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Tech Happenings
Ph.D. program marks 10-year anniversary
Indiana Tech’s Ph.D. in Global Leadership program turns 10 years old this academic year. During the program’s fall immersion weekend, current students, alumni, faculty and staff, and community leaders from around the region gathered on campus to mark the occasion with a special anniversary celebration in the Snyder Academic Center. Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry was on hand to present a proclamation declaring the day as “Indiana Tech Ph.D. in Global Leadership Day” in the city. Indiana Tech President Dr. Karl Einolf presented a special recognition award to President Emeritus Dr. Arthur Snyder, who shared his reflections and perspective on the program’s growth since its founding in 2009. Dr. Angie Fincannon, director of the Indiana Tech Ph.D. program, noted, “Ten years is a special milestone for all of our students, faculty and staff. We’re extremely proud of all of our graduates and the leadership roles they have in organizations around the world. And we have strong momentum for the future. We continue to attract bright students from across the globe, and are excited about developing new programs to meet the needs of future generations of students.”
L.E.A.D. Summit welcomes community leaders to campus
This spring, Indiana Tech will host the inaugural L.E.A.D. Summit on campus. The summit is an opportunity for established and emerging leaders around the region to participate in professional development workshops centered around the topics of Leadership, Engagement, Action and Diversity. Speakers, presenters and facilitators at the daylong event will be drawn from corporate, academic and non-profit organizations. Keynote speakers include national leadership consultant and speaker Daniel Juday, and Heather Herron, vice president of corporate communications for Sweetwater in Fort Wayne. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Diversity Persistence Award, a new scholarship fund created to assist Indiana Tech juniors and seniors from historically underrepresented groups as they progress towards degree completion. The L.E.A.D. Summit will take place Friday, April 17, 2020. To learn more and to register to attend, visit diversity. indianatech.edu/lead-summit.
Tech Talks 2019-20: Exploring Identity
The university’s 2019-20 Tech Talks series centers on the theme “Exploring Identity.” This year’s series will explore identity with events throughout the year on topics about race, first-generation college-student status, gender, sexuality, athletics, academics and more. Tech Talks includes many events open to the public as well as Indiana Tech students, faculty, staff and alumni. Fall programs have included “I’m First!,” a celebratory event welcoming first-generation students to Indiana Tech and university life; “Comics as Healing and Self Expression,” featuring nationally-known artist and educator Lawrence Lindell; an art exhibit, “Human Interest,” showing in the Franco D’Agostino Art Gallery on campus in partnership with the Fort Wayne Museum of Art; and a film and discussion, “Alone in the Game,” a public film event in the Magee O’Connor Theater. Now in its third year, the Tech Talks series is a collaboration of Indiana Tech’s Academic and Student Affairs departments. Centering on a yearly theme, the purpose of the co-curricular series is to promote active dialogue and awareness about important issues of social justice across the globe. Previous years have focused on the opioid crisis in America, and on human trafficking. For more information about upcoming Tech Talks events, visit indianatech.edu/tech-talks.
Residence hall renamed in honor of Tech founder John Kalbfleisch
Visitors to campus this fall may notice a few changes to the landscape of residence halls on campus. In addition to the opening of the new Summit Hall (see page 24 for full story), the original Kalbfleisch Hall, built in 1963 at the southwest corner of Washington Blvd. and Schick St., was taken down. Kalbfleisch Hall was named in honor of Indiana Tech’s founder and first president, John Kalbfleisch. With the closing of the original residence hall, the university rededicated the Warrior Row C residence in honor of Mr. Kalbfleisch. The dedication includes a lobby display in the building featuring photos and a biography of President Kalbfleisch, and photos and background on the original residence hall bearing his name. The original dorm’s exterior signage featuring Mr. Kalbfleisch’s name has also been repurposed as a centerpiece of the new lobby display.
A Few Words with...
STEVE DUSSEAU
In the early ’90s, the pieces were just falling nicely into place for Dr. Steve Dusseau.
He “married up” (his words, not ours) and, with the love of his life, began a family that, quite simply, he adores. His engineering education was also paying dividends as he was able to earn quality positions with General Motors and Wire Rope Corporation of America.
Still, something deeper was calling to Steve and, when he heeded the call, it helped him identify his life purpose. It led him to pursue a Ph.D. and a stage where he could fulfill his newfound purpose. That stage turned out to be Indiana Tech, where Dr. Dusseau was hired to begin the university’s Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) degree program.
Since then, professor Dusseau’s IME program has become a pillar within Indiana Tech’s stellar College of Engineering. He works hard to make sure his students graduate well-equipped to enter the workforce with a solid skill set and confidence. Equally as important, Steve works hard to impart life wisdom to his students that goes much deeper than any course syllabus ever could.
Here is A Few Words with Steve Dusseau.
12 Fall 2019 INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: So, early in your career, your education was clearly paying off—you were able to work with one of most recognized brands in the world (General Motors) and then for the world’s leading developer and producer of wire rope. Why did you decide to make the foray into academia?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: I was recently married, and a few mentor couples challenged us to invest in something bigger than ourselves. I was pursuing an MBA degree after my engineering bachelor’s. We enjoyed college-aged people and thought that would be a good place to start. A dream was born.
Essentially, it was a decision to align my purpose in life with my vocation. I think honoring God with my life is the most important thing I can do with it. Living that out with college students was the reason I left industry to go into academia.
One specific way this happens is that my wife and I have hosted a Bible study in our home for area college students every Wednesday evening since 1996. This is my favorite time of the week and we meet all year long.
While our students can earn a living with their degree, I believe there is more to life than that. Many have found that the spiritual aspect is foundational to everything. So, on Wednesday nights, I go verse-by-verse through a book of the Bible and then discuss how we can apply it in everyday life. The fellowship that occurs around these meaningful conversations has developed countless lifelong friendships within the group.
I consider this a dream come true.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: Have you ever questioned your decision to leave industry?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: Never.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: You have been in Fort Wayne since 1996. Tell us a little bit about your family.
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: I have a wonderful wife and we have been married almost 30 years. Anyone who knows us would confirm that I married up—she’s way out of my league.
We have four children, three daughters and a son. All of them are in their mid-twenties and have full-time jobs here in Fort Wayne. Hannah went to college in Ohio, is married to a great guy and is a clinical dietitian at Parkview Hospital. The other three went to college in Georgia. Grace is a human resources generalist at Brotherhood Mutual. She recently earned her MBA from Indiana Tech. Joe is a process engineer and production manager at Master Spas. Emma is a pre-K teacher. My wife and I are very thankful.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: Clearly you are a motivated and persistent person who has a love for learning. How have these qualities affected how you parent, how you teach?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: I have a real love to understand what the Bible says. That love has guided how I parent along with many other aspects of my life.
I love to learn about my students. The academic degree they are in is just a part of who they are, so I try to view them holistically. Given that, I try to embed some ‘life lessons’ at several points throughout the semester in every course I teach, including topics such as the value of humility, personal finance-investing and time management. These are lessons that I wish I would have known better before leaving college, so I share them with the students to try to help.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: What do you like to do with your down time?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: I like spending time with my wife and family hiking, exercising and doing just about anything.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: What are some of your proudest moments at Indiana Tech?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: Every graduation day. I am proud to be even a small piece of some of the students’ lives when they cross the stage to get their diplomas. It often feels like a part of me is walking with them and it is such an honor.
were several attempts through the previous decades, we were successful in gaining the accreditation for the ME and EE programs.
Finally, I enjoyed being on the search committee that resulted in hiring (current Indiana Tech president) Dr. Einolf. I was hired while Mr. Andorfer was president and continued my career while Dr. Snyder was president. I really care about the university and know that the decision regarding who would be the next president was very important. I was just honored to be part of the process.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: What is the state of Indiana Tech’s IME program?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: The current state of our IME program is good. It is the only engineering program that offers three learning modalities— traditional day school, CPS face-to-face and online. In addition, an IME undergraduate degree provides a clear path for those who wish to pursue a Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSE).
According to the most recent Indiana Career Ready survey, IME is the ‘hottest’ engineering field out of the entire category of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math occupations. Also, IME is in the top 10 of hottest job opportunities with a bachelor’s degree ranked by average salary.
INDIANA TECH MAGAZINE: What does the future look like for Indiana Tech’s IME program?
PROFESSOR DUSSEAU: This year we will be completing a comprehensive review of the IME program and we will determine curricular changes from that assessment. Part of that review includes recognizing some current and future trends and identifying how to most effectively integrate those into the curriculum. Those include Lean and Six Sigma, robotics, big data and data analytics, and AI-IOT-machine learning. Some of these are already an integral part of IME and the program is positioned well for future potential subject changes.
Faculty update
Al-Hamouz and Mavromoustakos added to COE faculty
The College of Engineering has added Dr. Zakariya Al-Hamouz (A) and Dr. Stephanos Mavromoustakos (B) to its faculty for the 2019-20 academic year.
Professor Amstutz’s Leepoxy Award win is “well-deserved”
Assistant professor of accounting Gail Amstutz is the winner of Indiana Tech’s 2018 Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation. This award was established in 2008 by community supporter and owner of Leepoxy Plastics, Larry Lee. It is given annually to a full-time faculty member who:
à Challenges students to continuously progress to higher levels of thinking
à Engages students in active learning activities
à Connects to students in innovative ways to positively impact their experiences at Indiana Tech
Professor Amstutz received her award during Indiana Tech’s August convocation ceremony. During the presentation, she was recognized for:
à Being available to help her students at all hours of the day
à Challenging students to critically consider and apply course concepts while providing the scaffolding they need
à Leading the development of the College of Business’ peer-mentoring initiative, during which senior students mentor first-year students through projects, presentations and social gatherings as part of their capstone experience
à Launching a program that has, for the past two years, provided students an opportunity to gain valuable skills/experiences and professional certification while serving their community
“This is such a well-deserved recognition for professor Amstutz. She works so hard for our students each and every day, and I am proud to have her on our team,” said dean of Indiana Tech’s College of Business, Dr. Kathleen Hanold Watland.
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Dr. Al-Hamouz was hired to lead the college’s new electrical engineering technology program. The Associate of Science in EET, which was launched this school year, is unique to the region as it is delivered fully online.
Dr. Al Hamouz earned his Ph.D. from King Faud University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where he was a professor for nearly 20 years. He came to the United States in 2017 and has taught at the University of Central Florida and Michigan Technological University.
Dr. Mavromoustakos was hired in earlyOctober to head up the university’s digital graphics and design program and its web development program. He takes the place of professor Maria Lee, who retired earlier this year.
Dr. Mavromoustakos has two Ph.D.s— one with a computer science focus on web engineering from the University of Cyprus, the other with an information systems focus on information security from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
He comes to Indiana Tech with more than 15 years of experience in academia and industry. Most recently, he taught computer science at the University of Windsor in Canada.
Tech’s Top Picks
Dr. Cortney Robbins, associate professor of English, earned her doctorate in education from Ball State in May by successfully defending her dissertation, “The Experiences of Women and Gender Nonbinary Humanities Students in Higher Education.”
Vicki Davis, assistant professor of English, presented “Victorians, Terministic Screens, and Assessment Committees: Applying Lessons from the Past” at July’s Council of Writing Program Administrators Conference in Baltimore.
For this issue’s “Tech’s Top Picks,” Indiana Tech Magazine asked faculty and staff: “What books have you read recently that have knocked your socks off?” Here are some of the titles that have rendered our readers sockless.
The book I read is titled, “The Looting Machine,” by Tom Burgis. The novel resonated with me as it is a compelling read about the curse of Africa’s resources. Africa is known to be the richest continent—past and present— yet the majority of its population is povertystricken. It delves into how the continent has been pillaged for its resources since it was discovered by non-African nations that the continent is mineral-rich. It is a sad reality as to how the people suffer due to actions of secretive networks and corrupt leaders who take advantage of its resources.—Kudzai A. Toto, Resident Assistant
A student let me borrow her copy of “Vox,” by Christina Dalcher, which is based on an interesting premise: all women and girls are only allowed to speak 100 words per day. It is a recently-published dystopian novel that has many connections to the classic, “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Although the mechanism of control is different, in many ways it is just as terrifying.—Dr. Cortney Robbins, Associate Professor of English
I read “The Story of Arthur Truluv,” by Elizabeth Berg. It was a wonderful relationship tale between intergenerational friendships and how humans need each other, often at just the right time. It is a feel-good novel with a message that is a good escape. —Kelly Brewer, Director of Admissions, College of Professional Studies Southern Region “The Story of Modern Art,” by Sheldon Cheney. The book immerses the reader in the world of Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and O’Keeffe. It’s historical but so much fun for an art lover. —Carrie Duke, Assistant Professor of Rhetoric/Composition
“Still Alice,” by Lisa Genova, is a very touching look at a 50 year-old woman who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard and learns that she has early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is one that affects so many families (including my own), and the story of Alice Howland’s descent into full-blown Alzheimer’s disease is simply riveting. The author is a neuroscientist, so the book is based on fact, even though it is fiction. —Linda Hoffman, Adjunct Professor
“The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technology Causes Great Firms to Fail,” by Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen. The book was first published in 1997; only recently did I discover it while researching the theory of creative destruction. Christensen builds on the idea of creative destruction by looking at the impact of innovation. One application of his theory is to the innovation of online teaching. It is his view that online teaching is a costeffective way of delivering college courses. The cost savings when added to changing student preferences will lead to a transformation of the university structure.—Patricia Dwyer, Adjunct Professor
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Fort Wayne took on a decidedly orange tint Oct. 3-6 during Indiana Tech’s annual Homecoming and Family Weekend. Tech alumni, students, faculty, staff, family and friends came together to reminisce, socialize and just plain have fun during events throughout the long weekend.
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A. Warrior Park hosted its first-ever alumni softball game B. Ed Paragi, left, and David Robling both graduated from Tech in 1969 with electrical engineering degrees C. Student Alfredo Smith loves homecoming D. It was all smiles at the women’s alumni soccer game E. Alumni women’s lacrosse players in action on the Warrior Athletic Field F. Camaraderie is the name of the game when alumni baseball teams take the field G. Jack Balko BSME ’58 and his wife, Celia, enjoy conversation in the Uytengsu Center G
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was Indiana Tech Spirit Week leading into weekend festivities, with students, faculty and staff decked out in their best Tech gear each day, and many decorating their residence halls, classrooms and workspaces in full-on orange and black. Thursday evening, the Warrior Homecoming Party took over Andorfer Commons, with hundreds taking part in games and friendly competition in the rec center, and cheering on Warrior athletic teams preparing for competition throughout the weekend. IT
Friday kicked off with a welcome celebration in the Uytengsu Center, where alums caught up with old friends and made new connections with today’s Indiana Tech community. Campus tours were offered by Indiana Tech students during the afternoon hours, allowing alumni, and family and friends of current students, to see all that is new on campus. This included the newest residence hall, Summit Hall, which opened in August, along with new science labs in the Zollner Engineering Center and Snyder Academic Center.
Later Friday, the homecoming hockey tailgate helped everyone get their school spirit on and get fueled up with a tailgate-style cookout before heading to the rink to cheer for the Warrior hockey team as they took on Davenport University. The team battled hard in their first home game of the season before falling 2-1. On campus, women’s volleyball was in action at the Schaefer Center Friday night, capping the day with a 3-0 victory over
Rochester University.
The annual President’s Dinner took place Friday night, honoring major Indiana Tech donors for all they do to support Indiana Tech students. Hosted by President Einolf, the celebration took place at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in downtown Fort Wayne. Student speaker Alex Forsythe was joined by family members as she shared her experiences at Tech, and spoke of how scholarship support has helped make her college education possible.
The event also celebrated the establishment of a new endowed scholarship at Indiana Tech. Warrior alum Jan Schilling BSME ’69 was recognized for creating the Jan Schilling Scholarship fund to support students pursuing degrees in Indiana Tech’s College of Engineering and School of Computer Sciences. Mr. Schilling shared his story of the impact that his Indiana Tech degree had on his life and career, which included service as chief engineer and general manager for Continued on page 21
A. Students prepare for the annual homecoming hockey game B. A sunny Saturday filled with events made for many smiles C. The alumni volleyball game served up many memories for former Warriors D. Freshman forward Cam Chabot scrambles after a loose puck E. Guests share a laugh during the President’s Dinner at the Grand Wayne Center F. Alexandra Forsythe, a double-major who is pursuing degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering, speaks during the President’s Dinner G. Jan Schilling BSME ’69 celebrated his 50th reunion and was recognized by President Einolf for the establishment of the new Jan Schilling Scholarship
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A. Casino Night: always a favorite among homecoming festivities B. A furry fetcher catches some air during the Flying Houndz Frizbee Trick Dog Show C. The ribbon is cut, officially opening Indiana Tech’s new track and field stadium and its Warrior Athletic Multipurpose Building at Warrior Park D. This race could be a photo finish
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Jack Balko ’58 and the ACCUTRACK TM System
Alumni and community members who took part in the Warrior Park ribbon-cutting celebration were treated not only to a close-up look at the new state-of-the-art facilities, but also to a special contribution by Indiana Tech alum Jack Balko, BSME ’58. Mr. Balko donated an early model of the automated timing and photo finish system he invented–the first of its kind in the world –for display at Warrior Park. The system was unveiled during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Mr. Balko’s ACCUTRACK system was, at the time of its invention, the first automated electronic timing and photo finish system in the world, and remained the standard by which other systems were judged for decades. Following its introduction in 1972, ACCUTRACK was adopted by the NCAA and USAA Track and Field Associations for their 1974 and 1975 National Championships. Each association went on to require automatic time records for race events to qualify for all championship meets. Mr. Balko founded Specialty Instruments Corporation (SIC) to further develop ACCUTRACK and other systems that were used in a wide range of timed sports, at the high school, collegiate, national, international and Olympic levels. After graduating from Indiana Tech in 1958, Mr. Balko served in the U.S. Army and then went on to positions with Delta Oil Refining Company, Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc. and Recognition Equipment Incorporated (REI). It was his experience at REI that led him to design the special photo finish camera with electronic timing that became ACCUTRACK, and to form Specialty Instruments Corporation.
Of his time at Indiana Tech, Mr. Balko said, “Indiana Tech really helped me develop my talents in engineering and my interest in invention. The education I got here gave me a great basis for success at each stop in my career. Observing the university today, I can see it has a well-developed program for current students. I’m impressed with both the programs and the facilities. I’m extremely proud to be a Tech grad and proud of what the university is doing today.”
Mr. Balko also encouraged alumni of all ages to get connected to their school, noting, “My first visit back to campus was for my 60th reunion, last year. I’m disappointed in myself that I stayed away that long, and want to encourage others to come back and stay connected. A place we enjoyed and that helped us is doing impressive things today, and is very much worthy of our support and help.”
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Continued from page 18 GE Aviation, where he was responsible for ensuring the safety of all GE Aviation products. During his time at GE, Mr. Schilling was recognized with the Edison Award, GE’s highest award for technical excellence. Mr. Schilling was also elected to the National Academy of Engineers, one of the highest professional honors an engineer can achieve during their career.
Saturday’s homecoming events began with the annual Prayer Service in Wegener Chapel welcoming a full house of alumni, students, family members, faculty and staff. The service was led by Indiana Tech Faith Services Coordinator Elizabeth Carlin.
Saturday morning was also highlighted by the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new track and field stadium and multi-purpose athletic building at Warrior Park, Indiana Tech’s new athletic complex. Dr. Einolf and Athletic Director Debbie Warren offered remarks celebrating Tech’s newest athletic facilities before being joined by Warrior coaches in cutting the ceremonial orange ribbon. The event also featured a homecoming breakfast for all attendees and tours of the facilities. C
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The new track and field stadium provides, for the first time, a true home training and competition facility for the men’s and women’s track and field programs, who have combined to win 11 NAIA indoor and outdoor national championships since 2010. The multi-purpose building will be the home of the Indiana Tech men’s wrestling program, which has produced three national champions in recent years, as well as the new women’s wrestling program, the first program of its kind in the state of Indiana. Women’s wrestling will begin competition in the 2020-21 academic year. The facility also boasts a state-of-the-art training facilities, team meeting rooms and offices for Indiana Tech’s cross country, softball and tennis programs.
Following the events at Warrior Park—back at main campus—students, family and alumni enjoyed the annual Party on the Square, which featured food trucks, an ice cream social, music, games in Scully Square and the rec center, and more. The lawn outside the Snyder Academic Center played host to the unique entertainment experience of the Flying Houndz Frizbee Trick Dog Show, a first-time homecoming event featuring a family of canine superstars providing the crowd with an action-packed show.
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The annual Alumni Recognition and Awards Ceremony luncheon took place in the Seitz Conference Center in Andorfer Commons. More than 100 Warriors were there to help honor three special award winners: Graduateof-the-Last-Decade (G.O.L.D.) Jedidiah Bressman BSBA ’14; Alumni Volunteer of the Year Alan Elliot, BSIME ’03, MBA ’10; and CPS Alumnus of the Year Clifford Clarke, BS Data Processing ’89, MBA ’05.
Members of the reunion classes of 1959, ’69, ’79, ’89, ’99 and 2009 were also recognized during the event. President Einolf presented 50-year Indiana Tech medallions to 12 members of 1969’s 50-year reunion class, and to five members of the 1959 60-year class. Sixty-year alums taking part included Donald King, BSCE; Edward Mayo, BSEE; Stanley Puskarz, BSME; James Robertson, BSME; and Edward Rogers, BSEE. Fifty-year alumni represented at the banquet this year included Kenneth Auer, BSCE; Thomas Croucher, BSME; Thomas Dwenger, BSME; Don Gillespie, BSME; John Hanagan, BSME; Edward Hanish, BSME; Edward Paragi, BSEE; Paul Rising, BSME; David Robling, BSEE; Jan Schilling, BSME; Dennis Sensenich, BSEE; and Roger Strickler, BSME. President Einolf also presented a 50-year medallion to a 1968 alum who was unable to attend last year’s celebration, Gene Neff, BSCE.
Athletic alums were able to test their skills against today’s Warrior athletes in several alumni games held on Saturday and Sunday. Baseball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball all hosted games where program alums competed against current team members for a year’s worth of bragging rights. B
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Intercollegiate athletics were also in full swing on Saturday. The men’s and women’s tennis teams beat IU-East 6-1 and 5-2, respectively, in competition at the Swinney Tennis Center. Women’s volleyball lost a hard-fought matchup with Lawrence Tech at the Schaefer Center, 3-1. The hockey team was back on the ice, winning big and setting a single game scoring record for the program with a 12-1 victory over Eastern Michigan. Saturday evening saw the debut of a new Homecoming and Family Weekend event, Dinner and a Show, which featured the Casual Friday Band. Warrior students, family and friends, and alums gathered for dinner and music from a local favorite tailor-made for a festive occasion. Later Saturday evening, a popular 2018 first-time event returned for a second year—the Alumni Social Tent in Scully Square. Socializing outdoors over snacks and adult beverages, Warrior alums from every era gathered to share memories and make new ones. Thank you to everyone who helped make Homecoming and Family Weekend a wonderful experience once again. Make plans now to join us Oct. 1-4, for Homecoming 2020! A. Friends take a moment to reacquainted on the patio outside Andorfer Commons B. Members of the reunion classes of 1959, ’69, ’79, ’89, ’99 and 2009 were recognized during the annual Alumni Recognition and Awards Ceremony luncheon C. Dining hall turned into a dance hall during Saturday’s festivities
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30 YEARS OF TWIST!
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the annual Trask/Walls Invitational Student Tournament (TWIST) welcomed 140 golfers comprised of business leaders, Indiana Tech faculty and staff, alumni and students alike, to Chestnut Hills Golf Club on a beautiful day Sept. 15 to show off their golf game and build connections.
Started by two Indiana Tech professors, Dr. Jeffrey Walls and the late Walter Trask, TWIST gives alumni and area employers a chance to network with students and teach them the business side of golf. Proceeds from the event benefit the Moore/Trask Scholarship Fund at Indiana Tech, the Indiana Tech golf program and the Alumni Scholarship Award.
TWIST 2019 sponsors included Mid-American Cleaning Contractors, Elevatus Architecture, Summit Mechanical, Votaw Electric, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Design Collaborative, Innovative Control Systems, Engineering Resources, SCS Mechanical, Inc., the Indiana Tech Alumni Association Board, Three Rivers Distilling Company, Parrish Pork and Poultry, AcuAim Golf, Dixon Golf, Jarrod Williams and Dr. Jeff Walls. Sponsorships allow students to play for free and connect with players from those organizations.
Of special note this year, Woody Stillwagon, BSCE ’64, recently received a patent from the United States Golf Association for a notable advancement in putting technology. The founder of AcuAim Golf, Mr. Stillwagon donated one of his innovative, custom-fit putters as a raffle item to help raise funds at TWIST. (Learn more about his company and patented technology at acuaimgolf.com.)
A. The third-place team, from left to right: Tara Hanna, Gordon Murphy, Zach Palmer and Brittany Watson B. From left to right: Ravi Talwar BSME ’65; Dr. Tom Kaplan, vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Einolf; and Prabodh Kothari BSME ’66 C. The winning team, from left to right: Tyler Willet, Nick Quick, Megan (Garrison) Quick and Dr. Jeff Walls
TWIST XXX RESULTS
à First Place: Dr. Jeff Walls, Nick Quick, Megan (Garrison) Quick, Tyler Willet
à Second Place: Shane Tirey, Justin Medieros, Taylor Hoisington, Josh Pheils
à Third Place: Tara Hanna, Brittany Watson, Gordon Murphy, Zach Palmer
à Closest to the Pin: Loren Krieder, Megan Quick, Joe Whitaker, Katie Giant
à Longest Drive – Women: Tara Hanna
à Longest Putt: Justin Burnham
à Longest Drive – Men: Tyler Willet
Congratulations to our 2019 winners and thanks to all who joined us this year. Be sure to join us Sept. 20, 2020 for TWIST XXXI!
Singular Living Space
Summit Hall opens on main campus
tudents arriving on campus for fall semester found a newly-completed residence hall awaiting them—Summit Hall—located north of Andorfer Commons at the intersection of Schick Street and Washington Boulevard. S
hall, students had reserved every room—it was full. Students were waiting for an option like Summit Hall. Our residence halls are among the nicest you’ll find anywhere, and offering more single rooms expands the variety of living experiences we can offer.”
Named in honor of Indiana Tech’s home–Fort Wayne, the Summit City–Summit Hall offers a new living experience for students. Each of the residence hall’s rooms is a single room, allowing students to live on their own, without a roommate. While there are a small number of single rooms scattered among Tech’s other residence halls, Summit Hall is the first to be comprised entirely of singles. In total, Summit Hall is home to 100 students. While Summit Hall allows students to live alone, the residence hall is designed in many ways to encourage community, socializing and collaboration. Each floor features an open kitchen area and student lounge, where students can prepare meals, spend time with friends and gather for social events. There are also study spaces on each floor that can be used by individual students or small groups working on projects together.
Demand for a single-living option has been increasing in recent years, notes Dr. Dan Stoker, Indiana Tech’s vice president for student affairs: “Within days of announcing the new residence Also new to the Indiana Tech campus is the first-floor retail space built into Summit Hall. The street level of the new residence hall is composed of three retail spaces, giving students additional dining and service options on campus. The first to open was marketC, a new automated, self-service convenience store where students swipe in via their student IDs and pay by credit card. marketC is open 24 hours a day.
A new dining option, Max’s Bistro, is set to open in January. Max’s, named for Indiana Tech Warrior mascot Maximus, will offer a range of freshly prepared entrees and on-the-go items throughout the day. The third retail space will be home to a coffee shop, set to open this coming spring. The university is currently in discussion with several local coffee roasters to supply the new shop, which will also feature light food options. The next time you’re on campus, stop by!
