The Urbana University magazine
Spring 2013
Great Expectations
Recent renovations to Browne Hall have transformed the historical structure into a striking campus destination for the arts. The building was renamed the Miller Center for the Visual Arts in 2010 and has hosted more than a dozen special events and art exhibits.
Great Expectations
For more than 160 years, Urbana University has been making its mark. It began as a primary school serving the local community and is now a growing comprehensive University that attracts interest from across the nation as one of just two Swedenborgian affiliated schools in the country. It’s a mark that is recognized by our graduates, our students, our faculty members, and our founders, the Swedenborgian Church of North America. All “Urbanians” are empowered to shape and transform the world around them. They are resourceful, driven men and women of character and ideals, prepared for lives of purpose, personal fulfillment, and professional success. However successful our past, our combined eyes are on Urbana’s future. Never before has the institution been posed for such greatness – or faced such challenges. The following details Urbana’s strategic partnerships with Synergis, Melink Corporation, and Worthington Energy Innovations that boldly give us “Great Expectations” and a vision of the future.
“I must be taken as I have been made. The success is not mine, the failure is not mine, but the two together make me.” Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
As Urbana charts a course for its future, it is building on considerable evidence of recent progress and increasing prominence. For example, it was noted during Convocation last fall, that traditional enrollment increased during fall 2011 by seven percent; the addition of online degree students made the increase eleven percent. During spring 2010, Urbana’s Board of Trustees engaged in a bold new strategic plan that plotted the direction of the University for the next decade. The process was guided by an interest to improve enrollment, educational quality, financial strength, external engagements and institutional reputation. Exploring these factors contributed to the planning and decisions to seek partnerships with Synergis, Melink Corporation, and Worthington Energy Innovations to strengthen the University. 4
A partnership with the Melink Corporation helps Urbana students grasp the powerful impact of solar energy. In October 2012, the Melink Corporation developed, integrated, and with support from PNC Energy Capital, now operates a ground-mount solar photovoltaic array for Urbana University to help reduce operational costs and the reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
Practical Education Since the 1950’s, Urbana University has been a state-wide pioneer in adult education. Numerous initiatives, including the UU4Life and the Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) programs, brought higher education to adult learners. Synergis Education constructs vibrant adult learning environments, both in the classroom and online.
Located on the southwest edge of campus near the UU Athletic Stadium, the array consists of 2,128 solar photovoltaic modules which contribute approximately 15% of the school’s electricity needs. The panels serve as a visible example of the school’s commitment to sustainability and science education.
Synergis Education and Urbana University signed an agreement during fall 2012 that bolsters our adult and continuing education programs on our campuses, while also extending Urbana’s reach across the state via classroom, hybrid, and online programs. Shelly Moore, director of Enrollment with Synergis Education, states, “The partnership helps educate and mentor students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to become a college student. The goal is to create a renewed vision to better assist the adult learner with educational goals and professional outcomes. This renewed vision allows for greater convenience with course schedules, and accelerated programs that allows students to complete their degree in a timely manner.”
Real Value In a world where there is such focus on energy efficiency and cost, it only makes sense to ask: Is the main campus energy conscience? Urbana values our historic buildings, but wants to make certain they are in optimal performance. A partnership with Worthington Energy Innovations is providing assistance by performing a comprehensive, campus-wide energy retrofit. It will make Urbana among the nation’s most energy efficient campuses.
Marrying Coursework with Green Initiatives
Worthington Energy Innovations is accountable for its energy projects and ensures optimal performance and life cycle sustainability.
Urbana University is committed to incorporating ecological literacy into our liberal arts education core, so that all graduates leave UU appreciating and understanding their relationship to nature and natural resources.
A ground-mount solar photovoltaic array was completed at Urbana during October 2012 to help reduce operational costs and reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
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Urbana University Welcomes Peterson as Interim President Dr. J. Steven Polsley, chair of the Urbana University Board of Trustees, welcomed Dr. Kirk E. Peterson as the interim president at meetings with student leadership, faculty, and staff on Monday, April 1st. During his career in higher education, Dr. Peterson has served as faculty member, department chair, college dean, and associate provost. At Urbana University, he served for the past three years as senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.
At Urbana, Peterson has directed the University’s expanded online delivery of academic courses and degree programs; led the process to secure re-accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission; established the Office of Institutional Effectiveness that governs institutional assessment at all levels; and strengthened the college structure with revisions to the tenure and promotion procedure, and faculty recruitment, retention, and development.
Throughout his career in higher education, Dr. Peterson has stressed the importance of academic integrity in curriculum development along with the development and delivery. He strives to promote the importance of shared governance in decision-making at the University.
Dr. Peterson earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and two Master of Science degrees and a PhD from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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News Around the U Karen Basinger, PhD, professor in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, serves as an expert scorer of moral reasoning data on a student conducted by Dr. Mary Louise Arnold, Associate Professor, Human Development and Applied Psychology at the University of Toronto.
Jill Loney, director of English as a Second Language, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, International Student Advancement, presented “Revising the Disciplinary Division of Labor between ESL Writing and Basic Writing” for the National Council of Teachers of English in 2010 (with Carrie Ann James).
She is collaborating on a research project entitled “Beyond Moral Judgment Maturity: Moral Identity and Prosocial Behavior” with Dr. John C. Gibbs and Dr. Renee Patrick from The Ohio State University.
Elizabeth Paul, PhD, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Loney, Miville, Paul, Rhyne, Sorenson published co-authored article “Electrochemical and Isotopic Investigation of 13C-Enriched Oxalic Acid Facilitated with a Vacuum Electrochemical Reactor” in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society.
Tingting Cai, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and sustainability coordinator, submitted an article for peer-reviewed conference proceedings as first author: “Sustainability, Indicators, and Institutions of Higher Education” and two abstracts accepted for the ECO-SUMMIT International Conference 2012 for poster presentation.
Barbara Miville, PhD, professor in the College of Nursing and Allied Programs, poster presentation “200 Years of Nursing History/Image in 50 Minutes or Less” at the Ohio League For Nursing, Nursing Education Summit 2012 in March.
Christina DiGangi, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented “Lydgate and Estates Theory” paper at Renaissance-Medieval Conference at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
She completed research and manuscript on the history of the 108 years of the Springfield Regional School of Nursing, “In Their Own Words.” Served as the keynote speaker at the Springfield Regional School of Nursing May 2012 graduation. Commencement address theme was “Springfield Regional School of Nursing: Moments in Time.”
Brian Elliot, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented “Savage Borders and Civil Frontiers: Rewriting History through Reciprocity in Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie” paper at the College English Association National Conference and published “Nothing beside remains: Empty Icons and Elegiac Ekphrasis in Felicia Hemans” in Studies in Romanticism, a journal of English Literature and Romanticism.
Elizabeth Sorensen, PhD, associate professor, coordinator of Allied Health Programs, professional paper presentation “Mountains to climb: Changing national policy on college athlete pregnancy” at the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) National Convention in Washington, DC on June 26, 2012.
David George, PhD, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, published essay “Coriolanus and the Late Romances,” Chapter 2 of Late Shakespeare, 1608-13, edited by Andrew Power and Rory Loughnane (Cambridge University Press).
J. Michael Rhyne, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented a conference paper, “I hated history in high school, but I loved your class!: Story-telling, the Smart Classroom, and Effective Teaching,” at the American Historical Association meeting in January 2012 in Chicago, IL.
He also published “The New Variorum Coriolanus” for the Modern Language Association of America, New York. This work was begun in 1986. He screened the Coriolanus movie and chaired a roundtable discussion at the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference at Marietta College.
He also presented a conference paper, “On the Trail of the Outlaw Bridgewater: Regulators, Unionists, and Community Violence in Civil War Era Kentucky,” at the annual meeting of the Society of Civil War Historians, Lexington, KY. He continues to serve on the editorial board for the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society.
Carrie Anne James, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented “Revising the Disciplinary Division of Labor between ESL Writing and Basic Writing” for the National Council of Teachers of English in 2010 (with Jill Loney). 7
Farewell to Former First Lady of UU
The Urbana University community was saddened to learn that Mrs. Virginia Hazard, wife of president emeritus Francis Hazard, passed away on Sunday, January 6, 2013. The 82 year- old former first lady was truly loved on and off campus.
Mrs. Hazard grew up in Canton, Ohio and later earned a nursing degree from Aultman Hospital School of Nursing, where she later became one of their first nursing instructors.
Mrs. Hazard is pictured in the mid-90s at a University event.
Her husband Francis holds one of Urbana’s longest presidential terms. A devoted and loving fighter pilot’s wife, she supported his academic roles as Dean and Director of Kent State University Tuscarawas Campus, Dean of OSU Marion, and President of Urbana University. They have three daughters: Rebecca, Valerie, and Laura. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Dorothy Love Retirement Community Board, the Better Garden Club and the Arts Council. She was an avid OSU Buckeye fan through wins and losses. Mrs. Hazard was the quintessential First Lady whose gracious manner and love for Urbana will never be equaled. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hazard family in her passing.
Save the Date
Save the date for Homecoming 2013! Homecoming, October 12. We welcome all Blue Knights! Faculty Engaging Partners Dean of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for Planning, Accountability and Research (PAR), Denise Boldman has partnered with the Franklin County Family and Children First Council and is facilitating the inclusion of developmentally appropriate, trauma informed services in the Franklin County school district of Westerville.
Send Us Your Class Notes
Boldman’s techniques are based upon Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. The core objective of this model uses age-targeted strategies to make brain changes in children. Teaching core beliefs and strategies, the model to a diverse range of school personnel is the goal, with the hopes of stopping the cycle of abuse. Dual Enrollment Coordinator and Adjunct Professor Angela Brockman is also a key member of this partnership.
Tell us. Who are you now? Where are you now? You can submit your class notes and photos three ways: 1. Submit an update at urbana.edu/alumni. Look for the “Stay Connected” link. 2. Email them to alumni@urbana.edu 3. Mail to the Office of Alumni Relations, 579 College Way, Urbana, OH 43078 8
Valedictorian Wendy Hepp speaks during the winter commencement.
PhD Sarah E. St. Clair
Joe and Renee Besecker receive well wishes from a group of loyal Appleseed supporters.
Saying Goodbye to Joe Besecker
Joe Besecker, director and the visionary force behind the Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum, retired during the summer of 2012. Besecker, who started as a math and science faculty member at Urbana 27 years ago, has headed the museum for more than a decade and has led the transformation from a hobby in a condemned building into a landmark hub that links students, historians, and visitors around the globe to Johnny Appleseed. During Besecker’s tenure, he conducted a campaign that raised over one million dollars to renovate and preserve both Barclay and Bailey Halls. Dr. Hazard, president emeritus, appointed him the director of development in 1998 with the specific intent to seek support for building restoration for the halls. Besecker flourished in this role and quickly points out that Bailey Hall, which currently houses the museum, still has its original windows. One of Besecker’s final achievements was obtaining an Ohio Cultural Facilities grant, which through additional fund raising, allowed a re-opening of the Johnny Appleseed
Educational Center and Museum in April 2011. The 1,000 square-foot education center most notably features the Chapman family Bible which was used by Johnny in his travels, a cider press that was used to press apples from trees planted by Johnny, and letters from 1948 between Walt Disney Studios and alumna Florence Murdoch. The museum also engages visitors with interactive technology. The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum receives up to 2,000 visitors each year. Through Besecker’s passion and enthusiasm, there are over 300 annual Johnny Appleseed Society members and more than 50 secondary schools are registered and certified by the museum. “In my time at the museum, I have seen it go from a group of three committed volunteers to seeing the museum host visitors from every county in the state, every state in the nation and from all over the world,” he said. “I have given my all to this great enterprise. I am certain the future is exceptionally bright for the Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum,” Besecker said. “A big piece of my heart will always be right here at the museum.”
Ogden named Appleseed Director
Urbana staff member Joe Besecker’s retirement last October.
Cheryl Ogden ’12 was named the Director of Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum. Ogden, a Springfield native, was a leader on campus who majored in History and Education. Prior to her tenure at Urbana, she served as a volunteer for the Piatt Castles and in various community roles. Cheryl steps into this role after long-time
“This is an exciting step for Urbana University,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Communications Jim Thornton. “Cheryl is an outstanding leader who will move the museum and its programs into the next stage of growth.” “I’m looking forward to this exciting challenge. I’ve already enjoyed 10
working with the Appleseed members; the High Tea last December was a great success and I greatly anticipate what is on the horizon,” said Ogden. Ogden is the daughter of Cecil ’77 and Linda Smith and is married to Robert Ogden. Their daughter Abigail is a sophomore at Graham High School and Emily is a first year student at Urbana University.
James Copes ‘76 and Chris Willis ‘94 are two outstanding alumni who were honored for their outstanding achievements in a chosen career field and outstanding commitment and service to their community. The two were honored during Homecoming 2012.
James Copes ‘76 had an amazing career in education, teaching in the Tecumseh School District in New Carlisle. He inspired his students by instilling a strong passion for literature, theatre, and the written word. Jim has directed more than 25 school plays while he served as a high school English teacher for 32 years at Tecumseh High School. His love of theatre began right here at what was then called Urbana College. He is loved and respected by students because he is a role model for exemplary communication of the written word and ability to artfully teach.
Chris Willis ‘94 has worked at NFL Films as Head of the Research Library since 1996. His first book, Old Leather: An Oral History of Early Pro Football in Ohio, 1920-1935, was published in 2005 by Scarecrow Press. Old Leather was given the 2005 Nelson Ross Award by the Professional Football Researchers Association for recent Achievement in Football Research and Historiography. His second book, The Columbus Panhandles: A Complete History of Pro Football’s Toughest Team, 1900-1922, was published in 2007 by Scarecrow Press. His third book, The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr, was published by Scarecrow Press in 2010. Willis’ latest release, Dutch Clark: The Life of an NFL Legend and the Birth of the Detroit Lions, was released in July of 2012. Visit www.urbana.edu/alumni to learn more about the Three Arches Awards. Nominations are received throughout the year. The Office of Alumni Relations presents alumni awards to recognize, honor, and reward outstanding accomplishments and service to the University and the community since 1994. 11
Jennifer Midgley then.
Jennifer Midgley now.
Staff Member Passes 40 Year Anniversary “I get smarter every day at my job. I’m continually learning either from something I read, something the students show or tell me, and even from questions the students ask,” said Jennifer Midgley as she described her past 40 years at the Urbana University Swedenborg Memorial Library. She started working at the University at the end of her senior year at Urbana High School. Beginning as a part time office assistant in the Development Office in Dewey, Midgley was quickly recommended for a full time job at the library. “It was the summer of ‘73 and the library paid me $1.75 an hour. They ended up letting me go in August but called me back to work as a secretary to Dean Bellavance for a week. After I finished the week, they sent me back to the library and the rest is history.” Midgley was a student at Urbana High School taking business office education classes when she began work at UU. “I was learning how to type and write shorthand and let me tell you, I was pretty good at shorthand,” she said. It didn’t matter how good she was at her secretarial duties, once she found her way to the library, Jennifer never had the desire to work anywhere else. “I have a really enjoyable job;
I don’t want to be a boss or deal with the financial side. I just like working with the students.” Even though she will be eligible for retirement in eight years, Jennifer doesn’t imagine that she will feel any differently than she does now. She will still want to come into work and see the students every day. “I think I’d like to keep working in the library. I plan on being here until I finally retire or die, whichever comes first.” Jennifer has a strong bond with the library and what it stands for. “The library is the center of learning. Students come in here wanting to learn, even if it is just looking for something online. We take the time to coach them on how to search our databases.” When Jennifer looks to the future for herself and the students that she comes in contact with every day, she advises them that “if you’re going to do something, do it right and do it the best you can.” It is these students who help contribute to her favorite and hardest part of her job, watching students succeed and move on with their lives. “You get to see all these students have great experiences socially, academically, and athletically 13
“I have a really enjoyable job; I don’t want to be a boss or deal with the financial side. I just like working with the students.” and then they graduate and move on. I know that’s what they’re here for and that’s what they have to do, but you get to know them and like them and then they leave,” she explained. “I’ve spent decades at Urbana and with the students. I started out as a peer; I was their age. Then, I became like an older sibling to them. Pretty soon, I was their mom’s age and now, I’m closer to their grandparents’ age,” said Midgley of the longevity of her career. Just as Midgley has grown up with the University, starting as a single, high school senior, the University has grown around her. As she built her own family a home, she became a part of the University family. Students have come to rely on her as a source of information, a helping hand, and a kind and comforting friend.
Field of Dreams: Annette Lorenzo ‘80 “Education should be designed to make you mobile,” said Annette Lorenzo, 1980 alumna. Lorenzo has applied this theory of mobility to her own life taking her from New York, to Ohio, to as far away as California. Lorenzo also had the opportunity to train people in 12 different states through her work with Fred Pryor-Careertrack. However, Lorenzo says, “Ohio is where my heart is.”
Aside from her involvement in a variety of sports, Lorenzo was a member of The Lancer staff and a resident assistant. She said that at the University for the “good or bad, you couldn’t hide” but it “really was easy to feel tucked in.” She embraced the small, tightknit community. Lorenzo explained how she was “wowed” by Professor Larry Haverkos ‘67. “You could tell that he was entertained by teaching. He challenged me and made me angry so many times.” She fondly remembers other professors, Dr. Carrole and Dr. Jones, as “wildly fantastic.” She described herself as an abstract thinker but remembers being fascinated by the business courses.
She began her quest for this mobile education at Urbana University graduating in 1980 with a bachelor of science degree in liberal studies with emphasis on social services. “The liberal arts gave me the privilege and courage to explore what is out there,” she explained. With that exploration, she was very active at the University level. She said she “lived at the Three C’s” where she took part in volleyball, basketball, cheerleading, and “OD’ed” on racquetball!”
After Urbana, Lorenzo migrated to California where she was a column writer and earned her master in public administration degree from California State University in
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1994. A decade later, she returned to the classroom earning a certificate as an online classroom facilitator in 2010 from Cerro Community College and then became a certified online instructor from Magnum Training. Her latest endeavor was earning her Farm Apprenticeship Certificate for sustainable farming from the University of Vermont in 2011. This last certificate helped her open and run her own conventional greenhouse, Lorenzo Urban Greens, in Vermont. Along with her long list of credentials, Lorenzo has been on a spiritual quest throughout her career. She has received her certification as a yoga instructor. Believing that everything is related, she explained that farming is about the “whole” person and “that wellness is really the big picture.” With her endeavors in bio-farming, she ties her passions and interests together; creating a healthy environment is really a philosophy. “I honor the traditional agricultural methods,” said Lorenzo, linking back to the farms of Darke County.
Lorenzo ‘80 teaching a class in bio-farming.
Lorenzo has been back in Ohio for the last six years. “My life has come a full 360 degrees,” she said. She was an assistant professor of political science at Central State University from 20052011 and an instructor for the master’s degree program at Antioch University Midwest in Yellow Springs in 2011.
“Education should be designed to make you mobile.”
Looking forward, Lorenzo says, “You will never know what you will remember as a student so just appreciate it all. Getting the ‘A’ isn’t always the ball game; sticking around and graduating is.”
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Soldier of Knowledge:
Isaac Hampton II ‘94 subjectivity lens that we see the world through; the challenge is stepping outside of it and seeing what the world was back then. How they saw the world was much different than what it is today.” Dr. Hampton went on to accrue a vast resume of teaching in higher education; he was a visiting professor and advisor to the Afrikan-American Men’s chapter at Texas Southern University and was an adjunct professor at Houston Community College.
After conducting over one hundred oral history interviews, Urbana University alumnus, Dr. Isaac Hampton, had one goal, to give voice to the unrecorded history of African American officers during the Vietnam era.
Currently working as an adjunct professor at San Antonio College, Hampton is a part of an academic consortium in conjunction with Houston Metro System that researches the effects of the Civil Rights movement on Houston, Texas.
Although Hampton graduated from Urbana University with his bachelors of art degree in communications in 1994, his family had been tied to the University since his Aunt Genevieve Allen-Dale became the first African American woman to graduate from UU back in 1935.
When reflecting on his education at Urbana University, Hampton remembers, “My time at UU was my first experience where the professors really took an interest in me and my academic development. I never felt like I was just a number. The professors were always quite engaged concerning class discussion and open to hearing young people’s concepts and interpretations of various subjects.”
He continued his education by earning his master’s degree in history from Texas Southern University and his doctorate in 20th Century U.S. history from the University of Houston. He also served in the U.S. Army during the first Gulf War, stationed in Germany as a 24-hour standby to Israel.
Looking forward, “I am appreciative of how the professors treated me and I always try to remember these practices when working with my own students,” said Hampton. “One thing about UU was the small class size. It really made a difference. Your professors talked to you. As a young person, when an authority figure asks about your opinion, you realize they care about what you think, they care about your opinion.”
During his graduate work at Texas Southern University, Hampton was active in the Graduate Student Mentor Association (GSMA), where he was both an advisor and a mentor to the incoming graduate students. It was also during his capstone coursework that he began researching the conditions of the officers’ experiences throughout the Vietnam War. After extensive research, Hampton realized that “every minority soldier interviewed had a different memory of the military institution than the institution did.”
Hampton encourages future students to “study something you are truly interested in and passionate about. While money is important, don’t let the prospect of a big paycheck from your future job determine what you major in while going to college.”
The capstone project transformed into his first book, The Black Officer Corp and was published in 2012. “It wasn’t cumbersome because as you are writing you are also learning.”
He stressed the importance of “defining what makes YOU happy. Don’t let others do this for you. Everyone has a different interpretation of what happiness is or should be. Don’t base it solely on the acquisition of material items. Be realistic in your goals and practice self-post gratification.”
He admitted, “The most challenging thing was trying to write in different perspectives. We all have a 16
C
President’s Report 2011-2012 Dear Friends,
I want to express my appreciation to each of you for your support of Urbana University during the 2011-2012 academic year. Thank you for making progress possible. I ask that you join me in renewing your support for Urbana – or adding the University to your personal philanthropy – for the current fiscal year. Sincerely, Kirk Peterson, PhD Interim President PILLARS Corporations and Organizations Austin E. Knowlton Foundation Honda of America Ohio Foundations of Independent Colleges (OFIC) The Grimes Foundation TRUSTEES Corporations and Organizations Mary V. A. Baldwin Trust Sodexo COLONEL JOHN JAMES Corporations and Organizations ExxonMobil Foundation Johnson Welded Products Individuals and Families Mr. & Mrs. William G. Edwards Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Field Mr. & Mrs. Wilbur H. Hild Jr. ‘61 MILO WILLIAMS Corporations and Organizations Stephen D. Harris Estate Jean and Lewis B. Moore Foundation, Inc. NetGain Information Co. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County Individuals and Families Mr. Robert V. Corning Mr. & Mrs. William Fraim Dr. & Mrs. Stephen B. Jones Mr. Anthony Joy & Ms. Robin Miller Mr. & Mrs. Robert McConnell Dr. & Mrs. Steven Polsley Mr. Andrew Vogel JOHN CHAPMAN Corporations and Organizations Urbana Loyal Order of Moose William McGeorge IV Estate Individuals and Families Mr. & Mrs. (Betsy ‘71) William T. Coffman Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Harrison ‘76 Dr. & Mrs. Francis E. Hazard Mr. Than Johnson Dr. Gary Lau Mr. & Mrs. Allen R. Maurice Dr. & Mrs. W. Dean Pond Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Rue Mr. & Mrs. William N. White
Corporations and Organizations Akzo Nobel Inc. General Convention of The Swedenborgian Church Liberty Mutual Insurance Group Mercy Hospital Piqua Association of Churches Stocksdale Insurance White’s Service Center Individuals and Families Ms. Rose E. Berner Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. Besecker Mr. Thomas W. Feick Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Richard Finkbine Dr. & Mrs. John Forsthoefel Mr. & Mrs. (Judy Shisler) Scott Gephart Mr. Arthur Humphrey III Mr. Bruce Larson ‘93 Mr. & Mrs. Michael Major Mr. Benny G. Mitchell ‘79 Mr. & Mrs. Gregory L. Moore Mr. Dave Ross ‘76 Mr. & Mrs. (Audrey ‘94) Warren Stevens Ms. Barbara Stewart Mr. & Mrs. Greg Stocksdale Mr. & Mrs. Charles L. Sweeting Mr. & Mrs. (Beverly ‘90) John L. Titus ‘77 Mr. & Mrs. James C. Wehrman Mr. & Mrs. (Jessica ‘07) Kyle Daniel Wunderlich ‘05 Mr. Timothy C. Ziegert SWEDENBORGIAN Corporations and Organizations American Legion Post 776 Brownridge Foundation Champaign County Library KTH Parts Industries, Inc. Ohio Association of Swedenborgian Churches Pepsi Cola General Bottlers, Inc. Sweeting Tire, Inc. Urbana University President’s Office Walter & Smith Funeral Home Individuals and Families Dr. & Mrs. James T. Daniel Mr. & Mrs. Kent Eichenauer Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Gecowets Mr. Charles Hauser Mr. Bruce Hull ‘76 Mrs. Donna M. Keller Mr. & Mrs. Scott D. Michael Mr. Tom Riley & Ms. Lin Giampetro ‘97
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1850 Corporations and Organizations Akzo Nobel Inc. Bipin Desea, MD, Inc. Honda of America Manufacturing Pioneer Rural Electric Co. Progressive Specialties Company Speedway Super America State Farm Companies Foundation The New York Association of the New Church Urbana Society of the New Church Individuals and Families Mr. Dave Allman Mr. Herbert Neal Ater Dr. Denise A. Boldman & Ms. Julie Buzard Mr. James Chellis Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Darding Dr. Charles J. Dawes Mr. Chris B. Denton Mr. Casimer DiFrancesco Drs. Charles R. & Cheryl A. Fenno Drs. David F. & Rita L. George Mr. & Mrs. Philip C. Green ‘69 Ms. Patricia Greenwalt Mr. Ed Hafner Mr. Walter Hixson Ms. Charlene Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Michael W. Joy Mr. Robert A. Joy Mr. & Mrs. (Peggy ‘09) Kim Leroy Kessler Ms. Cathy L. Krupko Mr. Edward R. Lehman Mr. Richard T. Martin ‘85 Mr. & Mrs. James A. Matthews ‘01 Ms. Bette L. Mendenhall Mr. & Mrs. Russell A. Michael Ms. Christine A. Provaznik Mrs. Holly Ryan ‘92 Mrs. Sally Settle Mr. & Mrs. Charles Stadler Mr. & Mrs. Marc Stadler Mr. Robert D. Titus Mr. & Mrs. Jeff White Mr. & Mrs. John H. Woodburn CENTURY Corporations and Organizations Aircraft Dynamics Corp Appraisal Solutions Co. Bobby D’s Cakes and More Champaign Bank Family Dentistry
Henderson Land Investment Company High Street Manor B & B Kapp Construction Inc. Levin Porter Associates Inc. Mac-A-Cheek Foundation Perry Corporation Rachel C. Nicol Trust Security National Bank TeaBaggers The Ellis Company, LTD The LaPorte New Church Individuals and Families Mr. Keith Allman Mr. & Mrs. Calvin S. Amos ‘80 Mr. Thomas Barclay IV Mr. & Mrs. (Amy M‘05) Robert Barnhart Mrs. Jean S. Bartley Ms. Joanne E. Baumgartner Ms. Lisa R. Berry Mr. Wilbur K. Berry Sr. Mr. Kyle I. Bertz ‘09 Ms. Patricia A. Black Mr. & Mrs. Alan Blackburn Dr. & Mrs. Steven Bohl Mr. Samuel A. Bowman Mr. Herb Bricker Ms. Ada Carr Mr. Gary Carr Mr. Kevin Carr Dr. & Mrs. George H. Carroll Mr. & Mrs. Yarbrough C. Cheely Jr. ‘78 Mr. & Mrs. Max Coates Mr. John P. Collier Mr. Gary K. Crist Ms. Carol A. Dedrick Ms. Elizabeth Delaney Mr. & Mrs. Frank G. Doyle III The Honorable & Mrs. Robert Duncan Mrs. Monica M. Durbin Mr. Steven D. Eckstein ‘69 Ms. Ada V. Eleyet Mr. & Mrs. Ronald B. Ellis Ms. Joyce Estes Mr. Kris A. Falknor ‘80 Ms. Lori E. Forrest Mr. & Dr. Gary L. Frazee Mr. & Mrs. Robert George Mr. Robert Gerber Mrs. Barbara Goddard Mr. Tchalla Greene ‘02 Mrs. Andrea Grimes Dr. Alice Grimes M‘12 Mr. Terry Grogg Ms. Reta M. Hammer Mr. & Mrs. (Peggy M‘10) Sam Harper Ms. Brooke N. Hays Mr. R. Kevin Horrigan & Ms. Christina Bruun-Horrigan Ms. Marjorie Huff Ms. Rebecca B. Humphrey Mr. John L. Hutson Mr. Roger L. Jester Jr. Mr. James M. Johnson Ms. Martha L. Jones Mr. Mitch C. Joseph ‘08 Ms. Mary G. Keck Mr. Brian D. Keener Ms. Ruth S. Keener Mr. & Mrs. Chad A. Kerns Mrs. Donna C. Kessler ‘69 The Rev. Theodore & Dr. Mary Kay Klein Mr. Timothy Knueven
Mrs. Thelma Koerner Mr. & Mrs. Eric Koik The Rev. & Mrs. Daniel Leiker Dr. & Mrs. David Lewis Dr. Praveen K. Malhotra Mr. Steven R. Maxson Mr. Hugh J. McMillin Mr. & Mrs. Roger L. McMillin Mr. & Mrs. Doug McOwen Mr. Kent Miller B‘82, M‘11 Mr. & Mrs. Jon Miller Mr. & Mrs. Michael Minnich Mr. Philip R. Moots Mr. & Mrs. Edward P. Morey Mrs. Kathryn D. Murphy ‘72 Mrs. Elicia A. Nagel Mr. & Mrs. (Mona ‘95) Eugene Newcomer Mr. & Mrs. Franz B. Ott Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Karl E. Paulig Ms. Amy Perry Mr. Gardiner Perry Mr. & Mrs. (Kristi ‘72) Stephen H. Phillip Mrs. Janet P. Pilarowski Mr. Robert Porter Mr. & Mrs. (Jane ‘83) James Puckett Ms. Linda C. Randall Mr. Jared J. Reitz ‘69 Ms. Maxine Roberts Mr. Mark Runkle Ms. Shirley Sayler Mr. & Mrs. Terry D. Sawmiller Mr. & Mrs. (Barbara ‘77) Jerry T. Schlaegel Mr. Derrick C. Seaver Mr. Scott H. Seidel ‘75 Ms. Nancy L. Sherwood Mr. & Mrs. Mark C. Shick Dr. Ray Silverman Mr. Paul Smith Ms. Patricia J. Sommer Mr. & Mrs. (Ruby ‘60) William Stinson Jr. Mr. Sam Suitca Mr. Stephen Surprise Dr. Jonathan Leigh Tafel ‘66 Mr. & Mrs. Herbert R. Tamplin Ms. Cynthia K. Titus Mr. & Mrs. Kim K. Titus Mr. & Mrs. Mark A. Todd Mr. & Mrs. James Tourangeau Dr. Patrick Trimble ‘64 Mrs. Patricia Tukos Mr. Andrew P. Underwood Ms. Rhonda J. Ward-Marsh ‘06, M‘07 Mr. & Mrs. Ronald T. Weber Mr. & Mrs. Robert N. Williams Ms. Kelly Evans-Wilson Mr. & Mrs. (Debra ‘00) Paul L. Wright Dr. & Mrs. (Kathleen ‘69) Jeffry A. Yoder Mr. & Mrs. Paul E. Yutzy BUILDERS Corporations and Organizations Allen County Public Library Allergy & Asthma Clinics of Ohio Champaign Residential Services , Inc. Demmy Construction, Inc. Doss Properties Keidan Financial Consultants Kindercare Springfield Madison County Senior Center Murray Wells Wendeln & Robinson CPAs Northern Star Communications Nursing Institute for Continuing Education
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Oda P. Greene Irrevocable Trust Ohio Caverns, Inc. RPE Associates LLC Sabina Area Senior Citizens Shear Design Salon The Peoples Savings & Loan The V Patrick Hamilton Group, LLC Individuals and Families Ms. Tricia Alsip ‘11 Mr. & Mrs. Billy G. Anderson ‘81 Mrs. Cinda Anderton ‘73 Ms. Kristen Auel ‘08 Mr. Alfred T. Bachman Mrs. Swetlana Baier Mr. & Mrs. Alan Bailar ‘72 Mr. Josh Baskins ‘07 Ms. Annie Belle Bedingfield Mrs. Joellen Beights Mr. Michael J. Bell Mr. & Mrs. John D. Berk Jr. Ms. Lynda A. Berube Dr. & Mrs. Irv Besecker Ms. Kelly L. Blankenship Mr. William G. Blazer Ms. Tracy A. Bleim Mrs. Martha F. Bolton Ms. Ann Booher Ms. Trudy D. Brackney Mrs. Claudia J. Brewer The Honorable & Mrs. Clarence J. Brown Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Jacob M. Brown Mrs. Gloria Jean Brumbaugh Mr. Anthony Brunke Mr. Ollie M. Busbee Mrs. Barbara B. Callison ‘09 Mr. & Mrs. Gene C. Campbell Mr. Kyle Joseph Campbell ‘06 Mr. David Carter Mr. Trent Chess Dr. & Mrs. Wojtek D. Chojna Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Christian Mr. Robert E. Clark Mr. & Mrs. Mark Collins ‘11 Mr. Job C. Conger IV Mr. & Mrs. William J. Corfman Ms. Stacie Coy Mr. & Mrs. Deane Currie Mr. William Daniels ‘09 Ms. Jessica Darling Ms. Becky M. Davis Ms. Marjorie A. Dees Ms. Ruby D. Delaney Mr. Aron Dell Dr. Christina Di Gangi Mr. Michael Dilworth ‘12 Ms. Christine E. Dunlop Mr. & Mrs. Vincent G. Dziechciarz Mrs. Barbara Jane Eakins ‘51 Mr. & Mrs. James M. Eaton Sr. Mr. Bart Edgington Mr. Gerald D. Ediger Mr. Douglas Eggleston Mr. Frederich E. Ellis Ms. Margaret Fetz Mr. Micah J. Fisher ‘09 Ms. Rita Fitzsimmons Mrs. Claudia A. Foulk Dr. Hedwig Frick Mr. Steven M. Fry ‘87 Mr. & Mrs. Michael Gallagher Mr. & Mrs. Charles Gamble
BUILDERS Individuals and Families (continued) Mr. & Mrs. (Shannon ‘03) Ionut C. Gavrilescu ‘03 Mr. & Mrs. John George Mr. Marlin Gerber Ms. Constance Strait Gilhooly Mr. Greg Glendenin Mr. Richard A. Golden Mr. & Mrs. Vincent A. Gonzalez Mr. Tim Goodrich Ms. Karen A. Grant Mr. & Mrs. Stephen T. Gregg Mr. William J. Gregory ‘06, M‘10 Mrs. Margaret Grimes Mrs. Donna E. Guigas-Siegman Mr. Maurice Harden Mr. James Harvey ‘67 Mr. Jim Harworth Mr. Ed Hathaway Ms. Thelma E. Hawkins Ms. Melissa Hawley Mr. Bruce A. Hayes Mr. & Mrs. Darrell Heckman Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. Hedinger Mrs. Doris L. Heisler Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hess Ms. Dorothy Hieber Mrs. Deborah Hill-Grimes Mr. & Mrs. David Hochstetler Mr. & Mrs. Jim Holcomb Mr. Nicholas J. Hostetler Ms. Andra Howard Ms. Kathleen Hudepohl Mr. Samuel D. Huff Mr. & Mrs. (Kiya ‘00) Jason Hunt Mr. Robert J. Jacob ‘98 Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth R. Jenkins Mr. Orville J. Jennings III Ms. Gladene Johnson Ms. Patricia A. Jones Mr. & Mrs. Donald Joy Dr. & Mrs. James J. Judge Mr. Jan Kassies Ms. Victoria Ann Keener Mr. & Mrs. (Amy ‘00) Brian Kemp Ms. Doris Kemp Mr. Matt King Mr. & Mrs. (Virginia ‘74) Royce B. Kinney Ms. Tomoko Kizawa Mr. & Mrs. (Judith ‘66) Daniel M. Krauss Mr. Robert S. Lambert Ms. Trisha M. Latella ‘10 Mr. & Mrs. (Jamie ‘97) Mark S. Lattimer ‘11 Dr. & Mrs. Terry Lavy Mr. Bernard A. Lyons ‘70 The Reverend Renee Elizabeth Machiniak ‘91 Dr. Barbara R. Mackey Mr. & Mrs. Jack MacRae Mr. Jaswant Madhavan Mr. Craig Marshall The Reverend Ernie Martin Ms. Theresa J. Massie Mr. Marlen Mathias Mrs. Gillian Mayer Ms. Allana I. McCreight ‘09 Ms. Carrie M. McGill Mr. & Mrs. (Melanie ‘08) Terry McKenzie Mr. Steven McPhail Mr. & Mrs. Frederick D. Meacham Mr. Howard Means Mr. John H. Mefford
Mr. John Meyer Mr. & Mrs. Walter A. Midgley Mrs. Bonnie S. Miller Mr. Calvin O. Miller Ms. Paula Miller ‘89 Ms. Paula J. Millhoff Mr. & Mrs. Steven A. Moore ‘72 Mr. & Mrs. Donald C. Moore Jr. Ms. Mary Mott ‘66 Ms. Janet Murphy Mr. & Mrs. Thomas A. Neuenfeldt Mr. & Mrs. Sen Nie M‘07 Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas F. Nye Mrs. Sharon L. O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Jerome J. O’Neal ‘82 Ms. Cynthia J. Orth Ms. Mary Parello Mr. John B. Parker ‘02 Ms. Lynn Parrish Mrs. Joan Patzer Mr. Roland Patzer Ms. Eyleen E. Paugh Mr. & Mrs. Dwight C. Paul Mrs. Rose M. Payne Mr. Jack R. Pealer Jr. Mr. & Mrs. David A. Perdue Dr. & Mrs. Kirk Peterson Mr. Leo G. Phillips Mr. Danile G. Picolo Mr. James C. Picolo Ms. Rebecca A. Picolo Mr. Alan E. Pignataro Mr. Gordon H. Pleus Ms. Kimberly Poorman Mr. & Mrs. Gary Pope ‘02 Mr. Eric C. Porter Mr. & Mrs. E. Stephen Powers Mrs. Elaine K. Prout Ms. Janice Raber Ms. Amie D. Raterman Mr. Robert Reber Ms. Lora Redick Mr. & Mrs. David Reinoehl Mr. & Mrs. (Rosalie ‘75) Ronnie Releford Ms. Kayleen Ashley Roth ‘12 Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin J. Rowe ‘05 Ms. Jenny L. Santilli Ms. Lorrinda Saxby ‘73 Mr. & Mrs. Peter N. Scarff Mr. Darren T. Schindel Mr. Baron B. Schneeman ‘10 Ms. Alicia Schneider Mr. & Mrs. David J. Scott Ms. Kimberly A. Seaver Mr. Jeffrey Seger Mr. Glenn E. Skinner II Mr. Dave Smiddy Ms. Ashley Smith Mr. & Mrs. (Carrie ‘97) Tobin P. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Jon R. Smith Mr. Troy A. Smith ‘09 Ms. Peri L. Snarr Ms. Betty M. Snider Ms. Georgiana Sombrio Ms. Mary A. Staudter Ms. Linda M. Stevenson Mr. & Mrs. Luther H. Storey The Reverend Jennifer M. Tafel ‘00 Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Talebi Ms. Janet O. Taylor Ms. Rachel G. Thomas
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Mr. James P. Thompson ‘05 Mr. Justin Dale Thompson ‘05 Ms. Karen Thompson Mrs. Heather Tiefenthaler Mr. Richard Titus Ms. Shanoa D. Titus ‘00 Mr. Steven Titus Mr. & Mrs. Eric W. Tom Mr. & Mrs. (Judith ‘81) James H. Trainer Ms. Rita Treese Mrs. Shirlene Turner Mrs. Miranda Nicole Uhl M‘03 Mr. & Mrs. Markus Van Meter Mr. & Mrs. Dale Van Tine Mr. Harry J. Vearn ‘88 Mrs. Ellen E. Verbsky Mr. David Viges Mr. Robert Vincenzo Mr. & Mrs. Robert Voigt ‘65 Mr. Aaron Vorst ‘05 Mr. & Mrs. Frank Wagner Mr. & Mrs. (Jodie ‘06) Dylan Walker ‘07 Mrs. Mary K. Wallace Mrs. Mary S. Ward ‘05, M‘09 Mr. & Mrs. Barry Warne Mr. Scott W. Warnecke ‘03 Mr. & Mrs. Alan K. Webster Mr. Michael L. West Ms. Catherine A. White Mr. Robert J. White Ms. Cynamyn Brandy Williams ‘04, M‘07 Mr. Robert Williams Jr. Mr. Kenneth Wilson Mr. Brad Yarnell The Reverend & Mrs. Paul B. Zacharias Mr. John Zerante Jr. LEGACY CLUB Ms. Mary V.A. Baldwin Ms. Ruth Coffeen Mr. Thomas A. Faulkner ‘42 Mrs. Jeannette F. Freye ‘23 Mr. Stephen D. Harris ‘75 Ms. Kathleen Kitchen Mr. & Mrs. (Mary E.) Harry A. Legge Mr. William McGeorge IV Ms. Helen Mehnert Mr. Charles Edward Miller Jr. ‘71 Ms. Rachel J. Nicol Mr. Lloyd L. Osborne Jr. Mr. Dave Ross ‘76 Mrs. Rebecca Johnson Wickersham ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LIFETIME MEMBERS Mr. Robert G. Harrison ‘76 Ms. Melanie L. McKenzie ‘08 Mrs. Charles Edward Miller Jr. Mr. Benny G. Mitchell ‘79 Mr. Dave S. Ross ‘76 Ms. Rhonda Ward-Marsh ‘06, M‘ 07 Mr. & Mrs. (Jessica ‘07)Kyle Wunderlich ‘05 If we listed your year incorrectly or did not mark you as an alumna/us, we apologize for the error. Please contact the Alumni Relations Office at (937) 484 -1282 or email Kat Steiner at ksteiner@urbana.edu to update your information.
From the Field Blue Knights Getting it Done in the Classroom
The 121 total members were made up of 66 men and 55 women.
The top academic squads this fall were the men’s swimming team and women’s cross country team. The male swimmers boasted a cumulative team GPA of 3.20, while the female runners led the academic pack of 15 Blue Knight squads with a cumulative team GPA of 3.67. Every member of the women’s cross country team made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.
Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Jim Judge Jr. is a big reason for the recent upward trend in student-athlete GPA’s at Urbana University. Dr. Judge is the link between the UU faculty and coaches. He helped devise a system that allows for consistent communication between these two parties. His relentless pursuit of feedback provides coaches with a constant stream of information about their student-athlete’s performance in the classroom. Coaches are using this information to ensure their student-athletes are attending class and keeping their grades up.
This past fall, Urbana University student-athletes posted the most successful academic semester since records were kept. A school-record 121 student-athletes made the Athletic Director’s fall Honor Roll. Student-athletes must maintain a GPA of 3.25 or higher and enroll in at least 12 credit hours to earn this distinction. In the fall of 2011, 96 student-athletes earned this distinction. Never before had more than 100 Blue Knights landed on the Honor Roll.
In overall cumulative GPA, the Blue Knight women topped the Blue Knight men 3.10 to 2.66. As a whole, the student-athlete populous posted a 2.80 GPA, which is still shy of the Athletic Department’s goal of attaining an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0.
The Blue Knight football team had the most representatives on the Honor Roll with 25. The women’s soccer team had the most representatives on the women’s side with 11. 21
As a result of all of the hard work by Dr. Judge, the Blue Knight coaches and the student-athletes, an incredible 28
Blue Knights posted perfect 4.0 grade point averages this past fall. That’s also a new school record and a doubledigit increase over the previous fall. The football team, which has won more games (15) over the past two years than any team in program history, leads the way again with an astounding eight players with perfect 4.0 GPA’s.
UU Senior, Drew Underwood
Senior linebacker Drew Underwood (West Jefferson, OH) was one of those players with a perfect GPA this past semester. Underwood also managed to achieve a level of academic success never seen before at Urbana University. On December 5th, Underwood was named to the 2012 COSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American® team. Underwood’s Academic All-American® honor is the first of his career, and he becomes the first Blue Knight to receive the honor during the NCAA Division II era. The 2012 COSIDA/Capital One Academic AllAmerican® Football Teams are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Underwood earned Second Team Academic AllAmerica® honors after turning in one of the most successful careers in the history of the Blue Knight football program. A 2-time Academic All-Conference selection and 4-year starter, Underwood currently boasts a 3.68 cumulative GPA as an Education/AYA Social Studies major. He just recently put the finishing touches on a terrific career, appearing in all 44 games over the past 4-years and
guiding the Class of 2012 to the best 4-year record in school history (26-18). Underwood finished with 249 career tackles, including 80 stops in 11 games as the starting middle linebacker for the 7-4 Blue Knights this season. He also recorded 9.5 tackles for a loss, 11 QB hurries, 4 pass break-ups, 2 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack, earning All-Conference honors for the third straight season. The GLFC’s 2011 Linebacker of the Year also earned the Urbana University Athletic Department’s Academic Achievement award as the top male student-athlete during the 2010-11 school year. Underwood is just one example of many that highlights the Blue Knights’ recent success in the classroom. Both Blue Knight basketball teams boast examples of unprecedented success this past semester. On the men’s side, fifth-year Head Coach Jeff Porter placed seven players on the Athletic Director’s Fall Honor Roll, including five that earned Academic All-District nominations for maintaining a cumulative GPA above 3.30. Urbana’s five Academic All-District nominations are a new school record. It’s quite an incredible feat, considering nominees must have at least sophomore standing, and they must be either a starter or significant contributor, playing at least 50% of the team’s games. All five of Urbana’s nominees have a cumulative GPA above 3.40, and all five have started for the Blue Knights this season. Junior guard Danny Goins (Cincinnati, OH) led the UU men’s basketball team with a perfect 4.0 GPA this fall. (Goins is the nephew of former Blue Knight AllAmericans and UU Hall of Famers Wade and Wyatt Goins, ‘93.) He is one of the team’s five nominations for Academic All-District. The others include senior Ramel Mitchell (Akron, OH), junior Josh Brown (Millington, TN), and sophomores Casey Baker (Conneautville, PA) and Dusan Komljenovic (Banja Luka, Republic UU Junior, Danny Goins of Serbia). If one of these five players is voted Academic All-District this season, they will have an opportunity to join Underwood on the Academic All-American® team.
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Men’s basketball cumulative GPA reaches a five-year high.
UU men’s soccer claimed the first regular season and tournament conference championships in school history.
As a team, the UU men’s basketball squad very nearly posted the first 3.0 cumulative GPA since records have been kept for individual teams. The team’s cumulative fall GPA was the highest during Coach Porter’s five years at the helm, and the highest since records have been kept for the men’s basketball team.
The men’s soccer team, under fifth-year Head Coach Nick Roberts, is another glowing example of a Blue Knight team getting it done on the field as well as in the classroom. This past fall, the squad claimed the first regular season and tournament conference championships in school history. Urbana edged Cedarville University 2-1 in overtime on Cedarville’s home field in the conference championship game.
. . . an incredible 28 Blue Knights posted perfect 4.0 grade point averages this past fall. The conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, junior forward Tyler Wason (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) scored both goals, including the game-winner off a corner kick by Mark Whittle (Olney, England) in the sixth minute of OT. Wason’s game-winner was his school-record fifth of the season for the 10-7-1 Blue Knights. After just two seasons in the Royal Blue and White, Wason is the career leader in that category with nine game-winning goals to his credit.
Woman’s basketball boasts a 3.5 GPA classroom average.
The women’s basketball team experienced similar success in the classroom this past semester. Second-year Head Coach Maria Marchesano nominated four Blue Knights for Academic All-District honors. She could roll out a starting lineup that averages around a 3.5 GPA in the classroom, led by senior center Andrea Vogel (Bluffton, IN), junior guard DeVonyea Johnson (Ypsilanti, MI), sophomore guard Ciara Geiger (Ft. Wayne, IN) and sophomore forward Katy Barkley (Olivet, MI). Vogel is a two-time UU Athletic Department selection for Female Academic Achiever of the Year. The Presidential Scholar boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.97 in the University’s Honor’s Program. She’s also became the school’s all-time career blocks leader this past season after averaging nearly three blocks per game since her freshman season.
For all of the success on the field, Coach Roberts’ proudest accomplishment may have come off the field. His squad landed a staggering 13 players on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, including three players who posted a perfect 4.0 GPA. Adding to the degree of difficulty, the team achieved this feat not in the spring, during their off-season when they have more time to focus on academics, but in the same semester when the program also captured its first-ever conference championship!
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The Heart of A Blue Knight Courtney Elliott ‘16 loves that it’s all about “U” here at Urbana University. She was an active high school student and a permanent fixture on her high school honor roll. When she arrived at Urbana, she wanted to continue to be involved. So, she joined the Small Steps student organization, which focuses on community service. She is also a member of the bowling team and cheerleading squad, as well as the University Singers and Chamber singers. Courtney is majoring in exercise science and hopes to become an occupational therapist and serve the community, in a different kind of light. She is known among the faculty for always doing more than what is expected. And she does it all while managing her work study assignment. The Urbana Fund is the heart of it all, supporting the programs and initiatives that inspire students like Courtney to challenge themselves and the status quo. By providing financial aid to motivated and deserving students and enhancing library resources and classroom technology, the Urbana Fund makes it possible for students like Courtney to make the most of their Urbana experience. Go to urbana.edu/give to make a gift to Courtney and other Blue Knights at Urbana. Urbana Fund At the Heart of It All Freshman, Courtney Elliot