CONTENTS / AU Alumni Magazine
ISSUE
07
BELOW LEFT: Married couple Fassel Rana, fourth from left, and Sehar Rana, sixth from left, prepare to graduate from Ashford with their proud family in tow. For their story, see page 18. BELOW RIGHT: Ashford campus students Rachel Yoder (left) and Ericka Fisk (right) participate in the post-Hurricane Sandy rebuilding effort in Brigantine, New Jersey. For more, see page 23.
Fall 2013
SHOW YOUR
ASHFORD PRIDE
CONTENTS LETTER 3/ WELCOME by Sister William McCue
18/
& MORE 4/ NEWS A letter to the editor and recent news about
19/ Businesswomen Shelly Mathewis & Lauren Scheer
SPOTLIGHT 5/ FACULTY by Michael Mussman
20/ Military grads Sidney Hoffmann & Andrew Dickens
Under Al Gore’s guidance, Associate Faculty Lisa Betczynski is leading the charge against climate change.
Old friends reconnect and new friendships are established on a plane en route to Ashford’s commencement ceremony. Plus: Photo gallery and a video of Spring 2013 commencement speaker LeVar Burton.
SHOP FOR APPAREL • ALUMNI GEAR ACCESSORIES • SALE ITEMS
THEN & NOW 8/ ASHFORD by Larry Libberton, Laurie Bianchi, Kathleen
ASHFORD.EDU/GEAR-SHOP
Holland, Lisa Jahn, Lisa Rollins and Lorelei Plotczyk Ashford’s rich history, present, and future are explored. 10/ Sister Bertha Zeiser is interviewed.
MAIN COVER PHOTO: Mount St. Clare College & Academy, now Ashford University, circa 1928.
ASHFORD CONNECTIONS IS PUBLISHED SEMI-ANNUALLY BY ALUMNI RELATIONS. Editor: Lorelei Plotczyk Art Director: David Dickey Designers: Brent Field, Jesse Caverly Production: Jason Mandell Contributors: Sister William McCue, Larry Libberton, Laurie Bianchi, Sister Kathleen Holland, Lisa Jahn, Dr. Lisa Rollins, Dr. Lisa Marie Johnson, Chris Shaw, Chris Adams, Jay Conner, Doug Downing, Courtney de Craen, Erik Siwak, Marianne Perez, Travis Taggart, and Michael Mussman
2/
12/ Janelle Crowley is interviewed, and a historical campus site is explored. 14/ Dr. Lisa Johnson is interviewed. 16/ A faculty member inspires an online student to volunteer. Plus: Learn about Ashford’s new blog.
by Lorelei Plotczyk Alumni stories are brought to life in videos filmed at the Spring 2013 commencement. 18/ Married couple Fassel & Sehar Rana
everything Ashford.
6/ COMMENCEMENT by Lorelei Plotczyk
ALUMNI STORIES
21/ Family members Donna Barber & LaDonna Watts plus Claudia Cattage & Joseph Lightfoot
22/ CAMPUS ALUM EARNS PRO GOLF CARD
by Chris Shaw For Chien Hau Tan, the collegiate level might just have been the warm-up to a brilliant career on the links.
23/ HELPING HURRICANE SANDY VICTIMS
by Chris Adams An Ashford service learning trip helps victims of the New Jersey superstorm.
NOTES 24/ CLASS Learn what recent and soon-to-be graduates are up to.
MEDIA CORNER 26/ SOCIAL Find out about Ashford’s new Facebook page created just for alumni.
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PROGRAM LIST
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