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Embracing technology WE READ AND HEAR A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HOW WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE. Email seemed such an innovation a couple of decades ago and it is hard to believe that Facebook is eleven years old and Twitter is now nine years old. A couple of years ago, commentators were pointing to the rise of MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, which can enroll hundreds of thousands of students in a single class, as evidence that higher education would soon go the way of the newspaper industry. Students would simply enroll in the MOOC of their choice while “brick-and-mortar” colleges would soon vanish in favor of their virtual counterparts. Less impassioned observers recalled that higher education has heard similar predictions of its demise in the past. For example, if one re-reads some of the articles about MOOCs and substitutes the words “radio” or “television,” then one has recreated the arguments about technology and higher education from the Twenties and the Fifties, respectively. Rather than being undermined by these technologies, higher education has embraced them and improved teaching and learning in the process. That is certainly true in Simpson’s case. For example, our communications program teaches students how to communicate through all forms of media, including radio, television and the various social networks. Our faculty are incorporating the 2 SIMPSON COLLEGE
best and most relevant pieces of MOOCs into their own courses, augmenting their teaching by taking advantage of the presentations of the world’s foremost experts. Our students have the benefit of these guest lecturers while maintaining close interactions with Simpson faculty members. I suppose that there are two lessons for all of us to remember. First, the modern university is centuries old and has not only survived half a millennium of disruptive technologies, but has also embraced those technologies and improved them. Simpson has been playing its part in this process since 1860 and continues to do so today. Second, none of these technologies alone or taken together can improve the quality of our communication and dialogue without intensive writing, critical thinking and familiarity with the varieties of human inquiry. Simpson has done, and will continue to do, its part to ensure that our dialogue conveys substance and meaning. Speaking of technology, our science faculty and students are using an atomic force microscope to build structures from DNA, but that is probably a discussion for another time. Sincerely,
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4 A SIMPSON SUCCESS 7 THIS IS SIMPSON 8 FACULTY PURSUITS Marv VanWyk Faculty Accomplishments 11 CONTINUING & GRADUATE PROGRAMS 12 AROUND CAMPUS 14 COVER STORY Technology Through the Ages 23 ATHLETICS 24 CHAPLAIN’S MESSAGE 25 EXTRA! Simpson Opera: La Calisto Carver Medal Ceremony Riley Research Farm John C. Culver Public Policy Center 29 TOURING THE YEARS
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35 CALENDAR OF EVENTS On the cover: Senior Kyle Hauswirth (upper right) is plugged into the latest technology. Other photos courtesty of Dunn Library. See story Page 14.
The Simpson magazine is published by the Office of Marketing and Public Relations. Send correspondence to themagazine@simpson.edu.
THE MAGAZINE Jay K. Simmons Simpson College President Produced by the Office of Marketing and Public Relations Jill Ramthun Johnson ’85 Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations Leslie Byars Diehl ’03 Art Director
Ken Fuson Marketing Writer/Media Strategist
Oscar Preis Web Development Specialist
Danny Fast Digital Content Specialist
Mary Fortune Administrative Assistant
Amanda Leichty ’10 Graphic Designer
Touring the Years Editor Sara Thompson
Office of Alumni Relations Andy English ’05 Director 515-961-1547
Bryan Geelan ’07 Athletics Communication Director
Contributing Writers Ken Fuson Bryan Geelan ’07 Jill Ramthun Johnson ’85
Office of College Advancement Bob Lane ’81 Vice President 515-961-1549
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FAMILY JOE COPPOLA JR. ’76 HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS STARTING. It might require a building the size of Barker Hall to house all the Coppola family members who have Simpson connections. Joe Coppola Jr. met Bobbi Jean Taylor ’77 on a blind date in 1973 with two other Simpson students. The couples became best friends. Throughout their years at Simpson, Joe was a star football player and president of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Bobbi studied elementary education and was involved in the Pi Beta Phi sorority. The two were married in August of 1975. Flash forward about 25 years. Ali Priestley ’03 was a freshman at Simpson, riding on a plane to a Delta Delta Delta convention. She struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to her, who was her Tri-Delta alumni advisor. In talking about college life, the advisor asked Ali if she was dating anyone. Ali said no, but that a boy named Cary Coppola kept calling her. The advisor happened to be Rose Kleyweg Mitchell ’77, who was on that first blind date with Joe and Bobbi Coppola years earlier. “Oh my goodness,” Rose told Ali. “I watched this kid grow up. Give him a chance.” Cary Coppola ’04 laughed as he retold the anecdote, since Ali Priestley is now Ali Priestley Coppola. “I don’t think any of us have a single negative thing to say about our experience at Simpson,” Cary said. “Everyone gets a smile on their face when they start talking about the different stories that happened at Simpson and the different things we were involved in.” Although all four Coppola boys attended Simpson, Cary said neither parent pushed their children to do so. The oldest son, Joe Coppola III ’00, first attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, but then decided to play basketball for Simpson and Head Coach Bruce Wilson. At Simpson, Joe met his wife, Holly Remsburg Coppola ’00. Joe now works as an attorney in West Des Moines and Holly, who previously worked in public relations, stays home to raise their three children.
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“Everyone gets a smile on their face when they start talking about the different stories that happened at Simpson and the different things we were involved in.” -Cary Coppola ’04
Photos submitted by Cary Coppola ’04 The Coppola family, left to right back row: Emily, Kyle, Cary, Tony, Joe III, Saylor Left to right middle row: Ali holding Lia, Kelly holding Nina, Holly Left to right front row: Carter, Brynn, Bennett, Davis, Maddox, Joseph IV
Tony Coppola ’02 played baseball at Simpson and is now a family doctor in Decorah. His wife, Kelly Davis Coppola ’99, was an elementary teacher and now raises the couple’s three children at home. Cary and Ali live in West Des Moines, where Cary is the CEO of Blue Compass, a digital marketing, web design and development company. Ali, whose mother and brother also attended Simpson, is a school guidance counselor in Des Moines. They also have three children. The youngest son, Kyle Coppola ’07, is a kindergarten teacher in West Des Moines. His wife, Emily, works in the mortgage division of Wells Fargo. She graduated from Iowa State University. Say what—Iowa State? How did that happen? “Yeah, I know—she’s the only one without a degree from Simpson—it was nearly a deal breaker,” Kyle said, laughing.
Joe Jr. and Bobbi Jean Taylor Coppola
Joe Jr. and Bobbi now live in La Crosse, Wis., where Joe, a physician, is the director of a retirement facility. They have nine grandchildren, with the oldest being 10. Can we expect a third generation of Simpson graduates? “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Cary said. “I think my parents are proud that we all went to Simpson,” he added. “It’s an acknowledgment from your children that they approve of the life you’ve lived, the choices you’ve made and that they want to follow in your footsteps.” Every time the Coppolas get together, it’s a Simpson reunion, as well as a family one. “It’s nice, because when we’re all sitting around sharing stories, it allows us to feel as if we experienced Simpson together, and that’s really special for us.” Cary said. ■
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Similar to Simpson, the National Guard has given me a lot of pretty cool opportunities and experiences to develop and grow into a leader as well.” -Mark Meier ’13
Mark Meier ’13 sings the national anthem at the State Capitol during inauguration ceremonies for Iowa’s governor. Photo: Steve Pope 6 SIMPSON COLLEGE
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MARK MEIER ’13 AND SIMPSON SENIOR BEN LEMPKA HAVE DISCOVERED A WAY TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY AND PURSUE THEIR PASSION FOR MUSIC AT THE SAME TIME. Both are current members of the Iowa National Guard’s 34th Army Band. The band tours the state performing music for schools and colleges, as well as for special events like the inauguration ceremony of Gov. Terry Branstad, held in January. One inaugural event was held at the State Capitol. Meier sang the national anthem and Lempka played his bassoon. “Right in front of me was the governor, the lieutenant governor, both U.S. senators and the major general of the Iowa National Guard, so it was a pretty cool, highprofile kind of experience,” Meier said. Meier said he was honored to sing the national anthem, an opportunity that presented itself because he joined the military band. “I think there are two things I always feel pretty proud to do,” he said. “I’ve been a part of the honor guard with the National Guard, which supports military funerals. I think that that’s something that’s a heavy responsibility, but also important. “The second thing would be singing the national anthem for events like (the inauguration). It always makes you very nervous because it’s something that you want to get right. I wanted to represent not just my unit, but in that case I was representing the Guard and the state of Iowa for some of the people who make decisions for how our state will move forward. I always find it to be an honorable thing to do.”
Meier, who grew up in Indianola, was a music education major at Simpson and was involved in the Madrigal and Chamber choirs as well as Phi Mu Alpha. His love for music led him to sign up for the military band during his junior year of college in 2009. In addition to singing, he plays everything from trombone to tuba. Meier was a large influence on Lempka’s decision to join the military band in 2013. “I thought it overall put me in a better place financially,” said Lempka, who is from Council Bluffs. “I am a music major as well, and I thought what better way to do something for the military and something that I’m studying.” Simpson prepared Lempka for his military training. “Besides just studying bassoon at Simpson, I was here three years before I joined the Senior Ben Lempka with Army Band, so that alone prepared me a band supporter. for, and actually made it possible, to join the National Guard band,” Lempka said. “When I went through my training, it was one of those things where you were either proficient on your instrument or you weren’t. If I didn’t have the instruction that I did at Simpson, I probably wouldn’t be in the National Guard band.” To perform in the band’s various performances, Lempka needed a supportive background, which he found at Simpson. “It’s cliché, but I fell in love with the campus,” he said. “My junior year of high school, I took a visit here and that was just the overwhelming factor. I had gone to other colleges, but nothing really jumped out at me like Simpson. On a more practical note, I came here for music and it’s a top-notch music department.” ■
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FOR MOST OF HIS 40-YEAR TEACHING CAREER AT SIMPSON, FROM 1972 TO 2012, MARV VAN WYK TRIED TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE FUTURE. Van Wyk helped create the first computer science major at go last year because of medical reasons, but I’m doing Simpson in 1980, and doing so required him to keep up very well now. Lois and I used to do RAGBRAI on our with the latest changes in computer hardware and software. tandem bicycle (eight times), but she’s sort of retired from RAGBRAI, so I go solo or with my oldest son, Eric, who These days, he may have his iPad with him, “but I’ve sort is a professor of math at the University of Minnesota. of taken a vacation from keeping up with technology.” You certainly sound busy. So you don’t follow every new technological development? I read a lot more. I’m a member of several book clubs, One of the great things about retirement is that I no primarily fiction. I’ve also been reading books by longer have to be up to date on the latest advancements. theologians. It’s a nice change from reading computing But I did read that Apple hopes to have a car for sale and database books. I also enjoy gardening and am by the year 2020. I hope that I’m around and wealthy looking forward to spring. Since Lois is still working, I do enough that I can afford to drive an Apple car, since I’ve quite a few of the household chores. Believe it or not, I been driving Apple computers all these years. halfway enjoy doing that. How do you invest your time these days?
My wife, Lois, and I have three married children and six grandchildren, so we like to spend time with them. We also love traveling. Last year, we took a trip to Kenya and Tanzania. I doubt I will ever experience something quite as remarkable and as memorable as that. We’ve also been to Ireland, and we recently went on a three-week trip to Louisiana. We helped create flood buckets and kits. Lois owns Casual Rags Embroidery and Apparel in Indianola, and I occasionally help there. Do you update her website?
(Laughs) No, somebody else does. With those things, it’s sometimes best to have someone else do it. Will you ride on RABGRAI with Team Simpson again this year?
Was that a surprise?
It’s been more of a surprise to my wife. (Laughs.) She was worried that retirement would be a rough change for me. But it’s nice to read a while, and then do some laundry or cleaning, and then read some more. I’m content with that. I also like to meet Simpson friends for coffee once or twice a week. What do you miss about teaching?
I certainly miss being in the classroom working one-onone with students. It was always a joy to have a student come in with a problem and go to the computer lab for 10-15 minutes and get it figured out. I still hear from some of them, sometimes with a Christmas card, and that’s nice.
I hope to. This will be my 13th time, and I always wanted They don’t e-mail the cards? to do RAGBRAI when I was 70 years old. I couldn’t (Laughs) No, some still send them. ■ 8 SIMPSON COLLEGE
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“Beginning the Launch – Balloon Fabric in Blues and Green” by Bob Kling
Heather Priess Groben, assistant professor of psychology, presented a research presentation titled, “Some People Just Aren’t Good at Math? The Role of Implicit Theories in Mathematics Persistence,” at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence in Austin, Texas. The study followed adolescents across high school and found that those who believed people could get better at mathematics (as opposed to believing some people are simply born good at mathematics) were more likely to enroll in advanced mathematics courses and had higher ACT scores later in high school. Matthew Lau, assistant professor of music, represented Opera America in a series of events sponsored by Opera Omaha and the University of Nebraska in October 2014. In March, he appeared in The Pirates of Penzance with the Pensacola Opera. In June, he will perform at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in a new production of Emmeline by Tobias Picker and The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini. Rosemary Link, associate vice president for academic affairs, co-authored Social Welfare Policy for a Sustainable Future: The U.S. in Global Context with Katherine S. van Wormer, Ph.D., University of Northern Iowa. The book is a resource for human service and social work professionals and offers examples of current policy in practice and addresses contemporary social challenges, such as human trafficking, children’s rights, access to health services and aging.
Bob Kling, adjunct professor of art, completed the 2015 painting, “Beginning the Launch – Balloon Fabric in Blues and Green,” that was auctioned for the National Balloon Classic’s annual fundraiser. Kling also had a painting, “Red Devil,” selected for the Polk County Heritage Gallery’s “Greater Des Moines Exhibited 21.” Mimi Kammer, assistant professor of theatre, presented her paper, “Pericles as Ecodrama: Gender, Environment and Entanglement,” at the 2014 American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) conference in Baltimore, Md. She is a member of the ASTR research group on ecology and performance. Chatt Pongpatipat, assistant professor of marketing, served as a reviewer for a Doctoral Colloquium Track for the 2015 Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference in Denver, Colo. He also had his paper, “The Effect of Product Reviews on Bundled Products,” accepted for presentation at the Social Media & Digital Marketing Track of this same conference. Maeve Callan, assistant professor of religion, published her book, “The Templars, the Witch, and the Wild Irish: Vengeance and Heresy in Medieval Ireland. Callan also presented “Scothín’s Syneisaktoi and Orbile’s Aging: Sisterhood, Syneisaktism, and Sexual Violence in Irish Hagiography,” at the Celtic Studies Association of North America’s Annual Conference at the University of California Berkeley.
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Mike Eckerty, associate professor of music, was invited to be a guest conductor and clinician at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan. He will also be presenting a clinic on bassoon instruction at the Iowa Bandmasters Convention this spring.
William Schellhorn, associate professor of mathematics, and Aaron Santos, assistant professor of physics, along with six Simpson College students, attended the annual conference of Joint Mathematics Meetings, the largest mathematics meeting in the world, held in San Antonio, Texas.
Political Science professors kept busy in the 2014 campaign season by offering expertise on elections and Iowa politics to national and regional news media outlets. John Epperson, professor of political science, was interviewed by Bloomberg Radio, quoted by Real Clear Politics and the Des Moines Register and featured on KCCI 8 News to discuss the U.S. Senate debate hosted at Simpson. Kedron Bardwell, associate professor of political science, was quoted in several regional newspapers including the Omaha World-Herald and the Des Moines Register and gave campaign commentary for MSNBC.com and TIME.com.
Steve Rose, professor of education, presented a TED Talk entitled “Using Story to Promote Pre-service Teachers’ Understanding of Dispositions,” at the National Educator Disposition conference held last fall in Cincinnati. Rose is collecting scenarios on which to build case studies to teach educators about dispositions. They will be completed this summer and made available to teacher preparation programs throughout the nation. This is the third time Rose has been a speaker at this conference.
Lydia Sinapova, professor of computer science, led her algorithms class to collaborate with the chemistry department on three DNA computing projects, which resulted in student abstracts being accepted for poster presentation at the 2015 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Ron Albrecht, professor of music, in collaboration with Capp Audio Productions, produced a CD of live recordings of six of his favorite piano pieces by Franz Liszt and Frederic Chopin. The performances occurred at various recital halls around the Midwest over a 20year period. The recording is available on iTunes and CDBaby. Patricia Calkins, professor of German, Tracy Dinesen, associate professor of Spanish, and Sharon Wilkinson, professor of French, presented a conference session entitled, “Reorganizing the Novice Curriculum around Cultural Discovery,” at the annual meeting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages last fall. Nick Proctor, professor of history, presented a workshop at New Mexico State this February called “Minds on Fire,” focused on the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the events surrounding it. Proctor also co-authored a book with Margaret Storey of DePaul University entitled Kentucky 1861: Loyalty, State, and Nation. The book is in their Reacting to the Past series, of which Proctor is the series editor, and will be published in 2016.
Jan Everhart, associate professor of religion, led a session called, “The Spirit Moving Across the Waters: Elements in/of Biblical Texts,” for the Des Moines Area Religious Council’s annual Winter Thaw adult education. Everhart also had her chapter, “Women Who Love Women Reading Hebrew Bible Texts: About a Lesbian Biblical Hermeneutics,” published in Feminist Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Retrospect, vol. II, Susanne Scholz, editor. Mara Bailey, chaplain, and Jan Everhart, associate professor of religion, worked with a group of United Methodist students to lead the program for the Iowa Methodist Federation for Social Action annual meeting held in Indianola. The topic was “Conversations of Hope: Visions for the Church.” Dave Camwell, associate professor of music, toured Western Canada as a soloist and recitalist with Oasis Quartet, performed in the orchestra for the Des Moines Metro Opera’s performance of Three Decembers and led the 2nd annual Single Reed Symposium at Simpson College. Camwell also was the featured clinician for the Cherokee Jazz Festival and will be a featured performer/clinician for festivals in Iowa, Wyoming and Nevada this spring. John Pauley, professor of philosophy, presented his essay “Affliction, Free Will and Theodicy,” at the Oxford University Symposium on Religious Studies in Oxford, England. A second essay authored by Pauley entitled “The Humanities and Imaginative Inquiry,” was presented at the School of Visual Arts annual conference on Humanities and Visual Arts in New York City. ■
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EDUCATION HERE’S THE CHALLENGE. GO BACK TO COLLEGE. HOLD DOWN A FULL-TIME JOB. RAISE THREE BOYS—7, 12 AND “ALMOST 15”—WITH YOUR WIFE IN NORWALK. “Sometimes I feel like I’m struggling, but I haven’t fallen behind—yet,” said Mike Berger, who is taking classes in Simpson’s Continuing & Graduate Programs to earn a degree in computer information systems. “It definitely takes a lot of dedication to do it, but it is definitely rewarding.” Berger works as a product analyst for Athene USA in West Des Moines. He has been with the company, which specializes in fixed annuities, since 2006. What inspired him to return to college? After all, he already holds a B.S. degree from Drake University in international business and insurance and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. “I always had a love of computers,” he said. “That’s what I originally started out trying to do at a community college. There’s just such a higher ceiling to be in computers and computer information systems in today’s business world than just a standard business degree. “So I wanted to go back to enhance my education and my knowledge when it comes to computers so I can hopefully use that to pivot into a different kind of career.” Berger is currently taking three classes at Simpson’s
West Des Moines campus. He expects to earn his degree this fall and hopes to eventually work as a database administrator or systems administrator. He has enjoyed his time as a non-traditional student. “The working professors, the people that are out there doing it day to day, seem to understand what you’re going through from a studying standpoint as well as a career standpoint,” he said. “It’s been very advantageous for me. I actually like doing the adult learning program better than I ever liked going to school as a regular full-time student.” There has been another benefit: “Everything I’ve learned in my computer courses I’ve been able to apply in one way or another in my current job.” Going back to college may not be easy, Berger said, but it’s worth it.
“I wanted to go back to enhance my education and my knowledge when it comes to computers so I can hopefully use that to pivot into a different kind of career.” -Mike Berger current Continuing & Graduate student
“When everything is said and done is when I’m hoping the big payoff comes,” he said. “My family doesn’t like me being gone or having to study as much as I have to, but they understand what the end goal is, so they’re pretty accepting of it. They know it’s not going to go on forever.” ■
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JUNIOR SCOTT HENRY ARRIVED ON THE SIMPSON CAMPUS EXPECTING TO STUDY MATH AND COMPUTER SCIENCE.
Since the program was announced in January 2013, EMERGE@Simpson has done more than simply emerge on campus. It has taken off.
Little did he realize that he was about to become an entrepreneur.
A total of 111 Simpson students are involved in EMERGE programs this year. The goal is to have as much as 20 percent of the study body participating by 2017.
Henry currently is working on three start-up ideas through the EMERGE@Simpson program. “It’s a really great atmosphere for learning as well as producing work for a lot of different majors,” says Henry, who grew up in Gilbert, Ariz. “It’s pretty exciting.”
“I think it’s doing even better than we expected,” said Chris Draper, director of the program. “It’s working as we envisioned, but even better.”
One project Henry is working on, a phone app that makes it easier for citizens to help police solve crimes, recently was named a finalist for two prestigious awards by the Technology Association of Iowa.
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Simply put, two questions inspired EMERGE@ Simpson’s creation: 1. Why should students have to wait until they graduate to work on entrepreneurial ideas?
2. Wouldn’t doing that work enhance the educational experience Simpson offers? The program is a partnership among Simpson, the Indianola Development Association and the Indianola Municipal Utilities. Basically, anyone—a student, faculty member, Simpson alumni, Indianola resident or local company—can propose an idea and EMERGE@Simpson helps build a team that can turn the idea into a business. The person with the idea maintains majority ownership, but students, community members, faculty and alumni can earn money or equity based on their contributions. “We want alumni to know that EMERGE is a way for them to engage,” Draper said. “We want EMERGE to be a way to turn your Simpson degree into any future you want.” The most successful project to date has been Snitch’n, which allows users to scroll through police mug shots and then alert the officer working on the case if they recognize someone. Simpson student Emma Negrete proposed the idea after watching her father, John, a deputy in the Polk County Sheriff’s Department become frustrated trying to solve a crime. The site now has 6,700 users and more than one million unique page views. Police departments in three states are using the phone app, and Draper expects others to join when they see how helpful it is. For Henry, who worked on the app, “What’s nice is it gives you an actual project to work on, which really helps further my knowledge. It gives me a real-world example and allows people to look at it and work with me on it.” Bob DeGraaff, assistant professor of management, is working with his Capstone class in the EMERGE center. Class projects include: • Caribbean Cultivation, a student-initiated idea, to develop partnerships to communicate ideas for increasing crop yields and sharing other information in the Dominican Republic. • CompleteAccess, a student-conceived idea, to develop a mobile application that functions as a student ID
“Alumni can get involved in these projects as well. We want the alumni to know that EMERGE is a way for them to engage. We want EMERGE to be a way to turn your Simpson degree into any future you want.” -Chris Draper, director of EMERGE@Simpson
card and allows for everything from ordering ahead at campus eateries to checking out library books. • Heartland Global, a Des Moines-based international agricultural investment and development firm, has engaged Simpson students to work on projects in four African countries. • The Mindful Movement Yoga team is working with a local yoga instructor to create a website, marketing strategy and other activities. Other EMERGE@Simpson projects include: • Chow Bank, a project proposed by the Iowa Division of Natural Resources and Eat Greater Des Moines, to connect people and organizations with excess food to food banks, soup kitchens and other people in need of food through a phone app. It’s expected to be launched this spring. “It could be a very efficient way to reduce food waste,” Draper said. • The Modern Dickens Project, in which students produced a serial novel, with each chapter written by a different author. EMERGE students helped publish and market the novel. • Hilo, a talent analytics system, helps companies match the right person to the right job. • PlayTagger, a way for athletes to produce their own highlight reels, which can be sent to scouts or coaches. Your idea could be next. For more information, go to simpson.edu/emerge. ■
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WHEN ROBERTA STARRY KERR ’50 ARRIVED ON THE SIMPSON CAMPUS FOR THE FIRST TIME, SHE BROUGHT A MANUAL TYPEWRITER. When senior Kyle Hauswirth (pictured on cover) returned to campus last fall, he brought a laptop computer, desktop computer, two tablet computers, a PlayStation 4 gaming console and his Android cell phone. Kerr sent her parents in Sigourney a postcard every day. They cost a penny apiece. Hauswirth sends text messages to his parents in Corwith. Sometimes he calls. It’s included in his cell phone plan. Roberta Kerr can’t imagine living in Kyle’s world. “It just blows my mind,” the Indianola woman says. And he, in turn, can’t envision life without his computers and other gadgets. “I cannot,” he says. “I have thought a lot about what that would be like in my life, but I cannot imagine it.” Much has changed in the six decades since Kerr graduated, but the same could be said about any era in Simpson’s history. The Pony Express began in 1860, the same year that Simpson was founded, and technological advances have occurred at a breakneck pace since, in and out of the classroom.
The hard part is keeping up. Marv Van Wyk, a retired professor of mathematics who taught at Simpson for 40 years, helped create the first computer science major in 1980 and served as director of academic computing. “Part of what kept me busy day and night was trying to keep up with the new technology and trying to convince faculty and students what the advantages were of incorporating it into the academic area,” he said. Today, Simpson has 103 students majoring in computer science and computer information systems. “The technology may have changed, but the language and theory behind it has all stayed the same,” said Paul Craven ’94, one of three faculty members who teaches computer science. “I think we’re really competitive in what we offer.” Van Wyk agreed. “The computer science faculty are all excellent teachers and very dedicated to their discipline and students.” The digital revolution has transformed almost every aspect of campus life. In fact, it’s even changed the definition of “classroom.” This summer, Simpson will offer 30 courses that can be taken online. Compare that to the days when Kerr was forced to share one telephone with 35 other young women in the Pi Beta Phi sorority, or when she and husband Chuck ’53 lived in married students’ housing and shared one central phone among 20 couples.
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“It had a very loud ring, so we all could hear it, but it took about 20 rings before anybody wanted to break down and run out there, because after you answered the phone you had to run out and find the right apartment,” she said. “Talk about a change in communication.”
“The kids nowadays, I don’t know if they’d be able to survive the way kids did back then,” she said. “There was a lot more interaction. They weren’t tied to a phone every second, the way they are now. If they missed a call, it wasn’t the end of the world.”
Just ask Kelley Bradder, vice president for information technology. One of her department’s great challenges is meeting the ever-increasing need for bandwidth on campus.
At least one member of today’s plugged-in generation agrees.
In September 2014, for example, a total of 3,500 unique devices were used on campus, including phones, computers and gaming systems. By January, the number had risen to 6,300 devices.
“Face-to-face communication is still the best way to go,” Hauswirth said. “I firmly believe that.” Many of Simpson’s alumni work in tech fields. We’d like to introduce you to four of them on the following pages.
“The phenomenon is called the ‘Internet of Everything,’” she said. “Everything is becoming connected.”
Elsie Weaver
There was a time when everyone at Simpson was connected through Elsie Weaver, the telephone operator for most of the 23 years she worked at Simpson. The first five years were spent with her student workers, operating one of those old-fashioned switchboards in Brenton Student Center.
“Oh, my gosh, all the kids just hung out around there,” she said. “It was the hub of the campus. We knew everything that was going on. The kids loved it. When they brought in direct dial, it got pretty slow and boring.” Kerr says she sees young people sitting next to each other, texting instead of talking to each other, and Weaver wonders if students of generations past had fewer gadgets but more freedom.
In September 2014, a total of 3,500 unique devices were used on campus, including phones, computers and gaming systems. By January, the number had risen to 6,300 devices. 15 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
Photo submitted by Kent Hunold ’86.
KENT
HUNOLD MOST PEOPLE, IT’S FAIR TO SAY, PROBABLY DON’T SPEND MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT HOW ALL THOSE BAGS OF DORITOS, CHEETOS AND RUFFLES POTATO CHIPS ARRIVED AT THE GROCERY STORE. THEY JUST GRAB A BAG AND HEAD FOR THE SALSA AISLE. But Kent Hunold ’86 has spent his career since leaving college thinking about all aspects of the snack food industry, particularly as it applies to Frito-Lay. Hunold now works with the Asset Strategy team at the company’s headquarters in Plano, Texas. Prior to his seven years there, he spent 20 years in manufacturing operations at several plant locations in the U.S. “We’re always growing,” he said. “My team’s job is to stay ahead of that growth. We have projects in place from now through 2016 that have been approved and money set aside for growth.” Frito-Lay operates the largest private fleet of trucks in the industry, with employees that directly service store shelves. It’s a huge advantage to have a direct-to-store delivery system, he said, but it’s also a technological challenge that Hunold has worked on most of his career. “We want control of our products,” he said. “If they’re outdated, we assume the cost. We stay very close to what we’re selling every day and it’s a key component to our success.” It was football, not Fritos, that brought Hunold to Simpson from his hometown of Montrose in southeast Iowa. He played three years at Simpson, and then transferred to Washington University in St. Louis as part of a program that allows students to earn a bachelor of arts degree in three years from Simpson and then earn an engineering degree from Washington University in two years. Today, he’s an advocate for Simpson. His brother, in-laws, and others from southeast Iowa have followed in his path to Indianola.
“Access to learning is available at Simpson, versus access at other colleges, where you might not even speak to a professor.”
-Kent Hunold ’86
“Most kids coming out of high school aren’t ready for a 45,000-student campus,” he said. “They’re ready for 1,000. Access to learning is available at Simpson, versus access at other colleges, where you might not even speak to a professor.” Hunold returned for Homecoming this past fall. “I wish I could do it every year,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of teammates that go back all the time. I probably saw 20 guys that I hadn’t seen for 20 years and that was awesome! My experience with Simpson, I wouldn’t give it up for the world. My technical skills may have gotten me in the door at Frito-Lay, but what I learned at Simpson is largely responsible for my long-term success.” 16 SIMPSON COLLEGE
Photo submitted by Maya Hristakeva 06.
“Simpson prepared me for graduate school by laying a strong academic foundation as well as challenging me to push my boundaries and know when to just go for it.” -Maya Hristakeva ’06
M AYA
HRISTAKEVA B Y M AYA H R I S TA K E VA ’ 0 6
ALTHOUGH SIMPSON IS A SMALL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE, IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, THE PROFESSORS AND THE CURRICULUM WILL HELP GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. I was raised in Bulgaria. I chose Simpson for its computer science program, and I eventually added economics to complete a dual major with a minor in math. This combination of majors would prove to be a critical foundation for what I would decide to do after Simpson. A number of professors had a positive impact on my Simpson experience, but two had the largest influence. Lydia Sinapova, professor of computer science, was my academic advisor. She introduced me to, and helped focus my passion for, algorithms. She encouraged me to participate in conferences and helped me to nurture and cultivate my interests. Marv Van Wyk, professor of computer science, was also a big influence. He was always focusing on introducing the newest technologies. He got me into database systems and data analysis and helped me to realize that when I combined data and algorithms, I was already building core foundations to study machine learning, a discipline of putting these two aspects together.
Eventually, I would attend the University of California Santa Cruz to pursue a graduate degree in machine learning to perfect my algorithm development. Thanks to Lydia and Marv, I was exposed to a network of talent and had an environment that would help me to have the best perspective on this area of study. Simpson really taught me to think critically, or as some would say, “outside the box.” Really, Simpson prepared me for graduate school by laying a strong academic foundation as well as challenging me to push my boundaries and know when to just go for it. Currently I work as a senior data scientist with Mendeley Ltd. in London. Mendeley is a free reference management tool used by researchers and an academic social network. The product we create allows for users to manage and share research papers, discover research data and collaborate online. Although London isn’t as prominent as a technology center as Silicon Valley, I can definitely see it developing. When I look back, I do feel that Simpson’s computer and technology courses were modern in that they allowed for students to graduate and be competitive in the regional technology sector. I had no doubt that when I graduated, I would be able to find a job within my field.
17 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
Photos courtesy Dunn Library archives.
A SIMPSON PROFESSOR PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN BRINGING THE TELEPHONE TO CENTRAL IOWA. The story is included in “Beneath the Whispering Maples,” Joseph W. Walt’s history of Simpson College. Professor George Carpenter, who taught science and literature, immediately understood the significance of Alexander Graham Bell’s invention, which was unveiled at the United States Centennial Exposition, held in Philadelphia in 1876. “As soon as he was able, he purchased two telephones and set up his ‘new talking apparatus’ between his house on Madison Street and his classroom in College Hall, a distance of about a quarter of a mile,” Walt relates. Other demonstrations, including one at the college chapel, followed. “This time he charged admission. He hoped to clear fifty dollars. That would be enough to buy a telephone for the College. He was disappointed when too few were willing to pay twenty-five cents, no matter how wondrous the apparatus.” According to Walt, Carpenter became something of a celebrity when he tested a phone line between Des Moines and Indianola. “The telephone was an instantaneous success, and the professor found himself, now regarded as an expert, besieged with requests to install telephones in Des Moines and Indianola.” There were times, Walt reports, when Carpenter wondered if he would teach or go into the telephone business. He returned to teaching, but not before stringing telephone wires over much of Indianola.
Everything changes, from how we talk on phones and listen to music to how we study for classes. Photos courtesy Dunn Library archives. 18 SIMPSON COLLEGE
-Andy Luse ’02
A N DY
LUSE
THE WAY ANDY LUSE ’02 LOOKS AT IT, SIMPSON REPRESENTED HIS LAST CHANCE AT RECEIVING A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
He has fond memories of his Simpson days, where he studied computer science with professors such as Marv Van Wyk and Lydia Sinapova, but also was drawn to professor John Pauley’s philosophy classes.
He first attended a college in southern Missouri, but that proved too far from his family’s home in Lacona. He transferred to Iowa State University, but that lasted a week. Too big.
“I took two philosophy courses, even though one of them didn’t count toward my degree, simply because of the way he taught.”
He had a restaurant job lined up back home, but his mother convinced him to finish the semester at a community college and then give Simpson College a try. Good advice, Mom. After graduating from Simpson, Luse went on to earn four master’s degrees and three Ph.D.’s from Iowa State, most in computer-related fields. He’s now a professor of management science and information systems at Oklahoma State University. Simpson, he said, made all the difference. “I just loved Simpson as soon as I got there,” Luse said. “There were nice, small classes. I could still be around my family at home, and that was what I was looking for.
At Oklahoma State, one of Luse’s classes teaches students the art of hacking computers. Don’t worry, at least not too much. The program has the government’s blessing. The idea is to teach the secrets of hacking in the service of improving security. “You truly can’t defend until you know how you’re going to be hacked,” he said. At Oklahoma State, Luse may have 70 students in a single course, preventing the sort of one-on-one help he received at Simpson. He remembers how much time Murphy Waggoner, professor of mathematics, spent helping him survive linear algebra. “She’d walk me through the problem,” he said. “You just can’t get that at a bigger school. There’s no way I could do it.”
“There was a point when I didn’t think I’d be going to college, but at Simpson is when it finally clicked.” 19 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
Photo submitted by Andy Luse ’02.
“I just loved Simpson as soon as I got there. There were nice, small classes. I could still be around my family at home, and that was what I was looking for.”
Photo submitted by Tony Costa ’88.
“I loved my Simpson experience. I can’t say enough positive about it, but the people are the difference. Everybody across the board had a major influence...” -Tony Costa ’88
TO NY
COSTA TONY COSTA ’88 HAD HIS LIFE MAPPED OUT. HE WOULD GRADUATE FROM SIMPSON, WHERE HE PLAYED BASEBALL FOR FOUR YEARS AND SERVED AS A STUDENT FOOTBALL COACH FOR TWO YEARS, AND THEN PURSUE A CAREER AS A TEACHER AND COACH. That was the plan. Then he took his first computer class. “It really opened my eyes,” he said. “It was something that appealed to me, and I was good at math and enjoyed problem-solving. It just took off from there.” Costa was a sophomore when he took that class. Today, he is the senior vice president and chief information officer for Bumble Bee Seafoods in San Diego. One of his duties is making sure the company stays ahead of the competition when it comes to technology. “That’s the biggest challenge today,” he said. “There are so many new technologies and trends. You learn pretty early in your career that you can’t be an expert in everything, so I try to be knowledgeable across the industry.” Costa, who grew up in Des Moines, credits Marv Van Wyk, the professor of mathematics who helped Simpson enter the computer age, with showing him the potential that existed as far as a future career. “He changed my life, obviously for the better,” Costa said. “I think it was his style and approach around teaching how
computers would be relevant in the future. That resonated with me.” So much so that Costa’s career has focused on computer technology since the day he left Simpson. He has been with Bumble Bee almost 10 years. “We completely overhauled our technology footprint and we continue to look for competitive advantages,” he said. “My job is to evaluate the new technologies and trends in order for our company to remain successful.” Costa’s competitive success was molded as much on Simpson’s athletic fields as in the classroom. He attributes that to the influence of baseball coaches John Sirianni, John Mahoney, Brian Niemuth and Joe Blake and Head Football Coach Jim Williams. “I loved my Simpson experience,” he said. “I can’t say enough positive about it, but the people are the difference. Everybody across the board had a major influence, not only on me, but also on everyone who comes through Simpson.” Even in an age of unprecedented technological advances, Costa said there’s still a need for the kind of well-rounded students Simpson produces. “Where Simpson does a great job is building a core foundation, and that hasn’t changed,” he said. “Every college needs to keep its finger on the pulse of how to better prepare its students to contribute to the work force. Simpson does that as well as any institution.”
20 SIMPSON COLLEGE
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AFFECT EVERY CAMPUS DEPARTMENT, BUT PERHAPS NO BUILDING MUST CHANGE AS QUICKLY AND AS OFTEN TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS AS DUNN LIBRARY. Today’s Simpson students can access the library’s online catalog and other resources from portable devices, such as their phones. “We are constantly adapting,” said Cyd Dyer, the college librarian/archivist.
This list shows how much: 1959 » New library design included typing and listening rooms. 1981 » First library security system installed. 1983 » First microcomputers (Apple); media equipment: videocassette recorder, turntable/ tape player. 1984 » Four Apple and three Rainbow computers added. 1985 » Ten Apple computers installed on second floor; six Rainbow computers on first. Video use exceeds film use. 1987 » Completed first floor microcomputer room; moved listening room facilities into typing room. 1988 » Housed TV/VCR in Carver and Mary Berry. 1989 » Set up all-campus equipment inventory. 1992 » First laser printer added. 1993 » Online catalog and integrated library system offered, along with nine public workstations. 1994 » Automated card catalog and circulation provided. 1995 » First scanner made available for interlibrary loan. 1996 » Promoted online searching (FirstSearch Initiative) and added 10 new computer lab workstations. 1998 » Fifteen TV monitors and 14 stereo VCRs added, along with a laptop for library instruction.
1999 » Indianola Public Library joined Simpson’s online catalog. 2000 » Digital cameras made available for student use. 2003 » First eBooks purchased; standard LP recordings replaced with CD format. 2004 » First flat monitors; multimedia projector installed. 2006 » First SMART Board added.
2007 » First DVD/VHS dual decks provided; added classical music streaming. 2008 » First plasma screen installed on first floor. 2009 » Media equipment made available for student check-out: three laptops, digital camera and camcorder, and a multimedia projector. 2013 » Added academic streaming video.
21 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
WEBSITE 1997 » Developed web site for library. 2003 » Redesigned library web site. 2005 » Received “College Website of the Month” award; College Library Section/ ACRL wireless hubs in library added. ■
Head Football Coach Jim Glogowski and Assistant Coach Kevin Ferguson can break down game film with a variety of devices by using Hudl software.
“There are no off hours. There are very few times I will turn my phone off and not touch it. It’s a 24-7 operation.” -Jim Glogowski, head football coach
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CHANGING THE
GAME
WHEN JIM GLOGOWSKI’S FOOTBALL COACHING CAREER BEGAN, SCOUTING THE NEXT WEEK’S OPPONENT WAS NO EASY TASK. The entire process took a few days and required transportation and hand-delivery of VHS tapes.
Synergy is used at all levels of basketball, from the NBA to high school.
Now, the same process takes less than an hour.
“If Coach K (Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski) wanted to see our games, he could,” Interim Head Men’s Basketball Coach Brandon Stromer said. “The capabilities are endless.”
“When I first started out as a coach, I would get into my car with two VHS tapes and a game program and meet an opposing coach at a diner halfway between the two schools,” Glogowski said. “Now, when a game is over on Saturday it’s already uploaded onto the internet. The time and amount of data you can collect is crazy.” Advancement in technology and the onset of widespread, online databases have given coaches access to seemingly endless amounts of data. The Storm football team—along with the rest of the Iowa Conference—subscribes to an online service called Hudl, which offers video distribution, play diagrams, coaching presentations and more, available to all coaches and players online. In addition to game film, all practice video is uploaded to the site and made available to individual players, allowing coaches to highlight specific teaching points. “Because you have so much video at your fingertips, you can really teach your players things you might not have been able to before,” Glogowski said. “The level of coaching has increased and the kids are a little more in-tune to the game.” The basketball teams use a similar application, called Synergy. Like Hudl, Synergy provides teams with a platform to upload and exchange video with opposing teams. Synergy also cuts and catalogues every game, breaking down video of every play type and situation imaginable.
A former video coordinator for Drake University, Stromer has seen drastic changes in film exchange, even in the past seven years. “My main responsibility was film exchange,” Stromer said. “Louisville could call us and request film from our game with Moorhead State, and I’d have to go out and FedEx it in a hurry. Now, there is no hard copy film sharing. It’s all online.” Technology has also taken recruiting to a new level. A majority of the teams at Simpson utilize a service called Front Rush. The web-based service helps coaches gather information from potential student-athletes and communicate with them throughout the recruiting process. Coaches no longer need to spend countless hours entering data into spreadsheets. “I use Front Rush every day,” Head Cross Country Coach Heath Moenck said. “It is the mainstay of our recruiting process and the primary form of communication and record keeping effort with every recruit.” With so much information and data available, it’s hard for coaches to vacate their smart phones or tablets. Every recruit counts and every play counts. “There are no off hours,” Glogowski said. “There are very few times I will turn my phone off and not touch it. It’s a 24-7 operation.” ■
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C H A P L A I N ’ S
M E S S A G E
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The power of real relationships BY MAR A LE H E W BAI LE Y ’0 6, C HAP L AI N
“I FEAR THE DAY THAT TECHNOLOGY WILL SURPASS OUR HUMAN INTERACTION. THE WORLD WILL HAVE A GENERATION OF IDIOTS.” -Albert Einstein
If this quote makes you a little uncomfortable, it might be worth a few minutes of consideration. The use of technology has become a regular part of our lives. We cannot deny that access to certain technologies has proven extremely beneficial in countless ways. Medical advancements have allowed persons to live longer, healthier lives through circumstances that would have previously provided little hope. Technology has supported efforts to reduce the number of malaria deaths in Africa by half through education, prevention and treatment. But it has also changed how we interact with one another—and has the potential to change how we build relationships. We have quickly moved past any question as to the validity of technology, and whether or not we will embrace it; rather, the question at hand is, “how will we use it faithfully?” There is no doubt that for every positive use of new technologies, there are drawbacks as well. Consider our use of technology in communication. Our world is more connected now than ever before. It is a great benefit of technology when students who study abroad can connect with family and friends daily through Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts. Yet building in-person relationships can remain a struggle. How often do we remain immersed in our screens and miss an opportunity to
connect in person? There is a qualitative difference between a like on Facebook, a favorite on Twitter or a comment on Instagram and the real-world experience of sitting face to face over a cup of coffee. There is no doubt that we have a calling to ensure responsible use of the vast resources of technology. The Biblical creation story reminds us of our command to be good stewards for the earth, taking a responsible charge for all things under our control. To me, this means responsible use of technology, but also careful attention to how we continuously foster healthy relationships with our fellow humans. Technology has greatly affected how we communicate with one another, and with the world around us. We have to inspect our intentions for the use of technology. Yes, technology has changed the ways we communicate to the world around us, but we cannot allow it to change the intentionality with which we should approach our relationships—be it with God or with others. In a world saturated with ways to communicate, how often are we able to be truly present with others? Quantity does not represent quality. We cannot mistake the number of friends we have on Facebook or followers on Twitter for real, actual relationships. Meaningful relationships are made and sustained as we take time to gaze up from our glowing screens to celebrate with a friend who has gotten their dream job, or to support a person who needs comfort in the midst of a time of struggle. Let us remain vigilant to the power of real relationships in the midst of these great advances. n
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2015 Carver Medal Ceremony
The February snowstorm that snarled traffic on the East Coast did more than make life difficult for residents of those states. It prevented this year’s Carver Medal recipient from reaching campus in time for the ceremony. And that, in turn, caused some scrambling in several Simpson offices. Should the annual event be postponed? Rescheduled? The decision was made to hold the event as scheduled on Feb. 18. Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, the president of Alabama State University, provided a recorded message, saying she was “deeply grieved” to not be able to attend. She also noted the legacy of George Washington Carver, the inventor and botanist whose academic career began at Simpson.
EVER HEARD A THEORBO? The people who attended the February performances of Francesco Cavalli’s La Calisto by the Simpson opera program did, thanks to a $20,000 gift from the F. Maytag Family Foundation. A theorbo is a long-necked lute, with double sets of strings, and it was one of several older instruments that helped provide historical authenticity to the 2015 performances of a 17th century opera. Other historical instruments included a viola de gamba, a llrone (a cello-like instrument) and the lluto attiorbato, which was described as a cross between a lute and a theorbo. The Maytag grant helped the opera program hire musicians who own and play the instruments. The generous gift also allowed Simpson to invite a scholar-in-residence, a guest designer and a guest stage director to work with the La Calisto performers. The production included another first. Noble Auto Group became the first corporate sponsor of a Simpson production.
“We are thrilled to have generous support from the Maytag Family Foundation and Noble Auto Group,” said Bernard McDonald, assistant professor of music and Larsen Chair of Opera. “Besides providing students and audiences with a cutting-edge production experience, for the performers the grant will transcend the production, as they will be able to transfer the skills and experience acquired.” n 25 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
“We know that he is one who exuded excellence in everything that he touched,” she said. “We know that he was one who worked very hard for his education. We also know that he was very proud of the work he had done, not only here in Alabama, but also in Iowa, and we are grateful for the legacy that he left us.” Dr. Boyd grew up in Montgomery, Ala., and became the first African-American female to earn a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Yale University. Her work encouraging young people to consider a career in the sciences prompted President Barack Obama to appoint Dr. Boyd to the President’s Advisory Commission on Excellence for African-Americans. “I do hope to have an opportunity to come and visit you on your wonderful campus someday in the future,” Boyd said in her recorded remarks. n
Riley Research Farm Call it the biggest classroom laboratory in Simpson’s history. Thanks to a partnership between Simpson and the family of Bob Riley, a Board of Trustees member, professors and students can now study at a 291acre parcel of land in Marion County. This is as hands-on as education gets, and Simpson professors are thrilled with the land’s potential. “We can take students out there for classes and put our classroom learning into practice immediately,” said Clint Meyer, associate professor of biology. “The grasslands, forests and ponds are great for conducting research.” The land sits about 22 miles from campus and has been owned by the
Riley family for more than 20 years. “It’s a real gem of an opportunity and it offers something for just about any area of study from biology to sociology, from philosophy to history,” said Riley, chief executive officer of Feed Energy Company. “I’m especially excited about helping young people become familiar with environmental literacy— understanding how the environment has an impact on everything we do.” A new barn is being constructed on the land and is expected to be available for use by students and faculty in the 2015-16 school year. In addition to research purposes, the barn could be available for high school field trips, conferences, student organization meetings and retreats for campus departments. n
2015
Undergraduate Research Symposium Simpson has many cherished traditions: Walking through the Gates, Yell Like Hell and Campus Day, to name a few. You can add the Undergraduate Research Symposium to the list.
David Axelrod coming to campus The John C. Culver Public Policy Center has done it again. In the past four years, the following speakers have delivered the annual Culver Lecture: former U.S. Sen. George McGovern; Mark Shields, syndicated columnist and television personality; Linda Greenhouse, longtime U.S. Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times; and former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson. To that distinguished list, the name of David Axelrod can be added. Axelrod served as strategist during President Obama’s successful presidential campaigns. He then served as Senior Advisor to the President and spokesperson for the Administration. The Culver Lecture is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on April 14 in Pote Theatre in the Blank Performing Arts Center. The title of the talk is the same as Axelrod’s new memoir: Believer: My Forty Years in Politics. Tickets are not required for this event. Guests will be seated on a first-come firstserve basis. Complimentary copies of Axelrod’s memoir will be provided to the first 300 audience members in attendance. “This is a great honor for the Culver Center and for Simpson,” said Seth Andersen, director of the center. “It’s a wonderful learning opportunity for all of our students, and it’s one of the events that sets Simpson apart.” n 26 SIMPSON COLLEGE
On April 23rd, Simpson will hold its fifth annual, day-long symposium showcasing student academic achievement—specifically, research, scholarship and creativity. This is done in many ways, including the presentation of papers, performances, posters and/ or panel discussions. “The Undergraduate Research Symposium promotes a highimpact educational practice and allows us to celebrate the scholarship and creative work with which students have been engaged,” said JJ Butts, assistant professor of English and one of the symposium’s co-chairs. “It’s a great opportunity for faculty and students to see what other members of the Simpson community have been doing over the course of the year,” he added. The public is invited. To see a schedule of events, go to: simpson.edu/academics/research/ symposium n
HERE ARE
THE FACTS 99% of students receive some sort of financial aid
Over 75 student organizations on campus
35% of students study abroad Over 51% of students receive internship experience
13:1 student to faculty ratio Now, see how Molly lives out the Simpson Experience every day: Financial Aid: Cowles Academic Scholarship and Culver Fellowship
M O L LY
MONK ’16
ROCHESTER, MINN. Majors: International Relations & Political Science Minors: Math, French & Religion
The Simpson Fund makes experiences like Molly’s a reality by supporting student scholarships, extracurricular
Extracurriculars: • Culver Fellow • Participated in Math Modeling Competition • Admissions Ambassador • SC Leader for Simpson Colloquium (First Year Program) • Student Government Association Senator • Writing Consultant at The Writing Center on campus Studied abroad to Tahiti in Spring 2014 Internships: • Research Assistant for the Iowa Democratic Research Staff at the Iowa State Capitol • Iowa Institute for Community Alliances, researching veteran homelessness Campus Mentors: • Seth Andersen, Culver Center executive director • Dr. Maeve Callan, assistant professor of religion • Dr. John Pauley, professor of philosophy • Dr. Rick Spellerberg, professor of mathematics • Dr. Nancy St. Clair, professor of English
activities, study abroad and much more. Support students like Molly by making a gift to The Simpson Fund today.
SIMPSON.EDU/GIVE
27 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
Call for Nominations for
“The Honor Roll of the Names That Live at Simpson” Every five years Simpson College honors our most distinguished alumni and former faculty members by adding names to “The Honor Roll of the Names That Live at Simpson.” This recognition was established in 1986 by the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Association Board of Directors to recognize those alumni and former faculty members who have made a significant impact on Simpson College. The names of those who are elected will be engraved on the recognition walls at the south entrance to the Pedestrian Plaza. This is your opportunity to nominate an alumnus and/or former faculty member for this honor. Nominations will be reviewed and the finalists will be named in May 2015 by a presidentially-appointed committee. The final ballot will be available online for voting electronically or by phone from June 15, 2015, until July 20, 2015. Additions to the Honor Roll must be approved by the Board of Trustees and will be unveiled during Homecoming Weekend in October 2015. No more than two alumni and one former faculty member may be selected for inclusion. All alumni who graduated prior to and including the class of 2005 are eligible to submit nominations and vote. In an effort to be fiscally and environmentally responsible, we ask that nominations be made online by visiting http:// simpson.edu/the-honor-roll-of-the-names-that-live-atsimpson/. All nominations are due by 4 p.m. on May 15, 2015. Any questions regarding this process should be directed to Andy English ’05, director of alumni relations, at 515-961-1547 or andy.english@simpson.edu.
Eligibility Requirements for Distinguished Alumni Nominees
1. Any graduate of the college prior to 1965 (nominations may be made on a posthumous basis) 2. Nominees should have achieved truly outstanding status by virtue of at least one of the following criteria: • Civil service at the state, national or international level, through election or appointment; • Scholarly, professional or scientific achievement; • Religious service achieved through election to high office at national or international level, or unusual achievement in fields of religious service;
• Service to the nation or the world in lifelong commitment to such causes as racial justice, world peace or other humane endeavors seen to exemplify the highest expectations of the Simpson ideals.
Guidelines for the Distinguished Faculty Category
1. Only those faculty members whose full-time service lasted a minimum of 20 years and ended prior to 2005 are eligible. 2. Particular emphasis will be given to persons who not only served for an extended period of years but, in the process, distinguished themselves by extraordinary instructional ability, sensitive attention to the needs and development of students and whose efforts are reflected in the post-graduation success of their students.
Alumni whose names are currently on The Honor Roll Brenton Hamline Badley George Washington Carver Frank Luther Mott Clifford J. Barborka Ruth Buxton Sayre William Buxton III Genelle Grant Morain Robert F. Picken Frances Ledlie Dawson
Robert Wesley Bates James William Angell Alice Elizabeth Sayre Glen Worth Lamb Elmo V. Barnum James H. Weinman Maxine Smith Weinman Robert Leroy Larsen
Faculty whose names are currently on The Honor Roll Frank E. Barrows George Carpenter William E. Hamilton Everett “Tip” Olive John L. Tilton J. Allen Baker Hiram S. Doty Francis I. Moats Ethel D. Anderson E.G. Booth Elizabeth White Watson
Ruth M. Jackson Harold F. Watson Francis L. Casey Sven V. Lekberg Mildred H. Lekberg Charles N. Burrow Helen Manley Malone Mullin Margaret Liebe Watson Joseph Walt Clyde W. Emmons
Please reflect on those alumni and faculty members that are deserving of this recognition and submit your nominations prior to May 15, 2015.
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Class Notes Helen Capell Johnston ’45 lives in Dubuque and plays the piano and accompanies several choral and instrumental groups. She is an avid reader, active in her church and is a member of the UMW Executive Board. Helen reports that it was very hard to leave the Whispering Maples but she followed her husband, Bruce, to a new life. The years since graduation have been rich and fulfilling due to the disciplines and direction received during her Simpson years. Francis Booth ’58 and his wife, Ruth Smith Booth ’58, reside in Grimes. Miles Duley ’59 is retired and resides in Alpharetta, Ga., with his wife of 58 years, Dyanne. Larry Lincoln ’60 is retired and resides in Barrington, Ill., with his wife, Betty. Harry Gramann ’63 resides in Decatur, Ga., with his wife, Diane. J. Frank Nugent III ’64 retired from public school teaching in 2004 and started as an adjunct instructor in music at Simpson College in 2005. In the fall of 2005, he became a full-time instructor of music and interim director of bands through the spring of 2008, and continues today as an adjunct professor in the Music Department at Simpson College. He lives with his wife, Cheri Keating Nugent ’67, in Urbandale. Cheri was an administrative assistant for the K.L. Smith, P.C. law firm in West Des Moines from 2002 through 2011, and has since been called back twice to fill in at that position. Jay and Cheri have hosted Lambda Chi Alpha reunions since 2005, with the most recent in the summer of 2014 which included Jay and 12 other fraternity brothers celebrating their 50th graduation anniversary from Simpson. The couple plans to hold another reunion in the summer of 2017 for Cheri’s 50th graduation anniversary. George Peirce ’66 is retired from the position of vice president of marketing and sales for Transport Service Co. in Oak Brook, Ill. He and his wife, Margaret Bethke Peirce ’66, live in Barrington Hills, Ill., and have two daughters and four grandchildren. Connie Lindquist Henderson ’68 is a retired K-8 school principal. She lives
T O U R I N G
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with her husband, Jim Henderson ’69, in Scarborough, Ontario. They welcomed their first grandson in November. Drew Appleby ’69, professor emeritus, retired from Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis in 2011. During his 40-year career, he used the results of his research on teaching, learning, academic advising and mentoring processes to create strategies to enable college students to adapt successfully to their educational environment, acquire academic competence, identify and set realistic goals and achieve their career aspirations. Dr. Appleby authored over 100 publications and made over 600 presentations to a variety of professional and non-professional audiences. He received 44 national, regional and institutional awards and recognitions for teaching, advising, mentoring and service. Drew and his wife, Peg, reside close to their granddaughter in Atlanta, Ga. Bruce Wilson ’69 is the assistant director for Urban Dreams and resides in Des Moines with his partner, Michael Sinks. Thomas Nugent ’70 retired as superintendent of the NorthwoodKensett Community Schools in 2013. Gail Ann Bartholomew Nugent ’70 is a social worker at the Titonka Care Center. The couple resides in Algona.
• from the shows. Students throughout a 90-mile radius of the Des Moines metro area are competing for the privilege of attending summer training sessions both in Des Moines and in New York. Margaret and her husband, Philip, reside in Urbandale. James Lyman ’75 is a security supervisor for U.S. Security Associates. He and his wife, Colleen, reside in Berwyn, Ill. Catherine Hillmann Halley ’80 teaches pre-kindergarten in the Geronimo Public Schools in Geronimo, Okla., where she resides. Carolyn Adamson Reeves ’81 and her husband, Richard Reeves ’79, reside in Nolensville, Tenn. Cathy Chambers ’85 is currently employed by Marcolin USA, Inc. as the director of finance in Scottsdale, Ariz. She lives with her husband, Troy Castorena, in Gilbert, Ariz. Lou Ann Daum Stout ’85 is a clinical registered nurse in the NICU at the University of Colorado Hospital and is a member of the Board of Directors at Ronald McDonald House Charities. She and her husband, Paul, reside in Westminster, Colo., and will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in June. Donald Bauer ’90 is retired and resides in Webster Groves, Mo.
Yvonne Cantrell Peterson ’73 recently retired after 30 years of teaching, including 21 years at West Clark Community Schools. She and her husband, George, reside in Henryville, Ind. Rhonda Manley Stoneking ’74 is retired and resides with her husband, Lewis, in Hartland, Wis. Margaret Golden George ’75 works in customer service for Sears Holdings and is also a private music instructor teaching voice, piano and guitar. She has been appointed to a team of arts professionals who adjudicate high school productions for the Annual Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards. The team, made up of singers, directors, teachers and dancers who work in the various disciplines involved in producing musical theater, attends high school productions and judges the acting, singing, technical, orchestral and house management aspects of the productions and performances of featured selections 29 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
ATO brothers gathered at the home of James ‘72 and Katharine Augustine Oplt ‘72 for a mini reunion during the summer of 2014. Attendees included (pictured left to right) Daniel Kem ‘73, G. Jake Jacobson ‘72, Jeffrey Cassat ‘73, Richard Collins ‘69, Robert “Mac” MacKenzie ‘70, James Oplt ‘72 and Dr. Larry Clark ‘72. Thomas Morgensen ‘72 (not pictured).
Linda Zuber Russell ’91 is human resource manager at Co-Line Welding, Inc. She and her husband, Steven Russell ’91, reside in Searsboro. Marlo Lasko Hiaring ’93 is a sales consultant for D.R. Horton Homes. She lives in Henderson, Nev. with her husband, Ian Hiaring ’94, who works for the Clark County School District as an information technology specialist. Matt Baumann ’94 is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies in Hiawatha. He and his wife, Teresa Schlighting Baumann ’97, reside in Cedar Rapids with their children, Anne (11) and Will (5). The couple’s oldest son, John, passed away in 2011 at age 5. Ed Leighton-Dick ’94 is founder/ principal consultant of Kingfisher Technologies, a consultancy focused on Microsoft SQL Server Performance, architecture, and security. He also serves as leader of I-380 PASS (the eastern Iowa chapter of the Professional Association of SQL Server) and speaks regularly at local, regional and national events related to SQL Server and other Microsoft technologies. Ed and his wife, Heather, reside in Amana with their daughters, Eva (7) and Hannah (4). Kristen Abbas ’95 resides in Cedar Rapids and works as a paraeducator for College Community Schools. JoAnn Ehler Rasmussen ’96 resides with her husband, Kirk, in Arvada, Colo., and is a self-employed independent contractor/freelance writer. JoAnn was recently elected to serve a threeyear term on the Board of Directors at Woodrow Wilson Academy in Westminister, Colo. Joe Cockrell ’97 was appointed vice chancellor of communications and chief communications officer at Brandman University in southern California. Brandman is a nonprofit university serving more than 12,000 military and adult students across 26 locations in the western United States. Joe resides in Laguna Beach, Calif. Amy Adamson Hershberger ’97 is a financial project manager for Target Corporation. She and her husband, Rudy, reside in Apple Valley, Minn., with Clay and Joshua. Angie Soutter Moran ’97, human resources partner at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, received her Professional in
Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute. She and her husband, Shannon, reside in Pierre, S.D. Matthew Oltman ’97 currently resides in San Marcos, Texas, where he is a lecturer in music at Texas State University. Jennifer Bryant Spielbauer ’97 is program director of the physical therapist assistant program at Central Methodist University. She resides in Fayette, Mo., with her husband, Brian. Allan Keller ’99 is an actuarial analyst – data and modeling for EMC Insurance Company in Des Moines. Jeremy Larson ’99 is deputy warden at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville. He and his wife, Kimber, reside in Ankeny. David Barton ’00 lives in Brentwood, Tenn. He works as chief information security officer for Websense in Austin, Texas. Christy Opatz Burkhart ’00 was recently promoted to supervisor/juvenile court officer IV. She works for the State of Iowa Juvenile Court Services in Des Moines. Christy resides in Urbandale with her husband, Gabe, and children, Mason and Hailey. John Rodemeyer ’00 is a district manager for Target in Las Vegas, Nev., where he resides with his wife, Jenelle Detloff Rodemeyer ’01. Jocelyn Stull Brincks ’01 is a purchasing agent for Iowa State University. She received her MBA from the University of Iowa in 2014 and resides in Ankeny with her husband, Alan. Debbie Magnusson Cook ’01 currently resides in Indianola with her husband, Timothy. They have been married for 33 years and have one son and three grandchildren. Melissa Gesing ’01, organization director at Campaign Headquarters, presented at the Ready to Run Iowa Workshop at the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University in February. Jocelyn Albertson Boss ’02 is associate director of development at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyo., where she resides with her husband, Aaron. 30 SIMPSON COLLEGE
In July Delta Zetas from the graduating classes of the 1960s to 1970s gathered for a reunion held at the Kappa Kappa Gamma house on Simpson’s campus.
Michelle Archibald Kopp ’02 works as an audit manager for Wells Fargo Bank and resides in Norwalk. Eric Nixt ’02 is a controller for PDM Precast, Inc. in Des Moines and resides in Earlham. Grant Woodley ’02 and Nicole Brooks Woodley ’02 work at First Lutheran Church and reside in Clarion with their family. Jacob Abel ’04 is a general manager, marketing strategy, for Delta Air Lines and resides in Atlanta, Ga. Brandy Miller Myers ’04 is a senior accountant for Hawkeye Hospitality Management. She resides in New London with her husband, Tim Myers ’02, and children, Presley, Landry, Libby and Rainsley. Michael Raguet ’04 is employed by Crisis Connection in Richfield, Minn., as a text counselor/intern and volunteer supervisor. He resides with his wife, Marissa, in New Hope, Minn. Angela Ryan Saettele ’04 is a pediatric anesthesiologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., where she and her husband, Kevin, reside. Heather Borton Stalzer ’04 graduated from University of Phoenix Online with a Master of Arts in EducationCross Categorical Special Education in 2008. She is employed by Madrid Community Schools as a 9-12 resource teacher. Heather lives in Ames with her husband, Nathan.
Jared Rokke ’05 is a project civil engineer for Foth, Infrastructure and Environment in Johnston. He resides in Grimes with his wife, Amanda.
Zachary Rus ’08 is associate director, regional and reunion programs, at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.
Ashley Bennett Tomson ’05 teaches math in the Norman Public Schools in Norman, Okla., where she resides with her husband, Brandon, and their son, Daniel.
Rachel Lesan Boyer ’09 graduated from Des Moines University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in May 2012 and is now a doctor of physical therapy at Independence Rehab. She and her husband, Ty, reside in Urbandale with their son, Isaac.
Daniel Buske ’06 works for Safety Kleen Inc. in Des Moines. Lori Doll Buske ’09 is a 24-hour SCL (supported community living) team leader for Easter Seals of Iowa. Daniel and Lori reside in Norwalk with their children, Paisley and Lawson. Ben Frotscher ’06 recently accepted a position as writer/editor at the University of Iowa Foundation in Iowa City. Rebecca Salmen Huberg ’06 and Heath Huberg ’05 reside in Sioux Falls, S.D. Christian Huntley ’06 received his Master of Divinity from Bethel University in 2013 and is now associate pastor of the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Afton, Minn.
Emily VanMaele Robinett ’11 teaches fifth grade in the Belton 124 School District in Belton, Mo. She and her husband, Shane Robinett ’11, reside in Lees Summit, Mo. Katie Schober ’11 is a research assistant at St. Cloud State University, where she is working on her Master of Science in clinical mental health and counseling.
Carolyne Hall ’09 is company manager for the Kentucky Opera in Louisville, Ky., where she resides.
Emma Davis Clapper ’12 is a loan servicing specialist II for Wells Fargo and resides in Urbandale with her husband, Jordan.
Jeremy Miller ’09 and his wife, Marissa, reside in Marietta, Ga., where both are enrolled in a Doctor of Chiropractic program.
James Gale ’12 is a home mortgage consultant at Wells Fargo and resides in Urbandale with his wife, Kaity Calvert.
Joe Strong ’09 is an associate attorney for Elgin and Patin in Indianola.
Rebecca Harris ’12 in an operations administrative assistant at Handyman Matters Corporate and resides in Lakewood, Colo.
Sarah Aasheim ’10 received her Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in 2014. She is pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manson, where she resides with her husband, Kyle Crouthamel.
Janine Kobylinski ’12 is an independent living counselor at Youth Homes of Mid-America and resides in Urbandale.
Allison Haack ’10 is a library assistant IV – special collections and archives at Grinnell College in Grinnell, where she resides.
Kaleb Livingston ’12 is a government compliance specialist at Bells Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Mich., where he resides. Megan Pope ’12 is a wellness specialist for EMC Insurance Companies in Des Moines.
Elise Ahrens Bream ’07 completed her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Iowa in 2012 and currently resides in University Heights, Ohio, with her husband, Matthew.
Jennifer Ludemann Özcan ’10 is education program coordinator at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where she resides with her husband, Arda. Jennifer is working on her Master of Arts in psychology and counseling services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota with an anticipated completion date in 2017.
Carrie Christensen ’07 works with AmeriCorps and resides in Marshalltown. She completed her Master of Public Health at Boston University in 2013.
Zachary Haugland ’11 teaches high school math at St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge. He and his wife, Lindsay Harms Haugland ’11, reside in Eagle Grove.
Jennifer Stumpf ’12 is attending Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and anticipates completing her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2016.
Karla Bromwell ’08 received her Master of Public Administration from Iowa State University in 2012 and is a compliance analyst for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland in Des Moines.
Alicia Carlo Moritz ’11 is customer care coordinator at CIT Signature Transportation in Ames and resides in Stanhope with her husband, Karl.
Ashley Traver ’12 is a special education teacher in the Indianola School District and lives in West Des Moines.
Kari Koehler ’06 is research services librarian at Merchant & Gould P.C. in Minneapolis, Minn. She completed her Master of Library and Information Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2012.
Brittany Ivie ’08 is a student services technician at the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, Alaska, where she resides.
Jennifer Putz ’11 is a recruiter and licensor for Iowa KidsNet for Lutheran Services in Iowa. She is working towards her Master in Social Work at the University of Iowa and anticipates graduating in 2016.
Seth Lampman ’08 is president and financial advisor at ClearPath Financial in Indianola. 31 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
Joe Sorenson ’12 is director of affiliate relations for the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and resides in West Des Moines with his wife, Molly Swenson Sorenson ’12.
Ryon Tulon ’12 is a native English teacher at Hess International School in Taiwan. Taylor Hallgren Brus ’13 is an analyst for UnityPoint Health. Caleb Brus ’11 graduated from Drake Law School in 2014 and is a compliance analyst at The Principal Financial Group.
Sydni Loney ’14 is an adolescent pregnancy prevention specialist for Youth & Shelter Services in Ames. Annie Olson ’14 is development and donor relations manager at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines. Ryan Rohlf ’14 is program and event administrator for the Iowa Newspaper Association in Des Moines. Kristina Roth ’14 teaches third grade in the Fairfield Community School District and resides in New London. Julia Warfield ’14 is communications coordinator for the Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce and lives in Plymouth, Minn.
Marriages Christine James Brown ’70 and Dan Mitchell, Sept. 13, 2014, Menasha, Wis.
Ian Hiaring ’94 and Marlo Lasko ’93, June 26, 2014, Kaanapali, Hawaii. Ian and Marlo met in 1990 while both attending Simpson College but fell out of touch until 2010 when they reconnected and realized that their time together at Simpson was only a prelude to a lifelong relationship. The couple had a special campus visit in November 2013 as they were back at the same place where they had met over twenty years ago. Amy Adamson ’97 and Rudy Hershberger, Sept. 29, 2012, Apple Valley, Minn. Heather Borton ’04 and Nathan Stalzer, Aug. 30, 2014, Ankeny.
Grant Hobin ’06 and Katelyn Finn ’07, June 22, 2014, Reiman Gardens in Ames. Nicole Cleveringa ’08 and Mick Terrizzi, July 26, 2014, San Francisco, Calif. Rachael Lesan ’09 and Ty Boyer, Aug. 13, 2011, Urbandale. Jeremy Miller ’09 and Marissa Hols, Oct. 4, 2014, Indianola. Ryan Napoli ’10 and Kelly Grow ’10, July 19, 2014, Great Hall on Simpson’s campus.
Caleb Brus ’11 and Taylor Hallgren ’13, Aug. 30, 2014, Des Moines. Group picture, from left to right: Casey Becker ’12, Sarah Nelson ’13, Megan Petersen ’13, Blair Hallgren, Megan Ginsberg ’12, Meg Parks ’13, Taylor Hallgren Brus ’13, Caleb Brus ’11, Sandro Tadic ’11, Casey Miller, Eric Nelson ’11, Greg Wilkerson ’11, Wade Dowling ’10 and Nathan Brus. Shane Robinett ’11 and Emily VanMaele ’11, Oct. 11, 2014, Lees Summit, Mo.
Births/Adoptions Audrey Leona FoxBlythe, July 24, 2014, to Jill Fox ’96 and Daren Blythe, Roca, Neb. Mara Ellen Henn, Jan. 19, 2012, to Nathan G. Henn ’97 and Lynne Wessels Henn ’99, West Des Moines, joined Johnathan.
32 SIMPSON COLLEGE
Joshua Russell Hershberger, July 2, 2014, to Amy Adamson Hershberger ’97 and Rudy Hershberger, Apple Valley, Minn., joined stepbrother, Clay. Hailey Ann Burkhart, Aug. 12, 2014, to Christina Opatz Burkhart ’00 and Gabe Burkhart, Urbandale, joined Mason (4). Bodie Luke Bender, Oct. 30, 2014, to Stephen R. Bender ’01 and Samantha Sailor Bender ’04, Wellman, welcomed home by brothers, Grant, Mason and Rhys. Beckem Chandler Fitz, June 16, 2014, to Brandon G. Fitz ’01 and Casey Schevers Fitz ’01, Urbandale, joined Brady (7) and Bryer (4). Ella Grace Hartman, Aug. 14, 2014, to Eric Hartman ’01 and Courtney Swartz Hartman ’01, Pella, joined Owen and Anna. Rainsley River Myers, Sept. 27, 2013, to Timothy W. Myers ’02 and Brandy Miller Myers ’04, New London, welcomed by siblings, Presley, Landry and Libby. Hawthorne Blake Dunham-LaGree, Aug. 13, 2014, to Carrie DunhamLaGree ’03 and Michael DunhamLaGree, Des Moines. Mia Annabelle Shepherd, Sept. 25, 2012, to Kara Bjorklund Shepherd ’04 and Jonathan Shepherd, Urbandale. Evalyn Louise Vardaman, Sept. 2, 2014, to Amanda Bix Vardaman ’04 and Ben Vardaman, Clarinda, joined brothers, Dylan and Colyn. Daniel Curtis Tomson, Oct. 5, 2014, to Ashley Bennett Tomson ’05 and Brandon Tomson, Norman, Okla.
Paisley JeanAnn Buske, Sept. 14, 2010, and Lawson Xavier Buske, Sept. 5, 2014, to Daniel E. Buske ’06 and Lori Doll Buske ’09, Norwalk. Evelyn Esther Stupfell, April 9, 2014, to Kelsey Volkens Stupfell ’07 and Perry Stupfell, Council Bluffs, joined big brother, Eugene. Isaac Boyer, May 21, 2013, to Rachael Lesan Boyer ’09 and Ty Boyer, Urbandale.
Deaths Louise Kline Black ’33, Oct. 29, 2014, Maple Grove, Minn. Catharine Gillett Fellows ’33, Dec. 25, 2014, Galesburg, Ill. Velma Sothman Reimer ’34, Jan. 24, 2015, Sun City, Ariz. Myra Schmidt McNichols ’35, Sept. 5, 2014, Mesa, Ariz. Elizabeth Bowles Blake ’36, Nov. 13, 2014, Indianola. Margaret Nixon Viggers ’36, Feb. 7, 2015, Des Moines. Wayland B. Van Syoc ’37, Feb. 1, 2015, Indianola. Ruth Blake Whitney ’38, May 2, 2014, Bella Vista, Ark. Thora Cunningham Collins ’39, Oct. 11, 2014, Des Moines. Bertine Ruble Curley ’39, July 11, 2014, Indianola. Irene Bellman Kramer ’40, Sept. 9, 2014, Dallas Center. W. Floyd Smith ’40, Nov. 20, 2014, Dearborn, Mich.
Juanita Hanon Willett ’41, Oct. 23, 2014, Litchfield, Ariz.
John C. DeMaris ’52, Feb. 4, 2015, Des Moines.
Jean McGill Farnham ’42, Feb. 18, 2015, Phoenix, Ariz.
Leonard C. Mains ’52, May 31, 2014, Indianola.
Margaret McNaught Rhodes ’42, Feb. 10, 2014, Denver, Colo.
Gerald “Jerry” A. Stubbs ’52, March 10, 2014, Bella Vista, Ark.
Georgianna Taggart Rose ’42, Nov. 12, 2014, Kendallville, Ind.
Orville L. Turner ’52, Feb. 5, 2015, Osceola.
Joyce “Peg” Nesbitt Anderson ’43, Sept. 14, 2014, Hot Springs Village, Ark.
C. Grant Dalrymple ’53, June 3, 2014, Des Moines.
Cora “Jean” Cline Van Scoyk ’43, Jan. 27, 2015, Altoona.
Martha Dinwiddie ’53, Nov. 21, 2014, Boulder, Colo.
Raymond E. Ackley ’44, Sept. 22, 2014, Mesa, Ariz.
Edward D. Lanning ’53, Dec. 8, 2014, Des Moines.
Virginia “Ginny” Cotter Blanchard ’44, Jan. 1, 2015, Palisade, Colo.
Marilyn Myers Prall ’53, Sept. 17, 2014, Atlantic.
Amanda Coates Wallace ’44, May 1, 2014, Winnetka, Calif.
Ruth Pestalozzi Pape ’54, Aug. 16, 2014, Lafayette, Ind.
Helen “Jeannie” Coulter Henehan ’45, Dec. 10, 2014, Redlands, Calif.
C. Marlys Worden Pauley ’54, Aug. 4, 2014, Norwalk.
Edgar F. Herr ’45, Oct. 22, 2014, West Des Moines.
Rev. L. Duane Churchman ’55, Dec. 19, 2014, Ankeny.
Dorothy Blackford Johnson ’45, Dec. 25, 2014, Milo.
Duane N. Stewart ’55, Aug. 23, 2014, Hereford, Texas.
Thomas R. Wallace ’45, May 3, 2014, Winnetka, Calif.
Jon P. Mahlstadt ’56, Dec. 17, 2014, Indianola.
Geraldine Spalding Fredin ’46, Dec. 4, 2014, Seattle, Wash.
Larry L. Starr ’56, May 22, 2014, Indianola.
E. Jane Deheck Reeves ’46, July 13, 2014, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Maj. Larry K. Michael ’57, Oct. 8, 2014, Vinton.
Belva Harper Beck ’47, Jan. 19, 2015, Cedar Rapids.
Jane Hansen Hemminger ’58, Dec. 28, 2014, Omaha, Neb.
Dorothy Sweem Porter ’47, Dec. 20, 2014, Knoxville.
Lowell D. Bishop ’59, June 15, 2014, Charlottesville, Va.
Esta “Jean” Piffer Anderson ’49, Sept. 07, 2014, Fairview Heights, Ill.
Eldon L. Ogan, Jr. ’61, Jan. 18, 2015, Durham, N.C.
Dr. Gerald W. Paul ’50, Oct. 22, 2014, Peoria, Ariz.
John E. Bomberger ’62, Jan. 29, 2015, Ames.
Richard “Mac” W. McBride ’51, Sept. 10, 2014, Wichita Falls, Texas.
Kathleen Merical Furrer ’62, Dec. 5, 2012, Troy, Ohio.
William J. McDowall ’51, Oct. 10, 2011, Fort Myers, Fla.
Gary L. Vander Werff ’62, Jan. 30, 2015, Des Moines.
Robert E. Starrett ’51, Sept. 8, 2014, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Albert W. Potts, Jr. ’63, July 29, 2014, Elgin, Ill.
Roger D. Cleven ’52, Nov. 3, 2014, Des Moines.
Maj. Max E. Furrer ’64, Feb. 7, 2013, Lebanon, Ohio.
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Dennis M. Laughlin ’67, Dec. 26, 2014, Forty Fort, Pa.
In Memoriam
Stephen S. Ross ’67, Feb. 10, 2014, Seattle, Wash.
The Simpson College community recently said farewell to several great friends of the College.
Donald R. Blanchard ’69, Dec. 28, 2014, St. Petersburg, Fla. Walter A. De Voe ’69, Jan. 29, 2015, Wilton, Wis. Stephen F. Turner ’69, July 11, 2013, Moline, Ill. Gerald F. Tighe ’70, Feb. 7, 2015, Watertown, N.Y. Harry P. Hetzer ’71, Jan. 28, 2014, Phoenix, Ariz. Jill Robertson Dick ’72, Sept. 29, 2014, Barrington, Ill. Stephen F. Eldrenkamp ’75, Feb. 3, 2015, Ottumwa. Tracy L. Culbertson ’77, Feb. 6, 2015, Maui, Hawaii. Rev. James B. Key ’77, Aug. 23, 2014, Eldora. Eleanor Wong ’78, Aug. 6, 2014, Des Moines. Thomas E. Schantz ’87, March 12, 2014, Valdez, Alaska. Kenn Krpan ’05, Feb. 18, 2015, Pella. Laura Goodwin ’07, Nov. 28, 2014, Des Moines.
Fred Lorber, 91, died in his Des Moines home on Dec. 9, 2014. He had served on the Board of Trustees since 1984.
“Simpson College and everyone living and working in the Greater Des Moines area benefitted from the vision, kindness and support that Fred Lorber shared so generously with everyone who came into contact with him,” said Simpson College President Jay Simmons. “Those who knew him will miss him every day. We are not likely to encounter someone so unique, intelligent and helpful as Fred again.” Lorber was born in Vienna, Austria. He escaped with his parents from Nazi Germany and arrived in New York City in 1939. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II and helped liberate his former neighborhood. As a Simpson trustee, Lorber served on the following committees: academic affairs (1984-86, 1988-90, 1994-2008); development (1986-88, 1990-94); strategic planning (1994-96); learning programs (2008-14); and recruiting and student profile (2014).
Katie Meredith, 82, died in Des Moines on Dec. 18, 2014. She served on Simpson’s Board of Trustees for nearly half a century.
Meredith was elected to the Simpson board in May 1973. She retired and went to honorary status in 1998, then returned again to active status in 2007 for a three-year term. She returned to honorary status in 2010. She served on a variety of board committees, including the chair of student development (1979-83); chair of board affairs (1983-90); building and grounds (1973-79); student affairs (1973-92); board affairs (1980-94); executive (1979-90); academic affairs (1992-94); strategic planning (199496); institutional advancement (1994-98) and learning programs (2008-10).
Vernon Pooley ‘50, 86, died on Nov. 6, 2014. As a Simpson student,
Pooley was president of the ATO fraternity as well as Simpson’s business fraternity.
NOTE TO READERS: The next issue of Simpson Magazine will feature veterans. If you know of someone who has a great story to tell, please email Ken Fuson at ken.fuson@simpson.edu or send your idea to Veterans Story, Office of Marketing and Public Relations, Simpson College, 701 N. C St., Indianola, Ia., 50125. Thanks!
Pooley was elected to the Simpson Board of Trustees in 1991, and he served as the United Methodist Church representative from 1991-2003. He retired and was elected an honorary trustee in May 2003. He served on the institutional advancement (1991-99); building and grounds (1994-96) and student affairs (1999-2003) committees.
Doyle Lee Woods ’56, 84, died on Jan. 4, 2015, in Des Moines. He served 28 years as director of business and finance at Simpson. During his tenure, he oversaw a prolific period of construction, including campus landmarks like Smith Chapel, Brenton Student Center, Dunn Library and Cowles Fieldhouse. He also helped the Des Moines Metro Opera in its early years. n
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C A L E N D A R
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Calendar events are subject to change. For complete details and updates, view the full calendar online at http://events.simpson.edu/calendar/.
APRIL
MAY
Campus Day First Wednesday Lecture: “Your Dream Job is Waiting” with Adam Carroll 9 Speech and Debate Showcase and Reception 10 Junior Visit Day Midwest Undergraduate Math Symposium 12 College Choir & Women’s Chorale Concert 14 Culver Lecture by David Axelrod 15 Jazz Ensemble Concert 16 Instrumental Chamber Music Concert 17-18 Festival of Short Plays 2015 19 Festival of Short Plays 2015 Chamber Singers Concert 20 Access Simpson (Admitted Students Day) 23 Honors Convocation Symphonic Band Concert 26 Simpson College Community Orchestra Concert 27 Red & Gold Reception in Denver
Artist Reception: Senior Art Exhibition 2 Commencement 8 Junior Football Visit Day 22 Simpson Cup Golf Tournament 23-24 Masterworks 7: Season Finale Appalachian Spring—A Memorial Day Tribute Concert 29-31 Germany Trip (through June 14)
1 8
1
JUNE
1-5 Football Youth Camp 1-14 Germany Trip (continues from May 29) 3 Wrestling League 7-12 Simpson College Jazz Combo Camp 10 Wrestling League 15 Red & Gold Alumni Reception in Fairfield 15-18 Volleyball Volley Fest Camp 15-18 Volleyball Net Fest Camp 17 Wrestling League 19 Volleyball Specialist Camp 22-25 Men’s Tennis Camp 22-26 Swimming/Diving Youth Camp 24 Wrestling League
35 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE
JULY
6-9 Men’s Tennis Camp 12 Football 7-on-7 Camp 12-15 Cross Country Lisa Uhl’s Camp of Champions 19 Football 7-on-7 Camp 19-26 Simpson College Orpheus Summer Music Camp 22-23 Football Team Camp 25-26 Football Team Camp 27-28 Football Team Camp 27-31 Swimming/Diving High School Camp 28 Volleyball Stormfest Team Camp 29-30 Volleyball Team Camp
SEPTEMBER 2
First Wednesday Lecture: “Prepare for Leadership, From Farm Boy to Times Square” with Nile Ramsbottom ’66
OCTOBER 8
Presidents’ Society Dinner (by invitation) 9-11 Homecoming & Family Weekend
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Des Moines, IA Permit No. 5740
701 North C Street Indianola, Iowa 50125 800.610.6369 l simpson.edu
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CAN
Refer a student » the number one way you can help! Offer an internship » see the caliber of student currently
attending Simpson.
Share your talents » speak to a class, mentor a student, let them see what success looks like!
Attend an event » reconnect with Simpson, you’ll be surprised who you might see! Provide a gift » no matter what size, every gift is important!
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Put Simpson in your will » the college receives amazing gifts each year through the estate plans of our alumni.
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