WINTER 2020 // VOL. XXXV, NO. 2
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PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE UNIVERSITY NEWS M-POWERED ATHLETIC FACILITY THINGS WE LOVE BIG BLUE VIEW CENTER FOR THEATRE & DANCE COMMUNITY AWARDS ALUMNI AWARDS ATHLETIC HALL-OF-FAME WORKMAN FAMILY BASEBALL FIELD ATHLETICS REPORT ALUMNI REPORT A YEAR IN REVIEW FACULTY PROFILE MEET THE MENTORS CAPP-ITALIZING ON STUDENT RESILIENCE DEAN'S REPORT COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES DEAN'S REPORT COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS DEAN'S REPORT COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
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THE CENTER FOR THEATRE & DANCE COMING 2020
The mission of Millikin Magazine is to engage alumni, friends, parents and other constituents in the life of the University, to communicate the high quality of Millikin Performance Learning, and to reflect the University’s mission and values.
UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT: PATRICK E. WHITE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT: GINA BIANCHI ’93 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT & MARKETING: SARAH SHUPENUS VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & BUSINESS AFFAIRS: RUBY JAMES VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS & DEAN OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT: RAPHAELLA PRANGE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: CRAIG WHITE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS: KYLEE RONEY DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATIONS: JENELL ANDERSON HIRONIMUS DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS & PUBLICATIONS: DANE LISSER DESIGN & ART DIRECTOR: MICHAEL RAUCH ASSOCIATE EDITOR: MARGARET ALLEN FRIEND UNIVERSITY WRITER: DANIELLE FIELDS ’09/MBA/’12 UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHER: RICHARD NDEMBE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST: JEREMY COULTER ’00 CONTRIBUTORS: DR. NAJIBA BENABESS, DR. RANDY BROOKS, KALLI FARMER’20, LAURA LEDFORD, DR. PAMELA LINDSEY, BRYAN MARSHALL’85, SOPHIA SCHWALBACH ’19/MBA’20 ,
It is the policy of Millikin University to afford equal opportunity for all persons without distinction or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or age. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the University. Millikin Magazine (ISSN 8750-7706) (USPS 0735-570) is produced by the Millikin University Marketing & Media Relations Office.
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©2019 Millikin University.
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PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Who is Millikin University? Patrick E. White President, Millikin University
As we move through this, my final year as president of Millikin, I am thinking about the last six years and the work we have to do together over the coming months. As we search for the person who will become the 16th president of this great University, and the
days march by, I feel a great urgency to accomplish all I can to increase the vitality and strength of our community.
We started this fall in fine fashion, welcoming our largest first-year class since 2012. Our University has been further enriched by 116 international
students from 36 countries, our largest number of
international students ever, testifying to Millikin’s strength and attractiveness. We also welcomed 96 Honors students in the first-year class.
The physical campus continues to grow. We have dedicated our new Workman Family Baseball Field, made possible by the commitment and
generosity of alumnus Gary Workman ’65 and his wife, Judy, and major contributions from trustees emeriti Mark and Bob Staley and their families, and trustee Tom Harrington ’70 and his wife,
Cordia. We continue to raise funds for the Center
for Theatre & Dance, which will open next fall, and are raising support for additional athletic facilities, including locker rooms and a weight room and fitness center available to all students.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
WRITTEN BY: PRESIDENT PATRICK E. WHITE
Millikin University is clearly moving ahead. During these exciting times, I invite us to
consider: what is Millikin? Or, more directly, who is Millikin? Millikin is more than
buildings or this plot of ground. Millikin is made up of people all over the world:
alumni – some of whom may not have set foot on the campus in 20 or more years –
students, parents, families, friends, faculty and staff, and those who are bound to the
University by threads of proximity (“I grew
up in Decatur and know about Millikin”) or
relationship (“My friends went to Millikin”).
As we look back over the six years we have been together, let us
ask ourselves not only what we have accomplished, but also what
we have become together. How is our Millikin different? We can
see the change in our campus, but I wonder how we feel about this community? Do we now feel a greater stake in the future of our University?
“DO YOU FEEL YOU OWN THE UNIVERSITY, THAT MILLIKIN IS YOURS?” When I met with four student leaders before I took office as interim
president in 2013, I asked them, “Do you love Millikin?” These leaders, who had experienced a chaotic year, responded, “Yeah, sort of.” So, I
asked a follow up. “Do you feel you own the University, that Millikin is yours?” They all answered, “No.” These four leaders may not have
been representative and they may have been mistaken, but they set me
an important challenge. I told them, “We are going to fix that. You are
MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY IS NOT A “WHAT,” BUT A “WHO,” A COMPLEX, LIVING COMMUNITY. The word “university” comes from the Latin word universitas, which means literally “world” as well as “a body of people, a corporation.” The first
university in the world, the University of Bologna in Italy, which traces its origin back to 1088,
began as a group of students and masters coming
together to study and grow and become a world, a
going to leave MU with a sense of ownership.”
I said this not just to encourage these students, but for the sake of
Millikin. A great and enduring university must call forth this sense of ownership. I have urged on every class a sense of ownership for
Millikin, a responsibility to care for their alma mater for the rest of their lives: “This is your University, your time, your place, and we together will be a better Millikin because you are here.”
What does it mean to own the University? It is more than feeling
appreciative for your education or for the impact Millikin has on the Decatur community. Most alumni and members of our surrounding community feel an appreciation for Millikin. However, I am
astonished when I meet alumni who feel indebted to MU, with awe-
inspiring stories of how Millikin has changed their lives, but have not
moved to become stakeholders who own the future of their University through their active and necessary support.
universitas. Those teachers, students and citizens,
This fall, we have asked ourselves in a number of forums, “What do
great universities ever since, had an ownership
“What is our best imagination of Millikin?” Any candidate for the
like all those who have pledged commitment to
stake in the university, in the achievement of its students, the growth of its reputation, and its financial well-being.
Millikin, too, is a community of people invested in
we want in the next president?” An equally important question is,
presidency of Millikin would be excited by a community that is ready to work with new leadership to make who we are as Millikin an even more remarkable, successful, richer, more famous and more exciting community than we are already.
our shared excellence and vitality, in who we are
Therefore, I invite all of you once again, in this, my final year, to join
at commencement, Millikin stays with all of us
supporting our shared future. We have much work to do now and in
and who we can become. As I tell the graduates for the rest of our lives. Millikin is a moveable
feast because our ways of being in the world, our
language, gestures, ways of thinking and doing, are shaped by the Millikin community.
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with me in owning our present in concrete ways and shaping and the years to come. We need one another to be Millikin together.
Who is Millikin? We all are. 3
U NIVE RS IT Y NE WS
MILLIKIN WELCOMES LARGEST FIRST-YEAR CLASS SINCE 2012 Millikin welcomed 488 first-year students to campus to begin the fall 2019 semester,
in every discipline put their learning into
a four percent increase in first-year
one of the best private, comprehensive
students from fall 2018 when it enrolled 468 first-year students. The 488 first-
practice and action. With outstanding academic programs, new offerings,
competitive athletic teams and an excellent and dedicated faculty, Millikin really is universities in the country.”
year class is the largest since 2012.
The quality of the first-year class remains
"Millikin's hallmark practice of
students in the freshmen class. Millikin also
Performance Learning is a state-wide,
regional, national and now, international, draw," said Millikin President Dr.
Patrick E. White. "Millikin students
strong. Millikin welcomed 96 honors
enrolled a record 116 total international
488 96 116 36 2,000
FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS HONORS STUDENTS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NATIONS REPRESENTED TOTAL ENROLLMENT
students from 36 countries, up from 95 international students last year.
NET PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
“BUILDING MILLIKIN IS AN INVESTMENT IN OURSELVES” Dr. Patrick E. White
Net property and equipment increased $11 million due to an increase in construction on campus over the past year. This includes the initial construction of the Center for Theatre and Dance building, remodeling of the Exercise Science and Sport Pavilion, and construction of the Workman Family Baseball Field.
NET TUITION & FEES
Millikin University President Dr. Patrick E. White was the featured keynote speaker at the bi-annual Community Leaders Breakfast in Decatur on Oct. 3. President White spoke about the
community's vision for and of itself in a speech titled "Who is our City?"
During his speech, White focused on
the connection between Millikin and the growth of Decatur. "My hope today is to look at you and to see Decatur in new
ways, enlarging our shared vision of who we are and what we can be," he said.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
utilizes Performance Learning in its
Net tuition and fees increased $1.9 million over last year from an increase in undergraduate students due to higher retention rates and an increase in new students to campus over last year. Also, graduate student revenue was higher than last year from an increase in students in the MBA and nursing graduate and DNP programs.
knowledge to witnesses and stakeholders,
NET ASSETS
"I'm asking us to explore our view of 'Who is our City?' in three different directions; expand our vision to include Millikin
University, broaden our view to explore a
regional perspective, and sharpen our focus to make sure that every single person in Decatur is a part of our city."
Dr. White emphasized how Millikin curriculum. "Students must perform their beyond their classrooms, beyond their
teachers and classmates. Building Millikin is an investment in ourselves," he said.
Net assets are holding strong at $261 million at the end of June 30, 2019 with the construction on campus and increase in net tuition and fees.
P R E S IDE NT IAL S E ARCH
THE SEARCH IS UNDERWAY Millikin University Presidential Search
Following President Patrick E. White’s February 2019 announcement of his pending retirement effective June 30, 2020, a national search was launched this fall to find the next president for Millikin University. After soliciting input from various stakeholders over the summer and early fall, the recruiting period of the search ended on Nov. 4 with a strong, diverse and experienced applicant pool. Eight candidates were selected to interview in Chicago in December. Three to four final candidates will be invited to campus for extended interviews in late January 2020, with a goal of welcoming the 16th president following the February 2020 Board of Trustees meetings.
President White was elected the 15th president of Millikin University in October 2013. Under his leadership, we have made significant progress on many fronts. We have continued to build on our strong tradition of academic excellence and our commitment to Performance Learning; we completed the Transform MU capital campaign and have continued to mark strong fundraising with record annual fund contributions and growth in endowed scholarships; we have grown the number and success of our athletic programs; we have worked to stabilize enrollments and have achieved growth in net tuition revenue and student diversity; we have changed the face of the campus through facilities that serve our students and community in new and exciting ways; we have risen in the national higher education rankings and earned notice in a number of rankings of specific programs; and so much more. Consequently, the next president will have much to build on and significant forward momentum. - Randell Blackburn ’74,
Chair, Millikin Board of Trustees, and chair of the presidential search
L E AR N MO R E
STAY UP-TO-DATE ON SEARCH UPDATES AND LEARN MORE DETAILS AT
millikin.edu/presidential-search W INTER 2020
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M-POWERED Millikin University officials announced the first phase of a multimillion-dollar Athletic Facility Expansion and Renovation plan titled “M-Powered.” M-Powered will strengthen the future of Millikin Athletics and enhance the University’s ability to recruit and retain
the finest student-athletes and coaches; provide outstanding
strength and conditioning facilities to maximize performance; and will include spaces for coaching, teaching and learning.
PH A SE ON E
$15 MILLION The initial goal for phase one is a new $15 million athletic facility that features the following: FITNESS CENTER A newly constructed 10,000-square-foot fitness center and weight room open to all students, faculty and staff.
LOCKER ROOMS Six locker rooms to accommodate junior varsity and varsity football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s track and field, and men’s and women’s cross country.
CLASSROOMS Breakout classrooms and team meeting spaces.
SUPPORT
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ATHLETIC FACILITY EXPANSION AND RENOVATION INITIATIVE, VISIT
millikin.edu/mpowered
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
PHASE ONE
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T H ING S WE LO VE
MU GRAD LANDS ROLE ON NBC COMEDY Millikin University graduate Joel Kim Booster '10 has become one of the hottest entertainers and standup comedians in Hollywood today. A Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based comedian and writer, Booster has
appeared on Conan, Comedy Central's
"The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail," This Is Not Happening and @midnight, Logo's "Comedy Cabaret" and truTV's "Comedy Knockout."
This fall, Booster landed the role of
Jun Ho on NBC's "Sunnyside" which premiered on Sept. 26. "Sunnyside" is
produced by comedy veteran Kal Penn
and actor Matt Murray as the cast brings to life the show's story of pursuing the
Joel Kim Booster Class of 2010
American dream.
MU2go APP Want to learn more about upcoming events
and frequently used apps; and information
options or the latest Millikin news? This fall,
as special events. With the MU2go app,
on Millikin University's campus, daily
Millikin University launched its first mobile app called "MU2go," an app that provides
quick access to content for students, faculty, families and friends who interact with the Big Blue community.
The MU2go app is designed to provide a
fast, reliable mobile experience for users to
find Millikin content including: information about campus dining locations, hours and
menus; quick access to emergency contacts MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
on the latest University happenings as well users can quickly access the content that is important to them.
MU2go is a hybrid application available for both iOS and Android devices. It
features content, filtered down by target
audience, so only one application is needed for all users. The app is available now on
the App Store or the Google Play Store.
T H ING S WE LO VE
Dr. Jennifer Schroeder receives prestigious Love of Learning Award Dr. Jennifer Schroeder, associate professor of biology and director of academic effectiveness at Millikin University, was awarded a Love of Learning Award from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Dr. Schroeder is one of 200 recipients nationwide to receive the award. Established in 2007, the Love of Learning Program gives 200 awards annually in support of post-baccalaureate professional development. Dr. Schroeder plans to utilize the Love of Learning Award to expand her cancer cell research. Since spring 2009, Schroeder has trained and worked with 32 students in her research lab, as well as helped mentor
seven students in other labs due to overlap between their research interests. Several have now gone on beyond Millikin to thrive in graduate research or medical school. “It's great because our students get several different types of Performance Learning opportunities. At Millikin, we strongly encourage students to do the hands-on work and it gives them a chance to really see if this is what they want to do," said Schroeder.
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Millikin community comes together to support local food drive The 18th annual WSOY Community Food Drive was held in Decatur oin October 2019, and Millikin University was once again among the many contributors who helped the Decatur community surpass its goal by raising 1.69 million pounds of food. This year, the Millikin community came together to donate more than 5,650 pounds of food. President Dr. Patrick E. White and several student leaders delivered the food donations on the morning of the food drive. Each year, Millikin University's Athletics Department adopts the community food drive as a special focus for service. Millikin
student-athletes came together to do their part in supporting the food drive by gathering on the evening before the food drive outside Frank M. Lindsay Field with their non-perishable items in hand. Korbin Farmer, a senior philosophy major from Columbia, Ill., men's basketball captain and president of Student Athlete Advisory Council, loved the opportunity for all Millikin teams to come together. "We love the chance to have all the teams gather to help support this cause," said Farmer. "It's a great feeling to be able to give support to the community that does such a great job supporting us."
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T H ING S WE LO VE
Millikin History Professor appointed to
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum Board of Trustees This fall, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker appointed Dr. Dan Monroe,
associate professor of history and chair of the Department of History and
Political Science at Millikin, to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) Board of Trustees. Dr. Monroe will serve as the Illinois Historian on the board.
“I'm grateful to Governor J.B. Pritzker for nominating me to the ALPLM Board of Trustees," said Monroe. "The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is a priceless state and national resource with a
dedicated staff. I look forward to advancing the mission of the ALPLM as the Illinois Historian."
Throughout his career, Dr. Monroe has been actively involved in
celebrating Illinois' rich history. In May 2019, he was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the Illinois State Historical Society.
Millikin welcomes first Fulbright Scholar-inResidence from Ghana Millikin University welcomed Dr. Victoria Bam, a
In January 2017, he was appointed chair of the Illinois Historic Sites
Advisory Council for the 2017-2019 term. In February 2018, Dr. Monroe
was elected to the Board of Directors of the Abraham Lincoln Association and is currently serving a three-year term.
native of Ghana and the first Fulbright Scholarin-Residence at Millikin, on campus in August 2019. She came to Millikin after serving as a
senior lecturer in the Department of Nursing
at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.
An expert on global health, public health nursing
and health management, Dr. Bam is spending the
2019-20 academic year teaching courses on global and public health in the College of Professional Studies. In addition to teaching Global Health, Dr. Bam is also co-teaching two courses; one
called Health and Pollution and the second titled Diverse Populations.
Dr. Bam says it's always been her passion to help people which led her to becoming a nurse.
"I wanted to be there for people, to take care of
them, and I haven't regretted it," she said. "I have a passion for educating people and supporting
health care. I'm happy to be doing this because we can work with people and institutions to prevent a lot of the diseases in our environment that Dr. Dan Monroe
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
are preventable."
T H ING S WE LO VE
Millikin's First Step Records celebrates Vespers 60th Anniversary Vespers is one of Millikin University's most popular events. It signals the beginning of the holiday season with a sumptuous evening of carols, choirs and candlelight. During the event, over 250 musicians join together in Kirkland Fine Arts Center for a joyous musical feast with songs from past centuries combined with familiar carols and arrangements. In honor of the 60th Anniversary of Vespers, Millikin University studentrun record label First Step Records is releasing a one-of-a-kind, special edition Vespers 60th anniversary dual CD with an attached 32-page booklet.
Triathlon finishes third at NCAA Triathlon National Championships
Millikin Cross Country records historic finish at CCIW Championships
Millikin University Women's Triathlon competed in the NCAA Triathlon National Championships Nov. 16-17 in Tempe, Ariz. The Big Blue finished in third place in the Division III competition for the second year in a row recording 28 team points.
The Millikin men's cross country team finished in third place at the 2019 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships held on Nov. 2, 2019 at the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill. The Millikin women finished in eighth place.
The Big Blue would finish the race with two runners in the Top 10 with Morgan
The third place finish by the Big Blue men was the best finish for Millikin since 1963.
Powers, who finished seventh overall, and Hope Roderick, who rounded out the Top 10 finishing 10th. Brigid Duesterhaus would finish 11th. Millikin earned their second third place finish at the NCAA Triathlon National Championships, winning their first title in 2018, the team's first year of competition.
In addition to their accomplishments at the CCIW Championships, the Millikin men's and women's cross country teams won the H.W. Wright Classic on Sept. 27, 2019 at old Scovill Golf Course in Decatur. That day, the Millikin men took four of the top 10 finishes as the Millikin women won their race by capturing three of the top 10 spots.
First Step Records produced two discs - one of the Richard D. Hoffland era, and one of the Brad Holmes era. The label wanted to share the history of Vespers by including an attached 32-page booklet, written by Millikin's very own Dr. Timothy Kovalcik ’96. First Step Records also launched a Kickstarter campaign where individuals can find exclusive Vespers 60th anniversary deals that will support the special edition CD and celebrate the beloved tradition of Vespers.
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PRO G RE S S
CENTER FOR THEATRE & DANCE COMING FALL 2020
CUE THE LIGHTS
Millikin University's Center for Theatre & Dance is quickly coming into focus, making its way to a projected completion date of fall 2020. Thanks to the incredible work of BLDD Architects Inc. and CORE Construction, the Center is on track to becoming a revolutionary, transformational building that will
SUPPORT
Stay up-to-date on the latest Center for Theatre & Dance construction news and learn how you can support this ongoing effort at
millikin.edu/CfTaD NAMING OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
bolster an already world-renowned School of Theatre & Dance.
The $29 million Center for Theatre & Dance will feature two dance studios, four acting studios, a costume shop and support spaces, a light and sound lab, design classrooms, practice rooms, collaboration spaces, faculty offices and conference rooms, and a
260-seat flexible courtyard-style theatre. The professional venue not only provides
real-world experiences for our student artists, but also an opportunity for community collaboration, serving as a community resource of cultural growth, awareness and advocacy as Decatur’s up-and-coming cultural center.
Julius W. Hegeler II Lobby
Julius W. Hegeler II Lobby
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C O MMU NIT Y AWARDS
AWA R D S C E L E B R AT I N G N O N - A LU M N I S U P P O RT
In October 2019, Millikin University honored Ritchie and Sandra Barnett and the Brechnitz Group of Raymond James and Associates Inc. with its most prestigious nonalumni awards.
The James Millikin Awards, given out
our generation receive the blessings
Associates Dinner, recognize non-
generations to build buildings and create
each year during the University’s Fall alumni friends of the University who
have shown outstanding financial and volunteer support for Millikin. The
University’s Board of Trustees confers
these honors annually, recognizing one
exceptional individual or couple, and one exceptional business, organization or foundation.
This year’s honorees were joined at
Millikin’s University Commons by an
enthusiastic crowd, including President Dr. Patrick E. White and his wife,
Chris; Millikin Associates Chair Kara
Demirjian Huss; and Millikin Student Ambassador Chelsi Jones, a junior
political science major from Decatur. “We really appreciate what Millikin does
for the community,” said Ritchie Barnett. “We have been fortunate enough to have
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
and the contributions of our prior
this fine University, and strongly feel
that it is our responsibility amongst our generation to continue to contribute … so the next generations can continue to benefit from improvements to Millikin University and our community."
In his remarks, Erik Brechnitz also
emphasized this partnership between
Decatur and Millikin: “The Brechnitz Group could use our time, talent
and treasures for a lot of different
organizations and institutions, and we
focus on Millikin University as the place where we think we can make the biggest difference in the lives of people. It is
the cultural and intellectual soul of the community,” he said.
C O MMU NIT Y AWARDS
Ritchie & Sandra Barnett
Brechnitz Group
Ritchie and Sandra Barnett have been generous friends of
The Brechnitz Group of Raymond James and Associates Inc.
of scholarships and the Millikin Fund has helped countless
comprehensive wealth management services to individuals and
Millikin University for more than 35 years. Their faithful support
students attain their dream of a Millikin education. They also established and support the Robert F. Tomlinson and Juanita
Tomlinson Gates Scholarship, which is awarded annually to one
or more deserving students majoring in music with a minimum 3.0 GPA. In addition, the couple’s generous support of the Center
for Theatre & Dance, Kirkland Fine Arts Center, the School of
Music and past capital campaign projects, including Transform MU, has been an important part of the momentum to move Millikin forward.
The Barnetts are members of the Millikin Associates and the
Millikin College of Fine Arts Patrons Society, and faithfully attend Associates meetings as well as many other University
events and functions. A longtime vice president and trust officer at First National Bank of Decatur, Ritchie retired from the banking industry at Busey Bank.
The Barnetts have been active in the community over the years, with involvement in the Boy Scouts of America, MillikinDecatur Symphony Orchestra Guild, the Macon County
Historical Society, Oglesby Mansion and Partners in Education. Ritchie has used his banking expertise to help several community
organizations set up endowments to ensure long-term support. Sandra, a master gardener, helped design the floral gardens at the Decatur Public Library and sang with both the Greater Decatur Chorale and her church choir.
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is a team of financial professionals providing a wide range of
institutional clients. Current partners of the firm are Erik C.
Brechnitz, Walter L. Sparks, James R. Neff ’78, J. Bret Mason, Gregory R. Huck ’85, Beth Nolan MBA ’04 and Rich Kaczynski ’12.
Loyal friends of Millikin, the Brechnitz Group is a sponsor of
the Big Blue Club Golf Outing and has supported the Millikin
Fund and various University athletic teams over the years. They recently established and endowed the Erik C. Brechnitz
Business Experience Fund to provide financial assistance for travel and lodging expenses incurred by Tabor School of Business
students who have secured an internship. The first recipient was announced last spring and used the funds to pursue a summer internship at Ameren corporate headquarters in St. Louis.
Erik Brechnitz served on the Millikin Board of Trustees from
1996 to 2008 and now serves as a trustee emeritus. Brechnitz
is currently chairman of the Marco Island City Council. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Millikin. He has also earned recognition on the University’s Wall of Philanthropy for his lifetime giving. Jim Neff ’78, partner of
the firm, served on Millikin's Board of Trustees from 2005–2016 and returned to Board service in July 2019. In recognition of his loyalty and generosity to his alma mater, Neff was named the recipient of the 2019 Alumni Loyalty Award.
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ALU MNI AWARDS
ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR Don McIntyre’52 & Nancy Todd McIntyre’53 In recognition of exemplary, steadfast dedication to Millikin, Don McIntyre ’52 and Nancy Todd McIntyre ’53 are co-recipients of the Alumnus of the Year Award.
Now a trustee emeritus, Don served
multiple terms on Millikin’s Board of Trustees. Faithful supporters of the
Millikin Fund, the couple also created the Donald and Nancy McIntyre
Scholarship Fund and have supported capital campaigns and many special projects. They are also members of
Millikin’s Centennial Medallion Society, honoring the extraordinary and lasting impact of their service and support.
MERIT-LOYALTY AWARD
Terry Peel ’68 With an impressive career including two decades as staff director of the House
Foreign Operations and Military Construction committees, Merit-Loyalty Award recipient Terry Peel ’68 continues his work in international affairs as a founding
partner in Edington, Peel & Associates. Peel has returned to campus to speak with students on U.S. foreign policy and theatre. Faithful supporters of the Millikin Fund and other scholarships and endowments, he and his wife, Ann Davidson Peel ’68, also endowed the Ann and Terry Peel Scholarship.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
A LU MNI AWARDS
LOYALTY AWARD
MERIT AWARD
YOUNG ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR
Jim Neff ’78
Sarah Smith-Raschen’98
Dian Romonosky ’11
Winner of the 2019 Loyalty Award, Jim
After enlisting in the Illinois Army
The Young Alumnus of the Year, earned
talents and treasure with his alma mater.
Sarah Smith-Raschen ’98 majored in
University of California-Irvine and was
Neff ’78 has faithfully shared his time,
Previously serving on Millikin’s Board of Trustees for 11 years and acting as board
chair for two years, Neff recently returned to Board service. He has also generously supported the Millikin Fund, student
scholarships, athletic teams and many capital projects. Neff is a partner and
branch manager of the Brechnitz Group of Raymond James in Decatur.
National Guard, Merit Award recipient political science and pre-law at Millikin, later earning a master’s degree in public
policy and a juris doctorate. In 2005, she was mobilized in support of Hurricane Katrina, followed by deployments to
Kosovo and Afghanistan. Currently the
highest-ranking Judge Advocate General in the Illinois Army National Guard, she was appointed associate circuit judge in 2015. In 2018, she was elected circuit
a doctorate in chemistry from the
awarded a National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowship. Formerly a postdoctoral research associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory, she was a remote guest lecturer for Millikin and
discussed working in the governmental
chemistry sector. Romonosky’11 is now a chemistry lecturer at the State University of New York at Geneseo.
judge for Madison and Bond counties.
2019-2020 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS: Alumni Awards are selected by the Alumni Association Board and conferred by the Board of Trustees.
Robert Arn ’10
Bruce Jeffery ’07
Sue Vaughan Nelson ’66
Mirinda Rothrock ’04
Janean Thompson Baird ’93, Secretary
Paul Lidy ’04, Past President
Laura Peete ’14
Morgan Trump Schaab ’11
Ted Bliefnick ’04, Board Development
Trevor May ’16, President
Claudia Nichols Quigg ’75
Lindsay Senalik ’04
Heather Wells Giannino ’05, Vice President
Erica Melton McAdoo ’05
Kyle Risby ’09
Angelica Balsamo Sohlberg ’05
Joe Havis ’04
Josh Miller ’18
Lauren Bringman Rodenbarger ’10
Jason White ’00, Treasurer
For information regarding Alumni Association membership, benefits, activities and service on the board, please email alumnews@millikin.edu.
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A T H L E T IC H ALL O F FAME
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 2019 MILLIKIN UNIVERSIT Y ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Mark Coglianese ’85
Jennifer Falbe Douglass ’00
Terri Jones Kawczynski ’85
In 1984, Mark Coglianese ’85 was named
Jennifer Falbe Douglass ’00 set records in
Terri Jones Kawczynski ’85 made three
CCIW First Team honors. In 1988, he
of the Year and Most Valuable Runner in
to the NCAA Division III national
most valuable defensive back and earned
joined Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Ill., as assistant football
and track coach. His Providence Celtics track teams have won three Chicago
Catholic League (CCL) championships, two sectional championships and placed second at state, while the football teams
have garnered nine state championships. Named the CCL Coach of the Year
five times, “Coach Cogs” was inducted into the CCL Hall of Fame in 2015.
two Big Blue sports. Cross country’s Rookie 1997, she holds the seventh-best time in the three-mile run. The 20th all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball, Douglass
helped win three conference championships and three NCAA tournament berths, while setting records for steals in a season and in a career. Named CCIW Second Team in
1997 and First Team in 1998 and 1999, she was CCIW Most Outstanding Player in
2000. She teaches at Decatur’s Enterprise Elementary School.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2019 ALUMNI AWARD HONOREES AND ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES AT
millikin.edu/homecoming MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
trips with the women’s basketball team tournament, capped by a third place
finish in 1985. Chosen for the Wheaton
All-Tournament Team as a freshman, the
four-year standout set a number of school records. With 726 rebounds in 91 games, she remains in seventh place all-time for
rebounds in a career. Her knowledge and
love of the game have led to 25 years with the West Wilson Basketball Association, a youth program in Mount Juliet, Tenn., where she is administrator.
A T H L E T IC H ALL O F FAME
Thanks to all our alumni, friends and family who came back for Homecoming & Family Weekend 2019: Go Big & Come Home! Please let us know what we got right
and what you would like to see next year by taking our feedback survey online at
Debbie Kiick
Kevin Wolff ’85
Head women’s volleyball coach and
Kevin Wolff ’85 played football and
has led teams to four CCIW regular
distinguishing himself repeatedly in the
former softball coach Debbie Kiick
season championships and four NCAA tournament berths. She finished her 18th year as head volleyball coach
last season with 440 career wins — the most victories of any volleyball coach in Millikin history. Named
CCIW Volleyball Coach of the Year three times, she is the only recipient of Coach of the Year honors in two
sports, softball and volleyball. Kiick
earned those awards in 2010-11, when both teams brought home conference championships.
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millikin.edu/homecoming. With your
help, we can make next year's festivities, Oct. 16-18, 2020, even better!
wrestled during his time at Millikin,
wrestling arena. Wolff brought home CCIW wrestling championships as
SAVE THE DATE!
second as a junior. Twice named team
HOMECOMING & FAMILY WEEKEND
Wolff qualified for the NCAA Division
OCT. 16-18, 2020
a sophomore and senior and finished
MVP, he was also team captain in 1984. III national tournament three times. In 1985, he finished seventh in the nation
at the DIII tournament and was named an All-American. He is a bodily injury claims team manager for State Farm Insurance.
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M I LLI K I N
U N I V ER S I T Y
O F F I C I A LLY
O P EN S
WORKMAN FAMILY BASEBALL FIELD D E D I C A T E D
SEP TEMBER 27, 2019
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
FIELD DETAILS Home Dugout
The home dugout has been custom designed to provide an elevated coaches' area allowing field and player view. Each dugout is designed with wireless internet access points to support modern internet-based technology used in baseball. Electrical service for the new facility has been designed to support future ceiling-mounted radiant heaters in each of the dugouts.
Infield Design
The infield has been designed and the field has been calibrated to provide the speed of play best fitting the desired play of Millikin University baseball.
Outfield Design
The outfield is designed for multi-use and can accommodate a 300-foot long practice soccer field and a 270-foot long practice football field.
AstroTurf
Synthetic all-weather turf and subbase is designed to drain no less than an average of 30 inches of rain per hour. Areas of the AstroTurf field have been designed to be removed and replaced annually at areas of high use, including the pitcher’s mound and the catcher’s/batter’s box.
Seating
Bleacher seating for 459 spectators, as well as, a grass seating area on an elevated berm has been provided along the east third base fence.
Connectivity
The baseball facility is connected via fiber optic to the main central campus security and fire detection/alarm systems.
Sound System
The new field’s sound system has been custom designed for sound clarity and coverage over the spectator areas.
Stadium Lighting
The sports lighting system has been designed for energy efficiency and to minimize light spill beyond the field and to meet the city of Decatur’s regulations.
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Millikin University officially opened the new on-campus home of the Big Blue baseball program with the dedication of the Workman Family Baseball Field on Sept. 27, 2019. The new baseball facility, located south of the Decatur Indoor Sports Center (DISC) along Fairview Ave., includes an all-artificial turf field, lights, press box, concessions and batting cages. The grandstand has seating capacity for 459 spectators. Seating includes bleachers, seat-back chairs and a patio area, all elevated above the playing field. Millikin University will be the only school in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) with an on-campus baseball-only facility with a full turf field and a clubhouse.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
The Workman Family Baseball Field has in-ground dugouts with Millikin’s dugout on the third base side, with batting cages and bullpen access nearby. The visitor’s dugout is on the first base side and also includes access to a bullpen. The new clubhouse is located below the grandstand.
on campus,” said Millikin Director of Athletics Dr. Craig White. “With the completion of the Workman Family Baseball Field, baseball will join softball in playing on campus in one of the top facilities in the country for NCAA Division III programs.”
The press box has the capacity for six media professionals and houses controls for the lights and inning-by-inning scoreboard overlooking the right-center field fence.
Millikin Head Baseball Coach Brandon Townsend noted, “In the present ... this stadium will set the standard for baseball facilities around the country that schools will strive to achieve. For the future … this amazing facility will help raise our program, recruiting and enhance our studentathlete experience for many years.”
Millikin celebrated the new field during this year’s Homecoming & Family Weekend. Activities on Sept. 27 included a reception for the field’s donors, dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a scrimmage by the Big Blue baseball team. Millikin baseball alumni had a chance to play on the new field during an alumni baseball game on Saturday, Sept. 28. “One of my priorities when I came to Millikin was to get baseball and softball
The $5.4 million baseball field project was made possible by a generous $4 million contribution from Millikin Emeritus Trustee Gary Workman, a 1965 graduate, his wife, Judy, and their family; as well as commitments from
WRITTEN BY: DANE LISSER
Millikin Emeriti Trustees Mark Staley and Bob Staley; Millikin Trustee Tom Harrington '70 and his wife, Cordia; and the estate of Millikin Emeritus Trustee Frank Tyrolt ’54. “The new baseball field marks a great new step for Millikin University, powered once again by the commitment and generosity of donors who want Millikin students to experience the best possible facilities to make the most of their talents and aspirations,” said Millikin President Dr. Patrick E. White. “We are grateful to the positive leadership of the Workman, Harrington, Staley and Tyrolt families and all our donors to this project because, through their gifts, they empower the development of all our students and help Millikin and Decatur grow and achieve excellence.” Junior pitcher Seamus Sjostrom, of Chicago, said, “We’ve got two nice batting cages so the cages will be perfect for the hitters to get in there and get loose before games. We’ve got three mounds up in the bullpen so that's going to be amazing. Pitchers are going to be able to get loose a lot easier. I'm just extremely excited to use all of the equipment and get to work on this field and do everything we need to do to win a CCIW championship.” Decatur native and 2018 Alumnus of the year, Gary Workman is a retired senior internal auditor for United Parcel Service (UPS). He began working with W INTER 2020
UPS as a part-time package handler while he was still a Millikin student. After graduating from Millikin in 1965, he began working for the company on a full-time basis, eventually becoming a senior internal auditor. Workman retired from UPS in 1995 after spending 33 years in a variety of jobs in industrial engineering, human resources, accounting and auditing. In addition to the family’s generous commitment, the Workman family made a $2 million contribution to Millikin’s new softball field, the Workman Family Softball Field, which opened in March 2017. Workman also made a lead gift in support of the 2014 addition of artificial turf and other significant enhancements to Frank M. Lindsay Field through the "Transform MU" capital campaign. “Judy and I are pleased to be able to help fund the new baseball field on the campus of Millikin University,” said Workman. “We believe that the addition of on-campus athletic facilities aids in the recruitment of student-athletes and also increases the enjoyment of campus life for all students." Tom Harrington was born, raised and educated in Decatur. After graduating from Millikin in 1970, Harrington started his working career with a local public accounting firm in Decatur. Later, Harrington moved to south
central Illinois at first as an employee of a regional CPA firm and, in 1976, he was promoted to partner. In 1982, Harrington established Thomas Harrington & Company, a regional accounting firm serving clients from St. Louis to Chicago, until its eventual sale in December 1997. In 1998, Tom, in partnership with his wife, Cordia, established a wholesale bakery manufacturing company originally located in Dickson, Tenn. Tennessee Bun Company is one of the most automated bakeries in the world, selling over 400 million buns annually. Harrington serves as chief operating officer and chief financial officer and is involved in the strategic leadership of the company. “Cordia and I are extremely excited to be a part of adding this beautiful baseball facility to Millikin’s campus,” said Harrington. “Assuredly everyone at MU and the Decatur community will enjoy our new turf field for many years. Go Big Blue!”
23
The Staley family’s long-standing tradition of generosity to Millikin University stretches back more than 40 years. Staley family members have been among the University’s most faithful and generous supporters, providing significant individual and foundation gifts to both the university’s “Design for Leadership” and “Advancing the Vision: Millikin’s Second Century” capital campaigns, as well as annual operating funds. Millikin’s Staley Library, completed in 1978, stands as a living tribute to the generosity of three generations of Staley family members, beginning with A.E. Staley Sr. “It was indeed great news when I heard that the baseball field was going to become a reality,” said Mark Staley. “On behalf of the Staley family, we are thrilled that we could be an integral
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
part of bringing baseball to the Millikin campus. It was long overdue, and now that Millikin baseball will be playing on campus, we feel it will enhance campus life and help bring more quality student-athletes to Millikin. I would like to thank the Harringtons and especially the Workmans, whose extremely generous donations made this facility become a reality for Millikin.” After graduating in 1954 from Millikin University with a degree in business administration, Frank Tyrolt served in the Navy on the battleship Wisconsin. After finishing his time
in the Navy, Tyrolt worked for the Edward Hines Lumber Company and the Dietene Company. He returned to Decatur in 1966 to become partner with the Beggs family at Dunn Company. In 1967, Tyrolt acquired the remaining interest in the company. Bernie Naber joined Tyrolt at Dunn Company that same year, and they operated the business as partners until Tyrolt’s retirement in 1999. Frank and his beloved wife Shirley married in 1982. Tyrolt passed away peacefully on Aug. 16, 2018, at the age of 85, surrounded by his family.
CHAIR, EXCERCISE SCIENCE AND SPORT DIRECTOR, ATHLETIC TRAINING
“The new baseball field marks a great new step for Millikin University” - Patrick E. White
S U PPO R T
WE ARE ALL COUNTING ON THEM, BUT THEY ARE COUNTING ON YOU. NAMING OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE
bit.ly/mu-wfbf W INTER 2020
25
WRITTEN BY: DR. CRAIG WHITE
AT H E T ICS RE PO RT
BIG BLUE ATHLETICS STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS:
(College Sports Information Directors of America)
COSIDA GOOGLE CLOUD ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
Dr. Craig White Athletic Director
Matt Brown ’20 Football
Kalli Farmer ’20 Softball
Taylor Jordan ’19 Softball
NCAA DIVISION III ATHLETIC ALL-AMERICANS
Chris Williams ’19 Wrestling
Keajion Jennings ’19 Wrestling
Bradan Birt ’21 Wrestling
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
AT H LE T ICS RE PO RT
MILLIKIN ATHLETICS The 2018-19 athletic season had several highlights that made for a successful year and created optimism for the future. Several Big Blue teams have the potential to improve their place in the CCIW standings this season.
WRESTLING
FOOTBALL
The Millikin wrestling team finished the
The football team finished with 5-5 record.
nation. Three athletes earned All-American
linebacker Matt Brown and offensive
It is always the goal of Millikin
Ryan Birt was also named CCIW Co-
athletic teams to finish in the top four in the conference (at a minimum)
season second in the CCIW and ninth in the honors: Chris Williams ’19, Keajion Jennings ’19 and Bradan Birt ’21. Williams became Millikin’s first four-time All-American. Coach of the Year.
and, of course, to strive for a CCIW
BASEBALL
class is solid, as a considerable amount
in the CCIW, earning a third place finish in
championship. The overall recruiting
Millikin baseball finished with a 14-10 record
of talent matriculated to Millikin this
the regular season. They also finished third in
fall. There will be both first-year and transfer students who will make an impact on the field, pool, course or
court during the season. In addition, a new sport — men’s volleyball — will
lineman Jackson Delfosse were named to
the 2019 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin All-Conference Football Team. Smith was named to the All-Conference First Team for the third straight season
with Brown and Deflosse selected for the All-Conference Second Team. It was the
second straight year Deflosse was named to the Second Team.
the CCIW tournament. The two wins in the
SWIMMING
wins in postseason play since 1990.
continued to show great progress, as they set
conference tournament were the team’s first
SOFTBALL
make its debut this winter, with 14
Softball finished the season 26-12. At one
for the Big Blue.
country after winning 13 straight games.
recruits coming to campus to compete
Seniors wide receiver Jordan Smith,
time, the team was ranked 19th in the
The men’s and women’s swimming teams
40 new top 10 times this season, as well as
four new school records. Olivia Marquardt
’22 set a new school record in the 100-yard butterfly, and Felix Archer ’22 set two new
Millikin records in the 200-yard backstroke
TRACK & FIELD
and 100-yard backstroke.
the new Workman Family Baseball
Track and field had a very solid year that
MEN'S TENNIS
the official home of Big Blue baseball
the culture of the team and in conference
The baseball team began practicing on Field in the fall. The new facility will be beginning with the upcoming 2020 season. Fundraising continues for
Phase One of our M-Powered athletic facilities expansion and renovation initiative. The $15 million project
includes a 10,000-square foot fitness center for students, student-athletes
and staff; meeting rooms that can also be used as classrooms and six new
locker rooms for soccer, football and track and field/cross country.
showed tremendous improvement in both finish. The men’s team finished third in the indoor season and fourth in the outdoor
15-7 overall record and ended the season in fourth place in the conference.
season. The women finished sixth and fifth,
respectively. Christian Zenon ’19 was named CCIW Male Track Athlete of the Meet in
the outdoor meet, finishing first in the 200
meters and second in the 100 meters, as well
76 ATHLETIC ALL-CONFERENCE ATHLETES
team. Mackenzie Dixon ’20 was 800-meter
159 ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE ATHLETES
meets. Erin Lukens ’19 was the 400-meter
135 DEAN'S LIST ATHLETES
400 hurdles. Dixon and Lukens were also
28 CCIW CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
team at the outdoor meet.
31 NEW UNIVERSITY RECORDS
as running one leg of the winning 4x100
champion in both the indoor and outdoor
outdoor champion and placed second in the members of the 4x400 relay championship
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Millikin’s men’s tennis team finished with a
27
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT
ACADEMIC YEAR IN REVIEW This past academic year, Millikin celebrated many accomplishments that mirror our University’s commitment to integrating the traditional liberal arts along with the practical arts of the professions. We are thankful for our philanthropic partners who assist in making the Millikin
experience a transformational one for our students, as well as our alumni. From July 1,
2018 through June 30, 2019, our Alumni & Development Office helped raise $9,836,066 in cash, making this the third consecutive year in which we have raised more money than
the year prior. These dollars primarily support scholarships, academic programs and capital projects. The University annually awards well over $30 million dollars to students in the form of scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, more than 500 endowed
scholarships are now available to assist Millikin students in perpetuity. Gifts in support of scholarships help ensure a quality education for students who might otherwise be unable to afford to attend Millikin.
I always have said construction fences and orange cones are a sign of a thriving institution.
Gina Bianchi ’93 Vice President for Alumni & Development
And we here at Millikin are proving this by the many construction and renovation
projects that have been completed or are underway. Our fundraising efforts this year have supported many projects, including the renovation of the Millitrax recording studios,
the completion of the renovation of the Exercise Science and Sport Pavilion, new carpet
and classroom renovations in Shilling Hall, and, of course, the new Center for Theatre & Dance, which will be completed next fall. And once again, 1965 Millikin graduate Gary Workman and his family showed incredible generosity, providing $4 million to build a state-of-the-art baseball facility that was dedicated on Sept. 27, 2019.
Our focus this academic year is to continue growing support for scholarships, academic
programs and building projects, including Phase One of the athletic facilities expansion and renovation project, now known as M-Powered. Efforts continue to seek more
participation in giving from our Millikin community. I use the word “community” to mean our alumni, faculty and staff, students and the greater Decatur area, as well. All benefit
when Millikin shines. In a previous issue of Millikin Magazine, we shared with you our single-digit alumni participation numbers. In other words, fewer than 10 alumni out of
100 give back to their alma mater. We are still working to bring more alumni and friends S U PP O R T
MAKE AN IMPACT AT
on-board to financially support this great institution. As we prepare students to be ethical
leaders, creative problem-solvers, critical thinkers and highly trained professionals, we need everyone’s support.
millikin.edu/give
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29
ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT
ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS & THE MILLIKIN F UND If you haven't given to Millikin recently, we invite you to join these Alumni and other friends.
THEY BELIEVE IN BLUE! Justin DeBo’18
Gary Hendrickson’74
classmates, the Viette-Huffman-Pepping Non-
Phyllis A. Hendrickson Scholarship and
Profit Internship Fund, and also has a matching
also has a matching gift through his
gift through his employer, State Farm.
employer, Caterpillar, Inc. He has included
has established a new fund in honor of his
recently established a scholarship at Millikin, the Kenneth V. Heinle and Anne Heinle Edsall
supports the Management Information Systems Department with regular gifts, and also has a matching gift through his employer, State Farm.
established and faithfully supports the
Millikin in his estate planning.
Anne Heinle Edsall ’68
Alex Tueth’16
Michael Halbert ’79
Charles ’68 & Gwen Yurieci are faithful, longtime supporters of Millikin.
Their more than 45 years of giving has provided generous support for scholarships, the Big Blue Club, capital campaigns and more. They recently established five new funds for athletics
established a scholarship, the LJ and Melva
and have included MU in their estate plans.
Scholarship, and has named a space in the
Halbert Family Memorial Scholarship, and
Charles received the Alumni Loyalty Award
recently renovated Exercise Science and Sport
has included Millikin in his estate plans.
during the 2013 Homecoming festivities.
Gifts to Annual Scholarships
Gifts to the Millikin Fund
amount are appreciated. You can even
Help ensure a quality education for
Millikin Fund gifts are an important
to afford to attend the University.
and help cover the costs associated with
pavilion. She has also included Millikin in her estate plans.
students who might otherwise be unable
part of the University’s operating budget providing quality opportunities for
Performance Learning to our students. Each dollar given to the Millikin Fund makes a difference, and gifts of any
S U PP O R T
TO MAKE A RECURRING OR ONE-TIME GIFT ONLINE, VISIT
millikin.edu/give
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
double or triple the impact of your gift to this important fund if you or your
spouse work for, or are retired from, a
matching gift company. Check with your company’s human resources office to be sure, or check out the search feature on our matching gifts page,
bit.ly/mu-match
ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT
Other Ways to Give
Matching gifts You can double, triple or even quadruple the impact of your gift to Millikin
University if you or your spouse work for or are retired from a company that has a matching gift program.
Each year, thousands of dollars in
potential matching gifts go unclaimed
because many people do not realize their
Planned giving
Recurring online gifts
Making a planned gift is a wonderful
Recurring credit card gifts can be
appreciation for Millikin University and
for your convenience. They enable
way to show your support and
its' mission while accommodating your
own personal, financial, estate-planning and philanthropic goals. With smart
planning, you may actually increase the
size of your estate and/or reduce the tax burden on your heirs. Just as important, you will know that you have made a
meaningful contribution to Millikin.
made in any amount and scheduled you to space out the payment while
impact of your gift multiply, check with
your human resources office to see if your company has a matching gift program. If
it does, find out if your company offers an
online matching gift process and/or paper matching gift form. Call Lauren Acton with questions at: 217.424.6383
ensuring consistent support for Millikin. Recurring gifts can be paid in weekly,
S U P P ORT
annual or annual installments. An online
MAKE A GIFT ONLINE OR MAIL
monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-
gift can be made as a recurring gift by
simply indicating that intention on the donation form.
S U PP O R T
SUPPORT
FOR MORE INFORMATION
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON PLANNED GIVING, CONTACT CAROLINE COLBY BRUDER '08, SPECIAL COUNSEL:
ON HOW TO SET UP YOUR RECURRING GIFT, CONTACT LAUREN ACTON '14/MBA '19, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING:
217.424.6383 cbruder@millikin.edu
company has such a program. To see the
217.424.6383 lacton@millikin.edu
YOUR GIFT AND MATCHING GIFT FORM TO:
Millikin University Alumni & Development Office 1184 W. Main Street Decatur, IL 62522 After making a gift online or through the mail, submit your matching gift on your company’s website. If you have questions or would like to notify Millikin of your matching gift, contact Lauren Acton '14/mba '19, associate director of annual giving: at 217.424.6383 or lacton@millikin.edu.
millikin.edu/give W INTER 2020
31
A SK T H E E XPE RT S
MEET THE MENTORS Tabor School of Business brings first-year students and local professionals together for guidance
When new business students begin their academic journey in the Tabor School of Business, they are quickly introduced to unique opportunities that not only teach them successful business practices, but help them build confidence to succeed in their chosen career path. In their first year, business majors at Millikin University are involved right away. They are given an integrated experience combined with learning labs. Part of this experience is delivered through two courses: Business Creation and Team Dynamics. First-year students in Tabor’s Business Creation course gain a basic understanding of business by having the opportunity to create a business plan that outlines a proposal to operate an enterprise of their choice.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
The Business Plan course has four sections, with 25 students in each section. Students in the sections are then grouped accordingly in teams of five. The Business Creation course is also combined with the Team Dynamics course, where students not only learn how to work in teams, but learn team leadership, management and the role of conflict. For those getting acclimated to the business world, a mentor can serve as a trusted confidante who provides guidance and can have a direct, positive impact on the growth of a business over time. This year, to help guide the first-year students during the development of their business plans, the Tabor School of Business and Millikin’s Center for Entrepreneurship created a mentoring program consisting of 15 business professionals from the local community. The mentors come from a variety of industry backgrounds including legal, real estate, retail and marketing.
Each team in the course will receive a mentor. The mentor works with the team throughout the semester to develop their business plan and to work on their pitch. Many of the mentors are Millikin graduates, including some that earned their MBA degrees from the Tabor School of Business. The mentors came together to greet the first-year students at a “Meet the Mentors” event on Sept. 13, 2019. “This is an amazing opportunity because of the generosity of the mentors and the opportunity for students just coming into Millikin to come together for this very unique class,” said Julie Shields MBA ’13, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. “We are a model for other universities who are figuring out how to help students professionalize their lives earlier in their education. What the students are being exposed to now is very important.”
WRITTEN BY: DANE LISSER
AS K T H E E XPE RT S
Dr. J. Mark Munoz, professor of management and international business at Millikin University, and new faculty member Dr. Yuhan Hua, assistant professor of entrepreneurship, both lead the four sections of the Business Creation course. Dr. Munoz has brought mentors to his class in previous years, and with Dr. Hua needing mentors for this year, the mentoring program was started. “We’ve seen how much of a network Dr. Munoz has, and we wanted to do the same with Dr. Hua’s class,” said Bethany Gotts ’19, program coordinator for the Center for Entrepreneurship. “We went through our connections and the people in the community who would be good mentors, and we set them up with an orientation. There will be 11 mentors for Dr. Hua’s two course sections.” During the Business Creation course, the mentors will meet with the teams in person four times to discuss marketing, financing and other industry-wide topics. At the end of the course, the students will give their business plan pitch, and the winner of each Business Creation section will compete in Millikin’s annual Freshman Business Plan Competition in December.
The Freshman Business Plan Competition is the culmination of the Business Creation and Team Dynamics courses. The winning team receives a cash prize to use toward an international experience with Millikin, such as an immersion trip or a study abroad course. “The mentors we have come from various backgrounds. They are experts in their fields and active in the community,” said Gotts. “Some of the mentors are professionals who we’ve never interacted with before, so it’s a good way to build a fresh network.” Among the mentors is David Freeman of Springfield, Ill. Freeman, who owns a consulting firm and is a 2019 MBA graduate, says he had a mentor who helped him launch his business two years ago. “I thought the help I was given is something that I could pass on to the students,” said Freeman. “I hope to bring some truth and some experiences from avenues that didn’t work, and to be able to provide information on things that do work. What Millikin is doing is phenomenal in terms of the involvement with the community. Millikin’s reach is broad and good, and I think it’s very beneficial for the students.”
Jeffonne Owens ’11/MBA ’19 of Decatur, another student mentor, said the best part of the MBA program was the business plan process.
“I said to myself, ‘If I ever get the chance, I’m going to be the best mentor that I can be.’ When I got the invitation to be a mentor, I was really excited,” said Owens. “I want to make sure that this is a great experience for the students. I know how it felt to bounce ideas off of someone and to be a think partner, and I want to be that for them.”
S U PPO R T
TO SUPPORT PERFORMANCE LEARNING, VISIT
bit.ly/mucampus-support
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FE AT U RE
CAPP-ITALIZING O N ST U D E N T R E S I L I E N C E
HOW THE CENTER FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE PROVIDES LIFECYCLE ADVISING THROUGH A STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH
Raphaella Prange, Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Student Development
During the 2017-18 academic year, Millikin embarked on the process to create a fusion office that would offer lifecycle-advising support for students from their first year through their senior year and beyond. Previously, Millikin had an Office of
Student Success and a Career Center.
Over a five-year period, we had seen a steady decline in the use of our career services unit and the narrow set of
services it provided. Conversely, we
had seen a significant increase in use of services within the Office of Student Success as it had begun offering life
coaching and overarching wrap-around
THE CAPP
support to students of all class levels. We realized that the approach we had taken
LOCATED ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMONS.
to support the professional preparation
217.362.6424 CAPPcareers@millikin.edu
become obsolete. Research has shown
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of students over the last 30 years had
that today’s student is looking to establish
a long-term trusted relationship with an advisor, and best practices would
suggest that cross-training staff to be able to support students in critical
functions like academic advising and
career development allows a one-stop
service point for students and enables the development of this trusted relationship. Thus, the Center for Academic and
Professional Performance, otherwise
known as the CAPP, was envisioned. Under the direction of Carrie Pierson,
senior director of the Center, the CAPP opened to students in August 2018.
Now, five professional staff members
are cross-trained to assist students with academic advising, academic recovery,
life coaching, strengths-based mentoring, student employment and professional
preparation such as resumĂŠ development, professional interview skill development,
networking support, internship cultivation and connection to employers. The CAPP stewards programs on both ends of the
student lifecycle from pre-first-year bridge programs such as the EDGE Program, to both graduate school and employer fairs and interview days. The CAPP
also houses several student mentorship
programs designed to assist with student
WRITTEN BY: RAPHAELLA PRANGE
persistence. EDGE mentors, supplemental
Millikin continues to be highly responsive
residential academic peer mentors work
population. It is important for us to
instruction leaders, peer tutors and
with both at-risk students and students
interested in receiving services. The CAPP also benefits from an Associated Colleges
of Illinois (ACI) grant program to support these mentor initiatives.
In 2017, Millikin also became a strengthsbased campus. In partnership with Gallup Inc. we launched the StrengthsFinder
instrument as a tool for all students. All
CAPP staff also became certified strength coaches and utilize the strengths-based framework in much of their advising,
mentoring and coaching activities. All
new students take the StrengthsFinder
assessment, and our staff discusses with
them their top five talents and how they can use these talents in their academic
life and opportunities for Performance Learning at the University.
We are transitioning much of our language from “career” to “professional.” This
switch has much to do with our current generation of students, many who seek to be entrepreneurs or work in various industries across their lifetimes. The
word “career” speaks to one vocation over time rather than relating to our current graduates’ experiences of being flexible
and nimble in the global marketplace. The
word “professional” speaks to development
to the changing needs of our student stay current on trends, research and
best practices to ensure students see our resources and services as relevant and
relatable. Over the last two years, we have seen many other college campuses follow suit with their own fusion offices that
support student advising and professional preparation. After the first year of the
CAPP’s existence, we saw an increase in our already very high graduate success
rate. We hope to continue the trend of
SPRING PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS CAREERFEST (AT MORAINE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE):
having 99% of our graduates reaching
FEBRUARY 14, 2020
within six months of graduation. To see
SPRING PROFESSIONAL FAIR:
employment or post-baccalaureate study the results of our First Destination Survey, a measurement of this graduate success, please go to: millikin.edu/capp/csr. The
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
report for 2019 graduates will be available in March 2020.
The CAPP also provides alumni services
via Skype, telephone, in-person meetings or email. Alumni should feel free to
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT APPRECIATION WEEK: APRIL 13-17, 2020
reach out to the center at CAPPcareers@ millikin.edu for an initial consultation.
We also welcome any alumni that would like to visit campus on behalf of their
employer or business to cultivate student
contacts, provide job opening information,
facilitate interviews or participate in one of our many job fairs or employer events.
of the skills necessary to transition into
any industry, craft, business or continuing education after Millikin. While the word “career” can seem rather otherworldly to students, the word “professional” speaks to how they want to see themselves in many of the experiences we cultivate
here at Millikin such as Performance
Learning, research, scholarship and future employment.
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WRITTEN BY: DR. RANDY BROOKS
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COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Dr. Randy Brooks Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
Mackenzie Martin ’20 All Mackenzie Martin wanted to do as a young girl was pick up a book and read. When she was told that she needed to limit her time reading due to issues with her vision, she was traumatized. A native of Paris, Ill., Martin went through a few years of constant visits to the optometrist office for vision therapy sessions. “Being in vision therapy for two years, I was able to make connections with the optometrists and see how things worked," Martin said. Because of her experience, Martin found her calling and set a goal of becoming an optometrist herself. With her career aspiration in mind, Martin was determined to find a school that was going to prepare her for future graduate studies. Millikin University’s Pre-Professional Program, along with its faculty, was the kind of education that Martin was seeking out. “Millikin has a very strong Pre-Professional Program,” said Martin, a senior biology/pre-optometry major. “The faculty at Millikin are just brilliant. For example, Dr. [Cynthia] Handler and Dr. [Laura] Zimmerman [’06] have been really great … influencing me and making me a stronger scientist first before I go on to achieve my goal in becoming an optometrist.” Following graduation in May 2020, Martin will attend Indiana University’s School of Optometry. But before she leaves Millikin, she has a bit of advice for her fellow Millikin students.
“Do not be afraid of what you can do at Millikin,” Martin advised. “Put your hands in everything you do, because you can do it well. You can really make a difference.” L E AR N MO R E
millikin.edu/college-art-sciences
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COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES 2018-19 was an outstanding year of growth, development and achievements in the College of Arts & Sciences.
and director of first-year writing, recently
in arts and sciences. Although these are too
on professional writing. She was named the
featured news stories from just this summer
This year, we had a 14.7 percent increase in
Communication for her dissertation, “Toward
new students entering Millikin for a degree in one of our 11 academic departments.
We have had significant increases in the
natural sciences and mathematics division due in part to the persistent recruiting
and marketing efforts of Dr. Dan Miller, professor of math and computational sciences.
Each year, certain departments conduct a program review to analyze the quality of the academic experience provided to
students. After a self-study by faculty in the department, external reviewers are
invited to campus to conduct their own
review. The results of subsequent reports
help shape initiatives for improvements and opportunities. Our remarkable growth of
programs in arts and sciences (the number of new students in the natural sciences division is up 42.7 percent) comes from this process. An initiative coming from the mathematics
program review was the renewal of the major in computer science. Mathematics faculty leaders also helped develop a new pre-
engineering partnership with the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Our college has
also enjoyed steady growth in environmental studies (15 majors) and criminal justice (51 majors).
The review of our English department resulted in recognition that we have a
high-quality program that emphasizes
contemporary approaches to writing, editing, reading and publishing, with capacity for growth. As an example of excellence, Dr.
Julie Bates, assistant professor of English W INTER 2020
received national recognition for her research recipient of the 2019 Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC)
Outstanding Dissertation Award in Technical an Interventionary Rhetoric for Technical Communication Studies.” Next year, Dr.
Stephen Frech, professor of English, will be
leading a recruiting initiative similar to that in the natural sciences and mathematics division to recruit new students for our English
department and humanities programs. We have an outstanding record of professional success of our humanities alumni, and
I attribute that to the opportunities for
engaging Performance Learning in each
discipline. Our students have already lived the life of being a historian, a writer, an editor, a publisher, a conference presenter, a debater,
a translator and a scholar. It is not surprising that our graduates are ready to become
productive professionals in their disciplines,
whether that takes them to graduate studies or immediate careers.
This year, faculty in behavioral sciences, led by Dr. Linda Collinsworth, professor of
behavioral sciences, reviewed and updated their curriculum to extend professional
opportunities for students. Starting this fall, the psychology major features four
concentrations: clinical psychology, social psychology, experimental psychology and general psychology. Each concentration
features different options for Performance
Learning. For example, Dr. Collinsworth has
developed new courses in clinical psychology and developed collaborative relationships for
mental health internships at both of our local Decatur hospitals.
As always, this year I have been amazed by
the accomplishments of faculty and students
numerous to cite in detail, a quick note of provides a glimpse. I hope you check out Millikin’s “Newsroom” on the website to read a few of the complete stories.
Dr. Amy Delaney and summer research fellow, Lane Caspar ’20, are featured in
“Millikin Professor and Student Team up
to test Communication Theory with Greek Community,” posted on July 22, 2019.
Rubi Rodriguez ’20 is featured in “LongVanderburg Scholar on Pace to Become
International Physician,” posted on Aug. 16, 2019. A summer immersion course
taught by Dr. Travis Wilcoxen is featured in “Millikin Summer Immersion Course Covers Systems of the Body,” posted on
July 29, 2019. I was featured in “Millikin Professor Wins Merit Book Award for
Best Haiku Publication,” posted on July 19, 2019. A student research project by
Dalton Glasco ’20 and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Kyle Knust is featured in “Millikin Student Creates Carbon
Electrodes Using 3D printing.” Each
summer, Dr. Anne Rammelsberg and the
chemistry department host a camp featured in the following story: “Science students gain hands-on experience at Millikin
Chemistry Camp,” posted June 26, 2019.
There is also a wonderful “Interview with
Millikin Professor, Dr. Eduardo Cabrera,” posted on June 19, 2019 that covers Dr.
Cabrera’s award for Best Latino Focused Fiction Book. In late May, we learned
that Millikin Professor Dan Monroe was selected president of the Illinois State
Historical Society, in a story published on May 22, 2019.
Last year was a great year, and I look
forward to another remarkable year of
growth, development and achievements for the College of Arts and Sciences.
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WRITTEN BY: LAURA LEDFORD
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COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Laura Ledford Dean of the College of Fine Arts
Aly Gabriel ’21 Millikin University was not initially on the top of Aly Gabriel’s list when it came time to choose a university. However, after Gabriel started researching more into the venerated faculty at Millikin, she decided to take a closer look at the Big Blue. Gabriel knew that studying vocal performance would be a major aspect of her education and when she contacted the faculty at the Millikin School of Music, she gained a sense of belonging. Gabriel is double majoring in commercial music — with an emphasis in vocal performance — and business management, with an entrepreneurship minor. From the moment that Gabriel stepped on campus, her positive attitude and vocal talent allowed her to network her way to getting involved in a plethora of organizations on campus. Perhaps the most noteworthy is an audition-based vocal jazz group called BluBop.
“BluBop has had a huge impact on me personally so far in my college career,” said Gabriel. “I met some of my best friends on campus and was under the direction of a great director, Brenna Pfeifer [Class of 2015]. I grew in confidence and experience because of BluBop. It truly opened my eyes to jazz music, and I love it.” L E AR N MO R E
millikin.edu/cfa
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
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COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS At this time next year, the School of Theatre and Dance will have begun classes and rehearsals in the Center for Theatre & Dance. President White, Vice President of Finance & Business Affairs Ruby James and I were treated to a tour through the work-in-progress, and it is extraordinary. The Center is over 60,000 square
feet of studio space for rehearsals and
performance classes, labs for design and
production courses, collaboration spaces for students, offices for faculty and staff
and welcoming public spaces, all wrapped around an intimate, state-of-the-art
theatre. This is the home that the School of Theatre and Dance has never had
and has always dreamed of. At last, the
dream is becoming a reality. To those who have supported our efforts to realize this monumental project, THANK YOU!
Meanwhile, in the School of Music, our
music industry studies and arts technology students and faculty will be firing up a
serious piece of equipment in Millitrax
Studios: a brand-new Neve 5088 Shelford 32-channel studio recording console.
Millitrax has been in need of an updated console for a few years, and it has finally arrived – and thanks to the hard work
of Clinical Instructor Kevin Guarnieri,
it has been installed and is ready to roll.
According to Guarnieri, this console “makes
management, marketing, accounting and
and the second institution in Illinois,
leaders in arts venues, organizations and
Millikin one of only 51 colleges/universities, currently using the Neve 5088.” The systems design, components and build quality of this recording desk make it one of the highest
fidelity/lowest distortion consoles made. This beautiful piece of equipment was financed
in part by the College of Fine Arts Patrons Society. Donations to the Patrons Society
make this kind of progress possible across all of the CFA disciplines and allow our faculty and students to work and learn on the kind of industry-standard equipment they will encounter in their professions.
Our world-class percussion program has found new digs in New Hall 3 (a former
residence hall), which recently served as the
temporary home of the Staley Library during
the construction of the University Commons. The new location needed a few touch-
ups and some serious acoustic treatment to accommodate percussion lessons and
ensemble rehearsals. It will serve the needs
of the program by providing large rehearsal rooms, smaller practice rooms and office
space for percussion faculty and students.
First Step Records, one of the University’s
many student-run business ventures, will also have space in this building for their meetings and operations.
In terms of curriculum, the faculty across the College of Fine Arts have long seen
the need for an arts administration degree
program. Given that we have a great deal of
businesses. The program was launched this fall and already has students enrolling. As
a result of adding the program, the former Arts Technology Department has become the Arts Technology and Administration Department. Additionally, faculty in the School of Music are developing
curriculum for a new degree in music
business designed for non-musicians that will also feature collaboration with the Tabor School of Business.
The college is pleased to welcome
several new and newly full-time faculty to Millikin. Brand new to the School
of Music are Dr. Corey Seapy, director of bands; Dr. Ben Hawkinson, music
education and choral studies; and Dr. Steven Weimer, coordinator of music
theory. New in the School of Theatre and
Dance is Sound Designer Anna Alex, who will also teach audio courses for music and arts technology students.
Finally, we are in the midst of a thrilling season of concerts, plays, musicals, art exhibitions and more for the 2019-
20 season. We will also be celebrating
the 50th anniversary of Kirkland Fine Arts Center this year, so our campus community and our patrons can
look forward to an exciting year of entertainment and discovery.
faculty expertise in various arts industries and practices, and given that the Tabor School
of Business is right here on campus, we have put together a degree program that will
allow students to deepen their study in their chosen art form and learn valuable skills in
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entrepreneurship to prepare them to be
S U PPO R T
TO SUPPORT THE PATRONS SOCIETY, VISIT
millikin.edu/patrons-society 39
WRITTEN BY: DR. PAM LINDSEY
DE AN'S RE PO RT
COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Dr. Pamela Lindsey Interim Dean of the College of Professional Studies
Marcus Hayes ’21 Millikin University junior nursing major Marcus Hayes is well-known for his high energy, contagious smile and dedication to his passions and studies. Hayes serves in many different roles on Millikin’s campus, including being a residential academic peer mentor, a supplementary instructor and a leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Being a peer mentor, specifically, is one of Hayes’ favorite things. His passion for helping others has led to aspirations to work as a nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) or with anesthesia. One reason Hayes originally came to Millikin was because of the University’s excellent School of Nursing. In high school, Hayes was unsure whether or not nursing was his calling or if Millikin was the right choice for him. However, his time at Millikin thus far has reassured him that he is in the right place. “Performance Learning is one of the greatest things Millikin has to offer,” Hayes explained. “As nursing students, we are essentially thrown to the wolves, which is great since we gain experience right from the start with having to perform in the actual environment where we will be working one day.”
“The people are the reason why I am here at Millikin. I feel as if I am a part of something much bigger than myself.” - Marcus Hayes ’21
L E AR N MO R E
millikin.edu/cps
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COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Dr. Deborah Slayton, dean emeritus of the College of Professional Studies (CPS), retired at the end of the 2018-19 academic year, following 39 years of service to Millikin. Dr. Pam Lindsey, director of the School of Nursing, assumed the role of interim dean for the 2019-20 academic year.
in spring 2016, the sport management major
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION NEWS
management major. This change was also
Dr. Christina “Christie” Hill Magoulias
update the current program to maintain
Education (SOE) at the end of the 2018-
Similarly, following an external review
search, Dr. Pamela Barnes was selected as
fitness and recreation major has been
August. 1, 2019.
In response to an external review conducted was replaced with the sport and recreation accompanied by curricular changes which
’96 resigned as director of the School of
the existing elements of sport management.
19 academic year. Following a national
conducted in the spring 2016, the health,
her replacement and became director on
replaced with the health promotion major. The department also added the health and
wellness coaching minor and the sport and recreation management minor as two new options available to students.
The SOE underwent major curriculum changes in the 2018-19 academic year.
These changes align the SOE programs with changes made by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Faculty
are also developing the curriculum for
EXERCISE SCIENCE & SPORT NEWS
SCHOOL OF NURSING NEWS
a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
The Exercise Science and Sport Department
As a result of Dr. Lindsey’s move to CPS,
initial teaching license. The MAT will
during the 2018-19 academic year. Due
interim director of the School of Nursing
by allowing future educators currently
Professor Charlotte Bivens resigned her
education to take courses to complete the
simulation lab, and Instructor Andrea
master’s degree is in the development
underwent a major curriculum revision
to mandated changes by athletic training
professional organizations and accrediting
bodies, the professional degree level for all athletic training programs is required to
transition to the master’s degree level. As a result, the decision was made to eliminate
the bachelor’s degree in athletic training and
replace it with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. Students who declare this new
major will have the option to complete the degree in the typical four-year time frame
to pursue employment opportunities in the field or graduate education. Students who
wish to pursue athletic training as a career
route will also enroll under this degree and
Educator License (PEL), the Illinois
Dr. Elizabeth Gephart assumed the role of
address the teacher shortage in Illinois
(SON) for the 2019-20 academic year.
possessing a bachelor’s degree outside of
position as coordinator of the clinical
state’s licensure requirements. A second
Tirpak was hired as her replacement.
stages and will target currently employed
Millikin University is hosting its first
teaching and learning. Lastly, the SOE is
Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Victoria Bam, who has an office in the SON and will be
teaching courses in nursing, exercise science, and global studies.
The SON launched its doctoral family nurse practitioner program, enrolling the first
teachers seeking a master’s degree in
also working toward additional graduate degrees in music education, and English
as a second language, bilingual and special education, with the last three leading to endorsements for current teachers in Illinois.
students in January 2019.
be eligible to apply for the Master of Science
Professor John Blakeman ’13/MSN ’15 was
completion of their third year in the exercise
the Nurse Educator Fellowship.
in Athletic Training (MSAT) following the
degree that leads to a Professional
selected as one of the statewide recipients of
science curriculum.
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WRITTEN BY: DR. NAJIBA BENABESS
DE AN'S RE PO RT
TABOR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Dr. Najiba Benabess Dean of the Tabor School of Business
Mikayla Krieger ’20 Each fall, outstanding seniors are chosen as student laureates from each of the four-year degree-granting higher learning institutions in Illinois, honoring “leadership and service in the pursuit of the betterment of humanity and for overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities.” In November, Mikayla Krieger of Mount Zion, Ill., was recognized as Millikin’s 2019 recipient during the Lincoln Academy of Illinois’ 45th Student Laureate Convocation at the Old State Capital in Springfield, Ill. As Millikin’s representative, Krieger was awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award, presented by Governor J.B. Pritzker.
“It is an incredible honor to receive this award,” says Krieger. “I feel like Millikin has helped me grow into the leader I am today and has given me so many opportunities and resources to succeed.” A business management and digital media marketing double major, Krieger maintains a 3.89 GPA and serves as a member of Delta Mu Delta and Alpha Lambda Delta honor societies. A campus leader, Krieger also serves as vice president of member development for Pi Beta Phi sorority and president of the Tabor School of Business Advisory Council. Krieger has gained valuable hands-on experience from Performance Learning. Currently an intern in the labs department at State Farm, Krieger is also a senior consultant for Millikin University Performance Consulting (MUPC), a student-run venture that specializes in performance consulting work. “I give a lot of credit to the organizations that I am a part of at Millikin,” says Krieger. “As a representative of Millikin, it felt really great to receive the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement award since Millikin has given me the resources I need to succeed.”
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TABOR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS As we settle into the academic year, my enthusiasm about what lies ahead for the Tabor School of Business (TSB) is more alive than ever.
There is much to celebrate about the Tabor
I see this mission personified every day
that the organizational leadership major
in the students I talk to and in our many,
School of Business. I am happy to report is now part of the TSB, and we welcome
a new full-time faculty member, Dr. Janet
Kirby, assistant professor of organizational
leadership. She will bring new ideas, energy
and expertise to further strengthen our work
In my fourth year as the TSB dean,
within Tabor. We are also fortunate to have
extraordinary students, alumni, faculty, staff
backbone of our programs.
I continue to be impressed by our
truly stellar faculty and adjuncts. They are the
and friends, in addition to our entire Millikin community.
We have much to be grateful for at
Tabor. This fall, we welcomed 134 new undergraduate students, including 37
international students. This reflects a 54
percent increase in incoming students from fall 2016. In addition, business is among
the top three areas of study for the Millikin class of 2023 (17 percent STEM, 16
percent music and 15 percent business). The revamped finance major already has eight students enrolled, and there are currently
25 students enrolled in our MBA program. Our total student population in Tabor has
increased from 311 to 371 since 2016, which is a 19 percent increase. Our students come from many parts of the United States and
the world, including 23 different countries.
We welcome them and everything they will
bring to our school: their experiences and life
in the people I run into in the hallways,
many community partners. Wally Sparks and Erik Brechnitz have established the Brechnitz Business Experience Fund to
support our internship program. Thanks to their generosity, business students
with internships that are far from school and/or home can have their travel and
lodging expenses paid through the fund. There is, of course, so much work to do.
Last but not least, we are a school with a mission. This is what attracted many of us to our school and what continues to attract others. Our mission is reflected in a commitment to three reinforcing goals: GENERATING THE BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES
It is easy to get discouraged by threats
to business school education, threats to the value of a college degree, ignorance and a lack of diversity, not to mention
economic and social systems that threaten our environment and community. All these things are critical to the world
of business. But, there is still hope and
possibility in who we are, in our diversity of backgrounds and experiences, in what we know, in what we can figure out, in
the partnerships that we can build and in
what we can do together. I look forward to
building on all of these things, with you, in the year ahead.
LEARNING HOW TO PERFORM CREATING VALUE IN SOCIETY
stories, their curiosity and questions, passion, and, above all, their desire to learn new skills and do something with what they learn. We know they will ask, demand, suggest and
push us to be better, to do good work and to make it count.
LEARN MORE
millikin.edu/tabor
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LO O K ING B ACK
FIFTY SEASONS COUNTLESS MEMORIES Kirkland Fine Arts Center celebrates five decades at Millikin
Oct. 9, 1970 Ballet Folclórico de Mexico opens the inaugural season of one of Decatur’s most anticipated new arts venues, Kirkland Fine Arts Center (KFAC). In attendance is Mrs. Eva Coberly Kirkland, Class of 1915, whose $500,000 gift the previous year sparked the momentum that led to this “cultural gem” being built in central Illinois. A lifelong love of music and the performing arts prompted Mrs. Kirkland’s generous gift, and despite suffering from lingering health
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
problems during the construction of the fine arts center, she credited KFAC with “adding 10 years” to her life. Ten years that she spent taking in each season’s lineup of performance, education and art. Ten years – with the help of privateduty nurses and KFAC staff – spent as a fixture at nearly every show. Patrons came to expect her, seated in her customary spot near KFAC’s wheelchair entrance, wearing one of her many posh gowns. (Reportedly, she purchased an entire season’s worth of gowns every year.) On the night of the inaugural event, Millikin’s then-President, Dr. Paul L. McKay, honored both Mrs. Kirkland and her transformative gift:
“She is a very special person indeed: Beautiful in spirit, gracious in nature, generous and compassionate … Kirkland Fine Arts Center will stand on our campus as an enduring symbol of man’s search for truth, beauty and those intangible values that are the threads in the fabric of a nation’s culture.” Mrs. Kirkland being greeted by President McKay and his wife on opening night.
WRITTEN BY: JEREMY COULTER '00
LO O K ING B ACK
When asked about the impact Kirkland continues to have on the community, current KFAC Director Jan Traughber ’05 echoes President McKay’s sentiments. “I sit there and almost get teary because this is why I do what I do,” says Traughber. “Especially if you see families together at events. You see children at events. We’re going to spark that interest in the arts. And I think their lives are going to be broader for it.” It’s impossible to know how many children discovered a love for the arts at Kirkland, or how many have returned to Millikin as students to embrace their passion and hone their skills. Each year, hundreds of Millikin students express themselves through music, theatre and visual arts, and many proudly display their talents via Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Whether through performance on the main stage or displays of visual arts in one or more of Kirkland’s art galleries, Millikin students enjoy the opportunity to share their hard work with the community at this campus landmark.
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KFAC, named in honor of both Mrs. Kirkland and her husband, Ernest T. Kirkland, has been known for spotlighting this kind of artistic expression for five decades. In addition to countless student productions and performances over the years, the KFAC stage has welcomed such notables as Duke Ellington, Pattie Page, The Mamas and the Papas, Billy Crystal, Ernest Borgnine, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Vincent Price, Lily Tomlin, Leonard Nimoy, Henry Winkler, Tony Randall, Cicely Tyson, Bob Newhart, Little Richard, Jay Leno, Sara Bareilles, Seth Myers and Mo’Nique. KFAC has also seen standout touring productions of “Evita,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “CATS!,” “The Nutcracker,” “RENT” and “Legally Blonde,” among many others. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Vespers and the MillikinDecatur Symphony Orchestra have also proved to be perennial favorites. Recently celebrating 20 years as KFAC’s director, Traughber has seen the impact of Kirkland’s arts programming firsthand.
“Probably my all-time favorite [Kirkland performance] is Step Afrika!, a group out of Washington, D.C., that does step dance,” says Traughber. “I’d written a grant, and we took them to three different grade schools here in town, including Dennis [Lab School]. And after that, Dennis School started their own step group. So, you know, when you’re part of that and you see that kind of impact on kids, that’s special.” For 50 seasons, KFAC’s outstanding arts programming has continued to make an impact on our community’s cultural life. Here’s to 50 more!
S U PPO R T
STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE LATEST KIRKLAND FINE ARTS CENTER NEWS AND LEARN HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CENTER AT
millikin.edu/kirkland 45
F ACU LT Y S PO T LIG H T
PASSION FOR MUSIC Dr. Corey Seapy, Director of Bands
Dr. Corey Seapy has always been drawn to sound, and he’s loved music for as long as he can remember. Seapy has brought his musical passion and talents to Millikin University’s School of Music as the new director of bands — a position he began in August 2019.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
A dynamic conductor and educator who has spent the last decade maximizing the artistic potential of a wide variety of ensembles, Seapy is leading the Millikin University Symphonic Wind Ensemble succeeding the legendary Dr. Gary Shaw who retired in July 2019 after 37 years at Millikin. Growing up overseas, Seapy started playing music on piano, clarinet and saxophone all before high school, and stuck with clarinet and saxophone up until becoming a conductor.
“Music is organized sound in any genre. It’s been appealing to my ears. It moves your heart, it moves your brain and it moves your feet,” Seapy said. Seapy says the best part about being a conductor is the interpersonal aspect. “We are silent in performance, so our instrument is made up of a variety of people who are each unique parts of it and bring their own strengths, passions and sounds to the wind ensemble,” he said. “It’s that interpersonal aspect and exchange of human kind that made me fall in love with conducting as opposed to playing.”
WRITTEN BY: DANE LISSER
Seapy led the Symphonic Wind Ensemble in his first concert of the year on Oct. 13 at Kirkland Fine Arts Center. The event celebrated the passing of the conductor’s baton as well as a literal change of the season.
“Music is organized sound in any genre. It’s been appealing to my ears. It moves your heart, it moves your brain and it moves your feet.” - Dr. Corey Seapy
Figuratively, whichever musical “hat” Seapy is wearing, whether as a teacher, conductor or musician, his goal is always to compel the people he’s with to love music more. “That’s where it starts and ends for me. I want to share that passion for the art form, whether that’s with my students or with the audience,” he said. “For the wind ensemble, it’s a vehicle for music — not just a band. Hopefully through rehearsals and performances, students are loving music more, growing as musicians and improving their skillset.”
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One of the things that makes the Millikin Symphonic Wind Ensemble unique is the opportunity for the group CHAIR, EXCERCISE SCIENCE AND SPORT to do some “off the wall things” as Seapy DIRECTOR, ATHLETIC notes. “I’m a big fanTRAINING of collaboration with other art forms, and anytime we can work with another department, that’s enriching for us as students, and it’s really enriching for the audience,” he said. The first concert was more traditional, but for the ensemble’s second concert on Nov. 20, the group performed alongside Millikin dancers under the choreography of students and faculty. “We’re always balancing the past and the great repertoire as well as the present and the great music that is being written now,” Seapy said. “This spring, we will perform the world premiere of a piece that is currently being written. That will be an exciting collaboration with a composer.” Seapy has been amazed with the musical and academic environment at Millikin — an environment that’s been very welcoming to him, beginning with Gary Shaw. “I could not imagine feeling more welcomed, and that starts with Gary (Shaw). The faculty and the administrators have been willing to trust me to do the best that I can and to get into a routine of expecting excellence,” he said. “The spirit and support for the arts that extends campuswide, Decatur-wide and regionally, is palpable to a newcomer. I’m honored to be playing a role within that artistic community.”
Seapy completed his Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory of Music and Dance. Seapy holds a Master of Music in conducting from Ithaca College– New York and a Bachelor of Music in music education from Gordon College. Prior to living in Kansas City, Seapy conducted and taught in Massachusetts, where he served as music director of the Charles River Wind Ensemble, an auditioned adult group in Metro-Boston, and as director of bands at Ipswich High School. His past positions included orchestra director at Ipswich High School, conducting fellow with the Senior Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble at New England Conservatory, assistant conductor of the Gordon College Wind Ensemble, conductor of the Northeast Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble and director of bands at Georgetown High School. Seapy's recent awards include an honorable mention from the American Prize in Conducting (College/University Division) and a Finalist designation from the American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble Performance (Community Division).
LEARN MORE
millikin.edu/music
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WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE FIELDS '09/MBA '12
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HELPING THE HELPERS The Viette-Huffman-Pepping Non-Profit Internship
Most college students are no strangers to the burdens that come with financing their education. For students whose majors require unpaid internships, those burdens are felt even more acutely.
As an information systems graduate, Justin DeBo ’18 was keenly aware of the impact that internships have on students and their future career success. However, it wasn’t until learning about the experiences of his friends — Benjamin Viette ’18 of Belvidere, Ill.; Morgan Huffman ’18, currently living in Mount Zion, Ill.; and Taryn Pepping ’17 of Johnston, Iowa — that he realized just how varied those internship experiences can be for Millikin students. As he learned more about what his friends had experienced throughout their educational journeys, DeBo felt led to make a difference in the lives of individuals working in the helping professions. To that end, DeBo, a Normal, Ill., native now working as a software developer for State Farm, worked with Professor Mary Garrison to create the Viette-Huffman-Pepping (VHP) Non-Profit Internship, with the support of DeBo's employer. The endowed fund is designed to benefit students participating in unpaid internships with non-profit organizations. While at Millikin, DeBo began working with MU Performance Consulting (MUPC), a student-run venture specializing in information MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
systems consulting services. Through this opportunity, DeBo became engaged with Dove, Inc.’s Homeward Bound program, which provides housing, case management, referrals and supportive services to homeless individuals in the Decatur area. It was in this capacity, while working alongside Huffman, that DeBo’s eyes were really opened to the struggles of individuals around him. “Morgan worked with me on the Dove project,” DeBo said. “She was really one of the people who [helped me with] understanding homeless people. … She made me more understanding and more compassionate toward people from different backgrounds. She had a big impact on me while I was here.” As an art therapy graduate, Pepping fully understands the depth and breadth of the non-profit internship experience and the commitment it requires. Desiring a more focused approach, Pepping wanted to find an internship that would afford her supervised time specifically in her field of study. After much research, and with the support of her James Millikin Scholar project supervisors, Pepping was put in contact with Hope Learning Academy in Springfield, Ill., a school dedicated to the development of students with autism and other developmental disabilities. For nearly two years, Pepping served Hope as its art intern. “I don’t think I would have as much knowledge about the psychological effects of various art materials, planning for therapeutic projects or the importance of flexibility and adaptation for individual clients if I had not had firsthand experience from Hope,” Pepping said. Now a graduate student in the
Seattle area, Pepping finds herself still reflecting upon her internship experience today. “Those experiences are fueling my learning even now and are still strengthening my passion for continuing in my growth as an art therapist in training.” DeBo credits Pepping’s presentation about her internship as one of the deciding influences in the creation of the VHP fund. In addition to serving Hope for two years as an unpaid intern, Pepping made the drive to Springfield to work with the students multiple times a week, using money from her own pocket to fund her travel. DeBo respects that kind of commitment and sacrifice, and he believes it should be rewarded. “Maybe [the VHP internship] could help [students] not need another job while they’re at college or pay for their gas to go back and forth,” he said. "Something to just make their lives a little easier.” Human services students often find themselves taking risks and stepping outside of their comfort zones to effect positive change in the world. Viette and Huffman, accompanied by Garrison and other students, traveled to Los Angeles over spring break of their senior year to serve individuals living in extreme, chronic homelessness in LA’s Skid Row area. DeBo was good friends with Viette from his years at Millikin and found this to be consistent with Viette’s compassionate nature, making him an ideal mentor to individuals currently making their way through the internship experience. “These people have all gone through these internships, so they could provide mentorship to others,” DeBo said. “It gives them someone who they know they can reach out to.”
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Justin DeBo Class of 2018
MILLIKIN ALUM AND PROFESSOR WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE FUND IN HONOR OF HUMAN SERVICES GRADUATES
As a professor of social work who serves alongside students committed to the helping professions, Garrison is excited about the impact that the VHP fund will be able to have on others. She believes that it particularly speaks volumes to have human services students receive much-needed support from an individual from another field of study. “I think it really validates the students who do the work. For most people, if you see marketing or information systems, even if you aren’t really in it, you might understand it,” Garrison said. “When we’re talking human services, people don’t really understand the work that goes on … and also the real challenges. It is a hard job. I think it really validates that their work is important. They're not just helpers. They’re skilled professionals, and we’re helping to support their development as professionals in any way we can.” W INTER 2020
Currently, the VHP internship fund is at a level that will allow one student to receive $500 for their internship work. The goal is to grow the fund to $20,000, enabling its impact to stretch further and reach even more students. “Ideally, I would love for it to be able to fund any non-profit internship for any major. … I would love for people who have that passion to be able to do that kind of work-and to be able to do it without having to give up something,” DeBo said. DeBo believes strongly that the VHP internship gives individuals, particularly young alumni, a way to make a tangible difference in the lives of Millikin students. “I’m hoping it will touch people and encourage them to give so that the people in these professions can continue to give back,” he said. “I think it’s important. We need people doing that work.”
Garrison agrees, saying, “They’re going to be taking care of us one day.” She is grateful for the opportunity being provided to current students. “I can’t thank Justin enough,” she said. “It’s cool that he looked at those three peers, thought this through and wanted to support their legacy and look to the future.”
S U PPO R T
TO SUPPORT THE VIETTE-HUFFMANPEPPING NON-PROFIT INTERNSHIP, VISIT
bit.ly/vhp-intern
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WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE FIELDS '09/MBA '12
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Holly Haskins Shasteen Class of 2015
“Nursing has been a complex and rewarding field that has provided me with great perspective and gratitude toward life.” – Holly Haskins Shasteen ’15
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IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH Alumni Profile: Holly Haskins Shasteen ’15
Many little girls think about their wedding day their entire lives. They envision wearing the most beautiful dress they will ever own, clutching a bouquet of sweet-smelling flowers and walking down the aisle to unite themselves with the person of their dreams. They picture celebrating the day surrounded by the people they love the most, playfully shoving cake into the face of their new spouse and being whisked away on a relaxing honeymoon to parts unknown.
Most of them don’t imagine saving someone’s life that day. Holly Haskins Shasteen, a 2015 graduate of Millikin University’s School of Nursing, woke on the morning of May 25, 2019, ready to meet Jacob Shasteen ’13 at the altar at St. James Catholic Church to start their new life together. In speaking about her groom, Holly described Jacob, an insurance producer with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., as “smart, loving, patient and way too good for me. I married up!” Currently, Holly is a student in Millikin’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, with the goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist after graduation. As a doctoral student and registered nurse in Decatur Memorial Hospital’s cardiovascular unit, Holly soon found that wedding preparations added many responsibilities to her already overflowing plate. “Planning a wedding during CRNA school was probably one W INTER 2020
of my less well-thought-out decisions,” Holly said. “Thankfully, I have a great mom [who] took the reins on getting stuff done.” Though wedding days often prove hectic and unpredictable, Holly and Jacob’s wedding day greeted them with perfect weather and could not have gone more smoothly. It was everything they had hoped for — and then some. Following their reception at the Decatur Conference Center & Hotel, Holly and Jacob headed up to their room. At the same time, Sean McCormick, one of the wedding guests, was in the hotel lobby with his wife, his son and his son’s girlfriend. McCormick suddenly started feeling faint and asked his son to fetch a cold rag, then collapsed. As luck would have it, Holly and Jacob took a wrong turn in searching for the hotel’s elevator and came across the McCormicks. Holly saw McCormick lying across a couch, with his wife yelling for someone to dial 911. Immediately switching out of bride mode and into nurse mode, Holly dragged McCormick onto the floor and felt for a pulse. Not finding one, she instructed Jacob to go get her bridesmaids — who were also nurses — and began administering CPR. After a number of compressions, McCormick started moving, and the bridal party of nursing professionals sprang into action. They hooked McCormick up to an automatic external defibrillator, took his blood pressure and got his medical information from his family. Ultimately diagnosed
with dehydration and low potassium, McCormick is now back to daily life, thanks to Holly’s quick action. Pamela Lindsey, interim dean of the College of Professional Studies, believes Holly’s actions are entirely indicative of the abilities of the nurses developed through Millikin’s nursing program. “It doesn’t surprise me to hear a story like that,” Lindsey said. “Our graduates are well-prepared for those situations … they are out there literally saving lives every day.” Interim Director of the School of Nursing Elizabeth Gephart indicated that she is immensely proud when she hears about nurses impacting their communities and saving lives in the most unique situations. “They do it as part of their working life, and we never hear about that,” said Gephart. “But when you hear about that extraordinary gift in the non-working arena, you have to feel an enormous amount of pride in them.” Holly credits her experience as a nurse for providing her with the tools needed for life-saving action. “Nursing has been a complex and rewarding field that has provided me with great perspective and gratitude toward life,” she said. “I am grateful for my time at Millikin and DMH, as both institutions continue to help shape me into a stronger healthcare provider.” McCormick, for one, is grateful for that strength, which has enabled him to serve as a living testimony to Holly’s passion and dedication. He stated simply, “She saved my life.” 51
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NAMED TO FORBES’ AMERICA’S TOP COLLEGES MIDWEST’S BEST COLLEGES BY P R I N C E TO N R E V I E W
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BEST REGIONAL COLLEGE IN THE MIDWEST
BEST COLLEGE IN ILLINOIS TO LAND YOU A JOB
BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK IN THE MIDWEST
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
ZIPPIA
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NAMED BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
MOST INNOVATIVE MIDWEST COLLEGES NAMED BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
BEST VALUE SCHOOL IN THE MIDWEST
CLAS S NO T E S
1949
Evelyn Timmons Creager ’49 of Spokane, Wash., sings in the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church choir and still jogs daily.
1950
Juanita “Nita” Peifer Pensinger ’49 and her husband, Max ’50,
have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. The Pensingers live in Tucson, Ariz.
Donald Hildebrand ’50
of New Braunfels, Texas, writes that he is “still having fun at age 91.”
James Raupp ’50
is a partner with Raupp & Son Inc. James and his wife, Thelma, live in Decatur.
Mary Lou Asbury Fochtmann ’52
of Chesterfield, Mo., celebrated her birthday with her first great-grandchild, Archer Lee, 1, who took his first multiple steps that day.
Verne Borse Kelly ’55
of Huntley, Ill., writes that she is happy to see Millikin’s growth and would love to see the new Center for Theatre & Dance, as she remembers her experiences in theatre at the University with great affection.
Mary Jo Kellams Wagner ’55 of Sun City, Ariz., moved west to be close to her daughter. She writes that she has “a lovely condo with huge balcony and table and chair to sit and enjoy the lovely weather.”
Elaine Miller ’59
of Rochester, N.Y., enjoys long-distance bicycling in the states and overseas, plays percussion in a band called New Horizons and tap dances once a week. She also publishes and presents on political cartoons as social critique. For more information, visit her website at www.ekmillerproductions. com or Millikin.edu/alumni/elaine-miller.
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1960
Vincent Ermovick ’60
of Tucson, Ariz., and his wife, Regina, recently celebrated 62 years of marriage.
James McFadden ’63
retired from Firestone at age 75 after 48 years of service. He writes, “I still remember Millikin and the boost it gave me getting started.” He currently lives in Nashville, Tenn.
Judith Keller Campbell ’64
and her husband, Jack, have enjoyed traveling the country together. Judith continues to sing in her church choir and play in the handbell choir. The Campbells live in Everett, Wash.
Sherdel Engelman Janssen ’64 and her husband, Loren, welcomed their first great-grandchild, Adrienne “AJ.” The Janssens live in Lago Vista, Texas.
James “Jim” Hodges ’67 and his wife, Susan Hammell Hodges ’69 of Dumfries, Va., celebrated their 50th anniversary in September 2017.
John Glosser ’68
Robert Stiehl ’69
of Urbana, Ill., writes that 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Millikin jazz band’s trip to the Middle East. Robert played trumpet on the tour.
1970
Michael Karasis ’70
of Decatur will travel to Papua New Guinea for the 22nd time in his 40-year medical career. In addition, one of his musical compositions was featured in a performance by the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra. Another composition, which will be narrated by the grandson of President Harry S Truman, will be performed in 2020 in Chicago as a memorial to World War II.
Lawrence Kelly ’70 of Cincinnati, has retired.
Jon Mitchell ’71
of Franklin, Mass., received the College Orchestra Directors Association Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2019. The award was presented during a banquet at which composer Peter Schickele (known for P.D.Q. Bach) was the featured speaker. Mitchell, who retired in 2015, is a professor emeritus at the University of MassachusettsBoston.
of Springfield, Ill., writes, “It was a great joy to reconnect with my classmates at our 50-year reunion” during 2018 Homecoming & Family Weekend.
Yvette Daunic Howard and her husband, Richard Howard, both ’69,
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary June 22, 2018. They live in Guilford, Conn.
Charles Nahatis ’69
of Manchester, Mass., was elected chair of the board of BankGloucester, headquartered in Gloucester, Mass.
Paula Walton Garrott ’72
of Springfield, Ill., received the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 annual meeting. She retired from the University of Illinois-Springfield as chair and professor emerita, Medical Laboratory Science.
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CLAS S NO T E S
Elaine Chapman ’73
of Jacksonville, Ill., is retired from Illinois College, where she served as the Hitchcock professor of biology. She is married to Dr. Dennis Backstrom, who has retired from his position as an emergency medicine physician with Passavant Memorial Hospital.
Cornell Thomas ’74
of St. Louis is assistant dean for admissions and student services at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine and is also president of Thomas Dental Office P.C. For more on Dr. Thomas, see millikin.edu/ alumni/cornell-thomas.
George Brichacek ’76
of Carol Stream, Ill., has retired following 36 years with IBM. He writes that he feels blessed to retire and spend more time with his daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren. His retirement plans include traveling, hiking and camping. He teaches a Sunday school class for adults with developmental disabilities at his local church.
Terry Fletcher ’75
Ken Tothero ’81 Mary Strine Miller ’76
of Northbrook, Ill., along with other Alpha Chi Omega sisters, endowed the Suzy Stevens Orange Memorial Scholarship, now in its 35th year at Millikin. Mary is the CEO and chief strategist for Miller Comms Inc. Her husband, Ralph, is a partner and electrical contractor with Chester Construction Group in Glenview, Ill.
Dan Perry ’78
of Trinity, Fla., married Manuel Del Campo on June 8, 2019.
Austin Rund ’75
of Saugatuck, Mich., is a certified registered nurse anesthetist with Macatawa Anesthesia in Holland, Mich.
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of Tucson, Ariz., is a life and health insurance broker with Equis/Advocate Health of Raleigh, N.C., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In this position, Katrina assists families with securing a financial future for their loved ones.
of Lincoln, Ill., has retired. She taught for the District 27 school district in Lincoln, edited “The Central Star-Gazer” and helped to create the Civil War Walk for district fifth-graders. She also served as assistant director for the Lincoln Junior High School play for 30 years. Rebecca plans to spend her retirement visiting historical sites in the United States and spending time with her grandchildren.
of Mansfield, Texas, retired in 2014 following over 30 years in the biochemistry field. He plans to dedicate his retirement time to horticulture, electronics, carpentry and travel.
Deborah Nyberg ’75
Katrina Perkins Rivera ’80
Rebecca Bowers Bailey ’81
Gary Trakshel ’74
of Clinton, Miss., has been traveling extensively since his retirement. He has visited all lower 48 states and will visit Alaska and Hawaii in the near future. Terry is currently the choir master at Ascension Lutheran Church in Jackson, Miss., where he was also the organist for 30 years.
1980
of Highland, Ill., pastor of Troy United Methodist Church, is lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of The Rivers of Life Band, a contemporary Christian band comprised of five United Methodist pastors. The band donates proceeds from CD sales to a variety of charitable causes, donating over $10,000 to date.
of Austin, Texas, retired from the University of Texas at Austin following a 35-year career in education. Shortly after retirement, he flew to the Oregon coast with his bicycle and began riding eastward. On Sept. 9, 2018, he dipped his wheels in the Atlantic Ocean to complete a 4,300-mile coast-tocoast ride.
CLAS S NO T E S
Scott Britton ’82
of Glenview, Ill., was elected to the Cook County board of commissioners. The board oversees the Cook County healthcare system, civil and criminal justice systems and the forest preserve.
Bridget Lumma Pargulski ’86
of Johnston, Iowa, founded the Iowa Army of Pink in 2012. The organization, a 501(c)(3) charity, is a group of breast cancer survivors and loved ones committed to educating women and medical professionals on the importance of breast tissue density as a factor in diagnosing breast cancer. The organization has been instrumental in the passage of density information legislation, which requires radiologists to include density results in mammography reports.
Daniel Diss ’87
Kent Olson ’82
of Tallahassee, Fla., is the current president of the Florida Government Finance Officers Association. He is the deputy treasurer-clerk for the City of Tallahassee. Kent is married to DeeDee Chapman Olson ’83.
Bonnie Hall Ruecker ’82
writes that she enjoys watching Millikin’s developments. Bonnie and her husband, Ronald, live in Decatur. They spend the winter months in Florida, where Bonnie keeps up with her medical care and quilting.
Art McNaughton ’83
of Cumming, Ga., runs his own freelance creative consulting business, following a number of years as an illustrator, graphic designer, and creative director. He also serves as president of the Atlanta Artists Center, a 501(c)(3) organization, performs as a drummer throughout Atlanta and enjoys playing golf.
Hugh Benscoter ’84
of Blue Ridge, Ga., has retired.
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of Wheaton, Ill., is senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Glen Ellyn, Ill. Shortly after his appointment, he helped merge First United with St. Thomas United Methodist. Becky Langmeyer Waldbusser ’02 is a church staff member.
Nancy Hoerner Kester ’87
of Byron, Ill., is the regional director of occupational health for the northern and eastern regions of OSF Health Care in Rockford, Ill.
Debra Edmiaston Reed ’88
of Moro, Ill., is the executive director and CEO of Highland Health Care Center, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in Highland, Ill. She enjoys working with Special Olympics, Venture Scouts, Rotary International and the Illinois Health Care Association.
Keith Michaels ’88
of Edwardsville, Ill., is a retired ordained minister.
Leslie Gilbert Gembol ’89
of Georgetown, Texas, is regional chief nursing officer for the central region of Baylor Scott and White Health, the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas.
1990
Lorne Sturdivant ’90
of Decatur is a detective with the city of Decatur.
David White ’90
of Decatur is partner in charge of the Decatur office and of agriculture services for Sikich LLP. He manages the Decatur team of 28 employees and oversees the firm-wide agricultural team.
Carla Houk Giberson ’91
of Decatur is children’s director for Vintage Church in Decatur.
Jeffrey “Jeff ” Butts ’92
of Indianapolis was named 2019 Indiana Superintendent of the Year. He is superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township.
James Cloney ’92
of Decatur is an adjunct arts technology faculty member at Millikin University.
Shelli Coffey ’92
of Chicago works for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. She has completed advanced degrees at Georgetown University for the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking, as well as the Government Affairs Institute’s Legislative Studies and Capitol Hill Fellowship programs. Shelli also worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Mike Rounds for a year.
Monica Pope Lientz ’92
of Crowley, Texas, is an educator at High Point Academy in White Settlement, Texas.
Gretchen Wendt LaCivita ’94
of Chicago, received her doctorate of nursing practice from Loyola University Chicago in August 2018. She is an assistant professor of nursing at Resurrection University in Chicago.
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CLAS S NO T E S
Lou Leone ’94
of New London, Wis., is city administrator for New London. In this position, Lou is primarily responsible for carrying out the policies established by the Common Council, oversees day-to-day activities of the city and supervises city department heads.
Gretchen Fritz ’95
of Plainfield, Ill., was elected to a second term on the Will County board in the November 2018 general election. Gretchen serves as commissioner of the forest preserve.
Deborah Rogers Lundin ’96
of Madison, Wis., is the pre-award manager for sponsored programs with WiSys Technology Foundation. In this position, Deborah provides pre-award grant submission support to University of Wisconsin campuses to help enrich research and scholarship.
Kelly Wamser Remijan ’96
Jennifer Armstrong ’95
Lauren Gornall Saeger ’95 and Jonathan Saeger ’98
of Normal, Ill., is an individual giving director for WGLT, an NPR member station licensed to Illinois State University. Jennifer is responsible for donor outreach and services, including on-air, digital, direct mail and stewardship for annual fund, planned giving and major gifts.
live in Goldsboro, N.C. Lauren is a doctoral candidate in vocal jazz performance at the University of Illinois and works part-time in the children’s department at the Wayne County Library in Goldsboro. Jonathan is director of choral activities at the University of Mount Olive in Mount Olive, N.C. (“home of Mount Olive pickles!”)
Tony Edmonds ’95
Ian Toberman ’95
of St. Peters, Mo., is vice-president of BMO Harris Bank, serving as sales manager. He was awarded the Excellence in Life Award in the area of business by Millikin’s Football Alumni Advisory Board in 2016 and now serves as an advisory board member. He encourages students to “take full advantage of what this University has to offer – international influence, entrepreneurial spirit, internships and lifelong relationships.”
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of Belleville, Ill., teaches mathematics parttime at O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Ill., and conducts outreach to teachers in southern Illinois as a remote professional development and curriculum specialist for the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy of Aurora, Ill. Her article, “STEAMing Up Linear Functions,” was published in Mathematics Teacher Magazine, and she was a presenter at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics National Conference in San Diego, Calif., in April 2019.
Kyle Borcz ’97
of Attica, Ind., premiered his original short play, “Origin Story,” at the 10-Minute Play Festival in Lafayette, Ind., in June 2019. He also directed “Black Comedy,” a play by Peter Shaffer, at the Red Brick Theatre in Delphi, Ind.
of St. Louis is assistant director of the honors program at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He coordinates the advising function for the honors program, develops recruitment strategies for students underrepresented in honors and works with faculty to create complementary curricular and co-curricular activities. He is also president of the university staff senate.
Dan Bruno ’96
of Roselle, Ill., associate vice president and relationship management officer with Nationwide National Partners, was presented with the Nationwide Insurance National Sales Associate of the Year award at the company’s annual national sales conference in Orlando, Fla., in January 2019. Daniel is an executive board member of the Roselle Lions Club and is married to Sara Baur Bruno ’94.
Amanda Johnson Butterick ’99 of Decatur is a revenue auditor trainee with the Illinois Department of Revenue in Springfield, Ill.
CLAS S NO T E S
Amy Johnson Kemp ’99
leads a unit of sales consultants that finished as the number one Mary Kay unit in the world last year, and they are on target to do the same this year. Two of Amy’s offspring sales directors and several consultants in her unit are also Millikin alumni. Amy lives in Bourbonnais, Ill.
Michelle Grohe ’00
of Jamaica Plain, Mass., was named the Esther Stiles Eastman curator of education at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. In her new role, Michelle provides leadership for education activities designed to ensure that diverse audiences interact with the museum.
go.com/Nightline/video/researchers-bravebrutal-conditions-research-climate-changeantarctica-63167400)
Matt Hughes ’00
of Decatur is chief operating officer of E.L. Pruitt Company, a mechanical contractor instrumental in construction work on a number of Millikin projects, including the University Commons and the Center for Theatre & Dance.
Julie Baker Loftin ’00
of Reeds Spring, Mo., is a loan coordinator with Drury University in Springfield, Mo.
Dwight Woods ’00 Joshua Pessin ’99
of Racine, Wis., is a general surgeon with Ascension All Saints Hospital. He was recently elected chairman of the hospital’s department of surgery. Dr. Pessin is married to Christa Berens Pessin, also ’99.
Nicole Tester ’99
of Gainesville, Fla., and her husband, Jason Fromm, welcomed a son, Harrison Lee, born Jan. 23, 2019.
2000
Antione Ford ’00
of Covington, Ga., is head girls basketball coach at Locust Grove High School in Locust Grove, Ga. The team finished his inaugural season with a 21 and 8 record. He also teaches physical science at the school.
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of Sun City, Calif., is cybersecurity manager with Northrop Grumman in San Diego. Dwight is a certified information system security professional and has secure software lifecycle and ethical hacker certifications. He also volunteers as a technical mentor with the Cyberpatriot program, a cybersecurity program designed for high school students.
Caylee French Noggle ’01
of Atlanta is president of the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), which administers scholarship, grant and student loan programs totaling nearly $1 billion. The GSFC provides student financial aid and educational services for Georgians of all ages to help ensure access to an affordable education beyond high school.
Monica Parker ’01
of Richardson, Texas, is a senior systems integration technologist at a company in Texas, which affords her the opportunity to have the job of her dreams: technology with travel. Monica has visited over 30 countries and all seven continents, having finally visited Antarctica for her 40th birthday. During that trip, she appeared in an episode of ABC’s “Nightline.” (https://abcnews.
Mary Gollings ’02
of Des Plaines, Ill., is a clinical social work supervisor for the Veterans Healthcare Administration’s Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. She also has served ten years as an executive member of the National Association of Social Workers board of directors. In June of 2016, she married Jerry Zmuda, an engineer with Siemens. Mary and Jerry welcomed a son, Henry, on July 24, 2018.
Deanna Walker Hill ’02
is plant finance manager for Tate and Lyle of Decatur. She currently lives in Collierville, Tenn.
Paula Tuetken Ake ’03
of St. Peters, Mo., is a professional school counselor with Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Mo.
Beth Franke Hodgson ’03
of Monument, Colo., is associate nurse manager of pre-anesthesia services with UC Health in Colorado Springs, Colo. Beth also serves as an outreach volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and helps support families with loved ones newly diagnosed with type one diabetes. Beth is also a founding member of the Colorado chapter of #insulin4all, a branch of T1 International.
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Melissa Howland ’03
of Los Angeles, is a film critic, pop culture convention speaker and invisible illness advocate. Melissa has had the opportunity to host television shows, visit the archives at the Skywalker Ranch and travel to various conventions to speak about her career. She wants to encourage others living with illness or disability to remember that they are not alone. She writes, “Don’t be afraid to speak or reach out!”
Erin Crow Usher ’03
and her husband, Cory, of St. Louis, welcomed their third son, Tyson Leroy, in September 2018. Tyson joins his older brothers, Clayton Edward, 7, and Austin Jacob, 4.
Nicholas Walters ’03 and Janice Tolley Walters ’06
of Galesburg, Ill., welcomed their fourth son, Quinn Steven, on Oct. 6, 2018. Nicholas is a firefighter and paramedic with Galesburg Fire and Rescue, and Janice is a senior communications representative with Caterpillar.
Culeta Byars ’06
of Cordova, Tenn., graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a doctorate of nursing practice in executive leadership.
James LeVault ’06
of Taylorville, Ill., is an associate attorney with Sorling Northrup in Springfield, Ill. His practice areas include local government law, family law, labor and employment, estate planning and business advising.
Deidra Fryer ’04
of Decatur is a child care teacher with Decatur Day Care Center.
Pamela Borgers Jenkins ’04
of West Lafayette, Ind., is a curriculum and catalog analyst at Purdue University.
T.J. Johnson ’04 Tiffany Lawson ’03
of Chicago, is the artistic director of Tiffany Lawson Dance of Chicago, a 501(c)3 non-profit dance company. Several Millikin alumni are members of the company, including Shayna Bjerke ’03, Nick Davio ’03 and Tiffany’s husband, Scott Hargis ’01. The company presented HARMONY, a live music and dance festival at the Fasseas Whitebox Theatre in Chicago in March 2019. The festival brought together choreographers and musicians from across the nation for a unique, cutting-edge festival that married live music and dance. For more information, visit tiffanylawsondance.com.
Dorina Aguilar Rasmussen ’03
of Evanston, Ill., is the assistant dean of student affairs at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University.
of Riverside, Ill., is vice president of corporate partnerships for the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation. T.J. and his wife, Andrea, welcomed a son, Leif Thomas, on Sept. 28, 2018. Leif joins his brother, Nels, 5.
and John Engelbrecht were married July 7, 2018. Dr. Zimmerman is an assistant professor of biology at Millikin University. John is a title underwriter for State Farm. They live in Decatur.
RJ Meyer ’04
of Crystal Lake, Ill., is a regulatory affairs instructional design manager with AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company in North Chicago.
Julie Metzler ’05
of Kansas City, Mo., is an accounting clerk with P1 Group, a nationwide construction company in Lenexa, Kan. She volunteers at an animal shelter and also helped start Games for Troops Inc., an organization that purchases games to send to deployed troops (gamesfortroops.org).
Casey Wilen ’05
is an adjunct faculty member in the art department at Millikin.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
Laura Zimmerman ’06
Meredith Christ Burroughs ’07
of Springfield, Ill., and her husband, Mike, welcomed a daughter, Kerrigan Reese, on May 24, 2018. She joins her older sister, Gwendolyn Mae.
CLAS S NO T E S
Katelyn Coffman Gray ’07
of Machesney Park, Ill., and her husband, Eric, welcomed their second child, Carson Miles, born Sept. 10, 2018. Carson joins older brother, Elliott Mason, 3.
Jeanelle Keck ’07
of Decatur is an adjunct faculty member in the Tabor School of Business at Millikin.
Joshua Geringer ’09
of De Soto, Mo., is the choir director at Windsor Middle School in Imperial, Mo. He received the Podium Award from the Missouri Choral Directors Association, which is presented to an individual who has made exemplary contributions to the choral arts as evidenced by distinguished performance.
Greta Spencer ’07
married Shane McCue on Oct. 6, 2018, in Milwaukee. Greta is corporate sales manager for Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee. Shane is a mechanical engineer with Milwaukee Tool. They live in Greenfield, Wis.
of Decatur, and her husband, Geoff, welcomed a son, Greyson, born Aug. 2, 2018.
Samantha Dillon ’11
of Elgin, Ill., and her husband, Andrew, welcomed a son, Samuel, born April 23, 2018.
is benefits department manager with LaPorte and Associates in Portland, Ore. She oversees all account managers in the department and manages her own book of clients for employer group benefits. Candace and her husband, Joshua, welcomed a son, Joshua “JJ” Michael Bennett Jr., born Jan. 6, 2016. The Bennetts live in Portland.
Sean Stephenson ’08
of Pella, Iowa, is lecturer of voice at Central College in Pella. While maintaining a fulltime teaching load, he is completing his doctoral dissertation.
Danielle Fields ’09/MBA ’12
of Decatur was named Millikin University’s 2018-2019 Employee of the Year. Danielle is university writer in the Marketing and Media Relations department.
of Bloomington, Ill., received the accreditation of Illinois Professional Emergency Manager from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. This accreditation requires the completion of multiple Federal Emergency Management Agency courses. Brandon also has certification in critical infrastructure security from Texas A&M University. He works for the Bureau of Operations for the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Stephanie Hodges Peoples ’10
Hannah Karcher Walters ’07
Candace McCarty Bennett ’08
Brandon Keller ’10
Matthew Massey ’09
of San Antonio is marketing manager with Hagee Ministries, overseeing marketing activities for Cornerstone Christian Schools, Cornerstone Youth Sports and Cornerstone Church. Matthew and his wife, Michelle, welcomed a daughter, Sophie, on April 5, 2019. Sophie joins her brother, Hunter, 4.
2010
Alexandra Lolis Brown ’10
and her husband, Benjamin Brown ’11 of Bolingbrook, Ill., welcomed a son, Peter, on August 1, 2018. Alexandra’s research findings in a study pertaining to skeletal muscle cancer were published in a renowned journal. She is a microbiology supervisor with Avexis.
of O’Fallon, Ill., married Alex Klang on June 3, 2017. They welcomed a daughter, Hollis Jane, on March 18, 2018.
Evan File and Kayla Vogel File, both ’11
welcomed a son, Forrest Emmett, born Sept. 10, 2018. The family lives in Summit, Wis.
Javier Becerril Rojas ’12
of Magdeburg, Germany, married Sarah Fähse on Dec. 21, 2018. The two met while teaching English to Chinese elementary school students in Shenzhen. Javier is currently a doctoral candidate, studying at both Leipzig University in Leipzig, Germany, and the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Toluca. Javier and Sarah welcomed a son, Javier Paul, born Nov. 17, 2016.
Hannah Shoen Donoho ’10/ MSN ’17
of Moweaqua, Ill., is an adjunct instructor in Millikin’s School of Nursing. She is the recipient of the School of Nursing 2019 Alumnus of the Year award.
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Jeffrey Tucker ’12
has spent the last five years as a mortgage lender in the Decatur area and was the Herald & Review Reader’s Choice for best mortgage lender in 2017. Jeffrey is also a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor. He and his wife, Hope Majeres Tucker ’16, live in Decatur.
Jacob Browning and Morgan McDougall, both ’13
were married Oct. 13, 2018, in Mokena, Ill. Jacob is director of sales for Princeton Group Sports Inc. Morgan is an injury prevention specialist for Amazon. They live in Lisle, Ill.
Haley Light ’13
of St. Louis is an assistant nurse manager at Barnes Jewish Hospital.
Lauren Acton ’14/MBA ’19
of Decatur, Ill., is the associate director of alumni giving in Millikin’s Alumni and Development Office.
Hillary Lambert ’14 and Brian Ekiss ’16 were married June 16, 2018. They live in Decatur.
Casey Lawson ’14
of St. Charles, Mo., married Matthew Lazarus Sept. 29, 2018. Casey is senior conference services manager at The Westin St. Louis. Matthew is an optometrist.
Ben Murrow ’14
of Wheaton, Ill., is an admissions representative with Chamberlain University in Downers Grove, Ill. On July 25, 2015, he married Gabriela Randazzo. Gabriela is a marketing and communication specialist with Dover Corporation.
Jacqui Rogers ’14
of Lexington Park, Md., is coordinator of transfer and articulation for the College of Southern Maryland in La Plata.
Colton Callan ’15
of Moweaqua, Ill., is a production planner with Green Valley Manufacturing in Mt. Zion, Ill.
Brittany Mytnik ’15
of Arlington, Mass., is the senior coordinator of digital marketing and circulation for Harvard Education Publishing Group in Cambridge, Mass.
Mary Zeigler ’15
is the administrative assistant to the athletic director at Millikin University. She and her husband, Steven, live in Decatur.
Lexie Huston ’13
is crisis services coordinator for the Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA) of Charlottesville, Va. Lexie coordinates the crisis services that SARA provides, including a 24/7 hotline staffed by volunteers, as well as emergency room advocacy for sexual assault survivors. On Oct. 14, 2018, Lexie married Emily Groves, a higher education senior student services coordinator for the University of Virginia. Lexie and Emily live in Charlottesville.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
Shakira Milton ’14
of Melbourne, Australia, is an implementation scientist at the University of Melbourne. She has co-authored three academic peer-reviewed publications, two of which have been published in The Cancer Journal. She enjoys volunteering for Hillsong Church.
Chris Ator ’16
is an assistant coach at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, where he coaches quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Mikayla Mendenhall Murray ’16
of Blue Mound, Ill., and her husband, Tyler, welcomed a daughter, Elena Grace, born Aug. 20, 2018.
CLAS S NO T E S
Secily Moss ’16
of Pana, Ill., is a secondary schools athletic trainer for Springfield Clinic and serves as head athletic trainer in Taylorville, Ill.
Alyssa Becker ’17
of Glendale, Ariz., is a teacher at Legacy Traditional School in Phoenix.
Lydia Burke ’17
of Chicago played the roles of May and Chenille in the Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences’ production of “Junie B. Jones” in July 2019.
Jane Daniels ’17
is a junior high teacher at Crescent City Grade School in Crescent City, Ill.
Mackenzie Peck ’17
of Decatur is a lab technician with ADM.
McKenzie Sauer ’17
of Muncie, Ind., is completing a master’s degree in student affairs administration in higher education at Ball State University.
Dayle McMahon ’19
of Decatur married Derek Rebelsky on May 27, 2019. Dayle has been accepted into the human development counseling master’s program at the University of IllinoisSpringfield.
Sarah Smolenski ’17
of Libertyville, Ill., is an assistant manager for channel marketing with ACCO Brands in Lake Zurich, Ill., where she works to develop merchandising strategies.
Seth Throneburg ’17
of Muncie, Ind., is enrolled in the master’s in sociology program at Ball State University.
Brittany Walsh ’17
of Roselle, Ill., is a hall coordinator at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind.
Nicole Barrette ’18
Blake Jacobus ’17
of Decatur is a case manager with United Cerebral Palsy. She provides case management services for people with all types of disabilities.
of Chandler, Ariz., is an infrastructure analyst with State Farm in Tempe, Ariz.
Lesa McMahon-Lowe ’17
of Decatur is a Schultz Foundation 2018 Merlin W. Schultz professional development grantee. The grant will enable her to obtain Gottman method level two training, used in couples’ therapy.
William “Bill” Fields ’19
of Decatur is a sales support specialist with Standard Electric Supply Company in Champaign, Ill.
CLASS NOTES SUBMITTED OCT. 1, 2018-JULY 31, 2019. Share your news online at millikin.edu/alumni.
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T RUST EE EMERI T I MEMORIALS Julius W. Hegeler II ’50
of Danville, Ill., July 5, 2019. He served as a member of Millikin’s Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1996 and received the University’s Alumni Merit-Loyalty Award in 1998. In 2016, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
James Henson ’56
of Marietta, S.C., April 25, 2019. He was the recipient of Millikin’s Alumnus of the Year Award in 1989 and served on the Board of Trustees from 1984 to 1991.
Richard Lumpkin
of Carmel Valley, Calif., formerly of Mattoon, Ill., April 4, 2019. He served on Millikin’s Board of Trustees from 1987 to 1992.
FAC U LT Y & S TA F F MEMORIALS Edward “Ed” Acheson
of Cottonwood, Ariz., formerly of Decatur, March 13, 2019. Ed was an associate professor of chemistry emeritus and retired in 2014 after 35 years of service to the University. The family requests memorial gifts be made to the Dr. Ed and Lucy Acheson Award for Excellence in First Year Chemistry at Millikin University, c/o Alumni and Development, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
Bernadine Drake ’55
of Decatur, June 18, 2019. She was a School of Nursing faculty member from 1979 to 1984.
Arthur Hopper Jr.
of Baileys Harbor, Wis., May 25, 2019. He was chair of the Department of Speech and Theatre at Millikin from 1970 to 1984. Hopper was instrumental in the development of the programs that would become an integral part of Millikin’s School of Theatre and Dance
Sandra McKenna
of Springfield, Ill., Dec. 19, 2018. She was an instructor of English from 2000 to 2011.
Chad Pramuk
of Decatur, Jan. 13, 2019. He was the retail manager for Aramark at Millikin.
ME MO RIALS
ALUMNI MEMORIALS
Marian Kiefer Wolf ’40 of Minnetonka, Minn., Jan 18, 2017.
Sally Hite Casey ’43 of Henderson, Nev., formerly of San Jose, Calif., Feb. 5, 2019.
Charlotte Beesley Moorehead ’47 of Oakland, Calif., formerly of Olympia Fields, Ill., March 27, 2019. She was the recipient of Millikin’s Alumnus of the Year Award in 2008.
Kenneth “Keck” Elmore ’41 of Waggoner, Ill., April 26, 2019.
William “Bill” Apperson ’44 of Springfield, Ill., Oct. 31, 2018.
Lawrence Brewer ’48 of Indianapolis, Jan. 28, 2019.
Nancy Stookey Hunter ’41 of Easton, Md., June 27, 2019.
Irene Eilers Davis ’44 of Louisville, Ky., formerly of St. Matthews, Ky., Nov. 1, 2018.
Beverly Stickel Herington ’48 of Atlantic Beach, Fla., Feb. 23, 2019.
Raymond Edmund “Ebby” Scheer ’38 of Tallahassee, Fla., Jan. 25, 2019.
Jack Millikin ’41 of Danville, Ill., Aug. 18, 2017. Loyal Stark ’41 of Vancouver, Wash., Aug. 22, 2018. Dawn Odell Taff ’41 of Glastonbury, Conn., Nov. 3, 2018. Lois Adams Lawrence ’42 of Decatur, Oct. 11, 2018. She was the recipient of Millikin’s Alumni Merit-Loyalty Award in 1989. The family requests memorial gifts be made to the Lois and Carl Lawrence Scholarship Fund at Millikin University, c/o Alumni and Development, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522. Marian Jeter Newell ’42 of Wheaton, Ill., formerly of Aurora, Ill., Sept. 17, 2018. Ann Cline Shellabarger ’42 of Decatur, Feb. 28, 2019.
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William “Bill” Britton ’43 of Bemidji, Minn., March 30, 2019.
George Ecklund ’44 of Springfield, Ill., April 9, 2019. He was the recipient of Millikin’s Loyalty Award in 1966. Rosemary Martin Preston ’46 of Las Cruces, N.M., formerly of Roswell, N.M., April 14, 2018. Virginia Irvine Smith ’46 of Danville, Ill., May 22, 2019. Mary Heit Carlyle ’47 of Tuscola, Ill., July 10, 2019. Aileen Sterchi Dohm ’47 of Springfield, Mo., July 6, 2019. Alice Weidner Logan ’47 of Wheaton, Ill., May 10, 2019. Lois “Toddie” Todd McCulley ’47 of Champaign, Ill., Oct. 21, 2018.
Berneice “Neicy” Hoshauer Hreha ’50 of Urbana, Ill., formerly of Danville, Ill., April 29, 2019.
Carol Gerken Merritt ’50 of Vancouver, Wash., formerly of Williston, Fla., Sept. 24, 2017.
Janice Marshall Landers ’50 of Hot Springs Village, Ark., July 22, 2019.
Robert Miller ’50 of Decatur, Dec. 7, 2018.
Virginia Collie Nansen ’48 of Springfield, Ill., April 30, 2019.
Earl Ose ’50 of Greenfield, Ind., March 18, 2019.
Edna Hildreth Rau ’48 of Maroa, Ill., Feb. 2, 2019.
Dorothy Cornwell Parker ’50 of Naperville, Ill., formerly of St. Petersburg, Fla., Oct. 10, 2018.
Mary Henson Snelson ’48 of Decatur, Sept 11, 2018. Patricia Reding Baker ’49 of Springfield, Ill., May 16, 2019.
Betty Mack Ritscher ’50 of Kearney, Neb., Nov. 1, 2018.
Shirley Bates McWard ’49 of Owaneco, Ill., July 26, 2019.
Patricia “Pat” King Sallee ’50 of Dunedin, Fla., formerly of Largo, Fla., and Pana, Ill., Oct. 22, 2018.
William “Bill” Warren ’49 of Gulf Shores, Ala., May 29, 2018.
Betty Taylor Swinson ’50 of Olney, Ill., Oct. 25, 2018.
Daniel Weiss ’49 of Chattanooga, Tenn., Nov. 7, 2018.
Richard Webber ’50 of Taylorville, Ill., formerly of Decatur, March 19, 2019. The family requests memorial gifts be made to Millikin University, c/o Alumni and Development, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522.
James “Jim” Alexander ’50 of Lakeway, Texas, Nov. 27, 2018. Albert Bartrem ’50 of Lake Barrington, Ill., Dec. 16, 2018.
Wayne Williams ’50 of Murphysboro, Ill., March 29, 2019.
Harry Cruse ’51 of Springfield, Ill., May 5, 2019. Ina Jedlicka Gardner ’51 of Taylorville, Ill., March 4, 2019. Preston Hott ’51 of Fishers, Ind., formerly of Springfield, Ill., Dec. 20, 2018. Donald Houser ’51 of Springfield, Ill., formerly of Jacksonville, Ill., March 15, 2019. Robert Pensinger ’51 of Santa Cruz, Calif., April 16, 2019. He was the recipient of Millikin’s Alumni Merit Award in 1979. The family requests memorial gifts be made to the Robert R. Pensinger DVM Scholarship at Millikin University, c/o Alumni and Development, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522. John Banks ’52 of Baton Rouge, La., April 1, 2018. Betty Warnack Garman ’52 of Eureka, Ill., June 16, 2019. William Klein ’52 of Champaign, Ill., June 17, 2018. John McDonald ’52, of Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of Akron, Ohio, Feb. 16, 2019. Russell Price ’52 of Decatur, May 18, 2018.
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Anne Fowler Foster ’53 of Bothell, Wash., July 28, 2019.
G. Richard “Dick” Raney ’54 of Springfield, Ill., July 3, 2019.
Marjorie Keeler ’53 of Albuquerque, N.M., April 8, 2019.
Sidney Smith ’54 of Forsyth, Ill., April 12, 2019.
Nancy Zi Li ’53 of Glendale, Calif., March 19, 2019. Dolores Hayes McDonald ’53 of Petaluma, Calif., Nov. 22, 2018.
William “Bill” Alwerdt ’55 of Sullivan, Ill., June 9, 2019. Ellen Scherer Conville ’55 of Des Plaines, Ill., Nov. 3, 2017.
Helen Deputy Miller ’53 of Houston, April 21, 2017.
Carlene Stegenga Heiden ’55 of Arlington Heights, Ill., formerly of Des Plaines, Ill., April 8, 2019.
Albert Mullen ’53 of Ellisville, Mo., March 16, 2019.
David Raab ’55 of Ridgefield, Conn., March 27, 2019.
Martha McGowan Palmer ’53 of Ashburn, Va., Dec. 18, 2018.
Melvin “Mel” Sheets ’55 of Deerfield, Ill., March 24, 2019. He was inducted into Millikin’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1971. He was inducted into Millikin’s Medallion Society in 2003 in recognition of his extraordinary impact upon the University
H. Kirke White ’53 of Saugatuck, Mich., April 6, 2019. Harold Beardsley ’54 of Murrieta, Calif., formerly of Temecula, Calif., Nov. 26, 2017. Loren “Pete” Cameron ’54 of Springfield, Ill., May 13, 2019. Fred Conville ’54 of Des Plaines, Ill., March 13, 2018. Mary Stenzel Fassett ’54 of Roseland, N.J., formerly of Fairfield, N.J., Nov. 18, 2018. Joyce Skinner Fleitz ’54 of Granville, Ohio, Jan. 20, 2019. Martha “Marty” Robinson Grohne ’54 of Decatur, Jan. 18, 2019.
Donna “Charlene” Ballinger Winchester ’55 of Decatur, Dec. 19, 2018. F. Maxwell “Max” Wood ’55 of Rochester, Mich., Sept. 25, 2017. Mary Absher Yeager ’55 of Glendale, Ariz., Feb. 22, 2019. Alvera Delano Becker ’56 of Decatur, April 16, 2019.
Donald “Larry” Bechtel ’57 of Decatur, Jan. 12, 2019. He served on the Millikin Alumni Association board. Mary DeMichael Blakeman ’57 of Taylorville, Ill., formerly of Stonington, Ill., July 23, 2019. Robert Mills ’57 of Hazelwood, Mo., June 19, 2019. Nancy Shank Bettinghaus ’58 of Mequon, Wis., Jan. 3, 2019. Ray Collings ’58 of Mattoon, Ill., July 30, 2019. Paul Hunt ’58 of Loudon, Tenn., formerly of South Bend, Ind., and Des Plaines, Ill., Nov. 28, 2018. Carl Moore Jr. ’58 of Decatur, Feb. 3, 2018. A. Foster Stone ’58 of Fountain Hills, Ariz., Aug. 22, 2018.
James “Jim” Burdick ’56 of Decatur, March 24, 2019.
Leora “Peggy” Brown ’59 of Hillsboro, Ill., Oct. 23, 2018.
Eleanor Leach Conrady ’56 of Sherman, Ill., June 10, 2019.
Sue Gibson Buxton ’59 of Decatur, Feb. 21, 2019.
Robert Kileen ’54 of Decatur, July 17, 2019.
Danny Elam ’56 of Champaign, Ill., Jan. 7, 2019.
Mary Bales Mosley ’54 of Pasadena, Texas, May 29, 2018.
Jerry Groves ’56 of Decatur, Dec. 17, 2018.
MIL LIKIN MAGA ZIN E
Ruth McDonald Prust ’56 of Hilton Head, S.C., formerly of Decatur, Feb. 2, 2019. She was the recipient of Millikin’s Young Alumnus Award in 1970 and the Alumni Loyalty Award in 2001. The family requests memorial gifts be made to Millikin University, c/o Alumni and Development, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522.
Richard Helm ’59 of Fairhope, Ala., Nov. 11, 2018. Janie O’Bryan Kafka ’59 of Mt. Pulaski, Ill., formerly of Dyersburg, Tenn., Feb. 23, 2018.
Edward Lindquist ’59 of Plano, Texas, Jan. 10, 2019.
Arnold “Arnie” Blair ’66 of Champaign, Ill., Jan. 29, 2019.
William “Bill” Cartwright ’60 of Lexington, Mass., formerly of Morristown, New Market, and Knoxville, Tenn., Nov. 20, 2018.
Joan Reiche Myroup ’66 of Jacksonville, Ala., June 26, 2019.
Gladys Stehman Hylton ’60 of Lancaster, Pa., April 10, 2019. Dean Sanders ’60 of Barrington, Ill., formerly of Arcola, Ill., Feb. 15, 2019. Judith Littleton Slade ’60 of Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct. 3, 2018. Ned Tingley ’60 of Huntley, Ill., May 27, 2018. William Bast ’61 of Ashland, Ill., Dec. 11, 2018. Francis “Frank” Rice ’61 of Decatur, Nov. 14, 2018. Camille Smith ’61 of Bradley, Ill., Sept. 1, 2018. Joann Hartke Dennis ’62 of Rock Island, Ill., March 29, 2019. William “Bill” Severino ’62 of Springfield, Ill., Jan. 5, 2019. He was inducted into Millikin’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. Carla Harrison ’63 of Moline, Ill., Oct. 29, 2018. William “Bill” Haywood Jr. ’63 of Hartsville, S.C., formerly of Moline, Ill., Feb. 5, 2019. Jean Gerber Bowen ’64 of Elgin, Ill., Sept. 16, 2017. Allen Killpatrick ’64 of Redlands, Calif., Feb. 11, 2019. Robert “Bob” Williams ’64 of Ocala, Fla., April 30, 2017. Mary Jones Hall ’65 of Decatur, March 8, 2018.
Robert “Bob” High ’67 of Decatur, May 17, 2019. Patricia “Pat” Parrott Wilhelms ’68 of Aberdeen, Wash., Nov. 16, 2018. John “Jack” Armstrong ’69 of Westmont, Ill., July 28, 2019. Ralph Berry ’69 of Elizabethtown, Ky., Oct. 19, 2016. Lynette Eckhardt ’69 of Decatur, June 23, 2019. J. David “Dave” Mauerman ’69 of Carmichael, Calif., Feb. 25, 2019. Douglas “Doug” Colton ’70 of Flushing, Mich., Nov. 13, 2018. Randall Cisna ’71 of Gays, Ill., Feb. 12, 2019. William “Bill” Godbey ’71 of Springfield, Ill., April 21, 2017. Jerry Tertocha ’71 of Salt Lake City, Jan. 25, 2019. Anna Abel Thompson ’71 of Long Creek, Ill., July 5, 2018. James “Jim” Davidson ’72 of Salem, Ill., July 24, 2018. William Shipton ’72 of Pottsville, Pa., Feb. 26, 2019. Peter Churukian ’73 of Decatur, April 3, 2019. The family requests memorial gifts be made to the Millikin University Annual Scholarship Fund, c/o Alumni and Development, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522.
ME MO RIALS
Janet Perkins Rund ’73 of Saugatuck, Mich., July 28, 2019. James Smith ’73 of Bloomington, Ill., Dec. 16, 2018.
James “Jim” Johnson ’82 of Rockford, Ill., Jan. 28, 2018. Robin Wilham Rever ’82 of Decatur, July 24, 2019.
Hervey Warriner ’74 of Woodstock, Ill., Oct. 5, 2018.
Richard “Rick” Copeland ’83 of Wood River, Ill., April 6, 2019.
Alan Girard ’76 of Decatur, July 26, 2019.
Susan Bozarth Andrews ’84 of Peoria, Ill., Dec. 24, 2018.
James “Jim” Edlen ’77 of Clyde, N.C., May 18, 2019.
Marsha Abla Cuttill Price ’84 of Forsyth, Ill., May 26, 2018.
Frederick Saurmann III ’77 of Decatur, Dec. 17, 2018. David “Dave” Bova ’78 of Algonquin, Ill., Aug. 8, 2018. Donna “Jo” Blythe Lydy ’78 of Loveland, Ohio, Feb. 25, 2019. Mark Meurlot ’78 of Decatur, Dec. 20, 2018.
Robert “Bobby” Simonds ’85 of Alexander, Ill., May 4, 2019. Lee Eckhardt ’86 of Decatur, Dec. 1, 2018. Jeannine “Nene” Wilkinson Corlas ’89 of St. Joseph, Ill., April 26, 2019.
Chris Long ’79 of Sigel, Ill., June 11, 2019.
Timothy Stout ’89 of Sorento, Ill., formerly of Decatur, Dec. 19, 2018.
Charles “Butch” Novak ’79 of River Forest, Ill., Aug. 8, 2018.
Esther Johnson ’91 of Decatur, Oct. 20, 2018.
Patrick O’Connell ’79 of Channahon, Ill., March 31, 2019. Donald Kwasa ’80 of Norman, Okla., July 9, 2018. Russell Zaucha ’80 of Henderson, Nev., April 22, 2018. Carol Johnson ’81 of Mineral, Va., May 9, 2019. Albert Walters ’81 of Des Plaines, Ill., Feb. 4, 2019.
Laura Strawn Sanders ’97 of Arthur, Ill., Oct. 16, 2018. Brok Jackson ’01 of Kirksville, Mo., April 13, 2019. Emily Pitz Jackson ’01 of Moline, Ill., formerly of Davenport, Iowa, Oct. 4, 2018. Kimberly Richter ’04 of Decatur, Oct. 26, 2018. Michael Nelson ’05 of Chicago, formerly of Fillmore, Ill., July 22, 2018. Ryan Hubner ’06 of Leesburg, Va., Nov. 24, 2018. Mollie Wetter ’09 of Fishers, Ind., June 12, 2019. Chimere Riddle ’10 of Albuquerque, N.M., June 15, 2019. Charles Grimse ’16 of Batavia, Ill., July 5, 2019. Kathryn Joost ’17 of Palos Heights, Ill., Feb. 14, 2019.
Babette “Bobbie” Hursta Ballard ’92 of Swansea, Ill., June 24, 2018. Gail Kidd ’93 of Decatur, April 9, 2019. Michael Kasper ’95 of Elmhurst, Ill., May 4, 2019. He was the recipient of Millikin’s Alumni Merit Award in 2016. Autumn Gullifer ’97 of Gardiner, Maine, March 19, 2019.
MEMORIALS SUBMITTED OCT. 1, 2018-JULY 31, 2019. Share your news online at millikin.edu/alumni.
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