A Note from Alumni Board President
Alumni News & Notes
Hello alumni friends and family, I hope this note greets you in good tidings! The CMU Alumni Board of Directors has been discussing many CMU alumni events. We have been exceeding attendance expectations and receiving wonderful feedback for our alumni socials. Most recently, we had more than 350 Central alumni and friends purchase tickets for our CMU Day at Busch Stadium. We have several upcoming alumni social events that you will not want to miss! Please be watching your emails for updates on these events and to get your tickets. I have personally attended every alumni social, and it has been wonderful reconnecting with alumni and making new memories. The biggest and most exciting event we are looking forward to is 2023 Homecoming on October 27-29. The CMU Alumni Board of Directors and I are planning another outstanding Homecoming weekend! The Distinguished Alumni Award ceremony will be held on the Sunday of Homecoming. We will get the opportunity to honor and celebrate an exceptional group of Central Methodist alumni. This ceremony is a very heart-touching event and a terrific way to close Homecoming weekend. The honorees share memories filled with love for their alma mater, which fills the room with pride and admiration for Central. Our connection and love at CMU are strong. As always, I look forward to seeing you and wish you the very best.
More than 100 alumni and students attended the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference social on January 26 at Tan-Tar-A Conference Center. At the end of the evening, alumni and students from Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha joined together in song.
1970s
Chris Lincoln, ’72, was awarded the Jim McKay Award and was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.
1980s
Beth McCune Whitaker, ’82, received the Kemper Award with the University of Missouri-Columbia. Tony Whiston, ’84, will be the boys and girls high school basketball coach for the 2023-2024 season with the Keyetsville School District. Kenny Wyatt, ’84, was named the Class 2 Boys Basketball Coach of the Year by the Central Missouri Media All District Basketball and KRES Boys Coach of the Year.
Go Eagles!!! Sincerely,
Julie Parrish, Class of 2005 President, Alumni Association Board of Directors
24 The Talon | Spring 2023
Tina Heisterberg Sutherland, ’86, is the principal at St. Paul Lutheran School in Sedalia.
1990s
Christy Smith, ’95, was selected as the district Teacher of the Year and elementary grade level and kindergarten center Teacher of
the Year with the Poplar Bluff School District. Nicole E. Long Rader, ’99, published the book “Teaching Fear: How We Learn to Fear Crime and Why It Matters.” Erica Harris Doxley, ’99, was chosen as The Teacher of the Year at John E. Codwell Elementary. She is a second grade teacher.
2000s
Darren Dean, ’01, released his latest book, “Roads,” a novel about a teen’s fight to survive in rural Missouri. It is his fourth novel and fifth book overall. Dean has also had multiple short stories accepted for publication, including “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” published in an anthology inspired by the works of Bob Dylan. Martin C. Hauck, Jr., ’03, was selected as the 2023 USA U17 Greco Roman Wrestling World Championship Team Coach. Brandy Momot Pratt, ’04, is the president of Bristol Advanced Illness Management. Dr. Katherine “Katie” Chancey, ’05, is the chief of staff with Horton Discovery Animal Hospital in Columbia.