Alumni & Friends Magazine Summer 2019
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OUR MISSION The University of Jamestown is a community dedicated to the development of wholeness in our students. We adhere to a curriculum of academic excellence which blends the liberal arts with sound professional preparation. Our commitment to the Christian faith encourages an atmosphere of self-discipline, responsibility, and concern for the continuing growth of the individual.
Dear Alumni and Friends, This year’s Homecoming theme is “The Door is Always Open.” How fitting, because it is you who make it possible for our university to keep opening doors and transforming the lives of our current students, who will arrive back on campus this month. Your generosity of your time, talents, and treasure also creates a legacy, as well as a pathway for the Jimmies of tomorrow. Thank you for your dedication to the University of Jamestown today and in the future. As we make plans to celebrate the successful completion of the Opening Doors Transforming Lives Campaign, I am excited to invite you to join us at the Harold Newman Arena on October 5. It will be a weekend of celebration for the Campaign and for Homecoming. This issue of Alumni & Friends takes a look at the ways in which the University’s mission is opening doors and transforming lives, from a student whose internship is opening doors to an exciting future, to an alumnus who works with missionaries to transform the lives of people around the world. Our mission of academic excellence, blending the liberal arts with professional programs, and commitment to the Christian faith, together with our vision of becoming the best career-oriented liberal arts university in the Midwest, guides us in the classroom and beyond. I am confident that each of you has your own stories about your transformative experiences which took root here at our university, and I welcome you to share those with us. Please enjoy this summer issue of Alumni & Friends. If you have ideas for future stories, please share them with me or any of the Alumni staff. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely,
Dr. Polly Peterson ’89, President
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On the Cover:
Brandan Schmitz ’21 completes competitive internship at NASA (p. 6)
Features
6 Theory into practice Brandan Schmitz ’21
8 Engineering a program
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Keith Fehr ’95
9 Mission around the world Reverend Kerry Bender ’96
10 Physician in Chief Dr. Mark Murphey ’78
Welcome to Alumni & Friends magazine! The Summer 2019 issue focuses on the ways in which the University of Jamestown’s mission leads to opening doors and transforming lives. We see academic excellence in Dr. Mark Murphey ’78, worldrenowned radiologist who educates others in his field. We see our commitment to the Christian faith in Rev. Kerry Bender ’96, who helps missionaries in their work around the world. Computer science student Brandan Schmitz, as well as the university’s new Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Advisory Board member Keith Fehr ’95, show the ties between the liberal arts and professional preparation.
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In UJ Summer Issue 11 New Online Programs
12 Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees 13 Retirements 14 Campus Corner 15 Performing and Visual Arts 16 Jimmie Athletics 18 Homecoming Schedule 20 Greetings from the Alumni Association 21 Refer a Student 22 Marriages and Births 23 In Memoriam
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24 Important Dates
Alumni & Friends Summer 2019 Board of Trustees Chairman James Unruh ’63
Research Assistant Dan Hornung
University of Jamestown President Polly Peterson, Ph.D., ’89
Office Manager Marlene Wiest
Alumni Board President MaryBeth Hegstad ’97
Stewardship Manager Joleen Steinmetz
Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Brett Moser
Senior Director of Marketing and Campaigns Karen H. Crane
Director of Annual Giving and Jimmie Booster Club Jim Klemann ’09 Director of Alumni Relations Setareh Campion
Director of Design and Publications Donna Schmitz Contributing Writer Erin Klein
“Alumni & Friends” is published two times per year, in the winter and summer by the University of Jamestown Office of Development and Alumni Relations for alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University of Jamestown. University of Jamestown welcomes your thoughts and comments about “Alumni & Friends.” Please send letters to Alumni & Friends, 6082 College Lane, Jamestown, ND 58405. Send address changes to: Marlene Wiest Office of Development and Alumni Relations 6082 College Lane Jamestown, ND 58405 or by e-mail to alumni@uj.edu
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THEORY INTO PRACTICE STUDENT LEARNS THROUGH NASA INTERNSHIP
Lifelong interests in science, technology, and space have coalesced into the ideal summer internship for Brandan Schmitz ’21. The junior Computer Science and Information Technology major from Inver Grove Heights, Minn., is spending a second summer as an intern at the NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia. “I’ve always been interested in science and technology. I got into programming and server hosting as a seventh grader, and I’ve always loved anything to do with space and astronomy,” says Schmitz. “Learning about the different opportunities at NASA brought it together.”
The highly competitive internships – which can be a path toward permanent employment with the agency – see more than 20,000 applicants vying for just 1,500 slots. In his second time at the internship, Schmitz has the benefit of working with familiar faces. As engineers create an initial design, he is on a team which integrates that design into a web site presence. “A lot of what I do is web and systems software development,” he says. “I’ve done network design and development, too. Having the background
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“(My ideal career) would be something related to the development of software or technology systems that will help transform the world we know into something better while being considerate of the environment and the planet we live on.” from networking classes and database management classes at UJ definitely helps.” Jakob Barnard, instructor of Computer Science and Technology, says internships allow students to get more practice translating theory into application. “Internships such as the one Brandan is currently engaged in at NASA are valuable to our students because it allows the student to get out into the field, see how theory is actually applied, experience new – and surprisingly old – technology, and still have time to bring experiences and questions back to the classroom,” he says. “Students often learn that the point behind a particular lesson isn’t in the specific mundane detail behind it, typing a certain command for example, but why that command needed to be entered in the first place. These internships are often a far less controlled environment where concepts need to be applied and utilized in a variety of ways that we can’t always get from a textbook or lesson.”
Schmitz is staying with extended family during his time in Virginia and says NASA encourages the interns to network with each other and learn the opportunities provided by the agency. For example, he attended a project management seminar led by a NASA retiree who worked on the Apollo missions. At the University of Jamestown, Schmitz is involved in band and the Big Orange Pep Band. He is also head coach of the robotics team at Jamestown High School. He says his future goals include working in the field of technology, whether that is at NASA or elsewhere. “(My ideal career) would be something related to the development of software or technology systems that will help transform the world we know into something better while being considerate of the environment and the planet we live on,” he says.
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EN G I N EER I N G A P RO G R A M ENGINEERING ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHAPES THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT UJ
says. “They also let us know what employers are looking for so we can make sure our students are graduating with the skills and characteristics that make them as employable as possible.” Dr. Heidi Larson, Director of Career Services and Experiential Education, adds that the board creates a connection with employers for internship and employment opportunities. “We appreciate the time and dedication of the members,” she says. Fehr studied pre-engineering at the University of Jamestown and completed his engineering coursework at North Dakota State University. He has spent his career with Bobcat, a company specializing in compact industrial, construction, and agribusiness equipment. As a senior engineering manager, he leads a group carrying out product validation and new product development. Recalling his liberal arts education at the University of Jamestown, Fehr says he appreciates exposure to disciplines he might not otherwise have studied. “That background made me more well-rounded with courses in things like psychology and philosophy,” he says.
Keith Fehr ’95
As a manager who has interviewed and hired hundreds of applicants for positions at his company over the past 20 years, Keith Fehr ’95 knows what makes a good engineer. He is now part of a group lending that expertise to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Jamestown.
A curriculum grounded in liberal arts provides engineering students with more than just technical expertise. Today’s engineers need to think about sociological, cultural, and environmental impacts of designs. A mechanical engineering degree from the University of Jamestown combines the rigorous foundation of engineering courses with the human dimensions of technology. A new addition to Sorkness Center is on track to be complete in time for the 2019-2020 academic year. The addition includes a lab for senior engineering students.
Fehr, a Senior Engineering Manager at Bobcat in Bismarck, N.D., is one of 10 industry professionals belonging to the UJ Engineering Advisory Board, a group providing guidance for one of the University’s newest academic programs. “I became interested in participating in this board and sharing the types of skills we’d like to see as we hire engineers,” he says. As the first students in the program prepare to graduate in 2020 and enter the workforce, Dr. Paul Olson, Provost, says having an industry advisory board is invaluable. “The members of the board are able to offer us a lot of great insights into the current state and potential future directions of their industries,” he Sorkness Center Addition
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M I S S I O N A RO U N D TH E WO R LD REV. KERRY BENDER ’96 APPRECIATES ‘ECUMENICAL SPIRIT’ AT UJ
In his role as Vice President of International Missions for the North American Baptist Conference, the Rev. Kerry Bender ’96 facilitates missionaries in their work around the world in education, medicine, camp ministry, and evangelism. His own call to ministry began when he was a student at the University of Jamestown. “The ecumenical spirit on campus fed into who I became as a Christian and my understanding of who God is,” he says. Bender says he was initially interested in going on to law school, but his focus turned to ministry as he was influenced by Professors James Edwards and Gary Watts, as well as Chaplain Deena Candler. “There wasn’t a professor I can remember who wasn’t invested in their students,” says Bender, who also has fond memories of singing in the Choir under the direction of Professor Richard Smith. “Those relationships were huge to me.” Bender says he is thankful for the University’s mission, with its emphasis on educating and caring for the whole person. “When we think about mission and the whole person, we make sure all their needs are met,” he says. Bender served Temple Baptist Church in Jamestown as a youth minister and attended the University of Edinburgh Theological Seminary. He served as a pastor in Minneapolis and then directed the Christian Leadership Center at the University of Mary. He has been in his current role, based in Roseville, Calif., for about a year, and is also pursuing a Ph.D. in preaching from London School of Theology. His work includes helping churches with their international missions programming and recruiting missionaries, as well as facilitating their training and fundraising. He is connected to 35 missionaries in 10 different countries. “I sit in a comfortable chair in the security of North America and work with men and women who put their lives on the line to proclaim in word and deed the goodness of God,” he says. “Their ministries are holistic caring for the spiritual, mental, and physical wellbeing of people in the most desperate of circumstances.” Bender has observed a shift in the way missions are carried out; rather than only western missionaries traveling to other parts of the world, global Christianity, or “from everywhere to everyone,” has become the trend. He also notes that those choosing to become missionaries do so with a significant desire to serve. “Millennials have a deep calling to change the world,” he says. A unique connection to the University of Jamestown, as well as Bender’s
Rev. Kerry Bender ’96 and Stacy (Schreier) Bender’96
hometown of Venturia, N.D., is Mbingo Hospital in Cameroon in western Africa. The country is experiencing a civil war. The late Eleanor Weisenburger ’42, who was from Venturia, took her nursing degree to Cameroon where she served for more than 50 years. “She is a hero in the Cameroon medical world,” Bender says. “Mbingo is one of the hospitals she served, and our hope and prayer is to keep that hospital and her legacy there continuing through the violence of this civil war.” Bender says the hospital needs a surgeon to serve alongside the medical missionaries there as a result of the violence and many western mission organizations withdrawing from the country. “Part of my job is to help recruit for this important position to keep the medical work going at Mbingo that provides not only medical care but light in the midst of darkness and God’s peace in the midst of chaos,” he says.
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PHYSICIAN IN CHIEF DR. MARK MURPHEY ’78 EDUCATES OTHERS IN HIS FIELD
“It’s very rewarding to take care of our warriors and families.” It’s not just anybody who can say they get to interact with practically everyone else in their profession. But in his role as Physician in Chief for the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology, Dr. Mark Murphey ’78 has had the opportunity to get to know, and to help educate, radiologists from across the United States and around the world. “It’s a lot like being a professor, and very interesting to work with all of these other radiologists,” he says. Dr. Murphey grew up in northern Virginia and became aware of Jamestown College (now the University of Jamestown) when a friend was recruited. Then he was recruited to play basketball and participate in track and field for the Jimmies. As a biology and chemistry major, Dr. Murphey recalls many classes with Professors Jerry Knoblich, Joseph Claflin, and Sebastian Cherian. He played basketball for Coach Byron Hill and was a sprinter and jumper for Coach Rollie Greeno. He met his wife, Jill (Bobzien) ’77, at the University. Dr. Murphey earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Following residency and fellowships, he was a member of the faculty at the University of Kansas School of Medicine until 1993 when he joined the Department of Radiologic Pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Washington, D.C. Later, in 2010, the organization transitioned from the AFIP to the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP). “We run a program several times a year for almost all of the radiologists,” he says. The AIRP brings expert faculty from some of the most prestigious radiology programs in the United States to provide a comprehensive review of radiologic imaging as well as presentations on a broad range of diseases and their pathological basis from all organ systems and imaging modalities. Dr. Murphey has observed changes in the profession of radiology over the years, particularly in the area of imaging.
“The new imaging methods offer dramatic changes,” he says. “Some of the newer treatments are things I never imagined I’d use.” Dr. Murphey has published numerous articles and has given presentations on the subspecialty of musculoskeletal imaging, including the first published article on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sacroiliac joint. In addition to overseeing the education programming of the AIRP, he practices at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., where he has treated Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, members of Congress, and members of the Armed Forces and their families. “It’s very rewarding to take care of our warriors and families,” he says.
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UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN NOW OFFERING PROGRAMS FULLY ONLINE. The Fargo-Moorhead Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to recognize the University of Jamestown’s expansion into Professional Studies. This past May, the University graduated 77 students from across the graduate programs of Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Education, Master of Science in Clinical Counseling, and Master of Arts in Leadership. The University of Jamestown recognizes the need to continually assess the programs being offered to ensure employment and academic needs are being met throughout the region. In order to give students of all ages and walks of life a quality education, the University of Jamestown’s Professional Studies has launched the Master of Arts in Leadership fully online with tracks in Business Leadership, Nonprofit Leadership, and Healthcare Leadership. Four undergraduate completion programs are also launching this fall: • Business Studies: Financial Planning & Wealth Management • Business Studies: Industrial Management • Communication: Emerging Media • Communication: Human Resources The University of Jamestown’s online programs provide educational opportunities for career advancement in a format that is flexible, convenient, and available 24/7. The value of a liberal arts education, built from a Christian tradition, will now develop wholeness in students across the globe. The University’s Strategic Plan encompasses future development of both master and undergraduate level online programs. Within the next five years, growth will be seen through the addition of an online Master of Science in Clinical Counseling and an online Master of Business Administration. Undergraduate degrees will be added in Agribusiness and Organizational Leadership.
We hope you will join us in our mission of educating students from a distance by promoting our online programs.
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Dennis Gienger ’64
A native of Streeter, N.D., Dennis Gienger earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Jamestown College in 1964, majoring in Physical Education. While a student, he excelled in athletics, earning letters in basketball, football, track, and baseball. He began teaching and coaching in 1964 with stops in Turtle Lake and Rugby, N.D. He earned his master’s degree at the University of North Dakota and was an assistant basketball coach there for eight years. He returned to Jamestown from 1979 to 1981 as the head men’s basketball coach, leading the Jimmies to a NDCAC championship in 1980 and NDCAC Tournament championship in 1981. Having taught and coached at Jamestown College, Mr. Gienger knew firsthand the need for an athletic arena at the University. When it became a reality, he was a generous contributor. The gymnasium at the Harold Newman Arena is named Gienger Gymnasium in his honor.
Dr. James Roemmich ’86
Dr. Roemmich is a native of Jamestown. He earned his B.A. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Jamestown College. He participated in cross-country, track, choir, and Student Council. He completed his master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and Biology in 1988 at Ball State University and a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology in 1994 at Kent State University. He completed a three-year post-doctoral research fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at the University of Virginia. After several years in research and teaching, he joined the United States Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D., in the role of Research Leader in 2011 and in 2016 was promoted to Director of the Center. His research and leadership has been extensive and unprecedented in the world of research promoting human health.
Joelyn Scriba ’65
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ALUMNI HALL OF FAME
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H. George Schuler ’68
H. George Schuler ’68
Mr. Schuler grew up in Milwaukee, Wis. After graduating from Jamestown College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Finance, Mr. Schuler relocated to Plano, Texas, where he managed the Chamber of Commerce. As the founder of Schuler Development, Mr. Schuler is an expert in researching, planning, and developing commercial and residential real estate. His work has included the enrichment of numerous North Texas cities such as McKinney, Rockwall, and Kaufman. Mr. Schuler served as President of the University of Jamestown Alumni Association Board and was Commencement Speaker in 2012. He has served on the University’s Board of Trustees since 2005. As he was unable to attend the Hall of Fame ceremonies this year, he will officially be inducted in 2020.
Joelyn Scriba ’65
A native of New Rockford, N.D., Joelyn (Bymoen) Scriba earned her degree in Nursing from Jamestown College in 1965. She earned a master’s degree at the University of Washington and returned to Jamestown College to begin her career as a nurse educator. Quickly seen as an academic leader, she was named chair of the Department of Nursing at the age of 26 and led the department’s efforts to gain accreditation, an accomplishment that assisted with paving the way for the department to receive its current programmatic accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). At the time of her departure from Jamestown in 1979, Nursing had grown to be one of the largest departments on campus. She went on to build the nursing program at Bemidji State University where she was Chair of the Department of Nursing from 1983 to 1995. Ms. Scriba passed away in 2016.
The University of Jamestown said farewell as we celebrate the careers of three long-time employees, Vicki Greshik, Bill Weispfenning, and Vicky Frigen, at the end of the 2018-2019 academic year. Vicki Greshik, Associate Professor of Accounting, joined the UJ faculty in 1991 and served as the Chair of the Department of Business, Accounting, and Economics from 2010 until 2018. She ran the university’s VITA program since 1990, providing an incredible public service to our community by preparing tax returns for lowincome individuals and families. Alpha Chi selected Vicki as the Faculty Member of the Year in both 2002 and 2013, and she has been recognized by three of the university’s Young Alumni Medallion winners as their mentor. Bill Weispfenning, Assistant Professor of Accounting, became a member of the UJ faculty in 2006 after a successful career as a public accountant and business owner and president. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Bill served the university by directing the Journey 101 program from 2014 to 2018, served as a faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, and helped write the university’s Values Statement. Bill is also a Commissioned Lay Pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served numerous area congregations as a pulpit supply pastor since 1992. Vicky Frigen served as the administrative assistant in the Nursing Department for 17 years prior to her retirement in June. During that time, Vicky provided invaluable help to the department in its daily operations and through several accreditation visits, including the change from ACEN to CCNE. She noted that the best part of the position was getting to watch our students “grow into capable and compassionate nurses.” We thank Vicki, Bill, and Vicky for their service to the University of Jamestown, and especially to our students, over the course of their careers and wish them the happiest of retirements!
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CAMPUS CORNER Capital Campaign ready to celebrate success Thanks to the generosity of the University of Jamestown’s donors, we are ready to Celebrate Success with you! As we reached the five-year mark of the Opening Doors Transforming Lives Campaign on June 30, 2019, we looked back with gratitude to our alumni and friends who provided tremendous support which has transformed the campus, enriching the lives of our students, faculty, and staff. “The scope of the areas on campus touched by this campaign is truly remarkable,” said Campaign Director Karen H. Crane. “Thanks to our donors, our students now have the new Harold Newman Arena; programs in Mechanical Engineering and Doctor of Physical Therapy; a remarkable science complex in the McKenna-Thielsh Center; a Student Success Center, as well as renovated aspects of the J-House and Voorhees Chapel. Gifts to the Annual Fund and the Endowment are securing ‘the here and now,’ and the future of our students and our campus community. We sincerely cannot thank our donors enough. They are the reason that we have surpassed our goal in this campaign.” Please RSVP to Karen Crane at kcrane@uj.edu to make your reservation for the October 5 Opening Doors Transforming Lives Campaign Celebration.
Commencement The University of Jamestown presented Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Clinical Counseling, Master of Education, Master of Arts in Leadership, and Doctor of Physical
Therapy degrees to 253 graduates at Commencement on May 4 at the Harold Newman Arena. Elmer Schindel ’63, Wayzata, Minn., outgoing member of the UJ Board of Trustees, delivered the Commencement address, advising the graduates to follow the advice in Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “If.” Speakers representing the graduating classes were Allie Hill, Oakes, N.D., who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in teacher education; and Michael Long, who received a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Liz Hunt, Associate Professor of Communication, delivered the Baccalaureate Sermon, “Follow the Leader.”
UJ Place represents unique partnership The newest building project on the University of Jamestown campus is UJ Place, a 77,000 square-foot mixed-use facility which will include retail spaces and apartments just north of Harold Newman Arena. EPIC Companies, a real estate investing and development firm based out of West Fargo, N.D., will own and manage the facility on land leased from the University. The project has a target completion date of August, 2020. “We are excited about partnering with EPIC on this project which will bring a variety of retail options, both for our students and for the northeast part of Jamestown in general,” says President Polly Peterson. “This will also help us with our housing needs for upper class students who desire apartment living while also being on campus.”
Performing and Visual Arts The performing arts at University of Jamestown had a successful 2019. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead as we welcome over fifty new students who will be participating in the performing arts.
Theatre
The 2019-2020 Theatre Department season begins with A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Musical. Monty Navarro learns that he is ninth in line to the D’Ysquith family fortune. One by one, each heir meets a hilarious end. In February, Amanda Arvay will direct her senior production, yet to be named. In April, a new adaptation of An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen will be staged. The plot tells the story of Dr. Stockmann’s misguided expectation that a discovery of the town’s contaminated water will be met with fame and gratitude. The season concludes with An Evening of One-Acts, written and directed by UJ Theatre students.
Visual Arts
The Department of Visual Arts is looking forward to hosting three student art shows during the academic year. For each show, individual artworks will be created and displayed. This year’s student exhibits will also allow students, faculty, and staff to view the works of those taking classes in the Art Department. Each exhibit will be on display in the Reiland Fine Arts Center Lobby for a month. The opening dates for the Student Arts Shows are: Monday, September 16; Monday, November 11, and Monday, March 23. Additionally, the department continues hosting outreach programs for students in grades 6-12 from surrounding rural areas, so they may learn about making art. The exposure to the University helps young students explore their creative talents.
Choir
The UJ Choirs have great things planned for 2019-20. Both Chapel Choir and Concert Choir will perform at the Homecoming Concert on Friday, Oct. 4. Choir alumni are encouraged to join us in singing F.M. Christiansen’s “Praise to the Lord” at the conclusion of the program. The 2019 Christmas Concert portrays the joy of Christmas through the eyes of a child. The program will feature new arrangements of “I Want To Walk as a Child of the Light,” “Children of the Heavenly Father,” and “O Come Little Children,” among others. The 2020 Tour will see the Choir in the Southwest with performances in California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, South Dakota, and back home. Stay tuned for more details as well as information about alumni receptions held in conjunction with some of these performances.
Band
The band program completed another successful year of activity in May with performances at commencement and a recruitment tour that took the group to Chicago and back! Next year, be on the lookout for the Big Orange Pep Band cheering on various teams across campus! The wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and orchestra will all be giving regular concerts as well. The wind ensemble will be gearing up for their second international tour in May 2020. The band will visit Vienna and Salzburg in Austria, and Heidelberg and Frankfurt in Germany. They will give three concerts and visit some of the most important musical centers in all of music history.
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UJ ATHLETICS
By Sean Johnson
JIMMIE ATHLETICS WEBSITE JIMMIEATHLETICS.COM
As preparations continue for the 2019-20 season, it’s time to reflect on the second half of the 2018-19 academic year and some significant achievements during the summer. One of the highlights of the Jimmies first year in the Great Plains Athletic Conference was the men’s basketball team capturing the 2019 GPAC postseason tournament title. Picked to finish 9th in the GPAC preseason poll, Danny Neville’s crew finished second in the regular season standings and then posted hardfought home court victories over Hastings and Dordt in the GPAC Tournament quarterfinals and semifinals, capping a 16-2 mark at Harold Newman Arena. UJ then traveled to top-seed and regular season champion Morningside. The Jimmies came away with an 86-84 victory and the tournament title. The Jimmies advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Tournament after rolling to a 106-85 victory over Southeastern (Fla.) before falling to eventual national champion Spring Arbor (Mich.) in a nail-biter 85-81. Seniors Kevin Oberweiser and Jon Purintun were named NAIA 3rd team All-America while Oberweiser was selected to play in the NAIA All-Star game and participated in the NAIA 3-point shooting contest. Oberweiser recently signed a contract to play professional basketball in Ireland for the Limerick Celtics. UJ finished the year 29-6, the second most victories in school history. The Jimmie women’s wrestling team capped their season by hosting the 2019 NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Invitational at Harold Newman Arena on March 16th.
Coach Shauna Kemp’s team did not disappoint as they finished 3rd with 10 wrestlers earning All-America status. Senior Cara Romeike advanced all the way to the championship match at 130 pounds and was UJ’s top place finisher earning national runner-up honors. Freshman Junnette Caldera finished 3rd at 101 pounds, junior Myranda Velazquez took 3rd at 155 pounds and freshman Agatha Andrews was 4th at 191 pounds. Leading into the national tournament, the Jimmies won their first ever conference title by sweeping through the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. UJ compiled 144 points, nearly doubling up runner-up Missouri Valley College’s 73, with six Jimmies winning their weight class and Shauna Kemp earning Coach of the Year honors. The good news didn’t end with the conclusion of the season. Jimmie women’s wrestling alum Amy Fearnside was named the outstanding wrestling at the Canada Cup after winning the title in the 53 kilogram class to pace Team USA in late June. Fearnside was a 4-time All-American and two-time national finalist, concluding her career in 2017. Coach Kemp also made news as a competitor and a coach. In April, Kemp finished 5th at the 2019 Marine Corps US Open, advanced to the semifinals of the USA World Team Trials and earned a spot on Team USA by winning her weight class at the Women’s Beach
World Games Trials. She will represent the United States at the ANOC World Beach Games in San Diego, Calif., October 12-13. Kemp was also an assistant coach for the Gold medal winning USA Junior Pan American Games team. The Jimmie baseball team put a cap on the school’s first year in the GPAC by taking the 2019 GPAC Tournament title. Despite not playing a home game until the next to last week of the regular season, the Jimmies finished 2nd in the GPAC regular season standings and hosted the opening round of the GPAC Tournament at Jack Brown Stadium. The Jimmies won all 3 games defeating Morningside and Northwestern twice. The championship game was played in Yankton, S.D. and Tom Hager’s crew took home the title as junior Drew Fitz hurled a 4-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory over top-seeded and regular season champion Concordia (Neb.).
Other highlights included senior distance runner Matt Young completing his spectacular Jimmie career by finishing 10th in the marathon at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Young was a 3-time conference individual cross country champion and won the NSAA Track Athlete of the Meet at the 2016 championships. He won 5 individual outdoor conference titles during his career. The Jimmie women’s 4 x 400-meter relay team featured 4 underclassmen that only competed 3 times during the season but the quartet of Kristin Breaux, Carmen DeVries, Meghan Orr, and Kylee Voigt advanced to the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and broke the school record along the way. Freshman men’s wrestler Jesse Murillo finished 3rd at the GPAC Championships in the 141 pound division and advanced to the NAIA Men’s Wrestling National Championships. The Jimmie women’s golf team capped another strong season, finishing second at the GPAC Conference Tournament under first-year head coach and recent UJ graduate Nathan Kapaun.
The Jimmies lost a pair of late-inning decisions at the NAIA Opening Round Tournament in Santa Barbara, Calif., but it marked the program’s 4th consecutive appearance in the NAIA national tournament and the 6th trip in the last 7 seasons.
Senior Jenna Knutson paced the Jimmies with a 5th place finish.
The Jimmie softball team had another successful season under head coach Kevin Gall, advancing to the championship game of the GPAC softball tournament.
Mistro played for Tom Dosch and Bud Etzold during his Jimmie career and spent the previous 7 years as an assistant coach at Concordia College in Moorhead.
Entering the tournament as the #5 seed, the Jimmies knocked off the GPAC regular season champion and top seed, Midland, on their home field to advance to the best 2 out of 3 championship series at #2 seed, Morningside.
The men’s hockey program also welcomed a familiar face back behind the bench as Dean Stork returns to lead the program he started.
The Jimmies lost the first game and trailed in the second game 5-2 entering the 7th inning, but rallied for 5 runs to win game two 7-5 and force a 3rd and deciding game. UJ lost 3-1 but finished the year 31-20, marking the 5th consecutive year the Jimmies have won at least 30 games in a season. UJ accomplished this despite playing just one home doubleheader for the second consecutive season due to poor spring weather. The Jimmie men’s hockey team had another outstanding season, posting a 21-14-2 record, advancing to the ACHA D1 National Tournament for a second consecutive year and for the 3rd straight year, finished in the top20 in the final national poll (#17).
A pair of significant coaching hires occurred during the spring as former Jimmie football player Brian Mistro returns to head the program.
Stork, who recruited the initial class of Jimmie hockey players and coached the team to a successful inaugural season, returns to UJ after two years on the staff of NCAA Division 1 Miami of Ohio. Finally, the year was capped off by an extremely successful Jimmie Scramble Golf Tournament at the Jamestown Country Club in June. A record 232 golfers played on Saturday with 66 participating in the Friday shootout event. The golf events grossed over $50,000, and an additional $9,000 was raised via the online Jimmie Athletics Giving Day. All proceeds from these two events help support athletic scholarships and program operating budgets at the University of Jamestown.
Alumni and Friends, please join us for
HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND 2019! Catch up, reminisce, and see our campus! We hope to see you in your ORANGE and BLACK!
GO JIMMIES! OCTOBER 3-6, 2019
Check the UJ website at uj.edu/homecoming for updates and registration details.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Wednesday, October 2 6:30 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball vs. Dakota Wesleyan* Harold Newman Arena
Thursday, October 3
4–6 p.m. Alumni Early Registration Badal Nafus Student Center
9 a.m.
Athletic Hall of Fame Breakfast Harold Newman Arena
HOMECOMING HONOREES Jake Holen ’08 – Athletic Hall of Fame
7 p.m. Hockey vs. Minot State* Wilson Arena
Giuliana (Varriano) Houchin ’10 – Athletic Hall of Fame
Friday, October 4
1975 Football Team – Athletic Hall of Fame
Tom Iverson ’04 – Athletic Hall of Fame
8–10 a.m.
Registration Badal Nafus Student Center
10–11 a.m.
Campus Tours (tours leave every 15 mins.)* Start at Reiland Fine Arts Center
Christopher Church ’72 – Rollie Greeno Award
11 a.m.–noon
Class Photos Voorhees Chapel
Chloe (Krause) Kaelberer ’81 – Jim Clark Award
noon–1:30 p.m. Booster Club Luncheon MoDean Trautman McCullough Foyer, Harold Newman Arena, Lindberg Booster Club Room 1:30–3:30 p.m.
Alumni Association Board Meeting Ed and Elaine Nafus Office of Admission
4 p.m.
Cross Country Meet* Parkhurst
3:30–7 p.m. Alumni Sports Games (TBD) 5–7 p.m.
Alumni Banquet with President Peterson Gladstone Inn & Suites
7:30 p.m.
Homecoming Band and Choir Concerts* DeNault Auditorium, Reiland Fine Arts Center
8:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m.
2009-2010 Women’s Basketball Team – Athletic Hall of Fame John Schaffer ’76 – Rollie Greeno Award
To submit a nomination or for more information about any of our alumni honors, call Jim Klemann at (701) 252-3467 ext. 5024 or e-mail jklemann@uj.edu. Or, submit nominations online at uj.edu/HOF.
9 a.m.–12 p.m. Homecoming Street Fair* Larsen Center 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Booster Club Tailgate Party* Taylor Stadium Parking Lot 1 p.m.
Football Game vs. Concordia University (Nebraska)* Taylor Stadium
All Class Alumni and Friends Social Shady’s Restaurant & Lounge, Gladstone Inn & Suites
5 p.m.
Celebrate Success! Opening Doors Transforming Lives Campaign Celebration Harold Newman Arena rsvp to kcrane@uj.edu
Family Weekend Karaoke Knight* Hansen Center J-House
5, 7, 9, & 11 p.m. Family Weekend Movie Knight* Hansen Center, J-House
Saturday, October 5 7:30 a.m.
5k Run/Walk* Parkhurst
Sunday, October 6
8:30 a.m.
Jimmie Janes Breakfast Heritage Room
* = Family Weekend family friendly events
8:30 – 10 a.m.
Class of 1969 Nursing Breakfast Gladstone Inn & Suites
9:00 a.m.
Chapel Service* Voorhees Chapel
For more information contact:
Setareh Campion, Director of Alumni Relations (701) 252-3467 ext. 4104 or Setareh.Campion@uj.edu
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GREETINGS FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Dear Alumni and Friends, Summer will soon turn to fall and that means Homecoming is right around the corner at the University of Jamestown. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus for a time of connection, celebration, and fun. We encourage you to join us in gathering together as Jimmies, cheering on our teams, and enjoying the fine arts. Please see the previous page for more details and the complete Homecoming schedule. Among the highlights will be honoring of the classes of ’69, ’64, ’59, and ’54 at the Alumni Banquet with President Peterson on Friday evening. On Saturday evening, we will celebrate our donors and the successful completion of our $60 million Opening Doors Transforming Lives campaign. The Alumni Association continues to navigate change. Four new board members joined at our spring 2019 meeting. They are Matt Gooding ’94 (Clive, IA), Deb (Clark) Hornung ’85 (Jamestown, ND), Sami King ’98 (Wasilla, AK), and Kelly Rachel ’84 (Jamestown, ND). Our board works to foster alumni relations—serving as ambassadors, cultivating enrollment and development opportunities, and networking with alumni around the world. Brett Moser has transitioned from the role of Director of Alumni Relations to Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations. Brett continues to work with the Alumni Association to cast vision, but also helps execute the role of the board to serve and connect with you. Setareh Campion has been hired as the new Director of Alumni Relations. Please welcome her as she will be a key person serving during Homecoming weekend. Thank you for all you do as our alumni, representing the University of Jamestown professionally and in your communities. We look forward to connecting with you soon.
Sincerely, MaryBeth Hegstad ’97 Alumni Association President
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MaryBeth Hegstad ’97, President Wade Borth ’90, Vice President Tom Boerger ’85, Secretary to the Executive Committee Terri Folk ’03 Matt Gooding ’94
Tonya (Schlaht) Holmstrom ’04 Kellie (Schuneman) Hord ’12 Deb (Clark) Hornung ’85 Sami King ’98 Carol (Prentice) Land ’80
Tim O’Keeffe ’95 Scott Peterson ’82 Kelly Rachel ’84 Dan Stoudt ’07
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LEGACY AWARD Tradition is celebrated at the University of Jamestown through our Legacy Award program. Legacy Awards valued at $1,000 annually ($4,000 over four years, applied to tuition only), and are provided to new students whose father, mother, brother, sister or grandparent graduated from or is currently attending the University of Jamestown.*
ALUMNI REFERRAL SCHOLARSHIP Additionally, one of the best ways to support your alma mater is to “Refer a Student” to the University of Jamestown. Alumni referrals are a strong source of future Jimmies. Encourage a college-bound young person in your church, school, or community to consider the University of Jamestown. You can provide us with the student’s information by completing and mailing the form below or at uj.edu/alumniandfriends (select “Referral Form”). Our response will be made in the Jimmie tradition…personal, caring, and enthusiastic.
Introduce us to a student you know. Alumni Referral Scholarship ($250 per year for four years) Contact Admission: 1-800-336-2554 | admission@uj.edu Refer a student online at uj.edu/refer-a-student or send in the form below. Please send information to this student: Name________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City___________________________________________________________________ State_________________________ Zip______________ Phone Number_______________________ Cell phone number___________________ E-mail_________________________________________ Parent’s/Guardian’s Name_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Academic Area of Interest_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Year of Graduation______________ Co-curricular Activities____________________________________________________________________ Your Name________________________________________ May we use your name when contacting student?_____ yes______no How do you know this student?__________________________________________________________________________________________ Mail this form to University of Jamestown Office of Admission, 6081 College Lane, Jamestown, ND 58405
*Please visit with the Office of Admissions to discuss which awards students may be eligible to receive, admission@uj.edu or 1-800-336-2554, ext. 5562.
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Marriages Danielle Simpson ’09 (BS) and Austin Stephenson, October 6, 2018
Devin Arnold ’15 (BA) and Oliva Knott ’17, June 9, 2018
Tonya Timmersman ’11 (BA) and Kendall Craven, June 15, 2019
Beau Eriksson ’16 (BA) and Kadie Savage ’15 (BS), July 10, 2017
Serrina Smith ’12 (BA) and Alex Kalinkin, June 29, 2019
Jordan Lynch ’16 (BA) and Alexandra Hill ’19 (BA), June 15, 2019
Paul Roers ’13 (BA) and Amber Ramlo ’14 (BA), June 9, 2019
Austin Werre ’16 and Trisha Sem ’16 (BS), March 13, 2018
Tonya Timmersman ’11 and Kendall Craven
Births
Ryan and Laura (Anderson) ’05 (BA) Hager son, Owen, born March 5, 2019 Stefan and Mindy (Hunt) ’07 (BA) Reimer, son Liam Johannes, born April 1, 2019 Nathan ’08 (BA) and Victoria (Haak) ’12 Clark, son Ian, born April 6, 2018 Austin ’09 (BA) and Kelly (Morgan) ’10 (BA) ’14 (MED) Bauer, son Conrad Lee, born February 8, 2019
Rowan Mae Gibson
Robert ’09 (BA) and Jennifer Lukens, son Sylas, born January 19, 2019 Timothy ’11 (BA) and Madeline (Hornung) Ranum ’12 (BS), daughter Zoey Grace, born April 27, 2019 Joseph ’12 (BA) and Kirsten (Sand) ’14 (BA) ’18 (MEd) Koerber, daughter Sutton Victoria, born February 1, 2019 Liam Johannes Reimer
Owen Hager
Shilo and Valerie (Wahl) ’09 (BA) Ford, son Alec Howard, born August 20, 2018
Logan ’13 (BA) and Kellie (Schuneman) ’12 (BA) Hord, daughter Blakely Ann, born February 4, 2019 Trent ’17 (BA) and Caitlyn (Arnold) ’14 (BSN) Roemmich, son Milo James, born April 8, 2019 Donovan (Admissions Counselor) and Jenna Gibson, daughter Rowan Mae, born June 20, 2019
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In Memoriam Mary (West) Carlson ’39 (BA), February 13, 2019
Patricia (Toman) Eck ’63 (BA), June 22, 2019
Delores (Seele) Tollefson ’39 (BA), May 27, 2019
Katherine (Miller) Niemi ’63 (BA), April 6, 2019
Violet (Skorniak) Carter ’41 (BA) July 1, 2019 Winifred M. (Brummett) Seaman ’41, May 2, 2019 Adrian Lawler ’44, April 25, 2019 Harold C. Olson ’44, January 13, 2019 Carole (Amundson) Torguson ’44, April 22, 2019 Blanche (Wicks) Schley ’46 (BA), December 15, 2018
Perry W. Ford ’79
Keith C. Ferguson ’63 (BA), June 17, 2019 LaDonna Joyce (Eidem) Vanderbeek ’67 (BS), May 10, 2019 Wynette M. (Walch) Bautz ’68, February 7, 2019 Donald Eppinger ’74 (BA), April 27, 2019 Terrance Silva ’74 (BS), June 15, 2019 Pamela (Sondreal) Egan ’75 (BS), June 11, 2019 Dianne Moen ’75 (BA), June 13, 2019 Perry W. Ford ’79 (BA), February 28, 2019
John Aalsma ’49 (BA), September 19, 2018
Wanda Clark ’87, June 23, 2019
Kenneth Boom ’52, March 24, 2019
Arland R. Clelland ’89, May 17, 2019
Riley H. Rogers ’52 (BS), February 12, 2019
Mark N. Iszler ’89 (BA), March 2, 2019
Shirley R. (Drake) Naismith ’53, May 20, 2018
Robert “Rob” Arneson ’94 (BA), April 12, 2019
Alvin Whitmer ’53 (BS), April 23, 2019
Randy D. Gray ’03, April 9, 2019
Glenn M. Hultgren ’54, February 5, 2019 Gordon D. Klein ’54 (BA), May 16, 2019 Hazel Anderson ’55 (BA), October 16, 2018 Rodney Bell ’55 (BS), March 31, 2019
Dr. Tim Bratton
Friends
Wesley L. Kessler ’56 (BS), February 24, 2019
Dr. Tim Bratton, Professor Emeritus of History, August 1, 2019
Stanley M. Waagen ’56 (BS), May 26, 2019
W. Gordon Christianson, February 19, 2019
Carroll Dean Ferguson ’58 (BS), June 19, 2019
Lyle Duden, June 18, 2019
Robert F. Borth ’60 (BS), February 20, 2019
Kenneth Frigen, March 23, 2019
Richard Davidson ’60, June 15, 2019
Mildred S. Hanson, March 18, 2019
Jenell (Linzbach) Oberlander ’60 (BS), May 18, 2019
Marge Kourajian, April 11, 2019
Joyce (Zimmerman) VanNess ’62 (BA), February 24, 2019
Bea Stocking, February 27, 2019
Ellen Meier, June 2, 2019 Archie Sveum, February 12, 2019
Editor’s note: Alumni who received a degree are designated by the year of graduation followed by the degree they received.
Office of Development and Alumni Relations 6082 College Lane Jamestown, ND 58405
IMPORTANT DATES
Booster Club Kick-Off (Jamestown, IDK Bar & Grill) August 15 Booster Club Kick-Off (Bismarck, Lucky’s 13 Pub) August 21 Booster Club Kick-Off (Fargo, Lucky’s 13 Pub) August 22 Community Block Party August 28 Opening Convocation/Young Alumni Medallion Awards September 5 Alumni Association Meeting October 4 Board of Trustees Meeting October 3-4 Homecoming 2019 October 3-6 Athletic Hall of Fame Breakfast October 5 Opening Doors Transforming Lives Campaign Celebration October 5 Character in Leadership Conference Keynote Speaker: Dr. Shane Berg ’96 October 10
Visit uj.edu/alumniandfriends for additional alumni events coming soon!