Spring 2019 - The Talon

Central Methodist University

Jay Jacobs: Commencement Speaker And Soccer’s Twelfth Man

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s the semester came to a close, our meals. Their son, Henry, organized many of student body collectively exhibhis high school friends to come and cheer ited every possible emotional for the Eagles. Jay spent the better part of response. Many students found themselves a day creating chant cards in four different prepared for finals and languages to spur on poised to meet the deadour largely internalines for every deliverable. tional team of future Some students made a champions. The sacred vow to never again announcer for the procrastinate, promising livestream broadthemselves that they will cast described Jay be in a far better position by saying, “a rogue at the end of next semester.

Central Methodist A smaller group of stufan is holding up dents likely experienced chant cards…” the sadness that comes Beyond the sucwith the realization that cess of our men’s they have procrastinated soccer program, the beyond good judgment.

Eagles will have For many in this small their strongest finish Dr. Roger Drake, President ever in the Learfield group, this sense of remorse will likely dissipate Cup standings. before the thought is resurNamed in honor of rected prior to next semester’s finals.

Central’s own Clyde Lear, NAIA institutions Graduating seniors were simultaneously across the country compete for the coveted excited about beginning the next chapter Learfield Cup by earning points for their in their lives and saddened by the fact that finishes across all sports. We are most proud their college years have come to an end. We of the accomplishments of all our athletic are thrilled that Mr. L.W. (Jay) Jacobs, IV programs. delivered the commencement address. The Wrestling is coming to the Fayette students benefited from the insight and campus. We are so excited that Clingenpeel, wisdom that Jay has developed during his the gymnasium back in the day, is beamazing career in global finance. ing renovated and restored to its historic As most of you know, Central Methodist significance as a venue for athletics. In 1906, recently earned its first-ever national title in a stone was placed over the entrance that a team sport. In Irvine, Calif., our men’s soc- reads “vis superata.” A well-known lancer program brought home the gold cup and guage expert on campus suggests that a posan NAIA National Championship banner. sible interpretation could read “Conquering The national championship game was odd in Force.” If there are Latin specialists reading two ways: first, we travelled 1,700 miles to this address who interpret the inscription play Missouri Valley; and second, thanks to differently, please keep it to yourself. We Jay and Kelly Jacobs’ family, it was a home think “Conquering Force” is perfect as the game for Central. mantra for our new wrestling program.

Jay Jacobs was the “twelfth man” on Our Enactus team was nominated to our national champion men’s soccer team. receive a 2019 Enactus Excellence Award in He and Kelly hosted our team for incredible recognition for its hard work and dedica-

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tion. Their nomination was in the award category for Excellence in Community Engagement. Professor Julie Bennett and her Enactus program are great sources of pride for our University.

Thanks to the generosity of Earl and Linda (Sunny) Bates, the CMU Chorale left for its annual national tour immediately following Commencement. This year, the Chorale performed in San Antonio, Texas.

In previous years, the Bates have funded similar trips to Portland, Washington, D.C., and Nashville. The members of the Chorale are outstanding ambassadors for our University.

Among the many highlights of this academic year, the students’ reaction to the reimagined Stedman Hall of Science and the innovative Digital U initiative stand out as stellar improvements to academic life on campus. I’ve spoken with countless students about how Digital U has improved their learning experience. Interestingly, some of these students mentioned their initial apprehension with the technology initiative.

Our Board of Trustees recently finished their spring meetings on campus. I like to say that Trustees are much like family; we treasure and enjoy their visits but also silently celebrate their departure. Central Methodist University is blessed with dedicated and talented Trustees, who generously give their time, talent, and resources.

Much of the success that we are enjoying is directly attributable to the work of these amazing individuals.

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger D. Drake, President Dr. Rita Gulstad, Provost Chad Gaines, Vice President for Technology and Planning Julee Sherman, Vice President for Finance and Administration Dr. Joshua Jacobs, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Dr. Joe Parisi, Vice President for Enrollment Management

Talon Staff Scott Queen, Editor Executive Director for Marketing and Communications 660-248-6238 squeen@centralmethodist.edu Maggie Gebhardt Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications 660-248-6684 mgebhardt@centralmethodist.edu

TALON Spring 2019 - Table of Contents

Founders Weekend......................................................... 4 Distinguished Alumni Awards.......................................... 6 Commencement............................................................. 8 Achievement Awards.................................................... 12 Alumnus Assefa Overcomes Great Odds...................... 14 Band Uniforms Have Seen Better Days........................ 16 CMU In Tetley’s DNA................................................... 18 CGES’ Kachadorian Is Relentless................................... 20

Joe Waner Graphic Designer 660-248-6629 jwaner@centralmethodist.edu

Bob Jones Earns National Honor.................................. 22

Deanna Cooper Director of Development 660-248-6397 dcooper@centralmethodist.edu

Faculty Spotlight: Collin Brink....................................... 26

Andrea Waner Director of Annual Giving 660-248-6260 awaner@centralmethodist.edu

Remembering Tom Yancey............................................ 39

Megan Freese Director of Alumni Engagement 660-248-6234 mfreese@centralmethodist.edu

Lending A Helping Hand To Student From Zimbabwe. 24 All In For Central........................................................... 25 Toni Harris Leads CMU’s Year Of Firsts........................ 30 Alumni News And Notes.............................................. 34 In Memoriam................................................................. 40 CMU Economic Impact................................................. 45 Perry Faith And Science Lecture Debuts...................... 47 Nettie Cherrington Retires........................................... 50 Master’s In Athletic Training.......................................... 51

On The Cover: Toni Harris is the first non-kicking female on a football scholarship in history... and she chose Central Methodist.

Page 30.

Cover Photo by Joe Waner

Alumni Choir................................................................. 53 Recovered Email Leads To Player Of The Year............. 55 First NAIA National Championship............................... 56 Our Mission

Central Methodist University prepares students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility.

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Central Methodist University

New Hall Of Sponsors Scholarships Reflect Deep Commitment To CMU

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uring Founders Weekend, three Hall of Sponsors Scholarships were unveiled. These scholarships are Central’s most prestigious endowed scholarships. Currently, over 400 endowed scholarships are managed by the University and have been established by individuals, families, businesses, churches, and groups.

Dr. Dan And Maggie Elliott (This Hall of Sponsors Scholarship was made possible by the generosity of Earl ’61 and Linda Bates.)

Dr. Dan Elliott came to Central Methodist in the fall of 1974, and taught a variety of biology and geology courses over the next 40 years. His courses were challenging, but well received. His lecture rooms were filled to capacity semester after semester, and were often voted as the most popular on campus by students. He received a PhD in Insect Ecology in 1981 from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and retired from teaching at Central in May of 2014.

Dan has published numerous papers on Native American artifacts from Missouri, and is active in the Missouri Archaeological Society (MAS), including serving as president for six years.

Additionally, he publishes papers on unique fossils from Central Missouri (when he’s not collecting them), including a new species of fossil starfish.

Dan married Harriet Margaret (Maggie) Thompson on March 17, 1978. They have two children, Daniel Paul and Margaret (Maggie) Anne; both are graduates of Central.

Maggie, Dan’s wife, graduated from Central in 1978 with an education degree. She also completed her Master’s in Education in 1998. In 2010, Maggie retired after 23 years as an elementary education

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Top: Dr. Dan and Maggie ’78 Elliott speak about their time at Central. Left: Dr. Kyle Platz ’01 speaks on behalf of the students who started the scholarship in honor of Dr. Becky Enochs.

Right: Anne Robinson gives remarks about the new scholarship that was funded in memory of her mom. teacher. Her interests include crocheting, reading, creating gourmet meals, and being a third-generation member of PEO. Both Maggie and Dan enjoy traveling in the U.S., as well as to Great Britain, especially Scotland, where they have traced their genealogical roots.

Dr. Becky Enochs Dr. Becky Enochs was the pre-medical advisor for many students at Central Methodist

during her tenure from 1985-2008. She embodied the qualities that make Central a great institution: hard work, dedication, and excellent teaching - but also making that personal connection to ensure students meet their full potential.

Dr. Enochs, referred to as “mom” by some, would not hesitate to seek you out to have a “talk” about your recent attendance in her class, ask nicely if you were partying too much instead of studying, and always

made sure you were on track to meet your goals. This personal touch helped many years of students thrive, not only at Central, but later in their lives and science careers.

Drs. Kyle and Kellie Platz, the organizers of the effort to honor Dr. Enochs, shared stories of her transformational influence on them as students, and also on Kyle’s brother, who benefited from her guidance even though he was enrolled at a different institution. As a result of her unwavering dedication to students, several alumni came together to honor and preserve Dr. Enochs’ passion to educate Central science students with The Becky Enochs Hall of Sponsors scholarship.

Dr. Enochs stated, “I am beyond honored to have this scholarship in my name, and my warmest thoughts and gratitude go out to those who put it together. That I came to teach and advise students at Central Methodist University was an incredible gift to me. It enabled me to experience a nurturing and caring environment in which students and faculty could get to know each other personally. I could appreciate their gifts, intellectual as well as personal. I feel that I learned as much from my students, as hopefully they learned from me. This shared experience and growth was possible because of the beautiful vision and special atmosphere which Central Methodist University provides.”

Christina Finlayson Dana Dr. O.A. Robinson, a faculty member at CMU for more than 40 years, surprised his wife, Anne Dana Robinson, with a Hall of Sponsors Scholarship in memory of her mother, Christina Finlayson Dana, as a birthday present.

Christina Dana was a 1928 graduate of Lasell Junior College and studied piano at the Longy School of Music in Massachusetts. She served on the Board of Trustees of Lasell for five years, and was a member of the Wellsley Congregational Church, Friends of the Arnold Arboretum Audubon Society, Northeast Wildflower Society, Wellsley Conservation Council and Wellsley Historical Society, Weston Garden Club, P.E.O., and Tau Beta Beta.

Before returning to Massachusetts,

Top: Members of the Board of Trustees enjoy the new Hall of Sponsors Scholarship unveiling.

Middle Left: Terry Henderson ‘83 and Jim Bryan. Middle Right: Kathy Vieth ’66 and Nolyn Nyatanga ’05. Bottom Left: Frank Wallis ’66. Bottom Right: Dr. Roger Drake speaks on behalf of Earl ’61 and Linda Bates and the new scholarship they funded.

Christina Dana, along with her husband, Ellis Dana, lived and raised their two children, Anne and her brother Ellis, in Madison, Wisconsin. Eventually, their family grew to include Anne’s husband, Berre Robinson, Ellis’ wife, Trudy Kempton Dana, grandchildren Katie Dana Sutherland and her husband, Greg, Jenny Dana Steinhagen, and two great grandchildren, Annika and

Lina Steinhagen.

In addition to her loving commitment to family and church, Christina Dana valued education. She wished to continue her education, but due to the Great Depression, was unable to do so. Therefore, this scholarship has been established in her memory so that future Central students will be able to fulfill their educational dreams.

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Central Methodist University

By MAGGIE GEBHARDT And MEGAN FREESE

Four Honored At 73rd Annual Alumni Awards Banquet

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he admirable careers and achievements of four alumni were celebrated during the 73rd annual Alumni Awards Banquet on Saturday, May 4. Award recipients shared from their hearts how Central took a chance on them, changed their lives, created opportunities, and shaped their varied futures. Each of these recipients are living Central’s mission to “make a difference in the world.”

Three individuals were presented Distinguished Alumni Awards. They included Mark Calvert ’88, Yolonda FrederickThompson ’88, and C. Wayne Schoolfield ’65. Christina (Thompson) Shutt ’08 was presented with the Young Alumni Award.

C. Wayne Schoolfield After graduating from Central in ’65 with a bachelor’s degree in business, C. Wayne Schoolfield went on to

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become an esteemed real estate developer, philanthropist, and world traveler who founded Schoolfield Properties, Inc. – a leading owner and developer of commercial real estate in Central Florida. Shortly after graduation, he relocated there to teach business for two years before finding his calling in real estate development.

He has built 32 subdivisions and a successful billboard company, and developed numerous shopping centers, office buildings, warehouse facilities, strip centers, and medical office parks for his own ownership.

His first investment deal in 1967 involved the purchase of a single mobile home lot for $600 and over the years he has expanded his ownership holdings to an excess of 1 million square feet of commercial real estate, numerous acres of vacant land tracts, and many ground-leased properties.

Schoolfield has cemented himself as a leader within the Central Florida market. He and his company have been the recipients of numerous awards including being named

as one of the Orlando Business Journal’s Top 100 Privately Held Companies, one of the area’s Largest Family Owned Businesses, and one of the Largest Commercial Real Estate Firms in Central Florida.

An extensive international traveler, Schoolfield has visited over 125 countries, but he’s also extremely devoted to his local community. He has served as a board member and Executive Committee Member of SunTrust Bank, N.A.-Orlando, as a board member of the Community Foundation of Central Florida, Inc., the Economic Development Commission of Central Florida, the Orlando District Board of Mission & Church Extension Methodist Church, and the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the board of Kissimmee-Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of the board of trustees at the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee.

For the last 25 years, he has been elected

by Walt Disney World Company to serve on the five-member board of directors for

Calvert was guardian ad litem for abused and neglected children in juvenile court for seven years, and indigent parent attorney in juvenile court for five years.

He was involved in helping start Knights Soccer Club and a local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Special Masters, and Mediation programs.

For 17 years, Calvert was a family court mediator, and for eight years, a special master for family court. He is a member of the Rolla Optimist Club (was president from 2016-17 and chairman of the Youth Soccer Program), member of Rolla Lions Club, president of Knights Soccer Club, and a board member of the Rolla Area Youth Soccer League and Community Partnership. the Reedy Creek Improvement District – an entity with the same authority and responsibility as a county government including the power to issue debt, levy taxes, create land use and building codes, exercise eminent domain, and develop and maintain its own infrastructure. Reedy Creek is a progressive form of government created in 1967 by a special Act of the Florida Legislature and is commonly known as the development arm of Walt Disney World Company. The district encompasses $11.8 billion of assessed properties, 39 square miles including all of Walt Disney parks and resorts, and operates an annual budget of $332 million.

Yolonda FrederickThompson Yolonda FrederickThompson graduated from Central in ’88, earning a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Theatre.

Afterward, she studied at L’Universite Catholique De Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

She went on to become a 2019 Hollywood Beauty Award-winning celebrity makeup artist. In 2016, she was named the Professional Makeup Artist Conference (PMAC) Legendary Award winner, and in 2009, the Fashion Makeup Artist winner. She’s also the inventor of the internationally patented iPhone makeup palette case, “Glam.Or.Ring™.”

Frederick-Thompson refined her craft while working as a senior master make-up artist and show team member with the wellknown Van Michael Salons for over seven

years. She set the tone for her freelance career by breaking into the scene as key makeup artist to the Grammy Award-winning trio, TLC. From there, she blazed the industry with well-known celebrities like Usher, Ciara, Jennifer Hudson, Harrison Ford, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge, and many more.

Committed to her art and community, Frederick-Thompson has supported the “Give Back A Smile” Foundation of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry for survivors of domestic violence through pro-bono makeup training and consulting for foundation clients. She also has used her platform to uplift women by providing service and opportunity to others throughout her career, and continues to do so today.

Mark Calvert Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English from Central in ’88, Mark Calvert served as Fellow for the English Department during his senior year.

He was a member of Alpha Phi Gamma, and also played on the CMC Tennis team.

Calvert went on to graduate from the University of Missouri’s School of Law in ’91. He worked as a general practice trial attorney for 24 years before being elected to the position of associate circuit judge, Division 2, for the 25th Judicial Circuit of Missouri, Phelps County in 2014. He was reelected to the same position in 2018, also serving as administrative family court judge for the 25th Judicial Circuit.

Christina (Thompson) Shutt Recipient of the CMU Selecman Achievement Award – the highest graduating student award – Christina Shutt graduated from Central in ‘08 with a bachelor’s degree in history. She went on to earn master’s degrees in both Archival Management and History, with an emphasis on collective memory and public representations.

Shutt is the executive director at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center – an African American museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage in Little Rock, Ark. In this role, she is responsible for oversight of all museum activities.

Her former experience is another example of her expertise, as she was an Associate Librarian for Special Collections and Instruction at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. She served as an archivist for notable collections ranging from the history of medicine to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers.

In 2017, she returned to Central to deliver the university’s annual Merrill E. Gaddis Lecture, which she titled “History will be kind to me: thoughts of museums, silences, and the power of representation.”

Shutt’s dream is to build a museum where programming is inclusive, tolerance is embraced, and ensuring the rich and vibrant stories of African Americans in Arkansas is widespread.

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Commencement Concludes A Memorable Year

GRADUATION 2019 Approximately 400 Graduates Celebrate With Friends And Family

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he rain didn’t stop the celebration on Saturday, May 11, as about 400 Central Methodist University students joined friends and family to recognize their academic accomplishments.

Graduates earned master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees from CMU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) in Fayette and College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES) across the state and online.

The Baccalaureate ceremony welcomed Dr. David Kerr as the speaker. Dr. Kerr is a retired Elder in the United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Dr. Marsha (Kahler) Kerr (’68), reside in St. Louis, Mo. They have three children. Johndavid (’88) and Rebecca both work in public education while their youngest, Matthew, is a mechanical engineer.

Prior to retirement, Kerr served for 17 years at Salem in Ladue UMC in St. Louis. Beforehand, he was the Director of Preaching Ministries with the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tenn.

During this 10 year period, he preached and taught in all 50 states and in a number of different countries.

The speaker for Commencement was Lew W. “Jay” Jacobs IV, the former president and managing director of PIMCO, a global investment management firm based in Newport Beach, Calif. His career there spanned nearly 20 years, during which he served in numerous senior management

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roles. He currently serves in a consulting capacity as advisor to the CEO, while also serving on the board of directors for Citigroup, Inc. in New York City.

A fourth-generation banker, Jacobs has been the president of Commercial Trust Company in Fayette – his family-owned community bank – since his father’s passing in 1998.

Both guest speakers have extensive ties to CMU. Before Jacobs delivered his address to the graduates, CMU President Dr. Roger Drake awarded him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

During Commencement, academic honors were announced by Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad, honors in the majors by Dr. Richard Bradley, and honors in clinical counseling by Dr. Theresa Keown.

Drake conferred the degrees after which Bradley J. Dixon, dean of students, recognized special achievements, and Laura Blair, president of the CMU Alumni Association, spoke to the new graduates.

One of the much-anticipated events of Commencement is the presentation of the highest awards given to graduates by the University – the Victoria Award, the Human Relations Award, and the most prestigious Selecman Award.

The Victoria Award Named after Victoria Beecroft Cutter, the Victoria Award is given annually to a graduate who, in the opinion of faculty and students, has best demonstrated dedication and principles of CMU. This year’s awardee was Rachel Topliss from England. Topliss graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education – Physical Education, Summa Cum Laude. She was the recipient of the Pannier, Cavanaugh, and Robb Excellence in Education Award, and a member of the Physical Education Majors Club, Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, Alpha Chi, International Eagles Club, and Sigma Epsilon Pi sorority. She held leadership roles as the women’s soccer team captain for three years, second team all-conference (’17), first team (’18), and was an All-American (’18).

The Human Relations Award Established by Martha Smith Luck, the first female member of Central’s Board of Curators, the Human Relations Award is given annually to the graduate who shows the most promise in human relations and human adjustment – one who “attempts to develop the ability to get along with others

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Top left: Justin Halter. Top Right: Dr. David Kerr (’67) was the Baccalaureate ceremony speaker. Middle left: Brendan Wiesehan & Tiffani Knecht. Bottom: (left to right) Alexandra Hudelson, Rachel Topliss, Brooke Striegel.

and work with others, developing liaison techniques in the area of human relations and understanding.”

The awardee was Alexandra Hudelson from Old Monroe, Mo. Hudelson graduated with a Bachelor of Accountancy, Honors in the major, Summa Cum Laude. She earned numerous academic honors over her college career including Omicron Delta Kappa, Kappa Mu Epsilon, Delta Mu Delta and the CMU Dean’s List. Hudelson held leadership positions and obtained experience with the Student Government Association, Enactus, The Navigators and Williams Keepers. She is also committed to community involvement evidenced by her participation in mission trips to Uganda, Africa, Hollywood and Puerto Rico.

The Selecman Achievement Award The most prestigious award given to a graduating senior is the Selecman Achievement Award, established in 1957 by Bishop Charles C. Selecman, a former Central student who became a Bishop in the United Methodist Church. He requested that the award be presented to the student who has displayed the following characteristics to an extraordinary degree: good citizenship on campus, scholarship, religious leadership, moral and spiritual qualities, and outstanding achievement.

This award was given to Brooke Striegel, from Holts Summit, Mo. Striegel graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Religion and Church Leadership, Honors in the major, Summa Cum Laude. She is the recipient of the T. Cecil Swakhamer Award, the Inscape Creative Nonfiction Award, and the Noble Emmett Basket Scholarship in Business Award. She is a member of the Theta Alpha Kappa Honor Society and Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society.

Striegel was an active member in the Navigators, chapel band, and the Conservatory Singers. She was the student director of the Worship Band, and served as a peer to peer tutor in CMU’s Center for Learning and Teaching and Writing Center.

Striegel is also committed to community involvement evidenced by her participation in mission trips to Uganda and Nicaragua.

Top: Dr. Drake presents Lew W. “Jay” Jacobs IV an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters before his commencement speech.

Middle Left: Kylie Tillman (pictured) was recognized for Honors in the major. Alexandra Hudelson and Brooke Striegel were also recognized.

Middle Right: Graduates turn to thank their friends, family, and faculty who supported them. Bottom Left: Dr. Theresa Keown (left) presents Molly Lyons with Clinical Counseling award. Bottom Right: (left to right) Sisters Heather Straisinger, Kayla (Straisinger) Decker, and Jacklyn Straisinger at CMU’s Western Region Commencement on the State Fair Community College campus in Sedalia.

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Achievement Awards Accounting Excellence Award Julio Canales Garcia ACDA National Student Choral Award Rachel Martin Alpha Epsilon Delta Anatomy Award Jacqueline Decker Alpha Epsilon Delta Harold L. Momberg Award for the Outstanding Pre-Med Student Kylie Limback Alpha Epsilon Delta Physiology Award Jacqueline Decker Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Awards Emily Angell Emilie Faust Blake Hackman Luke Knoble Samantha Shively Miranda Weigand American Nurses Association Award Carrie Drake

Mark and Kathy Dempsey Athletic Training Student Clinical Excellence Award Ashley Wills R. Paul Drummond Memorial Award Joshua Stettes ENACTUS Outstanding Seniors Jordan Cassmeyer Brooke Emmerich ENACTUS Senior Leadership Award Shelby Henson Alexandra Hudelson Estes Award for Outstanding Senior Male Athlete Kyle Fulton Estill Entrepreneurship Award Shelby Henson Gentry Estill Award for Total Business Excellence Gabriel Navarro Susan Estill Award for Total Business Excellence Marina Alves Carvalho

Banking and Finance Excellence Award Taylor Rumsey

Gamma Sigma Epsilon Excellence Award in General Chemistry Mackenzie Strother

Dr. Robert Barker Award for Excellence in Sociology Alma Aketzaly Flores Huerta

Gamma Sigma Epsilon Excellence Award in Organic Chemistry Janie Leathers

Noble Emmett Baskett Scholarship in Business Administration Colin Horn

Dr. Joseph E. Geist Prize in Performing Arts Myriah Araiza

Beta Beta Beta Outstanding General Biology Students Shannon Peters Tyler Proctor Clyde and Hazel Blattner Mathematics Award Malcolm Elmore Dr. Richard T. Bond Mathematics Award Marlow Case General Business Award (Business Administration) Julie Thomas Herman C. Byrd Award Brendan Wiesehan CMU Biology Alumni Award Jordan Lane Communication Department Student Media Award Traci Ballew Criminal Justice Excellence Award Janna Mackay

Lisa Powell Goessling Award Taylor Rumsey Chester E. Hanson Outstanding Computer Science Award Marina Alves The Judge Andrew Jackson Higgins Award for Excellence in Pre-Law Studies Lauren Mann Martin C. Harral Memorial Music Award Adam Christal Hern Award for Excellence in Religious Studies Echo Essick Dr. George Heslar Leadership & Service Memorial Scholarship Emma McQueen Hickman Award for Achievement in Music Samantha Shively John C Hinkle Scholarship Emma McQueen The Keith House Band Fellow-Tour Manager Samantha Shively

Spring 2019 Hughes Scholarship Alexander Cribb Inscape Poetry Award Grace Stumbaugh Inscape Fiction Award Kylie Tillman Inscape Creative Nonfiction Award Brooke Striegel Inscape Ten-Minute Play Award Kylie Tillman Inscape Photography & Art Award Ashley Atherton Inscape Cover Art Award Natalie Van Horn Nancy Thompson Jones Gem Award Hadley Wiggans Dr. Glenn R. Joyce Memorial Award Luke Knoble Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Award Marlow Case Janie Leathers Martin E. Kooi Excellence in Communication Traci Ballew Martin E. Kooi Excellence in Theatre Arts Jenny Barnett James M. Luetjen Scholar Athlete Award Taylor Rumsey Mike Magyar Fine Arts-Leadership Award Mikaela Lewis Excellence in Management Award Andrea De Simone Marketing and Advertising Excellence Award Drew Tillman Glenn McElroy Athletic Training Student Academic Excellence Award Mackenzie Cullifer Mackenzie Strother The General Lewis M. Means Award for Excellence in the Study of Political Science John Hennessy The Missouri Federation of Music Clubs Keaton Denney Professor Paul A. Montemurro Award Gannon Craig MTNA Student Achievement Recognition Award Abbey Ruggles

Dane Nelson Memorial Award Cayla Carr

Sigma Alpha Iota Scholastic Award Tiffani Knecht

Dr. Niels C. Nielsen Outstanding Chemistry Student Award Emily Angell Miranda Weigand

Sigma Epsilon Pi Caitlyn Landewee Allison Ruth Jordahl Alexandra Hudelson Mackenzie Lee Cullifer Abigail Jean Cross Abby Thompson Emilie Gulstad Faust Rachel Emily Topliss Johnathan Tyler Drew Sarah Kurpjuweit Hannah Mae Morse Makenzie Erikson Bray Gabrielle Dempsey Turner Middendorf Marlow Romano Case Madilynn Mae Lyons Emily Grace Angell Blake David Hackman Marina Carvalho Alves Joseph Andrew Tillman Lauren Ashley Mann Justin Michael Halter

Outstanding Nurse Clinician Award Amanda Gordon Outstanding Nursing Scholar Award Karissa Rhodeman Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award Alexandra Hudelson Outstanding Senior in Business Award Vince Gelei Outstanding Senior in Sports Management Turner Middendorf Pannier, Cavanaugh and Robb Excellence in Education Award Blake Hackman Rachel Topliss Darla Pannier Award for Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Rachel Topliss Dr. Larry J. Peery Award for Excellence in Physics Micah Blankenship

Harold W. Sunoo History and Political Science Award Ryan Volgelgesang

Pennacle Award Brooke Emmerich

T. Cecil Swackhamer Award Brooke Striegel

Dr. Jerry Priddy Mathematics Award Jensen Lake

Swinney Conservatory Outstanding Freshman Award Mitchel Crofton

Phi Mu Alpha Honor Award Brendan Wiesehan Phi Mu Alpha Scholastic Award John Hennessy Excellence in Psychology Award Drew Tillman Kylie Tillman Glenn C. Riegel Faculty Award Professor Grant Swicegood Glenn C. Riegel Student Science Award Janie Leathers Sarah Rutherford Prize Emily Angell W. D. Settle Memorial Music Education Award Kody Bartel Shallenburger Accounting Principles Excellence Award Rachel Smith Sigma Alpha Iota Collegiate Honor Award Amy Keene

Swinney Conservatory Outstanding Musician Award Audrey Brandon Swinney Conservatory Super Hero Award Bryan Berliner Theta Alpha Kappa Tara Bush Brooke Striegel Helen Puckett Thogmorton Award for Excellence in Music Zack Kierstead Raney Winter NAfME-C Award Josh Stettes Erwin and Hazel Wiedle Outstanding Nursing Graduate Lauren Hightower Jeff Wilcox “Raising the Bar Award�

Miranda Weigand Dr. Farris H. and Leona Woods Memorial Award in Biology Petra Schaffer

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A

TWO PERCENT

CHANCE Despite The Odds, Alumna Mahaletwork Nina Assefa Rises To The Top

..

By MAGGIE GEBHARDT

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ust imagine it. You’re growing up, and over the years of your childhood you discover where your talents and passions lie. You start to dream big dreams. Remember that feeling? The feeling that you could do anything and be whoever you wanted to be?

For so many, dreams feel out of reach because of unfortunate circumstances.

Sometimes, it’s about a lack of money.

Sometimes, where one lives creates obstacles.

Sometimes, an absence of ambition or belief in oneself is to blame.

But for those hard-working, determined individuals who make the decision to take fate into their own hands and do whatever it takes, sometimes, dreams become realities.

Central Methodist University alumna Mahaletwork Nina Assefa (’11) was born and raised in Ethiopia, where she dreamed her big dreams of one day studying medicine in the United States and becoming a doctor.

But how? When it came down to it, she knew the odds weren’t in her favor.

“As an international student, you have a two percent chance of getting into a U.S. medical school,” she said.

A simple Google search displayed the words “Central Methodist University” on the computer screen of an ambitious Ethiopian high school senior trying to chase her dream. And between discovering scholarship opportunities and the sevenyear medical education program Central had in partnership with Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB), Assefa

found the courage to take that first step.

“CMU was my home away from home,” she said. “Our professors were very attentive, but they weren’t just professors – they were family.”

She recalled being consumed in her studies at Central, feeling discouraged about her future, and going to her advisor, Dr. Dan Elliott, to tell him she was considering studying nursing instead of medicine.

“I had a fear that even with all the knowledge and the chance to become a doctor, the path seemed unrealistic due to the very small statistic of international students joining medical schools in the U.S.,” she said.

But Dr. Elliott refused to let her give up on her dream.

“He challenged me until I walked out of his office with hope – convinced my hard work would pay off,” she said.

And how it did. After graduating, Assefa went on to study medicine at KCUMB as one of the two percent. She wouldn’t have made it there, she said, if it weren’t for Central.

She often remembers the way Dr. Elliott wouldn’t give up on her. She remembers professors inviting her to their homes for weekday dinners or during holiday breaks, helping deaden the sting of homesickness so she could succeed in her studies. She remembers her parents visiting, and Dr. Michael Tilley picking them up from the airport and taking them out for their first American dinner. And she remembers Cathy

Baxter making sure they were well taken care of during their stay.

“I always felt welcomed and supported at CMU,” Assefa said. “I made lifelong friends and I’m incredibly grateful and proud I’m a graduate of such an incredible university. It played an enormous role in the person I am today.”

And who she is today is impressive, to say the least. Currently, Assefa is the chief resident for the University of Missouri Internal Medicine Department, which means after finishing post graduate training in medicine, she was selected to lead the other residents.

“It is such an honor to be chosen as one of the two chief residents supervising and guiding over 70 residents on a day-to-day basis,” she said.

Assefa cares for patients both at the University Hospital and Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital. She has been accepted to pursue further training in cardiology starting in July. In May, she married the love of her life in Ethiopia, where her parents and several siblings still reside.

It turns out, when one dreams big dreams, never gives up, and has the right support and encouragement along the way, “two percent chance” dreams maybe aren’t so far out of reach after all. And once one dream comes true, others soon follow.

“I really was one of the lucky ones,” Assefa said, as she reflected back on her path – one that all began with a nervous high school senior making the decision of a lifetime.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 15

FRAYED & FADED Band Uniforms Have Seen Better Days; Help Us Outfit The Sound Of Central

T

hough fashion is cyclical, and trends like faded and frayed garments find their way back into style years after they left it, the distressed look isn’t likely to take hold with the Sound of Central Marching Band.

The average lifespan of a marching band uniform ranges anywhere from six to ten years

16 The Talon | Spring 2019

of use – all depending on how frequently it is used and how the uniform is cared for.

In 2008, a gift from a generous donor allowed the Sound of Central to purchase the uniforms that are currently in use. Over the last 10 years, the band has seen

nearly 100 percent growth, rising from 36 members to over 70 student participants. This means increased wear and tear on the already faded and frayed Central green uniforms, thus beginning a search to outfit

the next generation of Central’s marching musicians.

The Sound of Central has donned every combination of the CMU color palette since its inception in 1910, ranging from old school black sweaters with green emblems, to the infamous mud-caked black pants from the 1964 “Mud Bowl” halftime performance.

Designs for the newest installment of Central band uniforms are still under way, but will be made out of a durable, dry-fit material allowing for increased

movement while withstanding prolonged exposure to sunlight – and even mud.

New uniforms are funded by contributions from Sound of Central alumni and fans alike, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to leave their mark on this historic program. It’s not too late to help make over the Sound of Central Marching Band.

Visit GiveToCentral.org today to make your gift, and keep a close eye on the CMU website for information about the debut appearance of the new uniforms!

Spring 2019 | The Talon 17

Central Methodist University

By SCOTT QUEEN

‘Murph’ Tetley (’71), left, with Professor Skip Vandelicht in Hot Springs Village, Ark.

Is Central In Your DNA?

Alumnus Rolls Up Sleeves For Band Appearance In Hot Springs Village

S

ome people might say Murph Tetley (’71) missed his calling as a storyteller.

His recall is uncanny. And his ability to keep a group mesmerized is well-known among the large family of band alumni at Central Methodist University.

Tetley spent his time after graduation in a few different professions. First, he was a high school band director, just like his dad. Then, there was his time as a sales executive for 3M. And there was the software startup. After he sold that company, he was an IT consultant.

He also spent several years working for another college.

His wife, Linda, has been with him every step of the way.

18 The Talon | Spring 2019

Each of those stops in his life comes with an incredible story. And each story comes with influence from his alma mater.

It is no surprise that through all the twists and turns of his life, CMU has been with Tetley the whole time. Very matter-of-factly, he says “I have Central in my DNA.” “I had the best four years of my life at Central,” Tetley said. “I lived and breathed music, went up and auditioned at Central, and was first chair French Horn for four years. I made lifelong friends there.”

Tetley’s band resume at Central is quite long. He was a tour soloist, an orchestra soloist, brass choir, woodwind choir, woodwind quintet, marching band president, and drum major. He was in Phi

Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and won the Phi Mu Alpha Regional Award and CMC Brass and Percussion Prize in 1970. But he was most proud of being student director of the band during his senior year.

“Because it was a paid position,” he said.

After his bachelor’s at Central, Tetley went on to earn a master’s in music education at the University of Missouri.

The band director itch came honestly, from his father, William, a Central alumnus who graduated in 1939 and later became Central’s admissions director. And Tetley’s Methodist roots run even deeper than his band ties.

“My grandfather was a circuit rider in the Missouri Bootheel,” he said. “He rode around in a wagon and preached at seven different

Methodist churches on weekends.”

Tetley and his wife, a retired schoolteacher, are spending their retirement in Hot Springs Village, Ark. And recently, Tetley was able to combine his love for Central and its band with his Methodist roots.

Tetley personally coordinated the CMU concert band’s tour stop in Hot Springs Village in late March. The band performed flawlessly at the 650-seat Woodlands Auditorium. He took care of just about every detail imaginable, from securing sponsorships from three large Methodist churches to arranging for host families for the band, along with their meals.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal on my end,” Tetley said. “I give all the credit to band director Skip Vandelicht for making this happen. I kept bugging Skip about coming to Hot Springs Village until he finally gave in.”

Vandelicht said he’s spent many an hour talking band with “Murph.”

“I always learn something from him whether it is a new piece or something about a piece I’ve forgotten about,” Vandelicht said. “He has a great musical mind, and I don’t know many folks who have a greater love and appreciation for CMU than Murph. He would do just about anything to help. I think he may even bleed green.”

Tetley approached Vandelicht at the Missouri Music Educators Conference in January about the trip. Tetley said he went to MMEA not only to get the band to come to Hot Springs Village, but to visit with friends.

“I wanted to go to the conference because some of my best friends on planet earth are band directors and they were all going to be there,” Tetley said. “I had to tap in to my Central connectivity and camaraderie.

“I took a whole basket of Central music stuff with me to give away,” he said.

And of course, he told a few stories.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 19

Carol Kachadorian holds a photo of her sister, Nita Jo.

Persistence, Determination Define Carol Kachadorian

By SCOTT QUEEN

C

arol Kachadorian is accustomed to lifechanging shifts, so earning a college degree at Central Methodist University later in life is nothing but another challenge.

Her biggest challenge in life actually came on May 15, 2014. It was a phone call just before dinner. Her sister, Nita Jo, had been brutally murdered in a bank robbery.

Over the next few months, Carol knew she had a choice to make. She could spend years sitting in her St. Clair, Mo. home and give in to the overwhelming despair, or she could fight to make a difference in the world, and help those who faced roadblocks similar to the ones she encountered while trying to learn more about the bank robbery and murder case.

She chose the latter.

“It was a long road,” Carol said. “I couldn’t understand the justice system.

There’s this thing called the Victim’s Notification Network, and they wouldn’t

20 The Talon | Spring 2019

let me on it to know about the motions and court dates. So, I fought.”

Carol actually fought three battles.

The first was with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office, trying to convince them she deserved to know what was going on in her sister’s case. The program only allowed Nita Jo’s husband to have the information.

“He was grieving, and he wasn’t interested in doing anything with it or sharing it with me,” Carol said.

Carol was relentless in her pursuit of information, and after challenging the FBI numerous times and threatening to travel to the Department of Justice and “make a stink,” she received a phone call. She would be placed on the Victim’s Notification Network.

“The U.S. Attorney’s office said my name had come up quite a bit in their discussions,” she said. “And then they told me they would be putting me on the Victim’s Notification Network.”

Next, she faced her second and third battle simultaneously. Her second battle

was her struggle to understand the complicated justice system.

“I just didn’t understand all the paperwork,” she said. “All the motions, arraignments. I suspected there had to be a lot of other people just like me. I had no one to talk to. I want to change that.”

So, she decided to learn more about criminal law. She completed her community college studies, and was determined to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology through Central Methodist University’s College of Graduate

and Extended Studies site in Union, Mo. Her third challenge was caring for her ailing husband, Michael, who had liver cancer. He passed away just as she was dealing with her transfer to Central Methodist. Michael was a Vietnam veteran who contracted Hepatitis in the war.

“It led to liver cancer,” she said. “He fought it but it was too strong.”

Carol is determined to become a Victim Advocate, and help those who are overwhelmed by the intricacies of the criminal justice system. She’s managed to keep a

smile on her face despite the odds, and has even made a friend or two on her academic journey. One of them, Chris West, acquiesced to Carol’s recruitment and decided to follow her to Central Methodist in Union.

“Chris helped me get through algebra, so I helped her get on over to Central Methodist to study nursing,” Carol said.

Helping others already seems natural to Carol. It was her choice on May 15, 2014, and it will define her as she becomes a Victim Advocate.

Carol was relentless in her pursuit of information...and finally received a phone call, placing her on the Victim’s Notification Network.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 21

STRENGTH

PERSEVERANCE

SUCCESS CMU Alumnus Bob Jones Wins National Award

By MAGGIE GEBHARDT

It’s that big, heavy question many high school seniors face when deciding on those first important steps for the future: is this college the right choice for me?

When Robert (Bob) H. Jones turned down a full-ride scholarship to play football at Northwest Missouri State to instead step on to Central Methodist College’s field as an Eagle, he wasn’t sure if it was the right choice. But led by the advice of his high school coach who had played at Central, he made the big, heavy decision for himself. Surely, most would agree it was the right one.

In January, Jones was named the

22 The Talon | Spring 2019

Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

“If I didn’t have my undergrad from Central Methodist, I would not be where I am today,” Jones said.

His path has been one of trials and accomplishments, and it all began when he chose to play football and study physical education at Central.

Jones remembered his studies, and how he built the foundation needed to develop as a professional. He also reflected on the struggles he faced and how they helped him develop a “never give up” attitude – a perseverance.

“At first, football was a struggle, but I fought and never gave up,” he said. “I remember my line coach telling me if I was six inches taller, I would be starting.

There wasn’t much I could do about that, but I knew I could get stronger.”

And that’s just what he did – both

physically and mentally, Jones grew stronger every day. He eventually not only started, but started 29 of 30 games for the rest of his football career – only missing one due to food poisoning. He also excelled academically, graduating with a lifetime teaching certificate in May of 1986.

The determination he learned both on and off the field paved the way for him to pursue a master’s degree while working as a graduate assistant with the University of Missouri.

After becoming an assistant strength and conditioning coach there, it wasn’t long before he received the hands-on experience he’d been craving. At one point, only he and one other were running the program.

Over the years, Jones worked directly with coaches including Andy Reid, Dirk Koetter, and Marty Mornhinweg – all who have been head coaches in the National Football League (NFL).

“The number of recognizable athletes I’ve worked with is too big to even attempt to list,” Jones said. “It’s been incredible to help them realize their potential – the greatest pleasure I have had during my career.”

At Mizzou, Jones worked with up to nine teams each year as head strength and conditioning coach, which allowed for program development that produced several championships.

Professional highlights included his time with the 1993-94 basketball team that went undefeated in the Big Eight and made it to the Elite 8, as well as the softball teams that made the World Series and won Mizzou’s first Big 12 Championship.

After leaving Mizzou in 2001, Jones proposed that Central Methodist create a strength and conditioning coach position, and left the proposal with then-Athletic Director Larry Anderson.

“I do take some pride and credit for the position CMU has now,” he said.

“My other contribution was that one of my former graduate assistants, Kyle Oberweather, held that position.”

Jones is now the coordinator of fitness and recreation at William Woods University. He coordinates all intramural and recreation activities on campus, and also runs the fitness center. Most of his job, however, surrounds being the strength coach for the student-athletes – with days usually beginning around 6:30 a.m. and lasting until about 7 p.m.

Now, the long hours and hard work have been recognized on a national level as he was named the 39th Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year – an annual, national award Jones describes as the gold standard for those who work in his field. It is a first for an NAIA coach and also for someone working for an institution in Missouri, according to Jones.

“The award was started in 1980 and given to Boyd Epley – he is basically the founder of the organization and the field, and is the most respected man in our profession,” Jones said.

“The people I am now in the company of is incredible, and I am so honored.”

Originally from Bowling Green, Mo., Jones and his wife, Eva, have six children and currently reside in Millersburg, Mo.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 23

Central Methodist University

By ANDREA WANER and SABRINA SHOCKLEY

Inspired Student Is Sure To Make A Difference In Zimbabwe

W

omen and girls in Zimbabwe face many challenges, both in public and private spaces, due to gender inequality. Many young women are ushered into early marriage as a means to an income, and others are denied an education simply because they’re not male.

But not Tatenda Katsande.

Katsande prides herself on her tenacity. After watching her two older sisters graduate from college, but unable to secure a job, Katsande decided to pursue a different path and obtain a degree in the United States. With the help of a United Methodist pastor, and Central alum from Zimbabwe, Katsande enrolled at Central Methodist University in the pre-med biology program, where she is currently a freshman.

Her desire to attend college in the U.S. was met with equal parts of excitement and challenge. Once the logistics of admission had been worked out, then came the question of how to navigate the currency exchange between Zimbabwe and the U.S. Because of internal political strife, the Zimbabwean dollar had been demonetized, resulting in an exchange rate of one USD to 35 quadrillion Zimbabwean dollars.

24 The Talon | Spring 2019

Despite the economic hardships created by the political situation in Zimbabwe, Katsande’s parents were able to provide much of the support that she needed when she enrolled at Central. However, the reality of moving the money for tuition from Zimbabwe to the U.S. has become nearly impossible. That’s where various departments within Central were able to work together to enable Katsande to stay in school and realize her dream.

Thanks to the efforts from the Office of International Student Services, the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, and the Missouri Colleges Fund, Katsande received much needed financial assistance through a UPS Scholarship. She is now able to continue working toward her goal of becoming a radiologist.

“Looking at the poor health care system in Zimbabwe (where families are forced to purchase medicine, syringes, and clean bandages on the black market), and the number of people who are dying from cancer, I decided this career path would be the best option for the future,” Katsande said.

“Becoming a radiologist could contribute to raising the health standards in my coun-

try in the health sector, as well as in the economic sector.”

In Zimbabwe, cancer-related deaths have risen over the last decade, presenting over 5,000 new cancer patients diagnosed annually – many of whom see a low survival rate due to lack of access to early detection and proper treatment. Katsande hopes that with her education, she can work toward improving the quality of life for those in her home country, until such a day when access to health care is routine and easy.

“CMU has been the biggest step in helping prepare me for that day,” Katsande said.

“Because of the people l have met, who have made me feel at home, who have supported me in difficult situations, and who have created a good learning environment for me, I can see a brighter future. I hope that my success will one day serve as inspiration to other young girls in Zimbabwe.”

To help Tatenda with scholarship aid, please visit GiveToCentral.org or mail a check to Office of Advancement, 411 Central Methodist Square, Fayette, MO 65248 and write her name in the designation/memo field.

photo by Brad Dudenhoffer

By ANDREA WANER

Alumni Prove They Are ‘All In For Central’

W

hen we asked if you were “All In for Central,” your answer was a resounding, “Yes! Central forever!”

The 2019 All In for Central campaign received over $141,000 in gifts from 282 donors – in just 10 days.

The driving force behind this year’s campaign was the notion of collective impact, that when we work together we can achieve so much more. We proudly stated that it takes all of us to envision the future of Central, and invited our Eagle community to make a gift to one or more of the 2019 All In categories.

Our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends grabbed hold of this idea and made it their own, sharing stories of the impact Central has had on their lives, their careers, and their dreams — all while chipping in gifts of $5, $20, $100 and more to the All In category that resonated with them most.

Athletics

The Arts

Over the next year, our Eagle Athletics program will expand to include men’s and women’s wrestling, housed in the historic Clingenpeel Hall. We will increase our competitive advantage by being one of the earliest adopters of collegiate women’s wrestling in the country – all while growing enrollment by recruiting high performing scholar athletes.

The arts are at the heart of what we do at Central, giving students an opportunity to think and learn across disciplines, opening up the mind to its fullest potential. Many students choose to learn through music, theater, and art - even if that is not where they are pursuing a career. We have a short window of opportunity to make an impact on their lives while they are here.

Student Scholarship

Student Experience

We believe education should be accessible to all who wish to seek it. It’s that simple.

That’s why more than 99 percent of our students receive financial assistance, including scholarship awards for exceptional achievement in academics, athletics, performing arts, and service. Aid offered on behalf of Central ensures that students who have the drive, dreams, and determination have an opportunity to reach their goals – regardless of their circumstance in life.

The CMU student experience is the thread that ties Central alumni together through the ages. It’s those special touches that extend well beyond the classroom and into every campus interaction including: campus safety, student comfort, access to amenities, and that “at home feeling” we always hear about from alumni. Gifts that were made to this category further our commitment to innovative curriculum through technology, job readiness through mentoring and industry exposure, and so much more.

All who participated this year, thank you!

Spring 2019 | The Talon 25

Central Methodist University Faculty Spotlight

‘There’s No Syllabus For Life’

Collin Brink Focuses On In-Demand Skills Needed For Future Success

A

s all great professors should, Central Methodist University Professor of Communication Studies Collin Brink believes in what he teaches, and feels that if he does his job correctly, his students will be prepared to take on the world.

He trusts they’ll be ready to do so much more than pursue careers. To him, it’s about enhancing their abilities to go out and make positive impacts on others, while interacting with the variety of personalities and attitudes they’ll inevitably encounter. It’s about giving them the confidence to be leaders as they speak their ideas and beliefs, while demonstrating the technical skills employers are looking for. It’s about, simply, being ready to achieve greatness.

And that’s how Brink frames his teaching methods – with all of this in mind.

“I like to tell my students there isn’t a syllabus, study guide, or answer sheet for life,” he said. “I want them to be thinkers

26 The Talon | Spring 2019

and to analyze each situation from every angle when making decisions or facing challenges.”

Brink said he strives to be a professor who passes on valuable information about both the content of his courses and life in general. He puts emphasis on connecting with students on a personal level, and said it makes all the difference.

“I want them to know they can always come to me for advice or just to talk,” he said. “Some of the best moments of my job are those unscripted conversations that happen out of the blue.”

To stay on top of career demands, Brink regularly monitors the qualifications and skills top employers are seeking in their candidates.

“I’m not afraid to add in an assignment mid-semester if I find out about something that may benefit the students,” he said.

Beyond his day-to-day interactions with students through teaching and advising,

By MAGGIE GEBHARDT

Brink also has his mind wrapped around the days to come. As the means of communication continues to expand, he hopes there will be added faculty to his department, and in-demand areas, such as video production and graphic design, will become possibilities for Central students. He believes these skills should be considered even more important now that CMU has introduced Digital U. Brink would also like to eventually see the addition of a debate team and mock trial team.

“In years past, CMU was known for its debate program and tournaments hosted here, but those days are long gone,” he said.

“I’d like to see them come back, along with the high-caliber students a program like that could bring.”

Brink was born in New Jersey, but his family moved not long after he was born, and he grew up in Lawson, Mo. He graduated from William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and history. He started an MBA program at then-Southwest Missouri State University, where he gained professional experience in the university’s marketing department as a graduate assistant, and also at a local bank.

Because he enjoyed political communication, Brink decided to change course and pursue a master’s in communication, earning his degree in December of 1997.

He then moved back to Kansas City where he sold real estate before eventually starting law school at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, later finishing at the University of Missouri – Columbia. He then opened his own law practice in Columbia, and eventually was drawn to teaching.

As he worked his own practice, plus worked for a tax firm, Brink began teaching for CMU’s dual credit program. In 2007, Central offered him a full-time position as a visiting professor. One year later, he was made an associate professor and has been at Central ever since.

“I enjoy teaching, but I get the most fulfillment out of advising students,” Brink said. “For me, it’s about helping them get ready to be where they want to be, and then seeing them go out and do it after graduation – that’s the best part.”

Dr. Dori Waggoner with Vice President for Technology and Planning Chad Gaines.

Waggoner Receives First Innovation Award

D

ori Waggoner ’92 was selected as Central Methodist University’s first winner of the Innovation Award, established to recognize a faculty member who has excelled in digital innovation.

An associate professor of music and chair of the Division of Fine Arts, Waggoner has been developing students’ listening skills and enhancing their openness to music outside their normal experiences. For each week of the semester, she created a Listening Exploration file in a commonly used note-taking app called Notability.

“It allows me to record music while highlighting appropriate items on a listening map so students can read what is happening while they are hearing

it,” Waggoner said. “Also included are ‘thoughts to ponder’ and vocabulary.”

Because of this advanced tool, Waggoner said she is able to address an educational dilemma that she had only been marginally successful in solving in a “pencil and paper” context.

The Innovation Award is designed around Central’s Digital U – an initiative introduced at the university in 2018 to provide undergraduate Fayette campus students with a free Apple iPad, loaded with apps and other features to advance skills and expertise. Every CMU classroom and lab features an Apple TV, so students and professors can sync their iPads for presentations, file sharing, and other forms of collaboration and learning.

“The iPad allows me to present the material to students in a new way that requires less class time because they can easily engage with the material outside of class, and it seems to be paying off in student engagement and learning,” Waggoner said.

Chad Gaines, vice president for technology and planning at CMU, presented Waggoner with her award.

“Dori’s very creative approach in the classroom is just another example of how our faculty are finding innovative ways to engage students,” he said. “It’s what sets the Central Methodist Digital U experience apart from other institutions.”

Spring 2019 | The Talon 27

Central Methodist University

By SCOTT QUEEN

Above: Royce Boehm (left) having a conversation with CMU Head Football Coach, David Calloway. Right: Evan Boehm.

Proud Dad Moment On A Big Stage

R

oyce Boehm admits he has been blessed with more than his share of “proud dad” moments. His face lights up with joy when he talks about the accomplishments of his sons, Evan and Tyler.

Many of those moments happened on football fields in Kansas City, with Boehm as coach of the powerful Lee’s Summit West Titans. Both boys played for their dad, and both won state championships with him.

Health concerns led Boehm to reluctantly retire in 2015 after 12 years as a head coach. But the proud dad football moments weren’t quite over.

You see, Boehm works part time for the NFL on the chain gang for the Kansas City Chiefs. And Evan has a rather busy full-time job as an offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts. So, at Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, Boehm, a longtime Chiefs fan, had a dilemma when the Chiefs lined up to play the Indianapolis Colts in

28 The Talon | Spring 2019

the playoffs. Or did he?

“Evan had a job to do and I had a job to do,” Boehm said. “So there was no outward emotion or cheering. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited on the inside, though. I’m a proud dad.”

Boehm said “every news station in Kansas City and Indianapolis was calling.”

And of course, his buddies on the chain gang weighed in on the unique situation.

“Those guys have been doing this for 40 years and they said they’d never had a case like this with the father watching his son play,” he said.

Football has been the center of Boehm’s life since he went to high school in Boonville. It remained his priority when he played defensive line at Central Methodist under Coach Larry Anderson. But CMU changed Boehm’s life.

“It really did,” he said. “I came in here and kind of struggled academically, but the faculty here got me on track. I fin-

ished on the dean’s list and got prepared for a future.”

Boehm took a little trip down memory lane recently at his alma mater, visiting Anderson, who is still at CMU as a faculty member, a few staff members, and of course, the football staff.

“I’ve sent a few players here to CMU over the years,” Boehm said. “But I haven’t been as connected as I want to be. It was kind of hard to do because Saturdays are pretty busy for high school coaches and college coaches.”

So, Boehm took in all the sights on his visit. He tapped into his memories of the old cafeteria in the basement of Holt Hall, and recalled a few classes in various buildings. He marveled at the newly renovated Stedman Hall of Science. And he spent quite a bit of time swapping stories with football Coach David Calloway.

A few of them were about being a proud dad.

Wally Eaton and his wife, Kim ’90.

Wally Eaton Named Fayette’s Citizen Of The Year

C

ommunity service is one of the anchors of the Central Methodist University mission, and it is part of the fabric of the institution. It is modeled daily by students, faculty, and staff, and it is constantly on display in veteran CMU employee Wally Eaton.

Eaton was honored this spring as Fayette’s Citizen of the Year. The award was presented by Optimists President Brian Spielbauer and Eaton’s cousin, Fred Eaton, at a joint Fayette Optimists and Rotary Club celebration at Miknan’s Restaurant.

Spielbauer said “Wally is always there to help” in Fayette, having served the community as a volunteer firefighter for 30 years – eight of those years as chief. He spent six years on city council, works tirelessly for youth on the Super Youth Roundup for the Howard County Fair, and he also smokes hams for 4H and the FFA. He is also the “voice” of local truck and tractor pulls, announces basket bingo, Barker Grant for 12 years, and led the project to secure and install the sound systems at the fairgrounds.

“Wally is a tremendous person who has done a lot for the people of Fayette,” said Spielbauer. “We are proud to recognize him as Optimist Citizen of the Year.”

Eaton’s caring personality and commitment is evident on the campus of CMU, where he has worked for 25 years.

“He’s a very dedicated employee and

exemplifies the CMU mission,” said Derry Wiswall, CMU director of Plant Operations.

“He’s always willing to do the little extras and he treats every student he encounters in a special way, making them know he really cares about them.”

CMU is Eaton’s “number two home and I absolutely bleed green. It’s a very, very big part of my life.”

He gives credit to those who shaped him over the years, building him into the man he is today.

He said mentors “like George Hilgedick, gave me a little nudge and taught me how to give back. We’ve got to teach the younger guys and take them under our wing. Small communities rely on volunteerism. We don’t have all the assets that bigger places have, but we have the volunteers.”

Eaton credits his father, Larry Eaton, who passed away almost a year ago, for instilling such a strong work ethic in him. He also credits his dear friends Marvin Hilgedick and Benjie Conrow, and his wife, Kim. In addition to Eaton’s honor, the Optimists also recognized CMU alumna Stacie Beaman as Teacher of the Year.

She is completing her eighth year at Daly Elementary. The Rotary presented the Business Leader of the Year Award to Glen Hilgedick of Hilgedick Electric Service in Fayette.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 29

30 The Talon | Spring 2019

Spring 2019 | The Talon 31

M

illions of people all over the world learned of Toni Harris’ commitment to Central Methodist University. She was on national television, in all the headlines, discussed in every blog imaginable, and her story blew up on social media.

Harris has become a celebrity of sorts, accepting a scholarship to become the nation’s first female college football player in a non-kicking role. Not long after starring in a Super Bowl commercial, she announced that she had signed with CMU and would be coming to Fayette, Missouri to be an Eagle.

Central alums agree she made the right choice, because they know what she’ll walk away with: a great education, friends for life, and memories that don’t fade quickly.

32 The Talon | Spring 2019

Harris played high school football, but as she was transitioning from junior varsity to varsity, “I was kicked off the team,” she said.

According to Harris, the athletic director told her football was a man’s sport.

She played in junior college in Los Angeles, and is preparing for her trip to Fayette and a step up into the NAIA. Does she fear getting hurt? No. Her worst injury actually happened while cheerleading.

Does she worry about being treated differently because she is a female?

“It happens,” she said. “Outside of football, I am a female. When I practice, I am a football player. There are times when guys try to treat me like a female. I tell them, ‘this is football practice. All that girl stuff can’t happen at practice.’”

Despite wanting to be the NFL’s first female player, football is only a part of Harris’ story. She’s been adopted four times, has overcome ovarian cancer, and is currently grieving the loss of her biological mother.

Harris wants to arrive in Fayette this fall with as little fanfare as possible.

She wants to simply be a student, make friends, delve into criminal justice, and even maybe be a cheerleader.

And... of course change the world on the football field.

Harris Isn’t The Only ‘First’ On Campus This Fall.

Other recent firsts include: • Welcoming men’s and women’s wrestling as new sports • Being the first university in the NAIA to launch Athlete Network, a special career service just for athletes • Men’s soccer winning the university’s first NAIA national championship over Missouri Valley College, stirring alumni pride in late in 2018 • Also in 2018, launching Digital U, a multimillion-dollar one-to-one iPad initiative that continues to change the campus learning environment

A Few ‘First’ Milestones At CMU Through The Years: The first building on the campus was Givens Hall (formerly Hendrix House) 1848-50.

Pat Wending, ’68, became the first female “C” Club member after playing tennis at Central for four years.

The first Howard-Payne graduates in 1849 were Cornelia Birch, Maria Crigler, Sara Major, Mary Leonard, and Maria Williams.

A year earlier, 1976, marked the first year Central had nursing graduates.

The first Central College classes were held in 1857.

1859 was the year for Central College’s first graduate – Samuel C. Major.

The first Collegian was published in 1872.

The first Central resident hall for men was Wills in 1879.

1977 was the first year Central celebrated Hall of Sponsors Scholarships. The first scholarship was in the name of the Lilburn Kingsbury family.

Central’s first off-campus site was through Mineral Area College in 1989, paving the path for today’s College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES).

1886 marked the first year women were admitted to Central College.

The first show in the beloved Ashby-Hodge Gallery was in 1993. The Gallery just completed celebrating 25 years of wonderful Missouri-centric art.

The first Native American at Howard Payne College was Carrie Mayes in 1899. She was the daughter of a Cherokee chief.

Central Methodist College in 1995 welcomed its first female president, Dr. Marianne Inman.

The first joint yearbook with HowardPayne was in 1923 and it was called Ragout Ditedoem. It was the year the colleges merged.

The institution changed from a college to a university, and its name changed from Central Methodist College to Central Methodist University in 2004.

Central’s first local social fraternity was Beta Sigma Phi in 1931.

The first V-12 Navy College Training Program Unit was stationed at Central 1943-45.

The first female president of the student government association was Anna Mae Besgrove (Hodge) in 1944.

1952 brought the first jersey retirement at Central College – Gil Georgeff – # 22 for football.

1957 was the year Central celebrated its first African-American graduate, Fielding Draffen. The first African-American to enroll was Marjorie Louise Casson in 1953.

The first building on campus in 51 years was dedicated in 2005, The Inman Student Center.

Central entered the online education world in a big way in 2010, introducing the institution’s first online programs.

Alumna Kiona Sinks gave enormous time and effort to help CMU in 2016 when she became president of AASU, Central’s first African American student union.

In 2017, CMU added Esports to the list of sports offered at CMU; University constructs Esports Arena.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 33

Central Methodist University Alumni News Greetings from the Alumni Association Board of Directors Spring, no – winter, no – summer, maybe spring?

It took a while for spring to arrive in the Midwest, but when it did, it was an exciting time for Central and for the Alumni Association. First, we hosted Founders Weekend, with the highlight being the Distinguished Alumni Awards where we honored alumni who have made names for themselves in the world. Next, graduation season began and we welcomed new alumni from our multiple campuses.

At our Distinguished Alumni Awards, we honored four alumni: Christina ThompsonShutt ’08, The Honorable Mark Calvert ’88, Yolonda Fredrick Thompson ’88, and Wayne Schoolfield ’65. The diversity represented was wonderful. We honored a historian and archivist, a judge and advocate, a makeup artist and inventor, and an entrepreneur and philanthropist. A common theme amongst the recipients was that Central believed in them and helped them find the confidence to take on the world. If you haven’t been to the event, I invite you to come next year. It is so much fun to see how successful our alumni are and how they contribute to the world.

We love celebrating our alumni and need your help! If you know of exceptional alumni who are distinguishing themselves in their careers, through philanthropy, or through service to Central, we ask that you nominate them! Help us find our successful alumni.

Founders Weekend, graduations, and Homecoming are some of the big events we participate in as part of the board. We also want to be catalysts for connection with alumni across the country. We’d love to have YOU be part of that. We are looking for more alumni to join the Board of Directors. We need representatives from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Come join the fun!

I leave you with the thought that you are always part of Central and Central is part of you. Reach out, connect with friends, and come home to Central!

Laura Blair, Class of 1986 President, Alumni Association Board of Directors

34 The Talon | Spring 2019

Alumni News & Notes

Gathering of the Mac’s Alumni Club at the CMU 2018 Homecoming.

1960s

Michael Jefferies ’68 was honored by Barron’s as one of the 2019 Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in America.

1970s

Barry Orscheln ’72 was appointed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson to the Missouri Conservation Commission earlier this spring. He is chairman and CEO of Orscheln Industries in Moberly, Mo. William “Bill” Pentland ’76 received the Coaching Career Achievement award at the Wyoming Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fames 25th annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet held on March 16 in Laramie, Wyo. Eric Anderson ’77 retired from Settlement Music School in Philadelphia in 2018 after 31 years. He spent 24 years as director of the Mary Louise Curtis Branch, where he managed the Advanced Study program and Contemporary Music Series, and seven years at the Germantown branch, where he developed a collaboration with Allens

Lane Art Center to exhibit local artists in the branch auditorium. He is the longestserving branch director in Settlement’s 110-year history, and was awarded the title Branch Director Emeritus. Eric was also a recipient of the Milestone Award from the National Guild for Community Arts Education in November 2018, recognizing his significant contributions to the field of community arts education.

1980s

Dr. John Robert Baker ’82 has been named the 2018-19 Laatsch Scholar at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.

Marvin Manring ’85 received the National Federation of High School’s Music Educator of the Year award for Missouri at the annual MMEA Conference.

Robert Jones ’86 was named the 2019 College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year at the National Strength and Conditioning Association conference on January 10, 2019.

Mark Calvert ’88 was reelected in November 2018 as Associate Circuit Judge Division

2, 25th Judicial Circuit, Phelps County. He serves as the Family Court Judge for Phelps County and the Administrative Family Court Judge for the 25th Judicial Circuit. In May, he was presented with one of Central’s Distinguished Alumni Awards for his admirable career and achievments.

Bergsten Reappointed By President Trump

1990s

Todd Watson ’91, principal at West County Elementary School in Leawood, Mo., will retire on June 30, 2019, after working for the district for 30 years.

Deacon Windsor ’93 will be the new superintendent of the Marion County R-2 school district starting July 1, 2019.

Debbie (Davenport) Lands ’99 has accepted the position as the principal and special education coordinator for the Kelso, MO C7 School District for the 2019-20 school year.

She also works for Magical Vacations, LLC as a travel specialist, specializing in Disney and Universal vacations.

T

he Office of the White House Press Secretary has announced President Donald Trump’s reappointment of C. Fred Bergsten ’61 to the administration’s advisory committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Bergsten, senior fellow and director emeritus at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, was the most widely quoted think-tank economist in the world for the eight years such data were compiled, and was called “one of the 10 people who can change your life”

by USA Today.

Initially appointed to the Trade Policy and Negotiations committee in 2010 by President Barack Obama, Bergsten was reappointed in 2014 before the Trump appointment. The committee has 20 members.

Bergsten is founding director of the Peterson Institute. He has also been elected to membership in the American Academy of Diplomacy, composed of individuals who have had distinguished careers in diplomacy or who have made notable contributions to American Foreign Policy.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 35

Central Methodist University Alumni News

Mindy Gregory ’93 and Joelle (Simpson) Morris ’93 at the 2018 Homecoming.

2000s

Still royal after all these years - Pat Wendling ’68 and Paul King ’68, former Central Homecoming Queen and King, reunite at their 50th Class Reunion at Commencement 2018.

Brian Ash ’00 was inducted into the Missouri Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Jeff Levy ’02 is the new superintendent of the North County School District in Bonne Terre, Mo. Justin Yates ’02 will be the new superintendent for the Hermitage R-4 School District starting July 1, 2019.

Kyle Langhoff ’05 was named associate head coach and defensive coordinator of the Beloit College football program in Beloit, Wis. Lauren Fruits ’07 is a graduate assistant coach for the University of Texas women’s basketball team in Austin, Texas.

She is working on her second master’s degree in sports management.

All in the CMU family - Abby Wimberley ’18, Joe Beem ’18, Molly Schofield Hennessy ’95, Judy Yeast Schofield ’61, John Schofield ’62, Maureen Hennessy (attending CMU this fall), John Hennessy ’19 operations for 417 Athletics, a future 50,000-square-foot sports facility which will be located in Mt. Vernon, Mo.

Douglas “Chad” Johnson ’09 was elected to serve on the Cassville Industrial Development Corporation Board.

Geofrey Bilabaye ’15 will be working as a research attorney at the Michigan Court of Appeals.

2010s

Nick Homan ’16 was named an admissions representative at CMU.

Sydni Alexander ’14 is the director of

Michele Rupard ’16 was an instructor for the State Fair Community College’s Softball winter camp January 26-27 for girls in grade 4-12, held at the Fred E. Davis

Caleb Haynes ’12 was appointed the wide receivers coach for the Stony Brook University football program in Stony Brook, N.Y.

36 The Talon | Spring 2019

Multipurpose Center in Sedalia, Mo. Parker Johnson ’17 was hired as webmaster by CMU’s marketing department.

Mickayla Spaulding ’17 is the director of memberships and engagement for the Chamber of Commerce in Bentonville, Ark. Missouri State Trooper Jonathan Atherton ’18 was assigned to Zone 15 which serves the citizens of Henry County.

Abigail Schapira ’18 was named an admissions representative at CMU.

Births, Marriages, Engagements 2000s Johnathan “J.R.” Royston ’02 and wife Kelly announce the birth of son William Kurt born November 30, 2018.

William Zwikelmaier ’06 and wife Lauren announce the birth of daughter Rowena “Winnie” Lauren Zwikelmaier born November 12, 2018.

Jessica (Lackland) Chrislaw ’09 and husband Lucas announce birth of daughter Layla Ruth born April 1, 2019.

2010s Maile (Pihana) Rhorer ’12 and husband Eric announce the birth of son Brody Wayne born February 6, 2019.

Stephanie Suttmoeller ’13 and Eric Jarvis are engaged to be married on May 1, 2020.

Curtis Bedor ’13 and wife Jessie (Walters) ‘10 announce the birth of son Jackson Daniel born November 8, 2018.

Paula (Daniels) Thies ’13 and husband Grant announce birth of daughter Briley Rae born April 10, 2019.

Drew Greiwe ’14 and Anne Marshall are engaged to be married on October 12, 2019.

Allyson Atchley ’16 and Gavin Williams were married December 1, 2018.

Abigail Bostic ’16 and Michael Alvarado are engaged to be married on July 4, 2019.

Brittany Houston ’16 and Jeremy Renfro were married August 25, 2018.

Hannah Hoehn ’17 and Kyle Rohde were married December 1, 2018.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 37

Ashby-Hodge Gallery Celebrates A Legendary 25 Years

By CATHY THOGMORTON

Edna Schenk “Three Joyful Dancers”

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iss M ,

1993-2018

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e

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e

shown in the Gallery.

Life, of course, like art, is much in the eyes of the beholder. Professor Thomas Yancey, co-founder of the Ashby-Hodge and friend to all Centralites, passed away in early March as the Gallery began its second quarter-century of providing outstanding art to the region.

The current show at the Gallery, “Homage to Thomas” and “Photographic Splendor,” features works by Yancey and photography by Glasgow artist Debbie Johnson. The show runs through July 18. In addition to this summer show, the Gallery will host the adult artwork for the one-day celebration of the Fayette Festival of the Arts on the first Saturday in August.

The future looks bright for the AshbyHodge Gallery as it continues to grow and share its artistic jewels with the public in the coming years.

And as our good friend, Joe, would say, “Pax.”

Ga

ay e t

38 The Talon | Spring 2019

by-Hod h s A g

entire first floor of the recently restored Classic Hall on the south end of the campus. With three full galleries, it usually showcases multiple artists at one time.

To celebrate the special 25th year, Joe, Thomas, and Curator Denise Haskamp presented shows by legendary Missouri artists George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton; newer artists including surgeon– turned–artist Dr. Everett “Butch” Murphy with his metal horse sculptures; the photography of Jerry Benner in “Winter’s Delights;” and “The Light Fantastic” paintings of Robert MacDonald Graham.

The highlight of the year’s celebration was a gala dinner where current and past members of the Ashby-Hodge Board of Directors, CMU members of the Board of Trustees, and special guests reminisced about the gallery’s evolution and its rosy future plans. A video by local artist David Holman profiled many of the significant artists and their works that have been

ric

I

n the world of art, people are encouraged to reflect on each piece and interpret it in their own ways. So it is with the 25th anniversary year of The AshbyHodge Gallery of Art; so it is with life.

The Ashby-Hodge Gallery was founded in 1998 by two men with vision, Dr. Joe Geist, emeritus professor of English at CMU, and Thomas Yancey, who had taught both music and art at Central. It was established on the lower level of Cupples Hall with artwork primarily from the personal collection of Dr. Lawrence and Loretta Ashby from Pekin, Ill., and with financial support from Dr. Robert and Anna Mae Hodge of Kansas City, Mo. The initial offerings included a variety of oil, water color, charcoal, pencil, and acrylic works, plus a number of three-dimensional selections. As of 2019, the Gallery owns more than 1,000 pieces of art.

In 2013, the Gallery, which had long since outgrown its space, took over the

By JIM STEELE

taught art classes at CMU in both painting and art history.

At the conservatory, he served as associate professor of piano, music theory and organ. For many years he played the organ for Central’s weekly chapel services, in addition to numerous concerts on both piano and organ, also serving as an adjudicator for numerous music festivals and the annual Concerto Competition in Jefferson City.

Tom was cofounder of CMU’s highly regarded Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, now housed in Classic Hall on campus. He was curator of the gallery (and CMU’s Stephens Museum) from 1993 to 1998. Shortly before retirement, he was the first Central Methodist recipient honored with the Exemplary Teacher Award given annually by the Nashville-based United Methodist Board of Higher Education and recommended by the CMU’s Faculty Personnel Committee. Later in 2002 he was the recipient of Central’s Distinguished Service Award.

“Professor Tom Yancey made a lasting impression on Central,” said CMU President Roger Drake. “Tom frequently mentioned how lucky he was to have the best job in the world—music and art. “We were the lucky ones to have him in our presence and in our lives.”

In addition to his Central Methodist artistic endeavors, Tom was a respected freelance artist and painting restoration specialist. For many years he maintained an art studio in the Uriel Wright Building on the west side of the Fayette town square, now better known as the FAHA building.

He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from (then) Central College in 1954 and in 1955 was awarded a Master’s Degree in

Beloved CMU Professor Tom Yancey Passes Away

O

ne of Central Methodist University’s most iconic and longest-tenured faculty members died at the age of 86.

Thomas L. Yancey Jr., a native of Marshall and a resident of Fayette since 1958, passed away Feb. 25 at The Lodge nursing facility just outside Fayette where he had been a resident since last fall. Mr. Yancey had been in declining health in recent years.

A celebration of life service was held April 27 at Linn Memorial Church. The church was overflowing with those wishing to pay tribute to a beloved professor and friend.

Joining the faculty in 1958, Tom served as a beloved teacher and mentor to hundreds of students taking classes at CMU’s Swinney Conservatory of Music – doing so during a time-span covering six decades. In 1972 he served as the conservatory’s acting dean. He took emeritus status in 1995.

In addition to being an accomplished musician, Tom was a well-known artist and

music from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, later doing doctoral work at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. Tom served in the U.S. Army in Korea (1956-1958) and immediately afterward became a member of the faculty at his alma mater.

In addition to his teaching duties, he published several choral anthems including “Bless Ye The Lord,” “Song of David” and “Carol” (based on a poem written by Thomas Merton). Tom also composed the musical background for the play “Some Trust in Chariots.”

Born Oct. 27, 1932, he was the son of Leland Yancey and Grace Strother Yancey.

As a high school student, he would frequently travel via bus from Marshall to Fayette to study piano and music composition with the late Dr. N. Louise Wright, founding dean of Central’s Swinney Conservative of Music.

Over the years, Tom served as president of numerous organizations including the CMU chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia; the Boonslick Art League (charter member); and the Fayette Area Heritage Association (FAHA). He was honored with Phi Mu’s Orpheus Award and had been the recipient of a CMU Curator Scholarship designated for summer art study in Germany, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

Additional service included being a board member of the Boonslick Historical Society, the CMU Alumni Association, and the MU Art & Archaeology Board.

A longtime member of Linn Memorial United Methodist Church, Tom had sung for many years in the choir and had served on the official board.

Tom is survived by his companion of 45 years, Dr. Joe E. Geist, and Nancy Yancey, widow of his late brother, Wallis. He also is survived by nieces Sarah (Brad) Friskey Luecke, Columbia; Barbara (Dan Holland) Friskey, Columbia; Martha (David) Remer, San Antonio; and Mary (Alan) Yancey Wheat, St. Louis, in addition to a nephew, Daniel (Robyn) Yancey, St. Louis. Besides his parents and brother, he was preceded in death by a sister, Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Friskey.

Interment was at Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorial contributions are suggested to the CMU Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art or the Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist University.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 39

Central Methodist University In Memoriam

Saying Goodbye To Good Friends Edward Moffat

Dr. Jerry Priddy Central Methodist University lost a beloved faculty member just before Christmas upon the sudden passing of Dr. Jerry Vance Priddy on December 14, 2018.

Dr. Priddy, 65, was born September 4, 1953 in Albany, Ga. to Bud and Ruth (McLoughlin) Priddy. He was a graduate of North Western High School in Pa. In 2000, he received his doctoral degree in mathematics from Idaho State University.

He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1975, and married Elaina Wilcox December 23, 1986 in Pa. Dr. Priddy had been a professor of mathematics at Central Methodist University since 2002.

Survivors include his wife, Elaina, at home; five sons, Jake Priddy of Martinsburg, Va., Josh Priddy of Pine, Colo., Maxxon Priddy of Langley, Va., Boone and Sam Priddy of Fayette, Mo.; and three brothers, John, Bob and Bud Priddy. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Jeff Priddy.

A memorial service was held December 18 at Faith Family Church in Fayette with Rev. Jamie Page officiating. Military honors followed the service. Memorials are suggested to the Mathematics Department of Central Methodist University, 411 Central Methodist Square, Fayette, Mo. 65248.

40 The Talon | Spring 2019

Edward Dean Moffat passed away January 2, 2019 at Hospice of the Valley in Surprise, Ariz., surrounded by his loving family.

Ed was born on October 23, 1933 in Sparta, Ill., the son of Leon and Velva Moffat. Following his graduation from Sparta High School, Ed attended Central College in Fayette, Mo. on a basketball scholarship. During his junior year at Central, Ed met Kay, and so began their life-long journey. Following Ed’s graduation from Central in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry, Ed became a chemist at Grove Laboratories in St. Louis.

Ed married Kay on August 28, 1955 and they moved to Great Lakes Naval Base in Ill. where he served two years in the Navy.

Following his service, Ed and Kay returned to St. Louis where they raised their three daughters, Cheryl, Cindy, and Christine.

In 1974, Ed’s family relocated to Madison, Wis. where he worked for Lab Products as a District Sales Manager for the Midwest Region until his retirement in 1999.

Ed enjoyed sailing/pontooning, camping, cooking, biking, playing bridge, reading, traveling, and especially times spent with his family and friends. Grandpa Ed was famous for his planned scavenger hunts on the annual family fall camping trip and for getting all his grandkids hooked on the Harry Potter series.

After six years of “snowbird” trips from Wis. to Ariz., Ed and Kay moved permanently to the Phoenix area in 2015.

Ed is survived by Kay, his wife of 63 years; daughters: Cheryl (Skip) Wright of Spicer Minn., Cindy (Dave) Allen of Deerfield, Wis., Christine (Kevin) Ronson of Peoria, Ariz.; grandchildren Colin Wright, Jackson Wright, Kelsey (Chad) Mulder, and Amanda Allen; sister Shirlee (Frankdeceased on 1/4/2019) Kirby, and nephews, Mark Kirby and Mike (Karen) Kirby.

Donations may be made in Ed’s honor to Hospice of the Valley, 14066 W. Waddell Rd, Surprise, Ariz. 85379.

1930s Mary Edith Parsons Robins ’39 of Jewett, Texas died Nov. 27, 2018.

1940s Gwendolyn Kirk Lane ’43 of Smyrna, Tenn. died Dec. 7, 2018.

Martha Parrish Chapman ’47 of Lenexa, Kan. died Dec. 16, 2018.

Wallace G. Gray Jr. ’48 of Winfield, Kan. died Feb. 3, 2019.

Lois D. Digman Carroll ’49 of Weaverville, N.C. died Jan. 16, 2019.

Jean Heitmann Elbert ’49 of Battlefield, Mo. died Mar. 5, 2019.

David M. Firestone ’49 of Kansas City, Mo. died Jan. 31, 2019.

LaRita Dillon McIntyre ’49 of Benton, Ky. died Dec. 19, 2018.

Marian Schaefer Tempel ’49 of Sedalia, Mo. died Dec. 16, 2018.

1950s Everett D. Powell ’50 of Savannah, Mo. died Jan. 27, 2019.

John K. Ware ’50 of Saint Louis, Mo. died Dec. 22, 2018.

Lewis Merle Cartwright ’51 of Allen, Texas died Oct. 8, 2018.

Nancy Smith Kirk ’51 of Ellisville, Mo. died Nov. 14, 2018.

Ruth E. Monroe ’51 of Memphis, Mo. died Jan. 27, 2019.

Dorothea Calley Strasser ’51 of Delray Beach, Fla. died Nov. 20, 2018.

Orval L. Henderson Jr. ’52 of Saint Louis, Mo. died Mar. 17, 2019.

James L. Winningham ’53 of Arthur, Ill. died Oct. 31, 2018.

Frank E. Kirby Jr. ’54 of O Fallon, Mo. died Jan. 4, 2019.

Thomas L. Yancey ’54 of Fayette, Mo. died Feb. 25, 2019.

Kenneth Eugene Kirchner ’55 of Kahoka, Mo. died Oct. 2, 2018.

Edward D. Moffat ’55 of Peoria, Ariz. died Jan. 2, 2019.

William LaFayette Armontrout ’56 of Centralia, Mo. died Nov. 29, 2018.

Nancy Dee Foster March ’57 of Shawnee Mission, Kan. died Nov. 27, 2018.

Carol A. Ridder Pregge ’57 of Independence, Mo. died Feb. 4, 2019.

Alex Phillips ’58 of Columbia, Mo. died Feb. 18, 2019.

William Hal Shaffer Jr. ’58 of Columbia, Mo. died Mar. 19, 2019.

Patricia Phillips Hilgeman ’59 of Georgetown, Texas died Mar. 24, 2019.

George William Sparks ’59 of Moberly, Mo. died Nov. 6, 2018.

G. Daniel Kingore ’78 of Lake In The Hills, Ill. died Feb. 14, 2019.

1960s

2010s

Charles Gale Stowers ’60 of Centralia, Mo. died Feb. 15, 2019.

Mary Edlen Tayloe ’60 of Cuba, Mo. died Oct. 26, 2018.

Virginia Terry Preston ’61 of Saint Charles, Mo. died Mar. 22, 2019.

John Daniel Ferrier ’62 of Jefferson City, Mo. died Jan. 14, 2019.

Robert C. Robb ’62 of Fayette, Mo. died Feb. 24, 2019.

Timothy John Herbert ’64 of Naples, Fla. died Nov. 12, 2018.

Molly D. Holt Stanley ’65 of Canton, Mo. died Mar. 20, 2019.

Frank J. Vielhaber III ’66 of Osage Beach, Mo. died Feb. 22, 2019.

Ruth Haney Schwieterman ’67 of Raytown, Mo. died Feb. 17, 2019.

Lloyd P. Page III ’68 of Springfield, Mo. died Mar. 3, 2019.

Kory A. Davis ’12 of Columbia, Mo. died Dec. 13, 2018.

Rebecca Marie Sherman ’14 of Chamois, Mo. died Jan. 1, 2019.

1970s Kenneth L. Vogelmann ’71 of Springfield, Mo. died Feb. 10, 2019.

Gene C. Ditch II ’77 of Lake Saint Louis, Mo. died Mar. 1, 2019.

1980s Sarah Ann Webb-Wilson ’82 of Boonville, Mo. died Jan. 26, 2019.

Michelle Moran Mueller-Hinton ’83 of Grain Valley, Mo. died Dec. 15, 2018.

1990s Jeremy Lane Borron ’95 of Kansas City, Mo. died Mar. 24, 2019.

Nancy Marie Newsom ’95 of Columbia, Mo. died Jan. 15, 2019.

William Martin Geske ’96 of Caledonia, Ill. died Nov. 17, 2018.

CMU Friends, Former Faculty, Staff Virginia Daniels Bailey of Saint Louis, Mo. died Feb. 20, 2019.

Robert C. Baker of Atascadero, Calif. died Jan. 7, 2019.

Lester Peters of Boonville, Mo. died Mar. 30, 2019.

Jerry Priddy of Fayette, Mo. died Dec. 14, 2018.

Lee Schweighauser of Fayette, Mo. died Mar. 15, 2019.

Arline Slovensky of New Florence, Mo. died Nov. 28, 2018.

Harry S. Tausch of Fayette, Mo. died Mar. 19, 2019.

Robert Tucker of Festus, Mo. died Feb. 23, 2019.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 41

Central Methodist University

Helm-Sisney Receives Full Scholarship At ‘Central’s Got Talent’

O

n Friday, Dec. 7, dreams were made for a high school student who walked away with pride in her talent and a full scholarship offer in her hands.

“Central’s Got Talent,” sponsored by CMU’s Division of Fine and Performing

Arts, awarded Makenzie Helm-Sisney, from Sullivan, Mo., a full-tuition scholarship to Central Methodist. Helm-Sisney is a trombone player, and will attend Central in the fall.

The competition included both performance and essay contests to determine

Career Expo Attendance Up 16 Percent

T

he Career Development Center hosted its annual Career Expo Feb. 28, and more than 40 employers attended ranging from banking and law enforcement to healthcare and the Peace Corps, as well as Study Abroad and graduate schools.

Employers were able to showcase their organizations to prepared, organized, serious students seeking full-time employment,

42 The Talon | Spring 2019

summer jobs, internships, and graduate/ professional school information.

Nicolette Yevich, director of CMU’s Career Development Center, and her staff welcomed 164 students through the doors of the Inman Student and Community Center, a 16 percent increase in attendance over last year.

“The majority of employers were not looking for a specific major,” Yevich said.

the winners. Categories were instrumental and piano, vocal, praise music, theatre, and theatre design.

At Central’s Got Talent, full-tuition awards are the top prize, but first and second place awards are also given in each of the five talent categories. Even for those who competed and didn’t finish in one of those places, scholarships were given. All 30 competitors walked away with offers.

“Most employers were looking for competent leads that want to take on an active role in the company or organization.”

The Career Development Center implemented Handshake in recent years, and ever since, registering for events has become much easier for students and employers.

“Since we have been using Handshake we have gained new employers to attend our events,” she said. “There is no wait time from employer sign-up to when a student can see their information.”

The career management platform, Handshake, and CMU’s Digital U initiative go hand-in-hand. Having access to the Handshake app on their iPads allows students to set appointments with the Career Development Center, review job postings, upload and review their documents – such as resumes and cover letters – register for events, and much more.

“No matter where they are on campus, students can see what the Career Center has going on,” Yevich said.

Professional headshots were provided for students to use on accounts such as LinkedIn and Handshake, and many faculty and staff took advantage of this benefit, as well.

Mission Trip Takes Students Out Of Comfort Zones

T

he Center for Faith and Service hosted its annual mission trip March 23-29, and 19 students and their chaperones traveled to the town of Esperanza on the island of Vieques, off the east coast of Puerto Rico. It was CMU’s first-ever mission trip outside of the United States.

Kayla Kelly, campus Chaplain, Cassandra Frink, director of civic engagement and student programming, and Caryn Jackson, CGES admission specialist, led the group. The trip was set up

by Sarah Dumas of Next Generation Ministries through the Missouri Annual Conference in partnership with Rehace, a non-profit organization of the Puerto Rico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

The Iglesia de Metodist de Esperanza hosted CMU’s group, which spent seven days on an island still powered by generators. They experienced 85-degree weather, wore blue jeans, worked hard daily, and slept in areas without air conditioning, and with plenty of bugs. They had extremely reduced shower times, and were very careful about the water they drank.

The CMU students worked to rehabilitate homes of community members, as well as a local United Methodist Church that had received damage from Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017.

The students broke into three groups to have on-going projects. A group of 10 led

by Kelly worked in the sanctuary of the

Methodist church, and removed paint, primed and painted, and removed metal hardware from walls. They removed broken cement on the floor, patched holes in concrete, and removed and replaced water-damaged ceiling tiles. Kelly’s team also removed water-damaged fabricated plywood walls and replaced it with new wood.

“Twenty-two people from Missouri were taken out of their comfort zones and asked to work hard,” Kelly said. “The students’ relationships with their faith grew, their self confidence grew, they grew in their language skills, and they watched relationships with each other grow. Those relationships have continued to grow since returning, and that is the mark of a successful mission trip.”

Frink and Jackson’s team of students worked at two local community members’ homes. The group worked to remove paint from the stucco homes and repainted.

Students wore a harness and cleaned and resealed roofs. The group also made repairs to a house that was hand built, and repainted the front wall inside of the home.

“Students (got to) stay in a place where we ended up sunburnt, dirty, and hot,” Frink said. “The only complaint I heard was that they did not get to finish what they started. Leaders lead by doing.

I kept saying that over and over because that’s what I saw from our students. It was phenomenal.”

Spring 2019 | The Talon 43

Central Methodist University

(Left to right) Emily Angell, Kylie Limback, Miranda Weigand, Dr. Tiger Gordon

CMU Students Present At ACS National Meeting In Orlando Event Featured Presentations On New Scientific Discoveries

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hree Central Methodist University students attended the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) National Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, Fla., where they were among thousands of presentations on new discoveries in science.

The students representing Central Methodist were Emily Angell, a senior chemistry major from Centralia; Kylie Limback, a senior biology major from Waverly; and Miranda Weigand, a senior chemistry and mathematics double major from Weatherby.

During the event, Angell and Weigand gave presentations over their summer

44 The Talon | Spring 2019

work at their REU (research experience for undergraduates) programs, according to Dr. Tiger Gordon, professor of chemistry at CMU. Angell worked at Oak Ridge National Labs on mercury contaminated water ways near the national lab, and Weigand conducted research related to Diabetes.

“We had a great time and I couldn’t be more proud of these young ladies,” Gordon said. “They presented their REU programs and CMU in an extraordinary fashion.”

According to Gordon, the CMU students were three of over 10,000 attendees at this particular meeting. The trip was made

possible by a gift from Dr. Ralph Knowles to the chapter of Gamma Sigma Epsilon – National Chemistry Honor Society.

“My hope is to save those funds so we can go to the national meeting at least once every four years to allow chemistry students to experience this kind of atmosphere,” he said.

Gordon also hopes to one day fund students and faculty to be able to remain on the Central Methodist campus for summer research opportunities, so they are able to present original research conducted in Fayette at the meetings.

Study: CMU Has Major Impact On Economy

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n economic impact study conducted by Central states that CMU has an annual impact of $70.5 million on Howard County, and $123.1 million on the state of Missouri.

Central employs 301 people in full-time positions, and another 283 in part-time roles. The university’s presence generates another 137 jobs indirectly in the economy. Central’s total gross payroll is over $18 million.

“CMU is the largest employer in the largest employment industry we have – education,” said Amber Overfelt, chair of the Howard County Economic Development Council (HCEDC). “CMU is vital to Howard County’s success now and in the future.”

Many CMU employees live in Howard County. Their tax payments, grocery spending, and other spending in Howard County is about $9 million. Students and their families pour an additional $8 million into the county by visiting on special occasions such as Family Day, Homecoming, and Commencement.

Annually, CMU spends $35.7 million and another $7.5 million in capital projects. Central pours $14.3 million into scholarships and aid for its students.

The study also notes the estimated 7,200 hours of community service generated by students, staff, and faculty, which has a value of $169,643. CMU has 4,727 undergraduate students and 332 graduate students.

Data experts at CMU say the study’s significance is in the 1:1 “multiplier” used. Central President Roger Drake said the choice was made to use a very conservative “dollar-fordollar” multiplier as opposed to other methodologies that use 2:1, 3:1, or even up to 7:1 multipliers.

Drake said Central used the American Council on Education methodology, measuring spending impact, employee expenditures, and student and family expenditures. He said the impact of employee expenditures is calculated as 76% of salary.

Overfelt said Drake and CMU’s leadership

(Left to right) Chaplain Kayla Kelly, Annette Crump, and Tara Bush

CMU Celebrates MLK Day

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arkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

CMU’s 12th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration was hosted Jan. 23 and was sponsored by the African American Student Union (AASU) and The Center for Faith and

Service. A luncheon was catered from Fresh Ideas in the Spaulding Room for faculty, staff, CMU students, and members of the Fayette community.

The annual MLK Jr. Day celebration started with Chaplain Kayla Kelly offering an opening prayer, followed by lunch and a welcome message from Nehemiah Colyer,

$123.1 MILLION ANNUALLY throughout Missouri

clearly recognize the institution’s unique presence in the community and provide significant financial support of the HCEDC and Howard County’s partnership with Moberly Area Economic Development Council.

“We do our best to contribute our time, talent, and treasure to the betterment of this county,” Drake said. “I think I am most proud of the selfless contributions our students make here. They, along with our employees, do a lot of volunteer work to lift up the community.”

AASU vice president. As attendees were enjoying lunch, AASU President Tara Bush read an excerpt from Dr. King’s “Definition of Greatness.” Bush spoke about how the words of that speech were reflected by the 2019 recipient of the Lealure Tindall Memorial Award – given to a CMU employee who demonstrates a commitment and passion to serving others in the spirit of MLK, and worthy of honoring the memory and legacy of Tindall. The recipient of the award was Ms. Annette Crump.

Annette has worked for Fresh Ideas for 32 years. She is a kind spirit who always greets students, faculty, staff, and visitors with a bight smile and a “Hi honey.” Her compassion towards her job and the CMU campus have been proven by her servant-leadership, and all that she has done at Central.

Shortly after lunch and awards, the group was inspired by Rev. Charlie Wright of Second Baptist Church of Fayette. Rev. Wright spoke about Dr. King urging others to make the world a better place, and to love thy neighbor. The audience even broke out in song along with Rev. Wright. The luncheon concluded with a closing prayer from Rev. Karen Jones.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 45

Central Methodist University

By MAGGIE GEBHARDT

Fleer Lecture Addresses Varying Portrayals Of Jesus

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hen one thinks about Jesus, certain physical traits come to mind. In the United States, typically, it’s a gentle, blue-eyed, light skin, bearded man with beautiful long brown hair. But for years, all over the world, the perception of Jesus’ appearance has been evolving in accordance with the people who reflect upon it.

These changes, and the many different ways Jesus is imagined to physically look, were discussed Tuesday, Feb. 26 during Central’s annual Gilbert and Ruth Fleer Lecture on Values-Based Education.

Lee Jefferson, the NEH professor of religion at Centre College, presented “What Would Jesus’ Selfie Look Like? – The Historical Jesus vs. Jesus in Christian Art” for a crowd of CMU faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors.

As he spoke, Jefferson reflected on the historical inconsistencies surrounding the perception of Jesus’ appearance – more specifically, how he has been portrayed in a variety of ways in Christian art.

He provided examples of the different interpretations of Jesus, ranging from “the good shepherd” and “the miracle worker” to images depicting Helios – the Titan god of the sun.

Depending on those who were creating the art, what area of the world they lived, or during what years, it’s impossible to argue with the fact that the appearance of Jesus changes. But why?

According to Jefferson, historical Jesus has evolved over time to match the beliefs and spiritual needs of certain Christian groups. In other words, Jesus “mirrors”

46 The Talon | Spring 2019

his audience – thus providing a source of comfort.

At the beginning of his lecture, Jefferson showed a rendering of what historical Jesus probably looked like – a Palestinian Jew with dark hair and dark eyes. He said the idea of such an appearance tends to cause confusion and negative reactions.

“In fact, this image is probably closer to the historical Jesus, rather than the Sallman Jesus,” he said.

Part of it, likely, has to do with dating.

The Letters of Paul are closest to the life of Jesus, so the New Testament authors didn’t know the historical Jesus. More specifically, Paul didn’t. He knew the risen Jesus, according to Jefferson.

“So, what do we do? We kind of fill that gap with our own idea of what Jesus might look like, and that has created the early Christian artistic tradition of these conceptions of Jesus,” he said.

Jefferson is the author of Christ the Miracle Worker in Early Christian Art, and co-author of The Art of Empire: Christian

Art in its Imperial Context.

He has worked on excavations in Israel, traveled and taught courses on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and researched on church art in Rome featuring Jesus performing miracles.

Currently, he is working on a book focusing on the doors of Santa Sabina, Rome, and a particular panel featuring Peter and Paul.

Jefferson received his bachelor’s degree from Sewanee-University of the South and a Master of Divinity from Southern Methodist University. He earned his Master of Arts and Ph.D. in religion from Vanderbilt University.

Gilbert and Ruth Fleer, Bentonville, Ark., are the founders of Central Methodist’s Fleer Lecture Series. Both are CMU alums, and Gilbert was assistant professor of religion at Central from 1959 to 1965.

The 2019 Fleer Lecture was cosponsored by CMU’s English, Foreign Languages, Philosophy and Religion Division, and by the CMU Advancement and Alumni Relations Department.

By MAGGIE GEBHARDT

New Perry Lecture Focuses On Faith and Science

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t’s no secret that science and religion do not hold a strong reputation for walking hand in hand. Often, there are believers of science and there are believers of God. And when pondering time, evolution, and the reality of life itself, the idea of overlapping the two becomes more and more rare.

But according to Dr. Jonathan L. Lunine, David C. Duncan Professor of Physical Sciences at Cornell University and director of the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, it is possible – and he, along with other reputable scientists, are living proof.

Lunine visited Central for its first-ever Thomas A. Perry Faith and Science Lecture.

He presented “How A Scientist Can Be A Believer (And Maybe, Perhaps, A Better Scientist).”

“One can journey in one’s life toward science and not away from faith, but actually toward faith,” Lunine said. “The two can go together.”

As a planetary scientist, Lunine works to study and understand the planets in the solar system and around other stars. He’s particularly interested in if life could arise in environments elsewhere in the cosmos.

About four years ago, Lunine, who is Catholic, realized Catholic students needed

a new way of having fellowship on campus.

Tying his faith to his work, he cofounded the Society of Catholic Scientists (www.catholicscientists.org), a group that now encompasses nearly 1,000 members.

“The purpose of this society is to be witnesses to the harmony between the vocation of scientists and the life of faith,” he said.

“We want to demonstrate harmony by simply being who we are. We hold conferences, mentor students, have discussions, and so forth.”

To strengthen his point that one can be both a believer in science and in faith, Lunine spoke about Father George LeMaitre, a Catholic priest and Belgian mathematician and physicist, who is universally acknowledged as the father of the Big Bang model.

This theory has been validated by a number of astronomical observations, and states that about 14 billion years ago, everything – space, time, and matter, was in a different, compressed state – inconceivably small, and from that state, everything began.

“But he did much more than that. He nearly became the person who would be recognized as having invented Hubble’s Law,” Lunine said. Hubble’s Law states that the universe is expanding.

“We all think Hubble discovered it, but

LeMaitre actually published it first in a poorly-known Belgian journal written in French – which in 1927, was not the leading language of science and very few people actually knew about or read it,” Lunine said. “Two years later, in the United States, Hubble published his data showing the linear relationship, so everyone thinks he was the first to come up with it.”

The order of events was later unraveled, and when LeMaitre was presented with the opportunity to receive equal credit for the findings, he made the choice to not be involved in retranslating the model, as years had gone by and there was no point in going back to focus on and publish old data.

“This speaks to the deep integrity and humility of LeMaitre,” Lunine said. “I have to say that the behavior of this deeply religious man speaks to the things that come from a deep sense of faith. I can’t prove that, but I would assert that.”

Lunine earned his PhD in planetary science from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and recipient of the Jean Dominique Cassini Medal of the European Geosciences Union (2015) and the Basic Sciences Award of the International Academy of Astronautics (2009). He is the author of Earth: Astrobiology, A Multidisciplinary Approach (Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2005) and Earth: Evolution of a Habitable World (second edition, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2013).

The lecture was made possible by the generosity of Reverend Garth Leigh, who wanted to honor the memory of Dr. Thomas Perry, longtime chair of the then-Central Methodist College English Department. Leigh, who served as a United Methodist pastor for many years and now works as a freelance writer, endowed the lecture as a testament to the impact Perry had on generations of students at Central.

Perry (1912-2002) spent 20 years as chairman of the Department of English at Central. He also was chair of the Division of Literature and Languages, and chair of the honors program. He sponsored Scribblers and Scrawlers, a club for aspiring creative writers, hosting and entertaining them monthly at his home. Perry is the late father of Tad Perry, chairman of the Board of Trustees at CMU.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 47

Central Methodist University

Meet CMU’s New Staff Members Mary Ann Coatney, director of student health services

“I’ve always enjoyed working with young adults and the diversity of the student body here at CMU is awesome.”

Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., Coatney moved to Missouri in 1984.

She provides health care to those on the Central Methodist campus, which includes diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental illnesses, and customer service to students, donors, sponsors, alumni, and all internal and external constituents. She joined CMU after working as a Missouri school district substitute teacher, sub school nurse, and teacher aide in a special education classroom at Moberly Middle School. She also worked at Moberly Area Community College as a part-time CNA instructor.

Deanna Cooper, director of development

“I couldn’t be more delighted to return to Central. Many good things have been taking place and a wonderful energy abounds campus.”

From 2013 to 2017, Cooper was the director of development and alumni activities for CMU’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations. She then moved to Colorado – her mountain roots, as she is originally from Gunnison, Colo. – before

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making a return to Central. As director of development, she creates and cultivates relationships with alumni and friends – connecting people to the mission of the institution. In Colorado, Cooper was the Hinsdale County administrator before becoming the branch manager for JC Propane, Inc., both in Lake City.

Rachel Gerlach,

business services administrative assistant

“I have been hoping to join Central for some time. I’m so grateful for the opportunity and look forward to what my future holds here.”

As the new business services administrative assistant, Rachel Gerlach, a Glasgow, Mo. native, is responsible for general office administrative and support tasks for Business Services including office function, filing insurance claims, maintaining motor vehicle records and registrations, assisting with accounting projects, monitoring lease agreements, and more. Formerly, she was an office manager/ receptionist for J&H Logging, LLC in Fayette. Before that, she was a teacher’s assistant and teacher at Central Missouri Community Action, Head Start in Glasgow.

Kelsey Grimm,

student accounts advisor (CGES)

“I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to join a

team that has such a great mission, creed, values, and goals.”

Working from CMU’s main campus in Fayette, Grimm, from Glasgow, Mo. has been named the student accounts advisor.

In this position, she ensures financial readiness for students of CMU’s College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES).

She works collaboratively with Central’s billing specialist to resolve delinquent student accounts, and works with the Admissions and Financial Assistance offices to proactively focus on supporting retention and preventing delinquencies. She also provides financial counseling to students.

Prior to joining CMU, Grimm worked in accounting at the Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino in Boonville, where she processed and issued payments, communicated with vendors, was responsible for several forms of documentation, and kept track of a variety of accounting data.

Nick Homan,

admissions representative

“I have a good understanding of the ins and outs of our school, including its history, academic programs, student life, and overall mission to prepare students to make a difference in the world.”

Homan, a Troy, Mo. native and CMU alumnus, was named an admissions representative for the Admissions Department, and it was his recruitment background and ties to CMU that made him stand apart in a pool of qualified candidates.

In his role, he recruits prospective students within his assigned territory, and regularly communicates with those students and their families. Additionally, he develops relationships with various high school representatives, and spends time traveling to college fairs and other special events. Before joining Admissions, Homan received great experience recruiting for Central’s Track and Field program.

Parker Johnson, webmaster

“Above all, my hope is to better serve the institution that has made such a positive impact on my life these past six years.”

After graduating from Central, Johnson, from Richmond, Mo. shifted his skillset into a professional setting as part of CMU’s Technology Services before being named Central’s webmaster for Marketing and Communications. Now, he is responsible for the support and maintenance of CMU’s website, including layout, design, content updates, and analytics. Johnson also contributes to marketing Central through advertising campaigns, social media, video, public relations, and design. For Technology Services, he was as a systems analyst, which called for expertise in the setup, implementation, and maintenance of CMU’s administrative database system, as well as associated applications that support resources for business operations.

Elizabeth Kirby,

associate director of admissions

“I am excited to join Central and be part of a university that is moving forward.”

Kirby, originally from Milwaukee, Wis. but now a Moberly, Mo. resident, has been hired as CMU’s new associate director of admissions, working to locate, identify, and recruit prospective students and their families for the purpose of enrollment.

She provides support for undergraduate admission operations while managing the life cycle of admission files and records for undergraduate applicants, and assists with the supervision, operations, and enrollment management systems. Formerly, Kirby was a walk manager at Alzheimer’s Association in Columbia. Before that, she was a senior enrollment advisor for Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kan., where she managed the recruitment of high school students in 12 states. She also worked with both undergraduate and graduate international students in areas of admission, immigrations, customs, and adjusting to life in the United States.

Jennifer McCloud, student accounts supervisor

“I love walking onto campus and being star-struck with the history and feeling of new beginnings and endless opportunities.”

A Panora, Iowa native and Clifton Hill, Mo. resident, McCloud is the new student accounts supervisor for CMU’s Business Office. In this role, she is responsible for the timely collection of student accounts, and analyzing, monitoring, and reporting accounts receivable balances. She also prepares records for audit reports, and monitors credits, refunds, and Title IV return situations. McCloud joined CMU after working for LEAF Commercial Capital in Moberly, where she received and processed profits, handled finance accounts, sorted and delivered mail, and performed other accounts receivable duties.

Abi Schapira,

admissions representative

from Rocheport, Mo. was hired as an admissions representative. In her role, she represents CMU at college fairs, open houses, and other recruitment events.

Focused on a designated area in Missouri, Schapira works directly with high school counselors, prospective students, and their parents. She has experience as a student ambassador for Central – a position she held for two years. The role allowed her to work and communicate with students considering CMU. She also was a member of the CMU Spirit Squad all four years (captain her junior and senior year), Zeta Psi Lambda Social Sorority, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Andrea Waner,

director of annual giving

“I am excited to tell the story of the community and contribute to the long legacy of Central.”

Waner, from Columbia, Mo. was named the director of annual giving for CMU’s Advancement and Alumni Relations team.

In this role, she is tasked with helping grow the Central Annual Fund through a variety of ways including faculty and staff giving, affinity giving, and alumni relations. Waner designs vertically integrated solicitation strategies with small donations from many donors as her main goal. Formerly, she served as the communications manager for the Institute for People, Place, and Possibility in Columbia, which is a nonprofit organization working to create healthy, equitable, sustainable communities through data, technology, and community partnerships. In addition to the valuable experience she received there, Waner currently serves as the chair of the City of Columbia Commission on Human Rights.

“My love for CMU runs strong, and I am eager and enthusiastic to talk with prospective students and show them what makes Central special.”

A recent graduate of Central, Schapira,

Spring 2019 | The Talon 49

Central Methodist University

Nettie Cherrington Retires

Over 40 Years Of Dedicated Service, Memories

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here are few people who think of Central Methodist University’s Business Office and don’t think of Nettie Cherrington.

She began her journey with Central in September of 1978, and it didn’t take long before she made a name for herself as a reliable, dedicated employee.

According to Cherrington, it all began when Dr. John R. Smart, Jr. called her on the phone to see if she would work for him in the Allied Health Consortium. Cherrington declined the offer, as her main focus at the time was raising her two young children. Smart was committed, though, and tried again in the fall, hoping to get Cherrington to come on board before school began.

“Since I had worked for 10 years with him before, I agreed to work part-time for a while,” Cherrington said.

As Central Methodist started to feel more and more like home, little did she know a “part-time” job would turn into a full-time career, and “a while” would eventually amount to 41 years.

Cherrington began with then-Central Methodist College as a secretary in the Allied Health Consortium. She then served as a secretary in the Education Department before beginning work with the treasurer in 1986 as an administrative assistant for finance – a position she held all the way up until her retirement.

“It has been an exciting journey,” Cherrington said. “I have had three great supervisors and many wonderful co-workers.”

Over the years, she had offices in Stedman Hall of Science, Givens Hall, and five in

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Brannock Hall. The biggest, most memorable change for her was when she went from manually recording records in ledger books to computers.

“When I came to Central, we had an enrollment of less than 700, and today, we have over a thousand just on campus and also online and off-campus sites,” she said.

Though Central has been such a huge part of much of her life and she will miss it greatly, Cherrington said she looks forward to finding other avenues to occupy her time.

She has two children – James Cherrington and wife Mindy of Columbia, Mo. and Nancy Cherrington Green of LaPlata, Mo. “I love working outdoors, cooking, and needlework,” she said, “and I will have more

time to enjoy my seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.”

Cherrington currently resides in Glasgow, Mo. Her last day working for Central Methodist was Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. A congratulatory retirement party was held in her honor the day before in Brannock Hall.

Central thanks Cherrington for her dedication and outstanding work, and wishes her abundant happiness going forward.

“Nettie will be missed at Central,” said CMU President Roger Drake. “We will always remember her gracious attitude and servant’s heart. She will now have more time to brighten the days of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, just as she has brightened ours for the last 41 years.”

CMU To Offer Five-Year Master’s In Athletic Training

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entral Methodist University has been approved by its accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission, to offer a Master of Science degree in Athletic Training (MSAT).

Associate Professor Wade Welton, CMU’s director of Athletic Training, said recruitment to the program is under way and is attracting interest by both high school students and those with a bachelor’s degree.

Central Methodist University Vice President for Enrollment Management Joe Parisi (left) and CMU Admissions Counselor DaSean Stokes (back, right) surprise Emma Bushnell (center), a senior at Kirksville High School, and her parents, with a check for $97,200 (four-year, full-tuition prize) for winning CMU’s Eagle Select Scholarship competition.

Bushnell Wins Eagle Select Scholarship

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entral’s Eagle Select Program pits some of the most outstanding high school seniors against the challenges of high grade point averages, ACT scores, interviews, and testing.

The winner comes away with more than bragging rights. The student takes the prize

of four years of tuition-free attendance at Central, valued at more than $97,000.

Emma Bushnell, a senior at Kirksville High School, won the prestigious and competitive scholarship in the fall of 2018, and will attend Central as a freshman in the fall of this year.

For incoming freshmen, the MSAT at Central Methodist will offer an accelerated 3+2 program to allow master’s degree completion in five years. Another option is for students who have a bachelor’s degree of any kind to obtain their MSAT in two years.

“I’m proud of Wade and our AT faculty who have worked so very hard to put this together,” said CMU Provost Rita Gulstad.

“Ultimately, our students will be the biggest benefactors.”

Welton said the accreditation was “a huge step for our program, allowing us to reinvest and build on our success.”

The move to the master’s level was largely driven by a decision by the National Athletic Trainer Association and the Council on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education to advance the degree and require member programs to cease admitting, enrolling or matriculating in their bachelor’s programs by fall 2022.

Welton said many schools in the Midwest decided not to pursue the master’s in athletic training, but the decision for Central is an evolution of the healthcare system’s advances, coupled with CMU’s commitment to remain a leader in athletic training education.

Bushnell shined among many other outstanding students from across the United States who participated in the competition.

Dr. Joe Parisi, vice president for enrollment management, along with admissions counselor DaSean Stokes, surprised Bushnell and her family by visiting Kirksville and presenting the award.

Many of her classmates were on hand and gave her a standing ovation.

“I was impressed with Emma and her parents,” Parisi said. “I am very confident she will thrive at Central.”

To compete, Bushnell and the others were required to have at least a 3.5 grade point average and a minimum ACT score of 26. Contestants came to CMU the day of competition to undergo a series of interviews and tests involving math, verbal, and written skills.

Bushnell will compete in cross country at Central in the fall. At Kirksville, she was involved in the band program for three years. She worked at the Adair County Public Library, and is very actively involved with the Worthington Baptist Church, where her grandfather is pastor.

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Central Methodist University

CMU Chorale Continues To Gain Fame

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ast year, Central Methodist University’s Chorale and its fans felt great pride when the choir was invited to represent Central at the 81st annual Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Workshop/ Conference, “Appear and Inspire.”

The group traveled to Tan-Tar-A in Osage Beach January 23-26 for the big performance.

“For a choir, band, or orchestra, it’s like a state title,” said Dr. Claude R. Westfall, director of choral activities and associate professor of music at CMU. “It’s an amazing accomplishment that CMU was chosen for our sound when com-

52 The Talon | Spring 2019

pared to bigger schools.”

Central Methodist performed alongside larger institutions such as UMKC College of Arts and Sciences in Kansas City, Webster University and Washington University, both in St. Louis, Missouri State University in Springfield, University of Missouri in Columbia, and others. Their application was one of nearly 200 submitted for the opportunity to perform.

“What makes me so proud of the Chorale is their individual special traits – each and every student loves to perform. They each sing every day from their hearts,” Westfall said.

Two Central Methodist alumni also represented Central at the MMEA Conference as directors of ensembles from Missouri high schools invited to perform. Dustin McKinney (’08) directed the Kearney High School Chamber Choir, and Chuck Moore (’91) directed the Sullivan High School Symphonic Band.

Chorale also was carefully selected as one of six in Missouri invited to sing for the 40th anniversary celebration of the Robert Ray Gospel Mass at the National American Choral Directors (ACDA) Convention, which took place Saturday, March 2 at the Kaufman Center in Kansas City.

Alumni Choir Dazzles In Inaugural Performance

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early 30 CMU alums from several different decades took part in the first-ever alumni choir concert April 6 in Linn Memorial United Methodist Church. The Swinney Conservatory of Music, along with the Advancement and Alumni Relations Department were the hosts. Jana Fox, a 1982 Central graduate and the current director of choirs at Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City, was the guest conductor. Fox was selected as the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Educator Award by the Missouri Music Educators Association.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 53

Central Methodist University Sports

Left: Brieanna Delgado, Women’s Head Wrestling Coach. Right: Terrel Wilbourn, Men’s Head Wrestling Coach

Central Methodist Adds Men’s, Women’s Wrestling

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ne of the oldest sports known to man has come to one of the oldest colleges in Missouri. Wrestling is kicking off at Central Methodist University.

Campus officials made the announcement in the spring, committing to start men’s wrestling and women’s wrestling in the fall of 2019. In addition, they announced the upcoming renovation of one of CMU’s oldest buildings, Clingenpeel Hall, which will be the future practice home to the wrestling program.

CMU also recently announced the hiring of a head coach for each team, Terrel Wilbourn for the men’s wrestling team, and Brieanna Delgado for the women’s team.

The coaches will be tasked with recruiting 50 student-athletes – 25 men and 25 women – to begin competition in the 20192020 season.

54 The Talon | Spring 2019

President Roger Drake said the academic expectations are high for the new wrestlers.

“CMU athletes are scholars and we’ll expect wrestling to compete in the classroom as well as in the arena,” Drake said.

Drake also has high expectations for fundraising to renovate the tradition-rich Clingenpeel Hall. While the total cost of the renovation is still being calculated, Drake said the project is high on the university’s priority list.

“The restoration and revival of Clingenpeel will mean a lot to many of our alums,” Drake said. “Clingenpeel was built in 1906 and was our physical education building and our basketball gymnasium for years and years. We want it around for another 100-plus years.”

Drake said much of the motivation to start wrestling at Central Methodist comes from Dr. Joe Parisi, vice president

for enrollment management, and former all-American wrestler and national championship coach who is in his second year at Central Methodist. He spent 17 years as a collegiate coach, winning seven NAIA national championships and coaching 130 All-Americans.

Parisi assembled a comprehensive wrestling feasibility study that Drake said was influential in the final decision.

“I’m excited that we’re introducing wrestling to Central,” Parisi said. “It will enhance our athletic program and help grow the university. Wrestling has been a passion of mine for many years, but no greater than my passion for Central and doing whatever I can do to help it succeed.”

Central Methodist competes in the Heart of America Athletic Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

By TOMMY BENNETT

Adrian Gutierrez

Recovered Email Leads To NAIA Player of the Year

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he film is grainy, and the weather poor. It’s the summer of 2014, and Alex Nichols has recently been named the head men’s soccer coach at Central Methodist University. Someone has sent Nichols an email with film of players from Spain.

“I’m not proud to admit it, but I deleted the email pretty quick because the film was such poor quality,” said Nichols.

But he had taken over a program that struggled to win games in the always-tough Heart of America Athletic Conference, and he was looking for any edge he could find. He recovered the email, thinking to himself that most other coaches also deleted it.

“I thought maybe I would find someone special who no one else would see,” said Nichols.

That special someone was Adrian Gutierrez, who became a two-time NAIA First Team All-American and the 2018 NAIA Men’s Soccer Player of the Year.

“I remember Nichols telling me that

CMU was building a really competitive team that was striving to be the best,” said Gutierrez. “He explained how I needed to be a part of that, and I believed him.”

Coming from a major city in the Spanish Canary Islands, Gutierrez wasn’t sure what to expect from American soccer or from living in a small Missouri town.

“I was unsure how the competition would be, how the league structure worked, or what it takes to get to the national tournament, let alone win it,” said Gutierrez.

After sitting out in 2015, Gutierrez stepped in as a sophomore and played an integral part of the 2016 team that broke into the national rankings for the first time in school history. A year ago, he was named the HAAC Offensive Player of the Year and guided the Eagles to the No. 12 ranking in the final coaches’ poll.

A loss in the conference tournament semifinals forced Central Methodist to anxiously await the bracket reveal to find out if it received an at-large bid to the 2017 NAIA National Tournament. Their name never

showed up on the bracket. It was a sting that motivated Gutierrez and his teammates throughout the following summer and during the 2018 season.

“We knew how important it was to not put ourselves in a position where we didn’t control our own fate in qualifying for nationals,” said Gutierrez. “We needed to take the decision out of other people’s hands and put it into our own.”

What followed was only the best season in Central Methodist history: a 4-1 victory over No. 14 MidAmerica Nazarene, the team that was selected as an at-large the previous season; a regular season conference championship that clinched a spot in the national tournament; and a magical national tournament run that culminated in the first team national championship in school history after a victory over Missouri Valley in the title game.

“The sign of a special player is one who performs at a high level against the best teams,” said Nichols. “The special players are the ones who have great performances against the top dogs.”

Already leaving a legacy of greatness, Gutierrez wants his fellow teammates to be remembered for the part they all played in reaching the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics.

“Everybody from different parts of the world made it work,” said Gutierrez. “If you have the passion and everybody has the same goal, you can do it.”

From a .500 team upon Nichols’ arrival to now being national champions, the story of the CMU men’s soccer turnaround cannot be written without Adrian Gutierrez.

“All recruits are special, but it is an extra special accomplishment to have had ‘Guti’ as my first recruit,” said Nichols. “A lot needed to be done and bringing him in was a big part of this all.”

Sometimes, a coach finds a diamond in the rough. In this case, the rough was the trash bin of an email inbox, and the diamond was merely the greatest men’s soccer player in Central Methodist history.

Spring 2019 | The Talon 55

Men’s Soccer Earns CMU’s First National Title IRVINE, Calif. — A magical soccer season ended with Central Methodist University players hoisting a trophy that was merely a dream a few months ago. For the first time in the school’s history, a CMU team has won a national championship. The powerful Eagles defeated Missouri Valley in penalty kicks to capture the title.

A few celebrations ensued, and the next day, a weary group of Eagles flew back to mid-Missouri and their bus rolled quietly into Fayette around 2 a.m. But that’s when the quiet ended. A loud and celebratory crowd of more than 200 students, staff, and faculty were there to welcome home Coach Alex Nichols’ victorious team.

Just a day earlier, these players were in

56 The Talon | Spring 2019

the battle of their lives against their Heart of America Conference rivals. There was tension in the air as the game started, and the intensity was evident throughout.

Two clutch saves by junior goalkeeper Vince Gelei and a strike right down the middle in the final round of penalty kicks from freshman Alberto Pangrazzi clinched the championship. The score had been tied 2-2 after overtime.

The matchup marked the third meeting between the Vikings and the Eagles, with the first result being a scoreless draw in Marshall before Missouri Valley captured the conference tournament championship with a 2-1 victory in Fayette.

But the Eagles won the game that mat-

tered most. In the finale, freshman Daniel Hernandez set the tone early with a solid strike from just inside the 18-yard box in the sixth minute that was denied by the Viking goalkeeper. But Missouri Valley struck just moments later with a header off a corner kick in the 18th minute.

Central Methodist tied the game in the 40th minute on a Rodrigo Paredes header set up by a corner kick from Marcos German. It was the third goal of the tournament for Paredes, and his eighth of the season, while German picked up his seventh assist.

The Eagles came out firing in the second half, as German blasted a low shot with his left foot that made it all the way

to the far right post, giving CMU a 2-1 lead just 62 seconds into the half. The play was initiated by freshman Victor Luengo’s free kick that found a head in the box and ricocheted directly to German, who picked up his third goal of the season--all of them occurring in the national tournament.

“He did a lot of great things this tournament, and he did a lot of great things all year,” said Coach Alex Nichols. “Most importantly, he’s a team player who knows that every one of his teammates is just as important.”

threat. Three minutes, a Valley free kick bounced off a Central Methodist defender’s head toward the net and a Viking finished it off to tie the game.

German played a crucial role on defense in the 82nd minute, blocking two more Viking shots.

“Winning this championship is the best (thing) in my career,” German said.

Neither team could score during the rest of regulation, as the squads headed to overtime tied 2-2. In the first overtime period, Gelei picked up two more saves to keep the match tied.

Five minutes into the second overtime, CMU finally put another shot on net, but to no avail as the Missouri Valley goalkeeper blocked the Paredes header.

With just over two minutes remaining, Gelei stepped up once again, making another acrobatic save to keep the game tied and sending the teams to penalty kicks.

“The success of our men’s soccer program is consistent with, and indicative of, the level of quality and strength in all of our programs.”

Dr. Roger Drake

In the 67th minute, CMU dodged a threat when a Missouri Valley raced coast-to-coast, but Gelei made a diving save to stop the

And thanks to Pangrazzi’s goal, the Eagles won the PK battle 4-3.

Setting a program-record for wins, the Eagles finished with a 22-2-2 record, the first conference championship in program history and the first national tournament appearance in program history. The championship marks the steady progression of the program under Coach Nichols: a top-12 ranking last season, a top-20 ranking two seasons ago and a top-30 ranking three seasons ago.

“The success of our men’s soccer program is consistent with, and indicative of, the level of quality and strength in all of our programs,” said Central Methodist president Dr. Roger Drake. “We are so proud of these scholar-athletes.”

“It’s for everybody,” Nichols said. “And at CMU, you’re a unit, and every single coach is so supportive and every single coach means a lot to all of this. Every single professor means a lot to this. It’s a tight-knit school, so everything is interrelated. It’s special for everybody.”

Spring 2019 | The Talon 57

Central Methodist University Sports

Competitive Cheer National Qualifiers Basketball, Dance Barely Miss Out

Competitive Cheer: Highlighting the winter season was the competitive cheer squad, which qualified for the national championship for the first time in program history.

Additionally, Head Coach Terin Fuemmeler was named Heart Coach of the Year. The team was led by two-time AllAmericans Jerome Asbury and Madeline Burgess. At the two-day championship meet, the Eagles found themselves in fifth place after the first day, but dropped to eighth place after their day two performance.

Competitive Dance: The CMU competitive dance team had three All-Americans, Catie Dovin, Kadee Dempsey, and Kelsey Brown but found itself on the outside looking in, barely missing out on a third straight trip to nationals after finishing in sixth place at the regional qualifier.

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Men’s and Women’s Basketball: After losing several seniors and multiple allconference players, including two Heart of America Conference Players of the Year, the 2018-19 campaign proved to be more challenging than usual for both Central Methodist basketball programs. The Lady Eagles finished the season with a 20-12 record, narrowly missing out on the NAIA national tournament after qualifying each of the prior three seasons. The men’s basketball team concluded its season with a mark of 17-14, falling in the Heart quarterfinals to William Penn.

This season saw the emergence of several new faces in the CMU women’s basketball program, led by Heart Newcomer of the Year and NAIA Honorable Mention All-American Mercedes Jefflo. With panache and a California smile, Jefflo electrified crowds inside Puckett Field House thanks to her stout defense and clutch three-point shooting.

Fellow transfers Tatiana Grant and Crimson Jones joined Jefflo in earning all-conference recognition for their performances on the court this season. Looking ahead to next season, the Lady Eagles should return a solid core looking to make a run at the national tournament.

A disappointing stretch in early January doomed the CMU men’s basketball team’s hopes for a return trip to the NAIA national tournament. The Eagles were led by two seniors in Terrence Bush and Isaiah Thurmond, both of whom earned all-conference recognition for the second time in their career.

Joining them as an all-conference honoree was Josh Robinson, a point guard that guided the Eagles offense all season long. Next season, the Eagles will return several letter-winners looking to take the next step and learn from this rebuilding season.

CMU Community Gathers To Honor Joshua Brice

N

o pads. No playbooks. No locker room talk. But that didn’t stop Central Methodist University’s football team from showing up in force to honor their fallen teammate, Joshua Brice, who died in an automobile accident Feb. 4 near New Franklin.

Football Coach David Calloway and several others shared memories of Brice during a special memorial service held Feb. 28 in Linn Memorial United Methodist Church. He said Brice, 23, was well on the way to being a starting running back for the Eagles.

“Josh had worked his way back from an ACL injury,” said Calloway. “I was so proud of his work effort. You know, a lot of adjectives come to mind when thinking about Josh. But I’ll tell you I knew when I was going to have a meeting with him, I’d better be prepared, because I knew he was going to challenge me.”

Brice’s mother, Tammy Beard, also spoke at

the service. She echoed Calloway’s words, saying that she raised her son to look for all the answers. “He believed he deserved to know why. I loved that about him.”

Beard encouraged the crowd to laugh, smile, tell stories, and celebrate Brice’s life.

A bookmark with Brice’s photo was handed out at the event. It said: “This boy I raised was a competitor, a true warrior. I watched his childhood dream become an absolute obsession for football, a desire to excel and give everything to the game. As a man, he made time to have faith, to touch the hearts of many, and to always help someone who needed a hand. His opinions were strong, and I looked forward to seeing where his path would lead. I can only smile now, and hope God is patient while he attempts to change the laws of heaven. The thunder I’ve heard almost every night since he left us must surely be the roar of the crowd as our boy plays his next big game.”

Natasha Wilson Hired As VP For Student Life And Athletics Energetic New Leader Will Start In July

A

talented and highly-decorated executive, Natasha Wilson, has been selected as Central Methodist University’s new vice president for student life and athletics. She will arrive in Fayette in early July.

“I can’t begin to say how excited we are to have Natasha join our senior staff,” said CMU President Dr. Roger Drake. “She has an incredible skillset, and I’m confident her energy and leadership will be an inspiration across campus.”

Wilson has been employed the past six years at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., where she was associate athletic director, compliance coordinator, and senior woman administrator.

“I am honored and grateful to President Drake and the search committee for the opportunity to serve as a member of the institution’s senior leadership team,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to enhancing an already student-centered culture, as well

as continuing the traditions of success in athletics.”

At Central, Wilson will provide leadership and guidance for the development and implementation of high-quality, studentcentered approaches that support student success in non-academic dimensions of the university experience. She will oversee the office of student development and the athletics department, which now includes 17 intercollegiate sports.

At Johnson C. Smith, she oversaw compliance, as well as bowling, women’s basketball, cheerleading, cross country/track and field, and tennis. She played an essential role in managing internal and external operations for the athletic department. During her tenure as sports supervisor for women’s basketball and women’s track, both teams won CIAA championships. In 2018, she represented the institution as co-meet director while hosting the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Prior to working at Johnson C. Smith, Wilson worked for six years at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. She began as the assistant athletic director for compliance and the department’s Senior Woman Administrator, and was later elevated to the role of associate athletic director.

Wilson earned her bachelor’s degree from Winston-Salem State University in 2005 and a master’s degree from Concordia University Irvine. She is a graduate of the Charles Whitcomb NCAA Leadership Institute.

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