Alumni
CONNECTIONS FALL 2014
Alumni gathered for a group photo at the August 2014 SKS and SKSM reunion: Those attending (not in order in the photo) were: Katherine Rathe Clifton ’45, Gloria de Silva Gierke ’45, Catherine Arp Waterman ’45, Jane Bettendorf Vieth ’50, Maryann Berger Tyler ’54, Meg Schmitt Pollock ’55, Mary Ann Thompson Zogg ’58, Jane Levy Williams ’60, John Higgins ’60-’63, Kathy Koivun Anderson ’65, Mimi Greer ’65, Ana Torstenson Kehoe ’65, Martha Levy Neal ’66, Karin Ficke Cook ’66, Anne Johnston Haas ’66, Jeanne Gottlieb Flynn ’66, Molly Odegard Nikolic ’66-’68, Rev. Lisa Carlson ’61-’68, Kate Schofer Johnston ’69, Jenny Tyler ’66-’75, Lynn Knox Carstens ’71, Gay Foster ’71, Lynn Johnson O’Hern ’71, Ava Preacher ’71, Vickie Palmer Pruter ’71, Ruth Johnson, Leo Schubert, and Madeline Schmitt, former teachers, Rev. & Mrs. Marlin Whitmer, and current staff and faculty members Todd Zachary, Rod Ossowski, and Gwen Livingston Pakora.
All Classes Reunion Brings Generations Together
Thirty-four St. Katharine’s and St. Katharine’s-St. Mark’s alumni along with former teachers from 1940’s through 1971 “came home” to a special reunion held on the original St. Kit’s campus on August 3, 2014. The event also celebrated the 130th anniversary of the founding of the school (1884) and for most it was their first revisit back to their old school. After an invocation by Rev. Marlin Whitmer, alumni from as far away as California reminisced over “Wheel” yearbooks, photo displays, and other memorabilia. After touring the old campus, a luxury bus took the alumni to the “new” school campus at Rivermont Collegiate in Bettendorf. There they toured the historic Bettendorf Mansion, saw the newest additions to the school, and viewed many more photos, items, and memorabilia that have been preserved there after the school moved in 1973. Among
these: the original School Bell, St. Katharine statue, Mass mound alter, class stones monument, and stained glass windows. They returned to the Renwick Mansion for a catered lunch, more smiles and laughter, and final farewells. A similar reunion was held on August 2 on the Bettendorf campus for any alumni who had attended classes there as St. Katharine’s-St. Mark’s students (1973-2001) or Rivermont Collegiate students (2002-present). That event brought together approximately a dozen alumni, with several bringing their small children to see their alma matter.
These were the first “All Classes” reunions held in several years and both were deemed “a great success” by Rod Ossowski, the Director of Development & Alumni Relations at Rivermont. “This reunion has been one of our primary goals since I came on board here in October of 2012, and it was a thrill to see alumni from all three schools enjoying the event and returning to their original campuses,” he said. “We hope to do more of these, as well as some regional alumni gatherings around the country, in the future.”
Above Left - From left to right: Rod Ossowoski, Cathy Arp Waterman ’47, Gloria Desilva Gierke ’45, Jane Bettendorf Veith ’50, Karin Ficke Cook ’65, Rev. Lisa Carlson ’61-’68 Above Right - Mary Ann Thompson Zogg ’58 & former PE teacher and coach Ruth Johnson
Rivermont Collegiate | 1821 Sunset Drive | Bettendorf, IA 52722 | T: (563) 359-1366 | F: (563) 359-7576
Welcome Home! A New Era in Alumni Relations With my arrival just about two years ago, the need soon became clear.
Rod Ossowski, Director of Development & Alumni Relations
Quite frankly, we hadn’t been doing a very good job in keeping in touch and communicating with our alumni. That (we hope) is beginning to change. With such things as the recent “All Classes” alumni reunion held in August, the new alumni pages on our website (rivermontcollegiate.org) and with this long awaited issue of Alumni Connections magazine. Our plan is to publish at least twice each year with the next issue scheduled for April. We hope you will send us “news and notes” that we can include. Another challenge I discovered early on was that with three school names and two different campuses over the years, many alumni felt disconnected. In searching for a common thread – something that all of our alumni could relate to – we came across the idea of finding a way to reinvigorate the “IMP-TIGER” rivalry among alumni. No matter the school name or location, this remarkable tradition has endured for decades going back to the earliest days of St. Katharine’s School. It still continues today at Rivermont, where every new student and faculty/staff member is “sorted” upon arrival and becomes either an IMP or a TIGER “for life”. For details on the new “IMP-TIGER ALUMNI CHALLENGE “ see page 6. Finally, I began to personally relate when contacted last year by my old elementary school asking for my alumni support. Since graduating from there over 40 years ago, the school had merged with several others, underwent new construction, and changed names, My first reaction to the request was “no” and I remember thinking “THAT is not MY school anymore.” But after a visit back and a chance to meet current students, I realized that what really mattered was not the physical building or even the old name. What really mattered was what was still taking place inside those classrooms and the continuation of a legacy. What mattered was that the school was still true to the original mission and core values. That the spirit of the school had not changed. But most importantly those students were just like me 40 years ago. They were following in my footsteps with the same hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. I couldn’t let them down. Yes, I did make a gift. It wasn’t as much as I would have liked, but the significance of it gave me a special feeling of being connected again.
Reunion Booklet Available
We promise in the days and months and years ahead to work to do our best to continue the connection with you, our alumni. You are our most valued of resources and you hold the future of the next 130 years of this institution in your hands.
Lost & Found
If you would like a free copy of the August 3, 2014 Reunion Booklet please contact the Alumni Office at ossowski@rvmt.org or 563-359-1366 ext. 314
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Help us reconnect by going to our website at www. rivermontcollegiate.org and clicking the “ALUMNI” tab at the top, then click onto the “HELP US RECONNECT” tab. Take a look at the alumni listed in your class decade and please let us know if you have any information on any of them. As we continue to organize more alumni events and put out more communications we want
to have our records as up to date as possible. Also so that we can help others reconnect alumni with fellow classmates.
We Need Your News You can now use the same website above to update us of any address or email changes as well as any news on family, career, or other alumni.
Rivermont Middle School ROLF Team at the International Robotics Competition in Bello Horizante, Brazil.
From Slide Rules to Robots
Robotics Team Represents USA
In September 2014, our Middle School robotics team “Robots on the Floor Laughing” (ROFL) was the only US representatives chosen to go to the International Robotics Competition in Bello Horizante, Brazil! The team won competitions at the local and state levels to qualify. Iowa Lieutenant Governor
Kim Reynolds came to Rivermont on August 22 to see the team off. Upon their return, the team went to Des Moines to meet with Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. The Robotics program was started in 2012 and has grown to several award winning teams in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools.
ROLF Team with Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds
Thanks to a 1971 Alumna
Historic School Bell Gets Place of Honor Class of 2014 is first to “Ring Out” at new site
The Class of 2014: Jena Davison (University of Iowa), Summer Lawrence (Case Western Reserve University). Victoria Mbakwe (University of Pittsburgh), Amanda McVey (Hollins University), Shravya Pothula (Baylor), and Ming Sui Tang (Iowa State) become the first class to Ring Out at the new site and become our newest alumni. Current Rivermont teacher and parent Leigh Ann Broders Schroeder ’89 (far left) rang the Bell one final time on behalf of all alumni.
May 30, 2014 became a historic day at the school when the graduating class of 2014 became to the first to carry on a time-honored tradition…but at a new site. Since the school moved from Davenport to Bettendorf in 1972, the historic old school bell had resided in a less than prestigious spot behind the Bettendorf Mansion. It was there, for the next 40 years, graduates performed the timehonored tradition of “ringing out” at the conclusion of their commencement ceremony on in relative obscurity.
brick monument located in front of Becherer Hall, in the middle of campus. The site has quickly become a favorite spot for photos and the bell will be rung not just for graduation, but also to celebrate sports team victories and other school and student accomplishments. We hope to “wake up the neighborhood” often, thanks to Gay!
But thanks to Gay Foster ’71, who provided a donation in memory of her parents, the bell was refurbished and moved to a newly constructed
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Class Notes Marcia Rosen Silverman ’49 lives in Florida. She recently sent in a 1949 Wheel, several Ears & Whiskers issues, and three SKS catalogs for the school archives. Marcia has a daughter in charge of admissions at CUNY, a son who is a guidance counselor at a high school in Connecticut, a son teaching technical studies at a high school in New Hampshire, and a daughter teaching children with special need, in Florida. Dr. Nancy Bookidis, ’56 lives in Athens, Greece and is a retired archaeologist and the Assistant Director Emerita of the Corinth Excavations, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Nancy has twice spoken by Skype to Rivermont’s social studies classes during their Dr. Nancy Bookidis study of Greece. During the live classroom Skypes she interacted with the students discussing her work and her days as a student at St. Katharine’s. She also “Skype met” Rivermont student Loring Telleen ’15 (granddaughter of fellow SKS classmate Maryann Berger Tyler ’54) and winner of the annual “Bookidis Award” named in honor of Nancy’s father, and given for highest GPA. Rose Mary Simpson Mets ’57 lives in Phoenix and is working with the Alumni Office to plan a gathering of SKS/SKSM/RVMT alumni living in the southwest sometime in the spring of 2015. Watch for details. Jean Hesler Anderson ’58 lives in the horse ranch country of the Rio Verde Foothills of Arizona and owns horses. She is active in the Arizona Horse Council and the Cave Creek Saddle Club. She is also an avid reader and very politically involved with her Arizona legislators. Melinda Smith Heiberg ’60 lives in Michigan. Her father, Gordon V. Smith, was the Episcopal Bishop of Iowa at the time she attended St. Kits. Sherry Simmons ’65 lives in in California. She recently emailed her regrets on not being able to attend the All Classes reunion in August, but her appreciation for receiving the “Coming Home” commemorative reunion book. Ava Preacher ’71 is an Assistant Dean and Associate Director of the Office for Undergraduate Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She has been with the Office since 1993 and oversees the Arts and Letters Majors Fair, transfer student orientation, and is the pre-law advisor. Mike Romkey ’72 is the Assistant Managing Editor/Online & Print Publishing for the Dispatch/Argus in the Quad Cities. H also plays mandolin, fiddle, and guitar with the Barley House Band, a Celtic band that plays traditional Irish and Scottish music. He also produces the Bucktown Review, a monthly review of humor, music, and storytelling performing in Davenport.
Katherine (Kitty) Priester Grevas ’75 Kitty is the co-owner of Theo’s Java Club in Rock Island. Maria (Robin) Nelson Janosik ’81 lives in Virginia and wrote that after while attending the University of Central Iowa she studied abroad in Paris (1982-83). She is now a flight attendant traveling mostly overseas to Europe, including Geneva, Brussels, and Paris. Her husband is an FAA inspector in D.C. Eric Christian Olsen (1986-88) is a former SKSM student and lives in California where he stars in the CBS television program NCIS: Los Angeles as well as appearing in several other movies and TV productions. Dr. Carla Arnell, ’87 lives in the Chicago area and is Associate Professor of English at Lake Forest College. She received her PhD in English from Northwestern University and specializes in Classical and Medieval Literature, History of the British Novel and Genre Theory. She has published several articles and has received numerous awards and honors including the William Dunn Award for Outstanding Teaching and Scholarly Promise from Lake Forest College in 2007. Dr. Rula Bayrakdar Garside ’89 lives in Maryland. Although she sent her regrets being unable to attend the August reunion, she is currently a licensed psychologist practicing in Washington, D.C. She earned her PhD from The Catholic University of America. She has been in private practice since 2005 and is proficient in Arabic and French. Matt Roberts ’89 is head writer for “Late Show with David Letterman” and received a Creative Arts Emmy Award in 2011. Matt credits his teachers at SKSM from preschool through graduation as having nurtured and encouraged his interests, curiosity, and self-expression. He recently Matt Roberts wrote: “The entire school community – parents, faculty, and students – comes together to create a uniquely supportive environment in which to learn, create, and grow. I consider myself very fortunate to have spent my formative years among such caring, dedicated people.” Julie Lundahl Bixby ’92 lives in Minnesota and stopped in to visit while she was in the Quad Cities last summer. Michael Novello, III ’95 lives in New Hampshire and reports that his son Alex celebrated his 3rd birthday in July and that his first wind farm project in Maine is running well. His sister is Mary Ann Novello Rebhan ’86 and his father is Dr. Michael Novello, SKSM Headmaster from 1983-98, the second-longest serving Head of School in the school’s history.
Continued on page 5
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Class Notes Continued from page 4
Inga Gilles ’99 emailed from Germany that she wasn’t able to agent the recent August reunion because “it’s kind of far away ” but sent her appreciation for our organizing such a big event along with her best wishes to all!
Dr. Ramana Gorrepati with sister Pavane
Dr. Ramana Gorrepati ’05 graduated on May 29, 2014 from the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York and is continuing his studies in the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale University where his sister Pavane Gorrepati ’12 is also a medical student. He sent us a “selfie” with his sister Pavane from outside of Carnegie Hall right after the graduation ceremony.
Moly Slavin ’05 after having received her B.A. (cum laude) at the University of Notre Dame in 1009, she spent a year doing service work for the Urban Justice Center in NYC. From there she headed to Galway where she received her Master’s (First Class) in 2011 in Post-Colonial Literature from the University of Ireland. She is now in her second year of a 5-year doctoral program at Emory University in Atlanta.
Manisha Kumar ’09 graduated from Augustana College in 2013 with a B.A. in Biology and is currently attending the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine pursuing her MD degree. She will graduate in 2017 and plans to pursue a career as a family practice doctor in the Quad Cities after residency. Basilia Koster ’11 received the Mort & Tish Levy Scholarship last July. She is in the Interior Design Program as well as the Apparel Design Program at Iowa State University. She one day hopes to own her own design business. Meghana Pagadala ’12 was selected last year to do continued summer medical science research in the areas of Immunology and T-cells, with Nobel Prize winner Dr. David Baltimore, in his lab at Cal Tech. Alejandra Martinez ’13 and Darcy Ryan ’13 were selected to officially welcome the Class of 2014 into the alumni family and present them with the traditional Jefferson Cups at the 127th Commencement Ceremonies held on May 30, 2014. Alejandra Martinez
In Memoriam Margaret Lacy Zimansky ’32 Passed away in February 2014 in Iowa City at age 97. Evelyn DuPuy Peterson ’38 Passed away in August 2009 in Appleton, WI at age 88. Mary Adelaide von Maur Priester ’40 Passed away in December 2013 in Davenport at age 91. Parent of Katherine “Kitty” Priester Grevas ’75 and Henry “Hank” Priester (’60-’61). Anne Volz Fuller ’46 Passed away in 2013 in Tucson at age 84. Josephine Lippard Earl ’54 Passed away in May 2012 in Bozeman, MT at age 74. Jane Werner Passed away September 2012 in Florida. Wife of Clemens Werner, Sr. (Trustee ’67-’64) and parent of Sue Werner Thoresen ’62. She and Clem created an endowment fund that continues to provide college scholarships to five Quad City area high school seniors each year, including students from Rivermont. Margaret (Meg) Burrows (LeGrand) Passed away in December 2012 in Michigan at age 99 ½. A loyal donor to the school for 60 consecutive years. Wife of John M.D. Burrows (Trustee ’58-’71) and parent of Margaret A. BurrowsGetz (’63-’71)
Madame Christine Young Passed away in August 2013 in Des Moines at age 91. Former French teacher at the school in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. Her ashes were spread in France. Tom Gildehaus Passed away in March 2014. Father of Allen Gildehaus ’87. He and his wife Mary Waterman Gildehaus ’65 (who passed away in 2009) were both loyal and dedicated supporters of the school. Charles Broders Passed away in October 2014 in East Moline at age 76. Father of Leigh Ann Broders Schroeder ’89 and Grandfather to current Rivermont students Lauren and Olivia Schroeder. Served as Plant Engineer at SKSM from 1988-94. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann, who also served as Administrative Assistant at SKSM for many years. Gethel Sparrow Passed away in October 2014 at the age of 93. She gave 42 years of dedicated service to the school from 1964 until 2006 first in the alumni office and later as Business Manager. Grandmother of Amy Field ’98 and mother of Marsha Field who is the current Assistant to the Business Manager at Rivermont and who has worked at the school since 1987
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Students Lead the Way to Fight Hunger Following in the footsteps of generations of alumni, today’s Rivermont students continue to serve the needs of their community. Each year our students actively participate in the annul six week “Student Hunger Drive” that involves 17 high schools throughout the Quad Cities. In 2013, we placed first among Division C high schools (see photo) with 248.2 pounds of food collected per student and this year in 2014, they did even
better, winning Division C again with 13,384 total pounds of food collected to total 297.2 pounds of food per student! That was also the most pounds per student of ANY of the other 16 high schools of all sizes! Last year’s effort was led by the Supper School Student Council and this year’s drive was led by the Upper School National Honor Society. We are proud of our Imps and Tigers!
Announcing the “Imp-Tiger Alumni Challenge” Are you an Imp or a Tiger? Remember when you were “sorted” and your designation was “for life”? Do you miss the Imp-Tiger competition you had in school? Join the new “Imp-Tiger Alumni Challenge Fund” with a gift to the school to see which “house” can contribute the most between now and the end of the 2014-15 school year on June 30. We will keep you updated on the current total on the Alumni page of the school website at www.rivermontcolegiate.org and announce the winning “house” on July 1st! Complete, clip out & mail this form
Name:
Mail to: Imp-Tiger Alumni Challenge Fund c/o Rivermont Collegiate 1821 Sunset Drive, Bettendorf, IA 52722
Grad year or year(s) of attendance:
Address: Amount i would like to donate: $___________________________ Check enclosed: (make payable to rivermont collegiate) bill me: Credit card charge: VISA MasterCard Discover Imp?
Tiger?
Credit Card # Exp. Date:
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Security Code:
Screenshot of Rivermont Collegiate website
Loula family
Milestones
Faculty members Linda Hampton, Sue Johnson, and Kathy Topalian retired at the end of the 2013 school year. Linda had taught science since 1984, Sue had taught mathematics since 1973 and was serving as Lower School Director and Kathy had taught elementary classes since 1981 and was a Senior Master. Carol Loula retired sixth-grade teacher and
administrator at SKSM for 22 years and husband Jim celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August 2013. They were Alleman High School’s homecoming King and Queen five and a half decades ago and have been together ever since. They celebrated part of their Golden Anniversary weekend by returning to the Bettendorf Mansion to take photos with family members.
The school passed a major milestone this year with the launch of a new website that includes a special section devoted to Alumni news and information. Visit the website at: www.rivermontcollegiate.org
All in the Family This school year we have 9 alumni with 17 children collectively attending Rivermont and carrying on the Imp-Tiger legacy!
• Vicki Wilcox ’78 - Son in 6th • Amy Tyler Telleen FS ’85-’87 - Daughter in 12th • Amalia Portillo ’89 - Children in 3rd, 4th, 7th & 10th • Leigh Ann Broders Schroeder ’89 - Children in 5th • • • • •
& 8th Dr. Rajesh Alla FS ’83-’89 - Children in Kindergarten, 4th & 7th Dr. Paula Arnell ’90 - Daughter in Kindergarten Rakesh Alla FS ’83-’91 - Daughter in Jr. Kindergarten Dr. Arvind Movva ’84-’92 – Two children in Jr. Kindergarten & one in PreSchool Danielle Bowen Gorbach ’03 – Son in PreSchool
SKS Regional Alumnae Gathering Planned for Phoenix Rose Mary Simpson Mets ’57 and Jean Hesler Anderson ’58 are planning a regional gathering of all SKS alumna living in Arizona and the southwest for a date yet to be announced in March of 2015. If you are a SKS alumna and would like more information or think you might be interested in attending please contact either Rose Mary at rosemarymets@gmail.com (602) 375-1349 or Jean Anderson at redbug@gorvw.net (602) 390-6806, by Dec. 31.
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Rivermont Collegiate 1821 Sunset Drive Bettendorf, IA 52722
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LastLook In 1966 the competition was fierce between the Imps and the Tigers with each team pulling hard for the trophy! Pictured are Jeanne Gottlieb (Flynn), Tiger Co-Captain; Tory Good (Kane), Tiger Captain; Annie Morris (Blaisdell), Imp Captain; and Barb Brosious, Imp Co-Captain. Do you have fond memories of Imps vs. Tigers? Let us know! We will print some in our next issue coming in the Spring 2015.