Hilltopics Summer 2017 by Bradley University

Bradley University Summer 2017

Bright ideas A small Chicago consulting firm led by Matt Phillips â&#x20AC;&#x2122;95 guides companies to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next

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President’s Welcome

Empowering students to succeed Bradley great. At the core of a Bradley education is the commitment to give our students a personalized experience, with small classes, faculty mentors, active engagement in the learning process, and hands-on, real-world experiences. The result is alumni who are prepared the minute they graduate for immediate and sustained success in their careers and their lives. What is so distinctive about a Bradley education is that the personalized education students receive here not only gives them the hard skills (raw information and technical acuity) that will prepare them for a job, but more importantly, it instills in them the soft skills that today are recognized as the keys to a lifetime of success.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD BY NOW that Bradley’s enrollment numbers for the freshman class that will start in August are extremely strong. As of May 1, when admitted students must submit a deposit if they want to guarantee their place in the class, we had 1,312 freshman deposits, which is amazing given that our target is between 1,050 and 1,100. Even though the final enrollment number in August will be somewhat smaller than this, probably somewhere around 1,250, it is virtually certain that the Class of 2021 will be the largest in Bradley’s modern history, and its academic quality will be undiminished from prior years. This result, along with the record 10,000-plus applications from which this new class was selected, is an amazing affirmation of the value that prospective students, their families, and high school counselors see in a Bradley education. As these new freshmen start their careers on the Hilltop, we will be completing a new five-year strategic plan that will reaffirm the mission and values that have always made

These skills include the ability to focus, to listen carefully, to empathize and understand where others are coming from, to compromise, to manage time and stress, to work effectively as part of a team, to discipline oneself, and so forth — in short, the ability to exercise good judgment when dealing with all kinds of people and situations. And one additional soft skill that is so critical these days is the desire and ability to continue to acquire new knowledge over a lifetime of continual learning since the hard skills learned early in life are soon likely to become obsolete and useless as the rapid and accelerating pace of technology advancements fundamentally change the way everything is accomplished. These are the skills that our great faculty and staff work so hard to instill in every Bradley student. As I recently told the graduating class of 2017, “This education you have received here, and the credibility, respect and prestige that comes with it, empowers you to succeed at whatever you choose to do and to become a leader in whatever endeavors you choose to pursue. Wherever your life journey takes you, your Bradley education will serve you well.” All of us in the Bradley family have much to be proud of.

Summer 2017 The brain tells us everything

Internationally known lecturers explored the promise of brain-based research at the second annual Super Brain Summit in March.

Boss of the bullpen

Curt Hasler ’88 fulfills a major-league dream as the Chicago White Sox bullpen coach.

10 True grit

Neither setbacks nor challenges have stopped Gayle Nicholas Bohne ’66 from becoming successful or dimmed her determination to give back.

Bright ideas

Matt Phillips ’95 leads a team of thinkers that helps guide companies to greater possibilities.

Great expectations

The contributions of Bob Lawrence ’56, the first African-American astronaut, made an indelible impact on the space program. Departments Bradley Bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Bradley Avenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

12: courtesy White Sox; 16: Duane Zehr; 20: courtesy Phillips & Co.; 26: Bill Hardin ’50.

Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Alumni Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Alumni View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

On the cover Whether reimagining airport security or brainstorming about the theme park of the future, Matt Phillips ’95 and his team are sherpas of innovation.

Staff

S.L. Guthrie executive editor

Sarah Dukes art director

Bob Grimson ’81 assistant director

Duane Zehr university photographer

Mary Brolley assistant director

Matt Hawkins, Nancy Ridgeway contributing writers

Administration Gary R. Roberts ’70 president

Janet Lange M.A. ’93 interim associate vice president for marketing and publications

© Bradley University 2017 Bradley Hilltopics is published three times a year by Bradley University for alumni, faculty, staff, parents of students and other friends of the university. Send address changes to Bradley Hilltopics, Bradley University, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625. phone: (309) 677-2249 / website: bradley.edu/hilltopics email: hilltopics@bradley.edu / fax: (309) 677-4055 / campus information: (309) 676-7611. Bradley University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and the promotion of equal opportunities for all persons regardless of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. The university is committed to compliance with all applicable laws regarding non-discrimination, harassment and affirmative action.

Bradley Bits “ Reading is the ultimate form of empathy, because you want the characters — no matter how different they are from you — to be OK, even though they can do nothing for you.” Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña at the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center Feb. 9.

Food waste is a huge problem in Thailand, where farmers with small-sized plots lose 60 percent of their crop due to lack of preservation techniques. That could change one day, thanks to the efforts of eight senior mechanical engineering majors and their solar food dryer. The students built a revised prototype with increased thermal storage that will continue drying throughout the night.

“ It’s like Uber for food — matching businesses that have surplus foods with organizations like food banks that need it. I got so interested in food recovery, I’m writing my master’s thesis on it.” Dietetic intern Kat Fowler M.S. ‘18, on her connection with Peoria-based Gifts in the Moment Foundation’s food recovery program, Good Food Recovery.

COMPILED BY S.L. Guthrie, Bob Grimson ’81, Mary Brolley, Sarah Dukes and Duane Zehr. PHOTO CREDITS // De la Pena, Cullors: Barath Rudraboina ’17; solar dryer, Bastille: Duane Zehr; crystals: Kathryn Campbell.

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“ WHAT SIDE OF HISTORY DO YOU WANT TO BE ON? THIS IS OUR MOMENT. WE’RE NOT GOING TO ABIDE BY OLD RULES. THIS (MOVEMENT) IS REALLY ABOUT AMERICA SEARCHING FOR ITSELF. IT’S ABOUT RESISTING THE DEHUMANIZATION OF BLACK PEOPLE.”

U.K. band Bastille rolled in to the Renaissance Coliseum in April as part of its Wild, Wild World tour. A crowd of more than 1,700, including almost 1,200 students, caught the band’s vivid songwriting and unique sound.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors at the Renaissance Coliseum Feb. 23.

PRIDE PROM

Fifth-grader Kathryn Campbell snapped this shot of copper (II) acetylacetonate crystals grown in the lab of her father, chemistry professor Dean Campbell.

LGBTQ+ revelers from several central Illinois colleges and universities danced the night away at the first-ever Pride Prom on campus in April. Proceeds from the event benefited the Peoria Center for the Prevention of Abuse.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Bradley Avenue ADVICE FROM A PRO

Students make speech team a success It was another stellar year for Bradley’s speech team, especially in individual competition.

Gregory

Magee

Jerome Gregory ’17 won top speaker honors and topped the persuasive speaking event at the National Forensic Association’s National Championship while Megan Magee ’19 was the poetry champion. Overall, Bradley placed second.

The university hosted this year’s American Forensic Association’s National Individual Events Tournament. Gregory was the Brashear persuasive speaking national champion, and Sarah Brashear ’18 was national champion in after-dinner speaking. The team finished fourth at the event. Earlier in the year, Bradley won its 17th consecutive Illinois Intercollegiate Forensics Association state title, winning seven of 11 individual events. Abby Surprenant ’17 was the overall state champion and placed first in oratory, earning her the opportunity to represent Illinois at the Interstate Oratorical Contest in Louisiana. — B.G.

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When it comes to making it in Hollywood, persistence is key. That’s the message students took from actor NEIL FLYNN ’82 in April when he returned to campus for the first time since his graduation to pick up the 2017 American Forensic Association National Events Tournament Distinguished Alumni Award. Flynn, best known for his roles as Mike Heck in “The Middle” and The Janitor on “Scrubs,” didn’t get his big break until turning 40, but he’s stayed on television ever since. Crediting his theater and speech team experiences at Bradley for giving him his start, he told students he never considered another career choice. “It takes perseverance (to pursue acting) because there are a lot of knocks along the way,” said Flynn. “For most people, it’s not a big sprint to the red carpet. It’s long and filled with a lot of ‘no’s’ and rejection. So, you certainly have to believe in yourself, and one of my first thoughts after I got my first regular job was, ‘I’m glad I didn’t quit.’” “It’s so inspiring to hear about someone whose tenacity and drive allowed him to be successful,” said AMANDA DACKS ’17, a theatre and management and leadership double major. “Getting advice from a working actor was indispensable and will help shape my future path.”

— S.L.G.

LEFT: NEIL FLYNN ’82 offers his audience tips on how to play a police officer, a role he perfected with appearances on “Seinfeld” and “Home Alone 3.”

After his treatment, Driscoll was able to return to favorite activities like yard work and crafting furniture.

A BAD BREAK BECOMES A GIFT FOR OTHERS After a nasty fall in 2014 broke two of his neck vertebrae, Dave Driscoll spent more than 90 days in the hospital. He came home to Metamora, Ill., in a wheelchair unable to feed himself, shave or brush his teeth. Doctors likened his injuries to those suffered by the late quadriplegic actor Christopher Reeve and told Driscoll he would never walk again. When his insurance refused to cover additional therapy, he went to Bradley’s Physical Therapy Clinic for Fitness and Function hoping to get as much functionality as possible. After three semesters of treatment, the one-time runner and weightlifter not only walks, he has the ability to work on his fishing boat and craft furniture in his home workshop. Bringing about this near-miraculous recovery were the doctoral students who staff the clinic. Driscoll credits them with giving him his life back. “I can now get to my knees, get off my knees, get up from the floor if I’m prone,” he said. “They got me on the elliptical machine, and it went so well, I bought one.” Grants from the Community Foundation of Peoria and the university’s Office of Sponsored Programs, along with donations from clients, provide the free clinic’s funding. To help future patients, Driscoll donated $10,000, which will go toward research and equipment. It is the facility’s largest single contribution. “It’s just a meager attempt to show my appreciation,” he said at the time of the gift. “It’s not that big compared to what they’ve done for me.” — B.G.

Photography by Duane Zehr.

Global campus Thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed with Yangzhou University in China, more Bradley students will soon journey across the world to live and learn. The Bradley-Yangzhou partnership will foster international research and academic collaborations in engineering, business, the sciences, education and more. Students and faculty at each institution will have the chance to study and teach at the other, said Jeff Bakken, dean of The Graduate School. To reciprocate for the visit of several Yangzhou University officials to Bradley last November, Bakken and Shabeer Amirali, the school’s director of marketing, plan to visit the Chinese university this fall. — M.B. Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Avenue COMMENCEMENT, QUOTED More than 1,000 graduates received their degrees this May, and we wanted to know what they were thinking at this important milestone in their lives. What were their plans for the future? What or whom will they remember most from their Bradley Experience? And what would they tell an incoming first-year student?

“ I WOULD TELL (FIRSTYEAR STUDENTS) NOT TO GET BOGGED DOWN IN STUDY. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS OUT THERE ON CAMPUS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR OVERALL SUCCESS, BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.” Cameron Horn (MBA student), Farmington, Ill.

“ Thank you all for your support! You all have stuck with me and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

“ I plan to work in Chicago for Northwestern Mutual as an associate financial representative.” Allison Appelbaum, Deerfield, Ill.

Jose Alex Garcia, Peoria

“ Join lots of organizations! The best friends you’ll make will be the ones you randomly meet.” Rachel Teague, Bloomington, Ill.

“The professors care about their students. I am a non-traditional student but I loved and enjoyed my two years at Bradley.”

“ I’ll be a civil engineer for Dewberry in downtown Peoria.” Cory Blankenship, Mapleton, Ill.

“ I will be studying physical therapy at the University of Iowa.” Marissa Gleeman, Minnetonka, Minn.

Tonia Dolan, Peoria

“ Go outside your comfort zone and try something new. You never know what your next passion will be!” Amalia Leveille, North Liberty, Iowa

“ The (engineering) faculty and staff really care about student success. Every one of them was truly interested in me.” Mary Ellen Milem, Brimfield, Ill.

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“YES!” When technical difficulties paused the graduation ceremony, Griffin Polonus ’16 seized the delay to propose to graduating senior Enriqueta Rodriguez. The fan cam caught the moment she was pulled from her seat, realized what was happening, and tearfully accepted.

“ I am so excited to be able to contribute to this wonderful university and give back to a community that has been such a support to me.” Dannielle Wentzel (chemistry grad student), Mt. Vernon, Ind.

“ The intimate social environment at Bradley is something I’ll never forget.” Jonathan Perera, Wildwood, Mo.

Commencement, FIRST Robotics: Duane Zehr; Habitat Challenge: Foster + Partners, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Future plans

Space bucks Two teams aimed for the stars, developing 3D-printable materials that could someday lead to human habitats on alien worlds. The technology might even build affordable housing on Earth, especially in under-resourced areas. Foster + Partners of Tennessee and the University of Alaska Fairbanks created materials to manufacture samples of a truncated cone and a cylinder. The teams shared the top prize and $100,000 in Phase 2/ Level 1 of the NASA 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, run by Bradley, Caterpillar Inc., Bechtel, and Brick & Mortar Ventures. Foster + Partners won $85,930 of the initial $100K prize for this design using recycled materials.

“Innovation is a key focus of Bradley University, which is one of the many reasons we are so very proud to be a part of this challenge with NASA,” said President Gary Roberts ’70.

The first phase of the challenge, a design competition, was completed in 2015. The second focuses on the materials and technology needed for structural components, and the third is an on-site competition targeting fabrication technology. In the next round of competition (Phase 2/Level2), teams will print a beam for testing. The third level of this phase, the On-Site Competition, is Aug. 24–26 at Caterpillar’s facility in Edwards, Ill., with a community day for the public on the 26th. Along with construction of a model habitat, visitors can meet an astronaut and view exhibits. The project is part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, which uses competitions to draw citizen-inventors from diverse backgrounds to develop technology to benefit space exploration.

University of Alaska Fairbanks won $14,070 for their design and 3D printer which operates in a simulated Martian dust environment.

— B.G.

Robots rumble

Team Titan Robotics from Illinois Math and Science Academy, Aurora, Ill.

Robots and their handlers dominated the Renaissance Coliseum for three days in March during the Central Illinois Regional of FIRST Robotics. High school teams worked with STEM professionals as mentors for 6½ weeks to develop and perfect their robots to solve challenging engineering tasks against competing teams. They also fundraise, design a team brand, and develop teamwork and project management skills. Forty teams from five states, including several award-winning squads, competed to advance to the FIRST Championship event. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) started in 1989 to inspire young people in science and technology. — B.G.

Bradley Avenue The best four years Students at home

Their first year complete, our Bradley students Melissa Fuentes ’20 and Adam Ernst ’20 3 4 returned home to their favorite hangouts. Fuentes loves attending outdoor concerts at Tinley Park with her best friends. For Ernst, a trip to Sky Zone provides a great way to let off steam.

Lighting up Hillel The sun is always shining for Bradley’s chapter of Hillel, the international Jewish campus organization, which installed 47 solar panels on the roof of its nearly 100-year-old building, becoming the first solar-powered building on campus.

The move will supply 90 to 95 percent of the house’s electricity needs, saving approximately $1,000 annually, according to Seth Katz, professor of English and Hillel’s executive director. Bradley’s Hillel joins chapters at the universities of Florida and Arizona in switching to solar power. The panels have a lifespan of more than 30 years, Katz said. A celebration to commemorate the installation took place during Passover.

“It’s an upfront investment but over the long haul, it pays for itself,” he said. “You have to have serious, heavy cloud cover before we’re not producing anything.” Hillel has undertaken other conservation measures, such as using glassware instead of plastic, five-zone heating and air conditioning, on-demand hot water and recycling materials.

Ernst loves exercising with family and friends.

Yona Lunken, board president of Hillel and an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, said ATTOLLO, a local socially conscious investment group, underwrote most of the cost. Lunken, president of Solar Harvest Energy Group, covered the remainder. He and others hope the move inspires interest in renewable energy across campus. — B.G.

Fuentes has tix this summer for concerts featuring Paul McCartney and Ed Sheeran.

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Hillel: Duane Zehr; Four years: courtesy Adam Ernst ’20 and Melissa Fuentes ’20; FUSE: Joseph Lax ’17; D.C. group: courtesy Sherry Gunn; background: Alan Karchmer / Smithsonian.

Katz, named by the Times of Israel as one of the 12 Jews leading the Green movement, said students were receptive and noted while other Hillel groups with solar power are in warmer states, it is practical in Illinois.

An offer we can’t re-FUSE It’s only fitting that the Department of Interactive Media’s annual showcase was, well, interactive. FUSE blew into the Peoria Riverfront Museum in late April, giving hundreds of visitors a free pass to journey to another galaxy, gaze skyward in a planetarium or choose their own adventure via green screen. Named for the fusion of art and technology that characterizes the department, the fourth annual FUSE highlighted the students and faculty who are its stars. Speaking of which, a senior design team’s game, “Starcats,” placed in the top five at the E3 Collegiate Competition, sponsored by the Entertainment Software Association. The new alums shared their creation with thousands from around the world at the industry’s premier conference in June. No wonder The Princeton Review ranked Bradley 12th of the Top 25 undergraduate schools for video game design in 2017. — M.B.

A still from an animated film by Joseph Lax ’17, displayed through the museum’s planetarium projector.

Indelible impact After three days of travel, tens of thousands of steps and very little sleep, a display of jewelry would make the most impact on Maya Valdez ’20 during a recent trip to Washington, D.C. “In the (National Museum of African American History and Culture), there was an exhibit of shackles. The ones slaves wore, and also miniature ones set inside pendants and earrings that slave owners wore. They were a symbol of power,” she said. Valdez and eight other students spent the last weekend in February exploring the nation’s capital with Sherry Gunn, assistant director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In addition to the new African American history museum, the group toured the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Valdez, a political science major, said the trip gave her a better idea of what she’d like to do after graduation. “I might want to become a political analyst,” she said. “Seeing the Washington Mall, the beautiful scenery, I kept thinking, ‘So many protests happened right here.’” Advertising major Niyah Hudson ’19 loved the vibrant atmosphere of the capital. “There were food trucks everywhere, there was music playing. It felt comfortable. I felt like I could maybe live there.” She was most impressed with the monuments. “There’s so much history. It’s all out there. It feels good to be part of a country like this.” — M.B. Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Research Scene

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; The brain tells us everythingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bradleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strength in the emerging field of neurocounseling drew internationally known neuroscientists to the second annual Super Brain Summit in March. In person or via live stream, scores of participants joined the sessions to learn about and explore the promise of brain-based research.

BY MARY BROLLEY

Imagine a way to help patients suffering from conditions as varied as mood disorders, concussions, epilepsy, migraines, attention deficit disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Then imagine this therapy is painless, accessible, noninvasive and scientifically proven. The treatment is neurotherapy, and Lori Russell-Chapin, professor of counselor education, was an early adopter. Almost 10 years ago, she began to incorporate neuroscientific techniques into her curricula and

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cognitive therapy practice. She found that when clients could see and track their brain activity on a computer screen, they were gradually able to control their breathing and skin temperature, focus more easily and improve the quality of their sleep. So Russell-Chapin poured herself into the study of this new field. In 2010, with researchers at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and the Illinois Neurological Institute, she co-founded the Center for Collaborative Brain Research. To support research and educate practitioners, the center

created the Super Brain Summit featuring lectures from two pioneers of neurofeedback and neurotherapy. Both researchers employ sophisticated technology to uncover and understand the workings of the brain in order to harness its power to heal illnesses and help control behavior, though their treatment methods differ slightly. WHATEVER YOUR AGE, YOU’RE A WORK IN PROGRESS First up was Michael Merzenich, retired professor of neuroscience at the University of California San Francisco and founder and chief scientific officer of Posit Science, a company that produces brain fitness software and services. He’s an expert in neuroplasticity, the science of how the brain develops and remodels itself. Merzenich emphasized that despite the assumption that brain development is largely completed during the first three years of life, people’s brains can change throughout our lives. To turn an impaired or older brain into a more capable one, Merzenich advocates computer-based training. Benefits of regular training (he recommends 90 minutes a week) include increased speed and processing capability. “We have the power to throw the plasticity switch at will,” he said. “But we must practice, as a musician does — hours a day.” Because of how our brains were designed, Merzenich said that in today’s world we must challenge them more. “We’re engineered for a world where every footfall was uncertain, but we’ve paved the world. We’re disconnected and distracted. To solve problems, there’s Google. With GPS, we’ve neglected the practice of navigating. We’re not engaging our brains.”

WOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR WHO DIDN’T TAKE YOUR PULSE? Psychologist and former university professor Paul Swingle led the afternoon sessions. In his clinic in Vancouver, B.C., he employs neurofeedback exercises to treat children who’ve suffered emotional trauma or have learning disorders, as well as adults with brain injuries, mood and sleep disorders, and more. At their first appointment, each patient undergoes an electroencephalogram (EEG) — a test that maps the brain, converting electrical impulses into visible waves. The waves, called gamma, beta, alpha, theta and delta according to their frequencies, are associated with certain mental and physical states. “After about six minutes of recording, we can tell patients why they came for treatment,” Swingle said. “The brain tells us everything.” Individualized therapy consists mostly of neurofeedback, in which patients learn to tailor their brain activity to receive audio or visual rewards on a computer screen. Other treatment modes include brain training via computer (such as video games for children), harmonic soundwaves, cranial and audiovisual stimulation, and acupressure. Swingle noted that neurotherapy is best used in concert with other treatments, such as RussellChapin’s cognitive therapy. “It’s not a stand-alone discipline, but it blends with any other discipline.” “On the other hand, paying attention to the brain is crucial to treating patients effectively,” he added. “Would you see a doctor who didn’t take your pulse?” For her part, Russell-Chapin is hopeful about the learning shared and relationships formed at Bradley’s second summit. “The brain is the final frontier, and every day we learn something new. Our goal is to encourage collaborative research on this promising area of scientific exploration.” Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Spirit WHILE WAITING ON SULTRY central Illinois summer days for his father to get home from work at Caterpillar Inc. so they could have a game of catch, young Curt Hasler ’88 indulged in diamond dreams, envisioning himself on the mound at a major league stadium. Growing up a New York Yankees fan amidst a sea of Cardinals red and Cubs blue, he imagined dominating a game like Yankees greats Ron Guidry or “Goose” Gossage. “They looked mean and they threw hard; and that’s what you want to do when you’re 10 years old — look mean and throw hard,” Hasler said. He added family vacations included stops at far-flung stadiums to see the Bronx Bombers in action.

Ron Vesely / Chicago White Sox

Baseball was a big sport in Roanoke, a village with about 2,000 residents. Hasler’s father and others built the first youth baseball field in town. “Otherwise, we were playing on the (full-size) high school diamond,” Hasler said. “I don’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t involved with baseball.” BRAVE DAYS

Boss of the bullpen BY BOB GRIMSON ’81

Getting to the major leagues is often the culmination of a dream nurtured since childhood. But that dream doesn’t always end on the diamond.

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He chose Bradley over regional rivals like Iowa State and Eastern Illinois University because of its proximity to his hometown and a few other factors. “It had a nice ballpark at the time (Meinen Field). I came from a small town, a small team, and I liked the smaller campus, the Gothic buildings. You could walk from one side to the other. It felt like home.” The righthander pitched for the Braves from 1984–87, compiling a 14-12 overall record and four saves in 43 appearances. He was one of six teammates taken in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft, going to the White Sox in the 21st round.

THE 39-CENT TACO Hasler climbed to the Triple-A level in a five-year professional career with stops in Sarasota, Fla., Birmingham, Ala., Vancouver and South Bend, Ind., where he still lives with his wife, Mary, daughter Alyssa and son Drew, who spent last season as a pitcher with the White Sox Class-A teams in Winston-Salem and Kannapolis, N.C. Hasler recalled the austere life of a minor-league ballplayer and noted his son now inhabits that world. “There were late-night meal runs after a game trying to get to Taco Bell when they had 39-cent tacos so it wouldn’t break the bank,” Hasler said about trying to subsist on a minor-league player’s often-meager funds. “We knew the sacrifices — four or five guys in a two-bedroom apartment and not much meal money; you’re sleeping on a mattress on the floor. You’re chasing a dream. I wouldn’t have done it any other way.” Hours-long bus rides were punctuated by card games, board games and movies, he remembered, and diversions cropped up unexpectedly.

Job offer in hand, he had five days to make the decision. “I’d never given coaching a thought (but) I didn’t take five days. Three days later I was on a plane for Sarasota.” Since 1991 Hasler has risen through the minorleague ranks as a coach, spending many seasons working with clubs where he had been a player in his younger days. The last few years, he’s been a roving pitching instructor for the Sox minorleague system. “When I started I wasn’t a very good coach, obviously,” Hasler said. “I was learning from everybody around me. The ABC’s are the same, how to get across to every player, that’s the challenge every day. I’m not getting people out any more. I’m helping others understand how to get people out. “I’m very happy with the White Sox plan for me. They’ve taken care of me very well. I just want to enjoy this and contribute to the team in this next stage of my career.”

“We had one bus ride, a seven-hour ride, and the bus broke down about halfway,” he said. “The company had to send another bus and we just waited. One of the things we did was take a little wager about when the bus would show up. We all threw a couple bucks in — I did not win.” Teammates in those days included Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell. “I also played with guys who never made the big leagues who are my good friends,” Hasler said. “That’s what you remember — times with your teammates. The contests seem to fade. Maybe they get better in your mind. Maybe you got better in your mind.” A FRESH START While at Triple-A Vancouver, shoulder problems hampered his pitching and the team released him. Someone suggested Hasler call White Sox officials about starting a new baseball career — as pitching coach at the rookie-league level in Sarasota, Fla.

OPPOSITE: Curt Hasler ’88 exhorts players during spring training in Arizona. The new bullpen coach for the Chicago White Sox won 14 games at Bradley and played five years of minor-league baseball before becoming a coach. LEFT: A Hasler baseball card from early in his playing career.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Spirit AWARDS GO KABOOM! The Bradley Braves put a little Espy Award-style panache on their annual ceremony this year with a new name and some Hollywood glitz. Renamed the Kaboom! Awards, the program began with a red carpet social hour, followed by a ceremony spotlighting 10 award categories. Ariel Dechter ’17, the winningest tennis player in Bradley history, earned the evening’s top honor, the 2017 Charles Orsborn Award, which recognizes athletic and academic performance,

and community service. Dechter won or shared 18 program records and was a three-time all-conference selection. An accounting major, she has a 3.73 overall grade-point average.

Women’s Team Performance: Golf, won the Bradley Invitational

Other awards:

Megan Fong Inspiration Award: Softball player Caitlyn McCarron ’17

Orville Nothdurft Lifetime Achievement: former track athlete Dr. Charlene Dewey ’85 Men’s Team Performance: Cross country, repeated as conference champion

Special Recognition: Retiring general services supervisor Gloria Arrington

Carl Grose Service Award: Jaelen Hull ’17. Coach Joe Stowell Awards: Golfer Bobby Jacobs ’17 (men); Leti Lerma ’17 (women). — B.G.

New softball field

The lighted field features a synthetic surface, grandstand seating for 1,000 fans with additional covered bleachers, a video board, improved dugouts, concessions and a

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merchandise area. It is adjacent to a 125,000-square foot dome, where the softball team practices in the winter. “This is a great opportunity for our program to play in one of the top facilities in the Midwest,” said ninth-year head coach Amy Hayes. “In addition to providing a great venue for our team to compete, the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex will provide a much-improved experience for our fans, as well as aid in our recruiting efforts.” — B.G.

Photography by Duane Zehr.

It wasn’t an April Fool’s prank when Bradley softball christened its new home at Petersen Hotels Field with a doubleheader against Missouri State April 1. The new facility is part of the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex on Peoria’s north edge and replaces the field at Laura Bradley Park, where the team has played since 1994.

CHUCK “OZZIE” ORSBORN ’39 M.S. ’51 Bradley men’s basketball coach of the century 1917–2017

Journal Star executive sports editor/columnist Kirk Wessler ’77 interviewed Orsborn occasionally and knew him as a neighbor and family friend. “He was a wonderful character: humble, smart, outspoken, cantankerous, delightfully profane,” Wessler said. “When I returned to Peoria and started writing for the Journal Star, if I interviewed him, I would call Ozzie ‘Coach,’ as a sign of my respect for him. After a couple of those interviews, he interrupted me and said, ‘Was I ever your coach?’ No. ‘Then don’t call me Coach. Call me Ozzie. Or call me Chuck. Or you can call me an SOB. But I didn’t coach you, so don’t call me that.’”

Bradley athletics wizard dies at 99 BY BOB GRIMSON ’81

Chuck “Ozzie” Orsborn ’39 M.S. ’51, Bradley’s men’s basketball coach of the century, summed up his coaching philosophy to the Peoria Journal Star when the Missouri Valley Conference admitted him to its Hall of Fame: “Truthfully, I didn’t coach them … I don’t think, in my case, the coach was as important as the players. I’ve never seen a coach make a winning free throw or basket.”

Photography from Bradley Athletics archives.

Orsborn died May 7 in Naples, Fla., at the age of 99. In nine seasons as head coach, starting in 1956, his teams won National Invitational Tournament titles in 1957, 1960 and 1964. The conference named him Coach of the Year in 1960 and again two years later. Under his guidance, Bradley finished in the Associated Press Top 20 rankings six times, four of those in the top 10. He was an assistant coach before becoming head coach and served 13 years as athletics director before retiring in 1978. Orsborn also was a member of the Bradley, NIT and Greater Peoria Sports halls of fame. He had a 194-56 record as head coach and reached the 100-victory mark in just 120 games. In a 1965 Sports Illustrated article about coaches who stepped away from the court, he said while he perceived a minimum of pressure from the job, “The kids have changed. Each year they are less willing to make the sacrifice, to pay the price. I found myself being excessively critical.”

Orsborn, from Deerfield, Ill., was a four-sport letterwinner at Bradley. He played basketball as a member of the nationally known Famous Five and competed in football, baseball and track. He was a member of Sigma Phi, now Sigma Chi. A year of minor-league ball in the New York Yankees system preceded his enlistment and five years’ service with the Army Air Forces during World War II. He remained in the Reserves, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. In honor of his accomplishments, the university renamed its most prestigious athletics award for Orsborn several years ago. As an assistant and head coach, Orsborn helped integrate Bradley athletics, bringing players like Bobby Joe Mason ’60, Joe Billy McDade ’59 M.A. ’60, Shellie McMillon ’58 and Chet “The Jet” Walker ’62 to campus. “When you’re looking for a player, you’re looking for a player, not his nationality or his color or anything else. It’s just ‘Can he play?’” the Journal Star reported him saying. His wife, Janet Moore Orsborn ’40, and two sons preceded him in death. Surviving are his daughter, Carolyn Orsborn ’66 and a granddaughter.

TOP: Chuck “Ozzie” Orsborn ’39 M.S. ’51 with one of his National Invitation Tournament championship trophies. In his nine years as head coach, he led Bradley to NIT titles in 1957, 1960 and 1964. He stepped down as coach in 1965 and retired as athletics director emeritus in 1978. ABOVE: Ozzie as a member of the basketball team’s nationally known Famous Five. BELOW: On the bench at Robertson Memorial Field House.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

True grit 16

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No matter how many challenges life has thrown at her, Gayle Nicholas Bohne ’66 has always risen to meet them and help others along the way.

BY BOB GRIMSON ’81 Photography by Duane Zehr

Family is everything to GAYLE NICHOLAS BOHNE ‘66, shown here with sons Lance (left) and B.J. in her office at the family owned Imperial Crane Service, Sales and Rentals in the Chicago area.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

hen she was 8 years old, Gayle Nicholas Bohne ’66 watched Christmas unfold from a perch in her bedroom. The tree, stacked and shimmering with presents and ornaments, brought all the excitement and anticipation of the holiday. Bohne’s celebration, however, would be different. She had just been diagnosed with polio. Before the successful introduction of the Salk vaccine, the disease wrought devastating effects, such as muscle weakness, paralysis and even death. But Bohne was one of the lucky ones. While some patients endured life in an iron lung or braces, her doctors were able to use less-traumatic treatments involving months of specialized exercises. “The paralysis stopped an eighth of an inch from my brain,” Bohne said, noting she still has physical effects of the illness. “I don’t remember any pain, but I was limited in movement.” Her father built a backyard skating rink to help with her physical rehabilitation. Bohne became so skilled at the sport, she later worked as a skating instructor for the men’s amateur hockey team, the Pekin Stars (Ill.). Hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity describe Bohne and her family. Her late husband, John, started Imperial Crane Service, Sales and Rentals, a Chicago-area company ranked as a leader in the industry with more than 300 cranes operating worldwide. She’s a board member of the family owned company, run by her sons, B.J. and Lance, as well as president of her own firm, Bohne Crane. BUILDING A LEGACY Starting out with one man and a single piece of equipment, John Bohne had a family background in the business, but he began his career as an insurance salesman. “He (John) bought a crane. I was teaching school, pregnant with Lance. It was 1969, I was his dispatcher,” Bohne said, recalling her husband would sell insurance during the day then go to a construction site with his crane to work overnight.

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“Grading papers, running the debate team, the newspaper. Then, for the insurance company, I was sending out the policies. I didn’t know any better. That’s what you did.” Their efforts paid off and the company grew and expanded. Eventually, John Bohne placed an order for $25 million worth of cranes and equipment. A short while later, he was diagnosed with liver cancer and died in October 2003. “The bankers were knocking on the door,” Bohne said, recalling that the family saw the debt as a challenge rather than a burden. “B.J. paid back that money in about four years. My sons wanted to keep that legacy going. They said, ‘We’ve gotta do this.’” Today, Imperial is a national and world leader. It ranks high on industry lists for the largest companies, leading contractors, specialty contractors and crane-rental firms. It earned a spot in the top 10 percent of America’s Most Honored Businesses last year and its impeccable safety record has earned multiple honors. GIVING BACK Taught by her parents to give back and with a successful company in hand, Bohne founded and became the driving force behind the Bohne Foundation. Its mission is to feed, clothe and encourage others throughout the global community. The foundation has built wells and supported a children’s home in Uganda. But closer to home, it has supported Chicago-area groups like the Anti-Violence Summer Basketball Peace League. Seeing those who’ve benefited, such as a homeless single mother who moved into a safe apartment, or a grateful father whose son, a muscular dystrophy patient, saw his beloved Chicago Blackhawks in action, have made it worthwhile. But not all of the foundation’s work is about aiding people in dire straits. There are also the bicycles provided for every child at SOS Children’s Villages-Illinois, 200 total. “Most of the kids had not been on bikes before,” she said. “They were riding them all over. We had Schwinn personnel come out that day and do all the adjustments for all the kids.” The organization pays for the funerals of drug overdose victims. Through newspaper accounts or word of mouth from groups such as Narcotics Anonymous, she learns when there is a need.

She got the idea after watching family members struggle with addiction and losing her youngest son, Jonathan, to an overdose. His drug use spiraled out of control after her husband’s death, and Bohne tried to help him with numerous, expensive rehab trips. She remembers her youngest son as a good kid who “was just struggling with his addiction.”

Bikes, skating: courtesy Gayle Nicholas Bohne ’66.

In “Imperial Crane: Our Journey,” a book about the family and the business co-authored by B.J. Bohne and published shortly before Jonathan died, the youngest son wrote about how his mother told him, “You are blessed, but that doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else.” Bohne said Jonathan hid his drug use while living at home but when he was on his own, the addiction took over. “He was a good person, very kind, got along with everyone. As good a person as Jonathan was, how can we be better? We can’t rewrite history, but we can choose how to respond to our circumstances.” THRIVING ON CAMPUS Arriving at Bradley from her small hometown of Grayslake, Ill., Bohne admitted she “wanted everything (the university) was willing to give me.”

That led her to speech and debate, The Scout, Pi Beta Phi, cheerleading and several campus beauty contests. Bohne funds a Bradley speech scholarship, and said alumni need to keep the door open after they’ve walked through it. In addition, she provides other financial and non-monetary support to the squad. She even cleaned out her closets to help team members who lacked competitionquality clothing. “It was a great show of appreciation and affection,” said team member Kyle Powers ’19. “She talks to you like she’s known you for years. It’s warm and enlightening.” The speech and English major taught for 35 years and was honored at a class reunion for Palos Hills Stagg High School. One former student, now a law professor at Northwestern University, told of being abused at home. Her safe places were Bohne’s classroom and the activities she led. Always a teacher, Bohne finds lessons and inspiration in unlikely places. During a family trip to Wisconsin, Bohne imparted a valuable life lesson to then-school-age B.J. At a church bingo game, she bought a card for each of her young sons and several for herself. When her son persistently noted the inequity of the arrangement, she swapped with him; he got several cards and she wound up winning with his lone entry. He figured that since the winning card had once been his, that entitled him to a share of the winnings. “Don’t be concerned with someone else’s hand,” Bohne told him. “Focus on playing your own hand the very best you can.”

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: A younger Bohne, who overcame childhood polio, shows off at the skating rink her father built in the family backyard. Bohne at her office. Bicycles donated by the Bohne Foundation to each child at SOS Children’s Villages-Illinois.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Bright ideas BY MARY BROLLEY

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A small Chicago consulting firm led by Matt Phillips ’95 guides companies to what’s next

He swears he was only kidding. Standing in a seemingly endless security line at O’Hare Airport last summer, Matt Phillips ’95 fumed about inefficiency. He’d been in line 45 minutes and was only about halfway through. “I jokingly texted a colleague, ‘Why is this line so slow? I would love to do work for the TSA,’” he recalled. Though his Chicago consulting firm, Phillips & Co., helps companies and organizations innovate, he never really expected to get the chance to do anything about airport security. But a few weeks later, he got a call out of the blue from Stacey Stegman, senior vice president of communications, marketing and customer service at Denver International Airport.

Phillips portrait: courtesy Phillips & Co.

Would Phillips & Co. help design an innovation summit to identify and tackle industry priorities in terms of security, safety and the traveler experience? The first Aviation Innovation Summit in fall 2016 brought together dozens of experts from aviation, government and the private sector to assess the state of the industry and decide how to go forward. Issues under discussion were airport and traveler safety and security, efficiency and comfort of the traveler experience, and how new technology might improve processes.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

“Because aviation security is a serious business, it can be a challenging group,” Stegman said. “It’s sometimes hard to get them to open up, but people did speak up. We made some interesting contacts and accomplished what we set out to do.” Phillips & Co. has served clients like Verizon, Hyatt, Bosch, Sara Lee, Dell, and Paramount Pictures Parks and Resorts. Their focus is helping organizations change and grow through innovation. The limited scope and influence of his work as a creative director for various advertising and design firms spurred Phillips to start his own company in 2003. “It was frustrating to be asked to solve a business problem with just a communications or branding strategy. Now, we work on a client’s entire business, from products to marketing to how they’re organized internally. We’re much more able to effect change.” HOW THEY DO IT Each member of Phillips’ five-person team has more than one area of expertise. “Among us, there are two MBAs, an industrial designer, a graphic designer and an expert in consumer research. We have also used over 250 outside experts and inventors in our projects. We’re able to harness incredible minds to solve tough client challenges,” he said. Though each assignment is different, Phillips said most innovation processes follow a similar path. Once the firm is hired and signs a nondisclosure agreement, Phillips and his team meet with the client and present an overview of the industry. They listen to the client’s needs and ask a crucial question: How much do you know about your customers? Phillips isn’t surprised when the answers are incomplete or outdated.

“Clients are sometimes removed from the lives of their customers. For instance, some of them haven’t sat in the same room with someone living paycheck-to-paycheck for many years, even if that’s their customer. A CEO once left one of our (customer interview) sessions saying, ‘My head is spinning.’”

“We use ethnography — business anthropology — in which we spend hours or days shadowing consumers in their real life. Instead of using a typical survey or a focus group, on an ethnographic interview, we might say, ‘Can you take us through your entire process of making dinner?’ You can often see innovation opportunities that they wouldn’t have mentioned.

A major part of the firm’s research involves finding and spending time with these customers. With the help of a recruiting firm that identifies real consumers of the products under consideration, a team of two or three people (one of whom is the client) goes into the person’s home to conduct an interview.

“We have the chance to observe how people really live, how they use the product and ways it might be improved. We tape the process, and later we pore over the videos. We may find, for example, that the product has two kinds of customers, not just one.”

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“ Clients are sometimes removed from the lives of their customers. Some ... haven’t sat in the same room with someone living paycheck-to-paycheck for many years, even if that’s their customer. ”

— Matt Phillips ’95

Photography courtesy Phillips & Co.

LEFT: Participants in a multiday innovation lab at Paramount Pictures — one wearing a virtual reality headset — brainstorm new technologies. BELOW: Phillips checks in on a team at an innovation summit for the American Diabetes Association.

Ethnographic research is an emerging and powerful tool to learn about a company’s core users. “When companies want to innovate, it’s important to understand how their customers really think and act, so (the innovation) answers a real need,” he said. A MEETING OF THE MINDS Another tool in Phillips & Co.’s arsenal is a brainstorming session — sometimes called an innovation summit — like the one they designed for Paramount Pictures Parks and Resorts brand manager Dave Rossi when that company decided

to consider how emerging technology could affect the theme park business. About 60 representatives from companies specializing in technology, creative and production work, and theme park administration gathered for a three-day conference in the fall of 2016. Choosing outside experts to participate in these sessions is a task Phillips relishes. “We look at who’s doing amazing stuff right now,” he said.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

“And we hire experts in other than our client’s industry to bring in a completely fresh perspective.” “Our aim was to disrupt and evolve the world of theme parks,” said Rossi. “Matt and his team helped design the stage as well as plan, facilitate and present sessions. They hired an illustrator to sketch ideas as we went. It all came together very quickly.”

to another company, and see our ideas sit in a binder. Other times, they turn into new businesses, like the luxury hotel brand Archer that our firm helped create in 2014. “And sometimes, organizations have a difficult time embracing new ideas that could be transformational for their business. Often, we’ve sort of been the Dr. Phil of innovation — helping executives and teams step outside their comfort zone to experiment with new business concepts. They have to, because there are incredible startups entering their market that live outside their comfort zone 100 percent of the time.” EARLY INFLUENCES Before starting his firm, Phillips trained and performed for two years in his off-hours with Chicago’s famed Second City Theatre. He jokes that his training with the improv group (which cost about $3,000) and his MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management (which cost about $80,000) have been “equally valuable” to his career. “I tell people my background is a mix of creativity and strategy,” he said.

“ We think of ourselves as sherpas (the Nepalese guides who assist mountain climbers) for innovation. We help them come up with their next big idea, then help get it to market. It’s their mountain to climb, but we’re with them every step of the way.” — Phillips

As for whether the proposals from the summit will be adopted, Rossi was optimistic but guarded. “Aspects of what was discussed and created will certainly have an impact on how we proceed,” he said. “We learned a lot of things that are relevant to the theme park of the future, but, for us, guest experience will always come first.” Being in the innovation business can be difficult, Phillips admits. “Our projects seem fun and simple from a distance, but they’re often very challenging. We’ve developed entire portfolios of new products and services for clients only to see the key stakeholder at our client move

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Jason Brooks ’96 shared a house with Phillips and others while attending Bradley. He said the two had an instant connection because of an unusual shared interest. “We’d watch the David Copperfield TV specials and try to figure out how the illusions were done,” he said. “I’d try to suss it out from an engineering perspective, but Matt was an amateur magician and could usually figure it out.” Now working for Slalom Consulting in Chicago, Brooks has participated as a consultant in Phillips & Co. client brainstorming sessions. “There are often a couple dozen of us — several from the client, plus experts from other fields. It’s a high-energy environment. Matt is good at getting people out of their ruts. “He’s inventive. He sometimes holds sessions in nontraditional spaces, like a rented multimilliondollar condo. He wants to encourage fresh ideas and thinking.” Brooks admires his friend professionally and personally. “Matt’s the kind of guy who impresses people — not just because he’s traditionally successful, but because he also has interesting pursuits.”

Become a better innovator: 5 ways We asked Matt and his team to share some of the strategies they use with clients. 1. Question the question. Before diving in to solve your challenge, first ask: Are you answering the right question? Consider: Blockbuster Video successfully answered: “How can we improve our video rental stores?” But Netflix had a better question: “What’s an even easier way to rent a movie?” The questions they chose would bankrupt Blockbuster and make Netflix into a multibilliondollar company.

2. Develop more empathy for your customer. Many innovations fail because they simply don’t fit the real-world needs of their intended customers. Spend as much time with your target customer as possible to learn how they think, live or work. When you understand the world from their perspective, you’re better equipped to develop something they’ll love.

3. Brainstorm ideas separately, then together. When brainstorming solutions with others, ask everyone to work separately first. That single move will help to avoid groupthink, the phenomenon where group members quickly begin thinking the same thing. It can also dramatically increase the variety and quality of ideas you generate overall.

4. To go big, start small.

Photography courtesy Phillips & Co.

Big changes feel scary and risky, so people tend to avoid them. We often start small with our clients, testing simple, low-cost prototypes of innovative ideas with their real customers. Based on that real-world research, we can quickly refine the ideas, making sure they fulfill a market need. This process reduces risk, making it easier to make the investment it takes to launch a new product or business.

5. View innovation as a process. The world’s most innovative organizations don’t try to invent a new offering in a single workshop. Instead, they have a rigorous process that brings fresh insight, bold inspiration and the voice of the customer into a process. And because innovation is full of little setbacks, successful innovators tend to have longer time horizons, never losing sight of their overall strategic goals.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Great expectations America’s first African-American astronaut was one of the early pioneers in the development of the Space Shuttle BY S.L. GUTHRIE Illustration by Bill Hardin ’50

Dec. 8, 1967 was one of those gorgeous southern California days that made you think anything was possible. When Air Force Maj. Bob Lawrence Jr. ’56 climbed into the backseat of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter jet, he was 32, with 10 years and more than 2,500 hours of flying time (2,000 in jets) under his belt. What could go wrong? Selected for astronaut training only six months prior, the senior pilot’s mission was to teach his student, Maj. Harvey Royer, the steep descent glide, a precursor to the landings used by the Space Shuttle where the plane descends tail first. As Royer approached, for reasons unknown to this day, the plane hit the runway, which collapsed the landing gears, shattered the canopy and caused a fire on the underside. The fuselage dragged 214 feet, after which the jet lifted off the runway briefly. When it landed again, the plane veered off the runway where it started breaking up and was eventually destroyed. Miraculously, neither man suffered burns and both were able to eject. But while Royer survived, sustaining major injuries, Lawrence wasn’t as lucky. Because the plane rolled as he discharged, it prevented his parachute from opening, and the impact crushed his chest, killing him instantly. Left behind to grieve were Lawrence’s wife and Bradley sweetheart, Barbara Cress Lawrence ’58, and their 8-year-old son, Tracey.

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Bradley’s chemistry department commissioned this portrait of Lawrence from BILL HARDIN ’50 in the mid-1980s. The university honored Lawrence with a named scholarship and a lecture series, as well as a conference room in Olin Hall, later changed to a lecture hall when the building underwent a major renovation from 1998–2000.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of that tragic accident, but until recently, with the success of films like “Hidden Figures,” the contributions of African-Americans to the space program — and those of Lawrence, in particular — have largely gone unnoticed or been forgotten. One of the early pioneers, he exceeded expectations throughout his short life. EARLY PROMISE Lawrence grew up on Chicago’s south side and finished high school at age 16. At Bradley, he majored in chemistry and enlisted in the Air Force ROTC, earning the top spot as cadet lieutenant colonel. “He seemed like an average student, but that was because he had to work in the cafeteria to support his stay at Bradley,” said fraternity brother and roommate Linn Dorman ’56. “The thing that most impressed me was in his senior year, when he was able to devote full time to his studies, he turned everything around and became a straight-A student … It was like night and day.” TRAINING FOR SPACE

“ (Lawrence was) a courageous, sturdy, hardworking guy (who was) ambitious and wanted to go places.” — Linn Dorman ’56

Commissioned as a second lieutenant and stationed at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base near Munich, Lawrence served as both fighter pilot and flight instructor for personnel in the German Air Force. When a fatality happened during training, Lawrence recommended he teach the student pilots in their native language, reasoning they would be able to react more rapidly in emergencies. Success ensued, and Lawrence impressed both the students and the German government. During this period, he and Barbara married and returned stateside in 1961, where Lawrence enrolled in graduate school at The Ohio State University. Again, he displayed mental prowess by earning a doctorate in physical chemistry in only three years while still serving, followed by a transfer to Kirtland AFB (N.M.), where Lawrence was a research scientist at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory.

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Although initially unsuccessful when he applied to join NASA’s training program, Lawrence became one of 16 chosen from among 500 applicants for a spot at the Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) at Edwards AFB (Calif.). In June 1967, after completing ARPS training, the Air Force named him to its Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) Program. “(My) appointment as the first Negro astronaut was incidental and probably a culmination of the great deal of training and help a lot of people put in to prepare me,” said Lawrence at a press conference at the time of his appointment. “It’s an expression of success that they should enjoy instead of me. I would like to thank them again.” A complement to NASA’s Mercury and Gemini programs, MOL was a precursor to the International Space Station, according to Lawrence’s American National Biography. The plan was to equip two astronauts for a 30-day Earth orbit, so “MOL pilots and NASA astronauts conducted extensive test flights in various highperformance jet aircraft. Lawrence’s research investigated the gliding flight of unpowered aircraft landing from a high orbit.” “MOL was particularly exciting for Bob because being in the program offered him an opportunity to do the two things he loved most — experimental

TOP LEFT: Though it was the first aircraft to hold the world speed and altitude records simultaneously, Lockheed’s F-104 Starfighter’s terrible safety record earned it the nickname “Widowmaker.” INSET: The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston commissioned this patch from artist Tim Gagnon to commemorate Lawrence’s legacy. TOP RIGHT: In front of Burgess Hall, then used as a dormitory, now home to classrooms and the Smith Career Center. In Lawrence’s hand is a paddle from his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. BOTTOM: Lawrence’s widow, BARBARA CRESS LAWRENCE ’58 (l) and his sister, Barbara Lawrence (r), at the unveiling of his portrait.

science and flying,” said Cress Lawrence on the PBS “NOVA” episode, “Secret Astronauts” in 2008. The Air Force cancelled the program in 1969, and Lawrence would have been eligible for a transfer to NASA. STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION While the military awarded Lawrence the Purple Heart in the days after his death, other recognition was not as forthcoming. Initially, NASA rejected his inclusion on the Space Mirror Memorial (Fla.) because he hadn’t flown a minimum altitude of 50 miles above the Earth, the early definition of an astronaut.

But Lawrence’s family believed the decision was one of institutional racism and fought, with help from others, to have his name engraved on the polished black granite with the other fallen heroes. Thirty years after Lawrence’s death, the family was finally able to see tangible evidence of the admiration he so deserved in a ceremony at the memorial. Dorman’s appreciation for his fraternity roommate never wavered. He called Lawrence “a courageous, sturdy, hard-working guy (who was) ambitious and wanted to go places. “From the time I first knew him, he was an average guy,” said Dorman, “but at the end of his life, Bob was a giant.”

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Legacy

Claire Etaugh Psychology professor retires after 52 years of service.

Kristie Ahlenius Engerman ’85

Pam Somers Morris ’75 M.A. ’78

Natalie Morris ’09

Blair Engerman ’16

Andrea Etaugh Korte ’86

Brooke Engerman ’18

Teaching the generations Caterpillar Professor of Psychology Claire Etaugh may not have DNA as part of her legacy, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t made an impact on generations of Bradley students. With her retirement this spring, we decided to ask some of her legacy students what her teaching meant to them. “One thing I will always remember about Dr. Etaugh is that she knew who I was and what my research interests were even before I had ever taken one of her classes,” said Blair Engerman ’16. “She truly cares about all Bradley students, not just those (in her classes). To me, that is a remarkable and wonderful quality in a teacher.”

Photography by Duane Zehr.

“During the time I spent with Dr. Etaugh, she helped me to solidify my beliefs and my understanding of myself,” added Brooke Engerman ’19. “Her courses are very introspective, as well as informative.” “I have carried Dr. Etaugh’s positive influence with me throughout the years in both my personal and professional life,” said Kristie Ahlenius Engerman ’85. “I am grateful for what Dr. Etaugh has done for me, but even more thankful for the support, guidance, and mentorship she has shown to Blair and Brooke.”

“Her guidance and insight would come to shape my own child-rearing practices,” said Pam Somers Morris ’75, whose daughter Natalie ’09, was a student of Etaugh’s. “(They also) became instrumental in assisting parents and teachers in handling educational and behavioral concerns in my career as a school psychologist.”

“Over the years, I have met her current and former students and have discovered that some of my co-workers went to Bradley and had her as a professor, said Etaugh’s daughter, Andrea Etaugh Korte ’86, who took two classes from her mother. “The one thing in common is that they always speak of her with great admiration … She was always my biggest cheerleader.” And how does Etaugh herself reflect on the past 52 years? “The most rewarding part of being at Bradley (has been) the chance to interact and influence students’ lives,” she said. “But it’s a two-way street … You’re not just teaching them, you’re learning from them as well.” Quite a legacy, indeed. — S.L.G. Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Class Notes William Vlastnik ’51 MBA ’52 retired after 63 years of operating his family’s men’s clothing store in Peru, Ill. Started by his father in 1925, William and his brother, Frank ’51 MBA ’52, joined the store in 1954 after serving in the Army. Frank died in 1982. Robert Frey ’56 published “Underway, The Autobiography of a Sailor” about his life and career in the U.S. Navy, which included command assignments and combat experience in Vietnam. He and his wife, Sue, live in Virginia Beach, Va. They have two sons and seven grandchildren.

1960s The Order of St. John, an international humanitarian organization focusing on healthcare, promoted Karen Miller Lamb ’65 to the rank of dame. She serves as secretary and communications chair for the order’s Priory in the United States.

1970s Sheila Hunyady Rhodes ’79 serves as assistant professor of nursing at MacMurray College. She earned her master’s degree at

the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her husband, Steven ’75, owns S+S Collectibles. They live in Springfield, Ill.

1980s Jamal Al-Naif ’80 is regional head for the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia at Pictet Asset Management, serving institutional clients in those areas. Jamal has more than 35 years of experience in financial services and has worked for Citigroup, Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse, among others. The American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists named Jeremy Krock ’80 its president. He has served on the group’s board of governors and has been active on the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology. A pediatric anesthesiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois and an associate clinical professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Jeremy graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also founded and directs the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project to honor players buried in unmarked graves. He and his wife, Jeanette, have two sons, Mitchell ’15 and Spencer ’17.

HARPER 3 GANG The Harper 3 Gang, a group of friends from Harper Hall, met in February for the 40th year. The group attended the Bradley vs. Evansville men’s basketball game and visited other sites in Peoria and on campus. Group members are, (clockwise from front) Frances Spinillo Grzywa ’75 M.A. ’78; Paul Herzog ’74; Doug Shank ’74; Greg Staat ’76; Joe Dalfonso ’76; Mike Grzywa; Lanier Korsmeyer ’75; Randy Kulaga ’75; Tom Wendle ’75; Kevin Trush ’74; Julie Buck Shank ’76; Karen Kennedy Trush ’76; and Janet Blair Korsmeyer ’75. — B.G.

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Randy Gallick ’80 serves as Midwest regional sales director covering 10 states for CardioNet, a provider of remote cardiac monitoring services. He lives in Blue Springs, Mo. Gregory Rocque ’81 is chief executive officer at Mt. Baker Vapor in Mesa, Ariz. Previously, he was president of Fairrington and Reyco Granning and founder/CEO of NTE. Gregory serves on the boards of several commercial and not-for-profit groups and is a member of the executive advisory and mentoring group Vistage. Forbes magazine recognized Maureen Raihle ’84 as one of the country’s top women wealth advisers, and Barron’s magazine honored her as one of the top 1,200 U.S. financial advisers. Maureen is a private wealth adviser for Merrill Lynch in the Chicago area. Illinois Super Lawyer magazine included Perry Browder ’85 in its list of attorneys, an honor he has attained annually since 2011. He is a shareholder in the Alton office of Simmons Hanley Conroy and heads the firm’s asbestos group. Perry earned his doctorate in law from Valparaiso University. The Greenwich, Conn., school district named Jill Vandervieren Gildea ’86 its superintendent. Previously, she served a superintendent in Mundelein, Ill. Jill also served as a teacher and as a school administrator. She earned a master’s degree from National Louis University and a doctorate at Northern Illinois University. Linda Hamaker ’88 is the chief administrative officer for Community Reach Center, which provides mental health services and counseling in the Metro Denver area. Previously, she ran a consulting company, VitalVantage360, and worked at Rice University, where she earned an MBA. Linda holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

1990s The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) elected Claudine Kazanecki Modlin ’91 to its board of directors. She is a director of risk consulting and software at Willis Towers Watson. Claudine has been a CAS member nearly 20 years and is active in the American Academy of Actuaries and the Actuarial Standards Board.

Krock: David Joseph Portraits; Schlichting: Elizabeth Juhl.

1950s

Mad hot classrooms The charming 2005 documentary “Mad Hot Ballroom” follows several classes of fifth-graders from New York City public schools as they enter the world of competitive ballroom dancing. Initially reluctant, they come to love the rigorous practices and complicated routines, eventually competing in the citywide finals. Heather Wright Schlichting ’86 happened on the documentary in 2010. “Once I saw “Mad Hot Ballroom,”I was hooked,” she said. “I wanted to get involved.” A dancer since childhood, Schlichting was a member of her high school dance team, which won the Illinois state championship three years running. After graduating from Bradley, she moved to Chicago, where she taught dance to young children through the park district. Schlichting also worked as a public relations professional in the hotel industry and with other firms in Chicago. She moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., in 2001, and started Dancing Classrooms Phoenix — a franchise of the New York City program — in 2011. Schools pay $2,000 for the 10-week in-school residency, which includes two one-hour sessions a week. Since its start, Dancing Classrooms Phoenix has served more than 200 students in public, charter and parochial schools. Students learn merengue, swing, tango, rhumba and waltz. They keep a diary of the culture, food and customs of each dance’s place of origin. “Fifth-graders are the perfect age for this class,” Schlichting said. “They’re still young and kind of shy. We believe (the classes) reinforce the importance of diversity and decrease bullying. Dancers switch partners after every dance, so they get to know everyone in class.” As a board member of the organization, she notes that the biggest difficulties the program faces are financial — “we have some great sponsors, but are always looking for more” — and the fact that the franchise agreement requires that classes be held during school hours. “There’s such a focus on keeping test scores high, so taking class time for the program is a challenge.” She is grateful for her connection with the program. “The culminating event, which involves the schools competing against each other, restores my faith in humanity. “I watch the parents. They are so proud of their children. In a small way, we feel we’re making a difference.” — M.B. Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

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Marcato Capital Management named Anne T. Sullivan ’02 partner, where she’ll oversee the firm’s finances and operations. She lives with her sons, Quinn and Charlie, in the San Francisco Bay area. Barbara Love ’03 is the director of the Kewanee, Ill., Public Library District. She earned a master’s degree at Dominican University and previously served as director of the Farmington Area Public Library District. Steven McCarthy ’80 received the 2017 Minnesota Book Artist Award for his Wee Go Library project, which included a solo exhibition at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and a cash prize. He presented a paper about the project at a conference in Chile. Steven is a professor of graphic design at the University of Minnesota. He earned an MFA at Stanford University and taught at Northern Kentucky University.

Fujitsu General America Inc. named Andy Armstrong MBA ’93 vice president of sales and marketing. Previously, he served as vice president of sales and marketing for Johnson Controls. Danita Morgan Harrison ’96 earned her doctor of nurse practitioner degree from Concordia University in Wisconsin. She lives in Reynolds, Ill., with her three children and is a nurse practitioner with Genesis Endocrinology Group. Chad Turner ’96 MSA ’97 is a 2017 Fellow with the ADA 25 Advancing Leadership Initiative of the Chicago Community Trust, aiming to build a continuing network of leaders with disabilities who are involved in the civic affairs of the region. He also earned recognition for distinguished service from Alpha Phi Omega. Chad and his wife, Mary, have one son and live in Tinley Park, Ill.

Dean: Kate Dean.

2000s J.R. Biersmith ’01’s compelling documentary “Men in the Arena” is now available for rent or purchase on several media platforms, including iTunes, Google and Amazon. The film was the subject of the cover story for the fall 2016 issue of Bradley Hilltopics, found at bradley.edu/go/ht-Fall2016.

Marion Willingham McKenney ’03 published her latest book, “Racism (Does It Still Exist)?” A writer and substitute teacher, she lives with her husband, Joe, and their three children in Cornelius, N.C.

Matt Willey ’01 celebrated 15 years with Hanson Professional Services Inc. A licensed structural engineer, he is a member of several professional organizations. Matt earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Larry Jackson ’04 received the NACE/ Spelman Johnson Rising Star Award from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, recognizing leadership potential and contributions to career services and the NACE organization. A Chicago resident, he is a career adviser at Northwestern University. Kyle Baker ’05 exhibited his handprinted silkscreen posters at Saint Xavier University’s art gallery in Chicago. A graphic and web designer, he owns Baker Prints in Chicago.

Martin Note ’02 is a UX architect at HomeAway, an Expedia company specializing in vacation rentals. He joined the company in 2011 and lives in Austin, Texas. Sean O’Dell ’02 is president of the Chicago Metro chapter of the American Public Works Association. He has served in several association positions and received the group’s National Young Leader Award in 2015. Sean is vice president of civic innovation and infrastructure with Baxter & Woodman, Inc. John Scacchetti ’02 conducted a master’slevel dance class at Youngstown State University. He has performed in several regional and national touring companies, taught at the Broadway Training Center and appeared in the web series “Who Could Ask for Anything More.”

Aaron ’04 and Kate Santine Dean ’05 announce the birth of their fourth child, Owen Joseph, Oct. 21. Aaron is a teacher in the Dubuque, Iowa, school system, and Kate is a counselor at Holy Family Catholic Schools, also in Dubuque, where the family resides. Matt Wright ’05 is the new principal at United Township High School in East Moline, Ill. Previously, he served as dean of students at East Peoria Community High School and as a math teacher in Morton, Ill. He earned a master’s degree and an education specialist degree at Illinois State University. Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Class Notes Kamal Angelo Bolden ’06 is the newest recruit on the NBC drama “Chicago Fire.” Bolden will be a regular on the series’ sixth season this fall.

of Missouri-Columbia. He received a master’s degree from Missouri and is studying for his doctorate in sociology there.

2010s Melissa Wahl Hammer ’10 is acquisitions editor at the University Press of Kentucky. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Lexington, Ky.

Samantha Randall ’06 married Phil Nelson June 18, 2016. She earned a master’s degree in special education at West Virginia University and is an early childhood special education teacher in the Marshalltown, Iowa, school district. The couple lives in Union, Iowa.

Leah Hengel Korkis ’10 earned her master’s degree in nursing from Mount Saint Mary’s University. She became certified as an adult-geriatric clinical nurse specialist and is the nursing practice outcomes and magnet program coordinator at UCLA Health in Santa Monica, Calif. She and her husband, Jean, live in Glendale, Calif.

Jared ’06 MSA ’06 and Sara Worrell Woiwode ’09 welcomed their third child, Jacob Kirk, March 1. Jared is a manager at CliftonLarsenAllen. The family lives in Peoria. Dustin Heath ’08 and his wife, Kelly, welcomed Hudson Louis on July 31. Dustin, who earned a master of energy engineering degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a senior structural engineer with Sargent & Lundy, LLC. The family lives in LaGrange Park, Ill. Doug Valentine ’08 received the Green Chalk Award for excellence as a graduate instructor from the College of Arts and Science Student Council at the University

Edward Pall ’10 and Jami Stuckey ’10 married Sept. 24. He earned a law degree at John Marshall Law School and is an attorney with Discovery Health Partners. She teaches at a Chicago charter school. The couple lives in Chicago.

Alyssa Doerr ’12 and Andrew McNamara ’13 married Sept. 24. Alyssa is a dietitian at Scott County WIC in Iowa and Andrew is a senior engineer with MidAmerican Energy. They live in Blue Grass, Iowa. Dale P. Davis ’13 is a police officer in Springfield, Ill. Rakesh Ramasamy MSIE ’16 won the Simmons Memorial Scholarship, presented by NCSL International, an organization for measurement science professionals. He is a quality systems engineer with Johnson Controls. Logan Ketterer ’17 became the ninth Bradley player drafted by a Major League Soccer team, chosen in the fourth round of the league’s 2017 SuperDraft by the Columbus Crew. He was the 10th goalkeeper selected in the two-day SuperDraft. Logan was an honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Conference pick the last two years and a two-time league scholar-athlete.

Bradley marketing alum Drew Tolly ’12 gained national recognition in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Manufacturing and Industry for 2017. Tolly, 26, works in Caterpillar’s Marketing and Digital Division. “As someone from the Peoria area, I’m proud to be able to do my part to drive growth and show that great work can be done outside of Silicon Valley,” he said. Tolly started as an information analyst and now serves as a data scientist for Caterpillar eBusiness, where he uses analytics to improve customer workflow to increase conversion rates and optimize the company’s marketing. “I didn’t realize the value of my Bradley experience until I entered the professional world. I was able to hit the ground running in graduate school and at Caterpillar because of the small class sizes, class projects with local companies and research with professors.” — Matt Hawkins

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Randall: Jason Wehrman; Rye portrait and food: Kathryn McCrary; Rye gallery wall and stationery: Rustic White Photography.

Tolly named to Forbes’ 30 under 30

Channeling Martha Stewart If you want great ideas for home accessories, how to pick the perfect shade of lipstick for your skin tone or what to do with those fresh Brussels sprouts in your fridge, look no further than Waiting on Martha, the blog and multifaceted brand founded by Mandy Kellogg Rye ’02. A self-described “dreamer, maker and doer,” she draws inspiration from the art of creating beauty in the everyday, much like her blog’s namesake, lifestyle guru Martha Stewart. Each post contains highly styled photos, snappy, conversational text and links to featured items from high-end clients like Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Kate Spade, as well as more affordable pieces from Target and Old Navy. Even though Kellogg Rye began the blog in 2012 on a whim while working as a healthcare digital consultant, she had always dreamed of having a shop of her own. During that first year, Kellogg Rye had to decide whether to try and make the blog her ticket to entrepreneurial success. “I had an amazing job, I was married, I had a home — I wasn’t going to leave everything behind on this whim and start all over again,” she said. Pottery Barn was one of the first major clients to come calling, and others soon followed. Along with the blog, Kellogg Rye started a digital store and kept stock in the garage of her Atlanta home. Next, she moved on to hosting pop-up shops — four in the past two years. This summer, the longed-for brick-and-mortar store will become a reality. “I try to stay excited every day with the amazing things I get to do,” said Kellogg Rye. “But I will tell you that nothing beats the feeling of landing that first big fish and realizing you’re going to make a go of it.” — S.L.G.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Class Notes

We’re all ears A great magazine needs great stories. So, if you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I wish Bradley Hilltopics would write about … ,” here’s your chance to make that happen! Send your ideas to hilltopics@ bradley.edu.

In Memory 1940s Lois Avery Buchanan ’40, April 26, 2016, Cherry Valley, Ill. June “Bunny” Shalkhauser Combs ’44, M.A. ’64, March 24, Peoria Jane Hathaway Haven ’44, Feb. 2, Chatham, Mass. Kathryn Jacquin Simpson ’46, April 5, Peoria Corinne Becker “Corky” Hildebrandt ’48, April 5, Bluffton, S.C. Herbert Kauffman ’48, Jan. 8, Washington, Ill. Paul Kroeger CERT ’48, Feb. 25, Peoria Mary Kupper Landis ’48, Dec. 19, Littleton, Colo. Roberta Lewis O’Connor ’48, March 5, Lisle, Ill. Barbara Schefelbein ’48 M.A. ’67, Feb. 20, Peoria Daniel Naert ’49 M.S. ’52, March 18, East Moline, Ill. Glenn Perdue ’49, March 28, Peoria

1950s Leonard Boyle ’50, Feb. 9, Sarasota, Fla. Robert Callaway ’50, Feb. 14, Peoria Patricia Moran Connelly ’50, Feb. 27, Northglenn, Colo. Elbert Duvall ’50, Jan. 3, Bradenton, Fla. Melvin W. Martin ’50, March 17, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Shirley Phelps Monser ’50, Jan. 22, Chicago Heights, Ill. Nancy Hawks Pruss ’50, Jan. 18, Coppell, Texas Robert Shanks ’50, April 8, Springfield, Ill. Willard “Bill” Waugh ’50, Jan. 10, Peoria

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Walter Ziegele ’50, March 13, Irving, Texas Marilyn Behrens Damisch ’51, Feb. 4, Elgin, Ill. Glenn Turnbull M.A. ’51, Feb. 5, Lacon, Ill. William Drew ’52 MBA ’64, Feb. 17, Peoria James Maynard ’52, Jan. 18, Weston, Mass. Elio Suau ’52, Jan. 19, Venice, Fla. Donald Sutter ’52, Jan. 24, Fishers, Ind. Warren Victor ’52, Feb. 8, Westfield, N.J. Shirley Kemp Balaskas ’53, Jan. 15, Schaumburg, Ill. Marian Prewett Farrell ’53, March 2, Zionsville, Ind. JoAnn Ford ’53, March 22, Farmington, Minn. Duane Nelson CERT ’53, ’58, Jan. 18, Delavan, Ill. James Severson ’54, Jan. 4, Elgin, Ill. Arthur Jameson ’55, March 20, Pekin, Ill. Barbara Ohlsen Poindexter ’55, March 19, Wood Dale, Ill. Monica Green Rehwaldt ’55, Feb. 12, LaGrange, Ill. George Speck ’55, Feb. 5, Wanganui, New Zealand Margaret Collister Busch ’56, Feb. 4, Northbrook, Ill. Elizabeth Martin Chaney ’56, Feb. 9, Washington, Ill. Beverly Bradley West ’56, Jan. 9, Peoria Edward Engelhardt ’57, Feb. 16, Venice, Fla. Walter Filip ’57, Feb. 1, Hampstead, N.H. James D. Kunz ’57 M.A. ’62, March 8, East Peoria, Ill. Gerald Kochanny M.S. ’58, Feb. 13, Menasha, Wis. Richard Noon ’57, April 1, Waterford, Mich. Rosemary Thornton Norton ’58, Jan. 30, Gladstone, Mo. James Wenninger ’58, March 15, Morton, Ill. George Edwards ’59, April 19, 2016, Edwardsville, Ill.

In Tribute Jerry Krause ’61

In Tribute Frank Bussone ’64 M.A. ’66

Krause (middle) with the Bulls after their second title win, 1992.

Jerry Krause ’61, a 1996 Centurion and member of the Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame, died March 21. Considered the architect of the Chicago Bulls’ NBA championship teams in the 1990s as the team’s longtime general manager, Krause also scouted for several NBA teams and for Major League Baseball teams, including the New York Yankees and Mets and Chicago White Sox. Most recently, he was an executive with the Arizona Diamondbacks. A two-time NBA Executive of the Year, he is a finalist this year for induction to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Krause: Michael Ponzini / Chicago Bulls.

“No one coach, player, general manager or scout wins championships — organizations win championships,” he once said, citing his father’s motto: “Patience plus perseverance equals success.” The Chicago Tribune reported the born-and-raised Chicagoan wrote a paper while at Bradley on the iconic lions outside the Art Institute, noting their strength and toughness were associated with the city. As a Bradley student, Krause worked charting plays for famed basketball coach Chuck Orsborn ’39 M.S. ’51, and played baseball briefly for longtime coach Leo Schrall M.A. ’67. He remembered using bigger teammates as cover during drills and being caught by Schrall. “He barked at me, but we had fun.” Krause is survived by his wife, Thelma, two children and four grandchildren. — B.G.

Bussone announcing a Bradley men’s basketball game in the 1970s.

Frank Bussone ’64 M.A. ’66, a longtime broadcaster and executive who was elected to the Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame, died March 15. He broadcast Bradley men’s basketball games on radio and television, doing the most televised games in school history. Bussone worked at Peoria stations, including as president and CEO of WEEK-TV. He helped coach Bradley’s five-time undefeated champion GE College Bowl team and a similar championship squad at the University of Southern California while doing doctoral work there. He was executive vice president of Eagle Broadcasting Co., president/CEO of the Proctor Healthcare Foundation and vice president of the Dirksen Congressional Leadership Center in Pekin, Ill. He also was an administrator at Bradley. Active in numerous charitable and civic organizations, including the Bradley Alumni Association, he was a founding member of the Chiefs Club and a member of the state Basketball Hall of Fame. Surviving are his wife, Lisa Cantor-Bussone ’88, also a member of the school’s hall of fame; a son, three granddaughters, two stepchildren, a stepgranddaughter and his former wife, Karen Watson Bussone ’71. — B.G.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Class Notes In Memory Richard Ehrhardt ’59, March 23, Moline, Ill. James Franklin ’59, Jan. 13, Peoria

1960s Robert G. Culver ’60, Feb. 3, Sandwich, Ill. Marlys Ollig Isaacson ’60, Jan. 21, Spring Valley, Calif. Barbara Marcin Isbell ’60, Feb. 17, Phoenix Carroll Larry ’60, Jan. 27, Stow, Ohio Warren McCune ’60, Jan. 26, Des Plaines, Ill. Raymond McIntire ’60, March 14, Galesburg, Ill. James E. Clark ’61, March 19, Cocoa, Fla. Anne Trentman Ray ’61, March 29, East Peoria, Ill. Theodore Saal ’61, Feb. 19, Akron, Ohio Donald Wasilewski ’61, Jan. 2, Lakeland, Fla. Donald Anderson ’62, Jan. 25, Ottawa, Ill. Geraldine Schmitt DeFreitas ’62, April 11, Metamora, Ill. Rainard “Ray” Fisher ’62, March 11, Bloomington, Ill. Annette Palmgren Mills ’62 MEA ’75, Feb. 23, Peoria Estelle Terra-Nova ’62, April 6, 2016, Dunellen, N.J. Richard “Dick” Flanigan ’64, Jan. 5, Madison, Wis. Diane Jakubik Gerber ’64, Jan. 20, Barrington, Ill. Edward Thielbar ’64, Jan. 2, Hot Springs Village, Ark. Thomas Benjamin ’65, Dec. 30, Phoenix Richard “Red” Benvenutti M.S. ’65, March 23, Peru, Ill. Fred Boher ’65, Feb. 8, Tucson, Ariz. Steven Flechter ’65 MBA ’67, April 2, Wheaton, Ill. Evelyn Grgurich ’65, Jan. 5, Sedona, Ariz. Joseph Udelson ’65, Feb. 14, Monsey, N.Y. Pamela Young McEnroe ’66 M.A. ’89, March 21, Peoria Patricia Hunkler Stagen M.A. ’66, Feb. 6, Morton, Ill. Beverly Kusnik Gale ’68, Dec. 1, New Lenox, Ill. Melvin Hands ’68, M.S. ’72, Jan. 16, Oreana, Ill. Marilyn Hinton Harris ’69, Feb. 2, Goldsboro, N.C. Richard Little M.A. ’69, March 4, Sheboygan, Wis.

1970s Dennis Bailey ’70, April 5, Princeville, Ill. Susan Honnold West ’70, Feb. 7, Peoria Susan McLee Goodale M.A. ’71, Feb. 20, Germantown Hills, Ill. George “Corky” Pariza ’71, Feb. 15, Encinitas, Calif. Henry Ernst III ’72, April 3, Gulfport, Fla. Judith Brandow Guerrero ’72, Jan. 9, Lacon, Ill. Sidney Sexton M.A. ’72, Nov. 22, Paducah, Ky. Gerald Kuick ’73, Dec. 17, Medina, Ohio David C. West ’73, Jan. 18, Morton, Ill. Paul Hellermann ’74, Feb. 9, Naperville, Ill. William Mastronardi ’75, Jan. 18, Peoria Robert Zook ’75, Feb. 4, Peoria Elmer Schaefer ’76, Jan. 18, Towanda, Ill. Marvin Bausman Sr. ’77, March 7, Mt. Carroll, Ill. Michael Tague ’77, Feb. 17, Champaign, Ill. James S. Moeller ’78, Feb. 4, Dixon, Ill.

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Faculty Wayne Evens, associate professor of social work, died April 16 in Peoria. At Bradley since 2001, he served as chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Work from 2014–16 and social work program director until 2016. Evens was president of the university’s chapter of Phi Alpha, the social work honor society. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Iowa. Known for his cowboy boots and penchant for feeding the Bradley squirrels, Evens was active in several Peoria civic groups, as well as professional organizations. Surviving are his wife, Sonja, three children, three stepchildren, two sisters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. — B.G.

1980s Patrick Butler ’82, March 31, Wauconda, Ill. Mary Hunsicker Parris ’85, Jan. 2, Ballwin, Mo. John Cassidy ’86 M.A. ’90, Feb. 17, Bloomington, Ill. Lisa Potts-Polito ’88, Dec. 28, Westport, Conn.

1990s Alfred “A.J.” Sikma ’90, Feb. 24, Princeton, N.J. Dawn Marzullo Hentrich ’91, Feb. 20, Alton, Ill. Chandler “Channy” Lyons Wildemuth M.A. ’97, Feb. 1, Peoria

2000s Ashlee Glazeski ’02, Feb. 9, Chicago Lawrence Rutledge ’03, March 9, Lewisburg, Tenn. Timothy Bohn ’04, Nov. 27, Hoffman Estates, Ill.

2010s Kevin Yndestad ’13, March 9, Aspen, Colo.

Staff Mary Ann Baker Dwyer, business manager secretary, April 9, Peoria

Address Changes:

Email alumnirecords@bradley.edu, or write to Alumni Records, Bradley University, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625.

Faculty

In Memory Guidelines: Associate Professor of Accounting Emeritus Arthur Wardelman, who taught at Bradley from 1963 to 1987, died Feb. 12 in Peoria.

A World War II veteran who was wounded in France, he earned his MBA at Indiana University and taught at the University of Evansville, where he also worked as chief accountant. Wardelman was a CPA and worked for an accounting firm as well as in his own office. He was a member of The American Accounting Association and The American Institute of CPAs, among others. The Illinois CPA Society named him a Distinguished Member in 1988. He enjoyed bowling, dancing and traveling. Surviving are two sons, including Curtis Wardelman ’77, a daughter, five grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.

Submit an obituary by mailing a newspaper clipping or memory card from the funeral home to Bradley Hilltopics, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625.

Class Notes Information: Send Us Your News! Complete the form below and mail to Bradley Hilltopics, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625. You may also fax it to (309) 677-4055, or use our online form at bradley.edu/go/ht-Classnotes. Name________________________________ Maiden__________________ Class Year____________ Degree___________________________________ Advanced Degree(s)____________________________________________ Institution(s)____________________________________________________ Home Address_________________________________________________ City _____________________________________ State______ ZIP________ Email__________________________________________________________ Phone_________________________________________________________ Current Job Title(s)______________________________________________ Employer______________________________________________________

A teacher at central Illinois high schools, Zarvell was named state Teacher of the Year in 1968 before starting work at Bradley, where he oversaw counseling, testing, orientation, advisement and peer counseling programs. He was a pioneer in college orientation and advising programs and active in professional groups such as the National Peer Counseling Association and the National Orientation Directors Association. Zarvell was instrumental in creating Bradley’s Academic Exploration Program and earned the 2016 Lydia Moss Bradley Award for service to the university. Delta Upsilon International selected him for its board of directors and awarded him its Founders Medal for Service. Surviving are two sons, including Doug Zarvell ’85; a sister; and four grandchildren, including Sydney Zarvell ’21. —B.G.

Name___________________________ Maiden__________________ Bradley Alum?______________ Class Year______________________

SPOUSE

Ray Zarvell ’62 M.A. ’69, executive director of student development and health services emeritus, died Jan. 15 in Kewanee, Ill.

Degree___________________________________________________ Advanced Degree(s)________________________________________ Institution_________________________________________________ Current Job Title(s)_________________________________________ Employer_________________________________________________

Number of Children_____________________________________________ My News (Please provide month/day/year for weddings and births.) ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ PLEASE NOTE: Class Notes are published in the order they are received. Please send wedding and birth announcements within one year of the event. PHOTO SUBMISSIONS: Digital photos should measure at least 1,200 pixels on the short side. Include photographer’s written permission to reproduce copyrighted photos. Bradley Hilltopics reserves the right to make the final selection of all photography based upon available space, subject matter and photo quality. QUESTIONS: Call (309) 677-2249, or email hilltopics@bradley.edu.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Alumni Connections Alumni Events July 28–Aug. 5 // Gurnee Alumni Days at Six Flags Great America July 30 // Chicago Bradley University Black Alumni Alliance (BUBAA) New Student Send-off Picnic August 4 // Peoria CIBAC Bratfest August 19 // Peoria Legacy Family Welcome Reception August 26 // Peoria Bradley University Communications Alumni Network (BUCAN) reunion August 27 // St. Louis Alumni Day at Busch Stadium, Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays Sept. 8–9 // Peoria Lambda Chi Alpha reunion Sept. 11–16 // Peoria Homecoming Sept. 15 // Peoria Founder’s Day

Director’s Corner Tory McCord Jennetten ’96 No matter how many graduation ceremonies and events I attend, I’m always touched to see families and friends gathering to celebrate this accomplishment. It’s a milestone for any family, whether the graduate will head off to a job or to graduate school. Each strengthens the fabric of the Bradley family. Summer is a quieter time on campus, but there are still events near and far, like Alumni Days at Six Flags Great America July 28–Aug. 5, the CIBAC Bratfest Aug. 4 and Alumni Day at Busch Stadium Aug. 27.

An important note: because the original date coincided with Yom Kippur, the university has rescheduled our 2017 Homecoming celebration to Sept. 11–16. Our Jewish alumni, students, faculty and staff are beloved members of our community, and we wanted to ensure their participation. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please check bradley. edu/alumni for the latest information on the week’s schedule. Enjoy your summer, and we’ll see you this fall. Warm regards,

Tory McCord Jennetten ’96 Executive Director, Alumni Relations

Sept. 29–30 // Peoria Civil Engineering and Construction reunion December 2 // Chicago Holiday Lights tour

VIEW MORE EVENT PHOTOS at flickr.com/ BradleyAlumni

1 1 Peoria The Bradley Forensics Alumni Network held a reunion in conjunction with the American Forensics Association’s National Individual Events Tournament. More than 200 alumni returned to campus to celebrate and support members of the current speech team.

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BFAN, Chi Omega: Jeff McSweeney Creative Services.

Visit bradley.edu/alumni for details and registration, or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (309) 677-3565 or (800) 952-8258.

2 Mesa, Ariz. Alumni gathered for a Chicago Cubs spring training game against the Kansas City Royals, including (from left) Bill Kasley ‘73, Helen Czachorski Kasley ‘73 M.A. ‘78, Mike Greenspon M.A. ‘64 and James Pearson ‘66. 3 Peoria In March, the sisters of Sigma Kappa gathered to celebrate the chapter’s 70th anniversary on campus. 4 Peoria More than 75 members of the Bradley University Sudanese Alumni Network celebrated Sudan Day with traditional foods and a cultural program. 5 Peoria Nine founding members of Chi Omega returned to campus in April to celebrate the chapter’s 70th anniversary with more than 200 of their sisters. 6 Kansas City Alumni gathered for a networking happy hour at the Fox and Hound Sports Tavern in April. Participants included (from left): Cliff Holly ‘11 MSCE ’13, Nancy Guarise Fletcher ‘81, Joe Kovar ‘01, Doug Fletcher ‘81, Keith Shuttleworth ‘81, Amber Dungey Griffis ‘02, Justin Griffis ‘02, Lendsey Thomson ‘09 and Marty Oxman ‘97.

Bradley Hilltopics Summer 2017

Alumni View

The gentleman patriot An enduring love of family, a lifelong devotion to Bradley University, and a commitment to serve his hometown and his constituents, marked the life of Robert H. Michel ’48 HON ’81. Known for his 38-year career on Capitol Hill, the retired congressman died Feb. 17.

BY NANCY RIDGEWAY

“Congressman Michel and his wife, Corinne, were true models of dedicated public servants,” said President Gary Roberts ’70. “The university and the community are indebted to the Michels for their loyalty to their alma mater and their distinguished leadership in our community and the nation.” A Republican who served during nine presidencies, Michel represented the 18th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from Jan. 3, 1957 to Jan. 3, 1995, and was minority leader for the last 14 years of his career. Former President Ronald Reagan presented Michel with the Presidential Citizens Medal and said he was a man with great legislative ability and personal integrity, as well as a champion of effective and honest government. In 1994, former President Bill Clinton presented Michel with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Michel did not see those who disagreed with him as enemies, but rather as political adversaries whose primary goal, like his, was to work for the good of the country. On occasion, he was disappointed with what he called members’ “ethical lapses,” but sought to find common ground and work together with everyone. Friends and colleagues remember Michel’s excellent singing voice, his skill as an orator, his sincerity, his talent for consensus-building and his avid patriotism, all without putting on airs. “He was as fine a listener as I have ever been around,” said Gary Anna ’75, Bradley senior vice president for business affairs. “In a very unassuming and unalarming style, he could cut to the core issues of a problem. There was a special ingredient there. He was never edgy about issues and ultimately, he had an ‘aw, shucks’ attitude

Michel earned several medals for valiant service during World War II.

With former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill and President Reagan.

“Bob Michel was a great role model for the bipartisan, ethical and civil leadership we teach our Bradley students interested in public service,” said Brad McMillan, executive director of the university’s Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service. “He treated colleagues from both parties with mutual respect and placed the best interests of the country above partisan politics.”

With President Clinton at Michel’s retirement party.

Ray LaHood ’71 HON ’11, Michel and Darin LaHood.

that should never be confused with his ability or capability.” The son of French immigrants, the World War II Army veteran participated in the invasion of Normandy and returned to Peoria after he was injured by machine gun fire in the Allies’ decisive victory in the Battle of the Bulge. He received a Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars and four battle stars. Michel enrolled at Bradley, joining Alpha Pi (later Sigma Nu) fraternity and the university’s a cappella choir, where he met future wife Corinne Woodruff ’47. A business administration major, he was treasurer of his sophomore class, and his leadership style caught the attention of the administration. As Michel neared graduation, thenPresident David Owen ’29 urged him to apply for a job with Judge Harold Velde, who was running for election to fill the

seat of legendary U.S. Rep. Everett M. Dirksen, HON ’49. Velde needed an assistant, and Michel’s first job after college opened the door to a lifelong career in politics. While he spent most of his time in Washington, D.C., Michel always remembered his alma mater and his hometown. He served on Bradley’s Board of Trustees from 1982 to 1994, and after retiring from the board, Bradley named him an honorary trustee. Only three other board members have received this distinction: Gen. John Shalikashvili ’58 HON ’94, David Markin ’53 HON ’06 and Samuel Rothberg, HON ’72. Michel was instrumental in securing funding from the U.S. Department of Defense to build Bradley’s Caterpillar Global Communications Center, dedicated in 1996. A gala salute

Michel did not see those who disagreed with him as enemies, but rather as political adversaries whose primary goal, like his, was to work for the good of the country.

At home with Robin, Robert, Scott, Bruce, Laurie and Corinne.

at the time of his retirement raised an estimated $1.3 million to establish the Robert and Corinne Michel Endowed Scholarship. He frequently returned to campus to talk to students about his experiences on Capitol Hill and to discuss the importance of civility in politics. He was the first guest speaker after the opening of Bradley’s Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service. Michel received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Bradley in 1981, and in 1994, the university appointed him Distinguished Adjunct Professor of American Government. In 1999, the university named the Robert H. Michel Student Center after the congressman. He was a member of the Bradley Centurion Society and the recipient of Bradley’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. When Michel announced his retirement in 1993, he said, “I’d like to feel that as I prepare to leave the Congress, I’ve lived up to my parents’ high ethical standard and that I’ll be remembered by my constituents for representing them faithfully and well, and that nationally I will be judged as having contributed significantly to the deliberations of the House and served the institution of the Congress with honor and in an exemplary fashion.”

With Brad McMillan, executive director of the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service.

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Inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of places, even a market stall. Printmaker Robert Pugh of Brighton, England, created “The Intimacy of Strangers” after taking a photograph of two women as one applied makeup to the other. “They were talking intensely, and appeared to be saying things they would never normally discuss,” he said of the incident. The work was one of 131 from artists all over the world at the 36th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition.