2018 Spring Simpson Magazine

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LEGACY of

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To Serve and Lead Dear Alumni and Friends of Simpson College: When planning travel for alumni visits and receptions, Vice President for College Advancement Bob Lane and I are always impressed by the almost perfect geographical location of our alums. Basically, fifty percent of our alumni live in Iowa and the other fifty percent just about everywhere else in the United States.

Regardless of where they reside, nearly all of them offer leadership in some capacity to their work, their communities, their places of worship or the civic organizations to which they belong. It’s almost as if something in the character of a Simpson College graduate inspires them to serve and to lead in some way. Indeed, that is the focus of this edition of the Magazine.

Perhaps this should not come as a surprise when we pause and think about why that might be. Since 1860, Simpson’s educational philosophy has been grounded in the arts and sciences. The form of the general education program has varied over the years, but the underlying foundation has remained constant. The focus on developing students’ capacities as effective communicators, problem solvers, critical thinkers and moral and ethical actors inspires that sense for service and leadership that is so prevalent among Simpson alumni.

The difficulty in assembling this edition of the Magazine came in narrowing the alumni profiles to the available space; we could have filled volumes with profiles of Simpson alumni

leaders. Nonetheless, you will discover in these pages a remarkable group of Simpson alums who excel and lead in their respective areas.

You’ll read more about: John Lawlor ’73, founder and president of The Lawlor Group, arguably the most widely respected higher education marketing and consulting firm in the nation; Jane Paulsen ’83, professor at the University of Iowa and one of the nation’s leading researchers into the causes and potential treatments for Huntington’s disease; Jason Allen ’97, activities director for Des Moines Public Schools and a leader in the system’s diversity and inclusion efforts; Jacob Abel ’04, general manager, joint venture marketing strategy and communications at Delta Air Lines; and Nicole Cleveringa Terrizzi ’08, an active community volunteer and director of development for College Track, a national nonprofit organization that supports low-income, firstgeneration college students. You will also see profiles on two current students: Sydney Samples ’19 and Pierce Carey ’19, the immediate past president and vice president of the Student Government Association. In sum, I think you will be pleased and proud to count these individuals as your fellow alumni and friends.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

JAY K. SIMMONS

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4 THE SIMPSON PROMISE 6 THIS IS SIMPSON 8 FACULTY PURSUITS Bob Nutgrass Faculty & Staff Accomplishments 11 CONTINUING & GRADUATE PROGRAMS 12 AROUND CAMPUS 14 FEATURE STORY Simpson’s Legacy of Leadership 21 CHAPLAIN’S MESSAGE 23 ATHLETICS 26 EXTRA! • SC Honors • New Trustee • The Carver Bridge to STEM Success Program • Big Sweep for Simpson Media • Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience 29 TOURING THE YEARS 31 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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On the cover: Pierce Carey ’19 and Sydney Samples ’19.

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 Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations

Leslie Byars Diehl ’03 Art Director

Oscar Preis Web Development Specialist

Photography Danny Fast

Ken Fuson Marketing Writer/Media Strategist

Mary Fortune Administrative Assistant

Danny Fast Digital Content Specialist

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

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Office of College Advancement Bob Lane ’81 Vice President 515-961-1549

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PROMISE Our commitment to affordability and access THE ROOM WAS FULL. MOST OF CENTRAL IOWA’S MEDIA OUTLETS WERE REPRESENTED. CLEARLY, SOMETHING BIG WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. Simpson College was prepared to take a huge step in making college more affordable and accessible to Iowa high school students.

“There has been a lot of talk about making college affordable,” Simpson President Jay Simmons said. “We decided it was time to take action.”

Introducing The Simpson Promise, an innovative program that covers the full cost of tuition for first-year Iowa students whose families report an adjusted gross income at or below $60,000. (The tuition cost is inclusive of Simpson, federal and state gift assistance.)

The early interest has been so positive that the Board of Trustees extended The Simpson Promise through the fall of 2019, meaning 2019 high school graduates and their families can also benefit.

It is believed to be the first program of its kind in Iowa, and it clearly marks Simpson as a leader in making college more accessible.

College officials launched the plan for several reasons.

First, Simpson’s mission is to educate students of all ages and backgrounds, including economic ones. In addition, recent enrollment trends had determined that families

making less than $60,000 a year may have been excluding Simpson from consideration.

“We don’t want to lose those families,” Simmons said.

To be eligible for The Simpson Promise, students must: • Be an Iowa resident and a 2018 or 2019 graduate of an Iowa high school.

• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) no later than July 1, 2018 (for current seniors) and be eligible for federal aid.

• Reside on campus.

• Show a 2016 household adjusted gross income at or below $60,000. That applies to current seniors.

Students who graduate in 2019 will need to show their family’s adjusted gross income for 2017.

• Be a full-time, accepted, incoming first-year student.

Students will be responsible for room, board and fees, which compare favorably to public and private colleges and universities.

“Interest appears to be very strong,” said Tracie Moore Pavon ’90, assistant vice president for enrollment and financial assistance. “We definitely have seen a nice uptick in applications, visits and interest—really, across the board in Iowa but specifically with the The Simpson Promise group.”

Pavon’s office has received 150 more FAFSA applications from the $60,000-and-below market in Iowa.

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“This is great news,” she said. “We have seen increased interest, phone calls and emails from students, families and even high school guidance counselors. It’s great that the program has been extended another year.”

The numbers support what Terry Lillis ’77, president of the Simpson Board of Trustees, wrote in an opinion piece for the Des Moines Register: “The fact is, because of our new program, there will be Iowa students attending Simpson…whose families might not have been able to afford it. That is good news for Simpson College, for Iowa, and, most important, for the students and their families.”

Those families are grateful.

“I hear from families every single week who tell me they would not even be considering Simpson College without this,” Pavon said. “I am so proud of Simpson for stretching ourselves and creating this program. The Simpson Promise is helping every single family that is eligible in huge ways.”

What about those students whose families make more than $60,000?

Simpson is remembering them as well.

The College provides $27 million in financial assistance each year. No student pays the full “sticker price,” and need-based grants and loans also are available.

President Simmons said The Simpson Promise shows the College is serious about making a private education attractive to eligible students from all income levels.

Pavon has a front-row seat to watch how it’s working.

For families earning $60,000 and less, “this program is a game changer for them. Every single student who qualifies is getting a big financial benefit because of this program. Also, they will borrow less, and this will give them a great head start in their lives after Simpson College.”

How You Can Help Our 20,000 alumni remain our best ambassadors.

Nobody knows better than you the value of the Simpson Experience.

Do you know a high school junior or senior who might qualify for The Simpson Promise? You can help by directing them to the admissions office (515-961-1624 or 800-362-2454) or the Office of Financial Assistance (515-961-1630.) n

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“There’s been a lot of talk about making college afforable. We decided it was time to take action.”

-Jay Simmons Simpson President

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SIMPSON EXPERIENCE

BY GUY LE MAN ’9 9 ALUMNI BOARD MEMBER

THE REFLECTIONS BEGIN FROM THE MOMENT WE GRADUATE. MOST OF US SPEND A MERE FOUR YEARS AT SIMPSON, BUT THOSE YEARS CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF OUR LIVES. The Alumni Board represents the best interests of alumni with the college’s administration. Board members are expected to contribute their time, talents and treasure to advance Simpson’s already strong reputation.

Remember that sense of being on fire as you explored who you were and what you were called to do and create? We spent so much of our time and energy dedicated to that mission. What was it for you? Was it in a noble pursuit or something less so? (Insert your favorite story here.)

What did you help build at Simpson? What did you put your personal signature on during your time here? When you return to campus, is there something you can point to and say, “Yep, we did that?”

Our time on campus created a foundation for the future. Our time created a legacy for those who followed us. Simpson launched us into the world to create the future. And you know what’s most exciting? All of that is still happening at Simpson today.

Regardless of whether you graduated in 1957 or 2017, you share a common bond: You are a product of Simpson College. The instant you graduate, you become one of the many people who proudly call themselves Simpson College alumni.

It’s amazing how often you will run into fellow alumni. We are a group of over 20,000 strong and we like to stick together and help one another. It’s another of the common threads that bind us together. Our alumni are represented by the Alumni

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LEADER

Front row (seated) left to right: Michelle Archibald Kopp ’02 Brianne Trease Fitzgerald ’02 Emily Beckmann Nichols ’09 Nicole Crouse Brown ’63 Back row left to right: Barbara Barker Rauch ’72 Erica Shannon Stueve ’09 Sam Chiodo ’79 Chad Timm ’95 Saul Davis ’79 Paul Hengesteg ’99 Jack Jetmund ’83 Benjamin Campney ’83 Guy Leman ’99 Trent Murphy ’90 Jonathan Bailey ’06 Kaela Phillips ’06 Rebecca Bentzinger ’77 Kathryn Goodwin Brackney ’71

Board of Directors, a 32-member group that consists of passionate alumni from various demographics. Their mission is to extend the Simpson Experience.

The Alumni Board represents the best interests and serves as the voice of the alumni with the college’s administration. Board members are expected to contribute their time, talents and treasure to advance Simpson’s already strong reputation.

Each year, the Alumni Board strives for 100% participation in contributing to the Simpson Fund, a mark that was achieved in 2017.

In addition, the Alumni Board funds an annual Legacy Scholarship for an incoming student with familial ties to the College, as well as a gift to enhance the campus community. In 2017, the Alumni Board collaborated with the Student Government Association to fund the Simpson College Fire Pit project. This beautiful addition to campus has become a meeting place for students and employees alike.

Other programs that have recently been created through the work of the Alumni Board include the Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP), the food recovery program

called Next Course and the establishment of alumni chapters in D.C./Baltimore, Denver and the Twin Cities.

The board invites all graduates to return to their Simpson home and consider the following questions: What do you want to create at Simpson? What do you see that needs to be changed at the college you love? What passion, energy or talent do you have that Simpson desperately needs?

This is the purest and highest purpose of our alumni: To give yourself back to the College. Share your ideas, share your passions and share your experience.

Come back to campus and start something new.

Become or stay actively involved with the Alumni Board and the College. Come to an alumni event or create one of your own. Make a donation to your favorite area of Simpson.

Want to get started? We encourage you to contact the Alumni Board of Directors at alumni.board@simpson.edu.

Please try it. You might be surprised to find that your time at Simpson College isn’t over…it is just the beginning of something new and wonderful. ■

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Many Roles IN ATHLETIC TERMS, BOB NUTGRASS IS WHAT’S KNOWN AS A TEAM PLAYER. If there was a job that needed to be filled at Simpson, he has filled it, including assistant basketball coach, head tennis coach, assistant athletic director and NCAA compliance officer.

One thing has remained constant: Nutgrass was hired to teach at Simpson 28 years ago and he has taught every year since. He currently teaches a physical education prep course and an introductory course in sports management.

Of all his jobs, Nutgrass says it’s teaching that continues to challenge and motivate him.

“It’s still challenging to get students to buy into what they have to do to be successful,” he said.

His coaching career at Simpson essentially started by accident, or desperation. The assistant to Bruce Wilson ’76, then head basketball coach, had quit a week before practices began. Wilson offered Nutgrass the position.

The partnership lasted six years, including three NCAA tournament appearances. Then the head tennis coach position opened. Nutgrass still ranks as the winningest tennis coach in Simpson history.

“I do miss the competition part,” he said. “But the practices really wore me out.”

Nutgrass sees plenty of Simpson games in his role as the school’s NCAA compliance officer, overseeing 574 athletes in 21 sports. His job is to make sure the College follows a thick manual of rules governing the treatment and recruiting of student-athletes.

“I have somebody at least once a day ask me a question about something.”

In his spare time—he apparently has some—Nutgrass and his wife, Susan, enjoy collecting antiques, gardening and playing with their two grandsons.

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Professor of Physical Education Director of Sports Administration Department Chair of Sport Science & Health Education Assistant Athletic Director

Education: B.A., Iowa Wesleyan College, 1978 M.S., Western Illinois University, 1982 Doctoral studies, Drake University, 1993-2002

BOB NUTGRASS But it’s still the thrill of watching a student blossom that invigorates him. Three of the four elementary school physical education teachers in Indianola are former students, as are three middle-school teachers.

“That part of it is really exciting to me,” he said.

FOUR QUESTIONS FOR BOB: The most interesting thing in my office: A signed basketball from 1992-93 team that went to the NCAA tournament.

My favorite book: A Champion’s Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis by Pete Sampras.

If I wasn’t teaching, I would: Try to get a coaching gig with the Arizona Cardinals.

The most interesting place I’ve visited: Door County, Wis.: “The shops, the tourism, the laid-back feeling you have there, the water activities, the goats on the grass roof of Al Johnson’s Restaurant, the putt-putt, the real golf, the cheeses, all the awesome wineries…no wonder we’ve been there over a dozen summers and some fall breaks, too!” ■

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Tracy Dinesen, associate dean of academic affairs and student success and professor of Spanish, presented, with her colleagues, Karen Erickson of Southern New Hampshire University and Anne Hiskes of Grand Valley State University, at the Association of American Colleges and Universities and American Conference of Academic Deans annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The presentation, “Higher Education Today,” represents a three-year study of future trends in higher education, the foundational importance of the liberal arts and sciences education and how liberal arts institutions can meet societal needs while looking toward their future institutional identities and future demands.

Barb Ramos, professor of education, presented “Preparing Teacher Leaders” at the annual meeting and conference of the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education in Baltimore, Md. Her presentation was based on her sabbatical research completed in the Fall of 2017.

Spencer Waugh, instructor of speech and debate, was recognized by the National Communication Association for his outstanding service to Pi Kappa Delta, the national speech and debate organization that serves as the collegelevel honor society for speech and debate.

Nick Proctor, professor of history, coauthored Modernism versus Traditionalism: Art in Paris, 1888-1889, released by the Reacting Consortium Press, with Gretchen McKay of McDaniel College and Michael Marlais. Additionally, “Chicago 1968,” a Reacting to the Past game that started as a student project in his game design seminar, is now being run at the University of Melbourne.

Katrina Cummings, assistant professor of education, had her article entitled, “Understanding Parental Engagement in Early Learning Opportunities for Families in Rural Communities,” named 2017 Article of the Year by the American Council for Rural Special Education (ACRES). The award for the article was presented at the Annual ACRES National Conference in Salt Lake City.

Additionally, her article “Trauma in the Classroom: Supporting Children with Diverse Experiences,” Cummings, K. &

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A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S

Swindell, J., will be published in Young Exceptional Children.

Katherine Vance, assistant professor of math, presented at the joint meetings of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America.

Her presentation was titled, “Supervised In-Class Proving.”

Bob Kling, adjunct art instructor, exhibited 21 paintings at the Helene Constance Gallery, Graceland University, Lamoni, this spring. The exhibit, called “Faces to Figures,” showed the artist’s transition from portraits as subject matter to the female human figure and the exploration of the media along the way.

Additionally, Kling will exhibit selected paintings this July at the Witter Gallery in Storm Lake. The show will feature work on a variety of subject matter in oil, acrylic and mixed media.

Mimi Kammer, assistant professor of theatre, published her article, “Shakespeare as Ecodrama: Ecofeminism and Nonduality in Pericles, Prince of Tyre,” in the Fall 2017 issue of the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism.

Matthew Lau, assistant professor of music, sang the role of Mandarino in the Cedar Rapids Opera’s performance of Puccini’s Turandot. This production presented an opportunity for Simpson students and alumni to learn on the job working alongside Lau. Bob Nutgrass, professor of physical education, attended the SHAPE America Central District Physical Education and Health Convention in Sioux Falls, S.D. Serving as a member of the Research Scholar Committee, he was a voting member to select the Research Scholar of The Year for Central District.

Additionally, Nutgrass serves the Iowa Association for Health, Physical

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Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD) as the Future Professionals Chair.

Bruce Brown, assistant professor of music, was named president of the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). Simpson College will host the Iowa NATS Student Adjudications and Conference in November 2018.

Mark Bates, professor of Spanish, along with other members of the World Languages and Culture department at Simpson, was invited to speak at “From Crisis Management to Innovation: Reimagining the Role of World Languages in the 21st Century,” at Hope College, Holland, Minn., a conference originally started at Simpson in 2015.

Sharon Wilkinson, Patricia Calkins, and Mark Bates presented a session titled, “Using Commercials to Explore Intercultural Perspectives” at the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages annual convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Chad Timm ’95, associate professor of education, recently had a chapter titled, “Doctor Strange, Socratic Hero?” published in the edited book Doctor Strange and Philosophy: The Other Book of Forbidden Knowledge by Wiley Blackwell Press. He also presented a paper at the Iowa Council for the Social Studies titled, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your History?: History According to Hamilton,” and another paper, “Pop Culture as Pedagogy in a Foundations of Education Course,” at the Midwest Popular Culture Association Conference in St. Louis, Mo. Bill Friedricks, professor of history, was appointed to the State Nominations Review Committee (SNRC) of the State Historic Preservation Office, part of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination process in Iowa. SNRC members serve as the representative body of Iowa historians, architects, architectural historians and archaeologists to help determine whether or not a NRHP nomination is worthy of recommendation to the National Park Service for listing. continued >>>>

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John Pauley, professor of philosophy, had an essay titled, “Art and Self-Knowledge,” published in The International Journal of Arts in Society: Annual Review, Volume 12, #1. In addition, Pauley’s essay, “Art and Finitude,” has been accepted for presentation at the 13th annual Arts and Society annual international conference in Vancouver.

David Olsgaard, professor of physics, received a grant from the Jonathan F. Reichert Foundation to help develop a quantum optics laboratory where students will be able to experimentally test and explore some of the fundamental tenants of quantum theory.

Gowun Park, assistant professor of economics, had her paper titled, “On Income Inequality in the United States: its Source and the Great Recession,” accepted for presentation at the 70th Annual Conference of New York State Economics Association. She will also be attending the Midwest Economics Association’s annual meeting to present her recent work about wage inequality in the United States. Finally, Park was selected to serve as a panelist with four other faculty

members for a special session hosted by the American Economic Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession, the largest women’s economic association in the United States.

John Walker, assistant professor of management, presented on Social Entrepreneurship at the Iowa DECA Fall Leadership Conference in Des Moines.

Mara Lehew Bailey ’06, chaplain, delivered the opening invocation for the Iowa Senate at the invitation of Senator Nate Boulton ’02. She also delivered the opening invocation for the Iowa House of Representatives at the invitation of Rep. Scott Ourth.

Ken Fuson, writer and media strategist, was named Master Columnist in the Iowa

Newspaper Association’s annual contest.

Fuson won among Division III weekly newspapers, representing those with a circulation of more than 1,500. He writes a bi-weekly column for the N’West Iowa REVIEW in Sheldon.

Tabatha Lamb, academic advisor, Upward Bound, graduated from the Emerging Leaders Institute sponsored by the Iowa TRIO chapter of Educational Opportunity Association (EOA). The year-long leadership development program combines professional development, networking opportunities and hands-on experiences that prepare participants for greater involvement in EOA and their respective state chapters.

Ellie Olson, director of counseling services, co-presented a paper titled, Fostering Bravery, at the Annual Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors Conference in Denver, Colo. The session focused on the current climate and culture on college campuses with respect to how difficult sociopolitical issues are addressed in public and private forums. n

NEW TRUSTEE Chad Timm ’95 is the newest member of the Simpson College Board of Trustees.

Dr. Timm was recently selected president of the Simpson Alumni Board of Directors, and by virtue of that office, he will serve a two-year term as an ex-officio trustee.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Simpson, a master’s degree in history from Iowa State University (2002) as well as a Ph.D. (2008). He currently teaches as an associate professor of education at Simpson.

Timm and his wife, Andrea Loeffler Timm ’94, have four children: Bailey, Sydney, Gracey and Lilly. n

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ONLINE IMAGINE: IT’S A SUNNY SPRING MORNING. THE KIDS HAVE LEFT FOR SCHOOL. YOU GRAB A STEAMING CUP OF COFFEE, POP OPEN YOUR LAPTOP AND…STUDY FOR YOUR MASTER OF ARTS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE FROM SIMPSON COLLEGE. Simpson has offered online classes since 2008. But a big and promising change will occur in September when four full programs—as opposed to individual courses—will be available online. More will likely be added in the future.

“We’re very excited, and I think the departments are excited,” said Amy Gieseke, dean of Continuing, Graduate & Online Programs. “None of our faculty have taught a full program online. They’re nervous, but excited about the potential for reaching a new audience.”

The four online programs are: • • • •

Bachelor of Arts in Management Bachelor of Arts in Management Information Systems Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Graduate Certificate in Justice Leadership (which could be the first step toward a Master degree in Criminal Justice.)

Why were these four chosen to launch the new program?

“Demand,” Gieseke said. “The popularity of the programs and the nature of the disciplines lent themselves well to the online environment.”

Continuing, Graduate & Online Programs began as a way to reach adult learners who lacked the time to pursue a college degree in a more traditional campus setting.

Online programs represent the evolution of meeting that need. As long as you have access to a computer, you now have the opportunity to complete an entire degree when and where you want.

“We’re hoping to attract students who are not well served by our current evening offerings, who need a more flexible schedule,” Gieseke said. “We can also reach further into Iowa. Our current Continuing students have been asking about it, as well as prospective students.”

Simpson embarked on a marketing campaign in March to raise awareness about the new initiative. Gieseke said the central Iowa market is fairly saturated, but she believes the quality of a Simpson degree will set the College apart.

She launched new online programs at the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine, so Gieseke knows what it takes to get a program off the ground.

Of Simpson, she said, “It’s definitely been a campus-wide effort. It takes Informational Technology (IT), the library, the writing center, all of that. We take all of our services and find a way to deliver those to people at a distance.”

Gieseke wants online students to know they are members of the College community and will share in the Simpson Experience. In some ways, they represent the future.

While nobody expects the whispering maples to be replaced, Gieseke said online programs “are going to be a larger and larger component of higher education.”

For more information: visit simpson.edu/online or call 515-309-3099. n

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CARVER LAB FOR YEARS, SIMPSON’S BIOLOGY LAB CONSISTED OF THREE LONG TABLES FACING THE FRONT OF A CLASSROOM. What a difference a generous grant can make.

Thanks to a grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, Simpson now offers a biology lab that’s one of the most innovative teaching laboratories in the region.

The Carver grant was intended to support the work of the Palmer Amaranth Project. This is an interdisciplinary project that includes Simpson professors and students from multiple disciplines, including biology, computer science, mathematics and philosophy. The group is collaborating with regional agricultural stakeholders to find solutions to combat the spread of the invasive weed Palmer amaranth.

The interdisciplinary approach required a collaborative space in which to work.

As a result, the long tables are gone, replaced by six work stations that provide flexible and collaborative seating options for 24 students.

“Each day that I work with students in this new laboratory space I find new ways to harness this technology to my students’ advantage,” said Jackie Brittingham, professor

of biology. “I love the new and more open floor plan that allows me to move about the room more efficiently and actually connect with individual students more easily.”

Renovations to the 1,300 square feet of the general biology laboratory began in the summer of 2017. Each workstation hosts HDMI/VGA and internet connectivity. This allows data to be relayed to a high-resolution projection system at the front of the room for simultaneous collaboration throughout the laboratory.

Brittingham said new digital compound and stereomicroscopes enable students to transmit live video and high-resolution images to the projection system or their own computer tablet, laptop or cellphone. This way, they can create their own study guides or digital lab reports.

In addition, the new lab features specially designed lighting to facilitate dissection work that is a hallmark of biology laboratories. Increased accessibility was incorporated into the lab’s design, including adjustable height work stations and an audio amplification system.

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“I’m looking forward to sharing this space with students well into the future as they launch their own science careers at Simpson.”

“We also added several safety features,” Brittingham said, “including an additional eye wash station and temperature regulators. Some additional high impact features are surprisingly low-tech, such as multiple new white boards around the room’s perimeter. This allows for spontaneous student brainstorming and collaborative work.”

It looked great on paper. How is it working in practice?

“As the most frequent user of this laboratory I couldn’t be happier with the results of the project,” Brittingham said.

In the fall of 2017, five laboratory courses were taught, enrolling about 100 students. Five more were offered in the spring of 2018. Five of the six faculty members in the biology department have used the laboratory, and other faculty and staff have taken advantage of the renovated space for K-12 STEM outreach activities that affected more than 100 visitors in six months.

“We are looking forward to expanding the use of the room to include our summer undergraduate research teams now that construction has concluded,” Brittingham said. “I think they will find the space to be a flexible and inviting location to dig into their research.”

The Palmer Amaranth Project will be using the lab all summer for new research on Palmer amaranth emergence and control.

-Jackie Brittingham professor of biology

She said the laboratory project showed Simpson as its best, as everything from the grant writing to the project design was done in a collaborative spirit to accomplish something great for students. The completed project should be a draw for prospective biology students.

“A recent microscope sales representative, who covers a territory of several states contiguous with Iowa, commented that he has never seen a biology laboratory like ours that so effectively incorporates this powerful technology,” Brittingham said. “I’m looking forward to sharing this space with students well into the future as they launch their own science careers at Simpson.” n

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Pierce Carey ’19 and Sydney Samples ’19.

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SYDNEY SAMPLES ’19 IS A NATURAL LEADER. AT SAYDEL HIGH SCHOOL IN DES MOINES, SHE DID EVERYTHING FROM SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC CLUBS TO CAPTAIN OF THE TENNIS TEAM.

“The opportunities to take an idea, get faculty support, and then build and work with a team to create something seemed endless,” Norris said. “Simpson gave me the chance to make a difference is so many ways and generate a lifetime of great memories.”

Simpson expanded those skills. Working on a prairie restoration project off campus showed her how much more she could accomplish.

Were you to start a college from scratch, with the goal of producing generations of leaders, you might consider the following:

“I learned that I had the ability and drive to make a difference in my community,” Samples said.

At Simpson, she met another student, Pierce Carey from Salina, Kan., who exhibited a similar ambition.

They formed a team—she as president, Carey as vice president—and decided to run as student body officers.

They won and were the first sophomores to do so.

“Simpson helped me go from leading small groups of people to being a voice for the entire student body,” Samples said.

All colleges produce leaders, but Simpson seems to have discovered the secret. Choose a field, and you’ll likely discover a Simpson graduate holding a position of authority.

“It’s a pattern that’s taken place in this region for a long time,” said Jay Byers ’93, chief executive officer of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and a Simpson Board of Trustees member.

• Locate it close to a robust metropolitan area.

“Simpson’s proximity to Des Moines provides a wide range of unique leadership opportunities,” Byers said.

• Create dozens of opportunities for students to run campus organizations. Why does this matter?

“Students establish an identity beyond the classroom, and they learn the value of teamwork,” said Pat Singer, a biology teacher for 35 years. “Simpson provides lots of opportunities for that to happen.”

• Hire an engaged faculty that encourages students to get involved. “Students are encouraged to thrive and are sometimes pushed outside of the comfort zones they are used to in high school,” said Nicole Molt Crain ’05, senior vice president, public policy, for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and also a Simpson trustee.

• Support a strong Greek Life system. It’s Simpson’s “secret weapon,” Byers said.

• Attract students like Crain: “I wanted to take advantage of the full Simpson Experience,” she said.

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that two of the Democratic Leaders on campus become leaders in their careers. candidates for Iowa governor—State Sen. Nate Boulton ’02 With his term as student body vice president completed, and John Norris ’81—are Simpson alumni.

Carey has turned to other pursuits. He’s serving as the first Boulton, from Columbus Junction, Iowa, expected to be minority student to be elected president of the nationally honored Iowa Sigma chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. politically active when he arrived on campus. He took advantage of opportunities such as legislative internships and working on political campaigns. He also served as student body president and president of the College Democrats.

When he graduates, he says he hopes “to be a leader within the healthcare field.”

Samples, too, has big plans. She has spent the spring semester studying in Chile and plans to attend graduate During his current campaign, he said, “It’s fascinating to school. Her goal is to work with a government agency or see in the Des Moines area and across Iowa how many non-profit group to improve the environment in Central people support each other in leadership through their SC and South America. connection. It’s quite a unique thing.”

That’s a long way from Saydel High School.

Norris grew up on a Montgomery, Iowa, farm. At Simpson, he was chairman of the College Activities “I’ve learned that with collaboration, a little patience and Board and editor of the Simpsonian. He now serves on an idea, I can accomplish whatever I put my mind to,” Simpson’s Board of Trustees. she said. n 15 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE

JACOB’04 ABEL

IT’S AMAZING HOW FAR YOU CAN GO FROM BELMOND, IOWA. Ask Jacob Abel ’04, but good luck tracking him down.

Abel is the general manager for joint venture marketing for the Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, where he has worked for three years.

He began 2018 by traveling to London every weekend. There was another trip to South Korea, and then the occasional day trip to England and back.

“The first time I ever flew on a plane, I was in eighth grade,” Abel said. “I was thinking, ‘Boy, I hope to get to do that again in my lifetime.’ Now I live on planes.”

Having grown up in Belmond, a north-central Iowa town of about 2,300, there was a time in his life when Abel might have thought enrolling in a place like Simpson College was out of reach.

He was a high school junior when his drama class spent Theatre Day at Simpson. “I absolutely fell in love with the campus,” he said.

Abel participated in a number of activities, and, eventually, he achieved another unexpected accomplishment: He was elected student body president his senior year.

“That would have surprised me,” he said. “Coming from a small town, when you think of what’s possible and what’s feasible, there’s a little bit of tunnel vision. If you had told me I was even going to be on the Student Senate at Simpson, I would have said, ‘What?’”

Why does Simpson produce so many leaders?

Abel points to the opportunities.

“There are more opportunities open to you, and you don’t have to stand so far back in line to participate or step up and lead,” he said.

“There’s an opportunity for everyone to lead in some fashion.”

After graduating, Abel embarked on a career that has taken him from marketing for summer camps in central Minnesota; to an ad agency in Minneapolis; to working for Nestlé in Los Angeles, Tampa and San Francisco. He somehow found enough time to obtain an MBA in brand and product management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

At Delta, Abel focuses on the international market, helping the company create a global airline by forging connections and reaching a consensus with other carriers.

Through the years, the small-town native has learned there are two ways to network in the global marketplace. One is to be a gladhander always on the make; the other is to be an authentic person other people want to work with. He prefers the latter.

“Good things happen to people who are looking out for others and taking care of others,” Abel said. “If you’re not worried about who gets the credit for the work that’s being done, good things seem to follow. That’s the mentality that I got at Simpson.” n

Photo submitted.

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Photo submitted.

B Y G R A C E P E C K ’ 10

NICOLE CLEVERINGA ’08 TERRIZZI

BETWEEN CLASS, WORK AND HAVING A SOCIAL LIFE, HOW CAN STUDENTS EVER FIND THE TIME TO VOLUNTEER? Simpson students do find many ways to give back to their community, and some students, like Nicole Cleveringa Terrizzi ’08, find the work so fulfilling, they decide to make it their career.

Terrizzi is the Bay Area director of development for College Track, a college completion program that provides lowincome, first generation students with the tools, resources and skills necessary to earn a college degree.

Terrizzi is able to combine her passion for writing, education and philanthropy by writing grant proposals to support the organization.

Originally from Alton, Iowa, Terrizzi moved to Norwalk, in high school and was introduced to Simpson through Iowa Private College Week, visiting Simpson and feeling instantly at home.

Interested in pre-law, Terrizzi discovered a passion for writing through her English classes. In just four years, she was able to complete the journalism major and two minors, music and women’s studies.

She was also involved in residence life, music and four years of Student Government, becoming student body president her senior year.

How was she able to become the leader of the student body? “I feel like because Simpson is smaller, it gives students an opportunity to be leaders...it’s a safe space to learn and grow but also blossom off-campus as well.”

Though she was accomplishing so much during her time at Simpson, she wondered what she would do after college.

Spring break her junior year she decided spur of the moment to join the Religious Life Community service trip to Mississippi doing relief work after Hurricane Katrina.

Afterward, Terrizzi knew what she needed to do after Simpson.

“The week-long experience was amazing and made me realize that I needed to give back after college.” said Terrizzi.

Not wanting to leave the work in Mississippi, she returned to Simpson looking for any volunteer work she could find.

Through the Wesley Service scholarship Simpson offers, she volunteered at a women’s shelter in Des Moines.

She even found a non-school sponsored trip to a Jamaican orphanage. Today, despite having a full-time job, she and her husband also run a nonprofit, Rhythm Section Drumlines, providing percussion opportunities to schools who otherwise would not be able it to offer it to their students.

After graduation, she began teaching for Teach for America, a nonprofit that provides equal education opportunities for children, and taught in Kansas City for two years, which was another “life-altering experience.”

Terrizzi met her husband through Teach for America.

They moved to California, where she taught before joining College Track in Oakland. She said she still relies on the skills she learned at Simpson in her job helping others.

“Overall, Simpson supported me in finding my passion for helping people, and I found the path to my happiness through a passion for writing. I feel like it also gave me the confidence to branch out and be successful in the field of philanthropy.” n

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JASON ’97 ALLEN SOME SIMPSON ALUMNI SAY THEY WERE DRAWN BY THE BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS. OTHERS PREFERRED A SMALLER SCHOOL TO A LARGER ONE. STILL MORE POINT TO A SPECIFIC MAJOR. Jason Allen ’97 is blunt:

he said. “Just being around people, being challenged to do better, the need to perform in the classroom.”

Allen credits Bruce Wilson ’76, then the Simpson basketball coach, and several close friends with supporting him as he dealt with the death of his grandfather and brother.

“If they had not supported me the way that they did, I’m not sure I would have stayed,” Allen said.

“I just wanted to continue playing.”

A product of Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Allen played basketball for four years at Simpson and was the team’s co-captain his senior year.

During that time, he went from a young man who didn’t know—or, to be honest, really care—about the academic opportunities available at Simpson to someone who took full advantage of them.

Today, he’s the director of district activities and community education for the five public high schools and several middle schools in Des Moines. That means he oversees every extracurricular event, from football practices to band concerts.

“It’s busy,” he said. “But I’m fortunate to have great staff that do amazing work for the students.”

Allen wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived at Simpson.

“It wasn’t like somebody was directing me through the process,” he said. “I was learning a lot on my own. I just knew it was going to be a higher level of learning, and I wasn’t college-ready.”

Enter basketball.

“I think the involvement in activities was critical for me,”

There were other adjustments.

“Even though it’s only 12 minutes from Des Moines, it was a very different community from what I was used to,” he said. “It gave me a chance to develop in a different way, particularly academically and socially.”

Allen became a resident assistant. He joined a group formed to support minority students. He learned how to advocate for himself and for others.

“I learned how to engage in environments that may make me feel uncomfortable,” he said. “There were some great people I met over the years who opened my eyes to perspectives that were different from my own.”

When he graduated, Allen figured he would go into business or coaching. A series of jobs led him to his current position about three years ago, and he enjoys the challenge of using activities to create a positive school environment for all Des Moines students, focusing on diversity efforts.

He tells all students, “There’s nothing you can’t do if you’re willing to work hard enough and to position yourself around the right people.”

It’s not just a saying for Allen. It comes from experience. n

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JOHN ’73 LAWLOR

JOHN LAWLOR ’73 CAN TRACE MANY OF HIS LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS SKILLS BACK TO HIS DAYS AT SIMPSON. BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CLASSES HE TOOK WERE THE PEOPLE HE MET. “Those two leadership experiences literally helped prepare me Lawlor is principal and founder of The Lawlor Group, a not only for the rest of my undergraduate experience but also Minneapolis-based company that provides market research, strategic consulting and integrated communications, mostly to my life,” he said. educational institutions.

During those two experiences, he met and interacted with He chose Simpson because his sister, Catherine Lawlor Stone ’73, many mentors, including Bill Buxton ’28, Jim Weinman ’49, LuJean Cole, Bob ’63 and Ardene Kildal Downing ’62, Joe recommended it, and because it offered the best financial aid package. He arrived on campus as a cash-strapped young man Walt, Lew Kimer ’39 and Luther Hill, among many others.

Several proved instrumental in Lawlor getting hired with a from Minnesota who knew few people. small consulting firm, which eventually led to his founding his That changed in a hurry, and Lawlor’s Simpson story illustrates own company in 1987. the connection between mentoring and encouraging the next Two years ago, Lawlor spoke at ATO’s 150th anniversary, and he generation of leaders. discussed the importance of intergenerational mentoring, “which For Lawlor, the turning point came when he joined the Alpha I believe,” he said, “is a fantastic benefit of belonging to any Tau Omega fraternity. organization whose current students and alumni have a shared affinity. Young people teach older people new things and vice “My membership and affiliation with ATO was one of the versa. A shared experience and affiliation are lifelong benefits greatest benefits of my attending Simpson,” Lawlor said. The that foster continuous improvement and personal growth.” fraternity even offered him a job working in the kitchen, which helped his cash flow.

Having recently accepted a position on the Simpson Board of Trustees, Lawlor now works with Board President Terry Lillis ’77, More than that, he said, “The concept of servant leadership an ATO fraternity brother. was further enhanced because of Simpson’s faith-based heritage and the founding principles of my fraternity. Simpson and Lawlor often tells the story of the time he applied for a job Alpha Tau Omega offered me numerous opportunities to with a major corporation and was told, “John, you would be a demonstrate servant leadership.” great fit. But you went to the wrong school.”

Lawlor was chosen to serve as ATO chapter president between his sophomore and junior years, and was invited by the national fraternity to attend a conference called Leadershape.

He also was selected to be College Activities Board chair during the same time.

He proved them wrong. What he has learned since: “Quality has no address. Successful people come from all places. It doesn’t matter where you go. It matters what you do.”

Sounds like something a mentor would say. n

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Photo submitted.

JANE ’83 PAULSEN GROWING UP IN DURANT, IOWA, JANE PAULSEN ’83 CAN’T RECALL A FEMALE WHO HELD A LEADERSHIP POSITION. WORKING WOMEN WERE TEACHERS, SECRETARIES, BANK TELLERS AND HOUSEKEEPERS.

Paulsen had been recruited to Simpson by the Speech and Theatre program, but acknowledges, “I had no idea what I wanted to study, where I was going or what I wanted to ‘be.’”

Imagine the journey that led a young woman from Durant to holding the Roy J. Carver Chair in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa, where Paulsen also serves as professor of psychiatry, neurology and psychological and brain sciences, among other duties. She is one of the country’s leading researchers of Huntington’s disease.

This is the background she brings to her research of Huntington’s disease, a genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of brain cells, as well as her work with patients and their families.

She is not drawn to titles or accomplishments.

“I am mindful to keep my energy on the process: How am I living? How am I treating others? How can I make a difference? How can I learn from my mistakes?” she said.

She credits two groups with guiding her life’s direction.

First, her parents.

“My parents embodied the essence of helping others, living in a community and working as a team to make the world a better place.”

The other was Simpson.

“Simpson College very much instilled a sense of community and camaraderie with a healthy dose of rivalry,” she said.

She discovered many people willing to mentor her. Outside of class, Paulsen led the College Activities Board and served as student body president.

“I met people far more courageous and creative than myself—patients who lived with a devastating disease and family members who embraced today’s moments knowing that their future was 100 percent certain of having the same disease,” she said.

Paulsen has witnessed great advances since beginning her research. “There is much reason to hope for a better future,” she said.

Even so, she added, “Every one of us is just one neuron, one circuit, one plaque or tangle away from being the next person suffering from brain abnormalities,” she said. “Iowa is 50th in the nation in terms of services for mental illness. A statewide collaborative response is needed to provide appropriate care and research for those with short-term, or longer-term, brain dysfunction.” n

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C H A P L A I N ’ S

M E S S A G E

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Servant Leaders

BY MAR A LE H E W BAI LE Y ’0 6, C HAP L AI N

THERE ARE SOME WORDS THAT SEEM SYNONYMOUS WITH THE SIMPSON EXPERIENCE: SERVICE, PERSONAL ATTENTION, COMMUNITY, SQUIRRELS. THERE’S ANOTHER ONE THAT INTERSECTS IN SO MANY WAYS WITH MY WORK: LEADERSHIP. In fact, I’d offer that Simpson’s approach to leadership combines it with one of the other words I named to bring us to a concept much needed in the world: servant leadership.

There are probably about 264,812 theories on leadership in the world (give or take a few). Many of them offer insights about what it takes to be a leader, including helpful qualities, skills to nurture and books to read.

I’ve certainly received my fair share of leadership advice over the years, but as I sit back and reflect on my own experience and the observation of our student leaders, I keep coming back to the belief that servant leadership is rarely what our society encourages, but it is definitely what is most needed.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus leaves his disciples with an image of servant leadership through the act of washing feet. Peter expressed dismay (some might even read it as disgust) at the thought of his honored leader taking

on the role of a servant. Jesus leaves them with these words: “I assure you, servants aren’t greater than their master, nor are those who are sent greater than the one who sent them.” (John 13:16, CEB) A servant leader is one who is willing to serve by example, showing that the hierarchy of power and privilege so present in our society is not what defines who gets to be in charge.

Service should not be done so that one may become prideful because of their acts; service should be done because it meets a true need someone has. Service is offered out of a desire to help someone else find or maintain dignity, to meet a basic need, or as an extension of one’s call to interact meaningfully with the world around them.

In my work, I am honored to help guide and shape servant leaders as our Chapel interns take a look at the context of our campus. Next, they think about their own gifts and passions for serving the world.

And then together, we think about ways to offer to our campus meaningful opportunities to give back.

Sometimes it’s sitting down with someone over a cup of fair-trade coffee; other times it’s committing to a limited food plan for a week in order to learn better about the strains of poverty and food insecurity. Whatever the reason, our students willingly engage in this way because they know our world needs servant leaders—people who will kneel down, pick up a towel and actively work to address the hurt in our world. n

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POCHOP CLOSES

SOCCER CAREER 22 SIMPSON COLLEGE

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A T H L E T I C S

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GARRETT POCHOP WILL GO DOWN AS THE MOST DECORATED MEN’S SOCCER PLAYER IN SIMPSON HISTORY. The senior from Pierre, S.D., completed his remarkable four-year career this fall, helping the Storm to 15 wins, the second-most in school history. Pochop scored 17 goals and was named Iowa Conference Offensive Most Valuable Player for the second straight season, just the second player in conference history to earn the honor twice.

As good as he was on the pitch, his performance in the classroom was equally impressive.

Boasting a 3.92 GPA in economics with a specialization in finance through the start of his final semester, Pochop earned Division III Men’s Soccer Academic All-American of the Year honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). He is the first student-athlete in Simpson history to earn the award.

“Garrett’s production on the soccer field from 2014-17 was unprecedented, but his contributions to our program will extend far beyond his playing days,” said Rick Isaacson, head men’s soccer coach. “He is what I’ve termed a ‘culture changer.’ He’ll change the culture for the better in whatever he chooses to pursue in the future.”

Pochop’s immediate future could include more soccer.

Shortly after his graduation in December, Pochop had the opportunity to tryout for teams in the United Soccer League, a 33-team professional league with members in the United States and Canada.

“I want to find out if I can play at that level,” Pochop said. “This is an opportunity that’s hard to pass up. It’s something that I’m passionate about. I want to see how I stack up against some of those players.”

Highly recruited for multiple sports—including football and basketball—coming out of T.F. Riggs High School, Pochop ultimately chose Simpson for the opportunity to balance his academic and athletic careers.

“I wanted to get a good education,” Pochop said. “While I was invested in soccer, I didn’t want that to be my life. I decided Simpson would be where I ended up. The different internships and leadership experiences I had were huge, especially considering the time I put into soccer. You can’t put a price tag on that. I don’t think I would have done that at a Division I or Division II school.”

Pochop led the league in goals scored each of his last two seasons and became the school’s career leader in goals and points, finishing with 49 goals and 116 points. His 18 career assists are good for sixth in school history.

“This is a student-athlete who has done more than break records and win soccer games,” Isaacson said. “He has shown us that you can be great at Simpson College. He has shown us that you can accomplish your goals if you work hard and take advantage of the opportunities our school provides.” n

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ASSISTANT SOFTBALL COACH GETS CHANCE TO FULFILL OLYMPIC DREAMS Simpson graduate assistant softball coach Vivi Marquez was recently invited to try out for the Team Mexico softball team and an opportunity to represent the country at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Marquez flew to Irvine, Calif., for tryouts on Feb. 9-11 and advanced to the final cut. The final team members had yet to be announced by springtime.

She is no stranger to the process, trying out for the team two years ago before just missing the final cut.

“I am very blessed to have this opportunity,” Marquez said. “I think it’s such an amazing opportunity that not everyone gets to experience. This is something I have always dreamed about and although I got cut two years ago, I still continue to chase my dreams every day, even though I have already failed once.”

Marquez is in her first year as a graduate assistant on the Storm softball staff following a decorated collegiate career.

She was an All-Horizon League catcher at NCAA Division I Wright State University and was the 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Player of the Year at Rock Valley College in 2015. n

GRAND SEASON FOR PAIR OF BASKETBALL STARS One of the biggest milestones a basketball player can achieve is becoming a member of the 1,000-point club, and this winter, two Simpson basketball players gained admittance.

In the season-opener on Nov. 15, senior Sam Amsbaugh became the 20th men’s player in school history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. Entering the game needing just five points to achieve the feat, the Sheffield, Iowa, native scored 22 in the Storm’s 83-61 win over Westminster (Mo.) at Cowles Fieldhouse.

Then on Jan. 20, senior Noreen Morrow became the 17th women’s player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. The Lake Park, Iowa, native finished with 10 points in the Storm’s loss at Buena Vista, becoming the first player to reach the milestone since Kate Nielsen in 2013.

Both Amsbaugh and Morrow entered another exclusive club on the season, as each pulled down their 500th career rebound. Amsbaugh is the eighth men’s basketball player to collect 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career and Morrow is the seventh women’s basketball player to achieve the feat. n 24 SIMPSON COLLEGE

Each and every one of our students deserves a college experience full of opportunities for them to grow personally and academically to help shape them into tomorrow’s leaders.

Join other alumni, parents and friends in making a gift to The Simpson Fund and supporting our students today!

SIMPSON.EDU/GIVE

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E X T R A !

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EIGHTY-ONE YEARS OF TEACHING, INFINITE MEMORIES After 35 years of teaching, Pat Singer knows how she will begin her retirement: “First of all, I’m going to turn my alarm clock off.”

Singer, a professor of biology, will retire at the end of the spring semester. During her time at Simpson, she has received three faculty awards (Distinguished Research, 2001; Campus Leadership, 2004; and Exemplary Teaching, 2017) and frequently is mentioned by students as a faculty member who influenced them the most.

“I’m both excited about retirement and sad about retirement,” she said.

She has taught 18 different courses at Simpson, and even in retirement she plans to stay involved, teaching when needed and helping students prepare for the programming contests.

Her biggest accomplishment? Receiving an NSF grant in collaboration with Iowa State University on DNA computing in 2010.

Through all the years, and all the changes she has seen, including the launch of two new majors in the Department of Computer Science, Sinapova says what she will miss most always comes down to the same thing: “The interactions with students.”

The exiting part: She and her husband plan to travel, mostly by foot, in England; volunteer to help Burmese refugees in Des Moines; and she plans to join her husband as a volunteer for the American Red Cross.

When she began teaching at Simpson 27 years ago, Professor of English Nancy St. Clair was one of eight females on the faculty. There are many more today.

She also plans to spoil her granddaughter with sleepovers and serving as her taxi driver.

The sad part: “My biggest concern and fear about being retired is not being useful to society anymore. Simpson has been that niche for me the past 35 years. I’ve enjoyed all of the work with colleagues to give our students the best shot and to push them toward independence. I’m going to miss that collective work the most.”

And: “I’m going to miss watching students grow. I’m going to miss witnessing the ‘ah-ha’ moments when students discover that they have the capacity to understand and to ‘see’ things they had never seen before.”

Singer offered one final retirement wish: “Getting to mow Simpson’s quadrangle with a push mower.”

After 19 years as a Professor of Computer Science, Lydia Sinapova has collected many memories at Simpson. What’s difficult is choosing a favorite.

“Some of the best memories are the graduation of my nephew, successful participations in the programming contests, attending the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research with my students, attending the Posters on the Hill event with Carl Davidson ’10 and Professor Marv Van Wyk (now retired) and celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays with some of the international students,” she said.

And there was no Women and Gender Studies minor. There is now, and it remains a popular field of study.

“We take this for granted, but trust me, 20-some years ago we got a world of flak for trying to establish that minor and for bringing in an outside consultant to address the significant disparity between men and women’s faculty salaries,” she says.

Like most professors, what St. Clair will miss most in retirement are the students who taught her as much as she taught them.

“What I will definitely miss is the energy that takes place in a classroom when a topic or idea suddenly catches fire,” she says. “That’s like a shot of adrenalin for me, something that cannot be easily replicated.”

St. Clair has taught 15 different classes at Simpson, everything except American literature classes and fiction or poetry writing. She was initially hired because the department chair at the time, Todd Lieber, strongly believed there should be a class in literature by and about women taught by a woman.

In retirement, St. Clair says, “I want to read all those books I’ve been meaning to read for decades, travel, hang with my grandson, husband and family, and make as many gardens as I can. Oh, yes, and get organized, something I haven’t managed in 66 years, but who knows, hope springs eternal.” n

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Sara Lawson ’20, Carver Bridge to STEM Success program student.

THE CARVER BRIDGE TO STEM SUCCESS PROGRAM B Y G R A C E P E C K ’ 10

Between the Simpson Promise, grants and scholarships, Simpson College does its best to provide quality, affordable education for as many students as possible. The Carver Bridge to STEM Success program is a one-time grant opportunity offered to students who have an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers.

The STEM Success program is named after the famous scientist George Washington Carver, who began his academic career at Simpson College after being sent away from other schools because of the color of his skin.

In continuing that tradition of inclusiveness, Simpson’s STEM Success program helps financially support 15 disadvantaged students by providing scholarships up to $8,400 a year for four years. The program is funded by the National Science Foundation, with additional support from Simpson.

The STEM Success program is headed by a leadership team. Heidi Berger, associate professor of mathematics at Simpson, is the principal investigator.

“It’s a tremendous help to the students that are brought in,” Berger said. “They are hard workers who, without this program, probably wouldn’t be able to be at Simpson. It has such an impact on them.”

The students are paired with mentors from different businesses around the Des Moines area, which provides them with networking opportunities and real world experience. Mentors include Principal Financial Group, EMC, VCI/Intervault, Iowa State University and Norwalk Public Schools. The program also provides summer research experience for the scholars. Students also have extra opportunities like industry tours, guest speakers, traveling to conferences and other events.

Several other Simpson professors and staff work on the team: Derek Lyons ’07, assistant professor of chemistry; Clint Meyer, associate professor of biology and environmental science; and Mark Brodie, associate professor of computer science. All professors in the STEM areas at Simpson also work on the leadership team. Bobbi Sullivan, director of Career Development and Civic Engagement, and Don Evans, professor of psychology and psychology department chair, also support the grant efforts.

“I believe a well-rounded Simpson College experience incorporates career education, service opportunities and professional experiences,” Sullivan said. “I enjoy connecting students with our community partners and helping them grow as professionals.” n

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Photo submitted.

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE If a group of Simpson alumni and friends chartered a bus to attend an NBA game, where would they go?

That’s an easy one—Indianapolis, of course, home of the Indiana Pacers and Chad Buchanan ’95, the team’s general manager. Buchanan hosted 68 people from Simpson the weekend of Jan. 6-7, treating them to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Pacers’ practice facilities.

Standing (left to right): Alex Kirkpatrick ’18, Zoe Seiler ’19, Mark Siebert, Jayde Vogeler ’18, Britteny Johnson ’18, Blake Willadsen ’17 Kneeling (left to right): Laura Wiersema ‘18, Baillee Furst ‘20

Buchanan also organized a question-and-answer session with Glenn Robinson III, the Pacers’ shooting guard and the NBA’s 2017 Slam Dunk Champion.

A BIG SWEEP FOR SIMPSON MEDIA

Chuck Kerr ’53 told Robinson it was a good thing he didn’t play back when Kerr did. Otherwise he might have faced some stiff competition for dunking champion.

Simpson’s student journalists are used to covering the news.

At the Iowa College Media Association’s annual awards on Feb. 1, they made some.

In an unprecedented sweep, the Simpsonian was named the 2017 News Media Organization of the year, and senior Alex Kirkpatrick captured the Student Journalist of the Year honors.

But wait, as they say on television, there’s more. In all, Simpson students collected 19 awards, including nine firstplace honors. The competition was strong, consisting of 12 Iowa colleges and community colleges, including Drake, Wartburg and Buena Vista.

“One of the things I’m proudest of is that we won in such a diverse number of categories, including newswriting, feature writing, opinion, design and multimedia,” said Mark Siebert, assistant professor of multimedia communications and faculty adviser. “This diversity is something we stress at Simpson so you can be able to do a lot of things.”

The students were thrilled with their showing.

“I’m still in shock,” said senior Laura Wiersema, editor of the Simpsonian. “I’m really proud of all the work our staff did. I hope we can continue to do all the things we did in the last year and that this becomes a legacy.” n

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For Kerr, the trip was a surprise 90th birthday present from his wife, Roberta Starry Kerr ’50, who informed her husband two days earlier that he would be attending.

That evening, the Simpson contingent attended the Pacers vs. Bulls game. Children on the trip were treated to courtside seats during warmups and were allowed to be on the court during the national anthem. Each child received a teddy bear and an autograph from a Pacers player. After the Pacers win, the group gathered with Buchanan at Prime 47 for a casual reception.

(For the record, Chuck Kerr did not demonstrate his dunking skills during warm-ups. Robinson’s reign remained unchallenged.)

On Sunday the group ventured to Knightstown, Ind., to tour the gym where the iconic basketball movie “Hoosiers” was filmed. The group received an in-depth tour and was afforded the opportunity to shoot hoops, making sure to drain their last shot before departing because legend has it that a missed final shot brings with it great amounts of bad luck.

The weekend was full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Simpson is very grateful for the wonderful opportunity along with the generosity and hospitality that Buchanan showed the group throughout the memorable weekend in Indianapolis. He created a lot of new Pacers fans. n

• In an effort to be better stewards of our resources, we have transitioned to an online platform for our Class Notes portion of the Touring the Years section of the Magazine.

We invite you to visit simpson.edu/ classnotesSP18 to view the wonderful accomplishments of our alumni.

To submit accomplishments and updates to be included in future editions, visit simpson.edu/alumni/update.

Marriages Michael Ott ’98 and Anne Langguth, Aug. 7, 2017, Paris, France.

Amanda Connelly ’02 and Alan Rockey, Oct. 28, 2017, New Virginia.

Michael Byerly ’09 and Jamie Lippert, Sep. 2015, Rome, Ga. Allison Lane ’10 and Joseph Whitney, Sep. 30, 2017, Iowa City.

Brandon Thompson ’10 and Angela Boston, July 7, 2017, Overland Park, Kan. Macy Koch ’11 and David Donaway, Oct. 8, 2017, Marion.

Brandon DeCook ’13 and Emily Stover ’13, July 22, 2017, Spirit Lake.

Janelle Thomas-Locker ’13 and William Locker, July 7, 2017, Mackinac Island, Mich.

T O U R I N G

T H E

Y E A R S

Shayna Holle ’15 and Spencer Bell, Sep. 2016, Norwalk.

Erin Brown ’16 and Cory Herrmann, June 17, 2017, Leech Lake, Minn.

Erin Capps ’16 and Charlie Reese, Sep. 3, 2017, Des Moines.

Corbin Clark ’16 and Chelsey Smith ’19, Oct. 28, 2017, Smith Chapel on the Simpson College campus.

Payton Dutcher ’16 and Katelynn Sjoblom ’15, July 22, 2017, Chaska, Minn.

Danielle Fairchild ’17 and Michael Morgan, Sep. 2, 2017, Stuart.

Births/Adoptions Samuel Paul Carolan, July 25, 2017, to Leah Van Maaren Carolan ’02 and Rick Carolan, Cedar Rapids, joined Zadok and Isaiah.

Amalie Kristine Lehan, Feb. 23, 2017, to Sara Jensen Lehan ’02 and Mark Lehan, Urbandale.

Sawyer Rockey, July 12, 2017, to Amanda Connelly Rockey ’02 and Alan Rockey, New Virginia.

Brooke Egeland ’14 and Kyle Farmer, Sep. 30, 2017, Emmetsburg.

Matthew Shaver, July 3, 2017, to Christopher Shaver ’05 and Jessica Shaver, Ankeny, joined Emma.

29 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE

• Benjamin Carver, June 11, 2015, to Daniel Carver ’06 and Rebecca Carver, Carlisle, joined Roy. Kodiak James Rhodes, March 4, 2017, to Kara DeNoon Rhodes ’06 and Clay Rhodes, North Richland Hills, Texas.

Penelope Ann Vasquez, Feb. 6, 2017, to Craig Vasquez ’06 and Katie Petrak Vasquez ’09, Windsor Heights, joined Rowan, Greta and Nora.

Jay Simpson, Oct. 10, 2016, to Tessa Van Oosbree Simpson ’07 and Zachary Simpson, Albia, joined Abby and Ellie.

Jansen Lee Grove, March 30, 2017, to Sheena Smitley Grove ’08 and Bob Grove, Adel, joined Keygan.

Matthew Starrett, Aug. 4, 2015, to Stephanie Swan Starrett ’10 and Brian Starrett, Ames.

Kaylin Henry, March 30, 2017, to Betsy Knudsen Henry ’11 and Josh Henry, Winterset, joined Parker.

Aiden Kinkel-Schuster, June 19, 2017, to Jeffrey Kinkel-Schuster ’11 and Jessica Fox Kinkel-Schuster ’12, Las Vegas, Nev. Clara Sue Yarkosky, Aug. 8, 2017, to Drew Yarkosky ’11 and Meg Parks Yarkosky ’13, Kearney, Mo. Jace Strable, Nov. 28, 2014, to Amber Walker Strable ’12 and Dannie Strable, Prole.

Mauer Tanner, Nov. 24, 2015, to Nicholas Tanner ’12 and Rachel De Goei Tanner ’11, Lake Park, joined Taten.

Lyla Ann Heitmeier, Sep. 19, 2017, to Blake Heitmeier ’13 and Kaitlyn Lipovac Heitmeier ’14, Carlisle.

Grant Christian Waechter, May 15, 2017, to Lindsay Nash Waechter ’13 and Jackson Waechter, Waukee.

Deaths Maxine Burns ’39, Jan. 28, 2018, Indianola.

Georganna Morris ’39, Feb. 3, 2018, Indianola.

Thelma Butler Pehrson ’39, Sep. 1, 2017, Indianola.

Eloise Gilmore Ackley ’43, Sep. 29, 2017, Gilbert, Ariz.

Dr. Irvin McClure ’45, Nov. 7, 2017, Encinitas, Calif.

Willard Buzzard ’47, Nov. 20, 2017, North Highlands, Calif.

Mary Lou Boyles Helm ’47, Jan. 9, 2018, Sterling, Ill. Betty Miller ’49, Sep. 7, 2017, Minnetonka, Minn.

Robert Baughman ’50, Aug. 1, 2017, Vinton.

Natalie Skogsbergh Hansen ’50, Nov. 14, 2017, Carroll.

Verlyn McGraw ’50, July 2, 2017, Gilbert, Ariz.

Leo Harrington ’51, Nov. 13, 2017, Newton.

Ralph Andrew ’61, Dec. 30, 2017, Indianola.

Sharon Fitzgerald Bishop ’61, May 9, 2017, Indianola.

C. Keith Fisher ’61, Aug. 11, 2017, Indianola.

Peter Hadley ’61, Oct. 23, 2017, Plymouth, Minn.

Virginia Boggs Simmerman ’61, April 30, 2016, Ames.

Nancy Holland Isebrand ’62, Nov. 10, 2014, Titonka.

Dr. Margaret Rendleman Mehl ’62, Feb. 4, 2018, West Des Moines.

Carolyn McKinney Abell ’63, Sep. 10, 2017, Grimes.

Lanny Seaton ’63, Dec. 23, 2017, Decorah.

James Graves ’64, Aug. 17, 2016, Ankeny.

Edith Reiss Pfeffer ’64, Jan. 26, 2018, Clinton.

Judith Heaberlin Graham ’65, June 1, 2017, Las Vegas, Nev. Jack Petersen ’65, Nov. 8, 2014, Ankeny.

Samuel Lundhigh ’52, Sep. 18, 2017, Tulsa, Okla.

Richard Wiegman ’65, Nov. 22, 2017, Council Bluffs.

LaDonna Webb Allen ’53, Aug. 8, 2017, Ames.

Dr. Margie Wells-Davis ’66, Sep. 16, 2017, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Janet George Schmitz ’53, Aug. 25, 2017, Indianola.

David Freeman ’67, Nov. 2, 2017, Lincolnshire, Ill.

Betty Grimm Stech ’53, Jan. 30, 2018, Perry.

K. Steven Deaton ’69, Dec. 20, 2017, Johnston.

Edward Weeks ’53, Dec. 1, 2017, St. Peters, Mo. Clair Bowers ’54, Jan. 1, 2018, Runnells.

Barbara Swartzendruber Pattison ’54, Dec. 22, 2017, Coralville.

James Schoonover ’55, Jan. 3, 2018, West Des Moines.

Naomi Farren Winsor ’55, Nov. 5, 2017, Des Moines.

Connie Lembke Hunget ’56, Aug. 31, 2017, Corwith.

Harold Isley ’58, Aug. 24, 2017, Indianola.

Larry Turbot ’58, June 21, 2015, Omaha, Neb. Nila Thrailkill Geisel ’60, July 3, 2017, Pantego, Texas.

Eric Linden, Sr. ’60, Jan. 3, 2018, Sacramento, Calif.

Paul Nash ’60, Feb. 24, 2016, Windsor Heights.

Patricia Miller ’70, May 3, 2017, Fairfield.

Rev. Kathryn Piccard ’71, Aug. 29, 2017, Holmes, Pa. William Crow ’76, Oct. 22, 2017, Cherokee.

Brian Lee ’80, Jan. 24, 2018, Pleasant Hill.

Evelyn Nichols Gibbs ’86, Dec. 21, 2017, Greenfield.

Sheila Moore Watkins ’88, July 24, 2017, Panora.

Steven Rogers ’00, Sep. 29, 2017, The Villages, Fla. Kimberly Wolcott ’09, Nov. 10, 2017, West Des Moines.

Donald De Lisle, long-time biology professor and department head, Dec. 26, 2016, Salem, Ore. 30 SIMPSON COLLEGE

IN MEMORIUM R. Melvin Henderson, retired vice president and dean of academic affairs from 1974–1987, passed away Jan. 3 at the age of 87.

He was born in Eutaw, Ala., and graduated from Eutaw High School.

He went on to receive a BA in Religion and English from Howard College (now Samford University), a Master of Theology from Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Henderson’s two daughters both graduated from Simpson—Daphne in 1979 and Melanie in 1981.

In Beneath the Whispering Maples, author Joseph W. Walt described Henderson like this: “… the new dean was at the height of his powers, kind, compassionate, diplomatic, soon known at Simpson for his almost courtly gentlemanliness.”

A memorial service was held Feb. 10. Donations can be made to the R. Melvin Henderson scholarship fund at Simpson College. Checks may be sent to Simpson College, 701 N. C Street, Indianola, Iowa, 50125. Please note on the check that the donation is for the R. Melvin Henderson Scholarship Fund.

Longtime Simpson College trustee Ralph Schlenker passed away March 16, 2018 at the age of 90.

Ralph was raised on the family farm near Ankeny and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University in 1949.

He was employed by Iowa Power & Light Company directly after graduation and remained with the company, or its successor entities, until his retirement as Vice-Chairman. During his tenure, he helped design the Midwest electrical grid in the 1950s and 60s and was head of governmental relations for the company for many years.

Ralph was elected to the Simpson Board of Trustees in May, 1981 retiring to honorary life trustee in May 1991. While on the board, he was the Bishop’s appointment to represent the Methodist Church and served on the following committees: business and finance, audit, development, academic affairs, strategic planning and building and grounds.

Active in his church and many professional and civic groups, he received numerous awards and designations for his achievements and volunteer activities.

He and his wife Charlotte lived in Indianola since 1966 and raised four children. n

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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 4 7

Campus Day Midwest Undergraduate Mathematics Symposium 7-8 Choral/Orchestral Concert 10 Jazz Ensemble in Concert 12 Instrumental Chamber Ensemble Recital 13 Junior Visit Day 13-15 Theatre Simpson: Festival of Short Plays 2018 19 Symphonic Band in Concert 22 Simpson College and Community Orchestra in Concert 18 Honors Convocation 28 Spring Commencement 30-5/18 May Term

MAY 1-18 7 25

May Term Continues Football Junior Visit Day Simpson Cup Golf Tournament

JUNE

10-15 Jazz Combo Camp 22 Des Moines Metro Opera 2018 Season Begins 23-7/1 Simpson Youth Academy 24-29 Magic, Mythology and More!

AUGUST 25 28

SEPTEMBER 13

1

Simpson Youth Academy Continues

31 SIMPSON.EDU/MAGAZINE

Wayne Carse Athletic Benefit

OCTOBER 5-7 9

JULY

Legacy Luncheon Classes Begin

Homecoming & Family Weekend Matthew Simpson Lecture

701 North C Street Indianola, Iowa 50125 simpson.edu

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Des Moines, IA Permit No. 5740

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

SC HONORS Prospective students occasionally ask admissions counselors if Simpson has an honors program.

Beginning this fall, the answer will be yes.

Simpson’s faculty approved the new program in November 2017.

“I cannot be more excited about the passage of the SC Honors Program,” Allison Wolf, professor of philosophy and director of honors education, told the Simpsonian.

“I am really excited that we can finally bring this opportunity to students at Simpson College.”

Simply put, SC Honors allows new and current students the opportunity to enrich their academic experience in a number of ways, including extended interdisciplinary study and co-curricular activities.

The Student Government Association approved a resolution calling for implementation of an interdisciplinary honors program, and students will be working with Wolf and the Honors Advisory Council to ensure that it will meet their needs.

Wolf said the honors program will not detract from the quality of existing courses, but rather, likely will enhance them. Students in the program will: • Be motivated to excel academically by probing material deeply through the integrated lenses of multiple disciplines.

• Apply their academic knowledge beyond the classroom through undergraduate research, internships, alumni events, service opportunities and co-curricular activities.

• Expand and deepen their grounding in liberal arts and sciences.

• Enrich the academic and cultural atmosphere of the larger Simpson community.

• Enhance their profile for graduate and professional schools and make them more attractive to future employers.

Wolf said SC Honors should improve the College’s academic standing and serve as a recruiting tool for talented students. n