Saint Francis Magazine Fall 2016 by University of Saint Francis

in this issue features 6

5 Years of Golf, Giving and Camaraderie Alumni unite to ensure a brighter future for USF student-athletes

On Track for Courage USF’s Freiburger overcomes to help others

10 Changing Perspectives USF’s Crouch bridges refugee, immigrant and Fort Wayne populations

12 Transforming Downtown Fort Wayne’s changing skyline includes USF

14 Downtown Dynamics USF exudes energy

17 USF Downtown Opens to Hoopla, Hurrahs

18 Owning the Bar USF Music Technology sets standard

20 Supporting Arms

USF Crown Point Advisory Council embraces community

22 Congratulations Class of 2016 24 Sky’s the Limit USF’s Russell finds Achatz great launching place

28 Passionate Donor Finds a Unique Way to Give

30 Boomerang Dr. Kumfer retiring, but still connected to USF

42 Connection Points

USF’s Music Technology program has moved into a new facility in the west annex of the USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center, the former Scottish Rite Center. There, through industry-specific curricula and studios, students will hone their performance and production skills and implement these abilities in cooperation with downtown entertainment venues and production companies. This move will soon change the rhythm and dynamic of downtown Fort Wayne.

sections

Athletics

26-27

Campus News

29-33

Alumni News

34-41

Fifteen years ago, Brett Freiburger’s life changed forever when a hunting accident cost him part of his leg. Today, as a physical therapist assistant (PTA), he’s changing others’ lives through his own journey to overcome and excel. Freiburger shares his story of setback and success as he relates his life as a PTA and trainer for paralympic athletes.

6 Alumni are paying it forward to ensure the next generation of USF student-athletes can benefit from the same quality education. For the past five years, the Busse-Fabini Cougar Classic golf outing has served as a means to raise money for deserving students in need. The 2016 event was held July 29 at Bridgewater Golf Club.

10 USF’s Jordan Crouch works to help relocated refugees and immigrants look at their new country in different ways, while creating a perspective of understanding in the Fort Wayne community. She is helping them reconcile the culture shock they are experiencing as they adjust to their new home.

22 Over 600 students received undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Saint Francis commencement ceremony on May 7. The university also awarded community activist Mimi Rolland and former USF instructor George Eickhoff with honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees in front of family and friends at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

On the cover Students gather outside USF Downtown which opened its doors to over 300 students, faculty and staff in August. The new downtown space includes the USF Business Center and the Music Technology Center and will house all business programs, the Music Technology program and the META program.

Photos by Jeffrey Crane, Tim Brumbeloe and Patrick Roberts. Cover photo by Jeffrey Crane

message from our president Dear alumni and friends, After years of planning, months of construction and immeasurable anticipation, we celebrated the opening of USF Downtown in August. Alumni, business friends and neighbors gathered for a block party and tours of our newly renovated USF Business Center in the former Fort Wayne Chamber building and Music Technology Center in the former Shrine Center. Visitors also had the chance to see the restored Historic Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club as well as the new St. Clare Chapel, which is offering Mass on Wednesday mornings. We have been blessed with wonderful support from the city of Fort Wayne through Legacy funding, and from our own alumnus, Mayor Tom Henry, whose sweeping vision for the transformation of downtown Fort Wayne supported the idea of education at its center. Businesses, foundations and donors also saw the value of offering innovative programs in our downtown setting. Partnerships with neighboring businesses will produce mentoring and internship opportunities that lead to the development of the talented graduates their companies need as employees. Our students will be job-ready for them on day one. With our EPIC, Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts (META) and Risk Management and Insurance programs in the new USF Business Center and the technology-rich environment of the Music Technology Center, we refine two valuable types of graduates: those whose industry-specific experience equips them for immediate employment and those who will enhance our business environment with operations of their own. They will join USF graduates already having an impact in our city. Physical Therapist Assistant Brett Freiberger became a national track contender as an amputee. Since then, he returned to Fort Wayne as a therapist and volunteer developer of a track and field program for the children of Turnstone, Fort Wayneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sports and fitness facility for the disabled. Social worker Jordan Crouch works for Crime Victim Care to bring wholeness to immigrant and refugee families who have suffered from violence, crime, mental illness, addiction, abuse or neglect. We are dedicated to equipping students like Brett and Jordan for lives of purpose. As many continue to flourish at our main campus, others will take root and grow in our new downtown setting. They are the lifeblood of the university, as they make the priceless investment of time and talent to improve their lives and our world. Their trust is the standard we bear as we move ahead with programs of impact and relevance. We look forward to continued interaction with you, who are so vital to our success and our vision. Please stop by to view our progress and share our excitement, at the main campus or downtown. We anticipate sharing another exciting year with you, our strong supporters, for whom we are so grateful. Grace and Blessings,

Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF President Photo left by Steve Vorderman; photo right by Tim Brumbeloe

Magazine | Fall 2016

Office of Institutional Advancement Dr. Matthew J. Smith

Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Kathy Calvin

Administrative Assistant

Melissa Eastman

Director of Alumni Relations

Maggie (Badders) Emenhiser, BA ’14 Assistant Director of Alumni Relations

Lynne McKenna Frazier

Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Matthew Hall

Assistant Director of Career Advancement

Matthew Rowan

Director of Development

Sister Marilyn Oliver, BSE ’62 Planned Giving and Missions

Sandie Phalen

Director of Marketing and Development for USF Crown Point

Natalie (Mason) Wagoner, BBA ’07, MBA ’09 Director of Employer Relations

Tatiana Walzer, MBA ’13

Assistant Director of Advancement Services

Mary Timm-Zimmerman Donor Relations Specialist

Magazine Staff ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING

Trois K. Hart

MARKETING AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Carla (Satchwell) Pyle, BA ’00

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Rob Hines

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Sister Marilyn Oliver, BSE ’62 Matthew Rowan SPORTS WRITER

Bill Scott

Other Contributors FEATURE WRITER

Yvonne Schroeder

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Danielle (Vonderau) Kiefer, BA ’99 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Linda Minton

PUBLISHER

encourage a TRUSTFUL, PRAYERFUL COMMUNITY of LEARNERS

University of Saint Francis 2701 Spring St., Fort Wayne, IN 46808 260-399-7999, sf.edu/magazine FALL 2016

The magazine of the University of Saint Francis is published twice annually by the USF Marketing Department and distributed without cost to alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of the university.

Alumni unite to ensure a brighter future for USF student-athletes

YEARS OF GOLF, GIVING AND CAMARADERIE

A growing group of alumni are paying it forward to ensure the next generation of University of Saint Francis student-athletes can benefit from the same quality education. For the past five years, the Busse-Fabini Cougar Classic golf outing has served as a means to raise money for deserving students in need. The 2016 event was held July 29 at Bridgewater Golf Club. Mitch Thornton, committee member and former USF student-athlete, explained how the fundraiser grew out of a genuine desire to help. Many students need assistance to augment their financial resources in order to attend USF. Thornton knows about these challenges personally. He said he wouldn’t have had the means to attend USF without the generosity of donors. Now as an alumnus he has had the time to reflect on what that has meant for his trajectory. “To pay it forward, I would like to help as many other student-athletes attend USF and help give them the opportunity someone gave me,” he said.

Craig Vanderwall, committee co-chair and 2004 USF graduate, displays a similar gracious attitude.

In just five years, the Busse-Fabini Cougar Classic has raised over $380,000 for USF student-athletes.

“During my tenure as a student I had 15 surgeries in 2 ½ years and almost died three times,” Vanderwall said. “I stumbled upon USF when I left Western Michigan. USF gave me a home; they became my family.” He said it was during his time at USF that faculty and staff walked alongside him throughout his health struggles. Of their willingness to go the extra mile, he said, “I’m forever indebted to the university for what they did.” It was a no-brainer to get involved when then Vice President for University Relations Don Schenkel and USF President Sister M. Elise Kriss approached Vanderwall with an idea that would evolve into what is now the Cougar Classic. They were concerned about studentathletes facing the possibility of leaving the university as a result of the 2009 financial crisis.

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Photos by Tim Brumbeloe

Cougar Classic committee members, from left: Rob Preston (BBA ’01), Matt Wren (BBA ’08), Charity Middleton (BBA ’01, MBA ’05), Emily Wagner, Jason Fabini, Keith Busse (BA ’73), Amy Burton, Mike McCaffrey, Donlaray Reese (BBA ’06), Nick Yack (BBA ’03, MBA ’05), Mitch Thornton (BBA ’03), Thom Obergfell (BBA ’83), Kyle Rebman (MS ’11, MBA ’13), Courtney Gatton-Khanhphane (ASN ’04, BSN ’14), Ryan Campbell (BSW ’02), Dr. Matthew Smith, Donald Schenkel, Matt Rowan, Craig Vanderwall (BA ’04)

“(If) we don’t help, they don’t graduate. I was on board immediately. Although I was never an athlete, I would walk through fire if the university asked,” Vanderwall said. To that end, Vanderwall and his fellow committee members joined forces to plan the first-ever Busse-Fabini Cougar Classic in 2012. Over the past five years, the event has grown considerably. One key to success over the years has been alumni support. “The growth from our event in terms of attendance has really been seen from our alumni, most notably our football alumni from the past 18 years,” USF Athletic Director Mike McCaffrey said. Thom Obergfell is a USF trustee, committee member and executive at iAB Financial Bank. While Obergfell applauds the response from football alumni, as a former USF soccer player, he would love to see other former student-athletes get on board as well.

“ The Classic’s impact will be even greater when we expand participation from alums of different sports,” he said. Speaking of football, alumni are also invited to buy tickets to a VIP party held the night before the golf outing at former NFL player Jason Fabini’s home and to purchase a hole sign for just $200, offering different ways to contribute.

“We have raised over $380,000 in five years,” McCaffrey said. “All of the money has gone to USF student-athletes, many of whom would not have been able to come to or stay at USF if it were not for this event.” The committee members are quick to point out Busse and Fabini’s significant contributions as well. Obergfell commented on their legacy: “Keith Busse and Jason Fabini are incredibly generous to the event and it would not be the success it is without them.” Another key point is the wide-reaching impact. “This event does not help one athletic program, but all programs,” said Vanderwall. Every sport at USF has benefited from this event, from football to cross-country. Over the years there have been numerous success stories. McCaffrey recounted a couple of those: “We have had two international students that would not have been able to stay at USF because of their financial limitations. But because of this event, we were able to help them.” Thornton reiterates that anyone can support this cause at any time. “We are always accepting donations or auction items to help make the Cougar Classic a successful event. You can always help!” Those interested may contact Mike McCaffrey by phone at 260-399-7700, ext. 6250, or email MMcCaffrey@sf.edu. saint francis magazine | fall 2016

ON TRACK FOR COURAGE USF’s Freiburger overcomes to help others

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While a high school senior, the Markle, Indiana resident and soccer athlete had his lower left leg amputated. Soon, his interest in a physical therapy career became a passion. “Then I was really driven to become a physical therapist assistant,” the 2008 USF PTA graduate said. “I hoped to motivate people through my experience.” Before that, however, he struggled to return to athletics. “After my amputation, I tried to find out how to play soccer as a disabled person. I was told to look into track,” he said. With runners’ prostheses expensive and athletes’ sponsorships hard to attain, he faced some tough off-the-track hurdles to become a track and field athlete. Eventually, he succeeded. “I connected with the right foundation and met some gold medal Paralympians. They said my physique was good for track. I started running at age 22 or so.” Invited to compete in Chula Vista, California, he worked with an Olympic trainer. “We met at San Diego State, and I didn’t have a running foot yet. Coach said I was good enough, so I got a sponsorship through Ossur, a global leader in orthopedics, headquartered in California. That got my prosthetist the part needed for a running foot.” With his new running foot and a volunteer coach, Freiburger began finishing sixth and seventh place in national track meets. “I competed in Georgia and Arizona in 2008, and my time was good enough in 2009 to compete in Manchester, England in the 400 meters for the U.S., getting sixth place,” he said. That same year, he competed against famous double amputee Oscar Pistorius one year after his Olympics run. When Freiburger returned to Indiana, he became a PTA with Theracare. In 2013 he married Adrienne Donze, a 2006 USF PTA grad. In December 2015, Turnstone—Fort Wayne’s national leader in therapy, sports and recreation programs for people with disabilities—asked him to create a track and field program that would become a Paralympics training facility. Turnstone had built a new field house, and Freiburger met with officials to discuss details, including specialized equipment. Photos by Patrick Roberts

“There are many types of disabled athletes—lower and upper amputees, visually impaired and wheelchair-bound —who need things like racing chairs, throwing chairs, equipment to replace hurdles and so forth,” he said. He volunteers for the track and field program. “The track and field program for Turnstone is recreational now. The wheelchair basketball kids are coming out,” he said. “I’ve been working with two kids since September who are competing, and both are going to Junior Nationals in three weeks, one qualifying in three events and one in four. “The first meet in May was very touching, knowing how hard we’d worked. They had not done this before. One is 11 and the other will be 11 in December. I got them interested early. I hope by getting these two successful, others will come out. They can become professional athletes, and Oscar Pistorius’ success opened up new opportunities for sponsorships.” The track club begins in January, and could include wheelchair racing and throwing events. “For me, it was hard to find resources and coaches who would volunteer to help, and that’s why I do it. As Catholics, my parents volunteered in many ways. They showed me these values and I saw them at USF, too. The quality of the PTA program and the values led me to choose USF,” he said. He works with congenitally-disabled athletes ages 9-13. “Since I have a disability, it’s easier to coach and motivate them. They are intrigued by my experience and would love to succeed as I have.” Freiburger inspires people on the job, too. “I’m always in scrubs, so my patients don’t know I’m an amputee. I can tell the residents and other people there for therapy I know how tough it is, and they can do it.” saint francis magazine | fall 2016

CHANGING

PERSPECTIVES USF’s Crouch bridges refugee, immigrant and Fort Wayne populations

Anyone’s progress in life depends on past experience. It’s a matter of perspective. USF’s Jordan Crouch, BSW ’13, works to help relocated refugees and immigrants look at their new country in different ways, while creating a perspective of understanding in the Fort Wayne community. It’s a constantly shifting kaleidoscope involving adjustments to different cultures and needs—from both sides. As the new group adjusts to the established community, all members face inevitable disconnections between the established rules and the chaos and culture shock refugees and immigrants have faced. Crouch earned a bachelor’s degree in social work at USF in 2013, and knows the difficulties experienced by her clients, who are 60 percent refugees from a conflict in Burma, now Myanmar. Others have fled Darfur, Guatemala and Honduras due to genocide. As a case worker and program director for Crime Victim Care (CVC), an Allen County agency, she knows the tremendous challenges they face. A short list includes satisfying basic needs, learning a new language, processing trauma and flight, parenting and role reversals, health education and habits, procuring safe and affordable housing, protection against sex trafficking, and education and career growth. One case involved a 14-year-old separated from her family when they fled the danger of South American drug cartels. Placed in a detainment center, she escaped and became a victim of sex trafficking before somehow reaching Fort Wayne. “She experienced lots of trauma, and no one she knew was here,” Crouch said. 10

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

“We’re trying to start an anti-trafficking effort to educate and help here in northeast Indiana. The average age for trafficked kids is 13-15, because they’re vulnerable and need parental support at that age, but the parents don’t know the new language. Someone can lure them in with what looks like support.” Refugees can join a relocation program after two years in a camp, but must adjust to complex changes in a very short time. “The biggest challenge is resettlement,” Crouch said. “They’ve fled and have an initial high that they’re safe and in America and it looks like it does on TV—that’s their context. “Then there’s culture shock, and the reality that the only financial support is through an agency for three to six months, and by then they need to have adjusted to the culture, the cold weather, apartment living in not the best quality housing or areas. They don’t know how to get out of that. They’ve been in camps, have no formal education and then are expected to know how to operate.” Parents and grandparents confront a role reversal when children adapt quickly and gain the power of the new language before their elders can. These and other family situations are seen through the lens of Network for Safe Families, which Crouch directs to provide short-term in-home case management for four months to set goals. “It connects them to resources, parent education and all we can do to prevent child abuse and neglect,” Crouch said. Balancing work and childcare challenges creates a myriad of difficulties for relocated refugees. “One client’s factory job was an hour away, so the parent could be gone 13 hours at random times. They can’t watch the kids, and must depend upon someone who could be an abuser. Many Photo by Jeffrey Crane

think there’s no other support. In another instance, a parent left a five-year-old alone at home and had to have intervention to understand the neglect issue and avoid legal ramifications.” It all adds up to a need for increased community understanding, which influences everything Crouch does. “We want to bridge between families and resources and the city of Fort Wayne, stressing our great diversity and how that’s a strength,” she said. “Whether it’s the creation of new businesses or new creative minds with ideas to share, you can see a positive from any angle. I hope to facilitate informal support throughout Fort Wayne that we live in an open, diverse community and see it as something beautiful.” Franciscan values practiced at USF helped guide Crouch’s moral compass, as a student and now. “All the coursework was tied to those values. It was present in how I did anything,” she said. “It all coincides beautifully with respecting the individual, which is so important in what we do at CVC. Social work can be stressful, and it’s easy to see a challenge, not a person. It might be hard, but you have to see and build on their strength to thrive. We’re all here and supportive of one another.” saint francis magazine | fall 2016

TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN Fort Wayneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changing skyline includes USF

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Photos by Steve Vorderman

In the wake of a once-stagnant economy, Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry has emerged as a change agent realizing a new vision for downtown. With projects completed or in the works, a striking transformation has taken place during his eight-year tenure. It took research, focus and skillful communication with the community, city leaders, businesses and investors, some dubious of the development climate in 2008 when he took office. “I began to understand how important a vital downtown is to any city,” he said. “We had just finished Parkview Field, and some were not sure it would be a success, and were also unsure of Harrison Square. The parking garage was not done and the Marriott was not there yet. It was hard to get the money to move forward during the recession. We had to work hard and negotiate to get it done.” He also saw the wisdom in signing a new lease of Fort Wayne’s former utility business with Indiana-Michigan Power, creating the Legacy Fund for the support of lasting, transformational projects. “We wanted to invest in initiatives that say, ‘We did this to benefit you,’” Mayor Henry said. Applicants submit funding requests and a committee decides whether to send the project to City Council. Projects need six council votes, a super majority, to receive funding. “That provides true checks and balances and true vetting. One of the original objectives was to bring education downtown, so USF’s timing was spot-on as a Legacy project,” Mayor Henry said. Through Legacy Funding, USF brings art and business education downtown, including museum studies, dance, music technology, business and Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts (META). Simultaneously, renovating the former Chamber building and former Shrine Center for educational purposes has preserved two historic buildings. Recognizing USF’s regional impact, Northeast Indiana’s Regional Development Authority granted $2.8 million in support of the university’s downtown project this year. A USF bachelor and master degree graduate, Mayor Henry carries with him the legacy of servant leadership the university stresses. “We can’t forget it’s a great responsibility to be a public servant, or a private servant as an entrepreneur,” he said. “Other business and civic leaders like Chuck Surack,

Mike Packnett, Keith Busse and the late Helene Foellinger and Dick Doermer have continued to give back and believe you don’t keep it all.” On re-energizing the Harrison Square project, the mayor said, “The initial 2008-2009 development has become a real catalyst for growth and change. Downtown had to be dynamic, or Ash Brokerage would not have located there. We’ve gotten more downtown restaurants and the Cityscape Flats have begun next to Parkview Field. The Landing will be transformed into a plaza, and the Skyline Tower with Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse will begin construction soon. We will continue to improve the riverfront. In the next few months we will release a design for phase one of the riverfront project.”

COMPLETED and COMING PROJECTS • Harrison Square, which includes Parkview Field, The Harrison,

parking garage and Courtyard by Marriott hotel • MLK Bridge • Randall Lofts on Harrison Street • Ash Skyline Plaza, headquarters for Ash Brokerage with new

contemporary architecture • Superior Street Circle roundabout • USF Downtown • Cityscape Flats housing development across from Parkview Field • Planned renovation of The Landing on Columbia Street to a plaza • Skyline Tower and Ruth’s Chris Steak House • Continued riverfront improvements

He feels strongly about certain projects. “From an infrastructure standpoint I’m most proud of the MLK Bridge,” he said. “From a capital standpoint, it’s the I&M lease, because we now have $40 million and the fund will continue to grow. It puts us in a strong position today and we also have capital for the days to come.” Continued momentum is the goal. “In the ’80s, downtown was pretty stagnant. We got it going, so the worst we can do is stop. It should always be about redevelopment and investments that will benefit our community. My staff and I and the community made the decision that Fort Wayne is worth investing in, which created momentum, and this must continue. Fort Wayne is a great community, doing great things, and poised for an even greater future.”

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DOWNTOWN

DYNAMICS USF EXUDES ENERGY

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Photos by Jeffrey Crane

Why wouldn’t Hammond, Ind. junior Marquis Tarver admire his downtown USF neighborhood? Situated beside two glorious examples of why Fort Wayne has been dubbed the “City of Churches,” USF Downtown and its perimeter invite exploration. A business administration major, Tarver appreciates the beauty and energy of his school’s urban setting. “My main classes are here,” said Tarver, who, with other Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership students, has relocated to the new facilities in the former Chamber of Commerce on Ewing Street. “It’s a great asset. There’s more opportunity to see Fort Wayne. I’m not from here, so I like to see the different buildings and not be on the main campus all the time,” he said. A basketball recruit, Tarver heard of USF’s business school and attending “just felt right,” he said.

Emma Anger, a senior in USF’s Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts (META) program, also enjoys the urban setting. “I like downtown, and learning in a historic building is awesome. There’s downtown interaction, a café, lounges and labs and much more opportunity.” Anger’s META team is already helping Susan Tuori market a band, Secret Mezzanine. Working with her team in the META collaboratorium, Tuori understands the benefits of a USF partnership.

“META students are interested in learning how to do this work with real businesses, so they get a practical application of their skills. We get to interface with the next generation, the people who will shape Fort Wayne for the next 20 years,” she said. “When you work alone, you only have your ideas, but when you work with others, things come out you’d never think of.”

New Learning Spaces in the USF Business Center Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership • Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts • Historic Woman’s Club •

Features Six classrooms • Finance lab • Project-based learning collaborative space • Coffee/sandwich bar and cyber lounge • Student study spaces throughout building • Offices and conference rooms •

Photos by Jeffrey Crane

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Freshman athlete Brady Marshall found nothing unusual about being downtown as a first-year business student. He has only one class on the main Spring Street campus, and enjoyed a break between classes at the business school’s café. “I like it a lot. It’s a great facility with state-of-the-art

classrooms. It’s nice to come to the café between classes to study and grab a bite,” said the accounting major and golfer.

Freshman business administration major and baseball recruit Jordan Dickinson appreciated another amenity—the downtown shuttle. “I have all but one class downtown, and I really like the shuttle service for practices,” he said. “It’s on time and reliable.” In marketing professor Julie Howenstine’s class, teams of students are also working with community partners. Lorelei Verlee, executive director for the nonprofit Creative Women of the World, spoke of the benefits of the downtown USF connection. “We’re two blocks down the road, and it feels like a natural kinship. USF is why I located here. Everybody could see the handwriting on the wall,” she said. “We worked together for two months this summer, so her insight helped me with my syllabus because she could address what a business needs to get off the ground,” Howenstine said.

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Types of businesses and organizations downtown Banks • Architectural firms • Restaurants • Sports teams • Entertainment venues • Hotels • Nonprofit organizations • Housing • Churches • Museums • Police/Fire departments •

Photos by Jeffrey Crane

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” - PSALM 127:1

USF DOWNTOWN OPENS TO

HOOPLA, HURRAHS

One word typified almost every visitor’s response to the Aug. 17 opening of USF’s downtown campus —“Wow!” Alumni, business partners, neighbors and friends converged at Ewing and West Berry streets for a block party and tours. Students filled the spaces for the first time on Aug. 29. Visitors appreciated seeing the historic Fort Wayne Chamber and Scottish Rite Center preserved and renovated as education spaces. Abby Wilder of Thrivent Financial admired the restored Fort Wayne Woman’s Club. “I’m so excited to see this architecture preserved to use,” she said, also noting the benefit of the Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts collaboratorium. “In the business world, you have to be a smart analyst, but it’s also about how to network and build partnerships, and that’s what this collaborative space does. Businesses are invited in, can work with the students and there’s really no reason for the grads to leave.” Mary Flaig and Laura Dwire commented on the Business Center. “It has beautiful study and lounge spaces. I also liked areas where they could work as a group,” Flaig said. “I love the coffee shop,” Dwire added. “I work right across the street at St. Joe Community Health Foundation, and this will be a great meeting space for us.” Photos by Steve Vorderman

“I am absolutely so excited for USF,” said alumna Patricia Booker, taking in the new Music Technology area. “I’ve watched it grow, and I’m excited for Fort Wayne. I came here as a child to the young people’s concerts when the Philharmonic played here. I am so impressed with Sister Elise’s vision as university president.” Joan McMillan, resident of nearby historic Williams-Woodlan neighborhood, said, “I was just really curious about what it would look like. I’m excited that it brings young people down here. Word will get out.” USF students and staff were likewise exuberant. “How ’bout this, huh?” Mark Everetts, Music Technology studio manager, said to a visitor. Sophomore Music Technology majors McKayla Nevers and Lucas Norton expressed their pride and enthusiasm. “It’s such an amazing opportunity moving from the North Campus out here, you can’t even compare it,” Nevers said. “The biggest change is the mix and edit suites, which take that task out of the studio,” Norton said. “We used to have ensembles practicing in the studio, which left limited studio time. This is one of the best facilities from New York to Los Angeles. It competes with Berkeley and Ball State, and could be the best in the country. We’re expecting a 100 percent growth rate in the next three to five years.” saint francis magazine | fall 2016

OWNING

THE BAR USF MUSIC TECHNOLOGY SETS STANDARD

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USF’s Music Technology program and facility set the standard by which others are judged. New program director Miles Fulwider has put in the time to know. After earning a master’s in music technology at NYU, he began working with renowned producers, directors and musicians all over the country. Clients included XM-Sirius Satellite Radio, Jazz at Lincoln Center, documentaries with Ken Burns and recordings for Jon Batiste, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Willie Nelson and Norah Jones, among others. Things exploded after connecting with Rob Mathes, singer Sting’s music director, and then recently producing the super group Grinder Blues. “I’m finishing that record here,” Fulwider said, settling into the first two weeks of his new USF Downtown program. “I’m looking ahead to getting celebrities here to finish their records and letting our students assist and be a part of it.”

It’s not an unheard-of goal for the facility. He’s worked from Utah to the East Coast, and few, if any facilities, can rival USF’s, he said. “The facility is new and unique and pushing the mark, especially in acoustic design and having 12 suites for practice and recording—it’s all a benchmark.” The benchmark measures not just technology, but education. “The acoustics in a room can be altered so a student can use the room as an instrument,” he said. “It’s another level of critical listening, and we are the first institution to use this.” Technically, it showcases the latest in the industry. “There’s connectivity in all the rooms, so what’s going on anywhere can be accessed. There’s flexibility and versatility, so a room can be used for a small concert or a studio. This is what recording and production studios are using now.” He calls the facility’s Neve 5088 recording console “the crown jewel of equipment. Consoles are chosen for their sound quality, and this is what world-class artists would expect. Our students have access to it—24 hours a day.”

Music Technology Center, Horseshoe Lobby and Auditorium Recording/teaching studios • Mastering studio • Twelve mix and edit rooms • Seven music practice rooms • Piano teaching lab • Ensemble rehearsal room • Music library • Unique student spaces • Classrooms, offices and conference room • 2,000-seat theater •

Photos by Jeffrey Crane

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SUPPORTING ARMS

USF Crown Point Advisory Council embraces community USF Crown Point Advisory Council members have always made bettering Crown Point their mission. With a USF campus established in St. Anthony Medical Center in 2005, the council welcomed the availability of quality education in southern Lake County, augmented by the new facility constructed at Franciscan Point in 2011.

Several members of the Crown Point Advisory Council spoke of their long-term commitment to making USF Crown Point an education stronghold. Sister Marilyn Oliver, OSF, BSE ’62 and director of Planned Giving in the USF Development Office, said, “From the very beginning, we had tremendous community support. They were thrilled we were beginning a university in their town. For them, it was a wonderful thing for people to be able to further their education, and it made it easy for them to come right there to the hospital where it began. There was a need for more nurses and trained people for Franciscan Alliance, and it was a perfect bringing together of our university and Franciscan Alliance, the two entities of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration.”

Establishing first a hospital and then a university on the county’s south side called for the years of government experience and community dedication that Crown Point Advisory Council member Alda Vellutuni brought. “I was the county’s chief deputy assessor for 40 years, served on the Plan Commission 16 years and have now served 20 years on the Board of Zoning Appeals for the city,” Vellutuni said. “It all started with needing a Crown Point hospital, because all of them were north in Hammond and Gary. I pursued legislation to create Crown Point Hospital Authority, enabling the establishment of St. Anthony Medical Center. Then, many years later, the mayor said, ‘What do you foresee on Highway 231?’ I said I’d like to see a university, because all

“I’ve lived in Crown Point my whole life. My heart is in the city, and being able to better the quality of life by offering college right here gives me the satisfaction of giving to the community.” - D AN K L E IN , E X E C U T IV E D IREC T O R F O R LA KE C O U N T Y H A BITAT F O R H U M ANI TY 20

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Photos by Doherty Images, LLC

were on the north end. Meantime the university started in the hospital, and Sister Marilyn called upon me and asked if I’d help. I said yes.” Dan Klein was Crown Point mayor when the university broke ground at Franciscan Point. A retired AT&T service executive and present director for Lake County Habitat for Humanity, he sees the council bringing business, government and nonprofit organizations together for three levels of engagement. “I was excited to bring my capacities to the task of identifying partnerships and other ways to better market what we have in our own city from a college perspective,” Klein said. “I’m new to the council, but I’m looking for ways to promote the individual attention students get at USF Crown Point. That’s what parents are looking for, and they have it right here. We have several school corporation partnerships, and I think expanding those will be beneficial for the college.” He adds proudly, “I’ve lived in Crown Point my whole life. My heart is in the city, and being able to better the quality of life by offering college right here gives me the satisfaction of giving to the community.” Second-generation Crown Point business owner Tom Liss sees the advisory council’s diversity as its strength. “It’s a good cross section, from education to business owners to people like me who’ve been here and serving on committees. Having professionals who reach a number of people to get the word out is an important step. I know a lot of people, and who I don’t reach, they will. It’s a ripple effect,” he said.

The Butler University graduate joined his family’s business in 1973. “A commitment to the community’s prosperity was a major part of having a business here,” he said. “I have served on several boards, including the YMCA, and am a past president of the Rotary Club, which I joined in 1985. I am now involved with the Crown Point Community Foundation. In general, I have had Crown Point foremost on my mind. This council has been a good opportunity for me to continue to give back,” he said. “USF Crown Point offers higher education in the nursing field, which needs qualified people. It’s a nice facility, conveniently located, has excellent leadership and offers a flexible course schedule. That’s important to working students. It’s a total asset for the region, and brings value to Crown Point and Lake County.”

USF Crown Point Advisory Council

Karin Kolisz

Joseph Beckman

Dave Bryan

Al Gandolfi

Yvonne Hoff

Daniel Klein

Thomas Liss

Sister Marilyn Oliver

Michael Palmer

Daniel Rohaley

Alda Vellutini

Not Shown: Barbara Anderson, Robert Corbin, Georgette Fairchild, Laura Sauerman, Carol Schuster and Sister Aline Shultz saint francis magazine | fall 2016

congratulations CLASS OF 2016

Valedictorians

Clockwise from the top left. Bradley J. Hartman (BBA ’16) Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership David W. Knoch (BA ’16) School of Creative Arts Tricia R. Warnecke (BS ’16) School of Liberal Arts and Sciences Zachary B. Haydock (BS ’16) School of Liberal Arts and Sciences NOT PICTURED:

Benjamin M. Werling (BSN ’16) School of Health Sciences

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Photos by Tim Brumbeloe

George W. Eickhoff

Honorary Degree Recipient

Former Saint Francis College instructor from 1965 to 1993.

Mimi Rolland Honorary Degree Recipient

Educator, community activist and supporter of the arts.

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SKY’S THE

LIMIT USF’s Russell finds Achatz great launching place

“About three-quarters of the way through that first year, I found a core of friends, each helping me study and learn the material better than I ever would have on my own. I also realized that the professors were available, which isn’t always the case.” - N IC K RU S S ELL, B S ’ 05

Chances are, if you’ve used your phone to complete a financial transaction or used a service to preserve your trophy animal from a hunt, you used technology for which USF alum Nick Russell has sought patent protection. A lawyer for Moore & Van Allen, the largest law firm in Charlotte, North Carolina, the 2005 biology grad serves clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to individual inventors. He drafts and prosecutes patent applications for clients going before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and also drafts agreements between companies for licensing of patented technology. His professional journey shows the sky’s the limit for a USF School of Liberal Arts and Sciences graduate, grounded in Nick’s case by friends, support and resources garnered in Achatz Hall of Science. “About three-quarters of the way through that first year, I found a core of friends, each helping me study and learn the material better than I ever would have on my own. I also realized that the professors were available, which isn’t always the case,” he said. He found the breadth of a USF liberal arts degree an advantage in the professional world. “The fact that my degree is in biology and not more specific is a huge advantage in the real world,” he said. “Larger and non-liberal arts institutions focus on very specific majors. My degree flexed for a lot of situations, which helps when applying for jobs or being eligible to sit for the patent bar examination. You can do almost any job in the biological sciences field with a degree in biology.” The USF degree value held up during post-graduate work as well. “I was concerned my degree would potentially narrow my marketability compared to a graduate from a larger or more ‘known’ institution,” he said. “Maybe my resume wouldn’t hold up compared to candidates for jobs from Indiana University or Purdue University. That concern was quickly quashed.” Photos by Jeffrey Crane

He was accepted for study programs at the University of Notre Dame his sophomore year and Princeton University his junior year. “Students from around the country were awarded grants for these summer research and study programs. They were from some of the top institutions in the country, including Harvard, Princeton and Yale. I started to realize that the USF curriculum was very similar to the other schools’,” he said. “Many times I found myself in coursework and research I understood because of courses at USF. That students from the country’s top institutions were learning from the same textbooks made me realize I could compete with a graduate of a top institution using skills learned at USF. “I had lab research experience, so I enrolled at Notre Dame initially in a Ph.D. program, specializing in prostate cancer research. A former USF professor was part of some groundbreaking cellular and molecular biology research then in the works at Notre Dame, and was a huge influence on my decision,” he said. “It was fascinating stuff. There is a point in running an experiment when you are the only person who knows what it is showing. But soon I realized I was spending years focused on one single receptor in a single pathway in a single cell of a human. I was getting so caught up in the weeds, that I couldn’t see the big picture.” He left the doctoral program and completed an M.S. at Notre Dame, but those studies led to another interest. “I worked with a drug company testing one of their drugs,” he said. “They had patents on the drug, and I was able to talk to a patent attorney about some of my research. He wrote about new inventions not yet in the public domain. Every day he would speak with inventors and learn about brand new technology. That drove my decision to go to school for patent law,” he said, adding that he subsequently attended law school at Marquette University. His liberal arts grounding made it a good fit. “I enjoy coming in to work every day and working with inventors who are passionate and on the cutting edge of technology in their fields,” he said. “It is fun trying to understand their inventions and put them into words that make sense to me and the patent examiner.” saint francis magazine | fall 2016

Court Cats Prowl the

Cougars’ season worth remembering MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Despite a 69-66 loss on March 15 to Indiana Wesleyan in the NAIA DII National Championship Game, the 2015-16 season of USF men’s basketball included many highlights:

Senior center Brooke Ridley closed her career as the second two-time First-Team NAIA Division II All-American.

• No. 1 ranking in final men’s regular-season NAIA

Division II Coaches’ Top 25; No. 1 overall seed in NAIA DII Championship • USF Head Coach Chad LaCross NAIA Rawlings Coach of the Year • All-NAIA Championship Team: Kegan Comer, Austin Fox, Bryce Lienhoop • Crossroads League Tournament Champions, 81-80 over Indiana Wesleyan University in first-ever CLT men’s title game at Hutzell Athletic Center • CL Regular-Season Champions with 16-2 record, most conference wins in 52 seasons • USF men’s basketball best-ever record at 33-5 overall • 16 consecutive wins (second longest win streak in USF history) and 12 consecutive wins same season • Austin Fox CL Player of the Year, CL Male Athlete of the Year • Fox NAIA Player of the Week, Feb. 14-19, 2016 • Sophomore Bryce Lienhoop NAIA All-American, Third Team While USF lost its fourth meeting of the season with Indiana Wesleyan, it won the first three. On March 1, before a HAC capacity crowd, CL Player of the Year Austin Fox hit his second free throw in the Crossroads League Tournament Championship Game and scored the winning point, 81-80. USF won a record 14th consecutive home game and its 24th game overall in the last 25 games. Fox connected on two free throws, giving USF an 80-77 lead with 35 seconds to play before Bob Peters hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. While Fox made the most important point in the Cougars’ first one-point win of the season to finish with 11 points, Kegan Comer fired in 32 points, 18 in the first half, to lead all scorers with a career high. Bryce Lienhoop added 16 points for the Cougars.

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Ridley (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Luers H.S.) was also first team in 2013-14 and was key in helping USF win the NAIA Championship crown and finish 38-0. This is Ridley’s third All-American selection; she was third team in 2014-15. She joins Brenda (Schlegel) Wagner (AS ’00) as USF’s only 3-time NAIA All-American. Ridley averaged 20.3 points per game this season, finishing No. 8 in scoring average in NAIA Division II. She also finished No. 2 on the USF career scoring list with 2,017 points. Ridley joined Schlegel as the only two Lady Cougars with 2,000 or more points and 1,000 or more rebounds. Ridley finished with 1,091 rebounds, No. 3 behind Jane Post (1,114) and Schlegel (1,134), and set a USF career record for defensive rebounds with 728, averaging 8.0 career rebounds, No. 2. Seniors Kaleigh Hensley and Bri Rinehart earned selection to the 2015-16 NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete Team—two of the 253 NAIA Division II women’s basketball student-athletes named 2015-16 NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes. Among institutions on the list, Bethel (Ind.), Bethel (Kan.) and Mount Marty (S.D.) tied with eight Scholar-Athletes each. To be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status. This is the third consecutive season that Hensley (Wabash, Ind.) has earned selection. She appeared in 28 games with six starts, averaged a career high 8.6 points per game and scored a career high 18 points against Indiana Tech on Dec. 30, 2014. She also scored in double figures in 10 games. Hensley is majoring in social work at USF. Rinehart, an elementary education major, earned her first Scholar-Athlete selection after playing in 28 games and starting 10. The Auburn, Ind., native averaged 3.1 points per game.

Highlights from the spring 2016 athletic year

COUGARS EXCEL USF Athletics produced several noteworthy achievements in spring 2016 including a first-time Crossroads League (CL) champion in track and field, a CL Tournament final-four softball finish, a softball career home run record, a single-season baseball record for strikeouts and 13 NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes.

Baseball • Senior pitcher and 6'4" right-hander Nathan Coakley

(Bishop, CA) struck out 12 Taylor University batters, set Cougars’ single-season record for strikeouts with 98. Third time this season, fanned batters in double-digits. USF’s first and only CL Pitcher of the Week: Coakley won 2-0 complete-game over then 37th-ranked TU. • Only USF All-CL first-team selection: sophomore Keaton Sullivan (Lima, Ohio). Played third base, also shortstop, second base, first base and relief pitching. • Sullivan selected as utility position player (third base, second, first and pitcher). Finished second in CL with 12 home runs (two in USF’s May 9 loss to Bethel, 6-4), ranks No. 2 on USF single-season list. Sullivan hit five CL-only home runs, tied for first. Taylor Futterknecht set USF single-season record: 13 homers, 2010. Sullivan led USF in batting average at .304, tied for eighth in RBI in CL with 33. Honorable mention selection for USF (which finished eighth, CL): Coakley, catcher, DH Austin Mannan and freshman pitcher Dane Hoffman.

Golf • USF women’s golf team finished fourth in two-day, three-round

CL Championship, NorthStar Golf Club, Sunbury, Ohio.

• USF finished with three-round total 1,044 (354-342-348). • All-tournament team: sophomore Nikki LaLonde and freshman

Regina Reilly. LaLonde top finisher for USF, ninth place; Reilly, 10th place. LaLonde shot 85 Monday, 82-82 Tuesday, finished at 249. Reilly shot 86 Monday, rounds of 82 and 86 Tuesday for three-round total 254. • 2016 CL Tournament top finisher for USF men’s team: Tyler White. Finished tied for 15th with three-round 226 (76-72-76), one of five to record 226 at Glendarin Hills Golf Club, Angola, Ind.

Track and Field—Women • In 2016 CL Track and Field Championships, USF freshman

Lauren Leugers (Coldwater, Ohio) won shot put on first day with best effort of 11.62 meters. Teammate Connor Fraser placed second with 11.57 meters. • Although not qualifying for NAIA Championship Meet, Leugers posted season best 12.13 meters at Little State.

Softball • Led by freshman second baseman Breanna Pryor at

•

• • •

plate and sophomore pitcher Katy Guebard, USF won two elimination games in CL Tournament; entered as No. 8 seed, finished 2-2. Lady Cougars stunned No. 4 seeded Spring Arbor 2-0; junior Heather Zengler and Guebard pitching; beat No. 6-seeded Taylor 3-2; bowed out 9-1 to No. 3 seed Indiana Wesleyan University. USF lost CLT first game 7-0 to Marian University; MU won regular-season championship, defeated Huntington University twice to win CLT. All-CL first team: USF junior third baseman Kelsey Richard and Pryor. USF senior Erica Smith’s record-setting career: career home run record (30), career doubles (50) and tie for career RBI with 141.

Photos by Creative Images Photography, Bill Scott and Tim Alexander

NAIA SPRING DAKTRONICS SCHOLAR-ATHLETES Baseball

• Arick Dobrenz, Jr. • Chaise Kahlenbeck, Sr.

Men’s Golf

• Tyler Speigl, Sr.

Women’s Golf

• Nicole Norton, Jr.

Track and Field / Men • Alex Trippel, Sr.

Track and Field / Women • • • •

Ceairra Bentley, Sr. LeeAnn Moeller, Jr. Jordan Ostapchuk, Sr. Katlin Robinson, Jr.

Softball • • • •

Kathryn Knutson, Jr. Abbey Rauch, Jr. Kelsey Richard, Jr. Heather Zengler, Jr.

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Passionate donor finds

A UNIQUE WAY TO GIVE Jane, a USF donor, has found the Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) a powerful gift vehicle for providing three-fold benefits— three times. Jane has utilized a CGA at USF for three reasons: it honors her Christian values, benefits a service-oriented private institution and provides investment security. The CGA, a contract between a donor and charity, provides an irrevocable gift of cash or property to the charity in exchange for a tax deduction and a lifetime annual income. The CGA with USF coincides with Jane’s values, and supports servicelearning, which, as a teacher, she regards highly.

“ We’re called to give as Christians and to know that what we have is not ours,” Jane said. “So take what you need and give the rest away. I’ve been very gifted and blessed. This is a good choice for me.” As an educator and tutor for students ranging in age from grade school to college, Jane appreciates supporting service education for a smaller school. “I like to give to the smaller college systems. I got a B.S. in a large one and an M.S. in a small one, and liked the smaller classes and personal contact with instructors. I want to support that kind of interaction, and the service component in terms of programs. They are training students in careers to help others.” That’s why the USF investment made so much sense to Jane. “The service curriculum of teaching is important to me. I help students as a tutor and was a teacher for 15 years. My gift helps to develop new teachers and continues young people’s education. I liked teaching. I had a second career at a junior college teaching math, and now tutoring. It’s a perfect job for me.” 28

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The stability of USF as an institution was also a consideration. “It’s based on an existence of 125 years. I hope it will be here as a 150-year-old institution. You may not know as a giver how stable another nonprofit organization may be, both as an investment and in its ability to continue to deliver its charitable services,” she said. But it also adds up to a smart use of one’s assets. “The return on CDs, even long-term, is below one percent,” Jane said. “When I purchased my first CGA, I was almost 65, and it gave me a long-term investment from which I get guaranteed income for life. Based on your age, the institution receives your money and pays a percentage on it in payments as long as you live. Upon your death, the sum goes to the institution. You must be willing to give that part away. The older you get, the higher the rate of return, which is why repeating the same investments pays off. The CGA also provides me with an appealing tax benefit. “The security of the amount of return is more comfortable than watching the ups and downs of the stock market. It can pay out every six months, and gives me consistency of income, because I can stagger payments from the three CGAs.” It’s important for investors to know that the money they give can’t be recovered. “You have to know it’s a gift. Upon your death there’s no probate or estate paperwork, and the investor can completely designate the legacy he or she will leave to the institution. It’s the longest of long-term investments, because you’re giving it away.” To learn how you can give a lasting gift to the University of Saint Francis and our students, contact Director of Planned Giving Sister Marilyn Oliver at moliver@sf.edu or 260-399-8036. Photo by Jeffrey Crane

USF Cougar Express Begins Service The University of Saint Francis and Fort Wayne Citilink are offering an express route from the USF main campus on Spring Street into downtown Fort Wayne as part of the new USF Downtown. The USF Cougar Express began service on August 29, the first day of classes. The bus connects the main campus to downtown classrooms, shopping and dining. The constant service throughout the day allows anyone who is studying or working at the USF main campus simple access to downtown Fort Wayne. The service is free of charge and available to the public.

USF MHA Program Named 19th in Nation In May 2016, USF was named in the Master’s Programs Guide list for top online master’s programs in healthcare administration. Among the top 50 programs in the country, USF’s MHA degree was ranked at number 19. Master’s Programs Guide is an online guide to master’s degree programs across all disciplines throughout the country. Rankings include regionally accredited schools listed by the National Center for Educational Statistics with distance graduate programs in healthcare administration. The guide evaluates colleges and universities based on reputation, flexibility, affordability and return on investment.

New Head of Music Technology Program USF welcomed new Music Technology Program Director Miles Fulwider in fall 2016. A producer, musician and audio engineer, Fulwider holds a master’s degree in music— music technology from the Steinhardt School at New York University, including the completion of the Stephen F. Temmer Tonmeister studies sequence in the Master of Music Technology Program at NYU. Miles has produced and engineered for many GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-winning artists and produced/engineered several chart-topping albums. Fulwider has also scored many films, including pieces by American documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

COMMUNITY SER VICE OPPORTUNITIES

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO SERVE Photos by Jeffrey Crane and Steve Vorderman

Alumni, students and staff can connect with community service opportunities through USF. USF is working with Community Harvest Food Bank for the Saturday Helping Hands Program. Christmas at USF will be December 2-6 and this event always needs volunteers. Finally, MLK Day of Service will be January 16 as USF completes service projects throughout the community. Other opportunities are available. For more information, contact Center for Service Engagement Director Katrina Boedeker at 260-399-7700, ext. 6791 or kboedeker@sf.edu. saint francis magazine | fall 2016

BOOMERANG

DR. KUMFER RETIRING, BUT STILL CONNECTED TO USF Retiring after 51 years as a USF professor, Dr. Earl Kumfer said, “I won’t be disappearing to fish. I will be active informally. I can teach and I plan some fall research in Rome and Assisi on John Duns Scotus, in whom I have a great interest.” The professor emeritus came to USF in September 1965 on seminary leave with a desire for ministry. “Teaching fit into that, and I was also engaged in parish education,” he said. “I was born at St. Joseph Hospital and raised in Fort Wayne, so I came back that summer to figure out whether or not to enter the priesthood. I’m a boomerang. Each time I left, I was leaving for good. People ask about my career at USF, and I say, ‘You mean my five careers at USF.’ There was that much come and go, mentally if not physically. Every five or six years I felt a need for change.” In academia, one thing has continued to inspire him. “It’s what happens in the classroom, the hallways and in meetings when minds click open and eyes pop,” he said. “Being there during those moments when someone’s world view changes is dramatic. You get a glimpse sometimes of a shift in someone’s approach, and that is very rewarding.” He’s seen many institutional changes, too. “When I started here, classes were large, with up to 75 students. I remember pulling some all-nighters grading papers,” he said. “Now ethics classes have been sized and scaled to six to eight sections. We had 15 full-time lay professors when I started and now we have nearly 150, counting part time. Then the board was all Sisters, but the working board has expanded now to others.” As a Catholic educator, he found helping believers transition through changes brought about by Vatican II rewarding. “In terms of faith, it has been a wonderful place to do research and teach about how these changes can be smoothed,” he said. “I came immediately after graduate work in philosophy and theology at Catholic University. Vatican II was happening, 30

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so the changes for reform and revision were underway. All that takes a while to filter to the parish level, and that happened here too, with teaching. We were creating new texts and resources for students, and that’s been a lot of fun. It’s not just curricular—it’s deeper. There was the change from worship in Latin and private devotions in one’s own language. Now all liturgies are in our own language, and that was a serious adjustment for some.” Teaching involves a learning exchange with powerful takeaways for the professor, too. “One thing I learned was to focus on helping students learn how to think. How does one get beyond the clichés and really examine something?” he said. “That happens to me. I’ll read something and think, ‘Oh, that’s true,’ then I do more reading. Dialogues and conferences change me. Often when I come back, I don’t think or teach the same way. Sometimes the continual learning occurs as we respond to the march of life around us. A blind girl was in a logic class and I was frustrated to find a way to introduce her to the power of Venn diagramming. As I graded papers at the table at home, two of my kids were using crayons. At the next class my student and I worked Venn diagrams with paper and crayons.” Five years after coming to USF he married, and he and his wife, both teachers, raised children driven to explore their true callings. “All of them have found something about which they feel passionate,” he said. Family matters, and that reflects in his work as family genealogist. “I started this in high school,” he said. “It’s detective work, but I’ve found neither a king nor a horse thief so far. My extended family comes to me with questions, and that piques me to look into things further.” True to his boomerang metaphor, he keeps winging back to what’s meaningful. “I’m looking forward to research outside the confines of a regular teaching regimen,” he said. “I see retirement as a rewiring and restructuring.” Photo by Steve Vorderman

Melton Shares Her Stories The University of Saint Francis and The Lutheran Foundation welcomed best-selling author, blogger and Ted Talks sensation Glennon Doyle Melton on March 1 for “Future of Healthcare: Healing Our Community with Hope, Part 1,” in the USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center. Melton is a New York Times best-selling author and founder of momastery.com, an online community of thousands of readers. Melton discussed her struggles with mental illness, and took time to answer questions and meet many of the audience personally.

USF Offering Courses To Help Prepare STEM Teachers The University of Saint Francis is participating in STEM Teach, a grant program to help provide advanced training for area teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. The program was initiated by Independent Colleges of Indiana and is funded by the state of Indiana. USF will be offering undergraduate and graduate coursework in biology, mathematics, chemistry and psychology over the next two years. The grant funds cover tuition and fees for teachers taking the courses, as well as the salary of the USF instructors involved.

USF Launches New Computer Science Degrees, Names Director The University of Saint Francis has selected Richard Miller to fill the role of program director for its new computer science programs, which officially began in fall 2016. Miller comes to USF from Parkview Health System, where he worked in information systems since 1997. He also has experience in education at both Huntington University and Tri-State University. With degrees in both computer information science and mathematics, Miller is excited to be part of the new programs in computer science that USF is offering to students: Computer Information Systems, Game and Application Development, and Cybersecurity. These programs were designed to strengthen USF’s commitment to STEM education as community businesses and organizations continue to need more technology talent. Photos by Steve Vorderman and Jeffrey Crane

“I am thrilled to be able to help young people sharpen their computer science skills and prepare them for careers in these rapidly growing fields,” Miller said. “Our students will also be mentored by people in the field so they can go from textbook knowledge to work experience solving real-world problems.” saint francis magazine | fall 2016

USF Students Win Fort Wayne Advertising Federation Awards For the third year in a row, a group of USF graphic design students won The PITCH, Fort Wayne Advertising Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual marketing competition. The winning design and presentation team members from USF were Allie Herendeen, Justin Moss, Zack Kittaka, Lauren Bertke, Lia Geiger, Rachel Weaver, Kelsey Martin, Elle Hey, David Leemreis and Heather Paynter. Their campaign, designed for the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bureau, was recognized for its strong concepts, dynamic visual elements and cohesiveness. In addition, USF creative arts students won 23 awards at the 2016 Advertising Federation of Fort Wayne Ad Honors.

USF Nursing Programs Receive $350,000 Grant for Scholarships The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded USF an Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship (AENT) grant for $350,000 for the fifth consecutive year. The purpose of the funding is to address morbidity and mortality in underserved populations. With the inception of this Nursing Workforce funding, the average federal loan debt of USF Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner graduates has declined by double digits, more students have completed the program and the number of diverse students has increased.

USF Students Take Plunge for Burn Survivors In the bitter cold of winter, the University of Saint Francis Student Nursing Association invited the community to join them for a polar plunge. The 3rd Annual Cougar Chill took place on February 18 at Mirror Lake on the USF main campus. The event raised money for Hoosier Burn Camp, a nonprofit organization committed to providing lifechanging experiences for young people who have suffered the physical and mental trauma associated with a severe burn injury. Participants wore costumes, brought unique swimming accessories and had enough silly fun to almost forget about the temperatures. Almost. The event was started by Toni Winslow, a USF student who was injured in a house fire when she was three years old. Winslow went to Hoosier Burn Camp herself and has a personal connection with the organization. The frigid swim has become a popular winter event on campus. USF 32

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students, faculty and staff participate in the fundraiser, and the community is also invited to join the chilly dip. A winter cookout was hosted by USF neighbor Deer Park Irish Pub after the event. Photos by Steve Vorderman

USF Presents Drum Corps International Competition The University of Saint Francis School of Creative Arts hosted some of the best drumlines in the country at the Drum Corps International Open Class Invitational on August 2 at Bishop John Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcy Stadium. Called Marching Musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Major League, Drum Corps International brings together talented marching bands and color guards for both exhibitions and national competitions. This event was the first Open Class DCI Invitational and featured several talented drum corps including the 7th Regiment, the Blue Devils B, the Legends, Les Stentors, Music City, the Raiders and the Spartans.

USF Students Host Formula for Life 5k; Academic Funds Awarded in Ohio 5k USF students hosted a 5k run/walk and silent auction on April 17 on the USF campus to raise funds to support orphaned children in Haiti. The Formula for Life 5k was open to all levels of runners and walkers, and all proceeds were donated to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Orphanage in Haiti. Students in Fort Recovery, Ohio also held a 5k run/walk to raise funds for the orphanage. On March 6, in addition to the 5k, high school seniors had a chance to win a scholarship to the college of their choice.

USF and Fort Wayne Museum of Art Launch Museum Studies Program The University of Saint Francis School of Creative Arts announced a new four-year degree program in Museum Studies, made possible through a partnership with the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Museum Studies is a professional training program, supported with a traditional liberal arts foundation, which prepares students to enter the market for jobs in many types of museums. Since having experience in a museum environment is typically required for entry-level museum jobs, graduates with these credentials are positioned to be competitive in the marketplace. This collaborative effort between USF and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art will provide students with a combination of project-based learning through practicum courses and a series of academic courses that prepare students with the theoretical

background and knowledge to enter the museum profession. The program offers many exciting opportunities for the application of knowledge, skills and critical thinking associated with a variety of disciplines. saint francis magazine | fall 2016

alumni news

class notes keeping connected with alumni and friends 1960s

Juan Carlos Cruz (BBA ’98) is the owner/director of Fort Wayne Futsal, and has started Fort Wayne Phoenix, a futsal club of youth participants and a semi-professional team, the only Ind. group sanctioned by the U.S. Youth Futsal organization and USSF. Andy Denton (BS ’98) owns Perfect Brewers Supply in Libertyville, Ill. Carman Young (BA ’98, MS ’03) won Fort Wayne Rugby’s 2015 Linda Davis Woman of the Year award. Dani (Vonderau) Kiefer (BA ’99) teaches art at Emmanuel St. Michael Lutheran School. Jenny (Bowers) Shultz (BS ’99) opened Decatur Downdog, offering yoga and pilates classes, in Decatur, Ind.

Eugine B. Rugh (BA ’68) retired in New Philadelphia, Ohio, after eight years with the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, then 31 years at Zimmer Medical.

1970s Mary Yoder (BSE ’73, MSE ’76) received a 2016 “Light of Learning” award from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. John Buckley (’74) retired from Pfizer Inc. in April. n

1980s Julie Scher (BA ’80) recently opened Scher Maihem Studios, a web video production and web channel division of Scher Maihem Publishing Inc. Claudia (Holy) Schnurr (BS ’82, MSE ’87) received a 2016 “Light of Learning” award from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Linda Mosier (MSE ’84), retired from teaching, has leukemia (in remission). Sharon May (BS ’85) is a Fort Wayne VA physician, wife and mother of three. Joe Soria (AA ’87) said his son, Louis, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science at USF. n

2000s Kimberly (Hudson) Waugh (BA ’00, MS ’02) is a dual credit transition specialist, Ivy Tech Community College of Northeast Ind. Andie (Hines) Mobley (BA ’01) opened a downtown Fort Wayne office for her business, Red Tree, a corporate event planning and marketing company. Emily (Lomont) Nichter (BSE ’02) received a 2016 “Light of Learning” award from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. 01 Rachel (Stauffer) Pritz (ASN ’02) welcomed daughter Zoey Abigail, 7 pounds, 11.5 ounces, on May 10. Jeannie Ewing (BS ’03, MA ’08) published a second book, “From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph,” Sophia Institute Press. 02 Cindy Maldonado-Schaefer (BA ’03) welcomed son Angelo Merrick Schaefer, May 24. (Pictured are big brother Luca (5) and Angelo.) Jenny Maldenado (BS ’04, MS ’10) won second place with her Dobos Torte at the 2016 Germanfest Bake-Off. Don Clemmer (BA ’05) is managing editor of Our Sunday Visitor newsweekly. Lindsey Maksim (BA ’06) is the City of Fort Wayne grants specialist, leading the commercial façade grant and brownfield programs. Abby Rauch (BSE ’08, MSE ’14) gave birth to second daughter, Brooklyn Kaye, Nov. 2015. Erin LaCross (MS ’09) is an associate vice president, Parkview Hospital Randallia. Kristin (Jones) Miller (BA ’09) is now an assistant professor of Communication at USF. n

1990s Lisa (Huntington) Gardner (BA ’90) works for Easter Seals Arc as quality improvement coordinator. She is also working on a series of drawings on feminism and ancient religion. James “Jim” Acho (BA ’93) was keynote speaker at the 2016 NFL Players Association annual meeting. A 2015 NFL Alumni Association nominee for executive director, Acho was featured by CBS Sports for his work on NFL concussion cases. He is a partner at the law firm of Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, PLC, Livonia, Mich. Julie Foust-Swihart (BSN ’93) is an administrative nursing supervisor, Bed Placement and Transfer Center, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Mehmet Levent Unal (MBA ’95) resides in Turkey. He loved studying and working at USF. n

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU 34

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

HAVE A CLASS NOTE? To update information, simply go to alumni.sf.edu and click on “Stay Connected” or send information to alumni@sf.edu or mail it to the University of Saint Francis Alumni Office, 2701 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46808. Thanks for keeping in touch with your alma mater!

alumni news

Chambers (BS ’14) on June 11. Morgan Braun (BBA ’15) is a Medical Protective specialty adviser board coordinator whose work on a project helped bring Warren Buffett to Chicago. Mary Brokaw (BS ’15) married Landry Williams on June 11 at St. Patrick’s, Raritan, Ill. Grace Geha (BBA ’15) is an admissions coordinator at USF. Kasaundra (LaFollette) Likens (BSW ’15) is a case manager for Aging and In-Home Services. Alex Trippel (BS ’15) is with the Fort Wayne accounting firm BKD. Jennifer Anderson (ASN ’16) volunteered at Riley Hospital. Patricia (Conley) Bultema (ASN ’16) provides community service to a terminally ill person. Madelyn Esquivel (ASN ’16) had her peds clinical at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indy. Matthew Gratton (AS ’16) received the Mary McMillan Scholarship at the national meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association, June 9. Courtney Karst (BA ’16) is assistant hall director for USF’s Bonzel Hall. Zack Kittaka (BA ’16) is a photo assistant at BFA Commercial Photography. Jaclyn (Krieps) Murzyn (ASN ’16) is an RN in the IMCU at St. Margaret Mercy Dyer. Nolan Pittman (ASN ’16) is a PCN II at St. Margaret Mercy. Katie Reel (ASN ’16) was married in June 2015. Stephanie Robbins (ASN ’16) gave birth to a daughter, spent three months with her over the summer vacation and has returned to school for her final nursing semester. Rachel Weaver (BA ’16) is a graphic and web designer with USF’s Marketing Department. n

2010s Chelsea Childers (BBA ’12) is worldwide product director for DePuy Orthopaedics. Paula Langeloh (MSN ’12) is a family nurse practitioner with her own practice, Columbia City. Jaxson Burkins (BS ’13) is a pharmacy practice resident at Parkview Health. 03 Maggie Badders (BA ’14) who is USF’s assistant alumni director, married Brennan Emenhiser, July 16, Fort Wayne. (Photo taken by J3 Designs Photography.) 04 Chris Gardner (BA ’14) moved to China to teach English to Chinese high school and college students. Kelly (Ditzler) Hernandez (AS ’14) and Paul Hernandez (BA ’15) married on Sept. 5, 2015. Kristen Marie Meyer (BA ’14) is engaged to Michael Sitcler and employed at Lincoln Financial Group. Katie O’Muireagain (MBA ’14) is director of business development for MKM Architecture. Kameron Robinson (BA ’14) is assistant director at WPTA 21 Alive/WISE NBC33. Gerry Sebby (BS ’14) and Leah Little (BA ’14) will marry on Sept. 9, 2017 in Fort Wayne. Both were USF soccer players. Gerry is an account analyst for Cellular Sales of Knoxville Incorporated. Leah will graduate from IPFW in May 2017 with a master’s degree in counseling. Lexxi Spragg (BA ’14) married Andy Haddock on June 18, Attica, Ind. Cassey (Hurtado) Suthers (BA ’14) welcomed daughter, Ariana Lucille, 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and 20 1/2 inches long, on May 12. Suthers is a web and data research specialist at IPFW. Brooke Weaver (BS ’14) is engaged to marry Joe n

04 saint francis magazine | fall 2016

LOVE CONNECTIONS

Timing, Travel and Giving Love a Try Eric and Natalie Wagoner Both business administration majors, Eric (BBA ’07, MBA ’11) and Natalie (BBA ’07, MBA ’09) met the first Tuesday at the beginning of the fall semester in 2005. Eric was already in class and Natalie was early. Each made the mistake of thinking class started at 6 p.m. instead of 6:30. They sat on opposite sides of the classroom, and Eric asked if Natalie had the class textbook. Later she would find out he was just looking for something to break the ice. With only six other students, that small evening class allowed them to get to know each other better throughout the semester. A year later, still students at USF, Eric proposed to Natalie. She was getting home from work in a hurry to get prepared for class. Eric popped out of a closet behind her and proposed. Although startled, she still found it sweet and accepted. Life has worked out well for Eric and Natalie. Both accepted positions at USF within weeks of each other, and the university continues to be a major part of their lives. They now have three children, Hadley, Liam and Maverick, and two dogs—Bruno and Dahlia.

Angela and Tony Hudson Angela (BA ’98, MA ’03) and Tony (MA ’99) first connected on a USF art trip to France and Italy in 1998. Angela was not looking for a relationship at the time, but as she puts it, “God had other plans.” Angela and Tony began chatting in line at the airport and hung out in the same group for most of the trip, becoming fast friends. As the trip came to an end, they didn’t know if they would see each other again. They spent the next two years apart, but finally reconnected in 2000 when Angela mistakenly walked into a class Tony was teaching. Angela continued to “accidentally” run into Tony on the nights he was teaching and they finally began dating later that year. They dated eight months, Tony proposed, and eight months later they were married. September marked their 15th anniversary and they now have two children— Sam and Stella. Tony founded and operates the nonprofit organization Blue Jacket, Inc., and Angela owns her own graphic design business.

Adam and Julia Bridges Adam remembers seeing Julia (BA ’14) on the first day of English composition class. “I was sitting by the door and this stunning beauty walked past me to get to her seat. I was too nervous to talk to her at first.” They had two classes together, and would see each other in the dorms when she was meeting with other art majors. Due to Adam’s nerves, it took a while for them to connect, but eventually they began chatting. When it comes to memories of USF, Adam and Julia especially remember the parking lot in front of Bonzel Hall, where they had their first kiss. The cove by Mirror Lake is also a special place for them as they occasionally enjoyed a picnic there. They have been married for nearly 16 years. They have three children and Julia has recently finished a bachelor’s degree in fine art.

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

upcoming events

THE WIZARD OF OZ The USF School of Creative Arts will present the beloved family musical adventure, “The Wizard of Oz” over the weekends of Nov. 4-6 and 11-13. Fly over the rainbow with Dorothy as she rides a twister into the merry and troubled land of Oz and learns that no matter how far our journeys take us—there’s no place like home. Find more information at go.sf.edu/usf-oz.

SHOW TIMES • Friday, November 4 at 8 p.m. • Saturday, November 5 at 8 p.m. • Sunday, November 6 at 2 p.m. • Friday, November 11 at 8 p.m. • Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m. • Sunday, November 13 at 2 p.m.

BREAKFAST WITH ST. NICHOLAS Learning about the legacy of St. Nicholas is even more fun while enjoying food and activities with family and friends. Of course, St. Nicholas is the saint whose life forms the basis for our modern-day Santa Claus. Enjoy this annual event on December 3 at 9:45 a.m.

CHRISTMAS AT USF The university’s annual series of festivities and events in celebration of Christmas takes place Dec. 2-6 on the USF campus, 2701 Spring Street. Join friends and family for a joyous experience. Go to our website for more information at sf.edu/Christmas.

NETWORK FOR SUCCESS The annual Network for Success will be held Thursday, Jan. 26, 5-7 p.m., USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center, 431 West Berry Street. Alumni help current students learn the art of networking. Contact Erin at 260-399-8054 or ehobbs@sf.edu.

FOOTBALL TAILGATING Before each home football game, enjoy all the fun at the Alumni House, 3209 Bass Road. Enjoy refreshments and activities, plus get your tickets for the South End Zone area of the stadium! For the football schedule, visit saintfranciscougars.com/football.

YULETIDE GATHERING Decorated by local florists and designers, Brookside is at its most beautiful during the holidays. Come mingle with former classmates and friends on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For additional information, visit alumni.sf.edu/events.

WANT TO SEE MORE? For more information on USF alumni events, visit alumni.sf.edu/events. saint francis magazine | fall 2016

SCHOLARSHIP DONORS

make an important difference

Written by Lynne McKenna Frazier

Students take many different paths to find a home at the University of Saint Francis. Kathryn Knutson took a detour that turned out to be the right direction.

the university to help students like her. Kat, who received an Antoinette V. Murray Scholarship, looks forward to graduating in May 2017.

When changes in her family’s financial situation made her first choice school an impossibility, Kat Knutson searched through alternatives. She was frustrated until she visited USF. She found an opportunity to continue playing the sport she loved, softball, class sizes that fit her desires and a welcoming atmosphere. She had found her college home. USF financial support made it possible, she told the 2016 Scholarship Luncheon: “Between academic, athletic, endowed and outside scholarships, I will graduate saving over $12,000 attending a university that has offered me life-changing opportunities.”

Kathryn Doermer Callen, who represented scholarship donors, noted the important role the University of Saint Francis has played in the lives of her family. In her current position as community engagement executive at Old National Bank, she has become even more aware of the role USF and its graduates play in the community. The Doermer family not only has endowed several scholarships but both Kathryn and her father, the late Richard Doermer, served as trustees of the university.

About 170 USF donors, students and employees attended the April 27 luncheon. Altogether donors gave $601,805 through the earnings from scholarship endowments and annual gifts to

The growing number of students and donors at this annual event testify to the vital role scholarships play at the University of Saint Francis. Students such as Kat find a home because of the generosity of donors such as Kathy Callen and her family.

in memoriam 1930s

Anna E. (Lehman) Sprunger, Class of 1935*

1940s

Mary Anne (Stauffer) Davis, Class of 1940*

1950s

Sister Evelyn Marie Czaplewski, Class of 1950 Judith Ann (Axe) Williamson, Class of 1956*

1960s

Ramona (Laker) Leach, Class of 1964 and 1967 Karen D. (Bowers) Emerick, Class of 1965* Dorothy (Callahan) Heiny, Class of 1965 Janet (Grote) Bradbury, Class of 1968

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1970s

Earle Swanson, Class of 1974 Joseph C. Steckbeck, Class of 1977

1980s

Bonnie Marschand, Class of 1981 Kathleen (Strait) Hagerman, Class of 1987

1990s

Mary L. (Carroll) Grepke, Class of 1995

* From Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing—Lutheran College of Health Profession

Photos Photo by Steve Vorderman

facultykeeping notes connected with professors Dr. Lorene Arnold and Carrie Engel received a $5,400 grant from AHEC, “The World Belongs to You: A Passport to Your Future in Health Care.” Dr. John Bequette edited a new volume of essays on Medieval Christian Humanism, published by E.J. Brill. Dr. Ken Bugajski moderated the Read26FW reading group on both Facebook and Twitter. Cynthia Carlin (ASN ’93) served as support faculty on biology field studies to the Rocky Mountains, summer 2016. Dr. Wendy Clark (MS ’01) presented at the STTI conference, November 2015. René DePew (MS ’00) was awarded the 2016 Vitality Award in the Wellness category from the McMillen Center for Health Education, May 2016. Dr. Adam DeVille authored “The Principles of Accommodation and Forgetting in Catholic and Orthodox Ecclesiology,” in John Chryssavgis, ed., “Primacy and Conciliarity in the Church” (Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Press). Dustin Diller earned AANP Certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. He also developed a Global Health course and took students to South Africa in May 2016. Carrie Engel (BS ’16) published an article in the April 2016 issue of The Surgical Technologist. Dr. Marquessa Fisher co-authored in the AANA Journal, “The Jehovah’s Witness Population: Considerations for Preoperative Hemoglobin Optimization,” June 2016 Dr. Dave Johnson consulted with Parkview Holistic Nurses Group-Code Lavender and Wellspring-Foellinger Foundation-Culture Building using Appreciative Inquiry. Dr. Carl Jylland-Halverson (MA ’10), professor of psychology and director of the Mental Health Counseling program, visited Jordan in the spring of 2016 to assist Syrian refugees. Nancy Hankee organized and coordinated the ninth annual Best Practices Showcase in February 2016. Dr. Angie Harrell (MS ’13) published her doctoral research in the Radiologic Technology journal. Dr. Marsha King was appointed Executive Chair 20162017 for CEO RED for Women Northwest Indiana, AHA. Dr. Bob Lee, dean, joined the board of the League for the Blind and Disabled. Dr. Susan Lown (MS ’09) completed a DNP in May 2016. Lown also presented at the Stan Young International Medical College and was invited to serve on the NICHE Steering Committee at Dupont Hospital. n

Photo by Tim Brumbeloe

Brandi Prather-Leming implemented a new education capstone course in the spring of 2016 using a blended model of instruction and also serves as a mentor to new teachers. Pat Luckey (MS ’13) passed the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination and is now a certified counselor. Laura McCall presented to the Manchester University School of Pharmacy faculty on Problem Based Learning for Healthcare Profession Students. Dr. Lewis Pearson has had his book chapter, “Vulcans Without Chests: Spiritual Disorders Portrayed in Star Trek,” accepted as part of the anthology “Science Fiction and the Abolition of Man.” Warren Pryor, assistant professor of biology, and Dr. Andrea Geyer, associate professor of chemistry, took students to Pittsburgh, Pa. to present their research at the Ohio Valley Unified Malacologists meeting. Timm Reed presented “Pathology” at Parkview for a Cardiovascular Certification course in April 2016. Patty Rinker (DN ’81) presented “Teaching Strategies Using Humor,” December 2015 Scholarship of Teaching. Terri Roberts (MS ’11) presented “Infant Toddler Brain Development and the Need for Screenings,” spring 2016. Dr. Allison Sabin presented at the AACN Faculty Development conference, February 2016; OJIN publication, January 2016. Professor Greg Smith participated in the USF-sponsored Living Your Call program. Dr. Megan Winegarden (MS ’07) completed a DNP, August 2015. Winegarden also presented her DNP project at STTI in November and at ICN in October. Dr. Beth Kuebler-Wolf presented a paper at Montpellier in France and traveled to Seoul, South Korea to present original research at a conference of the International American Studies Association (IASA). In addition, Dr. Wolf presented a paper in Valencia, Spain at the European Social Science and History Association annual conference, and that research will be published in November in the Journal of Global History. Carol Greulich (MS ’98), Amanda Benz (BS ’07), Lorie Lucas (MS ’09) and Jennifer Richard (MS ’08) were selected for the “Nursing Students GoPro” Simulation Project and participated in the USF Simulation Conference, May 2016. n

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

Easter Bunny Hard at Work Thanks to USF The Easter Bunny was hard at work this year thanks to the generosity of our amazing alumni, staff, faculty, friends and students who donated and helped put together over 580 Easter baskets for children at SCAN Inc. For some, the preparation even goes as far as a year in advance, scooping up baskets and stuffed animals on sale after the holiday in preparation for the following year, making funds stretch as far as possible to help as many as possible.

St. Joseph Graduates Reunite Approximately 100 graduates of the St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing gathered on April 29, 2016, at the University of Saint Francis North Campus for their annual school reunion. Friendships were rekindled and many wonderful stories were shared as the Class of 1966 was honored. Yearbook pictures were turned into a special slideshow that brought back memories and many smiles. The evening of dinner, cocktails and reminiscing was hosted by the St. Joe Class of 1967, and a fantastic time was had by all. Next year’s reunion will be held on Friday, April 28, 2017.

Westendorf Field Dedicated A crowd of former players, friends and family of USF Hall of Fame softball coach Larry Westendorf gathered on April 29 as the university’s softball field was officially named “Westendorf Field.” The renaming ceremony took place in the middle of the Lady Cougars’ final home doubleheader of the 2016 season, which USF swept with two wins on this special day. The late Westendorf was inducted into the USF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 as a head coach and administrator of USF women’s athletics from 1989 through the 1999 season. In his three seasons as USF’s head softball coach, the Lady Cougars set consecutive records for wins and won their only regular-season conference championship in 1997. In 1998, USF softball set the school single-season record for wins with 30.

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Brews and Buds Come Together Dozens of USF alums came together on March 3 at Summit City Brewerks. Some guests settled in for the evening in oversized wooden booths with chalk tops for writing, drawing or even playing a game. Others gathered around the billiards table or pulled up a seat along the bar rail. From house-made brews to local and national brands, there was something for everyone to sip on. Creative names such as Disgruntled Hamster, Big Bad Billygoat and Slowpoke-a-nut—a pale milk stout with coconut, peanut butter and coffee that some said tasted more like a dessert than a beer—kept guests laughing and intrigued.

TinCaps Night is a Home Run Over 130 USF alumni, friends and family gathered at Parkview Field on Saturday, June 18, for one of America’s favorite pastimes. The Fort Wayne TinCaps took on the Bowling Green Hot Rods at the annual sold-out event. Alumni gathered in the Xfinity Home Run Porch atop the left field wall down from the third baseline. With a spread of hot dogs, pulled pork, brats with sauerkraut, pasta salad, macaroni and cheese, soft drinks and apple crisp for dessert, there were plenty of ballpark favorites to enjoy as we cheered for the TinCaps!

Photos by Steve Vorderman, Samantha Goddard (BA ’16) and Rachel Weaver (BA ’16)

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

‹

USF Alumni Director Eastman centralizing opportunities

Connection Points However, wherever and whenever USF alumni wish to connect with fellow alumni and others, USF Director of Alumni Relations Melissa Eastman stands ready to help. Newly returned to USF after a stint as assistant alumni director, she brings a new perspective on how large universities use resources and research to better engage their alumni. A recent stretch as assistant alumni director and interim alumni director at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and a psychology degree from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, give her the tools to make her office a nexus for engagement opportunities. “It was neat to see how state-run schools work,” she said of her recent position. “They utilize larger resources and research on what works and what doesn’t. They use industry trends, so as demographics change they know how to address engagement at different age levels.” She sees her USF job as keying in on where alumni wish to connect and then taking them there. “It’s important to listen 42

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

and be cognizant of what alumni say about why they came to USF, the values they absorbed and the highlights of their experience,” she said. “Once it’s clear why they were here in this community, we can connect them with where the university is headed. It’s not about what I’m interested in. I’m listening to what they are interested in and connecting them with where they want to go.” USF’s direction is aided tremendously by the wisdom and talents of its alumni, she said. “Alumni are your outward sign that you did what you said you would do as a university. They legitimize and confirm your work. They are your greatest spokespeople. They can tell students why something might be important and can also suggest what would help their experience. It’s an ever-evolving circle out into the community to make our university stronger.” She looks forward to bringing her own brand of energy and enthusiasm to her vision for USF alumni. “I’m excited about where the university is going and growing, and the ways alumni can be involved—downtown and in service opportunities on

Expanding and Returning Value The 2016-2017 academic year began with the celebratory launch of USF Downtown. Generous donors, foundations, City of Fort Wayne Legacy Fund and the state’s Regional Cities Initiative provided the means to complete the project. USF Downtown fills an identified regional economic development need, which is to have a university presence in the heart of Fort Wayne. Ties to the business community and the arts are already underway, but as important is the addition of university student life in the metro area. USF Downtown has already facilitated better connections with our downtown neighbors and community leaders but most important of all, USF students experience downtown Fort Wayne in a new way.

campus or in the community. There are lots of chances for relationship building,” she said. “There’s a continuing vision and exciting growth with the Alumni House and the ever-changing campus. New programming will create more relationships for alumni to engage with the university and community. It’s integrating students, leaders and the community at different stages on campus and in the community. It’s integration and collaboration.” USF alumni bring valuable qualities to this vision. “They are unique in that they are very service-minded,” she said. “They say, ‘Where can I volunteer and when can I start?’ It’s unique and immutable about our alumni. We need to plug them into how they want to give back.” Photos by Tim Brumbeloe and Zack Kittaka (BA ’16)

DePauw University

$46,448

Earlham College

$45,300

Rose-Hulman

$43,950

Wabash College

$41,050

Butler University

$38,360

Valparaiso University

$37,450

Saint Mary’s College

$37,420

Hanover College

$35,514

University of Evansville

$33,966

Goshen College

$32,200

Marian University

$31,500

Taylor University

$31,451

Trine University

$30,960

Saint Joseph’s College

$30,080

Franklin College

$30,025

Manchester University

$29,650

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

$28,932

Holy Cross College

$28,760

Anderson University

$28,650 $28,310

University of Indianapolis

$27,420

Bethel College

$27,390

Indiana Tech

$26,370

Huntington University

$25,400

Indiana Wesleyan University

$25,346

Oakland City University

$23,400

Grace College

$23,120

(UNAUDITED)

$49,685

72%, $31 million Net tuition and fees 13%, $5.5 million Unrestricted gifts and grants 7%, $3.3 million Auxiliary enterprises 7%, $2.9 million Restricted gifts and grants 1%, $439 thousand Other, net

(UNAUDITED)

If you have any questions for Melissa, you can reach her at 260-399-8032 or alumni@sf.edu.

University of Notre Dame

EXPENSES 2016

MEMBER INSTITUTIONS OF THE INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OF INDIANA (ICI) RANKED BY COST, 2016-17

REVENUE 2016

The university was blessed to receive an Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship grant for $350,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Human Resources and Services Administration. The University of Saint Francis is receiving the grant over the upcoming academic year. The purpose of the funding is to address morbidity and mortality in underserved populations. This is the fifth consecutive year that USF Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner students have received this funding and we are happy to be able to use it to bring more students into underserved clinical sites in the region.

60%, $24 million Compensation and benefits 15%, $6.1 million Plant operations, utilities, depreciation and auxiliary ent. 15%, $5.9 million Institutional support 5%, $2.0 million Academic affairs 5%, $2.0 million Student services

saint francis magazine | fall 2016

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Send their education into high gear!

EVENTS CALENDAR

USF License Plates contribute thousands each year toward scholarships! Order at myBMV.com or your local license branch. Call 260-399-8051 for more info.

Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 22 Oct. 28-29

Franciscan Bowl: USF vs. Marian University USF Zoo Day Tailgate @ Alumni House before home football game Men’s Basketball: Northern Lakes Insurance Classic Tourney Oct. 28-29 Women’s Basketball: Saint Francis Tournament Oct. 29 Tailgate @ Alumni House before home football game Nov. 4-6; 11-13 “The Wizard of Oz” musical Nov. 8 Men’s Basketball: USF vs. Lourdes University Nov. 14 Women’s Basketball: USF vs. Siena Heights University

Nov. 22 Nov. 22 Dec. 2-6 Dec. 3 Dec. 4 Dec. 6 Dec. 7 Dec. 8 Jan. 26

Women’s Basketball: USF vs. Spring Arbor University Men’s Basketball: USF vs. Spring Arbor University Christmas in the Castle Breakfast with St. Nicholas Lighting of the Lake and Living Nativity Men’s Basketball: USF vs. Taylor University Women’s Basketball: USF vs. Taylor University Alumni Yuletide Gathering event @ Brookside Network for Success For more information on USF events, visit alumni.sf.edu/events.