Carthaginian Magazine Winter 2024

T H E

C ARTHAGINIAN A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF CARTHAGE COLLEGE

WINTER 2024

A Shared

Journey Family members spanning generations make memories by attending Carthage together.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Survivor’s Mission • Campaign Progress

Are you

to be counted? carthage giving days march 14-15, 2024 Join the movement by signing up to be a #REDandREADY Ambassador and compete in our new Ambassador Challenge to win exclusive #REDandREADY swag!

After signing up, you’ll receive a FREE #REDandREADY T-shirt, access to our social toolkit, and your unique fundraising link to share and begin working your way to the top of our challenge leaderboard!

To learn more about the Ambassador Challenge and to sign up, visit

carthage.edu/redandreadyambassador

s y a d g n i v i g 7

84

Save the dates for March 14-15, 2024, and spread the word about

#REDandREADY

IN THIS ISSUE Feature Articles

cover story:

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A Shared Journey Family members spanning generations make memories by attending Carthage together.

30 Survivor’s Mission Cancer scare fuels nursing professor Cheryl Petersen’s groundbreaking spiritual care research.

Shared Vision

26 carthage.edu

Major campaign donors Grace Kolakowski and LeAnn Pedersen Pope ’79 match their passions to the College’s priorities.

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IN THIS ISSUE Departments

THE CARTHAGINIAN Volume 103, Number 1

4 On Campus

Engineering Center opens, showcasing the first phase of renovations to a space in Lentz Hall.

10 Faculty/Staff Notes

Named for a devoted professor from the ’60s and ’70s, the Ross Room is steeped in history.

14 The Arts

Master of Music graduates enhance and diversify the music theatre faculty far and wide.

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Athletics The softball team tests out its new venue, Wiers Family Stadium, and turf surface, Barbara Madrigrano Field.

The Carthaginian is the official magazine of Carthage College, which is raising expectations for a private college experience. Carthage blends the best liberal arts traditions with desirable degree programs, transformative learning opportunities, personal attention from distinguished faculty, and a focus on career development, which makes its graduates competitive in the workforce. Founded in 1847, Carthage is located on an idyllic shore of Lake Michigan in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the thriving corridor between Milwaukee and Chicago. For more information, visit: carthage.edu

Carthaginian Editorial Team Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Elizabeth Young

Managing Editor

Photographers/Illustrators Steve Janiak Hunter Montano Jalyn Green ’27 Alexis Greve ’24 Kassidy Nader ’27

Mike Moore

40 Page From the Past 48 Class Notes

Contributing Writers

Alumni share milestones from their careers and families.

Design/Art Direction Steve Janiak Kim King ’06 Jess Thierfelder ’20

Carthage’s Illinois campuses had a thriving debate culture.

Mike Moore Julie Thomas Elsie Berg ’24 Azahna Luschen ’27 Tim Knutson Corinne Ness

Chair of the Board of Trustees

3 President’s Message 11 Updates from the Center for Faith and Spirituality 41 Alumni Message

Jeff Hamar ’80

President John R. Swallow

Vice President for Advancement Bridget Haggerty

For More Information The Carthaginian Office of Marketing and Communications 2001 Alford Park Drive Kenosha, WI 53140 262-551-6021 • editor@carthage.edu Update Address/Mailing Preferences carthage.edu/mycontactinfo 800-551-1518 • alumnioffice@carthage.edu

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A walking tour of Carthage progress

I

n the last issue of The Carthaginian, I addressed the why — and why now — of our $100 million campaign for Carthage, “Light That Travels.” This time, as a preview of all that we can accomplish together, I share with you a few vignettes that demonstrate how the support of our donors and friends is already making a difference.

On my way to my office each morning, I walk through the Engineering Center on the first floor of Lentz Hall. Every morning, I see our students working away. Thanks to our donors, the spaces are being filled with stateof-the-art equipment for design.

Alongside the local companies that send both their staff to speak to our students and their products for our students to take apart in class projects, these spaces are just what our students and the region need.

Every morning, I celebrate the outstanding work of our faculty and staff through this engineering rollout, knowing it helps us immensely in recruiting Carthage’s largest first-year classes while so many other institutions in the region are attracting fewer students.

Engineering is only the first thing I see, though. Many days, when I walk down

Campus Drive, I see buses filled with high school students coming to visit. They come for many different reasons, but most recently they arrived for music and musical theatre.

And seeing them inspires my gratitude to the donors who are helping us renovate A. F. Siebert Chapel.

Our goal is that, by the time the chapel turns 50 in 2025, this iconic building at the very center of campus will have the systems and flexible arrangements to become the finest worship and performance space it can be. The student body has more than doubled since the chapel was built, so we need that space to do much more now.

Beyond improving our programs and facilities, we remember our North Star — creating the environment in which our students can succeed. I am extremely proud that the Carthage community is increasingly being recognized for our success.

Recently, I hosted visitors from the Education Advisory Board (EAB), which sent them to campus to understand how we achieved such dramatic gains in serving students from all backgrounds. Our overall first- to second-year retention rate reached a new high of 82% this academic year, 3

percentage points above the pre-pandemic average.

Looking deeper, our Black students retained this year at the same rate as the overall student body. That’s an extremely promising trend, considering the retention rate for Black students nationwide (56%) lags significantly behind the overall (73%) rate.

Across the board, we have made significant gains in retaining Hispanic students, first-generation students, and lower-income students. I am grateful for the scholarship aid that supports our students financially, and for the program aid that supports them in every other way.

We can say with confidence that the Carthage of today is educating the students of today for the fields of the future. Consider making your best gifts to the “Light That Travels” campaign and empower Carthage’s light to shine — through our students and the future they bring to our communities — brighter and farther than ever before.

John R. Swallow

“ Every morning, I celebrate the outstanding work of our faculty and staff through this engineering rollout, knowing it helps us immensely in recruiting Carthage’s largest first-year classes while so many other institutions in the region are attracting fewer students.” carthage.edu

3

ON CAMPUS

A glimpse of what’s happening in the Carthage community

Engineering students make new space their own Now open in Lentz Hall, the Engineering Center at Carthage welcomed its first students in fall 2023.

“The Engineering Center represents an exciting new engineering pathway for Carthage and brings a local engineering education presence to Kenosha,” said Robert Nagel, director of engineering.

The first phase of renovations took place over the summer, and the resulting new facilities include: design studios that will initially hold firstyear engineering classes and sophomore design courses, with capacity for up to 48 students and a movable partition that can divide the space into two 24-seat rooms. a makerspace that will initially house lab equipment such as 3-D printers, a laser cutter, and a CNC router. a learning commons for collaborative engineering projects and discussions, club meetings, tutoring, and community events.

Carthage received $65,000 from the Enroth Family Fund to purchase a materials testing machine, along with in-kind donations from corporate partners. Snap-on Inc. supplied

tools and storage chests, while InSinkErator provided garbage disposals for reverse engineering.

Already, more than 60 Carthage students are pursuing degrees in engineering or its predecessor, engineering science. As they conclude their sophomore year, engineering students will choose either a Bachelor of

Science track that’s aligned with standards set by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or a Bachelor of Arts track that applies an engineering mindset to another targeted field of the students’ design.

The Engineering Center will gradually take over a floor in Lentz Hall that for many years housed the campus mailroom and facilities management — operations that have transitioned to a newly constructed building on the north end of campus. In phase two of the engineering renovations, Carthage will add teaching labs and faculty offices directly across the hall from the existing spaces.

If you’d like to donate toward the College’s engineering program, please contact the Office of Advancement at giving@carthage.edu or 262-551-5700, or visit: carthage.edu/support-engineering

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

CNA program offers a foot in the health care door In January, Carthage welcomed the first cohort of 16 students to its Certified Nurse Aide program.

In less than a month, aspiring health care workers can acquire the essential skills needed for an entry-level position. Students in the Carthage program qualify to take the state competency exam, the final step to be listed on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry.

Thanks to generous funding from supporters Tom and Jan Duncan, the first group of CNA students is attending for free. The full scholarships covers fees, textbooks, and supplies, saving each of them about $1,000.

The donors hope to attract new workers to an often-overlooked and surprisingly well-paid occupation. CNAs assist residents with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and eating and perform other tasks under nurses’ supervision.

Over 34 years as an administrator for Froedtert South and its predecessor in Kenosha, United Hospital System, Tom Duncan saw firsthand the unrelenting need for well-trained employees.

“We’re looking to develop a new generation of professionals who can take the baton as health care providers to young and old alike,” says Tom, who retired as chief operating officer last year. “We believe Carthage can spark their curiosity to pursue this vital and rewarding career path.”

The couple admires the College’s blend of universally valuable liberal arts skills and in-demand offerings like the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Their son, University of Kentucky orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stephen Duncan, helped review the scholarship applications.

“We can’t stand by. We’ve got to look into the future and become it,” Tom says. “Hats off to the College for taking that forward-thinking approach.”

Carthage has begun recruiting for the next CNA cohort in June. Learn more: carthage.edu/cna

carthage.edu

Donors Jan and Tom Duncan provided full scholarships for the CNA program’s January 2024 cohort.

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ON CAMPUS

Retention gains show big strides in equity Carthage’s first- to second-year student retention rate reached an all-time high this fall, and a closer look shows major progress in the College’s commitment to wipe out equity gaps.

Among the first-year students who attended Carthage full time in spring 2023, a record 82% returned for the fall semester. And the statistical breakdown provides even more encouraging news.

The retention rate for students of color at Carthage climbed to 79%, just 4 percentage points behind white students. That’s the smallest gap by far since the College began tracking these figures.

The gains are especially noteworthy for Black students at Carthage, whose retention rate rose to 82% this year — matching the College’s overall percentage. Hispanic students followed closely, with 76% returning for year two.

All of those figures stand well above the national averages, according to the most recently available (fall 2022) data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Following the glowing reports about midyear retention last spring, this is another promising sign for Carthage’s bold commitment to

eliminate race- and income-based disparities in retention and graduation rates by 2030.

“Our faculty and staff have worked extremely hard to identify and remove barriers that impede students, and these early indications show what’s possible,” says Abigail Hanna, vice president for administrative planning and innovation at Carthage.

“Ultimately, the numbers tell us a lot of promising young students from different backgrounds are primed for success, which makes the results especially thrilling.”

The College’s leadership role in Moon Shot for Equity, a national initiative that pools the expertise of participating schools and education advisory firm EAB, served as the catalyst for this ambitious goal. Over the past couple of years, Carthage has taken major steps to give students a smoother path to a degree: R etention funding: The staff now proactively reviews every student’s personal and financial circumstances each year.

Qualifying students automatically receive a Firebird Retention Scholarship to help make up the difference. Already, more than 350

students have benefited.

Pre-orientation program: Even before the general New Student Orientation, the Office of Equity and Inclusion holds an annual Carthage-Bound camp to help new student-athletes of color acclimate to the college setting. Initially offered to football players, the program expanded this fall to include members of the men’s soccer team.

Affordable textbooks: Slingshot, which takes over as Carthage’s bookstore provider in 2024-25, will offer an equitable access program. Paying an affordable flat fee, participating students can have all of their required textbooks and course materials delivered to their residence hall room or home before classes begin each semester.

For its diligence, Carthage received the 2023 Leading Colleges Retention Award. Leading Colleges LLC, an organization founded by Teege Enrollment Services, selected only 25 colleges and universities nationwide for “ensuring a measured focus on student retention.”

STAYING ON TRACK A comparison of first- to second-year retention rates: 100% 82% 75%

79%

82%

76%

73% 64%

carthage

71% 63%

56%

u.s. private nonprofit colleges*

50%

25%

all u.s. colleges* all students

black students

hispanic students

*Source: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Note that Carthage data is from fall 2023 and nationwide averages are from 2022, the most recently available data.

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

The puck stops here First sports management conference fields all-star lineup More than 270 people took part in Carthage’s first Spotlight on Sports conference on Sept. 13, gaining rare access to industry leaders and valuable guidance for careers in sports management.

Attendees included high school and college students, their families, and working professionals. The free, daylong conference featured four topical panel discussions and a candid Q&A with longtime NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

“This conference showcased the unique opportunities and resources that our students have to learn about the sports industry,” said Professor Carter Rockhill, director of Carthage’s graduate business program. “We’re extremely grateful to Commissioner Bettman and everyone on the star-studded panels for sharing their brilliant insights. They make ours an elite program.”

The breakout panels covered timely topics like streaming rights, NIL (name, image, and likeness) guidelines, and women’s leadership in sports.

Prominent panelists included: Matt Majka, CEO of the Minnesota Wild (NHL) Brent Chapman ’01, CEO of myNILpay Andrea Rose, President of the Muskegon Lumberjacks (AHL) Bianca Miceli, Assistant Director of NIL and Community Outreach for the University of WisconsinMadison Daniel Diaz ’11, Director of World Cup, Olympic, and Cross-Platform Partnerships for NBC Universal

carthage.edu

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman (above left) was the featured guest at the first Spotlight on Sports conference. He fielded questions from Jim Padilla, dean of Carthage’s School of Business and Economics, and audience members.

Carthage offers a master’s degree track in sports management and a new undergraduate minor in sport business. An advisory council chaired by Minnesota Wild majority owner Craig Leipold provides ongoing guidance and leadership for these programs.

Last summer, the College also held its first weeklong camp for high school students who are considering careers in the sports industry. The 12 participants earned four college credits while traveling to meet with leaders of the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Green Bay Packers.

Daniel Diaz ’11 of NBC Universal chats with students at the conference.

Right: Panelists in the Women’s Leadership in Sports session included (from left) Chelsea Brehm, professor of sports management at Grand Valley State University; Sandy Burhans, sports and entertainment group leader at ORBA; Kristin Rogers, manager of employee experience for the Chicago Bears; and Andrea Rose, president of the United States Hockey League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.

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Meet our newest Firebirds!

record class

This fall, Carthage welcomed its largest incoming class in college history.

new students

top majors

778 freshmen 81 transfer students

Nursing

who represent …

Marketing

24 states 9 countries

Biology

Management

total carthage enrollment: 2,600 17%

are commuters

28%

identify as students of color

Psychology

Figures for full-time undergraduate students

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

ON CAMPUS

In fall 2023, Carthage …

SELECTED CONVENED a yearlong community forum about opportunities and challenges in sustainable urban development. The Carthage Business and Professional Coalition, which gathers regional leaders to exchange economic ideas, welcomed regenerative architect Tim Duggan and mass timber engineer Jordan Komp as guest speakers. Join us for upcoming BPC events on Feb. 29 (“Business for a Better World”) and April 18 (“The Future of Higher Education”).

Slingshot as its new bookstore operator and textbook provider. The new Slingshot Campus Store will open in Fall 2024 and offer new apparel, gifts, and other Carthage-branded merchandise. In addition, Slingshot will launch an equitable access program that provides all books and class materials to students for an affordable flat fee.

Learn more: carthage.edu/slingshot

Learn more: carthage.edu/businesscoalition

KINDLED students’ innovative spirit at the first Innovators Night Out, which showcased the successes and struggles of local entrepreneurs — including Aydan Hughes-Massey ’26, who just opened a Kenosha location of his clothing store, The Wild Goose Exchange. Carthage’s career development office, The Aspire Center, co-sponsored the Nov. 9 community event.

AWARDED its first Engineering Scholarship, which covers full tuition for an incoming engineering major. More than 160 students applied for the College’s first Engineering Scholars Day, held on Dec. 9.

carthage.edu

HOSTED the second Lincoln Symposium on Sept. 28-29, where top scholars explored the far-reaching impact of Abraham Lincoln, who briefly served as a trustee for the College until his election to the U.S. presidency. A selection of artifacts from the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago were displayed at the event, which Carthage co-sponsored with the Lincoln Forum, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, and Kenosha’s Civil War Museum.

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FACULTY/STAFF NOTES

Updates on faculty and staff achievements

International wheelchair hoops referee earns his stripes One of two Americans who have earned an international officiating license through wheelchair basketball’s world governing body, Carthage staff member Rocco LaMacchia Jr. put his whistle to use at two major overseas competitions last year.

Mr. LaMacchia, a director of admissions and financial aid, worked as an official at the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship in

Dubai last June.

Then, in November, he officiated at the Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where the winning teams qualified for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.

He’s licensed for all events organized by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation.

Mr. LaMacchia started officiating the sport in 2003 while attending college.

“I have enjoyed the game and worked my way up the ladder ever since,” he says. “It’s been an amazing experience working with some very talented athletes and officials all over the country and, now, the globe.”

Retiree passes on the gift of garb Academic regalia isn’t the type of thing you typically donate to a thrift store, so newly retired Carthage professor Jim Lochtefeld wondered what to do with his.

“My general attitude toward material things is to get rid of them if I don’t need them,” he says.

So last year the professor emeritus of religion passed his gently used robe and hat on to a protege, Nick Tackes ’13, who followed in his footsteps as a Ph.D. student in religion at Columbia University.

After completing that doctoral program, Mr. Tackes wore his mentor’s ceremonial garb to the graduation ceremony last May. In this photo, he’s shown with Professor Rachel Fell McDermott — his Columbia advisor and one of Prof. Lochtefeld’s graduate classmates.

It won’t be a one-time use. As a visiting assistant professor of religious studies at Hamilton College in New York, the Carthage alumnus is embarking on a faculty career that will afford plenty of occasions to wear the regalia.

Thomas Carr, director of the Carthage

Victor Escobedo, program coordinator

Gary Keller, associate professor of

Institute of Paleontology, was featured in “Secrets of the Dead,” a PBS history and science documentary series. In the episode “Jurassic Fortunes,” Prof. Carr shares his perspective on the fossil trade market.

of diversity, equity, and inclusion for student success, joined the board of trustees for the Kenosha Public Library.

management and marketing, presented a leadership course at a conference for municipal court clerks in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Michelle Hobbins, associate vice president

John Kirk, associate professor of chemistry,

of information technology, co-presented “Moving Core IT to the Cloud: Strategies for Small Colleges” in October at the annual conference for EDUCAUSE in Portland. The event connects the sharpest minds in higher education technology.

was elected to a three-year term on the General Council (Chemistry Division) of the Council on Undergraduate Research. Division councilors are “highly engaged volunteers who have a passion for undergraduate research and contribute as thought leaders.”

Angela Dassow, associate professor of biology, published a special issue of peerreviewed journal “Interaction Studies.” The issue explores Vocal Interactivity in and between Humans, Animals, and Robots (VIHAR), a research group she co-founded in 2015.

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

CENTER FOR FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY Richard Meier, professor of English, was a featured presenter at Harbor Springs (Michigan) Festival of the Book in September. He read from the new book he co-wrote, “A Duration,” and participated in a panel discussion about “The Use of Language in Short Works.”

Thomas Powers, professor of political science, delivered remarks on the topic “Is American Democracy in Crisis?” in October as part of a series hosted by the University of Missouri.

Nancy Reese, director of nursing, took part in a presentation at the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders conference in September that focused on academic and clinical partnerships as one key to the future of nursing.

Richard Sjoerdsma, professor emeritus of music, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the organization named its boardroom in his honor and established a Richard Sjoerdsma Excellence in Writing award for outstanding research. Prof. Sjoerdsma was the editor of the Journal of Singing for 22 years.

Lance Thompson, assistant director of student involvement for campus activities, completed Student Affairs Educator Certification (core and specialty) through a national consortium.

retirements 18 YEARS

Lori Piela, Gift Processor

17 YEARS Dan Faraca, Database Application Coordinator

carthage.edu

How students build community As the College continues its search for a new campus pastor, we invited a member of the center’s student staff to share reflections and updates.

My name is Amber Janke. I am a junior who transferred to Carthage in spring 2022. I began working in the Center for Faith and Spirituality that fall as a community builder on our service team.

My roles soon expanded to include supporting the office staff, Tuesday worship, and co-leading a Bible study.

CFS became the place that I love to call home at Carthage. The family that has been built here is welcoming, engaging, and supportive, which was especially important after the tragic loss of Pastor Kara Baylor to cancer last May. The energy, enthusiasm, and creativity of our student and professional staff led us into the new school year, as we welcomed Interim Pastor Tom Gaulke.

He moved us through the fall term with guidance, support, and a willingness to try new things. Our programming is going strong, with some new student teams!

The faith and justice team is one of those additions. Its goals are to lift up social justice issues on campus and in our communities, and to create opportunities for students to get involved in justicebased work.

We hosted a kickoff event in December where students talked about what justice means to them. In February, we’re bringing the Black String Triage Ensemble to campus to discuss its use of music to respond to community trauma.

For our Protestant students, Pastor Tom leads a Tuesday worship that includes a soup and bread lunch. On Reformation Day, we started a six-week series called For All The Saints, where students, faculty, and staff could share reflections on people who have impacted their lives.

Our Catholic team coordinates a weekly

Mass with priests, student musicians, and readers while also supporting the student organization Catholics at Carthage. In addition, the team leads field trips to sites like Holy Hill.

Interfaith Lunch features weekly speakers — the more diversity in belief, the better!

Guests have opened up about their journeys as part of various faith (and nonfaith) traditions and indigenous cultures.

Hearing from a female rabbi in a Reform Jewish congregation and a lesbian couple who are practicing Christians shows that, even within a major world religion, believers can have very different experiences.

This invites students into healthy conversations about BIG questions: Why are we here? Why do we believe what we believe? What happens when we die? By having speakers share their stories in a welcoming, celebratory environment, we can encourage students to boldly pursue their own spiritual paths.

The service team plans events for the good of students and the surrounding community. We host biannual blood drives with the Red Cross; the one held this past fall honored Pastor Kara. The new Empty Bowls event, part of a week of service activities to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will raise money for people experiencing homelessness in Racine.

Random acts of kindness, such as handing out treat bags, are also planned by this team.

Every semester, we run a program called On Purpose. Students receive a daily email with reflection prompts, and we hold weekly small group meetings to discuss them. The friendships formed in those groups keep students connected long after the meetings end.

Through these and other programs, the Center for Faith and Spirituality provides a space for students to discover who they are, ask hard questions, and explore what faith can mean to them. We thank those who continue to support our ministries!

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FACULTY/STAFF NOTES

Steeped in history Ross Room honors late professor When Carthage’s History Department relocated to Lentz Hall before the fall term, the Ross Room made the move too.

Originally located in the H. F. Johnson Center for Fine Arts, the space is named for a popular history professor, the late Nelson Peter Ross.

Prof. Ross joined the Carthage faculty in 1964. He won the Distinguished Teaching Award in 1970 and led the department into national history honor society Phi Alpha Theta. He died unexpectedly at age 39 in 1977.

“I have no hobbies. Carthage is my work and my hobby,” Prof.

Ross once said.

Along with a scholarship for top history students, the Ross Room was endowed with generous support from the family. They wanted to build upon Prof. Ross’ dedication to history and to Carthage.

A striking portrait of Prof. Ross hangs on the wall of the room.

A private library and a set of plaques honoring past departmental award winners add to the steeped-in-history ambience.

“The new Ross Room is a unique and wonderful seminar room, but we hope that it continues to be a hub for students and the center of a vibrant History Department here at Carthage,” says Professor John Leazer, the department chair. “It is what the Ross family wanted.”

This painting of the late Nelson Peter Ross, a popular history professor in the 1960s and ’70s, adds to the ambience of the Ross Room in Lentz Hall.

History Department faculty, alumni, and students dedicated the new Ross Room on Sept. 30 during Homecoming and Family Weekend.

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

SHOW YOUR

PRIDE!

Find Carthage apparel and souvenirs, reading or textbooks, and an assortment of gifts and gift cards, in addition to all of your supply needs.

Visit us in the Campbell Student Union or online at

carthage.bncollege.com 262-551-5778 • 800-551-6202 • 2001 Alford Park Drive • Kenosha, WI 53140

THE ARTS

High-capacity pipeline for music theatre faculty Alumni of Carthage’s graduate program are shaping voices around the country and beyond

Meet the Master of Music alumni who hold full-time faculty positions at universities around the country:

• Brianna Borger M.M. ’22 Northwestern University

• Thomas Novak ’11, M.M. ’20 Roosevelt University

• G. Thomas Allen, M.M. ’23 Howard University

• Deonté Warren, M.M. ’21 Austin Peay State University

• Genevieve Clements, M.M. ’22 Western Carolina University • Lydia Wagner, M.M. ’22 Texas Tech University • Yujie Zhao, M.M. ’22 Zhejiang Vocational Academy, China

See how other Carthaginians illuminate their corner of the world: carthage.edu/light

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

F

rom its first class of six in 2019, the Master of Music program at Carthage has grown to more than 30 students per year.

Candidates have come from many U.S. states, China, and Ukraine to study music theatre vocal pedagogy.

“Starting a new, highly specialized graduate program is always a challenge,” says program director Corinne Ness, a professor of music and dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities.

“The COVID pandemic was not ideal in the first year of our program, but there were some benefits that we couldn’t have expected.”

One of those pleasant surprises? As stages went silent during the lockdown, experienced performers were ready to transition to teaching, and many chose to pursue their master’s degrees at Carthage.

While the first four M.M. graduating classes have branched out in many directions, seven of the alumni notably teach full time at large universities or conservatory-style programs — enhancing the quality of music theatre faculty all over, but also diversifying it.

That’s challenging enough in a field in which more than two-thirds of professional contracts go to white performers, according to the Actor’s Equity Association. An advanced degree — a necessity to teach at the college or university level — adds a financial barrier.

To shrink that obstacle, Carthage began offering two diversity fellowships funded by longtime Carthage supporters Kim and Patrick ’85 Anderson. One pays tribute to the late Rev. Kara Baylor, who served as campus pastor for nine years. The other honors Eduardo GarciaNovelli, who directed the Carthage Choir from 2008 to 2021.

One of the first recipients of the Kara Baylor Diversity Fellowship for Graduate Music Theatre, Deonte Warren, M.M. ’21, is now an assistant professor and coordinator of musical theatre at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

“I use everything I learned at Carthage in my current position,” says Prof. Warren, whose acting bonafides include roughly 150 performances of “Aladdin” on Broadway.

carthage.edu

“I use everything I learned at Carthage in my current position,” says Prof. Warren, whose acting bonafides include roughly 150 performances of “Aladdin” on Broadway.

Originally visiting the campus to offer a master class, G. Thomas “GT” Allen, M.M. ’23, had recently won the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Jazz Competition.

Awarded the Eduardo Garcia-Novelli Diversity Fellowship, he decided to enroll in the Carthage graduate program as a student.

Now, Prof. Allen teaches jazz voice and directs the HU Jazz Singers at Howard University in Washington. He’s scheduled to return to Carthage on Feb. 21 as a featured performer.

Master’s candidates who hold assistantships receive additional financial support for teaching and mentoring students in the College’s Bachelor of Music program.

“Part of our goal was to have a graduate program that would enrich the undergraduate experience, rather than take away opportunities,” says Prof. Ness.

Connections and knowledge as an established Chicago performer with national touring credits made Brianna Borger, M.M. ’22, an excellent resource for Carthage seniors as they prepared for the audition circuit. Through that assistantship, she built the confidence to “help students make meaningful progress” as a professor at Northwestern University.

Making progress is what it’s all about for the graduate students, too — and not just as educators. Before securing a faculty position at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Thomas Novak ’11, M.M. ’20, won a key role in “Fiddler On The Roof” at Lyric Opera Chicago thanks to the intense master’s focus on vocal training.

A second Master of Music track, offering a broader focus in music pedagogy, began last year. If it matches the early success of the music theatre track, Carthage could have talent gushing out of multiple pipelines.

“It’s been exciting to see the students thrive,” says Prof. Ness. “They were thriving before they got here, but what a joy it has been to be part of their journey and growth. They have created this fabulous community of teachers who support one another and open a pathway for the next class of graduates.”

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Continuing an annual community tradition, Carthage held the 2023 Christmas Festival on Dec. 1-3.

THE ARTS

THE ARTS

‘Coexist’ exhibition reinforces late pastor’s guiding philosophy “Coexist,” a juried student photography exhibition in memory of the Rev. Kara Baylor, continues through April 21.

The exhibition features 11 digital photographs, including a diptych by a group of 10 students. The artwork is on display in the Ehrler Hospitality Center, located at the northwest corner of A. F. Siebert Chapel.

Pastor Baylor’s car had the popular bumper sticker with religious symbols forming the word “Coexist.” To her, it was a philosophy. A way of life.

“This show is a true homage to Kara.

Coexistence is really what she stood for: to accept and learn from all people, and not to turn people away because they are different from us,” says Professor Laura Huaracha, who came up with the exhibition. “All summer, I kept thinking I saw Kara’s face in other people. I felt it was like she was telling me there’s a bit of her in all of us.”

Some of the photographs examine relationships — in humanity, in nature, and in the everyday aspect of life. Others celebrate differences and connect that uniqueness to the universal.

Jurors for the exhibition included Debbie Clark from the Center for Faith and Spirituality.

As assistant to the campus pastor, she worked, laughed, and collaborated with Pastor Baylor (known to many as “PK”) for nine years.

“The theme and photography of this year’s exhibition give creative expression to PK’s dream: that the human race learns to respect one another and to live together in peace,” says Ms. Clark. “Students captured subtle and bold moments in which human beings and nature coexist to make this world a more beautiful, harmonious, vibrant place.”

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Shutter Scenes Kailey Lysik ’26

Re-Connect Alexis Greve ’24

She Is Right Here Grace Medici ’26

Two Brothers Taliyah Carson ’25

Flamingo Titus Chang ’24

Coexistence as far as the eye can see Jaramey Stobbe ’24

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performing arts series g. thomas allen jazz quintet Feb. 21 | 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel Winner of the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Jazz Competition and established Chicago jazz artist G. Thomas Allen, M.M. ‘23 joins us for an evening of vocal jazz.

gaudete brass quintet

with the carthage wind orchestra Feb. 28 | 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel Selections from the very first Carthage Band concert in 1873 will be performed, featuring the Gaudete Brass Quintet and historic instruments.

winston choi

and the lakeside piano festival March 23 | 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel The Lakeside Piano Festival features internationally acclaimed guest artists and community concerts in one festival! Professors Debbie Masloski, Fumi Nakayama, and Jing Chang provide workshops and master classes for the community. Renowned pianist Winston Choi will be the featured guest artist for the closing concert.

the kaia quartet

with the carthage philharmonic March 26 | 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel The Kaia String Quartet will perform with the Carthage Philharmonic in a concert celebrating underrepresented composers and compositions.

for tickets and more information, visit:

carthage.edu/arts

COVER STORY

(From left) Samantha Malczewski, Mia Carter, Amy Malczewski, and Christy Schwan

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a shared journey Family members spanning generations make memories by attending Carthage together

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ost of the time, you make lasting connections with mentors and friends, it creates a familial atmosphere.

This year, it’s the literal truth. At least two families have multiple generations of students enrolled in the College at the same time.

When grandparents are involved, it’s especially rare.

Mia Carter ’27 entered Carthage last fall as a traditional freshman at the same time her mom and grandmother, Amy Malczewski and Christy Schwan, enrolled in a 10-month master’s degree program. And Mia has a familiar roommate: sister Samantha Malczewski ’26, who arrived a year earlier.

“This family reminds us of the power of lifelong learning,” says Ashley Hanson, vice president for enrollment. “They epitomize our Firebird spirit!”

Mia is pursuing majors in accounting and marketing, while Samantha studies nursing.

Meanwhile, their elders are taking graduate coursework together in business design and innovation, which introduces creative approaches to solve complex problems.

Professor Carter Rockhill, who directs Carthage’s graduate business programs, raves about the positive, infectious energy Amy and Christy have brought to the classes.

“It’s evident that their maturity, experience

working with and directing teams, and professional interaction have been very meaningful for helping foster highperforming teams,” says Prof. Rockhill.

“Theirs are the most creative, proactive, and high-energy teams in the capstone project.”

After her grandmother died, Amy resolved to spend more time with her own grieving mom. And Christy agreed the timing was right for both of them to take the next step in their educational journey.

Christy, a retired corporate leader and small business owner, has also published several books. As a volunteer for local nonprofits, she’s eager to learn innovative strategies to put to use.

“Leaving my comfort zone got me where I am today,” Christy points out. “Age is no deterrent in education. Older students bring a valuable perspective to class discussions.”

There was really no question which school they’d pick. Amy is literally Carthage’s biggest cheerleader. Along with her full-time position in the Aspire Center for career development, she has directed the Spirit Team since 2001.

The four Carthaginians love having the option to reconnect so conveniently.

“It’s nice that we can walk them to class, meet for a study session, or just meet in the cafeteria for meals,” Mia says. “I really love having that touch of home right here on campus.”

Gone viral The opening story you see here, about three generations of Carthage women starting classes at the same time, went viral this past fall. It was covered by more than 350 media outlets in all 50 U.S. states and four other continents.

Wis. Sisters Are Going to College Alongside Their Mom and Grandma: ‘Age Is No Deterrent in Education’

3 generations of women from the same family are all heading to this Wisconsin college

Wisconsin sisters attend college alongside their mother and grandma

3 generations of the same family start college together

Three generations of women starting school together at Carthage College

Drew Meets 3 Generations of Women Going to the Same College Together

Three Generations Head Back to School carthage.edu

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COVER STORY

Same place, different interests For a while, it seemed iffy that Laticia Crenshaw, M.Ed. ’21, could even have children. Now, she’s got two grown daughters, Ayanna ’23 and Aryanna ’26, and the three Racine women simultaneously attend Carthage.

A 10-year staff member at 21st Century Preparatory School, Laticia originally started in the College’s Accelerated Certification for Teachers (ACT) program four years ago when her employer offered to pay for coursework leading to a reading license. She was nervous about going back to school — imagining a technological learning curve — but that faded quickly.

With the license in hand, Laticia stood just three classes away from a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction. Three years after securing that degree, she’s closing in on a second M.Ed. concentration, this one in special education.

Separated by a single letter, her daughters’ first names hold religious and cultural significance. In Swahili, Ayanna translates to “beautiful flower of faith” and Aryanna

(From left) Ayanna, Laticia, and Aryanna Crenshaw

means “holy faith.”

The older sister, Ayanna, originally planned to go to an HBCU (historically black college or university). Those skew slightly larger, however, and the intimate feel of the Carthage community ultimately won out.

Ayanna completed her marketing degree requirements in December but will join her mom for the formal Commencement

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procession in May 2024. She’ll stick around to join the College’s graduate program in sports management next fall.

Aryanna arrived a couple of years later but wasted no time getting involved, founding the Carthage Majorettes dance team (adapting an HBCU tradition) as a freshman. Potentially following her mother’s path, she recently switched her major to elementary education.

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Historical mom-daughter combos While it’s a banner year for family learning, this is far from a new phenomenon. You’ll find many previous examples spanning decades and multiple campuses.

For most of her career, a two-year education degree that she earned in the 1930s sufficed for the late Sarah Rhine ’64. But changing state requirements prompted the kindergarten teacher to look for a place to complete a bachelor’s.

Carthage, then located in western Illinois, was the closest. So, two evenings a week, she made the 30-mile trek to take the necessary classes.

Her daughter, LaRue (Rhine) Unglaube ’64, was enrolled as a traditional student at the same time. The definition of two ships passing in the night, they rarely had occasion to cross paths on Evergreen Walk.

No matter; they sat side-by-side for the most important day. Mom and daughter graduated together as part of the final Commencement on the Carthage, Illinois, campus.

Decades later (and a few hundred miles to the northeast), Carol Donahue ’00 needed an accounting degree to prolong her managerial career at Jockey International. At age 47, she signed up for the College’s accelerated learning program.

That inspired her daughter, Ginger (Donahue) Hainer ’00, who had taken a few college classes here and there but hadn’t yet followed through.

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LaRue (Rhine) Unglaube, left, and her mother, Sarah Rhine

“I thought, ‘If my mom can do it at her age, I can do it too,’” she recalls. “If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I ever would’ve gone back to school.”

With her mother off to a head start, Ms. Hainer resolved to catch up so they could take the ceremonial stage walk together. Speeding up an already accelerated format, she took extra classes … and finished in two years.

They posed for a memorable class photo by Kissing Rock.

“That’s seared in my heart,” says Ms. Hainer, “just seeing her face that day.”

Learn more about graduate programs at Carthage: www.carthage.edu/graduate

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firebirds win After trailing 14-0 at halftime, Carthage rallied late to defeat Elmhurst 27-20 in the Homecoming football game.

homecoming and family weekend

Carthage Theatre presented: “Carrie: The Musical.”

Organized by the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the “Dancing through the Decades” Black alumni reunion was a night for reminiscing, reconnecting, and, of course, dancing.

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Kicking off a yearlong series of events to celebrate 150 years of Carthage band activities, the Homecoming Concert featured an Alumni Band and emeriti music professors Kenneth Winkle and Woodrow Hodges as guest conductors.

2023 Carthaginians of all ages took part in the annual Firebird 5K Fundraiser. carthage.edu

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FE AT U R E S TO RY

Trifecta of transformation Grace Kolakowski’s gift widens avenues to growth in faith, the arts, and education

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ongtime Kenosha resident Grace Kolakowski had a vision: to create and promote a performing arts space that would serve the people of Kenosha, especially children.

When early efforts to fulfill that vision bogged down, she persisted. And Carthage emerged as a like-minded partner.

The more she learned about the College, the more expansive her vision grew. Carthage’s plans align with three of her biggest passions: faith, the arts, and education.

That inspired Mrs. Kolakowski to make a $3 million commitment to Carthage: $2 million toward upgrades to A. F. Siebert Chapel and $1 million toward scholarships for the Urban Teacher Preparation Program. A portion of those funds will come later as a gift from her estate.

“I manage money very well, and I thought this was a good place to put it,” she says. Above all else, she wanted to support something that “reaches and inspires children.”

The College’s religious roots appealed to Mrs. Kolakowski, who served as a Franciscan sister for 21 years. Taking what was supposed to be a short detour on the way to enroll in a Milwaukee art school, she accompanied a friend to the convent and promptly joined at 16.

The Siebert Lutheran Foundation has also allocated $50,000 for the chapel improvements. Completed in 1975, the building remains the spiritual heart of the campus, but its age is showing. Ultimately, upgrades to the sound system, lighting, and seating areas will enhance the visitor experience.

Besides worship services and interfaith activities for students, more than two dozen public concerts and a handful of weddings take place in Siebert Chapel each year. Installing a mobile stage and adjustable acoustic panels will accommodate all of these uses.

So Mrs. Kolakowski’s gift will help to satisfy the wider community’s appetite for music, the intent behind her original pitch for an arts center.

She attended a couple of Carthage musical performances last fall, in part to see the space before the work begins.

The urban education program touches another cause that’s close to her heart. After entering the convent, Mrs. Kolakowski discerned a call to teaching.

“Wherever I was needed, they sent me,” she said.

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

support faith and spirituality Building on Grace Kolakowski’s generous gift, Carthage seeks to raise an additional $6 million to serve students’ faith needs: • $3M to complete the A. F. Siebert Chapel renovations • $2M to permanently endow the Campus Pastor position • $1M for programming in the Center for Faith and Spirituality

Pictured at the President’s Dinner in July, which launched the public phase of the “Light That Travels” campaign, Grace Kolakowski has committed $3 million to Carthage.

Leaving religious life behind when it proved “too stuffy,” she began a new chapter in her late 30s with a tiny $500 nest egg. Still energized by her vocation, Mrs. Kolakowski devoted another 21 years to education as a teacher and administrator.

“That’s what I liked about being a principal: all of the problems I could solve,” she said. “And I did solve them.”

The work often brought her into city schools, where she loved connecting with students of color. Still, there was one thing she could never be to them — a distressing thought that resurfaced last year when she saw a news report detailing the importance of Black role models in the classroom.

Introduced to Carthage’s urban teaching program soon afterward, the philanthropist immediately pegged it as a worthy investment. The most immersive of its kind in Wisconsin, the UTPP aims to equip and inspire more teachers to work in high-need urban schools.

Widowed twice, Mrs. Kolakowski pursued each of her passions well into retirement.

The arts? Besides painting as a hobby, she earned a lifetime achievement award for years of service as a volunteer docent at Anderson Arts Center in Kenosha.

Religion? Education? She devoted a dozen years to prison ministry, teaching religion to interested inmates.

Now she’s entrusted the work on these important fronts to Carthage, adding the essential resources to carry out her vision.

carthage.edu

The College intends to complete the first phase of the chapel project in time to celebrate 150 years of its signature Christmas Festival in December 2024.

Leading into 2025, when Carthage will mark the 50th anniversary of the chapel’s completion, additional renovations will come in phases as fundraising milestones are achieved.

To contribute toward this aspect of the “Light that Travels” campaign, contact Bridget Haggerty, vice president for advancement, at bhaggerty1@carthage.edu or 262-551-6572.

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FE AT U R E S TO RY

A daughter’s inspiration for social change “The Lord is using you in ways you haven’t even imagined yet,” the Rev. Raymon Pedersen recently told his daughter, LeAnn Pedersen Pope ’79.

As the Carthage alumna intensifies her advocacy for social change, her father remains a primary inspiration.

LeAnn grew up in Kenosha, where her father was the Senior Pastor at St. Mary’s Lutheran Church for over 20 years. LeAnn remembers her Dad’s ministry in Kenosha far exceeding the walls of the church.

Through his involvement with a number of community organizations, LeAnn witnessed her dad as a trusted advisor and confidant to many diverse city business leaders. Pastor Pedersen could calm emotions when tensions ran high, a quality LeAnn still admires.

In her father’s honor, LeAnn recently established the Rev. Raymon L. Pedersen Distinguished Professorship in Social Change to ensure that Carthage students explore racial disparities while becoming leaders in their community. Endowed with

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LeAnn Pedersen Pope ’79 has built on the work of her father, the Rev. Raymon Pedersen.

a $1.5 million gift as part of the “Light that Travels” campaign, the professorship will further the College’s equity and inclusion goals.

This faculty member will help academic departments develop inclusive learning practices and serve as a resource for discussions on contemporary social topics.

LeAnn envisions the position as part of a transformative liberal arts education that will prepare students to dismantle the systems that hold back people of color.

Following a long, successful career as a litigation attorney, LeAnn retired from the legal profession to pursue a Master of

Theology degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. What came next was a self-reflective experience that profoundly transformed her faith and completely changed her thinking about racism, as detailed in her published thesis, “From Colorblind to Clearer Vision: A White Christian’s Unexpected Journey Toward Redemption.”

Today she serves nonprofit organizations such as Opportunity International and Chicago CRED (Create Real Economic Destiny), as well as Carthage’s Board of Trustees.

The love she has for her father (who lives in Naples, Florida), her relationship with Carthage, her experiences as a student, and her desire to see social change … as LeAnn explains, “all comes together with this endowed professorship in honor of my dad.”

LeAnn hopes her contribution will inspire others to support equity and inclusion at Carthage. Contact Bridget Haggerty at bhaggerty1@carthage.edu or 262-551-6572 to learn more.

Winter Carthaginian 2024

LEADERS IN PHILANTHROPY

Cultivating social justice champions The Rev. Kären Rasmussen has been a steady presence in the Carthage community and a true leader in philanthropy.

After retiring as a commander in the U.S. Navy, she became an ordained minister who serves Unitarian Universalist churches in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Impressed by her vision and the nonprofit organization she created, No Child Goes Hungry, the College invited Rev. Rasmussen to join the President’s Leadership Council.

Her determination to eliminate childhood hunger inspired the children’s book “Emilio’s Very Bright Idea,” written by the Rev. Louise Green and illustrated by Penny Weber. Sales of the book support the work of No Child Goes Hungry.

Beyond her role on the PLC, Rev. Rasmussen is a member of the Alford Park, Leadership, and Denhart giving societies at Carthage. Inspired by the life and work of the late campus pastor, she established the Pastor Kara Baylor Social Justice Scholarship to support students who work for justice and create social good in the world.

Created in consultation with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the scholarship was awarded for the first time last fall. Through her giving, Rev. Rasmussen is empowering students to generate illuminating ideas — just like Emilio.

If you would like to create or contribute to a Carthage scholarship fund, please contact Tim Knutson in the Office of Advancement at tknutson@carthage.edu or 262-551-5786.

Leadership Giving Society members give $1,000 or more cumulatively to any area of the College in a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. Tiers recognize higher levels of giving, and graduated giving levels are available for recent alumni. Membership is renewable annually.

Enduring Gift Society members have cumulative lifetime giving totaling $100,000 or more (exclusive of estate commitments).

Tiers recognize higher levels of giving. Membership is lifetime.

Alford Park Loyalty Society members have contributed any amount to the College for three or more consecutive fiscal years (July 1 through June 30). Tiers recognize greater consecutive years of giving. Membership is renewable annually.

Denhart Society members have made Carthage a part of their legacy through estate commitments and planned gifts. Membership is lifetime.

To learn more about our philanthropic societies and see online donor honor rolls, please visit: carthage.edu/leaders-in-philanthropy

A Survivor’s Mission Motivation for nursing professor’s research burns even hotter after cancer scare

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

FE AT U RE S TO RY

It began as a strategic decision.

Back in 2011, looking to stake her claim to a viable research niche, Ph.D. candidate Cheryl Petersen followed her mentors’ advice and scouted for noticeable gaps in nursing research. One glaring void stuck out to her: spiritual care for terminally ill pediatric cancer patients.

As an oncology research nurse at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, she thought the existing studies were pretty skimpy regarding such an important topic. And she saw an opening where her compassion and expertise could fortify the evidence.

The thing about strategy is it’s malleable, easily swayed by shifting priorities and available funding.

Only when research is fueled by a deeper resolve does it become immune to those winds of change.

For Prof. Petersen, now a faculty member in the Nursing Department at Carthage, that’s precisely what happened. Spiritual care remains her research focus — only now it’s become her personal passion.

Which means she’ll never let it be sidetracked.

The pendulum started to swing in that direction during her time at Children’s Hospital. For seven years, she watched one particular patient fend off a rare bone cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma with “joy, gratitude, and hope.”

carthage.edu

The thought of the young girl’s upbeat spirit energizes the researcher to this day. That positive outlook was widespread among the kids receiving care.

“Their focus was not on themselves,” Prof.

Petersen still marvels. “They were worried about everyone else, wondering ‘How can I leave a legacy?’”

In 2021, several years after moving into academia, she took a blindside hit with news that awakened thoughts about her own legacy. Prof. Petersen was diagnosed with breast cancer.

With that, the pendulum swing from research strategy to research passion was complete.

Doctors thankfully spotted the cancer before the malignant cells could spread, but this well-informed patient took no chances. Having seen the insidious disease loom like a permanent storm cloud over people she loved, Prof. Petersen ordered a full-scale offensive to put the disease permanently in the rearview mirror.

So far, the approach has paid off. After six surgeries, she’s in full remission, with a 99% chance for a cancer-free future.

The harrowing experience not only intensified Prof. Petersen’s drive to continue her research, it also channeled all of that energy into a singular project: a mobile app that will provide evidencebased resources for cancer patients of all ages.

The mobile tool is tentatively called Trinity, representing holistic care for mind, body, and spirit.

“Seeing what cancer has done to my family, it made me realize the challenges are not just physical,” she explains. “I want this app to be my legacy.”

“Seeing what

cancer has done to my family, it made me realize the challenges are not just physical.

I want this app to be my legacy.”

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FE AT U R E S TO RY

Soothing the spirit Arriving at Carthage in 2016, Prof. Petersen joined the faculty while the nursing program was still in its infancy. After 22 rewarding years as a practicing pediatric nurse, she saw a tantalizing opportunity to mentor future caregivers who, in turn, will affect countless patients.

The direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has since blossomed into the College’s most popular major.

“It’s such meaningful work,” she says.

“Teaching allows me to touch the lives of so many more people by inspiring our students to go out into the world and make a difference, knowing that what our patients and families often remember are the acts of compassion that show we care.”

Not one to make an impulsive career move, Prof. Petersen had started dipping her toes in the water long before taking the plunge into education.

As head preceptor at Children’s Hospital in greater Milwaukee, she coached nursing students through their clinical rotations. Later, on the way to a doctorate from Marquette University, she tested an educational program for pediatric oncology nurses.

Notably, funding for that doctoral study came from heavy hitters like the American Cancer Society and Johnson & Johnson. The latter awarded her one of 10 Tylenol Future Care Scholarships from a nationwide pool of more than 50,000 applicants representing medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and other health care professions.

Alongside administrative duties as the Nursing Department’s assistant director of curriculum and assessment, Prof. Petersen teaches courses in pediatric care, clinical research, and applied statistics.

“Dr. Petersen is one of my biggest role models at Carthage,” says nursing major Marlena Moore ’24, who’s heavily involved in the Trinity project.

“From the first day I met her in my Pediatrics

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lecture, I was struck by her compassion, humor, and intelligence. She truly inspires me to be the best nurse I can be, and to lead with a humble heart.”

Like her faculty mentor, Marlena has leaned heavily on her Catholic faith in trying times. The spiritual component attracted her to this largely untrodden research path.

“While chronically fighting through the suffering that cancer unleashes, I can only imagine how difficult it is to hold onto hope that life will be better soon,” says the senior.

“Spirituality has the potential to be a deep source of light in times of darkness.”

To clarify, spiritual care centers on the patient’s beliefs, not the provider’s.

“Even if someone is not religious, spirituality is intertwined with the mind, which impacts the ability to cope with, endure, and accept pain in our lives,” Marlena explains. “Nurses can provide spiritual care by building a therapeutic relationship, spending quality time with the patient, promoting forgiveness and gratitude, and providing a supportive presence.”

Research super team Awarded a competitive scholarship to attend a spiritual care conference, Prof. Petersen traveled to Italy last August to connect with the world’s foremost experts. Aiming high, she approached

Winter Carthaginian 2024

the broader picture

Dr. Christina Puchalski, perhaps the ultimate A-lister in that circle.

The Carthage professor found a receptive audience beyond anything she’d imagined.

Dr. Puchalski, founder and director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality & Health, signed on to provide expertise and help stock the app. She assured Prof. Petersen that no one has created a support tool this comprehensive.

The recruiting kept going smoothly, building to a core group of 11.

It’s true that “not all heroes wear capes,” as the modern cliche reminds us, but Prof. Petersen’s description of this formidable lineup sounds a lot like Marvel’s “Avengers.” Each collaborator brings a different superpower.

Classical pianist and composer/producer Leonardo Bafunno De Bernardini, for example, supplied greatly discounted licensing to some of his piano pieces. Under the stage name Leo Z, he’s worked with major international artists like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban.

“This is a researcher’s dream,” Prof. Petersen says. “I’m working with compassionate, caring individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients.”

Compared to her vast experience in pediatric oncology, she came into this project with little objective insight into the mindset of adults with cancer. Sounds strange coming from a survivor, but you can’t draw any “evidence-based” conclusions from your own personal journey.

So, as part of the 2023 edition of Carthage’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, she and Marlena reviewed a large body of existing research to learn what patients of all ages need to find peace. Consistent themes emerged, showing they crave information that builds hope, purpose, connections, faith, and gratitude.

Based on what they’ve learned, content for the app will branch out even further to cover topics like nutrition, yoga, and music therapy. The disease impacts people from all walks of life,

carthage.edu

Much like the holistic cancer research that Professor Cheryl Petersen and her team have broached, Carthage’s health programs are ramping up their emphasis on compassionate care for the whole person.

study tour

Dr. Christina Puchalski (left), a leading spiritual care researcher, and Carthage professor Cheryl Petersen met at a conference last August in Assisi, Italy, and agreed to collaborate on the Trinity app project.

making it a naturally interdisciplinary focus.

“I just recently lost my father-in-law to cancer, and I know that his final days and those around him could have been enhanced by what we’re working on,” says Carthage music professor Ed Kawakami, who’s an advisor on this project.

This is the second study he’s undertaken with Prof. Petersen.

“Her energy and passion inspire me. Every conversation we have flies by as a torrent of ideas goes back and forth,” he says. “Even though she is incredibly knowledgeable and her intellect is razor-sharp, I am always impressed by her desire for more knowledge.”

With a second Faculty Innovation Grant already in hand through Carthage’s own Donald D. Hedberg Endowment for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Prof. Petersen and her associates await word on some promising external support.

As 2024 gets rolling, team members are eager to resume generating the trove of content they’ve brainstormed for the app. They’re also on the lookout for funding to evaluate its effects on cancer survivors’ levels of spiritual well-being, anxiety, hope, positive thinking, and stress.

Let the healing begin.

On the College’s newest serviceoriented study tour, faculty led a group of 12 students to Honduras last June. They joined forces with local providers to assist more than 800 patients over four days.

Nursing director Nancy Reese has completed the medical mission 17 times in conjunction with the nonprofit World Gospel Outreach.

Recognizing religion’s central role in the community, the brigade set up a portable clinic at various churches in Tegucigalpa.

team care

Fifty students from Carthage’s nursing, allied health science, exercise and sport science, and pre-health programs took part in the second TeamSTEPPS patient safety workshop. Four faculty and staff members are certified instructors. Recognizing the importance of teamwork in health care, the program equips future team members to build a culture of effective communication and mutual support wherever they go.

new minor

A newly offered minor in medical humanities will help Carthage students to better understand the social and cultural contexts of the patients and illnesses they’ll soon treat. Evidence suggests knowledge of the humanities leads students to become better communicators with an improved bedside manner.

It also makes candidates more competitive for medical school or other graduate study.

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leadoff home run

C

arthage officially opened its new firstclass softball venue for play this past fall, holding a dedication ceremony at the newly named Wiers Family Stadium during Homecoming and Family Weekend.

Barbara Madrigrano (right) joined her son Glenn Jr., her daughter Mia Hughes, and Carthage mascot Ember on the new softball field her late husband named in her honor.

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

ATHLETICS

Introducing Wiers Family Stadium, championship-caliber softball venue

Firebirds softball players posed for a team picture with donors from the Wiers family after a dedication ceremony on Sept. 29, where speakers included longtime Carthage head coach Amy Gillmore (above right).

The stadium and its playing surface, Barbara Madrigrano Field, are named for longtime Carthage supporters who provided the project’s lead gifts.

Determined to upgrade the softball venue to match the championship caliber of its other athletic facilities, the College launched a broadbased fundraising initiative in 2021. Starter funding included commitments of $1 million from Carthage and $250,000 from Glenn Sr. and Barbara Madrigrano.

Responding to the call, other donors have pitched in an additional $519,000. Carthage trustee David C. Wiers ’98 and his family led the way with a $300,000 naming gift.

“This stadium represents a shared belief that sports are a powerful tool for education, teaching important life skills such as leadership, perseverance, and teamwork,” said Mr. Wiers, founder and president of Chicago-based Satori Energy. “It stands as a testament to the power of sports to unite our community, instill values, and create lasting memories.”

carthage.edu

Crews installed synthetic turf, enabling the team to practice and play reliably when weather conditions fluctuate. The stadium also features bullpens and batting cages, along with upgrades to the dugouts and scoreboard.

The Firebirds conducted fall practices there in preparation for the spring 2024 softball season — the 27th for head coach Amy Gillmore ’94. Her Carthage teams have totaled 564 victories, four conference championships, and five NCAA Division III championship appearances.

“I’m looking forward to competing with this team and creating memories that are going to last a lifetime,” infielder Sarah Bennett ’24 said at the dedication. “The first win, the first home run, the first walk-off, the first game-winning play … these memories will stay with us for the rest of our lives. It is extra special to be on this field for my last season.”

Mr. Madrigrano, a third-generation leader of family beer distributorship C.J.W. Inc., passed away in 2022. The naming of Barbara

Madrigrano Field fulfills his wish for a lasting testament to his wife.

Their daughter Mia Hughes spoke at the dedication.

“We hope that this beautiful facility will attract the attention of all who pass by on Sheridan Road,” she said, “and that many future generations of young women will envision themselves as Firebirds playing softball here and see Mom’s name as they’re running to first base.”

The first phase of renovations makes the Firebirds eligible to host postseason tournaments. Fundraising continues for other additions such as lighting, additional seating, a press box, and a concession stand.

To find out how you can support these additional improvements, contact Tim Knutson, executive director of major and planned giving, at tknutson@carthage.edu or 262-551-5786.

35

Those accepting awards at the induction ceremony included (from left) John Weiser, Danny Morse ’14, Krystina Mackowiak ’13, and Stephen Schranck ’09.

A class above As part of Homecoming and Jay Flanagan Family Weekend in late September, Men’s Cross Country / Track and Field Between 1972 and the College inducted six new 1982, head coach Jay Flanagan guided the members into the Carthage men’s cross country Athletic Hall of Fame. Established team to three top-10 finishes in NAIA meets in 1984, the Hall of Fame honors and a pair of top-15 outstanding student-athletes, results in NCAA D-III championships. In his coaches, and support staff.

Meet the 2023 inductees:

36

Krystina Mackowiak ’13 Softball

eight seasons coaching men’s track and field, Carthage compiled seven All-America awards.

Krystina (Leazer) Mackowiak ’13 still holds Carthage career records for wins, complete games, and strikeouts. The three-time conference Pitcher of the Year had a pivotal role in the team’s 2012 and ’13 CCIW titles and advanced to the NCAA regionals three times.

CATCHING UP: Coach Flanagan moved on to lead highly successful programs at Murray State and Arkansas State universities, retiring in 2007 after a 43-year career. In that span, he coached six Olympic qualifiers and national champions in four different track and field events.

CATCHING UP: A resident of Schaumburg, Illinois, Mrs. Mackowiak teaches physical education and coaches varsity softball at Prospect High School. Married to fellow Carthage graduate Justin ’12, she has two children. Her uncle, John Leazer, chairs the College’s History Department.

Winter Carthaginian 2024

ATHLETICS

Danny Morse ’14

Amanda von Horn ’07

Men’s Lacrosse

Women’s Tennis Ranking second in career points, goals, and assists for the Firebirds, Danny Morse ’14 helped the team to a 12-3 record in 2011 and a 15-4 record in 2013. Mr. Morse made the All-Midwest Lacrosse Conference

first team multiple times.

CATCHING UP: After graduating, Mr. Morse went on a four-month mission to Zambia, where he met his future wife. He’s now a sales consultant for Kerecis, a company based in Iceland that provides surgeons with fish skin to treat wounds. The couple live in New Port Richey, Florida, and have two daughters.

Amanda (Sta. Romana) von Horn ’07 remains tied for fifth in both singles and doubles wins in program history. She won CCIW tournament MVP honors in 200405 and made the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s All-America team in doubles two years later.

CATCHING UP: Now living in Boston, Mrs. von Horn works as chief of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center. She and her husband have two daughters.

Stephen Schranck ’09

John Weiser

Men’s Swimming

Broadcasting

Stephen Schranck ’09 finished fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Division III championships in 2007, which remains the highest finish by a Carthage men’s swimmer since 1978.

Coaches named him to the All-America team five times, and he maintains the program’s best time in the 500 freestyle.

CATCHING UP: Mr. Schranck is a retail success manager with Studio M, a maker of outdoor products and a community of artists based in a St. Louis suburb. He lives in Richmond Heights, Missouri, with his wife, Jacki (Spies) Schranck ’09, and their two children.

carthage.edu

The voice of Carthage Athletics for over two decades, John Weiser has given play-by-play commentary on local radio and live streams for football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, softball, volleyball, and soccer events.

CATCHING UP: After working in college admissions for 25 years — 20 of those at Carthage — Mr. Weiser shifted gears to become assistant store manager at Stein’s Garden and Home in Big Bend, Wisconsin. He continues to do play-by-play for the Firebirds as time allows.

To watch video recordings of the presenters’ and inductees’ remarks, go to: youtube.com/carthageathletics

37

INTRODUCING …

INVEST IN THE TRIUMPHS OF CARTHAGE STUDENT-ATHLETES AND ATHLETIC PROGRAMS You’re invited to become an inaugural member of the Carthage Athletics Champions Club, a community of alumni, parents, and friends whose generous financial support will enrich the Firebird experience for our student-athletes and propel Carthage Athletics forward.

Your gift will create memorable experiences and opportunities that will inspire Carthage student-athletes to excel academically, athletically, and in life.

Learn more and make your gift today:

CARTHAGE.EDU/CHAMPIONS

ATHLETICS

Coach Ulmer passes 600 wins When Carthage defeated Cornell College in women’s volleyball on Sept. 22, it gave longtime head coach Leanne Ulmer her 600th career victory.

The latest milestone came in her 23rd season at Carthage. The Firebirds have never had a losing record in that span.

Coach Ulmer is one of only nine active NCAA Division III coaches to compile 600 wins in the same program. At season’s end, her victory total stood at 611, which ranks in the top 20 among active D-III coaches in the sport.

Men’s Lacrosse

Ambassadors to Colombia Four team members traveled to Medellin, Colombia, last summer to promote lacrosse and empower young leaders. There, Firebirds student-athletes Alec Gern ’25, Josh Stair ’26, Damien Bouchette ’25, and Hayden Jones ’26 assisted with a pilot program run by Lacrosse the Nations, a nonprofit that uses the sport as a catalyst for positive change in underserved communities worldwide.

Men’s Soccer

CCIW honors forward In October, Aidan Crowder ’24 was voted the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. The standout forward led all CCIW scorers in goals and total points during conference play. The senior compiled 15 goals overall, including a career-high four in a win over Lake Forest.

Women’s Soccer

World Cup adventure

Head coach Ian Wilson and student-athletes from the women’s soccer team took a tour to Australia and New Zealand last summer, when the nations co-hosted the Women’s World Cup. The Carthage contingent attended several Cup matches, competed in “friendlies” with local club teams, and checked out cultural attractions.

promotions and hires • Seth Hughes took over as head coach of the Carthage women’s water polo team. His high school teams won four Utah state championships, and he spent last season as an assistant with the University of Michigan.

• Mark White joined the staff as senior associate athletic director. He came from Dominican University, a D-III program in Illinois, where he had both administrative and coaching duties.

carthage.edu

39 19

CLASS NOTES

1968

1974

1984

1989

Kristine (Bachmann) Tarantino – San Antonio, wrote

Kevin Knight – Clearwater,

John Pihl – Goodyear, Arizona, has retired and enjoys playing pickleball and golf. He and his wife, Joyce, now live near his two children and grandson.

1971 Rev. Chris Miller – Rochester, Minnesota, recently released his third book of funeral sermons and tributes, “Being in the Great Cloud of Witnesses.” Contributors included a Carthage classmate, the Rev. Paul Hegele ’71, and a former campus pastor, the Rev. Dudley Riggle.

1972 Robert McCormac – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, has been appointed to an Oklahoma Department of Education committee to design curriculum and teacher training that comply with a new law requiring Holocaust education in the state’s high schools. He also spoke about “Propaganda and the Hitler Youth” at a pair of training sessions in June.

Mark Shimkus – Racine, Wisconsin, celebrated his retirement and his 35th wedding anniversary with his wife, Janet, on the Caribbean island of Anguilla.

Mr. Shimkus’ career included 25 years of teaching and 17 years working in inventory control for a manufacturer in the international food industry

1978 Rev. David Nelson – Annandale, Minnesota, retired in his 40th year of ministry, having served congregations in five different Minnesota communities.

He and his wife, Diane, have a lake home and spend time with their three children and five grandsons.

her first children’s picture book, “Be My ValenSLIME,” which shipped in December. Full of monster mayhem, the humorous Valentine’s Day story will remind kids ages 2 to 7 that love is patient, kind, and forgiving.

1985 Jim Reuter – Elgin, Illinois, retired in July after a 38-year career in parks and recreation. For the past nine years, he was executive director of the Carol Stream Park District. He definitely believes in what he preaches, “Don’t forget to recreate!”

1991 Tracy (Lopas) Rossing – Maple Grove, Minnesota, recently switched career paths. After teaching French and Spanish, she became a full-time certified travel agent for AAA Minneapolis Travel.

Besides helping clients, she has taken “familiarization” trips to Europe and Costa Rica. The postpandemic travel resurgence has also benefited her husband, Chris ’89, a captain with Delta Air Lines.

1987

Mike Pitts – Kenosha, and his

Frank LaVora Jr. – Milwaukee,

wife, Linnea, celebrated 50 years of marriage in August.

was selected for BizTimes Milwaukee’s “Notable Alumni” feature in August. He is chief medical officer for Advocate Aurora Health’s greater Milwaukee market and interim president for Aurora St. Luke’s South Shore Hospital.

40

Florida, was promoted to senior director of global finance strategic planning for TD Synnex, a leading global IT distributor.

Winter Carthaginian 2024

ALUMNI MESSAGE

1996 David Underwood – Kenosha, received the national Klingenstein Teacher Award from EL Education, a nonprofit organization that aims to create equitable K-12 classrooms. A social studies teacher at Harborside Academy, Mr. Underwood empowered middle school students to create visual representations of Black history and Juneteenth that went on display at the city’s Civil War Museum.

2002

Bart Tweedie – Elmhurst, Illinois, was promoted to commander of the Mount Prospect (Illinois) Police Department in May. He has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience.

2003

Rachel Lesinski-Roscoe, Ed.D – Grayslake, Illinois, co-authored “Content Area Literacy: Toolkit of Disciplinary Literacy Strategies for Middle and High School.” She is a high school reading specialist and special education teacher.

carthage.edu

Celebrating the present while reflecting on the past The 2023 Homecoming and Family Weekend served as a poignant reminder of the enduring spirit of our alma mater, showcasing a commitment to Carthage’s heritage while embracing new beginnings.

This one was especially meaningful for me, thanks to some new beginnings of my own.

Yes, it was the first year I attended the annual event as president of the Carthage Alumni Council, but, more importantly, it was my first time on campus as a father. My son, Jett, and my wife, Ekua, were by my side every step of the way for the festivities. Just how many steps, I’ll address later.

The weekend kicked off late Friday afternoon with a dedication of the new Wiers Family Stadium and Barbara Madrigrano Field. The sun shined brightly on members of the softball team, faculty and staff, students, alumni, Kenosha residents, and mascot Ember, as we all envisioned the successes that will take place on the diamond.

Friday evening featured an energetic “Dancing Through the Decades” Black alumni reunion. Every attendee wore a grin large enough to light the entire Straz Center.

Saturday morning’s Alumni and Family Brunch paired mimosas and a bloody mary bar with an inspiring State of the College address on the theme of new beginnings. President Swallow’s message conveyed Carthage’s commitment to evolve and adapt in order to stay at the forefront of educational excellence.

The presentation gave generations of alumni, current students and families, and friends of the College a sneak peek into initiatives that are designed to enhance the student experience, foster innovation, and embrace equity and inclusion.

Then there was the Homecoming Parade, filled with all the steps.

Unbeknownst to me, my son, my wife, and I were on the slate to escort the main attraction — Watson, the presidential family dog and campus celebrity — down Campus Drive.

As we marched, waved, smiled, and laughed, the entire Carthage community beamed with happiness and love. The unity of Carthage past and present was a beautiful thing to experience with my family alongside John and Cameron Swallow, and, of course, Watson.

Standing at the intersection of tradition and progress, the weekend’s activities were a manifestation of our community’s evolving spirit. Whether it was upon arrival, a break between events, or a moment before departure, alumni and families alike roamed the campus to witness firsthand the vibrant campus life, the cutting-edge research, and the dynamic initiatives that define the contemporary Carthage experience.

I am proud to be part of a community that values its history, cherishes its present, and eagerly anticipates the promise of tomorrow.

Jamin McGinnis ’06 is serving a three-year term as president of the Alumni Council.

The Alumni Council supports key Carthage needs by mobilizing the talent, expertise, time, and financial resources of its graduates. Learn more about the opportunities and resources available to Carthage alumni: carthage.edu/alumni

41

IN MEMORIAM James Duffy James P. Duffy, who taught education and mathematics at Carthage for nearly 25 years, passed away Sept. 21. He was 90.

Born not far from the College’s previous campus in western Illinois, Prof.

Duffy began his teaching career in high school and junior college settings. After joining the Carthage faculty on the Kenosha campus parttime in 1965, he was elevated to full-time the next year and stayed until his retirement in 1989.

A five-page article he wrote for The Carthaginian’s Spring 1969 issue titled “A Look at the Modern Mathematics” sheds light on Prof. Duffy’s forward-thinking approach, cultivating “flexibility and versatility” in students’ math skills.

In retirement, he did maintenance work for a senior living community in Quincy, Illinois.

Jenna Barrette A few weeks before her senior year was to begin, Jenna Barrette ’24 was one of two passengers who died in a motor vehicle crash on July 28.

After transferring from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2021, the Kenosha student dove into her pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Carthage. Widely known for her kindness, empathy, and contagious grin, Jenna impressed faculty with an ability to make patients feel comfortable.

After a standout high school volleyball career, Jenna saw action in 15 matches for the Firebirds as a defensive specialist. Surviving relatives include her older sister Jordyn ’21.

Sister Mary Grace Rom Betty Rom ’42, who took the religious name Sister Mary Grace as an Episcopal nun, passed away Oct. 19. At age 103, she was the last living member of the Western Province in the Community of St. Mary.

After professing her vows in 1952, the energetic Sister Mary Grace taught at and oversaw a girls’ school the nuns operated at the convent in Kenosha. After the school closed, she moved to New York to lead the order’s multiple provinces.

Her milestone election to the Episcopal Church executive council in 1973 marked a first for a woman.

42

1951 David Buchholz Edgerton, Wis. July 21, 2023

Marian Middleton Batavia, Ill. May 16, 2023

1952 Charles Leppert Rockford, Ill. June 30, 2023

1953 Josie (Backer) Lanquist Marietta, Ga. May 19, 2023

1955 Mary E. (Sullivan) Howell

Rev. Thomas E. Nyman Marine on St. Croix, Minn.

July 26, 2023

Paul Parker Rock Island, Ill. Oct. 13, 2023

Bill Stolz Winamac, Ind. Sept. 30, 2023

1963 John Burke Lititz, Pa. May 6, 2023

Mary Maas Bloomington, Minn.

Oct. 17, 2023

Marion, Ill. Oct. 4, 2023

1964 Frances Huston

James Rife

Carthage, Ill. Aug. 30, 2023

Jeffersonville, Ind. Oct. 8, 2023

Emma VanAusdall

1956 Rev. Donald R. Piper Vienna, Va. July 28, 2023

1957 Harry McWherter Byron, Ill. Aug. 8, 2023

1959 Rev. Pat Anderson Brookfield, Wis. Aug. 31, 2023

1960 Marilyn (Beard) Hurbanis Orlando, Fla. July 3, 2023

1962 Don Deck Fort Madison, Iowa June 26, 2023

James Greunke Pickerel, Wis. Oct. 3, 2023

Jim Nelson Statham, Ga. July 13, 2023

Quincy, Ill. July 21, 2023

1966 William Hoar

1970 Vince Angel Racine, Wis. Aug. 24, 2023

John Pelej Racine, Wis. Aug. 9, 2023

1972 Craig I. Kastilahn Lake Geneva, Wis. Aug. 17, 2023

Jean Snyder Pleasant Prairie, Wis. June 30, 2023

1974 Timothy Shaffer Millerstown, Pa. Sept. 10, 2023

Bob Smuda Kenosha Aug. 2, 2023

1976 Tom Friedlund Fairfield Glade, Tenn.

May 18, 2023

Forest Lake, Minn.

June 27, 2023

1981 Rev. Kirk Meseck

Lee Modder

Grand Forks, N.D. Oct. 5, 2023

Milwaukee June 28, 2023

John Petitclair

John Steddick

Gurnee, Ill. July 18, 2023

Batavia, Ill. July 7, 2023

1967 Tom Walker King, Wis. May 10, 2023

1968 Rick Amundsen Woodstock, Ill. Aug. 26, 2023

Cmdr. Bill Brunka

1984 Ray Trusky Winthrop Harbor, Ill. Sept. 12, 2023

1988 Deborah Dalton Kenosha July 22, 2023

1989 Gwyn Zalokar

Mt. Vernon, Ohio May 3, 2023

San Diego Sept. 3, 2023

Tom McDonell

1994 Patty DeLancey

Wausau, Wis. May 13, 2023

Kenosha March 24, 2023

Please consider giving to Carthage as a lasting tribute to a mentor or classmate.

You may establish a named scholarship or contribute to an existing fund in their memory: carthage.edu/give-today

Winter Carthaginian 2024

CLASS NOTES 1996 Jeff Renock Milwaukee Oct. 12, 2023

2000 Gail Snamiske (M.Ed.)

2003

2007

Racine, Wis. July 1, 2023

2004 Josh LaForge Union Grove, Wis. July 4, 2023

2008 John J. Sorensen (M.M.) Kenosha July 23, 2023

2009 Dan McKee Dundee, Ill. Sept. 30, 2023

2013 Patrick Girdaukas ’13, M.Ed. ’20 Lindenhurst, Ill. Aug. 13, 2023

Tom Mietus – Des Plaines, Illinois, was named New Athletic Director of the Year for his work at Glenbrook South High School. The Illinois Athletic Directors Association presented the award at its statewide conference last spring.

2006

2016 Jack Meachum Sheridan, Ind. Aug. 22, 2023

Kenosha July 9, 2023

Betty Luna Beloit, Wis. April 6, 2023

Helen Meseck Magnuson State College, Pa. July 26, 2023

2011

2010

Allie (Marshall) Detert – Lodi,

Kenosha, welcomed their second child, Gwendolyn Bailey Hoover, on Nov. 12, 2022. She weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured 19 inches long.

FRIENDS OF CARTHAGE Kenneth Fischer

child, Rainha Aurielle Taylor, on June 24. Arriving two weeks earlier than expected, she weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce at birth.

Alex Veloz – Geneva, Illinois, and Jody Veloz welcomed baby Camila Joan Veloz on April 28.

Berkeley, Calif.

June 1, 2023

Marissa (Beckman) Narlock – Jackson, Wisconsin, and her

Don Westfall

husband, Casey, celebrated the birth of their second child on July 27, 2022. Sophia Rose was born on Casey’s birthday and one day before Marissa’s birthday.

carthage.edu

Wisconsin, and her husband, James, welcomed baby Elsie Maebelle Detert on April 11. She joins older sister Alivia.

Shea’na Grigsby ’06 and Todd Taylor Jr., M.Ed. ’16 – Minneapolis, welcomed their first

Jim Melchert

Franklin, Tenn.

April 26, 2023

Liberty, Iowa, completed a Ph.D. in communications. The focus of her research is health care professional communities of practice on social media. She works as senior clinical education manager for Sepsis Alliance, a charitable organization that aims to save lives and reduce suffering by improving sepsis awareness and care.

Wisconsin, earned a Doctor of Education degree with a concentration in entrepreneurial leadership from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Ms. Croix is the executive director of educational services in the Mequon-Thiensville School District.

Amanda (Superczynski) Hoover and Mark Hoover –

Robin Neeson

Hartland, Wis. April 16, 2023

Lauren Croix – Mequon,

Allison Strickland – North

Class Notes continue on page 44

43

CLASS NOTES

Carly (Baker) Hyland – El

2012

Marie Sarantakis, JD – Genoa City, Wisconsin, received the 2023 On the Rise Award from the American Bar Association, which recognizes 40 top young attorneys nationwide “who exemplify a broad range of high achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and legal and community service.”

Ms. Sarantakis also won the Illinois State Bar Association’s prestigious Young Lawyer of the Year Award.

Kelsey (Blumer) Plagge ’13 and Kevin Plagge ’12 – Antioch, Illinois, welcomed a son, Cole Arthur Plagge, in April. Their daughter, Reese, is a proud big sister.

2014 Sarah Gordon ’14, M.Ed. ’20 – Racine, Wisconsin, became

Cerrito, California, joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, in July as an assistant professor of environmental health sciences.

In an interview for the school’s website, Prof. Hyland described a collaborative research project she’s undertaking “to protect farmworkers from pesticides, extreme heat, and wildfire smoke.”

Jessica Rinka – DePere, Wisconsin, spoke at a national conference the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education held in Pittsburgh last July. Ms. Rinka described how she aligned her kindergarten curriculum with the classical model.

principal at one of the two sites for Renaissance Lutheran School.

Maddie (Price) Weirick ’14 and Nate Weirick ’13 – Kenosha, announced an addition to the Carthage family: Alora Jean Weirick, who was born March 27.

The couple met while playing in the band and married in A. F. Siebert Chapel in 2016.

2016 Matt Anderson – Osceola, Wisconsin, returned to a previous post in May as editor of The Sun in Osceola and Country Messenger in Scandia, Minnesota.

2017

2018 Andy Meyers – Leawood, Kansas, was hired as an assistant men’s lacrosse coach in August at Penn State University. He spent the previous two years as an assistant with Christopher Newport University in Virginia.

Austin Winter ’18, M.Ed. ’21 – Milwaukee, joined Shattered Globe Theatre in Chicago as an artistic associate.

2021 Taylor Peterson – Citrus Springs, Florida, won a graduate research fellowship through the National Science Foundation.

Ms. Peterson is pursuing a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering at the University of Central Florida.

2022 Autumn (Williams) Adam and Austin Adam – Zion, Illinois, married in June.

2015 Glen Nielsen – Medinah, Illinois, welcomed the birth of Logan James Nielsen on May 16, 2023.

Kelsey Coshun – Pleasant Sabrina Lato – Warrenville,

2013 Austin Pancner, – Bloomington, Indiana, joined the Southwest Florida Symphony for the 2023-24 concert season as third/bass trombone.

44

Jill (Evans) Akins – Waukesha, Wisconsin, celebrated five years as a registered and licensed occupational therapist. She and husband Peter Akins ‘16 have been married for four years and have two children, Violet and Otis.

Illinois, completed a Ph.D. in mathematics (graph theory) at the University of Waterloo in Ontario.

She started a postdoctoral fellowship in September at Umea University in Sweden.

Prairie, Wisconsin, signed a contract to play for All Jura Basket, a professional basketball team in France’s National Feminine 2 league. The previous year, she competed for Nottingham Trent University in England while earning a master’s degree in youth leadership and practice.

Class Notes continue on page 46 Winter Carthaginian 2024

carthage crossword How well do you know your alma mater?

1

2

3

4

5 6

7 9

8

10

11

12

13 14 15

16

17

18

19 20

21

22 23

24

26

25 27

28 29

30 31

32

33

34 35 36

37

across

down

1. Presidential basset hound 4. Homecoming march down Campus Drive 8. All students must complete a senior to graduate 10.

Park Drive 12. #RedAnd Giving Day 13. Henry Residence Hall 15. Firebird Athletics conference 17. These trees are “stately” in “Alma Mater” 18. Month for study tours 20. Hedberg 21. Carthage’s first home in Illinois 24. 80-acre Alice Moody Chapin 29.

Shot for Equity 31. Light That : The Campaign for Carthage 33. #Carthage Instagram hashtag 34. Art Field 36. Our beloved mascot 37.

-Kenniebrew Black Alumni Network

2. Carthage’s career center 3. Microgravity research partner 5. H. F. Johnson Gallery of 6. Along the shore of Lake 7. 4-year guarantee 9. Formerly known as South Hall 11. A wise thing to do before finals 14. Campaign priorities: Access, , and Excellence 16. Typical graduation month 19. The first building on the campus in Carthage, Illinois 22. Slang for Campbell Student Union 23. A campus tradition with hundreds of paint layers 25. Mission statement’s last word 26. Famous trustee from the 1800s 27. River that runs through campus 28. Most popular major at Carthage 30. Campus-loving waterfowl 32. Basketball games are held in Tarble 35. Lincoln’s Sesquicentennial Plaza pal

CLASS NOTES

crossword answer key

2023

1

2

3

4

5 6

7 9

8

10

11

12

13 14 15

Matt Slivinski – Willow Springs, Illinois, has embarked on a professional volleyball career overseas. After playing in Estonia’s top division and the Baltic League, he joined the outside attack for SVG Lüneburg in Germany.

16

17

18

19

Rayven Craft – Racine,

20

Wisconsin, performed at Milwaukee’s hugely popular Summerfest on July 8. She was the opening act for headliner Ne-Yo at the BMO Pavilion.

21

22 23

24

26

25 27

28 29

30

Cameron Krueger – Trevor,

31

Wisconsin, was promoted to a full-time position as marketing coordinator for Milwaukee-based Corporate Central Credit Union.

32

33

34 35 36

across

37

See puzzle on previous page.

down

1. Presidential dog 2. Career center 4. Homecoming march down campus drive 3. Microgravity research 8. All students must complete a senior _______ 5. H. F. Johnson Gallery of _______ to graduate 6. Along the shore of Lake _______ 10. _______ Park Drive 7. 4-year _______ guarantee 12. #RedAnd_______ Giving Day 9. Former South Hall 13. Henry _______ Residence Hall 11. A wise thing to do before finals 15. Firebird’s conference 14. Campaign priority 17. These are “stately” in “Alma Mater” 16. Typical graduation month 18. Month for study tours 19. The first building on the Carthage campus in 20. Hedberg _______ Carthage, Illinois 21. Carthage’s first home 22. Slang for Student Union 24. 80-acre _______ 23. A campus tradition with hundreds of paint layers 29. _______ Shot for Equity 25. Mission statement’s last word 31.In Light Thatcases, _______ 26. Famous trustee some campus employment means a lot more than a slice 33. #Carthage_______ 27. River that runs through campus of the financial aid pie. Looking back, successful Carthage alumni 34. Art _______ Field 28. Most popular major 36.often Our beloved mascot 30. aMigratory invaders mention a job they had on campus as valuable starting point 37. _______-Kenniebrew Black Alumni Network 32. Basketball games are held in Tarble _______ — or turning point — in their careers. 35. Lincoln’s sesquicentennial pal

Adventures in campus employment Tell us how a Carthage student job changed your life!

If you fit that description, tell us about it! Your story could be featured in an upcoming issue of The Carthaginian.

Maybe you stumbled onto a hidden passion that way. Or maybe the work helped you develop a set of technical or soft skills that you rely on to this day. Could be your supervisor became a lifelong friend and mentor.

To share your campus employment tale with us, fill out our simple online form or write it in the “Other News” space on the Class Notes mail-in submission form on page 47.

Submit your story: carthage.edu/mycampusjob

46

Winter Carthaginian 2024

Class Notes Submission Form

Deadline for the next issue is April 1, 2024

Name (first/maiden/current last name)

Class Year

Street Address

Professional Title

Employer

City

Mobile/Home Phone

Email

Marriage Announcement

State

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Other News (attach additional sheets as necessary)

Name (first/maiden/current last name)

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SPRE ADING THE WORD

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City and State of Current Residence

Besides family updates, here are some other examples of news for alumni to share: • Job changes, promotions, or retirements • Awards and other milestones (professional or recreational) • Publications, studio recordings, art exhibitions, etc.

• New service projects, civic appointments, etc.

• Third-generation (or more) Carthage students

Birth/Adoption Announcement Parent’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)

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Parent’s Name (first/maiden/current last name)

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Date of Birth

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Death Announcement Name of Deceased (first/maiden/last name)

Class Year

City and State of Residence

Date of Death

Survivor (first/maiden/current last name)

Relationship

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Survivor (first/maiden/current last name)

Relationship

Class Year

Submit online

carthage.edu/classnotes Or tear off this form along the perforated edge and mail to:

Carthage College, Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha WI 53140.

Photos are welcome! (Please send non-returnable photos.)

ZIP

PAGE FROM THE PAST

A slice of Carthage history from the Staubitz Archives

When debate season extended year-round As the 2024 election season heats up, candidates’ poll numbers will undoubtedly rise and fall after each televised debate. A persuasive orator always has a leg up in politics.

That skill hasn’t always been the sole province of office-seekers. For many years, Carthage had a thriving debate scene.

It first edged into the picture in the 19th century with the advent of literary societies at the College’s early locations in Illinois. While those groups arranged plenty of other activities, the Carthage student body clearly held debating prowess in high regard.

“Nothing brings out the originality and tact of a person more than debating,” a yearbook writer gushed in the 1917 Crimson Rambler. “Our debaters are perfected in the society halls, and there the interest in this art arises.”

Representing Carthage in debate against a rival school was one of the few ways to earn membership into the prestigious Brain and Brawn Society, formed in 1901 to honor students “for both intellectual and athletic achievements, thus upholding the idea of an all-around development.”

For the next few decades, Carthage periodically pitted its brightest against all takers, traveling around the region and hosting opponents from as far away as Vermont. Assigned to argue for or against a stated position, the debaters took on weighty issues like municipal governance, free trade, and military preparedness.

“Playfully sparring over the statement ‘pajamas

are superior to night shirts,’ the students won first

In addition to intercollegiate debates and oratorical contests, the Brain and Brawn Society held an annual banquet where a full-course meal was served.

As demonstrated at the College’s “Stunt Fest” in 1919, those same argumentative skills could be used for comedic effect. Playfully sparring over the statement “Pajamas are Superior to Night Shirts,” the students won first prize with their faux debate.

National forensics honor society Pi Delta Kappa added a Carthage chapter in 1920, generating significant interest from the beginning. That fall, 18 students competed for six roster spots in tryouts “before a fair sized audience.”

Rosters expanded as interest grew, but it didn’t generate the level of school spirit some had hoped.

In 1924, a yearbook writer pleaded, “If Carthage College is to be successful in debate, the student body must get back of it just as it gets back of football and basketball.”

In 1926, competitors from Iowa Wesleyan and Culver-Stockton refused to debate a woman, forcing

Carthage’s Ruth Kunkel to sit out both contests.

But were those foes driven by chauvinism or simple cowardice? After the College suffered two unanimous losses in her absence, Miss Kunkel returned to power the team to victory over a rival from nearby Macomb.

As the list of extracurricular options ballooned, the forensic arts yielded their central place in student life and settled in as a niche interest. The Pi Kappa Delta chapter survived the transition to Kenosha, and debate stuck around as a standalone campus activity for a while longer.

Student organizations like Model United Nations, Mock Trial, Braver Angels, and Philosophy Club keep the spirit of debate alive at Carthage. On the resolution “Clear, persuasive speaking is a skill as important as ever,” we will always argue for the affirmative.

prize with their faux debate.”

Explore the rich history of Carthage at carthage.edu/archives

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Winter Carthaginian 2024

Join your family, friends, and fellow alumni for a full weekend of activities!

special events Alumni & Family Brunch/ Beacon Awards

save the date

homecoming

& family weekend Oct. 4-6, 2024

Homecoming Parade Football Game Homecoming Concert

reunions Class of 1999 – 25th Reunion Class of 1974 – 50th Reunion

seeking beacon award nominees • Personal Achievement • Professional Achievement • Service and Leadership • Achievement – Young Alumni Scan the QR code or visit carthage.edu/beacon to submit your Beacon Award nomination!

delta upsilon special reunion date Celebrate 30 years of brotherhood!

When: April 26-28 Where: Kenosha

carthage.edu 800-551-1518

Upcoming Events Find details at: carthage.edu/calendar Upcoming Events Feb. 2

Feb. 29

The Aspire Program: Magician Bill Blagg ’02

Business and Professional Coalition Panel: Business for a Better World

Feb. 20

March 14–15

May 11

Red and Ready Giving Days

Wind Orchestra 150th Anniversary Concert

The Aspire Program: WIPCCC Career Expo

April 26–28 Delta Upsilon 30th Reunion

April 18

May 17–19

Business and Professional Coalition Luncheon: The Future of Higher Education

Commencement Weekend