Shipherd's Record fall 2006

FALL 2006

THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF OLIVET COLLEGE

President Don Tuski ’85 Celebrating five years at the helm of Olivet College

Olivet College Board of Trustees Officers

David T. Hayhow, Chair Okemos

George F. Francis III Vice Chair, Southfield

The Hon. Judge Denise Page Hood Vice Chair, Detroit

David E. Hathaway, J.D. Secretary, Ada

Stanley Dole, Treasurer Grand Rapids

Members

G. Asenath Andrews ’72 Detroit

Sandy Aranyos ’68 Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Thomas Burke ’82 Carmel, Ind.

James W. Butler III East Lansing

Priscilla Upton Byrns St. Joseph

Dennis Daugherty ’70 Mattawan

Robert Ewigleben Albion

Jamey T. Fitzpatrick ’86 Grand Ledge

Rod Hathaway ’81 Grand Rapids

William N. Healy ’79 Brighton

Barbara Hill Southfield

Sharon R. Hobbs, Ph.D. East Lansing

Timothy Hodge ’83, D.O. Holt

Thomas Hoisington Lansing

Kennard A. Kinzler Bloomfield Hills

Jeff Koch ’90 New York, N.Y.

Thomas E. Kolassa ’69 Battle Creek

Robert M. Lawrence ’57 Grosse Ile

Dean Lewis ’55 Kalamazoo

Fritz Lewis Middleville

William Middlebrooks West Bloomfield

Martin L. Mitchell ’73, Ed.D. Coldwater

Tom Nesbitt ’63 White Lake

Samuel H. Thomas Ann Arbor

Karen Van Hentenryck ’81 South Lyon

Rev. Don Olsen, Ph.D. Waukegan, Ill.

George Pyne III ’65 Milford, Mass.

Rev. Nancy Barto Rohde ’65 Petoskey

SHIPHERD’S RECORD Shipherd’s Record is named in memory of “Father” John J. Shipherd, who established Olivet College in 1844. The magazine is published twice annually for Olivet alumni and friends.

MAGAZINE STAFF Jerry Rashid Assistant Vice President for College Relations Shannon Tiernan Director of College Relations and Special Events Pam Rutyna College Relations Specialist Bruce Snyder Director of Publications and Web Services Marty (Mason) Jennings ’67 Director of Alumni Relations Geoff Henson Sports Information Director Contributors Jackie Bounds Greg Jarratt, sophomore and Jessica Petkus, junior David T. Hayhow Eleni Mitropoulos, junior Linda Jo Scott Levi Yockey, senior Send comments or suggestions to: Office of College Relations Olivet College Olivet, MI 49076 (269) 749-7657 collegerelations@olivetcollege.edu Send change of address notices to: Olivet College Development Office Olivet, MI 49076 (269) 749-7625 pfrayer@olivetcollege.edu

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY TEAM Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D., President Barb Spencer, Executive Assistant to the President Larry Colvin, Vice President for Administration Norma Curtis, Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs Mark DeRuiter, Vice President and CFO Lynn Ward Gray, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs Linda McWright, Ph.D., Vice President and Dean of Student Life Jerry Rashid, Assistant Vice President for College Relations Tom Shaw ’88, Director of Athletics Larry Vallar ’84, Vice President for Enrollment Management Mark Veich, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

8 Celebrating Five Years at the Helm President Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D., has increased expectations all around campus.

10 Making College More Affordable The Office of Enrollment Management introduces a new scholarship opportunity.

11 Prior Knowledge

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise tabs David Prior ’65 as its new chancellor.

12 The Storyteller

Michael James ’84 takes his writing talents to ESPN2.

14 Satellite Superstar

High-tech business has Jeff Mathie ’88 on cloud nine.

15 A Bright Light in Las Vegas Rose McKinney-James ’73 is actively involved in one of America’s thriving cities.

2 Around the Square 24 Development 26 Comet Sports 29 Class Notes Olivet College Mission Statement The mission of Olivet College is to make available to a diverse campus community, an education which will enrich lives intellectually, morally and spiritually. Having gained these qualities through the educational experiences at Olivet, our hope is that our graduates will embody the Divine art and science of doing good to others, as stated by the founding fathers of Olivet College in 1844.

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Professor Edward Speare remembered Edward Speare, Ph.D., one of Olivet College’s long-time beloved professors, passed away in his sleep, Wednesday, Nov. 1. He was 85.

From 1950-94, Speare educated students on botany, cell biology, genetics, ichthyology, limnology, microbiology and zoology.

Speare was honored at the 2002 Homecoming celebration, where he and his wife served as the parade Grand Marshals.

During his tenure, he received several awards such as a Danforth Foundation Fellowship and two Presidential Citations.

In 1979, he received the Alumni Council’s highest honor, the 1844 Award. Speare was chosen because of the service, support and leadership he gave to the college.

After he retired, the Board of Trustees created the Edward P. Speare Endowed Scholarship for outstanding achievement

by Olivet biology students. Each year, this

“Dr. Speare truly represented all aspects of Olivet College—well beyond biology and the Johnny Darter. Dr. Speare supported all academic areas as well as athletics and the arts. He was the essence of Olivet College and its true spirit.

“When I was a student, Dr. Speare made me feel like I was the only student studying biology with him in all of North America.”

President Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D. scholarship rewards up to $2,500 to a department-chosen biology student.

He also coached the tennis team and served as a faculty representative to the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In 1976, he became the first non-graduate inducted into the Olivet College Athletic Hall of Fame.

He is survived by wife, Patricia, of Harpswell, Maine; five children: Christopher and wife, Heidi; Redfield

Patricia and Ed Speare pictured in 2004

and wife, Renate; Nathaniel ’76 and wife, Lana; Hilary Hewitt ’75; and Alex ’79 and wife, Carol; and 10 grandchildren.

Editor’s note: Olivet alumni and friends are invited to submit their recollections and favorite stories about Dr. Speare.

The material will be published in the 2007 spring issue of Shipherd’s Record as a tribute to Dr. Speare. Submissions may be sent to alumnirelations@olivetcollege.edu or mailed to Office of Alumni Relations, 320 S. Main St., Olivet, MI 49076.

Memorial contributions to the Edward P. Speare Endowed Scholarship may be sent to the above address.

Affirmative action discussion held on campus

BY LEVI YOCKEY, SENIOR Event moderator Bryan Beverly, a senior sociology major, established the purpose of the panel as one to “present both sides of the affirmative action debate fairly and to provide Olivet students with the information they need before casting their ballot.”

Both sides were well prepared for the discussion.

The con side, which consisted of Brandon Jessup, president of the NAACP Youth and College Division, and Lynne Haley, former Democratic candidate for the 62nd District of the State House of From left: Brandon Jessup, president of the NAACP Youth and Representatives, based its College Division; Lynne Haley, former candidate for the 62nd argument on personal District of the State House of Representatives; Bryan Beverly, experience and knowledge. moderator and Olivet senior; Max McPhail, media relations The pro side consisted director for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI); and Jennifer Gratz, executive director of the MCRI. of Jennifer Gratz, executive

Olivet College’s Mott Auditorium reached its maximum capacity as students, faculty, staff and community members gathered for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) panel discussion Sept. 13.

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director of the MCRI, and Max McPhail, media relations director for the MCRI. Gratz initially spearheaded the campaign after she was not accepted by the University of Michigan-Dearborn because of slanted admissions.

During the panel discussion, she and McPhail often referred to her personal experience, as well as how California and Washington have adopted similar initiatives.

“The proposition is one to amend state law to ban programs that give preferential treatment, especially in public education and public jobs,” Gratz said. “This (Proposal 2) will make discriminating against women illegal.”

With an issue as complex as affirmative action, Jessup said, “This is an issue that transcends race and gender.”

In November, the proposal was voted on, and Michigan became the third state to ban affirmative action.

Parent Advisory Council in full swing

BY THERESE SCARPACE, PAC PRESIDENT The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) came to life again in fall 2005. There are many reasons why this group exists today. The most important reason is that parents can enhance not only the Olivet College community, but also our students’ lives in a variety of capacities.

Parents often question that being involved in their student’s college life appears to be too intrusive. It is PAC’s philosophy, though, that it is beneficial to stay connected to Olivet’s students in an advisory role – helping direct and enhance a student’s learning experience.

The PAC has developed three focus areas: 1. Fundraising to support the Front row from left: Debra Cross Desrochers, Therese college and especially the Scarpace and Linda McWright, Ph.D., vice president and annual scholarship fund. dean for student life; back row: Gary Wear and Earlean and Arnett Esters 2. Ambassadorship to identify parents who would be willing to talk about the Olivet College experience with other families in their hometown. 3. Advisory to identify among the parent population who could offer internships, mentorships or job shadowing experiences that could assist an Olivet student.

A letter was recently mailed to all parents explaining upcoming events and activities. For more information or if you are interested in becoming a member of PAC, please e-mail PAC@olivetcollege.edu, mail The Office of Student Life, Olivet College, 320 Main St., Olivet, MI 49076, or call Therese Scarpace, PAC president and mother of an Olivet sophomore, at (248) 895-7742.

Conservatory garden created Mark Ritzenhein ’82 is creating a native-plant garden in Olivet College’s Margaret Upton Conservatory of Music courtyard. The garden is being made possible with a $500 grant from the Michigan Botanical Foundation, whose president is Patrick Fields, Ph.D., an adjunct professor of biology at Olivet. Only plants native to this region of Michigan will be placed in the garden, as a further demonstration of the importance of preserving and valuing the natural ecosystem. The garden also will serve as an educational venue for the usage of native plants as landscaping. Ritzenhein has been a native-plant gardener for more than 10 years, and is the president of the local Red Cedar chapter of Wild Ones, a national organization advocating native landscaping.

Mark Ritzenhein ’82

Olivet prepares for reaccreditation Reaccreditation is a process that nearly all colleges and universities go through. In the Midwest, the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities (NCA) oversees this process.

To gain reaccreditation, Olivet College must document, through a self-study, how it meets the NCA’s criteria for accreditation.

For the last year, Olivet faculty and staff have critically reviewed the college’s mission, finances and academics, as well as how the college serves all members of the community. They also reviewed how the college encourages its graduates to become life-long learners. The result of this work is the college’s NCA self-study report, which documents Olivet’s strengths, challenges and strides it has made since the last NCA evaluation.

The study, whose primary author is Martha Perkins, Ph.D., associate professor of humanities, includes five components: 1. Mission and Integrity; 2. Preparing for the Future; 3. Student Learning and Effective Teaching; 4. Acquisition, Discovery and Application of Knowledge; and 5. Engagement and Service The first draft of the self-study was completed in June 2006. This fall, forums were held for students and employees to review the study and provide their feedback.

Olivet is seeking comments from the public about the college in preparation for its periodic evaluation. The college will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit Feb. 5-7, 2007, by a team representing the NCA’s Higher Learning Commission.

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs.

Comments must be in writing and signed; comments cannot be treated as confidential. All comments must be received by Jan. 15, 2007. Send comments to: Public Comment on Olivet College The Higher Learning Commission 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2400 Chicago, IL 60602 SHIPHERD’S

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New poet-in-residence program introduced at Olivet In the ’30s and ’40s, Olivet College hosted such famous poets as Carl Sandburg, W.H. Auden and Gertrude Stein. In keeping with that tradition, Olivet’s Humanities Department reinstated a poet-in-residence program, appropriately named the SandburgAuden-Stein Residency.

Beginning this spring, the poet will live on campus during the Intensive Learning Term and teach a poetry writing class. The poet will also host two public events including a reading of his or her work and a stand-alone discussion on a

subject of his or her choice. The poet will receive a $3,100 stipend for room and board.

“Olivet has a history of inviting outside writers to campus to speak and work, and the Sandburg-Auden-Stein Residency is a continuation of that tradition,” said Kirk HendershottKraetzer, chair of the Humanities Department. “In fact, it honors that tradition by naming the residency after three of our most famous visiting writers.

“Aside from what the residency will bring to the institution, it will increase

Olivet’s ‘presence’ in the literary community. Bringing in a poet-inresidence offers the chance for majors, minors and liberal arts core students to engage with an ‘outside’ voice, one not necessarily used to how Olivet acts and thinks, and that may help to shake people out of their ruts.”

Olivet accepted applications for this new residency until Sept. 10. Applicants must have published at least one book of poetry in order to be eligible.

New minister selected for the Olivet Congregational Church The Rev. Jack Brown bustles into the Olivet Congregational Church with a full schedule of activities on his mind. Even so, he takes the time to sincerely sit and focus on the conversation ahead of him. He likens himself to the Bible’s Joseph, an ordinary man Rev. Jack Brown whom God used in a special way.

But to the Olivet Congregational Church, he’s someone extraordinary.

After 23 years with the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Bloomfield Hills, Olivet welcomed Brown to its congregation in December 2005. “The timing was right for my wife, Pam, and me to make a change,” he said. “I remember Pam saying, ‘there is one place God wants us to be,’ and here we are. There were circumstances making it clear this is where we were meant to be.”

When he took the helm as pastor, he was charged with building the church’s missions program, youth ministry, visitations as well as a stronger relationship

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with the college. Taking his new Church Relations Committee, and was responsibilities to heart, he has become a asked to serve on a NCA reaccreditation very familiar face around town. committee.

On any given day, you may see Brown Mission trips are also an important sitting with students at a basketball game part of Brown’s composition. For nearly or attending a music program. “I do it to 10 years, he has been taking groups to honor the students who come to church Mission Mazahua, a program located in here,” he said. the mountains of Every Sunday Central Mexico night he takes that serves the off his tie and indigenous people rolls up his of that area. Olivet sleeves to freshman Jean make Paul Cortes, whose homemade parents direct pizzas for his Mission Mazahua, church’s says Brown is a seventhkind person. through “I visit him 12th-grade often because he’s From left: Rev. Jack Brown with Norberto, freshman students. good to have deep Jean Paul and Lisa Cortes.

“It’s all conversations with,” about sincerity for kids,” Brown said. “It’s said Cortes. “I recommend that students not just what you say – you have to show go talk to him to gain greater insight into that you sincerely care for them. It’s a good life.” way to set the tone for the area.”

Brown leads by example with hopes The college’s students feel his that others will follow. “The more people sincerity, too. In fact, Mu Omega Pi who can minister, the more blessed we’ll recently made him an honorary member. all be; we can all honor God,” he said.

He also teaches a Self and Community class, is a member of the Board of Trustees

Former U.N. weapons inspector visits Olivet Scott Ritter, former chief weapons inspector for the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) in Iraq, spoke as part of Olivet College’s Lecture and Symposium Series Wednesday, Nov. 8.

That same day, the college had a panel discussion on the history, culture and heritage of the Middle East, specifically Iraq. Included in the panel were James Goode, Ph.D., professor of

President Tuski ’85 and Scott Ritter

Four automated external defibrillators available on campus Last November, Olivet College purchased two portable automated external defibrillators (AED), which are used to treat victims who experience sudden cardiac arrest. In February, Tom Kolassa ’69, a member of the Board of Trustees, donated two more units.

An AED is only applied to victims who are unconscious and without a pulse.

The machine analyzes the victim’s heart

rhythm and advises the operator if a shockable rhythm is detected. If so, the AED will charge to an appropriate energy level and notify the user to deliver a shock.

Several college employees have been trained in operating the devices, which are housed in the Office of Campus Safety and the Cutler Athletic Complex Training Room.

history and coordinator of the Middle East Studies Program at Grand Valley State University, and Najim Salman, coordinator of religious affairs for the Islamic Center of Greater Lansing.

During his presentation, Ritter concentrated on Iran. “I wanted to draw deep parallels between Iran and Iraq for the students,” said Ritter. “I wanted to illustrate that I believe Iran is not a threat and that college students have an individual responsibility, as American citizens, to find out the facts before making the decision to go to war with Iran.”

Ritter conceived, carried out or participated in 30 inspections for weapons of mass destruction. In 1998, this culminated in him being labeled a spy by Iraqi officials and banned from weapon sites. That same year, he resigned from UNSCOM, determining that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction. Four years later, Ritter became an outspoken opponent of United States policy as it geared up for the current war in Iraq.

Ritter’s latest book, “Target Iran,” was released in September.

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News and Notes Senior insurance students Craig Carpenter and Janet Stam were selected as outstanding interns in the highly competitive National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices summer internship program, and were

Kyle Vanderlaan, a senior from Belding, is a member of the Michigan Army National Guard and is serving in Kosovo with the 334th medical group out of Grand Rapids.

Vanderlaan is majoring in criminal justice and psychology.

Senior Matt Domitrovich was among four college seniors from across the nation to win a $3,500 scholarship award from the SelfInsurance Educational Foundation, Inc.

From left: Janet Stam, Ryan Coburn and Craig Carpenter, each received scholarships from the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices.

invited to their annual conference in Chicago with all expenses paid.

Carpenter and Stam also received the Kevin A. McLaughlin Memorial Scholarship and the Rolland L. Wiegers Education Scholarship, respectively, from NAPSLO. Ryan Coburn, a sophomore from Wayland, received the Herbert W. Kaufman Memorial Scholarship from NAPSLO as well.

Branden Czarnecki, a senior from Mason and a member of the Michigan Army National Guard, was called up in July 2005 and sent to Kosovo, Serbia for Operation Joint Branden Czarnecki Guardian. This shows off his Olivet peace-enforcing pride with an afghan mission is in support sent to him by members of Omicron of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Delta Kappa, a Czarnecki is National Honorary majoring in Society. secondary education.

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Two Olivet College students were elected to the newly formed state chapter of Phi Beta Lambda, a national honors business organization for collegiate students preparing for careers in business and businessrelated fields.

Alex Otrezov, a junior from Alex Otrezov Moldova, was named vice president of logistics, and Stacey Stickney, a junior from St. Joseph, was elected secretary.

The Michigan Collegiate Press Association, representing college newspapers in three divisions across the state, held a fall workshop Sept. 30 at Saginaw Valley State University. Journalism/mass communication major Danielle Kapral attended a session led by guest speaker Keith Gave ex ’73, a former Detroit Red Wings reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Gave now edits the publication True North.

Brothers Hristo and Deyan Kozhuharov, from Bulgaria, were each awarded $5,000 scholarships from the Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc. Hristo, a senior, received the John T. Lockton Memorial Scholarship, while Deyan, a junior, received a Spencer Educational Foundation general fund scholarship. Both are majoring in risk management and insurance.

Back row, from left: Jeff Iciek, Kelly Schulze and Bryan Beverly. Front row: Jennifer Martin, Terra Curley and Jasmine Jackson.

Cynthia Noyes, associate professor of sociology/anthropology, and six students—seniors Bryan Beverly, Terra Curley and Jeff Iciek; junior Jasmine Jackson; and sophomores Jennifer Martin and Kelly Schulze—attended the Michigan Sociological Association’s annual meeting in October. Beverly, a sociology/anthropology major, presented his paper titled “Mainstream Materialism: The Acculturation of the Hip-Hop Subculture,” at the “Public Society and the Community” session.

Beverly’s paper was developed during his senior research course in the 2006 spring semester.

Eleni Mitropoulos and Elizabeth Koebel

The Olivet College Echo, the student-run campus newspaper, earned three awards in the Michigan Press Association College Newspaper Contest. The paper won third place for its news page design, while photographer Elizabeth Koebel, a senior from Whitehall, also earned third place honors for a sports photo. Editor Eleni Mitropoulos, a junior from Bronson, received honorable mention for her feature story on Patrick Fields, Ph.D., an adjunct faculty member who is also a chocolate expert.

Sue Settle joined Olivet College this summer as an assistant professor of education. Last year, Settle worked parttime as an instructor at Olivet. Prior to her experience at the college, Settle worked as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher at Galewood Elementary School in Charlotte. She earned bachelor’s Sue Settle and master’s degrees from Michigan State University.

Regina Armstrong has joined the Olivet faculty as assistant professor of criminal justice.

Armstrong comes to Olivet after serving as curriculum developer for Ferris State University (FSU) in Big Rapids. She Regina Armstrong also worked at the Michigan Youth Correctional Facility, where she managed several departments and supervised employee training requirements. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from FSU. Last semester, the journalism program was officially moved to the Humanities Department. As part of this process and to better reflect the disciplines it represents, the Arts and Communication Department has been renamed the Visual and Performing Arts Department and consists of the theatre, music and visual arts programs.

Shannon Tiernan, director of college relations and special events, attended a week-long workshop in August on grant writing through TGCI: The Grantsmanship Center.

Laura Barlond-Maas ’88, associate professor of English and the college’s Writing Program director, is spearheading Writing Across the Curriculum Workshops for her fellow faculty members. The workshops are an extension of the college’s Writing Program.

“I’m hoping to create a culture Laura Barlond-Maas ’88 where students write better and faculty have higher expectations,” Barlond-Maas said. “I knew the only way to improve writing was to take the responsibility out of the first-year writing program and put it in the hands of faculty at-large. Students need to have greater demands put on their writing in the upper-division courses for the writing and rhetoric courses to be of value.”

Faculty who commit to the workshops attend one meeting a month for six months during the academic year.

The workshops, which build upon each other, include Writing Across the Curriculum I and II and a study of the book “What the Best College Teachers Do.” Fifteen faculty members are participating in the program this year.

Jason Meadows ’03

Lynn Ward Gray

Lynn Ward Gray, associate vice president for diversity and community affairs, and Jason Meadows ’03, Shipherd Hall co-director and director of student activities, earned master’s degrees in organizational management from Spring Arbor University in October.

Mike Hubbel, professor of insurance and risk management and director of the insurance program, presented two three-day insurance seminars for Risk Management Solutions, the leading international catastrophe modeler, at their headquarters in Silicon Valley in May. In September, Hubbel conducted an ethics workshop for the annual conference of the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association – Michigan Chapter, at the Crystal Mountain Resort in Northern Michigan. And in October, he traveled to Delhi, India and led a three-day insurance seminar for Risk Management Solutions.

Susanne Lewis, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, attended the 19th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education at Purdue University in August.

In October, Joanne Williams, assistant professor of journalism and theatre, presented a workshop on “How to Make it News When it is Not: The Challenge of Non-Daily College Newspaper Publications,” at the 85th annual Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisers National College Media Convention in St. Louis.

The following faculty members were granted promotions and tenures by the Olivet College Board of Trustees: Carol Breed ’98 and Marcus Darden were granted tenure; Maria Davis, Ph.D., was promoted to the rank of professor of biology; Susan Houston was re-tenured and promoted to the rank of professor of business administration; Cynthia Noyes was promoted to the rank of associate professor of sociology/anthropology; Martha Perkins, Ph.D., was promoted to the rank of associate professor of humanities; Arthur Williams, Ph.D., was re-tenured; and John Wilterding, Ph.D., was promoted to the rank of associate professor of biochemistry.

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BY DAVID T. HAYHOW

S

ince becoming president, Don Tuski ’85, Ph.D., has orchestrated a major institutional transformation of Olivet College.

President Tuski arrived as a student at Olivet in 1981 and worked his way up the academic ladder. Today, in just five years under his leadership, Olivet’s enrollment has gone from disappointing to record-breaking.

The college’s financial outlook has been stabilized. And the overall reputation of Olivet has grown immensely.

In academia, much of what a college can or cannot accomplish is directly related to the leadership and longevity of its president.

Here, President Tuski’s dynamic leadership has ignited a new quest for excellence.

Since taking the helm of the college, he has consistently increased expectations for all members of the campus community. Each class of incoming students is arriving on campus better prepared academically, exhibiting more competence and character from the outset. Academics have been enhanced through a dedicated faculty and staff, and increased funding for improved facilities, including technological advances in the classroom. Comet athletics, a point of pride for the college many years ago, is experiencing some of its greatest success in recent memory.

While he’s worked diligently to enhance the overall climate on campus, at the same time, President Tuski has expanded

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Celebrating five years at the helm of Olivet College President Don and Louise Tuski at the Hance House.

his off-campus priorities. He’s successfully reached out to numerous alumni to reconnect them with their alma mater.

He has also stepped up everimportant fundraising duties, meeting with alumni, friends, corporations and foundations to garner their financial support for the college.

Today, President Tuski is fully aware that steady enrollment and successful fundraising are keys to ensure Olivet has the necessary funds to continue to make great strides forward.

David T. Hayhow serves as chair of Olivet College’s Board of Trustees

Q and A with President Tuski Q

How would you describe your first five years as president?

“Very challenging and at the same time, very rewarding. There are many variables to understand and improve upon.

With the assistance from students, faculty, staff and the Board of Trustees, we have been able to make improvements at Olivet College in a number of areas—including academics, student organizations, athletics and facilities.”

Q

As president, what accomplishments have been the most satisfying for you?

“I am very pleased with our increased and steady enrollment. I also take pride in the improvements we’ve experienced in academics and athletics and the overall reputation of the college. We have improved and re-written many policies and procedures to better serve our students, faculty and staff. We have also been able to make Olivet College one of the most efficient colleges in the Midwest.

I am proud of the fact we have been able to complete and adopt the Olivet Employee Plan, which is our new faculty/staff handbook. We have also created a growing sense of responsibility on behalf of all members of the entire campus community.

Much of this comes from constantly increasing expectations and driving toward excellence.”

Q

What are some future goals or plans for Olivet?

“Through an aggressive fundraising effort, we need to complete three to four major building/renovation projects. First, I want to construct the Events Center at the Cutler Athletic Complex, which will be used for activities such as student recreation, commencement exercises, guest speakers and most of our indoor athletic events. The Mott Academic Center is in need of a major renovation, which would include enhancements to classrooms and the auditorium. We are looking at the possibility of constructing a new art building. To meet the needs of our current and future students, we are weighing our options on whether to build or purchase

additional student housing. We also need to increase the endowment as well as reduce and eliminate our long-term debt, accumulated during several lean years.

Strong independent colleges have strong endowments. We need to improve ours.”

Q

What do you want alumni to know about the current state of their alma mater?

“Alumni need to know that we are working very hard to constantly improve our overall quality and to give them something to be proud of each year. I want alumni to be able to see that their alma mater is excellent in several academic areas and is working toward that across campus.

I want alumni to come back to campus because a particular program they are interested in is in excellent shape. This includes the arts as well as athletics.”

Q

How important is alumni support for the future growth of Olivet?

“We are constantly reconnecting with more and more alumni. Support from alumni is as critical as having strong enrollment. Colleges and universities cannot make improvements to programs and facilities without major financial support from their alumni. Small, private colleges such as Olivet must have strong alumni support to be successful. This is a fact. Support needs to come in all sizes and shapes, from time and energy to gifts that are big and small. On the recruiting trail, we are now competing with most of the colleges and universities in Michigan and a growing number of schools outside of the state. We must improve all that we have to offer at Olivet so we can continue to attract, educate and graduate this country’s future responsible leaders.”

As part of Olivet’s 2006 Commencement ceremony, the following letter was read aloud and presented to President Tuski as a tribute to his outstanding service to the college: “We, the full time teaching faculty, would like to thank President Donald L. Tuski for his profound commitment to Olivet College. His tireless efforts to develop and maintain a quality undergraduate education for its students and to foster a supportive, optimistic environment for its employees are evidence of his enduring devotion to the institution and all for which it stands.

“Dr. Tuski’s dedication to and embodiment of the Olivet College Compact and vision statement make us fortunate to have a leader whose deeply held principles and personal convictions are so closely mirrored by those of this institution.

“So, it is with heartfelt appreciation that we thank President Tuski for his selfless devotion to Olivet College. His persistent hard-work as an administrator and as a classroom teacher has been a vital support to the college in providing an Education for Individual and Social Responsibility.”

President Tuski with a few students from his Childhood and Culture class (from left): junior Daniel Davis, freshman Emily McClure, junior Jen Johnston and sophomore Igor Rasula.

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BY JACKIE BOUNDS

Making College more affordable A students an opportunity for a scholarship to make college more affordable,” said Vallar.

The college unveiled the new scholarship opportunity at a Lansing Public Schools event in September. This fall, Olivet’s enrollment management team has been promoting the scholarship program throughout Michigan high schools.

The scholarship program is the first of its kind, according to Vallar. Olivet designed it to show support for students across the state, as 92 percent of Olivet’s students are Michigan residents. Olivet typically admits 350 new students each year, leaving the potential for the same number of students to benefit from the scholarship. Vallar estimates that around 25 percent of the schools will submit names of students who can take advantage of the scholarships during Olivet’s Office of Enrollment Management, back row from left: fall 2007.

Bernie McConnell ’82, Tyrone Rhone, Larry Vallar ’84, Cathy Whitcomb; The scholarship front row: Melissa Casarez ’02, Libby Gibbons ’04, Kim Byrens ’81, program is one of Starr Weaver and Margo Brush several initiatives The scholarship program allows the introduced by Vallar in his new role at high school guidance counselor to Olivet. Vallar joined the college nominate two responsible seniors who administration in June and feels he has a achieve at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA special way to give back to his alma mater and 19 or higher on the ACT. One of the after working 25 years in the corporate nominees must also demonstrate the sector. need for financial assistance.

“I have found a lot of similarities in Each of Michigan’s public and how I used to recruit talented, solid private high schools is eligible to business professionals to manage participate and nominate students for the operations in my previous employment,” scholarship. Counselors must have their said Vallar. “In my new position, I recruit nominations submitted by December talented, responsible students seeking 2006. higher education experiences.”

“The program empowers counselors, Vallar sees his role in sharing his real the people who work closely with young life experience to help prepare students men and women in high school, to offer for their future careers. ttending Olivet College is now more affordable for a few hundred Michigan residents thanks to a new scholarship program. Olivet is offering every Michigan high school the opportunity to nominate two graduating seniors to receive the Olivet College High School Guidance Counselor Scholarship.

“The scholarship is worth $2,000 per year for four years,” said Larry Vallar ’84, Olivet’s vice president for enrollment management. “That’s an $8,000 savings in educational costs for each qualified student.”

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“Strengthening enrollment management and student retention is one of the college’s strategic priorities,” said Vallar. “The new scholarship program should help recruit academically prepared students who are ready to learn. The Office of Enrollment Management is also working to improve efficiency and fine-tune student recruiting efforts.

“Many people may not realize that searching for a college is much different than it was 10 to 20 years ago. Research indicates that students begin thinking about college as early as their sophomore year in high school. By their junior year, students have identified their top 10 colleges and plan to visit them throughout the spring and summer. As a senior, the student has narrowed his or her choices to two schools and is committed to a college by December or January.”

Based on these new recruiting demands, the college has identified several ways to insert Olivet into a high school sophomore’s line of thinking.

A new marketing campaign with mailings and online resources has been developed to introduce students to Olivet at a younger age.

“Word of mouth and alumni recommendations have always been powerful tools for recruiting students,” said Vallar. “The college would like to continue to foster these relationships, and we are trying to build more contacts within schools. Many alumni are teachers, coaches, principals and superintendents. These folks are working with students on a daily basis and they could help the college matriculate more students.

“Not only does Olivet want to attract disciplined students who want to graduate, we want to develop academic partners to improve retention rates.

The college has experienced record enrollment in recent years and plans to continue to fill the campus to capacity using a few new strategies.”

BY LINDA JO SCOTT

Prior Knowledge D

avid J. Prior ’65, Ph.D., was named the seventh chancellor of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise Sept. 1, 2005. He and his wife, Merry Lu (Fritz) ’68, are enjoying their new life in the East after many years in Kentucky, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, where Prior served as biology professor and academic administrator at various institutions.

A native of Rochester, Prior majored in biology at Olivet and went on to earn a

when he caused a fire alarm to sound because of fumes from a chemistry experiment.

He also recalls, with a chuckle, how the late Edward Speare, Ph.D., made his students bring three colored pencils to illustrate answers on exams in embryology.

According to Richard Fleming, professor emeritus of biology, another of Prior’s favorites, “David was a fine student, and it doesn’t surprise me that he has done so well in the academic world.”

Though he came from a larger community, Prior fit well into the smalltown environment of Olivet. Another of his fond memories, for example, is walking

to the Olivet Post Office for his mail every day, “before the days of the student union.”

What Prior valued most of all at Olivet was what he calls “the intimacy of a small campus, which gave us real access to the faculty and the opportunity to get to know students from differing backgrounds, cultures and countries.”

Apparently, Prior has passed on that interest in other cultures, as his daughter, Andrea, is an elementary school teacher in Yokahama, Japan. The Priors also have a son, Christopher, who works as a restaurant manager in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Merry Lu ’68 and David Prior ’65

master’s degree in animal physiology and biochemistry from Central Michigan University in 1968, and a Ph.D. in biology (neurophysiology) from the University of Virginia in 1972. He also served as a postdoctoral fellow in neurobiology at Princeton University from 1972 to 1973.

What does Prior remember most fondly about his Olivet days? “I would have to put at the top of the list falling in love with my wife, Merry Lu, to whom I’ve been married for 36 years,” he readily replied.

But Prior also remembers how much he enjoyed doing research with Olivet’s late chemistry professor, Fred Gruen, Ph.D. One rather frightening memory, however, comes from a morning in Mather Hall

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BY PAM RUTYNA

The Storyteller

E

ver since Michael James ’84 was a child, he has loved telling stories. When he was young, he used to continue the story line when his favorite show, “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” would end for the night. At Henry Ford High School in Detroit, he worked for the school newspaper and at Olivet College, he majored in interdisciplinary communications.

Twenty-two years later, he’s still telling stories as the head writer for the ESPN2 show, “Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith.” But while the road from Olivet to New York has been rewarding, James says he may never have

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taken it had it not been for Olivet College.

“I found Olivet by accident,” he says.

“I happened to walk into Career Day at my high school and started talking to Curtis Webb, who worked in admissions at that time. I originally thought about applying to Michigan State University or the University of Michigan, but there was something about Curtis that I liked, so I decided to apply.”

When he first arrived on campus, Olivet was quite a culture shock from the integrated neighborhood James grew up in. “In my neighborhood, there was a good mix of races, but at Olivet, there were a lot of people who had never seen an AfricanAmerican person,” says James. “But this

college proved valuable for me because the interaction I received during my college days prepared me for what was to come in the real world. Olivet was a microcosm for the work world. It provided me with an educational foundation as well as giving me the tools to sustain myself in the real world.”

When James first graduated from Olivet, he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do. “All I knew is that I loved telling stories,” he says.

James moved back to Detroit and worked several odd jobs. While living in an apartment complex, he met one of his neighbors who worked at the Detroit News. That connection led James to the

newspaper, where he started out as a stringer—answering phones and taking sports scores. After four months, he was the top stringer in the department.

He soon earned a reputation for telling good stories and was promoted to editorial assistant, a position he held for six years. “I was never promoted to reporter, although I was treated like one,” says James. “I had stories on the front page of the newspaper, the business section and the sports section.”

In 1993, James received a call from the sports editor of the New York Daily News. “He asked when I could come out for an interview, and I said, ‘tomorrow,’” says James. “I had no idea how far New York was and how to get there, but I had always wanted to go, so I asked a friend of mine if he wanted to go with me and we left that night.”

James got the job at the Daily News and began his career there working at the high school sports desk. Two years later, James’ father died, which prompted him to approach his boss and discuss his career.

“I knew I was better than high school sports and my father’s death taught me that I didn’t have a lot of time to realize my dreams, so I told my boss to give me more responsibility or I was going to go to another paper,” says James.

While his editor didn’t initially respond to his request, a few months later, he offered James the opportunity to cover the New Jersey Nets professional basketball team. James wrote about the Nets and the National Basketball Association (NBA) and flew all over the country, interviewing players such as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Isaiah Thomas.

James thought of Olivet during his first plane trip to the West Coast. “Bill Selden, who was a professor of journalism when I went to college, always told me I could do anything,” remembers James. “As a writer, he always encouraged me. Here I was, on a plane to the West Coast and I thought of Bill. I had a corporate credit card and was writing for the Daily News, but the only tools I had were my head and my hands and I thought of Bill’s encouragement.”

After six years covering the NBA, someone watching who had a gambling James was laid off due to budget cuts, problem.” and he began writing screenplays. “After On “Quite Frankly with Stephen A. writing about sports plays for so many Smith,” James’ writing helps depict the years, I missed writing about the most show’s guests as human beings, instead important aspect of all and that’s people,” of just celebrities. “Working with says James. “I was able to survive for four Stephen is all about the people,” he says. years writing screenplays and during that “The world’s most valuable resource is time I was introduced to some amazing people.” people in the industry.”

James says that he learned some of James started traveling back and life’s most valuable lessons from the forth from New York to Los Angeles for people he met at Olivet, including his work. However, he continued to stay Selden. He likes to call these types of in touch with some friends he had made people, “signpost people.” in the newspaper business, including “They come into your life and might Smith, whom he met when he first began not stay long,” he says. “But they stop writing about high school sports at the long enough to teach us something. They Daily News. could be anyone in your life, from a “Stephen was always calling and professor to a janitor, but regardless of asking me if I needed anything,” says who it is, we need them to help us along James. “I was in Los Angeles and I had our path.” just found out that one of my movie deals fell through. I called Stephen to see if he had anything for me.

“I have been able to do anything I want He said he didn’t, but then to in this life, and I attribute that to the called back and experiences I had and the people I met offered me the job as the head when I was at Olivet College.” writer on his new ESPN2 Michael James ’84 show.”

The talk show has featured such celebrity guests as Pete One of James’ signpost people at Rose, Donald Trump, John McCain, Olivet was his psychology professor, Regis Philbin, Michael Keaton, Larry David Heining-Boynton, who told him King and Kenny Chesney. As head that he could be whatever he wanted to writer, James has the opportunity to ask be. Doris Harrington and Margaret Case, questions he has always wanted to and who were administrative assistants at the takes interviews into entirely different college, always looked out for him. “They directions. always seemed to know when I needed a For example, when Rose appeared hot meal or money,” he says. “They went on the show, James and Smith discussed far beyond the call of duty.” what angle to take and decided to ask It is because of these signpost Rose when he took his first bet and how people in James’ life that he always knew he got started betting. “Everyone knows he would be successful one day. “If Pete Rose bet on baseball games, but I someone would have told me when I don’t know if anyone knows how he got graduated from Olivet that I would be started,” says James. “These questions writing and living in New York, I would opened a whole new way of answers, have believed it,” he says. “I have been which possibly could have helped able to do anything I want to in this life, and I attribute that to the experiences I had and the people I met when I was at Olivet College.”

Michael James ’84, right, is head writer for the ESPN2 show, “Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith.” He and Smith, left, have been friends since their days working as sportswriters for the New York Daily News.

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Satellite Superstar

BY SHANNON TIERNAN

I

t was by chance that Jeff Mathie got into the satellite business. When he graduated from Olivet College in 1988 with a dual degree in business administration and insurance, he opened his own independent insurance agency.

In his spare time, he began buying and renovating inexpensive houses to resell at a profit. It was while doing this that he met a gentleman who worked in the satellite industry.

“I went to Jeff Mathie ’88 work for him and was able to travel around the world to the Middle East, Africa and Asia,” Mathie said. “It was really appealing to me. We worked together for about a year and a half before I left and started my own satellite business in 1992.”

Mathie launched Patriot Antenna Systems on the heels of the Gulf War, experiencing immediate interest in communication satellites for news organizations such as CNN. With an initial personal investment of $30,000, he built the business into a world recognized leader in the satellite and antenna markets.

“It was the right products at the right time,” he said of his business’s success.

“Today, we’ve acquired seven companies and have built the third or fourth largest satellite product line in the world.”

Patriot Antenna Systems has a large production capacity with nine acres of manufacturing space under one roof and supplies nearly 500,000 antenna systems

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per year to his customers in North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. With some of his products meeting their destinations via camel- or mule-back, Mathie’s antennas are benefiting people who may never have had access to the Internet or other high-tech tools.

“The communication capabilities we’re able to provide to some of these areas of the world are excellent,” said Mathie.

“The Internet brings educational information; the Navajo Indians, for example, are using the satellite systems to learn how to plant their crops better. It’s these types of opportunities that the satellites are giving people that they didn’t have in the past.”

From backpack antennas for specialforces teams to convoys that utilize auto acquisition antennas on top of their humvees to relay video, voice and data information back to central command, Patriot Antenna Systems’ products can be found in military sectors throughout the world. In its own way, Mathie’s company is playing an important role in keeping the world safer.

“From a communications standpoint, our equipment certainly protects American lives and is able to let our military see the battlefield a little better,” he said. “It definitely is exciting to be a part of that.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that you get a chance to reflect, though.

‘We are constantly being pressed to do something next-generation.”

For Patriot Antenna Systems, it’s not enough to just mass produce antennas and satellites; it’s about staying ahead of the competition and consistently producing quality products. In 2005, Mathie’s team developed a prototype 12 meter (40 foot) full motion tracking antenna system for the Deep Space Network to be utilized by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the Deep Space and Mission to Mars programs.

Patriot won this first generation contract and is poised to win the follow-up contracts that could be worth more than a billion dollars.

“We were the only company in the world who met their specs,” he said.

“The contract is almost too big for us to handle, even though we’ve got one of the larger manufacturing bases. It’s a difficult, but good problem, to have.”

Even with all the success Patriot Antenna Systems has experienced, Mathie is able to keep his focus on the things that truly matter.

“I look at our employees and their families and hope that we’re having a positive impact on their lives,” he said of his Albion-based company. “Employing local people and being able to do something good in the area is what makes me proud.”

Above: Patriot Antenna System’s 2.4 meter flyaway antenna is used by the military to transmit information from the field to central command.

BY SHANNON TIERNAN

A Bright Light in Las Vegas D etermination, intelligence or ambition — call it what you want; but one thing’s for sure, Rose McKinney-James ’73 accomplishes everything she sets her mind to do.

This thriving business-owner, lobbyist, advocate, wife and mother of two has held nine progressively more demanding jobs in the 33 years since she graduated from Olivet. She has also served on nearly 20 boards.

“I don’t think anyone could have foreseen me participating in a series of positions that would put me so squarely in the business arena,” she said with a laugh.

“My grandparents thought I would be singing on a stage someday.”

McKinney-James grew up in Detroit with her grandparents. In 1968, she was attending Cass Technical High School in Detroit when Robert Barnes, Olivet’s associate professor of music at the time, visited to recruit students for the college’s summer choir program. Not only was McKinney-James selected to attend the program, but she was extended a full music scholarship to the college, as well.

“The direct and personal attention my professors provided doesn’t compare to any other experience I could have had at the time,” she said. “I give Olivet a great deal of credit in giving me a sense of myself and preparing me for the range of opportunities that have presented themselves.”

While in college, McKinney-James was encouraged by a government professor to look beyond music toward law school. She remembers applying to Antioch School of Law in Washington, D.C., with thoughts of owning a small law firm. That wasn’t in the cards for her, though.

While earning her juris doctorate from Antioch, she served as an intern and was later promoted to staff assistant to Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. She

counts working on Capital Hill as an important milestone in her life, believing it has put her on a path to public service.

When she finished with this experience, she took a chance on Vegas.

“I came out to Las Vegas on a consulting contract, which focused on small business revitalization,” she said. The project turned into a statewide effort and eventually led to her becoming chief of staff for the Las Vegas city manager.

In this position, she spent time with the state legislature on behalf of the city, which is the largest in the state. Just as she was settling in to her responsibilities, Nevada elected a new governor.

Recognizing McKinney-James’ talents, he appointed her to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commission. Soon thereafter, she was selected as the first director of Nevada’s Department of Business and Industry, which regulates everything in Nevada but the gaming and utility industries.

“This was the first opportunity I had on a major scale for me to direct, supervise and frame the work of 700 employees,” McKinney-James said. “That was the most challenging yet rewarding time of my career in government, and the most significant in establishing who I am.”

At ease as a lobbyist and advocate, McKinney-James established and owns Las Vegas-based Energy Works Consulting and McKinney-James & Associates.

Providing services in the area of government affairs, the two firms allow her to focus on issues that interest her most.

Rose McKinney-James ’73 with son, Avery.

“I don’t have any major clients or business expenses, but I enjoy the flexibility,” she said.

This flexibility comes in handy for McKinney-James. In July of 2005, she was appointed to the MGM Mirage Board of Directors — a long way from her dream of owning a small law firm.

“MGM Mirage is the highest profile board I’ve served on; it is by far one of the most exciting opportunities I have had,” she said. “In its industry-area, it is perhaps one of the most highly respected companies in the world.”

McKinney-James says that she has benefited significantly from people who have given her that coveted first chance.

But it takes more than a job offer to build a successful career. With one lifechanging opportunity leading to another, she calls it serendipity.

“I have been extremely fortunate to have strong family support, outstanding mentors and a willingness to push the envelope at every turn,” she said. “My opportunities have been very rewarding.”

Meet the Academic Maria Davis, Natural and Physical Sciences Maria Davis, Ph.D., traces her love of science back to her love of nature.

As a child, she was outside a lot and was fascinated by her natural surroundings. She didn’t decide to pursue a career in science, though, until she was in high school.

“I had a great teacher who Maria Davis, Ph.D. encouraged me in science,” she said.

“My Hungarian grandmother said, ‘Get an education, they can never take that away from you.’ So I was the first in my family of 23 grandchildren to attend college.”

Davis earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology from Sienna Heights and Bowling Green State universities, respectively, and a doctorate in entomology from Michigan State University (MSU). She began her career in MSU’s Lymann Briggs School of Science as a faculty member and researcher. Richard Fleming, Ph.D., who,

chickens and goats. They are also active at the time, was a professor of biology and members of the First Congregational science department chair at Olivet, was U.C.C. Church in Charlotte. doing work in MSU’s entomology department, when Davis’ husband said she should introduce herself. “I happened to run into him and it really went well,” she said. “We hit it off right away, but how could two entomologists not? We had bugs in common.”

When Fleming retired two years later, Davis applied for the job; and in 1994 she was hired.

Until 2001, Davis continued performing research at MSU during the summer months before her life became too hectic. When asked if she misses being at a larger university, she answers with an emphatic, “Not at all!”

Davis doesn’t spend all her time in the classroom, though. Whether it clucks, crawls or canters – her free time revolves around animals.

Maria Davis with Lucky, her 5-year-old mare.

The Davis family owns numerous dogs, horses,

Kirk Hendershott-Kraetzer, Humanities This summer, Kirk HendershottKraetzer, Ph.D., associate professor of humanities, was promoted to chair of the Humanities Department, which is a far cry from his high school days, when his goal was to earn “C’s” on his daily work.

“When I earned an average Kirk Hendershottgrade no one Kraetzer, Ph.D. bothered me,” he says. “My grades weren’t bad enough that people wanted to confront me on it.”

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While Hendershott-Kraetzer attended Hope College, his love for the written word didn’t surface until he took a creative writing class in poetry. “I was a year and a half into my marine biology major, when I took a poetry class,” says Hendershott-Kraetzer. “After a while, I realized I was spending the same amount of time on my poetry than I was on my organic chemistry. Writing to me wasn’t work.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in English, he attended Western Michigan University with a teaching assistantship and taught freshman composition. He realized he not only enjoyed writing, but teaching as well. He earned a master of fine arts degree in English and creative

writing and went on to earn a doctorate in English from Michigan State University.

Since beginning his career at Olivet in 1999, Hendershott-Kraetzer has received the John J. Shipherd Award for Outstanding Service to Students twice— once in 2004 and again in 2005. “I like to have fun in the classroom,” he says. “I try to show my students that I love what I do, and I think that it shows. I also try to push them with the assumption that they’ll rise to the occasion. These students can do whatever they set their minds to if you give them the room to do it.”

Along with teaching in his classroom at Olivet, Hendershott-Kraetzer also

Department Chairs Nick Juday, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport For as long as Nick Juday can remember, he has always been active in sports. In high school, Juday, who serves as the chair of the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport (HPERS) Department and assistant professor of HPERS, Nick Juday competed in football, basketball, and track and field.

At Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., Juday competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4 x 100 meters relay and the 4 x 200 meters relay.

“Sports have always been a big part of my life,” he says.

After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physical education from Western Michigan University (WMU), Juday became the assistant strength and conditioning coach at WMU. In 2004, Juday joined the faculty at Olivet as an assistant professor of HPERS and became

takes his students abroad to England during the Intensive Learning Term. This spring, Hendershott-Kraetzer is planning a trip to London and the English countryside.

When Hendershott-Kraetzer is not in the classroom or England, he can usually be found in his perennial gardens at his home in Jackson, preparing one of his specialty appetizers, acting in or directing a play, or watching some of his favorite movies.

the assistant coach for the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams.

In 2005, he was promoted to head coach of the track and field teams and in 2006, he was promoted to head coach of the cross country teams. “This job is a dream come true for me,” says Juday. “I am able to combine my love for teaching with my passion for sports.”

Juday also spends his time volunteering in area schools and helping them with their sports programs. “I enjoy helping others improve their athletic performance,” says Juday. “I spend time talking with high school coaches and have helped create strength programs as well as distance and sprinting programs.”

While coaching, teaching and volunteering take up a large part of Juday’s life, he still finds time to travel to Three Rivers to enjoy his family’s lake cabin in the summer. He also enjoys spending time training his dog, Champ, a 7-year-old border collie, flat-coat retriever mix.

While Nick Juday, chair of the HPERS Department, loves being active and spending time coaching the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams at Olivet, he also enjoys training his dog, Champ.

Editor’s note: Olivet College’s remaining four department chairs will be profiled in the 2007 spring issue of Shipherd’s Record.

When he’s not teaching or traveling abroad, Kirk Hendershott-Kraetzer, chair of the Humanities Department, can sometimes be found acting in or directing a play.

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Department Chairs Don Walker, Social Sciences Don Walker, Ph.D., is a dabbler.

Rather than focus his attention in any one specific area, he likes to spread his time and talent around things like gardening, reading, collecting stamps and playing the piano, ukulele and banjoele. He has also been in more police stations than most criminals.

“I collect police patches,” he said with his unmistakable Don Walker, Ph.D. laugh. “When I vacation, I stop into police departments to swap patches with them. Some are really quit nice.”

Walker rounds out his time as moderator of the Olivet Congregational Church, has been a member of Olivet’s City Council for 29 years, a Police Commissioner for 23 years and Mayor Pro-tem for 24 years, which means he’s

master’s in history from the University of mayor whenever the elected mayor is out South Dakota. While pursuing a Ph.D. of town. at the University of Wyoming, he served He has also been teaching at Olivet as a teaching assistant and liked it. “I since 1965, longer than any other faculty thought I’d give it a try, and I’ve never member currently at the college. But left.” He later finished his teaching wasn’t Ph.D. at Michigan State always at the top of University. his career goals.

Walker believes in While pursuing his responsibility and truly bachelor’s degree, his enjoying life’s work, two teaching experience qualities that students can was so bad that he relate to. So much so, a former switched gears with student returned to campus a only six weeks left as few years ago to tell Walker an undergrad. “I had that he made a career choice all the education based on something Walker courses, but never mentioned in class. finished student Don Walker plays his banjoele, a “People have a duty to teaching,” he said. unique, lesser known cousin of the banjo. make life better for other “I dropped it and people,” Walker said. stayed an extra “I feel like I’ve made a difference in semester and a summer to finish up my some people’s lives. It’s a reward that’s bachelor’s degree.” better than anything.”

After earning a bachelor’s in history from Indiana University, he earned a

Gary Wertheimer, Visual and Performing Arts For 10 years now, Gary Wertheimer, chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department and professor of art, has been coordinating a bi-annual Intensive Learning Term (ILT) visual arts course to Tuscany, Italy.

During that time, he has befriended Leonardo Gagliardi, who is a local police officer in Siena.

“I take the group all around Italy and we tour Gary Wertheimer the various cities,” he says. “But when we meet up with Leonardo, he takes us to people’s homes in Siena, and we are able to experience the Italian culture firsthand.

These people welcome us into their homes for authentic Italian meals, and we take part in festivals in the town.”

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The ILT trip has become so enjoyable for Wertheimer that he has decided to start a tour group of his own in the summers to Italy. While he’s still creating the tour details with a travel agent, Wertheimer plans to offer the same authentic Italian experiences to eight interested guests, including students, alumni, faculty, staff and anyone else interested.

While Wertheimer enjoys planning the trips to Tuscany, art remains his passion. He earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, N.Y., and master of fine art degree in sculpture from the University of Michigan.

In the 20 years he’s been at Olivet, he has spent the school year dedicating himself to his students and their art, and enjoys working one on one with the student-artists in the sculpture studio.

Away from the classroom, Wertheimer continues to create his own works of art,

Gary Wertheimer has a passion for art and has spent the majority of his life creating various sculptures.

and has exhibited his pieces in Tennessee, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan and his home state of New York.

He has also served as a exhibition juror for numerous Michigan venues, and has been commissioned to create various art pieces throughout the country.

BY SHANNON TIERNAN

A Passion for Racing I

t’s another exciting day at the Red Bud Raceway in Buchanan. Number “060” rubs his clammy fingers against the palms of his hands as his eyes shoot nervously from side to side, taking in the competition. His 2006 Yamaha YZ450 dirt bike vibrates beneath him as the white bar drops, signifying the start of the race. He revs his engine, taking off in a cloud of exhaust, seizing the lead as his tires spin out in Lane Brumm the dirt. Flying through mid-air, he tenses – his body jarring against the handlebars as he lands on the other side of a hill. A single prayer keeps repeating in his mind – Dear God, let me stay in one piece long enough to make it to the finish line.

This isn’t a story of a crazed teenager, but rather Lane Brumm, a 39-year-old Olivet College employee who has been a motocross racer for 17 years and counting.

“A few years ago, my nephew got a dirt bike and wanted to race,” said Brumm, who hadn’t raced since the early ’90s. “I couldn’t just sit back and watch so I bought a bike to practice with him.”

One thing led to another and Brumm found himself entering races with his nephew – and winning. In 2004, his first season back in more than 10 years, he placed third in District 14, which includes the entire state of Michigan, and he earned first in a local track series (Super Series). The next year he finished fourth in the Super Series and eighth in the district. At the end of the 2006 season, Brumm was third in the district and finished first in the Super Series - his best finish yet.

Racing is his passion. Though the sport hasn’t always been good to Brumm – he’s had knee surgery, a separated collar bone, two broken wrists and a concussion – he keeps coming back. Brumm’s eyes glaze over as he explains his obsession.

“I love race day,” said Brumm.

“When you get ready to race, you’re all nerved up with butterflies and the gate drops. When everyone takes off at once – that’s the part that keeps me coming back race after race.”

Brumm is a quiet thinker at the college where he works as an Information Technology Systems (ITS) technician and system support. His job responsibilities include maintaining the college’s wireless phone and computer networks. Brumm tries to detect and fix problems before a student or employee says that he or she can’t dial out or connect to the Internet.

“Most of the time, when Lane makes a decision, it’s a good decision.” said Suresh Acharya ’99, ITS director and Brumm’s supervisor. “That’s what I like about him.

He takes the time to analyze the situation before he takes action.

He’s independent, he takes his tasks on, he does them, and he does them well.”

Although Brumm may show up to work from time to time on Monday morning looking beat up, Acharya says his racing hobby hasn’t interfered with his performance on-thejob. “Racing, I’m sure, requires a lot of energy, so it’s hard to

see his racing personality from who he is here,” added Acharya. “He comes to work, sits down and tackles the issues one-by-one. I can always happily rely on Lane.”

Sylvia Burkett, Brumm’s coworker who knew him before he started working at Olivet, agrees with Acharya. “He comes to work and he gets the job done.

He has always kept to himself, but he has always been adventurous too.”

It’s that adventurous side that comes out on race day.

“When I get out on the race track, everything changes,” said Brumm. “It’s not just something I like to do; it’s a way of life and I have fun with it.”

Lane Brumm on his 2006 Yamaha YZ450 dirt bike.

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From Heavy Metal to Jazz

BY MARTY (MASON) JENNINGS ’67

J

ustin Gargus was an exceptional student at Bangor High School – a valedictorian with numerous interests.

He earned many scholarship offers from different schools, but chose to attend Olivet College because of its size and a few unique scholarship opportunities.

One of his awards came from a group of Olivet alumni, who provide a scholarship each year to an outstanding Bangor High School student who plans to attend the college.

Gargus’ interest in Olivet started several years ago when Don Oderkirk ’64, a friend of his grandmother, brought him to campus. Afterwards, Oderkirk continued to tell Gargus about the value of his education and how good it would be for him to attend Olivet. Gargus is now one of four freshmen from Bangor attending Olivet.

Born in Indiana, Gargus moved several times because his father was in the Air Force. The first move was to Guam

Justin Gargus

and then to California, where they lived on the Vandenberg Air Force Base.

It was then on to Colorado Springs.

In 2000, his father retired and moved the family, including Gargus’ older brother and a younger sister, to Bangor to be close to relatives.

Through his travels, Gargus took an interest in music. When he decided to attend Olivet, he gave up his long hair, larger earrings and “Reinventing Yesterday,” a five-piece hard core metal band in which he played bass guitar.

At Olivet, he is enjoying a different kind of music as part of the college’s 20piece jazz band. “While I miss playing in a small band and writing all original music, I still love jazz and the complexity of theory that comes along with it,” he said. “You could say, I have to think a lot harder when I play jazz.”

Academically, Gargus is looking to double major in political science and economics. He is also considering a financial management major, too. Earning a 4.0 grade point average through high school, he pursues the same high standards here at Olivet. His favorite location for studying is in a corner of Burrage Library, where it is peaceful and quiet – unlike the music he once played.

A Caretaker of Eagles J

ean Paul Cortes, an Olivet College freshman whose parents are missionaries among the Mazahua people in Central Mexico, is a naturalist at heart. He particularly admires birds of

BY SHANNON TIERNAN

prey. So when he was offered the opportunity to spend his eighth-gradeyear with the founder and director of the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., he was ecstatic.

“I mainly cleaned the enclosures and watered the birds, but it was a great opportunity,” he said. “Every vacation afterwards I’ve volunteered at the foundation.”

Cortes, a dual biology and

environmental science major, says the foundation’s purpose is to educate the public about bald eagles and birds of prey. It also has an active captive breeding program and reintroduces birds to the wild. Last summer, he worked part time at the foundation and had the opportunity to handle owls, falcons, a golden eagle, vultures, hawks and bald eagles.

“I exercised, fed and trained them,” he said. “I’ve slowly worked my way up through the years from cleaning cages to handling the birds. I’ll be working there full time next summer.”

Jean Paul Cortes, a freshman from Mexico, has worked at the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., since he was in eighth grade.

BY ELENI MITROPOULOS, JUNIOR

Deeply involved on Campus T ime management and organizational skills are what Denise Jackson excels in. The number of organizations and activities she’s involved in could easily be split up between several students. For example, she is office manager for the Olivet College’s Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives, president of the Gospel Choir and Women’s Empowerment, and was on the student mentor panel for orientation this year.

She is also a member of APU, the medical honors society, Free Yo’ Mind, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People campus chapter, Alpha Omega and Black Student Union.

“I may do a lot, but being in more groups makes me more disciplined,” said Jackson. “I put class work first and have it done ahead of time.”

Jackson, a junior from Detroit, is majoring in biology and eventually wants to become a pediatric nurse. “I want to work one-on-one with children,” she said.

Part of her desire to work with children came from her summer experience two years ago.

In the summer of 2005, Jackson was a staff member at a camp called Boggy Creek, located in Eustis, Fla. She was on staff to help take care of children who were terminally ill with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and heart disease or suffering from epilepsy, blindness and strokes. After attending the camp, Jackson returned to Olivet and had the inspiration to become a pediatric nurse. “After working there, I changed my whole career goals,” she says.

While Jackson keeps herself busy, she is always available to help others, and enjoys taking advantage of a good learning opportunity. During spring break last year, Jackson traveled to Heifer Project International in Perryville, Ark., a hands-on learning center providing education that promotes sustainable solutions to global hunger, poverty and environmental degradation. During the

college’s Intensive Learning Term, she visited Mexico as part of a class.

“Those experiences make you appreciate life,” says Jackson. “What we call necessities are actually luxuries. Here in the United States, it’s all about ‘me’ but in other countries, it’s about making sure everyone else has what you have.”

She remembers walking five blocks back-and-forth to get bread, meat and vegetables in Mexico. “You earn an appreciation for what you have.

I saw kids plowing fields and working at stores. It shows what we take for granted,” she said.

Jackson also worked at a Christian camp for three years and this past summer, she worked at Olivet organizing, planning and scheduling activities for the Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives. She also did the invocation for an Olivet Board of Trustees meeting in June and for the President’s Opening Convocation in August.

Jackson’s grandmother, Mary Jackson Rabon, is her biggest influence. Rabon’s role in charitydriven organizations and helping youth may be part of the reason why Jackson has such an interest in it herself.

“She took her social work job seriously and was all about the children and families,” says Jackson, who wants to organize a trip to Africa to volunteer for an orphanage in the near future. “She worked with the youth group as a minister and she has always been about educating the younger generation.”

While Jackson may keep busy with balancing her classes, homework, family, friends, co-curricular activities and jobs, she constantly reminds herself of the main reason she does it all.

“Everything hasn’t always been easy.

But I know that with everything I do, Jesus is the answer. I don’t worry about certain situations because I know that He is everything,” says Jackson.

Denise Jackson, a junior from Detroit, enjoys being busy on campus.

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BY JESSICA PETKUS, JUNIOR AND GREG JARRATT, SOPHOMORE

Summer Beach Project: GAIN 2006

W

ith summer approaching toward the end of the 2006 spring semester, we had a strong desire to serve the Lord. Being involved in Alpha Omega, the college’s Christian student organization, we had hopes of becoming stronger leaders for Christ oncampus and extending Alpha Omega by founding a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) organization.

It was at this time we came across a video for the “Summer Beach Project” (SBP). According to SBP, students who participate in the program are “living, playing, working and learning with other college students for nine weeks in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Each student works a full time job during the day and participates in Bible studies, evangelistic outreaches, discipleship groups, ministry training, fellowship and other activities during the week.”

After viewing the video and seeing an opportunity for growing in our relationship with Christ alongside other college students and individuals who have dedicated their lives to college ministry, we felt we were being called to South Carolina.

Upon arriving, we learned the theme scripture for our SBP experience was Philippians 1:21, which states, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is GAIN.” We demonstrated this verse throughout the summer as we studied the book of Philippians, which focuses on selflessness, having a servant’s heart, losing self-righteousness, evangelism, and finding one’s identity and joy in Christ.

While being disciples of the Lord, we were also disciples among other students at SBP. Living in a hotel room with four to five other college students, we were blessed with Christ-centered relationships that focused on encouragement in one’s walk with the Lord and accountability in our actions.

A room-leader, an individual who was further in his or her walk with Christ, counseled us and helped us develop our relationship with the Lord. Among our roommates, we focused on vulnerability and confession of sin, which was an extremely sanctifying experience.

Along with living among disciples of Christ and being taught about themes of Christianity such as “God the Father,”

“Holy Spirit” and “Love,” we had the opportunity to be evangelists in the workforce. Greg worked as a cashier at a grocery store called Bi-Lo and I worked in the bakery/deli at Kroger. We had the opportunity to develop relationships with our co-workers and watch them grow more Christ-centered throughout the course of the summer. Each day we were encouraged to share our faith with our co-workers and customers. Seeing the way God worked in our lives within a short period of two months showed us how we are vessels of God’s work.

After work, as collegiate athletes, we’d head to a local high school to workout and prepare for our upcoming athletic seasons. Before each training session, we’d circle-up in prayer, giving glory and thanks to God for our abilities and His hand over our teams back at home. This provided for great fellowship among other Christian collegiate athletes and prepared us to lead the FCA. We were equipped with hearts to be tools of God on the athletic field.

After completing our time at the SBP, we were in a deeper relationship with Christ and were excited to share our faith with other students at Olivet College. God worked in our hearts and spiritually prepared us to lead FCA. When results may be seen in our lives, we shall glorify Him, not ourselves.

Jessica Petkus (left) is a junior 4.0 student majoring in English and mathematics elementary education. She is co-captain of the volleyball team, a member of Alpha Omega and a founding member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Greg Jarratt is a sophomore 4.0 student majoring in general business and minoring in coaching.

He is a member of the wrestling team, Alpha Omega, treasurer for Olivet’s American Marketing Association, a founding member of FCA and is on the Blair Hall Residential Advisory staff.

BY PAM RUTYNA

The Foundations of Leadership

J

ohn Buchan, a Scottish author, once said, “The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.” This could be said of the student leaders at Olivet College.

While there are numerous activities on campus to help strengthen their leadership abilities, several Olivet students have honed their skills by attending the Michigan Campus Compact’s (MCC) Student Service Leadership Camp.

MCC is a non-profit organization that works with 31 colleges and universities throughout Michigan to provide community service, servicelearning and civic education opportunities, such as the leadership camp, to its members’ students.

Since 2004, Olivet has sent two students to the camp each year, including seniors Jaysen Brandt, Ashurina Chamoun and Katrina Williams, and juniors Katie Hartwick, Courtney Mich and Koji Takahashi. Every year the students are nominated by their peers.

“Because we don’t have a formal volunteer center, I seek out the recommendations of past attendees, student government, and the Office of Student Life to select participants,” said Lynn Ward Gray, associate vice president for diversity and community affairs for Olivet and MCC community service director. “I take into account those who have exhibited leadership on campus because they will be the ones who will more than likely return to campus and apply what they have learned.”

The camp, which was at the Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center in Augusta this year, is a three-day event held in September. It includes activities such as team-building exercises, seminars, interactive workshop sessions, networking and coalition-building opportunities and speakers on topics relating to servicelearning and civic responsibility.

For the past three years, several Olivet students have participated in the Michigan Campus Compact’s Student Service Leadership Camp, including from left: Katrina Williams, Courtney Mich, Koji Takahashi and Jaysen Brandt. Student participants not pictured include Ashurina Chamoun and Katie Hartwick.

The team-building exercises help students gain skills to meet specific goals for an organization such as program planning or organizational development, while the seminars focus on various topics such as recruiting, fundraising, service leadership, motivation, group facilitation techniques and leadership styles.

“I learned a lot about fundraising for a non-profit organization,” said Takahashi, who attended the camp this fall with Mich. “I brought back some good ideas to the groups I’m involved with on campus such as Common Ground, Helping Hands and the swim team.”

The camp also provides seminars pertaining to the leaders as individuals and discusses issues such as personal values and volunteerism. “These seminars helped students understand

the personal values that motivate us to work, grow and learn, so we can better communicate and relate to those around us,” said Ward Gray.

Along with the team exercises and seminars, students are able to attend informal networking and coalitionbuilding sessions. “We were able to do a few ice-breakers and talked with students from other schools to see what they do around their campuses and to see if we can apply new things to our own campus,” said Mich, who is student government president this year.

“The MCC camp gave me ideas on how to run a student government, as well as how to get the campus involved with volunteering,” she added. “It also taught me a lot about how to work in a team and how to get a group of people to work together and get along even if there are differences between them.”

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Increasing the endowment and annual scholarship fund are key A strong endowment is the financial backbone of any institution of higher education. This is particularly true at Olivet College, where the endowment provides a predictable and stable stream of income to the operating budget each year.

Olivet’s endowment is a collection of approximately 100 separate funds established to provide student scholarships, support professorships and other activities, including maintenance of facilities and support for specific programs. Endowed gifts are made with the knowledge that the intended impact of the gift will last in perpetuity.

A minimum outright gift of $25,000 is required to establish a named endowed fund. Estate gifts and income-generating gifts can also be designated to the endowment, but may carry additional restrictions. Most existing endowed funds are open to gifts from anyone. Additional gifts to existing memorial funds can be an appropriate way to honor a family or program.

Since 1844, when the first endowed scholarships at Olivet were created, the

college has been able to offer financial assistance to all students on both a need and merit basis. Today, 100 percent of Olivet College students receive grants from the college.

The college commits a significant portion of its operating budget to this purpose annually, with more than $7 million designated to student aid

in recent years and an average needbased Olivet grant of $9,000 a year for qualified students.

Despite these efforts, the aid packages of many students remain dependent upon additional selffinancing. It is not uncommon for a graduating senior to have accumulated $20,000 or more in student loans during his or her four years at Olivet.

Your scholarship gift makes an Olivet education a reality for our students. Whether you give directly to the Olivet College Annual Scholarship Fund or work with the Office of Institutional Advancement to establish an endowed fund in perpetuity, you join a long tradition of student support.

To learn more about outright gifts to the endowment, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at advancement@olivetcollege.edu or call (269) 749-7630. In addition, if you have a question about property, estate or income-generating gifts, the advancement staff is at your service.

Trustee members provide financial support to Olivet in a variety of ways The Thomas J. Hoisington Endowed Scholarship Fund was established this year at Olivet College to provide financial support for students interested in political science.

Hoisington owns a lobbying firm in Lansing that represents some of Thomas Hoisington Michigan’s largest companies. As a gift for his 25th anniversary with the company, many of his colleagues and clients gave more than $40,000 to start this endowed fund.

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Tom Kolassa ’69 challenged fellow trustees last year to support the Olivet College Annual Scholarship Fund.

With a 100 percent participation rate, he donated $100,000 toward the scholarship fund.

Critical needs of students and Tom Kolassa ’69 faculty are met through gifts to this fund. These gifts are distributed to the areas of greatest need during the fiscal year. Typically, the majority of unrestricted gifts go directly toward scholarship aid and the rest will support current-use needs around campus.

Rod Hathaway ’81 recently donated $20,000 toward Olivet’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. His gift is allowing the college to renovate both programs’ locker rooms in MacKay Gymnasium. These locker rooms will be a showpiece for Rod Hathaway ’81 student-athletes considering playing basketball at the college. They will also become a gathering place for players to study and bond with one another during the academic year. In addition, coaches will be able to show films of upcoming opponents and evaluate players.

Charitable IRA Rollovers expanded On Aug. 17, President Bush signed the Pension Protection Act of 2006 that provides a limited-time opportunity to make charitable contributions directly from Individual Retirement Accounts and Roth IRAs to qualified charitable organizations. These contributions are commonly known as “Charitable IRA Rollovers.” Between now and Dec. 31, 2007, individuals may take advantage of this unique opportunity to support Olivet College and other qualified charities.

Here are the basics: Individuals age 70 ½ and older may transfer up to $100,000 per year directly from an IRA to a qualified charity, such as Olivet College.

Because a qualified charitable contribution generates neither taxable income nor an itemized tax deduction, even non-itemizers can benefit.

The charitable distribution may be applied toward a Required Minimum Distribution.

Even if the donor plans other charitable gifts that will fully utilize allowable federal income tax charitable deduction (50 percent of the adjusted gross income for cash gifts to public charities), the donor can take advantage of this legislation.

However, it does include some limitations. For example, qualified charitable contributions may not be used to fund charitable remainder trusts or charitable gift annuities. Consult a tax professional if you are contemplating a gift under this new law.

Many alumni and friends are finding that this is a great time to start a scholarship, add to an existing endowment or just make a major gift to the Olivet College Annual Scholarship Fund. Those interested in discussing options for making a gift under the new legislation, please e-mail advancement@olivetcollege.edu or call (269) 749-7630.

Phase II of Buy-a-Brick campaign under way Nearly 400 bricks were purchased as part of the initial Olivet College Buy-a-Brick campaign. The new walkway featuring the bricks, which was completed in time for the college’s 2006 Homecoming celebration, is located north of the Kirk Center. A schematic of the walkway is available on Olivet’s Web site.

While Phase I of the Buy-a-Brick campaign is complete, there is still an opportunity for alumni, parents and friends to engrave their name into Olivet’s history. To purchase a brick in Phase II, call (269) 749-7625 or visit www.olivetcollege.edu/alumni/ donations.htm or e-mail advancement@olivetcollege.edu.

Professor Emeritus of Political Science Art Stevens and Charlotte Whitney Stevens admire the new brick walkway outside the Kirk Center.

Donation leads to reprinting of “Upon this Hill” Dr. Richard Rasmussen ’35 recently donated the cost of reprinting 500 copies of “Upon This Hill,” written by M. Gorton Riethmiller, who served as Olivet’s president from 1957-70.

Through Riethmiller’s firsthand experience as a student, alumnus and president, the book recounts the college’s history from post World War I to 1970. Copies of the book can be purchased for $34.95 by calling (269) 749-7394 or e-mailing bookstore@olivetcollege.edu.

Excerpt from “Upon This Hill:” “In spite of its smallness, the campus possessed a kind of dignity and grace that appealed to me. There was an aura of venerability that led me to believe I had found my proper college. I could feel at home here.”

M. Gorton Riethmiller ’28, on his first visit to Olivet’s campus in August 1924

Gift Matching Olivet College alumni, friends and parents may be able to double, or even triple, the amount of their gifts to the college at no additional cost to them.

Many corporations match the gifts their employees give to non-profit and charitable organizations such as Olivet.

These matching programs have been made part of many corporate giving initiatives both to extend the reach of corporate giving and to encourage employees to be actively involved in supporting their communities.

There are more than 7,500 companies that support matching gift programs. To see if an employer has a matching gift program, call the Olivet’s Office of Institutional Advancement at (269) 749-7630.

A company’s personnel or human resources office can provide information on how to process a matching gift, as well.

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Women’s golf team crowned 2006 MIAA champions

BY GEOFF HENSON

E

ntering the 2006 season, the Olivet College women’s golf team was confident it had the talent to win the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championship.

On Oct. 14, Olivet fulfilled that mission and captured its first-ever league title.

The championship was the first for the Comets in a women’s sport since 1980 when the softball team shared the title with Calvin College. The last outright women’s title was the 1974 field hockey team.

Olivet finished with 1,354 strokes, 50 strokes ahead of runner-up Tri-State (Ind.) University. Individually, senior Kristy Latimer of Battle Creek was crowned the 2006 MIAA League Medalist.

“Jumping out to a 26 strokes lead after the first jamboree was really big for us as it set the tone for the whole conference season,” said fifth-year Head Coach Bill Maas ’89. “The lead gave us a lot of confidence and also allowed us to relax a little bit. We did not have quite as much pressure at the end of the season.

“Kristy has been focused on becoming the league medalist since her sophomore year when she was first-team All-MIAA. Things did not work out like she expected last year. As a result, she put things back in order, kicked it into high gear and had an outstanding conference season this year.”

Also earning first-team All-MIAA honors were senior Stephanie Nicolai of Shelbyville and sophomores Trisha McKim of DeWitt and Lindsay Pipkin of White Lake. Junior Amanda Sanders of Concord was a second-team All-MIAA selection. Olivet became the first school since 1995 to have four golfers named first-team All-MIAA. Overall, Olivet won or shared the team title at eight-of-10 tournaments on its fall schedule. Pipkin had the lowest

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Olivet College’s women’s golf team was crowned the 2006 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champions Saturday, Oct. 14. Front row from left: Amanda London, Stephanie Nicolai, Kristy Latimer. Back row from left: Head Coach Bill Maas ’89, Megan Rimmel, Katie Misko, Amanda Sanders, Lindsay Pipkin and Trisha McKim.

scoring average at 84.3 in 12 total rounds. She also set a school record with a 74 at the Aquinas College Invitational.

Latimer was next with an 84.8 average, followed by McKim, 85.8; Nicolai, 86.5; and Sanders, 87.0. Freshman Megan Rimmel of Ithaca averaged 84.3 strokes in MIAA play. Playing as an individual scorer, she was not eligible for All-MIAA honors.

The next goal for the Olivet women is to qualify for the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championships May 8-11 in Florida.

This year, the MIAA will receive an

automatic berth to the championships and the bid will be given to the winner of a three-round playoff during the spring.

“We are obviously the favorite to earn the MIAA’s berth,” Maas says.

“Nothing is guaranteed at this point, but we are in great position, and the players are excited about the possibility of going to nationals. It is something that we have talked about the last three years.”

COMET NEWS AND NOTES

Athletics update Under the leadership of Gary Morrison, the men’s golf team had a successful season, finishing in secondplace in the overall MIAA standings.

Olivet posted an eight-round total of 2,431 strokes.

Individually, junior Joe Kiss of East Leroy earned firstteam All-MIAA honors, while Joe Kiss sophomores Brock Gleadall of Stratford, Ontario, and Justin Lesansky of LaSalle, Ontario were second-team All-MIAA selections.

Kiss was fifth in the final player standings with a 74.0 stroke average.

Gleadall averaged 76.0 strokes, which placed him seventh. Lesansky was 12th with a 77.6 stroke average.

Under the direction of Head Coach James Farnum, the softball team finished the 2006 season with a 24-12 overall record and fourth in the MIAA with a 10-6 mark. The Comets broke three single-season school records – wins (24), home runs (22) and triples (21).

In addition, Erica Anderson of Casnovia set school career records with pitching wins (44) and innings pitched (468).

For her efforts, she earned 2006 Erica Anderson first-team AllMIAA honors.

In addition, Danielle Martin and Alisha Ridsdale of Lansing earned second-team All-MIAA honors.

Anderson and Nick McIntosh of Petoskey were selected to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic AllDistrict IV second-team for softball and baseball, respectively.

Women’s tennis player Rachel Vilums of Hudsonville earned secondteam All-MIAA honors for the second consecutive season.

Two student-athletes were named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic AllAmerica® teams.

Stephanie Green of Leroy was selected to the Women’s Track/ Cross Country third-team, while Dustin Meisner of Temperance Dustin Meisner was named to the Men’s At-large third-team. Meisner is a member of the men’s swimming and diving team.

Athletic facilities enhanced This summer and fall, some improvements have been made to two of Olivet College’s athletic facilities. The first was the construction of a press box at the soccer field. The press box was designed and built by Development Officer Ed Heator ’80. Helping him on the project were members of the Comet athletic staff.

Two soccer practice fields were developed on nine acres of land across from the Cutler Athletic Complex.

The soccer teams will use the fields beginning summer 2007 for camps as well as practices next fall.

Tom Shaw ’88 was appointed director of athletics June 1. He served as Olivet’s vice president for enrollment management the previous four years.

Shaw’s background includes serving as director of athletics at Kellogg Community College (KCC) in Battle Creek from 1997-2002. He Tom Shaw ’88 also worked as a coach and administrator at Olivet for nine years prior to accepting the KCC job. While at KCC, Shaw was named the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Athletic Director of the Year in 1998-99.

John Miller began his duties as head volleyball coach in January. Prior to joining the Olivet staff, he was on the volleyball staff at KCC for five years. In 2005, he served as the Bruins’ head coach and from 2001-04, he was an assistant coach.

Ted Mahan is Olivet’s new head baseball coach. Mahan previously served as the head baseball coach at Michigan State University from 1996-2005.

In July, Mike Sparks was named the strength and conditioning coordinator.

Prior to becoming the strength coach, he was an assistant football coach at Olivet and the athletic director at Maple Valley High School in Vermontville for five years.

Sparks is also the defensive coordinator for the Comet football team.

Ed Heator ’80 designed and built the new press box for Olivet’s soccer programs.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL NOV. 17-19 17 19 21 25 28 DEC. 15 19 20

GARY MORRISON TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT CONCORDIA 7 P.M. ANDREWS 3 P.M. SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 7:30 P.M. @ Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) 3 p.m.

MADONNA 7:30 P.M. @ Defiance (Ohio) 3 p.m. vs. Carthage (Wisc.)

1:15 p.m. vs. Marietta (Ohio) 11 a.m./1:15 p.m. or Bridgewater (Va.) vs. Westminster (Pa.) 5 p.m. vs. Lynchburg (Va.) 2/4 p.m. or Marietta (Ohio) ALMA * 7:30 P.M. @ Hope * 3 p.m. @ Tri-State (Ind.) * 7:30 p.m.

ADRIAN * 3 P.M. CALVIN * 8 P.M. KALAMAZOO * 3 P.M. @ Albion * 7:30 p.m. @ Alma * 3 p.m.

HOPE * 7:30 P.M. TRI-STATE (Ind.) * 7 P.M. @ Adrian * 7:30 p.m. @ Calvin * 3 p.m. @ Kalamazoo * 7:30 p.m.

ALBION * 7:30 P.M.

29 30 JAN.

FEB.

3 6 10 13 17 20 24 27 31 3 7 10 14 17

SWIMMING AND DIVING OCT.

13 21 28 NOV. 3 11 18 DEC. 9 JAN. 12-13 20 28 FEB. 8-10

@ Saint Mary’s (Ind.) * 5 p.m.

MIAA Relays @ Jenison High School 1 p.m. @ Hope * 1 p.m.

CALVIN * 6 P.M. @ Hillsdale with Ohio Northern 1 p.m.

ALBION * 1 P.M. @ North Central (Ill.) Invitational 1 p.m. CT @ Chicago (Ill.) Invitational all day @ Alma * 1 p.m. @ Kalamazoo * 1 p.m.

MIAA Championships at Jenison HS Preliminaries each day 10 a.m.

Finals each day 6 p.m.

NCAA Division III Women’s Championships TBA @ University of Houston (Texas) NCAA Division III Men’s Championships TBA @ University of Houston (Texas)

MAR. 8-10 15-17

BOLD and CAPS denote home event. * Indicates MIAA contest

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NOV.

DEC.

JAN.

FEB.

18 19 22 25 26 29 2 13 16 29 30 4 6 10 13 17 20 24 31 3 7 10 14 17

vs. Thiel (Pa.) vs. Wooster (Ohio) or Lake Erie (Ohio) ROCHESTER @ Wilmington (Ohio) vs. Bethany (W.Va.) MADONNA TRI-STATE (Ind.) * @ Kalamazoo * @ Albion * COLLEGE OF WOOSTER (Ohio) @ Aquinas SAINT MARY’S (Ind.) * @ Adrian * HOPE * @ Alma * CALVIN * @ Tri-State (Ind.) * ALBION * @ Saint Mary’s (Ind.) * ADRIAN * @ Hope * ALMA * @ Calvin * KALAMAZOO *

1 p.m.

TBA 3 P.M. 6 p.m.

1 p.m.

7 P.M. 3 P.M. 7:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

3 P.M. 1 p.m.

7:30 P.M. 3 p.m.

7:30 P.M. 3 p.m.

6 P.M. 3 p.m.

7:30 P.M. 7:30 p.m.

3 P.M. 5:30 p.m.

3 P.M. 7:30 p.m.

3 P.M.

WRESTLING NOV.

18

DEC.

2 9 14 16 29-30

JAN.

7 13-14

18 20 26-27 FEB. 1 3 10 17 MAR.

2-3

COMET DUALS 9 A.M. (AT OLIVET HIGH SCHOOL) @ Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of 9:30 a.m.

Technology Invitational @ Ohio Northern Invitational 9 a.m.

CHICAGO (Ill.) 7 P.M. @ Eastern Ohio Duals @ Mount Union 11 a.m. @ Midlands Championships 9:30 a.m./noon @ Northwestern (Ill.) @ Tri-State (Ind.) with Mount Union (Ohio) 11 a.m. @ NWCA National Dual all day Championships @ Northern Iowa vs. Grand Valley State club team TBA @ Manchester (Ind.) Spartan Mat Classic 9 a.m. @ Wheaton (Ill.) Invitational 1:30 p.m./9 a.m.

MUSKEGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE 7 P.M. @ Wabash (Ind.) Monon Bell Duals 9 a.m.

Mid-States Conference 9 a.m.

Tournament @ Tri-State (Ind.) NCAA Division III Midwest 9 a.m.

Regional @ Case Western (Ohio) NCAA Division III Nationals @ Loras (Iowa) 10 a.m.

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Grafton “Mac” Thomas ’37 completed a 10K race in July 2006 at the age of 90.

He has participated in more than 20 races benefiting the American Cancer Society.

He and wife, Ruth ’38, live in Northport.

Arthur Stratemeyer ’51 observed his 50th year of ordination in June 2004 and his 50th wedding anniversary in December 2004.

E-mail Arthur at astrat@sbcglobal.net.

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Alumni Council Update

BY RICH HAMANN ’85, PRESIDENT It is truly an honor and privilege to once again be president of the Olivet College Alumni Council. Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees, President Tuski and his administration, Olivet College is moving in a positive direction.

I have never been more confident that this college is in great hands, and the future has never looked brighter.

Olivet Rich Hamann ’85 College has started a bold new initiative called the High School Guidance Counselor Scholarship Program. The Alumni Council is dedicated to helping the enrollment management team at college nights and to speak to guidance counselors near our hometowns about this new scholarship opportunity. If any alumni are interested in helping with this program, please contact Larry Vallar ’84, vice president for enrollment management, at (269) 749-7500.

If you are interested in being a part of the continued growth of Olivet College by joining the Alumni Council, please contact me at (269) 344-2844 or via e-mail at Rhamann85@aol.com.

Jack Fowler ’44 is one of 250 people from across the nation who is up for the fifth annual Volvo for Life Award. In 1957, he founded the Fowler Center, an outdoor camping facility for youth and adults with special needs. The camp now serves more than 3,000 disabled campers each year. E-mail Jack at chhfounder@aol.com.

Mary Jo (Sternlight) ’45 and Richard J. Miller ’46 live in Cincinnati. He has done several sculptures around Cincinnati including one for Xavier University, Cincinnati’s Bicentennial, Adath Israel Synagogue and Cardinal Pacelli School. E-mail them at rjmiller@eos.net.

Deane Miars ex’46 lives in Texas, where he designs embroidery patterns for Mary’s Designs, which his wife produces on an embroidery machine. E-mail Deane at dhmiars@aol.com.

Rosalind (Blumenthal) Schmorak ’46 and husband, Marcel, live in Tennessee.

Rosalind, a charter member of the International Society of Poets, has been writing poetry for many years and has written two books, “Magnetic Moments” and “Two Miracles.” In 1999, she was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the Republican members of the U.S. Senate; it is the highest honor the Republican senators can bestow.

She has also taught English as a Second Language.

Dorothy (Campbell) Bryant ’48, Jean (Cassel) Shultz ’48 and Joyce (Johnson) Pierson ’49 first met as freshmen in 1944, when they joined Sigma Beta. They celebrated their 80th birthdays this summer at Joyce’s home in Rockford.

Marilyn (Swanson) ’57 and Bruce Chapman ’58 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 25. Marilyn teaches in the Bloomfield Hills school system and continues to sing with various professional groups.

Bruce is retired from teaching drama in the Bloomfield Hills school system. They have five children and 11 grandchildren. Their e-mail address is mbc1956@hotmail.com.

Ted Chock ’57 is retired after 30 years as an intermediate school counselor with a total of 37 years with the department of education in Hawaii. He has been coaching the Kalani High School bowlers for more than 40 years.

He and wife, Ruth, have two sons and a granddaughter. E-mail Ted at rnt96816@hotmail.com Joyce (Angerer) and Dick Craig, both ’57, are retired. Dick was a supervisor at U.S. Steel in Gary, Ind., and Joyce was an electron microscopist at Chicago State University. They spend their winters volunteering at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. Dick is also a Stephen Minister at his church. This fall, they took a cruise to Greece. They have a son, a daughter and five grandchildren. Their e-mail address is ajo-orpi@sbcglobal.net.

Dan Eagles ex’57 is a retired middle school science teacher and counselor. He volunteers with Habitat for Humanity. Dan and wife, Rosel, have a son and a daughter, Stephanie ’86.

Kathleen (Graubner) Eubank ’57 and husband, Jim, are retired from their business as independent insurance agents. They have three children and three grandchildren.

E-mail Kathleen at eubankagy@msn.com.

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Mike Farrand ’57 and wife of 52 years, Lois, are living in a retirement village in Portage.

They keep busy volunteering at their church and with the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion. They have two sons, a daughter and four grandchildren. E-mail Mike at farrands_folly@prodigy.net.

Bob King ’57 is retired after teaching for 28 years. He still coaches and manages half of the stadium ushers at the University of Michigan during the football season. Bob and wife, Judy (Milliman) ’59, have two daughters.

George Rock ’57 is retired after working 36 years as a dentist. He still owns the car he drove while at Olivet, a 1947 Ford Sportsman. He and wife, Carol, have five children and nine grandchildren. E-mail George at rockgnc@aol.com.

Paul Funk ’57 is retired, having worked as a Detroit police officer and for the Liqueur Control Board. He lives in Florida.

Edgar Martin ’57 and wife, Judy, have been married for 40 years. Edgar is retired from teaching art at Flint Kearsley High School.

They have two daughters and four grandchildren.

John Snyder ’57 retired after working 26 years with Bristol Myers. He and wife, Margaret, have three children and seven grandchildren. E-mail John at msn5421114@aol.com.

Ralph Guenther ’57 retired three years ago after working for 45 years in the photography business.

Bob Moyle ’57 is retired from State Farm in California. He and wife, Julita, are living in Nevada. E-mail Bob at rpm1935@gmail.com.

Ed Spala ex’57 retired as manager of Home Planners, Inc. He and wife, Jacqueline, have four children and 10 grandchildren. E-mail Ed at ejspala@wowway.com.

Jamieson Hawley ’57, a former Adelphic house father, is retired from sales, teaching in Garden City and serving as principal at Wayne Westland Community Schools. E-mail Jamieson at hawleyhill@aol.com.

Van Papastergoin ex’57 and wife, Ruth, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 9. They have four children and 10 grandchildren.

Frank ’57 and Marlene (Rossel) ’58 Hayden will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 15. Both volunteer at Interlochen Center for the Arts and local hospitals. Retired from building custom homes, he still works with his son in the business.

They have four children and six grandchildren. E-mail them at fh8585@aol.com.

Jerry Riddell ’57 is retired from owning four pet stores in New York. He is a volunteer for the fire and police departments. His wife, Nancy (Nixon) ’58, is the corresponding secretary for the Daughters of the American Revolution. They have three children. E-mail them at nancyriddell@adelphia.com.

Maynard Stafford ’57 is retired from the Fremont, Ind., school district where he taught, coached and served as an assistant principal. He and wife, Nancy, have three children and five grandchildren.

Terry Upton ex’57 retired from his company, Dillman and Upton Lumber. Two of his three sons bought the business. He earned a degree in lumber merchandising from Michigan State University. Terry and wife, Bev, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. E-mail Terry at uppy718@aol.com.

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Lansing Lugnuts Alumni Social July 12, 2006

Neal Ballheim ex’59 was presented an Olivet College Leadership for Individual and Social Responsibility Award June 15. Neal is a certified funeral service practitioner and owns Ballheim Funeral Home in Ecorse. He is also active with Rotary volunteer projects, spanning from Mexico to India.

Neal Ballheim ex’59 Neal and wife, Barbara, live in Wyandotte. E-mail Neal at Nballheim@sbcglobal.net.

Anne (Hann) Riddle ex’59 and husband, Richard, moved from California to eastern Pennsylvania in 2003. She is a volunteer at the Episcopal Church of the Mediator in Macungie. They have a son and a daughter.

E-mail Anne at anneriddle@rcn.com.

Larry Schweitzer ’79 and Ed Heator ’80

Paige and Mike O’Mara ’79

1. Alumni Golf Outing – Dave Cutler ’65, Charlie McPhail ’64, Larry Spencer ’64 and John Ryan ’64 2. “Red and White” Luncheon – Distinguished Alumni: Tala Welch ’77, Bill Feddeler ’62, Young Alumni Award recipient Jason Conkin ’97, Grand Marshal Laura Verplank ’38 and President Tuski ’85 3. Reunion with Coach Parsell - George Pyne III ’65, Charlie McPhail ’64, John Ryan ’64, Larry Spencer ’64, Tom Nesbitt ’63, former football coach Stu Parsell and Dave Cutler ’65

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4. Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal Laura Verplank ’38 and Mike Nelson 5. ’60s Social at Schuler’s - Larry Hice ’68 and wife, Carolyn, Bob Fein ’69 and wife, Joan 6. The Comet football team defeated Adrian, 13-10.

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1960

Bill Lucas ’66 retired in January from John Thielmann and Son Heating & Air Conditioning in Hartford, Wisc. Bill now collects and sells clocks.

Carolyn (Langridge) Wiles ’63 works with husband, Charlie, with the IAQ Council, offering certification programs for indoor air quality professionals. E-mail Carolyn at iaqstuff2@hughes.net.

Marcia (Simonds) Thatcher ’66 retired in June after teaching first-grade in Potterville for 33 years. Marcia and husband, Ron ’65, have three sons, Robert ’90, Richard ’93 and Ron ’94 and nine grandchildren.

E-mail Marcia and Ron at R-Thatcher@sbcglobal.net.

Sandy (Mesrobian) Fordyce ’64 and husband, Curt, live in Maine and have been married for 30 years. She retired from teaching in Michigan in 1997. Sandy now writes a column for two weekly newspapers.

They have three children and six grandchildren. E-mail Sandy at smfordyce@midmaine.com.

Connie (Nestle) Schultz ’68 and husband, Harry, live in Colorado Springs, Colo. They have a daughter and a granddaughter. In September, Connie visited Olivet for the first time since she graduated.

Charlie Marx ’67 retired in 2004. He was a librarian at the University of WisconsinLa Crosse. E-mail Charles at marx.char@uwlax.edu.

Dale Perry ’64 has worked 41 years as an investment advisor for Ameriprise Financial Services. He and wife, Linda, spend four weeks a year in Punta Cuna, Dominican Republic. They have four children and nine grandchildren.

Sharon (Stebbins) Crosier ’68 retired after 36 years of teaching in the Rockingham, Vt., School District, where she was the Teacher of the Year in 2002. She earned a master’s degree in teaching with Internet technology from Marlboro College Graduate Center in Brattleboro, Vt., in 2005. Sharon is working part-time as the computer teacher for the Weatherfield (Vermont) Middle School and is the district technologist. E-mail Sharon at scrosier@sover.net.

Jack “Jock” Rader ’64 and wife, Marilyn, have been married for 36 years. He is the manager of a petroleum wholesaler and is developing a tower leasing and equipment rental business. Both are active in the First Congregational Church in Charlevoix and the Rotary Club of Petoskey. E-mail Jack at jrader@racc2000.com.

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Connie (Nestle) ’68 and Harry Schultz

Steve ’68 and Pat (Tidmore) ’70 Yamin live in Brooklyn, N.Y. Steve is a salesman for Zee Medical Service and an artist whose works have been shown in the United States and Europe. Pat owns and operates “Come Quilt with Me,” a mail order quilting supply business with her son, Jared. She also manufactures their own line of acrylic templates and the “Brooklyn Revolver,” a rotating cutting turntable. She has authored two books and is working on a third. E-mail Pat at comequiltwithme@aol.com.

Lake Orion Alumni Social - July 29, 2006 Hosted by Larry ’64 and Marilyn Gaskins

Jim Briney ’69 is the pastor at the Oro Valley United Church of Christ in Arizona. His wife, Sandra (Garlington) ’70, is a fiber artist.

They have a son, Juan, and a daughter, Jen, and one grandson. E-mail them at sjbriney@msn.com.

George Mobley ’69 retired in 2003 after having taught fifth-grade in Gibralter for 35 years. He and wife, Pat, have one son.

E-mail George at geomob@hotmail.com.

Larry Gaskins ’64, Jayne and Bill ’64 Saybolt and Marilyn Gaskins

1970 James McKee ’71 is a counselor at Walled Lake Schools and Oakland Community College. E-mail James at hockeymckee@yahoo.com.

Rev. Bruce Redner ’73 is a board member for a psychiatric service, which helps victims of child molestation. He also works for an aged and disability care service in Perth, Australia. E-mail Bruce at redner@abanet.com.au.

Martha ’61 and Howard ’59 Bondy, President Tuski ’85, Karen and Dick ’63 Penhallegon and Randy Root ’71

7. 40s and 50s gathering at Schuler’s - Charles ’46 and Andrea (Hallett) ’46 Scott and Carolyn (Edwards) Christensen ’46 8. Retiring George Pyne’s football jersey - President Tuski ’85, George Pyne III ’65 and Athletic Director Tom Shaw ’88 9. 50th Reunion at Schuler’s – Dave Thompson ’56, Jim Walter ’56, Sarah (Engle) Lawrence ’56 and Robert Springer ’56 10. At the game – Joe Cagle ’61, Del Walden ’61 and Bill Spokes ’63

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11. Homecoming Queen and King – Katrina Williams and DeWitt Dawkins

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Chris Czopek ex’74 and ’91 works for the Michigan State Police. He left Olivet in 1972, worked for a newspaper, served six years in military intelligence, volunteered for an archaeological dig in Israel, and then returned to the college. Chris also worked as a tour guide at the Capitol Building in Lansing and a photographer for the state Senate. Interested in Civil War history, Chris is known for his research of Michigan soldiers. He speaks at Civil War round tables and Genealogy Society meetings. E-mail Chris at historydetective@aol.com.

Julia Kraus ’74 has been promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve. She is serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Va. During her 31 years of military service, she has earned three awards of the Julia Kraus ’74 Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and three awards of the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal. She earned a master’s degree in 2001 from the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. E-mail Julia at Julia.kraus@us.army.mil.

Thomas ’76 and Caroline (Selden) ’77 Barnett live in Virginia. Tom works for the Army’s Department of Defense as a computer programmer/analyst and continues to write poetry and paint. She works for the Public Broadcasting Service and is a volunteer with the Homeless Animal Rescue Team. Their e-mail address is T2354@aol.com.

Detroit Tigers Alumni Hosted by J. Ro

Linda Kay Bolen ’76 teaches sixth-grade science at the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona. She and sons, Sasha, 15, Jeffrey, 12, and Timothy, 9, travel to Michigan every summer to visit friends, relatives and Linda Gyomory ex ’77. E-mail Linda at Linda.Bolen@tusd1.org.

Carol (Villinger) Hardwicke ’77 and husband, Lawrence, live in Virginia. Lawrence is a retired Navy captain. They recently sold their three NAPA stores. E-mail Carol at BelleSwann@aol.com.

Alan Parshley ’77 is a member of the Vermont Symphony and Albany Symphony orchestras and on the music faculty at the University of Vermont (UV). This summer, he taught, performed and administered the Pitten International Music Festival, a three-week event in Austria. Last March, he hosted the Northeastern Regional Horn Society meeting at UV, a two-day workshop of more than 20 concerts, lectures and presentations by horn players from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The Pitten Festival was also a mini-reunion of Olivetians (see picture below). E-mail Alan at Maestrodicorno@aol.com.

Tiger Club Dining Room

Dennis Daugherty ’70 and David Shall

Class of 1974 Soronians gathered at the summer home of Vicky ’74 and Mike ’73 Kimling in Sandpoint, Idaho, Aug. 1-5.

Present were Linda (Weipert) Allison, Jan (Baird) Armstrong, Merilee Jay, Vicky (Houghton) Kimling, Cathy (Closz) Ray, Catherine (Delahant) Sanders and Kay (DeFields) Scofield.

Beth (Fleming) Brown ’75 works for Sagemark Consulting in Orlando. E-mail Beth at bfleming-brown@LNC.com.

Anna Goodwin ’75 earned a master’s degree in pastoral studies from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, May 14. E-mail Anna at goodwinannal@sau.edu.

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(See note above) In Graz, Austria from left: Mark ’77 and Tina (Sandor) ’78 Bunce, David Jackson ’78, Jean (Shaffer) Blair ’75, and Alan Parshley ’77

Way up north

BY MARTY (MASON) JENNINGS ’67

i Social - Aug. 18, 2006 obert Gillette ’63 Jon ’69 and Nancy (Baugh) ’70 Sahli

H. Robert Dittmer ’78 lives in Cedarburg, Wisc., and is a member of Quattro Horns, a quartet that performs music for special occasions. He is also the band director at West Bend High School. E-mail Robert at rdittmer@wi.rr.com.

1980 Dr. Dave ’80 and Kim (Kirk) ’81 Byrens celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with family and friends at their Duck Lake cottage. Kim is employed at Olivet College as a visual and performing arts recruiter.

They have two children, Brittany Lea, 21 and Kirk Michael, 17. E-mail them at dbyrens@aol.com.

Mark Veich and J. Robert Gillette ’63

Michele Rutherford ’77 is a program manager for the city and county of San Francisco where she administers a $40 million budget in child care subsidies and support programs. In August, she worked as a consultant to the New York City Office of Management and Budget, advising on child care subsidy budget and contract process design. She and partner, Erin-Kate Whitcomb, have two sons, Parker, 6, and Hayden, 4.

E-mail Michele at sfmmr@comcast.net.

Laurie (Amari) Walton ’77 is a Broadway and television actress, and director of a teen theatre company called Riverdale Rising Stars.

Her husband, Bob, is a Broadway and television actor and writer. They have two children, Emily, 18, and Alex, 14. E-mail Laurie at waltones@aol.com.

Tanya Urcavich ’80 and Amy (Dwoinen) Peterson ’89 both attended the Baker College Online Faculty Conference and Graduation Ceremony in June 2006. Amy is married to Scott Peterson ’88. She earned a master’s in education from City University in curriculum development and online instruction and a doctorate in education Amy (Dwoinen) Peterson ’89 (left) from North and Tanya Urcavich ’80 Central University in educational technology management. She has been teaching at Baker College for seven years. Scott is a federal agent and pilot for Homeland Security.

They live in Corpus Christi, Texas and have one son, Nickolas, 10. Tanya has worked for Baker College for 14 years and lives in Chesterfield. E-mail Tanya at Tanya.urcavich@baker.edu and Amy at apeter987@aol.com.

Harold Mason ’82 is director of purchasing for the Dexter Axle Company in Indiana.

He and wife, Jennie Wang-Mason, have two children, Justin, 24, and Edward, 15. E-mail Harold at HMason@dexteraxle.com.

Lesley Gilbert-Schinbeckler ’82 has a dental practice in Indiana. She has one son, Grant, 9. E-mail Lesley at lkgilbert@sbcglobal.net.

Joanne (Lyons) Tulppo ’70 never thought about living in the Upper Peninsula; it was just a place she visited while on vacation with her husband. But she now finds herself owning and operating the North Port Motel in Copper Harbor, which is at the very tip of the Upper Peninsula – about a five and a half hour drive beyond the Mackinac Bridge and 574 miles from Olivet.

According to Tulppo, the Joanne (Lyons) Tulppo ’70 1950s motel was previously owned by her in-laws and consists of six rooms and four cabins. From April through October, visitors go to the area for bird watching, kayaking, canoeing, walking, fishing and the remoteness.

When Tulppo is not managing the motel, she can be found serving as the deputy treasurer for Grant Township or bartending at Zik’s in town.

Tulppo’s husband, Ed, works at Michigan Technological University, where he’s been doing asphalt research for the state the last five years. They have two children: Eric is married and lives in Ionia and has a daughter, Aili, while Jamie is a student at Lansing Community College.

Tulppo’s twin sister, Jan (Lyons) ’70 Hoeflinger, is retired from Sparrow Hospital, where she was an accountant.

She has been married for 35 years, has two daughters and six grandchildren.

Tulppo has fond memories of her time at Olivet. She reflects back to when ~ ~` family arrived from Senorita Campana’s ~ Cuba, and Senorita ran up to her in the Kirk Center yelling, “Juanita, Juanita come and meet my family!” Pledging Sigma Beta and living in the Sigma house also bring back pleasant thoughts of her years on campus.

Tulppo may be reached via e-mail at jtulppo@pasty.com.

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John Ropp ’84 is director of the AlbionHomer United Way. He lives in Concord.

Sandra (Vedder) Boyer ’85 has been reappointed to a second year as chair of the Economics of Law Committee for the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Section. Her law firm, Anderson Boyer Group, in Ann Arbor, consults and provides focused assistance to law firms in all business and marketing areas. Sandra is also the executive vice president of the Network of Leading Law Firms. E-mail Sandra at sjb@andersonboyer.com.

Catherine (Page) Huggins ex’85 earned an MBA with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Iowa. She serves as assistant vice president and director of corporate communications at Western & Southern Financial Group, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Cincinnati. Catherine and husband, Jeff, live in Walton, Ky. E-mail Catherine at catherinehuggins@insightbb.com.

Todd Miller ’85 is the vice president of sales and development for All Weather Billiards in Bonita Springs, Fla. He has seven children: Maxwell, 15, Alexandra, 13, Brendan, 8, Damaris, 5, Chloe, 4, Broderick, 3, and Montgomery, 1. E-mail Todd at tdogmiller63@yahoo.com.

Paul French ’86 lives in Gig Harbor, Wash., and works for Civigenics as a clinical director, providing substance abuse treatment within the Washington State Department of Corrections.

He and wife, Lory, have three children, Graham Rose, 6, Nicholas, 4, and Douglas, 2.

E-mail Paul at paul.french@civigenics.com or wolfmeis@comcast.net.

Roger “Scott” Wyman ’87 is director of the Cass County parks system. He is the father of five children.

Rob Bertrand ’89 and wife, Pam Lightvoet, have two children, Emma Paige, 5, and Samantha Grace, 2. E-mail Rob at robbertrand@sbcglobal.net.

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A few Soronians and Phi Alphas spent the weekend of Sept. 10–13 in Saugatuck. Front row from left: Dave Johnson ’88, Tony Hale ’90, and Tracey Lawie ’91; back row: Jeff Koch ’90, Amy Prevo-Johnson ’90, Dudley Williams ’91, Joe Columbo ’90, and Bahaa Qasawa ’90.

Whatever happened to Bill Beard?

BY MARTY (MASON) JENNINGS ’67 For four years in the ’60s, Bill Beard produced memorable theatre productions at Olivet College. During the 1962-63 academic year, five theatrical productions were performed for the first time in the Oaks Theatre in downtown Olivet: “Once Upon a Mattress” was the first of the series, followed by “They Saw the Whole Zoo,” “A Study in Color,” “The Bald Soprano” and “The Philadelphia Story.”

In 1963-64, Beard wrote and directed “Out of It,” a parody of Olivet. Others that year included “Antigone” and “The Nativity.” The following year featured “Come Blow Your Horn” and “Long Days Journey Into Night.”

A talented performer, Beard formed “The New San Francisco Public Library Parking Lot String Quartet,” which featured Pete Papageorge ex’68 on guitar, Bob Donaghey ’66 on banjo and guitar, Beard on stand-up bass and Bill Batten ’67 on the guitar.

When he left Olivet, he taught at Keene State College in New Hampshire, Bates College in Maine, and the New England College in Henniker, N.H., and a second campus in Arundel, West Sussex, England.

He also taught at Rockford College in Illinois, before he retired to his historic house near the banks of Rock River in Illinois.

Beard has been a travel agent for 20 years. His favorite destination is the United Kingdom, a place he has visited 49 times. He has also traveled to most of Europe as well as Algiers, Australia, Egypt, India, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

He has also been on many cruises, including trips Bill Beard to Singapore, Hong Kong and Osaka. He has traveled all over South America and has hosted numerous trips to Alaska, the last one being a 15-day tour this past summer.

Beard’s other interests include serving as a newspaper theatre critic, which he has done for 37 years. He stays involved in theatre, where he works as a consultant, and is a set and costume designer for local groups. Within the last four years, he took up a new hobby – landscape design, where he has created a couple of prize-winning gardens.

Beard may be reached via e-mail at BLBunbury@aol.com.

Loren Partlo ’89 is the principal at Coleman High School. After Olivet, he went into the U.S. Army, fought in the first Gulf War, and became an aviation officer, flying Black Hawk helicopters in Kosovo. Loren earned a master’s degree from Central Michigan University and is working on his doctorate in educational leadership. He and wife, Margaret, have three children.

Milwaukee Alumni Social - Sept. 30, 2006 Hosted by Bill ’64 and Jayne Saybolt

1990

Bill ’64 and Jayne Saybolt and Bill Lucas ’66

Amy Prevo-Johnson ’90 is a part-time faculty facilitator in Schoolcraft College’s Learning Assistance Center. She meets with students who are on financial probation and helps them by suggesting strategies and campus resources they can use. She and husband, David ’88, have a son and daughter.

John Gossett ’91 and wife, Annie, live in Grand Rapids. He earned a master’s degree in social work from Grand Valley State University and works in a private practice.

They have two daughters, Abby, 9, and Karina, 8. E-mail John at johnalle2003@yahoo.com.

Rev. Thomas Richard, Ph.D., Marty (Mason) Jennings ’67 and Jayne Saybolt

Rick Babbitt ex’93 was inducted into the Plainwell High School Hall of Fame in March.

He was named the school’s outstanding athlete in 1988-89.

Steve Hettinga ’93 is the head men’s basketball coach at MacMurray College in Illinois. Steve was the assistant coach at Lake Michigan College and also served as Olivet’s head men’s basketball coach.

Denny Frank ’94 is an assistant professor of counseling and human services at Roosevelt University in Chicago. E-mail Denny at hedshrinkr@hotmail.com.

Brian Hug ’94 is the new football coach and athletic director at Pahrump Valley High School in Pahrump, Nev. Earlier this year, Brian coached the Port Huron Pirates of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League to a record of 12-0.

Tracey Mollencopf ’94 is a stay-at-home mom and jewelry maker. She and husband, Rob, live in West Bloomfield. E-mail Tracey at REckenrod@comcast.net.

Heather Staniszewski ’94 won the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Award during Honor’s Day at Sego Middle School in Augusta, Ga., where she has been teaching art for 12 years.

E-mail Heather at stano@aikenelectric.net.

Simon Camaj ’95 is director of customer service and support for the employee benefits business of the Fort Dearborn Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Health Care Service Corporation. E-mail Simon at sicamaj@yahoo.com.

Marty ’95 and Kelly (Stevenson) ’95 Castellon have been married for eight years and have a daughter, Lauren, 6, and a son, Ryan, 4. Marty is working on a master’s degree in sports administration at Wayne State University. He also coaches football at Walled Lake Western High School. Kelly is a registered nurse at Providence Hospital in Southfield. E-mail them at Cmartykelly@aol.com.

William Massey ’95 is living in Ypsilanti and is self-employed as a disability advocate.

Laurie Ward ex’96 takes care of her elderly grandmother, who attended Olivet in the 1940s. E-mail Laurie at laurieward@yahoo.com.

Shelly (Gullett) Das ’98 and husband, Ashish, live in North Olmstead, Ohio. They both work at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. E-mail Shelly at shellymariebean@hotmail.com.

Roi Carthy ’99 is living in Israel, where he works as a marketing communications manager. Married in 2003, he and wife, Yaffa, have a son, Cole, 1. E-mail Roi at roi.carthy@gmail.com.

John “Jay” Lovendusky ’99 is an account executive for ABC affiliate WGTU in Traverse City and WGTQ in Sault Ste. Marie. E-mail Jay at jaylovendusky@yahoo.com.

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2000 Kristina (Youmans) Richmond ’00 is working for the Belding Police Department.

She and husband, Dale, have two sons, Zeke, 5, and Jackson, 3. E-mail Kristina at kzjdrich@sbcglobal.net.

Steve Hicks ’01 is working on a master’s degree in history at Western Illinois University.

He also teaches in secondary schools in southeastern Iowa. E-mail Steve at SR-Hicks2@wiu.edu.

Kathryn Roche-Wallace ’01 is a 45-yearold athlete, mother of six and a full-time fitness specialist at Oaklawn Life Improvement Center in Marshall. From June 30 to July 4, Kathryn participated in five triathlons in five consecutive days and set a world triathlon record.

Navneet “Bunny” Singh ’01 is living in New Delhi, India, working in the family business, manufacturing and exporting stainless steel architectural fittings to Europe and Australia. E-mail Bunny at navneet@inoxhardware.com.

Jeena (Bowers) Smith ’01 manages agents to develop their skills in insurance and investment areas at Western & Southern Financial Group in Kalamazoo. Her husband, Jeffrey ’02, is an advanced broadband and fiber optics telecommunications supervisor for maintenance and construction for ACI in southwestern Michigan. E-mail them at badassjb@hotmail.com or Jeena.smith@wslife.com.

Mike Dyson ex’03 played forward on the Elkhart (Ind.) Express Basketball team this spring. The Express won the International Basketball League Championship with a 23-2 record. E-mail Mike at dicebigballin@yahoo.com.

Nadia (Commenitchi) Taylor ’03 is living in Alabama, working as a clinical support specialist for Computer Program and Systems Inc. E-mail Nadia at sweetiepea_18@hotmail.

Concerned about the welfare of children According to Lynne (Dorman) Meservey ’67, she works for one of the best companies in America. For the last three years, she has been the director of new center development for Bright Horizons Family Solutions, a company that provides child care, early education and work/ life solutions to hospitals, universities and many Fortune 500 companies.

Meservey works with clients and architects to design child care facilities. She assists facility managers to develop and supervise pre-opening enrollment processes, operational decisions, purchasing and coordinating of move-in and setup of corporate daycare centers throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

Meservey has always been concerned with the welfare of children, beginning after college when she taught Lynne (Dorman) Meservey ’67 kindergarten and first-grade. This led her to open her own child care center. In 1978, she moved to Texas and became a senior executive for a national child care company. Meservey went on to lead Child Care Management and Associates and created Hearts Home Early Learning Center, the first accredited infant and toddler program in the nation. Throughout her career, she has designed, opened or transitioned more than 100 centers.

When not traveling for work, Meservey calls Marshall home. She has two grown children and six grandchildren. E-mail her at lmeservey@msn.com.

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Dave Keeney ’05 is the elementary and middle school general music and band director at Plainfield Elementary School in Meridan, N.H. E-mail Dave at crocketdave@attbi.com.

Eric Martin ’05 is in graduate school studying journalism at Wayne State University. He is the jazz editor for The Record magazine.

E-mail Eric at blu.jazz@yahoo.com.

Meghan Egan ’06 is teaching math at Stone Memorial High School in Crossville, Tenn. E-mail Meghan at meghan_egan55@yahoo.com.

Elizabeth Flanary ’06 is teaching seventhgrade English at Legg Middle School in Coldwater. E-mail Elizabeth at eaflanary@yahoo.com.

Stephanie Green ’06 is a cost accountant at the VanAndel Institute in Grand Rapids. She also works with young adults at the Harvest Worship Center Church in Cadillac, where her father is the pastor.

Michele Michalek ’06 is working at the Heifer Project International in Arkansas. E-mail Michele at michelecmichalek@gmail.com.

Wendy Mickelwait ’06 traveled to Washington, D.C., Boston, San Diego, Chicago and New York City this summer, teaching high school students about medicine and healthcare fields. She attends graduate school at Michigan State University, studying microbial and population genetics. She also works for the head Ingham County pathologist in Lansing. E-mail Wendy at wmickelwait@hotmail.com.

Ryan Morris ’06 is working as a commercial underwriter with the Indiana Insurance Company, a member of Liberty Mutual Group.

E-mail Ryan at RyanM.Morris@IndianaIns.com.

Kelley Watson ’06 is teaching algebra at Niles High School.

New York City Alumni Socials - Oct. 19-20, 2006 Hosted by Office of Alumni Relations Oct. 19 Front row: Carole and Gayther ’62 Myers, and Erik Biscoe ’98 Back row: Marty (Mason) Jennings ’67, Steve ’68 and Pat (Tidmore) ’70 Yamin, Marilis Soitu ’97 and Alice Steinberg ’51

MARRIAGES Harvey Whitman II ’76 and Judy Lunde, June 3, 2006, in the First Presbyterian Church of Lansing. Harvey is an engineer with General Motors. E-mail Harvey at hewhit@comcast.net.

Donna Weidendorf ’85 and John Anderson, Sept. 9, 2006, at the Western Golf and Country Club in Redford. Donna’s family includes father Charles Weidendorf ’55, and aunt Beverly Weidendorf ’60. Other Olivetians at the wedding were Kathleen Eubank ’57, Susan Bernard ’85, Tim ’84 and Lisa ’86 Whalen, and Cari ’87 and Tom Zupko ’87.

Shelly Gullett ’98 and Ashish Das, July 25, 2005.

Navneet “Bunny” Singh ’01 and Mehaa, Oct. 1, 2006, in India.

Oct. 20 Caroline (Goldberg) Parker ’45, Pam Heos ’77, Marty (Mason) Jennings ’67 and Ron Fazio ’68

ALUMNI CALENDAR FRIDAY, DEC. 15 Holiday Social Birmingham Athletic Club Hosted by Bob Gillette ’63 FRIDAY, MARCH 2 Sarasota, Florida Social Hosted by Liz ’70 and Jim ’70 Moore SATURDAY, MARCH 3 Marco Island, Florida Social Hosted by Gayle and Tom Kolassa ’69 MONDAY, MARCH 5 Jupiter, Florida Social Hosted by Winifred and Sandy Aranyos ’68

HELP FIND LOST ALUMNI Through the years, Olivet College has lost contact with some of its alumni. A complete listing is available at www.olivetcollege.edu/ lost_alumni.htm. If you have updated information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (269) 749-7644 or alumnirelations@olivetcollege.edu.

Donna Weidendorf ’85 and John Anderson

Jeena Bowers ’01 and Jeffrey Smith ’02, March 2006 at Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica.

Olivetians in the wedding were Roger ’99 and Shelly (Burzycki) Phillips ’98, Emilee (Bowers) Sheets ex’00 and Erika Hinga ’01.

STAY CONNECTED WITH OLIVET COLLEGE CLASS NOTES Turn yourself in for Shipherd’s Record Class Notes. Send your notes to the Office of Alumni Relations, 320 S. Main St., Olivet, MI 49076.

You may also e-mail your information to alumnirelations@olivetcollege.edu.

E-NEWSLETTER You don’t have to wait for Shipherd’s Record to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at Olivet College. Subscribe to Olivet’s free monthly E-newsletter. Developed with alumni and friends in mind, the E-newsletter contains news and notes about Olivet’s students, faculty, staff and alumni. This service is only available to those alumni and friends who subscribe, so sign up today by sending an e-mail to collegerelations@olivetcollege.edu.

Glen Pafford ’03 and Jamie ’04, Nov. 26, 2005 at All Saints Church in Rossford, Ohio.

The reception was at the Crystal Gardens in Southgate. Olivetians involved with the wedding were Adam ex’02 and Shannon (Smith) ex’02 Evans, Devin Geiger ’02, Ryan Swartz ex’02, Kristi Barker ’03, Lindsay (Brunworth) Luna ’03, Nick Sharp ’03, Andy Boyd ’04, Melissa Chovance ’05, Jenna Little ex’06 and Aaron Knowlton, an Olivet senior. E-mail Jamie at jhinkle16@hotmail.com.

Jon Kohn ’05 and Kelly Jo Bottum, Sept. 16, 2006, at the Holy Family Catholic Parish in Caledonia.

Mark Long ’06 and Jenna Little ex’06, July 22, 2006.

WEB SITE Visit the Olivet College Alumni Web site at www.olivetcollege.edu/alumni for the latest news and events.

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BIRTHS Suzanne (Michener) Bronson ’93 and husband, John, a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, May 19, 2006. She joins brother, John Michael, 3. E-mail Suzanne at sjbronson@hotmail.com.

Rebecca (Babcock) Losey ’93 and husband, Christopher, a daughter, Abigail Tessica, Sept. 16, 2005. E-mail Becky at becky@losey-farms.com.

Dawn Thomas ’93 and husband, Michael, a son, Joseph Daniel, May 11, 2005. He joins brothers, A.J., 11, and Matthew, 6. E-mail Dawn at Dawncthomas@aol.com.

Dr. Paul Stoetzel ’94 and wife, Robyn, a daughter, Rylee Hope, Oct. 13, 2006.

She joins brother, Jacob, 2, and sister, Tyller, 8.

Barbie (Yates) Gaglio ’95 and husband, Jeff, a daughter, Harper Mary-Grace, July 24, 2006. E-mail Barbie at Yates_barbara131@yahoo.com.

Shelly (Gullett) Das ’98 and husband, Ashish, a daughter, Grace Alyson, March 30, 2006.

IN MEMORIAM Kathleen “Norine” (Clayborn) Gustafson ’30, May 15, 2006.

Marion Bradley ’31, July 2006.

E. Harold Ode ex’36, March 15, 2006.

Virginia (Rose) Johnston ex’39, Aug. 10, 2006.

Harriet Senf ’39, Oct. 1, 2006.

Bruce Nash ’40 in 2006.

Philip B. Edwards ’42, April 30, 2006. He is survived by son, Chris Edwards ’68.

Jim Rogers ’43, April 29, 2006. He is survived by wife, Mollie ’44, who may be reached via e-mail at r_mollie@bellsouth.net.

Norma (LeVesconte) Goldstein ’45, in 2006.

Rachel (Chavez) Baker ’99 and husband, Tom, a daughter, Jaelyn Taylor, March 9, 2006.

She joins sisters, Allie, 9, and Brooklyn, 3.

E-mail Rachel at rbjbaker@yahoo.com.

Michelle (Sadley) Buchanan ’99 and husband, Eric, a son, Derek Reece, April 3, 2006.

Jessica (Davenport) ’00 and Jason Creager ’03, a son, Chipper John, May 5, 2006. Family members include grandmother Ponja Vahs ’03, uncle, Justin Creager, an Olivet student, and cousin, Christine Cameron, an Olivet freshman.

Chipper John Creager

Leslie (Mitchell) ’01 and Jeremy Brown ’02, a son, Kobe, May 17, 2006. He joins sister, Kylie, 2.

Stephanie (Elsie) ’02 and Travis Gessner ’04, a daughter, Olivea Ann, March 27, 2006.

Joan (Johnson) Wagner ’45, Sept.

30, 2006. Donations in her memory may be sent to Olivet College for the Joan Johnson Wagner ’45 Endowed Alumni Council Scholarship Fund. One of her four daughters is Alex Wagner ’70.

Marie (Morton) O’Shaughnessy ’46, November 2004.

FORMER FACULTY, STAFF AND FRIENDS. Lou Collins, a long-time resident of Olivet, received the city of Olivet’s highest honor, the Oaks Award, at a special retirement party held July 19. He was Olivet’s tax assessor for more than 30 years.

From left: Mike Love, Karla Kunkle and Rev. Jack Brown

Karla Kunkle and Mike Love were married by Rev. Jack Brown July 15, 2006, at the Olivet Congregational Church. Karla was Olivet’s director of annual giving and donor relations from 1998 to 2005.

David Pywell ’69, Sept. 3, 2006.

Donations in his memory may be made to the David C. Pywell Memorial Scholarship Fund at Olivet College.

Christine Hyatt ’72, October 28, 2006.

Arnold R. Walker ’73, July 14, 2006.

Justin M. Torres ex’06, April 14, 2006.

Robert Summerfield ’50, April 8, 2006.

He is survived by wife, Margaret ’44.

FORMER EMPLOYEES

Donald Erskine ’62, Oct. 1, 2006.

Doris Harrington, April 22, 2006. Doris was an Olivet College employee from 1963-95.

Joseph Brewster “Bruce” Kahler ’66, March 3, 2006.

Tim Boal ’69, Oct. 31, 2006.

Randall “Randy” Hamlin ’69, Feb. 13, 2006.

Alice Elizabeth McClure, March 15, 2006.

Alice was a housemother in Shipherd Hall.

One of her two daughters is Caryl (McClure) Henkel ’64.

Edward Speare, Ph.D., Nov. 1, 2006, professor emeritus of biology.

(See story on page 2.)

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