Monmouth College Magazine - Summer 2022 by Monmouth College

VOL 37 | NO 2 | SUMMER 2022

TWIN BILL COMMENCEMENT 2022’s

‘DOUBLE’ FEATURE Jonathan and Joseph Oradiegwu Story page 24

A Spray of White and Crimson

Originally constructed in 2013, the Judith Williams Trubeck ’69 Memorial Fountain and Garden was the gift of her husband, William L. Trubeck ’68. Located at the north entrance to the Center for Science and Business, the area has been expanded through a new gift by Mr. Trubeck to include a terraced amphitheater, designed by Monmouth College First Lady Lobie Stone. Also constructed was new, larger fountain that employs LED lighting. Colors can be changed to specific hues to celebrate an event or holiday, or can be set to continually rotate. Landscaping is nearing completion at the site, which will be formally dedicated in the fall at Homecoming.

PRESIDENT

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2022

24 DOUBLE THE FUN Beyond the typical joyous atmosphere, Commencement ’22 celebrated the graduation of a remarkable number of twins.

32 SEEDS OF LEGACY Monmouth’s little-known

connection to a family agriculture dynasty.

34 GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY It’s been 50 years since the Scots

recorded their last undefeated football season. around campus

Photo by Jeff Rankin

academics

CORRECTION:

newsmakers

sports

alumni news

the last word

ON THE COVER:

The pole vaulter pictured on the cover of the Spring “Title IX” issue of Monmouth College Magazine was incorrectly identified as Jessica White ’08. The athlete was actually Megan McKenna ’09.

MISSION STATEMENT: Monmouth College provides a transformative educational experience within a caring community of learners. As a residential liberal arts college, we empower students to realize their full potential, live meaningful lives, pursue successful careers, and shape their communities and the world through service and leadership. Monmouth College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, military service, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy or other factors as prohibited by law. Monmouth College admits students of any race, religion, color, sex, and national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to Monmouth students. Monmouth College, an Equal Opportunity Employer, is committed to diversity and encourages applications from women and minority candidates. Any inquiries regarding Title IX or the College’s Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation (www.monmouthcollege.edu/nondiscrimination-policy) should be directed to the Title IX Coordinator identified below. The Coordinator will be available to meet with or talk to students, staff and faculty regarding issues relating to Title IX and this policy. Michelle Merritt Title IX & VI Coordinator 309-457-2114 titleix@monmouthcollege.edu

Dr. Clarence R. Wyatt BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mark Kopinski ’79, Chairman Dr. Ralph Velazquez Jr. ’79, Vice Chairman Douglas R. Carlson ’66 Daniel Cotter ’88 Robert Dahl Dr. Harvey Echols ’81 Christine Beiermann Farr ’90 Robin Ottenad Galloway ’90 William J. Goldsborough ’65 Kevin Goodwin ’80 Augustin Hart III ’68 Mahendran Jawaharlal ’86 F. Austin Jones John Kemp ’82 The Rev. Robert C. McConnell ’72 Michael B. McCulley, Esq. ’70 J. Alex McGehee ’81 Bradley C. Nahrstadt ’89 Gail Simpson Owen ’74 J. Hunter Peacock J. Stanley Pepper ’76 Anthony J. Perzigian ’66 Dennis M. Plummer ’73 Anita Ridge ’88 Susan Romaine The Hon. John J. Scotillo ’72 Dr. Carlos F. Smith ’90 Sherman Smith ’72 Nancy L. Snowden Mark E. Taylor ’78 Dwight Tierney ’69 Beth Bowdoin Tyre ’96 Jean Peters Witty ’88 Jackie Bell Zachmeyer ’89 ALUMNI BOARD REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Marybeth Dues Kemp ’93 Andrew Kerr ’73 Roy Sye ’13 ALUMNI BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Andrew Kerr ’73, President Zak Edmonds ’08, Vice President Mark Tucker ’94, Secretary Rachel Kelleher ’14, Member at Large EDITORIAL BOARD Duane Bonifer Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing Hannah Maher Vice President for Development and College Relations Barry McNamara Associate Director of College Communications Jeffrey D. Rankin College Editor and Historian

SUMMER 2022

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

MON MOU TH COLLEGE MAGA ZIN E VOL. 37 | NO. 2 EDITOR AND DESIGNER Jeffrey D. Rankin ASSOCIATE EDITOR/WRITER Barry McNamara Monmouth College Magazine is published three times a year for alumni, students, parents and friends of Monmouth College. All opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial staff or the College. CONTACT US: MAGAZINE EDITOR jrankin@monmouthcollege.edu 309-457-2314 ADDRESS CHANGE monmouthcollege.edu/update 888-827-8268 Development & College Relations Monmouth College 700 East Broadway Monmouth, IL 61462-1998 ALUMNI PROGRAMS 309-457-2231 888-827-8268 alumni @monmouthcollege.edu REGISTRAR 309-457-2326 registrar@monmouthcollege.edu ATHLETICS 309-457-2176 athletics@monmouthcollege.edu GIVE TO MONMOUTH 309-457-2231 888-827-8268 monmouthcollege.edu/give ADMISSION 800-747-2687 admission@monmouthcollege.edu

Printed on Finch Casa Opaque 100 paper, made with 30 percent postconsumer fiber.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

CELEBRATING THE THREADS OF LEGACY

he lead story of this issue of Monmouth College Magazine talks about one of the highlights of this year’s Commencement—the graduation of seven sets of twins and one member of a set of triplets. As you will read, all of these students had much more going for them than just the novelty of attending college with a twin sibling. They distinguished themselves in the classroom, in athletics and many other aspects of campus life. All of them are going on to advanced study and moving into the beginning of great careers. It will be fun to see all that they accomplish in the years to come. These great young people magnify (twice, three times?) one of the wonderful traits of Monmouth College—the legacy of family. These students gave the College multiple family members in one generation, of course, but the history of Monmouth is filled with families whose engagement with the College as students and alumni stretches across many decades and generations. One of my favorite events during the year is the Legacy Brunch that takes place during Family Weekend. At that event, current students gather with parents, older siblings, aunts, uncles and grandparents who also attended the College. Great

stories are shared, and at the heart of them all is the power of a Monmouth College education to change the arc of the lives of individuals and multiple generations of families. As most of you know, my wife, Lobie, and I grew up in Kentucky. One of Kentucky’s most celebrated writers is Jesse Stuart. Mr. Stuart grew up in Greenup County, one of the most impoverished areas of Eastern Kentucky. His best-known and most enduring work is The Thread that Runs So True. Published in 1949, the book is an account of Stuart’s experience as a 16-yearold teacher at Cane Creek Elementary School in Greenup County. For Mr. Stuart and for his students, education was the thread that ran so true. All of us who are blessed to be a part of Monmouth College know this as well. The twins and all of the families who have made themselves enduring parts of the life of the College are the true and strong thread in the fabric of Monmouth College. My Best,

Dr. Clarence R. Wyatt President

AROUND CAMPUS

After meeting goal months early, Campaign continues momentum Although spring did not come early to the Midwest this year, Monmouth College achieved an early milestone in April, passing the $75 million goal of its Light This Candle Campaign. That mark was met more than eight months ahead of the Campaign’s scheduled final day. “We are quite pleased that we have exceeded our $75 million goal well before our Dec. 31, 2022, completion date of the Campaign,” said William Goldsborough ’65, national Campaign chair. “This success reflects very favorably on the Monmouth College community and its strong sense of engagement and commitment. Many thanks to everyone who has generously participated in this effort so far, with special thanks to the great work by our vice president for development and college relations, Hannah Maher, and her staff. This is yet another example of why it’s great to be a Scot!” Of the $77.3 million raised thus far through the Light This Candle Campaign, $56.6 million has come through current gifts and $20.7 million has come in the form of deferred gifts. Launched in March 2019, the Campaign has four objectives: increasing scholarships and student financial aid; creating more opportunities for faculty and staff support and academic innovation; enhancing the College’s living-learning environment by increasing funds for facilities; and building an even stronger culture of philanthropy through a larger annual fund and deferred gift register. President Clarence R. Wyatt said that exceeding the Campaign’s goal so far ahead of schedule is “an extraordinary achievement.” “The Campaign’s exceeding its $75 million goal 8½ months early is an extraordinary achievement and worthy of celebration for many reasons,” Wyatt said. “First, it is a testament to the leadership of Campaign Chair Bill Goldsborough and Board Chair Mark Kopinski ’79, and the hard work of Vice President for Development Hannah Maher and the entire alumni/development staff. “Also, this achievement is inspired by the vision, ambition and generosity of the College’s trustees, faculty and staff,

alumni, parents and friends. Most important, we celebrate this accomplishment because it strengthens Monmouth College’s ability to do what it has done for generations—to change for the better the arc of young people’s lives.” Kopinski, whose Campaign gift made with wife, Debbie, supports faculty and academic innovation, said that this support of faculty will benefit students in many ways. “We strongly believe that access to faculty development funds is essential for the College faculty,” said Kopinski. “This gift will help to allow pedagogy to remain fresh and for faculty to continue research in their area of interest. Ultimately, students benefit from these endeavors in co-research opportunities and robust

103%

$77.3M Raised

topical discussions.” Maher said that a chief reason the Campaign has exceeded its goal early is because of a $75M Our Goal combination of a deeply committed base of donors and a strong team of development officers. “It has been a pleasure to work with an outstanding development team and our generous donors, both who are striving to see a stronger future for Monmouth College,” Maher said. “The vision of the Light This Candle Campaign has been to pass along to those who will follow us at a college that is even more of an institution of high opportunity and high achievement. Having exceeded our Campaign goal well before our completion date is a strong signal of how important this shared goal truly is. I look forward to what is still to come for Monmouth through our Campaign close at the end of 2022.” Wyatt said that during the current stretch run the Campaign “will continue to achieve even more for the College and its mission.”

SUMMER 2022

AROUND CAMPUS

Monmouth receives high national ranking in academic stewardship

A group of 50 Golden Apple Scholars participated in a four-day institute on campus in June. The scholars, who are all students at Illinois colleges and universities, are training to be teachers in the state.

Summer institute attracts future Illinois teachers During the first full week of June, Monmouth College hosted 50 students from Illinois colleges and universities and their instructors. It was one of 11 Golden Apple Scholar Institutes held this summer throughout the state. “The Golden Apple Foundation is dedicated to recruiting teachers for underserved Illinois K-12 schools, and their summer institute is part of their education program for Golden Apple Scholars who are preparing to be teachers,” said Monmouth education studies professor Michelle Holschuh Simmons. “We’ve been working with Golden Apple for a long time at Monmouth, and every year we have about 10 Monmouth students who are Golden Apple Scholars.” Two of those Scots—Molly Parsons ’23 and Gabi Ramirez ’23 —participated in the Monmouth scholar institute, which was the equivalent of a 300-level college course. The 50 scholars who attended will complete 50 hours of assisting teachers in summer school programs. The experience is meant to help develop their career and give them extra skills, as they commit to teaching in a school in need in the state of Illinois for five years. For example, the scholars learned about “purposeful seating charts” for their future classrooms, paying attention to such concepts as seating advanced learners near other students who might need help, and seating students who might need to leave the classroom more often than others closer to the door. The Monmouth institute focused specifically on preparing the scholars for student teaching and using mock interviews to help them get ready for entering the teaching field. A panel discussion included two Monmouth alumni, Bonnie Worthington Johnson ’17 and Vanessa Schumacher Witherell ’08.

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Within the first few words of Monmouth College’s mission statement is the phrase “provides a transformative educational experience.” That term may be hard to quantify, but Academic Influence—a team of academics and data scientists—has made the attempt through its machine-learning algorithms, which cull data from scores of online sources. In its first Academic Stewardship rankings, Academic Influence ranked Monmouth No. 31 among the nation’s 4,000 colleges and universities and second in Illinois. “This group took its inspiration from a series of podcasts by Malcolm Gladwell that decried how the standard academic rankings reward ‘schools that have a lot of money and spend it lavishly’ and penalize schools ‘that focus on making education more accessible to those with little or no money,’” said President Clarence R. Wyatt. The Academic Influence authors wrote that “schools that are exemplary in Academic Stewardship are doing everything in their power to help students and faculty to achieve their full potential.” To arrive at their final Academic Stewardship rankings, Academic Influence used what its creators call “a precise mathematical formula,” gleaned from publicly available data, to measure two criteria: stewardship of financial resources and stewardship of human resources. Respectively, those criteria are defined as “using the money they have responsibly without waste” and “doing their best to help students, faculty and administration to flourish.”

SPRING BREAK CONFERENCE

Director of Student Equity, Inclusion and Community Regina Bannan Johnson ’01 traveled to Charlotte, N.C., during spring break to be part of the 23rd annual White Privilege Conference presented by The Privilege Institute. She helped facilitate the Black Women’s Think Tank, a space to unpack generational-racialized trauma and healing pathways. Students accompanying Johnson (at left) to the conference were: Gabriela Madu ’23, Reggie Willis ’22, Nyasaina Kwamboka ’23 and Justin Douglas ’22.

Former controller Tharp assumes finance and business VP post

Holly Tharp

After a national search, Holly Tharp, who was previously Monmouth College controller, has been named vice president for finance and business at the College. She replaces Melony Sacopulos, who was named associate vice chancellor for capital financial management at the University of Pittsburgh in April. After earning her bachelor of business degree in human resources and marketing from the Western Illinois University in 2006, Tharp earned a second bachelor’s in accounting from WIU in 2010. She then received a master’s degree in higher education administrative services from McKendree University in 2013. Previous to Monmouth College, Tharp worked more than six years at WIU, in positions that included assistant bursar, accounts payable manager and accountant. She began her affiliation with Monmouth in 2017, serving 4½ years as assistant controller, and since September 2021 as controller. “In both of these roles, and in her work since Melony’s departure for the University of Pittsburgh, Holly has demonstrated her devotion to the College and the community, her keen intelligence, and her ability to think and act as a strategic partner to grow revenue by recruiting more students and retaining them more effectively,” said President Clarence R. Wyatt.

From professor and student to colleagues in art

Lotz and Scott at the opening of their joint exhibit.

In the end, coming up with a name for their joint exhibition was harder than actually making the art for Monmouth art professor Stacy Lotz and 2003 graduate Dusty Scott, whose works were on display at the Galesburg Community Arts Center from May to July. “When we decided to do a show together, we asked ourselves, ‘Do we want there to be a common theme or idea?’” said Lotz. “We didn’t like that restriction. We wanted the freedom to go through with crazy ideas for pieces that we wouldn’t normally make. So we decided, let’s just make work.” Scott said the title of the exhibit, “Bridges,” referred to “bridging the gaps—maybe for people who have never set foot in a gallery,” said Scott. “Sometimes, in that circumstance, they might feel intimidated—that they didn’t ‘get’ the art. But you don’t have to get any of this. We’re just trying to connect with the viewer in a lot of different ways and bridge that gap.” When Scott was a Monmouth student, one of his professors was Lotz, who joined the faculty in 1995 and is now the longest-tenured member of the College’s art department. “Dusty’s not my student any more, he’s my colleague,” said Lotz. “That, for me, is the best part of this—that the two of us get to do this. It’s about the relationships you build with people, and the relationships we hope to build with the community. … Since the time he was a student, Dusty and I have talked about art and what it means to be an artist in a rural community—to make art that speaks to your community.”

SUMMER 2022

AROUND CAMPUS

‘This place reminds CHAMPION MILLER CENTER promotes student equity, inclusion and community

By Barry McNamara

Below: Students affiliated with the Champion Miller Center greet wellwishers at an open house following the dedication.

n what was called “an incredibly historic day for our campus community,” Monmouth College dedicated its first facility in honor of a person of color on April 20. The College dedicated the Champion Miller Center for Student Equity, Inclusion and Community. The building, 727 East Broadway, has been known by several names over its existence, most recently the Center for Intercultural Life. Because of uncertain weather, the dedication ceremony was held inside the Dahl Chapel and Auditorium, and the ribbon-cutting was held on the steps of the Champion Miller Center. With the name change came a change in a title for Monmouth staff member Regina Bannan Johnson ’01. She is now the College’s director of student equity, inclusion and community. “There are so many words that could describe how I am feeling today,” Johnson said in a message to the campus community. “Never in a million years would I have thought my college research (on 19th

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

century Monmouth resident Champion Miller) would become more than just words, facts and dates written on pieces of paper.” Born into enslavement, Miller (1808–1882) purchased freedom for himself and then his family. Taught to read and write by a Monmouth seminary student, he became a pillar of the Monmouth community. Alongside his brother, Richard Murphy, and Monmouth College’s first president, the Rev. Dr. David A. Wallace, Miller was a founder of the First African Church of Monmouth (later Fourth Presbyterian)—“an accomplishment nothing short of spectacular for a Black man of that time,” said Johnson. Among the findings from Johnson’s research was a line from Miller’s 1882 obituary: “No man in Monmouth is more respected.” “He led me to his inspiring story, and he changed me all those years ago,” said Johnson. “He Dr. Harvey Echols ’81 defied odds most of us would find impossible to understand.” Other speakers who took part in the dedication ceremony included Monmouth President Clarence R. Wyatt, the Rev. Charles Burton ’92, Board of Trustees member Dr. Harvey Echols ’81 and student Elizabeth Guzman ’24. Gabriela Madu ’23 and Mark Thigpen ’22 sang Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Wyatt said there have been “burdens on too many Americans for too many generations. We have an obligation and an opportunity to lift those burdens. As we dedicate the Champion Miller Center today, we should also dedicate ourselves to the example of Champion Miller and dedicate ourselves to be champions for all.” During his time as a Monmouth student, Echols and his good friend believed—mistakenly, as they

me I am not alone’ Gabriela Madu ’23 co-student manager of the Champion Miller Center, triumphantly celebrates after cutting the ribbon to formally open the Champion Miller Center. From left are Co-Dean of Students Michelle Merritt ’89, Dr. Harvey Echols ’81, President Clarence R. Wyatt, Madu, Mark Thigpen ’22, Regina Bannan Johnson ’01 and the Rev. Charles Burton ’92.

eventually learned—that they were trailblazers as the first two students of color to serve as head residents on campus. It turns out, said Echols, that they stood on the shoulders of giants who were students a few years before them. Similarly, said Echols, Champion Miller “is a giant upon whose shoulders we stand today.” “He was the absolute trailblazer,” said Echols. “This place reminds me that I Elizabeth Guzman ’24 am not alone,” said Guzman of the support she’s received from other students in the facility, which she called her second home. “I hope the Champion Miller Center attracts others to this community, and hopefully they can find a home here, too.”

The Champion Miller Center for Student Equity, Inclusion and Community was founded to provide an array of academic and support services, fellowship and inspiration to students of all ethnicities and backgrounds, particularly disadvantaged, marginalized and first-generation college students. “Today and for many, many days and years to come, the Champion Miller Center is a space and opportunity for all students and, importantly, for our most marginalized students, to feel safe, to grow and to challenge themselves,” said Johnson. “If we don’t keep learning, we will never be capable of real change. I call each and every one of us to commit to be ‘the change’ and to living what it means to be a champion for change.” During the month of August, a group of students participating in the Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activities (SOFIA) program will conduct research on the life of Champion Miller and other early members of the local Black community in Monmouth. Although it is unmarked, the gravesite of Champion Miller was recently located in Monmouth Cemetery.

SUMMER 2022

ACADEMICS

Stories by Barry Mcnamara

NEW FLEXIBLE CORE CURRICULUM HELPS STUDENTS BETTER EXPLORE INTERESTS, PREPARE FOR CAREERS Monmouth College’s academic “heart” recently underwent surgery, and it emerged stronger than ever. College faculty and staff created a new core curriculum that will be implemented this fall. Students will find it more transferfriendly, it allows them to take more electives, and it continues to help them better prepare for rewarding careers. For the past three years, members of the Monmouth community were hard at work behind the scenes, preparing the new curriculum. Funded by a $200,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York, that work is now complete, and the new curriculum will begin when the 2022–23 academic year opens on Aug. 24. Language in a handbook detailing “The Monmouth Curriculum” reads: “The Core Curriculum is at the heart of the transformational educational experience that Monmouth College offers and provides the foundation for students to explore their passions and understand the world and their place in it.” Helping to shape the new core curriculum was art professor Stephanie Baugh, whose service “…making connections to the College includes serving as across disciplines is coordinator of Introduction to Liberal essential to what a liberal Arts, the previous required course for arts college does.” first-year students. Baugh, who is now associate dean of —stephanie baugh academic initiatives, described one of her duties in leading the development of the new core as being “the coordinator of the coordinators.” That includes educational studies professor Brad Rowe, who will oversee the first-year experience requirement, titled “Inquiry & Identity,” which has taken the place of ILA. “The first-year experience course is a key fixture of the curriculum,” said Baugh. “Inquiry is the root of all learning, and identity is a complex and multifaceted topic. What does it mean to be on a college campus? What is going to be expected of them? Who are they as individuals? Who are they as members of a

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campus community? As members of the local community?” Baugh said the three-year curriculum revision process was “intentionally inclusive,” soliciting feedback at every step of the way. “We had two successive teams, each composed of about eight people,” she said. “The process was intentionally inclusive and also included town halls and feedback from students. As we really developed the curriculum and started narrowing down what the changes might be, we got additional feedback from the faculty, the students, everybody.” In revisiting the core curriculum, the committee focused on three essential components, Baugh said. “First are foundational courses that provide students with the skills and knowledge to move forward with their college courses and with life. Second are the ‘Inquiry’ courses that significantly increase the breadth requirements, now including the areas of the arts, humanities, natural sciences, quantitative reasoning and social sciences.” Baugh said the breadth component was expanded “because making connections across disciplines is essential to what a liberal arts college does.” “The new curriculum is intentionally integrated,” she said. “We are trying to establish connections across the disciplines. There are many ways in the core curriculum that students will see the same concepts introduced, reinforced and repeated. We want that to occur throughout the entirety of their Monmouth College experience.” The third component involves changes that make the new curriculum “particularly interesting and distinctive.” “Through ‘Engagement’ courses, we will address critical issues that are present in our lives,” said Baugh. Those course offerings will explore identity, diversity and equity; global learning; community engagement; and languages and cultures. “We’ll be asking the students to examine how that content connects with them personally,” said Baugh. The new curriculum will help Monmouth students progress in the four core competencies of the institution—the abilities to inquire and analyze; to synthesize and create; to communicate and interpret; and to become engaged learners. Previously, in addition to ILA, Monmouth students took an “integrated studies” course in their sophomore, junior and senior years. Baugh said a more “flexible” path has replaced that structured approach. “It’s a very flexible curriculum that provides students with lots of choices,” she said. “There’s much more space for electives. …. The new curriculum is also very transfer-friendly.”

Monmouth psychology students and faculty who hosted the ILLOWA Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference included, in front, from left: Kayla Anderson, Courtney Fisher and Ashling Staunton. Second row: Kendall Burt and Madison Vinyard. Third row: Hailey Beeler, Morgan Kath, Hannah Jones, Kayle Heumann and Kaitlyn Fox. Fourth Row: Professors Joan Wertz, Sydney Greenwalt, Ryan Colclasure and Carolyn Liesen.

COAST-TO-COAST RESEARCH

t was a busy spring for Monmouth College students as they presented their research from San Diego to Atlanta, as well as on their own campus. The latter experience was the 47th annual ILLOWA Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference, which the College hosted in April. Ten Monmouth students participated in the event, the longest-running undergraduate psychology research conference in America. Among the topics addressed by Monmouth students at the ILLOWA conference were social media and its effects on disordered eating; body image perception; stress intervention; and attachment style. “This was a great opportunity for our students to experience what attending a psychology conference is like for the academic community, all in the comfort of Monmouth College,” said psychology professor Carolyn Liesen. Earlier in the semester, seven students attended the American Chemical Society Spring 2022 Experience, a national conference in San Diego, while three English students made the trip to Atlanta for the Sigma Tau Delta 2022 International Convention. “Being able to present at the ACS conference validated my research, which I have spent countless hours perfecting,” said Gabriela Peterson ’23. “For four days, I learned about chemistry research, advancements in chemistry and what scientists can do to improve chemistry through methodology and expanded education.” Also during the spring, two students presented political science research, with Matt Datlof ’22 attending the Henry Symposium on Religion and Public Life in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Grant Miller ’22 sharing his project virtually at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference. A ‘high-impact practice’ “We know from Association of American College and Universities studies that undergraduate research is a ‘high-

impact practice’ which helps make students’ studies concrete for them, and leads to even better outcomes academically and in their careers,” said Monmouth Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Willhardt. “That we’re able to take students to national conferences and support their presentations and participation means we’re broadening how they see themselves as students and as developing professionals.” Political science professor Andre Audette praised “the culture of Monmouth College,” and how it nurtures such experiences. “This is a place where you can learn new things, where you can experiment and even do things outside your discipline,” said Audette. “Grant is a computer science major, but he’s working on political science research. Matt wants to go to law school, but he was able to tie in elements of history, economics, business and some of the other classes that he’s taken.” ‘Sophisticated’ research Datlof and Miller did research well beyond their years, said Audette. “Both of the presentations were very well-received,” he said. “They received a lot of kudos for the ambitious work they’re doing, especially at the undergraduate level. That was recognized by a lot of people within these fields who are experts in these fields.” English professor Marlo Belschner also came away impressed by the “sophisticated” work done by her students who attended the Sigma Tau Delta conference—Addi Cox ’23, Carrie King ’22 and Kylie McDonald ’23. “Addi, Kylie and Carrie presented careful, thoughtful analyses that are much more sophisticated than would have been expected of undergraduates even 10 years ago,” said Belschner. “Their analyses of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night incorporate close reading and creative uses of literary theories on gender and on trauma.”

SUMMER 2022

ACADEMICS

Student actors get dream opportunity on Broadway

ecause of Monmouth College’s address, all of its theatre students get to perform “on Broadway,” the street that borders the south end of campus and is home to Wells Theater. But in August, Andrew Cliffel ’23 and Gabriela Madu ’23 will be on the real Broadway in New York City, participating in one of four week-long “Broadway Intensives” hosted this summer by the Open Jar Institute, Broadway’s premier actor training program. Under the direction of Broadway director/choreographer Jeff Whiting, students participate in high-intensity workshops in acting, singing, dance and audition techniques, all taught by Broadway professionals. And if that weren’t attractive enough, the participants also get seats for three Broadway productions. There are two sessions this summer for college students and two others for high school students. Open Jar’s teaching artists come from a rotating list, and one of the teachers Madu will work with is Stacia Fernandez, who spent part of her childhood in Monmouth as the daughter of the late communication professor Tom Fernandez. The Open Jar opportunity is an offshoot of Cliffel and Madu’s participation in a regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival earlier this year. There, Madu placed second in the musical theater competition and was a semifinalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions. The College has participated in the festival since 1995, and no Monmouth student has previously reached either of those heights. Cliffel was the first of the pair to hear from Open Jar, receiving an email. He wasn’t quite sure what it meant until Madu told him. “I thought it was just a general email—something not for just me—probably everyone got one,” said Cliffel. “I showed it to Gabi, and she started screaming. She said, ‘This is the whole point of the (theatre festival) competition—to get one of these invitations.’” “I told him, ‘This is lit. This is good news,’” said Madu. “I said, ‘Then please tell me you got one, too,’” said Cliffel. “’I’m not going to New York without you.’” Madu, indeed, got one, too, receiving her invitation three or four days later. That was an exciting moment for both students, but there was still another amazing email to come. Both students were wondering how they’d be able to come up with the approximate $4,000 cost per person for their week in the Big Apple. They were both notified that they’d received small scholarships to attend, but there were still thousands of dollars needed. A GoFundMe campaign was in the works on campus to help the students, but then another solution emerged.

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“On a whim, I shot President Wyatt an email,” said Madu. “I spent a long time on it, crafting it so I said things just right. A few days later, Drew and I were at an all-day tech event for (the College production) The Spoon River Project, and we were just getting ready to go on our lunch break. I got a text from Drew, which was weird because I’d just seen him like two seconds ago. It was to tell me that we just received an email from President Wyatt with the subject line ‘Pack your bags!’” Wyatt had found a trustee who was not only willing to help, but was covering the entire $8,000 cost for the pair. Madu and Cliffel’s New York City dream was going to be a reality. “I want it to be a wake-up call for me,” said Madu. “Here at Monmouth, we really get to try whatever we want, and it’s a small enough school that we usually get the role or the position we want. But I don’t want to get complacent. I want to know what it is that I need to be striving for—to work for one week with all these other talented performers and see where I stand.” “The opportunity to get immediate feedback from someone working in the city—it’s the best information you can have,” said Cliffel, who hopes the stage is in his post-Monmouth future. “I definitely want to get into performance. I might go to grad school, eventually, but I definitely want to try acting professionally in some capacity.” The “Broadway Intensive” experience will complete a busy theatre-themed summer for Madu, who has a two-month internship at the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company. Cliffel might be working one state east in Ohio, potentially on a production of Spring Awakening that had one of its actors leave the show.

Madu, left, and Cliffel rehearse a number prior to their trip to New York City.

ANONYMOUS DONOR ASSISTS D.C. DUO

Hafner, Clay experience career-building summer program in nation’s capital

year ago, Monmouth College student Shay Hafner ’23 was accepted into the prestigious Fund for American Studies summer program in Washington, D.C. There was only one problem: he couldn’t afford it. “I applied last year and got accepted, but I didn’t get much of a scholarship from the Fund for American Studies, and it’s expensive to live in D.C. and go to classes there,” said Hafner, who had heard about the program’s benefits through one of several recent Monmouth students to benefit from the experience, Hadley Smithhisler ’20. “I wanted to apply again this year because it’s a really cool program and working in D.C. and taking classes there is cool, and I did get more money this year,” said Hafner, a political science and data science major who plans to pursue a doctorate in political science after graduation. “The impact of experiential learning opportunities such as the TFAS program on a student’s overall academic experience cannot be overstated,” said Wackerle Center for Career, Leadership & Fellowships Director Marnie Steach Dugan ’95. “This type of opportunity not only stimulates academic inquiry, but also advances career development, cultural awareness, leadership and other professional skills.” Some of Hafner’s funding came from a donor to the College, who anonymously stepped up to make the experience more affordable for Monmouth students. The same was true for Ally Clay ’23, a public relations major who was also accepted into this summer’s program. Clay learned she could afford the summer program when she got some good news from Dugan. “The Fund for American Studies gave me a $3,000 scholarship, but when Marnie told me the school could give me an extra $3,000, I was like, ‘Oh, I can

go now,’” said Clay. “I wouldn’t be going without it.” Hafner said that Scots’ generosity is “one of the things I love so much about Monmouth.” “A lot of the donors haven’t met me and don’t know me personally, but they care enough about the school and the people who are going there to give their time and money. That means a lot,” he said. “I hope I can get to a point and do the same thing. That’s kind of what this school is all about.” Through the public policy and economics track of the two-month Fund for American Studies program, Clay and Hafner took an economics class through George Mason University while attending lectures, briefings and other events at the White House and the Capitol. They also participated in internships. Clay’s studies at Monmouth have her on a pre-law track—potentially to study at Washington University in St. Louis—and she knows from talking to Smithhisler and others that the Washington program will make her law school application stand out. “I was able to connect with different alumni who did this program, and I

know that some of them who are now in law school, it really helped them on their application,” said Clay. “I really wanted to do an internship for being pre-law, instead of just focused on public relations—something that would set me apart when applying to law school. And especially being able to go to D.C. and be in an area where all that happens in government, and where policy is made.” In addition to their shared experience in Washington, both Clay and Hafner have participated in the College’s Stockdale Fellows leadership program and Fighting Scots athletics. Hafner is also an editor of the College’s Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research, has served as a resident assistant, is a Writing Center tutor and is on the executive boards of two honor societies, having served as president of Alpha Lambda Delta and vice president of Blue Key. Clay is actively involved in Kappa Kappa Gamma, serving every year on its leadership board, and has been on the Panhellenic Council executive board in addition to serving as a Scot Ambassador.

Shay Hafner (left) and Ally Clay participated this summer in The Fund for American Studies program in the nation’s capital, following the path of other Monmouth students.

SUMMER 2022

ACADEMICS

Students earn academic credit during memorable Italy trip

The travelers unfurl the Monmouth flag at St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

Like several other Monmouth College students and members of the campus community, Lillian Hucke ’24 was looking forward to a College-sponsored trip to Italy at the end of the semester last fall. Ultimately, though, the pandemic won out. “Originally, I was supposed to go on the winter Scots Term trip to Italy with the classics and art departments,” said Hucke. “That trip was canceled due to the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases and the new variant of the coronavirus.” But Hucke still got to see the sights in Italy—including Venice, Florence and Rome—thanks to another College-sponsored trip in May. And, this time, it was even in her major. Through the course “Cross-Cultural Psychology in Italy,” 20 students made the trip to Italy May 17–26, earning academic credit on top of the wonderful learning experience. “The idea behind the course was examining different cultures in the United States and Italy, such as differences in art, culture and religion,” said psychology professor Carolyn Liesen, who led the trip along with department colleagues Joan Wertz and Ryan Colclasure. Monmouth Director of Global Engagement Christine Johnston was also part of the 29-member travel contingent. “For students considering or even slightly thinking about going on a study-abroad trip, I would advise them to do it,” said Hucke. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. There are not many times where you have your trip completely planned, get course credit, and get to travel with your friends.” In terms of comparisons, “Italy is a much older culture than the United States,” said Liesen, a point that was driven home repeatedly to Monmouth’s students. “Being able to see parts of the world that are so historic—not only to Italy but to human history overall—helped me to gain a better perspective about the world and my own life,” said Emma Wolfe ’23, who had also been scheduled to go on the December trip to Italy. Before spending the summer on campus as a Doc Kieft Scholar, Luis Castillo ’24 took part in the trip.

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“The old history that is connected to Italy is so rich and really puts into perspective how long humans have been on this world and how young our own nation is,” he said. The group first visited Venice, then headed to Florence. After a day trip to Assisi (the birthplace of St. Francis), the travelers completed their tour of Italy in Rome. “They had to do daily journals, addressing various prompts, then write a paper upon their return,” said Liesen, noting that subjects covered in those papers included fashion and the idea of collectivism versus individualism. “Every night, I wrote in my journal,” said Hucke. “The prompts were fun because they allowed me to reflect upon my day and trip thus far, but they also pushed me to reflect critically about Italy’s culture and my own.” Liesen had been to Italy before, but many others in the group were in a foreign land for the first time. “I was really excited to show the students what I love about Italy,” said Liesen. “Many of them hadn’t been outside the U.S. before, so we were exploring new experiences. I got a lot of “There are not joy out of their joy.” many times where “There were two or three additional excursions that made you have your trip the trip even more special,” completely planned, said Kaitlyn Fox ’23. “One was a cooking class, and another get course credit, that was mind-blowing was our and get to travel catacomb tour where we got to see a little section of where with your friends.” the dead used to be laid to rest. lillian hucke These hidden surprises were the cherries on top of this trip.” Even within Italy itself there were cross-cultural experiences, said Liesen. “In Rome, there were so many instances of ancient structures standing right next to modern buildings. That juxtaposition was fascinating.” It was Wolfe’s first trip abroad, and now she’s ready to go again and again. “It was such a great experience being able to go with a group of people I knew and trusted for my first time traveling outside of the country,” she said. “This trip helped me realize that other parts of the world, even though they may be far away, are not so different than where we live. I am now much more confident in myself and my travel capabilities, and I’m eager to go back to Europe to explore new places. It is kind of addicting—once you go and see one place, you want to see them all.”

MMXXII WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR CLASSICS Monmouth College’s Department of Classics had quite a year in 2021-22. It surely would’ve been enough for the department to put on another successful Classics Day, which it did the first Saturday in October, and to graduate another strong group of seniors, which it did during Commencement weekend in May. But in between, the department received special recognition at every turn, with individuals within the department receiving accolades, to go along with group honors. When classics professor Robert Holschuh Simmons arrived on campus in 2014, he brought with him an idea he started at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro—Classics Day. “The thing about the classical world is that one cannot travel there,” said Simmons. “So when we put on this event, it’s an opportunity for people to have that sort of immersive experience that is not possible generally.” Monmouth’s fifth installment of Classics Day featured a new addition—a collaboration with the College’s theatre department, which staged adaptations of classical works as part of its annual theatre festival, known as FusionFest. “The theatre department gets a lot of credit,” said Simmons. “Their participation made the event as a whole even more vibrant and energetic.” Outside sources agreed. The Classical Association of the Middle West and South’s Committee for the Promotion of Latin and Greek honored Classics Day V with its Outstanding Promotional Activity award. “This is, in many ways, the best honor we’ve received yet,” said Simmons. “And the thing that made this one stand out for me was how much student ownership there was. The responsibilities that the students took on and their level of professionalism was outstanding.”

The honors for the department kept coming during April’s annual Highlander Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to the campus community. The Classics Club received the Service Excellence Award, while Simmons was selected to receive the Advisor Excellence Award. Megan Dailey, a freshman classics major, was honored with the Emerging Leader Award. There was another honor to come later in the month for Dailey, who is also majoring in art and educational studies. She was chosen as the Freshman Woman of the Year by the Tau Pi chapter of Mortar Board. The same organization named classics and English major Olivia Matlock the Senior Woman of the Year.

Both students were actively involved in putting on Classics Day V and both earned a Maxima Cum Laude distinction on the National Latin Exam. A student who could one day follow in their footsteps is incoming freshman Kailyn Gore of Marlton, New Jersey. Gore, who received one of the College’s prestigious Trustees’ Scholarships, was referred to Monmouth by her high school Latin teacher, Mathew Underwood ’04. “Mr. Underwood has repeatedly said that Monmouth College changed his life for the better, and he’s probably been one of the best teachers I’ve had,” said Gore, who plans to major in international studies and continue her study of classics at Monmouth in preparation for law school.

Professor Simmons is flanked by two of his awardwinning students— Megan Dailey (left) and Olivia Matlock.

SUMMER 2022

PHILANTHROPY

Smiths’ $1 million gift commitment moves Light This Candle past its goal

sherm

Sherm Smith ’72 and his wife, Diane, have made a $1 million deferred gift commitment to Monmouth College. Their gift supports the College’s Light This Candle Campaign and was the specific gift that pushed the Campaign past its $75 million goal, a full eight months ahead of its planned Dec. 31 conclusion. A member of the College’s Board of Trustees from Irvine, Calif., Smith recently retired from his roles as owner, president and CEO of the Chambers Group, an environmental consulting firm that has completed numerous multi-million dollar projects throughout the southwestern United States, including habsmith itat restorations. “I sold the business, and I walked away from that in a good position financially,” said Smith, who spent his career in various roles connected with environmental engineering and consulting and was a champion of the College’s Center for Science and Business, which was built a decade ago. The $42 million facility represented a major change in the landscape from Smith’s time as a student, but as he’s remained active with his alma mater, he’s observed that Monmouth has remained the same as an outstanding place to receive a liberal arts education. “Monmouth College very much has been a family affair,” said Smith, whose mother, Mary Uhler Smith, graduated in 1941, and whose brother, Greg Smith ’74, followed him to campus

: “I made

some lifelong friends, and it (Greek life) was a wonderful experience. I’d like to help folks out who choose to go that route.”

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from their Burlington, Iowa, home. Mary was active in Pi Beta Phi, Greg was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sherm joined Tau Kappa Epsilon. “I really love Monmouth,” he said. “It meant the world to me when I was there. I would recommend that anybody really consider talking to their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews about going to Monmouth. It’s a wonderful school.” Smith elaborated, citing a recent tagline that Monmouth used to market itself. “A few years ago, the College had the slogan ‘What college was meant to be.’ And that really resonated with me. I was at Iowa State for one summer term, and that was enough for me. Monmouth was such a better experience for me.” While majoring in psychology and taking classes from professors Charles Meliska, Dean Wright and Bill Hastings, Smith was active in TKE, was a disc jockey for WRAM in downtown Monmouth and was named Blue Key’s Senior Man of the Year. “I’ve always wanted to give back to Monmouth,” he said. “I was there at a real turning point in my life. I was just getting back from the service (three years of active duty, including one in Vietnam), and I needed some place like Monmouth to get re-grounded and refocused. Monmouth provides a great nurturing attitude and environment. Not to mention all the wonderful friendships that I’ve developed through Monmouth over the years.” Smith intends for his gift to go toward capital improvement, perhaps a new facility to house Greek life residents. “Greek life isn’t for everybody, but it was for my mother, brother and me,” said Smith. “I made some lifelong friends, and it was a wonderful experience. I’d like to help folks out who choose to go that route.” “Sherm wanted to make a leadership statement and push us past our goal in the campaign,” said Monmouth Vice President for Development and College Relations Hannah Maher. “The process was relatively easy with an adjustment in their will.” Smith hopes the gift will make an impact on students who come to Monmouth in need of the same nurturing he received. “I just hope that my donation will be able to help folks that are in the same type of situation that I was in and helps get them on track for what they can be in life,” he said, “especially as it relates to students in the Greek system.” —Barry McNamara

Noted philosopher Ann Garry creates social engagement fund A pioneering scholar in feminist philosophy has started a fund to support Monmouth College faculty and students. A planned gift from Ann Garry ’65 of Beverly Hills, Calif., will “benefit students and faculty participating in socially engaged study and work.” The gift is part of the College’s ongoing Light This Candle Campaign. Garry is an emerita professor of philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles, where she was the founding director of the Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities. An early entrant into feminist philosophy, she was responsible for a significant amount of foundational work in the new field, including the development of early courses in feminist philosophy, early efforts to integrate feminist philosophy into other philosophical areas, and the creation of a new journal, Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy, which remains the premier journal in the field. Garry said that part of the motivation behind her gift is a simple desire to pay it forward. “I got a scholarship to attend Monmouth,” said Garry, who came to campus in 1961 from Jacksonville, Ill. “People long ago gave money to fund that scholarship, and I want to give something back, too.” She said she likes to support institutions and organizations with which she has a personal connection and “who aren’t going to waste it.” “I’ve been back to Monmouth a few times in recent years for a variety of reasons, and I like the spirit of the place,” said Garry. “The College is doing a really good job these days of trying to stay abreast of what students need, and doing that within the framework of a liberal arts education.”

Learning from Sam Thompson One of Garry’s trips to campus was in 2019 to present the College’s annual Sam Thompson Lecture. The series honors the legendary Monmouth philosophy professor and 1926 graduate who taught at his alma mater for 46 years. In between graduating and teaching, Thompson earned a master’s degree from Princeton University and a doctorate from Yale University. “He treated students with respect,” said Garry as she recalled her days as a philosophy major. “He didn’t make you do silly assignments that were trivial or petty. His assignments really made sense for what you should be learning. And that’s something I tried to emulate when I taught.” She continued other aspects of Thompson’s teaching, as well. “He was critical, but supportive, also,” she said. “That’s an important combination to have. He was a good mentor.” While some female students found they weren’t taken as seriously as their male counterparts in the early 1960s, Garry

said that wasn’t the case with how Thompson made her feel. “He had daughters, and even though they were older by that time, he knew what it was like to be 18 to 22 years old and be a smart girl,” she said. “Although he lived long enough to know that I became a philosophy professor, he would have been surprised that we could create an entire field of feminist philosophy and that I then continued to specialize in it. But it’s who I am.”

Becoming more open-minded Garry said another takeaway from her Monmouth education was learning that “every student is not alike. Or, more frankly, that not every student is like me. This can be surprisingly hard, but very important, for a teacher to learn.” But Garry recalls a moment when it was driven home, as she had an impromptu tutoring session with another member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. “I remember trying to help one of my sorority sisters with the logic course,” she said. “I learned right then that people’s ‘learning styles’ are different.” Garry also recalled being exposed to views from the other side of the aisle in an introductory political science course taught by (former dean) Harry Manley. “We read Supreme Court cases that taught me that many sides of an issue can be argued equally well. This was important to me because I’d come from Jacksonville, a typical little town in Illinois where almost everybody had the same political viewpoint, so that’s something I first figured out while I was at Monmouth. … I became more open-minded in college, and I think that’s something that’s served me well my entire life.” Garry graduated magna cum laude from Monmouth, then received a master’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1966 and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Maryland in 1970. During her tenure at Cal State L.A., Garry served several terms as the chair of the philosophy department. She has also held teaching appointments at UCLA and USC. After retiring from Cal State, she served as the Humphrey Chair of Feminist Philosophy at the University of Waterloo in Canada and held Fulbright lectureships at the University of Tokyo and Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. —Barry McNamara

Garry delivers a lecture at Monmouth College in 2015.

SUMMER 2022

R etirements

Stories by Barry McNamara

Marjorie Bond For 26 years, she gave students ‘the tools to be lifelong learners’

he data have been collected, and they lead to a convincing conclusion: Marjorie Bond had a rich and meaningful career in her 26 years as a Monmouth College professor, excelling not only as an educator but also as a researcher and a vital member of the larger campus community. “I believe in the Phi Beta Kappa motto of ‘Love of learning is the guide to life,’” said Bond, who has retired from her position as a professor in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science. “Being a lifelong learner was essential to my professional career, and my hope is that I inspired my students and colleagues to let the love of learning be their guide to life.” Evidence of Bond’s love of learning can be found in a development that occurred late in her Monmouth career—teaching data science, which she called “a combination of statistics, computer science, mathematics and a domain field.” “The more that I learned about data science, the more that I wanted to learn,” said Bond. “And the more I learned, the more I realized that I was a student again—no longer the master guiding students along a path so often traveled. Instead, I was leading my data science students through material that I was synthesizing. I found my teaching revitalized and a desire to be involved with other educators who are developing, implementing and assessing data science curricula and to work with undergraduate and graduate students through either formal coursework or research.” It was fitting to see Bond working right up to the end of the spring semester, as she led the faculty and the College’s graduating Class of 2022 up the sidewalk to Wallace Hall Plaza and to their seats for the Commencement ceremony. Bond became a faculty marshal in 1999 and has been chief marshal for the past 14 years. Bond has also been an award-winning adviser, first for Alpha Xi Delta women’s fraternity and, for the past 12 years, for Blue Key. One of the last pre-COVID events she helped organize in her latter role was a Pumpkin Fun Run in fall 2019. The combined efforts of several student organizations raised $2,000 for mammogram equipment at OSF Holy Family Medical Center. Advising students is near and dear to

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Bond’s heart. She was an integral part in developing what is now known on campus as Mentoring Day—a time especially devoted to having Monmouth students meet with their academic advisers to make sure they are still on track with their college plans or, perhaps, to come up with a new-and-improved Plan B. While some of her areas of service to the College have not, directly, been related to her academic field, another of her roles put her right in her element. Bond served as the College’s quantitative reasoning coordinator. Like her other roles, it required plenty of behind-thescenes diligence. As just one example, she played a vital role in determining whether students needed to take a foundational course in QR when Monmouth went “test-optional,” since ACT or SAT mathematics scores were previously used to determine placement. It all boils down to helping Monmouth students get the most out of their college education, while also conveying one of Bond’s core beliefs. “Our students need to become independent learners to thrive in this ever-changing world, and we need to ensure that our graduates leave the academy with the tools to be lifelong learners,” she said. “The student evolution to scholar may begin in a quantitative literacy course or in an introductory course in which the student is just passing through to other fields.” Bond completed her doctoral degree at Kansas State University, where she also taught for a year during a sabbatical from Monmouth. She earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees at the University of New Mexico. “Learning how to teach statistics during the statistics education reform movement ensured that I teach concepts over calculations and that I use active learning and real data.” Bond played a major role in that reform. From 2006–15, “the Survey of Attitudes Towards Statistics occupied most of my research time,” she said. “Candace Schau —the creator of SATS—and I collected The SATS Project that is a publicly available database containing data from students and instructors using three surveys. In the midst of that, we formed the first of several research groups that studied statistics attitudes.” In 2016, Bond received a membership initiative grant from the American Statistical Association for the Research on Statistics Attitudes project. “Essentially, through ROSA, the decision was made to create new statistics attitude instruments instead of adapting the SATS,” said Bond. “ROSA’s executive board formed the MASDER (Motivational Attitudes of Statistics and Data Science Education Research) group that eventually received a National Science Foundation grant in 2020. Using NSF’s funds, the MASDER group will create a family of instruments, called the Survey of Motivational Attitudes.” Next up for Bond will be a stint as a teaching professor in the Department of Statistics at Penn State’s main campus, University Park, where she will teach upper-level probability courses.

Frank Gersich and Judy Peterson Husband-and-wife team had significant impact on accounting students

or the better part of a quarter-century, it could be said that the husband-and-wife team of Frank Gersich and Judy Peterson had a “monopoly” on the accounting program at Monmouth College. The duo arrived on campus in 1998 and quickly became the heart of the program. In addition, Gersich took on a key administrative role, serving as associate dean of academic affairs, where one of his major tasks was preparing the College for its vital accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. As they move on to their next stop in Peterson’s hometown of Salina, Kansas, the couple is being celebrated by a generation of Monmouth accounting students who’ve gone on to career success. “Frank and Judy single-handedly have helped me to be in the life I currently am,” said certified public accountant Emily Flint Schmidt ’16, who works at Crowe LLP. “Judy helped teach me the fundamentals of accounting through a crazy adaptation of (the board game) Monopoly. Her classes laid the integral foundation for how accounting works, allowing me to take the very basic accounting concepts and apply them to technical and complex real-life client situations.” “Frank and Judy were certainly a huge part of the accounting program at Monmouth and are going to be missed,” said Nyle Stevens ’17, an audit manager at RSM. “They both made things interesting in their own way—Frank with his dry wit and Judy with her happy-go-lucky attitude and finding a way to involve Monopoly in accounting. Their instruction was a big reason why I was able to get my foot in the door working in public accounting and gave me the foundation I needed to be able to pass the CPA exam.” “I brought it from a previous institution, and I’d seen it before that, but I made it my own,” said Peterson of her Monopoly activity, which she also taught to accounting instructors at conferences. “It could be hard to grade, but I got so good at it, I could tell very quickly what they’d done wrong.” Schmidt also enjoyed her relationship with Peterson outside the classroom. “Not only is Judy a wealth of knowledge, she is like a mother —kind, easy to talk to and always welcoming,” she said. “Additionally, Judy advocates for the VITA program each year, which is not only instrumental for students to learn real-world tax, but is also so important for the Monmouth community.” The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which provides free income tax preparation to the local community, seemed to grow a little more every year through the start of the pandemic. In 2019, for example, the Internal Revenue Service program, which Peterson started on campus in 2000, prepared an even 1,000 returns at no cost to area residents, earning the Service Excellence Award at the College’s Highlander Awards ceremony. “I believe VITA is the most impactful thing I’ve ever done,” said Peterson, who plans to stay involved with the program

as a volunteer in Salina. “It made a difference for this community. It meant a lot to them, to the students and to me. I always believed that it wasn’t simply about accounting. It was about the community, and it really opened the students’ eyes.” VITA brought Monmouth’s students into the public eye, but former students said there were plenty of contributions by the couple that went unnoticed by many. “I have always felt that Frank and Judy both excelled at experiential learning opportunities for students,” said Jessica DeVore Johnston ’04, a commercial consultant in Caterpillar’s Enterprise Strategy Division. “Frank’s integration of the ‘Accounting Systems’ class into the upper level curriculum was an intentional—and for those like me, painful—way to set students up for success in the workplace. Less than one month in to my professional career, however, I was exceptionally grateful that he had pushed us and prepared us with the technological tools we would need to excel— pun intended.” Johnston also said both professors were ahead of their time in encouraging their students to seek internships. “While I didn’t spend as much of my time with Frank, one pivotal piece that he accomplished for the College was getting the Monmouth accounting curriculum pre-approved for eligibility to take the CPA exam,” said Schmidt. “This allowed me to fast-track my way into sitting for the CPA exams, as I already had all the required courses necessary.” “The biggest takeaway for me is the students,” said Gersich. “We pushed them and challenged them, but we were also there to support them. Some of them would come into my office and take a look at my cat pictures and just zen out a bit. I really enjoyed the camaraderie.” “I’m going to miss them terribly,” said Peterson.

SUMMER 2022

Looking Ahead. There is no better time than the present to think about your future. As you do, reflect on all you have done with your life and the people and places that have made an impact on you. A gift from your will, trust or retirement plan can leave a lasting legacy on future Monmouth College students.

A planned gift: • Costs nothing during your lifetime. • Preserves your savings and current cash flow. • Can be changed or revoked as needed. • Allows you to be far more generous than you ever thought possible. • Is easy to arrange—a simple paragraph added to your will is all it takes. If you are considering a legacy gift to Monmouth College or you already have planned for the College in your estate, please let us know. We want to thank you and ensure that your gift can be used as you intend.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Gena Alcorn ’88, CFRE Assistant Vice President for Development and Legacy Giving galcorn@monmouthcollege.edu 309-457-2427

monmouthcollege.giftplans.org

BRING ON THE BANDS

osting a large band at Monmouth College this summer could lead to having a large marching band on campus in the fall for years to come. That’s the thinking of first-year Director of Athletic Bands John Eckstine, whose pre-Monmouth experience provides ample space for the Colts to spread out and receive included leading marching bands in the Hollywood Christproper group training. mas Parade in California, the Miracle Mile Holiday Parade “Also, having (April Zorn Memorial Stadium) here puts in Chicago and the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. us in a mock performance venue,” he said. “It allows us to Shortly after beginning his position last November, Eckbetter prepare our show and help make it more presentable stine invited a few select drum corps organizations to use to the audience.” the Monmouth campus as the site of their “band boot camp.” Founded in 1963, the Colts are one of the most consisThe Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, tently successful drum corps in the nation. Since Iowa, accepted the invitation. The organization formally adopting the “Colts” name in 1976, the sent several dozen band members to campus in organization has grown considerably, reaching February for a weekend on campus. The Colts remore than 500 students annually through its turned in June for an intensive month of practice THE IDEA IS TO two drum corps, a summer band and steel drum before departing on their summer tour. It will culGET THEM ON ensembles, as well as thousands of fans who see minate with the Drum Corps International World CAMPUS TO the groups perform every season. Championship Finals Aug. 11–13 at Lucas Oil StaLET THEM SEE Including staff, about 160 members of the THAT THIS IS AN dium in Indianapolis. Colts team were housed in the College’s LiedOUTSTANDING “I wanted to find something that would put this PLACE TO man Hall. place on the map,” said Eckstine of hosting a drum In addition to getting Monmouth on a musiCOME TO AND corps. cal map, Eckstine said it’s also important to get PERFORM IN Of the four drum corps organizations that EckMonmouth on musicians’ minds. A MARCHING stine invited to practice at Monmouth, he said the BAND.” “The idea is to get them on campus to let them Colts were a great match. JOHN ECKSTINE see that this is an outstanding place to come to “They are a perfect fit for us, and we’re a perfect and perform in a marching band,” he said. fit for them,” he said. Eckstine hopes the Colts will, in turn, attract other talColts Brass Arranger Mike Miller said the group enjoyed ented musicians to campus. its new summer place. “I would like to see high school band kids get here and “This is the first time we’ve stayed in the same place observe,” said Eckstine. throughout our entire spring instruction period in a numThroughout the summer, Eckstine is making prepaber of years,” said Miller. “Most years, we bounce around rations to host his own band boot camp—the annual between three or four high schools. Being able to stay in the weeklong training for the Fighting Scots Marching Band, same place is a great advantage.” Aug. 16–22. Miller said instruction is focused on three main areas— —Barry McNamara brass, percussion and color guard. Monmouth’s campus

Eckstine at an evening drill by the Colts in June at April Zorn Memorial Stadium.

SUMMER 2022

NEWSMAKERS

THORNDIKEGONZALES

CONNELL

KRISHER

Jennifer Thorndike-Gonzales, chair of the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies, and Mike Connell, professor of business and economics, are the most recent recipients of Monmouth College’s prestigious Hatch Award. Thorndike-Gonzales, who received the Hatch Award for Scholarship and Creative Work, is an internationally renowned novelist, short-story writer and scholar. Since joining Monmouth’s faculty in 2017, she has had three scholarly articles published, and two more are awaiting publication. She has also written several reviews of films and books and been a keynote or invited speaker 19 times at 15 different events. Connell received the Hatch Award for Distinguished Service. The veteran Monmouth professor chairs the Faculty and Institutional Development Committee, and over the past year he chaired two search committees as his department works to establish an agribusiness management program. Kristy Krisher has joined the Monmouth College Wackerle Center for Career, Leadership and Fellowships as associate director of employer relations and internship development. Krisher, who has worked in human resources in the private sector, holds a master’s degree in publlic administration and is currently completing a docotrate of organization and leadership with specialization in human resource development. In her new role, Krisher will help students be more intentional about how their studies and their interests intersect with professional opportunities. Elijah Lind ’23, who serves as president of Monmouth’s Gamma Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, has been named one of 10 regional winners of the fraternity’s prestigious Franck J. Ruck Leadership Award. The award is presented to a chapter or individual who shows outstanding campus or community leadership and makes significant positive changes on the campus/community as a whole. Lind recently completed his third term as chapter president.

LIND

Tim Wells ’87 returned to his alma mater in April to present Monmouth’s 2022 Whiteman Lecture. An avid outdoorsman and YouTube sensation whose hunting videos are viewed more than half a billion times each year, Wells is the author of two books and the winner for the last six years of the Golden Moose Award for Best Outdoor Host. He also runs a manufacturing business of specialized hunting gear. WELLS

Tucker Quinn is Monmouth College’s new director of digital media. A native of the Kansas City, Mo., area, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University and his master’s degree from Youngstown State (Ohio) University. For the past two years he was an athletics communications graduate assistant at Youngstown State, and he was previously media relations manager for Northwest Missouri State. QUINN

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By Barry McNamara Photos: Kent Kriegshauser

A weekend of homecomings

ommencement weekend was a homecoming event for two of the featured speakers who helped celebrate Monmouth College’s Class of 2022 on May 14–15. Kunal Kapoor, a 1997 Monmouth graduate and chief executive officer of Morningstar Inc., delivered Sunday’s Commencement address to the 172 seniors who gathered on the Wallace Hall Plaza. The day before, the Rev. Dr. Teri McDowell Ott, editor and publisher of the national magazine The Presbyterian Outlook and formerly Monmouth chaplain for a decade, presented the traditional Baccalaureate sermon. In addition to making returns to campus, both Kapoor and Ott asked the students to pose a question to themselves. For Kapoor, it was to list 15 things that the graduates—which included seven sets of twins—hoped to accomplish within the next 15 years.

‘Your liberal arts chops’ Kapoor told them they would be helped along the way to those accomplishments by calling upon “the liberal arts chops” they’d acquired at Monmouth, and also by following three basic guidelines: “Speak your own truth … operate with grit … know what you stand for.” Kapoor also received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater. Relating to the first point, Kapoor said he had a decision to make between two opportunities as he neared the end of his senior year at Monmouth, and he chose to take the lower-paying one. “But Morningstar spoke to me,” he said of the investment company he joined almost exactly 25 years ago on May 19, 1997.

ABOVE: Iliana Torres, a cum laude elementary education major from Chicago, strikes a joyful pose following the Commencement ceremony.

For Commencement photo galleries and videos, visit: monmouthcollege.edu/ commencement

Continued on next page

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“Speak your own truth … operate with grit … know what you stand for.” Kunal Kapoor ’97

Continued from page 21 Then, Morningstar had around 200 employees, and Kapoor’s first assignment was simply data entry. Now, Kapoor is CEO of a company with 10,000 employees. From Monmouth, he joined employees who had studied at universities such as Notre Dame, Northwestern and Michigan. But in his CEO role, he emphasizes looking at graduates from smaller liberal arts schools, “because they have grit.” “Embrace the fact that you have those advantages,” he told the graduates. The other featured speaker at the Commencement ceremony was summa cum laude graduate Elizabeth Gustafson, Monmouth’s Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Gustafson reminded her classmates of the grit they showed, moving from the shock of online learning as sophomores, to hybrid learning as juniors, to taking a leadership role in a transition year as seniors.

it could lead to a national presence, which she now has in her Presbyterian Outlook role. “We all need people who see us and value our potential,” said Ott. “The people who saw me changed the trajectory of my life. Seniors, I encourage you to think of who has seen you at Monmouth. Who saw you? Who pushed you? Who helped you rise to your God-given potential? Some of you changed so much here that you are like new people today.” Immediately following Baccalaureate, members of the senior class participated in the Honor Walk, in which they presented a silver coin (called a “talent”) to a person who was influential to their college experience. On Saturday evening, the Class of 2022 gathered at April Zorn Memorial Stadium for a celebration that featured a champaign toast by President Clarence R. Wyatt and a fireworks display. At noon on Sunday, President Wyatt opened the outdoor Commencement ceremony by saying he’d make only one mention of the “R-word,” and he stayed true to that promise. The overcast skies held off rain for the entire ceremony—a bit of a surprise considering the number of dreadful weather days Monmouth experienced during the spring—and the temperature was a comfortable 70 degrees, with a gentle breeze. Wyatt saluted the Class of 2022, praising them for their four years of “dedication, study and hard work. Two-and-a-half of those years were in the shadow of COVID. To quote the Grateful Dead, ‘What a long, strange trip it’s been.’” Wyatt was on the platform at Wallace Hall—named for Monmouth’s first president, David Wallace—to present the graduates with their diplomas. It called to mind the message that Wallace himself delivered to Monmouth’s graduates 145 years ago: “We should address you a few parting words, place in your

‘Who saw you?’ Ott’s Baccalaureate message drew on the biblical story of the woman at the well, whom Jesus engaged with despite their differences in gender and religion, which were both major social barriers at the time. “Jesus sees that she’s created for more,” Ott told the gathering in Dahl Chapel and Auditorium. “One person changed her course. It’s amazing the kind of influence that someone who ‘sees’ us can have on our life.” Ott said former Monmouth Dean of Students Jacquelyn Condon “saw” her and told her that if she accepted the chaplaincy at Monmouth,

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Former College chaplain the Rev. Dr. Teri McDowell Ott returned to Monmouth to preach the Baccalaureate sermon. She is pictured between religious studies major and Presbyterian Scholar Kolby Carnes ’22 and interim chaplain the Rev. Brandon Ouellette ’14.

The soon-to-be graduates enjoy a fireworks display at April Zorn Memorial Stadium the night before Commencement.

hands the parchment which you have fairly won, and give you our blessing,” Wallace told Monmouth’s Class of 1877.

Honors and announcements Fifteen members of the Class of 2022 graduated summa cum laude. In addition to Gustafson, those students included: Alexandra Chamberlain, Karlie Drish, Riley Dulin, Mariah Garzee, Alex Hatlestad, Hannah Jones, Jordan Kintigh, Sidney Moore, Julia Oakson, Kaitlyn Osmulski, Andrew Shie, Matt Simonson, Sara Simonson and Karisa Warren. Faculty promotions were announced at Commencement. Promoted to full professor was Dan Ott (philosophy and religious studies). Receiving tenure and promotion to associate professor was Janis Wunderlich (art). Also announced were the recipients of the College’s three Hatch Awards for Academic Excellence. Business and economics professor Mike Connell received the Hatch Award for Service, while the Hatch Award for Scholarship went to modern languages, literatures and cultures professor Jennifer Thorndike-Gonzales. Chemistry professor Laura Moore received the Hatch Award for Distinguished Teaching at Homecoming. The College also recognized three faculty members who retired at the end of the academic year: Marjorie Bond (26 years in mathematics) and husband and wife professors Frank Gersich and Judy Peterson (both 24 years in accounting).

ABOVE: Professor Marjorie Bond, who retired after 26 years, leads her last procession as chief faculty marshal, a role she had performed for 14 years. LEFT: After posing for a group photo on the steps of Huff Athletic Center, the Class of 2022 creates a celebratory sea of red and white streamers.

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SEEING DOUBLE

Nicole and Emma Poole

Courtney

Fifteen siblings who shared the womb shared the Commencement spotlight in May By Barry McNamara

he students who made up the headline-grabbing number of siblings in Monmouth College’s incoming Class of 2022 racked up a considerable number of accomplishments during their time on campus, and they were still making news on their final weekend at the school. Kara Fisher, Jonathan Oradiegwu and Jordan Peckham—who came to Monmouth as a freshman in 2018 along with one of her triplet sisters—all won individual track and field events at the Midwest Conference Championships. Peckham, who studied biochemistry, graduated along with Fisher and her twin sister, Courtney Fisher, Oradiegwu and his twin brother, Joseph Oradiegwu, and five other sets of twins—Jordyn and Payton Gosell, Jenna and Jessica Pauley, Kaleb and Kody Plattenberger, Emma and Nicole Poole and Matt and Sara Simonson. A remarkable total of 12 of the siblings graduated with departmental honors. The Simonsons were both summa cum laude graduates, while the Pooles both graduated magna cum laude. “A lot of them were in my major, and Jon and Joe were both on the track team with me,” said Peckham, whose sister Payton attended Monmouth for one year before hamstring issues forced her to leave the track team and enroll elsewhere. “It comes up a lot—there’s a lot of them.” “We knew the Simonsons, but it was crazy to find out there were so many other sets of twins, and that we’re all so different,” said Emma Poole.

Which one is which? “Sometimes, coaches try to say ‘Hi’ to us,” said Courtney Fisher, who was not on the track team with her sister. “One time, (track) Coach (Brian) Woodard started talking to me about track practice.” There was an awkward silence. “Then he said, ‘I got the wrong one, didn’t I?’” said Courtney. Kara said that she and Courtney were fairly similar to each other as students at Monmouth-Roseville High School. College brought a shift in that dynamic. “We started to change in college,” she said. “There were not as many opportunities in high school. We were able to grow a lot more in college, because there were so many more opportunities to grow.” Unlike some of the twins, the Gosells were together nearly all the time, both majoring in exercise science and psychology and competing on the soccer team. On top of that, they were roommates. “I think we’re ready to be apart,” said Payton, who looks so much like her sister that the twins were able to walk across the stage and receive each other’s diploma at their graduation from Grayslake Central High School. They didn’t repeat the stunt at Monmouth’s ceremony (at least we think they didn’t—we’re not entirely sure). They said their similar looks came in handy during all the classes they shared.

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“You don’t get called on in class as often, because the professor doesn’t want to call on the wrong one,” said Payton. Jordyn said she and her sister knew all along that they’d attend the same college. “There was no going somewhere else without each other,” she said. “We told all the people that recruited us, ‘We come as a package. If you don’t want both of us, you can’t have one of us.’” Monmouth’s coach at the time, Nick Rizzo, was certainly happy to receive the Gosell package, as both players started as sophomores as the Fighting Scots qualified for their first-ever NCAA soccer tournament.

First times apart In contrast to several of the twins and their similar appearance are the Simonsons.

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Jordyn and Payton Gosell

and Kara Fisher

Sara and Matt Simonson

Jordan Peckham

Jessica Pauley

“I’ve had people I’ve all known all four years, and they just found out we were twins,” said Matt, who will attend graduate school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. Meanwhile, Sara is also headed to grad school, but she’ll be at the University of Wisconsin. The Gosells are also headed to graduate schools in different states. Jordyn will attend Concordia University-Chicago to study clinical mental health counseling, while Payton will enroll at the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Palmer is also the destination for Jenna Pauley, half of a later set of twins from the Class of 2022. While Jenna enrolled at Monmouth for the fall of her freshman year, Jessica didn’t join her until transferring in for that year’s spring semester. Together, they played softball and helped the Fighting Scots reach the Midwest Conference playoffs this season. Both players batted over .330, and Jenna was the team’s No. 2 starting pitcher.

Initially separated when college began, the Pauley twins will be headed in different directions again, as Jessica will attend pharmacy school at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. The Fishers are also separating, and it came just before an important date. “We’re turning 22 this month (May 22), and this will be our first birthday apart,” said Kara, who will be an ophthalmology technician in Geneva, Ill. Courtney will attend nursing school at the University of Indianapolis. Speaking of birthdays, Peckham not only shares a birthday with her sister, Payton, but also with her triplet sister, McKenzie. And there’s a fourth family birthday near hers, as well. “I have a little sister who’s a year younger than me,” said Peckham, who Continued on page 26

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A SAMPLING In our continuing tradition, the Monmouth spirit of Four years younger, many of Monmouth’s Class of 2022 twins gathered in front of the College sign in August 2018. Front row, from left: Kara and Courtney Fisher, Sara Simonson. Back row, from left: Nicole and Emma Poole, Payton and Jordan Peckham, Jonathan and Joseph Oragiegwu, Jordyn and Payton Gosell, Kaleb and Kody Plattenberger.

TWINS Continued from page 23 is headed to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. “We’re the same age for nine days, and I think those nine days are the coolest days of the year.”

A unique and special group Within each set of twins, there are distinguishing characteristics. When they all arrived at Monmouth at the same time, each set of siblings needed its own descriptor, as well, as it wasn’t enough to simply say, “I’m meeting the twins to study.” “So we had to start using ‘the basketball twins’ (the Oradiegwus), ‘the soccer twins’ (the Gosells), ‘the track twins’ (the Peckhams),” said Payton Gosell. The Oradiegwu twins are both returning to their home in Richmond, Texas, to study for the Medical College Admission Test. In the meantime, Jonathan will work as a scribe for Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. There were also “the football twins”—Kaleb and Kody Plattenberger. Kody will work for State Farm in Moline, Ill., while Kaleb will teach physical education at Farmington (Ill.) High School. The Pooles belong to two subsets—the twins from United High School just outside of Monmouth, where they’d become best friends with the Simonsons—and the twins whose parents work at the College, a distinction shared by the Fishers. At Monmouth’s graduation ceremony, College painter Dana Poole was on stage to present diplomas to his daughters, while student life administrative assistant Heather Fisher did the same for hers. Poole, who is president of the United School District Board of Education, had also presented his daughters’ diplomas when they graduated from junior high and high school. That’s a tremendous honor for any parent, and a memorable moment for their child, as well. It added one more layer to what was already a unique and special time for all the siblings. “I feel honored to be a part of this group,” said Emma. “I think it’s really cool.”

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Matt Datlof

Law school beckons for Moot Court winner and former Scots pitcher

hether it was writing legal briefs or pitching for the Fighting Scots baseball team, Matt Datlof was undefeated in his Monmouth College career. A four-year participant in the College’s moot court competition, Datlof helped institute a legal brief-writing component for the 2020 edition of the event. Datlof won the inaugural writing portion that year, then followed up last fall by defending that title, as well as winning—for the first time—the Top Advocate honor for the main oral component. “There are very few colleges in the United States that offer moot court opportunities to undergraduates,” said Datlof. “It’s probably one of the best experiences I’ve had as a student. It’s very challenging, and you get to present in front of real lawyers and even real judges. It requires you to think through a complex problem and to be able to argue both sides of an issue. You really need to think about things in a holistic manner.” Before Datlof was aware that he could compete in a court setting on a campus, he knew he’d have an opportunity on the baseball diamond. “I played baseball in high school,” said Datlof, who had considered pitching at a community college before transferring to a Division I school. “I’m not sure how (Monmouth) Coach (Alan) Betourne found me, but he texted me and said he’d like me to visit. I was really impressed by the campus and the people I met. It was unexpected, but I had a feeling to go for it.” Helping to make the case were players on the Scots’ record-breaking 2018 team, who Datlof said “encouraged” him to come to Monmouth.

OF SENIOR SCOTS we profile a few graduates who exemplify active exploration and achievement

Profiles by Barry McNamara Datlof’s college pitching career has had some bumps along the way, but he hoped to finish it as he started, when he went 2–0 as a I’VE ALWAYS BEEN IN- freshman while making TERESTED IN CRIMINAL five appearances. The LAW, BUT BECAUSE combination of a shoulder OF MY CLASSES AT injury and the pandemic’s MONMOUTH, I’M ALSO effects on spring sports NOW INTERESTED IN the last two years unfortuCONSTITUTIONAL LAW nately prevented him from AND ADMINISTRATIVE doing so. The graduate is happy LAW, TOO.” to still be competing, both MATT DATLOF athletically and academically. He is applying to law schools and might land in his hometown at the Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Datlof said past moot court champions and current law school students Hadley Smithhisler ’20 and Emma Hildebrand ’21, who attend Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame, respectively, told him Monmouth’s competition prepared them well. “They both said it’s helped them immensely,” said Datlof. “They said they have an edge up—they absolutely do. And it looks good on a résumé, too.” Datlof has known for a while that he wanted to go to law school, but his time at Monmouth has opened up new possibilities. “I’ve always been interested in criminal law, but because of my classes at Monmouth, I’m also now interested in

constitutional law and administrative law, too,” he said. Many of his political science classes were taught by Andre Audette, who helped Datlof choose a new path from his original plan to study accounting and business. “Andre Audette is solely responsible for me changing my major,” said Datlof. “I took his ‘Civil Liberties’ class and realized how much I liked political science. It appealed to me because it’s about solving complex problems, not only in the political world but the world, in general. I enjoy thinking about those problems in different frameworks and through different lenses. It’s also a good segue to what I’m going to be doing after Monmouth.” Together with Audette, Datlof set up a research project last spring that “looked into how various characteristics of a candidate affected voter perception.” Some of those characteristics included if the candidate was a vegan, a skateboarder, a bodybuilder, a gamer or a hunter. “Being a hunter was particularly polarizing,” said Datlof. “Republican voters really love hunters, but Democrats dislike them. Republican voters really didn’t dislike any of the groups. Democrats were more drawn to vegans.” An Amazon survey for the project was conducted in late July and early August 2021. Datlof and Audette worked with the data, which they presented at the 79th annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference this spring. Datlof also presented his senior thesis at the Henry Symposium on Religion and Public Life in Grand Rapids, Mich. His topic was the Supreme Court’s stance on the free exercise of religious jurisprudence, which he said has “seen a flip-flop over the past several years.” “What makes Monmouth different is that it offers a lot of different opportunities that you wouldn’t get anywhere else,” said Datlof. “You get to know your professors and have individual experiences with them, which is fantastic. There’s also a fantastic alumni base that is eager to help you.”

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Natalia Garcia

Starbucks promise fulfilled with internship

hen Natalia Garcia was looking for the right college choice four years ago, her Monmouth College admissions counselor Peter Pitts made her a promise. “He took me and my mom to Starbucks,” said Garcia. “He told me that Monmouth is the kind of place that I’d be able to network and find employment through faculty and alumni.” That assurance—and the opportunity to continue as a goalie in water polo—were the major factors in Garcia’s decision to enroll at Monmouth. One of Garcia’s political science professors, Robin

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINE THROUGH DEMOCRACIES AROUND THE WORLD, NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES.” NATALIA GARCIA

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Johnson, fulfilled the promise made by Pitts, who retired three

years ago after helping attract more than 2,000 Chicago-area students to Monmouth during his 27 years with the school. “Professor Johnson forwarded me an email about an internship and told me it would be a good opportunity,” said Garcia. She acted on the suggestion and on Sept. 1 will begin a 10-month stint in the state capital of Springfield, serving as a legislative intern in the Illinois Senate’s communication department. “I’ve been interested in government and politics since I was a little girl,” said Garcia. “My parents were very civically involved, and they’ve always encouraged me to vote and that type of thing. I’ve campaigned for politicians at every level, mostly local ones.” Between graduation and the start of her internship, Garcia is hoping to find related work, which might lead her to the Republican-leaning state of Arizona. Wherever she lands, she wants to help campaign for the November midterm elections. “I want to be part of the generation that puts forth progressive change,” she said. Garcia chose international studies as a major, along with a history major and a minor in political science. She said she appreciated gaining a global perspective. “International studies gave me the opportunity to learn about the political science discipline through democracies around the world, not just the United States, which was basically all I was exposed to in high school,” said Garcia, whose parents were born in Mexico. “I especially enjoyed learning about the histories and governments of Latin American countries.” Johnson wasn’t the only professor Garcia got to know on a much closer level than what would have been the case at a larger school. “I really enjoyed the close connections with my professors,” she said. “That’s the thing I like most about Monmouth—that your professor can also be one of your friends. (History) Professor (Amy) de Farias was my adviser, and she helped me all four years I was here. (Political science) Professor (Mike) Nelson gave me a lot of advice about life after college.” As she looks back, Garcia can still picture herself in that Starbucks, with a big decision in front of her. “I do love it here. I think I’m really going to miss it,” she said. “I’m really happy to have chosen to come here. … My education at Monmouth was more than I could ever expect. It’s all about what you make of it. Whatever you do, if you go in with a positive outlook, you’ll make memories and friends and have an even better experience than you’d think you have.”

Julia Oakson

Scot senior enjoyed immersion in Scotland

ulia Oakson enjoyed and benefited from her time at Monmouth College, but the Goldsborough Scholar was also keenly aware throughout her time as a student that there’s a big world out there waiting to be explored. That feeling only deepened during Oakson’s time abroad last fall, when she spent a semester studying at the University of Stirling in Scotland, along with her college roommate, Ady Eastburg ’22 and another senior, Taylor Balsitis. “I was originally going to go to Europe as part of a shortterm course in May of 2020,” said Oakson, who came to Monmouth from St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Illinois. The early days of the pandemic nixed her plans for Europe, and COVID-19 also ruled out a semester abroad during her junior year, the time that many students select for such an experience. She and her classmates pinned their hopes on the College’s partnership with Stirling, and they spent an anxious few months in the middle of 2021 tracking COVID in the United Kingdom. “The cases were high while we watched developments over the summer,” said Oakson. “We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, are we still going to be able to go?’ But the way it worked out, we were able to go in between the delta and omicron variants.” Finally, the trio received word they’d be able to travel, and they were in Scotland from Sept. 1 through Dec. 15. The pandemic still had an effect on their time abroad, as classes at Stirling were mainly online. The silver lining to that cloud was more unscheduled time. “The lectures for my classes were recorded,” said Oakson, who took courses in media and marketing and attended seminars that met in person once a week. “It’s not the traditional university experience we would’ve had before the pandemic, but it really allowed us time to travel.” Among the highlights she saw in Scotland were Loch Ness, the Isle of Skye’s Fairy Pools and Quiraing landslip, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct. “Everyone goes there,” she said of the Fairy Pools, which feature multiple blue and green waterfalls with cold, swimmable pools. “It’s one of those places that was on a list of ‘off-the-beaten-path’ type places, and now everyone knows about it.” Oakson said Stirling’s location is roughly equidistant from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, making it possible for frequent visits to both cities. In November, Glasgow hosted the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference, so Oakson was able to experience part of that, as well, observing some of the related protests. She also left the country to visit London and Dublin. “I’ve loved my time at Monmouth, but it’s small,” she said. “I know there’s a lot out there, and I want to see it.”

A public relations major, Oakson said being gone for the first half of her senior year put her behind on her job search. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Oakson, when asked about her post-college plans. “I’m looking into doing marketing, or copywriting, or digital media—things like that.” She has interned for Prairie Communications in downtown Monmouth and did design work and marketing for the College’s Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research. “It was pretty great,” said Oakson of finally realizing her goal to be abroad. “I feel really accomplished now that I’ve been.”

IT’S NOT THE TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE WE WOULD’VE HAD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT REALLY ALLOWED US TIME TO TRAVEL.” JULIA OAKSON

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Kendall Burt

Artistic psychology major envisioning career in art therapy

MY IDEAL AUDIENCE WOULD BE TO WORK WITH COLLEGE-AGED STUDENTS AND UP— MORE MIDDLE-AGE PEOPLE. I THINK THOSE WOULD BE GOOD AGE GROUPS TO EXPOSE TO ART THERAPY.” KENDALL BURT

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

he more Kendall Burt learned about getting into the field of art therapy, the more she learned it could be an exclusive field. That was especially true of finding a graduate school with a three-year master’s degree program. Most offer only two years of study. “I found that there’s not many out there,” said Burt, a psychology major and an art minor who was considering settling for a two-year program. But after consulting with Sydney Greenwalt, one of her Monmouth psychology professors and a Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville alumna, Burt found a three-year program she liked at SIU-E. But there was a catch. “I looked it up and thought, ‘This would be cool,’” she said. “But they only accept 10 students for the program. I was super nervous about that.” Burt submitted her application and heard back within three days that the school wanted to interview her as a candidate for the program. Her next response from SIU-E would come even quicker. Burt began with group interviews on the first day of the twoday process. On the second day, she had a solo interview with three SIU-E faculty members. “I talked about the three art pieces I submitted with my application,” she said. “Then I told them how much I valued forming relationships with the faculty, like we have here at Monmouth. I told them that was super important to me. I also told them it was important to me to still be able to make art. For some art therapy programs, there really wasn’t an art component. And I told them it was important for me to have discussion-based classes rather than straight lectures, because that’s how my brain works and what I excel in.” At the end of the interview, the faculty members broke away momentarily, then returned to Burt. “They said, ‘We want to let you know right now that we would love to have you,’” said Burt. “Right away, there were tears of joy. I thought it was like a dream. I told one of my professors what happened (with the immediate invitation), and they said, ‘They don’t (normally) do that.’” When discussing her award-winning artwork last year, Burt described the effect that art has had on her. “Art is the process of making something out of nothing,” she said at the time. “Art has saved my life, in a way. It’s my therapy; it keeps me grounded and calm. … It would be cool to help others through art the same way that art has helped me.” Burt provided a recent example of how art has come to her rescue, helping her overcome the not-uncommon issue of body image. She created a “figure of my body, and it helped me love what I have and who I am,” she said. “It didn’t feel like homework; it felt like therapy.” Burt had already practiced her craft on

campus, helping an “Abnormal Psychology” class ease into what could be some difficult topics. “We did some mindfulness art,” said Burt. “The message was, ‘Let’s be nice to ourselves and take care of ourselves before we talk about these things.’” Her senior research in psychology examined how making art can reduce anxiety in college students. “Even though I had a small sample size, I found significant results,” said Burt, whose decision to attend Monmouth was based on its ceramics program and the psychology faculty

she met. “The data showed that even just 30 minutes of an activity like coloring can help reduce anxiety.” When Burt completes her master’s degree in 2025, she’s open to possibilities, which could include joining an established art therapy organization or starting her own. “If one exists, I would join it right away,” she said. “But I could also see pairing up with people to make that a thing. My ideal audience would be to work with college-aged students and up—more middle-age people. I think those would be good age groups to expose to art therapy.”

C.J. Bonifer

Freshman project predicted Ukraine crisis

n independent research project that C.J. Bonifer completed three years ago proved to be an accurate glimpse into the future, although slightly off geographically. As a freshman, Bonifer worked on a project under the guidance of former communication studies professor Robert Hinck . Titled “Russian Media Appeals in the Baltic States,” it made the observation that signs were pointing to the distinct possibility of Russian military aggression in the region. “Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Baltic States— Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia—have been at the forefront of Russian attention and coordinated media attacks,” wrote Bonifer at the time. “This series of events have not been highly publicized by U.S. media outlets, so research showing these actions is ever important.” Specifically, Bonifer studied how Russian media was constructing its interests in the Baltic States and how those narratives changed over time. He also studied how those narratives were resonating with Baltic audiences. Although Ukraine is just south of the geographic region Bonifer studied, many of the same implications have turned out to be present there, including the need for those nations to “create narrative projects bolstering identity to fend off Russian influence” and “strengthening NATO narratives and promotion of common identity.” The flip side, said Bonifer, was Russia’s intent to create a sense of Russian nationalism among Baltic Russians and painting the United Nations, NATO and the European Union negatively, all while building up its military and naval presence. “I still have the research poster,” said Bonifer. “Literally, everything you can see in it is what happened (in Ukraine). It’s very surreal.” Bonifer jumped at the chance to work with Hinck after hearing about the research he was working on at the time. Hinck

had received a grant to work with the Strategic Multilayer Assessment community, which focuses on examining foreign media reporting on issues critical to U.S. strategic interests. The project led to Hinck receiving the College’s prestigious Gundersen Junior Faculty Scholarship Award. “I approached him after hearing about it, and he explained it to me and told me the process behind it,” said Bonifer. “The work that he and his colleagues were doing was helping to solve problems that government officials didn’t have time to solve.” Bonifer told Hinck of his interest in the Baltic States, which fit right in to Hinck’s goal of finding Monmouth students interested in tracking foreign media. “He said, ‘Why don’t you do an independent research project with me?’ said Bonifer. “I said, ‘Sure, why not?’ Looking back, I remember that I didn’t think I would be doing that type of research as a freshman.” The experience was one of many academic opportunities that enriched Bonifer’s Monmouth education. The public relations major is now working for J&L Marketing of Louisville, Ky.

SUMMER 2022

MONMOUTHIANA

Seeds of ag dynasty N

By JEFF RANKIN Editor

A 1909 edition of Wallaces’ Farmer, a weekly journal for western farmers that promoted “Good Farming, Clear Thinking, Right Living.”

othing is more iconic to Monmouth College than the name Wallace. Its flagship building, named in honor of its first president, David Wallace, is dear to the heart of every Monmouth graduate. But few alumni are aware of the College’s connection to some other celebrated members of the Wallace clan.

If you have rural roots, you may have heard of the monthly agricultural publication Wallaces Farmer, which began in 1895 as the weekly Wallaces’ Farm and Dairy. Its first editor, who founded the Iowabased paper with his sons Henry Cantwell Wallace and John Wallace, was popularly known as “Uncle” Henry Wallace. Henry C. Wallace would expand the family’s agricultural empire through scientific research (he was professor of dairying at what is now Iowa State University) and serve as Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Harding and Coolidge. Henry C.’s son, Henry Agard Wallace, would carry on his father’s tradition, developing the first commercial hybrid seed corn and also serving as Secretary of Agriculture under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As his political influence grew, Henry A. Wallace was elected vice president under FDR and ran for president himself. Henry A. Wallace would also marry Ilo Browne, a Monmouth College alumna. Uncle Henry Wallace, who was born into a Presbyterian family in rural Pennsylvania in 1836, initially pursued a career in the ministry, and that course took him through Monmouth. Wallace lived on his family’s farm until age 20, when he entered a preparatory

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school in Ohio. The following year he enrolled in Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1859. After teaching for a year at Columbia College in Kentucky, he began studies at Allegheny Theological Seminary, but found the rigidness of its Presbyterian leaders overwhelming, so against his father’s wishes he decided to go west in 1861 to the newly established United Presbyterian seminary at Monmouth. Letters Wallace wrote to his great-grandchildren that were published in his magazine between 1916–1919 offer some fascinating insight into frontier life in Monmouth during the Civil War era. Wallace took a train to Chicago on the Fort Wayne Railroad—pulled by an antiquated engine with a peculiar wide smokestack over tracks with ties set into mud ballast that caused a loud clicking noise. The trip from Chicago to Monmouth took a full day, and Wallace was amazed by the scenery, which seemed to him to be one vast cornfield. Arriving at Monmouth, he was actually met by a man in the grain business—a Mr. Campbell who was an old friend of his father’s. “I was much surprised at that time,” he wrote, “to find old corn was 10 cents a bushel and new corn was 8 cents. It seemed as if the state was literally full of corn. It was piled up in rail pens, without covering, around the houses and other buildings, and sometimes in the fields. It had evidently been there for a year or more, until the top part was decayed; and it was frequently covered with prairie chickens.” The next winter, Wallace would spend a Sunday in the country, where he sat by a stove burning corn for fuel. Wallace commented that the town of Monmouth—then with a population of less

Prior to becoming a pioneering agricultural journalist, “Uncle” Henry Wallace was a Presbyterian minister who received his seminary education at Monmouth. (Library of Congress)

than 1,000—was also full of corn, and as a result full of rats. The plank sidewalks, he wrote, were one-inch boards four feet wide and as you walked along them, the rats would chase along ahead. “From my window on a moonlight night,” he recalled, “I could count anywhere from 25 to 50 rats gathering up the corn which had fallen from farmers’ wagons as they brought it to market,” adding, “If there had been bubonic plague then, Illinois would certainly have lost most of its population.” There were only about 20 students at Monmouth’s Theological Seminary of the Northwest, which was housed in the First Presbyterian Church on the northwest corner of West Broadway and B Street. Only two faculty members were employed and one of them made a strong impression on the young seminarian. Wallace called Dr. Alexander Young, who also taught Greek, Hebrew and religion at

planted at Monmouth Monmouth College, “one of the most reWallace (not a direct relation), whom he markable men I have ever known.” A native described as “one of the few fat men I have of Scotland, Young was thin and sickly, known who had unbounded energy and but tried to stay active by working in his wonderful activity.” But he was saddened garden and orchard. Wallace told the story that the president’s energy was by necesof an eastern man who was put up in a sity funneled to fundraising for the young Monmouth hotel and went for a walk to see college. where the new college was being built. “He was too much of a ‘brick-and-morYoung’s house stood on the current site tar’ man to be the great preacher for which of the Monmouth admission building, and nature intended him,” Henry Wallace after seeing him working in the garden, lamented. “He had too much executive abilthe visitor never made it to the college ity to get down to the hard problems which campus. Instead he spent the afternoon were as meat and drink to Dr. Young.” asking Young questions about horticulture. The Rev. Henry Wallace was licensed to Returning to his hotel, he told a citizen that preach by the Presbytery at Monmouth in the college should elect the old gardener as 1862 and was sent to work in the mission its president, “as he at Rock Island and had more nearly uniDavenport, where he versal knowledge than would preach until any man he had ever 1870, but for the met, east or west.” first month he took Wallace agreed charge of services with that sentiment, in Monroe County, saying he was thrown Iowa. The Mississipfor a loop when dispi River was flooded cussing the geology of that spring, so he his native Pennsylvatook a train from nia with the professor. Monmouth to BiggsYoung told him the ville, then a stage to number of coal veins, Oquawka, and from their distance apart, there a steamboat to the different layers Burlington, where of limestone and he caught another other rocks, the places train to his destinawhere outcroppings tion. were located, and Wallace next everything about the preached for five coke regions. years at Morning In the classroom, Sun, Iowa, but Young encouraged suffering from discussion on difficult Ilo Browne Wallace, Monmouth College Class of 1911, tuberculosis, he points of theology and served as Second Lady of the United States. was eventually (Library of Congress) didn’t dodge them obliged to give up as had a professor at Allegheny. He had the profession, and took up farming at a keen sense of humor, but he also could Winterset, Iowa. There, he began writing not countenance laziness or stupidity, and a farm column for a Winterset newspaper had a temper when it came to situations he and in 1870 bought an interest in another considered unfair. Winterset paper. In 1883, he became editor Wallace was also strongly influenced of The Iowa Homestead and moved to Des by Monmouth College president David Moines. Twelve years later, he would found

Wallaces’ Farmer with his sons, remaining editor until his death in 1916. Another Monmouth connection involved Wallace’s grandson, Henry Agard Wallace, who was not only editor of the family farm journal but also founder of the HiBred seed corn company before entering government service. He served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (1921–24), vice president of the United States (1941–45) and U.S. Secretary of Commerce (1945–46). Breaking with the Democratic Party after World War II, he ran for president in 1948 as the candidate of the Progressive Party. A 1910 graduate of Iowa State Agricultural College, young Henry Wallace attended a picnic in Des Moines in 1913, where he met a young woman named Ilo Elsie Browne, who had recently inherited a large sum of money from her father. Henry didn’t care much about money and started taking her riding in his dilapidated old car. She fell in love with his eccentricity and they were married in 1914. Ilo Browne Wallace, who would one day become Second Lady of the United States, grew up in Indianola, Iowa, where her father was a successful real estate and insurance broker. In 1907, she entered Monmouth College, where she planned to be a history major. After her freshman year, possibly because of her father’s failing health, she transferred to Simpson College in her hometown. After her father’s death in 1911, she studied voice at Drake University, where she became a close friend of Henry Wallace’s sister, thus leading to her attending the fateful 1913 picnic. Henry Wallace died in 1965, but Ilo outlived him, dying at age 92 in 1981.

Much of the Wallace family’s wealth was built upon the development of the first commercial hybrid seed corn by Uncle Henry Wallace’s grandson Henry A. Wallace.

SUMMER 2022

SCOTSPORTS

The 1972 Fighting Scots pose on the steps of the old Monmouth College gymnasium.

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Celebrating the golden anniversary of Monmouth’s undefeated season

n the past 100 years, only one full season of Monmouth College football has ended without a single blemish. Fifty years ago, the Fighting Scots were a perfect 9-0 in 1972, winning four blowouts before a series of five straight contested victories, capped by a triumph over archrival St. Olaf, which came a week after Monmouth had clinched its first-ever outright Midwest Conference football championship. There would not be another one for 33 years. By then, undefeated regular seasons were rewarded with a trip to the NCAA playoffs, so that 2005 campaign— and three others since—ended with postseason defeats. That makes 1972 the last undefeated season for Fighting Scots football.

By Barry McNamara

For a newspaper series, players from that historic team, now in their early 70s, looked back on that memorable fall, as did their head coach, the legendary Bill Reichow. The following is an excerpt from that series. SUMMER 2022

The Scots take the field against Carleton at Homecoming 1972. The game resulted in their only shutout of the season, beating the Carls 47–0.

s former Fighting Scots look back on the 1972 season, some memories are better than others on the sequence of events that led to each of the nine victories. But one takeaway remains clear, and it was shared by several of the men now in their 70s. “Coach (Reichow) challenged us all, ‘Are you willing to pay the price to reach the goal?’” said Rod Davies ’74. “The pain and the sacrifice to reach the goal. Every night, it was the goal-line stand drill. We beat ourselves up so bad in practice that the games were easy.” There was also a 1-on-1 hitting drill “every day” in practice,” recalled Davies. “They had to separate us so many times,” said Bill Breedlove ’76 of the inevitable skirmishes that came out of the physical, competitive practices. “We had a lot of depth on that team, so you were out there trying to keep your spot every day against someone who wanted to take it.” Bill Honeycutt ’74 said there was a dreaded five-word command that Reichow often barked at practice: “Line up! Face the sun.” That meant the team would be running lines, first heading west along the goal-line to the opposite sideline, then coming back east on the 5-yard line. That pattern would continue at every five-yard increment to the other goal-line. That’s more than a 50-yard run, done 21 times. “You couldn’t let anybody pass you. That was the toughest one,” said Tom Kratochvil ’73. “We didn’t do it every day. Just once a week or once every two weeks if he thought we were slacking in practice. His job was to get us prepared, and that’s what he did.” “There was a strike at Wilson’s, the meat-packing plant in town,” said Honeycutt. “I remember at one practice, Coach told us they needed 15 or 20 guys to help unload 1,200 hogs. He asked who wanted to help. You could not run fast enough to help out and get out of that day’s running. ... I always thought, if we can get to the fourth quarter, we’ll never lose from being out of shape. He ran the hell out of us.” “We were just confident,” said Davies of the team’s mood. “We weren’t a brash bunch. Coach had a way of keeping our egos in check.” “He’d run it out of you,” said Greg Derbak ’75. Practices were supposed to end at 6 p.m., but the players often found they were running late for other campus activities because they were still running, late.

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Grant Minor (left) and Rod Davies.

SCOTSPORTS John “The Flea” Carter ’74 looks for some running room in a Monmouth home game. Carter scored the clinching touchdown in the Fighting Scots’ 1972 victory over Knox.

“Everybody likes to win, but are you willing to play the price to make that happen.” grant minor

“Coach used to send out a summer letter to check on what everybody was doing in terms of getting ready for the season,” said Paul Waszak ’74. “He’d get our responses, and then send them out in a second letter.” “The first liars were tough to beat,” laughed Davies. “His letter said what kind of shape you should be in, and what the consequences would be if you weren’t,” said Waszak. “’The Breakfast Club,’” said Mike Castillo ’74 of more early morning running. “It worked,” said Reichow. But Reichow showed a compassionate side, too. Waszak recalled one such situation. “We had a defensive tackle recruit, and he got trap-blocked on a play for our scout team and had a compound fracture of his leg. You could see the bone coming through the skin, and there was a severed artery. Coach went in with both hands to help the kid. He had the rest of the team go to the other end to keep scrimmaging. Just then, a cold mist blew over the field. The whole time, you could see him on the other end, staying with the kid until the medical help arrived. Then he came back down to our end and said, ‘OK, let’s go.’ And we were all like, ‘Yeah, let’s get going.’” Grant Minor ’74, another player who started off at a major university football program before transferring to Monmouth, shared a related story, but in a different setting. “I was on the golf team, too, which he coached,” said Minor. “I’d been in a little bit of a slump. I got a call from him to meet him at the back door of the ATO house in 20 minutes. I thought, ‘Oh, !@#$, what did I do?’ He showed up in that red station wagon, and we went out to Gibson Woods. He had me hit shags with my 4-wood in a light rain, and he was out there shagging the balls for me. Coach really put in the effort, more than anybody I ever played for. We worked hard, we played hard, and I have very fond memories of it all. “And one other thing,” added Minor. “He cured me of any desire I ever had to run.” “He cured all of us,” said Davies. “Running that hill.” “That hill was like a 45-degree angle,” said Kratochvil. “You ran up that baby, you got tired.” “Everybody likes to win, but are you willing to play the price to make that happen,” said Minor. “That’s the stuff you walk away with from being a part of that team. That, and I learned how to hold from Bob Trombetta.” Members of the 1972 team and other squads gathered in 2019 to celebrate Reichow’s 90th birthday. “Happy 90th, Coach, from the men you made,” read the icing on the cake. “You paid the price, no question, and that’s why we’re here,” said Reichow that day. “Had you not paid that price, this day wouldn’t have occurred. So thank you, every one of you, thank you. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

Members of Coach Reichow’s 1972 squad visited him in January 2022. From left are Paul Waszck, Rod Davies, Greg Derbak and Mike Castillo.

SUMMER 2022

SCOTSPORTS

Track & Field

THE BATON IS PASSED

Haynes assumes full-time AD role as Woodard transitions to head coach Monmouth College track and field coach Roger Haynes ’82 , an Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Famer and one of the most successful coaches in NCAA DIII athletics, turned his full attention to serving as the College’s director of athletics, recreation, and fitness in July. Haynes, who was named Midwest Conference Track and Field ROGER HAYNES ’82 Coach of the year for the 53rd time this spring following a conference championship by the Fighting Scots’ women’s team, has been head coach of the men’s track and field program for 38 seasons and head coach of the women’s program for 22 seasons. Haynes has also overseen the College’s strong athletics program for the last 14 years. A member of the NCAA Division III, Monmouth’s 20 intercollegiate varsity teams and 420 student-athletes compete in the Midwest Conference, St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference and the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference. In 2007, Haynes was named the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association Men’s Indoor National Coach of the Year, and he was named the Midwest Region Coach of the Year four times, most recently in 2016. Brian Woodard, a 1997 Monmouth graduate, who has been an assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach for the last 24 seasons, will succeed Haynes as director of running programs and will have overall coaching supervision of track and field. “You don’t accomplish anything without a number of great people around you and a lot of strong assistant coaches over the years,” said Haynes. “Brian has been very successful and experienced with us and it was a very easy choice to make him the next head coach.” During his Monmouth tenure, Woodard has coached 28

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All-Americans and six current conference record-holders. He was named National Indoor Track and Field Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013 and has twice been named to the same honor in the Midwest Region. “The baton is being passed from one strong and proven set of hands to another,” said President Clarence R. BRIAN WOODARD ’97 Wyatt. Haynes also coached the Fighting Scots’ cross country teams from 2000–14, winning two women’s MWC titles and one men’s title. He was also an assistant football coach under Kelly Kane and helped the women’s track team to eight conference titles as an assistant before taking over as head coach. In track and field, the Fighting Scots have finished in the top four of the NCAA four times with a high of second place at the 2008 men’s indoor championships. Haynes oversaw 23 teams that finished in the top 20 nationally, while coaching 12 individual national champions and more than 200 All-Americans. “It was a great pleasure to coach so many talented and motivated student-athletes over the years,” said Haynes. “It is because of them that we’ve enjoyed all the success we’ve had.” His teams have won either an indoor or outdoor men’s or women’s Midwest Conference championship—some years more than one—each year since 2001. Haynes has won a combined 83 men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field conference championships. “Pick your legendary coach—Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma, Tara VanDerveer, Vince Lombardi, Gregg Popovich—that’s Roger Haynes in NCAA Division III track and field,” said Wyatt.

A jubilant women’s track and field team celebrates winning its first conference title in eight years.

Angela Kelm / Beloit College

Scots women capture MWC championship Jordan Peckham missed out on an individual goal she’d set for herself for her final outdoor track season, but the senior did lead the way to a very meaningful team goal, as the Monmouth women won their first Midwest Conference title since 2014 and sent Roger Haynes ’82 into coaching retirement in style. In men’s track, junior pole vaulter Reed Wilson qualified for nationals, finishing ninth, one place shy of an All-American finish. Wilson cleared 15-9 at the meet, which was held in Geneva, Ohio. “I think the women did a nice job of taking advantage of their opportunity,” said Haynes of the MWC meet, which was hosted by Beloit. “I scored the meet on the way home, and the women scored at least 35 points in each event group. They weren’t super deep, but they didn’t have a lot of holes, either.” Peckham sprinted to titles in the 100- and 200-meter dash and helped Monmouth add nine points in relays as the women scored 167 points to best runner-up Grinnell by 31. The men’s team placed third, 32 behind champion Ripon. For her efforts, Peckham was named the MWC’s Track Performer of the Year, adding to the honor she picked up at the league’s indoor meet in February.

Peckham would go on to narrowly miss qualifying for nationals in the 100. “Nationally, she was somewhere around the top 30 in both the 100 and 400,” said Haynes. “Girls ran extremely fast this year. I think that was a post-COVID result. This year, the sprinters were fully trained and fully raced. It’s hard to run top times when you’ve only raced a few meets.” A pair of Fighting Scots—junior Linsey Turner and freshman Maddie Boley—added an individual victory and a runner-up finish apiece. Turner cleared 10-8 to win the pole vault and placed second in the triple jump, while Boley launched the discus 138-5 and had the No. 2 effort in the shot put. Competing in their final MWC meet, seniors Kareema Lawal and Kara Fisher added victories. Lawal won the hammer throw with a mark of 164-5, while Fisher crossed first in the 800-meter run in 2:21.61. “That was one of the most pleasant surprises of the meet,” said Haynes of Fisher’s win. “It was a training and confidence Continued on page 41

SUMMER 2022

SCOTSPORTS Sprinting toward history

ON TRACK TO PERSEVERE

Jordan Peckham ’22

By Barry McNamara

ordan Peckham found herself on several College lists as her days at Monmouth came to a close. Academically, she’s one of several senior chemistry or biochemistry majors who’ll be attending graduate school in the fall. The Dean’s List student is headed to the University of Illinois. Peckham is also part of the group of seven sets of siblings who enrolled at Monmouth in 2018 who graduated in May. Six of the sibling pairings are twins, while Jordan and her sister, Payton, are among triplets. Payton has since transferred to the University of Illinois (and the other triplet, McKenzie, attended Illinois State University). Jordan and Payton will be reunited in Champaign next fall.

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Athletically, Peckham is now in very elite company as one of only four women in the history of Fighting Scots track to win all three sprint races at a Midwest Conference meet. She won the 60-, 200and 400-meter races at this year’s MWC indoor meet. “Coach (Roger Haynes) asked me if I wanted to try it,” said Peckham of the multiple races. “He told me, ‘I think you have a chance to win all of them, and only a handful of girls have ever done that here.’” Peckham is no stranger to running multiple events, as she helped Farmington High School to a runner-up finish at the 2018 Illinois Class 1A meet by placing second in the 100-meter dash and helping three relays to top-four finishes, including a state championship she shared with Payton in the 4x400 meter relay. Peckham said her Farmington coach, Toby Vallas ’98, was instrumental in her decision to attend Monmouth. “He ran for Coach Haynes here,” she said. “He knew Coach Haynes could make me really good.” Peckham appreciates learning from the 40-year veteran coach. “He’s so knowledgeable, and he also explains why we’re doing what we’re doing,” she said. “He’s really good with the fundamentals and with doing things like helping us run with a more efficient form.” In a way, Haynes was already involved in Peckham’s success at Farmington, as Vallas uses many of the workouts for sprinters that Haynes has implemented with the Fighting Scots.

A dogged approach to training Peckham added to her training by inventing her own workout regimen, along with the family’s dog, Bullet. “He was my buddy, and he went to the track with me all the time,” said Peck-

ham. “I’d have him sit by the starting line, and then I’d say ‘Ready, set, go,’ and he’d race with me.” Her love of animals will guide her to the next step in her academic career, as she’ll begin the four-year process of earning a degree from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. “I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was a little kid,” she said. “When I was little, we’d have special days with our mom where we could do anything we wanted to do. My sisters picked things like going to a Cheetah Girls concert or a Hannah Montana concert, but I told my mom I wanted to go to the zoo, even though I’d been there a ton of times. She finally talked me out of it and we went to the circus instead.” It’s common to have a childhood dream job get lost in the reality of life. Not so for Peckham. “I always kept coming back to wanting to be a vet,” she said. “I’ve always loved science. In school, they’d have us dissect cats in anatomy. The other students would be creeped out, but I enjoyed it.” Within the field, Peckham wants to specialize in animal oncology, as it was cancer that claimed Bullet’s life. She’d either like to open her own practice or work with more exotic animals at a wildlife preserve.

Small school advantage Through regular communication with her triplet sisters, Peckham is uniquely qualified to compare attending a large university with the Monmouth experience. “I’m definitely glad I came here,” she said. “I have siblings at larger schools, and it’s a different experience. You can’t really skip classes here, because your professors know you. But that’s good, because they’re there to help you. They were really helpful when I was applying to graduate school. That kind of attention is really hard to get at a bigger school.” Friends are easy to find, as well. “I especially love the track team and how close we are,” said Peckham. I’ve made a lot of friends on the team. You always have someone to eat dinner with and someone to talk to.”

Jordan Tice to lead women’s lacrosse Illinois native Jordan Tice has been named Monmouth College women’s lacrosse head coach. Tice comes to Monmouth from North Central College in Naperville, Ill., where she was an assistant coach for the last two seasons while earning a master’s degree in sports leadership. “Jordan comes to us with the playing and coaching background we were looking for,” said Director of Athletics Roger Haynes. “She comes highly recommended for her ability as a recruiter and her overall knowledge of the game.” The Monmouth women’s lacrosse program, which competes in the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference, sat out the 2021–22 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a late coaching change. Tice is the program’s second head coach. “I am really excited to be at Monmouth, make it my own and bring success to the program,” said Tice. “I look forward to joining the community

of sports professionals in the athletic department, collaborating with them on Fighting Scots athletics and getting to know the students.” Tice played at Goucher College, an NCAA Division III program in Towson, Md., just outside Baltimore. She was a midfielder and attacker for the Gophers, netting 10 goals and 10 assists in her senior season. Tice was named to the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll three times during her playing career. Tice also spent a semester at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she played lacrosse and won a conference championship and MVP award in the British University and College Scottish 1A. In addition to being an assistant at North Central for the last two seasons, Tice has coached club lacrosse. She coached at Lakeshore Lacrosse in 2019 before joining the East Ave Lacrosse Club.

JORDAN TICE. New women’s lacrosse head coach spent two years as an assistant coach at North Central College.

A native of Batavia, Ill., Tice graduated from Batavia High School, where she played lacrosse.

SPRING TRACK RECAP Continued from page 37 thing. You could see it coming in terms of her practice performance and her attitude.” Another podium finish for a senior came from Ezzie Baltierra-Chavez, who was second in the steeplechase. Two throwers added third-place points—junior Amanda Dybal in the hammer and freshman Ashley Grothaus in the javelin. “That group holds each other up well in terms of providing depth for all four throwing events,” said Haynes, who said the throwers were the top-scoring event group for the women’s team at the meet. On the men’s side, Wilson had one of Monmouth’s three individual titles, clearing 16-1. Also finishing first were seniors Jonathan Oradiegwu in the high jump (6-7) and Riley Dulin in the 5K (15:27.14). Senior Andy Bird brought home a pair of runner-up finishes in the hammer throw and shot put, while junior Reed Bona placed second in the 400-meter hurdles. Placing third were seniors Alexander Brock in the 400-meter dash and Joseph Oradiegwu in the triple jump. “I’m fortunate to have worked with a lot of motivated people, a lot of good people, both athletes and coaches,” said Haynes. “Now it’s time for somebody else to take the lead and move the program back forward where it needs to be.”

Reed Wilson finished ninth in the pole vault at the Division III NCAA Outdoor National Championships—one slot shy of earning All-American status.

SUMMER 2022

SCOTSPORTS

Spring Sports Summary SOFTBALL

MEN’S LACROSSE

The Fighting Scots earned their first Midwest Conference playoff berth in six years thanks in large part to a pair of key victories in a fiveday span. On April 24, Monmouth handed Lake Forest its only regular-season conference loss, topping the Foresters 5–3 as sophomore Abby Leber threw a complete-game four-hitter. Leber had to throw a lot more innings in Monmouth’s next victory, a 5–4 Abby Leber ’24 triumph over Knox that set the school record for longest game. The Scots and Prairie Fire battled for 18 innings before junior Addison Riley drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly. Leber threw 11 innings, but it was senior Rebecca Merletti, who pitched six innings in relief, who earned the victory. Freshman Anna McCarty retired Knox in order in the bottom of the 18th to earn the save, ending the 4½-hour contest. In the MWC playoffs, the Scots dropped games against Lake Forest and Grinnell to finish with a record of 13–23–1. Leber, who was 4–2 in league games with a 2.45 ERA, was named first team All-MWC. Making the second team were juniors MyKenzie Kloess (.322, 11 steals) and Calista Warmowski (.297).

It was a mixed bag of results for the Scots in their first season under former star player Thomas Van Alstine. After starting the year with a pair of thrilling two-goal wins, Monmouth finished the season 6-7. Senior Jeff Knapp broke some of Van Alstine’s scoring records, becoming the only Monmouth player to reach the 100-goal career milestone. The season scoring leader was junior Kain Donohoo, who netted 46 goals to go with 16 assists. Donohoo made the All-Midwest Lacrosse Conference’s first team, as did junior faceoff Gordon Kiesgen. Also named All-MLC were Knapp and junior goalie Teagan Simons.

BASEBALL Senior A.J. Hatlestad starred on the mound, earning all-conference honors, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 14–25 season and an eighthplace finish in the MWC. Hatlestad faced all four of the MWC’s playoff A.J. Hatlestad ’22 qualifiers, posting a quality start against each opponent and a 2.25 ERA. Overall, he led the team with four wins and a 3.74 ERA. Junior reliever Nick Corman had a 3.33 ERA in 15 appearances. Offensively, senior Justin Bost and junior Jack Kuethe were solid contributors. Bost made an early run at the school RBI record before settling for 35, one behind the team leader, sophomore Raul Guillermo III. Both players are now in the top 10 on the all-time single-season list. Bost batted .381 and had an OPS of .962, both team highs. Kuethe, who belted a team-high five home runs, was just behind at .924 with 32 RBI.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Jeff Knapp ’22

TENNIS The Scots were playing some of their best tennis at the end of the season for departing head coach Brian Jordan, particularly Brendan Guenther, who upset a pair of higher seeded players to reach the finals in No. 2 singles at the Midwest Conference tournament. Guenther lost in the title match, completing a 6-5 season. Two Scots won consolation finals, with No. 1 singles player Andrew Shie winning his final match to complete a 6–4 year. No. 3 player Sawyer Day also accomplished the feat, putting a punctuation mark on his freshman season. Brendan Guenther ’22 Seniors Shie and Guenther were Monmouth’s top doubles team for the season, winning four matches as the No. 1 pairing. Junior Nicholas Robertson and senior Matt Simonson won the MWC’s No. 3 doubles consolation final. Ryan Prusak ’23

MEN’S GOLF The Scots finished in eighth place out of 11 teams at the SLIAC championships, which were held in Louisville, Ky. Junior Ryan Prusak tied for eighth, finishing second team all-conference for the second straight season. Prusak opened with rounds of 76–75 to sit in fifth place, but slipped back a little with his final round 81.

REUNITE, RELAX, REMINISCE Golden Scots relish return to in-person reunions By Barry McNamara

eople from all over the country coming together at Monmouth College to learn and to learn from each other.

That was the experience for Monmouth alumni when they were students five or six decades ago, and it was their experience again June 2–6 when they returned to campus for the Golden Scots Celebration. This summer’s event was the first in-person meeting for the Golden Scots since 2019, after the pandemic canceled the gatherings planned for 2020 and 2021. “After hitting pause for three years on our Golden Scots reunion, we experienced this weekend with a deeper level of appreciation for the ability to gather in person and on campus,” said Monmouth Director of Alumni Engagement Jen Armstrong. “Twelve classes reconnected to their friends and their roots. Golden Scots weekend is one that everyone is sad to see end.”

In all, the Golden Scots (alumni who graduated in 1977 or earlier) represented 19 states, returning to campus from Alaska to Florida and from Arizona to Massachusetts. Included was the Class of 1952, which saw six classmates—now all in their 90s—return for their 70th class reunion. “I really enjoyed the politics discussion—it was very interesting,” said John Scotillo ’72 of Hoffman Estates, Ill., a member of the Monmouth College Board of Trustees. “The audience was full of people from all around the country.” That point was made evident when Monmouth political science professor Robin Johnson ’80 asked audience members to shout out their home county so he could share demographic and voting data from one of his favorite websites for political analysis. Responses included Los Angeles County in California and Mercer County in New Jersey, as well as the Midwest. Although home states are important, Continued on next page

Alumni enjoy a relaxing evening at Trubeck Memorial Fountain and Garden on the second night of the Golden Scots Celebration.

SUMMER 2022

Golden Scots reunite Continued from page 41

Johnson also shared with the Golden Scots the central idea of American Nations, a book by Colin Woodard that breaks the United States into 11 regions and helps analysts—and Johnson’s own Monmouth students— understand how the current political landscape has developed. Johnson’s talk was just the tip of the iceberg for Scotillo and his enjoyment of the weekend. “It’s nice to be back,” he said. “It’s nice to catch up with old acquaintances. And the campus has never looked better. I’m so impressed with how it’s evolved. The buildings are new, but they haven’t lost their old charm.” Asked what building he wishes would’ve been on campus when he was a student half a century ago, Scotillo replied, “The food court. And the Huff (Athletic) Center is amazing. It’s second to none for a school the size of Monmouth, in my opinion.” David Kinney ’72 of Ocala, Fla., agreed. “We were back 15 years ago for just one hour, but other than that, this is our first time back in 50 years,” said Kinney, whose wife is Cynthia Baumann Kinney ’73. “Your athletic facility is incredible for this size of school.” “It’s still such a beautiful campus,” said Cynthia. “We were impressed by how the old gymnasium’s façade was incorporated into the new building and by how well the old buildings and the new buildings blend together.” Her husband would’ve seen that façade often on his way to class during the year he lived in nearby Fulton Hall. “I was also impressed that Fulton is still standing,” he said. In terms of programs, Kinney enjoyed a talk given by local artist and 2003 graduate Dusty Scott. “I enjoyed hearing what he had to say,” said Kinney. “A young man like that would be a great marketer for the College. He talked about how his family comes first, and then his art.” Another program enjoyed by many was College Editor and Historian

Sporting his vintage Monmouth letter sweater, former Scots wrestler Deeks Carroll ’62 reminisces with John Carlson ’74 at the openingnight cookout.

Golden Scots check out the growing flock of chickens at the Monmouth College Educational Farm.

WAT C H V I D E O S O F GOLDEN SCOTS P R E S E N TAT I O N S monmouthcollege.edu/ golden-scots-videos

Monmouth College chemistry students involved in the Kieft Summer Research Program impressed returning alumni with descriptions of their current research projects.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Kathryn Gardels Weal ’71 and her husband, Bruce, were among the attendees at a Sunday morning chapel service at which departed classmates were memorialized.

Jeff Rankin’s talk on the history of a Civil War cannon that was to be

given to Monmouth by the Class of 1903. However, it was stolen by the rival Class of 1904 and missing for half a century before it was recovered from a creek bed by chemistry professor Garrett Thiessen. “The cannon presentation was fascinating,” said Tom Martin ’72 of Reno, Nev. “If I ever knew any of that history, I’d forgotten it.” Golden Scots also participated in a wine tasting, a ceramics workshop and a typewriter social. In addition to talks by Johnson and Scott, others were presented on the College’s new wellness and movement major, the Doc Kieft Summer Research Program and Fighting Scots athletics. President Clarence R. Wyatt combined his passion for history and music with a talk titled “The Songs of War and Peace: America and Vietnam.” Besides touring campus, the Golden Scots also visited the Educational Farm, which is on the eastern edge of town. At least one couple was seen making the trek downtown to grab a bite at one of Monmouth’s oldest restaurants, the Italian Village, but local dining also came to campus in the form of a well-attended “Taste of Monmouth” lunch. Pork tenderloin sandwiches were a big hit. As was the case for many of the spouses who attended the event, Julie Shaw, wife of Tom Davis ’62 of Moreland Hills, Ohio, was not a Monmouth student, but she enjoyed her time on campus, all the same. “It’s all running so smoothly,” she said. “And I just love the camaraderie of the people—that sense of loyalty and commitment. And the campus is beautiful—all the places to just sit down and enjoy the scenery.” “I’m happy to be back,” said Davis, who has attended many of his five-year-increment reunions through the years and also returned as an invited “distinguished alumnus” speaker. “I was impressed that several people who are younger than me recognized me from my picture that used to hang in the Sig Ep house.” That Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity residence stood on the north side of the 700 block of East Broadway. The College “paved paradise to put up a parking lot” in its place, but Davis said it was for a good cause. “Yesterday, we parked where my bedroom was,” he said. “But the business and science building (built on that block in 2013) turned out just terrific.”

President Clarence R. Wyatt presents a show-and-tell of historic objects from his office, including the Phi Kappa Pi pledge paddle that belonged to Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale ’46.

College historian Jeff Rankin leads a campus tour past Monmouth’s storied Civil War cannon, which was the subject of a lecture he also presented during the weekend.

Gary Carstens ’77, a professional potter, leads a hands-on workshop titled “Beyond Coil Pots.” He was assisted by art professor Janis Wunderlich.

1977 classmates Christy Snyder Leonard and Malinda Snowden Arvesen toast their enduring friendship at the Golden Scots winetasting seminar.

SUMMER 2022

Reunion Classes

CLASS OF 1952—Clockwise, from top left: Gerald

McDonald, Ralph Whiteman, Ron Iron, June Gustafson Erdmier-Salen, Polly Armstrong Campbell and Shirley Moser Irion.

CLASSES OF 1965, 1966, 1967—Row 1 (L-R): Kathy Lepard Wilson ’67, Sonja Zedigian Lowry ’67, Kathy Melcher White ’67, Judy Maxwell Schaeffer ’65 and Susan Kauzlarich Kuster ’66. Row 2: Richard Rodgers ’66, John Wierman ’66, Jim Wilson ’66, Wendell Shauman ’67 and Lee Schaeffer ’65.

CLASSES OF 1960, 1961, 1962—Row 1

(L-R): Jan Pearson Manning ’62, Fred McDavitt ’61, Lila Keleher Blum ’61, Alice Goss Haznedl ’62, Julia Briggerman O’Hara ’62, Jean Schneider Hayes ’60, Jerry Greer ’62 and Kenneth Knox ’62. Row 2: Larry Manning ’62, Chuck Rassieur ’60, Lewis Arnold ’60, Bob Ardell ’62, David Jones ’62, Thomas Davis ’62 and Deeks Carroll ’62.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

CLASSES OF 1970, 1971, 1972—Row 1 (L-R): Bob Gentile ’72, Margaret Will Lee ’71, Marsha Theisen Jones ’72, Mary Sanders Fritz ’72,

Claudia Lawson Moss ’72, Maribeth Novak Mohan ’71, Dean Steffy McDonald ’71, Helen Bowden Josephine ’72, Becky Sturgeon Moore ’71, Rhea Simons ’71, Steve Johnson ’72 and Dale Brooks ’72. Row 2: Linnea Bass ’72, Liz Fenn Hayna ’71, Judith Gardiner Johnson ’71, Lucy Hyde Johnson ’72, Becky Johnson ’72, Jennifer Gullion Brooks ’72, Connie Brouilette ’72, Kathryn Gardels Weal ’71 and Robert Litchfield ’71. Row 3: John Scotillo ’72, Maynard Hirsch ’71, Craig Patterson ’72, John Fenn ’72, Edward Jones ’72, David Whitcomb ’72, Robert Makiney ’71, Sherman Smith ’72, Roy Bockler ’72, Hugh Moore ’71, Scott Brunswick ’71, Thomas Martin ’72, William Daniel ’72 and David Kinney ’72.

CLASSES OF 1975, 1976, 1977—Row 1 (L-R): Judy Hogfeldt ’75, Alice Dunlap-Kraft ’75, Pamela Slaughter Van Kirk ’76, Jerri Picha ’75 and

Lynda Pepper Bollman ’76. Row 2: Gary Carstens ’77, Carol Werdin Alfrey ’76, Pam Ball Gustafson ’77, Heather Fottler Mangian ’77, Kathy Wolf Plath ’77, Pam Wyeth Bellm ’76, Malinda Snowden Arvesen ’77 and Debra Lucas Flowers ’77. Row 3: Gregory Derbak ’75, Douglas Hughes ’77, Roger Samuels ’76, Bob Reedy ’77, Jim Elsey ’76, Joseph Pavone ’76, Mary Salagovic Krsnak ’76 and Julie Van Cleve Paulson ’75. Row 4: Brian Kimmel ’76, William Alexy ’77, Dave Goranson ’76, Randall Vickroy ’76, Peter Paulson ’75 and Bill Pyatt ’75.

SUMMER 2022

TWO 2012 GRADS SHARE MITCH JOHNSON: I N T T H E S C O KYLE VANCIL: ‘Now you have to prove that T L K I G H T JOHNSON

yle Vancil returned to campus in April to speak to Monmouth

College chemistry students, but his talk was less about how to navigate a science lab and more about how to navigate life. Not that Vancil doesn’t have experience with the former. The 2012 Monmouth graduate has worked as a lab technician at Volt Staffing (a 3M company), as a manufacturing specialist at University of Iowa Pharmaceuticals, and as a chemist at both Procter & Gamble in Iowa City and Bayer AG in Muscatine, Iowa, where he currently resides in an historic home overlooking the Mississippi River. At Bayer, Vancil is charged with conducting research into new analytical methods and serving as a liaison with engineers to meet production needs, among other tasks. But with the perspective of being out of college for a decade, Vancil was also able to share with students his insights and observations about life. “I feel like my story has a happy ending, but there were a lot of missteps and mistakes along the way,” said Vancil. “I believed that ‘Cs get degrees,’ and that any bad decisions you made are behind you once you have that degree. I thought, ‘No one will ask you your college GPA,’ which I learned wasn’t true.” Vancil entered Monmouth looking to study pre-med and music, “but that did not last long, which will be a theme in my story,” he said, acknowledging the “Sisyphean task” for professors Audra Goach, Laura

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

he drug discovery process is a lengthy one, typically taking more than a decade to go from early experimentation to a product that humans can take under federal approval. Monmouth College chemistry graduate Mitch Johnson ’12 is working to reduce that time span at Veloxity, a company he co-founded in Peoria, Ill. “At the end of the day, Veloxity is all about speed,” Johnson told Monmouth students during a campus visit in March. Veloxity is a new bioanalytical contract research organization treating disease “one sample at a time,” said Johnson, who earned a doctorate from the University of Missouri. Located at Bradley University’s Peoria NEXT Innovation Center, Veloxity’s lab space features high-end liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry technology to support its bioanalysis capabilities. Johnson said Veloxity offers bioanalytical services for both small and large molecules, accelerating turnaround times through its state-of-the-art VELO (Veloxity Electronic Laboratory Operations) system, which provides an automated and traceable workflow from first client contact through analysis. “Bioanalysis is the foundation of drug discovery,” he said. “We identify pharmaceuticals that people might take one day to treat disease. Our reports on samples are generated in minutes, not hours or days.” While Silicon Valley and Boston are usual hubs for companies such as Veloxity, Johnson said a conscious effort was made to launch in the Midwest.

Moore and Brad Sturgeon to get him through his chemistry major. Vancil also interacted closely with business professor Mike Connell,

who turned out to be his future father-in-law. “I took an econ class with Mike as a sophomore, and I joke that I liked his class so much, I married his daughter (Danellia Connell ’09),” said Vancil, who also recalled going over his often dire academic situation with Connell. “I’d go to his office, and we’d talk about what kind of end-of-semester heroics would be needed to get me through.” Vancil mustered the necessary heroics to walk across the Wallace Hall stage and receive his diploma, but he soon found himself in adverse working conditions. “I worked at a place that made corn syrup,” he said. “Between running around the facility all day and working up a sweat, and the ever-present powder from the product, when I’d get home at night and take off my shirt, it would hold form. The sweat and the powder would combine to make corn syrup right on the shirt.” That’s a red flag, said Vancil, and he encouraged Monmouth students soon entering the workforce to watch for those, as well as for positive indicators. Another problem at his “corn syrup” location was what was asked of him—and not asked. “I wasn’t being asked to think,” he said. “I was just acting like a robot that hadn’t been invented yet. ‘We don’t have a robot yet that can do

THEIR WISDOM

By BARRY McNAMARA

‘If you can create a poster, you’re not an imposter’ “We don’t need to bring in new talent,” said Johnson, whose company has five full-time employees, with plans to double every six months for the next couple of years. “It’s really about harnessing the talent we have in the Midwest.” During his presentation to Monmouth students, Johnson used a graphic to show how testing between 5,000 and 10,000 compounds eventually funnels into producing one new drug. He said Veloxity will work with testing on all stages of drug development in that funnel. “It can be 12 to 13 years between molecular synthesization and a person taking the drug under approval,” he said of what has been, until now, the typical drug discovery timeline. Today, Johnson is working with pharmaceutical companies to help speed the production of drugs that may one day cure a variety of medical issues, including cancer and heart disease. When Johnson was an upperclassman, chemistry professor Audra Goach asked if he was interested in grad school. “As a first-generation college student, I hadn’t really considered that option,” said Johnson, who eventually took the Graduate Record Examination and was accepted at the University of Missouri. Once there, “I had the sense of ‘imposter syndrome.’ A lot of the students were from bigger universities.” It didn’t take long for Johnson’s affliction to be cured. “But as I made it through the first part of grad school, a lot of the skills I

you can handle this’

learned at Monmouth came out very quickly,” he said. “At the larger schools, it’s much more cookie-cutter. You’re thrown in with a lot of other students and are repeating very generic labs. You get so much more of a hands-on approach here.” And he encouraged Monmouth students to embrace that approach. “Take advantage of the opportunities you get here that a lot of people don’t get at a bigger school,” he said. “There are no graduate students here, so if you have the opportunity to do research, you’re the one who’s designing the experiments, running the experiments, interpreting the data, hopefully writing it up and being among all the posters on the wall.” That latter step, in fact, was a prime example of the point he was trying to drive home—if you can create a poster, you’re not an imposter. “Some of the students at Missouri were freaking out because ‘I’ve got to do a poster,’” he said. “But I’d done that before at Monmouth.” As an undergrad, he not only created posters, but also co-authored a paper on his chemotherapy drug research with Goach. “Our department is extremely proud of the success that Mitch has become,” said Goach. “As he mentioned to our students, the research program in the chemistry department is instrumental in guiding students down a particular career path. We’re grateful that he’s choosing to give back to the College by mentoring our students. He was able to really relate to them.”

VANCIL

this motion, so you do it.’ Find a place that invests in you. That’s what Procter & Gamble did.” As Vancil moved on to better companies, he continued learning valuable lessons. “Timeliness and reliability are keys to life in a lab,” he told the students. “There’s dollars and cents and real-life implications to the data you send. Those real-life problems are caused by bad results, so you have to establish trust. All of your past experiences will allow you to walk through the door of a company, but once you’re in, the door shuts behind you. Now you have to prove that you can handle this.” Fortunately, his Monmouth education came to the rescue. “I began to realize that there were some strengths I’d gained from Monmouth that I didn’t realize I had,” said Vancil. “Things like problem solving, critical thinking and a depth of knowledge with hands-on instruments.” He also learned, as he began to manage others, about his tolerance for the reply “I don’t know.” “ ‘I don’t know’ is OK, but your comfort with that answer is not,” he said. “That’s a huge red flag for me.” Through a Monmouth connection, Vancil recently reached another crossroads in his post-graduate career, choosing to follow a path that merges science and law. He’s going to study patent law at the University of Iowa, driven by a goal of hoping to stay in Muscatine and to “leverage” as many of his talents as possible to do so.

SUMMER 2022

WE WELCOME NEWS AND PHOTOS related to your career, awards, reunions or travel with your Monmouth College friends, and any other information of interest to your classmates or alumni. We also welcome announcements

NEWS

and photos of alumni weddings and births, as well as alumni obituaries. Please see page 52 for submission guidelines.

1952

Ralph Whiteman 301 Courtyard Blvd. Monmouth, IL 61462-1098 ralphwhiteman1@gmail.com

1956

Sally Smith Larson 5135 Davantry Dr. Dunwoody, GA 30338-4554 larsar@bellsouth.net

1960

Nancy Van Natta Wherry 1910 Highwood Ave. Pekin, IL 61554 njwherry@gmail.com

1962

Deeks Carroll 12433 Steamboat Springs Dr. Mokena, IL 60448-1639 deekscarroll@yahoo.com

1965

David Biklen, a Hartford, Conn., attorney and past executive director of the Connecticut Law Revision Commission, chaired the drafting committee for the Uniform Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Act. That act, drafted and approved by the Uniform Law Commission in 2021, has now been introduced in several state legislatures and enacted in two: Utah and Washington.

1966

Susan Kauzlarich Kuster 1863 Township Rd. 2850N Seaton, IL 61476-9608 susan.kuster@gmail.com

John Serbin of Del Mar, Calif., has published a book of fictional humor titled The Incredible Adventurs of Scruffer & Co. Part I.

1967

Payson Wild of Evanston, Ill., is collaborating with Northwestern University faculty and students in developing a freight rail container called RoRoRail. The concept simplifies the

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Denver-area alumni enjoyed a Kentucky Derby-themed gathering at the Denver Athletic Club in May.

transfer of containers and TEUs (20-foot international containers) between skeletal rail cars and truck chassis using roll-on, roll-off technology, rather than requiring lift equipment. The idea, which has been approved by the U.S. Patent Office for commerce, seeks to enable rail carriers to tap into some short-haul freight markets now going by highway. Wendell Shauman of Kirkwood, Ill., was profiled in a March issue of Illinois AgriNews. The veteran agribusinessman who holds a Ph.D. in quantitative genetics reminisced about a career that has spanned more than five decades, raising corn, cattle and hogs, and serving as a leader in agricultural policy, including a term as chairman of the U.S. Grains Council.

1972

Jeffrey Fort of Santa Fe, N.M., serves on the board of directors for the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. He is married to (Diane) Susan Locandro ’75, a climate practice attorney who was cited last year by Financial Times as one of the most creative lawyers in North America. Jeffrey notes that it has been 50 years

since the Sound of Five, of which he was a member, released its Someday album. Joy Volz Ellison of Wheaton, Ill., retired as a registered nurse for the College of DuPage. She is now working part-time as an RN with retired priests in Chicago.

1973

Nick Tucker 429 Linden Ave. Apt. 1-W Wilmette, IL 60091 njtuckersr@gmail.com

1975

Dave Boyd 11237 OH-38 SE London, OH 43140-9716 jdb00750@gmail.com 614-477-9383

The Rev. William Pyatt of Godfrey, Ill., retired in 2020 as an active United Methodist Church pastor.

1977

Gary Neudahl of Cary, Ill., plans to retire on Jan. 3, 2023, the third anniversary of the death of his wife of 41 years, Sandra. He will then sell

his family home and “find a small place to call home when not with family spread over the USA and in Honduras,” assisting with a bilingual Christian school in Siguatepeque, while in that country.

1978

Kathleen Clark Kimmel 347 Blackhawk Dr. Hopewell, IL 61565-9457 kckcat@gmail.com

1979

Paul Bubb, who has served as executive director of development at Western Illinois University since 2018, has been named director of intercollegiate athletics at the university. He previously held positions as director of athletic development for Drake University and Southern Illinois University.

1980

Carl Forkner of Mesa, Ariz., is president and chairman of the board of the Arizona East Valley Veterans Foundation, which serves veterans and their families who are in need. He is also on the board of Resurrection Street Ministry, which serves the underprivileged and homeless population east of Phoenix. He is active in Disabled American Veterans as commander of Arizona East Valley Chapter 8, as well as commander for the DAV Northern District of Arizona.

1982 40th

REUNION

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

1983

Paula Rundell Brooks 1702 Aster Ln. Godfrey, IL 62035-5612 dogpau2@charter.net

1984

1985

The Rev. Dr. Bill Myers, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Charleston, W.V., delivered the baccalaureate address to Davis & Elkins College graduates in Elkins, W.V., in May.

35th

REUNION

1988

Gena Corbin Alcorn, Monmouth’s assistant vice president for development and legacy giving, has recertified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive. She’s one of more than 7,500 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE designation. Those individuals have met a series of standards set by CFRE International, which include tenure in the profession, education and demonstrated fundraising achievement. They have also passed a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills and abilities required of a fundraising executive.

1989

Amy Manning of Elmhurst, Ill., a partner at McGuireWoods Chicago, has been included on The American Lawyer’s list of 2022 Midwest Trailblazers. The list recognizes agents of change based in the Midwest who have moved the needle in the legal industry. Chair of McGuireWoods’ Antitrust, Trade & Commercial Litigation Department, Manning handles criminal and civil antitrust matters for international and U.S. companies, as well as individuals. Manning co-founded the Chicago Women Antitrust Lawyers Network—the first professional networking group for women antitrust lawyers in the area—to enhance members’ contact with heavy hitters in the legal industry and share advice on advancement. She’s also serving as vice chair of the 2022 ABA Antitrust Section International Cartel Workshop — the premier international antitrust enforcement conference.

1990

Chris Pio 4262 Maple Dr. Galesburg, IL 61401-9510 cpio4262@gmail.com.

1987

at Washing ton University. The former member of Monmouth’s development team previously served the St. Louis school as a regional director of planned giving.

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

Mary Mosely Stahl of Chesterfield, Mo., is now executive director of planned giving

Sylvia Zethmayr Shults of Pekin, Ill., writes paranormal nonfiction. “I sit in dark, spooky places so you don’t have to, then I come out and tell you all about it,” she said. Her most recent book, Days of the Dead: A Year of True Ghost Stories, recently won first place in the Bookfest Awards. Her upcoming book will expand her horizons, as it’s a collection of true crime stories with associated hauntings. The first in a planned Grave Deeds and Dead Plots series, its title is Fifty Shades of Red. By day, Shults works at the Fondulac District Library, where she’s been for nearly 25 years. She’s also posted more than 100 episodes of her true ghost story podcast, Lights Out.

1992

30th REUNION

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

Mike DeGeorge is coaching basketball at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colo. This past season, he led the Mavericks to a school-record 26 wins and their first advancement to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division II tournament.

BUBB

Bobbi Pio of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has begun a new position as a development officer for Coe College. A former development officer for Monmouth College, she was most recently site director for the River Bend Food Bank in Galesburg, Ill. Hiroyuki Fujita of Cleveland has been named chairman of the board of trustees at Ohio State University. “On behalf of the citizens in Ohio and beyond, I am committed to making a difference for OSU and the greater community,” said Fujita, who is founder and CEO of Quality Electrodynamics. Fujita joined Ohio State’s board in 2016 and his term runs through 2024.

1997 25th

REUNION

FORKNER

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

1999

FUJITA

Ann McClung Klungseth 512 N. Main St. Washington, IL 61571-1525 ajclung@hotmail.com

2002 20th

REUNION

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

Matt Coultrip of Upper Arlington, Ohio, has founded his own design and consulting firm. Specializing in outdoor living spaces, he previously served as senior director of global store design for Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

2007

COULTRIP

15th REUNION SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022 Hilary Hawkinson Stott P.O. Box 83 Bristol, IL 660512 hilhawkstott@gmail.com

TJ Scruggs of Princeton, Ill., a business administration major at Monmouth, has completed his training to be an insurance agent for Country Financial in Princeton. Richard Harrod has been selected as a Fellow by the Center for Arabic Studies Abroad (CASA), which funds students to study advanced Arabic in the Middle East for an

SUMMER 2022

ALUMNI NEWS | CLASS NOTES

extended period of time. He and his wife, Mollie Williams Harrod ’07 will spend nine months in Amman, Jordan, beginning in August.

2009

Felicia Roberts Wachob of Tulsa, Okla., has taken a position as an inside sales represenatitive for the publishing department of Educational Development Corporation.

2010

Lynsey Barnard of Iowa City, Iowa, has been promoted to head girls basketball coach at Iowa City High School. In recent seasons, Barnard assisted veteran girls coach Bill McTaggart, who retired after 23 years and 402 victories, including a state championship. “I couldn’t be more excited,” said Barnard, who is also a science teacher at City High.

2012 10th

BARNARD

REUNION

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

Samantha Hendrix has accepted the position of director of legal services and general counsel at Saint Francis Healthcare System in Cape Girardeau, Mo. After earning her Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law, she joined St. Francis in 2018 and has served as a staff attorney and, most recently, assistant counsel. Quinton Gerrero of Atlanta began a position in 2021 as a research scientist at Georgia Tech Research Institute. The holder of a Ph.D. in medical physics from the University of Wisconsin, he had previously been a principal system engineer for Northrop Grumman.

HENDRIX

Alex Holt of Evanston, Ill., has begun a new position as general manager of cars.com’s FUEL, a digital video solution that helps auto dealers pinpoint serious ready-to-buy shoppers in a fragmented marketplace. He was previouusly FUEL’s digital advertising director.

GUERRERO

Colleen Zumpf, a postdoctoral appointee in the environmental science division of Argonne National Laboratory, was featured in a story in May about Argonne staff who are tackling different aspects of climate change. Zumpf’s work focuses on bioenergy production, such as growing perennial crops that can be used to create renewable fuel.

2013 HOLT

William Grunow of Waukee, Iowa, formerly the director of dining services for Monmouth’s Aramark food service, has been named the company’s new director of supply chain for higher education.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

2015

Emily Holt of Moline, Ill., has begun a new job as admissions director for the Kahl Home for the Aged and Infirm, a senior living facility in Davenport, Iowa. Dr. Stephanie Lankford Baker of St. Charles, Mo., is now a board-certified and residency-trained family physician. She will be starting a new position with Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital in September. She and her husband, Chance, have purchased their first house and are expecting their first child in December.

2016

Emily Siefken of Lubbock, Texas, has been named director of volleyball operations at Texas Tech University.

2017 5th

REUNION

SEPT. 30-OCT. 1, 2022

Jacob Marx 106 S. Front St., Apt. 2D Philadelphia, PA 19106 jacob.p.marx@uscg.mil

Jacob Marx has been appointed Branch Chief, Executive Officer/Deputy Division Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

2018

Diana Rubi, a program manager for Entrepreneurship for All in Northwest Arkansas, presented a program in March as part of Monmouth College’s focus on mental health awareness for Hispanics. She discussed the realities of being a first-gen Latina in the United States, in college and as a professional, which she acknowledged could be “lonely and burdensome”

Diana Rubi ’18 participated in a Monmouth College program this spring, focusing on mental health awareness for Hispanics. (See class note, below.)

at times. “I wanted the students to know that wherever they may be, building a community of supportive people is an important aspect of creating stability and finding growth,” she said. “If we feel secure enough to lean on that community, then we may not feel the need to carry the weight of ‘being the first’ alone. We can release that pressure and find ways to cultivate joy and rest in our lives instead.”

2019

John Cotter has moved to Kansas City, Mo., for a job with the Internal Revenue Service as a tax examiner in error resolutions. He had previously been the owner/operator of John’s Bike Repair in Chicago, through which he did a brisk in-person and online business in repair, renovation and resale of bicycles, many of them vintage.

Submission Guidelines Submit your news online at monmouthcollege.edu/alumni/updates, by email to alumni@monmouthcollege.edu, or by mail to Monmouth College Magazine, Attn: Alumni Programs, 700 East Broadway, Monmouth IL 61462-1998. Digital photos should have a minimum resolution of 300 pixels per inch. Please include a photo caption with full names that clearly match faces, class years, date and location. We reserve the right to reject images for any reason, especially those with low resolution and those that require purchase from a photo gallery website. Submissions will be published at the discretion of the editors on a space-available basis.

SCENES FROM THE 2022

FIGHTING SCOTS SOCIETY GOLF OUTING

JUNE 24–25 GIBSON WOODS MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS

Professor Tim Tibbetts serenades the golfers as they prepare to head for the tees.

Molly McNamara Klinger ’03 shares a cart with former athletics assistant Kathy Haas as Gus Hart ’68 looks on.

From left: Greg Simpson ’87, Angelo Vitiritti ’86, Jim Cole ’88 and Todd Peterson ’86 enjoy a moment of camaraderie.

Development Office staffers Troy Hippen ’22 and Emily Henson ’23 give a thumbs-up as steady rains begin to tail off on Saturday morning.

Making critical adjustments to official Monmouth golfing apparel.

Graduates from three different decades comprised the team of Scott Beeler ’98, Brian Krier ’05, Chris Lemon ’80 and Doug Devine ’80.

SUMMER 2022

WEDDINGS

SYBILLE RIZZOLLI ’11 AND GRANT SMITH

AMY WARD ’19 AND ELI DENTON ’19

2011 Sybille Rizzolli and Grant Smith May 1, 2021

2018 Jameyrae Valdivia and Joshua Swetman October 30, 2021

2014 Stevie Croisant and Nick Thieme June 25, 2022

2019 Amy Ward and Eli Denton August 28, 2021

JAMEYRAE VALDIVIA ’18 AND JOSHUA SWETMAN ’18

Have a photo to share? Send us a photo of your future Fighting Scot, and we’ll send you this colorful Monmouth College baby bib! Visit monmouthcollege.edu/wee-scots to submit your baby photo and information. For wedding photos, email high-resolution digital images to alumni@monmouthcollege.edu. For all photos, be sure to include all pertinent information, including date of wedding or birth, couples’ and parents’ names and class years (if applicable), and identification of all individuals in photos, if not obvious.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

STEVIE CROISANT ’14 AND NICK THIEME

BIRTHS

TRISTAN MAXWELL AND CHARLOTTE CLAIRE KEENE

EVIE AND BROOKS JOHNSON

2007 Leanna Wilson Keene and Robert a daughter, Charlotte Claire June 2, 2020 a son, Tristan Maxwell April 5, 2022 2009 Stephanie Larson Kramp and Tony a son, Anthony Michael Jr. March 3, 2022 2011 Britta Nichols Johnson and Mitch ’12 a daughter, Evie Elizabeth August 3, 2019 a son, Brooks Joseph May 18, 2021 Matthew Morman and Amber a son, Tucker William November 20, 2021 AOIFE SINÉAD GODDARD

BRYNN HOLLIS FALKENRATH

TAYLOR JACOB SMITH

RAELYN CHRISTINE CLAEYS

EMMA GRACE WILLARD

2013 Veronica Woodruff Claeys and Ky ’12 a daughter, Raelyn Christine March 24, 2022 Sarah McCrery Willard ’13 and Adam a daughter, Emma Grace September 6, 2021 Sioban Stahl Goddard and CJ ’14 a daughter, Aoife Sinéad February 10, 2022 2014 Chris Falkenrath and Hollis Hanson-Pollock a daughter, Brynn Hollis January 19, 2022 Kylie Eaton Smith and Ryan a son, Taylor Jacob February 7, 2022 2018 Kaylee Kurtz Mathison and Andrew ’16 a daughter, Emersyn Kay February 7, 2022

EMERSYN KAY MATHISON

SUMMER 2022

IN MEMORIAM

1945

Mary Whitford Hull, 99, of DeKalb, Ill., died March 27, 2022. She graduated with a degree in English, served as student body president and was a member of Crimson Masque and Kappa Kappa Gamma. Music was always an important part of her life. She gave lessons for many years, played the clarinet until she was 90 and directed a church handbell choir for 10 years. Hull also taught school for 12 years. Survivors include a daughter, Carol Hull Carlson ’72.

1949

Beth Burford Dowell, 93, of Monmouth, died Dec. 12, 2021. After studying at Monmouth, she worked at Gamble-Skogmo, the National Bank of Monmouth, Warren School and Heritage United Presbyterian Church.

1950

Robert Hiett of Monmouth died March 25, 2022, one month shy of his 100th birthday. Prior to attending Monmouth, he served in the Army in the North African and Pacific theaters. Hiett graduated with a degree in geology and later earned a Ph.D. at Florida Christian College. His career covered several professions, including serving on the science faculty at both Monmouth and Western Illinois University. He was a manager for Illinois Bell, worked for the Illinois Conservation Department, and began Maple City Decorating, which he operated for several years. He was also a certified coin appraiser. Hiett served as president of the Monmouth College Alumni Association and as director of its Concert Lecture Series. Survivors include his daughter, Merleanne Hiett Rampale ’82. Thomas Murphy, 97, of Henderson, Nevada, died Feb. 18, 2022. He graduated with a degree in business administration and was a member of the baseball team and Alpha Tau Omega.

1953

Janet Zolan Bermann, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., died March 30, 2022. During her time at Monmouth, she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, William Bermann ’51. Arlene Kunde Flynn, 90, of Aurora, Ill., died March 12, 2022. A member of Kappa Delta, she graduated with a degree in English and completed an education degree at Aurora University.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Flynn was a teacher for 20 years in East Aurora. Her post-retirement volunteer work included leading tours for the Aurora Historical Society and working with the adult literacy program at Waubonsee Community College. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dan Flynn ’53.

1954

Lois Butterfield, 88, of Naperville, Ill., died Aug. 14, 2020. Her studies at Monmouth helped her become a nurse. She worked for many years at Edward Hospital, including a stint as director of nursing. In retirement, she worked at Marshall Field’s in Chicago. Donald Patterson, 88, of Houston, Texas, died Feb. 10, 2022, after a month-long battle with pneumonia. He served in the Navy during the Korean War, then earned bachelor’s degrees from Monmouth in geology and from Western Illinois University in education. He also received a master’s degree in earth science from the University of South Dakota. Patterson spent his career working as a geologist in Illinois and Texas. Carolyn Phelps, 92, of Monmouth, died May 5, 2022. She graduated with a degree in music and devoted her life to teaching. Phelps had a diverse set of classrooms, first teaching in a one-room school in Monmouth’s county of Warren. She also taught piano in a United Presbyterian Mission School in Assiut, Egypt, and taught at U.S. Air Force dependent schools in France and Japan. She spent the majority of her teaching career in Rantoul, Ill., again working with mostly Air Force children. While working in Rantoul, she earned a master’s degree from the University of Illinois. Kenneth Franknecht, 89, of Houston died June 3, 2022. A business administration major, he was a member of the swim team and Theta Chi fraternity. After serving in the Army during the Korean War, he had a long career with Shell Oil Co.

1955

James Hands of Cincinnati, Ohio, died Nov. 20, 2021. He graduated with a degree in biology and was a member of the football team and Sigma Phi Epsilon. Carol Buhler Whowell, 86, and William “Buzz” Whowell, 87, of Downers Grove, Ill., died a little over a year apart on Jan. 10, 2020, and June

17, 2021, respectively. Carol graduated with a degree in elementary education and was a member of Kappa Delta. She taught school, worked for school libraries and, after completing a degree in library science from Northern Illinois University, worked at the Downers Grove Public Library. Buzz graduated with a degree in business and was involved in Crimson Masque, the Octopus Club and Tau Kappa Epsilon. He worked in his native Paxton, Ill., at his father’s Ford dealership before moving to Downers Grove. There, he worked for the University of Illinois-Chicago and Western Electric. He earned an MBA from the University of Chicago and was an avid sailor and tool collector. Survivors include a daughter, Kimberly Whowell Bland ’81, and grandchildren David Bland ’07 and Ryan McKirdy ’21.

1956

The Rev. Ralph Ranney, 88, of Oklahoma City, died May 26, 2022. A graduate of Monmouth High School, he studied Greek and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Ranney then attended Pittsburgh Xenia Theological Seminary, completing two divinity degrees before being ordained in 1959. He served seven churches—four as the full-time pastor and three as interim—with his longest tenure at the First Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City from 1972 to 2000. Ranney was the interim pastor at Memorial Christian Church in Oklahoma City until just three months before his death. Ranney was also a member of the Indian Nations presbytery and led several youth mission trips to Mexico. Sheryl Johnson Geiger of Berwyn, Ill., died June 15, 2022.She was a physical education major and a member of Pi Beta Phi. She worked 20 years for Cicero-Berwyn Life newspaper. Survivors include her son Gary Geiger ’76 and her grandson Sean Geiger ’10. She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Kenneth Geiger ’53.

1957

James Johnson, 86, of Geneseo, Ill., died Feb. 11, 2022. After graduating from Geneseo High School as its all-time leading scorer in basketball, he played that sport as well as football and track at Monmouth, graduating with a degree in physical education. He was also a member of Theta Chi. Johnson earned a master’s degree from Bradley University, then started his career in teaching and coaching, spending four years in Avon, Ill., before returning to Geneseo, where he also served as a guidance counselor.

ALUMNI NEWS | OBITUARIES

IN MEMORIA M

Nancy Speer Engquist ’74 Nancy Speer Engquist ’74, a 20-year member of the Monmouth College Board of Trustees who was known as “Ms. Monmouth,” died June 29, 2022, after a brave battle with cancer. She was 69. A lifelong learner and supporter of education, Engquist was an education major with a focus on learning disabilities and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After she graduated from Monmouth, she went on to earn her master’s degree in special education from Northern Illinois University and her doctorate in education from Loyola University Chicago. “Nancy was a dear, funny, strong soul,” said President Clarence R. Wyatt. “Her work on the Enrollment Management Committee was especially strong and valuable. Her bright spirit and devotion to our students will be sorely missed.” Growing up in the rural town of Bushnell, Illinois, Engquist was influenced in her decision to pursue teaching by her high school principal, John Lawson ’47, and his wife, Ilene Schleich Lawson ’46, a local teacher. After graduating from Monmouth, Engquist began her career as a special education teacher in Batavia, Illinois, before moving to neighboring St. Charles, where she resided with her family for over 40 years. A lifelong learner and educator, she continued her career as a teacher of middle school in both regular and advanced classes, and finally as a professor and consultant at Illinois State University. Engquist, who lived in Berlin, Md., joined Monmouth’s Board of Trustees in 2002 and served on its Enrollment Management Committee and Nominations Committee. She previously served on the College’s Alumni Board of Directors from 1996–2002. A lover of history, Engquist relished her memberships at museums in the Washington, D.C., area. She also enjoyed teaching swimming. Putting students first “Nancy was not only a great friend to Monmouth College, but one of the true advocates for student success,” said former Monmouth vice president Don Capener, who is now at Utah Valley University. “She dedicated so much of her time and efforts to helping our students succeed.” Added Monmouth physics professor Chris Fasano: “Nancy was always so kind and thoughtful, and she was wicked

smart. The students always came first—it was always about them and serving them. Truly a life of serving others. I will miss her so.” That sentiment was shared by many others, including those who served with her on the Board of Trustees. “My heart is broken this morning. I learned that my great friend, the president of my fan club, my mentor, my fellow Monmouth College alum, has passed away,” said Monmouth trustee Dan Cotter ’88. “She now is no longer suffering, but the world is a bit sadder today, as one of the warmest, kindest, giving persons I have known is no longer with us.” “Nancy wrote to me on my birthday in January, telling me she was gravely ill with the same cancer that killed her mother,” said another trustee, Sandra Epperson Wolf ’64. “Johns Hopkins accepted her case, and she fought bravely. She was my touchstone at the trustee meetings—so friendly, communicative and hard working. I can’t believe that we will only see each other in heaven.” Carlos Smith ’90 and Anita Ridge ’88 have been Monmouth trustees since 2001 and 2014, respectively. “I am truly heartbroken to hear this news,” said Smith. “Nancy was a true supporter to me and my entire family. She always had a kind word and encouraged my girls’ accomplishments as if they were her own daughters.” “I was lucky to be Nancy’s friend through our shared commitment to Monmouth College,” said Ridge. “Nancy was welcoming, compassionate, dedicated to education and witty. I will miss her kind words, her smile and her thoughtful questions. Deepest sympathy to her family and to all who loved her.” ‘Ms. Monmouth’ Along with Cotter, Geri Pope Weber ’76 coined a nickname for Engquist—“Ms. Monmouth.” “She was one of the nicest, kindest people who always had time for you,” said Weber. “She had a caring, helpful nature, always helping others. Monmouth College was one of those recipients. As Dan and I called her … ‘Ms. Monmouth.’ Her smile, her laugh, her sense of humor – there wasn’t anything not to like.” Engquist is survived by her husband of more than 40 years, John Engquist; daughters Kristin Bergey (Ryan) and Laura Engquist, and four grandsons.

SUMMER 2022

ALUMNI NEWS | OBITUARIES

Edward Phillips, 86, of Lombard, Ill., died in July 2020. An elementary education major, he played baseball at Monmouth and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Survivors include his wife, Christine O’Donnell Phillips ’58.

was a member of the football and baseball teams. He was a high school teacher, coach and athletic director over the course of his 37-year career in education, working at the Illinois schools of Maine West, Harvard and Cary-Grove.

1958

Player E. “Bud” Cook, 84, of Chillicothe, Ill., died May 31, 2022. Active in basketball and track at Monmouth, he was a member of Theta Chi and Phi Eta Mu. He earned a master’s in mathematics and spent his early career as a math professor, before joining IBM for 28 years. In retirement, he was an avid Corvette enthusiast

Philip Kempin, 84, of Tiger, Ga., died Dec. 31, 2020. He graduated with a degree in psychology and was a member of Theta Chi. Kempin worked as a copywriter and audio producer for several Illinois radio stations before moving to Tampa, Fla., where he and a business partner opened a recording studio and 35mm film processing and printing facility. He then was a writer, producer and director for General Telephone of Florida before opening Kempin Creative Enterprises, a multi-track recording studio. Joyce Underwood Barnett, 84, of Monmouth, died March 28, 2022. She graduated with a degree in physical education and was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta, which she served as a president. She was a junior high teacher, a school librarian and a reading specialist. Later, she was an activities director at Aspenwood Healthcare in Silvis, Ill. Barnett crocheted hundreds of items of clothing for Monmouth’s Jamieson Community Center. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Gary Barnett ’59. Survivors include a daughter, Lynn Barnett McVey ’83, and three grandchildren who graduated from Monmouth—Erin Welker ’16, Jack Barnett ’21 and Hannah McVey ’21. Gayle G. Smith, 86, of Charlotte, N.C., died May 7, 2022. An economics major with a minor in government, he was a member of the TKE fraternity. After graduation, he served two years in the Army. He retired in 2000 from Cigna Property and Casualty. In retirement, he traveled, was active in his church and volunteered as a poll worker.

1959

Bill Suffield Jr., 90, of Crystal Lake, Ill, died May 20, 2022. After attending Bradley University in his hometown of Peoria, Ill., for two years and serving in the Navy during the Korean War, he enrolled at Monmouth. Suffield graduated with a degree in history and

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Terrence H. Brown, 84, of Louisville, Ky., died May 16, 2022. A business administration major, he was involved in music, swimming and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He was employed in the flooring industry for more than 50 years and was an avid golfer. Survivors include his wife, Judith Watson Brown ’60.

1960

Dr. Richard S auerman, 83, of Albuquerque, N.M., died April 28, 2022. He graduated with a degree in biology and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. After graduating from the University of Illinois Medical School, he moved to Albuquerque to begin his OB/ GYN residency at the University of New Mexico. Early in his career, he also was part of the Indian Public Health Service on Zuni reservation. During his 50-year career in Albuquerque, he brought more than 5,000 babies safely into the world. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Barbara Speer Sauerman ’62.

1961

Jean Oesterle Kelly, 82, of Roseville, Calif., died March 3, 2022, after a long illness. She graduated with a degree in English. A member of Kappa Delta, she participated in synchronized swimming and Crimson Masque. Kelly received a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and did advanced graduate work at the University of California-Berkeley. She had a long career teaching in public elementary schools and in special reading programs. Shortly after graduating from Monmouth, she took a solo trip around the world. At one of her stops in Pakistan, she taught at the Lahore American School. Joan Smale Stewart of Ladera Ranch, Calif., died Feb. 6, 2022. She studied English.

Stanley Wilson, 83, of Jupiter, Fla., died April 22, 2022, of Alzheimer’s. After attending a one-room schoolhouse in Table Grove, Ill., and VIT High School, he enrolled at Monmouth, graduating with a degree in business administration and joining Tau Kappa Epsilon. Wilson worked for more than 30 years with Park Corporation in Barrington, Ill., before moving to Columbia, S.C., where he worked for Kroger as a coffee buyer until his retirement in 2001. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Lillie Sievers Wilson ’62, and his brother, Roger Wilson ’68.

1962

N. Peter Anderson of Bellingham, Wash., died Jan. 12, 2022. He graduated with a degree in sociology and was a member of the football, track and baseball teams, the Octopus Club and Theta Chi. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Anderson was employed by the Xerox Corporation for many years. He was also an avid sailor.

1963

John Schillinger, 80, of Strasburg, Va., died May 27, 2022, after a yearlong illness. He spent his teenage years on a farm in Viola, Ill., helping to raise Christmas trees and Suffolk sheep and learning gardening and construction skills that the Eagle Scout drew upon for the rest of his life. At Monmouth, he studied chemistry and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He switched his career goal late in his Monmouth education thanks to a Russian class. Schillinger attended graduate school at the University of Illinois, where he met his wife of 56 years. When he called her sorority house to ask her out for a first date, he said, “What are you doing this Friday, and every Friday night, for the rest of your life?” Schillinger earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin and taught Russian at several colleges and universities. He created the Russian program at Saginaw Valley College in Michigan and also taught at Purdue University, Oklahoma State University and American University. In 1987, while leading of delegation of American exchange students through Moscow, he and his wife met President Mikhail Gorbachev and had a one-hour conversation with the Russian leader, which was pictured the next day on the cover of Pravda.

ALUMNI NEWS | OBITUARIES

1964

John Willis, 79, of Inverness, Ill., died in March 2022. He also attended the University of Illinois. Willis was a successful manufacturer’s representative, a private pilot, a longtime trustee of Inverness and a past president of the Western Trade Association.

IT’S NOT JUST

GAME DAY EVERY DAY

1965

Terry Scalf, 77, of Monmouth, died March 10, 2022. He served his country during the Vietnam War as a first sergeant in the Army. Scalf worked for Archway Cookies, was a car salesman at two Monmouth dealerships and was a furniture sales representative for various companies in the Midwest.

IT’S

Theodore Blair of Sun City West, Ariz., died Dec. 12, 2021.

1967

Nancy Bixby Cacciatore, 76, of Davis, Ill., died Feb. 12, 2022, following an extended illness. She completed her degree at the University of Illinois and worked for the Winnebago (Ill.) County Superintendent’s office before becoming a full-time mother. She was described as someone who always found the bright side and enjoyed being silly, such as forming a mothers’ kazoo band for Durand (Ill.) High School softball games.

1972

Sarah Scarritt Coughlin, 71, of Bristol, R.I., died May 23, 2022. She graduated with a major in religious studies and was a member of the synchronized swim team. After Monmouth, she earned a master’s degree in theology and counseling from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Coughlin was a vocational counselor for 42 years and a resident of Bristol for 54 years. The Rev. Roy Koehler, 79, of Walnutport, Pa., died Jan. 13, 2022. He studied English at Monmouth and earned a bachelor’s degree in social services from Temple University. Koehler earned a master’s degree in divinity from Gettysburg Seminary. Among the churches he served were St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mertztown, Pa., and Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansford, Pa.

Your gift to the Fighting Scots Society supports Monmouth athletes every day, keeping our student-athletes prepared for graduation. monmouthcollege.edu/give/fighting-scots-society

ATHLETICS

1983

Kellie Sumner Schroll, 59, of Thompsons Station, Tenn., died May 1, 2021. She graduated with a degree in elementary education and was a member of Pi Beta Phi.

tion studies and was a member of the soccer and basketball teams. A self-taught guitar player, he enjoyed writing and creating his own music.

1992

Word has also been received of the following deaths:

Gale Bramlett, 71, of Rio, Ill., died March 27, 2022. He graduated with a degree in business. An inspector at Galesburg Rubber Company, he owned and operated Bramlett Produce Company for more than 30 years. He also assisted his wife at the Clover Public Library in Woodhull, Ill.

2014

Rachel Lampson, 30, of Paw Paw, Ill., died March 25, 2022, after a courageous battle with cancer. A participant in choir, she studied English and journalism and minored in women’s studies.

2018

Will Podbelsek, 27, of Lincoln, Ill., died March 21, 2022. He graduated with a degree in communica-

Jim Wasem, 86, of Patoka, Ill., died April 2, 2022. Wasem was the Fighting Scots head basketball and baseball coach from the 1967-68 academic year through 1971-72 before taking coaching positions at Northwest Missouri State University and Eastern Washington University. J. Christopher Heller ’72 of Rohnert Park, Calif., died June 19, 2017. He was a history major and a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

SUMMER 2022

THE LAST WORD

Mark Taylor ’78

OUR MOST ENDURING TRADITION

orty-f our years ago,

it was my turn, together with the rest of the Monmouth College class of 1978. We wore caps and gowns, pipers led the way, the trustees and faculty processed in full academic regalia and we were directed to our seats in front of Wallace Hall by faculty marshals with maces. We listened to speeches, heard the Latin words granting our degrees and walked across the stage to receive our diplomas from the hand of the president. It is a tradition and has changed only very modestly through the years. I suppose that is one of the hallmarks of all important traditions and the importance of this one is hard to overstate. It’s called “Commencement” for a reason. It may feel like an ending or a culmination but it has been since the Middle Ages and is today a ceremony marking a beginning. At Commencement, we mark the beginning of our lives as people who have earned degrees from Monmouth College. I think most of us alumni would agree that the four (give or take) years we spent earning those degrees had a lot to do with who we have become and what our lives have been since that beginning. We are very different people than we otherwise would have been because of those years. At a fundamental level, that is the reason Monmouth College exists. Our mission statement describes it as “a transformative educational experience.” I don’t think I knew it at the time of my Commencement back in 1978, but I know now that it certainly was a transformative experience for me, and I believe for most Monmouth alumni. Of course, Commencement is also a time of celebration and joy—fireworks, pageantry, proud families and friends watch us walk across the stage. Mixed in there might be some reflection and maybe even a little sadness as it sinks in that this really is an end as well as a beginning. We won’t be here with our friends next semester, here in this place which has become home. But then the anticipation of the new horizons bubbles up—maybe graduate school, hopefully jobs, creating new families, new places to become home. And there should be time to show some gratitude. Those faculty lining the walk at the end of the ceremony worked long and hard to provide that transformative experience. And most of us had

lots of help and support—maybe financial and almost certainly emotional—from family and friends along the way. This is their day, too. I have been honored to be a trustee of the College for the past 20some years and have been a member of the Board’s Academic Affairs Committee the entire time. We regularly receive reports from the deans, the chair of the Faculty Senate, other faculty members and staff. We discuss the needs of the faculty to continue the institution’s mission and changes that have been proposed in the academic program of the College. It’s fascinating work. But every year my single favorite responsibility of the committee is when the dean sends us the list of seniors who have satisfactorily completed their degree requirements and we vote to present the names to the full board with a recommendation to approve the granting of their degrees. I read each of those names and imagine the hard work done, the challenges overcome, the people they have become and the lives they will lead. I confess to a moment of pride both in them and in the College that has served them. Since our spring board meetings have not recently been on the weekend of Commencement I haven’t been to as many of these ceremonies over the past years as I would have liked. But this year I was in Monmouth for the Commencement of the Class of 2022 and lucky to participate in the ceremony as a trustee. There have been a few changes in the weekend’s proceedings since my Commencement. I’m certain we didn’t have a champagne toast the night before and I don’t remember fireworks. But the essentials of the tradition remain. The pipers piped, the faculty and students processed, and the faculty marshals kept everything flowing smoothly. The Latin was spoken granting the degrees and each student’s name was read aloud as they walked across the stage to receive a handshake and diploma from the president. I saw universal happy smiles, a fair number of happy tears and lots of hugs of gratitude as the graduates walked through the double row of faculty, now as alumni rather than students. I’m glad the important things haven’t changed.

I read each of those names and imagine the hard work done, the challenges overcome, the people they have become and the lives they will lead.

MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Mark Taylor ’78 is an attorney for Citigroup Energy Inc. A resident of Houston, he has been a member of the Monmouth College Board of Trustees since 2001.

BE A SCOTS NAME-DROPPER

If you’re like many Monmouth alumni, you wouldn’t trade your college experiences for the world. But wouldn’t it be great to be able to share them? You can, by submitting the name of a child, grandchild, niece or nephew—or any talented young person who you believe could benefit from a Monmouth education. Just go to:

www.monmouthcollege.edu/future-scot and nominate a high school student who you believe would be a great match for Monmouth!

GRAB SOME CLASSROOM SWAG

Attention teachers, guidance counselors, principals and coaches! We need your help to recruit the next class of Fighting Scots! You can help by sharing your Monmouth College experiences and having some Monmouth gear on display in your classroom. Fill out a form at monmouthcollege.edu/swag and we’ll send you a Monmouth pennant along with pens and pencils. If you’re currently working with students in grades 9-12 we’ll also include student referral cards.

WE’RE SOCIAL! Monmouth College Monmouth College Athletics Monmouth College Alumni @Monmouth @MCFightingScots @Monmouth_Alumni @MonmouthCollege @MonmouthCollegeAthletics @ThisisMonmouth

Monmouth College Magazine SUMMER 2022

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SAVE THE DATE Homecoming 2022 Sept. 30-Oct. 1

Join us on campus for fun, fireworks and a celebration of the undefeated 1972 football team! Milestone reunions for the classes of 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017

monmouthcollege.edu/homecoming

Monmouth College Magazine - Summer 2022

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