Ryan Vincent ’12 Airika (Tyler) Detmer ’12

Jon Becker ’13

Ryan Vincent of O’Fallon, Ill., earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from McKendree. As a student, Ryan was in the Honors Program and served as a tutor for the computer science and math department for three years. He was actively involved in Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, the Association of Computing Machinery, Sigma Zeta, Phi Kappa Phi, Math Club, and homecoming court. He was recognized as an Active Collegians Engaged in Service (ACES) recipient for having volunteered more than 400 hours of service to communities, churches, schools and organizations. He also spent the summer of 2011 as a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) intern at the University of Houston to study automatic text summarization.

Ryan regularly presents leadership development courses to college students across the country for Alpha Phi Omega. A member of the William McKendree Society, he also co-presented a discussion about career opportunities to the computer science department at McKendree and is the advisor to the Alpha Phi Omega group on campus. He has led and completed an effort to digitize leadership courses for APO in response to COVID-19 and was elected as the Alpha Phi Omega Section 49 chair for three years. Ryan is married to his wife and fellow McKendree alumna, Jennifer (Melusky) Vincent ’15, and has three children: Lucas and Olivia, and newborn daughter Alaina Joy, born this September.

Airika (Tyler) Detmer of O’Fallon, Ill., earned a degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice from McKendree. She was active on the women’s track and field and cross-country teams and was a member of the Senior Class Gift Committee as a student. She was also a student ambassador, an NSO group leader and UNI 101 peer mentor, and a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society and Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society.

After McKendree, Airika attended SIU School of Law and earned her JD in 2015. She began working in the St. Clair County State’s Attorney Office as an assistant state’s attorney in the juvenile division in 2017 and was named supervising assistant state’s attorney within the division two years later. Currently, she serves in the felony division as an assistant state’s attorney.

Airika is married to her husband, Colin, and has one son, Bentley Detmer. She enjoys reading, running, traveling and spending time with her son and husband. She also is a former Junior Service Club member in St. Clair County and a former basketball coach for 4th-6th grade girls at Lewis and Clark Jr. High School in Wood River, Ill.

Jon Becker of Effingham, Ill., earned a degree in athletic training from McKendree. As a student, he was a member of the men’s golf team and was active in the University’s chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Government Association, New Student Orientation, intramural sports, and volunteered for Special Olympics and McKendree Race Day. He is a member of Iota Tau Alpha and Phi Kappa Phi. While earning his Athletic Training Certification (ATC), Jon earned Honor Student of the Year from the nationally-acclaimed program.

After graduation, Jon earned a position as head athletic trainer for all varsity athletics at Nashville Community High School in Nashville, Ill. He then served as a minor league athletic trainer in the New York Yankees organization from 2017-2022, most recently with the Hudson Valley Renegades. Jon recently was hired as the assistant golf pro at Effingham Country Club in Effingham, Ill. He enjoys golf, fitness, attending concerts, and playing cards and board games with his family.

Inductees have made exceptional contributions to the honor and prestige of the University through their achievements, leadership and character, and have demonstrated the values of a liberal arts education in their professions or chosen fields.

Kristin (Voegele) Kneedler ’03 | Social Sciences

Kristin (Voegele) Kneedler of Collinsville, Ill., earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is the CEO of Counselors Associates Ltd. On campus, she was the captain of the tennis team, a member of the psychology club and the speech and debate team, and volunteered at the Lyn Huxford Center for Community Service. She was also a delegate representative for the Technos International program in Japan and volunteered in Jamaican orphanages.

Kristin continues to serve McKendree by providing internships to students in the Graduate Counseling program. She also served as an adjunct professor for many years in the undergraduate psychology and sociology programs, the graduate counseling program and the School of Education. Kristin is married to her husband, Ryan. Together, they have four children: Bay, Parker, Kalen and Eli. Her hobbies include hiking, snow skiing, running, yoga, reading and playing with her children and two dogs, Nova and Oliver.

Glen Kinder ’02 | Business

Glen Kinder of Eddyville, Ky., earned a degree in business administration in economics and finance. He is the branch chief for the USDA Forest Service’s Government Purchase Card program. As a student, he was chosen as the Student Lincoln Laureate in 2002, was a regular volunteer for 4-H and the Second Chance Homeless Shelter in East St. Louis, Ill., and was a member of Alpha Phi Omega (APO), the nation’s largest community service fraternity. Through his service to APO, Glen has been recognized with a Distinguished Service Key at the Chapter Level in 2001, the Selection Level in 2008, the Alumni Association in 2019 and the Region Level in 2020.

Since graduating from McKendree, Glen has returned on several occasions to support the Presidential Scholarship interview and was also honored twice as an alum of the APO Chapter of the University. He is married to his wife, Becky, and has one son, Quin, and one daughter, Finley.

Regina Peterson ’09, MSN ’13, DNP ’18 | Nursing/Health Professions

Regina Peterson of Mascoutah, Ill., is a triple alumna of the University. She earned her BSN, MSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in Ethical Leadership. Following the completion of her degree, Regina became the chief nursing officer at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Ill. She continues to serve the University by mentoring nursing students for the BSN, MSN and DNP programs and providing preceptorship and clinical opportunities. She collaborated to help create the BSN and MSN cohorts at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, and she is a member of the nursing advisory council.

Regina is married to her husband, Clifford Lee, and has two children: Brittany Peterson-Marx and Zach Peterson. She is active at her church, St. Nicholas in O’Fallon, Ill.

Danita Lynn Smith ’02 | Community Service

Danita Lynn Smith of Black Jack, Mo., earned a BSN degree from McKendree. She then graduated with an MBA degree from Webster University in 2009. Danita is the owner and founder of My Blooming Health, a mobile phlebotomy company in St. Louis since 2013. She started the mobile medical lab after she realized that many disabled and elderly patients were not monitoring and maintaining their health due to their homebound status, transportation issues or work conflicts. She is also a volunteer nurse with Health Protection & Education Services in University City, Mo.

Danita has won many awards, including the St. Louis American Foundation Excellence in Healthcare Award in 2017, the National Black Nurses Association Nurse Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021 and the Distinguished Alumni Award of Alton High School in 2021. She is involved with the Urban League Guild, St. Louis Care Alliance and many community health fairs.

Sports Hall of Fame

Inductees are athletes, former coaches, alumni coaches or sports professionals who, through leadership and character, have made exceptional contributions to the honor and prestige of McKendree in the field of athletics.

Ricardo Harris ’03 | Football

Ricardo “Rico” Harris first arrived at McKendree in 1999, just a few years following the revival of the Bearcats’ football program. In his four seasons, he became one of the top defensive linemen in the program’s history. As a senior in 2002, he was named the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League Defensive Player of the Year and earned First-Team NAIA AllAmerican honors.

Ricardo currently stands tied for fourth in school history in forced fumbles (6) and sixth in tackles for loss (40), and he tied for 10th in quarterback sacks (16.5). Ricardo was a three-time MFSA All-Midwest League selection and a two-time NAIA All-American at defensive end. He is one of nine Bearcat football players to garner NAIA All-American honors twice in a career as he earned the honor in both 2001 and 2002.

Amy (Quirin) Kremmel ’09 | Softball

Amy (Quirin) Kremmel was one of the most dominant pitchers in McKendree University softball history during her four-year career as a Bearcat. She was a part of a McKendree program that won 128 games from 2006-2009 and advanced to the NAIA National Championships in 2009.

In her four seasons, she posted a career record of 65-36 with a 1.71 ERA in 688.0 innings of work. In those 688.0 innings of work, she tallied 619 strikeouts and recorded 84 complete games and 17 shutouts. She holds nearly every career pitching record in McKendree softball history as she is the school’s all-time leader in wins (65), appearances (115), starts (88), innings pitched (688.0), complete games (84), strikeouts (619), shutouts (17) and is fourth in career ERA at 1.71. In addition, she is one of two pitchers in school history to have three seasons with 125 or more strikeouts.

Dylan Mueth ’14 | Hockey

As the second men’s hockey player to be inducted into the McKendree Sports Hall of Fame, Dylan played two seasons in 2011 and 2012 before sitting out the next two seasons due to having open-heart surgery. When he returned to the ice in 2015, he led the team in scoring with 26 goals and 20 assists for 46 points. As a senior in 2016, he captained the Bearcats to the program’s second-ever National Tournament appearance. He was part of a McKendree program that won 57 times over his four seasons on the team, including winning 19 games during the 2015-2016 season. Dylan closed his Bearcat career with 93 goals and 62 assists for a total of 155 points.

Dylan spent the 2016-2017 season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Bearcats and then spent two years (2019-2021) as the head coach of McKendree’s Division II men’s hockey team. He currently serves as the head coach of the St. Louis AAA Blues U13 Pee Wee Major team.

2002-2003 Men’s Basketball Team

The 2002-2003 team finished the season with a 34-4 overall record and advanced to the NAIA Final Four for the first and only time in the program’s history. The 34 wins are the second most in program history, while the team’s .895 winning percentage is also the second highest in school history. During the regular season, the Bearcats earned their first No. 1 ranking in the NAIA poll and claimed the regular season American Midwest Conference (AMC) title with an unblemished 10-0 record – the first undefeated record in league play in school history. Matt Laur, who averaged 23.4 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, was named the NAIA National Player of the Year, while Coach Statham was named both the AMC and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association-NAIA Coach of the Year. Additionally, Coach Statham became the NAIA’s all-time leader in career victories with 817.

Whether they were on the hunt to satisfy their sweet tooth at McKendree’s very first Trunk-or-Treat or marveling at vampires as they performed fangtastic feats of finesse, Bearcats of every age found no shortage of spirited surprises during the 2022 Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend.

It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of weekend! A non-stop parade of familiar faces, fantastic food and frightful festivities awaited any McKendrean brave enough to visit campus on Halloween weekend. But let’s be honest – not a great deal of bravery was required. The weather was perfect, and a fleet of food trucks fed the fun while the McKendree football team thrilled fans in the stands.

McKendree University also welcomed home the class of 1972 for a Golden Anniversary Reunion. Fond memories were shared, and friendships new and old were celebrated long into the night. One thing is certain – it’ll be a tough act to follow next year!

mckendree.edu/photos

Couldn’t make it to one of our in-person events? Scan here and catch up on what you missed!

McKendree Spreads Holiday Joy with a Special Family Event

McKendree celebrated its first-ever McKids Christmas and Holiday Open House on Dec. 17 in Ames Dining Hall. The day was filled with festive cheer, sweets, fun activities and plenty of smiling faces, along with a special visit from Bogey Claus.

The Class of 2026 Starts a New Tradition at Convocation

McKendree welcomed the Class of 2026 to campus during convocation on August 17. This class, which is the third largest class in the University’s history, began the new tradition of lining up in front of Stevenson House and processing to the front lawn, international flags flying and students holding posters of the states they represented. They will repeat this tradition in four years when they line up in black robes and hats upon their graduation, making Stevenson House a historic bookmark in these Bearcats’ lives.

McKendree Recognized as a 2022 ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for Student Voting!

The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognized McKendree for making international efforts to increase student voter participation. Way to go, Bearcats! Read more here:

Dr. Sara Frank Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Sara (Trask) Frank ’05, associate professor of communication, joins an elite group of St. Louis-area educators who have received the 2022 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award for their outstanding contribution to the teaching profession and to their students.

A native of Jerseyville, Ill., and current resident of Carlyle, Ill., Sara is a 2005 alumna and has served McKendree since 2018. A master communicator who has been described as straightforward, lively and effusive, Sara is also the Provost Fellow for Communication, a role in which she advises the McKendree Review, the student-run newspaper on campus, and helps students make podcasts on a wide range of topics.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this recognition,” said Sara. “Our McKendree faculty provides an exceptional educational experience for our students. To know I join a list of phenomenal colleagues and mentors who are dedicated to creating an engaging classroom culture is such a privilege. Every day I am reminded how lucky I am to get to call this a job, and to be recognized for my love of teaching and my students is incredible!”

During the fall of 2020, when educators everywhere were treading water in the ocean that was COVID-19, Sara embraced the problem of relationship-building during a pandemic by requiring one of her classes to publish “Dear Bogey” pieces in the McKendree Review. The students provided creative advice to their peers, faculty and staff on how to create and maintain healthy relationships. They were required to use course material, ancillary research and personal experience to craft their articles. Her recommenders called the project “inspiring.”

“Dr. Frank is known as a first-rate instructor. She is energetic and friendly, but no student is ever fooled – she maintains high, but not unreachable, standards,” said Dr. Alan Alewine, associate provost at McKendree University. “She works students hard but includes much laughter and light-heartedness in her courses.”

Other McKendree graduates who received the 2022 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award:

Psychology Major Named McKendree University’s 2022 Student Laureate

McKendree University senior Breanna Sampo, a psychology major from Cedar Point, Ill., received the state’s highest student honor – the 2022-2023 Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award – as a Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. It is the state’s highest student honor for leadership, service and excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities, awarded to a noteworthy senior from each college and university.

Deanne

Breanna has amassed an impressive record of scholarships, has been the coauthor on four peer-reviewed journal articles and three professional conference presentations and also presented her work at multiple undergraduate research conferences. She also recently earned a position as a Fulbright Canada Mitacs Globalink intern at Wilfrid Laurier University; during this time, she spent the summer designing and evaluating health literacy courses for educators in developing countries and is the first author on the paper being submitted for publication based on this project.

“Breanna is a model citizen at McKendree. Her myriad involvements prove that she not only possesses varied interests but also the drive to pursue them,” said Dr. Alan Alewine, associate provost at McKendree University. “Her research experiences are exceptional for an undergraduate and would rival those of students graduating from doctoral programs.”

During her time at McKendree, Breanna has been a tutor, an intern, a peer mentor and an academic mentor at the Student Success and Advising Center. The president of McKendree’s Psychology Club and Psi Chi, the international psychology honor society, Breanna has also served as the Student Government Association’s secretary and as a student representative on the Academic Excellence Celebration, in which she took the lead in promoting the day’s activities on campus and through social media. Off campus, Breanna has volunteered at Cedar Ridge Nursing Home in Lebanon, Ill., Trinity Social Services and the LaSalle Veterans Home and Spring Valley food pantry in her hometown.

In addition, Breanna is the captain of McKendree’s Color Guard, a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and a student academic mentor. Following graduation, Breanna plans to earn a doctorate in positive education research and become a professor at a university in which she can teach and mentor students. Another long-term career goal she has is to become a dean of students in order to advance school leadership in the direction of creating supportive inclusivity on campus.

All-Americans

Three men’s water polo players were named to the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Division II Men’s Varsity All-America Team, including junior Breno Tebet from Sao Paulo, Brazil (first team), graduate student Josh Carlson from New Lenox, Ill. and senior Nico Rodriguez from Bogota, Colombia (honorable mentions).

Scholar All-American & All-District Teams

Redshirt junior Jacob Bachman from Eureka, Ill. was named a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division II Academic All-American first team honoree for football. Jacob, along with Turner Pullen, redshirt senior Kenny Thomason from Mahomet, Ill., redshirt junior Tyler Siever from Carlyle, Ill., redshirt sophomore Josh Bleich from Melvin, Ill., and sophomores Kaleb Barry from Kirkwood, Mo., Billy Doyle IV from Lockport, Ill. and Jordan Sprycha from Oak Lawn, Ill. were named CSC Academic AllDistrict Team honorees for football.

Women’s soccer garnered six CSC nods, including seniors Morgan Bova from Troy, Mo., Allison Frederking from Weldon Springs, Mo., Elizabeth Goldstein from Florissant, Mo. and Abby Tucker from Wentzville, Mo., and juniors Destiny Johnson from Maryville, Ill. and Reagan Mauch from Columbia, Ill. Women’s volleyball had four All-District selections, including senior Claire Diercks from Highland, Ill., and juniors Brianna Binder from Littleton, Colo., Lauren McCurley from Troy, Ill. and Colleen Preusser from St. Charles, Mo.

National & Regional Highlights

Bass Fishing

Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship on Sept. 2-4.

Eight Bearcats qualified for the Bassmaster National Championships, including fifth-year seniors Tyler Christy ’22 from Bolingbrook, Ill. and Trey Schroeder from Crestwood, Mo.; seniors Bailey Bleser from Burlington, Wis. and Trey Budach from Morris, Ill.; juniors Colton Hill from Patoka, Ill. and Harmon Marien from Eagle River, Wis.; and sophomores Kyle Hopping from Lake St. Louis, Mo. and Jaxson Freeman from Loda, Ill. Tyler and Trey finished third and earned a spot in the nationally televised College Classic Bracket Finals at Greenwood Lake in Greenwood, S.C. on Sept. 30-Oct. 3. Tyler advanced to the semifinals with a 7-10 catch on day one, before falling short on day two to finish in third place.

2022 Major League Fishing (MLF) School of the Year Race.

After strong appearances at three regional tournaments and an Open event, the McKendree bass fishing team earned the MLF Central Conference Team of the Year title with a total of 1,747 points and finished in second place in the National School of The Year competition.

Illinois State Championships held at Lake Egypt in Marion, Ill. on Oct. 23.

Jaxson Freeman and sophomore Maxwell Trotter from Decatur, Ill. won the state title with two bass weighing 6.63lbs. Trey Schroeder and sophomore Lane Stephens from Talala, Okla. finished in second place.

Bowling

Senior men’s bowler Jorge Rodriguez from Yauco, Puerto Rico was the top finisher with 1,489 pins at the Midwest Collegiate Bowling Championships. Daniel Chin from Daly City, Calif. was the top finisher with 1,339 pins at the Columbia 300 Western Shootout and 1,161 pins at the Boilermaker Classic. The men’s team amassed a total of 8,698 pins at the Boilermaker Classic on Oct. 30 to also bring home the team title. The women’s bowling team won the MOTIV Ladyjack Classic with a 12-2 record and a total pinfall of 15,230 on Nov. 13 and the 2022 National Collegiate Team Match Games with a total pinfall of 10,461 on Nov. 20.

Glvc Conference Players Of The Year

Women's soccer junior forward Anna Stiffler from O'Fallon, Mo. was named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Year. She ranked atop a multitude of categories in the GLVC, leading in points (27), points per game (1.50), goals (13), goals per game (0.72), and game-winners (6 / 0.33 per game).

Redshirt junior quarterback Turner Pullen from Shelbyville, Ill. capped off his collegiate career by being named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Year. He led the league in passing yards (3,541), completions (329), attempts (469), completion percentage (70.1 percent), passing touchdowns (30), points responsible for (216) and total offense (341.0). In addition, he led all Division II quarterbacks in both total offense (341.0) and completions per game (29.91).

Football

Two football players were nominated for National Player of the Year awards. Turner Pullen was a candidate for the 2022 Harlon Hill Trophy for the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year.w Kenny Thomason was a candidate for the 2022 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award by the Manheim Touchdown Club.

Golf

The men’s golf team closed out the fall season with three tournament titles at the Bearcat Dual Gender Tournament at Far Oaks Golf Club in Caseyville, Ill., the Midwest Regional at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill., and the Kentucky Wesleyan Fall Invitational at The Pearl Club in Owensboro, Ky. Sophomore men’s golfer Fabian Wennerlof from Onsala, Sweden tied for first place at the Midwest Regional Tournament with a 210 for 54 holes. Sophomore women’s golfer Imogen Rafferty from Derbyshire, England won medalist honors with a 235 for 54 holes at the Bearcat Dual Gender Tournament.

Powerlifting

The men’s and women’s powerlifting teams placed second and third respectively at the Midwest Collegiate Regional. Four Bearcats won their weight classes, including sophomore Jake Waltzer (75kg) from Elkton, Md., with a combined total of 650kg; first-year Dawson Stebbins (90kg) from Swartz Creek, Mich., with a combined total of 630kg; first-year Steven Singleton (100kg) from Nashville, Tenn., with a combined total of 685kg; and junior Kailee Carr (56kg) from St. Peters, Mo., with a combined total of 332.5kg.

Soccer

The women’s soccer team closed out the regular season with a program-first unbeaten record and qualified for their sixth straight NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament, where they lost in the first round to Cedarville University. Three players were named to both the 2022 D2CCA AllMidwest Region and United Soccer Coaches' AllMidwest Region Teams, including Anna Stiffler (first teams), Morgan Bova from Troy, Mo. (first and second team), and Allison Frederking from Weldon Springs, Mo. (second teams).

Swimming

Sophomore men’s swimmer Jackson Lustig from Milwaukee, Wis. set the third all-time fastest time of 1:42.14 in the 200 butterfly for NCAA DII at the Mizzou Invite in November. During the fall, he was named the PNC GLVC Men’s Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week three times.

Tennis

Senior Ryan Fung from Miami, Fla. and sophomore Tomas Leston from Buenos Aires, Argentina won the Flight ‘C’ Doubles title at the Intercollegiate Team Association (ITA) Midwest Regional Championships. Two men’s doubles teams won their respective flights championships at the Southwest Baptist Invitational. Ryan and Tomas earned an 8-5 win in the “B” Doubles Draw final. Senior Leonardo Frederico from TijucasSanta Cantrina, Brazil and first-year Benedek Szombathelyi from Budapest, Hungary earned an 8-2 win in the “A” Doubles Draw final. Senior women’s tennis player Manuela Barriga from Bogota, Colombia claimed the “A” Singles Draw title with a 3-0 record.

Men’s Volleyball

Sophomore Kevin Schuele from Aurora, Ill. and first-year Robert Nardoni from Sierra Madre, Calif. competed at the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge, at Stevenson University in Owings Mills, Md. in September.

Men’s Water Polo

The men’s varsity water polo team finished seventh at the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Regional Championships in the Bronx, N.Y. The men’s club water polo team won the Missouri Valley Division Club Championship title and made a return trip to the 2022 National Collegiate Club Championships, where they finished in eighth place.

Athletic Staff & Coaching News

Brandi (Branka) Kordelewski ’13 was hired as the first-ever Assistant Athletic Director for Development. She is responsible for promoting and advancing McKendree Athletics to the broader community and increasing Bearcat Club membership and philanthropic gifts.

Amanda Howett was hired as an Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Women’s Compliance Officer. She comes to McKendree after spending nearly two years as the director of athletics at Penn State Shenango in Sharon, Pa.

Other new athletic hires include Cameron Conner, manager of event and game operations; Connie Henss-Nunn, athletic business manager; and Nick Staely, Division 3 head men’s hockey coach.

Check out McKBearcats.com for upcoming schedules, team news, and to purchase tickets. Visit shopmckendree.com to buy official athletics gear!

Not everyone gets the opportunity to directly affect the lives of current and future college students. While everyone on campus has the ability to use their unique gifts to help uphold McKendree as the incredible institution that it is, others like Stephen Kull, the vice president for institutional advancement, work hand in hand with alumni and friends of the University to create philanthropic opportunities that transform the lives of current and future Bearcats.

Stephen Kull Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Stephen joined McKendree in May 2022 and leads the Development, Alumni and Parent Relations team on campus. He also collaborates with colleagues on the President’s Cabinet as they work together to shape the future of the University. A Texas native and proud Aggie, Stephen grew up in Austin and graduated from Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station. Read on to learn a little more about Stephen and the work he does here at McKendree!

What should readers know about your job?

We genuinely care about the cause and the donors looking to support our cause. We are there to facilitate philanthropy and create opportunities to transform lives and situations.

What or who inspired you to follow your current career path?

In 1996, my youth pastor asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told him I wanted a career where I traveled and got to talk to people about their passions. In 2005, I received a phone call from that same individual who told me about a job at Concordia Seminary doing just that, and he told them about me. I moved from Dallas to St. Louis and met my wife three weeks after I started, and the rest is history.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

One-on-one meetings with donors and aligning passions with institutional needs. We get to facilitate life change. What other job allows you to change lives of those that benefit from the support (students) and those that experience the philanthropy (donors)?

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Not enough time. If I had my druthers, I would spend most of my time out traveling and meeting with alumni and friends of the University to identify passions, interests and stories that resonate with our current and future students.

What is something you absolutely cannot go without during your workday?

Coffee – at least 20 ounces to start the morning. Most people know me as someone who always has a coffee cup in hand in every meeting. I can drink coffee any time of the day and still get to sleep, but I cannot function without it in the morning. Little known fact: when I travel, which is often, I always seek out non-chain coffee shops in between meetings. During a workday where I am trying to buckle down and get stuff done, I am a big fan of a Piano Guys playlist on Spotify.