams ’73 Nov. 19, 2023, Quincy, Fla.

Jeffrey J. Valaika ’74 Sept. 20, 2023, Valencia, Calif.

Kristine A. Schwarz ’76 Sept. 2, 2023, Elmhurst, Ill.

Jeffrey M. Novak ’78 Sept. 3, 2023, Lombard, Ill.

Roberta A. Roeske ’78 Nov. 6, 2023, Lombard, Ill.

William H. Wiessner ’78 Nov. 7, 2023, Willowbrook, Ill.

Robert G. Kaucky ’81

Jan. 7, 2024, Presque Isle, Wis.

Rocco Carioto ’82 Feb. 18, 2024, Evergreen Park, Ill.

Patricia S. Poskocil ’82 Nov. 8, 2023, Lombard, Ill.

Thomas M. Hickey ’83 Sept. 21, 2023, Glendale, Ariz.

Dorothy A. McDermott ’83

Nov. 12, 2023, LaGrange, Ill.

Gerald P. Fornelli ’84

Aug. 10, 2023, Kansas City, Mo.

Judith E. Giffin ’84

Dec. 18, 2023, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Michael P. Reed ’84

Nov. 9, 2023, Lakeland, Fla.

Lorri L. Nastala ’86

Feb. 25, 2024, Madison, Wis.

THOUGHT LEADER

Mark R. Rau ’91 Oct. 16, 2023, Round Lake, Ill.

Rita M. McGreal ’92 Feb. 25, 2024, Elmhurst, Ill.

Raymond J. Bacci ’93 Nov. 30, 2023, Villa Park, Ill.

Sister Patricia Crowley ’98 Oct. 14, 2023, Palatine, Ill.

Sharon M. Swistak-Sobieck ’01 Dec. 31, 2023, Tinley Park, Ill.

Richard Gustav Niebuhr, H ’97, a journalist and scholar whose work influenced how Americans think about religion, died on Oct. 20, 2023, at 68. As a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times and other media outlets, Niebuhr explored the role of religion in American society. He won many awards for his work, including his coverage of the 1993 Branch Davidian tragedy in Waco, Texas. Niebuhr also served as a scholar in residence at Princeton University and a faculty member at Syracuse University. Niebuhr was the grandson of H. Richard Niebuhr, a 1912 graduate of Elmhurst and a leading theologian who served as president of the University from 1924 to 1927.

ECONOMIST AND MENTOR

George A. Thoma Jr., who taught economics at Elmhurst University for nearly four decades, died on Dec. 15, 2023, at 78. The recipient of numerous teaching and advising awards during his time at Elmhurst, he helped design the University’s MBA program and served on the Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness Task Force. In 1983, 1985 and 1987, he taught at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, where he established a modern economics curriculum, and in 1994, he was the Fulbright Professor of International Economics at Shandong University in Jinan, China. A 2009 Founders Medal recipient, Thoma said when he retired in 2009 that he planned to stay involved with the University because Elmhurst was “too much in my blood for me to just walk away from it.”

A change in major set the course for Herb Washington ’97 to achieve his leadership dreams.

A FATEFUL PIVOT

Coming to Elmhurst in the 1990s, I felt at home away from home. I got involved in as many activities as I could: track, Union Board, choir. In each of these activities, I improved my leadership skills and learned how to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.

My initial focus was pre-med, but I pivoted when I realized that instead of studying human anatomy, I wanted to explore the cognitive and mental aspects of humans.

That’s what led me to a psychology major. Where it would take me in my career, I didn’t really know. During high school, I’d had great experiences working with young adults with disabilities. That really stuck with me.

After graduation, I joined a Chicago nonprofit organization where I helped provide support services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health challenges. That laid the groundwork for the rest of my career.

I spent the next 26 years in social services, working with community organizations, companies and schools to empower people with disabilities to be fully included in all facets of life. I started as a behavior analyst and eventually oversaw programs and then moved into executive roles. That pivot to psychology at Elmhurst ended up changing my entire career trajectory, and it was the absolute best thing I have done, besides getting married and having kids.During my first year

working in the nonprofit space, I set up a vision board. My goal was to one day be a CEO of an organization that provides support to people with disabilities. Last November, I became CEO of the Center for Enriched Living in Riverwoods, Ill., which does just that. Every day has been pure joy. I have

an amazing team, which I learned back at Elmhurst is important: You need to have people who support you and challenge you to grow. I want to continue to be a force that inspires people to make an impact and help people with disabilities. I want to be the best possible leader I can be. Then it’s time to create a new vision board.

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