Accent Magazine | Fall 2023 Edition

FALL 23

Director of Graphic Design Services

Allison Waltz-Boebel Photography | EagleEye Photography Contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at 419-289-5082 or alumni@ashland.edu. Alumni interested in submitting articles can send information to pr@ashland.edu.

On the Cover

The 2023 NCAA Div. II National Champions

Front Row, Left to Right: Morgan Yoder, Hallie Heidemann, student manager Maddie Maloney, Maddie George, Sophia Niese, Savaya Brockington, Molly Dever and Sam Chable.

Back

Row, Left to Right: graduate assistant coach Erin Daniels, Zoe Miller, Sarah McKee, Macy Spielman, Annie Roshak, Hayley Smith, Meredith Randulic, assistant coach Jenna Kotas, head coach Kari Pickens (with daughter Chloe) and strength coach Brad Pickens.

Adios –Go with God, AshlAnd

My family has always had a hard time with goodbyes. It all started with our Cuban father, who became notorious for just leaving family gatherings without the requisite farewells. We began thinking it was normal and I think the unusual tradition has passed down to us as well. When I asked my dad about it, he used to just say “I don’t like saying goodbye. It just doesn’t feel right.” I am sure that part of it is the potential finality in the phrase that bothered him. And me.

As Karen and I prepare for a bittersweet goodbye to our beloved Ashland community of friends and supporters, I am finding it difficult as well. It is hard to say goodbye because Ashland has been so fully enmeshed in all of our lives for nearly nine years. From our church family to our dear friends to the campus community, we have deep ties here that we will carry with us always. How do we unwind this precious skein of relationships we have built in this special place?

It is difficult to say goodbye because purple and gold are now our favorite colors, the Eagle sports teams are ones we will follow forever and the “World Headquarters of Nice People” will always feel like a treasured home.

Yet, as we transition to the next call in our lives, we leave behind nine years of working with so many great people and partners. In this edition of Accent, you will meet some of them, including the remarkable Sims family, who are truly now part of our family, and the women’s basketball team, which brought us a second national championship during our tenure. More importantly, we received the gift of better knowing those young women as striking, living examples of what is best about AU.

We leave behind a new prayer garden for our students and entire community to enjoy. We leave behind a military and veterans resource center that will continue to serve remarkable men and women who keep our country free. We leave behind our nation’s largest Correctional Education program that brings the transformational hope of education to men and women who are incarcerated, changing lives for the better. We leave behind a campus committed to the values of intellectual freedom, faith and the transformative power of education.

In addition to all that we leave behind, we are taking so much with us. We are taking with us the spirit of Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary, a spirit that is humble, hard-working and heart-warming. We are taking with us many precious memories of the people who have indelibly touched our lives. Students, faculty, staff, board members and supporters whose love for Ashland became our love for Ashland, and our collective efforts together will never be forgotten.

So, to all of you, we will not say goodbye. We will follow the family tradition and instead leave you with a favorite Spanish farewell, “adios.” Go with God, Ashland. We believe it was God who brought us here, we experienced His presence from our first moment on campus, and know that God‘s blessing will remain on this special place as we look to the future and Ashland continues to rise. Adios!

Carlos Campo, Ph.D.

A LONeSTAr LeGACy fAMILy frOM dALLAS AreA MAkeS LASTING IMPreSSION AT AU

Firstthere was Naomi in 2019, followed by Nathan two years later and now Tiffany this spring.

Anyone else from the Sims family planning to become Ashland University graduates?

That was the big question the three AU grads’ parents, Todd and Gina Sims, had been jokingly asked leading up to Tiffany’s commencement ceremony.

“No, we’re done,” Gina said with a laugh in how they answered. Are you sure?

“He’s now celebrating that he has a young daughter,” AU President Carlos Campo said of Nathan during the May 6 commencement, “Maria Rose Sims.” Campo continued, then added with a smile, “who, of course, will be valedictorian someday at Ashland.”

“All three of them had great experiences at the school and learned a lot. We’re very proud of them.”

– Gina Sims, mother of Naomi ’19, Nathan ’21 and Tiffany ’23

Whether or not Maria Rose, who was born April 23, or any other member of the next generation follows in the footsteps of Naomi, Nathan and Tiffany, the Sims family’s “legacy here will not be forgotten,” Campo said to the crowd as he thanked the family for its investment and commitment to the university after Tiffany had given the student welcome.

That legacy includes Student Senate presidents (Naomi and Tiffany) and vice president (Nathan); Ashbrook Scholars (all three), Honors Program students (Tiffany, summa cum laude; Nathan, cum laude; and Naomi, magna cum laude); and Homecoming candidates (Naomi and Tiffany); as well as triple majors (Nathan –political science, religion and philosophy, and Tiffany – political science, religion and theatre;

Naomi was a creative writing and political science double major). Quite a legacy for a family that hails from Texas and hadn’t heard of Ashland University until Campo became president in the summer of 2015.

Before coming to Ashland, Campo was president of Regent University, where Todd earned his master’s degree and also spent some time as president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Chapter of Regent’s alumni association. In the early 2010s, Campo and Todd became friends through their connections to Regent University.

In spring 2015, Todd ran into Campo and told him that he and his wife were disappointed in the college options for Naomi and, because of that, she hadn’t selected one yet.

“She had a lot of opportunities with scholarship offers, but we just didn’t feel right about them,” Todd said. “So, Carlos was like, ‘I’m going to recruit her.’ I said, ‘Go ahead, give it your best shot’.”

A call from Campo—how many college presidents call prospective students?—prompted Naomi and Todd to visit Ashland, where they just felt it would be the right place for her. And, the rest they say, was history for the Sims family as Nathan and Tiffany decided to follow Naomi’s lead, not even applying to any other colleges.

As hard as the distance was on them (17 hours one way from their home in Grapevine, near Dallas), Todd and Gina agreed it was worth all the driving because they knew it was where their children were meant to be.

“All three of them had great experiences at the school and learned a lot,” Gina said. “We’re very proud of them.”

“We got them graduated and we got a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter,” Todd said about Ashland University becoming such a big part of the family’s life.

Maria Rose’s mother, Angel (Frye), another AU graduate, joined the family in 2020 when she married Nathan in the university’s chapel. The two 2021 grads were both Ashbrook Scholars who sat next to each other from their first day in the program.

“A few months later we were dating,” Nathan said with a smile at his wife, a history and religion major from the Columbus area. Not only did the Ashbrook Center bring Nathan and Angel together, it also was a major reason the Sims siblings decided to attend AU and loved their times at the university.

Ashbrook is an independent academic center on campus that includes a rigorous and top-rated scholar program for AU undergraduate students majoring or minoring in political science, political economy or history.

Jeff Sikkenga, Ashbrook executive director, said Tiffany’s time as an Ashbrook Scholar reflected the entire family’s commitment to the Ashbrook Center and AU.

“Tiffany has been a wonderful leader, not just in Student Senate but in a number of areas across campus,” Sikkenga said. “She has continued the tradition of positive service to the AU community began and carried on by her sister Naomi and brother Nathan. She has a real servant’s heart and has been a blessing to all of us.”

Todd said he has told Sikkenga that he wished his undergraduate experience had included “a serious academic environment dedicated to excellence” like the Ashbrook Center.

Todd’s bachelor’s degree came from Howard Payne University, a private Christian university in Brownwood, Texas, which Gina also attended. That degree and his master’s degree from Regent included studying directing, theatre production and film, which he used toward starting a film business with his wife, FusionFlix Entertainment.

All three of their children took a gap year after high school to work at FusionFlix. While Naomi and Tiffany have decided to return to the family business, Nathan has chosen a different path.

He’s the director of theology and student formation at St. Peter’s School in Mansfield, Ohio, where Angel is a second-grade teacher, and he also teaches junior high and high school theology classes. He plans to eventually earn master’s and doctorate degrees in theology.

As much as they would like him to also become part of the family business, Todd and Gina are proud of his career choice.

“I’m an ordained minister,” Todd said. “That was an early part of my life, so I think it’s awesome he’s pursuing the Christian side of the family because that goes deep in our family as well. My grandfather was a pastor, and my other grandfather was an elder in his church, so that’s a major blessing.”

And it gives the proud parents a reason to keep visiting Ashland, where Nathan and Angel live.

“Now we will just fly up,” Todd said with a smile.

In addition to growing academically, the three siblings all said AU helped them grow spiritually. Ashland University’s Christian heritage was another big reason they all chose to attend and loved attending AU, they agreed.

The university’s motto of Accent on the Individual was an important part of their experiences at AU, too, seeing each of them as more than just another member of the Sims family.

“One of the first things a professor said to me was, ‘You’re not your brother, you’re not your sister, you’re you,’” Tiffany said. “People at Ashland are really good at seeing you as an individual and helping you as an individual.”

5 Jarred Opatz Content Writer

Putting Collaboration Into Action PA students, nursing students work together at simulation labs on Mansfield campus

Doris

Bowman, a heavily-caffeinated 62-year-old smoker, took herself to the emergency room this spring, reporting back pain, dizziness and shortness of breath. She was alert, but in significant distress, and shortly after checking in, fell into cardiogenic shock.

It was up to a team of Ashland University students to quickly diagnose Bowman’s condition, revive her and set her on a path to a successful recovery.

While Bowman was not a real person, the scenario and setting were realistic, one nurses and physician assistants encounter when they enter the field. Bowman was a manikin, voiced by AU faculty members through a high-fidelity simulation center that is one of the focal points of AU’s first-rate College of Nursing and Health Sciences campus in Mansfield.

“We get to practice things like this every week, but to be able to do it with different professions was really exciting. It gave us an inside look of what really happens. To be able to see firsthand what it looks like in an actual team was really exciting honestly.”

– Gabriel Hensley, first-year physician assistant student

Bowman’s case was designed in great detail by Melissa Irwin, director of AU’s growing physician assistant program and a clinical assistant professor. She named the simulation Interprofessional Scenarios, part of her PA Practice and Professionalism course, and she has different cases planned out in the future, including one on obstetrics.

These simulations are unique to AU in that they bring together undergraduate nursing students and physician assistant students who are working towards a master’s degree, as well as exercise science and dietetics students.

“We have strong programs that we can collaborate with. We have a facility unmatched by

others to execute this day with the high-fidelity simulators and the expertise of the faculty,” Irwin said. “You can see the different disciplines and where their strengths and weaknesses are and they support each other.”

When Bowman was first admitted, the nursing students took her vitals and physician assistant students analyzed her diagnostic tests, and both practiced their communication skills with an afflicted patient. After she started suffering a life-threatening acute myocardial infarction, or a heart attack, their communication skills were tested.

“We never really had a team of nurses to be able to help us. Just being able to see what their role is in the team and seeing how everything works, it felt more real than all the other cases we’ve done (in class),” said Abbie Schley, a first-year physician assistant student. “It felt like this was our actual patient.”

Irwin purposely brings the groups together for a myriad of reasons, but the communication aspect may be most noticeable. Many students start out a little shy or uncertain at the onset of the exercise, but finish much more confidently once they fully immerse themselves in the situation and get comfortable with one another.

“We have an emphasis on team steps and the process of team steps that’s really been built out of medical errors that have occurred. Nursing doesn’t speak (PA) language, and vice versa,” Irwin explained. “We have to have an equivalent language. Team steps bring it together. Nursing has now integrated more team steps into their (curriculum). If all of them speak the same language, then the top of our pyramid wins and that’s the patient.”

In this case, it was Bowman. The nursing students performed CPR in the emergency room to save her, and later, the physician assistant students assessed her follow-up testing and recommended some lifestyle changes, including to develop and implement an appropriate long-term care plan.

“We get to practice things like this every week, but to be able to do it with different professions was really exciting,” remarked Gabriel Hensley, another first-year physician assistant student. “It gave us an inside look of what really happens. To be able to see firsthand what it looks like in an actual team was really exciting honestly.”

AU’s dietetics and exercise students enter the picture, following Bowman’s stay at the hospital. They received the medical records and notes on her case from their PA counterparts, and a week or so later, conducted simulated follow-up appointments in classrooms on the AU main campus.

After examining the case, dietetics students met with Bowman, played by Denise Reed, director of the dietetics program and clinical assistant professor. They engaged with the patient, gained a further understanding of her history of poor dietary choices and offered tips on how to implement a heart healthy diet, including lower sodium and lower fat options, as well as how to decrease stress and try to stop smoking.

“It’s really about putting all of the pieces together,” noted Reed. “In this particular study, dietitians were presented with lots of pieces like BMI (body mass index), edema and glucose numbers, and had to ask a lot of questions to develop a sensible meal plan.”

Exercise science students communicated with and evaluated Bowman, this time played by Irwin, on a series of cardiac rehab stress tests. They collected data, such as blood pressure and heartrate, as she speed walked on a treadmill, and were charged with making a suitable aerobic fitness plan for the patient.

These additional phases give AU’s PA students the experience of working with outside providers, an important aspect of the profession that can be overlooked during one’s education. “Each (group) does their portion and we share what we typically would in the medical world to the next receiving person,” added Irwin.

“Then, they share it back and the PA sees them as an outpatient like a primary care provider would or family practice for long-term care.” All in all, it takes three weeks to complete the Interprofessional Scenarios case study, but the experience in the high-fidelity simulation labs made a lasting impression, according to Hensley. “I feel more prepared. It’s a good bridge between us just practicing with each other to we’re going to be doing those clinicals with all of those team members. Visualizing the scene was a great, great step,” she said.

When a real Doris Bowman falls ill, Irwin believes that students like Hensley, Schley and all of the AU physician assistant and nursing students will be more prepared than some of their peers. “We send (PAs) out in a few short months to rotations where they’re working with humans, so this is a safe environment to know the true gravity of their decisions. It can change in a split second and you have to be ready,” she said.

5 Hugh Howard Media Relations and Social Media Manager

Jill Mathes Baxter, assistant professor of nursing, provided the voice at times of manikin patient Doris Bowman during the Interprofessional Scenarios simulation. Fellow faculty member Amy Wilson looked on to evaluate how students reacted to the voice prompts.

Here Comes the… Fashion Show Students showcase creative talents with wedding-themed show

Followingan enthusiastic ovation from the crowd on hand at the 2023 Fashion Show, held in late April at the Western Reserve Masonic Community in Medina, and a series of compliments from individual attendees, Caileigh Kropka shed tears of joy. The tears marked the culmination of a semester, and really an undergraduate career’s worth of dedication and hard work, for the senior fashion merchandising major and art history minor from New London, Ohio.

The Fashion Show is the defining project for students, such as Kropka, in Ashland University’s fashion merchandising program, which falls within the Dauch College of Business and Economics. It is an undertaking that they start working on almost from day one.

“It’s a personal journey … and a creative process all together. It’s a creative outlet for them with all of the other classes they have in the business school. You can’t change accounting. You can’t change finance. But, you can have this as your outlet.”

– Alison Rossi, assistant professor of fashion merchandising

When juniors and seniors enroll in Alison Rossi’s Fashion Studio II class, they already know the assignment – to complete two garments from scratch in about 16 weeks – but they can’t get a head start because the pieces they’ll create will be centered on a specific theme. The theme changes for each show based on a class vote. This year, a classic and favorite fashion interest for many emerged – weddings – whereas previous editions have been book titles, elements of nature and decades.

Once the theme is selected, students start brainstorming initial concepts and develop a fashion mood board – a collage of ideas, colors and swatches of fabric – that serves as inspiration for the final piece. Then, students move on to purchasing the material, selecting

a model, taking precise measurements, sewing the piece, making alterations and adding embellishments, all while planning out every element of the Fashion Show itself.

“It’s grueling,” admits Rossi, an assistant professor of fashion merchandising since 2016.

While the projects are in progress, many students receive inspiration and valuable lessons via optional trips to a couple of fashion capitals of the world – New York City and Paris. This year in New York, they toured Kleinfeld Bridal, home to TLC’s popular “Say Yes to the Dress” reality television show, and were able to ask expert seamstresses about wedding dresses. Their trip to Paris coincided with Fashion Week, where they got to see extravagant offerings and famous French fashion houses.

Rossi described the trips as an exciting time “to see all the different ideas of where you can go with weddings.” Kropka agreed and added they were “so much fun,” yet she didn’t need any extra inspiration to come up with an original piece. She had already dreamed up an idea to make a wedding dress with a distinct bow tied by the hip that turns into a pantsuit featuring a plunging neckline.

“I just wanted to do something a little different. I had seen transformable wedding dresses, but I wanted it to be a dress into a pantsuit. I added a (full-length) skirt on top of (the pantsuit) for the ceremony part of the wedding and a pantsuit for the reception,” she explained.

Kropka’s dress-pantsuit combination stood out among the more traditional wedding dresses in the show, but Rossi was genuinely pleased with each student’s final output. Every outfit had its own special combination of cut lines, flair and styles.

“It’s a personal journey… and a creative process all together. It’s a creative outlet for them with all of the other classes they have in the business school. You can’t change accounting. You can’t change finance. But, you can have this as your outlet,” Rossi said. “Some of the garments are for wedding, some are for engagement photos and some are for bachelorette parties.”

Two non-wedding dresses receiving rave reviews were Allie Burtscher’s and Jenna Moore’s bachelorette party pieces. Burtscher went with a gothic-style, one-piece short dress, complete with black stockings and combat boots, that she termed a “Night in Vegas,” while Moore’s “The Fling Before the Ring” look was a flirty halter top and mini skirt, accessorized with long sheer white gloves and lots of gold jewelry.

Kropka’s second garment showcased her versatility, as she created a more traditional bright pink, flowy dress that was designed for a bridal shower. The production of such pieces has become almost

second nature for Kropka, who has always had a keen interest in fashion and has been “sewing since (she) was knee high.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Destiny Bittinger, an Ashbrook Scholar who just completed her first year, didn’t know how to sew at all before taking Fashion Studio I, also taught by Rossi. The freshmen and sophomores in that class create a single garment for the Fashion Show, providing them some valuable experience and a natural progression through the program.

Bittinger’s green, natural and soft-fitting dress, inspired by “The Secret Garden,” portrayed the engagement process when there’s feelings of innocence and excitement. She successfully managed the stresses throughout the project and came out very satisfied by the end.

“I wanted a smaller, more intimate experience and I’ve gotten that. (Professor) Rossi has been able to go one-on-one with all of us… and I have a really good relationship with her. If I went to a bigger school, I wouldn’t have gotten that. It’s probably beat my expectations.”

– Caileigh Kropka

“The sleeves were most challenging. They were supposed to be long and flowy, but ended up short because I messed up,” said Bittinger, who is majoring in fashion merchandising and business management with a minor in political science. “But, I actually like the direction (it) went in. It actually fits my theme more. It was challenging, but I got through it… I love to sew now.”

The ups and downs are common for all students, no matter their experience level, who are exhibiting their semester-long work in the biennial Fashion Show. Thanks to the support from one another and Rossi, they emerge as confident and talented designers ready to make an impact in any number of areas in the fashion industry.

As Kropka reflected on the cheers and encouragement she received and her four years at AU, she noted the faculty support and hands-on attention, the eye-opening trips to New York City and Paris and the real-world experience of the Fashion Show have all prepared her for whatever lies ahead.

“I wanted a smaller, more intimate experience and I’ve gotten that. (Professor) Rossi has been able to go one-on-one with all of us … and I have a really good relationship with her. If I went to a bigger school, I wouldn’t have gotten that. It’s probably beat my expectations,” she said. “I’ve learned the business side of fashion and the creative side of fashion, and that’s what I wanted. It has been a good mixture of both.”

5 Hugh Howard Media Relations and Social Media Manager

’23

THE PURSUIT TO

National championships are hard to come by. Yes, even for the now three-time NCAA Div. II national champion Ashland University women’s basketball team, which added its third crown in 2023 after also having won it all in 2013 and 2017.

National championships take supremely-talented athletes meshing with a first-rate coaching and support staff. They also usually take a little luck along the way, staying healthy and maybe getting a bounce or two to go your way. But most of all, they take a group that is committed to the relentless pursuit of bettering itself every day and putting the team above any individual accolades. Those characteristics defined the 2022-23 AU team, a group that went a perfect 37-0 and captured the hearts of “Eagle Nation” and beyond with their joyful and unselfish brand of basketball.

Eagles’ 2022-23 team epitomized unselfish play during national championship run

“This team has been so incredibly special to me for their selflessness and how much they came together that this one tops the cake for me. It’s a great group and I’m really thankful that I had the privilege to coach them,” said AU head coach Kari Pickens shortly after the Eagles put the finishing touches on a 78-67 victory over Minn. Duluth in the national title game on April 1.

While high expectations have become the norm for the Eagles – they were picked No. 5 in the coaches’ Div. II preseason poll – there were some question marks entering 2022-23, with just six rotational players back from the previous year. Ashland survived some early scares, including falling behind by 17 in its home opener before rallying past Saginaw Valley State 87-75 and a 68-67 overtime thriller in its sixth game at No. 7 Drury.

Those tough affairs were followed by a dominant and undefeated run through the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Eagles sandwiched a 12-point win at Findlay and a 4-point victory over Malone with a stretch that saw them claim 18 other games by an average margin of 32.6 points. They cruised through the GMAC tourney too, including 83-65 over Trevecca Nazarene in the finals, and earned the No. 1 seed and homecourt advantage in the NCAA Div. II Midwest Regional bracket.

The primary reason national championships are so rare, even for powerhouse programs, is the single-elimination nature of the NCAA Tournament, which gives it the well-earned trademark of March Madness. Ashland was almost a victim of March Madness, trailing familiar foe Malone with four minutes remaining in the opening round.

TO PERFECTION

The Eagles made the key plays down the stretch to prevail, then rolled past Trevecca Nazarene the next night to set up a regional championship game with No. 5 Grand Valley State in what proved to be its toughest test.

Trailing by six at halftime, Ashland brought the sellout crowd at Kates Gymnasium to a fever pitch with the first nine points of the third quarter and a 16-4 burst overall that gave the Eagles their biggest lead at 42-33. The Lakers hung around, eventually trimming the margin to 59-58 with 12.6 ticks to play, but a couple of clutch free throws and one last defensive stand clinched Ashland’s ticket to the Elite Eight.

During the national quarterfinals and semifinals, played in St. Joseph, Mo., the Eagles were in control throughout. They led wire-to-wire during an 81-72 win over UT Tyler and then for all but a couple of first quarter possessions as they solved No. 4 Glenville State’s swarming press and knocked off the defending champs 76-67.

Because the NCAA was celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Ashland and Minn. Duluth had an extended break between the semis and the championship game. The NCAA brought the Div. I, II and III women’s basketball championship teams all to the same location, Dallas, Texas, for a weekend dedicated to celebrating the advances of women’s athletics.

The unusual 10 days off could have caused some teams to get out of sync or the top-ranked Eagles to feel added pressure. Others may

have gotten caught up in the celebrity of the additional required activities in Dallas, including a Final Four Salute Dinner, media day and a red-carpet arrival to the game. Still others could have crumbled at the prospect of playing a game that was broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network in the massive, 20,000-seat American Airlines Arena, the home court of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

Not Ashland, as it came out laser focused against its No. 6 ranked opponent. The second quarter was the difference when the Eagles scored 15 unanswered points and built a 40-22 halftime cushion. An impressive fourth quarter run got the Bulldogs within 68-61 with 1:27 to go, but Ashland closed it out relatively comfortably by sinking 10 of 12 free throws. When the final buzzer of the longest season rang and the confetti came raining down, it was Ashland, a team in the truest sense of the word, that was the last one standing, celebrating a well-earned national championship and perfect season.

“There’s a lot of girls on this team that (could be) all-conference at other institutions, but to come here and be a part of this, that’s what makes today possible,” Pickens said.

She added, “Sometimes… you work really hard and it doesn’t pan out. But this team worked really hard and I’m so, so proud of them.”

5 Hugh Howard Media Relations and Social Media Manager

HOMECOMING 2023 EVENT DETAILS

FRIDAY,

OCT. 20

5 COBURN ART GALLERY EXHIBIT

Open until 7 p.m.

Featuring AU alumna

Jamie Dzuris Lindholm ’83

Jamie Lindholm is an American artist and painter who works with oils and charcoal. She creates complex woven paintings connecting emotions, experiences, figures and memories culminating in conceptual work about our human entanglements. Lindholm’s art has been exhibited throughout the United States, as well as in Sweden. Her work is in the permanent collections of the International Securities Exchange (N.Y.), Dancker, Sellew & Douglas (N.J.) and Somerset County Parks of New Jersey, as well as private collections in the United States, Switzerland, Australia and Sweden. Jamie graduated from AU with a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing. She then progressed through art programs in the studios of David Zuccarini, Maryland Institute College of Art, Studio Incamminati, and The Art Students League of N.Y. where she studied with notables Everett Kinstler, David Leffel and Robert Neffson. She earned a Master of Fine Art degree (with honors) from Regis University. Lindholm is a patron member of the Portrait Society of America, where she was once an ambassador and national coordinator for its Ambassador Program. She currently works from her studio in Colorado.

5 AU THEATRE PRODUCTION

7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre

“Proof,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by David Auburn

When a mathematical proof of historical proportions is discovered, its authorship is in question testing the bonds of family loyalty and love. Following the death of her genius mathematician father, a young woman, Catherine, must face her fears and ask the question, “How much of her father’s genius or madness will she inherit?” To find the answer,

Catherine must learn to stand her ground in the maledominated field of mathematics and step away from her sister’s controlling expectations. At its core, this intimate play explores emotional truths related to trust, grief and the nature of genius.

Look for ticket info in September at www.ashland.edu/ theatre-department

“Proof”

SATURDAY, OCT. 21

5 WELCOME STATION

8 - 10:30 a.m

Hawkins-Conard Student Center

Stop in the lobby of the Hawkins-Conard Student Center and grab a cup of coffee to kick-start your Homecoming celebration!

5 5K FUN RUN

8:15 a.m. | Check-in begins in front of the Rec Center

9:30 a.m. | Walkers/Runners

Registration required. Please visit www.ashland.edu/rec-5k to register.

In lieu of an entrance fee, we ask that you bring a canned good to benefit the Ashland County Food Bank

Can’t make it to campus? A virtual 5K option is available and registration is required.

Start off Homecoming with a 5K Fun Run! The first 100 registrants will receive a free T-shirt.

A $75 AU Campus Store gift code will be awarded to the first male and female to finish the race and a $25 AU Campus Store gift code to the second male and female to finish. Official results will not be recorded. Please, no pets. The Rec Center will be open at 9 a.m. to change and shower before and after the race. For questions, call Rec Services at 419-289-5440.

is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)

5 BAND REUNION AND RECEPTION

7:30 a.m. | Breakfast in VIP Room of the Robert Troop Center

9 a.m. | Band practice with alumni who are performing at halftime

Noon | Form up at Old Abe before marching to the stadium for pregame and halftime performances!

Celebrate 100 years of Marching Band at Ashland and step back on the field to perform at halftime with current band members!

5 RESIDENCE HALL TOURS

10-11 a.m.

Amstutz, Clayton, Clark, Kem, Kilhefner, Myers

Want to check out where you called ‘home’ during your days on campus? Tours will be available for all of the primary residence halls. All tours will begin from the lobby of each hall at 10 a.m., 10:20 a.m. and 10:40 a.m.

5 ASHBROOK CENTER REUNION AND RECEPTION

10–11 a.m.

Ashbrook Center, Second Floor of Schar College of Education

Admission: Complimentary and reservations are not required.

Catch up with fellow Ashbrook scholars and faculty members and learn more about current programming and the future of the Ashbrook Center.

Questions? Contact Josh Distel, alumni relations and citizen programs manager, at jdistel@ashbrook.org.

5 LEGACY VISIT DAY

10:15 a.m. | Check-in in the Heritage Room of the John C. Myers Convocation Center

10:30 a.m. | Admissions presentation

11 a.m. | Campus Tour

Noon | Pizza, Pizza, Pizza Fan Fest: Lawn area between the Student Center and Recreation Center – (Optional)

1 p.m. | Football Game (Optional)

Join us for our Legacy Visit Day! Exclusively for high school or transfer students who have parents or grandparents who graduated from Ashland, this event provides a university overview and campus tour. After the event, stay and enjoy the Homecoming activities throughout campus. Reservations required. More information about the Legacy Visit Day can be found at ashland.edu/visit or by contacting the Office of Admissions at enrollme@ashland.edu.

5

COBURN ART GALLERY EXHIBIT

Open until 7 p.m.

Featuring AU alumna

Jamie Dzuris Lindholm ’83

See Friday evening schedule for exhibit description and details

5 PRESIDENT’S COFFEE AND LIBRARY CAFÉ RIBBON CUTTING

10:30 – 11:30 a.m

Archer Library Café

Admission: Complimentary

AU Raffle items – must be present to win!

Join us for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new café on the first floor of Archer Library and talk to Dr. Carlos Campo and his wife, Karen. Dr. Campo will provide a campus update and answer your questions beginning at 11 a.m.

5 PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA FAN FEST

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Lawn area between the Student Center and Recreation Center

Admission: Complimentary

Bring your family and join us at this free jam-packed tailgate! Ashland pizzerias are going head-to-head to serve you your favorite pizza. Along with this variety of pizza, there will be bounce houses for the kids (weather permitting), a free photo booth, face painting, give-a-ways and more!

5 FOOTBALL GAME

1 p.m.

Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field

AU Eagles vs. Lake Erie College Storm

Tickets

- Pre-order online at www.goashlandeagles.com, click on “tickets” in the menu at the top of the page

- Purchase in advance at the AU Campus Store Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

- Game-day tickets are available for purchase two hours prior to game time at the stadium ticket booth

Adult General Admission: $11

Reserved Chair Back Seating: $16

Senior Citizens and School-Aged Children: $6

AU Students with ID: Free

HOMECOMING 2023

EVENT DETAILS

5 THEATRE ALUMNI OPEN HOUSE AND RECEPTION

4 p.m. – Open House

The theatre spaces in CFA (Hugo Young, Studio, scene shop, costume shop, box office) will be open

5:30-7 p.m. – Reception

Light refreshments on the Hugo Young stage

As the last theatre majors graduate in May 2024, we welcome back old friends to share stories, see the spaces and celebrate more than 50 years of theatre at Ashland College/University.

5 5TH QUARTER CELEBRATION

Immediately following the football game until 6 p.m. Alumni Room, Upper Convocation Center

Admission: Complimentary

Celebrate an Eagles’ victory and “Remember Your Days at Ashland” at the 5th Quarter Celebration in Upper Convo! Meet up with fellow alumni, friends, faculty and staff while enjoying free food from Ashland’s award-winning catering, a cash bar, Homecoming giveaways, a DJ and a free photo booth! Go Eagles!

SUNDAY, OCT. 22

5 5 STONES COMMUNITY CHURCH

10:30 a.m. | Jack & Deb Miller Chapel

5 SOFTBALL ALUMNI GAME

11 a.m. | Deb Miller Field at Archer Ballpark Complex

Bring your glove and your friends and relive your days on the diamond! Don’t feel like playing? Come checkout this year’s squad at the new Deb Miller Field!

For more information, contact Head Coach Emlyn Knerem at eknerem@ashland.edu

5 COBURN ART GALLERY EXHIBIT

Noon-4 p.m.

Featuring AU alumna

Jamie Dzuris Lindholm ’83

See Friday evening schedule for exhibit description and details

5 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY THEATRE

PRODUCTION

2 p.m. | “Proof” | Studio Theatre

Admission: Tickets required

See Friday evening schedule for performance description

EVENT CONTACT INFORMATION

5 5K FUN RUN

Registration required

To register, visit www.ashland.edu/rec-5k Rec Services 419-289-5440

5 BAND REUNION

Joe Lewis, Jr. | jlewisjr@ashland.edu | 419-289-5132

5 LEGACY VISIT DAY

Office of Admissions | 419-289-5052

5 FOOTBALL GAME

Chris Kohuth, assistant athletic director ckohuth@ashland.edu | 419-289-5449

Tickets: www.goashlandeagles.com or Campus Store (located in the Student Center, see hours on next page)

5 ASHBROOK CENTER REUNION

Josh Distel, alumni relations and citizen programs manager jdistel@ashbrook.org | 419-618-3928

5 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRODUCTION

Teresa Durbin-Ames, associate professor of theatre/ artistic director tdurbin@ashland.edu

Ticket info available in September at www.ashland. edu/theatre-department

5 COBURN ART GALLERY EXHIBIT

Cynthia Petry, gallery director cpetry@ashland.edu

5 SOFTBALL ALUMNI GAME

Emlyn Knerem, head coach eknerem@ashland.edu | 419-289-5453

5 ALL OTHER EVENTS, CONTACT THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

alumni@ashland.edu

419-289-5082 or 866-GoTuffy

5 AU CAMPUS STORE HOURS

Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday: Stadium Store, Noon – 4 p.m. Sunday: Noon – 3 p.m.

5 RECREATION CENTER

8 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Cost: Complimentary Pool: Noon – 9 p.m.

5 STUDENT DINING INFO (CONVO)

Saturday Lunch: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Cost: $13.35 per person

Saturday Dinner: 4 – 6 p.m.

Cost: $16.90 per person

Sunday Brunch: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Cost: $16.90 per person

Please note that all dining options are cashless operations

AU LAUNCHING NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM: INDUSTRIAL AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

In April, Ashland University officially announced its newest academic program – industrial and systems engineering. It will be housed in the Dauch College of Business and Economics (COBE). The bachelor’s program has been in development for almost two years and is enrolling students after being approved by both the Higher Learning Commission and the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

“We are grateful to Bob and Jan Archer for helping us launch this new degree, and to the faculty who moved the curriculum forward,” stated AU President Carlos Campo. “This new degree expands our academic offerings and gives us the opportunity to consider related degrees in the future as well.”

“This is very exciting. We’ve never had an engineering degree at Ashland. We can now reach students that probably wouldn’t even consider us in the past,” remarked Dan Fox, dean of COBE and a member of the AU faculty since 2004. “Probably more important is the market really needs industrial and systems engineers.”

The demand for industrial and systems engineers has been growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of industrial engineers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. About 22,400 openings for industrial engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Fox believes this trend will continue well into the future, especially in Ohio where the addition of the mega Intel

plant in Licking County and other manufacturing initiatives are taking place. Companies across a wide range of industries need these types of engineers, from manufacturing to energy, healthcare, military, technology and transportation. “Really any organization that needs a process improvement. It’s all about increasing efficiency and speed,” said Fox.

Students who enrolled in the program this fall as part of the first cohort are taking core curriculum and prerequisite math and science courses, then they’ll focus on engineering classes in future years, which is typical for engineering programs. Fox noted that Ashland is pursuing future internship partners, as well as accreditation from ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, which will be retroactive to all graduates of the program.

Ashland offers academic programs in supply chain management, manufacturing management and business analytics, so the addition of industrial and systems engineering is a natural fit. It also gives business students who are undecided on a major another option. “Maybe (students) come here with an interest in supply chain, but then they really get interested in industrial engineering … or the other way around,” noted Fox.

For more information, contact Mark Sindelar, assistant professor of industrial engineering and supply chain management, at msindela@ashland.edu or 419-289-5223.

The addition of industrial and systems engineering to AU’s offerings is expected to help meet a growing demand in the U.S. job market.

AU T-SHIRT SEEN ON “TED LASSO” KEEPS CAMPUS STORE BUZZING

The Ashland University Campus Store was as busy as ever early this summer, according to Amanda Brown, director of the Campus Store. Normally a quieter time of year for the store, its Eagle Custom Design screen-printing machine was running red-hot—or more like purple-and-gold hot—when an AU T-shirt was spotted being worn by a character on the hit Apple TV+ show “Ted Lasso.”

Viewers noticed journalist Trent Crimm, played by veteran actor James Lance, sporting a familiar-looking AU T-shirt under his blazer during the seventh episode of season three, released April 26, and Brown’s phone started blowing up. A fan of the show, Brown quickly verified with her own eyes that what they were seeing was indeed an authentic AU T-shirt and sprang into action.

Staff at the store replicated the design, Brown added the shirt to its online store, ashlandbookstore.com, with the slogan “as seen on Ted Lasso” and the orders started rolling in from eager students, faculty and alumni. Once all of the supplies were on hand May 1, the printing and shipping commenced. At first, it was a challenge to keep up with all of the requests.

In about three months’ time, the AU Campus Store processed more than 1,300 orders and shipped the T-shirts all across the United States—45 states to be exact, with Connecticut, Maine, North Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming being the only holdouts as of this writing— and even one to New Zealand.

“I’m excited we (were) able to jump on it. Within an hour of knowing about it, we were up and running. And, the following Monday online purchases started and they haven’t stopped since then,” said Brown, who holds two degrees from AU – a bachelor’s in accounting and an MBA in project management.

The shirt was originally designed in May 2017 by Jill Hiltner, a 27-year employee of AU and current assistant manager of the Campus Store. Two hundred eighty-eight were printed for Summer Orientation that year for new students and their families and they sold out.

Little did Hiltner know that her design would catch the eye of a London-based costume designer six years later. Brown reached out to Jacky Levy, the show’s costume designer, who revealed she found the shirt at a vintage shop on Brick Lane in London and simply “loved the color and everything about it for Trent Crimm’s wardrobe. It just seemed to suit his style so well.”

Hiltner remains unfazed by her 15 minutes of fame. In fact, she has not yet seen the show, (other than the clips with her designed shirt in it), but does plan to start watching it soon. She is simply grateful to have helped generate some buzz for a place that she loves. “I think it’s great for the university. That’s the main thing,” she said.

AU GRAD STUDENT/EMPLOYEE CASS PONZI COMPETES IN MISS USA PROGRAM

Two years ago, Cass Ponzi, a 2022 Ashland University graduate who is now pursuing an MBA and working in the admissions department, applied to the Miss USA program just for fun, thinking nothing would probably come of it. To her surprise the organizers reached out, and just like with anything else she does, Ponzi put her head down and went to work.

It was a struggle at first for Ponzi, a newcomer to the pageant scene. Think tomboy FBI agent Gracie Hart, Sandra Bullock’s character from “Miss Congeniality.” “I didn’t know what I was doing,” she said with a laugh.

Through dogged determination, as well as advice and support from Vicki Maple, a consultant and former Miss USA and Miss America

contestant herself, Ponzi became a bona fide pageant competitor in a very short time this spring. “Upon meeting Cass, I was able to instantly observe her potential as an intelligent, focused, articulate and beautiful female leader,” said Maple, who holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees all from AU.

Ponzi’s work to master the confidence and intricate details needed to be successful in the swimsuit and formal gown walks and the interview portion of the Miss USA experience is similar to her journey with the Eagles’ cross country and track teams. “I was pretty bad when I started running,” said the Los Angeles native. “I just kept working really hard and by the time I was a junior, I earned a scholarship and was scoring points for the team.”

She represented as Miss Ashland very well at the Ohio pageant May 1920, finishing among the top 16 and just missing being a top-six finalist out of 61 contestants.

AU President Carlos Campo, Ashland City School District Superintendent Steve Paramore and AU Executive in Residence Bob Archer, signed an MOU that laid out a new partnership, which will benefit students at both institutions.

AU INITIATES TALON TRACK PROGRAM WITH ASHLAND CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

During a press conference on July 18, leaders from Ashland University and the Ashland City School District signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which outlines a new and expanded collaboration between the two institutions through an initiative called Talon Track.

The two organizations have been strong allies for a number of years and now they have a framework in place that will be beneficial to both and the students they serve. Among the benefits the Talon Track program will provide are educational opportunities for high school students that will enhance their experiences in the classroom and promote the benefits of higher education, support for college-bound students and their families in the search process and an introduction to AU as one example of the college experience.

Specific plans of the Talon Track program include:

3 A kiosk at partner high schools that will allow students to learn about AU programs

3 AU faculty visits to teach courses and/or explore careers in various academic disciplines

3 Panels of current AU students who will discuss the differences between high school and college

3 An onsite financial aid workshop for students and their families, presented by the AU Financial Aid Office

3 A career exploration workshop for students and their families, presented by the AU Career Center for Life

3 College Credit Plus courses for interested students, offered both in-person and online

3 A $1,000 tuition scholarship to graduates of the partner high school who enroll at AU and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and another $1,000 housing scholarship for those who choose to reside on campus and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA starting fall 2024

“To have an opportunity for our kids who graduate from Ashland High School, or those students moving up through the ranks as they think about their future, to have something this close to home to be able to have a pathway to be excellent, to succeed… Ashland University has paved the way for accessibility,” said Steve Paramore, superintendent of Ashland City Schools. “For our kids, their futures will be bettered by the Talon Track (program) and making Arrows to Eagles. It’s very exciting. Ashland got better today.”

While Ashland High School is the first official Talon Track partner, AU plans to expand the program and will work with other schools across the region and state that have a shared vision.

“The intentionality reflected in this event is part of the overall Talon Track program. What we are hoping to do is expanding beyond… this is truly just a start,” said Campo. “Our sentiment is we want every Ohio high school student to know about Ashland and know about our programs. We want to be the first-choice school for Ohio students.”

2022 MAHG GRADUATE EARNS FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR AWARD FOR 2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR

Larry Dorenkamp, who graduated with a master’s degree in American history and government from Ashland University in May 2022, earned a prestigious Fulbright Roving Scholar in America Studies award, the Fulbright Program announced in May.

This Roving Scholar award affords Dorenkamp the opportunity to go to Norway and spend the 2023-24 academic year there holding workshops for secondary school students, their teachers and higher education students aspiring to become teachers. Specifically, he is being tasked to serve lower secondary students (students aged 14-16) and make contributions to the work of the Norwegian Centre for Foreign Languages in Education and Østfold University College.

Dorenkamp will present lessons that are focused on American history and culture, often combined with innovative and inspiring ideas on pedagogy and teaching methods. Of note, the Roving Scholar program is a unique Norwegian Fulbright opportunity that does not exist in other countries.

“I’m excited,” said Dorenkamp. “I came across this (professional development opportunity). It sounded like an incredible opportunity. I hemmed and hawed whether or not I should apply, and I did. I kept getting over one hurdle after the next, and here I am, one of the people that they picked.”

Dorenkamp completed his 23rd year teaching at North Hills School District in the Pittsburgh area, and 27th overall. He has spent most of

that time as an 8th grade social studies teacher, and will return to that position at North Hills in 2024-25.

Always looking for opportunities to better himself and grow as a teacher, Dorenkamp applied for and earned the 2019 James Madison Graduate Fellowship for the state of Pennsylvania. That led him down the path to Ashland’s MAHG program.

“I came across the Ashland program. It seemed like everything I was looking for. I did more research and it seemed to have some good feedback. I went to one of the Ashbrook Center’s weekend seminars,” Dorenkamp recalled, when seeking out a graduate program.

Looking back, Dorenkamp is pleased with his decision to enroll in the MAHG program. “It (was) a great experience. The professors were great. I had several professors who welcomed everyone’s thoughts, especially Chris Burkett. Just a really great experience.”

He jokingly added, “I thought I’d see where that degree would take me, and it’s apparently taking me to Norway. Didn’t see that one coming.”

Dorenkamp is looking forward at this once-in-a-lifetime chance to grow professionally and to get a first-hand look at a country with a highly-regarded education system. “I’m looking forward to getting on the inside and learning why (Norway’s education is well respected) and have the opportunities to talk to teachers. I’m there to help their teachers teaching English to their students, but I’m hoping they’re going to help me too. Truthfully, I’m hoping to maybe gain some insight on how their school system runs on a macro level that maybe I can bring back to share with my district,” he said.

AU AWARDED $1.7 MILLION FROM STATE TO SUPPORT THREE GROWING PROGRAMS

The State of Ohio awarded Ashland University approximately $1.7 million for upgrades to three of its programs – the Center for Addictions, Correctional Education and Military & Veteran Services –as part of the biennium budget passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in July.

“I am honored to have played a role in securing this funding from the State of Ohio for Ashland University. The university continues to offer exceptional educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds from all across Ohio, and even the world, and this funding will help the school administration and faculty meet the ever-changing needs of our employers and their workforce,” said State Rep. Melanie Miller (R-Ashland).

An appropriation of $700,000 will go to help expand AU’s Correctional Education program. The funding will support its transition and alumni services, a Formerly Incarcerated Persons initiative that will establish a pathway to higher education attainment. The funding will also support data research and reporting and the expansion of a reentry summit. The latter is an annual conference held on the AU campus that brings

together community and government leaders to discuss best practices of correctional education and reentry initiatives.

AU’s Center for Addictions, which provides education for those preparing for a career in the rapidly growing field of addictions treatment, will receive $500,000. Ashland plans to launch an additional specialty area to its current master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. The center will utilize the funding for training of faculty, expansion of continuing educational opportunities for current professionals and marketing and recruitment of future clinical counselors.

Another $500,000 will go toward AU’s Military & Veteran Services program. Designated a Collegiate Purple Star campus for its commitment to military-connected students, Ashland counts nearly 400 veteran and military-affiliated students among its student body. Now, it will support them further with funding for expanded programming, individualized recruitment and staffing and statewide marketing and promotion.

Keyed by regular season championships in football, volleyball, women’s basketball, STUNT and men’s golf, the Eagles won the Great Midwest’s all-sports trophy in just their second year in the conference.

EAGLES CONCLUDE MEMORABLE 2022-23 AS GMAC PRESIDENTS’ CUP CHAMPS

It only took two academic years as members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference for the Eagles to reach the top of the conference mountain. On May 16, it was announced that AU earned its first Great Midwest Presidents’ Cup title. Ashland ended with 170 points, followed by Findlay (169), Tiffin (147.5) and Walsh (146).

“We are extremely proud of this award,” said Al King, director of athletics. “I’m happy for our student-athletes, coaches and staff who have sacrificed so much and worked so hard, day in and day out, to make this possible. I’d also like to thank Dr. (Carlos) Campo for his tremendous support. This doesn’t happen without the commitment of the administration.”

Campo expressed his utmost pride in the university’s athletes and their remarkable achievements, stating, “Winning the GMAC Presidents’ Cup is a testament to the hard work, dedication and perseverance of our student-athletes. It is a reflection of their exceptional talent and the unwavering support they receive from our coaching staff, faculty and staff. This accomplishment reaffirms our commitment to fostering a culture of excellence in both academics and athletics at Ashland University.”

This is the first time Ashland has won a conference all-sports title since earning the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference President’s Trophy in each of its first three years of membership from 1995-96 to 1997-98.

It was a true team effort in winning the 2022-23 Presidents’ Cup, as every Ashland team that could have either won a Great Midwest

championship and/or competed in a conference tournament did so. The Presidents’ Cup is awarded to the member institution that has the highest score for sports sponsored within the Great Midwest. Points are awarded based on winning percentage in regular season standings for those team sports with a conference schedule and standings. Points are also awarded based on results of the championship meet for those sports without a regular season conference schedule.

By that criteria, Ashland teams to win 2022-23 Great Midwest titles for the purpose of the Presidents’ Cup were football, volleyball, women’s basketball, STUNT and men’s golf.

“I’d like to add how thrilled we are to be part of the GMAC,” King said. “We’ve enjoyed our two years in the conference and value the relationships we have with all the other institutions. It means a great deal to us to represent the conference wherever we go. We’re incredibly proud to wear the GMAC patch.”

Also in 2022-23, Ashland’s athletic department finished in 29thplace in the NCAA Div. II LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup, the national all-sports standings.

Directors’ Cup points came via performances in the NCAA Championships from women’s basketball (100), football and wrestling (53 each), men’s soccer (50), women’s indoor track and field (36), women’s outdoor track and field (34.5), baseball, men’s basketball, volleyball and women’s soccer (25 each) and men’s golf (16).

WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP

In addition to the women’s basketball team winning its third NCAA Div. II national championship on April 1 (see pages 10-11), Ashland’s winter athletics season featured a series of other impressive accomplishments.

MEN’S BASKETBALL – A young group of Eagles quickly grew up and became a force, both in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and regionally. A 22-10 finish overall and 15-5 mark in the conference included three wins against nationally-ranked Hillsdale, a 2023 Great Midwest Tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA Div. II postseason. Senior guard Brandon Haraway was the Great Midwest Player of the Year—the program’s first-ever conference Player of the Year honoree—and point guard Simon Wheeler was the circuit’s Freshman of the Year.

STUNT – Not only did Ashland play host to the first STUNT conference tournament in history, the Eagles won the first STUNT conference tournament in history. A 13-6 season featured a spot at the national tournament for NCAA Div. II and III and club teams, a feat accomplished in just the program’s second full campaign. Head coach Denise Farnsworth (co-Coach of the Year), junior flyer/ tumbler Lily Boldman (Player of the Year) and flyer/tumbler Emily Keeling (Freshman of the Year) all earned top Great Midwest honors.

TRACK AND FIELD – The Eagle men and women turned a reloading year into third- (men) and fourth-place (women) finishes at the Great Midwest Indoor Championships, and both teams were third at the Great Midwest Outdoor Championships in the spring. Fifth-year thrower Carrol Pauley was the conference Women’s Field Athlete of the Year (indoor) and earned All-American honors in the weight throw indoors. The women’s 4x400 relay team also experienced national success, as Cheyanne Davis, Macy Creamer (indoor)/Montana Walker (outdoor), Jade Avance and Mia Gardner posted seventh-place finishes at both NCAA Div. II Championship meets.

WRESTLING – Ashland finished second in the 2023 Great Midwest Championships, then ended the season tied for 20th at the NCAA Div. II competition. Nate Barrett, a 174-pounder, earned Great Midwest Freshman of the Year honors.

SWIMMING AND DIVING – The 2023 Great Midwest/Mountain East Championships saw the Eagle men place second and the women take third. Freshmen Joey Lenczyk (men) and Maddi Whitticar (women) were the Great Midwest’s Divers of the Year, and junior Josh Hagan (men) earned the conference’s Elite 26 award (top cumulative GPA).

MEN’S GOLF’S CONFERENCE TITLE HIGHLIGHTS 2023 EAGLES’ SPRING

The 2023 spring campaign for Ashland University athletics was highlighted by one of its teams doing something that hadn’t been accomplished since a year before the first Super Bowl was played.

The Ashland men’s golf team earned its first conference championship since 1966 in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference by topping Tiffin 2-0-3 in medal match play at the 2023 Great Midwest Championship. In the process, the Eagles went to the NCAA postseason as a team for the first time in nine years. Head coach Dennis North was named Great Midwest Coach of the Year, and Carter Mishler was the league’s Freshman of the Year.

BASEBALL – The Eagles, with one of the youngest lineups and rosters in program history, finished 33-21 overall and 22-10 in the Great Midwest – good for spots in both the conference and NCAA Midwest Regional tournaments. Sophomore left-hander Brendan Beaver was the Great Midwest’s Pitcher of the Year and right fielder Chris Franks was the Freshman of the Year.

SOFTBALL – Ashland’s improvement and infusion of young talent helped it go 21-29 overall, including 13-11 in the Great Midwest, and also got the Eagles into the 2023 conference tournament. This season marked the program’s first games at the new Deb Miller Field within the Archer Ballpark Complex.

SEASON

WOMEN’S LACROSSE – The young Eagles program continues to get better, and, for the first time, finished at .500 overall (9-9) and better than .500 in conference play (5-3). Ashland qualified for the Great Midwest Tournament for a second consecutive season, and produced a program-best five-game winning streak in April.

WOMEN’S GOLF – An Ashland team with no seniors and only one junior in the regular lineup took sixth place at the 2023 Great Midwest Championship.

TENNIS – The Eagle men and women had no juniors or seniors on their rosters, but both still qualified for the 2023 Great Midwest Tournament.

1969

Richard “Rick” Casali ’69 is a yacht broker with North Point Yacht Sales. Rick retired as vice president of the Columbia Gas System in 2000 and has been brokering new and used yachts since then. Rick and his wife, Anne, lived for many years in Annapolis, Md., and now divide their time between homes in Stuart, Fla., and Wellesley Island, N.Y. Rick also writes weekly articles for the Thousand Island Sun newspaper, as well as for Thousand Island Life magazine. The couple recently welcomed their eighth granddaughter.

1978

Mike Marchinuke ’78 has retired after 46 years in broadcasting, the last 12 on the air at legendary WGY serving the Capitol District since 1922. Mike plans to continue voicework projects like audiobooks and commercial production. He is still holding out hopes of being a Walmart greeter.

1986

Christopher Eddy ’86, a retired Brigadier General in the Air Force Reserves and retiree from the FBI, just published his second book, “The Hidden Secrets of Leadership Found in Song Lyrics.“ He said, “I received great feedback from my first book, which used movie quotes and tied them to leadership principles and some friends asked me to do the same with song lyrics. This book covers decades of everyone’s favorite songs across all genres: rock, hip hop, rap, oldies and pop.” He noted the opportunities he had to serve with senior government and business leaders tied his love for songs and passion for leadership together. “After 30-plus years with the Air Force and FBI, I spent a lot of time with leaders who personified service before self-excellence and integrity and I wanted to be able to explain that to a wide audience without getting into the theoretical realm of leadership. I remember reading books on leadership dealing with corporations, motorcycle maintenance and even the Bible. Tying song lyrics into leadership seemed like a great way to communicate my experiences throughout the years.”

Christopher has been a South Florida resident for more than 20 years. He majored in broadcast sales and station management at AU and also obtained two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in leadership. In addition to his 30-plus year career in the U.S. intelligence community, he also serves as an adjunct professor at several noted universities, teaching national security, intelligence, foreign policy and leadership principles to future leaders. He is a city commissioner in Weston, Fla., and is also a Congressional candidate for the 2024 election. He is lucky to have his wife, Anne, and their two children in his life. They live happily and listen to plenty of music in Weston, Fla.

1995

On Jan. 1, 2023, Gina (Bradley ’95) Feller became the chief magistrate of Montgomery County Juvenile Court in Dayton, Ohio. For the past 10 years, Gina has served as a juvenile court magistrate hearing primarily delinquency matters. Before becoming a magistrate, she was manager of Montgomery County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates Program from 2009-13 and assistant prosecuting attorney for the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s

Office from 1998-2009. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from AU in 1995, and a law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1998. Having devoted the majority of her career to serving the youth and families of Montgomery County, she’s excited that her new role will allow her “to partner more closely with the Montgomery County Juvenile Court judges, magistrates, court staff and community partners to enhance the important work that we do every day.” She lives in a suburb of Dayton with her husband, Joe. Their son, Colin, is a sophomore pre-med/biology major at Miami University.

1998

On June 2, 2023, Daniel J. Bradley ’98 was commissioned as a provisional elder at the United Methodists of Upper New York annual conference in Syracuse, N.Y. This is his 21st year in pastoral ministry. Daniel currently serves Faith Journey United Methodist Church in Clay, N.Y., and is currently enrolled in the doctorate in ministry program at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He expects to graduate in 2025.

Ethel Middlebrooks ’98 ATS is currently serving as an elder and pastoral counselor at her church, Christ Culture Church in Cleveland Hts., Ohio. She enjoys serving in her church community and traveling globally on mission trips.

2006

Natalie Coffey ’06, ’19 MA graduated from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in December 2022. She passed the bar exam in Indiana in February 2023 and was admitted to the practice of law in the U.S. District Courts there (the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana) in May 2023. Previously, Natalie served in the U.S. Navy and graduated from the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program receiving her certification as a nuclear electronics technician. She was forward deployed as a reactor operator on the USS Enterprise as part of the final crew in 2011 and 2012.

2009

Jeffery “JR” Simons ’09 MFA shares that Simple Simons Press, which he launched in 2020, has published a collection of poems entitled “Mad As Hell: An Anthology of Angry Poetry” by 15 of the best and brightest new, upcoming and established poets in the nation. Get your copy at amazon.com.

MARRIAGES AND ANNIVERSARIES 1970

Gary Obermyer ’70 and his wife Sue celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary in February.

BIRTHS 1965

William Glass ’65 shares that on April 27, 2023, he and his wife became great-grandparents for the first time. Griffin Joseph Glass was born, weighing in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces. The proud parents are Zachary and Erica (Royals) Glass.

IN MEMORIAM

Ajay Dudani ’G93 – Jan. 23, 2016

Irene (Haney ’71) Watson – Oct. 27, 2017

Kelly Brunn ’G14 – Oct. 29, 2017

Chris Counnas ’60 – July 23, 2018

Dan Mercier ’77 – June 19, 2019

Dennis Morgan ’69 – Jan. 24, 2020

Walter Fryrear ’82 – Sept. 30, 2020

Carol (Johnson ’62) Kuntz – Oct. 8, 2020

Daniel Reed ’74 – Feb. 21, 2021

Jeff Halasi ’88 – Sept. 15, 2021

James Wise ’58 – Nov. 3, 2021

Richard Ronk ’50 – Jan. 15, 2022

Robert McBride ’50 – Dec. 23, 2022

Betty (Martin ’51) Fosdick – Feb. 14, 2023

Kathryn Beilstein ’74 – Feb. 15, 2023

Marijane (Carr ’45) Botsford – Feb. 18, 2023

Patricia Fisher ’74 – Feb. 20, 2023

John Donley ’73 – Feb. 20, 2023

Andrew Rothhaar ’12 – Feb. 21, 2023

Sylvester Fueston Jr. ’G88 – Feb. 21, 2023

Vicki Wartner ’G99 – Feb. 23, 2023

Michael Rieger ’86 – Feb. 24, 2023

Joyce (Ramsay ’73) Gallaway – Feb. 24, 2023

The Rev. Philip Bennett ’58 – Feb. 26, 2023

Leesa Breno ’G94 – Feb. 27, 2023

Bonnie (Rockenfelder ’68) Doty – Feb. 27, 2023

Doris (Eldred ’51) Hange – Feb. 28, 2023

William Bogardus III ’76 – March 2, 2023

Elizabeth (Isgrig ’62) Payne – March 5, 2023

Sally (Armus ’73) Shutts – March 6, 2023

Yvette Gardner ’71 – March 8, 2023

Bruce Thomas ’65 – March 8, 2023

Wanda (Garberich ’50) Kerr – March 8, 2023

Anders Bauer ’73 – March 13, 2023

Todd McConnell ’73 – March 14, 2023

Ralph Lepre ’61 – March 15, 2023

Douglas DeWolfe ’94 – March 17, 2023

Amanda (Wolfe ’58) Welch – March 18, 2023

James Minnich ’68 – March 23, 2023

Paula Ream ’G04 – March 27, 2023

Sandra (Stauffer ’60) Obrecht – March 29, 2023

Thomas Hesse ’G95 – April 2, 2023

Brent Ice ’G91 – April 3, 2023

Donna (Kimmich ’50) Crosby – April 3, 2023

Gloria (Obregon ’68) Shively – April 7, 2023

Robert Holmes ’65 – April 7, 2023

Larry Rogers ’67 – April 9, 2023

Lennette (Bolinger ’83) Cross – April 11, 2023

Norma Briggs ’63 – April 13, 2023

Daniel Scott ’82 – April 15, 2023

Ruthann Fuhrer ’G90 – April 15, 2023

Robert Smith ’72 – April 15, 2023

Timothy Sage ’64 – April 21, 2023

Gary Fagert ’60 – April 21, 2023

Dr. Nancy Leinbach ’G11 – April 23, 2023

W. Jeanne (Oviatt ’74) Winemiller – April 27, 2023

Donald Willets ’G90 – April 28, 2023

Cheryl Sexstella-Wright ’87, ’G00 – April 29, 2023

John Gebert ’74 – May 16, 2023

Ellen (Stoffer ’46) Sluss – May 22, 2023

Catherine (Burke ’65) Schraedly – May 23, 2023

Orlo Strine ’59 – May 24, 2023

Kay (Kaiser ’58) Burkett – May 26, 2023

Cheryl (Warren ’66) Kinney – May 27, 2023

Elizabeth Green ’71 – June 5, 2023

Hazel (Dillon ’71) Underwood – June 9, 2023

William Mackey ’65 – June 9, 2023

The Rev. Carl Barber ’55 – June 18, 2023

Dr. Dana Hamel ’51 – June 23, 2023

Joseph Emanuel ’91 – June 25, 2023

H. Robert Shaw ’68 – June 26, 2023

Carol (Strickler ’96) Baxter – July 1, 2023

John Dipietro ’67 – July 2, 2023

James Chiampo ’76 – July 4, 2023

James Sharp ’68 – July 6, 2023

Valerie (Bell ’G94) French – July 6, 2023

Gary Cooper ’50 – July 8, 2023

Lynne (David ’73) Krukosky – July 9, 2023

Sally (Boggs ‘G93) Bashore – July 13, 2023

Gary Paullin ’71 – July 13, 2023

G – Graduate degree

N – Nursing degree

S – Seminary

ANN CONVERSE SHELLY

Ann Converse Shelly, dean of Ashland University’s College of Education from 1996-2013, lost her battle with esophageal cancer on June 9. She was 79.

Shelly was raised by the first woman to become a principal in the Lansing, Mich., school system and her own passion for education led to the path of academia, where she rose through the ranks. She become a professor of education, department chair at Bethany (W. Va.) College and ultimately dean of the College of Education at both Georgia Southern University and Ashland, where she spent the last 19 years of her career. Her interests included curriculum theory, educational assessment, higher education and status process in groups.

Shelly labored for years in teacher education as a national and international coordinator for teacher associations and co-founded WorldFATE (Federation of Associations of Teachers in Education), a global community of teacher educators. She held the position of executive secretary of WorldFATE for 12 years, was president of the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education and once earned an invitation to keynote an education conference for the United Nations.

Shelly’s passion for education led her into battles for equal, civil and human rights. She fought tirelessly for everyone to have access to education, and believed passionately that every moment in life was a blessed gift, a teaching moment. She fought for the underdog, loved the struggle and never gave up teaching, learning and leading others to deeper knowledge, wisdom and faith.

If you wish to honor Ann’s memory, say a prayer today, learn something new, teach someone and then find a way to advocate for positive change in the systems you navigate. Also, please consider a contribution to the Dr. Ann C. & Dr. Robert K. Shelly Endowed Lectureship Series in Education at Ashland University.

DAVID ALBERT RAUSCH

David “Dr. Dave” Rausch, who spent most of his career as a professor at Ashland University, passed away on Jan. 4 at the age of 75.

Rausch was a professor of church history and Judaic studies at Ashland Theological Seminary from 1980-90 and then professor of history at AU from 1990-2005, which included serving as chair of the History and Political Science Department. He calculated that his work and mentorship were inspiration to more than 13,000 students over the course of his career.

Rausch authored hundreds of articles and 39 books. Though an expert in multiple areas of history, most of them focused on religions, religious history and interreligious relations, particularly Jewish-Christian relations. His highly readable books demonstrated not only the depth of his knowledge, but also the depth of his compassion and his desire to improve the human condition.

WANDA JEAN KERR

Wanda Jean Kerr ’50 was a graduate and longtime employee of Ashland College/University. She lived to be 95 before passing away on March 8.

Kerr earned a bachelor’s degree in business education in 1950 and returned to Ashland in 1960, beginning a three-decade career with AU. She first started in the alumni and development department and then moved to an administrative assistant position in athletics. She eventually served as the university’s first full-time alumni director for three years.

Kerr remained active with her alma mater, often attending local gatherings and Heritage Club (retired faculty and staff) luncheons and events.

Meet the people who are giving back and serving Ashland University and the Alumni Association. They offer their time and talents to help connect AU and alumni in meaningful ways.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2023-24

Philip Yale ’78

AUAA President

Joan Stanbrook Sustarsic ’78

AUAA Vice President

Tyler Lecceadone ’93 Past President

Jennifer Roy Barrows ’99

John Benedict ’03 MBA

Erin Buzza ’19

Kristen Carpenter ’03

Amy Cepelnik ’18 MBA

Lisa Slater Chittenden ’91

Maria Dehne ’06

Ken Dworznik ’98, ’00 M.Ed.

Donald Jakeway ’70

Michael Kuentz ’92

Lisa Lang ’96, ’00 M.Ed.

Will Levering, Jr. ’05

Paul Lucas ’05 M.Ed., ’09 Ed.D.

Hannah Mattar ’16

Jill Potts Miller ’01

Heather Olson ’07

Elaine Robinson ’02 M.Ed.

Hallie Mast Rutt ’12

James Turner ’98, ’03 MBA

Susan Welch ’78

Jeff Whitesel ’74

Pier Young ’82

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

OUR MISSION

To engage alumni with Ashland University, where “Accent on the Individual” is a lifelong experience.

WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED:

4 UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION advancement.ashland.edu/update-us/ Get the latest communications and information by making sure your contact information is up-to-date!

4 FUTURE EAGLE LEGACY PROGRAM advancement.ashland.edu/update-us/ Are your children and grandchildren receiving birthday cards and gifts on milestone birthdays? Make sure they are enrolled in the Future Eagle Legacy Program!

4 EMPOWER AN EAGLE advancement.ashland.edu/get-involved/ Do you know someone who would make a great Eagle? Your referral could result in an additional scholarship! Simply fill out the online referral form and we will take it from there! Make your promise to help them discover theirs.

4 AUAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS advancement.ashland.edu/alumni-association-board-of-directors/ Interested in serving your alma mater and helping lead the alumni association? Apply for the AUAA Board of Directors!

4 AUAA AWARDS advancement.ashland.edu/alumni-awards/ Do you know someone who should be recognized for his or her achievements and impact? An Alumni Award nomination is the perfect way to honor those who have helped Ashland University continue to fulfill its mission by leading and serving in their communities.