Bell Tower Spring 2009

THE MAGAZINE OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY

SPRING 2009

“ My mission today is: I’m a Christian Brother.”

Dick Gadomski: engineer, entrepreneur, and advocate for CBU

+

CBU SELECTS FIRST PERMANENT LAY PRESIDENT • BUCS IN THE ELITE EIGHT

44page 24

Connor Wetzel, Buccaneer sophomore forward

Jordan Michael, cross country guitarist

Three presidents: Brother Terence McLaughlin (14th president, 1962-64), Dr. John Smarrelli (incoming 22nd president, starting July 1), and H. Lance Forsdick (interim president 2005, 2008-present).

44page 16 33

page 2

33

44page 18

Samantha Durnett Noland, Kyle Edmunson, and Joseph Atem, FedEx co-op students

page 22

Clinton Yelvington and Jackie Jacobs, CBU IT Services

BELL TOWER (USPS 549-220) is published by the CBU Office of Advancement, 650 East Parkway South, Memphis, TN 38104.

Periodical postage is paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: Bell Tower, 650 East Parkway South Memphis, TN 38104 —————————————————————— BELL TOWER STAFF Editor/Director of Publications Cory Dugan Alumni Director Stephen Kirkpatrick Director of Advancement Services Linda Dunlap Editorial Contributors Lindsay Hanlen (’10), Melissa Hanson, Aimee Lewis (’92), Crystal Shelton (’09) —————————————————————— UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION President H. Lance Forsdick Sr. (’61) Vice President for Advancement Michael R. Ryan, Ph.D. Executive Director for Communications & Marketing Elisa C. Marus 2008-2009 Board of Trustees Willis H. Willey III, Chairman Charles C. Gerber, Vice Chairman Robert G. McEniry, Vice Chairman Joyce A. Mollerup, Secretary John H. Pontius, Treasurer Dr. James W. Adams II (’80) Leo P. Arnoult (’70) Joseph F. Birch Jr. (’78) Albert Cantu Brother Francis A. Carr Brother Konrad Diebold Charles B. Dudley III H. Lance Forsdick Sr. (’61) Richard T. Gadomski (’62) James Wesley Gibson II W. Jerry Gillis William W. Graves Reverend Val Handwerker James E. Harwood III Brother Bernard LoCoco Brother Terence McLaughlin David E. Nelson Jacqueline L. Nesbit (’79) Lori M. Patton (’91) Weetie B. Phillips Dr. Stephany S. Schlachter Josh Shipley (’01) —————————————————————— Founding Editor Brother I. Leo O’Donnell (1904-94) PRINTED by Toof Commercial Printing

belltower THE MAGAZINE OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY • SPRING 2009

news@cbu

John Smarrelli Named First Permanent Lay President of CBU................................... 2 Education Department Awarded NCATE Accreditation............................................ 5 CBU Student Delegates Go To State Capitol for Intercollegiate Legislature................ 6 Women Executives Address Leadership and Branding in CBU Lecture Series............. 7 Pre-College Workshops Focus on Forensics, Ciphers, Packaging, and More................ 8 CBU Thespians Install First “Cast” in New Chapter of Drama Honor Society 9 CBU Senior Joins Elite as Business Fraternity’s National Collegian for 2009............ 10 Mentoring Program Kicks Off at CBU, Partnering Students with Alumni............... 11 and more…

studentprofiles

Going the Extra Mile: CBU’s Cross Country Team Is Running to the Beat of Its Own Drummer—Literally...........................................................................................16 Engineered to Deliver: Three CBU mechanical engineering students are participating in a new engineering support co-op with FedEx...................................................... 18

alumniprofile

Self Help: Clinton Yelvington (’05) has struggled with Asperger Syndrome since childhood. With the support of family and friends, and plenty of self-determination, he can now offer his talents and expertise to help CBU................................................. 22

sportsnews

Bucs at the Big Dance: The CBU Buccaneer basketball team makes history by advancing to the Elite Eight and posting its first All-American player....................... 24

coverstory

It’s Not Rocket Science: Dick Gadomski (’62) wasn’t “college material” when he started at CBU. Since then he’s followed a career path that’s ranged from booster rockets to high fructose corn syrup..................................................................................... 28

classnotes

Notes and Announcements from your former classmates...................................... 34 Passings: Death notices of alumni and friends of CBU........................................... 40

backpage

No Loopholes in the Laws of Physics.................................................................. 44 Christian Brothers University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097; telephone 404-679-4501) to award Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

4 Send news FOR CLASS NOTES to Christian Brothers University Alumni Office, 650 East Parkway South, Memphis TN 38104. Or send email to alumni@cbu.edu. SEND YOUR PHOTOS TOO! Digital photos should be a minimum of 1200 x 1800 pixels.

4 Send address changes to Bell Tower, Christian Brothers University Office of Advancement, 650 East Parkway South, Memphis TN 38104.

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

news@cbu

John Smarrelli Named First Permanent Lay President of CBU John Smarrelli Jr., Ph.D. was named the 22nd president of Christian Brothers University in December after a nationwide search conducted by the Board of Trustees. Smarrelli, currently the special assistant to the president of Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY, has the distinct honor of being the Catholic university’s first permanent lay president. He will assume his duties at CBU on July 1.

Smarrelli will succeed H. Lance Forsdick Sr., who has served as interim president since the death of Brother Vincent Malham in May 2008. This has been Forsdick’s second term as interim president. Prior to Brother Vincent assuming the presidency, he served from July 1 to December 1, 2005.

“Dr. Smarrelli’s credentials, experience, and vision are a perfect fit for CBU,” says Willis H. Willey, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “We believe John will be an excellent leader as CBU moves to realize more fully its mission in Memphis.”

A native of Syracuse, Smarrelli brings extensive experience in administration, fundraising, academic leadership, teaching, and research to his role as president of CBU. He served from May 2007 to June 2008 as interim president of Le Moyne College, where he was the first alumnus and layman ever to lead the Jesuit institution.

Prior to that, Smarrelli served as provost and was responsible for articulating Le Moyne’s academic vision. He successfully guided the college through its reaccreditation process, oversaw its planning committee, and headed the senior leadership team.

Smarrelli began his career at Le Moyne as academic vice president and a professor of biology in 2001.

While at Le Moyne, Smarrelli was actively involved in the college’s largest capital campaign by helping to set its priorities and meeting with benefactors and other supporters. A scientist by training, he was particularly interested in the construction of the Le Moyne’s new science building and was a catalyst behind its construction. Since CBU recently celebrated the opening of its new Cooper-Wilson Center for Life Sciences and the Assisi Hall Science Learning Center, Smarrelli’s dedication to the sciences is a natural fit for CBU. Previously at Loyola University in Chicago, Smarrelli served as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, chair of the biology department, and the chair of the advanced placement biology program. He earned a doctorate and master’s degree from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne, and has conducted

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

postdoctoral work in biology at the University of Virginia.

An active member of the Syracuse community, Smarrelli has served on numerous local boards and is a lector and Eucharistic minister at Holy Cross Parish in DeWitt, NY. His family includes his wife, Eloise, and their children, Kristina (age 32), Nicholas (age 26), and Elizabeth (age 21).

Smarrelli is excited about CBU’s future. “I am grateful for and humbled by this opportunity to work with the talented Board of Trustees and the CBU community to promote the Lasallian values and distinct mission so well embodied by my predecessors,” he says. “I look forward to working with all members of the campus community to make CBU the premier Catholic university in the South, capitalizing on its outstanding academic and non-academic programs, committed faculty, staff, and administrators, and engaged student body.”

Forsdick is confident that under Smarrelli’s leadership the University will continue to pursue the vision and strategic plan to make CBU the premier Catholic university in the South.

“John’s credentials, scholarship, and personality make him the perfect person to take CBU to the next level,” Forsdick says.n

news@cbu

Q&A: Dr. John Smarrelli You are coming to CBU as its first lay president. How do you view that role, in both a practical and a symbolic/historical sense?

I am honored and humbled to have been chosen as the first permanent lay president who will carry forth the Lasallian mission of CBU. In that role, I am excited about the opportunity to lead this wonderful institution, propelling it to greater levels of excellence in many areas as we remain true to our mission.

As someone with a long history — alumnus, teacher, administrator — in Jesuit academic institutions, do you see any striking similarities or differences between the Jesuit tradition and that of Lasallian institutions?

I was attracted to CBU because of its Lasallian mission of teaching excellence, social justice, and reaching out to the poor and disadvantaged. Although there are many similarities between the Jesuit and Lasallian charisms, my role at CBU will be to provide leadership in helping to demonstrate the distinctiveness and power of a CBU education.

What do you see as the hurdles facing CBU in the immediate future? What strengths do you see in the University that will help it to overcome them?

During these difficult financial times, CBU must continue to remain true to its mission of supporting students pursuing a college education. In order to achieve this goal, I will continue to secure support from our alumni, friends, and government sources as well as to increase revenues from new programs. In addition, I will focus on investing in our faculty, staff, and administrators while increasing the efficiency of our operations. The strength of CBU lies in its committed faculty, staff, and administrators and the positive perception CBU enjoys as a premiere Catholic institution in the South. As president, I will find ways to utilize this wonderful asset.

How can CBU— and you as its president — better clarify its mission and its image to the larger community and prospective students?

One of the major roles of the president will be to function as the face of CBU to our external constituents. Prior to articulating a distinctive identity, my first priority will be to host formal and informal venues whereby members of the CBU community and its alums can articulate what they perceive as distinctive relative to a CBU education. After synthesizing these observations, my goal will be that each person on the campus can articulate a common message regarding CBU’s distinctive identity.

Related to the previous question, how should CBU preserve its Catholic identity given its diverse student population and its location in a region where Catholics are a distinct minority?

I see this as one of CBU’s distinguishing characteristics. CBU’s Catholic identity should not be viewed as a deterrent to providing a welcoming environment for individuals from all faith traditions where all members of the CBU community are afforded opportunities to strengthen their spirituality.

CBU positions itself as part of a larger Lasallian network, within both the worldwide community of Brothers’ schools and the national community of seven Lasallian colleges. While some initiatives have been implemented to take

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

news@cbu

advantage of this network, do you envision any larger plans to share resources and programs within the national and international Christian Brothers network?

In the near future and under my leadership, I anticipate that we will foster several more significant collaborative initiatives with other members of the large and complex Lasallian network. The use of technology will facilitate the sharing of resources and programs. I am excited about these partnerships as we can take advantage of tremendous strengths found throughout the Lasallian network.

You’ve already mentioned plans to become personally active in the larger Memphis community.

How do you envision the University as a whole becoming a more engaged and active participant in the city and in the neighborhoods surrounding the campus?

As a faith-based institution, CBU has a responsibility to serve the community in which it resides. I plan to be active in the greater Memphis community through my involvement in community initiatives. I will support current initiatives and promote new initiatives that will be instrumental in weaving CBU into the fabric of the Memphis community.

Do you envision an increased symbiosis between the University and the public and private elementary and secondary schools in the Memphis community?

Through my experiences both in Chicago and Syracuse, I am convinced that colleges and universities should play a critical role in the development of our youth, from birth through the completion of a college education. Colleges can not expect that the development of skills essential to being a life-long learner begin upon arriving to college. As a Lasallian institution, we need to begin these partnerships early on, and continue to work with government officials to secure support these partnerships. The outcome will be a strong, vibrant Memphis community.

With the Lasallian tradition of service in mind, do you have any thoughts about a formal student service program?

I will be working with individuals in the offices of Academics and Student Life to create service learning programs whereby students have the opportunity to volunteer but also to return to campus to reflect upon

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

those experiences.

One of the fastest growing industries in Memphis is the bioscience field. As a biologist and a university president, do you have any insights and ideas on how to position CBU as a more active player in this field?

With our strong engineering and science programs and the recent opening of the Cooper-Wilson Center, we will actively pursue opportunities to create partnerships between these companies and our faculty—as well as partnerships between our business faculty and these corporations. I see CBU as a major catalyst in the economic development of this region.

What do you see as the role(s) of CBU alumni as the University moves forward?

The success of any academic institution resides in the outcomes of its alumni. I am looking forward to meeting as many CBU alums as possible, and will ask that they re-engage with CBU, not only financially, but assisting us in recruiting new students, giving lectures on campus, or providing internship opportunities for current students.

What is the most important advice you would give to a CBU student today?

The faculty, staff, and administrators at CBU are committed to your development as a whole person.

Take advantage of as many in-class and out-of-class opportunities as you can.

How do you plan to move to Memphis in July and not melt? Do you anticipate any cultural adjustments in moving to the South?

After shoveling over 150 inches of snow this winter in Syracuse, I am willing to take up the challenges of the heat. Both Eloise and I are looking forward to taking in the Southern hospitality that we have already experienced in our numerous visits to the area.

Rumor has it that you are also a basketball fan and a volunteer CYO coach. Can we expect another vocal Buc fan at courtside next season?

If my past is any indicator, all of the athletic teams can expect to see me cheering on the Bucs, not only in basketball, but in all of the sports in which CBU participates. I am a firm believer that athletics can play a significant role in the development of a student. You can also expect that I will root for the Memphis Tigers and the Grizzlies. In fact, Eloise and I have already enjoyed a Grizzlies victory at the FedEx Forum. n

news@cbu

Education Department Awarded NCATE Accreditation, Joins Partnership for Delivery of Online and Statewide Graduate Courses The Department of Education at CBU received professional accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

CBU joins 622 distinguished, accredited institutions which produce two-thirds of the nation’s new teacher graduates each year. This accreditation exemplifies the academic-intensive education programs offered by CBU that graduate well-qualified teachers ready for today’s classrooms.

The NCATE accreditation process establishes rigorous standards for teacher education programs and holds accredited institutions accountable for meeting these standards. Within its performancebased accreditation system, NCATE institutions must provide evidence of competent teacher candidate performance. NCATE accredited colleges are expected to ensure that teacher candidates know their subject and how to teach it effectively.

NCATE, founded in 1954, is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization. More than 30 national associations representing the education profession at large make up the council. Membership on its policy boards includes representatives from organizations of teacher educators, teachers, state and local governments, and professional specialists in PreK-12 schools.

“As a nationally accredited teacher education program, our students will be assured that CBU’s program is of the highest quality possible,” says Dr. Talana Vogel, chair of the education department.

“The accreditation solidified the department’s values and principles of their conceptual framework such as servant leadership, as builders of vibrant learning communities and champions of individual learners.”

As a further measure of this commitment, this spring the education department has partnered with Performance Learning Systems (PLS) to offer a variety of research-based graduate courses for Tennessee educators. PLS provides a range of services that collectively support the learning needs of practicing educators through on-site and online graduate courses, professional development services, and published products. PLS and CBU are partnering to offer classes on campus at CBU and online, as well as at off-site locations in Dyersburg, Clarksville, Knoxville, Nashville and other locations across the state.

“For 40 years, PLS has sought to enhance the quality of K-12 education by improving teacher effectiveness

with high-quality graduate courses offered through the best academic partners. With the expanded reach into Tennessee, where education is of paramount importance, CBU provides PLS with a new avenue for achieving this shared goal,” says Neil Rose, CEO of Performance Learning Systems.

“The collaboration between CBU and PLS is a wonderful opportunity for two organizations with a rich history of serving teachers to meet the professional development needs of the teachers across Tennessee,” says Vogel. “This partnership ensures that all teachers will have access to quality graduate courses at extremely reasonable rates.”

CBU’s education programs are designed to meet both state and national standards and PLS will support these requirements with engaging courses for K-12 educators across the state. n For more information about CBU’s Department of Education, contact Dr. Talana Vogel at (901) 321-4350 or tvogel@cbu.edu. More information about NCATE and PLS is available at www.ncate.org and www.plsweb. com/graduate_courses/partners/tennessee/cbu.

CBU Hosts Mortgage Lending Public Forum

CBU’s Center for Ethical Leadership held a free public forum in December, entitled “Ethics in Question: The Future of Mortgage Lending.” The timely and relevant panel discussion focused on mortgage lending practices and property values at a time of national economic crisis. Panel participants included (above, l-r) Patricia Papachristou, CBU professor of economics; Elizabeth Robinson, senior vice president and counsel of First Horizon; Sapna Raj, managing attorney for the Memphis Fair Housing Center; and H. Michael Wiegart, vice president of Renasant Bank and president of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

news@cbu

CBU Student Delegates Go To State Capitol for Intercollegiate Legislature

The CBU delegation to the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature included (l-r) John Legge, Burton Bridges, Samantha Almanza, Sarah Brown, and Kenneth Latta.

For the first time in eight years, CBU was in attendance at the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL), November 13-16 in Nashville.

TISL is a state-supported entity that provides students with an education about Tennessee state government and a channel to express their opinions on state issues.

The CBU delegation—composed of Samantha Almanza (’09), Burton Bridges (’09), Kenneth Latta (’11), and John Legge (’10)—was praised by universities across the state for its diligence, enthusiasm and active participation and was recognized as the “Best New Delegation” by the 39th General Assembly of TISL. Bridges and Legge were presented with TISL’s most prestigious accolade, the Douglas Carlisle Award; Bridges was named “Best New Senator” and Legge “Best New Representative.”

Bridges was also elected as the Commerce Committee officer.

TISL uses the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives in the State Capitol and are addressed by high-ranking state leaders. CBU delegates sat on various committees in a mock House of Representatives and Senate, facilitating the passage and demise of bills sponsored by various members of each chamber.

Delegates had to network with students from other

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

schools to pass or defeat certain bills.

Legge authored a bill pertaining to the current state definition of “marriage.” Though TISL adjourned before Legge’s bill could be officially voted on, he gathered 12 supporting schools and 20 co-sponsors of the hot-button issue.

“Knowing how to properly make compromises and negotiations, and having a strong command of parliamentary procedure, can take one far in the world of legislating,” says Legge. “You just have to be confident and convincing while employing the rules of order to your largest possible benefit.”

TISL was created in 1966 by the Student Government Association of University of Tennessee at Knoxville under the guidance of Dr. Douglas Carlisle.

Interest in TISL grew as the impact of government positions became a divisive issue for youth of that era.

Since its conception, TISL has convened nearly every year in the State Capitol building.

Dozens of bills on topics such as mandatory child car seats and state ethics were passed by TISL before they were passed by the actual Tennessee Legislature. Legislation adding student members to the Tennessee Board of Regents and the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees also originated in TISL. n

news@cbu

Women Executives Address Leadership and Branding in CBU Lecture Series CBU’s “Power Talks for Women” lecture series continued to attract top female executives from the Memphis area to speak on topics related to business and the workplace. Fidelity Investments and CBU’s Office of Graduate & Professional Studies sponsor the ongoing series.

Meri Armour, president and CEO of Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, addressed the topic of “Leading from Behind” in November. Under her leadership since January 2007, the Le Bonheur Capital Campaign has grown to a total of $87,200,000 towards a $100,000,000 community goal. The new hospital complex, which is being built at a cost of $327,000,000, will anchor the medical center area of Memphis.

Armour came to Le Bonheur from Cleveland, where she served as senior vice president and general manager of Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and MacDonald Hospital for Women. Under her leadership, Rainbow Babies was named among the top five children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

She is an advocate for children’s health issues and currently serves on the boards of the Child Health Alliance of Tennessee, the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, and the Urban Child Institute.

Laurie A. Tucker, senior vice president of corporate marketing for FedEx Services, was the featured speaker at the series’ spring lecture in February. Tucker discussed her workplace philosophy of “Building Your Personal Brand.” Marked by her dedication to her employees and belief that they need the skills and career resources to do the best job possible, she has instituted many growth programs including a diversity council, mentoring program and an awards and recognitions program. As a result, she was the first recipient of the FedEx Services Diversity Champion Award.

Tucker leads the FedEx organization responsible for managing and developing marketing strategy, product innovation and development, retail product and promotion, business alliances, sponsorship programs, customer experience management, brand management and advertising.

Accolades for her group include a Primetime Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences—the first-ever for FedEx—for their 2006 Super Bowl spot, “Stick.” Additionally, last year’s

Above: Rick Maupin, CBU director of corporate and government programs, with Laurie A. Tucker, senior vice president of corporate marketing for FedEx. Below: Meri Armour, president and CEO of Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center.

Super Bowl spot, “Carrier Pigeons” was voted one of the most popular commercials (according to a Super Bowl “Ad Meter” poll conducted by USA Today) and has received dozens of industry awards. Tucker herself is a four-time winner of the prestigious FedEx Five Star award.

For more information on the “Power Talks for Women” lecture series, contact the CBU Graduate & Professional Studies office at (901) 321-3291. n BELLTOWERSPRING2009

news@cbu

Pre-College Workshops Focus on Forensics, Ciphers, Packaging, and More CBU’s Schools of Arts and Engineering have hosted five more workshops in continuation of its yearround series of opportunities to acquaint high school students with higher learning.

The School of Engineering offered an introductory workshop on “Forensic Engineering” where students learned the process that studies accidents, fires, and structural failures to reveal the causes of the event in order to prevent its reoccurrence. Students learned how to reconstruct a car accident from skid marks and vehicle appearance; discovered the measures that forensic specialists must observe to investigate fires and explosions; and used ballistic information to match a bullet to the rifle or pistol from which it was shot.

Continuing the forensics theme, “Bone Detective” was a forensic anthropology workshop for high school juniors and seniors, demonstrating the analytical process forensic anthropologists use to estimate factors such as age, sex, ancestry, stature, disease, and cause of death. Students were introduced to methods used in skeletal identification.

An interdisciplinary workshop on “Code Cracking” focused on the historical and technical aspects of

ciphers as well as encrypting and decrypting messages.

Dr. Neal Palmer and Dr. Paul Berk of the CBU history department explained historical events that have been changed by the use of ciphers. Dr. Eric Welch, dean of engineering, followed with a discussion and demonstration of the structure of codes. After an introduction of methods used in modern computer cryptography, students experimented with developing and cracking simple ciphers.

The School of Engineering also conducted a workshop in “Medical Device Packaging” in November.

Sponsored by the Medtronic Foundation, it featured hands-on activities that were designed to teach students how a medical device package is designed and tested.

Career opportunities in the medical device packaging industry were also explained.

The School of Engineering also offered a middleschool workshop in “Bridge Design,” which gave students a chance to design, build, and test a bridge to failure. In the process, they were instructed in the major types of bridges, the forces acting on a bridge and how it can withstand the forces of nature and traffic. n

Carol W. Jones Honored as ’09 Outstanding Graduate Engineering Alumna

Carol W. Jones receives the award from Dr. Neal Jackson, CBU director of Graduate Engineering.

Carol W. Jones (’82, MEM ’93) was honored with the R. Craig Blackman Outstanding Graduate Engineering Alumni Award at the CBU Graduate Engineering 20th Anniversary Dinner on March 20.

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Jones is the assistant deputy district engineer for the Chief Project Development Branch for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the highest ranking civilian in the Memphis District. She is a licensed professional engineer with more than 26 years of experience with USACE and previously served as a senior project manager for several flood control, bank stabilization, and environmental restoration projects.

She has experience in structural engineering, hydraulic engineering, project development and planning, study management, and project management.

Jones has received numerous other awards and recognitions during her career, including the Women of Color Emerald Honor for Professional Achievement, Outstanding Engineer Award presented by the Memphis Joint Engineering Council, CBU Black Student Association Alumni of the Year, Federal Executive Association Volunteer of the Year, the USACE Hero Award, USACE Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, and the National Society of Black Engineers Alumni Member of the Year. n

news@cbu

CBU Thespians Install First “Cast” in New Chapter of Drama Honor Society Inductees to the first CBU cast of Alpha Psi Omega included (l-r) Shanta Wilson, Elizabeth Rosen, Lindsay Hanlen, Dylan Perry, Linda Dinwiddie (theatre director and faculty advisor), Burton Bridges, Kenny Latta, Russell Brandon, and Dustin Perry.

The Alpha Zeta Eta chapter of the Alpha Psi Omega theatre honor society was installed at CBU in December. Charter members—collectively known as the first CBU “cast”— were inducted directly following the installation ceremony.

Linda Dinwiddie, director and faculty advisor, remarked that members work in various capacities for every production. “When we need chairs painted, offstage actors gladly go outside to paint. Actors become stagehands. Stagehands become actors. That’s theatre.”

In recent seasons, CBU theatre productions have included such varied fare as Antigone, The Jury Room, Rumors, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors.

The inaugural cast included President Burton Bridges (’09), Vice President Kenny Latta (’10), Business Manager Lindsay Hanlen (’10), Elizabeth Rosen (’10), Dylan Perry (’10), Russell Brandon (’09), Dustin Perry (’10), Candice Lermusiaux (’10), Catherine Montesi (’10), Megan Kelleher Nuckolls (’10), Chris Ragghianti (’10), Shamus Smisor (’10), Danielle Wright (’10) and alumnae Shanta Wilson (’08) and Ally Gomez (’08).

Alpha Psi Omega began in 1925 at Fairmont State College in Virginia. As the largest honor society in America, Alpha Psi Omega has grown to include over 550 casts. Requirements for induction include participation in at least two semesters of theatrical productions, work in various areas of production and a minimum 2.5 GPA. n

CBU Hosts Lasallian International Consortium The Coordinating Council of the Lasallian International Programs Consortium gathered at CBU in January to discuss the creation and maintenance of high quality educational programs available throughout the world for students and faculty members.

A cooperative group composed of the seven Lasallian colleges and universities in the United States, the Consortium discussed issues of ongoing significance to all the members such as numbers of students studying abroad at each school, the numbers studying through other consortium member programs, new programs, and ways to increase participation of students.

Representatives from Lewis University, La Salle University, St. Mary’s College of California, Manhattan College, and CBU attended the meeting.

Students enrolled in member schools are welcome to participate in any of the study abroad programs of the Consortium, including opportunities in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, South America, and Spain. n Links: www.cbu.edu/Academics/studyabroad or www.lasallianstudyabroad.org

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

news@cbu

CBU Senior Joins Elite as Business Fraternity’s National Collegian for 2009

Dr. Robert Brittingham, founder and faculty advisor for CBU’s Epsilon Psi chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, and Burton Bridges, the fraternity’s National Collegian of the Year.

Burton Bridges (’09), a finance major at CBU, was named by Delta Sigma Pi as the Mr. & Mrs. Sidney A. Sparks Collegian of the Year for 2009, the most prestigious award bestowed by the fraternity.

The International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi is a coeducational professional business fraternity. The CBU chapter, Epsilon Psi, was founded in 1964. Dr. Robert Brittingham, CBU business professor and a founding member of the chapter, is the faculty advisor.

One Click.

One Student.

In a single click you can change the life of a student.

T H E

F U N D

F O R

V i s i t w w w. c b u . e d u / g i v i n g a n d c l i c k o n MAKE A GIFT NOW

10

(901) 321-3271 • (800) 283-2925 BELLTOWERSPRING2009

In 2008, the CBU chapter was awarded the Most Improved Collegiate Chapter Award by the national fraternity.

Bridges was previously awarded the Mid-South Regional Collegian Award and subsequently selected as the Southern Provincial Collegian of the Year from six regional winners. His recognition as National Collegian of the Year places him among the elite of more than 190 active collegiate chapters nationwide.

While the award began in 1971, Bridges is only the second national recipient from the Southern Province.

He sees his involvement in Delta Sigma Pi as one of the best and most rewarding experiences in his life and looks forward to his duties. “I am ecstatic to be named the 2009 National Collegian of the Year and will earnestly represent the collegiate interests as a member of the Board of Directors,” Bridges says.

The student chosen as National Collegian of the Year exemplifies values of Delta Sigma Pi such as leadership, commitment, professional development, dependability, honesty, and integrity. Bridges will serve as a voting member of Delta Sigma Pi’s Board of Directors for a two-year term and becomes eligible for a $5,000 scholarship. He will also address the fraternity at the national Grand Chapter Congress in Washington, D.C. in August. n

news@cbu

Mentoring Program Kicks Off at CBU, Partnering Students with Alumni Fourteen students and their mentors met in the Montesi Boardroom on March 6 to kick off the Alumni Mentoring Program at CBU. Over lunch and a presentation on networking by Bridgette Di Cello, the program took it first steps toward becoming a staple at the University. The program is a result of the generous contribution of Jim Baker—in honor of his son, Lawson Baker (’07)— to add a program to the online Alumni Community.

The format of the program is a collaborative effort between the Alumni Office and Dr. Tracie Burke, director of the CBU Honors Program. “When Stephen [Kirkpatrick, CBU alumni director] told me about the program I thought great idea,” Burke says. “When he suggested we pilot the program with Honors students, I thought it was a better idea. The energy in the room at our first event was amazing. It was clear that the mentors really wanted to make difference in the lives of their new protégées.”

As Honors students indicated that they were interested in the program, they were paired with a mentor in their field of interest—fields ranging from law school to teaching and veterinary medicine.

Bringing a varied number of concerns and questions, the students anticipated meeting their mentors and to start walking a stretch of life’s path together.

“There was a dynamic energy that existed in the room with mentors who want to give back and from students who desire to learn from them,” says Burton Bridges (’09), one of the mentees. “It is comforting as a student to just listen to a mentor reflect about his or her own experiences. It is also very reassuring to be reminded that we students do not have to figure out our life’s decisions before we graduate.”

The mentors have an opportunity to share their life lessons and give back to the CBU community. Chris Fay (’98), assistant principal at Christian Brothers High School, says, “I chose to participate as a way to give back to the CBU community and to maintain contact with graduating seniors who may be interested in teaching. CBU has a great reputation of preparing teachers who are able to contribute in their respective communities as leaders, and I want to maintain a healthy relationship with future teachers. We have several CBU graduates on our faculty at CBHS, and they are all great teachers and leaders.”

Students and their mentors will meet three times during the Spring semester for programs geared towards

Students and their mentors in the new program include (l-r) Carolyn Fly, a junior majoring in English for Corporate Communications; Shawna G. Engel (’93), director of development for the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis; John Curran (’88), director of design and construction at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and Jacky Wong, a senior majoring in Electrical Engineering.

helping the students once they leave CBU. Mentors will go through the programs with students and then share their own personal experience and advice. Abe Villarreal is already seeing the benefits of this new relationship: “It’s encouraging to have someone in my corner. To get guidance from someone who is in the loop of what is going on and to help me foresee changes in the industry of my concentration is a very valuable part of my education here at CBU.” Students participating in the program are Amanda Garland, Kevin Nuckolls, Boris de Souza, Jenessa Gebers, Amanda Taylor, Jacky Wong, Carolyn Fly, Candice Briggie, Abe Villarreal, Caroline Mitchell, John Legge, Kristi Prevost, Mandi Pitt, and Burton Bridges. The current mentors are Dr. Bo Adams (’80), John Curran (’88), Shane De Lima (’02), Shawna Gastright Engel (’93), Chris Fay (’98), Frank Garavelli (’66), James Haley (’04), Dr. Chuck Halford, Ramon Marus (’81), Raye Powell Mullis (’04), Chanda Murphy (’03), Laurel Comstock Williams (’82), and Dan Wortham (’71). n BELLTOWERSPRING2009

11

kudos@cbu

The CBU Honors Program traveled to Austin Peay State University in February to participate in the Tennessee Collegiate Honors Council conference. All students made presentations, and the men impressed everyone with their stylish bow ties. Pictured above (l-r) are John Legge (Chemistry, Mathematics ’09), Russell Brandon (Psychology ’09), Dylan Perry (Religion & Philosophy ’10), Chris Peterson (Religion & Philosophy ’10), Caroline Mitchell (History ’10), Kenny Latta (Religion & Philosophy ’10), Jenessa Gebers (Psychology ’11) Burton Bridges (Economics & Finance ’09), and Carolyn Fly (English for Corporate Communications ’10). Students made the following presentations: “Complex Organic Molecular Synthesis and Its Relation to Drug Discovery—Learning

by Example” by John Legge; “Honors, Ethics and Service” by Dylan Perry and Chris Peterson; “In a Democracy, Dissent Is an Act of Faith” by Caroline Mitchell; “Russell Brandon Got Eaten by a Bear: CBU Honors Upperclassmen Go Camping” by Jenessa Gebers, Kenny Latta, and Dr. Tracie Burke; “Selection Strategies and Semantic Relatedness - BEYOND Simple Free Association” by Russell Brandon; and “Seven Ways to Improve Your Honors Program” by Burton Bridges, Carolyn Fly, and Dr. Tracie Burke (Program Director).

SCHOOL OF ARTS 4 Dr. Marius Carriere (Dean, School of Arts) authored an essay on “St. Patrick’s Catholic Church” for the online edition of the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Carriere is the author of three other essays in the online and hard copy editions of the Tennessee Encyclopedia.

4 Dr. David M. Gides (Religion & Philosophy) presented a paper entitled “Pushing Church Boundaries and Defining the Word: Bonhoeffer’s First American Visit and its Impact on his Church-World Vision and Political Involvement” at the American Academy of Religion’s 2008 Annual Meeting in Chicago in November. Gides also presented a paper entitled “Worldly Christian Spirituality and Politics: The Relationship between Bonhoeffer’s Later-Phase 12

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Understanding of the Church-World Relationship and his Forms of Political Involvement” at Unity Institute’s Lyceum 2008 in Unity Village, MO. 4 Dr. Paul Haught and Dr. Burt Fulmer (Religion and Philosophy) were panelists in a workshop on “Church Community and Environmental Justice” at the Sierra Club 2008 Environmental Justice Annual Conference, “Surviving & Thriving Now & Into the Future,” in November. Haught gave a presentation on the human rights strategy in environmental justice advocacy. Fulmer discussed the role of Christian ethics in developing the churches’ response to environmental injustice.

4 Dr. Emily Holmes (Religion & Philosophy) attended the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion conference in Greensboro, NC , in March, where she chaired a panel on Womanist Issues in the Study of Religion and presided at the Women’s Caucus breakfast.

4 Dr. Ann Marie Wranovix (Literature & Languages) conducted a poetry writing workshop at the 51st Annual Mid-South Poetry Festival sponsored by the Poetry Society of Tennessee and held at the Holiday Inn, University of Memphis in October.

• The Memphis Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) held its annual student competition at CBU. There were 80 singers from colleges and universities throughout the West Tennessee area. Russell Brandon (’09) captured 2nd place in the Sophomore Men Division, Liz Kellicut (’12) won 2nd place in the Freshman Women Division, Bridget Fowler (’11) took 3rd place in the Freshman Women Division, and CBU alum Teresa Griffith (’88) won the Adult Intermediates. All of these are students of Tommy Gaines (Music), who is also President of the organization and hosted the event. Gaines’ private students also won 1st place in the High School Women, High School Men, and Sophomore Women divisions.

4Twenty-five CBU Behavioral Sciences students presented their research at the Mid-South Psychology Conference in February at Lambuth University in Jackson, TN. The following students presented posters: Nathali Blackwell and Paige Pirkey, “The Relationship between Extra-Curricular Activities, Self-Esteem, and Body Image”; Bonnie Burgette, Anitra Harps, and Brandy Sims, “Visual Media Habits and Self-reported Levels of Aggression in Students”; Dorian Durr, “Obsessive Compulsive Tendencies and Academic Performance in College Students”; Maggie Foster and Chanelle

kudos@cbu

Houston, “Pattern Perception in College Students with Depressive Symptoms”; Stacie Hoover, “The Relationship between Pet Attachment and Empathy”; Megan Inman and Wayne Young, “The Relationship between Cannabis Use, Grade Point Averages, and Time Perspective among College Students” (won Honorable Mention); Zsakosha Redick, “The Relationship between Machavellianism and Deception”; Victor Velazquez, “Stress and Coping”; Gabrielle Fairbee, “Relationship between Aggressive Driving Behaviors and Locus of Control”; Janice Johnson, “The Relationship between Physical Fitness and Stress”; Lauren Phillips, Mike Schaefgen, and Danielle Wright, “The Relationship between Alcohol Abuse and Pathological Gambling”; Genevieve Thomas, “The Relationship between Self Esteem and Sexual Attitudes.” The following students presented papers: Maggie Foster, Ashley Jones, and Katie Quinton, “The Relationship between Need for Cognition, Boredom, and the Media”; Caitlin Mills, “Stereotypes and Racism in Athletics” (won Honorable Mention); Shran Jones, “Energy Drink Consumption and Sleep Deprivation”; Samantha DeVilbiss, Gabrielle Fairbee, Lauren Guerrant, and Chanelle Houston, “Relationship between Big 5 Personality Characteristics and Self-Monitoring.”

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 4 An paper by Mr. Phillip Bryant (Management) on “Emerging Organizations’ Characteristics as Predictors of Human Capital Employment Mode: A Theoretical Perspective” has been accepted for publication in Human Resource Management Review for publication in 2009.

4 Dr. Reginald Peyton (Marketing) was the recipient of a 2008 African-American Male Image Award (AAMIA) for Business, which was awarded at the AAIMA Scholarship Banquet in November. Peyton was cited for his work as an educator, as founder/ president of the Peyton Company Realtors and South Parkway East Kiddie Learning Center, and as the author of various published works on topics ranging from marketing to childcare to credit management.

The awards are presented by the Hobson-Goodlow Foundation and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING 4 Dr. L. Yu Lin (Civil Engineering) delivered two presentations on “Construction Management Certificate Program at Christian Brothers University” in the Engineering Management Sections of

Senior Engineering Major is First CBU Undergraduate to Win IEEE Scholarship Amanda Taylor (’09), a mechanical engineering

major at CBU, received the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Reliability Society Scholarship in November. Taylor has the distinct honor of being the only undergraduate student at CBU to ever receive this IEEE scholarship.

Dr. John Ventura, associate professor and chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, nominated Taylor for her work within the School of Engineering and her efforts in extracurricular activities, including the development of a CBU chapter of Engineers Without Borders. Her role as president of the CBU chapter of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and vice president of the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi, were influential factors in the scholarship evaluation in conjunction with her other academic achievements and letter of evaluation.

Taylor says this $2,000 scholarship, “will take some of the financial burden off of me so that I can continue focusing on my studies.” During the Spring semester, she was one of three Honors engineering students in a special course that translates reliability concepts into ethical problem solvers. Taylor hopes to use the knowledge from this course with her senior project of a thermoelectric LED light, which will be a key aspect of the Engineers Without Borders project.

The Reliability Society scholarship is entering its third year. Applicants must be a full-time graduate or senior/junior undergraduate in an engineering degree program and a member of IEEE. They must have completed at least one course in the field of reliability engineering and be nominated by a faculty member. n the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Tennessee section meeting in Smyrna, TN in October.

Lin also received funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division (MLGW) to conduct a Professional Engineer Review Workshop for local junior engineers. Lin was also selected as one of five experts to participate an Expert Panel Review Committee for the Tennessee Valley Authority Projects. The committee members attended a concentrated three-day workshop on January 12-14 in Knoxville to assess the watershed/ stream model being developed by TVA and to determine the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) impact to the TVA watershed.

4 Dr. Randel Price (Chemical Engineering) received the CBU 2009 Featured Engineering Faculty Award for his excellence in teaching, outstanding leadership, and dedication to the University. The award was presented during National Engineers

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

13

kudos@cbu

Dr. John Ventura (Electrical & Computer Engineering) received the Memphis Joint Engineers Council 2009 Award of Excellence for his outstanding achievements and devoted service to the engineering profession and the public welfare, and for his continuous dedication and contribution to the community.

The award was presented during National Engineers Week in February at the Holiday Inn, University of Memphis. Ventura is pictured above with Robert Hewitt, chairman of the Memphis Joint Engineers Council.

Week in February at the Holiday Inn, University of Memphis.

4 Andrew Assadollahi (’09), Mark Randall (’09), Katie McGinnis (’10), Mallory Bailey (’11), and Lorenzo Abril (’09) competed in the Impromptu Design Competition at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Tennessee section meeting in Smyrna, TN in October and received a first-place trophy and a check for $500. The students designed and built the tallest structure out of tooth picks, gum drops, and marshmallows. The scoring was based on speed of construction, height, and cost of materials.

The CBU students doubled the score of their closest competition from UT Knoxville.

4 The CBU student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) was runner-up in the International IEEE Student Branch Web Site Contest and received a cash award of $250. The contest is a global event with entries from over 24 countries. Yuri de Souza (’08) and Boris de Souza (‘09) were the lead developers on the website.

4 Electrical & Computer Engineering students Boris de Souza (’09), Russ Saliendra (’10), and 14

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Binh Nguyen (’10) were the lead developers on the winning entry in the Website Competition at the IEEE SoutheastCon 2009 held in Atlanta in March.

Their website is located at www.ieeecbu.com.They also won 1st Place in the T-Shirt Competition.

4 Nicholas Brown (Electrical & Computer Engineering ’09) and Amanda Taylor (Mechanical Engineering ’09) returned from the IEEE Southeast Conference 2009 held in Atlanta in March with the second place award in the student paper contest with their paper, “Thermoelectric Light.” As a part of the award they received $500. Engineering students from over 50 colleges and universities submitted papers for this competition.

4 Matt Condren (Electrical & Computer Engineering, Computer Science ’09), David James (Electrical & Computer Engineering, Computer Science ’09), Thien Truong (Electrical & Computer Engineering ’09), and John Waldorf (Electrical & Computer Engineering, Computer Science ’09) placed 6th out of 38 schools who qualified in the robotic competition at the IEEE SoutheastCon 2009 conference held in Atlanta in March. The objective of the competition was for the robots to locate, obtain, sort, and store used beverage products. All sorting and storage was to be done on the robot.

Points were awarded for the collected objects at the end of each of four rounds. The winners were judged on points with run time being the tiebreaker.

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES 4 Dr. Mike Condren (Chemistry) and his wife, Jan Condren, conducted demonstrations of nanotechnology at Louisiana Tech University for the Shell-NanoDay, a day-long program for middle school students in northern Louisiana. Dr. Condren and Joseph Alfonso (‘12) performed demonstrations at Holy Family Catholic School in Holly Springs, MS, for classes taught by alumnus Garrett Smithson (Natural Science ‘05).

4 Dr. Stan Eisen (Biology) and Christy Harwell Mostert (Natural Science ‘06) wrote an article entitled “Gender Differences in Licit and Illicit Substance Abuse Reported by Incoming Freshman College Students,” which appeared in the November 2008 issue of Tennessee Medicine.

4 Dr. Malinda Fitzgerald (Biology) co-authored a poster presentation on “Central neuronal cell groups involved in parasympathetic regulation of choroidal blood flow in the eye via the pterygopalatine ganglion and their interconnections” at the Society for

kudos@cbu

Neuroscience in Washington, DC in November. This is an international meeting and more than 31,000 scientists were in attendance.

ATHLETICS 4 Buccaneer soccer midfielder Rasaq Kuteyi (Business Administration ’09) was named the Gulf South Player of the Week for the period ending October 12. He scored the game-winning goal as the Bucs defeated No. 10 West Florida, handing the Argos their first GSC loss in over three years.

4 Lady Buc outside hitter Kelly Nolan (’12) was named the Gulf South West Division Defensive Volleyball Player of the Week for the period ending October 21. She averaged 5.1 digs per set for the week, including a career-high 30 at Henderson State, to go with 0.5 blocks per set.

4 With his seventh-place finish in the NCAA South Regional meet this past weekend, Stephen Hill (Chemical Engineering ‘09) qualified for the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships in Slippery Rock, PA in November. This was his third time to qualify for the national meet. Hill was also named to the All-Region team for the fourth year in a row.

4 Lady Buc midfielder Elin Svavarsdottir (’11) has been named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer All-America First Team. She is the first Lady Buc to earn First-Team All-America honors since Missy Gregg was the NSCAA National Player of the Year in 2002. Svavarsdottir finished fifth in the nation in goals with 22, and third in the nation in points with 52. She was also was named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Week three times during the fall season. Svavarsdottir was also a unanimous pick for the All-GSC First Team, reflecting her leading the GSC in goals (21), points (50), and points per game (2.89). Lady Buc forward Anna Laskarzewska (‘12) was a second-team All-GSC choice as well. Svavarsdottir and freshman goalkeeper Libby Hake were voted to the All-Gulf South Conference Tournament Team after No. 2 West Florida won the GSC championship.

4 Gulf South Conference men’s soccer coaches recognized the CBU Buccaneers’ successful season as they voted six players to the All-GSC Team. The Bucs, who ranked second in the league in scoring defense, placed defenders Ryan Heine (Psychology ’09) and Robert Mingo (’10) on the All-GSC First Team as well as midfielder Clark Bradford (’10) and forward Rasaq Kuteyi. Goalkeeper Daniel Foster (MBA ’09) and midfielder Craig de Melo (’09) were

Second-Team All-GSC picks. Kuteyi and Mingo were among the eleven players voted to the All-Gulf South Conference Tournament Team after West Florida’s win in the championship match of the tournament.

4 Gulf South Conference West Division volleyball coaches voted three Lady Bucs to the All-GSC West Team. Aubrey Pancratz (Business Administration ’09) was voted First-Team All-GSC West, while Jenna Cherry (Business Administration ’09) and Hanna Orendorff (Natural Science ’10) won Second-Team honors. The Lady Bucs’ three selections were the most since 2002. The Lady Bucs finished the season with their best record since joining the GSC. 4 Eight CBU student-athletes were named Academic All-Gulf South Conference for fall sports.

The All-GSC picks included Daniel Foster, Ryan Heine, and Gordon Blum (Business Administration ’10) from men’s soccer; Stephen Hill and John Waldorf (Electrical Engineering, Computer Science ’09) from cross country; Elin Svavarsdottir and Jeanine Abell (’09) from women’s soccer; and Aubrey Pancratz from volleyball. The Academic All-GSC Teams are selected by a joint vote of Sports Information Directors and Faculty Athletic Representatives. To be eligible, the student-athlete must carry at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA and be a starter or significant contributor. In addition to the eight Academic All-GSC selections, CBU placed 43 student-athletes on the GSC Fall Academic Honor Roll. The men’s cross country team’s 10 members led the way in the GSC, as no other school placed more than eight. CBU also placed seven women’s cross country runners, seven volleyball players, nine men’s soccer players, and 10 women’s soccer players on the Academic Honor Roll. The Honor Roll features all student-athletes who carry a 3.0 or better cumulative GPA and participated in at least one game or meet.

4 Buccaneer first baseman Joseph Kaminski (Mechanical Engineering ’10) was picked to the Preseason All-GSC Team after leading CBU in most offensive categories with a .385 batting average, 13 doubles, six homers, and 40 RBI. He also scored 25 runs on his way to being named Second-Team All-GSC West.

4 Gulf South Conference West Division softball coaches voted three Lady Bucs to the Preseason All-GSC West Softball team. Pitcher Nikki Dunn (Psychology ’09), a three-time All-GSC pick, was joined on the Preseason All-GSC West team by infielder Casey King (’11) and outfielder Victoria Mathews (Business Administration ’11). n

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

15

Going the Extra Mile CBU’s Cross Country Team Is Running to the Beat of Its Own Drummer— Literally.

B y C r y stal S helton ( ’ 0 9 ) This page: (left) John Waldorf, Spencer Ridenour, and Stephen Hill harmonizing; (right) Stephen Hill on trumpet.

16

O

n your mark, get set, go! The customary start to any race, but the Christian Brothers University men’s cross-country team is anything but customary. They run at their own pace and most definitely to their own tune.

Of their team of 13, they have ten runners on the Gulf South Conference Honor Roll, multiple All-South Region honorees, as well as an NCAA AllAmerican. However, brawn and brains aren’t their only talents. They are also known around campus for their sweet tunes and cool hair cuts. Interestingly enough, the team has rivaled top fraternities in the coveted “All-Sing” annual competition and has been serving this year as a cover band for the men’s and women’s basketball games.

So how does a team of runners evolve into a social club and gigging band? Let’s start with senior business major, cross-country runner, and bandleader Jordan Michael. Michael grew up in a musical household and has always been a musician of sorts. Over time he has

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

acquired a knack for an arsenal of instruments, and has performed solo as well as with the Michael Brothers, a band fittingly comprised of himself and his brothers.

He was introduced to the “All-Sing” during his freshman year at CBU. The competition is one of the many events during Homecoming Week and is traditionally dominated by Greek organizations that most often perform a medley of songs adapted to reflect their respective organizations. “It would be cool to go all out for something like that,” Michael thought.

When “All-Sing” came around in his junior year, he did just that. With only seven days until curtain, he got his running buddies all riled up and helped to transform them from runners into musicians, from a team into a band. Ten guys bought into the project; of the ten, four had experience playing their own instrument—but two of those four had not picked up an instrument in years. Needless to say, they had their work cut out for them.

No sweat for a runner; they took it all in stride.

PHOTOS BY CAROLINE MITCHELL (’09)

studentprofile

They employed an array of instruments—keyboards, trumpet, trombone, percussion, drums, harmonica, bass, electric, and acoustic guitar. Their song selection was just as diverse. They covered songs in the classic rock, contemporary, and even rap genres, most of which referred to distance or racing—like Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run,” The Eagles’ “In the Long Run,” Hoobastank’s “Why Are You Running Away?” and the self-coined “Cross Country Rap.” The ten-man band played a 15- minute set and received a standing ovation.

“In running, you try to hit your physical peak for your race,” says Michael. “All your training has to come together for that one race, and that is exactly what we did for the performance that night.”

The band won the “All-Sing” competition, and the team was encouraged to participate in the rest of the Homecoming competitions. They took home first place in “All Sing,” Homecoming Olympics, and Spirit Day; third place in the chili cook off; and second

place in the float competition—which they built from featured CBU dumpster materials (Way to go green!).

The team went the extra mile and crossed the finish line with a first place trophy in the 2008 Homecoming Week Competition.

After they won Homecoming Week, Martin Brock, CBU director of events management, invited the band to perform at a disaster relief fundraiser. They have also been featured at the Annual CBU Christmas Tree lighting as well as men’s and women’s basketball games.

The ten-man band took home second place in this year’s “All-Sing” and finished second place overall for the 2009 Homecoming Week Competition. They have also come together to raise funds for St. Jude and have participated in Locks for Love. These guys are a true testimony to the diverse talents of the students at Christian Brothers University. They are serving the campus and the community in the Lasallian way, encouraging us all to go that extra mile. n

This page: (left) Jordan Michael on guitar; (right) Max Group and John Waldorf on percussion.

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

17

studentprofile

Engineered to Deliver

Three CBU mechanical engineering students are participating in a new engineering support co-op with FedEx, helping to keep Memphis’ largest corporation flying high.

18

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

BY MELISSA HANSON

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAMANTHA DURNETT NOLAND & KYLE EDMUNDSON

studentprofile

T

hree years ago, Samantha Durnett Noland could easily have imagined herself working on an airplane, and maybe even seen herself at FedEx. But she wouldn’t have expected CBU’s School of Engineering to be part of the picture.

“I didn’t to college,” she “I laughs.

“I be wanted to be an aircraft mechanic.”

“I didn’t want want toto go go to college,” she laughs. wanted to an aircraft mechanic.”

Nevertheless, she filled her schedule at Germantown High School with Advanced Placement courses: English, calculus, statistics. In between, she explains, “I took shop classes.” With experience in welding and woodworking, Noland felt ready to enter the job market, but her parents encouraged her to consider attending college. At first, she couldn’t find a school that interested her.

When she came to CBU, however, something caught her eye: a moonbuggy parked in the hallway of the Nolan Engineering Center. The vehicle had been built by a team of mechanical engineering students competing in NASA’s Annual Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, AL, and Noland was intrigued. Once she toured the engineering labs, she was convinced.

“I learned that there’s a lot that you can do as an engineer that you can’t do just being a mechanic.”

Noland jumped into her CBU experience with both feet, joining the Moonbuggy team, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the math club.

She also helped to restart CBU’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

Halfway around the world from Noland’s home in Germantown, Joseph Atem wasn’t expecting to be part of CBU’s engineering program, either. A “Lost Boy,” Atem escaped from civil war in Sudan to a refugee camp in Kenya, where he spent nine years. He was eventually granted asylum in the United States, and came to Memphis in 2001 with a dream of attending college and becoming an engineer.

Samantha Durnett Noland: “I’ve learned about myself and what I like to do—and I get to play with planes.”

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

19

Kyle Edmunson: “At first, I wanted to do business, but I’ve always been a ‘car guy.’”

20

He thought that his first step would be completing his high school education, but, at 20, he wasn’t able to enroll in school. Atem earned his GED and began taking classes at Southwest Tennessee Community College. In 2003, he transferred to CBU with the encouragement and support of a local family who had befriended him.

“I wanted to go to a Christian school, and to a place with small classes where I could get help and attention from my teachers,” he explains. “I had heard good things about CBU.” Kyle Edmundson had also heard positive things about CBU, mostly from a friend who encouraged him to consider the school. Edmundson had planned to follow his older brother to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, but decided on CBU—and on engineering—when he learned about available scholarships. “At first, I wanted to do business, but I’ve always been a ‘car guy,’” he said. Like Noland and Atem, he chose to major in mechanical engineering.

All three students are currently participating in a coop program at FedEx. CBU’s relationship with FedEx began when Aaron Graves (’89) contacted Dr. Eric Welch, dean of the CBU School of Engineering, about establishing a part-time internship program. Nathaniel

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Wellikoff (’06), an electrical engineering major, became CBU’s first intern at FedEx; after graduation, he went on to work there full-time.

In May 2007, FedEx senior manager Jim Tisdale contacted Welch about another possibility for CBU students. Tisdale had launched an engineering coop at FedEx in 2004, working with schools outside the Memphis area that had existing co-op programs.

Tisdale and Welch devised a plan to offer one-year engineering support positions in the Air Operation Division at FedEx Express. Noland, Edmundson, and Atem are the first CBU students to participate.

alumniprofile

Edmundson is working in power plant engineering, which includes maintenance and updates to aircraft engines. While he’s learning a lot about planes, he says he would eventually like to focus on the automotive industry. No matter what direction his career path takes, he says, his co-op experience has given him the chance to “work toward a goal of something I’m interested in doing.”

Noland and Atem have been assigned to work in structural engineering. Atem’s current project involves cargo loading systems, but he has had a variety of tasks, including helping to write instructions, called

“engineering authorizations,” for mechanics making repairs to aircraft. He plans to complete a Master of Engineering Management at CBU and pursue his dream of working as an engineer.

Noland is in FedEx’s Fleet Group, analyzing the use of parts in aircraft repairs. She consults Federal Aviation Administration and manufacturers’ guidelines to determine if a damaged part can be repaired or must be replaced. Before starting her co-op position, Noland had participated in FedEx’s internship program for three semesters. Her experience has helped to shape her future goals.

“I’ve learned about myself and what I like to do,” Noland explains, adding, “and I get to play with planes.” She hopes to return to an internship position after her co-op ends in August, and perhaps to become a FedEx employee after graduation.

She’s also considering joining the Air National Guard, a plan she believes will be supported by the “strong military history” at FedEx. “They understand working and serving your country,” she notes.

Looking ahead hasn’t stopped Noland from remembering what brought her to CBU in the first place. When this year’s Moonbuggy team heads to Huntsville in April, she’ll be one of the drivers. n

Joseph Atem: From Sudanese “Lost Boy” refugee to mechanical engineer, he plans to pursue his MEM degree.

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

21

SELF HELP 

Clinton Yelvington (’05) has struggled with Asperger Syndrome since childhood. With the support of family and friends, and plenty of self-determination, he can now offer his talents and expertise to help CBU. B Y L I N D S AY H A N L E N ( ’ 1 0 )

22

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

alumniprofile

H

e could read at 18 months. He wasn’t taught; he just could. As a child, he could match every nation’s name to its corresponding flag. He has composed music and can identify notes as they are played. Today, he is the shy face sitting behind CBU’s Help Desk in Information Technology Services (ITS), and for most of the campus, Clinton Yelvington (’05) is the face of a technological redeemer. As Help Desk coordinator, he manages to revive laptops, rescue lost files, and reconfigure elements of computers most of us never knew were important (or even existed).

Yelvington’s experience at CBU began in 1990. His mother, Tommie Yelvington, worked in the Grants office at the time, and he first came to campus during Christmas break with her. As Clint remembers, “CBU had just become a University. Buckman Hall was still under construction.” He would sit with his mother in the office, kept company by Dr. Emily Mathis Forsdick and Brother Edward Doody.

Brother Edward’s computer intrigued Yelvington at this young age and spurred his fascination with computers in general. “Brother Edward had an Apple computer with an enormous screen,” he recalls. “It was the top of the line at the time. [He] would put a screensaver on which displayed a bouncing ball.” This screensaver entertained Yelvington for hours on end.

When Brother Edward passed away a few years ago, Yelvington retrieved it as a memento. That computer and those hours spent in his mother’s office helped him to make the decision to attend CBU. In 1999, when Yelvington matriculated at CBU, he enrolled as a computer science major. Through the advisement of Dr. Arthur Yanushka, he changed to information technology management. In this field, he solidified his love for computers.

He began work study in ITS in the fall of 1999, beginning as the night and weekend assistant and spending much of his free time in the Computer Center. “When he wasn’t in class, he was covering for us in ITS,” notes Jackie Jacobs, director of technology support services. She noticed Yelvington’s love for everything Mac and dubbed him the “Apple Guru.”

Though work in the computer center as a Help Desk assistant allowed Yelvington to be surrounded by computers, it was also a learning experience. His constant contact with the public was a challenge while he tried to cope with the social tension associated with Asperger Syndrome (AS).

Asperger Syndrome is a mild, high-functioning form of autism that includes increased sensitivity, lack of social skills, and a sort of obsession over small things.

Yelvington had experienced the problems of AS since childhood when, as he puts it, “I would do outlandish things to try and get attention, only to be ridiculed.”

Finally diagnosed in 10th grade, Yelvington realized that he would have many struggles but continued to push harder than even he thought he could.

He remained solitary for most of his college career, but as a senior he felt more people accepted him. His graduation helped him to conquer some of his social anxieties. “Many people didn’t think I could complete college, and it was a nice feeling to prove them wrong,” Yelvington says.

He also moved from a part-time work study in ITS to working full-time as the Help Desk coordinator.

When the position was first offered he told his mother that he was not going to apply because, as Mrs. Yelvington remembers, “He was afraid of interviewing in front of so many people at one time. But Emily and Jackie made a point to push him and were a large influence on challenging him for the job.”

This role forced him to struggle with his social skills.

“I often come across as apathetic or irritated when asked for help even though I’m not trying to be that way,” Yelvington explains. “I’ve been trying to work past all of that and be a better person.”

His mother believes that he often worries about offending people when he is only trying to help, but when someone is patient and understanding, Yelvington is often elated by the joint satisfaction of the process. Also in charge of the ITS work-study students now, he sometimes finds obstacles in this task due to his severe introversion. In the process of overcoming his difficulties, he is pleased to have found and inspired a group of students as devoted to the job as he is.

Mrs. Yelvington underlines the exceptional role that CBU has played in his life. “I truly believe that the structure of CBU has been a great factor in Clinton’s ability to come such a long way since his diagnosis.” He has grown and thrived on the small campus, learning to work with his symptoms rather than against them.

His devotion to his job keeps Yelvington tied to CBU. “If the heart to do a good job was the criteria for what makes a good employee, Clinton would be at the top of the list,” Jacobs states.

Yelvington hopes to continue at CBU as long as possible —even though, as the son of two teachers, he swore he would never end up in the education field.

He has worked hard and though the going has often been difficult, Yelvington feels he is making a life, rather than just a living, at CBU. n

“Many people didn’t think I could complete college, and it was a nice feeling to prove them wrong.”

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

23

Bucs at the Big Dance The CBU Buccaneer basketball team makes history by advancing to the Elite Eight and posting its first All-American player.

BY CORY DUGAN & ERIC OPPERMAN

24

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Nick Kohs (’09) is the first CBU basketball player to earn All-America honors. He was also named Gulf South Conference Player of the Year and South Region Player of the Year.

A

year after winning their first-ever Gulf South Conference (GSC) championship in 2007-08, the CBU Buccaneers were ranked No. 19 in the preseason Division II Bulletin national rankings last November. In January, the team made its first appearance of the year in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Poll at No. 17. The next week they rose five spots to No. 12. After splitting a pair of games the following week, the Bucs dropped back down to No. 17 in the NABC Poll. By February 3, the roller coaster poll took them to their highest point in six years as they moved up to No. 10 in the national rankings.

On February 10 they claimed the No. 8 spot. But a six-game winning streak was snapped by Delta State within the week, and the Bucs slipped back to No. 10.

By the last week of February, the team regained the No. 8 spot and earned the No. 2 spot in the NCAA Division II South Regional ranking—the highest ever for the Bucs. This time Southern Arkansas played the spoiler, dropping the Bucs 52-46 and sending them tumbling in the polls to No. 12. But the same week they clinched their second straight Gulf South Conference West Division Championship with a 65-63 victory over Arkansas Tech, ending the regular season with a record of 22-5, and 11-3 in the GSC West.

For the first time since joining the Gulf South Conference in 1996-97, the Bucs swept the three major GSC West Division individual awards, claiming the Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Freshman of the Year. Senior center Nick Kohs led the GSC with 21.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per ggame as he earned the GSC West Division Player of the Year award, becoming the first Buc to earn that honor.

Kohs had already been named Player of the Week six times for the season. Freshman guard Scott Dennis, who averaged 6.2 ppg and 7.6 rpg for the season, was named GSC West Division Freshman of the Year, continuing CBU’s unprecedented run of success in the category as he became the fourth CBU player in five years to win the award, the first 4-in-5 years streak for any GSC team in the history of the award. He is the Bucs’ sixth Freshman of the Year winner overall.

Head coach Mike Nienaber was rewarded for another banner year with the GSC West Division Coach of the Year award for the second time in three seasons. Nienaber won his first Coach of the Year award in 2006-07 as the Bucs went 21-7. Senior guard Reggie Peyton joined Kohs on the All-GSC West First Team as he averaged 14.7 ppg.

Ranked third in the South and seeded No. 1 in the

West Division, the Bucs took the court at the Gulf South Tournament aiming to win their second straight conference championship. But the Harding Bisons had a different plan in mind and took out the defending champions with a strong second half and a 60-53 upset. Wounded but somehow still snagging a bit of triumph from defeat, the Buccaneers still earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II South Regional at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. The Bucs also collected two more significant postseason awards this week as Kohs was named Daktronics South Region Player of the Year, and Nienaber was voted the NABC South Region Coach of the Year.

Two days after the tournament line-up was announced, the final NABC Poll of the season ranked CBU at No. 15—a seven-point drop from the season high, but still the highest final ranking ever achieved by the Bucs; CBU has been ranked in the final NABC poll one other time, when they finished No. 19 in 2003-04.

The Bucs were also the only GSC team finishing in the Top 25, but—big but— their first opponent in the Big Dance was perennial rival and spoiler Delta State, with whom they’d split decisions during their two meetings in the regular season.

“I’d rather play almost anyone else but Delta State,” Coach Mike Nienaber said at the time. “They know us too well. We’d have an element of surprise going for us against any other team in the regional.”

The Bucs jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first three minutes with seven points from senior center Nick Kohs and a three-pointer from junior guard Kyle Couvion, but the Statesmen answered with a 12-1 run to take the lead with 12:10 remaining in the first half.

After four ties and four lead changes, the Bucs took the lead for good as they closed the first half on an 112 run, going into the locker room with a 27-20 lead after a jumper from senior guard Reggie Peyton with 40 seconds remaining in the half.

The Statesmen closed to within three points in the second half with 17:28 remaining, but the Bucs went on a 9-1 run and took a 39-28 lead on a Kohs layup with 13:28 remaining. After DSU scored the next four points, the Bucs went on another 9-2 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 48-34, with 6:02 remaining.

The Statesmen never came closer than six points again, and the Bucs won their quarterfinal round 63-54.

Kohs led the Bucs with a game-high 22 points and three blocks, while Peyton scored 18 with a game-high four steals.

In the semifinal round, the Bucs jumped out to a 15-4 lead before the first media timeout and cruised to BELLTOWERSPRING2009

25

Reggie Peyton (’09) earned All-GSC honors and was named to the South Region AllTournament Team.

26

a 72-53 win over third-seeded Claflin University. With the win, the Bucs advanced to the South Regional final for the first time in school history. The win also gave the Bucs 67 wins in the last three years, the best three-year win tally in school history, and their seasonhigh 24 wins clinched their best total since joining the NCAA. The overall school record for wins was set in 1984-85 as the Bucs went 25-10.

“This game was about trying to get to the Elite Eight,” Nienaber said. “Breaking records wasn’t really on our radar. It’s not something we ever even talked about. I came to the regional thinking, ‘Please, God, just don’t let us lose the first game. I just want to get an NCAA win,’” he added.

At that point, Nienaber’s team had two NCAA wins and was only one victory away from capturing the NCAA Division 2 South Region title. The title round pitted the Bucs against the No. 1 seed, Florida Southern University. “There’s a reason why they are hosting the tournament,” Nienaber said. “There’s a reason they’re the No. 1 seed. They’re going to be a hard team to beat.”

By this time, those who watch DII basketball had noticed that the Bucs led the country in scoring defense, allowing only 55.7 points a game. The team also boasted the No. 4-ranked field goal percentage

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

defense, with opposing teams shooting just 38.8 percent. Nienaber explained that his defensive style came from his Princeton-style offense, which he adopted five years ago. “We are about ball control, and slowing the game down,” he said. “We try to take up to 25 seconds off the shot clock on each possession and then get to the rim. If not, then we take the next best available shot from the field or the foul line.”

The Florida Southern Moccasins averaged 84.1 points per game during the season, and had posted 94 and 95-point performances in their first two games of the tournament. Nienaber knew that the key to playing FSU was to control the pace of the game. “If the score gets up in the 70s and 80s, we’re going to be in trouble,” he said prior to the game. “That’s not the kind of game we need to play.”

Obviously the Bucs played the kind of game they needed to play. They scored the game’s first four points and never trailed as they dominated the game against the host Mocs. The Bucs began to pull away with a 10-2 run sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from sophomore forward Connor Wetzel and Peyton. Backto-back layups by Nick Kohs capped the run, giving the Bucs a 19-10 lead with 11:06 remaining in the first half. The Mocs then pulled within three points with an 8-2 run, closing within 23-20 with 7:50 remaining in the half. They would get no closer as a Kohs dunk started a 15-5 run that gave the Bucs a 38-25 lead with 1:40 remaining in the first half.

The Mocs cut the lead back to four points twice early in the second half, but Peyton and Kohs put the game away for good, scoring all 15 points in a 15-3 run that left the Bucs with a 59-44 lead with 7:13 remaining, and the Mocs never came closer than seven points again. The Bucs took home the South Regional Championship with a final score of 82-72.

“I found myself thinking throughout the game, ‘God, please, I just don’t want to lose this thing by blowing a 10-point lead,’ “ Nienaber said. “And we managed to win with exactly that 10-point lead.”

“I felt like I carried us a little bit inside during the first half,” Kohs said. “And Reggie just took over the second half. We split it up pretty well and made sure somebody was going each half.”

Kohs was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, scoring 27 points in the championship to finish the regional with 75 points, 19 rebounds, nine assists, and seven blocks in three games. Peyton joined Kohs on the all-tournament team as he scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half, slicing through the Mocs’ defense for six layups

in the second half alone. Freshman Dennis turned in another strong performance, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds, and six assists with no turnovers. For the tournament, Dennis had 24 points, 25 rebounds, 16 assists, five steals, and just one turnover.

“He’s an All-American,” FSU head coach Linc Darner told the Lakeland Ledger after the game, speaking of Kohs. “He’s the best big guy we’ve played all year and we’ve played some pretty good big guys.”

Sure enough, the day before the South Regional Champion Buccaneers were scheduled to play their Elite Eight match-up against the Southeast Champions, the No. 4 Augusta State University Jaguars, Kohs was named to both the NABC and Daktronics Division II All-America Teams, becoming the first CBU basketball player to earn All-America honors.

Arriving in Springfield, MA for the Elite Eight, the Buccaneers represented the smallest school in the field, with the smallest athletic budget, probably the highest academic standards, and definitely the thinnest bench—a mere 15 players, four of whom played an average of 30 minutes per game and another who averaged 24.9. Kohs, as a drastic example, had played 1,185 of a possible 1,240 minutes at this point in the season, an average of 38.2 per game.

But Nienaber wasn’t worried about that. “I think depth is the most overrated thing in college basketball,” he said. “You’ve got kids who are 18 years old, and they only play four minutes and sit for a two-minute break?

You’ve got to be kidding me.” But Nienaber refused to feel confident or to let his players feel too satisfied with their performance. “At this point, we’re playing with house money,” he laughed. “It’s taken me 26 years of coaching to get here, so I’m just going to enjoy every minute of it.”

There was plenty to enjoy in the first half, as the Bucs dominated the Jaguars early and built a 21-9 lead in the first 14 minutes. CBU took a 32-18 lead into the locker room at halftime.

That double-digit lead held until a three-point play cut the margin to nine with 15:40 remaining. The Jags followed with a three-pointer, and a game-changing 25-10 run was underway. Once they took the lead, the Jaguars steadily added to it, extending the lead to 10 points twice in the final minute. The Jaguars ended up torching the Bucs for 52 points, shooting 62.5 percent for the half as they rallied for the 70-62 victory, eerily similar to Harding’s win over the Bucs in the GSC Quarterfinals three weeks earlier.

Peyton scored a game-high 20 points for the Bucs, but All-American Kohs was held to only 15 on 6-of-17

shooting. Dennis added nine points, four assists, three steals, and three rebounds before fouling out in 37 minutes. “We had trouble getting open for shots and getting into the lane in the second half,” said Kohs.

“They did a great job defensively of preventing us from doing what we wanted to do offensively. A lot of my moves are to the baseline, and they just completely shut me off.”

“We played about as good as we could have played in the first half, but I’ll be second-guessing myself all the summer about the second half,” said Nienaber.

“The first half we made shots that fell, and they didn’t.

That flipped in the second half, and unfortunately so did the score.”

The Bucs ended the magical and historic season going further than any basketball team in school history, tying the CBU record for wins in a season with 25, and with the highest three-year win total (68) in school history. The season also ends the CBU career of five seniors: Kohs, Peyton, Brandon Shane, Colin Flynn, and Zach Welter—who played the final 29 seconds of the final game together.

They may not have managed a repeat GSC championship, but the 2008-09 Buccaneers went even further and took CBU where no other team has been.

Job well done, South Regional Champions. n

Scott Dennis (’12) was named GSC West Division Freshman of the Year, the fourth CBU player in five years to win the award.

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

27

Flo and Dick (’62) Gadomski “When I came back to Memphis, I sat on the steps of Barry Hall with a hamburger, and I said to myself ‘I am back home.’”

28

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

It’s Not Rocket Science.

Dick Gadomski (’62) wasn’t “college material” when he started at CBU. Since then he’s followed a career path that’s ranged from booster rockets to high fructose corn syrup. Now he’s turning his entrepreneurial spirit and acumen to keeping the mission of the Christian Brothers alive.

F

ounder and CEO of PSI Group.

Projects in 35 states and eight foreign countries. More than $100 million in annual sales. Inductee into the Society of Entrepreneurs. Affiliated member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Philanthropist. Friend and family man. But not college material?

“I graduated [high school] with less than a ‘C’ average. I never thought I was college material,” says Richard “Dick” Gadomski (’62).

Growing up as an inner-city kid in Northwest Chicago, Gadomski had what he describes as a traditional, parochial, Catholic, immigrant upbringing.

A second-generation American on both sides of his family—his father’s parents were from Poland and his mother’s from Italy—he learned early a strong work ethic. Though his father later became successful in his own business enterprises, an illness he incurred in World War II forced Gadomski’s mother to fill the role of the family’s sole provider for several years. In his last years of high school, Gadomski worked 32 hours a week at a Chinese restaurant and turned his paycheck over to his mother. “I did keep my tips and got all I could eat—which is a lot for a teenage boy,” he laughs.

Gadomski credits three Christian Brothers at Chicago’s St. Patrick High School with forever changing

BY AIMEE LEWIS (’92)

his life. Brother Philip Hogan (who has since left the vocation) was his high school chemistry teacher—the only subject he really loved—and made the subject fun and exciting. Gadomski had planned to go into the Navy but Brother Cyprian Moriarty, who had gone to Christian Brothers High School, convinced Gadomski to make a recruiting trip to CBU (then Christian Brothers College). When he arrived in Memphis, Gadomski was impressed with all of the new facilities and the number of St. Pat’s graduates who were here, so he decided to give college a try. But he almost blew his chance with the very same Brother. On a senior class trip just six weeks prior to graduation, Brother Cyprian caught Gadomski and some of his classmates drinking, a violation of the school’s alcohol policy, and recommended expulsion. St. Patrick’s principal, Brother L. Paul McGinnis (who has also since left the vocation), stepped in and allowed the boys to graduate.

Once at CBU Gadomski experienced a few academic bumps but worked hard, taking some classes again, and got himself back on track. He also became involved in campus life. CBU was much smaller than his high school so there were many more opportunities for leadership. “I got a lot of exposure to working with groups of people and I think that prepared me for what BELLTOWERSPRING2009

29

Richard Gadomski (circled) in 1960 as a member of an intramural basketball team at CBC, the “Parish’s Poopers.”

I did eventually in life,” he says. “If you can get a bunch of volunteers organized and be successful in the effort, you can generally lead and manage things.”

During this time Gadomski also met Dolores Sabbatini, a student at Siena College (CBU’s sister school). “I was on scholastic probation and she was valedictorian of her senior class and on a full-ride scholarship to school, so opposites do attract,” says Gadomski. “She had her act together and got me serious about life.”

Not so serious that Gadomski wasn’t in on a caper or two. In his sophomore year, he acquired a vial of isovaleric acid, which smells like vomit, from the organic chemistry lab and left it open in the suite of two students who were known pranksters. When the odor began to permeate other suites and students congregated on the balconies of Maurelian Hall, Gadomski knew the joke had gotten out of hand and feared he’d be thrown out of school. He never confessed his involvement until he spoke at the funeral service for Brother I. Leo O’Donnell, his college organic chemistry teacher, in 1994.

Gadomski and Sabbatini married in his senior year and he began to look for work, but graduate school was a new priority. Of the hundred resumes Gadomski sent out, he garnered six job offers at companies like Firestone, DuPont, NASA, and North American Aviation. North American Aviation also offered a graduate school reimbursement program and was near the University of Southern California, so that’s where Gadomski and his new wife went.

On the heels of President Kennedy’s 1961 announcement that the United States would have a man on the moon in a decade, Gadomski found himself a bona fide rocket scientist, working in the aerospace industry on Saturn second-stage boosters. “When I came out of school, I thought I knew everything,” he says. “When I arrived at North American Aviation, I 30

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

realized I knew absolutely nothing. But I looked around at the hotshots from U.C. Berkeley, M.I.T., Rensselaer Poly, Southern Cal, all these guys I’m working around, and I’ve still got a better education.”

CBU and the connections he’d made here were never far away, however. Six other CBU alumni had also moved to southern California to work in the aerospace industry. John Ofenloch (’62) and his wife, Katherine, in particular, stayed close, as their wives taught in the same elementary school and Gadomski and Ofenloch worked and attended graduate school together. They remain friends to this day.

Gadomski’s son Greg was born in California, and the young family soon moved to Huntsville, AL, for a job with Brown Engineering. Shortly after starting the job, Gadomski recruited Ofenloch to Brown as well. The Gadomski family expanded in Huntsville with the birth of daughter Regina. They returned to Memphis after learning that Dolores’ father had been diagnosed with cancer. With only two opportunities in the Memphis area to choose from—working on mechanical tuners for RCA Victor or in the fats and oils business with the Humko division of Kraft Foods—Gadomski chose Humko.

“It was a great job and really turned me on to engineering,” he reflects. “In the aerospace industry, you work in really narrow niches. I worked on engine cut-off systems and rocket engine performance systems.

Now, I’m making different kinds of oils—cooking oil and frying oil and salad oil—but it was a great job because there I got to do everything.” In addition to working with the chemical processes related to the oils themselves, he began working on other engineering elements of the plant, designing foundations, equipment, tanks and instrumentation.

When his father-in-law passed away a few years later, only child Dolores was despondent, and Gadomski felt that a new environment for the family might be good.

Gadomski (at left) in 1982 as a member of the CBC Board of Trustees with Maury Wade, Brother Bernard LoCoco, Lance Forsdick, and John McCabe.

He accepted a position with the BASF Corporation in Germany to work on a plastics project and moved the whole family, his mother-in-law included, overseas.

At Humko, Gadomski had been responsible for all of the automation and instrumentation of the chemical processes so his experience and versatility were ideal for the BASF project—a manufacturing plant to be built in South Carolina. The plant, however, was never built; at the same time new Occupational Safety and Health Act regulations for the environment had been enacted and there was an uproar in the South Carolina community. As a result, BASF gifted the property back to the state and Gadomski took charge of closing the project down, traveling with his family to 14 countries to do so before returning to work at BASF’s facility in New Jersey.

Gadomski began to rise in the company and within three years was managing a $100 million project, the largest in the company’s portfolio, but his sights were set still higher. “I was 34 years old and was highly regarded, making good money,” he says. “But I felt that engineering was too restrictive. I wanted to go as far as I could go. I wanted to be president of the company.”

At the same time, BASF began to identify employees on the leadership track and hired a consultant to conduct psychological evaluations. As Gadomski tells it, “He brought me in and says, ‘Dick, you have to make a decision in the next 18 months: whether you’re going to be a corporate man for BASF or whether you’re going to start your own business.’ I almost fell off my chair. It’s what I had been thinking, but I hadn’t told anybody.”

It wasn’t long before Gadomski had his chance.

Another CBU alumnus, Jim Metz (’60), contacted him when Cargill wanted Metz’s business, S & W Construction, to build a plant in Memphis. Metz’s company needed an engineer for the process plant work and suggested Gadomski put together a proposal;

if the bid was selected, they would set up a separate company and Gadomski would run it. “So I looked at it,” Gadomski says, “and it’s processing corn. I don’t know anything about processing corn, but it has pumps and tanks, evaporators and heat exchangers, and I think ‘I can learn this stuff.’”

Gadomski called in another friend, Lance Forsdick (’61), for his input. The two had not been buddies at CBU, but their wives had been friends since first grade and the families were close. On a trip to Franklin, TN, while their wives and children were out for the day, the two men sat in a café and talked over the project.

“I had started my own business the year before,” says Forsdick (currently serving as interim president of CBU), “so we sat there for hours and hammered out his business plan.”

Cargill gave them the contract, and Process Systems Incorporated (PSI) was born. “I walked out of the meeting with Woody Jenne, the general contractor, and said ‘Did we really just get this job?’” Gadomski recounts. “He said, ‘We sure did, bub, let’s go to work.’”

Midway through the two-year project, Gadomski— who owned 30% of the company—submitted a proposal to the board for added benefits for employees in order to grow the business and bring in other key people. The proposal was declined, and Gadomski had no buy-out agreement. Jenne stepped in and offered to help.

“He wrote me a six-figure check to buy these guys out and said to pay him back when I could,” says Gadomski. “In two years, we’d generated enough cash to pay back the loan, because the next Cargill job was even bigger than the first.” The next Cargill job was in fructose processing, just at the time when fructose began to replace sugar in products like Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

With more business from Cargill, PSI continued to grow. “Ernie Micek [Cargill’s CEO] would come to me BELLTOWERSPRING2009

31

Dick Gadomski’s legacy at CBU: (at center) Dr. Regina Gadomski Healy (’88) and Greg Gadomski (’86), flanked

by Regina’s husband, Dr. Jay Healy (left), and Greg’s partner, Jim Knight (right).

Greg Gadomski died in 2003, and the Gregory Raymond Gadomski Triangle Scholarship has been funded in his memory by his father and Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.

and say he had another project,” Gadomski says. “And every time we’d negotiate, we’d smoke cigars in a closed room, he’d beat me down on price, we’d shake hands, and we’d have another job.”

PSI expanded and began working for other companies but, says Gadomski, “I learned a lot, because we basically built ourselves out of business; we were doing fairly one-dimensional work. In 1982, after our most successful year in history—1981, when we worked on the largest-ever capital project for the state of Tennessee—I had to lay off 50% of my workforce. I had to come up with a strategy to start diversifying and be different from what we were.”

Diversifying meant breaking out and taking on work for more than just the chemical industry.

Gadomski was approached by a former employee who now worked at Federal Express to do work there. “We do corn plants, what are you talking about?” Gadomski recalls his reply. “Well, it turned out most of their packages are carried on slider-belt conveyors, and we used slider-belt conveyors in corn milling plants. So FedEx became a regular customer.”

Gadomski began to recognize opportunities to do turn-key work, projects conceived and constructed by a developer and then sold in ready-to-use condition.

In 1987, he added a construction company and a fabrication company to his existing engineering business in order to work on total design-build projects.

After a reorganization of the three companies in 1992, business took off, and PSI realized 25% annual growth rates and even higher profits.

By the time Gadomski was 56 years old, his company had grown from $30 million of volume to $100 million, and his outside board—Forsdick, David Peck, and his brother, Bob Gadomski—encouraged him to sell the business. “It was difficult,” says Gadomski. “It was like giving up my baby. But we had this tremendous backlog of work with Fortune 500 companies like 32

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Monsanto, DuPont, Ralston-Purina, Kellogg, Cargill, and FedEx. It was the time to sell at peak value.”

This was 2000, and six weeks after selling PSI to German company Lurgi, Gadomski found out that his beloved Dolores had breast cancer. He stayed on as president, but confessed that his heart was no longer in it. Lurgi brought in another president, and he retired in 2001.

Dolores had passed away the year before, and his grief weighed on him. “I had been married for 37 years, and Dolores was the leader of our family,” Gadomski says. “I took care of PSI, and she took care of everything else. I was lost.”

Gadomski slowly began to date again, and Vickie Hall, his administrative assistant of 12 years, set him up on a blind date with her favorite aunt, Florence Smith. “Vickie had talked about me and Dolores for years, so Flo felt like she knew us and was reluctant to accept,” he recalls. “She only agreed because Vicki kept pestering her.” When Flo had second thoughts and planned to cancel, Hall insisted she keep the date and even had her mother follow her aunt into town from Covington, TN, to make sure she arrived at the Peabody for their brunch.

“When I looked down the long corridor, I saw this lady in a black dress and a string of pearls, as she said she’d be dressed,” Gadomski says. “She had this beautiful smile, and I said to myself, ‘Boy, I sure hope that’s her.’ And it was Flo.” They started dating and married two years later.

As a result of his business acumen, Gadomski will be inducted this month into the Society of Entrepreneurs, an organization founded in 1991 to foster the development of the entrepreneurial spirit and to recognize the contribution of entrepreneurs to business and the community.

His philanthropic and community engagement

Dick and Flo Gadomski engulfed by nine of the 35(!) students who received scholarships to attend CBU this year through their generosity.

includes the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, Church of the Holy Spirit, United Way, March of Dimes, Memphis Regional Chamber, Renewable Fuels Association, Memphis Bioworks Foundation, and several youth sports programs. But his heart is with CBU. Christian Brothers University has been an everpresent fact of Gadomski’s life. “When I came back to Memphis, I sat on the steps of Barry Hall with a hamburger, and I said to myself ‘I am back home.’

That’s the way I felt. I’m starting a company, and I’m here, and I just felt like I’ve come home, this has become my home. No matter where I went— Germany, anywhere—I had an education that left me better prepared than anyone around. I had tremendous self-confidence, but it all started here.”

He became involved with the Alumni Association in the 1970s, and it wasn’t long before Lance Forsdick recruited him to the Board of Trustees—where he has served three rotations over the years. In 1994, in recognition of his service and generosity, the Christian Brothers made Gadomski an Affiliate of the Brothers of the Christian Schools —their highest and rarest recognition which, in effect, makes the honoree a member of the Brothers’ order (thus the AFSC designation that he may use after his name).

CBU is also a Gadomski-family affair. Gadomski’s business was going well, and his children could have gone to college anywhere. They chose CBU. Greg graduated in 1986 with a degree in economics and finance; Regina graduated in 1988 with a degree in biology before going on to medical school. Gadomski, who was chair of the Board of Trustees, had the distinct honor of handing both of his children their diplomas.

The most remarkable part of Gadomski’s story is his dedication and love for the people and places that shaped his life. His leadership at the board level is evident; he is on campus frequently and is a vocal

advocate for his alma mater in the community.

“I feel good about the future direction of the school,” he says. “We have more alumni on the board than ever before, and you can really see the leadership.”

His wife, who is a regular at CBU as well, concurs: “Every time he comes back from a meeting there he’s all lit up, because things have come so far and CBU continues to advance.”

Buildings around campus and multiple scholarships bear testimony to Gadomski’s life and influences.

Sabbatini Lounge in the Thomas Center is named for Dolores and her parents; he has given endowed scholarships in memory of both Dolores and his late son, Greg; he has additionally endowed scholarships in honor of Woody Jenne and Ernie Micek, the men who helped get his start with PSI; and there are multiple annual scholarships Gadomski and his wife, Flo, make possible as well. Later this spring, Gadomski will return to St. Patrick High School in Chicago to establish an endowed scholarship program honoring the three Brothers—Philip, Cyprian, and L. Paul—who set his academic career in motion.

Gadomski sums it up best: “We’ve got a great group of people here at CBU. We’ve got gifted instructors; we’ve got a good leadership team. And the students, when I talk to the students today, they feel just like I did. If you ask them about what the University means to them, they say it’s an extended family, the faculty knows them and cares about them. They have accessible, great teachers and they’re getting a terrific education. And that’s exactly the way I felt about CBU when I was here, so I invest my time and dollars here because I believe in our mission and what we’re doing.

“I’m grateful for what the Christian Brothers did for me; I came out of this organization and I have to help keep that mission going for the next generation.

My mission today is: I’m a Christian Brother.” n BELLTOWERSPRING2009

33

classnotes governed by a Board of Regents, whose members are executives from banks and other firms involved with the financial services industry. The mission of the School is to provide an adult learning experience for the career-oriented individual in commercial banking or a related financial services industry business. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1984 Ken Hall, marketing director for Shapiro & Company Architects and longtime fixture in the Memphis nonprofit community, has been appointed by Governor Phil Bredesen to the Volunteer Tennessee Board of Commissioners. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1985

Chicago-area alumni (clockwise from foreground right) Carlos Hernandez (’88), Barb and Kurt Knuth (’62), Tony Scafidi (’70), Pat Huels (’71), and John O’Callaghan (’68) gathered at P.J. Clarke’s-Streeterville on March 3, 2009.

1964 Lawrence Campbell has been appointed deacon and ecclesial minister for the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in West Point, MS, by Bishop Joseph Latino of the Diocese of Jackson. Deacon Campbell will administer the only Catholic Church in Clay County, MS. Larry and his wife, Margaret Noe Campbell (Siena College ‘64), began his ministry in January.

Bob Koeneman is currently serving on the advisory board of his son Keith’s new Chicago-based investment banking company, Kingsman Capital, a private equity firm that invests in middle market business to fund expansion, acquisitions, and family successions, among others. This keeps him busy, as does his nine grandchildren, fishing and hunting. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1980 Dr. Linda Smiley was profiled in The Commercial Appeal’s “Good Health” insert November 13, 2008.

She credits Brother Dominic Dunn for being her primary role model. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1982 Jim Reber joined the Barret School of Banking Board of Regents in August 2008. Housed on the CBU campus, the Barret School of Banking is a non-profit independent school created by and 34

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Amber Dancy Gooding has been named to a two-year term as chairwoman of the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce board of directors. Amber is director of business diversity development with the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, where she is responsible for administering its federally mandated disadvantaged business enterprise program and its voluntary local small, minority and women-owned business enterprise program. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1987 Wes Parker, president of A W Parker, a firm specializing in tax and financial planning, is celebrating his 20th year in business.

Tim Tooker has been elected to managing director at Morgan Keegan & Company where he has worked since 1987. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1988 John Curran, director of design and construction at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, was the subject of a profile in the November 14, 2008 edition of the Memphis Business Journal. Discussing the demands of “one of the cleanest hospitals in the world” — e.g., the air in St. Jude is funneled through high performance air filters 10 times an hour — John said “I don’t buy the MRI that costs $1 million or the cyclotron that costs $2 million, but I make sure the facility is built right so that they work.”

classnotes

1989 Paul J. Posey (also MBA ’08) has been named chief operating officer of Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. (Sedgwick CMS), the largest independent U.S. provider of third party claims administration services. As COO, Posey has responsibility for all Sedgwick CMS operating groups engaged in the direct delivery of claims services on behalf of clients. Paul was previously an executive vice president at Sedgwick CMS. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1990 Kristin Lockhart (Kelley McCrory) was the subject of a Memphis Business Journal “In The Spotlight” profile in the March 6, 2009 edition. Kristin is an executive recruiter with her own company, Lockhart Associates, which she founded in 2003.

Her clients come from a number of fields including manufacturing, automotive, legal, financial and medical. In 2006 she also joined SEACAP Financial whose clients are in the banking, finance and manufacturing fields.

Onika Huggins treated her mother to a birthday trip to Ireland in late August 2008. A picture of Onika and her mother while in Ireland ran in the November 16, 2008 edition of The Commercial Appeal. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

Mary Shea Hackett (’06, M.Ed. ’08) married Gene Delashmit on May 31, 2008.

Joining the celebration were (l-r) Shawna Gastright Engel (’93), Mary Anne Wilhite (’06), Jessica McGarity Hackett (’05), Carrie McIvor (’05), the lovely bride, Erica Sage Pitts (’06), Ashley Prevost (’07), Amanda Alsbrook (’06), and flower girl Maxine Engel (’24).

1991 Sheldon (Roy) Tyndall is serving as interim director of the information technology department for Haywood Regional Medical Center in Asheville, NC. He previously served as vice president of healthcare services for EDI, responsible for leading new information technology services for healthcare clients. Prior to that, he served as chief information officer at West Georgia Health System and several consultant and leadership roles at McKesson Provider Technologies in Alpharetta, GA. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1993 Michelle Motta Cromer and husband, Steven, were pleased to welcome their baby girl Anna in June 2006. She has three older brothers, and the family lives in Memphis. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1997 Scott Thrasher was hired by Homer Skelton Ford in Olive Branch, MS as a receptionist in July 2008. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1998 Simone Ludwig Lee and her husband, Gary, are

Tracy Simmons Settle (’97, MBA ’99) and Raymond Settle are happy to announce their marriage on March 7, 2009. They currently reside in Cordova, TN. proud parents of Alana Lai Lee, born on July 28, 2008. She is a happy and healthy baby girl, who already loves volleyball! Simone is director of development at Oak Mountain Academy in Atlanta.

Dr. Felix Vazquez-Chona is currently doing a postdoctoral work through a Developmental Biology Training Grant at the University of Utah. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

1999 Rena Masterson Fay and Chris Fay (’98) are pleased to announce the birth to Thomas “Tommy” BELLTOWERSPRING2009

35

classnotes CBU HOMECOMING 2009... 02/21/09 additional photos are available online at www.cbu.edu/alumni

The Homecoming Dodgeball Tournament drew 21 teams and more than 120 hard-throwing, fast-jumping alumni and student participants to Canale Arena on February 20.

The alumni crowd in the President’s Skybox during the February 21 games—which the Lady Bucs won 84-66, followed by the Bucs’ 84-61 victory over Henderson State.

Mr. and Ms. CBU 2009: Caroline Mitchell (History ’10) and Burton Bridges (Finance ’09) pose regally at the Homcoming Dance.

Bucky shares some valuable insights on the finer points of Buccaneer basketball with an interested bystander.

Homecoming After-Party: John Raymond Hehn (’06, standing left), Andrew Griffy (’08, standing, right), Bobby Daush ’06 (seated, facing camera), and Stacey Tabb Daush (’07)

Lady Buc Reunion: (front, l-r) Ann Bushue Hamblen (’00) and Taneisha Lenon (’00); (back, l-r) Sarah Condra (’04), Jennifer Chikos Adams (’01), Kathleen Hiegel (’03), Lisa Harper-Schaefer (’00), and Olivia Malland (’99).

36 36

BELLTOWERSPRING2009 BELLTOWERFALL2008

classnotes

Christopher Fay on May 2, 2008. Tommy weighed 7 lbs., 6 oz.

Faatimah Muhammad celebrated the grand opening of her restaurant, Safari World Tapas Bar, on August 29, 2008. Safari World Tapas Bar is located at 414 South Main in Memphis’ historic arts district. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2000 Jennifer Stormes Dowdell and Matthew Dowdell (’98) are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Caroline Pickett. She was born on November 13, 2008 in Tulsa, OK at St. John Medical Center, and weighed 9 lbs., 5 oz. All are well including older sister Abigail. Caroline proudly displays a CBU Bucs pennant on the wall of her nursery. Additionally, Jennifer received her Master of Arts in Education with a focus on reading from Northeastern State University in May 2008.

Jessica Dwyer has been accepted into the doctoral program in educational administration at the University of New Orleans. She will begin her studies this spring.

Stephen Wetick graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in May 2008 where he will continue his residency. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2001 David Arrington and his wife, Debbie, had a son, Samuel David Arrington IV, born September 24, 2008. He weighed 6 lbs., 4 oz. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2002 Christina Finnie Kovacs and Steven Kovacs (’02) are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Katherine Anne Kovacs. She was born July 15, 2008, in Memphis and weighed 8 lbs., 3 oz.

Kimary Lee has accepted the position of senior business analyst in real estate for Wal-Mart Stores in Bentonville, AR. Scott Mahr was nominated for five regional Emmy® Awards for his work at WMC-TV in Memphis, in the categories of Editor/Short Form, Graphic Arts (twice), Animation, and Director/Short Form. The 23rd Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy® Awards banquet was held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville in January. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2003 Robert W. Appling graduated from Barry University in Miami Shores, FL, as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.

He will begin a three-year surgical residency at the

Atlanta Veterans Administration Hospital in July.

Lachre Brown has begun to fulfill her dream in the healthcare field as a traveling registered nurse.

Ayana Clinton now serves as manager of player appearances and services for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. The team moved to its new hometown from Seattle, where the team was called the Supersonics, after last season. Ayana joined the Seattle organization in 2004 as video coordinator for the Seattle Storm of the Women’s National Basket­ ball Association, and later served as player services coordinator for the Sonics while also directing the Storm’s video department. Prior to that, she had worked in the video department of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Casey Goff was named Tennessee Lottery Educator of the Week for the week of January 24 by WREGTV. Casey currently teaches history at St. Agnes-St. Dominic School in Memphis and was delighted by the news that he was nominated by one of his students. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

babybucs

Heidi Berrell Rubin de la Borbolla (’98) and Ian Rubin de la Borbolla (’97) are thrilled to welcome AIDEN EMERSON DE LA BORBOLLA, born in Memphis June 6, 2008.

2005 Cynthia Caceres, a member of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry Class of 2010, received her white coat July 18, 2008.

Bailey DeRouen has completed her first year of law school at Loyola University, New Orleans, and has applied to the Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program at the University of New Orleans.

Clint Dowdle has been named to work under the head basketball coach of Bowling Green State University.

Michaela Lemen graduated from Seton Hall University with a degree in International Relations in 2007 and is currently working in Washington, D.C., as a presidential management fellow.

Stephanie Mann and Cliff Hathaway were married October 25, 2008 in Little Rock, AR. Three of her bridesmaids were CBU alumnae: maid of honor Taylor Grisham (’05), Aimee Breland Barrois (’05), and Candace Parks Nance (’08). Stephanie is a third-grade teacher at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Cordova, TN. Megan Wortham Murdock was pictured in the January 2-8 edition of the Memphis Business Journal as part of the Thompson Dunavant employees who worked at the Stories of Light Radiothon benefiting the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Adriane Wilkinson and Sam Vitale (’05) were

Becky Mehelich Butler (’02) and Scott Butler are proud to announce the birth of William Edward Butler on October 13, 2008, weighing 7 lb., 15 oz..

Big sister Sarah (age 1 1/2) loves her new little brother!

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

37

classnotes

update So, what’s going on now with those alums who have been featured recently in Bell Tower ?

JOE BIRCH (Fall 2006 issue)

DAVIS, PATRIKIOS, AND CRISWELL (Fall 2008 issue) Marshal Davis, Eric Criswell, and Gerry Patrikios (l-r, top photo, all ’99) of DPC Construction joined The University of Memphis Center for Sustainable Design for the ribbon-cutting of the completed TERRA House, West Tennessee’s first residential home to follow three sets of “green” standards, on February 27.

TERRA (short for Technologically and Environmentally Responsive Residential Architecture) incorporates guidelines from the EcoBUILD initiative of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division; the American Lung Association Healthy Home program; and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) regulations of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, which certifies green homes as silver, gold or platinum. Eric said they are striving for platinum LEED certification­—the first in Tennessee for a residential project.

38

BELLTOWERFALL2008 BELLTOWERSPRING2009

TOP PHOTO BY LISSA THOMPSON

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences inducted Joe (’78), news anchor at WMC-TV, into its Silver Circle at the 23rd Annual Mid-South Regional Emmy® Awards banquet at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville in January. The Silver Circle honors quarter-century contributions to the television industry. In May 2008, Joe marked his 30th year with the Memphis NBC television affiliate. The Mayors of Memphis and Shelby County declared May 20, 2008 to be “Joe Birch Day” in honor of his three decades of broadcast service to the Mid-South. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ CHIP SALTSMAN (Fall 2007/Winter 2008 issue) Chip (’90), the former Tennessee GOP chairman and campaign manager for Mike Huckabee, was a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee, but withdrew from the race the day before committee members cast their votes. In his bid, Chip had been endorsed by Huckabee and former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. His campaign was derailed when he sent a controversial gift CD to committee members by Paul Shanklin, a right-wing comedian who plays parody songs on the Rush Limbaugh show. Chip blamed the flap on the media, saying “I firmly believe that we must welcome all Americans into our party and that the road to Republican resurgence begins with unity, not division. But I know that our party leaders should stand up against the media’s double standards and refuse to pander to their desire for scandal.”

Chip recently told The Memphis Flyer that he has business interests, and that he’s still keeping his hand in politics. “I’ll be all right,” he said. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ NOELLE GARCIA (Spring/Summer 2008 issue) Noelle (’06) won two Unity Awards from the United Catholic Music and Video Association, which held its annual awards ceremony in New Orleans on October 24, 2008. She won the award for Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year for her song “Away from Myself.”

She also won Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for her album Meet Me Where I Am, which contains the award-winning single. Noelle was nominated for a total of seven Unity Awards, including Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Producer of the Year, and Album Packaging of the Year. Take a listen at www.noellegarciamusic.com.

classnotes

babybucs married September 27, 2008 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Memphis. Adriane was a MHIRT participant, went to nursing school at University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Adriane and Sam currently live in St. Louis.

Nicole Workman has been accepted into the master’s program in general psychology at the University of Memphis. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2008

Bob Dalsania, a member of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry Class of ’10, received his white coat July 18, 2008.

Laura Kreager successfully defended her master’s thesis in industrial/organizational psychology at the University of Memphis.

Jerad Schultz, a member of the Class of 2010 physical therapy program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, continued his community service by participating in a volunteer project with Habitat for Humanity. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

Faisal Ansari has been accepted to the Master’s program in Political Science and International Relations at George Mason University.

Indre Augustinaite has been accepted to the nursing program at Union University in Jackson, TN. Andrea Bordwell has been accepted into the master’s program in general psychology at the University of Memphis.

Sarah Cagen has been accepted to the master’s program in community agency counseling at the University of Memphis.

Rob Hughes has been accepted at the Mississippi College School of Law. Rob is also considering pursuing an MBA at CBU in 2009.

Jason Porter has been accepted to medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Kevin Weybright is playing professional basketball in Germany. He started the season with the ProA League Chemnitz, but moved to the Regionalliga ProB League BC Energie Zwickau, where he averaged 25.8 ppg through his first ten games. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2007

2009

Emily Daniel graduated with an MBA from the University of Memphis on December 13, 2008. She currently works for Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics in Trauma Marketing.

Yuri de Souza is working for Microsoft at its Silicon Valley campus in Mountain View, CA, as a software development engineer in test and on the Windows Live Protocols Team. Yuri feels indebted to CBU’s electrical engineering, computer science, and mathematics departments for the wonderful job they did in building his software development fundamentals and is really glad he attended CBU. Divya Jose has been accepted to the medical program at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies.

Kyle Markway, a member of the Class of 2010 physical therapy program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, continued his community service by participating in a volunteer project with Habitat for Humanity.

Jesse McNichol led a one-day workshop for Vance Middle School male students on September 27, 2008. The theme of the day was “Man in Demand.”

Jesse was also named the Tennessee Lottery Teacher of the Week.

Kim Neal has been accepted to the Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at the University of Memphis.

Russell Brandon has been accepted to the Ph.D. program in Cognitive Science at Mississippi State University and the Ph.D. program in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Memphis.

Courtney Colotta has been accepted to the Pharm.

D. program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy.

Boris de Souza received the Memphis Joint Engineers Council-CBU 2009 Featured Engineering Student Award for his academic excellence, student leadership, and service to CBU and community during National Engineers Week in February.

Truc Le has been accepted to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. program.

Michelle Paul has been accepted to the University of Arkansas Medical School College of Medicine at Little Rock.

Kelly Summons is participating in the internship program at Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck Certified Public Accountants and Advisors.

Matt Trouy has been accepted to the doctoral program in physical therapy (DPT) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2006

2010

Maria Blanco Lensing (’04) and her husband, Brad, welcomed ETHAN FRANCIS LENSING on November 28, 2008.

He weighed in at 8 lbs., 8 oz.

Lainey Miller-Ford (’04) and Ian G. Ford (04) welcome their first child, EMLYNN ANN FORD, on November 30, 2008.

Emlynn weighed 8 lbs. and 4 oz. and measured 21.5” long.

Gretchen Hendon Farrell (’92), husband Craig Farrell, and sons Josh and Jack, welcome son and brother Chase Matthew Farrell, who was born on December 15, 2008.

Rebecca Horton is participating in the internship BELLTOWERSPRING2009

39

classnotes

program at Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck Certified Public Accountants and Advisors. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2011 Stephen Tate appeared in a Kudzu Playhouse production of Proof, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play by David Auburn, at the Hernando Performing Arts Center in Hernando, MS, in January. The Kudzu production was also presented at the 2009 Mississippi Theatre Association competition in Natchez, MS.

Passings May all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

BROTHER NORMAN McCARTHY (’66), a Christian Brother for over 50 years, passed away on October 13, 2008, at the age of 70. Raised in Chicago, Brother Norman took vows as a Christian Brother in 1957. He attended Christian Brothers University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master’s degree in Education from St. Mary’s University. He also earned a master’s degree in Christian spirituality from Creighton University. Brother Norman was a theology teacher and counselor, working in Lasallian Schools in several cities of the Midwest, including Omaha (1979-85) and Kansas City (1985-90). He was a beloved member of the Bishop Kelley High School community of Tulsa for the past 17 years.

During that time thousands of students and faculty began each school day with the eloquent prayers of Brother Norman. Brother Norman is survived by his sister, Kaye Disch of Baltimore; his brother, Fred McCarthy of Baltimore; and several nephews and nieces: Tracy Guzman-Borron (Chicago), Enyolta Hemphill (Memphis), Amen Rha McCarthy (Memphis), Bertrum Mullin (Indianapolis), Laurie Adams (Baltimore) and Dax McCarthy (Baltimore).

Brother Norman requested that any memorial contributions be made for tuition assistance at Bishop Kelley High School or San Miguel Middle School. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ROBERT OGILVIE, friend of Christian Brothers University and father of Dr. Mary Ogilvie (Biology), passed away October 18, 2008. The family requests that memorials be made to Birthright of Memphis or Catholic Charities. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ZACHARY THORNTON MAXWELL, MD (’98), age 40

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

32, passed away October 26, 2008 at home. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Covington, TN, a graduate of Christian Brothers University and University of Tennessee School of Medicine. He leaves his wife Melanie Booker Maxwell; a daughter, Mia Claire Maxwell; two brothers, Jeremy Lee Maxwell of Nashville and Dabney Steven Maxwell of Covington; parents Charles and Annette Maxwell, of Covington; grandparents Martha Thornton of Covington and Dillon Maxwell of Covington. The family requests that memorials be sent to Lauderdale County Carl Perkins Center (PO Box 1054, Ripley, TN, 38063) or Methodist Presbyterian Nursery School of Covington. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ TANYA ROBERTSON NOVARESE, wife of John T. Novarese (‘89, MBA ‘97, former CBU trustee), passed away peacefully on December 5, 2008 at her home, after a valiant battle with cancer. A graduate of Germantown High School and Rhodes College, Tanya spent the early part of her career in commercial lending, and soon moved into real estate construction lending at First Tennessee Bank and was among the youngest female loan officers in the bank’s history to be promoted to VicePresident. She retired from First Tennessee as a senior vice president but was recruited by the newly formed Paragon National Bank to be a member of the Senior Management Team, where she was responsible for helping to build the Commercial Real Estate Construction Lending Department.

Besides her husband of 13 years, Tanya is survived by two children, J.T. Novarese and Halle Novarese; her parents, Ron and Marcie Bramley of Eads, TN; three sisters, Kelley Melvin of Cave Creek, AZ, Nikki Caramia of Coudersport, PA, and Amy White of Collierville, TN. The family requests memorials be sent to St. Agnes Academy/St. Dominic School, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the American Cancer Society, or the charity of the donor’s choice. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ BENJAMIN ROBERT DAVIS, 32, who attended CBU in the mid-late 1990s as a civil engineering major and member of the Buccaneer baseball team, passed away December 16, 2008 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, after a valiant battle with leukemia.

Ben was born in Nashville and his family moved to Memphis, where he attended Christian Brothers High School and played football and lettered in baseball.

Ben was named to the Class AAA Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State baseball team, before

passings

graduating from CBHS in 1995. He attended CBU on baseball and academic scholarships, but transferred to the University of Memphis where he played baseball and graduated in 2000 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. While with APAC companies, Ben handled construction accounting at Memphis International Airport. In 2003 Ben started work for The Pickering Firm and earned his Professional Engineer license in 2005. During his tenure at Pickering, Ben also did design work at Memphis International Airport. In 2007, Ben started work with Gresham Smith and Partners as a transportation engineer, but he was stricken with leukemia in April of 2008 and was never able to return. Ben is survived by his wife, Jennifer Renee Davis, his son, Logan Benjamin Davis, his daughter, Madison Renee Davis, all of Cordova, TN; his mother, Marian Elaine Niven and stepfather John W. Niven Jr. both of Germantown, TN; his father, James Robert Davis Jr. and stepmother Sandra Davis, both of Bartlett, TN; and his sister, Jill Gelinas of Cordova, TN. The family requests any memorials be sent to the Christian Brothers High School Baseball Endowment Fund (5900 Walnut Grove Rd., Memphis, TN 38120). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ JENNIFER HICKS AERTKER (’00) died on January 2, 2009 after a long battle with brain cancer. She was 31 years old. A native of Memphis, TN and a resident of Kenner, LA, Jennifer is survived by her husband Erick Christian Aertker (’00), her son Christian John Aertker, her mother Lorraine Jones Hicks, two brothers, Trey John Lamb Hicks and Josh Logan Hicks, sister-in-laws Paula Beall and Juliebeth Pelletier, nephew Dylan Hicks, mother and father-in-law Mary Lee and Erick Aertker and brother-in-law Scott Aertker (’02). Jennifer was preceded in death by her father John Lamb Hicks and her grandparents, John and Gertrude Hicks and Robert and Mary Louise Jones. An electrical engineer employed by Bell South/AT&T, Jennifer was a graduate of Houston High School in Germantown, TN and was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority while at CBU. The family requests any memorials be sent to the American Cancer Society (2605 River Road, Jefferson, LA 70121). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ RITA STOTTS (’73), 30th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge and CBU trustee, passed away on January 2, 2009, at the age of 55. A graduate of Christian Brothers University and Vanderbilt University Law School, Judge Stotts served as

assistant divorce referee, assistant county attorney and as an assistant professor of law at Memphis State University during her legal career before being appointed to the Circuit Court in the 30th Judicial District in 2000. She began her legal career as a staff attorney in the Fair Labor Standards Division for the Department of Labor in Washington, DC. In 1978, she became staff attorney with Memphis Area Legal Services under the leadership of attorney AC Wharton, representing clients in Tipton, Lauderdale, and Fayette counties. In 1982, she joined the firm of Brown and Evans and in 1985 ascended to the position of partner in Evans, Willis Stotts and Kyles. Judge Stotts’ next career position was as administrative judge for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and in 1988 she established her own practice as the Law Offices of Rita Stotts for clients in the area of criminal and civil litigations. The office expanded in 1997 to Stotts, Higgins and Johnson. Other positions in the field of law included Assistant County Attorney for Shelby County Government, arbitrator/mediator with Resolute Systems, Inc., assistant divorce referee with Shelby County Government Circuit Court and Chancery Court, and assistant dean for students in the Department of Recruitment and Minority Affairs at Memphis State University School of Law. During her lifetime, Judge Stotts received numerous awards including: Women of Wisdom Award, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, CBU Distinguished Alumna of the Year, Elected Fellow-Memphis Bar Foundation, Marion Griffin-Francis Loring Award, AA Latting Award for Community Service from the National Bar Association, and the Ruby R. Wharton Outstanding Woman Award. She held community leadership positions with the Memphis Black Arts Alliance, the Memphis Literacy Council Each OneTeach One Program, and the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council, Leadership Memphis, and the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association.

Beside the CBU Board of Trustees and National Alumni Board, she also served on the boards of Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Memphis Street Law, Memphis Area Legal Services, Habitat for Humanity, Memphis Health Center, Memphis Chapter Coalition of 100 Black Women, Ben F. Jones Chapter National Bar Association, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, and Girl’s Incorporated. Judge Stotts is survived by a brother, Kenneth Gilder; a sister, Carla Stotts-Hills; step-brother T. Michael Mitchum (Herbania), stepmother Emma H. Stotts; and a host

Judge Rita Stotts

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

41

passings

of cousins and dear friends. Memorials can be sent to Sisters Network, Inc., a National African-American Breast Cancer Survivorship Organization (8787 Woodway Drive, Suite 4206, Houston, TX 77083). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ FRANCES GRANT LORING, attorney and former theology teacher at CBU, died January 15, 2009.

She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a law degree at age 21. For five years she was affiliated with the law firm of Snowden, Davis, Brown and McCloy, and was introduced to the United States Supreme Court during that time. She was a member of the League of Women Voters. She was always active in multiple civic affairs, including having marched with Dr. Martin Luther King when he was in Memphis during the sanitation strike. Always a practicing Catholic, she left Memphis in 1949 to become a Religious of the Cenacle and was stationed at Ronconcoma, NY, Chicago, New Orleans, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Sacramento and Rome, Italy. In 1965 she was given permission to leave the order after which she received a Ph.D. in theology, and subsequently taught at Christian Brothers College. Following her tenure at CBC, she returned to the private practice of law in Memphis. She was interested in researching information on Marion Griffin, the first AfricanAmerican woman attorney, and saw that a marker to Miss Griffin was erected in downtown Memphis. Yearly a deserving Memphis woman attorney is recognized as having received the Frances Loring/Marion Griffin Award. Donations may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church, Our Lady of Sorrows Church, or to the charity of the donor’s choice. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ BROTHER L. DAVID PIETERS, age 88, who worked at CBU in the early 1960s, died on January 29, 2009. A Christian Brother for 62 years, he was born Frederick Leo Pieters in Burlington, WI. He obtained a Ph.B. in 1942 at Marquette University. He entered the novitiate of the Brothers in 1946 and professed his final vows in 1952. In 1949, he earned a MA at the University of Notre Dame. He was also a US Army WWII Veteran. As educator and counselor, he served at St. Mel High School from 1948 to 1950 and at St. Patrick High School from 1967 to 1990 in Chicago; at St. George High School from 1951 to 1959 in Evanston, IL; at Bishop Noll High School from 1964 to 1966 in Hammond, IN; and at Christian Brothers College from 1962 to 1964.

He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Carolyn Degrave of Burlington, WI; a brother, Donald Pieters of East De

42

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

Pere, WI; and his religious family, the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Memorials are preferred to the De La Salle Christian Brothers Retirement Fund (7650 S. County Line Road, Burr Ridge, IL 60527). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ GLORIA ANN CAPUZZO, wife of Jim Capuzzo (’62) passed away February 21, 2009 after a year-long battle with cancer. In addition to Jim, she leaves behind her children, Michael Capuzzo of Cave Creek, AZ, and Jody Catanese of Mundelein, IL; grandchildren Anthony James, Camryn Josie, and Isabella Ashtyn Capuzzo; her brothers John Chlopek and Leonard Chlopek; sisters Susie Felz and Peggy Buttell; and aunt of many. Memorials will be appreciated for Cancer Wellness Center, Northbrook, IL, or the American Cancer Society. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Brother Leo (Jeremiah Bernardine) Keindel, who taught at Christian Brothers College in the 1950s, died on February 21 in St. Paul, MN at age 96. A De La Salle Christian Brother for 76 years, his teaching career took him to Chicago, IL (De La Salle Institute 1936-39) and Evanston, IL (St. George High School 1939-49), Winona, MN (Cotter High School 1949-50) and St. Mary’s College (1952-54 and 1955-57), St. Joseph, MO (Christian Brothers High School 1950-52), and Memphis (Christian Brothers College 1954-55).

He also taught in the St. Paul area at Benilde High School (1957-59), Hill High School (1959-64 and 1966-71), Brady High School (1964-65), and Cretin High School (1965-66 and 1973-80). Memorials are preferred to the Brothers of the Christian Schools Retirement Fund (7650 S. County Line Rd, Burr Ridge, IL 60527). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ROBERT ALLEN “ROBIN” FRASE JR. (’71), age 60, died of pancreatic cancer on March 3, 2009 at his home in Eads, TN. Robin graduated from CBC with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. An aspiring entrepreneur, he started in the electronic security business right out of college, and throughout his career he was passionate about protecting the lives and property of his clients. He was well-respected in the business community, and Frase Protection, Inc. continues to serve the needs of thousands in the Memphis area. Robin enjoyed gardening, growing a year-round assortment of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. From the mid 1960s to the late 1970s, he played the organ in a number of R&B and rock bands. His love of music carried

passings

over to his family life. In the 1990s he earned his private pilot’s license and instrument rating, logging over 1000 hours flying around the Southeastern United States. He is survived by his loving wife, Linda; children Joshua, Jonathan, Christina, and Robert; grandchildren Hutson, Elizabeth, Caleb, and Meredith; father Robert A. Frase Sr.; siblings Michael, Sharon, Brian, and Stephen; and dear friends and long-time work associates. He was preceded in death by his furry best friend of ten years, Buster. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Nancy Turner Ray, wife of Dr. Asit Ray (Chemical & Biochemical Engineering), passed away March 24, 2009. She attended Moravian High School in Bethlehem, PA and Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL. Besides her husband of 41 years, she is survived by a sister, JoAnne Henderson, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Christ the Rock Church, Outreach Ministries. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Brother Patrick O’Brien (’62), age 71, died on March 30, 2009 as he was traveling from Ferdinand, IN to Florida. Brother Patrick fell ill and stopped in Point Clear, AL, where he was taken by paramedics to a hospital and died a few hours later.

He had been treated recently for heart problems.

Brother Pat was well-known in Memphis for his many years of service at CBU and for his active involvement in the wider Memphis community. In a recent summary of his work at CBU, he described his life in Memphis as being in three phases: his student days; his teaching years in the 1970s; and, as he described it, his “Advancement Years” from 1987 to 2005. In between these services at CBU, Brother Patrick taught at De La Salle Institute in Chicago; La Salle High in Cincinnati; and Bishop Kelley High in Tulsa, OK; and in mission schools in Ethiopia. He was noted for his energy, passionate interest, and innovation in each of his assignments.

Brother Patrick spoke with enthusiasm as he remembered in student days “with such a talented group of Brothers.” He was very proud of the work that he and the Advancement Office accomplished through the annual appeal to friends and alumni.

He took great interest in Catholic organizations, especially the Cenacle, Madonna Circle, Good Shepherd Sisters, Serra Club, and St. Peter Church. Brother Pat left CBU in 2005 to continue his interest in development work by joining the

staff of the Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, IN. The Sisters had been very active in Memphis at the Madonna Day School, and Brother Pat wanted to finish his active apostolate in aiding their work.

He leaves a brother, Tom, of Oregon City, OR; and sisters Kathleen Wiechman of Forest Park, OH; Margaret Bernard of Fairfield, OH; Mary Dooley of Maineville, OH; and Ann O’Brien of Dayton, OH; and his religious family, the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Memorials are preferred to the De La Salle Christian Brothers Retirement Fund (7650 S. County Line Rd., Burr Ridge, IL, 60527) or to the Sisters of St. Benedict (802 East 10th Street, Ferdinand, Indiana 47532). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Edwin John Collins Sr. (’64) of Atlanta died on April 12, 2009 at age 68. He is survived by Sheila McNamara Collins, his beloved wife of 45 years; children Kathleen Mary Collins of Atlanta; Sheila Collins Ferguson (’90) and her husband, Chris Ferguson (’89); Edwin John Collins Jr. (’95) and his wife, Lena Marie Kaminksi Collins (’99); and Maureen Angela Collins (’01), all of Memphis; grandchildren Trey Edwin and James McNamara Collins, Jackson Collins, and Theresa Quinn Ferguson; and sisters and their husbands, Jean and Ron Marwitz and Joan and Bob Arzbaecher of Chicago; and many nieces and nephews. Ed grew up in Chicago and graduated from CBU with an accounting degree. After 20 years working for the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), he joined Lockheed Georgia Employees’ Federal Credit Union in 1984 as vice president and chief financial officer. He was promoted to president and chief executive officer in 1995 and retired in December 2008. Ed dedicated his professional career to the credit union industry which resulted in a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates in May 2006. One of his proudest achievements was the award-winning partnership that he fostered between the credit unions in Georgia and Poland.

He was instrumental in the growth of Poland’s largest credit union, F. Stefczyka. He was an avid golfer, reader, sports enthusiast, and traveler who loved his family dearly and taught them to live every moment to the fullest. The family requests memorial offerings to be made to the Edwin John Collins Sr. Scholarship Fund at St. Pius X Catholic High School (2674 Johnson Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30345). n

Brother Patrick O’Brien

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

43

backpage

No Loopholes in the Laws of Physics The CBU Society of Physics Students (SPS) demonstrated the law of conservation of energy this spring outside the Thomas Center with their so-called “Loop of Death.” A bowling ball was launched from the top of a track and rolled around a vertical loop with a person sitting inside the loop. We are happy to report that no injuries were sustained. The loop was first built many years ago at the University of Memphis and was destined for the trash when it was rescued by Ted Clarke (Physics). It was refurbished by Bob Moats, supervisor of the School of Engineering Machine Shop, with the help of SPS members. Pictured above is Dr. Sandra Thompson-Jaeger (Biology) sitting inside the loop as the bowling ball completes its orbit. Despite the look of sheer terror on her face, she volunteered to sit in the loop, confident of the laws of physics. A video produced by SPS member Tony Bownes (Electrical Engineering ’10), of the various guinea pigs who tested the Loop — including himself, Osborn DeLima (Electrical Engineering ’09), Andrew Fayne (Computer Science ’10), Harshit Shroff (Electrical Engineering ’09), Danielle Wright (Psychology ’09), and Dr. John Varriano (Physics) — is posted on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Glk_XLFas. n

44

BELLTOWERSPRING2009

campus calendar MAY

1 “Songs of a Day”

at 7:30 p.m. in the University Theater This annual spring concert is “a choral journey from morning until nightfall as told in music that vividly depicts the evolution of a beautiful day for anyone to experience.” Musical works by John Rutter, Victor Johnson, and Eugene Butler will be performed by the CB Singers. This program is given in dedication and memory of Brother Vincent Malham, founding director of the CB Singers and past President of the University, in loving tribute to all of his support for the group. Tickets are $5 for general admission ($10 per family) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 7 Alumni Happy Hour at 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Celtic Crossing (903 S. Cooper St., www.celticcrossingmemphis.com) For more information, contact the Alumni Office at 321-3270 or alumni@cbu.edu —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 12 Senior Party sponsored by the Alumni Association (Contact alumni@cbu.edu for details) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 14 Baccalaureate at 7:00 p.m. in the University Theater —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 15 Commencement at 4:00 p.m. at the Desoto Civic Center (Southaven, MS) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 18 Nashville-area Alumni Event at 5:30-7:00 p.m at the Acorn Restaurant (114 28th Avenue N., www.theacornrestaurant.com) For more information or to RSVP, contact the Alumni Office at (800) 283-2925 or alumni@cbu.edu.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 21 Family Business Enrichment Series: Engaging your workforce in challenging economic times (3:30-5:30 p.m. in Sabbatini Lounge, Thomas Center)

JUNE

18 Family Business Enrichment Series: Survival of the fittest – How to make your family business thrive (7:30-9:30 a.m. in Spain Auditorium, Buckman Hall)

JULY

16 Family Business Enrichment Series: Integrating closely held businesses into personal financial and investment strategies (3:30-5:30 p.m., Spain Auditorium) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 17 Alumni Trivia Night with Brother Ignatius Brown, at 7:00 p.m. in Alfonso Dining Hall —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 25 Reunion for 1960s Alumni from India — organized by V.T. Gala (’67).

For more information, contact the Alumni Office at (800) 283-2925 or alumni@cbu.edu.

AUGUST

21 New Student Welcome Picnic (sponsored by the Alumni Association)

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 21 Opening Reception for exhibition by Martha Kelly & Elmore Holmes (5:30-7:30 p.m. in Beverly & Sam Ross Gallery, Plough Library; exhibit runs through October 1, 2009)

SEPTEMBER

29 Peter Steinfels, author and religion columnist for the New York Times (7:00 p.m. in the University Theater)

OCTOBER

2-4 Alumni Weekend (watch your mailbox and in-box for details!)

Jack King (’74) is organizing a Gamma Reunion. For information and to give your input, contact Jack at fivecrowns@comcast.net.

Mark Zahn (’76) will be back this year and is working on an Alumni Soccer Tournament. More details will follow, but if you’re interested in playing contact the Alumni Office at alumni@cbu.edu, (901) 321-3270, or (800) 283-2925.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 9-11 Inauguration Week for John Smarrelli, Ph.D. 22nd President of Christian Brothers University —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 16 Opening Reception for exhibition by Artists’ Link (5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in Beverly & Sam Ross Gallery, Plough Library; exhibit runs through December 10, 2009)

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT 650 EAST PARKWAY SOUTH MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38104

PAID

MEMPHIS, TN PERMIT NO. 397

PHOTO: RAY KARASEK (’03, MBA ’07)