TODAY — Fall 2011

fall 2 011, vo l . 11 n o. 2

36,000 Calls & a BIG Thank You University of Central Missouri students called you throughout the fall semester, and you responded generously. THANK YOU! More than 1,000 alumni and friends renewed their support and commitment to UCM. Many others made first-time gifts and started their own tradition of philanthropy to Central Missouri.

YOUR COLLECTIVE GIFTS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. The Central Annual Fund gives UCM the resources needed to help provide students an exceptional educational experience.

If you haven’t already made a gift this year, do so now and help continue the tradition of excellence that the Central Annual Fund provides. PLUS you may get some end-ofthe-year tax benefits!

Show Your Impact!

Make a gift at ucmo.edu/giveonline.

Call us to create a new scholarship.

Let us know you included UCM in your will.

Contact: Scott Alvested Manager of the central annual fund

email: alvested@ucmo.edu phone: 660-543-8000 toll-free: 866-752-7257

ON THE COVER 2

The Chris behind Mr. kringle An alumnus shares his love for the holidays.

A Letter from the President

FEATURES 7

Learning through discovery Delia Cook Gillis teaches her students to examine the world around them.

10

ADman Distinguished Alumnus Mark Schupp

12

A legacy of sharing

Distinguished Alumnus Mike Webb

14

SPEAKING FOR THOSE WITHOUT A VOICE A UCM student plans a career in serving others.

16

Shaping technology’s future David Steward’s gift pays it forward.

18

central yesterday

20

campus currents

22

Philanthropy

24

Class Notes

27

Awards and Honors

28

In Memoriam

FALL 2011, VOL. 11 NO. 2

Published by the offices of University Relations and Alumni and Constituent Relations. © 2011 by University of Central Missouri.

All rights reserved. Contact the editor at today@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4640.

Send your address updates to alumni@ucmo.edu or telephone, 660-543-8000 or toll-free, 1-866-752-7257.

Editor Mike Greife ‘74 Design Adrianne Fillinger ‘04 Erin Livengood Sarah Murrill ‘97 Photographer Bryan Tebbenkamp ’03 Class Notes Tina Tock Bell fs ‘85-’87 Today (USPS 019-888) is published quarterly by the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093.

Printed by Lane Press, Inc., 87 Meadowland Dr., South Burlington, Vt. 05403. Periodicals postage paid at Warrensburg, Mo., and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Today, Smiser Alumni Center, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Mo., 64093.

The Gift of Service With the holiday season rapidly approaching, even in a tough economy, there is strong willingness to give. This often translates into purchasing gifts for family and friends, but more importantly, a desire to help others in need. We may donate our time and financial resources to benefit those who are less fortunate or to support a cause that strikes a heartfelt chord within us. When this happens, we are experiencing the true spirit of this season.

As you view the articles in this edition of “Today,” you will see examples of selfless acts that hopefully will inspire others to take similar action. You’ll learn about how one alumnus, Chris Shaeffer, touches the lives of children in the Kansas City area by dedicating his weekends and often financial resources to making children’s holiday wishes come true. You’ll also get to know Michelle Wertz, a senior political science major who exemplifies what it means to make a difference year round.

She has committed countless hours to increasing awareness of human injustices across the globe, particularly millions of children and adults being sold into slavery.

As UCM continues to strengthen its emphasis on service, and service learning, others are seeing the fruits of volunteerism generated by our faculty, staff and students. We are truly grateful for the difference they make in this community, whether it’s students creating their own businesses and giving profits to local charities, stocking backpacks with food for local children in need, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, or raising money to help others realize their education dreams.

Such acts serve as shining examples to us all. This holiday season and throughout the year, may we all strive to make a difference through the gift of service.

Joining you in service, Chuck Ambrose, President

University of Central Missouri | today

1

The Chris Behind Mr. Kringle

by Jeff Murphy

For University of Central Missouri alumnus Chris Shaeffer, signs of the holiday season are in full bloom when November and December arrive.

By then, emails are rolling into his home office – some from children across the globe – from countries such as Canada, England and Germany. The weekends are getting busy, too.

It’s a time when he puts on his colorful, time-honored suit and drives to a local hospital or a special event to meet youngsters eager to share their deepest Christmas wishes.

(continued on page 4)

2

F A L L 22 0 FALL 0 1111

University of Central Missouri | today

3

(continued from page 2)

In recent years, such scenarios have become common for Shaeffer. Shortly after the professional baseball season ends in October, he makes a transition from his career as an editorial producer with MLB.com to Kriss Kringle, a jolly old elf who has his own website and makes numerous special appearances across the Kansas City metropolitan area. Much of his time spent during the holiday season is dedicated to helping children, often those who are ill, as well as kids displaced from their families or who come from households with tremendous need.

ìWhat is most gratifying is that he chooses to spend the majority of his time with children who are sick or come from difficult situations. I canít think of anything that better represents the image of Santa and the spirit of Christmas.î

“As much as I love my regular job, I have found no better job than playing Santa Claus,” said Shaeffer, who now sports a full, white beard and jokes that his fondness for cookies enables him to wear less padding under his red and white suit.

Actually, to call Shaeffer’s role as Kriss Kringle a “job” is a misnomer. It’s an avocation he embraces with great passion and love -- one that he does mostly without compensation, except for a few private and corporate events. But in the true spirit of the character he portrays, he gives all the money he earns from paying gigs to his favorite charitable causes. One of them is the Kansas City Salvation Army Children’s Shelter, which hosts kids who, through no fault of their own, are no longer residing in their family home.

With help from a few of his “elves,” Shaeffer obtains the children’s wish lists during the holiday season, then he purchases gifts to present to them on Christmas Eve. His wife, Nancy, and their daughter, Kayla, are among his biggest supporters and often accompany him to the shelter.

“It’s heartwarming to see the joy he brings, not only to children, but also to adults,” Nancy Shaeffer said.

“What is most gratifying is that he chooses to spend the majority of his time with children who are sick or come from difficult situations. I can’t think of anything that better represents the image of Santa and the spirit of Christmas.”

4

FA L L 2 0 1 1

Shaeffer estimates that he annually sees anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 children through his participation in special events for kids and families. Such opportunities have ranged from corporate visits to companies such as Hallmark and Sprint, to the Kansas City Zoo, and to charitable activities sponsored by the Dream Factory, KUDL, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and St. Joseph Hospital, just to name a few.

Long before he donned the Santa suit, Shaeffer was studying broadcasting and film at UCM, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1981. After working in news and sports for Warrensburg radio station KOKO-AM, he spent a portion of his professional career on campus employed first by Sports Information in Intercollegiate Athletics, then University Relations. In his last position, he quickly advanced from editing Internet copy to learning how to create websites.

“I was self-taught on the Web. It was trial by fire,” he said, noting that the university’s website was in its infancy when he worked at UCM. “At the time, I didn’t know where it was going to lead, but it certainly brought me back into the sports world, and it got me into professional sports. The university was definitely a springboard for where I am now.”

After taking his Internet skills to other employers, one of them an association for truckers, Shaeffer landed a dream job 11 years ago with a start-up company known as MLB Advanced Media. Today the company oversees the development of websites for all Major League Baseball teams. Working mostly out of his home office and sometimes at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Shaeffer has had a hand in producing websites for the Kansas City Royals and about every other team in professional baseball. He now laughs, saying his job in sports fulfills a revelation from his classmates at Otterville High School.

“In 1977, the year I graduated, they did a prediction for the future and put it in the yearbook. Mine was hosting a sports talk show and getting involved in professional sports. That was funny at the time,” Shaeffer said, “but it worked out, and I’m very pleased.”

In 2011, Shaeffer will celebrate his 15th consecutive year as Kriss Kingle. His first time was just a whim.

When his daughter was born in 1996, his wife suggested he dress as Santa when Christmas arrived so they could videotape it and show it to her when she got older.

“So, I went out and bought a cheap Santa Claus suit at Walmart and dressed up that morning in a fake beard and everything, and we videotaped it. I did it the next couple of years, and I started to realize that I kind of enjoyed it,” Shaeffer remembered. (continued on page 6)

University Universityof ofCentral Central Missouri Missouri | today

5

(continued from page 5)

Watching the fun his own family got out of his Santa role made him wonder if there was a way he could spread some holiday cheer to others. In 2002, a friend at KUDL-FM radio in Kansas City hooked Shaeffer up with an appearance at a large charitable event in Lee’s Summit that kicked off the holiday season while also helping families in need.

After that, requests for appearances took off and haven’t slowed down since.

“From there, I just absolutely loved it and love being around the kids and seeing their reactions,” Shaeffer said. “But it all started with me getting involved in the charitable aspect, and that’s the way I want to do it, and I continue to do it today.”

Shaeffer truly has a soft spot in his heart for children, and their many letters and heartfelt face-to-face chats with Santa are a constant reminder why his charitable approach to Kriss Kringle is so important. It was actually a child’s letter in 2005 that fueled his desire to live up to the giving aspects of the character he portrays. Kathleen, an eight-year-old girl living in Ontario, Canada, wrote to him saying she didn’t want anything for herself for Christmas, but wanted Santa to bring her father a motorized wheelchair. Her dad, who was a construction worker, could no longer walk because of an illness, and he had been on a waiting list for a power wheelchair for a long time.

“I had no idea if I could help at all, but I knew I had to try,” Shaeffer said. “I began emailing and calling every charitable organization in Canada I could find in my Internet searches. I even spoke to the mayor of the small town the family lived in.”

He also called a Canadian newspaper which published an article. In what seemed like fate, the news story was read by a couple of

6

FA L L 2 0 1 1

nurses who had just started to provide care for Kathleen’s father.

“The nurses took it upon themselves to acquire the motorized chair,” Shaeffer said. “Kathleen thanked me over and over, although I explained that the nurses were the ones who got the chair. She told me that she believed in me and that I would always be ‘her Santa,’ as she put it.”

Every Christmas season since then, Kathleen, who is now 14 years old, continues to write to “her Santa” through his website at Kriss-Kringle.com. Her father has now fully recovered and is walking again. Shaeffer, on the other hand, continues to forge ahead, accepting a growing number of invitations and new opportunities to bring smiles to young faces. Sometimes he does it under difficult circumstances, but he always upholds old St. Nick’s caring, giving image.

“Seeing sick children, many of them terminally ill, or seeing children who are in shelters for their own safety is difficult for him, especially at Christmas time,” Nancy Shaeffer said. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming for him, but that always comes later.”

Shaeffer, however, reflected on the sometimes tough emotional aspect of being Santa by harkening back to the letter he received from his young Canadian friend and the willingness of strangers to help. He stresses such experiences make it all worthwhile.

“After that event, I knew what I needed to do, so I have sought out children in difficult situations and tried to bring a little joy to their lives,” he said. “I hope I have been able to have a positive Read It. impact on them in some Rate It. small way.”n Did you enjoy this story?

Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

by Mike Greife

Delia Cook Gillis is curious about why things happened the way they did, particularly in her own surroundings. Throughout her career as a professor of history and director of the Africana Studies Center at the University of Central Missouri, she has seldom passed up an opportunity to satiate her own curiosity by examining history, gleaning the lessons to be learned and passed on to her students. (continued on page 8)

University of Central Missouri | today

7

(continued from page 7)

Her research into African American history also has afforded her opportunities to share her work with the public. Her most recent opportunity was an invitation from the U.S. Archives to share with the public her observations about the African American community in Kansas City. She explored the subject in her 2007 book, “Kansas City,” a pictorial history of the city’s African American community. She has lectured on many aspects of African American life, exploring desegregation in the 1950s and 1960s and sharing stories of the people and events.

Her interest in the stories of generations past perhaps comes from her own heritage. The

“

We do it for the minds we touch

8

”

FALL 2 0 1 1

daughter of a brick mason and a reading teacher, she was raised in rural Mecklenburg County, Va., where she grew up in a household of three generations under one roof, and family and education were important. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business and marrying, she entered a career in investment banking in Germany, where her husband was stationed with the U.S. Air Force.

It was when the family returned to the United States to be stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base that Gillis began to explore her opportunities for graduate study in history. She chose UCM. “History always has been my passion and my love,” Gillis said.

“Dr. William Foley, Dr. Arthur McClure and Dr. Guy Griggs were my mentors.” They guided her through her graduate study, and her thesis topic was the desegregation of UCM between 1954 and 1992.

“My research opportunities were amazing,” she said. She made contact with the university’s retired legal counsel, who served the Board of Regents during the desegregation, and he made his personal files available to her.

She was able to interview many of UCM’s first African American students, including the Rev. Price Ellis of Kansas City.

“I wanted to know why so many of our first African American students were from Kansas City,” she said.

“They had other opportunities for study closer to home. I discovered that it was the hospitality they encountered here in Warrensburg and on the UCM campus.”

during desegregation, she had them interview members of the local African American community instead of researching published biographies of civil rights pioneers.

Gillis completed her Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Columbia, writing her dissertation on the desegregation of the University of Missouri. After teaching for several years at the University of MissouriKansas City, she jumped at the opportunity to return to UCM to teach with her mentors.

According to Gillis, her passion for learning through discovery is the reason she teaches, encouraging her students to learn from the past by interacting with those who lived it.

Gillis’s gift to her students is teaching them to learn about history by examining the world around them. When a class was to conduct research about African Americans and their experiences

“

“We do it for the minds we touch,” she said. n

Read It. Rate It.

Did you enjoy this story?

Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

”

My research opportunities

were amazing.

“Kansas City”

A pictorial history of the city's African American community.

University of Central Missouri | today

9

Mark Schupp Honored as 2011 Distinguished Alumnus

By Dalene Abner

Schupp credits his UCM education for having a “profound impact on my life and how I’ve lived it.”

10 FALL 2 0 1 1 10 F A L L 2 0 1 1

Mark Schupp isn’t quite sure how he got into advertising. After finishing a bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Central Missouri in 1978, he decided to backpack Europe. Returning home and realizing he needed a job, Schupp looked up agencies in the Yellow Pages.

“I put on the only suit I owned, knocked on a door and became a media buyer.”

For his first job after college, he was hired by Barickman Advertising - Doyle Dane Bernbach, at the time the largest advertising agency in Kansas City. It was the start of an award-winning, worldclass career for Schupp, honored during homecoming as the UCM Alumni Association’s 2011 Distinguished Alumnus.

Schupp has worked at some of the world’s most prestigious agencies and developed advertising strategies for some of the largest international corporations. One client in particular, Anheuser-Busch, was so impressed by his work that they hired him nearly 25 years ago as brand manager for Bud Light, a relatively new product line at the time.

“For nearly seven years, I had arguably the best job in the entire world,” Schupp says.

He was involved with numerous Bud Light campaigns, including the development of the 1980s pop culture pooch, Spuds MacKenzie. Always surrounded by beautiful women, the cool, sunglasswearing bull terrier was portrayed as the original party animal. The dog became an overnight fan sensation, generating his own T-shirts, sweaters, mugs, posters and toys.

Spuds, along with “Gimme A Light,” “I Love You, Man,” “Make It A Bud Light” and “Yes I Am” helped make Bud Light the top-selling light beer in the world during Schupp’s A-B years. But the desire to have his own company kept tugging at him. “Very few people leave A-B, but once I made the decision, I was full of anticipation,” Schupp says. Signing up the number-one brewer in the world as a client certainly helped ease the transition.

Today, the Schupp Company is recognized as one of the best places in St. Louis to work. Besides providing a great work environment for its employees, Schupp Company donates its services, valued at some $2.5 million, to various charitable and non-profit organizations. The firm works with many high-profile companies and has won practically every national creative award available. Their work is consistently recognized as some of the most powerful in the industry. Schupp officially is its president and chief executive officer. As recognition for his 30-plus years in advertising and marketing, he was named the St. Louis Ad Club’s first-ever Ad Man of the Year in 2009.

Schupp credits his UCM education for having a “profound impact on my life and how I’ve lived it. UCM’s environment truly allowed me to flourish. There wasn’t one class, one professor, one friend, one event or one experience that was ultimately responsible for making me who I am today.

It was a combination of everything that UCM offered that allowed me to hit the ground running.”n Read It. Rate It.

Did you enjoy this story?

Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

University of Central Missouri | today University of Central Missouri | today

11 11

by Mike Greife

U

niversity of Central Missouri alumnus Mike Webb is an inventor, international business executive and entrepreneur. As the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award, he was recognized for his contributions to society, as well as the continuation of his family’s legacy of giving back to their alma mater in a variety of ways.

12

FA L L 2 0 1 1

W

ebb’s father, Earl A. Webb, Sr., was a leader of the UCM Alumni Association and was instrumental in raising the funds for the construction of the Alumni Memorial Chapel on the UCM campus.

He graduated from Central Missouri in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and minors in chemistry and biology. Following a career in corporate business, he embarked on his own journey as a entrepreneur, finding success throughout the world in a variety of venues.

The Eau Claire, Wis., resident currently manages domestic and international businesses specializing in petroleum, real estate and intellectual property.

He formed an energy company in 1987 known as U-Fuel, which provides self service fuel at airports and for the general public.

An innovator, Webb has received nearly 20 patents since 1991 related to different products and systems, such as a portable fuel facility, system for storing waste fluids, method of testing fuel systems, vertical fuel station, and more. His international businesses are located in Mongolia, Mexico, China, Africa and Australia. In China, he created the Webb School to teach English to Chinese children.

Webb’s business experience is extensive and includes owning a development corporation, running a charter aircraft company, serving as president of a cable company, involvement in real estate and working in banking and insurance trusts.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Webb has played a significant role in the history and growth of UCM, helping to establish the UCM Foundation in 1979 and serving as its first president. He also was involved in Sigma Tau

Gamma fraternity, serving on the committee to build its national headquarters building in Warrensburg, and was elected president of its foundation.

Webb’s father, Earl A. Webb, Sr., shared his passion for his alma mater as a leader of the then Central Missouri State Teachers College Alumni Association. He was instrumental in raising the funds for the construction of the Alumni Memorial Chapel on the UCM campus. Mike Webb and his family have honored their father’s commitment by endowing a fund through the UCM Foundation for the restoration of the chapel study.

Webb recalls many professors and experiences at UCM that influenced his life, often pushing him into new directions. This includes Chi-Ling Lee, a professor of economics who introduced him to China and international economics.

“I switched my major from pre-dental to economics, recognizing I didn’t have the personality to stay in an office every day,” Webb said. “Dr. Lee talked about escaping from China in the 1940s. He opened my eyes to the world of business. Little did I know that the knowledge gained from those classes in microeconomics and macroeconomics, business law and money and banking would be a key to my future. It has been a great journey, starting from the University of Central Missouri, Read It. Rate It. and it is not over.” n

Did you enjoy this story?

Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

University of Central Missouri | today

13

by Mike Greife

Michelle Wertz, a senior political science major from Clinton, Mo., doesn’t believe in wasting time. She will graduate in December 2011, completing her degree in just two and one-half years. She also believes in being involved, serving as a representative in the Student Government Association, an active member of the College Republicans, a representative to the Model United Nations, and an Alumni Ambassador. When she has time, Wertz runs up to three miles to stay in shape and remain active.

During the summer of 2010 she enrolled in the course “The Five Wars of Globalization” at UCM. Always an advocate for standing up for what is right, she quickly learned more about human trafficking, a social justice issue that is not often discussed.

“That class opened my eyes,” Wertz said. She learned about the many illegal ways of making money, including the sale of humans for slave labor and sex trafficking. She also learned that many 14

F A L L 22 0 FALL 0 1111

people are unaware of the growth of human slavery in recent decades.

“It is estimated that 30 million people worldwide have been sold into some form of slave trade, and half of those are children,” she said. “In one country, it was reported that a child could be purchased for $50. The problem is worse now than it has been at any time in history.”

“There are so many people who can’t stand up for themselves, and this experience has made me want to be an advocate for them. They don’t have a voice, but I do.”

The numbers made an impression on Wertz and steeled her determination to make a difference. But what could one student enrolled in a midwestern public university do? Wertz’s research led her to Love146, a worldwide organization committed to eliminating child sex trafficking.

Love146 was sponsoring an event, “Jog in June,” to raise funds and awareness. Wertz began training by extending the length of her daily run. She prepared a PowerPoint presentation that she would use in her fundraising efforts and had made arrangements to make her presentation to the Rotary Club in her hometown. Her plans changed, however, when, two weeks before her scheduled presentation, she tore the cartilage in the back of her left heel while running. The injury resulted in surgery, several weeks on crutches and orders not to run until it healed.

For Wertz, it was a disappointing setback. The injury has healed, and she is back to running on a limited basis.

But it has not lessened her determination to increase awareness of the social injustice of human slavery and to make a difference in her own way.

“I began researching, and found there are directories of Fair Trade products that trace and document the level of exploitation in the production of these products,” she said. “I also found that it is sometimes difficult to avoid purchasing something that has not been produced through some form of exploitative practice.”

As a political science major, Wertz frequently is asked if she plans to run for office. She explains that political science can be a study of more than government.

“I learned that when I came to college,” she said. “My experience out of high school was that ‘politics’ means running for office and serving in government. However, I learned that the study of political science also means the study of social justice issues and affecting change. That’s why, when I heard about this topic in class last summer, it hit home for me.”

After receiving her degree from UCM, Wertz will enter graduate school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City to complete a master’s degree in public administration.

She hopes to work in the not-for-profit sector with organizations that advocate change for social injustice.

“I guess I was brought up to be a strong person, to stand up for my rights and the rights of others, and to fight for what I believe in,” she said. “There are so many people who can’t stand up Read It. for themselves, and this experience Rate It. Did you enjoy this story? has made me want to be an Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today advocate for them. They don’t have a voice, but I do.” n

For her part, Wertz has made the choice to give up something she loves – chocolate.

“I guess it doesn’t sound like much,” she said, “but if everyone in the United States eliminated the purchase of just one thing that was produced with exploited labor, it would make a significant difference.”

University of Central Missouri | today

15

For all of his multi-million dollar business success, David Steward smiles most often about the simple things of life, such as faith, family and his strong belief in putting others first.

He was born in Chicago and grew up in Clinton, Mo., in a three-bedroom home with three brothers and four sisters. His mother taught him to believe “you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.” From his father, who fixed cars, hauled trash, worked security, tended bar and cleaned offices, Steward learned how to work hard.

The 1973 University of Central Missouri business graduate is founder, chair and majority owner of St. Louis-based World Wide Technology. Named one of the 100 most influential Black Americans by “Ebony” magazine and hailed by “Black Enterprise” magazine as having the

The Steward Scholars Program in the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies will provide full tuition assistance for up to five undergraduate students pursuing Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degrees in computer information systems. In addition to fullride scholarships, students will receive international experiences and interaction with educators and professionals in their chosen field that go above and beyond most scholarship programs.

UCM President Chuck Ambrose called the program “extraordinary” and noted that it serves as a prototype for other UCM alumni who want to create a legacy

g n i p a s ’ tes a y e r Sh m C a g r t f i g o G r ’ P o ip rds h a l s r w a l e t o S o Sch e r n u t h Signa c e r Te u t u F

ner

ne Ab

le

by Da

at the university by helping outstanding students achieve their education goals.

largest African Americanowned business in the United States, Steward recently decided to give back to his alma mater. A five-year, $500,000 gift to the UCM Foundation from Steward and his wife, Thelma, will fund the start-up of a first-of-its-kind scholarship program at UCM. “I’ve been fortunate to have great people in my life — teachers, coaches and others — who cared enough about me to give me their very best,” Steward said. “Giving support to those teachers and leaders in our system is extremely important. I’m excited to give back to my alma mater and create this signature scholarship program with so much potential to shape the future of technology.”

16

F A L L 22 0 0 11 11

“The Steward Scholars Program will be pivotal in building a community of scholars who are engaged in a valuable and intense learning environment with equal focus on leadership and service to others,” Ambrose said. “This gift from David and Thelma Steward sets an example for our other alumni and friends to offer similar support to create programs such as this in all of our colleges within the next two years.”

Applicants must meet specific criteria that include being a declared computer information systems major and must agree to participate in a studyabroad program or international internship.

Preference will be given to students of diversity and graduates of Clinton High School in Henry County, Mo., where Steward graduated. The scholarships will

DAVID STEWARD

be awarded next spring with the first class expected to be enrolled for fall 2012.

“David’s and Thelma’s gift allows our next generation of leaders to leave UCM with unique and transformational experiences in civic engagement, social and cultural awareness, and leadership,” said Roger Best, dean of the Harmon College. “Their support is a testament to the impact Central Missouri had on Dave personally and is evidence of the quality business education we provide.”

Steward, an emeriti member of the UCM Foundation Board of Directors, received the UCM Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004.

In 2008, he received the National Urban League’s Business Pioneer Award, as well as the St. Louis County Economic Council Dr. William D. Phillips Technology Award.

Before founding World Wide Technology in 1990, Steward held various positions with Wagner Electric, Missouri Pacific Railroad and Federal Express Corporation. A leading systems integrator providing technology products, services and supply chain solutions to the commercial, government and telecom sectors, WWT has grown into a global organization, with annual revenues exceeding $4 billion. It employs more than 2,000 employees

and operates more than 2.5 million square feet of warehousing, distribution and integration space in 30 facilities throughout the world.

Thelma is a St. Louis native and graduate of the St. Louis Municipal School of Nursing. Her commitment to infant health care began as a registered nurse in Homer G. Phillips Hospital’s newborn and premature nursery and has grown to focus on enhancing the larger community and contributing to a higher quality of life for all St. Louis citizens through active volunteerism. She recently was honored as Variety Children’s Charity 2012 Woman of the Year.

“Dave Steward represents what is truly unique about the University of Central Missouri and he is actively engaged in helping shape the outcomes for what is required of us in the future,” Ambrose said.

“Future Steward Scholars will not only be prepared for change, I believe they will be instrumental in defining what change will be in the future. These scholars will define, create and lead change, all because of the cumulative effect of the UCM experience and the generosity of someone who himself Read It. Rate It. you enjoy this story? benefited from his own experiences DidGive us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today here in this community.” n University Universityof ofCentral Central Missouri Missouri | today

17

by Mike Greife

For the past several generations of university of Central Missouri students, it has always been present as a key part of the campus landscape. Known as the Alumni Chapel, the Alumni Memorial Chapel, or just “the chapel,� it has, with a quiet dignity befitting its purpose, served the campus and community in a multitude of roles.

The Alumni Memorial Chapel under construction.

18

FA L L 2 0 1 1

T. Rawleigh Gaines, left, seals the box that will be placed in the cornerstone of the Alumni Memorial Chapel. Watching are fellow committee members, left to right, Emmett Ellis, Monia Morris, Irl A. Gladfelter, Gertrude Hosey and Rolla F. Wood.

For the many couples who have begun their married lives there, it is a place to be revisited on anniversaries. For some, it is a place of quiet solitude and contemplation.

But to all, it stands in testament to the sacrifices that many of our alumni have made defending freedom.

The idea of a campus chapel became a reality on Nov. 2, 1944, during a meeting in of the Central Missouri State Teachers College alumni association in Kansas City. Dr. Drummond Rucker, vice president of the alumni association, made the motion to pass a resolution to build a “fitting memorial to the memory of those who have served, fought and died in World War II.” It would be 15 years before the chapel was completed. During that time, a great number of dedicated faculty members, alumni and friends of the college would raise more than $150,000 in private funds, with planning and celebration at all phases of the project.

State funds could not be used for the project, so fundraising began in earnest. Emmett Ellis, professor of economics, chaired the general committee, made up of faculty, alumni and community members, and alumnus Earl A. Webb, Sr. chaired the fundraising effort.

The initial cost of the project was estimated at $60,000, but that cost had risen to nearly $150,000 by the time the chapel was completed.

In a letter to potential donors, Perry McCandless, professor of history and member of the fundraising committee, outlined what could be achieved by donations of different amounts. For a donation of $5,000, the chapel library could be built and furnished. The stained glass windows could be funded at $250 per panel, the entrance doors could be funded at a cost of $500, and the library fireplace could become a reality for a donation of $400. Hymnals could be purchased for a donation of $100 for 25 books, or donors could purchase a “construction unit” for $50.

A site on what was then the southwest corner of the main campus was selected for the chapel.

The site was dedicated in ceremonies on Oct. 21, 1954, during Religious Studies Week on campus.

In her speech during the ceremony, Mrs. J. Howard Hart, a 1910 alumna of Normal School No. 2 and member of the college’s Board of Regents, noted that “the chapel will not stand merely as a church, nor be planned simply as a memorial. Rather, it is the plan and hope of all interested persons that this chapel will be the source and inspiration for the development of a broad and dynamic program in the field of good human relations.”

“The Student,” the campus newspaper, reported on March 26, 1956, that plans had been finalized for the chapel and approved by the Board of Regents.

The new chapel would be built of sandstone to match the current campus buildings. It also was announced that a gift of $10,000 from St. Louis philanthropist William H. Danforth would fund the construction of a small prayer chapel on the east side of the structure.

In May of the same year, the board authorized bids for construction, and George Stump of Warrensburg was named the general contractor.

A sealed metal box was filled with 23 items and placed in the cornerstone during a special cornerstone ceremony on Oct. 2, 1956.

Work progressed steadily throughout the summer and fall, and on Feb. 20, 1957, “The Student” ran a front page photo of students Edell Schaefer and Ken Buhlig examining construction progress.

Their interest was more than casual.

They had selected their wedding date of May 19, 1957, and they would be Read It. the first couple to be married in the Rate It. chapel after its completion and Did you enjoy this story?

Give us your feedback dedication on May 9, 1957. n at ucmo.edu/today University of Central Missouri | today

19

campus currents

Missouri Gov. Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon, left, administers the oath of office to UCM President Charles M. Ambrose during the presidential inauguration Nov. 6.

UCM Inaugurates 15th University President The University of Central Missouri campus celebrated the inauguration of Charles Ambrose, the university’s 15th president, Oct. 5-6 during the 2011 Homecoming festivities.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixion was the keynote speaker for the event, praising UCM and Ambrose for a commitment to taking higher education in Missouri to a new level that meets the changing needs of today’s students and society.

In his inaugural address, Ambrose thanked the university community for welcoming him and his family since their arrival Aug. 1, 2010. He also expressed his gratitude to his mentors who had guided him through his education and his career in higher education.

Ambrose noted that during his first year as president of UCM, the campus community has risen to the challenge of developing the Strategic Governance for Student Success model. The resulting reorganization of the university’s academic and administrative and academic units allowed UCM to meet critical

20

FA L L 2 0 1 1

budgetary needs while improving the quality of the student experience through the more efficient use of available resources.

Ambrose acknowledged the contributions of UCM alumni Mike Webb and Mark Schupp, who were honored as UCM’s Distinguished Alumni later that week. He also recognized the leadership and generosity of alumni David Steward and Don Nissanka, whose recent contributions to the future of UCM included the implementation of the Steward Scholars program in the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies, and the partnership with Exergonix in Lee’s Summit.

“I am humbled and honored to be the president of the University of Central Missouri,” Ambrose said. “Being a relative newcomer to Missouri, I am now more fully aware of what the ‘Show Me State’ means.

Today, the tremendous impact of change on our students requires them to not only say, ‘Show Me,” but I think we are also being asked to “Prepare me, inspire me, challenge me and engage me.” n

safety alumni Share Proclamation

Provost Announces Retirement

Several University of Central Missouri safety sciences alumni recently celebrated a milestone in their chosen careers with President Charles Ambrose. The members

GEORGE WILSON

George Wilson, provost and chief learning officer, has announced his retirement. He will be leaving his post June 30, 2012, after devoting more than 39 years to the university and its students.

A national search has been launched for Wilson’s successor. A native of Wichita, Kan., Wilson joined the university in 1972 as an assistant professor of economics, followed by promotions to associate professor in 1982 and professor in 1986. Over the next 25 years, he served as acting chair of the former Department of Economics and Finance, associate dean and dean of the Harmon College of Business Administration, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, executive assistant to the president, and provost and chief learning officer.

Fall Enrollment Set Record With 11,750 students attending classes this fall, the University of Central Missouri experienced the highest enrollment in the institution’s 140-year history.

Fall semester figures continue annual enrollment increases that began in 2005. The total number of students enrolled in fall classes is up 438, a jump from the same period in 2010. This also is an increase of 119 students over the previous record set in 1992 when there were 11,631 students at UCM. The enrollment outlook includes 1,685 first-time freshmen, which is an increase of 115 students over a year ago. The number of transfer students also is up from a year ago with 961 students in fall 2011, compared to 944 in 2010.

International enrollment climbed 16 percent from last year, with 558 international students attending UCM.

and officers of the Heart of America Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers shared a proclamation signed by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in recognition of ASSE’s 100-year anniversary.

In the document, the governor specifically commends the role UCM and other Missouri colleges and universities have played in producing graduates in areas such as safety, safety management, and industrial hygiene.

Andersons Named ‘Filbert Five’ Honorees University of Central Missouri’s sibling duo of Senior Associate Athletic Director Kathy Anderson and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Kim Anderson were honored by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as 2011 Filbert Five honorees.The Filbert Five is the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s tribute to Missouri’s “Mr. Basketball” Gary KATHY ANDERSON Filbert. Filbert had long been known throughout the state as an outstanding high school and college player, an assistant under Mizzou’s Norm Stewart, the first head coach of Missouri Western State University’s basketball team, the executive director of the

Show-Me STATE GAMES and, most recently, the Executive Secretary of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association.

This year’s Filbert Five is focusing on siblings who have had an impact on the state’s basketball landscape. Kathy was a member of the inaugural UCM Athletic Hall of Fame class in 1992. Her jersey was retired at Sedalia Smith-Cotton High School, and her number 32 jersey is retired at Central Missouri. She was named to the Jennies All-Decade and Silver Anniversary teams and played for the USA Junior National Team in 1997 and the Senior National Team in 1978 and 1979.

Kim also had his jersey retired at Sedalia SmithCotton High School, was a 1992 inductee into the Missouri Sports KIM ANDERSON Hall of Fame and a 2000 inductee into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.

He was named to the University of Missouri Basketball All-Century Team and is the winningest coach in Central Missouri Mules basketball history with a 203-74 record.

HOMECOMING 2011 Royalty crowned Mike Wilson, a senior public relations major from Warrensburg, and Brooke White, a senior education major from Sedalia, were crowned king and queen of the University of Central Missouri’s 2011 Homecoming festivities during halftime of the Homecoming football game Saturday, Oct. 8, at UCM’s Audrey J. Walton Stadium. Announcement of the Homecoming royalty was a highlight of Homecoming weekend, which included the presentation of UCM’s Distinguished Alumni award, the Homecoming parade, and numerous campus activities for UCM students, alumni and the community.

University of Central Missouri | today

21

philanthropy

Gift is Full of Memories, Financially Strong Future College memories of people and places are important to John and Carole Fay. Based upon firsthand knowledge gained from their own careers in fundraising, the couple recently decided to provide for the University of Central Missouri in their estate plans.

Carole was with the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Together they collectively share more than 60 years of professional advancement experience with institutions of independent and higher education, healthcare, museums and human services.

“I simply would not be who I am today without the invaluable education, mentoring and guidance I received during my years as a student at UCM,” said John, a 1970 alumnus. “The examples of leadership, integrity and character I witnessed on this campus provided an unerring path for my future. It’s time for us to give back so other young people can continue to benefit from all this university has to offer.”

When he first told his wife about his alma mater, John shared a long-treasured memory. “It was a brutally cold, moonless night in the countryside around Warrensburg, but we were determined to find this abandoned bell and bring it back to campus with us!”

After graduating from UCM with a degree in communication and public relations, John, who went by the nickname “Buzz” in college, quickly moved into a successful and rewarding career in institutional advancement.

Following a position as account executive with the Xerox Corporation, he started in alumni relations with Missouri Valley College and quickly was asked to manage its fundraising program. Over time, he accepted other positions in higher education.

In 1985, he accepted a position with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, where he later became chair of the Department of Institutional Advancement. While with Cleveland, John met and married his second wife, Carole.

Following their marriage in 1993, they moved to positions in Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., where they served as directors of development for respective museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

John was with the National Air and Space Museum and 22

FA L L 2 0 1 1

The midnight discovery in 1968 soon became an integral part of a UCM tradition – the Tau Kappa Epsilon bell that still rings every time the Mules score a touchdown. He added that same bell has most likely created countless additional memories for all the many TKEs, alumni and parents who have heard its victory peal.

Now retired, both John and Carole have returned to campus for alumni events and meetings of the UCM Alumni Association Board of Directors, of which John is a member. During these visits, he had conversations with Dale Carder, associate vice president of planned giving, about how he could help the university.

Recently, the timing just seemed right to make a gift.

The Fays also chose to put no restrictions on how their gift eventually will be used.

“Carole and I designated our gift as ‘unrestricted’ due to our own experience in advancement,” John said.

“We know that at the time our gift is received by UCM, an unrestricted contribution will provide the greatest flexibility for the president and board to determine what the greatest need may be at that future date. We aren’t able to do that ourselves at this point in time.

Nebraska to manage the family farm, he stayed active with a community music group as a violinist. He also was choir director at several churches.

Such was the influence of music to the Shomshors that their daughter, Amelia Wenger and her husband, Alan, an associate professor on the UCM music faculty, made a gift to the UCM Foundation to endow a scholarship in their honor.

The Ellsworth and Marcella Shomshor Trumpet Scholarship is for a full-time student pursuing a degree in music who plays trumpet as his or her primary instrument. Recipients also must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and are selected through an audition process.

RITA BLITT and her sculpture, “fantasy”

Artist Rita Blitt Donates Sculpture to Campus Creating and giving away impressive sculptures has become a habit for Kansas City artist Rita Blitt.

She has installed more than 45 monumental sculptures up to 60 feet in height, had 70 solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows. Her works have been shown and installed in Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States.

Known for her passionate expressions of joy and pain, Blitt has garnered the attention of a broad audience from around the world. Her works have been permanently installed and exhibited in museums throughout the United States. More than 25 public works can be viewed in the greater Kansas City area.

Now, one of her sculptures also can be experienced on the UCM campus. Thanks to the artist’s philanthropic nature and generous gift, the university installed one of her commanding pieces this fall. The work was donated to the UCM Foundation with the assistance of Jan Leonard, senior vice president of UMB Bank in Kansas City and executive director of the Rita Blitt Foundation.

The steel structure, “Fantasy,” stands more than nine feet high and is eight feet in diameter. It outlines the soft curves and lines of a swan-like form and is an example of the modernist art aesthetic, focusing on the movement of line and shape. The sculpture is located on the north side of the James C. Kirkpatrick Library.

As part of the sculpture’s dedication this fall, the UCM Gallery of Art and Design also sponsored an exhibit of Blitt’s work celebrating her love of nature, music and dance.

Shomshor Trumpet Scholarship Honors Parents Music and the arts mattered to Ellsworth and Marcella Shomshor. Early in his life, Ellsworth taught music at the University of Central Missouri and in western Kansas. Marcella was an avid fan. When they moved to

Williams Scholarship Supports Education Students with Winning Attitudes Mathematics major Stephanie Schutte graduates in December and knows she will have memories to treasure all her life.

“I can’t say I have just one really best college experience,” she said.

“I really like the close group of my friends in my major who have all the same classes as me. We are all really good friends and the professors just add to the mix.

They are always around to answer questions or just to chat.”

Schutte, who received the Luroff H. Williams Mathematics Scholarship, hopes to get a job teaching lower- Stephanie Schutte level math at a rural high school and perhaps coach either basketball or softball. That would be welcome news to the donor who funded the scholarship through his estate.

Wiliams attended Central Missouri State Teachers College in 1932. After three quarters, he left to pursue training at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, but he returned in 1935. One year later, he accepted an appointment at the Veterans Administration in Washington, D.C., where he lived for 53 years.

He returned to Warrensburg in 1953 to finish an undergraduate degree in math, after he worked many years for the Internal Revenue Service and served in the military. He became a high school math teacher in Virginia until he retired in 1974. He and his wife, Helen, returned again to Warrensburg. He dedicated his scholarship to students pursuing education degrees with “diligence and an attitude to never give up.”

For Schutte, that meant being the first to leave home when she came to UCM. “Being the oldest kid, it was a huge change to come to school not only for me but for my family. It’s hard to hear their stories and not be there, but we make it work. And UCM now feels like home. I’ve come to love it.”

University of Central Missouri | today

23

class notes

1950-1959 Jean (Holder) Middleton ’52 had a 25-year career as an editor in an electronics firm, retiring in 1998. She is enjoying her retirement and is a back-of-the-book indexer. She and her husband, Ed, reside in Riverside, Calif.

Bob Merritt ’57 and his wife, Jonna (McKendree) ’56, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in August.

Their granddaughter, Katie Kelly, is a freshman at UCM this fall, following in the footsteps of their daughter, Julie Merritt Kelly.

1960-1969 Ken Allen ’60 and his wife, Donna (Viator) ’62 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at the Grand Hyatt Resort in Kauai, Hawaii. Two of their four children and four of their 12 grandchildren also attended.

Elaine Wallis ’66, ’01 is retired and living in Kansas City, Mo. Les Chubick ’67 retired after a 31-year career with Knit-Rite Inc. He started as advertising manager and then became trade show manager. Since retiring he is traveling, painting, participating in car hobbies and charity car shows and enjoying his six grandchildren.

Rosemary Gibbons Phiri ’67 is a missionary in the southeastern African country of Malawi. She teaches life skills and her husband, Rev. Moffat Phiri, teaches theology. Their ministry started out being supported by one Kansas City church and has now reached to churches from other parts of the country. Rosemary visits the U.S. annually and tries to visit and thank these churches that help support their ministry.

1970-1979 Frank Augustine ’70 retired after 39 years of teaching American History, The Vietnam War and The Sixties Culture, and Urban Studies and Cuban

24

FA L L 2 0 1 1

Keeping NASA Safe NASA has a UCM alum leading safety programs at its Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Manuel Dominguez earned his master’s degree in industrial safety from Central Missouri in 1985 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. He joined NASA’s research and development facility in Ohio in 1989, rising through the ranks from safety engineer to chief institutional safety officer.

That means Dominguez has dealt with most aspects of his profession, from field work to management. He currently is charged with finding new ways to improve the safety program at the facility where NASA personnel research propulsion systems, from aircraft to rocket engines.

“We’re trying to make our safety, health and environmental programs world class,” Dominguez said.

He said UCM’s industrial safety program was instrumental in preparing him to be a well-rounded safety engineer and manager.

“I think the program prepared me very well to do the technical work, the field work of a safety engineer,” Dominguez said.

But the program wasn’t all about technical work. He said he also learned how to deal with people, budgets and be a good manager.

He spent his first five years of work with NASA doing field work – inspections, consultations on construction projects, consultation on research, hazard assessments and emergency management.

Dominguez lives in the Cleveland area with his wife, Margaret. He has four grown children, Ryan, 28; Katie, 24; Miguel, 22; and Carlos, 18.

Studies at Memorial High School in West New York, N.J. Connie Kenyon ’74, ’79, ’01,’03 is assistant elementary principal and resource services director for Summit Christian Academy in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Her 34-year career includes teaching elementary and special education, counseling, directing a Parents as Teachers program and serving as site director for the John Hopkins University Center’s Talented Youth Program.

Gregory Cecil ’75 was reappointed to a three-year term on the Columbia regional Airport Advisory Board and reelected chair. He was also promoted to senior director of development at the MU College of Engineering. He and his wife, Michelle, reside in Columbia.

George Robbins ’76, ’81 is president of the St. Louis Chapter of the Missouri Society of Accountants and the chapter representative on the society’s state board. For 16 years he has worked at Hughes, Wilner, & Wolfe in Ladue, Mo., as an associate accountant.

Connie Spease-Hester ’77 is living in Santa Fe, N.M., where she is employed by Thornburg Investment Management.

1980-1989 Sean McMahon ’81 is director of missions for the Florida Baptist Association. He has been for 30 years, serving Southern Baptist Churches in Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Florida. He and his wife, Fairra (Juhl) ’81, reside in Tallahassee, Fla. Alice (White) Gutierrez ’82 retired from social work after many years of working with the elderly and disabled.

She is now a volunteer tutor for a program called Literacy Kansas City.

She and her husband, Richard, reside in Kansas City, Mo. Daniel Haus ’82 is general counsel for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. His wife, Debbie (Stein) ’83, ’92, is in her 29th year of teaching with the Belton School District and was named the District Teacher of the Year for 2010. Their daughter, Kelly ’08, teaches freshman English for the Belton School District and daughter, Amanda, is in her final year of the nursing program at UCM. The family resides in Kansas City, Mo. Chi-Yuan “Edward” Ian ’85 is vice president of clinical development for Asia Pacific at PDD, Inc., a leading global contract research organization providing drug discovery, development and life cycle management services.

Tony Lawson ’85 is a background actor as a detective in the television series “Memphis Beat.”He resides in Prairieville, La.

Scott Harris ’87 is teaching and directing band at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St. Louis County, Mo. 1990-1999 Brian Weiler ’90 is the director of aviation for the Springfield-Branson National Airport. He previously was multimodal director for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Tim Mitchell ’91 and his wife, Michelle (Fey) ’90, own Mitchco Enterprises, LLC, an online sporting goods and equipment company. They reside in Wentzville, Mo. Jamie Melchert ’92 is currently deployed in support of Operation

Bright Lights Fashion, Fitness

Maggie (Connell) Newbold ’77 retired from Ft. Zumwalt School District after 32 years. The last 13 years were at Ft. Zumwalt West High School as the librarian. She is an adjunct professor for Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., where she teaches graduate courses in library science.

Enduring Freedom at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. He is the commander of the Missouri National Guard’s 1138th Transportation Company, based in St. Louis. He was recently promoted to the rank of major while serving in Afghanistan. He and his wife, Brenda, reside in Columbia, Mo. Ernest Rockwell ’93, ’95 is assistant professor/editor for the Language, Science, & Technology Directorate at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. He resides in Seaside, Calif.

Edna Grover-Bisker ’95 is director of career opportunities and employer relations at Missouri Univesity of Science and Technology in Rolla.

Nicole “NK” Gutierrez likes to be well-prepared in everything she does. She takes acting classes, and she’s working to become a certified trainer. She’s taking writing classes while she works to script a feature film, a short film and a sitcom.

The Central Missouri alumna found her psychology major and fashion minor beneficial in acting and her bridal styling business.

“UCM set me up for success,” she said. “I was very wellversed.” Prior to graduating in 2005, Gutierrez landed a paid internship at Neiman Marcus in Chicago and waited tables to earn extra money.

Later, she secured a bridal salon position at the company, using her lunch breaks to audition for acting jobs. She landed a role on the HBO series “Habla Mas.” She’s since gone on to portray Joanne Jefferson in the musical “RENT,” a storyteller in Arthur Miller’s “Resurrection Blues,” and Sister Felicity in “Suddenly Last Summer “ by Tennessee Williams.

Gutierrez left Neiman Marcus after two years to pursue her acting career while maintaining her bridal consulting and styling company, Courted in Couture. She lives in Chicago and hopes to make New York her full-time home as an on-camera actress. Her ultimate goal is to have her own talk show that focuses on women, women’s health, fitness and well-being.

University of Central Missouri | today

25

She has been with Missouri S&T since 2005, having worked as the public information and outreach manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Brenna (Swaters) Macias ’96 and her husband, Doug, announce the birth of Jace Robert on July 5. He joins brothers, Cade, 3 and Zane, 14 months. The family resides in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Patricia Schantz ’96 retired from Probation/Parole in June 2010. She resides in Warrensburg, Mo. Janquil (Straka) Boswell ’99,’02 and her husband, Kelsey, announce the birth of Brooks Michael on Aug. 29, 2011. The family resides in Liberty, Mo. Tom (Popeye) Deane ’99, his wife, Kim (Hempel) ’98, and their family, recently moved to Farmington Hills, Mich.

2000-2011 Jeff Callaway ’00 entered the University of Virginia Law School in August. He and his wife, Heather (DeGarmo) ’99 reside in Charlottesville, Va. Andrea Caspari ’00, ’10 married Barry Spears June 25, 2011. She is an English teacher in the North Kansas City School District and a local comedian at the Kansas City Improv. He works for Waddell and Reed. The couple resides in Kansas City, Mo. Jennifer (Bussman) Maijala ’00 and her husband, Brian, live in Kirksville, Mo. She works for State Farm Insurance and he is a State Farm agent.

Janell (Mohme) Pycior ’01,’05 and her husband, Casey, announce the birth of Carver Quinn on May 13, 2011. The family resides in Lincoln, Neb. Susan (Cummings) Satterfield ’01 writes science fiction, fantasy and horror. Her recent work includes a short story, “Close Encounters of the Bubba Kind” in the Yard Dog Press 26

FA L L 2 0 1 1

anthology, “Houston, We’ve Got Bubbas.” Her poem, “The Hunger: A Zombie Poem” appears in the Costcom Entertainment anthology “Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhyme.” She resides in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Chris Hawn ’04 and Jenn (Davidson) ’04 announce the birth of their third child, Grant Christopher, on June 14.

Jana Parker ’05 and Jeff Droz were married on June 4, 2011. The couple resides in Rich Hill, Mo., where Jana teaches English.

Amber Nash ’05 married Adam Gilstrap on June 4, 2011. He is a systems accountant and she is an accountant.

She also is a freelance writer and community manager for a financial advice blog.

Jamie (Fischer) Patterson ’05 recently completed her MBA at the University of Missouri’s Crosby MBA Program in Columbia. She is the marketing manager for Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. She and her husband, Mike, reside in Tuscumbia, Mo. Erin Johnson ’06 graduated in May 2011 with a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in instrumental music education from Bowling Green State University. She resides in Warrensburg.

Adam Nichols fs’06 works for Frey Boy Tobacco in Las Vegas, Nev., and Outlaw Cigar Company in Kansas City, Mo. and Overland Park, Kan.. He is also an entertainment critic. He resides in Kansas City, Mo. Brittney Smithers ’07, ’09 is a marketing and sales specialist for Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis. She is responsible for customer relationship management support, client database management, special event production, training video support, sales brochure production and additional creative services.

1st Lt. David Stuckenberg ’07 was promoted to the rank of Captain in the

U.S. Air Force. He is serving as a pilot/ air commando in the Air Force Special Operations Command. He and his wife, Shannon, reside in New Mexico.

Kristy Burmeister ’08, ’11 married Danny Cushing ’08 on July 9, 2011.

They reside in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Stephanie (Young) Burton ’08 graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School in December 2010 and passed the law exam in February 2011. She has opened her own law firm, The Law Office of Stephanie M. Burton, LLC. She has four children, Paul, 11, KhrystynaMarie, 10, Jeremiah, 7, and Jaymie, 2.

The family resides in Gladstone, Mo. Conrad Purnell ’08 graduated from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Academy June 24, 2011 in Jefferson City, Mo. He is assigned to Troop E, Zone 8 in Pemiscot and New Madrid counties.

Tyke Sapp ’08 married Sara Tracy ’08 on May 7, 2011. He works for the Kansas City Chiefs and she works for Value Merchandisers. They reside in Kansas City, Mo. Jennifer Schmidt ’08 is deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 1138th Transportation Company of Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Mo. DeMarco Cosby fs ’10 signed with the St. Louis Rams. He was first team all-MIAA, all-region and All-American for the Mules last season. He also holds the UCM career records for receptions, yards receiving and touchdowns by a tight end.

Kisha Henry ’10 is producer and reporter for KOKH-Fox 25 in Oklahoma City.

Emily Moses ’10 is director of marketing and community engagement for Pittsburg State University athletics. Her responsibilities include sponsorship sales, community outreach and engagement, and game

promotions. She is co-liaison to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Jamorris Warren ’10 signed as a free agent with the Carolina Panthers. The former Mules wide receiver was a first team all-MIAA, all-region and AllAmerican as a senior at UCM when he set single-season records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Matt Curtis ’11 was inked by the Cleveland Indians to play in the Arizona Fall League in Goodyear, Ariz.

It marks the 53rd time in Mules baseball history a player has been signed by a major league organization.

Awards and Honors 1960-1969 Thomas Kuntz ’61, ’62 received the highest faculty honor at Boston University, 2011 William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor. He has taught at BU since ’71 and was honored as UCM’s 2003 Distinguished Alumnus. He is considered an international authority on bats and is also credited with a new discipline he calls aeroecology, which combines aspects of atmospheric science, animal behavior, ecology, engineering, and earth sciences.

Shirley Kleppe ’67 won a second place award for her photo, “Leopard Reflection,” in the 2011 Louisville National Juried Photography Show in Colorado. Her entry won in the category, CP Color: People and Animals. She is a national watercolorist and African wildlife photographer.

1970-1979 Dean Swafford ’73 received the Honorary Virginia State FFA degree at the 80th Virginia FFA Convention held in Blacksburg, Va., on the campus of Virginia Tech June 29, 2011. He received this honor for his work in establishing

Small Animal Care as part of the agriculture education curriculum in Virginia in the 1990s. He resides in Savannah, Mo. 1980-1989 Brig. Gen. Everett Thomas ’87 was nominated by President Barack Obama to the rank of major general while serving as the vice commander, Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

The appointment requires Senate approval. Commissioned through the ROTC program in 1980, Thomas has commanded an Air Force station, a space launch squadron, a missile operation group and a space wing.

Sherry Morrow ’80, ’86 received the Friend of Kearney Award and the Leadership Kearney Distinguished Alumni Award at the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce’s 92nd annual banquet on Jan. 25 in Kearney, Neb. Heather (Bullock) Haste ’87 was awarded a NASA Endeavor Fellowship to pursue a STEM teaching certificate through Columbia University. She has been selected to participate in NOAA Climate Steward Program and selected as the local LIT leader for New Mexico’s American Meteorologist DataStream Project Earth’s Climate System. She resides in Albuquerque, N.M. Jo Leigh Fischer ’94 was chosen as a 2011 “Up and Coming” lawyer by the “Missouri Lawyers Weekly.” She is an attorney at Armstrong Teasdale. She also is one of only a handful of certified instructors for the Department of Homeland Security at the National Fire Academy and has taught classes for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Kansas City Arson Task Force; Kansas City Metropolitan Insurance Fraud Task Force; and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

1990-1999 Darrell Watson ’96 was awarded the distinction of Accredited Airport Executive by the American Association of Airport Executives. Fewer than 10 percent of AAAE members have earned this distinction. He is director of properties for Louisville Regional Airport Authority in Louisville, Ky. Eric Baldwin ’99 is a creative global director at Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore. He was part of the team that developed and produced “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” Old Spice marketing campaign, which won a Grand Effie Award at the 43rd Annual North America Effie Awards held June 7 in New York. He is now assigned to W + K Levi’s account as its global creative director.

Col. Michael Pankau ’99 is the 10th commander of the 139th Airlift Wing out of St. Joseph, Mo. He has received numerous medals, ribbons, and citations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, as well as medals for the liberation of Kuwait, and numerous Missouri state medals. He is a master navigator with more than 4,000 flight hours in the C-130 Hercules aircraft.

2000-2009 Lauren Zupon ’09 was recognized by the Missouri Association for Colleges of Teacher Education as one of the state’s Outstanding Beginning Teachers.

She is a life skills teacher at Highland Park Elementary School in the Lee’s Summit Missouri School District. She is pursuing a master’s in special education with an emphasis in autism at the University of Kansas.

University of Central Missouri | today

27

in memoriam

1940-1949

Robert D. Thomure ’74

Lorraine S. Bennett

Dwight S. Cornelius ’40

Ezra E. Borntrager ’75

Sanford W. Brandom

Hubert L. Madison ’48

Herman W. Cordray ’75

Julia Burris

Fern E. Salmon ’49

Michael M. Fischer ’75

Hubert L. Chrisman

Laurie A. Moyer ’78

Jane E. Cochran

1950-1959

Joseph P. Collins Jr.

Mary Ann Jenkins-Coffman ’50

1980-1989

Hallie B. Colvin

Anna Belle Schumaker ’51

Dennis L. Grout ’80

Carol J. Conley

Dennis L. Ammon ’52

Dexter R. Adams ’81

Angela M. Dearduff

William H. Bondurant ’52

Bruce K. Lebsack ’81

George B. Dyer

Virginia Gibson ’52

Laura J. Herdman ’84

Tegan Ann Edmundson

Dennis L. Hough ’57

Jimmie L. Whipple ’85

Dennis Elliott

Paul G. Moyer ’57, ’68

Mark A. Randazzo ’86

Adalene P. Felts

Edgar D. Parker ’57

Mark W. Mason ’89

Carol M. Forsyth

Edward J. Roberts ’58 Marjorie Webb ’58 1960-1969

Melba Jean Garner 1990-1999

Louis R. Gilbert

Anna M. Corwin ’92, ’97

Robert W. Habenstein

Jessica Ann Harris ’94

Jimmie Doris Hankey

Charles J. Allard ’62

Evelyn R. Harris

Larry E. Habeger ’62

College High

John D. Henson Jr.

Eleanor Prue Humphrey ’65

Eula Dearborn ’30

Jack K. Jennings

Ron Lewis ’65

Kimberly Jones

Howard G. Cornell ’68

Current Students

Sue B. Kim

Eldred A. Clark ’69

Jeffrey Jamal White

Eleanor W. Langford

James R. Hockaday ’69

Larkin H. Langford Former Students

Violet E. Leigh

Sandra Bonfield

John D. Mason

1970-1979

Charlene M. Lowery

Joan Moon

Anthony R. DiPardo ’70

Louann Whitworth McCabe

JoAnn Oehrke

Marie Kirkland ’70

Gregory D. Nichols

A Elwin Powell

Nancy L. Schlicht ’70

Doug Ryhn

Phyllis Ann Randle-Slaughter

Joseph M. Marek ’71, ’76

Price Street

Marjorie I. Ripple

Erma Jean Van Cleave ’69

Ralph D. Parrish ’71

Raymond Rowland

Deborah F. Grant ’72

Friend

Lawrence Gene Samuelson

Claude E. Marks Jr. ’72, ’73

Lisa M. Alderman

Duane C. Sheets

D. Kim Null ’72

Robert Lee Allison

Virginia Stephens

Lewis J. Sedge ’72

Craig Anderson

Sam Gail Tuck

Franklin D. Blackwell ’73

Ruth V. Bank

Melba Van Vickle

Lilburn M. Cover ’74

Elizabeth A. Barnes

Germanie Worrall

Richard J. Huhn ’74, ’87

John Kent Bender

28

FA L L 2 0 1 1

John F. Belshe

of Central Missouri, retiring in 1994.

John F. Belshe, 76, professor emeritus of biology, died Oct. 19, 2011, in Warrensburg.

She is survived by two daughters, one brother and two sisters.

Educators Association, Warrensburg Rotary Club, Boy Scouts and the Elks Lodge. He also was an amateur radio operator.

Myrtle I. Hayes

He is survived by his wife, Janice, three sons and a sister.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Missouri and master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Miami. He joined the faculty of UCM in 1965, retiring in 2000.

During his career, he served as president of the Missouri Academy of Science. He was a member of the Johnson County Historical Society, the Johnson County Democratic Club and the Missouri Rivers Outfitters of the National Santa Fe Trail Association. He also served as a compiler for the Montrose Audubon Christmas Bird Count for 35 years.

He also was a member of the Warrensburg Writers Circle and showed horses with the Missouri State Saddle Club Association.

He is survived by his wife, Donna; a son and a daughter, and two brothers.

Memorial contributions may be made to the John Belshe Memorial Scholarship fund through the UCM Foundation.

Patricia M. Brown

Patricia M. Brown, 81, former manager of the university copy center, died June 29, 2011, in Appleton City, Mo. Brown was a 1948 graduate of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kan. She worked at TWA in Kansas City and also worked for Boeing for several years at Edwards Air Force in Bakersfield, Calif. In 1968, she began working as manager of the copy center at the University

Myrtle Ione Hayes, 91, professor emeritus of business education, died Aug. 17, 2011, in Grants Pass, Ore. A native of Seattle, Wash., she earned a doctorate in business education from the University of Northern Colorado. She joined the faculty at the University of Central Missouri in 1971, retiring in 1988.

After retiring in 1988, she returned to Grants Pass, where she authored a book, ”Adventures in Persevering: Pioneers of the 20th Century.” She was an area representative and then state vice president of the Oregon Business Education Association. She enjoyed oil painting, memorizing and writing poetry, playing piano and organ for the Murphy Church of the Nazarene, sewing, cooking, birdwatching and world travel.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Franklin W. and Janice Koch Scholarship in Music through the UCM Foundation.

Clair L. Koons

Clair Lowell Koons, 91, professor emeritus of elementary education, died May 15, 2011, in Jasper, Ark. A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, Koons joined the faculty of the University of Central Missouri in 1968, retiring in May 1986.

Survivors include two brothers and a sister.

He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Oklahoma State University and his doctorate from the University of Tulsa. He served as a teacher and principal in schools in Guthrie, Pawnee, Tulsa and Glencoe, Okla., and Howard, Kan., prior to joining the faculty of UCM.

Franklin Koch

He is survived by two sons, four daughters, and brother and a sister.

Franklin Koch, 78, professor emeritus of music, died Oct. 6, 2011, in Dallas, Texas.

A veteran of the Korean War, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan.

He taught general and choral music in schools in Iowa and New Jersey, joining the faculty of UCM in 1969.

He taught classes in piano and music education until his retirement in 1996.

While in Warrensburg, Koch was active in the Missouri Music

Sai Kartik Ramanadham

Sai Kartik Ramanadham, a University of Central Missouri graduate student from Hyderabad, India, died Nov. 16, 2011, the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Wichita, Kan. He was scheduled to received a Master of Science in Technology degree in December 2011. He worked on campus as a student manager for the Westside Market Dining Center in Todd Hall.

University of Central Missouri | today

29

Periodicals Postage PAID at Warrensburg, MO and Additional Mailing Offices

100 W. South St. Warrensburg, MO 64093-2324

Find out about upcoming alumni and other university events at www.ucmo.edu/calendar.

When friends pitch in and help, the difficult often becomes the achieved.

Join us. When we work together, we accomplish so much more!

By volunteering, you make your UCM degree even stronger.

After all, Education for Service has been our motto for more than 130 years.

Your involvement can change lives in communities throughout the world.

Learn more at: alumni.edu/alumni/volunteer