TODAY — Summer 2011 by University of Central Missouri

sum mer 2011, vol. 11 no. 1

FORGOTTEN NO MORE

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Been an Extraordinary Year YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE! Your generosity has made this fiscal year one of the most successful fundraising years in UCM history. With your support, we raised more than $5.2 million in gifts, providing students with more resources to finish their degrees and the university with more resources to enhance the student experience. We are grateful for your commitment to make this university the best in the Midwest.

Show Your Impact!

Contact: Dale Carder

Make a gift at ucmo.edu/giveonline.

Interim Executive Director of the UCM Foundation

Call us to create a new scholarship.

email: carder@ucmo.edu

Tell us if you have UCM in your estate plans.

phone: 660-543-8000 toll-free: 866-752-7257

2 CORRECTION

Shawn Boss, UCM heptathlete and recipient of the NCAA Elite 88 Award, was incorrectly identified as Shane Boss in the Spring 2011 issue of UCM Today. UCM Today regrets the error.

SUMMER 2011, VOL. 11 NO. 1

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.

forgotten no more

UCM alumnus Phillip Thomas Tucker’s fascination with the Civil War has led to the authorship of nearly 25 books documenting the pivotal moment in U.S. history, including a biography of Warrensburg’s own Francis Marion Cockrell. F EATURE S

10 FINDING

13 A

student’s gratitude

Steve and Ann Lacey find a way to pay it forward with a scholarship honoring John Hess.

18 365

a recipe for success in political science

Veteran UCM faculty member Shari Bax finds she has the best of both worlds.

faces of jim norris

Design

A serious case of artist’s block results in an autobiographical look in the mirror. 22 an active career recognized A passion for helping youth succeed is acknowledged by Sharon Cole’s peers.

Adrianne Fillinger ‘04 Erin Livengood Sarah Murrill ‘97

central yesterday

Photographer

campus currents

Editor

Mike Greife ‘74

Bryan Tebbenkamp ’03 Class Notes

Jody Ritter 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 Burington, VT 05403. Periodicals postage paid at Warrensburg, MO, and additional offices.

16 Philanthropy 24 Class Notes 27 Awards and Honors 28 In Memoriam

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

University of Central Missouri | today

One hundred and fifty years have gone by since the start of the Civil War, perhaps the most definitive moment in U.S. history. Documentaries and reenactments seem to be everywhere, revealing buried personal facts and fascinating new connections.

FORGOTTEN Civil War Sparked an Interest in Military History by Matt Bird-Meyer Consider this one: in May 1863, Francis Marion Cockrell, commander of the Missouri Confederate Brigade, split Ulysses S. Grant’s army in half, nearly ending the Union general’s career in the Battle of Champion Hill, a decisive conflict in the Vicksburg Campaign in Mississippi. But Grant prevailed and relegated Cockrell’s efforts to a footnote in history.

Francis Marion Cockrell, commander of the Missouri Confederate Brigade

One prolific writer who cut his teeth on Missouri history knows a lot about Cockrell. Phillip Thomas Tucker, a University of Central Missouri alumnus, hopes people will always remember this forgotten hero, so he’s written books about him and his Missouri Confederate Brigade. Cockrell was a Warrensburg attorney when he joined the Confederate army as a captain. He led his troops through major battles, was wounded five times, captured three times and achieved the rank of brigadier general by the end of the war. He served 30 years in the U.S. Senate and was one of the lawyers in the Old Drum trial, in which Sen. George Graham Vest gave his famous Eulogy of the Dog speech. The term “man’s best friend” was derived from that famous court case.

SUMMER 2011

“Cockrell’s been kind of forgotten,” says Tucker, “yet he was one of the best brigade commanders in John Pemberton’s army.” Bringing to light little-known or forgotten figures is a common theme in Tucker’s nearly 25 published books. In addition to the Civil War, his books have ranged from the Tuskegee Airmen to the Alamo. Tucker worked as a civilian historian for the Department of Defense just about the time he finished his Ph.D. in 1989. He recently retired from that adventure and now dedicates his full attention to the dozens of history books he has in the works. “My job was basically writing military history, plus doing whatever the particular commander wanted done,” he notes. He spent most of his career in Washington, D.C., but also was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base north of Los Angeles and Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. “My heart is in Missouri,” he says. “I grew up just north of St. Louis in Florissant. I did a lot of my early studies there, and then went into the University of Missouri system.” His parents, Willard and Betty Tucker, and sister, Teri Tucker-Posey, still live in Nevada, MO.

NO MORE

Tucker bounced from St. Louis to Columbia before eventually arriving at UCM, where he graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in American history. He followed that up with a master’s degree in 1983 and then went to St. Louis University to complete a doctorate in 1990. He currently writes from his home in Upper Marlboro, MD, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. “It’s a little, historic town first established in 1706,” he says. “The British marched through here on their way to burn the nation’s capitol in September 1814. It’s not quite as peaceful now. As a matter of fact, it’s probably more dangerous than when the British marched through, so that’s kind of a classic irony.” Thomas has a couple of books coming out soon, Trenton: George Washington’s Surprise Attack and The Father of the Tuskegee Airmen, John C. Robinson.

“Robinson broke a lot of racial ground in the 1930s, and he actually commanded the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force in 1935 and 1936 when Mussolini invaded,” Tucker says. “He was the first African-American who ever led his own air force. It’s quite a story. He broke a lot of racial barriers. He died in obscurity in a plane crash in 1954 in Ethiopia, and he’s kind of been forgotten.” Tucker’s interest in uncovering obscure history is evident in his UCM master’s thesis, The History of the First Missouri Confederate Brigade: 1862-1865. The thesis was a prelude to several books he later published on the same subject such as, The South’s Finest: The First Missouri Confederate Brigade from Pea Ridge to Vicksburg. Bill Foley, UCM professor emeritus of history, attests to Tucker’s researching skills. “He certainly has done well and come a long way since his days here at UCM,” he (continued on next page)

University of Central Missouri | today

the Missourians speak for themselves in order to convey the individual soldier’s basic fears, hopes, attitudes and beliefs.” Many men from Johnson County, MO, and Warrensburg signed up for this elite combat unit, Tucker notes. They were in all of the principal battles in the western theater, including the Vicksburg Campaign. “They fought to the very last day, so it’s a good historical story,” he says. “In all of these stories, the common denominator is that I’m giving recognition to people who deserve recognition and who have basically been forgotten over the years.” That includes the story of another Missourian, Cathy Williams, who disguised herself as a man to join the all-black Buffalo Soldiers. Tucker reveals her history in his book, Cathy Williams: From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier. “She’s another individual whose story nobody told,” he explains. “I was the first to write a book about her. “So, from Warrensburg confederates to a female Buffalo soldier, I’ve kind of done a little bit of everything. But the common theme is to tell a good historical story and to give people recognition where it is due and bring them to life as much as I can.”

Phillip Thomas tucker and Maj. Gen. John Stevens Bowen

says. “He was a dedicated and thorough researcher who had a passion for his subject.” Tucker worked with Foley and retired history professor Leslie Anders on his thesis, which at 271 pages, is as thick as a novel. Tucker praised the brigade, describing the group of homegrown soldiers as the best combat group contributed to the Confederacy by Missouri. He concluded, “An accurate analysis of the brigade’s record in many of the war’s most decisive engagements 4

SUMMER 2011

clearly indicates that the Missourians’ performance on the field of battle is more impressive than the more publicized brigades, North or South.” Tucker’s thesis is filled with first-hand accounts of the conflict from memoirs, unpublished letters, diaries and journal entries. “Only through the widespread use of first-person accounts can the real story of the brigade be understood,” he wrote. “Therefore, a primary concern was to let

He has set out to do this again with his book about George Washington and his historic sneak attack on Trenton. Plenty of books have been written about this event, but Tucker says he went deeper and got more personal. That meant looking into individuals in Washington’s army, including the black soldiers and junior officers. To do that, the historian needed to get as close as possible to the sources, which included tracking down original letters from common soldiers. “The truth comes from really just digging as deep as you can, and that comes from letters that were written during the war, and that comes from

diaries that the average soldiers wrote,” he adds. That’s what he did to research the Missouri Confederate Brigade. He tracked down the soldiers’ ancestors throughout the state to find actual letters and diaries. “I was able to put the role of the First Missouri Confederate Brigade into a more important perspective in terms of what they accomplished and their sacrifices,” he says. But it wasn’t easy. Tucker says he spent three years at the St. Louis Library, where he accessed the National Archives’ records of 13,000 men who served in the Missouri Brigade. He was able to identify the towns in Missouri where they enlisted, giving him the clues he needed to cold-call similar names hoping to find their ancestors. “If I was lucky, I’d be invited [to their home] and they would go, ‘Oh, yeah, that was our ancestor. We’ve got his letters and diaries here; you can come take a look at them,’” Tucker says. “I was even on a tobacco farm way out in Buchanan County. There was an ancestor who had two great diaries of two brothers who had served in the Missouri Brigade.”

“The truth comes from really just digging as deep as you can, and that comes from letters that were written during the war, and that comes from diaries that the average soldiers wrote...”

Tucker set out to do the same thing with his just published book, Exodus from the Alamo: The Anatomy of the Last Stand Myth. In the book’s introduction, he talks about how he delved into “previously overlooked accounts by forgotten Mexican soldiers and officers.” What he found differs vastly from the Alamo’s popular history, especially that depicted in movies and songs. “In truth, the Alamo was a surprisingly brief clash of arms,” he says. “Only later did admiring generations of Americans invent the myth of a great heroic battle in order to obscure a host of ugly, embarrassing realities.” He notes that the Mexican side of the story is usually ignored, and that Mexicans typically are portrayed as the bad guys. He adds that one fact often overlooked is that Mexico liberated their slaves in 1829, well before the United States. Letters and diaries proved quite fruitful for his book reevaluating the events at the Alamo, as well as the perspective of the Hessians on the other side of Washington’s guns at Trenton. “That way you can see what these guys were thinking, why they were there, why they thought they were fighting and why they were willing to sacrifice their lives,” Tucker says. “So, once you find that out, you’re able to tell a story that’s often different than what was previously presented.” The lesson he learned from researching his Missouri Confederate Brigade book was that “some of the best stories of American history can be re-looked at, re-interpreted and re-understood if you just dig deep and really get to the source. “I’m pretty good at it now. I’ve been doing it for so long I’ve almost got a sixth sense in terms of trying to figure

out what really went on and know where the research is.” Tucker’s research entails not only poring over diaries, letters and other written materials, but also visiting the relevant historical sites. The locations frequently have sparked his interest to research and write a book in the first place. “I did that with all the Missouri Brigade books,” he says. “I went to all the places where they were located. You combine the feel for the place where they fought and served with the intimate feeling from the letters and the diaries.” His interest in the Missouri Confederate Brigade came from his time at UCM and from learning that Francis Marion Cockrell was from Warrensburg. “The time I spent in Warrensburg was great because I was soaking it up. I was going through the records at the Johnson County Historical (continued on next page)

University of Central Missouri | today

Bringing to light little-known or forgotten figures is a common theme in Tucker’s nearly 25 published books. In addition to the Civil War, his books have ranged from the Tuskegee Airmen to the Alamo.

Society and going to Cockrell’s grave and getting inspired,” he explains. History first intrigued Tucker at age 10. He remembers reading a small blurb in a Ripley County, MO, Civil War publication that mentioned some local men who fought under Cockrell in the Vicksburg Campaign. That was the only place he found information on the local brigade. Tucker says the combination of a love of history, a questioning mind and the inability to find in-depth information keeps him plugging away to fill in the gaps. He has nearly 25 published books, counting the two set for publication, with another 25 in manuscript form. “I thought what the teachers taught in school was kind of boring,” he says. “They’re giving you the standard party line. I always wanted to know more, and the only way you could do that was do it yourself.”

SUMMER 2011

Tucker, who wanted to make a career of writing, started with journal articles. He had some 60 articles published in historical magazines in the 1980s and early 1990s. He built up an impressive resume and landed the civilian historian job with the U.S. Air Force, which brought him to other Civil War sites, including Gettysburg and Antietam. One of the places he walked was Antietam Creek where the 2nd and 20th Georgia infantries made the heroic stand at Burnside’s Bridge. He saw a marker on the bridge and walked up to it thinking it would say something about the Georgians’ efforts in the battle. “So I went to the marker and it said, ‘The McKinley monument is 500 yards down the path,’” Tucker says. “So, there’s this huge monument right behind where the Georgians made this great last stand. That angered me so much I said ‘I’m going to set the record straight and tell what the Georgians did.’ ”

Since his early books on the Confederacy, Tucker has broadened his subjects. He’s worked on several books, yet to be published, about the Haitian revolution and the slaves’ uprising against the French. “I’m apolitical,” he says. “I don’t fit into any political realm. I don’t have an agenda. I just want to tell a good historical story about something that really happened, especially if that story has been misinterpreted or hasn’t been recognized.” Looking back, he says the most enjoyable thing he did as an historian with the Air Force was creating a Tuskegee Airmen Museum in Biloxi “at a time when not everybody wanted that down there and still don’t want it.” He says he tracked down some of the airmen, got their photographs and uniforms and put them on display.

Even setting up the museum, Tucker found satisfaction in spreading the word about neglected history. He notes that a family visited the museum and recognized one of the airmen in a photo as their neighbor but never knew he was a Tuskegee Airman. “So, that’s how neglected that history was,” he adds. “I’m equally motivated to give recognition to Confederates as I am to Tuskegee Airmen.” Getting into the Haitian revolution, Tucker is delving into the heart of humanity. Napoleon in 1802 sent an expedition to retake Haiti and return it to slavery. The Haitians beat the invading forces and in 1804 declared their independence as the first black republic. “What’s interesting is it was a republic founded on equality for everybody,” says Tucker. “The Haitian revolution is important because it’s getting to what’s really important – universal rights for everybody regardless of what they look like.”

“I’m apolitical. I don’t fit into any political realm. I don’t have an agenda. I just want to tell a good historical story about something that really happened, especially if that story has been misinterpreted or hasn’t been recognized.”

Read It. Rate It.

Did you enjoy this story? Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

George Petrie Beard, the first principal of the new District No. 2 Normal School

Although the Civil War was over and recovery had begun when the District No. 2 Normal School was founded in Warrensburg in 1871, the conflict that changed the course of American history also had an effect on the history of the institution that eventually became the University of Central Missouri.

In his centennial history of UCM, Education for Service, published in 1971, Leslie Anders, professor emeritus of history, details how the end of the war did not necessarily mean the end of the political divisions that divided the nation. Northerners and Southerners had begun rebuilding the country, but for some, the wounds created by war remained tender. According to Anders, the concept of the state “normal schools” had been discussed by the Missouri General Assembly prior to the war, but the debate was postponed until the late 1860s. Following the war, political lines were drawn according to remaining sympathies toward the Union and the Confederacy. Conservatives with Southern sympathies did not place the development of a system of public education high on their list of priorities. However, many of them found themselves “disenfranchised” after the war, with their political clout weakened. As a result, a post-war legislature dominated by the “Radical” party with liberal Northern ideas opened the door to public education funded through property taxes.

central yesterday

“That was fun. I was in an old World War II barracks, and it was all run down when I went over there,” Tucker says. “We got it in great shape. So, it was really fun to fix it up and then bring in great displays.”

Those developing the new public education system soon realized that more teachers would be needed. As early as the 1850s, the Missouri State Teachers Association had advocated the development of teacher training institutions, and in 1869 the legislature authorized a “normal” department in the University of Missouri. With the St. Louis City Normal and the Normal No. 1 in Kirksville recognized as models, in 1870 Gov. George McClurg signed the Normal School Act, which created a state Board of Regents. Despite stiff competition from Sedalia, including the resolution of some legal issues and political wrangling, Warrensburg was selected as the site for the new Normal School for District No. 2 in a decision announced by the Board of Regents on April 26, 1871, with George Petrie Beard named the first principal, or president. University of Central Missouri | today

campus currents

Clinton Receives Honorary Doctorate The University of Central Missouri gained international attention when Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United State, took the stage during UCM’s spring 2011 graduate commencement May 6. Prior to being honored with UCM’s Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, Clinton spoke about key issues facing the world, including a pressing need to address energy consumption and the reduction of harmful greenhouse emissions. He lauded UCM for its sustainability efforts, noting that to others UCM will “always look like the ‘little engine that could’ ” when it comes to tackling energy management issues. University President Charles Ambrose presented Clinton with the honorary degree. At the invitation of Ambrose, Manuel “Manny” Abarca, a UCM graduate student from Grandview, introduced Clinton. Prior to his speech before a crowd of more than 5,000 people in the Multipurpose Building, Clinton toured the Administration Building, getting a glimpse at some of the retrofits that were made during the university’s recent $36.1 million energy management project. He praised UCM for its commitment to sustainability at a time when few institutions dared to enter the same arena.

FORMER president bill clinton receives UCM’s honorary doctorate degree from UCM president charles ambrose.

“When the economic crisis hit in 2008, the only two colleges in the whole country that were working on this that decided to stay the course and not delay were a little college called Lee College in Houston, Texas, and the University of Central Missouri. You said ‘I don’t think we’ll wait’…you should be really proud of that,” Clinton told the crowd. He urged graduates to remember that their alma mater is an innovator when it comes to using energy responsibly, and he also thanked the university for working with the Clinton Climate Initiative, which is addressing issues related to sustainability worldwide. Consistent with this idea, the president also commended the university for training people to work in energy conservation fields. Among other topics, President Clinton reminded students that the world is an interconnected place where actions of people in mid-Missouri can affect people halfway around the globe. He said individuals need to make decisions that will help bolster world stability and counter instability that hurts millions of people. “This is not a Republican or Democratic argument. This is the new radicalism. If you don’t think we are all in this together, we are toast,” he said. “That is the fundamental decision all of us have to make.”

SUMMER 2011

Williams Receives Distinguished Service Award

PAS Season Underway

Considered one of the best defensive architects in the National Football League, Gregg Williams was honored with UCM’s Distinguished Service Award during undergraduate commencement May 7.

Platinum recording artist Pam Tillis will kick off the 20112012 season of UCM’s Performing Arts Series Sept. 23.

A 21-year coaching veteran in the NFL, Williams is the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. He earned master’s degree in education at UCM while teaching and coaching at Belton High School in the early 1980s.

pres. charles ambrose and Gregg Williams

He helped the Saints capture a division title, National Football Conference Championship, and Super Bowl victory in 2009, followed by an 11-5 record and NFC wild card berth in 2010. Williams’ career includes serving as defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans; head coach of the Buffalo Bills; assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars; and assistant head coach-defense for the Washington Redskins. In 14 seasons as a defensive coordinator or head coach, Williams has racked up seven top-10 overall defenses. In December 2004, he established the Gregg Williams Foundation to provide support and funding to local school programs, to benefit programs for children in the Excelsior Springs, MO, area.

Inauguration of President Ambrose Planned UCM is planning a formal inauguration ceremony for President Charles Ambrose during the week of Oct. 3-7. Festivities will center around the investiture ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in the Multipurpose Building arena. This event is open to the public and will be followed by a luncheon on the mall area east of the Elliott Union. Other activities include a luncheon for Kansas City area leaders and a social event for students at the UCM Summit Center Monday, Oct. 3, and student service projects and a student dinner Wednesday, Oct. 5. Festivities take place during Homecoming week at UCM.

pam tillis

The 2011-2012 PAS season continues as the Department of Theatre and Dance joins the PAS in presenting Ribbit, an original children’s musical production, on Oct. 28-29, and Frank Ferrante brings Grouch Marx to life in An Evening with Groucho Nov. 12. The Osmond Brothers will present The Osmonds Christmas Show Dec. 17, and the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gospel Concert is planned for Jan. 16. The Blues Brothers Revue is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 3, and Clifford the Big Red Dog, the PBS children’s favorite, celebrates his 50th anniversary March 25-26. Tap dancer and fiddler Stephanie Cadman is featured in Stephanie Cadman with Celtic Blaze March 31. Contact the Performing Arts Series box office at 660-543-8888 for tickets, or order tickets online at ucmpas.com.

Trap and Skeet Team Claims National Championship Five members of the University of Central Missouri Trap and Skeet Club recently returned from the national ACUI Clay Target Championships in San Antonio, TX, with the Division II Championship Title for American Trap. The championship team was made up of UCM students Matt Bell, Robbie Lytle, Cole Twehous, Hilary Feltrop and Josh Predmore. Feltrop also received third place in the Ladies’ Division of American Trap. Also attending were team members Barry Pabst, Mike Hart, Donald Clever, Mallery Heldenbrand, Tyler Cramer and Megan Perotti.

four-year public schools, legislative chair, conference program chair, vice president and president. She has worked in UCM’s Office of Student Financial Assistance since 1998.

Hughes Receives Division II Director of the Year Award Jerry Hughes, UCM’s director of athletics, has been recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics as the 2010-11 NCAA Division-II Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year for the Central Region. It’s the third such award for Hughes, making him the only three-time winner at any NCAA level. Hughes has guided the athletics department at Central Missouri since 1983. Hughes received the inaugural NACDA honor in 1998-99 and became the first repeat winner in 2001-02.

Space Shuttle Tile Donated to UCM UCM will have a momento of the world’s first winged spacecraft to share with students and others visiting the Department of Aviation in the T.R. Gaines Technology Building. NASA has donated to UCM one of the spare replacement heat shield tiles that helped protect the shuttle during extreme temperatures encountered when entering Earth’s atmosphere from space. The tile came from NASA’s parts inventory and was distributed by Capital Exhibit Services, an organization NASA has charged with dispersing such items for educational purposes.

Annual Big Band Dance Planned for Sept. 17 The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences will host the third annual Alumni Chorus Concert and Big Band Dance Saturday, Sept. 17, in the Elliott Union ballroom.

Fligge Receives Financial Aid Administrators Award Anna Fligge, coordinator of loans and outreach for the Office of Student Financial Assistance, is the recipient of the Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators 2010-2011 State Leadership Award. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the financial aid profession at the state and regional levels for seven years or more. Fligge has served the Missouri Association of Student Financial Aid Personnel as delegate-at-large for

Russ Coleman, professor emeritus of music, will lead a group of alumni musicians as they perform Big Band era selections for dancing, and Conan Castle, professor emeritus of music, will direct the Alumni Chorus. The internationally acclaimed KC Prime barbership quarter also will perform. Those interested in participating or ordering tickets should contact the dean’s office at 660-543-4346.

University of Central Missouri | today

F in d in g a Recipe for

S uccess

i n Politica l

S cience by j eff murp h y

As a n e d uc ator w h o h as dedicated 14 years to explaining political issues and government to her University of Central Missouri students, Shari Bax has learned that races between candidates have a lot in common with one of her other passions. Like cooking, the results often depend heavily on the ingredients. shari bax

SUMMER 2011

As she puts it, “When you are looking at any particular race, it’s like you’re in the kitchen throwing in a bunch of different ingredients to see what happens. Suppose we throw in a little bit of Tea Party, and a member of Congress who has been there awhile, and a state that’s starting to move more conservative-Republican. Then we mix it all up.” Such was the recipe for the November 2010 election in Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District.

although their involvement was mostly limited to the discussions that took place during family meals. Her childhood gave her exposure to diverse cultures as she divided her time between the northern and southern parts of the country. When Bax was two years old, her family moved to Muscle Shoals, AL, and she later attended grade school in New York City. By the time she was in middle school, the family headed south again, this time to Florence, AL.

The hard-fought, heavily-watched race between 34-year incumbent Ike Skelton and Vicky Hartzler not only gained national attention with Hartzler, a UCM alumna, winning the House seat, but it brought attention to the university. Media outlets ranging from The Kansas City Star to The Wall Street Journal eagerly looked for expert sources from mid-Missouri who could provide local commentary on this important national race.

“I think I got the best of both worlds,” Bax says in talking about the years spent in two different parts of the country. “I eventually came to love the time I spent in the South, but the first few years [after New York] were very difficult. It’s a very different culture, different pace, and a different way of thinking -- but there’s no better way to study politics,” she says.

“I think over time I’ve become known as one of this area’s state politics specialists. After your name gets quoted many times, then they start calling you for everything,” Bax says, laughing slightly. An associate professor of political science, she has spent many years in UCM classrooms teaching courses such as American Government, American Presidency, Environmental Policy and Legislative Politics, in addition to overseeing the internship program and teaching research methods classes for the Department of Political Science. Her experience and ability to relate well to students, however, was tapped for a new assignment this fall as vice provost for student experience and engagement. This position came as the result of an administrative review this spring, which emphasized opportunities to enhance student success. “One of the strengths of the University of Central Missouri has always been that we really try to focus on students and provide a variety of opportunities for them to develop. This gives us the administrative structure to further that idea,” she says. New duties for UCM’s 2010 recipient of the Governor’s Excellence in Education Award aren’t likely to dampen her interest in the political scene or opportunities to address important governmental issues. That’s an interest she has carried with her from childhood. Bax was born in Pittsburgh, PA, the daughter of chemists who had strong political awareness,

While living in Alabama in the 1970s, Bax got her first opportunity to witness a presidential political rally when Jimmy Carter stopped at a park in her hometown to make his bid for the White House. “There was a lot of energy at the rally, and I kind of fed off of that,” she recalls. “It was a really hot day, and I remember getting overheated and dehydrated, but I still had a great time –- my parents couldn’t drag me away from there.” Such experiences fueled her desire to learn more. By the time Bax was a teenager, she was attending public hearings in Alabama to learn about government leaders’ proposed revisions to the state’s constitution, which was then the longest state constitution in the nation. Her interest in politics followed her to college in the Cumberland Mountains, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of the South in Sewanee. Her political passion continued to grow in graduate school at the University of Tennessee, where she not only finished her master’s degree, but was drawn to another high-profile race while working on her doctorate. “I was actively involved in the 1992 campaign. Our senator (Al Gore) was running for vice president of the United States, so I felt like I had a front-row seat,” she says. The week after she finished her doctorate in 1994, Bax began teaching at UCM. Today, she not only shares her interest in politics with her students, but also makes time for awareness projects such as Earth Week. In addition to assisting with important youth programs such

(continued on next page) University of Central Missouri | today

I got the best “ I think of both worlds.

“Shari Bax is excellent at breaking down complex subjects in a simple manner so that people can understand them. The other thing I like about her is she’s a darn fun interview. She has a light touch,” he also notes. With a national presidential race approaching, Bax is already considering what ingredients are going to affect the 2012 election. Will it be the economy, or will it be foreign policy? Whatever the outcome, it’s often the process that interests her the most. as Missouri Boys State and Girls State, which teach students about government, citizenship and leadership, she is involved in the American Democracy Project on campus. With her enthusiasm for her work and the knowledge she brings to her job, it’s no wonder she has developed a reputation as a go-to person for many media professionals who cover politics. One of those connections is UCM alumnus Brent Martin, who served as news director of MissouriNet radio network for many years before accepting a new position in July with the Nebraska Radio Network. Both he and his colleagues have often turned to Bax for comments. “We have to have sources who know what they’re talking about. Other things will flow from that,” Martin says, noting that Bax also provides refreshing new angles on political issues.

S U MMER 2 0 1 1

“I find our particular governmental system created by the U.S. Constitution to be absolutely fascinating,” Bax says. “It is constantly this experiment that we are always testing and trying out new things, and if you look at the history and development of the country and then you follow all the things that are going on, then you start to see different trends and patterns over time. But then, there are just complete episodes of spontaneity within the system that catch your attention and make you go, ‘Wow! I didn’t expect to see that.’”

Read It. Rate It.

Did you enjoy this story? Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

”

steve, left, and Ann Lacey, right, and john hess

a student’s

Gratitude By Dalene Abner

Steve Lacey has never forgotten his first meeting with John Hess, and neither has Hess. Moments like this probably play out each semester on college campuses throughout the nation as a young professor puts a “cocky” student in his place. For Hess, who was then teaching biology courses at the University of Central Missouri, all it took was one word: mitosis. “I’ll never forget that day,” Lacey says. “I wasn’t even a student of his, but when you make a gaff that big, it’s easy to remember.” Lacey had just finished his junior year at UCM and for the ninth time had changed his major, deciding to go into medicine. With a scholarship good for only one more year, he needed to determine how to squeeze three years of required courses into one. (continued on next page) University of Central Missouri | today

“I couldn’t figure it out without taking genetics before completing the prerequisite. Dr. Hess had to give his permission for me to do that.” So Lacey made an appointment, and the two met in Hess’ office.

That conversation and the two courses Steve Lacey took from John Hess began a friendship that still continues 35 years later.

“I told him what I wanted to do and he said, ‘well, I’m not going to stop you from doing what you want, but do you know what mitosis is?’ I said, ‘no.’ He said, ‘this is going to be very challenging.’ Then I asked about the prerequisite, which was the Intro to Biology course. He said, ‘Well, you really need it; that class is very beneficial, and there’s a reason why genetics is a sophomore class.’ ” Lacey, by then a senior, recalls thinking and then saying, “How important can it be? It’s freshman biology.” When Hess replied, “It’s my class; I think it’s very valuable,” Lacey says the realization sank home that “I had just insulted the professor before I ever got there. He was incredibly generous about it, but I felt I had really stepped into it.” That conversation and the two courses he took that were taught by Hess began a friendship that still continues 35 years later. Such is the respect between the two men that Lacey, along with his wife, Ann, have made a gift to the UCM Foundation creating an endowed scholarship in Hess’ honor. The John Hess Health Professions Scholarship requires applicants to be either an undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a career in a health profession and to have been accepted into a health professions graduate program. They also must have demonstrated leadership ability and superior scholastic achievement and participated in service organizations and extracurricular activities. The first recipient selected this past spring is Kathleen Zey, whose career goal is to become an occupational therapist. The 2011 psychology graduate was accepted at three different medical schools and chose to pursue her profession at the University of Kansas Medical Center. “John Hess was one of two teachers who really changed my life,” Lacey says.

SUMMER 2011

“By the time I realized what the first one had done for me, I couldn’t find her. She was my fourth grade teacher. It was a big mistake that I never got to thank her. I could tell the thing with John was really cool as it was happening, but I didn’t really anticipate that we would stay in touch as a lifelong thing. But I cherished it over the years. He’s just a phenomenal person in so many ways.” With a family history of UCM graduates on both parents’ sides, Lacey was a straight-A honors student who changed majors regularly. How he chose to become a doctor is another one of his unforgettable college memories. “It was spring of my junior year, and my father was very frustrated with me. We had a sit down where he pointed out my scholarship was going to run out and that he wasn’t going to pay for my education after that. He told me I needed to figure out what I wanted to do, but I told him I enjoyed all of these things. He said, ‘Pick one; do something.’ ” So, the distraught student sought his pastor’s advice. “‘There are 14 things I’m considering and I can’t figure out what to do,’ I told him. He said, ‘you’re a mathematician; we’ll make it easy for you. Let’s do a matrix, and it will become obvious.’” The preacher suggested Lacey write down “the five things that make me tick, not jobs or careers, but things that make me tick.” Next he wanted Lacey to match up these items with careers he had considered. “He told me that ‘you’ll find most careers hit two but you don’t want a two for life. You want at least a four and if you are lucky, a five.’” The pastor made a final request of Lacey as he headed out the door — to put medicine on the list. “That’s the one career I knew I didn’t want,” says Lacey. “I ruled it out in grade school because I couldn’t stand vomit or poop.” Still when he made out his list, he put medicine on it. “I was completely shocked. Medicine was the only five.” Changing majors wasn’t an easy decision. He had to tell his dad about yet another career path; join the

pre-med students, a group he didn’t especially like; and figure out how to finish some 47 credit hours in one year. He went pre-med but finished his math major to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in 1976.

He met his wife, Ann, late during his career at UCM. Born in South Carolina and raised in Georgia, she says after she finished her undergraduate degree in psychology at Florida State she wanted to broaden her horizons further.

“I spent my senior year working really hard. It was a lot of work, but when I realized I needed 10 hours of biology, that spawned the meeting with John. I knew I didn’t want to study botany, nothing with that level of memorization, so I took zoology and physiology. I knew I also would like genetics because there was problemsolving, even though I didn’t know what mitosis was.” During that first meeting, Lacey told Hess he would ace his course, and he did.

“I got a job with the government and decided I wanted to live in a different part of the country. When I moved to Kansas City, I looked for the closest Southern Baptist church, and it happened to be Steve’s.” They started dating that hectic senior year and married after his first year of medical school. They had three children, the youngest of whom, Nathan, put them back in touch with UCM and a classmate who Steve hadn’t seen since he graduated.

Lacey went on to receive a Doctor of Medicine degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1981. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital, where he had stayed an extra year as chief resident. He trained in gastroenterology and served a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. After 10 years on the faculty at UT-Southwestern, he entered private practice, continuing still to teach as an adjunct professor.

Like his father, their youngest son had a wide range of interests. To help the then high school student choose a college, they went through a series of tests to determine the best focus for his interests, abilities and aptitudes. Two areas that emerged were medicine and engineering or technology. His mother notes he rejected becoming a doctor, saying “I’ve seen that lifestyle” and instead started surfing the Internet for the best industrial engineering technology programs. The result was UCM. “When we visited campus, Nathan knew it would be a great place

for him to go to school. I reminded him it’s where his dad went.” That was Nathan’s junior year. His senior year, Nathan returned to Warrensburg with Steve. When the deans introduced themselves, his dad received a shock, recognizing the name of Alice Greife, dean of the College of Health, Science and Technology. “I knew that name. I was sure it was the same woman, a premed student one year ahead of me. I thought, ‘holy cow, she’s the dean!’” The two had a lot of catching up to do. Meanwhile, Nathan finished his degree in 2010, married classmate Courtney Mitchell and got a job as a quality engineer at Raytheon. “It’s a beautiful, full-circle thing,” Lacey says. “Nathan got an incredible amount from his UCM experience just as I did.” For Lacey, the scholarship is the final touch. “Mutiplying your impact exponentially in a positive way is the key, and you can’t do that in a room with one patient. My dream is to mold medical students the way John molded me so the world has better doctors and better Read It. Rate It. teachers down the Did you enjoy this story? Give us your feedback road.” at ucmo.edu/today

“My dream is to mold medical students the way John molded me so the world has better doctors and better teachers down the road.” kathleen zey, second from right, first recipient of the John HESS health professions scholarship, and, left to right, alice greife, steve lacey and john hess.

University of Central Missouri | today

philanthropy

Two Sisters, One Niece and a New Scholarship Laughing, sharing and encouraging, sisters have a special bond as friends and confidantes. Rebecca and Mary McCord are sisters who grew up in Oklahoma and followed similar paths in life. They earned academic degrees in music, finished doctorates in their fields, adopted young daughters and became college professors. “The true connection between Mary and me, beyond family ties, is our strong work ethic, spiritual values, creative outlooks and a belief that we can make a difference in our communities,” says the older Rebecca, who recently celebrated her 25th anniversary as a music professor at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She and her 10-year-old daughter, Mary Catherine, made a gift to fund a scholarship in honor of Mary, a professor in UCM’s Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies. “Not only did Catherine and I want to acknowledge Mary’s lifelong commitment to community service and her expertise as an entrepreneur, but we also want to encourage the growth of the social entrepreneurship program at UCM,” says Rebecca. “We wanted to be the first to give a scholarship while encouraging others to do the same and help this program prosper.” Their gift to the UCM Foundation established the McCord Service Scholarship for a full-time undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise. Since its beginning last fall, the new academic degree program already has significantly benefited the Warrensburg region. Students have developed

SUMMER 2011

mary mcord, right, joined her sister, Rebecca, left, and niece, catherine, in creating the Mccord service scholarship through the UCM foundation.

initiatives to feed hungry preschool children on the weekends, provide hygiene products for needy families and help the unemployed acquire business clothes for job interviews. “This is a unique program that is growing rapidly,” Mary says. “Many schools have entrepreneurship courses, but UCM’s goes further. Social enterprises are a new breed of organizations that create longterm social change by combining a passion for social change with an efficient marketing plan.” Her students have been innovative, motivated and collaborative, building partnerships with local businesses to sustain their charitable projects beyond just a semester. This fall, they will open up a facility they have remodeled and furnished to incubate Warrensburg nonprofits and UCM student businesses. While Rebecca and Catherine donated the money to honor their sister and aunt, they were inspired by a quote from Jim Elliot, a missionary who was killed in 1956 during a trip to the Waodoni tribe in Ecuador. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose,” quotes Rebecca. “Many people believe that philanthropy is only for the wealthy, but I believe even Catherine and I can have an impact by gifting with this eternal perspective in mind. I am certain that the social entrepreneurship program at UCM not only will influence the students in the classroom, but also will have a far-reaching, positive impact on the families and communities in which these students live.”

Retired Teachers Embrace Scholarship Giving Two retired teachers with three generations of ties to the University of Central Missouri have established four scholarships honoring or memorializing family members. For Milton and Jean Ann Genge, philanthropy is all about helping other people afford college educations. Their first scholarship memorializes Milton’s father, Milton Sr., who taught music education at UCM for 26 years. Their second scholarship honors their sons, Mike ’99 and Rob ’05, and the athletic success they achieved as walk-ons to the Mules’ football team. Their Milton and Jean ann Genge third scholarship honors their daughter, Beth, a 2003 family and consumer sciences education alumna, now teaching at Liberty High School. Their fourth, and most recent, scholarship is the Genge Family Scholarship. It supports a student in marketing or business teacher education, the field where both Milton and Jean found career success. Milton, a 1968 College High graduate, finished a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1973 and a master of science in education in 1978. He was the marketing educator for Cass Career Center in the Harrisonville R-IX School District from 1973-2003. Jean completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from UCM in 1971 and 1978, respectively. She taught from 1971-1989 in the Lone Jack school district and from 1989-2002 at Raymore-Peculiar High School.

outstanding life and legacy. Their gifts created a scholarship in her memory. The Angelyn Overby-Kirk Scholarship is for a full-time junior or senior pursuing a degree in special education. Angelyn earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1977 followed by a master’s in K-12 special education in 1986. “Her life served as an example of extraordinary devotion to others, service at the highest level and years of conscientious, diligent attention to developing, nurturing and enriching the lives of children,” say her parents. Her father is retired as head of UCM’s library science area; her mother is a 1969 alumna. They hope the scholarship “will encourage recipients to embrace the virtues she held dear and continue the good work she so loved.” That goal is reflected in the selection of Nathan Wiends, a student from Olathe, KS, as the first recipient. He’s working this summer as a counselor for Camp Barnabas helping youth with life-threatening illnesses and disabilities. During the academic semester, he also is a mentor for UCM’s THRIVE program, which helps adult students with developmental and intellectual disabilities earn a two-year college certificate. Craven Funds Scholarship in Parents’ Honor Kayla Meine is cramming as much as she can into her college experience. She’s a student orientation leader, vice president of the Student Government Association House of Representatives, Honors College student, Roaring Red member, Mock Trial Team competitor, Panhellenic delegate and parliamentarian, Alpha Sigma Alpha president, and more.

“We were blessed to be able to put all three of our children through college, but we realize many people have to get loans or scholarships to further their education,” says Milton. Breshears Funds Best in Show Award Photography alumnus Robert Breshears ’07 knows what it is like to win awards amid the intense competition of the photography profession. His annual gift to the UCM Foundation is funding the Robert Breshears Best in Show Award for the student who wins the highest honor at the university’s annual photography exposition contest. It’s his way to ease a student’s financial burden and to encourage participation in the show. “This event provides a great opportunity for students to participate in the level of competition they face when they graduate,” he says. Scholarship Helps Special Education Majors Angelyn Overby-Kirk dedicated herself to the educational enrichment of special needs students. During her 30-year career at the habilitation center in Higginsville, MO, she received many awards and honors for her outstanding teaching and service. When she died in 2010, her parents, Milton and Agnes Overby, and her friends wanted to honor her

Kayla Meine

She has big dreams after she graduates in political science and psychology. Thanks to becoming the first recipient of the William Jr. and Minerva Denning Panhellenic Scholarship, she now can focus more on her academics and other campus activities.

The scholarship was started by Professor Emerita Sherralyn Craven in honor of her parents. A UCM alumna and former Charno Award winner, Craven taught in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science for 34 years. Her leadership established the university’s actuarial science major in 1988. “My parents were always supportive of individuals who needed encouragement and assistance,” she says. “For this reason I thought it would be appropriate to have a scholarship in their memory. They were firm believers in education even though they were limited in their educational opportunities. I wanted to make sure this part of their philosophy remained available to others and would encourage others to help with education.” For Meine, “The scholarship helps me focus less on the financial pressures and more on my academic and career goals.” After graduating in 2013, she plans to study law at the University of Missouri, become a successful lawyer with her own firm, marry and have a family. University of Central Missouri | today

SUMMER 2011

365 faces of Jim

Blogger Finds Discipline in Daily Self-Portrait Project by Dalene Abner

Never in our history have more tools been available to allow individuals to express their opinions on anything and everything and virtually reach everyone in all areas of the world. First came the town square, then letters to the editor. Now, it’s the blog. These online personal journals allow authors to reflect and comment on and hyperlink to any topic they want. Lexicographers have officially recognized and added the words blogs, blogging and bloggers to the dictionary. There’s even the blogosphere for all the blogs on the Internet. Jim Norris began blogging Oct. 22, 2010, and when he reaches that date in 2011, he plans to quit. By then, he will have reached his goal: to produce 365 self-portraits, one every day for an entire year. For this University of Central Missouri alumnus, the daily drawing is less about expressing his opinion and more about improving his craft, which he believes had been getting stale. “I got the idea last fall when I was suffering a serious bout of artist’s block,” says Norris, who completed an art education degree from UCM in 1993, followed five years later by a

master’s degree in studio art with a sculpture emphasis. “I simply couldn’t get motivated. It occurred to me that one of the reasons I had been a more prolific artist in college was having due dates. I tried that, with miserable results since I could alter the project’s due date and never have to stick to it.” He came up with the idea of a daily self-portrait, but he knew he needed more pressure or he would quit after a few days when his schedule became hectic, “or I simply decided to be lazy! “The idea for putting the artworks on a blog came about because I don’t like to be seen failing at something,” says Norris, who recently completed his 10th year teaching at North Central Missouri College in Trenton, MO. “Pride is a considerable motivator!” He adds that just having other people know what he was doing prevented him from quitting. “The only real guideline I gave myself was to make one self-portrait a day. I defined a day as the period of time from when I wake in the morning until I go to sleep.” (continued on next page)

University of Central Missouri | today

Are you blogging? Tell us about your blog and we’ll post it to our website to inform other UCM alumni. Email us at today@ucmo.edu with your name, blog address and topic.

Giving himself a couple of weeks to get materials together, he began the “self-portrait project” on his daughter Katey’s 15th birthday. Norris draws a portrait and posts it the following day to his blog, along with his thoughts about what he created and why. He uses software recommended by a friend that makes the computer postings he says, “incredibly easy.” Day by day, Norris talks about the media he uses, such as pencil, pen, watercolor, graphite, ink wash, or oils, as well as the various papers he’s tried, including plain notebook paper, coated paper, and even a brown paper sack.

SUMMER 2011

Often he ponders how the portrait may or may not express his mood, how often he’s shown himself smiling or frowning, or whether the image even has to be his face. “There are so many facets to the selfportrait,” says Norris. “Rembrandt made over 300 self-portraits in his lifetime. When viewed together, they create a fascinating document, not only of an artist’s career, but also the physical changes of one man as he lived his life.”

as well as various thoughts, ideas and moods.” He reflects on how he grew up, his lifelong interest in drawing, his deflated dreams of becoming a rock star and his ongoing love of music. He shares his philosophies of life and art, the famous artists who inspire him and how he daily finds the determination to finish the day’s drawing through life’s pressures as a teacher, father, son, brother and new husband. On Day 208 he proposed marriage and on Day 209 said the answer was “yes.”

So far, says Norris, “it’s been an interesting journey through physical changes caused by haircuts and shaves,

Norris says, “My process has gotten quite a bit more streamlined as the project goes on. In the beginning it was

see what the artist really looks like and view all of his entries at jimnorrisart.blogspot.com

quite a chore because I am usually a meticulous worker, and it would take me what seemed like forever to make each drawing. A great benefit of the project is that I have become a much better artist in regard to the speed that I work and more confident in the marks that I make.” Norris’ self-portrait project has been a lesson in discipline, inspiration and skill. His blog isn’t about showcasing the best art but giving an insight into the creative mind and process: how he’s motivated, where he gets his ideas, his need to critique his work and improve upon it. The teacher and artist converge

into a man who is pleased with himself and happy about his life. Norris notes, “Most of the time I am eager to make each day’s self-portrait. I will say, however, that there are times when it’s nothing more than another obligation to fulfill in a day’s work, but I have never deviated from my goals. Essentially, I realized that this project has built in those due dates that I had craved. The motivation is not a grade, but the fact that I know if I miss a day, people will know it. In the beginning, there were several raised eyebrows when I shared my intentions for this project. And there were some

people who flat out said that they thought there was no way I’d be able to stick with it. Frankly, another bit of motivation is proving people like that wrong!” Norris has plans for the year’s project, working with a publisher to produce it as a book. He ultimately wants to exhibit it in galleries. “At the very least, I’ll continue to use the blog as a type of web site to share my art.”

Read It. Rate It.

Did you enjoy this story? Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

University of Central Missouri | today

Sharon Cole

Active Career

recognized by mike greife

SUMMER 2011

As a career educator, Sharon Hilbrenner Cole

championships in men’s and women’s

always has felt there is a strong link between

basketball in 1984. After teaching and

academic success and participation in all

coaching in the Raymore-Peculiar and Grain

of the other activities offered to students

Valley school districts, she moved to the Blue

in K-12 education. Her passion for helping

Springs School District in the fall of 1989,

young people set and reach their goals

teaching high school health and physical

recently was recognized as she was named

education and coaching basketball, track,

the Missouri State Activities Director of the

softball and boys tennis.

Year by the Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. She is the first woman to win the state award, as well as was

The move to athletic administration came in 2000 when she moved to the Blue Springs

the first woman president of the association.

School District’s Freshman Center, where all

As a student athlete in her hometown of

ninth grade academics, returning to either

Carrollton, MO, Cole made the choice to

Blue Springs or Blue Springs South high

become an educator and coach. After her

schools for extracurricular activities.

freshman year at the University of Missouri, she transferred to the University of Central Missouri, where she played basketball and softball her junior year, focusing on basketball her senior year. She received a bachelor’s degree in education, returning later in her career to complete a master’s degree in secondary administration. She was coached by Jorja Hoehn, Elois Pelton and Millie Barnes, and played for the Jennies with Carla Eades, Sherry Hartenberger and Rosie Jones, among others. She has fond memories of badminton games in Morrow Gymnasium and the opportunity to work with Ron “Doc” Van Dam as a student athlete. “The move to UCM was a positive one for me,” Cole says. “It gave me an opportunity to participate at the level I wanted, and I received the benefit of excellent coaching and instruction in the classroom.” Cole received her bachelor’s degree in 1983, graduating one year prior to UCM’s national

of the district’s 1,100 freshmen come for their

“The freshman center concept is not that uncommon, but Blue Springs is the only district in the nation that then feeds multiple high schools for activities, including athletics,” Cole says. “That means we’re the Jaguars and the Wildcats. Our students go to school together during the day and then compete against each other in athletics and activities.” Cole likes the arrangement. She feels it gives students an opportunity to make the transition to high school without the challenges of being mixed with upperclassmen, allowing them to gain some maturity. Her years at UCM prepared her well for a career that she still enjoys each day. Now in her 11th year as activities director with three grown daughters, she still applies what she learned from her mentors at UCM. “They made sure we had the tools we needed, and we were well prepared for careers as teachers and coaches.”

Her passion for helping young people set and reach their goals recently was recognized as she was named the Missouri State Activities Director of the Year by the Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

Read It. Rate It.

Did you enjoy this story? Give us your feedback at ucmo.edu/today

University of Central Missouri | today

Janice (Gudde) Plastino ’60 has been appointed to the board of directors for the performing arts at the University of California, Merced. The 1983 recipient of the UCM Distinguished Alumni Award co-founded the national study of dance science. Sharon (Ziefle) Daugherty ’63 has been elected president of the Abilene, Texas Retired Teachers Association. She taught social studies at Abilene Cooper High School from 1980-2008. Elaine Wallis ’66, ’01 has retired, loves to travel and lives in Kansas City, MO. Martha Baker ’67, ’68 has been appointed to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music of the Episcopal Church. She is licensed to preach in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri and is a member of Trinity-St. Louis, where she serves as a lector and healing minister. Baker is a member of the National Circle of Book Critics and reviews books for Publishers Weekly. She has been a film reviewer for 35 years, currently for KDHX radio.

1970 – 1979 Linda (Buechter) Hix ’70 and James Volmert were married Jan. 8, 2011, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Rolla. They are retired teachers, living in rural St. James, MO, where they enjoy riding and training Missouri Fox Trotters. Diane (Woltkamp) Bruening ’73 completed her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction in special education at Arizona State University. She is a school district administrator in suburban Phoenix and teaches university graduate programs. She and her husband, Alex, have six grandchildren and reside in Chandler, AZ. Judy (McAllister) Jett ’73 works at the Central Missouri Community Credit Union in Warrensburg. Her daughter is a sophomore at UCM. She would like to hear from classmates, especially those involved with the Baptist Student Union. Julie (Walter) Weissflog ’76 is teaching Spanish at a charter school in St. Louis, MO. She and

SUMMER 2011

her husband, Richard, and two sons, Brent and Paul, reside in St. Charles, MO. Karen (Helge) Dewey ’77 has been on the planning and zoning commission for the city of West Burlington, IA, for 12 years. She is the current treasurer of Alpha Delta Kappa. She and her husband, John, recently celebrated 25 years of marriage. Dale Moreland ’77 has retired after 32 years with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He worked as a dispatcher and was a sheriff’s deputy in Crawford County, MO, before he got accepted into the academy at age 24. June 1979 was a big month for him: graduating as a trooper, marrying Carol Waller, and officially starting his career. He spent 10 years in Stoddard County, reached the rank of corporal and then moved to Butler and Ripley counties. In 1995 he was

Houston Astros and UCM

class notes

1960 – 1969

named zone sergeant of the Troop E area and returned to Stoddard County where he remained until 2006 when he became public information and education officer. His retirement plans include spending time with family and friends; riding his mule, Sister Sara; and auctioneering. Page Burford ’77 is director of planning for the city of Olive Branch, MS, recently recognized by Bloomberg’s Businessweek as the fastest growing city in the nation. Roseanna (Tibbitts) Sterbenz ’77 retired after teaching 34 years with the Lee’s Summit R-7 schools followed by U.S.D. # 501 and U.S.D. #437 in Topeka, KS. Kathleen (Wilson) Griswold ’78 retired with 25 years of service in public education. Most of her career was with Steelville R-3 including 10 years as the K-12 gifted facilitator and seven years as the

K-8 library media specialist. She and her husband, Tony ’78, plan to move to St. Louis, travel, and spend time with family, friends and their grandchildren, Avery and Nora. Deanna (Peterson Snoad) Aguilar ’79 received a doctorate in human sciences with a specialization in gerontology from the University of Nebraska.

1980-1989 Brent Martin ’81 has been promoted by Learfield Communications in Jefferson City to news director of the Nebraska Radio Network in Lincoln, NE. He was managing editor of Missourinet for 16½ years. Debbie Niehaus ’81 married David McKinney of Los Angeles, CA, Dec. 15, 2010. The couple resides in Camdenton, MO. Ronald Walker ’81, ’84 had a solo exhibit at the Maturango Museum

JIm Crane, center, with President chuck Ambrose, right, and david defrain, director emeritus of the UCM Educational Development Center, at the MIAA baseball Tourney in Kansas City. — Photo by dave kopp

Life doesn’t get much better for a college baseball player than owning a major league team. This summer former Mules pitcher Jim Crane successfully made a bid for the purchase the Houston Astros, pending league approval. Crane led a team of nine people who reportedly paid $680 million for the team, the secondhighest price in major league history. Crane grew up in St. Louis and received a bachelor’s degree in industrial safety from UCM in 1976. He was inducted into the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Mules baseball field bears his name. His generosity helped build the Mules into one of the most successful baseball programs in the nation. “What made him successful in baseball has made him successful in business — his drive and his competitive nature,” says UCM Athletic Director Jerry Hughes. “He’s a knowledgeable baseball person, and he will be a knowledgeable owner.” Kevin Kinsella, ”76, Crane’s college teammate, says, “People here accuse the Royals of having a Wal-Mart mentality (because of owner David Glass, a former Wal-Mart executive). You won’t get that with Jim. He will build that team from the ground up with pitching and defense and good, sound draft choices, and he’ll give his people everything they need to win. He’s a businessman, and he’s a crazy baseball guy.”

in Ridgecrest, CA, from July 1 through Aug. 24. Connie (Daley) Workman ’81, ’10 is an instructional coach in the Kansas City Missouri School District. Her husband, Nick ’84, is the building official in Grandview, MO. Their son, Alex ’07, just received an MBA from the University of Missouri Kansas City, and their daughter, Bridget ’09, is pursuing a master’s degree in psychology from UCM. Eugene Hudson ’82 retired after 29 years as the information technology network manager of CenterPoint Human Services, a local management entity under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Dean Hutson ’84 is deputy chief of police for the Grandview Missouri Police Department. He has worked there 21 years. Julie (Merritt) Kelly ’84, ’87, ’94 had a signing at Lee’s Summit West for her daughter, Katie, who will play basketball with the Jennies this fall. Her father, Bob Merritt ’84 and sister, Amy ’83, were present for the signing. Jennifer (Davis) Kopp ’84 has been promoted to assistant principal and A+ program coordinator for Kearney High School for the 2011-12 school year. She teaches English at Kearney Junior High School. Kopp began her career at Clinton County R-3 School District teaching eighth grade English. In 2003 she taught seventh grade English at Kearney R-1 School District. Her son is a freshman at UCM. Robert Girod ’86 is the president and chief executive officer of Robert J. Girod Consulting, LLC, providing litigation support and investigative services to law firms, insurance companies, financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies and other businesses, government agencies and individuals. He is the author of Profiling the Criminal Mind and Infamous Murders and Mysteries: Cold Case Files and Who-Done-Its. He lives in Ft. Wayne, IN. John Amos ’87 has earned a master’s degree in education from

William Woods University. He teaches fourth grade at Matthews Elementary School in the Grain Valley School District. Jennifer (Deardorff) Malcolm ’88 earned her master’s degree in education from Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire in general special education learning disabilities. She teaches sixth grade special education. Her daughter, Samantha, is a junior at UNH in pre-med, and her son, Joseph, is a high school senior.

1990-1999 David Machon ’90 is the senior minister at First Christian Church in Louisiana, MO, where he, his wife, Jeanna, and their 11-year-old daughter, Cecilia, reside.

A Wife’s Proud Story roger bell

No wife could be prouder of a husband than Erin Bell, who emailed Today that “Roger’s story is inspiring to anyone with a dream to be successful.” Ten years ago, her husband started working on a bachelor’s degree in aviation at UCM with a goal to become a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Few believed he could achieve it. “Roger grew up in the toughest of circumstances: no father, seeing his mother abuse drugs and raising two younger

Brent Ratliff ’91 and Geoffrey Arbuckle ’93 have launched a new business, M.A.D. Men LLC, a mobile application development company in Lee’s Summit, MO. Brent is chief executive officer, and Geoffrey is chief financial officer. These lifelong friends and entrepreneurs have developed a portfolio of mobile apps for Apple and Android platforms. Their web site is madmenapps.com.

brothers,” Erin wrote. She added that Roger had wanted to

Kevin Cook ’93 and his wife, Nicole, announce the birth of Carter James Aug. 10, 2010. He joins by sister, Chloe, 6. Kevin owns and operates Imo’s Pizza in Wentzville, MO.

screamed, little knowing the rough path ahead.

Fred Collins ’96 was promoted to vice president of sales for KAO Professional Salon Services, considered the third largest professional beauty company in the country. He is responsible for all sales activity for its direct sales and national account organizations. Collins is one of two African-Americans in North America holding a vice president position in the professional beauty industry and the only one representing a top three brand, Goldwell Hair Color, in the market.

This past April, Roger graduated from ENJJPT, earning his

Craig Coen ’97, ’01 is employed as an analyst and financial adviser at Murdock Banner Financial Group in Warrensburg. Rustin Dutcher ’97 has been named vice president of Sorella

be a pilot since he was seven years old, took his first airplane ride and received a set of wings from the pilot. “It was the first time anyone told him he could make something of himself and be successful.” When he started at UCM, he enlisted in the Air National Guard, worked three jobs and was a husband and father. When he finished his degree in 2006, he kept pursuing his dream. He beat out 320 people as one of 12 candidates to be interviewed for two fighter pilot slots. When the call came, she said they They moved to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX, where Roger began training with the Euro-NATO-Joint-JetPilot Training. She noted, “It was the roughest, hardest, most fun and most challenging year all rolled into one.” wings to pilot an A-10 fighter jet. Erin credits the aviation program, “the professors who helped a struggling dad finish his degree and the family-like feel of UCM. Roger is living proof that you can achieve your dreams!”

Group Specialty Contractor of Kansas City. They provide local and national commercial specialties.

moved for her husband’s job with Black & Veatch; he is a project controls senior analyst.

Michael Gant ’97 is the senior project director at Logistics, Motorsports and Sport Develop Indy (formerly Indianapolis Economic Development).

Brent Brown ’99 and his wife, Christina (Hogue) ’99 announce the birth of Maddux Lee on March 24. He joins brother, Cameron Woods, 5. The family resides in Columbia, MO.

Bonnie (Lepper) Mentel ’98 is living in Pretoria, South Africa, with her husband, Brian, and sons. She is volunteering at a local orphanage and working in communications at Operation Mobilization (OM). The family

2000-2009 Carolyn (Clark) Brown ’00 and her husband, James, welcomed their first child, Tyler James on Aug. 31, 2010.

University of Central Missouri | today

Peggy Sue Morrow-Krouse ’99 is the human resources director at Four Points by Sheraton KCI. She is a member of the curriculum board for the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies. She and her husband, William, live in Kansas City, MO. Todd Devoe fs ’02 is playing Arena League Football with the Kansas City Command. The former Mules wide receiver has played professionally for the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans. In arena football he has played for the Arizona Rattlers and Chicago Rush.

Race Comes Down to Cabbie

Aron Potter ’02 has been named softball coach at Culver-Stockton

College in Canton, MO. In addition to serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Jennies softball and volleyball teams from 2008-2010, she coached at Coffeyville (KS) Community College and Missouri Southern State University. She played for Culver from 1994-97 and was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. Janell (Mohme) Pycior ’02, ’05 and her husband, Casey, announce the birth of Carver Quinn May 13, 2011. The family lives in Wichita, KS. Jessica (Schumacher) Hill ’03, ’06 and her husband, Jacob ’03, announce the birth of Isabella Rose Sept. 25, 2010. She joins sister, Lillian Josephine, 5. Jessica is a

part-time correctional officer at the Minnehaha County Jail and a full-time mom. Jake is marketing director for Service First Federal Credit Union and owns and operates his own DJ business, BPM DJ Productions. The family resides in Sioux Falls, SD. Lucas Cook ’04 released his first full-length album, Toe Tapper, this summer after a top 100 charted radio single, “Austin State of Mind,” which reached #92 on the Texas Music Chart. Cook has shared the stage with Malford Milligan, Pinetop Perkins, John Pointer and Vallejo and has played across the U.S. Susan Crook ’04 is an awardwinning author, international

Kasey Tetel ’04 married Patrick Evers ’06, ’08 in June 2010. She is a police officer for the St. Charles City Police Department. Patrick is the pitching and recruiting coach for Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO. They live in St. Peters, MO. Amy Chester ’05, ’07 has become assistant registrar at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She previously was program coordinator and academic adviser for the Honors College at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. Trevor Rubly ’05 has been promoted from defensive coordinator to head football coach of the Bacone College Warriors in Muskogee, OK. He previously coached at Cisco Junior College in Texas, Warrensburg High School and the University of MissouriColumbia. Rubly played safety for the Mules in 2001-02.

Gary and Mallory ERVIN in two challenges of The Amazing Race, the first involving a traditional Tibetan performance and the second a choice between Hindu art and Bengali literature. — Photos by Robert Voets/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

speaker and certified human behavior consultant. She is the author of Personality Insights for Moms, which won six awards, including Best Parenting of the Year, USA Book News and Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award. Her book, Personality Insights for Couples, will be released soon.

The Amazing Race was always Central Missouri alumnus Gary Ervin’s favorite television show, and now it’s his favorite race. He and daughter, Mallory, would go again, after finishing third this past season and sixth in the previous one. In season 18, “Unfinished Business,” the duo finished first three times, second twice and third twice. They made last place in the eighth leg and had to perform a penalty task in the ninth to continue racing. Thanks to bad taxi luck and a lost cab driver with no GPS or cell phone, the two placed third in the final leg, losing to runners-up, Harlem Globetrotters Flight Time and Big Easy and to winning sisters Kisha and Jen. “We had a lot of really good breaks to get us to the final three, so to have a little bit of bad luck to set us back in the final was unfortunate, but at least if it had to happen, it happened at the right place,” says Gary. He adds that one of the greatest challenges of the season was getting waxed. “It wasn’t something I’d ever pay money for. In fact I’d have to get paid to do it. To have all the hair jerked out of your armpits in one (swipe), I can’t believe women pay to get this done.” Mallory notes, “This (has been) my dad’s favorite show for 10 years … he’s the only person I ever would’ve picked to do it with. That in itself was probably the biggest highlight of the whole thing, Third time’s a charm. If they want to have us back, we’ll certainly go back!”

SUMMER 2011

Jonathan Vestal ’05 is the director of development for Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis. He resides in Ellisville, MO. Alisa Cain ’06 is a customer service representative at the Internal Revenue Service in Kansas City and recently celebrated two years of federal service. Matt Merrigan ’06 graduated with a master’s degree in organizational development from Avila University. Melissa (Ryun) Kuhlmann ’07 has joined Adams Dairy Bank in Kansas City as a credit analyst. She has five years banking and accounting experience. She is attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City, working on a master of business administration degree with an emphasis in finance. Danny Powers ’07 has been hired as the new varsity boys basketball coach at Cassville High School

Athletic Trainer of the Year ken cole

Injuries happen whether you are an athlete in peak condition or a weekend warrior making home repairs. When your job involves keeping people healthy so they can push their physical capabilities to the maximum, it takes skill. Ken Cole knows that better than anyone. The 1981 UCM alumnus is head athletic trainer at Southern Arkansas University

Lacee Sell ’07 is superintendent of U.S.D. 475 in Chapman, KS. She has been in school administration for 10 years, serving as superintendent at Clinton County R-III, assistant superintendent at Oak Grove R-VI School District, principal and assistant principal at Oak Grove Middle School, and as a special education teacher and coach in DeSoto, Shawnee Mission East and Pleasant Hill.

where he is responsible for 300 student-athletes across 11 sports. He’s been named

Brandon Badgley ’09 works for Keesling Seed Farms as a seed sales representative for Dekalb and Asgrow. He lives in Lyons, KS.

During the past 37 years, Cole has a phenomenal streak of having worked 551 consecutive

Jesse Whitson ’09 has been promoted from assistant to head wrestling coach at Grain Valley High School in Missouri. He is a second-generation Mule wrestler who followed in the footsteps of his father, Paul, a 1980 alumnus.

2010-present John Schuler ’10 has been promoted from assistant principal to principal of Osage Trail Middle School in Independence, MO. He previously taught sixth through ninth grade art and broadcasting. Derek Warnke ’10 is a conservation agent for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

the NCAA Division II 2011 National Athletic Trainer of the Year by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s College/University Athletic Trainers’ Committee. Cole has served as a head athletic trainer for 29 years and is in his 23rd year at Southern Arkansas, where he has built what is considered one of the nation’s top athletic training programs. His former students have gone on to full-time positions with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, Anaheim Angels, Chicago Cubs, the Harlem Globetrotters, the former World League of American Football and current NFL Europe’s Barcelona Dragons, and numerous rehabilitation clinics, universities, colleges and high schools. In 2005 Cole was inducted into the Arkansas Athletic Trainer’s Association Hall of Fame. football games as an athletic trainer.

Dowe Quick ’80 has been inducted into the 2011 Regional Media Hall of Fame by the communication department of Missouri Southern State University. He is a reporter, photographer and weekend anchor at KOAM-TV in Joplin, MO. Since 1985, he has been the evening news anchor and executive news producer. He has received the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Sonny Slater Award for service to the station and community; the Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting; and numerous awards for spot news, feature, enterprise and investigative reporting from Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma broadcast associations. Quick and his wife have been married for 25 years and have three children. Robert Farr ’81 received an honorary doctorate of divinity degree and was commencement speaker for spring ceremonies at Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO. He is the director of congregational excellence for the Missouri Annual Conference of the

United Methodist Church, leads its Healthy Church Initiative and teaches workshops throughout the country. Farr began serving United Methodist as a student pastor in 1978. He also is the author of Renovate or Die: Ten Ways to Focus Your Church on the Mission. Jonathan Cleveland ’84 has been named the 2011 American Marketing Association Distinguished Marketing Executive of the Year by the UCM Department of Marketing and Business Law and the AMA chapter. Cleveland will return to campus Sept. 15 to receive the award and speak to students. He is the founder and owner of Cleveland Design in Boston, teresrepco-author of the book, Designing for the Greater Good, and was featured in the Summer 2010 Today magazine. Jeffrey Carter ’96 received the UCM Department of Music 2011 Outstanding Music Alumnus Award. He is chair of the Department of Music at Webster University in St. Louis and artistic

awards & honors

in Missouri. He is teaching social studies and also helping with the football and baseball teams. Previously, he was an assistant at Carl Junction High School after a two-year stint at Liberal, where he coached basketball and baseball. Powers led the Mules’ baseball team to the Division II national championship in 2003. He was named the 2005 National, Central Region and MIAA Pitcher of the Year while posting a 15-1 record. He was selected in the 2005 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins in the eighth round.

director of the Gateway Men’s Chorus. The group released its second CD in two years this summer, both under his direction.

Miranda Wycoff ’07 was named assistant editor of the Lee’s Summit Journal after being a reporter for four years covering city hall, elections, economic development and more. She earned local and state awards for her writing and photography, which includes Best Story About History from the Missouri Press Association and Best Humorous Column from the Kansas City Press Club in 2010. She periodically produces columns, “Miranda Writes” and “Miranda’s Adventures.” She and her husband, Matt, and their dog, Charlie, reside in Greenwood, MO. Kari Gai ’09 won the title of Miss Mid-Missouri and placed fourth runner-up in the 2011 Miss Missouri competition, a preliminary to the Miss America pageant next January in Las Vegas. She teaches eighth grade science in Lee’s Summit.

University of Central Missouri | today

in memoriam

1930-1939 Mildred M. Vyverberg ’31 Opal Jo Sterling ’33 Cora H. Elliott ’35 Imogene Grossheider ’35

1940-1949 John M. Marr ’41 Ruby E. Wagoner ’41 Hazel L. Reichel ’43 Louise K. Young ’43 Harley Willis Chaney ’44 Eugene Campbell ’45 Helen Marie Rickard ’46 Harold W. Wegener ’49

1950-1959 Charles F. Palmer ’50 Josephine M. Standley ’50 Charles W. Brauer ’51 Georgene Brunner ’51 John W. Danklef ’51 Velma J. Firth ’51 Roy A. Lange ’51 Merton O. McIlvain ’51 James D. Campbell ’56 William T. Edwards ’57 Vincent N. Rock ’57 Raymond B. Faubion ’59 Carolyn S. Rosencrans ’59

1960-1969 John P. Schisel ’60 John R. Swearingen ’60 Ava V. Silvara ’61 Jerry B. Courtney ’57 (College High), ’62

Wallace Crawford ’62 Gladys N. Duncan ’62 Dorrine R. Jokubeit ’62, ’66 William D. Laughlin ’63 Harwood Jay Skelton ’63 Robert D. Irwin ’64 Ralph G. Laubecher ’64 Fannie Sue Barton ’65 Warren E. Kennedy ’65 Lois L. Moser ’65 Paul E. Stewart ’65 Leland D. Day ’66 Gene E. Lucas ’66 Edwin L. Nutt ’66 Emma I. Dyer ’67 Karen S. Bell ’68 Margaret E. Casebeer ’68 Dallas S. Corum ’68 Michael M. Feaster ’68 Frances R. Patrick ’68 Margaret A. Waller ’68 Kenneth J. Bell ’69 Dennis R. Early ’69, ’79 Maxine L. Foote ’69 Donald E. Gray ’69 Eddie J. Schissler ’69

Charles E. Templeton ’73 Charles T. Toler ’73, ’78 Robert S. Thomas ’74 Oliver D. Wallen ’74 Patrick D. Rackers ’75 Harold Kirchhoff ’76 Billy D. Elliott ’77, ’80 Jo Ann Hilton ’78 David A. Schreimann ’78 Judith A. Tingley ’79

College High

1980-1989

LaVera Braun James W. Clifford Iris Degroodt Tom Smith Higgins Helen McElwain Carol Leda Phillips Laura Jane Richter Patricia J. Robertson

1970-1979

1990-1999

Loren L. Croskey ’70, ’74, ’85 Barbara J. Letterman ’70 Thomas R. Deimerly ’71 James L. Gutshall ’71 Earl Leon Rook ’71 John B. Adams ’72 Pamela J. Arwood ’72, ’90 Andrea S. Smith ’72

Carla D. Prewitt ’90 Kuofeng Hung ’93 Mark Shelton Thompson ’94 David E. Goth ’97 John R. Whyte ’97

Dale J. Blackwell

Dale Joseph Blackwell, 96, professor emeritus of accounting and finance, died May 14, 2011. A native of Weaubleau, MO, he earned master’s degrees in accounting and school administration and a doctorate in business from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His 45-year education career included teaching accounting and finance in UCM’s Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies from 1961 to 1979. He also worked as a realtor and spent 60 years preparing bookkeeping systems and tax returns for businesses, farmers and individuals. He and his wife, Rheva, also managed a teacher’s credit union and their cattle and hay operations. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by a son, two

SUMMER 2011

William C. Hern ’80 James F. Peck ’80 Glenn R. Rollins ’80 Robert L. Sabin ’81 Margaret E. Innes ’58 (College High), ’82, ’86 James R. Loeb ’82, ’91 Steven P. Catron ’84 Marcy R. Sapp ’84 Norma Marlene Price ’88 Roger P. Carter ’89 Mildred E. McGovney ’89 Charles H. Sartain ’89 Trevor C. Walker ’89

2010-2019 Jared L. Vogler ’10

grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. Nannetta M. Brame

Nannetta Ammarilla Marshall Brame, 85, of Higginsville, formerly of Warrensburg, died May 21, 2011. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from UCM in 1960 and a master’s degree in 1970. She was a longtime Warrensburg elementary school teacher, retiring in 1988, and the wife of William Brame, professor emeritus of industrial technology. She graduated from Charleston, MO, Public Schools, where her father was high school principal and coach, and later superintendent of schools. She first attended Central Methodist University, where she met and married her husband in 1946. She completed the baccalaureate and master’s degrees in education

Alta Mae Poe ’29 Mary M. Stacy ’35 Marjorie A. Mosler ’42 Edward Boles ’44

Current Students David E. Brown Jeffrey L. Thompson

Former Students

Friends Douglas Gene Allen Margaret M. Barbero Robert J. Bevins Harold V. Biellier Don W. Blickhan Robert A. Bliss Vera E. Boehne Al Buckles Mary Elizabethe Chaney Chris J. Chappas Herman Cordway Esther D. Creed Danetta H. Cull Elizabeth Davies Dolores Marie Dolson Helen A. Edwards

Jo Eleanor Elliott Charles Files Hal Fisher Carriette M. Fricke William M. Fry Kelly A. George Sue Glenn Joyce E. Goddard George A. Huke Robert H. Kane Claire E. Kempker Mary Ella Kincaid Suzanne M. Kirk Cynthia Lou Lansford Virginia L. LeBow Russell L. Long Lee McClure James W. Nordstrom Vera O’Dell Jeanette Patterson Adolf Schnack Jr. Michelle M. Schubert Thomas Perry Semmens Jr. Seth A. Smith Alfredo Solis Jr. Wanda N. Wax Howard W. Westerman Adele Yockey

while being a wife and mother of two. Her first teaching position was at the junior high school in Montgomery City, MO. She later taught elementary grades in Centerview and at Ridgeview Elementary in Warrensburg.

a magician to pay his way through college and law school at the University of Iowa.

She is survived by her husband of Warrensburg and two daughters.

Britton received his doctorate in sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He then taught in the Department of Sociology, serving as chair from 1971 to 1982, when he returned to the classroom. After teaching for 39 years, he retired at age 70.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bill and Nan Brame Memorial Scholarship is available through the UCM Foundation. C. James Britton

Clifton James “Jim” Britton, 83, of Warrensburg, professor emeritus of sociology, died June 5, 2011, inMarshall, MO. He was born in Fort Madison, IA. At an early age he received a magic kit from his parents, and he began putting on shows at the age of 12. After graduating from high school, he began touring professionally as

After his graduation from UI in 1958, he joined the faculty of the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies at UCM.

He is survived by his wife, Janet, and three sons and their families, all of Warrensburg. Memorial contributions may be made to the C. James Britton Scholarship through the University of Central Missouri Foundation.

Wayne L. Cleveland

Wayne Lewis Cleveland, 87, professor emeritus of teacher education, died April 16, 2011. in Warrensburg. He received a bachelor’s degree in education from Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, SD, and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of South Dakota. He served in World War II, assigned to the 99th Infantry Division, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded at the bridge in Remagen, Germany, and discharged in 1945. He was a teacher, coach and administrator in school districts in South Dakota and Oregon. Taking a brief break from the education profession, he and his wife, Anna, entered the grocery business in their hometown of Conde, SD. He joined the faculty of UCM in 1963 after completing his doctorate. He was director of testing and chair of the Department of Teacher Education for11 years. He retired in 1989 and continued supervising student teachers in the field for several years. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion and served on the Honor Guard. He is survived by his wife and six children. Memorial contributions may be made to Wayne L. and Anna M. Cleveland Scholarship Fund through the UCM Foundation. Barbara J. Fendorf

Barbara J. Fendorf, 86, a friend of UCM and wife of UCM alumnus Frank Fendorf, died April 27, 2011, in Overland Park, KS. A native of Kansas City, MO, she graduated from Southest High School. She was married to Frank Fendorf in 1946. Frank graduated from UCM in 1947 and embarked on a career as a music educator, followed by a career in the music publishing business. She enjoyed family and friends, horses, the outdoors, and

accompanying her husband to his performances as a professional musician and conductor of the Overland Park Civic Band. She is survived by her husband; a son and daughter-in-law and two grandsonsI. Memorial contributions may be made to the Frank and Barbara Fendorf Scholarship in Music through the UCM Foundation. Fredric W. Hamilton

Fredric Webster Hamilton, 93, a longtime employee of the UCM physical plant, died April 13, 2011, in Warrensburg. He graduated from Warrensburg High School and received a bachelor’s degree from UCM in 1940. He was owner and operator of Hamilton’s 66 Service Station for 30 years, and then worked at UCM for 15 years prior to his retirement. David W. Joy

David Walter Joy, 71, professor of accounting, died Jan. 11, 2011, in Kansas City, MO. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Nebraska, followed by four years as a lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force, before returning to the University of Nebraska. Upon earning his CPA certification, he worked as a CPA in Texas, Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa, before returning to the University of Nebraska to earn a doctorate in accounting in 1984. His teaching assignments included Southern Illinois University and Drake University before he joined the faculty of the School of Accountancy in the Harmon College of Business Administration and Professional Services, where he specialized in tax accounting. He is surived by his wife, HerthaLou, two daughters and two grandchildren. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Dr. David Joy Endowed Scholarship in Accounting through the UCM Foundation.

Jeremy Andrew Katzenberger

Thomas W. Shaffer

Staff Sgt. Jeremy Andrew Katzenberger, 26, of Weatherby Lake, a U.S. Army Ranger with the 75th Ranger Regiment and former UCM student, died June 14, 2011, while leading his men in an assault against enemy forces in Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife and young son.

Thomas Shaffer, 50, an electrician with UCM Facilities, Planning and Operations, died May 20, 2011, in Warrensburg.

Mary Kathleen Ranson

Mary Kathleen Ranson, 95, professor emeritus of reading, died Jan. 21, 2011, in Temple, TX. A native of Farmville, VA, she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from State Teachers College in Farmville, now Longwood University, and a master’s degree from Peabody College. She completed her doctorate in education at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She interrupted her teaching career to join the U.S. Navy during World War II, working in communications, coding and decoding messages. She returned to education after the war, and joined the faculty of UCM. As a professor of education, she specialized in the teaching of reading and educational psychology. She retired from UCM in 1981. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kathleen Ranson Scholarship in Reading through the UCM Foundation. Ernest W. Rush

Ernest Wilson Rush, 94, retired assistant professor, died March 11, 2011, in Santa Rosa, CA. He was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. During World War II he was a navigator on a B-24 with 41 combat missions. After leaving the service, he taught World History, American History, Geography and Social Science at College High School. He then was a library assistant in the Ward Edwards Library and director of the Self-Instruction Center. He was preceded in death by a son, Glenn, and his wife, Verna. He is survived by a son and three grandchildren.

He earned an associate of science degree in electronics at DeVry College in Ohio. He married Gaila Ann Mahaffey in 1987 in Lewisville, TX. He was an employee of UCM for 22 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Jeffrey Jamal White

Jeffrey Jamal White, 21, a UCM business administration major who would have been a senior this fall, died July 30, 2011, during a shooting in Kansas City, MO. He was born Oct. 26, 1989, in Kansas City, MO, to Sterling D. White Sr. and Carolyn D. Moultry. He attended Southeast High School, where he played basketball, and graduated from Westport High School in 2008. At UCM, he was president of the Iota Sigma chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Lowell E. Whiteside

Lowell E. Whiteside, professor emeritus of education, died May 19, 2011, in Warrensburg. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Dakota Wesleyan University and his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of South Dakota. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, serving in the Pacific Theater with the 1st Philippine Regiment as a 1st Lieutenant. He taught high school in Mitchell, SD, and in 1953 became the editor of the South Dakota Education Association Journal and the SDEA News, serving as the acting SDEA executive secretary. He joined the UCM faculty in 1962, teaching comparative education systems and traveling the world. He retired in 1987. He was preceded in death by his wife and a son, Lindsey. He is survived by a son and daughter-inlaw and six grandchildren.

University of Central Missouri | today

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 ucmo.edu/calendar.

Homecoming is going to be BIGGER THAN EVER with the inauguration of President Chuck Ambrose. Join us Oct. 6-8 also for the: Distinguished Alumni Dinner Reunions Parade Mules Football

AND BEST OF ALL thousands and thousands of alumni.

Learn more at: ucmo.edu/homecoming