Fall 2010 Monmouth Magazine

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Showing initiative

MC’s SOFIA students weren’t couch potatoes this summer

M O N M O U T H CO L L E G E M AG A Z I N E

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It’s not the Parthenon, but Monmouth College now has its own noteworthy Greek structure.

Monmouth

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What college was meant to be.

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Monmouth College Magazine is published by the Office of Development and College Relations for alumni and friends of Monmouth College.

All opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial staff or the college.

E d i t o r i a l Bo a r d

Molly A. Ball Vice President for Development and College Relations Don Capener Vice President for Strategic Planning/ Chief Marketing Officer Jeffrey D. Rankin Director of College Communications Barry J. McNamara Associate Director of College Communications Lucy Kellogg Thompson ’99 Director of Alumni Programs M a g a z i ne S t a f f

Editor: Jeffrey D. Rankin Associate Editor: Barry J. McNamara Designer: Nancy Loch Monmouth College 700 East Broadway Monmouth IL 61462-1998 alumni@monm.edu (e-mail) www.monm.edu (Web) 309-457-2323 le t t e r s p ol i c y : We welcome letters about the college or the magazine. Letters will be printed on a space-available basis and may be edited for length, style and clarity. Send letters, queries or submissions to: Monmouth College Magazine, 700 East Broadway, Monmouth IL 61462-1998, or email jeffr@monm.edu. on t h e cove r : Monmouth students Connor Shields (left) and Zack Kempf spent part of their summer creating musical instruments as part of the college’s new SOFIA program. P h o t o b y B R I A N B A U G H

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“Summer fun” was had by all as College For Kids celebrated its 30th anniversary with record enrollment.

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Train was the primary form of transportation, but rappelling was the only way to get to Moaning Caverns.

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Caps and gowns were the order of the day as Monmouth sent out 274 graduates to commence their lives.

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These alumnae took advantage of a golden photo opportunity during the Golden Scots Celebration.

message from the president. . . . . . . . 2 campus news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 people news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 clan notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Letters sorry for the delay in thanking you for sending me the two issues of the Monmouth College Magazine with stories and photos of my father, Arch Owen.

As familiar as I am with the details of my father’s life, I still learned something from the articles. I did wonder how a story about a professor who died in 1951 could make it into today’s features. I suppose there are still a few alums out there from those days, although they must be dwindling fast. This past June 4 was my 70th anniversary of graduation. If in 1940 I had met a 70-year graduate, he would have been in school during the presidency of U.S. Grant! I am so glad that I have lived all these years, from riding with my grandfather in his horse and wagon and his Model T Ford, through the War and into modern times. Today’s kids won’t have any “old days.”

Thanks again for your kindness.

James G. Owen we just received the Monmouth College Magazine, and I wanted to compliment you on a nice job. I think your theme, Midwest Matters, is very appropriate and focuses the college on some real opportunities to position itself.

Dick Giese President Mount Union University just received the Spring issue at work

yesterday. Yowza, what a wonderful, spectacular job you guys did putting that together! Totally blew me away. Light years beyond the old Scots Newse, eh?

And you know what? It’s interesting reading. So often, these types of magazines feel dull and formulaic, but this feels more like a real magazine. Great job!

Paul Schuytema

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sk any experienced Monmouth professor and you will almost certainly be told

that most students learn more effectively in a one-on-one encounter during office hours than they do in a lecture hall. Good teachers handcraft these special teaching moments to provide just the right guidance at just the right time. I am convinced that one of the major purposes of classroom lectures and homework assignments is to drive students to individualized learning opportunities. Of course, handcrafted, personalized learning isn’t limited to office visits; the same thing can happen in a studio or laboratory or an informal campus encounter.

Simple but reliable ways to educate The challenge educators regularly face is getting students to move from the passive education that characterizes much of what goes on in colleges and universities to the active learning that we often see when we work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Attend an academic conference and you are likely to find a series of presentations on how to make this happen.

Sometimes the presentations on active Mauri A. Ditzler President teaching strategies remind me of television infomercials.

The programmatic equivalent of the magic salves abound, and they all sound so simple. Just like the claims for health and diet supplements, we hear accounts of instructional strategies that seem too good to be true.

We all know, of course, that most things that sound too good to be true are just that.

In spite of this well-justified skepticism, I have become convinced that there are a handful of rather straightforward educational strategies that work remarkably well. While not necessarily magic pills, there are activities that produce outcomes that border on the miraculous. I am reminded of a favorite line from Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Mother Night.: “Most things in the world don’t work—but aspirin do.”

One of the educational analogs of the aspirin—simple but reliable—is faculty engaging undergraduate apprentices in their own scholarly

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message from the president

work. The whole concept is a bit counterintuitive. After all, how could a student who is struggling with introductory courses benefit by tackling a problem that is puzzling his or her professor? How could either party possibly benefit when a biology professor asks a sophomore, “Could you help me reflect on this puzzling observation that I am trying to understand?” It is difficult, however, to deny four decades of watching the process work remarkably well.

There is something very special that happens when we bring together a curious student and an inquiring professor.

So, I suppose my reaction was not surprising when I ran into a group of students and faculty on the steps of the library several weeks ago.

On an unusually hot, early August afternoon, this band of students and professors was talking with excitement about the projects they were sharing. They were pursuing intellectual challenges with as much enthusiasm as the 125 football players who had now joined them on campus were tackling pass patterns and blocking assignments.

I knew these students were scheduled to be on campus as part of a program designed to assemble teams of young scholars with top-flight faculty, so I should have had total confidence that these teams would be bubbling with enthusiasm. After all, this was an example of one of those “aspirins” that do work. Yet I had listened to skeptics who predicted that the current generation of students wouldn’t willingly leave

summer activities and friends a month early to work on projects in physics, psychology or music.

Moreover, they argued, wouldn’t experienced faculty find it tedious to work with novices?

But, as has happened so many times before, it proved to be an exhilarating experience for both students and faculty. What could be more exciting for a new student than the opportunity to watch a brilliant faculty member in action—a chance to experience and contribute (even if in a very minor way) to the pursuit of an idea or an artistic creation? Faculty, too, discover that the challenge of explaining an idea without jargon and oversimplification can open up new insights. It’s is an opportunity for all to experience at the highest level the handcrafted learning that attracts the best faculty and the best students to the residential liberal arts college.

I walked away from my brief encounter with our SOFIA (Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activities) team knowing that all was well at Monmouth College. Our fundamental belief that education works best when the our environment is aligned to bring students and faculty together for intellectual conversation is still working this year as it has for so many years before.

The start of every new academic year brings plenty of things for this college president to worry about. It is reassuring, though, to know that our faculty still thrive in the presence of curious students and that students still become curious when they are in the presence of brilliant faculty members.

monmouth | fall 2010

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New Greek house rises on Woodbine site ore than 100 students, staff, trustees and alumni attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the beginning of commencement weekend for a Greek life residential facility that will house 19 students.

President Mauri Ditzler credited the part of the college’s new Greek life “Our board of trustees college’s trustees with the decision to move initiative, the 19-bed Victorian-style house has recommitted to the forward on several Greek-related issues. will initially be occupied by the Alpha Xi “Our board of trustees has recommitted Delta women’s fraternity, whose members perpetuation of Greek life to the perpetuation of Greek life on the helped turn the first shovelful of dirt. on the Monmouth Monmouth College campus,” he said.

It will be the first new construction of “As a first step toward this commitment, a College campus.”

Greek housing on campus since 1966, and chapter of Phi Delta Theta was reestablished the first time a women’s Greek chapter will — Mauri Ditzler, President in 2008, raising the number of Greek chapoccupy its own house on the Monmouth campus. That is significant, because the first collegiate secret society ters to seven. It is hoped that, over time, additional fraternity and sorority chapters will colonize.” for women, Pi Beta Phi, was founded at the college shortly after At the time of its construction, only one area met the zoning the Civil War. Another early women’s fraternity, Kappa Kappa and space criteria necessary for the 6,000-square-foot house—the Gamma, also has its Alpha chapter at Monmouth. Both of those site of “Woodbine,” the former Zeta Beta Tau house (ZBT) at chapters now have their first-ever houses this fall, occupying Broadway and Eighth Street. existing college-owned buildings.

“With equity dictating that women’s housing should be addressed Speaking on behalf of all seven MC Greek chapters, Interfraternity first, it is our intent to house a women’s sorority in the new house Council president Brian Miller praised the college’s Greek initiative, saying, “By providing homes for academic achievement, service on a temporary basis,” said Ditzler, who explained why that site, and all other fraternal values, we shall live together as brothers and in particular, required a “temporary” status.

“Because of the deep attachment that the men of ZBT have to sisters to work towards a better world.” the Woodbine lot, it is our long-term intent that the new house Trevor Newton, president-elect of the student government there becomes the permanent home of ZBT.” association, noted, “With the completion of this new Greek house, MC’s office of development and college relations will work with more students will have the opportunity to lead. For some this will be a home containing fond memories, for others it will contain the ZBT alumni on a fundraising plan for the house. After funds have experience of a lifetime.” continued on page 36

Isabel Marshall ’36 (seated), who helped resurrect MC’s Alpha Xi Delta chapter in 1997, is surrounded by active Alpha Xis at the groundbreaking.

monmouth | fall 2010

As seen in this architect’s rendering, the new Greek house will incorporate elements of both the Queen Anne and Prairie styles of architecture.

campus news

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Teagle Foundation grant funds workshop

Introducing Big Red, MC’s new mascot

monmouth college has been awarded

there will be another new face on campus, thanks to both a visionary student and the graduating class of 2010.

In fact, a sneak peak has already occurred, as Big Red, the new Monmouth College mascot, was introduced at the President’s Senior Gala during commencement weekend. The venue was appropriate, as making the mascot a reality was the Class of 2010’s project. The seniors, along with parents and other supporters, raised more Senior class president DeMarkco Butler ’10 and ASMC president John Kaiser ’10 take a picture with Big Red. than $16,000 to help cover the cost of creating Big Red. “The 2010 senior class gift committee, led by class president DeMarkco Butler worked to raise the largest senior class gift on record with more than 50 percent class participation,” explained Susan Savage, MC’s director of annual giving.

The mascot project did not originate with a senior, however. It started with Kevin Ross, who will enter his junior year this fall. During his freshman year in 2008, Ross met with President Mauri Ditzler and suggested that MC should create a mascot in order to raise spirit and morale at athletic events and other special events.

“I was the mascot at my high school (Providence Catholic),” Ross explained, “and I thought that Monmouth had successful athletics and needed a mascot.”

The project soon gained momentum, and the entire student body ultimately became involved, voting on the mascot’s name and design.

Although previous mascots existed—the best-known of which was an illustration by the late local artist Royal Youngblood—this is the first time Monmouth will have a “living” mascot character.

Monmouth’s “Fighting Scots” nickname dates to 1927 when alumni secretary Harold Hermann initiated a campaign to honor and promote the college’s Scotch-Irish heritage.

a competitive grant from the Teagle Foundation that will allow it to host a workshop titled “Reconceiving the Secular Liberal Arts” later this year.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to be involved in a national conversation,” associate professor of philosophy and religious studies Hannah Schell said of the workshop, which will bring contributors to campus from such colleges and universities as Williams, Vassar, Macalester and Bucknell.

Schell explained that Monmouth plans to use the workshop to explore three main topics: its junior-level “Reflections” courses, the redefinition of its chaplain position and the campus community’s ongoing conversations about faith, politics, tolerance and pluralism.

Schell also noted that MC’s mission statement includes the line: “We honor our Presbyterian heritage and value religious diversity as we explore the spiritual dimension of human existence and the relationship between faith and knowledge.”

“The faculty reaffirmed that mission at the time of the curricular revision, but also began an ongoing discussion about just what this assertion means,” said Schell.

“This workshop will help us carry that discussion forward.”

Student tax volunteers pass 1,000-return mark there appear to be three certainties

in life—death, taxes and a year-to-year increase in the number of returns prepared

by MC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

What began with a humble total of 188 returns prepared in its first year of existence in 2000 has grown to more than 1,000—a milestone the VITA program reached for the first time this year. The 1,008 returns prepared (497 federal, 511 state) represent a 7 percent growth from last year. An increase has been seen in each of VITA’s 11 years on campus.

Peterson noted that VITA-assisted filings returned more than $700,000 to the community this year through federal and state refunds.

“The accounting department has worked hard for more than a decade to improve and deliver this opportunity for students and our community,” said vice president for institution-wide initiatives Jane Jakoubek.

“The people who come to VITA for help give high marks to the service they receive.”

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campus news

in addition to hundreds of new students this fall,

Website now has several pages in Spanish mc’s website has seen its share of changes in recent months. A new design was unveiled late in 2009, and the content is also growing, with blogs, video and increased news coverage, thanks to a recently hired team of student writers.

Now, even the language is undergoing a change, as limited Spanish content will be part of the site, according to vice president for strategic planning and marketing Don Capener.

“This experiment is an effort to try to attract and better communicate with all parents here in the United States and abroad,” Capener said. “Students and alumni of Hispanic decent have been growing dramatically in the last four years. In Chicago and some of the other regions that we consider to be our best recruiting areas, families with first-generation college prospects are looking for colleges that understand the challenges and struggles of the enrollment process. Therefore, information on the value of a college education, how to apply and how to pay a deposit will be available in Spanish.”

Eventually, the marketing communications team would like to publish all of the website’s content in Spanish. As of now, Spanish content can be accessed on many of the admission pages. Although some pages are already available, Capener clarified that this is a trial and not necessarily a permanent commitment.

Nancy Alanis ’10, completed the initial translations.

“Nancy represents this audience to a tee,” said Capener. “She is a first-generation college student whose parents speak a limited amount of English. She grew up in Monmouth and has had previous experience translating for the community, but I don’t think she ever imagined she would be one of the key contributors to help the local Hispanic community understand more about the college and its activities.”

monmouth | fall 2010

Welcome to Year of Western Illinois archaeology in conjunction with the Western Illinois Society of the Archaeological Institute

of America (AIA), Monmouth College will observe the 2010-11 academic year as the “Year of Western Illinois Archaeology,” thanks in part to a Society Outreach Grant awarded by the AIA. The $3,000 grant will help fund a keynote lecture during Homecoming weekend, as well as several other events to follow during the academic year.

“This is wonderful news and a great, much-deserved expression of the AIA’s recognition of Monmouth College’s long-standing leadership of the Western Illinois Society of the AIA,” said associate dean Bren Tooley, who assisted in preparing the grant proposal. Only 11 of the 22 grant proposals were funded.

Classics professor Tom Sienkewicz, who has served as coordinator of the Western Illinois Society for the past 25 years, said that in addition to highlighting archaeology as an enterprise, the grant will “call attention to the richly historic archaeological sites in western Illinois, particularly involving its Native American culture.” He noted that the project will also complement the college’s new Midwest Initiative program.

“Monmouth College will participate very actively in ‘The Year of Western Illinois Archaeology,’” Sienkewicz said, “organizing a core set of classes addressing various aspects of Native American history, culture and literature, including field trips to Dickson Mounds and Cahokia Mounds, as well as more local-find sites.”

Sienkewicz elected to key CAMWS post Tom Sienkewicz, capron professor of classics, was named secretary-treasurer elect of The Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS) during its 106th annual meeting, held earlier this year in Oklahoma City.

“We are planning on a two-year transition period, with phasing out of the office at St. Olaf College and phasing in of the new office in Monmouth, which will take place during the 2011-12 academic year,” said Anne Groton, current secretary-treasurer of the CAMWS. Sienkewicz’s five-year term as secretary-treasurer will officially run from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2017. The secretary-treasurer is the chief executive and financial officer of CAMWS and is empowered to act on behalf of the association.

“I find my involvement in professional classical organizations to be especially rewarding,” said Sienkewicz. “Serving CAMWS is a way I can promote the study of classics over a wide geographic area and, at the same time, make Monmouth College and its excellent classics program well-known to high school, college and university teachers around the country.”

Documentary sheds light on local homelessness what is the true meaning of the word “homelessness” in a town like Monmouth?

A group of five students, led by communication lecturer Chris Goble, have attempted to answer that question with a 10-minute documentary titled Hidden Homelessness: Homelessness in Rural America. The piece focuses on a single mother’s experience fighting to live in the Monmouth area without a home.

“Through one woman’s eyes, we want to raise awareness of what it is like for a lot of people who are homeless,” Goble explained.

The idea came from Maureen Soso ‘10, who was inspired by a video she saw in another communication course about a homeless book club.

“After watching that video, I wondered what was around this area for homeless people,” said Soso, who worked on the large-scale project with other students in Goble’s “Advanced Video Production” course. “I learned that being homeless didn’t just mean those living on the streets, but also those who jump from relative to relative or friend to friend, staying with them.”

The last time Goble offered the course, he worked with a pair of students on a centennial documentary about the Western Stoneware Company. It earned honors at four festivals, including the Award of Excellence from the Broadcasting Educators’ Association and the Fan Favorite award at the Black Earth Film Festival in Galesburg.

The video can be found on the MC-TV website or on the MC-TV YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/MonmouthCollegeTV. monmouth | fall 2010

The Economist takes note of MC student a promising young member of MC’s

fall 2010 entering class was the subject of an article in a recent edition of The Economist, Britain’s venerable weekly news and international affairs magazine.

Osvaldo Hernandez, who graduated from the largely Hispanic John Hancock High School on Chicago’s southwest side, is a first-generation American and in line to become the first college graduate from his family. The article in The Economist (http://bit.ly/mc-hernandez) contends that in the United States, a college education is critical for achieving upward mobility. It points out that new reforms are helping disadvantaged inner-city students achieve their potential by helping them enroll in quality four-year colleges.

A particular problem, according to the article, is that many low-income, firstgeneration college students are not familiar with the college application and financial aid process, and are not aware of the many options available to them, particularly regarding private, four-year colleges.

Consequently, some of the brightest of these students enroll in vocational programs or in schools that do not fully challenge them.

Peter Pitts, MC’s regional director of admission, works regularly with Hector Gonzalez, who holds the title of college and career coach at Hancock. They both see a promising new trend in which inner-city students like Hernandez are seeking an education outside their traditional environs, and they are particularly enthusiastic about a new “pipeline” project, developed by the Network for College Success and the University of Chicago. Administered by the College Counselors’ Collaborative (CCC), the program is an effort to increase the number of highly qualified Chicago Public Schools students who enroll and graduate from selective colleges and universities. The Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), of which Monmouth is a member, is a partner in the project, which seeks to connect Chicago high school counselors and students with small to mid-sized colleges throughout the Midwest.

Such students, Pitts explained, view a small town like Monmouth as a safe haven where they can focus on their studies and meet new friends from other states and countries. “Money is the big issue with these kids,” he said, “but as long as state, federal and Monmouth funding stay at a level that can help them afford it, I think we can have a pipeline of really awesome kids from the city.” campus news

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Angotti had quite a connection with King the only time Joe

Angotti and Martin Luther King Jr. ever met face-to-face, the result was a “very mediocre interview,” the MC communication professor and former NBC news reporter told a large campus audience at a January talk held in honor of King.

However, Angotti revealed that another connection he had with the famous civil rights leader was much more memorable.

Angotti and his film editor were the first members of the media to discover what has since come to be known as King’s “Mountaintop” speech. It was delivered in Memphis on April 3, 1968, less than 24 hours before King was assassinated there.

Angotti, who was then in the early years of his career with NBC, explained the circumstances leading up to the discovery.

“NBC had media in Memphis due to the potentially explosive garbage collectors’ strike. I was on the night desk in Chicago, and I’d only been there two or three months. When King was killed, it happened after the evening news. The network decided to pre-empt its 9 p.m. program to provide special coverage.”

Under deadline, Angotti was assigned the task of going through NBC’s film of King’s speech the previous night in Memphis to search for anything that might be relevant for the special broadcast.

“We were getting to the end of the reel, and I thought I heard him say something about living a long life. I said, ‘Wait a minute, play that again.’ And then I heard him talk about going to the mountaintop.

I quickly transcribed it and faxed it to New York. Soon, I got a call back from (TV news innovator) Shad Northshield. He asked, ‘Are you sure that what you faxed us were Martin Luther King’s comments in Memphis last night?’ I said I was sure, and he said, ‘We’re going to lead our special tonight with that sound bite.’”

The speech includes the words: “I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land.

I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”

When he worked in Louisville, Angotti interviewed King through the help of King’s brother, the Rev. A.D. Williams King. Unlike the stirring 1968 video that Angotti helped uncover, no tape remains of that interview.

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people news

Cordery authors Mother Jones biography Simon Cordery, associate professor of history, has completed Mother Jones: Raising Cain and Consciousness, a 220-page biography published by the University of New Mexico Press. It is the fourth biography in a UNM Press series profiling significant women in American history.

Cordery said he teaches about the labor movement leader in his courses because “Mother Jones allows us to talk about a wide range of issues in American life from 1860 to 1930, including the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era and the modern labor movement.”

When his students observed that a biography on Jones already in print “was too long and too complicated,” Cordery decided to write his own.

“From 1900 to 1925, she was very rarely out of the public eye. Every time she went to a strike, the press reported it,” said Cordery of Jones, who was often referred to as “the most dangerous woman in America.”

He added, “She did not have a home; she just traveled,” primarily involving herself with labor causes in Colorado and West Virginia. “Her family was the coal miners.

She would say, ‘They’re my boys.’”

Cordery’s dissertation, which was about railway friendly societies in Britain during the 19th century, led to his book, British Friendly Societies, 1750-1914. He called the Mother Jones biography a “continuation” of his writings on the labor movement.

Haq contributes chapter to South Asia book Farhat Haq, chair of the political science department, has authored a chapter about Pakistan in a recently published book covering several nations in South Asia.

Haq wrote the chapter Pakistan: A State for the Muslims or an Islamic State? in the book Religion and Politics in South Asia (Routledge, 2010), edited by Ali Riaz.

Riaz, who is chair of the department of politics and government at Illinois State University, wrote a chapter on Bangladesh and sought contributions from experts on five other nations in South Asia: Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Haq’s chapter begins: “Pakistan, a country approximately twice the size of California with over 165 million people and currently the only Muslim country with nuclear weapons, has become a favorite site for a doomsday scenario for the press.”

She ultimately asks the question, “Can Pakistan afford to continue subcontracting its foreign policy to the jihadis and using Islam as an alibi against creating a democratic system that accommodates the interests of all parts of Pakistan?”

Baldwin article published in journal Kevin Baldwin, associate professor of biology, was recently published in the first volume of The Evolutionary Review.

Titled 1859: Darwin, Mill, and Drake, Baldwin’s article examines the interaction among three landmark events that all occurred in 1859—the discovery of oil by Edwin Drake, the publication of On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, and the publication of On Liberty by John Stuart Mill.

“At first glance, these events don’t have anything to do with each other,” Baldwin explained. “I tried to tie them all together.

Mill was an advocate of personal responsibility, and I interpreted that to include not only other people, but also other species and ecosystem processes.” He cited as an example how the burning of oil is changing the climate and harming ecosystems, which violates Mill’s “no harm” principle, stated in On Liberty.

His article is closely connected to a lecture he presented last year as part of Monmouth’s observance of the bicentennial of Darwin’s birth. At another “Darwinpalooza” event, Baldwin met featured speaker Joseph Carroll, a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who is the editor of The Evolutionary Review.

“One of the nice things about being at a place like Monmouth College is having the freedom to work across many disciplines,” said Baldwin. monmouth | fall 2010

A Fulbright for Brady in Mexico …

Heather Brady has received a Robles Garcia Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research and teach at the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico during both semesters of the 2010-11 academic year.

An associate professor of modern foreign languages, Brady will teach two graduate courses in comparative literature at the Universidad de Guadalajara, including an American literature course on immigrant voices.

While thrilled with the opportunity to teach the graduate courses, she believes the research aspect should be especially rewarding, as she will have the opportunity to “integrate two sets of oral histories.”

Brady has already accumulated a significant amount of firsthand information through a citizenship course she has taught at Monmouth. Her students conducted interviews about the everyday experiences of Monmouth’s migrant community.

At Guadalajara, she is anticipating unique opportunities to pursue research across disciplines, especially studying demographic connections between Jalisco and Monmouth, which is experiencing an influx of immigrants from that Mexican state.

“In my Fulbright research, I will seek an understanding of the Mexican side of the exchange,” she said. “When the two oral histories are read together, it will create the foundation for a richer understanding of our migrant culture and the basis for developing a sense of shared community. It will also illuminate social change experiences across generations and identify future opportunities for community development in both regions.”

… and another for Caldwell in Mozambique Amy Caldwell, assistant professor of history, has received a Fulbright Scholarship to teach at Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, Mozambique.

Caldwell is scheduled to teach courses about the history of ideas, Brazilian history and black rebels in the tropics. The latter course will include information she gathered during a selective summer program a year ago that was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. She participated in a five-week seminar titled “Slaves, Soldiers, Rebels: Currents of Black Resistance in the Tropical Atlantic, 1760-1888.”

“All my classes will be conducted in Portuguese,” said Caldwell, who lived and worked in Brazil from 1992-2002 and joined the Monmouth faculty in 2005. “I will also teach a seminar based on the book I published in Brazil a few years ago about a 19th-century revolt (Immersion in the River Lethes: A Politico-Historical Reinterpretation of the Confederation of Equator). Finally, I will train graduate students to do archival research.”

She said that her goals for the fellowship are to “explore the very tangible connections between Brazil and Mozambique and to further my training as a global educator.”

Fasano’s HPC workshop approved by ACM professor Chris Fasano has already made news for the high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities he has brought to campus. Now, the chair of the physics department has his sights set on a broader goal.

Fasano’s proposal for a $12,500 grant to host a collaborative two-day HPC workshop was recently approved by the Associated Colleges of the Midwest’s FaCE (Faculty Career Enhancement) Steering Committee. Titled “Developing a High Performance Computing Consortium for Multi-Disciplinary Applications on ACM Campuses,” the proposal will take what Monmouth is doing and help bring it to other colleges in the ACM. “This grant opens many doors for the ACM—it is very exciting,” said Fasano. “HPC has the potential to change the manner in which we live our lives, conduct our research, collaborate with colleagues and teach the academically well-prepared, intellectually engaged students that we attract to ACM colleges.” monmouth | fall 2010

Urban invited to prestigious forum William Urban, the lee l. morgan

professor of history and international studies, attended the 57th Annual National Security Forum (NSF) at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in May. He was among approximately 120 U.S. civilian leaders in business, education and government to receive a personal invitation from the Secretary of the Air Force. The purpose of NSF is to expose influential citizens to senior U.S. and international officers and civilian equivalents in order to engage each other’s ideas and perspectives on Air Force, national and international security issues.

“The National Security Forum is good background for the courses I teach on current politics, military affairs and terrorism,” said Urban.

One of Urban’s former students, Carl Forkner ’80, is a professor at the Air War College, specializing in global security.

Urban has also recently completed The Dean Returns From the Dead, the fourth book in his mystery novel series.

Bruce talks American lit at Russian conference for the third

consecutive year, English professor Mary Bruce was invited to speak at a conference hosted by the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH).

This year’s conference was titled “The American Cultural Scene,” and Bruce delivered a presentation on “The Shattering of the American Dream.”

“I spoke on contemporary American literature, as seen through what we read,” said Bruce, who examined the New York Times’ No. 1 bestsellers for the past decade.

Explaining the title of her talk, Bruce said, “What has shattered is our absolute confidence in ‘our American way of life.’

The public seems to be questioning the hitherto unquestioned superiority of our culture. The literature of our last decade shows how we have lost our sense of invincibility and now seem willing to consider other viewpoints and other cultures as having value—perhaps even solutions.” people news

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Financial aid office changes a ‘win-win’ director of financial aid Jayne

Poland Schreck ’90 has announced three personnel changes in her office that took effect on June 1.

Financial aid counselors Lori O’Brien Oetting ’90 and Paula Nuckles will now be full-time employees in the office. Their extra hours will compensate for the loss of Dana Jensen, who is now working out of the admission office as a front office coordinator.

Schreck called the personnel moves “a win-win” for the college.

“It’s a win for the admission office, because it puts someone with them who has a thorough knowledge of financial aid,” Schreck said of Jensen. “It’s a win for the families of prospective students, because they can start the important discussions they need to have even earlier in their decision process. And it’s a win for our office, because we’re moving two of our staff members to full time.”

Schreck added, “What we’re finding is that more and more families need help with the financial aid process earlier and earlier. These moves will allow the college to better address those needs.”

In the admission office, Sherrie Brooks will take over the records secretary duties performed by Judy Sullivan, who has retired after more than 30 years of service to the college.

Merritt promoted Michelle Merritt ’89

was recently promoted to

associate dean of students at her alma mater.

Merritt’s promotion came shortly following the announcement of a Greek life initiative at her alma mater, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

“Coming to Monmouth from Fort Lauderdale, I was pretty scared,” recalled the 1989 graduate. “My sorority was a group that embraced me and took care of me, like a big sister would.”

Merritt is pleased that MC’s administration “sees the value of Greek life to the campus culture.”

“Building the (new Alpha Xi Delta) sorority house is exciting for us,” she said.

“Our goal is for continued growth, both in numbers and in terms of housing. We’d like to bring some new chapters on board.”

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people news

Timmerman appointed dean of faculty David M. Timmerman, professor of rhetoric and chair of the division of humanities and fine arts at Wabash College, has been appointed dean of the faculty.

“Striving to become a model of America’s premier educational experience demands an engaged form of leadership,” said President Mauri Ditzler, who was dean of Wabash at the time Timmerman was granted tenure there. “As I reflect on my colleagues of the last three decades, I can think of no one better suited to be our chief academic officer than David Timmerman.”

A scholar of the history of classical rhetoric, Timmerman has devoted much of his career to studying and promoting civil discourse as a key component of the liberal arts experience. He is the co-author (with Ed Schiappa) of Classical Greek Rhetorical Theory and the Disciplining of Discourse (Cambridge University Press, 2010) and was the co-editor (with Todd McDorman) of Rhetoric and Democracy: Pedagogical and Political Practices (Michigan State University Press, 2008). Timmerman was working with colleagues on a project that focuses on reshaping Wabash’s basic public speaking course toward democratic participation and civic engagement.

Raised in the Los Angeles area, Timmerman earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA in 1983. His membership in a very active church during his college years resulted in his spending a summer as a missionary in Mexico. That led him to pursue a career in the ministry, which he did for seven years in Littleton, Colo., having earned a master of divinity degree from Denver Seminary.

Timmerman’s career transition from the big city to rural Indiana came about as the result of meeting a scholar from Purdue who was studying rhetoric in the Classical period. “He needed someone who knew Greek to work with him,” Timmerman explained. “So that training from seminary in translating Greek ended up pushing my scholarship down the path of ancient rhetoric, and that’s what led to the job at Wabash.”

In 1994—the same year he earned his Ph.D. in communication from Purdue— Timmerman began a 16-year stint on the Wabash faculty, serving as chair of the department of rhetoric for nine of those years.

Timmerman said he particularly looks forward to the prospect of helping to strengthen and solidify MC’s academic reputation. “I am convinced from my interactions with faculty and President Ditzler that this is an exceptional moment of opportunity for the college in terms of the academic program,” he noted. “The combination of faculty desire, intention, and the opportunity to focus on the academic core of the institution—matched with the strength of the faculty that I observed—makes the dean’s position very desirable. The Monmouth faculty is clearly a strong one: skilled, engaged, and deeply committed.”

Johnston is MC’s new registrar more than anyone, Christine Johnston knows MC’s incoming

class of 2014.

After spending the past year coordinating their recruitment as dean of admission, Johnston has begun a new role, assuming the duties of registrar. She first performed in that role during June’s Summer Orientation and Registration (SOAR), helping nearly 400 new students enroll for classes in the fall.

Johnston began working for MC as an assistant regional director of admission in 1999. She rose through the admission ranks, spending the past four years as dean. Under her guidance, enrollment maintained a steady growth, culminating in last fall’s all-time record of 1,379.

“I’m looking forward to working with the students,” said Johnston. “I’ve been on the ‘pre-’ end for so long. Before, I told them what they could expect; now, I’m going to get to work with them on their current experience.”

In addition to helping students register for courses, the registrar’s office maintains students’ academic records and tracks their progress toward their degrees. Johnston said that recent developments in technology have changed the registration process, but she is a big believer in the necessity of the human element, as well.

“Students with questions are encouraged to stop by the registrar’s office in person,” she said. “We hope to see them at least once a year for issues such as declaring a major or applying for their degree.” monmouth | fall 2010

celebrates its 30th anniversary college for kids, Monmouth’s enrichment program for children, celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer. Started in 1980 by education professor Esther White, the two-week program has been growing in popularity and size ever since.

“College for Kids is an important program for this area for children who are motivated to learn and meet new friends,” said retired professor Dorothy Douglas, who was involved in CFK’s early years and has many fond memories.

“It was neat because you could really tell that they wanted to be there and that they liked it.”

It was only temporary, but students in “Kitchen Chemistry” helped provide a Diet Coke fountain in the area between HaldemanThiessen Science Center and Hewes Library.

S

ponsored by the department of educational studies, College for Kids offers students from second through eighth grade the opportunity to take classes on a college campus. The faculty includes professors from the college, recent MC graduates and current and retired teachers from local school districts.

“The wonderful thing about this program is that it is campus wide,” said current CFK coordinator Kathy Mainz. “There is cooperation among the education department, admissions, the business office and maintenance. It’s fantastic because everyone helps.”

This year, a record 375 children were enrolled in the program. The students represented six counties and 11 school districts.

“There are also a handful of students from out of town who have grandparents in the area,” Mainz said. “Students travel from as far as Ohio for College for Kids.

We are also seeing second generations this year. Parents who went through the program are now sending their children.”

One such example is Nici Jones and her daughter, Mallory. Nici enjoyed her experience in the mid-1980s and is pleased that CFK remains an option some 25 years later.

“She never wants school to be over,” said Jones of her daughter. “The summer does get long and boring, and this is a good program to keep the kids active.”

“The program really grew in the 1980s and ’90s and kids came back every year,” said Douglas, who noted that popular classes included “Kitchen Chemistry” and “Backyard History.” The latter class was monmouth | fall 2010

“It was so exciting to feel like a college student.

I took a French course.

Besides learning the language, we also had the opportunity to fence.

That was the most fun I had ever had.”

— Karen Creek Brown ’97 taught by junior high school teacher Tom Best, and Jones remembers it well.

“I remember taking French, and I also remember a class where we went to the graveyard,” said Jones. “We made up stories about the lives of some of the people in the older graves, and we also did grave rubbings.

Actually, I’d love to see my entire class schedule from those years.”

Mallory, who is now a fourth-grader, said she especially enjoyed her sculpture class, where “We’re making bulls out of leaves.” She also took “Endangered Animals” and “Little House on the Prairie.” In the latter class, the students learned what it was like to live as a pioneer in the 1800s and also read some of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s works.

“It was fun—it made you feel like you were in college,” said Jones of her CFK experience. “It makes kids realize what it would be like, and it gives them a goal to achieve.”

Some of them, in fact, achieved that goal at Monmouth College, including Karen Creek Brown ’97.

“It was so exciting to feel like a college student,” Brown recalled. “I took a French course. Besides learning the language, we also had the opportunity to fence. That was the most fun I had ever had.”

Lisa Bitar Wolfe ’94 also has fond memories.

“My favorite class was ‘Culture of India,’ which was taught by Jo Sorensen. She was fantastic. We had such a great time and really learned a lot about the Indian culture. The highlight was the Indian meal that we shared on the last day.”

This year’s CFK catalog offered 58 different courses, making it the largest catalog to date.

“The most popular classes this year are ‘Kitchen Chemistry’ and ‘Webmaster,’” said Mainz. “Other popular classes are ‘Gallery Glass,’ taught by (MC math professor) Marjorie Bond and the various foreign languages. We are offering an American Sign Language course this year, which is completely full.”

College for Kids celebrated its 30th anniversary with a new logo and a birthday party on the last day of the program.  campus news

9

Call for academic initiatives yields 7 innovative programs ver the past decade, Monmouth College has made substantial improvements to its physical plant, investing more than $60 million in new building construction and renovating existing facilities. With a solid infrastructure now in place, the college has shifted its focus to enhancing an academic program that is steadily growing in reputation. Recently, faculty members were invited to submit proposals for innovative programs that would further enrich the Monmouth experience.

From left, Henry Schmidt, Cyrus Turner and Matt Anderson show off their SOFIA project, a hybrid RC car. They displayed their poster and answered questions about the car at a matriculation day event in the Dahl Chapel and Auditorium.

“It can be a struggle for many colleges to launch one or two initiatives, but we are prepared to roll out all seven of our approved proposals,” said President Mauri Ditzler.

“It is further evidence that current Monmouth students and those coming this fall have opportunities to get engaged on campus in more ways than ever before. Our students expect to enjoy their time here and find meaningful work after graduation. These programs will help them do both.”

Two of the programs feature easy-to-remember acronyms and will bring students to campus at various points each summer. ESP (Exploratory Success Program) grew out of a proposal by faculty member Mark Willhardt and former dean of admission Christine Johnston, while SOFIA (Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activities) was proposed by faculty member Chris Fasano.

Exploratory Success Program (ESP)

Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activities Midwest Journal of (SOFIA) Undergraduate Research

“the goal of esp is to help

undecided students actively investigate and take responsibility for the choices they will face in deciding upon a major and an eventual career path,” said Willhardt. “By working closely with faculty mentors, and by investing time and effort in their search—rather than defaulting to what their roommates are doing—students will value the conclusions they reach and will be more likely to persist in their chosen fields.”

ESP will involve two intensive summer sessions and will continue throughout the students’ first semesters on campus.

Students will be sent away from the first ESP session with the requirement that they research and write mini-essays on three of the careers that have been suggested by various tests by the college’s Wackerle Center for Career Development. Included in these essays are academic pathways they might pursue to start those careers.

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academic initiatives

first-time students will also benefit from SOFIA, a program that is open to returning students, as well.

“This program will bring students to campus approximately three weeks before classes begin to work on projects with faculty members,” said Fasano. “On the day of matriculation, we will present ‘works in progress’ based on the work done to date.

We hope that both faculty and students will continue their projects throughout the following year.”

Each SOFIA project will have a budget of up to $1,000, and project groups will consist of a faculty member from any department, one or two returning students and one incoming student.

“We invite as many different disciplines to participate as possible,” said Fasano.

“We can envision projects that range from creative writing, to musical performances, artistic endeavors of all sorts, scientific research projects and more. The more diverse the collection of projects and participants, the better.”

Fasano said that a major benefit of SOFIA is that “students will be involved in academic pursuits at Monmouth College before they even take a class. It will allow us to recruit students who might not otherwise have attended and to retain them once they matriculate.”

two of the other new

initiatives will have broad visibility.

One is the Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research, an offshoot of the college’s new regional studies initiative. The initial editions will contain Midwest-related research by Monmouth students, but the journal could soon be expanded to include research from other schools in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest.

“It will be online at first, but it could go to a print format in the future,” explained assistant professor of history Fred Witzig, who wrote the proposal. “It will provide an opportunity for students to see their name in print, and of course parents and prospective employers will be able to see it, too.”

Witzig expects that most of the research will be in the areas of history, sociology and political sciences, but several other disciplines will be represented, too. There will be one primary student editor—likely a senior—and there will also be student editors in the respective academic disciplines.

monmouth | fall 2010

Business and Science Freshman McCahl Murray and assistant professor of chemistry Brad Sturgeon peer into the fourth dimension as they examine a hyperdodecahedron, a 4-D representation of the dodecahedron. The geometric structure was the SOFIA project of freshman Anders Nelson and assistant professor of mathematics and computer science Michael Sostarecz.

Assistant professor of art Brian Baugh shows off a handmade guitar.

ScotSpeak another visible initiative

will be ScotSpeak, a forensic organization that previously existed at Monmouth from 2002 to 2008. In fact, public speaking organizations at Monmouth go back much further than that, and the college has a rich tradition in the field, especially in debate.

Forensics came back to Monmouth in 2002 due to an individual student’s interest in intercollegiate debate, and ScotSpeak soon grew to include competition in areas such as Model United Nations, Model Illinois Government, Quiz Bowl and Mock Trial.

The shelving of the organization occurred due to a shortage of leadership and funding, but financial support has returned, according to communication studies professor Lee McGaan ’69.

“The funding that the college has committed to the program will allow it to pay for travel expenses and also receive coaching assistance,” he said. “It will be a great opportunity for students to develop their research, communicative and written skills in a competitive environment.

Scotspeak also provides good publicity for the college when the team does well, and it’s a good recruiting device, bringing to Monmouth even more strong overall students who are serious about learning.”

monmouth | fall 2010

the integration of business

and the sciences has received a great deal of attention at Monmouth College lately, so it’s no surprise that those subjects are both key components of the rest of the academic initiatives. On the business side, several enhancements will be made, including an increased focus on entrepreneurship.

“More and more students want to be entrepreneurs and learn more about it,” explained Mike Connell, chair of the college’s political economy and commerce (PEC) department. “We are going to offer additional entrepreneurism-related courses.

One will be an introductory class, and another will feature regular visits by entrepreneurs in the region, including some from Peoria, Burlington and the Quad Cities.”

A special focus within entrepreneurism will be the role of engineering.

“If an engineer solves a problem, someone else has to get that idea or product out there in front of the customers,” said Connell, who noted that one of his department’s new faculty members has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and has started several companies. “In some of our existing and proposed classes, we’ll explore the relationship between the engineer and the businessman in greater detail.”

American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference “opportunities” is a buzzword regarding another academic initiative that will enable chemistry students to annually attend the American Chemical Society Conference.

Monmouth chemistry students were able to attend the conference in 2007 when it was in Chicago, but new funding will allow students to travel to the conference wherever it is held. Attending the national conference gives the students opportunities to present research, to network and, ultimately, to find the strongest possible graduate school program.

“These conferences increase our students’ morale, instill academic confidence and enrich their academic experience,” said assistant professor of chemistry Audra Sostarecz.

Campus Garden finally, a campus garden will

be planted at Monmouth, and the project could eventually plow the path for a mini-farm.

Designed by faculty member Craig Watson and his senior capstone course students, the half-acre plot is located near the college’s Founders Village apartments and will be developed by a group of faculty and students from several academic disciplines. The first year’s intensive labor to establish the garden will be provided by students and faculty in senior capstone courses that focus upon civic engagement and environmental action.

The mission of the project is to provide an educational garden with an emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and comparative methods. While creating a distinctive location for interdisciplinary courses and collaborative research, the garden will offer fresh organic produce for the campus and community.

One of the short-term goals for the garden will be to integrate it into the current curriculum by inviting faculty to use it as an open-air classroom and research station, and to incorporate associated subjects into their syllabi. Goals that will take longer to achieve include establishing an alumni program in association with the garden, making connections with local school programs and creating new courses and thematic concentrations centered on the garden. “MC Home-Grown” produce will find its way initially to Monmouth’s Jamieson Community Center and the college cafeteria.

In addition to the items that will be planted, which include bell peppers, lettuce, green beans, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes and purple basil, the garden will include an educational area for children, a perennial asparagus patch and a beehive.

“So many different projects could intersect with this,” said Watson, who listed among them various “town-gown” possibilities, such as community education, green education and teacher curriculum outreach.

Ultimately, said Watson, the college hopes to add a multi-acre mini-farm.

“The campus garden will be a nice segue into community and regional conversations about agricultural issues in the Midwest,” he concluded. 

academic initiatives

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Participants in “Monmouth on the Rails” were able to observe the pure beauty and wonder of Yellowstone National Park, including Mammoth Hot Springs (left).

P h oto b y Bill G ai t h e r , T h e R e gis t e r - M ail

‘Monmouth on the Rails’ nine intrepid students and two faculty members rode the rails for two weeks this summer, as the college rolled out the first phase of a new academic initiative called “Learning on the Move.”

All aboard! Travelers depart from Galesburg, Ill.

Solar panels at the Frog’s Leap Winery.

The garden at the winery’s vineyard.

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academic initiatives

Developed by biology professor James Godde, the unique learning experience consists of a three-credit course in environmental microbiology, conducted part of the time aboard the California Zephyr passenger train. During the excursion, Godde led discussions, administered exams and assigned readings, which the students accessed on electronic reading devices such as Amazon Kindles. Faculty member Kristin Larson also accompanied the students.

This year’s inaugural program featured several stops, including four at “extreme” environments for microorganisms, as well as a trip to the location that inspired the “learning on the move” idea in the first place.

Alumni Stan ’63 and Karen Barrett Chism ’65 of Palo Alto, Calif., and David Byrnes ’72, who has a residence in LaQuinta, Calif., were impressed with the green initiatives at Frog’s Leap Winery in California’s Napa Valley. They began to consider ways that students at their alma mater could see it, which led to them funding the trip west, which grew to include stops at Salt Lake City, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and, on the way home, Rocky Mountain National Park. Respectfully, those sites allowed students to collect samples of microorganisms that thrive in extreme conditions related to high salt, heat, alkalinity and acidity.

The level of funding provided an “all-expense-paid” opportunity for the students, although Godde said that future “Learning on the Move” trips might require that the students subsidize a portion of the costs. Future ideas that have been discussed include a trip to the desert Southwest and a rail-based Midwestern trip in the summers of 2011 and 2012, respectfully.

Go west, young men and women! “Monmouth on the Rails” took the students through seven states.

monmouth | fall 2010

Camping at Yellowstone National Park.

Monmouth’s traveling party included, from left, associate professor of biology James Godde, his son Brennan, Cameron Slate, Zach Ott, Emily Barks, Kendra Ricketts, Jessica Engle, Jill Hennenfent, Steve McCoy, Marcus Melhus, associate professor of psychology Kristin Larson (sitting) and Victoria Green.

Godde said that train travel was chosen because it’s more ecologically friendly, and “it’s also a good way to travel when you’re not in a particular hurry, which we aren’t.”

After spending a week on campus, the students departed from Galesburg on Aug. 8 and returned on Aug. 21, the date of the college’s matriculation ceremony. Not all of the trip was done by train, as the group rented vans to travel to their specific destinations. Most of their overnight stays were in campgrounds or hostels.

Although the class officially ended when the train pulled into Galesburg, Godde expects much of the work with the samples to continue as senior research projects and individual research, and he will also incorporate it into his regular microbiology course in the fall.

“I’ve heard several times from our students that this trip exceeded their expectations,” said Godde.

Jill Hennenfent agreed. “It was the best two weeks of my life,” she said.

As an associate professor of biology, Godde’s role on the trip was clear. But why was Larson, an associate professor of psychology, involved?

“This trip is such a crazy idea, she has to make sure we stay grounded,” joked Godde.

However, what Larson really did was observe the inner workings of such a trip in order to see how it might play out in an even larger way—a “Semester on Rails” proposal that the college is considering for 2013.

“Students would travel by train through Europe and Asia for an entire semester, and most of the cost would be covered by their normal tuition and board,” said Godde, who would accompany Larson and evenly split a four-course teaching load. “It would be a trip that juniors would take, and they would have the opportunity to take their junior-level ‘Reflections’ course, plus courses in psychology, nutrition and field biology.”  monmouth | fall 2010

A hot spring that was sampled for thermophiles.

Emily Barks hikes through the Hoodoos.

academic initiatives

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m

onmouth college’s mission is to prepare its students for the future by providing a broad education in the liberal arts, as opposed to a targeted, specialized career track.

That being said, the college does want to match up its soon-to-be graduates with professional opportunities, and there are many ways it plays the role of matchmaker.

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“real world” preparation

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Above: Kayt Griffith (right) poses with her former high school teacher Heather Brown at commencement.

For the few graduates not as fortunate as Griffith, Kim said that help is still readily available. Although they no longer have the ease of walking across campus to visit the Wackerle Center, alumni are encouraged to continue to use its resources.

“Our No. 1 service by far is résumé critique,” said Kim. “That’s true while they’re students, but also after they graduate. That’s the reason we are contacted the most by graduates.”

When a graduate calls for other help, it might also involve a specific question relating to what was previously discussed at Job Search for Seniors programs on campus.

“They want to know about a particular issue, such as when is the right time to follow up for a second time with an employer,” said Kim. Does the employment assistance Monmouth provides really matter? The statistics say, “Yes.” “For the past several years, our numbers at Monmouth have been right in line with or exceeded the national employment rate,” said Kim. “Obviously, I’d like to do even better and improve on that number. We target less than 5 percent unemployment for our recent graduates, even during this economic downturn.”

Kim’s efforts are focused on increasing attendance at workshops and seminars devoted to the job market and the job search. She said that recent economic events have made it easier for her office to get its message across.

“Getting a job after college was like an entitlement a few years ago and was taken for granted,” she explained. “There’s a better awareness now among the students that it’s not something they should be putting off until graduation. We want to continue to build on that awareness and instruct them on how to use the Monmouth network and resources. The job market is still tight, and we need to show them how they can be more competitive.”

The employment data for MC’s Class of 2010 is not yet complete, but Kim’s office

H ow

not all of the college’s 274 May graduates have full-time employment or graduate school plans confirmed yet. What they do know, however, is that the diploma they received from President Mauri Ditzler substantially increases their chances for success.

According to MC director of career development Michelle Kim, the unemployment level shrinks for each level of education received. Those without a high school diploma are unemployed at a rate of 14.7 percent. High school graduates have an unemployment rate of 10.6 percent, while only 8.3 percent of associate degree graduates are unemployed. The unemployment rate for persons with a bachelor’s degree or higher is a slim 4.9 percent.

So attending college is beneficial in and of itself, but attending Monmouth, in particular, also bodes well for future professionals.

“I think that the well-rounded curriculum here at Monmouth sets our graduates apart from others,” said Kim, who also noted that the college’s Wackerle Career & Leadership Center offers many programs specifically geared to matching students up with professional positions.

For example, Monmouth’s Job Search for Seniors program prepares students for the different aspects of the job search, including networking, applying, interviewing and staying organized.

“By scheduling all seniors to attend, we are preparing our graduates for what is ahead of them, whether they think it is important at the time or not,” she said.

“Even if they are planning to continue their education with graduate school, they will need these skills.”

One satisfied customer is Kayt Griffith ’10, who secured a teaching position with help from Kim’s office.

“I was very pleased with the support that I received from the Wackerle Center while I was searching for my teaching job,” said Griffith, who is teaching at Baxter Community School in Baxter, Iowa. “Both Michelle Kim and (program coordinator) Rhonda Spence worked with me to make sure that my credential file, my résumé and my cover letter were the best that they could be.”

mo uth studen ts

was able to report that 94 percent of the students in the Class of 2009 were gainfully employed or in graduate school within six months of their commencement exercises.

Monmouth graduates found employment in health sciences, banking, food service and hospitality, international trade, marketing and advertising, and retail management. Many members of the Class of 2009 found employment in Midwestern cities adversely impacted by the economic downturn.

“Our alumni groups in Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis and Des Moines continue to grow, and the support we receive from these individuals is critical to the success of Monmouth College,” said Kim. Two 2009 graduates who found work in the Midwest are Edward Miller and Joshua Jacobs. Miller sung the praises of his liberal arts education, while Jacobs offered advice for current MC students.

“I am a firm believer in the liberal arts approach,” said Miller, who is an information systems consultant for Miller Systems, Inc., an IT consulting firm in Mokena, Ill. “When I was designing software to sift through agricultural data, I not only had to

monmouth | fall 2010

“I worked at the library as a sound master,” he said. “Since there were only two students who worked with sound equipment, it was a big responsibility for me.

Through setting up sound devices, I had chances to participate in many kinds of events and to get to know a lot of people.”

A communication major with a minor in public relations, Matsuzawa’s liberal arts education allowed him to enter the workforce in a different field.

“As a student, I was not interested in financial business, but now I handle trading for Japanese Equity,” he said.

“The point is, we don’t always find exactly what we want to do as a job while we are students.

I suggest that students take as many challenges as they can, search for possibilities, and never set a hard and fast course for their future.”

Alumni such as Miller, Jacobs and Matsuzawa have useful information for current students. Through a joint effort by the Wackerle Center and MC’s alumni office, that type of information was exchanged with 70 students at the “Design Your Future” conference last semester.

“This year’s title reminds us that we each are the architects of our own lives,” said associate dean of students Michelle Merritt ’89, one of the organizers of the conference.

Part of the ongoing series of Scots Connection events, which bring MC alumni and students together, the event was attended by 15 Monmouth graduates, including keynote speaker Joanna Davison Triebel ’99, a district sales manager for GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.

Triebel explored the five practices set forth in The Leadership Challenge, a book by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.

Those practices include challenging the process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modeling the way and encouraging the heart.

Triebel used examples from her professional career to drive those points home.

She also shared with them that she was very involved in campus activities as a student.

In the spring of her freshman year, she decided to run for Student Association president. She won the election, serving as president for her sophomore year.

A highlight of that experience, Triebel said, was organizing a “Speak Up or Shut Up”

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rl d ’

Alumni and students participate in a roundtable discussion at “Design Your Future” event.

Below right: Joanna Davison Triebel ’99 makes a point during her keynote address.

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have a basic conception of how agriculture in the U.S. works, but also what sorts of data would be useful from a marketing perspective. Then I had to design an interface that would be logical to the people in that sort of environment. I even have to understand psychology a bit to be able to predict what sorts of common errors or invalid data people would likely input.”

Jacobs also found employment shortly after his graduation. He is a pastor at the First Church United Methodist in Dayton, Ohio, and is attending graduate school at United Theological Seminary. His advice to undergraduates is, “Start networking. Who you know is just as important as what you know.”

Another member of the Class of 2009 who responded to the survey was Shota Matsuzawa, who interviewed for 10 positions during his senior year, ultimately securing employment as a securities operations analyst at Goldman Sachs in Japan.

Classes such as Negotiations, Business Writing and Small Group Communication helped him increase his team-building skills, and Matsuzawa said he also learned a lot through a campus job. monmouth | fall 2010

event for students to voice their concerns about various campus issues. For her final two years, she was president of Kappa Kappa Gamma, and she also participated in the dance team, the campus radio station and theatre.

“I learned so much during my time at Monmouth and implemented so much from my organizational activities,” said Triebel, who now leads a team of 14 sales representatives.

In the question-and-answer portion of her talk, Triebel told the students that when she conducts interviews, she is looking for individuals who know what they want and are confident and well-prepared. She also said that she did internships each summer and “highly recommends” them for today’s college students.

Other alumni participants at the conference included: George Gaulrapp ’81, mayor of Freeport; Robin Jarvis ’84, senior manager of leadership development for H-E-B Grocery Co.; Craig Nash ’84, assistant manager for the Chicago Public School’s Department of College and Career Preparation; Tom Sargent ’85, associate professor of educational studies at Monmouth College; Gary Selof ’86, chaplain for the Iowa National Guard; Devon Monroe Kelly ’90, occupational injury prevention project manager for OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria; Christy Ogilvie McCreary ’90, self-employed singer and voice teacher; Kate Francis ’92, president for the Knox County Civic Center Authority/ Orpheum Theatre; Bill Turner ’93, director of development for the College of Law at the University of Illinois; Jessica Bunch Butcher ’94, assistant to the vice president for student services at Western Illinois University; Angela Charsha-Harney ’98, assistant director for the Department of Recreational Sports at the University of Iowa; Chris Triebel ’99, math teacher at Joliet West Township High School; Emily O’Daniel-Huston ’01, counselor for the Monmouth-Roseville School District; and Jessica DeVore Johnston ’04, undercover operations analyst for Caterpillar, Inc. “The conference was a smashing success,” said director of alumni programs Lucy Kellogg Thompson ’99. “The positive energy throughout the conference was contagious, and we are already looking forward to our third annual event.” continued on page 25 “real world” preparation

15

Above: Trevor Newton, president of the Associated Students of Monmouth College, raises a flag at the start of the 153rd commencement exercises.

Below left: As the Class of ’10 gathered for this group photo, so did the rain clouds. Center: Andrew Watson helps the pipe band warm up for the procession. Right: Emily Morland adds her voice to a Chorale hymn at baccalaureate.

Commencement

2010

S

enior John Kaiser, the college’s 2009 student laureate to the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, spoke on behalf of the graduating class.

He mentioned several campus developments that occurred in the past four years, including the construction of Gracie Peterson Hall and April Zorn Memorial Stadium, in addition to the introduction of a new mascot, “Big Red,” which was unveiled at the President’s Senior Gala the night before. The mascot was made possible, in part, by the senior class, who donated five times more than a graduating class normally does.

“We’re leaving Monmouth College better than when we found it,” Kaiser said.

“The college instilled in us a love of lifelong learning, and we are eternally grateful.”

Kaiser also encouraged his classmates to continue to make their surroundings better than they found them, sharing the famous aphorism, “Plant trees under whose shade you do not plan to sit.” monmouth | fall 2010

commencement

17

Members of the Class of 2010 announce their class gift at the Senior Gala. The proceeds will fund the purchase and maintenance of college mascot costumes.

Megan Thornnburg, an educational studies major, enjoys the president’s reception with family members.

Communication studies professor Trudi Peterson, left, visits with communication/public relations major Audrey Hackmann and her mom at the president’s reception.

B

rown was this year’s recipient of Monmouth’s pre-college teacher award, which she received after being nominated by graduating senior Katelyn Griffith.

She used a lyric from the Jimmy Buffett song It’s My Job to convey her point.

Wendy Lin and Kris Judd are happy to finally have diplomas in hand.

James Graham and his family pose for a photo after the ceremony. He is a descendant of Russell Graham, Monmouth’s first professor of sociology, for whom Graham Hall was partially named.

Although the commencement audience is typically plenty vocal, cue cards can’t hurt.

Business major Arjun Subedi, left, mixes with biochemistry majors Jon Cline and Om Shrestha.

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commencement

“A street sweeper came whistlin’ by, he was bouncing every step/It seemed strange how good he felt, so I asked him while he swept/He said, ‘It’s my job to be cleaning up this mess/And that’s enough reason to go for me/It’s my job to be better than the rest/And that makes a day for me.’”

Brown added, “Do what you are passionate about and then find a way to get paid for it.”

While many graduates were no doubt inspired by Beachy and Brown, who have both reached high levels in their professions, Beachy said he looked out from the podium “with a bit of envy for those who are just starting out. Unlike our generation, you have the opportunity to make changes as you go.”

Beachy was introduced as an individual who deals with “three of the world’s greatest problems”—hunger, poverty and agricultural sustainability. During his address, he complimented the college for its strong focus on the Midwest, saying “Global security starts with a full belly, and a full belly starts with agriculture. What you do here in the Midwest is part of the solution to global security.”

Beachy also referenced “STEM” education, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. His preferred model is “STEAM.” “Put an ‘A’ in there—not for ‘agriculture,’ but for ‘arts,’” he said. “Science should help us make important decisions, but it can’t do it alone. Look at ways of performing service—service is a becoming art, and science is a team sport.”

Griffith introduced Brown as the teacher who “made me realize the incredible thrill that could come from learning” and said Brown was “a lot of the reason I will be teaching high school English this fall.”

“Good is the enemy to great,” Brown reminded the graduates. “I wasn’t great at anything when I sat in your seats, and sometimes I want to find the first students I taught, apologize and tell them, ‘I got a lot better!’”

Four graduates were joined on the stage by faculty or current or former members of the college’s board of trustees. They included Sally Hayes, and her mother, assistant professor Monie Hayes; Mary Scotillo and her father, the Hon. John Scotillo ’72, a current trustee; Dan Weber ’74 and his father, the Hon. Daniel Weber, a former trustee; and Sara Wenzel and her parents, professors Frank Gersich and Judy Peterson. monmouth | fall 2010

Roger Beachy was presented with an honorary degree for his scientific work addressing hunger and agricultural sustainability.

Heather Brown, this year’s Pre-College Teacher of the Year, is presented with her honorary doctoral hood.

Prior to the ceremony, Beachy (left) discusses Midwest agriculture with trustee Dick Yahnke, a retired vice president for Deere & Co.

Above: Actor Zach Wood, who portrays Gabe Lewis on NBC’s The Office, snaps a photo of senior Hannah DeBoer following the commencement ceremony. He was the guest of Hannah’s sister, Jocelyn.

Left: Members of the faculty lead the way for the new graduates during the recessional.

Below: Tara Sturgeon and Michael Sostarecz seem to share good chemistry as she helps him view the commencement festivities.

They are the children, respectively, of chemistry professors Brad Sturgeon and Audra Sostarecz.

Although the sun popped out from behind the clouds just as the college’s carillon bells announced noon, several in the audience were glad to be sitting under trees, as umbrellas popped out several minutes later in response to a light rain.

It didn’t last long, however, and college officials were pleased with their decision to hold the event outdoors.

A total of 263 seniors walked across the stage to receive diplomas, and the official count for May graduates was 274. The difference included students such as Noellen Brown, who attended Monmouth’s baccalaureate ceremony on Saturday but monmouth | fall 2010

then traveled to the University of Illinois on Sunday to watch her twin brother, Nico, graduate.

Commencement weekend is also a time for the board of trustees to meet, and one of their functions at their annual May gathering is to approve faculty promotions.

Promoted to full professor were a trio of faculty members: Petra Kuppinger (sociology and anthropology), Stacy Lotz (art) and Trudi Peterson (communication studies). Lotz has been a member of Monmouth’s faculty since 1995, Peterson joined the faculty in 1998 and Kuppinger started two years later.

Ian Moschenross (music) was promoted to associate professor. Moschenross joined the faculty in 2004.

It was the final commencement for the Rev. Dr. Kathleen Fannin, who retired after 12 years as the college’s chaplain.

Fannin was the featured speaker at the previous day’s baccalaureate service.  commencement

19

Senior alumni seize Golden

Early arrivees daytripped to historic Nauvoo, where they were serenaded by a mobile brass band.

Golden Scots visit the grave of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, overlooking the Mississippi River.

Jim ’65 and Sharon Wehrs Mock ’65 examine an antique grape press at the Nauvoo winery.

Golden Scots gather on Dunlap Terrace following the opening-night banquet.

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golden scots celebration

opportunity to reunite, reminisce

Golden Scots Celebration 2010

P hotos by G eo r ge H a r tmann and M onmouth College S ta f f

Bowers Hall provides a comfortable backdrop for a casual evening reception.

22

section

monmouth | fall 2010

Above: Members of the Class of 1960 graphically illustrate their reunion gift, which is formally presented by Ralph Riggs (left).

Maureen ’60 and Orv Liesman ’61 sing a college song at the Golden Scots Celebration dinner.

Author Roger Fritz ’50 chats with Warren Sanders ’60 and his wife, Jean, at his book signing. Looking on is Fritz’s wife, Kathryn Goodard Fritz ’50.

Dining services chef Kim Fornero offers barbecue tips in his “Grilling 101” workshop.

monmouth | fall 2010

golden scots celebration

23

Class of 1950: Bob Matson, Walter Forsyth, Rosemary Felts Forsyth, Kirk Hay, Kathryn Goddard Fritz and Roger Fritz.

Class of 1955 (from left): Bruce Davenport, Keith Droste, Roland Best, Dick Bowman, Gerald Allin, Art Doty, Allen McGehee, Todd McKellar, James Hands, Gary Allen and Eugene Sanders.

Class of 1960, Row 1 (from left): Mary Bullard, Judy Stafford Denniston, Carolyn Davis Penney, Jeanne Gittings Robeson, Carol Kemmerer Wetzel, Kathryn Oliver Tribler, Nancy Acheson McGaan, Lewis Arnold, Judith Irelan Riggs and Ralph Riggs. Row 2: Don Hellison, Patty Baird Link, Karen Meyer Phoenix, Joan Wagenknecht, Barbara Divinski Brundage and June Christiansen Fredericks. Row 3: Janet Hamilton Pohl, Mary Ann Work, Jackie Hoover Campbell, Judy Watson Brown, Dottie Mertz Hunt, Carol Macari Bowman, Judith Lamb and Karen Sundberg Finn. Row 4: Chuck Rassieur, Carl Gamer, Donn Deniston, Karen Zugschwerdt Jaeger, Dean Graves, Nancy Lee Graves, Maureen Smiley Liesman, Jean Schneider Hayes, Richard Anderson and Joseph Suffield. Row 5: David Bowers, John Penney, Warren Sanders, Dick Fisher, Melinda Hall Robertson and Jim Nelson.

save the date: june 1-5, 2011 Special Class Reunions: 1966 ~ 45th 1961 ~ 50th Golden 1956 ~ 55th 1951 ~ 60th 1946 ~ 65th Class of 1965, Row 1 (from left): Sharon Wehrs Mock, Geni Willman Zagorski and Marilyn Marshall Nuss.

Row 2: Alan Etzbach, Jim Mock, Judith McColloch Hessel and Rick Hessel. Row 3: Ron Zagorsky, Gary Gilliland and Bill Goldsborough.

24

golden scots celebration

♥ Live in Residence Halls ♥ Trip to The John Deere Commons ♥ Campus Tours ♥ Reunion Receptions and Dinners ♥ Golden Scots Celebration Dinner ♥ Memorial Service

A Thousand Hearts’ Devotion www.MonmouthCollege.edu/alumni

monmouth | fall 2010

EMPLOYMENT continued from page 15 Bringing alumni to campus is a useful matchmaking tool when it comes to employment, but so is taking students outside of Monmouth, even abroad.

Last December, Bryan Jackson ’10, Wendy Lin ’11 and Alicia Yeakey ’12 began preparing for a major presentation in London’s Strand Palace Hotel. Business Advantage, a London-based market research company with a client list that includes such top international tech companies as Hewlett-Packard and Intel, gave the students a chance to research their competitors and make recommendations about their current website.

The students, who participated in weekly teleconference meetings with a market research team in London, were assigned to research and prepare an hourlong presentation for Business Advantage CEO Chris Turner and Nicola Mansfield, the company’s director of research.

As part of her presentation, Lin had to provide recommendations about how the company could gain an advantage on its competitors. One of her recommendations was to reduce the amount of content on the company’s website.

“I could tell that Mr. Turner appreciated our input, and his assistant mentioned how she had previously voiced the same recommendation we had made.”

The students’ experience was capped off by a steak dinner with Turner, Mansfield and MC vice president Don Capener, who helped create the internship. After the dinner, business cards were exchanged and the students were offered summer internships with Business Advantage.

Although the interns’ presentation for Turner was the focus of their trip, they were also able to participate in activities with the other 19 international business students who made the trip to England and Spain. Highlights included visiting Damm Brewery (Spain’s largest beer-making company) and the Torres Winery, as well as seeing La Familia Sagrada Cathedral.

Back in the U.S., some of assistant chemistry professor Audra Sostarecz’s students also benefited from an off-campus experience.

“Every semester that I teach Advanced Analytical Chemistry, I like to take the students to either the University of Iowa or the Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Corporation so they can see what it would be like to go to graduate school or to work in industry,” said Sostarecz.

“These trips have also turned out to be good recruiting tools.”

Last spring, Sostarecz’s students toured the University of Iowa Imaging Center at its medical school, as well as the university’s chemistry department. Three Monmouth alumni are currently in grad school there: Lindsay Ditzler ’07 and Nate Coleman ’08 in the chemistry Ph.D. program and Matt Faron ’08 in the genetics Ph.D. program. Another MC alumnus, Kevin Watson ’07, graduated with a master’s degree in chemistry last year.

Monmouth is also represented at Sigma-Aldrich, a leading life science and high technology company headquartered in St. Louis.

Recent MC graduates Corey White ’07 and Jennifer Scott ’08, who are employed there, conducted a tour last fall for nine Monmouth chemistry students. In addition to Sostarecz, students were accompanied on the trip by her colleagues Brad Sturgeon and Eric Todd, and by emeritus professor George Nieman.

“This was the second trip that we made to Sigma-Aldrich,” said Sostarecz. “Due to the chemistry department taking the students on monmouth | fall 2010

these trips and due to the good work that Corey and Jen are doing at Sigma, the company’s production manager decided to come to campus this year to do off-site interviewing.”

Another group of Monmouth graduates has benefited from the fact that 2010 is an election year, securing professional opportunities in the field of politics.

Rachel Bold, a communication and international studies major, and Sean MacWilliams, a classics and history major, both began stints in the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program (ILSIP) in Springfield in August.

Two others—Claudia Gomez and Noah Emery, who majored in Spanish and political science, respectively—got an earlier start.

Gomez spent the summer working for the reelection campaign of Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., while Emery began the summer working for the Indiana State Republican Party in South Bend as a Victory Program field representative.

“I am not promised employment after the election, but I will be looking to stay on the campaign side of politics,” said Emery.

Gomez used her fluency in Spanish to help Rep. Hare reach out to Latino voters in Dist. 17, which includes Rock Island, Quincy and part of Springfield.

“I am excited to work with the community, to share my knowledge, and to help the Latino community understand the importance of being represented,” said Gomez, who had her first interning experience with Humboldt Park Social Services in 2009. That experience opened her eyes to the needs of the community and the field of politics. During the past year, she switched her focus to working with the Latino community of Monmouth.

Bold and MacWilliams were on different sides of the aisle when they began their internships in Springfield.

“I’m working for the Senate Republican staff,” said Bold, who also had a double minor in political science and sociology/anthropology.

“Once I complete training, I’ll be doing all of the work of a regular, full-time staff member.”

MacWilliams, who works for the Democratic staff in the House of Representatives, noted, “I want to be a politician and this is an excellent learning experience.”

Bold hopes to make politics her lifelong career and, while she hasn’t chosen a specific door to enter, she enjoys the variety of opportunities.

It’s perfectly fine that Bold is still searching for the right match, and a final story by Kim seems appropriate to illustrate that point.

“We held a program a while back called ‘True Life: Life After MC,’” said Kim. “The idea for the program was based on MTV’s True Life series and included several presentations about a variety of topics.”

“True Life” topics included getting a job in a down economy, finding a first home, understanding employee benefits and smart communication for new professionals in the workplace.

In a related “real life” note, True Life might not have existed without the work of a Monmouth graduate. After dabbling in admission work for the college, Dwight Tierney ’69 found a different door to open, becoming one of the co-founders of MTV. Who knows what similar adventures await the latest class of Monmouth graduates?  Above: Panelists for the “Design Your Future” event included, from left, Gary Selof ’86, Kate Francis ’92, Craig Nash ’84, Robin Jarvis ’84, and Bill Turner ’93.

“real world” preparation

25

Another national champion

Above: Gloria Lehr qualified provisionally for the national meet in all four throwing events.

She is shown here competing in the hammer throw at the MWC outdoor meet, where she was named one of the meet’s Most Outstanding Performers, a feat she had earlier accomplished at the MWC indoor meet.

Below: Luke Reschke flies down the straightaway at the Midwest Conference Championships. In one of the single greatest races in Fighting Scots history, Reschke obliterated his own school record by nearly a full second as he won the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.75.

Tyler Hannam, shown competing at a home meet midway through the 2010 season, claimed the national high jump title at the NCAA outdoor meet by clearing 6'11-½ — not bad for an athlete who was barely a 6'0 high jumper in high school.

WINTER SPORTS REVIEW:

Swim champ? Dunn!

MEN’S SWIMMING: The Fighting Scots may have sunk one place in the MWC standings

from a year ago, but their third-place finish was still the high-water mark of Monmouth’s winter sports season.

Leading the way for first-year coach Kurt Niemeier’s team was sophomore Josh Dunn, who claimed Monmouth’s lone title at the meet in the 200-yard IM. Dunn touched first in a school-record time of 1:57.64, and he also established new MC marks while placing third in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke (53.46 and 1:55.42).

Other top three finishes from the men came from seniors Harrison Heilman in the 400-yard IM (a school-record 4:26.28) and John Kaiser in the 200-yard butterfly and sophomore Joe Testolin in the 200-yard freestyle.

Kaiser was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V College Division At-Large second team, Monmouth’s first swimmer—male or female—to be so honored.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: For the second straight season, the Fighting Scots tied for the fourth and final MWC playoff berth but failed to advance on a tiebreaker.

The Scots did everything they could down the stretch, winning their final three games. That included a must-have victory against the team they ultimately tied—Illinois College—and a win for the ages vs. playoff-bound Lake Forest. In the latter game, freshman Colleen Forrest’s running three-pointer with three seconds left sent the contest to overtime, and the Scots prevailed 101-96. Forrest, a reserve, made seven treys in the game and scored a career-high 26 points.

Unfortunately, visiting Illinois College shocked Lake Forest in the regular season finale to equal Monmouth’s 9-7 league record and advance thanks to two head-to-head wins over the Foresters.

Lynsey Barnard Several players led the way for the balanced Scots, who finished 14-9 overall. Two players in their final year of action—Lynsey Barnard (13.4 ppg) and Alison Andrews (12.5 ppg)—starred, with Barnard making the All-MWC team. Junior point guard Justine Boone (9.4 ppg) was second in the MWC in assists and steals and freshman Zipporah Williams (12.7 ppg) was second in rebounding.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING: The Fighting Scots treaded water, so to speak, finishing in fifth place at the MWC Championships for the third consecutive year.

Sophomore Rachel Holm led the way for Monmouth, placing third in the 200-yard butterfly (2:19.51). Holm also reached the “A” finals in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly.

Sophomore Rachel Buckham and freshman Amanda Zaidel qualified for two “A” finals apiece and sophomore Colleen Zumpf and freshman Erica McAloon were each in one.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: The Fighting Scots willed

Eric Cogdill

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scots sports

themselves back into the MWC playoff chase by winning three of four games in late January, but February was not a kind month. Monmouth lost all six of its games down the stretch to finish ninth in the league at 4-12. The Scots were 5-18 overall.

The flurry of January wins was capped by an 82-80 nailbiter against Grinnell, Monmouth’s first win against the high-octane Pioneers in five years.

All-MWC selection Eric Cogdill was the Scots’ most consistent player. The junior led the team with averages of 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds.

Right behind in both categories was senior Zach Ott, who scored 10.3 points per game to go with 5.1 rebounds. Junior Corey Gruber averaged 9.6 points and led the Scots in assists and steals.  monmouth | fall 2010

SPRING SPORTS REVIEW:

Golfers make return trip to nationals

MEN’S GOLF: For the second junior Daphne Beal (.320) also straight year, the Fighting Scots swung big sticks. won the MWC title to advance A tough non-conference to the NCAA tournament, which schedule caused Monmouth to was played in Hershey, Pa. finish just 14-22 overall, but Unlike 2009, when they with six of their top seven survived the 23-team cut and players in at-bats returning, played all four rounds, coach Goddard’s Scots should be a Dave Ragone’s Scots saw their good bet to continue their season cut short by one place postseason streak in 2011. and a mere five strokes. Their BASEBALL: The wide-open score of 313-318–631 was good MWC South Division has seen for a three-way tie for 24th. a different champion in each Senior Ryan Harvey nearly of the past three seasons and, got to keep playing as an indithis time, two teams finished The men’s golf team competed at the 2010 NCAA Division III in Hershey, vidual, as his 76-76–152 put ahead of the Fighting Scots, Pa. Pictured from left are coach Dave Ragone, Rodney Clayton, Ted him in a two-man playoff for Starkey, Ryan Harvey, Ryan Tapscott and Sean McNamara. Led by keeping them out of the the final individual spot. He Harvey’s 76-76–152, the Fighting Scots placed 24th. conference playoffs for the was beaten by a birdie on the first time since 1999. second hole.

Monmouth swept a four-game set with Knox but came up empty Two other seniors also capped outstanding careers for the Scots. in their other divisional games, going 4-8 on their way to an overall Ted Starkey (79-73-77) missed an individual conference title by a mark of 12-23.

Corey Guber delivers a pitch single stroke, and Ryan Tapscott was solid all year, earning Many Scots teams have followed the at Glasgow Field last spring.

All-MWC honors and leading the varsity team at four of their formula of dominant pitching duos The junior won a team-high spring competitions. five games for the Scots, and leading the way through MWC play, but A trio of returning players for 2011 also left their mark on their that was not the case this season. Junior he also led the basketball team program, most notably junior Rodney Clayton, who earned MWC in assists and steals while Robbie Hinkle could not match his scoring 9.6 points per game. medalist honors—and his second all-conference honor—with 2009 mound success, but he did bring a rounds of 78-77-73 at Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford. Clayton, who new element to the field, leading the was one of just 22 Division III golfers to be named Cleveland Scots in all of their power categories Golf/Srixon All-American scholars, will have a chance to become offensively. Hinkle (.309, 5 HR, 23 RBI), Monmouth’s first-ever three-time All-MWC golfer next season. who recorded just one at-bat in 2009, Also claiming tournament titles for the Scots were sophomore was rewarded with a spot on the Sean McNamara, who shot 74-76–150 to win the Prairie Fire All-MWC team as a utility player, Classic early in the season, and freshman Brandon Kemerling, and senior second baseman Tom who fired a blistering 72-67–139 to win the Augustana Invitational. Shaver (.328) also made the squad.

Kemerling’s two-day score was the second-best in school history, Junior Corey Gruber was domiand the Scots also broke 300 as a team on two occasions. That had nant at times and wound up with a only been accomplished seven times prior to this season. team-high five wins and a 4.34 ERA. SOFTBALL: Coach John Goddard

appears to have a pretty good grasp on what it takes to field a playoffcaliber team. He is now 3-for-3 in leading the Fighting Scots to postseason play, and Monmouth took an extra step this year by defeating Ripon 4-2 in an elimination game before being knocked out

by Lake Forest.

Standouts for the Scots included the All-MWC trio of sophomore shortstop Morgan Seiler (.387, 4 HR, 28 RBI), sophomore catcher Lauren Bergstresser (.325, 10 SB) John Goddard and freshman pitcher Kelsey Williams (6-8, 2.90 ERA), who earned the “W” in Monmouth’s playoff victory.

Several other players excelled at the plate, including sophomore Brooke Twohill, who led the Scots with a .411 average. Freshmen Charlotte Hoffmann (.319, 3 HR) and Kayte La Follett (.372) and monmouth | fall 2010

A pitcher to watch for the future is sophomore Zack Myers, who did not allow an earned run all season in 18.1 innings.

MEN’S TENNIS: With a young squad of no seniors and just two juniors, coach Chad Braun knew his team might have trouble repeating its runner-up MWC finish from 2009. That wound up being the case, as the Scots settled for sixth place, but valuable experience was gained during a 5-12 season, and Monmouth plans to return to the upper half of the league next spring.

Junior Ben Morrow proved to be a tough out during the season, playing seven three-set matches and winning five of them en route to an 11-8 record. At the MWC meet, he won the consolation title at No. 3 singles, and he and classmate Sam Graf were the consolation champs at No. 2 doubles. Morrow had seven doubles victories for the year to edge out sophomore Tyler Lampe (8-9 in singles) for MC’s most combined wins with 18. Lampe and classmate Chris Utterback were paired at No. 1 doubles all season and posted an 8-10 record.

No. 6 singles player Brian Miller, a sophomore, also got into the act at the MWC meet, winning a consolation crown. 

scots sports

29

Clan Notes 1959 Joe Tait of Medina, Ohio, received the prestigious Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The award is presented annually to members of the print and electronic media who made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.

His induction ceremony was held the evening before players such as Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone were inducted. Earlier, Tait announced that the 2010-11 NBA season would be his final one. He has been announcing Cleveland Cavaliers games since their inaugural season of 1970-71, with a two-season break in the 1980s.

“It beat the heck out of working,” Tait has said of his career. “It was an enjoyable experience over a much longer period of time than I had ever imagined.”

1963

1971

1982

Charles Caulkins has been elected to another three-year term with the management committee at Fisher & Phillips LLP. He will continue as the managing partner of the firm’s office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a position he has held for 25 years.

Former classmates Steve Garber of Metamora, Ill., and Kevin Emerick coached against each other in a women’s basketball game pitting two junior college teams ranked in the top five in the nation. Emerick’s Jefferson College team defeated Garber’s Illinois Central College and went on to reach the national championship game for the second straight year. Emerick, who posted a record of 129-11 at Jefferson, has since resigned his post to pursue an opportunity in private business.

1972 Jane Kurtz of Lawrence, Kansas, has written Lanie and Lanie’s Real Adventures, two books based on one of the American Girl dolls. The 100-page books, which are intended for children in second through fourth grades, chronicle Lanie’s struggle to spend more time outside.

“Jane brought her own deep-rooted love of adventure to the project, fueled by her childhood in Ethiopia, where she spent most of her life outdoors,” said Jodi Goldberg, editorial director for American Girl.

1974 Stephen Van Anden of Brooklyn, N.Y., was appointed chief marketing and innovation officer at Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc.

1976 Bruce Weiman, an active member of the Methodist clergy for more than 30 years, recently became the pastor of Living Faith Methodist Church in Bowen, Ill.

1977

1984 Joe Burgess Jr. is the new superintendent of the Genoa-Kingston (Ill.) School District. He made the move from Tuscola, Ill., where he had been superintendent since 2003. He said he switched to an elementary education major at Monmouth after being told while he and the MC football team visited area schoolchildren that he would make a good teacher.

1987 Jim Hursh of Belvidere, Ill., won the Republican Party nomination for a newly-established judgeship in the 17th Judicial District. Hursh, the former Boone County’s state attorney, has been practicing law since 1996. The final election will be held in November.

1988 Dan Cotter was appointed treasurer of the Chicago Bar Association.

1989 Class of 1963 sorority sisters (from left) Nancy Miller Tippy, Patti Morse Lyall, Candy Veith Sorenson and Janet Lunsmann Acker received 50-year membership pins at the Kappa Kappa Gamma convention in Arizona in June. They were initiated in 1960 and, said Acker, “We have enjoyed our friendship since 1959, when we were freshmen living in McMichael dorm. What fond memories we all have of our years at Monmouth!”

1965 David Biklen gave a noteworthy presentation at the Institute for Municipal & Regional Policy’s Gubernatorial Forum. It was titled “Why Drugs Matter: The Impact of Drug Policy on Connecticut’s Economy.” Biklen’s major premise is that expanding treatment for addiction, both in an out of prison, would help break the cycle of drug abuse and crime. An attorney living in Hartford, Conn., Biklen was the executive director of the Connecticut Law Revision Commission for 22 years.

1968 William Trubeck of Long Lake, Minn., was appointed to the board of directors at WellCare Health Plans, Inc., which provides managed care services exclusively for government-sponsored health care programs. It is headquartered in Tampa, Fla. “Health care is at the forefront of our nation’s priorities, and WellCare is well-positioned to play an important role as our government health care programs are redesigned,” said Trubeck.

Richard Wieland recently accepted the position of executive vice president and CEO at Unilife Corporation. Based in Lewisberry, Pa., the company is a manufacturer of the newest safety syringe for the healthcare marketplace.

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clan notes

Brad Nahrstadt of Buffalo Grove, Ill., was recently profiled in Leading Lawyers magazine.

The Leading Lawyers Network is composed of the top five percent of practicing attorneys in Illinois. He has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the fields of product liability defense and medical malpractice defense since 2008.

Nahrstadt has also been elected chair of the Primerus Defense Institute, an international network of top-rated, independent law firms.

The Chicago Blackhawks road to the 2010 Stanley Cup brought out all kinds of big-name fans, including Illinois governor Pat Quinn (left) and Kevin Kaihara ’77.

1980 Patti Johnson Kuhlman of Dublin, Ohio, has designed a floral foam that holds decorative pieces suspended so they can be seen in 3-D in clear glass vases. More information on the product is available at www.vaseover.com.

1981 Jim Fabianski of New Lenox, Ill., coached Sandburg High School to the state softball championship in Class 4A. The Eagles finished the season with a record of 40-2. “It was ‘Fabes,’ it really was,” said one player when asked the key to Sandburg’s success.

“He kept us so close together.”

Carolyn Kellert Griffiths, director of choirs at Galesburg (Ill.) High School, was chosen as the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year. She has directed choral music there since 1985. She was nominated by GHS assistant principal Brett Wolfe ’90, who wrote that Kellert “has consistently produced outstanding vocal ensembles. Her groups are polished, professional in approach and consistently perform choral literature of the highest quality, a fact consistently noted by her peers.”

1990 Theresa Downs Roscetti graduated MC with a certification in secondary education, but only recently decided to take the three tests required by the state of Illinois to complete her certification. She passed all three tests and has begun a teaching assignment in Beardstown, Ill.

1991 Craig Anderson has joined the staff of the Illinois High School Association as an executive director. The former Washington (Ill.) High School athletic director said, “The reason I got into education is to help kids, so this position is a dream job for me.”

1992 Mike DeGeorge has taken the position of head men’s basketball coach at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.

Kate Francis appeared on a local public affairs television program in Peoria, Ill., to provide a 10-year update on progress at Galesburg’s Orpheum Theatre, which the TV show had featured in 2000. Francis was able to discuss, among other topics, raising $250,000 in 2009 to help repair the building, which is nearly 100 years old.

continued on page 33 monmouth | fall 2010

The rise, fall and future of the mortgage industry almost 100 years ago to the day of John Courson’s Whiteman Lecture at Monmouth College, former president Theodore Roosevelt delivered his The Man in the Arena speech at The Sorbonne in Paris, France. Roosevelt famously said, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena … who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

“I experienced one of the Courson ’64, president and CEO benchmark times of my life,” he of the Mortgage Bankers said of a “no” vote that he cast Association (MBA), used that in a corporate boardroom. His quotation to illustrate the highs board wanted to approve a long and lows of his career in the list of loan requests with a single mortgage industry, which spans vote, but he objected, having not more than half a century. His seen the individual loan files. career was especially affected by “Two years later that thrift the volatility of the past decade, went under, the owner spent which saw him fulfill a lifelong eight years in prison and the dream of owning a mortgage board of directors were in litigacompany in 2000, only to have to tion with the regulators,” he said. close it seven years later.

“That truly was a life-changer “It was the most devastating for me. The right way is the only thing that happened in my life,” he John Courson (second from left and inset photo) gave the 2010 Whiteman Lecture last spring. Representing the Whiteman way.” told the audience in the Dahl family at the event were, from left, Ralph Whiteman ’52, Courson likened the economic Chapel and Auditorium, which turmoil of the past decade to included students, professors and Dick Whiteman ’64 and Don Whiteman ’49. the tornado that swept through area bankers.

Dorothy’s Kansas in The Wizard of Oz and to astronaut Jim While referencing a speech that occurred a century ago on April 23, 1910, Courson also related his experiences from a half- Lovell proclaiming, “Houston, we have a problem” on board century ago—the day in 1960 when he arrived in Monmouth on Apollo 13.

“Dorothy got back to Kansas, and Apollo 13 returned,” he board the Denver Zephyr. said, adding that it is his industry’s job to ensure a happy “The train stopped at the Monmouth depot, and I looked for ending also comes out of its recent troubles. “We have to renew a line of taxis,” he said, recalling the Denver-influenced big-city the faith and restore the confidence. We have a job. This mentality he had at the time. happened on our watch; this is our problem.”

Courson soon began to appreciate Monmouth’s small-town One way to solve it, he said, is the Mortgage Industry Reform charms, including a man he had just met in a diner who offered Act, which MBA introduced. Those reforms have targeted the to haul Courson and his two steamer trunks from the train problems of sub-prime and exotic loans, which led to the meltstation to the college’s Graham Hall.

“My year at Monmouth was one of the most vivid, memorable down of 2007-08. In large part, Courson said, the meltdown was times of my life,” said Courson, who returned to Colorado after a result of “pushing people into homes who really shouldn’t a year due to financial reasons. “I remember the charm, the have one … Got bad credit? We’ve got a loan for you. No money excitement and the commitment to education that I experidown? We’ve got a loan for you. enced at Monmouth.”

“Now, it’s all about jobs,” he said of helping homeowners keep Courson’s year at Monmouth was a simpler time for most up with their mortgages during times of high unemployment. facets of life, including the mortgage industry. One of his major “We’ve started a bridge program to allow those people to get to messages during his talk, which President Mauri Ditzler called the point where they can make payments. We have to be very “one of the best lectures I’ve heard in this hall in a long time,” careful as we solve these issues. We don’t want short-term soluwas that a return to the 1960s mentality of “comfortable and tions to create long-term problems. Do no harm.” predictable” would be a good thing for his industry.

Complicating the cleanup, Courson contends, is that “The basic tenets of the 1960s are the right ones,” he said.

“Washington has never been more partisan. The chasm across Before addressing the current state of the mortgage banking the aisle is getting wider and wider. Who’s willing to step up industry, Courson elaborated on the “mid-1980s meltdown,” and accept compromise at the risk of alienating their party?” which occurred while he was in Dallas, Texas.

What it all boils down to, said Courson, is “people.”

“I thought, ‘It can’t get any worse than this,’” he said. “We “Those loan files are families,” he said. “That’s what we forget.” found out it was the junior varsity compared to the varsity The Whiteman Lecture Series brings prominent leaders of problems we’re facing now.”

American business and industry to the Monmouth College But even out of those dire times, Courson emerged as a campus. It is named in memory of Wendell Whiteman ’27, stronger person. long-time executive of Security Savings Bank in Monmouth.

monmouth | fall 2010

clan notes

31

Sharp, Dickerson return for journalism panel two alumni who returned to campus to speak about the future of journalism acknowledged that changes would continue in the industry, but neither was ready to paint a doom and gloom scenario for their profession.

J

ohn Sharp ’99, a reporter for the Peoria Journal-Star and He showed the students the “full-service” online edition of the Jay Dickerson ’00, editor of the Galena Gazette, were joined Gazette, which includes a regular video feature (sometimes shot at an evening panel discussion by Jane Carlson ’98, MC’s

by Dickerson himself with his children in tow). director of student publications for the “It’s little things like this that allow us to build an intimate past academic year. relationship with our reader,” said Dickerson, who also said that Earlier in the day, Sharp and Dickerson widespread use of the comment interface on Gazette stories is spoke to a journalism class taught by proof that there’s a way to connect to 21st-century readers. visiting distinguished professor of “That’s part of the reason that weekly newspapers weren’t hit as communication studies Joe Angotti. hard as big dailies.”

Sharp addressed Angotti’s opening points Asked if the industry was sinking so far that there would be a relating to “The Newspaper Massacre of day when there would be no more newspapers, Dickerson 2009,” when 23 of top 25 newspapers in replied, “I don’t think you’ll ever see that happen. I think newsthe nation lost circulation. papers will survive in some form. There’s always going to be the John Sharp ’00 “As print circulations go down, online need for news coverage.” readership has slowly crept upward,” Sharp said. “One day, they “There’s a lot of negativity” in the current climate, said Sharp, will criss-cross, and reading a newspaper online will become who related a story about his own company. “After some layoffs, the way the majority of readers get their news … It’s going to be we made a deal to forego salary increases for a guarantee of no about forming your own brand.” more layoffs. However, as soon as the agreement expired, six One way Sharp accomplishes that is through multi-tasking. more employees were let go.”

He has a blog, is active on Twitter and has essentially become Still, he said, “There’s a lot of people interested in the news, a player in “the world of and there’s a lot of people socialnomics.” following it online. What we’re “The basics of journalism are seeing at our newspaper is that still very important, but we have circulation is relatively stable, to keep the other social outlets but single-copy sales at gas in mind, too,” he said. stations and grocery stores are “We no longer search for the hurting.” news; the news finds us …

The Journal-Star manages There’s a lot of cool stuff going to compete, said Sharp, in the same way that Dickerson’s on in journalism. I’m feeling newspaper does—through more positive about our “hyperlocalism.” It has stopped industry than I did a couple of creating separate issues for its years ago.” different geographical zones, Some of the other negatives focusing increasingly on the that Angotti mentioned in his Editor Jay Dickerson ’00 takes a moment to check out the Galena greater Peoria area. opening remarks included print Gazette, a 175-year-old weekly newspaper in northwestern Illinois.

Sharp predicted that and ad sales dropping 30 changing times will lead to other adjustments. percent in the first quarter of 2009.

“The entire industry is undergoing a little bit of a revolution.

“People are running the same ads, but with new media,” said Who’d have thought 30 years ago we’d be where we are right Angotti, who explained that it’s through ads that newspapers now? There was no Internet 30 years ago. So who knows where create a profit. “Craigslist steals classifieds, eHarmony steals the industry will go in the next 30-40 years? The ‘paper’ could be personal ads. Advertisers can contact consumers directly gone, but there could be something else.” through e-mail.”

Both speakers encouraged Monmouth students to not be He also noted that major corporations in the industry, such scared off by the recent downturn in the industry. as Sun-Times Media Group and Gatehouse Media, are hurting.

“We do this because we love it,” said Sharp. “It’s an incredibly “It’s depressing, but it’s not hopeless,” said Angotti, who then interesting job. I talk to somebody different every day.” asked his guests, “Is it all true, and is it all that bad?”

Neither knew he was going to be a journalist. Dickerson “Well, it’s not great,” replied Dickerson, whose weekly newsstarted out as a high school English teacher, but he left educapaper recently celebrated its 175th birthday. The paper in tion for journalism, and within three months, he was the editor northwestern Illinois has been in existence for so long, in fact, of a weekly newspaper. that it celebrated its 25th anniversary before its region’s most “I Forrest Gump’d my way into it,” he said. famous citizen, Ulysses S. Grant, had fought any battles in the “The great thing about a liberal arts education is that you can Civil War. dabble in a lot of things and figure out what you want to do,” Dickerson, whose wife Hillary Lee Dickerson ’00 is also a newspaper editor, believes the Gazette occupies an important said Sharp, who listed acting as one of the areas in which he niche in the community, and he proved that a product that had dabbled at Monmouth. “Take advantage of this campus and all been around for nearly two centuries can still learn new tricks. of its opportunities.”

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monmouth | fall 2010

CLAN NOTES continued from page 30

2001

1996

Bob Grimm of Washington, D.C., is a new member of the faculty at the University of Maryland. His philanthropy class, which is part of a new philanthropy and nonprofit management program at the university, was featured in a Washington Post article. Grimm’s 25 students had to decide where best to donate $10,000 in actual funds, ultimately choosing a nonprofit group that supports education and mentoring for needy kids.

Tony Wash of St. Charles, Ill., has produced another horror movie, A Chance in Hell. It is described as “Inglorious Basterds meets Day of the Dead.”

Keegan Lannon received a master’s degree in English from Southern Illinois University in 2009. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English/cultural studies at Aberystwyth University in Wales, where he has won a postgraduate research studentship.

1998

2002

Jane Carlson and Chad Simpson live in Monmouth, where Jane has been promoted to director of development services and prospect research at her alma mater. Chad has collaborated with one of his recent Knox College students, Rebecca King, on the flash-fiction book, Phantoms. The 20-page book features nine short stories.

Neil Dahlstrom of Moline, Ill., was interviewed for the PBS television series History Detectives.

The show’s crew was investigating a watercolor of a Civil War battle, painted by a Confederate prisoner of war. Dahlstrom was interviewed because of the research he had done on the prison at the Rock Island Arsenal while he was a student at Monmouth. Rock Island was mentioned in Gone with the Wind as the place where Ashley Wilkes was imprisoned.

Nate and Regina Bannan Johnson ’00 live in Monmouth, where Nate is once again helping to coach the Fighting Scots football team. He recently received a master’s degree in school leadership from Olivet Nazarene University.

Josh Oakley is the new men’s soccer coach at Alma College in Michigan. He coached the past eight years at Asbury College in Kentucky, where he was the 2009 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. His assistant coach at Alma is his former coach at Monmouth, Rue Carthew.

Jenni Brown Robinson of Aledo, Ill., completed her master’s degree in educational instructional strategies from Rockford College. She is a math teacher at Mercer County High School.

position as head physical therapist at Prairie Spine and Pain Institute. Kacie is a paralegal for Caterpillar.

2004 Stephanie Smith of Chicago, Ill., has started a new job as a trade settlement specialist at Nuveen Investments.

2005 Alex Melvin of Sullivan, Ill., was named to a “20 under 40” list by the Charleston and Mattoon newspapers. The list recognizes residents under the age of 40 who make significant contributions to their profession and their communities. Melvin is vice president of his family’s Rural King business. “Alex is the picture of an entrepreneur, which will serve him well in providing a catalyst for Rural King’s continued growth,” wrote the company’s CFO in his nominating letter. “Alex is a great representative of the up and comers of our area.”

Megan Merritt received a master of arts and teaching degree from Webster University in May.

2006 Frank Clark ’02 is shown after graduating from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in May. He has begun his residency in psychiatry at the University of South Carolina/ Palmetto Health in Columbia, S.C.

2003 Curtis Lane has become a partner in the law office of Claudon, Kost, Beal and Walters, Ltd. The firm has offices in the Illinois communities of Canton, Lewistown and Astoria. One of the partners is Oral Kost ’50.

Amy Fraser Sowinski of O’Fallon, Mo., was a member of the first-ever graduating class from the master of arts in museum studies program at John Hopkins University. She also received a MUSE Award as runner-up in the student technology category for a class project. MUSE Awards celebrate innovative media and technology in museums.

Jeremy and Kacie Bennett Przybylo live in Peoria, Ill., where Jeremy has started a new

Amy Horneck Jewitt of Hermiston, Ore., is a chemist for Waste Management.

2007 Wade Brown has been accepted into a Ph.D. program in health education at Southern Illinois University. He was one of only 10 candidates selected.

Jeff Rebholz has been named an assistant men’s track and field coach at Carthage College.

He is joining the Wisconsin school after a oneyear stint at Hendrix College.

2009 Melissa Metz has been hired as an apprentice in the arts administration department at Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago. When she’s not at the theatre, she spends her time teaching theatre to children ages 6-17. She noted, “The people I have come across in the theatre world can’t believe how much I still contact my college professors.”

Participants in the annual golf team alumni outing included, from left, Lee Radford ’07, Justin Martin ’07, Greg Jones ’09, Doug Middendorf ’07, Luke Colletti ’05, Mike Ranallo ’03, Ed Wildermuth ’02, Jeff Sobotta ’03, John Mueller ’02, Aaron Thiel ’08, Matt Hawkins ’05, Nick Harwick ’07, John Tiffy ’07 and coach Dave Ragone.

monmouth | fall 2010

clan notes

33

Tunberg instrumental in movie Identity ask the typical moviegoer around the nation about the movie Identity, and, well, its identity is likely a secret. But that was not the case at Rave Motion Pictures 53 in Davenport, Iowa, in June as Identity outdrew such popular choices as Iron Man 2 and Sex and the City 2.

Jennifer Tunberg, right, poses for a glamor shot at the red carpet premiere of Identity.

T

he new movie has strong ties to Monmouth College, as Jennifer Tunberg ’08 played a major role in getting it to the screen.

“I came on this project in May of 2008, about two days after graduating from Monmouth,” said Tunberg, who came to MC from Moline and majored in physical education while earning four varsity letters in soccer. “My mom had heard about this guy named David Clevenger who was going to shoot a local film in the Quad Cities that summer. I met with him and was brought on as the director of photography.”

“What I really wanted was to pursue my dreams of working in the film industry and making movies, so I switched over to taking more media classes.”

— Jennifer Tunberg ’08 Not a bad gig for someone fresh out of college with only a minor in media arts communication on her résumé.

That résumé improved considerably during the summer, a result of working on the film, and it continued to improve in the fall, when Tunberg began a two-year program at Tribeca Flashpoint Academy, a digital media arts school in Chicago. After a few

34

clan notes

months of learning a lot more about the trade, Tunberg received an unexpected promotion.

“The film wasn’t finished and (Clevenger) had to leave the project, so for my spring break in 2009, the lead character (Melissa Jo Milano), her husband (Brian Havenner) and I took over finishing the movie,” said Tunberg.

“I came on as co-director and editor and continued my work as director of photography.”

Tunberg soon found out just how long it takes to edit a feature-length film.

“I started the editing process on June 4, 2009, and I just finished it on May 31—it was almost exactly a year,” she said.

Tunberg completed her task just in time, as a red carpet premiere was held for the Christian-themed film on June 3 at the theater complex. Several of Tunberg’s MC classmates were in attendance.

Identity was shown through June 6, and plans are to take the movie on the road to a few major cities, including Chicago, as well as to a Christian film festival in San Antonio. DVDs of the movie are available for $12.99 at all nine Whitey’s locations in the Quad Cities.

“It’s been quite a long journey, filled with stress and hard work, but it’s been such a great learning experience, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it,” said Tunberg.

Tunberg said the liberal arts education she received at Monmouth helped redefine her career goals by putting her aspirations into clearer focus.

“I realized my sophomore year that I really didn’t want to be a teacher anymore,” said Tunberg, who nevertheless decided to finish her physical education major because she was so close to completing it. “What I really wanted was to pursue my dreams of working in the film industry and making movies, so I switched over to

Actress Melissa Jo Milano is pictured on the poster for Identity. The DVD of the movie is available for purchase at nine Quad Cities businesses.

taking more media classes. Professor Chris Goble was a great communications teacher who taught me a lot, and I enjoyed working on MC-TV with him.”

Tunberg graduated from Tribeca with a focus in film/cinematography just days before the premiere of Identity, an action-packed drama shot entirely in the Quad Cities.

“This film has a message that covers everyone,” retired police officer Wayne Hill Sr., who is featured in the film, told a Quad Cities newspaper. “I had a great time being part of something that special.”

So did Tunberg, who hopes the special projects keep on coming.

“I hope to work on a film or two in the Chicago area this summer and then pursue another life-long dream of making my way out to California,” she said.

Maybe one day, the identity of this Monmouth College graduate will be “Hollywood director.”

More information about Tunberg’s movie is available at www.whatsyouridentity.com.

monmouth | fall 2010

Weddings 1999 2005 2006

Stacy DeGeer and Tom Colgan

March 20, 2010

Lara Savitskie and Daniel Stachler

March 20, 2010

Amy Horneck and Tyler Jewett

July 4, 2009

Marisa Kratochvil and Brock Flanagan

August 1, 2009

2007

Ashley Cook and Robert Crawford ’06

June 19, 2010

Jessica Walendukanis and Brandon Love February 13, 2010

2008

Megan Clennon and Corey White ’07

May 22, 2010

Kim Gratzke and Joseph Babich ’07

September 19, 2009

2009

Emily Boleyn and Nicolas Kuczera

May 22, 2010

Stacy DeGeer and Tom Colgan

Robert Crawford and Ashley Cook

Emily Boleyn and Nicolas Kuczera

monmouth | fall 2010

Tyler Jewett and Amy Horneck

The bridal party for Marisa Kratochvil Flanagan ’06 includes seven of her Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters and 2006 classmates. In front are Valerie Curtis and Megan Moose Decker. In back are, from left, Jessica Wolfard Ellis, Erin Pinney, Lindsay Bero, Kimi Karau and Alexis Zanis.

Daniel Stachler and Lara Savitskie

Corey White ’07 and Megan Clennon ’08 were joined at their wedding by MC classmates Anthony Russo ’07 (third from left), Adam Troll ’07 (next to groom) and Lindsay Ditzler ’07 (next to bride).

clan notes

35

Births 1973 1991 1996 1997 1998

1999

Deaths

Stacy Grecula and Ernie

a son, Treyton Anthony

Suzanne Herzog and Rob

a daughter, Amy Jahn

Julie Casteel Russell and Mitch ’98

a daughter, Charli Anne

May 26, 2009

Kari Bailey Shimmin and Hank

a daughter, Kora Lynn

April 9, 2010

Karen Dahlstrom and Neil

a son, Grant Riley

a son, Tyler Gunther

Amy Vink Pence and Geoff

a son, Brodie John

April 27, 2010 March 26, 2010

Regina Bannan Johnson and Nathan ’98 a son, Kane Alexander

2001 2003

2004 2006 2007 MC

1936 Fern Morton Williams, 97, of Decatur, Ga., died Jan. 18, 2010. She studied sociology and was the financial secretary for the Decatur Presbyterian Church.

1937 Maxine Moore Acheson, 93, of Coopersburg, Pa., died Feb. 19, 2010. She studied elementary education and, when Kappa Kappa Gamma was reinstalled in 1934, was a charter member.

She was preceded in death by her husband, David Acheson ’35. Survivors include a son, the Rev. Dr. Reed Acheson ’64, his wife, Carol Christman Acheson ’63, and a grandson, Jonathan Acheson ’92.

April 22, 2010

Kacie Bennett Przybylo and Jeremy

a daughter, Addison Faith

March 5, 2009

Erin Hoffmeyer Shaw and Scott

a daughter, Marianne Lyn

July 10, 2009

Amy Fraser Sowinski and Brian

a daughter, Claire Elizabeth

Tasha Sleister Troha and Matt

a son, Keegan Michael

Lori Larcombe Lee and Alex ’05

a daughter, Lilly Florence

April 16, 2010

Chivohn Neubaum Holocker and Floyd

a daughter, Kennedy Pamela

April 29, 2010

Jen and Chad Braun, assistant football coach, men’s tennis coach

a daughter, Elizabeth Georgia

April 27, 2010 July 12, 2010

January 6, 2010

Luella Lowe Kessener, 94, of Richmond, Va., died Feb. 16, 2010. After majoring in classics, she received a master’s degree in English literature at the University of Iowa. She taught both subjects during a 22-year career in education in the Richmond area.

1938 Harriet McCown Shetler, 92, of Madison, Wis., died March 30, 2010. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi and majored in English, and she worked for many years as a reporter and editor.

Shetler helped start the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which has affiliates in every state.

Its beginnings go back to the anxiety she felt after her son was identified as schizophrenic.

Her husband of 67 years preceded her in death by nine days.

Tyler Gunther Robinson

Lilly Florence Lee

NEW GREEK HOUSE continued from page 3 been raised to cover the cost of construction, and when student housing needs have been adequately addressed, the Delta Lambda chapter of Zeta Beta Tau will again reside at Broadway and Eighth.

As part of the construction, a ZBT memorial garden will be installed, honoring the memory of the late chemistry professor Richard “Doc” Kieft, longtime adviser for the fraternity. It will also recognize ZBT brothers David Bayles ’94, Max Rylander ’94 clan notes

Marian Stevenson Wilson, 98, of Boise, Idaho, died July 2, 2010. She taught school for two years, then helped her husband, a Presbyterian minister, as he served churches in several locations throughout the Northwest and Canada.

April 9, 2010

a son, Donald Michael

Grant Riley Dahlstrom

1933

April 5, 2010

Kelli Jones Hansen and David

Claire Elizabeth Sowinski

36

February 17, 2010

February 3, 2010

Angela Charsha Harney and Jeff Harney a son, Gabriel David Jenni Brown Robinson and Kurt

February 3, 2010

Treyton Anthony Grecula

Kennedy Pamela Holocker

and John Miller ’93, who were killed in a car accident in 1991.

In addition to the construction of the house, Ditzler said that another immediate goal of the Greek Life Initiative is to have a campus master plan in place by the fall.

The plan’s immediate objectives will support the long-term goals of the college to utilize the Greek system to foster good citizens and meet campus housing needs as the enrollment continues to grow. It will also provide quality housing options to reflect well on the campus and the

1939 William Pine, 97, of Beaverton, Ore., died Aug. 17, 2010. Following his graduation from Monmouth, he served in the Federal Bureau of Investigation during World War II, rising to the rank of special agent. He was later the director for several foundations, including the Ford Scholarship Fund and The Collins Foundation. In 1961, he received his doctor of humane letters degree from what is now known as Rhodes College, and he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Mercy College in 1966.

community and embrace the trend for colleges to own Greek houses to ensure proper maintenance.

“Our desire is to have all our students involved in educationally meaningful activities,” said Ditzler. “When a Greek institution is run correctly, it is consistent with our goals of academic rigor and active citizenship. Our experience is that when there is a close relationship between a college and its fraternities and sororities, Greek students are among the academic leaders on campus.”  monmouth | fall 2010

1942 Mary Lou Stewart Estabrook, 89, of Salisbury, Conn., died May 3, 2010. She studied English at Monmouth and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She left MC after two years, but in 1990, she received her bachelor’s degree in applied arts at Charter Oak College. She was associate publisher and chief photographer of the Lakeville Journal from 1971 to 1986. Survivors include her husband of 67 years, who joined her in running the small-town newspaper.

Robert Ruff, 89, of Mountainside, N.J., died Feb. 21, 2010. He graduated with a degree in economics and business administration and was a member of the swim team, Octopus Club and Tau Kappa Epsilon. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Ruff received an optometry degree from Columbia University and had a practice with his brother for more than 40 years in Elizabeth, N.J. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn Schultis Ruff ’45. Survivors include a son, Robert Ruff Jr. ’72.

Jeannette “Queta” Doupnik Sweeney, 89, of Austin, Texas, died May 14, 2010. The daughter of Czech immigrants, she studied chemistry at Monmouth with William Haldeman and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta. Before raising a family, she was a chemist for DuPont and, after her children had grown, she taught junior high math for several years.

1943 Donald Robinson, 91, of Streator, Ill., died Feb. 17, 2010. He studied geology and was a member of Theta Chi before completing his degree at the University of Wyoming. Robinson served in the U.S. Navy for nearly four years during World War II, studying and observing weather patterns. After the war, he was a tax assessor, and he also worked in the plumbing, heating and electrical business. Survivors include a sister, Doris Robinson Eyler ’41, and a daughter, Donna Robinson ’83.

1944 Richard Work of Irvine, Calif., died May 12, 2009. He studied chemistry at Monmouth for one year and served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. After the war, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from the University of California-Berkeley.

He retired as an engineer for Chevron Texaco.

1945 Bruce Gillis Jr., 87, of Centinnel, Colo., died May 14, 2010. He followed his parents to Monmouth and attended for one year before entering the Air Force during World War II. Following the war, he received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dubuque, a master’s degree from the University of Iowa and his J.D. from the University of Indiana.

He was a regional director for the National Labor Relations Board in Denver. Survivors include a sister, Janet Gillis Hansen ’53.

Martha McGinnis Norton, 87, of Monterey, Calif., died Jan. 31, 2010. She graduated with a degree in chemistry and was a member of Kappa Delta and the Rifle Club. In 1962, she earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. Norton was a research scientist, a physics teacher and a political activist.

1946 Hazel Schutt Brock, 85, of Woolstock, Iowa, died April 29, 2010. She studied math at

monmouth | fall 2010

In Memoriam: Helen Wagner Willey ’38, one of Monmouth College’s most notable and beloved alumni, died on May 1, 2010, at the age of 91. for more than 50 years, Willey played matriarch Nancy

Hughes on the daytime television serial As The World Turns.

She is acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as playing a character longer than any actor on television.

A native of Lubbock, Texas, Willey credited a favorite aunt who performed on the Chautauqua circuit and graduated from Monmouth for her decision to attend the college, where she studied voice and drama.

Her acting career got its first boost when she appeared in a small speaking part in a musical with the St. Louis Municipal Opera. Her talents were recognized by the author of the musical, Oscar Hammerstein, which led to a role on Broadway in Hammerstein’s production of Sunny River and, later, Oklahoma!

A second beginning for her career came when she accepted a position as alto soloist with the Bloomfield (N.J.) Presbyterian Church, a job that lasted five years, until she went on the road with the Theater Guild Shakespearean Company.

Another key moment in her life occurred when she met actor and later Broadway producer Robert Willey, whom she would later marry and who would become her manager. He preceded her in death last year.

For years, Willey alternated between musicals and straight plays on Broadway and summer theater. Along the way, she worked with such talents as Rex Harrison and Joanne Woodward.

Following World War II, Willey turned her attention to television, appearing on many of the legendary programs of the 1950s, including Studio One and Philco Playhouse.

In November 1955, she made the pilot of As the World Turns.

In 2002 Willey received a plaque on the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame in her hometown, and in 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

In 1988, she was awarded an honorary degree by Monmouth College and the following year, chaired a national committee that raised more than $1 million to replace the Little Theatre with a state-of-the-art theater. On the opening night in the new Wells Theater, she played the role of Eleanor in The Lion In Winter. At the conclusion of the performance, President Bruce Haywood announced to the audience that the Wells Theater stage would be named in Willey’s honor.

In 1992, Willey became one of the first members inducted into the college’s Hall of Achievement, its highest alumni honor.

Monmouth and had a 38-year career as bookkeeper at the Woolstock Farmers Cooperative.

She also served as Woolstock’s city clerk for 53 years.

George Ann Graham Leonard, 85, of Riverside, Calif., died June 16, 2010. She was art director at the Riverside Press-Enterprise for nearly 30 years, retiring in 1990.

Richard McVey, 85, of Delray Beach, Fla., died Jan. 22, 2010. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a 1st lieutenant, flying 54 missions in France and Holland. On his second mission, he was wounded and received the Purple Heart.

McVey, who studied business administration, was president of the Model Clothing Company in Monmouth from 1955 to 1994. Survivors include a brother, James McVey ’53.

1947 Inez Cattron Masseion of Durango, Colo., died April 21, 2010. She majored in chemistry and taught for three years before working as a laboratory technician for Caterpillar Tractor Co.

1948 Robert Ameen, 83, of Livonia, Mich., died June 26, 2010. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Panama at the end of World War II. After studying at Monmouth, Ameen completed his degree at Carthage College.

He worked at newspapers in Illinois and Michigan and was also a professional billiards player, winning a national championship in 1971.

Surviving is a brother, Richard Ameen ’55. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ceceliamae Posey Ameen ’48, and a brother, Albert Ameen ’57.

James Hammerberg, 84, of Mountain Home, Ark., died April 25, 2010. Prior to completing his Monmouth degree, he served two years in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Hammerberg majored in business administration and geology and was a member of Theta Chi and the track team. A certified gemologist, he was president of Hammerberg, Inc., for 23 years and a jewelry retail associate at Sears for 15. Survivors include his wife, Rosalie Howard Hammerberg ’50.

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1952

In Memoriam: Herbert Christian Merillat ’35, author of two books

about the Battle of Guadalcanal, died from emphysema on April 10, 2010, in Washington, D.C. He was 94. merillat’s books on the bloody but important World War II

triumph against the Japanese included Guadalcanal Remembered (1982), which relied on a liberal sprinkling of his diary entries.

He joined the Marine Corps in 1942 as a public relations officer and official historian of the 1st Marine Division. He finished the war with the rank of major.

The son of Monmouth’s mayor from 1929 to 1931, Merillat followed his sister, the late Margaret Merillat Staat ’33, to Monmouth College before completing his English degree at the University of Arizona. Merillat was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, earning degrees in jurisprudence and civil law.

Prior to the war, he did postgraduate work at Yale Law School, where he was a Sterling Fellow. Later, he studied at the National War College.

An expert in international law, Merillat wrote for Time magazine and served as an administrator for U.S. foreign aid agencies in London and Paris.

From 1955 to 1961, he worked for the Ford Foundation in New York City and New Delhi, India, as an executive assistant with a primary interest in international law.

A year after leaving that position, he received Monmouth College’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Merillat, who also authored two books on India, said of his writing, “I enjoy trying to write simply, freshly and directly about subjects that specialized experts tend to deal with in jargon.”

He was also preceded in death by a brother, Richard Merillat ’47.

1949 William Browne, 87, of Oak Park, Ill., died Jan. 24, 2010. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps. A member of Theta Chi, Browne graduated with a degree in physics and later earned a business degree from Northwestern University. He founded Forest Agency Insurance and Browne Realty.

Lois Stewart Colson, 82, of Sterling, Ill., died Jan. 4, 2010. She majored in English and was a school librarian in Sterling for many years, retiring in 1992. She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years and a sister, Mary Stewart Spaulding ’52. Survivors include a brother, William Stewart ’54.

Gerald Mathis, 85, of New Berlin, Ill., died May 9, 2010. Mathis, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War, majored in psychology and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Iowa and was a professor at Triton Community College.

Audrey Meier of Symmes Township, Ohio, died March 4, 2010. She graduated with a degree in English and later received a master’s degree from the University of Michigan. She taught English and science at the American College for Girls in Egypt and taught high school English for 27 years in Colorado. She was preceded in death by a sister, Amelita Meier Mason ’48.

1950 Donald Baird, 86, of Sun City West, Ariz., died March 8, 2010. He served in the Marines in the Pacific theater during World War II and earned a Purple Heart. While majoring in geology at Monmouth, Baird was a member of Alpha Tau Omega, and he earned a master’s degree at the University of Illinois. He was a consultant in the

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petroleum industry. Several of his family members attended Monmouth, including his mother and three siblings—Roberta Baird DeVault ’35, William Baird ’36 and Kenneth Baird ’37.

Camille Fraker Eggleston, 81, of Chicago, Ill., died Jan. 4, 2010. She majored in speech, communication and theater arts. She retired from Quaker Oats as a senior administrative analyst.

Charles Emons, 81, of Godfrey, Ill., died Aug. 14, 2010. He graduated with a degree in political science and was a member of the men’s golf team and Theta Chi. After college, he entered the Air Force and was stationed in Wyoming for four years. He then moved back to his native Alton, Ill., working for the Alton Box Board and later owning Emons Printing Co.

1951

William Myers, 81, of Des Plaines, Ill., died March 28, 2010. A member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, he earned a degree in business administration, then served in the U.S. Army’s Counter Intelligence Corps during the Korean War. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lois Gradous Myers ’56.

Dan Stice, 82, of Independence, Iowa, died Jan. 21, 2010. One of “Haldy’s Boys,” he furthered his studies in chemistry with a master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin, and he also received a J.D. from William Mitchell Law School. Stice served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked in the corporate world for companies such as Shell Oil, General Mills and 3M and then, drawing on his experience with the U.S. Patent Office, built his own business as a new products consultant. He was also founder and first president of the Licensing Executive Society.

Quentin Kling, 81, of Palos Heights, Ill., died May 29, 2010. He majored in biology and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He was a doctor of osteopathic medicine and was in general practice for 30 years in the Palos-Werth area.

Barbara Totten Sales, 79, of Libertyville, Ill., died June 17, 2010. She studied mathematics and was a secretary for Underwriters Laboratories. Survivors include her twin sister, Joyce Totten Apitz ’52.

1953 Thomas Posey of Hilton Head Island, S.C., died June 24, 2010. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon and was a civil engineer with Goettle Corp. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Marjorie Ericson Posey ’52, who said she married “the cutest boy on campus.”

John “Jack” Sell, 80, of Sheboygan, Wis., died May 15, 2010. His time at Monmouth was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Sell studied business administration and began his career as a district manager for General Telephone Co. He then worked at a bank before transitioning to self-employed real estate management. Survivors include his wife of 53 years.

1954 Dorothy Congdon Hansen, 78, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, died March 4, 2010. She was a homemaker and also worked as secretary for McClellan Co. in Davenport, Iowa.

David Stevenson of Fort Collins, Colo., died June 21, 2010. He followed his parents to Monmouth and majored in geology while a member of the swim team and Alpha Tau Omega. Also preceding him in death were two brothers, Lawrence Stevenson ’53 and Ralph Stevenson ’55.

1955 Donna Hodges Felger, 76, of Bowie, Md., died March 25, 2010. She graduated with a degree in English and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta.

A teacher, tutor and editor, her career took on a new path in 1964 when she befriended the late Dorothy Rainwater. The pair co-authored three books considered to be the “bibles” for those wishing to collect souvenir spoons and silver. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Felger ’55.

Evelyn Copple Wiegel Widner, 99, of Jacksonville, Ill., died Aug. 4, 2010. She earned her degree from Monmouth in elementary education while in the midst of a 37-year teaching career in the Galesburg (Ill.) School District.

She was preceded in death by two husbands of more than 25 years.

1956 Donald Buchanan, 80, of Galesville, Md., died Aug. 14, 2010. He graduated with a degree in economics and was a member of the men’s tennis team and Sigma Phi Epsilon. The Navy veteran worked as a teacher in Prince George’s County until his retirement in 1990.

Joyce Roach Derby of Louisville, Ky., died May 8, 2010. She participated in the nursing program and was a member of Kappa Delta.

Thomas Michaelsen, 74, of Sun City Center, Fla., died Feb. 4, 2010. He graduated with a degree in music and was a member of Tau Kappa

monmouth | fall 2010

Epsilon. Michaelsen was a public school music teacher, court reporter and church organist, excelling in the middle profession thanks to his nimble musician’s fingers. “Whatever Tom did, he always did it 500 percent,” said a former school colleague. “The kids in school loved him.” Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Marlene Thoms Michaelsen ’56.

Philip Pierce, 75, of Anoka, Minn., died March 11, 2010. He had a long career in the railroad business, retiring in 2000 from Safetran Systems as its vice president of marketing, sales and service.

Barbara Crank Wergen of Bellingham, Wash., died March 6, 2010. She majored in elementary education and was a member of Kappa Delta.

1957 Gregory Saxum, 75, of Pittsford, N.Y., died July 15, 2010. He graduated with a degree in philosophy and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega before receiving his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law. Saxum was a workers compensation attorney for Bethlehem Steel and Eastman Kodak, as well as the Hamburger & Weiss Law Firm. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Kay Smith Saxum ’56.

1958 Martha Beaty Christensen, 73, of Galesburg, Ill., died July 31, 2010. She graduated with a degree in elementary education and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta. She taught in Michigan for 30 years and was also a coach and volleyball official. Survivors include her husband of 52 years and a granddaughter, Sarah Christensen ’09.

Norman Hedenberg Jr., 72, of LaJolla, Calif., died Jan. 1, 2010. He majored in physics and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Hedenberg earned an MBA from Stanford University in 1961, attending classes with Charles Schwab.

He retired as president of August Development Co., a company he started in 1971. Hedenberg became known as “The Boy Builder,” launching large developments in several California communities. Two of his sisters attended Monmouth—Eleanor Hedenberg Berry ’65 and the late Carol Hedenberg Sieben ’56.

Joan Trnka Heitz, 73, of Palos Heights, Ill., died Dec. 12, 2009. She majored in history and was a member of Kappa Delta before receiving her master’s degree from the University of IllinoisChicago. Heitz, who worked as a financial planner for 20 years, was the first woman to lead the Kiwanis Club of Palos Heights, and she also served as an alderman there.

Nancy Peasley LaBott, 72, of Elm Grove, Wis., died May 27, 2010. She followed her mother to Monmouth, majoring in psychology and participating in cheerleading. She was a reading specialist in the Milwaukee public schools.

1960 Janice Pierce, 71, of Moline, Ill., died Jan. 10, 2010. She graduated with a degree in sociology and was a member of Kappa Delta. She was an elementary school teacher in Moline, retiring in 1982. Survivors include her husband of nearly 50 years.

1962 Florence Anderson Buehrig, 69, of Denver, Colo., died Jan. 11, 2010. She majored in religious studies. Survivors include a daughter, Diane Buehrig Schnoebelen ’86.

monmouth | fall 2010

In Memoriam: Douglas R. Spitz Sr., 84, professor of history emeritus at Monmouth College, died at his home in Iowa City, Iowa, on April 23, 2010, following a brief illness. spitz’s first and only college teaching position began at

Monmouth in 1957. At the end of nearly 40 years on campus, he was one of three retiring faculty members who delivered the 1996 commencement address.

“I had to make a decision—did I advance my career through research and publications, or through teaching? I liked teaching too much not to do it,” he said of his lengthy stay at Monmouth. “A small, residential liberal arts college is my vision of undergraduate education, and that’s what Monmouth is.”

Spitz’s time at Monmouth was not limited to campus, however. He spent sabbaticals in India in 1988 and 1991. His latter trip resulted in the paper, The RSS and the ‘Hindu Awakening’ in South India, which he presented at the 14th Annual Third World Conference. He also traveled to or had academic experiences in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Spitz, who received the Burlington Northern Foundation Faculty Achievement Award during his Monmouth tenure, said his outlook on his occupation changed from his early years fresh from graduate school to the professor he would become.

He learned it was important to “keep an open mind” and, along with that, “an open heart.”

“He knew me better than I did when it came to working and studying,” said Neil Currie ’92. “He always made me think, and I loved his discussions. Monmouth College has lost a great teacher and mentor.”

“From a 19-year-old’s perspective, he seemed ancient,” added Brett Wolfe ’90, who majored in history. “It didn’t take long to discover he was everything else—active, challenging, strong and thoughtful … I fondly recall his fingering a cigarette or his handy lighter during lectures.”

Another memorable topic related to Spitz was his office.

“It was full of books and papers on shelves, in boxes, in stacks and in heaps—all signifying not a cluttered mind, but a mind richly stocked with knowledge and insights that he was eager to share with students and colleagues,” said professor of English emeritus Jeremy McNamara.

“Doug Spitz never failed to provide a good conversation,” said his long-time colleague in the history department, William Urban. “He never seemed to sleep, and there was no important book that he hadn’t read. He was a scholar’s scholar.”

Spitz was born and raised in Rochester, N.Y. He received his bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College in 1949 and earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Nebraska.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Nell, and their four children.

Jon Deen, 72, of Decatur, Ill., died June 4, 2010.

He majored in economics and worked in his native Monmouth at Bowman Shoe Co. and Kistler and Co. before moving to Decatur, where he worked for 30 years as an accountant at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Richard DeForest, 70, of New Lenox, Ill., died Feb. 21, 2010. He graduated with a degree in psychology and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. DeForest was a rep for Merck Pharmaceutical.

Dennis Faust, 70, of Moline, Ill., died Aug. 16, 2010. He majored in economics and then graduated from the University of Illinois Law School. Faust retired in 1998 as assistant state’s attorney and chief of the Civil Division.

1964 John Kilpatrick of Atlanta, Ga., died Feb. 9, 2009. He majored in mathematics and is

survived by his wife, Anne Matthews Kilpatrick ’63, and a brother-in-law, Thomas Matthews ’61.

1968 Barbara Peacock of Bloomingdale, Ind., died Aug. 28, 2009. She studied psychology at Monmouth before receiving her bachelor’s degrees in education from Indiana University, as well as a master’s degree. She taught elementary school for nearly 40 years in New Albany, Ind., retiring in 2007.

1969 Jim Ross, 67, of Jersey Shore, N.J., died March 13, 2010. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Ross served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and then held professional positions in sales and finance. He was preceded in death by a sister, Celia Ross Brandon ’79.

clan notes

39

In Memoriam: John Chapman ’92 of Galesburg, Ill., died July 24, 2010, of a heart attack suffered during a road race. He was 41. chapman’s mixture of strength, technique

and determination made him the most successful wrestler on the national stage in Fighting Scots history, and he was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also a member of the men’s golf team and Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Chapman competed on the mats for two years at Monmouth after transferring from Illinois State University. As a senior at the 1991 national meet, he wrestled his way to the championship match at 126 pounds, blanking the No. 2-ranked grappler 9-0 in the semi-finals. In the title match, Chapman trailed by just one point with 10 seconds remaining before falling 6-3. That capped a 26-5 senior season and gave him a career record of 62-11 with the Scots.

In his first year at Monmouth, Chapman established a school record with 36 wins and qualified for the national meet, placing sixth at 134 pounds. He won Midwest Conference titles both seasons.

A physical education major at MC, Chapman went on to coach wrestling for 11 years at his high school alma mater, Galesburg, where he had gone 130-15 and placed fifth in the state his senior year. He was also a member of the GHS Hall of Fame.

His student-athletes at Galesburg took his loss especially hard.

He was more than a coach to me,” said one of them. “I could come over to him for advice. He was a like a dad to me. He was like that to a lot of us.”

Said another, “He was a real coach. A real coach can criticize you, but make you understand the point. He always said, ‘Never give up.’”

Family friend Craig Hillier acknowledged the shock for those who knew Chapman.

“He was in great shape. He ran and did stuff. It’s just one of those weird, quirky things that happen. That’s why it’s so tough.”

Survivors include his wife, Jody Smith Chapman ’91, who is also a coach at Galesburg High School, and two children.

1969 continued

Judy Williams Trubeck, 62, of Long Lake, Minn., died May 29, 2010. She majored in sociology and was a member of Kappa Delta. The former elementary school teacher was described as “a beautiful and gracious lady who quietly, but unforgettably, influenced the lives of all who knew her.” Survivors include her husband, William Trubeck ’68, who is vice chairman of MC’s board of trustees.

1971

Martha McCrery Brunette, 60, of LaGrange Park, Ill., died May 20, 2010. She graduated with a degree in government. Survivors include a sister, Lynn McCrery McGill ’65.

John Collingwood, 72, of Sulphur, La., died May 18, 2010. He majored in business administration. The “visionary entrepreneur” trained rodeo queens, farmed and ranched.

Roger Harlow, 62, of Kewanee, Ill., died May 12, 2010. After graduating with a degree in biology, he worked in the fast food industry in a management position, and he was also an insurance producer. He was employed at Group O in Milan at the time of his death.

1973

Henry “Chip” Bryce Jr., 59, of Jefferson, N.H., died April 29, 2010. He graduated with a degree in government and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Bryce worked at Weston and Sampson in Peabody, Mass., as the chief water operator.

Survivors include a sister, Rosemary Bryce Schintzius ’73.

1975

Virgil Chenoweth of Watertown, Mass., died March 27, 2009. He studied English and was a community residence specialist for 33 years at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass.

1977

Michael Streight, 61, of Galesburg, Ill., died June 10, 2010. Prior to graduating from Monmouth, he served four years in the U.S. Air Force with the Signal Intelligence Unit. He majored in sociology and held related jobs at Warren Achievement Center, the Galesburg Rescue Mission and Western Illinois Service Coordination.

1980

Kent Holesinger, 52, of Holland, Mich., died Jan. 29, 2010. He majored in religious studies and attended Western Theological Seminary.

Holesinger worked at Bee Plastics and Bareman Dairy. Survivors include his wife, Peggy Goff Holesinger ’81.

2001

Rebecca Jesukaitis Kalinka, 30, of Worth, Ill., died March 30, 2010. She majored in business administration and was a member of Pi Beta Phi. Survivors include her sister, Christina Jesukaitis Podrara ’99.

2006

Sheryl Bankes, 46, of Galesburg, Ill., died April 21, 2010. A non-traditional student at Monmouth, she received her degree in elementary education 23 years after earning an associate’s degree from Scott Community College. She held several education-related positions in Galesburg, most recently at Nielson School. Survivors include a daughter, Melissa Bankes ’11.

Word has also been received of the following deaths: 1947: Gale Cutler of St. Joseph, Mich., died Nov. 27, 2007.

1950: Mary Lou Annelsey Marko, 81, of

Bloomington, Ill., died April 30, 2010.

1956: Robert Hemwall of Pittsburgh, Pa., died May 17, 2005.

1972

1959: Judith Curry Brinton of Winnetka, Ill.,

Thomas Dodge of Marietta, Ga., died Aug. 29, 2009. He majored in business administration and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

MC: Marie Bower, 95, former cook, died

died June 10, 2007.

Jan. 2, 2009.

Send us your news, announcements, and photos Clan Notes is a section written for and about Monmouth College alumni. We welcome news related to your career, awards, reunions or travel with your MC friends, and any other information of interest to your classmates or alumni. We also welcome announcements and photos of alumni weddings, civil unions and births, as well as alumni obituaries. Digital photos should have a minimum resolution of 300 pixels per inch. Please include a photo caption with full names that clearly match faces, class years, date, and location. Submit your news online at monm.edu/alumni/updates, by e-mail to alumni@monm.edu, or by mail to Monmouth College Magazine, Attn: Alumni Programs, 700 East Broadway, Monmouth IL 61462-1998. We reserve the right to reject images for any reason, especially those with low resolution and those that require purchase from a photo gallery Web site. Submissions will be published at the discretion of the editors on a space-available basis.

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monmouth | fall 2010

Monmouth

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Rock Island IL Permit No. 21

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reservations due december 21 The Office of Alumni Programs invites you to join President Mauri and Judi Ditzler for the inaugural trip in the new Monmouth College Travel Series, an educational tour of Florence and Tuscany.

Michelangelo and Florence Presenter: Janet Goodhue Smith, long-time resident of Florence and recently retired Director of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) Florence Program

Walking tour on Classical Mythology in Piazza della Signoriais Presenter: Tom Sienkewicz, member of the Monmouth faculty since 1984 and Visiting Director for the ACM Florence Programs in 1992-93

Florence &Tuscany march

31 –

april

8, 2011

Immerse yourself in the culture.

Experience the flavor.

Learn more about the history.

For information and reservations: Far and Near Travel 223 South 1st Street Monmouth IL 61462 farnear@frontiernet.net 309-734-8346